“Which you used until it didn’t suit you any longer,” said Wheel. “Do not play the martyr, Lucius. You didn’t expect us to act against you. We deceived you like you were a rank amateur.”
Lucius looked away for a moment. “I was arrogant, full of myself,” he said. “You should have just killed me. Once I leave this place, I promise you I will not be merciful.”
Wheel looked over at the lake, the sphere of energy rotating slowly in his palm as he spoke. “You were too powerful to kill, too influential with the council. They suggested this” —he gestured at the space around him—“this ridiculous response to your position. I’m not here for your mercy,” he said as he turned his hand and launched the sphere at Lucius. In an instant, the shadow of Lucius took a step back and manifested Maelstrom.
Perfect, thought Wheel.
The sphere hit Maelstrom and was absorbed. The shadow of Lucius froze in place. Wheel walked over to where the shadow of Lucius stood. “This is something I have been working on for quite some time. I call it a stasis sphere.”
“You—” said Lucius, under strain.
Wheel looked at Lucius, surprise on his face. “I am impressed that you can even speak,” he said. “I don’t need to hold you here forever. I just need you to stand still long enough for me to do this.” Wheel placed a hand on Maelstrom and began speaking under his breath. With his free hand, he traced glyphs in the air.
Lucius grunted with exertion but could form no words.
“Your downfall has always been pride,” replied Wheel. “Unlike you, I know my limitations. I knew this sphere could never work against you in your full form. I also know that without this weapon you can’t free your true form and create the bridge between planes.”
Lucius narrowed his eyes and began to draw energy. Sweat poured down his face as he struggled against the effect of the stasis sphere.
“I have placed you in a pocket of time, a pocket of time that is slowing down as we speak,” explained Wheel as he took a finger and wiped the sweat from Lucius’s brow. “Even though this is a shadow of your true self, it still exhibits physical qualities; fascinating.”
“Do not do this! You…don’t understand…the forces—” said Lucius.
“Wasn’t that your grand plan, Lucius?” asked Wheel. “Break free from this place and destroy it all? Starting with the Order?”
“No, not destroy… everything,” said Lucius as he fell to his knees. “Reestablish… the Order, remove…corruption.”
“With you at its head, ruling them all, I’m certain,” said Wheel. “We are the same, you and I. We both want the same thing: power.”
“Not power…” Lucius trailed off before collapsing to the ground.
“It’s always about power, my old friend,” said Wheel. “In the end it always comes to that.”
Wheel pulled Maelstrom free from Lucius and began to absorb the weapon. The weapon vibrated in Wheel’s hand as if fighting the process. Wheel drew another glyph and spoke under his breath. Maelstrom flashed red and then disappeared. Lucius managed to get up on one knee.
“You…you should…kill me,” said Lucius.
“I know exactly what I am doing; and as for killing you…” began Wheel as he started opening a portal. “I see no need in expending the energy to eliminate a shadow—perhaps if you were a threat. The sphere will run its course, and you will be free to enjoy your garden once again.”
Lucius tried to get to his feet but couldn’t. The stasis sphere siphoned his energy, keeping him drained. He looked on helplessly as Wheel left the plane with Maelstrom.
TWENTY-ONE
SYLK MANIFESTED HIS sword, the ebony blade absorbing the light around it. Rael slashed downward with one sword while executing a sidekick designed to shatter anything it touched. Electricity arced from his blades and raced toward Sylk. Ducking low in a hook stance, Sylk avoided the kick while thrusting his sword out to intercept the arc of electricity trailing behind Rael’s sword. The energy arced and travelled down the length of his sword, blistering his hand. He switched hands as he sent chi down into his burned flesh and healed it.
“That looked like it hurt,” said Rael, smiling. “We don’t have to do this. You can just surrender and let me finish you.”
Sylk slid to the side, avoiding another strike of electrical energy. He took a deep breath and focused his chi. The lines along his right arm began to glow. He allowed his chi to flow and expand around him. Several small red orbs materialized around him, floating in erratic orbits around his body. Some of the orbs were the size of marbles and some were the size of golf balls. All of them gleamed with silver lines covering their surfaces. Rael stepped back wary of the orbs.
