Rune of the Apprentice (The Rune Chronicles)

by Jamison Stone

  Kefta paused. When he continued, his voice was filled with a mix of old sadness and new anger. “When I dropped those bottles in the water, it really felt like my father could hear me. For years I would write him about our life. About how Rihat and I were doing, and how much I wanted to have known him. And now . . .” Kefta paused, putting a hand to his eyes. “With Rihat . . . with Rihat . . . dead”—tears leaked down Kefta’s swollen cheeks—“I thought I should write . . . I thought I should write him now . . .”

  Kefta leaned over the gunwale and his shoulders shook with silent sobs. Aleksi stood next to him, stoic and unmoving, as Kefta continued to cry. Aleksi looked up to the stars glowing in the sky and swallowed hard. Slowly, Aleksi reached out a timid hand and placed his palm on Kefta’s shoulder. Aleksi could feel Kefta’s lungs expand and contract as he silently wept.

  For a long moment they both stood bathed in the light of the moon as the ocean’s glowing water rippled before them and stretched out into the dark distance.

  “I know this must seem silly to you,” Kefta said, sniffing as he lifted his head. “But he was my brother . . . is my brother.”

  “You honor those you’ve loved and lost,” Aleksi said, letting his hand fall from Kefta’s shoulder. “There is nothing silly in that.”

  “When I was young, writing the letters made me feel better. Now . . .” Kefta looked at Aleksi. The circles under his eyes were badly swollen and his face was red and raw. “Now it only makes me feel worse. My bottle, the ceremony for the Arkai, Domadred and his big book, the chants, none of it will bring Rihat back. It’s all just a waste.”

  “Giving respect to the fallen is never wasted,” Aleksi answered. “I don’t know the pain you feel, but I do know that the Arkai can do some wondrous things. If it is possible that your father and brother can hear you, don’t you want to do anything you can to send them a message? To let them know you are thinking of them and that you love them?” Aleksi turned and looked at the floating orb of light in the sky. “I don’t pretend to understand the mystery of the Arkai, but as the old saying goes, ‘I have been to Mindra’s Haven.’ I have seen their power, Kefta, and faith in the Arkai’s promise is never wasted.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Kefta said, wiping his swollen face. “Still, it doesn’t bring them back.”

  “No, it doesn’t.”

  “It’s been years since I’ve talked about those letters. I’m sorry for getting all emotional on you.” Kefta dried his eyes and cleared his throat. When the young man spoke again, his tone had changed. “This is the first time you have seen the deep currents, right?”

  “Indeed so.”

  “It’s really something, isn’t it?”

  “It really is.” Aleksi looked out across the sparkling water and gazed upon the many thousands of glow-capped waves before them. Terra’s second moon then suddenly broke over the horizon and its light shimmered over the ocean, mixing with the luminescence. As the orb rose higher, it cast innumerable tiny flashes across the sea. Aleksi watched with rapt attention as the moon’s light commingled with the water’s pulsing glow. The sight truly was awe inspiring.

  “The first time I saw it,” Kefta said, letting out a great sigh, “I remember being comforted. I sat in the crow’s nest all night, just staring.”

  “It’s very impressive.” Aleksi answered. “So much movement—so much life.”

  “Yeah, I think that’s why I find it soothing. You can just get lost in it and disappear.”

  “I wish it were that easy. For me it’s . . . overwhelming.”

  Behind them, Aleksi heard a group of sailors come up from the gun deck. They had mugs in their hands and joked noisily as they walked up to the mainmast’s port shrouds.

  “Go on, then, Malec,” one of the men said. “Shut these men up with a song.” A seaman then handed off his mug and hopped up onto the shrouds. Holding on with one hand, he cleared his throat and began to sing.

  “I rested my wings and can fly no more. My heart, once strong, is now broken and sore.

  As I cast my gaze to the stars unbound, why doth my soul yearn so profound?

  “The pain is clear, it does not fade. Why is there no end to this evil charade?

