“What is that?” Aiden asked curiously, kneeling down to examine the device.
“This is the method through which Sayana’s ‘tattoos’ were applied,” Terinus rasped, drawing an astonished look from the sorceress. “A series of tiny objects are injected into the spine of a child no more than a year in age. These release a net of dark fibres which thread their way throughout the body, growing with it and allowing the child to tap into vast energies, both from within and without, once they reach the age of ten.”
Sayana slowly walked forward and touched the metal spine, hesitantly tracing her fingers along it, as if trying to dislodge a buried memory.
“My mother used something like this on me when I was very young?” she whispered. “Why?”
“I don’t pretend to understand her motives,” Terinus replied respectfully, “but given our people’s hatred for sa’quaarin relics, she risked much to grant you this power. Children are used because the risk to the health of the individual grows with age. Adults become seriously ill, and can even die when subjected to this procedure, necessitating the use of infants.”
“Why do you have similar markings?” she asked of the wizard. “Why were you subjected to this alteration?”
“I, along with half a dozen others, was raised from a young age to be used as weapons in the long-planned-for assault on the sa’quaarin,” Terinus explained. “I trained all of my young life to harness the power afford me by this implant, only to discover upon contact with the enemy that we could be controlled by them. It was the cause of our defeat, and it was many years of secret study which allowed me to discover how that control was achieved, and how to disable it.”
“Why are you showing me this?”
“For you, it is a curiosity. For Aiden, it is an alternative he needs to consider.”
“What?” Aiden blurted.
“Robert, how would you rate Aiden’s abilities with a sword?” Terinus asked of the mercenary.
“…Fair to average,” Robert said with a shrug. “He’s smart, but lacks proper training. His two-year stint as Baron of Highmarch gave him good strategic and logistical instruction, but I never heard of him taking the field personally. He’s been making up for this through luck and magic for years.”
“Don’t hold back, mate,” Aiden drawled, “tell us what you really feel. But you're right, I don't have your many, many years of experience on the field.”
“Are you saying I'm old?”
“Gentlemen, this is not a contest,” Terinus rasped impatiently. “I will be frank with you, Aiden. Your talents in combat are lacking in many respects. While your mind would be prized in the University, we don’t have another five years for you to become an accomplished wizard. Neither do we have time for you to become a master swordsman, and since I’ve never seen you hold a bow—”
“Is there a point to this?” Aiden snapped, feeling the fatigue from the last two days rapidly catching up with him.
“When we face the sa’quaarin, you will need to draw upon your greatest strength, which is of course, your sorcerous power. This means drawing more deeply on Salinder’s essence within you, resulting in a more profound transformation.”
“You said you had an alternative…” Aiden began, but trailed off as he realised what Terinus was referring to. “You want me to undergo this ‘procedure’?”
“The thing about sorcery,” Terinus explained, “is the source. Currently, you are drawing upon your draconic connection to channel energy, as dragons do. Sayana and I would be in a similar position, were it not for our conduits providing an alternative source of power.”
“We would?” Sayana inquired curiously.
“My family has long held the blood of dragons in our veins, even if it has diminished greatly over the long generations. Did you think all those stories you heard in your youth, the warnings of avoiding deals with dragons came from the Akora? They came from your mother, child, and from her parents, and theirs before them… beginning with my grandparents.” Sayana actually gaped in open-mouthed shock at this revelation, and the others were similarly staggered by the news.
“We are related?” the sorceress breathed.
“Distantly,” Terinus confirmed. “I believe we are ten generations removed, but you are of my line, yes. My full name is Terinus Arai.” Although his words were strained and cold as always, his eyes softened as he looked at what was most likely the only living family he had remaining. Sayana clearly didn’t know how to take this information, but her next words gave them some idea of her feelings.
“I’m related to a mass murderer,” she paused. “I think I’m going to throw up,” she added as she rushed out of the chamber.
