Chapter 4 - The Chosen Cadets
"Come on Alec, she is beating you." The crowd jeered as Eliza sank another arrow into the deep red center of the bulls-eye. The archery range was located near the dueling grounds and had been a quick walk for them. Several other cadets were practicing not far from them as Alec and Eliza were locked in competition.
"That makes four more than you Alec, your shot," she smiled as she turned on a heel and pranced away from the target. Alec approached, taking up stance where Eliza had just walked away from and knocked an arrow. Alec stared at his target as he raised the bow and pulled the string tight. The center of the bulls-eye grew in his gaze as he focused upon it. He drew in a deep breath and readied his release.
An image of a woman flashed before his eyes, clouding his vision. He stared into her beautiful emerald eyes, distracting his mind. She turned to him and smiled, making him forget to breath.
"Alec!" He jumped, startled from the sudden outburst and his arrow struck the outer ring of the target. The spectators laughed as Eliza raised her arms into the air in triumph. Alec stood staring off into space as everyone congratulated Eliza. Eliza turned from her entourage and eyed Alec suspiciously for a moment.
"Hey, everyone, get back to training. We will catch up in a minute." Eliza turned back and walked towards Alec.
"Ha ha, look at him, dumbstruck because he lost, how sad." A random spectator uttered a last remark as they walked away.
"Alec, what is the matter?" Eliza placed her hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" Alec just shook his head for a moment before looking at Eliza.
"Just confused or daydreaming I guess." He finally averted his gaze from the target and walked forward, to begin retrieving their arrows. Placing her hand over his much larger hand, Eliza tried to pull Alec's attention back.
"Was it her again? Did you see that woman again?" Concern poured from Eliza's voice. Alec nodded.
"In the middle of the day? I thought you said that you only saw her in your dreams?"
"That's the trouble Eliza. It is not just in my dreams anymore. I am seeing her during the day now, while I am awake and walking around. I do not know what is going on."
"Well, how about we take you to go and see the medic?" Alec looked at her with a look of surprise.
"I am not sick Eliza. I do not think that a trip to the medical station is going to help me." He turned his gaze toward the city walls before turning back toward the post, removed his final arrows and walked away. He looked around, seeing the other cadets, practicing themselves as Eliza accepted her arrows from Alec.
"Alec, are you sure that you are going to be alright?"
"Come on Eliza, your dad is waiting for us." Eliza attempted to vent her frustration and followed Alec.
"Ah, Zelus, Alec and Eliza I was wondering when the three of you would stop by. I take it that you are already aware of the purpose for our meeting?" The tall, broad shouldered man stood at ease, looking out the window that loomed over the training ground.
"Yes commander," the three of them spoke in unison.
"No need to be so formal at the moment. Eliza, congratulations on yet another victory on the archery range. Alec, you need to work on your discipline." Eliza and Zelus turned, smirking at Alec who squinted slightly and let out a slow breath.
"The reason that I have brought the three of you together is to inform you that tomorrow morning, you will finally be undergoing your knights' trials." All three cadets smiled this time.
"You will meet at the proving ground, at first light tomorrow. Now, please take the rest of the day to prepare for your trials." The three of them left the room, Eliza glancing back over her shoulder at her father as she passed through the doorway.
"What is your plan for tomorrow?" Zelus asked Alec and Eliza as they walked through the courtyard.
"What do you mean?" Eliza asked.
"Well, we are likely to be in the same group as the trials are set to be overcome by a team. I was just wondering what the two of you had planned?" Again, Eliza answered.
"We will just have to go in there, watch each other's backs and forge on through anything that comes our way. What other plan do we need besides that?" Alec smiled as Zelus looked to her with an oddly concerned expression.
"What is the matter Zelus, you hoping Eliza will protect you?" Zelus looked away not ashamed but embarrassed by his true reasons, Eliza however, turned on Alec.
"See this is the problem with you two, always after one another trying to rouse the other into a confrontation. Zelus, we will see you in the morning and decide what to do then, alright?"
"Fine, I will see the two of you in the morning." Zelus stormed off and Eliza let into Alec once more.
"What is your problem with him anyway? Sure he is weird and overly energetic but what has he done to you, to make you hate him so?"
