Champions of Serenity :Gathering the Circle

Chapter 39

The sun was low in the morning sky as they made their way down the dusty road to a simple stone building at the end of the main street. They noticed that the feasting tables were gone and the market stalls back in place. The door to the building was low and looking inside it was dark and shadowed.

Davis led them down a ramp and then down a spiral stairway. At the bottom of the stairway, light blazed with a brightness that made the Catiran sun seem like pale moonlight. As their eyes adjusted to the brightness, they stumbled into one of many benches that lined the wall near the stairs.

Soft spring green grass grew on a mound in the center of the room and a white gazebo stood at the peak of the mound. Small deer and rabbits grazed on the lawn and seemed unconcerned by the gasps of the visitors. In the gazebo was an intricately carved stand that held a single volume bound in white deerskin.

Looking around, none of the companions could find the light source and it really bothered Shrina that there was a mystery she couldn’t solve. Jehro was equally curious but he was even more drawn to the book in the gazebo.

Without waiting for them, Davis walked across the lawn and into the cool shade of the white building and opened the book. The light flared as he opened it, and then subsided to a white glow.

“You have all come a long way to see this, are you coming?” Davis said and taking the book, sat on the cool grass. The rest settled around him and waited for him to begin.

“This is the prophecy of Serenity, the telling of the Champions, and the fate they must face.” Davis said simply and then read the words from the book.

“One shall come who will enslave the freemen of Sandeenai and he will be un-opposed. Then shall come the gathering of the Eight.

The First shall be equally a Demon and an Elf,

The Second shall carry the blood of the Dwarf but shall be seen as man.

The Third shall be of royal blood and be the queen to the Siblen,

The Fourth shall be a pure blood of the most puzzling of tribes.

The Fifth shall be a warrior; tall, fierce, and brave,

The Sixth shall be the gentling and be the man for peace.

The Seventh shall be a Wer-Man and know the old tales,

The Eighth shall be the Shadow and steal the Key to peace.

Each alone could take The One down,

But alone they won’t survive,

Yet as a Circle using each new gift,

The Eight shall walk away.

But Sixteen are the points of the Star, so Sixteen shall the Circle be.

And together two shall twain,

With one person for each plane,

To fight the creeping darkness and give light back to

The Star.

When all Eight have joined the Sixteen, and they have come together;

And the binding is in place, both from here and there,

Then the Eight shall be immortal, and down they shall cast

The One. “

“Sixteen?” Shrina said incredulously. “I thought Tris said only eight.”

“Eight from Sandeenai, Lady Shrina,” Davis said. “There are eight others from another place that must be gathered as well. It is not mine to gather them, mine is to help those from here.”

The five looked at each other and let the idea sink in. “When will we know that all are gathered?” Airidon asked.

“Tris will know, Airidon.” Davis said. “To her who is the leader is given special knowledge of both planes.” He looked at each of those gathered there in turn. “She will need much help and support from each of you. She appears very strong, and indeed she may be, but she is more lost than you think. Both the one from here and there feel they don’t belong and will need to be convinced they are wanted and needed. I will probably be the only one who tells you this and you must remember it. There are many ways in which a person can be fragile, remember that.

“Now, you must understand where each of you fit in and the part you are to play. Airidon, you are the second in command. I can see that you already know that and fit that role. It is also your job to make sure that Tris is given the support she needs to do what needs to be done. She is the only one among the champions who has no human blood in her ancestry and thus understands human thought and emotion very little. You must feel for her what she cannot. Do you understand your role?” Airidon nodded and Davis turned to Tyra next.

“My own flesh and blood, I never would have thought it. Tyra, it is time that you recognize the truth of your heritage. You are a fine warrior, easily the equal of any save Airidon. But that is not your true strength and it is not your only destiny. Tyra, your mother and father both were full wizards, you, my dear, are also a full wizard. You must seek within yourself to learn what forms your magic takes for that is where your true strength lies.”

“What are you talking about, Uncle Davis; I don’t have any magic in me.” Tyra said, shaking her head in denial.

“Yes, Tyra, you do. I’m sorry that you're taking it this hard, but it's the truth. For too long the warrior and the wizard have been at odds, it's up to you to bring the two together in peace. Your job is difficult in that what you'll be asked to do will often be at odds with your upbringing. But you are strong enough to overcome this handicap and prove a solid champion among the others. Believe in yourself and do not fear that which you must learn to use.”

Tyra looked at her uncle and then turned to Fini still wanting to deny the truth she knew her uncle spoke. “Tyra, do you understand?” Tyra only nodded, she couldn’t find words or a voice to answer her self-doubts.

“Fini, that brings me to you.” Davis smiled. “I don’t think I have to tell you much about yourself that you don’t already know. Know this, you still have heartbreak to face and it will tear at your very soul, but those around you will understand and help you if you allow it. You are the man of peace in a time of great turmoil. Many will look to you for the solidity your presence gives to those seeking shelter in troubled times. Be willing to share and you will be blessed more than your heartbreak will cost.” Fini nodded, holding Tyra and soothing her dark braid gently.

