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Author's Chapter Notes:

Hey Chamber-mates! It has been a loooooong week but I am happy that I was able to get the time to write this chapter for you guys, so here you go!




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


They made for a small gap in the cities wall; created in essence as a way to provide a source of irrigation for the city from the tributary, that feed the thick lush forest to the south, when it’s walls were first erected. With the advent of man’s desire to exceed the limits of the world they knew as nature had intended it, they had cut the stream’s path into the city and with the forty year ravage of the Citadel’s forces on the surrounding land the dislodging the boulders that had once stemmed the water’s flow not only into the city but from the very arm the fed the bordering woods. Many had expected the forestry to recede from the city’s line but to all’s amazement the trees grew on now taking on a darker and more sinister aura. The once lush with green canopies, skittering creatures and an inviting shelter for those traveling the long and often scorching routes of trade to Okeanida now their great branches overstretched the bounds of the road ensuring those who passed to closely their reach.

If they feared even walking the periphery of the forest’s edge the local peoples dared not venture into the woods hoping to avoid whatever enchantment or toxic misfortune caused this occurrence, fearing for their sanity as well as their lives. Now it provided a most convenient escape route.

Down winding shallow stone steps they descended reaching the basin only as the armed men pressed in around them from every direction. Mordan had hoped that they sudden detour down the steps would have been well disguised as the stairwell was well hidden amongst the alleys and derelict structures. Alas, it seems that he too was guilty of underestimating their pursuers, who nearly managed to thwart their decampment.

The Celestial Lady had been on their side and his timing impeccable. For when they were feet from the crumbled archway on the other side of the wall and their instinct leaned towards flight into the woods a short distance they found themselves surrounded. With sword and arrow pointed at them from all conceivable angle, Mordan fixed his eyes heavenward and waited for a –miracle.

At the appointed time when both sun and celestial beings occupied the sky and the light became a hued with their mixed magnificence. A swarm of winged insects took flight and forming a sphere around them. There number was so great that it was like a thick velveteen curtain had been drawn around them isolating them from outside eyes. The insects created a loud buzz around them with the beating of their wings and chatter.

The swarm was concentrated around the armed men, the insects constant buzzing and erratic flight paths causing the men to jostle about and lower their weapons. Seeing their distraction and a chance for flight, Mordan glanced over to Kalo searched also for a chance to flee, their eyes caught in the distance and a silent message was conveyed between the two men Mordan’s eyes only lingered long enough to see Kalo reach out and grasp Kit by the scruff of his neck in preparation. Turning to the space between the two men created by their fight with the insects, Mordan dashed forward towards the insects that cleared a path for their exit as though a curtain in truth parting --drawing open, allowing the lingering light of the day to guide them out of the swarm. As soon as their small party was through the gap closed soundly behind them.

Kit, once again being dragged away from all of the action, watched as the insects collapsed upon the men and created a dark cloud around them before he was quickly submerged in the dense foliage of the forest.

 

The Hermit’s cottage appeared quiet and welcoming in the last of the day’s light that dappled through the canopy they traveled under, deep within the forest in a small clearing of trees surrounded by thick shrubbery smoke billowed softly from the single stack on the thatched roof. Kalo froze briefly as the scene came into full sight, the picture it presented as they walked up to it familiar to him as he had seen in his mind all those days ago. Somehow through all the unexpected detours, confusion and fleeing he had arrived at the very place he had been searching for, where the vision had led him.

“Ah, I see everything has been prepared for our arrival.” The Hermit exclaimed gleefully, making his way to the cottage’s door and into the space beyond it.

Kit stepped forward to follow in the old man’s footsteps, noticing that Kalo made no move to follow, he turned back to ask, “You not coming Kalo?”

Unfortunately Kalo’s mind was occupied with other thoughts and he did not hear the boy’s question. Stopped as he was, just staring at the cottage, his mind reeled with snippets of all the things that he had seen in the daydreams— no, not mere thoughts of fancy but actual visions if what he could see before him was to be believed, that had so plagued him for the last few months.

