Levan retracted his hand quickly, “What the hell was that?”
“A part of your future. And another one’s past.” Renelle answered.
Levan’s heart raced, his lungs felt small and inadequate. The vision of the desert, the sand hitting his skin, the cool night air, it was all so ethereal but simultaneously felt so real. He put a hand up to his face to feel for the cut that was not there.
“Do not fret, you are not hurt.” Renelle assured him.
“Who is he?” Levan asked, “Is he me in a future life?”
Renelle shook her head, “No.”
Levan cocked his head and furrowed his brows.
“I believe him to be one of the Yoldi.” Renelle said, “I can’t say more than that.”
Great, more words I don’t understand. Levan thought.
Levan shook his head, “No, I need you to explain this. What the hell is going on? What is a Xilaskar and a Yoldi? Who are you? Who were the people I saw? And what the hell do you want with me?”
Renelle put her hand onto his shoulder, “I promise, everything I say will make sense in time.”
Levan stood up and pushed the woman away from him, “No that’s not good enough. I need to understand what is happening.”
Renelle let out a breath and hung her head, “Fine, if you insist. What I showed you was the last three days of one of the Yoldi; Ibilsin am Putur.”
“I figured that out.” Levan replied.
Renelle’s piercing green gaze struck him and forced his silence, “As I was saying. He is to be one of the Yoldi, companions of the Xilaskar. They are reborn throughout time to aid the Xilaskar in their mission.”
“And what is the Xilaskar?” Levan asked.
“You.” replied Renelle.
Levan took a step back, shaking his head. What does she mean? What does any of this mean? Levan opened his mouth to ask another question, as he did a voice came through the trees, it was Luka.
“All gather, we’ve found the barbarian!”
Levan silently glared at Renelle and her bodyguard, who remained silent and unbothered by his commotion, and the strange air that surrounded Renelle. He walked past them both and toward the sound of Luka’s voice and the now constant blow of a horn. As Levan walked his mind raced with the new information from the vision, the Yoldi, the Xilaskar—what did it all mean for him? He barely noticed his surroundings until he saw the circle of men.
Levan worked his way through the crowd of men, at the center was a body. The body was that of a man, but on first glance it wouldn’t be amiss to think otherwise. The man's body was contorted, mauled, missing an arm and a large chunk from his torso. the man’s ribs were exposed, as his lay dead in his own viscera.
Another man was at the center of the circle, though he was alive and bound. He was a gruff man, a large unkempt beard that fell to his chest, gray eyes that stared blankly ahead. He wore weathered hides and a fur hat atop his head. Luka stood behind him, sword to the man’s throat.
“This man,” Luka started, “Is responsible for the death of the man before you, and the deaths of Grigory’s cattle. This barbarian has been possessed by Thy Mother of Sin. He has no remorse, no regrets, no second thoughts about what he’s done. Be assured, he shall hang. But he must face the people he threatened.”
The crowd cheered and wooed, applause roared, and some banged their spears on improvised shields. Levan felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the man kneeling on the ground. The lack of emotion in his eyes was unsettling. How could someone so brutal be so calm? It reminded Levan of the vision, of Ibilsin’s desperation. But this was different. This man was empty, a shell devoid of any humanity.
A hand touched Levan’s shoulder. He saw Renelle and her bodyguard; her eyes were trained on the man. At first, the man didn’t seem to notice her, but soon his head began to turn slowly in their direction. The man looked right past Levan at Renelle, his blank expression fading into an eerie grin. Levan looked at Renelle, her face was emotionless and her stare unbroken.
Levan saw a thin white wisp flow from Renelle’s fingers, so faint he almost thought he imagined it. It swirled around the man before disappearing into his chest. The man didn’t react, and Levan glanced around to see if anyone else noticed, but they were all focused on Luka. Something about what Renelle was doing felt right, even though he didn’t understand it. The white wisp returned to Renelle’s hand, and Levan felt a strange sense of reassurance.
Renelle whispered to Levan, “This man did not maul these animals nor this man, but he is responsible.”
