Cassandra Pendragon

“Your freedom,” I echoed incredulously. “Oh, the irony… correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m the only one around here who’s stuck in a prison, am I not?” Her face remained calm, even rigid, but a plethora of emotions swirled behind her eyes and form one moment to the next, she crumbled. Words spilled forth just as tears formed in her eyes and in one hurried rush she explained, casting caution to the wind:

“You’re wrong. I’m… I’m Zara Dawnheart, last of my line and the promised bride to the king’s heir. On my 16th birthday I’ll be married to a cruel, cold monster and my time is running out. Two weeks from now I’ll have to say my vows, binding myself to the…. to the creature responsible for my family’s demise and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. I… I need help, direly. That’s why we summoned you. I thought… I… here, see for yourself.” Without another word she stepped closer to the smouldering runes on the floor and extended the book to me. Her arm brushed over the invisible line and my mouth hung open. She had made herself completely and utterly vulnerable, without the pentagram’s protection she was mine to do with as I pleased. It really didn’t make much of a difference, but I could have been lying through my teeth, for all she knew. From denying me her name to full blown trust in less than a minute… she truly was a child. Or my display of power had been more impressive than I could have imagined. Maybe she had felt that I had still been keeping a tight check on my energies, even when I had pushed against her magic. The compromises we made… I did know a thing or two about those. For the fraction of a second I was tempted to reach out and pull her in completely, only to see the look of surprise on her face, but I quickly stifled the impulse. I didn’t know if the spell would survive.

Slowly I took the tome from her and the very second I felt the smooth, worn leather brush against my fingertips, a spark of power flashed in the air. A faint light appeared from beneath the cover and the pages warmed until they almost became hot in my grasp. “Surprise, surprise,” I muttered to myself and gingerly pried the aged parchments apart.

Angular runes and sweeping spirals, painted with dark red ink in neat columns unfolded before my eyes, a spark of magic glimmering across the writing. I was a bit disappointed when I realised that I couldn’t read the glyphs, I didn’t even recognise the language they belonged to, but I nevertheless quickly flicked through the whole book. Near the cover, I stumbled across a few pages which bore more familiar characters, a couple of sentences written in the common tongue and the corresponding letters. It wasn’t much but it explained why they had summoned me.

“Beings that can be called upon to aide the practitioner willingly can be counted on one hand,” it read. “They do exist but only the most powerful entities gain a modicum of free will past the boundaries of their spiritual existence. As such, they should only be called upon if the desired service is already aligned with their interests. A spell…” I skipped a couple of lines, skimming over the detailed description of the runes they had carved into the floor.

“…as well as a cartouche with the name of the summoned being. A manifestation of the entity can be used as a surrogate for the name. The lock of hair below can be used to summon a creature of light and magic, associated with the freedom of ch…” the text blurred before my eyes, letters skipping places and rearranging themselves in a flurry of motion that made me dizzy. Within the fraction of second they settled down again. I had to blink several times to clear my vision but when I glanced up from the tome, Zara was still watching me intently without showing any sign of something out of the ordinary happening. The newly formed words were for my eyes only.

“I’m sure you’ll work out who I am quickly enough. Consequentially, I don’t expect you to trust me but you should still read on. This book will come to you when I’ve either failed or another immortal has set foot upon Gaya. In either case, your time is running out. What you need is information. The runes on the following pages contain shards of my memory. Learn to use them and your questions will be answered. I still hope we can meet in person, but in case we won’t, this is my insurance that I haven’t toiled in vain. Make of it what you will. Good luck, lightbringer. Camael.”

I had hardly finished reading when the letters flared brightly and returned to their initial state. Dumbfounded and at a loss for words, I raised my gaze to meet Zara’s.

“Do you see,” she whispered. “I had to try.” What? Who? Right, she was talking about the ritual. I hadn’t read the last few lines and when I quickly glanced through them, I realised that they contained an inadequate description of who I was. “… choice. Can be called upon for any cause that rebels against an unjust fate. The usual summoning practices can be applied but be warned, it’s dangerous and shouldn’t be called unless in dire need. Author’s remark: don’t waste your chance.”

“I see,” I said slowly. “I assume your attitude was the usual summoning practice?” She nodded demurely. “Alright. I think this can work. You basically want to escape your suitor, who incidentally is the heir to the crown and had your family… killed?” Another hesitant nod and the smell of bitter grief. Gods… I was going to get involved, wasn’t I?

