Maggie Furey - Artifacts of Power 2 - Harp of Winds

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PrologueMaggie Furey – Aurian 02 – Harp of Winds

Prologue

Long ago, there had been four great magical weapons fashioned to be used only by

the Magefolk, But their history had been lost, together with the artifacts

themselves, in the Cataclysm, the horrific wars of magic which had wrought

changes on land and water alike. Lost also had been the history of the non-human

Magefolk: the Winged Ones, the Dragonfolk and the mighty Leviathan—or so said

the ancient legends.

Young Aurian, daughter of renegade Mages, growing up lonely and neglected in her

mother's Valley, knows nothing of these tales. Yet when she meets Forral, a

wandering swordsman, the encounter will change not only their lives, but the

future course of history.

Aurian's father, Forral's friend Geraint, has perished in a dreadful accident

through misuse of his Fire-magic, and her grieving mother, the Earth-Mage Eilin,

is obsessed with using her powers to restore the Valley—the barren crater left

by the explosion. Appalled by Eilin's neglect of her daughter, Forral decides to

stay and care for her. A close, loving bond develops between child and

swordsman—until Forral discovers, to his dismay, that Aurian is experimenting

with her father's Fire-magic. To distract her from such dangerous activities, he

offers to teach her swordplay, giving her a sword as a birthday gift. Aurian is

becoming a gifted swordswoman until overconfidence results in a mistake which

almost kills her. Eilin, on the advice of the Magefolk healer Meiriel, sends her

to the city of Nexis, and the Academy, where the few remaining Magefolk dwell,

to be properly trained as a Mage.

Homesick, and desperately missing Forral, Aurian turns to the Archmage Miathan,

quite unaware of his future plans for her. His interest earns Aurian the enmity

of the ambitious Weather-Mage Eliseth, and her cohorts, Bragar and Davorshan,

though she becomes friendly with Finbarr, the Archivist, and D'arvan,

Davorshan's twin, who is unable to access his own powers. As Aurian grows

towards adulthood, her determination to excel in magic is diverted by the return

of Forral, who accepts the post of Commander of the Nexis Garrison, with its

position on the Ruling Council, with Miathan and the merchants' representative,

Vannor, Aurian resumes her sword training and makes Mortal friends at the

Garrison —especially Maya, Forral's Lieutenant, and Parric, the Cavalrymaster.

The bond between Aurian and Forral ripens into mature love, but matings between

Mortals and Magefolk are forbidden. For Aurian's sake, Forral rebuffs her,

leaving her baffled and hurt.

Elsewhere in Nexis, a young man sees his mother die in a fire. Anvar, son of

Tori the Baker, puts out the blaze using some mysterious force, but his father,

blaming him for the accident, sells him as a bondservant to the Archmage. Anvar

discovers that he is really Miathan's son, and has Mage blood, but Miathan

steals his powers, binding him with a spell of silence before sending him to the

kitchens as a slave. After months of toil and brutality, he escapes, seeking his

lover Sara, who was pregnant when they were parted. Before he is recaptured, he

discovers that she has lost the child, and is now married to Vannor.

When Anvar is recaptured, Aurian takes pity on him, defending him against

Miathan. The Archmage gives Anvar to her as her servant, and his life improves,

but he distrusts her. Soon, however, he begins to worry about his mistress.

Forral's rejection is making her increasingly unhappy, and Miathan has begun to

force his attentions on her.

Anvar is sent to help Finbarr the Archivist, Aurian's closest friend among the

Magefolk, and discovers a secret chamber in the catacombs below the library. The

room contains ancient relics, and Miathan finds a deadly weapon—a grail

refashioned from the Caldron of Rebirth—one of the four lost Artifacts of Power,

When Aurian and Forral become lovers, the jealous Archmage turns the grail to

evil, and curses any child of Forral's that Aurian might bear—that it will take

the form of the first beast she sees after its birth.

