'- - and he was like 'yeah, I guess I'm like an earth bender now.' Evangeline finished.
As she took a well needed sip of her green mint tea, she swapped an impressed look with Zeru. The pair of them waited as the rest of their dorm processed the latest update
'Like the TV show?' DeeDee finally asked, her face both impressed and jealous in one.
'His new talent should have a better name than earth bending.' Tien commented, injecting her first view on the whole weekend. 'I can't say I am that upset I missed the bonfire, needed another rush of melodrama, did we?' she teased, nudging Evangeline.
'Hey now, this wasn't even my fault.' Evangeline argued, plucking another piece of toast from the tray of slices on their table.
The First Hall was less noisy than usual. The events of the weekend were being spread about the room with upmost speed. Evangeline glanced at Brianna, who had spent all morning buried in the pages of a book, resting on her lap.
'It was definitely a nightmare curse then?' Evangeline asked.
The rest of the table fell silent, waiting for Brianna to answer. She placed her hand over the page, and bringing her gaze up to meet theirs, nodded.
'From what I've managed to research, looks like it. Darklore isn't the easiest thing to explore but from my reading I think Zeru was touched by Satan's malice, which brought on the hallucinations you mentioned.' Brianna explained, before pausing to glance at him.
Zeru hadn't spoken of the attack much, odd moments seemed to set off the memories. It hurt Evangeline that he seemed so closed off from them right now, but she couldn't force him to talk or heal before he was ready.
'Darklore was in the forest though, the storm was definitely a dark summons... but what's impressive is how such an advance curse was woven into a simple storm summons. I mean it came from nowhere and was gone just as fast.' Brianna murmured, almost to herself as she re-read over the page in front of her. Her eyes came back up and seeing the concerned faces she finished, 'good thing Proteus was all connected to the earth.'
Her rare joking moment and peace sign was just what Zeru needed and he grinned at her, the table laughing, Evangeline smiled at the sudden image of Proteus smoking a doobie and hugging trees springing into her mind.
'One thing that came from all this, I think the tutors might just let us practice fighting now,' DeeDee conspired, thrusting her chin at the head table. All their Tutors had spent the best part of breakfast huddled together in deep conversation, the usual need to chivvy the students to class not forthcoming.
Evangeline rubbed her thumbs against her temples. Since the weekend's events, she hadn't been able to shake the headache now pounding in her mind. Something had shifted that night when the Darklore manifested. Evangeline looked around the room. Most of the candidates were torn between stepping up and exploring a new way of becoming Angyali or remaining loyal to the hundreds of years of tradition already laid out before them.
Since she had not been raised to understand the delicate, somewhat demure way of Angelus life and the ways of the old lore; Evangeline was at the helm of this new way of thinking.
However, somewhere deep in her gut, Evangeline felt certain that a change was coming. It was needed, and to continue without considering other possibilities would only harm their cause. However long it took for that harm to be discovered.
'Whatever the outcome, I think this is a new situation, even for them.' she murmured, nodding at the teachers, finally rising from their table.
*
By lunchtime, their timetables had run like normal. Evangeline dashed towards the smell of lunch and the sound of her friends ahead of her on the stairs, comparing notes from their various lectures that morning. As she reached the base of the marble staircase, her phone blared into life.
'Well if it isn't my favourite troublemaker,' she teased.
She swiftly bypassed the door into First Hall and stepped out into the courtyard.
'Angel Face, how's life post our very own Darklore storm?'
Heca's voice was light but the subject on his lips sobered both of them.
'Oddly, it's kind of mellow. Our teachers haven't even addressed it yet,' she confided, plonking herself down on the steps, she traced over a crack on one of the cobblestones. 'What did the Masters have to say on the matter?'
'Well, apart from embarrassing Proteus with the usual speech about courage and responsibility and us following in his steps, they were irritatingly cryptic.'
Evangeline sighed. Would their teachers ever just let them in, explain what was, could, be coming for them all.
'Well that's maddeningly unhelpful.' she said.
Evangeline stretched out her hand to catch the misty droplets of rain beginning to fall and stain the stones of the courtyard.
'Nice use of a good film quote,' Heca informed her on a chuckle, 'as far as we can figure, the Masters are unwilling to put much stock into the Legacy concept,' he sighed, 'as it's something so ancient that perhaps it's just myth now.'
Evangeline froze, her hand still outstretched, a sheen of rain on her skin.
