by Joe Jackson
“You know, you’re already growing into this leadership role very well,” Aeligos said, and the rest of the companions agreed heartily. “I know you’re pregnant and would really like to get back to DarkWind, but I think it might be a good idea to continue west to the coast, and then take a boat over to Morikk. It might be an immense help to actually get a look at the Temple; by then, Se’sasha will have communed with her mother and found out about the Temple one way or another.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Kari said. “I’d just be concerned about going there since…well, you know.”
“True, I suppose if there’s one place Emma might go looking for you, it might be there,” Aeligos mused.
Kari still hadn’t told anyone else that all of the kings knew she was Salvation’s Dawn; it was the sort of thing that would get her tethered to a desk or hidden in a cellar. If they all knew about Salvation’s Dawn, then it was likely they all knew about the Temple to some degree. Not that it mattered much: the Overking alone knowing about the Temple and being interested in it was enough of a problem. Aeligos’ suggestion that they go take a look at the Temple made a lot more sense in light of Emma’s involvement. Unless the mallasti girl had collected the other six seals required to open the locking mechanism, Kari’s presence as Salvation’s Dawn wouldn’t serve to help her at all.
Kari looked around at her companions. Even if Emma was there and did have the other six seals, Kari was pretty sure the mallasti girl could be subdued or killed by the strong people around her. If not, Kari wasn’t sure it would even matter: if a single mallasti girl could take out so many trained defenders, the Temple was in more danger than anyone could do anything about.
“All right, that settles it,” Kari said at last. “If the Temple is that important, we’ll take a short trip over there to see it ourselves.” Grakin didn’t seem entirely pleased with that, but he nodded in deference to Kari’s decision. “I hope Little Gray takes to traveling on a ship well. For that matter, I hope Se’sasha does, too.”
The syrinthian priestess glanced at Kari but didn’t say anything. After sharing a meal, the group set up watches and started to sleep in shifts. The valley was still populated by wild animals, but nothing bothered the camp during the night. Kari and Se’sasha were allowed to sleep through the night on account of their different health conditions, though Kari woke before dawn as usual. Everyone else except for Ty was asleep in the pre-dawn hours, and the blonde was leaning against a hut, his glowing green eyes sweeping side to side, watching for trouble.
Kari began her morning routine, but found she couldn’t do her stretches and exercises the way she normally would. When she looked at her naked belly, the reason why was obvious. It meant for certain that this would be her last foray away from DarkWind for some time. Her only hope was that she would have a little girl so that she and Grakin would have one of each. She already had a name picked out if it was a girl, but she hadn’t given much thought to boys’ names just yet.
Little Gray woke up to his mother’s stretching and the unintentional grunts that were now a part of it, and his excited morning chatter woke many of the others up. Se’sasha and Grakin were the first to actually get up and move about, and they walked to the brightest section of the lightening village to greet the dawn together. Kari wondered if she should be doing the same thing as a daughter of Sakkrass; did he expect anything from her on such matters? She usually felt his presence in her mind, but she realized she wasn’t in the habit of doing much to keep their relationship close. As it was, she hadn’t “spoken” to him in her dreams for some time. When she saw that Danilynn was beginning her morning prayers, Kari moved over by Se’sasha and Grakin quietly and knelt down by them to pray.
Kari closed her eyes, but her mind was torn about to whom she should be praying. On the one hand, Sakkrass was her father, but Zalkar was supposed to be her deity, and at the very least, he was the one she served directly as the head of his Demonhunter Order. Prayer was something she only did every so often, usually when she needed the strength of the gods or wanted to give them thanks for receiving it. There was no denying that she didn’t feel the same way about the gods as her mate or any of the other priests or priestesses she knew. Kari began to wonder if that was a problem.
