“She dug through two miles of dirt?”
“Yes. Straight up from the geode.”
“Are you telling us that a Body user was able to dig up through two miles of Soil and then, after first completing other tasks, she found a way to put a self effect on someone with no discernable Elemental affinity?”
“That’s right.”
“Well. How do you account for that?”
The majority of the assembly hung on every word. “After we got up close to the geode, my mom reached through a crack that was already there. While she was touching it, she grew visibly more and more powerful and… wise, you know? Like as soon as she touched it, she knew exactly what she had to do and how to do it.”
“Please describe the stone for us.”
“It’s huge. I would say all of the Main Cameral building could fit inside of it easy. Maybe with some other buildings. And it’s round.”
“What did you sense from the geode?”
“Before we got there, I started feeling a steady pressure pushing on me. That’s about when my dad complained of some loud noise and broke off the Silent Signal Fire. The closer we got, the more intense the pressure, but I never heard a noise. It was like all the sound got muted. Then, when my mom touched the crystal, I felt pins and needles inside, like they were growing out of my bones.”
“Did you touch the crystal yourself?”
“No.”
“And yet you felt its effects through your mother?”
“Yeah. It was intense.”
“So, what is it, Mink?”
“As best I can tell, it’s a Tear of God. I don’t know what else it could be.”
“Earlier, you said that you knew you were using the Quick Legs effect, even though you’re not a Body user and you’ve never used it before. Now you’re saying that you know the geode is a Tear of God, even though you’ve never seen one before. Do I have that straight?”
“Yes.” Mink felt empowered. He loved his uncle.
“And now your parents are standing guard at the Tear of God, waiting for us to send people to remove it and bring it here. Is that right?”
“They have been for two days. Yes.”
“I have no further questions and will pass the witness.” Durren sat down and sent a small, quiet salute to Mink.
Mink swelled with pride. He could feel the collective attitude of the High Council turn favorably toward him. Indeed, the rest of the questioning went much more smoothly. It simplified Mink’s perspective that he had not listened to his father’s report. Durren had easily walked Mink through just about everything he could verify, and dodged the subjects that Mink would rather avoid. Somehow, enough sympathy was gained from his uncle’s questioning that even Plisthb treated Mink with respect for the remainder of the proceedings.
Once each prefecture was satisfied, Thurbst called for a two-hour recess. It was time for the sixty-four person assembly to work some closed-door deals to best serve the country, and by extension, Mink’s parents. He was glad enough for it. The Gleem ballooned his bladder to epic proportions and, as he shuffled his way to the bathroom, Mink made a note to correct his dad that Gleem posed more of a danger to his kidneys than his teeth.
After relieving himself in an ancient bathroom tiled in stone and crystal, Mink hunted his Uncle Durren down in the chambers of Dyarna. Durren excused himself and led Mink back into the hall. As casual and relaxed as his uncle was, Mink couldn’t help but notice that Dyarna seemed giddy with the expectation of whatever Durren was promising in exchange for support. Afterall, Durren had quite the reputation for finding ways that everyone could get what they want without compromising his own needs.
“I’m very sorry about this, Mink. But… I will need you to disappear for a while. There’s no telling how long this process will take and I’m sure you appreciate how quickly we need to wrap it up.”
“I’d rather wait here. Maybe in your office?” Mink felt like things were going so smoothly and he hoped his uncle didn’t have a different read on the situation. “I’m sure I can help a little more. Speed things up.”
Durren shook his head and spoke more quietly to Mink. “As of now, everyone thinks you’ve already given all the information you have. We danced on the edge of some potentially compromising lies. It had to go that way to match Juré’s report. If anyone prods further, especially a Spirit user, it could bring into question all of the information in the report. Your dad knew what he had to say and what he couldn’t. I backed his play.
“You would do best to head back home and act as casual as possible under the circumstances. Any suspicion you raise will invite an Eavesdropping effect. This isn’t like the intelligence you’ve been trusted with in the past. You need to be more protective. The only way to keep a secret is to never let anyone know you have one.”
