The walls attacked by siege engines. Walls so thick and so high it seemed impossible, but the large black cracks said otherwise. Legions. Precisely ordered. Barely breaking a sweat. And so well trained they showed not a trace of surprise when the transport circle flared to life. They simply turned and marched toward her...
When the familiar surroundings of the Holy Isle transport circle appeared around Rua, it was all she could do to get out of the circle before throwing up. Luckily Caoimhe hadn't been able to force her to eat all that much before the ritual.
There was a healer by her side instantly, checking for poisons, purging them just in case. The voices seemed so distant...
"Where did she come from? It's that circle on Tamarus again, isn't it?"
"Give me a minute." The second voice moved away and she heard familiar words she hadn't had cause to practice in such a long time. A second or two later... "Can't be right. I think she came from Armengar."
"But their circle is down."
Rua forced the images burning in her mind away long enough to speak. "It's back. I went to check it was safe before the others... stupid mistake... went to transport circle." Blank looks. "Outside the citadel."
The faces of the healer and the ritualist darkened. "We heard the Legions broke through."
Rua could only nod.
The ritualist scratched his head. "How can you transport to the wrong circle by mistake?"
"We always went in through the transport circle, I just said the words..." Her eyes widened. "I have to go warn the others. Make sure they know what the circle is called now!"
A hand clamped firmly on her shoulder. The healer looked on her kindly but sternly. "You're not going anywhere. Not until you rest. You're exhausted."
"But-"
The healer shook her head. "We'll send word, but you're staying."
Balls of fire arching the sky, now night black with smoke. Where they landed in the citadel... she could almost hear the screams. Ruairi. Lugh.
A familiar voice filtered into Rua's consciousness. Her continued protests on being detained had met with more resistance than she had the energy to fight. The messages went on their way to Armengar and Tamarus and Tirahn was sent for. She didn't remember falling asleep.
"Hey. You're awake." Tirahn knelt before her with a smile. "I know some people who'll be very happy to see you."
It seemed like things were finally taking a turn for the better. Tarkis was there, and though rather different to the last time she had seen him, he was still filled with raw belief that the ritual would work and Joshrim would be defeated. It was so good to see him... and then Cosaint walked through the door. Alive and well. The rest of the bar may well have emptied for all she cared, not even she had realised how worried she had been for him. Then word that at least her children on Holy Isle were safe. She'd see them soon.
The moment hadn't lasted long. Before the images could come, Rua forced a smile back to Tirahn. "Take me to them. I've missed them so much."
A day later Rua stood outside the Holy Isle transport circle again. It had been heartbreaking to leave the children and Carraig had clung to her to try stop her leaving him, but she couldn't put off going home any longer. It was a much needed rest but it could not be a long one. Now that her Circle was back, there was work to do. It was time to face what she left behind.
The door to Rua's office slammed shut. She looked up at Lugh only briefly before continuing to pack everything she might possibly need into the small wooden chest. His look said he'd heard about the plan. Ships had come to bring in supplies and take some of them to the Lions Spring Parliament.
"Tell me it's not true."
She locked the chest. "I'm sorry. There's no time to discuss it. I have to go."
His arms folded in front of him where he remained between her and the door. There was only the slightest tremble to his voice. "Not this time, Rua. Enough is enough. I've tried to understand, I've tried to give you 'room', but I'm not letting you get yourself killed."
And so the moment was finally upon them. It had been a long time coming. It was all too simple a choice. Rua took her book from the desk and calmly put it into her bag.
"I'm going. I'm going to get help and I'm going to get my circle back."
"Listen to yourself! You're obssessed with that thing, Rua, and it's killing you! Or am I the only one around here that sees that?!"
"It's the only way! It's our only hope!"
The level of his voice dropped but it was no less bitter to her ears. "Armengar was just fine before that cursed circle. We were just fine."
Rua shook her head and steadied herself. "I wasn't."
If she had hit him with her mace it would not have stung so much.
"I have to go Lugh. I'll be back when my circle is."
She almost made it past him out the door before his hand clenched tight around her arm. "No."
She stopped. "Let go of me."
"Rua will you please listen to me? Master Earth could do nothing - you've been studying these magics for what, a year? This is crazy!"
She closed her eyes trying her hardest not to hear herself say the words that were coming. "Let go before I make you let go."
