Chapter 6: The Journey Begins

She couldn't see anything. It was dark and blank. She could only hear a voice which seem to be coming from far…

"Rhen…Put on the ring….I can't find you…Put on the ring….." the voice eventually faded away.

"Who…Who are you?" Rhen asked but no reply came. "Are you there? Anyone?"

Then she woke up. The sun lightened up the whole room. She was dazed and confused. "That was an odd dream. Was that the priestess I saved long ago?" Rhen was pondering over while getting dressed. "I think I should go find the priestess ring." So she went out to search for the ring. "From the last I've heard that slave trader sold it to a junk dealer in veldarah. I should go there and check." Rhen talked to herself. After few path, she found the shop near the entrance of the city.

"Good day, ma'am. Feel free to have a look that might interest you." The junk dealer welcomed Rhen.

Rhen explored the shop. There wasn't much. She kept searching until she saw a pretty silver ring with a sapphire engraved on it. She at once recognized the ring. It was the same ring the priestess gave her in Clearwater.

"How much is this ring?" Rhen asked the junk dealer.

"The replica of a priestess ring? 10 gold pennies.

"That's expensive! I can't imagine how much an original one might cost!"

"An original priestess ring would be priceless!"

Rhen paid the shopkeeper. She put it back on her finger. When she was about to leave, there was a light in front of her. Suddenly someone appeared before her.

"It's you! The Priestess!" Rhen was extremely surprised to see her.

"I have finally found you." The priestess spoke with a sigh of relief.

"How did you find me?"

"The ring. While you wore it, I knew where you were. But shortly after I gave it to you, you disappeared. Now that you have wore it again."

"I was going to meet Peter by the sheep pen. But right outside the village, a slave trader kidnapped me. He took the ring also. He sol me as a slave" Rhen explained everything that happened to her till then.

"Are you slave now?"

"No. not anymore."

"Where is this place?"

"This is a city called Veldarah. Other than that I don't know anything."

"So, you are in the Eastern Empire."

"I suppose so. Can you take me back home?"

"Home is a long way, Rhen. You are safer here."

"Is something wrong?"

"…." She remained silent. "I must leave you now. I shall need my ring back for the time being."

Rhen took off the ring and gave it back to her.

"Wait, where are you going. Who are you?" Rhen stopped her as she was leaving.

"I am going to see the empress. We have much to talk about. Meet me there." She replied to Rhen. "Oh, and my name is Talia. That is all you need to know for now." Then she went out of the doorway.

"Is this the child, priestess?" asked the empress of Veldarah.

"Yes, empress. She is the one.

"Hmmmm. The lost daughter. She resembles her mother. She has her eyes."

"And her father, beautiful child she is."

"Yes. Her teachers tell me she will become a powerful sword singer. Traits coming from both of her parents."

"What are you talking about? My father's a shoe maker and my mother's a seamstress." Rhen interrupted the conversation as she didn't had the faintest idea what they were discussing about.

"So, she does not know of her past." The empress spoke hearing Rhen.

"It is for the best," replied Talia.

"Know what?" Rhen couldn't help it.

"It is not important. Have you made sure priestess that she is the one? You can not deny the incident that happened to you when you were young." The empress asked Talia.

"We tried to stop the prophecy in her infancy but it was not to be. I believe she is the one."

"Prophecy? What prophecy? What do I have to do with any of it?" Rhen intervened again as couldn't still understand the matter.

"Girl, you must talk to the oracle. She will know if you are the chosen one." The empress told Rhen. Then she yelled, "Oracle, show yourself!"

Just then an old woman appeared. It was more like an hologram of her. She wore a grayish-blue robe, silver hair was tied on her head.

"You have summoned me?" the oracle asked the empress,

"Yes, we need your guidance." She showed Rhen to her. The oracle touched Rhen with a bony finger.

"What is this I see? A child with such aura?" the oracle asked examining Rhen.

"The priestess says that the child is the prophesized one." Replied the empress.

"Indeed, she is." She lifted her finger off of Rhen. "Dreamer, is that You? Why have you left the dream?" she asked Talia as she saw her.