“Blood orbs?” asked Rael. “You are full of surprises, Karashihan.”
“You have no idea, Harbinger. Let’s see if I can’t make you die today.” Sylk unleashed the orbs. Rael dodged the first one, dropping to the floor and rolling to the side as several more orbs impacted the ground where he had been seconds earlier. Each orb left a foot-long crater where it hit. Jumping to his feet, he stood in time to see several of the marble-sized orbs rushing toward him. He crossed his swords and created a barrier. The orbs hit the barrier and sent him flying back. He landed on his back, but quickly recovered into a crouch as Sylk closed on him. More orbs trailed behind Sylk as he slashed at Rael’s legs. Rael jumped back, avoiding the slash, and absorbed one of his swords. Electricity arced wildly around him and his sword as he stepped to meet Sylk. The swords complete the circuit, thought Sylk. The electrical field stopped the orbs from reaching Rael, destroying them midflight.
“You added percussive elements, Karashihan, clever,” said Rael. “You know that can’t stop me, or kill me. I’m disappointed, really.”
Sylk stepped back, giving him space and keeping out of the range of the arcing electrical strikes.
“I didn’t expect them to,” said Sylk. He manifested more orbs. These were smaller, the size of peas. Several hundred floated around Sylk.” I just needed you to come in contact with them.”
“Doesn’t matter what size you make them, Karashihan, they won’t get through my field.”
“I know,” said Sylk as he launched the swarm of orbs at Rael. The electrical field vaporized the orbs and created a fine mist of blood and silver around Rael. Sylk traced a glyph as he lunged forward. Rael saw the lunge and moved to deflect it, but not before Sylk managed to cut across his arm. The mist coalesced and entered the wound.
“One cut and you think this is over?” asked Rael. “You must have me confused with some other Harbinger.” Rael stepped forward to attack and stumbled. He managed to regain his balance instantly and held his sword defensively.
Sylk stepped back and absorbed his sword. “Why did Lucius bring you back the last time?” he asked. “What does he want?”
“What he always wants,” said Rael. He coughed and blood sprayed from his mouth. “You poisoned me.” He looked down at the cut on his arm—it was oozing blood. “No; better yet, you have killed me.” His sword disappeared and with it the electrical energy that had been arcing around him.
“I don’t know if that is possible, Rael,” answered Sylk. “I think this is as close as you will get. The blood that entered your system will shut you down. It acts like poison and will attack all the important parts, but you will be alive, just barely.”
“How could you do this?” gasped Rael. “Only a blood Kriya possesses that kind of knowledge and they were all eliminated ages ago.”
“Almost all of them were, yes,” said Sylk. “Some of the Kriyas still exist. Many were exiled and even more killed. The blood Kriyas, being the rarest, hid.”
Rael began laughing as he clutched his midsection and fell to the ground. “You bastard,” he said. “You know he will find me and undo this. He is relentless and singular in the pursuit of his goal.”
“Why does he need you?” asked Sylk. “What is that goal? Tell me.”
Rael collapsed coughing up more blood. “Don’t let him escape,
Sylk,” said Rael between gasps. “If he gets out, he will undo everything. The only thing on his mind is revenge. He wants the planes to burn. He calls it his great purification.”
“Revenge, against whom?” asked Sylk. “The Samadhi that killed his family are long dead by now.”
“Not all of them,” said Rael. “Some of them are still in your Order, pulling the strings, and he knows this.”
Could he be referring to the Wheel? Can those Samadhi really still be alive?
“And he needs you for this?” asked Sylk.
Rael started to laugh but again began coughing. “Need?” said Rael once the coughs calmed down. “No, I wouldn’t say need. I don’t think he needs anyone, not really. What he is doing with me is my punishment, my torture. He denies me death and kills me with life.”
