When the sun first crept over the horizon, Kalikel rose from the doorway and called for Silnethren and Coraadrin to follow.
“The winds have changed, and I can smell Kilomond in the wind,” said the
Wild Lady. “This is to our fortune for his hammer has fallen silent. But he is close and his scent is strong. We will find him before the sun sets.”
“Then let us confront our brother,” replied Silnethren, rising to his feet.
Coraadrin clambered to her feet as well and the three set off continuing south and east. The three traveled in silence knowing of a grim task ahead, Kalikel leading the way while Silnethren and Coraadrin trailed behind.
When the sun was at its highest, Kalikel broke the silence. But to the surprise of her two companions she did not speak of Kilomond.
“I listened to what you spoke about last night and I have not been able to let it leave my mind this morning.” Her voice was calm and thoughtful. “I wish to approach Kilomond with a clear mind. I do not wish to go into battle with my mind clouded. So I will tell you the flaw I see in your plan.”
“Very well,” said Coraadrin hesitantly. She turned to look at Silnethren who said nothing, only giving her a concerned and surprised look. Striding up to walk beside the Wild Lady, Coraadrin continued.“I suppose we may not have another chance to speak of it again, so it is best to hear what you have to say now. What advice would you give?”
“You spoke last night of giving to all mortal bodies like your own, unending, undying. Is this truly your intention?” The wild lady paused for a moment inspecting a mound of large stones that had clearly been recently disturbed. “I wish to know what certainty you have that those who are cruel and destructive in their fragile forms will not be so in a permanent body of stone. Will you give those who burn through my wilds a form that could walk through the flames they spread? Or would you give the generals of Acretia bodies that no sword could slay? What of these? Do you believe that they will turn from their ways because they need not fear death?”
“You ask a hard question…” replied Coraadrin. She looked down pondering what Kalikel had said. Looking “I am the only mortal who has ever been given the chance to live without the fear of dying. Since we were made we have only known a world in which our bodies fade away, the soulfire slowly eroding away our forms. We have aged and cracked since the beginning of our time. It may be that this existence has imprinted itself so thoroughly upon us that we could not hope to be free of it even in a new body. Even as I am, I still feel the instinctual fear. I overcome it when I consider it and my body, but it is still there.”
“Then perhaps it is necessary to be more selective of who is given your gift.”
Kalikel’s words hung in the air as she finished her inspection of the stones. The Wild Lady stood gesturing for her companions to follow her. Silnethren looked at Coraadrin, a faint smile crossing his face as if to say “She does have a point.” Then he turned to follow his sister. But Coraadrin did not move.
“Would you sit in judgement over them, wild one?” Coraadrin’s voice seemed to split through the air like thunder even though she spoke only a little louder than a whisper. There was no accusation in request, only earnest hope.
“Why should I choose who among mortals deserves your gift?” replied Kalikel. “I could only speak to how they have treated my wilds.”
“Then would you be willing to serve as part of a council? A group who could inspect their lives to know who would use this gift well?” Corradrin’s response came as soon as Kalikel finished speaking. The question lingered unanswered for a moment, a confused expression on Kalikel’s face.
“I would certainly be willing to sit on such a council,” said Silnethren, seeing that no immediate answer was coming from his sister. Turning to Kalilkel he continued to speak. “I think a council would be an excellent way to determine who would receive Coraadrin’s gift and I think such a council would be incomplete without you, Kali.”
For only a moment, embarrassment and surprise seemed to cross Kalikel’s face, before she turned away. “I much prefer my fields and rivers to councils. But I will think on your request.” She then began to set off following Kilomond’s trail. “Come on. We still have a task to perform here.”
When the sun first touched the edge of the horizon the Healer, the Wild Lady, and the Lord of Death came upon a courtyard in one of the largest models of Irrkengrond. As they reached the gate that led into the courtyard, Kalikel stopped gesturing for the Coraadrin and Silnethren to wait. Pearing around the corner of the gate she saw a large bonfire, as tall as the tallest of humans, resting in the center of the space. Seated beside it was Kilomond. Gone was the ragged figure that had emerged from the mountain. Instead, his hair and beard had been trimmed short, and his body was covered in plate armor that cast the light of the bonfire around the courtyard. In his right hand he held a long pole arm, with an axe blade facing one side and a sharp pick facing the other. At its tip was a narrow spearhead. A sword, sheathed in a scabbard, was belted to his hip and helmet sat on his lap.
