Chapter 25 - The First Shrine, The Town of Remora
"Mistress, might you be willing to take young Tear ahead with you while I guide Alec to the shrine?" Talia nodded her head to Marec.
"Of course, Sir Marec, we will wait for you in the cathedral." Alec watched as Talia and Tear walked pass the building which now stared at Alec and Marec. Alec was not impressed.
"Is this the shrine?" Alec turned to his instructor and asked as they walked up to the small building that lay before them. It was no bigger than was the guardhouse in Roak.
"Yes, it is not as illustrious as many of the other shrines but things have become much more difficult in these outlying towns since the fall of Highmoore." Alec flinched at the name of his old home. Marec continued as though he had not noticed Alec's reaction.
"A great deal was lost that day. T'was my first station as a paladin. I served there for many years before I was appointed to be mistress Talia's defender. It was a truly beautiful place."
"It was my home." Alec solemnly moaned.
"I had heard such. It was also mine for many a year. One day, Alec, we may yet be able to reclaim our home. If only you had been able to see the noble's district and the grand temple. The paladin order was much greater back then. Not so great as it was before the dark times, but we had reclaimed much of what we had lost." Marec sighed. "To have spent countless lifetimes in hopes to restore our former glory, just to have it blinked out within a single eve." Alec kept his eyes on the ground, holding his composure, the pain excruciating, but necessary, he needed to know more.
"He was there that night. The black knight." Alec's eyes met Marec's, and Marec noticed that glimmer in Alec's eyes.
"Belias?!" Alec asked in shock. Marec nodded his head.
"He was not alone however, he had another with him."
"Another?"
"Yes, in the Forsaken lands, there exists an order of what you could call "anti-paladins." They refer to themselves as the Daemon Knights and are each masters of dark and terrible magic."
"How many are there?" Alec asked. Marec shook his head in response.
"I have no idea, but I once read that no more than twelve have ever existed at one time."
"Why twelve?"
"I would imagine two for each of the great nations of the world. Beyond that, your guess is as good as mine. I also read that Daemon will only create as many as he can control. Too many knights armed with his power could turn against him."
"So even Daemon's power has its limits?"
"I can understand why you would think that, however as far as a mortal such as us could fathom, his power is still beyond comprehension."
"And the knights are immortal?" Marec did not answer but simply nodded his head. Alec thought back to his fight with Belias and a dark shiver overcame him.
"How many of these knights are you familiar with?" Marec placed his fist in front of his face and rested his chin upon it in thought.
"Belias, we have met. There was Abaddon from the days of Sidonis, the mad king Caliban and the witch of the Tartarian wilds, Cecille." Alec was not overly familiar with Tartaria, a country to the south, across the ocean. All he knew was that the entire continent was covered in woodlands and mountain ranges.
"There are Daemon knights in lands other than those on the Exodon?" Marec nodded his head.
"Quite. As I was saying, I believe that there were many others amongst the stories from my days as an initiate. There was Calyptus, the vagabond, who was felled long ago and Calleus, his brother. I seem to be forgetting about someone. Once you have an opportunity, we shall consult the old records, to fill in the gaps."
"Was Belias the first Daemon knight that you encountered?"
"He was but enough talk of the past young cadet. Let us attend to the business at hand." Marec pulled his and Alec's packs from Alec's back and set them on the floor just inside the temple doors. They walked inside a few steps and were greeted by a man in long flowing brown robes.
"Ah, Sir Marec, welcome back. It has been quite some time since you last visited us. Is this a new recruit, I presume?"
"Not exactly Triam, this cadet was chosen by another. I have, however, taken it upon myself to fulfill the sacred duty of training this cadet." Triam looked most confused by the news.
"With so few paladins left in the region, who by Aneira's name could have selected him?" Marec nodded his head towards Alec's hand which now rested upon his sword belt. Alec took the queue and delicately removed the Sidonis sword from its protective sheath. Triam gasped at the sign of the sword and Alec could swear that the old man wept as he stared upon the blade.
"How did you come upon this sword?" Alec looked to Marec who nodded. Alec cleared his throat and then answered.
"I encountered a Daemon knight and in a moment of desperation I pledged an oath in blood to Sidonis and Aneira that if they granted me strength that I would protect the priestess Talia from the forces of Daemon." Triam grew silent for a moment and Alec feared that he had said too much.
"The time it seems is finally at hand. To be honest I had hoped that it waited for the next age or so but it appears that it is time."
"Time for what sir?"
"When the heart of malice beats again and the one who has fallen enacts her unholy vengeance, the Forsaken shall march with fire and death upon the lands of Valoria. In their time of need, Aneira's shield shall appear among the people gleaming green and gold and safeguard the divine as they rise to again seal away the heart of darkness." Alec's eyes opened wide.
"That was what Tear said when she went into trance!" Marec nodded his head at Alec's recollection and then spoke.
"That hardly surprises. Tear is a divine and as such, she has had some access to Aneira's prophecies. Triam, is there not more to this prophecy?" Triam nodded his head.
Yes, there are several pieces to this puzzle. However, much of it has been stricken from record by order of the grand priestess but what I do recall says something like...
"To flame and ruin, he of one thousand blackened souls shall call upon the sword of his nemesis and by Aneira's spilt blood, shall reclaim what was taken from him. Aneira's shield shall fall by the hand of the sentinels' betrayer." Triam stopped and Alec looked to him an expression of horror across his face.
"I am sorry young cadet, I do not remember the rest. It has been sometime since the old scrolls were lost."
"What does it mean?"
"It could mean a great many things. One thing that I can tell you is that Aneira's blood often times refers to the death of a nymph or to the blood of a divine and that Daemon's nemesis is Aneira and you hold her sword." Triam pointed to the blade by Alec's side. Alec looked down to it and nearly dropped it to the ground.
"Then we must be rid of it. We must take the Sidonis sword somewhere that Daemon will never find it." Both Marec and Triam shook their heads at Alec.
"I am afraid that it is not that simple. Even if we hid the sword in the grand shrine Daemon would still find a way to claim the blade for himself. The only way that we can protect the sword and thereby negate the prophecy is to train you in the ways of the paladin so that you may keep the sword safe. There is no other way." A terrifying rush of emotions flooded through Alec as he considered all that he was being confronted with.
"What must I do?"
"Triam will take you further inside to the shrine of Aneira. Once there you must do as I asked, pray to the goddess and drink from the fountain. The rest will be presented to you from there." Alec looked to Triam with renewed purpose guiding him.
"I am ready."
"Very well then young cadet, this way." They walked down a long hall which opened up into a large courtyard. Alec surveyed the courtyard picking out the statues of Aneira and Sidonis along with a rather illustrious fountain.
"I believe that you already possess all the knowledge you need to continue on without me young Alec. May Aneira guide you."
"And Sidonis shield you, Sir Triam." Triam smiled and bowing his head left Alec alone in the empty courtyard. Alec stood before the statue of Sidonis and bowed his head in reverence.
