The Awakening Read Free

ached at the thought, while he continued on his way.
    He climbed the grassy knoll whereupon Acire once flourished. It pained him greatly to walk on the parched soil and brown grass and to gaze upon the remains of his ancient friend. He could remember little else in his long lifetime that hurt him so. Yet, it was necessary that he do this and he knew that better than anyone.
    “May the First protect us all,” he uttered to himself as his eyes scanned the devastation.
    Small spirals of twisting smoke rose from the fractured soil. Nothing lived any longer in the vicinity of the Lalas’ remnants. Nothing dared to. There was a large crater in the ground where the trunk had been and rock-like appendages lay strewn all around it. No greenery was visible and enormous fissures seemed to have swallowed up everything that had formerly grown atop the adjacent soil.
    Premoran carefully navigated his way around the bottomless ravines that gaped at him from below and headed for the area that had once been the trunk of Acire. This was not the first time he had the stultifying need to circumnavigate the remains of a dead Lalas. In fact, he had visited each and every one of the sites that had formerly harbored a great tree. He had no choice but to do so. It was his role, his sad destiny, and none of the others remained who knew any longer what to look for. Except of course for Colton. A quick chill overtook him at the thought of the Evil One. His power was spreading too far, too fast.
    As he stepped closer to the center, the heart of the once great tree, he could still feel the potency that had dominated this area. His senses were assaulted by the pain of so great a loss and as he walked, he hesitated slightly in order to catch his breath and calm himself. The tree had not fully disappeared. Traces of its vitality and vibrancy could be felt in the air, prickling his sensibilities with their potency. They were incoherent though, unlike in the past, and he could make neither sounds nor visions out of them. The echo of power was still present and it grew in intensity as he neared his destination.
    Before he descended into the pit ahead of him, he bent down and gathered a handful of soil into his palm. It was hot to the touch and dry as dust despite the constant flow of steam that emanated from it. Sadly, he let it fall through his fingers back to the ground.
    No ordinary beings ever ventured into the remains of a dead Lalas. Or if they did, they never lived to talk about it. Premoran though, was not an ordinary person. He was a Wizard of the highest class, for lack of a better description. He was possessed of the greatest of power bestowed upon the human race when life began and the First radiated the full energy of the Gem of Eternity. He along with six others, had been watching the weaves behind the course of earthly events since time began. Now with the demise of Calista, only two of the original seven still remained alive. Colton dar Agonthea presided over the forces of dissolution and had gone over to the other side countless tiels ago. He was a strong and powerful mage, though unable to remain true to the light.
    How ironic , he snickered, that Colton should have survived all the others but me.
    Even beautiful Calista who had been the Dark Lord’s only defender so may tiels ago, was now dead. She had attempted to save him then and she earned only his eternal enmity for her efforts.
    “The fabric weaves of its own will,” he muttered gravely, shaking his head.
    Premoran heard a faint humming in the air and that comforted him somewhat as he descended into the desolate pit. Raising his right palm, he summoned a ball of blue-white light to illuminate his way as he stepped carefully down. The humming grew louder and he instinctively followed the sound. Shortly, he could feel the vibrations he so ardently hoped were still evident amidst the ruins of the area. He made his way deeper into the chasm, hoping he would find a suggestion this time