The Oblivion Stone (The Liftsal Guardians Book 3)

by Alexandra Moody

  ‘We may not have enough warriors to protect the rift,’ Rhyn said. ‘A source has told us that another vessel will arrive in three days with more human fighters. It will be impossible to defend the rift and keep enough guards posted at the castellum in case of a Braky attack.’

  ‘We will just have to post the minimum number of warriors at the rift,’ Lorian said. ‘If their forces are too great, we can retreat to the castellum. It can withstand any siege; I am certain of that.’

  ‘But if we concede control of the rift to the humans they will flow through it,’ another elder added. ‘What if the Brakys turn them? Will the castellum withstand an attack from a force that size?

  ‘It is not worth the risk,’ said another. ‘The humans must not be allowed into our world.’

  ‘But how can we protect both the rift and the castellum,’ the younger elder protested.

  ‘Your father will be back soon,’ Amarla said, turning to Rhyn. ‘Let us not do anything too drastic for now. The humans have not attacked us yet, and he will have the final say on how he wants them dealt with.’

  The way the female elder spoke gave Sloane the feeling that Amarla had some extreme views on what she wanted to happen to the humans in the World of the Woods.

  Everyone around the table had turned to look at Rhyn and Sloane followed their gaze to study the Unfaih prince. He hadn’t spoken much as the elders argued about what to do and his head was bowed in thought as he considered what to say. Amarla had pretty much tried to postpone the debate until Vas returned, but Sloane wondered if Rhyn had other ideas.

  ‘I will post as many warriors at the rift as I can spare,’ Rhyn finally said. ‘But they may not be enough. I think I have a more permanent solution.’

  The room fell quiet as Rhyn spoke.

  ‘What are you thinking, Rhyn?’ Kai asked, breaking the silence.

  ‘We closed a rift once before; I think it’s time for us to consider doing it again.’

  The room went into uproar at his suggestion, and each council member seemed enraged by the mere mention of closing a rift. The only ones who stayed silent were Kai and Lorian as the other elders fired their objections at Rhyn.

  ‘How could you suggest such a thing?’

  ‘You know what happened last time a rift closed.’

  ‘Your father would never allow this to happen!’

  Lorian, however, looked thoughtful as he considered Rhyn’s plan. ‘Perhaps we should hear Rhyn out?’ he said, his voice causing the other council members to quieten down.

  ‘The last time a rift was closed it plunged our entire world into winter, and destroyed everything,’ Amarla said. ‘Who knows what would happen this time. There is nothing to be heard.’

  ‘We should at least listen to what Rhyn is proposing,’ Lorian replied.

  ‘Even if we wanted to close a rift, it’s impossible as we no longer have the Oblivion Stone,’ Amarla continued. ‘We all know that was lost to us when the rift to Earth closed.’

  Sloane frowned as she tried to interpret Amarla’s words. She’d never heard anything about the stone, and she wondered if she had translated correctly.

  ‘The Oblivion Stone?’ Rhyn questioned. ‘What is that?’

  ‘A powerful tool.’ Lorian explained. ‘The Oblivion Stone was forged for the sole purpose of closing the rift and stopping the Brakys.’

  ‘But it did a lot more than that,’ another elder mumbled.

  Lorian nodded calmly, closing his eyes for a second as he composed himself. ‘Yes,’ he continued. ‘The Oblivion Stone destroyed the rift, but left our world covered in snow and ice.’

  ‘And where is the stone now?’ Rhyn asked.

  ‘As Amarla said, it was lost in the process of destroying the rift.’ Lorian replied.

  ‘But perhaps there is another way to close the rift,’ Rhyn suggested, glancing at Kai.

  Kai slowly shook his head. ‘I do not know of another way,’ he said. ‘But there is someone who might. He closed the rift once before; he may be able to do it again.’ Kai’s gaze flickered around the table as realisation dawned on the elder’s faces.

  ‘You think Joran would know of another way?’ Lorian asked.

  ‘Potentially,’ Kai nodded. ‘He is the most skilled magus this clan has ever had. He forged the Oblivion Stone. If anyone can work out a way to close the rift, it’s him.’

