she scolded. “You could have been seriously injured, or worse. You’re still far too inexperienced to fight alone.”
“But,” Vincent tried to cut in, but his face was once again met by Lauren’s hand, resulting in a resounding slap. “And that one?” Vincent was losing his patience.
“That’s for using your token. Jason also told you what would happen if the Eresians found out that you were still alive. Never use your token in public!” Lauren was shouting now. “If anyone had seen you, it could have meant the destruction of the entire Order.” Lauren paused, becoming quieter, but still just as angry. “So help me, if you do anything to endanger the people of Pallà, death would be favorable over what I would do to you.” Lauren stalked off into the forest. Vincent followed.
They walked in silence. The sun was now hanging over the horizon, and the light was getting dim. After walking for what could have been the rest of eternity as far as Vincent was concerned, they arrived at the small gate. Lauren walked through without looking at Vincent.
He followed quickly through the opening and nearly ran into Master Silva, who was standing on the other side.
“Done thinking?” Silva asked; he was smiling.
“Yes,” Vincent replied glumly, still upset by the scolding he had received from Lauren.
“Excellent!” Silva said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s continue our discussion.” Silva started off in the direction of Vincent’s cabin with Vincent in toe.
Auna had found another chair and was sitting, happily flying little fiery birds around the candle on the table. Vincent and Silva sat in the two vacant chairs.
“Did you enjoy your walk?” Auna asked without looking away from his birds.
“What was that thing out there?” Vincent asked, ignoring Auna’s question.
“Ah, did you meet Frost?” Auna asked as the birds perched one by one on top of the candle and disappeared. “Perhaps you’d better answer this one Jason.”
“Frost is the hunter sent out by the Magi,” Silva explained. “His sole purpose is to hunt and destroy the Pallàdrim. You’re fortunate that he underestimated you. Had he come with his pack of lupis, it could have turned out differently.”
“But who are the Magi?” Vincent asked, still confused. “They talked about them in the history lessons, but they never explained who or what they were.”
“That brings us back to our earlier discussion,” Silva smiled. “But first, I’ll need to tell you a bit more about the Pallàdrim.” Silva paused. “Perhaps it would be easier to show you.”
Vincent was intrigued, what could they possibly have to show him?
“Those who share the Token of Fire have a unique connection, Vincent.” Auna explained with a smile. “Not only can we sense the presence of another fire user, but we can share memories and thoughts directly, as if they were your own.”
“How does that work?” Vincent asked.
“Just relax,” Silva said, placing a hand on Vincent’s forehead, “you will soon understand everything.”
The world suddenly warped around Vincent. He felt as though he was falling, pulled by the hand on his forehead. Then his feet hit a stone floor. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was.
To his surprise, he was standing on top of a massive tower, overlooking a city. More surprisingly, he was alone. He looked out over the city. It was gorgeous and seemed to stretch on forever. Golden banners flew from every tower.
“This is the City of Gesta, as I remember it,” Silva’s voice echoed inside his head, “before the war.” Vincent gazed in wonder. Could this really be Gesta over four hundred years ago? The scene shifted again. The feeling was unsettling. Vincent now stood at the base of a different tower. It was square, made of polished obsidian with pillars of fire climbing the four corners, meeting at the top to create a giant ball.
“The Pallàdrim long defended the kingdom. One thousand years
“But,” Vincent tried to cut in, but his face was once again met by Lauren’s hand, resulting in a resounding slap. “And that one?” Vincent was losing his patience.
“That’s for using your token. Jason also told you what would happen if the Eresians found out that you were still alive. Never use your token in public!” Lauren was shouting now. “If anyone had seen you, it could have meant the destruction of the entire Order.” Lauren paused, becoming quieter, but still just as angry. “So help me, if you do anything to endanger the people of Pallà, death would be favorable over what I would do to you.” Lauren stalked off into the forest. Vincent followed.
They walked in silence. The sun was now hanging over the horizon, and the light was getting dim. After walking for what could have been the rest of eternity as far as Vincent was concerned, they arrived at the small gate. Lauren walked through without looking at Vincent.
He followed quickly through the opening and nearly ran into Master Silva, who was standing on the other side.
“Done thinking?” Silva asked; he was smiling.
“Yes,” Vincent replied glumly, still upset by the scolding he had received from Lauren.
“Excellent!” Silva said, rubbing his hands together. “Let’s continue our discussion.” Silva started off in the direction of Vincent’s cabin with Vincent in toe.
Auna had found another chair and was sitting, happily flying little fiery birds around the candle on the table. Vincent and Silva sat in the two vacant chairs.
“Did you enjoy your walk?” Auna asked without looking away from his birds.
“What was that thing out there?” Vincent asked, ignoring Auna’s question.
“Ah, did you meet Frost?” Auna asked as the birds perched one by one on top of the candle and disappeared. “Perhaps you’d better answer this one Jason.”
“Frost is the hunter sent out by the Magi,” Silva explained. “His sole purpose is to hunt and destroy the Pallàdrim. You’re fortunate that he underestimated you. Had he come with his pack of lupis, it could have turned out differently.”
“But who are the Magi?” Vincent asked, still confused. “They talked about them in the history lessons, but they never explained who or what they were.”
“That brings us back to our earlier discussion,” Silva smiled. “But first, I’ll need to tell you a bit more about the Pallàdrim.” Silva paused. “Perhaps it would be easier to show you.”
Vincent was intrigued, what could they possibly have to show him?
“Those who share the Token of Fire have a unique connection, Vincent.” Auna explained with a smile. “Not only can we sense the presence of another fire user, but we can share memories and thoughts directly, as if they were your own.”
“How does that work?” Vincent asked.
“Just relax,” Silva said, placing a hand on Vincent’s forehead, “you will soon understand everything.”
The world suddenly warped around Vincent. He felt as though he was falling, pulled by the hand on his forehead. Then his feet hit a stone floor. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was.
To his surprise, he was standing on top of a massive tower, overlooking a city. More surprisingly, he was alone. He looked out over the city. It was gorgeous and seemed to stretch on forever. Golden banners flew from every tower.
“This is the City of Gesta, as I remember it,” Silva’s voice echoed inside his head, “before the war.” Vincent gazed in wonder. Could this really be Gesta over four hundred years ago? The scene shifted again. The feeling was unsettling. Vincent now stood at the base of a different tower. It was square, made of polished obsidian with pillars of fire climbing the four corners, meeting at the top to create a giant ball.
“The Pallàdrim long defended the kingdom. One thousand years
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