Aruters

by D Leon D.

  - Are you kidding? I’m the biggest coward, they all know that, but it’s not just about me or you, this is bigger.

  - Ramsil… have you asked yourself why Darrell needed Cornelium to join the council?

  - Hmmm… no, actually no.

  - They are supposed to be four members.

  - Go on…

  - Sonyei killed one of them, at the temple.

  - It doesn’t surprise me, from what I know –and it’s not much– he doesn’t care doing it.

  - I killed the other two… –Ramsil didn’t respond, he didn’t know what to say, so Onevin explained himself– They sacrificed for me, I took their lives in my hands, literally, what I did with the fire, I can do it with the life of someone else.

  - Someone died for me too –Ramsil answered– She gave me her hand as well, the last time I saw her –They kept silence for a long time, Ramsil thought that he had fallen asleep, but he heard Onevin again.

  - I’m no longer alone, thank you.

  - Neither am I, now I have a family here.

  - A family… –Onevin repeated, who had never had one.

  For a moment, Onevin didn’t hear anything else but Ramsil and Ycze’s rhythmic breathing, he didn’t know if it was correct to separate from them, after everything, together they could do many things, he felt a mixture of emotions, on one side he felt scared, of what awaited them when they woke up, therefore he didn’t want to sleep, as if avoiding that time could flow more slowly; he also felt joy, Ramsil had told him they were a family and that filled him with a nice energy, which he couldn’t compare with another emotion he knew, on the other hand Onevin felt… was it right to confess that feeling that just peeked at the corner of his head?

  - Are you asleep, Ramsil? –He whispered.

  - It’s taking me a little –He confessed almost immediately.

  - What are you thinking about?

  - I’m not thinking, all the opposite.

  - What’s the opposite of thinking? –Onevin asked staring at the roof in the dark.

  - Feeling.

  - Wow, then, what are you feeling?

  - I don’t know, little one, but whatever it is, it’s nice.

  - Ramsil… –Onevin hesitated before continuing– I tend to be a little… distrustful.

  - What do you mean? –Ramsil moved to see Onevin up front, on the side of the bed, but this one was staring still at the roof– You don’t trust me, or Ycze?

  - It’s not about you guys… just let it be, it’s better if we go to sleep, we’re going to wake her up.

  - Ok, get some rest, little one… I’m sorry, Onevin.

  - Get some rest, brother –Onevin answered after a while and he fell asleep with the certainty that at that moment he was sleeping in family.

  CHAPTER 26

  Sonyei released the captured souls after creating a force field, which covered him like a dome, if someone had watched, he would’ve only managed to see a dome completely illuminated, because there were a lot of souls which he had taken to use them in this ritual, the lights of those contained energies danced inside the dome until voluntarily they melted with the body of the monk, this one just had to be calmed, with each soul that held onto him he could feel the strength going through his body, little by little the force field was left without light allowing the naked body of the monk to be seen, when the last of the souls held onto Sonyei, the force field exploded –At least that’s how he felt it– he stood up and absorbed the force field, he felt strong, too strong to control his movements, his vision, everything was new, as if his body had changed completely, he felt very dizzy.

  - Win… Windark –He was losing his balance and he didn’t manage to see well.

  - Sonyei, are you Ok? –The old man went into the room thinking that he hadn’t begun, because he hadn’t seen anything, not the force field, or the light, or what Sonyei felt as an explosion.

  - No…

  - What has gone wrong?

  - It’s too much power… in… my head…

  - Have you done it?

  - Yes –It was the last thing he said before falling fainted.

  Windark knew he had less time left and exited the room, he ran through the temple searching for the two guards who had help him before, there were many uniformed, they weren’t at the exit they used to guard, he looked for them at other exits, nothing. He entered the temple and saw them in one of the upper floors and started climbing the stairs, when he was close to them, he caught his breath.

  - Sonyei has finished, he’s passed out.

  - Shall we warn the others?

  - Yes, let the strongest watch over the basement, try not to call any attention, I’ll go back to Sonyei.

  Windark went back into the room of the ritual, Sonyei was still fainted, but was starting to move, he tried to take the necklace with the key, but Sonyei grabbed him by the wrist.

  - What are you trying to do, old man? –His eyes had become two beams of pearly white light and his voice was rough and deep, Windark had to be very clever.

  CHAPTER 27

  - I think you should be above the beasts –Windark answered trying to sound convincing, Sonyei stood up with his help and went back to the little empty pool that was just above the basement where the beasts were.

  - I come before you as your owner and lord –He said with the same strange voice, closing his eyes –Leave Windark– The old man rushed out.

  - Ego potentiam–Sonyei continued– I have the power –And he kept talking with that strange language, which if he had heard him, Windark wouldn’t have understood.

  After two changes of phase of the moon, –almost noon– Sonyei felt that he was filling with power, as if this were air going into his system, he put on the robe again, when he finished putting the robe on, this one recovered the glow it had had with the altered crystal, and it kept changing its aspect as the monk walked toward the door to go out, the robe of the monk wasn’t worthy of such a great power, when he exited the room for the ritual, the robe had turned a color of gold with scarlet, when Windark saw him came out of the room he knew that Sonyei had created an image in his mind of how he should have looked when he finished the ritual, because little by little he looked more powerful, the robe clung to his body in the arms and chest, some of his scars were marked, irradiating light, but that lasted for a little while, after a moment to another Sonyei was the same monk as always, in a different suit, without a glow in his eyes or skin.

