At present, the Order of the Black Guard built their headquarters in one of its mountains. The location was ideal at best. It was exactly at the opposite location of the Gate Keepers’ HQ. The near proximity of the Forest Folk was advantageous for business dealings and in keeping the Guards sharp and alert at all times.
The Guard Commander had returned to his office after a rare disagreement with his friend. Arturion have maintained a calm exterior but his recent actions, betrayed his true feelings.
Karina had been left at Arturion’s residence. True to the high priestess’ word, sacred geometry had been cast on the human woman’s recumbent form and administered daily with honeyed water. All this to sustain life; yet, they could not stabilize nor contain the energy overflowing from her body. Even the house’s wards could no longer hold the energies from seeping out and covering the whole of Merleina. It manifested in ways: the lavender scent, the richer taste in the bounties of earth; the speedier recovery of injuries and illnesses.
The Council was forced to confirm the existence of a potential Liyanna to the public when the strange occurrences became difficult to ignore. They were disinclined to give away her whereabouts but the animals and Devatas visiting the house and leaving gifts could not be overlooked for long. Sara had taken the task of addressing the Merleinans; to assure them and give hope; and to ask them to pray for the health of Karina and the staff caring for her, instead of going to the young woman’s temporary lodgings and dropping gifts and tokens. Her promise to notify them of any change in Karina’s situation proved effective in diffusing speculations. Those who were in attendance when Sara spoke left homeward to pass on the information.
Everyone was confident in the skills of the high priestess and her Order. The human would survive and regain consciousness. Still, Reno had watched Arturion abuse his ability to activate Merkaba. The latter’s number of travels between the third and fourth dimension was enough to last a year just to visit and hold hands with an unconscious woman. Reno would hear him talking to her softly about growing up in Merleina, the interesting bits in the country’s lengthy history, and her foreign visitors. No one minded Arturion’s stories except for his haggard appearance.
Initially, he would see her twice in a week. But as Karina continued to sleep through the month, Arturion’s visits became more frequent. His worry was understandable. The longer she slept, the lesser the possibility that she would awaken.
Reno had attempted to persuade Arturion to stay and rest in the third dimension for at least a week before others recognized the depth of his affections for Karina. The Keeper refused to listen and stated that he was only fulfilling his obligations. In the middle of the argument, the Commander almost lost his temper because of Arturion’s stubbornness. Fortunately, Sara came and diffused the tension between them, scolding Reno to keep himself in check. Telepathically, she assured him that she would personally make sure that Arturion would follow his advice.
In his office, the Commander brooded over Karina’s case. He and the Guards have not been able to make any progress with their investigations. The Black Guards he had personally selected could not come up with any leads regarding the mystery surrounding Karina and her mother.
A bead in the tiger eye bracelet he wore around his wrist momentarily gleamed. One of his people had submitted a report. He held it between his thumb and index finger. The sender was Haron, one of his best Guards, who has been working undercover as executive assistant to a businessman since three years ago. The man was suspected of being affiliated to an organization working for the Zertans. The unknown organization has a broad network ranging from politicians, syndicates, charitable institutions to pharmaceutical companies.
The encrypted message was short. Haron would be accompanying his employer to a conference conducted in a different country every three months. It would be held in two weeks’ time at the Peninsula Hotel based in Makati, Philippines. He would submit another report the day after the meeting.
The Commander had a few misgivings. Giving Haron the approval in undertaking this task would be a direct disobedience to the Elders’ orders. He would just have to keep it under wraps until it was over.
Reno rubbed his hands together with anticipation. The news had lifted his mood. A window of opportunity had opened for them. If the organization is indeed allied to the Zertans, his man would be able to share with the Order valuable information regarding both groups. There was also the slightest chance Haron might find the missing piece to the puzzle in resolving the investigation.
The Guard Commander sent a reply to proceed with the mission. The probability of being stripped of his rank had occurred to him more often than not. The consequences were great, but it would be worth it.
Part III
LIYANNA
Chapter 20
Karina
The woods were thinning before her. She could not remember how she came to be in the forest. Her memories were nothing but fragments. Karina had no control over her actions. Her body moved on its own accord. She didn’t know if she should freak out. Her emotions were in turmoil, the most predominant were sorrow and confusion.
The building panic subsided as she seemed to have no difficulty navigating the woods without the Forest Folk guiding her. She walked confidently and purposefully, the land rising gradually as she neared her destination.
Reno had, in a rare occasion, described the location of his headquarters. He had called it Qihaman Mountains, a part of Merleina’s borders. She had only seen its silhouette from her window. This time, she knew this was the same mountain he had spoken about as she found one of its tunnels.
The markings at the boulder looked like dirt to the untrained eye; in truth, it bore a riddle in cipher. The tunnel’s entrance remained concealed until the person, who wishes to gain entry, states the answer to the puzzle. This entryway was also the nearest to the Devarian Realm.
Karina stopped a hundred paces from it. Her awareness sharpened as she let her Sight and extended auditory and olfactory senses take over. It registered the familiar sounds and smells of the forest – or, what was left of the eastern part of it.
