Suddenly, I find myself back in the Nexari. Zyar stands before me, his eyes piercing through me with a curiosity that feels unsettling. Sylas is at my side, his hands resting on my shoulders as if he senses that I might collapse at any moment.
“What happened?” I ask, my voice trembling with confusion. My gaze falls to my hand, where the Astralis rests still and unassuming.
Zyar raises an eyebrow and responds coldly, “That’s a question I should ask you. You met Aetherion, didn’t you? She granted you access to the Astralis!”
I nod weakly, still dazed by everything that has happened. Everything since my escape from the kingdom swirls in my mind, and the Astralis, this orb that once shone so brightly, now lies still in my hand. As if the encounter with Aetherion had been nothing more than a dream.
“It was a wondrous place,” I whisper, not lifting my eyes from my hands. “But she was... alone.”
Zyar chuckles softly, devoid of any compassion. “You shouldn’t worry about the fate of a being without its own will. Let’s go.”
Sylas, who has remained silent the whole time, nods. I wonder what he’s thinking. But there’s no time to ponder. The Astralis in my hand begins to glow once again. Suddenly, we are enveloped by a gentle warmth. Before us, a wooden door appears, tightly entwined with thorns as though it would deny us entry.
“Now you must give the Astralis permission to open the entrance,” Zyar says calmly, his finger pointing toward the door.
“How am I supposed to do that?” I ask skeptically, my gaze darting between the orb and the door.
Sylas places his hand over his chest. “It knows what you need to do.”
Zyar nods in agreement. I stretch out my hand, and the Astralis slowly rises into the air. It floats directly toward the door, and at the first touch of the thorns, they begin to dissolve like mist in the sunlight. The orb sinks back into my hand, the light fades, and the door swings open.
Zyar and Sylas walk through without hesitation. I remain standing, my hand trembling, my heart racing. What will happen if I take this step? What if this is the moment my fate irrevocably changes? What awaits me on the other side? Are the Elindine like humans, filled with greed and lies? Is their world chaotic like the Nexari? Will I even be able to breathe? Can my body withstand the laws of this foreign world?
“Ves?” Zyar calls, his voice echoing through the Nexari, his silhouette half-disappeared through the door. “We’re waiting.”
“Sorry,” I mumble, overwhelmed, but I put one foot in front of the other and follow them, even though I’m not sure if I’m ready.
My heart beats like a drumroll, my hands are sweaty. The Astralis is securely tucked into my pocket, yet I can’t stop checking it over and over again. As soon as I cross the threshold, the atmosphere around me changes.
A strong wind hits my face. Instinctively, I raise my arm to protect myself, but the wind softens, becoming almost like a breeze. A hint of mint fills the air, so fresh and crisp that I breathe deeply. Before me stretches a vast field, reaching to the horizon, filling the air with a refreshing fragrance.
Next to the expansive, fragrant mint field stands a house, simple yet imposing in its own way. It seems two, maybe three stories high, but compared to the royal palace I once knew, it feels modest, almost small. The facade is shrouded in a somber, matte black, like a shadow in the evening light, and about twenty windows punctuate the darkness of the walls. A fence, barely taller than a person, encloses the property, but through its bars, I catch a fleeting glimpse of more houses in the village, distant, silent witnesses to our arrival. The sky, painted deep red, heralds the approaching night.
“Breathtaking,” I whisper, unable to tear my gaze away from this scene. The sight captivates me as though I’ve stepped into a piece of another reality. “Is this... Solnya?”
Zyar nods, a smile playing on his lips, though his voice carries a hint of amusement. “You’re already impressed by just my estate? You’re only seeing a tiny part of the village.”
I shrug, my eyes still fixed on the endless mint field, its scent carried by the wind like a promise of something greater. Another world. The village of the Solniws on Elindros. What are the people like that live here?
The two men start moving, their steps taking us toward the house, which draws nearer with every stride. Soon, the tall trees with their pale brown leaves disappear from my view, and suddenly, a vast, silent pond opens up before me.
The water shimmers in the light of the setting sun, and upon closer inspection, I spot two fish swimming serenely in circles. One is black with a white circle on its head, the other white with a black one.
“My Kairon must have caught your eye immediately,” Zyar remarks with an amused laugh. “Do you like them?”
“They’re beautiful!” I admit reverently, raising an eyebrow. “But Kairon? What kind of fish are they? I’ve never heard of them. They must have some connection to Elindros.”
“The Kairon exist only here in Elindros,” Zyar explains, his gaze fixed on the fish. “Their origin stretches far back into history. Noctalis...” He points to the white fish. “...symbolizes the eternal night.” Then he gestures to the black one. “Solaria, she represents the fleeting day. Together, they embody the balance of this dimension and those tied to it.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
“I don’t quite understand,” I reply, tilting my head.
Sylas explains, “Noctalis represents death, Solaria represents life. Their role is to maintain the balance between light and darkness, ensuring neither gains dominance. The Kairon reveal themselves only to a select few, and for good reason.”
“What reason could they have to reveal themselves to me?” I ask, perplexed, staring at the fish hypnotically swimming in their endless circle.
“The Astralis, Ves,” Sylas reminds me, pointing to the orb in my pocket. “Noctalis and Solaria recognize Aetherion and know that those in her company are trustworthy.”
“So the Kairon are somehow connected to the Astralis?” I inquire.
“Elindros is a dimension filled with countless ancient powers,” Zyar adds, rejoining the conversation. “It takes more than one being to keep order.”
