Chapter 36

Omens

“Dear wife. It is just as you predicted. Three black marble pillars have appeared in the areas you foretold about.” Khan Anwar told his wife after just receiving a crystal memory feed from his homeland, the Belkins.

“Did they say anything else about it?” Dathney Anwar, an Oracle and wife to the second crown prince of the Belkins asked.

“No, our people were very quick to cordon off the areas. Though…” Khan trailed off as he had more news that he did not want to share.

“Yes?”

“Well there were also signs that piles of salt were laid about the area. Large piles of salt that some say still have the shape of small feet. While others have a lower body.”

“Adults?”

Khan shook his head ruefully. “Children. It is all just as you predicted.”

“The missive?”

“It has been sent by my brother.”

Hearing this Dathney nodded her head.

“You sure there is nothing we can do for the time being?” Khan asked.

“Yes, every version of the history where the chosen one goes early the golden bubble disappears and then we are left with impending darkness after seven years.”

“How long are we expected to wait?”

“Two years?”

“Two years. Right about the time we should be graduating from here.” Dathney said.

“So what does it all mean?” Khan asked, frustration filling his voice as he looked at his beloved wife.

“I don’t know. Maybe he finds something to help him climb faster in two years’ time.”

“Faster? He is already a monster capable of taking down psychic dragons with ease.”

“Yes, he is custom made against mind and disabling attacks. Almost as if by some divine plan.” Dathney said as she looked out the patio window that overlooked one of the training yards. This was the closest room on campus that had such a view of the training grounds. Normally nobles insist on having one of the outside rooms that have windows facing away from the training grounds. This was why the request for an interior viewing room was easily accepted.

Now Dathney and Khan both stared out over the courtyard to see something that would have been in the realm of disbelief a few years ago. A man floated and practiced his Flying Sword Style attack against master Shai’jan and was winning.

“I originally thought you were crazy asking for this smallest of rooms for dignitaries. But now I see why you chose this room above all others.” Khan paused, as he opened his mouth to say what was to come next.

Dathney’s eyes glowed in that icy blue way that sent shivers down Khan’s spine.

“You want to know if I have feelings for him?”

Hearing his own thoughts brought to the open Khan felt a little sheepish at the jealousy that is in his heart. Seeing his expression Dathney smiled a warm smile, before grabbing the prince and pulling him close to her.

“Sit here and listen to my heart. Tell me when I lie to you.” Dathney said, having spoken Khan instantly relaxed.

“Now it would be a lie to say I don’t have feelings for the man. He saved me, not once, not twice, but thrice. Each time he asked for nothing in return. Each time he had the same stoic face and look as he does right now. To not have feelings for a savior would be selfish. He saved me. He saved you. No doubt you too have feelings for him.” Dathney said, with that Khan tried to get up, but Dathney’s gentle hands held him firm.

“Listen. This is very important; you must know that I love you with all my heart. I saw futures where I didn’t get taken back to civilization. Futures where I was part of the homestead nine.”

“Nine?”

“Polina would have also joined me. But I digress. The nine of us would be here and I would feel like I was staring at the stars. Something that shines so brightly and yet is always out of grasp. Part of what makes him so admirable is his heart, it is already owned by another.”

“Who?”

Dathney shook her head. “I don’t know. Truthfully I don’t know if he even knows right now.”

“So is that it? You saw a future where you tried for him and were miserable so you settled for me?” Khan asked.

“Hahaha.” Dathney chuckled lightly.

After hearing the words Khan too realized how childish he sounded. The truth was he liked Dathney. From the moment he laid eyes on her, she glowed with an aura and presence that was undeniable. Then she came to his lands, accepted the marriage proposal and made Khan the happiest he has ever been. Yet, the way she always paused to see Lykan, made him wonder.

“What do you see when you see him?” Khan asked.

“I see a tall man whose youthful face could make others easily mistake him for a child. Yet he is so much more. He is forged from adversity and trials.”

“No, I mean in the future. You say you see him as a golden blur, but you still always seem to know where he will be?”

“Yes, that has proven to be difficult. The future is forever altering. Walking slightly faster to get to an event could change the view, or the event entirely. With Lykan, it is the same thing as looking at a master artist paint a painting in reverse. Normally an artist starts with the main components and then builds in the background as needed to help tell a story of a time and place. Well with him, everything is reversed. I can see all the background pieces so I know where to look and when, but I never get to know how until the time comes.”

“So with these prophesies about the pillars what do you see?”

“I see them glowing brightly even now with power, too much power. Some of the power needs to bleed off into the lands. The power will grow and slither its way to other conduits of power. Then finally once all seven in a set are linked they will join energies to open a portal.”

“A portal to where?”

Dathney only shook her head and began trembling with fear. Khan felt something wet hit his face. When he looked up all he saw was his beautiful wife crying.

“No, sorry. Did I say something?” Khan asked, getting up to hold his wife close to him now.

“I’ve tried. Really I have tried to see beyond. But there is something there, something that feels like it is waiting for me, or people like me to visit.” She shuttered as she remembered the two glowing red eyes that stared at her through the darkness of the portal and through time and space. It was as if the being knew that Dathney was looking at it somehow.

“So you think that in two years these things will have bled off enough energy into the ground that Lykan will be able to handle them?”

Dathney tried to regain herself, “I hope.”

Hearing that Khan just nodded his head in agreement. Then another thought hit him, “won’t that dark energy in the soil cause problems?”

Dathney nodded, “yes. Though I would like to point out that this is a calamity, they are meant to test us all.”

“So what should we do?”

“The only thing we can. Train and be by his side when he needs us.” Dathney said, turning her head to watch as Lykan continued going through his stances in the air. His master Shai’jan had already turned in for the night, so now it was just Lykan going through his forms with first the spear, then the sword, and finally using his bow.

“There is something that just doesn’t make sense.” Khan said.

“Oh?”

“How is it that there is only one person that can close these pillars. There are what, forty-nine of them?”

“That is correct, seven groups of seven.”

“And they can only be closed after they have drained off for two years and only be closed by him?”

Shaking her head.

“No, Lykan does the first few, then we can mimic what he does. At the end there are multiple groups of us going out to close them all.” Dathney said, her eyes glowing.

“And you can’t see how we do it?”

Dathney just closes her eyes in shame, “no. I cannot see that. There is something that we do. Something that is hidden in a golden sphere that keeps me from seeing the process. But we can and do close some pillars on our own. I guarantee that.”

“Well good. I would hate to be the third camel to the end of the world who alway followed around the hot guy and my wife.” Khan said.

“Hahaha.” Dathney laughed, and stared at her husband for a moment. Holding him tightly she locked eyes with him for a few seconds then bit her lower lip.

“Ye-yes?” Khan stuttered as he locked eyes with his wife.

“Are you done watching?” Dathney said, breaking away her eye contact for a second to stare in Lykan’s direction.

“Of looking at that guy. Yeah, who wouldn’t be tired of looking at someone with muscles for days that apparently has every girl gawking at him from the shadows.” Khan said.

“Good.” With that, Dathney got up and held out her hand. He readily accepted, and with that she took him back to their bedroom chambers.