Chiron folded his fingers together, watching with patient interest. “You speak as if Varka is standing here with us.”
“He is!” Cole snapped, jumping and spinning as fast as he could. “He’s right here. Can’t you feel him? Can’t you sense him with Passion or something?”
“I’m afraid I cannot,” Chiron said. “I believe you can, however.”
Cole swore. “Why would you believe me? How do you know I’m not just crazy?”
“Because you are one of the most resilient and clever young men I’ve ever encountered. Though I suppose Varka himself may have been crazy at times. I suppose all of us Unbound were.” Chiron’s eyes drifted past Cole to another life.
Cole sighed, shaking his head.
“It appears I need to do a better job of selling my theory,” Chiron said, returning his thoughtful gaze to Cole. “Very well then. The council will likely be far more difficult to convince than you. Let us consider a few facts, shall we?”
“Go for it,” Cole huffed.
“I shall,” Chiron said, lips curling into a wry smirk. “When the banishing occurred, four rules were placed on the whole of Aeneria. Firstly, The Three were of course banished to the light side, never again to bathe in Oberon’s light. Second, the barrier came to be, denying any and all passage between Aeneria’s Light and Dark Side. Thirdly, the soul flies vanished, never to dance on our soil again. These rules were set into the very fabric of our reality, and since then have eluded the understanding of the wisest of our kind. Then, as if blown in by the winds of fate, you come along and break these rules, seemingly by accident. But the fourth and final rule has yet to be broken, and I believe it is why both the Council and The Three seek you; you can Travel.”
Cole considered his Master for a moment. “Why would anyone care that I can Travel? I’m honestly not even sure if I’m going anywhere. It just feels like a bad dream every time it happens.”
“After our first audience, you informed me that you Traveled out-of-turn, back to your Earth. Such a feat was unprecedented among our kind. I have been paying very close attention to the aethers ever since, and there is no doubt that you’ve been Traveling to Terra. The most recent incident was only weeks ago in fact.”
Cole remembered the nightmare in vivid detail. He shuddered, shaking it off. “Yeah. Back in Morthain. I went back to my house on Earth. It was…it was bad. Real bad.”
Chiron averted his eyes, allowing Cole a moment to dry his tears. “What you experienced was no nightmare. The truth does not cater to our Fears. All one can do is face it with an open mind and decide how to use it.”
Cole had no idea what he was supposed to do with that particular truth. There weren’t a lot of ways to use your mother’s impending suicide. He changed the subject before his thoughts lingered too long. “So how else do you know that Varka’s inside me? I mean, what you say makes sense, but that can’t be all, can it?”
Chiron nodded. “There is more of course. I have been to your Earth and studied your people. Varka was quite fond of your race in fact.” Chiron chuckled softly, his eyes looking beyond the rooftop. “He said you fought like dogs, loved like gods, and had minds like hungry puzzles. To this day I have no idea what he meant by it, but I do know that humans lack the ability to use our magic, yet you can. Humans also do not continue to grow after entering adulthood, and you have grown larger than your species allows. Your undue mastery of Rage comes to mind as well, as Rage was the first magic Varka conquered. Ignoring the fact that humans cannot use magic, it takes a great deal longer than a few months to become fully shrouded in Rage. Not even Roth can don the full shroud, and he is almost as old as I. Varka was the only one to master Rage, Passion, and Wisdom, and he did so in that order. Roth was rather cross with him for the Rage bit.”
“That’s because Roth probably knows better than to use so much Rage. I’m more of a liability when it happens,” Cole said, squeezing his bare hands together. “So Ka Reine confirmed it too? Was it in your tree right before I left The Sill?”
“Indeed,” Chiron said. His face darkened somewhat. “Varka and Ka Reine were very close for a time. While he didn’t Hate her, he certainly harbored a powerful loathing for her. Ka Reine has a unique gift in the arts of Passion; she can sense all of one’s selves as easily as listening to a heartbeat. When she examined you, she saw your selves, as well as Varka’s.”
