Eternal Beasts

Chapter 28: Echoes of the Lost

The seven quickly exchanged a glance. Why were they here? Never mind that! What was this mageborn woman doing here??

"We would ask you the same, madam," Jeremiah carefully replied. "Are you nysim-suru, to take comfort in a place so heavily corrupted by the Darkness?"

The hooded head looked from one side to the other.

"Corrupt? Yes. This place is corrupt," she agreed. Then she was shifting her hands through a complex series of gestures before writing a vertical line of alien runes in the air in front of her with her finger, the shapes glowing with golden light.

The runes pulsed once, then twice before disappearing. Then, in a silent explosion, a ripple of force washed away from the woman with such power that it drove the small company to their knees and momentarily robbed them of their senses.

When those senses cleared a couple of heart beats later, the seven looked up. And found their voices stolen by what their eyes now told them.

Gone was the bog as far as the eye could see. No more twisted trees, or rotting ground underfoot, half-dead brush, and uneasy sky above. In its place was a lush, vibrant forest of proud hardwoods just starting to turn green with the first touch of Spring, their proud, clean branches lifting nearly fifty meters into the sky. The ground underfoot was now firm, covered in flowers, wild herbs and sun-touched grasses. And the triple suns of Ethaeron shone down on them out of a clear blue sky.

"The Tara Coille!" Ezekiel breathed in astonishment, eyes wide as he stared at the forest around them. "I, I recognize it from pictures that I've seen in the Aaron's Stand's main library! I heard stories of its pristine beauty and majesty before the Harbingers' corrupted it. But the tales pale in comparison to the actual thing!"

Bithra turned to the woman, who had remained silent after casting what was the most powerful spell they had ever seen.

"How?" she stammered in confusion. "How did one spell heal so much corruption?"

"I healed nothing," the woman flatly stated without moving.

"Then how did you restore the Tara Coille to its former glory?" Ezekiel asked.

The hood moved enough to point the darkness within at him for a long moment.

"I simply reminded the forest what it used to be like," she said. "The forest then healed itself."

She then turned to look at the forest with an air of satisfaction.

"It has taken nearly a decade," she said. "But my work here is almost done. The Tara Srath is almost cleansed of the last of the Harbingers' corruption."

The hooded mageborn turned back to the stunned and astonished questors.

"That is my purpose here, my task in my exile. To cleanse the Tara Srath and return Mother Ethaeron to her proper position in the valley. I have answered your question, denai. Now answer mine. What is your purpose here?"

Still dumbfounded by the forest transforming around them, the company returned her gaze mutely, their minds temporarily overcome. All, except Seth. Thanks to an encounter with a feather of gold.

"The Third War of Balance is upon us, good mistress," the nomad pathfinder quietly declared. "We come, seeking the old capital's Master Library in the hope that it contains a hidden cache of griffons in magical stasis."

It was bold, clearly stating their true purpose to an absolute stranger, one that had yet to answer whether they were nysim-suru or not. Would the strategy return to haunt them?

"A cache of griffons, you say," the hooded woman said musingly. "Tell me, nomad, has the Lord of Griffons returned to Ethaeron?"

Seth nodded.

"He has, mistress. Jared Turcott has fulfilled the codices and codexes of our combined people. And the ritual has been completed."

"Sioned!" the woman breathed. "Yes, the ether now tells me the ritual has been completed in Findias's Master Library by an elven wizard of the Tenth Rank."

Seth looked over at a frowning Phineas, a question on his face. How in the Light could she know that? The ether told her? What?? And who was Sioned??

Catching the other pathfinder looking at him, Phineas could only helplessly shrug. While normally very well informed about things transpiring across the Sanctuary territories, the unfolding of the ancient Ritual that heralded the return of the griffons into the Light was a mystery to him. In fact, out of all of them, the one with the question on his face was ironically the one best informed.

"Forgive me, mistress, but time is of the essence," Bithra carefully said. "You say you've been in this cursed place for nearly ten years. Do you know where High King Luthien's throne city once was?"

"As it would be the location of Tara Hill's Master Library, I assume," the woman said. Both Bithra and Seth nodded.

"I do," was her terse reply. "I know it well. For I began my exile there!" She looked to the northeast and pointed.

"Two days on foot in that direction," the woman indicated before looking back at them. "Of course, it's far closer with a wizard in your midst."

Timothy took a half step forward to acknowledge her identifying him, bowing his head.

"Mistress Thaumaturge," he said, earning himself six looks from his comrade's. Thaumaturge?? What in the name of the Light was that??

"I just need an image to use as a focal point to open a portal." He hesitated slightly. "May I be so forward as to ask if you have one I can use?"

The company got the impression that the hooded woman smiled.

"Forward, indeed, Timothy Stonefield," she replied. Then she made a flourish with her hand and Timothy immediately bowed.

"You have our thanks, mistress," he said before looking over at Bithra. "I have a mental image of a ruined city. While it appears to be clear of corruption, I can neither confirm nor deny that it is truly Luthien's throne city, war master."

Bithra nodded before taking a quick look at the hooded woman. She then looked at the others.

"While she hasn't moved against us, I'm not sure we can trust this 'thaumaturge'," she said in a low voice. "I do not recognize the type of magic she uses. And frankly her knowledge and awareness of things despite her claim of spending the last decade 'reminding' the Tara Srath of its former glory and nature is disturbing."

"And yet, we stand in a glade we just watched this woman cleanse of corruption, however she says she did it, and I cannot deny I feel the Light touch me more easily now," Jeremiah replied in a voice just as low, his expression intent. "She may not use magic as we know it, and be aware of things she shouldn't, but she is not our enemy."

"So, we trust this image?" Phineas asked, looking from Bithra to Jeremiah then finally to Seth.

"I say yes," Mordecai indicated.

"As do I," Ezekiel added. "Two days shaved from our mission time is invaluable. We should take it."

"I agree," Seth said with a nod.

"It sounds like you have a consensus," the hooded woman dryly observed. "I'm heartened by you realizing I'm no threat to you or your mission."

That earned her another look from the entire company. Deciding to extend a peace offering, Seth then spoke.

"With your knowledge of the valley, you would be invaluable as a guide, mistress. Would you honor us by accompanying us to Luthien's throne city?"

"Regrettably no," the woman replied. "There are still pockets of corruption, like the one you happened to port to while I was nearby, that I must attend to. But I will give you this warning: while the valley has been reminded of its original purpose, dark soldiers still abound here. Watch your backs. And with that, I bid you farewell. For the Light and the Prophets." And she was gone in a swirl of multi-colored light.