Fate of the Blessed

Chapter 20

Amara

Once we ascended the stairs, we pushed the doors open and walked into the main chamber. I noticed a heavy silence that was thick with apprehension filling the air, making it hard to breathe. Something wasn't right, but we had no choice but to move on. The magnificent white marble continued from outside, but here it was cold and clinical. Gone was the opulence and contrast the marble had against the ageing tree.

"Aeron isn't here." Shanti said.

"I'll check out the back, you guys wait here."

Tae-Seong grabbed my arm, careful not to knock the gashes that adorned it.

"That is not a good idea."

"Yeah, don't you ever watch scary movies?" Shanti chimed in. Both Tae-Seong and I turned around in unison, mouths agape.

"You're like 8, what are you doing watching horror movies?" I said, my voice hitching an octave higher in surprise.

"I'm 10, you guys are missing the point, when you split up bad things happen!"

The kid has a point.

I gave a slow circle of the room "Okay, we'll check it out together" I relented, pointing to the doors at the far end of the hall were ajar. A slight sliver of light shining through like a beacon.

Tae-Seong drew his dagger, and we edged towards the door, taking careful steps. Each step seemed louder than the last. I held my breath, and I could sense the others do the same. I entered the room first, after pushing past Tae-Seong, much to his chagrin. When I entered I gasped, realising this was the room that I had woken up in. However, Aeron wasn't here, nobody was so I waved the others in.

"He's not here." I said. Shanti made an audible sigh of relief. I couldn't help but smile at her.

"That's good."

Tae-Seong walked towards the back of the room with purposeful steps. He looked up, seeing the orbs that adorned the walls. I could only assume he was trying to look for his own. His eyes travelled down to the plinth in front of the wall, where atop sat a glowing green orb that was swirled with iridescent patterns. He went to touch it, but I shot out a warning, and he withdrew his hand.

"Don't touch it!"

Confusion furrowed his brow, but he nodded anyway, stepping away from the plinth.

"Aeron said this one was mine, he called me thrice-blessed." I reached out with a hesitant touch. It sparked in response. I dragged my hand back as if it had been burnt. The orb itself was the size of a tennis ball. I took a slow circle around it, inspecting the swirling, cloudy green mass in front of me. Still staring, I slowly reached over and pocketed it.

"Let's get out of here." Tae-Seong suggested. Shanti readily agreed.

I will not argue there.

Just as we were about to leave when the doors swung open. We all turned around in quick succession to find Aeron standing in the doorway with a gold ornate sword sheathed by his side.

"Leaving the party soon, that's a shame." He mocked. We all stared wide-eyed, like we'd just been caught with our hands in the cookie jar.

Tae-Seong dived at Aeron with a roar, slashing his dagger. He easily parried and they fought. But Aeron was the better fighter. Tae-Seong slashed and parried with determined vigour.

"Amara, get Shanti out of here." He said, out of breath.

"But-" I wanted to help, but I felt powerless to do anything. I wasn't a trained fighter!