Mink processed all that his uncle just told him. It made sense on one level, but Mink didn’t want to wait in an empty house without knowing what the government intended to do to rescue his parents. “Is there somewhere better than going all the way back home?”
“I’ll send you word there as soon as a decision has been made,” Durren promised, giving Mink as much assurance as he could. “The quicker you can get away from the capitol, the easier it will be to get the three-quarters majority we need. We simply can’t risk the exposure to anyone’s spies.”
“I trust you.” Mink’s grasp of strategy told him it was the right thing to do. On the other hand, his heart told him he could do more for his parents here than at home. “Just let me know what the decision is as soon as you can.”
“I promise.” Durren gave Mink a parting hug. “God’s grace be your keep.”
“And my parents’ rescue,” Mink added as he released his uncle and walked away, heavy with thought.
Mink made for the exit of the building. He returned his visitor badge, thanking Gumy by name. The friendly guard gave him a salute and sent Mink off with regards to deliver to his parents. Descending the front steps and standing at the road, Mink pulled the piece of Wood out of his pocket, looked it over, and then broke it in half. Dreh Sledded up to the curb within seconds.
“How does this effect work?” Mink asked, handing the pieces over and fastening his helmet.
“First, I Materialize the Wood. Then I use it for months to rub my thumb on when I’m bored. Then I come up with the idea to hand it over to you and watch from a distance as you break it like a puppet. Then I drive up.”
“Ah.” Mink settled into the back seat. “Make fun of the guy with no Element. I get it. That’s a good one.”
Dreh pulled away and started down the road. “The mud bath was excellent. Thanks for asking.”
“Sorry that took so long. Maybe we’ll make the next party.”
“It’s all good.” Dreh wove fast through traffic. “We’ll just be the final decorations.”
They were headed out of Protallus City before Mink knew it. He looked back over his shoulder toward the Main Cameral building. He hoped it wouldn’t take the High Council too long to send people out to help his parents. For the moment, he was glad Dreh was forcing him to go to this party. Being alone at home would give him too much time to feel their absence. He reminded himself that they were both capable users and had the Tear of God amping up their power.
MINK AWOKE at night on the back of Dreh’s sled feeling more tired than before. He had no sense of the time, or where he was. A network of branches was wrapped around his Body, and held him to his seat. Four moons shone brightly enough to give a twilight glow to the neighborhood’s surroundings. They must have just stopped because Dreh still had his helmet on and thumbs in the handles. They were parked in front of a house in an area Mink didn’t recognize. Dreh pulled his thumbs out and slowly removed his helmet.
“Whew! Feeling it. Mud bath’s wearing off.” Dreh dismounted and stretched.
“I can’t reach my helmet.” Mink struggled against his Wooden harness.
“Sorry. I saw you dozing.” Dreh star
ted chanting in the low, soft rhythm of Wood users.
“Atriarb undoes the effect.
Take back the power which you gave.”
The branches disappeared so fast that Mink almost fell off the sled.
“I’m so wiped out. What time is it, anyway?” Mink removed his helmet and rubbed the grit from his burning, swollen eyes.
“Time to party. Sleep deprivation kickstarts your buzz.”
Mink suddenly remembered the promise, and couldn’t believe Dreh was still making him go through with it in their current condition. “You rot, man. I’m just gonna crash on your sled.”
“Come on now.” Dreh hoisted Mink up off the sled and walked him to the house like an injured soldier. “Just thirty minutes and then we’ll go.”
“Where are we?”
“It’s my cousin Pirk’s birthday. This is my uncle Cralto’s house.”
“Ever notice how you never talk about the same cousin twice? Your family’s too big, man.” Mink could never remember if Dreh was the fifth oldest or fifth youngest in his family. When they were in Elementary school together, one or two of Dreh’s siblings were already enrolled in universities.
