Card Tales - 8. Tale 8

Cardanniel woke up naked on a stone alter. He had nothing, not even his heart-dagger with him.

"Interesting, you are," said a small bald, blind man who wore a silver and black garment which shimmered and appeared to be samite, "interesting indeed."

Cardanniel watched him as best he could from where he lay, unable to move. Around the man's useless eyes were dark black circles and on his cheeks were runic symbols similar to those on Cardanniel's sword. "How?"

"Oh, no. No. No. No. Do not speak," the little man cautioned as he ran his hands over Cardanniel. "Broken you are not, yet broken you chose to be," he cocked his head to one side as if listening to some unspoken voice. "Ah, yes, broken there, interesting," he mumbled more to himself than to Cardanniel who had given up trying to move although he could see nor feel any bonds on him. The little man pulled a case out from somewhere and sat it on a table near Cardanniel's head. "Not so easily fixed is that broken, no, not at all." He began pulling out sharp implements with surgical precision.

Cardanniel felt nothing until the first needle pierced his flesh then it was as if the world exploded in a kaleidoscope of color. By the time the burst of energy had quieted, a second needle and explosion hit him. This continued through seven cycles. Cardanniel wept and bled, numb yet feeling the very movement of the rock under him.

"You believe, yes?" the man said softly near what Cardanniel thought was his ear.

"Yes, I believe," he cried the words.

"Broken you are no more, there is much for you to do yet in all Our names," the bent old man seemed to morph before Cardanniel's eyes into the mother then the maiden then the life-giver and finally Aglaia. "You are Ours, when you call, we answer. Remember." Then the dark maiden bent to kiss her warrior.

One by one, the man extracted each of the seven needles from Cardanniel's flesh and as each was removed Cardanniel experienced visions of dragons and fire engulfing him. He rode the waves of fear and screamed himself hoarse long before the last needle had been removed.

His second ascension from unconsciousness was only slightly more pleasant than the first. Cardanniel still lay naked upon the stone alter, only this time he could move. A young priestess stood near his feet, watching him. "Do not try to sit up yet," she cautioned, "you fought harder than most do."

"Fought?" Cardanniel asked as the fog began to lift from his mind.

"The dreaming, it was what you came down here for, was it not?"

"I followed an old priest," Cardanniel admitted as he attempted to maneuver into a sitting position.

"An old priest?" she asked, "there are no priests here." She looked at Cardanniel oddly, "are you certain?"

"No," he smiled, "I'm quite certain I'm not certain of anything except Dart will be very concerned over my whereabouts."

"Ah, yes, the young warlock who is waiting upstairs. He has been very patient," she smiled, "it was explained to him that sometimes even holy men and followers of Life-giver must commune with the goddess. I think he has taken to it."

"Why is the room spinning so?"

"It is an after effect of the dreaming. Take your time rising and it will go away."

Cardanniel was not convinced, but he wanted to be up and on his own two feet before anything else changed in his reality. "Do you know where my clothes are?"

"Of course," she bowed her head slightly and bent to pick up a basket near her feet. "All the things you arrived with are in here, right where you put them."

Cardanniel blinked. He did not recall undressing at all; much less removing his heart-dagger, but it was all there. As soon as he was able, he began to dress. The priestess assisted him as necessary as his head still felt sluggish and his arms and legs were slow to respond to his demands on them.

"Do you think you can walk?" she asked after he was dressed.

"So long as it's not far and mostly flat."

"I think that is possible," she laughed and walked beside him as he took a few hesitant steps as the ground tilted beneath his feet. The door was only a few steps away and beyond it, Dart sat meditating.

When Cardanniel stepped through the boy looked up and smiled. "It took you long enough, they said most people only spend a few hours in the dreaming at the most, but not you." He crossed over toward Cardanniel and embraced him.

"How long?" Card asked afraid to know the answer.

"Seven days and seven nights, I found an inn and returned the goat to her previous owner. The lad was not happy to see her either; his face was all broken out in bumps, especially his chin. He said it was from the goat constantly knocking him down and licking his face. But she belonged to him, and I had to do the right thing and return her," Dart smiled, "then, I waited for you."

"You didn't have to," Cardanniel told him, brushing Dart's hair from his eyes.

"Yes, I did, you see there is this little complication that we have developed."

"Oh?"

"My father said I couldn't take a male lover, I think what he meant to say is that I shouldn't take a male lover," Dart kissed him then with the priestess right there.

"And why shouldn't you?" Cardanniel asked after they broke the kiss.

"Because I am male," Dart chuckled and winked at the priestess who laughed.

"I think what your young friend is trying to say is that Life-giver has blessed him in many ways. His soul sought the maiden and somehow found her in you," the priestess giggled, "although you are also very male."

Cardanniel looked from one to the other and the ground lurched. "I can not be soul tied," he whispered as Dart caught him.

"I'm afraid you can."

"I have no soul."

"Then I have enough for the both of us."

Cardanniel shook his head, "No, I cannot." Dart looked as confused as he felt.

"Maybe you should let him take you to your room, and get some restful sleep. Things will seem different when the dreaming is not so fresh," the priestess suggested.

Dart nodded and aided Cardanniel to the door. Cardanniel wobbled drunkenly with Dart. "The inn isn't far, if you can not walk, I'll carry you."

"I'll walk," Cardanniel gritted out as he held onto the side of the building.

"I don’t mind, really," Dart objected.

"Maybe I do," Cardanniel looked at him and saw his own confusion reflected on Dart's face. They could not be soul tied; he did not have a soul.

"Watch where ye'r go'in," growled a lump as Cardanniel went down on top of it. He could smell the stale rum and feel something hard where a leg should be.

"Sorry," he murmured as he tried to stand. Dart tried to help him, too, but the man pulled him back down.

"Do you know when the Twins sets sail?"

"No, I don't," Cardanniel replied as he looked into the rheumy eyes of the drunken sailor. "What kind of ship is she maybe we can find out?"

The sailor righted the hat he wore and clutched another under his arm. "Why, the Twins is the fastest night runner on this river! You sure you don't know when she sails?"

Cardanniel looked at Dart and Dart shrugged. A night runner was usually a smuggler's ship of some sort, this man was not a sailor he was a pirate!

"Well, mates, you should, because yer a' sailing with her tonight," and with that three other pirates jumped out of the darkness and grabbed at Cardanniel and Dart.

Cardanniel was in no condition to fight, and Dart was unable to fight off all four pirates, even if one appeared to be drunken. Soon they were subdued and being shanghaied. At the ship they were tossed into the darkness of the hold with several other young men and girls. Cardanniel felt the ship getting underway as the world rocked around him again.

"Cardanniel, stay with me," Dart's frightened voice whispered in the darkness.

Cardanniel tried very hard to focus on Dart but it was like walking on shifting sand. "Dart can you swim?"

"No."

"Then we're in trouble."

"Why?"

Cardanniel looked at him and felt the pull of death-bringer, he saw that Dart felt it too. They were truly soul bound then, impossible as it seemed. Then Cardanniel held out his hand and commanded fire. The wooden vessel burned and water rushed in ward. People screamed and Cardanniel kissed Dart. "I can not die, and you will not die. You must believe that."

Dart nodded and the waters over took them.