Read Online The Vitalis Chronicles: Tomb of the Relequim by Jay Swanson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jay Swanson
Tags: Fantasy
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flowing script above the runes that rimmed the base of their statue. They were strange, but enchanting names. Most were different than any he had known before. Some of the statues held long staffs decorated with runes and dangling pendants while others carried swords, small animals, or baskets filled with flowers.
Each of them seemed a masterful work of art, from the laced and decorative clothing to the strands of hair that wove in and out of the stone. Some were stern, strong. Others were delicate, beautiful in their serenity. Something about the endless line of them caused his heart to sink a bit. There was a great unspoken sadness to it all. A few of the stands remained empty, but the vast majority held statues.
He came to another, shorter set of stairs, and walked down into a broad circular room. At the opposite end an even larger ball of light floated in a recess that looked to be over a large table. Unlike the other lights, this one seemed to be made of flickering fields of blue fire rather than smoke. More statues rested around the room to either side. Each had been given more space, their stands larger than the others.
And in the middle rested the largest stand of all: a round, half-empty platform. The figure on it faced away from him. It looked as though it were missing a partner as it only took up the right side of the dais. He walked around it to investigate the room. These statues had titles along with their names. There were maybe two dozen of them in this room. Two large archways led out on either side of the great light and into darkness.
Then he noticed a face he recognized. He rushed over to see more closely. It was Caspian. Ardin knelt to look at his titles more closely: First Mage – Eldest of the Magi – Keeper of Lore . He looked younger, but it was certainly the Caspian he had come to know. He had no beard, and long hair flowed out from under a tall, gently swayed, pointed hat. It curved around his ears as if to grip his head in case of any sudden gusts of wind. An off-kilter crescent moon with a circle floating at its center rested just above his forehead. A raised, textured strip ran under it and up the front until it tapered to nothing at the tip. The hems of his robe were richly decorated with moons and stars and opened up to reveal his light armor beneath. Belts and bands and necklaces of all kinds crisscrossed the decorative protection. He smiled at the statue, wishing the old man's voice would fill it and speak comfort to him.
He turned then to his left, realizing with a jolt that next to Caspian stood Tertian. He looked particularly menacing as he stared into the center of the room. The presence of the statue made Ardin shiver with a mixture of emotions: hate, fear, even guilt. He wondered where these statues had come from. They looked so lifelike. It was eerie to see the faces of people he had known to pass.
He turned to inspect the other side of the room and found Charsi. Her expression was so different than when he had met her, warm and welcoming. Save the paintings in Tertian's home, it was the first time he had seen her whole face. Her half-smile was playful even; she was beautiful. It was obvious where Alisia's looks came from.
Alisia , the thought tugged on his heart. Are you here somewhere too?
“ Welcome, Ardin of Levanton.”
He whipped around in spite of himself, looking in every direction for the source of the voice. The large floating light to his left glowed and dimmed with each syllable.
“ I have waited a long time to meet you.”
He couldn't tell if the voice were feminine or masculine. It was kind, which somehow led him to lean more towards it being feminine.
“ Who are you?”
“ My name is known by few, but you know me as the Greater Being of this continent.”
“ The Greater Being...” Ardin wasn't sure what to think of this.
There was a long silence as the two stared at each other. At least Ardin imagined the light was staring at him. It was impossible
Each of them seemed a masterful work of art, from the laced and decorative clothing to the strands of hair that wove in and out of the stone. Some were stern, strong. Others were delicate, beautiful in their serenity. Something about the endless line of them caused his heart to sink a bit. There was a great unspoken sadness to it all. A few of the stands remained empty, but the vast majority held statues.
He came to another, shorter set of stairs, and walked down into a broad circular room. At the opposite end an even larger ball of light floated in a recess that looked to be over a large table. Unlike the other lights, this one seemed to be made of flickering fields of blue fire rather than smoke. More statues rested around the room to either side. Each had been given more space, their stands larger than the others.
And in the middle rested the largest stand of all: a round, half-empty platform. The figure on it faced away from him. It looked as though it were missing a partner as it only took up the right side of the dais. He walked around it to investigate the room. These statues had titles along with their names. There were maybe two dozen of them in this room. Two large archways led out on either side of the great light and into darkness.
Then he noticed a face he recognized. He rushed over to see more closely. It was Caspian. Ardin knelt to look at his titles more closely: First Mage – Eldest of the Magi – Keeper of Lore . He looked younger, but it was certainly the Caspian he had come to know. He had no beard, and long hair flowed out from under a tall, gently swayed, pointed hat. It curved around his ears as if to grip his head in case of any sudden gusts of wind. An off-kilter crescent moon with a circle floating at its center rested just above his forehead. A raised, textured strip ran under it and up the front until it tapered to nothing at the tip. The hems of his robe were richly decorated with moons and stars and opened up to reveal his light armor beneath. Belts and bands and necklaces of all kinds crisscrossed the decorative protection. He smiled at the statue, wishing the old man's voice would fill it and speak comfort to him.
He turned then to his left, realizing with a jolt that next to Caspian stood Tertian. He looked particularly menacing as he stared into the center of the room. The presence of the statue made Ardin shiver with a mixture of emotions: hate, fear, even guilt. He wondered where these statues had come from. They looked so lifelike. It was eerie to see the faces of people he had known to pass.
He turned to inspect the other side of the room and found Charsi. Her expression was so different than when he had met her, warm and welcoming. Save the paintings in Tertian's home, it was the first time he had seen her whole face. Her half-smile was playful even; she was beautiful. It was obvious where Alisia's looks came from.
Alisia , the thought tugged on his heart. Are you here somewhere too?
“ Welcome, Ardin of Levanton.”
He whipped around in spite of himself, looking in every direction for the source of the voice. The large floating light to his left glowed and dimmed with each syllable.
“ I have waited a long time to meet you.”
He couldn't tell if the voice were feminine or masculine. It was kind, which somehow led him to lean more towards it being feminine.
“ Who are you?”
“ My name is known by few, but you know me as the Greater Being of this continent.”
“ The Greater Being...” Ardin wasn't sure what to think of this.
There was a long silence as the two stared at each other. At least Ardin imagined the light was staring at him. It was impossible
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