“I remember that!” Cole blurted. “Varka kind of grabbed her, like he was going to hurt her. I think he wanted to, but he let her go in the end.” Confused, he added, “What do you mean by your ‘selves’? Last I checked there was only one of me.”
Chiron gave him a reproachful look. “You would do well to learn more about yourself then. You have three selves, and they each affect your life in vastly different and important ways. There is your outer-self, the mediator between your inner-self and the world around you. I am speaking to your outer-self now. This brings us to your inner-self, your internal dialogue that you don’t share with anyone without the consent of your outer-self. Deeper still is the subself, the conductor of your dreams. You are never removed of your subself, though it is always there, watching and quietly recording everything you experience. It is in this most core layer that Varka has embedded himself in you.”
“How?” Cole asked, his head spinning faster still. “How could he latch onto my mind? I didn’t know my father growing up, do you think he and my mom…”
Chiron wove his fingers together as he thought of a response. “When one’s magic ascends to the highest orders it can only be understood by the wielder. Varka did things with Wisdom and Passion that I cannot begin to unravel, and I have mastered them both. While it is beyond understanding, it is not beyond possibility that Varka imprinted part of himself on one of your ancestors.”
Cole shook his head. “But why would he choose me? Why now? Back on Earth I wasn’t good at anything. I’m worse than average.”
Chiron didn’t answer. He just kept his unblinking, piercing gaze on him.
Cole’s eyes fell to the rooftop. Everything Chiron said made sense. Aeneria’s cycle was about seven Earth years. His bouts of disappearances had happened when he was three, then ten, then seventeen. He was there all along, sitting in the edges of his mind. It was Varka who’d pulled him through the river of soul flies. It was Varka who’d ignited the Master’s Rage within him. Varka had seen every thought he ever had, lived through every moment. Varka was even there when Joshy died, pulling him to Aeneria where he would be safe.
The concept of having another man inside the most basal layers of his mind made Cole question everything. Had his choices been his own or had Varka been quietly pulling the strings all along? If he were to jump off the side of the building now, would Varka catch him or stop him before he started? Was Cole the captain of his own ship, or merely a member of the crew?
“This…I don’t know what to say. It’s too much. I don’t want to be used by the Council or The Three,” Cole mumbled.
“It is quite a bit to swallow,” Chiron agreed, giving Cole a look of deepest empathy. “The key to the aethers is no light burden to bear.”
“So what do we do now?” Cole asked.
“That, my dear friend, is entirely up to you.” Chiron appraised him, looking him up and down. “You now know the truth, all of it. What you do with it is your choice alone. While The Three suspect that you are the key to the aethers, not a soul knows about Varka, other than who I already mentioned. That truth is your own, we will not use it without your consent.”
Cole slapped his hands to the sides of his head. “But I’ve no idea what to do with it! I’m a danger to everyone if The Three catch me. Right?”
“True as the night is long.” Chiron nodded.
“So why don’t I just turn myself in to the Council tomorrow? I might not like them, but at least they’re not evil.”
Chiron’s face shifted to a pensive frown. “A viable option. You may feel differently after the trial, however.”
Cole ground his teeth. “Or I could just kill myself right now. Throw myself off the edge of the building and then no one could use me.”
“A very simple answer to a very complex problem,” Chiron said, leaning over and peering down the side of the hotel. “But I doubt the fall would kill you. The slope is not great enough, and your body is much more resilient than that of a mere human.”
“Then what should I do?” Cole asked. He Hated not having control over his life. Would Varka even let him choose? “Do you have any ideas?”
A warm smile stretched across Chiron’s face. “I’ve been mulling over a few options. Suggestions really.”
“You know I’m probably going to do whatever you suggest.” A reluctant grin pulled at a corner of Cole’s mouth.
Chiron returned Cole’s grin with a wink. “A strong possibility, but I wouldn’t want you accusing me of excessive hubris. I may be old, but my ideas are not the only ones of value.”
Cole laughed. “Yeah but everyone tends to listen to your ideas. Please Master Chiron, may I have your suggestions?”
