Chapter 16
Lysaria felt a crushing weight, her life was over, being condemned to Antuar was a death sentence, by herself she didn't have a chance. Lysarias mother turned to the three young angels anxiously waiting She asked," you three, can you accompany my daughter, without you, she can't survive?" Dakar stepped forward, he said, "I owe my life to Lysaria we are a team If she is going I am going."
Bishop Dulan said," Dakar you cannot accompany the accursed, you are just a child, return at once to Eclair your father would not allow this!" Dakar straightened his back his long white hair rustling, firming his posture, he stood next to lysaria, Dakar said," you will half to explain to my guardians why you banished us to Antuar." Dakar said," My father's pointless dislike of Clan Fair Rune Tar is unjustified, If he will allow Lysaria to be banished I too will go with her."
The platform started descending towards the planet below, falling towards the continent laden with forests and fields. Thana was whispering with Hectar who conspiratorially nid his head. Thana said," Hectar and I will also join her, we got in this together and will return together." Dulan sighed, He said," Only the accursed is staying on Antuar, anyone else leaving the platform leaves of their own free will I am not responsible."
A Bishop Her golden hair shining in the lighted chamber rose, She said," you cannot allow this! an esteemed daughter of Clan Fair Rune Lure one who ascended on her first ceremony should be praised not banished with that accursed," Another bishop with short red hair Slammed his fist on the counter and shouted," We don't have time for this, the rift between the abyss and Antuar is opening in 20 minutes and we half to Power the barrier before it does or light knows what might happen!" Dulan said," all of you who choose to stay on Antuar in twenty minutes will be trapped there with the demon filth.
touching down the platform lit in a wide-open grassland next to a massive lake, The faces of everyone on the platform turned frantic. Lysaria was ushered to the edge of the platform, Calia pulled off her necklace and held out her sword passing the weapon through the barrier.
Her guardians gave her one final hug, her mother lifting her off her feet and her father squeezing her tight. Her father said," you are of Clan Fair Rune Tar, show those pesky monsters what our clan is made of." Her mother Bethanie said," I hope you understand why we can't come with you, if we do no one will be able to convince to blockheads to rescind the sentence." Lysaria nodded, Doing her best not to show her worry and fright, showing a stony face she waved farewell to her guardian.
Before she could leave the platform Bethanie held out a worn journal offering the leather-bound book to Lysaria. Bethanie said," keep this safe it is my record of different monsters, demons and even the different continents." Lysaria said," thank you mother, father, this really means a lot to me," Her guardians looked shaken she could tell by their clenched fists and dark expressions they were furious and even scared for her.
With her mothers' journal in hand, lysaria trudged away feeling worn out from this whole mess, doing her best to get distance from the platform so she wouldn't get knocked over. Lysaria turn to the platform, she couldn't make out the words but it looked like Thana and Dakar were having a heated discussion. Dakars hands flailed, his strong arms accentuated even through the fabric of his shirt.
Lysaria was surprised Hectar walked from the platform, His unsure smile and plain brown clothing highlighted by the sunlight. Dakar took a step back making a gesture, Dakar sticking his tongue out and gesturing in a shooing motion. She burst out laughing holding her chest unable to stop, the look on Dulan's face was priceless, he looked like Dakar had just slapped him.
Lysaria wondered why all of her friends were coming with her, She had assumed it would just be here and Dakar, She hoped her friends didn't regret their brash decision in the future. Lysaria understood Dakars Reasons, She wished it were just her and Dakar if she was being honest, Getting the handsome man to herself wouldn't be a bad thing.
distant shouts of Bishop Dulan came from the platform, all three of her friends climbed off walking away showing their stubbornness to see the logic. they clearly were protesting the Bishops, who were obviously wrong and therefore they were ignoring the yelling at them through the floating image. Lysaria smiled as the platform began to rise floating away drowning everything with howling wind.
Lysaria watched the clear platform depart, smiling at the image in her mind of those stuck up bishops yelling at each other, gusts of air displacing grass as the platform disappeared at ridiculous speed passing out of sight in seconds.
