Chapter One: The Banished; The Forgotten (part one)

A small part of the first Chapter from "Relics of Time" (Book two in "The Four" series), one of my soon to be published works, that I have opted to share. Enjoy :)

THE one known as Orik gasped as a sudden jolt of pain and simultaneous breath tore through him. He coughed rackingly as he fought to gain his bearings. He stood, letting a wave of source seep through him easing all pain. He remembered little of his past only that he was, indeed, Orik, a prophet, a prince, and, most importantly, the Guardian.

 

He knew strange things, such as a name, Cara, and he retained strains of knowledge, he never remembered learning. He curled his fingers letting both old strength and new strength rush together. He was different, he had changed. . .and he had a war to fight.

 

He glanced around, not sure exactly where he was. Behind him he saw a pile of rubble, charred and barely recognizable. A statue still stood amongst the ruins. However chipped it was, it was still recognizable. It was of a woman, her marble features nearly impeccable: cheekbones feminitely high, nose hooked perfectly with eyes soft and caring. White marble hair cascaded over narrow shoulders merging with a high collared dress that fell to a steady bell hiding her feet. An orb of glass now spiderwebbed with cracks, surrounded her.

 

"Please forgive me, Ara, I have failed you," he said softly to no one in particular. He hoped that if the goddess could hear him she would indeed grant him forgivness.

 

He approached the rubble scooping a handful of dust into his palm. As it trickeld through his fingers the wind picked up carrying the dust off in a windfall of ground marble. He felt a presence, the strange burning feeling of another's eyes on his back, and spun quickly on his heel, instincitvely reaching for a sword he didn't have. And there she was, the statue made flesh, standing serenely beside the cracked orb.

 

"In order to be forgiven, one must first commit an ill deed, no?"

 

"A. . .Ara. . .Lady Ara. . .I mean. . ." he lowered himself to his knees all the meanshile stammering, uncertain exactly how to greet a goddess.

 

"I failed you," he said. "I let the oracle be destroyed."

 

She laughed softly as her eyes took in the statue. The cracked marble couldn't contrast with her true beauty.

 

"The oracle," she said in that oddly soothing lilt, "means nothing. Child, all along you have been the true oracle; our power lives inside of you. The buildings you call oracles are little more than monuments, refuges from the cruelty of the world.

"Do you truly believe we would place our power in something as fickle as stone? We needed a true vessel, a warrior of such caliber to bear the power only in the name of virtue, one who would use it not for selfish gain but to save the kingdom we so loved. You, Orik, were that warrior. Stone will wear, fade, crumble. . .but the human heart is forever.

" And your brother, the Prince Gerium, the last of the RuneLords, a man with a heart as pure as yours. . .that is the true power of the royal family. The lineage that is yours, both of yours, is not the blood of Alras but the lineage of true nobility, of true love and true power. You are the prince of princes, the Lord of elements. You are the true Oracle and so will be so long as your heart remains pure.

"Love, Orik, is the purest of emotions. It can conquer cities, topple walls. Love is the only emotion, that can consecrate all, never forget that. Always love, even your enemies; remember them, love them for the good they've done, not the atrocious things of past. All are capable of repentance and all are able to forgive.

"Stone walls, material things, they mean nothing. Only love us, Orik, that is all we can ask for. Do not fight for lordship nor vengeance. Do not fight for immortality nor rememberance. Fight for peace and for love and you will forever be remembered.

"The Battle of the Ages has only begun, Orik, you have much yet to acheive but do not lose sight of purity, do not stray from the path of virtue. And blessed be your heart, Prince Oracle and blessed be your path.

"May guidance and protection be yours and may the Creator's light illumine your path. Good luck, Prince Oracle and farewell."

Before he was even given a chance to react to Ara's monologue, the wind picked up and, in a flurry of dust, she was gone. The orb of glass, that only seconds before, she'd been standing next to, shattered, littering the ground with thousands of crystalline shards and there, amongst the ruins, lay the wavy bladed sword Kane, glimmering with a bland vivaciousness.

 

For several minutes he could do little more than stare at the sword. How? How had it gotten here? What of Prothis? He stared at the darkening sky, hoping, even if subconciously, to catch but a glance of her, some sign that it had happened, that it was, indeed, more than just a dream. A very surreal dream.

 

He moved to the edge of the statue and picked up the sword. As soon as flesh touched hilt all came back to him in a vertiguous rush. He remembered all that happened in the Orb of Ages. He remembered the accident that had killed his mother. He remembred meeting Gerium and suddenly all of his memories were there too.

 

They were one now. One prince. . .the prince of princes. Power pulsed through him. Kane had found its rightful owner and it was as if it knew it. With a slight grin, Orik slipped Kane into his belt and turned.

 

What lay ahead of him he knew not, but he knew that he had to face it, no other could. It was all up to him, the Guardian. The Oracle.  With one more spare glance at the rubble that had once been Ara's oracle, he headed into the forest follwing a path that would lead him into Luza, a city built to protect the oracle, a city pledged to Ara and now, no doubt, a city full of WindTamer refugees from the oracle. It was a city teeming with possibility.

Reviews

[~ Moonlight ~]

Very detailed! (not too detailed) I enjoyed that very much!

[FantasyWriter01]

Returning the favor you did for me, reviewing my works. Loved it. I don't see too much to change. Keep on writing this one, it'll be a biggie.