  Oh, Guardians, shine your holy light down, for darkness comes and circles round.”

  Aleksi looked at the man as he sang. The sailor was one of the crew’s younger members, most likely only a few years older than Kefta. As the seaman continued, his long blond hair shone lustrously in the moonlight.

  “I feel its pull penetrating deep. It says my soul it shall safe keep.

  But I must not fall to its alluring song, for its promises made shall break at dawn.

  “When will he come, the Chosen One? The Kalki, Terra’s savior and eternal son?

  Born of the moons, mother and father both, he shines with love, which darkness loathes.”

  The young man had a clear voice and sang beautifully. Aleksi knew the song well—everyone did. Aleksi looked over and saw that Kefta was watching the young man intently.

  “When they touch again, their son reborn. Their light commingled, their pain forsworn.

  Numen’s gift, Terra he shall reclaim, his rightful seat upon the throne of flame.

  “But before his ascent, he must go forth and apprentice under twin stars to find his worth.

  Dual tutelage he will ascertain, learning a path both light and dark, each filled with pain.

  “Despite the trials, he shall prevail, and give the Dark Ones flight back past the veil.

  Yet I am only a lone child of grace, so I wait for the Kalki and urge his haste . . .”

  The sound of the man’s voice slowly faded, leaving only the whisper of wind and sea lingering in Aleksi’s ear.

  “What do you think about the Kalki prophecy?” Kefta asked, gesturing at the moons in the sky. “Do you think they will one day give birth to some holy savior of Terra?”

  “I don’t know,” Aleksi answered, “but my teachers thought so. They said he would usher in a new age. But for that to happen, the Dark Ones would need to return. Only when they walk again will Kalki be born. At least that’s what they said.”

  Kefta gave a short laugh and turned to Aleksi. “Well, I haven’t heard of any dark specters attacking our cities recently, so it seems like Terra will just have to wait a little longer for its savior. But that may not be such a bad thing.”

  Aleksi didn’t respond and continued to watch the moon as it rose higher over the horizon. What if the Dark Ones do return? Could it possibly be as bad as Terra’s current age of stagnation and petty bickering? Suddenly, Aleksi’s Rune pulsed. “Yet I am only a lone child of grace, so I wait for him and urge his haste . . .”

  CHAPTER XXV

  As Aleksi continued to look out at the shimmering water, he suddenly felt a hand grip his shoulder. Surprised, the youth spun and knocked the arm away, readying himself to draw against his assailant.

  “Be aware of your surroundings at all times or not at all,” Luka said, massaging his struck forearm. “But either way, you must learn to control yourself and not lash out, lest we have a repeat of that.” Luka then gestured toward Kefta’s swollen face.

  “What do you want?” Kefta asked, eyeing the man disdainfully.

  “I wish to have private words with Aleksi, Quartermaster. I suggest you leave now if you wish to keep that position.”

  “Is that a threat?”

  “That’s amusing coming from you. No, it’s actually a suggestion. The men below speak openly of your failures as an officer. I advise you to go and talk with them if you have any interest in preserving your rank on this ship.”

  Kefta spat in Luka’s face before walking away.

  “And that,” Luka said, turning to Aleksi as he wiped his eye, “is why people look down on sailors.”

  “I see what you are doing,” Aleksi said, resting his hand on the hilt of his blade. “And I’m not the only one.”

  “You mean you see me trying to broker peace for a
fissured nation by returning an outcast ship of war heroes back to a position of honor that was wrongly stolen from them? Maybe you are smarter than I give you credit for, Aleksi.”

  “No, when the Diamond was boarded, the crew said that officers loyal to the Resistance were singled out in the combat. It’s all rather opportune—your boarding and their murder. You then fight off the lingering assailants to rally the crew’s favor. It all seems as if it was planned from the beginning. Even the murder and chaos in Mindra’s Square . . .”

  “In some cases, sacrifices must be made for the greater good.”

  “Then you admit it’s true?”

  “Sadly, there is a price for everything, Aleksi. Even peace.”

