Tale of Four

Legetus stared at Randolf and Elva and, seeing their stunned looks, closed his eyes and nodded, his jovial smile returning. ”Lord Raven’s orders are absolute, but this does not mean he understands everything that has occurred on your journey. Do you still wish to talk to him? If so, I shall prepare the mirror.”

Looking at Elva, Randolf could see her mind race, wondering what to say, her fingers scratching at her scar as she contemplated. Lifting a hand and carefully pulling it away, he let out a deep exhale and nodded. ”I believe I must still tell him.” Legetus nodded and turned to face his wife. Pulling her hand off his shoulders, she walked to a cabinet on the side of the room and pulled out a large mirror. Running his hand over the runes, Legetus, Cassia, Randfold and Elva all rose and stood still like statues.

For ten minutes none spoke; all stood perfectly still, until the feeling in the room changed. On the mirror, a red iris appeared, and the instant they saw it, they all fell to their knees, Legetus moving the fastest despite his size.

”Legetus.” The whispering voice, which drew people closer, filled the room despite its softness. Randolf could feel Elva’s presence beside him, and knew that he was the same, always having the same feeling when he heard the voice over the mirror. ”Rise.” Legetus stood but kept his head low in respect. ”All rise.” The whispering voice spoke again, finally allowing the rest to follow.

”Legetus. The Magi has arrived.” Rather than ask, Lord Ravenm spoke as if it were a matter of fact: ”Legetus, the escorts have worries.”

”Lord Raven, they wish to speak despite your words for me,” Legetus said, in his usual joyful tone. Silence filled the room as everyone waited. Randfold and Elva couldn’t help but feel nervous, wondering if their worries and words for Lord Raven were disrespectful after he had already given them orders. The red iris in the mirror moved to look at the two; its blood-like colour filled with majesty.

”Speak your concerns. Do not lie. Do not exaggerate. Do not make false conclusions.” Elva looked to Randolf and gave him a small nod. Unconsciously stepping forward, he lowered his head and clenched his fists. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, the words he had previously wished to say all of a sudden missing and needing to be recollected.

”The Magi, Lord Raven. I do not understand what your previous words meant about her, and I will not ask, for it is not my concern. But what is my concern is the safety of this land as much as it is for you.” Randfolf opened his eyes and looked at the blood-red iris, having to turn away from it after meeting it for a second; its unblinking stare felt like it pierced his soul. ”She has made numerous comments about wishing for the Old Ones. Whilst this is a concern, it is not unusual for Magi to seek such a thing. What is worrying, however, is her comments about wishing to create life as well as the study of old runes. I did not understand much of what she said, but she kept speaking about things such as learning ways to rewrite reality, making life and mastering the material and immaterial.”

Lowering his head in shame, he clenched his fists. ”I know you have ordered to have no meaningless thoughts, but she poses a danger to this land, and I fear that I have thought of terminating such a threat to it.” Elva looked at Randolf, opening and closing her mouth, seeing him shoot her a hard glare when she was about to speak.

There was silence once again, as the red iris continued to stare, unblinking as ever. ”I ordered you not to lie.” The voice whispered again, and a cold sweat rushed down Randolf’s as well as Elva’s back.

”I did not.” Randolf quickly replied.

”Another.” The voice, never changing volume, replied. ”You did not have this thought. The one touched by the Shattered Men did.” Gulping, Randolf felt tiny. Staring at the red iris with shaking eyes, he felt it engulfed the entire world, it being the sole thing in existence, able to wipe him from existence with nothing more than its glare. ”Do not be afraid.” The oppressive feeling he felt vanished with those words. ”Your job is to protect this land and those within it, including the one beside you.”

”Thank you,” Randolf said under his breath as silence filled the room once more. The iris didn’t look away from the two.

”The Magi is dangerous.” Lord Ravens whispering voice spoke after a few minutes, ”The Magi seek what should not be.” It paused, only for a second, but to everyone it felt like eternity. ”The Eldest One has touched the world once more.” The room went tense again. ”Its will cannot be known.” Lord Raven paused again. ”Bring the Magi. Bring my voice. She is closer. I can see more.”

Legetus bowed and moved at speed unbefitting his size. Shouting down the corridor, he barked orders for his children to bring Alice as the mirror turned back to normal. After five minutes, Alice returned, staring at the ceiling, as a man dressed in all black followed behind. Sighing towards the group, he lowered the mask on his face and revealed a mutilated face, his eyes sewn shut, and his tongue cut out. Power washed over the room, breaking Alice out of her thoughts; she turned to the black figure, an annoyed expression on her face.

Despite not needing to, everyone but Alice knelt again as the whispering voice spoke, a gaze that belonged to no one appearing with it. ”Magi.” Lord Raven’s voice came from the mutilated figure: ”The Eldest One uses you.” The voice paused. ”Magi.” It spoke again: ”Many guide you.” He paused again, taking slightly longer than before to speak: ”Magi.” When he spoke again, though the volume was the same eerie, calm whisper, a subtle hint of confusion surfaced: ”You met another God.”

”What?” Alice cried out in amazement before scoffing, ”Impossible. Teacher said the Gods live in the immaterial.”

”Magi.” Lord Raven carried on, ”Their tricks have been woven with the Eldest Ones’ plans.” The subtle confusion was gone from his tone. ”Magi. You understand nothing.” Before Alice could speak, the voice turned to Legetus. ”Legetus. Your duty soon arrives. Legetus. The others shall be warned. Legetus. Do not be afraid.”

Lifting the mask, the voice signed a symbol towards the group before walking off, expertly moving despite being unable to see. Grabbing the sides of her head, Alice groaned and clicked her tongue.