“He sits in the courtyard,” Kalikel whispered to her two companions. “He is armored. It is clear he expects to fight.”
“I wish that were not so,” sighed Silnethren, gripping his spear tightly. “I wish to speak with him. At least to try to persuade him from his course.”
“I will go with you, Sil,” replied Kalikel. “But know that I do not expect him to listen.”
“I know,” said Silnethren. “But I have to try, Kali.”
Kalikel nodded silently. Turning to Coraadrin, she placed her hand on her shoulder. “Wait outside the gate. We may need your help but wait as we discussed.”
“I will,” said Coraadrin, her voice firm and ready. “I will climb the wall and watch from above.”
“Fine,” replied Kalikel. “But do not intervene unless we have reached utter desperation.”
“Well then,” said Silnethren. He looked at Kalikel, meeting her eyes. Both wore looks of grief and resignation. They briefly pressed their foreheads together in an embrace, before separating and facing the gate. Silnethren then spoke quietly.
“Let us face our brother.”
Together, Kalikel and Silnethren entered the gate to the court yard, making no attempt to hide their presence. Hearing them approach, Kilomond stood from the fire cradling his helmet in his right hand and his pole arm in his left. Then he turned to face them.
“I knew you would come,” he said, addressing Silnethren. “Kalikel has already rejected my purpose. She denies my rightful claim over mortals and my right to wipe clean the slate I made.”
“Unless my memory fails me,” replied Silnethren with a faint smile, “All three of us made this world you wish to wipe clean. Regardless, it is good to see you. “
“Good to see me?” Kilomond’s mocking laugh reverberated around the courtyard. “Last we spoke you cast me into the void. And you greet me as if I have no score to settle with you? Why do you think I greet you with arms and armor?” A vicious sneer crossed his face as he spit out the words. “You still tolerate this fool. Sister? Will you let him drag you to your destruction as well?”
Silnethren’s face fell upon hearing these words and Kalikel did not reply immediately. Rather she began to circle around Kilomond. Kilomond’s eyes follow her. “Will you not answer me, Kalikel? Do you have nothing you would say to me?”
“You have heard me once, Kil,” came her reply. “I have already rejected what you offered me. I will say no more.”
“Very well,” replied Kilomond, as his eyes moved back and forth between his siblings. Letting his pole arm rest against his shoulder, Kilomond reached into a pouch on his belt and produced a small object. Silnethren’s eyes widened as he recognized what his brother held.
“So you found my tablet?” said the Lord of Death breathlessly.
“Yes, I did,” said Kilomond, his answer trailing off into nothing. His voice was even and quiet when he began to speak again. But, as he continued, it grew into a fierce raging growl. “Yes, I found your tablet as I clawed my way through the darkness, through the nothingness.” His eyes flicked down to the ground while he spoke. “It did bring me hope when I first saw it. Perhaps you had turned from your foolishness and I would be welcomed back should I find a way out of the void. Perhaps you were looking for me in that dark place.” Kilomond paused for a moment, his face hardening. His eyes rose to meet his brothers, rage burning in them. “But what did I find? Only a kindly worded scolding! Vainglorious boasting of your own perceptiveness!” The Forge Lord spit on the ground. Then his tirade began again. “Such presumptive arrogance! That you should tell me what my own work was worth!? I will not suffer such an indignity!” His voice crested at this declaration. His eyes bore into Silnethren’s as he continued in a firm level voice. “Mortals are mine and mine alone. I will offer you this one chance. You may have all the mortal souls that are released when I destroy their forms. But then you must leave this world and never return. You must not interfere with my work.”
Silnethren’s face fell to the ground as heard Kilomond’s words. “You know I cannot let you destroy so much good, so much that is beautiful.” Silnethren’s words were soaked in grief as they fell on the deaf ears of his brother. He clutched his spear in both hands with hunched shoulders. “I might have accepted your offer once,” he continued. Now he widened his feet and readied his spear. “But now I have not seen all they have grown to be. All they could be yet. I cannot allow you to destroy them.”
Kilomond nodded grimly as he rose to his full height, bitterness etched on his face. Raising his left hand above his head, he threw the table to the ground, smashing it into innumerable pieces. “My will is my own,”said Kilomond, placing his helmet over his head. Readying his pole arm in both hands, he spoke again. “No one may stand against it. Not even you.”
Kilomond’s final phrase hung in the air. Then he leapt towards Silnethren, striking out with his weapon.