  ‘He hasn’t spoken of the stone or closing the rift since the day it happened,’ Amarla said. ‘He left the village and never returned. What makes you think he’ll talk about it now?’

  ‘I was his apprentice for a long time,’ Kai said, softly. ‘He’ll talk to me.’

  Rhyn’s eyes narrowed as he looked to Kai. ‘How long would it take you to get to his village?’

  ‘It’s two days ride across the frozen sea,’ Kai responded.

  ‘That’s too long,’ Rhyn murmured.

  ‘And it’s a pointless journey. We haven’t agreed to close the rift,’ the jumpy young elder interrupted. ‘And we all know that no one will approve of such an extreme action.’

  Rhyn shot the elder a scowl. ‘That’s not your decision to make.’

  ‘It’s not your decision either,’ the man replied.

  ‘That’s right,’ another elder spoke up. He looked to be the oldest in the group and Sloane couldn’t begin to imagine how long he must have been alive. ‘I am sorry Rhyn, but we don’t know what will happen if another rift closes and we cannot afford to take such a risk. You must search for another way to stop the humans, or we will have to intervene...’

  His words hung heavily in the air, and from the blank look on Rhyn’s face, the threat held some clout. As Sloane watched the two Unfaih men stare each other down, she wondered what power the elders held in their community. She hadn’t realised Rhyn was answerable to anyone, other than his father, but the elders must hold some sway.

  Rhyn let out a breath, his gaze drifting from one council member to another. ‘Then it looks like we’ll have to fight,’ he said before he slowly began to stand. ‘I think that is enough discussion for one day. Thank you all for your counsel. I will call a meeting again when we have more news on the humans.’

  The council began to dispatch, but Rhyn and Kai hung back, watching the elders leave. Lorian stayed behind with them, and he appeared thoughtful as he stared after his fellow council members. Sloane wondered if he agreed with the others about the rift.

  Once they were all gone, Rhyn turned to face Lorian. ‘Do you agree with them?’ he asked.

  Lorian’s eyes clouded as he looked at Rhyn, and it was impossible to know what he thought as he considered the problem at hand.

  ‘Closing the rift is a drastic action,’ Lorian replied. ‘We have no way to know what would happen to our world if another was closed, let alone the two that lead to the World of the Woods. The human threat is not great enough that this course of action is even worth considering. If there were another way I would consider it, but I do not think the other elders will be so open-minded.’

  Rhyn sighed and looked to Kai. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘That we should explore all available options,’ Kai replied. ‘We must at least talk to Joran.’

  Rhyn was silent for several moments as he stared at Kai. He looked like he wanted to agree with him, but something was holding him back. ‘Lorian is right; it’s dangerous and drastic,’ Rhyn said. ‘We can’t waste time on this.’

  His voice sounded so tired, and there was almost a sense of hopelessness in his eyes as he looked at the two men before him. Sloane couldn’t understand why he’d been so quick to dismiss the idea of closing the rift. It would certainly put an end to their problems with the humans. It would also mean that her people could stay on Aeris and they would be safe from the Brakys.

  It made sense to Sloane that the elders would be wary of closing the rift, considering how Ellysia had been affected last time. But what if the man who had closed the rift had learnt where he had gone wrong? It seemed crazy that they weren’t
at least going to talk to him. But the council had seemed sure the man would not be of help, and Sloane couldn’t imagine them changing their minds about Rhyn’s plan.

  ‘So, you’re giving up?’ Kai asked, a frown creasing his brow.

  ‘No, I’m focusing on the things I can do that will ensure we will triumph,’ Rhyn replied. ‘My warriors have centuries of training, and we have been at war with creatures far worse than humans for a long time. The elders are right; the Oblivion Stone devastated our world once, and I need to make sure that doesn’t happen again.’

  ‘You’re making the right choice,’ Lorian said, patting Rhyn on the shoulder. ‘A leader must consider the ramifications of their actions. Closing the rift may stop this battle, but none of us will win if it destroys our world further.’

  Rhyn’s face relaxed at Lorian’s words, but the sight made Sloane angry. He was a fool for allowing the elders to have such an influence on him, and she wanted to slap some sense into him.

