Shawnrik sat up at that last comment, not having understood the implications as they came. “What do you mean?” Shawnrik asked “Are you trying to say that…”
“Wait Shawn...” Victor's voice held only sadness, but before he could continue Shawnrik spoke again.
“But Vic, he's saying that Ol' man Walkins is working for one of those groups. One of which, I don't need to remind you, made you homeless a little more than a year ago.”
“He's right Shawn. It makes sense. All the things we've been stealing over the last few months, and his late night meetings with his “contact” in the Syndicate. It also explains why he wasn't surprised when I told him about the Blood Mage that burned down my house.” Victor's mind was racing, putting so many things together that it was giving him a headache. Nim brought him a glass of water, and before taking his place across the room.
“Wait a minute! You mean that he knew that them Mages were gonna' burn down your house?” Shawnrik's doubt was apparent in his voice.
“What were you doing on that street last year Shawn?”
“I donno', I was told to go there and stake out the neighborhood... that's funny, I don't remember what for.” Shawnrik shook his head at the last, no longer looking as sure as he had been a moment before.
“I used to go down that street a lot on my outings. I think that a mage gave me the suggestion to run there that night as well. I took off running, not knowing where my feet were taking me, until I bumped into you. Then you took me to meet him.” Victor's voice became so cold that it gave Shawnrik a shiver, and he wasn't the only one in the room that it had that effect on.
“Now wait a minute Victor! I didn't have nothin' to do wit' the fire, and I don't know about any Blood Mages. You gotta' believe me!” Shawnrik was near to tears fearing that his friend was going to hate him for something he didn't do and couldn't have known about.
Victor's expression softened, realizing that his friend thought he was angry at him. “I'm sorry Shawn. I'm not mad at you. I would like to hear the truth from Ol' man Walkins though.” Victor stood from his chair, clearly intending to head out right then for answers.
“Hold up lad.” Nim said, standing from his chair to come kneel in front of Victor. “This will be the first of many lessons that I hope to teach you. Never… ever, go seeking the truth while rage fills your gut. The only thing that will happen is something you will regret later. If you confront the situation with a cool head, you won't have to regret whatever it is you have to do. You won't have those lingering doubts that it only turned out that way because you were angry. Believe me; you do not want doubts like those plaguing you.”
Victor stood still for a while staring into Nim's reptilian gaze, while Shawnrik stared into the fire, both feeling numb. Victor was numb because things that had been nagging at him for awhile were finally coming into focus. Shawnrik was numb because his whole life looked like it was a lie, and his ideas for what the future would be like had just come crashing down; His whole life would be different from this point forward. Nim, balanced on one knee, laid a comforting hand on Victor's shoulder, not saying a word, letting the boys make the decision themselves.
“Tomorrow evening, I would like to go and talk with Ol' man Walkins, and I would like it if you would be close by when I do Nim.” Victor pushed the words out through gritted teeth. Nim nodded that he would, and that seemed to let a lot of the pressure that had been building inside Victor dissipate. “I know that you have already been exceedingly gracious to us, but I would also like to ask that you allow Shawnrik and I to stay here for a day or two until we can find a new place.”
Nim let out a chuckle, his mouth dry from holding his breath before squeezing Victor's shoulder. “Victor, you may both stay here for as long as you like. In fact, I would like to make you both a proposition when all of this is through. For now though, I think it would be best if we all retired for the evening. We can plan out any actions for tomorrow in the morning.” He ushered the boys out of the waiting room, walking in silence with them up the stairs. Nim decided to give them some time, so he left them as they reached the top of the stairs, and wished them both a good night. The two boys said goodnight, and then continued down the hall in a daze.
“What are we gonna' do now Vic?” Shawnrik whispered.
“I don't know Shawn.” Victor was wondering what would become of them as well. He looked over at his only true friend in the world, who looked like he was about ready to break down into tears, and tried to take on a cheerier tone. “But we will figure it out, together. Nothing can beat us as a team. We'll take on the world Shawnrik, you and I.”
Shawnrik cheered up a bit at this, and Victor could see the wheels in the older boy's head turning. He could tell by the look on his friends face that he was imagining them both as they grew older, taking on the world side by side. “It will be alright won't it Vic.”
“Yeah Shawnrik... It'll be alright. I'll see you in the morning.” They reached Victor's room, shaking each others hand goodnight, as they had done many times in the past. This time though, it somehow turned into an embrace, two friends who just found out that the world they knew was now gone, holding on to the only real thing left. It lasted only a few seconds, but it released a lot of barriers that the boys had put up earlier, each hoping with all of their might that they weren't alone. Victor opened the door to his room and slipped inside.
Shutting the door to his room Victor slid down the barrier and began to cry. I don't know if it will be alright Shawnrik. I don't know anything. The world I thought I knew this morning is completely foreign to me now. How can I know who to trust? Can I trust you Shawnrik? Can I trust Nim? Yes, I think I can trust you Shawnrik, but how far can I trust Nim. I think he wants to use me for some game. Everyone has hidden agendas it seems. Maybe I should start making my own. Nim seems to have a lot of resources, and I know I could learn quite a bit from him. I'll let him plot out my moves for awhile, and when I think he has taught me enough, I'll leave. I might even be able to get Ashur to train Shawnrik. As Victor's thoughts came into focus his vision cleared. I will no longer be a pawn. This is my life. I will do what I know is right. The next thing he said was with a clarity that had thus far evaded him in life. “It'll all be alright Shawnrik. Everything will be just fine.”
