The wind howled as it whipped around the foothills, picked up snow, and swirled it around. It blocked out the stars above, though not quite the moon, which was just a glowing blur in the field of white. It was a cold night. Even Jorvanultumn felt the chill, so it was a good thing the humans were not here.

Sinitïa had not liked that. She wanted to be there, and Jorvanultumn fully understood. At first, he had been willing to let her come along, but Mikranasta had been adamant that it was too dangerous. Jorvanultumn had agreed. They had no idea what sort of opposition they would be facing, and he would never forgive himself if they saved Meleng, only for Meleng to find out that Sinitïa had died in the process.

Thankfully, Gen had understood and agreed to take Sinitïa back to the visitors’ lodges and watch over her with Miana Ting and the rest of his crew. Gen had also successfully talked Sinitïa down and into reluctantly agreeing.

“Bring him to me as fast as you can,” were Sinitïa’s last words to Jorvanultumn.

Jorvanultumn reached up and kissed her on the cheek. “I will. I promise.”

He just hoped he could keep that promise. As Mikranasta had pointed out, there was no guarantee Meleng would be at the place Itra took them to. His kidnappers might have moved him. It could have been a precaution in case Itra was discovered, or it could have been for some other reason. Perhaps because Meleng’s abductors knew they were coming. Whoever had controlled Itra—Paydamat or otherwise—would surely learn soon, if they had not already, that he had been freed from that control.

Jorvanultumn could not get the idea that this had been too easy out of his mind. What if they were walking into a trap?

“Do you find anything...unsettling about this?” he asked his diare.

Their small group was making its way along the road east of Chithishtheny. Itra was in the lead with Mikranasta beside him. Jorvanultumn and Davorultumn were a short distance behind them. With luck, Fevionawishtensen and some Hgirh would join them soon. They had sent a message, but Mikranasta had added the provision that they had to get here without letting Paydamat or the rest of the Lamdritta know. They could not take any chances that Paydamat was involved. This would likely slow Fevionawishtensen down and severely limit the number of Hgirh she could bring with her.

“Of course it’s unsettling,” Davorultumn said. “We’re about to face members of the Pundritta. I can’t think of anything more unsettling than that.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?” Davorultumn asked.

Jorvanultumn shook his head and sighed. “The way we got this information. It seems too easy. You and your diare have searched for these people your whole life without finding them.”

Davorultumn nodded. “Yes, I have, but times are changing. They’ve finally shown themselves. I only wish my diare could be here right now. He’s waited so long for this. At any rate, I understand your misgivings, Jorvanultumn, and we should be prepared for any situation, including that we might be walking into a trap. Mikranasta has considered that possibility as well. Just stay alert.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “You’re right, of course.” He did not feel any better.

After a few more minutes of walking, a new draught blew against the prevailing winds as Fevionawishtensen flew overhead at high speed. She spun in mid-air in front of Mikranasta and Itra, her wings catching the air and bringing her to a near-instant stop as she landed. Jorvanultumn smiled. There were very few who could fly with as much skill and precision as Fevionawishtensen.

Two other Hgirh flew overhead, making wider turns before coming in to land by Fevionawishtensen.

“Good timing. Our destination is just over the next hill.” Mikranasta motioned to Jorvanultumn and Davorultumn to hurry up. “We should proceed with caution. According to Itra, there is a copse of szadane and szadenee ahead, and within the copse, a cave entrance that leads to an underground base. Be ready to defend yourselves if necessary. Avoid killing, if possible. Remember, we need to question these people. Fevionawishtensen, I leave it to you to lead us.”

