The image changed and Arden saw Kara leading the army of metal man and thousands of humans against the ancient enemy. She wore glorious white armor, and stood overlooking the two armies in a place Arden recognized to be the Field of Spikes. Burning behind her, like a colossal torch, was the Capital Spire of Stelemia.
Arden could not believe what he was seeing. The capital city of the Caverns was in ruins. He had little love for the crazy, fanatical, light-dwelling Stelemians, but even he could not deny the terrible loss such a fate would bring. That city had stood for years beyond count, and countless thousands of people lived their entire lives within it.
The sprawling city around it had once been Kristia’s home. To see it burn like this—
Kara pointed forward, the artifact burning bright at her neck. Her great host charged the enemy. Arden saw image after image of a terrible battle being waged, his daughter in the thick of it. At the height of the melee, he saw a distant figure, wreathed in phosphorescent light. He felt it to be Kara, but couldn’t be sure. The next image showed the distant figure leading men, women and children toward a bright light. He left the battle and followed them, moving among the farm animals and goods laden wagons. With them, he passed into the light.
At first he was blinded, but then his eyes adjusted. The image pulsed with his shock. Hovering high above them, in a void of clear blue, was a golden disk.
The Lost Sun.
As the figure stopped the column of people, Arden became certain it was Kara. Red hair spilled down her back and she wore the same type of armor he had seen her in earlier, though now it was scorched black. She pointed up at the Lost Sun, and the people gathered around her like a loyal flock and bowed.
Then the image darkened until Arden could no longer see anything, and an immense feeling of terror engulfed him. He had to find his half-blood daughter and put the artifact around her neck before it was too late.
The vision showed him Wrynric standing before the Golden Keg Tavern. Beloved Kristia's and Kara's home. The old man entered, and Arden saw him talk to Kara and place the artifact around her neck. It came to life, in a bright red flash.
This is where it would begin. Kara was the one. The one the artifact would come to life for.
So it wasn’t a weapon, at least not one he could devise, and was something more than a tool he could use against the bone-people. But where am I in all this? Why had Wrynric been the one who handed her the artifact?
At last Arden saw images of himself standing in the repository, saying goodbye to Wrynric, Meridia and dozens of others. They disappeared out the secret exit as Arden’s image turned to face a group of figures entering the lower floor of the repository. Liana stood beside him, gazing down as the figures entered. What are you doing here, girl! He wanted to scream. You should have gone with the others.
Then realization dawned on him. The others would leave, but he and Liana would remain behind to confront the intruders.
With that last image, the vision was over and he woke with a start.
Arden sat there for a long time, playing out the visiondream in his head. Never had he felt such strong emotions during one. This was something more than his usual fare. The vision had clearly been the future, and there could be no deviation from it—otherwise they were all doomed. A time of darkness was rapidly approaching, and Kara would be the one to return them to the light.
Chilled by what he had seen, he rose and glanced up at the symbol globe of the Lost Sun. Reflected fire burned all across it, making the room appear as if it was alight.
Many would perish in the coming war, and the world would be changed forever.
CHAPTER 9
Arden rushed to find Wrynric to tell him what he saw. The old man listened dutifully, showing no signs of disbelief. "Now we must find Meridia, and Liana and Semira." Arden was breathing heavily, like he was running, sweat beading on his forehead. He felt such urgency, as if the roof was going to cave in at any moment. "I want to get the artifact. We need to take it to Stelemia and put it around my half-blooded daughter’s neck."
The old man must have picked up on the urgency, for his hand went to his sword. "I’ll get Meridia and met you at the repository."
When he was gone, Arden went to find Liana. He found her at Erinie’s house, listening to the librarian read from a book. "Come with me. We have work to do at the repository."
They must have seen something in his eyes, as they instantly dropped what they were doing and followed him. It was growing late, and there were scant few people about, so few saw them rushing to the repository. When they arrived, Arden headed upstairs to meet Master Librarian Boran. He burst in on the old man and found him studying a parchment of writing. The writing was familiar, as it was copied from the words on the artifact.
