The Knowing One

by Lexy Wolfe

  Nearly an hour passed before Ash groaned softly, finally beginning to rouse. Unfocused azure eyes opened, blinking several times. "Where-?" Ash rasped, disoriented. "Almek?"

  The Dusvet Guardian put his hand on Ash's arm, squeezing tightly. "Relax, Ash. I'm fine. We made it through the portal. We are just outside of Sharindel at the foot of Fortress's mountain. We're all fine." Almek could not help but glance worriedly at Storm, the lie in his voice clear even to the weakened mage.

  "Storm?" Ash rasped. He touched Storm's cheek. "Storm. Storm!" The Swordanzen's eyes rolled open briefly before she passed out with a sigh. Knowing she was not lost, Ash finally succumbed to blackness himself.

  Mureln continued to play his music as Taylin knelt to touch Storm and Ash's clasped hands. "They are not so close to death now. But they are not out of danger yet. They need time to recover their strength."

  "Thank the gods." Almek stood, looking into the distance where the solitary mountain of Fortress rose high into the sky with a sense of awe. "I never dreamed I would witness such a miracle. Not in all of my five hundred years." He looked towards the treeline at the same moment Skyfire reached for his swords and Lyra drew her bow. "Hold, Skyfire!"

  Several men and women with bows drawn burst from the tree line. "Do not move!" a strident voice demanded coldly.

  Shrieking in defiant challenge, the drizar leapt over Taylin, landing in a battle stance with his head lowered, gleaming metal-capped horns flashing in the light. Several arrows flew towards him, but most merely bounced off his thick, scaled hide. The slash of bronze-capped horns knocked aside two more, and one he caught in his teeth. Returning to his defensive stance, he growled deep in his chest as he snapped the arrow in his mouth and ate it.

  The tallest of the newcomers stepped out of the circle of attackers, holding his hands up. "Hold! Do not attack!" Lowering the deep hood of his storm grey robes, Jaison's orange Guardian mark glinted in the sunlight. He impatiently brushed his dusky brown hair from his green eyes. "A drizar?" He took a step forward, halting when the drizar lowered his head menacingly, Skyfire's drizzen moving to join him, her teeth bared. "What are beasts of Desantiva doing here? How...?"

  Almek lowered his own hood, smiling faintly. "Unsvet Jaison," he greeted casually. "You have no idea how pleased I am to see you again."

  Jaws and weapons all dropped immediately. "Dusvet Almek? Is that really you?" Jaison reached to clasp Almek's forearm in greeting. "What is going on? How did you come to be here without anyone noticing your approach?" Jaison frowned as he narrowed his eyes, studying Almek closer. "By the Timeless One... your deterioration... Why had you not come home sooner?! If you had waited much longer—"

  "If not for my students, I would be dead now." Almek's flat tones brought Jaison up short. The Unsvet glanced over Almek's shoulder as Taylin approached, putting a soothing hand on the protective drizar's shoulder. "You remember Taylin, of course."

  Jaison nodded once. "Of course. Good to see you are well, Taylin." The healer merely nodded once, her attention on soothing the drizar.

  "These are the rest of my students," Almek stated. "And I will introduce them to you in time. Right now, the two who performed the miracle to get us here are—"

  "By the goddess!" a young woman exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand as she dropped to her knees in shock. "Illaini Magus Ash Andar?!" she exclaimed. She looked at Almek, aghast. "You claimed the Illaini Magus as your student? How could you?! The Illaini belongs to Forenta!"

  "Adept Ophilia, you—" Jaison's eyes were drawn sharply over to look at the unconscious woman in the Forenten man's arms. "...a Desanti?" he whispered. He staggered as he realized, "A Githalin Swordanzen!" Jaison stared at Almek. "They are your new students?! What the hell happened?"

  Almek said blandly, "There is much to discuss, Jaison."

  Jaison snorted softly. "To say the least. Dulain Tyrsan will need to speak to you."

  The Dusvet's smile faded to one of grim seriousness. "There is time enough to talk. Right now, Jaison, my students and I need your assistance." The Unsvet blinked once before the realization of the urgency settled in and he turned to the others with him, snapping orders to attend to the unconscious pair.

  Almek's students, however, closed ranks. Silent, Emaris's glare was enough to make several of the newcomers backpedal. Emil stepped between his gypsy brother and the strangers with his sword drawn. "Don't ye even think 'bout it."