She brushed the thoughts aside; Zalkar was all too happy to lend her his strength, and had never protested her rise through the Order or her becoming its head. Similarly, Sakkrass spoke to her when he needed to, and he never said or even suggested that she wasn’t keeping in close enough contact with him. She recognized that she was here now, thinking of both of them, and she hoped that it was enough. Sakkrass was like her father, and Zalkar was like her boss, and she trusted both of them with her life and, she mused, even her soul. Which would lay claim to the latter when she passed, she couldn’t say.
A short way behind her, Kari could hear Little Gray playing with his aunt and uncle. Ty and Sonja were all too happy to watch out for the boy when Kari and Grakin were busy during the trip. The sound of her son’s laughter set Kari’s heart aflutter as it usually did, and she gently touched her hand to her lower belly while she continued to think of Zalkar and Sakkrass. There were no tingles in her mind, no reliving of memories as she’d experienced before, and neither of the two deities “spoke” to her in any quantifiable sense. Still, she felt better for having shared a morning moment with both of them, expressing her thanks and her happiness.
Kari returned to the rest of her friends before Se’sasha, Grakin, or Danilynn had finished their prayers, and she helped cook some food for everyone. She took a seat by the fire and fed her son, and Typhonix made a sweep of the village around them to be sure no one was lurking among the huts. Sonja’s life-sense detected only animals in the vicinity, which helped satisfy Ty’s suspicious nature, and the group took their morning meal together. While they ate, Kari saw that Se’sasha’s skin was already beginning to look better, though it would take some time before the girl’s flesh filled back in.
Once breakfast was finished, Eli and Danilynn led the group through the village. They had a hard time pinpointing where Se’ceria’s grave was: it had been about a dozen years since they buried the syrinthian priestess. With the czarikk village abandoned, though, they were eventually able to get their bearings, and they found the gravesite at the northwest edge of the village. Several dozen graves were arranged in neat rows there; though the czarikk typically didn’t bury their dead, they had to take the simpler method of honoring their peoples’ remains when they were forced to flee.
Se’ceria’s grave was a little different than the others: it had a marker, whereas those of the czarikk were designated only by a stony covering to dissuade animals from digging. A wood plank was stuck in the ground at the head of Se’ceria’s grave, and had been carved simply with the syrinthian priestess’ name and the year of her death: 3049. It was covered in stones just as the others were, and it didn’t appear as though anything had disturbed the site in the years since its construction. Most curiously of all, it was in the center of the many czarikk graves around it.
Se’sasha didn’t approach the grave right away. She watched curiously while Eli and Danilynn crouched by its stony cover and apparently offered their respects. Kari had wondered how close Eli and Se’ceria were when the half-corlyps initially told her the tale, but there was no doubt left. Between the way he described holding the woman in his arms while she died, and the way he paid his respects to what was, by all common knowledge, an enemy, Kari could plainly see the truth of the matter. Danilynn paid her respects as well, but Kari saw there was something different there: Danilynn had spoken with Se’ceria a number of times, and knew the priestess’ hopes and dreams even better than Eli did. And there was also the fact that Danilynn was a priestess: if anyone had a clear perspective of whether reward or retribution awaited Se’ceria’s spirit, Kari was sure it would be Danilynn.
The fures-rir priestess stood and turned to face Se’sasha. Se’sasha tilted her head back and let forth
a long sigh, but when she looked back to her companions, she smiled. Everyone moved away a little bit to give her room, and Kari tried to keep Little Gray’s tide of questions quiet and quickly answered. He was curious about the grave, why Se’sasha’s mother had died, what Se’sasha was doing, what they were going to have for lunch, and a million other things. The syrinthian priestess seemed to block it out well, though, and she began to pray aloud in her peoples’ native tongue. Kari picked up her son and held him close, and Grakin wrapped an arm around them while they watched Se’sasha.
