Elf Mastery

by Bryant Reil

  Eunoste must have heard them as she stepped to the top of the stairs, lantern in hand.

  “Eunoe! Aspen!” she smiled. “Welcome.”

  ***

  “No. That's a terrible move.”

  “Why? Why is it terrible? My red stone blocks your purple.” It was Kyla's first game of Apple Snap and already she knew she didn't like it. Of course, Saul wasn't a very good teacher.

  “Yes.” Saul returned Kyla's red stone to its starting position. “It does, but my Black stone reverses it so the Green stone will remove it. See? So you have to move your Black stone to my Green stone first.”

  “What's the point of a game if it's this much work to play?” she complained. “I'd rather just do my homework or something!”

  “It's a lot of fun when you get the hang of it. Really strategic. Here, just move your black stone over here.”

  “It's not fun if you do all my moves! Just let me do it.”

  Aspen and Eunoe were still in Arkwood, and though Aura was back from Aeolis she had to work, and so Kyla was stuck with Saul. She had invited him to play sticks and stones, but he proposed to teach her a better game. It was worse by miles.

  “Okay, just think about this carefully. You have two yellow stones by my red. This means you can—”

  He paused to let her think and expected her to finish his sentence, but Kyla had no idea where he was leading. She couldn't remember what yellow stones were even good for.

  “Come on,” he encouraged. “You'll love it once you get it.”

  Kyla furrowed her brow. “Just because I collect rocks doesn't mean I like everything that has rocks in it.” She picked up one of the yellow stones and, as she focused her thoughts, started sucking on it.

  “Ew!” Saul grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand from her mouth. “Don't get your germs all over it!”

  Kyla looked at him. He suddenly reminded her of Bit. She put down the yellow rock and picked up a red one. Then, slowly, she stuck out her tongue and watched Saul's reaction as she drew the stone in for a lick. He froze for a moment before grabbing the stone away. Kyla laughed. It felt good; she hadn't laughed in a while.

  “You're so gross! You're like a little kid!” Kyla grabbed another stone, and another, forcing Saul to grab her wrists. Then she smacked her face onto the game board and sucked one of the stones into her mouth and spat it out at Saul.

  His face froze in shock, and at first Kyla was worried that he was going to get angry. She had only meant to tease. She watched him, uncertain if she should laugh or apologize, until he broke a smile and bleated. “Guess you're back to being super annoying!” he said. “I kind of thought you were going to be gloomy forever. Glad you're over it!”

  She wasn't over it, but now realized that hard times didn't mean she couldn't be happy.

  ***

  Marik took a sip of tea. Director Anh-Bul's head of snakes was unnerving and it was hard not to stare, but Marik had seen many disgusting sorts of creatures pass through the prison system and knew how to maintain his composure. Anh-Bul added some honey to his own tea, set it carefully on his desk, folded his arms across his chest, and looked at him. “Now, what is it you want?”

  Marik looked Anh-Bul straight in the eyes. This was a sign of ultimate trust, to a gorgon, though Marik knew he had to be careful lest the Director choose to turn him to stone. Two of Anh-Bul's snakes hissed, and Anh-Bul grabbed a pair of crickets from a wooden box behind his desk and passed them up. The hungry little snakes each grabbed one. Marik nearly coughed up his tea. He had never seen that before. Anh-Bul must go through a lot of crickets.

  “I've been looking into a new line of work. Spent the last fifteen years in Internal Security and thought it was time for a change. I'd heard you were a wonderful gentleman to work for, and I've always wanted to work with fresh young minds.”

  “What was your previous job, exactly?”

  “I was a prison guard.”

  Anh-Bul smiled. “Sounds like you're already qualified.”

  Marik forced a smile. “Very amusing, Sir. I suppose they can be a handful, but you seem to have things well under control.”

  “Are you looking for a job in Security? Teaching?”

  “Whatever you see fit. I'm sure you'll know where my skills can best be put to use.”

