Spirit Riser CHAPTER FOUR

"What on earth are you talking about Ankiel? Do not speak such silly conclusions. It is a birthmark. I am not one of these Spirit Risers'. I am a butchers newphew and nothing more," Thiazu shouted angrily.
Ankiel looked at Thiazu in a pleading way. He was sure that Thiazu was the first Spirit Riser.
"Look, I understand it must be distressing for you but it is not as if you are the first ever Spirit Riser. You are just the first in a new generation." Nothing that Ankiel could say would calm Thiazu.
"Sure, fine, I have the characteristics that your Spirit Riser has but it cannot be me. I am a mere boy. Nothing more and nothing less. You know that," Thiazu retorted. He would hear no such nonsense.
"There is a test," Ankiel said hopefully. "If you would be happy to participate we shall see if you are the Spirit Riser."
Thiazu contemplated for a moment and nodded. "Very well," he said reluctantly.
Ankiel rose from his seat inside the purple tent and walked across to a table laden with strange objects. Thiazu recognised one. It was the Gralgar Amulet worn by the Elder. It was supposed to keep him in constant pleasure of the Spirit World even when not wearing it.
Ankiel seemed to ponder for a moment over the objects and smacked his lips as he found the item he was looking foor. He turned on his heel and walked back, concealing the item in the folds of his robe.
"Now, Thiazu. I want you to close your eyes and I am going to place something in your hand. There are, however, certain things that you need to do yourself in order for the test to be accurate," he said.
"Please, close your eyes. Now, think deep. Read the pages of your heart. You will not know what the text says as it is written in Old Tongue -"
"What?" he called. "What in the name of the Spirits' is Old Tongue?"
"Old Tongue is the origional language created by The First Spirit all those millenia ago. It is our default you may say. Now, as I was saying. Look deep. If you can, locate your Spirit."
"Ankiel. Many people have tried to locate their Spirit and never succeded. I am sure I shall fall into the faliure category," said Thiazu in a negative tone.
"Just look Thiazu. Time is running out and I am not about to play a game of 'Twenty Questions'. Close your eyes and do as I said." Ankiel was looking red and flustered.
Thiazu gave-up the fight and closed his eyes. As much as he thought the things Ankiel had told him to do were a complete load of nensense, he thought that he might aswell try. He looked deep into his heart and tried to locate his Spirit. At that moment he felt Ankiel thrust a hard, smooth object into his palms. They were cool and relieved the heat in his hands cast from the fire a few hundred metres away. It was large and spherical, rather like the purple moon in the sky but he didn't know the exact colour of the item in his palms.
He looked, desperately searching every last section of his body but he could not locate his Spirit let alone 'read' his heart. It just was not happening.
Thiazu could hear Ankiel breathing anxiously. "Do not say anything until I say," he called as if reading Thiazu's mind as he thought of asking if the test was finished yet.
He sighed and kept looking. Thiazu sat there for what felt like a millenium and then finally, something inside him un-locked. He could physically hear the click as a lock opened. Then came a swooshing sound as the item in his hands became red hot. Thiazu yellped in pain and Ankiel gave him permission to release the object. He wasn't, however, allowed to open his eyes. When Thiazu heard a gasp he thought that it was his que to open his eyes.
Thiazu blinked as his eyes became accustome with the candle light.
"Look at the item on the floor Thiazu," Ankiel said calmly and confidently.
Thiazu let his eyes reach the floor and saw that he had been holding a sphere made from some strange, shiny rock. It was multi-coloured. "What does it mean?" he asked anxiously.
"Look at it closely. List the colours you can see," Ankiel ordered.
"Red, green, purple, yellow, maroon and grey."
"There are six colours yes?" Thiazu nodded. "There are six Spirit Risers and before you un-locked your Spirit, it was in fact black. Thiazu, you are the first of the Spirit Risers'," came the conclusion.
Thiazu sighed in disbelief. The Varix Elder was going mad in his old age yet Thiazu thought that there must be some truth in his tales.
"So, if I am a Spirit Riser, what will I have to do?" he asked.
"Vaious things my boy. You must master magic, learn Old Tongue and also help me locate the remaining six Spirit Risers' wherever they may be."
