Triberias: Mark of the Called

A Castaway and A Sanctuary

VI.

A Castaway and A Sanctuary.

EASTERN SKY CITY.

420AA, After the Great Ascension.

"I have you now!" The voice said as its owner smirked, staring down at a now clear looking glass. It looked like a mirror just like any other, but it was different in the way that it enabled him to spy and also look through time.

The man stroked his beard and then the clear looking surface and the mirror rippled all the way to the its gilded frames like a liquid skin. Then he sighed. His heart was filled with a yearning for a time when the future and the past would all be available to him one more time. For now, all that this mirror could provide him was the present, another side effect of the tragedies that had befallen the city in the past four hundred years.

Oh, how he wished for a better age. An age of power that would rival that of the Ancients, but all he had to live on now was scraps. Scraps of power and scraps of influence. He would have to start remedying that and soon and with the passing of that new edict. He would start by getting rid of a certain aberration that posed as his useless Appriser's apprentice that had been attached to his side for too long now. But it will all over soon now. He smiled darkly as he thought on the final fruitation of his original plan.

"Rufus!" the man suddenly shouted and right there and then, his portly assistant in his blue and gold shimmering robes appeared before him.

"Rufus, what did I tell you about using the sanctuary portals?" the older man scolded.

"I am sorry my lord. I happened to be in the lower levels and I did not want to keep you..." The elder waved him off and immediately, the shorter man stopped talking.

"Fine, find the Chamberlain and have him send out a call to the other elders. We are going to have a council meeting." he smiled even as his sanctuary assistant stared back at him worriedly, stunned by the rare expression that was now pulling at his master's lips.

What is he up to now? Rufus found himself thinking. Either way, he quickly removed himself from the Elder's quarters and went out to seek out the Chamberlain.

****

Havillah was surprised when she received the summons. The summons to appear before the gathering of the council of Elders and the fact that her mother was not around to accompany her did not bode well with her.

Something was afoot and she was constantly finding herself wondering if the good elder, elder Lionel had found a way to finally rid himself of her, his apparently useless Appriser's apprentice.

He had threatened it several times and even now as he walked into the council chambers, Havillah's feet trembled in her red triban coated boots even as she wondered what this whole issue was all about. Have my scales finally fallen to zero? Have they gone grey? But I can still use my virtue, As she thought she stared down at her own feet which were now hovering some few centimetres above the glittering crystal ground. A flex of a few muscles and she was convinced that she was still able to apply her First Virtue. It was not anything flashy but it was still there. Therefore, what was the meaning behind these summons?

Havillah walked into the council of Elders meeting chambers to find a gloomy room. None of the elders and especially those that were previously allied to her family could look her in the face or meet her gaze for that matter and even as the charges were levelled against her and her expression grew ever horrified, no one, not one of them stood up for her or defended her in the least bit.

What is the meaning of all this? Her eyes widened as she took it all in. After all, I am still being banished, she suddenly realised.

Not for what she had originally worried her mind about, but for something else. A totally different reason that had never crossed her mind, not even once to begin with. As it turned out, Moriella had been right. The viewpoint was actually bugged and as she thought about this, she grimaced, thinking back to all the things that they had talked about and discussed as they looked out from that particular viewpoint.

Will they really be safe? She wondered. She could only hope so. Hope, that deep down in his heart, Lionel's grudge was only with her and that it would not extend to her friends who unlike her, came from less influential families and especially Cjaira, an orphan that often lived at the mercy of the council and her large extended family.

To be clear, Havillah had been found guilty of the grievous error of breaking the Sanctuary's big rules on association and interference. She was standing accused of bringing a human to a view point and helping him with the tools that were only meant for use by the Great. It was a offence punishable by banishment and with the evidence that had been brought out against her, she could only watch helplessly as the elders voted autonomously to have her exiled.

"So you see Havillah; we have no choice but to cast you out from this place. This city is far greater than any of us and it is our duty as the Great to protect it. In this, you've failed as a Great and have tainted yourself and the city with it. As such, I feel it is my duty to let you go. It is the law and we all must abide by it." The man, Elder Lionel said solemnly as he turned to gaze at her with a set of gleaming eyes. To the untrained eye it appeared like he was sombre. Like his eyes were gleaming with unshed tears from the burden of having to be the one to level this charges. However, Havillah knew better. The man could not wait to get rid of her and all this was just an act played out for the benefit of the other observers present. That is the several citizens and even my peers whose sole responsibility was to sit through the hearing and make sure that it was a fair trial.

