Catfantastic II

Sanja brought them both food and drink, then sat down beside them. He leaned over and whispered, 'Why do you get all the excitement?'

'Its my nose.' Jariel said, pulling on it. 'It's so long, it's always getting me into things.'

You can say that again, said Pacer.

It's my no…

Enough! The Pierdon waits.

Jariel apologized, 'I'm sorry, Myatin.'

'No, do not. Laughter causes even fear to flee for a space of time.'

'Please,' said Lord Davan, 'We'd like to hear what you can tell us of the problem facing us.'

'When Baltaz was defeated in the War of Sorrows, she was forced to free the Pierdon she had imprisoned along with their human counterparts. It was not until too late that we realized one of our kind was still missing. Many years after the war we found him wandering in the Hills of Bramare Duval. He had lost all memory of where he had been and only knew his shadow-mate was somewhere here in the North.' Myatin nodded in Davan's direction. 'The lord of that time gave us Blue Valley for our own. The Pierdon who made their home there continued the search. For two hundred years Nytira's human shadow remained a light burden.'

'Until,' Sanja exclaimed, 'Tabler and Marian broke the balance of power.'

'You are correct, Wizard.'

'Will you,' Sanja asked with great humility, 'allow me to watch you unravel Baltaz's spell?'

'I am sorry, that will not be possible. We cannot break it, for it is warded against us. If we should get too close to the barrier, the spell will unleash its full doom. Look at it. See, it already knows we are near.'

With the rest of the group, Jariel looked. The barrier now glowed with a nacreous yellow light. He subvocalized to Pacer, Who sees the problem gets it. Shall we?

Yes.

'Myatin, what would you have us do?'

'First tell me all you know.' The Pierdon listened intently to all Jariel said. 'The wave you saw travel both ways was not just her life force, but Nytira's as well. Her rebirth is at the price of his life. When she burns, he suffers. When she dies, Nytira learns of death. If she and his shadow are ever retrieved, the human and the Pierdon will be forever changed. She will experience a touch of immortality, he humanity, and ultimately death.

'But that is not what is important here and now. If they are not rescued and soon, there will be let loose on this land indestructible entities.'

Lord Davan leaned forward. 'Just what threatens my land.'

'Baltaz's doom.' Myatin looked at each of them in turn. 'Pierdon are immortal. We are a living form of pure magic. Baltaz wanted this for herself. When she could not get it, she set this trap. The power in the woman, the Pierdon, and that which Baltaz bound into the spell, will bleed into the shadows until they take on life themselves. Soon it will reach a saturation point and they will break free of their hosts. These shadow entities will not have the ability to reason, they will experience only one thing, hunger. And to live they must feed. Their food is the life energy given off by all creatures. Even the earth itself will be stripped. There is no known power that can defeat them once they are free.'

'How can Pacer and I stop this?'

'I am sorry, Belldancer, I do not know. But if you can bring the woman to us, whole, I think we can return to them their own shadows. In the process we hope to dissipate Baltaz's spell causing the life force exchange happening between them.'

Jariel knelt down before Nytira, Pacer sat so close to his side he could feel her side rise and fall with her breathing. It was even, strong, just the opposite of the spellbound Pierdon's. The velvet skin around the creature's mouth was turning gray. Jariel leaned forward and spoke softly. 'May I touch the shadow?' then he nearly wept when he heard the Pierdon's broken whisper in reply. The beauty was destroyed, he was sure, by screaming.

'Yes. It is safe at this moment.'

Jariel gently laid his hand on the woman's shadow. It felt sticky, and icy-hot, both at the same time. The fine hairs on his body rose in response. Pacer?

No use waiting. Let's go. No one stopped them.

This time it did not take so long to reach the orange cave. Jariel paused, Pacer, I'll wager anything you want that Baltaz bespelled the plinth. The moment I pull the woman off, poof! goes Baltaz's Doom.

What are you going to put in her place?

If I thought I could get away with using a rock I'd do it. There's too much at stake to make the wrong choice and Baltaz loved traps. It'll have to be flesh-mine.

The silence between them was filled with unspoken thoughts and feelings. Finally Pacer said,

So, it is to be the Warrior's dance.

In answer Jariel loosened his hair, pulled a bone comb and a leather thong from his belt pouch. He combed bis hair, making sure each strand was free of tangles, then bent over. The silky mass nearly swept the floor. Deftly he smoothed it from nape to ends. He gathered it up, twisting it into a warrior's knot, tying it off with the thong. Friend. Teacher. Be with me in my mind as I prepare.

I am here, Pacer reassured.

Jariel moved through the phases of the dance. The disciplined action merged into grim joy as fatigue gave way and strength sang along tendons, bones, and muscles. He shook from his fingers the anger he felt for Nytira's broken voice, the woman's pain, the need to save his world.

He felt Pacer's love, her total acceptance of him and all. But he could not give up the thought of the real possibility his own blackened flesh might adorn the plinth. He cried out.

Help me. I can't let go of my fear!

Minddancer, give it to me. Let me carry it for awhile.

With a sob he let go, felt her draw his imprisoning emotion into herself. He danced lighter, faster. Jariel had no idea what a heavy burden his fear had been until he gave it away. Then, with a last movement, he flicked even that relief away. The Warrior state settled deep into his mind. Purpose and calm assurance and clarity of mind filled him. Jariel whirled on into the orange cave, now his battleground.

Though he kept close to the inner wall he was careful to let no part of his body touch it. You keep an eye on the body ashes. I have an idea I want to check out. He touched the shadow. It felt the same as the one weighing down Nytira. He pulled out his comb and lightly touched the orange wall. When nothing happened, he pressed harder.

What are you doing? Pacer demanded. Trying to get snarls out of stone?

Are you asking ME questions? He reached down and scratched behind her ears, knowing she spoke as she did to hide the fear she felt for him. You know the fruit jerky the cooks make at harvest time?

Now's a fine time to be talking about food. She glanced up at him. Wait. Isn't that the stuff you peel off oiled paper? Jariel, you can't mean to…

He nodded, slowly sliding the comb beneath the thickened shadow. Are the ashes moving?

No.

Good. He continued to move the comb under the shadow until he reached its highest point; the antlers. He lifted the comb. The shadow peeled away from the wall, curling down upon itself.

His hands were shaking so much his knuckles had almost touched the wall. Frightened that an inadvertent action would trigger Baltaz's Doom, Jariel minddanced until thinking and body responses were again calm. Pretending the shadow was nothing more than a large piece of fruit jerky, he pulled the last remnants of Nytira's shadow from the wall. Pacer stayed close by his side as he rolled it toward the plinth. Two feet away he stopped.

Do you think you and the woman can drag it out of the cave?

Pacer nudged it with her nose. It did not budge. We will just have to. She reared up, putting her paws on his shoulders, Minddancer. Look at the flames. There are spaces between them. When you dance, think of them as bells that must not chime. Then she did something she had never