Antithesis, Twin betrayals
#14 of Antithesis
Chapter fourteen of the story trade. Only two chapters to go. I hope you enjoy it.
As always, comments are apprecaited and requested.
Continued form 'Opposites United...'
Shandi came back out of the darkness with her mind whirling. She saw many things, most out of order, jumbled and confused in her mind. She saw the terrible foe fall to her most powerful spell, then she saw her brother taking her hand for the spell of joining, then she felt herself splitting apart from her twin as the creature died. And then, she began to see things, things that were not from her mind. And these, at least, fell in order, chilling her to the bone. She saw her brother seducing Lani, and then she saw him murder her with his bare hands, and worse, she felt what he felt when he had done it. The memory was followed swiftly by more, one after the other, girl after servant girl, each dying at the moment of Shaden's greatest ecstasy, the endless march of death making her want to retch. Forcing her mind away from the dark parade, she cast about for something else to see. And then they came, horror after horror.
She saw all the dark acts he had ever committed, saw the terrible things he had done. She saw her brother poisoning the already unsettled mind of their uncle, inciting his betrayal of the family. Shaden had been the one to send the assassins after his own kin. He had been the master the vampire had spoken of before his death. And worse, he had been the one to unleash the terrible evil that they had just beaten, pulling free the sword that was as a dark mockery of Fal-cotha, her lover's blade. And then, as she clawed her way out of the dark morass of thoughts, forcing herself towards wakefulness, she saw a string of images, of things prepared far in advance; his plans for the future. And, as the endless stream of dark images threatened to drag her back down, she felt something warm and pleasant, something very familiar, touch her hand. Latching onto the feeling, she allowed it to draw her from the darkness.
Opening her eyes at last, she looked up into the face of her lover, feeling a smile start to come to her lips. He looked battered but unhurt, the seemingly invincible warrior having survived all the dark lion had thrown at him. He clasped her hand tightly in his and she felt the swarm of mismatched and order-less images fall suddenly into line in her mind. It spread out before her, a chain of events that went back for years and years, and she watched with a chill creeping over her heart as her brother fell into darkness before her eyes. But then, her mind became aware of something else, something in the present, something that she tried to rally her mind to focus on. And then, just as the images were fading into the background, allowing her to focus on the present, she felt her knight's paw convulse in her grasp and she looked up once more, her eyes going wide in horror.
Kael's head was titled towards the ceiling, his jaw open as if in a scream, though only a gurgling hiss came from it. His back was arching beneath the battered armor and she stared in horror as Shaden's face drifted into being over his shoulder, grinning a horrible grin at the knight's distress. In her brother's hand was the hilt of a sword, ornate and ancient looking, its point just starting to emerge on the other side of her wolf's armor.
The image froze in her mind and everything else left it in an instant. Shaden, her twin, her brother, whom she had loved despite his darkness, had struck down her lover in their moment of greatest triumph. In her mind's eye, she saw the blade pierce the wolf, going through the gap in his chainmail that had been left by the crossbow bolt, driving all the way through to the other side. The blow had been cowardly, dishonorable in the extreme, the event racing through her mind in an infinite loop. Unable to stand against him in a true fight, Shaden had struck when his guard was down, when his attention had been focused on seeing that she, Shandi, was alright.
And then, as Shaden turned his sneering face towards her, a look of sickening pleasure in his eyes, she felt something break loose inside her. In an instant, the frozen image of her fallen protector was shattered, a scream of pain and anger and loss tearing from her throat. She felt a hot rage such as she had never experienced surge to life within her and she reached for her magic, desiring nothing more than to strike her evil brother. But, for all her rage, she was a touch too slow. Before she could bring her formidable magic to bear, Shaden's spell hit her. In an instant, she was bound within a cage of negative magic that none the less had substance, and Shaden smiled at her, one hand holding a tendril of the negative magic like a leash.
Flicking the tendril upward like reins, Shaden made the cage that bound her float upright until she was standing within it, unable to do anything more than struggle in vain, unable to break the spell. Then with a brutal jerk, he yanked the blade from the knight's flesh with his other hand, revealing that it was the rune sword, like a dark mockery of Fal-cotha, the runes gleaming crimson through the blood that coated it. As the blade left his flesh, Kael's eyes met hers and she saw in them the terrible knowledge that he was dead, but Shaden wasn't done yet. Cruelly jabbing a glowing finger into the wound, he cast a spell that made a chill wash through Shandi, a spell of darkness, something unclean that prolonged painful death. Then, allowing the knight to slump into a heap, his gaze still on his love's face, Shaden stood up, and though the knight's blood poured from him like a river, the wolf did not die, not yet.
