Chapter 1: The Beginning
Clayr’s Glacier
Buffeted up and down like a cork bobbing on rippling water, Lirael’s gloved hands clenched the sides of the Paperwing tightly. The pale young woman, barely out of her teenage years felt sick and being in a craft created merely of laminated paper enchanted with Charter marks, did nothing to ease her nerves. While the canoe-with-wings had proven its use time and time again, Lirael still preferred travelling by water.
“Hang on aunt! We’re almost there!” called Ellimere, taking a pause from whistling the Charter marks for wind. Not that they needed it for anything other than direction. The gale that had sprung up as the craft had flown over the glacier had more than enough potency to throw the two all the way to back to the capital of Belisare.
Nodding to acknowledge the young princess’s announcement, Lirael brushed a lock of her black hair out of her eyes and focused upon Starmont Gate looming in the distance. A few hours ago, Lirael’s silent reply would have infuriated the talkative Princess, but she had gotten used to her aunt’s silence after an uncounted number of attempts. Trying to get her relation to return more than one word had been like trying to get a stone to talk.
Ellimere frowned as she continued to whistle. Ever since Lirael was revealed as the half-sister to her mother Sabriel, things had been... decidedly awkward. The only person who could really get Lirael talking was her brother Sameth. He was an exceptionally skilled Charter magician and thinker that had gotten to know Lirale during the events of last year.
The princess shuddered and a flicker of righteous fury ignited in her. Orannis’s memory was still scorched in her mind. The mere servants of the Ninth Bright Shiner and the Destroyer of Worlds had brought the kingdom down to its knees. It was only through invoking the Charter in its full form was Orannis sealed and that took herself, Lirael, her father, the king, Abhorsen, her mother, her brother, two of the Clayr’s most skilled seers, The Disreputable Dog once the Third Bright Shiner Kibeth, and the Eight Bright Shiner Yrael, also known as The Mogget.
They had triumphed, but Lirael had lost her right hand and a gold one crafted by Sam now stood in its place, but that was the lesser of Lirael’s loss.
As the Paperwing glided onto the landing strip in front of the Starmont Gate, the great doorway began to open and two women, twins, walked out to meet them. Their tanned skin and blonde hair marked them as Clayr, seers of the future.
Ellimere leapt out lithely, eager to get circulation into her legs. Lirael rose more slowly, checking the charter spelled sword at her side and a bandolier of seven bells across her torso before finally leaving the craft.
“Greetings Princess and Abhorsen-in-waiting,” said the two Clayr at the same time, bowing their heads in respect. The title Abhorsen sent an unseen wave reverberating through the wind. For it was a title of old power, of the keeper of secrets and of the blood.
It was not the title Lirael had wanted.
“It has been a long time, Sanar and Ryelle,” said Ellimere politely. As they greeted each other, Lirael couldn’t help but remember how so long ago, she had come up this very gate, wishing to throw herself off the cliff. That day, the arrival of the King and Abhorsen had interrupted that wish and after she was discovered hiding by Sanar and Ryelle, she was allowed to work as an assistant librarian in the Clayr’s Great Library. The first steps down a winding path that led her to discover her destiny.
“We saw you come,” said Sanar or was it Ryelle, Ellimere wondered. Lirael was used to this greeting, but she was surprised by what was said next.
“But we did not see you leave,” added the other. There was silence, only the sound of the blustering wind biting into the incredulous expressions of Lirael and Ellimere.
“Mayhap the Sight chose not to reveal our departure?” suggested Ellimere. Lirael frowned. Ellimere’s suggestion made sense, but the Sight, the fragmented visions that the Clayr received, focused by the ice in the glaciers often revealed the events of the future. It was common for the visions to reflect many paths and many possibilities, but rare when there are no visions on a subject.
“Mayhaps... we did not see anything worrisome, but all the same, we advise caution,” said Sanar and Ryelle.
“We’re only here to pick up Aunt Lirael’s belongings. I doubt we’ll get into any trouble,” chuckled Ellimere. The four bowed to each other and made their way down the stairs.
Equestria...
In another land, in a library built inside a living tree, a purple unicorn put the finishing touches to her spell. Her face was twisted in concentration, her lavender eyes focused upon the spellbook on the stand and her horn glowing brightly as she summoned the magic to the apple next to said spellbook.
“Hiya TWILIGHT!”
The loud cheerful voice caused the unicorn to jump and the apple she had been focusing on exploded.
“PINKIE!” screamed the unicorn exasperatedly at the bouncing pink pony, defying gravity as much as her fluffy mane. Spike, Twilight’s dragon assistant, completely harmless and shorter than the average pony, rolled his eyes at Pinkie being Pinkie. Or was it Pinkie being Pinkie Pie? Never mind.
“Whoa Twilight, what were you doing to that poor apple?” gasped Pinkie.
“Trying to summon a bunch of mythical bipedal creatures known as humans,” deadpanned Twilight. Cricket noises echoed throughout the library, though Twilight had no idea how they had got there.
“I was trying to turn it into an orange! I never got the time to finish that spell. What are you doing here Pinkie?” asked Twilight. The party pony of Ponyville smiled.
“Why to bring you to the picnic of course!” That caused the purple unicorn’s eyes to widen and her mouth to drop open. Her dark purple mane somehow frizzled and stood on end and a mad glint appeared in her eyes. Spike backpedalled as he realized what was about to happen.
“Nonononono... I FORGOT!!! I’m TARDY! I’m a bad friend! I...”
Pinkie promptly wrapped her hooves around Twilight in a hug, breaking the unicorn out of her descent into madness.
“You’re a great friend Twilight, don’t let anypony tell you anything else,” said Pinkie. Twilight relaxed.
“Thanks Pinkie, where is that picnic of yours?”
As the two ponies and the dragon walked toward the field where their friends were waiting, a single crow watched them.
No other crow would go near this crow. This crow... was made of carrion, a warm fetid stench rising off of it. Its eyes were red like blood. It’s semblance held together by magic that gave of a corrosive, metallic aura.
With an eerie caw, the gore crow took off to report to its master.