The Elders (Sky: Children of the Light)

~Chapter Five~

TAM'S POV

Tam overlooked the dark rolling sand, peppered with a stray crabs, half submerged in murky grey tar. It was beautiful, in Tam's mind. He hated that it had been taken from him. The dark temple loomed in the fog like a skeleton. Empty, but lived-in.

Tam jumped down from his perch, landing on a sand dune and walking towards the building he had sworn to forget. Now, he walked with a purpose, to warn the Sky Elders of the very thing he was about to do. He stepped in the dark entryway of the temple. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he spotted an altar draped in fabrics, lit with the light of bunches of candles.

It was empty, and eerily quiet. He felt a light wind from behind him and whipped around, only to see a blur skitter out of his sight, close enough to reach out and touch. He sensed it behind him, and he started to turn around.

"Don't. Move."

He felt a sharp point of a spear or sword against his neck, and lifted his hands up. Whoever was behind him spoke again.

"I don't know why you decided to come here, but you can either leave in peace or I'll kill you on the spot."

He heard another voice from up above.

"Sunny, no! We need him alive!"

The person behind him, presumably Sunny, sighed and let him go. Two Sky Elders jumped down from the rafters, and Tam recognized them from their time in his rebellion Fort. One was on the shorter side, with long white hair. She wore a hammer on her back, and was holding the hand of the other Elder, the one Umber had shot. Tam squinted at him. How was he still alive?

"I have come to warn you about something."

The Forest Elder snorted, "We know, your stupid sickness has spread here."

Tam started. Had it spread that fast? That meant that Umber had been... No. Tam shook himself.

"I guess I'll be on my way then."

Sunny snorted and pulled him back by his hood, "You're not going anywhere. You really think we're going to let you go?"

Tam huffed. He had suspected that this would happen, but they had no reason to keep him here. The Forest Elder spoke again.

"You're going to stop this sickness, and heal Floare, or I'm going to let Sunny kill you."

Tam thought that was a bit harsh, although he had done a lot of bad things. Terrible, gruesome things.

"That's not possible." He said, making towards the door. Sunny hauled him back with an iron grip.

"If Rayem says it is, it's very much possible." The Forest Elder narrowed her eyes.

"It seems Rayem doesn't actually have much to say on this matter." Tam turned to the Elder, who was staring at him intently.

"Perhaps..." He said softly. "The most important words aren't spoken aloud."

That's true, Came the voice in his head.

This time you approach me.

No, Came the reply. I'm in the same room as you, brother.

✧

Tam knelt on the dead grass. It really had spread. He could hear it now, the sound of it eating up the light infused in every blade of grass, every flower and animal it came in contact with. It was like fire, moving and jumping from place to place, scorching the lands black.

Suddenly, someone melted out of the shadows.

"You know what you need to do Tam. I'm not going to stand by while you let down the Sky Kingdoms a second time."