by D. L. Kramer
Her sister's maneuvering was far removed from Jensina's purpose, and the more she tried puzzling it out, the more anxious she got. Finally, she made herself stop, realizing there was an easier way to do this.
With a thought, the two souls she wished to speak with appeared before her. The contrasts between the two were remarkable, and made her wonder how they ever could have been related.
"Kile d'Olorun," she greeted the first blonde haired man. "Valerik d'Olorun," she greeted the other, his own blonde hair long and the front nearly hiding his scowl.
"Ye're not our goddess," Valerik returned, his accent thick and heavy as his tone matched his expression.
Kile looked to his ancestor after nodding to Jensina. "Ye might show a bit more respect to the goddess who convinced Zakris to spare ye're soul," he said deliberately. "Though I still don't think ye were deservin' of that much mercy."
"Thou art very well versed to know that," Jensina said, dropping for a moment into the formal speech of her Dwellers. Though the Olorun line was her sister's, she had been drawn to the honor Kile possessed and had often blessed his family. "I called you here, hoping perhaps either of you could answer a question for me."
"I don't know how," Kile said. "Ye know more than either of us ever will."
Jensina smiled at his obvious understatement. "There are some things that I do not take part in--war first among them. I limit my participation into simply calling home the souls of my faithful who are cut down." She paused for a moment, considering both of the shades before her. Kile, noble and honorable above any king that had lived and died, and Valerik, whose viciousness had destroyed thousands of lives. But still, they were not too far removed from each other. Where honor and dishonor clashed, experience and ability matched; before her stood two of the most accomplished warriors any of the gods had ever created. "I know you have both seen what Halona is doing. Perhaps you could--enlighten me as to her intentions towards my son?"
"She doesn't speak of 'er intentions to us," Valerik said. "She keeps 'em to 'erself."
"Ye know," Kile said, his tone level as he looked at Valerik again. "If we were both alive, I'd 'ave to kill ye."
"Ye'd try," Valerik returned. "I led an army three times the size of any ye commanded."
"Aye," Kile nodded. "But my men followed me because they believed in me and in Nahtan. Ye're men followed ye because they greedy." He looked at Jensina. "I can see what Halona's doin'," he said. "And I don't like what I'm seein'."
"Please, continue," Jensina nodded to him. She'd heard both her sister and father talk about the dislike Kile and Valerik held for each other. Kile d'Olorun viewed his forefather as little more than an animal, while Valerik saw his descendant as weak and unworthy of the Olorun name.
"She's tryin' to get ye're son to do what ye're father refuses," Valerik said, speaking before Kile could continue. "It looks like she's hopin' 'e can finish what 'e started in Herridon."
"What do you mean?" Jensina asked, not liking what they were telling her. "How can he 'finish' that?" To her surprise, Kile and Valerik exchanged rather knowing looks.
"Nahtan's the only one besides ye're father who might be able to destroy Zared," Kile answered after a moment. "But I 'ave a feelin' Halona doesn't know just what she's manipulatin'. As the Wardsman 'as shown many a time, there's powers at work there that not even ye all know about."
Jensina began wringing her hands as she turned away from the two warriors for a moment. Rena had told her some of the things Nahtan remembered from his previous life, and most of them would rival Valerik's deeds. Surely her sister wasn't trying to unleash--she turned back to them.
"How would you stop him?" she asked.
Valerik shrugged and motioned to Kile, letting him answer.
"Nahtan's a good lad," Kile said. "It takes a lot to get 'im just to lose 'is temper. I don't know if anythin' would truly make 'im that mad. And if it did, I don't know how ye'd stop 'im."
"Ye've got Sewati there anyway," Valerik added. "Since 'e was born just to stand at Nahtan's side, I don't think he'd let 'im do anything like ye're thinkin'."