"Have you learned anything more?" Arden asked, coming up to the man.
He peered at Arden a moment, then glanced at Erinie, who shrugged. The old man was not used to being interrupted. "We think it is some form of dialect related to the ancient language of Ibilirith. It shares some words, but not others. As I told you earlier, the Order of—"
"What words can you translate?" Arden’s impatience grew.
The old man frowned. "A word here and there, but without being able to understand the rest of the sentence for context, we still have no idea what it says.” He pointed at the parchment. “This means ‘place,’ and this is ‘your’ and lastly, we are certain this word is ‘open.’” He shook his head. “You see? Meaningless, without context.”
Arden drummed his fingers on his sword hilt. So they’d learned nothing. He supposed it didn’t matter, now that he knew Kara would be the one to activate the artifact.
"Why did you bring us here, Father?" Liana asked.
“I had a vision, and it showed me you must all remain here until I tell you to leave.” They all needed to stay at the repository, until the right moment had been reached. When that moment was, or what it would mean, had yet to be revealed. The two young women stared at him, Erinie fidgeting with one of her bags.
“I’ve had another visiondream, but this was different to the others,” Arden explained. “It was more powerful—more detailed.”
Liana reached for him. “Father, you’re scaring me.”
Arden forced himself to calm down a little. “I’m not trying to. Now listen, it is imperative you all do what I tell you. For now, remain here with me." He glanced toward the front entrance. "Once Wrynric and Meridia are here, I will tell you what I saw."
It took the old man twenty minutes to return. Only Meridia followed him, her face twisted in an angry scowl. By the look on Wrynric’s face, he had been forced to drag her here. Arden had hoped Semira would be with them. Where was she? The last he had seen her was when she had headed out the gate earlier in the day. It was unsafe outside the wall, but there would be no way in stopping her leaving. She had a will of her own.
Meridia came up to him, stood at his side, and dug her nails into his hand. "What is this about, dear?"
Pulling his hand away from her, he led them into the council room and made them sit at the table. It was cluttered with tablets, quills and computer disks. Boran had some of the librarians clean the clutter, then had them bring food and drink. When all the librarians had left, Arden spoke about what he had seen. He tried to avoid his wife’s gaze as he talked of Kara. He could feel Meridia’s anger building every time he mentioned Kara's name. But there was nothing he could do. This was what he saw, and it needed to be shared.
When Arden was done, they stared at him for a long time. Thankfully, up until this point, Meridia had said nothing. But now she did. "So, you think your half-blood spawn is important? How could she be? She's no scion."
"I don't know. I'm telling you what I saw."
His wife bared her teeth. “You should never have fathered a half-blood. Had you remained—”
Arden slammed his fist on the table. “Meridia, shut your mouth.”
Her teeth clicked as she snapped her mou
th closed. He’d never spoken to her this way before, but he had far more important things to do than listen to her nonsense. Erinie and Wrynric both looked like they wanted to be anywhere than here, while Liana had her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide.
“Soon we must part ways.” Arden studied each of them. “All of you must leave this place and go to Safehold.” Even Liana. I will not let her stay with me. If I am to die, so be it, but she must live.
“What? No.” The all burst out at once.
“Listen,” he roared, and all four of them instantly fell silent. He pointed at Wrynric. “After you are sure our people are safe, I want you to go to Stelemia and find Kara. Take the artifact with you, and put it around her neck. Only she can activate it.”
The old warrior clasped his sword hilt and nodded once. Out of anyone in the room, Arden trusted only Wrynric to carry out his orders. The rest would likely put their emotions before their duty. If he had to throw them into the secret passage leading out of Sunholm, he would. It would break his heart, but he’d do it. Too much was at stake to risk changing what he’d seen in his vision.
Loud voices came from outside the room. Arden glanced over at the door, his heart beating fast. It has begun.
