Sentria: The War for Askeran (Book 3)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Alignment

We soared through the air faster than ever before. The horse's wings flapped heavily and pushed us through the dark skies like we had been catapulted from that wretched island. I could hear the dragon's roar in my mind and still feel his hot breath upon my neck. I feared that it would burn the ice and come back after us out of vengeance.

I looked down at Prince Lucas who was laying across my lap as well as Eldwyn's. He looked so peaceful, as if he had only fallen into a deep slumber and that gave me hope.

"Princess," I said, "hand me the white stone elixir."

"No," said Eldwyn, "it's too much of a risk. Someone else could die for Lucas' life."

"This time, I will beg the gods to spare him. They are on our side, they want us to win, and I know they will answer my prayer."

"Eldwyn's right," said Princess Ilya who looked surprisingly calm. "It's unwise to assume that we mortals can understand the minds of gods. They act in ways that are confounding, and assuming their motives is like playing with fire."

"It has to be done," I begged. "I need this to work."

Eldwyn grabbed my chin and turned my attention to him. "Knight, I understand your wish...I desire it too, but the risk is too great. There has to be another way."

"What way, Eldwyn? Something must be done."

"When we were flying to the Dragon Isles...I felt something," Princes Ilya sad, looking out at the cloudy night. "It wasn't clear...but the message was. I saw the image of the Ancient Temple as if it wanted us to go there. It's the oldest structure in Askeran, and it could hold the secrets we need. Tonight...the winged lion star is in our path. The elders told of stories that magic was especially strong when the stars are aligned with us."

I thought about it briefly, then nodded. "Then we will go to the Ancient Temple. It is but a mystery, but mysteries have served us well."

Their concerns weren't lost on me, but I had begun to trust the unknown. I had tried so hard many months ago to plan for this war, to convince Loria to join us and to unite the Mountainlands, and the answers always seemed to come from some mythical source. For all of my planning, the mysteries of life decided the outcome.

I commanded the winged horses to fly northward. Meren wasn't a hospital place. King Solice's brother Lord Harkness reigned over it with cruelty and fear. The land was Cordath's most loyal neighbor and because of their allegiance, they had the benefit of their weaponry and defenses. I hoped that their military force had been already dispatched, leaving their most sacred site open for us to enter without bloodshed.

The time getting there felt achingly long. The winged horses were still moving fast, but my need to accomplish this deed stirred me to action that I could not yet take. When we finally saw the corroded lands of Meren, I actually felt relieved. We'd be arriving shortly.

I instructed the horses to fly high above the clouds, hoping that it would keep us hidden from detection, and when we came closer to it, we descended in silence. It was located on Meren's northernmost beach, and the temple shined like a beacon of light in the full moonlight. It had four towers on its sides and hadn't any windows, as if it wanted to be kept a secret. I couldn't imagine any mortal creating something like that. The Ancient Temple might have been the only beautiful creation in all the north.

The carriage set down on the walkway leading up to the building and exited the carriage towards it. I carried Prince Lucas in my arms and when we came to the doors, Eldwyn sent a gust of wind to that opened the arched doors.

Inside was a chamber with a high ceiling and gold pillars set in a circle. In the center was a star-filled dome that mapped out the beyond, and magnificent paintings of the gods and mythical beasts. There was Muros, Danos, Rena, Isla, a dragon, a monolith, a land tortoise, a griffin, a winged horse, and a winged lion; and the floor was a red and orange star with sixteen points.

"The sun-star," said Princess Ilya. "It's the symbol of all creation. Lay him down in the center of it."

I followed her directions and placed Prince Lucas on the sun-star. "We should pray over him," I said to them.

I stepped back and we gathered around the symbol closing our eyes and praying in silence. I prayed to Muros, the god of all for a request so great, but I would be content with any god or goddess that answered. I assumed that Eldwyn was praying to Bronte, and Ilya to Cinnai. As much as I had been raised to loathe the god of greed, there had to be some redeeming aspect of his nature. Perhaps it was like Ilya said, and that his methods weren't meant to be understood.

We kept praying well into the night. I was getting hungry, but I didn't care. I needed this to work, but whenever I opened my eyes, Prince Lucas was in the same state and didn't show any signs of improvement.

"What could be wrong?" I asked.

"All of this is just hope, Prince Darren," said Ilya. "We are believing in blind faith, and as much as that can see us through the day, it's not always enough."

"There must be something else we can do." I looked up at the dome, desperate for an answer. "Maybe there's a clue in this temple that will tell us the secrets of rebirth. A book that will unveil all that is hidden."

We spread out and searched through the halls for any texts that could prove useful, but there weren't any to be found, only ancient symbols writ on the walls, and riddles mixed with half-truths. Symbols of fire, spirals, shapes, and animals, but nothing that clearly pointed to the information we needed. I pressed my hands along the stone walls for a trick door that would bring me to a room, and it failed.

Back in the middle of the chamber, I could tell by the faces of my friends that they hadn't found anything either. We stood in quiet defeat. Had I led them down a dead end? Was my faith not enough?

"Qual," said Eldwyn.

"What?" I asked.

"Qual," he said again. "The leader of the water relics. I was on the edge of death when I was placed in the revitalizing ancient waters, perhaps that can be performed again."

I paced the room and scratched my chin in thought. It made sense from what I could gather, but I was uncertain of making another move and possibly another mistake with the stakes being so high.

"We should do it," said Princess Ilya. "The restorative powers of the ancient waters is our best option."

"You're right," I said, happy to know that Princess Ilya was accepting of the plan. "I'll stay here with Princess Ilya and we'll watch over Prince Lucas—"

"No, you must go with Eldwyn."

"But you'll be here by yourself," said Eldwyn worriedly.

"I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself. From what I've seen, the two of you are at your most powerful when you're together. You need each other."

I sighed and reached in my satchel as I walked over to her. I handed her a gnose rock, and clasped her hands in mine around it. "This will connect us. If you're in any trouble, reach out to us and we will come back."

"Be safe, Prince Darren."

I walked over to Eldwyn and he started swirling his hands around, creating the portal.

"Ready?" he asked.

There wasn't a choice to be anything but.