The Divine Path (The Divine Series)

by Allen J Johnston

  “You had me convinced,” Kade said, wiping the imaginary sweat off his brow. “So, you can get us out of here? I left my friend, Darcienna, back in the room.”

  “Is she in danger right this moment? We need to talk, if possible.”

  “I think she is ok for the moment, but I would not want to leave her for long.”

  “Good. We have some things to discus, first. You did say that Morg was called away, correct?”

  “Yes. He left.”

  “Excellent.”

  “Why is Morg so powerful?” Kade asked.

  “You don’t know?” Doren asked incredulously. “Have you seen a staff at all?”

  “Yes.”

  “That staff allows him to perform any calling without having to mold the Divine with hand movements. The staff takes the place of that. It was created by the Ancients thousands of years ago. The symbols carved into the staff represent all the callings that that ancient artifact is imbued with. All one has to do to use the staff is be able to speak the Ancients’ language. While holding the staff, you only need speak the ancient language, if it requires speech, picture the symbol for the calling, and the staff does the rest. It channels the Divine and does your bidding. We never knew this until recently. He always kept the staff cloaked. He must be getting careless in his overconfidence,” Doren said thoughtfully.

  “He has reason to be overconfident,” Kade said as he thought back on the crushing his body took. “How were you able to beat him the first time?”

  “There were too many of us for him to fight at one time. We were not able to take that cursed staff from him, so we trapped him with it. We hoped our trap would hold him forever, but apparently he is stronger than we anticipated. Either that, or he had help, which is a strong possibility,” Doren said thoughtfully.

  “Why not kill him?”

  “He was able to protect himself with a shield and a few other tricks. We were lucky to be able to trap him. We lost two Chosen in that fight, so we accepted what we could get,” Doren said with a sigh.

  “Is there no way to take the staff?”

  “We have tried. Our only hope was to try to communicate with one of the Ancients and ask them how we could conquer such immense power. Enough talk about the staff,” Doren said, waiving away the topic. “I need to think. Let me be for a moment while I figure out what we are going to do,” Doren said as if talking to his own apprentices. Although Kade understood that Doren was the far more experienced one here, he found it difficult to return to the status of an apprentice who was ordered around as if he were a child.

  “There is one other thing,” Kade said, but Doren hushed him. Kade shook his head as he tried to wait patiently. “Doren, there is something else.”

  “Kade, did Zayle allow this kind of outburst from his apprentice?” Doren asked, irritation showing easily.

  “No,” Kade said meekly.

  “Then please, do not shame him by doing so here. You are with me, now. Quiet until I say otherwise,” Doren said as if there was clearly to be no arguing. Kade considered complying for a moment but only for a moment.

  “I may not be a Master Chosen, but I will not be talked down to. You must listen to what I have to say,” Kade said firmly.

  Doren sat silently for quite some time. Kade was starting to think that Doren had left as the silence continued on. After what felt like forever, the Master Chosen finally spoke.

  “I am listening,” Doren said evenly, but Kade could hear the tone that said, “This better be important.”

  “There is one thing I neglected to tell you. I know where the doorway is that Morg seeks. I believe someone from the other side tried to communicate with me. Well, not tried, but did communicate with me. That is why I am here,” Kade said as he did his best to remain calm.

  “You know?” Doren asked, the darkness vanishing as the Chosen stepped forward. “Why didn’t you tell me in the first place?”

  “I thought you might be Morg trying to trick me.”

  “Wait a minute,” Doren said as he digested Kade’s words. “Did you say you had talked with the dead? Only the Ancients and their descendants can do that,” Doren said in awe. “Kade, that means you are one of the descendants. We must hurry. If we went back to the doorway, do you think you could communicate with them again?”

  “I’m not sure. I believe so, but things did not go that well the first time,” Kade said, remembering the presence that tried to possess him. “And, I did not really talk to them. I just, more or less, was given a message to come see you.”