The combined stench of burnt flesh and wood drifted to her. The Great Fire had consumed a greater portion of the forest. The Old Wood was no more. The barrenness in the area was a testament that the ancient trees would no longer shelter creatures against nature’s harsh elements. The knowledge had come unbidden from deep within her along with renewed grief.
Then, she heard a voice behind her speak of Qihaman. It was familiar but angry.
Whatever this is – a dream or a vision – she was trapped inside a girl, whose thoughts and feelings meshed with hers. Karina, an unwilling witness, only hoped that there was a good reason why she needed to see these events unfold before her.
*****
The moment she woke to the sensation of having a handful of people present in her room, Karina had a sinking feeling that her position in Merleina had risen once more. A part of her wanted to go back to sleep. The more logical side of her, however, dictated that there was no point in further delaying the inevitable.
Cracking an eye open, Karina realized that she had levitated a few inches from her bed. Landing softly on the mattress, she blinked a few times letting her eyes adjust to the brightness of the room.
The memories of the dream she had was fading fast from her mind. Still, Karina was aware that the abilities she possessed in the dream stayed with her.
Sara’s face came into view, then Kala’s. The apprentice’s expression was the opposite of the high priestess’ calm composure; but, both a welcome sight in her awakening.
“What’s going on?” Karina asked as Sara and two others began a thorough examination of her body.
“You had an accident in the bath. You’ve been asleep for nine weeks,” Kala said, arranging the bed Karina had vacated. Cheerfully, she added: “Thankfully, you are not in the third dimensional plane. I’ve heard from the Guards that the medical field has not yet re
ached our level of advancement. Is it true that those who have been asleep for longer periods have to undergo a particular therapy to–?”
“Kala, you may continue your questions tomorrow. Let our patient rest for now,” Sara spoke gently. To Karina, she asked: “Is your eye bothering you?”
“No, but it feels different.” Karina opened and closed her eyes.
“Let me see.” The priestess checked the right eye. “There is nothing wrong with it.”
Next to her, Kala stood transfixed at their patient’s eye. Suddenly, Kala jerked back and announced that she would inform the others of the good news to Sara’s approval.
Kala and the others retreated from the room. Once they were alone, the high priestess explained what had happened after the accident. Karina’s soul, which had left her body, returned two weeks prior her awakening. In the meantime, her condition had spread like wildfire across their world. Sara, Sola and the Council of Elders could no longer deny Karina’s existence from Merleina’s neighboring countries.
Gifts filled every nook and cranny of the house. Temples filled with people praying for her. A day had not passed that someone would approach the priesthood inquiring about the would-be Liyanna. Creatures never before seen in Merleina had come and kept vigil outside the house. It was only today that the number of visitors from the animal kingdom decreased and Sara became certain that Karina would regain consciousness.
The high priestess’ instructed her to rest but flashes of a distant past kept Karina awake. Giving up on sleep, she wondered about Arty. Is he alright? She had been disappointed when Sara told her that he had returned to the third dimension to fulfill his duties.
Another memory jolted her. Karina began pacing the room. Her senses had sharpened further, exceeding Arturion’s. Her ascension had done that to her. Sara had been uncertain if the ability was temporary or not. For now, she would have to learn to live with it. If it became evident that the change was permanent, they would have to look for someone to teach her how to control it. The high priestess did not mention anyone in particular, but it was obvious that Arturion would have been the first choice. The soft tread her ears picked up came directly from below. It was the novice Sara had assigned to keep an eye on her.
Karina wanted to leave the house and have somebody explain these visions to her. Outside, the flap of wings caught her attention as it grew louder. Her ears registered that its wing span was large for a bird. The smell of it was harder to distinguish. She moved to the window to see what kind of creature it could be.
The chimera was approaching from her right. Its eyes regarded her with intelligence. It moved closer to the window, their heads a hair’s breadth from touching. Its leveled gaze sparked a vision that told of a similar encounter. A name formed on her lips: “Velor.”
In response, the creature licked her cheek and moved its side to the opening as near as possible with its broad feathered wings. Karina could not decipher what Velor wanted her to do until its lion head gestured to its back.
“You want me to climb on your back?” Karina said incredulously. She looked down and regretted her mistake. The ground was a long way down from where she stood. “You have got to be kidding me.” She half-turned from the window and realized there was no way she could escape the novice’s notice. But her questions could not wait any longer.
She closed her eyes and attempted to levitate.
Nothing.
Sighing, Karina hiked up her nightgown and stepped onto the windowsill. Thank the Mother nobody had thought of installing glass in the window, she thought.
The chimera sensed her predicament and maneuvered himself so that she could reach him by the neck. Karina stretched an arm out. Her fingers had brushed his hair when she felt herself tip forward. The ground surged up to meet her. Frantically, she grabbed the window with her other hand and pulled herself back on the windowsill. She stayed in a crouch, her heart pounding wildly at how close she could have fallen to her death.
“Holy Mother!” Karina saw a head peeking from a window below her. The novice had heard the chimera and may have wondered why it lingered.
