Chapter 64

Ayla's sleep was plagued by nightmares about dragons that were telling her about a prophecy and a Dark Master that touched her head and felt as if it was splitting it in half. She even dreamed about her mother warning her about something.

When Ayla woke up, she was in her room from the Clan Hall. Kerra was on her legs, looking at her with soft eyes. When the snowcat saw Ayla wake up, she started purring.

"How are you feeling? Ayla heard Rhobart's voice coming from her left.

She turned her head and saw Rhobart sitting in an armchair next to the bed, looking at her with eyes full of worry.

Ayla smiled, trying to reassure him, "I am fine. My head stopped hurting."

Rhobart moved into the bed next to Ayla.

"Move, furball," Rhobart said to Kerra in an affectionate tone.

Kerra hissed at Rhobart but moved from Ayla's legs next to her.

Rhobart put Ayla in his lap, wrapped his arms around her, and rested his forehead against hers, "I felt so hopeless not knowing how to help you. How to take your pain away."

"There was nothing you could do," Ayla said.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, in silence, just feeling each other, before Rhobart put her back on the bed.

"Rest for a little longer," Rhobart said.

"I am feeling fine, Rhobart. Stop worrying. What about the meeting with the others?"

Rhobart looked at her for a few moments, "It will start in about an hour. It will give you time to change and eat something."

An hour later, Rhobart, Ayla, and Kerra entered the Planning Room. The Paladins and Milton were already there, sitting at a table.

Ayla greeted the men and, except Godefray, who had the nose bruised, greeted her back.

"How are you feeling?" Milton asked Ayla when she sat in a chair next to the Fire Mage.

"I am fine! Thank you for the potion!"

Rhobart sat next to Ayla and looked at the Paladins, "How is the situation in the Black Forest?"

"When we got there, we found a lot of Orcs camp," Droyn said.

Rhobart fisted his hands, "How many Orcs did you see?"

"That's the problem; we didn't see any. All the camps were empty," Droyn explained.

"The Orcs knew we were coming, and they ran away," Eude said.

"Even the Orcs learned about our ability with the swords and decided they are no match for us and went back to the Uncharted Lands," Hudde said.

"We are the Deadly-Twins," Eude and Hudde said and high-fived each other.

Tizgar snorted, "More like the Delusional-Twins."

"Focus!" Rhobart said. "This is important!"

"Like I was saying," Droyn continued, "the camps were empty. It didn't seem that they left in a hurry and only decided to leave behind things like tents and furs. They took all the weapons and supplies with them."

Rhobart frowned while he thought for a few minutes. The others kept silent while he thought.

"I don't think they returned to the Uncharted Lands. I think they are here to make kill and destroy. But why did they leave? And more importantly–where did they go?" the King finally spoke.

"A hawk came this morning with a message from one of the spies from Myrthana," Gorn said. "There is something you need to know."

Ayla's heart beat fast at the mention of her former home.

"The tower of a Dark Mage has been erected next to the castle. Supposedly the new advisor of King Galian is a very powerful Dark Mage–a Dark Master. The Orcs have occupied towns, people were taken into slavery or killed, and the borders are closed. He also said that he wouldn't be able to send any more information for a while as he has to lie low for a while. I lost the contract with the other spies."

"If Galian has allied with the Orcs, all the Kingdoms are in great danger," Rhobart said.

The princess stopped breathing for a moment. She was sure there was a logical explication about what was happening in Myrthana. She refused to believe that Galian sold their people to the Orcs. What would he gain by doing it?

Rhobart looked at Ayla, "Has your brother or father ever shown a preference for the Dark God?"

"Why does this not surprise me?" Godefray asked, but the others ignored him.

Ayla suddenly felt sick. Very sick. She felt that everyone in the room was looking at her. Did Rhobart think that she would sell her soul to Beliar?

"We have always worshiped Adanoss! I would never worship Beliar!" Ayla in a shaky tone.

When her fingers shook, Rhobart pulled her hand into hers.

"T'xoria, no one is accusing you of anything! What I am asking is if you saw anything strange while you lived there."

Ayla frowned. She bit her lower lip while she thought. The only place she was allowed to go when her father permitted her to leave her room was the library, but a servant will always accompany her, or after a punishment, she could see Saturas to heal her wounds. She could not know for sure what her father or brother did, but she was sure they would not worship Beliar.