  “If that is all we have to work with, then it will have to do. You said there is only two earth creatures guarding the room?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I can take care of them. I have lived here for many decades. I know them well,” Doren said with confidence.

  “Okay. I will do what I can. How are we going to get out of here?” Kade asked.

  No sooner did he ask the question than he felt himself being propelled upwards at an amazing rate. Kade shot out of the Chosen’s body and stopped at the ceiling. He looked down in shock to see the earth creature nudging him and then drawing its foot back to really kick him hard. He quickly descended into his body and opened his eyes.

  “I don’t think Morg is going to be very pleased if you do that,” Kade said in a snarl. It froze, its foot still drawn back.

  Kade looked past it and saw Doren open his eyes just a crack. The earth creature looked at Kade’s hands and tensed. Seeing they were no longer bound, it reached for him. Kade scrambled back and the creature pursued. The second creature came from behind the chair and quickly cornered Kade. Doren stood smoothly without making a sound and completed several gestures with his hands. Both creatures fell to dust.

  “What did you do to them?” Kade asked as he looked down at the pile of dust. He gave it a symbolic kick, sending dust floating into the air.

  “I made them revert back to their natural form. They are part of the ground. They will recover but not until long after we are gone. They will suffer greatly when Morg returns,” Doren said matter-of-factly. “I had lived in peace with them for decades, but I made certain that I could always defend against them thanks to Zayle’s warnings.”

  “Zayle’s warnings?” Kade asked in confusion.

  “Another thing you do not know, eh?” Doren asked, looking at Kade as if he were a simpleton.

  “It would appear that I was not told much of anything,” Kade said in frustration.

  “Zayle had an ability to see possible futures. He warned me that I should have a defense against this race if the day came when they turned on me. I could not believe it myself, but he was adamant. I had to divulge two of my callings to another Chosen to get this one, but enough of this talk. We need to plan,” Doren said as if dismissing him. Kade immediately recalled that Zayle would dismiss him the same way. He almost bit back with a retort but resisted the urge to comment. It was almost impossible to accept being talked down to. He had been through too much recently to continue to be treated like an apprentice. Unfortunately, he was an apprentice and he knew it.

  Kade quickly scanned the room for Darcienna and found her slumped against the wall. There was a huge bump on the side of her head. He raced over to her and felt for breath. Relief washed over him as he watched her chest rise and fall. He healed her, and in no time, she was awake and staring at him.

  “What happened?” Darcienna asked as she sat up, rubbing her head.

  “We found you knocked out,” Kade said as he checked her over for more injuries.

  “I am fine,” Darcienna said as she gently pushed him away and got to her feet.

  “This is Doren,” Kade said.

  “Master Chosen Doren,” the Chosen corrected. Kade cringed at his misstep. He recalled how he had referred to Doren informally while in the master’s mind and cringed again.

  “Master Chosen Doren,” Kade repeated.

  “It is a pleasure to meet you,” Darcienna said sweetly. Doren raised
one eyebrow as he glanced at Kade. He nodded his head slightly in approval. Darcienna saw the look and added just a bit more charm with a tilt of her head and a flash of her eyes.

  “We need to leave now,” Doren said as he turned to head for the exit. “A dragon, eh?” he asked over his shoulder with a grin. He was impressed. He even gave a chuckle. “Zayle missed that one.”

  “What if Morg had not found this chamber?” Kade asked as they walked through the wall. Doren took a deep breath and sighed as if he was readying himself to speak slowly and clearly. Kade could swear it was a look of disappointment that he was seeing in Doren’s eyes. Kade rankled at the slight, but again, kept his mouth closed. For just a fleeting moment, he wondered if he would prefer the beating he took from Morg over the condescending, judgmental attitude he was getting from Doren.

  “The stairs lead down to this empty space,” Doren said simply as if that was enough.

  Doren turned to look at Kade and continued. It was as if he was preparing to give a lecture. Kade recognized the posture instantly and mentally affirmed to himself that he was going to refrain from asking questions as much as possible. For now, he would do his best to hide his ire as he listened.

