Voyage - Book 1 of the Aerkana series

PRELUDE

Iorvala (spirit country), Aerkana

Callia sat impatiently on the bed and waited. How long would it be now? It never took this long for the ritual to begin but then again the girl had never followed normalities. 

She was always the odd one out, never learning anything until everyone else had long achieved it. She sighed and twiddled the hem of the expensive ritual gown between her thumb and forefinger.

Looking around her room, she realised how strange and different it was too. All Seers were allocated a single square shaped room with creamy orange clay walls, floor and ceiling. A single bed, a wooden table, chair and closet for clothes, were the only furniture they were given. Callia had hated this ever since she and her mother had arrived, so she took it upon herself to make the room her own.

The once bare and cracked walls were scrawled over in black ink, showing diagrams of star and moon cycles, eyes, serpents and many other strange depictions. Her bed was surrounded with translucent, patterned materials that told the ancient stories of her people and her floor was garnished in furs and skins that she had stolen from the marketplace.

"Callia Verdale!" Called a voice. She jumped slightly at the sound and snapped back into reality. Is it time now? She walked over to the mirror, quickly fixed two pins in her curly, golden hair and ran from the room.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

Callia entered the throne room of the Seers. As expected, the room was empty of all people except one and completely silent. She lifted her eyes and saw the head Seer sitting upon her throne. She was so old and frail now but still managed to look as fierce as ever. Callia slowly walked up the stairs and knelt in front of her.

"Here." said Callia as she placed her hands in front of the Seer. The head seer grunted and took the girl's hands in hers. "Au tartoucahn melivo caliad, pehrr ligro padres perignohn." The head seer dipped a finger into a bowl of shimmering gold liquid and touched Callia's forehead, chin and both her left and right cheek. Callia winced and slightly tightened her grip as she had heard many stories of what would come next. The head Seer took a knife encrusted in jewels with a golden hilt and pulled Callia's hands up to a light shining in from a hole in the dome ceiling. "Dalaagh salguin." Just as the knife was about to cut her palms, she felt a scream erupt from the depths of her lungs and everything go black.

 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 

"My child! My child, you must awaken!" Callia stirred. What had she just seen? She rubbed her temple and groaned. "Thank the lords you're awake. You must get up!" She opened her eyes and saw the head seer peering down at her with a slight look of worry. "You must get up and complete the ritual, you idiotic girl! Never has a woman of the sight fainted at the altar!" Callia groaned once again. "My lady I think I might have seen something." The head seer looked down at Callia with slight shock. "Pardon? Seen something? That's impossible you haven't been gifted your eyes yet!" She began to pull herself from the floor and looked right into the head seers eyes.

"My lady I'm serious. There was a girl with strange hair and green eyes and- and I saw everything. Her whole life! She is from this strange land but comes to Aerkana and she- she-." What? Why couldn't she remember? She had seen all. Everything. The girl's birth and her death, her first love, her family. Everything. But now, it was blurred.

"My child." The head seer rested her hand on Callia's shoulder. "You have the ultimate sight. I should have seen it really with all your late comings." Callia furrowed her brow at this.
"Ultimate sight? What is that?" The head seer sighed deeply.
"It is an incredible power that is rare among seers. You can see all. Everything in the universe. All space and time. You see without your eyes." She prodded Callia's palm.
"Listen child. Do not speak of this to anyone, not even your Mother. You must learn to control this and as I am the same as you I can help. I know what you are talking about. I have seen this girl too and i'm sure that she is very important so we must try to figure this out together."

Callia brushed back the hair off her now sticky forehead, millions of questions running though her mind.

"I don't understand whats going on my lady?"
"Right now you won't" replied the head sternly.
"Return to your room and I will call on you again soon to discuss this matter."
"But I-" stuttered Callia.
"Now!"
The girl turned and quickly exited the room.

What on Aerkana just happened? And who was that girl? The one that was knocking about in her head. And ultimate sight? Was this some sort of trick? Callia slumped against the wall outside the throne room and slowly sank to the floor.

What is going on?