  “Peace? The men who betrayed the leaders of the East were not agents of peace, they were assassins!”

  “Open your eyes, boy,” Luka said, shaking his head in the moonlight. “In Mindra’s Haven, the upper classes rule the lower as if they were slaves. You must have seen it when you walked the city. That new Eastern treaty would only have subjugated the people further. The actual people of the East live as second-class citizens, and wrongfully so. Even as we speak now, those who reside in Old City are rebelling against the corrupt aristocracy of Guardians’ Plaza. All Asura did was give the people a chance—nay, rather an opportunity—to claim their freedom. Asura merely lit the spark of revolution, son. The kindling of inequality has been gathering for over an age.”

  “Women and children dead in the street?” Aleksi growled. “That is no path to freedom! That’s slaughter! If you are truly a Master of the Academy, how could you act in such a way?”

  “Several of us no longer wish to hide in our arcane towers and watch the world decay before our eyes.”

  “So you don’t deny it!” Aleksi said, taking a step back. “You are a Master. What of your vows?”

  “My colleagues and I have chosen to save Terra from the putrid stagnation of the Modern Age. You are no different, Aleksi, for you chose to act, too—you abandoned your Academy. Sadly, you do not yet know what you fight for or what you even believe in. Instead, you blindly follow a man who is no different than those you condemn.”

  “I follow a Master who has earned my trust time and time again. You are nothing compared to Rudra! Rudra would never kill women and children to achieve his goal.”

  “Oh, Aleksi, how naive you are.” Luka let out a great sigh and looked up to the stars above. “A tree’s branches must be trimmed to allow new growth to flourish—especially when those branches have grown old and rotten. Rudra knows this better than any of us. If you only knew the truth of your beloved teacher . . .”

  Luka paused as his gaze lowered to the sea. Shining out of the open portholes below, the gun deck’s lanterns cast odd streaks of yellow across the glimmering water. As Aleksi watched Luka carefully, sounds of drunken merriment floated up from the gun deck beneath them.

  “Lord Asura is the leader this world needs to regain its former beauty. Sadly, the path to redemption can be a bloody one. Much like he has done in the North, Asura will soon restabilize the East and give the power back to the people. But to do so, he has to trim back the deadwood. The same was done here on this ship. I needed the crew to be able to listen to the logic of my offer. Even so, you saw how hard it was for me to discuss peace with the captain, let alone have the opportunity to speak with him in the first place. It’s all very sad, really.”

  “I’ll tell Domadred!” Aleksi blurted. “I’ll tell the crew that you are a Master of the Academy; I’ll tell them what you have done! That you are a killer who has forsaken his vows.”

  “Vows?! Ha! What do you know of the Masters’ Vow? No, even if the men of this ship did believe you, what would they do? You think they are any different than I? The ocean runs red with their savage piracy. Besides, they desperately want what I have to offer—vindication and power. And, more importantly, once they find out the truth about you, a truth I am happy to share with them, they will undoubtedly claim the hefty bounty that’s on your head. Do you think your new friends would turn a blind eye to the fortune the Academy will pay for your return? A runaway student fetches a very high price, Aleksi, or have you forgotten that it is actually you who has forsaken vows? You and I are not as different as you would like to believe, son.”

  “I’m nothing like you!” Anger swelled in Aleksi’s voice. “Killing to achieve one’s goal is the path of a fallen Master. You and Asura have given yourself to the darkness. I will not allow it to continue! I will end this here and now!” Aleksi gripped his sword to draw but then stopped short as Luka laughed.

  “Such hypocrisy!” Luka exclaimed, slapping the gunwale for emphasis. “You threaten to kill me because I am a killer? Your logic teachers must have taught you better than that! I am no more of the darkness than you, or any defender of freedom, for that matter. If you want proof, look at my eyes, boy. Do they look black to you? Aleksi, you killed in Mindra’s Haven; does that make you fallen? No. There are times when you must kill to preserve life. That tenet is followed by Masters of each Academy. In fact, it is at the core of our teachings!”

