The Jake Thomas Trilogy: Book 02 - Sword of Light (13 page)

“And you.”  Hailyn said.

With that, Wilham turned his horse north and rode off.  Jake and Hailyn picked up the pace of their horses, settling into a moderate pace.  Though the sun came out from behind the scattered clouds, the temperature stayed cool and pleasant for the rest of the day.  The dark smudge of the Hills grew larger as they approached.

There was little traffic moving along the road.  They saw the several wagons and an occasional rider, but for the most part, they rode alone.  They passed by several small villages, earning curious looks from the residents, but no one stopped them.

The terrain began to change as they made their way west.  The grass began to thin, with more trees dotting the landscape, and the gently rolling plains transitioned into more pronounced hills and hollows.  The ground became rockier, with random rock formations rising from the ground like scattered statues.

As Wilham had said, they reached the hills near dusk.  The hills appeared to be more like small mountains to Jake.  He saw the road began a winding climb into the hills.  He and Hailyn moved off the road into a small stand of trees, setting up camp, hidden from the view of any passersby.  They ate a quick meal as night descended and Hailyn took the first watch as Jake rolled out his blankets and tried to sleep.

The next day seemed as if they were going to climb forever, the going slower than Jake would have liked.  The road continued to rise into the hills, never seeming to descend in any appreciable way.  They did not encounter anyone throughout the day, the noise of their passage seemingly the only sounds in the world, making Jake uneasy.  It was if they were the only two people left on the planet.  He began to worriedly look around, his mind imagining unseen threats, but there was nothing but the two of them.  Finally, they neared the summit as the sun was setting. 
Hopefully, we will make better time going downhill.
Jake thought.

However, the weather changed in the night.  The clouds gathered, the temperature dropped and a gentle rain began to fall.  Quickly covering up their supplies, Jake was grateful for the cloaks Kal had given them.  They were indeed warm and the rain rolled off the waxy surface.

In spite of the nearly constant rain, they made it to the other side by the late afternoon of the next day.  The rain let up just as they spied the plains beyond, though the clouds covered the sky.  As they crested the last hill, Kersant became visible to them.

  Kersant was a small city, nestled at the base of the hills, surrounded by a large
stone wall that encircled the city.  The road they were on ran up to the main gates, which were open.  Jake could see the warren of streets and alleys that ran through the stone and wood buildings.  The main street led to the center of the city.  It passed through a wide stone courtyard before leading to a large building sitting on a small hill: the Temple.  On the side of the courtyard was a tall stone building that towered over the nearby buildings.  Jake could easily see the domed roof from this distance.  That had to be the Library of Kersant.

As they rode out of the hills and approached the gate, Jake felt as if the leaden sky was bearing down on him, weighing down his spirit, oppressive in its smothering sameness.  The gray clouds overhead washed out the faint sunlight.  The colors of the world seemed to have faded; everything was now tainted with an ashen hue.

At the city gate, the two soldiers standing guard stopped them.  The men were dressed in chainmail and pointed helms, armed with long pikes and swords on their belts.  They looked wary, their eyes darting behind them, as they brought their pikes down and crossed them, barring their way.

“What business do you have here?”  The soldier on the left asked brusquely.  “We are cautious of outlanders.”

“We have come to seek out the Library.”  Hailyn replied as she undid her cloak, revealing her clerics’ robe.  “Are we not allowed in the city?”

“Forgive me, Sister.”   The man said quickly.  He looked behind him again.  “Are you sure you wish to enter?  It may be better if you return another time.”  He said quietly.

“What is the problem?”  She responded gently.  “I only wish to speak with the librarian.”

Before he could speak, another soldier approached, an officer by his uniform.  He came up, apprising Hailyn and Jake, eyes going wide at the sight of Hailyn’s robes, and turned to the soldiers.

“What is going on, soldier?”  He demanded.  “Why are you blocking their way?”

“Just asking their business.”  The man replied, eyes scanning the city beyond.