Hectar said," well I guess it's too late to turn back now." Dakar said," I say we find a good spot to place our return bell." Thana said," wait, you have one of those?" Dakar replied," of course, do you think we would be sent here with nothing?" Lysaria said," it was only me who was sent here, you three all volunteered for this."
Dakar turned around displaying the backpack he was carrying, a leather pack with the top tied closed. Now that she thought of it Hectar Thana and Dakar all had backpacks, Lysaria was confused, she hadn't been paying attention during the trial and somehow missed it when they put them on.
Lysaria was confused, She said," wait, did you all agree to go with me before we met the bishops?" Lysaria glanced at her friends each of them shuffling side to side or admiring the scenery pretending not to hear her." Lysaria said," you do realize we can actually die here right like permanently die."
Hectar said," you are by far the worst person I have met at recruiting people to help you." Dakar said," well at least she makes up for it with her fancy sword and brilliant smile." Lysaria said," I don't see what my smile has to do with this but I suppose my sword will come in handy fighting monsters."
Lysaria wondered why Dakars cheeks darkened he looked handsome the contrast highlighting his firm jaw and well-defined muscles. Pushing aside that thought she turn to Hector who had taken off his backpack and was digging through the items. glancing towards the treeline Lysaria made sure nothing had spotted them.
Thana said," your guardians were very generous, they contacted us and asked us if we could help you. Dekar said," when we agreed they bought some things we will need to survive here for any length of time." Dakar turned to Hectar He said," I thought you were going to stay?" Hectar replied," I was planning on staying until I realized that you three need someone to keep you from doing stupid things." Dakar said," It's not like we would try and challenge a powerful monster that we should have no chance of beating, after a pause Dakar said," well... again."
Pulling out a small metal disc Dakar said," everyone come over and links yourself with this essence pad. Thana said," I can't believe it, your guardians actually gave us a device that when we die warps our soul back to it, before your body is recreated by your essence." Hectar replied "I think she is speaking a different language than us." Sighing Thana said," this pad makes soo when we die we come back to life here instead of where we die."
Lysaria said," where should we put it, we need to find somewhere we can put it that we don't come back to life and immediately get killed again." Lysaria gestured to some rocks beside the lake, She said," that outcropping of rocks is slightly taller than everything else and should give some cover.
Lysaria noticed something odd, she was getting exhausted just by walking, she felt sweat trickling down her back and noticed that her friends were in a worse state. Halfway to the rocks Lysaria halted catching her breath-holding her knees and taking in deep breaths of the pleasant noonday air.
The wind blew gently as the group trekked across the rolling hills, swaying grass waved gently in the breeze making lysaria think of a calm comforting place. Breathing through her nose lysaria started to change her mind, other than the strange weight she felt on her body this place wasn't so bad, they had been walking for 20 minutes and hadn't seen a single monster so far.
She couldn't decide if that was good or bad, Arriving at the rocks the group found a small area in between them big enough for 4 or five people laying down, there was no cover but it would half to do for now. Lysaria used the tip of her sword to dig a small hole to hide the Essence pad, There were no bells here, for some reason none of their packs contained any.
Lysaria said," what else did we get in the packs?" Thana said," mostly clothes." perking up at that lysaria said," It's about time my tattered clothes are a disgrace to my clan." Thana handed her the backpack, She said," these clothes are for you, your guardians took them from your wardrobe."
gesturing to the two men she ushered them away out of the outcropping before taking off her tattered filthy clothes and pushing out her essence, the rolling darkness shrouded her body. To her surprise she looked clean, she didn't smell clean but she figured this was good enough for now. Pulling on her soft brown pants and thick black shirt lysaria sighed with relief.
She no longer felt filthy, a small weight seemed to lift from her shoulders, A problem solved even if a very minor one. The pack also had a belt, a long strip of leather with holes for different sized people. cinching up the metal clasp Lysaria slid her sword into the belt, It wasn't a scabbard and she might cut herself but it wasn't the worst way to carry a sword.