Temiker stepped out of the small one-person room and shook his head at Axor. He closed the door with the symbol of the Star above it.
“I checked the walls for hidden latches,” frowned Temiker. “I could find none. The room does not appear to have any use. Perhaps it was a safe-keeping room of some kind?”
“I don’t think so,” replied the Chula shaman. “In our readings so far, there has never been a Star, Torak, or Astor before. Why would they need storage rooms? We must be missing something.”
“Try the Torak’s door,” suggested Temiker. “Maybe you will find something that I could not.”
Axor opened the door with the symbol of the Torak above it. He entered the small room and stood silently for a moment.
“Hand me the torch,” Axor said.
Temiker handed the torch to the Chula shaman. Axor held the torch close to the back wall and ran his free hand over the surface. He repeated the procedure on each of the small side walls and found nothing. He shook his head in puzzlement.
“Maybe it is some type of mechanism that is only activated with the door closed,” shrugged Temiker.
Axor nodded and pulled the door closed. He repeated his check of the surfaces of the walls and found no difference in them. He sighed in frustration and opened the door.
“It is no different with the door closed,” he said to Temiker. “Take the torch and check on the door with the Astor symbol above it.”
Axor held the torch out for Temiker to take, but Temiker did not take it. Puzzled, the Chula shaman stepped out of the door to find out what Temiker was doing, the Alamar mage was nowhere in sight. In fact, the door to the library was closed. Axor frowned with concern. He wondered why Temiker would abandon him, and why he would close the secret door behind the library shelf. Knowing that the closed door could mean possible trouble in the library, Axor moved silently to the latch that would open the door behind the bookshelf.
The Chula shaman slowly eased the door open a crack. A bitter cold wind invaded the enclosed space. His senses on alert, Axor pushed the door open a little further so that he could slide his body through the gap. He stepped into the library, his eyes opening wide as he stared at the empty shelves and rotted fragments of wood. The room was freezing cold. Axor recognized the room, but he couldn’t bring himself to believe what he was seeing. He moved cautiously through the old library and along the corridor beyond it. Only when he stepped completely outside the temple did he believe the truth of his discovery.
The Chula shaman ran back into the temple and raced to the library. He moved behind the bookshelf and gently closed the secret door. He turned and reentered the door under the symbol of the Torak, pulling the door closed behind him. When he reopened the door, he heard Temiker’s voice.
“I thought you had fallen asleep in there,” Temiker grumbled sarcastically. “Did you discover anything?”
“More than you can imagine,” Axor said with wonderment. “The doors are portals.”
“Portals?” questioned Temiker, all traces of humor instantly gone. “Portals to where?”
“The Door of the Torak goes to the sacred temple in Changragar,” announced Axor. “I can only assume where the others go, but my guess would be to the temples in StarCity and the Qubari village. Is it not strange that each of these temple are built amazingly identical?”
“I did notice the similarities between this temple and the one in the Qubari village,” nodded Temiker, “but I have never been in Changragar. Are you saying that you exited that room into a different land?”
“That is exactly what I am saying,” Axor nodded enthusiastically. “I know Changragar very well. It was no illusion. I walked out of the temple onto the holy grounds. The freezing air alone would convince me of its location. Changragar is high in the mountains. Even the air is thinner there. It was not an illusion.”
“Perhaps we should try the other doors,” suggested Temiker. “Let us know for sure where they come out.”
“I would advise caution,” Axor shook his head. “The temple at Changragar is isolated and empty. The other two are not. For us to appear in the temple in StarCity would announce these doors to the world. I do not think that is wise. We should inform the Three and let them decide upon what is to be done.”
“You are right,” nodded Lyra’s uncle. “Let’s tell them.”
The two mages unlatched the lever behind the bookshelf and stepped into the library. Lyra, Marak, and Rejji waited to hear what had been discovered. Axor explained what he had done and where he had gone.
“We explored no further,” Axor concluded. “We felt that you should decide who tests the doors.”