Fevionawishtensen motioned to the two Hgirh to move so that everyone could see her sign. Keep in mind, everyone, that we do not know what opposition we will face, if any, though there is probably a mentalist. So be alert at all times and do not take any unnecessary risks. The Hgirh will go first. I will fly over top. You—she pointed to one of the other two—will take the left. Then to the remaining one, You, the right. The rest of you will follow behind us on the trail. Jorvanultumn, Davorultumn, deal with these winds if we encounter resistance before we reach the cave, but not before. I want to maintain surprise if we can. Mikranasta, we will rely on you to counter whatever manipulations the mentalist attempts against us. Itra. She paused and smiled at Itra, who was trembling beside Mikranasta. Stay here, out of sight. It is too dangerous for you to come with us any farther.

Itra just stared at her. Mikranasta leaned over and whispered to him—probably a translation, Jorvanultumn suspected—and he nodded.

Fevionawishtensen nodded to the other two Hgirh, then signed to the rest of them, Wait a few seconds before following. She turned around, spread her wings, and leapt into the air. The two other Hgirh followed, fanning out to the left and right.

Jorvanultumn flexed his wings. There was still a slight pain, but he ignored it. If ever there was a time for him to use his wings, consequences be damned, it was now.

Over the hill and in the next valley was the copse. The wind was still throwing loose snow about in a frenzy. Even though the szadane and many of the szadenee were shorter than Fevionawishtensen, she was barely visible standing in the centre of the copse, and the snow was getting worse. There was no sign of the other two Hgirh and Fevionawishtensen soon vanished from sight. Even Mikranasta, just ahead of Jorvanultumn, disappeared into the swirling snow.

“Something’s not right,” Davorultumn said.

Before Jorvanultumn could reply, the snow pulled together into funnels that shot at him and Davorultumn, forming into massive snowballs in front of them that paused in the air. It took a moment for Jorvanultumn to realise it was Davorultumn who had transformed the funnels.

“Too slow, Jorvanultumn,” Davorultumn said.

Damn, he was slow.

There was still a lot of snow in the air, although it was possible to see the others again as Davorultumn added more to the giant snowballs. Jorvanultumn reached out to the remaining snow to assist, but the ground pulled out from under him. The world flipped round as he landed on his back. His wings—especially the injured one—cried out in protest.

Davorultumn flew overhead, the snowballs spinning around him.

Jorvanultumn sat up. Ahead, the plants in the copse were bending and stretching. Fevionawishtensen moved about them, sword flashing. She leapt over them, wings spread wide. Her sword cut through branches.

Jorvanultumn blinked. What was he doing? Why was he sitting here watching when he should be helping?

He needed to get up, make use of the snow and wind. Find their attackers and join in the fight. The more he sat here, the more the trees threatened to overwhelm Fevionawishtensen and the Hgirh.

And yet he sat there. Why?

Damn it.

He focused on the techniques Mikranasta had taught him years ago, tried to push out the mental control. He had never been very good at this. Memories of how the Ninifins had controlled him flashed through his head. Shamed him.

The battle raged about him.

Branches threatened to wrap around Fevionawishtensen, but she ran her fingers along them as they approached. They cracked and broke apart. She flew backwards out of the reach of the next szadene that bent towards her. Its white flowers shot out, surrounding her like a cloud. She flew straight up and they followed.

No! He had to break this control. He had to stop just watching!

Fevionawishtensen flipped over in the air. Her sword cut through several of the flowers still trying to surround her. With her other hand, she reached out and disintegrated one flower after the next.

Jorvanultumn closed his eyes. He needed to cut out as many sensations as possible in order to break the control. Except…

They did not close. Try as he might, they kept opening back up again. He could blink, but his eyelids would not stay closed, not even his inner ones.

Off to the side, Davorultumn directed howling winds around him towards an Isyar Jorvanultumn did not recognise—presumably one of their assailants, an elementalist most likely. There had to be more though, enough to keep all of them busy: a mentalist affecting him; an enchanter manipulating the copse—probably with preset triggers.

If Jorvanultumn could locate his attacker… He could move his head, though only a little. Enough to see what was ahead of him and a bit to each side. Behind him then. That was where his attacker was.

He needed to make a concerted effort. He still could not close his eyes, so he decided to ignore that tactic. He just needed to focus.

