by Phoebe Brown
Gaia nodded. The palace was a fortress and no army could take it. If these men were throwing up ropes, it meant they were trying to test the security of the palace.
“I didn’t learn anything except that one of my father’s chief advisor is a traitor.” Kirk said, “He’s known me since I was a child. He still tried to kill me.”
“The more we figure out the deeper this gets.” Khar said, “It’s getting more dangerous to go on.”
“Do you want to stop?” Tafari teased.
“God no, I’ve never felt so alive. I used my power in a way I never had before. I used it to protect myself and others.” Khar said
She was beaming at Gaia,
“I’m with you.” Tafari replied, “Something about being in danger made everything more intense.”
“Kirk told us about what you did.” Khar said, “How do you feel?”
Gaia wasn’t sure how she should feel. She respected human life knowing that hers was no more precious than anyone else’s, but she had done what she had to do to protect herself and Kirk. All her life she had been taught to fight. A part of that lesson was the reality that not only would others die, but she would have to decide to take a life. Still, deep down, she wondered why it was that she didn’t feel worse after what happened.
“I don’t know how to feel.” She replied, “I was taught to value life, it puzzles me that I don’t feel terrible for taking it.”
They were all silent and she wondered if they had been taught the same thing.
“It’s impossible to tell someone killing is okay Gaia.” Helen said with a far-away look, “The only consolation we have is that those who sought your life are no longer able to come after you.”
Gaia nodded and smiled.
“We’re going to leave now,” Kirk said.
The others seemed reluctant to leave but he flashed them a look that told her he had talked to them about this before.
“We’ll see you in the morning?” Khar asked.
“Yes,” Gaia replied.
Together they streamed out of her room and she watched as Kirk cast a final glance back at her before he left. It was a look that told her he wasn’t finished asking questions. When the door closed, she tried to sit up but found that her feet were hurting. Her hand instinctively went to her chest when she remembered that the charm had been broken. The memory was bittersweet but now she felt comfortless.
“What am I to do now?” she asked pleading for some intervention.
As she said this, the room shifted, and she felt as if her bed was tilting forward. Her eyes blurred for a moment and everything around her began to change. She began to see the world as if she was once again back in the village with the woman who had unlocked her. For a moment she wondered if she had fallen asleep but in the back of her mind, she still heard the waves crashing against the rocks below her windows.
“You’re here,” Ellion said.
“I don’t know how,” Gaia replied wondering how exactly she could be in two places at once.
“Your powers are expanding.” Ellion replied, “Soon you’ll have greater control.”
“I want to understand more.” She said
“I don’t know much.” Ellion replied, “I do know that there are protectors everywhere waiting on you to reveal yourself. Do not be afraid when they rise up against you in the Palace Gaia, where there are enemies, there are allies.”
“What are my powers?” she asked wanting to finally figure it out.
“You have no set powers,” she answered, “just as you did right then, if you can think of it then it becomes real.”
Gaia realised this was true. Throughout the night she had thought of something and suddenly it would become real. She had thought maybe these were pre-existing powers and that she hadn’t understood what she was doing.
“You have to keep this knowledge hidden.” Ellion said breaking into her thoughts, “Nobody must know what you are. Never utter the words from your mouth telling anyone who you are. Some may already have witnessed your powers, but they too must keep it a secret.”
“Am I in danger?” she asked.
“I think so,” she replied, “I think your enemies realised you were different and now you’re a target.”
Gaia thought about it and wondered how she would be able to keep her powers to herself. While she wanted to tell the others, she also wanted to be safe while she tried to figure out what was happening in the kingdom.
“Why can’t you come to the palace to protect me?” she asked.
Ellion was about to say something, but Gaia’s vision suddenly blurred, and she was back in her bedroom. Standing before her bed was Solomon and he was looking at her with veiled curiosity. She was stunned to see him there, but she calmed when she caught a glimpse of Lolita standing AT the door watching them.
“I had to come and see you.” The old king said standing by her bed.
She plastered on her biggest smile but deep down she wanted to disappear. She quickly fixed her thoughts not wanting to disappear before him.
“Thank you.” She replied as graciously as possible. “I’m feeling better now.”
Solomon nodded and smiled.
“I was curious about something,” he said.
“What is that?” she asked.
“I was puzzling about your birth parents.” He said, “I don’t think a future advisor to the king should live without knowing who their real parents are.”
She was wary of him, but she had always been honest with him about this. If he didn’t want to believe her then that was his problem.
“I think I’ll be fine,” she replied, “I’ve been fine thus far.”
He put up his hand to stop her and so she stopped.
“No need to worry,” he replied, “I have a plan to find your parents. I’ve already dispatched agents to the temple to find out what the Templars know about you.”
