The Land Below our Feet II (Unleashed) COMPLETE

VISIONS

Sehira sat at the divination stone in the exact same position that Pahoka-Xe had shown her a few months back.

Cross-legged and relaxed, she kept her eyes closed as she focused on unraveling the foresight that hazily formed inside her mind.

She’d been trying for months to figure out the meaning behind the chaotic visions that she’d been having for a while now. They were too different from each other… Apart from the dread that they all infused in her, they had little else in common.

It had all started when she’d asked the Guider to explain what the violent image she’d shared with Souna and her back at Nevareh meant. It was gruesome! And she couldn’t shake it out of her head.

-I’m afraid I don’t have that answer, my child – The Yahurian Mother had replied then – It won’t reveal to me in its entirety as it is not for me to interpret, all I can tell is that it is bound to your sister and you… But I’m confident that once you have learned the art of foreseeing, it will show itself to you.

And so, she had started trying, day after day, sitting on the stone for hours on end, searching to make any sense of the stream of pain that paraded behind her closed eyes.

Yet it was all still barely a glimpse of disjointed and violent flashes: The sea in flames, the bloodied winter camps, the faceless crowd of crying children and desperate men… Where was that? When was that? Fear was the only correlation that she could distinguish so far.

The sudden noise of footsteps approaching abruptly snapped her from the still inconclusive image, and made her lose all her concentration at once.

Frustrated, she opened her eyes. The annoyed scowl on her face turning into a broad smile as soon as she spotted Iktan´s tall figure approaching.

He was suited in the characteristic dark Yahurian armor, his bulging muscles visible under the metallic plates that protected his now unrecognizable body. His once short, dark hair was now shoulder-length and braided in the Yahurian fashion. His hand was holding his spear while he walked into the large room.

As he calmly paced towards her, the smirk on his face brightened with every step that echoed around the deserted vault.

He reached the place where she sat and extended a hand at her, which Sehira took and promptly stood up, holding to his frame, yawning and stretching her sore articulations as she slowly regained her mobility after spending hours sitting in the dark.

-Hey! How was training? – She casually asked after placing a brief kiss on his closed lips – You look tired.

-I am – He agreed, nodding at her and signaling for the door – And I’m also starving. Let’s grab a bite and just go to bed.

-All right – Sehira mumbled, sighing resignedly and starting to head for the exit along with him – It’s not like I was making that much progress anyway.

-Oh…You’ll get there! – Iktan happily cheered into her ear, wrapping his large arm around her shoulders and pulling her into a side hug as they walked next to each other – You just need to be patient and keep on practicing. Like Jardos always says… You need to get out of your head and trust yourself.

-It´s just…. As I am trying to focus on the Guider’s vision, I keep getting all these new confusing images at the same time – She complained, grunting with exasperation – I can’t figure out what they mean, or how they relate to each other! They’re too blurry!

-Why don’t you ask the Guider for a little help? – The tall warrior suggested with deliberate caution, eyeing her with tentative optimism – Maybe she can make some sense out of them.

-Because she said that it was my guess to make… and besides, I’m days away from being named Co-regent Guider and I still can't decipher the slightest meaning out of these random things! I really wanted to figure this out on my own! How else will I prove that I am ready? How the hell am I supposed to be a good leader one day if I can’t see the path at all?

-Sehira… - Iktan reasoned as he distractedly held onto his spear, leaning on it as their footsteps echoed around the long corridors – There is no shame in asking for support. You’re not supposed to own all the answers, at least not yet! She is still the Acting Guider, just tell her about your progress and let her lead you from there.

-Fine – She accepted, her eyes wandering around the large dining place where the non-pledged warriors ate, their unmasked faces crowding the spacious hall as they all silently had dinner – I guess there’s no harm bringing a fresh pair of eyes into this. I’ll ask her to join me in my session tomorrow.

They had found a quiet table in the corner, and they had been sitting there for a while, both distractedly digging into their plates in silence, their minds immersed in their own training lessons.

-Souna and Ussi will be arriving in two days – Sehira suddenly blurted out, almost casually – They are not far away from here now.