"I do not hate him Eliza. And after that, I do not see where it matters." They had reached Alec's quarters by then. Alec opened the door to his house and walked inside, setting his things on the table. He sat across the room from his window and stared intently at Rayne's egg. Eliza walked forward, sat next to him and stared at the large white and brown speckled egg.
"You will do a fantastic job tomorrow, Alec. You have trained harder than anyone else, in the cadets has. You are not about to fail tomorrow."
"I am not worried about failing the trials. I am fine Eliza," he flashed a smile that could have fooled anyone else. With a soft sigh, Eliza shook her head and placed a gentle hand upon the egg, which felt warm to the touch.
"May you not be so burdened, little one." She walked away with a wave and closed the door behind her. Alec sat in silence for several moments before he too, approached the egg and placed both hands on it. As it always did, the egg was warm within his hands and pulsed, the heart of the creature within beating strongly. Alec smiled as he recalled the day that his sister had found the egg, while out in the woods one day.
"Rayne, where are you?" The seven-year-old Alec searched about for his five-year-old sister.
"Rayne, come on. Where are you? Seriously, it is time to go back. Grandmother is going to be worried" Alec called for his sister once more when he heard a rustling in the bushes and his tiny sister appeared straining to carry an enormous oval half her size.
"Rayne what is that? Put it back." A wide, foul tempered look crept across her face and she began to fuss.
"No, I am going to keep it. It is my baby." She yelled at Alec and clutched her possession tightly.
"Rayne, come on. Do you not think someone or something is going to come looking for it?"
"No, it was just sitting by itself. I found it while I was picking flowers for Gram and I am going to keep it." Again his sister took a more ferocious stance, gripped her treasure tighter and attempted to move around Alec who remained in her way. With a deep sigh Alec gave in to his little sister's stubborn behavior.
"Fine, you can take it back to the village. We will see if Grandma knows what it is, but will you at least let me carry it?" He smiled at the end of his question seeing his sister's entire body quivering from the strain of holding the egg.
"Okay," she handed the egg over to Alec who was shocked by its weight, but still easily managed it and made sure that his sister led the way back to the village.
"So, what do you think this is?" he asked her on their way back.
"It is an egg silly, can you not feel the baby inside?" Alec stopped for a moment and realized that she was right. He could not think of anything else that it could be.
"Well then, when it hatches what are you going to name it?"
"Oswald." His sister blurted out as if she had spent several long hours in deep contemplation.
"Oswald? What if it is a girl?"
"The baby's name is Oswald! Or Oz!" Rayne answered. Alec thought to himself for a moment, shook his head and smiled letting the moment pass as he and his sister came to the entrance to their village.
Alec's eyes focused on the present as he continued to stare at the egg in front of him. He swiftly reached up and wiped away the single tear that sparkled in his eye and turned away from the egg and walked outside. Though nighttime had not yet arrived, the air had begun to grow brisk. Alec took in a deep breath of the spring air and exhaled.
As he looked up to the walls of the city, he saw that the evening beacon had already been lit, as it had each and every evening since he had been brought to Valascaana. As he walked, many acknowledged his passing with a simple nod. Alec walked to the academy grounds and stared at the many statues that were scattered about.
He knelt down before the statue of Sidonis and imagined to himself, how the legendary man must have been in life. He recalled the few stories he could remember from his grandmother, of Sidonis, Aneira and her Nymphs. He could recall a number of different Nymphs from the stories. Some were guardians of nature, while others existed to serve as messengers of the holy mother.
Still others existed, which he was less familiar with. Those who had served to aid the paladins, in their training and their mission. There were others still, who served as muses to inspire music, art and culture. Of all of his grandmother's stories, he could still only recall the name of one Nymph, their leader, Aurora.
Alec rose from his kneeling position and walked on towards the temple grounds. As he walked, he noticed as the night guard began lighting the evening torches. He continued his solitary walk as he saw the lights of the temple, still lit in the distance. Alec walked towards the light and smiled as the head priestess, Mayella, greeted him. She was a short, petite woman in her later years. She had grey hair and a warm, kind smile.
