by Lori Hyrup
Zai’il arrived a short time after Aria, liquor bottle in hand. As promised they shared a drink and began rehashing stories of old times, laughing loudly on occasion for good measure. Anyone listening would assume they were getting drunk. After a while the other four from the dining hall arrived one at a time. Each had been careful to avoid being seen, though only Kharra could confirm their spies had given up for the evening. Still, once everyone was present, Aria closed the wooden door to the receiving room to provide an extra buffer between the front door and where they were gathered in her sitting room.
“Would you mind telling me what all this is about?” asked Tual once everyone had settled down.
Kharra responded, “We had people listening to our conversation.” Tual peered at her questioningly, but she did not clarify.
Aria took up the conversation. “Based on what we’ve seen so far over the past several weeks, we believe the deaths of the kruustas and some unexplained events with the shards might be connected. The shard in Murali was dying, and when I discovered the truth, Priest Malechi somehow summoned three shard drakes to attack me and the village.”
As Aria explained, Tual did not watch her but rather Kharra and Zephyron.
“He summoned shard drakes? How is that even possible?” asked Rauss with a hint of trepidation in his voice.
“I don’t know how, but I am certain he did it. As for how I survived, I have Kharra and Zephyron to thank for that. Had they not shown up when they did, I would be dead right now.” The three other kruustas looked at them appraisingly. “From what we’ve been able to gather so far,” Aria continued, “there seems to be some sort of corruption in the priesthood.”
“Oh, good spirits,” Rauss said, running his fingers through his reddish locks as he came to his own conclusion. “I can’t even contemplate the possibility of corruption. These people have been our family. They are the voices of the Great Consciousness! Why would they do such a thing?”
“One incident does not mean the priesthood is corrupt,” said Tual. “Perhaps that priest acted alone.”
Aria continued. “A second shard we encountered had been destroyed, and prism wraiths overran the village, killing many of the villagers. We don’t know how that happened either, but they can’t be a coincidence.”
“I think you’re right,” Rauss conceded. “One of the villages I passed through had been completely deserted, and the shard was dead, appearing no more than a rock.”
Tual’s eyes bored into Zephyron as he answered. “I haven’t encountered anything odd with the shards, but I did encounter a large pack of jagwolves near Barsway. There had to be near a hundred of them. I only managed to pick off a few of the stragglers before they outdistanced me. I have never seen so many in one area before nor have I seen them so far east or at such a low elevation. Still, I haven’t given it much thought until now.”
Aria glanced at her old partner. “What about you?”
Zai’il bit her lip. “Now that I think about it, I did visit a shard temple about three weeks ago. I always like to check in with the priests as I pass through the villages. While speaking with Priest Graejen, I thought I saw a crack running down the length of the shard. Isor’s sunlight had been pouring in through the windows, so I discounted it, thinking it had just been a trick of the light. But reflecting back, I am certain it was a crack.”
“So are the priests doing this?” asked Tual with skepticism.
Zephyron shrugged but responded, “We found the remains of the White Bluff priest in the blast debris. If he had been the cause, I imagine he would have tried to get away. So if there is some corruption within the priesthood, then it may not be all of them. We’ve learned to identify those who are corrupt by the crystalline bracelets they wear that glow when they are controlling shard beasts. We only know of Priest Malechi in Murali and the three plus one shardhealer we intercepted in Haan for certain. The shardhealer was not wearing a bracelet, so there may still be others who do not give themselves away as readily.
“As for why, who knows? In the end, they are still people, and people are capable of corruption.” Zephyron sighed. “Even Guardians are not immune to corruption,” he added sadly.
“Who?” asked Rauss.
Zephyron waved the question away with his hand.
Aria informed the group about what she had learned from the stablehand, which led to another flurried round of speculation and questions. The volume in the room grew. Kharra cleared her voice. Everyone stopped talking and looked at her. “Our mission—”
“Kharra,” said Zephyron, trying to interrupt.
