Eye of the
Unicorn
“I’m
proud of you.” Sam laughed.
“Gack!” Ithican replied ungraciously.
The Elf
glared up at Sam trying his hardest to look dignified. Not easy when one was on his hands and knees
before a puddle of his own vomit. A
bone quaking shiver racked Ithican’s frame as he tried to keep his still
rebelling stomach under control.
“It takes
a lot of strength to give up neparine, very addictive stuff.” Sam continued trying to hide a smile. “You’ve finally gotten rid of your Dragon.”
“What?”
But
before Sam could explain further Ithican’s eye caught the motion in the vile
pool before him. Recoiling in horror
Ithican stared slack jawed at the tiny creature that writhed and hissed in the
bile. He’d never seen anything so
ghastly in his life, and it had been living in him! The scaly creature’s head was toped with a small horn that was
tipped with bright red blood.
“That’s
why they call it ‘ridding the unicorn’.”
Sam explained taking a step back himself.
Ithican
just stared at him in disbelief.
“It lives
off the neparine, and when you stop it starts jabbing you with its horn. That’s why you’ve been in such pain. Eventually, if you manage to stay off the
stuff, it abandons it’s host.”
“H...how
do you know all this?”
“Like I
said, I know a neparine addict when I see one.
You see....” Sam started to open
his shirt. “I’ve been known to chase
the Dragon myself.”
Ithican
cried out in shock as he gazed at Sam’s chest.
Clinging to his bleeding skin was a slimy horned Dragon. The creature was suckling blood from a
gaping wound. It stopped it’s macabre
sup long enough to hiss fiercely at Ithican.
His
silent scream turned real as Ithican woke violently from the nightmare. He thrashed about, unable to cope with the
sudden change in scenery. Ithican
fought against the strong arm that tried to calm him.
He freed
himself and struggled to his feet. He
sought to flee the piercing agony that gripped his stomach, but it relentlessly
followed him. Ithican only made it
about five feet before he was on his knees retching. However this time no Dragon rose from the soiled snow to torment
him.
“Feel
better?” Sam asked hesitantly.
Ithican
drew a deep shuddering breath.
“Yes.” He answered truthfully.
“I’ve
been told that the first few days off the neparine are the worst.”
“’Been
told’.” Ithican repeated
suspiciously. “You’ve never...” His voice trailed off in an unspoken
question.
“Me? No.
Alcohol was always my vice of choice.”
Sam fished around in his pack and pulled out a glass flask. “Speaking of which, looks like you could use
some.”
Ithican
got up and turned to see Sam offering him his personal ‘cure all’. His stomach twisted itself into knots at the
mere thought. However Ithican was
forced to smile. The Human had such an
open and honest manor, especially when it came to pointing out his own
faults. Something Ithican had never
seen among the Elves. He walked back
over and sat down in the soft snow.
“No,
that’s all right.” Ithican said pushing
the flask away. “One vice at a time.”
“Suit
yourself.” Sam said taking a pull at
the amber liquid. “Ah, warms the
bones.”
Ithican
pulled his cloak closer, being suddenly reminded of the biting cold. He looked around bleakly at the dark forest
and shuddered. They didn’t have winter
down in his wetland home, at least not winters like this.
“Don’t
worry.” Sam said noting the Elf’s
discomfort. “Soon you’ll be able to
afford the finest, thickest furs. The
thought of the riches alone will keep you warm till then.”
“What are
you rambling about?” Ithican asked, he
thought that Sam should be able to hold his liquor better than this.
“I’m
talking about wealth beyond our wildest dreams. One last ‘score’ as they say.
I told you I needed a partner...”
“Perhaps
you should give me that flask.”
“No,
no. I’m serious. I’ve heard of a fabulous treasure, a
diamond, a diamond so pure that it makes the heart weep. A blue diamond of legend.”
“You’re
talking about the Eye of the Unicorn.”
“Exactly! You’ve heard of it?”
“Who
hasn’t?” Ithican said with a shrug.
“But what does it have to do with us?”
“We’re
going to steal it!”
*****************
Jager
Trillesti stood up from the desk that he’d been working at all night. Stretching he tried to shake off the aches
of sleep depravation. When he looked
down at the golden device that lay on the desk he instantly forgot about how
tired he was. It had been worth
it. Jager smiled with cruel satisfaction.
“The days
of the Ruined Races are numbered.” He
purred to himself.
His odd
violet coloured eyes flashed in anger.
There was only one true race as far as he was concerned. The Humans were the ones who had been
created in God’s image. The rest were
imperfect, they were mutants, and after years of toil he now had proof of
that.
Jager had
stumbled across the ancient text by accident.
With in it’s plastek-paper pages, which probably hadn’t been viewed for
thousands of years, he’d found something extraordinary. It was a text that detailed a forgotten
code: DNA, the code of Life.
Deep in
the DNA of almost every creature on Nuearth lay a dark secret. A secret that justified the extermination of
the other sickly races. He hadn’t shared
his findings, or his ambitions, with anyone.
They would not understand.
“When
Nuearth belongs to the True Race, however...” Jager let his imagination finish
the thought.