“And exchange for my help, I get the book…” I paused. I didn’t know how a dismissal worked. Better to make sure I wasn’t going to do something thoughtless again. “Love,” I projected through my tattoo, “how do I get back? I think we can come to an agreement but I’m not sure what I have to do afterwards.”

“Nothing,” came the immediate reply. “Let me see.” I shared my memories with her and she mulled them over for a few seconds. “By the Great Fox, I can’t even begin to imagine what kind of enchantments had to have been placed upon the tome to make sure it’d reach you… I don’t have to remind you that you can’t let that thing out of your sight again, do I? Anyways, if you strike a bargain, you’ll have to promise to fulfil it. When the promise unravels afterwards, you’ll be transported back. And if it doesn’t work, I think I can summon you myself.”

“Why do you sound so certain? And how would you summon me? I thought our tattoos don’t work the other way around.”

“You’re right, but I think I can use the ritual you showed me. You’ve left more than enough of your hair in your bed. In the future, you’ll have to take care. If that’s enough to summon you, you don’t want it lying around. As for the rest… Mephisto told me. It’s a guess, but a good one. Normally it’d be a part of the demonic contract but since you can’t form one… or can you?”

“How should I know? Maybe? But I don’t think I’m going to learn how in a few minutes either way. I see the point, though. A transcendent promise should have the same effect on me and the pentagram, as long as it’s unbroken, grants reciprocity, right?”

“More or less. Something else you’ll have to figure out in detail, sooner or later. For now, you’ll have to try and hope for the best. Or you could stall for another hour and I’ll try to make the spell work.” I thought for a moment but when it came down to it, I didn’t want to simply leave. I had done so before, when I had ignored the slave markets and I wasn’t going to do so again. I’d at least hear Zara out. It was still nice to know that I wasn’t dependent on her cooperation, though. If things went south, I’d be able to grab the book and run… and hope that Ahri wasn’t mistaken.

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“No, not yet. I’d love to know that you could, though, so… would you mind making sure? But I don’t want you to go through with the ritual. If I can, I’ll help. I’m a benevolent spirit, after all.”

I couldn’t see her but she most certainly rolled her eyes while she answered: “Fine. I’ll even do you one better and talk to Astra and Aspera as soon as I’m back. Maybe they know whom you’re dealing with, if you really are with the Elves we know. And Cassy? Take care. Don’t commit to anything you don’t fully understand. I’m sick of having to worry about you. Promise you’ll pull me through as soon as anything happens to you?”

“No, sorry. I’m not going to put you in harm’s way. But I do promise to tell you.” I was getting used to the ensuing tingle of energy around my heart, in a way I was even starting to enjoy it, especially when I knew the promise would tie me closer to Ahri.

“Fair enough,” she huffed. “I’ll talk to you soon. Love you. And try not to start another civil unrest, darling.” Another? The vampires hardly counted in my opinion. Oh well…

“Sorry, I got distracted,” I explained when I saw the kids looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness, the fear that had haunted their eyes before almost entirely gone. “I just realised I don’t know the first thing about where I actually am and what you’re asking of me. Whisking you away shouldn’t be too difficult but I imagine that’s not what you had in mind?”

“If there’s no other way, I’d prefer leaving to staying here, but if there’s a chance, I don’t want to abandon my home.” Zara closed her eyes, the corners of her mouth twitching while a single tear ran down her cheek. “This whole nightmare isn’t just about my hand in marriage. There’s… I guess I have to start from the beginning. I… do you know anything about elves?”

“Not too much,” I shrugged. “I know that you value age and the benefits that come with it, live under a king and on an island in the northern parts. That’s about it.” And even that much was a guess, since I wasn’t yet sure if I truly was in the elven kingdom I knew of. Considering the book he been planted for me to find, though, it seemed rather probable. “I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting…” I paused, unsure whether or not I should divulge my connection to Asper and Astra since it’d make it far too easy to figure out who I was, provided someone knew where the sisters had taken off to. Then again, I didn’t see how it could harm me, but I had already learned my lesson in that regard. Better to be safe than sorry. “…some of your people before. I guess I know as much as any traveler would, which is to say, close to nothing. If I’m supposed to do more than simply take you with me once I leave, you’ll have to tell me exactly what I’ve stumbled into and why you even think I can help to begin with.” The girl nodded, unsurprised.