“I’ll make sure she’s okay,” Robert said, hurrying out of the room after her.
“You sure know how to break news to someone,” Pacian remarked sarcastically.
“It was going to come out sooner or later,” Terinus muttered. “I will speak to her when she’s had time to process the information. Let us return to the matter at hand. Once injected, you will be able to summon energies as you do now, but utilising the power afforded by these conduits instead, thus allowing you to maximise your power and effectiveness in the coming battle without further subjecting you to unwanted metamorphosis.”
“You said adults could die from this,” Nellise pointed out.
“Indeed,” Terinus confirmed, “which is why Aiden has a very important decision to make. Tomorrow, I will take us to a cache where more conventional weapons and equipment are stored, so if you decide against undergoing the procedure, you will still be of use in a fight. As I mentioned earlier, it is your knowledge of sa’quaarin language I truly prize. I simply don’t want you to be killed before I can make use of you.”
“Pragmatic, if a little cold,” Aiden remarked dourly. They stood in silence, awaiting his decision, but Aiden’s mind was sluggish and in dire need of more rest.
“I’ll think about it and let you know tomorrow,” he finally replied. “Today has been rather overwhelming, if you don’t mind my saying so.”
“Of course, you should all rest before making any further decisions,” Terinus conceded, reaching for his staff, which he leaned on heavily. “Retire to your rooms and we will talk further in the morning.” With that, he retreated from the chamber, his staff clacking on the floor with each step. Saffron appeared in the doorway after he’d left, to quietly guide the rest of them to their rooms. Aiden then spent a fitful night dreaming of failing over and over again to rescue Criosa from the clutches of unseen monsters.
Chapter Two
Whispered words roused Aiden from a deep sleep early the next morning. He raised his head to see who was speaking, and saw Saffron setting out clothes on a dresser nearby as quietly as she could.
“What did you say?” Aiden mumbled to her, startling the tiny woman.
“Oh, good morning,” Saffron said. “I didn't say anything, but I’m sorry if I woke you. I tried to be as quiet as I could.”
“You weren’t speaking to me just now?” Aiden asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.
“No… not a word,” Saffron replied uncertainly. “It was probably just a dream. I’ve laid out fresh clothes for the day, and managed to mend your robe, too. It’s seen better days, but should be serviceable for a while longer. I’ll leave you to get dressed while I bring in some breakfast.”
She hurried out of the room, leaving Aiden to wonder who he’d been talking to in his sleep. Curiously, he couldn’t recall anything from last night. Usually, his dreams made a distinct impression upon him well into his waking hours. Shrugging off any lingering discomfort, he got out of bed and made use of the chamber pot before dressing himself. At least there was one important part of his anatomy which hadn’t yet been transformed. Before he finished dressing, there came a soft knock on the door.
“Just a moment,” Aiden called as he slipped the robe over his head before moving to the door and opening it. Nellise stood patiently outside dressed in her customary white ro
be.
“I heard voices, so I assumed you were awake,” she said in greeting. “May I come in?” Aiden gestured for her to enter.
“How are you this morning?” Aiden inquired as the cleric closed the door behind her, before taking a seat next to the window.
“Recovering well enough, though I will admit my head is still reeling from all I heard last night,” she confided. “The thought of some ancient race meddling in our existence beggar’s belief.”
“I was just surprised to learn they’re still alive,” Aiden remarked as he sat in the only other chair. “There’s been plenty of evidence of their earlier existence scattered around the countryside. Was there something specific you wanted to talk about? I don’t usually receive early morning visits from you, no matter how pleasant the company.”
“With everything we’ve been through, I think you’ve suffered the most,” Nellise pointed out. “You’re undergoing a disturbing physical transformation, you’ve lost the woman you loved, and you unleashed a storm of emotion when you destroyed the Ironlord. I’m wondering how you’re coping with it all.”
