The Chronicles of Salen Kur’Savien

“Master Salen, she’s losing the connection!”

Salen Kur’Savien grimaced. It had been a mistake to have Delia join the Bonding. She had talent, but her thoughts betrayed her emotions.

He settled his own anxiety before sending a response. “Calm yourself, Scribe. Irydess knows what she is doing. Your emotions only serve to distract.” He shouldn’t have to remind her that Irydess was the most gifted Conduit their growing order had ever seen. Through her actions alone, they had uncovered entirely new fragments from the Second Age. Fragments that shed new light upon the real cause of The Fall.

He was completely aware of the difficulties Irydess faced during Bonding. Every day, The Nexus diminished, making an already dangerous connection treacherous. Even Irydess’ uncanny ability to unravel the caverns of history had become labored of late.

And now, she was reaching back further than ever before.

Delia had been the first to find her. In a trance, Irydess roamed the cloister, still in her night clothes. Delia had followed, unsuccessfully attempting to wake her. When Irydess had somehow bypassed the wards and entered the Sanctum, Delia had rushed to warn him.

There had been no time to assemble a full group of seven to complete the circle. Delia had been the closest, even though she was still an apprentice. Now, the two of them knelt around the dais, funneling their power to Irydess’. What had she been thinking? It took weeks of preparation for the most fundamental of bonds. Yet, Irydess had established a connection even before Delia and himself had joined.

“Thank you for coming Master Chronicler. You as well, Scribe Delia.” Irydess’ strained thoughts rushed him. “Your assistance is much appreciated.”

He masked his relief at hearing her words at last. “Irydess, it is not too late to wait for a full gathering. Give me a day and we can try this again under more favorable conditions.” He noticed beads of sweat had begun to form on Delia’s brow.

“I am sorry Master Salen…but the Bond…came upon me…outside the Sanctum…”

This time, it was he who was unable to mask his emotions. “Impossible! Irydess, are you certain?”

“Quite. I had little control over my physical faculties, I fear. It was all I could managed to rush here in the hope you might find me.”

How was this possible? Irydess was unique, yes, but to form a Bond outside of the Sanctum’s amplification and mental shielding protocols should be impossible. Yet, they had forgotten much in the millennia since The Fall. And with the Nexus weakened, they relied too heavily on old technology.

“We are here, Irydess. I sent for the others as well, more help will arrive shortly. Are you able the disengage the Bond?”

“I’m afraid not, Salen.” It was unlike Irydess to forget his title. Her thoughts were unfocused. “Even now… I feel her pulling me through the mist.”

As soon as he had added his power to the dais, Salen understood just how far in the past Irydess now attempted to channel. They had been tasked with sifting through the sands of history in the hopes of finding out why the Nexus weakened. It was thought such a discovery might lead to a cure.

Their order had been chronicling the past for decades. However, they had little control over just what point in time their gaze landed. Also, it was the Conduit who always initiated the connection—established the Bond to whatever focus they perceived through the mists of time.

Yet, if Irydess was correct, something had forced the bond with her first. It should be impossible, especially over such a distance in history. He had never heard of the Nexus acting like this…it didn’t make sense…it…

“Bordered on prophecy…” He let the last thought escape his mental buffer.

Irydess gave no reply and Delia was hunched over her knees, her head pressed to the stone floor in concentration. Two of the Lesser Conduits had arrived, heeding Salen’s earlier summons. With a mental command, he lowered the wards, permitting them entrance and bid them to take their place around the dais. Raising the wards again, he hoped the four of them would be enough. Soon, he wouldn’t be conscious enough to lower the wards again.

He readied his mind with the techniques he had discovered so long ago, and placed his palms within the small rune-wrapped circles engraved upon the stone floor that surrounded the dais.

Together, the five of them entered the mist.

* * *

A figure moved through the darkness, and at the same time, with it. The shadows were as much Luneah’s plaything as the abomination that followed her.

This place made her pointed ears itch and her dark skin prickle. Places of power were common enough in this age, she knew. However, the vale was different. Settled at the eastern base of the Myrr mountains, it was little more than a box canyon. A canyon surrounded by the oldest forest Luneah had ever seen. Of course, that didn’t mean much, her kind didn’t spend much time on the surface—not since they had arrived.

The Nexus had brought her to the circular glade in the center of the vale, empty except for sky-blue blossoms that blanketed the meadow—their petals silver in the starlight.

