The Xalinor Chronicles

Life in death

“The warlock students are here. We need to hurry!” Zill whispered to Jake in frightened voice.

“There’s a warlock sitting near the cells. He will spot us if we get any closer. We can’t move!” replied Jake in a hushed tone.

Yolen swallowed down a lump in his throat and exclaimed, “If they find us, they will torture us to death!”

Jake could feel the icy rivulets of sweat streaming down his bare neck as his palms started to freeze in fear. Memories of that terrifying night rose up in his mind yet again. He knew he couldn’t take on an entire college of warlocks on his own. Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, he clung to the temporary safety of the staircase. The voices upstairs were becoming more prominent with each passing second. Sneaking into the college had been an almost impulsive decision. He couldn’t understand why he felt this intense urge to rescue the captive, even though he barely knew her. Maybe because he couldn’t stand the thought of another human from his world being treated as a slave. Or perhaps it was the need to find someone who could relate to his situation. After all, she was his sole link to his own world; a familiar stranger in an alien land.

“We are going to need that human girl for today’s lessons.”

“I hope she lasts till the end of the months. She is quite a rare specimen.”

A couple of hoarse voices upstairs were discussing about the prisoner’s fate. Jake could barely imagine the horrors she must have suffered at their hands. If he couldn’t save a fellow human from his own world, he had no chance of saving the humans of Xalinor. In fact, he had no right to be the Goddess’ chosen one.

Jake knew they couldn't stay there forever so he decided to peek around the wall once more. As soon as he popped his head behind the wall, the warden turned around and looked him right in the eye. Jake’s eyes widened in terror as the warden stood jumped out of his seat with a start. 

The Vanguard warden was about to pull out his enchanted long sword when suddenly he froze where he stood. The warlock stood there with his hand on his scabbard and a bloodthirsty look in his coral red eyes. Jake didn’t understand what was happening and turned around to call Zill.

“He’s seen-”

The words stuck in his throat as his eyes fell upon his gnome companions. They too had turned to lifelike statues, with the same horrified expression painted on each face. Upon paying closer attention he noticed that even the voices upstairs had died out completely. He couldn’t even hear the sound of footsteps or the chimed ticking of the massive clock. Time stood still, like an obedient butler awaiting his lady's command.

Jake kept staring at his friends with a bewildered look on his face. He tried whispering their names and shaking them by their arms, but soon realized how futile his efforts were. 

A cold wind blew through the open door upstairs. As it brushed past Jake, he felt a chilly grasp upon his left shoulder. Slowly, he turned his head around and caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure through the corner of his turquoise blue eyes.

A honey-glazed female voice broke the eerie silence.

“I see you’ve got yourself in a pickle, my dear.”

The shadowy figure stepped in front of Jake with a graceful flutter. It was none other than Goddess Vaari herself. A playful smile floated upon her cherry-kissed lips as she flicked away the silver white locks shading Jake’s left eye.

“You do look a lot like an elf now. I think I liked you better with your black tresses,” she said, looking at his charming face whose features were now distorted in fear.

“Goddess, what’s... happening?” Jake stuttered.

“Oh, I just wanted to have a pleasant conversation with you, without any interference,” replied the Goddess in a calm voice.

“I need to free a human being held inside the lockup. Can you please help me?” asked Jake.

Goddess Vaari retracted her pale fingers from his forehead and spoke in a calm and soothing tone, “I have already helped you enough. You must now make a choice. If you want to save a life, you must offer another in return.”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Oh, you’re so very naïve! Just like a newborn lamb!” Goddess Vaari turned her back to him and spread her enormous coal black wings. “It’s time for me to go. I wish you good luck in your future endeavors.”

She had just begun ascending the stairs when Jake called out almost exasperatedly, “Why don’t you tell me what I should do? Why do you keep playing games with me? Am I not your chosen herald?”

The Goddess stopped in her tracks and chuckled softly. “Are you though? Perhaps it was all just a coincidence.”

Jake was about to utter a reply, when the Goddess melted into the darkness, leaving behind an alluring black rose where she stood. Jake stooped down and picked up the mysterious flower glistening with tiny drops of morning dew. As he rose to his feet, a single black petal fell from the rose and turned to ash. It was followed a few seconds later by another and the cycle kept repeating itself till the outer circle of petals had all turned to ash. He kept staring at the flower in his hand; it somehow reminded him of an hourglass. Each falling petal seemed to mark a small passage of time.

He watched in bewildered astonishment as the last petal tore away from the flower, stripping the beautiful rose of its last shred of feminine modesty. It floated momentarily upon the dying wind before being reduced to an insignificant pinch of ash. As soon as the last petal turned to ash, the grand pendulum clock marked the hour once more with an ominous clang which sounded almost like a death knell. Time, the fatal bellman, had been unshackled once again.