by Sarah Lin
"This community has a strange attitude toward darkness, and their blueprints do not take advantage of it. But I think you will be more successful at the Biolumin Relay. It will surely be staffed by a powerful soulcrafter, and may have a different selection of sublime materials."
"Hopefully." Theo finished sampling the last cup of juice, then tapped two of them. "I think the two of these are the most like Tatian drinks. I suggest you let Nauda try both."
"Thank you, Theo. You are a very helpful companion."
"Which is your favorite?"
Fiyu tilted her head at him, surprised, then made an oddly dismissive motion. "Some are not bad, but none of these can be a favorite. I enjoy the warm drinks we use when ranging in the icy regions. Perhaps one day I will be able to show them to you."
Theo smiled, and she smiled back, but she clearly wanted to be off. Once she departed with an armful of juice, he turned back to the sleigh, finding that several new boxes had been deposited while they spoke. He practiced subtle gravitational fields to lift them into the air, though he needed to use his hands to guide them into place.
By the time they were done, the sleigh would have just enough room for them, but it would be rather heavy. Perhaps more than the sublime materials in the base could levitate, though of course he could always reduce their weight with his fields. That was a problem for another time, as his first goal was to pack everything efficiently so he could go back to soulcrafting.
All but the first of the chests were firmly locked, so he'd put that one in an accessible place. Theo now opened it again, picking up one of the vials to examine it. So much value in a small space... he had to wonder how many Fithan Discs it was worth. He still needed two potent sublime materials, and he needed them soon if he was going to have enough soulcrafting time.
"What are you thinking?" Nauda appeared beside him, wearing a thoughtful expression as her eyes ran over the vial in his hand.
"Did you already try Fiyu's juice?"
"What?"
"I guess the two of you just missed each other. She wants to show you a sweeter side to the community."
"I'm sure she does." Nauda smiled fondly... but she wasn't distracted. She walked beside him and picked up one of the vials herself to examine it. "If you sold a few of these, how close would it get you to your goals?"
"Not sure of their value."
"Oh, but I think you have a guess."
Seeing her gaze boring into him, Theo sighed and set the vial back down in its place. "When House Blacksilver sent us, they knew the journey was dangerous. They no doubt expect a certain percentage of losses, so they'd have built them into their plans. If we do better than they expect, would it really matter if one or two chests disappeared?"
"At least you're honest about it." Nauda shook her head and leaned against the sleigh to face him directly. "These are medical supplies, Theo. They could save someone's life."
"Mine, if their value lets me survive the duel."
She sighed and rubbed her eyes, for once not due to the light. When she looked at him again, he was surprised at the hardness in her gaze. "I'm not a stickler for every single law, but I do have principles. I think you do too, you've just tried to forget them as you've gotten older."
"Esaire won't have any principles." Theo closed the lid and latched the chest again, though the conversation clearly wasn't over. "Neither will many of the people we face. I don't know if I can beat them if I focus on too many scruples."
"If you don't, there's no point beating them at all. At least, if you're the person I believe you are."
Message delivered, Nauda headed back into the cavern. He had a feeling that she wouldn't stop him if he made that choice, just be disappointed in him. Theo stared down at the chests for a moment, then ignored the question and sat down to soulcraft.
Later that day, they left the cavern to finally approach the Biolumin Relay. Fiyu pressed forward happily, Nauda braced herself as they left the light, and Theo remained with his own shadows.
~ ~ ~
Theo had grown accustomed to traveling in absolute darkness, actually using it to focus his soulcrafting. Outside, there was nothing but his cantae senses, so there were no distractions to set aside. He'd not only determined the optimal number of tornado gems for his speed chamber, he'd begun work on a second, just in case, and he'd finished all his carving on the corner rooms.
Normally that would have led to a decrease in his pace, yet the darkness and light inspired him to something new: carving a representation of an accretion disc around the exterior of his soulhome. Now the fact that it shone brightly matched his blueprint even better. Of course, there wasn't time to carve the entire thing, and he preferred a subtle exterior, but he completed several major orbiting loops that would also help his cantae flow in the intended sphere.
So when a bit of light intruded on the horizon, he was actually mildly annoyed. Bit by bit, the environment shifted from unbroken darkness to merely heavy shadow. He could make out Nauda leaning forward toward the light and a shape that must be Fiyu driving the sleigh. It had taken them less than a day, so they were arriving sooner than planned.
