Aruters

by D Leon D.

  - I still need the fifth Feider –He continued saying.

  After a moment the vision was linked again with the one from the Aruter in Vicnelia, there was no one there, it was as abandoned as always, he saw a recent bonfire, already pretty put out by the water from the storm he had sent, he walked and saw another bonfire and then another, «The carriers» he told himself, «Come back to the temple»–He commanded the beast– and again he came back to his own sight, when he did that he was found at the edge of the floor, when he got up he saw at the main entrance of the temple –On the ground floor– several soldiers leaving in the uniform of blue and white –The uniform of the desert–, at first sight he didn’t understand what was happening and then he noticed it, they were attacking the guards in white and golden that were guarding the temple, «Windark» he thought immediately, he had one of the Aruters start going down connecting with his vision, several guards who had seen him go up were dead on the floor, «Shit» he said, he made the Aruter go down more quickly and then he saw more guards of black and white attacking, he threw mercilessly the Aruter on top of some of them and devoured them in a few seconds while the others escaped rushing down at full speed, some of the guards in white and gold were going down with them because they thought that the creature was out of control.

  - I won’t make it easy for you, damn it –Sonyei said starting to go down while he was still sharing the vision with the Aruter who was cleaning his way– It’s time to abandon this damn exile.

  CHAPTER 33

  - I know you, Ramsil –Windark answered.

  - I don’t understand, how do you know who I am?

  - That’s not the right question –He continued– I never really left, you see, I found out about the plan at the temple and I had to leave at the first chance I got, Ramsil.

  - You’re with Sonyei, but you support the council? I don’t understand.

  - I’m not with Sonyei, although after so many years I can lie, I appreciate him– Windark regretted it and started to walk toward Ramsil– I wasn’t born at the temple, neither was I kidnapped, Ramsil, I came here voluntarily, but… –He made a pause– I left my life behind.

  - I don’t understand… –Ramsil showed himself impatient, the tremors at the temple felt closer, possibly the Aruters were coming for him.

  - I was a carrier, Ramsil.

  - Are you the other carrier? –Ramsil was surprised by his sudden interest.

  - No, that was before, like I said, I left my life behind.

  - But, what happened, Sonyei took your Feider and kept it?

  - N… No, I gave it to my daughter.

  For Ramsil, it all made sense then, Windark could be Ycze’s father, that’s why he had stayed at the temple, they had to find her and tell her everything that had happened, surely she would understand, she was… but Ramsil had a bittersweet turn when he heard the name of the daughter whom Windark had given his Feider to.

  - Ybrian…

  - Wh… what?

  - Your sister.

  - But then… you are… –He didn’t finish the phrase, he was soon filled with anger, pain– YOU KILLED HER, IT WAS YOUR FAULT!

  - No, Ramsil, it wasn’t like that.

  - If you had left me the Feider from the beginning, I’d be dead, and not her –his eyes were filled with tears.

  - No… I couldn’t do it, Ramsil, you…

  - I what?... I was too weak? I wasn’t worthy? What? Perhaps…

  - I couldn’t do it because you were already a carrier from the moment you were born! –He said quickly so that Ramsil couldn’t interrupt the phrase.

  Ramsil became silent while Windark tried to explain it, and then he saw everything clearly, at that moment he was able to remember the shining kiss on Ybrian’s forehead, he remembered his father’s caress on his hair and what had been a muted memory before, now was clear in every sense, as if Ramsil where living it again.

  - Why do you have to go? –His mother said crying.

  - A new monk at the temple has risen, it’s the best opportunity.

  - But if it’s true what they say, you’ll be closer to the danger it represents, if the monk really wants…

  - I must give my Feider to Ybrian, if Ramsil had it his power would control him, he’s still too little.

  And there they were again, the images, but now when his father caressed his silver hair, he had heard him clearly:

  - You’re strong, Ramsil, I will continue taking care of you.

  While dad became smaller in the distance, he heard his mother telling him: “You must be brave”.

