Chapter 12
Time to Leave
Awakening with a start Amori jumped out of bed, shaking the revenants of sleep off she stood there in the center of the room getting her bearing. Finally getting her senses about her, she went to the window and gazed out. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, bathing the land in a pink and silver halo, for the light of the Eldon sun was not the same as ours. Their sun was bright yet not over bearing as ours can sometimes be, and its color is all together hard to describe, but if one were to try it was like when our sun is setting and the sky turns to the softest shades of pink and purple. It is like that yet brighter, relaxing your very bones, and a help in calming even the stormiest of thoughts.
She stood there soaking in the peaceful scene before her, thinking that a heart could not ever forget something like this, something so overwhelmingly beautiful. Knowing that she needed to go to where the others were Amori pulled herself away from the window, rather reluctantly going to the door. Opening it she walked out of the room and straight into a hard male body.
Grabbing her by the arm so that she wouldn't fall Cody took a step back, but didn't release her waiting for her to regain her balance back.
“Hey there, I was just coming to get you.” Cody said releasing her. “We're going to eat then leave, Ryan thinks that we should go to Avarice instead of Addar. Right now he and Leora are arguing over where we're to go.”
“Um, ok.” They walked in silence letting a minute or so pass between them.
Amori spoke abruptly breaking the quiet, “Cody who are you really?”
He stopped walking and took hold of her arm so that she would to. Turning her so that they faced one another, “Amori, I'm still the same guy you grew up knowing.”
“But why didn't you tell me the truth? Why did you not tell me that you were only half human?”
“Because you would have believed that I was part elf, yeah right.” He shook his head, staring at the roof, “I haven't seen my dad in a long time.” Amori listened noting the seriousness in his face and tone, “I've only been here two or three times.”
“Have you asked your mom about it?”
“Of course I have, but every time I bring up the subject or even try she says that she doesn't want to talk about it.” Cody rubbed a hand over his face, trying to rub away the frustration as well. Hmm he needed to shave. “Mom never would tell me why he left, or where he went. I figured he came back here, I had this hope that when we got here I would get the chance to see him again.” Amori placed a reassuring hand on Cody's forearm.
“I'm sure if he were here he would want to see you too, I believe he misses you as much as you do him.” Amori wished that she could do more to help him. “Cody I'm sure that there is a really good reason why your dad's not around, maybe one day soon you'll be able to find out from him yourself.”
He gave a mirthless laugh, “I doubt that.” Shrugging off her hand he turned his gaze from her, “It doesn't matter anymore anyway.” Walking away he ended their conversation.
Ryan looked at Amori and Cody as they walked towards where he and Leora were seated. Upon the two joining them at the table he noticed the tension that charged the air between the two. His exchanged glance with Leora told him that she noticed it too.
They ate in silence, each left to his or her, own thoughts. Ryan's being on the events that had transpired over the past few days, there was a lot that he still did not understand which was why he had finally agreed with Leora. They would be going to Addar. He knew what part of the prophecy spoke of, but he did not know all of it. He laughed inwardly, now he wished that he had been smarter during his years of boyhood, when the Sages had taught them of the prophecies and the many realms that surrounded them, but oh the foolishness of youth. He shook his head the beginnings of a smile curving his lips.
Finished with their meal Amori and Cody went to get ready, having need to change since their clothes had been washed for them on the night before. Pulling Leora to the side Ryan spoke with her out of earshot of those passing by, “Do you truly believe it wise to take her to Addar, with us having the knowledge now that she is the First?”
“Yes, if it were up to me we would not be, but, we have no choice in the matter.” Leora leaned against the wall behind and crossed her arms over her chest, “I still want to know why you were bringing them through the realms, you never fully answered.”
“I was hoping that by gaining her trust, partially from answering the questions that she had, that she would tell me where she had hid the book.”
