Page 77 of Legacy of the Heirs
“A ruler cannot take it from its spot. There must be another there—a balance,” Farid added, nodding to Kazaar.
“It would make sense,” Nyzaia confirmed. “They were hidden to share power among the land but also to prevent a ruler from becoming too powerful.”
Larelle nodded eagerly as they deduced the reasoning.
“Another must take it for the ruler to show there is trust andknowledge of the power being handled,” Larelle agreed, and Elisara noticed Sadira and Caellum exchange a glance. Soren stood over them, smirking.
“Now what?” asked Sadira, eager to change the subject. She glanced at Caellum again. They were hiding something. Elisara did not know whether to feel hurt at how quickly they had come to trust one another.
“You cannot judge, given who you spent a night with.”Kazaar’s voice sounded in her mind before an image of Elisara materialised, reliving that night from his point of view. A thread of Kazaar’s jealousy twisted through her, and she shifted in her seat, hoping to hide the blush across her face when she reached to tap his leg for reassurance. Elisara peered around the group.
“Alvan,” Larelle called, and he stepped forward, presenting a roll of scrolls. “Now we meet our makers.”
Chapter Forty-Three
Larelle
Larelle refrained from smiling at the look Alvan gave her while handing over the scrolls. “You were right,” was what she imagined he would say as the group looked to her for answers. What would they have done if Osiris had other plans for her? They would not have her talisman, or the different options for how to call upon their gods. Perhaps this would always be her role: the organiser, the scholar. She wished the Historian were here to offer guidance on which options could work, though that was assuming he even knew the answer. Despite the uncertainty he had placed in her mind regarding Kazaar, Larelle trusted his opinion and wisdom and hoped that his knowledge, aided by the fighters alongside him, kept him safe during his travels. The absence of letters concerned her.
Larelle and Alvan had scoured through the pages of Vivian’s oldest book of prayers. Most were difficult to make sense of, written in riddles or an unfamiliar language. It had never crossed Larelle’s mind that different languages might have existed on Ithyion. Eventually, they settled on three prayers, referencing all four gods.
“We brought the oldest references to the gods we could find,” Larelle began. “I suggest we read them aloud as a collective, like the prayer they are intended to be. The words, along with the presence of the talismans, should hopefully be enough to summon their spirits.” Scepticism flickered across the room. Nyzaia and Caellum wore matching frowns. Nevertheless, Larelle passed around multiple handwritten copies of each prayer and allowed them alla moment to scan the words. She looked to each ruler, who raised their heads and gave a nod of confirmation as she went around the circle. Taking a deep breath, Larelle led the first prayer.
“The God of fire, we thank for strength.
The Goddess of water, we thank for sight.
The God of earth, we thank for health.
The Goddess of air, we thank for light.
From the four to the threes, we give to thee.
Our soul and love for the right to be.
When all seems lost, we ask for your way.
Deem us worthy to hear your say.”
Larelle looked at each talisman resting on the table before searching the eyes of each ruler, none of which glowed.Not that one, then.She passed around another prayer, remaining hopeful. The second still focused on the gods, but as they read it, it touched more on blessing the lands. They read the next prayer in a unanimous, monotone voice at the edge of their seats. Still, nothing happened. The same occurred on their third attempt. Nothing. They read a line one by one, but nothing. They even read the prayers standing, but nothing.
“This is useless,” Nyzaia said, voicing what they likely all thought.
“There has to be a way; the prophecy was clear,” said Elisara, rubbing her eyes. Kazaar squeezed her shoulders, and Larelle sighed, thinking it through. Caellum caught her eye, whose gaze focused on the talisman while he gripped Sadira’s hand.
“The Gods may whisper and help them on, only if all possess that from Ithyion,”Caellum murmured. The talisman before him glowed, and they all widened their eyes.
“The Gods may whisper and help them on, only if all possess that from Ithyion,” Nyzaiarepeated, her talisman suddenly radiating the shade of her flames.
“The prophecy!” Elisara exclaimed. “Perhaps that is the message they need. They need confirmation we know the prophecy.”
Larelle stood and gripped the talisman, surrendering to the power that had consumed her when she parted the ocean. Nerida’s power flowed through Larelle as she realised it was not just a prophecy but a summoning ritual. She glanced at the others: flames filled Nyzaia’s eyes, and a pale blue—almost ghostly white—burned in Elisara’s. To her right, where Caellum gripped Sadira’s hand, his eyes remained their usual brown, but the talisman in his left hand glowed all the same. Soren’s eyes matched Sadira’s and faintly glowed behind the pair, but her gaze narrowed on Caellum’s back.
“We recite the whole prophecy,” Larelle commanded. The fog on the floor rose and twisted around their bodies, reaching for their hands. The flames in the room brightened in contrast to the darkening afternoon sky. Although the sun still shone, the moon crept towards it.
"The door to the soul bears all to hear,
Multiple generations is the rule of the seer.
