It was the next morning and Cheryza still was in Welani, although, time actually didn’t matter at all when you were in the centre of the universe. As she was on her way to downstairs she met Xocitha on the way, who at the moment was in the form of Zariadne, the goddess of light from the universe Lauren was from.

”Is everything okay?” Cheryza asked when she saw the expression the goddess wore.

”No. Lauren is in trouble”, Zariadne said with a deep sigh.

”What is it?” Cheryza wondered. She really didn’t know what kind of attitude she should take, Lauren was so… Different. Not only for that reason that she was from a different universe… or then that was exactly the reason why. Cheryza couldn’t really tell. But she still didn’t think of Lauren as her friend.

”She’s at the moment in the wrongs hands. If she won’t figure out a way to escape, the whole universe where se is might be in danger.”
”In whose hands is she then?”

”In Zabachs hands, he’s the god of darkness. He wants Lauren to be his bride, and if he shall success, he will become the lord of that world. If you remember when Lauren introduced herself to you, she told her family had ruled that world since the beginning of time. Trough marriage Zabach would join that family. Or at least I think that’s what he hopes. But in any case, that must not happen! if he would rule that world, it would be only a matter of time before he would turn his attention to other worlds in that universe.

”If it’s getting that serious, then why are you still here? Go to save her!”

”You really think I would be here if I could save her?”

Cheryza felt then herself very stupid.

”If you still remember the day Lauren introduced herself to you, she referred to herself as ‘saviour of Zariadne’. Times go differently in different universes. In her world I still haven’t been saved.. And if Zabach now success, I will never be saved. Lauren is not my servant, And so she never has met you. All that happens in her future. But it will all erase, unless Zabach is now stopped!”

Cheryza remained silent. She didn’t really get the all, but decided, that it was maybe better not to ask.

Slowly Zariadnes face brightened up.

”Listen. Why don’t you save Lauren!”

”Me?! Hey, wait a minute…”

She didn’t wait. She was already in a half way of the staircase which led to Xolethanes apartment. Cheryza wasn’t even sure if she had listened to her. Was Xocitha out of her mind? Should I save Lauren from the hands of a god? This would not end up well.. Soldier-trainee versus a god of darkness...

Cheryza hurried after Xocitha.

Xolethane, tell her, that it would be madness, that there would be no possible chance… Cheryza prayed in her mind as she stepped after Xocitha into Xolethanes room.

Xolethane gave her a sharp glance and then turned back to face her little sister.

”Why not, Xocitha. But how can Cheryza reach that world?”

”I thought you could take her”, Zariadne suggested.

Xolethane thought it over.

Xocitha watched the elder god, pleading expression on her face. Something must be done and quick. And she couldn’t think anything better...

Cheryza watched the elder god, pleading expression on her face. She would have no chance against a god…

”All right then.”

Xocitha gave a scream of delight and hugged her older sister tight.

NO! Cheryza screamed inside her mind.

When Cheryza was able to get up from the dusty floor, she noticed she was standing in a concise, dim room. Right in front of her was a wide wooden door. Xolethane probably tried to hint that she should go into the room behind that door. Cheryza took a deep breath. Here we go…

She quietly opened the door.

”…no use to even try”, cold voice said apparently amused. It belonged to a black-haired man, who was sitting next to a round table. He was clearly talking to Lauren, Who struggled while cursing under her breath against the hold of tall and strong white-haired man. No one of those who were in that room noticed the door had been opened.

”I see I came at the wrong time”, a quiet voice, which sounded quite familiar, said. That voice made shivers run down Cheryzas spine. She turned to look at the third man in the room. Rage started to build up inside her.

Cheryza couldn’t really help herself. She saw everything like trough a reddish haze and rushed straight into the room. Like a leopard attacks her prey, Cheryza jumped at the man. The hit was so powerful that they both fell on the floor.

Other watched with amazement, as totally stranger young red-headed woman tried her best to strangle the dark-haired man, sitting on top of him and having a terrible grimace on her face.

Cheryza felt the air tingling because unleashed Gift, but she was unable to defend herself. She was thrown against the wall and everything went black

The dark-haired man got up looking like nothing would have happened.

”I’m utterly touched by your concern, Zabach. When we both hit her at the same time, it probably takes few hours from her to wake up.”

”Who the hell she -”

At that very moment the white-haired man let out a heavy curse.

Zabach turned and managed to see only Vardon holding his heavily bleeding shoulder before Lauren attacked him.

Zabach threw Lauren easily aside.

Then, as for a final despaired way, Lauren did something, that she actually shouldn’t be able to do.

Cheryza was snatched out just in time before the whole room exploded.