His leg moved. Just enough to raise his knee and place his foot flat on the ground. It would move no farther—not until it moved right back where it started, as pain shot through his head.

Then his mind cleared and he could move again.

We really need to do some work together before you leave, Mikranasta said.

Jorvanultumn bounded to his feet. Where have you been?

No time. I’ll take care of the mentalist. There’s a conjuror here somewhere, too. Find and deal with them.

He pulled wind and snow around him, earth and rock from the frozen ground. He tried to ignore the tempest raging just to his side. He wanted to rush to Fevionawishtensen’s side, but no. She could take care of herself. First, he needed to find this conjuror.

Something grabbed at his mind again, but didn’t gain hold. A cry rang out behind him. He turned around just as a hooded figure vanished into the night. The mentalist. It was dark, but not that dark, so there had to be more at work keeping the figure out of sight.

There was no sign of the conjuror either. Maybe the mentalist was hiding them both.

Vines leapt at Jorvanultumn’s legs. He brought stone down to batter them away. He kept the wind swirling around him to block anything else he might not see.

Metal balls like the ones Chiansamorkin had used flew at him from his right. He used the winds—drawing more from the tempest behind him—to blow them aside. Then he pulled up more rock and dirt, and sent it in the direction the balls had come from.

More balls struck his left shoulder and the back of his head. He stumbled. Spinning around, he sent ice and rock in the other direction. He swept his wings and tore up the ground for several yards in front of him. Whoever it was could not be flying—not in the storm Davorultumn and the other elementalist had created.

So where was that conjuror?

Something grabbed his ankles from behind, pulled him back. He fell face first onto the hard ground. Whatever had his ankles dragged them round until he was facing the opposite way. Then they dragged him across the ground.

The rock and ice of the uneven ground battered his chest, chin, and cheeks. It was too difficult to use his arms in this situation. However, his wings were still mobile. He spread them out, then brought them back in. Without a good view of what was pulling him, there was no way to be precise with this. He brought the ground straight up in a wall by his feet.

Pain shot through his feet and legs as he collided with the wall, but he broke free. Ignoring the pain, he jumped to his feet. He brought his arms round in arcs, spread his wings out. The rock wall broke apart. With the winds, he grabbed each piece and threw them in every direction as he spun around.

A thud and groan came from one direction, and Jorvanultumn stopped his spinning to face that direction. A figure, wings outstretched, moved to the right. Jorvanultumn pulled the ground out from under them. The figure stumbled, but flapped their wings. Their features were still obscured, but they could not fly for long in the heavy winds, and Jorvanultumn hoped to take advantage of that.

The figure landed a moment later, and Jorvanultumn pulled the ground up again. The figure fell forward, but beat their wings and sent more of the metal balls flying at him. He blew them aside with wind, and the figure clapped their hands together. Rocks came at Jorvanultumn from both sides, but these he grabbed with his own magical energies and threw them at the conjuror.

Mikranasta! he called. More rocks and metal came at him. The mentalist is still partially hiding the conjuror. Can you do anything about that? There was so much material in the air, he was losing track of the conjuror again.

What? Mikranasta said. That’s not possible. I’ve got...damn! There’s a second mentalist! I’ll try to draw them out.

There was a crash from the direction of the storm. Davorultumn tumbled through the air, landing near the blurred figure. The conjuror punched the air. Vines grabbed Davorultumn’s legs and threw him back at the raging whirlwind. Jorvanultumn tried to bring the earth up around the conjuror, but whoever it was leapt out of the way. They kicked out, and Jorvanultumn’s legs pulled out from under him again. He landed once more on his face, and struggled back to his knees.

Another figure emerged from the maelstrom of wind and snow. Fevionawishtensen! Battered and bruised, she launched herself at the conjuror. Metal balls launched at her. She knocked aside several with her sword. Others slammed into her shoulder, chest, and stomach. But they didn’t slow her down. Her sword connected with the conjuror’s side, and the figure fell over.

