"Den," Nithia touched my arm. "Do you want to ask him?"
I knew what she meant. She wanted me to ask if we could stay longer with the Fektals. I was about to do so, but Alara spoke first.
"We're headed inland," Alara said. "South, toward Tiern."
"Why would you want to do that?" the elder asked. "Tiern is dangerous."
"Because of the Dark Lord's influence? We want to help the people." Tara said.
"Influence?" The elder sighed, then glanced at each of us. "Yes, you could call it that. All the towns this side of the sea are under his...influence."
Nithia stepped closer to me. "Den, you promised."
"Promised?" the elder asked. "What did you promise."
Alara also stepped beside me. "He made a promise to help."
"Oh! You did? I see." The elder looked at the ground for a moment.
"I..." I wanted to correct Alara, to point out that wasn't what Nithia meant, and it wasn't what I wanted to speak to the elder about. But I hesitated because I didn't want to have the argument with Alara and Nithia right then, not in front of the elder.
"So, it is true?" The elder leaned forward slightly and looked me over, then he turned to Alara. "I recognize you."
Alara seemed surprised. "What do you mean, you recognize me? I've never been to this land before. My home is far from here."
The elder nodded. "Yes, I know. But I have been to the other side of the Sea of Ronak, long ago. I was looking for a friend."
Alara looked confused, and that made two of us at least.
"I'm sorry," Alara said. "But I don't remember ever meeting you."
"You wouldn't," he said. "You were only a small child."
"How could you recognize her then?" Tara sounded suspicious. "Who was your friend? Who were you looking for?"
"My friend was a man by the name of Cormac, but the person I recognize in you must have been your mother, the Priestess of Carnera. I'm sorry I didn't see the resemblance earlier."
Alara gasped. "What?"
"You knew Cormac?" Tara said, looking stunned.
"Oh, my." Nithia gripped my arm.
"Holy shit." I didn't know which revelation to address first, and Nithia's plan for me to abandon the prophecy hadn't even been revealed.
At the same time, Alara and Tara both said, "How?"
I glanced at Nithia, hoping she understood that now was not the time to spring our domestic plans on everyone. Whether she got my signal or not, I'm not sure, but she kept quiet as the elder answered Alara and Tara.
He said the things were actually tied together. He explained that many years ago, he and a few of his loyal men and women had traveled across the sea to seek help from the west. Thautus Kurg's forces had been conducting a series of purges in the lands east of the sea, from the southern port city of Mur, through Rastersia to its north, and into Tiern north of it, and even beyond. He described how many hundreds of Fektals had been slain, driving those who survived to flee the coastal towns they'd for generations called home to resettle in the remote, less hospitable lands in the far north. Their numbers dwindled further, as their migration happened in the harshest months of winter. Kurg didn't bother to send his forces after them, likely assuming they'd perish from the weather and from starvation, or at least never again pose any kind of resistance to his control over the realm.
"It was during this time," he said, "that a small of group of us braved the sea in search of aid. We knew the only way to reclaim the land and the towns from the Dark Lord was to find other peoples to join our fight."
But, he explained, Pertlass, the city where they made land, had a strong trade relationship with Tiern and Rastersia across the sea. "They refused to get involved, choosing the stability of their trade over peace for the peoples of the eastern lands."
The elder looked at Alara. "It was in Darguna that I met your mother. We were weary from travel and she restored our strength and told us we could go with her farther to the west to Carnera. She said we could resettle there, and that she and her order of priestesses would protect us. She said we could send for the others."
Alara slowly shook her head, clearly still trying to process what she was hearing. "But you didn't, did you? Go with her."
The elder shook his head. "No." He turned to Tara. "You knew Cormac?"
Tara nodded and I could see a tear sitting at the corner of her eye.
"I can see that you did," the elder said, looking at Tara sympathetically. "He was a good man."
"I know," Tara said firmly, sniffling a little afterward.
