And then we saw them. They were spread out among the trees, surrounding the small plain where the invading host had gathered. And they were shooting spells at them, and arrows, and rocks, and all manner of projectiles. There were far too few of them. I wanted to reach out to them, but felt suddenly another presence there. A great red eye. An eye that I knew… Its gaze was not on me but I felt it turn towards us.
Schluss.
Ulrike had spoken a word of closure. We were back on dragonback, separate, disconnected once again. I felt the cold wind against my face, and blinked twice. The air burned my eyes. Down below was the forest. We had passed the mountains, and far up ahead the battle loomed.
I felt Ulrike reach out with her mind. That was your uncle, wasn’t it?
It was his eye. It is the color of his aura. It burned me once, burned my mind and my soul. For weeks everything was red… and then pink, and now at last I can see clearly. The tree mother in a few short minutes finished the healing process that had taken a month. She changed us both, didn’t she?
You have been changed so much, Anders, it must be hard to remember who you are. For me it was different. From the day I was born, I was prepared for my transformation in the tree mother. For Kara it was the same. And for Woltan. Only you have had to assume such fantastic responsibilities without preparation. We all respect you for it. If the strain ever seems too much, remember we are all here for you.
Thank you.
Now, let us bring our minds to the battle ahead. It will not be pretty, and we must a
ll be focused.
XV
I looked down at the forest beneath us. I could feel its pain, could smell its suffering, blowing in the wind across my face. The trees were burning.
They’ve set fire to the forest again.
Our people are resilient. They will find a way to survive, and continue their attack.
I hugged Yesenia around her neck. How much further, my great friend?
Less than a quarter of one of your human hours, little one. I would limber up my muscles, if I were you. We are going in as soon as we get there. The frujen are fierce opponents. You should prepare yourself with your sword.
I nodded and brought my hand down to my blade.
Pull me out. We will do limbering exercises, as I tell you how to combat the frujen. I am glad you finally remembered me.
Sorry, Carolina.
I pulled out the sword and felt my arms buzz with energy. High above the ground, the cold wind whipping my face, I began to move the sword through the air in highly structured movements, like some kind of strange sword dance. My muscles relaxed and grew warm, becoming more supple and swift.
Be one with me.
I tried to comply. I let my mind meld with my hand, with my arm, with the intelligence in my hand. Carolina became my guide, my second brain. My hand moved faster than I could control it — so I let myself relax further. Only then could I follow all the movements she was having me make. I gripped the sword with two hands, and both my arms were swinging around.
Anders, you will need everything you have learned with me, everything you have learned in the book of Id and everything you have learned with Woltan to defeat the frujen.
If need be, remember you can shoot spells out the tip of our sword, or from any part of your body, for that matter. Some wizards have used staffs, or wands, or the tip of their finger, but anything will do, and an object of power, like our blade, is better than most. Any spell coming through the sword is enhanced with my power and the strength of the blade.
I was starting to feel winded, but my arms felt limber: strong and flexible at the same time. I slowed down the movements until I was moving the sword so slowly that it seemed stationary to my two eyes, and only my inner eye could track the difference.
I would like to try a spell.
Carolina’s image popped into view. She nodded at me.
Don’t do anything that will tire you, though, or draw attention.
I held out the sword. I concentrated on relaxing my body, on using the word of power with the minimal amount of energy. I concentrated on letting that energy flow out through the sword, together with the word:
Licht.
A ball of light formed at the end of the sword. I realized I had not spoken out loud: the word had not been formed with my lips, but inside me, and had left me through the sword.