Fated av-1

by Benedict Jacka

  ‘Back in the chamber,’ Luna said slowly. ‘You were ready to kill them.’

  ‘Of course I was!’

  ‘I’m not sorry about Griff,’ Luna said. Her left hand moved unconsciously to her crippled right side, but she seemed to have forgotten about her broken arm. She was staring at me intently. ‘But I’ve never seen you like that, not until-’ Luna stopped, and something changed in her eyes.

  For some reason I felt a sudden stab of fear. I wanted to push past, make a run for the exit, but Luna and Starbreeze were blocking my way now, staring at me. ‘What?’

  ‘Alex?’ Luna asked, and all of a sudden her voice was very careful. ‘What happened when you picked up that thing?’ She gestured to the wand in my hand.

  I opened my mouth to reply, and suddenly everything was silent and I was standing outside my body again. Luna and Starbreeze were looking at where I stood, but I couldn’t hear them any more.

  I rolled my eyes. ‘Not you again.’

  ‘Are you going to stand around all day?’ Abithriax demanded, striding into view. He’d appeared right next to me in his red robes, and he looked seriously pissed off.

  ‘Shut up,’ I muttered. As soon as Abithriax had reappeared, my headache had gotten worse, bad enough that it felt like someone taking a hammer to my skull. Just talking was making me nauseous.

  ‘Listen, Verus,’ Abithriax said. His voice was on edge, tense. ‘I’ve been sitting listening to this conversation and I’m thoroughly bored with it. Just get us outside and I’ll teach you to help this Sonder boy however you want.’

  ‘Leave me alone,’ I said through clenched teeth. If only my head would stop hurting. ‘Why do you care about getting outside anyway?’

  Something flickered in Abithriax’s eyes and I stopped. I’d only wanted to shut him up, but that look made me pay attention. I’d stumbled on something Abithriax didn’t want me to know. More than one thing. I shook my head. If only I could think straight.

  ‘Look,’ Abithriax said carefully. He’d calmed down again and his voice was calm, reasonable. ‘I’ve got nothing against the boy. It just wouldn’t be sensible to go back now. If we can get to somewhere with more facilities, then we can …’

  Abithriax kept talking, but I wasn’t listening. I was looking up through the portal at the stars shining down from the night sky. Starlight. What did that remind me of?

  ‘… more safely,’ Abithriax was saying. ‘In any case-’

  ‘The greater power for the lesser,’ I said absently.

  ‘What was that?’

  ‘Abithriax?’ I said. All of a sudden my headache was gone. I could think clearly again, and all of my attention was focused on the man in front of me. ‘How do you know my name?’

  ‘I’m sorry?’

  ‘My name,’ I said pleasantly, and I didn’t take my eyes off him.

  ‘Well — your friend.’

  I shook my head slowly. ‘Luna calls me Alex. Not Verus.’

  ‘One of the others, then.’

  ‘Which one?’

  Abithriax hesitated. Just for a second his eyes shifted, and I saw something behind them, something calculating and cold.

  No, it had always been there, I just hadn’t been looking for it. ‘I’ll open my mind to you, my knowledge and skill will be yours …’ Stupid, stupid, stupid. If I could look into his mind, he could look into mine. Why hadn’t I asked how someone who’d been sealed away two thousand years could speak perfect English?

  ‘Why do you want to get out of here so badly, Abithriax?’ I kept my voice friendly, but inwardly I was tensing. When I’d merged with Abithriax last time, I’d touched him. He might be a ghost to everyone else, but if I could get close …

  Abithriax stood still for a long moment, then straightened. ‘All right.’

  I tried to move, but Abithriax was faster. All of a sudden I was paralysed, frozen. There was no spell or gesture: one moment I was talking, the next rooted to the spot. All I could move was my eyes.

  Abithriax walked forward. As he did he seemed to grow in presence, become larger, more there, as if until now he’d been holding himself back. The red streaks in his hair and beard stood out brightly, and all of a sudden they made me think of blood. ‘You just had to make this difficult, didn’t you?’