  - … it had chosen you, you’re the only one capable of doing it –Ramsil went back to being conscious of the present.

  - What?

  - I was telling you that the fifth Feider is the only one that chooses its carrier, and when you were born it had chosen you, that’s why I left. I knew that the new monk, Sonyei, wanted your ability, perhaps only by killing you he would have obtained it. It would have saved him years of effort.

  - What ability is that? –Ramsil asked feeling like an idiot for not even knowing it.

  - What took the longest to Sonyei: Control the Aruters.

  - That’s why it was so hard for me to control mi Feider–He thought out loud– I’m a carrier of two.

  - I’m sorry I kept you here, but I had to tell you, Ramsil, you can save us all.

  The tremors had been increasing, the shelves swayed letting the books fall, the lights –present only in the library and in the main rooms– started to fail leaving only the light of some torches, because others were put out because from the roof dust and pieces of stone fell, Ramsil looked at Windark for the first time , he recognized him as part of himself, he nodded with his head although inside he couldn’t recognize which of the emotions attacked him more fiercely, perhaps it was pain and anger, he felt betrayed, as if in fact he had taken a life that didn’t belong to him, he wanted to hit Windark, he wanted to run so fast that everything would come out of his head, but it wasn’t the time, then next to Windark he went out through the door of the library and started to run, everything was a mess, the hallways, the stairs with traces of blood, it was certain that on their way the beasts had destroyed everything, Ramsil started going down and Windark stopped him.

  - Ramsil, this way –He started going up until the upper floor with Ramsil behind.

  Ramsil had barely had time to assimilate everything without reacting, it was too much what he had listened to, and just at that moment, his emotions were blocked, buried under the debris of that roof, under the dust of the temple, under the fear of not finding Ycze and all that mess, the tremors, if it weren’t like that, how would he feel?, at that moment he was conscious of the voice he had heard at the mine, it was Windark’s voice, Ybrian had told him she had visions and someone always gave her advises, had it been him?, Ramsil only ran behind Windark without seeing the way, without memorizing how many stairs he climbed or went down, or how many times he went through some hallway, until they suddenly stopped in front of a ladder, someone was waiting for them.

  - Onevin!

  - Let’s go up quickly, Ramsil, Sonyei is trying to run away.

  Nothing more was needed, so both of them went up as fast as they could, when they went out they were on a side of the main entrance of the temple, the guards were fighting against each other in a metallic bustle, Onevin and Ramsil looked at each other because they didn’t know who were with Sonyei and who weren’t. From where they were there were no traces of Sonyei, but surely he hadn’t left the temple, because there weren’t footprints of the heavy paws of the Aruters.

  - Inside –Windark shouted so that they could hear him above the noise.

  - Let’s go –Ramsil told Onevin.

  They started to run zigzagging on their way so that they wouldn’t become a part of that fight between the guards, Ramsil only had one firm thought, finding Ycze, because Onevin wasn’t with her.

  - Do… do you know him? –Onevin asked panting while they ran.
<
br />   - Yes… no… I’ll explain it later.

  It was enough to reach the main door to know where Ycze was: up from the floor, Sonyei had her gripped by the neck, while she struggled to take some air with her eyes injected in blood, while the Aruters walked in circles around them.

  CHAPTER 34

  - TO THE ARUTER! –Windark shouted when he saw what was happening.

