Daegan (The Age of Alandria: A Companion Novella) (11 page)

“
Save her. Save her. Save her! SAVE HER!
” the trees all began to chant in desperate unison around him.

The weight was almost too much for him to bear. Their emotion and pain gripped his heart. Daegan went to what was left of the tree that was rooted in the middle of the circle. Drawn to it, but almost afraid to touch it for fear of what he might feel, he kneeled on the ground next to it.

Forgetting that his men were still there, he saw them standing together at the edge of the circle watching him curiously.

“I am going to attempt to save this tree. I know you do not understand what is happening, but I may need your energy if you are willing to give it.”

Though confused, the men slowly stepped closer either out of desire to help or out of curiosity as to what Daegan would do. “In your service, Master Daegan,” Rôl offered. The other men knelt down, surrounding the tree, in unison repeating, “In your service.”

“I will place my hands upon this tree. There is life in her yet. I do not know why, but there is something very important about this particular tree. She has the natural ability to regrow herself, but she is weak and needs our energy to assist her. When I give you a signal, place your hands on her as well.”

Nodding solemnly, yet skeptically, the men placed weapons at their side, freed their hands and readied their energy.

Inhaling three times deeply, Daegan placed both hands on either side of the now ash-colored, jagged, and splintered stump. He was prepared to
feel
something from the stump, but he had not expected to feel nothing... as if she had already died. He sat back, releasing his hands.

“What is it?” one of the men asked.

“I... I do not feel her. I fear it is too late,” Daegan said dejectedly. Then anger stirred within him at the tragedy of this mission. He let out a roar from the depths of his core that could rival that of one of the bear shifters. “NO! This is not how this ends. I will not allow it!” Daegan grabbed the tree stump with deep aggression and passion for life in his heart and in his hands.

“Come back to your tree.
Lan du ílleyll.
Find life. Breathe.
´INYTH!
LIVE!” Daegan shouted as he released the pent-up stores of his magic as a Ferrishyn and of the Faeries, the power to cultivate.

Then he
felt
it... A pulse, faint and weak from the center of the stump, began to beat.

“Now!” Daegan commanded the men. They each placed their hands on the trunk as well and began pushing their own energies and magic into the broken tree.

Thump, thump... thump, thump. The pulse grew stronger and stronger. Daegan could feel the magic of his men as it flooded the tree.

“More,” he shouted. Daegan could not remove his hands from the tree if he wanted to. His energy began entwining with the growing energy of the tree. He could
feel
her—her life force growing stronger and taking shape. Unable to take his eyes off of the tree, he saw it once again return to its rich brown color. Then it began to grow. It grew and grew, but paused at the head when the branches were trying to shoot out.

“Everything you have, men,” Daegan shouted with a hint of joy at witnessing growth such as this. It gave him life and energized his own magic, as he was able to push out even more than he knew he had to give. His men gave everything they had as they watched in awe and shock as well—not only at the tree but also at Daegan himself. 

The tree exploded one by one with branches and leaves and the most beautiful orange and red flowers bloomed—the largest of any flower Daegan had ever seen. He was not even sure what kind of tree she had become, but one thing was certain... she was
alive
. Once he saw the green life force circulating from roots to crown and over again, he felt the freedom to release his magic from that of the tree’s own. His men followed suit, but everyone simply stayed kneeling, unable to break the spell of beauty the tree invoked.

The ground rumbled and shook with light tremors. All around the men, the desecrated remains of the Ónarach began to shake and tremble. The earth was swallowing them into the forest floor. The ground never opened, but instead the bodies somehow seeped into it, becoming one with earth until nothing remained of them.

All around them, the circle of destroyed trees also began regrowing, though at a much slower rate than what they had just witnessed. Life was beginning again for this part of the forest. Daegan felt satisfied with what had happened there and was happy for the forest. Looking around at his men, he saw the same sense of victory and amazement at what they had been a part of resurrecting.

