Early Spring - M-1893, Part 8 – Morana (III)

Guardian's Key

Part 8

Morana

III

Xavier stood. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s been a long day, and I’d like to stretch my legs before we go out.”

Azrael smiled and led the way to the door. “I believe you’ll find the garden a very peaceful place to take a stroll.”

Xavier nodded in thanks and softly closed the door behind him as Azrael returned to his seat next to Lessa's mother.

Thalia smiled as she spoke softly, picking up the topic of Lessa's heritage. “My mother was a Spirit of Light in the court of the Guiding Queen. She came to the lands as all Spirits must once every Time of Change and met my father. They fell in love. She returned to the Guiding Queen and asked for release. It was granted, she became human retaining much of her magique and abilities. When a family is Spirit-Touched, they are very powerful, and have the lifespan of Elven people, as all Elven people are born of the Spirit Silvanus or Chandra.”

“So, that’s why you remain so young?” Lessa asked.

“That’s why I remain young, although I have only seen one Time of Change. Your father remains young because I have the ability to create essence of life.”

Lessa nodded, trying to take in everything she was hearing while still trying to deal with the feelings getting her memory back had brought.

“Your father has given you your memories, and I’ve released your abilities, Lassirra. I so wish I had time to teach you the way of the Spirit-Touched, but I don’t. We must release Kerrin from Silanos’ hold and then you must join your friends, they’ll need you three to keep everyone safe.”

“And even that may not be enough,” her father said, sadness filling his eyes.

A spike of fear passed through Lessa. “Why won’t it be enough?”

“I can’t say and, frankly, I don’t know. I can see the future. You can’t your ability is still too new, too young, but I can’t always be sure what I see is what will come to pass. The future is mercurial, the choices of today will change the outcome of tomorrow.”

Lessa nodded, she still hated her father’s circular answers, but she was beginning to understand them. “Then tell me what I must know. Now before evening-time arrives.”

Her mother took up the explanation. “We tried and succeeded for a long time in not having children that would coincide with the birth of a Garnaych child. We were attempting to stop the continuation of tradition. But you, my love, were an accident, and unfortunately coincided with the birth of Lornus.”

When Thalia hesitated her father continued. “Since the beginning, nothing could be done without risking the life of the descendant and that of their child. But along the way, measures were developed that prevented the Orisso child from passing magique into the Garnaych family.”

“How?” Lessa wasn’t sure if she was happy to finally know what the hell was happening or still angry because it’d all been kept from her. She understood the need to suppress her abilities, but they could have explained her history, who she was, she couldn’t see where that would have made a difference. She wasn’t a child, she would have understood the need to prevent passing her magique on. She could have done her own part to see it never happened if she’d only understood.

“By the time the first Time of Change passed, it’d become apparent the Garnaych family had moved deeper into the realm of the Shadow and had become Shadow Followers.” Azrael continued. “They had some power, but for whatever reason, it developed stronger within the Orisso family who had followed the way of the ancestors and embraced the teachings of Sundara. There was nothing our family could do to prevent the tradition from continuing forward, it was a pact made with blood and magique; but there were ways found to prevent the passing of Sundara magique to the Garnaych heir. No matter how powerful the child of Orisso may have grown to be, it was suppressed from birth and soon magique completely died from the Garnaych family. Eventually after years of being joined, even the Orisso child lost her magique.”

”However, with the death of Lornus by an outsider prior to joining, the tradition was broken with blood and Azrael added the magique. Now it will never be again.” Thalia picked up the explanation. “Kerrin has saved us from a tradition that has been killing us slowly over the years. You, however, were such a different matter altogether. You were the first to be Spirit-Touched and we were so afraid your power could not be suppressed. In fact it could only be lessened. You are, my child, so much stronger than your brothers.  I have now returned to you every power you have a right to by birth. You will learn, and when time permits, we will help you with it, but until then, be aware that you will not always understand how you do what you do.”

Lessa nodded, but her father spoke before she could, “As for being a seer, that you get from me. For now your ability is that of a child, but eventually it, too, will grow and develop. Don’t be afraid to use it, now or in the future.”

Xavier entered from the foyer, stopping short in the doorway, apparently trying to decide if he should return, or continue stretching his legs.

Her father rose pointing to the chair Xavier had occupied earlier. “Xavier, come my son, sit, we’ll be eating soon as we must leave the moment evening-time arrives.”

“About damn time,” Xavier said as he sat accepting the drink her father offered him.

***

They were leaving the house just as the sun fully set and evening-time arrived. They all had directions to Silanos’ abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. Lessa had been correct, Kerrin was in Morana, but now she understood, she’d assumed he was at the Garnaych home. If she’d have taken the time to reason it out, or look farther into the vision, she would have understood exactly where he was. Her father had spent what small amount of time they had while eating explaining some things that could aid her in understanding her visions and taking them farther, making them more useful.

The area was deserted when they appeared just outside the old warehouse. If the place wasn't depressing and gloomy enough on its own, the steady rain that had threatened earlier finally began coming down. “No one ever comes here anymore. The Garnaych family abandoned this warehouse fifty years ago when it was no longer profitable to run it.” Azrael said.

“That’s why Kerrin’s here, he’s been left to die,” Lessa’s voice broke, she was no longer able to control her feelings of panic. The moment she’d seen the building, she’d been surrounded with a feeling of desperation so intense she wasn’t sure if it was hers or Kerrin’s, most likely both mingling to form a wave of fear in her.

“No, my child,” Thalia said. “He’s been left to suffer for eternity. He won’t die of starvation, but he has no way out. It’s quite possible over time he’d go mad. Silanos won’t be merciful and kill him, he would see that as an act of kindness, and in light of the death of Lornus, he has no kindness.”

“Not that he ever had.” Azrael added.



Part 8 Morana II

Part 8 Morana IV

(Coming Soon)