The Quest for the Heart Orb (The Orbs of Rathira)

by Laura Jo Phillips

  “Who is it?” Garundel asked.

  Karma looked at Ren with sympathy. “Brai Adaya.”

  Ren gasped softly and her light green eyes filled with tears. She swallowed hard, holding her grief at bay. Brai Adaya had lied to her, and worse, but that didn’t change the fact that Ren had cared about her.

  “I leave it to you, Daughter,” Garundel said to Ren, his voice gruff. She nodded and reached to hold his hand as she was holding Marl’s.

  “Yes, Karma, we’d like to hear what she has to say, please.” Karma focused on the Ti-Ank for a moment and Brai Adaya’s bent figure became visible to them all. “Brai Adaya,” Ren said. “I am saddened to learn that you have crossed over to Beyond.”

  “Do not be sad, child,” Brai Adaya said. “It was my task in life to watch over you, and see you to your destiny. I am grateful that I was able to accomplish that. I have always loved you, and I am pleased to know that you are now happy.”

  “If you cared so much about her, why did you betray her, and Roesa, by stealing her message to me?” Garundel demanded.

  “I understand why you see it as betrayal, Sir Garundel,” Brai Adaya said. “In truth, it felt that way to me at times. I hope that you will agree to listen to me now, and that when I am finished, you will understand.”

  “I’ve always trusted you, Brai Adaya,” Ren said. “It hurts to think that my trust was misplaced. I, for one, would like to hear what you have to say.”

  “Thank you, Ren,” Brai Adaya said, bowing slightly. “The commonly known legend of the Mareon and the first Maiden of the Heart says that Vatra went to the Mareon city beneath the sea and summoned a maiden to help stop the Eschaton and create the Heart Orb. Vatra Gariel gave the maiden legs to walk on land, and the ability to transform back into her natural form and swim the seas at will.”

  “I know that story,” Ren said. “Mother told it to me often.”

  “What is no longer known, not even by the few remaining Mareon, is that the maiden was the Mareon King’s youngest daughter. Some weeks after the pyramid was successfully sent to the void, Vatra discovered that, far into his future, the Mareon people were doomed to fade from the world. Worse, he understood that the removal of the youngest Princess from the sea had caused this change in their eventual fate. It was she, alone, who carried the ability to heal within her, and that ability would one day be needed to save the Mareon. Without it, an illness would destroy them all.

  “Vatra returned to the Mareon King and told him what he’d learned, hoping for assistance to save the Mareon. He was shocked to discover that, even as he spoke, the future of the Mareon underwent yet another change. Vatra was pleased with the change because it gave the Mareon people a chance to survive, if only barely. But, he was also greatly disturbed by how completely the future had been altered by nothing more than a few words from his lips. In an effort to be sure the current future couldn’t be changed by a few careless words, Vatra guarded his new knowledge very carefully, not even daring to reveal it to the Mareon King.

  “Vatra now knew that one day a child would be born with the ability to heal, passed down from her ancestress. The future of the Mareon would rely on that child who would also be the Maiden of the Heart Orb. If that were not enough, fate, it seemed, was determined to end that child’s life before she had a chance to fulfill either of her destinies. If that were allowed to come to pass, it wouldn’t be just the Mareon who would perish. All life on Rathira would perish as well.

  It took many attempts to divert many possible futures before Vatra managed, finally, to find a single path that would see that child live to fulfill her destiny. But it was a precarious path, and if it were deviated on by the smallest degree, it would fail.

  For this reason Vatra created Sanctuary and made a pact with the Braii. We were sworn to follow his dictates to the letter, lest we bring about the end of all life as we knew it. For this reason were you kept on Nu Senna until the Return, Ren. If you’d set foot off the mountain beforetime, you would have died.”

  “Why did you not share any of this with me before I left Sanctuary?” Ren asked.

  “The Vatra-Braii Pact specified everything in a particular order. In accordance with that pact, the truths I may now speak of could only be shared after the crowning of the Queen and King of Mareon, and after the Maiden of the Heart claimed the Heart Orb. To my eternal joy I see that these events have come to pass, as Vatra foresaw.