"I shall defend the sword. I shall not fall to the darkness." Alec turned to the fountain, and kneeling drank from the water. The water was cool yet flowed down his throat as if comprised of angelic nectar. Alec bowed his head once more and offered up his prayer to Aneira.
Tear and Talia
"Talia, why do we have to come here?" Talia smiled and looked over to the small child beside her.
"I must speak with the head priest here in order to gain access to the archives. I must also determine if they have any information in regards to my visions."
"Like the ones of Sir Alec?" Tear asked, curiously. Talia turned her head to Tear with curiosity in her eyes.
"Tear, what do you mean?"
"That is how I found you on the road. I saw Sir Alec in my waking dreams and they led me to him." Talia began to rack her brain for an answer to such a strange twist. Talia smiled and looked back at Tear.
"Well then, my dear Miss Tear, we shall see if we can find an answer to both our questions." They walked side by side until they came to a large pair of oak doors, which Talia forced ajar. Talia found herself wondering why Tear was having visions as well, not to mention ones that involved Alec. Talia could not help but wonder just how and why Alec had become so entangled in the web of the divine.
The room opened up into an enormous chamber, complete with cathedral ceiling decorated with murals celebrating Aneira and her nymphs. Talia and Tear walked the red carpet toward the altar that lay at the farthest end of the room where an older man knelt.
"Father Mathias?" The man turned his head and looked at Talia for a moment and as if her name suddenly dawned upon him.
"Ah miss Talia. My, my it has been some time. Look at how much you have grown." He rose and bowed before her. "How, my dear priestess, may I be of service to you?" Talia curtsied in response to Father Mathias.
"I wish to speak with you on a delicate matter?"
"Of course, but what may I ask is so urgent that has brought you here from the Grand Shrine?"
"I have been gifted with Aneira's sight and am in pursuit of answers to certain questions. I seek access to the sealed archives." Father Mathias nodded his head as if he had anticipated her saying so.
"I had presumed that you were in fact a Divine, once High Priestess Angelica ordered for you to be sealed away. Please, Priestess, follow me, you shall be granted full access to the archives." He walked off to the side of the altar and shifting a statue to the side revealed a keyhole.
"Thank you, Father. I shall see to it that your efforts in preserving the legacy of our people are well rewarded." Father Mathias shook his head and smiled.
"If it is all the same to you Priestess, I would much prefer that my services to the preservation of Aneira's teachings go unheard of." Father Mathias spoke as he removed a small key from within his robes.
"I understand Father. It is shame that things have come to their current state."
"I would agree, Priestess. Now, if you please." He inserted the key into the slot and turned it. The wall pressed forward slightly allowing Father Mathias to grab onto the edge of the wall, where it pulled away easily, revealing a hidden corridor. Tear and Talia moved forward passing through the doorway.
"If you would please excuse me, I must be away. Everything that you need should already be waiting for you within." Talia and Tear bowed their heads and Father Mathias took his leave. They journeyed further into the archives following the light of the torches.
"How much further is it Talia?"
"Just ahead Tear." They walked further on until they came to the end of the lit torches.
"Please allow me." Talia let out a light humming sound and then, from the torch to her right, flames began to leap out across the room landing upon the once invisible candles that when lit illuminated the room. The entire room lit into a spectacular display of flickering flame revealing rows upon rows of various scrolls and tomes. First, Talia removed her cloak and placed it onto a hook, which may have once been a part of a mantelpiece. She then began to search through the dusty web covered shelves and delicately began to pull several of them away from their resting places.
Talia walked towards the nearest table and, as if laying a babe to sleep, lowered the various writings and its smooth surface. Hastily wiping a chair, she sat and began to carefully unroll her first scroll.
"What is it that you are looking for?" Tear asked her, still tiptoeing around the spiders' webs.
"Something that will help me on my mission and anything that might help Sir Alec."
" You like him, do you not?" Talia's only responses were silence and blushing.
Eliza and Zelus
Eliza looked at the small trading village before her, noticing the severe lack of abundance she had grown accustomed to within the confines of the capital. She could only hope that this quaint little town possessed the many necessities that they would need in order to continue their journey. She walked a few paces and noticed the first of many food stands. A significant amount of her list depended on a varied selection. She peered at the many stands before her noticing, considerable choices ranging from different fruits, vegetables and, strangely, a large selection of cheeses. Loaves of bread and rolls decorated the sides of buildings resting along window ledges where they must have been left to cool from the oven. It appeared to her that she might yet fulfill the list her uncle had given her. Reaching into her pocket she pulled from it two slips of paper and placing one back into her pocket, unfolded her list.
We shall be needing enough provisions to last six of us for five days:
Fruit, some vegetables, medical supplies, bandages, bread in case of an emergency, any variety of bean not meant for consumption – will need a modest amount, perhaps 2 pounds, 1 large sheet of leather, one dozen leather straps, lots of cheese, any meat can be more effectively gathered and kept on the road, no eggs unless you come across a suitable means of transporting them.
The list continued on, but consisted of items in which Zelus had already left to acquire. Eliza thought to herself for a moment attempting to reason why they would need two pounds of beans that were not meant for consumption. Shaking the thought from her mind, she flipped her list over to the opposite side so that she could read the one she had made for herself. It contained, in her opinion, everything that a young lady should need. Quickly skimming through her list, she ensured that it did indeed contain a complete list of her own "private" essentials.
Barbs, arrowheads, 2 whetstones, straps, bowstring, book
She determined that in fact all essentials were listed. Eliza approached the first food stand, which contained the cheese. Its neighbor, contained fruit, which would account for the majority of her shopping. The shopkeeper, after finishing with another customer, turned to her.
"What can I get fer ya miss?" Eliza sat her list on the countertop between them and began to read off it. The shopkeeper began reaching behind herself, while carrying on a conversation with Eliza and the other patrons as she gathered all of Eliza's items. Finishing at the stand, Eliza paid the shop keep, and packing her things into several large bags, carried on with her business. As she walked away, a haunting thought came to her.
"Have I bought enough? Talia, Tear and I would be fine for weeks but Alec and Zelus never stop eating." She thought to herself for a moment and decided that if they could not control themselves, then they could go hungry or hunt. Convincing herself that she was in fact finished with the food portion of the list, she began to walk down the row of stands in search for her uncle's score of non-edible legumes. Upon the fourth stand, she came to, she found one which carried a suitable amount of coffee beans. This she determined, should suffice and, purchasing the two pounds needed, continued on her way towards the smithy.
As she walked, she noticed large numbers of burly men gathered in droves around the weapon racks and armor displays. She began to feel increasingly outnumbered as the amount of women in sight quickly diminished. She could feel the heat of the forges growing hotter as she neared the smithy. She stared at the wooden bench that served as the counter and noticed the many notches within from long years of use. She peered into the shop beyond, everything dark in color yet brightly illuminated by the flames within the forge and the embers of the coals. A man came around the corner covered in black dust, sweat and grime.
