S1E8 - The Long Night

“The Long Night…”

She stood in the center of a stone disc. A 6 pointed star of blue and red energy pulsed as it rotated slowly hovering about her ankles. She could smell the tall hedge of the labyrinth before her, the entrance was directly behind the 3 librarians leading this ceremony. The tall man from yesterday, known as Rue nodded and the crowd grew silent.
“Cordelia today your story will become part of our library. But first We must free it from your mind.”
The woman with the blonde hair and blind eye stepped forward.
“We only record the truth. Any story passing by our lips is tainted with some untruth. Our lips betray us, and before we know it we have lies. Lies are no good to the library.”
The 3rd librarian stepped forward and pulled back their hood revealing blue black hair and chiseled angular features of the elves.
“Your memories are shielded in layers of emotion. Encapsulating it. It protects the rest of your sanity from being infected by the the most horrible of memories. Sometimes these filters can alter the truth. These trials are designed to peel back the layers and record the memory as it plays itself.”
She took in a deep breath, mentally steeling herself. She had told Benedict of the good Dragons . That they had to find them he had agreed but no one had seen them for centuries. Now for that nugget of wisdom she faced her price. Reliving her darkest night.
“You may enter the Labyrinth Cordelia but be warned what you face is very much real, to not treat it as such would be foolish.” They stepped back and waved her to the opening in the high hedges.
As soon as she stepped into the threshold the silence was deafening. The canopy of growth barely let slivers of light in that danced across the back of her arm. The lemony scent of the leaves in the cool moist air was welcome. She turned.
The hedge was closed. She was alone.

Another left. “. Cordelia sighed she had been walking for what felt like an hour but had yet to stumble upon anything other than the occasional twig in the meticulously clean dirt floor.
She saw a man, a red cape over his broad and armored shoulders. His familiar raven hair was short cropped crowning the handsome face of her cousin. “Benedict?”
He smiled “they sent me to assist you Cordelia apparently it’s to test us both.”
She hesitated, this wasn’t the way she had heard about. One memory to pay. She reached out and felt his arm. It was real. He was real. He laughed. “I’m wondering about this puzzle. What do you make of it?”
“Ok well let me look at it.”
He nodded and pointed to the wall where what appeared to be a stone doorway the door shut tight but emblazoned were the words “if I drink I die but if I eat I’m fine”
“I can’t think of anything that fits that. Maybe a type of cactus?”
“Fire.”
“What?”
She smiled “its fire. Water puts it out but it needs fuel to burn”
Her hands produced a small flame which she blew gently to the wall. It ignited the words ablaze as the door swung open.
They walked down a short hall to another door. This one was midnight blue with deep burgundy colors.
“You cannot see me, hear me, or touch me. I lie behind the stars and alter what is real, I am what you really fear. Close your eyes and I come near.”
They paused. Cordelia closed her eyes. “The dark”. Benedict was looking at her. “That’s it right?” She smiled somewhat uncomfortably as she repeated “the dark” and she sniffed out the candles to either side of the doorway.
The door swung open.
The door opened to a long hallway. The moist air stuck to the skin, a musty smell of stagnant water and old moss was prominent from the wet stones. Blue green flames ignited the iron caged torches along the wall alternating right to left every 12 paces. In the distance she heard chirping. Much like a bird but more guttural and deeper. Benedict tensed up as his eyes narrowed. The sounds grew louder and seemed to be around the right turn at the end of the corridor.
He looked at her concerned “ do you hear that?”
“Yes. What do you suppose it is?”
He clenched his hand around the hilt of his great sword slowly drawing it from the sheath. “I’ll scout ahead”. He sped up his pace to slight jog peering around the corner.
He looked back at her. “Come this will be easy there aren’t that many!”
He bellowed a battle cry as he threw the gleaming silver sword over one shoulder and charged around the corner. The chirping became shrieks mixed with the ringing steel.
Cordelia’s heart dropped. She ran to the corner and her eyes were shocked. 10 4 foot tall reptilian bodies lay on the ground clad in dark leather armor and gripping small javelins. Their reddish orange scales blending with the blood on the floor their mouths agape in death. Benedict cleaved through another who stood defiant against him. She saw it was protecting something.
Behind where the Kobold had stood moments prior was an unarmored female guarding 2 terrified children. Benedict raised the sword high with a roar.
“No!”
He spun on her
“we are free of them don’t you see? The evil in their wretched little bodies is gone, I have purified them!”
Her terror turned to anger. He laughed and walked to her.
“This is as much my test as it is yours remember? If you stand in my way of completing my test I will forced to defeat you as well.”
Her eyes flared.
"Little cousin..."
This wasn’t her cousin. This couldn’t be the kind-hearted Benedict. She looked down and saw the Sword Tattoo on her wrist. That same tattoo her mother had.
She touched it and erupting in her hand was a sword of pure orange flame.
Benedict roared and lunged at her. She sidestepped the large sword and brought the flame across his back in one stroke.
He exploded into a shower of green sparks, disappearing into the floor.