Wrynric went to see what was happening, but Arden beat him to it. Arden threw open the door and saw people running into the repository, some carrying children in their arms, others valuables. A guard ran up to Arden, shaking with panic. “We’re under attack. They’re already inside the walls.”
Arden spun around. “All of you, head to the secret exit. I will meet you there.”
They hesitated, until he screamed at them to go. Thankfully they did as he commanded, including Meridia. She tried to touch him as she went by, but he motioned her to go.
When they had gathered before the bookcase that hid the secret door, Arden ran to get the artifact. He snatched it from the holder where the librarians had been studying it and raced back into the main room.
On the lower level, the guards had forced the door shut. Many of the people who had fled in from outside made their way to the top level. “Go over to Wrynric,” he ordered them. “He’ll lead you to safety.”
They didn’t argue. Arden went to the guardrail and shouted down to the guards on the lower level. “Where are the rest of you? Who’s attacking us?”
A scion called Thrim shouted up to him. “Most of us are already dead or cut off from the repository. We lack the numbers to go out there and—”
“Who is attacking us?” Arden had never seen who they were in his vision. “Is it the bone-scum?”
“We’re not sure who’s attacking us, but they must have had help. They came through the front gates and the guards stationed there did nothing.” Thrim shuffled his feet. “Someone told me they saw a young red-headed woman enter the guardhouse a few minutes before the attack.”
Arden gripped the railing tight, his vision of Semira destroying Sunholm in his mind. Could it be? Could his daughter be behind this? How many young women in Sunholm had red hair? He wanted to rush out into the town and save as many of his people as he could, but his visions—
His thoughts scattered as he noticed Wrynric beside him. The old man glared down at Thrim. Had he heard? Did he think Semira was behind this?
The others had gathered at the railing too. Had they all heard?
Rage filled Arden and he shoved Wrynric back. “You need to go. Take everyone you can, but if the librarians won’t follow you, then leave them behind and get to Safehold.” He doubted the librarians would leave their precious books and computers; many would rather stay here and die defending them.
Arden shoved the artifact into the old man’s hands. “When everyone is safe, take this to Kara.”
Wrynric hesitated, his eyes flicking between Arden and the front door. Arden shoved him again. “If you are still my loyal friend, you’ll go.”
Sighing, the old warrior gripped Arden’s arm for a moment, “May the Lost Sun watch over you.” Then he hurried away, yelling at the others to follow him. He opened the secret entrance and they filed in.
Meridia, Liana and Erinie hovered in the doorway. Arden went over to them. “Please go.”
“Come with us, Father.”
“No, I cannot. My vision was clear. It showed me staying here to confront our attackers. We can’t deviate from it, or we’ll put everything at risk.”
Meridia’s lower lip trembled. He went over and hugged her. “Take care. I will return to you when this is over.”
She kissed his neck then with one final gentle touch, she backed away and waited for the other two. Erinie came to him next and gave him a quick hug. “I wish you were coming. Are you sure—”
“Yes, now go.”
She pulled away. “You were like a father to me.” Tears glistened on her cheek. “Please return to us.”
Arden forced a grin. “I will.”
A thump came from downstairs. It sounded like the front doors being pounded on by an angry mob. They were running out of time.
He gave Liana a quick kiss on the cheek. “You need to go. Take care of your mother for me. I love you.” He forced her in the door.
Spinning around, he hit the switch to close it then saw a group of librarians trying to drag computers and boxes of books into the vault. He glanced over the railing, saw the front door on the lower level was still closed, then raced over to help the librarians. Perhaps if they got as much of their histories into the vault, and locked it, the enemy would not be able to destroy it.
Arden grabbed a metal box filled with parchments and placed it in a haphazard pile to the side of the thick iron vault door. It was then he heard the doors on the lower level burst open. Then the screams started.
He hurried toward the railing and froze. No... “Liana,” he screamed. “What are you doing?” She was still here, standing at the railing, looking down at the lower level.