She ran over to Jorvanultumn. Are you all right? She held out her hand.

He took her hand and let her help him to his feet. “I’ll be fine.”

She pointed to the storm. Anything you can do to help?

“Maybe? Where are the other Hgirh?”

Fevionawishtensen just pointed at the tempest.

“Ah, right.” The swirling snow and ice made it impossible to see what was happening within. One thing was clear though: the Pundritta elementalist was holding out against Davorultumn and the two Hgirh. Jorvanultumn did not know how powerful the two Hgirh were, but Davorultumn was powerful and experienced.

Jorvanultumn took Fevionawishtensen’s hand and led her to the edge of the storm, pushing against the winds. He reached out to the whirlwind. Just walking through would probably be deadly. He could strip small bits of air from it at a time, but that would take forever to weaken it enough to get through. He needed to pull together material from the surrounding area—enough to make a shield that would last long enough to get through.

He began pulling together stones and bits of rock, but Fevionawishtensen touched his arm. She traced an equation onto it, then pushed him into the whirlwind.

Ice, snow, razor-sharp rocks, and more battered at him, but most bounced off, and he emerged on the other side intact. Of course. Fevionawishtensen had already passed through it before. He should have just trusted her to get him in.

She emerged from the winds and rolled her eyes at him.

Inside the whirlwind, the ground was a jagged mess. Fissures gaped and points of rock jutted out of them. There were very few flat spaces.

On one side nearby was Davorultumn, battered and bruised, a cut across his forehead. Across from him stood the Isyar Jorvanultumn had seen Davorultumn facing earlier. One of the Hgirh lay at that Isyar’s feet. The other Hgirh lay unmoving off to the side on one of the jagged pieces of land.

Fevionawishtensen traced equations on the blade of her sword. She leapt into the air just as the ground she was standing on flipped over. Jorvanultumn dove to the side. Rocks flew at both of them, but diverted just before impact. Davorultumn swept with his arms, spinning in place, and sent the rocks back towards the other elementalist. The Darker made similar motions and the rocks stopped midway. They hung in the air, unmoving.

Jorvanultumn spread his wings and joined Davorultumn’s dance, adding his own strength to it. The rocks shot forward, smashing into the Darker’s chest and forehead. He stumbled back.

Fevionawishtensen flew down at him. A jagged spire of rock rose in her path, but her sword cut right through it. She flew on, ploughing into the elementalist, and knocking him over. Without pause, she flipped over and grabbed hold of the Darker by the back of the head, landing on top of him. She pressed his face down into the ice, and pressed her knee into his wing.

Davorultumn nodded to Jorvanultumn, who caught his meaning. Jorvanultumn followed every movement of his diare, stepping, turning, waving in unison. Together, they took control of the whirlwind before it spiralled out of control. Gradually, they decreased its intensity, broke it apart. They allowed the snow, ice, and rocks caught in it to descend gently to the ground.

When the largest pieces were safely on the ground and the whirlwind was mostly dispersed, Davorultumn slowed his movements, while Jorvanultumn continued. Davorultumn sat down, gasping for air. Jorvanultumn reduced the air currents back to what they were before all this started and then released them. With a sigh, Jorvanultumn fell to his knees to catch his breath.

He did not get much time. Fevionawishtensen motioned to him and pointed to each of the two unconscious Hgirh with her free hand. With her other hand, she still had hold of the elementalist.

Jorvanultumn nodded, got up, and went over to the nearest of the two Hgirh. A quick check showed that the Hgirh was still alive. Jorvanultumn gathered some winds to lift the Hgirh up, then went over to the other one. He did the same there, and then used the air currents to carry both of them out of the damaged area and lay them on a softer patch of snow.

Fevionawishtensen joined him a moment later, dropping the elementalist unceremoniously on the ground. He hit the icy surface without bending or flinching, his body completely rigid. Fevionawishtensen must have done something to completely paralyse him.

