The Traitor of Tyiku

by Edeline Wrigh

  "I'm staying. Even if you don't care to see what's in store for us, I want to know about it."

  She sighed. "The blood will be on your own hands."

  "I've already got enough on my hands to seal my fate. It doesn't matter whether I stop now."

  "You know you can—"

  "—Be forgiven of that blood if I honor the gods in the right fashion. Yes, I do. I have no desire to align myself with your gods. They chose my alignment for me at birth."

  "May you never regret your decision. I expect to see you in camp tomorrow morning."

  "I will be there." He strode off into the darkness, leaving behind an angry Alikos, a confused Jaklyn, and a Summere who was shaking her head in dismay.

  "I will never be fond of him," she muttered, turning to walk along the path only she really knew.

  Jaklyn sent her a question. What is this about shedding blood and his gift...?

  Summere answered aloud for Alikos's benefit. "I have told you that Roan is a powerful Seer, but that he sees the Absolute future instead of a possible one, and Sees clear visions instead of abstract ones. This is true. But he has to kill someone for them."

  "You don't approve of his Gift," Jak said. It was a statement, not a question.

  "No, I don't," Summere agreed, "It's much against the nature of Kahiya to kill for any reason other than one's own life, and she frowns even on that. I pay homage to her." She smiled meekly. "I... would not be altogether opposed to Roan using his... Gift in dire times, but he is addicted to the knowledge, and it is distasteful."

  "Kahiya... I studied her in school..."

  "She is the goddess of life, love, and harmony. She is also said to be the most beautiful of the goddesses, but they are so numerous that even those who have spoken to the gods themselves cannot be sure. In Sralossa, people ask her to bless them at weddings. She is most angered by unrepentant, reasonless murderers of humans or animals. Of course, she is the enemy of Malo. I suppose that's why we do not get on better."

  They had made their way across the fields that led to the woods. On the edge of the trees, Jaklyn took a fallen branch and used it as a walking stick. Alikos, on the other hand, pushed branches out of the way with his hand. Summere walked through without a problem, though Jaklyn saw she gathered seeds and leaves in her golden hair.

  "You said you'd explain that conversation once we got into the trees," Alikos reminded her.

  "I did. That's related to the gods and goddesses, actually. I spoke of my mother... My mother is Kahiya. I was born in the Divine realm and sent here to get her realm back on the Path she intended for it."

  "Your mother is Kahiya?"

  "Yes. It is her will that I am following, not my uncle's."

  "Forgive me, Summere, but your claim is outlandish. How am I to believe that you are the daughter of a goddess? How am I to believe that if you are the daughter of a goddess, it is Kahiya and not a trickster god, like Lorac? I mean no disrespect, but you would not be the first hailed leader to claim they have connections to the Divine without some kind of proof."

  She took a deep breath and smiled. "Your heart is full of distrust, and not without reason. I see it was in error of me to believe I could gain your trust without concrete evidence."

  "I mean no disrespect-"

  "I know, Alikos. And I know that if you meant to disrespect me, it would be very apparent and with a righteous reason. And I know you have little reason to trust me now, but I also know that the times ahead will be harsh more often than not, and we absolutely cannot attempt to work together without trusting one another one hundred percent."

  "Do you really think so highly of my judgement? We have not known each other that long, and you've been tied up for a significant amount of that time."

  "I trust you. You have given me no reason not to. We have known each other longer than you realize. I asked Kahiya to bless you many years ago, and she did so. She has watched over you for most of your life."

  He glanced at her before continuing forward. “I don’t remember this."

  "I know you do not. For that reason, I shall ask you to trust me, though I know that is hard. With your permission, I will call to my mother and ask her to speak with you more directly. Know that she's unnerving to many people when they first see her."

  "If you want to, I guess, I mean..."

  She smiled. "I want to, because I believe it is the only thing that will ensure your trust. Alikos, I must earn your trust. Jaklyn... you have been harmed by too many humans to trust any of them these days, so I hope the goddess in me can persuade you. I hope you learn to trust Alikos, though. Your future will be much more pleasant if you can." She eyed Jaklyn's expression. "I apologize. My advice was not asked for."