"Something I can get for you miss?" Eliza reverted back to her list and held it out before her.
"Yes I will be needing barbs, arrowheads, one large sheet of leather, two dozen leather straps," she continued on with the list making sure to include both Marec's and her items. The blacksmith before her began hastily rummaging around his shop gathering everything Eliza specified.
"Anything else you need miss?" Eliza pondered for a moment looking around before gently declining. Eliza paid the smith and, gathering up her things, sat them down next to her massive bundle of groceries and supplies.
"Where in the world is Zelus at?" She looked down one side of the street and then turned her head towards the opposite side. No sign of Zelus. "Where in the world is he?" Eliza waited for several minutes, in the hot sun before growing angry, and straining to gather all of her things, attempted to drag them back toward the approximate location of the inn.
She marched through the streets bearing her load, scanning about in an attempt to find the inn. Taking off her overcoat and unfastening her vest, Eliza removed them and draped them over her sweating shoulders. Her arms strained from the weight of everything, and she could not help but imagine the tortures that Zelus had in store for him.
She wound around many busy roads and followed the density of the population toward the obvious solution. More people would gather around the bar and therefore lead her to the inn. At long last, the inn came in sight. Eliza wiped the sweat from her brow and looked to the sign, which read "The Pilgrimage Inn." Eliza dragged her bags the rest of the way.
As Eliza entered the Pilgrimage Inn, she immediately, as if her vision were drawn to him, locked onto Zelus, who sat at one of many round tables stuffing his face.
"Zelus!" Eliza yelled as she slammed her bags down next to him and flopped into a nearby chair. "Where were you? You were supposed to be helping me today, remember? Go to the inn, secure a room, help Eliza get supplies." She continued on with her tirade whilst Zelus collapsed into himself and daringly pointed a lone finger towards the bar.
"Free food for knights of the capital. First night's stay only." Eliza slowly rolled her eyes back toward Zelus unsurprised and even angrier.
"You bailed on me for food?"
"Not just food, Eliza, this stuff is delicious and FREE! We have not had a decent meal like this since we left the capitol." Eliza glared at Zelus and he swallowed hard, suddenly realizing the error in his ways. Eliza turned her head slightly to the side and Zelus could hear the sounds of the bones in her neck popping, releasing the building tension.
"Eliza I did not mean it like that. Your cooking is amazing. It is just, you know, out on the road things tend to lack a certain...homemade zest, that is all. It had nothing to do with your culinary abilities." Eliza stood from her chair and watched as Zelus shrank into his.
"Zelus I ought to..." Zelus continued to cower as he placed his hands above his head in an attempt to shield himself.
"Everyone quickly the cathedral is on fire!" Eliza and Zelus turned from one another and bolted through the door.
Chapter 26 - Wolves In Sheeps' Clothing
"Hurry everyone, grab some water. We must protect the cathedral!" The screams of the panicked populace quickly flooded the streets as Eliza and Zelus exited the inn. Eliza looked into the sky and could see the flames atop the cathedral rapidly soaring higher.
"We have to hurry Zelus! Everyone is still in there?" She turned her head to where Zelus had been and already could see him at work. Zelus quickly unfastened his cape, removed his armor and dove into the nearest horse trough, cape in hand. He threw his cape back over his shoulder, pulled himself out from within the trough, placed his shirt over his nose and top of his head, before yelling, as he ran towards the fire. Eliza shook her head in disbelief and followed his lead, removed her water resistant clothing and, wearing only her undershirt and a pair of trousers, doused herself as well.
Their first inclination had been to use the front door but, as they approached, they found that it had already collapsed into itself. Quickly, Zelus corrected course and dove headfirst through the nearby window. He tucked his body, rolled over the top of the shattered glass and began his search. Eliza came in shortly after him and narrowly avoiding a flaming banister that fell between the two of them.
"You go left Eliza, I will head this way and search." Eliza nodded and sprinted off in the direction Zelus had pointed. Zelus looked around and, pulling his hood tighter, ran down the first corridor.
Zelus
Zelus tore into the flaming ruin, his eyes stinging from the heat and smoke, rendering his vision poor. Pushing fallen beams and sconces out of his way, Zelus foraged through the blaze, in search of his friends or denizens of the town.
"Is anyone in here?" He called out at the top of his voice. The only response was the cackle and roar of the inferno before him. "Hello! I said is anyone there? I am here to get you to safety." No response came to him and so he pressed on. He turned down the hall and threw more wreckage to the side. Several feet away from him he saw a man lying on the ground, partially buried by rubble.
"I am coming do not panic. I am here to help." Zelus ran to the trapped man and began throwing the debris off him. "Hang on, sir, I can almost get you out of there." Zelus worked more frantically yet and, removing the last beam covering the man, gently rolled him over.
"By Aneira!" Zelus exclaimed as he fell over and backed away abruptly, his hands dripping with fresh blood. He sat for a moment in shock staring at the downed man, a large dagger sticking out from his ribs. Clearly, this fire was more than a mere accident. Somewhere close by there must have been a murderer and this fire was meant to conceal it.
Zelus contemplated for a moment, should he move the body outside or spend the precious time looking for others who may still be trapped. He heard a large crash and someone crying out for help. Shaking himself to attention, Zelus tore a cloth from the man's robes and wrapping the murder weapon, placed it on his side and continued inward in search of any survivors.
"I am coming, where are you?" He yelled out against the deafening roar and scanned the area frantically. Suddenly he saw a hand shoot out from behind a collapsed pillar. Zelus ran to it and gently held the young girl's hand.
"Do not worry I am going to get you out of here." He examined the column that barred his path attempting to determine the best way to remove it. "Stand back," he called to the young one.
"I am back as far as I can go." The girl yelled back. Zelus reached out and began to pull himself atop the column being careful not to force any more debris down on the child. As he reached the top, he realized why the child had been difficult to spot. She was nearly buried alive. So much rubble had fallen on the column that perhaps the pillar was the only thing that had kept her alive. Zelus began to peel away stone upon stone in an attempt to unearth the child. He bore through the stone so quickly with such ferocity that he could see his own blood begin to decorate the lumps he tore away.
"Please hurry, the flames are getting closer." The girl struggled between coughs. Zelus could feel the panic welling inside of him and he hastened his pace. He could now see the girl who let out an excited yet still terrified cheer. Zelus could feel the heat of the flames striking his face as he grew closer and closer to pulling her out.
"Give me your hand!" He called and, reaching out, he was able to secure the young girl's hand and pull her from her demise.
"Thank you, thank you," the child cried to him but, as Zelus turned, he realized their plight was far from over. Flames had completely encompassed the area he had entered through and he saw no viable way of escaping. The room they were in was surrounded by fire on all sides. Zelus found himself staring back into the hole he had just dug. The flames were a few feet thick, not nearly as bad as what now lay behind him. He tore his cape from his body and wrapped it around the child who he lifted into his arms and jumped into the hole.
