Entry 15- Wrapping up

 

            The morning came with a shake from Parkik. Our captives were still asleep. He whispered in my ear. “More are coming.”

            I got up and grabbed my staff. I looked around the cave and said, “I’ve got an idea.”

            Within a few moments Parkik and I were dressed in the cultist robes and as the group were coming into the Rift of Edda I had my fingers on the neck of the unconscious Order members. They’d be awake soon, but I had an idea.

            The leader of the new group entered the cave first and said, “Brothers, have we succeeded?”

            “No sir.” I said. “The spell backfired. The Pillar did something to the magic and it created a backlash.”

            The lie tasted nasty on my lips but the man was convinced. I continued.

            “The spell addled their minds. We came after the worst of it settled and these are the last ones alive. I don’t recommend going further into the Rift. Reality seems to be unstable and chaotic back there. These guys believe my partner and I are both infultrators. It is a lie. We’ve been order members for a long time. Just deep in the flooded lands among the mystic circle. We heard of the mission here and came to help and witness history. What was the magic being used?”

            The leader smiled and said, “The Glorious Lord has sent us a special group. Called Magi. They seem to possess a new kind of strength that even the mystics don’t know. They go through a process called The Awakening. Or something like that. And then can manipulate the very fabric of reality. Unlike the Mystic magic, they’re gifted from the lord himself to destroy his bonds. Most of them can…destroy, maybe decay whatever they want.”

            I was worried learning this. A new form of magic that isn’t ritual based. I took a breath and said, “That’s inspiring.” Worrying. “I feel as though our lord is truly a spectacle. I can’t wait to meet him.”

            He nodded. “We are all ready to let our lord walk among us. We’ll take care of our addled brothers here. Return to your posts. The Reckoning will happen in the last days of spring! And then the people will learn of the Order of Sina’s Lord and bow before US instead of the oppressive Iron Pillars.”

            I nodded and before we left heard them kill the remaining cultists in the cage. We stopped for a second but Parkik put his hand on my shoulder and shook his head. “Sanity loss here in the iron lands means death.”

            I felt my spirit shake and shook my head. We walked back to Steadfast dressed as cultists. Just in case we ran into another group trying to witness the death of the iron pillar. I was quiet. Listening to the swamp noises. Water moving. Things going from within the waters to out of the waters. Alligaters moving around. Snakes. Bugs. Everything. The flooded lands are not quiet. We entered steadfast with some looks. I walked into the main hall long house and found Ithella sitting, eating for lunch. I bowed before her in the garb and said, “Yuda has died. He betrayed us by rejoining the Order.”

            Ithella nodded. “And the Order’s plans?”

            “They’re harnessing a chaotic power to destroy the Iron Pillars. The magi that they had…was crumbling the iron pillar using this dark, chaotic energy. I felt it tugging on my powers as I was there. I don’t understand it.”

            “That is okay.” Ithella said.

            Parkik and I were sent away to get cleaned up and rest but before I left I pulled out the piece of the iron pillar. “They’ve succeeded a bit. They won’t explore the cave any time soon and find out but…I think they’ll learn of their small success. I know I’m marked among the Order, so now they’ll know of this feat.”

            Ithella’s face paled and she nodded. “We’ll take care of you and it.”

            For the next few hours. We resupplied, gathering more salt, ropes, preparing for our springtime trip. I still felt…shaken by the events. The Awakening really hung on my mind. I wouldn’t be in the flooded lands when the Order of Sina would do this. Whatever it was. As I was being healed by Racha. I filled Ithella in on everything that happened in detail. She then left and probably let the village know to prepare for a late spring war. The Mystic order may need to meet again for the first time in five decades. Ithella had to consider this.

            That night’s dinner was scanty. The village’s supply nearly lasted the winter but that was only through care and precision. It was also tradition to eat less during the solstice. The cold winter wasn’t as cold this far south as it would be in the north. I was able to keep the piece of pillar after Ithella and Racha found it to be harmless. It whispered to me though. I kept hearing a young voice coming from it. Someone my age but I couldn’t tell anything else from it. The magic was comforting from it though. So I demanded to keep it and I kept it under my pillow.

            That night’s dream was the most vivid pillar dream I had ever had. I was standing in the cave again. One moment I had the black pillar in front of me. Then lights went out. I felt the darkness press on my vision then suddenly light flooded back. It hurt my eyes but the pillar had transformed into a boy. His features were dark. Darker than any I had seen. Obsidian black skin marbled with a grey light. Midnight dark hair speckled with stars and nebulas. Dark eyes with bright pupils. He was about the same age as me and he stood in front of me regally. Then the Magi from the order came up to him and began shaking him violently. I had my staff and reacted without thinking. Attacking the priest and rescuing the boy. We were then surrounded by the Order members and I felt the boys hand on my back. A warmth spread out from it. He leaned close to my ear and said, “Savior, Traveler. We will meet again.”

            Then I woke up to the morning light. I felt the warmth from the boy and knew it was a manifestation of the pillars. Something about his shadowy form made me uneasy though. I grabbed the piece of pillar and began to fashion a twine necklace for it. It isn’t leaving my side. With winter here, we are battening down the hatches and waiting for spring. So, my next journal entry will be when the iron lands reawakens, and the flooded lands begin to thaw. I will probably be taking my first steps on my pilgrimage! I have to preserve paper, it’s a commodity in the winter.