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believed, among the elves, that these souls of the dead granted the gift of
strength and wisdom gained in life to the living.
The ancient custom had been started by the holy elf-woman Krenka-Anris, the
souls of her own dead sons having returned to save their mother from a dragon.
The Kenkari elves lived in the Cathedral, tending to the souls, accepting and
releasing new souls into the garden. At least, that was what had been done in
the past. When it became clear to the Kenkari that the elven emperor Agah'ran
was having young elves murdered in order to obtain their souls to aid his
corrupt rule, the Kenkari closed the Cathedral, forbade the acceptance of any
more souls.
Agah'ran was overthrown by his son, Prince Rees'ahn, and the human rulers
Stephen and Anne of Volkaran. The emperor fled and disappeared. The elves and
humans formed an alliance. The peace was an uneasy one, its overseers working
hard to keep it, constantly forced to put out fires, quell riots, rein in
headstrong followers. So far, it was working.
But the Kenkari had no idea what to do. Their last instructions, given to them
by the Keeper of the Soul, revealed to him by Krenka-Anris, was to keep the
Cathedral closed. And so they did. Every day, the three Keepers Soul, Book,
and Door approached the altar and asked for guidance.
They were told to wait.
And then came the storm.
The wind began rising unexpectedly around midday. Frightful-looking dark
clouds formed in the skies above and below the Mid Realms, completely obscured
Solarus. Day turned to night in an instant. All commerce ceased in the city.
People ran out into the streets, staring nervously at the sky. Ships plying
the air between isles sought safe haven as fast as they could, putting down in
any harbor close by, which meant that elves were landing in human ports,
humans seeking refuge in elven towns.
The winds continued to rise. The brittle hargast trees shattered and cracked.
Flimsy buildings were flattened as if smashed by a giant fist. The strong
fortresses of the humans shook and shuddered. It was said that even the Kir
death monks, who pay little attention to what is transpiring in the world of
the living, actually emerged from their monasteries, looked up at the sky,
nodded gloomily to themselves in anticipation of the end.
In the Cathedral, the Keepers of the Soul, the Book, and the Door all gathered
together before the altar of Krenka-Anris to pray.
Now the rain began, slanting from the dark clouds like spears thrown by a
fearsome army. Hailstones large as the head of a soldier's mace pelted the
Cathedral's glass dome.
"Krenka-Anris," prayed Soul, "hear our "
A cracking sound loud and violent, like the blast of a pyrotechnic
display split the air. Door gasped. Book flinched. The Keeper of the Soul,
shaken, halted in mid-prayer.
"The souls in the garden are highly agitated," said the Keeper.
Though the souls themselves were not visible to the eye, the leaves of the
trees trembled and quivered. Petals were shaken from the flowers.
Another crack, sharp, ominous.
"Thunder?" ventured the Keeper of the Door, forgetting in his fear that he was
not to speak unless spoken to.
The Keeper of the Soul rose to his feet and looked through the crystal window
into the garden. With an incoherent cry, he staggered backward, grasping at
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the altar for support. The other two hastened to his side.
"What is it?" Book asked, her voice nearly failing her.
"The ceiling!" Soul gasped, pointing. "It is starting to break!"
They could all see the crack now, a jagged line, slanting like lightning,
cutting through the crystal dome. As they watched, the crack grew longer,
wider. A piece of glass broke loose, fell into the garden with a crash.
"Krenka-Anris, save us!" Book whispered.
"I do not think we are the ones she is saving," said the Keeper of the Soul.
He was suddenly extremely calm. "Come. We must leave, seek shelter in the
rooms underground. Quickly, now." He left the altar, headed for the door. Book
and Door hastened behind, practically tripping on his heels.
Behind them, they could hear the shattering of more falling glass, the
splintering of the great trees sheltered beneath the dome.
The Keeper of the Soul rang the bell that called the Kenkari together for
prayer except that this time he called them together for action.
"The great dome is being split asunder," he told his shocked followers. "There
is nothing to be done to save it. This is the will of Krenka-Anris. We have
been told to seek shelter. The matter is out of our hands. We have done what
we could to help. Now we must pray."
"What did we do to help?" the Keeper of the Door whispered to the Keeper of
the Book as they hastened after Soul down the stairs leading to the
underground chambers.
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