“You’re in our capital at the centre of the Emerald Island, below the academy. Most of the nobility send their offspring here for their education. My friends,” she gestured towards the two boys, “are also from renowned bloodlines as is everyone else you’re likely going to meet. In other words, this is the place, where future alliances are forged and blood feuds usually begin, where members of different families can become friends or mortal enemies. It might seem strange to an outsider that the bonds we form during childhood are so very important, but most of us only live within their families.” Grieve and pain rose behind her eyes but she quickly hurried on.

“The family, the faction, the kingdom, the three pillars of our nation. Each one with its own goals and ambitions. My parents were not only the leaders of the Dawnhearts but also the representatives of the faction we belong to, one that has traditionally kept the monarchy in check. Since we control the mines, we are rich… we were quite influential. Since the Fall,” I assumed she referred to the Cataclysm, “the royal family has tried to weasel their way into our affairs, usurping resistance and gathering support. They have never managed to get a foot in the door, but that changed a few years ago.” My eyes flashed with bright, silver light. A few years ago? It wouldn’t happen to be around seven years ago, now, would it? I shouldn’t have drawn any premature conclusions, but a nagging feeling in my stomach warned me not to ignore the coincidence. Could one of Amon’s plans possible be playing out here? And if so, was he also connected to the death of Aspera’s and Astra’s father? Was he trying to push the fey and elves into a war?

“I don’t know why, I was still a child back then, but one day, they changed their approach. Instead of the stick, thinly veiled threats and blackmail for example, they’d more often resort to the carrot, bribery and the like. Over time, the tension subsided and when I became older, forming more… durable ties through marriage became an option. After years, my parents finally gave in. They told me that I might be able to change our society, actually do something about injustice and discrimination instead of the tedious and often futile political games they had been playing for most of their life. Of course, I didn’t want to, but after a year or two, I began to realise how much I could actually do as the consort to the heir and future queen of our people. We are ailing, we have been for centuries and I thought I might help. I caved, I gave in. That was three months ago.” She couldn’t hold her tears back anymore and the blonde boy quickly wrapped his arms around her. I waited patiently while her cries subsided and she managed to continue, albeit a little hoarsely.

“Of… of course that called for a celebration the likes of which had seldomly been seen. Two of the most influential families, joined in marriage… unity and strength, a glorious future for us all,” she added bitterly and the venom in her voice was incredibly potent, almost as if she was truly spitting out the words because they caused her physical pain.

“We should have been betrothed on the very same day, our promises eternalised by the record keepers before we were going to dance the night away. I… I’ll spare you my speculations, I’m sure you can draw your own conclusions. It was a lovely evening, the stars shone brightly, the winds carried a hint of hope with them and the wine flowed freely. My betrothed… Ianven and I sat at the head of a table filled with nearly everyone I loved. The hours ticked by… it was the first time we got to spend an entire evening together and he was… charming, charming and attentive. After a while, I didn’t feel too bad about the future anymore, I might even have come to like if not love him over the years, but… when the first head hit the table and laughter turned into anguished coughs, I arrived in my own personal hell. From one second to the next, my family laid dying, choking on their own blood. I didn’t understand, not even then, since some of Ianven’s relatives had been poisoned as well, and... We rushed to help them, healers from the palace were called, but…”Her tears had dried and the hatred that spilled form her next words made me flinch.

“It was too late. The bastard even stood at my side through it all, trying to console me. I… I don’t remember what happened next, everything’s a hazy blur… what I do remember is waking up in the palace, guards at my door. Frightened, devastate and alone I sat in the dark, waiting, praying… dying,” the last word was barely more than a whisper. “And then, my magic blossomed. Elves… all of us, we have an inborn talent that can manifest for the first time when we go through great distress or emotional upheaval and that night had done it for me. I… I’m no fighter, but my magic allows me to project my senses almost anywhere I want. I only have to be able to picture the place or a person and I can watch what happens there, I can even listen in.” She paused to take a deep breath, but I had the sinking feeling that I already knew what she’d say next.

“I had already been to the throne room before… and while I sat there, crying like there’d be no tomorrow, I thought about what had happened. I wondered what would become of me, now that I was alone except for a husband whom I hardly knew… when I pictured his face, I suddenly heard his voice. He was talking to his father, glee and pride disgustingly obvious in his voice. It is done, he said. She doesn’t suspect me. Once the vows are spoken, she’ll be the last of her line and as her husband, I’ll have control over her estate. That obstacle has been removed, father.”