Soundtrack of the chapter: Stratos by Leonardo Toni

Media: Breathtaking banner by Palen

*****

Cady skimmed across the list of contents: The Great Dispute, The Ten Year Battle, The Great Spilt, The War of Horns...

There was a rather long list of wars, and it finally ended with The Great War, in which was the most recent conflict in Esvanira.

"It's sad, to see so much pointless wars in our own history," Eli said, shaking his head at the book.

"It's fewer compared to wars in the New World."

Eli gave her an incredulous look and Cady almost bit her tongue. Darn it, how could I be so careless?

"You know about New World war and history?" The look on his face was eager. "Where did you get the information? There is only so much New World history book in Esvanira."

"I read it when I was a kid." Cady flushed at her own lie. "I don't really remember where I got that book."

Her mind flitted back to her history textbooks and revision notes. She could almost imagine the look on Eli's face if he was presented with those. But she couldn't.

"Do let me know if you remember," Eli pressed on. "I've always wanted to know about this Cold War in the New World. I think it was about a war over ice..."

His voice trailed off and Cady had to suppress a giggle. Eli was probably the first person she ever met to take the Cold War literally.

Eli gave her a speculative look. "What's so funny?"

She clamped a hand over her mouth and shook her head.

"So, the Great War is at Section Twenty," he continued and flipped the pages fervently. "There."

Cady leaned closer. The bright Celeslights of the chandelier dispatched great shadows to shift against the shelves. She shivered at the sudden presence of shadows.

"The Great War, also known as The Great Purge, was a major fight between the Hall of Spirits and the Hall of Shadows. The fight lasted for one week, the shortest in Esvanira but considered as one of the deadliest ones, resulting in the extinction of an entire race-the Walkers, the Starlets of Yana," Eli read out loud. His tone grew uncomfortable when he reached the word 'extinction', but he faked it with a cough.

Cady's eyes fell to the bottom of the page where a rough sketch illustrated the Great War. Starlets in white and black robes fought with Affinities and weapons. The artist was generous in picturing the gore and the blood. Dark ink stroked the parchment and bled down in rivers, painting the horrific scene of death and destruction. Heads rolled and horses reared up in defiance. Swords rose and fell. The night sky was dotted with winged Decanates-some human, some in animal forms. An arrow whistled through the air and struck one of the airborne Decanates. She looked away, tears springing to her eyes.

If anything had happened to her sweet Zoroth...

The gentle thrum of Eli's voice brought her back to the story. She furiously blinked the tears out of her eyes and rubbed her nose.

"Many years ago, the daughter of Meera Blackthorn, High Priestess of the Hall of Shadows was engaged to the son of Raphine Sanguinis, High Priest of the Hall of Spirits. The Chaldean Order was certain that the marriage would heal the rift between the Oracles and Walkers and dilute the conflict between Spirit and Shadows. And so, the wedding took place in the Hall of Shadows, witnessed by the Hall of Games and many of Esvanira's Starlets and Stelliums."

He coughed again.

"Do you want me to read?" Cady offered, but Eli shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"After a few years, a son was born to Tithonus and Capella Sanguinis, the happy couple of Oracle and Walker. They named him Regulus Sanguinis, after the brightest star of Leo. And a year after that, a daughter was born. The children were foretold by the Stelliums to bring peace and happiness to both Halls. But nobody anticipated the horror and disaster the birth of these children brought to Esvanira."

Cady who had been sitting on her legs for too long, sat back to ease the numbness. "There was a prophecy of some sort?"

"Yeah," Eli replied. "But apparently, the prophecy was a complete lie."

He took in a deep breath and continued.

"Few books discussed the number of rogue Decanates attracted by the children. But facts will be facts. Decanates were seen crawling around the Hall of Spirits, seemingly on caution and preying. As rogue Decanates were usual in Esvanira, the Oracles dismissed it as a normal occurrence."

"Emery Sanguinis, wife of Toulouse Sangunis, the younger brother of Tithonus Sanguinis lodged a report of the rogue Decanates to the Hall of Games. Her letters were soon found discarded in the Savage Seas where it was washed up to the shores."

Isadora Tucana was the High Priestess of the Hall of Games during that time. Cady thought. Maybe she did something to prevent the letters from reaching her. Something is wrong here.

A painting of the sodden letters and Emery Sangunis stood at a corner of the page. Cady recognized her as the dark haired girl from one of her dreams-the one who watched the Sanguinis brothers ride off for an adventure.

"A few days after the letter were found, Tithonus Sanguinis went on a hunting trip. Out of five strong Starlets who went with him, all vanished without a sight. Before word could reach Raphine Sanguinis, the skin of Tithonus Sanguinis was found dumped on the doorstep of the Hall of Spirits at early dawn. Found next to the flayed skin of the poor Oracle, was a dagger of the Walkers."

The image of Capella Sanguinis weeping over the skin of her husband burst forth in a plethora of colors. Cady whimpered and squeezed her eyes shut. Eli darted over at once, concern flitting over his soft features.

"Cady, are you okay? You know you don't have to continue reading this if you're not feeling up to it."

"I'm okay." She gave Eli's arm a squeeze. "It just...reminds me of the nightmares I always have."

"Wait, what?" Eli suddenly grasped Cady by the arm. "You have them too?"

Cady's eyes widened. "You too? Mine are always about the Great War."