“I will test the Door of the Star,” declared Lyra. “Seldom is the temple occupied at night, and even if it is, I can demand secrecy from whoever is there.”
“I can do the same,” nodded Rejji.
Emperor Marak waited with the two mages while the Star and the Astor disappeared behind the bookshelf. A few minutes later, Lyra and Rejji returned.
“It is as you suspected,” Lyra stated. “I can step right into StarCity from this temple. It is most amazing.”
“And the Qubari village,” interjected Rejji. “What is the purpose of these doors?”
“Did anyone see either of you two?” asked Emperor Marak.
Rejji and Lyra shook their heads.
“So all three temples are empty right now,” nodded the Torak. “Axor go back to Changragar, but instead of returning here, use one of the other doors. Determine where you are and then use the third door before returning here.”
“You want to see if the three doors all lead to the same place?” asked the Star of Sakova.
“Exactly,” nodded Marak. “If that is the case, that means that the three of us can meet in any of the locations whenever we want.”
Axor nodded and disappeared behind the bookshelves.
“That also means that Kaltara expects us to need that capability,” frowned Lyra. “Those doors were not put there merely for convenience. What would cause the need for such portals?”
“I am not sure,” frowned the Torak. “We must give this a great deal of thought. I feel as if Kaltara is trying to tell us something here, and we are not understanding it.”
“Each door leads to its respective temple,” Axor declared as he stepped into the library and closed the bookshelf. “To return here, one must use the door for the temple that they are currently in.”
“This is something that we must think about later,” declared Rejji. “It will be morning in a few hours. We must get some sleep before dawn.”
Marak and Lyra nodded, and all five of them moved to the entry foyer and bedded down for the night.
* * *
Morning came early for the Star of Sakova. Lyra rose and wiped the sleep from her eyes. Wyant was on sentry duty. He saw her rise and immediately got a mug of coffee for her.
“Any problems during the night?” Lyra asked.
“Not a one,” answered Wyant. “Should I get the rest up?”
“You should make some fresh coffee first,” Lyra said as she took a sip of hers. “I am going to the prayer chamber for a few minutes. Get them up as soon as the coffee is ready. It will be light soon.”
Wyant nodded as Lyra took a torch and headed for the prayer chamber. Once inside the chamber, the Star of Sakova knelt in prayer. She prayed for strength during the coming conflict, and for wisdom concerning the use of the doors. When she was done, she returned to the entry foyer. Everyone was up and moving about.
“How do we approach this confrontation today?” Lyra asked Emperor Marak.
“Temiker, Axor, and LunarSigh are upstairs on the balcony now,” answered the Torak. “Temiker is creating a fog that will encompass the entire plaza. Axor and LunarSigh are using air tunnels to broadcast their voices far to each side of the temple. The intent is to draw the hellsouls between here and the center of the plaza off to both sides so that we can march up the center without getting killed.”
“Good,” nodded Lyra. “In the center of the plaza we will create the diamond?”
“Yes,” nodded Marak. “As we discussed in the village, you will face the palace, while LunarSigh faces this temple. Temiker will face the city gates, while Axor will face away.”
“A diamond of mages,” smiled the Star of Sakova. “The hellsouls will not be able to approach from any angle.”
“Exactly,” nodded the Torak. “Rejji and I will stand in the center of the diamond. If any Hellsouls do reach the mages, we will strike out at them.”
“And our warriors will not come into play until the Qubari army has the hellsouls on the run?” questioned Lyra.
“Correct,” agreed the Torak. “They are to provide cover for our retreat should something go terribly wrong. I do not expect that will happen, but we always need a contingency plan.”
“I agree,” nodded Lyra. “May the hellsouls finally find peace today.”
The three mages descended the staircase and gathered by the front doors.
“The fog is in place,” declared Temiker. “As best we can tell, there are no hellsouls between us and the center of the plaza.”
“But we must be quick,” added Axor. “They will not pursue the false voices that we broadcast for long. They will drift back to the plaza.”