Havillah turned to the rest of the elders that had turned up to decide her fate, but once again, they all looked away from her face and especially her eyes. Her gaze drifted to the empty seat, the seat of elder Tamaar and a silent sigh escaped her lips.

What am I thinking? Not even my mother can help me now. She thought as she brought her gaze down, defeated and awaiting the sentencing that was soon to be carried out.

A golden seat scraped the crystal floor beneath them and from her periphery, she observed as the embroidered purple and golden robes that belonged to the Chamberlain floated towards her.

A pregnant silence engulfed the entire council chambers even as the man moved forward and towards Havillah to perform the exclusion rights. Were they sorry or were they just anxious? What would they tell her mother? Did she even know? Was she aware? Where was she? The questions multiplied in her mind but the answers were not forthcoming.

"Havillah, daughter of Jaykob and Tamaar, elder of the Great, you have been found guilty of breaking the Sanctuary laws and rebelling against this great city. Through visual evidence that has been presented before this council, it has been determined beyond reasonable doubt that you have tainted yourself and your calling as a Great by associating and interfering in the matter of humans. Therefore, by the high authority that is granted to me by the Great and Eternal Light as the Chamberlain of this Great Sanctuary and as the head of the council of the Elders of the Great, I hereby sentence you to exile.

You are now banished from this Great city and from this moment onwards, you are an outcast!" The Chamberlain reached out his right hand and touched each of her shoulders and as he did so, the golden embroidery on her red Triban robes suddenly disappeared and with it, all the Virtue that was flowing in her veins. The Chamberlain then withdrew his hand and as he did that too, she gasped as she watched her once beautiful robes turn from a brilliant red to the colour of a jet black ink that was swirling with darkness.

"Havillah, you are now banished, but for the sake of your mother, Tamaar, elder of the Great, the elders have all agreed to let you choose where you would want us to send you." The Chamberlain added just as Elder Lionel stood up and regarded her with signature sinister smile plastered on his face.

"Why Chamberlain? Why not just send her to that filthy human. I am sure you are worried about him, right?"

The Chamberlain looked at Lionel and sighed. He then turned back to Havillah and asked. "Bethesda?"

Havillah had nothing else to say, so she just nodded. With all that was happening around her, the terror of it all had finally caught up to her and now, she was feeling too distraught to even try to protest or say anything to the contrary. Where else was she supposed to go? she was not acquainted with anyone save for that young man. Killion had been his name and she could only hope that he would at least be happy to see her.

"Very well, Havillah. It is now day in the land below, but the sun will only be up for just for a few more hours. I would advise that to survive you find shelter and stay in until the sun comes up again." The Chamberlain advised her and as he spoke, he flicked his hands and a white mist began to invade the edge of her vision.

For a moment, Havillah panicked. She did not know what was happening but she did not have worry long about it or the disorientation that suddenly followed. For when the mist finally cleared a few seconds later, she found herself in an empty and narrow pathway and all around her were these huge dilapidated mansions that suddenly dwarfed her.

It was quiet and everywhere Havillah looked, there was not a soul in sight.

She turned around to study her surroundings, but everywhere shr looked, the buildings towered over her blocking her view of the rest of the area. She looked down to her feet and thought of hovering, but even before she had tried and failed, she knew that it was virtually impossible now that dhe had been stripped of all her power.

How will I survive? She wondered, feeling oddly empty even as she flexed her muscles to test for the first Virtue but came with nothing. I can't continue standing here. she finally decided to pick a direction and followed it, watching to see where the cobbled pathway would eventually lead her.

In no time, she realised that the buildings were placed in search a way that they created a huge concrete maze. And as one moved to the inside, it appeared that they formed a circle around a central Building, one that looked somewhat what familiar even to her new eyes. It was not in its appearance per se, but in the strange and yet familiar vibe that seemed to emanate from it. Where have I felt this before? She thought even as she drew closer to it, her feet pulling her forward as if by some strange magnetism.

As she drew closer, she observed the huge round pillars. Pillars that rose up high above her before culminating into a high domed roof of a portico that protected a great and mighty entry way from the elements that were the rain and the solar. Unlike the other buildings, this structure's wall was circular going around in each direction further than her eyes could see. Around that wall was a wide pathway one that she followed to discover three other great entry ways that overlooked each direction on a compass.

If only I could, she thought again as she looked up to the high walls for the second time that evening. Something was calling out to her inside those walls but in her present state, it would seem that it was impossible for her to breach those gates. Now that I think about it, this place seems to be in a better state of repair that the rest of the buildings, she turned around. Maybe because there are no windows and the doors are gilded? She thought even as she took in the golden domes and the turrets that marked every great entry way. What did it remind her of? I scoured her mind for an answer.