"Close your eyes child. I do not want you to see this." He spoke softly as he covered her head with the still somewhat damp cape and sprinted as fast as his body could manage. Almost immediately, he could feel the flames scouring his flesh as they passed through the wall. The child screamed as the heat increased but he knew her to be alright. The room he entered into was just as flame filled as the previous, with one exception. He turned his head toward the only safe path and noticed an armored man standing there.
"Sir, is the path that way safe?" But, as the words rolled off his tongue, the man turned. Zelus knew otherwise immediately by the torch in one hand and the alcohol in his other, he had trouble. The man smiled and pulled out a rag, placing it into the end of the bottle. Zelus looked around, spotted a window and took flight. The man threw his flame bomb, Zelus jumped through the window just as the alcohol erupted against his back.
Eliza
Eliza raced through the blaze, calling out to any who might still be alive. She turned back to the window she had entered through. Fire now decorated the walls, the doors also, were ablaze. Eliza decided that she would need to search further in to find the exit. She ran down the only path that lay before her.
"Is anyone there? Is anyone alive?" Eliza continued to cry out against the flame.
"Hurry help!" Eliza ran around the next corner to see several armed men cornering a group of worshippers.
"What is going on here?" Eliza called out to the men, who bore no marks or insignias, upon their chests.
"Just taking care of a few blasphemers. Looks like we have one more to add to the collection." Two of the men drew their weapons and began their charge. Eliza had no weapons, only her wits and skill to defend her. She looked to either side and grasped a nearby sconce, hot wax still within its tip. Both men came at her simultaneously as the other four sat back watching. Eliza stepped to the right avoiding the attack from the left and blocked the attack on her right.
"Hrah!" She grunted as she pressed her body against the man in front of her, pushing him back a step allowing her to power kick him in the chest and whip the wax end of her makeshift weapon straight into the face of the unsuspecting assassin.
"Aah, my eyes!" He wailed in pain as he fell to the ground. His friends moved in from the sidelines and her unbalanced attacker recovered. Eliza dove upon her downed assailant and, removing his own weapons, quickly finished him off. His sword was bulky, too slow for her uses and the shield would only slow her down. She took in a deep breath and stood her ground, honing in her senses, dagger drawn. She could see the man she needed to attack, curved sword to his side. She tightly squeezed the hilt of the dagger and prepared herself.
As the first man swung, she dipped, stabbing him in the back of his leg, crippling it and threw the blade into the throat of the curve blade wielder. She lunged upon him taking his weapon as he fell to the ground and rolled. She stopped in front of another man, jumped, forcing the blade skyward through his torso, and spun gliding the blade horizontally across the chest of another as he swung his own weapon.
"Aah!" Eliza cried as the enemy's sword grazed her across the stomach. She clutched her stomach and turned towards the other men.
Eliza stood with the blade pointed out in front of her and focused on the remaining two men. The one she wounded eyed her ready to strike as the other attempted to flank her. Pulling her attention from the wounded one, she poised herself ready to lash out at the more imminent threat.
"Ooof!" The armored man in front of her fell to the ground. Eliza looked where the man was and saw one of the parishioners holding a flaming beam in his hands. The wounded soldier knowing that he was hopelessly outnumbered, dropped his weapons and surrendered.
"Aneira, forgive me," the parishioner spoke as he dropped the beam.
"You did what you had to. I cannot imagine Aneira being angry. Is there anyone else within?" The preacher looked around as if counting those around him.
"Brother Mathias is still missing and the four from out of town."
"Do you mean the ones that I came with?"
"I am unsure; there was a young priestess, a little girl, a young man and an armored individual."
"That is them, where are they?"
"They are further within, but you must hurry. These guards were not the only ones that attacked us." Eliza looked around her with furious intensity.
"Do not worry yourself, the remaining soldiers are within, we shall find the exit." He added. Eliza turned her head towards their new prisoner.
"And him?"
"Do not worry. We shall see to it that this one is escorted to a cell." The wielder of the flaming beam assured her.
Eliza nodded her head and darted off toward the inner sanctum. As Eliza ran, she could not help but notice the increasingly potent pain in her stomach. She pulled her hand from her navel and noticed it was covered in blood. Eliza turned her head around a corner and saw the corridor filled with flame.
"Is anyone there?" She approached the blaze and what she saw horrified her. Amongst the rubble she found a tunic bearing the insignia of the Aneiran knights.
"Alec! Where are you?" Eliza began sifting through the rubble unearthing Alec's shield and longsword. She slung them to the side and continued digging, as she heard a loud groaning from above.
"Alec if you are there help me. Please call out to me, Alec!" She heard the groaning sound again and looked up as the beams above her cracked in half and began to tumble. Eliza dove to the side as the room around her collapsed.
"Alec!" Eliza screamed and attempted to get up but the agony in her stomach and a new pain in her leg caused her to collapse. Eliza looked down to her leg to see a large splinter of wood penetrating her calf, a deep gash forming around it. Eliza turned her head and closed her eyes before grasping the wood. She squinted her eyes even more tightly and took a deep breath before quickly tearing it out.
"Ah!" She yelled followed by a line of curses. She examined the wound and, tearing her sleeve, wrapped her leg. As she breathed she traced her eyes back toward the pile of rubble, heaped ever higher and she knew no one could have survived the weight. She rocked back and forth for a moment attempting to deal with the loss when she heard the sound of men's voices. Eliza slowly braced herself and rose to her feet.
"Just a little further Eliza, keep moving." She coached herself as she placed one foot in front of the other until she could hear the sound of swords clashing.
"Alec!" Eliza hobbled towards the sound but, instead of Alec, she came upon the vision of Marec being assailed by another group of assassins.
"Uncle Marec!" Eliza yelled as she limped over to the aid of her uncle. He was already managing against seven combatants and Eliza could see several more on their way. She could see that Marec bore several wounds of his own and was having an increasing amount of difficulty fending off his attackers.
"Eliza are you alright?" Marec spoke with his back turned toward her as he struck down his enemy.
"I will live." She answered as she drew herself upon one of the armored men as Talia and Tear turned around the corner.
"The archives are on fire!" Talia called as two of the remaining men turned toward them.
"Talia can you help us?"
"I cannot cast any magic in here. It could cause a collapse." Eliza looked around and knocking her opponent down took his sword.
"Talia heads up!" Eliza threw a sword towards Talia, which skidded across the floor to her feet. Talia reached down and awkwardly lifted the blade and held it in front of her at an unusual angle.
"What do I do?"
"Hit him with the pointy end!" Eliza yelled as her and Marec both pressed through another attacker. Talia wobbled uneasily as the swordsman approached her.
"Mistress! Get out of there!" Marec yelled at Talia who stood her ground placing her body between the armored man and Tear. The man approached and Talia swung her weapon. The guard laughed as he lazily parried the blow to the side, knocking Talia backward. Marec and Eliza both struggled to quickly fend off their own adversaries as the man whom Eliza assumed was the leader toyed with Talia.
Talia gripped the hilt of the sword tightly and regained her posture.