  Onevin saw Ramsil with immediate agility, who nodded, then the first one raised his hand and tried to take the energy of one of the beasts, Ycze fell to the floor, because of the damage which Onevin was doing to the creature was also affecting Sonyei, who at that moment let Ycze fall, because he didn’t know what was happening to him and started to look with his eyes the origin of the feeling of pain. Ycze was still on the floor, her Feider didn’t work at all at that moment, because she didn’t have any physical wounds, she was just out of breath. At that moment, Ramsil saw Cornelium who ran trying to come closer to Ycze to help her, three guards were covering him, but Sonyei saw him come close and when he was going to attack him, Windark, from the door, pushed him with his ability and Sonyei fell on the floor, at that precise moment he ordered the unharmed beast “Kill the traitor” referring to Windark, Onevin was still taking the life force of the first creature who roared without moving. The other Aruter ran quickly to attack the traitor old man it had been ordered to kill and with a leap he got in front of him, with the powerful paw he scratched him throwing him to a side, Ramsil couldn’t remain in his inactivity, to Sonyei’s surprise, Ramsil –Turned into an Aruter– attacked the other creature, Cornelium finally got next to Ycze while the three guards immobilized Sonyei. Feeling better, Ycze ran to help Windark who was again wounded bleeding on the floor, although the carriers had taken for certain that they had the advantage on that fight, they had completely forgotten that outside the temple there was also another fight between the guards, from which one of them –loyal to Sonyei– got rid of his rival and came closer to Onevin wielding his sword.

  - Onevin, look out! –Ycze warned him.

  Onevin lost the visual contact with the Aruter to dodge the sword, without thinking about it he turned his glowing hand with his Feider to the guard and took his energy until leaving him of the floor dying, that hadn’t taken more than a few seconds, but it had been enough for the Aruter, who was now free, to devour the three guards that were holding Sonyei, giving him again his freedom, which he used to move Onevin away with strength outside of the temple and threw on top of Ramsil the second Aruter, Sonyei made his way and went out of the temple too, he was going for Onevin, he wanted to take the chance of the commotion to take his Feider, it wasn’t extra to take that ability too.

  - Can you help Ramsil? –Ycze asked Cornelium still trying to wake Windark up.

  - I’ll try –He pulled out his staff again.

  Ramsil fought to get the second beast off him, the one he had been attacking was wounded and he had it on the floor, stepping on top of it, without much effort, but the other one was attacking him on his back, at that moment a blinding light, but brief stunned everyone’s vision, it had been Cornelium, when he had the attention of the beast that was on top of Ramsil, he started to move the staff so it would come closer to him.

  - Cornelium, what are you doing? –Ycze shouted when she imagined the result.

  - I’m trying…

  - Damn it! Windark, wake up, wake up now.

  The Aruter threw itself toward Cornelium, when Ycze thought it would fall on top of him she was able to see for a brief second when Darrell showed up out of nowhere and took Cornelium with him to the coat, Ramsil shook his head to clear his vision, the eyes of the Aruter where much more sensible and he wasn’t used to them, that’s why Cornelium’s shining light had seemed much more intense to him, he saw inside the temple –Still with one of the creatures under his strong paws– Ycze trying to revive Windark, there wasn’t any trace of Cornelium, several dead guards, he got worried when he didn’t see Onevin and Sonyei, but apparently he had some advantage, Sonyei was without the beasts.

  - Onevin is outside –Ycze shouted at Ramsil.

  But her words were heavy, his Aruter ears weren’t trained either and the words seemed to go through water before reaching him, “Onevin is outside” again he didn’t distinguish all the words, but when he saw that Ycze seemed alarmed and was pointing at the door behind him, he turned and began to run to the exit, while he ran he was able to feel that the other beast was going out too, he managed to see Onevin facing Sonyei, neither of them had it easy, Onevin’s ability matched Sonyei’s level. Behind them he managed to see Cornelium exiting the coat of the council, followed by Darrell. Ramsil was going after Sonyei, he didn’t care about persuading him at all, he was capable of everything, Sonyei noticed that and pushed Onevin –With his ability– far from him, in the opposite direction of Ramsil, Onevin fell strongly almost at Darrell’s feet, who rushed to get him up.

  - It won’t be easy for you to beat me –Sonyei said with a restless breathing, and soon became sorry for putting Onevin away; it would have been useful to him to have him close.

  The monk extended all his right arm and keeping it completely stretched he passed it over his head slowly until taking it to the left side of his body, while he did that two things happened: one of them was his hand and arm, were lighting his veins with a neon blue color, which little by little spread with less glow through his body, the other thing that was happening was an amazing show to the sight of the several people present, around Sonyei a spherical dome was being created of the similar color of his veins, leaving Sonyei completely protected by it.