  "No, no, I just..." I just am confused what you mean, she finished psychically. I know he kissed me, but that was just...

  That was just the beginning, Jaklyn. He cares for you more than you know. My mother has conversed with me about him at length.

  Jaklyn looked at Alikos. He was uneasy, but he offered her a slight smile and squeezed her hand once only to let it go.

  “Let’s keep going. I know of a field near our path that will be more ideal for this meeting. There is fresh water and ripe fruits there, now, so we will be able to refresh ourselves."

  They crunched through plants. Jaklyn was sore, but she was reluctant to bother either of her companions about it until they were already resting. She could feel in Alikos's mind that he was tired, but glimpsed herself in his thoughts and withdrew before she could figure out what he thought of Summere. Though she was certain he would not oppose her mind reading, she was not sure she wanted to know what he was thinking about at this point in time.

  Summere's mind was clearer, but also more complicated. She was thinking of a plethora of things: winter in Sralossa; how it was a shame Roan's gift was connected to Malo, because it'd otherwise be a wonderful tool; what she needed to do to call to her mother once they reached the clearing, and whether there was anything she'd been meaning to ask Kahiya about; what Alikos's life would look like after the war, and whether Jaklyn would become his wife...

  Jaklyn withdrew. It seemed a shame that everyone was bent on thinking about her relationship with Alikos tonight but her. She was still convinced that their situation was temporary, and it was simply based on the emotions from the war.

  Pity the one with Divine insight seems to think otherwise.

  It took less time than Jaklyn had expected for them to reach the clearing. When she walked in, she was awestruck. Even in the darkness, an array of flowers in bloom reflected the moonlight. The grass was soft, and she could smell lavender. In the distance, the moon reflected off water that was falling from the rocks above and into a lake.

  "I used to jump off of those cliffs," Summere mentioned. "There's something about the rush of the air against your skin and being so intertwined with nature that's magical." She giggled a bit. "I'm sorry. I know we have more pressing matters at hand, I simply love this spot. If you'll excuse me, I will begin my conference with my mother. There are a few trees with fruit, like I mentioned. Nothing here is poisonous, so do not be afraid."

  Jaklyn looked at Alikos, who nodded. She thought about what Summere said, and with that thought, looking at him became awkward. Just to ease that feeling, she picked an apple from a nearby tree and ate it, walking away to watch the waterfall.

  He followed, ruining her plans. Crunching at their apples, they watched the water. She felt into his mind. Slowly, timidly. She could tell he was debating whether to move closer to her.

  She moved away.

  Moments passed. Down the edge of the lake, Summere was meditating on something. She glided to the duo and sat to converse with them.

  "My mother will come, if you are ready."

  "I believe we are," Alikos said, wrapping his arm around Jaklyn, who flashed Summere an apologetic look. She just smiled and faced the water.

  Jaklyn watched the moonlight reflect off the lake. For quite some time
, she simply thought it looked lovely; the way the light glittered was very pleasant, and the slight breeze made the otherwise hot weather bearable. As she watched, however, she saw that the light became brighter and brighter. It seemed brighter than the sun—indeed, there was an orb illuminating its path all around it—and yet it did not hurt her eyes in the slightest.

  Prior to tonight, Jaklyn would have said that the most beautiful woman she'd ever laid eyes on was Summere, but as soon as the orb of light came close enough that she could see the woman within it, she knew beyond a doubt that this was the most beautiful woman she'd ever see. The woman was taller than Alikos by over a head, but, height aside, her resemblance to Summere—more appropriately, Jaklyn chided herself, Summere's resemblance to her—was unmistakable. She was blonde, and her golden hair was its own shining halo. Her eyes were hazel, warm, and somehow wise, though her skin was too flawless and smooth to give any indication of age. Her body was curvy like the statues of the beauties in the temples, but it was more beautiful than any stone cut by imperfect artists.