'What do you know of Legacy?' she whispered; breath baited like a child on the verge of being told an adult secret.
'Same as most old families really, Legacy is the, like, well, the title I guess, given to the correct alignment of souls. The group of candidates or graduates that can face Reckoning, and not just keep balance but win.'
'Reckoning?'
'Yeah, it's in like every religious and historical book. Obviously, each religion and race call it something slightly different, but the elements are always roughly the same. A global apocalypse, final judgement. Daemons ruling earth, that kind of thing.'
'And Legacy is in reference to the, the people capable of stopping it?!' Evangeline spluttered incredulously.
'I guess, that's the veiled part. It's not clear what it involves. Or who it involves.' His voice faded for a moment, 'or for that matter, whether they'd win like eradicating evil or simply tip the balance just enough so Reckoning is firmly averted... But since its never happened most of us think it's not a real thing. It's like hope, or faith, something to believe in when everything else goes to crap.'
'Legacy... have there ever been signs it could be close to happening?'
'Not really, not that I know of. Adonis might have some more info than me, his heritage is pretty stellar, should I talk to him?' Heca asked.
His voice was curious, almost bordering concerned, but Evangeline's mind was already racing with what he'd said.
'Speak with Adonis, for sure. Ring me as soon as you have more to say.' she urged.
'Yes boss!' his voice became warm, teasing again, 'well, I can't gossip all day Angel Face, glad to know the mystic element candidates are as in the dark as we mere Warriod candidates are.' he joked.
'Very Funny,' Evangeline mock scolded, 'take care warrior boy.' she finished.
*
The weather fussed and moaned as the week slid from a drizzly Monday and Tuesday into an all out stormy, Wednesday and Thursday. Evangeline felt her irritation build like the wet, windy weather. Classes intensified and her brain was swamped with essential facts, summon patterns and the forever increasing book excerpts she needed to read.
As the turbulent Thursday evening rolled in, Evangeline, flopped over her duvet with books scattered around her, sighed about the unknown for what felt like the millionth time that week. On the other bed, DeeDee had nodded off over her own pile of books. The dorm was oddly quiet, all six of them actually knuckled down studying.
The rain relentlessly hurled itself against the window pane, intent on getting in, was an easy distraction for Evangeline. She loved to watch the rain and hear it, like a soothing melody, when she was safe and warm. The sound, an odd relaxing noise for her, except right now, it was helping her procrastinate and she knew deep down the essay in front of her really needed to get written.
She found her resolve a few moments later and unwrapped a nearby lollipop and turned back to the Runes and Rituals book.
'Runes decoding is among the most vital and most difficult of an Angelus' training. Within the earth playne alone are countless languages, both dead and still spoken, and on each level of Heh-el more still. The runes ritual and its capabilities rely on one's understanding of the intrinsic need to comprehend the text being read, and that knowledge is the best weapon when swift, decisive decisions are required. All rituals are performed with this base fact, however, when a ritual requires such runes both drawn upon the body and concentration that is unfaltering, the practise of runes decoding needs both diversity and attention to detail.
Side note: When a candidate begins to master Runes Decoding on a surface level, care must be taken when deeper exploration is summoned. Those with an affinity for language may, when reading ancient texts, find their intuition leads them to disappear from the moment of their reading, to return and experience first-hand the moment of the text's creation. This is a trait most Angyali do not have, however when it does manifest within a candidate, this can mean they are of Divinare* and as such, runes can unlock more than knowledge. For more on Divinare and the links between Reckoning and Rituals see section 47.
*[Divinare: a form of Prophetess Angelus]'
Evangeline almost choked on her lollipop. She scrambled out of her bed, slipped over an open book on the floor and crashed on top of DeeDee's sleeping form.
'Owuch! What the?-- Evangeline!'
DeeDee shoved her roommate and began berating Evangeline with cuss words.
'Shut up, shush, enough!' Evangeline screeched, shoving the book under her friend's nose. 'Read. Now.' she commanded.
Evangeline watched; her energy barely contained as she followed DeeDee's pupils scanning across the page. She saw her eyes widen as she reached the section that had made Evangeline react so enthusiastically.
'Oh. My. God.'
'Right?!' Evangeline replied.
DeeDee swapped a look with her as she flipped through the book. Both girls crowded in close, only to swear in unison.
'Well that's bollocks!' Evangeline vented.
She grabbed the book and ran her thumb over the rough remains of section 47. The pages cleanly ripped from the book, the stubbed margin all that remained.