Se’sasha opened her robe and let it fall to the valley floor, though she was still modestly covered by the slip she wore underneath. All of a sudden, the sun managed to penetrate the canopy of the trees and the valley mist a little better, lightening the area. Se’sasha’s tattoos began to glow, and her scaly skin along with them. The priestess’ prayer reached a frenetic pace, though Kari assumed it might just be the normal speed of speech the syrinthians used. When she’d heard their excited chatter in the prison before leaving on this trip, they spoke with a similar speed and sense of urgency in everything they said.
A tingle passed through Kari’s mind that she recognized immediately. She whipped her gaze around the immediate area, expecting to find Sakkrass’ avatar among them, but he wasn’t there – not physically, anyway. She could feel his presence, and she knew that any doubts she’d had about Se’sasha’s loyalty were invalid. The priestess was praying to their mutual father, and his spirit was passing among them. Most curiously of all, the symbol of Zalkar began to glow on Kari’s chest and through her breastplate – something no one but Se’sasha missed.
Ty looked around suspiciously. “Kari, did you swear a Blood Oath?” he asked.
Kari shook her head. “No, not since the one in Barcon,” she said quietly, trying her best not to distract Se’sasha. She recalled Uldriana’s indignant reaction when interrupted, and she realized she was doing the same thing now, despite the fact that Se’sasha wasn’t talking to any tangible being. “This happened when I was on Mehr’Durillia, too; not sure why. We’ll talk more when Se’sasha is finished.”
Her blonde brother-in-law nodded, and the others agreed silently. Everyone continued to watch Se’sasha, and Kari could feel Sakkrass’ presence more potently. The symbol of Zalkar flashed in bright tones, almost as if she was standing in the presence of something she’d sworn the Oath against. Kari attracted Sonja’s attention and gestured for her sister-in-law to use her life-sense again. Sonja concentrated for a few moments but then shook her head; there was nothing dangerous in the area, unless it was something whose life-force Sonja couldn’t detect.
Everyone’s attention was drawn back to the grave and a brilliant flash of light that came from the air above it. The light was intense, like a miniature sun that didn’t hurt to look at. It slowly coalesced into a humanoid shape, and then, over several long minutes, it took the shape of a syrinthian woman in pure white garments, who looked astonishingly like Se’sasha. There was no doubt in anyone’s mind that they were staring at the spirit of Se’ceria Sasha Solaristis.
Se’sasha smiled, and Kari did so as well unconsciously. As much as the sight of the syrinthian priestess’ spirit lifted Kari’s own, it was the sense of Sakkrass standing beside her that truly set her own soul at ease. It was as though he lifted all of Kari’s burdens from her mind and body just with his presence, and for a moment, all the aches, pains, and worries of her life melted away into bliss. He was with them, in spirit at least, watching a former high priestess pass her gift to her daughter, who would now be his high priestess.
“My friends, please be aware that my mother cannot see or hear you in this state; she will see and hear only me,” Se’sasha said. Everyone looked around, shocked that they could suddenly understand her. “For your sake, I will speak aloud, so that you are not ignorant to what is said, but you will not be able to hear her speak. Also, most of the passing of her memories and her power will be done silently.”
“How is it you can suddenly speak our language?” Aeligos asked suspiciously.
“She can’t,” Kari said, remembering this same experience on Tsalbrin years before, when she had met Sakkrass’ avatar. “Sakkrass’ spirit is among us; he’s translating our words for us.”
The others were clearly astounded, but no one interrupted Se’sasha further. She spoke to her mother’s spirit, telling her that Danilynn and Eli were there, and passed along their words of greeting at their request. “She is thankful to know that you both have survived and prospered in the wake of everything that happened,” Se’sasha passed along to the group. “She further says to avoid the Crimson Queen, for without my mother’s intervention, there is nothing to protect you from King Koursturaux’ wrath.”
There was a long silence while Se’ceria apparently spoke to her daughter, and Kari and her friends waited anxiously to hear what was being said. Se’sasha’s mood nearly soured, but the syrinthian girl nodded at last. “The others who are with me are thankful for your efforts,” she told the shimmering spirit. “They have brought me here, and treated me with a great deal of respect on account of what you did. I am told that the czarikk, too, are thankful for your efforts to free and evacuate them.”