  Kalo pushed the thoughts aside for the moment realizing that answers would only come if he followed where the visions had led him, or at the very least so he hoped. It was high time that the old man started talking he decided, there were too many unanswered questions for his peace of mind and he would be put off no longer.

 Having made that decision Kalo strode off in the direction that the old man had taken coming to the cottage’s entrance he braced his hand against the scarred wooden door and stepped into the cottage.  The sight that greeted his was one of clutter and disarray with piles of paper, vials of questionable substances and tinkering instruments crowded every available surface and towered to the ceiling. Kit sat before the hearth, the feline strewn over his lap as he petted her fur. The old man leaning over the boy and feline that was stretched over the boy’s lap he stretched out his hand running it along the feline’s body.

The boy suddenly shrieked, pointing up at the old man’s shoulder, causing even Kalo to jump where stood in the doorway.

“It is one of those insects.” The boy cried. “There on your shoulder, kill it!” Kit didn’t bother hiding his horror at its presence swiftly scooping the feline into his arms and scurrying away from the old man. Mordan calmly glanced at his shoulder and the insect that perched there. Without even brushing he creature from his person, he turned a smiling face towards Kit.

“This is no simple insect.” Taking up the insect with the hand on his other arm, Mordan lowered it before Kit in his palm, “Allow me introduce you to one of my oldest friends and dearest companion, Mita.” The insect, which under closer scrutiny resembled a large beetle clicked pincers and beat its shiny black wings with glee and performed the simplest of bows much to Kit’s delight and as he responded with a respectful bow of is own head in return wonder at the creature lit up his face.

“And you dear Mita, may I congratulate you on a job well done this afternoon.” Mordan addressed to the beetle who continued to click in response. “Nice touch bringing in the Pompilidae group over, added just the right touch of drama I think.” Mita clicked on gaily at the old man’s words of praised before scuttling from his palm under the sleeve of his robe and out of sight.  

Turning back to the feline in Kit’s lap Mordan once again stroked over her body this time whispering lowly to her. Kit could not recognize the words the old man used but Lycia, hearing his voice, lifted her head and mewed quietly to Mordan. A concerned look marred his face as he stood and turned away from the feline and began rummaging around the room.

Moving with new purpose, the old man scurrying about picking up vials and quickly discarding most of them a few, Kalo saw, he poured at varying amounts into the pestle that he totted along as he wandered about muttering to himself as he made his concoction.

Kalo watched in silence, the picture of domestic happiness before as though they hadn’t only been running for their lives.

“Shut the damn door!” Mordan snapped at Kalo looking up from where he stood pouring the mixture into a kettle that hung over the hearth’s fire. Kalo snapped to closing the door soundly behind him and making his way further into the cabin slowly navigating the overcrowded space. Leaping over a particularly precarious tower of dishware littering the floor, Kalo’s eye was caught by a bowl containing a selection of both large and small beveled glass shards.

Curiosity niggled Kalo. He picked up the bowl carefully, closer inspection revealed that they were not clear glass that could be seen through instead it seemed that they were shards from a looking glass that only reflected whatever was presented before it. Reaching into the bowl, Kalo picked up one of the shards and suddenly his vision was filled with Amethyst eyes and raven black hair and suddenly Camisa filled his vision her dark brown skin marred with grime her locks matted together, the look of pain in her eyes pierced his heart and a shrill scream filled his ears. Startled by his vision, the shard dropped lifelessly from his hand back into the bowl, the sharp clang as the shard landed atop the others rang in his ears as he stared blindly into space wishing the vision to linger.

