Chapter 30
Seasons Change
Stopping Raanan stood still, his gaze turning to the sky. Peering in the same direction as him Hadarah saw nothing.
“Once they are here I will alert them to our presence.”
“Once they are here?”
He nodded, pointing out into the distance he looked down at her, “The prince Dryan is heading this way with three passengers on his back.” Gazing back in the direction that he was still pointing to he then said, “You must be the one to guide them back to the entrance into Addar. Lead them on the Path, and just as you and I have been led true, you all shall be as well.”
“I will.”
Asah Raanan smiled at her speaking as he shifted into his unbound form. “I hope to be invited to the wedding.”
Hadarah laughed and waved to her friend as he flew away towards her chosen and those traveling with him. As she watched him she could now understand the difference between those of the Great Mountains and the Neshar of the North Regions.
Hadarah took note, putting to memory the image of this legends son. His wing span from tip to tip was forty-five feet. His plumage was fire, opposite what one would have imagined from seeing his eyes that raged with the strength and color of the clearest blue seas. The talons were hooked and seemed well sharpened and used, during battles from times past. Looking at him now made her wonder to what did his father look like to be heir to one who was obviously a warrior by birth.
Ryan slowed as he was approached by what he knew was another Neshar, calling out a greeting. When his greeting was return, Ryan was shocked at the power and authority that it carried, the others greeting moved with the force and strength of crashing waves.
As he came to be in front of Dryan Raanan began to speak with him, “I am Asah Raanan, a Knight of the High Prince.” He angled his head in the direction of where Hadarah was standing. “I was tasked with bringing your chosen to you, she is down below waiting for you.” Ryan had no words to say about the matter. “You will need her Dryan, believe do not do as you are thinking and send her back home, for she has been given a role to play just the same as you and I.”
With what he had been told to say done, Raanan circled back to Hadarah. With a bowing of his head, he said goodbye. She waved bye to him putting to memory inviting him to her and Dryan’s wedding day.
Landing before his chosen, Ryan almost shifted while the others were still on his back. Bending so that it would be easier for them to dismount he waited for them. The moment they were all off, he went to bound form. Walking to Hadarah he pulled her into a crushing hug.
“What are you doing here?” She spoke against his chest but her words were muffled by, well, by his chest.
He pulled back without releasing her. “Chay.” He said her name, coming to the realization that he had missed her. He just hadn’t realized it until now.
“There is much for me to explain, but first we must leave this realm.” Ryan consented. Stepping away he readied to go to unbound form again, but Hadarah grabbed him by the arm.
“I was told that we should not go by air, but by land. The High Prince Amadis has set before us a Path that he desires for us to follow.” Her gaze drifted to Amori, and she did not see what she thought would have been there, if the mortal was truly trying to take her chosen.
Amori and the others followed Chay, as she led them, on the “Path” that she had been talking about. Looking down to the ground Amori saw no Path before her feet; it was only the forever shifting ground of Aion.
Glancing up at Cody she was going to ask him about it, but his face was contorted in pain. “Cody, are you alright?”
He grunted out what sounded like a yes to her but she wasn’t convinced.
“Leora, can you please come here a moment.” Slowing her steps Leora moved so that she was standing on the opposite side of the now profusely sweating Cody.
“There’s something wrong with him but he doesn’t want to admit it.” She said crossing her arms as she looked on with worry filled eyes.
“I’m fine Amori, the feeling comes and goes.” Cody said trying to reassure her and doing a horrible job at it, as he stopped walking. Resting his hands on his knees Cody bent over trying to catch his breath.
“Wait! Chay, Dryan wait something is wrong with Cody!”
Turning back the two retraced their steps, so that they were soon standing with the others.
“Leora do you know what is wrong with him?” Ryan asked true concern evident in his voice.
“No I do not know, Amori you are the one who has been with him when we were not. Has he been showing signs of pain of any kind that you know of?”
At first Amori shook her head unable to remember any instances, but then a memory came to her. Snapping her fingers she looked to Leora, “He’s been rubbing his back a lot and rotating his shoulders as though in pain, ever since we were in Aiken.”
Leora gave her a smile of thanks. Laying down Cody wheezed fighting to stay awake.
“Dryan I need you to lift him, so that I can work his shirt over his head.” Leora said taking control of the situation. “Amori go around Dryan so that when I have Cody’s shirt removed, his head can be placed on your lap. I want to turn him onto his side so that I can get a good look at his back. Oh, and Chay go into my bag and give me the water that is in it.” The others hurried to do as Leora had said.
Lifting the limp body, Ryan helped Leora with the guys’ shirt. Once that was done he moved so that Amori could take her place allowing her to settle his head on her lap.
Shock racked through Amori’s body as she set her gaze on Cody’s back. “Uh, Leora?”
Ignoring Amori Leora worked a few drops of water into Cody’s mouth. Pouring some on a cloth that Chay had provided her with, and wiped his perspiration covered forehead. Once done with that Leora made her way to checking Cody’s back and dropped the items that were in her hand. Slapping her hands over her mouth Leora gasped. Reaching out she gave a feather light touch to the marking that was upon Cody’s back.
Moving so that they could see what had stunned Leora so badly Ryan and Hadarah went to look as well. And as they lay eyes upon it the both of them dropped to their knees.
