Gathering Storm (The Salvation of Tempestria Book 2) by Gary Stringer (howl and other poems .txt) 📕

prevent it. In terror, agony and distress, Alycia could not, would not see her beloved world destroyed, robbing the mortals of their boundless potential, so she acted.

No-one knows precisely what happened next. Even Daelen never understood it. All we know is that, if this legend is to be believed, that was the day the void storms began, swirling and dancing in the sky. Alycia gave herself wholly to the protection of our world, but even as she lay there, exhausted, she looked around at this mortal, physical realm and smiled. It was saved, and it was beautiful. Her actions bound her to this world. It would forever be her prison. Unlike Daelen, she could never leave this world for another, but she could think of no greater justice than to accept this sentence as her penance. Her mortal friends, the ones who called themselves druids, flew to her side to help her if they could. She knew there was nothing they could do, but she appreciated their efforts. Even as she surrendered to her sleep, she vowed that her power would always be theirs, so that their druid magic might help heal the scars that the shadow warriors’ battles left upon this world.

Alycia’s actions shattered Kullos’ control device, so he could no longer Ascend. Nor could any other shadow warriors Descend to the mortal realm to wreak further devastation, for she had placed a barrier in the void between the mortal realm and the plane of the gods, preventing such travel.

Alycia reflected on how often the druids spoke of the Mother of Nature as a mythical force that protected their world and needed their protection in return. In their eyes, she had become just that: Blessed Alycia, Mother of Nature. With that beautiful thought, she slipped into a blissful sleep.

And, gentle reader, she remains in that state to this day, even my day, if one is to believe the legend. As I have said, I do not know for sure how much of this is true, or what to make of it if it is. Only one thing is certain: Daelen was not the man he was and he had not his former power. Fortunately, neither did Kullos.

But they were still extraordinarily powerful and dangerous by mortal standards, and it wasn’t long before the dance began again. Only now it was a three-way struggle between Kullos, Daelen and his dark clone.

*****

When he finished his tale, Daelen implored Catriona to believe that he would give anything to stop Kullos harming Tempestria any further, to stop him permanently or at least take the battle back to the higher planes.

“But I don’t know how to do that,” he told her. “None of us can penetrate Alycia’s Barrier. My dark clone and I have no control device and Kullos’ is destroyed, so all I can do is battle him forever and try to minimise the damage we do in the process.”

Chapter 6

Daelen’s story was enough to persuade Catriona to trust him at least to some extent. Still, she wasn’t done negotiating. All of her experience as an information trader came to fruition with this meeting. She revealed that the place he was looking for was overseas but would say no more unless he agreed to take her with him.

“Why would you ask such a thing?” the shadow warrior demanded, incredulously. “I can’t put you in danger like that!”

“I’m putting myself in danger,” she countered. “You’ve got nothing to do with it. If you refuse, I’ll simply find a way to go there by myself, but it makes more sense to go with you.”

Daelen did not immediately get to answer, as a storm flared up around them. As before, Cat knew it wasn’t natural. Daelen knew it, too, and both were on their feet instantly.

Out of a shimmering blue portal, flew Daelen’s dark clone. Cat had never seen him before, but now that she had, she understood why he was called that.

Catriona had some experience with the relatively new medium of photography. Only a few days ago, she’d enjoyed a day out in Gaggleswick with Dreya and they’d stopped at the newly refurbished studio, where they’d had a few photos taken together. In comparison to the ‘real’ Daelen, if one could call him that, his dark clone looked like a three dimensional photographic negative.

The dark clone landed, ready to confront Daelen.

“Hello, you!” he greeted them, in a cheery voice that was at odds with his sneering expression. “What’s this? Have you traded in Mr. Bony for a human pet? I can see why you would. She’s way prettier.”

“Actually, I’m half-Faery,” Catriona shot back.

“Really?” the clone remarked, drawing out the word. “Shouldn’t you have wings?”

Catriona wasn’t sure how much of the bile she felt rise up inside her, in response to the casual racial slur, came from herself and how much was transmitted from Dreya, via their sympathic link.

At first, Daelen couldn’t understand how his dark clone had managed to get the jump on him. Then the shadow warrior remembered his visitor from the future telling him about someone interfering in Time. It was why he’d been asleep in his other world when he should have been here. If this Time meddler had shut off the system that alerted him to Kullos’ activity, it made sense that alerts for his dark clone would also be disabled. His visitor had said it wasn’t Daelen’s fault, but the way he saw it, he had really screwed up this time.

Ordinarily, the village surrounding Justaria’s home was quiet, but already, the word was spreading about this confrontation and people were fleeing the scene.

Still, Catriona stood her ground. Dreya was in her head, offering to teleport her out of there, but Cat told her no. Having learned so much about Daelen, this was an opportunity to gather information about his dark clone. Then, just as Dreya returned to the background, another voice thundered into her mind.

‘Catriona,’ came the voice, ‘it’s me, Daelen. Sorry for barging through your defences. I