Fan Fiction ❯ The Keeper of the Orbs ❯ Presence in the Air ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Ten

The Presence in the Air

 

Sala woke with a start. A shiver ran along her spine as she lay on the ground. Kale, much to her disappointment, was gone. She sat up slowly and pulled on her tunic. Sala looked at the fire. The fish, which had been forgotten in the heat of the moment, were burnt and not even worth eating. Sala chuckled and shook her head slowly. So much for dinner.

 

"Help me, please." a soft whisper reached her ears.

 

The young woman looked around her. No one was around her. Sala shrugged, picking up a stick to stoke the fire up again. As the dying embers rose to a tiny flame, Sala heard the flowing voice once more. She whirled around, her blue hair flying into her eyes. As she stared in the darkness, she saw a thin shape begin to form.

 

"What...?" she said, her voice trailing off.

 

"Lady Sala," the voice said in that soft whisper. "Please, Lady Sala, let me back in."

 

Sala pushed the stray lock out of her face. "What in the seven hells are you?" she asked the thin, filmy shape.

 

"One of the four elements which you seek." the voice said. "I had no real desire to be free. I had finally found the desired peace that being in my glassed prison had given me. I only ask to be in it once more."

 

Sala's mouth dropped open in disbelief. Was it serious? A twig snapped behind her. She whirled to look at Kale. He stood staring at the strange, floating figure. Sala slammed her mouth shut. She didn't even know how to get them back into their Orbs.

 

"Play, Lady." the voice said.

 

Sala crawled to where her pants lay, discarded earlier. From her pocket, she withdrew the small reed flute her grandfather had given her. Sala looked back at Kale. He'd taken one of the tiny, glass orbs from out of his pants' pocket. Kale moved to her side and knelt beside her. Sala looked at the misty figure.

 

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began to play a light tune. The element became enveloped in a sort of blue, silver, and black light. It formed a tiny ball around it and floated it to the glass orb in Kale's calloused hands. Sala opened one eyes and looked at the orb. Inside of it a sort of golden spirit-like creature moved around inside of it.

 

"Thank you." the voice said and a light breeze caressed her cheek. "My name is Aylaki, Lady Sala. Call on my when you need me."

 

Sala nodded to the bodiless voice. Kale withdrew a tiny chain from his pocket and slid the orb onto it. He leaned towards Sala and placed it around her neck. The tiny orb fell between her breasts. Kale smiled at her.

 

"Well, there's one of them." Kale said, wrapping his arm around her.

 

***

 

A low growl escaped the cracked lips of the man watching the Draegans. He rose slowly from his crouch and snapped his fingers. He was in deep shit now. In a puff of smoke he was gone.