"But if my sister succeeds," Jensina's voice was quiet with dread. These strange, abandoned souls possessed skills and abilities the gods had never even considered giving their mortals. The Wardsman's ability to protect any creature in the forest was proof of it. If their powers were let loose with no control... "Yes, Sewati," she nodded her head slowly. The son of her servant Notaku and the start of his own, new, family line. Sewati d'Mowik was fulfilling his destiny to stand at Nahtan's side better than Jensina ever hoped he would. His calm and wisdom could stand the battering of the fiercest storm. Hopefully he could also stand against her sister's schemes and keep Nahtan on the path Mo'ani d'Herridon had set him on. "Thank you," she said finally, nodding to the two warriors. "Please, if you see Halona endangering Nahtan or any of his allies, let me know."
Kile nodded his head while Valerik continued to scowl as they returned to Halona's spirit realm.
"Please don't make me stand against you as father had to stand against his brother," Jensina said quietly to her absent sister. She did not want to divide her family any more, but would not allow her sister's schemes to destroy the lives of her mortals. If things progressed as they had been, she would have no choice but to take a direct hand in keeping Nahtan safe.
Twenty Four - "Don't kill him"
After he'd paid her part of what she requested, Korrie led Nahtan and the others south. Eventually, they came across a low stone wall, about waist high on Nahtan. Behind the wall, a low white stone building sat several yards back from the wall. Faded red symbols hid behind overgrown shrubs and weeds and the trees shadowing the building hadn't been trimmed or cared for in years. There wasn't a sign of anyone or anything there, but for some reason, Korrie held back as Nahtan started to approach the rotten wood gate set into the wall.
"I'll just wait here for you if that's where you're going," she said, sitting down with her back against the low wall.
"What is it?" Nahtan asked her, pausing outside the gate. Something about the temple pulled at him, wanting him to come nearer, but at the same time, gripping him with a chill. It was Yenene, however, who put a description on the sensation.
"It feels like Kutci," she said, her hands resting on the wall. She turned her head and her black eyes searched Nahtan's. "In the cave, remember how it felt?"
Nahtan looked at the temple again, trying to feel that same overpowering sense of presence both Kutci and the Wardsman had. Slowly, almost fearfully, he could feel it--her--he corrected himself. She knew he was there, and his presence terrified her.
"That place is haunted," Korrie told him, staying seated. "Nobody who goes in there comes out sane."
Nahtan nodded his head absently, his eyes intent on the building. It was then that he realized what she was so afraid of. Like Kutci, she was able to feel him as both his true self, and as the mortal he was now. And the hatred he now had for Thorvald was reminding her of how he had been.
Without another word, he turned and walked through the gate, motioning for the others to stay behind. Almost immediately, something seemed to blow against him from the inside, sending a rushing sound through his head. He focused his eyes on the temple's door and kept walking. Eventually, the rushing in his head stopped, and a despairing wail seemed to come from the air itself. Though barely a whisper, it seemed almost a scream to him as he remembered what it had sounded like when first uttered.
"Shaerya'il," he said, his voice level as he said her name. "These people cannot hurt you and have more in common with you than you could know."
The wail quieted and the air around him became dreadfully still. He knew she was waiting, listening for the deception she expected from him. He had given no regard to her feelings once, and knew she blamed him for her loss. "They have lost their children, too," he continued, his voice sincere. "Aiqho'il has taken a wood in the north for a home and chosen a race called the Dwellers to protect. Jhaintro'il lives
in a cave in the east, helping the people there with her healing ability." He turned in a circle, trying to feel for where the mother had centered her existence. "These people here know your loss--many of them have felt it themselves. Don't you see they can be your children now?" Another wail blew through him, this time one of true loss. Over the centuries since they had gone their separate ways in this land, she was finally able to truly mourn the loss of her children. "They need someone to protect them, someone to guide them--someone to love them. These people here now are not all bad. They aren't blinded by the prejudices we had." He turned his head suddenly, feeling Shaerya'il's presence slip past him. Bear had asked him once why their spirits were so different, and Nahtan had not been able to answer him then. He still couldn't explain the differences, but knew they were there.
"Find someone here, Shaerya'il," he told her. "Find one with an open mind and heart and eventually you will be able to speak with them. Let them give you a name of their world and for as long as there are people here, you won't be alone again."
