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Master Adkins spent the night pouring through old manuscripts and texts. The things Kya had mentioned resurrected dark memories and forgotten knowledge hidden in the recesses of his mind. If what she said was true, which he had no reason to believe it was not, then someone had come from the forbidden cave. Not many remembered the turbulent history of Odrana, and of those who did, most thought it to be nothing more than myth and legend. He knew better. He was a keeper of knowledge; a historian whose job it was to remember.
After hours of fruitless searching, discouragement started to take root in his heart. There were thousands, if not tens of thousands of books, scrolls, stone tablets, and metal plates in the library, and so far, they had refused to give up their secrets. With a handful of scrolls tucked under his arm, he returned to the table he had commandeered. Turning a corner, one of the scrolls dropped to the ground, rolling across the floor and coming to a stop at a shelf lined with papers. Doing his best not to drop everything else, Master Adkins bent down to retrieve it, stopping when his fingers touched the faded parchment. Buried on the bottom shelf was a tightly rolled scroll with faint writing scribbled across it. The sight of it sent shivers up his spine. He dropped the rest of his scrolls and fell to his knees next to the shelf. Carefully removing it from beneath a stack of maps, letters, and other documents, he revealed the full title. The Banishment of Akalis the Evil. This is what he had been searching for.
Master Adkins carefully placed the scrolls that had fallen to the floor into the empty spaces he could find then stood up, cradling his newfound treasure in his hands. Glancing around the room, he bolted from the library and returned to his office. He wanted to read this in private. Locking the door behind him, he sat in the chair he had moved over for Kya.
The possibilities were endless while the scroll remained closed in his hands. He stared at it reverently, wary of what truths it might hold. Taking a deep breath, he spread it across his desk, taking great pains to ensure it did not tear in the process. When it was flat, he read through it quickly, muttering to himself as he did so. The more he read, the more he realized that he needed to summon the Council of Six to discuss the matter. In order to summon them, he would need proof. He needed to speak to the boy.
He pushed those thoughts aside for the moment as he read through the document again, memorizing every word.
The Banishment of Akalis the Evil.
The last instructions as given by the Order of Six.
Akalis has fooled the world. He has lured us into his trap, using nothing but our own greed against us. Out of all of us, only six remain. The others have fallen down paths of self-destruction and death.
I fear our secrecy has been compromised. We have fought valiantly against the promise of unlimited power. Empty promises, yet too great for many to deny. The six have formed an alliance. We know the horrors that are to come and we cannot allow it. A plan has been set in motion and our deaths will only strengthen our resolve. I leave this as a testament that we have done this to ensure the world is not destroyed. Akalis must be stopped at all costs. I have seen the corruption that spreads from him like a disease, infecting the weak and powerful alike. He will never share his power. I know this. So do the others.
We make our final stand at the cave. His cave. The binding has been cast and the trap has been set. The work is almost done. I soon take my leave to aid in the imprisonment of Akalis.
Be it known that this decision was not made lightly. He has become far too powerful. That power has driven him mad and there seems to be no limit to his desires, or his ability to obtain them.
The task of hiding the scroll has fallen to me. I do so in case we fail. Heaven help us if we fail. Failure means our death, yet so does success.
Let this be a warning to those who remember. Evil abounds. There are those who will fight for the return of the dark, would-be king. The spell will not hold forever. Beware of anything coming from the cave as it will have been touched by darkness. By evil. When the time comes and the spell falls, seek out the Scroll of Six. There are those who still remember. They will always remember. Have strength as the path will not be easy.
SK
Master Adkins set the scroll aside and pondered the things he had read. Dawn was no more than an hour away. He knew the next step would be finding the boy. Logic told him he would be dead, broken by the fall, but hope burned bright in his chest.
Slipping into his traveling cloak, he left his office in a hurry. If the scroll was correct, then the unraveling of the binding spell might already be in motion. Once he found the boy, he would send word to the other cities to assemble the council.
Feet slapping against the stones as he ran, Master Adkins stopped only once to greet Russ, the grounds caretaker. Outside, he rushed across the courtyard, weaving his way through the crowds that were already growing. He zigzagged down alleyways and through side streets, passing merchants, friends, and shops that would typically warrant a detour. This morning though, his only focus was on finding Jaxon.
Kya lived on the far side of town, across the river from the institute but he crossed the distance in record time. He stopped short of her door, giving him time to catch his breath. When he was ready, he lightly rapped on the wood with his knuckle. Stepping back, he glanced at the inn while he waited. Voices floated from the open windows and the smell of roasting meat was thick on the air. The building was in disrepair and he knew that unreputable people frequented it. It was not a nice area of the city, but people did what they could to survive. On top of that, he had heard that Kya’s father had been injured on a recent trip north, forcing her mother to return to work. In light of that, Kya was dedicated to her studies. It was clear to him that she wanted the best chance at success.
Worried no one had heard him knock, he tried again. As soon as his hand was back at his side, the door opened, quickly coming to a stop when it began to creak. Kya peered out at him, already dressed for the outing.
Squeezing through the small gap as best she could, she joined Master Adkins on the street, pulling the door closed behind her. A satchel hung from her shoulder and she appeared anxious to leave.
“Did you hear?” she asked once they were on their way.
“I haven’t left the Institute since we spoke last night.”
“A thrasher was spotted near the river. I bet it was the same one that chased Jaxon. I mean, what are the chances that two would be sighted in the same area on the same day?”
Master Adkins stroked his chin while they walked. “I fear we need to find this boy as quickly as possible. If the boy is not already dead, he may be soon without our help. I pray he is alive though. Things may be more complicated than I had first anticipated.”