"Good evening, young Alec. What brings you our way at such a late hour?" Alec was unsure himself and was lost for a cohesive response.
"I suppose that I just was not ready to turn in. I thought that I might enjoy the evening air and clear my head." Mayella smiled.
"Then by all means, come inside for a spell. You are always welcome in the home of the holy mother." Alec looked around curiously, looking to see if there were any of the noble class about. Mayella sensing what Alec was looking for, placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"None in here except the other priestesses, the lady Kaldur and the presence of the holy mother." Alec nodded his head as he allowed Mayella to guide him inside. Alec had not spent much time within the temple, as the nobles of the city often frequented the site and were yet unpleasant to him.
He looked up at the high walls and to the stained glass depictions of the holy mother, the Nymphs and Sidonis. As he walked further within, he saw Kristiana kneeling up ahead before the grand altar, head down in prayer.
"I beg of thee, oh holy mother, please allow her to find rest." Kristiana looked up at the statue of Aneira and kissed her closed hand before touching the space just below the goddess' feet. Kristiana stood and brushed out the wrinkles in her purple dress and smiled at Alec and Mayella.
"My, my, Alec. It is a most pleasant surprise to see you here of all places, even at such an hour. What has brought you here today?" Still at a loss of an answer, he hesitated only for Mayella to answer.
"I feel that our young friend has been stricken by the illustrious call of his destiny approaching. He has long since reached the end of his childhood years and has now come upon the eve of his proving. Tis a most confusing time, for any youth."
"I remember well, high priestess Mayella. However, I believe that young Alec shall have naught to worry. You will perform most admirably tomorrow, as always." She smiled at him as Alec saw bookshelves to his left, covered with a massive number of literary secrets. Mayella turned her head to see what Alec was looking at and smiled.
"You are more than welcome to look, Alec. Pleases me to see a youth that still values reading."
"Thank you, if you please excuse me." Alec spoke as he walked over to the bookshelves and began to look upon the various titles. There were numerous books, which contained information on the history of Valascaana, scriptures of Aneira and various other subjects, which held no bearing for Alec.
"Having a difficult time deciding?" Mayella asked. Alec looked back at her and smiled.
"I have read many of these. I am just not sure that I was in the mood for reading is all." Mayella smiled once more.
"Perhaps on your next visit, I shall show you my library. Mayhaps there is something there which you have not yet feasted your mind upon."
"Thank you, lady Mayella. Good evening, lady Mayella, lady Kaldur." They all bowed their heads to one another as Alec left.
Once back outside, Alec again took of the cool evening air and continued his walk around the capitol. He thought to himself of the woman he continued to see in his dreams and wondered if perhaps after tomorrow, he would be on his way to finding her. As he looked out to the high walls of the city he remembered everything, which rode on him tomorrow. Alec took one last deep breath before heading back towards his home.
Back within the confines of his home, he laid out his things for the following morning. He turned back, said goodnight to the egg and went to his bed to rest for the coming day. As Alec's eyes closed and he readied himself to fall sleep, he failed to notice that the egg across the room for the first time in eleven years began to stir.
Chapter 5 - Troubles Along the Road
"Hurry ma'am, we must get behind cover before we are spotted." Marec pulled the reins of both horses urgently trying to hide them behind a couple of boulders that lay off from the main road. Talia quickly dismounted her steed and crouched low behind some bushy vegetation that was common along the mountainous terrain.
"Who are they Marec?" Marec dared not take his eyes off from the band of black cloaked figures that marched down the road.
"Those are the Forsaken, but what they are doing this far into the country is beyond me. It is even stranger, yet that so few are along the road. Normally, they would not dare come this far into Aneiran lands unless they were part of an invading war band." Talia tried to shift so that she could better see the mysterious wanderers.
"They do not look so imposing to me Marec. Why then do we hide amongst these bushes as if we were but common thieves?"
"Mistress!" Marec barked. "You do not know the ferocity with which the Forsaken bring death to the battlefield." Talia continued to watch the five as they neared them and marched past. She could see more clearly, there were four large armored men marching with a much smaller, cloaked Forsaken, which might have been a child. The four that wore armor, stood behind the smaller one as they walked down the road. Beneath their hoods, Talia could make out the black horned armor and metal faces.