  Anh-Bul's eyes scanned Marik. His expression was haughty, yet Marik sensed he liked what he saw. A little deference went a long way with this sort. Marik doubted Anh-Bul was ever shown much respect. “I have a few ideas in mind. Why don't you come back tomorrow morning and I'll have something ready for you?”

  “Thank you, Sir. And I must say, that tea was delicious.”

  As Marik left the room his smiled disappeared. The smile had been a lie; his interest in Anh-Bul had been a lie. Marik caressed the hilt of his sword with a sigh. His life was all lies now. Well, not all. The tea had truly been delicious.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Arkwood

  “How is Equinox?” Eunoste pulled out a basket of fish for Aspen and some raspberries for Eunoe. She knew them well. “I was wondering if you'd come back for a visit. It's a long trip.”

  “Eunoe made a flying tiger,” Aspen answered between bites. “His name's Castor.”

  “Interesting! Not much has changed here. You probably saw the girls out having a good time.”

  Eunoe inspected the berries for bugs before choosing the single healthiest one and plopping it in her mouth. She loved the tartness of it. They were hard to get this late in the year, but Eunoste had magic to preserve food. Aspen's fish could be weeks old but still smelled fresh. “Yeah. We just saw Canaste on the way in, but she didn't say anything.”

  “Well, nobody's said much about it since you left.”

  Eunoe grabbed another berry. To avoid the conversation making a more uncomfortable turn, she pulled out the geode. “My friend found this stone. She heard some silly story and thought there might be someone trapped inside. What do you think?”

  “You came all the way here for that?”

  “Yes!” Aspen interrupted. “She's a very good friend. And I can see a face in there, too!”

  “That's not the only reason,” Eunoe admitted. “The other is a little more personal. Later. What do you think about this?”

  Eunoste inspected the stone. “It looks like a face, but you know, our minds tend to play tricks on us in that regard.”

  “That's what Saul said!” Aspen added excitedly.

  “I do sense something. It's very weak. Either it's a very old soul, or nearly dissolved. I can take a look at it. It could take a few hours. I trust you can stay until morning?”

  “Yes, of course. I expected as much. There's one more thing, though. Aspen, would you mind getting some water? I'm pretty parched.”

  “Oh. Sure.” Aspen would have to go to the river, which should give Eunoe about ten minutes. As soon as Aspen's footsteps faded she turned back to Eunoste.

  “I need you to teach me how to reattach Aspen's soul.” Eunoe's voice shook as she spoke.

  Eunoste looked shocked. “Are you—are you trying to get rid of her?”

  Eunoe fumbled with a raspberry before getting it into her mouth. “No! No. Quite the opposite. I'm dreading it, but she's made other friends, and sometimes I feel like there might be someone else she'd rather spend her life with. Instead of being tied to me all the time.” Though Eunoe had been thinking about this for a few days, the emotional impact was just starting to hit her.

  “Oh, Eunoe! No! You're like sisters!”

  Eunoe nodded as she tried to hold back tears. “Sisters grow up. They move apart. It's nothing immediate. I just think it will happen, and I need to know what to do.”

  “Soul weaving takes a long time to learn.”

  “I don't need to master the art. I need to untie our souls, and attach her to someone else. That's it.”

  Eunoste leaned forward and put her hands on Eunoe's shoulders. “I've come to think of you as two parts of the same person. I can see th
is isn't easy but I hope you know what you're asking.”

  “Me, too. I just think Aspen would like to be her own person for once. And there are other people who are better at letting her do that.”

  Eunoste gave an encouraging smile. “You're better for her than you think, but I'll teach you and trust your decision. I'll set her up in the willow by the brook for the night. Come see me then. It shouldn't take too long, and then I can get to work on your little rock.”

  ***

  It was simpler than Eunoe had imagined. “The trick,” Eunoste explained, “is that every soul is different. You can't use the same technique on each person but if you know someone well enough, you can figure it out. You are working blind: no touch, sight, sound, smell. You must get a feel for the other person, and how they think and feel, so you can intuit what you need to do.”