"Harm her you shall not!" Talia raised her voice as she prepared herself. The armored man laughed at the shaking priestess.
"Harm her? I believe you have misunderstood. I am not here to kill you, I was only sent to kill the knights and the paladin. My orders included recovering the weapon, but, alas, the one I killed did not have it."
"You are the one that killed Alec?" The man turned his head toward Eliza and smiled.
"I was hoping for a bit more sport but hopefully the paladin will prove to be more of a challenge." The armored man ran up on Talia and again knocking her blade sideways kicked her hard in the stomach, knocking her backward against a wall. Eliza continued to lash out at her attacker when she was interrupted.
"Lay down your weapons now. I was told to take Talia captive, not Tear." Eliza turned her head to see Tear pinned to the wall, the man's blade against her throat. Blood was already leaking from it. Without hesitation, Marec and Eliza dropped their weapons to the ground and kicked them away.
"Good, now into the tunnel." He motioned towards the flaming corridor to his right. Eliza and Marec hesitated yet still could see no other choice.
"Good," the man called back as he turned his head towards Tear and lifted his sword pressing her chin and her body up. "In you go little one. Time to join your friends." He turned her to face away from him and then kicked her in the lower back, forcing her into the backs of Eliza and Marec.
"Farewell." The man pulled a pouch from his pack and lit the end before throwing it against the wall causing an explosion, which filled the hallway with rubble. Eliza ran back towards the collapsing rubble and screamed out a slur of threats and curses. Marec was right behind her, pounding against the debris, doing his best to clear out the mess. Tear chimed in and together the three of them threw as much from the pile as possible before they came upon solid slabs of stone.
"There must be another way out!" Marec began to search around to see that there was, in fact, no viable option within sight. All around them flames danced upon the walls and floor. They were trapped. Eliza hobbled across the room in a desperate search for hope. She looked all around and found a door.
"Allow me!" Marec approached the door and drew a rune in the sky. Eliza watched as against the flame, she could see a narrowly visible bubble form around her uncle. Marec stood in front of the door and carefully reached out and turned the handle.
"Brrrrrooooooaaaarrrr!" Marec's body was covered in flame and propelled backwards across the room, where he hit the wall hard.
"Uncle?" Eliza began to limp towards him.
"I am alright Eliza, I feared that may happen so I used flame shield."
"Flame shield?"
"It is a paladin technique used to protect the user and his allies from fire. I am afraid, however, that I regrettably lack the strength to use that ability again." Eliza carefully walked to the door and peered within. The doorway would prove impassible. The flames were too thick and she could already feel the air around them beginning to grow thin.
"What do we do?" Eliza turned toward Marec as Tear began chanting.
"We wait and hope that the Divine may shield us." Eliza listened as Tear chanted, Tear opened her eyes and forced her hands forward. Eliza watched as the flames began to rise up and move under her control. She stepped forward and the flames leaped backward.
"Back!" Tear called out to it and the flame responded.
"Should we follow her?" Eliza turned to her uncle who was still struggling to rise to his feet.
"I suppose..." He started to speak as he noticed the strain that the feat was causing Tear. She did not whine. She did not stumble but the bleeding from her neck intensified and her knees began to shake.
"Eliza get back!" Marec yelled as he ran ahead to catch Tear. Eliza noticed Tear beginning to stumble and ducked down behind a pile of rubble. Marec reached out and scooped her into his arms, turning his back as the light of trance left Tear's body. The flames roared again and Marec was once more thrown through the air. This time, he failed to rise. Tear lay next to him, gently wriggling in an attempt to rise to her feet. Eliza knelt down next to her friend and her uncle, prepared for the worst.
"Crash," Eliza shielded herself and the others as glass shards showered down from the ceiling. Eliza looked up and saw another of the armored thugs standing above her twenty feet in the air. A rope dropped down from the ledge and landed next to Marec.
"Tie the rope around him and we shall raise you up." The metallic voice called down to her. Eliza searched around again and, seeing no other option, tied off Marec and wrapping one arm around Tear grabbed ahold of her uncle.
"We are ready." She called and, immediately, they began to rise from the ground. It was not until they nearly reached the top when Eliza first heard the sounds of a familiar friend.
"Bree!" Oz grunted as he and the armored man finished pulling them to the rooftop. The armored man ran to Eliza's side and without warning began drawing a rune into the sky. Eliza felt her entire body begin to itch as her wounds began to knit themselves together.
"Do not worry, Talia is safe. We got her out right before we tracked you all down." The man spoke as he healed Marec who groaned a barely audible thank you. Once everyone was healed, the man began aiding everyone in climbing down the side of the tower where Eliza could see Zelus and Talia resting against a tree awaiting them. Eliza aiding Tear the last several feet allowed herself to take up the rear and drop the last few feet.
Eliza rested her head up against the wall for a moment. She noticed the rescue crews breaking through the blaze and scouring the area then looked to their rescuer.
"Thank you, sir." The metallic man laughed beneath his helmet before removing it.
"Eliza, you know that I will always be there for you." He spoke as he dropped the black helmet to the ground, revealing his light brown wavy hair.
"Alec? Alec!" Eliza called out as she rushed to her not so dead best friend and tackled him to the ground.
Chapter 27 - The Lady Seraphina
"Oh, by Aneira, I am so glad to see you safe. I thought for sure you were dead." She sobbed as she hugged the life out of Alec and kissed him feverishly on his cheeks and forehead. He did his best to escape, suddenly fearing for his very life. As he pulled himself free from Eliza's grasp, he caught a glimpse of the disapproving looks on Talia and Zelus's faces.
"Yes Eliza, I am alive, but we are still in danger. You can calm down now, alright?" Eliza stared at Alec tears still in her eyes.
"I thought you were dead. I found your things in the temple and that man said he had killed you. I did not know what to do." Alec put his hands on Eliza's shoulders steadying her. Then he lifted her chin and wiped away her tears.
"It is alright, Eliza. I am not leaving you." He hugged her again gently as Marec tended to Talia. Zelus cleared his throat loudly, announcing his presence.
"Well, now that we have determined we are all still alive, do you think we could start trying to get to the bottom of this event?" Zelus grumbled, after clearing his throat loudly. Marec turned towards the party.
"Zelus is right. What happened here tonight must be unearthed. I fear what happened here, was in direct correlation to our mission."
"You are right uncle. I had begun to fear the same. One of the men I encountered told me he was there to throw down some blasphemers. Do you think there is someone within the church of Aneira that does not approve of our mission?" Eliza asked, Marec considering her question before answering.
"It is a possibility, though it is one I had not considered possible. Our mission, while unsanctioned by the high priestess, would never warrant an attack."
"But they did say their orders were to take Talia alive and to recover the Sidonis sword, an important religious relic, no?" The party all turned their attention over to Marec, who paused for a moment before deciding to avoid the question.
