Moirai
Chapter 10

Throughout the next day, Mayrankept up a constant stream of both praise and continuous warnings.

“You’ve got to remember now thatyou must train your aura to do what youwant it to do. Otherwise you’ll replace that almost anything could happen.” Hesaid as the edge of the forest grew nearer and nearer.

I instantly understood. “Yesterdaywhen I got away from Gould, I hadn’t planned to turn invisible. In fact, Ihadn’t planned anything; what happened was completely automatic and accidental.”

“Exactly. How would you feel if,instead of turning invisible, you had killed Gould? However,” he raised afinger at my cringe, “I’m not going to lie; there will be times that you willhave to harm people. When you think about it, it’s no different to using asword, and you didn’t protest to that.”

“Auras are different.” I insisted. “With a sword, you can control wherethe blade is going and, hopefully, avoid seriously injuring the person. That’swhy I try so hard to perfect it. Using an aura, as you just pointed out, is farharder to control. It’s more like…lightning when compared to a power cord.”

“A power cord?” he questioned.

Of course; no electricity.

“A way of taking electricity fromone area to another without letting it run wild.” I explained.

He nodded. “Interesting. Now, youexplained that very well and also explained exactly why it is so important foryou to train your aura. You must learn to make it obey you, which is no easyfeat, but that is what I am going to try and teach you. This is how you willbeat Indina, mark my words.” He paused, eyes misting over slightly and I gotthe distinct impression that he was no longer seeing Loni and I. “That witchwon’t be vanquished from a sword to the heart.”

His voice had taken on anundertone of fierceness that surprised me. It was almost as though there wassomething personal going on. What was the reason for this extreme vengeanceagainst Indina?

My mind’s eye was thrown back tothe dream, where (whether it really was Indina or otherwise) his past was putinto question. I opened my mouth to ask him something about that very topic,but our entrance into the shade of the trees stopped me.

Silence.

Not a peep of birdsong, nor therustle of wind through the thick canopy above. The months-old leaves crunchingunder the horses’ hooves even seemed muffled. The back of my neck prickleduneasily as I was uncomfortably reminded of Okanto.

Neither Mayran or Loni spoke aswe rode. The curtains of sunlight that filtered through the canopy of oaks andmaples created a disorientating feeling, and I swore I could see things moving all around us.

After almost half an hour, Lonispoke, her voice little more than a hushed whisper.

“Isn’t it strange that we haven’tbeen met by anyone yet? I mean, surely Kasanda told the Dryads of our coming.”

“It is indeed.” Mayran’s replywas just as quiet. He was looking around nervously, stopping his horse. “Sheeven implied that we would be met by the Praesul themselves.”

“Who?” I asked, though the wordrang a bell. However, I couldn’t remember Loni or her parents mentioning it.

“The Praesul would never lowerthemselves to grace you with their presence.” My question was answered byneither Mayran or Loni, but by a male voice that practically dripped arrogance.

Its owner showed itself, seemingto melt out of the shadows, as a tall, crossbow-carrying Dryad with a lion’smane of orange hair down his back. His skin was an olive-brown tone that remindedme of the bark of the oak trees around us. He fixed an arrow on me, but hisgaze was directed at Mayran. In the corners of my eyes I could see that other Dryads,all armed, had also made their appearances. Each had their weapon aimed at oneof us, but it seemed like none would act without the flame-haired Dryad’spermission.

“Off your horses.” He demanded.

We obeyed, warily. Mayran took astep forward, surprise written all over his face. “Why all the hostility?Didn’t Kasanda’s message reach you?”

Something flashed in the Dryad’seyes. “Kasanda has not been to the forest in many years. She did not foreseerecent events and thus based her ideas of your ‘acceptance’ here on what sheknew. Things have changed.”

“We only wanted to stay a fewnights in Flowerage.” I intercepted, my curiosity burning as to what he wasgoing on about.

His expression instantlydarkened, and he strode towards me. For one terrifying moment, I thought he wasgoing to fire his crossbow.

Then he reared back his hand andslapped me across my cheek.

The force knocked me to my knees,and I tasted blood where I must have bitten my tongue. Looking up, I saw Mayranand Loni move forward, outrage clear in their eyes.

“You move, and I kill her.” The Dryadsnapped, and I knew, though I dared not look, that the crossbow was aimeddirectly at my head.

What on Earth was wrong with thisguy?

“What are you doing?” Mayrandemanded angrily.

“A girl should keep her mouthshut in these matters.” The Dryad hissed.

“And who are you to be dictatingthat?” Mayran asked.

“Centurion, current leader of theDryads’ Defendors. Crude name, but accurate.” Centurion rambled off as thoughrehearsed.

“Yes, and I can see you have comea long way since I last saw you…and not necessarily in the right direction.”

Yet another figure stepped out ofthe shadows, and this one was much more welcome.

Kasanda stalked forward, herevery move bespeaking authority and infuriation with the scene in front of her.With one flick of her wrist, the crossbows were lowered. Mayran and Loni wereat my side instantly, pulling me gently to my feet. All three of us were tooshocked with this sudden turn of events to speak.

Centurion had paled slightly ashe stared at Kasanda. His eyes and tone of voice made it clear that he wasirate at her interference, yet for some reason couldn’t, or wouldn’t, speakagainst her.

“Kasanda, as I’m sure you areaware, regular humans are no longer allowed in our forest.” He drawled throughgritted teeth.

“No.” she replied, keeping hervoice level. “I’m afraid I’m not aware, Centurion. Please explain.”

