by A. Wrighton
“What lessons did Vee verse you in?”
“Only what she could teach from memory.”
“So you are a...”
“Quad. Vee is a Triad without Fire, so she did what she could on that end, but she could not remember much. She said she never really knew many Fire Runics. I used to play with the kitchen fire but…”
His lips pinched as he nodded. “We’ll start there first.”
“Start? For what?”
“Child, do you not understand?”
Kalyna exhaled, refraining from placing her hand on her hip in normal fashion. She shook her head.
“You are with the Rogues now. Our Cause is to restore the Runics and bring peace and prosperity back to Solera. You then, are our Cause.”
“I am considered saved, Synge.”
“Syn.”
“Right. I am quite saved, Syn.”
“As I live and breathe, yes. Do you care nothing for Solera?”
“I…” She grimaced. The Rogues, as best she could tell, valued honesty first and foremost. It was a standard she could live with. Kalyna scrunched her features and met Synge's hazel eyes. “Not anymore.”
“I knew some people who were like that once. They were the ones who stood idly by while your people were carted off to slaughter. I know Child, that this is a lot to take in, but this is your destiny. You will end up fighting for your survival and your world’s survival because they are one in the same. As such, you will need to train – angry or not.”
Kalyna bit her tongue and bowed her head. She waited for the reprimand to grow and swell, but the Old Man did not speak or move further. She could hear his ragged breath against the stillness and it churned her overly full stomach. She looked up to speak and found the Old Man reaching for her elbow. He pulled her down to the end of the hallway, stopping at the last room on the left. He pushed back a black curtain, exposing the interior of a small cavern.
Her breath left her once she saw the out-of-place extravagance.
There was a matted area for sleeping, layered with luxurious blankets and embroidered, plush Pyranese pillows. A small opening in the rock wall that faced the canyon allowed the night sky to illume the far side of the cavern, sectioned off by a wooden divider. She could smell flowers and earthy spices in the air. Her breath stopped. There was a porcelain tub drawn into a bath – a real, steaming hot bath.
“Clothes will be brought to you. I told them to bring you some plants too, as I figured you had some control over Earth Runes. Perhaps you could help teach our kitchenhands what it means to cook with fresh things instead of filth.”
Kalyna smiled as she struggled to control a deep urge to splash onto the mats and fling pillows into the air. “Thank you," she said.
The Old Man placed a leather tube on a rock shelf above the carved out desk. “This will explain everything you need to know, should you reconsider your position.”
“I… Syn…” Kalyna exhaled brashly and pointed at the tube. “What is it?”
“The Prophecy. Did Vee verse you in it?”
“At the beginning, yes… but I do not—”
“I know that I cannot understand what has happened to you, but I can understand the disbelief and fear of it all. I once stood in a similar position. The decision to act can be yours alone, young Runic, but realize that your decision will change the lives of everyone you do and cannot know. They need you. We all do.”
Kalyna slowly wrapped her hands around the leather bindings. She nodded.
“I have sent for some Fire readings for tonight, until you have learned the way yourself.”
Before Kalyna could voice further protest, Old Man Synge disappeared, leaving the curtain drawn behind him. Kalyna exhaled, dropped the leather tube, and splashed onto the mats, letting the soft, silky fabrics wrap around her limbs and hug her skin. She smiled a sweet grin and rolled over to grasp onto the pillow mound.
“Comfortable?”
Flushed, Kalyna stood up and stared blankly at the stranger. She had not seen him before. He was shorter than the three Rouges she knew and had a full head of dark brown hair that framed his light, nearly mint hazel eyes perfectly. His jaw was strong and his stance proud. From beneath the rolled sleeves of his yellow undershirt, she could make out a nasty scar along his left bicep.
“The Old Man asked me to bring these down for you.” He gently set the thick, leather-bound books down on the carved shelf. He smirked, impressed by the persistent cloud of dust.
“I didn’t catch your name..."
“Vylain.”
“Vylain…?”
“Atkin. First Dredth, Wing Second – with Alaister.”
“Oh, all right.” She smiled and bowed slightly. “Kalyna.”
“Kalyna…?”
“Afraid it is just Kalyna, though I prefer Kal. I don’t have a surname to my knowledge.”
“Sorry.”
Kalyna shrugged and flipped through his delivery.
“So, Fire Runes, hmm?” he asked.
“Yes, I’ve been told that is what I must learn.”
“Well, if you ever get bored of your studies, let me know. I’m usually the only one up past nightfall and could always use some human company.”
“Sure,” she replied although her eyes were busy scanning from the leather tube to the books. She still struggled to wrap her mind around it.
The impossible had become the possible and dangerously real. And her destiny – what she had thought was just Vee’s method of bettering her and never letting her get down for their lot in life – was real. All of it was true.
The Prophecy. The Rogues. The Dragons.
Kalyna shook her head and leapt after the turning figure of Vylain. “Wait. Why are you awake so late at night?”
“Night Captain.”
“Oh.”
“Wind with you, Kalyna.”
