Once Forgotten 3.8

Across a barren wasteland of sand and heat, Nadarin tread. He walked at a normal pace, not noticing the scorching of the sun’s rays, nor the biting of the savage wind that blew the sand like razor blades. Across his face, he wore his mask, now remade, without a blemish to betray that it was ever broken. He paused in his trek and looked up. Satisfied with his direction, he turned his gaze downward. With a wave of his hand, the wind shifted the sand away, creating a narrow shaft that sloped down, going deep into the earth. With another glance at the sky, he began his descent. The sand closed in behind him, obliterating all signs of an entrance. The darkness began to press in about him, thickening into an inky substance. Nadarin raised a hand, light pooling and spilling forth. Before him, stair spiraled down into the darkness, but still sloped downward. He sighed and shuddered as he felt himself relax at the touch of his lingering G’yckma.

The descent downwards went by quickly, the only sound was the echoing of his footsteps. Now near the bottom, the area began to grow lighter. Dousing the no longer necessary light in his hand, he continued on, moving slowly now. An opening lay ahead of him, and beyond that, open space could be seen. That open space was a massive cavern that spread out before him. The gigantic space was at least ten leagues across and five leagues high. The ceiling, high above, was perfectly visible, due to massive holes that had opened up. Huge piles of rubble scattered about the cavern floor beneath these massive skylights. In the distance, almost dead center, stood the remains of an enormous structure. At one point in the distant past, it would’ve pierced the clouds, almost as high as a mountain, yet all that remained now was the base and two other tiers.

“I wondered when you would come again, brother.” A male voice said. Unlike the others, Calaridin appeared as he always had, not bothering to hide himself. “Come to linger on past regrets?”

“No. To ponder the mysteries of an impending future.” Nadarin replied.

Calaridin stood next to him, also gazing at the ruin. “A shame that our sister was not as you were. Perhaps then this could have been avoided.”

“You know as well as I that there was no avoiding this. Not without releasing the destruction of all we have built.” Nadarin said, walking slowly towards the Tower.

“For them to have built something so…marvelous, yet so terrible. Despite the circumstance of their creation, they were still blessed with great power. And added to them your power, your Will…it is a wonder we all survived.”

Nadarin glanced at him, his mask gone. “Is it? Mother played a huge part in it. If not for her intervention, the Balance certainly would have shattered.”

“And then you going against Ariadni, your equal. Still, it is good that she now treads the same path as you.”

“She does not tread my exact path, but all the same, it is good to see her finally coming into who she is. Finally doing what she was born to do.”

Calaridin frowned. “And what is that?”

“Shine. She and I were born to shine with the Light of ourselves. Ariadni and I were to be the Lights whom you would follow. You’re guides. Leaving our Mother and Father free to rest. And then the dream was shattered, and reality came crashing down upon us. The rest is now nothing more than an old wound.”

“Yet are you sure that this is what must be done? I mean, I fully realize that your G’yckma is needed, but…is there no other way?”

The Firstborn sighed. “The Fallen Ones shall rise, whether or not the Tower is lit. It was inevitable. Perhaps, even, one day will come when the Great Demon himself shall be free.”

Calaridin walked in silence for a while, then “Will you be able stop him?”

“Not in my current state. If the G’yckma is not freed by the time Gainatharin breaks into Thyninairin, I will barely stand a chance against him. It’s inevitable, Calaridin; you cannot prevent the impossible from happening.”

His brother was silent again. His wings, one feathered and the other scaled, rose up and flared behind him. “I shall be ready to answer your call should you sound it, my brother. I am with you to the end.”

Nadarin smiled, his mask reforming, covering his scar. “You always were, my brother. Now go, you have work to do.”

******************************************************************

The LG began to slow, and Brint gently shook the angel sleeping next to him, her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up with a yawn. “We’re there?”

Brint smiled and nodded. “Yeah, we’re just coming into a small town in Quinland.”

Rya frowned. “I thought we were on direct route to Calrin?”

“We were intercepted sometime in the night. Apparently, Nadar wants us to pick him up here. The Eleven Above knows what he’s up to.” Brint shrugged.

“I might.” Rya muttered, watching as they came to a stop. Brint raised an eyebrow, but she ignored his look. She watched as the man stepped into the vehicle, its core still whirring with power.

Nadar looked her way and smirked, glimpsing the feathers of her wings, which she had hidden beneath a cloak. “When one has power like that, I wonder if it is more a sin to hide it, or to let the world see it and be amazed by the glory of Those Above?”

“You’re one to talk. The way you walk boasts of strength, and yet you remain a mystery to all.” Rya returned.

The man nodded in satisfaction. “Touché. Yet I suppose we all have our reasons? If we walked the world as we truly were, beings of power, the peoples would bow out of terror and fear.” He fell silent. “And what a hideous world that would be.”

A soldier scoffed. “Why? If one has power, they should use it. The world would be better. Like the draigons. They have such strong morals and strength, yet all they do is squander their power by policing the Seven Nations.”

Nadar turned to him, his eyes glinting darkly. “Pah! You’re nothing but a fool with his head buried in the sand, searching for scards! It’s because of such corrupted thinking that the world is even as it is today!”

“What does that mean?” Brint frowned.

“Think, boy! You’ve awakened to magyck, and yet you don’t think! True magyck was sealed away because of thinking like that! The Great Sages, those who built the Wretched Tower, thought as this soldier did. They were the most powerful of men, and while their intentions were good, they caused the most damage and harm. Because of them, much of this world was lost, and yet, perhaps out of all of this, the Light of the Mother shines brightest.”

“When we first met, I certainly didn’t take you as a religious man, Nadar.” Brint chuckled.

“Religious?! RELIGIOUS?! Religion has nothing to do with it. There is what there is, and nothing more.” Nadar growled. “Listen up, whelp, when you’ve seen and known as much as I have, you quickly realize that religion is often mistaken as ‘truth’. Religions are nothing but a clutch for those who are faint of heart, world weary, despairing in the lives that fate has given them. But when you strip away the clutch, you find a glowing ember, just waiting to ignite your heart. When that happens, The Great Mother sings, and her song brings healing to your soul. All is laid bare, yet nothing can touch you. Religion: pah!”

“That sounds so…wonderful. And yet…” Rya fell silent as memories began to surface.

Nadar’s face softened. “You know of what I speak, don’t you? Not just know of it, but to truly know it. You’ve experienced it.”

“Yes. I know it.” Her voice was barely a whisper. Her eyes hardened. “However, we have more important matters to attend to. Do you know if Gartrand and Lirand were successful?”

“Ah, they were very successful. Thanks to them, our enemy is down another soldier. And the Mauler now has another soul to feed on.” Nadar said.

“Nostraeli!” Alda hissed.

Nadar nodded grimly. “It would seem so. However, where the three of us are going, we shouldn’t have to worry about him.”

Rya frowned. “The three of us?”

“I need your help with….a project.” Nadar answered. “And the two of you are the only two available out those I can trust.”

“What type of project?” Brint asked.

“Come with me, and I shall show you. Or stay and be forever tormented at the prospect of what you could have learned.” Nadar smiled.