by Kyle West
“Despite this attack, I still believe the Sanctum is a safe place. Far safer than anywhere for a hundred miles. Given the threat of the recent reversion, and now this, it is all the more important that we train hard and do all we can to protect the Red Wild — our Elekai inheritance.” His eyes scanned the crowd, and it seemed as if he was looking at me. “You may all return to your duties.”
Isa and I split directions, and I could only wonder if my usual lessons with Seeker Garin would take place, given that he was gone. My question was answered when I walked out in front of the Sanctum to find Martin and Aela taking it upon themselves to instruct us. We went out into the Grove, finding a nearby meadow where it was common for people to practice their forms. Losing myself in various blade sequences was a momentary distraction from the madness. Isaru was there — apparently, he had been in the library the entire time, which I found unsettling. I didn’t see how he could consider studying more important than letting everyone know he was safe. At the same time, I realized I should have guessed he was in the library. When he and I sparred, he seemed distant and off his game, and it wasn’t hard for me to get the better of him in most of our duels.
Oddly enough, the rest of the day passed peacefully, and as the hours passed, things seemed to quickly return to normal.
It was while I was eating dinner that I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Isaru.
“Have you had a chance to get to the library yet?”
The question confused me at first, but I realized he must be talking about whether I had opened Judge Kais’s book yet. It had been a few days since I’d checked it — we’d only had one other meeting since our first, where nothing of note was really shared.
“No. Why?”
“You should go,” Isaru said. “I hear Sage Alan’s examination will be especially difficult.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’ll be sure to study.”
He turned away, returning to his table.
“That was strange,” Deanna said.
“A little,” I said, looking at Isaru, who was now silently eating his meal. The meeting was supposed to be tomorrow, and I knew I should have checked the book earlier. I hated going to the library because of Seeker Haris, who was always a pain to deal with.
I quickly finished my meal and hurried to the library. I would be a little late to my work in the kitchens, but if Isaru said I needed to go, then I had to trust him.
I went into the empty library, going for the corner where Kais’s book had been stashed. I found it easily, and opened up to find two notes inside.
The first was from Fiona, dated from three days ago:
I must leave the Sanctum for a while. My friend invited me south to discuss that thing we talked about. I hope to both speak with him and do some research myself. I don’t know how long it will take, but if I had to guess, no more than two weeks. I suggest one final meeting at the same time and place. If I don’t hear back from either of you, then I will assume that is agreeable.
— F
The next note is from Isaru, dated today:
F, S...I know you are both probably busy, but I suggest we meet earlier. Tonight, if possible, same place and time. I feel last night, added to what I’ve recently discovered in the library, warrants an earlier meeting. If neither of you arrive, then I’ll assume the meeting is still on for tomorrow. Otherwise, I will be waiting.
— I
I hurried back to the kitchen, earning a reprimand from Roland, and set to work. Everything was cleaned and squared away within the hour — tonight’s preparation hadn’t made a mess of things. I headed for the Grove, and by the time I reached Old Silver, Fiona and Isaru were already there waiting.
We each stood under the tree for a moment. Since Isaru had called the meeting earlier, we waited for him to start.
“I think I’ve found a possible location for the Prophecy, and it’s not Colonia.”
Fiona blinked in surprise. “Where? Did you find something in the library?”
Isaru nodded. “There are so many books in there that some probably haven’t been read for decades. I found such a book concerning the history of the Samalite people. It’s called Trails of the Exiled.”
“Never heard of it,” Fiona said.
“It’s a large book,” Isaru said. “And it’s written in English. Hand-written, that is. It looked a little out of place in the stacks, which is why it caught my eye. It’s more of a travel journal than anything else, written by an anonymous author. The author had to be educated, though, given that it was written in English.”
“And it referenced the Prophecy’s location?”
“Not directly, but I believe that the Samalites had the Prophecy in their possession when they went north to Ragnarok Crater. Tradition states that the Samalites were led north by the dragon Tiamat, the son of Askal and Quietus. But at least according to this book, the Samalites didn’t encounter Tiamat until they were halfway to Ragnarok Crater.”
“Why is that important?” Fiona asked.
“According to the text, the Samalites only knew to go north because of the Prophecy of Annara. Apparently, she had seen visions of an Elekai city in the Crater, and the Samalite people were traveling north in order to fulfill that prophecy.”
I felt a chill at those words. They were all too familiar, but I decided to keep my silence for now concerning my dream. It would have been terribly ironic if the Samalites went to Ragnarok Crater to build Hyperborea. That would not have been Anna’s intent.
“So, Anna knew about Hyperborea, and it was part of her Prophecy,” Fiona said. “At least, according to this journal. You think they were using the Prophecy as a guide, and if they had the Prophecy with them, then that Prophecy would be in Hyperborea.”
Isaru nodded. “That is correct.”
“It’s not enough,” Fiona said. “Is this journal corroborated by anything else?”
“Yes,” I said. Both Isaru and Fiona looked at me, seeming surprised that I knew something for once. “I had another vision last night.”
