Soul Fire

Soul Fire - Chapter 27

Davidor approached the nearest wall. He reached for the stone with his fingertips, gingerly, as though expecting a simple touch may leave his skin frozen, or burned. Dathion caught a small widening of his eyes, followed by a brief licking of lips. Davidor's eyes darted across the glyphs from left to right, then back again.

"Can you see something, Davidor? Do you understand them?"

Dathion's words aroused the curiosity of Malithas, his mentor also turning to the cartographer. As for Dathion, the puzzle defeated him. A quick glance around the walls choked him with hopelessness. His dreams had been mere fancy. He would not be the one to unravel this mystery for the Palians.

But then, he wondered, what about the song? What if he used it? Could his hidden power aid with this challenge, too?

Dathion closed his eyes and sought it, reaching like he would for memories. Tendrils of thoughts and ideas probed corners, where his secret edge could be lurking. There was never a defining moment of finding it, but there it was, faint, hard to grasp, though with patience it became stronger. The power had never been as clear as that day in the mountains - when the heavens had opened upon him. Then, it had felt like the reply to a question that had long gone unanswered. It had saturated him with its wisdom and power.

His ears rang with its pitch, like the dying notes from the toll of a bell, but if the final sound could ring perpetually - never fading to silence.

To his surprise, the glyphs on the walls responded. They no longer pulsed, instead they began to vibrate and hum, the song and the ancient runes sharing the same resonance. Dathion panicked, severing his grip on his power. In turn, the runes ceased their trembling to gently pulse once more.

"What just happened?"

Malithas directed his question to all. Silence answered him. Dathion avoided his instructor's gaze. The eyes he met belonged to Ellishan. He treated his brother to a nervous smile which Ellishan returned through tight lips.

Did his brother somehow know?

Davidor spoke once more, his words rousing Artallah from his trance.

"I believe I can speak for all Asillians present when I say that this language is one not taught in our lands, nor is it written in any books I have opened or scrolls unfurled."

The shoulders of Tarnil and Artallah slumped.

Artallah's voice was groggy, reminding Dathion of his indiscretion back in Asillia City.

"It was a hope reliant on nothing but chance, my friends. Perhaps fate did not bring us together after all, or else we are yet to determine the true purpose of our meeting."

Dathion responded.

"Artallah, it would be an honor to extend whatever aid Asillia can provide, especially for a matter you consider of such importance. I speak for my father, King Beregran, and offer you the finest scholars from our palace. Their aid is yours, if you wish to accept it."

Artallah laughed, while Malithas arched his eyebrows.

"For many years, the court of our city has been emptied of diplomats from the east. Now we have the greatest of them all right here in our midst, and how young he is!"

Tarnil began the rumbling of laughter that was soon taken up by the Storm Dancers. He was the next to speak.

"Come, Asillians, and my son."

Tarnil turned to Artallah, his face flushed with a curious mixture of relief and regret.

"We will camp between the stones above. The morning will see you returned to the edge of our desert. I am sure it will be sorely missed."