Jeremy Laszlo - The Choosing

Borrik reached up with his free hand and pulled back his cowl revealing his withered face and greasy black hair. He was neither old nor young, but somewhere in between. Around his eyes were dark circles that made it appear as if he had not slept for many days. His face was nearly clean shaven except for a small patch of hair beneath his lower lip, and his nose had a distinct knot in it where it had been broken long ago and the bone had not mended properly. His eyes were charcoal gray, and his pupils abnormally large as if unable to focus. Borrik took another step towards Seth and pulled his hand from his heavy black robe. He then presented his hand to Seth, and within it lay a small book. The book looked to be nothing of great value. The black leather cover had a tear in it, and its edges were worn or missing altogether. The edges of the pages that were visible through the ruined cover were stained shades of yellow and brown. Seth did not reach to accept it.

“What is it, and what does Ishanya want of me?” Seth asked the man named Borrik.

“It is a book sire. A book penned in the hand of a powerful servant of Ishanya many generations ago. It is a catalogue of sorts of his many services to the mistress, a journal of his powers, of his creations. That is what the mistress told me though I am unable to read it for myself.” Borrik stated remembering the words of his Goddess.

“What of Ishanya, what is it she wants from me?” Seth demanded.

“This I know not master. Only I know she told me you would seek her temple. She told me get the book for you at any cost, and so I have. She says for me to serve you now master for you will soon do her will upon Thurr. That is what she told me master. That and nothing more I swear to you.” Borrik stated with honesty.

Sara had come to stand beside Seth with a look of concern mixed with a look of confusion. Seth took his eyes off Borrik only for a moment to meet her eyes. He could see she was afraid, and he wished to ease her fear. Seth did not trust the gods, he felt what was near to loathing for them. Now it seemed however a god had taken interest in him. This Seth knew could not be a good sign. Though Ashton had a Goddess. A Goddess he loved and worshipped and it seemed to make him happy. All this Seth thought about before speaking again.

“Do you have a place we can sit and talk?” Seth asked Borrik still refusing to accept the small book.

“Yes master, past the statue there is a hall. Through the hall there is a room with a table and some chairs.” Borrik stated gesturing towards the darkness.

“Will you take us there?” Seth asked unwilling to enter a dark room first as it could be some sort of trap.

“Yes sire I will do as you command.” Borrik said again bowing low to the ground.

Borrik walked past Seth and Sara. Circling around the statue he continued on into the darkness. Seth followed next pulling Sara along behind him. They traversed the short hall and stepped into a room where a single candle sputtered upon a table. Borrik plucked the candle up from where it sat and used its small flame to ignite several torches that clung to the walls of the room. As the light increased the room was revealed. Inside the room was a long table with a dozen chairs situated around it. There were two ways out of the room. The first was the hall they had entered through, the second was a wooden door across from the hallway that at this time remained closed. Deciding it was safe, Seth pulled out a chair and gestured for Sara to sit. Sara quickly sat in the chair he offered, wanting to quickly learn what was going on. Seth then waited for Borrik to seat himself before sitting beside Sara. Organizing his thoughts Seth looked to Sara before he began to speak.

“Many nights ago I had a dream. Only it was not like a dream, it was as if it was more real than even when I was awake. In the dream I was at first alone in a round room. The room had no doors or windows. I could see plainly but there was no source of light. I searched for a way out but there were none to be found. Giving up my search I had turned around and before me there stood a woman. I know now that the woman was Ishanya. She told me to seek her out in the oldest buildings in Valdadore. I did not know that she had meant a temple, and thinking it a dream I had no intentions of pursuing her wishes. When we came here to the temple I recognized the statue and when I touched it I could hear her voice. She again spoke to me. This time she told me to leave. She told me to call upon her when I had need of her. She said that if I served her, she would reward me.” Seth told his tale looking always to Sara and waiting for her to respond.

“So the Goddess spoke to you in your dreams, and even though you did not intend to you found the place she wanted you to come?” Sara asked to confirm her understanding.

“Yes.” Seth stated simply.

“Then you touch the statue and she tells you to serve her and in return she will reward you. That must be when you started shaking.” Sara said to Seth.

“Yes that is right.” Seth answered.

“Then you Mr. Borrik say that the Goddess sent you on an errand to fetch a book. The book you are to give to Seth because the Goddess told you that he would serve her. Now you bring the book to him, and tell him that you are to serve him instead of the Goddess?” Sara asked

“Almost M’lady.” Borrik hissed. “I serve the Goddess by serving him.” He stated gesturing towards Seth.

“What do you get in return?” Sara asked knowing a piece of the puzzle was still missing.

“The mistress told me that in time my new master would be able to reward me with a great strength and lasting life.” Borrik answered quickly.

“May I see the book?” Seth asked.

“Yes master it is yours to protect now.” Borrik answered holding the book out for Seth to take.

“Please call me Seth.” Seth replied taking the book for Borrik’s extended hand.

Seth carefully opened the cover to expose a badly stained but otherwise blank page. Flipping to the next page he found it too was blank. Seth quickly sifted through the entire book letting the pages flip open one after another. Each and every page was free of ink.

“The pages are blank Borrik, what kind of trick do you try to pull here?” Seth demanded rising to his feet.

“No trick Lord Seth I assure you. I cannot read the pages either my Lord, but maybe if you ask the mistress she will reveal its contents to you.” Borrik stated certain he was correct.

“Where did you get it?” Seth asked.

“It was hidden among ancient books in a secret library protected by those who know its origins.” Borrik replied.

“Who are they and if no one can read it then how many know its secrets?” Seth asked still standing.

“I know neither what they call themselves nor who they serve Master Seth, but I assure you there are several less people who know about the book than there were before I sought it out.” Borrik said stating the last part proudly.

“You killed for this?” Seth said taken aback.

“Yes master Seth, it was the only way to retrieve it. They would not have given it to me freely.” Borrik stated a determined expression upon his face.

“What is so important about it then that people would die to keep it safe?” Seth again demanded.

“As I said master I know not what it contains but I can tell you this much. The man who wrote the invisible inscriptions that the book is said to contain was once nearly seated where the King sits now.” Borrik stated, he the only one worshipper of Ishanya remaining who knew the books history.

Seth mulled all the details over in his mind. The Goddess had gone out of her way to choose him for some reason unknown to him. If ever he did call upon her perhaps he could use this knowledge as leverage. She chose him, not the other way around. She had also given him a book containing something important, but he was unable to read it so that seemed pointless at this time. These details were important, of that Seth was sure. More importantly however was the reward Borrik was promised, a reward that Seth was supposed to eventually give him. Seth was to give him a reward that consisted of some sort of strength and lasting life. The details swirled in Seth’s mind and he filed them away to dwell on later. He looked to Sara and noticed she too was wrestling with all the unexpected events and details and as Seth watched her face suddenly lit up and she smiled widely.