“Do you know him?” Jorvanultumn asked.

Fevionawishtensen shook her head. We will question him later.

Davorultumn approached them, still breathing heavily. “Where is Mikranasta?”

“We got separated,” Jorvanultumn said. He called out mentally to her. Mikranasta?

I’ll be there soon.

“She is coming,” Jorvanultumn said.

Davorultumn nodded. “Yes, she just told me.”

A minute or so later, Mikranasta came into sight from the now-ruined copse. She was limping and had a nose bleed.

Jorvanultumn rushed over to her. “You’re hurt.” He offered her an arm to lean on.

“It’s trivial.” But she accepted his arm. “I twisted my ankle.”

“Your nose is bleeding.”

“That’s just an effect of extreme concentration.” She took Davorultumn’s hand as they reached him, and the two of them touched foreheads.

“What happened?” Davorultumn asked.

“There were two mentalists,” she said. “One was considerably more powerful than the other. I didn’t get a good look at her, but I’m sure it was Paydamat. The magic had her feel to it. The other one was less powerful, possibly her siare, Nascanmat. However, together they had an edge over me.”

“What happened to them?” Jorvanultumn asked.

“They fled when they realised the rest of the battle was going against them. It was only your winning your battles that allowed me to survive. If we’re able to, we should move quickly to find Meleng Drago. I don’t want those two mentalists to move him before we can get there. What of your opponents?”

The enchanter and conjuror are both dead, Fevionawishtensen signed. The elementalist is our prisoner. My two are unconscious and Davorultumn is heavily depleted.

“I’ll be fine,” Davorultumn said.

Mikranasta touched his face. “You’re sure?”

“Certain.”

She gave him a sad smile. “You know you can’t lie to me. Stay out here. Watch over the injured Hgirh and the prisoner.”

Davorultumn sighed. “As you wish. Jorvanultumn, go find your friend.”

Jorvanultumn touched foreheads and wing tips with his diare. “Thank you for everything.”

Fevionawishtensen motioned to him. Come. She strode back into the ruined copse.

Jorvanultumn offered Mikranasta his arm, and together, they followed after Fevionawishtensen.

* * * * *

The cave was only a cave insomuch as it was inside the foothill and was accessed via an opening in the side of the foothill—an opening that previously would have been concealed by the szadane and szadenee. The walls of the “cave’ were smooth and square and formed a corridor—clearly not natural. An elementalist had probably created them. It would have been tiring, precise work, but Jorvanultumn could see how it could be done. He could probably do it himself if he were willing to spend the time, although he was unsure he could make such precise corners.

Occasional ice doors blocked their passage, but Jorvanultumn removed them with little effort. They led to small living areas, four of them in total. Jorvanultumn and the others only spent enough time in these rooms to confirm neither Meleng nor anyone else was in them.

It did not take long to reach a larger room. It was unusually warm, and mostly bare apart from two tables. Meleng lay, naked and unconscious, on one of them.

Another Isyar stood between the two tables. That Isyar spun round as Jorvanultumn, Fevionawishtensen, and Mikranasta entered. “Where am I?” It was Nascanmat. “Did you bring me here? Are you here to help me?” He moved towards them.

Mikranasta held up a hand, and Nascanmat froze in place.

Jorvanultumn rushed over to Meleng’s side. His arms and legs were bound to the table with manacles. A quick check showed that he was breathing steadily. Jorvanultumn gently shook Meleng’s shoulders. “Meleng? Meleng? It is me, Jorvanultumn.”

Meleng did not wake.

Mikranasta approached Nascanmat. “I am going to allow you to speak, but know that if you attempt any spellcasting, I will know and block it immediately. It could be quite painful. Now, where is your diare?”

Tears poured down Nascanmat’s face. “I don’t know. I don’t know how I got here. I swear. You must believe me.”

Mikranasta indicated Meleng. “You know who this is?”

“It’s the human who was abducted.”

