The Xenoworld Saga Box Set

by Kyle West

Katan, on the other hand, seemed far more deadly. The sword didn’t glow, as was told in the stories, but its blade still appeared to be sharp, even after almost four hundred years.

  It was hard to believe that these were the fabled weapons of Elekim and Annara. They looked far too mundane. Guns were rare enough, and what guns there were usually didn’t work, so it was probably no different with Berett.

  “Ah,” a voice said, coming from behind. “I suspected I might find you both here.”

  We turned to see Isandru. Before we could respond, he continued.

  “Those weapons have been with the Seekers since the founding of the Order.”

  “Are they really their weapons?” I asked.

  Isandru nodded. “Of course. We have records of their transferal going back to the Library itself, two hundred and fifty years ago. If they are fakes, then they had to have been swapped out between the time they left the city and the time of those records. Not impossible, but also not probable.” He nodded. “Come. My office isn’t far.

  We followed Isandru to the back of the museum. We passed into another large room – there seemed to be two more similar rooms, all filled with paintings, display cases, statues, and artifacts. I was surprised by the size of the Sanctum’s collection; one would have thought it would have gotten more use in Haven, or the Makai city, Sylva. Isandru, however, didn’t give any of it a glance as he passed through another open archway that led into a stone corridor. Several doors lined its either side.

  “Do all the Elders live back here?” I asked.

  Isandru shook his head. “Only me. I’m the curator of the museum, so my rooms are back here. The other Elders all reside in various points throughout the Sanctum...the Elder Scholar’s chambers are attached to the library, for example, and Elder Aurelius lives in the Sages’ Tower.”

  “Makes sense,” Isaru said.

  Isandru stopped at the door at the end of the corridor. “Here we are. My office.”

  Isandru opened the door, and beyond were a few stone steps leading upward into a tall room. The walls were lined with books and paintings, and the stone floor was covered thickly with intricate, florid designs. A crystal chandelier cast silvery light on the entire space, at the end of which was a large and ornate desk, upon which were stacked books, papers, and strange instruments whose purpose I couldn’t tell. A tall grandfather clock ticked loudly, fitting snugly between two bookcases. Several tall, arched windows let in light, looking out onto a private corner of the Grove that rested between his office and the library.

  The office was appointed far more richly than any other part of the Sanctum by a long shot. Did all the Elders live in such style?

  As if sensing that question, Isandru spoke. “Most of these articles have been in my family for generations. I couldn’t fit them all in here, so I donated the rest to the museum upon my ascension to Elder Prophet.”

  Elder Isandru took his place behind the desk, and though it was large and grand, it seemed to fit him perfectly. He gestured to the plush chairs in front, in which both Isaru and I sat.

  Isandru steepled his fingers and leaned back. As we sat face to face, his light gray irises were more prominent than ever. “What do you think of the Sanctum so far?”

  I didn’t even know how to begin with such a question, but thankfully, Isaru spoke first.

  “It’s...different than I imagined. I thought it would be a punishment, but I’m finding that I like it.”

  “The Sanctum is a unique place. Despite the routine, the unexpected is never far off.”

  It was quiet save for the ticking of the clock. I turned to look at it. I’d heard of clocks like this in stories, though I’d never seen one in real life.

  “How old is that clock?” I asked.

  “It’s a Precursor artifact, from before even the Ragnarok War,” Isandru said. “Don’t believe what the Covenant says. The world wasn’t forged four hundred years ago in the fires of war. There is much to suggest that it goes back even further...thousands of years further, if you can believe that, and perhaps even longer.”

  “What was it like, back then?”

  “All we have are books,” Isandru said. He gestured toward his shelves. “I have a few here, in fact. Most of what I own are stories from that time...in them are many words and ideas that we aren’t familiar with, but some of the stories sound strangely reminiscent of our own time. The further back you go, however, the more the language changes, until it’s completely unreadable. Even so, a writer’s words can still reach us, even centuries after they’re dead. Such is the power of a book. Stories predate even the gods.”

