//------------------------------// // Intrusion // Story: The Seven Bells and The Six Bearers // by vren55 //------------------------------// Intrusion The Clayr’s Great Library... A young blonde woman in the yellow uniform of the Third Assistant Librarian shelved another book into one of the library’s great shelves. Shaped like a spiral tapering down to the centre like a Nautilus Shell, The Great Library of the Clayr was a great repository of knowledge and of things. Not even the current Chief Librarian Vancelle was sure of what lay behind some of the sealed doors of this archive. Some of these artifacts were in fact, very dangerous, such as the Stilken that Lirael had to bind. But these often lay behind closed doors, so the main spiral was usually devoid of danger given the presence of so many Clayr. Well, usually. The young librarian suddenly stopped in front of one small door, close to the centre of the library’s spiral. It was barely noticeable for it only reached to the chest of the average Clayr and this was one of the strangest doors in the library. Nobody was sure exactly how to unlock this door. The spell holding this one was locked in a completely different from the other doors. Six hexagonal gems, five in a pentagonal shape and one in the centre, held a long forgotten and powerful Charter magic spell. To the young Clayr’s knowledge would take something catastrophic to force this door to open. Yet, somehow... the door was creaking open, blocking the Clayr’s view to whatever was coming out. Somehow in her panicked state, the young librarian noticed the Charter magic bonds upon it wrenched apart and shattered. The gems were lifeless and cracked... Dark smoke was pouring out of the door, carrying the iron corroded scent of Free Magic. That was enough for the young Clayr to flee the scene, not wanting to see what was coming out. If she had stayed longer though, she might have seen a horned head raise itself into the light Lirael and Ellimere were just about to make their way out of the library, when they heard whistle blasts and the sound of an urgently tolling bell. It took Lirael a long moment to remember what it signified, but when she did, her eyes widened. “It’s the library alarm! Quick, follow me!” said Lirael, giving one of her uncharacteristic orders. Ellimere didn’t question her aunt and raced after her. As Lirael and Ellimere approached the door into the main spiral of her library, their hands went over their various implements and equipment. The Princess adjusted her mail coat and her two Charter spelled swords. Designed to cut through dead flesh and to reinforce Charter spell casting, these weapons could easily destroy any of the lesser dead. Lirael’s white and golden hands went to the bandolier strapped across her mailed torso. Carefully, they touched the mahogany handled, silver bells nestled in their leather carrier as she silently named each of them. The first and smallest bell, Ranna the Sleeper. The bell brings sleep to every being that hears it. The second bell, Mosrael the Waker. It calls the dead back to life, but throws the ringer further into death. The third bell - Lirael smiled as she touched this one - Kibeth the Walker. Kibeth will inspire movement into any Dead or living being that hears its bark. However, it is very mischievous and might cause the wielder to walk a path they do not want to take. The fourth bell, Dyrim the Speaker. The bell can help one to speak, but it can as easily take one’s voice away. The fifth bell, Belgaer the Thinker. It can give the Dead back their memories and allow them to think freely, but like Dyrim, it also has the power to erase what it can give. The sixth bell, Saraneth the Binder. One of the most reliable bells, it is the favorite of all past Abhorsens and Necromancers. It binds whoever hears its loud tone to the wielder’s will. At the end of the bandolier, Lirael’s hand rests on the last bell momentarily, taking care not to let it ring. The final bell, Astarael the Weeper. When rung, all who hear its mournful tone are cast into death, including the ringer. Lifting her hands off the bells, Lirael instead drew her sword a little out of its sheath. Crafted by her nephew, Prince Sameth, the sword was imbued with the strongest marks he could find. Their woven glamour shimmered and shifted in the flickering candlelight. A masterpiece, if one could call a tool of destruction that, she had yet to use it in combat or give it a name. With a nod to Ellimere, Lirael opened the door and the pair stepped forward. As the two women stepped into the library, they were met with the cloying scent of