The lands of Aurore were unmatched in beauty and tranquility. The last three decades giving its soils time to recover and blossom. From every high point in Aleanthos could the ocean be seen. It's bodies of crystal clear water carrying a hue of emerald and sapphire. A small boat had taken Talon and his men to the Isle of Lacown, the single resting place of the goddess Bryia. From the upper decks, Talon took the time to admire the vast open sea, his mind often traveling off to wonder what swam beneath them. Three rock formations shot from the water around the small isle, their color resting in sandstone with flakes of gold embedded into their cracks. The entirety of the temple remained surrounded by torches of opal and bronze that seemed to float just above the surface. Upon the water rested two spacious, structured villas. Both of which bore nearly the same colors as the sea they laid upon.
"Where do you take us, Lord Farek?" Talon questioned. The simple man turned with a smile to reply his speech stumbling, "To the villa of the goddess Bryia. She is the mother of the Arcaeseans. If you gain her blessing, they will be yours to command." Talon arched a brow."Who fathered them?" Spoke Maximo. "Her husband, the god Aquation. The ocean has no room for more than two gods. Therefore, their children were given to the royals of Aurore for protection. You see, with the power of their father's wrath upon the soil, no harm would ever fall to his many seas. You should read the book of legacies more often, Sir Maximo." Farek replied moving to grip the railings of the boat. They came to a stop, a short bridge being lowered into the water. "Come now, let us greet her beauty," stuttered Farek, his body the first to exit the boat.
Talon and Maximo followed, the cool touch of the soft waves coming up to nearly their waists. They waded through and finally came to find footing upon one of three translucent landings. The three men shivered as the bite of the cold early morning wind teased their now soaking wet bodies. "There is no one here. I do not trust this man, M'lord," spoke Maximo moving to stand beside his King, his sight set on Farek. "To hold vision is to truly be blind. And to wield eyes of darkness is to truly see. Your eyes deceive you, boy. Because a new figure does not stand before you does not mean you are alone," spoke a voice of feminine tone.
The wind came to a stop as the water began to part underneath them. Both Talon and Maximo jumped startled by the new voice, unknowing they had been noticed. Farek remained calm as he stepped backward. A soft sway of white was all the two men could make out as Bryia swam and began to rise. She was of tall and curvaceous build, with blinding white hair that came to pool behind her as she took footing upon the mosaic steps of her villa. Pale of flesh was she, with blackened tribal tattoos that wrapped either side of her temples. The tribal tattoos of Hailotia covered her shoulders and arms. The artwork slithered around her full thighs and perfect toes, a symbol of her age and wisdom. Eyes of Primrose came to rest upon the three; her facial expression hard as stone. Ahgustahn fell upon his knees bowing his head in worship to the beauty the being possessed. "Why have you come to my home, King Laxrindren Talon of Crystal Springs?"
The King stepped forth bowing to the lady before him. For several moments, he remained silent slowly trying to figure out how he should respond. "I have come to gain your blessing. I wish the power of the Aurorian army. I am certain you know of the events that have come to pass. As a ruler of peace, I have little to defend myself and my people with. The time has come for blood to be shed in order to preserve the lives of my subjects." Bryia moved forward, her gold and ivory silks swaying gracefully behind her stride.
"You wish my daughters to fight for you? An enemy of those who worships my husband and me?" The goddess spoke, her tone beginning to gather hues of dominance. "I humbly travel from the safety of my home, to ask for your aid. I can only hope I shall not be judged for crimes I did not commit. I seek to restore peace to all of Evernia. Your beauty and your husband's wrath do not leave the seclusion of your waters. If this planet falls into the abyss, you shall cease to exist as well." For the first time, the goddess gave them a smile. Her finger lifted to point to the others as her voice came forth.
"Leave us to speak in privacy," she ordered. Without a word, the two moved to the shades of the villas, leaving King Talon to impress the mother of the ocean. Talon could not deny his lust. His eyes wandered over her curves as well as the shine of the gold forged corset upon her flesh. He kept his thoughts respectful, unsure if she could read his feelings.
"You speak wisdom, and from the tales of my husband's domain, you are a just ruler. Your father-in-marriage forces your hand in this. Speak honesty to me when I ask this of you. Did you even wish to travel to the lands of Aurore?" Her tone rang soft in his ears, and he realized she had come closer to him. "I did not. I feared the trip. I did not wish to leave my wife alone for so long though the weight of life outweighs the needs of my heart," he replied, his tone dropping in sadness. Bryia smiled and came to stand just before him, her height shadowing his body.