Kharra held up her hand, and Zephyron grew silent. His eyes said he wanted to protest, but he deferred to Kharra’s judgment, something Aria found peculiar since she was so much younger. “Our mission is taking us to Ei’ars’anu so we may retrieve an artifact known as the Heart of the Sauru. We don’t have all the details on what that is exactly, but from what we’ve been able to piece together, the Heart has the ability to influence crystal. We believe it was somehow used for vile things in the past. I believe it is being used for that again, and those using the Heart now are causing damage to your shards.”
Zephyron closed his eyes and hung his head. This was the first Aria had heard of these specific details, and she felt a hint of annoyance flare in the back of her mind. She forced the emotion down.
Zai’il scowled and glanced at Aria. “That is a suicide mission. Why would you agree to take them there?”
“I owe them a life debt.”
Zai’il looked at Kharra. “You don’t save a life just to ask them to throw it away again.”
Kharra stared at her defiantly. “I intend for us to live. No one is throwing away their life.”
Zai’il turned back to Aria. “Where did you find these people? Do they not know anything? No one goes to Ei’ars’anu and lives.”
Tual tensed, appearing suddenly dangerous. “Why do you want this Heart?” he asked, his voice more a hiss than a whisper.
“The artifact is key to undoing something that was done a long time ago,” Kharra answered.
Tual glowered at her, his eyebrows drawn together. “How do we know you are not the ones intending harm? You’re not from the order, yet you come here claiming our organization has somehow been corrupted? You speak of an artifact that is destroying our shards, something I have never heard about. And you want one of the most renowned kruustas in history to take you to a place knowing such a mission is suicide?”
Kharra regarded him, her eyes searching. She moved toward him, but he jumped backward and brought forth his krusword. Before anyone could blink, Zephyron had summoned his own energy blade and stepped in front of Kharra. If Tual looked dangerous, then Zephyron looked deadly. His blade, like tightly controlled blue lightning, crackled with energy. His eyes, normally blue as the summer sky, flared with the same energy dancing along his blade. Aria sensed the power Tual held through his crystal, but it was just a trickle compared to what she felt radiating from Zephyron. Tual felt it too, and he had no illusions as to who would win should they come to blows. Despite that, he held his sword up, prepared to defend himself.
“Who are you people?” Tual demanded.
“Tual,” Kharra said as she placed her hand on Zephyron’s back. Zephyron dismissed his blade, reabsorbing the energy back within his body. The energy blade, Aria had learned, was one of the abilities he had gained when he had been called to be a Guardian. His eyes also dimmed. “May I approach you?” Kharra asked.
Seeing Zephyron back down, Tual relaxed. He reabsorbed his own krusword and nodded. “Don’t worry,” Kharra reassured him. “I won’t harm you.” She placed each of her hands on the sides of Tual’s temples and closed her eyes.
After a minute Kharra pulled her hands away and opened her eyes. Tual backed away and eased himself into the chair behind him, tears forming in his eyes.
“What did you do to him?” Zai’il asked. Rauss’s eyes narrowed.
“I did nothing to him,
” Kharra whispered in response.
“She showed me…” Tual started but trailed off.
“Showed you what?” Rauss and Zai’il asked in unison.
Tual stared up into Kharra’s eyes. “I…I don’t know how to explain it. It’s like you…you bared your soul to me. I don’t know how you did it, but…” He looked at the two doubtful kruustas. “We can trust her.”
Both of the kruustas began to speak at once, but Tual raised his hand to stop them. “I can’t explain, but what she did…I just know in my bones that we can trust her.” He looked at Kharra. “I-I’m sorry I distrusted you.”
“We’re friends,” said Kharra with a smile. “Apologies are not needed.”
Zai’il sighed. “I trust Aria with my life, and I have never known her instincts or judgment to be wrong. If she believes you, so do I.”
Rauss stared at Kharra for several long moments. Then he shook his head and shrugged. “How do the dead kruustas fit into this?”
