ZEPHYR: Reborn With A God System

CHAPTER 11 - A HALL OF FIVE MARKS

“Close the doors.”

Elder Rovan's command stopped the guards just as they were leading me towards the exit. I turned in time to see two men stationed near the entrance move into position, pushing the heavy doors together until they met with a deep, echoing thud. A moment later, I heard the bolts sliding into place then I looked at Rovan. “What are you doing?”

“Securing the hall.”

“Against whom?”

He ignored the question, turning his attention to the guards who were still holding my arms…“Release him.”

They exchanged a brief glance before letting go. I rubbed my wrists, watching the elders move away from the platform as though the distance between us might protect them from whatever had happened.

The Severance Chamber was a mess. Two of the five pillars had cracked during the ritual, and fragments of stone lay scattered across the floor. Their ancient markings still carried a faint glow, although nothing compared to the blinding light that had filled the chamber earlier then I glanced at my hands.

They looked normal, but the strange warmth beneath my skin hadn't disappeared. Occasionally, I felt something shifting along my arms, almost like a current travelling through my veins. I had no idea what it meant, and judging by the expressions around me, neither did the people who were supposed to understand these things.

Five bloodlines. I had entered that chamber expecting to lose whatever little connection I had left to my clan. Instead, I had awakened something powerful enough to frighten the very people who had spent their lives studying the ancient bloodlines and I wasn't sure I wanted any part of it.

“Come forward, Zephyr.” Elder Rovan stood beside the platform, watching me with an expression that suggested he expected obedience so I approached, stopping a few feet away.

“Do you understand what has happened to you?” he asked.

“I understand that your ritual didn't go as planned.”

A younger elder frowned at my response, but Rovan remained composed. “This is not something you should take lightly. The five ancient bloodlines have responded to your awakening, and we need to understand how that happened.”

“Then perhaps you should start by explaining what you did to me.”

“We performed the Rite of Severance according to the laws of this clan.”

“And it nearly destroyed the chamber.”

“That was an unforeseen consequence.”

I looked at the damaged pillars before turning to him “An unfortunate one.”

His expression tightened, but before he could respond, the elderly woman who had conducted the ritual approached us.

“Zephyr, I need you to answer a few questions. Have you experienced any changes since the awakening?”

I considered the question before replying. “My body feels different. There's heat beneath my skin, and sometimes I feel something moving through my arms. It comes and goes without warning.”

“Have you experienced any unusual reactions around objects or other people?”

I remembered the stream in the forest, the water shifting when I hadn't touched it, and the strange movement beneath my hand when I had been hiding with Sable but I had already decided I wasn't going to explain everything I knew.

“I touched the platform earlier, and the stone moved.”

“Did you intend to make that happen?”

“No. I barely knew what was happening.”

The woman studied me more carefully before asking “Can you repeat it?”

I gave her a questioning look as I replied “I'm not a demonstration.”

“You need to understand that your condition is unusual.”

“And you need to understand that I don't know how to control whatever you've awakened.”

The younger elder scoffed. “You should be grateful we're trying to help you.”

I turned towards him almost angry at his response “Would you be grateful if someone tried to help you by putting you through a ritual that nearly tore your body apart?”

His mouth opened, but Elder Rovan raised a hand before he could answer. “Enough. We are not here to exchange insults.”

I glanced towards my father, who had remained near the high table throughout the discussion. His expression was difficult to read, although I noticed that he hadn't taken his eyes off me.

“Then what are we here for?” I asked. “You wanted to sever my connection to the clan, but the ritual awakened something instead. Surely that gives you something more important to discuss than whether I should be grateful.”

“Your attitude is not helping your situation,” Draven said.

I turned towards him. “My situation was decided before I entered this room.”

He didn't respond, and I stood there wondering whether he regretted his decision, but the thought disappeared almost as quickly as it came. My father had never been particularly generous with his affection, and expecting him to suddenly defend me because the ritual had gone wrong would have been foolish.

