“The Blight is repelled by the power of Soul, so by using it in an appropriate way it can help slow the process,” Marla said. The two Mystics remained quiet.
“I think it’s helping,” Alyx said.
“How are you feeling?” Alrion said. He moved a little closer.
“Mostly the same, but I have a bit more energy. The final part of the journey was a bit hazy, but I see we made it. What’s the plan now?”
“It’s a long story, but essentially my father and I seem to possess the same power as the Mystics. The eldest, Jovana, is my grandmother.”
“That seems like quite a revelation. Your father said nothing before today?”
“No.” Alrion looked at his father. Vincent didn’t say anything.
“Very well. How does that help us?”
“If I train in this power, I can cure myself. And then I suppose figure out how to cure others. They weren’t particularly clear on that.”
“That’s because it’s your part of the equation. Soul power will be required, but we can’t cleanse the Blight in others with it. As a wizard you have that capability,” Marla said patiently.
“I see. Well, there seems to be a lot more to this, but it seems clear that they should be able to hold off my infection long enough for you to cure yourself. Then you are both more effective at fighting the Blight, and you can figure out how to cure me.”
“That’s it.”
“A better position than we were in a day ago. You’d best get started though,” Alyx said. She pointed at the door.
“As you wish. Good to see you’re doing relatively well. Take care,” Alrion said. Vincent said his goodbyes too and they left the dome.
“Soon you’re going to have to explain things more. I’m not quite satisfied,” Alrion said to his father.
“That’s reasonable. But there’s not much else I can say. Try to imagine that you don’t remember your mother, and I described her as living in a faraway place and never talked about her. Would you feel compelled to seek her out?”
“Yes. I would need to know.”
“Then we are different in that respect. Let’s talk about it more later.” Vincent looked away, clearly uncomfortable. Alrion wanted to say more, but decided to leave it. They had something else more important to do.
The snow crunched under their boots as they made their way to another dome. This one initially looked like it was completely covered in snow. But once Alrion was closer, he saw that it was made from a lighter colour of stone.
“This one looks different,” he said.
“Yes, this is the Pool of Reflection. It is instrumental to our training.” Marla stopped in front of the building, next to the main door.
“That’s interesting. Any connection to the Pool of Knowledge?”
“I don’t think so. Come inside,” Marla said. She opened the door and ushered them in.
Inside the lighting was dim, but Alrion could see the pool immediately. It was large and still, began in the centre of the room and took up half the space inside. The most interesting aspect though was the light glow that shone off the surface of the water.
“This is incredible,” Lara said. She stepped forward carefully.
“Is the water the only source of light in here?” Alrion said. He couldn’t spot any torches or windows anywhere.
“Yes. Below the ground is what we call the Great Source. It is a large well of water that is infused with Soul power,” Marla said. She walked forward and sat cross-legged before the pool.
“Was that done by the Mystics?” Alrion said.
“No, it has always been that way. We believe that is why our home is here.”
“Is that what the elder peers into as well?” Lara said.
“You are quite perceptive. Yes, every day water is drawn from here and taken there. The elder uses it for various purposes.”
“Such as?” Alrion said.
“She can see a great many things in the reflection.”
“Is that how she would have watched me?” Vincent said. He still looked uncomfortable.
“I suppose so. Nobody else knows how to do that, it’s a skill only the elder possesses.”
“Why do you call her the elder, and not grandmother? Or something similar?”
“She is the eldest first, and my grandmother second.”
“Can this water give us power?” Alrion said.
“No, the water is a focus and an aid. Nobody can give you Soul power. It is within you. Much like your Spark.”
“You said we could train it?”
“Yes, that’s what we are here for. I will begin by explaining some of the basic concepts. Then your friend will need to return to the visitor residence. She cannot participate in the training.”
“But …”
“Don’t worry, I have other things to attend to. Let’s hear the overview,” Lara said. Marla swivelled around so she faced them.
“I hinted at this earlier, but in many ways Soul power is the complete opposite to Spark. You use it to manipulate the world outside, but struggle to manipulate yourself.”
“That’s right. I learned a healing spell, and I was told that it was next to useless on myself. I needed another wizard to heal me.”
“Exactly. Soul power is used to manipulate yourself, and cannot be used on others. That is why we cannot cure people of the Blight.”
“There has to be exceptions though. When I was almost dead at the Pool of Knowledge, I managed to heal myself enough to not die. The wizard who attacked me couldn’t believe it.”
“Your Spark did not do that.”
“Then what did?”
“In your time of need, you must have tapped into your Soul power. Even a trickle would have been enough to make the difference.”
“I never considered that.” Alrion went quiet, he was thinking over what it meant. He didn’t think there were any other situations where he may have used it.
“If Soul power only affects you, how come you can heal others?” Lara said.
“Excellent question. There are two aspects to the healing. The first is that by having mastery over our own bodies, we can better diagnose and cure others.”
“That makes sense. Mostly,” Lara said.