"It is of little importance at this juncture. We must prepare for our journey. We leave in the morning. Everyone please return to the tavern and rest, Alec stay here with me." Everyone rose, while Alec could not help but feel the looks of discontentment Zelus and Talia shot at him with. Alec waited for everyone to leave, before he approached Marec.
"Yes master?"
"Sit. Tell me what happened at the courtyard." Alec sat down next to Marec and began to relay his experiences.
The first thing Alec noticed was his ears being assailed by a hauntingly beautiful melody. There was a miraculous symphony of mixed voices, which rang out in a chorus, which made Alec both blissful, yet at the same time, filled with heartbreak. He searched about the marble room for any sign he was still in the temple.
"Where am I?" Alec searched around him noticing all of the ghostly faded images. It was as if he were sifting through a screen of fog. He looked down at his own body noticing the lack of his weapons and equipment. He pulled at the strange clothes that he was wearing and recognized the insignia they were adorned with. On his right breast, brilliantly gleaming in gold was an image of a lion hawk set in front of a glamorous shield.
"This is the symbol of the paladins of Highmoore but there is no way I am there." He slowly spun around in circles in search of any clue to his whereabouts.
"Is anyone here?" He called out again as he attempted to find anything that looked familiar to him. He slowly revolved examining his surroundings. As far as he could tell, he was standing within the center of a large open balcony. He could see the shrine of Aneira before him, yet it looked different. Instead of standing tall and proud, a vision of strength and glory, she stood with her arms held out as in a welcoming gesture. Alec looked into the face of this unique goddess statue and could not help but realize why she was the goddess of beauty.
He continued to look around. There were two doors leading out of his present location. He walked towards the edge of the balcony and looked below. A city lay below that bustled with activity, surrounded by a tall wall, wrapping around it, entirely. The tower he was in, seemed to touch the sky. He looked upward and saw how the building rose into the clouds, leaving the moon, still visible in the distance. He took in the view and decided he must be within his trial and should begin. He walked across the room and grabbed the door handle. He tugged on the handle but it refused to open. Alec walked further across the room and tugged on the next door.
"Both locked." He thought to himself for a moment before attempting to place his shoulder into the door. The door refused to budge but he continued to slam into the door until it began to come ajar.
"That is more like it." He opened the door the rest of the way and walked through.
"AAAH!" He yelled as he fell into nothingness and dangled by the door handle. He looked down and all around, seeing nothing but air. Carefully he pulled himself back skyward and, taking one-step in, closed the door behind him, the sounds of the haunting melody again filling his ears.
"You are not yet ready to go in there." Alec looked across the room and saw a young woman standing in a beautiful long flowing dress. Alec looked into her gorgeous face with her crystal grey eyes and her long blonde hair.
"Hello, my name is Alec. I am here to undergo the paladin trials." The woman walked to Alec with such elegance and grace, her whole body seemed to flow as if with the tide. The woman eyed him up and down as she floated around him. Alec hunched his shoulders defensively, feeling an immense chill as he was thoroughly examined.
"Welcome, Alec of Highmoore, I am the Lady Seraphina. I have been expecting you for some time." Alec looked up into her face, which dazzled magnificently against the moonlit background.
"Are you a Nymph?" Lady Seraphina smiled at Alec before answering.
"Ah, Lady Seraphina, yes." Marec interjected at this time causing Alec to cease his story telling.
"She was once the leader of the paladins, founder of Highmoore. It was she who gave up her mantle of nobility in order to allow for a council to rule the people on her behalf." Alec looked to Marec with a perplexed look on his face.
"Master do you wish for me to continue my story?" Marec waved him on so Alec continued where he left off, with Lady Seraphina's story.
"I was once a paladin, in truth, the leader of the paladins, before I gave my life in battle and was resurrected as a nymph in the service of the Holy Mother." Alec looked again into the maiden's face, yet could not bring himself to imagining this woman as a fierce warrior in command of the greatest legion in Valoria. Seraphina sensing what Alec was thinking, smiled brilliantly before speaking.
"I was once the ruler of Highmoore, your home. I am surprised you are unfamiliar with my name and renown." Alec looked down from the face of the angelic figure and stared at his own feet.
"Highmoore was destroyed when I was but a child. Much of the culture and history of my birth home was destroyed. Little written script is made available to commoners within the capital."
Again, Marec interrupted.
"That was one reason I never returned to the capital. The reason Eliza rarely saw me. So many horrors committed in a single eve just for the council to wash everything under the rug, burying the truth of what happened that night." Alec had never seen Marec look so solemn as he did when speaking of Highmoore. Alec gave his instructor a moment and then continued his story.
"I see not much has changed since my death," said Lady Seraphina. "The council sounds just as corrupt as I remember. In time Alec, I will teach you about your home. Behind you, I am certain you noticed two doors. Beyond each door lies a room that can only be revealed to you once you are ready to complete the appropriate trial. If you complete this trial, I will ask for you to complete another. Once you reach the next shrine, drink from the fountain of Aneira and offer your prayer. You will reappear here where you shall open the next door. Is this simple enough for you?" Alec nodded his head to Lady Seraphina after moving back from the doors, which, he feared had just nearly killed him.
"I sense something is bothering you?" Alec was shocked that she had noticed the thought scratching away at the back of his mind as if a swarm of insects were eating away at it.
"Yes, actually I was wondering, where are we?" Again, Lady Seraphina smiled hauntingly. She spread out her arms and slowly spun.
"Do you not recognize it? This is your home. You are in Highmoore." Alec stared at her alarmingly and began to look around in search of the Forsaken.
"What about the Forsaken? How did we manage to slip past them?" This time, when he looked to her for answers, Lady Seraphina only held sorrow on her face.
"I am afraid that this is not the Highmoore of your world. This is, in fact, only a memory of the once great bastion." Alec could not help but notice the extremely sad tone in her voice.
"I wish to one day reclaim the old fortress," said Alec. "Hang the banner of Highmoore amongst the clouds as it once was." Seraphina snapped out of her lament and looked to Alec.
"Good, you will need much preparation before you will be able to do so. Are you ready to begin the first trial?" Again, Alec nodded his head.
"You will have no need for your weapons. This test shall be a trial of the spirit. I will be testing the extent of your gift with Aneira's blessing. Before we begin, what training have you undergone thus far?"
"I am currently learning to perform the mending technique, though I have yet to create it." Seraphina thought for a second, her smile never once leaving her face. She looked up to Alec and spoke.
"We will not be worrying about that at this venture, however, if you would follow me." Seraphina glided in the direction of the fountain and Alec followed. She stopped floating above the surface of the water before turning toward Alec.
"If you would, step into the waters." Alec did as he was instructed. Immediately the water began to glow brightly and he was encompassed in waves of green and gold.
"Lady Seraphina, what is happening?" The nymph smiled and watched as Alec's hair began to wave as if within a gust and turned gold. His green eyes intensified. Alec could see Seraphina staring at him and attempted to look upon his reflection. The water now glowed so brightly it felt as if he had stared into the sun. He rubbed his eyes and instead focused on the nymph floating just beside him.