  “Understanding others is not my strength.”

  “No, it isn't, but you know yourself and Aspen well enough. At any rate I'll guide you through the moves. You'll have to put in some real effort to understand the new person you are attaching her to or it won't work. Be ready to tie her back to yourself if you fail as she won't last long unattached. A dryad's soul is like an umbilical cord.” Eunoste grabbed Eunoe's hand and pressed it up to her navel. “Like this. Over, under, around here, pull. That's it. No-don't pull now. She'll feel the release and panic.”

  “Thank you, Eunoste.”

  Eunoe hoped it wouldn't happen in the near future, but felt relieved she could free Aspen when the time came.

  “Now, about that stone.”

  Eunoe had nearly forgotten. She handed the stone to Eunoste.

  “This is harder. I have no living body to work with so sensing the right move is difficult. This is where my years of training comes in. I need to get a feel for the soul without any emotional cues. It took decades to learn.” Eunoste closed her eyes and sat very still. Eunoe knew to keep quiet. She had no idea what Eunoste was doing in these moments but she had seen her do it before. Eunoste opened one eye. “Your emotions are very noisy right now. It's difficult to hear.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don't apologize. It isn't your fault.”

  There was another minute of silence before Eunoste continued. “I found a thread of soul. There is someone here. Do you need to communicate with them? If so I need a host.”

  Eunoe sighed. “Why not? I've already got two.”

  “It will try to take over your body. Not as a threat; I don't think it knows its body is dead. If we're going to do this, we need to do it now.”

  “Do it.”

  “Watch me carefully so you can undo the knot later.”

  Eunoe watched as Eunoste's hands weaved through the air. It looked silly if one didn't know what she was doing. Eunoe could feel the tugs at her own soul. It was a sensation she was used to, being tied to another person. She could also feel Aspen's sudden fright. “Aspen will be here soon.”

  Aspen was up the stairs shrieking before Eunoste could finish. “What's going on?”

  “We're getting a new friend.”

  “Without asking?”

  “Just for a bit. You knew we were coming to contact a spirit.”

  “I didn't know you were going to play host!”

  “Who else? It has to be us if we're going to bring the spirit to Equinox.”

  “We can't just keep it attached to the stone?”

  “No.” Eunoste stood up. “At least, not if you want to communicate with it. I weave souls. I can't enable them to wander unattached like ghosts. At any rate this one doesn't speak any language I know. You will find it much easier to communicate this way. You can feel its thoughts and intents.”

  “I can't read Aspen's thoughts,” Eunoe pointed out. “I just get strong emotions from her sometimes.”

  “Aspen has her own mind and physical form. She is simply tied to you; but in the case of this spirit you are sharing a body.”

  Eunoe felt a surge inside her. It did feel different.

  “Okos imar toda?” she said, but she didn't catch the meaning.

  Eunoste kneeled in front of her. “That's the other one. Can you understand what she's saying?”

  Eunoe concentrated. The other being was confused. She couldn't understand the words but could feel the meaning. “It's a man. He doesn't know who you are or where he is.”

  Eunoe tried to communicate with the other being mentally but its thoughts became more confused and a little fearful. “I'm just going to let him speak.”

  “Issimalik afnik imar. Dzag ik limin.”

  Eunoe realized she was going to have to translate everything.

  “He's worried about his family. I tried talking to him in my mind but he couldn't understand. He feels surprised that someone else is using his mouth.”

  Eunoste went into the next room and grabbed a mirror. She held it up to Eunoe. “We need to let him know he is in a borrowed body.”

  There was a moment of silence. Eunoe could feel the turmoil. It wasn't a physical feel, or even a mental one, but a spiritual anguish as the foreign being realized something was terribly wrong. Aspen let out a worried gasp. She could feel it, too.

  “He doesn't understand what happened. He is very afraid. He hears me talking. He can't understand but I think he can sense the meaning, just as I do him. He's frightened.”

  “As he should be. Take some time to work with him. Your communication with him is much more effective than I expected.”

