Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (3 page)

Lian nodded and climbed into the caldron.  He flinched as the water covered his body up to his chest.  “It stings.”

Eva laughed a bit as she returned to the room, “Now, now, don’t be a baby, Lian,” she said playfully.  “What would your mother think?”

Lian thought for a second and smiled. “You’re right!” he said. 
“I’ll be strong and brave just like my mother…”
he thought.  Those thoughts would stay with him for many years to come.

Miss Eva dumped water over Lian’s head, washing away the weeks of dirt, grime, and sweat that had tangled his hair.  Eva smiled. “See there? I told you your hair color was all wrong before. Now it’s the exact same color as your mother’s.  More of her in you than you thought.  Now get out and dry off, I’ll fetch some new clothes for you.”

Miss Eva got up and walked into the next room as Lian hopped out of the caldron and began drying himself with a cloth Eva had laid out next to the caldron.
“A cake, a story about my mother, her ribbon, and now new clothes?  This is the best birthday ever!”
he thought.

Eva entered the room a few moments later. “These will suit you just fine,” she said, handing Lian a new outfit.

He put on a new white linen shirt, followed by a pair of black trousers, also brand new. 

Eva studied the boy for a moment. “Hmm it’s a good fit, Lian, but the shirt is a bit too long. Let’s see what I can do about that.”  She walked back to the chest and dug around in a drawer, pulling forth a belt. “Yes, this will do nicely.”  She walked to Lian and wrapped the belt around him, fastening it around his waist “This will hold your shirt down so it doesn’t get in the way because of the length.  Looks fairly stylish too, don’t you think Lian?” asked Eva.

Lian looked down at his new clothes, the bottom of the shirt draping loosely under the belt. “I love it Miss Eva!  Thank you!” he said happily.  Then he glanced down at his bare feet, wiggling his toes slightly in sudden self-consciousness.

Eva noticed this. “Don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten those feet of yours.”  She handed him a pair of wool socks and then placed a pair of black bear hide boots next to him. “Wear these and your feet will never be cold again.”

Lian was filled with joy. “Thank you so much, Miss Eva!”

Eva smiled at him. “You’re welcome child. I hope you enjoy them.  Now, let us try and tame that wild mane of yours.”  Eva fetched his mother’s ribbon.  She pulled his hair back into a loose pony tail and tied it with the ribbon, “Just like your mother used to wear hers. Now, take care of it, Lian.” Eva said sternly. 

Lian smiled once again. “I will…” said Lian, trailing off for a moment, “but I have one more question if you don’t mind.” 

Eva looked at the boy, wondering what else could be on his mind. “Yes Lian?”

Lian looked at her. “If my mother left me with you… why haven’t you taken care of me the whole time?” asked Lian.  “Sometimes I go weeks without seeing you.” 

Eva stayed silent for moment, wondering how to answer this question.  “Well I cared for you while you were an infant, but once you started wandering around, I just couldn’t keep you in one place,” said Eva, affectionately.  “You were such a free spirit, so I let you go.  Before long, you were fending for yourself and doing well.  So I thought I’d let you wander.  I often leave the village anyway so it was for the best.”

Lian looked at her and nodded. “I understand, I think,” he said, still a bit confused.

Eva nodded. “That’s a good lad. Now come. The Elder is waiting for us.  I’ve asked him to show you something outside the village.”

Late afternoon had fallen upon the village as Eva and Lian approached the rear gates of the village where Elder Marrow could be seen waiting patiently.  Elder Marrow was an older man.  He had a snow white beard and was bald, but his face was youthful for a man of his title. 

When the two stopped before him, Marrow looked down to Lian, a stern expression on his face.  “Young Lian, I expect your afternoon was less eventful than your morning.”

Lian looked up at the man with his brown hooded robe hiding his bald head.  “Yes elder it has,” he said humbly. “Miss Eva has been very kind to me.”

