“What’re you doing here, little brother?” Erec asked without a shred of amusement.
The throbbing heat of a bruise along the side of his face burned, and he wanted to return the favor to his brother. Any kind of physical response on his part would never work with Erec. Sometimes, he couldn’t help thinking about it though.
“I came here to find you two,” Darr said.
“Leave him alone, Erec,” Jinn growled, a dangerous look on her face. “I think you’ve done enough already.”
His brother jerked his hands up in exasperation. “I’m sorry, Darr. Do you feel any better?” Erec’s apology didn’t look remorseful. “What would you have me do? You were sneaking around outside our room. I acted on instinct.”
Darr nodded, his smile faint. “All right. I forgive you. I guess I should’ve written a letter first.”
The anger in Erec’s face drained away and a smirk formed at the corners of his mouth. Erec tended to view intelligence as a weakness, preferring physical strength to any other attribute. Over the years, Darr found most confrontations with his brother were diffused by pointing out something clever. Erec held his gaze for a moment longer, then slunk over to a dusty armchair and dropped down on its cushions. The Summoner watched him out of the corner of his eye while Jinn soothed his wound with a damp cloth.
While large and open, the room’s interior had few furnishings, with a single bed, the armchair Erec sat in, and a table layered with ages of dust. A single window had been cut into one wall, but it had been boarded up. Darr still wasn’t sure what to say to Jinn and Erec.
Jinn rose from the bed, satisfied with her work. She walked to her pack, her movements graceful in the faint candlelight. From what fragmented memories he had of his mother, she could have been her ghost. When Jinn looked back up, fear filled her eyes. She must suspect something had happened back in Tyfor.
Guilt-ridden, Darr took a deep breath and sat up and told them.
* * * *
”And this all led to the attack...”
“What attack?” Erec interrupted, leaning forward in his chair.
Darr didn’t think he could tell them what really transpired. They won’t believe me. His gaze drifted from Erec’s fierce countenance to Jinn’s understanding gaze, and he knew he had to try.
“An elemental attacked the town. A firehound.”
Unlike what he told Arn, Darr told Erec and Jinn exactly what happened during the attack. Darr finished by telling them their father now recovered at the house while Arn took care of the store. He left out any mention of Nidic Waq’s name and everything he’d learned concerning the Soul Seekers and the Devoid.
Jinn stood motionless before the bed, staring wide-eyed at him. Erec stared off into space, crouching forward in the armchair like he’d collapsed in on himself.
Darr broke the silence. “I’m sorry I had to leave Father. I wish it could’ve been otherwise.”
Jinn folded her arms across her chest. “I can’t believe you would leave him just to come here and tell us,” she said softly. “We would’ve been okay. You should’ve stayed there and taken care of him.”
The Summoner remained motionless and silent. In truth, he’d come to Stern for a much greater reason than to tell his siblings of their father’s accident.
Erec snapped up from the armchair and walked to the boarded window. He stared through the gaps between the boards into the night beyond and said, “I want you to take Jinn and return to Tyfor tonight. I’ll finish up our business here in the next couple days. You two can start back tonight.”
Jinn began arguing, protesting the foolishness of night travel. Erec retorted in force, demanding respect. He’d already made the decision. The two shouted with such fervor that they didn’t see Darr rise from the bed until he stepped between them.
“Stop it, both of you,” he said in a tone that quieted his siblings in one swift stroke. “I’m not going to Tyfor tonight. I didn’t come to Stern to tell you two about the accident. I have more to tell you.”
While calm on the outside, Darr’s words carried all the buried emotions he kept within himself. He imagined himself like Nidic Waq or Racall--speaking relaxed, yet propelling intense emotions to his listeners, forcing them to feel his passion. The Summoner had no idea how he managed to do this, but it worked. Erec and Jinn stood transfixed before him.
Darr motioned to the bed and waited for them to sit. “I told you about the firehound, and about the stranger who rescued me and our father. It doesn’t matter if you believe any of it, but it happened. There is magic loose again, and it’s because of the Soul Seekers.”
