Ortia: the Temple Complex
Someone had come into her presence. It was a
being from outside; outside of this time and this place. It was a messenger of
the gods. Its physical form was light, a bright, unyielding, orange light. It had no other shape. It
stopped in front of her pool and spoke with its mind.
‘Greetings, Dariochay…’
‘That is not my
name…’
‘It was and it
will be again…’
The light
increased in brightness, but it was still orange.
‘I am…’
‘I know who you
are; do not utter it in This Place. Why are you here?’
‘I am bidden to
tell you that you have served well. You have been an interesting variable in
the experiment…’
‘Who is it that
bids me so?’
‘The five faces of
the rulers; the five-fold who is one’
‘I do not
recognise such beings’
‘One being - the
Pentarchy, who rule in Eukalon’
‘We are not in
Eukalon – I chose to leave that place long ago. That being is not my ruler ’
‘Perhaps not; but
it knows of you and it has the power of judgement over you, as it has of every
sapient creature in this and all places and in this and all times’
‘I see, but I do
not care’
The light shifted a
little paler and a little hotter.
‘Now they have
bidden – it is time to hasten home; before a new force destroys you’
There was a
millisecond’s pause.
‘No. I will not
leave. I have promised that I will stay and see this through to the end’
‘But if you are killed by this Archwitch then
you will suffer the fate of obliterated gods – to be refashioned and changed in
purpose. You will lose yourself’
‘I have promised…’
‘No promise mean
anything here – it is a chaotic, amoral land. Come away now and return to where
you belong’
‘No, I will stay.
He saved me once and I cannot abandon him’
’Come away,
ancient immortal; your world is crumbling. It is best that the experiment
should end’
‘Perhaps – but while
at least one god remains then I imagine that it will continue…’
‘It may be so – we
shall see’
The messenger
waited a moment.
‘Come away – a
special place in the counsels of the five-fold leader awaits you. Your
experience of elves will be invaluable’
‘I plan to stay; as I indicated’
The light became white
and extraordinarily hot. Any mortal standing near would have been reduced to
smoke and ash.
‘We cannot let you
be destroyed. It would be a waste of your abilities…’
‘They are mine to
waste; no other’s’
The light burned
again, blue hot.
‘No. That is not
true. None are free of spiritual control; least of all the gods’
‘Then stop me’
The blue light
blinked once as if attempting a response. And then it went out. The Lady was
left to prepare herself.
***
He is coming
The High Priestess
shuddered – she still wasn’t used to such an intimate communion.
Who is coming?
The Great Adversary; the Archwitch who calls himself “Kratos”
Aquilegia pushed
her hands even more deeply into the water. Her apprehension was almost all
gone.
Why is he coming here?
To destroy me.
Aquilegia’s
forehead broke into a cold sweat. It dripped down from her hair. She could
taste it, like seawater, on her tongue.
But how? He is a barbarian – how could he have the power to do that?
So, you might think – but nonetheless he has the necessary power
What would you like me to do?
I need to occupy your body for a while. I wish to confront him
directly.
Fear leapt into
the High Priestess’s throat, but she didn’t need that to speak to her mistress.
Of course
You know the price you will pay?
I will die – no-one can host a god for long and live
But you will do it, anyway?
Of course
I knew I had chosen well – you are young but strong
The Lady of Ortia
left her lake and possessed her priestess. The being normally resident inside
retreated into the black depth of her psyche, not expecting to return again.
The Lady stood and looked down at her temporary body. Water fell from her arms
in a little shower of drops back into the deep black, peaty, water. She inhaled
deeply – it was the first breathe she had taken for a very long time.
Figures appeared
in the room – human figures she didn’t recognise.
“Who are you?’ she
demanded
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