His heart raced. No, she was meant to go. I don’t care what I saw.
A strange sense of peace settled over him. She will be alright. A voice within him said. It must happen this way.
Who are you? He asked.
When you come to bask in the radiant light of the Sun, you will know me for who I am. I’ve been with you for many years, my love, and soon we will be as one. Now go stand beside your daughter, the time has come.
With those words lingering in his mind, Arden walked up beside Liana and peered down.
No... Semira stared up at him, her hands dripping blood. “Semira. My dear, sweet daughter. I prayed to the Lost Sun that this day would never come.” My vision was true. She has come to kill me and destroy Sunholm.
She pointed her sword at him. “I’m here for the artifact. Give it to me.”
He shook his head. “It’s not yours to take. Please don’t do this.” I loved you, Semira. Why? Why are you doing this?
“I need to. I’ve had visions of my own... of a sort. The artifact is dangerous and it must be destroyed, for the good of us all.”
Tears ran down Arden’s face as he watched the last guards and librarians on the lower level be slaughtered. He started sobbing. “I’m sorry that I’ve failed you and that you came to hate us so.”
A black-clad man stepped beside her. “We have come to stop the Prophecy of Ibilirith from coming to pass. That item you hold will destroy us all. Hand it over or die.”
Arden recognized him. He was the leader of the Knives of Dwaycar, a sect of Stelemians who had long ago been exiled into the Nether. He and Arden had spoken once, a few years back, when the knives had come to Sunholm to trade. But why did he think the artifact had anything to do with some Stelemian prophecy? How did they even know the artifact was here?
Liana buried her face in his side and burst into tears. He pulled her close. “Why didn’t you flee?” She didn’t answer or didn’t hear. Arden addressed the man downstairs. “We don’t even know what it is, Dark Brother. My people and yours have been at peace for many years. You could have approached us and stated
your concerns, yet you’ve come here and murdered us in our sleep.”
Semira kicked a chair and sent it flying. “Enough talk, Father. Give us the artifact.”
Liana pushed away from him. “You’re too late, Sister. Some have managed to escape through the secret tunnels. They have it, not us.”
“You lie,” the knife of Dwaycar snarled.
Arden laughed bitterly. “No lie, spawn of Dwaycar. The item is gone and you’ll never find it.”
Suddenly, Semira sprinted toward the stairs. A guard threw a dagger at her, but she ducked under it. Another wave of peace came over Arden as he watched his first born daughter speed toward him. Her face was twisted with hate, her eyes burning with madness.
Liana fought against him, but he held her back.
Then intense pain hammered through him, as he felt Semira’s sword tear through his guts. A deep serenity descended upon him. He could still feel the pain, feel the sword inside him, but the sensations were distant, a part of his world, but in the background and easily forgotten.
He noticed he had gripped Semira’s shoulder. She looked just as she had in his vision. “I knew this day would come. I saw it in a dream years ago. If I’d known it was today... Your sister—please don’t hurt her—”
Blood gurgled up Arden’s throat. “I hoped my vision was wrong and that you didn’t hate us so. You’re my daughter... How could—” His knees gave out and he fell, taking Semira with him. Somehow he still managed to hold Liana back. “Do not walk long in the dark, daughter. Return to the Light of the Lost Sun, or you’ll become a slave to darkness forever.” He opened his mouth to forgive her, but his time was done. Such was the way of things.
The light faded and he was gone.
EPILOGUE
Arden flew through the darkness at what felt like immutable speed.
Was he dead? Was this the end?
Something in the black grabbed his leg, and with a gut-wrenching jolt, he came to a stop. Fingers moved up his legs and he tried to scream, tried to move to knock them away, but he found he had no body, or at least not one he could control. Then the fingers slipped away and he was hurtling forward again. Another hand tried to grab him, but the force propelling him forward tore him from the hand’s grip.
Fall of a Lost Sun_The Prequel novella to the Lost Sun World Page 7