"Is that your Relay?" Nauda asked. The way she said the word contorted in his mind, but whatever she said precisely, his soul understood what she intended.
"Yes, this is the perimeter." Even in the darkness, it was clear that Fiyu bobbed her head happily. "We must be extremely quiet. This region will be dangerous due to the light."
As they continued on, the green light became a line in the ground, like a river of emerald fire. Theo knew the purpose but hadn't seen any exactly like it, so he stopped soulcrafting and focused as they neared it. He could see that it formed a large ring, and the edges of the trench were unnaturally straight, so it must have been cut by those who ran the Biolumin Relay.
Nauda looked as though she wanted to ask questions, but as they passed over the river of fire, she understood. Several predators prowled in the shadows alongside the river, instinctively seeking the disruption but afraid of the fire. Theo was surprised that the emerald river wasn't wider, though it seemed to keep all the regional creatures at a distance.
On the other side, his attention immediately shifted to the green mass pulsating above the ground. It looked something like a jellyfish, and seemed to throb with a heartbeat, but the key trait was the tendrils that extended from its base. They ran along the ground, putting off a similar light, before descending into the earth, where they would stretch for leagues until they reached other Relays.
"There is the outpost." Fiyu spoke up to signal they were safely inside, and actually pointed. It had been a long time since hand directions had been useful.
Beside the Biolumin Relay, lit strangely by its glow, a tower stood alone. He wasn't sure of their exact name, but they reminded him of lighthouses, though they served the opposite purpose. There was no other sign of civilization, no buildings or vehicles, just the lone tower in the pulsating emerald light.
"Stop." The voice resonated directly in their minds, without touching his ears, and Theo felt an Authority's cantae sweep over them. "I am the Luminkeeper. What is your purpose here?"
Fiyu stood up in the sleigh and bowed toward the tower. "I seek to send a message across Ichil. We would also like to trade sublime resources, if possible."
"Leave your vehicle and approach." The presence pulled back, but it was obvious that the Authority was watching them from the tower. Since no one else was around, the three of them dropped from the sleigh and began to walk closer.
Biolumin Relays were rare, but he didn't think they were anywhere near rare enough for them all to be guarded by Authorities. Most likely this one was either unusual because the Greater Dark was a dangerous region, or an Authority-tier soulcrafter had taken the position for their own purposes. In any case, he caught only glimpses of a figure through the large viewing platforms on the top floor. He didn't think "Luminkeeper" was a common title, so they must have chosen it for a personal reason.
/> "This... thing will let you send a message to your family member?" Nauda asked. They had to half-jog to keep up with Fiyu, who headed inward eagerly.
"I do not know my relative's present location, and he does not know mine. But the Biolumin Relays stretch across most of Ichil, and they store their messages at every location. Even if he has not left a message for me, he will check eventually."
"That seems like a long shot."
"Yes, but it is the only way I know of contacting him, since he has not been able to find me and we are so far apart. It may require time, but I can be patient."
The doors to the tower opened silently for them, flowing on the Authority's cantae. Within, they found the lowest layer of the tower extremely spare, with no living accommodations... or access to the upper floors. Several tables stood around the outer wall, all of them empty and without labels. Looking more carefully, he saw that one allowed access to the side of the luminous mass, another had a chute leading to the second floor, and each had a unique symbol.
"Those who have a biolumin signature, place identification on the eastern table." Again, the Luminkeeper's voice spoke directly into their minds, and Theo realized that he wasn't sure if it was male or female.
"That is just me." Fiyu walked to the side of the room, reaching deep within her robes. After some fumbling, she slipped out a small plate that glowed with a similar emerald hue. When she set it down on the table, atop a plate of sublime materials, there was a long pause, then the voice spoke again.
"Identity confirmed. There is a message for you."
The green mass pulsed brighter, then a darker emerald sphere emerged from its depths and dropped onto the table. Fiyu nearly ran to it, grasping the sphere in both hands and holding it to her forehead. Messages through the relay were always short, yet she stood still for a long time, so Theo suspected she was listening to it multiple times.
"Is this a safe method of communication?" Nauda asked him in a whisper. "Seems odd to trust messages to... all these things."
"Safer than most," he answered. "Only a certain person with a certain keystone can retrieve the sphere, and it's nearly impossible to intercept or alter messages. I guess you could, but it would require a troubling level of power, beyond Authority."
