Chapter 14: Mythgar
"No Brotherhood is sweeter than that of one's kin."
~Tasmiya Shaik
Outskirts of Eizgár Highlands
Monday
12:23 p.m.
Callix vigilantly regarded their escort as the company of three asharren warriors rode in silence. The older warrior's long hair was a shade of burgundy that incited nostalgia and resembled a dear one all too well. He rode in lead with René to the left rear and Callix at his right. The sound of the durein beast's hooves on soft grass blended with the melodies of the highland breeze. Callix was never afforded the luxury to gaze upon such scenery for the world he knew was Ethuaria. A realm where hatred corrupted the hearts of men and where vice dominated true will.
'You are uneasy, son of Alexander,' The older warrior that accompanied them spoke out. His voice was soft but deep and weaved a chill that could be considered threatening. Callix had been curious about the soft material that concealed the warrior's eyes. How could the warrior decipher direction?
'Forgive my rude behaviour, you seem...rather familiar...' Callix averted his gaze.
'Familiarity...we are kin, no? Asharren warriors alike, Aldari alike.'
'Indeed we are.' Callix was not satisfied with the answer. There was more to the man than he revealed.
'Lady Sotiris,' The warrior called out. ' We will reach Scanderian territory soon. I will ride ahead and open the dimensional passage at the entrance of the Starling forest.'
'Do be wary,' She warned and the warrior snapped the reigns on the durein beast to increase it's speed.
'Does he seem familiar to you, young Lord?' René guided her durein beast to ride closely at Callix' side.
'You may call me Cal, my Lady. There is...a feeling I cannot explain.'
~My son.~ Kilia said without warning and startled René.
~I know. You may meet with him when we have returned to the Castle, Kilia.~ René clutched onto the pendant around her neck.
'Cal, the warrior who rides with us...he is Lord Erazeal Durandal Sinclaire.'
Callix' durein beast veered slightly off course due to his lack of guidance but he regained control quickly. Erazeal Durandal Sinclaire. The asharren warrior he had been searching for.
'Cal, are you alright?!' René questioned with concerned.
'Forgive me, I lost focus.'
'All that matters is that you are uninjured, should we halt for a while?'
'No need my Lady, I have collected myself.'
René nodded in agreement and snapped the reigns of her durein beast.
'Cal, you mentioned that you have been to Mythgar to before?'
'Indeed. To the southern forests of mist, my father would leave me unaccompanied for many days to fend for myself. He had taught me many things since I was but merely a cycle old.'
René did not appear astonished. Sons of the Reinhardt bloodline were unbreakable warriors with the kind of ferocity that made enemies crumble with but a mere glance. Their capabilities and potential exceeded only the best.
'Was there ever a moment where you were on your lonesome and blamed your father for leaving you to fend for yourself.'
Callix laughed light heartedly. 'Every single second that I spent in that wretched realm, I blamed my father,' He ran his fingers along the side of the durein beast,'But I understood that it was for my own good.'
'I see,' René smiled. 'You are much like him in resemblance but you have your mother's heart.'
'I do wonder about that...'
Northern outskirts of Eizgár
Entrance of Starling forest.
13:16 p.m
Erazeal pulled back on the reigns of his durein beast to halt the creature and dismounted it. He retrieved a white stick of chalk from the leather bag on the durein beast's saddle and proceeded his way to the clearing before the Starling forest.
He kneeled and crafted the ancient symbols and runes taught by his ancestors on the sanded ground, he relied on memory alone to guide his hands for his sight was forever concealed. He outlined a ring and drew two smaller ones inside with runes along each of them. Within the third smallest ring he designed three insignias in a triangular formation that respresented the three realms of Archalia. Ethuaria was represented by three humes adjacent to each other. One an architect, the second a scientist and the third a military soldier. These three humes were thought to be a symbol of technological development and superior prosperity in weaponry and medical advancements.
Alvgard was represented by a warrior armed with a bow, he knelt before a hound like beast with his forehead pressed to the creatures'. This symbolised the harmony between the creatures and races, as well as the oneness with nature. Mythgar was represented by the silhouette of an outlandish creature who wielded a warrior in it's hand as it devoured him. It therefore symbolised darkness and wretched evil that ran richly through the lands. Together the three realms formed the world of Archalia.