He’d be
the savior of Nuearth. Jager had long
believed that the strife that plagued the planet could be cured if it could
only returned to natural state. The
Goblins, Dwarves, Tazarine, Nomes, and all the other countless ‘Lesser Races’
were a disgrace to the glory of the Human form. As for the Elves, they were nothing more than descendants of a
Slave Race. Jager looked out his top
floor window at the still sleeping city below.
Its white marble buildings were stained with blood from the sunrise.
“Once God sees that we...no, that *I*, have returned Nuearth to His original
creation He will rejoin us.”
Jager
picked up the golden device that was the product of years of study and
labor. It only needed one more piece to
be complete. As if it were a sign, he
happened to have that piece in his possession.
Striding over to the safe he punched the code into it’s glowing face
plate. As a Mechanical Magi he had a
host of technology under his control.
Although as time passed man lost more and more of the ancient craft as
its components fell into decay and its secrets lost.
The safe
opened silently and exposed its prize like a blushing bride undressing before
her husband for the first time. Jager’s
violet eyes gleamed. No matter how many
times he looked upon the glittering stone it still took his breath away. He reverently picked up the large
diamond. It was so blue that its depths
were hidden in the glorious hue.
Touching
the cold stone Jager could almost feel the souls of its many owners. The stone was so old that no one could agree
upon its origin. Jager knew where it
came from though. No mortal hand had
crafted it, he was sure of that. It was
far too beautiful, far too glorious to be from the world of man.
“The Eye
of the Unicorn.” He breathed.
He placed
the blue diamond into its new setting.
The golden machinery around it suddenly looked dull in comparison to the
stone’s gleam. To the Human eye it
seemed that nothing happened. However,
Jager knew better. He could feel it
deep in his bones -the device would work, it had too.
Jager
twisted the golden gear on top to adjust the setting. Turning the device up higher he could feel it vibrate slightly in
his hand. Smiling at the brilliant
stone he turned the gear back to it’s lowest setting. No sense in wearing the stone out, he thought, there wasn’t a non-Human
for miles around. Not in Nueyark, they
wouldn’t dare.
Jager
sighed. For the first time in his life
he would give anything to get his hands on Elf. The Elves were the ones who were the greatest threat to peace. The other races didn’t have the numbers to
wage a full scale war, but the Elves did, and their hate of Humans was already
full established.
“Best to
win the war before it starts.” Jager
laughed.
The sound
of bells pealed through his private room.
Grumbling Jager placed the device in the safe. He walked over to the closet and slowly put his white and gold
robe on. The bells continued to ring
and chime urgently. Jager straightened
out his hair. There was no hurry. They would wait for him.
After
all, the ceremony could not begin without the High Priest.
**************
“I can’t
believe this.” Ithican looked around
nervously from under his cloak hood. “I
simply can’t believe you talked me into this!”
“Hush,
someone’s going to recognize your accent.”
“My
accent?” Ithican snarled. “Who cares about my accent? Someone is going to recognize my face! Elves simply do not come here, none of the
other ra...”
Ithican
stopped as a passer by eyed him suspiciously.
Ithican bowed his head and stared intently at the ground with his green
eyes. Elven eyes, he thought to
himself bitterly. No one here had
emerald eyes like his, it was a trait that all the Elves shared, and there were
no other Elves here. Sam had talked
Ithican into coming to Nueyark -the last pure Human city on Nuearth.
Although
the races tended to separate themselves naturally none of the other large Human
cities were pure. The rest all had at
least a small population of traders and merchants that belonged to the other
races. Even the Elves traded heavily
with the Humans. Gold was a great
equalizer.
However
Nueyark was different. The other races
were so unwelcome and looked down upon here that they’d stopped coming. Gone were the days when taverns and inns
posted signs that said “No Non-Humans Allowed”. It was no longer necessary, the non-Humans went to great pains to
avoid the city these days. It had
become clear long ago that it would mean certain death.
And
yet, here I am. Ithican thought
resentfully. He could feel the tips of
his pointed ears burning under his cloak hood as another Human stopped to study
him.
“Can I
help you?” Sam asked the stranger in a
tone that made it clear that the last thing Sam wanted to do was assist anyone.
The
stranger was startled. He looked at
Sam, seemingly noticing him for the first time. He gave Ithican one more dirty look and then turned down a near
by alley.
Sam could
hear Ithican release the breath he’d been holding. Sam was irritated for a second.
It really wasn’t that big a deal, it wasn’t as if there were any laws
that forbade Elves from entering the city.
Then Sam remembered the three men he’d found a month earlier about to
spill Ithican’s blood for the sheer sport of it.
“Come on,
let’s find an inn for the night.” Sam
said hurriedly suddenly sharing Ithican’s fear.
“In case
you’ve forgotten we have no money.”
Ithican grumbled.
Sam
smiled. His blue eyes darted around the
busy street for a moment. He suddenly
slunk off with speed that surprised Ithican.
He couldn’t understand how such a big man could move with such
grace. Sam had the frame of a fighter,
not a thief. However he slithered
through the crowd like a snake and found his prey.