  “The two of you now have a chance to gather the remnants of the Mareon people, and heal the illness that has eaten away at them these past decades. Whether or not you succeed in that effort, Vatra could not foresee. He knew only that you had a chance to succeed, and that you were meant to try. The rest is up to you.”

  “You hid Roesa’s message in order to save Ren’s life, and by extension, all of Rathira,” Sir Garundel said. “For this I am grateful. But why didn’t you summon me, and tell me of this? I would have remained on Nu Senna with my daughter.”

  “Had I summoned you, Sir Garundel, you would have died before reaching Sanctuary,” Brai Adaya said gently. “In that future, your absence would have resulted in Ren’s death shortly after she joined the Orb Quest, and before she was able to claim the Heart Orb.

  “I am sorry, Ren, for all the pain you suffered,” Brai Adaya said, turning back to Ren. “But I cannot regret having kept my oaths. Because I did, you now live, as does your father. You are strong. You have power you don’t yet know of. And, if the Orb Quest is successful, you will have the chance to heal the Mareon people with the spines you bear upon your wrists. You and your husband must go into the oceans and seek them out. It will not be easy, but it is the only chance the Mareon will have to rebuild their race.”

  “Rather than curse you as I did, I now thank you,” Garundel said, bowing to the bent figure.

  “Please do not thank me, Sir Garundel,” Brai Adaya said. “I don’t regret what I did, but neither am I happy to know how much you and Ren were hurt.”

  “So, my spines are meant to heal the Mareon,” Ren said softly. “You were correct, Brai Adaya, when you told me that I would one day see my curse as a blessing. I understood that when I saved Marl from dying. Now I see that my blessings have only increased. I also thank you, Brai Adaya, for all you’ve done for me.”

  “Brai Adaya,” Karma said, “I wonder if you can tell us if Vatra Gariel saw the outcome of the Orb Quest.”

  “No, Lady Techu, according to the scrolls we have written by his hand, he did not. As the time of the pyramid’s return drew close, his vision became less and less clear, until he could see no more.”

  “Thank you,” Karma said, nodding.

  “Farewell, Brai Adaya,” Ren said when she saw that Adaya was beginning to waver as Roesa had done before disappearing. “Go in peace.”

  Brai Adaya, First of the Braii, pressed her hands together and bowed low to the Queen of the Mareon. Then she slowly faded away.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Zakiel, Karma, Bredon, and Kapia stood at the top of the palace battlements, waiting for Marene in the exact time and place she’d…requested. Bredon had delivered her summons that morning, and they’d spent the entire day discussing what they should and shouldn’t say. It wasn’t easy for any of them to appear calm as they watched the monstrous form of the Myrkur approach, but Bredon had warned them against revealing the slightest bit of revulsion, and they took his warning seriously.

  She was enormous, at least twice the size of a diplo, larger even than when Bredon had last seen her. And she’d altered her appearance in other ways, as well. She had the body and legs of some sort of canine that was covered in bright green scales, with leathery bat-like wings, and a tail tipped with the head of a venomous snake that twitched and hissed constantly. Her neck was ten feet long and as snake-like as her tail, though much thicker. A pair of feminine arms and hands sprouted grotesquely from her neck, one hand gripping what had to be the Djinn scepter, Zatroa. Most horrific of all was her head, which was an oversized and gree
n scaled caricature of Marene’s human head with a mass of writhing, hissing green snakes in place of hair. Her eyes glowed a sickly yellow, which matched the yellow drool that slipped between her lips and down her chin to land, sizzling, on the rooftop when she landed. Karma, Kapia, and Zakiel had seen a slightly different version of this head when they’d fought the Marene demon on the atoll where the Moon Orb had been hidden. Karma was glad Marene no longer had red eyes since Vatra’s eyes were red, but it certainly didn’t make this version any easier to look at.

  The nightmarish Myrkur stared at the foursome for a long moment before, without warning, it vanished, leaving Marene’s familiar human form in its place. As they’d agreed beforehand, all four of them bowed low before her and held it for three heartbeats before straightening.