The following Solstice sees sinister things taking place, Vannor's daughter

Zanna, knowing that Sara has married her father for his riches, quarrels with

her stepmother and runs off to join the Nightrunners, Vannor's secret, illicit

smuggling partners. D'arvan, still the only powerless Mage, discovers that

Davorshan is plotting with Eliseth to get rid of him, and on Aurian's advice,

turns to the Mortals at the Garrison for support, Eliseth then persuades Meiriel

the Healer to negate Aurian's spells against pregnancy, knowing that Miathan

will never countenance Forral's half-breed child,

Eliseth's plots soon come to fruition. Davorshan tries to murder his brother,

and Aurian sends D'arvan to her mother, who can help him find his powers. Maya

goes with him to the Valley. Soon afterwards, Meiriel discovers that Aurian,

unbeknown to herself, is with child, Miathan puts Aurian under a spell of sleep

and forces the Healer to help him destroy the babe, but Anvar discovers the

plot, and tells Forral and Vannor. Forral, berserk with rage, attacks Miathan,

who unleashes terrifying creatures from the grail—Death-Wraiths—spirit vampires

who sap the life-force of the living. Aurian fights free of the spell to go to

Forral's aid, but the swordsman is slain. Finbarr fights the Wraiths with magic,

buying Aurian, Vannor and Anvar time to escape before he is killed. The

creatures, out of Miathan's control, pour out across the city.

Overcome with rage and grief, Aurian vows to avenge Forral, but until a way can

be found to fight Miathan, she must flee. While Vannor returns to the city to

organize resistance against the Archmage, Aurian and Anvar escape downriver by

boat, reluctantly taking Sara with them, at Vannor's request. At the port, they

find passage on a ship crewed by villainous cutthroats. Aurian decides that the

only hope of fighting Miathan is to find the other three Artifacts—but they have

been lost for centuries and time is limited, for as her pregnancy progresses,

she will lose her powers until the child is born. Then, to her horror, she feels

Miathan's mind, searching the seas for her with magic.

Miathan and Eliseth now control Nexis. Fearing the enmity of Aurian's mother,

Miathan sends Davorshan to kill her. In the meantime, Maya and D'arvan reach the

Valley, where Eilin tells them of the terrible events, seen in her

scrying-glass, that have occurred. She also tells D'arvan that his true father

is Hellorin, Lord of the Phaerie—a powerful race of Elemental beings exiled from

the mundane world by ancient Magefolk. Stunned by shock and grief, Maya and

D'arvan turn to each other for comfort and become lovers. They stay in the

Valley, so that D'arvan can learn magic, hoping to find a way to fight Miathan.

Aurian, at sea, is using her powers to shield the ship from Miathan's search.

They find whales, and Aurian discovers powerful minds of great wisdom—the

ancient Magefolk race of Leviathan. When the crew attempt to harpoon them,

Aurian is forced to use magic to save them. With her shields down, Miathan finds

her, and Eliseth conjures up a storm to sink the ship while Miathan attacks with

magic. In the ensuing battle, Aurian blinds him.

Aurian, Anvar and Sara are rescued by the Leviathan, and find that the storm has

blown them to the mysterious Southern Kingdoms. Sara has seduced Anvar,

reminding him of the love they once shared, and he and Aurian quarrel. The

whales put the lovers ashore, and Aurian goes on with the Leviathan Ithalasa,

who teaches her the lost history of her people, and the other Magefolk races.

Aurian learns about the missing Artifacts: the Staff of Earth, the Harp of

Winds, and the Sword of Flame—a master-weapon created by the ancient Dragonfolk

for one hand only to wield. Sadly, Ithalasa does not know their whereabouts, and

Aurian, worried about Anvar, returns to find him—but he has vanished.

Anvar and Sara have been captured by the Khazalim—a fierce desert race. Anvar

understands their language—a Magefolk talent—but Miathan's spell suppresses the

memory of his heritage. The captives are taken to Taibeth, where Anvar is sold

as a slave, and Sara goes to the harem of Xiang, the ruler. Given the chance to

become a queen, she plots to use her beauty to ensnare Xiang, and callously

consigns Anvar to his fate.