“A
thousand pardons, Sir!” Sam bowed
deeply in apology for bumping into the well dressed stranger.
The
stranger glared at him and then raised his chin and walked off with a cloud of
superiority surrounding him. Sam waved
him good bye to his back mockingly.
Smiling proudly he rejoined Ithican.
“Taken
care of.” Sam said patting his breast
pocket.
“You
can’t ju..” Ithican started, but
quickly gave up. After all they’d come
here to steal something much more valuable than purses.
They soon
came to a run down inn. They had come
to this area of the city because a little bit of gold went a long way here as
far as keeping mouths shut. At the same
time however there was very little in the way of law enforcement. Ithican pulled his hood further over his
eyes as they stepped inside.
“Good
evening to you, Sirs.” A young lady
behind the counter chirped.
“Good
evening.” Sam returned giving the inn
maid one of his best smiles.
“Evening.” Ithican murmured after receiving a sharp
elbow to the ribs from Sam.
She
flushed. After giving Sam an approving
glance her eyes fell on his hooded companion.
“And how can I help you two?”
She asked absent mindedly as she continued to study Ithican.
“Just a
room for the evening, My Lady.” Sam
said with flourish.
She
flushed again. Turning to fetch a key
her long blonde hair swept a graceful arc.
Sam nudged Ithican once again and he looked up annoyed preparing to
reprimand Sam. The harsh words however
sat silently on his tongue when he caught sight of the inn maid.
Ithican
couldn’t help but stare. He’d never
seen such beautiful hair, it was like gold.
All of the Elven women had jet black hair, like his own. When she turned around her crystal blue eyes
caught Ithican’s green eyed stare. She
blushed once more and smiled.
Casting
his eyes down quickly Ithican cursed himself for letting her see. If she recognized him for what he was, if
she told someone he was here... Ithican
stopped his train of thought suddenly.
He wasn’t even sure at what point he’d started valuing his own life, but
it was quite apparent that he had. Now
with one look he may have rendered it forfeit.
“Are you
coming or what?” Sam mocked.
Ithican
looked up to see that Sam and the woman had headed up the stairs towards their
room. Sighing and bowing his head once
more he followed them. The inn maid
brought them to a room and after one last look at the pair she
disappeared.
Closing
the door gratefully Ithican locked it.
He crossed the small room and pulled the curtain over the window. Exhausted he sank down into a chair and
pushed his hood back. He didn’t even
have to look at Sam to see the grin on his face, he could feel it.
“Don’t be
so smug, Human. The people of this city
will be no more willing to show an ‘Elf Lover’ mercy. They’ll kill us both.”
“Don’t be
such a pessimist, Ithican, it’s depressing.”
Sam sat on one of the beds.
“Besides, we’re here now.”
“And let
me guess, it’s all down hill from here.”
“Exactly. The hard part is over.”
“That’s
funny, because I would think that walking through the Church gates, sneaking
into the High Priest’s chambers, taking the Eye of the Unicorn, and then
somehow getting out of the city was going to be the hard part.”
“Eh.” Sam said dismissivly as he pulled off one of
his boots. “That’s all in the details,
we’ll work that out when we come to it.”
“’When we
com...” Ithican started to repeat in
disbelief. He took a deep breath. “You know what, it’s not even worth arguing
about at the moment. I just want to get
some sleep.”
“Amen.” Sam replied removing his other boot.
Ithican
unclasped the pin that held his cloak on and let it fall. Just then, although he could have sworn he
locked it, the door opened. The inn
maid burst in and when her eyes fell on Ithican she squealed with delight and
triumph.
“I knew
it! An Elf!”
****************
For a
few, painfully long, moments nobody moved.
Eventually Sam looked over at Ithican, but Ithican could only stare back
at him. Then the pair turned once more
to stare at the bar maid who was practically beside herself. Her smile lit the room like a torch.
“I knew
you were Elven.” She persisted. “I knew it the second you walked in here.”
“I,
um...” Ithican was at a loss for
words.
“You
won’t tell anyone, right Sugar?” Sam
asked.
She
laughed. Stepping into the room she
locked the door behind her. “Of course
not, silly. I’ve been waiting my whole
life for this.”
“What?” Ithican and Sam asked together.
“I’ve
lived in Nueyark my whole life, thirty years next spring.”
Sam and
Ithican exchanged glances. Thirty! Not that she looked a day over it. Ithican was seventy-five and Sam was fast
approaching one hundred. Considering
they may live to be three hundred they were still young, but not like she
was. She was just a pup.
“Anyway,”
she continued “all I’ve ever heard from
the men around here is how hideous Elves are, how aggressive, arrogant, what
terrible lovers they make...” She
paused long enough to give Ithican’s lean frame a once over. “So obviously I came to the conclusion that
all of that must be Bull Feathers.”
“Obviously.” Sam replied in a serious tone, although his
eyes gleamed with barely contained mirth.
“I mean
the men in this town are scum. Of
course they’d lie to make themselves look better.” She flushed. “Present
company excluded, of course.” She added
hurriedly with a slight curtsy to Sam.
“I was going to wait till I had enough money to travel away from this
wretched city, but now here you are!”
