The Laws Of Elios (Book 2)

by R N Skye

  So what kind of trouble have you got in store for us today?” asked Ari with a grin.

  Shane smiled back, “Why do you always assume that everything I do causes trouble?” Shane asked with pretended effrontery. Looking around he asked Shew. “I am a little bit hungry; do you guys have any fruit?”

  “No,” Shew answered catching the hint. “But that reminds me, I was going send the kid after some apples and pears that they keep fresh in the root cellars at the Farmers Market later today,” answered the old man.

  “No worries,” Shane replied. “I don’t want to put anyone out.”

  “You’re not putting anyone out. The lad has been aching to get out of here all day. Too much closed in space here for a boy his age anyway. “Hey kid,” yelled Shew. The teen had disappeared below decks.

  “Coming,” responded a returned holler, followed by a clambering of hurried feet. “Yes, Mr. Shew,” he asked carefully as he reached the galley.

  “I need you to run to the Farmers Market and grab some apples and pears,” Shew instructed. We’ll be here a while so take your time. I’ve kept you stuck here a lot lately - go stretch your legs. A boy like you needs some fresh air. Grab about a dozen each,” he added as he handed the lad a handful of Luion coins.”

  “It’s pretty busy sir I may be a while,” offered Nuekirk in what he obviously hoped was an innocent observation.

  “Do your best,” responded Shew. Just make sure you are back here by nightfall.”

  The lad bounded down the stairs and through the store room portal within seconds; as if he was trying to be gone before Shew could give him another assignment or change his mind about his curfew.”

  Shane and Ari stared at one another for a moment then finally Shane nodded. Ari got up and casually went below decks.

  “What gives,” asked the old spy, looking from Shane and then back towards the stairway that Ari had just descended.

  “Did you know that the kid has a pair of your vid artifacts set up in his room to record our galley conversation?” commented Shane.

  “That little son of a flea infested mongrel bit…” The old man paused uncharacteristically amid his burst of profanity. “I should have seen it coming,” he muttered. “The little snit has been stealing everything not tied down since he arrived. I wonder who he is selling information to.”

  Ari reentered the galley and dropped a couple of very small artifacts onto the table. “He’s been selling his little secrets to a smuggler named Soaris.” Both Shane and Ari burst out laughing. The idiot has no idea who Soaris really is. He just thinks that he’s helping the most notorious smuggler ever known in the artifact trade. Shane suspected him from the start because he had an arm band on voluntarily. He figured the kids was either very amoral or he was under the control of the king. Shane was ready to drop him into the ocean from twenty thousand cubits but I suggested we use him. After a quick look at his lumen we could tell he wasn’t under any Allyant influence so we figured he was just a greedy urchin.”

  “I knew the little bastard was a thief,” Shew repeated, “but I never saw the espionage coming.”

  “Well he’s not the brightest crystal in the chandelier,” said Ari. “It took a lot of prodding to get him to see the opportunity. I’ve got him in a position that will make him highly targetable should Allion get a spy situated here in Lu Y Onton. The kid can’t keep his mouth shut. If I was going to insert an asset into this area I’d pick up on a loudmouth kid in a second and that’s who I’d first start using for info. We’re just bringing you in on it because as his handler you need to start watching your back.”

  “Worst case scenario,” added Shane reaching into his pocket and tossing a ring to Shew. “The kid gets Allyant possessed and tries for someone close to either the two of us. Put that on and keep it on and you’re safe and sound.”

  “You know what really ticks me off,” Shew spat. “That I missed it. Worse, you,” he glared at Ari. “You not only caught it but you maneuvered him into another one of your plans and you’re playing with him like a toy. Here I thought that you were going to retire from all that.” Turning to Shane, “and you. I remember when you were such a nice kid. You were so polite and well behaved. This guy,” he indicated Ari “is a bad influence. You keep hanging around him and you’re going to pick up some bad habits. More than likely you’ll end up like me and develop a talent for descriptive speaking to describe guys like him.”

