by Willan Ellis
They finally reached the river and sat on the bank, letting their feet dangle in the water. Jacob looked around. This spot still took his breath away. Chev too seemed distracted by her surroundings. The two fell into silence once again, the waters of the flowing river the only sound.
‘I’m sorry, Jacob.’ Jacob looked over at Chev. Her shoulders had once again slumped forward.
Gently he placed a hand on her arm, ‘Tell me what happened.’
Chev took a deep breath as she looked at Jacob, his green eyes reflecting the many colours of the river.
‘We went to the temple surrounds. It was horrible, death everywhere; the smell was horrible Jacob, horrible.’
Chev tried to control a sob. ‘Elder Lin sent Teanne to the Mother Temple, I wasn’t too sure why we were heading there but Teanne … Teanne seemed to know more.’
The mention of her name made Chev feel helpless, Jacob motioned for her to continue, wiping her nose on the cloak she slowly continued. ‘We went into the sacred garden, to a rotunda. I still don't know how she knew where to look but Teanne removed a lid to a well like structure, and went in.’ Out of the corner of her eye, Chev she could see Jacob’s intense gaze. ‘We both went in. There was an underground chamber; it seemed to run the length of the temple surrounds.’
Jacob interrupted. ‘What do you mean an underground chamber?’
Chev simply shrugged her shoulders. She knew it would be hard for one of the city guards to believe there was an area he was unaware of, she continued, ‘It was beautiful; there were doorways—four, I think—and a stone altar in the centre. We were both captivated by its beauty. Teanne was told to retrieve some stones, message runes I think they are called.
'Then a woman suddenly appeared, and asked Teanne if she had the… Estrus.’
At the mention of the stone, Jacob sat upright. She could feel the intensity of his gaze. ‘What do you mean the Estrus?’
‘Jacob, I don’t know, but Teanne had it. She had the Estrus.’
'The Estrus is a myth Chev, are you sure you're not mistaken?'
Chev suddenly felt like a child being scorned, she irreproachably replied, 'I am a Sister of the Flame Jacob. I know the Estrus when I see it!' Chev sighed at the tone in her voice, and apologetically put a hand on Jacob's shoulder.
‘The woman wanted the Estrus, but Teanne wouldn’t give it to her. Not without a fight. I tried to interrupt but the woman somehow encased me; I couldn’t move or speak, all I could do was watch.’
A tear fell down Chevs cheek, and she sniffed as she recalled the events. Jacob shuffled closer and put an arm around her, she slowly lifted her head. 'I watched as they spoke, they seemed to argue. And then flames surrounded Teanne. She rose into the air, and it looked … it looked like she was being struck by lightning. She was being thrown around like a rag doll, it was awful.’ Chev couldn’t contain the tears anymore and sobbed into her hands.
‘I couldn’t do anything Jacob, I swear. 'I was supposed to protect her! She's my best friend! She's only a initiate. I should have protected her!'
Jacob simply nodded his head and looked at her; his face reflected his breaking heart.
‘What happened then?’ He was finding it difficult to speak.
‘And then she was gone.’
Jacob softly lifted Chevs chin, turning it towards him, ‘Gone?’
‘Gone. Teanne was no longer there. It was as if the flames and lightning had engulfed her. The woman still remained. She came over to me; she looked very weak from the altercation. She looked at me; her eyes were like death, filled with so much evil.’ Chev took a breath and put her hand against her heart, she could feel it racing.
‘She smiled at me and whispered something I couldn’t make out and then she fell to the floor. The next thing I knew, I was being thrown into what felt like oblivion; there was nothing but darkness.’ Chev felt her whole body flinch as she remembered, ‘I screamed but no noise came out. I tried to claw against the darkness but nothing was there. It was as if I was in a void of nothingness. Then I was falling.’ Chev stopped; struggling to take a breath. Jacob squeezed her hand; she lifted her eyes to his and smiled meekly.
‘And then I found myself stumbling around a courtyard. I have no idea how I came to be here in Aelia, nothing makes any sense Jacob, and it frightens me.’
Jacob let go of Chev's hand, and slowly stood and walked away from her. He was struggling to believe what Chev had told him; everything she spoke of sounded like something from a dream, or rather a nightmare. But Chev never lied, she believed what she was saying, he could tell by the way her body reacted as she recalled the memories. He slowly turned to her. She was lost in her own thoughts. Jacob felt like every breath he took was going to be his last. He was fighting for reason, and he was fighting the one thought that was haunting him.
‘Chev, I need to know’ Chev looked up to Jacob her eyes welling with tears, ‘Do you think Teanne is dead?’ Chev looked away ‘Chev?’
‘I do not truly know Jacob, she vanished. The other woman may have killed her’
‘May have? Chev you need to be sure, I need to be sure’
Chev could hear the panic rising in Jacobs’s voice. She tried to reason what she had seen and been through, but nothing made any sense. Her heart felt like Teanne was still alive, but she knew that was only wishful thinking.
‘As a Sister of the Flame, what do you believe happened to Teanne?’ Jacob asked, trying to calm his voice.
‘I know she is no longer a part of our world Jacob’ Chev paused looking at the heartbreak in Jacobs eyes.
‘I know she is gone.’
Jacob rubbed his forehead, and pushed aside his emotions.
Was Teanne truly gone – forever? He needed absolutes, not feelings. He needed to know one way or the other. He knew what he needed to do, his mind argued but his heart called him to action.
‘I need you to think hard about what you believe Sister. I am going to pay the Queen a visit – her brother believes she may be of some help’
Chev looked at Jacob, and smiled at his attempt at being the Commander of Luia; she pushed her hair away from her face and looked back into the water, ‘Why would the Queen know how to help Jacob?’
Jacob turned away from Chev and ran his hand through his hair, he too wasn’t sure if the Queen could be of any help but he needed to know one way or the other,
‘Prince Daon mentioned that they had had experience with what you were going through after returning, maybe the dreams you were having are just that… dreams’
Chev looked at Jacob and sighed. She knew he was grasping at anything that would mean Teanne was still alive. She stood, moving slowly toward Jacob. He turned and attempted a hopeful smile.
‘Do you need me to come with you?’ Chev asked. Jacob shook his head and started escorting her out of the garden.
Episode Three – Coming in September 2013
