considered him a creature of legend.
“I will not accept you as a sacrifice,” Tashi
said. Executing a descendant of the Ancients would bring destruction upon her
tribe. The old tales spoke vividly of encounters with elves, the benevolent
beings who had whispered to the Ulihi the secret of creating fire.
“I appreciate that,” Galen said.
“One of you must die,” Tashi said, looking to the
dwarves.
Knowing that the Ulihi’s primitive weapons held no
danger for her, Kaiya stated, “Our kinsmen need our help. If you allow my
friends to travel in safety to the northern mines, you may execute me if you
wish.” She stood tall, her chin held high.
Tashi examined the dwarf’s face, wondering how she
could so easily offer her life for the others. “You are a woman of honor,” she
stated. “You may go. We will keep the male.” Her eyes looked to Raad, who
stammered over his protest.
“I will not allow that,” Kaiya said. “This man is
under my protection.”
“Who are you?” Tashi asked.
“My name is Kaiya, and I am a mistress of air
magic.”
“A sorceress,” Tashi said.
“Yes,” she replied. “There is a dark presence in
these mountains, and I have come to find it before it can do any harm.”
“It has already caused great harm,” Tashi said,
lowering her eyes. “Leave us,” she said to the warriors.
They hesitated a moment, but a harsh look from
Tashi convinced them to honor her request.
“Darkness has settled upon our tribe, but I do not
know its source,” she said. “Do you have the ability to sense it?”
“I do,” Kaiya admitted. “I feel no magic among
your people, but something is out there, and it’s hiding from me.”
“Why is that?” Tashi asked.
“Perhaps it is afraid,” Kaiya said, uncertain. “Or
it is ill-prepared and awaiting the proper time to show itself.” She was not so
foolish as to believe herself a major threat to an unknown magical entity.
Whether it was more or less powerful than she, Kaiya had no way to tell. Only
when she met it face to face would she know for certain.
“I have seen dark shadows,” Tashi said. “There is
evil here, and I cannot contain it.”
“I will if I can,” Kaiya said.
“You would fight for my people?” Tashi studied
Kaiya’s face for any hint of deception.
“I would,” the sorceress replied.
Instinctively Tashi knew that the dwarf woman was sincere.
A silver spark lit in the sorceress’s eyes, a message to the priestess that she
could be trusted. A gentle breeze moved through the hut, stoking the fire and
catching Tashi’s eye. The face of her mother flashed before her, fading to that
of her sister. The gentle cry of her niece sounded from the village, music to
Tashi’s ears. This could be the woman who put an end to the Ulihi’s curse.
Tashi would not let her out of her sight until she knew for certain.
“You are a brave woman,” Tashi said. “We are
honored to have you among us, and we will accept any help you are willing to
give. There are matters we must discuss.”
“I’m happy to help you,” Kaiya repeated, “but
there are dwarves being injured at the mines. I have promised to help them, and
I must. Lives are at stake.”
“Lives are at stake here as well,” Tashi replied.
“Many have already been lost.”
“What’s happened?” Kaiya asked.
“It’s as I said before. We are cursed.” Tashi’s
eyes filled with tears. “Too many women are lost in childbirth, and our children
no longer survive their first year of life. It is not natural. The gods do
nothing to protect us.”
“I’m sorry,” Kaiya said, the priestess’s pain
piercing her heart.
“Your magic could save us,” Tashi went on. “Will
you speak to the Wind God on our behalf?”
“I know of no such being,” Kaiya replied. Never in
her studies had she encountered anything that could truly be considered a
supreme being. There were powerful elementals and powerful wizards, but none
had attained the status of a god in
“I will not accept you as a sacrifice,” Tashi
said. Executing a descendant of the Ancients would bring destruction upon her
tribe. The old tales spoke vividly of encounters with elves, the benevolent
beings who had whispered to the Ulihi the secret of creating fire.
“I appreciate that,” Galen said.
“One of you must die,” Tashi said, looking to the
dwarves.
Knowing that the Ulihi’s primitive weapons held no
danger for her, Kaiya stated, “Our kinsmen need our help. If you allow my
friends to travel in safety to the northern mines, you may execute me if you
wish.” She stood tall, her chin held high.
Tashi examined the dwarf’s face, wondering how she
could so easily offer her life for the others. “You are a woman of honor,” she
stated. “You may go. We will keep the male.” Her eyes looked to Raad, who
stammered over his protest.
“I will not allow that,” Kaiya said. “This man is
under my protection.”
“Who are you?” Tashi asked.
“My name is Kaiya, and I am a mistress of air
magic.”
“A sorceress,” Tashi said.
“Yes,” she replied. “There is a dark presence in
these mountains, and I have come to find it before it can do any harm.”
“It has already caused great harm,” Tashi said,
lowering her eyes. “Leave us,” she said to the warriors.
They hesitated a moment, but a harsh look from
Tashi convinced them to honor her request.
“Darkness has settled upon our tribe, but I do not
know its source,” she said. “Do you have the ability to sense it?”
“I do,” Kaiya admitted. “I feel no magic among
your people, but something is out there, and it’s hiding from me.”
“Why is that?” Tashi asked.
“Perhaps it is afraid,” Kaiya said, uncertain. “Or
it is ill-prepared and awaiting the proper time to show itself.” She was not so
foolish as to believe herself a major threat to an unknown magical entity.
Whether it was more or less powerful than she, Kaiya had no way to tell. Only
when she met it face to face would she know for certain.
“I have seen dark shadows,” Tashi said. “There is
evil here, and I cannot contain it.”
“I will if I can,” Kaiya said.
“You would fight for my people?” Tashi studied
Kaiya’s face for any hint of deception.
“I would,” the sorceress replied.
Instinctively Tashi knew that the dwarf woman was sincere.
A silver spark lit in the sorceress’s eyes, a message to the priestess that she
could be trusted. A gentle breeze moved through the hut, stoking the fire and
catching Tashi’s eye. The face of her mother flashed before her, fading to that
of her sister. The gentle cry of her niece sounded from the village, music to
Tashi’s ears. This could be the woman who put an end to the Ulihi’s curse.
Tashi would not let her out of her sight until she knew for certain.
“You are a brave woman,” Tashi said. “We are
honored to have you among us, and we will accept any help you are willing to
give. There are matters we must discuss.”
“I’m happy to help you,” Kaiya repeated, “but
there are dwarves being injured at the mines. I have promised to help them, and
I must. Lives are at stake.”
“Lives are at stake here as well,” Tashi replied.
“Many have already been lost.”
“What’s happened?” Kaiya asked.
“It’s as I said before. We are cursed.” Tashi’s
eyes filled with tears. “Too many women are lost in childbirth, and our children
no longer survive their first year of life. It is not natural. The gods do
nothing to protect us.”
“I’m sorry,” Kaiya said, the priestess’s pain
piercing her heart.
“Your magic could save us,” Tashi went on. “Will
you speak to the Wind God on our behalf?”
“I know of no such being,” Kaiya replied. Never in
her studies had she encountered anything that could truly be considered a
supreme being. There were powerful elementals and powerful wizards, but none
had attained the status of a god in
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