by Ian Gregoire
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to live for so long yet remain so young, while all the people around you grow old and die.” Kayden’s tone was tinged with sympathy.
“It might surprise you then,” replied Ari, “to hear that one of the reasons for your Master’s interest in you is her belief that you, too, are an elite grade Sanatsai. Though you cannot be tested before being inducted into the Order, if her suspicion proves true you would be the first new elite Sanatsai to emerge since I founded the institution seventy-three years ago.”
Silently, Kayden mulled the speculation in her mind. It would certainly explain why she was patently more gifted than her fellow apprentices. But she wouldn’t know for sure until she was formally inducted into the Order. That was when all new inductees were tested to officially determine which of the three grades they belong to—or, potentially, in Kayden’s case, which of the four. But given recent events, her admission into the Order was still very much in doubt.
She and Ari began walking down a grassy incline into a wide valley. To the west the sun had sunk below the horizon, to the east the sky had darkened significantly.
“Haradeen Bay!” announced Kayden out of the blue.
“I’m sorry?” queried Ari, glancing at the apprentice.
“This island, it’s located in Haradeen Bay.”
“And how exactly did you arrive at that conclusion?” said Ari, neither confirming nor denying her assertion.
“First of all,” began Kayden, “when I emerged from the portal that transported me from Antaris campus, the position of the sun indicated it was about three hours later in the day, even though the journey through the portal took no more than two or three seconds, if that. This let me know that not only had I travelled a significant distance east, I had actually left the continent entirely. Logically, I had to be somewhere in Yantasha.
“Next, the length of time I’ve been walking with you, and the distance we’ve covered since leaving Temis Rulan, in addition to the distance I covered when travelling from the south coast of the island to reach Temis Rulan in the first place, has given me a rough idea of the size of the island. While there are half a dozen inland bodies of water in Yantasha large enough to contain an island this size, all of them are in regions much further east, so it would be even later in the day if we were there. Plus, those regions are populated entirely by native Yantashan people, which also rules them out because the settlement I briefly passed through with Administrator Annis was populated by ethnic Karlandrians who spoke the common tongue of the Nine Kingdoms.”
Kayden sounded mightily pleased with herself when she concluded her reasoning. “It is a well known fact that the northwestern region of Yantasha is the only region of the continent inhabited predominantly by Karlandrians, while also being the location of Haradeen Bay. And as I noticed the island is enclosed by land to the west, south and the east, it makes sense to conclude it is situated in Haradeen Bay, despite not appearing on any map.”
Ari smiled at her, and she was gratified by the admiration written on his face. “You are clearly a very perceptive young woman,” he said. “That is a very good sign.”
Kayden wondered what Ari meant by ‘good sign,’ but as it sounded like a compliment she kept the question to herself.
“We don’t have much farther to go,” announced Ari as he led Kayden further into the valley, little knowing how relieved she was to hear that.
Kenit was standing in the portal chamber beneath Kassani House, observing as Fay Annis conversed with a pair of Jaymidari several yards to his right. He had a bad feeling about this whole situation. If the assignment was so innocuous, why had she ordered him to return to his barracks to collect his weapons before coming to the portal chamber? Obviously, he knew that all Sanatsai of the Order were expected to be armed as a matter of course while on active duty, but was it really necessary on this particular occasion if there was no expectation of trouble occurring?
He watched impassively as Fay said her farewells to the Sisters before approaching him, standing alone at the foot of the steps of the raised platform where an open portal awaited them. When she inquired if he was ready to leave he didn’t bother to reply. It was a rhetorical question; Fay wasn’t going to give him the option of refusing to go. He silently trailed behind her up the steps and followed her as she marched into the portal, disappearing from view.
