The Descendants Book One: The Broken Scroll (38 page)

She remained calm.  “You are right, Davin.  Not everything that happens is a result of our decisions.  In some ways we are not in control.”

Davin shook his head vehemently.  “My godfather didn’t choose or deserve to be lashed and thrown in prison.  I didn’t choose to become who I am.  How can I be expected to just accept it?”

“How did you react to discovering what you were?”

“I was furious when I discovered that I was a Descendant.  But yet I’m still here, trying to help the kingdom, even if only by ridding of a tyrant military leader, when all I wanted to do was continue to hide.” 

The Lady continued.  “The Scholar made that choice by standing up to the soldiers in his home.  You made a choice yourself.  Your powers are here because you chose to use them.  A Learner cannot be Awakened until he chooses.  So there is some part of you that wanted more.” 

Davin thought hard about thought this fact, his mind in turmoil. 

She turned to him and reached out her hand to his head.  He flinched away at first, not sure what she was doing.  But in a few short seconds she removed it and smiled.  He smiled weakly back, realizing she had read his mind. 

Davin argued, “I have never sought this-,”

“It is not always a
conscious
decision, but the way one reacts to every circumstance shows much about them.  I believe you had a lot to do with your current station,” she said, her voice firm for the first time.  “Think, Son of Old.” 

Davin racked his brain, feeling that once again the effort would be fruitless.  Despite this perceived inevitability, though, he still wanted to come up with a legitimate answer. 

How had his Awakening occurred?  He sorted through his thoughts.  Any time that he had showed the slightest desire for knowledge of the world, any concern for things outside himself, the dream woman had come to him more vividly.  He had wanted understanding about the connection between him and the Wanderer.  That opened the door to his full abilities and realizing who he was. 

But what about all he had through in the last of couple months?  The important people in his life shifted through his thoughts.  He focused on Roland.  His godfather was the key. 

And then it hit him like a punch to the stomach.  At last he knew the last answer he needed, an answer for the Lord of Trials.  He felt as if his eyes had been fully opened for the first time, and yet, it was so simple. 

“I stood up to First Captain Deverell in Lemirre.  That lone act sent my life on a different course.  He would have never discovered who I was, and I would have gone back to my closed off world.  I am a Descendant no matter what, but I chose to be where I am.”

She nodded gracefully.  “So you believe this fully?” she asked. 

“Yes, Lady, I do.”  There was a long pause. “Thank you for your help,” he said.

“I did not do much, this was your accomplishment,” she replied modestly. 

“You helped, more than
you realize.  I suppose it is an understatement to say that you are wise.” 

She smiled at him and bowed at the compliment.  “Remember, Davin that I am a vessel of the first Ancients that came to be in existence.  Our minds were more developed than any creature that has ever lived.”  She paused, then, “But I am still grateful for your kind words.”   

“It will come in useful,” he said before he realized what he was saying.

Her gaze bore into him.  She knew what he was talking about, which was what he was afraid of.  He didn’t want to reveal his embarrassment about failing the Lord of Trials test twice, and
the possibility of losing his powers. 

“This matter we just spoke of was your Istigmirt, was it not?”

The word threw him off guard.   “My what?” 

“It is the word we used for the internal struggle of our people.  Many of us took a long time to pass the final test of the Lord of Trials.  I’m sure you know what it deals with by now.”

Davin had to think for a minute.  He’d never had to explain it in words.  It was a difficult test to describe.  He stopped walking and let his feet sink a feel inches into the soft sand. 

After several moments the description of the test became no clearer.  “I don’t know,” he admitted.

She did not look impatient or irritated with him.  In fact, another warm smile rose out of her flawless skin.  “That creature tests the truth we have the most trouble coming to accept.  It is different for each person, but the creature always knows what your Istigmirt is when it tests you.” 

They began walking again, passing the halfway point around the lake.  “What is that thing though?  Where did it come from?” Davin asked. 

“We created it,” she said, sounding a little surprise he hadn’t riddled it out by now.  “It was meant to test all the newly Awakened after their training had begun.  The Ancients who never passed the final test were the first to dabble in the Forbidden Forms of Driocht.  They became frustrated with the test and the removal of their power.  It caused them to search for ways to get it back.  Their true corruption became known once men had entered the world, but discovering the Forbidden Forms was the first step down that path.”

The Forbidden magic intrigued him, though he would never admit aloud. 

“Egan never told me that part of the story,” he said in mild indignation.  Switching to another topic that had caught his interest, he continued, “What are these Forbidden Forms of Driocht, not that I want to learn them, I just wonder what makes them so bad?”

She seemed to be searching for the answers.  Davin waited for her, entertaining himself by dragging his feet through the sand and feeling it pass through his toes. 

“That is beyond my realm of knowledge, Davin.  I am sorry.  It seems you have met my limit.” 

Davin nodded, understandingly.  He didn’t know anything else to say so he walked without saying anything more.  At first, he felt awkward.  She quickly absolved him of that feeling, however, by her contented demeanor traveling alongside him in silence. 

Davin looked up at the stars.  They were still bright and glittering, but the moon had been lost from view.  He tried to find it but it must have gone beyond the mountains around them.

The stillness of the lake reflected the sky perfectly.
The sand was so soft and sifted soothingly across his feet.  He had never felt so at ease in his life. 