Erec started to protest, raising his hands, but the Summoner silenced him.
“Wait, Erec, let me finish. The man who rescued me was Nidic Waq. Yes, the prophet. He gave me a task to complete, and I chose to accept it. He gave me this task because there is more to Spirit Summoning than any of us knew. He showed me--that’s how he rescued me. Magic,” he said and let it sink in. “I wouldn’t have believed it a week ago. Even now, I still have trouble, but I think it can be done. Spirit Summoners can wield magic, and Nidic Waq chose me to help him right the balance the Seekers have upset.”
Darr realized he’d been too eager in his narration. Jinn looked ready to break down in tears, and Erec sat tall and rigid, a pyre of rage prepared to explode.
“So tell me, Spirit Summoner, what is this quest the prophet sent you on?” Erec asked, not bothering to hide any of his disbelief.
Darr swallowed hard. He didn’t want to tell them about the Devoid. Not yet. “The Sephirs...they’re being drained of the Light that gives them their magic. My charge is to restore them to their proper balance.”
Erec laughed, long and slow and without warmth. The Summoner watched in helplessness. His sister rose from the bed, staring across the room and hugging her shoulders protectively. Darr tried to go to her, but his brother jumped in front of him. His fit of laughter ended.
“This is all nonsense, little brother,” Erec said, his eyes burning. “Nidic Waq is a madman. Any magic you might have seen him do was probably sleight of hand. He’s an outcast and a fraud.”
“I believe him,” Darr answered, remaining calm despite Erec’s agitation. “I’ve seen a lot of things in the past week, things you can’t begin to imagine. Something is tearing apart this land, and Nidic Waq seems to know how to go about fixing it. It might be Soul Seekers, or it might be something else, but whatever it is, I’m doing what I have to in order to help.”
“What? By using power forbidden by the Kings of Ictar?” Erec asked, spitting out the words like they were poison. “You’ll be locked up in chains and thrown away, or worse, executed. I won’t stand by and let some pretender haul you off and make you abandon your family.”
Darr glared at his brother. “It’s no different than what you’re doing by going off to join the army.”
Erec’s face erupted into a contortion of disgust at the remark, but Darr held his ground. His brother took steps toward him, fists clenched. Jinn came up behind Erec, holding him back by the arm.
“I think we should hear him out, Erec,” she said in a voice so flat it sent shivers down Darr’s spine. “We should hear everything.”
Erec spun about to rebuke his sister, but his sister’s determination quieted him. Together, the two siblings turned to face their brother. Darr stood before them, preparing himself for what he knew he must do.
With precise and deliberate words, he told them about Racall.
* * * *
Darr left nothing out of his story. Both his siblings listened as he tried explaining his experiences in the Currents, limited as they were. He didn’t know if Erec and Jinn believed him, but they didn’t interrupt. Growing up in Tyfor had sheltered all the Reintol siblings from certain aspects of the land, and the Four Archons was one such subject.
“So they’re like caretakers,” Jinn said.
The Summoner bobbed his head excitedly. “I think so--something like that. Racall
said the Archons are ‘the voice of balance’ within the Sephirs. The Sephirs’ magic is in their hands and they use it to direct nature.”
When Darr finished telling them what he knew about Racall, Erec nodded his head and said they would talk about it more in the morning. He walked to the armchair and settled among its dust motes. He was asleep in moments. Jinn said nothing. She walked to the other side of the bed and curled up on her side, leaving the other side open for Darr. Feeling the weight of fatigue pushing down on him, the Summoner laid down beside her. He stared up at the ceiling for a time wondering if he should say something else. In the end, he decided there wasn’t much more to say.
While he hardly ever agreed with Erec, Darr shared a different bond with his sister. If Erec didn’t believe him about Nidic Waq and Racall, he’d feel no great loss. Jinn, on the other hand, had always been connected to him with a special kind of understanding. She wasn’t a Summoner and had no innate knowledge of the Currents and the spirits, yet she’d always been receptive to Darr’s burden when they were growing up. She could sense when he could hear the spirits and she’d ask questions about what it felt like. She could never truly understand the abilities of a Spirit Summoner, but she understood better than most.
