After all, Casimir always got what he wanted.
Melchior's skin was pale, grayish blue and had thin lines of dark blue from the center of his eyes straight down to his jaw. His lips were a slightly darker shade than the rest of his skin, and his eyes were dark blue, but where one's eyes were normally white, his were pale blue. His hair was straight black with a bluish tint and was slicked back out of his face and behind his pointed ears. His cheeks and jaw had sharp angles, almost as if there were sculpted pieces of stone sitting under his skin, and the same features were on his brow bone. His chin was pointed and long, and his nose was thin and pointed as well.
Melchior retained a stoic, neutral expression as he allowed both Kaina and Tristan to take in the sight of him. Finally, Kaina could think of nothing else but her next question, and though she knew it sounded rude, she simply couldn't help herself.
“What...are you?” Kaina asked.
If Melchior was offended by her question, he didn't show it. Instead, he glanced over both of them and said, “I'm not surprised you don't know. After all, my kind has been nearly extinct for four hundred years, nearly eradicated by the very war that led to Roric's succession. As far as I am aware, I am the last living Merunian.”
“Merunian?” Kaina asked.
“The Meruni were the ones who first discovered magic in ancient times, and over the eons we have evolved to such a state that magic is a major part of our being. It is for this reason that during his conquest to rid the land of magic, Roric sought our extinction and marked every trace of us from history,” Melchior explained.
“I'm sorry, I had no idea,” Kaina said.
“The fault is not yours,” Melchior said. “Roric twisted history so that everyone believed what he wanted them to believe, and only one man sought to preserve the truth as well as the secrets of magic known only to the masters of their craft.”
Kaina nodded. “Zion.”
“He too was a Merunian,” Melchior said with a nod, “but just as all others of our kind, he tragically lost his life to Roric's war. Before his demise, he sealed everything he could into a secret library that no one even knew of until he confessed it to Roric's forces with his dying breath.”
“What started all of this?” Kaina asked.
Melchior closed his eyes, and began, “Before Roric rose to power, Ilesia was ruled by wizards. Typically the wisest wizard ruled a certain domain, and they were generally elected by the people. The history books you've likely read swear on the cruelty of the ruling wizards, but that was far from the truth. I was young when it all happened, but I remember that the wizards were fair, just, and kind rulers. Zion himself ruled over the domain where most of my people lived. I was his apprentice, so I knew him well enough to know that he was the greatest wizard who ever lived. Roric was among the greatest as well-”
“Roric was a wizard?” Tristan interrupted.
“Another detail he omitted,” Melchior said. “Roric began making deals with demons, which I'm certain you've never heard of for the same reasons you've never heard of my people, and soon he discovered that every demon was united under one master: an entity only known as the Unmaker.”
“The goblins in the Black Forest...” Kaina said, “they tried to sacrifice Tristan to someone they called 'The Unmaker.' Could this be the same demon?”
“I have no doubt that it is,” Melchior said, “most goblins don't care for worshiping demons, but during his war of succession, Roric forged alliances with goblins, ogres, trolls, and even dragons. It wouldn't surprise me if the goblins from that time carried on stories of the 'Unmaker' throughout the generations and have forged an entire cult based on them.”
“If Roric was a wizard and he discovered this demon lord, why did he seek to destroy magic?” Tristan asked.
“One cannot destroy magic, but they could rid those who use it from the world as well as every way of learning it,” Melchior said. “This is because during his studies into the dark arts, he discovered that even with their power and invulnerability to any form of weapon, demons had one fatal weakness: magic. If Roric had any hope of using the demons for his own purpose, he would have to eliminate all wizards and make it impossible for anyone else to learn magic so that there would be no one to oppose him.”
Kaina shook her head. “So that's why Zion hid all that knowledge. That way if Roric released his forces, someone could find it and defeat them. Since Roric was never able to find the library, his descendants have been doing it for him.”
“Correct,” Melchior said. “Now that you have the book, however, perhaps wizards everywhere may come out of hiding. May I see it, please?”
Kaina nodded, removed the book from her pouch, and lay it on the table before Melchior. He hovered his hands over the cover, tested the latch, and traced the outline of the gem. He muttered to himself, then after a few moments, he looked up and said, “Yes, I can sense the magic coming from this. It's just as I suspected...”
“What is it?” Kaina asked.
Melchior met her gaze and said, “This book is quite powerful, as you have no doubt discovered for yourself. Zion once told me that he knew a way to bind a soul to an object so that their power might live on, although he said that it's a practice that is typically frowned upon. In this case, however, it may have been necessary for Zion to ensure that this book did not fall into the wrong hands.”
He looked at Kaina and awaited her reaction. When she finally realized what he was suggesting, she said, “Are you saying that Zion's soul is attached to this book?”
“I am,” Melchior replied. “This gem you see here is a soul gem, and judging by the fact that I cannot see any life in it means that the soul within has bound itself to you. Zion no doubt sees something in you and has deemed you worthy of carrying this book, otherwise it would have never found itself in your hands.”
“That explains why that book keeps getting you out of trouble,” Tristan said. “Zion has been protecting you this whole time.”