"You have wonderful potential young cadet, though I must wonder if you have yet harnessed your gifts." Seraphina raised one finger into the air and began to draw a rune. Immediately, Alec recognized it and began to trace the rune for mending. He finished drawing his rune, yet was unable to produce anything, as was normal from his experience. Alec grew frustrated and looked up to explain to the great lady, but instead she smiled.
"Rise from the pool, Alec. I understand what it is you need." Alec dipped his head to the side in confusion but all the same rose from the pool of churning water. As he did so, the water stayed, the surface of the water again clear and crystalline.
"This place is becoming increasingly strange." He muttered to himself and Seraphina began to laugh. For a moment, he was lost in the sound of her merriment. He knew Aneira was predominately known as the goddess of beauty and song, but he had never imagined exactly how that related to the nymphs. The sound of her glee, made his heart lift up and he had to catch himself to wipe the ragingly blissful grin from his face. Calming herself, Lady Seraphina turned toward Alec. This time her smile bore all of her perfect teeth.
"You do understand this place, though a memory not your own, represents you, do you not? As you grow more aware, more doors will open. As you become increasingly prepared for knowledge, information that has been lost for over a decade may reveal itself to you. Perhaps once you are ready, knowledge, which has been lost for centuries, shall reveal itself. You stand within the living ancestral memory of what may have once been the greatest city in all of Valoria." Alec paused for a moment in an attempt to understand.
"This place represents me?" He asked. Again, another melodious giggle escaped the nymph.
"That would be all you would grasp. Not much has changed. Are you ready for the lesson I have to teach you?" Alec nodded his head.
"Raise up your hands in defense." Alec did as he was told.
"I am going to teach you an offensive rune, simple, practical and powerful. As you become stronger, so will it." Seraphina raised her hand and drew a diamond in front of her. Alec watched while she flattened her fingers against her palm as if preparing for a palm strike. Alec watched her handprint appear within the center of the diamond, and suddenly he felt as though he was struck in the stomach. The air escaped his lungs and he was knocked off from his feet.
"What was that?" He moaned as he attempted to rise to his feet and regain his breath.
"That was force. A simple, basic, yet necessary rune for a paladin. This will be my first lesson to you. Now return the attack." Alec placed his hand to his breast, assuring to himself that air was again flowing into his lungs, then straightened himself.
Alec placed his hand out in front of himself and repeated the process he had been shown. A blue light radiated from the lines he had traced. He held his hand as Lady Seraphina had done and pressed it into the center of the diamond. A faint gust shot out from the rune, enough to cause the nymphs hair to blow backward in the wind.
"Well done, Alec. You have successfully cast your first rune. I expect you already possess the potential to cast a great many runes, just not the necessary control. Cast your rune again, this time with more power." Alec began to trace his rune and threw his palm into the center. This time he almost thought he could see the energy he had created. It shot out and flew toward Seraphina who, with a graceful wave of her hand, brushed it to the side.
"We will continue this until you have gained proficiency." Alec nodded his head and again drew the symbol. Hours passed and Alec continued to force out the blasts one after another until he began to grow exhausted. Sweat poured off from his brow and he buckled at the waist placing his hands upon his knees.
"We are not yet finished cadet. Cast the rune again, you must be ready when you return." Alec looked up and wiped the sweat from his eyes.
"Ready for what?"
"Your friends are in danger and have need of you." Alec rose to the occasion and took up a fighting stance.
"Then send me back!" He yelled. Lady Seraphina, unfazed by Alec's tone continued to speak calmly.
"I cannot, not until you have learned to use your gift. If you leave before a trial is completed, then I am afraid you have failed. They are fine for now. Time here is different from time in your world. In the hours you have spent here, only a few minutes have passed in your world."
"Can I not return once I have helped my friends?" He asked. Seraphina looked to Alec solemnly.
"I am afraid you cannot. If you fail my test, then you may never return and all will be lost." Angrily, Alec clenched his fist and realized all he was doing now was wasting time. He drew the rune as he had already done nearly one hundred times but, this time, exhaustion kicked in and he buckled.
"This is pointless. My body is too tired to continue."
"Then revive it." The nymph commanded. "Surely you do not think all of this time spent casting force would only prepare you for casting that one specific rune." The thought had not occurred to Alec. Quickly, he rose to his feet and drew the seal for mending. For the first time, the blue lines appeared and glowed brilliantly before him. He remembered what Talia had told him about selecting a target for the rune. He pulled his hand back towards himself and the rune followed his hand and struck him.
"I feel no different."
"You have just cast the rune for mending. Allow me to teach you a rune of my own creation, the rune of regeneration." Lady Seraphina began to trace her rune. She drew a large circle before her and sliced two lines through it, one vertical, the other horizontal, slicing her circle into four identical pieces.
Alec repeated the process and, as he had just done with mending, he pulled the rune of regeneration back toward himself. Light soaked into his skin and instantly he could feel his body energizing. He took a deep breath and stumbled, feeling slightly light headed. He stabilized himself and turned to his teacher.
"Why did I..."
"The body has two forms of energy, life energy and spirit energy. Life energy of the body affects your physical self, while spirit energy is drawn upon using you gift. You will have to train your spirit as if it too were a muscle. Now cast your rune." Alec placed his hand before him and drew out the rune for force. This time the concussive force emitted was nearly enough to push him backwards. Lady Seraphina stepped to the side avoiding the blast but, as she did so, Alec could see she was again smiling.
"Very well, you are ready to return."
"So I have completed my trial?" Seraphina smiled her glorious smile.
"The moment you stepped into the pool, your spirit was placed on display before me. The test was for me to determine the caliber of your spirit. The runes were so you do not wind up killing yourself before our next meeting."
"Wait, you lied to me?" Alec turned around to see Seraphina had already cast the rune for force. Alec was blown backward, landing into the fountain he had stepped in earlier. As he sank into the water, the world around him began to spin.
"Goodbye, Alec. I hope you survive long enough to come visit me again. I shall wait for you to arrive in Trias, where your next altar awaits." Alec felt himself spinning out of control. He closed his eyes to keep himself from growing even more nauseous, when his world suddenly grew still and he fell backwards and landed on the cold hard stone floor of the shrine.
"Am I back?" He opened his eyes and tried to make sense of the still spinning, blurry images. After another moment, his eyes refocused and he saw he was in fact back. He heard screaming out in the distance and, gathering his things, quickly ran towards its source. Alec ran around the corner to see the hallways already filled with flame. He could hear voices around another corner. Alec approached said corner and peeked around to the sight of an armored man threatening two cowering people in robes.
Gripping his sword and shield, he attempted a stealthy attack. As he crept behind the armored man, he could not help but catch the attention of the people the man was assaulting. Alec attempted to place his finger in front of his face to signal the two to be quiet.
"Drat!" He thought to himself as he made eye contact with a frightened young man. The guard, seeing the boy look, turned toward Alec.