When he looked over at her still form in the darkness, he wanted to reach out and comfort her, to reassure her about his reasons for coming to Stern. Darr lay silent and closed his eyes against his distress.
Beside him, Jinn whispered, “I believe you, Darr, whatever you decide to do.”
A smile parted his lips. Jinn’s support was sometimes all he needed.
Chapter Ten
“At first, Symdus took the Light from the Four Elements as they spread through the land. Within weeks, Symdus collected enough Light to add months to his lifespan. Unsatisfied with the slow process of collection, Symdus began siphoning the Light from plants, then from small living animals. His hunger grew exponentially as his lifespan increased. Those assistants, that remained with Symdus, became terrified of what he was doing, but they also feared his experiments might turn on them, so they kept their heads down.”
~From A Current History of Ictar, as told by Nidic Waq
Two days passed and Darr heard nothing from Racall, neither inside nor outside the Currents. The Archon’s silence disturbed Darr, but nothing could be done about it. He turned his mind to other things. His siblings had come to the city in the first place to see why their father’s ale shipment was several weeks late.
“After arriving in the city,” Erec said, “I expected the delay to be caused by the theft of the Water Sephir.”
Darr shook his head. “I’m guessing that wasn’t the cause.”
Erec spat on the ground and said nothing.
“Father’s supplier ran out on the business, leaving his clerk behind to clean up,” Jinn said in the lapse of Erec’s silence. “On our first day here, we spoke with the clerk and believed everything was going to get fixed. We gave him a small amount of our money up front to ensure a quick delivery.”
Erec laughed, cold and quick. “That turned out to be a mistake,” he muttered. “The clerk ran off with our money, leaving us with next to nothing here in the middle of Stern.”
“How did you find this inn?” Darr asked. “Surely there was someplace better.”
“We tried, but the entire city is in a state of crisis,” Jinn answered. “No one wanted to barter with us. Everyone wanted coin.”
From the comfort of the armchair, Erec grinned and said, “In one of the taverns, I heard about this place. The owner is a bit of a drunk, and so long as he gets a barrel of ale from our shipment, he’ll be happy.”
The three spent the next couple days scouring Stern for a new supplier of ale, one who would deliver across the Valimere and who had a reliable reputation. It proved to be a daunting task. With the Lourcient River in its current state, the businesses it supported were at something of a standstill. From one end of the city to the other, the population struggled with their daily activities. If something didn’t happen soon to restore the river, Stern would be deserted.
The endless search for a new supplier, coupled with the unceasing arguments with Erec over Darr’s quest to secure the Sephirs, made the days go by agonizingly slow. As they walked the damp streets, the two brothers debated back and forth over their beliefs concerning everything from the spirits and Summoners to family values. Jinn, for the most part, stayed neutral through the discussions, interjecting vague comments only when necessary.
In the end, they settled nothing except they’d found a new supplier. They were fortunate to find a reputable merchant who would make the delivery across the Valimere with little coin up front. He even agreed to pay off the innkeeper of the Blue Star with the promised barrel. Darr kept his ears on the Currents during the transaction. He didn’t believe the man to be a dishonest sort.
They ate their supper in a nearly deserted tavern several blocks away from their inn. It rained hard outside. Perhaps everyone had gone out to collect rainwater. He didn’t talk much with his siblings while they ate. With their business finished, Erec intended on taking Jinn home at first light. His brother no longer pushed for him to return home, but Darr knew Erec seethed on the inside, waiting for the opportunity where he could knock him senseless and carry him all the way back to Tyfor.
Darr had more trouble reading Jinn’s feelings on the matter. They’d spoken earlier in the morning, and Darr had found Jinn didn’t care so much about magic or Nidic Waq. Her concern centered on Darr’s beliefs about his situation. His newfound abilities were more complicated than he’d perceived, and while Darr agreed with her, there didn’t appear to be another method. As their last few hours together wasted away, Jinn looked sad.