She
swished over to where Ithican sitting, seemingly bolted to the chair. Before he could even make a move to stop her
the young inn maid had her delicate hands in his glossy black hair. Ithican was frozen. An Elven woman would never be so
forward! A shiver ran down his spine as
she gently traced her slender fingers over the tips of his ears.
“Is it
true you can see in the dark?” She
asked with an excited glitter in her eyes.
“Well,
um, yes, sort of... Look, I don...”
“Perhaps
I should leave you two alone.” Sam
giggled.
“No!” Ithican replied stricken. He wasn’t finding this humors in the
slightest. “I mean, I...um...” He stumbled over his words.
“No?” The inn maid repeated in a playfully hurt
tone. “I’m sure you’re friend won’t mind,
he can go help himself to anything down in the bar.” She moved in closer.
Ithican’s
eyes widened in shock. He blushed
furiously. “You...you don’t even know
my name!”
“It’s
Ithican.” Sam supplied.
“You’re
not helping!” Ithican snapped.
“I’m
Marina.” Thinking that introductions
were over with she slipped her warm hand into his shirt. Ithican jerked back as best he could when
she brushed against the scar that had finally healed physically.
“All
right,” Sam said finally coming to
Ithican’s rescue. He caught Marina
about the slim waist and pulled her away from the blushing Elf. “My dear Lady, it’s obvious that you haven’t
heard enough stories about the Elves.
Even though my young friend here wears his wedding band on the wrong
hand, signifying that his wife has died, the Elves still mate for life. He’s no longer eligible.”
“Really?” She asked suspiciously.
Ithican
nodded, even though what Sam had said wasn’t entirely true. He did wear his ring in a position that
showed he was in mourning. However the
Elves hadn’t practiced mating for life in the strict sense in thousands of
years.
“That’s
no fun.” Marina said disappointed. “Oh well.
I guess this way I still have reason to leave the city, someday.” She snaked out of Sam’s light grasp and
kissed Ithican’s forehead. “At least I
can bring you two Sirs dinner.”
“That
would be lovely, My Dear.” Sam said graciously knowing that Ithican would be
incapable of replying. “Our secret’s
still safe, right?”
“As safe
as it can be.” Marina smiled brightly
once again and skipped out of the room as if nothing had happened.
“Kids.” Sam laughed as she left. “That was a close one, in more ways than
one.” Sam walked over and slapped
Ithican’s shoulder. “You’re a stronger
man that I, Ithican. I would have
thrown you to the Werewolves to have a woman like that. Hell, I would probably throw myself to them
for the chance.” Sam laughed again.
“A...are
all Human women like that?” Ithican
asked, still in shock.
“Like
Marina? Oh no, she’s a rare one for
sure.”
“Thank
God.”
*************
“Thank
God.” Jager muttered to himself turning
the Eye of the Unicorn over in his hand.
More and
more of his time was now spent locked in his chambers studying the dizzying
depths of the blue diamond. Few worried
about the High Priest. It was nearing
Arkrest Day and he was probably lost in prayer. The rest of the Temple went about their daily chores as if
nothing was wrong.
But
something was wrong. Jager was becoming
obsessed with the device he’d given birth to.
On the rare occasions that he did have to part with it, evening prayer
or some other bothersome task, he didn’t even lock it away anymore. He could no longer stand the idea of it
being shut up in the dark where its crystal heart couldn’t gleam and
glitter.
Jager no
more worried about thieves than he did about being murdered in his sleep. No one would dare enter his sacred
chambers. God would not allow it. He had given Jager the power to purify His
world and Jager had the faith to believe that He would protect him and his
golden child.
After the
Arkrest Day ceremonies he’d be free to travel for a bit. He knew he couldn’t leave now, not with the
most sacred of days approaching. He
wouldn't dream of it. However,
afterwards he could find some excuse to travel outside the city. A pilgrimage of some description, yes,
that’s what I’ll call it, he thought to himself.
Once out
in Nuearth he would have no trouble finding a member of one of the Ruined
Races. Their ilk were crawling all over
the lands these days. Once he’d
perfected the power behind the Eye of the Unicorn he’d go from territory to
territory vanquishing the imperfect. But
for now, he must wait, he must wait for a clear sign. He knew a sign would come telling him that he was in the right.
“Soon...”
***********
True to
her word Marina didn’t tell a soul about the presence of an Elf in
Nueyark. They had been staying at the
inn for nearly a week now. The whole
time Marina watched Ithican like a hawk and flirted mercilessly. He still blushed when she ‘accidentally’
brushed against him.
“Suddenly
I can’t wait for Arkrest Day.” Ithican
complained once Marina had finally left the room. Although she had left them a wonderful supper. Ithican couldn’t remember a time he’d been
this well fed. “I’m starting to feel
like a prisoner here.”
“Hey,
it’s been your idea to stay locked up in here.”
“Like I
have much choice.” Ithican grumbled
darkly.
“And it
was your stroke of genius to wait until Arkrest Day.”
“Well if
we are going to go on a suicide mission...”
