Discord

by E A Foley

“You’re not the only one!” Aerianna called.

  “Yeah. I’m at my limit too,” Sienna agreed.

  “Which is why I want to move on. We can pick this one up again later. How about we switch back to barriers? Specifically, placing them around someone else and . . . Yes, Violet?” she asked as her best friend raised her hand.

  “Would it be all right if I keep working on multiple requests at once?”

  “That’s fine with me. Pick a skill I’ve shown you in the last two days and go for it. I’ll wander around and give pointers. If you have questions, just wave your hand and I’ll come to you. That work for everyone?”

  “Anything but multiple requests is fine by me,” Rozlynd announced.

  Iris joined Nimbus first. “Can you help give pointers as well?”

  “I don’t think I have these down well enough yet. You should ask Cirrus. He seemed to have both multiple requests and personal barriers down.”

  “Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll ask him.” She gave Nimbus a quick kiss and walked to where Cirrus stood, brimming with power.

  Before Iris made it to him, a barrier surrounded her. She pulled flows into her body. Tried to send a gust of wind at Cirrus. A vortex of air filled the barrier. It lifted her hair and forced her eyes closed. Iris dismissed her request and smiled.

  “Awesome!” she glowed at Cirrus before jogging the last few steps to join him. “What made the difference?”

  “I thought about it as two separate requests, actually. One to form the barrier around you, and one to contain your magic within the barrier. Have you tried a distance request within a barrier yet? Like starting a storm? Something you don’t need to request begin next to you?”

  “I haven’t, actually. Let me try now,” she beamed at him and took a few steps back.

  Cirrus returned the smile and surrounded Iris in a barrier once more.

  She pulled flows into her being. Tried a variety of requests that only resulted in her getting singed, soaking wet, and surrounded in a vortex of air once more.

  “Let me try it on you,” she told Cirrus once he released her from her confines.

  “Go for it!”

  Iris created a barrier around Cirrus. Like his barrier around her, it completely contained his magic. She released him a few minutes later. “I think we both have that one down. Can you help me with giving pointers to everyone else?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, you are way better at this than I am.”

  “No. I’m not. You should give yourself more credit. You’re the only other one who can form a proper barrier around yourself or another person and make multiple requests at once.”

  “Yeah, but . . . All right,” he amended after getting a look at her face. “I’ll do my best.”

  “That’s all I’m asking. Thank you. It will help things go faster. And maybe you’ll be able to explain multiple requests better than I could.”

  “I’ll give it a shot.”

  Cirrus and Iris moved in opposite directions from each other. Iris heard him give Rowen a few pointers. It made her smile as she stopped in front of Violet.

  Iris checked in with five of her friends across the next hour while Cirrus checked in with the other five. With Cirrus’s help, everyone could complete at least one of the two tasks they were working on and a few of them were in the beginning stages of accomplishing both.

  She called a halt to training thirty minutes later. She could sense a decline in the quality of requests surrounding her. Iris remembered that it took her a lot more effort to complete multiple requests at once and that they drained her of her magical abilities much faster.

  “Great progress everyone! I mean it!” she said once everyone gathered around her. Smiling faces that couldn’t hide the beginnings of fatigue looked back at her. “I think I mentioned this yesterday, but perhaps not. Anyway, completing multiple requests at once drains me much faster than making single requests in quick succession, so keep that in mind. Let’s call it here for today. I want to make sure no one reaches the point of total exhaustion. It’s not fun. And yes, I’m speaking from experience,” she added before anyone could ask.

  Her statement received a few chuckles before the group broke apart and headed toward the welcoming trees of Mothar Crann.

  “I can’t remember the last time I was this drained magically,” Nimbus said as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

  “I can,” Iris said.

  “I gathered as much. Great practice. I think I’ve increased my strength again.”

  Iris took a moment to analyze Nimbus’s power. “I think you have.” She searched out several of her other friends’ auras. “I think everyone has, actually.”