“You have a choice, Harbinger,” said Sylk. “He cannot force you to do the things you do. You kill and destroy. That is your choice.”
“You do not know who or what you are facing,” answered Rael quietly, “or those words would never escape your lips.”
Rael became pale as the blood poison raged through his body. Shivers racked his body as he struggled into a sitting position.
“I need to get Dante to finish the ritual for the third focus. Is there anything you can tell me regarding its completion?” asked Sylk. “The ritual you interrupted—how do I complete it?”
Rael looked around, confused, not fully registering Sylk’s words. “What do you mean, interrupted? I didn’t interrupt anything.”
If he didn’t interrupt the ritual, then who did? How did they find that glyph?
“I would say kill me, but we both know how that ends,” said Rael. “You’d better hide me someplace where it will take him a long time to find, and be prepared when he does.”
“I know exactly where to put you,” replied Sylk as Rael collapsed back to the ground, unconscious.
Sylk opened a portal as the questions raced through his mind. He bent down, grabbed Rael, placed him over one shoulder and entered the portal. Holding him up with his right arm, he turned and closed the portal behind him. He found himself in a corridor made of obsidian. Every surface was reflective and gave the impression of a house of mirrors. Sylk walked down several corridors until he came to a large door. The door was ten feet in height and half as wide. It contained three large bolts on one side. Glyphs covered the door, making it look more like stylized design than functional. Sylk knew the purpose of the glyphs. He put Rael down and touched three of the glyphs in sequence. Each of the bolts unlocked and slid to the side, opening the door. Inside was a large and spacious living space. Rael began to stir. Sylk entered the room and placed Rael on a large futon in the center of the living space. Shoji screens separated the room into several sections. Rael opened his eyes and tried to sit up. Sylk pushed him back down.
“Where are we? What is this place?” asked Rael.
“This is one of my safe spaces. Living room, bathroom, and library is back there. Behind that is a small bedroom,” answered Sylk. “There is no kitchen, but I’m guessing you won’t starve to death, correct?”
“No, food is not a big concern. In my…condition…I don’t really need to eat.”
“I didn’t think so,” replied Sylk. “This place is an interstice between the planes and the mirror. It will be difficult to pinpoint your location.”
“Like Aurora’s passage,” said Rael. “I understand. As hiding places go, this is good, but you know he will find me eventually.”
“That can’t be helped, only delayed,” said Sylk. “This place should delay him, unless you die first.”
“Why are you doing this?” asked Rael. “Aside from the obvious you can’t kill me aspect of the whole scenario. Why not just leave me there?”
“Because I know you want to end it,” said Sylk. “You want to end your bondage to Lucius.”
Rael nodded slowly, momentarily lost in thought.
“I have tried,” said Rael. “I won’t be able to stop next time, you know. The next time I see you, one of us is going to die. You want to guess whom that will be?”
“It will take him a long time to find you here,” answered Sylk. “The glyphs on the wall and doors will keep out uninvited guests and keep your presence masked. Essentially, you no longer exist. Each of those seals works like a dead man’s switch, so activate them out of sequence and it sets off a cascade effect.”
“The glyphs are suppressors as well, it seems, I can’t access my chi.”
“Try to open the door with the wrong glyph and the door and entire space will become a distant memory after the explosion of chi,” said Sylk. He paused a moment and looked at the door “Don’t try the door. I don’t think it will be enough to kill you, and if I remember correctly you still feel pain.”
Rael looked at the door and the bolts.
“It may just slow him down, but not by my much,” he said. “Once he casts out trying to find me, he will see I am missing and send out a wave of Gyrevex. Those things are disposable to him.”
“They will not be able to enter here, even though they will know where you are.”
“Then he will send his shadow,” answered Rael. “I seem to remember you faced his shadow not too long ago. How did that go? Not too difficult, no?”
It was Sylk’s turn to nod. “Like I said, it won’t stop him, but it will slow him down. Any chance of him forgetting about you?”
“After what I did to him, no. He will never let me go even though he says he will every time.”
