Divinity: Transcendence: Book Two (The Divinity Saga)

by Reid, Susan

  I listened with interest. “What’s your weapon?” I asked.

  “It’s a Sciyoto whip.” Lorelei smiled, noting the questioning look on my face. “It’s a whip, obviously, but it’s better to show than to describe. I’ll show it to you out on the field during training, I promise.”

  It sounded badass enough.

  “I can’t wait. You said a weapon that chooses you, what do you mean by that?” I then asked.

  She nodded, nibbling on a piece of pita bread. “You’ll see.” She grinned.

  I sighed internally. Yeah, there was a crap load of things I apparently needed to know. I guess I would wait to get as much out of them as I could when we were all sitting at the table.

  The food looked as appetizing as it smelled. It was some sort of a stew, given how the robust, silver-haired, Asian woman was serving the vegetable rich, dark brown concoction out of a huge pot. She had a soft, kind, motherly face. Her cheeks were round and rosy, with slight jowls that made her thin mouth hang in a near frown. Her eyes were small beneath her hooded lids.

  Once we stood in front of the Asian woman, Lorelei placed her hands together with a smile and bowed at her.

  “Konbanwa, Scholar Keiko-San.” Lorelei greeted the elderly woman.

  The woman smiled with regard and nodded, but didn’t speak. Then her eyes met mine.

  Comprehending my name only, I assumed that Lorelei was introducing me to her. She spoke in perfect, fluent and impressive Japanese, which surprised me.

  “Starling, this is scholar disciple Keiko-san. Konbanwa means good evening in Japanese. Keiko-san doesn’t speak much English.” She said to me in English.

  Keiko-san smiled at me pleasantly, with a slight bow of her head. Her gaze lingered a bit, as if she were studying me carefully, before she ladled a heaping serving into a wooden bowl, and then handed it to me.

  I smiled graciously, bowing my thanks, before I carefully took the aromatic, steaming bowl of stew from her.

  “She’s a sweetheart, and as a matter of fact, she’s who you’ll be giving your journals to for safe keeping. She’s in charge of all the journals for our assembly.” Lorelei said as we carried our trays to the table to join the others.

  “Journals? I have to write journals? Are you sure this isn’t high school or college?” I asked.

  She laughed. “We all have to do it, so consider it another necessity. Sean will tell you all of that when he meets with you. He’s one of our advisors by the way. If you’re interested in learning any language, you can do that here too. You’ll be surprised at how easy and quickly it’ll be for you to pick up now. We also learn Olkara`en and Hul`zaectic, some of the early languages of the demons.”

  “Why would I need to know the language of Demons?” I asked.

  She glanced over at me. “Why wouldn’t you? Always know what your enemy is planning.” She replied as she sat down next to Anthony. I took the open seat next to Durien.

  The guys had pretty much finished their bowls by the time we arrived, but they stayed anyway to keep us company.

  “What are you guys talking about?” Gabe asked first.

  “I was just telling Starling about the languages of the Demons.” Lorelei replied.

  “Ah yes, the forbidden darkness. It’s an ugly language, but it gives us somewhat of an advantage.” Anthony said.

  “I would much rather learn the language of the Angels.” Crystal commented, taking a bite of her pear.

  “We don’t?” I asked.

  “No mortal, not even we are allowed to know the language of Angels. Our brains couldn’t grasp it anyways. We were never meant to know or read it. There’s apparently no need though, they speak to us in our language anyway.” Scarlet said.

  I was awed. “They speak to us?” My eyes widened.

  “From time to time. It comes with being a chosen warrior. How do you think we’re able to learn the language of the Demons? We get all that text information from them.” Durien said.

  “Here comes Lira.” Scarlet informed, and then we all followed her gaze in the direction of the double wooden doors.

  Lira was a mouse of a girl. Dark hair and dark eyes that seemed too big for her small face, and her head too big for her small body. I also noticed, that she didn’t have the brandings on her arms that everyone else seemed to have.

  “We all had a bet going to see if we could guess what your essence will be.” Durien smiled at me.

