Axanar
“She is maddening,” my words were laced with fury as I returned to the throne room. Volkan was there, bowing his head as I entered.
“I assume she said nothing then?”
“Nothing of value,” I replied. “She did show me something though. She is of our blood.”
Volkan’s eyebrows rose sharply with surprise. “Then it must be true. She must be one of the world walkers.”
“It could be a coincidence.”
“How? She was in the shrine? You saw the doorway too! She must be one!”
“If she is a world walker then why is she not being forthcoming with the knowledge? Why would she remain so secretive, and why would she try to escape? She should know that this is a safe place for her. No… I believe there is something else going on here, and I don’t think we should trust her at all. I’m tempted to spill her blood now and be done with it before she can cause any further trouble.”
“You can’t do that,” he gasped. I turned and glared at him, and he quickly realized his mistake.
“Forgive my poor choice of words, Alpha, I only meant to say that, if she is a world walker, then we should find out the truth. If we kill her, then we might be ignoring some valuable information. If, after all this time, she has returned then who knows what she might know?”
“A world walker has never returned. It is hard to believe that she is the first. She is hardly what one would expect. She is not as impressive as I would have believed.”
“Perhaps there is more to her than meets the eye. Maybe we should try a gentler tack to get her to speak.”
I snorted. “She should respect strength just as much as we do.”
“But we have no idea how they have changed in the other world. Just think, Axanar, if she can show us the ability to walk worlds, then we can be like our ancestors. There will be more worlds for you to explore and hunt in, just as you want.”
I licked my lips and inclined my head slightly. The thought had not escaped me, and it was why I was not going to kill her, despite my threats. I had hoped the warning would be harsh enough to get her to talk, but she had more fortitude than it seemed at first glance. Volkan did have a point with his words. Clearly, a threat had not worked.
“Then you can try your way. See if you can get her to speak. If not, then I shall have to think of something else. Either way, we need to know why she is here,” I said. She seemed agitated about wanting to return from where she came from. I wondered why. Was it because she had been taken from some battle and longed to return there, or was there someone waiting for her? There was an unknown story and I found myself intrigued. It had been a long time since something had surprised me, and my attention was not going to waver from this.
*
I returned to the shrine by myself. I looked at the carvings and pictures on the walls, trying to gain meaning from them but, if there was any, then it eluded me. I walked to the shrine and pulled aside the statue once again, straining my muscles to reveal the hidden entrance. I peered through the darkness until I stood before the bright light again. As I gazed at it, the air shimmered. I could feel the energy radiating through the air, making me tingle. I pressed my hand against it again. Nothing had happened earlier, but I had been preoccupied with our uninvited guest. This time I pressed against the barrier. I could feel something resisting, so I placed more force against it, using my strength in the hope that I would be able to burst through it, but the harder I pushed, the more resistant it became. Through the murky haze, I could just about make out another room. It was as though I gazed upon a reflection and, eventually, I had to withdraw my hand as the strain took a toll on my limbs.
I grimaced at the arcane energy, frustrated that there was a barrier through which I could not pass. I had defeated or overcome every obstacle that had been placed before me. I would have to find a way to overcome this one as well. It would take time, but it too would fall as every other enemy had fallen. I would know where this girl came from. I would see the truth.
*
I entered the library, a quiet place filled with ancient tomes. The shelves were stacked with musty books and old pieces of paper, while people sat at tables and studied manuals regarding the natural world, as well as hunting techniques. This was a place where people came to hone their minds, for a sharp sword was not as useful as a sharp mind. I was here for another reason though. I sought out the wisdom of Tania, a soft-spoken librarian who had devoted herself to knowledge, whose mind was filled with the history of our people. She wore a long purple robe, while her hair was tied in long braids. She greeted me with a smile and a bow as I approached. I took her into a secluded part of the library, one that hid us from prying eyes.
“I need to speak with you about the ancient stories, about the world walkers,” I whispered.
She tilted her head and wore an expression of confusion. “The world walkers? What do you wish to know about them?”
“I want to know whether they will ever return.”
“As far as I am aware, the world walkers were sent away and were told that they could not return, for a return would only have been a failure to conquer the lands they were sent to. But it is written that there will come a time when one will be able to walk between worlds again and join us with them, if you choose to believe the stories of course.”
“And is this a good thing?”
“I am not one to judge that. I do not believe anyone can. The walkers who left did so generations ago. We have no idea how much they have changed since then. They might be unrecognizable to us. They might not even resemble us at all. The doors were closed to them. They are of another world now.”
“And what of the doorway? Can it be opened again?”
Tania shook her head slowly. “Again, as the stories suggest, only a special person would be able to pass through the doorway.”
“Do you know where this doorway is located?”