Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (26 page)

Lian smirked.  “You.  Now, are you going to share that, or what?”

Sarath handed the pitcher to Lian and looked away.  “I guess you did earn your share by carrying me through the desert.”

Lian turned the pitcher up and had a long-awaited drink.  He put it down and looked to Rin.  “How did you know to expect us?”  Sarath and Kane also looked to the blind man in anticipation.

Rin grinned widely.  “The sight has shown me many things.  Not only do I see, but I listen when it speaks.”

Sarath crossed her arms and lightly shouted, “Stop being so cryptic!”

Lian sighed and looked to Sarath.  “Please, try to show some manners.”

Sarath snorted.  “Sorry, sorry.”  She rolled her eyes.  “Continue, Rin the Mystic.”

Rin cackled, facing Sarath.   “All will be made clear soon.”

The corner of Sarath’s lip twitched.  “You’re mocking me.”  She turned her head to Lian.  “He’s mocking me.”

Lian shook his head at Sarath.  “Let’s eat.”

She snorted.  “Fine, but next time you’re going to defend my honor.  I don’t care who insults me.”

The three ate and drank their fill after barely surviving the desert.  Rin stood and pointed to the stairway.  “Go, clean yourselves.  New clothes are waiting for you as well.  You must be presentable for your audience with the supreme ruler of Shinrok.”

Lian looked at Rin.  “Audience with the supreme ruler?”

Rin laughed.  “Yes, now go.  Kane may stay here with me.”

Sarath looked down to Kane.  “Why does the wolf stay?”

Rin shook his head.  “Stop questioning, girl.  Now go, relax.”

Lian placed his hand on Sarath’s shoulder.  “Come on.  Kane can take care of himself.

Sarath looked to Kane and winked.  “Well, he is our leader, after all.”

Kane watched the two as they walked toward the stairway.  He walked over and sat next to Rin.  Rin stared in the general direction of the stairway while placed his hand on Kane’s head.  “Don’t you worry, noble creature.  They are in no danger here.”

Kane glanced up to the old man, then back to Lian and Sarath, who were climbing the stairs.  They reached the top and walked through an archway to a different room.  Before them was a deep pool of water carved into the floor.  The water shimmered in the light from a skylight.

Sarath crossed her arms and leaned against Lian.  “Now, that is what I call a bath.”

Lian’s mouth dropped and slowly formed a grin.  “I’ve swam in smaller streams.”

Sarath looked up to Lian and smiled.  “Don’t complain.  This way there is plenty of room for us both.”

Sarath walked toward the pool, removing the thin undergarment covering her chest.  She bent down and unlaced her boots and removed them, then shimmied her tight pants off.  Sarath walked into the pool and down the steps that led to the deeper water.

The water reached her waist as she turned back to Lian.  “Coming?”  Sarath gave him a warm, welcoming smile.  Lian stared at her for a few moments before removing his clothes and following.  Sarath submerged herself momentarily.  She surfaced and gasped for air, then pulled back her wet hair back and looked at Lian.  “I’ve sand in places that I didn’t know I had.”  She laughed lightly.

Lian smiled and looked away.  “What places would you be referring to?”

Sarath let her jaw drop slightly before smiling.  “You’re awful!  Here we are, about to meet some royal person, and you are having such inappropriate thoughts.”

Lian smiled and stepped towards her a bit.  “Well, when you’re standing in front of me, covered only by water… it’s hard to think of anything else.”

Sarath walked through the deep water to Lian and wrapped her arms around him.  She laid her head against his shoulder.  “I haven’t thanked you yet.”

Lian wrapped his arms around her.  “Thanked me for what?”

Sarath let out a soft sigh.  “Carrying me through that desert.”

“Don’t thank me.  Thank our leader,” he said, smiling.  “I wanted to leave you there.”

Sarath’s mouth dropped open, and she looked up to see that Lian was smiling at her.  She playfully hit his chest.  “And I thought you cared…”  Sarath frowned and looked away.

Lian lifted her up.  Sarath giggled and wrapped her legs around his waist.  She rested her arms on his shoulders, smiling at him.