Erazeal unsheathed the dagger at his hip and slashed a line across his palm. He allowed the flowing blood to embrace the the insignia of Mythgar alone. He stepped back and extended his hand out to the three rings that ignited with a red glow upon contact with his blood.
'Defying nature is Ethuaria, embracing the harmony is Alvgard and crafted with darkness by the hand of Gaia is Mythgar. With blood of the Sinclaire clan that manipulates the space and time of Archalia, I wield in my hand the power to defy the foul bonds of Gaia's magic.' The three rings burst into flames of blue and scorched the ground. 'Heed my will and open the way to the chosen path,' Erazeal commanded and fisted the outer ring as the flames formed a glossy mirage of swirling darkness in midair.
Erazeal bandaged the wound on his palm and was soon graced with the presence of René and Callix who halted their durein beasts and dismounted. Callix made his way to the older warrior's side and observed the open dimensional gate, he had witnessed it's awakening many times before.
'Do you miss mother?' Callix questioned softly. Erazeal clasped him behind the neck and pressed his forehead to Callix'.
'What brother would not yearn to see his dear beloved little sister?' Erazeal smiled. 'You are a son of Reinhardt and Sinclaire, you will always have my sword to serve at your side.'
Callix could not find the words to express the feeling that surged through him. Was it gratitude, relief or happiness? He had not known.
'We leave now, I cannot keep the gate open for too long,' Erazeal placed a hand on Callix' shoulder fondly and then returned to mount his durein beast.
The three warriors rode through the dimensional gate and it immediately dissipated after their departure. They were within the foul lands of Mythgar. The land was sick and the stench of festering flesh hung thick in the air. No herbal concoctions would cure a land far too basked in disease. The skies were barren, no signs of avian creatures graced the empty void. Corpses of dead creatures decayed and infested the land. Gaia had indeed laid waste to the realm during her reign of darkness.
The durein beasts were uneasy and trod lightly. René linked their beasts with a magical gold tether that would ensure neither of them seperated from the other. The tether was secured to the antlers of each beast and instilled order within them. She sent a surge of green energy via the tether to each durein beast that soon settled the creatures at ease.
Voicless mutters travelled on the wind, screams of the undead incited fear and illusions of trickery appeared to mislead the warriors.
'Do not look at them,' René warned and fixed her gaze on Callix who rode slightly ahead to the left as Erazeal rode slightly behind her to the right rear.
'My lady, where does the Elsarion fruit reside?' Erazeal questioned.
'To the north of this forest.'
'We best make haste.'
Realm of Alvgard
Reinhardt Estate
14:10 p.m
Sebastian grew wary by the hour and did not wield the patience to compose himself.
'Lithanius Sinclaire Reinhardt, I will ask for the third and final time. Where is your brother?'
Lithanius was conflicted between the command of his father and the request of his older brother. Callix had specifically warned him not to inform their father of his detour to Mythgar. It was promise made to their mother before she passed. He was as stubborn as his father could be and he intended to remain as such however he could not say the same for the young Zacharius. An obedient child who always followed the wishes of their father as did Callix except for this one time. Lithanius could never imagine himself portraying such positive attitude.
'Why don't you ask him yourself, father?' Lithanius smirked and Sebastian did the same in return.
'You think you have grown a backbone now, boy? I'll remind you that whatever happens to your brother and the healer, I 'will' hold you responsible.'
'I did not think you were the kind not to have faith in your own son's abilities, father?' Lithanius remarked challengingly.
'There are moments when a warrior must be proud and believe in his child's capabilities and a moments where he must worry. You, young callow son of mine, have not the experience to understand which is the manner of this situation.'
Lithanius clicked his tongue in irritation and averted his gaze. Zacharius walked upto his father and tugged at the older warrior's coat as he rubbed the sleepiness from his eyes.
'Brother Callix went to Mythgar with the pretty healer and the strange warrior that has the same scent as mama,' He yawned and Sebastian lifted him into his arms.
Mythgar? Sebastian did not believe that things would bode well in the lands of the creatures born from darkness.
'Thank you Zachari,' He smiled fondly at the boy and then directed a stern glare at Lithanius. 'We leave for Mythgar in the next half an hour.'