The wail seemed to grow stronger for a moment, and Nahtan could see the branches of the trees overhead blow with no wind, then all felt silent. He closed his eyes as Shaerya'il's mind touched his briefly, then dissipated slowly. When he opened his eyes again, the courtyard to the temple felt oddly empty, as if the air itself had died.
Nahtan bowed his head slowly, taking a deep breath. So much loss. He had held the life and death of a world in his hands once, and had chosen death. Against his will, the memory of that power ignited the hatred in him again, bringing it to life in a powerful surge. Now he had found one of the few spirits who had begged him to choose life. Could he ever find redemption? He hoped Shaerya'il was able to find one to learn to touch, as Kutci touched Yenene. Of all the pain he had inflicted on her soul, he had never lied to her. With any luck, she would remember that.
He turned to walk back towards the others. Brijade watched him with a slightly curious expression and nothing more, while Yenene nodded her head in silent agreement to what he had said. Rial's lips were pursed and his look was calculating as he watched Nahtan's approach. Korrie had stood up at some point, and watched him now, her eyes wide and a look of shock on her face. As he neared the gate, she shook her head and opened her mouth as if to speak, but then closed it, obviously at a loss for words.
"Shall we?" Nahtan asked them, motioning for them to come with him to the temple.
The main door was secured shut with a heavy, rusted chain and lock. Rial examined the lock for a minute, then stood up shaking his head.
"It's too rusted," he said. "You'd have better luck banging away at it with your sword."
"Such an eloquent way you have of putting things," Brijade noted dryly.
Rial shrugged and moved out of the way as Nahtan reached over his shoulder and drew his longsword. The heavy blade was immediately comfortable in his hands. Wedging the tip between the lock and the chain, he pushed his strength into it. The lock gave way after a moment and clattered to the stone steps. Nahtan took a moment to check the blade for any nicks before resheathing it as Brijade pulled the chain off and pushed the door open.
The air inside the temple was musty and dry and the floor just inside the doorway was covered with a thick layer of dust. Korrie hesitated just outside the door, then shrugged her shoulders and followed them in.
Nahtan took the lead in the circular hallway, following it around toward the back. Along the walls, Jensina's Symbols were painted at even intervals and he let his fingers lightly pass over them as he walked past. Each time, a familiar warmth met his fingers from each red line he touched. After a short distance, they came upon a set of double doors. Nahtan pushed them open easily, leading the others into the central room. Each of the four walls were painted in the symbols and light filtered in through covered holes in the roof. A snow-white altar sat in the middle of the room, fine dust covering it.
"It feels so safe here," Korrie said, coming into the room. Her grey eyes were wide with wonder as she looked around.
"Jensina protects her temples," Yenene told her. "They are a haven for any who are true to her."
"I wish I'd known--" Korrie walked to the center of the room by the altar. With one finger, she lightly touched the dust. "It's white," she said, turning to look at Yenene. Smiling almost in surprise, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Even her dust is pure."
Nahtan's eyes scanned the walls, looking for one symbol in particular. Finally, his eyes found it on the far side of the room. Walking over to it, he knelt and placed his hand against it. The symbol seemed to glow under his touch, jumping to a brightness the other symbols lacked. An intense heat threatened to burn the skin from his fingers, but stopped before he withdrew his hand.
"What's that?" Brijade asked, appearing at his side.
Nahtan turned to glance up at her.
"Witness," he answered. "It's the symbol Jensina uses to mean me."
Brijade reached out and traced the symbol around Nahtan's fingers. "This one--" her voice was unsure as she traced the symbol again. "--On your back?"
Nahtan nodded. He hadn't thought about the scars on his back for some time. He hadn't even remembered them when Brijade came to him the night before. No doubt she had felt them, however, when her fingers ran over his bare skin.
"Perhaps you should bring your daughter here," Rial suggested, still standing just inside the room, almost as if he were unsure about coming all the way in. "If Jensina truly protects her temples, then she would be safest here."
Nahtan stood up and turned to look at him. His gaze shifted to Yenene.
