Reave: Chapter 2

Now, throughout each and every hall of the temple, the pounding steps and shouts of Yyral and Reave could be heard. They resounded onward and echoed into the farthest reaches and the smallest caverns within the stone building. "Reziehl is burning to the ground! Reziehl is burning to the ground!" the two cried at the top of their voices. Not a moment were they not enveloped in terror, not a single second passed where it did not feel as if the essence of pure fear did not course through their veins in place of the red blood that kept them alive. "Come out of your rooms, every able bodied caster or the fire may spread to the entire valley! Come out! Come out!" the boys ran through the dark, not a light to guide them besides the burning image of Rezeihl in their minds.

Not long had passed before the two young casters collapsed, having coverd the three master hallways where the most bedrooms were. With lack of breathe they tried to explain the happenings as casters, half asleep and half dressed who began to file out of their rooms. Initially there was disbelief amongst the drowsy men and women who gathered to see who or what had woken them. "Just go up the tower to see!" begged Reave, his eyes began to well up but he fought back the tears. The torrents would not flood forth, he refused to be vulnerable in this situation, not even to himself.

"Fine, fine. I'll check, and if nothing is there you two are sure in for the scorn of those whom you have disturbed." The voice for a few moments was lost in the crowd until it's body stepped forward. Cyelle, the most experienced of the female casters had been the one to give them a chance. She turned on her heel before summoning up the boys, "I of course expect your accompanyment up the tower you two." he voice was powerful without a raised volume. No matter how soft it demanded attention, one of the key skills of being a powerful caster.

The two boys jumped at her command and fell into ranks behind her as the crowd partered for their procession. "You two better be right. Tell me now if you are lying or have any doubt in what your have seen." The two boys shook their heads, implying that they were more than possitive that what had been seen and shouted through the halls was the strongest truth that either had ever told. "Then let us hurry, for if you are true, then a grave tragedy has come upon us, more grave than exile."

From here on the three walked in absence of sound other than their feet padding down the walkways. Stone was cold upon their bare feet. For the first time that night, Reave felt the chill. He had been in such a frenzy until now that he took no notice of the less important things around him, like the fact that he had forgotten to dawn his shoes. His tender feet gradually became numb from the cold and the gentle pace that Cyelle kept. Reave looked down to see niether Cyelle nor Yyral had thought to put on shoes either and in some sense it lifted his fear and anxiety albeit only for a few moments.

"Here we are." Announced Cyelle in a tone that suggested that she was still in disbelief of the two boys. "You know what happens if I go up there and see not a single flicker of flame don't you?" Her motherly tone began to show. the kind that would surface when she spoke to any of the young males there at the temple. The boys both knew what they had seen was no illusion and therefore nodded their heads in response. "For the deities sakes I hope the two of you had no more than a nightly spook."

Cyelle began to accend toward the top of the tower, Reave and Yyral flanking her so that they night be able to point out that they had been serious, that they had not been lying, they were going to let the world know that they were right, or at least, each and every member of the temple. This night, to them, had become somewhat adventurous to the two, but once at the top of the staircase and staring out at the luminescent demise of much held dear the troop becan still. Cyelle's eyes reflected the burning homes and her eyes hear not a sound, similar to Reave's first sight. Her face went as white as a ghost and in not more than the gentle breath of a stunned woman, "We must run to the others and herald this news." She paused to swallow and breath, looking to Reave, "This should not have been possible how is this possible."

"I don't know..." Reave trailed off blankly, unsure of how to answer the most grave question of his life.