***
Chapter 22.
Aeranyth
Elian jolted awake and immediately regretted opening his eyes. After Cassia had sent him to sleep, he’d slid to his side and now found himself looking up at a Hollowed, it’s eyeless gaze boring into his very soul.
“We are almost there Elian. Did you have a pleasant sleep? You’ve been out cold, snoring like a pig for hours now. The Supreme awaits,” Cassia said as the carriage slowed to a halt. The Hollowed pushed him into a sitting position before opening the carriage door and stepping outside. The other Hollowed shoved Elian outside. He squinted in the dull sunlight, even the sky appeared forlorn in this dead and devastated land. Towering above him and the surrounding landscape was a massive structure. It stood like a monolith that dominated the ruined city that lay beneath it. He had never seen anything so imposing in all his life. Even the mighty walls of Asta paled in comparison. He raised his head, but from the ground, the top of the structure was hidden from view by clouds.
“The Temple of Arrival. The spot where the Visitors first arrived in our world. The place where the Power was made manifest. It’s impressive, isn’t it? It still takes my breath away,” Cassia said in awe.
Elian couldn’t take his eyes off the structure. It wasn’t just because it was so incredible, he could feel something emanating from within it. He closed his eyes and reached out with his emotions. There, at the heart of the Temple was a power, unlike anything he’d felt before. It was like a star going supernova, it’s power almost dazzling in its intensity. Another strong presence was nearby, one that made Cassia feel like an insignificant speck of dust in comparison, the Supreme.
“What is that… presence?” he gasped.
“That, Elian is the Oracle,” Cassia answered. With a push from the Hollowed, they walked towards the Temple of Arrival. The shattered road led down a slope into what had once been the largest and most glorious city in the world. Ancient buildings smashed and broken lay all around them, but the eeriest thing was the total silence. Nothing stirred within the ruins save for the whispering of the wind.
“Aeranyth,” Cassia said as though she were reading his thoughts. As they walked Elian took it all in and it raised a question in his mind. The devastation was total, a chill ran up his spine. The old stories didn’t make sense. As a child, his mother would tell him tales long forbidden by the Venerable Chamber that told that the Supreme herself had destroyed the land. That, at seeing how corrupt the men of Aeranyth had become she purged them from the world. How she’d done so was always vague and shrouded in myth. In the tale, his mother would tell that the Supreme had used her Powers, but to Elian, this now seemed impossible. He was an Empowered One, granted one that still had much to learn, but even he knew that one being with the Power couldn’t possibly have wrought the carnage that lay all around him for hundreds of miles.
They walked deeper through the tomb that had once been a city filled with people. Elian could feel the echoes of those that had once dwelled there. They were like ghosts at the periphery of his senses. Every possible emotion was present, but it was the Fear that dominated all others.
“The moment of their doom resides here like a phantom,” Cassia muttered at his side. Elian looked at her to see her hands trembling. Using a technique taught to him by Rea, he closed himself off to the feelings of despair and dread.
Eventually, they reached the heart of the city. It was then that he heard the first cries and the faint smell of humanity. They emerged onto a wide plaza that was surrounded by the ruins of several large buildings. Elian surmised that the one in front of them had once been some sort of temple, the spire of which lay on its side at the edge of the plaza. Broken statues of long-forgotten rulers lay covered in centuries worth of dirt.
Stood in rows before the ravaged temple were cages filled with people, their cries breaking the quiet. As they got closer, he could now see that every spare scrap of land beyond the square was rammed with cages. Grim faced black clad Imperium troops watched over the prisoners and watching from atop broken towers stood Chamber Seekers. The Hollowed shoved him forward and they walked down one of the wide avenues that led to the Temple of Arrival. More cages lined it; the number of prisoners was in the tens of thousands. Tents housing the Imperium guards were set up in an open space that had been cleared of rubble, and hundreds of campfires filled the sky with smoky trails. They walked on down muddy streets lined with cages filled with men, women and children. As they drew closer to the imposing Temple, one of the cage’s was being emptied and its occupants forced outside by soldiers aiming their muskets menacingly. The miserable people were attached to one another by the wrists by a thick iron chain. Elian slowed. His eyes widened and despite his predicament a spark of hope formed in his heart. He recognised some of the prisoners! Battered and bruised at the rear of the line was the unmistakable visage of Ruy. The lad who had once bullied him and Lizella mercilessly for years was shambling along with the other villagers from Fork. In the year since his escape from the village, the populace must’ve been through hell. Ruy had once been a thick-set boy with plenty of muscle, now he was all skin and bones. His once full face was gaunt and hollow. Ruy’s eyes widened as he spotted Elian, but he said nothing. They were both prisoners of the Supreme. Of his parents, there was no sign, had they escaped somehow? Were they- dead? The thought was too awful to contemplate, and he forced his mind from it. He had to focus on the here and now if he were to survive. They walked on until they reached the base of the vast Temple. Elian looked up, awed by the sheer size of the place. High up he could see birds flying in and out from nests they had built into crevices in the stonework.
