Shattered Divinity
Chapter One
By Aaron D. Yoder
Leper Xentoth tapped his long fingers rhythmically on the small wooden table, his eyes fixed on Queen Rinawen. She was his only friend, yet today, she felt like a stranger.
“Take the shard of Theora with you,” she insisted.
Then she resumed preparing to journey to Ambrosia, the bustling capital of Kalazaar. The bow-shaped shard hung around her neck.
Why would she want to go alone? Especially when she has a very powerful relic dangling around her neck.
She took off the shard as her golden hair fell around her neck and shoulders. “Just hold on to it for a few days. I’ll come get it when I return.”
“I don’t want it,” Leper protested, pushing it back towards her, “you need it for your safety. You’re a beautiful woman and shouldn’t be wandering around all those people defenseless.”
“Well, I’d take you with me,” she joked, pointing to his horns, “but those might give us away.”
Leper knew all too well that he could not walk through any city without being ridiculed or attacked because of his appearance, specifically the horns on his head.
“I wish I could join you in Ambrosia, Rin,” he said with a smile, “but you’ll have to take that shard and go on your own.”
The shard of Theora held divine power from the goddess Theora. It allowed its wielder to move rocks or mountains, reshape the ground and vegetation, and even enhance plant growth and health. For generations, the shard has been in the possession of Kordry, which is known for its abundance of food thanks to the shard’s abilities.
His gaze shifted to Rinawen’s vibrant green eyes. Her outfit was simple yet eye-catching. The green leather shirt hugged her curves perfectly, and the intricate patterns added a touch of elegance. The leather had delicate leaf and vine patterns etched into it. Her brown pants were well-worn but sturdy, and the boots showed signs of extensive travel. Despite the simplicity of her attire, she carried herself with poise and elegance. The fresh fragrance of lilacs always emanated from her. She is beautiful.
Her golden locks cascaded down her back, shimmering like a sunbeam. Carefully arranged, every strand of her golden locks adorned with small braids and delicate flowers that represented her deep connection to nature. She embodied the spirit of her people and their town.
“Lep, I’m not asking you to take it. It’s an order. You’re taking this shard,” she insisted.
Leper shook his head. “Why don’t you at least bring your husband? Make him leave the castle for once.”
“Larnadix? You know exactly why. Since his kidnapping five years ago and spending that night with his captors, that’s why. When the guards found him the next morning, he refused to leave the castle. He’s become a scared, reclusive man,” she furrowed her brow, “he’s not the same man I married.”
Leper had struck a nerve, but her words rang true. Larnadix had never been the same after that incident. And what made it worse was that they never found or caught the culprits.
“Why don’t you travel with the Or’armwell family?” He urged.
“They’ve already left. Are you going to be stubborn about this?” Rinawen shrugged her shoulders. “Fine. If you don’t take this shard, I’ll make sure you have no visitors for two weeks, maybe even a whole month, since I won’t have to come back and retrieve it,” she threatened.
“You’re bluffing. Your daughters will come see me,” Leper dismissed her threats with a playful grin.
I spend enough time out here by myself. He became orphaned at a young age and lived in an abandoned hut concealed in the woodlands of Kordry. But he longed to travel and see different places and meet new people.
Rinawen stood up from her chair. “Not if I don’t allow them to.”
“Uh oh, she’s using her serious tone.” Leper continued to tease, but when he saw the scowl on her face, he quickly changed his tune. “Fine. I’ll take that stupid shard against my better judgment. But I swear, if anything happens to you, Rinawen, I will tear that place to the ground.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Just don’t lose it, and don’t do anything reckless, understand?” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, my queen,” Leper poked back.
Leper trusted her judgment. She had been ruling Kordry since the age of twenty-four. Her parents groomed her for leadership, arranging her marriage to Larnadix when she was fifteen, a wealthy noble from Wen-Tath.
Leper cradled his arms around her and warned her to be careful, especially around Nalecht. He had a gut feeling that he couldn’t trust the man, especially after what Rinawen had told him about his past and how he became the Anyth.
“Rules are rules,” Rinawen sighed as she headed for the door. “Nalecht may have become the Anyth through a technicality, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore any potential risks that come with him being in power.”
“I just hope those rumors about him killing his family aren’t true,” Leper narrowed his gaze on her.
“Eventually, the truth will come out. Whether it was King Brebian’s doing or Nalecht’s own actions, only two people know for sure. But until then, we need to keep the peace and do our best to maintain order,” Rinawen gave a half-smile.
“I know it’s the penta-annual meeting, but don’t you find it suspicious? Someone is clearly lying to everyone, and neither of them has the courage to face their crimes,” Leper pointed out.
Every five years, all the royalty would gather in the capital to discuss important matters like food and material supplies for each kingdom. They collaborated to ensure the prosperity of all kingdoms and maintain peace throughout the world. This system has been working efficiently for centuries.
