by T. C. Edge
I draw back at that thought, stepping a little into the alcove as the other Fire-Bloods continue through the exit and into the corridor beyond. Such a concept terrifies me. To have my thoughts, my feelings, altered by someone else? To change completely as a person as a result of someone else's influence?
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask, looking again at Marlow, my brows knitting tight. "It sounds like you're warning me, trying to turn me off."
"No, not at all," replies Marlow. "The Overseer isn't going to hide such things from you. He'll wish for you to be here of your own accord. And...there's something else you should know."
"What?" I ask, thinking of my previous interaction with the Overseer earlier. He had been very honest with me regarding the nature and origin of their powers here in Olympus. Perhaps he will continue that trend as we go forward.
"Fire-Bloods have a natural defence against mental manipulations," says Marlow. "It depends upon the depth of the person's gifts, of course, but in most cases Fire-Bloods are too wild to be mentally controlled or influenced to a large degree. Certainly, they're more difficult to influence than the other Elementals. And, beyond that, I'm certain the Overseer will prefer to see your opinion of this place change by more natural means. As I say, mental commands and controls are weaker than free will, and tend to weaken based on various factors."
"Right," I say, feeling a little better. "That's all um...good to know."
"Most happy to help. Now, follow me, my Lady. We mustn't hold things up."
Down through the chamber we go, catching up with the others.
27
The first trial is, as the Overseer said, little more than a formality.
At least, that's the case for the others.
Assembling in an annex to the main hall of the Temple of Fire, we are taken one by one into a separate chamber, the Fire-Bloods mingling outside as they await their turn. They enter one after another, spending little more than a minute or so inside, before stepping out briskly to rejoin the others.
I find myself at the back, last in line, and right behind Elian. Lounging lazily against a pillar, his High Worthy still nearby with head bowed and lips sealed, he occasionally regards me with that vaguely interested, but superior gaze he's clearly perfected over his years of highlife living here in Olympus. I try my best to ignore him but, frankly, it isn't particularly easy. There's something quite intimidating about being looked at like that.
Eventually, I decide to return the stare. Sensing his eyes on me, I lift my head quickly, expecting the suddenness of it to have him turning away. He doesn't. He just continues to look at me with a hint of quizzicalness to his expression, mixed in with a dose of humour.
"What?" I say, my voice low and almost a hiss. "What is so interesting about me?"
His lips curve a little higher. He draws a slow breath, then shrugs. "Everything," he says coolly.
Then he turns away.
I curse the Prime under my breath; thankfully, no one seems to hear. Except Marlow. He drops a frown and shakes his head. It's not so much a reprimand as a gesture of advice, suggesting that I keep my blaspheming ways to myself. Frankly, it's not easy. Whenever I spend time with grandma, we tend to indulge our non-believerhood with great relish, a habit that has fed me with dirty and shocked looks for about as long as I can remember.
Gradually, the line ahead of me shrinks, the candidates going into the chamber and out, moving off away to another part of the annex to the main hall. I glance over at them as they gather, some clearly knowing each other, others choosing to spend their time alone.
I recognise another of the executioners from the previous day, this one a woman. She holds a hawkish look, her expression tight and mouth spread out in a thin line. She holds her gaze forward, seeming to look at nothing in particular, not engaging with any of the others. With short, black hair and a harsh outer demeanour, she appears quite the opposite of Elian ahead of me.
"I'm guessing she's another favourite for the trials," I say, looking at her.
Marlow follows my eyes, then turns back to me quickly, as though afraid of making eye contact with the woman who looks to be into her mid thirties.
"Her name is Hestia," he says quietly. "She has more confirmed kills, I believe, than any of the other candidates. She's a soldier here," he adds off my questioning look. "It's common for military Children to venture to other lands to further the Prime's expansion, and cleanse the world of certain undesirable elements."
"Right," I say, not wanting Marlow to elaborate right now. I don't really have the stomach for it. "So she burns people alive for a living then. Must have been very natural for her to set alight that pyre, burn that poor man at the stake."
"That poor man was a heretic, Amber. He chose to denounce the Prime, and suffered..."
He stops, evidently finding it hard to not lecture me, given my new status, and his new role as my personal cheerleader and guide.
I choose to let the conversation die there, the line ahead coming to a swift conclusion. As Elian prepares to go in, he turns to me abruptly, catching me off guard.
"You're a heretic, right?" he says, cocking his head to one side.
"Um...I..." I stutter, frowning, feeling a sudden heat rush into my cheeks.
"Yeah, of course you are," he goes on, nodding to himself. "That's why they were purifying you yesterday, isn't it?"
"Why you were purifying me," I say, correcting him.
"Well, no, I was just doing my duty." He smiles widely, his next words quite in contrast to the expression. "I didn't take pleasure in it, you know. It's not nice burning a defenceless man, or woman, at the stake."
I purse my lips, confused, though not entirely surprised. It would take someone of profound emotional callousness to enjoy burning someone tied up on top of a stack of wood, whatever they happened to do.
