The Exodus Sagas: Book II - Of Dragons And Crowns (66 page)

“We have to leave. Now!”
Shinayne spoke before she looked, looked into an empty room where her friends should have been.
The side door was wide open, gear taken, and not a sound issued besides the echo of her own voice
.
“Oh no, oh God no.”

Angeline II:III

Soujan Mountain, Harlaheim

“And what shall follow is the
darkest
curse to end the guardians of the Caricians, for their stock will be filled with only the lowly, the sick, the sinners, and the wicked. Their secrets undone, their temples crushed to the earth, their future doomed, so Yjaros proclaims from the temp
les of Khi’Va
and Khedra
to all the world and so shall it be done,
a curse endless upon the Knights Soujan
.”
---Spoken to the masses of Altestan by their three Emperors before the second Agarian inquisition. Circa 1950 B.C.

“I cannot sense or see someone I have never met, Kalzarius. Queen Rosana is unknown to me, as is most any mortal save
yourself and the knights below
. I wish I could help you in this matter, old friend.” Ansharr
spoke softly
from her curled rest to her
blac
k and white robed
confidant of the arcane. They had been talking for many hours about the scroll
of Annar
,
about
Gwenneth and her friends, and the troubles of the kingdom that led to the siege Kalzarius had just endured.
“Why is it that you cannot see her?”

“I can sense she is alive, yet something is blocking my vision once I get closer. Whoever she is with has a way to remain unseen by arcane means. That troubles me worse than if I could not see her at all Ansharr.” Kalzarius of Harlaheim heard the faint message of magick from his head student, Cilano, that all was well and the final forces of the siege had left the tower
grounds, for now
. That relief was a feeling he had not had enough of
in
the last few weeks.

“Have you been able to watc
h the travels of Gwenne
and the others?” Kalzarius was worried
about many things that had driven his frustration
,
since they were largely out of his control.

“They left here to Saint Erinsburg, then west and into Willborne. Their path to the mines of Kakisteele will be dangerous, and I sense they are separated and in danger now. There is nothing we can do to help them Kalzarius, Harlaheim is only going to worsen you say
,
and they are far now. I am sure they can meet any challenge should they remain together.
They have much divine attention and gifts from both yourself and
me.
We have done all we can
.
” Ansharr yawned, showing hundreds of white and yellow teeth that lined her enormous jaws.

Their thoughts interrupted, both the great red dragon and the old master wizard looked to one another then to the
wide and hidden high
entrance of Soujan Mountain.

“I sense a silent approach my lady.” Kalzarius whispered as he raised his staff and concentrated upon a warding barrier
to appear in front of them both.

“I know this person, yet I have not seen her in many years. She means us no harm old friend.”
t
he great dragon felt strong
peace emanating from whoever walked upon her cavern, the overwhelming serenity that humans rarely possessed unless rooted deep in the spiritual realm
, she knew it was Angeline
.

Green robes and shining armor foreshadowed the Agarian woman as she took knee in front of the great ancient dragon that guarded her temple. Angeline breathed deep of the stone and the mountain air that she had not held in her chest for over seven years. It brought the twinge of tears to her eyes, yet another solemn and relaxing exhalation prevented her eyes from overflowing with longing and joy.

“Arise, Angeline Berren of the Knights Soujan. Has it been seven years of amends already? And you return home safely and serene.” Ansharr was overcome with joy to see yet another wayward soul return to the order that h
ad been nearly extinct since her own mother
was very young.

Angeline stood, brushed her curls of blonde and red away from her face and bowed slightly to the old wizard that stood beside her draconic friend. “It has been that long
, yes. And true, my amends have been made and forgiv
en during my journeyed vows to
the Soujan. It is good to be home Ansharr.”

A slight
thwack
of her tail alerted Kalzarius that he should say something instead of staring weary-eyed at the lovely swordswoman. Ansharr cleared her throat after the gesture
,
as a quick reminder.

“Yes, yes, of course. It is a pleasure Angeline, I am Kalzarius of Harlaheim. Friend of
,
oh how long now, better part of seventy years
I believe, to Ansharr here.” h
e stammered
,
having never formally met one of the secr
etive and mythical Soujan
that Ansharr said still existed and serv
ed the old Gods directly
.

“
The
Kalzarius? They speak highly of you at the Lazlette Semanarium Arcanum in Vallakazz. You are quite famous and idolized there, even by the eldest professors of the arcane. It is an honor, Kalzarius of
Harlaheim.” Angeline bowed her head once more in respect of such a master and trusted friend to Ansharr.

“I am? Well of course, I suppose, I taught Aelaine and her father, and ummm, even her daughter Gwenneth for a time. You studied there then?”

“No, it is a long story. I served Middir of Kivanis for a period of several years. Part of my training you could say, but I do not practice the arts, your arts anyway. I am sure you are well aware of what we learn at this temple.”

“Actually, no. Ansharr has her secrets and has never informed me of much. I respect whatever it is you do and the need for it to remain hidden
. I hope what you serve gives you great joy and reward, just as my studies do me.
I have heard of Middir, reputedly a great wizard himself.
” Kalzarius bowed slightly to the younger woman before him, now more curious than ever to know what it is that is taught below.
He straightened up, realizing he had now bowed several times in his flirting nature.

