The Feast
Music filled the hall as the food was served. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until a whole roasted chicken was set before me, its skin golden and glistening. A golden cup was set at my side, and red wine was poured into it till it shimmered at the rim. The first sip was sharp, the taste of grapes cutting through and then settling warmly on my tongue.
Everything before me felt indulgent. The food was rich, satisfying, and I ate until I was full and the ache in my stomach finally eased.
Then, without warning, the music fell silent.
Ascend Kaelric's voice carried through the hall.
"I hope you are enjoying yourself, Dana."
My mouth was still full, so I chewed quickly and swallowed before replying, "Yes, thank you. The food is excellent."
"Good," he said. "Now, if we may, we would like to know how far you have come in finding the Cranium."
My heart skipped. How far had I come? I hadn't even begun. I glanced at Doya and the worry in his face mirrored my own. I had to give them something.
"Well, I have the compass to guide me," I began. All eyes turned to me, their attention sharp, expectant. I swallowed and went on, "And although I haven't yet found the Cranium's location, I now understand how the compass works."
The words rang hollow the moment they left my mouth. What was that? I thought, heat creeping up my neck. It barely made sense, and I knew it. I looked at Doya again, but his expression was unreadable. Still, I felt the weight of his disappointment.
"Before this, you did not know how the compass functioned?" one of the Ascend asked.
I turned toward her. She was old, like Kaelric, though not as ancient. Her dark complexion set off the gold of her robes, and her gaze held a sharp urgency, one that had no patience for delays or weak answers.
"I found the compass while I was still on Earth," I explained. "Back there, I didn't fully understand it. I only learned its purpose when I used it to locate a scroll, one written by the grandfather of my Grand Master Valkin at my coven."
"Valkin, you say?" Ascend Kaelric asked.
"Yes. He was the leader of my coven in Káremuul on Earth."
"His grandfather once held a seat on this council," another Ascend said. His voice carried a sharp edge. "Before he fled to Earth. We believe he was later killed by the Forsaken."
A chill ran through me.
"So since you arrived in the Labyrinth," the female Ascend from earlier pressed, "why have you not used the compass to begin the search?"
"Not long after I found the scroll, the Forsaken took the compass from me," I answered honestly. "I only recovered it when I entered the Labyrinth."
"So you mean you have done nothing at all," she pushed, her gaze unyielding.
"Elyndra!" Kaelric's voice rang through the hall, firm and commanding. "That is enough. Dana has only just learned of her destiny. Now that she knows, we will guide her as needed."
Elyndra continued to study me, suspicion lingering in her eyes. Then, slowly, it faded.
"I apologise if I made you uncomfortable," she said at last.
Kaelric spoke again, this time in a language I did not understand.
"Merriál gellēh."
Whatever he had said must have been a signal. At once, the music rose again, filling the hall as the tension eased.
Most of the room continued to stare at me. It was awkward, unsettling. I had no idea what they thought of me now. The other Bound remained silent, only the Ascend had spoken, and as the music played, hushed whispers spread through the hall. I felt their attention pressing in on me.
Whenever I dared to look up, my eyes found Doya. He looked back each time, steady, grounding me. I clung to that. I wanted the feast to end. It no longer felt like a celebration, but an interrogation wrapped in silk and song.
I was grateful Kaelric had stopped Elyndra from pressing further. Grateful, too, that he knew of my condition, my inability to channel. For the first time since arriving, I felt that perhaps I could rely on the highest seat of the council to stand with me.
After what felt like an eternity, the feast finally came to an end. I was full, yet my nerves left me feeling unwell. I remained seated as unfamiliar words echoed through the hall, spoken in unison by every Bound present. It sounded like a closing rite, not quite a chant, but something older, perhaps something always spoken to mark the end of such gatherings.
The first to leave after the feast were the Ascend. They rose together and walked out through the door beside the thrones. Next came the High Bound, filing out through the door behind me. As they passed, some of them stole glances in my direction before looking away. Finally, the Bound stood and left as well.
Doya remained. He came to my side, worry clear in his eyes.
