The Thirteen Star-Keepers - Chapter One

Ghosts and Dreams
Thoughts occurred in broken fragments, memories from lives that weren't hers. The figures swathed in cloth haunted her, the mystery of the Thirteen and their menacing swords.
Ariane stood in the ankle deep water of the lake staring across the horizon as the sun bled into the patched blue sky, contemplating her dreams. The sun was a halo of colour, the clouds streaked across the fading blue blanket. The red and orange light dominated over the blue as the sun sank below the majestic mountains of Orionith. The dark clouds that gathered on the horizon were stained blood red and took on the form of great battleships high above, awaiting the call of war. The cold current sped through the water kissing and caressing her toes as they dug into the soft sand of the shore. The great lake stretched out before her, its surface reflected the canvass of the sky. Her auburn hair whipped in the wind that blew from the East as gentle voices called on the air, reminding her of the voices in her dreams. Her dreams bothered her, the dreams of the Swords and of the haunting figures swathed in cloth. There was more but the more she tried to remember, the more they slipped away, grains of sand sliding through her fingers. The battles frightened her and she feared that the Gods that ruled their worlds had chosen her as a Seer. To act as pawns to the Highest was the meaning of life. To rebel meant banishment, to be sent into the scorching desert where none returned.
Ariane's thoughts were broken by a cry, far away. Hauntingly it called, the cry rising and falling on the wind as it echoed across the mountain before fading away with the sun. She watched as finally the globe of orange was gone and darkness stretched its long fingers across the blackening sky. Ariane glanced once more at the beautiful scene before her, the lake as it stretched across towards the feet of the mountains, the gentle rise of the black rock that rose into a mighty peak where none, save Orion himself, had climbed. At the side of the mountain was a great vale where the grass was a delicate green, soft beneath the foot. Herds of sheep and cows grazed there in the long, hot summer days. Further ahead lay a large green forest where warm springs burst through the earth into small rock pools. Under the dense canopy of this forest, Ariane had spent many a day lingering and dreaming. She recalled all the hours spent in the trees watching the clouds float past in the sky as she cried quietly to herself, a mystery to her mother and father. A loneliness worked its way inside her when she sat alone. The coolness of the forest, the song of the birds and the smell of the pines had overridden her senses and awoke a deep longing inside her.
Far away, past all the beauty, lay the harsh desert that burnt and destroyed all whom ventured there. Only once had Ariane ever been there and she remembered all too vividly the intense heat. Ariane remembered gazing across at the endless stretch of yellow, it seemed to her that ghosts danced on the horizon. They had seemed to silently scream to her, beckoning to her and then burning away under the unwavering gaze of the sun. She remembered tugging on her father's cloak, pointing to them to find they were gone. Lost in the desert forever.

