The Divine Path (The Divine Series)

by Allen J Johnston

  “It can sense the Divine, eh?” Darcienna asked while Kade affectionately stroked the silky fur. “Maybe that’s why it is drawn to the books. You did say there are some powerful callings placed on them,” she said as she tilted her head thoughtfully.

  “How did you get it to bring you the books?” Crayken asked as he moved closer to look at the creature.

  “He feeds it,” Darcienna said simply.

  “You may be right,” Kade said as Chance looked at him eagerly.

  The creature’s eyes quickly went from Kade’s hands to his face and back again, eagerly waiting for Kade to go through the motions that would conjure fresh meat. The Chosen stood and quickly conjured the food, causing Chance’s nose to start twitching furiously. Kade laughed as he tossed it its undeserved reward. The Mordra caught it in its hand-like paws and began to hungrily devour the food. It curled up protectively around its meal with a wary eye on anyone that strayed too close.

  “I have been meaning to ask something of you, if I may?” Kade said.

  “Anything. If it is within my power, consider it done,” Crayken promised.

  “The queen says there is something in the caves where the black creatures live that I am looking for. Is it possible to have her take me there?”

  “If it is the queen’s wish, then let it be so. I will not stand in your way,” Crayken said.

  “Thank you,” Kade said as he bowed his head slightly, feeling it was the appropriate response. The king responded with a slight nod of his head.

  “Rakna?” Kade asked.

  “I would be honored to assist you. We will take two guards with us,” Rakna said as she signaled two of the spiders to join them. “We leave now,” she said, surprising Kade. He was not expecting such and expeditious departure. Maybe tomorrow, but this very instant? With a shrug of his shoulder and a glance at Darcienna, he accepted the plan. “The caves are close enough that if we hurry, we can be back well before the feast begins,” she said as she headed for the stairs.

  The small group exited the tree and quickly mounted the dragon. The queen and her two subjects joined together and covered the dragon like a net just behind the wings. The dragon looked back at the spiders, and Kade got the distinct impression that Rayden had to fight to keep from shivering. Rayden craned his neck just a little further to look at Kade, and then with a mental sigh, turned and started out at a slow lope. Kade could not help but to chuckle. Rakna gave Kade a set of directions who, in turn gave them to the dragon. Rayden altered course slightly as he ran over the open plains. Kade relaxed, enjoying the wind flowing through his hair while he watched the land whisk by.

  Just as the queen promised, they were at the caves in just over twenty minutes. Kade felt excitement surge through the connection from Rayden and looked around for what had the dragon’s attention. It started to dance eagerly as it impatiently waited for the riders to dismount. Kade started to question Rayden when he saw something black shifting in the shadows. There were several of the black creatures attempting to sneak up on them.

  Morphites, Kade thought as he laughed and shook his head at the sheer stupidity of the race. Sneak up on a dragon? Soon they are going to see that they should have been running in terror.

  The riders dismounted in seconds, but even this was too long for the eager dragon. The spiders had barely hit the ground when Rayden leapt after the closest of the creatures, and had it before it knew what hit it. Kade marveled at the height that Rayden was able to get that thing. The dragon pounced and leapt as he grabbed and flipped, getting as many as three of them in the air at a time. Pure entertainment came through the bond between him and the dragon. Rayden leapt and twisted as though he had not a care in the world while he played his little game. Kade shook his head again and turned back to the queen, who was watching the dragon in awe.

  “He has an interesting idea of what is fun,” Rakna said as she watched, unable to take her eyes off the dragon for several long moments. She looked up and shielded her eyes from the sun as she watched them flip end over end. As difficult as it was for her to turn away from this amazing display, she forced herself to focus on Kade. “I believe the cave we are looking for is this one,” Rakna said as she indicated a large opening in the mountain.

  The queen glanced once more at the dragon and then headed toward the cave with the two guards in tow. Kade fell in behind with Darcienna close at his side. The queen stopped at the back of the cave as she studied a pile of rubble.

