Lapisera’s Dagger had a wooden hilt and was held securely by a shimmering copper scabbard. Pearl beads of blue decorated its length. Nearly twelve inches of pristine, rustic beauty sat cradled in my grip. A fading halo of yellow light surrounded the dagger, bathing it with a golden sheen. I had to blink back tears that begged to be released. We did it Erika. Jared and I were halfway to completing what you and Serena started.
The dagger rested against my chest as I ascended back to the surface, halting at fifteen feet for a decompression stop. While maintaining that depth, I began a slow lateral swim, heading in the direction of the shore. Once I was back in familiar territory, currents of air nipped at my face as I broke the surface.
Kept on a swivel, my neck craned with calculated turns. There was no sign of the security guard lurking about. To be safe, most of my body stayed hidden beneath the water’s cover until I made my way back to the shore.
Jared met me with childlike eagerness. “Did you find the dagger?” he asked with anxious gusto.
I unzipped my wetsuit to revel the dagger tucked neatly between my breasts. “You tell me,” I said as I handed him the scabbard ensconced blade.
“It’s just as alluring as it was when I first laid eyes upon it as a child. The supernatural beauty still shines through even after all of these centuries.”
“Do you think that Lapisera was overcome with this level of awe at her own creation?”
“Who knows? Maybe she was.” I would think that a Queen was supposed to keep her composure and appear humble even in the presence of greatness, but I think a touch of excitement could be forgiven. It was a weapon forged to keep Azulyria peaceful, as it has been since its celestial birth.
29
1218 A.D. – Future Land of Azulyria
“You see that sister?” Octrisia asked, bemused with her own cleverness.
“All I see is rolling waves of deep Sapphire,” Gaia said with a chiding drawl, clearly bothered by her sister’s frivolity.
“Don’t be condescending. I have plans for that patch of ocean. Even have a name picked out and everything.”
“Is that why you’ve been restraining from your usual trickery and human interference scheming?”
“Creating a new world takes a high reserve of energy and concentration, so yes sister, I’ve been playing it safe and conserving my power.”
“Well if you’re so dead set on scraping together a new form of entertainment, when’s the big day?”
“Tomorrow at sunrise, it begins.” Octrisia replied, plopping down to lie upon a bed of clover and daisies.
In the realm of the Elemental Goddesses, flora and fauna were abundant, although the landscape could shift at a moment’s notice, depending on the mood of its inhabitants.
Octrisia, Goddess of the air, could feel the sun approaching, setting to rise to its full splendor. First light would fill the sky with a flourish of pastel splashes, brushstrokes reaching across a stage of blue canvas. The coming dawn poured over the blanket of crystalline ocean, like a shimmering curtain of warmth. She raised her arms in merry greeting, appreciative of the power and sprinklings of life it brought forth.
Eyes scrunched in deep concentration, hands still elevated, the beginning of the budding nation of Azulyria commenced, led by a prayer to the great celestial beings that reigned over the universe.
“By the stars, the moon, and the never ending light, I call upon your essence to aid me with my endeavor. No malice taints my spirit. On this I swear an oath.” A chilling breeze wrapped icy tendrils around Octrisia’s bare features in regard, acceptance of her request.
From her feet she produced a stone bowl that held the components to complete the spell she was about to weave. A strand of midnight hair plucked from her own head, five drops of blood, five gold-veined blue stones from her sacred cave and a handful of sand from the Eternal Hourglass˗˗˗these items were the building blocks that would fashion a new plot of land of her personal specifications.
“With the blessings of the Celestial Courts, I call upon the forces of the earth and ocean to rise at my command,” Octrisia unleashed her spell with an immense, thundering echo. The stone bowl was emptied of its contents, and then swallowed by the force of the ocean waves.
“I give the offering of sand to help guide the shape of the land, and give it texture.” Mounds of earth sprung up from the blue depths of the ocean, some surfaces dusted with a layer of granular particles.