Lian looked into her eyes.  “Maybe just a little…”

Sarath grinned and leaned in towards him.  “Just a little?”

Lian felt Sarath’s forehead touch his.  “A little.”

Sarath brought her lips to his.  Lian kissed her passionately while he held her tightly against him.

Dusk approached the desert city of Shinrok.  Kane lay next to Rin, who still sat at the large table.  Rin looked in the direction of Lian and Sarath as they descended the stairs.  “I trust your new clothes are to your satisfaction?”

Sarath looked down at her clothes.  “They are… but how did you know?”

Rin grinned.  “How did I know what?”

Lian looked at his clothes as well.  “These are identical to the clothes that were ruined in the desert.”

Rin chuckled.  “Call it a lucky guess.”

Lian and Sarath walked across the room toward Rin and Kane.  Kane stood to greet them.  Sarath knelt down and petted Kane.  “You miss us?”  She smiled.  “You should have come with us… You are getting smelly.”  Kane growled, making Sarath laugh.  “Kidding!  You smell as good as a wolf can.”  Kane snorted and shook his head.

Lian shook his head.  “You know, I’m surprised he hasn’t bitten you.”

Sarath stood and looked back to Lian with a sultry smile.  “I think you’ve got that covered.”

Lian blushed and covered his face, sighing.  Kane shook his head and turned to face Rin.

The old man stood and smiled at Lian and Sarath.  “Come.  We must not keep Her Highness waiting.”

The group left the elegant building and journeyed back through the sand covered streets of Shinrok.  Stars were slowly starting to become visible in the evening sky.

Lian followed Rin down the street.  “Where are we going?”

Rin continued on, his cane tapping the street with each step.  “The Temple of Dusk.”

Sarath glanced to Lian.  “I thought we’d be going to a palace or something.”

“No need,” said Rin.  “Her Highness does not wish to be so formal.”

Sarath nodded her head.  “So, she wishes to be dramatic instead?”

Lian sighed.  “You always have something to say.”

Kane shook his head and looked to Sarath while they walked behind Rin.  Sarath looked to Lian with a smile.  “You like that about me.  You can be so quiet at times.”

Lian looked away.  “Shut up.”

Sarath giggled at him.  “Now, who has poor manners?”

Lian sighed.  “I should have left you in the desert.”  Kane looked at Lian and nodded in agreement.

Sarath feigned a look of shock, then shouted, “Hey!  Kane, you can’t side with him!”  Kane looked to Sarath and snorted.  She crossed her arms and turned her nose up.  “Traitors.  Both of you.”

They followed Rin deeper into the vast city.  In the distance, the Temple of Dusk could be seen.  It was large, yet simple, constructed of smooth stone.  A large, wide stairway led toward the interior of the temple.  There was no doorway.  The front of the temple was a broad opening.  They made their way up the stairs to the interior.  At the rear of the temple was a large statue of Elintae, flanked by brightly burning fire pits in the corners.  Beside the statue of Elintae stood a woman.  Her black hair was braided tightly and rolled into bun on the top of her head.  Gold hoops hung from her ears.  Black eye shadow darkened her eyes and her lips were stained violet.  She wore a loose-fitting white silk dress tied tightly at her waist with a sash. 

The woman approached them, kneeling before Lian.  “It is an honor.”

Lian looked down at the woman.  “What?”

Sarath looked to Lian, then the woman.  “Shouldn’t we be bowing to you?”

The woman stood and smiled.  “I am but a simple monarch.  You accompany the chosen, our savior.”

Lian looked around.  “Savior?”

Sarath rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.  “Here we go again…”

The woman studied Lian, eyeing the sword slung across his back.  “You are a Telindell, are you not?  You bear the weapon of one.”

Lian nodded his head.  “I am Lian Telindell.”

The woman smiled.  “You are her chosen.  You have arrived just as she said.”

Sarath looked to Lian.  “Here is this chosen nonsense again.”

Lian sighed.  “She means Elintae, I’m sure.”

The woman nodded.  “Yes, the Goddess of Dusk, the lady that embraces our souls when the body grants them release.”

Sarath looked at the woman.  “And you are?”