'That's just ridiculous.' she grouched.
As Evangeline slumped back down to the bed and put her arm around DeeDee, who had drawn her legs up and wrapped her arms around herself, the pair sighed.
'Do you think that's what I am? A Divinare?' DeeDee asked quietly.
'Maybe, but you've only had two visionesque things... And the second one was more like an out of body experience anyway.' Evangeline comforted, 'not that they've been bad things, really, I mean they've helped us out.'
'Along with terrifying me. What will I do?'
'It'll be fine. I mean you haven't shown any other Divinare qualities, have you?'
'No.' DeeDee replied, 'not yet.'
'DeeDee, listen to me, whatever stigma comes with Divinare, to me, you'll always be amazing, always be just my best friend DeeDee. Alright?'
Evangeline had to make sure DeeDee knew that no matter what, Evangeline would be on her side. Divinare or not, DeeDee was beginning to show how unique an Angelus she could become, and it seemed to Evangeline at least, that any advantage was going to be useful going forward.
For a time the two girls sat in silence, trying to organise their thoughts and find the courage to start asking the right questions. Evangeline exclaimed out another sigh.
'When I got this, there were two copies. Maybe the other one is unaltered?' she cried out, rising from the bed. 'Come on, we have a few minutes before curfew, right?' Evangeline moved towards the door. When DeeDee didn't rise, Evangeline held out her hand. 'If we find out more about this, we can demand answers from Angelus Marguerite.'
*
Together the two of them hurried down the stairwell, out onto the main corridor and towards the library. As they reached the library corridor, voices floated up to them from the grand staircase below. Bells chimed overhead, signalling that students should be in their dorms.
Evangeline tugged DeeDee fast and the pair melted into the shadows, pressing hard against the cool stone that formed an arch in the centre of the corridor, its tall base curving out just enough to hide them both.
'Sorry for calling on you so late Master Rivas. I'm grateful you could come so swiftly although you mentioned you had something to discuss also.'
Angelus Marguerite was speaking and Evangeline watched as her uncle and Head Tutor reached the corridor, turning right. Evangeline let out a relieved sigh, they weren't coming towards the library. Instead they were moving towards the Conclave, an antechamber that could be looked into from the library arches.
'I would have come sooner, but we have only just learned of the connection between Adonis and Evangeline.'
DeeDee tugged hard on Evangeline's hand. Evangeline nodded, not taking her eyes off the teachers until the door to the Conclave staircase shut.
'You against spying on your uncle?' DeeDee asked softly, the pair of them moving like ghosts over the stone and slipping into the library.
'Not even a little bit.' Evangeline replied tersely.
They hugged the bookcase shadows, moving through the large room, past shelves of books and clusters of tables and hurried towards the balcony section that overlooked the Conclave. Dropping to a crouch, they shuffled as close as they dared to the wooden pillars of the balcony and watched as Evangeline's uncle and Marguerite took up seats by the dying fire.
The Conclave was a warm, dorm like room, the furniture was comfortable and resembled the Victorian parlours of grand houses. Circular in shape, a level below the library but open so the light from the high library windows would, if the sun had been up, douse the area in sunshine.
As it was, shadows reached far up the walls and with a silent nod, the two candidates lay flat and pulled close to the balcony edge, waiting for their quarry to begin their discussion.
'What's your urgent matter then Demi God?'
'As you said in September, the time of Legacy draws near, I know we of the less mystic strands were skeptical, even a touch dismissive.'Evangeline had never seen her uncle appear sheepish, but in front of their Head Tutor, he was just that.
'Luther, you are avoiding the matter at hand. But I appreciate your attempt at an apology,' Angelus Marguerite had a wry smile, 'disguised as it was.'
DeeDee and Evangeline had to hold in their giggles, watching someone other than them squirm under Marguerite's particular brand of humour.
'Are you teasing me, Angelus?' Evangeline's uncle questioned, a warm tone in his words. 'Because it is unsettling and amusing to be at the receiving end of your wit.'
'What would the world be without a little laughter?'
DeeDee glanced at Evangeline. If the pair of older folks didn't start talking more important facts soon, DeeDee was going to grow bored. Evangeline pinched her friend's shoulder and, scrunching up her features in warning, she shook her head.
'Adonis is a fated. His ancestry intertwines with mine, and Evangeline's.' Uncle Luther said in a low voice.