“The other aspect is that we can enhance our bodies with Soul power, perhaps even to the point of saturation. Then the effect spills out and can affect others. That is what you witnessed with your friend Alyx.”
“Wouldn’t that be a lot less effective?” Alrion said.
“Of course. But with the proper training you can overcome that. There are also other tricks where you can help convince the body to better heal itself. We’ve been doing this for a long time.”
“And doing it in a subtle way. Were those Healers we encountered on the way Mystics?” Vincent said.
“In this area, yes all the Healers are Mystics. Some return here regularly, others only come once to master their gift and never return.”
“And they never said anything. It was all vague and supportive, but not specific,” Lara said.
“Of course. Our order survives on its secrecy. Many years ago, some of us acted openly. But they were cursed as witches and hunted ruthlessly. We learned our lesson, and hide in plain sight. There is a good reason why we also learn the art of herbs and other treatments.”
“She’s got an answer for everything,” Lara said.
“They’re not answers, they’re explanations. This is what we do, and why.”
“Anything else I need to know?” Lara said.
“Yes. Soul power regenerates slowly over time. There are only a few ways to speed it up, and they are not particularly effective either.”
“Well, I wouldn’t need to use it that much, would I?” Alrion said.
“To overcome your infection, you would need to draw upon perhaps the entire amount. That is significant. I also assume curing anyone else of the Blight, should you figure out the method, would also be very taxing. You could probably only do one p
erson at a time.”
“That’s worth considering,” Lara said.
“Yes, although it’s not that strange. I have limits to my Spark too and I have to rest to recover.”
“Good. You will just need time to become accustomed to your Soul power and its reserves. Now, I believe that is enough of the introductory statements. Lara, you will need to leave now.” Marla gestured to the door and Lara nodded.
“I’ll keep Alyx company. You better learn fast, we need more options for when Wraith eventually knocks on the door.”
“I’ll do my best,” Alrion said.
“Do better!” Lara said, and left. Marla waited until the door had fully closed then turned her attention back to Vincent and Alrion.
“Any other questions before we proceed?”
“How long will this take?” Alrion said.
“It will take a lifetime to master, as with anything. However, the eldest believes that since you are her descendent, you should have a large capacity. Therefore, even if you lack the skill and finesse, within days you should be able to access enough to overturn your infection.”
“Good that she thinks it is possible. If we didn’t have terrible things bearing down on us I would jump for joy at that suggestion. To think that I may be rid of this curse that soon is incredible. But, it may be too long.”
“It’s a fantastic opportunity, don’t overanalyse it just yet. Let her begin, and we will get a feel for how it is progressing,” Vincent said. Alrion saw the value in that, and he gave his full attention to Marla.
“Good, now we can begin.” Marla quickly spun around, facing the water once more. “Sit next to me and cross your legs as I am.”
“Sure,” Alrion said. He sat on her left, and Vincent sat on her right. Alrion found it uncomfortable sitting with his legs crossed but ignored it.
“Now, take your right hand and hold it out with your palm facing the water.” Marla demonstrated and Alrion followed along. His hand was hovering above the glowing water. He looked over and saw his father doing the same.
“Good. Now focus your attention on your hand. Can you feel a warm tingling sensation?” Marla’s face was calm and she looked over at Alrion. He concentrated but didn’t feel anything yet.
“I can,” Vincent said.
“Good, hold that feeling. Alrion try harder,” Marla said. Alrion sighed and resumed his concentration. He tried to remember the exercise he had done with Certan, maintaining his will over the floating strip of wood. There had been effortlessness to it, once he’d figured it out. This would be the same kind of thing. He slowed everything down, isolating the feeling in his arm, then his hand. He felt a cool sensation, almost slimy. He had a good idea of what that was, but pushed it away. He searched harder for what Marla had described. Focusing on his hand, letting it tell him what it was feeling above all else. He started to feel it, faint at first, but getting stronger and stronger.
“I’m getting it,” Alrion said, almost in a panic. He felt he could lose it at any moment.
“Excellent. The water helps as a focus, and an amplifier. That’s why we train here. Now I need you to take that feeling, and trace it all the way back to your heart.”
“Easier said than done.” Alrion had struggled to even get that far. And now to go even further? But it was all he could do right now, so he set his mind to it. He latched onto that feeling, and nurtured it. He coaxed it back up his arm slowly. He suspected that actually the feeling was emanating from somewhere else, that he wasn’t really working it up his arm. But the idea helped him continue, so he ran with it. Bit by bit, he felt the sensation travelling up his arm. Then it started to cross over to his chest, just under his collarbone.
His thoughts immediately turned to the black marks on his neck, the source of his infection. And like that, it was as if the slimy ooze of the Blight had overwhelmed him. The warm sensation was lost immediately, and Alrion slumped down in despair. He looked over at his father, sitting calmly.
“I have done it,” Vincent said quietly. Marla nodded and looked over at Alrion.
“What happened?”