"That's it! The Sanctuary," The words escaped her lips in a whisper even as shr stared back at the familiar and gilded architecture that made up this building. There was no other way around it, she decided. She had to find a way to get in starting with great entry ways. Maybe she would find a shelter there. I just have to try the doors right? She thought even as raised up a foot to climbed up the first steps that were leading up to the great eastern entry way.

He had told her to find shelter, the Chamberlain that is and this was the most convenient place that she could think of and as she charted her way upwards. the now black fabric of her triban robes swished and swashed sideways with the small movements she was making.

Another step forward and she continued to advance upwards. In no time, she found herself standing before the gilded doorways trembling, her hand grazed the gilded pattern that now seemed so familiar to her ever watchful eyes.

How will I open this? her eyes trailed up the huge double doorways, all the way up to the ceiling and she almost lost her footing as she did so. Thankful for the doorknobs, she quickly reached out a hand and steadied herself by gripping on to the right one, then, looking down, she reached out her other hand and grasped the other golden doorknob. To push or pull? she wondered as she steeled herself to perform the action. Push, she finally decided after studying the floor patterns. There were no marks swinging outwards therefore the doors had to open inwards, right? Push it is. She decided but, stilled right before she started as she felt some movements behind her.

"Hey, you! What are you doing up there?" a male voice called out to her and Havillah turned het eyes to search the lengthening shadows for the figure that she now knew was concealed within them.

"I...I... am just looking..." she stuttered as she tried to figure a way out. Have I just committed another crime? How unlucky can one person be? "Is it forbidden?" she called out to the voice.

"Depends on whom you're asking." the voice replied and her eyes widened at the dark figure in a black armoured suit that was just walking out of one of the shadows.

"Killion?" Havillah called out. Could I possibly be that lucky? She took a step down the stairway and approached him.

"No, but who is asking?" The voice answered as the visor pulled back to reveal the face of a young man or a boy, she could not tell for his face was quite deceiving. He looked awfully young for the suit, what with his beautiful face and the lack of facial hair that made it hard for even her to guess his age. He was quite tall though, but his stature and his voice was definitely masculine. That she managed to tell, if only she could sure that the suit was not deceiving her eyes.

"I... I am..." she trailed off not knowing how to introduce herself to the man. Thankfully the man saw through her struggles and offered to help her.

"Well, I can take you to him. However, you will have to wait until the morning. As you can see, the sun is already setting and you know what that means."

Havillah looked up and for the first time noticed that the sky was already darkening. As she did so, her mind went back to what he had told her and what she had witnessed before she had swooped down to save the man in question.

"The dragons, are they coming back?" she turned to ask the boy-man, and he turned from his observation of their immediate surroundings to study her with a curious expression in his blue eyes.

"Who are you really?" her brows furrowed for a moment even as she frowned at his awkward question. Why is he asking me this now?

"I am Havillah, daughter of Jaykob and Tamaar, el..." she trailed off as the recollections of the last time she had done so flooded her mind. "Havillah. " she rectified. "just Havillah."

"Havillah..." the man seemed to be thinking about it for a moment. "Havillah! You're that girl who saved our captain?" he suddenly asked as he took in her appearance as if for the first time.

"I...I...wait! He told you? That...That..." Havillah started ranting, angered as she imagined what the other human man must have told him. How many other people had he spoken to? Didn't he know how to keep serious things a...a... She trailed off as a nerve-racking roar shook up the entire evening sky and left her feeling quite numb. So, this is how it feels when you are close by? The girl thought, scratching her nose at the suffocating darkness that had just flooded in.

As she did so, several balls of red - orange flames flared out into the night sky, brightening it up for just a moment, before finally giving out to thick darkness once again.

The eerily silence that followed chilled her to her bones, numbing her nerves with so much dread that it was impossible for her to move from her sport without some external sort of help.

"What is this overwhelming sense of dread? The air, the air... The air is so stifling! "

"Come! Come on, Let's go!" The young man rushed up the stairs and took hold of one of her hands. He pulled her down the stairs and into a darkened alley way, where they hid behind the pieces of the crumbling walls. They ran and Havillah stumbled, her eyes which had never known darkness struggling to adjust in the shadows of a darkened street and as she stumbled for what must have seemed like the millionth time, a dark shadow swooped down, sending down a gust of wind that sent yhrm crashing down into the hard cobbled pathway.

