“No!” was my brother's answer.
And weapons were unsheathed as I, fighting off the remains of my slumberness, rose to my feet as well. Calinore hit to the stone floor his heavy shield Ossa, tall as a fortress wall and Alca, sharp and luminous as the sunlight sparkled in his other hand. Cernaindo held up with both hands his heavy Nuruhuinë, black as her name, bowing slightly his head in a greeting or promise.
Before I could find the words of wisdom to stop the madness that was about to start, Meldaini rose her hands and water turmoil formed pillars from the cave floor to her hands while the water of the river in from of it started to rise and find its way inside the grotto, starting to flood it.
“I shall scatter you like a storm scatters feeble leafs, and give you graves of mountain stones!”
The water roared and rose pillars and fountains. The rock itself was shaken by the fury of the waters passing though it through channels unseen.
“Let go of what you have stolen, River spirit and we shall leave in peace!” I heard the voice of my brother.
“Let go of him?? He is mine and I am his, I make him happy and you wish to take him away from me!” she roared. “Who is the mindless enemy of him, you or I?”
“My brother knows to speak for himself, and now I see he does not. Whatever sorcery this is, we shall fight it. I am not leaving him in your grip while life remains within me!”
The black, heavy, blade of the death-shadow pierced suddenly the water curtain aiming for Meldaini’s neck and she leaned back fast, furious, terrible. She roared and I felt her strength gathering above us, ready to crush.
“I can speak for myself” I finally collected myself enough to speak “.. and I ask you all to lay down anger and weapons and see that you are not enemies though I wronged you unwillingly..”
“You wronged nothing” Meldaini roared “..and neither have I!” Her hands rose higher and the water curtains rose menacing, ready to wipe away my brothers.
I did the only thing that I learned to in all the time that had flown before meeting her.
