Dark One Rising(161)

“Yes, you can, and you will! Get up!”

Melenthia got shakily to her feet but could not get her breathing under control. She was starting to hyperventilate.

“You are breathing too deep; breathe slower and feel the air filling your lungs. Be aware of what your body is telling you.”

She stood erect and took in shallower and slower breaths now. She leaned her sword against her leg and closed her eyes. She placed her palms together in front of her as if praying, and her breathing slowly started to change. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, but not because it was pounding from overtaxing it, it was beating normal, a perfect rhythmic beat that she felt with her whole body. She went deeper into herself and blocked out every sound that distracted her and listened only to the sounds of the nature surrounding her. The roar of the river coursing its way toward the ocean. The hum of the cicadas in the trees and the buzzing of the bees in the meadow. The sounds of the hundreds of variety of birds that whistled songs as they built their nests and tended their young. She could even hear the whispering of the trees themselves, the ancient beings bringing life into the world around them. She answered back with her own vibration and then opened her eyes. She was calm now and could focus her strength in her body. She picked up her sword and took her stance once again, not seeing anything but the flash of light as the sun glinted off its almost translucent blade. The blade spoke to her, like it had done since she stole it out of the armory what seemed so long ago. They were one, her and the powerful sword made from Elvin steel and magic. It listened to her thoughts and answered with powerful strokes. Tanith gave her a strength she didn’t understand fully, but together it seemed they were unbeatable.

Tomaz attacked, and Melenthia parried with calm movements and precise skill. She wielded the blade expertly, and it sang to her with every swing. The power that emanated off of it surged up her arm and into her body, creating a halo of strength as she fought off the attacks. Tomaz was not able to get in another blow to throw her off balance, and she moved through every counter blow with renewed strength, every parry bringing her closer to victory. She did not break her concentration until she saw Tomaz’s blade fall from his hand into the dirt.

It was the first time that she had beaten him. She blinked herself back to the reality of what was happening and looked down on the ground. She looked back to Tomaz, who was smiling at her, his green eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

“Well done, Melenthia. You have mastered over your fears and your anxiety. When you calmly open yourself to the power that surrounds you, with all the living things, you can master over your fears and become one with the world. This is what I have hoped for you. There is nothing left I can teach you.”

“You mean I’m done? Just like that? My training has ended?”

“No more training do you require. You have all that you need.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready to go yet.”

“You will be when it is time. Come, let us feast together and speak about what is to come.”

She wiped her sweaty brow and re-sheathed Tanith in the scabbard given to her by the king as a gift and followed Tomaz from the arena to the village center.



Days later, Melenthia decided to spend some of her time in the temple on the far side of the city proper. She concentrated on her breathing as she wandered down the back paths. The birds were singing above her, the branches of the ancient trees rubbing together, making a clicking sound, as if speaking to each other. She had become more aware of her surroundings in the months she had been here. She could feel, rather than hear, the activity of all living things around her. She could sense the animals and was able to communicate with them in her mind, easing their fear that she would do them harm. She could feel the hum of the insects and the breathing of the trees. She took the time as she walked to listen to the conversation of nature around her. She felt calm and at peace when she could stretch her mind out to the world surrounding her.

She made her way down the path and finally reached the small but ornately crafted temple that sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Xanthe River. A waterfall could be heard rushing over the wall of the precipice, and as she got closer, she could feel the mist that shrouded the air toward the back of the temple. A small fire blazed just outside the door, and a rack just to the left side of the door was stacked with beeswax candles. She picked one up and lit it on the fire. When it was going, she pulled open the ornately carved front doors and went inside the dim cool building.

The building was in the shape of an octagon, and each side represented the eight families who had been kings or queens of the past or family members thereof. Each wall had the names of the past regents and decedents, and paintings depicted the images of each one. She walked around the room, gazing at the regal looking Elves that looked back at her from each picture and paid homage to each of the sacred people. She had made her way around the room when she stopped in front of the second to last family of Elvin royalty. She stared at the picture that was hanging there, and a sudden lump caught in her throat. The Elvin woman who looked back at her with green eyes, long golden red hair that hung long down her back, but was tucked behind her ears, looked exactly like her. There was no mistaking the creamy white flawless skin and the small nose, the red supple lips and the beautiful smile. She was stunned and could not move. The woman looked exactly like her, and only the pointed ears that gave her identity away as an elf, was different. It was impossible, of course, to deduce that this painting was of herself, for she was neither an elf nor a descendant of one, and she certainly was not dead yet.