“Correct,” Melchior said.
“So all the times I've used magic,” Kaina said, “has all been Zion's doing?”
“Not entirely,” Melchior said. “I believe that he gave some of his power to you as well as the understanding of how to cast certain spells when you needed it, but in order to fully harness his power as well as open this book, you will need to take a test.”
“What kind of test?” Kaina asked.
“A test of the mind. In order to wield magic properly, a wizard must have a clear, open mind. You must shed any doubts you have and find the courage to delve into the recesses of your mind in order to prove that you are capable of receiving the rest of Zion's power. Only then, I suspect, will he open the book and lead you to the library,” Melchior explained.
Kaina had a sinking feeling in her stomach, but she knew what had to be done.
“All right,” she said, “I'll do it.”
Melchior handed her the book, stood up, and said, “Follow me.”
Melchior left the tower and headed out into Undercliff, and as they were following him, Kaina began asking him further questions.
“Why did we have to send out the doves?” she asked. “And how did you find me?”
“The doves were simply a decoy,” Melchior explained. “The young man who works the pigeon coup is one of us, and when you asked him to send out the doves, he knew that you were looking for me and sent word to one of my messengers. My intent was for Zephyr to lead you to my location, but when the prince and the Disciples ambushed you, he came straight to me. I knew something was wrong as he flew my way, so I followed him and saw what had happened. I ordered Zephyr to cause a distraction and followed you until I was certain it would be safe to approach you.”
“What about your eagle?” Kaina asked. “Will he be all right?”
As if on cue, Kaina heard a familiar screech and a saw a flash of gold as the same eagle as before flew across the city and landed perfectly on Melchior's shoulder. Zephyr's amber eyes fell on Kaina
once more, and Melchior said, “He is a magnificent creature, and as you can see he is more than capable of dealing with people like Prince Casimir.”
Kaina sighed with relief as Zephyr flew off in the direction of Melchior's tower, then she asked, “Where exactly are we?”
“We are in a hollow cavern that is built within the cliff directly under Eldercliff,” Melchior explained. “The sewer is one of many secret entrances into the city, and it changes every hour so that no one wanders in accidentally. It appears at random for further security, but this is necessary to ensure that the local officials do not discover that wizards still exist among them.”
“So this city has been here this whole time? Ever since Roric came to power?” Kaina asked.
“Indeed,” Melchior said. “In fact, Eldercliff used to be one of the top magical locations in the land. When Roric destroyed our bases and burned all our books, we fled underground and created seals to prevent him from finding us. When we learned about Zion's book, we made every attempt to find it, but until now we have had no luck. Here we are.”
Melchior stopped at another tower, but this one was wider and didn't have nearly as many floors. He stepped inside and they soon realized that the entire building was one floor with a walkway all the way around it with books all over the place. There were magical artifacts that Kaina had never seen before in every corner of the room, but Melchior walked past each and every one of them until he reached the end of the room, where a mysterious, Ashlander woman waited for them.
Her raven black hair was adorned with intricate beads, and every time she moved her head the pieces would made a clicking sound as they made contact with each other. Her ears had large gold circles dangling from the bottom, and all along the lobes were various studs and hoops. Her fingers and wrists were also covered in gold and jewels with little symbols carved into them, and around her neck was an amulet made of a strange white material that was in the shape of a claw.
The strange-looking woman looked up and upon setting her olive green eyes on Melchior, said, “It has a while since you came to me, Melchior. What do you require of me?”
“I have a girl who needs to perform the test, Rupa,” Melchior said. “Will you assist me?”
Rupa stepped up from her perch and walked over to Kaina, her heels clicking on the ground as she did so. She circled around Kaina and eyed her up and down, then she said, “What do you call yourself?”
“Kaina,” she answered.
“Well Kaina,” Rupa said, “I can indeed give you the test, but you must answer one question before I do.”
Rupa walked over to Melchior's side, made eye contact with Kaina, and said, “Are you prepared to face your deepest, darkest fears?”
Kaina's heart sank, but she still cleared her throat and said, “Yes.”
“Very well,” Rupa said. “Follow me.”
Rupa turned and went into the room behind where she had been sitting, and it took a moment for Kaina's eyes to adjust. There was little light save for a few candles burning around a strange table that resembled an altar, but it had cushions on top like a sofa or a bed. Rupa walked over to the strange object and said, “Lie down here.”
Kaina obeyed and lay down on cushions that could rival those in the manor's library. Melchior soon walked up to her and said, “Hold onto the book, Kaina. Whatever you do, don't let go of it.”
Kaina placed the book on her abdomen and placed both hands on it, then Rupa stood over her and said, “Now, let us begin. Look into my eyes.”
Kaina locked eyes with Rupa and a strange feeling washed over her. She could almost sense the mysterious woman's subconscious trying to enter her own, and she soon became aware of her breathing and her own heart beating rapidly.
“Your mind is your most powerful weapon,” Rupa began, “but just like any weapon, it must be strengthened for use or it will fail you. This test will allow you to enter your own mind and break down the barriers that will hinder your performance and willpower. You will face your greatest fears and relive your worst memories, but it is necessary to unlock your hidden potential and take in great power. Are you ready, Kaina?”
