The keeper walked fast inside the tunnel that was hidden under her house, only she and the person she was heading to meet knew about it. A blessing, really, since some matters were better discussed in secret.
Several of them spread out in different directions, some leading to the other side of the realm, and although she never used most of them, she knew some led to dead ends. Where they had led before, she didn't know, and she wasn't curious to find out because they always gave her an uneasy feeling as if something lay on the other side, something that even those before her did not want to disturb, so she kept her distance
She soon arrived at a door, placing her hand and releasing some of her magic into it, and it gave way
Inside was a small room with simple furniture, enough for a brief meeting. A man of short stature already sat on one of the chairs, his face buried deep in a book. The woman looked at him, his old wise presence enough to deceive anyone from his lethalness, but she knew better, not that she was afraid of him, but she had immense respect for him
The man looked up from his book and smiled, a bright smile that would entrap anyone oblivious to his might
"You're finally here, sit, I made some tea," he gestured to the teapot on the little table between the two chairs
"I have found her. The one chosen by the heavens," she said, going straight to the point, but the man did not seem the least surprised or curious about the news, "you knew"
"I suspected there were signs; whispers in the wind"
The keeper looked at the man. If she didn't know him well, she would have said he was crazy from the things he said, always speaking in parables that only he understood
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I wasn't sure, so tell me how you found her."
The Keeper took her seat and went on to narrate how she encountered Lyla and everything that was revealed
"So she accused you of invading her dreams." The man laughed a deep, long laugh, and the woman beside him did not understand what was so funny. "I'm eager to meet her," the man said after he had finally calmed down
"You do understand what her presence means."
"Be calm, Keeper of all knowledge, she is a sign of hope, just as she is of the impending danger."
"What should we do then?"
"First, we have to make sure she truly is the one, and if so then we prepare her as best as we can."
"We have to keep her secret."
"Of Course, but first find a way to bring her here."
The man watched as the woman left, and as soon as the door closed, his face grew grave. The road ahead would be daring, but fate had taken its course, so all they could do was prepare for what lay in their future
********
The keeper had yet again summoned the brother's but this time they were accompanied by their Legate- the man in charge of all their forces. He had been busy when he received word from the woman, but knowing she wouldn't call unless it was absolutely important, he spared her his time
The door opened and they walked in to find the woman sitting in front of a fire. Something seemed to be on her mind. Beside him, the youngest brother seemed to be a bit nervous; he knew the young man well enough to notice it, although he was doing a good job at hiding it. So he waited for the woman to inform them of why they had been summoned
"Darius," the woman turned to face the man, he gave her a tiny smile, bowing slightly as she did the same
"To what do I owe the honor of your call?"
"Haven't your proteges informed you, well, they weren't supposed to, so I suppose I should just enlighten you."
The man didn't bother to look at the two men beside him, nor was he alarmed that they were hiding something, so he just waited for the woman to continue. She went on to explain what she found out from the two men, and to the relief of the two, she also explained how she knew of Lyla and how they had met, and finally, she finished on the suspicions she had about who she was
"So you see that girl you met wasn't just an ordinary human, she is probably the chosen one"
All three of the men remained silent. Darius, the Legate, kept his face the most neutral. The eldest brother's brows furrowed slightly, that being the only expression on his face, the youngest was taken aback; never had he imagined this. Of course, he found Lyla unique, but this was a bit too much
They all knew of the prophecy behind the chosen one. A mighty being who carried great power within them. This being's appearance meant that another war was soon approaching and that forces of evil were once again at work planning something great that would wreck the peace they somehow had.
But this being also signified hope, they would be a neutral party blessed with power from both sides of their realm, bearing gifts of light and darkness. This being would ensure that peace was upon them, that war didn't rage, but if it did, then they would ensure that the war would be won, and they would eliminate anyone who had threatened their peace
To think that Lyla was that person seemed a bit foreign, not that the young man saw her unfit, but she wasn't one of their own. Wasn't she a normal human being?
He remembered how the same legend said that the great leaders of the past, after the Great War, had each poured their blood into a sacred vessel and sealed it, sending it off to an unknown place. The blood carried a share of their magic, their power. The vessel was only meant to awaken when the chosen one was born, it would then reach out to them and flow into that being, becoming one
The fact that it already did that but remained dormant meant that it was only now that the heavens had deemed the time right
The blood had chosen a mere human; Darius didn't know what to think of that. How would the people react to that? Their savior was a human, a race hated by their own because of history. Wouldn't this make it hard for them? For her? This said human didn't even know she held such power, not to mention the fact that she was still foreign to this world, only knowing so little
The youngest wondered how Lyla would take the news, how they would even tell her that she was the savior of their world. It was a miracle she believed him when he first told her about them, albeit she did see his brother's wings, but still, she could have feigned ignorance and acted as though she knew nothing.
How would he even face her? From what the Keeper told them before, Lyla knew what he was trying to do when he attempted to erase her memory, would she hate him for it?
They all sat silently, each with their own thoughts, before the Legate asked
"What do you plan to do?" he directed the question to the woman before them
"They'll have to go back and fetch her," she answered, ushering towards the brothers, her face in all seriousness