“I’m getting a little tired of being Salinder’s plaything, that’s how,” Aiden muttered, flexing his claw. “I owe my life to him, but if I knew this is what he was planning, I might have chosen death to this.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Not even a little,” Aiden replied. “One minute I have a hand, the next time I look down its grown scales, or talons without any warning or sensation of change. It’s like my body is being stolen out from under me.”
“Perhaps you’re looking at this the wrong way,” Nellise mused after a moment’s thought.
“What do you mean?”
“You may be looking upon your change as body theft, or some other deception on Salinder’s part, but you have control over it. Imagine if, after the Battle of Fort Highmarch, we had peace. You would never have had to tap into this power of yours and you would still be fully human. At least, as human as you could be, considering…”
“…I died and was ‘rebuilt’ with part of another being?” Aiden finished for her.
“Something like that,” she whispered ruefully.
“You’re taking this rather well, considering I’ve become the epitome of everything the Church feared about sorcerers. I wield power greater than any normal man could, and my very being is fused with an otherworldly entity. I’m surprised I haven’t been burned at the stake or something.”
“Do I strike you as resembling the rest of the clergy in any way?” Nellise remarked somewhat archly.
“Not even remotely,” Aiden agreed, recalling how Nellise stood up to the corrupt hierarchy of the Church of Aielund in their final battle at Fairloch. “How is it you seem far wiser than any other priest we’ve met?”
“It’s probably due to my mother’s teachings. She was always so kind to people. Even those who disagreed with her theology. The Church adored her, but some of the hierarchy found her views to be very… bold. She never rose high in their ranks, but didn’t let that stop her serving humanity, and she has been a role model for me my entire life. Whenever I asked her about it, she would remain silent. I suspect my father’s influence had a lot do to with how she viewed the world, and her place in it.”
“Ah, your mysterious father,” Aiden mused. “We haven’t spoken about him in a very long time. Still no clue as to who he is?”
“None, in spite of my best efforts to pry it out of her,” she sighed. “I suspect it is a secret she will take to the grave. The Church tried to find out, too. They’ve made quite a fuss about the issue in the last couple of years actually, undoubtedly due to my 'transcendent' experience at Highmarch. Despite all their protestations, they still investigated everything to do with the visitation in case it was both real, and something they could use to their advantage.”
“They certainly were a political bunch,” Aiden grumbled.
“The corruption in the Church spread far and wide,” Nellise agreed. “I will have a mammoth task rebuilding from what remains, to say nothing of the rumours of my ‘divine intervention’ in Fairloch. People honestly think I smote the Ironlord with fire from the heavens, like some sort of avenging angel! Returning to the city and quelling such nonsense is of paramount importance, lest it take root.”
“You could use it to your advantage,” Aiden hinted slyly. “‘Be nice to people or I’ll destroy the city!’ you could say.”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Nellise answered, arching an eyebrow. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. “Do you recall the time we talked in the palace at Lanfall? We spoke of your anger and frustration from years of fighting.”
“Yes,” Aiden answered curtly. He’d long harboured such feelings beneath the surface, despite his best efforts to dispel such unwanted emotion. “I also recall you suggesting you could help me with that.”
“I’m curious if I still need to. After the destruction of the Ironlord, do you still feel angry?”
“I don’t feel much of anything,” Aiden admitted. “It’s as though a darkness has been cleared from inside me, but there’s nothing to replace it. I hated that thing, you know. Hated it with a passion I can barely articulate. I saw it killing people in my dreams for years before we met it in real life. I love Criosa, but it had to be destroyed, both the man and the machine.”
“Losing her had to be tough on you,” Nellise remarked.
“Almost as tough as when you lost Pacian after the Battle of Highmarch,” Aiden responded sorrowfully. “But it was her choice, and I can’t say it was the wrong one. Even if we could go and ‘rescue’ her, would she allow it? Wouldn’t it just plunge us back into a war again? And would she even want to see me, knowing what I’ve become?”