The bright light that assailed Kenit’s eyes dissipated the instant he emerged from the portal. He found himself standing beside Fay in a large wooden building containing crates of fruits and vegetables, sacks of grain, and an assortment of other foodstuffs. The portal opening had transported the pair into the food store used by the Sisterhood seminary they had come to visit. He noted that the light of day, diffusing through the windows, was in stark contrast to the duskiness of approaching nightfall back in Temis Rulan. They were now hundreds of miles away in the Kingdom of Lirantana.
Without preamble Fay headed straight for the exit and Kenit followed her outside. It was late afternoon. The temperature was notably cooler than it was back in Temis Rulan—though by no means cold—and there was a gentle breeze blowing from the east. Fay walked left, and doing likewise Kenit saw the main building of the seminary about sixty yards or so away. The building looked very much like a school, and standing at its main entrance was a single, middle-aged Jaymidari.
“Kenit, you’ll have to remain here,” said Fay. “Although violet fever is rarely fatal it is an unpleasant affliction, nonetheless. I’ll go ahead and speak briefly with the Sister.”
Did she just address him by his first name? “Wait,” he called out as Fay strolled towards the seminary. “What happens if you become infected?”
“Don’t worry, I’m immune,” Fay replied.
Kenit doubted the claim but he wasn’t going to argue the point; it was Fay’s life, if she wished to gamble with it, who was he to interfere.
He observed the conversation between Fay and the Jaymidari before boredom prompted him to cast his gaze around the grounds. Having had the opportunity to visit two other seminaries run by the Sisterhood, Kenit thought it noteworthy just how quiet and deserted this one was. The place should have been a hive of activity with scores of Sisters milling around the grounds, yet he couldn’t see or hear another living person. The outbreak of violet fever had to be severe, he concluded, hence the decision to quarantine the seminary.
He almost jumped out of his skin when a hand gripped him by the shoulder.
“Come along,” said Fay at his side. “A couple of horses have been made available to us at the stable, we’ll head into town right away.”
Kenit followed Fay’s lead to the nearby stable where two chestnut mares waited, tethered outside—bridled, saddled and ready to ride. He looked on bemused as she untethered one of the horses then began speaking to it with a motherly voice.
“Oh my, aren’t you a pretty girl,” she said, stroking it’s nose. “Yes you are. Yes you are.”
Why did women do that? Kenit wondered. It’s a horse, not a baby. Of course, he didn’t dare say it out loud. He untethered the other mare then promptly climbed up into the saddle and waited for Fay to do the same. Once she did so, then urged her mount into a trot, Kenit followed her lead once more. Together the pair departed the grounds of the seminary moments later, setting off at a canter in a northwesterly direction.
A quarter of an hour later they had slowed to a trot, with the town of Relona looming a short distance ahead. In the time since leaving the seminary Fay hadn’t said so much as two words to Kenit, though, by the same token, he hadn’t spoken to her, either. He simply didn’t have the confidence to strike up a conversation. During his decade-long apprenticeship he had heard and read so many fantastical accounts of the many exploits of Fay Annis, she had become a larger than life figure in his mind. Yet here he was riding alongside her, a real life, flesh and blood woman—a stunningly beautiful one at that—and the awkwardness he was experiencing, courtesy of all the lustful thou
ghts he was having, ensured that he kept his mouth shut. He could do nothing but stare at her. She was perfection personified. He started to wonder what she looked like out of her uniform, so his mind duly formed images of intimate scenarios that allowed him to find out.
Without turning her head to look sideways at him, Fay casually asked, “Kai Darbandian, is there a problem with my uniform I should be aware of?”
“What!” Kenit gasped as he was snapped out of his thoughts. “Uh, no…no of course not, Danai Annis.”
“Then why are you staring at me?”
Feeling flustered, Kenit retorted, “I don’t know what you mean.”
“You have been staring at me since we left the seminary,” Fay reiterated. “Is there a problem?”
Kenit realised Fay was unlikely to drop the matter, which perturbed him. He would have to tell her something.
“I… I… I was…” he stammered. “I was just wondering…”
“Yes?” Fay prompted.
“How old, exactly, are you?”
