―As I,‖ Faraday said, nodding slowly. ―The power I had as Faraday Tree Friend was the
Mother‘s power.‖
―Yes,‖ Urbeth said. ―And now both of you enjoy power, your own power, via death and
then rebirth.‖
Drago thought of Noah, and thought of the power of the craft. ―Over the hundreds of
thousands of years the craft have lain in the ground,‖ he said in a voice so low the others could
barely hear him, ―they have infused their power into the land. Noah infused that same power into
the child he and you made. Thus the Acharites— potentially—wield the power of the craft and
the land itself.‖
―Aye,‖ Urbeth said quietly. ―You understand.‖
―What about the Sceptre?‖ Drago said in a slightly louder voice. He glanced towards the
staff leaning against the wall by the bed.
―The Sceptre,‖ she continued, ―was a way by which the Acharite power could be used by
those who denied their heritage. Axis wielded some of that power when he destroyed
Gorgrael—and part of the reason he was able to do that was because he combined Acharite
power with Icarii and Avar power—but he was able to do so only because of the Sceptre.‖
―Thus the symbols of StarSon and Sceptre intertwine,‖ Faraday said. ―The power of the
Sceptre, the power of the land, has been infused into the StarSon. Not via the Sceptre, but via death.‖
―Aye,‖ Urbeth said, pleased with the woman. Then she shifted her sharp black eyes to
Drago.
―You remind me of my eldest son,‖ she said. As Urbeth continued to speak her tone rose
until she was almost shouting. ―Denying your heritage. Fool! Don‘t you realise that you must be the one to meet Qeteb? Only you have the power to do so?‖
―But Caelum must meet Qeteb…‖ Drago said. No! He could not seize Caelum‘s heritage
again. He couldn‘t.
Urbeth looked at him pityingly. ―Drago, you know the answer to that. Caelum relies
exclusively on Icarii power, and to defeat the TimeKeeper Demons you need—‖
―You need Acharite power!‖ Faraday shouted, jumping up and startling both Urbeth and
Drago. ―Because Noah is one of the Enemy who originally trapped Qeteb, and because Noah
fathered the Acharites, and thus we bear his blood—and power. And thus the Acharite race are
the Enemy! ‖
She whipped back to Drago, taking his face between her hands, and he caught his breath
at the beauty in her excited face.
―Drago! That‘s what you said after you‘d come back through the Star Gate. You said you
were the Enemy. And you literally are! You,‖ she thumped his chest with her hand, then hit her
own chest, and turned back to Urbeth, ―and I, as all Acharites who eventually manage to worm their way through death and accept their heritage, are the Enemy!‖
―And thus you all have the ability to turn against the Demons,‖ Urbeth said. ―Although
you, Drago, as StarSon, are the one who must face the final confrontation. But, yes, the Acharites
all carry within them the seed of the power that initially trapped Qeteb.‖
―StarSon,‖ Drago said tonelessly.
Faraday knelt before him and again took his face between gentle hands. ―Ah, Drago,‖ she
said. ―Surely you must understand. You were born StarSon. The Maze Gate named the Crusader
as the StarSon at your birth, not Caelum‘s. As an infant, you knew instinctively that you were the StarSon. And Azhure, caught in fate, did the one thing to ensure your inheritance…she stripped
you of your Icarii blood and made your Acharite blood dominant. Don‘t you see? Don‘t you
understand? The StarSon is the Enemy reborn, and you are the StarSon. You have always,
always been.‖
Urbeth watched silently as Drago hung his head. Faraday leaned closer, cradling his face
against her shoulder.
―Stop denying it, please,‖ she whispered. ―Stop denying your heritage, stop trying to foist
the title of StarSon on Caelum. What good will that do anyone? Don‘t you want to save this
land?‖
―How can I do this to him again?‖ Drago said, and leaned back a little so he could look
Faraday in the eye. ―How can I deny Caelum his—‖
―It is not his heritage, you stupid man,‖ Faraday hissed. ―It is yours. And if you don‘t have the courage to take it in both hands, then…then…oh!‖
She let go his face and got to her feet, standing to stare into the fire for a heartbeat, then
swivelling to face Drago again.