As they approached the house, Pulti came out. Mink couldn’t tell if it was the moonlight or makeup, but her skin looked lighter. Her shoulder-length brown hair had been twisted into corkscrews and highlighted. Mink couldn’t ever remember seeing Pulti so dolled up before. She wore a tight-fitting jacket and a shadowy skirt that flared out as she walked.
Maybe she always looked like this at parties, he wouldn’t know. It was quite a change from her usual low-key look. He made a mental note of pointing this out to Dreh.
“Took you long enough, Dreh. I’ve been bored for hours.” Pulti carried two bottles of nutty and was in the process of extending one to Dreh when she stooped and squinted at Mink draped over his friend. “Well send a pie to my family! Is that really Mink? Are you really Mink?”
“Hey, Pulti. Am I glad to see you! I could use a little Recovery effect.” Mink separated himself from Dreh and gave her a hug.
“Sorry, Mink. I’m a bit too tipsy to do a proper chant right now,” she confessed. “Besides. Sleep deprivation kickstarts your buzz.” Pulti and Dreh even thought alike. Mink knew they would be perfect together. “Aren’t you out of the country, playing Animalist or something with your parents?”
“Dad stuff. I had to cut the camping trip short.”
Dreh took over. “What’s going on inside? Did we miss anything?”
The trio made their way to the house. It was all one level but huge, with a large central octagon flanked by two smaller ones. “It’s just getting started. All the lame and tame is over with. Pirk loves the shoes you made her, by the way. I want a pair for my birthday, hint, hint. What took you so long? Something wrong with your sled?”
“Never! My sled is strong, woman. Nah, we left Protallus City late this morning. I cut a couple hours off my time by only making two stops.”
“How did you wind up all the way out there?”
“Long story.” Mink left it at that. Under the glow crystal by the door, he got a much better view of Pulti. He wanted to compliment her, or at least let her know he noticed the change, but he was too tired to think of anything to say. Seeing her all done up struck Mink with a disturbing realization. “Oh no! Of all the rot.”
“What’s wrong?” Pulti asked, startled.
“I’ve been wearing the same clothes for four days now! I can’t go into the party like this! Do you have any idea what I’ve been through?”
Dreh and Pulti just about fell over laughing. Pulti had to set her bottle on the porch so she wouldn’t spill. Mink laughed a little, but he was really upset about being in a crowd of strangers with dirt, snags, sweat, and Blin’s scorch marks all over him.
“You look fine, Mink.” Pulti straightened, but she still had the giggles. She smoothed his hair and tucked it behind his ears, all the while with a goofy grin. “Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m sorry, champ.” Dreh managed to stop laughing. “I thought about getting you some clothes while I was waiting for you, but I forgot. It’s my fault.”
“I’m not going to know anyone in there anyway. They’ll probably assume I’m another one of your rotting cousins. Thirty minutes, then I’m going back to sleep.”
Dreh opened the door. Pulti and Mink followed him inside. The entryway to the house was empty except for a couple broad-leafed plants rooted down in wide dirt plots recessed into the floor. A Soil user’s residence, most likely. The sounds of live music, talking, and laughter came from the back of the house. Mink hoped there would be dark nutty left somewhere as they made their way toward the noise. Lest someone Eavesdrop on his thoughts, Mink had to make special effort not to think too much about his parents, or the quest would be compromised. Dreh really shouldn’t have brought him here, but explaining why would be self-defeating. Better not to think about it at all.
The parlor was standing room only, with every surface in use. There were a good many of Pirk’s older adult relatives, but mostly the place was filled with young adults their age and younger. Mink barely recognized anyone, only able to take them in as one collective. The noise lessened as they walked through. This was usually when people started zinging him with random effects. Random was probably the wrong word, since the real effect they were after was laughter.
This was no small family birthday party. A set of open doors revealed that most of the party was taking place in the backyard. If this was a good night, Mink could make it through the room and outside, avoiding any pranks. Pulti must have sensed his uneasiness, judging by the way she took his arm and pulled him along.
