I pulled back the covers and got out of bed. Careful not to wake him, I climbed over Peter asleep on the floor, and walked to the writing desk. I found a parchment and quill, and began to write.
Peter,
I'm in the library if you wake and I'm not there. I'll be back soon,
Ellasis
I put on a shawl and, candle in hand, slipped out the door. I took the stares two at a time, careful to navigate around any guards I might see. I knew the library was on the floor above the one I was. All I could do was hope I wouldn’t be discovered, my position as a nurse wouldn't hold much weight if I were caught wandering at night.
At last, I reached the top of the stairs and found the grand doorways that led into the library. I pushed one open, and entered. I browsed the bookcases, searching the labels for anything that could hint at what I was looking for. Mythology…nothing. History, no… Until at last I decided there was no hint of what I was searching for. Steps sounded outside the door. I scrambled to extinguish my candle, then pressed my body up against the bookshelf, only to feel it give way behind me. I stumbled, barely able to catch myself. I turned. The bookcase had swung inward too reveal a descending staircase. I stepped forward. It was pitch black, and I could barely make out a few steps leading down into darkness. I took a deep breath and began the decent, the smell of mold and mustiness hit me. It pressed against me as if it were trying to push me back up the stairs. Instead I continued down wards, but it wasn’t long before I could no longer see my hands in front of me. I couldn't shake how eerily cliche this all seemed. Something out of a book. A young woman descends a narrow, stone, staircase into darkness. A dripping noise becomes louder and louder, and her throat begins to feel sticky. This is about the time where the girl knocks something over and it clatters very loudly down the stairs. the girl always picks it up to look at it, and that's when someone comes up behind her and drags her off.
Just on cue my hand brushed against something hanging on a wall. Two items clattered to the floor, and even though I knew better, I reached to pick them up. After minutes of fumbling around I found the objects. I waited, the objects in hand, for someone to slip behind me and attack, but no one did. I brought the objects close to my face though, of course, I knew that even if I pressed them up to my eyeball I still wouldn't be able to see what they were. I brushed my hand over them, and hoped their shapes and textures would be enough to tell me what they were. One was a way to ignite something. A small flame appeared providing barely enough light for me to be able to see what the second object was. A torch. I touched the flame to it, and had to snap my head back to avoid the sudden burst of flames that erupted. I descended the rest of the stairs, winding around in a spiral. At last, I reached the bottom. The one torch lit the entire room. Book cases covered all the walls, and even more books along with other pieces of parchment were stacked on the ground. A mahogany desk was placed at the far end of the room, yellowed pieces of parchment and books were piled high on the dust covered surface. I made my way over to it, and slid the torch into a little ring on a patch of stone wall. I grabbed a thick scroll from the top of the stack, and flicked away the cobwebs. I unfurled the scroll and read.
Speech made by Tamasan on Pit Mountain. It was a transcript.
Nature Catchers; We let them eat the food off our land, let them work among us, let them own pieces of our lands, work in our castles, and let them teach our children. How are they repaying us? By declaring war. Their creatures are stalking our woods, our people are disappearing. Don’t say you don’t believe me, instead ask yourself this: do you really think their abilities are harmless? Take your hands off your eyes and see. In an instant they can-and will-destroy us all. Let us stand as a people, as one, against these creatures. I have ways beyond your imagining that we can defeat them. Join with me, and our success is guaranteed. If you don’t our fate, and the fate of our children and grandchildren is sealed. I reached for another scroll.
I, the King of the Icadian borders declare that the Nature Catchers are to be exterminated. All Nature Catchers must be turned in on sight or-if able-killed on sight. If any individual aids in the escape of a Nature Catcher, they too shall be put to death.
I unfurled another scroll.
Nature Catchers, inhuman, have the ability to control the elements.
Each Nature Catcher controls one element. Their physical appearance represents how powerful they are, and what element they harness. Low level water power Nature Catcher would have blue hair. Hair = lowest power level, Eyes = Medium, Skin = most powerful. Some have marks on their body.
I rolled the scroll up, and reached for a book near me. I blew the dust off it, and opened to the first page.
This is a journal created to record the events that led to the driving out and near extinction of Nature Catchers, and the Blood War that began the new ways.
Summary: After the Nature Catchers began brutally marking then killing our men, women, and children, the King removed his protection over the Nature Catchers, and sent out a decree that the Nature Catchers should be banished and driven out into barren lands. The Nature Catchers rebelled and ambushed the kingdom's villages, and the castle. The King responded back with war in hopes to defend His kingdom, but too many had already died. They managed to drive out any remaining Nature Catchers, but the kingdom was divided into four new territories and taken over by other rulers. Thus began the new order.
I sat down in a pile of dust on the floor. There wasn't any way out. I was marked, and so I would most definitely die. There was nothing I could do but try to fight them when they came for me. I just hoped that no one else would get hurt.
The Wind In the River Page 3