Suddenly, darkness clouded the bit of sky that was visible, causing the forest to become even darker than it had been. A twisting of something dark and evil gripped Daegan where he stood in the center of the once destroyed clearing... the clearing, that now was thriving with the regrowth of all the trees that the Ónarach had attempted to destroy. Pain gripped his head and sent him to the ground on his knees. He felt an energy break through his defenses into his head that instantly cleared the pain of the darkness he felt, though it did not remove the malicious feeling that was growing stronger.

He looked to his men with a strange fear. “Run!” he yelled to them.

Without question they did, but not fast enough. A darkness swept through, as if a wind of its own—not solid, but a transparent blackness with eyes of red.

A voice from darkness itself spoke with words made of wind. “You stole her from me. I will take them from you, Hero.” In a matter of seconds, the darkness swept through the clearing, engulfing every single one of his screaming men into the nothingness that was the evil creature—the Droch-Shúil. They were there one second and simply gone the next. Daegan, unable to move, was bound by the extra energy he recognized as that from the tree he had saved.

“NO!” Daegan shouted as he tried to break that which bound him. Why she would bind him, he did not know. But helpless, he realized there was nothing he could do. His men were gone. He had failed them. His hands covered his face as he felt his emotions break. Nothing. He did nothing.

Hopeless, he sat on the ground of the forest floor for several minutes, his head hanging limp between his knees. Around him, life was moving. The energy within the center tree moved as it again began to take the form of the woman he had just saved.

Feeling the surge of her power, Daegan looked up at the woman within the tree as he realized she was taking on a physical form—she was
real
. She stepped out of the actual tree. Her arms and legs were limb-like, and her skin was light brown and scaled as if covered by thin, smooth bark. Fingers and toes were thin and long; they were much more twig- and root-like. 

As she walked, her appearance began to change and shimmer with an essence of light and magic. Within a moment, she was altered to more woman than tree, with accentuating curves in all the right places. Her clothing was that of quilted leaves and mosses sensually wrapped around her. She had long, wild and unruly hair with curls of browns, greens, fiery oranges and reds. Stepping toward Daegan, she had kindness in her eyes.

Daegan looked on her with glimmering eyes full of sadness and simultaneous awe. He moved from sitting to a partial kneeling position. It was obvious he was in the presence of a rare greatness.  She slowly knelt in front of him.

“You have done more here today than you could have possibly known,” she spoke. Her voice was smooth and ethereal with the glittering sounds of chimes, as she lifted his chin with her long fingers.

“They were torturing you.”

“Yes, a mere tree... or perhaps not.” She raised an eyebrow with a twinkle in her eye. “But a lesser man would have kept to his path, perhaps even some greater ones too.” Daegan watched her as he could see the anger begin to grow within her eyes. “Now they torture you. I had to restrain you. I understand your anger, but your men are replaceable.” He frowned, obviously unsure he agreed. She finished in a much flatter tone, “Never again will that happen. They should not have been able to find me.”

“Who are you?” Daegan rasped out.

She extended her hand to pull him up along with herself. “I am Andreinna. Some call me the Priestess of the Forests. It is a name, one of many.”

Daegan’s mouth was open, his eyes wide at hearing her name. He had heard it before, but only in stories.

“We must not tarry. I owe you a boon—one not given lightly. The Ancients of this forest would not survive long without their keeper.”

Daegan bowed his head to her. Stepping forward, she kissed the crown of his head. Lifting his chin once more, she looked intently into his eyes. Her eyebrows rose and a smirk lit upon her smile. “We shall meet again, you and I. You too, are a rarity, young Daegan.” She paused and looked around at the surrounding trees,
her
trees, then continued, “With the protection and favor of
this
forest, return to your mission.”

He nodded. She walked backwards as if she glided on air, morphing her appearance once more into her true self, then stepped back into the tree, becoming one with it.

That was something he would never forget and neither did she.

