The Lost Eight by Duron Crejaro (libby ebook reader .txt) 📖

Kaelina kind of crab walked backwards in the shaft as she caught Dearn looking in her direction. She held her breath acutely waiting, wondering if he had actually seen her. Finally, he shrugged and left. She slowly let the breath leave her before turning to crawl back down the shaft. She had grown up on the streets. She knew every alley and passage through the city. She had spent years rooting them all out. That is how she discovered the ventilation ducts through the various temples. She had delighted at them, finding an easy way to traverse between and around the temples. Furthermore, she found that she could learn that which adults and figures in power generally kept from others.

She let herself out in the kitchen. It was vacant and dim in the late evening, all the cooking having been done for hours. People would return to prepare the morning meal, but for now, she helped herself to a small peach and a bun of sweet bread. She ducked into another shaft leading to the outside. She strolled hurriedly through the dimming light towards the Temple of Drnae.

It was where all the orphans stayed. Only a handful of clergy stayed at the temple. Drnae had long since fallen out of favor. At the height of his power though, Drnae had been the most worshipped god on Mris. After the War of Eight, he had slowly lost his followers. For some unknown reason, his clergy had lost all their powers after the war, and the once popular god no longer granted favors or answered the prayers of those that still believed. Only the great histories, and those that still had faith, kept the memory of him alive. Many feared a repeat of the war, and so his temple was allowed, even if it remained mostly unused. The clergy of Drnae were kindly though. They refused to participate in the council and had unofficially adopted the cities unwanted orphans. She waved to the few people still about as she made her way through the temple. It was very simple in construction. A plain mortared stone complex. Even the furnishing were bare bones, the priesthood requiring nothing of what few patrons it had. Kaelina smiled to herself as she made her way to her small room, of all the gods the liked Drnae the best. His followers and priests were the only ones that were truly pious in her eyes, and to her, this was the way men of the cloth should be.

Her room was little more then a closet. It bothered her not though, she was used to it. A small bed and table were its only furnishing. She kept it clean, despite her rather unkempt appearance. She figured it was the least she could do for the people that had saw fit to look after her as she grew up. Settling onto the bed, she took a large mouthwatering bite of the peach. Questions raced through her mind. She had known about the increased patrols, but did it really mean anything. She did not know that Dearn had a brother in the knighthood. She of course knew he had family back in Kynnory, but he never talked about them. He was always elusive about his past, but then again, she had never really pressed him on the issue. After her small meal, she laid back licking the sweetness of the bread from her fingers, thoughts swirling with trepidation in her mind. Something just did not feel quite right to her, and she always trusted her instincts.

She had drifted off into a fitful sleep, her unconscious mind flooding her with appalling images. It was something else she had grown used to. It had started when she was much younger, terrible dreams that would wake her in the night. They were so lifelike and vivid she would come too terrified and screaming. The priests had always come to her side when it happened, whispering soothing words to calm her. She had long since become accustomed to it and no longer woke to them. This dream came upon her much like the others, a deep redness in her vision that slowly cleared. She found herself standing amidst a raging battle. She looked around through her hazy vision. She could almost make out the men fighting around her, though they paid her no attention as if she was not really there. The screams of dieing men echoed in her ears. Strange disfigured men fought with what appeared to be Kynnorian Knights in full battle regalia. Her horror intensified at she turned her gaze up to the stone walls. Hordes of the strange men were pouring over the wall in waves. One landed on the ground dead near her, another on his feet. His blade drawn, she was sure he had seen her as he released a battle cry and charged. She shielded her face, expecting her death to be imminent. The creature passed right through her, engaging a knight that was standing nearby behind her. He died in a bloody defiant mass of murdered flesh. It seemed to her that most of the defenders of this place were dead or dieing. The invaders had begun setting fire to the buildings, and the screams had become infrequent.

She awoke with a start, sitting up in her bed gasping for air. Cold sweat poured from her as she burst into tears. She had not even realized it was a dream it seemed so real. Even the smell of smoke seemed to linger in the air. As she sobbed, she realized that the smell was not clearing from her mind. It was only then that she realized that she did indeed smell something burning. A horrified scream interrupted her crying. It was distant, but still within the compound. She stifled another sob as she cautiously approached the door.

