by Jeff Gunzel
“There,” Aleesia said, stepping back to admire the dress she could never wear anyway. “It looks beautiful on you.” Unable to resist, Assirra threw her hands up and twirled around in a flourish. She was used to people obeying her commands, but not so used to compliments about how pretty she looked at any given time. She found the latter to be much more gratifying. “If our people could only see you now.”
“If they saw me here with you, I would be banished for being a traitor.”
“A fair point,” Aleesia chuckled. “Come, I’ll make us something to eat before we get started.”
Aleesia went to the cooking pot outside while Assirra stayed in. A short time later she returned with a pot full of stewed apples. Like old friends, they sat around the table laughing and retelling stories from their past. While Aleesia came clean on all the pranks she had played on the village elders back in those days—most of which Assirra was just learning of now for the first time—Assirra updated her on what the tarrins were doing these days. To Aleesia’s mild disappointment, it sounded as if they were mostly living their lives exactly the same. The village was practically stuck in time and would probably never change.
“Well then, I suppose it’s time we got started,” Aleesia said, standing up and moving around to Assirra’s back. “We’ll start with a simple test. Please understand, Assirra, if we cannot get past this first step, then our business together will be concluded. Some people simply don’t have the raw ability to become shadow mages. If this turns out to be the case, then no amount of training or effort can overcome that. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Assirra nodded, swallowing the lump swelling up in her throat. “Fail this test and it is over before it started,” she said. The thought of that made her quite nervous.
“Now, place your hands on the table and close your eyes.” Assirra did as instructed. She drew in a breath when she felt Aleesia’s cold fingers touch her temples. “Good. Now I just want you to concentrate on my touch. Empty your mind. Feel my energy flowing through you. My touch is the only sensation you should be experiencing. Nothing else is real. Nothing else exists.”
Assirra tried to concentrate, but it proved to be more difficult than she thought. She found herself fighting down her own thoughts, thoughts of her friends and whether or not they were all right, fear of what she might do if this test failed. Her mind was a chaotic swirl of noise and distraction.
Enough! The inner voice cracked in her head like a whip. But she knew that voice. It was Aleesia. The woman was somehow inside her head. Pull yourself together or your journey will end here. “I won’t let that happen,” Assirra whispered, feeling as if she were falling into a trance. That is up to you. Now you must clear your mind.
One by one Assirra began wiping away her scattered thoughts, dismissing her fears. They were not allowed to have any power over her. It was a process, but she managed to calm her mind and tame her thoughts.
Before she knew it, her mind was floating in emptiness. She could even hear the light wisps of her own breaths. Aleesia’s light touch seemed to melt into her head, merging with her mind in some strange way. She did not resist. In fact, she embraced the sensation, inviting it in. Suddenly, the table raced away from Assirra’s hands. Grinding across the room, it slammed against the far wall. Assirra opened her eyes, gasping as if she had been holding her breath for minutes.
“W-What happened?” Assirra asked, worried that something had gone wrong.
“It wasn’t you. I’m the one who pushed the table,” Aleesia said. Assirra deflated, wondering what that meant. “But I did it through your hands. In fact, I did it quite easily. I now know that your body has the ability to channel energy. That was the first test. Congratulations.”
Relief washed over Assirra. It was only now that she realized how much she really wanted this. The chance to attain her own power was a far greater temptation than that of the clergy.
“But that is only the first step,” Aleesia reminded, wanting to make sure she didn’t get too comfortable. “I now know your body is capable of transferring the dead’s energy back into the world of the living. What I do not know is whether or not you have the mental strength required to become a shadow mage. Those like myself who are self-taught sometimes take over a decade to perfect our craft. Others who have the privilege of being taught by our elder mages, and were also rather bright to begin with, may master the art in five to seven years.” Her eyes narrowed. “I offer you one week of my training.”
“And how can I possibly master this craft in one week?” Assirra asked.
“You can’t,” Aleesia said. “To my knowledge it’s never been done. But that is not my problem, is it?”
“No, I suppose it is not,” Assirra answered, unable to hide her disappointment.
“Let me be clear,” Aleesia said, practically stepping right into Assirra’s chest as she looked up at the much taller tarrin. “My proposal is nowhere near as punishing as you think. I learned everything I needed to within the first few weeks of teaching myself. Once I learned how to turn my body into a vessel, the rest came with muscle memory and repetition.
“This may sound odd to you, but compare a small child taking his first steps to a grown warrior who can already run like the wind. Their movements are identical, and are only separated by their level of mastery. The child will someday move like the warrior without having to learn anything new. He just needs to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
“I told you that it will probably take years to master the shadow arts. But you just might learn enough in one week so that you can practice on your own. You should be able to take your first steps, so to speak, then learn to run in time by just repeating the same techniques.”
“But why this strict time limit?” Assirra asked. “I told you I have no place to go. I can’t return to Eldham. And it doesn’t seem to me like you have any real obligations these days, other than to yourself anyway.”
