Heart of the Ocean (The Equilibrium Cycle Book 2)

by Jason A. Gilbert

  As Connor walked, he noticed that some of the people walking the other direction, toward the east, had stopped and were watching something. He glanced at them questioningly as he continued to walk. Slowly he became aware of an odd shadow creeping up the road behind him. At first thought it had to be a winter cloud moving in over Terus, but then Connor realized that the clouds did not come from the east, they came from the west. Connor spun in the road, finally turning to see what everyone else was staring at.

  What Connor saw did not make sense. It appeared to be a ship, like the many ships that crossed the waters of Lake Artus. But this ship was floating in the air! The wooden hull was shaped similarly to that of a boat, with the sides of the hull sweeping back away from the center line. A large canvas stretched out from the top of the hull, bulging at the seams as though it were full of air pushing to be released. The ship moved slowly, crossing over Connor and moving toward the city center. A large crowd of people came from the east, moving up the road as Connor was, following the strange ship. The ship floated a hundred feet over Connor's head, making it difficult to determine who or what the ship carried, or even how it moved. All he could do was stare dumbfounded.

  "What is that?"

  "Some kind of magic."

  "The Magi have returned. They've come to punish us for the Purge."

  Various other remarks floated through the rapt crowd as they pushed past Connor. Connor glanced behind him once more. Just over the water of the lake, two more ships hung in the air, following the first at a distance, as though they were waiting for something.

  Connor debated on whether or not to return to Laila's house to notify her and Icarus, as he was sure they would want to see this. In the end, though, he decided he needed to get more information first, his curiosity getting the best of him.

  He moved with the crowd toward the city center, following the dark shadow of the floating ship. In minutes they’d arrived, and the ship slowed to a halt, placing itself directly over the heart of Terus. The ship's shadow created a dark hole in the middle of the city center. The sun, free of the clouds for another day, hung high in the sky, Mid-Watch. Connor let himself be ushered toward the shadow as a sense of fear rose in his chest. He studied the ship more closely, and he noticed the metal edges along the hull of the ship at specific intervals. They were sharp and jagged, like ramming edges on a warship.

  A large group of Guardians filed into the city center, approaching the shadow of the ship. They were armed, but they approached in a non-threatening manner. Connor glanced at the Consulate and saw another large group of Guardians escorting a group of Consuls out. The Consuls had likely heard the rumor of these strange ships long before the people had seen them approach. They were prepared.

  Connor watched the ship, waiting to see some sort of reaction. Suddenly, a series of small openings swung open on the underside of the hull. He could not see anything inside them at first, but there were several. Then, without warning, willowy figures began to emerge from the openings, dropping down to the ground from the ship, accompanied by gusts of air that blew over the stalls and furniture that were set up beneath the shadow. People scattered before the strange figures, who were fully armed. Long, thin blades were held in their hands. They wore light armor made from what looked like leather, similar to the Guardians, but lacking the metal ornamentation. Their skin was pale, almost to the point of translucence, and their hair was either white or light blonde in color, blowing around their faces in the wind of their descent.

  Connor finally realized what he was witnessing. It was the Aurai! He had not seen the emissary that had sparked Laila's confrontation with Nuriel, but he had heard enough from her and others; it was the only likely explanation. They had finally come.

  With that thought, he watched in horror as the Aurai warriors, having surveyed their position, rushed toward the group of Guardians, blades held high, crashing into the stunned soldiers without warning. Cries rung out from the melee as Guardians desperately tried to unsheathe weapons and return the attack. Connor saw more Aurai float down from their ship, gather within the shadow, and move toward different targets.

  One group moved toward the Consuls and Guardians near the Consulate. They were far enough away, however, that the Guardians saw the initial attack and arranged themselves into a defensive position, ushering the Consuls they had been escorting back into the Consulate and placing an armored wall between the Consulate and the Aurai warriors.

  Connor watched as another, smaller group of Aurai moved toward him, striking out randomly at the Terun people that happened to get in their way. The fear that had been building in his chest grew in magnitude as the warriors approached. As they drew closer, he could see them more clearly. There were three that had seen him standing alone after the crowd that he had arrived with dispersed in the suddenness of the attack. Echoes of metal on metal rang out along with the cries of the Aurai's victims as the three moved toward Connor.

  Such violence. Connor could not understand their motivation. Finally, anger moved in with the fear, sparking him into action. Calling on the Sword, the blue blade formed in his hands instantly. He put himself in a defensive stance, waiting for the Aurai to attack. At least he would not go down defenseless as the other Teruns had.

  The three warriors stopped upon seeing the Sword coalesce in Connor's hand. They glanced toward one another for a moment and then the one in the center stepped forward, leaving the other two a few steps behind. The Aurai had his weapon raised but did not attack immediately.

  "So it is true," the Aurai's willowy voice said. "A Warden has been born."

  Connor was surprised at the recognition in the elemental's words. They knew who he was. Or, at least, what he was.

  "Let us see if you live up to your position," the Aurai said.

