The room may be silent, but my mind is consumed with ancient whispers and looming storms. The particles of dust dance around my sparsely furnished room, catching the rays of the setting evening sun that causes them to appear like twinkling stars or fireflies. I stand still inside my home, cradling the wooden chest in my arms, and stare at the place on the floor where I've been storing it. Did I just reveal my ulterior plans to a relative stranger? What encouraged me to do so? Will this possible lapse in judgement come back to haunt me later? It's too soon to determine if I've made a grave mistake, but the thought crosses my mind as I think of the trials ahead.
Navigating the perils and pitfalls of the council was no easy feat, and being honest, I wasn't certain I would be able to convince them of the real threat at our gates, the Eye in the Flame. The fortune of having three outsiders arrive just in time is enough to make me consider thanking and worshipping the Eleven as many do in our land. Yet, no matter how difficult it was to gain the support of the council, taking on the cult is an entirely different beast altogether. With their influence likely spread throughout Pachil, they will be an imposing and daunting challenge.
It's this significant presence already in our land that is the most concerning. How they've been able to amass such a large following, and to do so this quickly, is terrifying, especially as the surviving factions work to rebuild their forces. These cultists could catch us unprepared, unable to stop their sheer numbers. I'm relieved that the Tuatiu were able to hold them off as well as they did, but they're vulnerable to a second attack, like the aftershock following a quake. While I lament the potential losses the Qantua could suffer in our pursuit to defeat this evil, I can only accept sending them to fight because I know firsthand of this immediate threat.
But beyond all of this, I'm floored by the realization that the Tuatiu warrior who rescued me has somehow appeared in my homeland. Is this the work of my sister, Entilqan, gently guiding Inuxeq to Hilaqta with her hand from the beyond? Revisiting my inner dilemma about whether to inform Inuxeq of the journey Upachu and I undertook, I'm swayed perhaps by the fact that she saved my life. Her determination to thwart the malevolent cult seems equal, if not greater, to ours, compelling me to share our mission with her. I only hope that I don't live to regret my decision. Yet there's something about her—a certain confidence and resolve—that convinces me of her trustworthiness. She embodies the essence of a true leader, one who will confront challenges directly and fiercely oppose the enemy.
With the sun now slipping behind the nearby buildings, the lone torch casts long shadows throughout the room that flicker along the walls. I'm engulfed in the orange glow as the cool of the incoming night brushes my skin. There's a stillness, a quiet tranquility, yet I find myself unsettled by the silence. I feel lost among my dimly lit surroundings, isolated from everyone and everything in Hilaqta. I've spent countless time alone in this home, but why do I suddenly feel as if I'm not?
The heft of the wooden chest finally becomes a bit much to bear, so I walk to the space at the back of the room where I've stored this large case since returning home. No sooner than when I set the box down, my fingers having barely left the surface, the room goes almost entirely pitch black. Was this caused by the wind blowing out my torch? As I contemplate whether or not I felt any gusts, a soft, chilling voice calls out from the darkness.
"You hold what belongs to the Eye in the Flame."
Instinctively, I spin around, crouching low into a defensive stance. From the doorway, I can barely make out the outline of a short, hooded figure whose cape flutters in the slight breeze as they stand. The person remains motionless, and I quickly scan my surroundings to locate any of my weapons nearby, though the endeavor is fruitless within the deep black of the room.
Before I can react, my eyes pick up the faint silhouette of a dagger whizzing through the air. I flinch, having only enough time to tilt my head and narrowly avoid getting pierced. I hear a clack as the blade glances off the stone wall and falls with a muted thud onto the ground. Apparently, this person is not here to be diplomatic.
YOU ARE READING
Revolutions
FantasyAt long last, the oppressive rule of the titans has ended. We are finally free, thanks to the sacrifice of The Eleven, who unified a fractured land and used their supernatural powers to defeat the Timuaq. There are many like myself who have only kno...
