The Broken Sword - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Kelnozz had wandered throughout Thoragloorin, reliving his youth in his memories. Alesha and Bobocateya trailed along with him, both silent and withdrawn. Kelnozz was aware of their moods, but he was not yet ready to deal with them. He toured his ancestral home and the palace, smiling in grim satisfaction as the ancient magic of the city restored it and cleaned away even the signs of the Kalista and her doguren's habitation.

"Do you wish to stay here or return to Innowendyn?" Alesha asked after many hours had passed and the sun had fallen on them yet another day. They again stood at the scene of the battle where their son had nearly died. Where a part of him had, in fact, died.

"That's not what you want to know," he said, turning away from the cliff and looking at her. "You want to know what I am going to do about her."

Alesha remained non-committal. Finally, after Kelnozz stared at her long enough she shrugged. "You will do the right thing, I know you well."

"And what is the right thing?" He asked rhetorically, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

"You tried to kill your son when you thought you had no living family remaining because of what he stood for," Alesha reminded him of Darakor, his one time best friend, his son, and his near equal in skill. "When the time comes you will know what to do with Kalista."

Bobo looked up, suddenly alarmed. He had heard the tales of Darakor, his half-brother, but having never had the opportunity to meet the man he tended to forget about him.

"I was too young to remember her, to remember what she reportedly did to me," Kelnozz said.

"Father, Kalista said you had magic that she had given it to you, and that I did as well. Is it true?" Bobo asked hesitantly, not wanting to interrupt his parents but feeling that he had something that might be important.

"She performed a ceremony upon me as I was born, the very one that caused the first of the Forsaken elves to gain their power and be sundered from the elves of old. My father interrupted it, interrupting her before she could complete it," Kelnozz explained, turning to look at him. His eyes widened as he beheld his son. The prince looked different in the moonlight. "She was mistaken, there is no magic within me," he said, gaining time to study his son.

Alesha gasped, drawing both their attention. "I understand now," she said, her face showing the shock of her revelation. "All those times I tried to use my magic on you and you denied me. I could never understand why you were special..."

Kelnozz looked at her, clearly confused.

"Before Ancaruin fell," Alesha explained turning to Bobo. "You know your father and I had a falling out for a time, well, I was lost and confused and he saved me. Saved me from a life and a madness not so different from what your grandmother possesses."

"In those days I tried several times to influence your father, to make him mine in the only way I knew how. Sometimes I could get through to him, but only once in the same way, he denied me ever after. Now I understand why."

"Why?" Bobo and Kelnozz both said. They looked at one another and Kelnozz was again stricken by the growing changes in his son. His eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

"What is it?" Bobo asked, seeing the expression on Kelnozz's face.

"Your eyes..." Kelnozz trailed off, not having proper words to explain what he was seeing.

Alesha turned to look at him, pursing her lips pensively when she saw the change as well. "Can you see?"

"Clear as day," Bobo admitted. "Except there is something different... I can see you two better. Clearer, I think. It's almost like you are glowing, you are so bright."

Alesha nodded. "You are a unique creature, Bobo, more so now than before."

Bobo frowned; he did not particularly care for being called a creature. "What do you mean? Is this magic?"

Alesha nodded. "To keep you from the realm of the dead I had to bond you with it while your father gave up some of his life for you. Yamara tasted it as well, but mostly it is within you. You are alive, but you have tasted death as well. What you see in us is our life force. Our spirit-energy. Have you seen it before?"

Bobo nodded. "On the night you brought me back it was much the same. I did not think on it then, we were kind of busy."

"And what of the day, how did you see then?" Alesha asked intently.

"It... it was bright today, brighter than high noon at sea, come to think of it. It hurt my eyes and I tried to stay out of the sun," Bobo said, thinking carefully as he spoke.

Alesha nodded. "Your eyes are clouded over, they look as though you are blind. The sun is fully set and the last of its light is gone, this is how it will be from now on for you. During the day you will be bothered by the light, for the dead are creatures of darkness."

Bobo's eyes widened and his mouth opened and shut. "I'm... dead?" He finally managed to say.

Kelnozz took a step closer to him, protectively. The elf king's hands were clenched.

"No," Alesha said, smiling sadly. "You are alive. You have crossed over though, and the underworld could not keep you so it made you one of its creatures."

"It made me?" Bobo asked, confused at how a place could have such sentience and power.

Alesha glanced at Kelnozz, who nodded, his gaze steady and sure. She closed her eyes and sighed. "No," she admitted warily, "I made you."

Bobo stared at her for a long moment, seeing more then he told them. She glowed with life and with power, and beneath the surface he could glimpse the darkness with her. Darkness that called to him with its strange and comforting familiarity. He nodded and turned to look at his father.

