Shroud of Eternity

CHAPTER 79

Standing at the rubble of the pyramid, Nicci looked up into the night sky to see the strange constellations. Now the stars shone clearly without the hazy bubble that had sealed Ildakar away from time.

Mrra paced back and forth near Nicci, satisfied but still restless. Still hungry.

Exuberant crowds gathered in the highest levels of the city, with more groups streaming up from the streets below. Nathan stood next to Nicci, his eyes shining, his long white hair flowing elegantly. His chest was full, his chin held high; he exuded the true presence of a wizard.

Nicci pointed toward the ruling tower. “That is where we have to go. We erased the shroud and stopped the bloodworking, but Sovrena Thora still must pay for her crimes.”

“Indeed.” Nathan stroked his smooth chin. He sounded more than pleased to have his gift back. “It is the best way to wipe the slate clean so that Ildakar can make a new legend for itself.”

The crowds of slaves cheered, calling out her name. “Nicci! Nicci!”

Bannon raised his sword and started another cheer, and others took up the chant. “For Ildakar! For Ildakar!” Mrra let out a roar.

Many gifted nobles had fled down into the city, away from the upper plateau. None of them could match the power of Nicci or Nathan, nor could they withstand the anger of the crowds. In the coming days, Nicci assumed many of them would insist they had always resented Sovrena Thora’s repressive ways, and it would readily become apparent which ones had been kind masters who treated their servants fairly as human beings.

As they marched together toward the ruling tower, Nathan glanced at her and cocked his eyebrows. “Sorceress, I believe you have a smile on your face. It looks quite unusual. What are you thinking?”

Nicci flicked her blue eyes toward him. “I was imagining what kind of reception the Norukai slavers will receive the next time their serpent ships come to Ildakar. We might have an interesting welcome for their King Grieve.”

Bannon let out a hard laugh. “Sweet Sea Mother, they’ll be in for a surprise.”

Nicci stalked forward, her black dress flowing around her. “For now, we have business to complete. The sovrena will have gone there.”

The crowd roared, hundreds of them following her. Nicci worried what Thora would do when she was cornered like a tortured rat, but Nicci felt confident her magic would be more than a match for the sovrena’s.

Elsa accompanied them, refusing to leave Nathan’s side. “I am a proud member of the duma. We are sworn to do what’s right for Ildakar. I think we’ve forgotten that.”

“Will we have to fight Quentin and Damon as well?” Nicci asked, trying to plan her strategy. “And what about Wizard Commander Maxim? If they all join the sovrena, they will pose a substantial threat against us.”

Elsa tucked a gray-brown strand of hair behind her ear. “Quentin and Damon are powerful, but not ambitious. They have no wish to be as important as the sovrena.”

“But are they loyal to her?” Nicci asked. “Will they fight for her?”

“I don’t believe so.” Elsa looked at Nathan, then back at Nicci. “For many years they were unwilling to challenge her, as you did.”

“What about Maxim?” Nathan asked. “He might be the biggest threat we face.”

“He was nowhere to be found all night,” Elsa said.

“Maxim hates his wife, and I doubt he would die at her side. If need be, we will fight and defeat him as well,” Nicci said. “Let us hope it doesn’t come to that.”

As the crowd marched toward the tower, Nicci saw the other two wizards standing at the tower doorway looking nervous. Damon stroked his long mustaches. Quentin looked dusty in his deep blue robes. Stone powder smeared his dark skin, but his eyes looked anxious. They didn’t flinch as Nicci, Nathan, and Elsa strode toward them, leading the large crowd of followers.

“Our business is with Sovrena Thora,” Nicci said. “Will you join us, or will you get in our way?” Mrra remained at her side, muscles rippling under her tawny fur.

Bannon lifted Sturdy. “You’d better not get in our way.”

Sounding contrite, Damon said, “Like trees, we bend with the wind. And we can feel which way the wind blows.”

Quentin nodded. “And a tree that is too old and too rigid will break in a storm. Mirrormask certainly unleashed a storm.” Both of the wizards looked down and away. Quentin glanced at Elsa. “Is this the future?”

“With the shroud gone, Ildakar must become different,” Elsa said. “We can help make it different, or we will break it further.”

“This is still my home,” Damon said.

“Ildakar is home to all of us!” shouted one of the freed slaves behind Bannon.

“You can all live together,” Nicci said, then hardened her voice. “Or you can die.”

The two wizards spread their hands. “Then why don’t we all live? Let us go see the sovrena.”

They entered the ruling tower with Nicci and the others following. The angry crowd noise continued to grow louder as the flood of people entered the immense tower. Nicci moved with a deliberate pace, building her magic, feeling the strength within her. She still had the daggers at her hips, but she wouldn’t need them. She had her gift, and she had herself.

The big cat walked at her side as they climbed the wide waterfall of stairs, ascending higher and higher until Nicci, Nathan, and the other three wizards spilled into the large ruling chamber, followed by countless others. Glowing lights hung on the walls, illuminating the expansive, empty room.