Elder Rovan returned to his questions. “Tell us what happened during the Outer Trials. You mentioned being attacked before you returned to the fort. Was there anything unusual about the encounter?”

I hesitated. The memory of the forest came back to me in fragments: the hunters, the distant horns, the moments when I had felt something watching me, and the strange things that had happened whenever I was desperate enough to survive.

“No,” I answered.

My father stepped forward turning to face me properly “Think carefully before you answer.”

“I have.”

“Were you alone throughout the attack?”

“Yes.”

“And the Vorthak girl?”

“She was injured when I found her.”

“Did she witness anything unusual?”

I looked at him thinking of what to answer that doesn't stir up trouble…Sable had already noticed that something was different about me. She had seen the water move, and although she hadn't demanded an explanation, I knew she wasn't convinced by my attempts to dismiss it.

“She saw me helping her,” I replied.

Sylene made a quiet sound behind the elders before murmuring “How convenient.”

I turned towards her. “Do you have something to add?”

She stepped forward, her black beads shifting against her wrist.

“If the girl witnessed your awakening, she should be questioned. We cannot simply accept whatever explanation you choose to give us.”

“She wasn't involved in the ritual.”

“But she was with you before your return.”

“She was injured, and I helped her. I don't understand why you're determined to turn that into something else.”

“Because you keep refusing to explain what happened.”

“I've told you everything I know!”

My voice travelled across the chamber, drawing everyone's attention. I took a breath and forced myself to calm down, knowing that losing my temper would only give them another reason to treat me as a threat.

Rovan looked towards my father then he said “The Vorthak girl should be brought here. We cannot afford to leave any part of this unexplored.”

“No,” I said immediately.

His eyes returned to me and he tilted his head slightly “You are not in a position to refuse.”

“She is injured. Whatever questions you have can wait until she's recovered.”

“Her condition is not your concern.”

“It became my concern when I found her bleeding in the forest.”

My father stepped between us. “You will not dictate how this council conducts its investigation.”

I looked directly at him without fear “Then stop pretending this is an investigation. You've already decided what I am, and now you're looking for reasons to justify it.”

His jaw tightened but before he could respond, the elderly woman returned to the five pillars, examining the markings that remained visible despite the damage.

“Elder Rovan, there's something else.”

He turned towards her and questioned “What is it?”

“The resonance hasn't completely disappeared.”

I followed her gaze. The five symbols were still faintly illuminated, and as I watched them, an unfamiliar sensation began stirring beneath my skin. It felt like a gentle pull coming from the direction of the platform then I took an unconscious step backwards and the woman noticed immediately. “Did you feel that?”

“No.”

She gave me a doubtful look. “Zephyr, I need you to move closer to the platform.”

“I'd rather not.”

“Please. I need to understand what's happening.”

I glanced towards my father, but he offered no assistance. Apparently, my comfort had become the least important consideration in the room.

Reluctantly, I moved forward and the warmth beneath my skin returned almost immediately. One of the symbols flickered, followed by another, and a faint vibration travelled through the floor.

“Don't move,” the woman instructed.

I looked at her. “I'm standing perfectly still.”

“Your blood is responding to the markings.”

“I don't know how to stop it.”

The five symbols brightened, sending a faint glow across the damaged pillars. Several elders stepped away from the platform, while Rovan watched the reaction with growing concern then I backed away.

The vibration weakened, and the markings gradually returned to their previous state then the elderly woman lowered her hands. “Interesting.”

I didn't like the way she said it…Rovan approached her before asking “Could the bloodlines be responding to proximity?”

“Possibly, although I cannot confirm that yet. His awakening is still unstable, and there is no indication that he can direct the power deliberately.”

At least someone understood that I wasn't suddenly capable of controlling five ancient bloodlines simply because they had appeared during a ritual then my father looked towards me. “Can you use any of them?” he asked

“No.” I answered reluctantly

“Have you tried?”

“Why would I?”

“To establish what you're capable of.”

I stared at him in disbelief “Because I don't know what would happen if I tried. Did you miss what happened to the pillars?”