  "The Illaini Magus and Githalin Swordanzen are one of us," Mureln stated as he gently removed Ash's arms from around Storm. Skyfire picked her up, holding her close as he looked in her face with worry, tenderly caressing her cheek. Emaris took charge of Ash, no less concerned over his comrade, if not showing it in any way similar to how Skyfire worried over his th'yala.

  "We don't be needin' yer help," Emil stated crossly. "We take care of our own." Mureln stood protectively near Taylin as they thanked the drizar for his protection and assured him there was no need to disembowel anyone, no matter how worried he was.

  Jaison blinked at the unheard of solidarity between members of the disparate nations of the Sundered Lands, then looked quizzically at Almek as he went to assist his old mentor.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Lexy Wolfe is the author of the highly acclaimed epic fantasy novels of The Sundered Lands Saga. After her time in the Army as a Russian linguist was cut short due to injuries, she has continued a tradition of serving as a translator, now between technical and business folks. Lexy enjoys learning as much about everything, with a special love of all fields of science. Having to set aside a childhood dream, inspired by Carl Sagan, of becoming an astronaut and traveling to other worlds, she now weaves vivid worlds and vibrant characters into intricate stories.

  VISIT THE AUTHOR

  Twitter: LexyWolfe

  Facebook: lexywolfe13

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  www.bhcpress.com

  Glossary

  a'alisna — (ah-ah-LIS-nah) Vodani term for the nomadic urge to move from place to place

  Almek Two-Tones — (AL-mek) The last living Guardian of Time bearing two colors on his divine mark Oldest wandering Guardian at over 500 years old; Sevmanen-Vodani halfborn Amelana — (ah-MEH-lah-nah) Formerly great grandniece of Ellis Avarian who was stripped of her family name for her crimes; Ash Andar's former journeyman student Ancestral agony — Vodani term for the Psia Re

  Ancient Triad — The first gods, Creator, Destroyer and Time

  Andar — Ash's birth home, uninhabited due to the disaster that left him orphaned

  Anton Ganessi — Head of the noble house that rules the port city of Ganessi

  Arrowhawk — A black falcon with blue markings used by the Vodani people to carry messages

  Ash — Forentan man, youngest master mage and Illaini Magus

  A'tyrna Ulan — (ah-TIR-nah OO-lahn) Stone pillars that are the remains of ancient Desanti-Forentan halfborn

  Avarian family — (ah-VAH-ree-ahn) One of the oldest of the Ancient Houses in Forenta

  Bard — A wandering minstrel and neutral arbiter, usually Vodani-born

  Bayuli-volsha — A Desanti term for a bond between souls, considered extremely sacred to Desanti

  Before Time — Desanti term for the time before the Great War

  Bek — A crude Sevmanen caravan worker

  Bella — A Vodani Unsvet Guardian

  Bennu Avarian — (beh-NOO) Deceased Forentan mage, Ash's former master and grandfather, twin to Ellis

  Berrik — (BEAR-rik) member of the Morlaiz clan

  Black water — The ink produced by squids

  Blisarj leaf — (BLIH-sarzh) A toxic Desanti herb used to treat pain

  Blood crystal — A crystal made from blood by a Totani that ties the life force of a Swordanzen to another

  Blood Oath — A mystical bond created between a Forentan and another

  Blood magic — The Desanti equivalent of magic

  Blue Rose Inn — A tavern the travelers stay at


  Bo-alia — a dice game related to cross bones, except the dice are eight-sided.

  Ceremony of Choosing — a holy Forentan ceremony where the mortal servants of the Knowing One are publically chosen.

  Chase — A Swordanzen who had been Storm's th'yala.

  Chlayxin — (CHLAY-zin) the buildup of pressure caused by using Forentan life magic, also called magic backlash

  Chok — A crude Sevmanen caravan worker

  Clarissa — Headwoman of the Avarian household

  Claire — Forentan child

  Corast — (KOR-ahst) A Forentan-Vodani border port city

  Council of Elders — The ruling council of Desantiva comprised of the oldest members of the Desanti people

  Creator, the — One of the Ancient Triad; The Unchanging One

  Cross bones — a dice game played with five six-sided dice

  Cross the Sword — A Desanti euphemism for significant life changes, such a becoming an adult or dying. Also, 'Cross the blade'

  Cursed child — A surviving child of a dead Desanti tribe, usually left to die for fear of contagions

  Darkborn — A human born with the soul of a darkling

  Darkling — An entity that crosses into the physical plane from the River of Time that preys on the souls of the living

