Once Forgotten 1.98

Master Kadic walked in silence through the heavy rain, his destination unknown to all around him. He had exchanged his usual violet cloak for a plain brown one, walking amidst the people that so greatly admired him. He turned down an old alleyway, now going along the backways of the great city of Jastire.

He came to his destination and stood quietly at the door. Finally, he made his mind and entered the shop. Despite its looks, not a single drop dripped inside, leaving the dust undisturbed. Gartrand looked up from his book, then went back to reading. "You're rather late in coming, Kadic. Or should I say Lirand?"

Lirand sighed. "Perhaps I have hidden as Kadic for too long. The princess came so close to finding me out."

"Well, it is in her nature to do so. The wind makes a habit of knowing things. It hears all secrets, save a certain few." Gartrand closed his book and looked up at Lirand. Lirand glanced at it and he frowned.

"The Book of the Damned? No offense, Gartrand, but that isn't exactly a rarity." Lirand said.

Gartrand chuckled. "Then it pleases me to inform you that this is Kadrin's translation."

Lirand raised another eyebrow. "What do you mean? Kadrin's translation...no! Tell me he doesn't!!"

"Oh, but he does. The orginal manuscript of our most sacred book. I must say, it has been diluted down quite some bit." Gartrand said.

Lirand picked the book up and thumbed through it. He stopped at a particular passage. His eyes widened further and his face paled. He looked up at the shopkeeper. "Kadrin translated this? Word for word?"

A frown crossed Gartrand's face. "Would he do it any other way?"

"No. You're right, of course. He wouldn't destroy such a precious relic. But how is it that he would be in the possession of TheBook of the Damned?" Lirand asked.

Gartrand raised an eyebrow. "He is far older than you know. Far older than I had thought. But then, I thought of his element and it all made sense."

Lirand nodded. "Yes, I suppose it did. So how do we all fit in all this?"

Gartrand shrugged. "Our path is the same as it always was meant to be. We are the Overseers."

Lirand nodded again and tugged the book into his cloak. "I am going to read and compare, if that's all right." Gartrand gave a nod. "I'll be back when I have made a decision." He turned and left the shop, Kadic once more.

Gartrand shuffled into the back, immediately dropping his old man's walk and began going through his things. He pulled out several old volumes and strode to a desk. Opening it's heavy cover, he leafed through first one, then the others, searching for something. Coming across what he was looking for, his eyes widened. "Well I'll be! It's exactly where he said it would be. The next question to ask now is: just how does he know all this?" He opened a small leather bound journal and began writing down his findings. Finishing, he looked up at a map that hung on the wall before him. The map was quite large, taking up the whole span of the wall and going all the way to the ceiling. There were five symbols marked at certain points. Taking a quill and a bottle of ink, he climbed a small step ladder and began to mark off another symbol. He finished and stood back to observe the new mark in addition to the old ones. "At last, I am beginning to understand you, Kadrin."
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Rya stood before her master, scythe held ready. He circled her, unarmed. "I will admit that I was somewhat being lax with you before, but now, I see that you are ready for what is to come. You stand before the future, yet you do not fear, why?"

"I was nearly killed by a demon once, I will not let him get the best of me again." She answered. They stood in the center of a large space. The forest grew tall about them, taller than anywhere else. She could sense Life energy flowing and knew that here her master was far stronger than normal. Which she couldn't even grasp. She felt a sharp pain and was shoved back a few feet. She grimaced and glared at Kadrin.

His voice hissed and lashed out at her. "Always be aware of your surroundings. No matter what it is that catches your main attention, always keep one eye on the things about you." Again, he circled her. Quick as a flash, he struck out at her again. She sidestepped and swung the blunt end of her staff. He caught it effortlessly and spun her onto her back. "Not bad. But not good either. I thought you had some training?" She got back to her feet and followed him with her eyes. With a blur of light, she spun about, summoning the wind to hide her movements. Leaping high above him, she came down swinging her scythe. With a clang of metal on metal, Kadrin fended off the attack, Soulcleaver in his hand. Rya leaped back a few feet and waited. Kadrin paced about her, observing her movements, the flicker of an eye, the twich of a hand, the slightest flick of a hair. Again, their weapons clashed, apprentice fighting master. "That's it! Now, open yourself to your element. Don't let it control you, but bend it to your own will. The wind is yours and no one else's. Others may use it, but it does not belong to them as it does you."

With several quick movements, Kadrin sent the girl flying, but unlike other times, the wind swirled about her, letting her land lightly on her feet. She twirled her scythe, launching a blast of wind at her master. Kadrin chuckled. Holding Soulcleaver high, he cut through her attack, remaining where he was. His sword dissipated. "That will be all for today."

Rya groaned. "But, I was just getting into it." Kadrin laughed.

"Then perhaps we will spar later. Go eat." She flicked the blade down and walked off towards camp. Once she was gone, the maladorn stepped into the clearing.

"She is learning rapidly. Far quicker than those before her. Does this mean that the time approaches?" The great creature asked.

Kadrin nodded. "Yes. It comes swiftly, but how it will turn out this time, I do not know. The enemy is much stronger this time. His failures in the past have taught him terrible lessons."

The maladorn nodded his head. "It would appear so. What will you do, Kadrin?"

Kadrin stared in the direction Rya had gone. "I will continue on, my old friend. I am too close to achieving what I have so long sought to turn back now. After so long of lurking in the shadows, guiding the events of history to suit my goal, I will not stop now. Now, you must be off. It is not safe yet." He paused. "There is a foul presence. I fear that we will have many demons to face soon. With each passing year, they grow more plentiful. The common folk believe them gone. They aren't. They were held back for a while, but now, the gate has been thrown open."

The great beast ran off, disappearing among the shadows. Kadrin turned to his left. "And what questions do you still need answered?"

Brint stepped from the shadows. "None for now. You knew I was there, yet you let me stay? And what was that creature? I have only seen it once before."

Kadrin nodded. "He is one of the last maladorns. Great protectors and hunters were they, once in the great long ago that is now gone. It is my hope that one day they will be as plentiful as the rest of the ancient creatures." He turned to the boy. "Return to Rya. I wish to be alone for the time being."

Brint bowed and headed off. Kadrin sighed and walked slowly in another direction. Placing a hand on a tree, he sighed again. "None of them can see it, and I only told Rya a part of it all." The tree beneath which he stood was different. Its bark was lavender while its leaves gleamed with a silver light. A withered leaf drifted passed him. "This place is so sacred. More so now, in these dark times. Life flows through this forest, yet you wither." A figure moved from the shadows. Removing her hood, golden brown hair cascaded down just passed her back. A circlet rested lightly on her head. Kadrin bowed. "You were born here, Dylan, weren't you?"

She nodded. "This tree is all that remains of my mother. She rests beneath its roots."

"Yes, I thought so. Her presence still lingers here. But its fading, like everything else. Do you believe me now?" He asked softly.

Dylan nodded. "I do. After talking it over with Flamian, I came here to see for myself. By why?"

Kadrin sighed. "Because the elements are what sustain our world. Without them, the world dies, and so they must be awakened. But its so much more than that as well." Dylan opened her mouth to speak, but he raised his hand to silence her. "No, dear Queen, I will not answer anything. I am but a weary warrior, fighting for his cause. Nothing more, nothing less. We shall speak more in Calrin." Dylan just nodded. She turned and left, leaving him alone once more.