"Your tongue passes words of honesty into my ears. You are as I thought you to be though. I know there is something you wish more than war, more than the safety of your race and perhaps even the protection of your wife." Talon looked up to the goddess, his eyes locking with her odd yet intriguing gaze. "And what do you believe this to be? Wealth? Immortality?" With a laugh she replied. "No, such things matter not to a man who does not bare a son. You fight for freedom and safety because you are sworn to. But your very soul begs to leave a child to carry on your name. The many land masses know of this." Laxrindren sighed. The goddess spoke the truth. If he came to be crowned savior of Evernia, there would be no one to carry on his legacy into future generations. Such clouded his mind and his dreams, yet, they had all been pushed aside in order to focus on greater things.
"I do wish a son, and when you and your fellow siblings see us fit, I shall have one. For now, my primary concern is securing the life of not only myself but those I rule over, those I have sworn to protect. I would not have my son be born into an unstable world. If I am to be a father, it would be my duty to protect my hatchlings. To save them from the grasp of harm, I cannot do that with Evernia as she now stands. I am of Frostfire blood, and we do not fail our children. I will see my home restored and perhaps then, I will be ready to be a father. With all respect great goddess, I come here to speak of the Arecaesean Bow singers and nothing more. Would you have them bring pride and honor to your eyes, or allow them to rot upon the soil with their gifts going to waste?"
Taking a seat on a nearby lounge, Bryia looked to Talon and pointed to the chair just across from her. "I wish my children to be able to use their talents for the greater good. Even still, I shall not see them released into the hands of evil. They are complex and hold power unmatched by any others who walk upon the grounds of this planet. If I were to entrust you with their might, you would be the most powerful King in all the many lands."
"If their possession could cause such a thing, why did Farek not rise over my father in the war?" "Because I commanded him not to move against Lord Raye'Zore. Doing so would have gone against the prophecies. This day of judgment has been brewing for nearly nine hundred years. Know that you are part of the story that will be told for eons. You are the beginning, the seed to be planted in order to grant shade from the fatal touch of the sun. The chosen will be the end as it is stated by the hands of my betters. Know that it will not be my many daughters that will grant this planet victory, nor is victory yours to claim." Her hand came to caress his scalp, her lips nearing his ear.
"Know this...There will come a time when your greatest enemy shall become your most trusted ally. It is this being who is the chosen to save us all. You ask not to be judged by the actions of your ancestors. Hold this wish close to your heart and allow it to grant you the light of wisdom in days to come. If you want my children to serve you, then you may take them. All I require is that you allow fourteen of them to remain here to protect those unwilling to fight." Talon swooned at her touch. It was unlike any other he had ever felt.
"I swear it upon my life that fourteen shall remain after my departure. I offer my gratitude for your wise words and the blessing I came to receive. I shall not see regret fall into your mind. I will prove that your sacrifice will not be in vain." "There is one last thing I must give you." Bryia released her touch and allowed her grasp to remove a dragon's eye necklace from her neck. The rope was a braided soft sea foam with a copper eye centered within brass. "Take this and wear it wherever you travel. It will lead you to me if needed. I command the creature it belongs to. The water is far and wide, and I am always upon its waves."
Taking the necklace in hand, Talon slipped it over his own neck leaving the eye to rest in his palm. It was unsettling at first having another dragon's eye upon his flesh, though according to its color, it was the breed of an enemy. "Will it show me things you see? Or is it simply a beacon of some sort?" "It will grant you the vision of the below once a day, I suggest you choose wisely. As for it being a beacon, no. It will just remain open when you are pointing in the direction of me. And it shall close when you are venturing the wrong way."
He tucked the necklace under his garments and smiled, his mind wondering what he could see. What actually lived below the crashing waves? Could it be true that tales of Leviathans and merfolk actually lived far below them? Thunder cracked above their heads, as clouds began to join together around the isle.The waters became unsettled, and foam began to rise. "I must return to my husband. But know that if you need guidance, all you must do is follow the gaze of the necklace." With that Bryia stepped into the ocean and slowly began to sink. Before long, the beauty born of the sea had vanished, the brewing storm calmed, and the sun began to peak the horizon. Talon made way to the villa meeting up with Farek and Maximo. Standing rapidly, Maximo rushed to his Lord's side bombarding him with questions.
"Did she grant them to you? Did she touch you?" "Yes, and yes, along with this." The necklace had closed its eye, the soft scales upon both lids crashing together. "What is that?" Maximo asked his head tilting in confusion. "That is one of the five eyes of Gohura, an aquatic dragon known to be the warrior of Bryia. He is all that remains of the last Adosuti a race nearly extinct. She gave that to you?" Ahgustahn gasped, his hand moving to cover his gaping mouth. "She did. She told me many things as well. Lord Farek, I wish every Bow Singer within my territory with the exception of fourteen. It is her wish. For now, I would see myself to your study. I fancy a cup of tea and a long session with a few of your books before my return home." "Of course, your Grace. Right away. Though I am forced to inquire about your session with Bryia, I am quite curious." "There will be time for that soon enough. For now, we have more pressing matters to attend to." Without another word, Farek led the way back to the boat, Talon the only one giving a final glance to where Bryia had disappeared.
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