  After a brief chuckle Shane cleared his throat. “I have an answer for the wristband problem.” He added seriously.

  “Really,” Ari perked up, “what did you find out?”

  “Actually it came from what I observed when I cleared out all of the Allyant presence from Valee. I then took what we know so far about the wristbands and came up with this.” Shane produced one of the small blue feedback glyphs.

  “What the…” started Shew as he bent closer and squinted at the small blue circle. “What in the world is that little thing?” asked the old man as he scowled at Ari.

  “That is a glyph,” Shane said proudly. “Harder than a dickens to make but it will neutralize an Allyant wristband and protect the user; allowing us to get them to safety or to be used safely by our agents in order to infiltrate.”

  Shane then pulled a handful of wristbands from his pack, one of each type, and set them on the table. The older man pulled back reflexively.

  “Relax,” Shane said dismissively. “These are no longer effective. He held up a couple and showed the inside. See the blue dot? These have been neutralized. I thought that it might be helpful in your infiltration if you could blend in. Just make sure you don’t get them mixed up with one that doesn’t have the dot.”

  “How does it work?” asked Shew, unable to contain his curiosity.

  Shane explained the function and the idea that Leo had suggested. An hour later Ari and Shew had a plan to go get more information from up close.

  Shew stood, “Guess I better get my darks on, I have a little work to do.”

  “Ari, do you have those rings we made for Shew and the kid?” asked Shane.

  Ari opened a pocket in a tool belt that he had taken to wearing lately. “Here you go, all done.”

  Shane took the two brass looking rings from him and said, “Shew, before you head out I want you two to wear these along with the one I just gave you. They will protect you from the Allyant magic as much as I can think of at the moment, but don’t count on it too much because there’s still a lot I don’t know. Also there is a heal function on it so if either you or the kid get hurt just get somewhere safe and this should help you until you can get to help. It also has camouflage ability. Put it on your middle finger if you need to blend in. Put it on your index finger for normal visibility. Lastly if you get your back against the wall and there’s no way out or you need to get the kid out just touch both rings together and you will teleport to a safe location close to where a healers can be reached – just in case.

  Shew took the rings and put one on and pocketed the other nodding, his face taking on the appearance of concentration and somberness that he expressed as he put his mind into mission mode.

  “One more thing Shew,” Shane added as the older man started to head below decks to get his gear. “Martha is all settled in at Valee, you’ll like the house. She’s safe. Soaris got her there last night. I thought you might want to know.”

  The old man pretended not to smile but Shane thought he recognized a trace of relief in his eyes. With a silent nod he disappeared down the stairs.

  Sitting back down this time opposite of Ari, Shane tugged at his ear, “Ava Desmond,” he said aloud.

  After a moment he spoke as if talking to himself. “Hi beautiful… Do you have some time? Great, where are you… No, I’ll bring you to me… not a problem… go stand in your mom’s kitchen pantry and close the door… okay close your eyes. Are your eyes closed… no peeking…”

  Suddenly Ava was standing next to the galley table. “Ok you can open them,” said Sha
ne.

  Ava appeared in front of the table with her eyes closed. Responding to Shane’s command she opened her eyes. With a brief smile she took in the new surroundings. “So this is this the famous Sloop?” She asked in her heavy Luion accent.

  “Hi uncle Ari,” she greeted smiling as she sat down next to Shane. “What’s going on?”

  “The reason I asked for both you and Ari to be here is because I need your help,” began Shane. “You and Ari are the most advanced mages on Eliom next to me and I’ve developed a unique glyph that will help us defeat the wristbands that the king is using to control and enslave the people of Infin. The problem is it takes an enormous amount of lumen to create and the first couple of times you make one it will make you feel like you have been up for two days straight. In fact it is likely going to wipe you out. The good news is that the more you make the stronger it makes you and it increases your lumen capacity as well. Care to give it a try?”