Evangeline felt the air go out her lungs. How were they intertwined? DeeDee was looking at her with a touch of awe in her gaze and Evangeline instantly didn't like it.
'With this, the fact one of our Warriors has already called forth an elemental oath, and the two Darklore manifestations, Legacy, whatever the reality of it is, might be coming to pass.'
Luther's words, a stark reminder of all that had already happened, hung in the silence.
'Or at least, the opportunity to tip the balance is nearing,' Marguerite murmured, her voice showing how deep in thought she was. 'Over the years I have, in my tempered curiosity, looked into what a child, like Evangeline, could do to our world, and the earth playne.'
She held up her hand as Luther made a move to speak. 'It's clear already that just her presence, the bonds she is forming between the other candidates, that her purity, her very essence, is allowing dormant gifts within her closest friends to come to fruition.' Marguerite paused 'her roommate in particular, seems to be developing skills we have not seen in a candidate for an uncountable long time.'
The two hidden members of this secret meeting, both inhaled sharp, shocked breaths. Evangeline's thoughts were spiralling in all directions, her questions bubbled and in trying to reign in her scattered thoughts, she began feeling deafened by her own mind. As such, she picked up on odd, disjointed parts of the discussion continuing below.
'...she's bringing out dormant parts of our history too.'
'So it seems--' Marguerite conceded.
'--The two male candidates? They're the first of their kind.'
'More evidence that this group of newlings will bring about great change.'
'The danger is, could another student be her opposite?'
Her uncle voiced a question Evangeline was shocked to hear, she glanced at DeeDee and the pair gripped harder to the wooden balcony they were looking through.
'Indeed. And could she or they be susceptible to Satan's grip?' Angelus Marguerite's question ignited an instant worry and outrage in Evangeline.
As the pair below continued to mutter together, she pushed back from the edge. Suddenly she'd had enough for one evening and shuffled into the dark shadows from the bookshelves. She needed a moment, to think, and to breathe, her anger bubbling hot in her stomach. Was she dangerous or an asset, which outcome did they think she would usher in?!
DeeDee joined her, the pair leaning against the shelf of books, then her friend put her hand over Evangeline's and squeezed. Without words she assured Evangeline that she was there. The facts they'd just learned didn't change the friendship that had formed between the two of them. Much like Evangeline had promised in their dorm room, less than half an hour ago. Evangeline smiled; she was glad to have DeeDee. The same thought was mirrored in DeeDee's eyes and Evangeline grinned wider then pulled a comical face at her friend.
'Let's go.' DeeDee mouthed.
*
The following morning as Evangeline woke up, she immediately registered that she hadn't in fact rested at all. Her mind was tired still and she felt heavy in her body. It was as if it had been tense and restless all night, waking up so uncomfortable made her irritable, ratty.
DeeDee seemed to have woken up equally cranky. The pair of them stomped into the main living area with matching attires to their mood; their oversized jumpers with hoods up and their leggings black with comfy slipper-like boots.
'Uh oh, two grumpy girls, this way come...' Tien teased from the sofa where she and Brianna were waiting.
Evangeline made a noise, not quite a word but not a full on growl either, when DeeDee came to her rescue. She held up her three middle fingers.
'As the hilarious Jack Black once said, 'read between the lines Tien, Read Between The LINES!'' DeeDee quoted.
As Orion and Zeru appeared, both making a dramatic show of inching around the two cranky dorm mates. Evangeline laughed at her friends, and made DeeDee high five her over the fantastic quote from their early teen years, but as they moved off into the stairwell towards breakfast, both girls got caught in their own thoughts.
Evangeline needed to figure out her own mind, but she also felt the unfamiliar need to confide in the others. To share her worries and the new information with them.
Having such trust in friends was a new sensation, most of her life she had been self reliant, almost aloof to most. Her uncle had kept his distance in so many ways, but she understood most of the reasons why now. However, it had left her a little underdeveloped in the opening up, trust elements of life.
DeeDee was wearing a similar torn expression. As much as the pair of them were full of charm and humour, being big personalities in their little group of friends they both had similar insecurities and lack of knowledge in how to combat them.
Evangeline was so internal that breakfast was drawing to a close before she fully realised how caught up in her own mind she was.
'What did I miss?' she asked in a rush.
Utterly thrown by how absorbed she'd been, Evangeline fluttered her eyes like a fool, trying to catch up with the group's conversation.