“I give the offering of precious Tauruliem to help with the protection of the land, and to keep order amongst its future inhabitants.” Pillars of blue light shot up from the edges of the newly formed islands. “These stones will keep outsiders from spreading corruption past my designated borders, and provide resources for daily living and special occasions that I will establish.”
“I give the offering of my own blood and hair to help shape the beings that I wish to live on Azulyria. They will be gifted with control over the elemental factions of earth and stone, and shall be known as Stone Walkers.”
Dots of color took form. Trees, mountains, rivers, and sprawling meadows blended together like a painting come to life. Once the stage had been set, creatures that were both bipedal and four-legged scurried about the five island masses, marveling at their own existence.
Octrisia had wished to pay homage to the realms of the Elemental Goddesses by finalizing her decision to have Azulyria be comprised of five islands, but they weren’t just any random islands. They fit together like the facets of a gem, cut with precision and joined by bridges.
“Well done sister,” Gaia remarked.
“It’s still a work in progress if I’m being honest. Where there’s land and a growing population, there needs to be leadership. Obviously I can’t do it, so duties need to be delegated and administered by some type of governing body˗˗˗a queen perhaps.”
An impish grin formed at the thought of a female in charge. Her male siblings would scoff, but women were more than capable of reining with an iron fist if need be.
“I’m surprised. You stun me sister. I had no idea you could be so responsible.”
“I do have my moments,” Octrisia replied, a sheepish smirk beaming wide. Not just anybody could rule Azulyria. They needed to be special in some way. Hopefully one of her new creations would fit the bill.
Invisible to the naked eye, Octrisia wandered through her living piece of art, observing and modifying elements as she went. A meadow up ahead tickled her fancy.
It was an almost exact replica of her home back in the air realm. Emerald sheets of clover and white-petaled blooms wove a lovely carpet that was soft beneath her toes. Lost in her musings, a pair of ash gray eyes tinged with fear, blended with the feathery stalks of tall grass that ringed the open field. Their owner was lost to the gleeful Goddess who was admiring the new world she created.
The hum of life glided across her senses. Someone or something was actively keeping tabs of her movements, trailing each step with an elusive grace. As far as she knew, she hadn’t created any being that could penetrate the protective veil that shielded her presence. Hmmm. Should this soul possess that kind of intellect and power, they could have the raw talent to be a leader worthy of keeping Azulyria safe.
“I call to whoever has broken past my defenses and choose to stalk a Goddess. Reveal yourselves at once.” Octrisia beckoned with a confident air, an assertive strength, and a touch of genuine kindness.
Thin strands of willowy grass parted, clearing an opening for a young woman to step out. Young, maybe fifteen or sixteen in human years, she stood still, rings of gray boring into aquamarine. Flowing swaths of dark violet lay across her shoulders.
“I am the Goddess Octrisia, your creator. You stand there with blatant fear, yet never cower. I think you’ll make a fine ruler in time.” The immortal remarked.
Fear melded into skepticism, doubt of Octrisia’s motives. “I know not how to rule, as you say,” the young woman said.
“That’s alright child, I’ll te
ach you everything that you’ll need to know, but first we must pick a name for you.” Octrisia thought of the blue stones that protected her islands. “Ah I know, you shall be called Lapisera.”
5 Years Later – 1223 A.D.
“He is to do what?” Lapisera exclaimed with a pensive bite, cheeks tinted with a hint of color.
“He is to be your Masculirum, your partner in ruling, and partner in copulation if you should choose,” Octrisia said, having already explained the intricacies of mating, though the basic concept was common knowledge. With the dawn of new life came the task of educating them to behave in a certain manner. Procreation became one of those topics. It merely required a minor adjustment to the Stone Walkers primal instincts. More blood, more frilly incantations, yadda yadda.
Each member of this new species started as a blank slate, hers to shape and mold however pleased her. Assigning a partner for the ruling Queen had been on a whim, and one of the final pieces to establishing a fully functional society.
As a means to determine who would assist in reigning with future generations, Octrisia commissioned the forging of five magically imbued daggers that would incorporate materials from each of the five islands, the facets, to unify all of Azulyria into a single symbolic masterpiece.