With their meal finished, they returned to the Blue Star. Darr sat in the dusty, old armchair while his brother and sister packed their things. His visit hadn’t been the most pleasurable, but he loved Erec and Jinn fiercely. He knew they both looked out for him. With them gone, he’d be alone in Stern until Racall returned.
Every night since the Archon’s departure, Darr had gone into the Currents and searched for him. He tried calling out to the spirit creature, but his voice didn’t carry in the Currents like it did in the physical world. One other option remained, but the thought of it terrified him.
Darr chewed at his lower lip and stared across the room at Erec and Jinn. The bright flame of a candle danced on the table beside the bed, sending up shadows across the walls. Jinn glanced over at him with a questioning look.
“What’re you thinking, Darr?” she asked.
Darr relaxed and gave a faint smile. “I have to try something, and I want you two to watch over me for a moment. Just watch. I’ll only be gone for a second.”
“Gone. Where are you going?” Erec asked with skepticism thick in his voice.
The Summoner didn’t answer. He closed his eyes and breathed into his stomach, his mind and body calmed. Carefully, he opened his ears to the voices of the spirits, and...
...he entered the Currents in a smooth, soundless rush.
The wisteria light of the spirit realm spread out before him, laced with the blues and yellows, reds and greens of the Four Elements. The beauty of the place radiated so much awe it made him want to cry. His brother and sister were there, mirrored by the Light giving them life. Darr wanted to reach out and touch them, to feel what they were feeling, but he resisted the temptation.
He quieted his mind and expanded his senses further, yet another lesson he’d learned from Racall. In doing so, the forms of Erec and Jinn receded into the wisteria light, leaving him alone with the fuzzballs of illumination that were the spirits. They danced and swirled all about him, their voices faint and indistinct. Darr prepared to reach out to them. How should he address them?
--Welcome, Darr Reintol--
--Welcome, Summoner of the Archons--
--Welcome, Walker of the Currents--
The voices startled him. Racall had taught him how
to shut out their voices until he was ready to hear them. Somehow, his preparations had failed.
“Hello,” Darr greeted, though he remained wary.
The spirits swirled around him, their listless forms coalescing all about his insubstantial body.
--Do not fear us Summoner--
--Your fear is not necessary--
--What do you require of us--
--What do you desire--
A faint tugging sensation pulled at Darr’s mind, a warning perhaps. Emotions welled up inside him, and he fought to push them down. He couldn’t panic now.
“I’m looking for the Archon of Earth. Where can I find him?” Darr asked.
--Him--
“Yes, where can I find the Archon of Earth?”
--Everywhere--
--In everything--
The spirits began to spin madly about him. Fragmented images tumbled into Darr’s mind. Mountains and trees and shooting blades of grass. Boulders rose out of rich soil and flowers and other plants sprouted from choking overgrowth. He saw rotting tree trunks fresh with green moss, and rockslides plunging down mountains, flattening grasses and trees only to renew them.
Darr gasped in shock. In all of these images, he saw Racall. The spirits were showing him the ways in which Racall spread the magic of his Sephir out across Ictar, his physical presence by the loosest definition. The Summoner struggled against the images flooding into his head, trying to find an end to the web the spirits wove into his own Light. The images didn’t stop, they increased in intensity and frequency. Darr’s emotions rose to the surface.
“Please, stop,” he cried in panic. “This isn’t what I meant.”
The spirits didn’t hear him. The white pinpricks of light came swarming out of the ether. They touched him, weaving their minuscule bodies in and out of his own Light, a repulsive sensation. They were feeding off his emotions, and in turn, he began to feed off theirs. The memories and emotions of the spirits poured through his mind and soul, and in doing so, he had difficulty remembering anything about himself.
The Children of the Light: Book 1: Spirit Summoner Page 9