  ‘Well, I’ve got a lot of planning to do,’ Rhyn said, beginning to pace towards the front door of the hall with Lorian at his side. The two of them spoke quietly as they walked, and when they reached the door, Rhyn opened it for Lorian so he could step out into the village square.

  Rhyn looked tired as he closed the door behind the elder and walked back towards Kai. Sloane felt a little sorry for him, but not sorry enough to stay hidden any longer. She didn’t care how annoyed Rhyn would be that she had spied on the meeting; she just couldn’t contain her frustration with him any longer.

  ‘You’re being an idiot,’ Sloane shouted, finally coming out of her hiding place and pacing across the room towards the two brothers.

  Kai struggled to hide a smirk as she appeared, and Rhyn’s eyes opened wide as she stormed towards him. His surprise only lasted a moment before he started shaking his head and a smile matching Kai’s lit his face.

  ‘I should have known you’d sneak in,’ he murmured.

  ‘Well, of course I did,’ Sloane said, thumping his arm as she came to a stop beside him. ‘You were keeping secrets, and you wouldn’t let me come. This is important to me too you know.’

  ‘I was planning to tell you everything,’ Rhyn replied calmly. ‘But the council would never allow you to join a meeting, and I wasn’t sure how they would react to my plan.’

  Sloane paused as she tried to gather her rambling thoughts in some semblance of order. She was feeling a lot of different things after listening to the meeting and didn’t quite know where to start. ‘That’s beside the point now,’ she finally said. ‘Why are you listening to them?’

  ‘Because I hold their opinions in the highest regard; their collective wisdom is such that it should never be ignored.’

  ‘Screw that’ she snapped. ‘If you managed to close the rift you could stop a war!’

  ‘I said the elders should not be ignored.’ he replied. ‘I didn’t say they should be obeyed. For once, I disagree with them.’

  A small smile touched the corner of Sloane’s lips. ‘You think we should close the rift anyway?’

  ‘Perhaps. Closing the rift is risky—it could wreck our world—but we still need to know if it’s an option.’ Rhyn glanced between Sloane and Kai to gauge their reactions. ‘Don’t you agree?’

  Kai’s eyes were serious as he looked at his brother. ‘You can’t leave right now to find Joran. The council will not approve if you disappear, and the situation with the humans could escalate at any time. You’re needed here.’

  ‘Yes, I agree,’ Rhyn said. ‘Which is why you must go, Kai. But I do not want you to go alone. Sloane will cross the frozen sea with you.’

  Sloane frowned at his suggestion. ‘But what if something happens while we’re gone?’ she asked.

  ‘Then I will deal with it,’ Rhyn replied, not an ounce of worry evident in his tone. ‘I know you are concerned about your sister, but we cannot help her from here.’

  Sloane chewed on her lower lip, looking between the brothers.

  ‘I’m sure your sister would want you to find a way to stop any potential fight,’ Kai added. ‘And, if we close the rift, the humans would be able to stay in the World of the Woods safely.’

  Sloane still didn’t like the idea of leaving. She already felt too far from her sister and each step she took away from her felt like a betrayal. There was nothing she wanted more than to look after Rowe and protect her from danger, but Sloane felt like any ability to do so had been stolen from her the moment her sister had returned to the human settlement. Rhyn was right. There was nothing she could do from Ellysia. That didn’t make the prospect of leaving any easier.

  ‘You’re right,’ she eventually agreed. ‘I don’t like the idea of missing out if there’s a fight, but searching for a way to completely stop this madness is more important.’

  Rhyn seemed surprised that she agreed so quickly. ‘And your sister?’

  ‘I just have to trust that Rowe and Jack know what they are doing,’ she replied. Although it pained her to say it out loud, she knew she had to step back and have faith in her sister.

  ‘So, you’ll go?’ Rhyn asked.

  She slowly nodded. ‘Just promise me that if you find out Rowe’s in any kind of trouble, you’ll help her.’

  ‘I will do whatever you would do in such a situation. You have my word,’ Rhyn replied solemnly.