  “Some think that stories gave rise to the gods, rather than the other way around,” Isaru said.

  Isandru looked at Isaru curiously. “Perhaps. But it pays to be careful who you say that around. Even some among the Elders might not be pleased to hear it.”

  “But if there was a world before,” Isaru said, “where did the gods come from?”

  “Some say the gods always were,” Isandru said. “Some say the gods were made, given to the world by the Xenofold. And some...as you’ve said...say that stories made the gods.”

  “But if the gods aren’t really gods,” I said, “then where do the Elekai come from? If there were no gods, then what makes the Elekai so special?”

  Isandru smiled. “We are caught in a paradox. If we say the gods were human, we must also acknowledge that they had powers no other human on Earth has...but isn’t this what makes them gods in the first place? It is said the gods left the world once they’d established their city on Earth. That city was Colonia. It is also said that they will return to restore Colonia. But this isn’t the object of our lesson today.”

  Isaru and I both went quiet, because it seemed as if Isandru was going to begin.

  “Prophecy,” Isandru said, “is listening to the voices of the gods; being willing to hear that voice, relate it to the community, and, if applicable, to obey its call. A prophecy is made up of two components: the call, and the answer. The gods call. And it is we...the Prophets...who answer.” Isandru paused a moment, letting that sink in. “Something you may not know is that two Gifts are required of the Prophets: Prophecy and Envisioning, both of which are rare. It’s possible to make do with just one, but their similarity makes it difficult to discern the difference between the two.”

  “What is the difference?” I asked.

  “Prophecies are glimpses of the future,” Isandru said. “Visions are viewings of the past. Whether prophecy or vision...future or past...mistakes have been made before that confused the two. It is up to the Prophet to discern the signs within the prophecy or vision itself. And sometimes, a Prophet only has one Gift, though another may manifest at any point in life. Though there are six Prophets in our Order, Fiona is the only one who prophesies with any degree of regularity. She has been gone nearly a week, now.”

  “Shouldn’t someone check on her?” I asked.

  “A Prophet’s meditation cannot be interrupted. Sometimes, they can take a long time. Much of that time is spent listening, readying oneself to receive a message. It is all up to the Xenofold and the Prophet’s connection to it.”

  “But won’t she starve?” I asked.

  “She has the energy of the xen to sustain her,” he said. “Another rare Gift, Sustenance...but Fiona’s blood is strong, as might be expected for being the niece of King Arius of Sylva. But even with that, seven days is a long time for anyone. This should be her last day on the mountain. On the dawn of the eighth day – that is, tomorrow morning – we will go check on her.”

  “I’ve never met Fiona before,” Isaru said. “But I have heard of her. If I’m not mistaken, her mother married into a family far to the south.”

  “That is correct,” Isandru said.

  “For Fiona to have been up there for so long, it must be important,” I said.

  “This wouldn’t be her first time to be gone for a week. I tell her she needs to take it easy, but she is determined.”r />
  “Elder...why are there so few Prophets?” I asked. “I’ve heard some say that the Prophets don’t pull their weight, yet that they are typically stronger than Seekers of other Sects. The statements seem to contradict each other.”

  “It was different, once. In the late Third Century, would you believe that we were one of the most numerous Sects? In those days, the Fading was not as prevalent.”

  “The Fading?” I asked.

  “The pattern of the Elekai losing their strength of connection to the Xenofold, over time.”

  “I didn’t realize it had a formal name,” Isaru said.

  “Few know of the phenomenon,” Isandru said. “Few but Seekers, anyway.” He looked from one of us to the other. “Do either of you have any questions regarding the duties or history of the Prophets?”

  “I do have a question, but about something else,” I said. “About the reversion.”

  “Yes?”

  “They said this is the first time in over a century one has been this far south,” I said. “What does that mean?”