"Are you alright?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I'm fine," I replied, barely above a whisper. All I wanted was to leave the hall, but shame weighed me down, heavy enough to keep me seated.
Doya reached for me and gently urged me to stand. I rose slowly, holding on to him as though he were the last warmth left in the room.
"Come," he said quietly. "Let me take you to your room."
We walked in silence to the room set aside for me. Doya opened the door, and I stepped inside. I had been quiet for so long that my voice felt strange when I finally spoke, just as he was about to leave.
"Please don't go," I said softly. "Can you stay with me tonight?"
He turned back to face me, regret flickering across his expression.
"I'm sorry, Dana. I can't. I have to return to my quarters."
Sadness settled in my chest, but I understood.
"Good night," he said gently, then stepped out and closed the door behind him.
I stood there for a moment, looking around the room. The world that had once felt like refuge, the place that welcomed me when my own had condemned me, was now the source of my sorrow.
I lay down on the bed without removing my dress or shoes. Wrapped in my thoughts, sleep found me before I was ready for it.
---
Morning came with little mercy. The curtains to my room were drawn wide, and sunlight poured in, sharp and unkind, tearing through my sleep. I groaned and turned away, trying to flee the brightness.
A voice cut through my thoughts before I could sink back into rest.
"Good morning, Dana," Lysara said, her voice light and eager.
I groaned again, refusing to open my eyes.
"I'm sorry for disturbing your rest," she continued, softer now, "but it is morning, and Ascend Kaelric wishes to see you as soon as possible."
I did not answer. Instead, I pulled a pillow over my head, hoping to block out both the light and her voice.
She did not speak again. I assumed she had left, and I stayed there a moment longer before slowly lifting the pillow to check.
She was still standing there, waiting.
Oh, great.
"Please," I muttered, my voice rough with sleep, "could you give me a minute?"
"I'm sorry, Dana, I must get you prepared as soon as possible to meet Ascend Kaelric."
"Yes, I know," I replied tiredly. "Just give me a moment to wash and dress."
"I brought clothes for you to wear," she said.
I opened my eyes a little wider then, only just realising she had been holding a neatly folded cloth in her hands.
"Alright," I said. "You may place them on the bed."
She did so quietly, then bowed her head and stepped out of the room, granting me the moment I had asked for.
Still heavy with sleep, I dragged myself off the bed, slipping out of the clothes and shoes I had forgotten to remove the night before. I stepped into the garderobe and washed myself clean. Wrapping linen around my body, I returned to the room and examined the clothes Lysara had brought.
I dressed in the kirtle laid out for me, a finely woven garment that brushed my ankles, the chemise beneath it soft against my skin. It felt far more comfortable than the thick, flowing dress I had worn the night before. I slipped into my ankle boots, and at last, I was ready to face Ascend Kaelric.
As I moved to leave the room, I went to my bag and took out the compass and the key to the Cranium. When I opened the door, Lysara was already waiting outside.
"Let's go," I said.
She nodded and led me to Ascend Kaelric.
This time, we did not go to the throne room as we had the day before. Instead, she guided me to his quarters. When we reached the door, Lysara stopped and remained outside.
"You may go in," she said.
I opened the door and stepped inside. To my surprise, Kaelric was not alone. Doya and Kumbuye were already there.
"Finally, you are here," Kaelric said. "Please, take a seat."
His quarters was enormous and beautiful, adorned with winding gold vines that trailed along the walls. A large table stood at the center with six chairs around it. He gestured for me to sit in one of them.
"I hope you are well rested," he said.
"Yes, I am. Thank you," I replied.
"Good," he said, his tone turning firm. "We must discuss the matter at hand. As you saw yesterday, the Ascend have many questions. You must tell me everything, so that I may help you."
His gaze fixed on me, stern and unyielding.
"Um…" I glanced at Doya, hoping for some support, but he looked away. "Well, I haven't done much yet in finding the Cranium. All I have right now is the Compass and the key." I held out my hands, letting him see the golden box where the key rested. "Ever since I learned I was the guardian, so much has happened, and I haven't had much time to adjust to this… duty."
Kaelric's gaze was steady. "It is not a duty to take lightly. It is one you must fulfill to save the Labyrinth."