  I shifted in my chair, ready to dig into the delicious smelling stew.

  “You guys keep throwing things at her that she has no idea of yet. Give her a moment.” Crystal commented.

  I agreed as I blew at the spoonful of meat, potato and carrots, before finally taking a bite.

  It was incredibly flavorful, instantly taming my extreme hunger once I swallowed. I wasted no time scooping up another heaping spoonful.

  “I remember being that hungry too after rising.” Scarlet chuckled.

  “Whatever it is, I think it has something to do with your aura.” Anthony commented, leaning forward on the table on his elbows.

  “Yeah, like maybe light or something. She can blind the dark ones.” Scarlet said while studying me inquisitively. She had one elbow on the table, resting her chin in her hand, and chewing on her pinky nail.

  Crystal looked at me too, and then nodded as if she were agreeing with Scarlet’s theory.

  I was beginning to feel uneasy being the center of attention.

  “What’s an essence?” I asked finally, after having finished half the bowl of stew already. I eyed the next table over, where the two girls, who had been scrutinizing me when I first walked in, continued to watch me with narrowed eyes. One of them looked about my age, which I think was around eighteen or nineteen, and the other looked a bit older. When our eyes met, they both leaned in to whisper to each other.

  Yep, definitely like high school.

  Lira took a seat next to me, with a plate full of figs, carrots, an apple, and one piece of the pita bread.

  She apparently wasn’t much of an eater, but that was no surprise, given her small stature.

  “Your essence is your ability. It’s the strength, energy and power from within. It comes from who you were before, and who you are now as an individual being. Now that you’re immortal, it’s been amped up ten-fold.” Durien explained.

  Now I was curious. What was mine?

  “Hey guys. Hi! It’s nice to finally meet you.” Lira spoke and then directed at me with a wide, cheery smile. Her voice was high pitched, giving me a momentary twitch in my right eye. Now her voice, I recognized as having been the girl I heard talking to Gabe behind the doors.

  I smiled. “Hi, I’m Starling.”

  “Starling? Cool, I like that. I’m Lira. I was getting your room ready. I hope you like it. Normally there are two of us to a room, but …” Lira suddenly bit her lip.

  I took note of her abrupt pause as she cast her eyes downward, and began peeling a fig. Everyone else grew silent too for the moment.

  “But?” I replied anyway, expecting her to finish her sentence.

  “Um, the one who would have been your roommate is no longer here.” Lorelei reluctantly said. They all seemed saddened that Lira brought it up.

  “He or she left?” I asked, even though I didn’t think that was what they meant.

  “No, she was taken. Something that has an extremely high likelihood of happening if you’re not careful, or adequately trained.” Scarlet added.

  I suddenly felt the empathy among the group too, figuring she had been a good friend of theirs.

  “Taken by what?” I asked softly.

  “Fallen, dark angels, demons, whatever you want to call them. They’re everywhere here. We’re outnumbered, and the majority of the time you never see or hear them coming until it’s too late. Rest assured that they will always see and hear you though. Hence, the need for intense physical combat training and knowledge.” Crystal said.

  “Someone will be rooming with you soon. Crys
tal and Scarlet are roomies. I’m not here much myself anymore, just to train every now and then.” Lorelei added.

  “Yeah, she’s a veteran, just like Anthony, Gabe and Durien.” Lira commented.

  Whatever that meant.

  I nodded. The notion of having a roommate didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I looked forward to it. Company and having someone to talk to was great. I hoped we got along. Why did the idea of roommates seem to resonate so much within my memory though?

  Upon hearing the simple words, fallen and dark angels, something began to flicker in the back of my awareness. The faint images of wings began to grow more distinct, and though the thought of what they were talking about was ominous and dangerously surreal, I didn’t feel afraid or fearful. It was more like fury and repugnance.

  “So, we’re learning to fight them here?” I inferred.

  “Yep.” they all said in near unison.

  “Destroy is a more appropriate term.” Anthony stated with seriousness in his tone.

  “How do you fight entities?” I asked.