The feeling after he silently released her and she ran for the boats was sickening and exhilerating all at once. She might have dwelt on it more had the Calebii not attacked. Flags never quite forgotten despite her best efforts. So much loss and destruction and all of it over Armengar. And the worst part was, it had only begun. Things became so much worse for everyone over the course of the parliament. You asked for change.
"I didn't think it would be long before we saw you again." The ritualist on duty at the circle smiled at her and offered his hand. "We heard what you did. It starts to make sense of why you looked so tired when you got here yesterday. Well done."
She accepted the hand but shook her head. "I didn't do anything alone."
"Ah but if it had gone wrong you alone would bear the blame."
Rua smiled as she walked inside the circle. "If it had gone wrong there'd be no one left to do the blaming."
A moment or two later the red granite stones of the Circle of Quartz on Amnor surrounded her. She could have kissed the ground. A flaming rock screamed as it streaked across the sky. So much to do, so many directions to run. Strength and Courage.
Donnacha's face was grey, devoid of its usual cheeriness. "Rua! You're back - are you okay?"
She nodded to him once. "Find Lugh." It would take a little while for Lugh to get home. She considered her options and made up her mind. It had been a long time since she last made time to pay her respects to Heramacles.
"Be calm my child, let your work be blessed." Gwion said the words but the voice was different. Calmness? They hadn't even run through the practice properly when the chaos hoard came and she was forced to seal herself and her contributors inside the circle. Now all around outside an invisible seal swords were clashing, men were yelling, demons were screaming. Inside they were looking to her. Wondering just how long it would take her to get them all killed. Althea stood forward and called on her fellow Sirene. Chaos was being gathered. Rua stood terrified. There was just too much at stake. Who was she fooling?
"Have strength and courage." Gwion's hand touched her shoulder but she knew exactly who it was.
Rua stepped into the centre and welcomed the Chaos.
All the way to the temple people ran about her. Most of them never even noticed her, occasionally someone would stop and say something about the transport circle... she'd wave them away with promises to explain later. If they were still interested. She could feel it again, the turmoil inside her head threatening to swell and overflow. Presences... one begging her to embrace it, the other pushing her steadily onwards. Only when she passed the lane that would lead to Cosaint's home did she falter.
Nothing over all the time they spent on Andulus and Tamarus had been so painful to her as seeing Cosaint in so much pain. She might have run from the sight of it as it seemed he kept running from her - but that just wasn't possible. She sat and watched while Robin and Driden tried to comfort him. What else could she do? Finally he looked up enough to see her. His eyes were bright but this time only with the glisten of tears, and as they locked with hers it all just seemed so futile. He killed Chareos. There was nothing she could do to make that better. Nothing she could say to take that pain away from him. But somehow the words came. Memories of a lesson she was still trying hard to understand. She hoped to reassure. She only made it worse. He couldn't get away fast enough.
She hadn't seen him since. Indeed she could only hope he made it home safe. Surely the others would have taken care of him? Midir certainly owed him that much. Best to leave him alone - she was certainly of no help to him. Rua continued towards the temple. She had no right to be angry with him but... it was easier than the alternative.
Rua was no sooner within the temple hall when one of the younger acolytes was by her side.
"Rua, the Princess Alyssa is here - with Fionnuala right now. But she asked to speak to you..."
Rua held up her hand. Too much chatter. But there had been something... about a naming? Well it could wait.
"I'll find her once I've seen my family. I'm sure she'll understand."
The acolyte frowned. He seemed to be staring... her hand went subconsciously to the line of white that had greeted her in the mirror that morning.
"Thank you Iachainn." He nodded, suddenly remembering he had duties.
"And Iachainn? I don't want to be disturbed. They all know where they'll find me later."
The acolyte nodded again and left her to her solitude. She crossed slowly to the wall, her arms folded tight. It was all so different now. But as she looked at some of the paintings around the walls... there was comfort there. She sat down and let her head rest in her hands. She could only pray that Chareos and Lir had found theirs.
