TBC: Chapter Four

Gyan entered the domusé looking somewhat disgruntled on the third morning of the warriors' return to Yevani. Having no other chance to spend with Jalena since their first night home, he was going through what felt like a withdrawal from a highly addictive drug.

He dropped into the nearest chair and was in the middle of pondering ways to get Jalena alone when Brogan pushed through the swinging kitchen door, shoveling food into his mouth.

"Is everyone else here?" Gyan asked.

"Except for Aderes and Hoshi," Brogan said between mouthfuls.

Gyan looked around the domusé's familiar setup. It still looked and felt the same—very neutral and plain. Other than the Temple of Kya, it seemed to be one of the last structures of the Order left to undergo modern renovations. The same red chairs outlined the edge of a circular navy rug in the front room. There were nine now instead of eight to make space for Tarak, who had joined the light warrior team after the group began training in Solara.

The domusé didn't feel as much like home to Gyan as the Celestine Temple had, but the warriors had only briefly shared the house after transitioning to san level.

Gyan followed Brogan up the stairs to the indoor balcony that served as an entrance foyer to the small bedrooms aligned next to each other on the second floor. He entered his and Aderes's old room.

"Hey, Brogan?" he called.

Brogan appeared in Gyan's doorway. "Yeah."

"Where is Tarak staying?"

"With me. There is another small detached bedroom that's empty behind the house near the meditation room. Valora insisted on using it rather than spending quality time with her delightful twin brother." He pointed a thumb at his chest. "She mistakenly thinks I'm a loud sleeper."

Gyan smiled. "I thought that room was reserved for the domusé's house worker?"

Brogan shrugged and scratched his head, causing his unkept blonde hair to stand on end.

"You remember the last one, right? I think it was Affera. I saw her several times."

Brogan's eyes squinted in thought. "I don't remember any worker by that name. When we got here though, the room was empty. A temple worker was here cleaning when we arrived and confirmed that no one was staying in the back room."

"Okay, thanks."

Gyan wondered where Affera had gone. The morning he had met her, she insisted on talking to Gyan about topics he had never heard any worker speak of. She spoke with him about the importance of keeping his unique perceptions and that it was essential for fulfilling his purpose. What made her even more peculiar was that she was the first person Gyan had ever seen with gold eyes.

Although there were many diverse races on Elsaria, Gyan had never seen a person with Affera's eye color until he met Elder Master Nyhra that very same day. The only difference was that Nyhra's gold irises were surrounded by the red halo that all light warriors possessed. He made a mental note to ask the elder master if she knew of Affera the next time he saw her.

"Move it, Empire. Your enormousness is blocking the way," said a voice from behind Brogan.

"Sorry, short-person." He lifted his large muscular arm.

Aderes rolled his eyes as he squeezed past and threw a small duffle bag on his bed.

Gyan smiled. Although Aderes was far from small in his 6' frame, everyone was short compared to Brogan, except for Valora and Tarak.

"I'll see you suckers down at the chinálei," Brogan said as he turned down the hall. "Valora!" he called. "You ready?"

Gyan turned to Aderes. "You remember a worker by the name of Affera?"

"No, why?"

He shook his head. "Just wondering. She was here the last time we stayed."

"We only stayed one night, which is probably the shortest in warrior history, so I didn't see any of the workers. You wanna grab something to eat before we go?"

"Sure," said Gyan.

Aderes and Gyan made their way back down the stairs and into the kitchen. Tarak and Danika stood together at the far end of the kitchen engaged in conversation. The contrast between the two was striking since Tarak towered over Danika's small frame.

Tarak was half Vaznaun, a humanoid species that originated from the Ice Mountains in Kraundor. The species possessed gray skin with deep blue markings. Although hints of the same gray appeared in Tarak's skin and he carried the Vaznaun's large stature, black hair, and preference for cooler temperatures, his face was more representative of his light warrior heritage and not as sharply defined as that of the Vaznaun. Where a Vaznaun's eyes were normally orange, Tarak's were light green, red-haloed. His eyes were the only feature he shared with Danika, as hers were sea green, red-haloed.

Tarak looked up at Aderes and Gyan and nodded his head in a silent greeting.

Danika tossed her ruby red hair out of her eyes and cleared her throat. "Hey. We are just about to leave. Do you want us to wait for you?"

Gyan looked from Tarak to Aderes. "No. It's okay. We'll just meet you there."

Aderes didn't respond but busied himself by grabbing a variety of cheese, bread, and fruit that had been left out for the warriors.

Gyan's hesitation in joining Danika and Tarak was due to the tension between Tarak and Aderes that emerged in their training while at the Celestine Temple.

When Aderes's family farm was raided, it had been two Vaznaun that killed Aderes's parents and took Lesiana. Ever since he met Tarak, Aderes had directed his hatred of the Vaznaun at Tarak. He had even attacked Tarak with a dagger during training at the Celestine Temple but had remained sullen and silent in Tarak's presence ever since Tarak risked his own life to save him during the attack on Solara.

Danika and Tarak moved past the two and out of the kitchen.

Aderes… Gyan began.

I know, Aderes responded. He put the food he had grabbed down on a plate before him and pushed through the door. "Hey, Tarak."

Gyan caught the door with his foot before it swung shut.

Tarak stopped at the front door of the domusé. "Go on, Danika. I will catch up to you," he said.

"You sure?"

Tarak nodded. "It's okay."

Danika exited the house as Tarak turned to Aderes.

Aderes shifted uncomfortably and avoided Tarak's gaze. "Tarak, I just wanted to say thank you—you know—for what you did at the temple. My judgment of you was harsh and I—"

"There is no need to say more, Aderes. Like many, your mind may be haunted, but your heart is strong with good intent. Only this is important."

Aderes nodded but didn't add more to his apology.

"I will see you at the chinálei," Tarak said.

"Sure." Aderes sighed as Tarak closed the front door.

Gyan smiled in pride from behind the kitchen door.