She nodded. She knew that he only meant to find her parents so that he could learn more about her. The only problem was that going to Tyre was a dead end. He couldn’t coerce the Templars because they could subdue him easily enough and he couldn’t start a conflict with the fiercest fighters in the Kingdom.
“I’m happy to hear that actually,” She said flashing them her most gracious smile, “I’ve always wondered what happened to my parents after I was born.”
Solomon nodded,
“Every child needs to know their parentage especially at this time in your life when everything is changing.”
Gaia nodded.
“Thank you for taking an interest in me.” She said.
“I can’t help it.” He said, “You intrigue me.”
She saw the way Lolita looked up at him when he said those words and she had to use all her strength not to burst into laughter.
“I must go now.” He said.
“Thank you for visiting.” She said.
“No, it was a pleasure.” he replied, “I hope to see you in my class tomorrow.”
She nodded and smiled.
They waited until he was gone before Lolita came to her side.
“What was that about?” she asked.
“I have no idea.” Gaia replied, “Can you help me up, I need to get to the window so I can meditate.”
Lolita nodded and wrapped an arm around her. The pain was everywhere and nowhere. She knew there was no bruising, but she felt as if she had been punched a million times. Her ribs were sore and every muscle in her body protested.
“You sure you can do this?” Lolita asked straining under her weight.
“I need to get to the window,” she replied.
There was something she needed to do and she had to be at the window to do it. Lolita struggled to help her to the window and promptly lowered her on the ledge so that she could sit.
“I need some time alone,” Gaia said
“I’ve finished the fire.” Lolita replied, “That should be it for tonight unless you need me to return to help you back to bed.”
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“I’ll find a way.” Gaia said, “Shut the door as you go.”
She waited until Lolita was gone before focusing her energy on the place she wanted to be at that moment.
Chapter 20
Gaia opened her eyes and watched as Master Morell moved across the courtyard. He had a determined look on his face but there was something else; it was worry. She knew he couldn’t see her but if he focused just enough, she knew he would sense her.
“Master Morell,” she whispered wondering if her voice would travel this far.
He seemed to hear it, but his mind was so fixed that he didn’t spare the time to stop. She followed him as he marched towards the temple. The last time she had been here, the Templars had anointed her before she left the compound as a Cenobyte.
Master Morrel walked into the sacred space and went over to one of the libraries that had been barred off from the students. She followed his movements and entered feeling privileged to finally be able to see the inside. She was surprised when he stepped in and began to descend steps. She felt as if something was about to change but not for the best. Things were about to get much worse. As master Morell descended, he began to mumble something to himself in another language that she could not decipher.
As he neared the base of the steps, torches began to ignite of their own accord, and she watched as he stepped into a large intricately built room. It was so massive that there were no walls as far as she could see. Torches ignited illuminating the room.
Master Morell kept walking in the large empty space for a few minutes. In the distance, she noticed shelves as far as the eyes could see filled with ancient books.
“Master Morell,” she said again.
His head lifted and she knew he was hearing her.
“Gaia,” he said.
“What is this place?” she asked.
He seemed to understand that she was indeed there with him.
“It’s a sanctuary,” he replied, “by now I suppose you know some of what we’ve been keeping from you.”
She wanted to say no but she couldn’t lie to him.
“A sanctuary for who?” she asked.
“For those exiled by the king.” He replied.
Suddenly a thought popped into her head.
“So, you do know who my parents were,” she said, “do you know where they are?”
Master Morell shook his head.
“I have no idea where or who your parents are.” He replied.
She knew he was lying when the corner of his lips twitched slightly.
“Why didn’t you tell me who I was?” she asked.
“I didn’t think it would ever come to this.” He replied, “You were to live in the temple and become a Cenobyte.”
“I wish I knew what to do and what’s happened to me.” She said sadly
“Who unlocked you?” he asked.
“I was in a village in Hedon last night,” she said leaving out key details, “I met a Nightfox named Ellion. She touched me and it stung like fire. She unlocked me to save my life.”
He nodded as if he understood and approved.
“Your protectors will never fail you.” He said, “they’ve been waiting on you for a long time.”
“You have to tell me more about this.” She replied.
“I thought I would have had more time at some point.” He said.
“But all we have is now.”
“Yes indeed,” he replied.
“You have a special gift, Gaia. You cannot be defeated. I think you’ve always known it but others didn’t. They just thought you were good. I knew the truth.”
“And my protectors?” she asked
“Are a part of an order older than time. They’ve been patiently waiting for someone like you. Your existence is so rare that they would have waited a hundred more years for you to come. They live to serve you and will only pass from this life at your permission.”
She remembered Ellion telling her this.