  As soon as the words were out, the creature attacked, bringing its thin sword high and striking at Connor. The blue of the Sword flashed up, catching the Aurai's weapon. Connor pushed the blade aside and struck out. The Aurai spun to the side, easily avoiding Connor's attack. As Connor turned with the elemental, he caught the other two Aurai in the corner of his eye. They were simply standing, watching.

  His opponent struck out again. Connor was just able to defend himself, flailing wildly to keep the elemental's weapon from striking true. The creature moved so quickly that it was all Connor could do to keep the blade off him. He began to back away from the Aurai, hoping to gain some ground as the battle raged through the city center. The Aurai continued to press the attack, but its two companions watched, silent and still.

  There was a sudden shout behind the Aurai, and a small group of Guardians emerged from behind a series of merchant stalls. They looked frantic, their weapons in their hands were held loosely. Some had blood streaked across their arms or face. Others leaned heavily on a companion. There were seven total. When they saw Connor and the three Aurai, one of them rushed forward, determined to take the elementals quickly. The other two Aurai turned toward the attack, quickly engaging the Guardians.

  Connor's own opponent took advantage of the distraction and struck out at Connor. He was not able to bring the Sword up in time and the creature's blade caught him in the shoulder, biting through. Connor cried out in pain, and the Sword dissipated. The wound was not deep, but it had been enough.

  The Aurai spun, bringing the sword up and around, resting it on the back of Connor's neck.

  "I expected more." The creature's voice sliced through the air, rising over the sound of the small fight near them.

  Connor stood and his heart pounded in his chest, adding a rhythmic pulse to the battle around him. His fear threatened to overwhelm him. But there was something else alongside the fear. A disappointment. He could not let this be the end. He still needed to protect Laila.

  Readying himself, he waited for the Aurai to make its next move. As he waited, the other two Aurai were pushed back by the small group of Guardians. Connor's opponent turned for a brief instant, giving Connor the opportunity he
needed.

  Rolling forward, Connor brought the Sword back into his hands. He swung out blindly behind him. He felt the resistance in his arm as the blue blade caught the Aurai in the leg. The creature let out a hiss of pain and swung heavily downward at Connor's retreating back. But Connor was already on his feet, running toward the eastern road.

  He needed to get to Laila.

  Six

  Mother

  Laila let her head fall back against the chair. She and Icarus had come no closer to figuring out what they needed. They had been staring at the ancient books for hours and still had nothing.

  "We may not have any other choice," Icarus began.

  "What do you mean?" asked Laila.

  "What you did in Balon. Utilizing your power to understand..."

  "No. We already talked about this. I can't do that. I can't risk my home. It's too dangerous, and I was barely able to glean anything. Just a few snippets."

  "Yes, but, Laila, something needs to be done. That may be our last option."

  Laila knew he was right, but she was hesitant. Not just because of what it could do to the house, but the last time she had relied on her power to read the Treatise of Earth, it had revealed something about her destiny that she would rather not have known. What other secrets might be revealed within these other tomes? Did she really want to know what being the Magusari would require of her?

  "I'm not ready," Laila said finally.

  "I know, child. But at some point..." Icarus let the thought hang in the air.

  Exasperated, Laila grabbed her staff from where it leaned against the table in front of her and walked out into the gardens. She needed some fresh air to clear her mind. Thankfully, Icarus did not follow her. She walked to her bench in the center of the gardens but did not sit down. She had been sitting for hours. She glanced up at the sky. The air was clear and crisp. Winters were not unbearably cold in Terus, but the air had a bite to it, even if there were no clouds to blot out the sun.

  She planted her staff on the ground and held it tightly. Closing her eyes, she called on her power, letting it flow through her, warming her and calming her nerves. She stood silent for a moment, letting her power calm her down. As she did, she felt a shadow pass overhead. There had been no clouds in the sky, and she registered the discrepancy. She opened her eyes and glanced up into the sky.

  What she saw did not make sense. It was the bottom of a ship, but it was floating above her, moving slowly.

  "Ic...Icarus!" she called out.

  "Yes?" he said from inside the house.

  "Icarus!" she yelled this time, not able to find the right words.

  "What is it?" he said again, this time moving out of the house into the gardens.

  All Laila could do was point into the sky. She still could not wrap her mind around what this thing could be.

  "By the five!" exclaimed Icarus.

  "What is it?" she asked, her mind finally catching up with her tongue.

  "I... I... Oh no..." he muttered.

  "What?"

  "The Aurai!" Icarus said.

  Laila's heart pounded. The Aurai. She had been unable to stop Nuriel from destroying their emissary in the Consulate Hall. The emissary had come to ask for Terus's surrender. Surrender in a war they had not known they were involved in. At least, no one but Torin had known. Was this what he had been alluding to earlier? That no matter what, the Aurai were going to attack?

  As they stood and watched the ship move past, they saw small openings appear in the bottom. Figures emerged from the openings and dropped down. They were armed!

  It looked as though they were landing on the avenues between the estates. Laila could only stand dumbfounded and watch as the ship continued to drop warriors onto Terus.

  "What's going on?" Laila heard her mother's voice call from the other side of the gardens.

  "Mother! I... I think we're under attack."

