Aegis Rising by S.S.Segran

burning in the fire pit, deep in thought.
    Tikina tried a different angle. “Think about this: When you meet someone for the first time, where does your gaze fall?”
    She watched them intently, waiting for some kind of reaction. She saw Saiyu’s countenance light up with realization. “The eyes!” she exclaimed, then after a moment’s thought, added, “What if the shades mentioned in the prophecy refers not to the colors of the crystals, but instead, to the color of the youths’ eyes?”
    There was dead silence.
    A smile grew on Tikina’s face. “Exactly.”
    “My goodness.” Saiyu shook her head in disbelief. “And it does make sense, does it not? Eyes are portals. They are windows to the soul.”
    Nageau smiled admiringly at his mate. “The younglings’ eyes are a perfect reflection of the shades mentioned in the prophecy. Earth is obviously brown, and Sky , blue. Mist is gray. Fire  . . .”
    “I suppose that would be amber,” Saiyu answered.
    Nageau turned to Tikina. “What about River ? We have seen different shades of rivers.”
    Tikina smiled mysteriously. “True . . . however, what if it is referring to Esroh Lègna, the river in our valley?”
    Nageau’s eyebrows rose to his hairline at the notion. “Green . . . like the boy Kody’s eyes, perhaps?”
    Tikina nodded slowly. “And brown, like the girl Mariah’s eyes.”
    Tayoka caught on. “Amber, like Jag’s.”
    “And Tegan, her eyes are gray, like mist,” Saiyu added.
    Ashack, under the eager, hungry look in the other Elder’ gazes, reluctantly finished, “And blue, like Aari’s eyes.”
    They all leaned back in astonishment. “Amazing,” Nageau murmured.
    Tayoka grinned. “Tikina, you are brilliant.”
    Tikina shrugged modestly and smiled.
    Ashack folded his arms and looked at his companions. “Does anyone else think this seems too easy?”
    “Well, perhaps so,” Tayoka said, “but Ashack, look: What are the chances of the events that have happened, happening?”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “What I mean is, consider the chain of events that have unfolded lately. Remember the skycraft that took on the image of Cerraco as it soared overhead?”
    Nageau nodded. “Just as foretold in our ancient narratives.”
    “Exactly. Also, what are the chances of having these five youths brought to us from Cerraco, by the Guardians themselves? It was not four, it was not six. It was exactly five , and they are not old—no, they are young, like ‘saplings’.” Tayoka looked around at his companions and saw them listening carefully. He continued. “Lastly, what are the chances of the shades mentioned in the prophecy matching the eyes of the outsiders? Could all of that be mere coincidence?”
    That quieted Ashack. The black-haired man looked at the fire again and shook his head slowly. “I agree. There is too much here to be purely coincidental. But as I said earlier, it seems all too easy.”
    “Maybe so,” Saiyu said. “Perhaps the miracle of the prophecy lies in its elegant simplicity.”
    Ashack nodded slightly. “But there is much more to the prophecy, and we all know how the other verses foreshadow future events. I just hope that deciphering those verses will be as effortless as this was.”
    “I hope so too, Ashack.” Nageau stroked his chin, eyes half-closed. “The prophecy . . . It does paint a disconcerting picture of the future.”
    “My thoughts are with the five,” Tikina said quietly, looking at her mate. “Will they—if indeed they are the ones—be able to stand together and carry the weight that we will place on their shoulders?”
    Nageau wore an unsettled look. His mind travelled back to a time over three decades ago when he had been called upon to make one of the most difficult decisions as an Elder. Before he could walk further down that painful road, he was brought back to the present when Tikina rested a cool hand on his arm. He looked up at her, slightly startled, then quickly cleared his