A Trial of Souls Read online

  “You will always be Gewey to me,” said Kaylia. “I will never see you as anyone else. And though I know you must use the god inside of you to defeat our enemies, I will always keep your human self in my heart. And there you will never be lost.”

  He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “As long as you are with me, I can stay strong.” He chuckled. “It’s funny. So much has happened in such a short time. I forget that not so long ago I was running with Lee like a scared rabbit, leaving everything behind. It makes me wonder if I’ll ever see my home again. I used to long to see the world. Now all I think about is my house and my fields.”

  “When our duty to this world is done,” said Kaylia, “you will return. And Sharpstone will become my home as well.”

  This brought amused laughter from Gewey. “I can’t wait to see the look on the village mothers’ faces when I return with my elf bride. We shall certainly be the talk of the town.”

  Kaylia laughed as well. “I had not thought of that. I suppose I must learn the ways of your village so not to cause too much of a scandal.”

  There was a knock at the door and Selena entered, together with Chiron and Bellisia. Gewey offered them seats. A moment later Aaliyah and Nehrutu arrived. Gewey served them each a cup of wine before sitting down himself.

  “I take it you have brought us here to discuss what you have read in the Book of Souls,” said Selena.

  Gewey nodded. “Yes. And I want you to convey to the other elders and nobles that I mean no offense by not inviting them.” He grinned at Bellisia and Chiron. “I know they do not enjoy being left out.”

  Chiron laughed. Bellisia did not.

  “You do as you feel proper,” said Bellisia. “The other elders will understand.”

  “And who would dare to question the will of Darshan?” added Chiron.

  Gewey frowned. “I asked you here because it is not Darshan that you know. My blunder at the feast has isolated me from almost everyone. Only you, my friends here in this room, still keep my human self in your minds above that of the god. And it is that human side that needs your friendship more than ever.”

  Aaliyah stood. “I believe I speak for everyone when I say that our friendship shall never be something you will want for.” She sat back down and took Nehrutu’s hand.

  Gewey smiled warmly. He could feel the bond between them combine with that of Kaylia’s. “Then I shall tell you what I discovered within the Book of Souls. I’m not sure what you may think, or how people will react. But I do believe that if a new world is to rise, it must be built on a foundation of truth.”

  Gewey took a sip of wine, then sat the cup on the floor beside his chair. “Understand that much of what I read was confusing. It mentioned names and places I’ve never heard of. It told stories of heroes and kingdoms that are far beyond my knowledge of lore. And the book isn’t written in order. It jumps back and forth in time. It was all I could do to piece everything together.

  “It begins with the first born of the world. Those of you who know Felsafell can count yourself among the few people to have met one of this race. He is the last of his kind, and the oldest being that walks the earth.”

  “But Felsafell looks human,” said Chiron.

  “He does now,” said Gewey. “But the Book mentions the changes his people went through both culturally and physically. And though it doesn’t say exactly how they once appeared, I’m certain he looked quite different long ago. And when I say long ago…”

  He rose to his feet and stood behind Kaylia’s chair. “The Book of Souls speaks of history in terms of tens of thousands of years. It says that the Creator gave life to the first born more than one hundred thousand years ago. Immortal, they wandered the world and watched the lands change and the mountains rise. Rivers turned to dust and fertile plains became barren deserts. But as time passed, they forgot about the Creator. Their prayers went silent and they soon fell into despair.

  “Where once they had no notion of time, the eons began to weigh on their hearts. Each day of life was like torture. They wandered aimlessly seeking relief, but were trapped by their own immortality. In their anger they began to burn the world around them. They warred on each other for no other reason than distraction. They no longer bore children and cared for nothing, and soon all the lands became an endless battleground.

  “It was when their hearts were at their most corrupt, and all they knew was hatred and sorrow, that the Creator took pity and sent the gods to help them.”

  “Does it say when the gods were created?” asked Chiron.

  “No,” Gewey replied. “Only that they resided in heaven and were given the power to shepherd the world out of darkness. Whether they were created for that purpose, or they already existed before that, it doesn’t say. Or maybe I wasn’t able to understand it properly. I’m not exactly a scholar.”

  He reached down and picked up his cup. “What came next was hard to decipher. It says that the gods came down from heaven and gave the first born the Word of the Creator, and that the power of her name stopped the wars and chaos.”

  Selena raised an eyebrow and grinned. “It refers to the Creator as her?”

  Gewey nodded. “I hadn’t thought about it before, but it always refers to the Creator as her - never him. It does say that the power of her name carries with it the power of heaven and earth. It was with this power that the gods brought peace to the first born.

  “For thousands of years the gods lived among them. They took physical form and built temples to honor the Creator. But the more time they spent among the first born, the more like them they gradually became. Their returns to heaven grew less frequent. In time, they began to take wives and lovers for themselves. The children of these unions were of a different race. Immortal, they were bound to earth like the first born, but like the gods they could feel the power of the Creator within them.