  “Valdry said there was a tunnel here that was concealed by rocks, and from what I can see, this fits the description,” Rakna said.

  Kade stepped close and analyzed the boulders. At first, it looked like nothing more than rocks that had been piled along the back of a cave, but the closer he examined the area, the more he could see that there was, indeed, an opening. He felt excitement growing in him as he reached down to grab the first of the boulders. He strained, but because of the size of the rocks, the best he could do was to roll it out of the way. They were a little less than half his size but more weight than he was able to lift. Rolling was good enough. The queen and her two guards joined in and helped clear the way. An hour later there was enough of an opening to enter the tunnel.

  “We will need light,” Rakna said as she looked at him, waiting.

  She expects me to have unlimited powers, Kade thought. When he had time, he would tell her just how misinformed she was…maybe.

  Kade started to draw on the Divine to produce light when he changed his mind. He completed the Divine Fire Calling and held the seething flame up to guide them. It did not light the way as well and the Light Calling, but he was good with the tradeoff. This allowed him to be ready for attack in the event that they encountered resistance. He was pleased with himself and confidently led the way as the light from the blue flame flickered off the walls.

  “Your skill in the Divine never ceases to amaze me. How do you hold the fire without it burning you?” Rakna asked as they worked their way down the tunnel.

  “The Divine does not allow it to burn until I cast it. It’s like a formula. The last ingredient to activate the calling fully is for me to cast it,” Kade said as he moved it closer to show her it held no heat. Rakna flinched back but then slowly waved a leg over fire. She nodded, impressed. “If I was to throw the Divine Fire at a wall directly in front of me, I would feel the backlash of the heat,” Kade said casually as he turned and started to work his way down the tunnel once more.

  It was damp and musty, making it uncomfortable to breathe. But, there was more than just that. There was something else in the air that Kade could not quite figure out. It was a combination of how the air tasted and how it smelled. He tried to decide if it was good or bad, or if it just was.

  “I am very grateful that you were gracious enough to talk with us the day our paths crossed. I can see now that you could have destroyed us if you chose,” Rakna said easily, as if it were the most obvious fact. “At first, your lack of fear had me confused. But now, I understand why,” the queen finished.

  Kade stopped, his mouth hanging open but no words coming out. She had it so wrong. The dragon had so many spiders on him that he most certainly would have died a horrible death from the venom, and Darcienna was no longer able to protect herself. He might have survived between his strength and the Divine, but what good would that be, with his most faithful friend and the one he loved lying dead?

  Kade’s mind drifted back to a memory during one of his lessons with Zayle. So much of what had been said did not make sense, but once more, it all seemed to fit like a piece to a puzzle. How could he have been so stupid not to listen to wisdom so profound?

  “Sometimes it is not your abilities that will win you the war but how your enemies perceive your abilities,” Zayle would say. “Sometimes it can be as simple as how you portray yourself. If you show confidence and display the correct attitude, then that alone may end a war without even one calling being cast. The most successful Chosen will never have to use a calling
even once in battle to emerge the victor.”

  Kade recalled thinking that his teacher was seriously confused at the time. To never use a calling and still win a war was just complete and utter nonsense. Everyone knew the Chosen were to be feared and respected, but to not use callings? Absurd! Now, as Kade thought about it, he saw what his master was trying to teach him. If only he had not been so thickheaded and actually listened. If only, Kade thought as he fought off the sadness. He turned to go and stopped, almost walking into Darcienna. She reached up gently to remove the tear from the corner of his eye with a gentle caress of her hand. Kade clenched his jaw, angry that his emotions were showing so easily.

  This is not the time to morn or feel pity for myself, Kade thought roughly, angry that this weakness in him had shown for all to see. The sadness dried up and his face turned to stone.

  “I think your opinion of us is a bit inflated,” Kade said, showing no sign of the emotions he was feeling just seconds ago.