As soon as Ankiel finished his sentance, a scream sounded from outside. It was quickly followed by another and then another. There came a swishing noise as if a sword was being driven through a poor helpless soul. Ankiel rushed to the opening of the tent and peered out.
"There are fifty Imperial Soldiers outside. They have come from Raven Island from Lord Raven. Thiazu, the war has begun."
"War. I'm fifteen, I cannot fight a war," he said open mouthed.
"You will have to. You may not use metal as your weapon ut you will have a weapon of your own to brandish. Come quick, we must leave."
"What about my family?" Thiazu asked in a concerned tone.
"They already know Thiazu. I told them yesterday and they were ready to go into hiding themselves as soon as you split up after my speech. They are already on their way to Noith Bid where they will live as refugees in hiding. They will even be hidden from the powers of Lord Raven." Ankiel sounded reassuring but Thiazu felt a pang in his stomach. His family knew that he was a Spirit Riser. They had given up their Varix life just because they thought that Thiazu was a potential Spirit Riser and now, their reason had been justified.
"Ankiel, you mean that my family know that I am a Spirit Riser?" he asked quizically.
"Yes. They too noticed your birthmark and it was your uncle who said that they would need to hide. I agreed and spoke to friends in Noith Bid. They will be safe there. Do not worry," this time he was genuinely reassuring. "Now, we must leave. The army will be heading this way for us. I have my own troop ready to take action," as if by que, a roaring rose and swords could be heard clashing. Varix was well defended.
"How are we going to get away? What if they have us surrounded?" Thiazu asked hoping to evade capture.
"Do not worry. We have a different mode to travelling than just walking. Teleportation." Ankiel smiled.
He stood at the table and packed all the items into a leather pouch. When zipped up, it bulged now that his had its cargo. "Come," Ankiel said moving to the back of the tent. There, he showed Thiazu a gold compass like object. "This is a Turner. It can take us from one place in Duskvelden to another. Are you ready?"
"You seem to have planned everything," Thiazu said suspiciously. It was as if Ankiel was working from a script.
"Well, I have waited fifty years since Lord Raven's reign began for this day. The day when the Spirit Risers' are born again and they stop evil forces."
He grabbed hold of Thiazu's hand and muttured a word that sounded like "Inqubi" and spun the Turner. As the gold twisted left right and centre, a silver mist took hold of them. "This is the Teleportation," he mummbled over a whirring noise that joined the mist.
Thiazu could now feel a spinning sensation. Dizzyness somehow stayed at bay but his stomach was churning. His face scrunched and his head told him he didn't like Teleportation. He risked a glace at Ankiel who was standing as though nothing was happening. Ankiel was calm and collected.
Thiazu could no longer see the purple tent but instead, saw a lush green whiz past his face. Abruptly, the pair came to a stop and the mist blew away with the wind. Thiazu fell to his knees clutching his stomach. He waited and when the sick feeling relieved he stood and took in his surroundings. Now they were in a forest. One that was not full of people celebrating Mid-Moon but completely empty. An eerie silence was in the forest. Thiazu got the feeling that he was being wathced. He didn't know why or how. The place was deserted.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" asked Ankiel. "We are in a forest."
"I know that," Thiazu replied a hint of annoyance rising in his voice. "I meant what part of Duskvelden are we in?"
"Divosa, I believe," he replied. "We shall stay here tonight. Tomorrow, we shall go into town and look around. We shall need to buy some supplies." He pulled a smaller leather pouch from the large one suspended on his waist and shook it. Thiazu heard the sound of coins clinking against one another.
"Did you eat earlier?" Ankiel asked.
"Yes," Thiazu nodded. "Did you?"
Ankiel nodded aswell. "I shall save these ribs for the morning then," he said producinga brown paper package and hasitly stuffing it back into his pouch. He secured it. No forest animals were going to have his meat.
Thiazu was ordered to find some fire wood, so he went in search of the best, dry logs and twigs. When he returned to the spot where he and Ankiel arrived, he could not find him. He was gone.
"Ankiel, where are you?" he called.
"Drop the logs in a pile" said a voice.
"Ankiel, is that you?" Thiazu asked. He was now nervous.
"I said, drop the logs."