"Anyway," the young Fire-Blood goes on, "you're not entirely alone in your thinking...er, what was your name again?"
"It's Amber," I say, remaining confused.
"Right, Amber, sure. I'm Elian."
"I know."
"Not surprising. My reputation seems to precede me." He winks, a mixture of arrogance and charm. I guess that depends on your point of view. Right now I'm fully on board with the former.
"And I'm not alone in thinking...what, exactly?"
"Well, your heresy, I guess," he says. "The people of the Fringe are a simple bunch, and they take this whole divine and praise thing way too far. Us at the top here in Olympus know the truth, Amber. Seems you do too. I give you credit for that."
"Thanks. Means the world to me."
"But, don't think you're going anywhere in these trials. You've got something inside you, but it won't be enough. You're just not what we're looking for here. Sure, stick around, live here if you want. But I'm taking my rightful place at the Temple of the Prime. That's my spot, OK?"
"OK, sure," I say quickly. "No problem, Eli."
He frowns, perhaps not expecting the response, or the shortening of his name. Obviously, sarcasm isn't in regular use here.
I laugh, displaying my own form of condescension. "You do you, and I'll do me. How about that?"
That easy smile of his reframes into something more sinister. His eyes narrow, and he turns away, just as the latest candidate walks out from the chamber ahead. With a slight stamp to his walk, Elian takes the man's place, disappearing through the large stone door.
I'm left with a single impression of the man.
He's taking my challenge seriously.
My own turn arrives only a couple of minutes later, Elian marching out and passing me by without making eye contact. With a final word of advice from Marlow to, essentially, not be myself, I venture through the door and into the dim light beyond, finding myself within a chamber set with a single stone basin at its centre, fire flickering from within.
Behind, a silhouette forms into the shape of the Overseer, his regal, multi-coloured robes shining beautifully under the firelight. He sm
iles at me as I approach, though the expression seems put on. Raising his left hand, he gestures me forward.
I hear the stone door shut behind me, grinding gently as the light chatter from outside is cut off. A rattle of nerves spreads through me, now knowing what I do about the man. Yes, perhaps Fire-Bloods have a natural resistance to mental manipulation, but surely that only comes with practice. If this man wanted, he could have me under his spell in a moment.
"Come forward, Amber, and take your place before me across the fire."
I do as ordered, questioning my every move. Am I doing it because he's telling me to? Is he already in my head, forcing my actions? Am I already a slave to his will?
I reach the basin, the fire gently dancing within. The Overseer stands, features lit oddly by the flames below, casting intimidating shadows upon his visage.
"Now, Amber, place your hands into the flame," he tells me.
Again, without hesitation, I do so. My hands come forward from my crimson robes, reaching down into the coals within the basin. I feel the flaming tendrils wrap around my fingers, lick at my skin, sending nothing but a sensation of warmth through me. I smile, enjoying the feeling. My eyes turn back up to the Overseer.
"Good girl," he says, still smiling softly. "You like it, do you not?"
"I...I guess I do."
"And you wish for more, don't you?"
His eyes burn into mine. I feel unable to turn away. I feel like...like I don't want to.
"It's yours, you know," he goes on. "You have a raw power inside you, Amber, yearning to break free. It can be so. We have people who can help you reach your true potential."
"The Heralds of Awakening," I whisper.
"Yes, that is their purpose. A hugely important purpose. To unleash what lies within. To find divinity in the most unlikely of places. Yours has been attempting to break free for some time, and we haven't seen anything yet. You wish to see it, we all do. Just let it happen. Just let it..."
I nod, slowly, my eyes dropping to the fire. It seems to reform, the flames changing shape, behaving unnaturally. I glance back up at the Overseer, his gaze fixed to my own.
"Go ahead, look into the flames, my child," he whispers.
I do as ordered, dropping my chin. The flames continue to alter their configuration, morphing into the shape of a human. A girl.
Me.
I see crimson robes fluttering, my hair radiant, my eyes ablaze. I stand atop a hill, gazing out over the sunset and the distant lands beyond. I sense freedom, open, unexplored lands. A sense of pure exhilaration spreads through me, my figure in the flames lighting brighter, appearing to burn as if my entire body is made of the fire itself.
There I stand, a girl of flame, looking over never-ending hills and woodlands, lakes, valleys, and so much more beyond. The hint of a city, grand walls, tall buildings. Something unlike anything here in Olympus. Something of straight lines and bright lights. Something far, far away.
The sense of excitement within me grows stronger. I find my breathing beginning to intensify, flooding in and out of my lungs. My hands grip the side of the basin, my head tilting further into the fire. I see the person I want to be, the life I want to live.
Suddenly, the flames disperse, turning normal. Within what seems like a split second, I'm looking only into a regular fire once more. My eyes shape up, re-engaging with the Overseer.
Slowly, he nods.
"What was that?" I whisper.
"What do you think it was?" hums his alluring voice.
"The...future?" I say. "A vision of the future?"
"A possible future," says the man. "I don't know what your future holds, Amber, nor do I have the power to foresee it. Only the Prime among us can do so, and only within reason. No, what you truly saw was merely your heart's true desire. I have seen into your mind, my child, and I know what you truly want, deep down in your core. Tell me, am I wrong?"
