Chapter
17 The Keep of Four Worlds Again
It
felt like the entire Arden Guard was marching within the confines of her skull.
It would have made her head feel much better to just beat Finch
senseless, but realized that the pain in her head would be miniscule compared to
what Corwin would do with her—again—if she went ahead and did it.
Besides that, if Finch ever did bring it up, there was no way to prove
that it was her.
Ashlyn
let the strong coffee pour down the back of her throat and she could feel its
heat spread through her and could feel her shoulders relaxing.
She let her mind wander and quietly took to people watching, letting the
servants go about their business as if she weren’t there.
She
had a great view of the main hall from where she sat and could see anyone who
came in or out of the Castle.
She was barely half way through her first cup of coffee when she noticed
a lone figure making her way through the hall.
It took her a moment, but she recognized her cousin Selene who was
without her other two cohorts—Faust and Dante—normally attached to her hip.
She looked worried and as if she were about to burst into tears.
She hurried along very preoccupied, not noticing Ashlyn at all.
It struck Ashlyn as severely odd.
Those three were rarely ever seen apart from each other; that’s what
made the Terrible Trio so unapproachable.
Ashlyn took her time to let the caffeine do its work for about the third
cup of coffee before seeking Pandora out.
“Ashlyn?
You don’t look so hot.
Are you nursing a hangover?” Pandora came into the kitchen.
“Something
like that,” Ashlyn replied as she finished off her cup.
“I saw Selene come through earlier without Dante and Faust and she
looked as if she was running scared.
Know anything about that?”
“Yes.
I heard that they were on a mission to recover some kind of “master”
spikard.
Dante has been taken prisoner and Faust has been badly hurt,” Pandora
replied as she reached for the coffee decanter.
“Whew!
Is this stuff strong enough?”
“Just,”
Ashlyn replied with a smile now that her head wasn’t hurting as much as
before.
“What
the heck were you up to last night?” Pandora peered at her with slight
concern.
Ashlyn seemed to pause for a moment, contemplating her answer.
“I
was out partying hard,” she replied.
She wasn’t lying but she wasn’t telling the entire truth either.
She planned on keeping last night’s “brain-fart” to herself and
never telling anyone.
“So
where were you?” Pandora asked.
“Some
bar.
I had too much fun,” Ashlyn said with a slight edge in her voice that
indicated that she wouldn’t be giving anything more.
Both girls suddenly looked up startled as both Fiona and Mandor came into
the kitchen.
“Good
morning ladies,” Mandor bowed low.
“Would you be so kind as to attend the family meeting that is being
called?
We are gathering in the ballroom presently.”
He gestured with his arm and his cape billowed with the elegant air in
which he did it.
Fiona didn’t say anything.
“We’ll
be right there,” Pandora replied.
“I
thank you,” Mandor bowed again and they left again.
“Wow.
They sure make it look like there’s nothing wrong,” Ashlyn commented.
“Yes,
very smooth,” Pandora agreed.
“Probably has to do with the mission that Selene, Faust and Dante had
failed.
There must be some serious consequences to deal with if those two are
calling for a meeting.
Usually those two handle whatever the problem is on their own.
Must be serious.
You done?”
Ashlyn pushed her mug aside and the headed for the ballroom.
For once, nearly the entire family was there.
“Thank
you all for being here on such short notice,” Fiona began.
“It would appear that we’re about to face some serious trouble.
Llewella has released the remaining seven creatures of power from the
Abyss.
As you know, the Unicorn and the Serpent are what’s holding Amber and
Chaos together.
That means that five of them are now on the loose.
With research, we learned that each of these creatures is what powers the
spikards.
We believed that there is a Master spikard out there somewhere and had
sent Selene, Faust and Dante out after it, but they have not been able to
recover it.
Until there is a way to do that we will have to find creative ways to
defend ourselves from the creatures.
The destruction to the planet beneath Avalon was due to the destructive
power of the Phoenix.
I am opening the floor to any suggestions.”
Talk
began wildly spreading around the room.
This was sounding like one big, fat mess.
Ashlyn had suddenly fell to listening to the excited conversation around
her and was aware of a low hum in the room that wasn’t coming from the family.
As it steadily grew louder Pandora had also stopped short listening.
Her eyes caught Ashlyn’s and they both began looking around for the
source of the sound as it continued to grow louder.
Most of the family had quieted my now, all looking for the source of the
sound.
Ashlyn looked Merlin’s direction to see if maybe the hum was coming
from Ghostwheel, but Merlin was looking just as confused as the rest of the
family.
Finally as the hum rose to a crescendo, the entire family had come to
complete silence and was staring up at the ceiling.
Hovering
there above them was some kind of apparition that looked like the Pattern.