  I couldn’t answer. Behind Abithriax, I could see Luna and Starbreeze. They were talking, speaking to my frozen body, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. ‘Still, I suppose I should be impressed,’ Abithriax said. ‘Normally my wielders never even notice. The name was careless of me … lack of practice, I suppose, it’s been such a long time …’ He glanced at me. ‘You asked how I did it. I suppose it’s only fair. I was a mind mage. That was how I was able to imbue myself into my fateweaver. But I always hesitated to make that final jump … until the alternative was death. But once I’d adjusted to my new form, learning to control a bearer was quite straightforward …’

  Luna was standing next to my body, now. She was trying to pull the fateweaver out of my hands, struggling with her one good arm. Starbreeze had joined her, heedless of the pain, and Luna was shouting silently, her face frantic. ‘Interesting,’ Abithriax said. ‘She’s worked it out. I think I’ll keep her, if she doesn’t make too much trouble … Where was I? Oh yes. First I took revenge on my betrayers in the Light Council. It took them quite some time to realise what was happening. They’d kill my wielder, but then they’d take the fateweaver for themselves, and of course I’d just start all over again.’ Abithriax shook his head. ‘And yet even when the last few figured it out, they couldn’t bear to destroy me. All that power, you see. So they built me this tomb and sealed me away, hoping to find a way to take my power for themselves. And eventually they stopped coming and I was left to wait out the years, alone in the dark.’

  I was struggling to move, but couldn’t. I wasn’t panicking yet, but things were looking bad. Abithriax was talking to me the way you do to someone who’s not going to be around long enough for it to matter.

  ‘And then you came,’ Abithriax said. ‘I hadn’t expected it to be this easy. But perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. It may have been two thousand years, but mages haven’t changed. Power, power, power.’ Abithriax took a final glance back at Luna and Starbreeze, and nodded to himself. ‘Well, we’d better get on with it.’

  Abithriax placed his hand flat against my chest. For a moment nothing happened, then I felt a draining sensation, as if the strength was flowing out of me and into the man — the ghost — in front of me. I fought against it, trying to pull it back. ‘There’s no point resisting,’ Abithriax said calmly. ‘Each time you used my powers you granted me more of a hold. If you’d fought me from the instant you picked me up you might have had a chance, but it’s far too late now.’

  Starbreeze was still trying to pull the fateweaver away, with no success. Luna was standing in front of me, and I could see she was crying. I could make out the silver mist of her curse clearly, its tendrils soaking into Starbreeze, but curling away from my body. ‘There’s no need to be afraid, Verus.’ Abithriax’s voice was reassuring. ‘I looked into your memories, and isn’t this what you always wanted? To be powerful enough that you needn’t be afraid any more? Soon you’ll be the most powerful mage in the world. Well, it won’t exactly be you. But you’ll still be in there, watching everything that happens.’ Abithriax paused. ‘At least, I think so.’

  Abithriax’s voice was getting stronger, and I realised it was starting to sound like mine. He was taking over my mind, and soon he’d have the rest of me as well. My strength had been drained so far now that if I hadn’t been paralysed, I wouldn’t even have been able to stand. All I could do was look at Luna and taste despair. Oh Luna, I’m sorry. All this way, and this is how it ends. I don’t want to think about what this man’s going to do with you once I’m gone, but I can’t stop him. He’s going to win, and there’s nothing I can do …

  The light seemed to be fading, but I knew it wasn’t the light that was going, it was my vi
sion. Because of that, it took me a moment to notice what was different about Luna and, when I did, I would have blinked if I could. The silvery mist around her was changing to gold. She was standing close to me, head down as if praying.

  ‘Goodbye, Verus,’ Abithriax said, and he was smiling. ‘I’ve never known exactly what this feels like, but I don’t think it’ll hurt.’ But I don’t very much care if it does, his eyes added.

  Behind Abithriax’s back, Luna placed her good hand on my body’s shoulder, pulled herself up on tiptoes, and kissed me.

  The golden light around Luna seemed to flash, then jumped into my body. To me, it felt like being struck with a bolt of energy. I felt Abithriax’s hold on me slip, and all of a sudden I was free, my strength rushing back. I staggered, and Abithriax jerked in surprise, staring at me. For a moment he hesitated.