'Welcome back. Nice trip was it?' Orion teased, putting his strong arm around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze, 'hush now silly thing, Angelus Marguerite is about to talk.' he murmured.
His hand waved towards the Tutors' table and with a teasing tug of her hood, he brought it down and ruffled the back of her head. He grinned as her hands leapt to fix his messing and he turned his attention to the Head Angelus. Evangeline dutifully did the same.
'Good morning candidates, it has been a long week, and I know you are eager to see the day through so you can enjoy the weekend ahead--'
'Not if it's as eventful as the last one.' Tien smiled, nudging Evangeline's side.
'-- I know that most of you have discussed amongst yourselves, not only the test some of you faced in the weekend past, but the attack we suffered at the start of term. Now is the time for answers.'
The slight pause confirmed to Evangeline that not all the answers were to be forthcoming.
'As the guardians of your journey, from candidate to Angelus and the protectors of the earth playne and mystic element of an Intra Terci, we have come to a decision. The events of past weeks have shown some deep, ancient imbalance is arising, and if we do not evolve to better perform our duties, how will we continue on?'
Marguerite met Evangeline's gaze for a moment and she knew the elder was going to expect a lot from her in the future, 'with this in mind, any that deem it a worthy addition to their role are welcome to, during the independent study class every Friday afternoon, take up combat lessons at the Warriod keep.'
As whispered voices broke out around the room, Evangeline, DeeDee and the boys swapped looks, the surprise clear along with eagerness and excitement.
'Well I guess now I'll have to come too.' Tien whispered.
'You'll kick ass.' Evangeline replied, 'and you'll come?' she asked Brianna.
The redhead in question flushed from her cheeks to her hairline but a nervous nod came with the blush.
'A new time in our history begins, and I both worry and put faith in this change. Candidates, you have all heard whisperings of Legacy. The myths and the stories all shape the knowledge you've come to have. I, for now, will simply tell you this. In over two thousand years, only a handful of moments have come close to allowing Legacy to rise.'
The melodic bells signalling first period sounded and First Hall seemed to fill with the ethereal sound, as though an Angyali choir heralded the words being spoken. 'Legacy, it is a mystery passed down through the ages. But none on this playne or the next have quite discovered its elusive truth. The answers for Legacy are left only to be found by those able to seek them, those willing to sacrifice all in uncovering Legacy. Therefore, I say this, and I urge you all to listen and focus on these words. For now, candidates, decide which path you will take to honour your destiny, as future Angyali and forces of light and protection, against he, The Unspoken One, who we all should fear'
Evangeline tilted her head close to Zeru's as silence stretched on after Angelus Marguerite's words.
'The Unspoken One? She means the devil, right?'
Zeru shushed her as the spell within the hall broke and movement filled the room.
'Exactly, and in that name, he has so much power, ergo why we do not use the labels he has branded himself with to drive fear and malice and hate into the world.' Zeru explained in a hushed tone, a note of fear in it too.
Evangeline pursed her lips together to keep the next point to herself. She wondered how long the ones who were meant to banish such negativity had been succumbing to it by calling the manifestation of evil by a nickname. In a moment of stubborn naivety, she promised herself she would never fear calling Satan by anything other than his true name.
'Satan,' she whispered to herself, 'your name won't put fear in me...'
Satan tensed, a shiver of acknowledgement slid down his spine. He lifted his hand and with a deft swipe he turned the page of the book in his lap. The writing writhed and parted to the very corners of the page, almost creating a frame of demonic script around a picture. The image flickered into life as it bled onto the paper like a film being played on a screen. Raven hair, and eyes full of determined fire looked at him from the book.
Satan chuckled. His body, usually quite angelic in form, shifted and the daemonic side of him rose up. His fingers lengthened, talons emerging. His eyes went hellish red, blood seeping a little from their corners. Scaly, leathery wings ripped apart at his shoulders and a growling roar escaped his lips. One of his claw-like hands came up running over his horns; thick, menacing and the colour of dead men's blood. They protruded out of his temples, razor sharp and dangerous.
'You will fear me. You will fear me, bleed for me, and then, fated one you will die in agony and pain. And in fear of a being too great and terrible for you to survive.'
~
YOU ARE READING
Risen: Beginning of a Legacy
FantasyHidden within the world of mortals, the offspring of legends, of immortals and those beings thought to be only myth, begin to join the war. An ongoing secret battle between two ancient brothers, who keep the entire world in balance. Legacy; a fragme...