Shawnrik stood immobile at the door, held in place by the quiet sobs coming from the other side of the door, wondering if everything was really going to be alright. Suddenly the sobbing stopped, and the world was quiet, as if holding it's breathe. He realized he was standing in the hall staring at the door, and was getting ready to leave when he heard Victor say “It'll all be alright Shawnrik. Everything will be just fine.” He quickly wondered if Victor had known that he was still there. It had been said with such conviction that it seemed to draw out any doubt in Shawnrik's head, leaving only a certainty that things would indeed be alright. He resisted the urge to knock on the door, not wanting Victor to know that he had heard him crying. Instead he snuck down the hall, quietly opening the door to his room, and just as quietly closing it so that Victor wouldn't hear. As he stood inside the opulent room he reaffirmed a vow that he had made just two day's earlier. I'm going to be there when you need me. I know now how I will be your right hand man. I'll get Ashur to train me.
Nim walked back into his waiting room to find Ashur sitting by the fire reading a book. Ashur looked rather comfortable in gentleman's clothes, with one leg crossed over the other, seemingly engrossed in whatever he was reading. He walked over to the mini bar and made himself a drink. Nim held the bottle up, asking if Ashur wanted any, but he just waved it away, pointed to the still full glass beside him.
“What are you reading?” Nim asked moving one of the chairs closer to the fire.
“A book some scholar wrote on fighting techniques and the mind of a fighter… It's amazing how many things are wrong in here. I guess it just goes to show that you can try to explain something, but sometimes it just doesn't come out like it should. At least that's
the way I see things.” Ashur placed a bookmark into the point he was at in the book, before setting it down on his lap.
“What are you trying to tell me?” Nim raised an eyebrow at his oldest living friend.
“Well, I heard a lot of what you were telling the boys. I've heard of these manacle things too, but I've never heard that story before.” He picked up his glass and took a sip looking at Nim over the rim.
“So I embellished a little! It's all remotely true. Sure some facts weren't as accurate as others. I don't know that there was a hundred people sacrificed, it was probably more like ten, but the story is all in the story telling. I've told you that before. I was just trying to get the boys to see the way of things in the quickest way possible. No harm done.”
“No harm done? You just brought those boys worlds crashing down around them, and there's no harm done? I'll tell you what. If I didn't think that Victor was sharper than you I'd warn him to run while he can. You know I'm going to have to train that Shawnrik boy. Victor will need a good sword arm with him with whatever you've got cooking in that brain of yours. Just remember Nim, they are only kids. Sure, Victor's got the sense of a man in his twenties, more even than some, but he's still just a kid.” Each sentence came with a larger gesture, his drink losing a little more liquid over the rim with each statement.
“Yes, your right. They are both kids. Therefore, it's better that they learn now what a dangerous, and rat infested world we live in. I've just made those boys more aware, that will probably save their lives…”
“Or send them to an early grave.” Ashur interjected before Nim could continue, barely stopping the flow of words from his friend.
“… and, it will also help them with the changes that are going to be coming. You're going to have to train that boy hard if he is going to keep up with Victor you know. Victor is... amazing! He must have only been three or four when he began his training. Do you realize what that means?” Nim was now pacing in front of the fireplace, his excitement no longer allowing him to sit still.
“That he didn't have, and isn't going to have a childhood?” Ashur said wryly, Nim stopped long enough to shoot a glare at him before he continued pacing.
“It means that the boy has been taught the things that people usually don't, and can't learn until they are much older. Not only does learning new things come easier to a child in their first few years of life, but anything they learn during that time becomes second nature. I'll be able to teach him most of what I know within a year or two, and he will still be in a prime age for learning more! It means that I am going to prepare this boy to face life as a man. He will be able to go to banquets and converse with royalty, and he will be able to lobby for things the way that I was never able to. He will be accepted, and he… will be feared.”
Ashur stared into the fire for some time before he looked at his friend and shrugged. “I figured it was something like that. As I said earlier, if it wasn't for the fact that I think the boy is sharper than you, I'd warn him away. I also have a lot of respect for that Shawnrik boy. He reminds me a lot of myself.” Nim shot Ashur an incredulous expression. Ashur stared back, daring Nim to challenge his statement before he clarified, “He reminds me of myself in that he's going to be stuck following Victor for the rest of his life, and he's got a good head on his shoulders.”
“Stuck? Are you stuck following me now? I swore that it was your choice to follow me all those years ago. You had your father's title to inherit, and all that money. You could probably be a duke by now. Would you have traded any of that for the experiences that we've had adventuring together?” Nim's tone was full of mock indignation, knowing full well that Ashur wouldn't have changed a thing.