Eli exhaled, his face paler than usual. "Mine as well. Is this why you're so obsessed over the Great War?"

"Yes," said Cady. And I want to find out my past, too.

"That's very weird," he mused. "Do you think someone is trying to tell us something?"

"What do you mean?"

Eli looked up. "We believe that repetitive dreams are a message, or an omen of some kind. I used to ignore mine, but now you tell me you have similar dreams. I see the Great War in my head every day, and it haunts my dreams. I can never understand the war fully."

"Me too," she said. "The dreams confuse me so much."

"Shall I continue? Or you want to save this for another day?"

Cady gestured at the book. "Continue, please."

"Raphine Sanguinis grieved for his loss, and his hatred was so intense, he wanted to declare war upon the Hall of Shadows. But Toulouse Sanguinis stepped in before he could do something so rash and the first round of war was prevented."

"The Hall of Spirits weren't the only one suffering from loss. The Hall of Shadows claimed no harm upon Tithonus Sanguinis. They, instead, asked the Oracles about the disappearance of the Walkers. Many Walkers have vanished without warning in the recent days. And all were in Oracle lands."

"Don't you think it's rather weird, both denied all accusations and suffered losses. It isn't a win-win situation," asked Cady.

"I have often asked the history Mistress the same thing. But she insisted on textbook facts."

"However, talk of another truce failed when the Hall of Shadows attacked the Hall of Spirits. Decanates were sent to abduct the Regulus and Arialle Sanguinis. The children were taken running, but were killed in mid escape. The mother-Capella Sanguinis died from heartbreak. The only survivor of the Sanguinis family was Raphine and his only grandson left-Elijah Sanguinis."

At the mention of his own name, Eli blinked. He then handed the book to Cady.

"Your turn," he said. "I'm tired."

He passed the book to Cady who continued reading in hushed whispers.

"Nobody knew why the Hall of Shadows attacked the Oracles. But before the Hall of Games could step in, Raphine had amassed troops from the Hall of Warriors as well as Oracles from all over Esvanira to eradicate the Hall of Shadows."

Eli frowned. "That's not right. Nobody can touch the Starlet troops except for the High Priest or Priestess of the Hall of Games. I have never read this section before. How did grandfather get his hands on these troops?"

At the mention of the High Priestess, Mistress Tucana came to mind.

I needed the trust of the stupid Starlets and the higher powers. Getting rid of the former High Priestess was no easy task, I tell you.

Isadora Tucana. Cady gritted her teeth. Was this your careful plan? Was this your doing? Did the former High Priestess become a puppet to do your evil bidding?

The last sketch showed the aftermath of the Great War. The Hall of Shadows was nothing left but a pile of smoking ruins, ringed by thousands and thousands of bones and ashes. Frayed flags flapped in the wind like gaudy bags. Cady felt Zoroth's silent cry at the loss of his people and brothers.

"In less than two days, the Hall of Shadows was completely destroyed. Not a single Walker was spared and thus, came a new and horrible awakening to all of Esvanira-everyone witnessed a bloody massacre that started without a clear reason. Raphine Sanguinis was judged before the Chaldean Order and was forbidden from ever leaving the Hall of Spirits, except to the Hall of Games."

"A theory on the war was proposed by the Ancient Stelliums, a theory that was dismissed almost instantaneously by all Starlets. This theory will shatter Esvanira if word of it was ever spread, shaking the very foundation of the Halls, bringing it down into ruins."

A theory. Cady's bit her lip. This could be the answer to everything!

Her hands were trembling so violently, it was hard to even flip a page. But to her horror, the hard leather back of the book greeted her. Where there was supposed to be pages, were torn marks against the spine.

"Who did this?" Eli demanded. "This...this is an abomination!"

Cady's eyes darted to and fro, unable to accept that the answer was wrenched out of her grasp by an act of vandalism. She dropped the book and balled up her hands into fists.

Cady, calm down. Maybe someone sabotaged it to prevent word from leaking out. Zoroth's mind pierced through her anger. Disappointment replaced fury and she slumped back against the railings.

"Myndleás," Eli whispered. "Myndleás, come to me."

The owl Feorh was at his side in a wink, hooting affectionately.

"Take this book back where you found it," he handed the book to the owl who accepted it with its talons. There was a rustle and the Feorh was gone.

"Someone wanted to stop the truth from spreading," Cady said, resting her forehead on the metal bars, her eyes skimming the checker tiles of the ground floor.

"By destroying a book." Eli shook his head in disbelief.

"This isn't just about the book, Eli," Cady said.

"Then what is it about? The nightmares?"

Me. My brother. My family.

"The deaths of the Walkers. Maybe it was all a mistake."

Eli eyed her carefully. "Sometimes I really wonder if you're really an Oracle."

"I wonder the same thing too," Cady laughed.

Eli laughed before his expression turned dark. "I need to have a word with Gourda about that book. I need to know who was the last person to touch it."

Cady only knew the answer too well. The name clawed its way up her throat, making her vision fuzzy.

Isadora Tucana.

****

A/N

I'm just going to hide in a cozy place and eat my popcorn while you guys dish out more theories. Apparently someone vandalized the book and left Cady with more questions! No one can blame her for being mad. 

Remember to drop me your thoughts and turn that star to gold!

Tortillas,

Stef