Levan looked at her with furrowed brows and a cocked head. “What do you mean?”
“He didn’t do the killings; he ordered them,” she explained, her voice tinged with a mix of certainty and something else that Levan couldn’t quite place. “There are forces at play here, Levan, ones you will come to understand in time.”
Levan looked back at the man; he could see that the grin he had turned into a fit of laughter. It was quiet subtle laughter, enough to not be noticed by the majority, but it was present, and frightening. Levan shifted his gaze to Renelle; her expression remained the same.
“If it wasn’t him, then who was it?” Levan asked.
“I do not know,” Renelle said, her eyes narrowing in contemplation. “He wouldn’t say.”
Wouldn’t say? He hasn’t said a word since I’ve been here. Levan looked back at the man, his gray eyes moved to meet his own, continuing to laugh. His eyes burned with something, hiding something behind them. Levan narrowed his eyes and continued to look at the man. The man’s gray eyes slowly began to change, a warm glow sitting in the center, slowly enveloping his whole eye, turning the gray to orange.
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“His eyes changed,” Levan told Renelle.
She returned her gaze to the man, her emotionless facade falling into a look of shock. Renelle looked back at him; her gaze filled with confusion as she investigated him. It felt like he was being torn into pieces and studied.
“What did you do?” Renelle finally asked.
“Nothing,” Levan admitted.
Renelle shook her head, “No, you did something. What was it?”
“I swear, I didn’t do anything,” Levan said. “And if I did, I don’t know what.”
She nodded her head as Luka ordered the party to pack up and return to Zoidiv. Levan returned his gaze to the bound man one last time. His eyes still orange, and his laughter had not ceased. If he hadn’t done the killings, who did? Could Stepan and Mikal be right, and Trogs are terrorizing our town?
Their return to Zoidiv was quiet. Levan had attempted to ask Renelle more about the Xilaskar, the Yoldi, and what power she had used against the bound man, but she maintained a strict silence the entire journey. Despite her silence, his mind was abuzz with questions. Everything he knew was changing. The small village he lived in was being terrorized by some man. A strange woman had come to town and provided visions of other people’s lives. Levan’s understanding of the world was fractured.
He stopped at the stable while the rest of the search party continued forward, parading the bound man through the streets to applause and cheers. He found Liya leaning on the fence, watching the group go by. As he walked toward her, he suddenly stopped. Something was calling him, an urge to leave and follow the bound man. Levan looked around. Nobody was there aside from Liya, who was now walking toward him.
He shook his head, looking down the road where the last remnants of the search party rounded the corner. Liya came over to him, her mouth was moving, but his head pounded, and he couldn’t hear the words she was saying. He took her in his arms and embraced her, his gaze trapped on the street corner. As he looked, he felt like he could hear his name being called, but by what, he couldn’t see.
“Levan!” Liya screamed in his ear.
His focus on the street corner snapped, and he quickly turned his gaze to Liya. Her face was red, and her hands were on his chest, trying to push him away. Realizing how tightly he had been holding her, he immediately let go and stepped back.
“What’s wrong with you?” she yelled. “Why did you do that?”
“I…I don’t know,” he admitted, confusion and guilt swirling within him.
“You don’t know? Levan, you could have killed me!” Liya screamed.
Levan nodded, shame washing over him. “I know. I’m sorry, Liya.”
His face felt hot from where Liya’s hand connected with him. The slap wasn’t painful, but rather it was bewildering. He didn’t know why he had been squeezing her so tightly or what had possessed him to do so. He watched as she marched away from him and into her house. Levan put his face in his hands and let out a deep sigh. God and His Angels, what is happening to me? Levan thought as he shook his head and began walking toward town center.
The town center was crowded with most of Zoidiv, sending curses and rotten vegetables toward the bound man. Levan searched for his parents in the crowd of people, he found them standing near the Lord Priest and Judge Lev. He greeted his mother with an embrace and gave his father a nod as he took a seat next to them. The seat was right next to the noose and the bound man. Levan looked at the bound man once more, to his surprise the bound man was looking back at him, his eyes still a burning orange.