  - Windark, let’s go to the beasts –And yes, with the same voice as always.

  - Is it prudent to go immediately? –Sonyei answered him with a cold stare and a severe aspect.

  - Let me have the key, Sonyei –The monk handed it to him with the intention of Windark getting ahead, the old man walked until the door that he was supposed to open with the two pieces of key united, followed closely by Sonyei.

  - Do whatever you can –Windark told the guards next to the door after turning his back on Sonyei.

  Windark turned and without thinking about it too much he paralyzed Sonyei again, it seemed to have worked, he took half the key that was on the wall and gave it to one of the guards and the one Sonyei had given him gave it to another one, the guards left in a hurry, they were on Windark’s side, this one turned to run and put himself as safe as possible, but while he was doing it he felt something run through his body, from the back to his feet, and he fell face down on the floor, hitting his face with the fall.

  - Damn you, old man –Sonyei had broken the paralyzing spell, Windark elevated in the air and hit his back with a solid pillar, he heard a hard crush.

  - Son… –Windark tried to talk, but Sonyei again raised him in the air with his stretched hand and without touching him, let him drop, the floor cracked open under his weight with the impact.

  - Damn you, traitor, you will pay for this.

  Sonyei joined his hand at his chest height and his expression became focused, Windark still on the floor felt underneath him everything vibrating strongly, «An ear
thquake?», he heard a strong noise which came from the room of the ritual of the beasts, it was a scandal, then he heard a loud roar, not long passed when a second roar made him tremble completely, however he could he stood up, Sonyei had the same posture when the beasts went through the wall after him, the debris fell everywhere, dust started to become a problem, the guards that were close began to approach them, armed and ready to attack, no one had expected that, Windark wondered how the beasts had managed to climb up so fast, it was sure that Sonyei had eliminated the force field which kept them prisoners, but… To his surprise when dust allowed him to see again the monk, the three beasts were at each side on Sonyei and one behind him, he had made it, he controlled the Aruters and he had set them free.

  CHAPTER 28

  Onevin was the last to wake up, he was alone in the bedroom, there were fruits close to his bed, he took a manva –A sweet fruit of a similar aspect to an apple, but almost as liquid as a grape, of yellow color– while he ate it, he was walking towards where he had seen the council speaking the night before, when he got there, everyone was there and they remained in silence watching him.

  - It’s true, Onevin, we must separate –Ramsil was the first to speak.

  - Come closer, we’ll try to be brief because… –Darrell interrupted.

  - What? What’s going on? –Onevin asked after swallowing the last piece of manva.

  - We have information from the temple and we must begin with what we can, many have already died –Cornelium explained.

  - But, how?

  - Sonyei completed a complicated ritual, with the one he has succeeded in taking control over the Aruters he possesses –Cornelium answered once more.

  - So, what are we going to do? We can’t kill those beasts, we can’t beat them.

  - We don’t know that, Onevin, we haven’t tried –Ycze intervened for the first time.

  - The plan so far is that we separate, you and Ycze will go out first, the coat will take you to the outskirts of the temple, you must try to get to Sonyei –Ramsil told him coming closer to him.

  - Why? –Onevin didn’t seem to agree.

  - We expect that between you two, you can support each other if things go wrong, Ycze can regenerate if she’s wounded and you on the other had can… –Cornelium started to say, but he was interrupted.

  - Act quickly if you’re attacked –Darrell tried to explain– Besides both of you know a little of the temple.

  - Then Cornelium will go out and I’ll go with him, I can defend him, I hope, and he can guide me, he has studied the temple with Darrell for several days –Ramsil said– if something doesn’t go well, we’ll know, and we’ll reunite soon.

  They kept talking for a while in the room, Onevin was nervous, he knew what Darrell hadn’t wanted to say, “You can kill them”, but he didn’t want to have to do it, maybe he could try to take the life force of an Aruter, that if he could get close enough. Ycze on the other hand was very quiet at a corner of the table, while everyone spoke, she looked at Ramsil for moments, she didn’t want to be separated from him, but she knew that their abilities combined wouldn’t be as compatible as hers and Onevin’s, when the meeting had ended they all ate a little in silence and each one prepared in his own way, Ramsil stood in front of a crystal which reflected him and practiced what it seemed breathing exercises, maybe it was what was harder to control for him when he transformed into an Aruter, Ycze was still a little quiet, but she was revising some maps of the temple, every once in a while she looked up and moved her lips and finger in the air, surely she was trying to memorize some hallways, Onevin was sitting on the floor contemplating a bonfire, Darrell sat next to him.

  - I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to tell you that way, Onevin.

  - I know, perhaps there’s no other way to say it, I’m a killer.

  - You’re extraordinary, you can save many lives, I know you will.

  - Thank you, master –One tear fell on his face.