In the open hall smoke wafted slowly across the ceiling. Another scream echoed through the corridor. She took off running towards the scream, wondering what was going on. Her mind recoiled against her, urging her to run the other way. She ignored it rounding a corner to see an elderly priest being assaulted viciously by a hooded figure. The man lay bleeding against the stone wall, his cries of pain fading to a low sob. Kaelina screamed at him to stop, which drew the creature’s attention to her. It turned quickly throwing back its hood and snarled angrily at her. She stared in shock, eyes going wide at the disfigured man before her. She backpedaled quickly as it rushed her, and stumbled over her own feet falling to the ground. As the man reached her, she shielded herself, thinking back to the dream in that instance. It reached out and grabbed her by the hair, violently jerking her to her feet. She cried out struggling feebly. He thrust her against the wall leaning close enough to her face that she could smell his foul breath.

"Where is it?" He hissed hatefully into her face, his wiry black hair bouncing as he spoke.

She had no idea what the creature was talking about. She shut her eyes, turning her head from his foul odor. She thrust out a hand, attempting to push the creature away from her. Suddenly she felt the hand clenching her hair grow lax, and then release her. She slid along the wall, not daring to open her eyes. After a few moments she dared a peek, and found the creature that had assaulted her lying prone on the floor. It laid inert spasming on the floor; smoke seemed to rise from its body. The smell of burnt hair and sizzling flesh washed over her, nearly gagging her. Confused she stood and ran.

By now bells sounded in the distance, growing closer as the cities warning alarms were sounded for the first time in nearly four hundred years. She reached the entrance, eyes blurry as she cried. A figure stepped into view; cause her to stop suddenly, fearful that another of the strange men had found her. She wiped away a tear and looked again, relieved to see the insignia of the city watch on the man's uniform. She took off again barreling right past the guard, ignoring his frantic cries for her to halt. More guards passed her on the way to temple of Drnae, ignoring her as they rushed towards the complex. She spared a glance back. Smoke poured from the building, a reddish glow lit the late night sky in places where the flames had erupted from the buildings.

Dearn had awoken to the sound of alarm bells, a strange event in and of itself. A novice priest, whom Dearn did not recognize appeared in the entryway of his room looking anxious. He informed him that there were reports that the temple of Drnae had been attacked and was burning, before vanishing into the corridor. Instantly Dearn was on his feet. He barely took the time to slip on his sandals before running towards the entrance, his thoughts on Kaelina and the other orphans. His mind raced as he headed out of the temple and started down the long avenue. Many others crowded the streets making their way over as well. Such an unusual ruckus rousing the inhabitants of the city even at this late hour, most just trying to find out what was going on. He nearly missed her in the throng of people, but she saw him. Kaelina rushed him as he skidded to a stop near her. She hugged him, tears trailing small dirt smudges down her face.

"It was so terrible," she managed between sobs hugging herself to him as tightly as she could manage, her body shaking with fear as her mind replayed the events.

He embraced her gently, patting her head. "It's ok, you're safe now." He assured her.

"I know but there was." Her voice trailed off as she remembered the dream as well and burst into another round of sobs.

He held her a little tighter, trying not to let the worry show on his face, "I know, try not to think about it Kaelina. Just go to my quarters and wait for me please."

She clung to him harder now at the thought of being parted, "I don't want to." She cried.

"You have to. You'll be safe there; I have to go to Drnae's temple. It's my duty to assist if I can." She nodded and left hesitantly, heading to his room as asked. Dearn continued on his way towards the temple. Already crowds of onlookers had gathered about. Those of the watch not inside, stood around maintaining a perimeter, to keep the onlookers from interfering and possibly hurting themselves. Dearn pushed his way through the crowds, only to be stopped by a guardsman. He quickly explained whom he was and was permitted to enter. The inside of the temple was controlled chaos. The fires had mostly been put out, and no sign of the attackers could be seen. Kynnorian Knights had been some of the first to arrive with the watch, and according to accounts, they engaged in a pitched battle with the assailants. Wounded and dead were being brought forth from the temple, as others continued to battle the few