The Hermit wrestling the bowl from Kalo’s hands snapped his attention back to the cottage and with it his hopes of more. His hands now empty, Kalo dropped them uselessly to his sides and met the curious eyes of the old man who stood before him. Kalo wondered at the look in his eyes unsure if it was only curiosity that he saw in its dark depths. They watched one another for a long moment before Mordan turned slowly away and replaced the bowl to its original place. Kalo watched as he turned back to him there eyes meeting once again before he spoke, “You should not touch.”

“What is it?”

“An ancient and powerful device meant for watching.”

“Watching?”

“It can show you the past, present, future, enemies and your allies.” Mordan replied quietly.

“Those shards of looking glass?” Kalo asked unbelieving.

“You touched it and saw something did you not?”

Kalo thought of the eyes both golden and amethyst and the scream that he had experienced in his vision but left Mordan’s question unanswered not prepared yet to share what he had seen there. Kalo turned sharply away from the old man as he felt the walls closing in around him. His breaths came and left him quickly he chest heaving with the effort. He tried to control his still his breath and calm his racing heart looking around for a path to the door. Finding a route Kalo swiftly made for the door paying no mind to the items that succumbed to gravity in his wake.

Grasping the handle, Kalo ignored the cries of both Kit and The Hermit and stormed out into the night that had fallen around them leaving the door to shut soundly behind him with a dull thud.

 

 

The night was obscure and quiet in the forest surrounding The Hermit’s cottage. With no destination in mind and he let his feet lead him as they may, he wasn’t sure of the time passing or the direction he was taking and it was not until he reached the rocky shore of a brook that he stopped.

The moon shined brightly above him as he stood at the water’s edge the trees not as thick along its shore line allowing him to gaze at the silver orb fully hung in the night sky. Distance from the boy and the old man and his cluttered cottage helped quiet Kalo’s mind and in its silence, he was no closer to finding the answers to his questions. The vision he had back at the cottage still haunted him.

 Camisa. The thought of her in danger; hurting and longing for him threatened to set his heart racing again. He had promised that he would always come back for her and so he had no doubt that she was waiting for him, wherever she was. Hopelessness sunk into his body and the weight of it dropped him to his knees until he was seated at the shore with nothing but the moon and the babbling brook to accompany him. 

Camisa’s fate haunted him for hours passed or it was only a few moments while Kalo sat there made despondent by the impossibility of it all. He still remembered her as child with flowers in her flowing hair as she raced along side him through the fields that surrounded their village. Her skin the color of sable a complete contrast to his own pale complexion glowed under the light of the sun, eyes of tarnished gold.

 From a playful child filled with wonder she had grown into a temptress—his temptress. If he thought long and hard enough, he could almost smell the perfume of her skin; clean woman, sunshine and a touch of natural spice that even in all his travels he had never again encountered. Kalo’s body stirred in memory of the feel of her skin and the light in her eyes when she saw him. She was so full of hope and love—a brighter future where they would not only be lovers in the dark of night.

If what he had seen was indeed, as the old man had told him, what the future held for his love then she too would be marred by the years that separated them. Kalo knew that the years had changed him to, what he had seen, done and not done for the sake of a common cause had taken a provincial boy barely in the shadow of manhood and turned him into a killer who no longer knew the gentle touch of innocent love. The thought of her bright light, her spirit no longer present in his or this world—no Kalo shook his head angrily at the thought.

Camisa was his lodestar. His guiding light in the darkness that been his life while he marched with the Guard. She was—is, for had to still be living no other option could be possible if Camisa no longer walked amongst the living Kalo would see to the end of all those who had taken part in it. 

 

 

Phalan too, dreamed of dusky skin and amber eyes. The captive girl who had brought to the Citadel from some distant area who had in a single glance captured his heart. A heart that he had long thought turned to stone beat once again. They had never exchange even a single word but Phalan found himself often thinking of the woman, journeying down to the cells in which she and other woman were kept locked away were no one could see them. He was determined to have her for his own and come death or madness, he would. 






Chapter End Notes:

Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! Do I sense intrigue on the horizon? We will just have to wait and see.... 

Until Next Week!







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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.