The Legends of Valoria Book Two Rise of the Divine Knight
Chapter 3

Talia opened the front door of the house and stepped out into the bustling city street.

“Baldur, Aurick, please stay.” The massive three-tailed white and grey dire wolves whined, but did not cross the threshold. Talia smiled to them, petted each of them and then closed the door behind her. She turned her attention towards the opposite side of the noble’s quarter where the gates to the labyrinth lay and within, her beloved Alec. Talia watched the bustling, busy streets and stared intently at the masses of blissfully ignorant civilians going about their daily lives. It was late in the day, though still plenty light out for everyone to tend to their own personal business.

Talia walked through the bustle as she made her way towards the labyrinth. While she walked, she spotted Eliza and Zelus moving to intercept her.

“You look rather lovely today. You would not happen to be in a hurry to visit someone special, would you now?” Talia blushed as she looked to Eliza who had a broad smile on her face.

“I merely wished to be free of my soiled cadets clothing, tis all.” Talia spoke in her formal tongue not having fully learned to speak without its use. Eliza shook her head as she continued to smile.

“I’m sure.” Zelus was the next to speak with Talia as she pressed on through the crowded streets.

“Might we accompany you? It has been some time since we have been to see Alec. He hasn’t begun to diminish, has he?” Talia shook her head.

“Alec is doing as fine as can be expected. His body is still vibrant and…um…uh.”

“Firm?” Eliza threw out bluntly, to which Talia agreed without hesitation and then after considering Eliza’s words, wished she hadn’t. Eliza and Zelus both laughed at her as Talia sunk further into her own embarrassment.

“I thought you wished for me to allow you access to Alec. Are thou certain you wish to continue with such merriments?” Zelus and Eliza scrunched their faces as they glared at Talia’s blackmail.

“We’ll behave,” they answered as one and, smiling that her mischief had paid out, Talia bowed her head slightly and began to lead the way. As they reached the end of their trek across the nobles’ district, they came across Alec’s home, which the Lion had promised to him before he had left on his quest to become a paladin. Even though Alec had not officially returned alive, Eliza’s father had still made sure to secure the home for him all the same, having known the truth from six months ago.

Talia had been in the house on multiple occasions, first to help move in Alec’s belongings and at other times simply to look at his things, reminiscing and dreaming about the day he would return. The home had once served as a property that was loaned out to traveling noble families who owned no lands in Valascaa but the Kaldur family, using their wealth acquired from their trading operations and intelligence network, had purchased it.

It had stone floors on the bottom level, along with a large kitchen and a greeting room. In the center of the large sitting room were beautiful red rugs and a massive stone fireplace. Talia smiled every time upon passing the house and dreamed of the day when she and Alec could sit together and enjoy the flames. She continued to stroll alongside Eliza and Zelus before stopping in the presence of the mighty columns and massive hedge walls, which bore entrance to the labyrinth.

Talia walked alone to the entrance while Zelus and Eliza played lookout to ensure that no one was spying on them. Talia looked down to the ground and, closing her eyes, spoke the words that would allow her unbarred access to the maze within.

“In the name of Aneira, please allow us entrance to the one who has taken up refuge in the roots of her power.” Talia opened her eyes and turned back towards her watchers. “It is done; we will now be allowed to see him.” Zelus and Eliza turned and followed Talia as she entered.

“Talia, are you certain that what you did is going to work?” Zelus asked as he looked about for anything suspicious. “Last time I was here, I was almost eaten by an evil bush from the abyss.” Talia smiled as Eliza began to embrace the same level of concern as Zelus, apparently remembering the encounter.

“Quite, I have been in here every day for the last six months and sometimes more than once. The incantation I have spoken was personally selected and it has yet to fail me.”

“So that yet means that it could?”

“No, I would not expect that it would fail, unless one who uttered it possessed malevolent intentions.” Zelus and Eliza relaxed and began to walk side by side with Talia.

“Then I suppose all is well.” Eliza spoke as they fell in line. As Talia marched forward, Eliza and Zelus took their time to examine their surroundings since the last time they had entered the labyrinth had been most unpleasant.

“Hey, Eliza look!” Zelus pointed off towards his left. “That’s where you sprang that trap and nearly got yourself knocked unconscious. Eliza turned to face him and gave him a snide look.

“And up ahead is where you nearly got yourself eaten by a bush!” Zelus grew quiet for a moment as he scrunched his face in discontent.