  Marene smiled, her eyes, now a muddy brown, flashing red with pleasure for just a moment. “That will do for now,” she said. “One day, you will grovel before me.”

  “The Djinn must be forever banished,” Zakiel said coolly, not exactly agreeing, but not arguing with her either.

  “Yet more proof that I alone am worthy to rule,” Marene sneered, shaking her head mockingly. “A true ruler would never give up his kingdom so easily.”

  Zakiel hid his smile. There was no sense in telling this creature that a true ruler measured his worth by the success and happiness of his, or her, people. Not by how deeply they bowed.

  “Have you removed the demons from Ka-Teru?” Bredon asked, taking a step forward to pull Marene’s attention to him, and away from Zakiel.

  “Most of them,” Marene said with a careless wave of one hand.

  “Most?” Bredon asked quickly, jumping in before Zakiel had a chance to ask himself.

  “Those who defy me by approaching the palace,” she said. “The others are of no consequence. Now, time is short. How long will it take to recall the pyramid?”

  “We won’t know until we do it,” Zakiel said. “We must find the keystone first, and as much as we would like to have you remain close at hand to keep any remaining demons off our backs, your magic is so powerful that it is interfering with the magic of the orbs.”

  Karma heard Nikura’s amused snort and had to bite down hard on her tongue to keep herself from smiling. Luckily Marene was frowning suspiciously at Zakiel, whose icy blue eyes stared back without flinching. After a few moments she nodded. “Of course it does,” she said. “My magic is stronger than anything Rathira has ever seen. I shall return to Darkly Fen. Bredon may summon me when the pyramid has been returned.”

  “Do you know how close the Djinn are to completing the new scepter?” Zakiel asked. Marene arched an imperious brow at him, and again Zakiel had to hide a smile. “We don’t have your power, knowledge, or expertise. It would help to know how much time we have to work with.” Marene smiled, a bit of acidic drool dribbling down her chin as she preened with the compliments.

  She pulled a gray humanoid leg bone out from beneath her robe with a flourish. Attached to one end, like the point of a spear, was a long fang covered with brownish stains. On the other end was a curved green horn that she held onto as though it were a handle. Standing up incongruously from the center of the thing was a long, thin black claw that curved backward toward Marene.

  Zakiel stiffened as he fought to hide his revulsion at the sight of Zatroa. When Marene raised it over her head and pointed it at the sky, it was all he could do not to call on Vatra, even knowing that it would do no more than reveal the limits of his own power. He concentrated on breathing in and out through his nose, not watching as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

  No one moved as the warm, late afternoon suddenly turned frigid. Low, rustling sounds sounded all around them, causing their skin to crawl, and a horrific stench filled the air. Dark magic. When Marene finally lowered the scepter and opened her eyes, Kapia, who knew Marene best next to Bredon, caught a flash of worry in her muddy eyes, quickly hidden.

  “The new scepter is complete,” Marene said. “It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that they’ve chosen ShaiTyan to act as High King over them all. They’re planning a ceremony for his ascension and formal acceptance of their combined powers. By mid-day tomorrow, he will have full control of the new scepter. You must recall the pyramid before then.”

  “Will he come here?” Zakiel asked. “To Rathira.”

  “Only if he is a fool,” Marene said, smiling coldly. “If he does, you may be certain that I will destroy him.”

  “You are stronger than the Djinn High King?” Zakiel asked.

  “Let’s just say I have more stamina,” Marene chuckled.

  Zakiel frowned as he continued to stare at Marene. After a few moments, his eyebrows rose. “You cannot die?”

  “No, I cannot die,” she said with a gloating smile.

  “I don’t’ understand,” Zakiel said, cocking his head to the side curiously. “All things die, eventually. How is it that you are immune to death?”

  Marene stared at Zakiel for a long moment, then she returned the scepter to its place beneath her robe while she considered her answer. “You might as well know so you don’t get any foolish ideas later,” she said, smiling again. “My power is greater than you can possibly imagine. So great that it will keep me alive forever. I shall be empress of all Rathira, and there is nothing any of you can do to stop me.”

