The Guardians - A Mystery of Gods

Chapter 5

My cue for the task ahead was given as the Guardians' celebration drew to a close.

I took the incense and walked through the middle of the church, spreading its fragrance to everyone. This time, in honor of Peord, the scent Riard asked me to bring was sea-scented. The smell of salt and sea air filled my nostrils and quickly wafted through the church.

The church was packed. I saw dozens of eyes on Riard and his words. Lately, with all the bad news that's been going around Tonbur, everyone's come here to ask the Gods to help them. And help was just what we were in need of.

I only took care of the horses. Nobody cared about my existence, but rumors circulated around the castle.

"Please, before you go, give one last thought to our Guardians."

I heard Riard's voice closing the service and made my way to the room next to the pulpit. I sat down and waited for Riard, putting away the incense. The church was magnificent, with all its colors, statues and stained glass. But this room was too simple in comparison. There was a wooden table and two chairs, two bookcases that were about to fall over, and a small window that lit up the room.

The door to the small room burst open.

"Ednan, don't forget to take my cassock for the ladies to wash." Riard threw his cassock at me and put the book he used for the ceremony on a shelf.

"Of course." I put the cassock on my shoulder.

The cassock was simple. It was decorated only with the four colors of the Guardians, which were easily combined.

"Can I ask you something, Riard?"

"Of course, tell me" Riard opened the door and motioned for us to step outside.

We left the church and walked in the direction of the castle.

Summer was already over and the north wind was blowing into the city. I hated winter. The gardens with their splendid trees and flowers slowly became lifeless. The people were getting ruder and ruder, and even though it was the capital, the food was not as adequate as it is in those times when the heat seems to melt the soul.

Riard quickened his pace, and I almost had to run to keep up.

"Don't you think we're wrong in tampering with the crystals?" I asked.

Riard didn't even bother to answer, looking at me with a disappointed face.

I had had this conversation with him many times before. Even though he had more knowledge about the Gods, I still thought that all this research on the crystals was wrong.

"I know, I know," I kept saying, "but there's something wrong with it, I can feel it in my bones."

Riard stopped dead in his tracks, and I almost tripped over him.

"Let me tell you something." He replied.

Riard put his hand on my shoulder and led me to some benches in the middle of the street.  The street was quiet. The sun was shining above us, and most of the families had gathered to eat, leaving the streets deserted.

As we took our seats, he pointed to his front.

"Do you see that?"

"The church?" I asked uncertainly.

"Yes, the church." Then he began to explain. "Some time ago, when you must have been just a child, I saw something that I am not able to explain to you. I saw a man, right there, capable of wielding the power of one of our Guardian, Leto. I saw him flying in the air and disappearing in front of my eyes. And I think the answer to that lies in these crystals and this research."

I opened my eyes in shock. Not that I felt Riard was lying to me, but that couldn't have happened. It had to be his delusion.

"I know what you are thinking. Some have called me mad, and even though I was with others, no one stood up for me."

"But why crystals?" I asked.

"It's a feeling I have. And the princess seems to believe me and supports me."

"Does she know this story?"

"Yes, it was the only way I could get permission from the king to study the crystals. I could never have done it without her." Riard rose "Come, let us go."

"Wait, one last question. If she has always helped you, why don't you let her see the crystals?"

Riard came to a halt and turned to me.

"Let me show you something"

We arrived at the castle, and I saw that we were on our way to the palace library. We walked in. None of the people, who must have been paying attention to what they were reading, raised their heads. Riard moved towards the bookshelf in the back. When he got there, he pulled out a book, or at least what looked like a book. It was all black, the pages looked like they had been burned, and some of them were completely torn. Riard didn't seem to care. He opened the book and showed it to me. Inside was a flower, completely burnt.

"What is that?"

"This is a flower that has been preserved from generation to generation. It is the closest thing we had to a Guardian, as it is said to have been planted by Mlania herself." He took the little flower out of the book. "And now it's burned, thanks to the princess. She tried various experiments on it, until one day she let the fire destroy it."

He put the flower back in the book and put the book back on the shelf.

"Now do you see why I don't want Aliviana to mess with the crystals? She will destroy them, even if it is by accident."

"Maybe you should give her a chance. She's not what she used to be." I said.

"No." Riard's gaze hardened. "This is the end of the matter, the princess will not touch anything else concerning the Gods. Now please go and take my cassock to be washed."

"Yes, certainly."

I left the library and made my way to the water tanks outside of the castle. I saw Asha washing a dress in the corner and approached her.

"Hi Asha, this cassock is from Riard. Can you please wash it as soon as possible?"

She looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, give it to me."

Asha was my age, 23 years old. She had curly brown hair and brown eyes. Her skin was dark, as was almost everyone in the castle.

"Thanks, let me know when it's done." I turned toward the stables.

"Wait a minute, the preacher has forgotten something in his pockets."

I turned back to Asha. Her hand reached into the pocket of Riard's cassock and pulled out a keychain with the many keys he kept. I knew that there were all the keys to the church and some that led to areas of the castle. Keys to the kitchen, to the assembly chamber, to... Oh crap. Here, on the keychain, was the key to the room where the crystals were.

"Thanks, Asha."

I took a look at the stables and the castle. Screw it, I'll do the work later, now I have to find Aliviana.