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ISRI EMERGED FROM THE cavern a little pale around the edges. Est’it immediately went to her side to make sure she was alright. Kal’ine was right behind the prince. She was curious to see if Isri failed or if she succeeded. She hoped she would fail so they could leave this place.
“Isri, did you find anything out about what happened to this village?” Est’it asked in a concerned tone.
“Yes. I did find something out. It seems that Lye-Ashe killed everyone here to prevent Cerynian from disowning her. It seems that this village was not a failure, but rather a threat to Cerynian and Lye-Ashe’s power. I am sorry Est’it, but I must go home now. Could you please take me back so I can speak to my mother?”
“Of course, Isri, we will take you home right now. I am sure this news is very hard to receive from someone that has pledged to patronize this Lye-Ashe.” Est’it responded to Isri with pain in his eyes. He was trying to hide the real reason that he was there. To find out what happened to this town so he would know more of his heritage. His own mother was from Cerynian and he had heard of the tales of the blood curse. It was a widely spread tale where he was. He wanted to know what this Lye-Ashe creature might do to him and his kin. The news of Isri’s findings did not bode well for the young prince.
On the way back to her home Isri sat in almost abject silence. She didn’t know what to say to Est’it. She didn’t know how much she could say without endangering him. Then it occurred to her that he had the right to know that Ila spoke to her about his mother’s lineage, which she assumed was one of the reasons for his visit.
“Est’it?”
“Yes, Isri?”
“Did you come here in part to learn about your mother’s lineage?”
Est’it sat there in shock. How could she know of his mother? No one, but a very few trusted nobles knew of where his mother came from. How she just appeared one day in the town and caught the eye of his father. How she had strange powers to talk to the dead. What had Isri learned in that cavern and would it make her shy away from him?
“It is true that part of the reason I accepted your father’s invitation was to see Cerynian and the surrounding areas. As I am sure you have guessed my mother had ties to Cerynian. No one knows that fact but a few trusted family nobles. My father didn’t trust that people would not think my mother was a witch, so her true heritage and powers were always kept a secret. She had powers to speak to the dead spirits. It was unusual to say the least. We know a lot about your culture because of what my mother told us.
In my studies, I ran across some information about Cerynian and Lye-Ashe. I had also heard about a blood curse. It is my duty as future ruler to educate myself about any weaknesses that could endanger my rule or my family. Unfortunately, my mother has long passed and is unable to answer any of my questions. Another reason I came was to see Ialo. For several years now, I have had dreams about the place and whispers in my head about going there. And I have had dreams of you, Isri.” Est’it confessed in a schoolboy crush kind of way.
Isri was amazed at what Est’it had just told her. She felt sure now that she could trust him with at least part of the secrets she had learned. “Est’it, I would like to tell you something I learned in the cavern. It may be very hard to accept, though, so please prepare yourself. I was able to speak to Ila, one of the founders of Cerynian. She was a part of the group that disagreed with asking Lye-Ashe for help. They moved to Ialo to start their village over without the help of any immortals. They prospered for many years, as did Cerynian. However, Lye-Ashe found them and demanded they rejoin Cerynian so she could further her powers by cursing the blood of all who patronized her. Ila and the others resisted and were slain because of this.
Lye-Ashe could not risk having a village so close to Cerynian that was prospering without an immortal patron because word may get back to Cerynian that immortals were unnecessary. Of course, Lye-Ashe did not really have anything to worry about because everyone in the village that swore the oath to her initially doomed all their descendants. The blood oath that Lye-Ashe had everyone speak was an ancient ritual that would bind a person’s spirit to her staff when they died. This would in turn allow her to use the spirits to boost her strength, even if no one ever followed her again.
Lye-Ashe also had a grander scheme in mind. She made Cerynian a lavish attractive city by finding the gold deposits. She didn’t do this for the well-being of the town, rather she did it so she could export the villagers to other parts of the world and further her blood curse’s reach; it’s not just Cerynian anymore that is doomed, it could possibly be half of the world.
Est’it, your mother being of that lineage has also doomed your soul. Even though you are only half a Cerynian, the blood curse will claim your soul and your children’s souls.”
Est’it sat there for a minute pondering the options. He looked again at Isri. She was so beautiful, but she had just told him that his bloodline was damned to be trapped in an afterlife of servitude. How could he even think of marrying someone and cursing his heirs to this?
“Is there nothing that can be done, Isri?”
“All hope is not lost my prince. However, the journey is not going to be the easiest. Ila told me how to best Lye-Ashe and free the souls. All I have to do is become the next Chreuthecal.”
Est’it’s heart sank at that news. Isri would have to become the undead servant of Lye-Ashe to enact this plan? He did not think that was a very good option. He did not want her to be put into any kind of danger.
“Is there no other way, Isri? Can no one else fulfill this suicide mission?”
“Unfortunately, I am the only person that can stop Lye-Ashe. I cannot yet explain to you fully how or why, but I have to do this or we will never have a future together.”
“A future? Does that mean you would accept my proposal even though I have not even asked?” Est’it said with a sly grin.
“Well, the funny thing about talking to the dead is they often ruin surprises for you.” Isri snickered back at the prince. This gave him some reassurance that she could pull this off and come back to him in one piece free of any blood curses.