The Warden's Awakening

Chapter XXXV - Nightfall

Senara finished tying the sash belt around her waist. She looked at herself in her room's mirror: was that how a Life Warden looked? A red coat with gold around the collar? Black pants, brown boots that went up to her knees? The sword at her side was the only thing that made sense. She sighed and fluffed her hair a bit. What was she doing? She was just going to the Seer Tower. She stopped trying to fix herself up as if she was going on a date, and left the room to meet Lerin and Thelan.

"I was about to say, you're meeting that Inquestor tomorrow," Thelan said. Senara blushed a bit. Lerin caught her blush and began mocking.

"Should we hit him with a purse next time? Seriously, what even was that line?" Lerin asked.

"Well, it's not like I'm frequently trying to court. It has been some time since my last," She admitted.

"Yes, you told us. How convenient that you wore your nice dress during the day," Thelan stated.

"That was just luck. I can't help it if he found me attractive."

"Unintelligibly so. Now, come on. We've got to get to the tower," Thelan said, moving down the stairs. Senara noticed a sword at her side, yet nothing at Lerin's side. Did Lerin not know any sort of martial art? Perhaps Thelan would show her a few things?

The group left the inn into the darkness of the two moon's night. There were no lampposts ignited; the only light was emanating from a few candles that were lit outside a few of the shops. The night sky danced with twinkling stars, with only a few clouds sliding across them, like great rivers carving through a forest. Senara could have stared at the sky for hours if she had been given the time. She continued walking for a bit, and found the Seer she had been talking to earlier waiting for her at the main corner of the town.

"There you are. I have two of the hands guarding the tower. I will be in the basement of the tower itself. Should the World Render breach the doors, I will destroy everything down there. He cannot be allowed to learn these secrets," he said.

"Have you seen him yet?" Senara asked. They continued walking to the tower.

"I have not, but the hands guarding the tower believe they may have. Someone shattered the lock to pieces. That was not done with a hammer: it was rending," he explained. Senara recalled hearing the strange voice in her head that morning, telling her to go east.

"Did he get in the tower? If he destroyed the lock, why did he not simply rend the doors as well?" she asked.

"I do not know. The Hands did not tell me," he admitted. Thelan did not believe him.

"You mean you didn't ask," Thelan declared pointedly. The Seer looked away in shame.

"I am morose to admit that I am terrified of this creature. The stories they are telling of him- he split Calcinia in two! This town is nothing in comparison to that city. In an instant, every one of us could be killed," he was starting to shake. Senara stopped and looked into the Seer's copper and yellow eyes.

"Listen, that creature will not harm anyone. I will stop him, and every other World Render I find. I am, after all, a Life Warden, remember?" she said, trying to ease the man's fears. He seemed to calm down a bit, but not enough to stop shaking. "Now, come on," she ordered, "We have a tower to protect."

.......

"Are you certain, Lacen?" Iren asked.

"Yes. I need you and Quilla across the street, watching for anything out of the ordinary. With those strange armored Seers in Calcinia, I do not want to take any chances," he explained.

"How do you want us to signal you? Won't you be in the tower?" Quilla said. Lacen thought for a moment and then tore off a part of his jacket at the back. He tied it around an arrow and handed it to Quilla.