She stood there in silence. The sword disappeared back into her hand.
“Cordelia”
She looked up wondering where the familiar voice came from and saw the kobold smile as she hugged her children.
“T..thank You...”
The scene around her melted away.
She saw a 3rd sign before her but nothing else but an endless void surrounding it. “I can bring tears to your eyes; resurrect the dead, make you smile, and reverse time. I form in an instant but I last a life time. “. This one was easier and harder as she realized the answer. “Memory”. The sign faded from her voice and in the darkness she felt the ground once again beneath her feet.
She stood in a red brick kitchen with a long oiled cedar table in the center. the room was filled with merriment and laughter. All seemed slower than normal, peaceful like underwater gently swaying in the tide. Sophie had her arms around Zanet they were next to a smiling kind faced Benedict laughing at one of Zorin's stories.
“Cordelia”
She saw Elloveve at the stove stirring a large pot. She paused to shout something at Zorin. Before shaking her head with a smile. Cordelia walked towards her lost friend, before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She saw her mother’s smile as she gently moved past her to kiss Elloveve cheek gently in greeting.
“…Mama?” Tears welled in her eyes.
She felt a squeeze from a large powerful arm. She saw the icy blue eyes of Erebus Shieldheart . “Father?” He smiled and gave her a warm hug. She lost herself in his broad chest and she felt his shirt become damp with her tears.
“I love you papa. I wanted so much to tell you that. “ he nodded. One more time. She saw his own tears as he mouthed out a silent “I will always love you.” She heard Elloveve call to Zane to help set the table. He grumbled and looked at Sophie pleadingly before she laughed pushing him to his station. Erebus shook his head with a smile.
Her mother’s lips kissed her cheek. She turned and saw her smiling before her. Lorahana Shieldheart silently motioned at her heart with a smile “we are so proud of you” she mouthed out silently. Cordelia’s heart broke in a thousand pieces. This was all she ever wanted. Them to all be together. All of them.
“I wished for this everyday mama. Everyday.”
Lorahana nodded. Erebus looked at Lora with saddened eyes. Cordelia wiped her eyes. She took in a deep breath, a peace settling over her. She knew what had to happen next. “Papa... Is it time?”
He looked at her with the warmth of the forges fire in those eyes again and smiled. He stood up straight and nodded. Her mother joined him by holding his hand. Together they walked outside the house Cordelia following close behind.
“Goodbye!” She turned to wave at Elloveve who smiled back stirring that large pot.
They stepped out into the rain by the old tree. The bonfire crackled and sputtered. 3 orcs were in mid sprint frozen in time. One swung a huge Great Axe in an arc forward at an invisible target. The dark armor of Lord Pallus was kicking something on the ground also frozen in time. She looked the road and saw 6 cloaked bodies hiding just to the other side of the fence. And a small horse.
She hugged her father one more time. Choking back the tears to show her strength, she felt she needed to be strong for them too. She held her mother’s hands before they both silently sobbed in each other’s arms. She began to walk to the cloaked children, her legs damp from the tall wet grass.
“Mother!” She remembered and ran to her. Her mother looked surprised until she saw Cordelia hold up the sword tattoo. “You will need this.” Her mother smiled and nodded. Lorahana held her hand on the tattoo gently as it transferred from Cordelia to reappear on Lorahanas wrist once again.
They parted ways. She saw her father kneel before Pallus. Her mother walked to the field where the orcs great axe gleamed. Cordelia walked and knelt behind the smallest of the children, her black hair dampened from the rain, and gently wrapped her arms around her. “Don’t worry. I’m here too. We both are now.”

“We will leave together”
Her mother smiled at her before touching the tattoo the sword flaring like a mighty torch in her hand. Time resumed as the worst night of her life played itself out all over again.

Sophie nervously looked to the opening to the labyrinth.
“Cordelia has been gone a few hours. Hey, Rue is she ok?”
He smiled gently “Yes. Your sister is more free now than she has been in a long time.”
“There she is!” Zorin pointed at the opening as Cordelia strode out proud and strong.
Benedict stood up with a slight tremble and walked to her.she threw her arms around her beloved cousin dispelling the last thought of the dark version she defeated.
“Congratulations Cordelia. Your story is recorded for others to learn from and gain strength by it.
The one eyed librarian stepped forward Your debt is paid, you are a librarian here. You may study whenever you like.”
She nodded.
“Mr Zorin. This letter came to us to deliver to you.” The elven librarian held out a folded letter sealed in wax with a large letter E.
Zorin looked confused at his comrades who all were curious. Zane shrugged “it’s not gonna bite ya open it up!” “Yeah”. “Do it”
“I’m being invited to a tournament involving the bravest of heroes.” They all smiled at it. Its only south in Ellington , That's just a week or so away.
Benedict said, "I’ll go with you. Cordelia can use the time to study and the rest of the group can rest up. Its been a long journey."
Zorin smiled and looked around at his friends. He smiled thinking of the future.

Epilogue

Far away a mailed hand looked at a similar letter by a river. He stroked the grey beard at his chin, his purse was lighter than he wished and the prize could help him on his way. The white and steel colored mane of his armored warhorse felt soft under his palm. He thought of someone, and their gentle grace. He smiled in their warm memory as he mounted.
A different strong hand put away the letter before jumping on the back of a small pony in the grasslands. The bald head, bulbous nose and less than charismatic attitude kept many away from the dwarf. It made him laugh. He had no family, no friends of note. But this contest should bring some livery he hoped clutching the axe in his hands.
In a forest a owl clung to his thin elven shoulders through the robes, he knew this tourney would be another step in his journey for enlightenment. He smiled as fire danced across his knuckles in perfect time. Standing he began to walk out of the trees to the valley below cradling the sprawling rich and robust town of Ellington. the owl leaping from his shoulder to scout the path best suited to the wizard.
Thinking of the future.

Cast Links:

David S. Dear

Cheyenne Bramwell