  “To kill women and children?!”

  “Come now, son, even you know what happens to students who do not become Apprentices. The unascended are no more than children when they are culled, and for good reason. Child, adult, man, woman—it makes no difference, they are all the same. You do what needs to be done. That, son, is the path of a Master.”

  “So, then, what do you want with me?” Aleksi asked, watching Luka warily.

  “Sadly,” Luka continued, taking a step forward, “Asura has decreed that you, much like the unascended students, must also be purged. Now that you have fled your Academy, there are many who search for you, all hungry to fulfill his will. You are lucky it was I who found you first and not one of Asura’s shadows. They are not as generous as I, nor as insightful into the nature of misunderstood Apprentices.”

  “I am ready,” Aleksi said, thumbing his blade from its sheath in preparation to draw, “for them—and for you!”

  “Do not force my hand against you, Aleksi. I had wanted you to live. Although clever, you overestimate your power against a Master. Besides, it need not end that way for you.” Luka paused and placed both hands on the gunwale. He looked out at the shimmering horizon and took a deep breath. “Aleksi, I am not the monster you portray me to be. In fact, I am a fair man—a just man. Honestly, none of this is your fault. The fault lies with Nataraja. Nataraja and Rudra both.”

  Luka turned and looked into Aleksi’s eyes. “Despite Asura’s decree, I will give you a way to live. I offer you a choice. Swear fealty and train under me. Cast off your ties to Rudra and become my Apprentice. If you do, Asura will spare you—this I swear. In time you will reclaim your lineage’s lost prestige and bring honor to your fallen house once again. With the right training, you can surpass even your father’s legacy. More importantly, that is, with the right Master.”

  “. . . I will never betray Rudra.” Aleksi’s words sounded weak even in his own ears.

  “Such loyalty. Honestly, it’s admirable. If you knew the truth about Rudra, though, I wonder if you would still feel so devoted. Aleksi, do you know how your parents died? Do you even know who they were?”

  Aleksi shifted uneasily.

  “You cling to a Master who has not only abandoned you but wronged you far worse than you could possibly imagine. You do not even begin to know the truth of your past . . . But I will show you.”

  Luka then raised his hand and took a step toward Aleksi. The youth tried to draw his blade, but his arm would not respond. Aleksi’s eyes grew wide as he watched Luka’s hand move toward his face.

  “It’s all there in your mind, Aleksi,” Luka said, as a soft glow glimmered on his palm. “It’s locked in your memory. You were there when it happened—you both were. All you need to do is remember.”

  Luka’s palm touched Aleksi’s forehead. Suddenly, Aleksi felt searing pain flood into his mind. Aleksi staggered
back as his vision went blurry and the horizon spun with vertigo. Clinging to the ship’s gunwale, Aleksi desperately tried to regain his balance.

  “Go back to your room,” Luka said, helping Aleksi to stand. “The remembering will take you shortly.” As Aleksi tried to steady himself, he groped for the hilt of his sword. “Oh, come now, give it a rest. Go to your quarters and lie in your bed. I assume you do not wish the others to see you fall asleep on the deck. They will assume you are drunk, and someone will have to carry you down.”

  Luka guided Aleksi as the youth took several staggering steps toward the stairs that led below. “If you are as strong as you think yourself to be,” Luka continued, “you will survive the forced remembering. It will cause you great pain, but as I said, everything has its price. For your sake, I hope to see you tomorrow. If you survive, I trust you will be a bit more open minded to my offer.”

  Aleksi’s vision became blurrier with each step. The sharp burning in his head turned into a pounding throb as he stumbled down the stairs. Now alone, Aleksi was forced to use the wall to steady himself as he shambled to his room. As if reawakened by the throbbing, the Rune on his hand started to match the painful rhythmic pulsing in his head. Fumbling at the door handle, Aleksi breathed in jagged gulps. As he opened his door, deep fear crept into his heart. Aleksi knew he had to hurry.