”Why does he ignore me?” Groaning in annoyance, she ran out, following the man, her voice echoing down the corridor, pressing him with questions that never got a reply. Legetus made his wya back to his chair and sank into it, rubbing his head, popping another small sweet into his mouth to suck on.

”Lord Raven has spoken. I hope our worries have been eased, but I doubt it.” Looking at Elva, Randolf noticed how she shook, the terror on her face, unsure if it was the fact that Lord Raven could see through his lies to protect her, or the warning he spoke of.

”Forgive me, my Lord, but do you understand what any of that meant. I have only ever heard Lord Raven speak three times, and each time it was as cryptic as the last. I understand the Lords, such as yourself, will know far better.” The sound of the sweet hitting Legetus’s teeth filled the silence as the man fell into thought.

His jovial expression was replaced by deep unease and tension as he put together his thoughts. ”The land will change. For better or worse, I do not know. But I do understand the one you bring with you is the reason for it. My duty calls.” Clicking his tongue, he fell to his knees and groaned, ”Why did it have to be my generation?” Quietly cursing under his breath, he shook his head and lifted it up to look at the two. ”Do as Lord Raven says. Do not think to do something stupid out of fear of the future, for you may bring about a worse one by it.”

The two gulped and nodded, bowing towards Legetus, seeing that the man needed to be alone for a moment to think about what he had just been told.

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Within Dreamscape, Lord Diocaitus Dreamscape sat on a large fluffy bed reading a book; around him were numerous dolls of people and animals. He was a young man, no older than twenty, his black hair catching the light, causing a silver tinge to be added. His skin was grey, greyer then most of the land and his eyes a deep black.

Hanging just above, hundreds of dreamcatchers gently swayed, caused by the light breeze coming from the window, strangely never entangling with one another.

The door opened, and he looked up to see a voice enter and pull down their mask. Closing the book, he placed a hand on his chest. ”Lord Raven.” With a trailing voice, born from tiredness, he lowered his head as far as he could from his sitting position, his thin silk clothing allowing easy movement.

”Diocaitus. Your duty approaches.” The whispering voice said, ”Diocaitus. The Old Ones Stir.” The whispering voice spoke again, unfazed by the stunned expression on the tired man’s face. ”Diocaitus. The Eldest One has graced us.”

Diocaitus, head sunk. Blankly staring at the book, he took a stifled breath and half-smiled, looking back at the voice. He tried desperately not to let the emotion be seen, but could feel his li ptwitch as the word got trapped in his throat. With a shaking deep breath, he finally forced it out. ”My daughter is only a baby. Who looks after her?”

”Diocatius.” The voice closed its mouth. After a few seconds, it opened and paused before speaking. Its whispering tone was the same, yet to those who knew it well, they could hear the slightest amount of remorse such a voice could muster. ”Diocatius. Forgive me.”

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”Vallius.” Lord Graves looked up at the voice that entered his room, his shirtless body poking out of the covers as the women next to him quickly covered themselves with the sheets, half embarrassed at being seen, half terrified at the mutilated face that had just appeared. He was a middle-aged man, with white hair and whiter skin, his eyes fogged over, like those of a blind person. ”Your duty approached.”

The whispering voice drew an amused smirk from Vallius as he jumped up, his nude body on full display, showing his toned muscles. With a booming laugh, he patted the voice on the shoulder. ”My lord. Such a tone does not suit you. Do not mourn my duty. I live in a tomb.”

Stepping out, he walked the halls of his home and arrived in a large hall where numerous men and women drank. Climbing up on one of the tables, he snatched a mug of drink from one of them and raised it to the sky. ”SPREAD THE WORD!” His voice echoed across the hall as few looked away from him, not wishing to see his naked body. ”WE CELEBRATE UNTIL MY DEATH!”

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Sitting on a bench, Lord Brocuss Eversight cared for his sword, his loving caress wiping down the spotless blade, his long grey beard flowing in the wind. ”Brocuss.” The whispering voice cut through the serene atmosphere like a knife, yet Brocuss never stopped. ”Your duty approaches.”

His hand stopped for a second as his eyes dropped. After it passed, he nodded. ”I understand. My Lord.” Continuing to clean his sword, he finally looked up, staring at the night sky. With a small smile, he saw the clear sky full of stars.

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”Alpina.” Lady Hollow jumped up in fright, awakened from her sleep. Looking to the right, her long white hair brushed over her beautiful face; her appearance looked like a perfect marble statue, with white eyes and skin. ”Your duty approaches.”

Alpina took deep, rapid breaths, her eyes shaking as she stared at the mutilated voice, her body shaking. ”My lord.” Despite her best efforts, her fear broke through as she stared at it, begging that it was a sick joke told to her. ”Please, my Lord. It can’t be.”

”Alpina.” The whispering voice spoke, ”Do not be afraid.” Pulling its mask up, the voice left. Grabbing the side of her head, Alpina let out a horrid scream of anguish before collapsing backwards onto her bed and staring at the ceiling until her voice exhausted itself.

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”Cabrus.” Looking up from the pile of documents, Cabrus stared with lazy brown eyes, his skin grey and his hair a mix of brown and black. ”Your duty approaches.” They shook momentarily and, standing up, he clenched his hand around his pen as he walked over towards the window and placed a hand on it, looking at the sleeping city, seeing the towering mountains that forever loomed over the Pathway.

”Is it so?”

”Cabrus. Forgive me.” His body shook before relaxing with a deep exhale.

”Will my children inherit this curse, my Lord?” There was silence for a while, as Cabrus continued to look out at the city. ”You do not need to answer. The silence is enough.”