  Defiler — A derogatory Desanti term for a Forentan

  Dinnais — (dih-NAY-ss) A Desanti term for a darkling

  Desanti — (deh-SAN-tee) Singular or plural term referring to a human from Desantiva; adjective describing anything from Desantiva

  Desantiva — (deh-san-TEE-vah) The barren wasteland southern territory claimed by the Desanti people; The name of the Desanti's dragon god

  Dessa — (DEH-sah) Ash's only servant, companion since childhood; Killed by a darkling

  Destroyer, the — One of the Ancient Triad; The Changing One

  Dove and Lily Inn — Upper class establishment in Ganessi

  Dremmen — (DREH-men) A Forentan Unsvet Guardian

  Drizar — (DRI-zahr) The term for a full male drizzen, synonymous to stallion

  Drizzen — (DRI-zen) Vicious, reptilian omnivores that replace horses in Desantiva

  Dulain — (doo-LANE) Senior Unsvet in charge of the Guardian city in Fortress

  Dusvet Guardian — (DOO-sveht) A Guardian of Time marked with a metallic mark of two colors on the right cheek

  Dylar — (D'EYE-lar) Guardsman captain of Ganessi

  Dzee — Rainbow wyvern Totani

  Edai — The Knowing One's laws about duty and the gathering and sharing of knowledge

  Edai Magus — (eh-DAH-ee) One of the mages on the Forentan mage high council

  Edai Tredecima — (eh-DAH-ee treh-DES-ee-mah) The thirteen member mage high council

  Elder — A Desanti who is 35 years or older

  Elder bear — A giant bear native to Forenta

  Ellis Avarian — (EL-lis) Forentan mage, twin brother of Bennu Avarian and Ash's great uncle, highest ranking mage on the Edai Tredecima

  Emaris — (EM-ahr-ihss) Mute Sevmanan gypsy mercenary, brother of Emil

  Emil — (EH-mill) Sevmanan mercenary-thief, brother of Emaris

  Erik — Forentan boy, Nolyn's nephew

  Etaio — (eh-TIE-oh) Gypsy leader of the Morlaiz clan

  Final Dance — A Swordanzen attack that leaves the attacker impervious to injury, but kills the attacker once completed

  First Home — The only permanent Desanti city in Desantiva

  First Sundering — An ancient cataclysm that created the Forentan and Desanti nations

  Forbidden arts — Forentan magic that has no limitations that end a spells effects

  Forenta — (for-EHN-tah) The heavily forested northern territory claimed by the Forentan people; name of the Forentan god

  Forentan — (for-EHN-tan) Singular term for a human from Forenta; adjective describing anything from Forenta

  Forenten — (for-EHN-ten) Plural term for a human from Forenta

  Forge, the — Desanti term for the hottest part of the day

  Fortress of Time — Solitary mountain near the World Spine, home to the Guardians of Time

  Gabrielle Avarian — Ash's mother

  Ganessi — (gah-NESS-ee) A Sevmanan-Vodani border port city

  Githalin Blades — (gith-AH-lin) The divine created single-edged paired blades given to Githalin

  Githalin Swordanzen — A god-touched Swordanzen

  Great Barrier — The dividing line between the physical plane and the River of Time

  Great War — The war between Forenta and Desantiva that ended in the Second Sundering

  Guardian Adept — A person formally identified to be training to be tested to become a Guardian of Time

  Guardians — Short form for Guardians of Time

  Guardians of Time — Nearly immortal servants of the Timeless One

  Gypsy — Sevmanan nomads

  Halfborn — Anyone with parents from two nations (example: Sevmanan and Vodani)

  Hall of Remembrance — Chamber in the butte of First Home with mosaics depicting moments of Desanti history