"Don't worry Shandi," Shaden snarled softly, "Your dear lover will not die yet. No, he will remain, long enough to witness the better man in triumph." Shandi bared her teeth at her brother, struggling all the harder, trying to respond, trying to call out, but one of the tendrils that made up the cage had wrapped itself over her muzzle, robbing her of her voice. Seeing her struggles, Shaden shook his head, his face a cruel mockery of puzzlement. "Why would you possibly waste such energy on him, especially when you will need it for tonight?" The way he said this made Shandi almost throw up, the sour taste surging up her throat. She knew what he intended to do to her.
"Oh yes, today is a day of days, my beautiful sister." With that, Shaden turned his back on her, walking away, the tendril that he held extending as he walked, the smug triumph in his voice making her struggle harder. "Oh, it couldn't be more perfect. We will go home, and I will take power in our house. And when I am the leader of our noble people, I will have such power that no house, not even Kirinus, will be able to stand in my way." As he said this, he began to summon another portal, the blue-white energy of the spell illuminating the room as it swirled into being. "And you, my dear, dear sister, will have the honor of being the mate of the most powerful man in all the twelve houses. Even the royal family will bow before me."
Shandi turned her head from her brother, unable to look at him. She couldn't believe what he was saying, what he thought she would do. Making a silent vow in her head, she swore to herself; she wouldn't do it, no matter what he said. The young magus' searching gaze found instead the piercing sapphire eyes of Kael and she saw the life dimming in them, but he met her eyes all the same. It made her feel so sad and angry that this indomitable warrior, who had survived so much, who had gladly faced one impossible battle after another at her side, only to be struck down by a cowardly blow from an ally, in their moment of victory. Closing her eyes, she tried not to look at him, tried not to watch as her lover, her chosen mate, died before her while she floated helplessly in the cage of magic.
And then, suddenly, a new light seeped beneath her eyelids and she felt curiosity overwhelm her sorrow for a moment. The light was soft and red, not crimson like the eyes of her evil brother, but scarlet, as bright as it had been barely a week ago when she had seen it for the first time. Opening her eyes, she found that the light came from Fal-cotha, the runes upon the blade glowing like the coals of a fire. And then, to her surprise, the light seemed to form into a substance almost like a mist, sparkling like it was made of gem dust. The light was almost lost in that of the portal, which was now swirling into a high disc, but she watched in amazement as it flowed, silent and sure, across the ground, towards the fallen Knight. And then, when it reached him, it flowed into his nostrils and open mouth, bypassing the armor, and his still form twitched.
Then, incredibly, the broken body of the white wolf began to move, untangling its limbs, its hands pushing against the stones. And then, Kael raised his head and she saw that his eyes, whites, iris and pupil, were glowing scarlet, and despite the horrific wound, his chest rose and fell smoothly. The shining form of the knight, his battered armor soaked in his own blood, pushed itself off the ground, rising slowly to its feet. And then, when he was upright once more, he took a step, unsteady and faltering, but then another, and another, moving slowly, but he didn't need to go far to accomplish what he intended. And then, with a final, shaky step, he stepped between Shaden and his sister, breaking the tendril of negative magic with his body. And at once, Shandi felt the cage retract from her, loosening. And Shaden's ears twitched, sensing that all was not well. And then, just as the cage came free from around her, Shandi seized the magic that had been denied to her, drawing upon a spell, feeding all her rage and pain into it.
"You!!" Shaden shouted, his gaze upon the form of the knight, who now floated almost perfectly still within the cage of negative magic, eyes still glowing scarlet. "What does it take to kill you?!"
The cage seemed to contract suddenly at his command, and with a flick of the leash, he flung the knight to the side, into the heap of rubble that had cascaded down when the lion's spell had crashed into the second level. Too late, the dark leopard realized his mistake. Before he could react, Shandi's spell hit him full in the chest. It was a spell in name only, a blast of raw energy and emotion, but it was more than enough. In an instant, Shaden was blasted backward, flung into the newly opened portal. And, as the residual energy of the spell hit it, the portal collapsed in on itself, sealing Shaden on the other side and Shandi was alone. Forgetting all about her dark twin's plans for the moment, Shandi turned, her heart in her throat. A shining body, its armor scattered by the impact with the stones, lit by the pale moonlight coming in through the shattered wall, lay on the pile of broken stone, unmoving, its eyes open still, the glowing scarlet starting to fade. Hurrying over, the magus grabbed the knight's hand, clutching it tightly, tears streaming from her eyes. And, as she touched him, his eyes turned towards her, a sad expression appearing upon his face.
