Chapter Three #2
“Magic Keepers typically live in the cottages, while Soul Keepers enjoy the rustic cabins. The Sentinels who are still in training, or those who choose to stay in the barracks, are inside the mountain.” Roz continued her explanation as they moved towards a large building nestled in a nook between the forest they came from and the mountain range in front of them.
Like the cottage in the clearing, this one had a creek flowing through the area in front of it with a stone bridge.
Unlike the cottage, this creek was wider, and the water rushing over the rocks was flowing faster with much more force.
There was a waterfall off the side of the mountain that fed the creek.
A fine cool mist flowed across the bridge, wrapping its fingers around Bréagha’s ankle as she crossed, giving her a small caress before being swept away with the breeze.
This building wasn’t like any of the others they’d seen so far.
It looked like the pictures Bréagha had seen of the New York Library, the one that had the lions guarding the entrance.
Instead of lions, this building had a dragon on one side and a griffin on the other.
As they passed between the statues, Bréagha reached out and ran her fingers across the smooth marble of the dragon, amazed at the details.
She could see each scale and almost feel the warmth of dragon fire.
She turned back to the group and felt eyes on her.
She glanced up and met Killian’s eyes as they watched her carefully.
He glanced behind her at the dragon before turning and leading the way into the large building.
“Killian! We were wondering when you would make it. Why didn’t Roz just portal you over?” A large man wearing a dark green robe with gold embroidery in delicate scrollwork stepped forward and shook the hand Killian offered him, then brought him into a hug.
Bréagha smirked at the awkwardness of the action.
She didn’t know Killian well but figured he didn’t care for that.
She tried to wipe the grin off her face when Killian glared at her over the man’s shoulder, but it was no use.
She just grinned bigger. She added a wink in there for good measure and his scowl deepened.
“Don’t poke the bear, Bré. They could be selling us into sex slavery or something,” muttered Aiden out of the corner of his mouth, but Liam and Cathal heard based on their muffled laughter.
“We wouldn’t do that! You wouldn’t make us much money,” whispered Cathal as he walked past the two. Bréagha grinned and Aiden just shook his head.
“You must be Bréagha and Aiden! It’s so good to finally meet you two.
I’m Marcus, Record Keeper elder. Come! Everyone is waiting in the main library.
” The man offered his arm to Bréagha who took it hesitantly.
She reached back and grabbed Aiden’s hand, pulling him with them.
As they walked down a large corridor, Bréagha and Aiden, both gazed about them in amazement.
The whole building was built from pure marble.
There were cornices that were delicately sculpted in the shape of different animal heads, and others that were different plants like grapes, roses, etc.
The doors to the various rooms they passed were also intricately carved, but they were otherworldly landscapes.
One looked like it was under water, one was in the clouds, while another looked like it was all fire.
“What are these rooms?” Bréagha couldn’t keep her curiosity under wraps.
Marcus stopped in front of a door that had what looked like gravestones, dead trees, and a full moon.
The scene looked so real, Bréagha could almost feel the fog creeping up her legs.
She shivered and she heard a chuckle. She shot a look over her shoulder where Liam and Cathal were grinning widely at her.
When Cathal paired his grin with a wink, unrepentant about finding joy at her discomfort, she grinned back.
“The Record Keepers keep records of everything in the different realms. There are seven realms outside the Garden: Earth; Undanympha, a realm of water; Silvanemus, a realm of forests; Flammaimpes, a realm of fire; Gelumcrustallos, the ice realm; Aerisnubibus, the realm of air; and the Spirit World, the realm of eternal sleep.” He reached out and touched one of the graves.
“This is where the souls go that feel they have learned all their soul lessons and choose not to be reborn or are so evil that we can’t risk them being reborn. ”
They all took a moment before continuing down the long hallway.
Finally, they came to a set of double doors at the end of the corridor.
These doors were carved with trees, flowers, and animals.
Marcus flung the doors open and escorted Bréagha inside.
She took a few steps in, then stopped to stare.
In front of her were rows upon rows of bookcases that went from the floor to the ceiling.
The walls had bookcases that rose to about ten feet from the ceiling, the other five to six feet were huge stained-glass depictions of every realm.
To the right and left of the doors were small areas of desks, as well as sitting areas with couches and chairs that sat before two large fireplaces.
In the sitting area to the right were seven other people in dark green robes.
They all stood up when they entered and waited for Marcus to bring everyone to them.
“Bréagha and Aiden, these are the rest of the elders.” He moved to a tall slender woman with long white hair and striking violet eyes.
She wore a dark robe with the same gold embroidery as Marcus, in the same delicate scrollwork.
She had a medallion pinned to her left breast that had a stack of books and a quill, ready to write, in a lovely purple color.
“This is the second Record Keeper elder, Lily. If I don’t know something, chances are, she does and vice versa. ”
“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Bréagha.
” Bréagha shook the hand Lily offered, trying to be careful since she seemed so delicate.
Lily smiled at her. “I’m far stronger than I look, I promise.
It’s nice to meet you as well, Aiden. It’s very rare that we lose a Sentinel to another realm.
” Lily shook Aiden’s hand then took her seat closest to the roaring fire.
“These two are Mary and Kat, the Magic Keeper Elders. Magic Keepers come in many flavors: healers, botanists, builders, portal keepers, and animal keepers, to name a few. They keep the Garden and all its inhabitants flourishing. Kat is one of our healers, and Mary is one of our portal keepers.” The two Magic Keeper elders wore dark green robes like everyone else but theirs was embroidered with violet roses.
One had a medallion with golden hands holding up a lotus blossom while the other had a portal in bright purple.
Both were just as small as Roz and had bright blue eyes, but one had hair the brilliant blue of a clear spring sky, while the other's silver hair gleamed softly like moonlight.
“It’s good to meet you both. I hope I don’t see you as often as I see the other Sentinels.
They keep my healing skills sharpened.” The blue-haired Magic Keeper said, which would make her Kat.
She flew up slightly to give Bréagha and Aiden both small pecks on the cheek before she settled back in her seat.
Bréagha knew she would have problems remembering everyone and everything being thrown at her right now.
“I’m sure I’ll be seeing you plenty, unless Roz follows you around. Can’t get anywhere outside of the Garden without a portal.” Mary offered her hand to Aiden and Bréagha, who both shook it, then she sat next to Kat.
“Next is the two Soul Keeper elders, Donegal and Isadora who happen to be twins.” These two had the same robes as well but had silver embroidery of infinity symbols along the edge.
They both had the same medallion on their chests, of a tree and Lumenfae.
“The Soul Keepers are tasked with protecting the souls, bringing them in and sending them out again. The elders perform the Soul Mating, kind of like Earth weddings, as well as the Soul Binding that bind the Sentinels to their animal souls.”
The male had brown wavy hair and warm brown eyes that twinkled mischievously.
The woman had the same dark brown hair but hers was to her waist while Donegal’s was short and kept tidy.
Isadora had the same warm dark chocolate eyes that twinkled when she smiled, like she was doing now.
Donegal bowed dramatically to them both before he took his seat, but Isadora moved forward and gave them both a quick hug before joining her twin.
Marcus then turned to the last two men. They had the same green robe as everyone else but theirs was embroidered with black flames and on the left breast was a medallion with animal heads; one had a howling wolf while the other had a roaring polar bear.
“Here we have your elders, Drago and Colin. Drago is soul-bonded to a wolf and Colin to a polar bear.” Both men smiled warmly at Bréagha and Aiden as they stretched out their hands. Bréagha was holding hers out to the one with the wolf when what Marcus said clicked and she snatched her arm back.