The woman smiled once again.  “Forgive me, I am Milas Ceriene, Supreme ruler of Shinrok.  You may address me as Ceriene.”

“I’m Sarath,” she said.

Ceriene bowed momentarily.  “It is an honor, Lady Sarath.”

Sarath raised an eyebrow and looked at Lian while she smiled slightly.  “Being with you has its perks.  I get carried through a desert, and I get bowed before.”

Lian shook his head and sighed at Sarath’s remark.  He looked to Kane and then to Ceriene.  “What is it that you require of me?”

“Before we get to that,” said Ceriene, pointing to Rin.  “I trust that the High Priest of Dusk has been accommodating.”

Sarath quickly nodded.  “Yes, very much so.”

Ceriene smiled.  “That is good to hear.  I’m sure you are aware that the world has forsaken Elintae.”

“Forsaken isn’t the word I would use,” said Sarath.  “I don’t think the world even knows of her.  I only just heard about her a day ago.”

Ceriene closed her eyes and sighed.  “I see.”

Lian looked to Sarath.  “Sarath, let’s hear what she has to say.”

“Alright, alright.  I won’t interrupt again,” said Sarath.  She looked to Ceriene.  “I sincerely apologize.  Please continue.”

Ceriene smiled at Sarath.  “The rest of the world may have forgotten Elintae, but we have not.  We have not forgotten the conflict that almost ended our existence one thousand years ago.  We have not forgotten.  Elintae grants our High Priest with sight.  Through him, she told us of your arrival.”

Lian took a breath.  “We were never meant to come here.  We had no choice.”

“No, you had no choice,” she said.  “But you were meant to come here.”

Sarath shook her head.  “What reason is there for us to nearly die in agony?”

Before Ceriene could answer, wind gusted through the interior of the temple, intensifying the fires within the pits.

Ceriene peered through a large opening in the ceiling.  “She comes.”

Sarath looked up to the opening.  “What?”

Green lightning shot from the sky.  It traveled through the skylight and struck the temple floor.  The room filled with a blinding green light.  They all closed their eyes tightly and turned their heads away from the light.  After the light faded, they looked to where lightning had struck.  Elintae stood before them.

Rin dropped his cane and kneeled, “My Lady of the Dusk!”

Ceriene bowed her head.  “My Lady.”

Kane bowed his head momentarily.

Lian remained silent and glared at the goddess. Sarath’s eyes widened as she gazed upon Elintae.  She looked to Lian, then back to Elintae.  “Did she just?”

Lian continued his angered glare towards Elintae.  “Yes.”

Sarath stared upon her.  “How?”

“She’s a god,” said Lian.  “Haven’t you been paying attention?”

“Yes… but…” she said before trailing into silence.

Elintae approached the group, stepping softly across the stone floor.  She smiled at Lian.  “Lian, it pleases me to see you.” 

Lian clenched his fists and shouted, “Why?  Why am I here?”  Lian looked to Sarath.  “More importantly, why is she here?”

Elintae looked to Sarath.  “I see you have found the green eyes.”

Sarath slowly pointed to herself.  “Me?”

“Yes, you,” said Elintae.  “You told Lian of his enemy.  The one responsible for his mother’s murder.  You also told him where she resides.  The place where you first spilled blood.”

Lian gritted his teeth and shouted, “That doesn’t answer my question!”  He snarled towards Elintae.  “She almost died!  Twice!”

Elintae’s eyes glowed, and her voice echoed like thunder.  “You will have patience!  I will tell you why in time!”  The glow subsided from Elintae’s eyes, and she looked to Sarath and spoke softly.  “I sense you have questions.”

Sarath slowly nodded.  “How do…”  She paused for a moment.  “What are you?”

“I am the one who embraced Arthur’s wretched soul when you cut his heart out,” she said. Her eyes glowed briefly once again while her voice thundered, “I am the Goddess of Dusk!  Death incarnate!”

Sarath took a step back and trembled at the realization that she was in the presence of a god.  She looked to Lian then back to Elintae.  Sarath pushed her timid feelings away and glared at Elintae.  “For… For a god you must not be that powerful!”

Lian looked to Sarath.  “Quiet!”

