“My mind slipped to the dirty translation. Sorry about that,” the gypsy says, noticing that Nyx is unaware of the mental exchange. Putting some of the soap into the water, she creates a layer of suds that surround and stick to her body. “Happy things, huh? Perfect time to plan Nyxie’s bachelorette party. The sky is the limit considering the guests we’d have. Queen Ionia and Kira give us almost infinite resources. I’m a little scared of what Catarina would bring to the whole thing. I assume Timoran’s wife can be in charge of the alcohol.”
Nyx holds up her hands and squirms as she sits on a patch of cool mud. “Isn’t it too early for this? Let Delvin and I settle the rings, a date, and the actual wedding plans. I haven’t even picked a maid of honor yet.” She meets Sari’s incredulous look with a stern expression of blatant pride and a desire to control the situation. “Well I haven’t officially asked yet. More than enough time to pick someone else if you cause too much trouble. As the bride-to-be, I have several headaches already and bailing you out of prison isn’t going to be one of them.”
Sari circles her finger in the water, gathering all of the suds around her like a suit of bubbly armor. Before she can launch the playful attack, a hole opens in the heat shield and several clumps of partially melted snow lands on her head. The unexpected cold causes the gypsy to yelp and send the bubbles rolling in every direction. Dariana is covered by the biggest wave of soap, its bitter taste making her hack and gag. Nyx laughs for a few moments, but the noise is cut off by a shriek when watery fingers rapidly pinch at her skin. The lake heats up as she slaps at the invisible hands and tries to evaporate them to no avail. Unable to stop the barrage, the channeler whirls around to unleash a wave that knocks Sari into the air. With an agile flip, the gypsy comes back down to create a whirlpool that spins her friends into the cold part of the lake. Dariana and Nyx return shivering and are about to pounce on the blue-haired woman when a whistle stops them. They look up in time to see Fizzle hurtle out of the storm and crash into the water with enough force to knock all of them onto the shore.
“Fizzle win!” the drite declares while he floats on his back. Fluttering his crimson wings, the dragon speeds around the lake that is steadily refilling. “Friends have fun and get clean. Fizzle want fun and clean too. Others boring with talk and sleep. All scared of future. None know what to do. What you talk about?”
“Nyxie’s bachelorette party,” Sari replies as she returns to the water. Scanning the area, she gently returns all of the terrified animals to the lake. “Guess we went a little too far. Stay in that tent, boys! I can see one of you moving for the flap. We’re fine!”
“I’m sorry, but I have a question,” Dariana says, her eyes still red from the bubbles. Ducking beneath the surface, she scrubs her face and returns to see only hazy forms around her. Noticing that her ring is sitting on the shore, she hastily pushes it back and blinks to fix her vision. “What is a bachelorette party?”
“It’s what women do when one of their friends is about to get married. Guys do the same thing,” Nyx answers, slapping a hand over Sari’s mouth. She feels the gypsy licking at her palm, so she abruptly leans forward to run her tongue up her friend’s face in retaliation. “You taste like soap and sugar, little sister. Anyway, the basics are that the maid of honor gets the bride and all their female friends together for a large party. This includes a lot of alcohol, good food, barely clothed members of the opposite sex, maybe some gambling, getting in trouble with the guards, and waking up in the morning with stories that they will never live down.”
“Barely clothed members of the opposite sex?” Sari questions with a chuckle. “Just say strippers.”
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she’d know the term.”
“Dari’s not an idiot.”
“But she has spent most of her life asleep.”
“Good point. What are you going to do if you survive the final battle, Dari?”
The telepath appears flustered and surprised by the question, her body becoming rigid as she tries to stay afloat. Drifting to Fizzle, she rubs her thumb on his blunt horns and tickles his belly while she thinks. The water becomes warmer and makes her drowsy, which she guesses is one of her friends attempting to lull her into a more comfortable state. A series of psychic jolts prevent Dariana from succumbing to the soothing warmth, but she tries to appear relaxed and calm to stop the others from trying harder.
