Chapter 35. Lore

rick watched with interest as Brekke gently lifted a brittle page with a gloved hand and turned it slowly.  Her other hand was busy winding her short curly brown hair around a finger while she bit her lip in concentration.

“It’s Orrian, but it’s an Orrian well before the modern period.  See, here is the old symbol ‘ara’ for god or godly.  This tome is easily eight hundred years old.  I would not be surprised if it was older still.”

The majority of the books in Zhou’s private collection were treatises on magic with complex diagrams and formulae that gave even Brekke pause.  One of them had much to say on the subject of banishment, but next to nothing relevant to Brekke’s curiosity about Ashekoroth.  He, Uriel and Brekke had spent the afternoon scanning texts trying to find reference to that name or to creatures of the sea but had come up with nothing.

Nandao snored fitfully on the plush burgundy couch that was pushed up against the far wall.  It seemed out of place in the otherwise austerely furnished room.  The monk had showed up near noon in search of Lemony, conveniently timed to avoid running into Zhou on the day of the guild census.  Despite his wayward behavior, he had made good on his promise and returned to honor his debt to Orick.  Admittedly, his current state was the very antithesis of work but the fact that he appeared to be a man of honor, albeit a very cantankerous one, put Orick at ease.  A monk came in handy more often than not and thus far he and Brekke had a tacit agreement that he would help them discover the meaning of her trails at sea.

Which lead to the mysterious volume they had found neglected on a bottom shelf.  It lay beneath a heap of scrolls, some old masks, and a book of sketches for some strange arcane device.  It took up nearly half the desk top as they cracked open its graying red leather binding.  The lamb vellum pages were so old and yellowed they feared to breathe upon it, much less turn its pages.  Orick wondered if Zhou had ever bothered to translate it, for it appeared to have lain in its messy spot for a very long time.  What a shame to treat a priceless artifact with so little regard.  Brekke flipped another page and revealed an illustration, a crude line drawing etched in fading red ink.

“I recognize this.  It’s the pattern Zhou marked in sand upon the floor,” she murmured, a gloved finger tracing the design of the circle with its eight points, each marked with arcane runes.  Orick studied it thoughtfully, wishing he could have been present during the banishing.  He had never seen a demon master at work.  He could picture his guild leader going mad over this book but he doubted it would survive the journey home on a damp ship and that was only if Zhou were willing to part with it.

“Maybe we’ll have some answers now,” Brekke said, her brow knurled with thought, “I think I get this passage here.  It resembles old Ariglese, a dialect that was common in the royal courts of Orr.”

Brekke had brought her favorite striped quill pen and a personal bottle of sepia ink upstairs with her.  She paused to dip the pen and hauled her sheaf of fresh paper toward her, scribbling loudly as her gloved finger worked slowly over the columns of ancient characters.  After several false starts, crossing out of words and grumbling in frustration, she was left with a single sentence which she read aloud.

“Of the six gods were the domains of earth and sea ruled by Melandru, but there were beings over which none held sway.”

Brekke tickled her lips with the end of the quill pen, narrowing her eyes.

“At least, that’s what I think it says.  I definitely see Meh lan dri, which his how the Orians call her in their language.  I’m fairly certain that is six, although that’s puzzling since there are only five gods.  Anyway, give me a minute.”

Orick watched her dive down into the murky script once more.  She worked quickly now, gaining confidence as meanings resolved before her searching gaze.  Uriel came to stand beside them, watching with interest as her fingers drummed quietly on the work table.  She had found a volume on protective charms but had set it aside when Brekke began scribbling in excitement.

“They are Kuei,” Brekke read, tickling her chin with the feather as she repeated the strange word, “I can’t translate that one.  It is similar to demon or ghost, possibly that is its meaning.  This part makes more sense: Melandru banished them for they were an abomination in her eyes.  Always they hungered for life even as they hated and resented it.  Angered by the encroachment of mankind, they coveted humanity and sought to enslave it.

“And the Nameless One courted these beings that had never lived beneath the sun, promising them power and dominion.  Only Melandru and Lyssa stood against them for they were an affront to all free and beautiful things.

“To punish Lyssa, the Nameless One laid a curse upon her children that they might be devoured by the Kuei, for the demons of the water greatly desired the beauty and grace of those she blessed.  He revealed how they might beguile and feed upon her children and gaze upon the world through stolen eyes.  Thus, the goddess delivered pain upon her children, for the Kuei were not of the flesh and could not endure its rigors.  In this way did she free her children but also gave them woe.”

“That explains why Shikai stabbed Zhou,” Orick murmured.

 “I hope I never have to see such a thing again.”

Orick nodded grimly.  He could not imagine how Brekke must have felt through all the horrors that had been visited upon her over the last week.  She was holding up well, all things considered.  He was certainly grateful for her help and smiled as she continued to scribble, reaching the end of the page.