The shadow swooped up, but as she rose up to stand again, the young soldier threw her, pinning her down with his weight to prevent her from rising up.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

"Aaargh, I forgot! You don't have a suit to cloak your heat signature." The man replied in frustration.

"They can sense me?" she whispered back in horror, her voice shaking in her fear.

"Of course, they can! How do you not know these things? Everyone in the Bethesda, heck the whole Erydria knows this!"

What did I do to ever deserve this? She wailed albeit in her thoughts. Her tears though were very much visible and it took everything that she had within herself to suppress them from falling. Whom have I wronged in order to deserve this?

"I am not from around here." she finally whimpered still struggling to hold back her tears.

"And where are you from Havillah?' the man replied snakily. "Maybe we can all go to that paradise and escape these terrors that having been plaguing the entire Erydrian for several centuries." The young man sneered as he added quite sarcastically.

"I do apologise..." she looked down at her hands sullenly. "It no longer matters for I am not welcome there anyway." she added albeit more softly, but the young man did not get to hear her through the gust of wind that was produced when another dark shadow swooped in and lunged down at them again.

The young man sprinted up still attempting to pull Havillah with him as he ran, but she was too slow. Without her Virtues, Havillah was utterly powerless and as a third shadow lunged down at her, she tripped on her feet and fell allowing for the wyverns to grab her by her shoulders before lifting her up.

Havillah had never known such terror before in her life. Terror and pain as sharpened claws pierced through her flesh. She screamed even as the young soldier tried to reach for her with his hands, but what could he do when the wyvern was pulling her up into the sky and further away from his reach?

This is it. This is how I die. On my very first night of banishment. She thought as defeated tears continued to stream down her now dirt stained cheeks. "Oh Great Light, was this how I was supposed to go out? Is this my destiny? Help! Save me. " she cried bitter tears as she thought upon these words, thick sulphur and darkness overwhelmed her from everyside.

Then, something happened.

It started as a small spark which then grew blazing into a fire. A fire that warmed her up, bringing with it a peace that flooded her heart.

Suddenly, a bright light exploded seemingly from within her chest. It surprised her and seared the dragon which then retracted its claws as it roared out in pain.

She was free! She was free but falling, bad yet, for some reason, she could not panic. All Havillah could see was white, her surroundings gone and so were the sensations that she had felt once before.

The stream of white light engulfed her, covering her entire form in a blinding light. At the moment,she felt reassures that she would be okay.

Visions began to flood her eyes, but Havillah could not understand any of them. For they were so many and so out of this world that she could only imagine that she was just dreaming. What else could they be, but the hallucinations of a person in the throes of death? She reasoned, but she was not dying as she would later find out.

Change began to happen. The darkened fabric of her robes began to glimmer even as the young man from below her, continued to look on in awe. He was amazed to say the least, watching as the girl continued to float. A golden thread began shining on her robes. On her hems and sleeves even as he continued to stare.

"Connors! Connors! " his radio crackled but he was to dazed to answer it. No matter how he tried he could not look away from the scene that was unfolding right in front of his eyes. "Connors dammit! Say something! "

"it's... it's..." it was useless. This was not something that he could easily explain over the comms.

As he continued to stare on, another burst of light, much brighter than the first one emanated from the her body though she did not seem to be aware of it. The light grew in intensity and became large, pulsing out in waves that bathed up the entire area. The lindworm that had captured her and the others that were still in the area could be heard roaring out even as wave after wave of bright light continually hit them, singeing them and their dark armours that produced a thick cloud of dark mists and sulphur fumes.

The roars of the other wyverns rose up all around them creating a cacophony of noises that could be heard all over the town he was sure, and to him, it sounded like the indestructible wyverns were crying out in pain.

What is happening? He wondered even as his gaze moved all around him and back to the girl who was shining like a sun in the darkened sky. What is she? What is this technology? Is it something that is used in her own country? For she was decidedly foreign. From the way she dressed, her accent, down to the nitty gritty of who she was. Where did she come from? He could only wonder as he stood there feeling useless. Watching as his amazement grew, and the roars slowly faded away until all that was left was the dark fumes that were slowly dissipating to reveal a sight that he had never seen before in his life.

The thick blanket that usually covered the sky at night was now gone and in place of it was a glittering sky with a bright moon and a myriad of stars. An occasional cloud dotted the open sky but it was light and beautiful and not as heavy and full of evil like the previous clouds. It was beautiful yes, and all because of her. The soldier turned to gaze at her, at her form as she slowly descended to the ground and her feet touched the cobbled street near where he stood, stupefied.