  Crystal nearly spit out her water in a half laugh. “Entities?” She then said.

  The others simply smiled at my innocent naiveté.

  “There is no such thing in this realm. Well, there are some beings that are incorporeal, but the majority of them— and there are many different things out there, are as solid as we are. Killing them is messy, and when they die— it isn’t always a pretty sight or smell.” Scarlet added.

  My eyes widened in wonder. That wasn’t something I was looking forward to.

  “You would have liked Devlin too, she was really funny. I think she was about your age. What are you like sixteen, seventeen?” Gabe then asked.

  I had to rummage around in my own thoughts and what was left of my nearly empty memory. A number flashed into my mind and then faded away. “I’m…nineteen.” I said slowly.

  “Are you sure?” Gabe was perplexed.

  “Positive.” I nodded, feeling more confident in that number.

  They all looked at me with surprise.

  “Nineteen huh?” Durien commented. “Wow.” He then said, giving me a quick once over.

  “You look sixteen.” Anthony smirked.

  “Is that a compliment or an insult?” I asked.

  He shifted in his seat with a grin. “As long as you can hang, it makes no difference to me. No special treatment for the younger ones though.”

  “Oh please, you’re only twenty two.” Lorelei said to Anthony, shaking her head with a half-smile.

  “How young is the youngest one here?” I asked.

  “Sixteen has been the youngest I’ve ever seen or known, as far as being a fighter goes. Lira is sixteen.” Crystal said with a nod at Lira.

  “Yeah, most of the younger ones are either scouts, inscribers, or soliloquists, or they just do daily tasks in and around the Hall.” Anthony informed.

  I glanced over at Lira, wondering which one she was, seeing as she had no weapon branding.

  “So, we get to pick our title or jobs then?” I asked.

  “Nothing is picked. You were chosen when you’re born into the mortal world, we all were. It was predestined for you then.” Lorelei told me.

  “There are divisions and tiers of warriors too.” Scarlet added.

  “Way too much information too soon.” Gabe reminded Scarlet with a smirk.

  They all seemed to share some silent agreement on Gabe’s statement in unison.

  Nothing made sense to me right now anyway; they may as well have been speaking in a foreign language.

  “Anyway, I think you two would have hit it off.” Gabe finally commented, apparently still speaking of this Devlin girl.

  “By taken, does that necessarily mean she’s dead?” I had to ask, knowing I still had no idea what was going on, where I was, and what I was supposed to be doing here.

  They all paused for a moment. Both Scarlet and Lorelei shrugged.

  “May as well be.” Lira then said softly. She kept her large eyes cast downward, concentrating on the fig that she was nibbling on.

  No one contested that comment, so I assumed they all agreed with her. Well, that sucked.

  “So, is this the late riser?” A cocky voice interrupted our conversation just then.

  It was the girl who’s been mean mugging me.

  She stared at me hard with her pale green eyes, as if she were trying to either read or intimidate me, neither of which was working.

  Her complexion was tan, and her dark brown hair was twisted into a single braid that hung to the middle of her back. Her sidekick was the opposite. She was shorter and a little on the thick side. We shared the same light beige skin complexion, but her chin length, light brown hair held more of a tight, curly texture, in contrast to mine.

  “She’s been up, you’re the late one.” Durien came back sarcastically.

  “You guys had better watch her, and be careful that she doesn’t get you targeted or killed.” She said shaking her head. “I don’t get it. She knew and she still wanted him. She shouldn’t be here. She can’t be trusted.” She then said.

  “Shut up.” Durien warned with a glare.

  “And she’s here now, isn’t she? So don’t say another word about it.” Lorelei added sharply, as she turned around to look up at the girl.

  I appreciated their loyalty in jumping to my defense, given that we’d just begun to get acquainted. What was this girl even talking about anyway? I wanted who? I would get them killed? I can’t be trusted?

  Judging by the way that they were all staring at her, I don’t think anyone at the table liked this girl, and it was obvious as to why. She was someone I would apparently have to watch myself— if I could figure out what she was talking about.