“Let’s do it,” Lyra said.
Mobi and Wyant moved the table from in front of the doors. Gunta and Halman opened the doors and immediately drew their swords. Emperor Marak drew the Sword of Torak and stepped through the doors. Lyra followed with the Rapier of the Star firmly in hand. Rejji went next, the Staff of the Astor warm to his touch. Axor and LunarSigh were last, and Halman closed one of the doors completely, while Gunta closed the other door leaving a crack through which they could watch the plaza.
The Torak walked steadily with his long two-handed sword stretched before him. He counted his paces as he walked so that he could determine the approximate center of the plaza. Lyra followed, still fascinated by the warm glow that her rapier was giving off. The sounds and shrieks of the hellsouls were all around the army of six.
The Torak stopped when he felt that he had reached the center of the plaza. Lyra stepped past him, facing the palace that stood across the plaza from the temple. Rejji stood alongside the Torak, while Temiker turned to the left and took one step forward, facing the gates of the city. Axor took a step to the right and faced away from the gates, while LunarSigh turned around and faced the way that they had come.
“Are we ready?” whispered Lyra.
Five almost silent whispers replied in the affirmative as everyone but Lyra dropped to the ground and flattened themselves. Lyra cast a spell and the blue cylinder of protection rose up into the sky, its blue light muted by the fog. She quickly cast another spell, and the cylinder filled with violently rotating air. As the wind whipped around her, Lyra closed her eyes and felt the power surge within her. When she could no longer stand the tearing of the wind ripping around her, the Star of Sakova released both spells.
The blue cylinder instantly blinked out of existence, and a tremendous rush of wind blasted away from her. The magical fog was instantly blown away, along with thousands of hellsouls. While the fog was completely dissipated, the hellsouls were not. The creatures were smacked against the buildings surrounding the plaza and tossed down the avenues for some distance.
The five people accompanying Lyra jumped to their feet. The air around the plaza was clear. Horrid shrieks filled the air as the first hellsouls climbed to their feet.
“Here they come,” stated Lyra. “Show them the mercy of a complete death.”
The Star of Sakova threw the first light blade, its magical blades expanding as it traveled towards the hellsouls. The light blade tore into the hellsouls at neck level. A column of smoke rose from those decapitated, while others fell to the ground with lesser wounds. Axor, Temiker, and LunarSigh threw their own light blades, and soon the hellsouls were dying in every direction, yet still they charged. The shrieking rose to a horrendous level and a mad frenzy ripped through the creatures. It appeared as if the more that died, the greater their need to attack.
“They are closing in on us,” fretted Rejji. “The light blades can’t kill them all.”
“Where is the army?” Marak asked out loud. “They should be engaging from the rear now.”
Suddenly, a thrown stone struck LunarSigh in the temple. She cried out in pain as she fell. Everyone turned in time to see her fall. Those inside the temple also saw the Sakovan mage fall. DarkBlade slipped out of the doors and drew his sword. He raced into the plaza, slicing down hellsouls from behind with swings of his sword as he ran to rescue LunarSigh.
“We are doomed now,” Rejji said. “The army is not coming, and one point of the diamond is dead. We cannot stop this attack. We should flee.”
“Hold fast,” commanded Emperor Marak as he sheathed his sword and stepped over LunarSigh’s body.
The Torak began unleashing light blades at slight angles to either side of the charging Sakovan warrior.
“You know magic?” Rejji blurted out.
Everyone turned to see what Rejji was talking about. They saw the Torak throwing light blades at a feverous pace. Axor grinned broadly, and Temiker smiled and shook his head as they both continued attacked the hellsouls. Lyra only nodded as if she was not surprised. The Torak looked beyond DarkBlade and saw the rest of the warriors charging out of the temple.
“Our warriors are coming,” Marak announced. “We need to make the diamond bigger to accommodate them inside. Lyra, stay where you are. Axor and Temiker, step forward six paces when you get a chance.”
