The Temple of Arrival

by Matthew Olney

  “I may look like a young woman, but I am the Supreme. No being on this world is my equal. I alone can rule, to think otherwise only invites chaos believe me.”

  The Hollowed advanced towards him but Vavius had other ideas. He would not be made the Supreme’s prisoner.

  “I will find a way to destroy you,” he snarled. The Supreme smirked.

  Focusing on his Fear, Vavius looked to the child held in the midwife's arms and the windows. There was no other way. With a roar, he dashed forward and snatched the child from the woman’s arms. The Supreme screamed in rage. Despite her standing as though the birth hadn’t affected her, Vavius could sense she was weaker than before. Through gritted teeth and determination, he had managed to break free of her all-consuming influence. For now, at least. The Hollowed tried to stop him but Vavius launched himself through the window. The glass shattered into a million pieces sending him and the crying baby tumbling downward into darkness and the fast-flowing waters of the river below. The Supreme stood at the broken window her eyes fixed on where they’d vanished beneath the water.

  *

  Vavius opened his eyes to find that he was being swept downriver. To Vavius’s amazement, the baby had survived the fall. Its head was above the water its cries carrying in the night. He realised that it was those wails that had brought him back from unconsciousness. Vavius looked around, the current had carried them far from the capital. No lights could be seen, just darkness. He spotted a slope in the riverbank and moved toward it. He emerged from the river and fell onto the riverbank, the squirming boy in his arms. He looked at it. Its large eyes were fixed on him. He looked away. The baby could not be allowed to live. As he lay there, he now knew that he’d been played for a fool. He had given the Supreme everything she’d wanted. She had taken his friend and turned him into a monster and manipulated him into believing that he loved her. Now that he was outside the palace and away from her, he realised just how much she’d been using her powers on him. He staggered into the woods and placed the baby onto the soft earth. He stared at it his mind racing. So vulnerable, so helpless, so dangerous. He bent down and picked up a rock. It would be so easy to end its life. He hesitated. The baby was looking at him and his resolve faded. He dropped the rock and set about setting a fire. Once the flames were flickering, he placed the baby close to it. He sat before the fire and closed his eyes. He needed help, he just hoped there was someone who would hear his plea.

  *

  The sound of running footsteps came from the treeline behind him. Two figures emerged from the undergrowth. Both wore hooded cloaks. They hurried to him.

  “Vavius, are you alright? We sensed your call for help,” the taller of the men said.

  “I’m ok Yin. Skit help me up,” he replied. He took the hand offered to him by Skit and got to his feet.

  “Who’s this then?” Yin asked at seeing the baby.

  Vavius looked at the two men, his eyes expressing the seriousness of the situation.

  “This is my son and- the offspring of the Supreme.”

  The two men gasped at the revelation.

  “We thought you dead this past year Vavius. What the hell happened to you?” Skit asked his tone full of suspicion.

  “Me and Corvan were ambushed by Venerable Chamber Seekers and a Hollowed. We tried to fight but... Corvan was killed and I was taken prisoner,” he lied. If they knew that he had betrayed Corvan to save his own skin they would never trust him again.

  “The Supreme tortured me, manipulated me. Made me think I was in love with her- I don’t know what else to say. Now that I’m away from her it feels as though I’m waking from some horrible nightmare,” he stammered, laying on the victim card heavily.

  “Couldn’t have been that bad of a nightmare,” Skit replied gesturing to the child.

  The baby let out a cry, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen over the clearing.

  “We can’t stay here,” said Yin.

  “You’re right. But before we go,’ Vavius said holding the baby at arm’s length, ‘we have to eliminate this.”

  Skit stepped forward and snatched the child from Vavius’s grip.

  “Are you mad?”

  “Look, you don’t understand what is at stake here. I took her child. She’ll never stop looking for it. She said that she has plans for it. It cannot be allowed to live.”