Stricken by guilt, Aurian searches for Anvar. She reaches Taibeth, only to be

captured and sentenced to fight in the Arena for the entertainment of the Khisu

Xiang. As sorcery is forbidden, she is bound with magical bracelets that negate

her powers. Aurian is befriended by Eliizar, disillusioned Swordmaster of the

Arena, and his wife Nereni. He mentions a rumor of foreigners in the city,

giving her hope that Anvar may be alive, but there is no escape from the Arena.

If Aurian beats her human foes, she must fight the fearsome Black Demon, against

whom no-one has survived.

In the meantime, D'arvan, in the Valley, is learning Earth-magic from Eilin and

swordplay from Maya. When Davorshan, his evil brother, attacks, D'arvan slays

him, but Eilin is wounded. To save her, D'arvan calls on his unknown father for

help, and he and Maya, along with Eilin, are magically transported to the realm

of the Forest Lord. Hellorin is deeply moved by the discovery of a son. He

explains that long ago, the Dragons gave the Sword of Flame into their keeping,

and now they must return it to the mundane world and guard it, ready for the One

to claim. Once the Sword has been claimed, the Phaerie will be freed. Only Maya

and D'arvan can return to the world to guard the Sword. Hellorin conceals it in

the Valley, and Maya is transformed into a Guardian—an invisible unicorn. Only

D'arvan can see her, and the One for whom the Sword was made. D'arvan brings the

Wildwood back to the Valley, making it a haven for Miathan's foes.

Aurian fights in the Arena before the Khisu, his son, and his new queen. She

defeats her early opponents but is wounded, and now must face the Demon—a fierce

great cat from an intelligent race. Aurian communicates mentally with her to no

avail, for Shia distrusts humans. The Mage must place herself at the cat's mercy

before Shia claims her as a friend. For failing to slay her foe, Aurian's life

is forfeit, but Eliizar pleads with the Khisu for clemency. To Aurian's horror,

the new queen is Sara, who asks for Aurian's death, but Xiang's son Harihn begs

for her life, and he is forced to relent. Aurian and Shia come under Harihn's

protection. While her wounds heal, the Mage is cared for by a huge eunuch,

Bohan, and Aurian wins his heart with her kindness. Harihn wants her as his

concubine, and in defense, she claims Anvar as her husband, persuading the

Prince to search for him.

When Anvar is found in the Khisu's slave pens, he is already dying. Aurian

fights an awesome battle with Death himself for his spirit and her victory

unleashes her magic from the confining bracelets. Harihn, fearing her power,

tries to kill her, but Bohan stops him. She reaches an understanding with the

Prince, but a dangerous rift is widening between them. They return to Harihn's

palace, but before she can warn Anvar of Sara's treachery, she is wounded by a

crossbow bolt. Xiang's soldiers have seized the palace!

Sara, desperate to keep the secret that she is already married to Vannor, has

not been idle. Anvar and Harihn are brought before the Khisu and accused of

treason. Anvar learns that the new queen is Sara. Aurian, imprisoned in the

dungeons, heals her wound and escapes by magic, freeing Shia and Harihn's men.

With Yazour, their captain, she storms the throne room, taking Xiang prisoner.

Aurian offers Harihn the throne, but he will not accept it from a woman, and

fears that power will corrupt him, as it did his father. He frees Xiang on

condition that he had his people are allowed to leave the kingdom. Anvar begs

Sara to join them, but she mocks him and repudiates him cruelly.

Resentment is growing between the Prince and Anvar, with Aurian trying in vain

to mediate. Harihn decides to head for the lands of the Xandim, his mother's

people, across the desert. Eliizar and Nereni, freed from the Arena, join the

fugitives. The desert, formed from gems and gem dust, glows with its own intense

radiance. The companions must travel at night, sheltering by day in tents, for

in sunlight the glare is too bright to endure. Anvar begins to contrast the

behavior of Aurian and Sara, and realizes what a fool he has been.

In Nexis, Eliseth has tampered with the weather, holding the land in an extended

winter. Vannor and Parric, with a band of rebels, are hiding in the sewers

beneath the city. Miathan, though blind, is recovering from Aurian's attack. He

convinces Eliseth that she is alive and in the South. Elewin, the Academy's

Chief Steward, a rebel spy, takes the news to Parric, who determines to head

south in search of the Mage, but before he can do so, the rebels are attacked by

Angos, a mercenary in Miathan's employ. They escape through the sewers, finding

Meiriel, who has followed Elewin. She joins Parric, who heads south, in search

of Aurian; while Vannor and his rebels find sanctuary with D'arvan in the

Valley.