"As you know, I cannot channel," I said, swallowing hard. "And this will be a major problem when I try to find the Cranium, because the compass answers to magic… my magic. The magic I've lost."
"You said Balshak took it," Kaelric prompted.
"Yes. He drained my powers from me."
"Where did you see Balshak? How did this happen?" His tone sharpened, a hunger for understanding in his eyes.
"There's a man called Jephas. He's a Forsaken. He killed my parents on Earth, and then came to the Labyrinth. That's what brought me here. After we arrived, we used a locator spell to track him, and discovered he was inside an invisible cliff, that's where Balshak's fortress is. That's how he got me."
I spoke as briefly as I could, trying to contain everything in a single breath.
"Invisible cliff…" Kaelric muttered, closing his eyes with a sigh. He didn't seem surprised. "This must remain hidden. Only the Ascend of this Sanctum know the true location of Balshak's fortress."
"What?" Doya finally spoke, his voice sharp. "You always knew where Balshak was hiding and kept it from the rest of the Bound?"
"Balshak wasn't hiding," Kaelric replied evenly. "That is his prison."
"Prison?!" Doya's voice rose, anger flashing in his eyes. "You sent us on a fool's errand when you knew he'd always been there!"
"You will speak to your Ascend with respect!" Kaelric commanded, his tone firm.
Doya's expression softened, and after a pause, he muttered, "Forgive me."
"You said Balshak's fortress is his prison?" I asked, moments after the brief misunderstanding between Doya and Kaelric.
"Yes," Kaelric replied. "The previous guardian, Malvorin, came from a place they call Krythmoor." My eyes flicked toward Kumbuye, he hadn't mentioned the previous guardian came from his village. Kaelric continued, "As Malvorin tried to reverse the curse Balshak placed upon the Labyrinth, he chose to trap Balshak within his own fortress, forcing him to endure the fate he had wrought upon the people of the Labyrinth."
He paused, taking his time before continuing. "The Ascend council kept this secret to avoid alarming the temple. We also wanted to keep Balshak close, so it would be easier for a new guardian to reach him when the time came. Thus, the High Bound and the Bound were informed only on a strict need-to-know basis regarding Balshak's location."
Doya's face was a storm of disbelief and anger, as if the world itself had deceived him. He said nothing, remaining silent. Kumbuye, too, stayed quiet, his mind clearly calculating, perhaps trying to anticipate Kaelric's thoughts.
Then Kaelric spoke again…
"This one seems strong, but he hasn't fully mastered his power yet," Kaelric said, pointing toward Kumbuye, amusement in his voice.
Kumbuye looked confused, unsure how to respond.
"You're trying to read my mind, I know," Kaelric muttered, letting out a gentle laugh before continuing. "Your power is rare, and we can teach you to heighten it, not these amateur mind tricks you fumble with, but true, formidable power."
"How do you know?" Kumbuye asked, obviously disturbed.
"I did not earn the Highest Seat in the Ascend Council lightly. In all my years, I have seen very few like you, and I must say, you are still but a novice."
One thing was clear: Kaelric was truly powerful. Yet I still had much to learn, much to understand.
"I have duties to attend to right now. Go about your day… and about your powers, Dana," he said, glancing at me. "They will come to you. I can see a spark of magic within you. Most of your powers were drained, but you haven't lost the ability to channel, you just believe you have, which is why it seems impossible. You must practice. You can practice with Bound Doya. He will help you rediscover your ability to channel. It will take time, but it is necessary. That is the only way."
He stood, his presence commanding the room. "You may now leave my quarters," he concluded.
As we left his room, Doya's pace quickened, and I struggled to keep up. His face still carried a trace of anger, aimed squarely at Ascend Kaelric.
"Hey, Doya, please wait," I called, hurrying after him and leaving Kumbuye behind.
"Are you alright?" I asked softly, trying to meet his gaze.
"I'm fine. If this is about your training, we begin tonight," he replied, eyes fixed ahead, not turning toward me.
I halted, watching him move forward, the weight of what I had to learn pressing on me. I wondered if I could truly be ready for what lay ahead.