Sarath shook her head.  “I will not be quiet!  I’m involved in this now.  I want answers!  Why can’t you stop Roxees?  Why am I even involved?”

Elintae looked at Sarath, remaining silent.  She turned and regarded the statue of herself.  “Tell me,” Elintae said, looking back at Sarath, “what do you think a god is?”

Sarath looked to Lian.  “Well…”  She looked back to Elintae.  “God’s are all powerful.”

“It is true that I have incredible power,” said Elintae.  “It is false that I am all powerful.”  She looked upon her statue once again.  “Mortals have always had a fascination with believing that we gods possess far greater power than we do.”

Sarath took a deep breath.  “Gods?  There are more of you?

“There was,” she said.  “My opposite.  While I am death incarnate, he is that of life.”  Elintae turned to face the group.  “He faced the Dalronians long ago and never returned.”

Ceriene clasped her hands together.  “We pray his return at the rising of each dawn.”

Elintae smiled and bowed her head.  “For that, I thank you.”

Sarath looked to Lian before setting her sights on Elintae once again.  “So these monsters, the Dalronians… are more powerful than you?”

Elintae slowly shook her head.  “Not all.  I am but a creation of this world.  Their leaders consumed the power of their world.  They devoured everything it was, twisting themselves to hold the vast power.  Now they seek our world.  Whether to consume it or eradicate us and inhabit it I do not know.  I do know that Roxees has already started twisting Kynlynn’s soldiers and citizens into Dalronians.”

Lian looked to Sarath with wide eyes.  “How?”

“In the same way that they came to be,” said Elintae.  “Manipulating our world’s magic and consuming it, to transform them.”

Lian stared at Sarath.  “That’s why, isn’t it?”

Sarath looked to Lian.  “What are you saying?”  Sarath looked to Elintae.  “Are you saying that you sent Lian to save me?”

Elintae nodded.  “I feel you will play an important role.  I was not ready for you to leave your life behind.”  Elintae looked to Lian.  “You lost your mother.  You have lived a hard life, and more difficult times are yet to come.  I sent you in search of a soul just as weary as yours.  I hoped you both would find comfort from this cruel life.”

Lian studied Sarath and couldn’t help but smile.  “I have.”  Lian looked back to Elintae.  “Thank you.”

Sarath looked at Lian and smiled.  “Not only a God, but a damn good matchmaker.”

Lian nodded.  “How long?”

Elintae looked at Lian.  “How long until what?”

“You said they consumed their entire world?” said Lian.  “How long until Zaneen suffers the same fate?”

Elintae turned away.  “I yet live, and I guard the secrets of this world with my life.  Our world is not in danger of ceasing to be, just everything in it.”

Lian shook his head.  “What do you mean, the secrets of this world?”

“It is best if I don’t speak of it,” said Elintae.  “I must guard those secrets until I have no choice but to reveal them.”  Elintae let out a sigh.  “It has always been my duty to help cleanse the souls of all life once they pass.  In Olbien’s absence, I must also return them to the heart of Zaneen.  He would return and guide them so that life would flourish in the world as a whole. I carry the weight of his burden in guiding new life.  I also carry the weight of his mistake.”

Sarath struggled at the information she heard.  “Who’s Olbien and what mistake?”

“Olbien is life,” said Elintae.  “My opposite, as I said.”  Elintae glared at the group.  “I wish to not speak of his mistake.”

Lian crossed his arms.  “As long as you exist and guard these secrets… they cannot truly destroy our world?”

“Can’t they?” Elintae asked with a slight smile.  “Imagine a Zaneen with no humans, no Elves, no creatures such as Kane.  Only the Dalronians.  What is to stop them from finding a way beyond our world?”

“There are more worlds?” said Lian

Elintae nodded.  “Dalron exists beyond our world.  It is foolish to believe there are only two.”

Sarath looked to Lian, then back to Elintae.  “How do you know so much about Dalron and other worlds?”

Elintae’s voice thundered once again.  “I said I did not wish to speak of Olbien’s mistake.”

Sarath’s eyes widened while she took a step back.  “I… I’m sorry.”

Elintae’s voice became soft.  “You are forgiven.”