The young curly-haired Mensh spoke as she had her hood set about her head, her hair creeping out from its confines as she continued down the multitude of steps. “I do. I just hope that I’m right.”
The owl looked upon the young one at his side and spoke as he placed a feathery arm about the shoulder of Mensh. “Whatever happens, whatever comes; let it be life or death, Fate will have a purpose and reason about it. I assure you.”
Mensh smiled and spoke in return to the white-feathered owl. “You’re right. I’m sure everything will work out anyway. I hope Amen and Henk are alright.”
As Mensh had spoken, Hoosun had paused on the steps beside her and seemed deep in thought as Mensh spoke in question to him. “What’s wrong? Is it Amen and Henk?”
The owl opened his eyes and shook his feathery features as he spoke. “They’re here, the Keraij!”
Before Mensh could respond, the owl took Mensh in hold and threw her about his back as he spread his wings and took to flight down the narrow multitude of winding steps. His feathery form turned sideways as he made his way down speedily and soon had made presence with his housing within the tower.
Mensh held firm to the form of the owl, as both entered his housing, and Hoosun leapt over furniture as he took flight once more and shot out through the hole that his perch protruded from, the white owl flying speedily outward as he and the young Mensh sighted ahead the countless forms of the Keraij heading their way, Mensh looking out from the back of the owl as she spoke in wonder. “There’s so many of them!”
The owl spoke in return as he took his flight downward. “Hold on tight, young Mensh! Here we go!”
As the owl flew downward, the horde had come upon the Order. Sinfus was the first over the wall, along with Gelga in his hold, and spoke his thoughts about his council as he took sight upon the high chamber. “We’re finally here!”
Gelga looked back upon the Keraij, flying over the walls, with concern and spoke her mind upon her lover as they took flight to the high chamber. “Sinfus, you should leave the Keraij beyond the walls, so that we do not seem threatening to those of the Order!”
Sinfus nodded his head in agreement and sent the Keraij to wait beyond the walls, encircling the outermost walls with their cursed forms by the command of his will as he spoke his mind in return to his beloved. “It is done.”
Sinfus flew to the high chamber, his council following him in pursuit as Hersei watched the Keraij go amongst the walls and looked upon the leading lovers with his single eye as he wished he had control of the cursed, but it seemed it would never happen now as both Sinfus and Gelga were alive. His plans were dead.
Hoosun flew down below, dodging Keraij as they fled to the outermost walls, the owl speaking upon the young Mensh as he found it curious that the Keraij were fleeing. “That’s strange. They seem to be fleeing.”
Mensh tugged the collar of Hoosun and spoke as she looked up to the high chamber.
“All but nine. Look up there!”
The owl flew over the walls and looked up the high chamber as he spoke upon the young Mensh. “They’re separating? I was right!”
Mensh spoke in question upon the owl as the the wind blew her hood about to sway.
“What?!”
The owl spoke in return as he circled the tower of the Order. “They are being led. They’re leaving the others behind. For what purpose, I do not know. But they wouldn’t just separate their numbers unless those nine have minds and wills of their own. They must be the ones leading the Keraij, the question is…why?”
Mensh shook her head as she held onto the owl tightly and spoke. “I don’t know. What’re we going to do?”
The owl kept his flight steady as he continued circling the tower. “I’m getting you to shelter, just as the Mother said! Have faith. She’ll know what to do. Hold on!”
The Council of Eight flew through the air speedily with their leader and, upon reaching the balcony, took place on its green stone form. Sinfus stood before his council and spoke as he looked upon them. “We’ve made it this far, my friends. I know we can make it all the way. We shall avenge our people.”
The Council stood proud before their leader, as within, the Mother saw their figures standing on the balcony, her eyes ever watchful as she awaited their entrance.
Karkor placed a firm grip upon the shoulder of Sinfus and spoke his thoughts as both shared cursed glance with one another. “We shall follow you, even in death, my friend. Lead on!”
Sinfus nodded upon the words of his single-eyed friend as Mastaba stood leaning on the balcony ledge, in sickened manner, and spoke his thoughts. “Can I stay out here, I’m feeling rather ill.”
