60 Harvest, 385 - Reishada, Ograkill, Charan

It was harder than she thought it would be to bid the expedition goodbye. Taleka had grown to care for Amien and her friends over the course of the past few days. Storytelling around the campfire and shared meals. True to her word, Amien never expected anything from Taleka in exchange for her hospitality.

It was very early in the morning on the sixtieth day of harvest when the caravan snaked its way out of the city. Still three more days before Taleka could hope to meet with the council. She stood, waving goodbye, as the laden wagons creaked their way along the wide market road toward the city gates.

Watching them go she felt more uncertain than she had at any moment since leaving Alsais. An elder, gray bearded orckin stood next to her, watching the caravan leave. She had occasionally seen him around the caravan over the last several days, but they had never spoken.

His voice was a deep and gravelly rumble when he finally broke the silence.

“Amien seemed reluctant to leave you behind.” He observed.

“I am, perhaps, equally reluctant to see her go.” Taleka admitted.

“Perhaps I can assist you in your endeavors?”

The alsaian frowned up at the tall orckin. “Did Amien say anything to you about my endeavors?” She her tone was guarded.

The elder orckin shook his head and scratched at the close cropped beard that covered his chin. “No, she didn’t, but I did hear mention that you were waiting for the council.”

“The secretary was strangely hostile when I attempted to arrange a meeting, she insisted that I would have to wait at least a week, despite the urgency of my business.”

“I imagine that your kind could expect hostility from certain factions of the populace.” He mused.

“You don’t seem particularly hostile.”

“Of course not.” He chuckled. “I know enough of the history to understand your people’s choice. Not everyone will be understanding though. Some see your people like parents who have abandoned their children.”

“We never abandoned anything.” She protested. “We kept the balance. It was the best that we could do.”

“The Balance.” He shook his head. “Not everyone understands how important the balance is to the world. It hasn’t been held in as high an esteem since your people weren’t around to show the importance of it. Without direct interaction with it, it isn’t something most people understand.”

Taleka’s yellow colored eyes were wide as she met his gaze. “How can they not understand the balance of the world?”

“How can someone without the ability to touch it, understand the Weave?” He shrugged. “How does a fish understand flight?”

Her brows drew together in a deep frown as she thought ov er his words. Without the sense of the Balance deep in their spirits, how would these people understand it? “The balance is not the important part of why I am here.” She said at length.

“Why are you here then? No Alsaians have been seen since the aftermath of the First Tear, why have you come now?”

She laughed a little, though the sound was surprisingly dark. “The Balance.” She shook her head wryly. “The Sleepers have awakened. The world is at risk and the Balance needs to be righted. More than that though, the threat that the Sleepers pose cannot be underestimated. The first time they roser to power, we nearly sundered the world to save it from them. What lengths will we have to go to now? It is the duty of the Alsaians to balance their force in the world, but we are small in number and weaker than we used to be.” She huffed out a sigh before continuing. “Something has blocked me from reaching the Weave.” She admitted. “I don’t know what it is or whether it can be undone, but I worry that whatever it is it is no force for good.”

“The Sleeping Kel have awakened?” His voice was a rough rasp, and his red-brown eyes were no longer looking into the distance, but were instead focused entirely on Taleka.

“Yes. My teacher, the Grandmother Weaver sent me into the world to warn the Others of their awakening. I fear that I have not been terribly successful thus far.”

He growled a curse under his breath. “It is no mean coincidence that the Sleepers have awakened at this time. There has been a second tear. The expedition is heading into the Outlands to go to Old Hymaera and find out everything that they can about the First Tear so we can figure out a way to seal this one.”

Suddenly, bidding the expedition farewell felt like a terrible idea, but she still needed to warn the Others of the awakening.

Again, the elder orckin rubbed his chin. “I believe, Weaver, that I have neglected to introduce myself. I am High Commander Ulresh Blackfist. I have meetings of my own with the Council in order to discuss the arrival of the Second Tear and the Rift it left behind.”

She looked up at him, suddenly hopeful. “Would you be able to bring my news to the Council as well? I fear that my place may be with the expedition to Old Hymaera.”

“I would certainly be willing. The success of the expedition may well rest on your presence. I imagine that you are well versed in the histories of that place.”

Taleka cursed inwardly, the Teller’s apprentice would know all the old stories about such a place and she had turned back early in the journey. Certainly, the Grandmothers had known best when they sent her along in the first place. “I know many of the stories, but perhaps we can send word to the Grandmothers and they can provide additional insight.”

“I will gladly send messengers to the Grandmothers and keep them appraised of the goings on. It may be prudent to set up a relay of messengers from the expedition back here anyway, to keep everyone apprised of the situations.” He nodded decisively. “I will see done.” He turned his red-brown eyes back toward the distant expedition. “Is there anything else you wish to tell me before you go to catch up?”

“Only that the Sleepers are probably watching every move we make. Do your people remember the true danger of the sleepers?”

Ulresh grimaced. “My people remember and I will remind the council.”

She reached out had hand toward Ulresh and he engulfed it with his own. “Good luck, High Commander.” She said, “I fear that we will all need it.”

“Blessings go with you, Weaver. May the world find balance again.”

She took off her cloak and stowed it in the messenger style bag that she carried. Her brilliant wings caught the early sunlight and glittered. She stretched them gratefully as she turned toward the expedition. Keeping them covered so often made them feel so light now that they were unhindered.

“Thank you.” She said to the orckin beside her as she took to the air.

“You’re welcome.” Ulresh said as he watched her gain speed as she hurried to catch the expedition. Everything seemed to be happening at once. Coincidence after coincidence. Had the Second Tear awakened the Sleepers or had the Sleepers’ Awakening led to the Second Tear? And where did the Balance that the Alsaians worshiped fit into the whole thing. Ulresh sook his head and stroked his beard, only time would answer most of those questions. Gods hope they had enough of that.