Fay finally tore her eyes away from the town ahead, glancing sideways to fix her gaze on him. Oh no! Kenit assumed from the look on her face he must have offended her.
“Kai Darbandian,” began Fay, “did your mother not teach you never to ask a woman her age?”
He had no idea what to say. It was probably best to keep quiet. Anything he said was likely to make things worse. But much to his relief Fay looked away from him, returning her gaze to the way ahead.
“To answer your question,” Fay continued, moments later. “I am far too old for you. Now, perhaps you could keep your mind on the task at hand?”
“Yes, Danai!”
They continued to ride in silence for the remainder of the journey to Relona—Kenit taking extra care to ensure his eyes didn’t wander to his riding companion once again.
It wasn’t long before they arrived at the outskirts of the town, and Fay informed Kenit there was an inn nearby where they could have their horses stabled, so that was where they headed first. Upon dismounting, their horses were attended to by a couple of stablemen while they set off, on foot, into town as late afternoon gave way to early evening.
Walking through the streets of Relona, Kenit noted with keen interest the awed expressions upon the faces of the town’s inhabitants. He initially assumed Fay was the cause of their reverence, but that would only make sense if they knew who she was. It was more likely the case that he, too, was inspiring the reaction of the townsfolk he and Fay passed by. That realisation made him feel rather proud.
“Danai Annis?” he said, to gain Fay’s attention. “This may seem like a silly question but it just occurred to me. How are Sanatsai-to-be located after their Zarantar manifests? As I understand it, Relona has a population of almost fourteen thousand people, we could search all evening for the child we’re after and still not find them.”
“Do you not recall what happened to you on the day your Zarantar manifested?”
“Yes,” he replied. “I was escorted home from school by the City Guard after I somehow caused a chair to fly through a window. For the rest of the day, and the following morning, my parents said I wasn’t allowed to leave the house because I’d been born imbued with Zarantar, and the Order would be arriving soon to see me. Sure enough a Sanatsai and Jaymidari came to our home to give me the choice of apprenticeship or the binding of my Zarantar.
“That, however, doesn’t tell me how they knew how and where to find me as quickly as they did, especially as I was resident in Fantabelis at the time; a city of over a hundred thousand people.”
“The established protocol throughout the Nine Kingdoms, in the event of the manifestation of an adolescent’s Zarantar, is for it to be reported to the local authorities, immediately, and the child in question confined to home. The personnel subsequently sent to find the child—in this particular instance, you and I—need only report to a Guard station and request to be taken to the family home, which is what we are doing now.”
“I see.”
Continuing to follow Fay’s lead through busy streets, Kenit noted how they were still attracting reverent glances from passers-by. He spotted a group of young boys congregated on a corner—one of their number excitedly pointing a finger in his and Fay’s direction. He waved at the kids, prompting them to dash away with excited looks on their faces. His ego began to inflate at the prospect of the boys rushing off to tell their family, friends, and anyone else who would listen, that they had just seen a Sanatsai who waved at them. Moments later he caught sight of a pretty young woman wearing a dark blue dress standing in the doorway of a bakery, smiling demurely at him as he and Fay walked by. If he weren’t already so enamoured of Fay he would have found his admirer rather beautiful. He might even have halted briefly to speak with her. As it was, all he could do was simply smile back.
“Master Sanatsai!” screamed a female voice. “Master Sanatsai!”
Kenit tore his gaze away from his attractive admirer to see an agitated woman rushing towards them. She appeared to be in her mid-to-late thirties with shoulder-length, dishevelled brunette hair. The beige dress she was wearing had a torn sleeve, and there was noticeable bruising around her throat. The woman stopped Fay in her tracks, gripping her by both arms.
“Master Sanatsai, help me!” cried the woman frantically. “They’ve taken my son and trapped my husband in some kind of bubble.”
“Calm down, calm down,” said Fay, trying to soothe the panic-stricken woman. “First of all, take us to your husband.”