The elder glanced at each of us. "We couldn't abandon our lands to Kurg." Turning to Alara, he said, "Your mother's offer was generous and kind, but we had to return, not to bring the rest to Carnera, but to continue to fight the Dark Lord." He looked at Tara. "Cormac, along with many great warriors he gathered, fought by our side. We won several battles, and even reclaimed this land we now use." He looked behind him, scanning the camp for a moment before facing us again. "But Kurg's forces proved too strong in the end. At least, too strong for us to move much south of here."
"I see why you are so cautious about letting outsiders into your camp," I said.
"Without testing their intentions, yes." The elder pointed toward the large gourd in the distance. "We discovered the creature can sense when someone secretly harbors plans of treachery. Perhaps it can smell something we can not. I don't know for sure how it does it, but we learned of it long ago by chance." He looked at the ground and shook his head. "There were a few among us who had chosen to serve Kurg. It was...a difficult time."
"I'm sorry your people had to go through all of this." I felt the burden of my duty grow again. I glanced at Alara and she caught me looking. She gave me a stern gaze and nodded. I knew what she was thinking. The prophecy had chosen me. The people of Galderia, including the Fektals, needed me to do what I'd been chosen to do.
"Den." Nithia rubbed my forearm.
I looked at her and saw she was watching me, waiting for me to say I was done with Kurg. I almost did, but Alara spoke before I did.
"Den is the Guardian of Carnera," Alara said. "As my mother brought forth the last Guardian, I brought him here to take his place. We mean to find Kurg...and defeat him. It is his destiny."
I sighed, but tried to do so quietly.
"Yes," the elder said. He didn't look surprised in the least by Alara's proclamation. "I surmised that once I recognized you. Why else would you be here, this side of the sea?"
"No he's not!" Nithia shoved my arm and stepped back from all of us. She looked at us, darting her attention around to everyone in the group. "He doesn't have to be! It's not fair!"
"Nithia." I reached for her, wanting to hold her in my arms and calm her down, but she backed away.
"No! You're all wrong! Prophecies are stupid!" She began to cry as she said the last few words, then she turned away from us and ran.
I could see she was running back toward the tent we spent the night in together. "I'll go after her."
"No," Tara said. "Let me. I understand what she's going through."
So do I.
Tara ran to chase down Nithia and I was about to do the same, regardless of what Tara had said, but Alara put her hand on my upper arm.
"Wait," she said. "Let Tara. Nithia will be okay."
I glanced at Alara's hand on me, then looked over my shoulder at Tara running after Nithia, who had already gone out of sight past a tent.
"Den," the elder said. "Alara is right. As the Guardian, you have a duty. Only prophecy can know who can defeat the Dark Lord. You must accept your calling."
Fuck. This sucks.
I had enough doubt about facing Kurg on my own, but seeing how upset Nithia was at the prospect of continuing on the path piled on more uncertainty than I had a stomach to handle.
I slowly turned to Alara, and spoke softly, but I had to say it. "What if I don't want to be the Guardian? What if I'd rather settle down with the three of you and leave Kurg to some
one else?"
Alara's jaw dropped. "What?! You can't do that. It's...you're... No. That's not an option, Den. You know that."
I did know that, but still I wanted to believe it was an option. "You saw Nithia. She has a right to be upset. Hell, I have a right to be upset. I didn't ask for this. You did!"
Alara stepped back and looked pissed. "So, it's my fault you want to abandon the prophecy? To leave Galderia to Kurg?" She shook her head and scowled at me. "Oh, Den. This isn't right."
I wasn't mad at her for what she was saying. I understood how hard it must be to hear that I was questioning something she'd been raised to ensure. "Alara, I..." I was at a loss for words. What could I say to make everyone happy, including myself?
Am I wrong to want to live a normal life, without facing a chance of death at the hand of Kurg?
