Halen, The Azurian - Vengeance Part 4

Realizing his host had not returned, Halen was unsure what to do. He truly didn’t want to be here, but he had little choice, so he left the room and went back into the main room where he saw Silthra busy at a countertop. Everything was so large; the room was fairly small compared to the one he had met the Chief and elders in, but it was the furniture. He felt like a child in a life sized home for a giant, everything was carved or pieced together from wood, no stone like in Azurian homes. No cushions or cloth covering anything for comfort, just hard wood. Silthra turned once to glance at him but continued what he was working on, from the smell of herbs it was probably food.
Not knowing what to do, Halen went to an alcove with wooden seats and a table. Sitting down he felt like a child, the table was at his chest and his feet dangled half a foot from the ground. He tried to sit up straight and pretend this was a normal table, but Halen felt incredibly inferior to Silthra, which started to ignite his earlier resentments for Eons.
Silthra came to the table carrying two wooden bowls with spoons, placing one in front of Halen and seating himself across the table from Halen with his own bowl. It smelled delicious whatever it was, taking the spoon Halen took a tentative sip, it was good! He began to eat more vigorously. His last meal had been early before dawn, until that moment Halen had completely forgotten how long it had been since he last had a meal. So, intent on his food, Halen did not see his host’s mouth twitch slightly at the corners, a small smile on his face watching his ravenous guest devour his food.
Finished quickly, Halen pushed the bowl back and waited. What did Eons talk about over dinner? They spoke so little, completely different than Azurians who spoke more frequently. Dinner time in an Azurian home was time to gossip and relate their day. Silthra continued to eat and not speak. Halen decided to look around the room, the carving of the wooden furniture was masterfully done; well beveled corners, smooth and not bumpy and polished to show the grains in the wood. He wondered how many forged items Eons used, is that what they traded for? Halen realized of all his education, simple things like the culture and lifestyle of Eons was completely absent, he had no idea how they really lived or more importantly who they really were as Saharians. This was a big shift in his thinking, he could no longer in good conscious think of them as less than human.
Halen realized Silthra had finished eating and was watching him, he could not read anything on his face. It made him uncomfortable until Silthra spoke “Why do Azurians have blue hair and eyes?”
Caught off guard by the bizarre question Halen answered with a demeaning tone “What kind of question is that? Why do you have yellow hair and yellow eyes?” Huffing Halen sat back in his seat and crossed his arms. What a stupid question! Clearly, they knew everything according to their Chief, shouldn’t they know that?
“Citadel of Four Winds and Stormfire Citadel” Silthra stated with a confused look Halen thought, it was hard to tell, so little emotion was evident on his face.
“Uh, yes? Those are in the City of Four Seasons, our capitol…” Azurians had two great libraries, the greatest collection of scrolls and documents that would take the lifetimes of several Azurians to learn all its knowledge… Oh! As Halen realized why Silthra had mentioned it, he had to assume Halen must know the answer. “Listen, I am a warrior not a Prime or a Cleric in the Orders. Are you implying we should know why?”
“Yes. Why have knowledge and not use it?” Silthra seemed more confused, how could Halen explain Azurian society to him? The Azurians’ way of life was far too complicated to explain to his host who clearly knew very little about them.
“Well how come you don’t know? Your Chief said I was the ignorant one… so enlighten me, why do you have yellow hair and me blue? Hmm?” Halen knew he was being childish by throwing this challenge out there so immaturely, but he was getting frustrated knowing his frustration stemmed from his own ignorance. He still could not see Silthra as anything but an enemy, though nothing gave the impression he was sitting across from an enemy…
“Aura” Silthra stated simply.
“What?” Halen was genuinely confused, Aura?
“Yes. Mate to Demora”
Again, Silthra stated this like Halen should know all this, like knowing who the Chief was and elders… what had he been taught about Eon elders? He could not remember but there was something significant about Eon elders and it did not have much to do with age, that much he could recall.
“I don’t understand.”
Silthra sighed, grabbed the bowls from the table and placed them on the counter in the far corner of the larger bowled out room. Halen just sat there, unsure what to do, what was Aura? He knew Demora, every Race on Genivan were gifted their magic and abilities by a single person from the ancient race that had visited ages ago. Each name was the name of the tribes after their magic had started to show up and eventually the tribes used a new name for the Kingdom they had slowly conquered. Every Race still had the original name of the ancient one though, Azurians were of the tribe of Ruinia; all universities where young Azurians attended their primary education were called ‘The University of Ruinia’. Eons, their ancient race leader was Demora but what was Aura? Demora’s mate? Nonsense, that was not taught in Azurian history. None of the ancient race had ‘mates’, there was only one.