  “No, what I don’t understand is that you vanished for a year and now we find you here with a child that you claim is yours and the Supreme’s!” Skit snapped back.

  Yin stepped between the two men.

  “Why do you believe this child needs to die?” he asked softly.

  “Yin, you can’t be serious! It’s just a baby.” Skit protested.

  Suddenly, the sound of horns and the distant barking of dogs sounded in the distance.

  “I’d hoped we had more time. Give me the boy Skit, I’ll end this here and now!” Vavius shouted, his temper rising.

  Skit shook his head slowly and backed away.

  “I don’t believe you anymore. I don’t trust you. The man I knew would never harm a child,” he said.

  Vavius narrowed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists.

  “People change,” he snarled, his eyes fixed on the now screaming infant. Just as he was about to launch himself at Skit, Yin interceded by placing a hand on his shoulder. A feeling of calm spread through Vavius’s body. The Gifted was using his power on him.

  “Run Skit, I can’t hold him for long!” Yin shouted. Sure enough, the Empowered One was resisting. Skit fled, with the baby in his arms.

  *

  Vavius blinked as the memory faded.

  “Yin used his Gift to make you believe that we killed the boy. In reality, I took him to safety and placed him in the care of a travelling band of Serfs,” Skit explained noticing his confusion.

  Vavius leant against the wall his mind in turmoil. Things now began to make sense to him. After that night he had gone into hiding and Skit had been captured by Wendal and the Hollowed.

  “All these years I thought the boy had been slain,’ he muttered. ‘Do you not realise what you’ve done? The Supreme wanted him for a reason and…” he paused as a realisation struck him.

  “She knows her son lives.”

  *

  Later that night...

  Cleo watched the mansion from the safety of a copse of trees that stood just beyond the estate's outer wall. It was night-time and all was quiet. She was crouched in the shadows, her eyes fixed on a window on the second floor. A flickering light showed the shadows of two men moving within. Finally, the light went out and the room was plunged into darkness. Cautiously she emerged from the treeline and dashed across the open field before her. Once pressed against the outer wall she crouched and crept toward the gateway. She froze. She could sense someone using the Power. It had been a long time but Vavius’s presence was unmistakable. A cry came from within the manor before all fell silent once more. She waited a few moments. Nothing. Satisfied that Vavius had moved to another part of the manor she advanced closer to the gates. She could see a bored looking guard leaning against the wall and picking at his fingernails. Looking around she spotted a small stone. She pulled back her arm and hurled it in the direction of the guard. The stone’s impact on the paved ground did its job perfectly. The guard jumped in fright at the noise and left his post to investigate. Cleo dashed forward and slipped through the now undefended gateway. Now she was in the manor houses outer courtyard. A carriage stood close to the manor’s front door and to her right, she could hear horses in their stable. Fortunately for Cleo, the roof of the stable lined up perfectly beneath the room where the light had emanated from. As quietly as she could she jumped and climbed onto the stable’s roof. Once on top, she moved underneath the window. She tilted her head to listen. No sounds came from within the room. With careful grace, she reached up and climbed to the window. Gently, she tapped on the glass. Movement sounded from within the room and a voice whispered; “Hello, who’
s there?”

  Cleo couldn’t help but smile as she recognised the voice. She hadn’t seen Skit in almost twenty years and had thought him dead.

  “Skit, it’s me, Cleo. Do you remember me? It’s so good to know you’re alive my old friend. Listen, we don’t have much time. I know you must have much to tell me.” she answered. She pressed closer to the wall and into the shadows as another guard walked his rounds below her.

  “Oh, it is so good to know that Vavius has not harmed you. He told me such horrible things, that some of you had fallen,” came Skit’s voice from the other side of the glass.

  Cleo looked away from the window and wiped a tear from her eye as memories of Tarv and Yin flashed in her mind.

  “You must stop Vavius. He sought me out, he needs me to read a map he says will take him to the Temple of Arrival. But, listen to me Cleo, the map is encoded that only a cypher can decrypt and the only place that has one intact is the Venerable Chamber Archive in Olandis. You have to stop him!”