“What did you learn?” Kya asked as they crossed one of the many bridges in Arden.
“The important thing is that we find him. We will start our search at the base of the falls and work our way back to the city.”
“Is it safe with a thrasher around?” Kya asked. “Mom would kill me if she knew I was out of the walls on a day like this.”
A cat darted in front of them, meowing in annoyance when Master Adkins stepped on its tail. “I’ll enlist the help of one of the guards,” he said.
They navigated the streets, which were becoming more crowded by the minute, making slow but steady pace to the southern gate. Crossing back over the river, they stopped at a small cart selling fresh bread and fruit.
“Two small loaves,” Master Adkins said, paying with a small gold coin he fished from his pocket. He handed one to Kya while he waited for his change.
“Have you had breakfast yet?” he asked.
“One egg,” she said as she ripped off a corner of the loaf and shoved it in her mouth.
“We’ll, we could be in for a long day, so don’t eat it all before we leave.”
Kya nodded as Master Adkins pocketed his change and took a bite of his own loaf. He guided Kya down a dark alley that led to a small park adjacent to the gate. When they arrived, a dozen or so people were crowded around a small guard house. Pushing their way closer, they began hearing snippets of a heated conversation.
“...and this better be the last time it happens. If I can’t rely on the guard, what am I going to do? My family could starve,” boomed a husky voice.
Everyone they could see were dressed in worn-out, dirty clothes. A few carried long sticks, shovels, or rakes. Farmers. Kya tugged on Master Adkin’s cloak to get his attention.
“What are they doing?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. Let’s get a little closer but stay behind me. There is no telling what might happen and it is my duty to keep you safe.”
Pressing forward, they continued to listen.
“I understand what you are saying, Briggs. Rest assured that we will do what we can to protect your land, but there is only so much we can do.”
“That’s not good enough if I start losing my livestock,” another voice added.
The guard addressing the crowd stepped onto a chair so everyone could hear him. He raised his arms and whistled, trying to get their attention.
“That is enough,” he yelled. “I know what you’ve been dealing with, and trust me, it is not what we want either. I have already posted roving guards to keep watch over the fields. It is all we can do at the moment, especially since there have been no more sightings.”
The farmers grumbled but slowly dispersed. Master Adkins walked up to the guard as soon as he could.
“What was that about?” he asked.
The guard wiped his brow with the back of his hand and stepped down from the chair. Keeping the peace could be a tough job, especially when people were upset about something.
“None of your business. Now clear off before I...” the guard started to say until he looked up and saw who he was addressing. “Forgive me, Councilman. It’s just that I have been dealing with a lot of angry people today, and multiple reports of...”
Master Adkins cut him off. “I understand what your job entails, and I do not envy you. People come to you with their problems, even if you can’t solve them. It can be hard to sort out at times. But about the argument?”
“It started with missing livestock,” the guard said. “Well, not missing, exactly. They can find pieces of them. Something has been mutilating the cattle.”
Kya glanced up at Master Adkins.
“How long has this been going on? Why hasn’t the chancellor been informed?”
“It only started yesterday afternoon,” the guard said, lowering his gaze when Master Adkins mentioned the chancellor. “At first, we thought it was just a wild animal, but then the reports of a thrasher started coming in. It has been a little tense. We were going to inform the chancellor this morning.”
“Do you think the two are related?” Kya asked. “The thrasher sightings and the killings?”
“It is more than likely, but something else troubles me. Those who reported the thrasher sightings detailed how strange its behavior was. It was dangerously close to the river and acted like it was looking for something. I am not sure what to make of it.”
“Just tend to the protection of Arden. Let the chancellor worry about any developments with thrasher behavior. However, it is because of the thrasher sightings that we are here. We are doing some research today that will take us near the falls and would like to hire an escort for the day.”
The guard shook his head. “I would be more than happy to assist you, councilman, but we are spread too thin already. It would be impossible to spare more men at the moment. If you keep to the river, you should be safe. As I said before, there have been no reported sightings today.”
Master Adkins nodded and dropped a hand on Kya’s shoulder. “Yes, I do believe you are right. Let the chancellor know about the thrasher activity. He may be able to reassign some of the palace guards.”
“I’ll do that, councilman. And thank you. Have a safe journey.”
With a nod, Master Adkins pushed Kya back across the park before she could say anything. He knew her well enough to know she would not be able to hold her tongue much longer.
“Come along, Kya,” he said with a glance back at the guard. “We have much to do today.”
When they were a good distance from the guard house, he pulled Kya to a stop. “I must warn you of one thing. You should not speak of this to anyone. No one is to know where you went yesterday, about your encounter with the thrasher above the falls, or of Jaxon. Not until after I meet with him. You will help me find him, but that is all. You cannot be involved in this any more than you already are. At least for now.”
“Why?” Kya asked, shuffling from foot to foot.
Master Adkins shook his head. “Just trust me. The fewer people who know about this right now, the better. When the time comes, I am sure you will learn more.”
Kya nodded. “What do you think is happening?”
“It is too early to tell, and I do not want to betray myself by speaking my thoughts aloud. It would be safer for both of us if I did not elaborate.”
“What about Thena?” Kya asked.
“What about her?”
“She knows too. She was with me yesterday, remember?”
“That’s right,” Master Adkins said. “We will speak with her on our way back. She must remain silent as well.”
“Good luck with that one,” Kya said. “Thena likes gossip as much as I like reading.”
“I will convince her,” Master Adkins said.
Continuing to the gate, silence fell over them. Master Adkins glanced at everyone they passed and didn’t seem to relax until they were outside the walls.
“If he did come from the cave, I need to know how he got there,” Master Adkins said, more to himself than to Kya. “How he really got there.”