"It is a part of your heritage. Nothing to be ashamed of, but something you need to be aware of. You need to make sure you are still you when you act, that it's not just the feelings controlling your actions. Our heritage can work against us. I have to be careful when planning that I don't delay constantly searching for more knowledge and a perfect plan. I can get lost in a library for days just reading because of my linage. It comes with a need for more learning at an instinctive level."
Agatha looked at him curiously "Is that why you had the gadgets? And how you were so skilled at treating Griffins wounds?"
Einar nodded a bit sheepishly. "It also can be a distraction. And for whatever reason it only hits a god's born once they start drawing on the planes consciously. We don't know why. Not all users are that way. Human magicians, for example, are not. But the gods were. Their curse was passed on to us."
Agatha stood as they reached a cliff top. She sat at the edge and looked out over the valley below, inhaling the scent of the Eucalyptus, lost in thought. "Why hasn't Griffin shown something then?" She asked
"He has. He just seems to be better at controlling it than either of us. Think about it. He went through eight boxes of papers in less than six hours. That's despite how much the information in it was distressing him. He couldn't stop even when he was convinced. He was driven by the need to know it all."
"Oh."
Einar stopped to draw the blade and took out two items from his pocket. A piece of steel and a device that looked like a small speaker. He rapped the blade sharply to cause it to ring then placed it up against the other device. There was a hum from the device, then a shriek and what sounded like metal fragments hitting the stone beneath. She turned to look in a mix of pain and anger only to see him rap the blade again. Metal scales peeled off it with a musical tinkle to reveal the true blade beneath.
There had been a thin layer of steel covering it. She could see the fantastic Celtic knotwork design along the flats and it seemed to be a rosy yellow color. It was beautiful.
Einar was swearing under his breath. Then he drew in a deep breath and sighed. Agatha had used it, so it was hers to claim. "This is the Claiomh Solis, the Sword of the Sun. It is a blade reputed to be feared by all the gods, even Osiris who could recover from any other injury. You have already encountered one of his get."
Agatha thought for a moment. "The Green skinned vomit bait I beheaded that wouldn't die?" Einar nodded
"If you had known how to channel your energy properly he would not have been able to recover - probably. I don't know if the steel coat would affect it." He responded tugging at his beard in thought.
"But you now have two responsibilities. First to learn how to channel energy into the blade. Second to only use it that way as a last resort." Then, leaving the blade with her he walked back to the house. She considered the directives he had given. Lost in thought she continued to look out over the valley.
*************************************************
That evening they all sat down and discussed the plan they'd roughed out a fortnight earlier, clarifying details and deciding which direction to start building towards.
It was decided to start by recruiting Markus if they could find him and see if they could come to an arrangement with the 'Blacker than Black' operatives that Azim knew - at least they had introductions with both of those options. After that was firmed up Griffin announced he would be going into the bush for a while. He needed some space to figure everything out. He suggested that Azim take the lead while he was gone but Einar nixed that. It was evident that Agatha was the best person to be the face of the group - after all her only operational kill was a vampire and most everyone saw them as a scourge.
The next morning Griffin was gone, having left before anyone else was up to avoid goodbyes. The others prepared to move out. It was time to forge a new future for the world.
Epilogue
In the Tibetan Mountains, February 2014
Her name was Nin.
She had been woken from the Dreaming by a psychic burst of agony, guilt and self-loathing. She had never felt anything like it and never expected to feel such a... connection now that her brothers and father were gone. Taken unprepared it had been a week before she recovered enough to start thinking about what it might have been.
It had taken days to figure out. She, long ago, had given up hope that she would be able to find a mate here, so far from her father's people. Her mother's kin who populated this world held no interest for her. They couldn't provide the connection she needed, that all females of her father's race required to reach full maturity.
Her brothers were as infertile as mules with their mothers' people. Others amongst the Travellers thought them... unstable. Well, to be blunt they saw them as psychotic, in a Cain versus Cain kind of way. Neither would have qualified as Able. Most of the travellers were happy to associate with her, and occasionally her father, but they'd avoided her brothers like the plague before they died.
One of the Graki, a lovely woman, was responsible for most of her education and raising. Her teacher had also comforted her when she found no interest in humans and was stuck as an eternal teenager. Even assuring her that some day there would be someone that she would find that bond with. But after centuries of failure, and seeing her family try to shape humanity to something they considered more appropriate, she had decided to fall into the Dreaming. What her family attempted to manipulate humanity into disgusted her. She wanted no part of it.