free magic, and silence. Not the awkward silence in a conversation, but the suffocating, dead silence of the darkest night. It was enough to cause the two to advance slowly down the spiral. Ellimere’s swords were out in front of her, Lirael had a hand on her bells and on her sword. Every step was taken with purpose, ringing through the depths of The Great Library. Closer and closer did they draw to the centre of the library and then they saw. A small door with six gems embedded into it, was opened, Charter magic, ancient and powerful, not smote with brute force, but undone and unmade. They could only see the front of the door though, not what was inside. More disturbingly, neither Lirael nor Ellimere could see what had come out of the door. “What was inside here?” asked Ellimere. “I’m not sure. I don’t think I ever noticed this door,” said Lirael with a frown. The two were about to advance, but heard something odd behind them, trotting. Spinning around, both Lirael and Ellimere gripped their weapons. They couldn’t see whatever was making the sound just yet. What the two did know was that it came in the direction they had just arrived from. Ellimere changed her sword stance and went over her most powerful Charter Marks for blasting, fire and lightning. Lirael kept her sword in her golden hand, and drew Saraneth with her other hand. The two waited as the regal trotting, if a trot could ever be called regal, came closer and closer. The metallic tang of Free Magic, drew nearer and nearer, overpowering all of Lirael’s senses and forcing her to shrink back, and finally the source of it came into sight. “Who is so foolish to oppose me?” said the creature. It had an imperious tone, commanding, and not unlike a distorted version of Saraneth, infused with iron will. Lirael and Ellimere frowned, their eyes examining their foe. It was equine in shape, with a coat darker than the darkest night, but the majestically extended wings and long horn on its headed set it apart from any horse that either Lirael and Ellimere had seen. It’s mane sparkling like the dark night sky. The unicorn pegasus hybrid wore heavy blue barding, that shone softly, as if moonlight was reflecting off of it. The most unsettling fact of the creature though, was its almond shaped eyes. Its turquoise hue unnatural and their deceptive shape caused the two women’s muscles to tense up even more. Those eyes gazed down upon the two humans, giving Lirael an uncomfortable sense of inferiority “Well? Speak you foals,” demanded the equine. Lirael trembled slightly as she raised the bell and opened her mouth at the same time, speaking her title. A name of many secrets, of paths not travelled, a name that struck fear into all of the dead and of the unbound. “Abhorsen.” And Saraneth rang clear through the tension-infused air, carrying Lirael’s will and shackling the equine to her will. The equine creature’s eyes widened and snarled, two polished fangs gleaming in the dark. “You two are of the blood!” Lirael ignored the equine. “Begone creature, I bind you past the seventh gate,” said Lirael and she swung Saraneth in a figure eight movement. Nothing happened and the nightmare, which was probably the best way to describe the equine, sneered. To Lirael and Ellimere’s shock, the thing stepped forward, Saraneth’s call making the equine’s movement sluggish, but unable to halt them. “You two are of the blood. A blood that has been watered and diminished, you cannot bind me, Abhorsen!” snorted Nightmare. Lirael gritted her teeth, sheathed her sword and reached to her bandolier to draw Kibeth in her other hand, but the equine charged. Free magic crackled around her horn as she fired a bolt of magic toward the frozen Lirael. Ellimere sprang into action, her swords moving quickly as she golden Charter magic formed a shield to block attack. Sweeping her swords in a counter slash, the Princess was deflected off the equine’s armour, though it knocked her back. “Stand back you foals! This is our last warning!” roared Nightmare. “No!” retorted Lirael and her wrists flicked, Saraneth and Kibeth swayed and the combined voice of the two bells assaulted the equine. “Abhorsen, no Remembrancer! This is not over!” screamed the equine. The Nightmare’s shape began to collapse, changing into a starry cloud of Free Magic. It fled, Ellimere cut at it with her sword, but it was like cutting through fog. The magic fled, rushing past Lirael and into the doorway, that was rapidly closing. “After her!” yelled Ellimere, Lirale didn’t hesitate and the two women dived into the small door, just managing to get in before it closed behind them.