The Defiance of Vim (Catalyst Book 4) by C.J. Aaron (graded readers txt) 📕

wave of calm wash over him. The external sensation was followed by one of confidence.

“The Erlyn’s gift has already been proven. That you still live is proof of that alone,” the phrenic elementalist noted. “Do not lose confidence. You will know the way. We will be by your side.”

“Aye.” Ramm added his agreement. “Ryl trusts you, as do we. Let’s lead them to the safety of the woods.”

Andr turned his head, meeting the eyes of the phrenics in turn. He nodded subtly in acknowledgment. In agreement. Without another word, he strode forward at the head of the caravan that filed from the village.

The Erlyn called to him. Her song was that of welcome.

Of hope.

Chapter 5

The trees closed around him, blotting out the rapidly swelling light of day. Andr moved ahead with purpose. The interior of the path leading through the Erlyn Woods was dim, though it appeared brighter than he remembered. Even with the dense brambles that choked the avenues and sight lines into her depth, he now understood what lay hidden beyond.

At least a small portion of what was disguised behind the veil of foliage.

The gloom, darkness, and impassable underbrush concealed further insight into her interior. He knew the woods wouldn’t give up all her secrets so easily.

The character of the call he had sensed from the forest had altered. While standing on the fields of Tabenville, the voice was desperate. Sheltered by the limbs of the forest, there was comfort in the emotion. A subtle hint of a warm breeze projected from the shadowed depths. Gooseflesh rose on his arms as it tickled his senses.

There was unique calm underneath the boughs of the Erlyn, yet a lingering anxiety remained. The woods felt weak.

The sensation of relief swelled as the first of the wagons crossed into the darkened maw of the forest. Andr pivoted, viewing the weary procession that followed. The answer to the increased emotion was clear. Jeffers drove the lead wagon. His incapacitated cargo included Ryl, Kaep, Cavlin and several other tributes recovering from their extended ordeal within the torturous chamber of the facility. The sedate shell that was Elias sat against the rear wall, his eyes unfocused, staring blankly out into nothingness. A contingent of Le’Dral’s guards flanked both sides of the wagon.

Following closely behind the first carriage ambled the entirety of the tributes’ population. Their weariness was evident. They had been pushed relentlessly for days. With a secure camp, they’d soon have their well-deserved rest. Andr pitied them. Battling the ravages of the sickness would be anything but rejuvenating.

At least in the interim.

He was curious. It was with a sense of bated anticipation that he waited to witness the changes that would emerge after the last of the poison was stripped from their veins. Once their true powers were revealed, the results were sure to be awe inspiring.

Just before they reached the first bend in the shadowed path through the Erlyn, Andr stopped. At his back the procession ground to a halt. His eyes squinted as he struggled to peer into the inky depths of the woods. Try as hard as he could, his vision of the interior failed after only a few meters.

Behind him, the procession waited, giving him a berth of several meters. Le’Dral stood at the head of Jeffers’s wagon, his hand hovering close to the hilt of his sheathed sword. Ramm, the massive phrenic, remained alongside the wagon carrying Ryl, Kaep and the still-bound Elias.

Vox halted at Andr’s side. The phrenic elementalist clapped him on the shoulder, letting his hand linger, giving him an encouraging squeeze.

“We’ve placed an unfair burden on you, my friend,” Vox commiserated. His eyes studied the wall of trees with an unguarded reverence. The tales he’d likely been raised on, of the history that had been forgotten by Damaris, colored his view of their surroundings. The woods were a mythical benefactor, a protector of their society. Staring into the face of the fabled trees was thrilling.

“This is a task for those who’ve grown accustomed to projecting emotions,” Vox continued. “Once the way has been opened, once we have seen the destination, we can share this burden with you.”

Andr grunted in acknowledgment. He was determined to succeed, no matter the cost.

“Close your eyes. Focus on the vision inside your mind,” the phrenic relayed. “Picture every detail as best you can remember. The color of the leaves. The motion of the blades of grass as they dance in the wind.”

Andr did as he was told, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. Vox carried on quietly, reciting detail after detail as he explained the intricacies of the image that needed to be pictured. The melodic tone of the phrenic’s voice muffled to nothing more than a calming hum as Andr focused on the task at hand.

He concentrated on the darkness once his eyelids blocked out the light. Andr scoured his memory for the traces of the vision that the Erlyn had imparted. At the moment, they were nothing more than random flashes. Brief, fragmented portraits of an unknown location, one yet to be experienced firsthand.

The disjointed images should have been benign in appearance. Like viewing a painting of a far-off locale, the expectations of a physical response were minimal. Andr gasped aloud as he concentrated on the image of the clearing that the Erlyn had forced upon his consciousness.

The massive pillars of the trees, set in a wide circle, were eerily familiar. He felt as if he’d stood among the giants long before, yet had been separated for cycles. The light that streamed through the holes in the canopy above splashed onto the ground in wide circles, overpowering the dull glow of the luminescent mosses. He felt the slight hint of a breeze that circulated through the area. The air was warm, refreshing. There was a strong hint of earth and a mild note of smoke from a fire long since extinguished.

The images that flashed in his mind rotated as if his body pivoted for a more