Thora sat by herself on her throne in front of two cages full of dead birds. She said in an icy voice, “So, you have brought your foolish followers here to destroy what remains of the glory of Ildakar? This does not surprise me.”

Nicci walked across the broken blue marble floor, her eyes locked on the sovrena’s. “Your own rule is what destroyed the majesty of Ildakar. You have no one to blame but yourself.”

“I blame who I choose,” the sovrena snapped; then her voice faltered as her gaze flicked away. “I blame my husband. I blame Mirrormask.”

The crowds swelling behind Nicci muttered. She frowned. “What are you saying? Where is the wizard commander?”

“Maxim is Mirrormask! He betrayed me. He betrayed the city.” Then her eyes flashed past them to skewer Elsa, Quentin, and Damon. “And I blame you! You were members of the duma. You were supposed to protect Ildakar.”

“That is what we’re doing,” Elsa said. “We must reconstitute the council—without you.”

“Yes,” Damon said, stepping forward next to Elsa. “We will remove you from your position, Sovrena.”

“Her name is just Thora now,” said Quentin.

Nicci faced the woman and spoke so that the crowd behind her could hear. The hubbub fell quiet as her voice grew louder. “Now that the shroud is gone forever, this city has opened itself to the rest of the world. Ildakar will always be free.” Her lips formed a smile as cheering erupted in the chamber. “Each of these people thought they were weak, that they were alone, but they fought together—just as the ancient wizards of Ildakar did to protect this city. Now the battle is different, and you are the enemy, Thora.”

“You are all fools!” Thora hissed.

Nicci continued, “One person can change the city and bring it down.” She spread her hands to indicate the crowd behind her. More and more people continued to climb the stairs, filling the ruling chamber. “And we are one.”

As she spoke, Nicci could imagine Richard rallying his armies against an unstoppable enemy. She knew this was what he would have wanted for Ildakar. She had followed his instructions. She had done her best.

Nicci remembered the words the witch woman had written in Nathan’s life book. And the Sorceress shall save the world. Maybe that prediction had proven true after all. Maybe she indeed had saved the world … or at least this small part of it.

As Thora rose from her chair, threads of magic curled around her body like the webs of some energized silkworms. “Do you all wish to fight me? I can bring this tower down around us.”

Nicci raised her hand, summoning her gift. “Is that how you want this to end, Thora? I can defeat you. Now. Myself.”

“No,” Elsa said, taking a step in front of Nicci. “You are from the outside, Nicci. You said again and again that you intend to leave Ildakar as soon as your business is finished here. And Nathan has reclaimed his gift.” She looked sadly at the old wizard, who frowned. “So he will be going, too.”

The older woman glanced at Quentin and Damon on either side of her. “This is a matter for the true rulers of Ildakar, for the remaining duma members—and that is the three of us. We know the punishment that must be meted out. It has been well established.” Elsa raised her hands, curling her fingers. So did Damon and Quentin.

Thora recoiled. “What are you doing?”

“You know the price for treason against Ildakar, against its people and against its leaders. We will impose it, by the law and by the gift vested in us.”

Thora cringed. Her porcelain face grew even more pale. “You must not! I’ll annihilate all of you.” She summoned her own gift, tightened the crawling energy threads around her body.

Elsa continued, “Wizard Commander Maxim was the most adept at the petrification spell, but we three together can release the magic as well.”

Quentin said, “Thora, you will be a statue for all to see. We will never forget the damage you have done to our city.”

“No!” Thora cried. She lashed out with her own magic, but the three united wizards of Ildakar brought up a shield that deflected the hissing bolts of energy.

Nicci and Nathan threw up their own magical shields to protect the crowd behind them as the destructive lashes sprayed everywhere, striking the walls, skittering along the floor. Bannon and the slaves standing behind him gasped, ducking from the attack, but did not run away. All these people were eager to witness the utter defeat of the evil sovrena.

Nicci wanted to destroy Thora, grind her down until she was nothing but greasy smoke and a bad memory, but she respected the will of the duma members. It was true—she, Nathan, and Bannon would leave Ildakar soon, along with Mrra. This justice belonged in the hands of the new rulers of Ildakar. Nicci certainly did not intend to stay and become their new sovrena.

Elsa, Damon, and Quentin stood shoulder-to-shoulder, pouring their gift into the petrification spell.

Thora weakened. She trembled. The yellow lacing of power skirled around her, then vanished like morning mist. She raised her hands in agony, and her skin grew whiter, stiffer. She placed her palms against her cheeks, horrified at what was happening.

“No!” she cried. Her pale blue dress rippled, and she tried to take one last step forward, as if she might find somewhere to run. Her skin became hard and gray, and with a sound like ice crackling on a frozen pond, Thora became entirely petrified, a new statue.

The audience remained silent for a moment, like a held breath, and then they cheered in their victory. The remaining duma members looked at one another, momentarily relieved, but clearly realizing their work had just begun.

Nicci looked at Nathan and then at Bannon. She nodded in satisfaction. “I believe that is what we came to do.”