Now she felt like she a future beyond the Dreaming could be achieved. It was time for her to leave the hidden cave where she slept, in a form of stasis that allowed her mind to wander the astral plane, for centuries. Time to go out into the world again.
She needed to find her mate. He was in pain and newly come into... something. Although she knew much about the changes that had happened in the world she could see some difficulties. She had no ID for example. Then she stretched her body in a feline arch. She shook her head at herself for forgetting her talents. All she had to do was project an aura that everything was normal and people would go about their business hardly noticing her presence unless she interacted with them directly.
She felt so energized now she had the bond. She needed new clothing though - her robes would be somewhat conspicuous outside of the temple that had been set up to protect her sanctuary. Her teacher had been good that way. Tibet was the name of where she lived now, but still, once she traveled it might be... awkward to be in these robes, even after she washed them.
********************************************************************
When she reached the Buddhist monastery near the cave she was greeted with appalling obeisance. The path from her cave led to a small door and there were offerings along it, not many but a few. It took her some time to calm them down and explain that she neither wanted nor required worship or adulation. All she wanted was some assistance to travel south, some more appropriate clothing and some food. She'd start looking in Australia and hope her mate wasn't moving around too fast so she could get a rough triangulation from the feeling her bond kept giving her.
Despite her impatience to meet her bond mate she sat down to a dinner with the senior nun at the monastery. Over dinner the nun assured her that she would have whatever support they could offer. She was surprised to find out many from the order had scattered around the world, and smaller monasteries had been set up on every continent.
The Chinese government made it hard for them to communicate with others but they found methods. Usually it involved someone sneaking across the borders with messages. She also insisted that one from the monastery travel with her at all times. 'You may not think yourself particularly special, but to us you are. We would break faith without sending someone to guard you Nin.'
She now had a plan and a goal. She talked with her protector and guide in this new world. She was fluent in five languages including English and Mandarin. Her name was Rinzen, and she seemed excited to go back int
o the world. She also seemed fascinated by Nin's attitude towards her age and need to be treated normally. Rinzen was incessantly curious about what Nin had seen and a harsh trainer in unarmed combat. Nin was, although impatient to find her mate, aware that if he was in danger she needed to regain the skills the centuries of sleep had cost her. She only hoped she could find him in time...
Author's Note
Hello.
Well, writing this book has been an adventure. I'm writing this as I prepare all my social media stuff for you guys, about 24-36 hours before I finally press 'Publish'
There is so much more to it than simply 'write a book'. You need a good (or at least decent) cover, you need beta readers, you need editor ... the list goes on. And as an Independent you need to sort it all for yourself.
Hopefully some or all of you become fans. That's what every author hopes. Otherwise I simply hope you found the book enjoyable. Or that you found some meaning from it.
I aim to have my writing somewhat different from many authors from the start. For many there is a Storyline, and under that there is plot and character development. I'm just trying to add a bit more. I have some underlying themes as well.
I'm also currently working on my degree part time, and working part time. I hope to be able to drop the job eventually. But that's for the future.
What this means for you, the readers is that I may have a longer turnaround between books than some authors on Amazon. In the 20 books group there are least 3 authors who are releasing at around once a month (Michael Anderlie, T.S. Paul and Arthur Deforest) I plan to try and stick to 6-8 weeks. I can only afford to be part time.
And I have a real thank you for the 20 Books group. What is twenty books? It's a group of current and aspiring Independent Authors as well as beta readers, subject matter experts and other associated people. They have, one and ALL been helpful and encouraging.
Now for the bit I need to ask, even if I don't want to ... please, review this book. Authors need reviews for two reasons. One is to improve their work (which I'm sure you want!) the second is to do with metrics. I don't really understand why but the more reviews, the more Amazon takes notice of your book.
There is of course the reason every Author will tell you - That good reviews push them to go harder on their writing. That's also true.
Now for those social media links.
This is for my Blog
This is for the Betrayed by Faith Mailing list
This is my Author Facebook
This is the Series Facebook
Update: I'm writing this on the 16th of September. I apologize for the delay on A-viking, the sequel. It is progressing well and will be out (I hope) before the end of the months
Paladin (Betrayed by Faith Book 1) Page 8
