Chapter 38: Thalorian

Group B headed up the right staircase, the only noise the pattering of their boots against the cold platinum tiles.

Along the sides of the staircase there were carvings in the platinum. One said Rienshok, another said Herodian. There were twelve or so of the sigils.

“These must be the names of the Aternum,” Limiria spoke at last.

Haverian looked up from his feet, “Oh yeah. These are specifically the children of Boshin’nok and Soreken, the gods of nature and magic respectively.”

“What about you?” asked Limiria.

“What do you mean?” Haverian responded.

“I mean, where are you?” clarified Limiria.

“You mean where Dra’lum is? Not here. My old name’s engraved in Celestrial City’s Hall of Poets.”

“Oh, okay,” finished Limiria.

As Group B continued into the following chamber a wave of dismay came upon them.

The room was empty, silver and cobalt, with hints of rust. It was as if the carnage from the floor down had reached here as well, had it? At the end of the room were three hallways, each with a different name above it. The one on the left said ‘Boshin’nok’, the right one said ‘Soreken’, and the centre one said ‘Kra’kara’.

“Those are the names of gods, right?” asked Limiria, tilting her head towards Haverian.

“Yeah, the ones whose children were listed below,” Haverian replied, gazing at the centre hallway, “but I don’t recognize ‘Kra’kara’ from anywhere.”

Thalorian took the Eternal Balance from his waist. It had been a long time since he had last opened it, it must have been during their assassination of the Crown. He continued flipping until he reached a page on the Aternum. He was doing so in order to find who this ‘Kra’kara’ was. He had a feeling of unease reading her name on that wall.

“‘Kra’kara, Goddess of Space and the Sky’,” read Thalorian, “seems she’s another of the Aternum.” Thalorian looked further into the page and he found a short bio about her. “‘Kra’kara is a reclusive goddess. Being goddess of space she is the goddess of the ancient nothing in which everything was created from.”

“Seems like she is part of the Aternum,” added Haverian, “but I’ve never seen her, and I was working for fifteen-thousand years.”

“She must not have wanted to show herself, it does say that she doesn't like interacting with poets,” replied Thalorian, reading another bit from the page on her.

Limiria stepped forward, and towards the hallways. “We need to decide what to do,” she turned her head to face them, a pinch of uncertainty spread across her face, “who’s taking which path?”

Thalorian looked over to Haverian, but before he could talk Haverian spoke, “I’ll take the centre path.”

“Are… are you sure?” asked Thalorian, “we don’t know what could be in them, and we know Kra’kara dislikes poets-”

“Thalorian!” Haverian interjected, “don’t baby me, I’m a grown man,” he looked at Thalorian with fire in his eyes, “I can make my own decisions.”

Limiria didn’t respond, she always had something to say in times like this, but right now she didn’t.

Thalorian's jaw tightened, and he tilted his head slightly. “You’re right, you're an adult, just like all of us, you can make your own goddamn choices,” said Thalorian, “even if they kill you.” Thalorian finished with a smile.

Haverian laughed quietly, “Hell yeah!” he said walking into the middle hallway.

After Haverian was gone, Thalorian turned to Limiria, “So, which do you want?” he asked.

“Left,” said Limiria walking into the hallway, “and don’t try to stop me.” she added with a smirk.

Thalorian chuckled, Thats just like her.

He walked into the right hallway, stretching his arms. Let's do this.

It was dark inside, nearly pitch black. Thalorian could only see about three feet in front of him. As he walked his thoughts continued to flow. What is this place? Are we too late? What if Jiyoda’s already won!? Who truly is Kra’kara, and is Haverian okay?

Thalorian breathed in deeply. No. It's okay. We’ve got this. Jiyoda won’t win… at least… not again.

That's right. Dismay.

What was that!? Thalorian whipped his head around and searched for the source of the voice, but no source came into sight.

Dismay soul. Soreken’s trial has already begun.

“What do you mean ‘Soreken’s trial’!?” Thalorian yelled into nothing.

Now relive.

What- Thalorians head swirled and shook eventually resting in the form of Hirenlia.

“This place again? Shad’kin show yourself,” said Thalorian, remembering the devious creature that had attacked him yesterday.

Who is ‘Shad’kin’? This is your place of greatest fear, now relive.

Thalorian looked around, then investigated the house he was in, it seemed to be his own, from when he lived in Hirenlia. He poked his head out of the door and saw the carnage once again.

Tears streamed down his face. What, what are these? Thalorian asked himself, it had been so long since he last allowed himself to cry.

He saw Byron in the distance and his tears continued to flow. Byron was impaling his fellow villagers, cutting off heads and ripping out lungs. Thalorian further approached the scene, and saw it. Thalorian saw Haverian’s death.

Byron had cut off his arms and legs then cut a hole in his chest. Blood pooled up around Haverian, his arm bones poking out slightly. The expression of pure fear on his face, made Thalorian shake.

His parents' bodies were nearby, even more gruesome than Haverians. Thalorian tumbled to the ground, salty liquid pooling out of his eyes, and hitting the charred ground. He was in utter dismay, his hands were sweating more than they ever had and his eyes had grown red from the tears crawling down his face.

Give in, poor soul.

“I was powerless then. I couldn’t do anything to save them. My whole life was gone, I hated myself for many of the days following,” Thalorian whispered into the ground. Thalorian stood up, and faced the sky, “but I’ve accepted it. I know that no matter what happened that day, everyone would die. Even if I managed to kill Byron, the Crown just would have sent more, and more, but that won’t stop my tears! I loved them, I loved everyone in Hirenlia, from Old Man McGuntry, to my parents, and their terrible parenting, I loved them all. So show me this all you want, but I’m over their death, but that won’t end my tears.” finished Thalorian, as the crying ceased.

Thalorian heard the voice laugh softly as the world around him faded, I like you. Remember this well, as long as you have your sadness, your enemies will have it as well. Go far, little dragon, go far and destroy Jiyoda. As the voice stopped Thalorian shielded his eyes. He was in the next room, to his left was Limiria, and so was Haverian.