  "What?" Lunete came rushing into the gardens. Dark circles still hung under her eyes, and her face was drawn tight over her skull, nothing resembling the proud woman she had once been. Laila pointed upward, and Lunete directed her gaze to the strange ship spewing warriors. As she took in the abnormal sight, Laila saw something in her mother's eyes. Her mother dropped her head and looked back at Laila. A light seemed to fill them that Laila had not seen since her return to Terus. Without speaking, Lunete walked back toward her study.

  Before Laila could say anything, there was a commotion at the gate to the estate. It swung open and Connor dove in, the Sword glowing blue in his hands. Slamming the gate shut behind him, he rushed forward into the gardens.

  "The...Aurai... They're here!" he said breathlessly.

  "We saw," Laila said, pointing upward.

  He gasped for air. He must have run all the way from the city center.

  "They're everywhere. They started in the city center," he said, trying to catch his breath as he spoke quickly. "Guardians came, but...I don't know. One attacked me, thought I was done... Able to get away. Had to get here."

  "Catch your breath, Connor," Icarus said, trying to sound calm, but Laila could hear the edge of fear in his voice.

  "Did they get to the Consulate?" asked Laila, fearing for her father.

  Connor shook his head. "I don't think so. The Guardians were able to form a defense before the Aurai reached them. I think the Consuls knew they were coming. At least, the Guardians appeared before any violence started."

  A pounding erupted from the gate. Connor spun, still holding the Sword. With a crash the gate slammed open, breaking from its hinges and falling to the ground. A group of five Aurai moved in, weapons ready. Laila recognized their forms immediately, even under their light armor. The lead Aurai had a small gash in his leg, and he glared with his foreign eyes at Connor.

  "The Warden is mine," hissed the lead creature.

  The other four Aurai fanned out away from him, moving to either side of the Garden. Laila called on her power. There would be no talking their way out of this. She felt the slither of the ground as it rushed to her call, coating her legs and arms. Confidence filled her, pushing the fear to the edges of her awareness. She felt a surge of energy at her side and realized that Icarus was calling on his own power.

  Her perception of his power had never felt that strong before. There had been glimpses of its depth during their journey to Grimmere. But this was something much deeper and more powerful. She wondered for a moment if it was the staff that allowed her to sense Icarus’s power. There was nothing that had happened outwardly to show the depth of his strength. He simply knelt down to the ground, placing his hand on the earth covering the floor of the garden.

  Laila turned to face the two Aurai nearest her. They hesitated, seeing her Earth-covered skin.

  "Magi!" said one of them.

  There was a burst of movement from behind the two Aurai. A knife flashed through the air, catching one of them in the back. The creature stumbled forward and crashed onto the ground. It cried out in its strange, willowy voice as the blade emerged from its shoulder. A form crashed into the second one from behind, knocking it toward Laila and the center of the garden. She saw her mother step into the light from under the eaves surrounding the garden. She held a blade in front of her, comfortably and proudly. The circles still marred her face, but Laila recognized now what she saw in her mother's eyes a moment before. Purpose.

  A ringing sound echoed through the courtyard as Connor and the lead Aurai began to fight. Laila watched her mother approach the Aurai she had knocked into the garden. The creature spun on her, its blade flashing out faster than Laila could track.

  "Mother!" she cried out.

  But before the blade could take Lunete through the chest, Laila saw her mother's own blade catch it skillfully, turning it aside and opening the creature up to a counter. Her blade slashed through the air and was just caught by the Aurai. The creature was so fast. Laila watched as her mother danced back and forth with the creature, holding her own.

  Turning
quickly, Laila saw the other two Aurai approaching Icarus as he knelt. They moved forward toward their seemingly defenseless prey. Before they could reach Icarus, the earth shifted and rose up around their feet, encasing them. Laila could feel Icarus's exertion. She also saw what he was doing. Saw how he was manipulating the earth. She reached out with her own power, moving the ground beneath their feet, reinforcing Icarus's own manipulations. She could feel the Aurai struggle against the stone.

  Holding onto her concentration, Laila turned to see how Connor was faring against his opponent. The Sword flashed blue in front of the Aurai as Connor tried to fend him off, but it looked like he was losing ground, barely able to keep the creature’s sword from catching him. As she watched, she felt the same feeling she had when Icarus used his power, but it was emanating from the Aurai instead. She had not noticed it initially, but now that her attention was mostly directed toward her power, she did. The Aurai were using magic. At least, a type of magic. It felt different than what Icarus manifested, and the feeling was faint, but it was there. The Aurai were air elementals, beings that embodied the magic of the world. It made sense.

  She watched Connor and the Aurai fight, focusing more on the Aurai's movements. As the Aurai fought, air seemed to push it along, reinforcing its movements and making it seem as though the creature was moving far faster than should be possible. For a moment, Laila found herself impressed. She had not known that such a subtle application of magic was possible.

  "Laila!" she heard Icarus's voice snap at her.

  She turned just in time to see one of the Aurai they had trapped pull itself free of the stone sheaths on its feet. Realizing her focus had been broken, Laila tried to regain her grip, but to no avail. The Aurai launched itself at her. She brought her staff up defensively.