The Shattered Path

Chapter 12 - The Aun'kaena

"Where do these doors go? There are so many. Like this one, for instance." Theseus pretended to pick a random door, one they happened to be passing. The path had been beaten to brown soil before that door, the most heavily used of all. The trampled ground led to the left and right, and even out towards the Ra'Saen.

"I think that one leads to the palace," Hien answered nonchalantly. Then he quickly added, "But I could be mistaken. I really do not know these tunnels very well. You should ask someone else. This one here leads to the waterfront. The docks outside of the city walls."

"Sounds quite useful," Theseus commented. "All of those streets above have too much fresh air for my tastes."

Sharaen Ujal slowed, casting a confused look over his shoulder. "Fresh air will do you good."

"These tunnels are quite useful," Farna confirmed. "If other Draechai had been intelligent enough to devise such clever means of concealment and travel in the past, perhaps the Five would not have murdered so many of us."

"No hole in the ground would have saved anyone from the Five," Theseus countered.

"Our Brothers lacked foresight and proper planning could have saved them," Farna explained.

"It is blasphemy to speak such of Draechai," Theseus stated calmly.

"It is not, "Farna argued. "It was a tragedy. I wish it had not happened, but-"

"But nothing," Theseus interrupted. "One-thousand wizards hunted our Brothers for decades. There was nowhere to hide."

"Oh, so you remember that much, do you?" Farna scoffed. "Too bad you can't remember anything else."

"I can tell you what I will not forget," Theseus threatened. He was sick of their arrogance and foolishness. This grove was simply too much.

"Brother Farna, he makes a fair point," Hien calmly interjected. "The Five were all emperors and kings with vast resources, including many wizards under their command. The Uth'aedian was a dark time and it is unlikely that much could have been done to save our lost Brothers. Let us speak no more of this."

Uth'aedian. It was the 'Dark Hunt.' Images flashed through Theseus' mind. He saw bearded faces twisted in pain, but could not be sure when or where it had happened. The memory, or dream perhaps, slipped away before he could fully recall. The Dark take Kajal and his penalty! It should take Sharaen Ujal and his circle of fools as well!

Sharaen Ujal stopped before a door. He pulled it open and motioned for everyone to go through ahead of him. His face was grim.

Before stepping into the dimly lit room, Theseus cast another look at the Aun'kaena glowing near the far wall. Something felt familiar about the powerful glow atop the tree. Had he seen one in Faera'Kaan? It couldn't have been his memory and he couldn't place it chronologically. It must have been part of some dream he had suffered while under the Ritual of Ohm'akaum. He had no explanation.

Theseus stepped through the doorway into a smaller room, thirty paces across. Fine paintings and heavy tapestries buried the walls, depicting knights in battle, some with the large lion banners of the current monarchy of Denowith. A circular red carpet, ten paces across, covered the center of the room, bearing an enormous silhouette of a lion sewn with fine gold thread. A thick marble slab was positioned opposite the door and a large chair with a high back sat upon it, gilded in gold and padded with thick red cushions.

Theseus struggled to hide his astonishment. He felt his eyebrows twitch before allowing himself to frown. There was a throne in the chambers of this circle of Draechai! And what was worse, the room was decorated in lion emblems. These Draechai took orders from the King.