  “I don't know the words, but I understand what he means. Frankly he's reacting much the same way I probably would.”

  “We aren't going to keep him, are we?” Aspen gasped. “I mean, just until he can help Kyla.”

  “I can release him,” Eunoe assured her. “Just try to relax. Your anxiety is upsetting him.”

  Aspen gave Eunoe a dirty look.

  Sunlight breached the side window. It was already morning. Eunoe didn't feel tired but knew fatigue was on the way.

  “Thank you, Eunoste. I would love to visit longer but I really need to head out.” In truth Eunoe wanted to leave without the others knowing she was here.

  “Of course.” Eunoste gave Eunoe and Aspen a hug. “Thank you for the opportunity to help you. It was a new experience for me.”

  “We need the rock.” Aspen picked the rock off the floor and looked at Eunoe. “For Kyla. And for when we put the other guy back in.”

  “He won't go back in the rock,” Eunoste said. “Unfamiliar magic put him in there. He needs a living host or his spirit will evaporate.”

  Aspen looked suddenly sad. “Oh.” Eunoe knew the dryad would not allow him such a horrible fate. She sighed. She was going to need to find a new host for both of them now.

  “Well, we should be going. Thanks again, Eunoste! Maybe you can come visit us at Equinox some time.”

  “A bit of a trip on foot!”

  “I can whip up some transportation for you.”

  ***

  Eunoe felt sick as she heard the chatter of her Charm approach. She had hoped they'd all be asleep but it sounded like they were just getting back from the night of frolicking and drinking. She put her head down and walked straight for Castor. Unfortunately, they had found the tiger first and were admiring him.

  “Oh, look who's back!” said a voice that was not happy to see her at all. It was Erimea. “So this is your little pet? I imagine you'll be leaving now?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  A satyr stepped between Eunoe and Castor. It was Elson. Eunoe tried to step around him but he blocked her way. Eunoe could feel Aspen's rage. The being inside her squirmed.

  “How could you come back and not say hello?” Elson asked.

  Eunoe was tired of being afraid of Elson. Look him in the eye. You have to look him in the eye. She wasn't sure if that was her thought or the being inside, but she looked Elson square in the eye and frowned. “Let me go.”

  There was a gasp from the crowd. It was Canaste. “How dare you talk bac
k to him!”

  Eunoe felt there was no use telling her side of the story. They all knew it. They chose to side with Elson. She didn't understand why, but their shaming hurt more than what Elson had done.

  “Get out of the way!” Aspen stepped forward and gave Elson a shove. There was an uncharacteristic vitriol in her voice and eyes.

  There were horrified gasps from the crowd, and someone shouted some rude names at Aspen and Eunoe. Elson looked at Aspen and raised his hand as though to smack her. “Was I talking to you?” He turned back to Eunoe. “You talk a big game but never follow through. Come back to my place and we can talk things over and see what goes from there.”

  Aspen spat on the ground. “She's not going anywhere with you!”

  Elson raised his hand again but this time he didn't hold back. He swung hard, but Eunoe's hand flew up and caught him by the wrist.

  “Omorivan skit e vam.”

  Elson yanked his hand away. “What did you just say?”

  “Castor, get him.”

  The tiger roared and the crowd scattered.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The Plan

  “That is so cool!” Kyla pried open one of Eunoe's eyes and peered inside, though Eunoe quickly slapped her hand away. “You have somebody else in there? Is he friendly?”

  “Well, yes, so far. And most importantly, I can understand his thoughts. His general thoughts, anyway. I don't know what language he's speaking.”

  “We should go visit Professor Ciana!”

  “He's away today,” Marik said. He had been kind enough to set up a picnic for the girls, though he had chosen the most remote section of grass on campus. “I think we'll manage. Can the spirit read these?” He pulled a parchment from his bag. “These are the original copies of the translation I gave you earlier, Kyla.”

  Kyla grabbed the pages from Marik. “Oh, yeah! Show him this.”