The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (10 page)

“I see you have mastered the Drift Calling,” Zayle said with praise.

“I should have tried harder,” Kade said, feeling a swirl of emotions.

“Do not dwell on what has passed unless it helps you in the present or future,” Zayle said wisely.  “Tell us what has transpired since my passing.”

“There is so much, Master.  I don’t know where to start,” Kade said.

“Tell us what you believe to be relevant,” the man to Zayle’s right said.  He was tall and looked like a warrior.  He had broad shoulders and a thick chest.  The look in his eye said he meant business but it also showed deep wisdom.  The person who tried to pull one over on this Ancient Chosen was going to learn a hard lesson.

“This is Talos,” Zayle said with a casual indication of an open hand.  Kade gave a nod at the solid looking man and then returned his eyes to his teacher.

“I have been in contact with Morg several times.  He almost killed me twice,” Kade said, cringing at the memory.

“We are aware.  You almost crossed,” the other man said.  He was not even half the bulk of Talos but there was an air of confidence that said he was as deadly as they come.  Kade expected to hear the voice of an old, frail man, but instead, there was power when he spoke.  Kade was certain that he would be a much better match for Morg than Doren.  The confidence and sheer force of will with this Ancient was palpable.  Kade cast a glance at Doren for just a moment.  Having the Master Chosen to assist with this fight against Morg was better than nothing but having one of these men at his side would have been more than he could hope for.  He faced the three figures once again.

“This is Lokk,” Zayle said with another open handed gesture.  The man gave a friendly smile but his eyes were solid steel.  Something told Kade that of the two Ancients, this one was dangerous beyond understanding.  And yet, he gave Kade a nod as if meeting another full-fledged Chosen.  The apprentice could not help but to swell at the show of respect. 

“Morg needs you so he can reach the Ancients,” Zayle said as he indicated the men standing at his sides.  He saw the confused look on Kade’s face and gave a nod of his head as he spoke.  “I assure you, they are the Ancients.  They may not look thousands of years old, but I promise you that they are the wise ones from long ago.”  This seemed to satisfy Kade so Zayle continued.  “We must know if Morg has knowledge of this arch.”

“No, he is still searching for it,” Kade said.  The two ancients relaxed visibly.

“How do we stop him while he has that bloody staff?” Kade asked as his mind recalled the brutal beating he had taken from the ornately carved piece of wood.  Morg seemed invincible while in possession of that all too powerful weapon. “Blood and Ash!  He is unbeatable with that thing!” Kade swore and instantly cringed at the use of such harsh language in his master’s presence, not to mention the Ancients.  The taller one seemed amused by Kade’s outburst and cast a quick sidelong glance at Lokk.  It was almost a look of approval but Kade did not watch him long enough to decide.  Zayle started to speak once more.  Kade missed the slight nod of the man’s head.

“You have no choice but to take it from him,” Zayle said, ignoring the profanity.

Kade’s eyes went wide.  He felt panic well up in him at the thought of being paralyzed again.  To be made a puppet while he was forced to watch the evil Chosen do as he wished scared him to the bone.  Kade could not imagine the torment he would feel if he were made to watch while Morg tortured Darcienna?  This was not the solution he was hoping for.  This was not what he expected from the wise and powerful Ancients.  The man on Zayle’s right saw Kade’s frustration and stepped forward.  His voice was deep and resonated with confidence and command.  Kade would have thought him a general in an army getting ready to lead the charge.

“As daunting a task as this may sound, the Divine Power is only as wise as the man using it.  Yes, the staff is powerful, but do not forget that he who depends solely on the Divine, has weaknesses that may be exploited,” the Ancient said.  He watched Kade calmly as he waited for the apprentice to fully comprehend what was just said.  “And, you have abilities which are not to be taken lightly,” Talos said with a grin.  There was a glint in his eye as he studied the Apprentice Chosen.  “You have power beyond what you are aware of, Chosen,” the Ancient said, adding the last part as a title of respect.  Kade beamed at that.