"Shandi, my love," Kael began, his voice echoing, as if coming from a distance. "Now you know the final secret of Fal-cotha, the final power inscribed upon its blade." Shandi nodded, remembering the conversation in the gardens of the estate when they had first known each other, the conversation that they had never finished. "My family motto is loyalty beyond death, and though there is no power that can bring one back from the dead, an oath sworn in blood upon my family's blade brings the words to life." The light in his eyes was fading faster now, his breath starting to slow down once more, the mysterious power holding death at bay for a few moments longer. "If the bearer is dying with the oath still unfulfilled, the spirits within the blade will stave off the end, giving him a little more time, enough for one last chance to carry it out." The knight's face assumed a sad smile that was none the less noble and proud, victorious even in his dying moments. "My oath has been fulfilled. I can go now with a clear conscience." Kael's glowing eyes closed and Shandi heard his breath becoming shallow, ragged as death's grip tightened upon him.
But then, Shandi felt the inferno that had driven her when he had been stabbed suddenly spring to life once more. When they had come into this hall, his wound would have been beyond the skill of any healer to mend. Anyone would say that he was too far gone for anything to be done. Anyone would tell her to let him go. But when she and her dark twin had been blended together, the most complex of spells had been at her fingertips. And the knowledge still remained within her mind, like a reward given for trusting the mysterious source of the fusion magic. And there was a spell in the magic of light, a spell so complex and dangerous that no magus had been able to perform it after its creator had died, though the spell had remained, scribed endlessly by those who hoped to one day have the strength of its creator. With sudden conviction, Shandi squeezed her wolf's hand and then placed the other upon his chest, just above his heart. Tapping her magic, she delved deeply within herself, drawing more magic to the surface, more and still more, more than she had ever used in a single spell before, so much that she knew she risked death in doing it. But she went on anyway, an aura of brilliant white surrounding her as her magic coursed through her mortal form.
Pouring all the energy she had gathered into her arms, she fed it into the body that lay before her, on the very cusp of death. And as the power flowed, spreading the aura into the warrior who lay before her, she chanted words in the tongue of magic, powerful words of hope and healing. Three times she chanted the words, and each time the emphasis changed, and she felt his spirit cease its slide into the everlasting dark of death. She chanted the words three times more, changing them again and a bright glow suffused the air around him. She could feel her own strength waning, drawn away into the effort, but she ignored the feeling. This was something she must do, so it was something she would do, even if it cost her all the strength she had. And finally, she spoke the words three times more, this time using the same inflection and emphasis with each. The bright glow that had suffused the air contracted suddenly, settling like bright dust upon the flesh of the fallen knight. And then, all at once, the glow faded and she waited for a sign that it had worked, that it was not all in vain. Nothing happened for a long minute and then, finally, she could stand it no longer.
"I still need you Kael." She whispered vehemently, her voice growing in volume and strength with every word, shaking the knight. "Oaths be damned, I still need you here. Now live!!" She spoke the last words sharply, as if it were a command.
"As my lady wishes." A quiet voice said and she jumped, looking in shock at Kael's face. And then, incredibly, slowly, as if weighed down by the entire world, his eyes opened, sapphire blue, piercing and clear. Overjoyed, Shandi kissed him, holding him closely while tears slid down her cheeks. The Knight returned her kiss slowly, as if every movement was wearisome, and then she felt his arms, clad in warm chainmail, gently enfold her, holding her as close as he could in his weakness.
When they broke the kiss, Shandi huddled closely to her lover, cuddling her head against his armored chest, not caring that they lay upon broken stones in a shattered hall and he held her in return, his embrace as comforting as it always had been. Bitterly, Shandi cried, all the terror and pain and horror that they had faced that day bearing down on her, and most horrible of all, all the evil that her brother had done, all of it pounding upon her mind like hammers as if trying to destroy her. The bittersweet embrace lasted for an eternity, the minutes passing unmarked for either of them.
And then, finally, the shock of everything that had happened, all the horrors and all the terror, faded away, drowned out by the warm and comfortable embrace of the one she loved. At last, Shandi's tears dried up and she drew in a single deep breath, feeling an odd tranquility descend over her. Leaving her head where it was, pillowed on the armored chest of her knight, she opened her eyes slowly, and found herself looking at the stars that were just visible outside the library, through the shattered walls of stone. They were beautiful, a beauty that was distant and unmarred, wholly untouched by any darkness. And, as she lay there, looking out on them, it finally dawned on her. They had made it, they had survived. The evil that had twice very nearly destroyed the worlds of the nobles, had been defeated at last. And more, she and her brother had been the ones to defeat it, two young sorcerers, the youngest masters in history. By all rights it should have been something to celebrate. But, even as the first sparks of elation started to well up in her heart, the memories of what her brother had done, what he planned to do, reappeared and the uplifting joy faltered, falling back before it even got started. Instead of a celebration there was only more sadness, more conflict.