Who are you? Levan thought as he looked at the man. There was suddenly a strange laughter that resonated around him, taking a glance around himself he saw nobody laughing, until his gaze returned to the bound man.
You want to know who I am, do you?
Levan quickly looked away from the man, crossing his arms and staring out into the crowd.
That won’t help you, boy.
The voice was gruff and deep. And it fell directly into his ears, blocking out all other sounds. Levan shook his head, putting his hands to his ears.
You want answers, don’t you? I can give you them, just open your mind, boy.
Levan looked back at the man, a thin smile growing on his face. He took a deep breath, hesitating to follow the man’s instruction. There was no telling what would happen if he did, but he wanted answers, answers that Renelle seemed too stubborn to give. Levan relaxed in his chair, emptying his mind of thoughts.
Good job, boy. The man’s voice echoed in his mind.
How are you doing this? Levan thought.
It’s simple, your mind is unshielded, for the most part. I just needed a formal invitation in.
What does that mean? Levan asked.
The man’s voice returned, It means I can talk to you anytime, anywhere, so long as I can see you. All without even opening my mouth. That witch can do it too, though I doubt she told you.
Levan searched the crowd for Renelle but couldn’t find her in the sea of people. He brought his gaze back to the man, Is that what she did to you in the forest?
We had a conversation, if that’s what you mean.
Levan narrowed his eyes at the man, So who are you?
The man’s laughter bounced off the walls of his mind, My name is Sparatak.
And what are you, Sparatak?
I am a devoted follower of my Lord Nagun. Sparatak said.
Who’s that?
The world’s savior.
Why are you here? Levan asked.
The same reason as that witch. I’m here for you. Sparatak answered.
Me?
Sparatak laughed again, Yes you.
Why? I’m just a smith.
No, no Levan you are not just a smith. You’re much more than that, you’re very special.
Levan chortled, Got the wrong person, Vilip was the special one.
Oh, that’s where you’re wrong. If he was as special as you are, he’d still be here in Zoidiv
Levan balled up his fists, fighting back the urge to go strangle the man, Explain yourself, Sparatak.
What’s there to explain, you’re why I am here.
Why are you and Renelle looking for me?
Because you’re special, Levan.
You said you’d give me answers, and that isn’t an answer. Levan complained.
Oh, but it is, boy.
Why am I special then?
You’re the Xilaskar, you are the Savior of the World. At least that’s what those witches and their watch dogs at the Ashen Cycle say.
And what do you and your Lord think I am?
You’re the future, you and your Yoldi will remold the world and turn into the paradise it was always meant to be. Sparatak explained.
How am I supposed to remold the world? And who are the Yoldi? Levan asked.
With the power that Lord Nagan can provide you. He will teach you how to bend your Yoldi into your right arm, an extension of your authority, your dreams.
Levan couldn’t tell if Sparatak was being honest with him or if it was feigned promises and half-truths. The man’s words had an inflection as they sounded off in his head, but they didn’t point him in any direction of truth or lies. Levan shook his head, returning his mind to the present. The crowd’s shouting grew louder as Judge Lev read out the charges. He fixed his gaze on the judge, trying to block out Sparatak intrusive voice.
Lev’s words were drowned out by the angered townsfolk. Judge Lev clearly was upset but it didn’t stop him from continuing to read out the charges. Once he finished, he moved back and let Lord Priest Josip begin to read Sparatak his last rites. The sun had begun to set, and the shadows grew longer, as Lord Priest Josip stood in front of Sparatak splashing him with water.
Levan looked at Sparatak one last time, as Teodor came up to him noose in hand. His eyes had changed, they were no longer orange, but they didn’t return to gray rather they became a deep red. The grin that Sparatak that was always sewn on his face had transformed into a toothy smile, his laughter had become uncontrollable, and audible. Even as he was led to the platform and the noose tightened around his neck. Levan stared at the man, opening his mind to Sparatak one last time; What did you do?