Danilynn sniffled, and Eli wrapped an arm around her. Kari guessed that Danilynn hadn’t exactly expected the events of nearly a dozen years before to still affect her so. Se’sasha closed her eyes, smiled broadly, and she turned to her companions after another minute. “My mother says that she is safe, warm, and happy with Ashakku, who does indeed go by the name of Sakkrass among our czarikk kin. While with him, she is free of the burdens of guilt or regret, but here she is mindful enough of it to pass along her apologies. Is there anything else anyone would like me to tell her or ask of her before we commune?”
“Nothing that you probably won’t know once you’ve communed,” Kari answered for the group. “Should we move away and give you some space?”
“This may take some time, so you may do as you wish,” Se’sasha said. “Though I would be grateful if your blonde sibling would stay and keep watch over me.”
Ty’s eyebrows rose in surprise but he agreed without too much delay. The others moved to the camp, but as they walked away, Kari watched as the shimmering spirit and the syrinthian girl merged into one. Se’sasha began to glow golden-white while infused with her mother’s spirit, and for a moment, Kari thought that must be what an angel looks like. There was a warm feeling in the center of her brain and in her heart as that thought crossed her mind, and she realized that Sakkrass was agreeing with her. Kari understood now: she could trust Se’sasha wholly. The girl was her sister.
Kari played with Little Gray and listened to Eli, Danilynn, and Aeligos discussing how to get to the west coast from the valley. Kari had heard quite a bit about the Temple of Archons in recent years, but she’d never laid eyes on the holy structure, and had little idea of what to expect. She assumed it would be grand and stately, possibly made of marble like the temples in the holy city of Sarchelete. She knew that its front door had a strange locking mechanism that required six jade seals and some interaction from her as Salvation’s Dawn to open. Other than that, she wasn’t sure what the writing on it might look like or what any of it would mean.
She supposed it was possible she would be able to read the inscriptions on the Temple’s face, since she was Salvation’s Dawn and a part of the key to opening it. Kari wondered if there would be any repercussions to touching the locking mechanism: whether her touching it might unlock some of the writing or other secrets to the mechanism itself. She decided she would talk to Aeligos and Sonja about it first, but not until they got to the island. There was little sense causing a commotion before they even reached their destination.
After a while, Se’sasha returned to the rest of the group with Typhonix. The girl wasn’t glowing anymore, but there was a shiny golden sheen to her skin that hadn’t faded. Her tattoos now appeared permanent, standing out from her flesh in fully satur
ated red and orange hues, and they more clearly depicted images of the sun and the flowing script of the syrinthians. Se’sasha touched Ty’s shoulder in thanks and the blonde warrior smiled. It left Kari to wonder what the priestess saw in her brother-in-law, given that she had no way of understanding anything Ty had said until they stood at her mother’s grave.
“I understand now,” Se’sasha said as she stood before the others. Sakkrass’ spirit was no longer among them, and though it was shocking, it was clear that communing with her mother had allowed Se’sasha to learn the Citarian common tongue. “When we return to your Order, I will tell you everything I can. For now, though, I must ask your help with one more issue. My mother’s spirit has asked that we tear down the temple to Sekassus. Though it was damaged in the final battle there, it still stands, and is a danger if anyone knows how to repair its portal. We do not have to completely destroy it: we simply need to destroy enough of it that it can never again be used toward the Cobra Lord’s purposes.”
“I am strangely comfortable with that,” Kari returned, which brought laughs from her friends. “But speaking of temples, did your mother tell you anything about something we call the Temple of Archons?”
Se’sasha shook her head. “No, the only temple my mother was aware of was the very one she had overseen the construction of and run herself. You can explain the significance of this other temple of yours when we reach it, I suppose. I am guessing it is not something your Order wants to be common knowledge, so I am content to remain in the dark on it for now.”