After the dust had landed back on the floor Zabach was still casually sitting on a chair next to the table. Two other men had fell down onto the floor because of the pressure of the explosion, but otherwise they were all fine.

”Yes, as I was asking”, the god of darkness calmly continued. ”Who the hell that red-head wildcat was?”

”I don’t know much more than you do. She has some kind of connections to Xalitha. The reason, why I came here, actually has something to do with her too. The strangest thing happened in Chali’enda today, and only few moments before she arrived.”

Zabach raised his eyebrow.

”I felt Xebiathas presence. In Chali’enda.”

”What would Xebiatha possibly do in Chali’enda?”

”That’s what I thought. So I reached her with my thoughts. I saw her disappearing with that girl. They went to Welani.”

”A mortal in Welani? Are you sure?”

”Why else would Xebiatha have come to get her?”

Zabach thought about it for awhile.

”You’ve given me a lot to think… But there’s still one question that bothers me. Why did she dislike you that much?”

Acechir laughed.

”After I had noticed she had connections to Xalitha I invited her over and asked a couple questions. When she refused to answer, I told Genan to give her ten lashes.”
Cold smile played on Zabachs lips.

”I see… Thank you for information, Acechir. You may go.”

The emperor of Rodacen bowed mockingly down.

”Cheryza?!” voice was barely louder than a whisper.

Cheryza shivered and moaned.

”Are you okay?”

”That kind of depends on to what you compare”, Cheryza wheezed, not opening her eyes. ”I can’t feel my legs and someone is playing drums in my head.”
Xalitha and Xocitha changed a relieved grin. If Cheryza was able to take that tone, there was really nothing to worry.

”This should only take awhile”, Xebiatha said brightly.

For awhile weird feeling, a feeling she really could not find any words to describe, filled her whole body. Then the pain was gone.

Cheryza opened her eyes, and saw she had been laid down onto one of the divans in Xalithas room. All the four goddesses were around her.

”Was Lauren able to get out?” Xocitha persisted a frown on her face.

”Yes”, Cheryza answered, and Xocitha looked really relieved.

”You could actually tell all, that happened”, Xolethane quietly suggested.

Cheryza didn’t get so far before she was interrupted.

”You what?!” Xalitha looked rather shocked.

”That bastard deserved it”, Xebiatha declared passionately.

Xocitha flashed a wide grin. Xolethanes face showed no emotion or expression.

”Cheryza..” Xalitha started with a warning tone.

”Aww, Xalitha, don’t start a preach”, Cheryza said with a tired tone. ”I have actually no idea what got into me. It’s really very rare from me to get so raged, that I have no idea of what I’m doing. Honestly. I saw everything through a red haze… Blood was boiling in my veins.”

”It is ’very rare’ to get all raged like that?” Xalitha asked her eye brow raised.

”It has happened before… Once, twice..” Cheryza said avoiding to look at Xalitha.

”SO nice of you to warn me about these things in advance”, Xalitha muttered lowly, more to herself.

”Shush, you should’ve asked! You worry too much, dear sister”, Xebiatha said smiling brightly. Then goddess turned to look at Cheryza. ”Should we now head back already?”

Cheryza got up, and after nodding to others as a goodbye, she left the room behind following Xebiatha.

”Thank you so much”, Xebiatha thanked the inexpressive Lilis, as Cheryza went back to other trainees

”You better tell us everything later!” Nenna whispered as Cheryza walked past her.

She cursed in her mind, now she had to make up a covering story…

After thanking and bidding enough farewell, Xebiatha turned herself into a falcon again and flew up, vanishing as suddenly as she had arrived. Cheryza sighed. This would not approve in any possible way her reputation as an outsider…

Lilis made them run for still few more hours, before finally she let them go to eat. Cheryza was starving and she felt very tired and uncomfortable. And weird. So much had happened since the moment Xebiatha had escorted her into Welani, she had heard so much new... And now she was back, at Cerondee-tribe, like nothing would have happened. Nobody had even a slightest clue that Cheryzas ”auntie” was actually a Goddess from a different world. Or that Cheryza had visited another universe and tried herself to kill the emperor of Rodacen. And that while she was doing that she had kind of saved her friends life, and maybe the whole universe as well. And here she was again. A trainee, whom her masters could command as they just wished. Tired, hungry and sweating. And now she had to make up what Xebiatha had told her while that ”hour” they had been gone…

Cheryza sighed. Life was so unfair.

The ninth day of the seventh month arrived.

”Morning Cheryza”, Triloa wished and her smile was a face-wide one.

”Morning to yourself”, Cheryza said, little wondering why such a happy face.

”You know what day it is today?” Nenna asked her eyes shining.

”Umm… no?” Cheryza answered totally confused.

”Ninth of the seventh!” girls shouted out as one and rushed over to hug Cheryza.