Kharra shrugged. “I have no answer to that, but I don’t think anyone in this room doubts they’re related.”
“So how do we approach this?” asked Tual, his voice conflicted and subdued.
“We need information,” said Aria plainly. “That’ll require some investigation.”
“Without arousing suspicion,” Zephyron added. Everyone in the room nodded.
Zai’il smiled. “Divide and conquer.” Tual raised one dark eyebrow at her. She shrugged. “We keep it casual. Chat with some of the priests and the other guests here but not all together and not all at once. Some of us also know people around the city. We can chat with them, see if they’ve heard anything out of the ordinary. Between the lot of us, we’re bound to learn something.”
Aria nodded. “That sounds good.”
“I also want to add,” said Kharra, “we had watchers earlier this evening. I suggest we avoid gathering in a large group again for a while, at least until we have some solid information.”
“If I may ask,” said Zai’il, “I’m usually a pretty keen observer, but I didn’t notice anyone paying us any special mind. What made you think we were being watched?”
“I can detect other people’s minds with my own mind.”
“Rather straightforward,” said Aria.
Kharra shrugged. “I already know I can trust everyone here.”
“From our…minds?” asked Zai’il.
Kharra nodded. “Don’t worry though. I didn’t read your thoughts. Just your intent.”
“Read our…” Zai’il glanced at Aria.
Aria gave her a reassuring smile. “It took a little while for me to get used to it, but both Kharra and Zephyron are good people.”
“I’ve never heard of anything like that before,” said Rauss with more than a hint of doubt. “But if the great Aria’s good with the explanation, then I am as well.”
Aria raised an eyebrow at him.
Rauss smiled, and it almost looked out of place on his previously serious face. “Meant as a compliment.”
Aria said, “While neither she nor Zephyron are kruustas, both possess unique abilities. I’ve seen them in action.”
“Well then I’m glad they’re on our side,” said Zai’il with a grin, her levity breaking up the fog of disbelief.
Kharra stifled a yawn.
“That’s our cue,” said Zephyron. “I think we’ve accomplished all we can right now. I’m going to get some sleep.”
“Me too,” said Kharra. Rauss and Tual echoed the sentiment, and one at a time, all three of them departed.
Aria sighed.
“I’ll drink to that,” said Zai’il as she sipped from her glass. “What exactly have you dragged me into this time?”
“What indeed? This hole keeps getting deeper.”
“And these new friends of yours, are you certain you can trust them?”
“Absolutely,” Aria responded without hesitation.
The two of them chatted about more mundane topics as they finished off the bottle. At last Zai’il departed, leaving Aria to her own thoughts, thoughts that would keep her up for many more hours before sleep finally claimed her.
14
NIGHTMARES
“I’m going to let you take the lead on this one,” said Zai’il. “I’m not so good with children.”
Aria chuckled softly as she paused and peered up at the shop sign. “Are you sure this is the place?” she asked as she and her two companions walked through the front door.
Kharra nodded as her eyes scanned the shop. Zai’il followed close behind.
“Oh, hello there,” came a kind masculine voice from the back of the shop. “I’ll be there in a moment.”
Kharra nodded as her eyes scanned the shop. She passed by a large rack displaying long leather tunics, each dyed a different and distinct color. Some were plain, and others sported decorative collars, lapels, woven cuffs, tooled leather belts, and more.
“Hmm,” said Kharra as she glanced at Aria and then back at the tunic in front of her. “I think this light lavender tunic would go well with your eyes. I like this black one too.” She rubbed the material of the cuff between her index finger and thumb. “Very soft.”
“Kharra, I don’t really—”
Kharra chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m joking. It is soft though.” Zai’il snickered at Aria’s fluster.
“Ah, welcome,” said the man as he neared.
Aria turned to see his approach. He looked to be in his early forties with a few pieces of gray beginning to poke through his otherwise black hair. His hands were rough and calloused but strong.