  “I can sense that you think you are telling the truth, Chosen, but I find it hard to believe, after witnessing all I have in the past few days. Kade, we are just one clutch. We would have been a minor inconvenience at best. Nonetheless, I do appreciate what you are trying to say,” Rakna said as she bowed her head slightly. Kade returned the gesture.

  The apprentice relaxed a little as he smiled and slid by her to light the way. Darcienna wrapped her hand around his arm as they moved into the darkness. The air grew cooler but not uncomfortable. Kade started to get an odd feeling that was somehow familiar, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on why he felt as if he should know it.

  “Darcienna, can you sense anything?” Kade asked as he glanced at her. He stopped and looked closely at her eyes. They were starting to glow ever so slightly. It was a bit eerie in the darkness.

  “I’m not sure. I can sense something, but it’s not the normal feeling I get when there is danger. It’s as if my abilities are confused and don’t know what to make of it,” Darcienna said. She tilted her head as if trying to hear a distant voice.

  “Maybe it wasn’t meant to be danger but something else,” Rakna added.

  “That may be,” Darcienna said as she focused hard.

  “How much further?” Kade asked.

  “Valdry did not include that information when he informed me of this tunnel,” Rakna said.

  Kade did not respond as he stared into the dark. There was something going on, but he was not sure if it was danger or not. The hairs on the back of his neck started to rise up in warning. Something was not right here.

  “Is it just me, or is it getting darker in here? I mean…is it darker than it should be?” Kade asked as he tried to focus on the blackness that seemed to hang in the air. “Maybe if I use more of the Divine to feed the fire, it will help,” he said as he opened himself up and let more of the Divine flow into the flame. He could still feel the block within himself, but it did not keep him from drawing on a little more for the fire. It flared, but there was not as much difference in what he could see as he had expected. He pulled as hard as he could on the Divine and fed it into the fire, and yet, the dark seemed to swallow up every bit of the light.

  “Kade, I am getting an uncomfortable feeling. It’s as if I am sensing danger one second, and in the next instant, it is gone,” Darcienna said as she dragged him to a stop.

  “I am sensing it too,” Kade said as he stopped to look at his companions.

  Rakna showed no sign of fear. Her confidence in him was overwhelming. He just hoped it was not misplaced. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and continued on with what he was saying.

  “I can’t quite figure it out. I think it has something to do with what is past this darkness,” Kade said as he took a cautious step forward.

  “It appears as if your light will not penetrate,” Rakna said as she moved to stand next to him. The blue light made her look eerie in the darkness.

  “Let’s see what this will do,” Kade said as he launched the Divine Fire down the tunnel.

  Kade was shocked to see that the dark seemed to swallow up the fire immediately. It disappeared as if it never was, and with that, they were plunged into absolute darkness. None could even see the hand before their faces. Kade drew the Divine up instantly and set his hand ablaze with light so bright that everyone had to shield their eyes. The pain of too much light so quickly was much more desirable than the intense dark. Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

  “And you say we spared you,” Rakna said as she looked on in awe. Kade knew it was useless to argue and realized it may even be seen as patronizing to disagree, so he made no comment. She believed and nothing he said was going to change her opinion. He smiled as he recalled feeling exactly the same way while in the presence of Zayle.

  Kade turned toward the darkness and stood in shock. The increase in light actually seemed to make the darkness appear more solid. It was almost as if there was a wall. He spared a glance at his hand and looked into the dark again. Clearly he should have lit up the entire tunnel for a hundred feet, and yet, it was pitch black in front but well lit behind. Kade reached out but froze as Darcienna’s eyes blazed instantly. He pulled his hand back and her eyes dimmed.

  “I don’t understand. The…,” Kade started to say when the odd feeling that had been with him intensified for just a moment. He stopped, listening with his ears and mind. Was his dragon trying to contact him? He reached out to Rayden only to get the sense of amusement as the dragon played its game. He turned to look at Darcienna to see if she was sensing the same thing only to find her and the queen patiently watching him. For a moment, he sensed it was actually a living presence trying to get into his mind. He panicked slightly and pushed it away. Or…was he just imagining things? The next instant, there was nothing.