  “That’s great!”

  “Sure.”

  “Iris—”

  “I know, I know,” she sighed. “They chose to be here.”

  “Precisely. But you’ll never stop feeling guilty, will you.”

  Iris shook her head.

  “I wish there was some way for me to convince you it’s not your fault.”

  “Me too,” Iris agreed. She squeezed Nimbus closer to her. Needed to feel his warmth. Tried not to think about losing him—or any of her friends. Green Day’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams played in her head.

  “Remember, you’re not alone.”

  Nimbus’s words pulled Iris from her internal contemplations. She wondered if she’d hummed the chorus out loud or if he knew her this well already. Whatever the reason, she nodded and smiled up at him. He grinned back down at her. Warmth flooded her being as a sense of calm washed over her.

  Dejà vu filled Iris. They’d walked here, arm in arm before. Love bloomed deep within her being. It spread outward to encompass her entire body. She gripped Nimbus’s side tighter. Had to look away from his face as her eyes shifted toward purple and her cheeks blushed with the memories of their past relationship.

  Everyone enjoyed another evening of conversation with the elves and faeries on the massive meeting platform in the heart of Mothar Crann. Nimbus never left her side. She joined him in his bed that evening and fell asleep on his shoulder as he stroked her hair. She wanted more but didn’t know how to express her desires.

  Iris woke Nimbus the next morning with a few kisses he returned with ardor. His arms clutched her to him as his hands ran up and down her back, caressed her neck and face, or squeezed her hips and sides. Memories of her past-self locked in his arms filled her once more. She swallowed. Placed her forehead against his, gave him a final kiss, and got out of bed. She needed to learn more about her past-self and what it meant for her current tasks in life.

  After a quick shower, Iris changed into her true form and flew to Faerie Glenn to speak with Eireann. She asked if she and the elders would be available to answer her questions about Balance and Chaos that afternoon. When the Queen of the Faeries agreed, Iris flew back to her rooms in Mothar Crann and joined her friends and the elves for breakfast before heading to the training field.

  They focused on fighting with physical weapons and magic use once more. Iris made sure everyone practiced with a different partner and asked Nimbus to make rounds with her rather than practice himself. They both jumped in to have short sparring sessions with each person before lunch. She was a little light-headed by the time she called a halt to the morning practice. It seemed she still wasn’t back to one-hundred percent.

  “Take the afternoon off, everyone. Explore Gemina Terra. Spend some time relaxing. Recharge and enjoy!” Iris told them as she leaned on her quarterstaff for support.

  “You sure about this?” Cirrus asked quietly amongst the buzz of delight.

  “Yes. Everyone has been working really hard. You all deserve a break. Besides, isn’t it best to know what you’re fighting for?”

  “Good point. Well, thanks! Would it be safe to assume you’re not taking the afternoon off?”

  “It depends on your definition of off. I’m meeting with Eireann and the faerie elders this afternoon. I decided I should see if I can regain
any memories from my past self.”

  “So it’s a half-break.”

  “Sure.”

  “In that case, enjoy!” Cirrus smiled at Iris. He glanced over his shoulder, chuckled, and walked away.

  Nimbus was at Iris’s side a moment later. “I’m glad you’re taking a break too. May I join you in Faerie Glenn?”

  “No. I need this time for myself. You should go exploring. I’ve been here before.”

  “Yes, but you haven’t exactly explored the world yourself.”

  “I have a little,” she said as images of Rodger’s private beach sanctuary flashed through her mind. “Enough to understand what I’m fighting for. The planet is beautiful. You should go see the ocean here. It’s gorgeous!”

  “I’ll do that. Any recommendations?”

  Iris almost opened a doorway to Rodger’s beach but changed her mind. She didn’t feel like fielding questions about whose stuff was there. Especially if Rodger was on the planet. “Not really. Ask Esras if he has any recommendations.”

  “Okay. Lunch?”

  “No. I’m having lunch with Eireann before meeting with the elders.”