Davis turned to Jehro and Shrina and gave them both a half smile of understanding. “You two will have very different roles and yet, they are two sides of the same coin. Shrina, you will use your formidable skills with blades to be the sting of the champions. You will be the one who protects the others, even if it isn’t easily seen. But, and this is important, you must not let that charge give you an unsought sense of responsibility. It is not your job to tell the others, especially those chosen to lead, what they must do. The quieter you carry out your duties, the better done they will be. Don't expect a lot of recognition, for in secrecy will you find your greatest strength. Do you understand, Lady Shrina?”

“In other words, I need to tone down my bossiness. Okay, I can do that as long as what you say is true and I don’t have to give up my daggers.” Shrina’s acceptance surprised all those who were paying attention to what was being said.

Davis nodded. “The others will depend on your skills with daggers.” He then turned to Jehro. His face grew grave and he took a couple of deep breaths before he continued with the Chameling’s charge.

A wry smile touched the lips of Jehro and he chuckled deep in his throat. “I can guess at what I am to do in this group. I’m the one who’s responsible for keeping up with everyone’s emotions and helping them regulate them when needed. I am also supposed to be the conscience for Tris who will accept the word of a friend over that of a lover. Am I right?”

“In part, Jehro, only in part. You will be the emotional conscience of the entire Circle of champions. But as for Tris and what relationship you have with her is entirely between the two of you. You will be needed to make rough seas calm in relation to the emotions. You already know that Tyra needs some of that now and that in the future Fini will need it. You can also figure that both Airidon and Tris will have need of it as they struggle with the weight of leadership. But mostly, you will need to be a bridge between the rest of the world and the Circle of champions. Where Shrina will use that bridge to put an end to the Circle’s enemies, you will use that bridge to draw together allies.”

Jehro nodded. “That makes a lot of sense. I will do the best I can and give all I have to give.”

“It isn’t to me that you must make such a pledge, Jehro. When the time is right, Serenity herself will ask you for your pledge. The question is, when that time comes, will you be able to give it?”

Once again, Davis looked at each of those who were sitting around him. He reached out and took Tyra’s face in his hands so he could meet her eyes. When he had received a nod from each of them, he handed a copy of the prophecy to Airidon for safe keeping.

“There is one more thing that you must know. The prophecy as written in this book isn’t complete. There is another part that rests in the care of another’s temple. Just as there is only one temple of Serenity, there is only one temple of Chaos. The final piece rests in the care of Chaos. I don't know when you'll get that piece, but know in that stanza lies the greatest challenge the Champions of Serenity must face. I will leave you here to speak among yourselves. Return to my house when you are ready. The fruits of this temple are yours to enjoy as you will.”

Davis then stood, returned the book to its stand and left them alone in the temple of Serenity. They then took another look around and found fruit trees both in blossom and heavy with fruit ripe for the picking. Sweet water ran in a cooling stream along one side of the small hillock on which they sat.

Silence filled the chamber as each contemplated their own fates as foretold in this prophecy. Shrina finally stood and walked to a tree filled with snow white blossoms and large red apples. One of the apples fell into her hand as she reached for it. A laugh and a tear fell from her. “Tris was always eating apples.” Then she set the apple down for a deer to eat and picked a golden peach to eat instead.

“Well, I suppose we should rest tonight and then leave in the morning. We have to find the final three from our world.” Airidon said after an eternity of thought and silence. He wasn’t sure he could do all that was asked of him, but it appeared he really didn’t have much choice. He had been chosen, as had each of his companions, and he would do the best he could with what he had. He only hoped it would be enough when all was said and done.

Standing, he drew the eyes of the others. “Davis said that Tris was in danger somewhere near Handsome’s land. That then, will be our first destination. From there, we will let Tris guide us. Jehro, keep this prophecy safe until we can entrust it to Tris. Let’s go.”

Without a word, without expressing their personal doubts and fears, the five companions made their way back to the surface and Davis Rizlishken’s home.

“Well that went better than I expected.” Serenity said when her prophecy had been given to five of her champions.

“Better than expected? What did you expect?” Chaos said, surprised at both how the five accepted and Serenity’s reaction to it.

“I expected complete denial and that they would have to work harder to accept the truth. I think that Tris’s influence has helped them to accept it easier.”

“Tris or Debra?” Chaos asked, lifting an eyebrow.

Serenity chuckled softly. “Both of them,” she answered. “They were both chosen for reasons that I alone know and you are just beginning to understand.” She then turned and looked at her brother. “Chaos, shall we?” She asked, holding out her hand. Chaos took it and together they walked out of the library.

“It has begun.” Shægnek said softly and put the finishing touches on a sculpture for one of Chaos’s prophecies.