The Cavalier

by Jason McWhirter

  Taleen read it out loud. “Araste makatar nih daia dadutha dandis”

  “What does it mean?” asked Jonas.

  “Some must live by the blade to stand against the shadow,” interpreted Kiln. Jonas liked the saying, smiling as he contemplated its meaning.

  They stepped across the symbol into the entryway. Sunlight shone through colorful stained-glassed windows highlighting a large double door before them. The walls were lined with expensive tapestries and paintings. There were wide cathedral hallways on their left and right, each ending with extravagant stone stairways leading to another level. The hallways were lined with thick stone columns and statues of magnificent warriors in various poses.

  “This place is beautiful,” muttered Jonas in awe. Taleen approached the large double doors in front of them. The doors were made of thick oak and in the center was an inlaid carving, presumably created from a softer wood. The carving brought a smile to Jonas as it was clearly Shyann’s oak tree.

  As Jonas glanced around the incredible room he noticed it was covered with many different carvings. Parts of the ceiling, walls, and stone columns were covered with impressive carvings so detailed they seemed to be alive. He saw Ulren’s four-pointed star, Bandris’s double bladed battle-axe, Shyann’s oak tree, Inis’s rose, and the symbol of Nomis, God of farming and weather. His symbol was a scythe. He noticed the trident head symbol of Halyean as well.

  Taleen walked up to a large metal gong that was placed next to the door. She grabbed the wood mallet and hit the gong once, the sound reverberating through the halls and echoing off the tall ceiling.

  “That won’t go unnoticed,” said Kiln.

  A few minutes later as the trio was inspecting the expansive entry, the door in front of them opened, and an old man appeared, wearing a long gray robe of fine cotton. Tall and thin, his straggly gray hair draped a face that looked like a dried out grape. He held a carved wooden cane that supported his bent body as he walked. Around his neck was a silver necklace that bore the symbol of Halyean, god of the seas. The man’s face was passive as he ran his eyes over the trio standing before him.

  “Good evening, priest, I am Taleen, cavalier to Helikon. This is Jonas Kanrene and Kiln from Finarth. We seek a conference with the council.”

  The old man fixed his gaze on Kiln first and then Jonas. His eyes lingered on Jonas for a while and suddenly Jonas felt something jab at his consciousness, something subtle but intrusive. It felt like light tendrils were slowly wrapping around his brain, looking for something.

  Jonas reacted on instinct. He threw up a cognitive barrier and reached out mentally towards the old man. “It is not polite to enter one’s mind without permission.” Jonas was shocked that he was actually conversing silently with the man.

  The priest’s eyes flared briefly with astonishment but he quickly regained composure, smiling softly. Jonas was equally shocked. He had not known that he could mentally speak inside the minds of others. Another of the cognivant powers of which he had not been aware.

  “Forgive me Jonas Kanrene. I did not know you were a cognivant. It is standard policy to probe the minds of any that wish entrance into the kulam. Guests do not even know of the intrusion, unless of course they are cognivants, which is so rare that it has yet to happen, until now of course. Rest assured that I do not intrude in their minds for more than the few seconds it takes me to ascertain their purpose here.” The old priest smiled warmly at them all. “I am Rayall, high priest to Halyean.” The priest looked at Taleen, bowing his head slightly. “It is good to see a cavalier. I’m afraid we have not had a cavalier here for many months.”

  “So I’ve heard. Thank you Rayall, it is good to be here,” replied Taleen.

  Rayall looked at Kiln, nodding his head in greeting. “General Kiln, your reputation precedes you. I did not know you were still alive.”

  “Alive and well, Rayall,” replied Kiln.

  “And you, young man. What brings a cognivant who looks like a cavalier to a Kulam?”

  “Sir, meaning no disrespect, I would like to tell that story to the entire council. That is why I am here.” Jonas wondered if maybe he was able to speak inside the priests mind because he too was a cognivant. He made a mental note to ask the priest about it later if they had time.