Kaina, in almost a dream-like state, said, “I'm ready.”
Rupa looked even deeper into Kaina's eyes, if that was even possible, and said, “Then sleep.”
Chapter 20
All Kaina could see at first was an empty, black void. She began to wonder if whatever Rupa had been trying to do worked, and soon she felt a sudden chill. She rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm herself, but it was almost as if the cold didn't come from her surroundings, but from within. She also could feel a sort of presence, but she knew that this couldn't be possible. Nevertheless, out of instinct, she spoke anyway.
“Hello?” she called hesitantly.
Almost as though it were triggered by her voice, an image began to form around her. At first there were only blobs of color, like a painter sketching out the scene, then slowly adding detail until it became a masterpiece. Only this was far from what Kaina, or anyone would call a “masterpiece.”
While Kaina had to admit that there were more than likely children who had been worse off that she was, the little girl she saw all alone in a room only reminded her of what she lived through. The girl lay in a canopy bed, covered with her bed sheets from the neck down, and shook violently as sweat poured down her brow. It was Kaina, only six years old and with a terrible fever, one that nearly claimed her life.
An elderly maid sat in a nearby chair, covering the young Kaina's forehead with a rag in a vain attempt to bring down her fever. She vividly remembered the spinster's heart of pure gold and how she'd always looked out for her, but there was only so much that she could do to satisfy the needs of a young girl.
“There there,” the maid said, “you'll be all right.”
“Where's Mama?” the young Kaina asked with pale, trembling lips.
A sullen expression fell over the maid's face. “She's...busy, but she said she will come and see you before the night is up.”
A heartbroken, knowing expression fell over Kaina's wan face. Even then, she knew that her mother only cared about herself, and that her mother was only “busy” with the gardener while her father wasn't around.
Kaina fought back tears at the thought of the elderly maid who stayed at her bedside for weeks while her fever finally passed only to contract and succumb to the illness a short time later. She remembered asking what had happened to the kindly old woman only to be brushed off by her parents. It wasn't until one of the other servants told her some time later that she had learned the truth.
And it still filled Kaina with guilt over a decade later.
“How tragic...”
Kaina jumped at the sound of the strange, disembodied voice as the scene faded to black and disappeared entirely.
“All she ever did was try to take care of you, and your family simply replaced her the same hour she drew her last breath.”
“Who's there?” Kaina asked.
A chilling, guttural laugh resonated throughout the blackness and soon another scene formed around her. She saw another vision of herself, this time at about ten years old with an eleven year old Devon running through the manor garden alongside her. They darted around each bush in an effort to outrun each other, living out one of the happiest memories she had with anyone in her family, but after that year, that would all change.
It was the same year that Devon left for the Fairwood Academy, and the Devon who returned wasn't the one who left.
The scene changed again, and this time, it was the day that Devon first returned home. Kaina had been watching and waiting by the window for his coach to arrive, and the second she saw it approaching the front gate, she darted from her room, down to the ground floor, and out the front door. Her parents were already there to greet him, but she ran past them despite her mother's scolding and went right to the coach door to see her brother.
The moment that Devon had stepped out, Kaina knew something was wr
ong. It wasn't just the emptiness on his face or the light lost from his eyes, but something in the way he walked, the way he stood, was off. Kaina remembered waiting for a smile to spread across his face when he saw the sister he always called his best friend, but that smile never came.
As a matter of fact, Kaina never saw Devon smile again.
“Devon, you're home!” she cried as she threw her arms around him.
To her shock, Devon recoiled in disgust and said, “Get off of me! Don't you have better things to do?”
Kaina retracted and stared in shock as Devon walked away without another word to her into the gates of the manor. Her parents paid little mind to her and praised their son for completing his first term at the academy, then brought him inside to hear all about his studies and the people he met. Kaina didn't remember how long she stood there, but by the time she returned to the manor, the sun had already begun to set.
“He was so cold to you that day...”
The same voice spoke again just as the scene faded again.
“All you wanted was your brother, and he turned you away. Things between the two of you were never the same again, were they?”
“Who are you?” Kaina repeated. “Show yourself!”
“In time, my dear. In time.”
Another scene formed, and this time, it was one that was all too familiar to Kaina. On the night of the ball, Roland Haventhorn took every one of her books and threw them into the fire. She watched the modern version of herself crouching down in tears as the men left her room and Roland locked the door. Everything was still fresh in her mind, yet it felt like such a long time ago. The scene faded again as the Kaina replica went back and forth packing her things to leave home forever.
“I have to give you credit, Kaina; it takes a certain amount of courage to do what you did, and yet it was the most foolish thing you have ever done.”
Kaina whipped around to try and catch the speaker in the act, but once again all she could see was black.
“You may have gained a false sense of independence by running away from your expectations and responsibilities, but you stirred the wrath of Prince Casimir as a consequence. Did you honestly think he would simply allow you to escape after he chose you as his queen?”
Kaina's Dawn (Kaina Saga Book 1) Page 21