“Let them pass, you fool.”  The officer said, his voice sounding nervous.  “We do not want to be known as inhospitable, do we?”

“Of course not, sir.”  The guard answered, his face suddenly turning pale.  He quickly lifted his pike, the other soldier doing the same.  “If you wish to enter, you may.”

“May the blessing of the One be on you.”  Hailyn intoned, raising her hand.  She turned to the officer.  “Can you give us directions to a good inn in the city?”

“Simply follow this street, Sister.”  The man replied.  “The best inn is the Sleeping Lady.  It is near the Library courtyard.”

“Thank you.”  Hailyn said as she and Jake rode into the city.

Jake observed the groups of people standing near the front of many of the buildings, watching them pass.  They would glance towards Jake and Hailyn, and then speak quietly together.  Several hurriedly turned and left when they saw that Jake had noticed them.

He was suddenly uncomfortable, his senses telling him that something was not right here.  He could almost feel the hidden sub-current of fear worming through the city. 
What is going on?
  He thought worriedly.  He was certain that he would not like finding out the answer.

“Something is screwed up here.”  He told Hailyn quietly.  “Can’t you feel it?”

“Yes, Jake.”  She said softly as she watched the people moving about.  “We need to be cautious, but let’s see if we cannot find out what the runes mean now.  We can always leave and sleep in the woods.”

They headed to the Library,
its round dome clearly visible over the rest of the buildings, guiding them.  They entered the wide paved courtyard that covered the area in front of the Library.  As they passed the fountain in the center of the courtyard and stopped near the main doors of the Library, a teenager in white robes came running across the courtyard towards them.  Jake noted that he came from the direction of the Temple.

“Sister, I am Niclos, an apprentice of the Temple.”  He said as soon as he caught his breath.  “Are you a healing cleric?”

“I am.”  Hailyn replied.

“Thanks to the One.”  He said quickly.  “Can you come to the Temple now?  We have injured people, but our last healing cleric left some time ago.”

Hailyn glanced at Jake, who shook his head no.  “I have to go, Jake.”  She said softly.  “I cannot let others suffer when I can help, especially in the Temple.”

“Then I will go with you.”  Jake replied.

“No.”  Hailyn said.  “Find out what we came here for, then join me.”

“I will come back for him, if you wish, Sister.”  Niclos said hurriedly, looking back towards the Temple.  “Please, can we go?”

“We will go, Niclos.”  Hailyn said, leaning down and placing a calming hand on his shoulder.  She looked over to Jake.  “We have to take some risks.”

“I don’t like it, but if we are going to do it, let’s do it.”  He stated.  “I will be there as soon as I can.”

“I will wait for you at the Temple.”  She replied.  She turned to Niclos.  “Lead on, Niclos.”

Jake watched as Hailyn rode off, following Niclos, who took off back towards the Temple at a run.  Shaking his head, he slid off Dontas and tied off the reins at a hitching post near the doors.  He glanced around, the mostly empty courtyard filling him with misgiving. 
Get on with it. 
He growled to himself.

He climbed the stairs that led to the main entrance, two large wooden doors that were open.  He passed by the stone columns that bracketed the doors and entered the Library, his footsteps echoing softly in the stone entryway.  He paused and looked around.  There were small rooms off to the sides, with the main library directly ahead though a large archway.  The hallway and rooms were lit with a multitude of candles, grouped together in large iron candleholders.  There were at least forty or fifty candles in each holder.  Glancing up, Jake saw that the stone ceiling, at least fifty feet high, was decorated with bright colored stones, arranged in complex mosaics.

He took a deep breath and went into the main library.  The room was huge, its round walls made of polished stone, with the domed roof towering over the center.  There were rows of wooden shelves radiating from the center, like spokes on a wheel, filled with scrolls and books.  Jake noticed the slightly dusty smell in the room, faint but ever-present.  As he made his way to the center of the room, he saw a few people standing around the room.  They seemed startled by his presence and quickly moved off.