  “As these children grew they learned to use that power to create wondrous objects and change the face of the world. But they became distant from the first born and separated themselves from their earthly parents. This drove the first born mad with sorrow; they begged the gods to grant them the same power as their children. But try as they might, the gods could not change the nature of what the Creator had made. A thing forged by her hands will remain forever unchanged.

  “Their despair grew until they no longer took joy in anything. Many began to wither and decay. But as immortals, they could not die. Overcome with pity, the gods offered them release from their pain…through death.”

  “You mean the gods killed all of Felsafell’s race?” asked Selena, appalled.

  “They didn’t slaughter them,” said Gewey. “They simply offered them a way out. Though the gods could not change what they were, they did have the power to kill their physical bodies and free their spirits. But once done, the gods discovered that they could not bring them into heaven. So instead, they created a realm where they hoped the first born could be happy. This became the spirit realm.

  “One by one the first born were released, and eventually all but Felsafell vanished from memory. The gods were pleased with what they had done and dwelled with them in the spirit realm. For thousands of years they didn’t return to the earth, leaving it in the care of their children.

  “When they did eventually return, they were horrified to discover the fate of the first born re-emerging in their offspring. Wars had begun. But, by wielding the power of the Creator, the devastation was far worse than before. Lands were laid to waste, forests burned, and mountains leveled. The gods prayed to the Creator for guidance, but none came. Some wanted to kill them and send them to the spirit realm with the first born, but others refused to slay their own children. It was Gerath who came up with the solution. They combined their powers and banished their children to a distant land. But they knew that would not be enough to stop the madness. So they took the one thing from them that they still could - their immortality. And as they were not forged by the hand of the Creator, it could be done.


  “Angry and betrayed, the children made war on their parents. But now they were mortal and no match for the gods. For the very first time the gods witnessed true death. They wailed at the agony of losing their children and desperately tried to undo what they had done. But they couldn’t. Their children were destined to remain in a cycle of life and death for all time.” Gewey drained his cup and poured himself another.

  “What became of them?” asked Aaliyah.

  Gewey stared into his wine and paused, then with a sigh continued. “The gods mourned for many years, forsaking both heaven and the spirit world. Finally they felt a call to return to heaven, and that was when they made a wondrous discovery. The spirits of their children had not died, but had found their way into heaven. The gods rejoiced. They thanked the Creator for her kindness and begged forgiveness for their lack of wisdom. The Creator told them to return and watch over her new creation.

  “When they saw the world once again, a new race had arisen from the ashes of their children’s destruction. Humans!”

  There was a short silence as those present thought on what Gewey had told them. Aaliyah was the first to see the full picture.

  “I think I understand,” she said. “And you are right to be wary of telling this tale.” She looked to Chiron and Bellisia. “We are the children he spoke of. We are the creation of the gods and the first born.”

  “Is there more?” asked Bellisia. Her voice trembled.

  “Nothing that your history doesn’t already tell,” Gewey replied. “The humans populated this world until the elves returned and enslaved them. The gods intervened and created the Great Barrier. But as I said, these things you already know.”

  “I don’t see how this changes anything,” remarked Selena. “Why would this news upset the elves?”

  Aaliyah met Selena’s eyes. “The faith of elves, both here and in my homeland, is based on the belief that our people were given life by the Creator. We are taught from childhood that she breathed life into our bodies and gave us our soul. Also, that we are favored above all her works. This is why she allows us to feel the flow. In gratitude, we see ourselves as guardians of her world and protectors of her faith.”

  A look of realization slowly crept across Selena’s face. “And now it appears that you were not given life by the Creator at all, but by the gods and the first born. In truth, it was we humans who were given life by her, not the elves.” She shook her head and held up her hand. “I’m sorry, I did not mean to suggest...”

  Aaliyah smiled. “I know you meant no offense. But you are correct. Where once we were noble, now we are mongrels.”

  “You are not mongrels,” snapped Gewey.

  “I know this,” said Aaliyah. “But many will be shattered when faced with such a truth.”

  “Perhaps it is time we did exactly that,” said Chiron, his countenance uncharacteristically grave. “I must admit, this shakes me to my foundation for the very reasons Aaliyah has just stated. I was taught my faith and believed my history. I saw my race as the light of creation and all that is best in the world. To know that I am not a child of the Creator I have worshipped all my life sends darkness into my very soul.” He looked at Gewey. “But knowing that my true forebearer has returned to me and my kin to fight at our side gives me hope. And though it will take time to banish this darkness, I will build on that hope.”

  “What say you to this, Bellisia?” asked Gewey.

  Bellisia sat in silent thought for a moment, staring intensely at the stone floor. Finally, she looked up. Her eyes fixed on Gewey and there was a fire in her gaze. “I do not see how this changes anything I believe. I trust that the words you spoke are true, and can accept that the elves are the product of a union of two races. But I cannot, and will not, believe that the gods created my soul. You said yourself that the gods thought their children dead until they found them in heaven.”

  She rose to her feet and knelt in front of Chiron. “Do not let the darkness in. These fragile bodies are but shells in which our greater self resides. That is at the core of what I have always believed. It is our soul that is eternal, and it is our soul that was given true life by the Creator.” She took his hands and kissed them tenderly. “Let that be our task; to show our kin their true immortal selves.”