  “I see,” replied the old man. “No offense taken. I think that you three are of sufficient interest to bring the council together. If you will please follow me,” Rayall said, slowly turning and walking through the large double doors.

  The three kept up with him easily as he slowly ambled through a huge temple. The ceiling was at least forty paces high and the walls were built of the same white stone. Rows of benches lined the floor along the aisle that led to a large altar. Light shone through expansive sky lights lining the ceiling. Behind the altar was a stone statue of Ulren reaching all the way to the ceiling. His muscular arms appeared to hold up the stone roof.

  Jonas immediately understood the artists meaning. The High One was holding up the temple with his bare arms, symbolic of his strength in holding up all that is good. The walls were lined with statues of all the gods.

  Jonas’s eyes were immediately drawn to a female warrior at his right. The statue was twenty paces high and she stood gracefully holding a long sword and shield. She wore no helm and the artist captured her beauty perfectly. Her chest plate was decorated with the very same symbol tattooed on his chest and embossed on his own armor. From the folds of her cloak to the waves of her hair, the statue was stunningly lifelike. The work was incredible and Jonas could hardly believe that a person could create something so beautiful.

  They walked to the end of the aisle and the priest motioned for them to sit on a bench. “Please have a seat. I will assemble the council. Someone will come to summon you when they are ready.”

  “Thank you, Rayall,” replied Taleen. The priest nodded his head and moved across the floor to a wood door on the far wall.

  “This is amazing,” whispered Jonas as he gazed at the magnificent temple.

  “It truly is. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” added Kiln.

  “This is a temple to all the benevolent gods of Kraawn. My Kulam is very similar. All the followers of all the gods are welcome here. There is Helikon,” Taleen said, pointing to her left.

  Jonas followed her finger to a statue of a powerful warrior wearing only a leather and metal skirt, accentuating his muscular chest and powerful arms. In his right hand he held a thick broad sword and in his left he held onto a shaft tipped with a long sharp blade. His face was bearded and long wavy hair hung down to his strong shoulders. He looks every bit the warrior’s god thought Jonas.

  “This is Inis, the wife of Ulren,” Taleen continued as she pointed at another statue.

  Jonas looked upon a beautiful lady wearing what looked like a thin cotton robe that clung to her perfect form. Her long hair was swept back from her face by an invisible breeze. In one hand the goddess held a bouquet of roses and in the other she held a basket of food.

  The sun shone through the ceiling in such a way that it lit up each statue like a spotlight. The architecture was truly incredible, allowing the sun’s light to purposely highlight each figure.

  “Inis is the goddess of beauty, passion, and kindness,” Taleen said as she continued her explanation of the gods.

  Jonas took a few minutes to look at all the statues that lined the circular walls. For the first time he noticed that at the bottom of each one was a mini altar and they all had melted candles that covered the base of the statue.

  “Taleen?” asked Jonas.

  “Yes?”

  “I spoke with an elf once, well she was a half-elf, but anyway, she said that elves do not believe in gods. How can they not believe in the gods when we have proof of their existence?”

  “What proof do we have?” Taleen asked.

  “Our magic of course,” Jonas replied, a little taken aback by her question.`

  “Well, the elves do not believe in gods, but the
y do believe in what we call our gods,” she said.

  “What do you mean?” he asked

  “It’s a matter of perspective, Jonas,” Kiln interjected.

  Taleen nodded her head in agreement. “Exactly. The elves believe that Ulren, Bandris, Shyann, and all the gods, including the Foresworn, are not really gods at all, but people who somehow achieved enough power to become god-like, powerful enough where people believe they are gods. The elves do not believe that our gods made all things, but that they themselves are a result of the true power.”

  “The Ru’Ach,” muttered Jonas.

  “Yes. They believe that our gods were once great people who somehow accessed the Ru’Ach and gained tremendous power. Most priests do not believe this. They believe that the gods created all things, including the Ru’Ach.”

  “What do you believe?” Jonas asked.