"I buried my first son on a beach, I will not let another fall while I still draw breath," Kelnozz said to him, answering the unspoken question his eerie eyes asked.

"Where I come from people had a saying," Alesha said, drawing the attention of both men. "If you can't beat them, join them."

The absurdity of the statement had both of them staring at her in shock. Then, after a few moments Bobo could not help but chuckle. Kelnozz finally admitted a grin himself.

"Aye, I guess it beats the alternative," Bobo admitted. He shook his head and chuckled. "You have any idea how hard this is going to make it for me to go wenching?"

More laughter followed, healing the wounds amongst the family as Bobo accepted his new lot in life... and in death. After a few quiet and thoughtful moments Bobo reminded them of their earlier conversation. "What of the magic you spoke of, mom?"

Alesha nodded, wondering when one of them would get back to that topic. "Kelnozz does possess magic, but over the years you have been in such denial of it that you have used it to shield you from other magic. That is why my spells sent at you acted as though they had hit a wall, you blocked me."

Kelnozz stared at her, head tilted as he thought about what she said. He felt no magic in him, but then again, if he had always had it how would he know what it felt like? He shrugged and smiled. "If you say so."

Alesha scowled at him and turned back to her son. "And you, young man, you also have magic within you, more now then ever, in fact. I had hoped to never teach you how to reach it, for fear of what it might do to you."

"I'm not you, mother," Bobo said, facing her bravely.

She nodded. "No, you're not me. That might give you more strength or might weaken you against the power you have the potential to grasp. Now that you are as you are I must teach you, in order for you to survive what you may encounter."

"And you must learn fast, for with Yamara seeking the blade, now you must seek the other part of the sword. We can not afford the risk of letting both fall into the possession of someone with the power to use them," Kelnozz said.

"Why me?" Bobo asked, surprised.

"Do you not feel you can handle it?" Kelnozz asked, guarding his expression carefully.

"No, father, you misread me. I am honored to be chosen, just surprised is all."

Kelnozz nodded and smiled. "I will be busy with Thoragloorin and your mother will be with me, as the elves will accept nothing else during this momentous time. I would have as few know of what happens as possible, therefore you make the most sense."

Bobo opened his mouth but Kelnozz raised his hand to stall him. "Wait, son, there is more. Elvanshalee has the hilt, and she is the sister of Darakor. There is no blood between you, but a strange relationship exists regardless. She knows of you and even saw you as a babe. Few people would she willingly relinquish the hilt to. I think you would be one of them."

Bobo nodded, feeling inside the pride of acceptance. "Now give us a few minutes, boy, I had hoped to do a little wenching myself!"

Bobo chuckled, all the more so when he saw his mother's raised eyebrow. Not disapproving but amused. He turned and walked off, heading back into the palace.

After he was out of earshot Alesha said to her husband, "Wenching, is it?"

Kelnozz chuckled. "Sorry, I just wanted some privacy."

"Why?"

"Kalista," Kelnozz explained. "My mother... what is it you think I should do with her?"

"Kel, for all we know she could be after Bavorish as well. Perhaps she learned something from Yamara, or perhaps her magic will tell her of it at some time," Alesha said earnestly.

"We have to find her. She means to do no less then every other power-hungry fool does, including Narellin, Ancaruin, and even myself at one time."

"And what happens then?" Kelnozz asked, already knowing her answer.

"Then we stop her."

Kelnozz sighed and remained quiet for a long time. "All my life I knew my parents were dead, now I find one still alive and I am asked to kill her. Perhaps you ask too much."

"No, I don't," Alesha said, her voice warm but steady. "You will do what you must, as you always have. You tried to kill Darakor when you had the opportunity and you tried to kill me when I needed killing. That we escaped is no fault of your own, you did the right thing."

Kelnozz fought down the shiver as she spoke so casually of her own past. He remembered all to well the feel of his longsword plunging into her, his intent clearly murderous. She had escaped, spirited away by Bavorish to her own world to build up her power and start a cult of worshippers to return her stronger then ever to Viconia. She had not anticipated Kelnozz and Garrick coming after her though, to finish the job.

"And what if I can't?" He asked softly, flexing his still weakened left hand.

"You do not know how to fail," Alesha said to him, smiling. "And if you do, then I will kill her for you."

Kelnozz looked up at her sharply. She smiled after a moment and said, "What can I say, I'm still young and impetuous."

Kelnozz had to laugh. She was young, compared to him. She was also older then any human had any right to be. She came to him and they held each other then. Such a troubled relationship they had, now they felt as though they could not live without each other.

"She threatens my husband and my son, I welcome the chance to find out just how powerful she really is," Alesha whispered in his ear. Kelnozz held her tightly, smiling at the fighting spirit that was within his wife.

Continued in Chapter14

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