Silthra reseated himself and looked deep in thought, Halen was about to speak but his question was lost as Silthra spoke “Demora brought the animals, Aura gifted us with Linking. Aura was beautiful like the sun; we Eons are gifted the sun. In our eyes and hair, we live long and heal fast. All this you should know.”
What a beautiful history to be connected too, Azurian history was never given like that. It was much darker in comparison, a history full of conflict and political struggles along with borders being contested by their enemies. Ruinia was never talked about as a person, more as a concept and if Halen truly wanted to be honest with himself, he didn’t even know if Ruinia was male or female…
“You cannot all summon water, so I ask again, why blue hair and eyes? What element are you?” The last question to Halen seemed like Silthra was unsure what Azurians called their own summoning if he understood what Silthra was essentially trying to ask. Should he reveal how ignorant he truly was? His Chief had already embarrassed Halen plenty, but should he let an Eon know that Azurians truly knew so little when in reality should be more knowledgeable than all the other Races?
“All my life I have been taught who our enemies are, you. Eons, who killed my father and kill us regularly. I saw your kind, hiding in the forest during a trade exchange, I can’t understand what I’ve seen here but can you honestly tell me you won’t use this information to hurt my people?” Halen felt so out of his league, he had to think tactfully but at the same time his own ignorance was shocking. He had already started to question what they had been taught but now, his questioning was, why? Why lie and hide the truth? So far, not a single Eon had harmed him, even considering an Azurian had killed one of them.
“Yes” Silthra sighed with deep sadness, the same sadness that emanated from the other Eons before. “We know what blue children think, what they teach of us” Silthra was no longer looking at him, at times like this Halen could clearly see he was young, similar to Halen. So strange to think because Silthra was actually almost forty years older than him. Silthra kept his eyes on the table and sat immobile, little to no emotion upon his face but Halen had started to pick up subtle cues here and there of emotion.
Unable to think of a response Halen also sat and stared at the table. After a few minutes Silthra spoke again “Your father was killed?” Halen nodded not trusting his voice “We share sorrow, my mother was also killed” Halen quickly looked up, for the first time a true display of emotion was on Silthra’s face, showing even in his rigid posture. Eons had a strange way about themselves, they seemed rigid as boards but the moment they moved it was like silk through water, lithe… at that moment Halen wandered if that is why the ancient Eons called their Kingdom Lithe.
“I have… a question I’d like to ask, I need to know…” Feeling embarrassed and struggling with genuinely liking Silthra and trying to see him as an enemy… Halen wished his father was here, but no, his father would have reacted like Eagan.
Silthra nodded “Why did you save me? I mean, you know how we view you; I wouldn’t have saved you. I don’t mean to be harsh but it’s how we are taught, and we believe it. You know all this, even your Chief made it abundantly clear of ‘blue children’ ignorance” Halen took a deep breath and plowed on “I can’t seem to rationalize all this, I did try to stop Eagan not because I wanted to save an Eon but because of saw the others before he did… I just can’t seem to fit the pieces together. Are you, my enemy? Who are you really? Is this a charade to get my confidence and use it to attack Azurians? I just don’t know…” Shaking his head, he didn’t mean to ask so many questions, but he needed answers. Halen was unsure if he wanted answers but for once he wanted to know the truth.
“You will not like my answers” Silthra stated bluntly.
“Have you liked my questions or answers? No? I thought not, I may not like them, but I’d still like to hear them” Halen stated defensively.
“You Azurians are greedy, wishing for greater power. It started long ago; we knew your greed would cause us trouble. We do not wish to fight Saharians, but Azurians were never content with the gifts bestowed upon them. My mother was killed by an Azurian warrior, I share your sorrow.” Silthra paused and watched Halen intently, moving his hand Halen signaled for him to continue trying to keep his anger in check “Why save you? We Eons balance life, care for the animals and land. Wet tails hate all Saharians. We are Saharians, me and you. Why save you? Your answer is that. Life matters more than rivalry.”
“The one you called Mori didn’t seem to care about your ‘delicate balance of life’” Halen retorted.
“Daisha was to be his mate; we sorrow at death. We are foolish as Azurians. Vengeance is not the answer.” Silthra leaned forward, seeming to want to emphasize what he said next “Why, Halen of the blue eyes must we be enemies? I see no purpose in it, we are different, but difference does not equal enemy.”
To that, Halen had no response. It was a truly wise statement as much as he didn’t want to admit it. He had saved Halen simply because life was more important. What a way to view the world. Halen feared his own death not hours prior, death was so final. Eagan would never be a husband, father children and years from now he could never reminisce with Eagan over their time posted at Evannar.
“Death should be our enemy” Halen stated partially as a question. He knew the answer, even looking at this giant Eon sitting peacefully across from him he knew Silthra also feared death. Who wouldn’t? Even the animals struggled to survive, they also knew death was an enemy otherwise why struggle to live?