During the desert crossing, Anvar quarrels with Harihn. His rage is strong

enough to break Miathan's spell, and his powers draw him back to them. His

spirit leaves his body and returns to Nexis, where he snatches back his powers

from the Archmage. Aurian offers to teach him to use his newfound magic, and his

training begins.

Meanwhile, across the desert in the mountain city of Aerillia, the Winged Folk

are dying in the clutches of Eliseth's unnatural winter, which is spreading

across the world. Blacktalon, the corrupt High Priest, claims he can turn aside

the deadly cold and demands to be wedded to Raven, the heir to the throne. Raven

flees, south across the desert.

Harihn's band reach Dhiammara—a solitary mountain in the desert. An oasis lies

in a vast cave, where food

is stored for the rest of the desert crossing, and a mysterious portal opens in

the rock, snatching Aurian away. When she cannot be found, Harihn, fearing

magic, decides to abandon Anvar, with Eliizar, Nereni, Bohan and Shia. Anvar

despairs as Aurian's loss brings home to him how much he loves her. Then he

discovers that he too can speak with Shia. With her help, he finds the portal,

and enters it with the cat and Bohan. They are reunited with Aurian, and emerge

in the abandoned city of Dhiammara, home of the lost Dragonfolk where they

discover the winged girl, Raven.

On hearing or the plight of the Winged Folk, Aurian recognizes Eliseth's work,

and blames herself, but Forral's ghost appears, and leads her across the city to

a temple. Aurian finds a Dragon, and frees it from a spell. It tells her she

could be the One for whom the Sword of Flame was forged, but to prove it, she

must recreate another of the Artifacts—the Staff of Earth. Having succeeded,

Aurian now holds the first of the Great Weapons.

The Mage, reunited with her comrades, discovers that Yazour has left the Prince

and returned with horses, for they must reach the desert's edge before the

season of lethal sandstorms. But they have reckoned without Eliseth, who creates

an early storm. Aurian's powers have vanished due to her pregnancy, but with the

help of the Staff, she and Anvar defeat Eliseth, and cross the desert safely.

But Miathan has not finished with them . . .

Chapter 1

'Between the Worlds . . .

That temeritous swordsman!" growled Death. He was aware of all that went on in

his domain, and could have stopped what was happening, had he wished—but instead

he leaned upon his staff, and with a wry and rueful smile that was not untinged

with respect, he settled down to watch the efforts of the brave and stubborn

spirit that was trying to escape him—yet again.

The Door Between the Worlds was ancient; its weathered wood as gray and heavy as

stone, the timeworn carvings on its panels obscured by the weight of years. With

a grimace, Forral touched the splintered gashes that scarred the beauty of the

complex, twining patterns—his own handiwork, from the first time he had tried to

pass this way. Embittered by his murder, enraged by the unguarded folly that had

led to his own untimely death, and frantic with fear for Aurian's safety, he'd

been in no mood for obstacles. No matter that it was forbidden for the Dead to

return to the Living—all he had cared about was his Mageborn love, and her

unborn child—their unborn child.

Again and again, the swordsman's blade (Forral wondered why he had suddenly

found a sword in his hand when he needed one) had hacked at this door in a

frenzy of rage and grief until, shade though he was, he had become weak with

exhaustion. Only then, as he leaned against the cold gray wood and wept for

Aurian, had he found the answer. Where no amount of violence would open Death's

portal, love—if that love was strong enough, could take him through.

The door swung open to Forral's touch, at the sound of Aurian's name. He stepped

through into a shining veil of mist that obscured his vision and, by good

fortune, concealed him within its silvery shroud. Although he'd learned how to

pass this way, it did not mean that he was permitted to do so. The swordsman

shrugged. As if that could keep him from Aurian. He remembered the last time

he'd seen her, in the City of the Dragons. She had been so sad and weary, with

tear-tracks smudging the dirt on her haggard face and her belly rounding with

child beneath her tattered desert robes. Tears came into Forral's eyes at the

memory. It had torn his heart to be unable to hold her, to comfort her, to make

everything right for her again. Instead, he'd done the only thing he could—he

had shown her how to find the Staff of Earth. Death, the ruler of this eerie

realm, had been livid at his interference.

