The Shadow of the Moon-Lydia's Tale

Chapter Twenty Two

'What was inside those ships?' Lydia walked next to the Commander, the long dress swirling round her ankles at odds with his neatly tailored militarily uniform.  

'I don't like to think Lydia. Wretched debased creatures brought low by that thing you killed. We could not do anything for them- it's best they went as they did. I ordered all the ships be destroyed, they fought us but their resistance proved no match for the fleet in the end, not without their leader. I supposed you missed most of it while you were stuck on that ship.' 

'Father Rytt did his best to help but I think we were asking a bit much of him to operate it after such a short time in it.' 

They stopped at the end of the gangway. Waite-Kidd offered her his hand which she shook. 'Well our Joan of Arc didn't end up engulfed in flame then,' he smiled. 'This plan of yours Lydia it seems ...far-fetched.' 

'Father Rytt thinks it perfectly logical, after all look at the ship and this,' she swung the Aephren casually in her hand. 'Can you think of explaining what has happened in any other way?' 

'You think you can take the Swarm ship and the Aephren and slip back through time and set this all up?' 

'Goodbye Commander.' Lydia linked her arm through Faulke's. 

He called after them 'Lydia, are you really the Nergalrhod? What you say you need to do, do you know it to be reality because you've already done it. You knew the outcome to this before it even began?' 

Lydia looked back, a trace of humour in her face, 'Let me ask you one thing Commander.' 

'What?' 

'Of all places why did you bring the fleet to Ax?' 

'Well I.. I.....' Waite-Kidd tailed off. 

'You must be an exceptionally lucky man then Commander, but they say all great men have more than their fair share of luck.' 

The Commander looked puzzled. 'I'll wait here while you say your goodbyes.' He stood and watched the party as they made their way over the deck to the waiting torq ship. 

Faulke looked down at the Priest and found himself hard pressed not to warm to him. 'Well Father we part our ways, again.' 

'So it appears Faulke. There is a circle of time to be completed. The Swarm ship out there needs to be returned to its hiding place and a temple built over it, ready for events to come.' 

'And my forebears need to be passed an ancient relic by a priestess for safekeeping.' The Halout interjected.  

'What of the castle at Aulhx-Alax, the future Halout's and what of the Order of the Assassins?'  

'The Order is finished Faulke. That time is upon us at last. It will wither like an ancient vine and die. The sands will envelop the fortress and become a distant memory in the annuals of Outremer's history. I have chosen to go with Lydia and Father Rytt. It is the right decision I know it.'  

'You never told me your real name.' Faulke probed.  

'I didn't, did I.' The Halout held out a bandaged hand, 'Good luck Faulke. I'm glad I didn't end up sticking your head on a spike, it would have only spoiled the view.' He slapped Faulke on the back and threw back his head and laughed. 

The priest bowed to Faulke, gave him a little wink and a chuckle before taking the Halout by the arm and pulling him to one side.  

They stood in silence looking at each other. The giant Geron and the proud human woman. 

'Where will you go to complete the loop?' 

'Father Rytt believes Ak-Hol is a time hole. We will take our chances there - events here show we are likely to be successful.' 

'Lydia, this is it, the end of an adventure. One that I shall never forget.' 

'I suppose it is. I believe we have plenty of adventures left in us, both you and I.' Lydia's eyes ran with a simmering gold as she reached up and kissed Faulke. For a moment she appeared undecided about something then she smiled up at him and whispered, 'Good luck my dearest friend. I'll see you again in many millennia from now.' 

Slowly she turned and walked toward the star ship, an elegant graceful figure between the diminutive black cloaked priest and the tall, shock haired, barefooted Halout.