They eventually rounded back and came upon the place where the others were sleeping.  Davin realized, only then, how tired he was.  It had been nearly a league around the lake and back. 

The Lady spoke to him as he sat down.  “I will leave you for the night, Davin.  Rest well.”  Davin nodded and she disappeared into the ether. 

As he lay down to get comfortable, he heard Egan’s voice behind him.  It startled him.  He had figured everyone really was asleep at this late hour.

“How was your conversation with the Mistress?” Egan asked.

Davin knew what Egan wanted to know.  “I have an answer for him,” Davin said vaguely, yawning at the same time. 

“Just what I wanted to hear.”  Davin smiled despite his exhaustion. 

***

When the morning came, Davin realized he had slept better than anywhere he’d been since leaving home. His dreams were replays of his conversation with the Lady and the Lord of Trial.  The morning seemed late when he finally woke, but he really had no concept of time in this place. 

As they gathered up their necessities he noted that now the Lady of the Lake was now nowhere to be seen. 

“I will call to her,” Davin volunteered. 

“Do it,” Egan said, offering his consent.  Davin was going to do it anyway, but he liked when he and Egan were thinking along the same line.  Kayleigh and Teague looked uncomfortable. 

Davin called out loudly into the direction of the placid waters.  After a few short moments of waiting she faded into sight, at first transparent in her white glow and then a solid mass.  She floated above the water until she reached the shore and then landed and walked toward them.  .  Her eyes passed over all of them in turn.  Great blue irises twinkled as if tiny sapphires circled her pupils. 

“If you are ready to leave I will give you the piece of the scroll that you came for.  And I also have another gift.”

She clapped her hands lightly and, in a small flash of blue light, two things appeared next to her.  One looked like the piece of the scroll.  The other was a familiar spherical shape in the color of brownish-orange.  It was another Driocht orb.  She gestured the two items over toward the four of them.  Davin caught the orb while Egan reached for the parchment. 

Before any of them could say anything, she spoke again.  “I give you this Driocht orb to aid your quest.  It was lost to the High Passes, but I called it here for your usage.  It controls the power of the earth.  Use it as you see fit.  I also entrust you with the piece of the Driocht scroll.  Do not let it fall into foul hands.” 

She paused for a moment, as if deciding to say something else.  “Allow me to give you one other encouragement, a blessing that we used in our time.” 

Without any ado she broke into another tongue, though Davin noticed he could still understand it.  

“
The dawn always follows when the night is darkest

Let it be true in this

Windfalls may snare and storms may rage but still those troubles will pass

Let it be true in this

A purpose for good lies in fate’s alignment of comrades

Let it be true in this

Love, the everlasting bond, places fire in the soul and strength in the heart

Let it be true in this

The swords’ blades on the side with malice and falsities, will weaken

Let it be true in this
”

It wasn’t long, but it seemed to ensnare every single one of their senses in its recitation.   Davin felt renewed in spirit and in strength.  His wound from the Auki bothered him no more.  The others
looked as if they had just received the same sensation.  He was glad they seemed to have understood it as well. 

             
“I pray that your journey goes well.  Goodbye, friends of the Ancients and kin.”  She bowed and disappeared for the last time into nothingness.   They weren’t able to take their eyes off the spot where she had been for some time.  And when they finally did, it was with great reluctance.  Her words had filled them with a sense of hope and contentment to which none had ever known. 

Chapter 22 A Fateful Decision

When they were all bundled again, Egan began to lead them back down the tenuous, winding pass that took them to the Chasm.  Davin was irritably reminded that they still had to cross back.  At least this time they wouldn’t be dealing with the Auki afterwards. 

The weather had turned for the worst.  Beside the occasional update as to how far away they were from the bottom of the pass, there was little conversation for several hours.  Instead, they concentrated on keeping their body temperatures up by moving steadily, so as to not freeze.  This action didn’t come as easily as it sounded.  And without the fear of the Auki this time, all their anxieties rested in the landscape.  Deep snow drifts and thin cliff side paths hindered their efforts at every turn. 

It took them a full day and a half to meander their way back down through the High Passes.   Davin tried to occupy himself with clearing his mind from all of his thoughts, but quickly realized he was staring at Kayleigh trudge forward in front of him.  The tactic seemed help relieve the constant ache of cold and stress within him for a while. 

When there was a break in the weather on the second day,
he caught up and fell in step with her.  Even with her bundled up to an almost unrecognizable degree, she still made his heart skip a beat. 

She glanced at him as he approached her
side, but didn’t say anything. 
She’s going to wait until I say something first. 
He took a deep breath. 

“Some weather we’re having
,” he said, shivering.  The cold was going to make this conversation difficult. 

She
pulled her coat away from her face, but didn’t seem bothered by his statement of the obvious.  “Yes it is.  I’ve been curious.  What did you discuss with the Lady?”

Davin stammered at first, but
then told her everything, all of his thoughts and actions up until this point. 

She blinked at him.  “
It seems hard to believe there ever was a time you didn’t care.”

“Me either, but up until now I thought there was.  Maybe I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.” 

“I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same to you if I had been in that situation,” she told him.  But Davin highly doubted, at least from what he had observed so far, that she had a crass bone in her body.