The Final Redemption by Michael Manning (novels in english .TXT) 📗

would have to lowermyself into the sarcophagus with her to make sure the twospell-weavings came into contact. The image of my body lying nextto that of the beautiful Lyralliantha sprang into my mind.What if Penny finds me like that? It isn’t goingto look good. Perhaps I should have written a note?

“It would have been nice to have spentmy last day thinking intelligent thoughts, but clearly that wasnever going to happen,” I told myself. Then I lowered myself intothe stone box.

The reaction was immediate, and I feltthe spell-weavings begin to unwind, melding and dissolving as theymerged. My body grew heavy, while my spirit felt a contradictorysensation of incredible lightness, a shadow had been lifted. Myvision grew dim as I looked down at Lyralliantha and realized thatthe stasis enchantment was still intact. It took a supreme effortof will to make my dead lips form the words, “Your husband waitsfor your return… and your forgiveness.”

The stasis enchantment vanished, andmy body dropped a few inches, settling awkwardly over hers, oncethe magic that preserved her no longer held me up. I worried Imight smother her but the power to move my limbs was no longermine. My body was dead, wooden, and I was drifting.

The dark shadow that had surrounded mefor so long was gone. The veil had lifted, and the voices of windand earth were louder than ever, welcoming me like old friends.Louder still though, was the song of death, a dissonant hum that nolonger seemed foreign. It tugged at me, drawing me away in a newdirection. The void beckoned and I had no strength toresist.

Maybe I’ll get to seeMarc, I thought idly.

Chaos erupted around me then, aturbulence that disturbed everything, like the ocean on a stormyday. I found myself tossed about, and the darkness that had settledover me was now punctuated by light and occasional bits of color.Vibrant blue eyes seemed to stare at me and I felt another forcestruggling to change the direction my spirit was taking.

I should’ve known dyingwouldn’t be easy.

The battle seemed to take forever, andI had little control over it. Something strong had me in its gripand was determined not to release me. Eventually I began to sensethings around me, things from the physical world. The voice of theearth returned and above me I could see a woman gazing at me witheyes of electric blue—eyes like my own. Her hands trailed sparklinglines of magic in a variety of blues and golds, She’Harspell-weaving.

Her magic was pushing medownward, trapping and enfolding me—forcing me into a cold lifelessplace. My body lay beneath me, a sterile horror of grey skin anddead flesh. No! Icried, but there was no one to hear my plea. The lines of magictightened, creating a feeling of pressure as I was compressed intothat dark place. The voice of the earth faded as the veil descendedover me, cutting me off from the world I had once loved. I wasalone in the darkness. My last thought echoed in my mind,Why? From someplace farremoved, I heard my mouth utter the words, though it was no longerme controlling it, “Why have you done this?”

At least someone agreeswith me, I thought to myself.

Chapter 12

My eyes opened, revealing me in asituation many men would have found envious. I was in the stonesarcophagus, wrapped in the arms of an amazingly beautiful woman.Not that I could feel much of her softer features, while she was ina thin gown, my own body was still encased in steel. I knew hername, Lyralliantha, and while the memories I had inheritedregarding her were affectionate, my personal feelings weresignificantly different now.

“Why have you done this?” I asked,unable to find any better words to express my dismay.

She stretched and rose from the stonebox, moving gracefully. She answered me in her own language, thoughI understood her, “I will ask the questions. How long have I beenasleep?”

I had been violated, snared, andreinstated within my dead body. Rather than a peaceful death I hadbeen resurrected, this time through no will of my own. I was stilla monster and I hated her for it. “This is the thanks I get?Someone finally frees you after all this time, and the first thingyou do is deny them a proper death and ply them with questions?Necromancy is forbidden.” The spell-weaving she had used on me,like the one Thillmarius created, and like the ones that createdtheir Dark Gods, had been strictly banned by the She’Har longago.

She said a few sharp words, and astrange feeling ran through me. Then she asked again, “How longhave I been asleep.”

“Approximately twothousand years, give or take a few decades. I don’t have an exactcount,” I said as truthfully as I knew how. I had no otherchoice. Sonofabitch! I cursed silently as I realized she had bound me toobedience. My situation was similar to Karenth’s.

“Where is myKianthi?” she said,continuing her interrogation. The word she used referred tosomething that could most closely be translated as spouse, or inher case, husband. She was looking for her mate.

Memories raced through my mind,whether I wanted them or not. Opening my mouth I answered, “Acrossthe sea, beyond the area now called the Gulf of Garulon. He hastaken root in a place that is now an island, without a name, lostto the knowledge of men.” I pointed to the west to indicate thedirection. Having satisfied the compulsion I relaxed for a momentand then added, “Are you always a bitch when you wake up, or is itjust because you’re two thousand years old?”

Her lips twitched into a smile, “Youare angry with me?”

My eyes narrowed, “Damn right, I’mpissed!”

“Then why did you awaken me, and whydid you reek of Thillmarius’ magic?” she respondedcalmly.

That was a long story, but I did mybest to summarize without leaving out any important details. Hergeas gave me no choice to do otherwise. I explained the currentevents as best I could, covering my struggle with the Shining Gods,the return of Thillmarius, and his eventual defeat, when I hadstolen the spell-weaving from him that kept his spirit anchored inthe world of the living.

As I talked I was forced on severaloccasions to stop