Selina Roth ran past towering windows streaming early morning sunlight through the villa.
Her bare feet echoing through the halls, cut through the conversation the Lus were having with the queen of Thameland and a few of her guards, as they gathered in the dining hall, discussing the situation in the kingdom.
Mr. and Mrs. Luâand their sonsâsounded uncomfortable around the queen, and worried when they spoke of their daughter and Alex. The queen spoke in soft tones, her voice sounded distressed at times when recounting what theyâd been through.
Her infant son was quiet, finally sleeping, likely all cried out from a night of fear and tears.
But Selina wasnât focusing on the queen, her son, her guards or their worries.
She had her own to think about: her brother, Claygon, Theresa, Brutus and all their friends fighting for their lives and the future of everyone in Thameland. Once again, sheâd been left behind.
It was always the same. She had to stay backâprotectedâwhile others fought, died and suffered.
Just like at the first Games of Roal sheâd attended.
Just like when Alex went to the Empire by himself to make sure she wasnât targeted by the hidden church.
Just like in the Cave of the TravellerâŠand even before that.
From the time her parents had died, her brother and their other loved ones were always concerned with making sure she was safe, warm and protected. While she understood that, it didnât stop her from feeling more and more frustrated because she could never help. She was too young, they said, she wasnât strong enough to stand beside them, they said. She wanted to help, she wanted to protect them. Last nightâafter the Lusâ sons had woken herâsheâd spent the rest of the night lying in bed, wishing she was four or five years older, four or five years more experienced with her magic. Her fire could be protecting her loved ones, burning their enemies, snuffing out the monsters plaguing Thameland.
But, since she was only twelve now, and had only just started exploring her connection to flame, she had to stay in Generasi.
ButâŠsheâd still do what she could with her connection, no matter how new it was. She wouldnât be using it to burn their enemies to cinders, butâŠ
Sheâd use it in another way.
Without speaking to anyone in the villa, she opened the front doors and ran outside into the courtyard.
She looked around, searching for a particular object, something she remembered from when she lived there when Alex was gone.
âŠshe quickly found it.
Selina Roth sprinted to a tall iron pole with a hook at the top. On that hook, hung the object she was looking for, and climbing onto the bench positioned beside the pole, she reached up and took the object down:
A lantern with glass sides...
Holding the lantern carefully, she carried it inside, quickly passing the dining room.
âSelina?â Mrs. Lu called.
Selina didnât answer, her eyes remained fixed on what was in her hands, taking it upstairs to the villaâs meditation chamber.
It was a bright quiet space, fifteen feet across and lined with windows, like a small solarium. The floor was covered with soft rugs, woven in calming colours and patterns.
On one end of the roomâopposite the doorâa small, stone altar stood.
One would normally place a small bowl with burning incense on it when meditating.
But, today, Selina had a different idea.
She put the lantern in the centre of the altar, then ran to her room.
Footsteps creaked on the staircase. âSelina?â Mrs. Lu called. âI thought youâd gone back to bed. Come on downstairs. Thereâs breakfaââ
âNo, Thanks, Mrs. Lu, thereâs something I need to do!â Selina called back.
An idea burned in the young girlâs mind, and the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that it was something she had to do. Reaching her room, she threw the door open and looked around.
When theyâd moved back to their apartment above the bakery, she hadnât taken all of her belongings with her, just in case they decided to spend some time here with the Lus.
She only hoped sheâd left a certain item behind.
Something specific, she was convinced that sheâd need.
She opened the chest at the foot of her bed, looking through everything sheâd left there.
âŠand found the box of building clay tucked inside.
Exactly what she was looking for.
Scooping it up in both hands, she ran back to the meditation chamber, pushing past a stunned Mrs. Lu.
âWhat are you doing?â Theresaâs mother asked.
âTrying to help Alex and the others!â the young girl said. âIâŠI canât really explain it!â
She stepped back into the room and dropped the box of clay on the floor then opened it, taking out two handfuls of building clay; it was a little dry, but it would do.