  “All right. Have fun.” He gave her a kiss before joining his brother and Esras.

  Iris smiled at his retreating back, transformed into a faerie, and flew to her rooms in Faerie Glenn. Eireann was waiting for her, lunch spread out on a table on the balcony.

  “Your Majesty,” Iris greeted with a small bow of her head.

  “Please. No titles. Not from you.”

  Iris nodded and took a seat across from Eireann at the small bistro table.

  “How is the training going?”

  “Very well. Everyone is progressing in their skills tremendously.”

  “That is good. I also heard you started teaching a few of the younger elves and faeries how to connect to the flows embedded within Gemina Terra.”

  “I did. Was that wrong of me?”

  “No. Not at all. I may ask for lessons in the future.”

  “I’d be more than happy to oblige.”

  “I have no doubt,” Eireann said with a smile. “But that is not why you wanted to talk, is it?”

  “No. It’s not.”

  “You are interested in learning more about Balance and Chaos.”

  “Yes. I need to understand what we’re up against. What our chances are.” Iris looked at Eireann. She couldn’t read the queen’s expression. Her face was void of any emotions. “I won’t shy away from my task.”

  “I know you will not. That is not why I have not answered you. We do not know the answer to your question. The elders have ideas. Theories, really. We have lore that has been passed down from generation to generation but nothing more. Balance has been absent from our world since it brought Gemina Terra into existence.”

  “Even if lore is all you have, I would still like to hear it.”

  “Then we must wait for the elders. They are the keepers of our histories.”

  Iris nodded. She refrained from tapping her leg and tried to push thoughts of Chaos from her mind as she filled a plate from the spread on the small table. After several silent moments, she turned to Eireann to start a conversation but nothing came to her mind.

  “Small talk is hard when you have something else on your mind, is it not?” Eireann asked.

  Iris could see the upturned corners of the queen’s lips over the cup of tea she drank from. “It is. I have been so focused on training my friends—on preparing them—there is no room for other thoughts.”

  “You should find room. I am sure your friends would rather have their friend than a leader.”

  “You’re probably right. And I am sure you would like to learn more about me.”

  “That would be lovely.”

  Iris spent the next twenty minutes in quiet conversation with Eireann. She talked about her childhood and love of faeries since she was little. How she learned about magic through her Little Self and hovering in her sleep. How her Little Self said she was an ancient part of Iris and once she joined with her Little Self, Iris felt more complete.

  Eireann shared stories about Iris’s spirit and life on Gemina Terra. Iris allowed Eireann’s words to sink into her as her mind wandered. If she didn’t concentrate too hard, she could almost see some of Eireann’s words as though they were memories. Then she realized they were memories. Her Little Self’s memories. Her past-self’s memories.

  Iris let the words guide her across Gemina Terra to places she hadn’t been to but knew well. Calmness permeated her being. She understood what she had to fight for and hoped her friends would discover the same thing during their explorations of the planet. Many of the images were accompanied by a tall elf with dark hair and bright blue eyes. Iris’s mind focused on Nimbus’s past self. Warmth filled her and a soft smile parted her lips. Her mind came back to the present when a new voice spoke.

  Chapter 10

  “We hope we have not kept you waiting long,” a voice called from the sitting room the balcony was located off of.

  “Of course not,” Eireann said as she rose to greet the three elders.

  Iris followed suit. She got a good look at the elders. They were the same ones who greeted her when she woke the first morning on Gemina Terra in the rose garden. She realized she still didn’t know their names.

  “Iris, may I present Elders Wollemia, Elegia, and Davallia.”

  “It is lovely to meet you,” Iris said with a bow.

  The three faeries returned her bow with nods.

  “Shall we retire to the sitting room?” Eireann suggested.

  Without a word, the three elders retreated a few steps. They took seats on the large cushioned bench while Eireann sat on a smaller bench across from them. Iris sat next to Eireann. It took her a moment to realize these were the faerie’s versions of couches. The low backs allowed room for their wings while still providing a little back support. Iris wondered if they slept with their wings out or tucked away as when they were in human form.