  “Does it matter what I believe? Helikon is real, that I know. Was he made a god because he knew how to use power from the Ru’Ach, or has he always existed as a god, a creator of all things? Maybe he is a being of another world, another plane of existence. I do not know, Jonas, but either way it does not change who he is, or who I am. Helikon is a warrior god who fights for justice and courage, and I am a protector of these ideals. That is all I need to know. The question is…do YOU need to know more?”

  “I do not know, Taleen. I shall think more on it.”

  “That is good. Such decisions should not be hastily made.”

  “What do you believe in, Kiln?” asked Taleen.

  Kiln swung his piercing gaze toward her. “I believe in myself. That is the only constant in my life,” he replied sharply.

  “I see,” she replied. “And Jonas, I did not know you were a cognivant. Can you tell me about it? I have never met anyone with that power.”

  “I do not know much myself. It surfaced several years ago when I was fighting against some mountain giants. I was able to mentally stop one of the giants clubs.”

  “So you can control objects?” Taleen asked.

  “Yes, I guess. In my mind I can see the energy that makes up everything, and I can control it to some degree. But I’m still learning the extent of this power.”

  “And you can speak in people’s minds as well?” Taleen asked.

  “I guess. Today was the first time I’ve done that. I think perhaps I can only do that with another cognivant since that power had never surfaced before. There is much I do not know about this power.”

  “You are not alone in that respect, for it is such a rare ability. Are there any limits to it?” she asked.

  “Yes, the more power I try to control and use, the more severe the headaches. In some cases they are so extreme that I pass out. But my meditative training with Kiln has helped strengthen my cognivant powers and lessen the pain when I use them.”

  Taleen looked at Kiln with interest. “Meditative training? I would like to hear more of this.”

  Suddenly a door opened to their left, ending their conversation. The sound of the opening door echoed against the large stone walls. A young man, maybe a year younger than Jonas, walked gracefully toward them. His short blond hair framed a thin tanned face. The short sleaves of his green cotton shirt exposed his muscular forearms. Loose fitting, black cotton pants, flowed around his legs as he walked. The boy’s green shirt was long and laced at his waist with a black cotton belt. No weapons dangled from his belt but he looked like he didn’t need any. They all stood up from the bench as the young man neared them.

  “I am Kandris, a cavalier candidate to Ulren. It is a pleasure to have you here, cavalier.” The young man bowed deeply to Taleen who nodded her head in acknowledgement.

  The young man then turned his attention to Kiln. “And to you, sir.” The boy tried hard to hide his excitement, his voice shaking a bit with nervous energy. “I have heard stories about you all my life.”

  “Some that are probably not true,” replied Kiln, inclining his head toward the boy.

  “I hope not, sir. There are many different tales swirling around the name of Kiln the General, not all of them tales to be proud of.”

  “And what do you make of the tales, young man?” Kiln asked with interest.

  The young man smiled. “I think that lesser men are always trying to mar the reputation of great men, sir.”

  Kiln’s cold features dissolved slightly, replaced by the hint of a smile.

  “Remember, Kandris, all men make mistakes, whether they are great men or not.”

  Kandris bowed his head in acknowledgement. “I will remember that, sir.” He then pivoted smoothly to face, Jonas. “Jonas Kanrene, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Jonas caught Kandris’s eyes quickly glance down toward his chest. He looked confused for a moment but he quickly recovered, smiling kindly at Jonas. “You look like a cavalier.”

  “That I do,” said Jonas.

  Kandris nodded his head and his smile disappeared. “It is not my place to pry, sir. I apologize.”

  “You are not in the wrong, Kandris. It’s not that simple, I’m afraid,” Jonas said, trying to reassure the young warrior. “And I am no sir, just a few years older than you actually.”

  “Very well, and thank you. Well, if you will all follow me. I will take you to the council room.” Kandris turned, walking back the way he had come.

  The council room was large and empty except for six chairs sitting on a raised ledge on the far side. The wooden chairs were carved with intricate symbols and writing. Above each chair on the wall was an embroidered tapestry representing each of the benevolent gods of Kraawn.

