Chapter 7

Reith awoke to the misty fingers of sunlight which pried through the gaps in the curtains. For the first time since he had found herself in the cavern, she felt fully refreshed and invigorated. She got out of bed and drew the curtains before her. It was a beautiful day, the sunlight painting the land and mountains in it's golden essence. The trees swayed gently, as if dancing to some silent song.

But something worried her when she looked out that window. But what was it? She felt uneasy all of a sudden, as if something important needed to be done.

She left her room and found herself in the main hall. Priestesses and clerics rushed about on their daily business, hardly even noticing the yellow clad girl. There were a number of soldiers milling around, which Reith found odd. Had there been some sort of attack?

"Reith!" she turned to see Azel had approached her.

"Hi Azel!"

"Did you sleep well?" he asked. She nodded. There was something bothering him, a dark shadow across his face.

"What's wrong?" He shook his head.

"Oh…it's nothing, really…You must be hungry, let's go get something to eat!"

"Ok!"

Azel took her to the kitchen where various food had been prepared on a long buffet table. Reith had never seen such a variety of fine cuisine before and her eyes widened.

"Go on, dig in," Azel encouraged her. She grabbed a plate and began to load it up with various foodstuffs, wanting to try everything but finding she couldn't fit it all on the plate.

"Hey, don't worry, you can have seconds,"

"What's your favourite, Azel?" He furrowed his brow, scanning over the feast.

"Hmm…I think I like the almond cake the best,"

"Well, that's what I'll try first then!" She selected the café and took a full bite. It was delicious, sweet and moist as it touched her tongue.

"I take it you like it?" Reith nodded as she crammed the rest into her mouth.

As they ate, Reith noticed that whatever was bothering Azel, seemed to persist. He was uneasy, fiddling with his food and unable to sit still for any length of time.

"Something's bothering you? I'll do whatever I can to help," Reith said eventually. The dark haired boy sighed, rubbing his chin as if debating to himself whether or not to tell her. Eventually he gave in and offered a reassuring smile.

"You know, the Captain was attacked last night…" Fear immediately swept over Reith as she heard the news.

"Attacked? Is he alright? Where is he?"

"Calm down, he's safe. General Agreian found him just in time…there was an intruder…"

"Intruder?"

"A half-Yason apparently. I don't know how he got in. Agreian was mad at the security guards but they said they never let anyone other than us in last night,"

"I…Can I see Calintz?" There was worry evident in Reith's large brown eyes. She needed to see Calintz as soon as possible, he might be in pain, even dying. What would she do if she lost him? The thought was too horrible for her to comprehend.

"Agreian won't let anyone near him…He's apparently still unconscious, I've been trying to get in all morning but the General's being pretty strict,"

"Maybe if I spoke to him we might get in?"

"Well, I don't know, Miss Reith…You could try, I guess. But please, don't upset the General, he seems very on edge at the moment,"

"On…edge?"

"Yeah, uptight. I think he's just worried about the Captain,"

"I understand, I won't do anything to upset him, I promise," Azel smiled at her. She knew she could trust him, after all, he seemed so loyal to Calintz.

Agreian entered his lavish office, intending to finish off some reports he had been meaning to get done for the past eternity. The room was in musky darkness, clouded by the thick curtains which obscured his windows. He drew them, revealing thin shafts of light which highlighted the dust as it was dishevelled like falling snow. It was then that he realised there was something on his desk, other than the usual piles of paper. A book…Not one that he had ever seen before. The cover was old and the leather cracked with age giving the impression of wrinkled skin. There was no name, no title or any indication of what the book was about. He opened it, the pages brittle and coarse as if they had never been exposed to the eye in many years. The writing was by hand, every letter uniquely different, some scrawled, some delicate, others smudged.

"Day 6

Now that we have put an end to the suffering we are all feeling something different. A sadness has overcome our souls. Should we not rejoice for the strife has ended? No…there is something nagging at the back of our minds. The Light has split, we all have our share, but it is as if that splitting has caused our hearts to break too. I will leave the others tomorrow, go home and try to live a normal life. Perhaps I am just homesick…"

"Day 45

I cannot live here anymore. They say I have gone insane, yet still I am writing this. My wife has left me, my child gone too…what have I done? How can such a perfect life shatter so suddenly?"

"Day 67

I have made a decision. My life will soon be no more. I have heard the fate of the other seven, of how all but two have died due to the madness caused by the shards. And why is it now, when my body is broken and my mind blank, that I finally come to the conclusion I should have all those years ago? I will hid the shard, away from the light, away from the world. No one ever should seek it, no one should ever face what we have had to. I know of a place in which I may hide it, a place suited to it's name…"

"Day 80

The Light Of Salvation, the saviour of our world. The Light is wild, it seeks it's own soul. That is why it has destroyed so many. I have come to the realisation that I am weak, I am weak to succumb to it's power. For ever seed of happiness there is a tear of hope. It is a double edged sword. But…still I am thankful, I am thankful that we all came together and used it to save Efferia. If only we had known then of the sadness it caused it's bearers, we would have buried the shards immediately after the great liberation…but alas, we were ignorant fools. The Lightening Shard is no more, it is away from the hands of mankind. I know now, to use it to it's utmost power, one must posses unparallel mental strength, something I do not have. Now that times are safe, there is no call for it anymore…And now that all those I care for are gone, all my hopes faded, my life lived…I will depart and…pray for the safety of Efferia…"