"Are you saying that the mere five of them would be a threat to a paladin of Sidonis?"
"No, my lady, it is not that, it is merely how many more that could appear if these came up missing. Worse, if one reported that we had been spotted. Even if they do not know of who you are, we must keep you concealed. If there was a spell caster among them, then things could prove all the more perilous." Talia focused intently on the five before them and felt a slight hum, emanating off from the smallest.
"There is one among them, who possesses the ability to channel spells. I detect their energy is not quite the same as the others. Perhaps it is similar to mine." Talia spoke as the smallest of the Forsaken turned its head up towards them. Marec and Talia quickly ducked down behind cover as the armored Forsaken turned their attention as well.
"Your benevolent sight never ceases to amaze me, my lady." He spoke from behind cover and waited, peering through a tiny gap in the bush. He watched as the smallest of the Forsaken turned its head away, as did the others. After a moment, the paladin bowed his head and glanced back to be sure that the Forsaken were gone. "Aneira favors us. They have left and on a different route than ours."
"Good, then would it be alright for us to get out of the dirt now?"
"Yes, of course, my lady. Please forgive me."
"Marec, please stop referring to me as 'my lady'. You told me you would desist."
"I agreed to no such thing, only to address you slightly less formally whilst among the common people and, as only you and I are here, "my lady," it is again." Talia sighed in frustration but did not further press the issue. She had accepted being pampered, spoiled and awed at as the first to be gifted with Aneira's sight in over two centuries but never had she enjoyed the experience, longing for a more simple life. She sighed again, knowing that such things were not for her. She continued to ride on for several hours before stopping at an outpost to rest, as the sun dipped down beyond the mountain veil.
As they entered the outpost, a guard stopped them and asked for their names and intentions. Along the way Marec had concocted a story, his name was Farus, he and his daughter Relina were traveling and were hoping to rest the night at the outpost on their way to Ternia. After hours of recitation, Marec and Talia were able to explain their story to the guardsmen with such conviction he finally warranted for them to enter the city. The gates swung shut behind them causing the horses to nicker slightly. Talia and Marec ventured into the local inn and Talia took a seat at the table as Marec spoke to the innkeeper in order to secure a room for the night.
"Anything I can get for you darling?" Talia looked up to see the waitress standing in front of her waiting for a response. The woman was older than Talia, but not significantly. She was tall and had long brown hair. She spoke with a strange accent that Talia had listened to many of the townspeople speak in. She stood in front of Talia with her hands on her hips, yet a friendly smile on her face.
"Umm, I uh, no thank you." Talia attempted to hide her face as the waitress bore into her with a wide smile.
"Don't worry about money hon', I'll at least bring you some water." The waitress returned only a short few moments later with a glass of water and a plate of bread and cheese as well. Talia attempted to refuse the plate, but the waitress insisted that Talia looked as if she were hungry and that she wasn't to worry about it. Grateful for the act of kindness, Talia nibbled at the food in front of her, watching intently as Marec spoke with the innkeeper. As she watched the two men laugh merrily, she could hear the slightest of whispers from somewhere around her.
Talia searched all around her, but could see no one speaking to her. Shifting in her chair to be sure no one was behind her and still she could hear whispers. Hoping that she had not drawn much attention to herself, she slowly faced forward and placed her hands in front of her on the table. She tried to instead, focus on the whispers. She looked down at her soft tiny hands and saw an image within the water glass before her.
Awed, she leaned herhead forward trying to look as though she were tired and not taking an investedinterest to the glass that sat before her. She watched the images flicker backand forth and could still hear a young man and a woman speaking. She watchedintently and recognized the soft wavy brown hair and piercing green eyes. Thistime she caught a glimpse of the man, and as always, found him to be quitehandsome. Indeed, the butterflies in her stomach started fluttering about. Asshe continued to admire the image before her, she could not help but notice thegreat deal of pain behind his eyes that greatly resembled hers. She tried tocatch a glance at the woman that he was speaking to, but instead caughtsomething much more interesting. She noticed the two words in theirconversation that summed up everything that was concerning her; 'Lion Hawk'.