The Chosen and the Marked

[A small altar lies on the outskirts of Bulgar, the ancient temple, sacred to the people of Sacae, has long been known for its powerful bond to the world of spirits. Before starting their journey, our travelers come here to pray for their well-being. At this altar, Lyn’s hand is directed to a grand inheritance]

Chapter 2
Sword of Spirits

Lyn and I walked hand in hand along the road; the two knights, our boon companions, a little ways ahead, ever alert for women and assassins. I examined our surroundings: a large temple a little ways off the path in the woods and a few homesteads to our right; a very pretty walk with a very pretty lady.

Lyn stopped abruptly, looking at the temple. “Lily, can we go there for a moment?” she asked me, a cute, pleading look on her face.

I smiled gently. “Of course, since you look like you really want to,” I replied. The knights noticed we stopped and turned around, riding back to us. Sain jumped down from his horse beside us ladies.

“I do,” she replied. “There is a sacred sword enshrined in an altar inside there. My people, the people of Sacae, go there to pray for safety for a journey,”

“Oh! How quaint!” He exclaimed, causing a breeze to pick up from me. Kent smacked him upside the head.

“It’s a religious practice, not quaint, you buffoon,” the red knight chastised.

A spark of knowledge clicked with me. “Oh! Myth holds that the sword, the Mani Katti, is waiting for its rightful owner and won’t be drawn from its sheath by anyone else,” I said.

Lyn nodded, smiling widely at me. “You know our stories,” she said softly. I turned bright red again and nodded. Curse my pallid skin tone.

“Well, lets get going,” I said quickly, still embarrassed. “I want to see this sword,” I added. Lyn nodded in agreement.

An older woman ran up to us, I had noticed her along the temple’s wall earlier, watering the flowers. “I beg your pardon, milady,” she said to Lyn. “Can you help me?” she asked us, a panicked look in her eyes.

“Yes, of course,” Lyn replied. “What’s the matter?” Lyn asked her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. The hair on the back of my neck was standing on end and my birthmark burned painfully. With a discreet check it had gone from its swirl of white, black, red, yellow and green to a throbbing white color. Something was wrong on the Holy front, I surmised. I drew my blade and took a few steps away from Lyn and towards the temple.

“Please help my husband, the priest. He’s being held hostage by a gang of ruffians led by a man named Glass! They want to steal the Mani Katti!”

Lyn growled and drew her blade, causing Kent and Sain to do the same. “Lets go, we mustn’t allow that to happen. I nodded in agreement.

“I see weakness in a section of wall over there, but I refuse to damage the temple. Let us go the long way instead,” I stated, the others agreed. I walked in the lead, Lyn by my side. A bandit ran down the northern slope and tried to rush us. In a blinding flash of light, he lay as dust, incinerated by a holy light.

We traveled over the thick hills and spotted two more brigands. Kent and Sain charged forward, both of the men impaled on the knight’s laces. I had to look away while the deed was done.

I stalked into the temple, my blade glowing with a holy light. With a quick slash another brigand was dust. Lyn and I advanced on Glass, who held his sword ready, but his hands were shaking. Seeing someone turn to dust does that to a person. Beads of sweat ran down his face and he shook himself to steel his nerves.

“Who do you think you are? Challenging me, Glass! Fools, the lot of you,” his conviction didn’t meet his eyes. With a flash of light I parried his blow and the light burned his skin lightly. He grinned. “See, you’re magic tricks can’t kill me…” he said triumphantly.

“I can,” Lyn replied grimly, impaling the bandit. She slid her blade out of him, sheathing it at her side. The Lorcan woman didn’t look happy about the killing either.

“You… You…” Glass started, then made a gurgling sound and collapsed at our feet.

“It’s safe, your eminence!” Lyn called out. I sheathed my blade and stood beside her, interlacing our fingers.

An old man in clerical robes stepped out of the back room, his jaw dropping at the sight of Lyn. “Ah, your clothing… Are you of the Lorca tribe?”

“Indeed, the chieftain’s daughter. Are you hurt, sir?” she asked him. I ran my eyes over him, he appeared uninjured to me.

“No, thanks to you,” he replied. “You have my gratitude,”

“And the sword? Is it safe?” I asked him.

“Yes, I have sealed the sword safely away. Until the spirits show me who the rightful owner is, it cannot be drawn,” he explained. I stared at him amazed. The myth is fact. An old, wry smile crossed the man’s face. “You are surprised that the myth is truth? You, yourself, are living myth; one of the Marked actually existing? I never thought I would see the day. Please show me the Triskelion, please,” he implored of me.

I sighed and looked around shiftily before raising my sleeve to my shoulder, showing him the three connected spirals. One spiral a mix of reds, yellows, and greens, one spiral whites and yellows and the final spiral blacks, blues and purples. He gasped and reached out to feel it but I put my sleeve down.

The moment died and he turned to Lyn. “In my thanks I shall let you take the Mani Katti. Your selfless actions today proved yourself to spirits. Please, draw the blade,”

Lyn nodded slowly and pulled the blade from its scabbard, its design glowing a hot blue. “Thank you, thank you so much,” she said, spinning the epic blade around experimentally. Lyn sheathed it and clipped it to her side.

“I had never hoped to meet the wielder of the Mani Katti in my lifetime, but here you are. I am indeed fortunate to see your sword reach your hands.

“My sword?” Lyn asked curiously. I had figured it out, but I was going to let the priest talk. The sword was made for her, just as she was made for the sword.

“The sword, she was made for you, like you were made for her. Take her, as it is time for you to go, chieftain’s daughter. You face a great many ordeals. Grip this sword and meet your destiny head-on,” he told her.

I saw Lyn’s face light up with pride and duty. “Yes… Yes, sir!” she exclaimed.

****

“So this is the Mani Katti… a blade with no equal,” I said to Lyn, running my fingers over the smooth surface. We sat out on the grass, some ten miles from the temple. Night had fallen and we made camp for the night.

“This is all so unbelievable,” she told me, laying down right next to me, her hip touching mine. “Perhaps the most famous sword in all of Sacae…in my hand,” she added, running her hand over my back. I leaned over her and placed the sword on her other side, away from us.

“Hey, remember I’m mythical, too.” I say in response, laying down with her, curling up into her side. “Maybe you just attract myths,” I pointed out.

“Stop it! I… I’m nothing special!” she demanded, turning red. I kissed her shoulder.

“Liar. You’re amazing,” I told her. She turned even redder before muttering a thank you to me. “You’re welcome, love,”

She fell asleep first, me following quickly, using her chest as a pillow. I never wanted to move from my Lyndis. She was mine, though I didn’t realize the depth of what I felt.