“What did you do?’ asked Sylk.
“Find whoever has the most to gain by Dante’s death and you will find the one who interrupted the ritual,” replied Rael, avoiding the question.
“That’s not a short list,” said Sylk.
“I know,” said Rael. “You had better leave. Your poison is beginning to wear off and when it does…”
“Understood,” said Sylk.
Sylk left the space and closed the door, sealing Rael inside. He touched three of the glyphs and the bolts slid into place. Once the bolts had secured the door, he touched another three glyphs and the door disappeared. He opened a portal and saw the forest of the Mikai appear on the other side. He entered the portal, leaving the obsidian hallway in silence.
TWENTY-TWO
SAMIR LOOKED AT Raja and the sword in his hand.
This is impossible, thought Samir as he entered a defensive position, drawing his own sword.
“I thought you were a neutral party?” said Samir. “I have never heard of the keepers of the Records attacking anyone.”
“You haven’t been listening closely enough,” said Raja as he lunged forward.
Samir jumped back and shook off the shock of his situation instantly.
“You will not be able to open a portal and your abilities as a syllabist are meaningless in this place,” said Raja, gesturing around to the Akashic Records with his free hand. “I am the embodiment of knowledge. I am older than your mind can possibly comprehend.”
“You are the embodiment of present knowledge,” said Samir. “You have made it clear that you are not omniscient.” For which I am grateful, he thought.
They circled each other, their swords drawing closer as they looked for openings.
“Your position is untenable,” replied Raja. “Your clearest course of action is to die here today.”
“I am not dying here today,” whispered Samir.
Samir began whispering words under his breath as he attacked. At first, it seemed to be just nonsense, gibberish and nonsensical sounds strung together. When Raja opened his eyes in surprise, Samir knew he had the right words.
“Impossible. You cannot possess that knowledge,” said Raja. “The words of unmaking have been lost to time, for good reason.”
“Not entirely lost,” said Samir. “Just hidden.”
Samir took a breath and mentally prepared himself. The syllabists had deliberately hid the words of unmaking because they had the power to
undo and unbind matter and reality. These were the words that Samir began speaking now.
Raja closed the distance and they locked swords. With his free hand, he attempted a spear-hand strike to Samir’s throat. Samir brought his head down and took the blow on the chin. He brought a knife hand down on Raja’s collarbone, but Raja disengaged his sword, shifted to the side and turned it into a glancing blow on his shoulder. Still Samir continued to speak. Around them cracks appeared in the floor.
“You will not do this,” said Raja through clenched teeth. “You do not understand what you are doing.”
Raja turned his body and slashed, cutting Samir in the leg. Samir stumbled back, glancing briefly at the wound. The blood poured down his leg. This is bad.
“Which will it be, Syllabist?” said Raja. “Save yourself and close the wound or continue speaking and bleed out? You can’t do both.”
He’s right; if I don’t stop the bleeding, it all ends here, thought Samir. A burning sensation crept up his leg. The intensity of the pain was overwhelming. Sweat broke out across his face and he began to taking shallow breaths.
“You should be feeling the poison about now,” said Raja. “I’m told it feels like liquid fire coursing through your body. I told you, Syllabist, you die today.”
Raja stepped back and sheathed his sword. Samir stumbled back. He stopped speaking the words of unmaking and whispered words of healing. The wound closed but it was too late, the damage was done. He clenched his jaw and bit back the scream that threatened to erupt. The pain clouded his vision and the floor began to tilt.
“To my knowledge there is no known antidote to this poison. It’s called the dragon’s breath,” said Raja matter-of-factly. “And my knowledge, as you know, is extensive.”
Or you could be lying, you bastard. Something I never thought possible before today. Think, Samir! There has to be an answer, there is always an answer. The words of unmaking! I can use them on the poison.
“Why, Raja?” asked Samir as he limped closer to one of the doors, hoping it was an exit. “Why are you doing this?”
Warriors of the Way-Pentalogy Page 63