✠✠✠

Back to the present, the squad currently with him continued to trek silently through the path that Daegan led them on. He could feel their trepidation not helped by the trees deciding to take action against their fellow warrior, Fromíl. Daegan had no idea what the trees did with their victims but he also did not want to know. The trees were not evil, but they remained neutral in Alandria and the war between darkness and light. They remained unto themselves and protected their own. Daegan was fortunate not to have had any incidents personally with them as many times as he had brought others through this part of the forest, but he also knew they were grateful and respected him to whatever end that they did.

“Master Daegan?” Kâlin quietly stepped up beside Daegan.

Inclining his ear, Daegan looked to the leader of the squad.

“The men are reluctant to ask, but when will we arrive at the border?”

“We are nearly there. The path is granted us, as long as there is no threat from us.” Daegan did not get into how he knew that, and to his credit Kâlin did not ask. 

Without further incident, the trees began to thin as they made their way closer to the edge of the Forest of Lumei. The light of day began to wane into the early evening sky. The men audibly exhaled with relief.

Kâlin spoke as he rode up to Daegan. “Thank you, sir, we would not have made it without you.”

“You would not be here in the first place if it had not been for me. Save your thanks,” Daegan said solemnly as he patted down Mayfair and prepped her to ride into the town of Anise, just outside of the city of Adettlyn. The men did as he did and mounted their horses with spirits a bit higher.

As the men with him breathed the sweet open air, Daegan was grateful this did not end as that other journey had.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Master Daegan?”

“Kâlin, you do not need to address me as such when we are simply traveling on a journey,” Daegan replied wearily.

He nodded, but Kâlin did not ultimately answer to Daegan. “Master Daegan, can you tell us more about the trees in the forest? I get the feeling that you have had dealings with them before.”

Daegan sighed internally. “They are what you have heard of in the stories. Some of them are of the clan of Dryads here in Alandria, a neutral race, but highly sensitive and protective of their own.”

“I do not know what language that was you used with them, but they seemed to listen to you. Why is that?”

“I will not go into the details, but I have had dealings with them before. They are usually quite dormant, but darkness has been stirring again in Alandria and so have they. We have come to a mutual respect, but they do not listen to me. I think they simply tolerate me.” Daegan spurred his horse ahead of Kâlin, not to have to entertain his questions any further. Kâlin seemed to understand.

Turning to address the men, “We still have hours of light yet. There is time to arrive and meet with the king in Adettlyn, so we will not need to take shelter here in Anise.”

Grumbling ensued from the men. “We had hoped to get refreshed by The Drunken Boar before heading back.” Daegan could appreciate that, as he too liked to rest at the local pub that had a cozy environment and welcomed all races. It was hidden away and the waitresses always knew what he wanted. They always gave him special attention, especially when Hal was with him—not that he wanted the attention, but the atmosphere was comforting.

“Business first, then if there is time, we will stop in.”

The trek from Anise into the heart of Adettlyn was not far. Daegan used to love to come into the main city. Looking around, he could not help notice how the city was furthering into ruin. Many had left and it felt desolate and ill, almost like it was dying—perhaps it was. After all he had seen these last few days, he would keep his eyes and his highly attuned senses open to this place as well. He had the feeling that he had been kept blind to many things.

There was a sadness and a lack of life as they approached closer to the city center. Similar to Elnye in Feraánmar, Adettlyn was not only the main city in Lumari but it was also where the castle was. The castle here was much larger than the one he lived in, but it was in greater ruin. Looking up at the castle even from a distance, one could see it was quite impressive, with turrets and spires. The most unique and beautiful thing about the structure was its actual build; large stones gave structure to it as most castles did, but it was fused together with branches and vines snaking throughout the castle walls. It had been heading to its demise for many years now; however, it seemed to have fallen into greater ruin in the last several years, infecting the life of the territory itself.

Even the water near the very banks of Lake Ary’th that they passed on their way to the castle gates took on a brownish, sickly hue—contrasted with its usual vibrant turquoise. He could not understand why, since the water was fresh from the River Rancier straight off the mountains near L’nalrinia, one of his neighboring cities. The water that touched the other areas throughout Alandria did not seem to be affected as the water here had been.