“Of course.” Chiron’s cloak changed from polished tile to liquid glass as his bare feet left the ground. “My first suggestion is for you to find yourself a soft pillow and a warm bed. And when you wake, a shower wouldn’t be amiss either.”
Cole swayed, watching Chiron’s silhouette shrink as the elder flew towards the dark mountain that was Oberon Temple.
Chapter 14
The Council’s Compromise
“Arise Cole. We haven’t much time,” said a rushed voice.
Cole felt the blankets pulled from him as chilled air washed over his body. It felt as if there was a tiny hammer bashing the inside of his skull, fighting to keep pace with his heart. His tongue was massive and dry, unable to form words.
“Hurry,” Valen said. His voice was far too loud. “We will be late for the trial.”
Cole dragged himself upright, swallowing until his mouth could work again. “Did everyone make it back?” he asked, squinting in the dim candle light.
“They are dressed and waiting downstairs. A shuttle will be here shortly. Your suit is ruined by the way. I hope you have something else to wear besides your armor,” Valen said, holding up the shredded remains of the dress pants.
“Just give me a minute,” Cole said, burying his face in his hands.
“Haste,” Valen said, shutting the door to Cole’s room.
Cole didn’t have any other clothes, and there was no hope of repairing the suit. He pulled his rotten armor out from under his bed.
He nearly lost his stomach in the lift down to the lobby, but that was nothing compared to the shuttle. The vibrations from the flying bus jarred his raw organs and rattled his brittle brain. Lileth wouldn’t meet his eyes.
The shuttle came to a halt on a quiet boardwalk. The unit dismounted in a hurry. Cole smiled through his pain, trying to catch Lileth’s eye. She walked past him as if he were an empty seat.
Eliza caressed his mind with a feather of thought: “Leave last night behind you. She’ll come around.”
The beach was vacant, but farther down the shore was a multi-leveled pier bedecked with glowing windows. The pier looked like a giant beehive as flying vehicles came zipping in and out of it. Cole’s eyes followed one hulking shuttle as it bobbed its way up to the sky and joined a river of cars flowing towards Oberon Temple.
Cole winced, covering his face. Oberon’s light stabbed into his already-throbbing eyes. He dropped his gaze to the sand, but that was too bright as well. Silently berating himself, he wrestled with his Wisdom, rubbing his eyes until his spell for night vision fell off. He had grown so used to keeping the spell up that he forgot it was still active. He opened his eyes again, stunned by how bright everything still was. It was no longer blinding, but Oberon’s light was still nearly as potent as sunlight.
A familiar shimmering above them heralded Chiron’s arrival. Cole watched intently as Chiron’s cape kissed the beach, changing from crystalline air to a blanket of flowing sand and shells.
“Shall we be off then?” Chiron asked, greeting them with a warm smile.
“Master, what about Roth and Alvani? Have they returned?” Lileth asked.
“They have not. We will make do without them. But now we must be as quick as thought.” Chiron motioned for them to take to the sky.
Wings blossomed from their backs as air whipped up around them. Cole intended to warn Chiron that he flew about as well as a rock, but a whirlwind kicked a pocket of sand up into his mouth. As he coughed, he felt his feet leave the ground as he floated up into open air. He thought he saw Chiron smiling above him.
They rose higher and faster, clothes and hair flapping in the wind. Of all the ways Cole had taken flight, he much preferred whatever spells Chiron used. There was no sense of weightlessness or air buffeting him in the face. It was very quiet and calming, as if he were merely lying in a comfy bed. There was one downside to the relaxing ride, however; Cole now had the freedom of mind to think on the trial. What would he say when they asked about the barrier? Tearing it down must be a crime of some sort. Did they have prisons on Aeneria? What if no one stood up for him?
After they’d flown for half an hour, Oberon Temple had swallowed twice as much of the sky, though it still felt as if they were only halfway there. Cole placed his fingers to his eyes, shooting a spark of Wisdom through them. Zooming, he could make out tiny lights scattered in even patterns up each concentric tier of the temple. There were rough rocks piled up around the base where waves smashed the algae-covered edges of the bottom level. Cole counted ten tiers in all. As his eyes neared the top he noticed a white sheen on the uppermost levels.