As the swordsman reached the end of the overgrown track that led beyond the

door, the fog dropped away to become a silken film, ankle-deep, where the path

opened out into the valley. Praying that he was unobserved, Forral strode the

familiar way between rounded hills under a starry sky, with ground mist roiling

around his boots at every step. Sometimes, the way to the Well of Souls seemed

short, but at other times, it seemed to take forever . . .

' 'Forral—stop, I command you.''

The swordsman jumped guiltily, and swore. The hooded figure had appeared out of

nowhere—a stooped old man it seemed; gray-cloaked, and leaning on a staff. He

bore an intricate lantern that cast a single, silvery beam. As apparitions go,

this one seemed fairly harmless —but Forral blew better. "Let me pass!" His hand

went to his sword.

"You think to use a sword on me?" Death chuckled, the rusty, wheezing sound

emerging from the sinister depths of his hood. His hollow, sibilant voice sent

like corpse-fingers crawling down Forral’s spine. "Forral, will you never learn?

No matter how you try, you cannot go back! What good does it do to haunt her?

That one can manage quite well on her own—believe me" The wry voice became soft,

cajoling, "Give it up, for everyone's sake. You are not permitted to linger

here, Between the Worlds. Go back where you belong, and consent to be reborn.

That is the only way in which you can return to Aurian."

"Liar!" Forral spat, reckless now beyond all measure, "You only want rid of me

How will rebirth get me back to Aurian? I wouldn't remember her, and she won't

recognize me What use would I be to her as a squalling brat?"

"Ah ..." Death's voice was soft and cunning. "An infant yes, but which infant?

Have you thought of the Life that Aurian bears beneath her heart? What if—"

"What?" Forral bellowed. "That's obscene''

"Consider," Death purred. "In a brief span of Mortal time, you could be back in

her arms, loving and loved . . . And perhaps, eventually, you might remember who

once you were. Sometimes the memories slip through ..."

For an instant, Forral was tempted. He was so desperate to return to Aurian . .

. Then he thought about the torment that would be his if he did remember.

"Never," he snarled. "I've been a father to that lass, and I've been her

lover—I'm damned if I'll be her son after that"

To his acute irritation, Forral caught the flash of a smile, deep within the

shadows of Death's hood. "Enough, my belligerent friend — you pass the test."

"Test?" The swordsman scowled. "What test? Just what the thundering blazes are

you playing at?"

Forral gulped, backing away hastily as the Specter suddenly grew, blotting out

the stars as it loomed over him, dark with menace. "Forral," the chill voice

hissed, "it makes a refreshing change to deal with a Mortal who has no fear of

me, and for that reason I indulge your courage — but never forget, for an

instant, who I am"

Forral breathed again, as the Specter dwindled back to human dimensions. "But

never believe that Death is not merciful," it said softly. "You and Aurian, and

your friend Anvar, form part of a pattern that is yet to be resolved. Each of

you have met me now, and been tested. Believe me, there is hope for you all."

This was beyond Forral, and he was tired of being toyed with. "If you've

finished," he growled, "just get out of my way." He took a deep breath.

"Please," he begged, "I must see Aurian!"

Death sighed. "Still you insist. Very well — but you have been warned. See her

you may, but I will not permit you to interfere again!"

The ancient grove loomed dark on the shadowy hilltop, shrouding the secrets of

its hidden heart. Forral strode forward confidently, knowing his love for Aurian

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PrologueMaggieFurey–Aurian02–HarpofWindsPrologueLongago,therehadbeenfourgreatmagicalweaponsfashionedtobeusedonlybytheMagefolk,Buttheirhistoryhadbeenlost,togetherwiththeartifac sthemselves,intheCataclysm,thehorrificwarsofmagicwhichhadwroughtchangesonlandandwateralike.Lostalsohadbeenthehistoryofthe...

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