Alara didn't wait around for me to figure out what to say next. I watched her walk away from me, and I could hear her mumbling to herself, though I couldn't make out what she was saying. Probably not nice words, I thought, but I didn't begrudge her disappointment.
After watching her walk away, I noticed Ray was still there beside me, staring at me. But for once, he wasn't glaring. It was subtle, but I could swear he had a grin. I stared back at him for a couple of seconds, until the elder reminded me he was still there too.
"The burden of a Guardian is heavy," the elder said.
You too?
I felt a headache coming on. I felt like I was being forced to take semester exams and I hadn't studied a single minute to prepare.
"All of your companions are right," the elder said.
"What?"
How could that be? Please guy, you're not helping.
He gestured for me to follow him as he turned a little. "Would you walk with me for a few minutes?" He signaled for a woman to come to him and she did. Addressing her, he said, "Would you take the boy to get something more to eat? We'll be back shortly."
"Of course," the woman said, taking Ray by the hand and leading him away.
I glanced back toward the paths Alara, Nithia, and Tara had gone, then looked at the elder. "Sure. Might as well. For a few minutes."
He nodded and waited for me to step beside him, then he took me through the campsite, stopping only once to whisper something to another of the Fektals. That man glanced at me then nodded to the elder and left us to continue walking.
"Many times I've wanted to abandon my position as leader of my people," he said, looking ahead of us as we past another tent. "Especially during the purges. That was the most difficult time." He shook his head. "So many battles."
I nodded. "I've fought the Dark Riders. They are dangerous. I don't blame you for wanting to avoid them."
He stopped and turned to me. "No. You misunderstand. You misunderstand me and you misunderstand yourself."
"What? No. I mean, maybe I didn't get what you meant, but how is that about me? I may be between a Dark Lord and three women who don't agree on what I should do, but I understand myself. I understand that this whole prophecy thing is a pain in the ass."
The elder chuckled, which surprised me. I hadn't figured him as having a sense of humor, but to be fair the situation when we first met had been anything but funny.
"I didn't want to avoid the battles to secure my own safety," he said. "I wanted to avoid the battles because I couldn't bear to see those I love suffer...or die."
It only took a second for his words to reveal the same truth inside me. "Oh, shit. You're right. I mean, yeah, sure, I don't want to die as much as the next guy...doesn't want to die. But, what you said, I realize that's it. At least that's more of it. The closer we go toward the Dark Lord, the more in danger Alara, Nithia, and Tara become. It's just too much. I can't do it to them."
He nodded. "That is because you are the Guardian. Not because the prophecy made you one. The prophecy chose you to take the mantle because you already were a Guardian, in there." He pointed to my heart.
"But they'd still be in danger."
He nodded again. "Yes, they will." He looked around for a moment, then faced me again. "But we all already are. And your companions are. But the four of you are together for the same reason."
I looked at him, waiting for him to tell me what he meant.
He pointed to my heart again. "Theirs are the same."
He walked ahead, leaving me there confused. "Wait. How does that?" I didn't even know what to ask him. His words struck me as muddled and cryptic as your typical wise, evasive know-it-all in any one of a dozen movies I could think of.
He didn't stop to answer me, but instead went inside the tent at the end of the path we'd been walking. I almost turned around to go back and find Nithia, Alara, and Tara, but he'd left me perplexed and I wanted to tell him what he said hadn't changed my decision to abandon my pursuit of Kurg. Why I needed to tell him that, I couldn't be sure. Maybe I wanted to tell someone, not necessarily him, to confirm my decision for myself. I went to the tent and stepped through the flap doorway.
He was standing at the back of the tent waiting for me.
The tent was uncluttered. A pad of blankets and pillows like what Nithia and I had shared covered a third of the space. The rest was empty, except a wash basin atop crossed upright branches tied together in several places.
I took a few more steps inside, but turned around as I heard someone behind me, coming through the tent's opening.
"Will these do?" the man said, holding a bow, a quiver of arrows, and two swords—one with a heavy blade, the other shorter and slender.
