The Exodus Sagas: Book IV - Of Moons and Myth (36 page)

“
Who treads blindly into the Temple of the Sea? For wind and storm and water divine should block those that seek my misery…
” The voice was old and deep, raspy, and it echoed from far into the halfmoon doors beyond Saberrak.

Zen cleared his voice. “I am Azenairk Thalanaxe, heir to Kakisteele, devout of Vundren.
And who be you then?
”

“
No matter to me, follower of the mountains and seeker of glories
long past
.” The walls of water crept in and bubbled with disapproval.

“Shinayne T’Sarrin, faithful of Siril, and I seek your protection and wisdom in---“

“
Bother me not, I care nothing for the sky and
song, nor can I see the stars of
which you serve
.” Anger brewed in the water, it hummed with old fury, and Saberrak now looked to be struggling to hold his arms out.

James stepped forward next to the minotaur, placed his hand on his shoulder, and let the blue light flow from his palm into Saberrak. The walls of water seemed to weaken back. “I am James Andellis, and I ask your permission to pass below.”

“
Ahh do I feel my brother on your heart yet my mother in your touch. But you do not know of me nor I you, so bring not your confusion and sorrow here, I have enough in my eternity to suffice
.” A stone slab began to close and grind shut, a halfmoon slate of stone slid down to close the portal
ahead
, and the voice drifted further away.

“Before you stands Saberrak Agrannar, blessed of your lost brother
Annar
!” Gwenneth yelled it, though not truly sure if she believed it, and she thrust her hand forward with all her force. Purple pulsing spasms of arcane light ripped from her fingers to the stone slab, and it lifted.

“
You dare defy me woman! You believe in nothing, in none of the Gods nor
Goddesses, and you defy me here? How would you enjoy your punishment?”
The stone began to close again, splintering as the
powers
unseen from beyond forced it closed while Gwenneth unleashed humming energies that held it open.

“I believe in
him
!” Gwenneth pointed with her eyes and staff towa
rd Saberrak. “And you shall allow
him, and hear us for our arriving to you was no accident of the fates!” She clenched her fist, sweat beading on her face, and force
d
her arcane powers to open the portal once more. It raised, mere inches from the ceiling.

“
Powerful you may be, but I do not suffer mortal threats nor the forces of my fathers magic
al tricks
! You will---“

The gray minotaur stood, keeping his hands out wide to hold the water, and he raised his head. “
Had
dius, Ruler of Oceans and Winds, b
rother… please…
let us enter.”

“I know not that voice, yet I feel you
…
Annar
…
could it be
?” The waters that began to crush relea
sed, the halfmoon door was open
, and a faint blue light shone from descending stairs beyond as if beckoning them to come forward.
Gwenneth released her arcane forces, James let go Saberrak’s shoulder, and the minotaur bowed as he let down his arms. The water held safely to the sides
on its own
and calmed immediately. Shinayne and Azenairk stepped closer, watching for the water to crash and drown them all, yet it did not.

“I am not sure who I am, but I know who you are, I feel without seeing you. Let us pass.” Saberrak walked forward.

“
There are
one
s among you who believe
, and I wish to see
what they see
. Enter, b
rother, it has been untold millennia since we have spoken
.”

Haddius, forgotten and imprisoned God of the Oceans and Winds, invited
the five
beings into his prison. He had not seen a living soul in over two thousand years, since his last priests passed on here, entombed in water and sealed forever. In fact, he could see nothing s
ince God Yjaros had taken his freedom and had him chained
to the bottom of his temple
in darkness and solitude
. Yet, his feelings ran to his brother Annar, from what he cou
ld recall of him, and his immor
tal heart
beat quick as these five
approached.
Haddius would never admit it, but the arcane forces holding his stone door open
had been
stronger than his will to have them shut
. For the mortal woman wielding such power,
he was most curious
indeed
.

Border
C
rossroads
, South
of Vin Armon, Armondeen

Quite an encampment, this is no scouting party or border patrol
.
Angeline whispered into the thoughts of Kendari,
through the air,
despite his previous warnings to stay out of his mind and speak normally.

“
I am very impressed on your conversational abilities, but my ears function just fine, stay out of my head.”
He whispered back, crouching unseen behind the grove of maple and birch trees
c
over
ing
the crossroads. “
And no, that would be an army, several in fact. Not that I care, just that they are in my path to Vin Armon and now I have to go around.”

Angeline of Charity looked down at the tents of indigo and gold, banners of talons clutching lances and scepters, and the three t
housand or more men that had raised
camp with the eastern setting sun. Their scouts constantly watched the east, toward Freemoore, as if waiting for something. She, the deer, and Kendari had circled around
west to
the south side of the
armies, yet Angeline sensed the soldiers
would eventually head that direction
. Her feelings were strong that the men leading these forces
, Armondeen by the flags, had ill intentions. So in the cover of dusk the three
quietly avoided notice.

“
They have set camp early, with several hours of sun and strength remaining. Why
?”

“
Seems they wait for someone,
royal formation posted there to the east. Why
does it matter
?” Kendari raised his eyebrow, sensing a little curiosity and danger on the horizon, and mildly surprised she had spoke
n
aloud
,
finally.