In the center of the room, there was an open space with tables and chairs spread about, with candles nearby, lighting the area.  He spotted a man in a dark robe moving about the shelves, returning scrolls.  The man was tall and thin, with a long face topped with unkempt dark hair.  Jake approached him, tapping him on the shoulder to get his attention.  The man jumped and spun around, startled.

“Sorry.”  Jake said quickly, seeing the fear in the man’s brown eyes.  “I didn’t mean to scare you, but I wanted to know if you can help me.”

The man gained control of himself, studying Jake in his armor, though he glanced nervously around the room before he spoke.  “What assistance do you need?”  The man asked.

Jake pulled out the parchment with the runes.  “I am trying to find the key that will interpret what these runes mean.”

Taking the parchment from Jake, the man looked closely at the runes.  After studying them for some time, he handed the paper back to Jake.  “Follow me.”

The man led Jake over to a table near the rows of shelves.  “Sit and wait here.”  The man said officially.  “I will find you the scrolls you need.”  The man went down one of the rows.

Jake sat down, looking around the library.  He felt a sudden twinge of fear when he realized that he was the only person in the room.  He tried to stay calm, refusing to let his imagination get the best of him.  Shortly, the man returned, carrying several scrolls.

“The runes appear to be from the High Language period.”  The man said as he set the scrolls down next to Jake.  “These scrolls are the common translations from that period.  They should be able to assist you.”

“Thanks.”  Jake said as he reached for the nearest scroll.

“I have my duties to attend to, so I will leave you to your research.”  The man said as he turned to leave.  “You may leave them on the table when you are finished.”

Jake nodded as the man walked back into the rows of shelves.  He pulled one of the candleholders close to give him more light, then pulled out the parchment, laying it next to the scroll, and began to look for answers.

…

The Temple reared above Hailyn as she slowly dismounted.  The structure was large, with several smaller buildings attached to the main sanctuary.  The grounds, filled with trees, bushes and other plants, were not well maintained.  That was somewhat troubling to her, but she tried not to judge them too harshly until she had a chance to speak with another cleric.

Noticing that there were few apprentices around the grounds, Hailyn questioned Niclos, who was waiting nervously nearby.  “Where are the clerics, Niclos?”

“Many have left, Sister.”  He said, glancing around.  “The few that remain are in the sanctuary with the wounded and sick.”

“Why did they leave?”

“I should let a cleric tell you.”  He replied as he pushed open the doors on one of the outbuildings.  “Please follow me.”

Despite her misgivings, she followed him into the Temple.  He took her down a long hallway that ended near a large opening on the right that led into the main sanctuary.  “In here, Sister.”  He said as he went down the short steps.

She followed him down, looking cautiously around the main sanctuary as they walked down the center aisle.  The tall
stone walls were dimly lit, the wooden benches slightly askew, an unusual odor in the air.  She faced forward and saw the there were people covered with blankets lying on the benches close to the altar.  She noticed a tall figure in clerics robes bending over one of the injured, apparently ministering to them.

She was walking towards the cleric, prepared to assist, when she stopped suddenly, Niclos halting with her.  It had not registered when she first glanced at it, but something was wrong with the altar.  When she looked at it again, she saw the eternal flame was out.  No cleric would allow that to happen!  Shocked, she instinctively called up her power, her shining form chasing away the shadows, and whipped her head around to look at Niclos.

“Forgive me, Sister!”  He cried out.  “I had no choice!”  Spinning on his heel, he turned and ran out of the sanctuary.  She was taken aback, but before she could react, the cleric near the altar spoke.

“Do not hold it against him.  He truly did not have a choice.”  An alien voice, mocking in tone, came from the darkened hood as the figure straightened.  Human hands that ended in claws reached
up and pushed the hood back.  Hailyn saw what looked like an attractive woman’s face, complete with wavy black hair, except this woman had pitch black eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth.  “Have you come to die like all of the others, little cleric?”  The demon taunted, its form suddenly surrounded with dark power.