Leper reached down and grabbed the shard from the table. He felt the power run through his veins as he touched it directly. A constant pulse emanated every five seconds. Carefully, he placed it over his chest.
“Perhaps you’re right, Lep. But that incident happened years ago, and we’ve moved on from it. What puzzles me is how either of them could have defeated Yusef, Nalecht’s father. He was a highly skilled and honorable warrior, nothing like...” Rinawen trailed off, her hand resting on the door as she narrowed her eyes at him. “You know what? It’s not important. Just be careful with that shard. I’ll know if you use it for anything reckless.”
Right, be careful with one of the most priceless and powerful relics in this world.
***
The following morning, Leper took his beloved rocking chair, positioned it near a window, and immersed himself in a magical book Rinawen brought him from the library. The musty, woody smell of old paper wafted up to his nose, mingling with the sharp, tangy scent of the ink and the faint aroma from the leather binding that held the pages together. He searched for more information on this shard Rinawen plopped in his lap. Yet something about it felt comfortable around his neck, almost calming.
His dwelling resembled more of a humble hut, lacking partitions between the kitchen, dining area, and living space. Only a single doorway separated his bedroom from the main living area. Adorning the bare walls were paintings depicting a grand castle, majestic mountains, and a sprawling desert—places he yearned to explore. However, for now, he remained confined to this modest abode tucked away in the woods.
A faint rustling outside the door caught Leper’s attention. Reacting swiftly, he reached for one of his chakrams, a pair of circular-bladed discs with a three-quarters crescent shape. Leather enveloped one edge of each disc, providing a secure grip without the risk of injury. Cautiously, he pressed his head against the door frame, carefully peering outside. The sound of giggling confirmed the identity of the visitors, and a smile tugged at Leper’s lips.
Silently closing the door, ensuring it did not emit any noise or become latched, Leper tiptoed to his room. He carefully pushed open the window, feeling a cool breeze brush against his face. The soft grass outside beckoned to him, its emerald blades glistening with droplets of dew. The sky was still a hazy gray as the morning clouds slowly drifted away, revealing a brilliant burst of sunlight. As he stepped onto the plush grass, it felt like walking on a freshly made bed, each step sinking slightly into the damp earth beneath. Moving with stealth around the house, he arrived at the corner where the front door awaited. Just as Zanera and Kelindra, the daughters of Queen Rinawen, reached the same spot, Leper took three large strides and, with a playful gesture, captured Kelindra’s waist in his grasp.
“Raaaawwwwwrrrrrr,” he hollered.
“Ahhhhhh!” they both screamed. Birds taking flight from their nests, among other rodents, fled back underground.
“You scared me!” Zanera poked him in his muscular chest.
Kelindra, an energetic eight-year-old, playfully tugged at the horns adorning Leper’s head. He chuckled, then lifted her and settled her securely on his broad shoulders. Clinging onto his horns, she imagined herself steering a majestic chariot through the skies while Leper played along.
He gently lowered her back onto the ground and ruffled her soft, shoulder-length brown hair. She beamed up at him with her bright brown eyes, dancing with excitement and happiness. Moments like these filled his heart with pure joy.
“What are you two troublemakers up to?” he asked.
“Came to keep you company,” Zanera smirked. At fourteen years old, she possessed the grace of her mother, her long blond hair flowing elegantly. Skillfully braided along the side, her hair framed her face, accentuating her features and drawing attention to her elvish ears.
“C’mon, I’ll make some tea for us.” Leper led them inside. “Has your mom left for Ambrosia, then?”
“Yes, she left yesterday, right after she got back from your place. Said she was going to stay there last night and leave right after their meeting or whatever,” Zanera plopped herself in his chair.
Leper rustled through some cupboards, “did you tell your father you were coming here today?”
Zanera huffed. “No. You know our father doesn’t trust you.”
“But you trust me, right?” he called.
Kelindra’s spirited voice rang out. “Of course, Mr. Leper. You’re the best uncle we have!”
“Someday, I’ll be able to get out of this house and see the world with you guys,” he said.
Declaring that there was no tea caused a small uproar as they playfully attacked him for not having any available. After their scuffle, Leper checked his stock of healing and revival vials with Kelindra while Zanera settled in to read his book. It was a small metal enchanted box, magically linked to the pouch on his side, where he kept the vials. As long as there were vials in the box, he could access them through the pouch. Although he rarely used them himself, he often gave them to Rinawen for distribution among her soldiers or anyone else who needed them.
Living alone for twenty-three years because of his people’s past mistakes or bad habits had given him plenty of time to make vials, read books, train with his chakrams, and take care of himself through exercise. The mere sight of a Chernzerk could send the public into mass hysteria, making it vital for him to stay hidden from prying eyes. One glimpse of his horned head would incite chaos and fear. He yearned for the day when he could venture out and meet new people, have new experiences, and explore the wondrous cultures and places of the world.