  “I’m game,” shrugged Ari.

  “Me too,” echoed Ava

  “The only issue is if you have the capacity,” Shane said with a hopeful doubt. “I’ve shared the glyph with my instructor and it is now available via the instructor network as a Lumen Mage enchantment; only a Lumen Mage can create it. It can only be taught in dream mode due to its nature so query your instructors. If you are capable it will let you know and schedule the dream when you tell it to. My only caution is that when you are ready plan on taking a day off to recover from the first one.”

  Ava responded almost immediately having queried her instructor mentally. “My instructor says that I am capable and I’ve scheduled the instruction. Although it did warn me that I would be at my limits and recommended that I rest well prior to the attempt.”

  “Same here,” Ari added, “I got the same warning. How soon do you want us to start on this? I have an operation that needs my presence later today and I have to finish up with the new ships with the navy and I want to go with Shew and the kid if they scout out the mage-works in Jehhet.”

  “I’d like to finish up with the new route for the monorail which could take a day or two. At least if I can’t find a way get over that small valley that is blocking the original path to Coh Y Nord,” Ava explained. “I didn’t have anything planned on Samedi or Dima so that would work perfectly for me; allowing me to do the first one first thing in the morning and recover all day Samedi and then try a second attempt on Dima morning as well.”

  “I can try that as well,” sighed Ari, “but I’m not sure if I will be able to give you Samedi as I don’t know how much effort is going to be involved infiltrating the mage-works yet.”

  Shane thought a moment, “Do the best you can, comm me if you have any problems. I need to head out. I’m going to spend a little time and make a few more of these things myself. Unless I miss my guess we are going to need almost a million of them.” Shane stood.

  “Where are you off to?” asked Ava.

  “I’m going to see if I can find out what Allion is doing with all the Lumen he is stealing and then I’m going to see about setting up a ball game.” He said enthusiastically.

  Bending down he kissed his fiancé on the forehead saying, “I’ll see you this evening maybe we can go eat at one of the new restaurants in Valee; I understand that there is one that has amazing piastazzi pie. Oh, I almost forgot, Leo said he is almost finished with your monorail disks. They may even be done by now.” Noting Ari’s look of concern he smiled his most carefree smile. “I’ll comm you if I find anything dangerous, Ari, and I’ll be careful if you promise the same.” At the older man’s nod Shane winked out of sight.

  “I can’t wait until I can do that,” Ava said to the empty space where he had stood a moment before.

  “You and me both,” agreed Ari with a grimace. “He makes it look so easy. It’s everything I can do to learn all of my defensive enchantments using glyph mastery and he is already beginning to use lumen mastery. I was at my limit when he had me create the glyph mastery we used to heal Leslie from her Allyant poisoning and here he is creating original glyphs.”

  “He seems to think we can do it,” Ava said in return.

  “True,” nodded Ari as he took a sip from his cooling mug. “I know you love him Ava but you should consider something about your fiancé. He’s not normal,” Ari chuckled

  “That’s not a very nice thing to say,” Ava frowned.

  “I didn’t mean it in an unkind way, Ava. You are a both bit alike; you’re not quite normal either. Perhaps that is why you two hit it off so well.” As Ava seemed about to object Ari held up a hand to forestall her brimming argument. “Think about it, you both study like maniacs, you both are constantly coming up with new ideas, and you both understand things nearly instantly the minute you read them. Most of us have to ponder and practice for a while.”

  “You’re one to talk uncle Ari; the more I learn of your past the more I think that you are a lot brighter than you want people to realize. And what’s wrong with studying, I like learning things,” retorted Ava. “Besides, Shane is much more of what you said than I am.”

  “That’s my point,” Ari replied. “Let me explain it this way. The entire time we were out looking for you; when we thought you were being held prisoner on the island? He was constantly doing something; the man can’t sit still? When Roger and I left him on the boat while we went for supplies he took a practically derelict craft that was filthy, barely seaworthy and barely habitable and had it completely cleaned up. We were gone maybe eight hours and he had developed a propulsion system, a navigation system, and a levitation system; this was less than a week after he had created his instructor.