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Selinaâs clever fingers quickly began shaping the clay into two female shapes as Mrs. Lu watched from the doorway, staring at her in bewilderment.
The young fire-mage soon finished her task, and placed the two clay figures on the altar on either side of the lantern: rough, miniature replicas of the goddess statues in the Cave of the Traveller.
âThere,â she said, falling to her knees in front of the lantern and statues. âI made something kinda likeâŠsomething that symbolises the Traveller. We want her backâŠand I think this might be a good way to get my faith to her.â
She pointed at the lantern. âThe lantern is her holy symbol and the statues represent the ones that were in her temple inside the Cave. And there was something else in her temple too.â
Selina remembered how scared she was when her brother was shielding her from the goddess statuesâ fury.
âFire. And, I can provide that.â
She turned to the lantern. âHoly Traveller, I know you are trying to come back to the material world. You want to help all of us and save us from the RavenerâŠwell I pray to you nowâŠwith all the faith I have. I pray with my connection to fire and I offer anything I can to help you. Thank you for helping us as much as you have so far, andâŠplease help us save our kingdom. Help us save our family.â
Selina looked at Mrs. Lu. âThis is how we can help the Traveller, and if we can help her, then she can help AlexâŠand the rest of us.â
Mrs. Lu looked down at the young girl for a moment.
Her face softened.
She stepped closer, falling to her knees beside her. âYouâre right, Selina. Iâll help you.â Mrs. Lu looked up at the glass ceiling. âOh, Traveller, please help us. Whatever you need from me to give you strength, I offer it.â
âAnd whatever you need from me, I offer that too.â
Selina and Mrs. Lu turned, finding Mr. Lu standing in the doorway.
He was not alone.
Their sons were behind him, along with the queen of Thamelandâthe prince was cradled in her armsâsurrounded by their guards. She looked pale and drawn, her eyes were wet with tears.
âWe heard you mention helping those in Thameland,â the queen said, her eyes on the lantern on the altar. âYou have made a shrine to the TravellerâŠbut not to Uldar.â
Her eyes flashed.
It seemed her husband had told her much about the godâs treachery.
âWe will join you in this ritual, child,â she said. âI have heard of the Travellerâshe was a Saint of good works and of a good heartâand if what we do here can aid her and aid Thameland in turn, then that is what we will do. I cannot allow a child to act on behalf of the realm while I stand back.â
She, Mr. Lu, the boys and guards crowded into the cramped meditation room, falling to their knees behind Selina and Mrs. Lu.
The young girl smiled.
âThank you.â She turned back to the makeshift shrine and went to the lantern, opened its glass door and examined the oil-soaked wick inside.
Selina took a deep breath. âTraveller, we give to you, so that you can give to all of our people. Please. Aid us.â
She looked at the lanternâŠand spoke the incantation to a spell. frŃeÏebÉłovel.com
Flame surged inside her.
Flame...
Something she was so connected toâŠand could use as a focus for her faith. She concentrated on her memory of the fire-gems in the Cave of the Traveller.
When she finished the last word of her spell, an intense flame sprang to life in the lantern, crackling in the morning light.
âTraveller,â she said. âI want this lantern and my fire to symbolise you. I give you my faith and my power, oh Traveller.â She clasped her hands, lowering her head. âTravellerâŠHannahâŠI gladly give you whatever you need. I believe in you and know that you can help us. AndâŠplease. Save our home. Save our family. Please come back to usâŠwe know that you are good. We know that youâre not like what we worshipped before. So pleaseâŠâ
She squeezed her eyes tight.
ââŠtravel to us.â
Her words disappeared into silence as her family, the queen and her guards, prayed silently. The only sound heard in the room was the crackle of Selinaâs flame burning inside the Travellerâs symbol.
A peacefulness settled over the chamber.
âŠsuddenly, it grew warmer.
The flame crackled louder.
Selina felt a warm touch against her cheek.
Something transformed deep within Alex.
