Chapter 11

Me-la-ni

I did not expect the last of our companions to emerge at that moment, but Ka-ma-la had barely turned back to Joshua and Rubert when the first signs of their arrival could be felt in the air. Hamid and Na-sh-dara. The last to come clean. The moment I felt their presence drawing closer, I struggled up to stand and glanced around. Ka-ma-la had stopped mid-step, anxiously watching around her. Joshua must have noticed, because he put his hand on his sword and hurried over to us.

“Are they already here?”, Se-le-ni asked sharply as she got to her feet.

“Any moment”, Ka-ma-la whispered.

Rubert rushed over to us, and together we formed a circle, our backs to the centre, peering out into the distance.

“They will know who they are up against if they’ve turned on us”, Se-le-ni whispered.

I stood tense, trying to draw as much healing as I could from the Mother before they arrived. I could feel Ka-ma-la’s powers coiling up, ready to protect us if she had to. It wasn’t much we could do as healers, but I knew she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“What a place to choose after centuries apart.”

I spun around. Hamid stood just outside the dome of power that Ka-ma-la had woven, and moments later Na-sh-dara materialised next to him. I had forgotten how beautiful she was, her long, dark hair framing her petite face. I shook my head. Now wasn’t the time to think about it.

Ka-ma-la broke away and walked up to them, halting just at the edge of the dome. Joshua followed behind her, his sword ready by his side.

“You, if anyone, should know we cannot take any chances”, Ka-ma-la replied.

Hamid snorted.

“So you know about Bo-lo-to and the others, I take it?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

He glanced around, seemingly amused by this place.

“Well, you can’t be too careful in times like these.”

I left the others and walked up to them, and I heard Se-le-ni following me.

“Me-la-ni, long time no see”, he greeted.

I nodded and glanced at Na-sh-dara. She ignored me. Hamid noticed our exchange, chuckled and then turned back to Ka-ma-la.

“So, what do we need to do to prove we haven’t turned to the Master of the Universe?”

“You know what we require.”

He rolled his eyes, knelt down and put his palm against the ground.

“Mother, please hear me as I speak and judge whether my words are true to the soul of my being.”

The scene turned silent, and I stared at him as he closed his eyes and continued,

“I, Hamid, Magician of Aristoi, turn to your wisdom, and let you judge my path. I swear I have not forsaken what was once shown to me, and I still humbly walk in your footsteps.”

I could feel a tingling finding its way through the soles of my feet and spiralling up my legs. Ka-ma-la turned to me, and I nodded.

“The Mother accepts.”

“The Mother has spoken”, Ka-ma-la announced. “You have not turned on the dream once shared with us.”

He got up, put his hand to his forehead and bowed.

“Na-sh-dara.”

Ka-ma-la turned to her. She knelt down without a word, put her palm to the ground and declared,

“Mother, I ask you to judge my words and weigh their worth against the vision you once showed me.”

She took a deep breath and continued,

“I, Na-sh-dara, Magician of Aristoi, still walk the path in your honour, and am bound to the truth once revealed to me.”

I could feel the force of the Mother rising up within me, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I was relieved that they had passed or disappointed that I once again would walk by Na-sha-dara’s side. Ka-ma-la turned to me, and I nodded. She flicked her wrist, releasing the power of the dome she had woven, and I could feel the force sinking into the ground. Hamid stepped over the now vanished line and halted before her.

“So, how do we get these traitors?”