“Where do you know Soren from?” Ailia broke the silence that had been hovering uncomfortably in the air since they had left Hannah’s cabin.
“We have known each other since I was a child,” Silya said, looking at Ailia, sitting on the horse. “We met right after I had been sold into slavery by my uncle. Southerners would come to my hometown, Alta, and pay handsomely for strong, young thralls—thralls like me.”
“How horrible,” Ailia said, stunned by Silya’s tragic story.
“After I was sold to a traveling company, who claimed they represented the Southlandic Empress, Mumtaz, Soren bought me with sixteen pieces of silver and set me free. I was able to return to my family and I have lived as a free woman ever since.”
“It’s amazing how someone can come into one’s life at exactly the right time and perform miracles like that,” Ailia said, thinking about Soren and how he had rescued her from the wolves. “Was that who Soren was going to see, Empress Mumtaz?” Ailia couldn’t wait to find out.
“Yes,” Silya answered.
Ailia smiled a little, relief settling in her chest.
“Oh, did you think he was going to see Eiess?” Silya asked and laughed sarcastically. “No, not Soren. He has been working with Empress Mumtaz on a plan to overthrow Eiess. The Southlandic Kingdom is also suffering tremendously because the seasons have stopped. Except, in their case, they have the opposite problem.”
“Yes, Soren told me. It’s horrible that one person’s actions can have such a drastic effect on so many innocent lives,” Ailia said troubled. How had Eiess become so powerful? Perhaps Silya knew. “Why is she so powerful compared to anyone else?”
“There are many reasons, but what most people don’t know is that Eiess also used to be a Sentinor just like Iluxia, Lucia and Soren.”
“Truly?” Ailia asked shocked, still not understanding wholly what a Sentinor was, but never expecting that Eiess would be one.
“Eiess was created in the beginning with the three others, thousands and thousands of years ago. What happened then was never told to anyone in Midgard, except for the Tundra people or, as you call them, the Samis.”
“You are Sami, right?” Ailia wanted to clarify just to be sure, even though Silya’s dress had Sami written all over it. “Silly question,” she said under her breath, knowing what the answer would be.
“Yes, I am a Sami,” Silya answered without a hint of condescension in her tone. “Many generations ago, our Noaida, Geidun, our mediator between Midgard and the spirit realm, was granted a vision by Iluxia. The realms opened to him and he was shown in a fantastic revelation what transpired before the creation of the Aesira bloodline. Four beings were created to be Midgard’s protecting Sentinors: Iluxia, the Sentinor of progress and keeper of the key of the Aesira Jewel; Eiess, the Sentinor of darkness, who grants life rest, peace and sleep; Soren, the Sentinor of spiritual and physical healing; and finally, Lucia, the Sentinor of physical and spiritual light.”
Ailia was starting to see a much larger picture of Soren’s deep love and devotion for Lucia. How inappropriate it had been that she found him attractive, that her eyes had lingered where they shouldn’t have. “What about the Sun Queens, the keepers of the Aesira Jewel?” Ailia wondered.
“First, let me tell you about what happened to Eiess,” Silya said. “Eiess and Iluxia were charged to work in perfect harmony, one ruling the sun, the day, growth, energy, light and anything pertaining to progress, increase and development, while the other would rule the night and anything pertaining to rest, slumber, tranquility, harmony, serenity, repose and stillness. As Midgard drew nearer and nearer to the sun, Iluxia’s powers would strengthen; likewise, as Midgard drew further and further away from the sun, Eiess’ powers would increase. Not only that, but as time went on, their powers would increase with each passing solstice. So Iluxia’s powers were strongest at summer solstice eve. Eiess’—”
“Powers were strongest on winter solstice eve,” Ailia said. “That’s why she chose to strike on winter solstice eve, so her powers would be the strongest, not only on that day, but for as long as the dark season prevailed.”
“And how many winter solstice days have we had?” Silya asked sarcastically.
“Way too many,” Ailia replied facetiously.
Silya looked up at her and laughed heartily. “A person after my own heart!” Silya turned serious again. “Now this part of Midgard stands frozen on the darkest day of the year and will forever, until someone destroys Eiess. Some people believe this is the eternal winter that will ring in Ragnarok. Others believe winter is here to stay and that the gods have cursed us. Either way, Eiess’ powers are growing exponentially every day since the days are in her favor and Iluxia’s powers are remaining constant. Unfortunately, in comparison to Eiess’ powers, Iluxia’s powers are decreasing.”
“Why can’t the other three Sentinors work together and destroy her?” Something was not making sense, Ailia thought.
“Let me backtrack a bit. First, none of the Sentinors were supposed to come to Midgard’s realm. When Eiess defiantly descended to Midgard, breaking her pact with the other Sentinors, Lucia and Soren were sent to Midgard to bring her back or defeat her if they could not. The difference was that Soren and Lucia had to be born into Midgard by mortal parents and needed to relearn who they were. That is how they became demi-mortals. Eiess found a way to come to Midgard without having to be born and she remembers everything from before mortality.”
“Demi-mortal?” Ailia asked confused.
“A demi-mortal is someone who is half-human, half-Sentinor. When a Sentinor is born into Midgard, he or she becomes more than just mortal. They retain some of their divine powers that mere mortals like you and I do not have. One of their divine powers is that they cannot be easily killed. They also possess special endowments. Take Soren, for example, he is a healer. Lucia has three lives. The difficult part of becoming a demi-mortal is that they have to be born as infants into Midgard and leave behind all knowledge and power until they rediscover them and redevelop them here again,” Silya said.
“So, they don’t remember who they are?”
“No. They need to learn in time, through life’s experiences and they do not remember the pre-mortal spheres, or what they learned there, as the Empress does. Empress was a title she gave herself by the way.” Silya shook her head as if disgusted. “She is a self-serving witch. Whatever she is, Eiess unfortunately remembers the pre-mortal sphere and now she is more powerful than anyone.”
“Do demi-mortals live longer than an average human?” Ailia wondered.
“No, but Soren was given a potion that Iluxia had procured from the tree of souls to extend his life, so that he could remain in Midgard until Lucia succeeded in destroying Eiess. They knew it would be a nearly impossible thing to accomplish, so she was granted three lives.”
“How long will Eiess live?” Ailia asked.
“Eiess will live forever if she wishes. She is not a mortal, or even a demi-mortal, so physical laws do not pertain to her. If Soren and Lucia do not find a way to destroy Eiess this time, which is Lucia’s third and final life, their spirits will dissolve. He does not take it lightly. Now, if they succeed and both live, they will age and die together, returning to Alvheim to continue to live as Sentinors. Their goal now is to gather as many allies as they can.”
“What about Eiess? She is here and if she is destroyed, who will be the Sentinor over rest, peace and sleep? Does not there need to be one?” Ailia asked.
“Now, that I do not know,” Silya answered.
* * *