  “That doesn’t mean anything. She’ll be another Devlin or worse before too long.” She then said.

  After her last words, Lorelei’s sweet, angelic face turned into a scowl, and then began to redden. The color of her chestnut hazel eyes intensified, as she pressed her lips; pushing back in her chair to stand in one swift, smooth motion. She stood face to face with the girl— who appeared surprised.

  They were nearly eye to eye, the other girl being slightly taller than Lorelei.

  “Say one more word.” Lorelei held up her index finger in a warning whisper. Her brandings began to shimmer, and I stared at them in amazement. The girl narrowed her eyes with a simper.

  Whoa, what was happening here? I wondered. My own heartbeat began to speed up, along with a surge of adrenaline. The sudden, eager urge to jump into the possible mounting conflict protectively alongside Lorelei, had the muscles in my body tensing, twitching, and ready to move before I could even blink.

  Feeling this alien, aggressive strength and power, rippling and coursing through me, was something that would take some getting used to.

  The soft muted conversations around us, suddenly ceased and all eyes were on them for the moment. No one spoke or made a move to intervene.

  The girl took one last sarcastic look at me, with a severe eye roll. She turned on her heel and walked away, followed by her silent sidekick, who didn’t say anything past glaring at me.

  “Man, you turn me on when you do that babe.” Anthony smirked at Lorelei with a waggle of his brows.

  She pursed her lips with a half-smile when she looked at him, and then sat back down.

  I definitely noticed an obvious crush or thing going on between them.

  “Ignore her Starling, you know there’s a few in every crowd— especially one of this size and magnitude.” Lorelei then said to me.

  I eyed Lorelei’s brandings, seeing that they no longer shimmered. Was she about to will her weapon, as she briefly explained to me in the serving line? I wished that she had, I really wanted to see what her weapon looked like.

  “She doesn’t worry me. What was she talking about anyway?” I replied.

  “Nothing, don’t worry about her, seriously.” Crystal affirmed.

  Nothing
wasn’t the impression I was getting ever since I first met all of them back in the corridor. I was getting annoyed with their aversions to my particular questions.

  “Well, I’m out. I’ve got some journal writing to do.

  How about a quick game of paddle ball?” Anthony then nodded to Gabe.

  “You’re on.” Gabe agreed.

  Anthony and Gabe stood and gathered their trays.

  “Good night ladies. I’ll see you in the morning.” Anthony said to Lorelei with a wink. She simply nodded with a shy smile.

  “Wait for me in the common room, and I’ll show you to your room when you’re done. No rush though, I’ve got kitchen duty tonight too.” Lira then smiled at me.

  “Okay, thanks.” I smiled.

  With that, Lira hopped up with her tray, and headed towards the doorway leading into the kitchen behind the serving line.

  “Yeah, it’ll be a long day in the morning. We’ll start with breakfast, which is at sunrise sharp, and then you’ll meet with Sean and Diana. We’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.” Lorelei told me.

  She stood up too, and both Crystal and Scarlet began to follow suit.

  “Goodnight Starling, sleep well.” Crystal said, as she and Scarlet made off with their trays.

  Durien remained seated with me, seeming as if he wanted to say something, but wasn’t sure how to say it.

  “Sunrise sharp? No set time?” I asked him.

  “There’s no point. Time is set by the sun and moons highest point here. As for sunrise, breakfast, lunch, dinner, training drills, and all other alerts; there are specific numbered bell tolls. Believe me, you’ll hear them.” He chuckled.

  “I’ve been asleep— or dead for a few days, I’m assuming. I’m not really ready to go back to sleep just yet. I’m not tired.” I replied.

  “You don’t have to go to sleep. You sleep when you feel the need to. I can give you a shortened tour of this side of the Divine Hall tonight if you want. I wanted to talk to you in private anyway.” Durien then offered.

  I nodded. “Okay. Does it have anything to do with Princess Charming?” I quipped.

  Durien laughed. “Nah, don’t even sweat her. She and Devlin were actually close. She didn’t take what happened well.” He explained with a wave of his hand.