TCO: Chapter Forty-Three

Gyan and Jalena both woke with a start, hearing the same urgent voice in their mind. It took several minutes for Gyan to realize he was still on the beach with Jalena in his arms. The dying remnants of the fire sent a trail of smoke into the air as the early morning light began to flood the skies.

The two looked at each other as the voice spoke their names again.

All warriors are needed to return to the temple. We must leave immediately, Syam said in a serious tone.

Sand fell from Jalena's and Gyan's clothing as they both stood hurriedly.

Jalena's voice entered Gyan's mind as she responded to her father. What happened?

I will explain when you arrive at the ship, he replied.

Jalena turned to Gyan. "We must go straight to the temple. We can leave the bike there."

Gyan nodded and straddled the bike. Jalena followed suit and they took off, leaving the blanket, wine bottle, and goblets behind. Gyan did not slow the bike the entire way back to the temple. The two hurried across the chinálei to the Tritum after Gyan parked the bike.

"Will someone send word to my family—tell them what happened?" Gyan asked Jalena.

"Yes, the ascetas will take care of it."

The two arrived at the ship before the other sans except for Jarek, who was already sitting in a seat. Syam, Asia, and Eclipse were also inside. Jalena looked at her father curiously but didn't question him as she sat down to fire up the ship.

Gyan looked at Jarek, who was pale. Beads of sweat glistened on Jarek's forehead.

"Jarek? Gyan asked. "Are you alright?"

"He has had a vision," Syam responded. "I will explain after the others arrive."

A few seconds later, Valora and Brogan appeared followed by the rest of the warriors.

"What's the matter, Jarek?" Danika asked.

Syam stood to face the warriors at the front of the compartment after Jalena took flight. "I believe San Jarek has found his charisma, or at least part of it, at just the right time."

The warriors all looked at Jarek, who still looked ill.

"San Jarek has had a vision of the Celestine Temple being attacked," Syam continued. "Unfortunately, we do not know if his vision represents a future event or if it reflects the present. There have been warriors capable of both. As Jarek's skill evolves, he will be able to determine the timing of the event, but we must treat this vision as if the temple is in present danger. I will be able to contact Master Jabari to confirm the vision as soon as we are within range. There have been no reports sent to Yevani about it at this time."

"I couldn't make out everything in the vision," Jarek added, "but heard screaming coming from the streets in Solara. I saw," he swallowed, "people running—being chased by Vaznaun. Some were hiding. Then I saw more Vaznaun surround the temple. I would've thought it was a dream, but I was awake when the vision appeared without warning."

When the warriors neared the outskirts of Solara, Syam contacted the temple masters. Jabari claimed there had been no attack on the temple, but that one of the temple residents had just returned from the marketplace claiming there was some commotion on the outskirts of Solara. The resident, however, was unsure of the nature of the issue.

Jabari and Cahira were about to leave the temple to investigate the situation, but after Syam explained Jarek's vision, he and Jabari agreed that it was unwise to leave the temple unguarded since Malik and Shamira had not returned from Gawl Forest. All the rest of the masters, except Asia, were also away on assignment.

"We are almost there," Syam told Jabari. "Jalena will lead the sans into the marketplace to investigate."

The warriors quickly changed into the gear stored for them in the Tritum.

You think this is another exercise? Brogan asked Gyan.

If so, Jarek's certainly a good actor, Gyan replied, but intuition tells me that it is not simulated.

The warriors grabbed their weapons before exiting the ship at the edge of the Solara market and slipping discreetly between buildings on the street.

Distant yells and screams came louder through the streets. True to Jarek's vision, Gyan noticed a crowd running up the streets followed by a large group of Vaznaun. Some of the townspeople stood up to their attackers but were easily knocked aside as the Vaznaun stabbed or pummeled those in their way.

Gyan's eyes widened as his senses heightened to the brutality before him. People bolted into nearby buildings for shelter as arrows of fire flew in all directions and slammed into old wooden buildings aligning the streets.

As Gyan flattened himself against the side of a building in an alley, Brogan's voice entered his head.

Definitely not an exercise.

As the Vaznaun arrived at the middle of the marketplace near where the warriors were hiding, the same Vaznaun that Gyan, Jalena, and Valora had seen on the trail in Gawl Forest stopped and held up his hand. The group stopped behind him.