  “The fact that there is a reversion this far south isn’t a pronouncement of doom, but we should still exercise caution. I’ll learn more when I go investigate. Sage Barrat was correct in saying that a reversion allows rare opportunities for prophecies and visions, even though it is dangerous.” Isandru paused for a moment. “That’s probably enough for today. I have to prepare for my journey, and it won’t be long until the expedition sets out.”

  “Elder,” I said. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you about my parents.”

  Isandru nodded “Ah, yes. One of our Champions is going to Colonia soon. I asked if he would find out what became of your parents.”

  “When will he be back?”

  Isandru shook his head. “A few weeks, at the very least. I can’t tell you anything more than that.” He nodded toward us both. “We’ll meet again next week, at the same time.”

  “Not two days from now?” Isaru asked.

  “I expect our time at the reversion to take a few days at least,” Isandru said. “Though it isn’t far, the restoration process takes time.” He paused, signaling a change in subject. “Though you both have great talent, don’t make the mistake of thinking your training will be easy. Far from it. If anything, your instructors will be expecting far more from you, to the point where you’ll be envying the other initiates.”

  With that, Isaru and I turned and exited Isandru’s office, shutting the door behind. We had walked a dozen or so steps when Isaru spoke up.

  “I don’t know what it is about him,” he said, “but I think I like him the best.”

  “Me, too,” I said. “You think you’re going to become a Prophet?”

  Isaru shrugged. “We’ll have to see. It’s a lot of sitting around. More than I’d like.” He gave me a sidelong glance. “Besides, you’re the one who’s having the dreams.”

  “They weren’t visions or prophecies,” I said. “At least, Isandru didn’t think they were.”

  I took Isaru’s silence to mean he didn’t completely agree.

  We walked the rest of the way to the Great Hall before we said our goodbyes.

  In my room I found myself, like yesterday, still not caught up on all the sleep I’d been missing. I lay down, and no sooner than I had closed my eyes, I was in a dream.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  I WAS WALKING SOMEWHERE IN the Red Wild. There were others beside me, and our footsteps squished on the xen beneath. No, not xen. Xenofungus. I had never heard that word before, but somehow, that was the word that entered my mind, as if it were another’s thought.

  The sky was dark and without stars, as if they were hidden by a thick layer of clouds, but the Wild below glowed, providing ample light. A bright spot shone on the horizon of the otherwise featureless plain. As we continued walking, I could hear someone – a woman – thinking, and the familiarity of the voice was haunting.

  How to stop it, she thought. How to stop it?

  As the walking continued, her sense of dread and helplessness only increased. I had never felt anything so horrible. The feeling was something I couldn’t describe, but I wanted it to end.

  “It’s just a few more miles,” a male voice said. “We can do it.”

  The dream faded, until a new one appeared. We were in a grove, now, eating fruit from trees. The woman was feeding the man some of the fruit. No, not a man. A mere boy. But there was something fierce in his eyes that made me think he was a man. He couldn’t have been any older than me, but the woman loved him. This I knew as deeply as if it were myself.

  Remember...

  I felt myself go cold. Remember what? There was a door blocking me from memory.

  I remember nothing.

  Go north, a voice said, the same as I had heard in my other dream. Go now. There...you will remember...

  Everything had gone still: the trees, the silvery fruit hanging from them, and the people. A memory was frozen in time.

  Who are you?

  But there was no answer. The vision faded, and I found myself in a sea of endless black. I was pulled out of the darkness.

  “SHANTI. Shanti!”

  I opened my eyes. In my mind, I still heard the voice and felt its desperation. I blinked a few times, every part of me cold.

  “Go north...” I whispered.

  “Shanti? Are you alright?”

  I realized it was Isa who was speaking. Her blue eyes looked down on me with worry, and the light from the upper window was dim. It was evening.

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’m fine.”