These daggers would analyze your suitability by what lies in your heart and in your soul. Should you be chosen, a place beside the Queen, or Azurina as she is preferred to be called, was the prize.
For the Queen of Swords, that would be her full title, the trial she faced would not just require mental strength, but physical as well. She must survive the searing pain of heated coals. Not literally hot coals, but she would be given divine marks, and with them came the sensation of being branded by heated metal. The marks of the five facets was a test to see how much the soon to be Queen could endure. A weak ruler could give way to anarchy, a fate that must be avoided at all costs.
Though chosen by supernatural forces beyond mortal control, the Azurina accompanied by her Masculirum can only enforce their rule to a certain point, hence why each facet would be overseen by a trusted, competent vessel for power to be delegated to. Shards, this title being assigned to the most spiritually sensitive of each region, hold almost as much authority as the Queen herself. Keepers of the peace, protectors of the natural order, their very presence commanded respect. Many of the duties they performed kept day to day living at an optimal level of harmony.
Through Lapisera, Octrisia had outlined a decree detailing enforceable rules of conduct with corresponding punishments, ritual and spiritual practices, and naturally, an economic system based on the trading of goods or services. The Goddess had witnessed how bartering was being successfully implemented in other thriving societies. Established for those who found bartering not to their advantage, a form of currency, the Petrunia, was created to appease the masses.
As the eyes and ears of each facet, the role of Shard must be carried out by a moral compass that was above reproach, never wavering under duress or subjugation to a tempting bargain. Cross a Shard and don’t bother begging for leniency. The mandated law will be upheld to the letter.
Gaia found her sister’s intent dedication endearing. Azulyria had become her pride and joy˗˗˗doing all in her power with limited interference, to sustain all forms of life that she had created almost 200 years ago. Her melodic laughter punctuated the meadow with a stream of brassy chords.
“What causes your amusement dear sister?” Gaia asked, bemused that a Goddess thousands of years old still behaved like a child enamored with a new toy.
“I may have indirectly encouraged a young man to bestow a kiss upon the source of his amorous thoughts,” Octrisia replied.
A disapproving frown unfurled on Gaia’s face. “I thought that you were against meddling in the affairs of mortal relationships.”
“I’m not interfering too much. My observations led me to the conclusion that the young woman in question held mutual feelings, so I may have instigated a dream that made him aware of that morsel of truth.”
“Just be careful Trisi, I don’t want to see all of your hard work go to waste. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that our cousin Eros had a hand in this, or our brother Neptune, he likes to influence his siblings into getting themselves into trouble.”
“I am being careful. Besides, Neptune only hinted that I should play matchmaker.”
“I knew it! That brother of ours probably insisted on being involved, since you disturbed his precious oceans with your islands.”
Octrisia’s eyes hardened. “Yeah, he was a bit miffed that I didn’t ask him first.” In hindsight she should have sought his blessing. Well, what’s done is done. No one got hurt in the process. Playing matchmaker was the least I could do to make amends.
“Oh look, a Masculirum ceremony is starting. All of those young men must now face one of the daggers of Lapisera” Soon a new Azurina would be selected. Lapisera could soon rest after her replacement has fully ascended.
30
April 1995 – Taos, New Mexico
Vanilla˗˗˗sweet and creamy, lilacs˗˗˗fragrant and dewy as a garden after a spring rainstorm˗˗˗it was a bouquet indulgent enough to rival the decadence of a butter cream birthday cake, layered and topped with florets and wax candles molded to look like the number 66. Rozina started each morning with a spritz of her favorite perfume, except for today.
A lingering disease left her on borrowed time, never knowing whether or not she would awaken to greet the rising sun. The weight of that burden was extra strong this day of her birth.
Cancer was what the humans called it, an incurable ailment that attacked the body without mercy. Treatment was possible, but a cloud of apprehension would remain˗˗˗the fear of relapse. It was no way to live. From research, the side effects of those treatments were just as crippling as the disease itself. If the Goddess deemed it her time to pass onto the next realm, then so be it. She would savor every moment she had left. The end seemed to be drawing near, and precautions had to be enacted.