Sinu, thought Gyan, remembering the name Kar had mentioned in the forest.

Another group of Vaznaun split off from the main group and ran ahead of the villagers they were chasing. The Vaznaun closed off the street, forcing the villagers back toward Sinu's group. The villagers huddled together, looking terrified. A swarm of Vaznaun appeared on the tops of the surrounding market roofs and stared down menacingly into the frightened crowd.

I'm going up top,Danika told the others.

Gyan's senses heightened further as he took several deep breaths. He reached out with his senses to energetically connect with the other warriors.

"Warrior," Sinu called out, sniffing hard. "I know you are here."

The Vaznaun next to Sinu laughed. One of the Vaznaun near the back of the group pulled a woman with brown hair roughly up to the front of the crowd.

Elana! Aderes exclaimed.

Gyan stood in the shadows between two buildings directly to the side, less than two feet away from her. Elana's hands were bound in front of her. The Vaznaun ran a finger underneath a gash on her cheek and smiled before throwing her down on the ground in front of Sinu.

Elana cried out as she threw her bound arms out to break her fall.

Gyan felt the tension in Aderes mount. Wait, Aderes, he told him.

"Such a pretty face. It's too bad that she will have to die as an example of what will happen to those who attempt to thieve from Mordán again," Sinu said. He turned away from Elana and shouted up to the sky. "Did you hear that warrior? This is your warning!"

He made eye contact with the Vaznaun arkaí on the roof. They immediately drew back the string of their bows and aimed at Elana.

Aderes rapidly crept forward to the corner edge of an old building located west of the group of Vaznaun surrounding Sinu. He crouched low by the platform stairs in front of the building. A slight movement under the stairs of the building caught Aderes's eye. He turned sharply and noticed a small boy sitting under the platform with his arms around his knees. He looked at Aderes with large, frightened eyes. Aderes brought a finger to his lips. The boy nodded shakily.

Tell me where you are, Aderes, Gyan said.

I'm at the corner building, west of the scum, Aderes answered.

I'm near Elana in the shadows, Gyan replied. Look to the roof.

I saw them.

Aderes also saw Valora and Brogan across from him on the other side of the street. I'm about to get her, he told the team.

Lorcan swiftly climbed a back ladder bolted to the edge of the building next to Aderes. He reached the top of the roof behind where three of the arkaí stood with their bows drawn. He kept still for several moments, hanging flat against the back of the building before stealthily drawing himself up and crouching down low on the roof. He looked down and gave Aderes a short nod.

"Now!" Aderes yelled.

Aderes leaped out from his crouched position, eyes alight, and released his dagger, striking the Vaznaun standing near Elana right between the eyes. The Vaznaun fell backward and landed dead at Sinu's feet just as Gyan took two long strides and jumped for Elana, who had scrambled to her feet in an attempt to escape the released arrows.

Gyan grabbed Elana tightly against him and turned on the spot as light shot forth from his hands. The arrows fell back harmlessly from the shield that swirled around him and Elana. He released her and shoved her quickly toward the alley before engaging the nearby Vaznaun now in combat alongside Aderes.

A shout rang out above as Danika suddenly made herself visible in front of two unsuspecting arkaí on a roof. She shoved one Vaznaun off the roof. His shouts echoed across the marketplace as the other arkaí gazed at her in confusion for several moments. Before the arkaí turned his bow in her direction, Danika turned from the hip and slid the blade in her hand rapidly across his throat.

Brogan and Valora, who had bolted out to the middle of the street, were combatting the group of Vaznaun that had trapped the villagers only moments before. As Valora struck a large Vaznaun in the jaw with her fist, her other hand grazed Brogan's arm. The blow sent the Vaznaun flying. The twins stared at each other wide-eyed as their opponent slammed into some of his companions standing up the road before dropping unconscious to the ground. The group before them looked at their fallen companion and then to the twins in shock. With a shout, the swarm charged the two.

Brogan grinned as he grabbed Valora's hand and whipped her around so her back rested against his. I guess our physical strength and light energy increase more if we happen to touch each other in battle.

I guess so, she replied with a chuckle as the two shot a ray of light at the feet of the Vaznaun in front of the charging group.

The Vaznaun skidded to a stop and turned to sprint away from the twins as they continued to shoot more light.