The Nexus told her of the others watching her as well, the ones outside her Age. She was not surprised. The centuries that Luneah had spent connected to the Nexus had taught her of its infinite reach. Time was as much a plaything as the shadows were.

Let them watch. Perhaps this time, they will listen. The thought that the Nexus had blessed her with an audience outside of time steeled her with the determination at what she knew she must do.

If only the council had listened. Instead, her Age would fall. She knew of how the future generations would refer to it: The First Age, The Old World, before The Fall… She had seen it; the Nexus had shown her.

How many more would fall in the millennia to come?

She almost pitied the creature that hunted her. The moonless night only added to her power; shadows were everywhere. Tightening her grip upon her sword, Luneah reminded herself to be vigilant. After all, her kind had been all but slaughtered by what pursued her now.

The creature approached more quickly, drunk with anticipation at what it now surely sensed. It would likely think the Vale a feast. One it could gorge itself upon for centuries. A long wail of hellish glee erupted from the trees behind her.

Luneah stepped into the shadow, embraced the ever-present promise of power the Nexus offered, and vanished—only to reappear fifty paces away in the center of the glade.

She knelt, placing her palm upon the soft spongy earth beneath her. Yes, right here. It was deep, directly below her. A natural connection to the Nexus itself.

The abyssal creature shattered through the edge of the trees into the clearing. It’s humanoid skeletal frame hinting at what it may once have been. Now a seething darkness twisted and whipped around the creature. Not the normal blackness of night, but darkness devoid of natural light, a void. Trembling in ecstasy from the power it sensed around it, the creature bellowed another night-splitting wail. Its gaze never left Luneah as it bent unnaturally to scoop giant swathes of earth and vegetation into its gaping maw.

“A fitting last meal, abomination.”Luneah drew her sword and plunged its blade deep into the spongey earthy beneath her. “That which you yearn for so, will be your undoing.”

The creature hurtled itself forward, a strangled gasp escaped its ever-open mouth. Bits of leaf and loam flew from its soulless face.

Luneah never faltered. “The Nexus will survive, demon! I have seen it!”

Grasping the hilt of her sword with both hands, she channeled. One by one, unlocking the ancient restraints that had been taught to her since birth. The restraints that kept the Nexus from consuming her.

Liberated, the Nexus within her responded. The fire within her exploded in liquid gold. Nexusfire inundated the blade. The power deep under the earth erupted forth, drawn to Luneah’s outpouring of power like that of the moon forever enticed by the sun.

Light enveloped the vale. Legends would later be born of how some unnamed goddess fell from the heavens to rest for eternity at the base of the Myrr Mountains. Both Luneah and the creature were consumed. When the light faded, only the forest and a few onlookers outside of time were witness to what remained.

A single tree of immense proportions grew where Luneah and her sword had knelt mere moments before. A single voice echoed from the base of the tree.

“I am born. I am the R’leigh Bo.”

* * *

Irydess and Salen woke gasping and sputtering. Irydess’ frail call brought Salen to full consciousness. Rolling to his side, he forced himself to his knees and stumbled to her side.

“Did you hear her, Master Salen?” The Bond was broken and she didn’t have the strength to send her thoughts.

He tried to put together all that he had just experienced. Nearly incredulous, he nodded as he grasped her hand.

“You did it Irydess, you found a natural Source! One that may even still exist today. This could be the connection we’ve been searching for…”

“The woman…what was she…?

The two Lesser Conduits began to stir. Salen was glad they had remembered their training—they would likely live.

The woman Luneah. “I…I don’t know, Irydess. I’ve never learned of any race of man that matched her description, let alone her power. Her connection to the Nexus was like nothing I’ve ever seen.” By the gods! They had Bonded with an ancient from the First Age. She’d even known we were there!

“Master Salen!” Irydess’ shriek resounded off the stone walls.

He followed her gaze to the crumpled figure of Delia that lay behind him. Smoke rose from her eye-sockets and half-opened mouth. The Nexus had consumed her.

First, let me say thank you for taking the time to read this piece. This work is meant to be a prequel to my novel-in-progress A World Long Sundered. If you are interested in reading more about the R'leigh Bo, I encourage you to check out some of my links below. I learned of this contest through the Fiction Workshop on Discord. Thank you again and take care.

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A World Long Sundered -- Chapter 1 Original Version -- Note: This version was edited and broken into the 2 parts of chapter 1 above. Some might like to compare.
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Marvelous Tales #8 - [The Chronicles of Salen Kur'Savien]

The Chronicles of Salen Kur’Savien

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