Chapter 37
Echo’s Purpose
Echo groaned as she peeked through the crack between her eyelids. Her eyes opened wider, but caught nothing but glaring whiteness. The crystal had blinded her!
A strong but soothing voice sounded and Echo sat up. She squinted as her eyes caught the slightest hint of black feather tips against the whiteness. She sat frozen, mesmerized, as the feather tips grew, bleeding into the white background like ink against paper. More feathers appeared, and in less than a breath, two giant, outstretched wings had formed. The ink spread further, painting the glistening body of a magnificent horse to go with the wings. The Aleniah shook its head, causing its long mane to dance in the air.
The ink changed color, spreading into an array of hues that mixed and swirled like liquid fog next to the Aleniah. Fingers formed, then arms, legs, a body, a neck, a face, and finally hair. Long, flowing, brown hair caressed the face of the most beautiful woman Echo had ever seen. The woman’s eyes sparkled as she turned her heart-shaped face toward Echo. A radiant smile spread across the woman’s features and a singing laugh flowed from her throat.
The woman walked toward Echo, her horse following closely behind. She stopped in front of Echo, who was certain her face was as white as her surroundings. She somehow found a whisper of her voice and asked, “Azura?”
The woman laughed again and offered a helping hand. “Yes, child. I am Azura.” Echo allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. She stood a good three inches taller than Azura, but the woman held a powerful energy that made Echo feel smaller.
“Am--am I dead?” Echo asked warily. She’d imagined heaven a bit differently. But she felt no pain from her wounds, no fatigue, no thirst. She was at peace.
Azura chuckled and her horse bobbed its head up and down as it released an amused squeal. “No, Echo Mareau, you have not died. In fact, your bravery has freed Shadow Wing and me. We’ve been trapped, living for the past three thousand years as vapors in the sky. It has been difficult to see my people scattered and forgotten. And then to feel the joy of your discovery, the dawning of your understanding of your ancestry--I wanted to be there with you!” Azura’s eyes were shining as she continued, “And then, to watch you and your dad release Finear and Shimmer, and to see you train and struggle in battle. You have no idea how much I wanted to fight at your side, to be there to help and encourage you. It has been torture, not being able to do anything but watch and hope!
“But now, my dear, sweet child, we are free. Your bravery and sacrifice have done this for us, as it has for so many.”
A silver tear trailed down Azura’s cheek as her face beamed. Echo spoke slowly, trying to understand what in the world was happening. “So, you and Shadow Wing have been trapped here? Where, exactly, is here?”
Azura spoke, “We are in the clouds, Echo. Not a terrible, dark prison like Belzac had to endure. But, for us, a prison nonetheless.”
Echo looked at the surrounding whiteness. It didn’t look like clouds to her. She turned her attention back to Azura. “What now? Do I stay here with you? Will you return to Shae Vale?”
The ancient Kavalah placed a soft hand gently on Echo’s shoulder. “I will remain in the clouds as a free Kavalah. If I return to the earth now, I would rapidly age, die, and decay. I will stay with the clouds to watch over you and the other Kavalah, who are still waiting to be discovered. With my freedom, I have been given the gift of pure thought. So, when you are searching for our people, I will be able to guide you. I will stir your heart, and you will know them. I will be with you, Echo, wherever you go.”
Echo felt loving warmth at Azura’s words. Her mind trailed back to other matters. “What of me? How long will I stay here with you?” She suddenly wanted to stay here where her heart and body were whole and peaceful.
Azura raised a hand, touching Echo’s cheek with the tip of her finger. It felt like a droplet of water against Echo’s skin. “You still have work to do, I’m afraid.” Azura touched her face again, leaving another droplet of water. “Those below still need you. You must return to them now, before it is too late.”
Azura pulled away, but the sensations of water droplets against Echo’s face continued. The elder Kavalah’s voice sounded soft and strange, like a dream, as Azura and Shadow Wing pulled away even more. Echo had the sudden sensation that she was sinking through the clouds. “Wait!” she shouted, reaching desperately toward Azura.
The soft voice brushed in her ear, “Don’t be afraid, Echo. You are not alone.”
The whiteness swallowed Azura and Shadow Wing as Echo fell backwards.
Pain shot through her as she opened her eyes and gasped for breath. She was back on the ground, away from the comfort of the clouds. Every cut and bruise in her body throbbed with painful clarity. Golden fingers of dawn brushed against the belly of a large, gray cloud, tickling the rain out of it. The droplets struck Echo’s face slowly at first, but then picked up pace as a downpour began. Shimmer whinnied and flopped beside her, stretching her wing over Echo like a giant umbrella. Echo sidled up to her horse, soaking in Shimmer’s warmth as they shared a grateful moment too powerful for words.
The gash on Shimmer’s chest, made earlier by Brecker’s blade, caught Echo’s attention. She quickly and clumsily drew a vial of lime green liquid from a small pouch attached to her leggings. Without at thought or word, she sat up and poured the curatree sap into Shimmer’s wound and then watched as the horse’s skin sealed. Not even a scar remained.
