Luke Swan and the Laistrynians: The Flood

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

~Answers~

I looked around my new bedroom.

I was in something that looked like a tepee, a tent with conical walls, only this was huge. Rugs of an unfortunate animal's fur covered the floor. A fire burned inside a glass cage, heating the tent, and smaller fires were flickering in similar glass bubbles that were suspended from the top of the tent, providing light. Small four-poster beds lined the room, each with a wooden plaque above it. Only one plaque had something carved into it, in detailed writing that really wasn't my style:

Luke Swan

I only had one problem with my new living space: everything was pink, purple, frilly and sparkly.

"This is a girl's room!" I protested.

"All the other tents are full. This was the only one with an available bed, and anyway; you won't be sharing with anyone," Zyra said.

There was a sickeningly girly chest of drawers beside my bed. I went over to it and opened one. I wasn't too happy to find sparkly skirts inside it.

I pointed to the drawer and said, "They made a mistake with the clothes in here."

Zyra suppressed a smile. "It will be sorted by morning. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Uh, sure," I said, and she sat down gently on my bed.

"Seeing as we're alone, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you."

Uh-oh.

"It's about this One with Music thing, isn't it?" I said.

"Indeed. You see, you caused quite a bit of commotion in Swaniquet when I brought you to Laistrynia. Swaniquet is Swanicaa's city, a city with populace who honour music. There is an old legend, a legend recorded by the first of Swanicaa's scribes, that tells of a musical prodigy that would someday take Swanicaa's place as the guardian of music.

"The legend says that a person with one shoe would come to Swaniquet, but not have any ancestral roots in the city. But this person would be a Laistrynian, an immortal being. You see the dilemma now?"

"I'm mortal," I said.

"Yes. But there is something in you that worries Selenos even more than I worry him. He seems convinced that you are the One with Music, and thinks you might be a keen asset in our retaining of the Halo. I'm willing to keep my eyes on anyone who Selenos considers a threat."

"But he might be making a mistake," I said. "I mean, this scribe might have recorded this prophecy, or whatever it is, wrong. I can't even do anything. I don't have any special powers. And I don't know anything when it comes to fighting, if you want me to be a part in this war."

"Luke, you can sing. You can play any instrument. Selenos can't do any of these things. And you are on the favoured side, the side of light and hope. Selenos's name means "dark moon" in our language, or in other words the new moon, a moon that doesn't show light. Would you like to go into battle knowing that your name means something dark and cold? For now, we have the advantage."

This wasn't possible. First, I find out that there's a kingdom in the sky and a dark parallel universe, and now people were saying that I could be the second god of music. I didn't know whether to be shocked or pleased or terrified or nauseous.

"You worry about not having any skill in battle," Zyra continued, "but this isn't a problem where you are. The encampment you are situated in is a training facility for combat magic. They will have to teach you combat first before they can teach you the magic part."

I had to admit it, that sounded awesome. A magic camp? I wanted to sign in right away.

Zyra's eyes bore into mine. "I understand you are eager to start," she said, "but you can't rush into anything straight away. You haven't even decided your path yet. And if you still need answers, you should sleep on it."

I wanted to protest, but I couldn't stop the wave of tiredness that washed over me when Zyra clicked her fingers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my dreams, I saw Selenos' dark kingdom.

Just seeing the place again sent a shiver down my subconscious mind. The lifeless see churned below the cliffs. The dark fortress loomed above me.

Someone was running along the base of the fortress. I realised that it was a ghostly figure of myself.

Wait... it wasn't me. This person was taller, more muscular, and definitely older. Maybe in his early twenties? It was hard to tell, just like how I couldn't place Zyra's age. But he still had my dark hair and hazel eyes. Was I looking at my future self? If so, why was I a ghost? And what in the two worlds was I doing back in this place?

"It's been aeons since I've seen my sisters," he muttered. "If only I knew the way home."

He stopped, and stared straight at me. "You... you will do just fine. I will return. I will see Zyra again. I will live again."

This man... this god...was Swanicaa.

"You will know sorrow like I have," he continued, still staring intently into my eyes. "But someday... you could be the greatest hero of all. You will be Laistrynia's saviour."

He started walking, straight towards me. He didn't stop, even when he was right in front of me. He walked through me, like a ghost in a movie, and my heartbeat quickened. My mind buzzed with energy. I felt like there was so much power coursing through my body, ready to surge out of my fingertips. I felt alive.

I felt like a Laistrynian.