“It was quite a shock to see how you’d changed,” Nellise agreed, “but you can’t expect anyone to simply accept something like this so suddenly. Given time, I’m sure she could come around. You’ve been through a lot — we all have. I hoped that once we won the war, we could find the time to heal, but once again, we’ve stumbled into something bigger than all of us, and I fear for our country should we walk away.”
“I’m not even sure I have the will to go through another battle,” Aiden said without emotion. “I feel utterly spent.”
“Removing the source of your turmoil was one way to deal with your anger, but there are others. Soon you will learn to rediscover joy and peace. After all, rising to our feet after a fall is what defines us.” Aiden gazed at Nellise and exchanged a thoughtful smile with her.
“There’s that wisdom again. If you’re not careful, you’ll end up the head of the Church, whether you like it or not.” The door to the bedroom opened and Lucas entered along with Saffron, both carrying platters of breakfast foods. Both of them were wearing more formal servant’s clothing, which seemed odd at half normal scale.
“Ah, there you are,” Lucas said when he spied Nellise. “Thought you might ‘ave done a runner for a minute there, ma’am.” They set out the platters on a small table while the cleric gazed at the two of them curiously.
“Is there something the matter?” Saffron asked after noticing this.
“I’m told you both suffer from a life-threatening affliction,” Nellise said, reaching into her pouch to withdraw a small white crystal. “Come here for a moment.”
“Ain’t nothin’ to be done about it ma’am,” Lucas assured her, edging away from her. “Been checked out a few years back and nothin' showed up. Terinus says the magic keeping it from killin’ me and Saffy makes it hard to spot.”
“We’ll see,” Nellise murmured as Saffron hesitantly walked over to her and held still as the cleric whispered a prayer while holding the crystal. Aiden exchanged a look with Lucas, who shook his head ever so lightly, dashing Aiden’s hopes she might be able to cure them.
“I cannot sense anything directly amiss,” Nellise sighed moments later. “It does seem the magic keeping you alive is rendering the ailment inert.”
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“Terinus says that's the problem alright,” Lucas nodded, pulling Saffron away from Nellise. “The only way to see it is for us to leave the tower, and we'd be dead within minutes. ‘ole ‘ost of priests tried curin’ the bugger back in Brigham when the outbreak started and couldn't do a bloody thing. Don’t feel bad though, top marks for tryin’ an’ all that.” With a nod of his head, Lucas and Saffron hurried out of the room before Nellise could say anything else.
“There’s something more to those two than meets the eye,” she remarked shrewdly. “This sounds like no disease I have ever read about or encountered.”
Aiden thought about this and other, weightier matters as the two of them sat down to a quiet breakfast.
* * *
Once they finished eating, Lucas reappeared and escorted them to the laboratory where the others had gathered. Terinus stood before an elongated device with a shiny black panel, across which his fingers danced as he traced the lines of glowing sigils upon its surface. His ancient eyes regarded them for a moment before returning to the console before him once more.
“I trust you rested well?” he asked.
“Well enough,” Aiden answered. “Good morning to you all.” Robert gave him a perfunctory nod in reply, while Sayana simply looked at him in silent expectation.
“I’m still wrapping my head around most of what he talked about last night,” Pacian confided.
“It was a lot for you to take in, I’m sure,” Terinus conceded. “Remember, you are under no obligation to contribute if you feel it is beyond you.”
“I am no longer under the protection of the Keepers of the Light,” Pacian shrugged. “I’m just another common criminal in the eyes of the law, so I’d prefer to keep a low profile until I’m certain I can walk down the street without being recognised. Sticking with you is as good as anything else I can think of for now.”
“Your enthusiasm for our cause is infectious,” Terinus drawled. “But to the matter at hand. Aiden, your companions and I are interested to hear if you’ve come to a decision regarding the procedure.”
Soldiers of the Heavens Page 3