  Heart of Desantiva — Name for the Desanti God

  Home Port — The first Vodani city, only non-Desanti city in Desantiva

  Hollow — A Forentan term for an inn, usually lower class

  Illaini Magus — (ill-AEE-nee) A god-touched mage

  Ilsa — (ILL-sah) Master Vodani apothecarist of Water's Resonance

  Immortal servant — a minor divine entity that serves one of the gods

  Ithesra — (ih-THEHZ-rah) Capital city of Forenta

  Ithesra proper— (ih-THEHZ-rah) The more densely populated area of Ithesra

  Jaison — (JAY-sun) A Vodani Unsvet Guardian from Desantiva

  Jaline — (jah-LEEN) A Forentan seamstress; Terrence's intended wife-to-be

  Jakkee — (JAH-kee) A Vodani boy of Water's Resonance

  Joban — (JO-bahn) A Sevmanan man punished by a Guardian

  Kailee — (KAY-lee) A silver desert cat Totani

  Keenan — (KEE-nahn) A young Forentan man

  Kelafy — (keh-LAH-fee) Headwoman to the house of the Illaini Magus

  Knowing One, the — The Forentan tree god

  Kraken — Giant, deep-ocean squid

  Landwalker — Vodani nickname for anyone from the landbound nations

  Li — (LEE) Forest Sprite guardian of the entrance to the Forentan god's home

  Lowborn — Forentan term for someone of the lower classes

  Lupine — Giant wolf native to Forenta

  Lurkers — Vodani term for darklings

  Lyra — Forentan servant and companion to the Dusvet Guardian's Swordanzen students

  Magelight — Light generated by Forentan magic, often imbued into lanterns to allow minor talents to use them.

  Magus — Archaic term for a mage, used as part of titles for the senior most mages

  Magus Academy — Forentan school of magic that occupies an entire mountain

  Majestic Hall — Largest room within the Magus Academy

  Maternasi — (MAH-ter-NAH-see) Largest of the Vodani ships, home to an entire Vodani clan

  Melik — (MEH-lik) Merchant at Market Circle.

  Meris — Forentan guardsman and mage

  Mia — (MEE-yah) Mureln's sister, owner of the Silver Seagull Inn

  Morelmi — (mo-REL-mee) a spell used to remove the magic from a living being, generally considered fatal to the caster

  Morlaiz Clan — (more-LAYZ) The gypsy clan Emil and Emaris are from

  Mureln Nadeesi — (mur-ELN nah-DEE-see) A Vodani master bard; Almek's student

  Naiya — (nah-EE-yah) The dryad divine servant of the Forentan god

  Naming Blade — A two-edged knife given to a Desanti child by a Totani to acknowledge their transition into adulthood

  Navar — (nah-VAR) A Forentan village

  Naveene — (nah-VEEN) The flamboyant and ostentatious owner of Naveene's Rest.

  Naveene's Rest — A Forenta
n upper class inn

  Nolyn Lirai — (NO-lyn lih-RYE) Forentan master mage and guardsman captain in Ithesra

  Oberlain Family — (OH-ber-layn) One of the oldest of the Ancient Houses in Forenta, rival of the Avarian family

  Oracle Stone — A giant opalescent stone the size of a man's torso that is a focus for the Knowing One to speak through Her chosen Voice

  Ophilia — Forentan Guardian student, Kelafy's daughter

  Petal — A forest sprite that attached itself to Terrence

  Perisi — (peh-RIH-see) The last Illaini Magus 300 years before Ash

  Psia Re — (SEE-ya RAY) The tie between the Desanti born and the Desanti god only recognized by mortals as sharing the pain of the trapped god Radisen na'Citali — (RAH-dih-sen nah-cih-TAH-lee) A Desanti warrior

  Rage wind — Sand storm attributed to the expression of the Desanti god's fury

  Raging One, the — The Desanti dragon god

  Rayn — Forentan guardsman and mage

  Rest — A Forentan term for an inn, usually upper class

  River of Time — The area outside of the physical plane

  Rowen Avarian — Ash's father

  Rumblelands — The volcanic plain home/prison of the Desanti god

  Rumor squirrel — Forentan colloquialism for gossip

  Rusty Pelican — derogatory nickname for the Silver Seagull

  Second Sundering — An ancient cataclysm that created the Sevmanan nation out of the Forentan nation, and the Vodani nation out of the Desanti nation Se'edai Magus — (SEH EH-dah-ee) The senior member of the Edai Tredecima

  Seeing One, the — The Sevmanan god

  Selina — The mermaid divine servant of the Timeless One

  Sendarli — (sen-DAHR-lee) a Desanti monster that resembles vine covered rock that cannot be killed with normal weapons

  Sevenday — a unit of time equal to a week

  Sevmana — (sehv-MAH-nah) The grassy lowlands south of Forenta claimed by the Sevmanan people; name of the Sevmanan god

  Sevmanan — (sehv-MAH-nahn) Singular term for a human from Sevmana; adjective describing anything from Sevmana

  Sevmanen — (sehv-MAH-nehn) Plural term for a human from Sevmanen