  Bredon gasped softly, attracting everyone’s attention. He slapped at his forearm with one hand, looked at his palm with a grimace and wiped it on his pants. “Insects,” he said shortly. “Marene, how long will it take you to unmake the existing tear?”

  “A few minutes,” she replied. “No more.”

  “Once that’s done, the Djinn will have no way of finding Rathira again, is that right?”

  “Yes,” she snapped impatiently. “Did I not already say so?”

  Bredon bowed his head, his eyes fixed on the ground before him, frowning as though deep in thought. When he raised his head he gave Marene a meaningful look. “Hara Marene, I would speak with you alone, if you don’t mind.”

  Marene’s eyes narrowed on him, but Bredon didn’t appear to mind in the least. “Of course, Bredon,” she said finally. “The rest of you may leave. I suggest you immediately begin preparations for the return of the pyramid.”

  Zakiel, Karma and Kapia bowed and left without another word, and Bredon approached Marene. “I’ve had an idea, Marene,” he said. “I’m not sure it’ll work now, since the Djinn won’t be able to make a new tear, but I think I’ll share it anyway, just in case.”

  “What is this idea, Bredon?”

  “Not so fast. Answer a question for me first.”

  “All right.” She sounded bored, but Bredon knew her interest was as sharp as a knife. He felt it.

  “If I knew of a way to protect Rathira from the Djinn forever, and if I could help you implement it, would you allow me to stand at your side when you rule?”

  “Perhaps,” Marene said, hiding her surprise reasonably well, though not from Bredon. “What is your idea?”

  “I’ve discovered that the energy of a tear can be…converted, if you will, so it can be used to gather the essence of Rathira to create a shield that will prevent any new tears from being made.”

  “And what do you know of such magic?” Marene asked sharply.

  “Nothing,” Bredon replied blandly. “It was the plan of Vatra Gariel, but he couldn’t make it work. Could you do it?”

  Marene considered that for a few moments, then shook her head. “I have enough power to accomplish such a feat, of that I have no doubt. But drawing on the essence of Rathira requires a connection that Zatroa does not have.”

  “But you are of Rathira,” Bredon said as though surprised.

  “Of course I am,” she snapped. “But the task you speak of requires a much stronger connection than any one person has.”

  Bredon heard the lie and carefully hid his relief. He already knew that Zatroa lacked a connection to Rathira. That Marene now lacked that c
onnection as well was what he’d needed to know. He put his frown back on and furrowed his brow. “I don’t suppose Zatroa will unmake a tear created by the new scepter.”

  “Of course not,” Marene said testily, and Bredon knew her patience was at an end.

  “I have a connection to Rathira, Marene,” he said.

  “Your point being?”

  “What if you send the power of Zatroa through our connection to me, and I use it to create the shield.”

  “Even if you had any magical ability, which you don’t, you are nowhere strong enough to withstand that much power,” Marene said. “You’d burn to a cinder in a moment in spite of the protection I’ve…I could provide for you.”

  Marene’s eyes flashed red at her own error, but Bredon pretended not to notice, just as he pretended not to hear the lie, or see the new and completely unexpected truth he’d accidentally discovered. He could not allow himself to react, or to be sidetracked. “What if I had the power of Vatra?”

  “Vatra?” Marene asked in genuine surprise.

  “Zakiel cannot use Vatra’s power for himself, but he can grant me temporary use of it.”

  “Why can he not use it for himself?”

  “Because he pushed too hard and nearly killed himself,” Bredon replied. “With Vatra’s power, and yours, I should be strong enough to accomplish what must be done.”

  “Will Vatra’s power keep you alive?” Marene asked as though only mildly curious.

  “Yes, of course,” Bredon replied. “And don’t forget, Vatra has a very strong bond with Rathira.”

  “Perhaps he should grant Vatra’s powers to me,” she suggested.

  “Neither Zakiel nor Vatra have a connection with you,” Bredon said. “I do.” Then he sighed heavily. “This is the only way, Marene. Zakiel will loan me Vatra’s strength so that I can withstand the power you send me. Your power will make me strong enough to use the energy of the tear to create the shield. If you have another idea, then I am more than happy to hear it.”

  “Why would Zakiel grant Vatra’s strength to you?”