Shimmer scolded Echo with a thought. Her horse had wanted Echo to use that sap to cure her back. The longer the wound went without attention, the less affect the sap would have. But Echo didn’t care. Shimmer was safe and whole and that mattered more to her than her wounded back.
A groan sounded from ten feet away. Echo turned and focused on the shadowy form of a wraith. Her heart leapt unpleasantly, and she forced her stiff body to lift itself from the ground as she grabbed a dagger. Shimmer rose with her, stomping her foot against the wet earth challengingly. Echo watched as the wraith absorbed the rain like a sponge, causing it to grow and become stronger. Slowly, the form of a human male took shape. It rose to its hands and knees for a moment, and then stood and turned toward Echo.
“CAGE!” Echo dropped her dagger and threw herself at the wraith, nearly knocking him back to the ground as she embraced him tightly.
Cage squeezed her just as tightly, holding her head against his chest. “Echo, I thought we’d lost you!” Cage spoke shakily.
Echo’s joy welled inside her as she pulled away and chuckled. Looking into the wraith’s misty eyes she said, “You can’t get rid of me that easily!”
Cage laughed. “For that, I am truly thankful.” His face sobered as they parted. “I owe you my life and my freedom, Echo. Whatever you ask, I’ll do it. I will serve you until the day I die.”
Cage’s intense words threw Echo off guard. She’d always imagined Cage at this moment giving her a quick wink and a ‘thanks’ before diving into the river and disappearing forever.
The river! Echo grasped Cage frantically by the collar of his cloak and looked fiercely into his eyes. “I do need something from you! Keebo was lured to the river by a wraith that looked like me. You have to see if he’s still alive!”
The wraith’s eyes widened at her words. He pulled away and bowed slightly, “I won’t rest until I find him. You have my word.”
The ghostly form absorbed Cage’s human features as he released a sharp whistle. Velth thundered toward them from Ulway, causing Shimmer to dance nervously beside Echo. A huge gash on the kelpie’s chest, similar to the one Shimmer had sported moments before, bled against his black hair. “He’s hurt!” Echo shouted, pointing to the wound.
Cage’s ghostly form mounted the kelpie as Velth danced to a stop before them. “Don’t worry, it’s only a scratch. The river water will heal him, just as the rain healed me. I’ll return as soon as I have Keebo,”
he said and then spun his mount around and cut through the rain toward the river. Their forms disappeared in a blur and Echo felt a wave of deep loneliness wash over her.
She turned on her heel, suddenly wanting to find her brother. Had Brecker survived? She shivered, worried that she had sent her brother to the Shadow Lands. What would happen to him there?
Echo squinted through the pouring rain. The morning sun’s rays were swallowed in the cloud as the sun rose above it. A dull gray light remained, giving Echo enough to see by. Nothing remained of the kelpies or water wraiths that had died there the night before. If she hadn’t been in the battle herself, she would’ve never known such horrors had happened here.
Echo placed a hand on Shimmer’s soaked withers. Help me to find him, Shimmer. Their senses were connected as they stood still in the rain for several minutes. Then, through Shimmer’s acute hearing, Echo caught the slightest sigh. She turned her attention to her right. About a hundred feet from the river, they saw the form of Midnight Sun lying on the ground, one wing stretched over a dark figure in the wet grass.
Her feet began running without her permission. Shimmer kept close to her side as they raced toward their brothers. Midnight Sun leapt to his feet, placing himself between them and Brecker. The horse raised his wings threateningly and plastered his ears against his neck.
Stopping short, Echo looked past Midnight Sun, trying desperately to see if her brother was breathing. Midnight Sun stomped his foot, drawing her attention back to him. Echo was about to become hysterical--she needed to get to Brecker! Shimmer took a tentative step forward and nickered softly. She placed her wings against her sides and lowered her head. Everyone stood frozen for several minutes as the rain continued its pattering. Echo hoped beyond hope that Shimmer’s humble show of respect would be enough to cause Midnight Sun to back down.
The red horse stood his ground for a minute more, and then slowly lowered his wings. His body seemed to sag as he turned back toward Brecker.
Echo ran the few paces to her brother’s body and fell to her knees, sliding across the watery ground to his side. His face was so pale… Echo moved a strand of black hair away from Brecker’s forehead as tears joined the orbs of rain on her face. “I’m so sorry, Brecker,” she said softly. She felt like her chest might rip in two as her heart throbbed painfully. What had she done?
Lifting Brecker’s hand, Echo kissed it and then pressed it against her cheek as she sobbed.
At first, she thought she’d imagined it. But then, when Brecker’s fingers wrapped tighter around her hand, her heart leapt. “Brecker?”
Midnight Sun nudged Brecker’s cheek gently with his muzzle and nickered. Brecker rolled his head from side to side once and then slowly opened his eyes. At first he seemed disoriented, his eyes looking confusedly at everyone. Echo smiled as joy flooded her. Brecker’s eyes rested on her, lighting up as if a shroud had been lifted from them.
“Echo?” He shot up to a sitting position and hugged her. With his body trembling from sobbing, he whispered into her ear, “Thank you!”