“Of Anna?” Fiona asked.
“Yes,” I said. “If true, it would help validate what Isaru is saying.”
I proceeded to tell them everything about my dream — how Anna had gone to the Crater to speak with the Nameless One, along with the prophecy he had shown her concerning Hyperborea.
“It was a bit different with what I saw, though,” I said. “Apparently, Anna wanted to stop the city from being built, but from what Isaru is saying, the Samalites went to Ragnarok Crater simply because Anna mentioned it in her Prophecy. Could there really have been such a miscommunication? Had she never mentioned it, the city might have never been built to begin with.”
“An incredible coincidence, that you would dream that,” Isaru said.
“It does seem a bit incredible,” Fiona said. “It can’t be a coincidence...”
“They had to know about the Prophecy,” Isaru said. “And they probably had it with them, or at least a copy of it. Such a priceless artifact would have been protected at all costs.”
“Elder Isandru doesn’t think the Prophecy is in Hyperborea,” Fiona said. “Could he really be wrong?”
It was hard to imagine the Elder being wrong, but if what Isaru had researched and what I had dreamed was true, then all signs seemed to point in that direction.
“Of course, if the Samalites were only taking a copy, the original could still be in Colonia. Isaru and the Elder could both be right.”
“That’s a good point, Shanti. The Prophecy could be in either Hyperborea or Colonia, or possibly even both.”
“Perhaps we should show the book to Isandru,” Fiona said. “He might not know about it.”
“I see him tomorrow, so I’ll ask him then,” Isaru said.
If the Elder knew about the book, then he probably also knew that the Prophecy could be in Ragnarok Crater. The fact that he would still consider going to the Red Bastion before Hyperborea was a testament to how dangerous he believed the Cr
ater was. Though Isaru’s discovery was interesting, to me, Elder Isandru’s words held more weight.
Isaru looked at Fiona. “What about your journey to Sylva?”
Fiona nodded. “Soon. I had meant to leave by now, but yesterday’s attack has made travel more difficult. Most of the Askaleen are being used for guard duty. That said, I plan to leave as soon as I am able.”
“By the time you’ve returned, I might have learned more about the Prophecy,” Isaru said. “I’ve only read half the book so far. It’s quite the tome.”
“All the same, I’d recommend you use Isandru as a resource — at least for what he’s willing to discuss. He grew up in Hyperborea and may know things about the Exile that others never recorded. Though Isandru was far removed from the Exiled Generation, there might have been some alive while he lived in the city.”
It was hard to imagine Isandru ever having been young.
“You said previously that he’s guarded about his past...”
“Yes,” Fiona said. “I haven’t been successful in getting much out of him. All I can urge is patience.”
“Do you really think the Prophecy is in Hyperborea, Isaru?” I asked. “If it is...what does that mean about the plan to return to Colonia?”
“We would either need an army,” Fiona said, “or a very sneaky person. None, in the end, can escape the eyes of the Mindless, and I don’t mean just dragons. If you get close enough to the Crater, the land becomes deadened and hostile to anything Elekai. For Isandru to want to attempt anything, the proof would have to be indisputable. Even if he knows Hyperborea is a possibility, then he obviously considers trying the Red Bastion to be safer.”
“I still need to do more research,” Isaru said. “I think I’m on the right track, though.”
It was quiet for a moment, and my thoughts turned to the dragons that had attacked.
“I think those dragons might have been after me.”
“Why do you say that?” Fiona asked.
“Maybe I’m wrong,” I said, “but one of them seemed to attack me exclusively. Me and Isa both. Do you think they might know...what I am?”
“If so, that’s not the part that is troubling,” Fiona said. “The Mindless are just that: Mindless. They only care for themselves, or whatever they perceive to be a threat. To say the Mindless traveled hundreds of miles just to attack you demonstrates that they aren’t Mindless. If they know your identity, and are hostile to it...that means they’re something else.”
Fiona trailed off, lost in thought. Whatever she was thinking, it didn’t appear she wanted to share it.
“There’s another power at work here,” Isaru said. “And the key is Hyperborea. Before that city, there were never any reversions. There were never any Mindless. Even if the Prophecy isn’t there, answers will be.”
“What are you suggesting?” I asked.
Isaru shook his head. “I don’t know. If anyone knows anything, it’s Isandru. If we can discover a way for the Mindless to be stopped...maybe that’s the reason for Anna coming back. The fact that dragons are this far south demonstrates something...that the Wild is changing. For years, it has building toward a breaking point, and when it does break...there will be another Mindless War. The Second Darkness.”
“In the Third Century, they believed they were living the Second Darkness,” Fiona said. “I’m certain the Exiled believed they were living it, too. There are always a few people in every generation who think they’ll live to see the end of the world.”
“Only this time, we have Anna,” Isaru said.
“Good point.”
“Anna’s getting stronger,” I said. “The way she controlled me in the ring...it’s terrifying. Sometimes, I don’t know where I end and she begins...”