“Noctalis and Solaria hold back the darkness,” I repeat thoughtfully. “But why the light?”
“Too much light can lead to arrogance, dear Ves,” Zyar says, looking at Solaria. “Light can be viewed from different perspectives. It doesn’t just stand for goodness, but also for wealth. It symbolizes having everything the heart desires. Yet not everyone can benefit from this light, and those who do may fall into arrogance.” His gaze shifts to Noctalis. “Darkness, on the other hand, leads to blindness and bitterness. Creatures that linger too long in the darkness lose the ability to think rationally and will do anything to return to the light, having long forgotten what the light even feels like.”
“How am I supposed to understand this?” I ask, struggling to absorb all this information.
“Darkness is the absence of light,” Zyar reveals. “Light is the absence of darkness.”
“But eventually, every life must come to an end,” I murmur, my thoughts wandering to death, that inevitable foe, which even these beings cannot escape if they truly live forever.
“Indeed,” Zyar confirms quietly, his gaze dark. “Their unique gift is the ability to travel between worlds—from the physical world of Elindros to an astral or spiritual plane. But they can only do so when the balance of Elindros threatens to tip.”
“And what happens then?” My voice trembles, though I fear the answer.
Zyar hesitates. “I can’t tell you that.” There’s a weight to his words, and I let my shoulders slump. “This phenomenon occurs only once in the lifetime of the Kairon.”
“But if these fish don’t speak to you, how do you know about their task?” My confusion is now laced with unease.
Zyar’s face brightens slightly at the thought. “The dear Isilyn, your mother, enlightened me,” he explains with a gentle smile. “She guarded the Astralis and was in contact with Aetherion. But even she didn’t receive all the answers she sought.”
“But if the Astralis can find any Losniw, why did it choose me?” My questions now sound hollow to my own ears. “Why did this orb wait so long for me? Aetherion said my mother disappeared at some point. Why didn’t it find another owner?”
“Not every Losniw is worthy of carrying the Astralis,” Zyar replies, and suddenly there’s something heavy in his voice. “Your mother and you share a fate that she didn’t want to fulfill.”
“A fate?” The word leaves a bitter echo in me. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Zyar exchanges a look with Sylas. The silence between them speaks volumes. Grief? Fear? I can’t decipher it.
"The Sonatius Mortaeda," Zyar finally whispers, as if the name alone had the power to change the world. "His name means: The Sound of Death. An ancient being, older than Aetherion and the Kairon. He is a nightmare without form, with powers great enough to bend all of Elindros to his will."
A shiver runs down my spine. The Synnx from the Nexari had prophesied it – I am the one destined to tame this being. But how could I, a weak Elindine, stand against such a primordial entity?
"Why would anyone even want to control the Sonatius Mortaeda?" My voice is barely more than a whisper. "He is more powerful than all the Elindine combined!"
"You're right," Zyar admits, his eyes gleaming darkly. "Yet just as humans hunger for power, so too do the Elindine. The Sonatius Mortaeda promises a power that could destroy the balance of the world. The Losniws sensed that they had a special gift to tame this being. Eldralith Entium, a sixteen-year-old Losniw, felt this connection and decided to track down the entity."
Eldralith Entium... my ancestor. The blood of such a woman flows through my veins.
"But where she found the Sonatius Mortaeda remains a secret," Zyar continues, his voice muted. "Perhaps the place was hidden to protect him from those with evil intent. Eldralith offered her body as a vessel to hide his powers from the world."
"It couldn’t have been that simple!" I shake my head in disbelief. "Why would such a powerful being heed a girl?"
Zyar raises a cautionary finger. "The Sonatius Mortaeda is cunning. If he agrees, it's only because he gains something from it."
"So he used her?" My questions now feel like invisible chains tightening around my heart.
"No," Zyar says, his voice heavy. "He offered her his powers, and thus the strength of the Losniw grew. But this being is deceitful and delights in the suffering of its victims. What the Sonatius Mortaeda’s true motive was in accepting Eldralith Entium’s offer, I cannot tell you."
"So do the Losniws rule over Elindros?" My thoughts are racing. "Is that why I am the rightful heir to the throne? Was my father a Losniw too?"
"Eldralith had to accept that no one with the power of the Sonatius Mortaeda could ascend the throne," Zyar explains, with a look that reveals deep pain. "Instead, it was decided that the Losniws would serve the royal family."
"Who rules Elindros now?" The answer to this question seems to seal my fate.
"Valron Feroy," Zyar replies hesitantly, as if searching for the right words. "A... power-hungry man. If he learns that the rightful heir is in Elindros, he will hunt you down until you are under his control."
"But how does he even know that I'm alive?" Panic rises within me. "Why is he searching for me?"
"He doesn't know that YOU are alive," Zyar corrects. "But he knows that the vessel of the Sonatius Mortaeda still exists. As long as you are alive, she, the new vessel can not be born. Since no unusual power has appeared in Elindros for years, he knows you must be out there somewhere."
"She, the new vessel?" The word sounds like a threat. "How do you know it will be a girl?"
"Because this cycle began with Eldralith Entium," Zyar explains calmly. "Only a female Elindine can be the next vessel. After your death, the next Losniw will take your place."
"And if I refuse?" My voice is now barely a hiss, my hands trembling with rage. "What if I refuse to bear this burden?"
Zyar looks at me sadly. "If you break the agreement," he whispers, "The Sonatius Mortaeda will claim his part of the deal. He will destroy Elindros... and with it, all the Elindine."