  Ava, I’m a bright guy; I’ll not deny it, and you my dear niece are brilliant, your folks always thought you were ahead of your peers with all of your talents. We always knew you would go far because of how smart you are and the natural magetech talent that you had. But Shane is something else. He is a prodigy; someone who comes along once in a hundred or a thousand years. He seems to think like me when he plans, but he doesn’t do it by planning its more by instinct. He decides instantly and acts immediately. He’s moving all the time and I’ve never seen him slow down; I’m worried he is going to burn out.”

  Ava frowned. She had to agree with her uncle. Now that she thought about it, ever since they had met she had never known him to slow down. She just assumed he was busy because of his workload with classes, the warball team, and the research group. “He’s just one of those energetic people, have you not met his mother; she could wear out puppies.”

  “I hope you’re right. I just have grown to like the guy and I’m looking forward to seeing you two getting married. Enfer, I must be getting old… I’m probably worrying too much,” Ari conceded. “Do your best to take care of him, Ava, you’re probably the only kick in the pants he’ll listen to.”

  Standing Ava began opening cupboards. “I’m starved; don’t you guys keep any food around here?”

  Ari laughed at Ava’s change of the subject, “Shew and the kid keep a few items but I think that they eat out most of the time,” explained her uncle. You’re probably better off going to your moms and grabbing something there. In fact I’ll join you I’m feeling a little peckish myself,” he said as he stood up from the small galley table. “Chin up, Ava,” he said as he gave his niece a hug. “If he is able to take the afternoon and distract himself with a few games of warball that might be the diversion he needs to take his mind off things and relax for a while.”

  Ava reached for her portal device and Ari beckoned for her to follow him down below the galley deck to the storeroom. “No need for that, there is a way to the lab from here and we can go to your house from the lab.”

  A few moments later they were walking through a portal into the main entry way of the lab just in time to see a flushed Leslie run through the front door behind them.

  “Ava, Ari, am I glad to see you, you’re never going to believe this.”

  Ari and Leslie embraced and Les
lie grabbed his arm affectionately and possessively and with a smooth motion was at his side. With the excitement and wonder of a child, her eyes shone with enthusiasm as she launched into her description of the days earlier events. When she paused for breath Ari quickly interjected. “Come with us to Gerard and Louisa’s we were just going to grab something to eat.”

  An hour later their appetites satisfied Leslie finished her tale with a question. “What should I do now?”

  Ari looked at Ava and shrugged, “You and Shane are more expert at this than I am. What do you think?”

  Ava thought for a moment and answered with a surety, “Aunt Leslie, you need to call it a day. Go do something to take your mind off of what you learned today. Work in the garden, go shopping, with mother, do something to keep your mind off glyphs for the rest of the day. I know it will be hard but the best thing for you to do right now is to let your mind rest. Take it from someone that has spent many a long hour using mental interface with her instructor; it catches up on you and it totally exhausts you if you aren’t careful. If you decide to spend the afternoon trying to figure out your instructor you won’t get very far and when you wake up in the morning you will realize that all the time you spent was a waste. Get a good night sleep. You won’t regret it.”

  Leslie sighed with undecided resignation. “Ava, would you like to go somewhere with your mother and I?” She asked her niece; latching onto the suggestion.

  “I’d love to Aunt Leslie,” Ava said with a polite decline, “I need to start installing monorail plates and see if I can open up the access to Coh Y Nord. I’m already behind schedule and it will be after dark before I get back, and Shane wants Ari and I to attempt some very powerful glyph mastery that borders on pure lumen magic - I don’t know if I’m even up to it yet - let alone know where I’m going to get the time. But you and mother have a great time - you two haven’t done anything together in quite a while; it’ll be fun.