A slight smile appeared on Marrow’s face. “I suspected as much, Lian.  She has insisted I take you up the path towards Shana’s Pass.”

Lian raised an eyebrow towards the Elder. “What for?” he asked.

“To show you a very old secret, older than the village itself.”

“What is it?” asked Lian, intrigued.

Marrow smiled slightly once again. “You’ll see soon enough,” said Marrow with haste.  “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise but keep what I am about to tell you in mind.”  Marrow’s tone grew serious as he spoke, “Only Eva and myself know of this. It is a great honor to see what you are about to see, and you must keep this secret.”  Marrow glanced to Eva, then returned his gaze to Lian. “We are putting a lot of trust in you, Lian. Don’t make us regret it.”

Lian quickly shook his head in agreement. “Yes… I mean… I won’t,” stuttered Lian.  “I promise.”

Elder Marrow nodded. “That’s a good boy. Now come. It’s a long walk.”

Marrow began opening the gates.  The old hinges holding the rickety wooden gates in place creaked as the gates swung open.

Eva grabbed Lian’s shoulder before the gates could fully open.  She knelt down and looked into his eyes. “Lian, the path you are about to walk will be difficult.” Eva smiled slightly as she spoke.  “You may not understand, but you must be strong and make it to the top…” Eva paused for a moment. “No matter what,” she concluded seriously.

Lian thought nothing of her words, and he was quick to agree. “Yes Miss Eva, I’ll be strong,” he said confidently.

Eva nodded and stood, “Good boy. Now go,” said Eva softly.  “I’ll be waiting when you return.” Eva watched as young Lian and Elder Marrow left the village, the gates closing behind them.

Lian walked just behind Marrow. “How far is it?” he asked.

Marrow chuckled. “Not that far, boy. Maybe a mile up the mountain path,” he said.

Lian remained silent
“Just a mile?”
he thought.
“I’m not that weak. Why did Miss Eva tell me to be strong?”

They turned up the mountain, the dirt turning to rock and gravel.  The path began to narrow.  Lian looked over the cliff’s edge, seeing the village at the base of the mountain below him.  He looked past the village and beyond the forest, “Wow… what’s that?”

Marrow turned and looked to see a large body of water. “That, Lian, is the Eternal Sea.”

Lian thought for a second, then responded with more questions. “The Eternal Sea?  Doesn’t it end?” asked Lian.

Marrow shook his head briefly. “No one knows, boy. It isn’t connected to any other body of water.  Elders have passed down stories of sailors attempting to cross it through the ages.  None who set sail ever returned.” Marrow looked to Lian. “Some believed they found a paradise and never bothered to return.  More or less, I believe they sank to a gloomy death.  The Eternal Sea might as well be the edge of Zaneen.”

Lian once again was puzzled. “Zaneen?”

Marrow looked at Lian in silence for a moment, and then shook his head at the boy’s ignorance. “Yes, boy, Zaneen.  I forget you’ve never been beyond our valley and you have no one to teach you about our world.  Our world is Zaneen, home to many people, who live in many different kingdoms.”

Lian smiled a bit, seizing the opportunity to learn more. “How many different kingdoms?”

Marrow turned away from him. “I can’t tell you, Lian,” said Marrow, continuing up the path. “So many, such a vast world beyond our little valley.  I do know that the closest country is Kynlynn.  Their borders lay just on the other side of the Telindell Mountains.”

Lian spoke up quickly, “Kynlynn?  Miss Eva told me about that place today.  She said that’s where my mother was from.”

Marrow sighed softly, stopping and turning to face Lian once more. “Did she?”

Lian nodded in excitement towards Marrow. “Yeah, she sure did!”

Marrow gazed at Lian in curiosity. “What else did she tell you about your mother?”

Lian was more than eager to repeat the story. “Well, she said my mother left me with her when I was a baby and she--”

Marrow snorted, interrupting Lian, “Nonsense, boy, nonsense.  Eva wasn’t even with us then,” said Marrow.  “You were left Lana.  Such a young lass.  Barely even a woman.”

