The Path of the Fallen by O'Brien Dan

Author:O'Brien, Dan [O'Brien, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Amalgam
Published: 2012-09-16T16:00:00+00:00

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E’Malkai

The library of the Fallen was a remnant of the past. Three walls were filled to the ceiling with books, some wrapped in oiled cloth and some dust jackets that had long since grown brittle. Two long wooden tables ran lengthwise adjacent to the entrance. Books were stacked in piles, some open and others shut.

E’Malkai sat far from the entrance. His dark hair fell over his face as he ran his hands over the books. “Most of this is written in a Culouth dialect, but some of it I cannot understand––an older derivative of its written language perhaps. There is much here that you may not be aware of,” called E’Malkai without looking up.

Mihen carried a large stack of books, turning at the youth’s words and lifting an eyebrow in question. “Let me sit down, my boy, and I will have myself a listen.”

E’Malkai nodded and continued to run his fingers over the text. His blue eyes followed the words as he mumbled to himself. “Most of it reads as riddles and prophecies, but there is much written about the coming of the Ai’mun’hereun.”

Mihen chuckled and sat down next to the youth. “That much I already know. Even though I could not read these particular texts, it was obvious that they were written in a before-time when riddles were a very common way of talking about an uncertain future, or an unknown past.”

The youth shook his head. “There is something different about this. There are references to Dok’Turmel and the residence of the Ti’ere’yuernen, as well the birthplace of the power of the Original Creator. They speak of the coming of the Ai’mun’hereun, ascending during the Final War. That he will walk through the darkness of Dok’Turmel and….”

Mihen was enraptured now.

He leaned forward as the youth hesitated.

“What is it?”

E’Malkai shook his head, his furrowed brow darkening. “I can’t be sure. It talks about the rebirth of the Original Creator in the coming centuries, or perhaps that it would take centuries for the vessel of the Original Creator to absorb the essence of the universe. I honestly cannot be certain. There is a variation in the sentence structure, an aberration of which I do not have a firm grasp. I wish Elcites was here, he could read it.”

Mihen raised an eyebrow as he leaned back.

“Was he your instructor?”

E’Malkai shook his head. Closing the book, a cloud of dust exploded from its pages. “No, he was my guardian and I was his sien. He was an Umordoc.”

Mihen tightened.

“You had an Umordoc as a guardian?”

“He was my friend as well. The Umordoc of Culouth are not as they are here in the tundra. Many of them are more intelligent than humans. Bakar serves on the Council of Six. The mindless killers of the north are a product of this environment, a vestige of their tribal ways.”

The tension lessened, but remained in place as Mihen shifted his posture. “Tell me of this place, Culouth, before we continue with the translations.”

E’Malkai sighed and placed his hands behind his head.

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