“I don’t know,” she admits to a trio of disappointing looks. Feeling like she has made a mistake, the telepath drifts further away from her friends. “As Nyx said, I’ve spent most of my life asleep. When awake, I was on the path to fight my father. There’s never been anything else for me. I’m sorry, but I don’t have an answer. Can you ask me again when we win? I might have an idea by then.”
“Dariana take time,” Fizzle says, swimming over to pat her head with his tail. The drite flies out of the water and spins to dry his purple scales. “No rush. Big decision. All friends have. Hard to tell future when not god. Fizzle go bed now.”
“Sweet dreams, Fizzle!” Sari shouts as the tiny dragon darts back into the tent. A collection of yells and complaints erupt from inside, revealing that the drite might not have entirely dried off before entering. “He has a point. I feel like I’ve latched onto everyone while not really thinking about my future. Maybe I can do the childhood dream I once mentioned to Luke. Not sure how it would work now, but I want to open a candy store with treats from all over Windemere. I could make honest money and get free sweets. Be a good cover for if I want to do any stealing on the side too.”
With the two women staring at her, Nyx rolls her eyes and steps out of the lake to grab a towel. “Guess Delvin and I will settle down in Gaia. I’m sure Willow and Cyril would like to retire and leave Rainbow Tower to me. Selenia wants to do the same with Delvin and the academy. Beyond that, I’ve got no idea. Honestly, it sounds rather boring and I don’t know where the rest of you will be. Gaia is pretty far from Stonehelm and Luke will probably end up in Bor’daruk. Is it just me or does it feel like victory means we go our separate ways? I mean, are we going to grow apart once we no longer have to fight alongside each other?”
An awkward silence covers the lake, punctuated only by random laugh from the tent and the sound of heavy snow hitting the heat shield. Feeling like she has ruined their fun, Nyx wraps the towel around her body and pads over to the tent. Another chorus of complaints can be heard as the three warriors are rushed outside and forced to stand in the open with their eyes closed. Sari and Dariana remain in the water, neither wanting to leave the warmth nor having much interest in relieving Nyx of her guilt. Both of the women are too busy with their own thoughts of losing friendships to be of any help to the channeler.
“I hate it when big sis is pessimistic and still makes sense,” Sari mutters, hoping to get a smirk from Dariana. Glancing over her shoulder, she notices that Luke is nervously hopping from foot to foot, so she gently hits him in the back with a bubble of cold water. “No peeking with your ears either, hero!”
*****
With his friends sleeping in the nearby tents, Luke takes advantage of the quiet night and strips down to take a bath. The water is not as warm as it was when Nyx and Sari were awake, but the half-elf finds that the coolness is oddly soothing. He can sense complaints from Pike, the cold-blooded snake fiend terrified of freezing to death. Nervously glancing around the protected area, Luke borrows a bit of the Sword Dragon’s spirit and spits several flaming balls of metal into the lake. Steam drifts off the surface as all of the animals retreat from the surge of aggression that dissipates when the creature goes back into its slumber. Thanks to the raging storm, there is little chance of a predator or thief entering the small encampment, so keeping watch promises to be dull and uneventful. Not wanting to drop his guard entirely, the forest tracker keeps his sound sight on to warn him if anything bigger than a rabbit comes through the heat shield.
It is the strange movement of the tent flap that puts Luke on edge, but he is una
ble to catch any more movement. The golden flecks in his chocolate brown eyes glint in the light cast about by the fiery, crimson dome. After several minutes, the half-elf relaxes and goes back to enjoying his bath before the water gets cold. He is afraid that he will not have much time since the steam is already getting thinner and drawing out the Sword Dragon’s power again feels risky. The thought causes the prideful beast to growl in the back of his mind, the noise met by Stiletto’s protective snarl. With some stern prodding from Luke, the spirits sink back into his subconscious where he is sure they will continue to argue.