“It was working, but then something happened. I’m not sure if my focus was too close to where I was infected, or it was my thinking about it. But it was all lost in an instant. It was like the Blight overtook the feeling and my concentration.”
“There’s something to that. Partially in your mind, but partially interference. The infection coursing through you does not want you tapping into your Soul power. It fears it. You will have difficulty learning.”
“Great, just want I needed to hear!” Alrion said. He felt defeated.
“The reward is worth it. Or are you going to give up on Alyx?” Vincent said. Alrion felt a surge of anger.
“Just because it’s so easy for you! Of course I won’t give up.” Alrion knew his father was only trying to help. And holding onto the anger wouldn’t be helpful. But at the same time, he couldn’t seem to let go of it just yet.
26
FALTERING
Alrion lay back down, exhausted.
“You’ve earned a break,” Marla said. Despite the cold, Alrion oozed sweat from the sheer concentration required. It was slow and frustrating progress. His father seemed to be having an easier time of it, which just made it all harder.
“Will it at some point get easier?” Alrion said.
“It will, when you cure yourself. Until then, I doubt there will be a significant change,” Marla said. Alrion looked over at his father.
“You seem to be doing better.”
“Only because I don’t have the handicap you do. You’re working harder than both of us,” Vincent said. He gave Alrion a reassuring smile. It should have worked, but it just annoyed Alrion more.
“I just wish there was a way to know it was working.”
“Of course it’s working. You are finding a way to work through the exercises. What else do you need?” Marla said.
“Some sort of feedback that’s more tangible than this feeling I’m chasing. Being a wizard is very different. You see something happening from the very beginning.”
“Again, that’s because your talent lies with manipulating the world. Soul power will be less tangible, because you are just affecting yourself. And you are at the same time learning to be more sensitive to your body. It’s just how it is.” Marla sounded like she was sick of repeating herself. Alrion figured that she had probably never trained anyone who was infected before.
There’s a first time for everything, he thought.
“I do think Alrion has a good point though. When will we know that we’ve reached a breakthrough?”
“You’ll know it when you feel it. It’s like an explosion of warmth and light and envelops your entire body. You feel calm and at peace, a tranquillity that feels like it will never end.”
“That would be obvious.”
“Does that mean that I would be cured?” Alrion said.
“Yes. I don’t see how the Blight would be able to survive such a transformation.”
“That’s good to know. I’ll just have to keep working at it then.”
“Good. Now that you’ve had a short rest, we should continue. Next we will be focusing on your head.” Marla stood and gestured for Alrion and Vincent to do the same.
“This time you get to cheat a little bit. We’re going to dunk our heads in the water.” Marla looked at them both, awaiting their response.
“Wouldn’t that contaminate it?” Vincent said.
“You think this water cares about whatever’s on your skin?” Marla raised one eyebrow.
“I suppose not.”
“What about me? Can’t I taint it somehow?” Alrion was still concerned about his infection.
“Have you been paying attention? Your infection is internal, and there’s enough Soul power infused in this water to drive the Blight away. No more excuses, just follow my lead.” Marla stepped up to the water. She knelt carefully, then with a swift motion dunked her head in. It was
over before they realised and she quickly swept her hair back to keep the water from running into her eyes.
“Alrion next,” she said. Alrion joined her, and kneeled on her left side.
Let’s see what this does.
He ducked his head into the water without thinking. It felt heavy, like it could pull him in. He struggled against it, pulling his head back and gasping for air. The water streamed down his face and he wiped it away.
“Why did you keep your head in the water?” Marla said. Alrion gave her a confused look. He noticed his father was hovering over them, concern on his face.
“I didn’t keep it under. My head felt heavy, like the water was pulling me in. I had to force myself back up again.”
“I’ve never heard of that before.” Marla went very quiet.
“You were under for a good thirty seconds,” Vincent said. Alrion felt sick.
“It didn’t feel like that long. Wow, was the water trying to drown me. Can it do that?”
“Of course not. Never mind, it’s done now. Vincent your turn now,” she said. Alrion watched very closely. His father dunked his head in swiftly, and had it back out of the water instantaneously.
“That’s what I expected,” Marla said. Vincent swept the hair out of his face and looked at Alrion.
“We have to assume it was a weird reaction due to the Blight. Don’t dwell on it too much. What do we do now?” Vincent said.
“Now we focus once more. This time we need to feel the energy within our core. Then we are going to run it up to our head. This will be tricky, but is a crucial step in both your training and preparation.”
This is going to be difficult.
All the exercises that seemed to come close to his neck had either been sabotaged or a strain on him. It was no coincidence either, with that being where he had been infected.
Well, one way or another I need to get this to work. Here we go, he thought. He started to focus, capturing the feeling within his chest. The strange vibration and tingling. As he felt it he kept the sensation going. He made sure it was as strong as he could get it. Then he started to move it upwards.
Spark of Truth (The Hidden Wizard Book 3) Page 20