“And with you, Vylain," Kalyna said to complete the exchange. The customary Dragonic farewell hit Kalyna between her teeth. It was used for Dragonics by Dragonics and no one else. They already considered her one of them – a Rogue – the Resistance. She stared after the void Vylain left until she could no longer hear his footsteps. Her mind hurt with the implications and the scent of the warm bath water called to her. Relax. She needed to relax. Kalyna controlled a squeal at the delicious sight the filled, steaming bathtub made. Taking a final surveying glance of the cavern, she noticed that along the top seams of the walls, a white moss grew emitting a dull soft glow.
“Soleratin Moss – we meet at last!"
Kalyna carefully ascended the walls to get a feel for the ever-elusive moss that she and Vee had been trying to replicate for cycles. They had never found any and failed at summoning it from Vee's patchy recollections. Kalyna gently poked the moss and watched its dull glow fizzle out under her finger’s pressure.
Spongy. Damp. Warm with a smell of potent musk.
“We use the oils from those to help kindle our lanterns, too.”
Kalyna shuddered, hopping back down to the ground with a jolt. She turned and faced the pale gray-blue eyes of Alaister, tugging at her dress to collect herself. “Do they burn longer that way?” she asked.
“Yes… and quite easy to make.”
“Should I just expect a constant flow of Rogues tonight?”
“I apologize for my…our lack of privacy. I didn’t mean to startle.”
“It’s fine. You’re not used to having people like me around. I get it.”
“Runics?”
“Women.”
“Yes, on both accounts.” Alaister exhaled and scanned the room nonchalantly.
Kalyna could not tell if she had finally managed to fluster the steady commander or if he had truly never seen the cavern before. His awe was poignant.
“Vylain brought you the books?” Alaister asked.
“Yes.” She nodded towards their pile. “Thank you.”
“I just wanted to give you your pack. Left it on my saddle.”
“Thank you
.”
“Of course.”
“Alaister, wait. I… how do I find… get around?”
He laughed. “I’d offer you a map, Kalyna, but I am afraid we’ve never made one. You’ll learn in time. Best thing is to just wander. You’ll always end up somewhere. Let me know if you need anything else, all right?”
“Yes…”
“But?”
“No but… which is odd… Really, I am fine.” Kalyna watched him stare at her with an odd look to his face. It was not an angry or unpleasant look, nor was it emotionless. He scanned her fully and then nodded, a kind smile gracing his face. She waited for him to turn to take his leave, but Alaister remained lost somewhere between his eyes and thoughts, her person squarely in the middle.
Kalyna rubbed her palms on her dress. “Commander?”
“Alaister.”
“Alaister,” she smiled, “can I help you with anything?”
“Oh. No, sorry.”
“You look like him, you know.”
Alaister frowned.
“Your father…. It was a compliment, Alaister.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I must excuse myself. I have drills to run at sun up.”
“Watcher keep you then, Alaister.”
“You too, Kal. You too.”
GUEST QUARTERS
THE DEN, NORTHERN SOLERAN MOUNTAINS
Kalyna rubbed her eyes and pushed back her loose braid of tousled hair. The texts made sense – in a way. They contained only the basics though – things she had picked up back at the Swamp and by the stove. She knew there had to be more, but the Old Man insisted on starting at the early books first, despite swearing they were pressed for time.
“Immediacy,” she mimicked in her gruffest Old Man voice.
Kalyna flopped her head on her closed book and murmured a soft ow. She stood, flustered and determined to clear her head, and wandered to the wall of plants, pausing to pick a small pebble up from the ground. She walked to her favorite pot and gently set the small stone inside her hand before taking a few moments to twist and lure a Caldenian Iris from the stone. She coaxed it to first bloom, then close, then bud to an absurd degree. She smiled at the hybrid of Runic power and plant. It had always been worth the scolding from Vee and now, without the imposition of Vee’s rules, she could enjoy the habit freely. She twisted the plant into growth once more until it found no further pleasure in her mind. The hybrid plant wilted and hung black and limp. Her thoughts were too conflicted by her charge – her adopted Cause.
Kalyna's gaze returned to the books. She needed better Runes. More detail. Harder. Something challenging. As she glanced out the window, a funny smile crept across her face. It was still dark out and there was that one Rogue – Vylain. He knew the way to the Library and was up at night. He would do, if only she could figure out how to find him. Kalyna grabbed her desk’s Soleratin Moss oil lamp before cracking into laughter. She set the lamp down and exhaled.
“You can do this now, Kalyna. No cheating.” Kalyna grabbed her emerald cloak, wrapped it around her shoulders, and poked her head out her cavern’s curtain door. Silence and the odd light green shimmer of moss and muted oil lamps in the distance greeted her.
“Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.” Kalyna took three strides to her right before opening her palm to the darkness and calling a small flame to appear. It danced flagrant yellow and orange before settling into a glowing blue. She held her arm out ahead of her, weaving and picking passageways and tunnels as she went.
She passed rows and rows of caverns with black drapes that she guessed, by the markings above the cavern doors, were the Rogues’ sleeping quarters. She continued down a left passageway until she found a spiral staircase down deeper into the caverns. Kalyna paused and tried to sense the flow of air.