Cheryza blinked for awhile.

”So soon? Eep…! I’m old!”

”No you’re not, you’re only twenty”, Nenna grinned.

”I’m only half an year younger that you are, Cheryza, so don’t worry”, Triloa reminded.

”Happy birthday, Chie!” Nenna wished and gave a parcel to Cheryza.

”Congrats”, Triloa said smiling, handing another one over.

”Hey.. you shouldn’t have take all the trouble just because of me…”

”Shush now, Chie. You’re our friend, and you should get your friend a birthday-gift.”

Cheryza smiled at them.

”Thank you, girls.”

Nennas parcel revealed a leathery shoulder bag.

”I thought that might come handy, when you have to carry your writing equipment all the way to the Poisongroups lessons.”

”Oh, thank you! I really will be needing this… You did it all by yourself?”

Nenna nodded and winked.

”I’m glad you like it.”

From the parcel Triloa had given her fell onto the floor dark blue, hooded woollen cloak, which had white fur as for some kind of decoration.

”Soon it’ll be winter and the temperatures will be low. You’ll be needing that for sure”, Triloa promised.

”Thank you, than you!” Cheryza smiled delightfully. ”You guys are the greatest.”

”One tried ones best”, Nenna laughed.

”I’m hungry”, Triloa informed. ”Why don’t we Nenna now go over for breakfast and drag this old lady with us.”

Cheryzas answer was a grimace.

The blade scratched her cheek, making few drops of blood appear. Cheryza cursed her inattention and dodged the next strike. Triloa grinned as she dodged her revenge-strike. They were very equal, and because of that, they were the perfect training pair. Triloa tried the new series of strikes they had just learned. Cheryza easily rejected it.

Sharp blow in the whistle made all the training in the hall stop.

”Enough for today. You may go!”

Triloa and Cheryza took their swords on their sides, and bowed for each other. Then they laughed and left the hall among the others.

After the dinner the girls sat on their mattresses and chatted.

Winter was finally there, covering everything with pure white snow. Colds winds blew, making the trainees tremble from cold. Next to mattresses had appeared a pile of thicker comfy blankets, and there was always light in the hearth in the middle of the hall .

Triloa and Nenna were talking about everything random, as Cheryza wrote in the light of tall white candle. She could barely be seen under all those blankets.

”Honestly, Cheryza. Here’s not that cold”, Triloa said when she gave her a side-glance.

”Yes it is”, Cheryza stubbornly objected and carefully tipped her quill into the ink-bottle.

”What are you writing anyway, Chie?” Nenna asked, sounding curious.

”A letter. I can’t really say I’m good at it, though”, Cheryza grinned. ”Maybe Shuy forgives me if I tell him it’s the first letter ever that I’m writing.. He should be impressed…” Cheryza giggled.

”Though Shuy will be most probably surprised even to realise I’m able to write.”

”Shuy who?” Nenna asked her eyebrow raised.

”He’s my friend from the time I still was known as Nech. He owns a tavern in a northern Xafimez.”

”A friend, neh?” Triloa said exchanging a meaningful glance with Nenna.

Cheryza rolled her eyes.

”Yes, just a friend. I thought I better explain my sudden disappearing.”

”Huh?” Nenna asked.

Triloa, who knew nearly the whole truth, was silent.

”When I came here, I left very quick, without bidding a farewell to anyone. I even left some of my stuff into the room of Shuys tavern.”

Cheryza read her first letter through.

Dear Shuy

I apologize for my sudden leave. I did not know, that I would not be coming back to your tavern… Don’t worry about me. I accepted the job-offer the strange woman gave me, and by doing that I have bound myself to be her servant ’til the day I die. At the moment I’m being educated for my future job. I’m all fine, maybe a little cold because of the winter. I hope that you too are fine, and that your business is blooming.

You may freely make up your mind about that room, that you so many times gave for my use. I won’t probably be needing that anymore. You may also do what ever you just want with all my personal items, that ere left behind. And as for my horse… I hope you sell it. Keep the money for yourself.

Thank you for everything you’ve ever done to me.

Nech

P.s

I’m sorry that this letter isn’t so glamorous. I must confess, that this will be the first letter I’ve ever written… But I still think that you had no idea that I could even write.

GOTCHA

That was it. Cheryza put a cork on her ink-bottle and settled her quill on the wooden floor next to her mattress. She rolled the letter and sealed it. Then she put all her writing equipment as well as the letter into the shelf-like notch over her bed.

”We had better to go to sleep now, so we’re all cheery and fresh tomorrow”, Cheryza suggested.

Nenna and Triloa agreed and bid goodnight. Cheryza put the candle out and settled comfortably under her many blankets. Then the sweet sleep took over.