It had grown big and was glowing brightly.
It came down and was hovering just above them.
Everyone seemed to hold their breath as it began to make more noise.
“Bearer,
why have you summoned me?” a deep, melodic voice sounded and seemed to point
itself at Vincent.
“Me?
I did not,” Vincent stammered.
“But
you have, Bearer.
What is it that you want of me?”
The Pattern demanded again.
Ashlyn, although awed by the sight as much as everyone else, jogged
Pandora’s elbow and indicated Fiona’s direction, trying to smother a laugh.
Pandora’s
hand flew to her mouth and she tapped Finch.
The look on Fiona’s face was absolutely classic.
The woman who’s middle name was Control was now showing none whatsoever
as her eyes were big and her jaw hanging down in disbelief.
She appeared to be absolutely flabbergasted.
“The
Seven Creatures of Power are loose.
Can you help?” Vincent asked.
“I
have not the power to replace them.
I can no sooner touch the Abyss than touch the Logrus!
If that is all, then I will go.
Do not summon me again, Bearer,” The Pattern disappeared in a brilliant
flash of light.
“Well
then!
If that’s so, then we should be working on a way to get them back into
the Abyss.
Benedict, I’ll need your help,” Martin strode out and the family had
begun to disperse, talking excitedly and beginning to go their own way.
“Bearer?”
Ashlyn said to Vincent as soon as she had made her way to him.
“Don’t
look at me.
Dworkin gave it to me,” Vincent began defensively.
“How was I supposed to know what was going to happen?
Dworkin told me nothing.”
“Better
run, Vince.
Here comes Fiona,” Ashlyn backed away at her approach.
It appeared that she still had not recovered from her shock.
She strode right up to Vincent and took him by the arm.
“Let’s
have a talk, shall we Nephew?” she walked him a distance away to where she
could question him without being heard.
“We
need to get to the bottom of this,” Pandora began flip through her Trumps.
“I’m calling Dworkin so he can put a stop to all this.”
She concentrated on the card for a moment.
Her face was evident of the concentration as she seemed to push for the
contact.
The frown alone was enough to show that she wasn’t getting through to
him.
“Of
course, whenever you want Dworkin, he’s never around and when you don’t need
him, he’s always popping up,” Ashlyn said softly.
“Usually, when he doesn’t want to be found, he makes it that way on
purpose I think.”
“If
Vincent can summon the Pattern I’m sure he could pull old Dworkin out from
under whatever rock he’s hiding,” Pandora said.
“We’ll have to be sure to catch him as soon as Fiona’s done with
him.”
“Maybe
not.
Look!” Finch pointed to the other end of the ballroom.
Standing at nearly nine feet tall was a tremendous bulk of a man, looking
shaggy all over with the head of a bull.
“That
looks like a Minotaur to me,” Ashlyn froze for a moment, staring in awe.
He stared at them for a brief moment and took off in the direction that
Fiona and Vincent had taken earlier.
“Well
don’t just stand there!
Let’s go after it!” Finch took off after it with the girls on his
heels.
It had found Vincent and was trying to attack him.
“I
have come to finish what you had begun, Dworkin!” the beast bellowed at him.
“But
I’m not him!” Vincent defended himself.
Finch had jumped in on the fight and Pandora made sure that Fiona was
safely out of the way.
“Don’t
run from me!” the beast howled.
Ashlyn was busy digging through her Trumps and was trying to get a hold
of Brand so he could drop this thing back into the Abyss with one of his Abyss
Holes, but she was not getting any response.
With sword drawn she entered the fray, looking to wound the beast, but as
soon as he saw all of them coming to Vincent’s defense he blinked out with a
snarl and was gone.
“Report!”
Benedict had hurried into the room now with Fiona on his heels.
“A
Minotaur, sir.
It came after me thinking that I was Dworkin.
It must be this ring or something.
As soon as Pandora, Finch and Ashlyn jumped in on the fight it
disappeared completely,” Vincent explained.
“Hmm,”
Benedict paused for a moment in thought.
They all paused with him, wondering what he might have to say about it.
A
mighty SWOOSH of wings and a hideous shriek could be heard outside and it sent
everyone to a window to go and see what it was.
It was a huge, fur covered, leathery-winged-thing with a human head.
No matter what part of the Castle you were in, you could hear it
bellowing:
“The
wearer of the spikard of the Balrog!
Bring him to me!”
Another
flap of its huge wings sent a blast of air that caused the Castle to actually
shudder on its very foundations, causing everyone to lose their footing and fall
to the floor.
“Hmm,”
Benedict grunted again as he regained his footing.
He was going through his Trumps with one hand and had a hold of Vincent
with the other.
In a moment’s time, they both disappeared.