Not only did her family worship Adanoss, but also the entire kingdom that did the same.

"If you did see something out of the ordinary or heard something, it might help us resolve the mystery," Milton said.

"Most of the time, I was just locked in my room, but when I was allowed to leave, I never saw anything strange," Ayla finally said.

Rhobart stilled and looked at her with confused eyes. Ayla wondered if she had said something strange.

"You were locked in your room?" Rhobart asked in an angry tone. "For how long?"

Ayla flinched. Was he mad at her? Sometimes she could not read Rhobart's reactions.

"Since I was nine until you took me from Myrthana," Ayla said.

Rhobart muttered some curses under his breath while the others looked at her with sympathy.

"Are you mad at me?" Ayla asked Rhobart.

"How could you believe I am mad at you, Ayla? I am mad that you have been locked up! I wish I could kill your father again for doing that to you!"

Ayla felt her heart full of joy. No one has been mad for her up until now.

"The King saved the princess from the evil dragon!" Eude said.

"And they lived happily ever after!" Hudde concluded.

Hewe made some movements with his hands and fingers.

"He said that the trusted Paladins of the King made sure that nothing destroyed the happiness of the King and the princess," Gorn translated for Ayla, and she smiled at Hewe.

When Eude said the word dragon, Ayla remembered parts of the dream she had last night. She was still trying to remember everything, but it only came in parts. She hoped she remembered enough.

"Talking about dragons," Ayla said, "I had a dream last night about some dragons. For some reason, I can only remember parts of it. But they told me I have to find someone named Uzriel. If I don't find it, the Orcs will win the war."

"Who knows anything about this, Uzriel?" Rhobart asked.

"Just because she has some dreams about dragons talking to her about this Uzriel doesn't mean we have to make something out of it," Godefray said.

Rhobart looked at him with angry eyes, "You either keep your mouth shut or leave!"

Godefray folded his arms, leaned on the chair, and looked at the table.

Milton looked at Ayla, "This is all that you remember?"

Ayla thought for a few moments, "There was something about a prophecy. They talked about the four elements of the Void, and the seven stones, and the Avatars." She put her fingers against her temples and closed her eyes, thinking hard. "It is not the first time I dream about Uzriel."

And then Ayla told them about the dreams she had with the Seer. How the Seer told her the same thing, that she, Ayla had to find this person named Uzriel.

When she finished saying everything she remembered, Ayla looked at the men, waiting to see what they would say.

Milton was first to talk, looking at Ayla, "If you remember anything else, tell me." Then looking at the others said, "This is something I have read in an old tome from the Fire Mage Monastery years ago. I don't remember everything, but during the two Wars with the Orcs to conquer the world, an Avatar of Inoss and one of Adanoss fought side by side. From what I remember,r the Avatar of Adanoss was named Uzriel. In the first War, the Avatar of Inoss was a snow elf, the one that became the first Paladin. His name was Rolim. In the second War, a great human warrior from Nordmar has been the Avatar of Inoss. His name was Elidyr. Unfortunately, not much is known about the Avatars, except they were very exceptional fighters."

"You think we can find more about the Avatars and possible clues where we can find this Uzriel in the library of the Fire Mage Monastery?" Rhobart asked.

Something about a temple came to Ayla's mind, but she could not remember, so she let the memory go.

"The Arch-Mage might know more about the Avatars and the prophecy. He spends a lot of time reading," Milton said.

"I was thinking that we should go to the Monastery," Rhobart said. He looked around the table, "Milton, Ayla, Kerra, the twins, and I will go to the Monastery. The rest, I want you to go and see what's going on in Myrthana."

"I get to spend more time with the princess!" Eude said.

Hudde looked at Milton, "How many women are studying Fire Magic at the Monastery?"

Tizgar laughed, "You might get burned if you play with fire."

"You have the rest of the day free," Rhobart said. "We leave tomorrow."

Rhobart stood, took Ayla by the hand, and led her out of the Planning Room. Kerra followed them.

"What do you want to do for the rest of the day?" Rhobart asked Ayla.

Ayla thought for a moment before speaking, "I would like to spend it outside, seeing more of the Clan."