Born of Water

Born of Water Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

REMNANTS OF the WAR

Niri closed Laith Lus's journal, a finger marking the page. She placed her other hand across her eyes. Her fingers trembled against her forehead. When she looked up it was into the stone-blue pools of the elder's eyes.

"I told you what you found would not be to your best hopes," he said.

"Yes, but you are the only person I know who actually saw the war. I need to learn what happened."

Laith Lus shook his head. "I was a boy, younger than Beite, when war came. I did not understand everything then, and when we closed our borders, I never had a chance to learn more. There is much I still do not know."

"But you saw the Temple of Mist fall."

Laith Lus held Niri's gaze. "Yes, that much I saw. The Temple's lands border the Forest of Falin. I went and watched to be sure the battle did not cross into Kith lands. That fight came later."

Laith Lus's face was tired and held old pain. Niri reached over and squeezed his forearm. He smiled sadly at her.

"I do not think this gives you more information than you had. Just more questions."

Niri's lips twisted with unhappy agreement. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but a soft knock sounded on the door to the elder's house where it sat nestled beneath a sentinel tree of the great clearing.

Laith Lus stood and left her at his desk amid a pile of books. To her surprise, she heard Lavinia's voice

"I don't mean to interrupt, but I think I'm missing something."

Laith Lus chuckled as he led Lavinia to another seat. "You've misplaced something?" His tone was serious, but Niri heard a teasing undercurrent in his voice.

Lavinia looked fretful, but it wasn't the same worry that clouded her eyes when she asked about Ty. She sat on the edge of her seat, leaning forward as if ready to take flight. "No, there is something I don't understa... oh." She paused when she realized Laith Lus was laughing silently.

Lavinia sat back with a sigh and took in Niri with her hand still in a book. "We were looking for you and Laith Lus yesterday, Darag and I." Lavinia's voice hitched on Darag's name and she blinked quickly. "We were supposed to look for you today, but I haven't seen Darag all morning."

"Harrumph." Laith Lus stood up with a frown. He scuttled over to his firebox, messing about with pots for a moment. "Tea, children?" he asked kindly, but his eyes remained disappointed.

"Yes, please," Niri answered for both of them. "Why were you looking for us?"

Lavinia tapped the armrest with her index finger. "We were talking. I was telling Darag about how we came here, and about Ria. He wondered if Laith Lus had heard of powers like Ria's."

"I have," Laith Lus answered, handing Lavinia and Niri steaming cups. "They are what started the war."

Lavinia sat up. "How? Is that why the Church hunts them down?"

"Yes, that is the short of it," Niri said, sadly.

Laith Lus spoke in a low voice. "There were always Elementals and there has always been, that I know of, four Orders. Each Order had its own temple and tended its own business. Then over nine hundred years ago, one Order thought about the strength they would have if the Orders came together and created a Church of the Four Orders. Not everyone agreed. There was arguing, stalling. The Orders were very proud. But then, something happened to begin to unite them."