The Torak continued to throw light blades as he stepped six paces forward. As the warriors got closer, he had to angle his light blades more to the sides to avoid hitting them. He frowned when he saw hellsouls filling in the gap behind the warriors, but there was nothing that he could do about it. DarkBlade finally reached the diamond. He sheathed his sword as he passed the Torak and knelt beside LunarSigh.
“She is alive still,” the Sakovan warrior announced. “I will take her to the temple.”
“No,” Marak said quickly. “Your path back is already closed. Ready your bow to kill those that come close.”
“But that will not vanquish them,” objected DarkBlade.
“No,” replied Marak, “but it will slow them down some. If you see any with rocks, kill them first. The Qubari army is not coming. We must destroy them all. Instruct the others when they arrive.”
DarkBlade nodded and grabbed his bow. He looked towards the temple and saw his fellow warriors following in his path.
“I thought I was coming alone,” frowned DarkBlade. “I did not mean to cause all of us to be out here.”
“It is done,” replied the Torak. “Let us make the best of it.”
The rest of the warriors ran into the diamond, and DarkBlade instructed them to use their bows. The warriors kept close watch on the charging hellsouls. When one point of the diamond was failing to keep up with the charge, the archers focused on that area.
MistyTrail knelt beside LunarSigh and began healing the wound on her temple, while Mistake stood with knives in her hands incase any hellsoul managed to get too close. Halman and Gunta flanked Emperor Marak, while Eltor and Caldal flanked Lyra. Mobi and Bakhai shadowed Rejji, while DarkBlade and Wyant kept close to Axor.
“We are holding our own,” Lyra stated, the exertion obvious from her tone, “but nothing more. Is there no end to these creatures?”
“Not many are choosing to flee this time,” replied the Torak. “I suspect that they are aware that this is the end.”
Suddenly, LunarSigh opened her eyes. She recognized the feeling of healing magic and smiled up at MistyTrail. She looked around to get her bearings and then rose to her feet. She saw the Torak in her original position and shook her head in surprise.
“I can relieve someone,” LunarSigh announced. “Where am I needed?”
“Just join in wherever you can,” answered Lyra. “Your help might be just what we need to finish this.”
The battle dragged on until there was no longer a stream of hellsouls filing into the plaza. Puffs of smoke rose throughout the plaza and hung in the air as if a thousand campfires had just been extinguished.
“No more towards the palace,” Lyra said joyfully as she turned to help Temiker’s side of the plaza. “LunarSigh, aid Axor. We can work our way around towards the Torak, clearing the plaza as we go.”
“Some are fleeing,” Marak warned as the final tide of hellsouls broke. “This battle is almost over.”
Indeed, the remnants of the charge turned and fled from the plaza. Everyone let out weary sighs.
“I am glad that part is over,” Marak said amidst the silence. “We need to find out what happened to the Qubari army. They can be useful in taking care of those creatures that managed to escape.”
Mistake immediately wove an air tunnel to the city gates. She spoke to Voltak and discovered that the gates were locked. Everyone listened to what had happened the night before.
“You will have to open the gates again,” Marak said to Rejji. “You will need an escort. Choose whoever you want.”
The Astor looked around at all the weary faces. He did not have the heart to ask any of the warriors to escort him. He knew they were all exhausted, although not as badly as the mages.
“Mistake and MistyTrail will escort me,” Rejji announced. “Their blades may be short, but they are fresh and fast.”
“Are you sure?” asked Mobi. “You must be protected.”
“I am sure,” nodded Rejji. “We will move swiftly while the hellsouls are still looking for places to hide. On the way back we will have the entire Qubari army to protect me. Do not worry.”
The Torak grinned as Rejji, Mistake and MistyTrail left and ran towards the gates of the city.
“They will do fine,” he smiled. “Let us regroup in the temple. We need rest.”
The group returned to the temple. They closed the doors but did not barricade them. As everyone sat and relaxed to restore their energy, Lyra walked over and sat next to Marak.
“Why have you hidden your magical talents?” she asked.