Thiazu did as he was told. He dropped the logs, one dropping onto his toe. He howled and fell backwards craddling his painful toe. When he sat up, there was a fire and Ankiel was now standing there.
"Ankiel!" he shouted. "What just happened?"
"What do you mean 'What just happened'? I was standing here and told you to drop the logs. Being clumsy, you dropped one on your toe. What did you think just happened?" Ankiel asked a smile on his face.
"I came back from collecting fire wood and you weren't here. I called for you and I heard a voice. It was harsh and dangerous. It said to drop the logs but I sensed something was going to happen. Where did you go?"
"Thiazu, I can assure you that I went nowhere. I have been here the whole time. And as for this voice, it must be the strain of finding out you are a Spirit Riser on your birthday and maybe heat stroke. That fire was awfully hot tonight," Ankiel said placing a bronze pot over the fire. He then poored water from a flask. "I shall fetch more water in the morning. I can hear a stream barely a miles walk away."
Ankiel had almost forgotten. As of midnight, he was fifteen. He mummed "Happy birthday to me," under his breath. He notice Ankiel fumble about in his pouch again. It was as if he had to make sure everything he had brought was there every second.
Ankiel cried "Aha," and produced two thick scrolls. "Happy birthday Thiazu," he smiled.
Thiazu took the scrolls from The Varix Elder and un-tied the purple silk ribon on the first. It was a birthday greeting from Ankiel himself. Written in the same scarlet ink as the list he had brought to his uncles butchers.

Thiazu, a Spirit Riser you are,
Many happy returns
Ankiel
THE VARIX ELDER

"Thankyou," Thiazu said gratefully. Ankiel nodded.
Now, Thiazu turned to the second scroll of parchment and un-tied this time, a blue silk ribbon. He unraveled it and read the message inside written in purple ink.

Thiazu, you are growing into a man and we may soon lose you. We know about the Spirit Risers' and the prophecy depicting you. We hope you are safe and can understand why we have now left for Noith Bid. Yoy are the first of a new generation and we are so proud to call you our nephew (or cousin in Jorzan's case). You will save us all.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Love Aunt Mylar, Uncle Salvron and Jorzan.

A tear formed in the corner of Thiazu's eye. His family had sacraficed everything.
"They think a lot of you Thiazu," Ankiel said warmly. "When I apporached them, they were very understanding. As it says, they believe in you."
"I know," he replied. He was speechless.
Ankiel poored some leaves into the boiling water and stirred. Thiazu thought that it smelt brilliant. Ankiel was making tea. When he thought it was ready, he stedily poored to cups full and they drank away silently.

It was still dark. Thiazu was asleep but Ankiel was wide awake. He looked at the tiny slithers of the purple moon he could see through the green tree tops. It would soon be dawn.
As he lay thinking, he hear Thiazu snort and roll over in his sleep. He smiled.
He has a lot to learn. 'Spirit Riser' is not just a name, it is a way of life. Duskvelden depends on him, he thought.
All was silent apart from the Thiazu's breathing and occasional snorts. The silence was broken a few minutes later with a loud and unexpected POP!
Ankiel jumped to his feet and Thiazu cried out before laying back down and falling asleep.
"Who is there?" Ankiel called.
There was no reply and Ankiel was not entirely sure that anyone was there. A second POP! This time, a piece of parchment floated in the air. He snatched it. It was a letter from Lan, his assistant.
The Varix Elder's eyes snatched at every word written in crimson ink. Ankiel had a suspision that the ink was infact blood. He sobbed quietly, tears flowing down his cheeks. The letter was now a message from beyond the grave.
The Elder sat back down and wiped his face with the robe. He splashed cold water on his face from his flask and tried to calm down. He had known Lan for seventy years. They were born on the same day, in the same house. Their mothers lived together after their husbands had both deserted them. When they were sixteen, they left together and Ankiel trained in Magical Arts. Lan watched from the sideline, wanting a quiet and peacefull life. This all changed when Ankiel was bitten by a poisonus snake and was dying. The only way to save him was magic but Ankiel could not cure himself. Lan had had to do it.
The instant you encounter magic in your own body, you possess magic for the rest of your life. If you do not learn to use it porperly, it is uncontrolable and could not be used when needed. Lan had decided never to learn Magical Arts but now had a small amount of magic flowing through his veins.