“Wise words. We don’t need to be enemies, Halen” with that Silthra stood up and beckoned him to follow. Not sure why, Halen moved out from the large table and bench seats and followed.
“A guest room, your room. When the storm passes, I will take you home” Silthra had led him into another doorway on the opposite side of the room, just down from where Penri had been this whole time on her soft moss she seemed to like so much.
“Will they… I mean, will your Chief allow me to take my companion and his tiger as well?”
“No, he sleeps with Daisha. Dalton will remain and join the pack” Silthra walked away and closed the door behind him leaving Halen alone. The room was large, a huge narrow bed far too big for him on the right with an alcove carved into the wall beside it. A Lumen sat on the shelf within the alcove and to the left were shelves taking up part of the wall with a washbasin next to it. The room was roundish, more oval but similar in style and height to all the other rooms he had seen; including where Penri slept. It was chilly but not unbearably, still smelled like damp soil and roots but strangely Halen had become used to the smell and even thought it soothing.
What did he mean by sleep? Had they buried Eagan? It was so frustrating to Halen knowing his education had been so lacking, he knew virtually nothing about Eons. Azurians buried their dead, but he remembered reading Sordeans believed their dead must go into the sea… something about their spirit being released that way. How did Eons treat death? Zarythians he was told burned their dead… Halen shuddered; fire was an element of Azurians, but none would ever burn their dead. He never answered Silthra on ‘what element’ he was, he didn’t want too. He was a rare Azurian who could not summon, he had a singular Gift of Ice.
Sitting down on the bed unable to sleep, he wrestled with his emotions. ‘Difference does not equal enemy’, Halen kept repeating that over and over in his head. Were Azurians greedy? Few Azurians could not summon and of those who could summon less than half joined an Order in their capitol City of Four Seasons, every single Azurians in an Order he had met were terribly arrogant. Was their arrogance somehow conveyed in their education? Pitting Azurians against the other Races? Halen honestly didn’t know, in all the time he had been at Evannar, Eons had not attacked. His father and older warriors led him to believe they were brutal, attacking all the time. Maybe he hadn’t been at Evannar long enough to truly see… Why hadn’t Eagan just been patient? His hatefulness of Eons was what got him killed and it wrenched his heart to think of why his father had actually died.
If it had only been the single Eon, Halen would have done the same as Eagan… or would he have? The arrow that struck the Naga was clearly too large to be an Azurian arrow, he knew in that moment when he saw Silthra standing fifty feet away it had been him who shot the Naga. So many what if’s, reality had been more painful, had Eagan seen the arrow and ignored it? Halen knew this line of thinking would give him a headache, what happened. A life for a life, as the Chief said and begrudgingly Halen agreed, he just wished it had not been Eagan.
After a fitful night of rest, Halen woke up weeping. His dream had been heart wrenching, he could still feel the sadness of it… yet at the same time, his dream had made no logical sense. A soft rap at the door interrupted his thoughts.
“Yes?” Halen had slept in his trousers but quickly donned his shirt. Silthra opened the door.
“Come, the storm broke before dawn.”
Halen moved around quickly gathering the few items he had removed before sleeping; his belt and belt pouch, bow and light armor he had been wearing. His lance had been left in the woods; he had not considered the implication of that until now. No lance, Eagan gone and his tiger… what was he going to say when he returned? Shaking his head, Halen silenced his thoughts. He couldn’t think about any of that now.
Coming out of the room he saw Silthra standing near the alcove where the counters were where he had prepared dinner last night.
“I will not call you blue child. Will you call me friend and not enemy, Halen?” What a strange way to start a conversation but in a way, it made sense, could he also say the same to Silthra?
Sighing Halen took a took breath “You are not my enemy, friend? It takes time to be friends Silthra, but you are not my enemy” trailing off, Halen felt a bit embarrassed, was this how Eons offered friendship? Or was there more behind this? Not that Silthra was trying to lie to him, but so much of Eons seemed to be off compared to Azurians. They spoke plainly in a way but not in the way he would speak.
Nodding quickly Silthra did not appear upset to Halen “Good. We leave soon but first a question. Were you weeping for your companion this morning? I heard” Silthra shifted his feet slightly, seeming uncomfortable.
“How could you hear me?” He was absolutely embarrassed and how could he hear that? Halen knew he had cried, he woke up crying, but he had been quiet, and the rooms were separated by a good twenty feet of earth, sound does not carry under the earth very well.
“We hear and see better than any” Silthra stated, again looking like he should not have said anything but there seemed to be genuine concern in his golden eyes “He sleeps, no more pain. I do not know Azurian ways for death, but we would never dishonor the dead.”