“I hope no one minds if I speed things up a bit.” Chiron’s voice rang crystal clear, as if he spoke directly into Cole’s ear.
A white sphere blinked around each of them as their bodies took on a relaxed posture. Emerald wings flickered and faded as they rushed faster over the water. The acceleration was steady, yet unrelenting. Cole’s cheeks rippled back from the sheer force of it. Within a few seconds he was moving faster than he had ever flown in his life. Even the baileen wasn’t this swift. The power could only be compared to what Cole felt when fully shrouded by his Rage. He could hear the wind tearing around the magical shield, yet the air inside was calm. A concussing shudder jarred Cole’s bones, stunning him momentarily, yet the magic accelerated harder still. Looking around, he saw white cones flash briefly around the others. With sobering awe Cole realized they had just broken the sound barrier. Chiron all the while looked as though he were bored and daydreaming.
Within a few minutes they charged up along the temple’s ebony tiers, racing their way to the top. The temple’s girth now dominated Cole’s entire field of view. It was so large that its ringed walls looked completely flat. They were close enough now that Cole could make out little windows with people bustling through hallways and offices. He guessed each tier to be a mile high at least. After what felt like only a few seconds, they slowed near the top layers, which wore a shimmering layer of snow and ice. They approached the penultimate layer, slowing to a violent stop near a snowy ramp lined with large pearly omnistones. Wind and snow pelted against an invisible barrier above the paved walkway.
Chiron’s shields dissipated as they passed through the barrier, allowing surprisingly warm air to rush in. They alighted on the black stone walkway. Chiron took the lead, his cape now a rippling, snowy cloud.
A woman approached from the end of the path, her body silhouetted by amber light from the doorway. Her face was as stiff as her walk, and she looked as if she’d never quite learned how to do a proper smile. “Stop right there! You can’t enter this way, all visitors must check in with the embassy docks. How did you manage to get through the-”
“Hello Megorien,” Chiron said. “I believe we are expected. However, I would be happy to take my number down through the embassies if it makes your day a touch easier.”
Megorien shook
her head. “No no, that’ll take hours. Get in here before anyone else sees you.” She walked them to the archway, halting them before a set of stairs. “Fair warning: Arcturus is in a foul humor. The Council just overruled his proposal on taxing Light Side imports. He’s been at odds with them all morning over the most trivial affairs. If you ask me, he’s stalling in hopes that they won’t have time for your trial. I’ve never seen a Council Speaker cause so much trouble. I wish you’d taken the job when they offered it to you. How many times have you refused now?”
“Twenty-five invitations so far, and twenty-five notices of reprimand for dereliction of coronation. I feel my time is better spent cultivating young minds rather than trying to bend old ones.” Chiron gestured toward the door. “May we enter?”
Megorien’s permanent-frown further hardened into a stony scowl. “They’re still deep in it, but I won’t stop you. Arcturus will try, though. I might sneak down just to see the look on his face when he does.”
“Thank you, Megorien.” Chiron gave her a bow and ushered the unit down the stairs.
The stairs took them down to a hallway leading deep into the ninth tier of the temple. Cole peeked around the others, trying to see the end, but there didn’t seem to be one. He tried estimating the distance but then Cole felt a dizzying, stretching sensation, as if he had just been sucked through a straw. He didn’t know what had happened, but he knew they had moved a great distance. Cole had barely shaken the vertigo when he found himself not in the hallway, but standing on the edge of a round chamber. The walls and furniture were all the same shade of off-white and lacked any embellishments or decoration. The floors appeared to be made of the same dark stone as the outside of the temple. From the ceiling hung an opalescent boulder that looked to be cut from Oberon itself.
There were twenty-one chairs spaced evenly around a table that circled half the room. In all of the seats were Aenerians wearing high-collared white robes and an expression of impassivity. On the opposite side of the rounded table was a man in a raised desk. His collar was the highest, cresting up around the back of his head, and his robes were so bright they made everything around him look dirty.
Saving The Dark Side Book 2: The Harbingers Page 28