Leora sighed, her arms dropping down to her sides, “Dryan, I do not think she has it, I believe her when she said she did not know.” Dragging his fingers through his hair he closed his eyes. Then gathering himself he locked eyes with his lifelong friend, “He has it.” When she nodded Ryan spoke through clinched teeth, “Great just great.”
“You have no need to worry as of now; there is still hope, for he cannot open it.”
“What do you mean?” Questions illuminated his green eyes.
“He is unable to open it; until, the time come, no one will be able to.” From the expression that shone in her eyes Ryan would have to pray that that time would never come, at least not while the Nazarene was yet in the hands of the Dweller.
Passing into Eldon Morgan knew where he was headed, to the Sacrosanct, knowing that to be the place that they were to most likely be.
Arriving there he calmed himself before walking into the temple. Spotting a young boy he called out to him, “Where are the visitors?”
Pointing in the direction of one of the hallways the boy continued on his way.
His face emotionless, hiding the storm rolling within him Morgan walked down the passageway that had been pointed out to him. Coming into an open area he immediately spotted Dryan and Leora, the two still talking together in the right corner with Leora leaning against the wall. The moment he spotted them the two turned facing him. He kept an even pace, not allowing his outward self to show the anger that was rolling through him in waves.
A calm lazy smile stretched across Dryan's face, “What are you doing here?” Morgan really wanted to hit the guy.
“I wonder.” He let his gaze bounce off of Leora.
Dryan stared hard at him, seeming to be trying to come to a decision. It took a moment but when he finally did he speak, “Well... Since your here,” He gave Leora a brief glance, which she answered with the subtlest of nods even though her eyes stayed completely trained on her promised.
“You might as well help.” Dryan said finishing his sentence.
“I'll leave you to your own scheming, I'm here to take my bride back-” Morgan said taking a step towards Leora.
Dryan stepped in-between the two, his gaze narrowed in warning, “Sorry can't let you do that.”
“This has nothing to do with you,” Morgan said matching Dryan stare, “so step aside.” He took another step forward. Then tilting his head up, his attention redirected to where Amori and the mystery man were standing. Side by side in the passageway parallel to the one in which he had entered by.
Taking a step back Morgan folded his muscled arms over his chest. He knew that there had to be a reason why Dryan would do something as stupid as bringing a human to Eldon. Especially this one, so he decided that he would listen to what they had to say. He could see that there was something that he was seriously missing. “I'm listening.”
Once Dryan had finished Morgan had a hard time not taking a fist to the man’s face again, “Let me see if I got this straight, he has the Book Nazarene and is able to pop in and out of her head whenever he wishes. Tell me if I'm missing anything,” he was glaring at the fellow prince, “other than the fact that you did a poor job of watching over the books assigned you.” His jaw ticked as his teeth clenched and unclenched. Morgan didn't know much about the old writings, but what he did know was what would happen should the Dweller ever escape his chains.
Hmm, there was one more thing that he wanted to know, “And you are taking them to Addar why?”
“You know what we were originally planning, but now we have to find out more about what is to happen next. Since our home realm was chosen as the barer of the books I know that we'll be able to find something that can help us to make more sense of what is coming.”
“It makes enough sense. Does she know what’s truly going on?” Morgan asked as his eyes roamed over Amori. Being that her and Cody still stood side-by-side a distance off.
“She knows what she must for now.” Ryan replied. He motioned for the two when he and his companions began walking, “It will be good if we get to Addar before the coming nightfall.”
He, the Dweller, could feel it when they passed out of Eldon and into Addar. He smiled to himself the time was nearing, he felt it. He had walked the paths of Belial for a long time now; and he had let that time pass. Allowing the memory of what or rather who he truly was fade, moving over the centuries into myth and lore. His smile grew all the wider, 'they did not any longer know his true name.' The fools, he had been patient, twisting the Laws. Planting his thoughts in the weak and even some strong minded. Now with many followers at his bidding without them even knowing it, they would in turn help him take his rightful place, his rightful place as the sole ultimate conqueror and ruler of all the realms.