CH 11: SECRETS AND DESTINIES

"I don't know why Drave is letting you visit your parents, especially after your little fiasco in there." Strailoch grumbled, pulling Kestra down the stairs. He held her right arm in an iron grip, keeping her left one free.

"Where are my parents, Strailoch?" Kestra asks sternly. Strailoch gripped Kestra's arm tighter, nearly cutting off her circulation. Pushing her to the wall, he glared at her with his dark maroon eyes. "I know they are not being held in the dungeon, so where are they?" Kestra persisted, avoiding the pain that continued.

"It's clear that you're not scared of me right now. I can't feel your fear. I can't figure out why Drave is so fond of you." Strailoch chuckles. "I must confess that you are remarkably beautiful. I'm sure you learned this when we last met. If I had truly wanted to, victory in that battle would have been mine." He felt her struggling against his grip as he pinned her between him and the wall. Seeing this, he continued. "I don't know why anyone had such a hard time capturing you before my race surrendered to your parents. I'm a little surprised that you have beaten some soldiers on the training field. Maybe you are holding back."

Once Strailoch finished, she felt the pull on her arm. Down the corridor, she trailed behind him. She began paying no attention to Strailoch's words. Her attention shifted to where Strailoch was taking her. If Drave was going to take a few days to actually figure out how to get into Melderan, she might get her parents out of here and away from him.

Every hallway looked the same. Kestra didn't know how she would find her parents, let alone free them. Suddenly, she heard arguing farther down the hall. Strailoch's growling made it hard for her to identify the voices. She should have known that Drave would have a strong guard on them. A wave of despair washed over her. How would she get them out now?

Strailoch's growling was getting louder, almost like a snarl, as they approached a group. She recognized that some were the same ones who took her parents down and Yungite. The Morvaies could see Strailoch approaching and were suddenly quiet. Suddenly all Kestra could hear what Strailoch's growling, and her own breathing.

"Take her." Strailoch says in his language, almost growling.

Kestra wished she could speak their language fluently. She could feel Strailoch push her towards the group. One went around her and grabbed her arms while Yungite left. She felt the rough, callused hands on her arms.

"Where are you taking me?" Kestra demands. They stared at her with blank eyes.

"They don't understand you, Princess. I can't believe that you never learned our language despite all your training. Are you scared? I can sense it." Strailoch sneers. He was unsure why he derived more pleasure from Kestra's fear than from others. None had the same sense of dread as she did. It strengthened him than anyone else he had encountered. 

While fixing her icy and focused eyes on Strailoch, Kestra whispers, "Where are they taking me then?"

"Where Drave told me. To your parents." Strailoch was grinning. Looking at the others, he continued. "Blindfold her and follow me."

Kestra found herself with her eyes covered and tied with a piece of rough cloth. How would she free her parents if she didn't know the way? Kestra sensed someone's breath on her neck, but couldn't determine their identity as the Morvaie had relaxed their grip. Regardless of their identity, they pushed her ahead forcefully. She didn't know where she was. She could hear a lock and a metal door opening.

She could sense her arms being released, and her blindfold being removed. Once her eyes adjusted to the surrounding darkness, she could see the figures of her parents sitting at the far end of the cell. After glancing around, she noticed this cell was very similar to her very own. There was even a small bed in the corner opposite to her parents. Her father tried to comfort her mother, whose crying they could hear. Only when they heard Strailoch chuckle did they look.

"Drave wanted someone to see you." Strailoch finally says, pushing Kestra further in the cell, into the little light that shown through.

Kestra could see them stand. They didn't expect Drave to let them see their daughter.

"Kestra, is that really you?" Celia asks in a whispered voice, walking towards Kestra.

Kestra could only give her mother a small nod. Further down the corridor, Kestra heard an intense roar. Looking in that direction, she saw Strailoch. He grinned at her as he signal to the Morvaies. She tore her eyes away as they disappeared farther down the corridor.

"Oh, Kestra." Her mother says, hugging her. "We've been so worried about you."

Kestra felt a strong but gentle hand on her shoulders. When she turned, she saw Keldo with tear-streaked checks. Before she turned around all the way, her father gave her a tight embrace. She buried her head in his chest and cried. Once she thought she had forgotten everything, Strailoch cleared his throat.

"Before you get too comfortable, Keldo, Drave has a message for you." Strailoch spoke once Celia, and Keldo looked at him.

"The secret that you have kept from her. You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you? I would tell it to Kestra if I were you." Strailoch finished.

"What is he talking about?" Celia asks.

"I don't know." Keldo replies. He avoided eye contact with her and continued to comfort his daughter.

Strailoch grinned. He knew that if Keldo didn't explain, then he would. "Of course you do, Keldo. Don't you remember years ago? A rebellion occurred, an Elf and a Morvaie fell in love and had a child. Do you wish to hear more, Princess? It's really quite interesting." Strailoch says. He was about to continue when Keldo cut him off.

"Enough, Strailoch. Your race banned your own son, killed his mother, and gave you the rank of captain." Keldo shouts. He didn't want Kestra to hear anymore.

"Do you want to tell Kestra about her destiny, or shall I?" Strailoch replies calmly, folding his arms. He saw Kestra turn her head and looked at him. Fear showed in her eyes. Strailoch could also see the concern. Hasn't Keldo told her anything? Strailoch continued on. "You see Princess, there is a certain prophecy that talks about the Dark One coming to power."

