Before True Light: The Awakening 2nd Edition

by Sarah Buchynski

  ****

  “Is she dead?” said a voice.

  “Don’t be stupid,” said another voice.

  “Why does everyone call me that?!” said the first voice. The second voice chuckled. “Hey, I think she’s coming around!”

  Izanami’s eyes started to open, but she was having trouble keeping them open. For the past three days her eyes would slightly open, but then close just as quickly. She rolled onto her stomach and buried her face into the pillow, making a few grumbles. “Are you feeling alright? Do you want something to eat?” asked Zane. She turned her head slowly and finally focused on two familiar faces, but she was confused as to why the one was there.

  “Santo... why are you here… and where is here?” said Izanami in a drowsy voice.

  “And a hello to you too! Zane sent a message to the village on the leg of a hawk, hoping that we were still there. And then the Grand Elder sent me here. Actually, I volunteered to come! The Elder of White Heka fixed my leg up quite nicely, and I wanted to try it out,” joked Santo.

  “We are back at the castle in Alexandros. I’m not sure how we made it back, but General Kyros got us back...somehow. I haven't seen him since I woke up here. Things aren’t so good,” said Zane to Izanami. Izanami sat up, brought her knees close to her chest and became quiet. The more aware she became, the more she remembered what happened – the faces of the children, and what they had become, filled her mind. She had failed them. But she, too, wondered how Kyros managed to get them all the way back to Alexandros without any outside assistance.

  “So, will you two be coming back with me then?”

  Now Zane turned quiet. Zane had explained to Santo, upon his arrival, what happened since they departed the village, and the disaster in Kandal. “We kind of made a verbal contract with King Cornelius that, if he supplied us with information and aided us in the rescue mission, we would help him in return,” explained Zane.

  “I see…so you two are staying, then,” replied Santo.

  “For the time being, we are. I don’t know what the King has in mind, but we are obligated to stay for now,” said Zane.

  “Well, I should get back to the village and try to find a way to explain to the mothers of the children…,” Santo couldn’t finish his sentence. Before leaving, he handed Zane a piece of paper with directions on how to find the new location that the people of their village were planning to migrate to.

  “Santo, is Artemis alright?” asked Izanami as soon as she thought of the villagers. Santo kept walking and shut the door behind him.

  “I guess he didn’t hear you,” said Zane. Right away there was a knock on the door. It was a servant of King Cornelius. Izanami and Zane were summoned to have an audience with the King as soon as they were ready. “Well, I guess we should go now, if you feel strong enough,” said Zane. Izanami nodded.

  Following the King’s servant down the corridors of the castle, Izanami felt very troubled.

  Arriving at the throne room, they found the King and General Kyros waiting for them. However, it appeared that they had been embroiled in somewhat of a disagreement.

  “I’m going to tell her the truth,” said General Kyros in a low voice.

  “You will do no such thing; I forbid it!” ordered the King.

  “After all I’ve done for you in these last thirteen years, you deny me the…”

  King Cornelius interrupted, “Keep your tongue still, General! It is true you have helped me a great deal, but remember whom you speak to!”

  The King’s servant cleared his throat and said, “I am sorry to interrupt His Majesty and Great Sir, but the audience has arrived.”

  “Very good, you are dismissed,” said King Cornelius to the servant, as if nothing unusual had been going on before their arrival. The servant left the Throne Room and the massive doors were closed to provide privacy. “It brings me great joy to see you Mages return safely… but I am saddened to hear what you had to bear witness to.”

  “I take it that General Kyros has debriefed Your Highness of the...events?” said Zane.

  “Yes, he has, so there will be no further need to speak of what transpired there. What we need is a course of action,” replied King Cornelius.

  “Does His Majesty have any ideas? Izanami and I are unfamiliar with the policies of warfare in this kingdom, so we may not be of much help to offer any suggestions in that regard,” said Zane.

  “Aye, boy. It is only time before Burmeka strikes us with this weapon that acts as an angel of death,” replied King Cornelius.

  The King then looked at both Zane and Izanami, and said, “Perhaps the only way we stand a chance against Burmeka is to make such weapons of our own. Would you Mages be able to produce such a thing?”

  “It’s not a matter of would we be able, it’s more like should we do it!” snapped Izanami. “We’re talking about living beings and turning them into monsters! And we don’t know what else someone can do with the dark energy that is released! Besides, the only way to create such a thing is to use someone who is infused with, and can manipulate, the dark energy, and so far there is no one but Lord Xenon. So, how do you want me to use my friends, my people? You sicken me, to even consider such a grotesque act! What are you? This is an act of a coward! To commit such an atrocity to save yourself is to give yourself false hope… what is the price you are willing to pay?!”

  Zane interrupted with, “Izanami, that’s enough! He’s a king…you can’t talk to him like that, even though we both know it’s wrong to even consider such a response.”

  “Your Majesty, I’m afraid I must agree with the Mages. To even consider such deeds is worse than death,” said General Kyros.

  “You dare oppose your King, even after all I’ve done for you?” snapped King Cornelius.

  “Yes, but just remember… you would never have obtained such knowledge if it were not for me. I will not stand here in silence, in a court where the very person whose duty is to protect the people who gave him power, but would have them twisted into creatures of darkness!” said General Kyros.

  “I am King! I can do as I see fit! These Mages here are no different than the creatures they can be transformed into. They are still just as dangerous, they can still be harbourers of death, even in their human form!” exclaimed King Cornelius.

  “They are not as you fear, Your Majesty. If anything, you are letting your fear twist yourself into that which we despise of our enemy!” replied General Kyros.

  “Watch yourself, Kyros. Your words are bordering on treasonous. If you step down now, I will spare your life, and possibly the lives of these Mages,” said King Cornelius.

  “Your Majesty, please hear me! What if the Mages and I went to the refugee camp of their tribe? What if we can get them to agree to aid us in the war, and to come with whatever resources they have? They have every reason to fight to avenge the destruction of their home and the deaths of their own,” said General Kyros.

  King Cornelius glared at Kyros, while he mulled his options. “Very well,” replied the King. “Now, be gone!”

  Izanami, General Kyros, and Zane left the Throne Room. Walking down the corridor towards the living quarters, General Kyros said, “I promised you that I wouldn’t let the King do anything as wicked as the Burmekians.” Both Izanami and Zane nodded. The three of them entered the room where Zane was staying.

  “So, now what? You’ve bought us some time before your King tries to turn the rest of our people into unholy weapons,” said Zane.

  “I must run an errand before we leave. Then you will guide me to your village and we will try to convince the others to fight,” replied General Kyros.

  “Why didn’t you side with your king? Why not let him use us as puppets of war, in the face of certain destruction?” asked Izanami.

  “I have my reasons…,” General Kyros trailed off. He then pulled out a map from his pocket and circled a location in the city using a pen from a nearby table. “This is where you will meet me at sundown, w
hich will be in about four hours. It will take some time to get there by foot, so I suggest you leave as soon as I do,” explained General Kyros.

  Leaving through the castle gates, all three were unsure if they would ever walk through those gates again as free people, or as prisoners of evil awaiting their execution. They did know that the events yet to transpire would require sacrifice, but their courage burned brightly in their hearts… at least for the time being. However, what they did not know was that the threads of time, itself, were about to unravel…