“I am from Khadora,” explained the Torak. “Do you really think any of the Khadorans would have followed a mage? They were not ready for that.”
“I understand,” nodded the Star of Sakova, “but there are others that you could have told.”
“I could have told you,” agreed the Emperor, “but I chose not to. I did not wish to deal with remembering whom I had told and whom I had not. It has been my most closely guarded secret. Not even Halman and Gunta knew.”
“Goodness,” replied Lyra. “I did not realize that there was anything that they did not know about you.”
“They do not yet know that I am half Chula,” the Torak revealed.
“Will that matter to them?” asked Lyra.
“Not any more,” smiled Marak. “Nor will the fact that I am a mage. In the beginning, any of this knowledge about me could have caused things to turn out very differently, but now it does not matter any more. The Khadorans must accept the Chula. Perhaps the knowledge of my ancestry is what will make people realize that they need to unite. I do not know.”
“Your use of magic can still remain hidden,” offered Lyra. “Everyone here will remain quiet, except perhaps for the elves, but they will leave soon. I doubt that they will ever return.”
“I hope they do return,” replied Marak. “We will need all of the help that we can get in the coming times. As for my magic remaining secret, I do not have to even ask anyone here not to mention it. I am sure they will not talk about it unless it is already known. I am not sure that it needs to be secret any more, though. It almost feels good for the secret to be ended.”
“I can understand you having the ability,” probed Lyra, “but how did you develop the skills required? Someone must have been teaching you.”
“I have had tutoring over the years,” admitted Marak. “Slaves were the first to teach me. They had no reason to spread the word about my abilities. Lately the Chula have been teaching me. They truly know more about me than anyone. I have always felt that my secrets have been safe with them, more so than my Khadoran followers. The Chula have never let me down.”
“Nor will the Sakovans,” smiled Lyra. “They know that you have been sent by Kaltara as I have.”
“You are blest with the Sakovan people,” the Torak replied. “I have always felt at home in their midst.”
“The vision that you saw regarding Angragar,” asked the Star of Sakova. “Did it come true?”
“It did,” nodded Marak, “and for the better. I saw LunarSigh fall in my dream. I could not tell if she was mortally wounded. I am quite pleased that she was not.”
“Why did you not mention it?” asked Lyra. “Couldn’t we have had a chance to change the vision?”
“We might have,” frowned the Torak, “but at what cost? What if we managed to save LunarSigh, making the vision inaccurate? Would you have been struck down instead? Or myself? Or Rejji? I intentionally watched out for LunarSigh during the battle, making sure her sector was always covered. Yet I had not anticipated a thrown rock. Trying to alter the outcomes of visions is something that we need to talk seriously about. Is Kaltara showing us what must be, or is he offering us a chance to be prepared to alter our fates?”
“A good question,” Lyra frowned in thought. “Were I in your position, I am not sure what I would have done. My first impulse would have been to eliminate LunarSigh from the group, but you present a valid question about the wisdom of doing that. As it turned out, the outcome was quite pleasing. Had I substituted someone else for LunarSigh, who is to say what might have happened out there?”
“For the visions to be of help to us,” nodded the Torak, “we must discover the effects of altering them. I would prefer to experiment with a situation that is less dangerous than the one we just went through.”
“I agree,” replied Lyra. “What is our next step?”
“The Qubari army must search out the last of the hellsouls,” answered Emperor Marak. “Angragar will not be habitable until that is accomplished. Then you, Rejji, and I must enter the prayer chamber here. I have no idea what happens after that.”
“It will be in Kaltara’s hands,” smiled Lyra as she grabbed the Torak’s hand and squeezed it. “I just know that he has brought us together for a noble purpose. We will accomplish whatever he tasks us to do.”
Marak gazed into Lyra’s eyes and smiled broadly. “We will accomplish much together,” he grinned. “Perhaps even more than Kaltara has planned on.”
“Who can say what Kaltara has planned?” Lyra grinned as she put her head on Marak’s shoulder and closed her eyes.