  - We must begin –Cornelium commented from the entrance.

  - Are you ready –Darrell asked Onevin, who had already stood up– Onevin didn’t answer with words, but he was looking at the bonfire, his eyes changed to a neon glow, and the fire was put out, without moving his hand, just with a look was enough, he was ready.

  Onevin got closer to Ycze and they walked together toward the exit of the coat, Ramsil came closer to Ycze and gave her a kiss on her cheek, “See you on the other side”, he told her before her and Onevin put on some tunics and went out of the coat, for a brief moment Ramsil was able to see where they had exited, it seemed to be one of the entrances of the temple, but that lasted very little, the waves of the coat had turned back to being just the wall as always.

  CHAPTER 29

  - We will arrive inside the temple, close to a library, which should be less guarded –Cornelium told Ramsil after a moment passed.

  - What’s the plan, Ramsil? –Darrell asked him.

  - Find Sonyei and persuade him to lock the beasts.

  - And if that doesn’t work?

  - I hope that’s enough, for the good of everyone.

  - When we’re there, run until the end of the hallway, if there are guards I will distract them, don’t worry about it, I will get to the library as soon as I can –Cornelium continued.

  - How much time can I wait?

  - Just enough time, only get out of there if your life depends on it.

  - I assume it won’t be easy to know when my life is in danger.

  - You assume well –Cornelium lamented–I’ll go first, as soon as you get out cover your eyes and run straight forward.

  - Cover my eyes? –Ramsil questioned while he put on a robe and covered his silver hair and part of his face.

  - No questions, just trust me.

  Both of them got closer again to the wall, it had tranquil waves of water and Ramsil was able to see a hallway full of guards dressed in white and gold, for a moment he felt nervous that they were going to kidnap Cornelium, this one started to walk towards the exit of the coat that would take him to that hall, a moment before crossing a strong glow made Ramsil cover his eyes –It was the same glow that he had seen at the mine when he was hiding next to Ycze– when Cornelium was in what before was a hall full of guards, all that Ramsil could see was a screen completely bright white, he knew that was the moment, he covered his eyes and started running, he felt the change of temperature, which indicated him that he had exited the coat, and began to listen all kinds of sounds, metallic, deaf blows and in the distance some voices, he kept on running as straight as it was possible for him, he stumbled over something a couple times before hitting with almost his whole body what it must have been the door of the library, he groped for the door, still with his eyes shut, he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

  His sight got difficult when he opened his eyes, he saw black and green spots, although his eyes had been covered, their pupils had saturated with light, he blinked several times and little by little he was able to focus his sight and see that he was found inside a dark room, barely illuminated by the strong light, which entered through the bottom slit of the door, which still came from the hall, he gave a few steps forward and the room lighted up by itself, bothering his still sensible eyes, he was in the library, but he wasn’t alone, at least ten guards were standing in front of him, all perfectly uniformed in white and gold, “If your life depends on it”, Cornelium had told him that, he saw that none of them moved to attack him, was it possible that they were just armors?, he decided not to move with a rush, he still had the robe and the anonymity was his best ally at that moment, «I can handle this until Cornelium arrives», he thought, he walked with a calm step, bringing his hands to his chest, practically covered by the long robe, normally Darrell walked that way, so he assumed it was a habit of the monks.

  Outside the library there was a hard sound, followed by the roar of what Ramsil then knew was from an Aruter, at that moment the guards raised their weapons and Ramsil knew they weren’t
just only empty uniforms, they were ready to attack and Ramsil ready to defend himself, when the door of the library opened, and a monk with a robe completely torn out fell on the floor, followed by another one who closed the door, this last one let his face be seen, it was Cornelium.

  - We’re not alone, Cornelium –Ramsil said still on guard.

  - Don’t worry, they’re loyal.

  - To whom?

  - To him –Cornelium said helping the monk who had fallen stand up letting an immense scratch on his chest to be seen, Ramsil didn’t recognize him, but he noticed that the guards did.

  - Windark! –One of them exclaimed and the whispers began.

  - I can help –Ramsil said getting closer and pulling out of his pocket the shiny crystal that Ycze had given him when they were still with Vicnelia, he gave it to him and the monk started to regenerate while the crystal lost the glow, but Windark was still unconscious.

  That gesture made the guards break the formation they had held and come closer, still with the whispers, but one of them came closer to Cornelium and he had a short conversation where Cornelium explained what had happened and telling him that Windark was going to wake up, then the same soldier turned his face towards Ramsil, who in a gesture to inspire trust retrieved the hood of the robe and allowed his face to be seen.

  - Are you Ramsil? –He asked him.

  - Yes, I am –Ramsil answered a little nervous.

  - We were waiting for you –another guard commented.

  - For… for me?

  At that moment another commotion was heard outside of the room and the uniformed guards went back to standing guard ready to attack, and who had spoken with Cornelium asked for silence of the others by raising his closed fist.

  - What are your orders, sir? –He asked looking at Ramsil; this one looked at Cornelium, who nodded.

  - We must find Sonyei, what’s the quickest way to get to him? –They exchanged looks and some comments and finally one of them spoke.