“I agree that using that monster too much is asking for trouble,” Dariana says as she crouches at the edge of the lake. Not wanting to wake the others, she cuts off the warrior’s cry of surprise and relaxes his limbs to prevent splashing. “I’m sorry for startling you, but I wanted to talk about something. It’s rather private. Don’t worry about me seeing you naked. I’m making myself see you fully clothed even when you’re in the water. Though I am worried that your scars seem redder than normal.”
“The cold is irritating them,” Luke replies, rubbing at the pink wounds that cross his torso to create two thirds of a triangle. A trace of blood is on his fingers, which makes him realize that he is scratching the mark on his belly. “Betting Sari is the same with the one on her leg. Can’t tell since she keeps an illusion over it. Maybe I should come out because it’s awkward talking like this.”
“I would offer to join you, but that would give the wrong impression since I already took my bath,” the telepath states, handing the young man a towel as he reaches the shore. A howl of wind shakes the protective dome and the pair can see a winged form briefly soar through the billowing storm. “That was a wyvern. Must have been curious about the heat shield, but it’s too cold and scared to risk a fight. It is terrified about the unknown and not inclined to think beyond its current needs. Is that why you are remaining silent?”
The half-elf stops with his shirt above his head and his pants still needing to be buttoned. “I don’t follow. There’s nothing stopping me from thinking beyond my current needs. In fact, I spent most of the evening discussing plans with Delvin. He’s relentless and paranoid, but Timoran and I think we got him to calm down. His real fear is that Nyx will get killed by the Baron, which took some prodding to get out of him. Guess part of the issue is that either of them dying means the other isn’t far behind.”
“You’re changing the topic.”
“No I’m not.”
“I’m sorry, but I can hear you thinking that you want me to go away.”
“Because you need sleep.”
“Please be honest with me, Luke.”
“About what?”
“Why won’t you talk about your plans for after the battle?”
Feeling cornered, Luke finishes getting dressed in a manner that is reminiscent of a child attempting to act tough. With nowhere to go, he heads for the far side of the lake and stares at the storm that is an inch away from his face. The sound of a large beast landing on the other side of the barrier causes him to growl in defiance. Covered with snow, the brown-scaled muzzle of a wyvern emerges from the crimson haze and pushes Luke back a few steps. He keeps his forehead against the cold and rough creature, which bares a few of its yellowed teeth. The curious predator sniffs at the warrior and gurgles before returning to the storm, a high-pitched shriek echoing over the roaring winds.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Luke says when he hears his friend approach. He puts his hand through the barrier and tries to hold it there until the cold is too much for him. “I have too many worries about the final battle to think about the future. Forget that I might die because that just means my adventures are over. That goes for all of us, so there’s no reason for me to feel unique there. The difference for me is that I have another possible fate. One I’ve managed to avoid twice, but the Baron could make sure that I don’t get out of it a third time. You and Nyx have both mentioned that you’re weapons. Well, at least you two know it and have some control.”
“You’re afraid that you’ll become a chimera again,” Dariana replies, surprised by the answer. Her shock is more that the half-elf has managed to keep it hidden from her, not even a hint of the thought touching her mind. “My father could push you to become one. It wouldn’t surprise me if it’s a creature more destructive than anything you’ve become before. He might even force you to absorb other spirits. That would cause a problem, especially if you aren’t able to maintain control.”
“I’d have to be put down,” the warrior whispers, turning around with a few tears in his tired eyes. A lump is caught in his throat when the taller woman hugs him and gives a gentle kiss to the top of his head. “All I ever wanted to be was a famous hero. Now I’m on the verge of becoming one of the greatest in history, but I’m getting scared. Gabriel said I refused my power, which means I might not be strong enough to face your father. I may even be a danger to all of you. Just look at the pain I’ve accidentally caused some of the people we know. Is it possible that I’m cursed to hurt those who get too close to me?”
“That’s ridiculous. Nyx, Fizzle, or Aedyn would have found that curse and removed it long ago,” Dariana states in a serious voice. Peeking into her friend’s mind, her heart nearly breaks at the agonizing storm rumbling through his brain. “You can’t help, but hurt yourself with these thoughts. Yes, many of your actions have led to loved ones being hurt. On the other hand, you have a good heart and try to save everyone. That is something we will need. I sense that even as a chimera, that part of you will always remain true.”
