Page 10 of One Last Promise
Chapter four
“Have you lost yoursenses?”Luz ran her hands through her long blonde hair, stressed.“Why would you agree to such a thing?”
“Zohar promised he would consider allowing Alora to train for battle when she returns,” Noor butted in, not allowing me to speak.
“You stupid, foolish, Princess!”Luz dug her fingers into the soil, making strong, branch-like roots grow.“You’ve given me no time to prepare you.I was meant to havemonths!”
“What could I do, Luz?Say no?”She was still glaring at me, but a softness was breaking through.
“Give me a day to prepare all the items you will need.If I were you, I would use that time to research in the library.There are many different creatures in The Barren Lands.You need to know the ones you can trust and the ones that will kill you the moment they scent you.”Swallowing hard, I nodded.“I’ll speak to Nell and get her to make you a protection spell.”
“From what?”
“Noxlin, Alora.They roam those mountains, too.It is rare to see one, but I’m not taking any chances.”I hadn’t even considered that I might finally lay eyes on a Noxlin.From the stories I had heard all my life, they were ugly, beast-like creatures.All the hatred and evil blood within them made them age quickly, unlike my race, who stayed forever young.“Noor, take Alora to the library.We don’t have a moment to spare.”
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THE LIBRARY WAS ONEof my favourite places to be.It was a large, open space, made of elm wood book shelves, white marble walls and gold trim.There were three floors, each stacked with ancient books.The elegant marble staircase split into two, and the beautiful skylight made the most beautiful light trickle into the space.The two suns hand painted on the glass gave protection to the books from the neverending sunlight.
Some of these books had been here since the dawn of time.Some were books about magic, reserved for the priestesses and Uri.Others were books from different veils that had been given to my kind as gifts.The whole history of Afterlight Veil lay within these walls.I spent many hours here as a child, learning about my bloodline and all the great battles we had won against the Noxlin.
“Start with these books.”Noor slammed down five books in front of me.With my birthright came a private chamber for me on the top floor, away from everyone else, complete with a large, elmwood desk and gold encrusted chair that Noor joked looked more like a throne.
“These will take all day!”
“You only need to read about the beasts on The Barren Lands, notallof Dreonarus.I’ll go and find Xavier to see which soldier he is assigning you.”Dreonarus was the land that separated Dallethas and Eallarim.The Barren Lands had gotten their name from all the wars that had taken place between Dylin and Noxlin.Billions of years of battles had caused ruined cities, cracked lands, burning lava, and nothing but dirt and dust as far as the eye could see.This was why the pilgrimage would take a few months.We would be hiking over all kinds of terrain.
The moonlit mountains stretched across the entire land, keeping the Noxlin hidden from us.Once we had destroyed their city, Cataha, they moved deeper into their lands.Eallarim was a city we had always known about, but like us with Dallethas, there was a protection spell over it.Neither of our main cities were penetrable.Ancient magic protected them both.
The sacred mountain was the last mountain that touched the Sea of Lost Souls.You could see Specter Isle, the deadliest place in Afterlight, from the top.Only the bravest and strongest would dare step foot on that isle.Ancient, deadly creatures dwelled there.My father was the only Dylin that would be able to defeat them.We had no need to visit the deadly isle, though.It was believed to have been cursed by the first Noxlin, Solace.His evil corrupted the isle, and that was how the night beasts were created.They swam across the Sea of Lost Souls and took residence in the moonlit mountains.
Opening the first book Noor had given me, I began to research the creatures in The Barren Lands and the sacred mountain.
Mimic Souls:These deadly creatures will play on your fear and mimic your screams while slowly feasting on your soul.They appear as pure shadows.
Gold and pure light will keep these creatures at bay.
Night Howlers:These are small pack beasts, but do not underestimate them.Their claws and teeth are deadly.The bigger the pack, the more dangerous and clever they are.
Fire and a light sword will keep these beasts away.
