‘You wouldn’t dare. It’s you who has insulted yourself. You’ve been asleep while evil reigned.’
‘I cannot fight it, Behozi.’
‘Because you’ve corrupted your power.’
‘No, I merely didn’t use it.’
‘You lie! Akasha is still alive because of you.’
‘I didn’t have a choice.’
‘You had many but you thought only of yourself.’
‘Then what will I do? I cannot fight him now.’ The voice sounded broken.
‘Then relinquish your power to the girl.’
‘But I’m not dead yet.’
‘Maybe you don’t know it but you are. If you love her and the race of men you were born to protect, help her or she’ll die.’
There was a long silence. The dark figure sighed and said, ‘How is my father?’
‘He lives, ever mourning your memory.’
There were footsteps approaching the cell.
‘I must go.’ said Anundr. ‘Are you sure you don’t need my help?’
‘My path has been chosen. I’ll walk its full length. You must tread on yours.’
The figure disappeared into the darkness it had come. A guard shone his lantern in the cell.
‘Behozi, are you talking to yourself again?’
‘No, my guest just left.’
The guard scanned the cell and found it empty. He burst into fits of laughter and said, ‘Your madness must be getting worse.’
He laughed all the way back to his station.
Anundr was outside. The night was cold—the rains were close. Like a shadow, the figure moved across the prison grounds.
‘Stop! Turn around.’ said a guard. The figure turned to see seven guards with their swords drawn.
‘Who are you? Show yourself.’
Anundr lowered the hood.
‘No, it cannot be.’ said one of them, lowering his sword in shock, ‘You are--’
‘The face of death.’ Anundr said, drawing a sword. ‘Take this message to the palace and the high priest. I’m back from the dead.’
The last things the guards saw before they dropped were the figure’s burning dark eyes.
CHAPTER 1 5
She had never seen him before. He had his back turned towards her as he looked down the hill top. From the dazzling light of the sun, she noticed how warrior-like he was and how dark his hair was. She feared he might jump. It seemed to have an unusual effect on her. She ran towards him, calling him to stop. He turned around and everywhere went dark.
A voice spoke. It sounded familiar yet strange. ‘Natalia.’
‘Who are you?’ she said, turning in fear. She couldn’t see anything.
‘I am the voice of redemption and vengeance.’
‘What do you want?’
‘To protect you.’
‘Why?’
‘Your life is in danger and you cannot fight alone.’
Natalia felt something thrust in her hand.
‘Take this’ said the voice, ‘and I’ll always be with you.’ The darkness departed but she ran after it, not wanting it to leave. She had felt safe in it.
‘No.’ she said, waking up from her dream. She panted, looking around her. The darkness didn’t help to ease her nerves. Nothing seemed out of place except her open window. She felt something in her hand. She opened it to see a jewel. She dropped it in shock. There was a thunderclap from outside causing her to jump. Rain poured down, some of it getting into her room. She rushed to close the window, getting a little wet in the process. She lit a candle by her bedside and took out a small gold box from her secret hiding place under the floor of her bed. The key was on a chain round her neck. She opened the box and took out the two objects Felman had given her. She examined the first item. It was a large rusty-looking medallion with many engraved bearings like those of a compass. She couldn’t read it. Frustrated, she turned to the second item, which was a piece of parchment with a foreign language scribbled on it. She sighed and turned to the last object, which she had just received. It was diamond-shaped with gold borders and a turquoise heart. She held it by its ropes and examined it against the light. The turquoise stone gleamed,
‘I cannot fight it, Behozi.’
‘Because you’ve corrupted your power.’
‘No, I merely didn’t use it.’
‘You lie! Akasha is still alive because of you.’
‘I didn’t have a choice.’
‘You had many but you thought only of yourself.’
‘Then what will I do? I cannot fight him now.’ The voice sounded broken.
‘Then relinquish your power to the girl.’
‘But I’m not dead yet.’
‘Maybe you don’t know it but you are. If you love her and the race of men you were born to protect, help her or she’ll die.’
There was a long silence. The dark figure sighed and said, ‘How is my father?’
‘He lives, ever mourning your memory.’
There were footsteps approaching the cell.
‘I must go.’ said Anundr. ‘Are you sure you don’t need my help?’
‘My path has been chosen. I’ll walk its full length. You must tread on yours.’
The figure disappeared into the darkness it had come. A guard shone his lantern in the cell.
‘Behozi, are you talking to yourself again?’
‘No, my guest just left.’
The guard scanned the cell and found it empty. He burst into fits of laughter and said, ‘Your madness must be getting worse.’
He laughed all the way back to his station.
Anundr was outside. The night was cold—the rains were close. Like a shadow, the figure moved across the prison grounds.
‘Stop! Turn around.’ said a guard. The figure turned to see seven guards with their swords drawn.
‘Who are you? Show yourself.’
Anundr lowered the hood.
‘No, it cannot be.’ said one of them, lowering his sword in shock, ‘You are--’
‘The face of death.’ Anundr said, drawing a sword. ‘Take this message to the palace and the high priest. I’m back from the dead.’
The last things the guards saw before they dropped were the figure’s burning dark eyes.
CHAPTER 1 5
She had never seen him before. He had his back turned towards her as he looked down the hill top. From the dazzling light of the sun, she noticed how warrior-like he was and how dark his hair was. She feared he might jump. It seemed to have an unusual effect on her. She ran towards him, calling him to stop. He turned around and everywhere went dark.
A voice spoke. It sounded familiar yet strange. ‘Natalia.’
‘Who are you?’ she said, turning in fear. She couldn’t see anything.
‘I am the voice of redemption and vengeance.’
‘What do you want?’
‘To protect you.’
‘Why?’
‘Your life is in danger and you cannot fight alone.’
Natalia felt something thrust in her hand.
‘Take this’ said the voice, ‘and I’ll always be with you.’ The darkness departed but she ran after it, not wanting it to leave. She had felt safe in it.
‘No.’ she said, waking up from her dream. She panted, looking around her. The darkness didn’t help to ease her nerves. Nothing seemed out of place except her open window. She felt something in her hand. She opened it to see a jewel. She dropped it in shock. There was a thunderclap from outside causing her to jump. Rain poured down, some of it getting into her room. She rushed to close the window, getting a little wet in the process. She lit a candle by her bedside and took out a small gold box from her secret hiding place under the floor of her bed. The key was on a chain round her neck. She opened the box and took out the two objects Felman had given her. She examined the first item. It was a large rusty-looking medallion with many engraved bearings like those of a compass. She couldn’t read it. Frustrated, she turned to the second item, which was a piece of parchment with a foreign language scribbled on it. She sighed and turned to the last object, which she had just received. It was diamond-shaped with gold borders and a turquoise heart. She held it by its ropes and examined it against the light. The turquoise stone gleamed,
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