"Enough, Strailoch." Keldo yells, cutting him off. "I will tell her." The Prophecy dealt with his daughter. He didn't want Kestra to hear about it from anyone else.

Strailoch looked at Keldo with his dark maroon eyes. "Make it quick, Keldo. For what you don't tell her, I will." Strailoch leaned in close to Keldo's ear. "You know who I really am and how I can tell the Prophecy to your daughter. Do nothing foolish. I know you're adamant about ensuring Kestra's safety." Strailoch whispered. He could tell that Keldo was afraid as Strailoch stepped out of the cell and left them to talk. "I'm giving you five minutes, Princess."

Keldo looked at his daughter and sighs. "Kestra, sit down and make yourself comfortable. This is going to take a bit of time."

Kestra sat on the stone floor. Her mother sat beside her, hugging her.

"Thousands of years ago, not long after the Morvaies became a race, an Elf named Neomoth was almost destroyed by the vision that he had. It haunted him day after day. He kept seeing it in his mind's eye."

"What did he see?" Kestra asks. She didn't mean to cut her him off. She didn't know if Strailoch was going to take her before five minutes were up and wanted as much information as possible.

"Kestra, please." Keldo continues. A dark-skinned elf with dark maroon eyes and a scar running from the nape of the neck to the right shoulder kept appearing before him. This elf is unlike anything he has seen before. He kept hearing this elf being called the Dark One, and the race was a Morvaie. Neomoth finally found peace by writing what he saw.

"The Dark One tried to take control of Melderan by force. Many Elves and Morvaies died during these years of war. A dragon caused the death of a Morvaie four hundred years earlier. The Morvaie's son, Volspec, watched in horror as he saw his father slowly die before his eyes."

Kestra could hear Drave's voice telling her about his father. She shivered as her father spoke. Her mother sensed this and held her tight.

Keldo had to continue. "Volspec was furious with the dragons after what happened. He rallied the Morvaies to attack. No dragon survived the attack. Except three, a golden dragon, a young silver dragon by the name Mintdine, and Boaoen, the dragon leader."

"There is one who is half Morvaie, half-elf, who would betray the Elves to the Morvaies, to the Dark One. Betray so that he can find peace in his exile life. His name is Elerate. Neomoth couldn't see if Elerate saved the Elves or not. Elerate," Keldo sighs, "is Strailoch's son."

Kestra didn't know what to say. They gave the rank of captain to Strailoch when his wife was killed, and they banned Elerate. Kestra thought about it for a moment. "I see what I have been told. What does the prophecy have to do with me? I'm not a Morvaie, nor a dragon. Sylvaria was the one golden dragon, but what does that have to do with anything?" Kestra asks.

"Sylvaria is the only one who can rescue Boaoen. She ages slower than the others because she is also the one to defend the Liberator until the Protector arrived." Keldo replies. "Kestra, you need to understand the whole prophecy. Neomoth didn't just see the Dark One trying to gain control of Melderan, but seen him taking control. He banned, enslaved, and killed the elves that lived within."

Kestra thought about her vision that she had the night she ran off. Her sword has something to do with the prophecy, but what?

"There was only one elf that could stop him. Neomoth never heard the name. All he knew was that the Liberator had a scar running from the nape to the top of her left shoulder." Kestra stiffened. The scar that Drave felt was the same scar that was spoken of in the Prophecy, her birthmark. Keldo continued once again. "Neomoth wrote the Liberator engaged the Dark One in battle. The results are unknown. We know the Liberator for her cunning and skill. Her dormant gifts given by the Guardians include magic and sword fighting abilities. It is written that only she could defeat the Dark One. The Liberator is you, Kestra. You are the only one who can stop and destroy the Dark One." Keldo looked up at the sound of the door opening and saw Strailoch enter.

"So your daughter is the Liberator. Drave will be interested in hearing that." Strailoch grinned.

"You already knew the Prophecy, Strailoch." Keldo replies.

"No, I'm afraid that I only knew what happens to the Liberator when she tries to stop the Dark One." Strailoch whispers, smirking at the thought of it. "Time to take you back, Princess."

Celia did her best to hold on to Kestra, but Strailoch pried Celia's fingers off with ease and pushed Kestra out. Once outside the cell, one guard grabbed her. Strailoch remained inside the cell. "Looks like I will have the honor of telling your daughter the rest of the prophecy. Shame you won't be there when I do." Strailoch laughs, exiting and locking the metal door. He turned to the guards, only nodding.

Kestra felt herself being blindfolded once again. Thoughts of the prophecy constantly occupied her mind. She can't be the Liberator that was spoken of. Even Strailoch proved too challenging for her to defeat.

"Don't worry, Princess. If I know Drave, you won't even have to raise a finger against him." Strailoch tells her.

When Kestra felt a push on her back, she started walking. The guard still had a grip on her arm, but she wasn't thinking about that. She kept thinking about the prophecy. What else could there be? What could she do to save Melderan from complete destruction? Then she remembered what Strailoch had said. His voice echoed through her head. No, I'm afraid that I only knew what happens to the Liberator when she tries to stop the Dark One. What is supposed to happen to her? What does Strailoch understand she doesn't?