“It’s not
a suicide mission. Trust me, the church
will be too busy with morning ceremony to even notice two more people running
around. And the High Priest will have
to attend the whole affair. So his
chamber will be empty, really empty when we’re done with it.”
“How do
you even know the Eye is there?”
“Because
the church has had that rock since before anyone can remember. Most of the former High Priests wore it to
special occasions.”
“Then
isn’t it probable that he will be wearing it tomorrow?”
“Naw. He’s a Magi as well, and you know how that
group detests wearing jewelry. Besides
he’s ne...”
Sam
stopped. Ithican had been regaining
some of his colour now that he was clear of the neparine, however now all that
colour drained away. The terror that
reflected in his green eyes alone was enough to make Sam shudder.
“Ith?” Sam asked after a silent moment. “You all right?”
“A
Magi?” Ithican whispered, his voice
sounding very far away.
“Yeah,
what of it? The Mechanical Magi are
nothing special anymore, gone are the days when they ruled over any powerful
magic, they just play with harmless toys.”
“No, no
some of them wield great power, the Medical Magi...” Ithican trailed off.
Sam
watched with growing concern as Ithican absent mindedly rubbed at his
scar. His eyes were locked on something
Sam couldn’t see, something far away.
“Well,
not this one.” Sam said with confidence
trying to pull Ithican back to the present.
“He just dabbles with little mechanical toys and calls himself ‘Magi’. Don’t worry, I’ve studied this for a while
now, and I’ve been going around this past week gathering even more
information. It’s not a problem.”
“She was
dying, I couldn’t just watch...”
Ithican respond not even hearing Sam’s words. He was locked in some past horror.
“I don’t
know what you’re talking about, Ith.”
Sam interrupted. “If you don’t
want to do this, that’s okay, I could use some help, but...”
“No.” Ithican said suddenly snapping back into
reality. “The Elves do not take
friendship lightly. You’ve saved my
life, more than once. I will help you.”
“Don’t
think of it that way. You’ll be helping
yourself as well. With the riches we’ll
gather from this you’ll never have a care again.”
“You’re
right, we won’t have anymore cares.
Considering this is going to get us killed.”
“That’s
the sprit!”
**************
“I have to
admit that was easier that I thought it would be.” Sam noted as they climbed the grand staircase.
“That’s
really saying something, considering I kept getting the impression that you
thought we’re just going to walk in here and pick up the Eye of the Unicorn
like it was a loaf of bread.” Ithican
replied sarcastically.
Sam had
acquired them the ceremonial white robes that everyone in the Temple wore on
Arkrest Day. Ithican had refrained from
asking how he’d come across these sacred articles, he was just relived that
they included a heavy hood that he could hide beneath. Sam had been right, the Temple was so busy
running around preparing for celebration to notice them. It was a Human holiday that’s true meaning
was lost somewhere in the mists of time, something about the origin of life
upon Nuearth.
“This is
too easy.” Ithican complained. “Something this precious should be guarded.”
“It
is.” Sam laughed. “It’s guarded by God.”
“You’re
kidding.”
“No.”
“Great so
we only have to get past a God. No
problem.”
“Don’t be
superstitious. Come on, it’s not far
now.”
At the
top of the stairs the only direction one could go was West. At the end of the empty hall was a thick
wooden door. Ithican glanced around at
the walls which were decorated with paintings of Nueyark’s past, including one
that showed Elven slaves. Ithican
turned away quickly.
“A child
could pick this lock.” Sam said as he
worked an iron pick in the key hole.
“Ah, there we go. After
you.”
As Sam
pushed the door open Ithican was hit with a wave of nausea. He shook his head and tried to tell himself
that it was just nerves. After taking a
deep breath he stepped into the medium sized chamber. For a moment he fancied that he could feel the evil tension of
the absent Magi/Priest.
“Ithican?” Sam had repeated himself after he’d gotten
no response. “You all right, Ith?”
“Fine.” Ithican finally replied. “Let’s just get what we came for and go.”
“Sounds
like a plan.”
Sam could
barely believe it when he found the Eye of the Unicorn sitting on a piece of
black velvet on the High Priest desk.
At first he didn’t even see the gaudy and strange golden setting that it
had been place in. All he could see was
its glittering blue depths, like a crystal sea. It was just as beatiful as the stories about it claimed.
With an
unexpectedly shaky hand he lifted the pendant.
It swung freely from the heavy chain that it had been placed on. Sam hadn’t thought that someone would make a
necklace out of something so big, the oversized setting made the thing almost
as big as his fist. Worse yet, it
looked mechanical. Very tacky,
Sam thought.
“Ith...”
Sam hadn’t
paid much attention to where Ithican was until this moment. He found his friend with one hand over his
eyes and the other grasping the nearby bookshelf with a white knuckled
grip. Even though he still hid under
the white hood he looked very ill all of a sudden.
“Ith,
what’s wrong? This is no time to be
going into some weird neparine flashback.
We’ve got what we came for!”
Hoping
that the sight of the beautiful prize would snap the Elf back into reality Sam
thrust the jewel towards him. Ithican
drew back so violently that he knocked several heavy tomes off the shelf. Sam was shocked by the reaction. He put the necklace down on the table and
rushed over to help.