Sinfus nodded his head and spoke his thoughts in return. “Stay as long you want. We shouldn’t be too long. Let’s go.”
As Sinfus began to lead the Council into the chamber, Gelga took hold of his arm and spoke her thoughts in concern. “Be careful. They may not think of us as friends, Sinfus.”
The cursed leader turned to Gelga and held her hand as he spoke his mind to her. “Do not worry, my love. This curse will not change the friendship we shared.”
Gelga spoke her mind in return, her thoughts filled with worry as they came upon Sinfus. “That was many years ago, and it’s not our curse, but our purpose that I feel will sever the friendship you speak of.”
As the Council took entrance of the great chamber, Mastaba remained behind at the ledge and looked out as he felt sickened. He felt his mind begin to wander to the past, the thoughts of the young girl he once knew coming to mind. Her blood spilled across the stone as he stood watching from high ground. As Mastaba felt the past fading away, his sharp eyes sighted something roving below. Something white and feathered was flying about, far below the balcony. Mastaba had always been a curious one, taking leap from the balcony in pursuit of the curious sight, he soon found himself plummeting towards the image of his sight as he found the curiosity that gripped him was far too strong to shake.
The Mother sat in her chamber, her eyes watchful of the eight figures coming upon her presence. All were twisted and cursed as the Mother took view upon their approaching forms. She had felt the thoughts of Hoosun but a moment ago and agreed with his thoughts, as she too believed that the Keraij were being led by the nine figures, but there was one missing, as Hoosun’s thoughts had spoken to her of nine. As the eight took approach to the Mother, she kept her guard up as she was already feeling something off about the eight and something curiously familiar about them as well.
As the Council made their way before the Mother, Sinfus gestured his followers to stay back as he took place before the Mother, looking upon her royally-fashioned form with golden eyes as he stood before her, the Mother looking upon his cursed form and then speaking in a questioning tone. “I presume you lead these creatures, and in leading them, you must have a mind, so I shall ask you this; who are you and what is your purpose?”
As the Mother stood looking through her veil upon the cursed one, awaiting answer, Sinfus kept his gaze fixed upon her and spoke his thoughts back to his followers. “She doesn’t seem to recognize us.”
As Sinfus kept his glance upon the Mother, he took a sharp claw to his face and slit it open upon the former place of his mouth, to allow himself speech with the Mother, his voice questioning as he spoke. “We come in peace. Do you not recognize me, old friend?”
The Mother looked upon the cursed one curiously, as he had spoken, and surveyed his followers as they stood behind his cursed form, about the chamber. As she looked upon them, she found a definite familiarity about their manner of clothes, blue and silver lined on their cursed forms as she surveyed them and spoke, her voice questioning as she looked upon them as she searched her thoughts for the answer to the question of their identity.
“You say, you come in peace, yet, I sense the Keraij of your control have encircled the Order, as if you were laying siege.”
Sinfus spoke through bloodied features in return upon the Mother as he stood in
the high chamber before her. “I assure you, it is for the safety of all that they remain outside, my friend. As I would not harm innocent lives, let alone those in the care of an old friend, for I am Sinfus, son of Bledlus. Do you not know my name?”
The Mother Dhahn looked upon the cursed one known as Sinfus, curiously, and spoke in question as she stood up from her throne to stand before him. He surely was Sinfus, the leader of the Council of Eight and ruler of Oomer, but how did he become so cursed as he was? This question was firmly upon the Mother as she spoke. “Sinfus, it is you, but how did this happen to you? I thought you were dead.”
Sinfus looked upon the Mother with his bright, golden eyes and spoke as Gelga came to his side and held his arm, his voice echoing about the chamber as he spoke. “So did we, but Fate intervened. Let me tell you of the purpose I serve. Only then can you fully understand why I still live.”
The Mother stood listening as Sinfus regaled how he and his council became cursed, and told her of their purpose and journey, her eyes watchful as she soon learned of his intentions and found great question building up within her as he continued speaking of his purpose to her.