“Well…what with Indina stirringagain, several months ago the Praesul decided that the forest should be closedoff from the outside world until the evil witch no longer poses a threat.”Centurion, it seemed, was trying very hard not to sound like he was speaking toa child.

“What do you think they arecoming through here for?” Kasanda demanded, her voice icy calm. “I alerted thePraesul to their arrival and explained the need. They must stay here for atleast a few days before continuing on to Druge. Alnya must perfect her skillshere, where it is harder for Indina to reach her.”

Centurion glanced from Kasanda tothe rest of us and somehow made the connection. “Hold on…her?” he thrust afinger at me. “She’s the one? Kasanda, this is ridiculous! This girl is barely of age, she didn’t even attempt to defend herself or her friendswhen we intercepted them. You mean to tell me that you have chosen her to face Indina?” his voice grewsteadily louder until he was practically shouting.

“Are you questioning me,Centurion? And not only me, but the details of what I foresaw?” the questionswere delivered just as quietly as before; a stark contrast to Centurions dulcettones. “You know perfectly well that it was not I who chose her, but it waspreordained. If I had chosen someone wrong, they would not have made it thisfar.”

Centurion looked as though hewould have liked to say more, but something in Kasanda’s eyes stopped him.Instead, in a whirl of his bright orange hair, he turned to face me.

“Right then.” He hissed,breathing heavily. “In that case you must be tested, to further your training.” He said it as though his meaning was theexact opposite. “In three days’ time, you and I will participate in a Trial ofThree. Refuse, and no matter what Kasanda says, you will not be staying inFlowerage.”

With that, he signalled to theother Dryads. They vanished as quickly as they had come, leaving the eeriesilence back in their place.

I looked at Kasanda. “What was hetalking about?”

She had been standing with hereyes shut, fingers massaging her temples. At my question her eyes snapped openwith a groan of frustration. “Centurion is being extremely difficult. He wasalways an arrogant Dryad, but I certainly did not expect this. Something’schanged…”

“Who is he?” Mayran asked.

“Well, when I last knew him therewasn’t really anything special to speak of. We are of a similar age, but Inever knew him well. I’m not sure how he grew to be the leader of the Defendors.Although, it has been many years. However, I suspect that his animosity towardsyou, Alnya, could be my fault.

“What do you mean?” I was moreinterested in this ‘Trial of Three’ but had a feeling that Kasanda wouldexplain it soon.

“When I experienced my vision ofyou, all those years ago, I sent an urgent message to Flowerage telling them ofwhat I had seen. But I did not check that my messenger had gotten the detailscorrectly. He failed to convey that the person I had seen was a girl. I wouldguess that word spread and Centurion heard of the vision. He possibly got itinto his head that he was the subject of my vision. If I had known, I wouldhave tried to correct the mistake. It almost seems as though he begrudges thefact that you are female.”

“He’s sexist.” I muttered.

Kasanda raised her eyebrows. “Isthat what you call it? The term is unfamiliar to me. However, the point is thatnow he’s taken a personal disliking to you, which could cause some seriousissues.”

“What’s this Trial of Three?”Loni had kept silent for so long that I jumped at the sound of her voice.

Kasanda groaned again, shakingher head, though whether in annoyance or weariness I couldn’t tell.

“It’s a test that was originallydesigned to see if an auraic Dryad was suitable to take a place of importancein our ranks, but lately it has become more of a method to settle debts. Itconsists of three parts: a series of mind puzzles, a one-on-one sword fight,and finally the two competitors are pitted against each other using only theirauras. The final two are ended when a killing blow could be struck, but the rules strictly state that neithercompetitor is allowed to make the blow. The punishment for disobeying this ruleis to be forever banished from the Dryads, so we can be confidant thatCenturion would not use the Trial as a way of killing you.”

“That doesn’t sound verypromising.” I remarked. “What happens in the likely event that I don’t win?”

Kasanda frowned. “Don’t be sopessimistic. There is quite a good chance that you can win. I have confidencein you with puzzles, and it is already clear of your growing proficiency withyour aura. Mayran, how is the sword training coming along?”

He glanced in my directionbriefly before answering. “It’s coming along. Alnya is slowly getting better,however,” he addressed me. “We would really need to focus over the next coupleof days.”

Basically, I thought, hearingwhat he was not saying; I was not doing very well at all and am probably goingto lose that part of the test. In my mind, I was going to lose every part, butI didn’t voice my doubts again.

Kasanda could clearly tell that Iwas unsettled, for she said nothing more on the subject and instead began tolead us to Flowerage. Along the way, she answered my questions on how she hadarrived here so quickly. It was a method of using her aura to teleport herselfover vast distances. She explained that it is a very exhaustion procedure andshould only be used if absolutely necessary. She also told us who the Praesulwere.

“It is difficult to describe thestrange relationship between the four Praesul. The easiest way is to say thatthey have a shared mind. They speak in the plural, and always know where theother three are. It allows them to coordinate whenever the need to protect theforest arises.” A wry smile crossed her face. “In many ways, they appear likechildren. Their bodies are young, and they are often curious and always kind,but don’t let that make you treat them as though they truly are children. Theyare the most powerful auraics currently living, and have lived for severalhundreds of years. No-one knows how. In fact, no-one knows if they are truly Dryadsor not.”

“What do you mean?” I asked,slightly daunted.

“Their names are Luna, Sol,Aurora and Umbra, representing the two great bodies of the sky and the two endsof the day. They reflect their names in strange ways, but I think it would bebest if you saw for yourself, rather than trying to explain it.”

“We’ll get to meet them, then?”

“Yes, I am sure they want to seeyou all.” Kasanda replied. “You especially, Alnya.”