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Kiat looks like a strong young woman. She has hair the color of fresh spring mud. And her eyes are as dark as the night sky. She is tall and lean. She does not look like one that belongs among the Light Wielders, but she does. In fact, she is one of the most talented Light Wielders of all.
Kiat was born to parents she never knew. One was a Light Wielder; her father was tall thin and had the most spectacular blue eyes and wavy blonde hair. He was the ideal Light Wielder, the one every mother and father hope for. He grew older and wiser, and learned the ways of his kind, but no one is perfect. Kiat’s father went away at the age of fifteen to fulfill a prophecy he thought was made about him.
Kiat’s mother was not a Light Wielder. She belonged to a civilization of Shadow Makers. These are the people of night. Everywhere they go the night follows. To Kiat her mother was just her mother, another person she would never meet, would never love.
It was not until the eve of her fifteenth Turning that she even learned of the prophecy that would destroy what hope she had of ever leading the life of a typical Light Wielder. That night would be one to haunt Kiat’s mind, to play fun with her thoughts, and poke at her both in waking and in sleeping.
Kiat was never one to like having free time. If she got bored she often amused herself by reading the files in the library archives. This day she happened to get out of schooling early and went to do some reading. She never expected to stumble across what she found that hour.
She was looking in the prophecy archives for some laughs. Some of the prophecies are made by old witches who make fools of themselves even pretending to read the future, and the poor souls that go to them for help finish out worse than when they started. As she searched through the well kept shelves of glistening golden books, a name caught her eye.
Daerok. Her family name. There was a prophecy in the archives about her family? She whispered words of sweet enchantment softly to the book and it opened to the first page. It read:
Prophecy 9864
Daerok
Year 382
Taim of Konue
Unfulfilled
True, this was the prophecy that had consumed Kiat’s father. And now it would take hold of her and she would forever be ruled by the power of these words.
“The progeny of the Daerok
Will live in the shadow
Until one rises above all
And conquers the darkness within
They who find the power
To defeat the shadow
Will forever release its hold
On the Daerok”
Her heart stopped beating for a fraction of a second. What did it mean? Who was Taim of Konue? Why? Was this a sign? Was she supposed to fill this, or, like her father, would she waste the last of her life in search of an answer that is not yet on the planet?
Kiat decided to give herself time to process the new information. She would retire to her room and sleep one last night, without the worry of her decision.
As she climbed the magnificent marble staircase out of the archives, all she could think of was the name; Taim of Konue. Were they alive? Where do the live? Would they remember the name Daerok and the Prophecy made long ago.
It was custom for Fate Readers to live long past natural years. There were only few that lived less than ten-thousand years, and those who died before that were either very inept in their field of magic or were killed.
Kiat was now on the second floor of the castle tower, she had two floors to go. Her quarters were in the east tower on the fourth floor. She would be moved to the fifth floor tomorrow after her fifteenth Turning celebration.
A Turning celebration was a high event in the Light Wielder’s community. With each Turning the Wielder would gain a new field of study. When your fifth Turning comes you are given the right to study how to manipulate light. At the tenth Turning you have the right to learn to create light.
The fifteenth Turning signifies the age at which you are able to journey beyond the school grounds and you must face a number of tasks before your twentieth Turning. This Turning is the end of schooling and the beginning of your life as a full Light Wielder.
When Kiat woke up that morning she felt a sense of utter emptiness. She felt that there was something missing in her life. A part of her that she never knew, and never cared about, was suddenly calling to her. She had a desire to see her parents.
It was early when she woke, the sun was just cresting the mountains in the distance. She had plenty of time before the celebration began.
The celebration officially started at noon, but people began to arrive around eleven, and Kiat would have to get ready at nine thirty. The one who was Turning wears an elaborate gown or robe. It’s color changes with age and Kiat was receiving her green gown for the ceremony today. Green was a sign of independence. She was not a child any longer.
In the time she had remaining she would revisit the archive to make sure the events of the night before were not just in her mind. Her mind was not one to rest easy before an important event; typically she had strange dreams before her Turning celebrations.
But this dream was so vivid, there was no explanation except for, it was not a dream at all. She had felt the cold, hard cover of the book. She had been warmed by the glow of the age old pages. It was real.
The proof lied in the archives where the name Daerok still stayed etched into the binding of one of those alluring books. And when she opened it, the same words were there in the same silver ink. She stood in awe at the prophecy for a long time before she truly understood its message.
As Kiat came back to reality, she realized it was nearly nine-thirty and she had to get to the seventh floor of the west tower, from the basement of the east.