  “What about you?”

  “Oh, my lady, it’s far more important that you stop Vavius. I may be an old man these days, but I can look after myself. Don’t you risk your life for me, you hear?”

  Cleo placed a hand to the window.

  “We will set you free Skit. I promise you.”

  “I know you will my dear. Now, go. Get out of here and warn the others.”

  ***

  Chapter 12.

  The Kaspen Countryside

  It had taken Elian and Cassia all day to finally emerge from the foothills. The maze of valleys and canyons would have seen Elian lose his way countless times if the enigmatic woman at his side hadn’t been with him. Cassia had led the way with assured confidence, as though she had walked the pathways numerous times before. Not once did they lose their way or encounter the hull tribes that were infamous for preying on the careless traveller.

  He wondered if the folk living in this bleak part of the world would make allies of the Liberators, but then Cassia had reminded him that many people had tried to contact them only to either be attacked or killed. In the world of the Supreme, those who still lived free guarded that freedom jealously. Emerging from the valleys they now found themselves on a wide open plain. Grasses the height of a man swayed gently in the breeze and on the horizon, Elian could make out the shape of a settlement. The plumes of smoke from hundreds of chimneys suggesting that it was a large town or minor city. He recalled the map of the Western Imperium and tried to get his bearings.

  “The town of Sador,” Cassia said answering his unspoken question. “Beyond that, another day or so of travel is Olandis. If we Bound, we should make it there by midday tomorrow,” she said.

  Elian smiled. They had made excellent time. Travelling with Cassia had been a liberating experience. She had taught him much about his abilities as they’d walked together. A new technique for Bounding had been especially helpful. He’d never gotten the knack for it, but now thanks to her instruction in how to control his breathing he was now able to Bound for far longer than before. To an ordinary traveller the journey they’d just taken would have taken at least a week, but thanks to Cassia and their powers they’d travelled from the hills of Hestra to the plains of Olandis in just three days.

  “What do you hope to achieve in Olandis Elian?” Cassia asked breaking him out of his thoughts.

  Confused by the question he turned to face her.

  “I told you. I’m going there to help Rea search for Vavius.”

  Cassia looked at him for a moment her eyes boring into his own.

  “You have so many more important things you could be doing than that. You should join me, help me change this world for the better.”

  Elian scratched his chin unsure how to reply. Eventually, he said; “You said it yourself, Vavius cannot be allowed to find the Temple of Arrival. I must stop him. He has to pay for what he’s done.”

  Cassia gestured dismissively.

  “Vavius will not succeed Elian. The Supreme will stop him. She knows what he plans. He may be powerful, but against her, he is nothing but an irritation. You, on the other hand, are truly powerful. I can teach you, continue the training that you started with Vavius. Only, with me, I will not hold anything back. You will become the most powerful Empowered One to have ever lived. Imagine what you could achieve,” she said earnestly.

  Something in her tone and the wild look in her eye caused Elian to slowly back away.

  “You sound like Vavius. All I want to do is help my friends and stop him. I don’t want to make the world anew. I don’t want power; I never wanted the power I have now.”

  Cassia’s face contorted as a mixture of emotions vied for supremacy. Anger, Fear, Disgust all seemed to vie for dominance. With a deep breath, she got her emotions back under control. She staggered slightly, her skin turning pale. Elian stepped closer to her and caught her gently by the arm.

  “Cassia? Are you alright?” he asked with concern.

  She nodded her head and shrugged herself free of his grip.

  “I’m fine. I’m sorry. Sometimes it becomes too much for me. I-I should tell you something,” she said softly, her eyes forlorn.

  “I once suffered a Break, and ever since then, it has been a constant struggle to stay in control. For a Gifted a Break is a terrible thing, but for an Empowered One it is like having your mind being shattered into a million tiny fragments. I-I have been trying to recover ever since.”

