The Crescent Hour ✓

Chapter 9. The First Step

Tamer stared at the hologram. A distant voice whispered an ominous warning in his ears and something clawed at his chest, scratching the walls that he had spent thirteen years of his life strengthening. He forced himself to calm down. He wasn’t going to let that voice destroy him again.

Once calm, he tore his gaze from the hologram and listened as Lady Alora asked Rigel what the symbols on the stone floor meant.

The alchemist moved to the hologram and pointed at an s-shaped mark with little dots bordering it. Stroking his goatee, he said, “That’s an Inferno sigil. It speeds up the combustion process. You see that?” He pointed at a circle with a smaller circle inside it and a cross within the smaller circle. “The Restricter sigil. It forms an invisible chamber so that whatever burns inside would not cross beyond a certain diameter. I don’t know what the other symbols mean. Only the alchemist who drew them would know.”

“So something was burnt, right?” Eryx asked.

“That’s correct. The alchemist must have used a catalyst to speed up the burning process. Whatever was burnt required extremely high temperatures. I don’t see any residue. Either it was completely scorched or the alchemist removed all the traces.”

“What would require such high temperatures?” Lady Alora inquired.

“I could come up with a short list of minerals and metals. There’s no absolute way to ascertain what was burnt.”

“Thank you, Rigel. Please make that list before you leave. It might give us clues,” Lady Alora said. “Umardt, Seren and Rigel, you may all leave.” The three Prima members left the office and the Guild Master handed Tamer and his companions a scroll tied by a black band. “You’ll find more details inside those scrolls.”

Tamer sighed and cursed under his breath. “I need to say something, Guild Master.” All eyes were on him. “I know what happened in that room.”

He told them of his dream and the green orb he had seen. Tamer couldn’t guess whether Lady Alora believed him or not. Her face was suppressed of emotions. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Are you certain? You never were a clairvoyant,” Rai said.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” he asked. “It wasn't a vision. Not in the normal sense. I either dreamt of it at the same time the event was happening or shortly after. I don’t think we’ll find anything in the temple. They got whatever they wanted.”

Lady Alora turned off the device and the hologram blinked out. She primped her silvery strands, a habit that meant she was getting anxious or impatient. Frowning, she said, “Alright, I choose to believe you for now, boy.  We need to know what was so special about that orb or lack thereof. The monk I spoke with would have told me if he knew the room existed. I need you to contact the Great Scribe in Kirisal. He should know. ”

The Great Scribe was the oldest sage in Aurion, having lived for eight hundred years. His knowledge was unparalleled. He knew the darkest events in history and the deepest secrets of kings. There had been a rumor that the man might be immortal but Tamer wasn’t one to believe in trivial gossip.

“I never said I would agree to go,” he said in defiance.

“You’re in this mission whether you like it or not. If you persist in defying me, let us duel. I will let you go free if you win.”

Tamer would have no chance against her. He was the best swordsman in Amarant but Lady Alora was the Guild Master and the title spoke for itself. He didn’t want to face her wrath either. He cast a scathing look at Rai when he chuckled.

“Fine, I’m in.”

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The changing room reeked of stale sweat and old leather. Guild members hovered over their lockers, some picking their weapons while others depositing them. Tamer took out his protective belt and slid his knives into their sheaths. He tied a black sash around his waist then donned the belt. A dagger went to the hidden casing in his right boot. Swords were his specialty.