Luke slips from his friend’s arms and heads toward the tent, stopping just outside to sit on a moss-covered log. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and transform into the thing that kills your father. One of those mutual destruction endings you hear about in some of the old legends. That would make my future rather simple.”
“Why do you wish for it to be that way, Luke?” Dariana asks, crouching in front of the warrior. She takes his face in her hands and massages his temples with her thumbs. “I know you will marry Kira and be happy. We all believe that. Yet I can sense a fear that your wanderlust will continue and put that life in jeopardy. Perhaps you feel Sari would have been the better choice after all. No, you only worry about her always being alone and never finding happiness. That’s another reason you want her to watch over Kira in the event of your death. You feel responsible for their hearts since they both love you and you returned that by hurting them.”
“I should be angry, but it’s actually nice for someone to know what I’m thinking.”
“Amazing that you can be so noble and stupid at the same time.”
“I know. Doesn’t make my life any easier.”
“Ever fear that you will fail and let your friends down?”
The flicker of worry on Dariana’s face causes Luke to avoid blurting out a reply that he does not really have. After having tasted several failures and mistakes, he finds that he cannot answer the question with any confidence. The warrior gets the feeling that his companion is aware of this and is asking more for herself. It dawns on Luke that none of them have really gotten to know Dariana since they agreed that her past did not matter. They accepted her as a friend and fellow champion, but the decision has resulted in them forgetting that she has been through more hardships than they could dream of. Removing the telepath’s hands from his face, he moves her to sit next to him and puts a comforting arm around her shoulders.
“I worry about that all the time, which is natural,” Luke says with a smirk. Staring into the sky, he notices that the storm is dying down and they should be able to continue traveling after breakfast. “All you have to know is that you’re our friend and we’ll never hate you. Not sure why you keep forgetting that we trust you, but that should be enough.”
“There are secrets I’ve been keeping,” Dariana replies in a soft voice. Turning to stare into her friend’s eyes, she hopes to lose her courage, but finds it renewed by h
is look of genuine concern. “While asleep, I had moments of awareness. During these times, I’d see if there were any active champions. Recently, I sensed that one was close and I . . . manipulated Isaiah and his fake organization to draw this warrior onto the path. Gabriel always said that the final grouping would happen when one of a famous bloodline became a true champion. I’m sorry that I took your fate into my own hands, Luke, and put you on the path so early. You were always meant to be a champion, but maybe you’d hurt less if I hadn’t acted so rashly.”
“Are you willing to tell me what you did?” asks the forest tracker, wracking his brain for signs of her involvement. He gives up when several strange incidents come to mind and he finds it pointless to dwell on them. “It doesn’t matter. For all either of us know, things would have turned out the same way. I was going up against the Lich for my first real adventure and he was working for the Baron. In fact, I could have been killed before Isaiah was ever aware of my destiny. So I should thank you for possibly saving my life.”
Pushing a lock of hair out of her eyes, Dariana softly pats Luke’s arm and gets in position to meditate until dawn. “You’re so quick to forgive others, but not yourself. I don’t think I’m one to talk. I have one more question if you don’t mind. Sorry if it comes up as strange or morbid. Just something I feel I can only ask you right now.”
“Go right ahead.”
“Will we always be friends?”
Luke stares with a blank expression for several seconds, a faint smile finally appearing. “Of course we will. We’re your friends and family, Dariana. None of us are ever going to leave you behind.”
Nodding her head, the telepath returns the smile and drifts into a deep trance. Left alone again, Luke considers returning to the lake to finish his relaxing bath. Dipping one finger into the water, he finds it to be cold and the larger fish have returned to snap at anything that disturbs the surface. With nothing else to help pass the time, the half-elf wanders along the edge of the heat shield and lets the sounds of the dwindling storm push him into a trance. The noise has him so enamored that he never notices that someone is crying in the distance.
The Spirit Well Page 15