His streams of consciousnessâall focused on channelling his complete belief through the Travellerâs power in his soulâfelt a tingling, reaching deep within his very soul.
Hannahâs power altered inside him.
Surging, the Travellerâs energy flooded his soul.
âThis is it!â he shouted, feeling giddy. âItâs enough!â
Alex concentrated on his power, focusing on the feeling of his summoning spells reaching across the planesâŠand he reached out. Calling on the Mark of the General, he set it to the task of calling something from a faraway place.
He reached deep into his power, feeling a connection form. freewebnÞvel.coɱ
The Travellerâs swordâfused with his staffâbegan singing, blazing with power.
âWhat?â Aenflynnâs effigy suddenly cried. âWhat are you doing?â
âBy the TravellerâŠâ Merzhin whispered. âI feel it. I feel all of it.â
Alex reached deeper into his power, using his connection to its source.
He followed the connection beyond the fae wild.
Beyond the material world.
Beyond the planes.
Beyond the very veil of life and death.
And for a brief instantâa fraction of a heartbeatâhe glimpsed the after-world.
Eternal light and the deepest dark joined together, packed with untold numbers of havens and voidsâthe final resting places of every soul in the universe.
And among themâŠ
His breath caught.
He saw a man.
And a woman.
The man was lean and tall, corded muscle hardened from years of splitting wood and hauling kegs gave definition to his arms. His light brown eyes shone with mischief, and he wore his chestnut-brown hair cropped close to his scalp.
The womanâs auburn hair was caught up in a loose braid that swayed in a warm wind. Her green eyes shone with pride.
âWell, someone finally woke up,â the manâs deep voice said, as real as it was when it had woken Alex so many years ago.
âAlex had a busy day today, Sean. Of course heâs tired,â the woman said. âIâm sure itâs even more thrilling than the stories he used to read.â
Alex choked up.
Beside him, he heard a gasp.
He spun around, finding Selina there.
The young girlâs soul was bared to him, wrapped in the most beautiful flames heâd ever seen.
âA-Alex?â she stammered. âWhat isâis thatâŠâ
âYouâve grown so much, my girl.â Mrs. Roth smiled. âAs have you, our son.â
âWe couldnât be more proud,â her husband said.
He and his wife walked to their stunned children, wrapping them both in wide flung arms.
âWe hear your prayers, especially during the Festival of Ghosts,â Mrs. Roth held her daughter and son. âAnd we love you both.â
âWe couldnât be more proud of you.â Mr. Roth squeezed both children.
âIâŠmoooomâŠdaaadâŠâ Selina sniffled.
âMother, father, IâThereâs so much I want to say,â Alex could barely get the words out.
âAnd there will be time for that,â Mr. Roth promised. âWhen next you see us, there will be an eternity for us to catch up.â
âBut you donât have time now,â Mrs. Roth said, her voice sad. âYour friend took a long time to find us so we could speak to you when this moment came. Sheâs so strong now, son. You, Selina and the people of Thameland fed her well, but from what I understand, even she canât hold the door open for very long.â
âYou meanââ Alex gasped.
âYes,â a powerful, yet familiar voice said. âI am here.â
âAnd so am I,â another one said.
Selina and Alex gasped as their parents released them from the tight hug.
Floating above them were two faces Alex knew well.
Carey Londonâs.
Though she had changed.
She was taller.
A halo of power floated above her head, and wings of chaos fireâthe very thing that had consumed herâblazed on her back.
Beside her, was another figure.
A young woman who Alex could never forget. A young woman whose face had been chubby at one time, but whoâd been hardened by tough battles over a period of years. Her features were striking in the way a painting of a goddess might be.
Long dark hair framed her face, hanging down over familiar robes.
Robes that had shrouded a transparent spirit in Cretalikon.
In the blossom of youth, yet with the wisdom of divinity blazing in her eyesâŠwas Hannah Kim, the Traveller.
She was neither spirit nor mortal woman.
Gone was the Saint of Uldar.
And Alex knew, without a doubt, he was now looking upon the personification of a goddess.