Crystal Guardian

17

In a spacey study room, confined within the marble walls of the temple, K and Aldric, divided by silence, sat on a polished wooden bench and wondered what was happening behind closed doors. Aldric stifled a yawn. Floyd had woken them up too early and dragged them out the house in the dingy hours of dawn.

Now, they waited. The only other occupant of the room was a scrawny looking teenager whose pointed nose was enclosed in a large dusty tomb of a book. He looked up in a frustrated manner whenever they made the slightest shuffle, so Aldric kept as still as possible and this was difficult in the circumstances. He felt so restless. He knew K felt the same. She had a crease in her forehead as if she was trying to work out a tricky calculation.

'When do you think they'll call us in?' she whispered.

The skinny teenager slammed down his book and a flurry of dust swept upwards like a cloud around his face.

'I am trying to read here,' he said, eyes narrow.

Aldric and K looked at each other but said nothing.

The teenager stood up abruptly, his stool screeched across the floor. As he strode over, his gaze focused upon K.

'You're not from these parts? What's your business here?'

'I'm sorry but our business is none of your business,' she replied.

'Listen here, you pale freak,' said the boy, spittle flying everywhere. 'You will answer me when I ask you a question.'

'Back off,' said Aldric, embarrassed at how meek his voice sounded as it echoed across the room.

The doors burst open. An elder stood directly in the centre of the ornate frame.

'Ivor!' he bellowed. 'How many times do I have to tell you to stop harassing the visitors?'

Ivor bared his crooked teeth in frustration and scurried back to his dark corner.

The Elder smiled. 'Now if you'd like to come through,' he said, graciously bowing his head at K. 'He will speak with you now.' K shot from the room but her talk with the Elders did not last long. Aldric was next.

Under Ivor's watchful gaze, Aldric followed the elder into the other room and took a seat at the front, next to Winori and Floyd. The elders, who were seated in a semi-circle, all stared up towards the oldest one amongst them, a white bearded man in golden robe who stood centre stage.

'That's The Eldest Elder,' whispered Winori. 'You listen to him well.'

'Master Bancroft,' The Eldest Elder declared, causing Aldric to stand to attention. 'Make your avowal, if you please.'

'My what?' he looked down to his mother.

'Tell him what your request is,' she told him, patting his hand.

'My request...I don't know what my request is,' he panicked.

'Oh sit down,' said Floyd abruptly before addressing the elders. 'He wants to know if there is any chance of providing assistance to his people. I know that traditionally you don't become involved in the affairs of other worlds but they don't have huge numbers in their forces and they are battling a foe with Isahiel abilities. They have no chance unless we get ourselves together and fight alongside them.'

'How, may I ask, did they achieve Isahiel abilities?' asked The Eldest Elder.

Floyd looked perplexed. Aldric felt a huge twinge of guilt stab through his stomach.