What she wanted above all else right then, the thing she desired like nothing she had ever desired before, was to run away, hide on some distant world, where no one would find her. She wanted to abandon her duty to the nobility, leave Shaden to rule. Why should she care what Shaden did? She had never liked being a noble, had never willingly been a part of the family's dealings. Why shouldn't she just leave; build a life somewhere with Kael, devoting herself to the pursuit of magical knowledge? And yet, as tempting as that was, as badly as she wanted it, something held her back from accepting it.
Her brother had done great evil in his young life. He had murdered innocents with his own hands, and caused the deaths of countless others with his innumerable schemes. He had threatened the safety of their entire family, and he was planning to do so much more. And she knew, that as his balance, his equal but opposite, that she was the only one who stood a chance of stopping him, of putting an end to what he had done. And, as much as she hated to admit it, she had a responsibility to act. But why should she, when she could get away cleanly, right here and now? Sighing, the young magus gently pushed herself up, freeing herself from the embrace of her knight. Rising to her feet, she slowly climbed off the piled rubble and settled herself on the remains of a stone bench, Kael rising slowly in her wake to follow her. When the wolf had settled beside her once more, he spoke, his voice quiet, still not quite at its former strength.
"So what now, my lady?" He asked, and she rested her head in her hands. "Do we go after Shaden?"
"I don't know." Shandi replied, her words muffled. "I would like nothing better than to let him be, to go far away and just let him do what he wants. But..."
"You feel responsible for what happened." Kael finished for her and she nodded, knowing that that was part of it too.
"He is my brother Kael, my twin." She said, shaking her head. "I should have seen what he was becoming. I should have done something to stop him."
"That is one burden that isn't yours, Shandi." Kael replied. "It isn't your fault that he turned to the darkness. That was his choice, not yours."
"I know." Shandi said, then sighed, looking back up at the moon as it shone down on them. "But be that as it may, I bear the responsibility to stop him. It is within my power to beat him, and so, as much as I may want to do something else, I must face him." At her words, Kael looked at her with a curious expression on his face, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Puzzled, Shandi looked at him with a questioning expression. "What is it?"
"You have changed, my lady." He replied and she cocked her head, confused. "Though you fear, it does not touch you, nor will it ever again." Shandi smiled at her protector, suddenly remembering the conversation they had had bare minutes ago. It seemed so long ago, almost as if a life time had passed in the intervening moments of the terrible fight. Smiling slightly, the young magus embraced the knight once more.
"I hope you are right." She whispered, kissing his cheek before separating once again, rising to her feet. "We must go soon, if we are going to go, before he can put his plans into action."
***
Lord Nael'eth sat in the throne-like chair in the audience hall of the Kit'ranth manor house, brooding into the silence. Behind him, the dying rays of sunshine signaled the close of the day by painting the pillars and windows a dull shade of orange. Unlike on most occasions when he sat in this hall, he was clad in the dull steel plate armor that he wore when leading his army into battle, eschewing for once the fine trappings of his noble station. Across his knees was a sheathed sword, one of his hands laid upon its hilt, occasionally tracing the wire wrapping around the grip, glad of its nearness. Not long ago, the foreboding that had driven him so fiercely in recent days had eased at last, and he should have been happy, for that could only mean that the danger had passed, that nothing had really happened. But he wasn't. Not long after the feeling had eased, a very different feeling had enveloped him, a feeling that made him suddenly cold in his heart. He had felt it before, not long ago, when his own brother had turned on the family, nearly killing him and those that he loved. And he knew that feeling portended nothing good. So he sat, and he waited, surrounded by dozens of guards, and his most trusted magi, his mate by his side.
Just what it was he was waiting for, no one present knew, least of all him. And thus, he sat brooding, casting out with his magic, trying to find the source of that terrible, icy feeling. All he had succeeded in doing so far was increasing the depth of the chill. Something was out of place, something that he couldn't comprehend, as if the answer were staring him in the face, but he couldn't see it. Shivering with sudden cold, the Lord watched as the orange light gradually dimmed to violet, and then to dark blue and finally, back to pale white as the moon rose from behind the horizon, shining down on the room. As the moments crawled by, and he sat as still as a statue with unending patience, a new feeling began to fill the air, a feeling that made even the guards, who had no talent in magic to speak of, shift nervously in place. It was a feeling like to one that filled the air just before a thunderstorm, a feeling of excited energy and deep anticipation. And, then, as the true night began, the cooling air began almost to crackle with the sensation, the feeling sharpening like a sword tapering to a point and at last Lord Nael'eth moved.