  Kade noticed both the queen and Darcienna were studying him as they waited for him to pronounce his findings. It was more than that, though. They were waiting for him to explain exactly what it was they were facing, what it was that they should do next, and how. They expected him to have all the answers. He was not sure if he liked the confidence they put in him, but there was nothing he could do about it now. They were depending on him. He understood how Zayle felt.

  “Did either of you just sense that?” Kade asked.

  “I felt nothing but the warning of danger,” Darcienna said, her eyes a faint glow.

  “What is it you are feeling?” Rakna asked.

  “I’m not sure. It almost feels as if something is trying to reach out to me, trying to get into my head. It’s like a pressure in my mind, but then it goes away,” Kade said. “You feel nothing at all?” he pressed Darcienna again.

  “Like I said, it’s as if my ability can’t make up its mind. It’s like we are causing the danger to ourselves,” Darcienna said as she tilted her head again. “One thing I am certain about,” she continued as she narrowed her eyes, peering intently ahead, “this darkness has something to do with it. I received a strong warning as you reached out, but as you pulled your hand back, it disappeared.”

  Kade slowly reached out and Darcienna’s eyes lit up the closer his hand got to the darkness. Darcienna gripped his arm tightly. Kade watched her, certain she had taken in a sharp breath and was holding it. He pulled his arm back, and she relaxed as her eyes dimmed.

  “This must be the doorway that Valdry spoke of,” Rakna hissed.

  “This?” Kade asked as he studied the space just one long stride away. “But, there is nothing.”

  “A doorway is just an opening into another place. Maybe passing through this takes you somewhere,” Rakna offered.

  “Maybe…,” Kade was saying when his eyes caught something on the far wall. He moved to the side of the tunnel and ran his hand along what had gotten his attention. He studied the markings that were partially covered by dirt. He rubbed at the wall, exposing more of the image. “Maybe these explain what this is,” Kade said as he studied the drawing. He looked back at the queen and Darcienna, waiting for their
input. Just then, a crushing presence descended on him. It was so strong that he sank to his knees and gritted his teeth, doing everything he could to fight it off. Now Kade was more certain than ever that something was trying to get inside his head. Darcienna and the queen raced to his side. “I know this does not make sense, but I get the strong feeling of urgency,” he hissed through clenched teeth.

  “Urgency?” Darcienna asked in concern. “Are we supposed to do something?”

  “I’m…not sure,” Kade said, every muscle in his body was as tense as iron while he waited for the feeling to pass. “It’s gone now,” Kade said as he gasped and fell forward onto all fours, panting. “I think it has something to do with that,” Kade said as he pointed weakly to the darkness, breathing heavily. Darcienna bent down and placed her hands on him. He breathed a sigh of relief and shakily got to his feet. He took another deep breath and let it out slowly, steadying himself. Darcienna gave him a disapproving look, but he waved her concern away. She ground her teeth at his stubbornness.

  “I think we need to try to figure this out before we do anything,” Darcienna said as she scraped dirt from one of the symbols. “Kade, can you make anything of this?”

  He moved closer to the image and leaned over as he studied it. He realized it was not just a symbol, but a drawing. It was of a man standing several feet off the ground with his body arched and his head titled back. The man’s feet were together and his arms were just barely away from the body with the palms up. Kade cleaned off more of the wall and saw what looked like an arch around the floating figure. He stood up and turned toward Darcienna as his mind worked.

  “It looks like a man floating in the air through some kind of arch,” Kade said as his mind grappled with what he was seeing. The pieces of this puzzle were falling into place.

  “What does it mean?” Darcienna asked.

  “The arch in the drawing could stand for the darkness. If this is really a doorway to another place, then this would make sense,” Rakna said.