Ankiel and Lan had been travelling to Divosa when they were confronted by a dying Shaman. The last of them all in Duskvelden. This was two years before the Civil War. The Shaman told Ankiel of the legendary Spirit Risers' and passed his knowlege to Ankiel by magic. The knowlege was imprinted into Ankiels mind and The Shaman's magic with it. This made Ankiel the new Shaman, and the only one as soon after, the Shaman died.
Two years later, a Civil War broke and Ankiel and Lan planned to go their separate ways. Lan was to spy on Raven and Ankiel decided to settle down and get inside information whenever possible. Ankiel made the journey to Varix where he waited for the war to end. He was sure that Raven was pure evil. His eyes, dark and empty. His hair, black and slick. His nose was pointed rather like a beak and he had bird like features.
Ankiel got regular reports after the war had finished and the newly appointed Lord Raven had won. New laws being introduced; sticter punishments; higher taxes. Lord Raven was shaping Dusvelden into his own country. Although he was the leader, he acted like he owned Duskvelden when he didn't. It belonged to the Spirits'.
After thinking about days long gone, Ankiel came back down to earth with a bumb. It was dawn and pink tufts of light were beginning to announce the sun's arrival. Thiazu was already awake and was tending to a boiling pot of water over a brand new fire. He was making tea like The Varix Elder had the night before. He poured a cup for himself and one for Ankiel. He passed it smiling at the old man who sleepliy smiled back.
"You are up early," he said taking a sip of his tea.
"It's a habit. I wake up at dawn everyday. I have to in order to get ready for the butchers shop to open," he said glumly. "Anyway," he perked up. "What is your plan for today? You said you have a lot to teach me and after I slept on being the Spirit Riser, I think I am ready to train. I want to fight," he said eagerly.
"Slow down Thiazu. No fighting yet, at least not serious fighting. You need to master Old Tongue and Magical Arts. You need to tap into your Spirit and there are still things you don't know that you are not yet ready to know," he said calmly. "We are going into town today. There are some things I need but we shall return here later tonight."
After they finished their tea, they ate breakfast. Juicy ribs were on the menu and it felt like a life-time since Thiazu had eaten. He enjoyed every bite, making it last incase this was the last piece of proper food he would eat in a while.
The visit to the stream that Ankiel had said he had heard was a success and they returned with several flasks full of water. When at the stream, they washed. When Thiazu washed he looked carefully at the birthmark that declared him a Spirit Riser. It was nothing more than a dark swirl with a horizontal line going through it. He smiled. All the times he thought he was ordinary and now he found out that he was one of six special people. He was eager to find the remaining five Spirit Risers'.
They exited the forest, leaving their objects concealed in a green ush in the forest, and walked into town. Ankiel had however, insisted on taking his large leather pouch and everything inside.
Divosa was fairly modern. Many of the buildings were new and everyone in town was wearing the newest robes, they even had clothes made from materials different to those in Varix. Thiazu felt his cloth trousers and then a pair of trousers made from the other material on a stall. They felt more comfortable and had a texture quite like silk. They weren't too expensive either.
"You shall need new clothes," Ankiel said unexpectedly. "We cannot risk wearing the same clothes as were wore in Varix. We need to keep as well hidden as possible." He purchased a plain robe for himself and allowed Thiazu to pick brown clothes made from the silk-like material.
"Next, I need to go to Azavian," Ankiel said.
"What is Azavian?" asked Thiazu.
"It is a bookshop specialising in Ancient works. If we are lucky they may have a book about the Spirit Risers'. It would be easier to read than for me to tell you, we could be here for weeks."
Azavian was well hidden in an alleyway next to a butchers. As Thiazu passed it, he had a flash back to when he was working there the morning before. He thought back to the birthday scroll waiting back at the camp for him to read again and again.
When Thiazu saw a sign reading Azavian, ANCIENT TEXTS he knew that this was the shop Ankiel was talking about.
Ankiel opened the door and the two of them entered the clean room beyond. There were shelves everywhere lined with many scrolls and parchments bound to form books. Standing at the counter was a large, beetle eyed man. He called out.
"Ankiel. Is that you my friend?"
