by Phoebe Brown
She walked to her tent with a mess of thoughts going through her mind. When she opened the door, she was shocked to find Cettie waiting for her. The woman looked as if she had been crying. She didn’t say anything to Gaia, only motioned for her to come closer.
Cettie helped Gaia to dress in silence. She pulled and tugged at her hair to get it tamed and then she helped her into the grey ceremonial cloak that all students wore to their graduation.
“Cettie,” she said turning to face the woman once they were done.
Cettie shook her head.
“This is what you wanted child, I’m happy you get that.” She said, “I’m only worried about what is to come.”
Gaia grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“Whatever comes I’ll be fine.” She whispered, “I promise.”
She watched as tears began welling up in Cettie’s eyes once again and she allowed the woman to pull her in for a hug. There was a call outside the tent and she knew that it was time to go. The door swung open and Master Morrel stepped in wearing a more sombre expression than before. Cettie caught sight of him and released her.
“I love you my precious baby.” She said before walking out of the tent.
The master observed her thoughtfully and then brought his hands forward. She hadn’t realised that he had held them behind his back. She saw something gleaming in his hands as reached out to her. The gold necklace he passed to her was so thin and fragile that she wondered for a moment if it would crumble in her hands.
“It’s yours.” He whispered, “There are many things I can’t explain to you right now, but I have to give you this before you leave. You must promise to always wear it and never reveal it to anyone until the right time comes.”
She was a bit surprised at his request. There was a tiny pendant attached to the necklace and she took a closer look at it. It was a lifelike gold carving of a serpent. The head of the serpent was almost hollow except for a gleaming red stone that came alive when her hands brushed over it. It shone dark red which eerily resembled pools of glistening blood. Something about the stone felt familiar but she was sure that she had never seen it before.
“Did you hear me Gaia?” he asked.
She nodded and suddenly the urge to hug him returned. She took a tentative step forward before throwing her arms around him. It felt as if she was walking away from the only people she loved and there was a well of sadness in her heart.
“Now, now, child.” he said, “You mustn’t be so transparent.”
She released him and dried a tear from her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I was disobedient.”
“Our fates bind us,” he replied, “even when we would rather them not to. Now dry your eyes. It is time for the ceremony.”
She smiled and nodded at his wise words. Together they left her tent and she could see students milling around outside. They were all getting ready for the ceremony. Although she had no idea what it was like, she had heard stories about the sealing of the Cenobytes and the respect the warriors earned after passing the rite.
As she walked towards the High Temple she could hear the flutes echoing within. The sound was so low and haunting that she paused for a moment wondering why it felt so familiar. A few children pushing past her brought her back to the present. She walked directly towards the temple with Master Morrel. His spirits had lifted considerably but she could tell he was nervous and on his guard.
She entered the temple and marvelled at how beautifully it had been transformed. The High Temple stood apart from the rest of the buildings on their compound. It was more of a canopied alcove than an elaborate temple like the others. Attached to it was a sealed room where they kept sacred books. During her childhood, she had spent as much of her time here as possible reading all the books she could get her hands on. As she grew older, the mountain peaks had called out to her.
As she looked around, she saw that a platform had been built and that the king was seated on a massive throne. She wondered if the throne had been hidden there all along or if he had carried it with him. Next to him sat his son who gave her a curious look.
Crossing the room, she did her best to ignore the mirrored curiosity she felt toward him. She saw the other two who had been chosen. They were both older than her; Myren and Aldon. They were the only students who rivalled her but even at their best, she still outmatched them.
Myren scoffed at her as she passed by, but she didn’t allow it to unsettle her. While she was a capable warrior, Myren had always suffered from a fickle ego. Aldon ignored her as if she didn’t exist and she wondered if it was because she had embarrassed him during the trials.
Together they stood in a line across the room and she watched intently as all twenty Templars came and stood before them.
“Amzt Lor, De mae alun rache.” Master Morrel said aloud in a deep faraway voice that startled her; he sounded nothing like himself.
“We release the fire, wisdom, and peace of Ceno into your hearts. May the favour of all the gods follow you on this journey.”
The Templars surrounded them, and she felt fire creeping up her leg. She looked down and saw the flames. Her instinct was to panic but she felt a knowing in her heart that it couldn’t hurt her; just as she had felt at the waterfalls.
She glanced up at the king who was watching her intently. He seemed pleased with himself and she wondered if maybe she had gotten herself into more than she could handle. Pushing the thought away, she watched as the fires grew around them. Before long, she could see nothing but the glowing flames.
A Templar stepped forward holding a cup in both hands. The scent of rosemary replaced the jarring scent of burning wood and she watched as the older man carefully dipped his finger into the jar and lifted his hand to spread a mixture of oil and ash across her forehead. She felt as he traced an eye on her skin and when he was through, she felt the strange sensation of the eye coming alive.