  The chairs were all occupied as they entered the room. Kandris bowed deeply to the six occupants of the chairs and then left the room quickly. Jonas recognized the old priest Rayall sitting in the chair below the symbol of Halyean. The old man smiled at them as they walked closer to the priests.

  “Welcome to Annure, it is a pleasure to see a cavalier in our halls,” said a middle aged man sitting in the middle chair. The four-pointed star above him marked him as a priest of Ulren. “I am Lyrus, high priest to Ulren.” The man was tanned and his curly brown hair was streaked slightly with gray above the ears. His smile was warm and sincere. “You have met Rayall already. To my right is Tundis, high priest to Nomus, and Jeweleasiam, high priestess to Inis. On my left is Weelon, high priest to Bandris, and Lulaylin, high priestess to Shyann.”

  They all nodded as they were introduced.

  “Thank you, high priest Lyrus, for agreeing to meet with us. As you know, I am Taleen, cavalier to Helikon. This is Kiln and Jonas. We have many questions that need answering and we came here as the likely source for those answers.”

  “I’m assuming that your questions concern Jonas,” Lyrus reasoned.

  All the priests stared at Jonas intently.

  “They do,” replied Taleen.

  “Jonas, can you please tell me how you bear the armor and weapons of a cavalier and yet we know nothing of you?” Lyrus asked.

  “I can, and I will sir,” replied Jonas, taking a deep breath to prepare for his story. Jonas began his tale again. The council members all leaned forward in their chairs as the story progressed. He tried to judge their reactions as the story unfolded, but they were very good at masking their emotions. Finally, Jonas finished with the battle against the Greever. There was only silence in the room as the council members digested the tale.

  “Jonas, may we see this symbol that you speak of?” asked Lulaylin, priestess to Shyann. She was older than the rest and she wore a silver hairpiece with Shyann’s symbol etched into it. It covered her forehead and her long gray hair was pulled back behind her ears. Her gown was made from expensive green silk that matched her eyes perfectly. Lulaylin was beautiful for someone her age and Jonas was drawn to her sparkling green eyes. But once there, he saw an underlying intensity that did not match her appearance.

  “You may,” Jonas said as he began unbuckling his breastplate and setting it on the smooth polished stone at his feet. He then lifted the
tight chain mail shirt over his head.

  “Where did you get that armor?” Lulaylin asked.

  “From Shyann’s tomb,” he replied, setting the light metal shirt on the ground.

  Lulaylin stood up in her chair in shock. “That cannot be! No one has found her tomb in a thousand years!” she said as her voice rose in disbelief.

  Jonas did not react to her outburst but looked at her sincerely. “I do not lie. I was led by a huge stag to her tomb underneath a giant oak tree. It was there that she gave me this armor and these weapons.”

  Lulaylin sat back down, but her eyes still reflected her shock. “That cannot be. You are not even a cavalier.”

  “It is true,” replied Kiln. “I was there.”

  Lulaylin directed her fiery eyes toward Kiln. “Your loyalty and honor is in question General. Why would we believe an oath breaker?”

  “Lulaylin!” bellowed Lyrus. “General Kiln is our guest. Do not show disrespect.”

  Kiln’s face was calm and emotionless as he addressed the priestess. “You know nothing of my loyalty other than rumors and stories that have been told for over twenty years. Until you know the truth of it, I recommend you keep your ill mannered comments to yourself.” Kiln’s eyes, cold as the tone of his voice, left no room for argument.

  “Besides,” replied Jonas. “I believe this mark will represent the truth where our words have not.” Jonas lifted off his cotton shirt and set it next to his armor. He stood up straight and the six council members sat back in their chairs in shock.

  “Come closer, Jonas,” ordered Rayall. Jonas stepped closer to them all so they could clearly see the God Mark. He finally stepped in front of Lulaylin so she could view the mark for herself. His toned muscular torso was covered with the God Mark.

  “And you say that you have powers like a cavalier?” asked high priest Weelon. The burly man was obviously once a warrior. He had that look, and his face was scarred in several places.