Rua could hardly look at him. She was no stranger to blood but she could almost see the glee with which Felix approached his handiwork. Lir was gone. He was arrogant and rude and rash and there were times she had wanted to throttle him herself - but this he did not deserve. An incantor asked questions to what remained of his pattern. It had been such a strong pattern. He was Armengar and amongst the first to embrace the Lions - so much so he died Praetorian. Perhaps Prince Mog still lived because of him. The red faded to white. And still Lir held himself well as the Elysium took him away to Rhino's table. Armengar could be proud. The Praetorians could be proud. She waited. Even as Cosaint was led away. Even as Baloo finally turned back to camp. She looked out into the darkness. "Goodbye Lir. Safe journeys."
Was he at peace? Was he in good company?
"It's only pure luck I couldn't take him over fully!"
"I'd say it's pure Chareos."
Was there ever going to be an end to the death? Out of destruction comes renewal. The bile rose in Rua's throat as her hand thumped down on the bench. Felix was getting bolder - crazier. He had crossed every line now. Most every line.
It wasn't the cold that made her shake as Rua read the letter stained in Lir's blood. Lir was dead and there was no knowing if Prince Mog would recover, and there was Felix, threatening the children. The bastard was insane. He had to be. It was just too - too cold to think of anyone rational being so calculating and cruel.
"We have to find him and kill him. No questioning, just kill him."
So the killer remained inside her afterall.
There had been too many tears over the course of the parliament. Frustration, pain, sheer exhaustion. White knuckled, Rua clung on to the edge of the bench. There was no peace to be found. For each enemy removed, a new one would take their place. It had always been that way and it would always continue and there was no breaking the cycle. No stopping the change. This was as much Chaos' world as anything else and peace could never exist in it. Not for long. Chaos would have its way.
"... I unseal this circle!"
The blast from the circle knocked Rua clear off her feet. She caught sight of Midir falling too before the blackness surrounded her.
Raw Chaos. All that energy for change. Unleashed.
Vague murmurings of healing and she was picked up by Alyssa and whisked back into the circle and away... somewhere.
They didn't stay away - got back in time to see Reaver brought down. He wanted out of that circle something fierce and now strange things were happening to him... and Rua wasn't alone.
The colours were bright as Orst, the fighting magnificent and calling for her! Why did people keep asking if she was okay? She had never felt better in her life! She took Midir's mace before he could argue and went to join the fun. Why they wanted to go back to the hovel that was Armengar when there was so much excitement here, she couldn't figure. But perhaps later... and did they really think they could touch her?
And just as sudden it was gone. She was alone again.
A hand took hold of hers, gave her something to hold onto in the absence of... as much as it frightened her, she missed it. Driden hadn't lied when he said he'd take care of her in Cosaint's absence. He and the Soul Elf Synin'Dar led her to Gwion. Peace again.
Even in this place, Rua knew the peace would not last. If she strained enough to hear, the evidence was there all around her. There were so many things to put right. Some of them far too big to think about, some of them still too frightening to admit... and some of them small. The dream of a great everlasting peace was a false one. The pattern of Erdreja could not support it. But peace could come in strands. If it could be so simple as holding someone's hand when they most need a friend, then perhaps Tarkis' idea of 'just enough' was not so unattainable. Sometimes the small steps had to be taken first.
When Rua entered the small sitting room of their home, Lugh was standing there with his back to her, looking out the opposite window. There wasn't much to see, just fear of the change that was in effect. The sound from the walls echoed a constant reminder of time running down. Lugh's shoulders tensed but he made no move to so much as look at her.
"You decided to come home then."
"I went to Holy Isle to see the children. They miss home but they're well. Where's Ruairi?"
"Running errands. He's fine." A sigh. "Though he may be ready to go to this Holy Isle now." He turned around. "Have you any idea how it terrified him hearing you appeared outside the walls over a day ago?"
"I sent word-" Her heart stopped when she saw his face. A deep red gash marred the length of one cheek and purple bruises coloured both the arms folded before him. "Lugh..."
Lugh's eyes were just as fixated on her and the thin line of white that ran through her hair.
Neither of them quite remembered making the first move, only that they were together again. His arms were warm around her and the tears that seemed to have been with her since she left, began to flow freely once more.
"When I heard about the passes... I was so scared..."
"When you didn't come back with the others and we heard you'd been seen at the transport circle..."
He held her out at arm's length. "But you're okay? And you did it."
She nodded. "I did it. And help is coming. We're not alone."
"Then that's enough. That's good enough." And holding her tight like he might never let her go again, he kissed her.
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