  Chiron gave her a fragile smile. “Your words comfort me and I thank you.”

  Bellisia returned to her chair looking determined and strong.

  Gewey touched Kaylia’s shoulder. “And you?”

  Kaylia shrugged. “I care nothing about how my people came to walk this earth. I believe as Lady Bellisia. And even if it is not so, what does it matter? My life is here and now with you. Whatever the origin of my spirit may be, it is bonded to yours, and I am satisfied.”

  “What will you do now?” Gewey asked Bellisia.

  “I will tell my people the truth,” she replied firmly.

  “As will I,” said Chiron.

  “And what about you, Gewey?” asked Selena. “Did you find the answers you need in the Book of Souls?”

  Shaking his head, Gewey removed a piece of parchment from his pocket. “Only more questions. I copied out the one passage I found that might mean something, but I’m not even sure it’s really about me. It says: “And with her Word she will bring life to the creation of heaven. From the dust he shall rise, and with him the world. To cast down the foes of heaven shall be his payment for her generous gift. For she has sacrificed so that he may live.”

  He frowned. “Like I said, I’m not even sure it’s about me. But one thing I do know for certain. I will not find the answers I seek here.”

  “What will you do?” asked Nehrutu.

  “I think I must find Felsafell,” he replied.

  “Do you know where he is?” asked Selena.

  Gewey shook his head. “No. But I do know where he once lived, so I will begin there.”

  “I loathe to think of your absence,” said Chiron. “You serve to galvanize the resolve of the people. Without you...”

  Gewey held up his hand. “Without me, there is still a war to be fought and an enemy to prepare for. Our first battle was waged with only a portion of our strength. You and the other elders, together with High Lady Selena and King Lousis, must gather all of it. Felsafell told me that we will only achieve victory if I discover how to use the flow of the spirit, so I must leave you to seek out this knowledge.”

  “Then Aaliyah and I will come with you,” said Nehrutu.

  “No,” said Gewey. “You are needed here. Both of you.”

  Kaylia stood. “Do not fret. He will not be alone. I will protect him…even if it is from himself.”

  “When do you intend to depart?” asked Aaliyah, her concern bleeding through her bond with Gewey.

  “Tomorrow,” he replied. “But before I go there is something I wish to give Lady Bellisia.” He went to the wardrobe and retrieved the staff presented to him by Gerath. “I had intended to give this to Lord Theopolou. But now I think it was always meant for you.”

  The moment it touched her hand her eyes grew wide. She gasped, and for several minutes simply stared at the staff in wonder. “I thank you for such a treasure,” she finally said.

  “I hope it serves you well,” said Gewey. “I have seen your gift at healing. With this you can do even greater good.”

  “If Lady Bellisia will allow me,” said Aaliyah. “I would be honored to instruct her.”

  Bellisia smiled and nodded. “The honor would be mine.”

  For the next hour Gewey read out some of the tales from the Book of Souls. Though much of what he related appeared to be new to his audience, certain names he mentioned did indeed draw flashes of recognition from Aaliyah and the others. By the time everyone was ready to retire for the evening it was decided that, once the war was over, Gewey would write down all the stories so that the elders and other scholars could study them. He enjoyed thinking forward to a time when there would be no more struggle and killing.

  Once everyone had left, Gewe
y drank another cup of wine and then climbed into bed.

  “Are you sure the Spirit Hills is where we should start?” asked Kaylia as she lay next to him.

  “No,” he admitted. “But I can’t reach Felsafell to ask him. I’ve tried, but he only seems to appear when he decides.”

  “It is difficult to fathom,” she mused. “That he could be over one-hundred thousand years old is beyond my comprehension. I will certainly be asking him about this when we find him.”

  Gewey turned on his side to gaze lovingly at her. “I’m so glad that you’ll be with me.”

  Kaylia smiled. Her eyes twinkled in the dim candlelight. “You have taken your very last journey without me by your side,” she told him.

  ***

  They rose an hour before dawn the next morning and prepared for the journey. Hoping it would help them to leave unnoticed, Gewey had found a hooded cloak for each of them to wear. After a brief meal they said their farewells to Selina and the others and left the temple. A horse drawn wagon awaited them just outside. Gewey knew that they could travel much faster on foot or horseback, but should any curious passerby question them, it would be far easier to claim they were a couple simply leaving the war torn west. The wagon would add credibility to this lie.

  As they wound their way through the narrow passage, Gewey was reminded of when their journey had begun and Kaylia had drugged him with jawas tea.

  She laughed, seeing his thoughts in her mind. “You deserved it at the time.”

  Gewey shrugged and grinned. “I don’t know about that. You could have just told me what I wanted to know.”

  “Then what mystery would have remained?” Her voice was light and musical.

  The bright morning sun and crisp cool air lifted their spirits. Gewey urged the horse on and leaned back. “I just realized. This will be our first time alone on an adventure.”