  “Why would I build stairs that lead down to nowhere?” Doren asked the question rhetorically. “I wouldn’t. But, Morg would not know that. He would know that I had to be here somewhere and look for me,” he said in conclusion as he looked at Kade. “I could not make it too obvious or he might realize it was a trap.”

  Kade felt like a fool as he thought back on his initial impression of the Master Chosen, believing him to be the fool but now knowing different. He chastised himself for given a Master Chosen so little credit. Doren saw the look on his face and assumed it was all for the blood on the wall.

  “That was unfortunate,” Doren said in a sincere tone. He sounded like he meant it deeply. “Sometimes we must sacrifice a good for a greater good,” he said, but there was sadness there that ran deep.

  Kade saw the pain in his eyes, and his heart went out to the old man. If Doren and his apprentices were half as close as he was with his master, then he fully understood the loss. And now for the trap to have failed must have made the pain that much more profound. Kade decided that playing the part of the apprentice might not be so bad if it helped the Master Chosen. It filled a void, if only temporary, and the old man did have much he could teach.

  “What about when Morg gets back? Won’t he be able to track you?” Kade asked, wondering if Doren was going to pull out an amulet of his own.

  “That won’t be a problem,” Doren said as some of his composure returned. “Follow me.” He re-entered the den. “Watch this,” he said with a devious smile.

  The Master Chosen went back to the chair, and as he faced it, performed a calling. Kade looked on in shock as he recognized the moves. He was not able to perform the calling yet, but he had seen it enough times to know what it was. An exact replica of Doren appeared in the chair. Doren looked at Kade with a grin.

  “I got that one from Zayle,” Doren said, pleased with his work as he studied the image. “That was very good thinking,” he added. Kade beamed at the praise. Yes, he felt like he was back to being an apprentice who soaked up his master’s approval. He was not sure if he liked the idea or not, but he could not deny the pride he felt at the compliment. “It would appear that Zayle has taught you to use your mind as well as using the Divine,” Doren said as he nodded his head in thoughtful approval. “But enough of this chat,” Doren said, becoming intense. “We must leave.” He purposefully strode for the exit.

  For a moment, it reminded him of the way Morg would switch from a good mood in one instant, to a bad mood the next, and then he dismissed the thought completely. There was no comparison between the two men. He shook his head and fell in behind the Master Chosen as they exited the room and quickly ascended the stairs. Kade watched as the old man climbed the stairs as if he were half his age. He wondered if there was more going on than he could see. Was there an Illusion Calling hiding what he really looked like? With a Chosen, the possibilities were endless. Kade dismissed the thought and focused on the stairs. The closer they got to the main level of the mansion, the more Doren was careful not to make a sound.

  “You must walk lightly and quietly,” Doren whispered as he watched Kade to make sure he understood the instruction. Satisfied, he continued. “Is this dragon of yours close by?” he asked as he slowly crept through the ghost-like bookcase.

  Kade reached out with his mind and felt the familiar presence of the dragon. Relief washed over him. He was not even aware that he was this worried for his friend until this very moment.

  “And he will carry us as he has done for others?” Doren asked critically.

  “He will,” Kade responded confidently.

  “Then have him ready. The Alluvium may have left for now, but if it came to incurring the wrath of Morg, or keeping us captive, it won’t be a difficult choice. Morg is brutal beyond words and knows no mercy,” Doren said. Kade was sure there was just a touch of compassion in his voice for the earth creatures.

  Just pawns caught in a game, he thought to himself.

  Kade reached out with his mind and made contact. He felt the dragon come alive. There was intense relief along with happiness so strong that Kade could not help but to smile.

  “He is ready,” Kade said with a smile. His heart started to pound. He was eager to be back on the safety of his dragon with the feel of Darcienna behind him.

  “Doren…,” Kade started to say when the Master Chosen cut him off sharply.