  I didn’t. Before Abithriax could react I’d caught his wrist, twisted, and come in behind him, my arm locked around his throat. Abithriax choked. ‘Surprise,’ I snarled into his ear.

  ‘What-?’ Abithriax gasped. ‘How did-?’

  ‘That was an interesting talk, Abithriax,’ I said, my voice shaking with anger. ‘I was paying very close attention. You said I might have a chance if I’d fought you from the beginning? Let’s find out.’

  Abithriax was struggling desperately, but I was stronger and better trained. I brought up my other arm, changing my grip to a hammerlock, and I felt Abithriax struggle wildly as I cut off his air and blood supply. ‘You’ll kill us,’ Abithriax managed to gasp. ‘If I die — you-’

  I tightened my grip and Abithriax’s voice trailed off in a gurgle. ‘Oh, I don’t think so,’ I said. ‘I learn fast, you notice that? I think you’re lying again, and this time you’re not getting any more chances.’

  Abithriax couldn’t speak any more. The side of his face that I could see was red, turning purple. He clawed at my arms, but I only tightened my grip further. Around me, the world was starting to blur, the corridor and Luna and Starbreeze going in and out of focus. ‘Goodbye, Abithriax,’ I snarled into his ear. ‘I don’t know if this’ll hurt, but I really hope it does.’

  Abithriax made a last desperate attempt to get free, then went limp. All around me, reality seemed to unravel and fade to black.

  When I woke up, I felt as though I’d just taken a long, relaxing nap. I would have liked to stay sleeping, but someone was calling my name and I had the feeling I ought to answer. I shifted slightly and let myself come awake.

  ‘Alex? Alex!’

  I opened my eyes to see Luna’s face. ‘Oh,’ I said agreeably. ‘Hey.’

  ‘Alex!’ Luna looked like she’d been crying, and her face was drawn and pale, but she was desperately hopeful now. ‘It’s you?’

  I yawned and looked up. ‘Hey, Starbreeze. You stuck around too?’

  Starbreeze was floating a little way off, her face anxious. Luna looked back at her happily, then froze. She looked back at me, suddenly watchful. ‘Wait. How do we know it’s you?’

  I smiled. ‘Good girl.’

  Luna let out a breath and slumped back against the corridor wall. ‘It’s him.’

  I looked to my right. The fateweaver was lying on the floor, an inert wand of ivory. Experimentally I tried to manipulate the futures ahead of me, and found I couldn’t. The power had gone with Abithriax. ‘By the way, what happened?’

  ‘What happened?’ Luna demanded. ‘I couldn’t move you, and Starbreeze couldn’t either, and she kept saying that it wasn’t you, and I didn’t know what was going to happen, and- You tell us what happened!’

  I closed my eyes and couldn’t help but smile. ‘Let’s just say it’s good to have friends.’

  We rested a little longer before I pulled myself to my feet. I reached down and picked up the fateweaver between thumb and forefinger. ‘Wait!’ Luna said in alarm.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ I said. The fateweaver was a wand of ivory again … for now. ‘I just think we should put things back where we found them.’

  Starbreeze looked at me closely, then nodded in satisfaction. ‘Sleeping.’ She looked through the portal at the piece of night sky, hopefully. ‘Go?’

  ‘Soon,’ I said. I took a look up at the stars, then turned back. ‘Well, then.’ I gave Luna a grin. ‘I think we’ve got someone we need to go back for.’

  Luna scrambled to her feet. It must have hurt her, but she was smiling. ‘You wait here,’ I said.

  Luna shook her head, still smiling. ‘I think I’ll go back with you.’

  ‘Find someone?’ Starbreeze asked in interest.

  I looked between the two of them, then laughed. I turned and started walking back down the corridor, and both Luna and Starbreeze followed. The power from the fateweaver had gone, but my magic hadn’t, and I could still tell where to find Sonder. I didn’t think it would take long.

  15

  It didn’t.

  We found Sonder back in the central room, searching for us amidst the traces of the battle. I think he was under the impression that we were the ones who needed rescuing by him. I would have laughed, except I was actually pretty impressed he’d been able to follow us at all.