  Finally, as she approached her daughter, she smiled. "I've missed you, sweetheart," she said, Kahiya then turned to Alikos and Jaklyn. Jaklyn could not take her eyes off the goddess for even a moment, and not only was she rendered incapable of speech, she forgot she could speak altogether.

  "Jaklyn, my dear." She smiled, walking onto the grass and lighting up the entire clearing. "It is so good to finally see you face to face. My Summere has told me much about you. You have magnificent accomplishments in your future. May you have my blessing, for you must face ordeals before you make these accomplishments." The goddess stood over Jaklyn and wrapped her hands around her head for a moment. Jaklyn felt a warmth spread from her hands, down her back and legs, and into her core. She felt a euphoria unlike anything she'd heard of before; she had a racing heart and a daring mind, but also an intense feeling of calm.

  "And Alikos! It has been far too long, though I must say, you are aging well. You do not remember my blessing, but you are one of the noblest men to come out of Tyiku in quite some time. I daresay that you'd make an excellent addition to my temples if your destiny did not lie elsewhere.

  "You two are wise not to trust anyone in these times. There are many who would benefit from your assistance, and many of them have goals that are against your very natures. The leader of your land hopes to bring dreadful things in from another realm. She goes against the will of those of us who would keep the peace in the Divine realm. She is siding with Deoth, whose will is to cause chaos and destruction. Those of us in the Divine would prefer not to force the matter in the human realms, but the situation grows more dire with the passing times." She sighed, combing her fingers through her hair and petting a fawn that had appeared from the trees. She kissed its head and blessed it before continuing. "I have sent Summere, however, to do her best to work against Minndi. I do not expect her to succeed single-handedly, but, as I mentioned, you have great accomplishments in store, Jaklyn." She smiled, and a rabbit walked onto her lap. Jaklyn realized she'd been sitting down for quite awhile.

  "Please remember what I have told you, and if you wish to pay homage to me, I hope you side with my daughter. She faces great evils, and she will need any help you can give her, even though she is powerful alone. Darling, do you have anything further you request of me before I return to the Divine?"

  "I do not, Mother," Summere said. It startled Jaklyn to hear a voice other than Kahiya's. "Thank you for visiting us tonight."

  "It is nothing, sweetheart. We miss you in the Divine realm."

  "I will be home before you realize it. Mortal life isn't long to you, right?"

  "It is longer when one is waiting," her mother said simply. "I hope you enjoy your time here, even if you cannot spend as much time as you'd like relaxing. Mortal existence is an experience I'd like to live through again." She smiled. "I will await your next summon, my daughter. Until then, I hope everything progresses well."

  "Goodbye, Mother."

  "Goodbye, my daughter."

  With those words, Kahiya, the goddess of life, love, and harmony, glided across sparkling waters until she faded away, taking her sunlight with her.

  Chapter 15

  They made it to camp before daybreak. Jaklyn and Alikos disappeared into a tent indicated by Summere to sleep, while she maintained enough energy to talk to a few of her people before the sun rose.

  The morning at the camp was as peaceful as could be expected. Everyone was up at dawn, and it soon became clear that not one person was here by random chance. Everyone had something to attend to. The hustling and bustling woke Jaklyn up far before she was finished sleeping. Alikos, of course, had woken up at dawn with the rest of them.

  Alikos. She sighed, attempting to stuff her curiosity about him and his emotions deep in her mind to be extracted later.

  She got up, straightened her clothing, and combed through her hair before she wandered out. She wasn't sure what was expected of her. Was she meant to do chores, state her opinions? Did Summere even think she was The One, or was she only taking Jaklyn in to intimidate Minndi?

  Jaklyn wandered camp. It wasn't long before she realized people whispered about her as she walked past. The first three times, she was curious. Did they whisper because they knew who she was, or because they didn't know who she was? By the fourth and fifth times, it wore on her nerves, and by the tenth time, she was desperate to find Summere before she exploded. A curly-haired child—Jaklyn guessed she was some kind of servant—pointed toward the woods when Jaklyn asked where Summere was, and it took everything in Jaklyn's power not to have the child to take her there.