  At that moment Sonyei only had one thought, which shook him completely, Ycze’s last vision, he remembered that phrase “You are going to die”, it was true that things had had a dramatic change, seeing up close, maybe from afar that was exactly what had to happen to take him to his death, suddenly he was comforted by remembering the next vision he’d had, “Send the beasts to Vicnelia”, that gave him some ideas which he set in motion immediately, with great effort the beast that had been wounded by Ramsil stood up and started to come out, without caring about Ycze and Windark –Who started to wake up– it got out and stood imposing next to the other that had stopped when Sonyei had barricaded himself in the energy field that he had created and it was similar to the one he had placed on the pit when he had them as prisoners, but Ramsil didn’t stop, although Windark had joined them now with Ycze and were already outside of the temple and he was shouting at him not to go any closer, Ramsil couldn’t hear him and when he touched the energy field he was shot backwards, when he fell on the floor his aspect was normal, he was no longer an Aruter, Ycze came closer to help him, but he wasn’t wounded.

  - I was worried about you –She admitted caressing his hair.

  - We won’t be able to beat him– Ramsil regretted.

  - Then we will die trying.

  Windark had listened to the brief conversation, when he realized that Sonyei seemed focused, he came closer to Ycze and Ramsil.

  - You can do it, Ramsil –He told him.

  - He has his beasts –He answered.

  - That’s what I mean, remember you are the carrier that Sonyei was looking for –He looked at the Aruters who were getting up again, Ramsil saw it too.

  - But…

  - You don’t have to know how… just do it.

  - I will –Ramsil confirmed, wishing more than believing it.

  CHAPTER 35

  Seeing that Sonyei seemed very focused, Windark ordered the wounded guards to retire –they already knew where– the fight between them had ceased the moment Onevin and Sonyei had fought against each other. The Aruters seemed to put themselves on alert again, because without planning to they were surrounded by the carriers, Ramsil didn’t want to let go of Ycze’s hand, but he had to do it, he looked at her and thought «I’m going to be ok», Ycze nodded to give him trust, she trusted Ramsil, so much that when he felt it he trusted himself too.

  While h
e was walking away from Ycze and at the same time forming with the others: Cornelium, Darrell, Windark and Onevin, a circle around the Aruters and Sonyei –Who kept his eyes closed– Ramsil tried to control the beasts attempting to activate the fifth Feider, was he really the carrier? He didn’t have proof of that, only the testimony of an old man from the temple, who had said some things which were true about his past, he didn’t know if he should trust him, so he turned to see him, Windark seemed focused on Sonyei, he didn’t notice that Ramsil was looking at him, he seemed determined to end it all and that gesture, that small gesture made Ramsil feel that Windark was with them –the carriers– in that fight, a fight that for him had started so little ago, had started with an explosion and the debris of his home, but for Windark, if he really was who he said he was, it had started the day he left, even before, soon it would end one way or the other.

  Gathering some courage, Ramsil advanced toward the beasts, who looked at him with profound anger, they seemed to reason, he extended his arms pointing with his hands the beasts, his hands started to light up with a neon glow, but it didn’t seem to have an effect on the beasts, at that moment Sonyei opened his eyes and saw him, he recognized him as the carrier of the Feider he wanted the most, then an Aruter showed up with a jump, who was about to fall on top of Ramsil, Windark diverted him at the last second, and Onevin started to weaken it. Sonyei had been focused on ordering the Aruter he had sent to Vicnelia to come back quickly, then when Ramsil saw that his advantage was reduced little by little, with great effort he transformed again into an Aruter, and once being transformed he tried to activate the Feider to control them, it worked better, Ramsil could feel it on his skin, little by little he felt connected as much with the beasts as with Sonyei –who was still linked to them– he wasn’t clear about how that control worked, but something was certain, the beasts wouldn’t obey only Sonyei.