“
If I knew why, I would not ask. But, we need to find out
.” Angeline raised her eyebrow back to Kendari as she whispered.
She had sensed it in her meditations this morning, something rising this evening, a decision.

“
I am all for sneaking up to thousands of Armondi soldiers at dusk and spying for
worthless
information and intention
s
. I doubt, however, that your goddess sent you with such a purpose. There may be
much
killing involved
.” He sneered, flashing his emerald eyes wide with a wicked smile.

“
Seirena sent me west, to find you, to find Gwenneth Laz
lette, and something else. This
could be that something else, or part of it anyway. I only kill if I must defend myself against the wicked, Kendari of Stillwood.
” She widened her green eyes at him, in
return, with a
similar
grin.

“
Wicked, eh? I like that word, suits me fine indeed. Very well, follow the line of that hillock, past the stream, behind the brush there. Then, we go in from the north, and be quiet
.” The cursed swordsman pointed to the direction of their incursion with his finger as he whispered.

“
Which tent
?” Angeline felt
Charity
throb and send her feelings of care and danger. She nodded to the enchanted Soujan blade on her hip that she would be cautious.

“
The one with all the guards, the large flags of Armondeen, and the one most protected of course. Your goddess needs to choose so
me educated servants
going forward, just my opinion
.” Kendari
retorted.

“
Grrwwwlll
.” The young deer voiced his discontent toward the Nadderi elf.

Kendari
, young deer in tow, crept out from their hidden vantage. Angeline followed, shadow to shadow, her blade disapproving of the cursed elf the entire time.
They stopped behind a hillock, Kendari took cover behind the rocky precipice, silent as death. His two companions caught up moments later. Angeline saw the men on patrol now, not one hundred feet down the hill. The sun was falling fast to the east.

“Remember,
assassin
, you are in her service now
as well. I would mind my words and deed
s
.” The knight of the secret order spoke under her breath.

“Assassins get paid, Angeline, so I would prefer
vigilante swordmaster
for this little trek across the continent. My nights of spilling blood for coin are on hiadus
, it would seem. Your goddess must be out of gold
.”

“Good, then keep it that way. A habit of murder is likely what got you as you are, and now on a journey of redemption. Not that you have taken it seriously.” Angeline watched the patrols changing position, their time to close in was near.

“I would not call four and a half centuries out of six,
a habit
. At one time, not long ago, it was a great accomplishment.” Kendari waited, his hand up to hold his companions ready.

“But not now, now you seek it undone or repaid. That is why I am here, and
why the deer
follows you.”

“Do not remind me, I may ponder the current situation with my past. Should I prefer the latter, you will be the first
corpse to hit the ground, Angeline. You still have not given me the name, remember?” Three more seconds and they had an unseen moment to take.

“You have said that for three days now, you are not going to kill me, Kendari.”

There were no words, none were needed. Kendari just smiled his wicked grin, blinked slowly
once
, and raised his chin ever so slightly at the comment.
If I
had a platinum coin for every poor soul
that spoke words like that over the centuries, I would have my own kingdom.

I
can hear you, Kendari
.

I know. P
ass it on to the deer and follow quickly
,
now
.

Without a spoken sound, the three rushed down the north side of the hill, leapt over the small stream at sunset, and dashed behind an overgrown patch of brush and weeds. Be
es buzzed from pr
ickly flower to
dying leaf in search of nectar. A pile of bones swarming with flies sat before them, tossed there by soldiers, and the heat washed a sickly stench to their noses. Though the bones held little remains, it was enough to be quite foul, and the wasted leftovers of several deer and horses ruined the harvest air. Eyeballs stared from a doe head, the tongue hanging just as still, and the vertebrae that should have connected to something
,
did not. Kendari put his hand over the deers mouth fast, hearing the start of a growling whine with a patrol of Armondi soldiers not twenty feet away.

Angeline soothed the deer with her hand on his back, slow strokes that seemed to calm him. “
Not now my friend, not now. Pray for their spirits to be in a better place
.”

Spirits in a…?
Pray it was delicious, family or not, I am starv---
The Nadderi elf felt something interrupt his thoughts.

Please stop
.

Onions, garlic, venison, I can smell it now, not sure about horsemeat though. Must be an Armondi dish. I would pass, myself, unless it was that stupid horse tethered back west. Him, I would eat him just for revenge.

I said stop, you are beginning to disturb my serenity.

Angeline glared at Kendari, who smiled in return, then went back to watching the patrols light torches as the sun fell to the east.
The Nadderi elf took off his leather glove, revealing
that
his hand was just as pale and covered with black spiral designs as his face and neck. He touched an golden band with three onyx stones, put his glove back on, and stealthily crept from the brush to the back of a tent. Then to another, pausing for passing guards who saw him not in the shadows, and then
he stepped without sound to the command tent. He pulled the cowl of his cloak over his head, squatted low, and placed his hands on his hilts. The slightest nod, the faint flicker of green eyes, and Angeline knew she was signaled to proceed.