“Wasn’t my fault that the stupid bush was there.” He grumbled to himself. Talia shook her head but remained silent as the two continued to bicker back and forth while they journeyed together down memory lane. After several near agonizing minutes, they had walked down the appropriate path and arrived at the all too familiar marble building, which resided within the labyrinth’s core. Talia approached the solid doors, which had once barred Alec and the other’s path, and with great ease pushed them open.

“Why didn’t we think of that?” Zelus complained as he saw the doors swinging effortlessly open.

“We did remember? They wouldn’t budge because of the mechanism on the other side.”

“We are not here for trial, so we may enter undeterred. Had we been here to be tested these doors would be sealed from us.”

“How can you be sure?” Zelus asked of Talia. Without turning to face him, Talia entered the structure before she answered.

“Since losing both Alec and Marec, I have vowed to never allow my weaknesses to cost me another loved one. I have been here on several occasions, seeking to be tested.”

“You have come here alone? That is incredibly dangerous!” Eliza was shocked.

“It seems that Alec is not the only one to be driven to press themselves past their physical peak in such a way.” Her tone had grown more aggressive. Where one would expect to replace remorse or regret, they found nothing but anger, contempt and determination. Eliza and Zelus allowed the comment to pass by as they quickly changed the course of their conversation.

As they entered the room, Zelus and Eliza looked up to marvel at the all too familiar high ceilings with the massive wooden beams. Eliza remembered the time that she had used those very beams in order to scout ahead for her team and to lay down cover fire should they become overwhelmed. She also remembered how terribly her plan backfired, and how Alec was forced to come to her rescue at the cost of the rest of their team.

Zelus nodded as his and Eliza’s eyes met and he knew what she was remembering as they came upon the room where he had been struck unconscious by the massive Valdurn that had taken them by surprise and nearly killed all of them.

“He was always there for us wasn’t he?” Zelus spoke as they came upon the room where that final battle had taken place. The bear had been removed, the blood cleansed, but the vivid images of the battle were still emblazoned within their hearts. Zelus and Eliza stood in horror as they relived the events that propelled them on their adventure. An adventure that would eventually lead them to where they now stood. Zelus’ words seemed to hang in the air until they echoed back and their true weight fell upon them.

“Yes, he was,” Eliza spoke.

“For all of us.” Talia returned. As they spoke, they had walked around the final turn and could see the Aneiran shrine lying before them, the magnificent Aneiran blossom resting just beyond it. Eliza and Zelus searched about the memorable room and examined every detail. Light refracted off from every surface, the walls of the room and divisions around the shrine shimmered as if stained glass.

A bountiful spectrum of colors washed across their faces as Eliza and Zelus stood, stunned while Talia proceeded forward and knelt down on a small woolen pad in front of the Aneiran blossom. Talia dipped her head and closed her eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her and prayed.

“In the name of the goddess, please allow me to see he who slumbers.” Talia opened her eyes, which now glowed with brilliant light. Her hair was also aglow as her trance activated and she gently placed the palm of her right hand upon one of the tree’s many roots. The Aneiran blossom animated. Its limbs stretched out slowly as if they were whips, rearing in slow motion. The trunk of the tree twisted and rose higher. Blossoms began to rapidly bloom and fall to the ground as the tree’s motion came to a slow close. Before them now, lay a secret altar hidden within the tree’s trunk, their friend resting upon it.

Talia rose from her seated position and walked the length of the red carpet that had sprawled out before her, then carefully scaled the three stone steps that led up to the base of the altar. She reached out for Alec and placed her hand upon his. She sat beside him and looked over to Eliza and Zelus.

“Did you two wish to see him or not?” Eliza and Zelus nodded and began to approach the altar.

“Scree!” Came a shriek as a massive ball of feather and fur soared through the air knocking Zelus off from his feet and bounded around happily in front of Eliza.

“Oz!” Eliza exclaimed as she petted the now matured lion hawk, who had grown massive during the past six months. Eliza patted his chest and was forced to walk around him in order to pat him on the flank. “Oz, what have they been feeding you? You’re bigger than a horse now! Have you been getting enough exercise?” The lion hawk screeched once more as Zelus began to rise up from the ground. Oz paid him no attention, so Zelus attempted to sneak behind him and slowly reached out his hand.

“Thud!” Was the sound made when Oz’s left wing came hurtling down, smacking Zelus and forcing him back to the ground. Talia and Eliza both laughed as Oz let out his own purrs of merriment.

“Stupid bird.” Zelus muttered to himself he lifted himself up from the ground once more and began to dust himself off.