Kalikel began to shift into the form of a bear as soon as Kilomond finished speaking. She charged to where her two brothers exchanged blows. Kilomond had pressed the advantage of his armor, driving his brother back with a series of thrusts. However, hearing Kalikel approach from behind him, he swung his weapon in a wide arc around him forcing Silnethren back while clipping Kalikel’s foreleg as he leapt out of the way of her mighty paws. Shifting so he could see his sister clearly, he lowered the point of his weapon. However, Silnethren, seeing that Kilomond’s side was now exposed, stabbed out at Kilomond. But the point of the spear ricocheted off Kilomond’s armor, the strike only unbalanced the Forge Lord for a moment.
With Kilomond’s focus drawn to Kalikel, Silnerthren moved around the courtyard until he was behind his brother, looking for a weakness in his armor. At the same time, Kalikel turned again to face Kilomond, bearing down on him slowly. Kilomond slowly retreated, quickly calculating his plan while using the point of his weapon to keep Kalikel at bay. The Forge Lord quickly looked over his shoulder to find Silnethren, knowing that he would soon be close enough to him to strike. The moment that Silnethren entered his reach, Kilomond struck out with the blunt butt of his weapon, catching Silnethren in his side. Simultaneously, the Lord of Death’s spear rattled off of Kilomond’s pauldron, but again the point found no purchase.
The wind knocked out of him Silnethren fell to his hands and knees, but Kilomond did not press his advantage against Silnethren. Rather he whipped around to face Kalikel again while retreating so that he could keep both of his siblings in front of him. “I told you it would not be so easy to defeat me this time, sister,” he said, again setting the point of his halberd towards Kalikel. “Did you not believe me?”
All he received in reply was a mighty roar. Silnethren rose up to one knee leaning on his spear, as Kalikel came over to him. She stood between her two brothers, snarling at Kilomond, who continued his retreat across the courtyard. When he was roughly twenty paces away he stopped.
“Come now!” cried Kilomond, goading his sister. “When last we spoke you promised me you would kill me the next time we met! Fulfill your promise!”
Hearing these words, Kalikel charged the Forge Lord, bearing down upon him with great furry. As she came at him, Kilomond dropped to one knee, setting the butt of his halberd steady against the ground, point towards Kalikel. But Kalikel did not stop her charge. The head of Kilomond’s weapon struck her in the left shoulder. Kalikel recoiled in pain, rising up onto her hind legs as Kilomond put all his weight behind the weapon, driving it deeper. She took to steps backwards before she swatted at the shaft of the weapon with her right forepaw, wrenching the weapon from Kilomond’s grasp. Swinging her good forearm wildly, she caught Kilomond with the back of her paw knocking him off his feet. As she did so, her mass crashed down onto the halberd, the pole shattering, as she fell awkwardly to the ground.
Silnethren hurried to Kalikel’s side. Her body contracted, the great bear receding into her, the head of Kilomond’s weapon was still lodged in her shoulder. The wild lady gasped and shuddered in painm, laying on her side. Seeing the state of his sister, Silnethren placed himself between Kalikel and Kilomond, who slowly clambered to his feet. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kilomond looked over to Silnethren. Drawing the sword he had forged from the void from the sheath at his side he slowly approached the Lord of Death.
Silnethren struck out first, harrying his brother’s approach. Repeatedly his thrusts found their target, but Kilomond’s armor held fast. Realizing the ineffectiveness of his approach, Silnethren tracked to his right leading Kilomond away from Kalikel. The Lord of Death continued to strike Kilomond’s body with his spear, slowing his approach and allowing Silnethren to backpedal towards the gate he had entered through.
“Why do you continue such fruitless resistance?” snapped Kilomond as he continued his pursuit of Silnethren. “You think I would craft armor that could not withstand a weapon I made? That I gave you?”
Silnethren continued his retreat, his breathing becoming more ragged as he passed into the archway. As soon as he passed through, he dove off to his left, creating enough space between him and Kilomond to allow him a brief respite.
Kilomond laughed as strode through the opening, the sound reverberating in his helmet. He turned to follow Silnethren, his fiery, blazing eyes glowing beneath his helm. “Why run?” he said. “You know you cannot defeat me. If you choose to oppose my will you will be destroyed. So why cling to such a foolish task? I have offered you a chance to see what I will make. Why refuse it?”