―Stop playing the remorseful penitent. It doesn‘t suit you. You swore to me that you
would do your utmost to save this land…will you now do it?‖
―It is not only that I feel I am betraying Caelum all over again,‖ Drago said. ―That is bad
enough. But Noah also said…he also said that Caelum…‖
―Caelum was born first for a very good reason,‖ Urbeth put in, ―and all of us here in this
room know what it is.‖
There a silence. Drago stared at Urbeth, and then dropped his head again.
Faraday stared between the two of them, her thoughts racing, and then suddenly realised
what they were talking about. Caelum…Caelum was born as a decoy, a false StarSon. While
Drago wandered the land, learning the secrets of both the land and his soul, the Demons
concentrated on Caelum. No wonder Drago felt so guilty.
And guilt at her own treatment of the man abruptly infused her. She sank to her knees in
front of him, and took one of his hands between both of hers.
―I think you will find,‖ Urbeth said very gently, ―that Caelum is a fine man and a worthy
brother. This will not be as difficult as you think.‖
―I want to go north to Star Finger from here to see him,‖ Drago said.
―Yes,‖ Urbeth said. ―That would be good. And I think that he will be more than ready to
speak with you. A peace needs to be made between you. Caelum needs to come to terms with his
own nightmares.‖
―The girl?‖ Faraday said, abruptly reminded of her when Urbeth mentioned nightmares.
―Do you know who she—‖
―Hush!‖ Urbeth cried. ―Does no-one relish the adventure any more? Does no-one revel in
the delight of finding out for themselves any more? It is not the quest, but the questing that is important.‖
She heaved a great, theatrical sigh and waved a paw languidly in the air. ―Go to Star
Finger. Speak with Caelum. Find that which is lost.‖
―And when I do find her, she need never fear again!‖ Faraday said in a low but vehement
tone.
Urbeth stared at her, concerned, then shared that concern in a glance to Drago.
―You cannot be the protective mother to every lost child,‖ Urbeth said, and touched the
hem of Faraday‘s gown with one of her paws. ―Sometimes, that which is lost…returns to loss.‖
―What do you mean?‖ Faraday asked, her tone sharp.
Urbeth shrugged. ―I speak in the riddles of the ice-pack, girl. I cannot help it.‖
―And from Star Finger?‖ Drago asked. ―Where from there? What do I do, Urbeth? I am
wandering the land and watching it sicken about me. Each hour the Demons stretch their grey
miasma across Tencendor more creatures fall under their influence and lose their souls! What do
I do? How do I confront—‖
―Hush!‖ Urbeth cried again. ―What did happen to all the adventurers of history? Ah!‖
She took a deep breath and calmed herself. ―Journeying in itself is learning, Drago. Go
where you feel driven.‖
―Go where I feel driven,‖ Drago muttered. ―All fine and good!‖
―You do remind me of my eldest,‖ Urbeth said, ―for you are certainly as annoying.‖ She
sighed. ―From Star Finger take your staff to Sigholt. Learn the heritage of the Enemy that lives in
you. And once you have learned that, learn to trust instinct. One more thing, seeing as I have fallen in the habit of spilling secrets, Drago…I have spoken of how the Acharite magic is
released only through death. Use that knowledge to create your allies and the magic that will
destroy Qeteb. Destruction through death, resurrection into magic.‖
Drago nodded, thinking he understood, and they sat for a long while without speaking. In
that silence Drago finally came to an acceptance of Caelum‘s fate…the fate Drago had to send
him to.
I was ever the treacherous brother, Drago thought, but the thought was tinged only with
sadness, not with resentment.
Eventually, when the fire had burned down to hot coals, Urbeth spoke. ―I would that you
leave the stallion here in Gorkenfort.‖
Drago, dozing in the warmth and comfort of the chamber, jerked his head up. ―Why?‖
―I have need of company, and for the moment you will have no need of him.‖
Drago shrugged. ―Very well.‖
Urbeth‘s words made Faraday ponder on the lonely life the Enchantress must have led.
―It must have been very sad for you,‖ she said, ―to lose all your children to the world. Three