Coalesce: The Escape

When I wake I see Kylon sitting at my desk, half asleep. Luciack was sitting against the wall with his arms crossed. He seemed bothered by Kylon’s presence. I roll my eyes sleepily and sit up. Sleep had done good for me. I felt much better now and probably looked better as well. It was sort of embarrassing having two men in my room while I was still in my nightgown. Oh well, I’ll just send them out when they wake. I pull the blanket over me further and lay back down and close my eyes again. It was already a very long day.

Child of darkness,

beware the beauty within.

The Deus will rise again.

Darkness will fall across the land.

Beware, beware the darkness comes,

Flee while you can,

Save those you love,

Fear those once lost,

The name shall haunt you,

Curse you and Harm you.

Jalladias comes,

Be warned now,

The mountains are your enemy,

The moor your ally.

The sea will bring death,

The river life.

My eyes fly open. That voice... So familiar... So, strange and welcoming... What does it mean… the Deus will rise again? They have been dead for centuries... How can they rise again? Has something happened? I hope this doesn’t have something to do with the war.

From his seat at my desk, Kylon looks at me trying to figure out what happened. My eyes were wide and my lips parted in disbelief.

“Something happen?” His voice was thick with sleep, not bothering with formality now. He runs a hand through his hair as he sits up more.

“The Deus... They will rise again...” I look at him hoping he wouldn’t ask how I knew this. My words trail off and I look at my hands.

“What do you mean? The Deus can’t rise... Can they?” Luciack murmurs, aghast at the very thought. I glance over at him and shake my head, raising a hand to my neck.

“I don’t know exactly, but we need to leave. Sooner rather than later, tomorrow perhaps?” I stand up with my back to them and pull my cloak over my shoulders.

“Sounds like a plan,” The chair groans as Kylon stands up, stretching.

I send them out then pull on a soft silver gown. Merry laughter echoes from the main hall, making me feel so much better. My days in the Brotherhood, though they were short, were always wonderful.

“Shadows, Silencers, the Grim Fountain! Come to the Fountain,” Allistor’s voice carries across the halls, silencing all talk at once. I head out of my room and join the few others filing into a room through a dark, arched doorway. Black stained glass decorated the top of the archway, in the middle of the glass was a Grim. The dog like creature never ceased to send shivers down my spine. It was always watching, seeing through to my very bones with it’s glowing eyes.

It was a creature that was made of shadows, silent, merciless, lurking at the feet of the poor souls doomed such a fate that lay with the creature. Seeing a grim was bad luck, except for a member in the Brotherhood of the Grim, in which case it was a sign that you have done well. The Prince Ten’schat was honored among our members, it is said Grim was once a loyal servant to him in life. Upon the Deus’ supposed demise, Grim vanished into the shadows and became a part of them for eternity. Its job was to serve its master and his followers.

Once all of us were in, the great black doors were closed and sealed as they always were when the room was occupied, or empty. The Grim Fountain stood in the center of the room, carved from the finest black granite, smooth to the touch and the grains were fine, barely distinguishable from one another. It was in the shape of a shadowy grim. Water poured out of the grim’s mouth, which was open in a menacing sneer, and filled the granite basin around the grim’s feet. In place of eyes were gems that contained a soul, a demon’s soul, and glowed red. The statue’s tail was curved above the head, horns jutted out the sides of the head and curled inwards, almost touching, the ribs of the creature were defined in great detail as though it was starved. The creature stood on four legs, the feet clawed and edged with blood-red granite. It was taller than any of us were, sitting about ten feet high.

“Grim Fountain,” Allistor calls out.

“Grim Fountain!” Kylon and I call back.

“Shadow Silencers,” He calls next.

“Shadow Silencers!” Four voices mingle, three female and one male.

Everyone knew what came next. “The Shadow Silencers protect the Brotherhood. One with the shadows of the night. The Grim aids those in need. The Grim Fountain serves Ten’schat loyally.” We say in unison.

“First order of business, Anyndel,” Allistor’s eyes lock with mine and I turn away. He was one of the few who knew my true name. “We have to decide what we are to do with your husband.” He says the word like the name of an enemy. I sigh.

“Kill him, for all I care,” I mutter, crossing my arms. It would only hold me back having him around anyway.

“I would be willing to do that,” Kylon smirks.

“No. No one will be killing him,” Alice Payne, leader of the Shadow Silencers, says and looks at both of us. “If anything, we could send him back to the wretched hole he came from.”

A few murmur their agreement. I bite my tongue, letting the silence drag on a few more moments.

“We all know that won’t work,” I put my head in one hand. “He’ll become too attached to me before we can get that to work.”

“We could send him with you...” Grasien Kassamali says with a thoughtful look. “Or I could poison his food, I believe he’s seen too much of our Sanctuary to be left alive,” Being the Master Alchemist of the Brotherhood, this was to be expected.

“What do you mean, send him with her, Grasien?” Evie Finnegan, usually quiet, looks at him. He looks toward where Kylon and I stand.

“Has she not said? She’s leaving on an adventure with Kylon.”

“Grasien, shut up.” My words come out harsher than I wanted them to. I grit my teeth and steel myself for whatever was to come.

“I don’t want a third person anyway,” Kylon pouts like a child. Typical of him, always wanting to have it his way.

“He’s coming with us, whether you like it or not. We’ll leave him in Shadow Mountain when we get the chance,” I say, my voice making it clear that this conversation is over. This arguing was never going to stop if I didn’t say something now.

“Alright, it’s settled.” Allistor nods a bit and continues on with business.