Page 103 of Requiem of Silence

“With Nethersong, we can banish the spirits from the bodies they take, freeing the hosts.” Mooriah leveled her gaze on Kyara.

“I don’t know how to do that.”

A flash of annoyance crossed the woman’s face. “Well, you must practice.”

“How?”

“Try it on me.”

Kyara blinked, surprised.

“Use your other sight. A wraith will have the Nether of the dead. Focus on it, but don’t draw it into yourself, push it away from the host. Go on, try.”

Frowning, Kyara sank into her other sight. Mooriah’s Nether shone bright as the sun. The reminder that she had invaded someone’s body, some unsuspecting person, rubbed Kyara wrong. Using her Song, she reached for the death energy in the woman and latched onto it. A sense of invigoration filled her, the temptation to draw the energy toward herself was great. But instead she pushed, and found it easy to do. The Nethersong did not belong in the body it was occupying and so forcing it out was almost trivial.

She opened her eyes to the Living World and gasped to see a body crumpled on the ground and a thick column of black smoke hovering in the air. Ella had her children in a death grip. Raven stood before the girls, hackles up and growling low, in protective mode. Mooriah’s spirit could enter any of them now.

But Fenix was whispering urgently to Darvyn. He led him over to Ulani and motioned for Darvyn to take hold of her shoulder. Ulani listened closely as Fenix kept talking in a low voice. Kyara’s gaze went back to the figure on the ground. While Mooriah still hovered menacingly, Kyara knelt and turned the body over.

Soft, rasping breaths inflated the chest of the old woman. Stringy, thin hair covered her face. When Kyara brushed it aside, her jaw dropped.

“Ydaris?” This was the former Cantor of Lagrimar, the True Father’s second-in-command. Kyara’s former mistress who had both raised her and terrorized her for half her life. She stood and backed away on shaking legs just before Mooriah re-took the woman’s body.

The transformation from withered, old hag to the healthy, more youthful form of Mooriah was swift. The two women stood staring at each other for a long time.

“You said she terrorized your descendants,” Kyara said, finally.

Mooriah nodded then turned toward Tana. “It is your turn now. Banish me from this body; practice so you will know what to do during the next attack.”

“And once she’s done that,” Fenix added, “try taking over Ella instead.”

Kyara’s head whipped around. He held up a hand to still her protest. “Earthsingers connected to the source energy cannot be taken and transformed. I have shown Darvyn and Ulani how to extend this shield to others.”

Darvyn nodded in confirmation, but Kyara’s heart raced. She wanted to trust Fenix. He had been a prisoner for longer than she could fathom, and he had saved all of them.

“Go on,” Kyara said to Tana. “Mooriah will not hurt your mother.”

The girl still looked worried, but closed her eyes. In moments, Mooriah’s spirit shot once again from the body of the old woman. Darvyn and Ulani had linked their hands, while Ella still held on to her youngest daughter. The column of smoke twirled and darted for Ella, but bounced back, striking an invisible barrier. It darted again, targeting Darvyn, but was repelled. Finally, it returned to Ydaris’s form and transformed again.

Ella was shaken, but holding her composure. “That woman you… are using. Is she harmed?”

“Her body will reflect any damage inflicted upon me. But the process of taking the host is not inherently harmful for short periods.”

“And for long periods?”

“Eventually, the host will die if possessed for long enough. Then I will have to find a new body.” Mooriah’s tone was matter of fact, but Ella shivered at the grisly revelation.

“This woman is not one to be concerned with. She is a murderer of thousands and caused untold suffering.” If she was trying to reassure Ella, it wasn’t working. Kyara made a note to tell the woman more about the Cantor and her crimes, but ultimately suspected Ella was thinking of all the others who would be affected by the wraiths.

“We should head back to Rosira now,” Darvyn said. “It will take some time to get down the mountain and find transportation.”

“I can get you all down the mountain in a moment,” Fenix said.

“Your power will work on Nethersingers?” Kyara asked.

He nodded.

“Will we… go through one of those?” She pointed to the magical mirror still showing scenes from Rosira.

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