The Firelands

76 - Catch Your Breath

16th day of the forth Month, Worth's Moon

2:30 pm

The Forgotten Temple

Kalen peered into room the corridor had led to and he sighed. This wasn't what he wanted. He had hoped that one of the branching corridors would loop around and join with the main corridor but no, this was just a dead end. He was in a small dark room with a pool of water in the middle.

Walking forwards, he peered into the water. It glowed, pale blue illuminating his face and the cavern around him.

Was this something to do with the temple?

He let out a huff, crouching down by the pool, looking into the shallow water.

"So, how do I get back to the others?" he muttered, folding his arms on his thighs and the water rippled from a breeze he didn't feel.

He blinked.

Zedkiel had appeared in the water.

"What the?" he muttered, leaning forwards.

Zedkiel lay on what appeared to be ice, either asleep or unconscious. Feet walked past him and Kalen drew in a sharp breath. Those boots didn't belong to Theth or Incendio.

So who was with the elf? And where were the others?

His side hurt.

Out of nowhere, a razor sharp pain suddenly drove into him, just under the ribcage. He looked down in confusion, watching blood bloom up from under his clothes.

And a crack resonated through his head as something heavy collided with the back of his skull, sending him plunging into the water with a cry of pain.

Clutching his head, he pushed himself up, looking around and he scrambled backwards, away to the other side of the pool.

"Hello Kalen," Dixon said.

"... Hello Dixon," Kalen whispered and Dixon smiled, lifting a hand to wipe the blood off his long nail.

"Well done getting this far, Kalen. Really we shouldn't have allowed you to get to the temple but ah well, careless us."

"This is the temple?" Kalen asked.

"This is the temple," Dixon confirmed, looking around, "Well, part of what's left of it. It's seen grander days."

"What are you doing here?"

Dixon smiled at him. "What do you think I'm doing here?" he asked gently, stepping down into the pool.

Kalen scrambled to his feet, stumbling back, gripping his injured side, just caching himself as his foot collided with the edge of the pool.

"It's a shame, Kalen. There was a lot waiting for you out there, beyond The Firelands. There are greater roles then that of a Knight. Fate has other things in store for you and yet it ends here. You should have taken up my offer to come with me, if anything; you'd know who you really are."

"I know who I am," Kalen said.

"Yes, yes, you're Kalen Goldsworth, son of—"

"Lescarlo," Kalen cut in and Dixon stopped, looking up. "My real name is Kalen Lescarlo, isn't it?"

Dixon stared at him. "How do you know that?" he asked slowly.

"I met Luther," Kale replied and Dixon's eyes narrowed. "And Cain. They pointed me in the right direction, I found out soon after."