“Well, this is boring. Maybe we should go grab some tea from the castle and come back? Then we could make more vials or play games?” Zanera suggested as she shoved the book into Leper’s broad chest.
“Sounds good to me. I’ll need to gather some ingredients first, though, so you can go get the tea,” Leper replied, taking the book from her hands. “Oh! And if you pass by the bakers, can you grab one of those blueberry tarts for me? They are my favorite.”
As they rushed out the door, Leper went to set down the book but noticed that Zanera had flipped it open to a different page. That’s strange…Someone scratched out most of this page. It seems like someone purposely made it unreadable.
He squinted and strained his eyes, trying to decipher the words, but it was mostly illegible—something about shards, the Chernzerk, and other symbols and glyphs he didn’t understand.
Leper gripped the book tightly as if he were trying to unlock its secrets through touch alone. He could feel the rough edges of the scratched-out words under his fingertips, evidence of someone’s deliberate attempt to conceal information. His brow furrowed in deep concentration. He looked back and forth between the open page and the door, caught between two worlds. The book itself seemed to radiate a mysterious energy, its scratched-out words taunting him with secrets. He suddenly shook himself out of his trance, realizing that he had been standing there for too long.
***
Leper placed the book gently on the rocking chair right after he broke his trance, marking the page before stepping outside into the shroud of trees and vegetation. This was his secluded sanctuary, a perfect place for him to gather ingredients for his potent vials while remaining hidden from the public eye—his key priority as the only Chernzerk. A hundred years ago, Pasileveo, Anyth Nalecht’s grandfather, had eradicated all other Chernzerks for their destructive tendencies. Leper didn’t even know who his parents were or how he came to be born. But with Rinawen’s help, he would one day be able to answer that question and walk freely in society without fear or judgment. Hopefully.
As he walked through the forest, searching for Veridian root and green tea leaves, among other ingredients, the sun peeked through the trees. Glancing up at the sky, Leper could still see Luna Novara, the moon shining brightly with a deep blue hue. The cool breeze rustled the leaves, and Leper wandered farther than he had intended until he heard the whooshing of ocean waves.
Curious, he followed the sound to find a large cargo ship flying Xaneth Harbor’s brown and yellow colors, lowering a canoe into the water. What are they doing here near Kundry on a day when the queen was not present? Leper felt his heart rate increase as he realized he needed to remain unseen at all costs, especially after Rinawen’s warning.
He called upon the shard of Theora, summoning a large green leaf from the ground to provide cover as he watched the intruders row towards shore. The leaf touched his lips as it sprouted and put a bitter taste in his mouth, almost like chewing on grass. It made his tongue tingle and caused him to sputter in surprise.
Every instinct told him to run, but his curiosity kept him rooted in place - after all, these were his woods, and he knew them like the back of his hand.
The Veridian root Leper needed for his mixing was just out of reach. He fought the urge to grab it and run, knowing that it would only draw attention to himself. As the canoe made landfall, Leper slowly crept towards the plant and carefully dug it out before placing it in his burlap sack of ingredients. He backed away when two men who appeared to be seasoned fighters, possibly in their late thirties or forties, pulled the canoe onto shore. They weren’t dressed as guards in the city’s colors or wearing armor. Their attire was a mishmash of leather, cloth, and hide.
Leper watched as the two men bantered and secured their canoe to the shore, his eyes never leaving them. He had barely noticed the leaf he had sprouted for camouflage until he tripped over it, landing with a loud thud and causing his weapons to clang together. Son of a bitch, you really are an idiot.
Leper quickly regained his footing, using the leaf as cover once again. The leaf gave off a faint earthy scent, mixing with the musty smell of the forest floor.
The sudden noise caught the attention of the two men, who now stood with their swords at the ready. “Who’s there?” they called out into the trees.
His heartbeat became an earthquake, each thump like a boulder crashing against his ribs, threatening to break free from his chest and reveal his secret. His eyes widened, and his palms grew slick with sweat, a cold fear gripping him like icy claws.
He couldn’t get caught now, not after living in hiding for twenty-three years, thanks to Rinawen’s protection. The intruders slowly approached, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes. Leper considered using the shard to eliminate them, but he was no murderer, and it would only draw more attention from the ship out in the ocean. Instead, he used Theora again to cause a branch to fall in the distance, diverting their attention.
“Show yourself!” they demanded loudly.
Knowing that carrying the sack of ingredients would slow him down, Leper abandoned it by a tree, planning to retrieve it later. Grabbing his chakrams to prevent any more noise, he bolted towards his house, creating dense brush and thorny vines behind him to slow down his pursuers. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
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