I turn my gaze away, shaking my head in disbelief. Not at his words, his assertion. No, at his power.
"You're not wrong," I whisper. "I guess there's no point in trying to lie to you."
"None," he says. "You desire the chance to explore, to become something more. Yes, you wish to matter, don't you?"
I nod slowly. "I do."
"You have never mattered living in Pine Lake. You have ever been frustrated being so...insignificant. And you know why. Because you've known something no one else believes? No, more than that. You've had a different destiny all along. Only here, among us, can you achieve it."
"But...I don't believe," I whisper. "I don't believe in all this. I don't believe in being served and worshipped. By my people, my friends, even my family. I am not dedicated to the Prime."
I lift my eyes and send them right at him. I can't pretend, as Marlow told me, to be on board with all this. With a man who can see into my mind, would there be any point?
"I know you're not," the Overseer says. "I never expected you to pass this first trial as the others have. That would be impossible, child."
I feel my heart sink, the faces of Lilly and Jude appearing before my eyes.
Have I failed them already?
"Do not fear for them," whispers the Overseer. "I will keep to my bargain, as promised, as long as you keep to yours. I knew you'd fail this test, but that matters not. You are exempt from it. This is merely an opportunity for us to speak further. For you to see the truth of your heart's deepest desire."
At those words, I find myself turning again to look into the flames. They reshape once more, showing a different image. Lilly, dressed in fine robes, living in a wondrous residence, a beautiful view of the city beyond. She's smiling, happy, living the life she always wanted.
Another image appears, showing Jude back home. He's there, in the woods, hunting game. In his element. I smile as I see him there, safe, maybe even happy. It shows me, perhaps, that I'm not as selfish as I thought. That what I want for Jude, above all, is for him to be away from all this. To live a simple life, find a wife and start a family. That I don't want to keep screwing up his life, getting him into trouble, taking advantage of his affection for me.
No, he deserves more than that, more than me. He deserves better.
I draw away once again.
"You will meet the Prime," the Overseer says suddenly. "Not all here will, but you will be one of them. I'm certain of that. And when you do, you'll find that all your worries are dispelled. You'll see that your life on the Fringe held no merit at all, and that your place here, among us, was always fated to happen."
The Overseer begins to move around the basin towards me. He looms tall, long and thin in his fluttering robes. Away from the flames, his expression turns more friendly, those green-gold eyes of his almost paternal as they look at me.
"Good," he says, reading my thoughts, knowing my compliance is now his. "You may not have passed the test that the others did, but you have passed your own. Well done, Amber. You may now rejoin your High Worthy. The next trial shall begin tomorrow."
He lifts his hand to the door, which appears to grind open again on his command. Beyond, the chatter of the others starts to lift again, the Overseer following me out, forcing all eyes to fall back upon us.
And this time, seeing their hatred and resentment, I relish the challenge.
Bring.
It.
On.
28
The remainder of the day passes by without great incident. Given time to explore, Marlow takes me around the Temple of Fire, showing me its ceremonial chambers and other rooms, escorting me to the courtyard that surrounds it and explaining the frescoes and fabulous sculptures that adorn it.
He teaches me of the history of the temple, its significance to the Fire Elementals and the Worthy assigned to worship and serve them. I learn about other such buildings designed for the worship of different Elementals, as well as the many different types of powered and gifted Children who reside here in Olympus.
I'm taken around to several, though am not permi
tted access. Here, in the northern reaches of the sprawling city, it appears many temples and places of worship are built, this particular region designed for such purposes. Yet, there remain many more, I'm told, all over. In all regions and parts of the city, places of worship stand, populated by those gods and goddesses who belong there, and the Worthy who live in their shadows.
I find myself fascinated by it all as we wander, trying to ignore the questioning and often hostile gazes that greet me. It seems word of my presence here in Olympus, and the events of the previous day, have spread quickly, becoming the talk of the city.
Not only is it the killing of several Children of the Prime, as well as a host of Worthies, that has the people talking. No, it is the fulfilling of a prophesy, one now being heard all over the city streets. Once, it had been known only within certain illustrious circles, the prophesies told to the Heralds and Collectors, and anyone of distinction who might happen upon such foretold events. Now, having been fulfilled, the people are learning of it, hearing of it for the first time.
Gradually, Marlow tells me, they'll learn to accept me, even love me. If my coming here was foreseen by the Prime, then who has the authority to question it?
We spend the afternoon as such, wandering only through a portion of the city, Krun ever stamping along behind us. I quickly grow used to his presence, amusing myself by glancing back at him occasionally, huffing loudly or shaking my head, crinkling my nose to show my displeasure at his stench. He grunts and grumbles, but says nothing. My position, as a candidate to become a Chosen, has immediately elevated me above his station.
He has no right, apparently, to speak down to me anymore. His role, according to Marlow, is merely to watch over me, acting both as policeman to make sure I don't act out, and bodyguard to make sure no one attempts to attack me.