Ariane turned away uneasy and shivering, eager to forget the memories, and headed home to the small stone building that her mother and father had built nineteen years ago in anticipation of the birth of their first child. The one story house was made from the stones that lay in the Scorialian gorge. Trees waved and swayed in the rising wind as Ariane entered the cool warmth of home.
"Mother? She called out; her parents had been out with the rest of the hunters, preparing for the storms that would shake Orionith for five days. As Ariane stood in the doorway, she felt the building wind push at her back and a flair of fear snaked its way along her spine. Then she heard their calls for her and turning she saw them across the plain, coming towards her. Their two figures silhouetted against the darkened sky. Storm clouds danced across the blackness, bubbling with rain, thunder and lightening, speeding towards their small village.
"Ariane, why were you not with Labeth and Ferion? Where were you today? Her mother asked, reaching up a blood stained hand to smooth down Ariane's rampant hair.
"I went up to the Virgithian hills to await the coming of the storm. It looks worse this year, did you bring excess supplies should it last longer? She replied, smiling at her mothers worry.
"Yes, the Seer has already warned us, we have gathered enough supplies to get us through the next two weeks. The harvest was very good this year, as was the hunting. Come on, we should pack and get to the Great Hall before the storm arrives.
Ariane hurried back into the house and quickly gathered up all her belongings and stuffing them into the rabbit skin bag. She made certain that she'd picked up the notebook where she kept all her dreams and thoughts.
She turned to leave and found her mother standing there, watching her with a caring gaze. She had not been startled, the human body has a presence that can be sensed even when the back is turned.
"Are you alright, Ariane? You seem distant. Her mother signed, fearing for her daughter. She was always distant, always lost in thought. She rarely smiled anymore and her friends were lucky if they got more than five words from her in a day.
"Yes, I'm fine mother, the storms make me nervous. She smiled, trying to comfort her mother, suddenly noting her frailty as she clung to the doorway. The worry in her mother's eyes, in the way she held herself, arms around her waist. Her long hair was plaited as usual for the hunting but her eyes, those beautiful green eyes, were haunted by something more then memories.
"Mother, are you well? She asked, rushing to her side. Her mother didn't look surprised at Ariane's intuition, it was uncanny.
"Yes, there is something deep in my bones that tells me this storm will hit harder than all others, I fear it Ariane. I fear that something is coming to take you away from me. Ariane's mother answered, peering at her daughter with tear-flecked eyes.
"Nothing could tear me from you, she replied, hugging her mother fiercely, encompassed by a strong love for her mother and yet hating suddenly the feeling that she lying to her mother.
Ariane and her mother made their way into the centre room of the house and, together with Ariane's father, they made their way towards the Great Hall. Ariane glanced to the skies and fear once again threatened to overwhelm her. The angry, dark clouds were built high and heavy with rain, as they sped towards the Hall.
Ariane stood outside until the last minutes before the storm hit. She felt strange, not like herself. Her body shook gently and her heart raced as her thoughts returned to her dreams, the strange Swords and the figures wrapped in white cloth. The great battles in the sky and the chaos that reigned. The wind whipped her hair around her face and upon she heard voices, crying with the vapour that was carried within it.
"Ariane, come inside, the storm is coming! Her friend, Jeryan grasped her wrist and tugged her inside the Great Hall. The Great Hall had been made with the last of the rock from the Sagitae gorges that lay far beyond the borders of the tribe. It had been brought with the villagers from the evacuation occurred, hundreds of years ago. The gorge had been left to the ghosts who had chased away all those who strayed there. Haunting tales were told of the gorge, irate shadows that tore at your hair and skin. Nobody knew whom the ghosts had been. Ariane's thoughts snapped back to the present. People congregated in groups of seven to ten and Ariane, led by Jeryan, was pulled towards her friends. For a while Ariane could lose herself in the chatter of her friends and ponder the coming storm. It seemed almost like an omen that it was heavier and more violent this year. The storm seemed so reminiscent of the storms in her dreams.
"Did Merin tell you what we saw down at the gorge today? Jeryan broke through the loud chatter within the group. His confident blue eyes challenged anyone to turn him down his right to speak. There was silence from the group, Jeryan was known for his tall stories. Ariane broke the silence.
"No, what did you see? A tone of exasperation in her voice.
"A ghost. As clear as the storm rumbles now! He burst excitably. Eyes rolled and sighs were heard.
"What did it look like? Ariane asked, ignoring the murmurs of her friends. A trickle of cold dread inched its way down her spine, leaving goose bumps upon the flesh it touched.
"I didn't see it at first but then I practically walked through it and that's when I noticed it! Jeryan said, rubbing his arms, chasing away the same chill that echoed in Ariane.
"It was covered in this weird cloth stuff, all wrapped up in it except for a bit that had fallen away over its eye. It was hideous to look at! You felt like you were falling backward when you looked into that eye. Merian shivered violently.
"And it had a Sword. We only saw the scabbard but it screamed at us to leave. It shouted after us, 'the Thirteen shall awaken soon'. I've never run so hard in my life! Jeryan cried and a hurt look appeared in his eyes when people began to laugh.
"I'm been serious! Ariane, tell them! He turned to her, eagerness and a call for help written on his face.
"Tell them what? It's probable you saw a ghost, there is always talk of them around the gorge. She agreed, wondering what he could have been referring to.
"No, about your dreams! He said, his words causing anger to surge within him, stirring up the fervent wish that she hadn't mentioned it to him.
"I don't know what you're talking about. She said and turned on her heel, seeking refuge from the group's chatter with her mother and father. They sat together talking about the day's hunting, the storm. Sitting herself by her mother's feet, she felt hurt that something she'd said in secret had ended up been blurted out in front of everyone. So he hadn't actually told them what they were about but he had made it perfectly obvious they were connected. Her mother reached out to stroke her hair as she so often did when they were sat at home in the living area, listening to her parents talk. Ariane's mind drifted off, why were the Thirteen at the gorge? Ariane sighed, she did not even know what they were. Figures from history, dead, but why wouldn't they stay dead? What was so important that they had to invade the mind of a nineteen year old girl and torment her sleep? Ariane's eye focused on her group, Merian kept looking over at her and as she watched, the younger girl made her way over to Ariane and sat down opposite her.
"I'm sorry about Jeryan, you know he can be an idiot when he's the centre of attention. Merian smiled and stretched out her hand to her friend. Ariane took it, a timid smile on her face. Her friends hair was a brilliant red that shone faintly even when there was little light. Her grey eyes blinked at Ariane, waiting.
"I'm sorry Merian, I don't want to tell you about my dreams. I don't want to see crazy.
"You wouldn't. Please? I'm worried about you. The ghost scared me enough. I'd hate for you to dreaming of them, what peace is there in that? She smiled, a look of such pleading in her eyes.
"Them? Who said there were more than one? Ariane's ears pricked up. Staring at Jeryan's back, maybe he had told them after all.
"He only told me, no one else. Please Ariane, why do you never let people get close? Merian sighed. But Ariane shook her head, unwilling to share anything now. She felt betrayed and her anger resurfaced.
"I want to write, please, go back to the group, I'll come later. She replied, standing and turning away from the wounded look in the girl's eyes as she too stood and walked away. Breathing heavily and holding back tears, Ariane lay down on her animal skin and pulled her notebook out. Furiously, she began to scrawl her thoughts onto the pages.

Soon people began to settle down, wrapping themselves up in their cloaks and then in their blankets. Quiet murmurs of voices continued but most were content to say nothing. Hundreds of eyes stared upwards at the ceiling, picturing the rain that thudded against the roof. Ears heard the thunder the growled forebodingly in the sky following the vicious slashes of lightning. Ariane could not close her eyes, the thunder and lightning reminded her of her dreams and the cold fingers of dread never left her.