That was the last entry in the journal. Agreian sat at his desk, staring at the last few words…the safety of Efferia…So, the Light Of Salvation was still out there somewhere. The shards of a dream. They were not destroyed as many had claimed, but hidden…But had the story of the Eight Heroes not just become yet another legend told to children? So, it claimed the minds of those not strong enough to wield it? Six out of the Eight had all died due to insanity, either killing themselves or wandering off into the mountains. Yes, there was not one natural death amongst them…Agreian remembered his mother telling him the story of the Eight Heroes and what they did. Sealing the Tree of life, saving the humans…A thought began to assemble itself in the General's mind.

Agreian returned to his room to check on Calintz. However, no sooner than he had rounded the corner approaching his door, than he saw a girl in yellow attempting to open it.

"Stop!" he ordered. She jumped in surprise, turning to face him, her small hands raised to clench in a ball at her chest.

"Who do you think you are? This is my private chambers, no one is permitted to enter." She looked at him, her mouth trying desperately to form words but not succeeding.

"I…I'm sorry…I came to see Calintz…"

"Calintz? I'm afraid that is not possible,"

"But…I wanted to make sure he's ok, he helped me a lot…" Agreian eyed the girl suspiciously.

"You must be Reith?" he said. She nodded, her face breaking into a smile. So this was the girl Calintz had defied him to help. He had expected a more striking woman, not a clumsy looking girl. But…there was something about her that caught his eye. She acted like a child, yet…why did he get the impression she was older than her looks told? Her eyes…yes, the eyes could never lie.

"Are you General Agreian?" she asked, breaking his trail of thought.

"Yes, I am,"

"Please, let me see Calintz…I want to help…" The General sighed.

"I do not doubt that you do, Reith, however, all that can be done has been. Calintz is…not in a very good way. I'm sure he would not wish for you to see him like this," The girl frowned, her eyes disappointed and distraught. He didn't want to deny her seeing Calintz, but he knew it would upset her. He also knew the Captain too well to know that he would be even further enraged if he found out he'd let his comrades see him in such a way. Calintz hated showing weakness, he hated not appearing as himself. The number of times he had ignored serious wounds to keep up his duty, to carry through his missions, Agreian was surprised he was still alive to this day. He admired that in the younger man, and yet he felt sorry for him. No one should have to do that, but Calintz could never trust anyone properly, he refused to let others watch his back, to save him. Yet…here was this mysterious girl who had saved his life and he did not show the slightest fraction of anger, in fact, he showed gratitude by escorting her here, to safety.

"When he's a bit stronger and has come to, I promise I will inform you and you can spend as much time as you like with him," There was a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"Thank you…"

"It's not a problem. Are you enjoying your stay here, in Amabat?"

"Yes, yes I am. It's an amazing temple, I've never seen anything like it," Agreian smiled at her.

"I am glad. Well, I must go. I hope you are able to get your memory back,"

"Me too…thank you…" At that she bowed her head down and walked back along the corridor. Agreian stood and watched her round the corner, her arms wrapped around herself defensively. He sighed and unlocked the door.

Calintz was still asleep. Agreian was beginning to worry; it had been almost two days now. He changed the bandages, finding that the wounds were healing quite well. Once the work was done he sat down on the side of the bed.

"Calintz…Do you remember when we were kids?" he asked. As expected there was no answer, there rarely ever was. The delicate body lay there, as pale as ivory, large, dark bruises shadowed his eyes and if it was not for the slow rising of his chest, it would have been impossible to tell he was not a corpse. His hair had fallen over his face again, like silver thread weaving its way around the porcelain skin. Agreian brushed it away, how he longed to see those silvery, grey eyes open again and stare up at him. He didn't care what expression they told, as long as they just opened.

"We had such good times back then….You know, I always envied you? That day, when Fuget was burned to the ground, you went back…You begged me to come with you but all I did was run…I was afraid, Mano, I was afraid…" He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as the memories flashed by. He knew Calintz had nightmares, and he knew that was what it was about, even thought he refused to give any information away. It was yet another card of guilt from which Agreian could not turn. He had abandoned him then because of his own fear, his own weakness.

"All I've ever tried to do is make it up to you…Yet why do you keep pushing me away? You will always be in my heart, no matter what you say or do…And I don't care what the others think, you know that, right?" He stroked Calintz's long, slender fingers, squeezing the hand, but there was no hint or shadow of any reaction, no sign it registering on the still face.

"I have come to a decision, Calintz…I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I don't want to see any more pain being suffered by those close to me, or anyone for that matter…" Agreian looked upinto the great canopy of his bed and sighed. "I'm going to end this war, Calintz. If the Eight Heroes did it fifty years ago, then it can be done once more. I will sacrifice myself if it comes to that…But, in the end it will bring peace. You won't have to suffer anymore, you won't have to scream in your sleep. Fuget will be a memory…and nothing more…"