“I’m
fine.” Ithican insisted. “Just... just a bit dizzy, I’ll be all
right. Get the stone.”
Sam
looked at Ithican dubiously. His
attention was so wrapped up in his partner’s sudden affliction that he didn’t
even notice the heavy door open. The
High Priest was not as trusting as he seemed.
He had a sensor on his door that alerted him when it was tampered
with. It had taken him only moments to
free himself from the celebration downstairs.
Feeling a
sudden chill in the room Sam looked up.
Standing in the door was the High Priest in his ornate holiday
robe. The look that fell onto Sam’s
usually cheerful features caused Ithican to forget his discomfort for a
moment. He turned around slowly and
locked eyes with the Magi.
Both men
gasped in surprise.
**************
Jager
took a hesitant step forward, his burning violet eyes locked on Ithican. This was his sign! Sam put a protective hand on Ithican’s shoulder. He hadn’t seen such a hungry look since they’d
crossed paths with Marina the inn maid.
Pressing a button by the door that the pair hadn’t noticed before the
Magi magically snapped the door shut and it locked with a heavy click.
“Come!” Jager commanded.
Jager had
not become High Priest without reason.
His voice and manor was so powerful that few could resist his will. Ithican found himself walking towards the
Magi without even really knowing why, or how he’d known the order was for him
and not Sam.
For his
part Sam was so stunned that they weren’t already in the hands of the Temple
guards that he let the Elf go. Soon
Ithican found himself in front of the High Priest, mesmerized like a sparrow
before a serpent.
Slowly
lifting his hands Jager reached out and grabbed the front of Ithican’s
robe. Savagely he tore the thin cloth
and let it fall to the marble floor.
Underneath Ithican’s regular cloths looked dull and dusty in comparison
to the virgin robe he’d been striped of.
Jager reached up and broke the leather strap that had been holding
Ithican’s hair back causing it to fall forward in an onyx cascade.
Sam wasn’t
even aware that he was holding his breath.
He’d never felt smothered by the mere presence of a man before, but he
could feel the power that surrounded this one like cloak. Sam suddenly had second thoughts about the
existence of the God that protected this room.
Jager
took his eyes off Ithican for a moment to look at Sam. The smile that spread across the Priest’s
face was more frightening than the sneer he’d worn while studying the Elf. He reached into an inner fold of his robes,
producing a large ruby he tossed it to Sam.
After
catching the jewel Sam stared at it. It
was a fine stone, of the highest quality.
It was so red that Sam half expected the rock to start bleeding in his
hand. He looked up at the High Priest
with a quizzical expression.
“Payment.” Jager hissed softly.
“Payment?” Sam replied confused.
“It’s the
deal of the century, you can keep the stone and your life. I doubt anyone has ever gotten a better
price.”
“A better
price for what?” Sam still didn’t
understand.
Jager
smiled again. He snaked a hand into
Ithican’s long dark hair. The Priest
yanked his head back so violently that Ithican almost lost his balance. Jager pulled Ithican closer and held him in
a sick pantomime of dance partners.
“For an
Elf, of course!” Jager snarled. “Now leave!”
Struck
with understanding Sam stared down at the jewel in his palm. It was a breathtaking stone, there was no
question about that. However, thievery
was one thing, blood money was quite another.
On the other hand, the Priest could just call for his guards and have
them both slaughtered. Sam looked at
the ruby again, it had to be worth thousands.
Worth living for...
“No.” Sam whispered after a long silence. He dropped the stone. “It was my idea to come here, let him go,
I’ll stay.”
Jager’s
smile turned to a scowl of disgust. He
released his hold on his captive and pushed him away. Sam noted that Ithican didn’t even seem to realize what was
happening. If he’d just fight back a
little Sam was sure that they could over power the Priest, despit his Magi
status.
“Don’t
even think about it.” Jager said,
seemingly reading Sam’s thoughts.
“You’ve had your chance. My
triumph could use an audience anyway.”
“What?” Sam suddenly wondered if the High Priest had
gotten into the Sacramental Brandy and drunken his and God’s full share.
The Magi
pulled a small metallic ball from the folds of his white and gold robe. Before Sam knew what was happening Jager
threw the metal object at him. This
time he failed to catch it. It fell at
his feet and started to glow. Sam
suddenly found himself physically unable to move forward.
Jager
nodded to himself, satisfied that Sam would stay put for a while. The forcefield would see to it. The device was as old as time, but its past
Magi owners had kept it in perfect working condition. He leisurely walked over to his desk and retrieved the Eye of the
Unicorn. Placing the chain over his
head he wore the device like a gaudy medallion. He opened a large leather bound book and scribbled a few notes
into it. He turned his attention back
to Ithican.
Sam
hadn’t noticed the movable gear that the Magi now played with. He didn’t understand anything of what was
going on, none of this made any sense.
Frustrated, he could only watch.
With eyes only for the Elf the High Priest turned the gear with a single
audible click.
Ithican
fell to the cold marble floor like he’d been struck from behind.
“Ithican!” Sam cried as he tried to step forward.
“Stay
back!” Jager barked momentarily
forgetting that the man couldn’t move.