Halen didn’t know what to say to that, a tightness in his heart he didn’t realize was still there relaxed, whatever they did with Eagan, he truly believed it was honorable. He felt better about leaving him with these people, strange to even think that but Halen could no longer view them as enemies. For his heart to heal, he had to believe they would be honorable and Silthra confirmed this. Realizing he hadn’t answered Silthra’s question he shook his head.
“Sorry, lost in my own mind. Thank you for taking care of him… and no… it was not him. Just a bizarre dream that was sad” shrugging his shoulders, he’d had odd dreams before, everyone does… well every Azurian he had met. He obviously could not relate that to Eons, being so different from his people.
“You can describe the dream?”
“Dreams are disconnected, confusing and just… I don’t know dreams. Everyone has an odd dream that makes no sense. It was nothing, I don’t know how far we are from my post but I’m sure your Chief wants me to leave” Trying to divert the subject, he still needed to prepare Penri and get her saddled.
“I would hear the dream, Halen.”
“Do Eons believe all dreams have some relevance? Trust me, my dream had no logic, typical disjointed dream” He was curious, now that he no longer viewed them as enemies, he was genuinely intrigued about their culture, way of life.
“Yes and no. We are connected, we Saharians. Though our magic divides us, we are one people. You know of Sordean Seers and Oracles?”
“Yes, blood magic to see the future. They are barbaric! Why mention them? You know they use blood in rituals? My dream has nothing to do with them” Halen spoke more forcefully than he intended, blood magic and sacrificing was awful magic. He hoped this connection thing was not true, though he knew his own education had sorely misled him about Eons… he could not believe it had all been so incredibly wrong. He questioned the most outlandish lessons, like Linking with an Ancient Full Breed… anyone who had seen a dragon like him would question it too! But the rest? It seemed logical.
Shaking his head Silthra leaned back against the counter “Sordeans have rituals, yes but not blood magic. I ask because they see the future. Dreams are different.”
Realizing they wouldn’t leave until he told his stupid dream Halen gave in “Fine, but I can’t imagine Azurian education about the other Races was that bad” shaking his head he waved his hand “forget I said anything. My dream? Well let’s see, there was a waterfall, beautiful and wide with rainbow halos around it from the spray of water. It poured into a lake that seemed oddly narrow, now that I think about it. Two people were on either side, a man on one side and a woman on the other, they were different though. Slowly the lake began to expand, separating them. Not the water you see, almost like the land was moving them further apart as the waterfall filled in-between. For some reason, I felt incredibly sad… that they um… that they were being separated. Strange you, see? They didn’t move, talk, cry or anything. Just a stupid dream”
Knowing where Penri was, Halen was getting tired of this, he also wanted to go home and be somewhere he felt comfortable. He did like Silthra, even though he was odd but this home, everything about it still put Halen on edge. So, he started to walk to the room his tiger had slept in and just as he reached the door Silthra spoke up.
“They were different? How?”
Halen turned, Silthra had not moved from the countertop he had been leaning against. “One was a Zarythian and the other was an Azurian” with that Halen finished opening the door and went into the room. He felt a little guilty, but he needed to get back to his post as well. What would they do if they found them missing but no bodies? Even though he had no idea how he was going to explain everything he knew he just needed to get back. Silthra hadn’t followed him, good. Getting Penri ready, bags and saddle took a short time. Clicking with his tongue, Penri followed him out into the main room.
“I have everything and ready to leave. I um, wanted to thank you for saving my life” looking anywhere but at Silthra “I am also sorry for what I have said, and I did mean what I said earlier. You are not my enemy. I don’t know what will happen when I return… I don’t know, just know you have a… friend” looking up finally, Halen tried to smile.
Silthra walked over and placed a large hand on his shoulder, with a big smile on his face “I could not watch you die. Now I have a friend” Silthra smiled more, he wondered if Silthra had many friends? Was he like me? Few friends? Silthra continued speaking interrupting his thoughts “Your dream Halen means something. You dreamed of a Bane, I think, what you know is probably wrong” Silthra chuckled low in his baritone voice “May I explain? Briefly? Then we shall get you home” Halen nodded, a Bane he only knew one thing, a Zarythian Bane cursed whole families… not that it made any sense why, but the family and its descendants would bear the mark of this Bane. Azurians who were cursed with this were typically banished but were not cursed into Lycan which was what Halen never understood.
“I see your eyes Halen; it is not what you think. A Zarythian may have dream sight, a dream when awake. The dream awakens a magic, a magic to save another with their own life. The man must save the woman, which is why you were sad. We are connected Halen the Azurian.”
“Wait, are you saying Azurians cursed by a Bane who bear a mark their whole life and their descendants is because a Zarythian killed himself? What for?” This made no sense to Halen and was even more compounded by his bizarre dream.
“No. The one a Bane saves; they save from death by giving life. The one you saw, she will be mortally injured or dying from something. He will save her. Remember their faces Halen. You have been gifted this.”