  I put the fateweaver back on its pedestal and Luna relocked the force barrier with the cube. It’s sat there for two thousand years, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s where it can stay.

  Luna and I were nearly dead on our feet by the time we stepped out under the night sky of England. A call on the communicator brought Talisid running, who took one look at us and fetched a healer. Luna went out like a light as soon as she was treated. The life mage who mended her arm told me afterwards she was surprised Luna had been able to stay conscious, much less walk.

  Starbreeze followed us part of the way back, then got distracted and flew off somewhere. I didn’t mind.

  The official Council report was released a week later. It stated that a group of renegade mages had launched an unprovoked attack upon a Council research team studying an archaeological find. A volunteer force had mobilised to protect the researchers, and a battle was fought. Although there had been numerous casualties, the only mage to die was Griff Blackstone, the leader of the research team, who had been tragically killed while protecting the mages under his care. The attack appeared to have been random and unmotivated, with no organisation behind it. Several promin ent Dark and Light mages were quoted as condemning the attack, and stating that it demonstrated the need for greater integration. The report finished by stating that since the item had been damaged beyond repair, it would henceforth be placed in stasis.

  Probably the biggest surprise from my point of view was that no one tried to blame me. In fact, the report singled me out for praise for my ‘heroic efforts to protect non-combatants’. I was invited to a ceremony where I was publicly congratulated by a low-ranking Council representative. Before and after the ceremony, I was taken aside by several less public and considerably higher ranking Council representatives and told to keep my mouth shut, or else. I did as I was told. I was fairly sure I’d made enough enemies without going out of my way to look for more.

  With the crisis over, the ones who’d been in hiding emerged again. Helikaon returned to his country house, and Arachne came back to her lair.

  And I went home.

  And that’s how it is.

  I still run my shop in my quiet little side-street in Camden. Most of the time it’s still clueless kids, but I get a lot more mages now. Ever since the affair at the museum, quite a few people seem interested in talking to me. Sonder drops by from time to time, and sometimes he brings friends.

  I haven’t heard anything from Levistus or Morden, or from their servants. With the fateweaver out of play, I’m not important to them any more. I’ve taken precautions though, and it’ll be a long time before I forget again to scan ahead for danger when I travel somewhere.

  Rachel and Cinder disappeared off everyone’s radar and I haven’t seen them since. No surprise.

  For a week or so after returning I was dogg
ed by bad luck — tripping over, hitting myself, little things going wrong at the worst possible moment — all after-effects of Luna’s curse. I didn’t complain; it was cheap at the price.

  Speaking of Luna, she visits every couple of days now. She still brings me items, but that’s not her reason for coming, not any more. Instead we go to Arachne’s lair. After all, apprentices need a place to train.

  She’s started to learn how to control it, you see. That was how she was able to help me against Abithriax; she took the protection her curse gives to her and lent it to me, just for a little while. Since then, she’s begun to control the negative sides: keeping it away from people she doesn’t want to hurt, directing it where it’s safe. She can’t do it reliably yet, and her touch is still almost as deadly as ever, but for the first time she can hope that one day that might change.

  And as for me? I left something behind in Abithriax’s chamber, something that had been following me a long time. And I took away something in exchange, something harder to name. Maybe a sense of purpose, maybe simply knowing who my friends are. The memories are still there, and I still don’t fit into either world, but that’s okay. There are worse things than not fitting in, worse things than having to watch your back. Rachel taught me that.

  My nightmares have stopped too. Mostly.

  I think sometimes about Abithriax’s claim that he could cure Luna of her curse, and I remember what it felt like to wield that power … and I think about the fateweaver, resting on that pedestal within that bubble, locked away to all but those of us who know the secret. I wonder whether I killed Abithriax, or whether he’s still there, trapped in the artifact that’s become his prison, waiting for the next mage to pick him up. But then I shake it off, and go back to what I was doing.

  My world’s still not a safe place to be. The proposal to appoint Dark mages to the Council was dropped, but the Dark mages are still out there, still doing what they do in their mansions, behind soundproofed walls. Not all of them stay in their mansions, either. There are things that come out after nightfall that you’d do well to stay away from.