Threads of Fate

Chapter 13 ~ Personal Confessions

    Rain had already begun to fall before Kaius announced that they'd reached their destination. Thunder boomed with a brilliant flash of lightning, granting Azael a glimpse of what the Phoenix was doing. Kaius stood before a massive tree, though its size wasn't what left Azael captivated.

    He'd noticed as they moved deeper into the woods that the trees were growing larger. They were some of the oldest within the forest, though not the very first seedlings. Those trees had been tended by Drenusha herself during her time in the mortal realm, and they remained protected within many of these hidden villages throughout the Vidar.

    No, it was the unique structure of this tree that had Azael intrigued. It looked as though two trees had twisted around each other to become one. As he watched, Kaius pressed his palm flat against the gnarled bark and whispered something inaudible. Instantly, a faint green light spilled from every crevice within the tree and the ground around its roots began to quake.

    Azael braced himself and watched in awe as the tree unwound itself, revealing a glowing passageway between the two trunks. Kaius beckoned them closer and led his horse through the passage. Tissaia was right on his heels, then Talarion.

    Azael drew a deep breath and tightened his grip on his mount's reins, then pushed himself through that illuminating light. A warm tingle filled his limbs and wind roared past his ears, but the sensations were short-lived.

    He blinked his eyes wider and gazed about the ancient structures sprawling into the distance. Each building featured delicate arches and vaulted ceilings. Verandas lined the once clear streets, still overrun by vines and forgotten shrubs. He could make out an elegant gazebo here and there, and many houses were nestled in the tops of trees, with winding staircases leading up to them.

    Others were made from hollowed out trees, while many more resembled buildings he'd seen in the older parts of Arcan. This village had been founded in the Elder Age, no doubt. The elaborate beauty of every minor surface was a testament to that.

    Azael drifted further into the village as his companions headed towards a large house just ahead. Rain no longer wet his face, though he could still hear faint claps of thunder. A part of whatever magic kept these villages separate from the rest of the world.

    They were usually devoid of storms, save for those permitted by whomever had created the pocket realm. He wondered what storms this village's founder had favored. Perhaps light mists or cold frosts, but apparently not harsh thunderstorms.

    He paused by the smaller structure adjacent to the house. Tissaia was already heading inside with Kaius and Talarion's supply packs, while the two males were unsaddling the horses and filling a water trough from an antiquated pump fountain. Patches of grass dotted the ground, but a quick look in one of the stalls revealed several square bales of hay and a large bin of grain feed that still appeared in pristine condition.

    That was a true sign of the power of this village's founder, Kaius had said. He'd been in many more abandoned villages that were all but collapsing in on themselves. For this village to have survived for so long and for its magic to still be sustaining it to this extent, it had to have been created by someone exceptionally powerful. Perhaps one of the gods' children themselves.

    They left the horses safe within the stable and made their way to the house presently. There was no immediate sign of Tissaia upon entry, but they soon discovered her slumped into a dusty old armchair in a sitting room. She had already lit a fire.

    "And look what else I found," she said with a delighted grin. Tissaia waved her arm to the small table at her side. Several antique bottles rested upon it. "The entire wine cellar is stocked. The pantry too. We can refill our supplies." An apprehensive look crossed her features. "Unless this stuff will age into dust as soon as it leaves this place." Tissaia faced Kaius.