Emerali: A War Song Tapestry

Chapter 6

Emerali hewed down the creatures that came her way with every note that she played. It was almost effortless. She sped through the passages, looking this way and that for a sign of either Qelin or Ansted, but neither were anywhere to be seen.

At last, turning a corner, Emerali made an unexpected discovery: a swirling portal before a gaping black doorway. Beside this mysterious portal lay a human man, shivering and groaning pitifully. He was badly wounded.

"Ansted?" Emerali asked, gently.

"Who... are you?" the man asked hoarsely.

"I'm Emerali," she responded. She produced a bottle of health potion, unsealed it and put it to Ansted's lips.

Ansted drank it hastily, looking up at Emerali with glazed eyes. "Lady Emerali, how did you find me?"

"My friends and I came looking for Qelin. We had no idea you were here 'til we met the search party dispatched to find you. Ansted, it was folly to come in here--especially alone!"

"I have to find Qelin! He's exiled himself in this hellish place, and I can't bear it. I believe he went through that portal. I've got to find him! I must bring him back home, my lady, I must!" Ansted cried, his words ending in an anguished sob.

"You will do nothing of the sort, Ansted. You'll stay right here. If you set foot through there, you'll die for certain. Aion be praised you're still alive. If Qelin is in there, I'll do my best to bring him back," Emerali told him in a reassuring tone.

At that moment Thori and Devaen entered. "Finally, we found you!" cried Thori.

"Ansted!" cried Devaen kneeling beside the unfortunate man. "By the Five, I feared the worst."

"D-Devaen... old friend..." was all Ansted could reply.

Emerali rose. "Ansted says Qelin went through this portal. I'm going in to see if I can find him. Remember, Ansted, stay there! We'll be back for you; I promise!" With those words, Emerali dove through the portal.

"Emerali! Wait for us!" Devaen called after her. He growled angrily. "C'mon, Thori."

Casting a healing spell for Ansted, Thori followed him. "I can't believe she did it again!" she fumed.

Once the trio had come through the roiling, shifting passageway of the portal, it suddenly seemed that the environment they'd left behind was comparatively safe. Fiery golems flanked a dark cavern that was lit only by the angry glow of a lava-filled chamber.

"Whoa. How are we gonna get past that?" muttered Devaen.

Just then Thori gasped and pointed toward the lava chamber. "Someone's on the other side of that pit!" she exclaimed.

They all looked, and sure enough, there was indeed someone sitting dangerously close to the edge of the pit. It was a Daeva with their wings unfurled and flopped on the ground. They sat motionless; clearly dejected even from that distance.

"It's got to be Qelin. We've got to figure out how to get around and to that area," Emerali mused. She looked back over at the golems. "I've got an idea!" she declared, her eyes lighting up. "Follow me!"

Before either Thori or Devaen had a chance to react, Emerali was dashing off toward the golems.

"What the hell is she doing?!" exclaimed Devaen.

With a flourish, Emerali drew her bow across the harp strings, and the next instant, the golems had been transformed into a group of dancing inquins. "Come on!" Emerali called out.