"Yes. Tuskan. How are you?" Ankiel replied.
"You know him?" Thiazu asked looking at the man. He was wearing stained clothes and looked asthough he hadn't washed for several long weeks. His shop however was imaculate.
"I am very well. I heard you became The Varix Elder. Is this true?" Tuskan asked impressed.
Ankiel nodded. "It is true. I have left Vaix on special business," he said.
"On Mid-Moon?" Tuskan asked raising his eyebrows. Ankiel nodded. "Very well. How can I help you?"
Ankiel cleared his throat and spoke clearly. "Do you have any scrolls or books on the Spirit Risers'?"
Tuskan rolled his eyes as if he was searching his mind for The Spirit Risers'. He sucked his teeth and smacked his lips. "I- I- Yes I think so. Follow me."
Ankiel and Thiazu followed Tuskan as he stepped from behind the counter, crept to the door and locked it and strolled past them and through a doorway. It lead to a small dusty room. "Here," he said "is the worlds largest collection of scrolls and books on myths, legends and prophecies. I recently aquired a copy of the prophecies revealed a few weeks ago."
"That is no good," Ankiel said full of disappointment. "We already know the prophecies. "Do you have anything else?"
Tuskan nodded and stepped back further into the dark room. He ran his finger along a ledge and came to a stop infront of an aged scroll. "This," he said in a whisper as if someone was right outside. "This is the Scroll of the First Shaman. He kept this many millenia ago. I do not know personally what it contains but it is said spells and particular words in Old Tongue that a Spirit Riser needs to learn." He passed it to Ankiel who un-tied the leather strip keeping it neatly rolled. He scanned it.
"This is brilliant. I shall take it. How much?"
"Three-hundred Shuptins," he said dryly.
"Three-hundred Shuptins?" Ankiel repeated as if offended. "I do not have that much. Tuskan, you have to sell me it for a lower price."
Tuskan went red in the face. "I cannot sell you it cheaper. It is the only one of its kind in all of Duskvelden. If you do not pay three-hundred Shuptin's, I shall have to throw you out into the street and you shall never find another copy." Tuskan smiled triumphant.
"Okay. You win," said Ankiel turning on his heel and walking slowly to the door. Thiazu follwed him and Tuskan walked behind with the scroll still in hand. "It's a pitty Tuskan. I'm sorry."
"What do you mean your-"
"Retahim!" Ankiel called out and rose his hand. A bolt of red flashed before Thiazu and hit Tuskan with such force he was knocked out instantly. Ankeil made a grab for the scroll and un-locked the door.
"Will he be okay?" Thiazu asked.
"Perfectly fine. It was just a spell to make him sleep. He shall not wake for a few days but it won't do him any harm," Ankiel replied.
"Won't he be angry. He will come after us."
"No he won't be angry and he will not be able to come after us. He will have forgotten everything. The spell also works as a forgettful spell," he opened the door and walked out into the dim alleyway.

When Ankiel and Thiazu arrived back in the forest, they retrieved their belongings from the bush and moved nearer the stream for quicker access to water. Thiazu was busy lighting a fire and Ankiel was reading the scroll written by The First Shaman. Thiazu had a feeling that he wouldn't hear some things for a while. Ankiel had said "some things come with time. You may not be ready for somethings yet."
Night soon fell and the fire made shadows dance in the forest. Thiazu sat watching The Varix Elder reading the scroll. He had been reading it for hours and it was only one page long. He had obviously read it again and again. Getting bored of watching someone read, Thiazu reached for the birthday scroll from his family.
The forest was quite quiet. Both Ankiel and Thiazu were reading. The only noise came from the crackling fire. No animals made any noise. They hadn't done the night before either. Ankiel assumed that the particular part of the forest they were in was un-inhabited.
There was a sudden thwack! which made Thiazu jump up and Ankiel glance about the eluminated forest. He could see nothing and resided to the fact that perhaps somewhere in Divosa someone was celebrating something. A moment later there was a groan and the sound of angery whispers.
"Who's there?" Ankiel called.
The whispering stopped suddenly and someone stepped forwards from the darkess into the light. He was tall and had black hair. "Lord Raven wants your head Shaman... The Spirit Riser's too."