Fresh air. Cold air. Night air.
It came from down below.
Flame nestled in her palm, Kalyna treaded down the spiral deeper into the darkness. She could feel the strength of the air gather and see it twirl about her flame. With her free hand, Kalyna clung to the edges of her cloak for warmth. She would have to find a Rune guide to warming herself before too long. She always found the ability easy to come by when upset but never by command, and she could not imagine a winter inside the Den without learning to control it somehow. She stopped at the base of the stairs and looked around.
There were no covered caverns down below, just dark openings. Kalyna closed her eyes and pushed her beating heart’s rhythm from the forefront of her mind. A deep silence built around her. The openings were filled with nothing living, nothing breathing. Poking her head inside one, she found rows upon rows of barrels with swords, holsters, bullets, and pistols. The Armory was rather well stocked – prepared for battle. Kalyna wrinkled her nose. It was a battle she somehow had to prepare to lead. Unamused, Kalyna pressed on toward the fresh air that tickled her nose and settled on her lips.
“You can’t be that lost,” said the masculine whisper, laughter topping off the vowels.
“No,” Kalyna said staring into the darkness. The source of the voice evaded, so she set her gentle flame ablaze. Resting on a barrel outside a large cavern, Vylain sat slumped but at the flare of light, he jumped and ran towards her.
“Don’t!” His voice was hushed but urgent.
Kalyna instantly smothered the flame to a mere glow.
“The ‘Lets are sleeping," he explained.
“The what?”
“‘Lets. Just come here. And put that out. Doesn’t that burn?”
Smiling into the darkness, she extinguished the flame. “No,” she said.
“Let your eyes adjust and then look in here.”
Kalyna stared into the darkness until the blacks turned to grays and she could make out the soft outlines of a handful of miniature Dragons.
“Dragonlets are adolescent Dragons, ready to be trained… ‘Lets for short.”
“They’re all gray…”
“They won’t get their colors for a while. They don’t even have their abilities.”
“So they’re just…. giant lizards with wings and teeth?”
“Pretty much.”
“The big Dragons don’t mind you watching them?”
“Not much. I’m just checking in on my rounds. I find their cooing entertaining really – a pleasant way to pass the time.”
“Have you made a round towards the Library, yet?”
One of his thick brown eyebrows arched.
“Have you?” she asked again.
“Bored with the basics are you?”
“Look,” Kalyna sighed. “I know what the Old Man said—”
“You’re the Runic. You’re The One. I’ll get you what you want. Syn’s too slow to catch me and give me grief for it, anyhow. Just move quickly; sun up is coming soon. You can light the way once we round this curve ahead.”
Vylain leapt to action and proceeded at a pace that found her jogging to keep up. Her Runic flame bobbed and bounced above her palm with such displeasure that she struggled to maintain it. If Vylain noticed, he said nothing. He wove and navigated through the caverns to another spiral staircase and took three spins upwards. He then ducked into the second tunnel on the right and the first on the left. He stopped before a nearly unnoticeable tiny cavern. Were it not for the black curtains hiding it, it was easy to miss entirely, which was the point after all.
Vylain ducked inside the curtains into the cramped interior of the cavern and pointed to an ornately carved wooden door. “This is the back entrance to the Monastery. Always look to see if the window on the door is open. If it is, it is safe. If not, run the other way. And, only at—”
“Night. I got it Mini Synge.”
Vylain chuckled and pushed open the Monastery door, letting Kalyna pass through first. He latched shut the door and stepped around to guide her once more. She let her eyes adjust and linger on the beauty of the Monastery that had been carved into the mountain contain
ed.
The Monastery sat in pristine silence. Where there were windows or openings, the coming sunlight would cast a warm glow that would offer a welcoming embrace. There were no bars and few doors forbidding where one could or could not trespass and the front wooden doors – twice the size of a tall man – were cast widely open to the mountain air, despite the hour.
Vylain waved her over to the hall on the right. He whispered in the entirety of their walk making her stay close by his side in order to hear. “At night, be as silent as possible. If you wake them, they won’t be afraid to tell you how annoyed they are with you.” He winked a bit too knowingly and pressed on. “To the left is their prayer chamber,” he said, gesturing to the left archway.
Kalyna stretched around and looked into the chamber. It was circular and the only source of light came from the top of the chamber. The center housed a statue of the twin Gods, whose hands were linked, but their eyes and faces focused on opposing directions. Surrounding the base of the peach-colored statue was an upwelling moat of spring water. She had remembered Vee’s story about the water. It was supposed to be so pure to the taste that it had legendary healing properties.
“Does that water…”
“I wouldn’t know or dare to ask.”
“You’re scared of them, aren’t you?”
He shrugged. “Where I come from Monks are silent and choose one God.”
“That’s everywhere,” Kalyna snickered.
“Yes well, not here.” Vylain shook his head. “But, they are some of the kindest souls you will ever meet. Scared of them? No. But I would never dare disrespect them with questions into their faith.”