“There’s something here about the other gods not wishing to intervene, but I cannot  make it out.  This last paragraph is interesting, though:

“And Melandru, in her wisdom, sought out those of the Kuei who did not wish evil upon mankind and elevated them to power, giving them form and prowess.  To each she granted one sea to protect.  Her fortune became their fortune, for so long as Melandru had power, so would her chosen guardians.” 

“That explains a great deal,” said Uriel, “Melandru must be reeling after all the assaults upon her domain.   It looks like these Kuei things are feeling more bold.”

Their heads turned as the door to the study creaked open and Kantele peered into the room.  The late afternoon sunlight gleamed upon her auburn hair and her blue eyes flashed like gems.  She was out of breath and making no effort to hide her alarm.

“Come quickly,” she panted, “It’s Teleri and Mabane.  Bring Nandao.”

Uriel crossed the room and shook the monk indelicately so that he grumbled swearing back to wakefulness.

“What has happened?” Orick asked as Brekke carefully closed the ancient book and put away her writing tools.

“I’m not sure.  We were attacked in the marketplace!” Kantele replied, the words tumbling from her mouth rapidly, “Oh please just come.  Mabane is terrified.”

Nandao grumbled and pressed past her, stumping down the stairs and heading straight for the small suite of rooms Pendaran shared with Teleri and her son.  The other four followed close behind.  Orick grew alarmed when he heard Mabane’s bleating cries.  He sounded like a stricken animal, wild and agonized, his fear palpable.  Nandao quickened his pace, trotting now, all signs of sleep forgotten as he rushed to the boy’s side.  Teleri’s sobs rent the air as they burst into the sitting room and found her sprawled upon the couch cradling her son in her arms.

Kantele went to her side, working with Nandao to soothe the two of them.  The monk moved quickly, pressing his hands firmly over Mabane’s shoulders and calling upon Dwayna to drive away the hex.  The boy grew slack, trembling feverishly as he sobbed into his mother’s shoulder.  Orick fumed with rage.  He was just a child.  How could anyone attack a pregnant woman and a little boy?

“I want my papa,” Mabane wept as Teleri held him, her lips pressed to his crown as her own tears bled into his.  Her gaze was haunted and he noticed she kept looking toward the window as if expecting to see someone standing outside.  Frowning, Orick drew the curtains on the autumn sunshine and a dour gloom gripped the chamber.  Nandao scowled darkly at Orick.  The monk sat down beside Teleri and let her lean into his arms, the two of them holding Mabane as the boy grew quiet.

“Can you talk about what happened?” Nandao asked, “Who placed those curses upon Mabane?”

Teleri tried to speak but the moment she said the name of her long dead husband she descended into a grief so old and painful all she could do was weep disconsolately.  Kantele stroked the woman’s hair and held her hand, shaking her head at Nandao as a warning not to press her.

“I’ll stay with them,” Nandao said, “Help me move them into the bedroom.  She needs rest and Mabane will be happier staying with his mother.  Could we get some food and water for them?”

Chen Li, who until that moment had lurked with the characteristic invisibility of a servant in a corner of the room, bowed quickly and departed.

Orick volunteered to carry Mabane and winced when the boy shrieked and curled like a limpet around Teleri’s small frame, refusing to let go of her.  Frowning, he picked them both up at once, drawing a startled yelp from the boy as he bore the two of them into the bedroom.  Kantele helped to remove Teleri’s shoes while Nandao convinced Mabane to release his mother and lay quivering at her side.  The boy finally relaxed when the blankets were drawn over the two of them.

Nandao grimly pulled up the chair that had been Lemony’s perch during Pendaran’s recovery and sat stubbornly at the bedside.

“Leave us, she needs rest.”

Kantele followed Orick, Uriel and Brekke out into the sitting room, pausing only to close the bedroom door.

“What was that about?” Uriel demanded, “What happened in the market?”

“It was her husband’s body.  She told me about Rhys… when she saw him she said his name and I sensed her recognition and alarm.  But it was not human,” she said quietly, closing her eyes against the memory, “It invaded my mind… horrible… nothing I did could drive it away.  It seeks for Pendaran.”

Brekke shuddered.

“Why Pendaran?” Uriel said, “He’s a half-rate mesmer and a wreck.  He’s hardly decent possession material for a demon.”

“Zhou,” Brekke whispered, “It seeks Zhou… it came back for him but it doesn’t want to strike him directly because he knows how to fight it.”

“Well, that’s easily remedied.  We tell Zhou when he gets back from the guild census,” said Orick.

“They will not be back until after midnight,” Kantele replied, “I’m worried we may be attacked in the meantime.  With all of the guild members gone, we are vulnerable.”

“Then we prepare to fight,” Orick said coldly.