Silnethren took a few deep breaths, straightening up as he prepared to answer Kilomond. “Perhaps you are right,” Silnethren replied, with a faint laugh. “Maybe I cannot defeat you. But if I keep fighting, maybe you will see the world like I do. Maybe you will see something, or do something that will change you. As long as I fight, there is hope for you.”
Kilomond did not reply. His seething anger seemed to radiate out of his armor. His black blade trembling in his hand. Leaping at Silnethren a guttural war cry came from his throat, as he once more drove Silnethren back.
Coraadrin leapt down from the wall and rushed to Kalikel’s side as soon as Silnethren began to lead Kilomond out of the courtyard. Helping Kalikel to her knees, Coraadrin began inspecting the wound.
“You are hurt! Be still!” Coraadrin instructed, as she attempted to rangle the Wild Lady.
“No!” came Kalikel’s reply through gritted teeth. Gripping the small section of the shaft that was still connected to the head of the weapon, she wrenched the weapon from her shoulder. Blood gushed from the wound, no longer stopped by the blade. “I must go help Silnethren. He will be slaughtered by Kilomond if I do not.”
“You will be no good to him if your wound kills you,” said Coraadrin, meeting Kalikel’s eyes. “At least let me stop the bleeding.”
“Fine,” snapped Kalikel, her left arm hanging limp from the shoulder. “But do it quickly.”
Coraadrin immediately set to stemming the bleeding.
“This is not a permanent fix and you will need further treatment after,” she explained as a faint gold light spread out from her hands over the wound. “You will only have limited use of your left arm.”
“As long as it is quick,” replied Kalikel, shifting anxiously under Coraadrin’s care. While it was only mere moments, lifetimes seemed to pass before Kalikel’s eyes. Finally, Coraadrin sealed the wound with a small flash of her golden light.
“There,” said the healer. “It is done.”
Kalikel immediately bounded off towards the gate in pursuit of her brothers, grasping the broken head of Kilomond’s halberd in her right hand. Her left arm dangled uselessly at her side but it did not slow her. Coraadrin came rushing behind her as swiftly as she could, though she was out paced by the Wild Lady.
When Kalikel came through the gate she paused for a moment scanning to find her brothers. When she found them, she saw Silnethren continuing his retreat, attempting to stall Kilomond, hoping that he may be swayed from his course. But Kalikel could see that Silnethren’s attempts to keep Kilomond from closing the distance were growing more desperate. The thrusts of his spear slowed and his feet seemed to grow ever heavier. Kilomond relentlessly pressed forward. The ringing of their weapons filled the air, Silnethren’s spear a song of desperation; Kilomond’s sword a chant of doom.
Exploding like a rushing river, Kalikel charged towards the pair, every blow exchanged seeming to pass in slow motion before her eyes. A faint right. A thrust striking a pauldron. An overhand cut caught the edge of Silnethren’s cloak. There were still at least forty strides between her and them. She desperately needed to go faster. The Wild Lady’s legs ached. Another spear thrust deflecting of Kilomond’s breast plate. A charging strike immediately followed, sending Silnethren stumbling backwards. His feet struggled to find purchase as another overhand cut arched through the air. His spear flashed across his body, parrying the blow only a moment before the blade struck true. Hope sprung in Kalikel. She was not only ten strides away now. But the hope in her heart lasted only a moment, as shock brought her to a stop. The jerking motion that brought Silnethren’s spear to meet Kilomond’s sword unmoored Silnethren’s footing, sending him tumbling to the ground. Kilmond did not hesitate. He fell on his brother, the void blade slipping between Silnethren’s ribs. Kilomond twisted the blade as he leaned down over his brother.
“See, I will destroy everything,” whispered Kilomond into Silnethren’s ear as he pulled him close onto his sword. “Mortal’s shall be as I desire.”
Silnethren coughed, blood leaking from his mouth. “Perhaps…” Silnethren’s voice was weak as he spoke and his words catching as he spoke. With what strength he had, Silnethren reached up and caressed Kilomond’s helmet. “Know you are… Loved… You may still… choose… otherwise.”
Silnethren’s arm fell from his brother’s helm as the last words slipped from his mouth. Kilomond withdrew his sword and Silnethren fell to the ground, rolling on to his unwounded side.
A primal scream ripped from Kalikel as wiped his blade clean across his arm.
Turning to his sister, Kilomond stepped over Silnethren. “So sister, will you suffer the same fate as our brother?” His mocking voice received no reply. Kalikel’s grip tightened around the broken weapon in her right hand, her eyes burning with wrath.