Iorrjaer

Chapter 32

Yophiel sat with her arms folded across her chest, casting her gaze on the table to avoid making eye contact with anyone else. Malka had just reprimanded her for trying to pin her failure at Victor's table on Häsmæl. She knew that it was a baseless accusation but his just sitting there, refusing to offer any help or do anything to add to the solution of the table irked her beyond belief. He was also silent throughout her berating, he met her eyes as she ranted and raved but said nothing in defense of himself nor counter with insults of his own. It was just Malka who finally spoke up to stop her. Once again she found herself in a lesson where she had to listen to Malka teach her why her accusations and behaviour were unbecoming of someone who claimed to be a Paladin.

As she sat there, her mind recalled Victor's and the ziggurat's task for her and as their voices grew in her mind, she involuntarily started to flex her fists. Another voice in the deep reaches of her mind was also speaking to her, it was telling her to fight the voices of Victor and the Ziggurat, for they were unnatural and malevolent. It did not remind her of any task or of any destiny that she was to fulfil, just to follow her own path. The voices conflicted with each other, and she reached up to feel her braid and that reminded her of the power that she had felt after her bath and Granna's awakening touch, just to have it all cast down by a stupid wizard. She wanted to prove herself to them, more than anything. Why were they not understanding that she was trying to prove herself?

Sorâth returned to the table and said that they would be participating in the games. Malka nodded and Yophiel sighed impatiently with a stretch of her neck. Häsmæl grunted and cracked what looked like a smile.

"What are the games?" Yophiel asked, hoping that she did not come across as condescending. She did not want another earful from Malka or a stupid glare from the orc.

"One of the boys will be announcing them shortly." Sorâth answered, and she took it as a candid response.

"Do we know what the games will be?" Malka asked, still looking like he was concentrating on something else. She thought of telling him to be present in the here and now and looked up to suggest it but caught a glare from Sorâth and she bit her tongue.

"Hot Dagger, Dagger Hot. Rij..." Sorâth answered. Malka became momentarily excited but then saw that Sorâth had become distracted. Like something was in the air and calling to them but could only be heard by their highly trained ears and senses. Yophiel yearned for that level of awareness.

A voice in her head urged her to complete her task and the power that she yearns for would be available to her, and more. She shook her head in protest of the voices and when she came back, she saw that they were watching her. Their eyes were not disapproving but concerned.

"Sorry," She said. "I'm fine."

"Are you?" Sorâth asked and again she noted that he was not asking in anger. She had learned that his stoic and frankness were candid. She nodded and he watched her for a second longer, before turning to the others. "Be prepared for anything. I have a feeling that these games will be engineered against us in some manner." He looked up to the sky and searched for something.

His gaze was long enough for Yophiel to notice it and start to follow his gaze upwards. There was a moon rising just off to the east of the ziggurat and something in her mind told her that Sorâth was now calculating its path. She watched him and then focused on the moon and saw that its path was to the peak of the ziggurat.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Visitors and adventurers from far and wide, alike! Welcome!" Allin's voice, amplified through a bullhorn, brought Yophiel back to her senses and she saw that Sorâth had been interrupted as well, and was displeased. She felt immediately that his disappointed look was directed at her until she saw him turn towards Allin's voice and saw his eyebrows curl.