She sprinted up the stairs and thought the halls, decked with portraits and photographs of long-dead Light Wielders. She ran with all her strength and by the time she reached the dressing room she was a wreck. It would take quite a bit of work to get her prepared for the ceremony.
The women who made her up were furious when she arrived. Not only was she late, but she was sweaty and out of breath. They quickly bathed her and dressed her and put on her paints. When a Light Wielder Turns, they are painted with ancient words of enchantments from worlds long past.
Kiat was finished in perfect timing. She was rushed down to the ceremony hall and she had five minutes to spare. When they announced her to the audience she had caught her breath and was calm and collected.
The ceremony was lovely. There were kind words said about Kiat, and she was presented with a book of all the Light Wielding spells. They were at about the time when the ceremony should end when the speaker surprised Kiat.
“Kiat is one of our most intelligent and dedicated students. As her teacher I have seen her grow from infantry to the beautiful young woman you see standing before you now.
“As an act of thanks for your work, time, and patience, we would like to present you with an animal guide.”
And there, right in front of Kiat’s eyes, walked out a gorgeous snow-leopard. She was thin and long, tall and muscular. She was the kind of cat you want to guide and guard you.
Only a select few students are given an animal guide, and even less at the fifteenth Turning. They are most commonly presented at the twentieth Turning, to help the Wielder as he or she moves on into the world alone. It is a great honor to get a guide at all, especially at this age.
“By what name will your guide be presented?” the question was directed at Kiat.
“I will call her Nix,” replied Kiat.
A black collar with a gold nameplate was brought forth. The speaker waved her hand over the nameplate and the letters N-I-X appeared etched in the gold. The collar was placed around the leopard’s neck and she walked coolly over to her new companion.
She sat right next to Kiat and gently nudged her head against Kiat’s hand. As Kiat pet her new friend she felt a smooth coat of glossy, white, spotted fur. The cat purred and Kiat smiled, all thought of the prophecy temporarily sneaking its way to the back of her mind.
At the end of the celebration the speaker, Professor Caine, requested to speak with Kiat in private. Of course Nix would join them; she would follow Kiat virtually everywhere until the day they died. They headed to Professor Caine’s office and sat in the soft armchairs in front of the fire.
Prof. Caine was tall, thin, had blonde hair, blue eyes, and an amazing smile. As they sat, the fire was behind her and all you could see was her silhouette. Her silhouette had a power to it, an unmatched grace about it. The way the light of the fire swirled in a great dance behind her head. She was beautiful, even when you could not see her shimmering face.
“I know that you have been down in the archives recently Kiat. I do not know, however, if you have found a certain piece of interest. There is a record of a prophecy…”
“About my family. I know. I found it last night. It is prophecy nine thousand eight hundred and sixty four, told by Taim of Konue. But what does it mean?”
“You did find it?” Professor Caine looked slightly confused and slightly amused at the same time. Apparently she did not know that Kiat was an avid reader or that she took frequent trips to the castle archives to cheer her mood.
“Yes. But I don’t understand it. What does it .mean? Can you tell me?”
“I cannot tell you exactly what it means, I do not know myself. What I will tell you is how to get to Taim of Konue.”
“Is he still alive?”
“Oh, yes. She is still very young. She lives far away from here. It will take you at least three weeks to reach her dwelling. This journey is one of the reasons you were given your guide now, instead of on your twentieth Turning.”
“When will I leave? Will I have time to say goodbye to everyone?” Kiat was worried about what her friends would think if she left so suddenly.
“No. You must leave within the hour. I fear that the prophecy is losing life. If you do not reach Taim in time you may determine a fate of shadow for generations of Daeroks to come.” There was indeed a sense of urgency and terror in the Professor’s voice. “No one knows what will happen if you do not become who you were meant to be.”
“What is that supposed to mean? Who am I supposed to be?”
“There is no time to explain. You must leave at once. Hurry,” and with that she pushed Kiat out the door and into the dark stone hallway.
“But I don’t know how to get to Konue,” Kiat screamed after Professor Caine.
“Nix knows the way. She will show you.” The words echoed in the corridor and the familiar stone seemed to become ominous and forbidding.
Nix was waiting patiently for her when Kiat finally turned around. Her feet automatically started to take her to the east tower to her room, in the center of the castle, however, Nix turned to go down the main stairs.
“Where are you going?” Kiat asked her. “My room is this way.”
“We are not going to your room, we are going to Konue.”