The commotion grew louder and louder, causing Ashlyn and Pandora to cover
their ears and just when they thought they couldn’t bear it any longer, the
noise stopped as suddenly as it had begun.
Looking outside, there was no trace whatsoever of the creature.
“That’s
it!
I’m calling in the professional,” Ashlyn began shuffling through her
deck of Trumps.
“Professional
of what?” Pandora asked.
“The
Abyss!
If there’s one person who could help put these things back where they
belong, it would be my dad,” Ashlyn held out the card again and began to
concentrate.
After only a minute or so she slammed the card down and began going
through the deck again.
She found a card she was looking for and concentrated again.
“Mom!
Thank god!
I need to get a hold of dad and I’m not getting him by Trump.
Where the heck is he—and just where the heck are you?” Ashlyn paused
for a moment to take in her mother’s surroundings.
“Of
course you can’t reach him, dear.
He’s down in the Abyss working on something very important and I'm
busy, too.
Try again later,” Jasra cut the contact herself.
No sooner than she had than Ashlyn could feel a Trump call coming on.
“Yes?”
The image was a fuzzy kind of dark and she could barely make out Brand.
“Ashlyn!
Hurry, pull me through!”
His voice sounded so far away.
Ashlyn didn’t make for the small talk and extended her hand, feeling a
thready contact at best, and pulled anyway with what she had.
In the next instant, Brand was standing before her, his grip in her hand
much stronger.
“Are
you alright?
You look like hell,” Ashlyn greeted.
“Shall I get the medic?”
Brand was looking like he had been in a terrible fight and he was getting
the worst of it.
“I
was working down in the Abyss when suddenly this huge, ugly creature showed up.
This thing was uglier than sin—all furry with huge leathery wings and
an even uglier head to go with it.
He barely took a look at me and began to beat the tar out of me!
When he did that, I lost my grip on the Abyss—quiet literally.
I no longer have the powers of the Abyss!” Brand slumped into the
nearest chair with sheer exhaustion.
Ashlyn gave a small sigh of frustration herself as she crossed her arms
in a little huff.
There went her chance to learn about the Abyss!
“Quickly,
Ashlyn!
Trump your mother and pull her out of wherever she’s at.
If it happened to me, something just as bad if not worse could happen to
her!
Quickly!
I haven’t the strength, child!” Brand leaned heavily against the
armrest.
He looked as if he were about to pass out.
Ashlyn did as she was told and easily found her mother’s Trump since
she had just spoken with her earlier.
As
she made the contact again, she was surprised to see that her mother was
standing in the middle of what looked like some kind of hell.
The landscape all around her had erupted into flames and the screech of
some kind of bird could be heard.
Jasra ducked just in time and the Phoenix just missed her with its sharp
talons.
Greetings were completely ignored as Jasra wordlessly extended her hand
and Ashlyn yanked for all she was worth.
“Thank
you,” Jasra gave her a hug.
She didn’t get much further as she spied Brand sitting in the chair
nearby.
“Brand!
What happened?!
Are you alright?” She was by his side in an instant tending to his
wounds.
“He’s
fine.
Now that I’ve managed to pull both of your asses out of the fryer,
would one of you tell me just what the heck is going on?” Ashlyn asked.
“I’m
sorry dear, I can’t tell you about it just now.
Now calm down and get a hold of yourself,” Jasra softly scolded.
“Get
a hold of myself?
Dad nearly gets killed in the Abyss and you nearly get fried and I’m
supposed to get a hold of myself?!” Ashlyn’s inherited temper was beginning
to show.
“But
I can tell you this.
While I was down in the Abyss, I discovered that each of the Creatures of
Power is specifically linked to each of the spikards.
With the help of the Master Spikard, we can recommit these beasts back to
their proper place,” Brand said as Jasra helped him to stand.
“We must hurry, my dear.”
“Of
course,” Jasra replied.
“Ashlyn,
locate your brother.
When you’ve found him, pull him through and then contact me.
It’s rather important,” Brand said.
“Do it as soon as you can.”
“Fine,”
Ashlyn responded.
“I’ve gotta tell the others about stopping this whole mess.
I’ll get back to you as soon as I’m done here.”
“Good
girl,” Brand smiled as he let Jasra lead him away.
Ashlyn turned on her heel and went the other direction to find Pandora
again, muttering under her breath as she went.
Once she had found the main hall again she pulled out her Trumps and
taking a deep breath to ward off the intimidation she was feeling she Trumped
Benedict.
“News?”
he asked once he recognized her.
“Yes.
I just spoke to Brand.
Tell Vince and anyone else who wears a spikard that they must use them to
send the creatures back to their proper place.
Each creature is connected to each spikard and it can’t be done any
other way,” Ashlyn reported.