His expression darkened. “You should learn to control your abilities.”

“I would be happy to do that if someone could first explain what they are.”

Nobody offered an answer. Instead, Elder Rovan moved towards the high table and began speaking quietly with the other council members. I caught a few words about containment, observation and the danger of allowing me to move freely.

The conversation made my stomach tighten. “Containment?” I asked.

Rovan looked up surprised “The five-blooded cannot be allowed to move freely until we understand the extent of his abilities.”

I let out a humourless laugh. “So you want to lock me away?”

“We want to prevent another incident.”

“What incident? The one your ritual caused?”

His expression hardened. “Watch yourself, Zephyr.”

I gestured towards the damaged chamber…“You performed a ritual on me without knowing what would happen if it failed. Now that it has, you're discussing how to contain me. I don't see how that makes me the problem.”

“We acted according to the laws of the clan.”

“And I survived according to no law I know.”

The elderly woman looked towards Rovan before speaking “Keeping him confined may make the situation worse. His bloodlines are still responding to the awakening, and we need time to observe the changes. Until we understand the connection between the five marks, provoking another reaction would be unwise.”

“Then he remains under supervision,” Rovan decided.

My father nodded. “That can be arranged.”

I looked between them and immediately countered “And if I refuse?”

Draven's eyes settled on mine in dissapointment “You have already seen what happens when you refuse to follow instructions.”

I remembered the guards holding my arms, the platform burning beneath my feet and my father's vote to perform the Rite of Severance.

There was nothing I could say that would change what had happened so I looked away.

A sudden knock sounded against the sealed doors, interrupting the discussion. One of the guards approached the entrance and spoke through the narrow opening. “Elder Rovan, there's a problem outside.”

“What problem?”

“Several members of the clan have gathered. They heard what happened during the Rite.”

Rovan's expression changed immediately then he replied slowly “Who told them?”

“We don't know, Elder. The story has already spread through the eastern quarters.”

Sylene exchanged a glance with Nyra. It was brief, but I noticed it, particularly because neither of them looked surprised by the news.

Rovan turned towards the guard. “Keep them away from this chamber. Nobody is to discuss what happened here until the council has reached a decision.”

The guard bowed and stepped away, but it was already too late. Whatever secrecy they hoped to maintain had begun slipping through their fingers, and I suspected the people outside would not be satisfied with being told to return to their rooms.

The message from the system came back to me. [Warning: The clans are watching.]

At first, I had assumed it referred to the people inside the fort. Now I wasn't so sure.

“Zephyr.” my father called out and I turned towards him

“You will remain here until the council decides what to do with you.”

“And Sable?”

His expression remained unreadable before he finally replied “She will be questioned.”

“She needs rest.”

“That is not your decision.”

I stepped towards him, ignoring the guards who immediately moved to block my path. “Don't touch her.”

My father regarded me with a cold expression. “Do not mistake what happened today for freedom. Whatever power you believe you possess, you are still standing in my house.”

I held his gaze, but before I could answer, an unfamiliar warmth travelled from my chest into my right arm.

It was different from the earlier sensations. Rather than spreading through my body, it gathered in my palm, becoming increasingly difficult to ignore then I glanced down.

A thin golden light had appeared beneath my skin then my fingers curled instinctively, but the glow slipped between them. I closed my fist, hoping to conceal it before anyone noticed.

Unfortunately, someone already had. The elderly woman stared at my hand, her expression changing so dramatically that I almost forgot about the strange sensation.

“Everyone, step back.”

Rovan turned towards her and asked “What is it?”

She pointed at my closed fist. “His fifth mark.”

I tightened my fingers, but the golden light continued shining through the gaps as my father looked at me. “What have you done?”

“Nothing.”

The glow grew brighter, illuminating the lines across my palm then the elderly woman took another step backwards, her face almost colourless. “That isn't supposed to be active.”

Elder Rovan whispered something that made the entire chamber go still. “Someone outside must never see that mark.”