The man nearly stumbled when he saw Aria and Zai’il. “Uh, oh, Kruustas, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize…I mean, I didn’t mean to make you wait.” The man alternated between licking his lips and swallowing, shifting the weight between his feet as he did so.
“I am Kruusta Aria. This is Kruusta Zai’il, and this is Kharra. We are…” Aria paused.
“How is your son, Master Fornsworth?” Kharra asked, earning herself a surprised blink from the two kruustas.
The man froze, his eyes wide and his mouth open. He glanced at the kruustas, at Kharra, and then back at the kruustas.
“How did you…I haven’t said…”
Aria studied Kharra, curious about the younger woman’s approach. Zai’il remained silent but watchful. Keeping her gaze on the man, Kharra pursed her lips and tilted her head like a disappointed parent.
The man’s panicked eyes rested on Aria. “I-I’m so sorry, Kruusta,” he said. “We, we didn’t know what to do. He only arrived here the night before last. We…we were going to send him back after he had some time to rest and had a home-cooked meal. He…he’s a good lad. He just had a scare is all.”
Aria raised an eyebrow at the man, and he cleared his throat again. Aria pursed her lips. “Master Fornsworth?”
“Please, call me Elias,” said the man.
Aria nodded. “Elias, I’m not here to punish your son, but if he’s run away, he will need to return.”
The man’s shoulders drooped a little bit, but he nodded.
“Do you think, perhaps, we could speak with him?” Zai’il asked. “Maybe we can find out what scared him or at least ease his fears. Kruusta training can be difficult and demanding, but I’m sure he’s a tough boy or he’d not have been selected.”
Elias nodded again, his head moving with slow resignation. “He’s with his ma upstairs. Follow me. I’ll take you to him.”
Zai’il, Kharra, and Aria followed the leather worker through the back of his shop, past all the premade tunics, vests, cloaks, breeches, belts, bags, and more, past a table stacked full of tanned hides, and up a set of wooden stairs.
The man opened the door at the top of the stairs and held it open for the three women. They entered into a wide sitting room lined with multiple leather seats, most of which were thick, stuffed, and worn from use.
“Alyse, Jorun, could you come to the front room?” he called.
A woman with plain brown hair pulled up and bundled atop her head stepped into the sitting room from a doorway in the back. “What do you—” she started but saw the kruustas and stopped. Then she broke down into sobs.
At the same time, multiple pairs of thudding feet pounded down a different set of stairs. From a hallway to the left of the sitting room emerged two children. One was a dark-haired boy who looked to be in his midteens and another was a younger girl, no older than ten.
“Whatcha need, Pops?” said the boy without looking at the guests.
The young girl saw Zai’il and yelped. She then ducked behind the boy.
The boy finally looked at Aria and immediately paled. His eyes grew wide with terror, but he stayed his ground. Aria noticed a relatively fresh wound on his right hand and the unmistakable sparkle of crystal at its center. Silence hung heavy in the room as Aria worked to find the right words to not frighten the boy further. Zai’il’s eyes wandered up to the ceiling, trying to avoid adding to the tension.
Kharra stepped forward. “Hello, Jorun. My name is Kharra, and these two ladies are Aria and Zai’il.” Kharra extended her hand casually to the boy, who stood of a height with her. “We’re not here because you’re in trouble.” She glanced at the two parents and then back at the boy. “We’re just here to talk.”
The boy blinked at Kharra’s extended hand and then slowly took it in his. The tension in his entire frame eased. “You…you’re not a kruusta?”
“Nope.”
The boy’s brow scrunched. He looked at Aria and then at Zai’il. “But you both are.” It was a statement, not a question.
They nodded.
“And you didn’t come here to take me back?”
Aria thought for a moment before answering. “You will eventually have to go back to finish your training.” The boy’s brows shot up, but Aria smiled. “But I am more concerned about your well-being. Something scared you. Why don’t we all sit down, and you can tell us what caused you to run away?”
