The War Begins

Chapter 8 - To Summon a Goddess

Sorry for the late update my peeps!

Ixil strode through the corridors in search of the woman, allowed only because he was part of the Guard and was one of the only privy to Her information. Each Guard was linked mentally with the Goddess after they passed their tests and proved their worth, so he knew when she chose to appear. But he also knew that if she didn't want to be found, no one, not even a Guard, could. He hoped she was in a talkative mood.

As he walked, Ixil thought about the magician who had come to visit. Caine must be important if She chose to reveal the Nenya to him, but to what end? The man seemed like he would be a good commander, but he also thought he knew more than he actually did. Realizing it would be impossible to find the Goddess just by looking, Ixil opened his mind to search for a connection.

Instantaneously a thread from his mind yanked him in another direction and he left the palace. Still recovering from the shock of such quick mental contact, it took Ixil a moment to regain control of his body and take in his surroundings. As he glanced around he noticed the forest was beginning to grow dense. Stopping his movement even though his body wanted to follow the mental connection took practice, but Ixil had helped the Goddess before and knew how to control the impulses the magical link forced on a normal mind.

The forest was a dangerous place to be after dark for anyone who could not create their own light, so Ixil drew his sword and began slowly making his way onward. When light bloomed before him, he knew he had reached his destination. Keeping his sword high, he stepped close to a tree and inched his way around. Even if she could be found, that didn't mean she wanted to be found, or would be very friendly when she was.

Peeking from behind the tree, Ixil saw two Nenya facing each other, tails lashing. The smaller snarled something and the larger used its size to force it to back away. A moment of silence, then the larger roared and the sound pulsed around the clearing, making Ixil's ears hurt. Growling, the smaller seemed to acquiesce.

The atmosphere instantly became less cloying. Taking a deep breath, Ixil inched into the open clearing, keeping his back to the trees. Now that he could glance around the entire clearing, he noticed a small cabin tucked back into the thick foliage.

The larger Nenya turned and looked at him and he could feel the stare weigh his body down. Intelligence gleamed inside the huge, muscled body and Ixil shifted back against the tree. He didn't trust the Nenya within a mile of his blade. Normally, the predatory creatures found humans beneath their notice, but Ixil could tell that he was very much the center of attention in the clearing.

The smaller, normal sized Nenya followed the larger one's gaze and locked onto him. It crouched down and raised it armored tails, extending its claws, ready to pounce. Another roar grated against his hearing when the smaller moved to approach him and Ixil found himself crouched with his hands on his ears. Hoping that the larger was warning the other away to protect him, not because it wanted to eat him. He tried another step forward.

The larger swung its head back to pin him with its gaze and he noticed that its eyes were dark. He froze as the Nenya took its first step toward him, and then it took another.

Ixil had been near many Nenya in the service of his Goddess, they tended to follow her, but this one was different. He knew that being in the service of their Lady did nothing to protect him, so he stood as still as possible. Nenya did not see humans as a threat, but magicians were another matter, and the mark of his Goddess gave him the aura of a magician even though he had no power himself.

His mind screamed at him to run, but he knew he would be chased, so he stood and watched the Nenya approach. The large beast stopped with its head less than a foot from him. The cats were said to be a portal to the Lady herself; the reason many non-magicians sought them out though most thought they were already legends, never having actually hunted this earth. Clearing his throat, Ixil began to talk.