"That can not be! Priestess, you are guardian of dreams?" the empress exclaimed.

"I was summoned by the oracle for the position many years ago." Talia replied.

"The guardian of dreams can not walk amongst the awaken ones! How did you come out?"

"'Beware lest the dreamer wakes'. I am the guardian and I am awake. Ahriman's demons have taken over the dreamland, empress."

"So, Ahriman's minions have arrived." The oracle was deep in thought.

"Yes, I came for the girl as soon as I fell." Talia answered.

"You have done a good job, for the girl is the one. Howeve, her future seems uncertain to me…"

"Now that she's here, what should we do?"

"She must gather all of the druids and bring them to the sun temple in Aveyond."

"Can you not call them yourself?"

"I have tried. But I am still bound to the dreamland as the guardian heard."

"Ahriman." Said the empress in a low voice.

"I must go now. Dreamer, you must come to the temple. Rest does not come to you easily. The nightmare is starting." The oracle vanished into thin air.

"I shall inform your teachers of your departure." The empress spoke.

"I have to leave?" Rhen asked as if she was under a trance.

"Yes. But I do not think you should travel alone. Find a companion to take with you."

"I'll go with her." Lars came out of nowhere and bowed down. It made Rhen jump and bumped into a maid.

"No please, empress. Anyone but him!" Rhen begged.

"You are still a student, Lars."

"I'm one of the strongest magic wielders in the empire, even if I'm still an apprentice." Lars said boastfully.

"Well, that is true. Necessary time call for necessary measures. You may accompany her." The empress approved

.

Rhen groaned. "What is that brat up to?" she wondered.

"Thank you, your highness. I must go pack now. I'll be waiting in my room, Rhen." Lars flashed a toothy smile at her and walked away. Rhen rolled her eyes.

"Good luck on your journey," the empress said.

"Rhen you must find the druide and take them to Aveyond. The druids are:

Daena the wise

Vata the father of time

Rashnu the dark

Eithera the strong

Vohu Manah the bard

Armaiti the green

Dameon the sun priest

And me of course. I am Talia the dreamer.

Oh dear, I suppose you are full of questions"

"Where's Aveyond?"

"Aveyond is on the Northern isle, where the temple of sun is located," Talia explained. "The temple holds great power that the druids can use to defeat the evil. You must find the eight druids and take them to Aveyond. I shall travel with you there when you leave."

"You're the druid of dreams?"

"Yes. Years ago, the oracle asked me to become the Dreamer, druid and guardian of dreams."

"Isn't it bad if the Dreamer wakes? It's known that when the Dreamer wakes, the world should fear. What does that mean?"

"It is very bad. While I am awake, the nightmares in the dream realm can change mortals into twisted creatures while they sleep." She explained. "Fear your dreams, child. There is no one to protect them now."

"Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"A demon, one of Ahriman's daevas, ripped me from the dream realm. I am blocked from that place. The oracle can help me return when we reach Aveyond. That is, after we finish the gathering."

"The gathering?"

"That question for another time."

"Oh…" Rhen felt awkward but she needed to know one more thing.

"Talia, you and others keep saying I'm someone's lost daughter. Even in Clearwateryou said such. Why?"
"You must talk to your father about this when you next go to Clearwater. Best you know it from him"

"Ready to go, Peta?" Lars asked when Rhen came to pick him up.

"Stop calling me that!" Rhen shouted on him. "Why did you offer to come with me? Actually, insist! You hate me, remember?"

"Poor Peta, you just don't get it, do you? I couldn't let a slave girl complete such an important task, unaided." Lars teased her. Rhen scowled.

"When I become High Sorcerer of the academy, I'll make sure that no slave trash ever gets into the school again."

"And When I become High Sword Singer, I'll make sure that slavery is banned. Now let's go. We have a long journey ahead of us, unfortunately."

And so both of them left the academy. Rhen kept looking at it while going away. After all it had given her a lot.

"Let's meet Talia. She's at the front gate of the city," said Rhen.

"You're not my boss." Lars said in disregard.