“Return to the encampment. I will handle things from here,” Cassia commanded the Hollowed. Without a word, the two eyeless horrors departed leaving Elian alone with the daughter of the Supreme. Cassia turned and ascended the steps, Elian hesitated.
“If you’re thinking of running, don’t. There is no escape from this Elian.”
Tears formed in his eyes. He could barely keep his fear under control. This was it. After running and hiding all this time, now he was in the Supreme’s grasp. He knew that what Cassia had said was true, there was no escape. The Hollowed and Seekers would be on him within moments. Reluctantly, he followed.
At the top of the steps, two huge doors stood wide open and walking in and out were dozens of scribes and men wearing the attire of Venerable Chamber operatives.
Inside, Elian slowed in awe at the vast chamber in which they stood. Hanging from the ceiling was a large banner made of the blackest cloth and emblazoned on its surface was the emblem of the Venerable Chamber.
“This is the source of their name,” Cassia explained as Elian recognised the emblem. For as long as he could remember no one knew why the cult that supported the Supreme named itself the way it did. Now, stood inside the Temple of Arrival he understood. It was here that their order had been created, most likely in this very chamber.
“When the Supreme took her power, she didn’t slay all those who had been at her side as the Mentors preach. No, some seeing her glory bent the knee there and then and pledged their support to her. They became the Chosen, her most devoted servants, and ever since their descendants have served the Venerable Chamber.”
The chamber seemed to go on forever but just in view was another set of huge doors, to where they led Elian didn’t know. Cassia walked on. At seeing him, the Chamber operatives stopped what they were doing and stared at him. Some whispered to their colleague’s others took Elian by surprise as they bowed their heads.
Finally, they reached a staircase built into the side of the vast chamber. Cassia stopped and gestured to the steps.
“The Supreme awaits.”
Chapter 23.
A woman.
She was dressed in a fine red dress in the fashion worn by noblewomen, but far more refined and extravagant. The silky material reached all the way down her slender legs and trailed behind her as she walked. Her arms were cove
red with long white velvet gloves that reached her elbows. Her beauty was breath-taking, the legends had failed to capture the truth of it. Long blonde hair fell in ringlets down her back and her pale skin was perfect like porcelain. The Supreme was elegant, tall and powerful. And to Elian’s shock, she was young – far younger than Elian expected, even younger in appearance than Cassia, her own daughter.
The room he now found himself in was small but circular in design. Alcoves carved into the smooth stone walls contained candles that cast the chamber in a warm glow. Various pieces of expensive-looking furniture stood around the room and a large ornate mirror dominated the back wall.
She regarded him for a few moments, her presence almost overwhelming to the senses. To his surprise, she smiled, held her arms open and stepped forward pulling him into an embrace. She smelt intoxicating. Jasmine, Lavender and other scents filled his nostrils as his face pressed into her slim neck.
“I always knew you were out there; I knew that you yet lived,” she whispered. Elian tensed in the embrace. She stepped back holding him at arm’s length.
“I am sure all of this is very confusing for you, perhaps frightening. Be assured that I have no desire to harm you. I need you for a very special purpose. Please sit, your cloak, gauntlets and other attire are safe in that chest over there,” she said gesturing to one of the chairs. Elian hesitated before sitting. This encounter was not going the way he had imagined at all. The Supreme gathered her skirts and sat opposite him her green eyes penetrating his own. He could sense her in his mind, but unlike when Rea or another Gifted had done the same thing, the Supreme’s touch was almost impossible to detect. It was like the brush of a feather against skin.
“You are wondering why I have brought you here.”
Elian nodded, he tried to speak but his nerves made his voice sputter. He coughed and focused on his emotions in order to get them under control. The Supreme’s smile widened.
“I want to know why you destroyed my home; I want to know why you sent your servants to pursue me. I know that the Venerable Chamber hunts down those with the Power, but in my case, you sent The First Fear after me. I have been told that I am somehow special, different from other Empowered Ones. I want to know, why me?” he said, his voice almost cracking.
The Supreme leant forward and brushed his cheek.
“I am sorry for all that you have been put through. Know that I did not want any of it to happen- events were beyond my control. If I had it my way you would have been spared from all this pain and fear. You do not realise just how important you are to me Elian. I want you to trust me. First, I need you to see the truth, to understand. May I?” she asked.
Confusion filled Elian. Something in her eyes told him that what she was saying was genuine. Hesitantly he nodded.
The Supreme smiled softly and placed a hand to his forehead.
“Try to relax and see,” she whispered.
Chapter 24.
They would not touch her again.
The girl stood in the centre of the flames. The screams of the bad men, friends and family merged with the roar of the fire and the crash of falling timbers.
She watched as one of the bad men stumbled past her, his cloak ablaze and his skin cooking. It smelt like roast pork. The other cloaked figures were either dead or fleeing for their lives. No. They would not take her. She walked out of the ruins of her family home, the smoke and heat not bothering her in the slightest.
The white-hot of the Rage she had felt still lingered in her chest, but the Fear was fading. Despite the horror, the girl laughed. Why should she ever be afraid again?
A body lay on the ash covered ground. Cautiously the girl approached and rolled it over. She blinked. It was her mother. The flames had burnt her to a crisp. Her flesh had melted away to reveal the bone beneath. The Rage built again, but this time something else grew with it. An emotion so powerful that it felt like a lead weight in her heart.