“Well, he is clearly smarter than you and he obviously hasn’t forgotten about you.” Eliza laughed as she continued to pet the lion hawk. The rumbling effect of his purring sent small tremors into the ground. Eliza turned her head to Talia who was now collecting a small metal cup from one of the tree’s smaller roots. A vase filled with fresh flowers sat beside Alec.

“Has Oz been living here?” Talia nodded her head.

“Yes, he has been rather content in here. For those who search, there is a plentiful amount of game. This labyrinth goes on for some time before hitting the outer castle wall. If he gets bored, I imagine that he simply leaves and goes about his business, although I replace that every time, he is here waiting for me when I arrive.” Eliza and Zelus both looked at Talia and thought for a moment.

“How often do you come here?” Talia turned and her naiveté caught the best of her.

“Every day, as instructed by Aurora.”

“Just once a day?” Eliza asked inquisitively as she leaned to the side looking at the fresh pot of flowers.

“Well…no…sometimes more frequently.” She had begun to grasp what it was that the duo was getting at. “Well, it’s not as though I spend every spare moment here. It just helps me to think when I am here and besides, Oz grows terribly lonesome from time to time.” She slowly looked around and noticed that Oz was, in fact, nowhere to be seen, having left several minutes before. Eliza and Zelus began to chortle as Talia grew increasingly flustered, her cheeks growing a deep shade of rosy red. Eliza and Zelus continued to laugh for some time before finally their laughter slowed and they began to catch their breath.

“Do you two wish to visit or have you only accompanied me in order to make fun?” Eliza and Zelus both laughed one final time and wiped the tears out of their eyes as they made their way to the stone steps and approached the altar. Talia turned her attention away from them as she began tending to the tree roots.

“What are you doing?” Zelus asked kindly as Eliza looked at her friend. Talia turned her head slightly to acknowledge Zelus, but continued with her work.

“I am attempting to extract some of the sap. The tree has begun bearing much more than it had initially, though it still requires some effort to gather.” They leaned in and watched as a small bead of amber liquid formed upon the surface of one of the branches and slowly began to trickle its gelatinous body down towards Talia’s outstretched hands, which held her cup. By the time the initial drop had formed and fallen, a long flow of sap began to accumulate and flow down from the branches until a steady stream began pouring into the metal cup.

As the flow of amber liquid slowed and desisted, Talia slowly lowered her hands to stare into the now filled cup. She eyed it for a moment before leaning in and grasping the back of Alec’s head, slowly raising it from the altar. As she did so, Zelus and Eliza both stepped forward.

“Do you have need for us to help you?” Talia smiled and shook her head without peeling her eyes away from Alec as she lowered the cup to his lips and allowed for a small amount of the fluid to touch his lips. Alec’s muscles reacted instinctively. His mouth opened and he began to slowly drink the contents of the cup. Zelus and Eliza remained quiet through the length of the nurturing until Talia had finished and lowered Alec’s head back down to the altar. She stared down upon him lovingly as she wiped his face clean.

“Is that the sword?” Zelus pointed slightly passed Talia and Alec. Talia turned slightly to her left and looked upon the Sidonis sword, which was propped against the side of the altar, partially hidden behind the roots of the tree. Talia turned her head back towards Eliza and Zelus and nodded.

“Yes it is. I had thought this would be an adequate hiding place seeing as how we want for no one to know of its existence.”

“I would agree,” Eliza spoke up. “I do believe however that Zelus and I need to be on our way. We have a number of things, which must be taken care of before the day’s end. ” Eliza turned to the side and motioned her hand outwards to flag Zelus on. “If you would be so kind,” she leaned in closely. “We should probably give her some time alone.” Zelus eventually catching on to the not so subtleness, turned to face Talia and nodded his head.

“Thank you for allowing us to visit.” Talia nodded her head and smiled.

“Of course.”

“Now Talia, please do not forget that we must be ready early tomorrow. Our drills are going to need to be much more intricate from here on out if we wish to stand a fighting chance against the Dormeerans and Tartarians in the coming tournament of arms.” Talia nodded her head again and smiled.

“Of course Eliza, I will be there.” Eliza and Zelus waved one final time before departing, leaving Talia alone with Alec. Talia turned back to her patient and laid her head on his chest. She could feel the rise of his chest as he inhaled and it soothed her. She closed her eyes and gripped his shirt as she enjoyed the beating of his heart.

“Alec…I am so afraid of what my dream means. I am afraid of what will happen to you. I keep telling myself that it is not real and will not come true, yet I know that my visions most always do reflect the truth. I do not know what I should do, but stay here by your side. Oh, how I wish you were here.”