“Danai Annis,” Kenit interjected. “Shouldn’t we leave this for the local Guard?” The withering look Fay gave him made him wish he’d refrained from talking. “I just mean—”
Fay ignored him. “Go on,” she coaxed, “lead the way, we’ll follow.”
The woman turned on her heels and darted away in the direction she’d arrived from. Fay immediately gave chase leaving Kenit no option but to do the same. They were led on a short, winding course through the town until their distressed guide slowed to a walk, peering back over her shoulder at Fay.
“It’s this way,” she said as she headed down a narrow alleyway separating a couple of three-storey residential buildings. She proceeded to lead the pair around the back of the building on their right-hand side where she ran up a staircase leading up to a first floor landing that gave access to a back entrance.
Upon entering the residence, Kenit witnessed a large living room with several pieces of damaged furniture tossed about, and the broken shards of a porcelain vase—obvious signs that a struggle of some kind had taken place. In the centre of the room was a tall middle-aged man standing inside a barrier sphere, pounding away with his fists in a futile effort to escape his translucent confinement.
“That’s my husband,” said the woman. “Please, help him.”
Kenit watched while Fay approached the barrier sphere with one hand outstretched. Her invocation of Yuksaydan neutralised the bubble, causing it to dissipate as if consumed by fire or a corrosive substance. Once the man within was free his wife rushed into his arms.
“Thank you,” she said in gratitude to Fay. “Thank you.”
“My name is Fay Annis, this is my colleague, Kenit Darbandian. Could you tell us who you are and what happened here,” said Fay, getting straight down to business. “Who did this to you?”
“My name is Sedona,” said the woman. “This is my husband, Radmilio. I don’t know who the men were, but they forced their way into our home and did this.”
“You mentioned your son was taken,” Fay prompted.
The husband responded first. “I arrived home from work a short while ago to find Sedona lying unconscious on the floor while our son, Tylo, was being dragged outside by six hooded men,” said Radmilio. “I went to his aid, immediately. One moment I was tackling one of the men to the floor, the next moment I was literally being thrown around the living room by nobody as the intruders looked on in laughter.
“Once they’d managed to
get Tylo out of the house, two of the intruders remained inside. I picked myself up off the floor then charged at them both, but one of them just waved his hand and I found myself trapped inside that…bubble. There was nothing I could do to free myself, and when the second man asked, ‘shall we kill the parents?’ I thought it was over. I was sure Sedona and I were both going to die. But the first man said in reply, ‘that won’t be necessary, we’ve got what we came for’, then they left. I heard their horses leave in a hurry.
“I must have been trapped for at least a quarter-hour by the time Sedona regained consciousness. I told her to run, to get help…and here you are.”
“So neither of you know who these men are,” asked Fay, “or why they would want to abduct you son?”
“I have no idea,” admitted Radmilio. “On either count.”
“I suspect I might know,” offered Sedona. “At least the reason why they took Tylo, if not who they are.” She looked away from Fay to lock eyes with her husband. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry I didn’t have the opportunity to tell you until now, but while you were at work our son… Tylo, he has… he has developed the power of the Sanatsai.” She diverted her gaze from her incredulous husband back to Fay. “A few hours ago Tylo accompanied me to the market to help me buy some things for this evening’s meal. While I was picking out some fruit from a stall Tylo was messing around, juggling three peaches, when suddenly those three peaches started floating haphazardly in the air in front of him. At first we didn’t realise it was him doing it but more fruits began floating up from the stall and they started whirling around him—faster and faster. There must have been five or six dozen fruits spinning round Tylo by the time they all just stopped and fell to the ground around his feet.
“I couldn’t believe what I had just seen, but I knew what it meant—and what the law requires in such an event. So, I apologised to the grocer for the damage then I took Tylo to the main Guard station right away to report the incident. After giving our names and address, I was instructed to confine my son to home and ensure he doesn’t leave because the Order would be sending someone to see him within the next couple of days.”