“You would let them take me? Your own daughter!” the girl screamed.
Hate. The emotion she felt was Hate.
How could she? It wasn’t her fault she was different. She hadn’t meant to hurt the boy; she didn’t understand what was happening to her. One day she was just a little girl playing with her friends, the next she’d knocked a boy twice her age out cold. He’d been picking on her and her friends, she’d snapped. She grew upset and angry, she could still hear her sobs and then, suddenly like a thunderclap, she’d felt strength flood through her body. All she did was push him, how was she to know that she possessed such strength? They’d found her in a field weeping, they were mad with her and afraid. Every bone in the boy’s body had been shattered by a push from a tiny little girl. Her parents had argued in her defence, but the truth was undeniable. It had only taken them two days to arrive, but at seeing the cloaked men she knew what she was. She was Gifted.
The ground trembled causing some of the fire-ravaged buildings to collapse. The girl looked at her hands in surprise. She didn’t know how but she knew that she was the cause of the quake. The cloaked men had wanted to take her away, to take her with them so that they could use her powers.
“Such Anger. Such Fear.”
The girl spun around. With a blue and black cloak flapping in the heat and flame, stood the leader of the Empowered Ones. His handsome face was furrowed in concentration as though he were trying to protect himself from the raging inferno. The girl screamed again and lashed out at the man. Unlike the others, however, this one swatted her blows aside with ease. Tears flowed from the girl’s eyes, and her throat was raw from her screams.
“I hate you! Leave me alone!” the girl sobbed. Exhaustion threatened to overwhelm her; she could feel her limbs becoming heavy, her head felt light. She swung a small fist at the man, but this time she stumbled and fell to her knees. He stepped forward placing a palm on her forehead. A strange tingling sensation coursed through her body and her senses dulled.
“No!” the girl protested weakly before going limp. The Empowered One caught her as she fell and held her close.
“You fear your potential girl,” he whispered as the blackness took her.
*
From that day on her life had been one of misery. Never again would she set eyes on her home, instead she’d been taken to Aeranyth, to the home of the Empowered Ones, those who were tasked with protecting the world. Every day she was subjected to intensive training and every day she would surprise her tutors with her development. She was just a young girl but even then, she could tell that her Mentors were not what they claimed to be. She’d been raised to believe that they were virtuous, incorruptible, good. She’d met a few that had matched that description, but the majority were arrogant, looking down on those without the Power, those they’d sworn to protect as their inferiors. Years went by and the world beyond the Empowered One sanctuary grew ever darker. Food shortages, war, disease, all was afflicting the people. And yet the Empowered Ones did little to help. When the day came for her first assignment, she’d been excited to finally get to see the world beyond the sanctuary’s walls.
Eagerly she had sat in the briefing room and even the words spoken by her Mentor, a man called Aurelian did little to dampen her excited. How naïve she had been.
“Riots have broken out in Aeranyth. The latest food shortages seem to have finally caused the populace to snap. I had wanted your first assignment to be a less ugly one but needs must. Our numbers are stretched too thinly across the realms, so it falls to us to restore order.”
She raised her hand.
“Forgive me Mentor, but what food shortages? There is ample to eat within the Sanctuary, could we not relieve the people’s suffering by offering some of our food?” she said.
The Mentor laughed and shook his head causing her to frown. What was so funny?
“My dear apprentice, if we did that then we would be harassed day and night by beggars. We need our food to keep us strong so that we can better serve-the people.”
She didn’t mis
s the mocking tone in his tone.
They had ventured out into the city and immediately she was horrified at what she saw. Smoke filled the air and the bodies of men, women and children lay scattered and unattended on the streets. They were barely more than skeletons as a result of starvation. ‘What sort of world is this?’ she had thought.
As they advanced deeper into the city, more horrors revealed themselves. More bodies lay in the dirt, ignored by the wealthy who looked like they were not short of food. Ahead, came the sound of shouts and screams. They entered the wide plaza that housed the city’s granary. Thousands of desperate people were trying to force their way into the compound, only a thin line of sword and shield wielding soldiers barred entry.
She could feel the riot of emotions pouring from the desperate crowd and could barely focus. Her Mentor was yelling at her, telling her to use Positivity to suppress the crowds. Her Mentor did as he commanded and immediately a wave of calmness washed over the rioters. She joined him and together they suppressed the mob. Confusion swept through the people, who now lowered their torches and weapons. The soldiers looked at one another in bemusement. As she used the Power, she knew that it was wrong. From what she had seen the people had genuine grievances, they were dying in the streets and being left to rot. What justice was this?
*
Elian gasped and sat back, freeing himself of the Supreme’s touch.
“Why are you showing me this?” he asked. He could feel the desperation of the rioters, the disgust of the girl in the vision, the arrogance of the Mentor.
“I show you this because I need you to understand. Despite everything, I am not your enemy Elian.”
“You enslaved the world! You’re a monster!” Elian snapped back.
The Supreme narrowed her eyes.
The Temple of Arrival Page 20