The
shield that the Magi had engaged faithfully kept Sam at bay. Sam had never even heard of such magic. He wasn’t used to thinking on his feet quite
like. Ithican had gotten to his knees
and was clumsily trying to back away.
He kept raking his hands through his now sweat drenched hair like a
madman.
“What are
you doing to him?!” Sam demanded
angrily. He saw the flashing stone
around the Priest’s neck and made a dim connection. “The Eye...” He
whispered.
“Yes.” The Priest purred taking a step closer to
Ithican. “Fascinating, isn’t it? I knew it would work, I knew it would sing
to his tainted DNA, I just didn’t know exactly how the Ruined Race would
respond.”
“You’re
mad!”
Jager
ignored Sam. “I must know more, I must
perfect it. If I’m going to purify
Nuearth, I need to know exactly what’s happening.”
Ithican
started screaming as the Magi moved the gear up a few settings. Sam beat furiously at the unseen barrier as
Ithican’s cries became more desperate.
Jager stood over his victim taking in everything with his clinical
eyes. He seemed completely immune to
the heart rendering wail of escalating agony.
Sam weld his eyes shut, but nothing could protect him from the noise. Once almost musical Ithican’s voice was
becoming discordant and harsh as his throat turned raw.
“Stop! Please!”
Sam cried. “He hasn’t done
anything, I brought him here! Stop!”
It took a
few seconds for Sam to realize that the Priest had complied with his anguished
request. The silence that followed was
so profound Sam feared he’d been struck deaf.
He opened his eyes and saw that Ithican was on the floor panting
heavily. He was obviously laboring for
breath, but he didn’t seemed to be in pain anymore.
After
studying the Elf for a moment Jager knelt down beside him. Using Ithican’s hair as a purchase once
again he forced him to sit up. Sam
gasped in shock, Ithican was crying tears of blood. The Priest reached out and brushed some of the crimson tears away
and then delicately tasted them like he was sampling a fine wine. Sam turned away, fearing he’d be sick.
“Tell
me,” Jager hissed almost
seductively “tell me, what’s
happening. I have to know every
detail. Tell me everything and I’ll let
you go, you and your thieving friend. I
must know.”
Ithican
didn’t respond. He didn’t even seem to
be considering the offer.
“You
might as well,” Jager purred “I’m sure I could keep you alive for
days. Do you think you could endure
more...”
Ithican
grimaced in pain as the Magi calmly turned the stone on once again to a low
setting to keep his attention.
“If I
learn nothing from you the deaths of your race, and the races like you, will be
gruesome indeed. I’ll be forced to let
them be driven insane, as I drive you, until they butcher themselves to escape. Help me.
Make sure that I perfect this science.
That way it will be quick and painless for the rest. You’ll be a hero in your race’s miserable
Afterlife.”
Raising
his blood flecked green eyes to meet the Magi’s fevered violet ones Ithican
poured all his anger and hate into a look that momentarily brought a chill of
fear to the High Priest. Quickly
composing himself Jager pushed the stone’s vibrations up a bit higher. Despite the obvious pain that flooded into
his expression Ithican continued to regard the Magi with pure defiance.
“Stubborn,
just like a mule.” Jager growled in
disgust. “Not even good enough to make
a decent Slave Race! This is why I have
been charged by God to exterminate you!”
Sam could
feel the wave of fury that washed over the Elf. Physically unable to attack, Ithican used what strength he had to
spit blood into his own hand and then he raked it down the front of the High
Priests blazingly white robes. Stunned
for a moment Jager just stared down at the symbolic stain.
Howling
in rage Jager stood up to his full height.
Blinded by the insult he jammed the delicate gear as far as it would go
without snapping. The change was so
intense that at first Ithican simply pitched forward breathless.
What
happened next was something that would haunt Sam till his dying day. He had heard legends about it, but he’d
never really believed them. It was
something that not even the Elves really believed in anymore. For it had been nearly two thousand years
since it had happened.
Ithican’s
tortured scream cleaved the air once again.
Then the cry rose in pitch like an eagle soaring higher and higher into
a clear sky. His voice hit a note that
only the Elves could produce, and only when they were in mortal suffering at an
enemy’s hand. It was a solitary note,
but it sang an entire song. A song so
beautiful it made the very soul weep. A
song of sorrow, of mercy, a song of death.
The note reverberated in Sam’s chest until he was sure his heart would
break.
As the
darkness enveloped him he was positive that that was exactly what had happened.
*****************
When Sam
woke the purple rays of sunset were lighting the room a somber colour. His throat was dry and raw, his face was
stained by salty streaks. At first his
mind refused to remember what had happened.
Moaning softly he sat up. He
stared at the scene before him with blank, uncomprehending eyes.
Ithican
lay on the floor on his back as still as death. That came as no shock, for Sam had known before he’d sat up that
the Elf was dead. What was puzzling was
that the body of the High Priest was also sprawled out on the white marble
floor.
Where as
Ithican looked peaceful in death the Priest’s body was twisted violently. Like he had been unwilling to release the
last spark of his life. The stain that
Ithican had cursed him with had expanded into a sticky pool. The Magi’s violet eyes were locked open,
staring at Sam in fear and disbelief.
