Chapter 17

"The view is as melancholy as ever."

A sudden rugged voice emerges from behind me; it's tone commanding but hushed. I look over my shoulder to see he's taken a seat beside me. The man who's name I still don't know. I blunder and realise my face is exposed, but a slight glance from him, and he doesn't seem to react to me.

"Lady Kyrene."

I flinch at the sound of being called respectively. But I wonder how this man knows me to call me as such. I never allowed to be called formally, I found it cold, but I was forced to accept it during formalities. But would rather my name, the name my mother called out with love and adoration. And the name Kallias called out so softly, calming all my nerves.

"It has been a while, so I am not surprised you do not recognise me."

Who is he? Indeed I don't recognise him, but the atmosphere he extrudes is not one I'd forget?

I turn my head towards him, asking in the sand his name.

And he replies.

"I used to serve your father once a upon a time. Let me see… You were perhaps only four years old when I left. Your father had entrusted me with something, and it took me but fourteen years. Fourteen cold years was all it took to competently destroy the monastery. And for that Lady Kyrene, I sincerely apologise. I left my true duty and was led astray for too long."

His eye blinks slowly as he looks out into the sky, and his voice becomes mellow with every word. Every slight breath of his forced out with regret, but he speaks fluently. As if he's accepted this destiny.

"My name is Czar. Lady Kyrene, please allow me to continue my duty and serve you. I swear I will not fail this time."

His words scream guilt, and it seems, that his hope that I lived brought him to me.

I stand up, he's still looking out at the sky, he's still calm. I tap his shoulder, and signal to follow me. He shows no hesitation and follows immediately. It's hard to believe, that after such calamity, there are still those willing to risk their lives for me, but for some reason, I hate it.

I lead him back to his humble stall. I stand in front of the sword as I look back at him. He looks as if he understood as soon as we entered, as if this was what he was waiting for. I find myself drawn to the weapon, reaching out, and pulling it out of the stone it's embedded into. It slides out in ease, and upon a slight swing, I notice how light it is.

And after examining it future, I notice an amethyst tear engraved in the blade. It's glowing a faint light and I feel my heartbeat raising. I feel soul being wretched, and I'm losing my breath. But I've felt this before. I've seen it before, but I can't seem to remember. My mind is running through memories of my past, but I don't see it. But I can feel it?

"Lacronis. It is the sword your mother had kept safe for you. Where it came from I could not tell you, your mother had all the answers. She cared for it deeply, and instructed me to pass it to you when it was time."

But then he pauses, and it seems as if he's contemplating his words. His eyes avoid mine, but then, they gain a sense of solidarity, a will. He raises his hand to his chest, holding onto his heart.

"Lady Kyrene, only you control destiny, and only you know destiny, you may be voiceless, but you are not powerless."

The only thing is, I don't know destiny, and I am powerless. I am lacking in so many aspects, and I'm struggling to see the light, to see the path. It's as if it's non-existent and only a delusion I pray was real. Holding back my tears and choking on the lump in my throat, but for the first time in however many months…

I'm able to let out the slightest sound.

"Lady Kyrene… Your voice."

I try to let out a sound a again, but my efforts are futile. It won't come out. My words are tangled up in my mind once again, my thoughts wondering this land alone, once again. My heart racing and my head pounding as the words I long to say reverberates within my head.

But what was I expecting?

A blessing that was bestowed upon us a foreign time beyond us, would not simply reappear after being lost. My heart remains in a panicked state, as I wonder, what could have triggered my voice?