"Hey who are..." was all the man could muster out before Alec dove into his side, losing his sword and shield in the process. With no other option, Alec began to pummel the man viciously as the armored man struck back at him.
"Run!" Alec turned and yelled to the two cowering parishioners who had remained on the floor leaning against the wall. They seemed to understand as they rose and began to flee. Alec found he had been turned away too long as an armored fist drove into the side of his skull, sending him towards another twist in the hallway. Alec lay on his back facing upward towards the now sword wielding man. As Alec began to back away, he noticed the beam that rested above the man's head. Quickly, Alec traced the rune for force and thrusting his palm into its center, shot out a massive gust that shattered the beam.
The man cried out as the beam fell on top of him. Alec was unsure if the man was alive or dead, but, he could hear the sounds of another man approaching. He turned toward his fallen victim and began to tear off his armor. He threw the helmet and gauntlets to the side, just managing to pull on the chest plate when the man came around the corner.
"Hey what are you doi.." Alec had already fired off force interrupting the man and sending him against the wall with a loud bang. Quickly, Alec grabbed the man and dragged him across the room, throwing him on the other side of his initial pile of rubble. Alec removed his boots and greaves and slipped them on.
"Now, I need to hide the evidence." He began to look around for a place to hide the men as he placed the Sidonis sword on his hip.
"I heard it from down here hurry!"
"Blast!" Was the first of many choice words to course through Alec's mind. Frantically, he began to trace runes against the walls, each one booming with an exciting chorus of demolition.
"Stay back! One of the firebombs landed in the kitchen. There are bags of flour in there exploding!" Alec yelled to them as the walls came crumbling down. He forced on the gauntlets and crammed his head painfully into the helmet, diving out of the way of the crumbling walls. He thought to himself for a moment and realized his actual sword and shield were beneath the rubble still. The armored thugs ran up on him and saw the collapse he had just caused.
"Are you alright?" Alec looked around and realizing they were speaking to him turned and nodded his head. The men looked over at him with gestures of confusion.
"Must be in shock." Alec gave a forced nervous jitter that the men seemed to buy.
"Alright then, follow us we have work to do." Alec fell in line directly behind the armored men and followed them around a corner, where more members of the church were corralled within the inner sanctuary.
"Alec!" Marec again cut Alec off during his regurgitation of recent events.
"Yes master." Alec tried to answer without an annoyed tone in his voice.
"Did you save them?"
"Yes."
"Good, if this were a book most readers would be ready to set you down right now. You need not explain every last detail of every moment. After a point, it becomes most excessive and you lose the interest of your audience. I think we are done for tonight. Your use of the third person whilst speaking of yourself has grown quite disturbing."
"I am sorry master."
"Just do not allow it to happen again." Alec rose and began to walk away from Marec.
"Alec?"
"Yes master?"
"Seeing as how you have passed the trial of spirit, tomorrow will be the start of a new type of training. Be sure to acquire sufficient rest. Things will be much more difficult henceforth."
"I will master, thank you for the warning." Alec headed back toward the direction of the inn. He looked back toward the church. The flames had not been completely dissolved as of yet but there was little left for him to do with all of the various different teams working on it already.
He confirmed things would be alright without him. Stopping in front of the door to the inn, he tapped into his link with Oz to check on the lion hawk. His connection revealed that Oz was in the stables sleeping. Alec decided not to bother him and walked inside. He eyed the counter as he walked in and debated to himself if he was in need of some of the free food Zelus had been raving about. Alec opted out and walked up the stairs to find their room.
He reached the top of the stairs which opened up into a second large lounge area where sat his friends. He looked around and saw Tear sitting in a chair, in the corner, drawing quietly. He saw Talia sitting in a chair next to Tear reading various scrolls. Finally he looked toward the fireplace, where sprawled out on opposite couches lay Eliza and Zelus both reading intently. Alec cocked his head to the side in order to catch a better view.
"The Epitaph Saga: The First Elder Born" Rested in Eliza's hands while "The Epitaph of Twilight: Seal of the Nameless God" was held firmly by Zelus.
"What are you two reading?" He asked. Neither Eliza nor Zelus looked away from their respective novels. Alec cleared his throat and repeated the question, this time loudly enough to receive the attentions of both readers. Eliza and Zelus looked up at Alec with awkwardly giddy, childish grins on their faces. Alec looked specifically to Zelus who was cradling his book, as if kin.
"Zelus? Seriously?" Zelus stared back at Alec with a defensive look on his face.
"What? It is an enticing book." Eliza nodded her head in agreement with Zelus and turned back to her own book, ignoring everything else around her. Alec stared back at Zelus and shook his head.
"For shame Zelus, for shame. You have been turned astray and lost to romantic feminine bewitchery." He smiled at his rival who attempted to defend himself as Alec walked away in search of his room. He expected to be thoroughly ignored by Zelus and Eliza, so instead he approached Talia and Tear, sitting across from them.
"Are the two of you alright?" Alec asked. Tear looked up at him and smiled before returning to her drawing and Talia glanced at him ever so slightly.
"Quite, thank you for your consideration." She spoke as mannerly as usual, yet somehow Alec could not help but catch the feeling the emotion behind it was bitter and cold. He paused for a moment, scratching the back of his mind contemplating his next move.
"Um, do you know which room is mine?" He asked nervously afraid of the response he might receive.
"Sir Marec said he would be rooming with you and Zelus for tonight. You are the first room nearest the stairwell." She immediately began to study her scrolls. Alec turned away from her, seeing she was preoccupied and preceded toward his room for some much needed rest. Alec reached for the door handle, and pressing open the door, walked inside toward the bed where his things sat.
He rested his body upon the bed and stared out the window to his left. It was dark, yet the village was still quite alive with activity. He stared outside and his mind was filled with questions from the day. Not just questions of his trial, but questions regarding the attack on the shrine, as well. He wondered to himself why anyone would attack a holy site, when even most bandits refrained from such actions.
Alec turned from the window, removed his traveling clothes until he sat with just his tunic and breeches. He reached his hand out in front of himself and began to slowly trace out the rune of force. As the glowing blue lines appeared, he ever so gently, placed his hand up against it and caused for a kinetic burst to leave his hand. Alec smiled to himself as he began tracing out the rune of mending again and watched, as it too, activated.
"I am going to become a paladin. I am going to bring about a change about this world, the no one has ever dared hoped for." He smiled to himself as he took off his boots, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and closed his eyes.
Alec's dreams that night, were filled with unexpected curiosities. He once again, could hear the sound of Talia's lullaby but it was not being sung to him by Talia. He could not place the voice but something about it, felt familiar, soothing even. He could see through blurry vision, he was surrounded by vast amounts of red and gold, which made him assume his dreams had taken him back to Highmoore.
"You shall be my gift upon this world, my little Alec. It shall be upon your shoulders that the fate of all things will balance. Guard yourself well, my son. For the dangers you shall face, will be unspeakable. But know this, even within the depths of darkness, a light shall shine and it is you, my son, who guides the flame."