Below the Order, in the chamber that which the Mother Shirindul and Mother Omegeira rested, Henk stood still as the dark figure approached her and stood hunched, Henk speaking in question as her tone was one of fear. “You’ve been looking for me…? Who are you?”
The beast stood visibly in the light and was revealed to be a sloth-like creature, but with the stature of a man in many ways as it stood upright. The beast spoke in a calm fashion as it answered the question that it was offered. “I am Kheranda, the scribe of the Mother Shirindu and of the Mother Omegeira. I have been waiting for you, down here, all this time.”
Henk felt fear leave her body as she now knew who the beast was. He had written the very tomes that which she had read in search of a cure for Amen.
Henk spoke in question upon the beast as she was curious of many things. “Why have you been waiting for me?”
The beast approached Henk and rested his claw on her arm as he spoke. “You have a gift.”
Henk looked upon the sloth and spoke as she felt his claw was one of friendly nature and not harmful,l as it was truly sharp, but caringly put about her arm as not to cut her.
“You mean my manner of searching thoughts?”
The sloth nodded and spoke as he removed his claw from the arm of Henk. “Yes, but you can do a great deal more than that. I can show you how.”
Henk felt questions envelope her heart as she spoke to the sloth, her thoughts and heart on Amen as she did. “Like what? Could I cure the minds of others?”
The sloth shook his furry head and spoke in return to the young one. “No. You cannot cure Amen.”
Henk was surprised as to the knowledge the sloth held and questioned him as she was curious as to how he knew. “How do you know him? I’ve never seen you before. You must have been down here for-”
The sloth interrupted Henk as he spoke, his hunched form standing in the beaming shafts of light as Henk kept her eyes ever watchful upon his form. “Years? Yes. A great many years, since the death of Omegeira I have waited down here for you. I know of the silent one Amen, as I share the same gift as you!”
Henk looked at her arm, where the sloth had previously touched her and now knew that was how he had gained the knowledge of Amen, her mind holding question as to the extent of what he had taken as he could have taken all of her memory, if he wished to do so.
The young spectacle-faring girl stood silent and then spoke once more upon the sloth.
“You can search thoughts, too, just like me. Is there no cure for Amen?”
The silent one shook his head and spoke as he stood before the young Henk.
“There is no cure.”
Henk sat next to the resting place of Shirindul and held the torn kerchief in her hand as she spoke. “I guess I’ve failed, then. There is no curing Amen. Not like it matters, now. He ran away from me.”
As Henk began to tear up once more, as the thought of what she had said to Amen came back to her, the sloth stood at her side and spoke. “You need not change him, young Henk. If you love someone, you accept them for what they are, and I know you love him.”
Henk looked to the sloth, his image blurry to her as her eyes were filled with tears as she spoke. “I do love him. It’s just hard to say to someone when you know they can’t say anything back. My aunt-”
The sloth spoke in an assuring manner to Henk as he let a claw out to her, helping her up from the ground as she wiped her tears away with her sleeve. “I know about her. How hard it was for you to live with her silence, but you’ll have the strength to do this. Now we must speak of your purpose.”
Henk stood awaiting the words of the sloth as she spoke readily. “I’m ready.”
As the sky was bursting with glowing, resonating light about the grey mass of clouds above, Samana and her companions were drawing ever closer to the Order of the Aura. Samana was leading her friends as she spoke, her eyes viewing the Order ahead and taking view upon the mass of Keraij encircling her home. “We’re too late. The Keraij are at the Order!”
Kurlank tread heavily at the side of Samana and spoke as he too sighted the cursed ones ahead. “Maybe not, they’re all formed about the walls. I don’t think there’s any attack taking place. We may still make it. Hold your hope and push ahead!”
Samana kept her tread steady as she sped ahead, her voice worried as she spoke.
“I hope you’re right, Kurlank. I’ll never forgive myself if we’re too late!”
As the three carried on ahead, they were soon to reach the Order as they were only but a mile out from the outermost wall.