Nearby, Tarak sprinted into a building. A sharp crack echoed across the marketplace followed by deep shouts from the Vaznaun arkaí on top as the roof of the building caved in. The Vaznaun flew out the front window of the building seconds later, glass exploding outward, as a large rectangular table directed by Tarak's charisma flattened them to the ground.

Lorcan immediately made himself known on top of the building across from Danika. He turned his sprint across the roof into a handspring and hit the back of one Vaznaun with his feet. The force of the impact sent the Vaznaun flying off the roof of the building and into an awning of a store on the opposite side of the street.

More Vaznaun swarmed the roof. Lorcan, his hands and eyes glowing brightly, continued to combat the others on the roof, moving so fast that all that could be seen from below was a blur of light moving in and out of the those that charged him.

As Tarak exited the building below, Lorcan yelled. "Here you go, Tarak! See what you can do with this!"

Tarak flinched as Lorcan sent a Vaznaun flying off the roof toward him. He instinctively put up his hands, directing the energy around the Vaznaun so that he stopped in midair. Tarak narrowed his eyes and sent the Vaznaun flying in the reverse direction directly into more attackers.

Lorcan laughed as he sent more screaming Vaznaun down to Tarak. Tarak repeatedly pushed each Vaznaun into the larger group, knocking one after another aside like bowling pins. Other Vaznaun scattered into nearby alleys to avoid the airborne bodies.

Gyan felt Jalena's presence enter his mind.

More are heading your way, she said.

Gyan saw a group of Vaznaun running at him and Aderes. It didn't take Gyan long to realize that the reason for the stampede was to escape Jarek, Hoshi, and Jalena, who were chasing the Vaznaun their way. Many darted into nearby alleys as they noted the warriors ahead of them.

Hoshi sent two blades flying, striking down two Vaznaun from the back. They fell face-forward into the street. She pulled two more blades sheathed at her thighs and disappeared into the group.

Jarek, with a crazed look on his face, threw his short sword into the group before him. The sword struck down a Vaznaun in the crowd ahead, causing some of the running Vaznaun to trip and fall over their dead comrade. Jarek retrieved his sword and used the fallen pile as leverage to jump and pitch himself up on top of the awning. He ran forward, leaping from one awning to the next to get ahead of the group in the street. As he neared Gyan and Aderes, Jarek somersaulted down to strike a Vaznaun attempting to attack Aderes from behind and moved further into the group, taking on one Vaznaun after the other.

Jalena had her gladaé drawn; her eyes were alight and focused as she rushed the Vaznaun near Gyan and Aderes. She strode fearlessly among the enemy, extending her sword into the ribs of one in front of her and in the same motion flipping the sword to strike the next behind her. She twisted to dodge the sword of a lunging Vaznaun and forced his arm to stab his comrade behind her all in one more. She drove her gladaé through the Vaznaun's side. Leaping high to avoid another attack, she twisted fully in the air, bringing her gladaé across the chest of another. Landing softly on her feet, she charged forward once more.

Gyan watched as Jalena passed him and found himself face-to-face with Sinu, who backhanded Gyan across the face and delivered a front kick to his stomach. Gyan doubled over as he fell back to the ground, the breath knocked out of him.

Sinu laughed as he glanced at Jalena, who was engaged in combat with another attacker nearby, and then back to Gyan. "Love makes you weak, warrior—makes you lose focus. Didn't they teach you that?"

Gyan's eyes lit up in fury. He rolled quickly to dodge Sinu's sword as it came down on him, and then jumped to a squat as Sinu raised his sword again and swung. Gyan leaped high and twisted to avoid the attack, swinging his left leg into a crescent kick that slammed against the inside of Sinu's right wrist. Sinu dropped the sword as Gyan's other leg trailed his left. His right foot slammed against Sinu's head.

Sinu staggered to the side and Gyan immediately ran his short sword into Sinu's chest. Gyan's eyes widened in surprise as Sinu laughed, blood smearing his teeth.

"Fools." Sinu grinned and then gasped. "This is…only the beginning." He grunted and spit blood at Gyan. "Warrior filth…your home—" he coughed as a small line of blood slid from his mouth "—destroyed… You'll…never make it." Sinu's orange glare deadened as he fell to the ground.