  “Master Chosen Doren, Master Doren or Master Chosen,” Doren said tersely. Kade flinched at the scolding. He took a breath and started again.

  “Master Chosen Doren,” Kade said, using the full formal title. “The dragon is ready when I call. We must be quick. As soon as he comes, they will sense him and try to stop us.”

  “Very well. Let’s continue,” Doren said.

  The group crept toward the front door and stopped. Doren moved slowly as he peered outside to survey the area. He started to take a step through the door when he froze, one foot hanging in the air. Ever so slowly, he moved back into the house. He wobbled slightly while moving from foot to foot, trying to keep his balance as he edged back step by step. Kade was certain the old man was holding his breath. It was almost comical to watch this old man, who had clearly enjoyed too much good eating. He could have lost half his weight and still been too heavy. His salt and peppered hair was cropped close to his head just so he would not have to put effort into taking care of it. His clothes were too large, making him appear even heavier than he was. He definitely had a slobbish appearance about himself. Lazy was another word that came to mind.

  Doren took a long, slow, quiet breath and let it out just as slowly. He silently turned as he sought Kade’s eyes. He pointed at the wall just next to the door as he nodded. Kade’s eyes came open as he recalled the way the giant had stood in that very spot earlier. Kade nodded back in understanding. Doren motioned for Kade to follow as they moved further back into the house. When Doren felt they were far enough away from the porch, he turned to Kade.

  “Is there a way out the back?” Kade whispered. His lungs hurt from trying to control his breathing.

  “No. We have to leave out the front. I had this mansion constructed on a cliff so that the house could not be approached from the rear. Anyone or anything had to approach from the front. I had to know when he was coming,” Doren said as he breathed a sigh. “But, alas, it appears it was for naught.”

  “No,” Kade said with confidence. “We have knowledge, and there are two of us now. We still have a good chance to defeat him,” he added with confidence born from the determination to exact revenge. “No. This is far from over,” he said as he probed at the hate that surrounded his heart. Doren studied Kade thoughtfully for a moment, and nodded once, a slight smile creeping across his face.

  “Doren…Master Doren,” Kade said quickly, corr
ecting himself. “Are you able to make an illusion of me running from the house?” Doren looked at him and took on the air of patience born of years of teaching.

  “Yes, I have mastered that calling,” Doren said with forced patience.

  Kade got the feeling that Doren was irritated and may even have felt slighted that Kade was actually asking the question. He mentally chastised himself. He should have known better. For a moment, he was surprised he was still alive after so many blunders. Of course the Master Chosen could perform the calling.

  “Doren,” Darcienna said sweetly, with just a slight glance at Kade. “Why not just do what you did to the one downstairs?” she asked.

  “There are too many. I could get a few, but it would not take them long at all to overwhelm me,” Doren said, again, with that forced patience.

  Darcienna’s smile faded ever so slightly. Kade grinned as she got to share in his misery. Darcienna turned and saw the look on his face and shot him a glare that could have frozen water instantly. When she turned back to Doren, the sweet smile was back on her face as if she had never been bothered.

  “Kade is formidable with his Lightning Calling and I do have skills, also,” Darcienna said confidently.

  “There are thousands of them,” Doren said, a slight condescending tone in his voice.

  Kade saw the look in her eyes and cringed. Doren might be a master, but she was going to make him pay if he continued. She cared nothing for his skill, status, or anything else that the Master Chosen thought defined who he was. Kade quickly slid next to her and gave her a reassuring smile that said, “I understand your pain.” With an audible huff, she gave up. Doren chose to pretend not to notice.

  “If you were to make an illusion of me running from the house, they may chase after it, giving us a chance to get away. If we time this perfectly, I can get the dragon to us, and we can make a run for it,” Kade said.

  Doren grinned and sprang into motion. Within seconds, Kade was looking at an exact replica of himself. It was eerie. Darcienna looked from Kade to the replica and back to Kade. She nodded her approval, her previous frustration completely gone. She was impressed.