Standing from his chair, the lord rose to his full height at last, buckling the sword's scabbard onto his side, a faint glow beginning to surround his form as he brought his magic to the surface. For long moments, he stood there, his green eyes staring down the expanse of the hall, towards the towering doors at the other end, waiting, knowing that whatever it was that was coming, it was coming soon. Every guard gripped his weapon tightly, for they too could sense it coming. And then, all at once, when everyone in the room stood silent and still, as if awaiting a storm to break upon them, the doors suddenly swung wide, the hinges squealing like a wounded animal in the silent hall. All the guards set into ready positions, prepared to fight, and the gathered magi raised their hands, spells upon their lips. But, when the doors opened fully with a hollow, echoing boom, only a solitary figure stood there. The figure, from the bottom of his feet to the tips of his raven wings, was black, except for his eyes, which glittered like emeralds in the dark, no light seeming to touch him. And then, to everyone's surprise, Nael'eth began to smile, the glow about his hands fading as he let go of the magic that he had nearly loosed upon the intruder.
"Shaden, my son," he said, his voice echoing in the silent chamber. "We feared the worst when the swordmaster said that you vanished during the chaos of the night. Where did you go?"
"Where I was needed, father, where I was needed." Shaden said, striding forward with an easy gate, matching his father in height if not quite in presence. "I bring news."
"What kind of news?" Lady Lalun asked, looking at her son with curiosity, her mother's instincts sensing something odd about him.
"Some that is good," Shaden said as he passed the midpoint of the hall, coming nearer with every moment. Now, Nael'eth caught an eager gleam in his son's eyes, a gleam of anticipation and victory. "And, some that is otherwise."
"Speak plainly Shaden, I have no time for your riddles." Nael'eth snapped, frowning at his son's cryptic response, his nerves frayed from the long wait in uncertainty.
"The good news is, that I, with some assistance from my fair sister," Shaden began, coming within a few paces of his father. "Have defeated the ancient creature that the prophecies spoke of. The house is safe from its power at last, not that you were any help, keeping the knowledge from us."
"That is wonderful news." Lalun replied, looking suddenly concerned. "But where is Shalendrea? Surely she did not fall in the fight."
"No, not in the fight, nor after." Shaden confirmed finally, stopping within a pace of his father. But the gleam in his eyes gave Neal'eth pause, for he recognized its like. He had seen it all too often in the eyes of nobles who, having put long prepared events in motion, sense triumph on the horizon. "No, the bad news that I bring is for you, father." At this the lord looked closer at his son and finally, he perceived what had made his mate look at the dark leopard with curiosity. There was something about him that wasn't quite right, his own magic warning him of it. And then, a half second later, far too late to react, he knew what it was. Shaden's hand jabbed forward like a stab, and Nael'eth let out a surprised grunt as he felt something pierce him. "Your reign as the head of our house is at an end, my Lord."
Nael'eth looked down at himself in surprise as sudden intense agony exploded in his body, finding that a hole had suddenly appeared in his armor, just beneath his heart, the metal of his breastplate bending inward around it, pinched as if by an impact. As he felt the warmth of his own blood welling forth from around the wound, staining his underclothes, a cold realization gripped him. And then, he gasped, for suddenly there was a blade sticking through the hole, a sword of ancient design and yet it was a clean and shining as if it were freshly made. As his eyes traced the blade back to the hilt that his son held, he saw runes shining upon it, dark runes that glowed dull crimson like freshly drawn blood. And then, the Lord looked up at his son's face and found him smiling a smile that was anything but pleasant. And at last, as the illusion spells cast over him were dispelled, revealing his son's altered form, he understood the cold feeling at last. Once more, he had been betrayed.
With a cruel jerk, Shaden pulled the sword from his father's flesh, dumping the dying noble to the steps of the dais before the throne. Then, with a terrible sneer upon his face, he turned towards his mother and reveled in the look of shock on her face. Even as he took a step towards her, he raised his hand towards the other magi, a ball of crimson fire flying from it. The spell split into dozens of smaller flames as it flew, overwhelming the paltry defenses that the magi tried to put in his path. And then, with a triumphant smile, Shaden raised his sword once more, the guards doing absolutely nothing to stop him, as they had been instructed by their new master. Grinning, Shaden felt a thought flit through his mind. 'Truly, this was a day to remember...'