“But I have to pack. I can’t go without clothes, food, and water.”
“There is a bag waiting for you at the gate of the courtyard. Your things are there, along with food and water substantial for our trip,” Nix sounded very well informed.
“Who told you all that?”
“Professor Raim. I was kept with him before your Turning. He informed me about the whole expedition three days ago.”
“Why would they tell you before me? I’m the one it concerns.”
“I’m your guide, remember. What concerns you, concerns me. I’m with you until we die.”
“Sorry, I forgot.”
They walked down the stairs and to the oak doors. Kiat had not seen the outside of these doors since she was four. When you were in school, all of your time outside was spent in the courtyard on the top of the south tower.
Nix walked only two steps ahead of Kiat so that her hind legs were aligned with Kiat. It was as if they were one in the same, but with two minds. Nix seemed well informed and Kiat was in the dark. Nix was guiding her just as she was instructed and Kiat followed in a manner that said she knew more that she truly did.
They walked across the sprawling lawn to the magnificent iron gates that marked the end of the grounds. The worked iron appeared as vines snaking their way up to the heavens with blossoms of great flowers opening to the skies above. They guarded the grounds and all the students within them. They were a symbol of protection, once inside the iron beauties, no harm could befall you. All of the students marveled at their grandeur.
The iron felt cold upon Kiat’s hands as she spoke soft words of weightless touch, and with the wave of her hand the gates opened. She took her first step outside of the grounds for eleven years. It was a wondrous sensation of freedom. No rules or punishments, but at the same time there was a sense of foreboding, like she was all alone in a dark and dangerous world. No one was there to watch over her. But wait, yes there was. Nix.
It was a comfort to know that she had a friend and guardian to help her along this threateningly treacherous journey. It was also a strange feeling to know that now there was someone who relied of Kiat as much as she did herself. If Kiat grew ill, so would Nix. When Kiat dies, so will Nix. They were connected in a way inexplicable by the sciences, only they great magic knew why.
With Nix guiding her it was almost sundown when Kiat finally realized how far they had gone. They must have been miles away from the school. Kiat did not recognize anything about the surrounding area. In fact it had just dawned upon her that it was dusk. It the Light Wielder’s kingdom it never turned to night, it was always light. They must be in the Middle Land.
The Middle Land was a wasteland. No one lived there because it was in between Light and Shadow. The border from the Light Wielder’s kingdom to the Shadow Maker’s domain. It frightened Kiat that she was so close to the land of night, she had imagined the darkness, but nothing could prepare her for what her eyes would soon behold.
“We should stop here for a rest. We have been traveling for almost ten hours.” The sound of Nix’s voice startled Kiat, it was so unexpected. She nodded and was quite relieved to unload the heavy pack from her shoulders.
“Where are we going? Will we have to pass through the Shadow Maker’s domain?”
“You know where we are going. And yes, we will be passing through the Shadow’s domain.” There was a hint of sarcasm and agitation in Nix’s voice. “You will have a safe passage, though it will not be a comforting one. You look as though you are one of the Shadow Makers and so they will let you pass, if you do not use any light. They will not take kindly to find that you are not one of them.”
“But how will I see if I cannot use my light? I know nothing of the darkness. It frightens me.”
“You must listen closely to my words. In the domain of the Shadow Makers there is no light, they do not need it, everything in the country is a pattern. We will travel one of the two main roads. It goes straight for ten miles starting one mile northeast from here. After that it continues northwest for six miles, it then converges with several minor roads, we wish to take the path due north for fifteen miles. After fifteen miles we will come across a large building, the center of the Shadow’s domain. One mile west, two miles north, and one mile east will lead us safely around the building. Continue north for fifteen miles, northeast for six, then north again for ten miles. When all this is done go one mile northwest and wait if it is not yet sunrise.”
“Am I supposed to remember all of that?” It was an amazing amount of information for one person to comprehend all at once.
“Of course not, I remember it so I will guide you. It is my job isn’t it?”
“Sorry. I forgot. I’m still not used to having you around. Remember, I just got you eleven hours ago.”
Nix did not reply to this, she just curled up and fell asleep. Feeling regretful for mouthing off at her Kiat mumbled a feeble, “sorry,” and slipped into a peaceful sleep.
Kiat did not know how long she had slept for but when she awoke it took her a moment to remember where she was. Nix was sitting alertly at her side, as if poised for an attack.
“What are you doing?”
“I do not need to sleep. When you are rested I am rested. You need to learn these things, my physical condition is whatever yours is,” there was a hint of exasperation in her speech.