Amori looked from one to the other, not knowing why they seemed so in shock. For her what she saw was something that looked almost like a branding mark, upon his back, the mark resting at the center of his shoulder blades.
“Is there something that I should know?” Amori asked.
Leora touched it once again, “How, how is this possible?” She looked to Dryan for answers.
“He is the Seeker.”
Amori’s gaze went to Ryan, at his whispered words. “What is the Seeker?”
Though she was staring at Ryan it was Leora that answered her question. “The Seeker is one chosen by the Creator during times of coming trials. The first Seeker was said to have appeared during the Dweller’s First Rising, there have only been four thus far. Each arose during a time when a great evil arose, threatening the existence of all the seen and unseen realms. It was also rumored that the fourth Seeker was to be the last, for each one appeared almost a millennia apart. Cody will be the first Seeker to be chosen in two millennia’s.”
“How do you know that he is one though?”
Leora pointed to the mark upon his back. “This is the mark of the Seekers, none can bare this mark and seal unless they are the one chosen by the High King to be the Seeker.”
Amori rested her hand on Cody’s heated forehead, as she did so his features relaxed somewhat. “So does that mean that he is going to be a target?” Amori asked, as she noted that Ryan now held the Book of Naba. There was definitely no way that she would be able to get it now. She shook the thought away; she had not planned on taking it in the first place.
A moan escaped Cody’s lips as he tried to shift to another position. Resting her free hand on his shoulder Amori tried to calm him, hoping that he would soon awake.
Cody stood side-by-side with the Keeper of the Way. The two gazing into the pool of Salem, waves lapped at the two bridges on either side of the pool, with each wave the waters rose higher.
“Ardor the time has come nigh when all that has been prophesied shall come to being. You have been chosen to be one of those who shall aid in the war that is soon coming, for you have been chosen as the Seeker for the time at hand.”
Cody turned his gaze upon the Keeper. “But what is a Seeker?”
Smiling the Keeper placed a hand upon his shoulder. “The Seeker is one who has been given the calling to unite the Bachiyr. They are a precious life.” The Keeper of the Way locked eyes with Cody. “Darkness will seek to end your life, for since you have been called the Dweller shall deem your life to important to let you live. But you must stand firm in faith, even when all you thought to be true fades, there shall always be One who’s name you shall recall.”
Nodding Cody looked back to the pool of Salem. “When this is all over will I be able to go to the life I lived before?”
Squeezing his shoulder the Keeper said, “When all is said and done you shall not want to return to the life you once lived.” Removing his hand from Cody’s shoulder the Keeper took a step back, “It is time for you to return.” Moving to the edge of the water he took his first step into the warm yet cool waters. And as he plunged in to enter through on the other side he heard the voice of the Keeper. “This is the time of the Seasons Change, Ardor son of Theron. A time when all who know the One name must call upon it and in their recalling hope shall once more shine.”
The words faded into the recesses of his mind as he dropped into the waters of Salem.
Wiping Cody’s forehead with the cloth that had been given her, Amori almost jumped up with joy when his eyes popped open. A murmur escaping his lips she looked up to Leora, “He’s waking up.”
Having Ryan lift Cody to a sitting position once that was done she spoke to Amori. “When he is fully awake give him some water, it will help.” Moving so that he was lying on his back Cody blinked for a moment, before blue eyes focused on brown ones.
“Hey there sleepy head.” Amori joked happy that he was now coming to.
“Hey there yourself.” Lifting his head she gave him the water just as Leora had instructed her. As she did this the others repacked their supplies so that they could once again get on the move.
“You think you’re up to standing?”
Nodding to Amori’s question he allowed her to help him to his feet. Taking stock of his condition he noted that he was shirtless. “Uh, can I have my shirt back?”
Biting her lip Amori glanced over his head, “Leora said that it wouldn’t be wise for you to put it back on.”
“But I can’t go around without a shirt on.” His gaze shifted as Ryan walked over to them. “Here.” Tossing Cody the shirt that was in his hand he then proceeded to conversing with Chay.
Tugging the long sleeve black shirt over his head Cody thanked Ryan. Poking his abdomen Amori sized him up, “You’ve gotten thicker since we started realm hopping.”
Looking down at himself yet again Cody saw that she was right. He smiled then shrugged, “Guess my body’s acclimating to the new and ever changing surroundings.” With a light shove she replied, “So mister half-elf are you trying to say that my normal genes can’t catch up to your super human ones?”
Laughing Cody gave her a side hug, “I’m not saying anything like that.” He paused cocking his head as if in thought. “I mean you are only human.”
“Hey!”
“Can you two keep it together long enough for us to make it out of Aion in one piece.”
Both gave their agreed consent. Thus the group traveled on, with Hadarah leading them by the Path.
By the time they had made it to the bridge that would lead them into Addar Morgan had made it to the place already. His stance was rigid as they drew closer.
“It took you all longer than I would have expected.” And though he hid his bewilderment well it was still noticeable when his scrutiny landed on Hadarah.
With a shrug Ryan said. “Not even I know the story behind this, so do not bombard me with question.”
Letting the matter go Morgan faced the bridge, “We should pass through now, for I believe that they did not expect us to have made it through this realm so quickly.”
Morgan and Ryan passed through first, with Leora, Amori and Hadarah following at the heels and Cody entering in last.