With one arm reaching for the creature, she pushed her legs out and grabbed his thick mane. For a few painful seconds, she hung on the chimera’s hair. His eyes were trained on hers and suspiciously held bemusement. Suddenly, he rose upwards and dove. Karina lost her grip and felt herself flying in midair. Then, he swooped again, precisely positioning himself underneath her. She slid to the side. This time, Karina was ready. She snatched at his mane again and pulled herself up on his back. She encircled her arms around the creature’s neck, her heart drumming in her chest.
Then, she remembered the novice. The girl had watched the whole incident with fear and…fascination? While she stood dumbstruck, Karina took the opportunity to make her exit.
“I’ll be back,” Karina said, breathlessly.
The chimera seemed to know where she wanted to go. They flew eastward, to the heart of the forest. To Kelor-dan’s palace.
The courtyard was visible to the naked eye. From what she could see, they have been expecting her. Devatas and beasts mingled by the fountain. Several of them made room for her flying companion to land. They did not cheer as they touched ground but bowed formally to her. A Devarian noblewoman removed the scarf she wore and offered the silken material to their Liyanna. Karina became conscious of her appearance and blushed with embarrassment. She must look like a madwoman to the Forest Folk. When she made no move to accept the gift, the noblewoman draped the cloth over her shoulders and hung back. No one commented on Karina’s state of undress nor the redness of her face.
They waited. To do what? Her mind recalled the Devarian court protocol. Hierarchy was important. The higher the rank of the Devata compared to yours, the deeper the obeisance. She managed a general bow accepted in all circles. The effect was immediate, the animals relaxed and the Devatas straightened. Then, the men were bending at the waist and the females were dipping a low curtsy again. The leaves rustled behind her. Karina turned around and saw Kelor-dan smiling at her.
She imitated the women in greeting the Prince. He bowed slightly to her. Kelor-dan had never done that to her in public before. The gesture meant he was acknowledging her as an equal.
“Liyanna,” he murmured close to her ear and kissed a cheek. He stepped back and studied her face. His smile now held a trace of sadness.
“You have questions,” he observed. “You have brought new knowledge in your awakening. Alas, you do not understand it.”
“I’ve been having visions. It’s all jumbled up. Some of it has one Sentry and you, Kelor, in it.” Another distant memory flashed before her: the Prince talking to her privately when Pellinor interrupts them. “Why do I keep seeing you? Whose life am I seeing?”
Kelor-dan offered his arm, which she silently accepted. He led her to the dormant fountain and bade her sit beside him.
“You called me Kelor,” he said. “It has been thousands of years when a young woman called me by name alone. She said, ‘Titles are of no importance when the world is falling apart. Friendships, however, are priceless and lasting when it is built on honesty, trust, loyalty and love.’”
“Who is she?”
The Devarian Prince twisted around, gazing at the clear pool of the fountain. The moon and stars illuminated the night sky. Its reflection on the pool, however, was not the subject of his attention. She followed his gaze. The woman looking directly at her had pale hair and skin. Her eyes were also light. The right eye’s iris though had two colors – gray and brown. Karina lifted a hand to her face. The woman in the pool did the same. Her shock was mirrored back to her.
“How can this be?”
“There are things in this world that cannot be explained by words alone. But I am certain of one thing. You and Alena share one soul.” Kelor-dan did not look at her or even attempted to comfort her.
They were alone in the courtyard. The Forest Folk had left discreetly during their conversation, exce
pt for one horse and rider. Karina had noticed them nearing the palace grounds from the west. They had halted just behind the fringes of the clearing.
“Pellinor, what brings you here at this hour?” The Prince had noticed Karina’s reaction when she recognized the Captain.
“Someone called me, Prince,” Pellinor drawled, emphasizing on the first word. He led his mount to the fountain. Karina turned to the side letting her hair cover her face. The Captain paid homage to his Prince.
“I did not summon you.”
“I was compelled,” he sniffed indignantly. In a softer note, he continued: “By the Liyanna herself. She is here.” Pellinor’s eyes roamed at the shadows for the wisp of a woman-child with black hair. “I have heard she has risen from her sickbed quite recently. Where is she, Kelor-dan, that I may scold her for pulling me away from my patrol?”
“I didn’t call you.” Karina faced Pellinor fully.
“Alena,” he said sharply. The Captain’s reaction was a stark contrast to the reception she had received moments ago that Karina had the urge to laugh and cry at the same time. Here was somebody who felt as bewildered as her.
A set of memories flooded her mind. Her eyes settled at the sword hanging from Pellinor’s belt. She quickly looked away only to find him scowling at her. He had completely recovered from his initial shock.
Pellinor was still upset and he was accusing her for the summons. Karina was forced to review her exchange with the Prince.
“I didn’t. I just said that you and Kelor keep appearing in my visions.” Pellinor’s gaze hardened, leaving her more confused than ever.
“She does not know,” Kelor-dan said.
“What is it that I don’t know?”
The Realms of Ethair Page 13