“He sounds like you,” Kade said to Zayle as he pondered the wise one’s words.

“That is a great compliment,” Zayle responded while giving a nod of his head.

“Master, I have so many questions I must ask.  I have some that are of a more personal nature,” Kade said hesitantly.

“You may ask,” Zayle prompted.  Talos gave a great heave of his chest and stepped back, allowing the young man a chance to speak his mind with his teacher.

“Master…it may sound foolish, but Doren has said he is prepared to take over my training,” Kade said as he glanced at the Master Chosen still standing over his body.

Kade turned back to Zayle and opened his mouth to continue but stood there without saying a word.  He knew he should be using this time to find the answers needed to defeat Morg, but coming face to face with his grandfather gave him the opportunity to address an issue that he was struggling with.  His heart ached.  He glanced at the Ancients, but neither had judgment of any sort in their eyes.  It was more infinite patience than anything.

“Continue to use the Divine, and practice your skills anyway you must.  Learn what you can from Doren, but be careful not to trust him too much.  He can be a formidable ally and an excellent teacher, but his thirst for knowledge is unquenchable.  He craves power more than any other of our kind.   Be cautious while walking that path,” Zayle said.  Before Kade could continue, the Master Chosen held up his hand.  “We will have much time in the future to talk,” Zayle said as he gave one of his rare, reassuring smiles.  Kade yearned to reach out for his grandfather but that was not Zayle’s way.  It was clear that this talk needed to be about the current crises.  Kade brushed aside his feeling and focused on the task at hand.

“How does the staff work?” Kade asked, desperately hoping to find a weakness.  He was certain that this line of questioning was not going to give him a way of taking the staff from Morg, but he still thought it best to know the weapon as best he could before trying to acquire it.  Before Kade could say much more, Lokk, confidently, but calmly, took two steps forward without taking his eyes off the young apprentice.  Kade fought the urge to step backward.  He was grateful that this man was his ally.  Lokk stopped next to Zayle as he cocked his head as if assessing the young man.  After a moment, he came to a decision and spoke.

“The staff embodies the movements needed to mold the Divine.  Each calling has a symbol that represents it.  The callings that the staff is imbued with are the callings the Chosen can perform.  No more and no less.  If the calling requires words to be spoken, then they must be spoken.  There might be callings on the staff that Morg may not be aware of,” the thinner Ancient said thoughtfully.  “Morg has become dependent on the staff for his power.  Remove the staff and he will be virtually helpless,” he said in conclusion and stepped back.

“What would happen if Morg was to find this place?  Why is it so important to him?” Kade asked.

“We have several guesses as to what he plans,” Talos said.  “If he destroys the calling set within the arch, he may set loose upon the world an evil of such proportions that it will never recover.  If the evil on this side gets through, there will be such suffering that even death will not be an escape,” he said with a seriousness that made Kade shiver.  “It is not the arch that is important but the calling held within the arch.  It is complicated.  By destroying the calling, he will tear a hole in the veil that separates the living from the dead.  But, if the arch is destroyed, the calling will just dissipate and there will be no way to cross from one side to the other.  Unfortunately, there will be no way for us to communicate, either.”  Zayle’s eyes went distant as he contemplated the Ancient’s words.  Kade watched his teacher for just a moment before continuing on.

“Does he have the power to destroy the arch or the calling?” Kade asked.

“He does, but he does not know it, yet,” the Ancient said cryptically.

“How could he have the power to destroy the gate but not know it?” Kade asked, pressing for the answer he knew they were hesitant to give.  The Ancients looked at each other and then to Zayle.

“Zayle?” Kade asked.  The Master Chosen sighed and reached out to put his hand on Kade’s shoulder.  The apprentice was so stunned at the physical connection that his knees almost gave out.  He did not expect to feel that touch, but more importantly, his teacher rarely showed affection with him in this way.  It was his grandfather he was seeing now.

“Be very careful, Kade.  Morg still believes he can use you to communicate with the dead.  He believes he can gain the knowledge he needs through you,” Zayle said.