  “You were talking loudly when I walked in,” Isa said. “You don’t talk in your sleep, do you?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  At least, I hoped not.

  “Dinner just started,” Isa said. “I didn’t see you, so I came up here.”

  “Dinner...”

  “They’re sending off the expedition north afterwards. Really...are you all right? You seem a bit dazed.”

  The expedition. Going north. With Isa saying that, I remembered the content of my dream. Go north. Go now.

  It couldn’t be. There was no way that dream could mean what I thought it did.

  “I need to find Elder Isandru.”

  “Elder Isandru?” Isa asked. “Why?”

  “I...just do.”

  “He’s leaving soon,” Isa said. “If you hurry, you might catch him.”

  I laced my boots quickly and was out the door.

  “Wait!”

  Isa caught up, barely keeping up as we reached the Great Hall. I arrived to find everyone seated and focused on a group of Seekers, including Elder Isandru, standing in the center. Chief Elder Arminius was addressing them all in what seemed to be the tail end of his speech.

  “May Annara guide your steps, and may Elekim bless your willingness to serve.”

  As Arminius took his seat, conversation filled the room. Several Seekers stood to wish the departing party well, and many were approaching Isandru, which would make it hard for me to get a word with him. And even then, what did I expect him to say? I doubted he would let me tag along to a dangerous reversion because I had a dream.

  But was it just a dream? Isandru had already told me that I shouldn’t worry about it, but all I could do was worry. I felt as if he was wrong, and that maybe if I told him I’d had another dream, he would begin to think differently. That voice had been so insistent and specific. I knew it wasn’t my place to approach an Elder in a place where so many would see. They would think I didn’t know my place. All the same, I wanted to at least ask him.

  I passed the male initiates’ table, and the females’. Both groups looked as I continued to the Seekers. Deanna caught my eye, and started to shake her head, letting me know that whatever I had in mind was a bad idea. Isandru looked my way for a moment before returning his attention to Judge Kais, who apparently was also going on the expedition.

  It was now or never, but just as I started to ma
ke my approach, the entire room fell into a hush. At first, I thought Elder Arminius had stood to give another announcement, but that wasn’t the case. One by one, each person turned their attention to the front of the Sanctum. Confused, I looked that way as well.

  Standing there in a tattered white Seeker’s robe was a pretty young woman, probably in her late twenties, with wavy, red hair. Dark circles underlined her eyes; her posture was stooped, and her lips cracked. Despite her exhausted state, her blue eyes were bright.

  “I’ve done it,” she said, in a quiet voice that still carried throughout the Great Hall. “I’ve had a prophecy.”

  “Fiona,” I heard someone say.

  Fiona then collapsed to the floor.

  ELDER ISANDRU WAS THE first to break from the Seekers, and as he did, he called out orders.

  “Get her some water, and ready the clinic!”

  The initiates manning the kitchen scurried to obey the first order, while several Clerics broke from the crowd to assist Isandru. They were beside Fiona in seconds, with a ring of Seekers just feet behind. My view of her was completely blocked.

  I went forward, finally managing to get a look between two Seekers. Fiona was sprawled on the floor, apparently passed out.

  Cleric Karai, one of the two Clerics assisting Fiona, checked her pulse, while the other motioned back the crowd. She said something to Isandru that was lost to the buzz of the crowd.

  Arminius’s voice called out above the din. “If you are not helping, return to your seats! At once!”

  Murmuring, the Seekers turned and headed back to their tables. I stood and watched Fiona a moment longer, seeing her eyes flutter open. I made my way to the girls’ table, sitting next to Isa.

  “That was unexpected,” Aela said.

  Fiona was now on her feet with the Clerics escorting her to the clinic in the west wing. Isandru followed them, while telling the Seekers that remained to return to their meals.

  “It’s amazing,” Isa said. “Who said prophecies no longer happen?”

  “Let’s not get too excited,” Deanna said. “What matters is its veracity.”