“Very
good,” Benedict dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
“That
was easy,” Ashlyn muttered to herself as she replaced the card back into her
deck and picked out Loki’s.
“What’s
up, Sis?” he asked as soon as he knew it was her.
“I
hope you’re not doing anything important?” Ashlyn asked.
“Not
terribly,” he replied with a grin.
“Because
on behalf of our father, you are being summoned,” she replied as she extended
her hand.
“Okay,”
Loki made a face and took her hand.
There was the usual rainbow effect and he was standing there before her.
“How
long has it been?” he greeted with a hug.
“Twenty minutes?”
“Silly!
You act like it’s been a week,” Ashlyn gently tagged his shoulder.
“So
is dad here or do you have to Trump him?” Loki asked as they began to make
their way down the hallway.
“Trump.
I’ll do those honors,” Ashlyn had the card ready, and in only a few
moments they found themselves pulled through to a shadow that seemed familiar,
yet she was sure that they had never been there before.
As Brand led them down a corridor, the knot in Ashlyn’s stomach grew
bigger as it opened up to a huge room divided into four parts for earth, air,
water and fire.
She let out a gasp and stopped short, her feet refusing to go another
step as she saw the huge fixture there in the middle where all four elements
converged.
The Fount of
Power!
“Cool,”
Loki breathed.
He turned to his sister who obviously wasn’t thinking the same thing as
he was.
“Oh,
my god,” Ashlyn breathed in realizing that they were within the Keep of Four
Worlds.
“Ashlyn,
are you alright?
You look pale,” Loki took her arm to help support her should she faint.
“No,
I’m not,” Ashlyn regained her composure and put her hands angrily on her
hips.
“Just what the hell is this?”
“Ashlyn,
it’s not exactly what you think it is—” Brand began.
“Oh,
no?
Are you insane?
Tell me that you haven’t forgotten what the Fount did to you the last
time you bathed in it!” Ashlyn advanced a step.
“The
original Fount has been long destroyed—make no mistake about that.
That’s how I got my humanity back in the first place.
This shadow is the closest we have found to the original.
Not to worry.
Your mother and I have completely worked out all the dangers and the bugs
and there’s no chance whatsoever to my losing my humanity again, I promise,”
Brand tried to assure her.
“If
that’s so, then why do you have us here?” Ashlyn put herself between Brand
and Loki.
“Your
mother will be working the incantations while I bathe in the Fount.
I have you two here to be the safety net.
Should anything go wrong, you are to pull me out of the Fount,” Brand
said simply as he began to prepare.
“I
would rather you didn’t.
I don’t feel right about this,” Ashlyn softened a little.
“Ashlyn,
try to understand.
I have lost my grip on the Abyss.
I need the Fount.
I need something to protect myself from my enemies,” Brand had softened
as well.
“If
you feel you must, then fine.
I cannot stop you.
Just know where my feelings are on it,” Ashlyn resigned herself.
Brand smiled at her appreciatively and placed his hand on her shoulder.
“Everything
will be alright, I promise.”
“I’ve
lost you once.
Please don’t let me lose you again,” she circled her arms around him
in a rare show of affection.
“Never
again,” he kissed her forehead and let go.
He was ready to go.
Ashlyn
and Loki watched with interest as Brand underwent the ceremony and bathed in the
Fount of Power that would restore to him his being a living Trump.
It
only took the course of a half-hour and nothing seemed to be amiss.
In fact, Brand seemed to be invigorated by the whole thing.
“I
feel great!
You should try this!
You want to?
We’ve still got it all ready to go and I’m sure your mother is up for
it,” Brand offered.
“No
thanks,” Ashlyn shook her head.
Loki seemed to pause to consider it.
“I
think I’ll hold off too, Dad.
Let’s just see what this does to you, and if it’s all cool, then
I’ll consider it,” Loki put his arm around Ashlyn’s shoulders.
She looked up at him with grateful eyes.
“Alright.
That’s all, then,” Brand said casually.
“No need to stick around, I’d suppose.”
“Later,”
Loki turned to go, taking Ashlyn with him.
“Watching all that neat stuff has given me an appetite.”
As soon as they were out of sight Ashlyn stopped him short.
“Loki,
I need you to do me a huge favor,” she turned to look him straight in the eye.
“Swear to me that what you have seen here tonight you will tell no one
else.
Let Dad spread the word of it on his own.”
“I
think I follow you.
I suppose I could do that,” he replied.
“I’m
serious!”
“Alright.
For you, I keep my lips sealed.
Now can we go eat?”
“Okay,”
she replied a little grumpily.
“I suppose that would make me feel better.”
Loki
pulled out his Trumps and moments later they stepped into Amber’s main hall.