-Really? – He inquired, curiously staring into her eyes and smiling – I mean, I know they’re coming and all, but how can you tell the specific date of their arrival?

-I can feel Axe nearing – She explained, narrowing her sight, her voice trailing off distractedly – He’s sleeping now, but I can still sense his presence.

-Whoa… - Iktan exclaimed in a surprised tone, scanning her face with interest – I didn’t know you could do that!

-Me neither – She chuckled, her words fading into a secretive whisper – It all started a few months ago, while I was sitting on the divination stone… right around the time I started working on these visions.

She paused, leaning forward and placing her elbows on the table, her head tilting with uncertainty.

-It’s like he’s reaching out to me. He just pops into my head out of nowhere and starts talking to me about everything and nothing… For hours! I swear I never heard that kid being so vocal in person as he is when he invades my brain!

-So, he’s been communicating with you? – The former priest concluded, looking at her with a mixture of awe and concern – But why? Do you think you formed some type of bond with him or something?

-I don´t know... Maybe – She pondered pensively, a sweet smile stretching on her face - I always liked that weird kid though… And once he’s done rambling about his favorite food, his toys or the new tricks he’s working on with Ussi, I finally get to ask about my sister and at least I generally end up with the most coherent response a three-year-old can deliver.

-So… everything has been good back at Lowland’s gate lately, I gather – Iktan smirked, rolling his eyes with amusement at her.

-Well, boring enough for his regular chattering topics to rarely deviate from playing with Kohu or eating sweets and biscuits – Sehira agreed, her eyes squinting in awareness for a moment – Except for that time he said something about Souna making him meet this man that burned his hand with fear…

Sehira c****d her head, biting her lip introspectively, her pupils lighting with sudden recognition.

-I thought he was just talking childish nonsense back then, but now, I don’t know – She murmured absently, feeling her skin contract - There was something ominous about the way he said it... It makes me shudder just thinking about it… It kind of reminds me of something else.

-So, where did you say he is now? – Iktan inquired, hungrily emptying the contents of his plate, then gesturing to her half-eaten ration and giving her a pleading glance, paired with his most irresistible smile.

-They are at the last stretch of the Yahurian trail, near Wolvencave – Sehira replied, pushing her plate disinterestedly towards him and letting the large warrior have the rest of her untouched food, her brow rising tentatively at him – Maybe I should wake him up and ask him about that man again…

-I don’t know… Do you think you can do that? – The tall warrior sitting before her questioned with concern – Have you ever tried it before?

-Not really. I’ve never contacted him on my own, it’s usually the other way around. – She admitted, sighing with determination -But now that I’ve remembered it, there is this obnoxious feeling I can’t shake off my mind… I need to know what that was all about.

She sprang to her feet, decidedly heading for the exit of the large hall, Iktan striding rapidly after her, but not before shoving the rest of the food into his mouth in a hurried motion.

When he caught up with her, she was already reentering the divination chamber, the large stone silently and invitingly lying in the center of it.

Sehira paced towards it with determination and, after taking a deep breath, she sat on it with a firm resolution shining in her eyes.

-Are you sure you want to do this right now? – Iktan´s voice asked her with evident uneasiness – You are exhausted, you’ve been here all day! Why don’t we go get some rest, and you try again tomorrow...

-Hush! – She ordered, giving him a reprimanding look and making his words fade into a speechless anguish as she closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply –Let me just try something for a second.

He had been quietly observing her as she remained seated, her eyes clearly moving erratically behind her closed eyelids, when she opened them abruptly. Her pupils filled with authentic dread as a terrified scream erupted from her with outstanding force. Her features contorting in an impossible grimace of palpable horror.

-Sehira! – He called out, maddened with worry. Rushing to her side and yanking her off the stone, carrying her as far away from it as he could while her voice continued to resonate piercingly all around the room – Talk to me! What happened? Are you all right?

-Call the Guider! – She finally managed to hoarsely say, once the last of her wails subsided, and she held shakily to his sturdy frame – I know what it means now! It’s all tethered… Her vision, my visions… the child’s! They are coming all at once, from the past and from the future… From the inside and the outside! We must find a way to stop them, or this land is already doomed to die!