“But why did I have to exist?” she asked.
“Because my love, the heart of man is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.” he replied, “Men will find ways to destroy each other without realising their own destruction comes behind them.”
As he recited the sayings, she felt how right they were.
“The order that protects me.” she said, “Are they the remnant of the powers that existed before now?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“How many guilds of powers existed?” she asked.
“I couldn’t say.” he replied, “Some could hear voices in the wind while others could turn night into day. They were vast and magnificent.”
“I wish I had been around then.” She said.
“You would have loved it.” He replied, “The earth practically radiated with power.”
She waited a moment before saying anything. The room was radiating with light around them and she noticed the lines that had emerged in his face. He looked so much older than he had when she had left.
“What would you have me to do?” She asked hoping he would tell her what all this meant for her.
“The thing about your life,” he said, “is that only you will know what to do when the time comes.”
“And what should I do until then?” she asked, “I go invisible just thinking about it.”
He smiled ever so slightly.
“You have learnt everything there is to learn about self-control,” he said, “You already know how to control yourself.”
“I need more than that.” She insisted.
“I have nothing else to give you.” He replied.
“I think Solomon has something to do with this.” She blurted out, “I think he’s working with a group called the Abyssinians and they’re planning to wipe out the Dorylus.”
She wondered deep down if she had shown early signs of Dorylus power because they were in danger.
“He’s planning an attack?” Master Morell asked with his brows furrowing.
“I think so,” she replied, “I have to figure it out.”
“How soon can you figure it out?” he asked.
“What are you thinking??” she replied.
“I’m thinking nothing at the moment,” he said.
“You have to protect them.” she said, “They can’t be destroyed.”
Her thoughts went to Khar and how sweet she was. There was nothing in her that could allow her people to just die without help.
“I work for the throne, not the Invincible.” He replied.
“I’ll help them then,” she said without much hesitation.
Once again, he looked perplexed.
“Just get more information.” he said, “Try not to get caught and never let anyone know of these powers.”
He was giving her the same warning as Ellion.
“The king is sending someone to the temple to find out if you know anything else about my parents.” She said, “I think you need to watch whoever they send. They could be spies.”
Master Morell smiled and nodded.
“The enemy is advancing.” He said, “He’s like a spider in his web with a target in sight.”
Gaia envisioned the imagery and a chill settled in her stomach.
“I will be at the palace in a few weeks.” He said, “Try to be good until then.”
The thought of seeing him in person excited her more than she thought it would have.
“Goodbye until then.” She said allowing herself to fade away. She found herself back in her room sitting by the window.
She was exhausted and she doubted she would make it to the bed without falling. Summoning her strength and taking a deep breath she moved her feet. The slightest movement sent floods of pain through her body and sweat began to trickle down her forehead. She cringed and determined that she would make it to the bed even if it killed her.
In a few more steps she was halfway, but her strength and resolve were slowly fading. Summoning the last of her courage, she
rushed over to the bed in a single attempt to be free of the pain. As soon as her body touched the soft sheets, she blacked out.
The dream came suddenly as if it had been waiting on the edge of her subconscious for her to pass out. She was surrounded by men and women who were doing something strange. It took her a while to realised they were on the battlefield and the men were pulling levers while the women loaded the canons with massive iron balls. She gasped as one released into the horizon. Below she saw what terrified her.
Coming up the hill were hundreds of men dressed in full black. They were wearing the insignia of the Abyssinians. They were unrelenting even as the people around her launched attacks after attacks at them. Soon she realised that the men and women who were standing at the front began to retreat and a few young people stepped forward. She felt their power before she saw the effect. Men began screaming in pain as they rushed away screaming in fear. Some ran but others remained resolute.
As the first set tired, more stepped forward and took their place sending another wave of power towards the advancing soldiers. She realised then that she was on the battlefield of the Dorylus fighting the Abyssinians. She felt someone tugging her away.
“Gaia,” it was Kirk, he was standing there looking at her as if he expected her to do something,
She realised that the others were also there. Tafari was wielding his bow and arrow but instead of regular arrows, he was holding bolts of lightning in his hand. Helen was breaking the ground apart before the killers while Kirk held the line. They were there with her fighting the attack on the Dorylus. Somewhere behind her she heard the whisper of her master. She spun around but realised he wasn’t there.
“Advance,” he whispered.
She didn’t hesitate. Without much concern for her own life, she stepped forward through the flood of power. Arrows began to rain down from the skies and she realised that they were aimed at her. In her black hooded cloak, she knew they had no idea who she was. It must have seemed menacing to watch her dark figure advancing so carelessly. With a single thought, she redirected the arrows toward the army that launched them, and men began to fall to the ground in droves.