“Because despite your claims of being done with the clergy, I’m not so certain that Eldham is done with you. And I have no intention of being caught harboring the tarrins’ High Cleric. In all likelihood, they would say I drugged you and kept you here against your will.”
Assirra began to protest, but quickly changed her mind about it. Aleesia had already been labeled a witch by her people. Their minds were already made up about this woman. They wouldn’t believe a word she said.
“Precisely,” Aleesia continued, as if reading Assirra’s thoughts on the subject. “No offense, but I’ve already lost enough because of you already. I have no intention of losing my head as well.”
“I understand your position,” Assirra said. “One week,” she repeated softly, as if only speaking to herself. She looked directly at Aleesia with an intensity in her eyes she had not shown until now. “One week. Fine. I’m ready to start right now.”
Aleesia smiled. She had to admit, she enjoyed the High Cleric’s enthusiasm, despite their past differences. “Then start we shall.”
*
“I want you to block everything out,” Aleesia said, her fingers touching Assirra’s temples again as she stood behind her. “Focus only on two things, the sound of my voice and the coin up on the table.”
“Your voice and the coin. Your voice and the coin,” Assirra repeated over and over, trying to focus her mind.
“Feel my energy flowing through you. This should be a simple enough task, even for a novice like yourself. Now, we are simply going to lift the coin. Once we are both fully engaged, I’m going to release contact, and you will keep the coin in the air all by yourself. Understood?” Assirra nodded absently, not even wanting to speak for fear of losing concentration.
Ghostly white faces wafted around them like mists of water vapor, each one blazing through a wide array of varied expressions before being funneled away through an unseen hole. It was like they were reliving their entire lives in a matter of seconds, a lifetime’s worth of emotion all playing out in the blink of an eye
.
Assirra felt Aleesia’s energy channeling through her. It was a familiar sensation, not unlike when Odao would work through her, using her physical body as a vessel to perform the impossible. She focused on the coin, watched as it quivered in place. It started to roll in place, as if settling after someone had dropped it. Then it rose off the table, smooth like an invisible hand was holding it in its palm. “Good,” Aleesia whispered in her ear. “Now I’m going to step away and you’re going to take over. This should require very little energy on your part.”
Aleesia slowly drew her fingers back from Assirra’s temples, but the moment she was no longer in contact, the coin clunked back down onto the table. “Let’s try again,” Aleesia said, stepping up once more. This time she placed her hands on Assirra’s shoulders instead. “Really try to feel the shared power between us this time. The coin is practically weightless. It should be a simple task, really.” Again, the coin wobbled as Aleesia slowly pushed her energy into Assirra. It rose, then hovered towards them. “Feel it. Control it. Force it to obey you.”
Hoping she had steadied her power well enough, Aleesia started to step away again. But the moment she broke contact, the coin pinged off the floor without even slowing down. Assirra cursed, slapping her hands down on her knees. “I can’t do it,” she said. “The moment you stop feeding me your power, I lose the link immediately.”
Aleesia thought for a moment. It wasn’t a physical problem, that much she knew for certain. In fact, Assirra’s body channeled energy about as well as anyone she had ever seen. The block was mental, but what to do about it? “How did it feel?” she asked after a moment of silence.
“What?”
“The sensation of my energy flowing through you,” she explained. “It was effortless on my part. Your body accepts foreign power like nothing I’ve ever seen. I’m at a loss to explain why you are struggling. So again I ask, how did it feel? Compare it to what it used to feel like to channel power from your god.”
“Well,” Assirra mumbled, stalling to think. “Honestly, the sensation is almost exactly the same. His power flowed through me just the same way yours does. I could then direct it, shape it if you will, and guide it into a fallen soul or someone who might be hurt.”
“So what is different this time?” Aleesia asked. She didn’t seem frustrated just yet, only curious. “You know what I think?” she continued without waiting for a response. “I don’t think anything is different. In fact, the sensation is so familiar that you are falling into your old habits.” Assirra gave her a doubtful look but didn’t interrupt. “You allowed Odao to flow through you with no resistance, and in doing so, you’ve developed a passive nature to its effects. You were constantly at its mercy instead of it being the other way around.
“You have to change your thinking. For instance, I don’t just allow the dead’s energy to flow into me. I reach out with my mind and grab it!” She raised a fist for emphasis. “And once I have it, it is mine to do as I wish. There is nothing passive about my approach. You’re going to have to change your mentality. Remember, you came to me. It’s time you proved to me that I’m not wasting my time.” She picked up the coin and tossed it back on the table, then came back around to stand behind Assirra. “Again. We’re not trying anymore, we are just going to do it. This time I want you to take what is yours.”
Placing her hands on Assirra’s shoulders, the misty white faces started to appear again. Assirra could feel the flow of power moving into her almost immediately. Her first instinct was to just let it flow and run its course as she had done so many times before. Aleesia was right, this sensation was so familiar that she was just sort of flowing right along with it. That had to change. She needed to take a more active role.
