The Necromancers

Chapter fifteen

"I had been waiting for you." The old wise voice said as soon as I entered the temple.

On the inside the place could easily pass for the oldest building ever created. I knew that the temple was old but never realized how old it really was. Despite it being an eons old structure, the insides were clean and gave off a very homey and welcoming feeling. The interiors were obviously brown and wooden. It was an exquisite temple and loved every inch of it. The walls were carved with all the legends from the past and the history books that I've read in my school and college. It was all so beautiful and pure. The legends of the past seemed to have come alive in front of my eyes with the paintings on the wall.

The inside was painted in brown and soft yellow. Chairs were wooden with red, velvet and the insides had different flowers ranging from roses to lilies. The place was well kept and all of the furniture and lights were neat and tidy. In the middle, there was a lady, elegantly and angelically dressed into soft white colored clothes.

As I walked forward, the huge chandelier lit up with soft yellow flames emitting from the candles a warm yellow glow on the entire room. Each step I took forward was muffled by the plush carpet beneath my feet and I like an awestruck child looked around the entire place trying to grasp as much knowledge of it all as I could. On one side of the wall I could make out the paintings from the oldest war among the witches and the vampires. Just above that was the depiction of how our god, the Beathan, was created.

On the wall to my left held the paintings of our ancestors who developed the witches into what we are today. Alongside it were the faintest of memories from the war among the witches and the humans. Right on top of that were the plight of witches in the human realms. How they were executed in different ways. How they were brutally ripped off of their powers. How they all suffered at the hands of the puny, powerless humans. And at last how they all found salvation at the threshold of the Beathan. A true masterpiece lay inside these walls and no words could ever do justice to the art and the devotion with which all of it was created.

Right where the old lady stood, lay a single golden petal of a lotus. It was at least two feet in size and three inches thick. The petal of prophecies. I had only ever heard about it in mythologies. It is only visible to those who have something to do with a prophecy. Those who have the power to bring a good change in the world. Barely 10 people in all of the existence of witches would have seen this petal, and I wasn't sure how to feel and react after watching it.

So instead of worrying about my conflicted feelings I looked beyond the petal and saw a huge stone, clean yet ancient, worn out from the natural phenomena standing tall and proud, as if protecting the petal. This stone was called the Heclair. This is what people come here to worship. This old temple is famous for the blessings that the Heclair bestows upon someone once they commit to all of their crimes truthfully. It is said to grant them salvation.

I couldn't believe that I was inside one of the most revered temples across the kingdom and I was still in strong denial that I could actually see the petal of prophecies. I mean I could see it. And oh gods, I am experiencing disbelief at its finest. My hands shook the slightest bit but I held onto the last scrape of sanity I had left in me and breathed in a deep breath.

"Um...I can see the petal of prophecies." Were the only words that came out of me. My voice didn't sound my own. My throat was scratchy and filled with all the emotions I could have ever felt.

"You can?" The old woman reeled back in shock. "You shouldn't be able to see it after everything."

"Huh?"

"You've come a long way Astoria. There is so much more to go and I know you will do good. But before all of it, you need to realize your own worth and learn your place in this world." Her wise voice was so soothing and kind. I found myself hanging onto every word from her. "What actually brings you here today child?"

I blinked and blinked some more to clear the haze that I had entered into and replayed her question in my mind again and again until I finally figured out what she was talking about. "I wanted to know about everything about this temple and about the things you know about the shallows. And why can I see the petal of prophecies? And about the Eclor Trunchela."

"You are a curious child aren't you?" It was a rhetorical question so I didn't bother replying to her. "We do not have much time at our hands but I would like for you to follow me." She said as she glanced behind me towards the closed doors of the temple. I watched as she shuddered and turned around myself to see what had her shook. There was nothing at the door. Turning around to face her, I felt a cool breeze brush past me which surprised me considering all the windows and doors were shut closed.

As much as the place is beautiful, it is filled with mystery.

I followed her to the secret chambers made for the residing priests. She led me deeper than that and had it not been a holy place I would have assumed that she is out for my murder. The chambers looked as old as time itself. Yet so beautiful that I would have loved to stay here and become a priest myself. They were simplistic and just with a personal touch from all the priests and priestesses. I wondered where they all were.

She pushed open the massive double doors in front of us and that was when I saw all the others residing in the temple. There were some young people and some old. They all kept minding their own businesses and none looked up from their books. Books! Oh Beathan, we were at the private library of the temple. It was said to be the oldest library of not only our kingdom but also of all the world.

"Since we are running short of time I would just give you the books with the appropriate information. But you are to swear secrecy. Not a word of me lending you the books from here. And keep them safe. Do not let them get in the hands of the evil. Trust yourself and your instincts only. No one else is as true as that." Saying that she passed me four books which I didn't see her gathering. Her old face bent pleasantly into a warm smile as the wrinkles on her face disappeared to give her a more younger form.

"Thank you. I promise to never tell anyone a word about this. You have no idea how much you have helped me."

"You have no idea how much you will be helping all of us with what you are going to do. Destiny will play its part my love and it will be a beautiful journey for you and for those whom you chose to have in your life. May the Beathan always bless you." She placed her dainty hand on my forehead and closed her eyes shortly, mumbling a small prayer.

My insides warmed at her gesture and I felt like a whole different person with a new perspective and a new goal.

As I began walking out the temple after thanking her again, I kept the books away in my tote bag and then silently closed the doors of the temple behind me. I heard the lock click into place after the door was closed behind be and smiled to myself.

It was now dark outside and the hotel I was staying at was not too far from here. Looking towards my right I saw Teddy and Eddy, the two creatures who are now my friends walk alongside me. I know the names aren't really creative but I cant help it. I already have too much going on and naming two creatures was not on top of that list. While having these thoughts on my mind I was suddenly reminded of something. I stopped midway and looked back at the closed doors in the distance.

She knew my name.