“Rather convenient that we find you standing over top of him,” Mikranasta said.

“It wasn’t me. I swear. It wasn’t me.”

“We shall see.” Mikranasta placed a hand on Nascanmat’s face. “If you’re telling the truth, don’t resist.” She stared into Nascanmat’s eyes for what felt to Jorvanultumn like ages. Finally, she lowered her hand and stepped back. “He’s telling truth that he doesn’t know where Paydamat is. Everything else is hidden under many complex mental shields, probably put there by Paydamat. It will take me time to unravel them all.”

“I really didn’t do it,” Nascanmat said. “Please, you must believe me. I—”

“Enough.” Mikranasta held up a hand, and Nascanmat fell silent again, almost perfectly still apart from a tremble and the tears still pouring down his face.

Jorvanultumn looked down at Meleng and ran a hand through his friend’s hair. “Is it possible it wasn’t him?”

Mikranasta took awhile to respond. “I doubt it, but yes. It is conceivably possible. I will need to examine him more closely to be absolutely sure. But I’m sure I felt Paydamat outside, and if she’s involved, it’s hard to believe her siare isn’t also.”

Jorvanultumn tried one of the manacles on Meleng’s wrist. He could not magically manipulate metal, but he could manipulate some rock from the walls to break the manacle, though that risked harming Meleng. “Could someone have misled you into believing you sensed Paydamat?”

Mikranasta sighed. “Again, doubtful. I’ll examine Nascanmat more thoroughly later. First, we need to help Meleng Drago.”

Fevionawishtensen brushed past Jorvanultumn. She gave him a smile and traced an equation onto the manacle he was holding. It broke apart and fell away. Then she circled the table and did the same to the other manacles.

Mikranasta place a hand on Meleng’s cheek. “He’s in a dreamscape. It’s been set to repeat with manipulations from Nascanmat.” She sighed. “Or whoever has been experimenting on him.” She let go of Meleng. “I have ended the dreamscape, but it will take time to fully undo what has been done to him. He may also have a hard time accepting reality, as he’s been subjected to constant illusions for the past few days. It is a terrible thing to go through.” She walked over to Jorvanultumn and put a hand on his arm. “He will need support from people like you and Sinitïa Alessia Deanna Folith, the people who love him. Be patient with him.”

Jorvanultumn nodded. “Of course.”

Mikranasta began to rummage through the things on the second, smaller table beside the one Meleng was on. It was covered with papers and books, as well as a some writing implements and jars of ink. “These appear to be primarily resources that Nascanmat...or whoever was using as guides, but there are a few notes as well. We should go through them when there is more time. Fevionawishtensen, check the other rooms we passed through. See if there are any clothes, blankets, or anything we can wrap Meleng Drago in to keep him warm on the return home.”

Fevionawishtensen nodded and left the room.

Mikranasta picked up a small book, opened it, and started leafing through it. Jorvanultumn came up beside her and peered at it.

“A journal,” she said, “by the person experimenting on Meleng Drago. On a quick glance, the author does not appear to identify themself. However, perhaps a handwriting comparison with Nascanmat might be useful.” She snapped the book closed. “I’ll hold onto it and go through it more thoroughly later.”

Jorvanultumn had not managed to see much of what was in it, just a sentence or two here and there as Mikranasta had flipped the pages. The writer seemed frustrated that Meleng was seeing through the illusions. That made Jorvanultumn smile. Good going, Meleng!

Fevionawishtensen returned with a bundle of blankets. Jorvanultumn and Mikranasta took the blankets and, together, carefully wrapped Meleng.

I am strongest, Fevionawishtensen said. I will carry him. She lifted Meleng off the table.

“I will guide Nascanmat out,” Mikranasta said. “Jorvanultumn, my ankle still bothers me, so I may need your help until we are outside and I can fly.”

Jorvanultumn offered her his arm. She took it and they headed for the entrance, Nascanmat following jerkily behind them.