“Feel the power rising inside you,” Aleesia said. “It is not just flowing through you, it is you. It is your blood, your flesh. It is the air you breathe, it is life itself. Do not just feel it. Experience it. Take it. Do not settle for a trickle of power when you can have an ocean of it.”
“An ocean,” Assirra repeated softly. An ocean of power. She could feel it inside her, the essence of a hundred dead souls followed by a hundred more. The source of power seemed infinite, but it moved through her like a river, not an ocean. Fast-moving, the current of endless energy swept through her like a rush of raging rapids.
Stop.
The thought was nothing more than the simplest of commands, but the chaotic flow appeared to obey. It didn’t quite stop, but it slowed tremendously. Like a dam had appeared out of nowhere, the raging flow seemed to hit a wall. Filling her with nowhere to go, the power level seemed to rise and rise, rapidly approaching a dangerous level. Frightening, exhilarating, she would not let it go until it obeyed her command.
“What are you doing?” Aleesia asked, jerking her hands away. She could still feel the flow in her partner, but no longer had any control over it. Assirra was doing this on her own. White faces flashed all around the room, their varied expressions changing wildly before disappearing in a flash of vapor. “There are limits!” Aleesia warned, backing away. “Physical limits as to how much your body can endure. I can’t even hold this much! You have to release it, now!”
The river had swelled into an ocean. Pure, white energy filled her to the brim, flooded her body to the point of bursting. Yet still she managed to pull in more. This was not Odao’s power, it was hers. It began to burn her core, making her feel as if she might combust at any moment. It was like swallowing the sun. Still, it was all hers and she did not want to let go. She couldn’t.
“You told me to take what is mine,” she boomed, her enhanced voice practically shaking the walls. “Well, I have done just that. Do not fear for me, for I am not you. Our limits are not the same.” There was no real way Assirra could possibly know what her limits were, but she was not afraid. Somehow she knew what her body could handle. It was like her whole life had been leading up to this moment.
Although the coin did not move an inch, the table did. Rising up off the floor, it began to float around the room along with several other objects. Plates, glasses and silverware all drifted about the hut.
“I don’t believe it,” Aleesia said, watching the spectacle unfold before her eyes. She could not even do this, yet Assirra was controlling several objects at once on her very first try. And she seemed to be pulling energy from an impossibly wide range as white faces flashed from all corners of the hut. How could she be absorbing energy from such a distance? It was impossible.
When exhaustion hit her like a storm, Assirra dropped to her knees and the floating items came crashing down all around the hut. Aleesia raced up to her, lifting her head. “What have you done? Are you all right?” she asked, sincerely worried about the lingering effects of such a show of power. An experienced shadow mage would have had great difficulty in doing such a thing, but a novice could have done permanent damage to herself.
Assirra’s eyes flickered open. Through a stringy curtain of sweat-slickened hair, she smiled. “Am I all right?” she repeated, her voice heavy with exhaustion. Her eyelids fluttered as she fought to stay conscious. “I’ve never felt better in my life.”
Chapter 8
The giant raven shifted slightly, its large talons clicking against the stone. Viola couldn’t help but snicker at the way the lerwick by her side backed away from the beast, eyeing it suspiciously. “They take a little getting used to,” Viola admitted to her. “But I assure you that they’re harmless. There is no reason to be so nervous around them, Syvis.”
“If you say so,” Syvis said, cautiously stepping her way around to Viola’s other side. If this wild bird were to suddenly decide it was hungry, she wanted to make sure someone was in between them.
“Life as you knew it is going to be very different from now on,” Viola said, looking out across the mountain range. The sky flickered with endless lightning, illuminating the underbellies of bulging black clouds. Snow was beginning to fall, the heavy white flakes defying an angry sky that looked
more like they should be in the middle of a downpour.
“Do you see that over there?” Viola pointed, shielding her eyes against the snow.
“See what?” Syvis asked, trying to see through the growing storm. Even in the last few minutes the wind had picked up significantly.
“On top of that second peak, just to the right,” Viola said, stabbing the air with her pointing finger. On a clear day, it would have been obvious. Finally, Syvis nodded. “That is going to be our new home once the structure is finished.” Even in this bad weather, they could still see several humans working around the base of the large structure if they looked hard enough. It appeared that the humans were determined to finish the project no matter what. “Did Rishima or Bella mention anything about this to you?”
“No,” Syvis said. “I was under the impression that they don’t really want to get involved. They just told me to report directly to you.” She eyed the structure off in the distance. “So this was what you wanted to show me?”
“Yes, but I thought we might get a chance to talk as well,” Viola said. “I love the view from out here. It helps me think sometimes. I come out here whenever I get a chance.” Both were immune to the elements, so the increasing cold was nothing to be concerned with. But the increase in blowing snow was a bit bothersome. If it got any worse, they would have to go back in. “I would like to get to know you better, Syvis. Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.” She shrugged. “I answer to you now.”
“And why is that?” Viola asked. Syvis gave her a puzzled look. “What I mean is, why did you come here in the first place?”
