Descent Into Darkness

Descent Into Darkness Chapter 19

As promised, here is the new chapter, which should be four pages long. So yeah, much more than my normal one and a half to two page upload. Vote, but most of all, enjoy!

Placing the helm under his arm, Phoenix turned back to the men, who all now stood gaping. “Shall we be off?” he prodded, raising an eyebrow.

One of the men, the boisterous one who’d called out from the road nodded. “We go to the temple, to meet the Gazda, who is quite interested in you.”

“Lead the way,” Phoenix answered, lowering his head in a mock bow. The man didn’t catch his sarcasm and turned, leading the group toward the dome.

Through the city they led him, all the time throwing glances back his way. He kept his eyes on the road, not giving them the satisfaction of meeting their eyes. The roads were brick, the sound of their boots resonating in the narrow street. The Ardon that passed them bowed to the men with him, giving him curious stares as they walked their routes.

Finally to the doors of the temple they came, and Phoenix had to crane his head back to see the top of them. Thick wood, with deep, sweeping depressions that shone in the afternoon light. Phoenix looked a bit closer to see the depressions were actually inscriptions inlaid with bronze. The characters were ornate letters from a language that he had never seen before, and he pulled the glove from his right hand before running his fingers over the text, marveling at their beauty. “What does this say?” he asked the nearest of his escorts.

“It is the history of the Bahdvalay,” the man answered, coming up behind him. “That language was lost to us many generations ago. We all still know the story as our elders tell us, but I am quite sure some things were lost over the years. If you truly wish to know, I am sure Remot would be happy to tell you the tale.”

Phoenix’s eyes narrowed at the name, but he kept looking at the door, pretending to study it. “What did you say his name was?”

“Remot,” the man repeated. “He has been Gazda here for almost twenty years.”

Phoenix shook his head, knowing it to be an impossibility. He’d seen the man’s death, been present at his funeral. His doubts were crushed when the doors began to creak open, and the same man who he remembered in the casket stood before him. It took every ounce of self-control Phoenix had to not launch himself across the threshold and beat the man senseless. Reasoning that this man may be a relative to the dead one, he said nothing, only letting his hands curl into fists.

He said nothing though, keeping his thoughts to himself. His fears of the man, if indeed it was the same man, recognizing him were nullified as soon as he looked at him. No spark of recognition flared in his eye, nor did he look too closely at the armor clad warrior. Addressing the escorts first, he said, “This is the man you told me about? The same from the road?”

The leader of them nodded, and Remot turned to Phoenix. “Lord Phoenix, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Trontem. Please, come inside.”

Phoenix simply nodded, ducking his head so the man could not see his blue eyes. If it truly were the man he thought he was, Phoenix did not need him recognizing him too soon. Remot turned and walked into the foyer of the temple, Phoenix at his heels. Phoenix took a moment from glaring at Remot’s back to study the room and its beauty. The afternoon light spilled in through tall windows that stretched up to meet the high ceiling, with full length white and blue curtains tied neatly at the sides. The ceiling was a deep blue, with lines of white that added a rippling effect. Chairs and tables were placed sporadically throughout, the upholstery matching the white and blue theme that seemed to be the premise in the city.