“You are having trouble accepting it?” Fiona asked.
“I don’t think I ever will accept it,” I said. “It’s...incomprehensible.” I shook my head. “If they were after me, I might not be so lucky next time. It means they’ve found me out. It means...I can’t stay here.”
“What are you suggesting, Shanti?” Fiona asked.
“I mean this: we need to return to Colonia sooner than Isandru wants. He wants us to train for months, even years. But we don’t have months, and we definitely don’t have years. When I enter a Battletrance, it’s as if Anna is controlling my movements. I will be as safe as long as she protects me.”
“Is that safe, though?” Isaru asked. “To let someone from the past control you?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Probably not. For all I know, she wants to completely supplant me. If that’s the case, I don’t know if there’s anything I can do to stop it. Stopping the Second Darkness is Anna’s burden, not mine. In the end...I might have to make some hard choices. Colonia offers other answers as well. All the things we learned in the reversion, my parents can confirm. I’m still worried sick over them, and I can’t wait any longer for that reason. I have a feeling that my parents are in danger, and the longer we wait, the more dire their situation. If they raised me, then it could be that Quietus delivered me to them. If that’s the case, they might know something about her that no one else on Earth does.”
“Is there any reason for me going to Sylva, then?” Fiona asked.
“Of course. I could turn out to be completely wrong. But even if my parents don’t know anything about Quietus, they will know something.”
“Before we decide anything, we need to speak to Elder Isandru,” Fiona said. “Together. We have to be on the same page.”
“What if he says no?” Isaru asked. “Shanti seems pretty determined, and I’m inclined to agree with her.”
“We must respect his decision,” Fiona said. “He’s the Elder.”
I couldn’t argue with that, but my mind was already set.
“When will we meet with him?” Isaru asked.
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“That’s when I normally meet with him,” Isaru said. “The fourth bell.”
“We can join Isaru for his session tomorrow,” Fiona said.
She looked at me. I didn’t think the Elder would be too keen on my plan, but it was worth a shot. It was time for him to stop hiding his past, and I would wrangle the truth out of him if it was the last thing I did.
“That works.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
THE NEXT DAY, THE THREE of us stood in Isandru’s study.
Isaru didn’t waste any time getting started. “Elder...have you read Trails of the Exiled?”
Isandru’s eyes widened a bit, clearly surprised Isaru had heard of the book. He recovered quickly, signified by his nod. “Yes. An interesting tome that I had nearly forgotten about.”
“Is it true, then? Could the Prophecy have been taken to Hyperborea?”
Elder Isandru did not speak for a moment. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. “Yes, I admit the possibility exists. However, there isn’t much you can find in Trails of the Exiled that isn’t already mentioned in the Commentaries of Annara. And the information you can’t find anywhere else cannot be corroborated.”
“But it could be true, right?”
“Of course it could,” Isandru said. “But it’s still more likely to be held in Colonia...and Colonia is far less dangerous, as difficult as that may be to believe.”
“What if it’s not, though?” Isaru said. “What do we do?”
“We haven’t arrived at that point yet, Isaru.”
Isaru went quiet; the Elder’s tone was firm and conveyed that he wasn’t in the mood for argument. It almost made me not want to bring up my own point, which I was sure was going to be shot down.
“Elder Isandru,” I said, “on that note, I have something I’ve been meaning to say.”
Isandru arched an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s that, then?”
“I think we should consider going to Colonia sooner rather than later.”
He leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. “You deem yourself ready?”
I
nodded. “I think I proved myself in the tournament. It will be dangerous, no matter how much training I receive. So long as I can enter Battletrance...I think I should be okay. Better would be not having to fight to begin with, but I think I’m ready.”
“Indeed,” Elder Isandru said. His eyes were tired, and he looked every one his years. “I’m inclined to say no, but the dragons from yesterday complicate matters.”
“They were after me, weren’t they?”
“After you? What makes you say that?”
That made me blink. I thought for sure that was what he had been referring to. “I mean... it seemed that one of them was attacking me specifically. Isa and I got away in time, but it seemed to be focused on me.”
“Mindless, once they find a target, don’t let up until it is either out of sight or dead. More likely, it merely saw you and chose you as its target. There is no way it could have known your identity, and to even suggest that it knew gives them far too much credit.”
“That was what I thought,” Fiona said.
“Why did they attack then, Elder?” I asked. “How does this complicate matters?”
“That a Mindless would know your identity seems beyond reason, but it is possible that they coordinated an attack to endanger as many people as possible. The fact they attacked at the height of the Festival points to that. As the Xenofold weakens, the capabilities of the Mindless become greater. We learned that during the Mindless Wars of the late Third Century. It could be that these Mindless Wars run on a clock that no one can see or predict. If so, none of us are safe.”
“What makes you say that?” Fiona asked.
“Hyperborea’s Scar will not easily be healed. Indeed, I do not believe it can be healed, not without a restoration of the Sea of Creation. And the Sea cannot be produced out of nothing.”