Sam
turned away. His gaze fell upon the
ruby that the Priest had given him for Ithican’s life. He picked up the stone and grasped it so
tightly he could feel its sharp edges cutting into his palm. Placing the gem in his pocket he swore that
he’d travel to Evergladrida and find a member of Ithican’s family to give it
to. Someone among the Elves must be
mourning the loss. Over the past month
he’d spent with the Ithican it had become harder and harder for him to imagine
a reason why they’d exiled the Elf.
Sighing
Sam stood up and bumped into the forcefield.
He had forgotten all about it, he was trapped here! Sam beat his fist against it, but the
invisible barrier didn’t even shimmer.
He backed up to take a running start at it.
As he as
about to throw himself at the forcefield something occurred to him: he could
move back freely. Testing his new
theory Sam found that the field only spread about five feet wide. He had never even thought to try and walk
around it before.
Cursing
at himself Sam walked over to the large oak desk. He found the leather bound book still open to the last page that
the Magi had been working on. He read
the delicate sprawling script with difficulty.
Reading was not one of his better talents, but he could do it.
“Ef...effects
of the Eye on Elven.” Sam read aloud to
his dead audience. “Low set...setting:
weakness, apparent pain, disor...disori...disorientation, perhaps nausea. Higher se...setting:”
Here the
notes stopped. Sam closed his
eyes. He didn’t even want to imagine
what the heartless Priest would have written next if he’d survived. Sam flipped the pages towards the front of
the book. Here he found drawings that
he couldn’t even begin to understand.
They were of beautiful ribbons wrapped around one another in double
helixes. The ribbons were attached to
one another with thin lines.
“Very
strange.” Sam muttered to himself.
One of
the ribbon drawings had segments inked in red.
Here was more sprawling script that said things like: impure, tainted,
evil.
“’I knew
it would work, I knew it would sing to his tainted DNA...’” Sam repeated the words the Magi had
said. Was this what he was talking
about? Sam thought.
Sam
flipped through more pages. He came to
a detailed drawing of the Eye of the Unicorn and its setting. Slowly reading the notes Sam’s blood flashed
to ice. He saw now what the Priest had
wanted. Sam slammed the book
closed.
Casting
about his eyes fell on the fireplace across the room that was now just glowing
embers. Picking up the book he walked
over to the fire and cast it in. The
coals leapt to life at the new fuel and greedily consumed the text.
Sam went
over to the contorted body of the Priest.
He saw now what had happened.
The device that had held the Eye of the Unicorn had shattered, or more
like exploded. The shards of gold had
cut deep into the Magi’s throat and chest.
Free from its golden prison the blue diamond glittered on the ruined
chest. Sam retrieved the stone and
examined it.
With the
pure stone in his hand he could almost feel the souls of its previous
owners. Sam couldn’t possible begin to
understand the history that was bound to the rock in his hand. Although now known only as the Eye of the
Unicorn the blue diamond had countless other names attached to it by man.
Older
than the planet it now rested on it’s original name had long since been
forgotten. Found, shaped, sold, stolen,
bought, reshaped, resold, lost, and found again, Sam now held in his hand the
proof that a diamond is forever. He
held the fabled Hope Diamond of India.
He didn’t know that, he only knew one thing about it:
It had
lost all of its beauty.
Sam
turned away from the dead Priest.
Kneeling beside Ithican Sam hesitated to touch him. His greed had destroyed this innocent
creature. The non-Human races of
Nuearth would never know what the outcast Elf had suffered to save them.
For the
first time Sam noticed that at his temple a lock of Ithican’s inky hair had
turned milk white. The bleached lock
had fallen across his blood-tear streaked face. Gently Sam reached down to brush it aside.
Ithican
gasped at the touch and snapped his bright eyes open. Sam drew back so quickly he lost his balance.
“Sam?” Ithican whispered.
“Ith?” Sam replied sitting back up. “I thought you were dead!”
“So did
I.”
Ithican
struggled to his feet. Sam was right
there to help him. When the Elf found
his balance the big Human swept him up in a bear hug.
“Whoa!” Ithican laughed weakly. “Easy big fella.”
“Sorry.” Sam said and hurriedly put Ithican
down. He looked Ithican over like a
mother hen. The Elf trembled slightly
even as he tried to stand still. He
seemed about twenty years older than he had been that morning.
“That’s
okay.” Ithican looked down at the dead
Magi. “What happened?”
“If you
don’t remember, I’m not about to tell you.”
“I meant
the High Priest, did you...”
“Kill
him? No, I wish I had. His sick ambition killed him.”
Ithican
thought about this for a second and then decided not to question it
further. “Thank you.”
“For
what? I was no help whatsoever.”
“For not
excepting the payment, for staying with me.”
Sam
uncharacteristically flushed, he could almost feel the weight of the ruby in
his pocket.
“Don’t
mention it. Besides I would have met my
death at Marina’s hand if I had returned to the inn without you.”
“Good
point.” Ithican looked around the room
and shuddered. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Sounds
like a plan”
**********