The Silent Guardian — Chapter 30, Part 1: After Clara

This installment is part of The Silent Guardian Series.

The walk feels endless as we ascend the ancient stairway. My legs ache with exhaustion, but the murals once again capture my attention. I examine the towering figures; their hands stretch outward in gestures that still puzzle me. Once more, I see the words etched beneath one of the towering figures: ‫دهر خداى‬. Dahr-khoday. The words stir something unsettling within me. “Who are they?” I ask, gesturing toward the inscription. Silanus pauses, looking at the mural with a grin. “The Dahr-khoday,” he says with unusual solemnity, “is an ancient order of timekeepers. They were true masters of temporal power. They predate the Phylax by centuries, maybe even longer.” “What happened to them?” I ask. “They were destroyed,” he explains, “or at least, the Phylax tried to destroy them. Most were wiped out. Perhaps some survived.” He pauses. “There are rumors that some have returned to the old ways.” The Archon feared them. Perhaps rightfully. I stare at the mural again. “And you?” I ask. “What do you think?” Silanus snickers. “Maybe there are Dahr-khoday around today. Maybe someone close to you has already embraced them. Maybe one day you will.” Xia calls out from a few paces behind, “Did you know this would happen? Did you know Clara would die here?” I turn to Silanus. It is a valid question. “No,” he says, recoiling. “I swear I didn’t.” Xia’s shoulders tremble as she brushes past us. “I’ll meet you outside,” she mumbles.

I would pursue answers on her behalf, but Silanus won’t admit to knowing anything. Guilt eats away at me. I’m not the only one suffering. Clara wasn’t just my sister; she was Xia’s wife. I can’t begin to imagine the depth of that loss for her. Xia’s footsteps echo down the corridor. I let her go, knowing she needs space to grieve in her own way. I want to call after her, but no words can mend this. Instead, I stay rooted, my thoughts circling back to Silanus. “What about you? What happens next?” His expression darkens. Then he shrugs. “What I always do. Sell historical items. Set people on the correct path. Play my part.” “That’s not a real answer.” “It’s the one you’re getting.” He steps closer. “You always want clear answers, Adam. You must accept something: truth is rarely clean.” He remains frustratingly cryptic. When I press him about his identity, he admits that Silanus is only an epithet the Archon knew him by, not his real name. Before I can ask more, he gives the same strange slow wave I have seen before. The air ripples around him, and he vanishes.

Xia and I return to Greece, to the same hotel room where we once recovered together. Every corner brings back memories of Clara. Xia checks her gear while I sit at the table, tracing the edges of the Archon’s anchor. Whatever doubts I have about Silanus, this object represents our best chance at ending the Phylax’s control. Xia finally stops working. Neither of us is in the mood for small talk. The ache of Clara’s absence wraps around us, forming a bond stronger than words. “I’ll find my way into the Sanctum’s construction era,” Xia says. “I’ll create the route you need and prepare the structure so it can be brought down when the lock becomes vulnerable.” My thumb traces the anchor. “I’ll reach the lock from the future side,” I tell her. Splitting up now, despite its necessity, creates an ache.

Previous: previous installment. Continue with Chapter 30, Part 2.

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