Hints of copper and veined wood shifted into view from where a stack of satin and cotton kept a sacred relic hidden in a dresser drawer. Rozina pulled a green blouse embroidered with golden threads from the stack of garments. It was her birthday after all, a little glitz was warranted.
She had a part to play, for the sake of her family and friends that would be arriving en masse against her wishes. They truly meant well, she knew that, yet the concept of solitude seemed foreign to them. Fanfare had never been her style, she simply put up with the annual bombardment, turning on a brilliant smile to placate the illusion that all was well.
There was a silver lining, two actually, that made the anniversary of her birth a tad less insufferable. Serena and Jared, her grand niece and nephew, they gave her some semblance of peace against the chaos. Blessed with unstoppable reserves of energy, life was never dull with them around.
Flimsy metallic streamers, the kind you could buy in bulk, draped down from the rafters, refracting slivers of rainbow light on the floor. The corners of the room were occupied by ribbon anchored balloons, bobbing with the flow of guest traffic. Distracted by the gaudy spectacle, her foot caught a creaky patch in the stairs, dragging all eyes from their idle chatter. By Octrisia’s wisdom, let her survive all the fussing.
Off pitch exaggerated choruses of “Happy Birthday” rose and dipped, the popular melody falling short of achieving its intended purpose. False merriment, carefully arranged on the surface, hid the dread that pulsed in warning.
Disguised, yet not fully cloaked, an ominous aura danced around the room like a pinball in a machine, preventing the detection of its owner.
Final strains of the festive song drew to a raucous close. Applause and fervent whistling prolonged the boisterous cheer. The hum of darkness settled like a tumultuous storm.
After the fall of Azulyria, Rozina lost the title of Shard, her services being rendered obsolete. Officiating sacred rites such as the Illumination cerem
onies for young Stone Walkers coming into their elemental powers, or binding a soon to be Queen with her Masculirum, these lifetime milestones had been her duty, her calling.
Then it was all ripped away in a matter of minutes by a perpetrator who as far as she knew, still hadn’t been apprehended. They were still free, eluding justice for their horrific crime. Days filled with incantations and freshly brewed elixirs were over for the most part. That left a naturally sharp intuition that felt the pricks of evil roaming freely. Not on her watch.
How dare a guest cross her threshold with a malicious entity tagging along? It was no accident, this level of darkness had to of been conjured, for what purpose she didn’t know, nor did she care. It must be expelled at once.
Easy enough, she could cleanse and purge it from her household without so much as causing a disturbance. A quick trip to her pantry ought to take care of it. Crushed white sage mixed with salt sprinkled throughout a space tainted by evil would instantly repel the negativity, evicting the energy from her home.
Behind a sliding wooden pocket door, custom built shelves housed an eclectic spread of your basic cooking staples: standard dried herbs, flour, sugar, and everything else you could ever need between A and Z. On the opposite side of the walk-in pantry, a Bunsen burner sat next to stacks of copper receptacles, various crystals, and ceramic canisters filled with exotic flowers.
Missing from the well stocked arrangement of components was a mineral prized by all Stone Walkers˗˗˗Tauruliem. Indigo blue that shimmered violet stroked with golden veins, even the tiniest piece was priceless.
The only known surviving samples resided in the hilt of a dagger created by the first Azurina of Azulyria. There was no way that Rozina would ever desecrate a relic of this caliber, just to top off her pantry supplies. It would stay safely hidden in her dresser drawer.
She located the sage, which had already been ground into a fine powder, and a rounded container of table salt. Taking a handful of each, Rozina combined the granular particles in a glass tube capped with a cork. Gone were the canvas pouches that she used to transport materials with, replaced by beakers or corked cylinders. While more precise, modern elements didn’t carry the same mystical provenance as the methods of her homeland.
Threads of Blood and Silk: The stone Wielder's Legacy Trilogy Book 2 Page 14