Suddenly, she was no longer standing there, she was standing at the edge of a hole that descended into nothingness. All around her, the ground was burnt as if it had been this way for centuries. She inhaled deeply trying to control the feeling of fear that now gripped her.
Looking around, she wondered what could have happened here to cause so much damage and create such a massive opening in the ground. She took one step forward but, just as suddenly as she had left, she was back in the temple and there was only fire.
The Templars continued to chant so she held her place until finally, the feeling passed, and the fires died down. As they did, she let out a sigh of relief. She looked over at Myren and Aldon who were writhing on the floor. She then looked up at Master Morrel who gave her a nod of approval.
The Templars gathered and pulled Myren and Aldon from the floor and began carrying them from the room. The other students began to disperse but Gaia stood in place with her eyes fixed on the floor. She couldn’t shake the memory of what she had just seen.
“Impressive.” Came the king’s booming voice as he stood and walked over to them.
As he moved closer, she recognized the faint scent of Myduric on his breath. The weed was often used by some of the women in the village to ward off evil spirits. She wondered why he needed it here in the temple.
The god Ceno protected the temples on the island from evil spirits. Although she had never heard many stories of evil spirits in Tyre, she had been warned as a child that the evil ones were not always easy to identify. Still, she knew that they were always around. Stories of Ichabod and the legions of the undead devoted to him had been fun childhood tales told by the students on their hunting commissions. Now as she looked at the old man, she wondered what he thought of the undead ones. Was he afraid of them?
“I’m happy you’re pleased with the students you’ve chosen.” Master Morrel said taking a few steps closer and blocking her from the king’s view.
She wanted him to stop, not because she was eager to be seen by the king, but his over-protectiveness was drawing m
ore attention to her.
“I must admit I’m more pleased than I thought I would be.” The king said with genuine interest.
“Our students are well trained.” Her master replied, “You won’t be disappointed.”
“The girl’s different.” The king said.
Master Morrel stepped aside, and she realised the king must have motioned for him to do so.
“Who are you?” He asked stepping forward.
She wanted to answer but she didn’t know exactly what to say.
“She’s an orphan.” Master Morrel replied, “As you can see, she isn’t like the others.”
“Indeed,” the king said giving her a mischievous smile.
Up close, she realised he was not nearly as formidable as he had seemed far away. It wasn’t that he looked smaller or weaker. He looked massive. This close, he towered over her at a height that she wouldn’t have thought was possible. There was something about him, his eyes shone bright and the lines at the corners reminded her of Master Kin’s. He looked kind.
“I’m sure you know who I am.” He said.
“You are the king.” She replied, “From Hedon.”
“I’m Kieron, King of the Kingdom Elkyre and ruler of Hedon.” He replied sombrely.
Gaia knew Hedon to be famous for its diversity. Many people went to live there from all the nations and guilds across the kingdom. The Isle of Tyre was much smaller by comparison. Many of the people who lived here had roots that spanned many generations. Not many Tyrians desired to become Cenobytes but they knew the importance of the temple to their god. Because of this, they lived in harmony with the temples to preserve the sacredness of the space.
She hadn’t noticed the prince approaching until he was standing next to his father. This close, she couldn’t deny his striking features. Before now, he had seemed dwarfed by his father but now, she could tell he was just slightly shorter than the man. He looked a bit subdued, but she saw no shyness in his gaze.
“This is Kirk, the crown prince.” Kieron continued.
Kirk’s eyes pierced hers and she felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
“Pleased to meet you,” he said never breaking eye contact.
“I assume you will need the students to be ready to leave in the morning?” Master Morrel asked.
He must have seen the intensity of their interaction because once again he was standing between her and the two men.
“Yes, they will leave in the morning to the palace in Hedon.” Kieron replied, “And be careful that they’re all ready and waiting at dawn.”
The king said no more and turned to walk away. The prince’s eyes lingered and then he turned to leave as well.
She watched as they walked away. She was so caught up; she hadn’t noticed that her master had turned to look at her.
“We need to talk.” He said tugging her by the hand and leading her away.
She began to follow soundlessly. He led her out of the temple, away from the small groups of students lingering around and into the forested areas. Before long, she realised she was way off any path that she knew. He led her further away from the temple and up into the hills that surrounded the valleys. It was an easy enough journey through the trees with only the stars to guide them. Soon they came to a massive marble-like rock that she had never seen before. Under the full moon, it shone like silver and she felt herself being pulled towards it.
“What’s this?” She asked reaching out to touch it.
Her master didn’t say anything; his eyes were intent on her hand as she reached out to touch the rock.
As soon as her hand made contact, she felt as if she had been submerged into the seas. It wasn’t drowning, no, it was much different. It was as if she was under the island and she could feel every movement, every word spoken, every breath taken. She gasped for air struggling against the intrusion but soon realised that what she needed wasn’t air, it was sight. Although she could feel and sense it all, she was blind to it and that was terrifying.