“No, but just like me that boy's gonna' follow Victor into the bowels of hell, and he'll either come out laughing, or die in the attempt. Anyway, I expect I should get some sleep tonight. Tomorrow is probably going to be an interesting day.” Ashur set his glass on the table, and tucked his book into the crook of his arm. “You should get some sleep too, all that plotting has got to tire a man out.” With that Ashur quietly exited the room.
Nim was left standing alone by the fire thinking about what Ashur had just said. He had never really realized it before, but he had pulled Ashur along on almost all of his undertakings; The man never raising a complaint. He'll either come out laughing, or die trying. Is that the way it has been all these years my friend? I suppose it has. Well, if it was that bad for us, then it will probably be worse for Victor and Shawnrik. Nim spent the next few hours remembering all of the adventures he had been on with his friends, and looking forward to all the ones he knew were yet to come.
Chapter 6
A Night to Remember
Year 3043 AGD
Month: New Year
Second Day
Continent of Terroval
City of Safeharbor
Cliff's End
Nim's Mansion
Dawn brought a new sense of life to the place, the crisp sea air seemed full with the winds of change. Victor awoke feeling as if the world was a shining new place to explore, and he wanted to see every inch of it. Lia seemed to sense that something was different, and couldn't help but giggle as Victor ran to the window, looking at the world from every angle he could manage. He dressed quickly, seeming not the slightest bit bothered by Lia's presence today. Running downstairs, jumping and playing the whole way, Victor stopped to marvel at the statue in the entrance hall. He looked at the large cat, which Nim had identified as a lion, and his gaze fell to the creature at the lions mercy Nim had called a deer, and the meaning of the statue jumped out at him.
“You are either the hunter or the prey,” Victor whispered to himself, and was startled to hear a now familiar voice behind him.
“Excellent Victor, and which would you be? The deer, or the Lion?”
Victor looked at Nim as if the man had lost his mind. “I am the Lion.”
Nim nodded, as if the answer had been clear. “Ahh yes, but if you are the Lion, then who is the deer?” Nim's smile barely touched his eyes.
Victor lost a bit of steam, not expecting such a question. “What do you mean?”
Nim gestured towards the statue, and they both turned to look at the statue as Nim started talking again. “Well, the lion is considered an unyielding and ferocious predator, but he also defends his lands, and protects his pride. His pride being the lionesses and any other male lions he allows to live in his zone of influence. In order to survive they must eat, and unfortunately it is the deer, and others like it, that end up as lunch. The lion feels no remorse for killing the animal, for it was simply doing what it needed to do to survive. The deer had done nothing to the lion, it was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The deer represents those people who go through life care free, not realizing that there is a predator just out of eye-shot. On the other hand, maybe they do realize it, but simply choose to ignore it because it is easier to pretend that the danger isn't there.” Nim looked down at Victor, and after a moment of silence Victor turned to look at Nim, a thoughtful expression lined his features. “Are you following what I am saying? If you have any questions ask them.”
“I think I understand. The lion is one who is doing right by himself and his pride, but to do so he has to sacrifice the life of his prey. I don't understand what you mean by who is the deer though… wait. The deer isn't an enemy it is just a means of survival, a needed loss in order to continue to exist. If the lion didn't kill and eat, he would waste away and die, or become weak and become prey to another predator.” Victor's attitude that he had woken up with, now began to take on a new light.
Nim stood there a moment looking at Victor before he gave his head a small shake of amazement. How many people would have seen through to the heart of it like that? Every time I talk to you, you surprise me just a little bit more. “That's right, the deer is just a means of survival, allowing the lion to be strong enough to face its foes. Of course, the lions on the other continents are noth
ing like the ones on Terroval. I saw one once on Telleros, and tried to talk to it, but all it did was growl and then charge at me! Dispatching it was an easy matter, but I had been so surprised by it's aggression that I took a wound from the beast. I still have the scar.” Nim rolled up his right sleeve so that he could show Victor the scar. Three long lines ran across Nim's forearm where the Lion had struck. “I've found that most of the creatures in the rest of the world are nothing like those we have here. Somehow the blood of the dragons, both the good and the bad, has run rampant on this continent, and nothing seems unaffected by it. Many of the creatures out there hate the Dracair as much as the rest of us, but some hate us just as much. We have a few allies though, south of the great desert are the Lions of the night, and East of those the Lions of the sky inhabit the rocky cliffs of the sea of Turmoil. In the forests to the north there are the great packs of the Silver wolves, and the Twilight Wolves. West of the great desert, in the dense forests known to the Dracair as Death's Edge, I have come across the Death's Edge Wolverines. Their entire existence seems to be built around rooting out evil and exterminating it from their territory by any means necessary. The wolverines are the only race of those I have mentioned who have not developed the ability of speech, but they are smart, and won't attack unless they smell the taint of darkness on you. Luckily for me, they seem to be able to somehow sense intent as well or I might not have made it out of their alive, being half Dracairai myself.”
Each creature Nim spoke of had brought to mind another half dozen question, but Nim raised a hand forestalling Victor's natural curiosity.
Victor Deus (Heritage of the Blood Book 1) Page 13