“Let’s go, Mink. We’re not little kids anymore. No one’s going to try anything.” Then she leaned close to Mink’s face and her tone reminded him of his mother’s. “If they do, I’ll pound them.”
MINK HAD just crossed the threshold to the backyard when a loud crack and brilliant flash of light startled him. He didn’t feel anything. To the left, he saw Dreh with an outstretched hand between him and a quickly approaching Blin. Whatever effect Blin tried, Dreh would cancel it.
When Blin got closer, Mink checked for any tell-tale signs of extensive damage that he might have caused yesterday, such as Materialized Body. Only Blin’s hands and face were visable. Half of his left hand looked dullish, wrinkle free, and darker than his normal skin tone. Mink could hardly believe that Materialized skin was actually darker than Blin’s natural tone.
“Uh, what’s he doing here?” Mink questioned.
“Boun and Pirk are friends,” Dreh said dryly. “They go to the same school now. Boun must’ve brought him.”
“You wanna finish what you started, Blankey? Come on!” Blin howled, closing the distance fast.
Pulti gave Mink a wide-eyed quizzical look, but he couldn’t pull his attention away from Blin’s left hand long enough to return her gaze.
“This isn’t the place or time, Blin.” Dreh tried reasoning with him, which Mink figured was more for show in front of the crowd.
“Then you pick it, Twiggy. I’ll go through you if I have to.”
Being opposing Elemental types, Blin and Dreh could not use effects against each other. Still, they’d had multiple physical fights, the majority of which Blin had won. Dreh started chanting in the Wood user’s low and soft rhythm.
“Power of Wood is mine to give.
Durability is my gift.
The living can withstand impact.
The devices resist damage.
The objects cannot be broken.
The Wood does not make it Wooden.
I may use Wood from Atriarb.
Imbue Wood as soon as I reach.”
Dreh turned back toward Mink and reached out his hand, placing on him the Wood users’ Imbuing effect, Turgidity. At once Mink’s Body felt tight and creaky, but nothing he couldn’t handle. This was Dreh’s favorite effect to use on Mink for protection. If anyone physically attacked
him, it wouldn’t hurt. And if Blin tried to use an Attack effect on him, it would only cancel the Turgidity, which Dreh would re-effect before Blin could make a second Attack.
Boun had worked his way behind Dreh, speaking out a raspy sounding Fire user’s chant, but Pulti was on him instantly. Mink hadn’t heard her utter a chant, and even remembered her saying she was incapable. She had been quiet, so neither Mink nor Boun could be sure. Pulti reached a finger out to touch Boun, who broke off his chant to concentrate on dodging. Body users like Pulti could hurt Fire users like Boun worse than anyone, and he wasn’t about to take any chances. Nutty spilling from the bottle she still held, Pulti pursued Boun with her outstretched hand, acting like she was about to implement an effect Mink doubted she ever began.
Pirk emerged from the crowd and into view with a furious energy. Now Mink remembered having seen her at Dreh’s house before, but had figured she was a sister. She stomped her foot in the way of a Soil user’s implementation. Everyone recoiled, expecting some form of Soil effect, but nothing happened. She defnitely had her guests’ attention. Surprising that a little girl robed in silks and crowned with flowers could instantly command so much authority.
“Boun! Control your friend or take him home.” Pirk’s ultimatum seemed to carry some serious weight with Boun.
He walked up behind Blin and snapped his fingers, a Fire user’s implementation. Blin flinched, yet no effect followed. “Let’s cool it.” Boun put a hand on Blin’s shoulder. Mink rolled his eyes at the trite play on words referring to a Fire user’s Elemental use taking the heat out of things. Elementalists often psyched people out with chantless implementations. Mink was rotten sure he could never pull it off.
“This is your warning, Blankey. I will find you when your boyfriend’s not around, and hurt you so bad your mommy won’t be able to fix it.”
Mink couldn’t let the crowd see him cower under Blin’s threats. “I don’t need Dreh, or an Element against you, Sparkle.”
Elements (Tear of God Book 1) Page 11