Lian was confused.  “Lana?  Who’s Lana?”

Marrow looked at Lian kindly. “She was your caretaker after your mother left you with her.  A few years later, she went into the forest and was attacked by a pack of wolves.  You’ve been on your own ever since.” Marrow chuckled slightly. “You always wandered the village and the outskirts of the forest just outside the gates.  Miss Eva has only been here seven years or so.”

Lian glared at the elder, not wanting to believe that Eva had lied to him. “But…”

Marrow quickly interrupted the boy again. “Now, I’ll hear nothing else of this, boy,” Marrow said sternly.  “We still have a ways to go yet.  Now come.”

Lian nodded slowly. “Yes, Elder,” he said in a voice filled with despair.  Lian followed the elder, his thoughts racing.
“That can’t be right…”
he thought. 
“Someone is a liar.  Either Miss Eva or Elder Marrow.”
The more Lian thought, the more puzzled he became.
“How could she know all this?  Did she make it up?  I really don’t remember seeing her before I was five, so maybe the Elder is telling the truth… I’ll have to ask her as soon as we get back.” 
Lian continued following Marrow, his thoughts at ease for the time being.

Evening was drawing near as they journeyed farther up the mountain path.  Marrow rubbed his hands together as he spoke to Lian. “Do you feel the air?”

Lian remained silent for a moment. “Um yes, I think, Elder,” said Lian hesitantly, not sure how he was supposed to ‘feel the air’ as Marrow had put it. 

Marrow continued walking, shaking his head. “The temperature, boy,” he said.  “We have not even made it halfway up the mountain, and the temperature has already dropped fifteen degrees.  It is one of the things that make traveling the Telindells so treacherous.  Much colder at the entrance to Shana’s Pass.  Thankfully, we aren’t going near that place.” 

Lian remembered Eva’s tale of ogres from earlier that day. “Yes Elder, thankfully.” he said with a hint of relief in his voice. 

Marrow pointed up the path. “Almost there now, boy. I hope this place is still standing,” he hopefully.  “I haven’t been here since I became Elder almost twenty years ago.” 

Lian looked ahead, not seeing what the Elder had pointed at. “How long has it been here?” he asked, wondering what exactly it was.

Marrow continued walking toward the area he had pointed at.  “No one knows exactly how long, longer than the village,” said Marrow.  “From what we know, around one thousand years give or take a few hundred.  The village elders have always watched over this place.”

Lian was intrigued. 
“This place must be really important if they have been protecting it for that long…”
he
thought.

Finally, Marrow smiled and let out an excited chuckle. “Here we are!” he announced.

Lian looked around, but all he saw was the cliff’s edge to his left and the mountain to his right. “Where Elder?”

“Through here,” said Marrow as he stepped to the mountain face and began to squeeze through a small opening. “This will be much easier for you, boy.  I’m a bit bigger than I was last time,” he said, struggling to squeeze through.

Lian started easing through the opening behind the elder.  They emerged into a pitch dark cavern.  Lian couldn’t see a thing as he called to Marrow. “Elder… Elder where are you?”

Marrow’s voice echoed through the darkness. “Over here, boy.  Stay put for just a moment.”

Lian stood still. Then, the sound of a striking flint rock could be heard along with the brief flash of sparks bouncing along the ground.  The cavern filled with light as the Elder lit a torch.

“Come, boy. The chamber is deeper inside, and mind your step,” said Marrow.

They began walking deeper into the cavern until they reached a great chasm.

Marrow looked down to Lian.  “Now, don’t look down. It’s a long way to the bottom,” he said as he stepped onto a narrow bridge, seemingly formed naturally across the chasm.