“I thought this would happen.” She heard Master Morrel say in a voice that felt far away.
She pried her hand from the surface of the rock and suddenly the feeling was gone. As she stood there gasping for air, she turned and looked at her master.
“What, what was that?” she asked frantically trying to understand what had just happened.
“My little orphan,” Master Morrel said turning and looking out at the valley below them.
The lights that had been burning through the night were now fading away and she watched as the town slowly went to bed.
“What’s wrong?” she asked walking over to where he stood. She waited for him to say something.
“There are many mysteries to be found here on the island.” He said, “Many things you do not yet understand and rightfully so. You, my dear, are the biggest mystery of them all.”
Gaia took a deep breath and inhaled the scents of peppermint mixed with wet dirt.
“There’s nothing I can tell you about the journey you’re about to take.” He said, “But I’ve trained you for this very reason and you must never neglect what you have been taught here.”
He was looking at her now with earnest eyes.
“Do you hear me Gaia.”
The way he said her name was almost reverent.
“I don’t understand what you mean.” She replied softly.
He had taught her so many things she couldn’t imagine what he meant at that moment.
“Always choose to do right.” He said, “Never be overcome by darkness.”
She shivered as he said the words. It was almost as if they were a cold blanket thrown over her shoulders.
“I won’t neglect the teachings.” She whispered feeling a conviction burning within her.
After a moment he turned and hugged her. It was so strange and unexpected that she didn’t know what to do. She stood there for a long time allowing the warmth of feeling loved and wanted to wash over her.
“I love you like I would my own child.” He said as he released her, “but even the mighty eagle was once only a tiny egg.”
He said the words with a tight smile and then he was gone. She imagined he had left her there to think, but as she looked out over the trees she could feel nothing but a strange loss. This place would no longer be her home. It was the only home she had ever known.
Chapter 4
The journey to the palace was not what Gaia thought it would have been. At first, she’d been excited at the thought of sharing a carriage with the king and the prince, but in the morning, she realised they had already left. It was then that she reasoned that traveling with her temple mates was a more sensible option.
She had also expected to travel across the kingdom in a carriage like the ones she had travelled in all her life here in Tyre. Instead, she was shocked to find a strange carriage waiting in the training yard. Two massive majestic horses held the carriage upright. The beasts were unlike anything she had ever seen before and so beautiful and enchanting that she found herself reaching out to touch them.
A steward stepped forward and batted her hand away. He was a tall gangly man with dark curly hair and wore the gold of the Hedonite. The king’s Everin Tree crest was prominently displayed on both lapels of the coat he wore, and she saw the pride in his eyes when he looked down at her. He flashed her a warning look but said nothing.
She took the warning and got into the carriage which was firmly anchored to the beasts. It was built like a large box carriage. They replaced the wooden walls with glass and from this high up she felt almost as if she would fall to the ground.
She settled into one of the velvety seats and watched as the others entered. To her surprise, the messenger who had come a few days before also climbed into the carriage. He looked down at them with his piercing grey eyes before taking a seat. They were all settled when she felt the carriage beginning to rise into the air.
Gaia looked down frantically trying to find the source of their flight
but there was nothing to see. It was as if the carriage had some power of its own. She wanted to ask how the magic worked but as she looked around the carriage, she felt like the least of them all. It would not be wise to make herself seem more inexperienced than she was.
As they rose from the ground, she looked down over at the temple. The farther they rose, the smaller it got and the more she wondered if she would ever be visiting her home again. She caught a glimpse of the waterfalls not far off. It called to her like the songs of the siren and she ached to dash out of the carriage and feel the cool mist on her face once again.
“Have any of you ever been to court?” The king’s attendant asked.
“I’ve been there once for the summit, Lu Radock.” Myren replied.
Gaia made a mental note of the man’s name as Myren spoke. The girl was bright and attentive. There was little that ever escaped her notice, but she was also cruel and ambitious. It didn’t surprise Gaia that she had already divined the man’s name. She would do anything to be the best even if it meant destroying anyone who stood in her way.
“My father sometimes consults with the Templars there.” She continued.
Aldon was silent, and he shook his head. Their eyes turned to her and she shook her head.
“She’s never been anywhere.” Myren teased, “She’s a nobody from nowhere in particular.”
The words didn’t sting. Gaia had learnt long ago that the scorpion only stung when it felt threatened. She had grown too accustomed to threatened people. Their stings didn’t bother her anymore.
“I have never been,” she said with a bright smile, “but I’m eager to see what it’s like.”
Lu Radock gave her a pleased smile and she looked through the glass to see how fast they were flying. As she looked down, she realised they were traveling over a mass of land.
“What’s down there?” She asked pointing in fascination.
“That’s the Nation of Nevaeh,” Lu Radock replied, “We were just there seeking representatives to present for the king.”
She hadn’t been aware that other students were heading to the palace and she wondered how many there would be.