  Elian looked at her with renewed interest. He’d been warned about Breaks numerous times, but no one had told him that someone could recover from them. The way Vavius had spoken, it seemed as though the sufferer would be lost to madness forever. With Cassia he’d have to be cautious, he couldn’t let his kind nature and desire to help her blind him to the possible dangers. Not again, not like how he had trusted Vavius.

  “My life has been a hard one Elian. I have been through- a lot. I wouldn’t blame you if you left me here,” she said softly her tone full of sorrow.

  “Sometimes I feel fine. Other times I feel as though my mind is not my own. Do you forgive me?”

  He nodded.

  “I cannot pretend to understand, but yes I forgive you. We should pick up the pace and reach Olandis as soon as we can. I have a friend there who may be able to help you. You saved my life, it’s only fair that I try and aid you in return.”

  “You’re a kind man,” she replied.

  Elian adjusted the straps of his pack and gestured toward the horizon.

  “Let’s get going. We can’t be far from Olandis.”

  *

  It wasn’t until nightfall that Olandis came into view. Together Elian and Cassia had Bounded across the open fields and plains of Kaspen. They had passed slaves toiling in the fields, but they were unaware that the Empowered Ones had even been there due to the speed at which they ran. To an observer, they would have been seen as just blurs and a rush of air.

  The view from the top of the hill on which they now stood was breath-taking. The waters of lake Olan shimmered in the moonlight and the city’s lights reflected spectacularly on the surface of the water. In the sky floated three Imperium airships. Long elongated balloons filled with helium gas, the airships were often used to transport troops and supplies.

  “Airships? Here?” Cassia muttered in confusion.

  Elian crouched and watched the flying machines in awe. He’d only seen one in his whole life and that had been when the mountain folk that lived north of Fork had raided the border. The Imperium had responded in force, using the airships to drop bombs on the tribe’s mountain lairs. From his time with Visp, he’d learnt that airships were often used to harass the Arikar.

  “We should be extra cautious. Each of those ships can carry a whole battalion of soldiers. Why would they be sent to Olandis of all places?” Cassia continued as she appraised the situation.

  Elian focused his gaze towards the city itself. An elevated railway entered Olandis on its western side whereas to the east a wide hig
hway led to a heavily fortified gateway. Now that he was here, he wasn’t sure how they’d get inside.

  “We should camp here tonight and wait until morning. We can probably blend in with the slaves that have to enter the city every day for work,” Cassia said pointing to what looked like a small town of shacks built outside the city walls.

  The sky was clear of clouds and the air was warm as it always was this far south, sleeping outside under the stars wasn’t the worst of plans. They found a clearing nearby and settled in for the night.

  *

  As the sun rose, it cast an orange glow across the sky and the waters of lake Olan mimicked the colouration giving it the appearance of liquid fire. Elian stretched marvelling at the sight. The night had been mild and surprisingly quiet seeing as how they were only a few miles from one of the largest cities in the Imperium. The airships they had seen the evening before had vanished sometime during the night. He shuddered at the thought of them dropping off hundreds of soldiers, if that was the case then something was up in the city. As far as he was aware the Liberators had kept a low profile in the city and all reports that had reached Marcian had said that aside from a curfew imposed the Venerable Chamber and its Seekers the city had been quiet for weeks. The sound of booted feet walking over grass caught his attention. He could feel Cassia’s eyes on him. He shuddered yet didn’t know why. Her strange outburst and the revelation that she’d had a Break in her past had spooked him. She was obviously unstable but then again, she had saved his life. He hoped that Rea would know what to do with her.

  “Let’s go,” he said leading the way down the hill and onto the road below. They waited a few minutes and sure enough, numerous slaves ambled their way toward the city and another day of back-breaking labour. The men, women and children were all skin and bone and their clothes were little more than rags. With every passing moment more and more filed past until the trickle became a tide of humanity. Elian and Cassia slipped into the throng doing their best to blend in.