Lian followed Marrow, peering over the edge only to see a dark void with an eerie white mist masking any sign of a bottom.  After crossing the bridge, they came to a halt with nothing in front of them but the cavern wall.  Lian watched the elder as he ran his hand along the wall, looking for something. 

Marrow groaned as his hand ran along the wall. “Now, it should be… here it is,” he said with enthusiasm.

Marrow pushed on the wall, revealing a pressure plate.  The plate slid back into the cavern wall, and the cavern began to shake as rocks began to fall from the ceiling.  Lian looked around at the falling rocks, some smashing into the cavern floor, others falling endlessly into the chasm.  He looked to the elder and saw that the wall was beginning to slide away, revealing a doorway.  Soon after, the cave quit shaking, allowing Marrow to enter the newly revealed doorway.  Lian followed closely, the light of the torch unable to pierce the darkness of the chamber.  Marrow stepped to the side of the doorway and touched the torch to the wall.  Light sprang from the wall as flames ignited.  Lian’s eyes grew wide as he watched the flame travel around the wall, igniting torches and revealing the chamber’s circular shape. 

Marrow looked down at Lian’s astonished face. “That is a pretty neat trick, isn’t it?” he asked playfully.  “I had the same expression when I first saw.”

Lian looked to Marrow. “Trick?”

Marrow smiled at Lian. “Yes, you see there is a path along the wall filled with oil.” Marrow pointed towards the pathway as he spoke.  “You light the oil, and the flame travels around the room igniting the torches.  When we close the chamber the fire quickly consumes the oxygen in the room and extinguishes itself.  Understand?”

Lian nodded. “That is a pretty neat trick.” 

He looked around the edges of the room, then to the center.  On the left, he saw a towering stone statue of a beautiful woman wearing a cloak that draped from her back and tied at the neck. Her upper body was covered only by a piece of cloth covering her breasts. She wore only a short skirt on her bottom half. The statue held a long staff at her side, with her hair hanging well below her waist.  To the right was another statue.  This one was a man with no facial hair wearing a plain robe.  He was holding a staff as well, except his was curved at the top.  He had long flowing hair similar to the female’s.  Lian noticed that the male statue had pointed ears.  In the center, farther back in the room was yet another statue depicting a man kneeling.  This statue was plain. Lian could only make out the shape of a man, no details.  His arms were extended and placed in them was an old, very unremarkable looking sword.  The sword fit in the statue’s hands perfectly. There was a slight curve to it, the blade hidden by the sheath. Both the sword and the sheath appeared battered and beaten.  It had seen battle.  Under the sword stood a plain, worn, wooden table with some old parchment atop it.

Marrow looked to Lian. “Go ahead. Ask away,” he said. “I know you have questions.”

Lian looked to the elder and then around the room. “What is this place?”

Marrow looked around the room as well. “This is a shrine to honor a legendary hero of Zaneen,” he said.  “Not many people nowadays know his story. It has been lost to time.  All the Elders of our village have safeguarded this place for around a thousand years.”

Lian looked upon the artifacts in awe. “Who’s that?” he asked, pointing to the statue of the man on the right.

“That is a remnant of an age long passed.  He is Olbien, the God of Dawn,” said Marrow.  Marrow knew Lian wouldn’t be satisfied with such a vague answer.  “When the dawn of new life enters our world, Olbien guides it and shapes it.  He acts as our shepherd as we live our lives.”

Lian shook his head.
“More Gods?”
he thought.
  “This one is the opposite of the one Miss Eva told me about.”
Lian took notice of the statue’s pointed ears again, asking, “Why are his ears pointed?”

Marrow smirked a bit. “Simple boy, he is Elven.”

Lian looked at him, puzzled. “Elven?” 

Marrow shook his head. Lian was even ignorant of common fairy tales known by most children. “Yes, Elven,” he said. “According to legends, the Elves were very much like us. The only differences were that they had pointed ears and would live far longer than any human.”

Lian stared at the male Elven statue. “What happened to them, Elder?” he asked Lian.