Jewels from the Dark

Meirleach cleared his throat. “That may be a hard thing to know – I have never seen anyone but the Nefas be able to bend shade and shadow. And even then, none the way you do.”

“I’m sorry,” interrupted Lorcan. “Before we try to understand the mystery of the dark, can we talk about what happened to Darach? Is he alive? Can we find him? We can’t just leave them out there for your family to destroy.” Lorcan was glaring at Meirleach. No matter how much he had done to help his sister, Lorcan could not just let this go – he still didn’t trust the man.

“He fell into the Waste…only one has ever walked out of there. And even then, no one who falls is unchanged, especially those touched by the Void.” Meirleach’s voice was soft but stern. He glanced at Líadan as he spoke.

“How long does it take for those who fall to be lost to the Void?” Laoise asked. “I know it can take some…time.” His eyes met hers, pain breaking through for both of them. Meirleach didn’t know quite how to respond, knowing this was bringing up memories.

“It depends on how much hope and light he holds. The Waste Wind usually has its way with the Lost Ones first. Then the Void consumes them.” He swallowed hard, watching a shudder pass through Laoise’s body, her eyes closing tightly. He stopped talking.

Laoise took a few steadying breaths. When she opened her grey eyes, firelight caught the fresh glisten threatening to brim over. Her brothers must have felt the weight in the air, for they also remained still and silent. She turned to the two young men and smiled grimly.

“Well, you noted that he never lost hope for me, not for thousands upon thousands of yesterdays. So that is both good and bad. I saw the embers he held briefly – what do you know of those?”

“You mean these?” Luan stepped forward, bringing a warmly glowing ember out for them to see. Laoise’s heart jumped, the lionnir in her chest responding to the small flame. Meirleach recoiled instinctively, having been taught the danger it brought to the scáil. Their reactions were not lost on each other.

“Darach found these long ago, sold from the wagon of a traveling woman. He bought all he could afford as a boy and put them into your pack. Weeks before we came looking for you this time, Darach found the old woman again, and he was able to buy us all a supply. I don’t remember what he called them.”

Luan looked to Lorcan, eyes hopeful. Lorcan’s face was creased with thought. “It was something ‘flame’,” Lorcan said.

“The aye-flame,” Laoise and Meirleach said almost together – her, reverent; him, afraid. As she spoke the words, her scars seemed to glow softly with a silvery brilliance and the fire in the hearth grew brighter.

“Is this good news?” Lorcan asked. Meirleach dropped his gaze, his expression largely unreadable.

“Only if he will fight,” Laoise said. “But the Waste Wind will be relentless in its pursuit of him until every ember is found and snuffed out. If he loses all of the aye-flame, I fear all hope will be destroyed and he will be lost to the Void for good.”

A heavy silence settled over the room. Finally, Meirleach’s voice sounded, taut and quiet, “I will help you find him. After all I know, and all my family has done, I will help you find him. But do not dare to hope that he will come back from the Void again – at least not unchanged.”

Laoise lifted her arm, elbow bent, and extended it towards Meirleach. He looked into her face – that scarred and radiant face – then stepped forward and gripped her forearm. It was the bonding ritual of the Nefas scouts, used to pledge life and limb to each other before a hunt. She had seen it countless times before. As they stood, forearms clasped, a deep mixing of her lionnir and his scáil seemed to swirl around and within them.

Laoise nodded as they let each other go. “We will do no good to rush out unprepared. Let us eat and rest as we can. I know the game the Waste Wind plays with the aye-flame. It will take its time to slowly and deliberately suffocate each ember. Darach will have at least two yesterdays before they are gone. The Wind will take it’s time – especially the last ember. It will take it’s time…” Her voice trailed off, memories choking any more words.

She looked about the cabin and noted that while they had stood speaking, it had expanded around them. Food graced the table, warm and inviting. Another hall had also appeared, adding three more rooms to the footprint. As the others turned and saw the same, Laoise breathed out, “Thank you for the Shadow and the Light.” The others murmured the same, each saying something for the first time – Meirleach thanking the Light while her brothers thanked the Shadow.

Then they all began to move.