“What I serve has saved me, bore me anew into life, and given me purpose beyond words. Thank you. But that is not why I have come. Great Ansha
rr, I must speak to Larens
and the others. Please pardon me
,
as I am torn on a promise I made to Middir and Lady Lazlette and
I am in
need
of
spiritual guidance.”

“What promise could they have asked of you my child?” Ansharr was fighting her need to rest for a few months with all the activity she had not been accustomed to in the past week.

“I was requested to find and return Gwenneth Lazlette to Vallakazz, and I accepted. It was emotional for her mother, for myself
,
and Middir as well. I said yes, but then thought of how this proposition would look to the Soujan
,
and it has troubled me ever since. Then a cloaked elven swordsman and I had a few encounters, and despite his wickedness of spirit, I let him live. I am confused, and when that occurs I need time in prayer with the Goddess and
my fellow
knights.” she
told far more than she knew she should have, but it rolled out of her like water from a weakened dam.

“I too, was asked to return young Gwenneth to her mother, but I refused. She is old enough to make her own mistakes and her own life. Aelaine needs
to understand this.” he
paced, feeling somewhat relieved he was not the only one that had erred on the side of letting Gwenne find her
path in life unhindered.

“They make passage to the lost mines of Kakisteele and the city of Mooncrest, far, far to the west of here. I could tell you which route to take
,
but going alone, even for a Soujan Knight, would be far too dangerous.
The help and experience she needs can only be found through trial and error, not the forced hand
that
her mother tries to hold her down with. Let her go Angeline.” Ansharr lowered her head as the Soujan woman passed toward the hidden alcove and stairs down to within the mountain.

“I would, but there is something else, something that I must know
about her.”

“What would that be my child?”

“The swordsman I dueled, twice and let live, had an aura, a wickedness and darkness to his spirit that he was much at home with. I let him live due to circumstances that my honor and order would not allow me to disregard. Yet, I felt I was doing the world harm by obeying and not ending his
life then and there.” she
stopped at the stairs, seeing the dark spiral passage down
,
well lit by green flame and shimmering orange torchlight.

“What does that have to do with Gwenneth Lazlette?” Ansharr spoke what Kalzarius was thinking.

“Because for all her power and born ability in the arts, I have always had that sam
e unnerving feeling when I stood
close to her. I never told anyone in my service to Middir, but Gwenneth has an evil in her, deep inside, and I felt it for seven years in Vallakazz. Resentments, loneliness, anger, and a vicious ego that craves more power over others. She has spent years hiding it, skillfully. I just need to know if it is her, or something that was done to her is all.” Angeline walked down the stairs alone leaving a stunned dragon and wizard
with nothing in which to retort, but much to discuss.

Kalzarius looked to Ansharr who kept the gaze, both of them knowing they had been suspicious as well. Ansharr felt guilt now for the first time in almost a thousand years for giving such a mighty staff to a potentially
wicked and powerful woman
. Kalzarius felt shame inside at assisting and fostering from afar the superior skills of his once student for many years after she had returned home. Neither spoke a word, just a silent understanding that perhaps they overlooked the obvious for the sake of wishful optimism. The two old friends bowed and forced a smile toward one another, and as Ansharr laid her head down to rest, Kalzarius spoke the arcane words that would take him from here and t
r
ansport him through magicked means to his tower in Harlaheim.

LCMVX
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Her heart could not remain calm as she placed on booted step in front of the other down the secret stairs to the Soujan temple. For nearly half an hour Angeline descended downward past torches and the mystical green illuminations of the Goddess that lit her way. Silence draped the journey and then she was home. Her blue eyes wet again as she gazed across the landing over the shrine she had been taken to so many years ago in desperation. A wide cavern filled her view, full of light and the three maple trees that grew without the sun. An enormous triangle of platinum inlay with t
he etched prayers of the mother Seirena
surrounded the trees
. T
here sat
several of her fellow knights, l
egs crossed, swords to the side of thei
r pious positions of meditation. T
he Knights Soujan listened for the word and will of the Goddess in how to protect her children.

The silence was peaceful with every breath as Angeline walked down the last few steps to the temple floor. She saw her mentor rise from his meditations and walk around the sacred symb
ol of the Soujan as
she met him with a mutual warm embrace.

“Angeline, we have been waiting since we heard you were returning
. How is your spirit?” Larens
spoke with enthusiasm and an eagerness to test her that his eyes could not conceal. His blue mottled eyes from behind a thick mass of brown and gray hair had a truth and love to them tha
t assured her of trust
with a single look.

“I am
at peace, Larens. And I---“ h
er eyes dotted down for but a moment and he stepped with his intuitions as she had expected.

“No you are not. Try again.”

“I am torn between a promise I made and my primary duty here.” Angeline eeked out some honesty since she was pressured.

“And where does the Goddess come into this conundrum?”

“Well I had thought to pray for her guida---“

“You thought, but did not yet act?
So you still think you can figure things out on your own, do what you will, or slide through what the world throws at you without her wisdom and connection? Then you have not changed much at all Angeline.”
h
is words like knives of truth into her conscience, always aimed at the dependence upon the Soujan and their revelations received from the mother of the Gods
and her lost children
. He said these things with a loving smile, which was odd for her since it
felt like being berated for failing. She knew, however, that his intentions were divine and Goddess given.