  She walked, and when she came to the edge of the woods, Summere was nowhere to be seen.

  Jaklyn cursed, then sat and stared at the trees. She was willing to bet Summere was in the field they'd met Kahiya last night, but there was no way she'd be able to make it back there without a guide.

  She gave up on her plan. She'd talk to Summere when she came back, but in the meantime, she wanted to rest. She laid on the ground, keeping her eyes open to observe the birds in the trees...

  As she laid there, she noticed something. A specific place in the line of trees seemed brighter than the surrounding area. It was almost as if there was a lantern illuminating it. Without contemplating for one more second, Jaklyn sprang to her feet and walked closer to investigate the light.

  When she got closer, it was clear that the light not only shined from the ground itself but also extended into the woods and beyond Jaklyn's field of vision.

  With a tentative move, she placed one of her feet down. She felt silly—after all, wasn't it just light?—but the effect resembled magic enough that she would not trust it right away.

  After she realized that there was no immediate harm in stepping on it, she brought her other foot onto the beginning of the line. Everything was fine. She moved cautiously for awhile, moving branches when she needed to and picking up confidence as she wandered into the woods.

  She followed this path for what seemed like no time at all to her mind, but an eternity to her body. She was cramped from the journey yesterday, and she was moving much more quickly through the woods than her body would have preferred. Though she could feel this pain, she did not consider slowing her pace to accommodate it. As absorbed in her task as she was, the physical pain served only to vaguely indicate how time was passing.

  It soon became clear that she was not, in fact, going to the meadow from last night. The little sense of direction she had said she was going too far to the left, and she knew she'd been traveling longer than the journey from the clearing to the camp. She realized that she had no idea where she was going, and she hoped the light would not fade when she reached the end of its path.

  Finally, she reached a clearing. Not the clearing from the night prior, no, but a clearing that had been discovered and disrupted ages ago—if you could call it that. In the center of this clearing was a small bamboo hut. It stood round and prominent in th
e middle of the clearing, disruptive of nature but also in harmony with it. From the frame of the roof, a few sticks were suspended from strings, and the slight breeze made them give a gentle, musical tapping sound against each other. Unlit torches surrounded the hut, and the path of light Jaklyn had been following circled around to the other side of the meager building.

  As she was observing the hut, she heard voices. Walking around the structure, she found a trio of people deep in discussion. Foremost of this trio was Summere, and upon seeing her, the source of the light was obvious. Though she was not glowing nearly as brightly as Kahiya had, Summere was definitely emitting light. It only made her look otherworldly and even more beautiful.

  Summere was the first to notice Jaklyn approaching them. She snapped her head up in surprise, then smiled and motioned for Jaklyn to join them. "I'm impressed you could find us here. It's quite a walk."

  "I... I followed the light." No one seemed confused as to what she meant, so she continued, "I was just wondering whether there was something you wanted me to do? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude."

  "That's quite alright, Jaklyn. We're simply discussing Roan and Ezra's visions."

  Jaklyn looked at the other two members of this trio and nodded. The trio confused her. Summere, the half-goddess; Roan, the man who had tried to kill her last night, and who needed to kill to see the future; Ezra, a woman Minndi had trusted but who had betrayed her...

  "If you'd like to join in our conversation, by all means, do so. It's likely of import to you, as some visions include you."

  "I believe you've mentioned this."

  "You're going to be a fire mage," Roan said.

  "I've been told. I was also told you weren't sure how I actually get these powers. You said it might have to do with an archway...?"

  "Yes, that's correct," Summere said. "My mother told me I'm onto something with that theory, though she wouldn't explain the specifics of it. I know you're tired, and it's a bit of a walk, but if you're up for it, I think we should investigate the archway today. We don't know how Minndi will react when she realizes we're gone, so we might not have time to do this later."