As Hoosun took flight to the walls below, he soon found himself hearing words of despair from the young one upon his back. “Hoosun, behind us, there’s one of them coming our way!”
As Hoosun turned his head to view the sky behind him, he found sight upon the pursuer Mensh had spoken of and took to flying as low to the walls as possible as he spoke. “I see it. Hold on!”
As Hoosun dodged wall bridge after wall bridge, he found that the cursed figure was still following them, Mastaba watching the figure ahead as he sighted the young girl upon their back. She bore great resemblance to the girl of Mastaba’s past, Nalm, with her curly brown hair and fair form. She had caught the eye of the sadistic one and was not going to shake it as Hoosun kept up his evasion of the cursed one.
As the Mother had heard Sinfus’ story, she now knew everything, taking place upon her throne as Sinfus spoke upon her. “Now, you know the purpose that guides me. My people must be avenged.” The Mother looked upon the cursed form of Sinfus as he stood before her, his sharp hand held up as one of the Council, the giant Karkor, threw a bag to his possession. Sinfus opened the bag and revealed the shattered blade he had spoken to the Mother of upon the floor, his voice echoing about the chamber as he spoke with purpose. “Here is my father’s blade. You can mend it, can you not?”
The Mother looked upon the shattered blade and shook her head as she rose from her stone seating and stood at the side of her throne, her hands placed about its stone form as she spoke with her back to the Council. “Sinfus, the Keraij are dangerous. You cannot control them. As for the blade you wish mended, I cannot fix it.”
Sinfus spoke as he looked upon the Mother, his eyes gleaming gold as he held question with the Mother as he spoke. “What do you mean? I need it, you must fix it! Its power will help me to destroy those who have wronged my people!”
The Mother turned from her throne and spoke upon the cursed one as he stood still before her. “I cannot. For the blade you wish mended cannot be held by any, it must be earned by great heroics. As for your purpose, you are mistaken. The Elushu and Dawn Bringers are lost to the sands, and have been for years. Kaimana fell to their might defending your city, he never abandoned you. How could you dare think that in his devotion to you, in the friendship you shared, that he would
turn his back on you?!”
Sinfus looked upon the Mother, his golden eyes glazed over as tension and confusion built within his cursed form, his voice speaking upon the Mother in a dark tone as he looked upon her.
“Impossible. No. Kaimana did abandon me, you lie! You’re just trying to protect them! But you can’t! I’ll use the Keraij to hunt them, and when I find them, vengeance will be dealt upon them! Even if I cannot wield my father’s sword, this will happen!”
The Mother shook her head as she answered Sinfus, her voice sad as she spoke.
“Has your mind become so twisted by this affliction of yours? You can’t control the Keraij. They’re too dangerous!”
Sinfus looked upon the Mother as he felt betrayed by her, too, his eyes staring into hers as he spoke. “I can and I will. Vengeance will be had. I’m sorry that you don’t understand my purpose. I thought as my friend you would help me.”
The Mother looked upon her old friend and spoke as she closed her eyes. Her head hung low in shaking motion. “Your purpose is a lie. I cannot allow this madness to carry on. The Keraij must be destroyed! As I am your friend, I am also the defender of life, and I must destroy the Keraij before they kill more.”
As the Mother walked to the balcony to bring her presence upon the twisted creatures of Sinfus’ control, Sinfus stood watching and felt a presence come to his mind. It was the girl. Samana was near.
Sinfus stood speaking to the Mother, bringing her form to stop as his words were upon her. “Samana is here! Where there is one Dawn Bringer, there must be many more. They’re here, aren’t they? You’re giving them shelter, aren’t you?”
The Mother turned from the chamber mouth, the Council standing about the chamber, ever watchful, as she too felt the presence of Samana was near as she spoke. “Samana is the last of her people. The rest were lost to the sands, as I said. You’re mistaken, my old friend.”
Sinfus shook his head and spoke as he approached the Mother closely, blood dripping from his slit features. “Protecting them to the last moment? I would expect nothing different from you. I’ll tear this whole place apart if I have to. I’ll find them!”
The Order of Events: The Council of Eight Page 24