"Yes, thank you," the elder said, gesturing for the man to put the weapons on the ground beside me.
The man glanced at me and nodded before stepping around me and unloading everything. He nodded to the elder, then again to me and left the tent.
The elder extended his arm toward the weapons. "These are for you and your companions." He tipped his head slightly. "And we'll give Alara a better staff than the one she had when we found her."
"I told you, I'm not..." I couldn't finish the sentence. I was stuck between two choices, unable to commit to either.
"You care for your friends and want to protect them," he said. "That is good and noble. But if you choose not to continue on this journey, many more will suffer. Hundreds, maybe thousands, in time, will die by Kurg's hand. Could you live with that?"
Damn. Talk about a guilt trip. Of course I don't want that.
"I..." Again words failed me. I shook my head, wrestling to uncover the right answer.
"You did not come to our world alone," the elder said.
"Huh? How did you-"
"It doesn't matter how I know this. It is true. You know it to be so."
"I do."
"But what you don't know is that many of others who came here as you did are already in the hands of the Dark Lord."
The news hit me hard. I felt my my stomach clench and my heart seemed to jolt. "Oh, no." I dropped my gaze to the floor, shaking my head slightly in disbelief.
It had to be that much worse, didn't it?
I looked up at him. "How do you know this?"
He started to answer, but I cut him off. "Nevermind. It's not just about me and my women, like you said."
It wasn't that I didn't care about the plight of all of Galderia, but several more Earth women being out there in trouble felt like my responsibility, certainly more so than it was anyone else's.
"That's not all," the elder said.
"You're kidding, right?" But I knew he wasn't. I braced myself for another pile of everything's-gone-to-hell.
"The celestial bodies are aligning in a way they haven't for more than fifty years."
I shook my head a little and shrugged. I really didn't want him to explain what that meant, but I asked anyway. "And?"
"The Dark Lord will use the opportunity to perform an ancient religious ceremony, one which must not be allowed to take place."
"Let me guess," I said, leaning into humor as a coping mechanism. "He's not
doing it to spread peace and goodwill to everyone in Galderia, is he?"
The elder stepped closer to me. "No. He's not." He took a breath and let it out before continuing. "He'll sacrifice the people who came from your world, along with any others his minions have brought to his stronghold in preparation for this dark ritual."
"Fuck."
"Thautus Kurg is powerful, but if he successfully completes this ceremony during the upcoming celestial alignment, he'll become like a god."
He paused, perhaps giving a moment to let the gravity of his words sink into me. "That is why there is a Guardian. That is why you must choose to accept the prophecy, just as fate has guided Alara to find you and bring you here."
"When does this alignment happen?" I asked, knowing the answer was going to start the countdown clock to what might be the end of my life.
"A week from now, when the moon is full again."
I stared at him, but in my head I was going through how I was going to break the bad news to Nithia.
"You'll let the boy stay here, at least until it's over?" I asked.
He nodded. "We will treat him well and watch over him."
Okay. So that's it then. How could I do anything else knowing all this?
"Thank you," I said. "I need to get back to my women." I turned and knelt down, picking up the pile of weapons.
"So, you're going to stop the Dark Lord?"
I stood up and looked the elder in his eyes. "You're damn right I am."
Before I left the tent, he told me of the path we should take from the Fektals' camp, south toward Tiern. He told where and how to get to the town without Kurg's regular patrols discovering us. Then he gave me directions from Tiern to Rastersia, a port city even farther south. From there, he said, we could follow the river inland into the city of Craa and, staying with the river, eventually into the mountains, where Thautus Kurg's stronghold was to be found.
I pushed the flap open to exit the tent, but turned to him before stepping out. "Anything else?"
"There's a rumor that one of the other-worlders, like you, is in Tiern or Rastersia. A woman. If it's true, it's only a matter of time before she too is captured and taken to Kurg's stronghold."
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