Summoning (2)

Dozens of rivers stretched throughout Iabet, converging on a lake in the heart of it. At its center stood a gigantic wisteria tree. Its trunk resembled huge snakes crawling up to the top, and the roots sank deep into the turquoise waters.

Two bridges went from the base of the enedina to the shore; one of them was for public use, while the other was exclusively for certain families of illustrious lineage.

Being a symbol of great importance for the kingdom, this tree was guarded by the sentries of the Civil Forces' Security Corps at all hours. Inhabitants were only allowed entry during certain national festivals, while eminent families could enter at any time, but only with the permission of the regents.

Underneath the enedina was a coliseum, where the largest and most important events were held, from speeches, to combat tournaments, funeral rituals, and other national spectacles.

But what not many knew was that, beneath this coliseum, there was a hypogeum; an underground crypt full of excavated passages that ran throughout the capital.

This was a restricted area that only the Vikram family, the regents of the kingdom of Hathor, could visit, since there was a lararium, an altar to dedicate offerings to their eloah —a deity they venerated—, and also their columbarium, where all their ancestors rested for eternity.

Several statues and candlesticks flanked the flagstone paths that led to a dome-shaped chapel. The ivies and wisteria covering the chapel added a delicate contrast to the immaculate marble walls, giving it a sacred air.

Two people stood motionless in front of the threshold that served as the entrance to the small chapel.

One of the women had shoulder-length orange hair, decked out in a long, low-cut amber dress that accentuated her sun-kissed wheat skin. The semi-sheer tulle sleeves trailed on the floor and her back was completely exposed. Necklaces, bracelets and other extravagant jewelry adorned her body, revealing her high birth. Her long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, and drooping eyes gave her a lethargic appearance, but the rigidity of her features betrayed her unyielding temperament.

The woman next to her, on the other hand, had plum-colored hair tied in a high ponytail, falling in silky waves to her waist. Inserted in her hair was a simple hairpin with tiny flowers that matched her plain and demure attire. The pale lilac cotton dress was tied in a knot over one of her shoulders, leaving the other shoulder bare, and her sleeve split down the middle, falling gently to the floor. Her elongated feline-like eyes combined with her thin eyebrows gave her a sly and mischievous air, but her overall delicate features enhanced her gentle nature.

"Great erna!" A young woman behind her exclaimed urgently.

Upon hearing the call, they both turned and watched two other people run towards where they were.

A teenage girl with apricot-colored hair was holding the hand of a boy who barely reached her hip. The girl was dressed in a simple uniform consisting of pants and a loose-fitting shirt, while the boy wore an exotic matching black tunic and toga. Both had grim expressions, brimming with worry and anxiety.

As she turned around, the woman in the lilac dress wore a dismayed expression and her amethyst eyes reflected turmoil. After seeing the little boy rush towards her, the woman knelt on the ground and took him in her arms.

The boy, who had inherited the same traits as his mother, upon feeling her familiar body heat and scent, finally relaxed his tense muscles and burst into silent tears.

"I really appreciate you bringing Aliyah to me, Ciaran." The erna, known as the second wife of the great rhig, the monarch of Hathor, expressed her gratitude and hugged Aliyah tightly before standing up and continuing to appease her son.

Ciaran gave a soft smile and nodded at her, extending her greetings to the erna, and then looked over to where the great erna, the first wife of great rhig, was indifferently watching the exchange between them.

"Mo- Great erna." Ciaran quickly corrected herself and greeted her mother politely, remembering that she hated the lack of manners no matter the situation. She had better avoid making any more mistakes or then she would have to attend the tedious etiquette classes again.

The great erna, Klezara, nodded and continued to ignore her daughter to focus her attention on the pressing situation in front of them. Ciaran, accustomed to her mother's apathy, shrugged and mimicked her actions.

The vault of the underground chamber was covered by the thick roots of the enedina, which descended through the pillars that supported the structure. The walls and door of the chapel were engraved with hundreds of symbols and texts written in an archaic language.

Everyone present could see the lararium that lay at the end of the hallway, on the other side of the threshold. Various types of offerings were arranged in front of it; from gems, flowers, exotic animal carcasses, books, among other things that the members of the Vikram family considered valuable and presented to the eloah who protected the lands of Hathor.

Ciaran, seeing her mother and the erna waiting outside, knew it could only mean one thing: her father, the great rhig, was inside. Without a second thought, she made her way past the women and through the open doors.

Upon entering the chapel, her vision blurred for a few seconds as the concentrated energy coming from the lararium collided with her own. Accustomed to this, she continued walking until she climbed a circular platform and stopped in front of the offerings.

The moment she had entered the chapel and the golden energy, called aether, had entered her body, the ceremony had begun. This tested her obeisance, allegiance, and devotion, so she had to be very careful not to mess it up.

After calming her fluttering heart, she grasped the delicate dagger resting on the lararium and sank to one knee. Then, she closed her eyes to concentrate on circulating the aether within her body as she lightly cut the tips of the middle and index fingers of her left hand, then brought them to her lips and colored them with blood in the process.

"Behold me here, a vestige of thy lineage." After murmuring these words in Anatta, the archaic language of her world, the lararium glowed and the symbols scattered on the platform began to move slowly. "I present thee the blessing's proof. Grant me thy permission."

Lily-shaped marks appeared on her left hand, but her fingers continued to move to her eyelids, smearing them with some of her blood. The sclerae of Ciaran's eyes began to turn black, all the way to the center of the pupils. At last, she touched the platform beneath her feet and it began to glow like the lararium.

"May thou find redemption in thine ephemeral rest."

Unexpectedly, the enedina above them rustled and the branches swayed in protest.

Aliyah, still in his mother's arms, hid his face in her chest and hugged her tighter. His eyes, red and swollen, kept shedding tears, and his small face was contorted in a grimace of pain, yet not a sound escaped his lips.

{Mom, it's crying... and it's hurting. It's suffering}, Aliyah communicated telepathically to Stellia, the erna.

Stellia, in response, rubbed her cheek over the boy's silky hair and caressed his back, trying to soothe him. Her amethyst eyes focused again on the platform illuminated by the light of the candlesticks, where the figure of a young girl should be, however, there was nothing.

Ciaran had disappeared.