  Sloane stared into his eyes for several moments, judging his sincerity before she nodded in response. ‘When do we leave?’

  ‘We’ll wait for darkness,’ Rhyn replied. ‘You both need to leave as soon as possible, but you can’t be seen by the elders. I don’t want them to know what you are up to or they might try to stop you.’

  ‘That doesn’t give us much time…’ Kai said.

  Rhyn nodded. ‘I know. You’ll have to ride fast and through the night. I need you back here with the means to close the rift in three days. Otherwise, war is inevitable.’

  Sloane swallowed the tight lump in her throat. She didn’t like that they may not be back in time, but they had no other choice.

  ‘Then it’s settled,’ Kai said. ‘We will leave for Joran’s home tonight.’

  Chapter Seven

  Sloane stared at the thatched ceiling overhead, listening for any sound of movement in the room next door. She’d been lying on Rhyn’s bed and trying to get some sleep while she waited to leave for Joran’s village, but she hadn’t even been close to drifting off. Her mind was too awake, and she kept thinking she could hear Rhyn in the living area. He had gone out to check if it was safe for her and Kai to leave but had not yet returned.

  Night had descended hours ago, and Sloane was becoming increasingly restless. Every minute they were delayed made it less likely they would be able to return in time to stop the battle with the humans. They were already short of time and needed to get going. However, they also couldn’t afford to be caught trying to leave, and Rhyn seemed sure the elders would try to stop them.

  Sloane pushed herself upright and stared at the doorway. There wasn’t much light coming in under the hide that separated the two rooms, and she was guessing the fire out in the living area hadn’t been stoked in a while. She wasn’t sure when Rhyn would return, but she knew she couldn’t keep waiting. There was no chance she was going to get any sleep.

  She slipped from the bed and quietly pulled her boots on. She hadn’t bothered undressing, as she knew she’d have to leave as soon as Rhyn returned. Once her boots were on, she crept to the doorway and pulled back the hide that hung across it.

  The living area of the hut was dim. The fire that was roaring a few hours ago had reduced to glowing embers, and the small light it emanated wasn’t much to see by. It was cold, and Sloane pulled her jacket in close as she walked through the room and made her way over to the front door. She paused by the entrance to pick up the sword that was propped against the wall and sheathed it at her side. Feeling more assured, she pulled the hide back from the doorway and stepped outside.

  The ice-cold air bru
shed against her skin as she emerged from the hut, and her breaths came out in small frosty puffs of vapour. She rubbed her hands together before stuffing them into her jacket pockets to keep them warm.

  The moon shone brightly overhead, and countless stars twinkled against the inky coloured backdrop. She’d never seen stars so bright; not even at the Academy in the desert back on Earth. But as beautiful as they were, the stars only reminded her of how far she was from Rowe. They were worlds apart, and Sloane wondered if her sister could even see the same night’s sky that she was looking up at. She hoped she was making the right decision in going with Kai to Joran’s village. She’d never forgive herself if Rowe were hurt because she wasn’t there to help her.

  Sloane continued to stare up at the sky, hopelessly willing it to give her some sign that her sister was safe, some assurance that she was making the right choices. But the stars held no solutions to her problems, and deep inside Sloane knew that she was the only one who could decide her future. Her gut told her that going with Kai was their best option, and she had always trusted her instincts to lead her in the past. But since Ash’s betrayal, she wondered how keen those instincts were.

  She always tried to make decisions firmly and believe in the choices she made, even when people told her she was wrong—especially when people told her she was wrong. But a small part of her now felt like perhaps she wasn’t as clever as she had always believed, and Sloane found herself questioning every move she made.

  She only lowered her gaze from the sky when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the pathway towards Rhyn’s home. At Orelle’s place, the glacies would have started squawking in alarm the moment they heard the smallest noise. But the creatures on guard at Rhyn’s hut both slept contently by the front door, oblivious to the fact that someone was approaching.

  Rhyn appeared from behind the tall snow banks that bordered the path, his jaw set grimly and his eyes filled with worry. He nodded at Sloane in greeting as he reached her. He seemed distant to Sloane, and she wondered if he was simply tired or if there was more to his troubled mood.