“I will not tell him anything!” Kade said vehemently.  He was certain that nothing could be truer than what he had just vowed.

“No?” Zayle asked as his gaze fell on the beautiful, blue-eyed blonde kneeling over his body.  Kade turned and saw what his master was looking at and faltered.  “Even if her life hangs in the balance?” Zayle asked, nodding toward Darcienna with a raised brow as he studied Kade’s face closely.  The apprentice opened his mouth but no words came out.  He felt an invisible hand squeezing his heart.  A knot the size of his fist grew in his stomach and he realized in horror that the vow he had just spoken may, indeed, be difficult to keep.  He did not believe he would bend to Morg’s will, but he could not say how he would react if her life were to be threatened.  Zayle saw the look in his grandson’s eyes and nodded in the wise way he always did when he was able to teach a new lesson.  “We all have our weaknesses.  Be careful, Grandson.  Be careful.”

“I will, Master,” Kade said.  He did not know what he would do if her life were threatened, but he could no longer repeat the vow he had just given.  He was certain that Zayle, along with the Ancients, saw right through him as his mind struggled with how he might respond if it came to her life or the information from the Ancients.

“There is no shame in love, young one,” Talos said in his deep voice.  If you could so easily stand your ground, you would not be worthy of her love.  You are a good man.  We can see that,” the Ancient said with a knowing look.  Kade felt like an infant in the presence of greatness. 

“There is another here that has joined our fight thanks to you, my apprentice,” Zayle said as he smiled. 

Kade looked past his teacher, and there stood a woman, where a moment before, there had been no one.  His eyes widened in awe as he looked upon her face.  Kade quickly glanced over his shoulder at Darcienna and then back to the old woman.  She locked eyes with him, gave a smile and nodded once.  He looked back at Darcienna, eager to give her the news.

“Jorell has joined our cause thanks to you.  She has Nature’s Gift with her.  She is the first of her kind to bring her gifts when crossing over.  This is important, Kade.  Know this and remember it.  If her kind must pass, you can help them,” Zayle said.  “There is more that you must know,” he said, becoming deadly serious. 

“There is a book with many very powerful callings in it that belongs with the staff,” the larger of the two ancients said in a very deadly tone.  He was all business now.  “It is a book that explains all the callings that the staff is empowered with.  One of the callings is very complex and takes forty one moves to perform.  That is the one we used to create this arch.  With the help of the staff, it was possible to accomplish this.  There is also another calling that is equally as complex that could be used to destroy the arch.  The book was split into four separate books.  It is important that the books not fall into Morg’s hands.  It may even be best if they are destroyed.”

“Four?” Kade asked.

“There was only one, but it was split into several smaller books.  The information can only be attained when all four books are put together,” the smaller of the two Ancients said.

“Where are these books?  How do I find them?” Kade asked.

“To the one who finds them, they will appear to be blank.  The cover will be made of a metal-like substance,” the large Ancient said.

“Maybe that is what Morg is after.  Maybe that is why he wants to use me to access this gate,” Kade said.  The Ancients looked at each other and then back to him.  Kade got the feeling that he was missing something but decided to come back to it later.  “I want to know more about the books.  Where can I find them?”

“You have already found one,” Zayle said as he watched his apprentice.  Kade shook his head in confusion and then his eyes came open wide as he recalled seeing a book that fit the description.  It was in the sack being guarded by the Mordra.  “Yes, you have one of them,” he said, seeing the look on Kade’s face.  “I have been trying to locate the other books my entire life.  I know they need to be found, but I was not able to locate more than one of them.  The other three are scattered far and wide.  Find them.”

“Where can I find them?” Kade asked, sensing he was being forced to walk further down this path than he was hoping.

“I can only tell you that in one of my visions, I saw a landscape of crystal trees.  The area was of the purest white.  The sky was blue without a cloud in the sky.  I only saw this briefly but it was enough to tell me that one of the books can be located once the crystal trees are found.  I have no more about the books,” Zayle said with a slight shrug of his shoulder.