  “We understand you have questions for us,” Wollemia said and cut Iris’s contemplations short.

  “Yes, I do. I would like to learn more about Chaos.”

  “Be more specific,” Davallia told Iris.

  “I want to know about Chaos’s control. Abilities. Power. Manipulation of other magic users. Anything that will help me train my friends better and prepare us for a battle I know is coming.”

  Wollemia and Davallia looked toward Elegia. Iris did the same.

  “There is not much more to tell. You were shown the histories in your dreams and we explained the rest upon your waking.”

  “Is there anything else that may help me? Anything at all?” Iris tried not to sound desperate. The looks of concern the three elders gave her—of pity—proved she was unsuccessful. She forced her eyes to remain blue. Their coolness almost drew a sigh of relief from her lips. At least they obeyed her when she really needed them to. “Please,” Iris added after several silent moments passed.

  “Defeating Chaos itself may not be possible. It is an ancient being. Older even than the Earth. You will need to concern yourself with defeating its agents,” Davallia broke the silence. A glance between the three elders loosened their tongues.

  “We are sure Chaos’s current goal is the destruction of Gemina Terra. It cannot travel here. Balance assured this. That is why Chaos manipulates mankind. It whispers in ears. Persuades those it can to follow orders,” Wollemia continued.

  “The people I believe to be under the control of Chaos claim they want to protect Gaia—Earth—from mankind by killing those who are destroying the atmosphere with carbon emissions and such.”

  “Those are lies fed to you through Chaos’s agents. Did they explain how they would protect the Earth?” Elegia asked.

  “Threats. Hostages. Nuclear bombs I’m supposed to contain the blasts of.”

  “Do you believe you will be able to contain such a blast?”

  Iris thought about Elegia’s question for sev
eral minutes before responding. “Perhaps, but I believe it would require all of my strength to contain one blast, so if there were several . . . We’d have no chance. Between the blast and the radiation . . . I don’t see how the Earth could survive,” she shook her head.

  “That is Chaos’s design. Convince an agent to help cure the Earth but destroy it in the process. Chaos is spurred on by jealousy over the abilities Balance gave us to connect with the Earth. Chaos knows Balance could not watch the Earth and all its creatures die. Balance would save as many creatures as possible by bringing them to Gemina Terra or revealing Gemina Terra to them so they could travel here on their own,” Elegia stopped. She shook her head. Looked at Wollemia.

  “It would mean the end of the creatures on this planet. Those who survived the blasts on the Earth would bring disease and their already corrupt ways to Gemina Terra. The magical creatures Balance fought so hard to protect would be dead in a matter of moons.”

  “Trophies and pets for those who have limited thought and too many fears,” Davallia finished.

  It wasn’t hard for Iris to agree with them. “Then how do I fight them? How do I convince them they are being controlled and persuade them to leave Chaos?”

  “You cannot convince zealots of anything they do not want to hear. Fighting them is your only option. We understand it will be hard. You have lost friends to Chaos. Remember, they will do anything to obtain their objective. Manipulating your emotions will be nothing to them and is most likely the reason Chaos targeted your friends. It saw something in them it could exploit and did so,” Elegia advised.

  Iris let silence permeate the room as she considered the elders’ words. It made sense. Why Brett continued to go after Zarina. Jaden was the easy target. The one who never really followed Iris’s rules and trainings. Stalk Zarina, mention it being Iris’s fault, and Jaden would easily be swayed.

  But what about Zarina and Morrigan? Jaden mentioned something about breaking Zarina. Did Jaden do to Zarina what Brett tried to do to Iris? Was it possible Mr. Moreno’s followers weren’t followers but pawns and soldiers? Was Jaden now one of them? Could she save him, Zarina, and Morrigan? Or did Jaden serve another master? Perhaps Chaos directly?