"I don't think there would be any danger here," she said, her voice halting. "Jensina says the temple sleeps for now, though, and will take some time to reawaken."
Nahtan nodded. "This would probably be safer than the camp," he noted. He looked at Korrie next, who still looked around herself in obvious awe of the room. "Can you find out where Thorvald and his group are staying?"
It took her a moment to look back at him. "Hmm? Oh, yes. I should be able to find out by morning for you."
"Okay," Nahtan nodded. "I'll meet you back here at the temple tomorrow morning then." Walking back to the double doors, he waited until the rest had slipped from the room before pulling them closed and leading them from the temple.
Korrie parted ways with them several streets later. Nahtan and the others returned to the main square and waited off to the side of the road for the others to show up. Before long, Calan appeared, leading his horse and whistling cheerily. Nahtan returned his whistle with one of his own and Calan sauntered over.
"You seem to be in a pretty good mood," Nahtan noted. "Was your day productive?"
"Very," Calan said, lifting one foot to dust dirt off the top of his boot. "Several merchants are under orders to provide food and supplies to Thorvald and his group at no charge. I offered to compensate them for their trouble if they would let me know what Thorvald takes and when." His smile grew. "They were more than willing to oblige me."
"Excellent," Nahtan said. With knowing what supplies Thorvald was taking, he would be able to gauge how far he was planning to travel in the future and how many people he had with him. When Brijade whistled from beside him, he looked up to see Tosia, Gaurel and Garren approaching. Tosia's expression was serious, and both Gaurel and Garren seemed concerned about something. Nahtan waited until they were closer before raising an eyebrow at Tosia.
"There hath been no sign of Thorvald's horses," she said, her tone quiet. "Not even of the Dwellers' horse."
Nahtan's brow creased. He didn't know of any way that Thorvald could have hidden the minds of the horses from Tosia. The only thing that erased a horse's mind was death. Nahtan hoped that wasn't the case, but couldn't see any other explanation.
"We can look more anon," Tosia told him. "Mayhaps those riders with him who concealed their personages so well have found a way to hide the horses' minds from me."
Nahtan nodded, not trusting himself to speak at th
at moment. He continued to fume in silence until Mo'ani and Adie appeared seemingly out of nowhere from the side.
"Part of his guard is staying in two inns up the street," Adie said when Nahtan looked at her. "The others are staying at the barracks. No sign of Thorvald or the other three in the cloaks, though."
"He probably guessed I'd be looking for him," Nahtan said. "So he won't be staying anywhere obvious."
"How did your day go?" Mo'ani asked him. "Did you find the temple?"
Nahtan nodded. "We found a young thief who was willing to act as our guide," he said. "She seems to know a great deal about Edgewind and what we're doing." His eyes met Mo'ani's with a deliberate look. "Remind me to tell you about it later." He didn't really want Garren knowing just yet that he wasn't entirely what he appeared. He didn't know how well his brother would handle knowing Nahtan's soul didn't come from the gods like the others'.
Mo'ani nodded his head, acting like it was just something ordinary to discuss over an ale at a tavern.
Several minutes passed before Mallin appeared at one end of the street, leading his horse. He made his way towards them without any problem, most of the common folk hurrying to get out of his way.
"You certainly create a stir," Mallin said to Nahtan when he reached them. "The two guards at the gate lost no time getting back to the barracks to tell their fellows there were Mo'ani here."
"Great," Nahtan sighed. He had been hoping to get at least one day before word spread too far about his presence.
"However," Mallin continued. "No one is in any hurry to let Thorvald know. It appears half of them are hoping you hunt him down and cut off his head and the other half are wondering if you pay in real coin."
Nahtan raised an eyebrow at him. "I can arrange to," he commented. "I take it you let a few things slip conveniently?"
"A few," Mallin nodded his head. "Whether or not you'll have anyone take you up on it remains to be seen."
Nahtan nodded his head. "Let's head out to the army's camp then," he said. "I need to be back here first thing to find out what Korrie gets for me about Thorvald." He looked at Rial. "And I think I may want Valry and Tion brought to the temple here and secured inside."