"Well, if it helps Fiyu, I hope that it works."
"It has helped." Fiyu turned back to them with a smile, still cradling the sphere. "This message is very old, but my relative left one for me. It seems he believed that the accident sent me somewhere else on Ichil, so he told me to send my location and remain in place."
Nauda smiled, not quite convincingly. "Then... do we stay here until he gets your message?"
"No guests." The Luminkeeper interrupted them from above, the voice for the first time holding a bit of annoyance. In any case, Fiyu shook her her head as she answered, clutching the sphere even as it dissolved in her hands.
"By now, my relative has certainly realized that I fell into Tatian instead. I will leave a message that I am in Norro Yorthin, and he will be able to find me. It may take some time, but he can now locate me." She took a deep breath and smiled at both of them. "I... thank you for taking me this far. You have been good companions."
There was no time for an emotional moment, because Fiyu immediately hurried to another one of the tables and began setting down money. She frowned and changed the amount, apparently in negotiation with a voice that spoke to her alone. No doubt she'd spend a significant amount of time composing her reply exactly, so Theo wandered further in.
Eventually he found a table that contained residue with very slight cantae emanating from it. There was an opening to the floor above as well, so he suspected it was the table for trade. Looking upward, he spoke to the unseen Luminkeeper. "I require sublime materials."
"Of what variety?" The voice in his head seemed mildly annoyed, but he pressed on.
"Can I make a list?"
He heard a scoffing sound, possibly with his ears instead of his mind, and then a wax tablet floated down from above to thunk against the table. Recognizing that the Luminkeeper clearly didn't want to be bothered, Theo simply picked it up and began listing sublime materials he knew would work for him. Even if the exact ones weren't available, an Authority should be competent enough to recognize his objectives.
While he wrote, Fiyu continued to practice her message, muttering to herself. Nauda had taken up a place against part of the wall without a table and appeared to be soulcrafting, though she smiled as if she enjoyed the lit room.
When Theo finished his list, he extended it upward, and it floated into a hole in the ceiling. There was a long pause, then five objects descended to the table. Apparently the Luminkeeper counted on their power to enforce honest trade, which in all fairness, it would.
There were two of the exact materials he'd requested, sublime materials that carried the essence of Ichil's deepest darkness. One bioluminescent mushroom that was a curious choice, and a piece of metal that was entirely wrong. Yet the last...
Theo bent closer, picking up the perfect sphere to examine it more closely. He'd never seen a sublime material exactly like it, yet it intrigued him because it seemed to draw the air into it. Not as gravitation or absorption... he picked up some of the residual dust and sprinkled it into the sphere, only to see the dust flutter to the ground some distance away.
It was a wormhole. He doubted that the material actually embodied the scientific concept, especially since it was theoretical, but the connection was crystal clear to him.
After testing its properties further with a grin on his face, Theo raised it toward the ceiling. The Luminkeeper gave him a price in an Ichili currency he didn't have, leading to a negotiation process where he pulled out every single coin he had to try to equal it. If he'd needed to steal some of the Blacksilver vials to afford it, he would have, but Nauda loaned him what she had.
The other four materials lifted back into the ceiling and he was left with his wormhole. He'd need to do research on its name, or come up with one himself, since the Authority wasn't likely to be forthcoming with information. But he was absolutely certain that it was what he needed, or actually something he hadn't realized he could acquire so soon.
At its core, the stone linked points in space without passing between them, and that had countless potential applications. Actually teleporting required incredibly dense cantae, many Authorities not being capable of it. Even if that would have to come later, he could easily transport certain things small distances. Instead of throwing cantae bolts filled with his gravitational torsion effects, he might be able to make them instantly appear in his opponents.
Most importantly, his singularity would no longer be limited to simple linear movements.
Though Theo could have sat down and soulcrafted with the material for days, their time appeared to be coming to an end. Fiyu must have signaled that she was ready, because the green wall emitted another sphere. This one was dull, empty of light or a message. She gestured to get their attention, put a finger to her lips, then spoke into the sphere.
"Relative Guchiro. I am well. I have taken residence in the city of Norro Yorthin, on Fithe. It may be found by traveling to the gate near the source of this message. I have allied with an organization called House Blacksilver, and also found traveling companions. I hope to tell you of my travels in person."
With that, she pressed her lips against the sphere. Theo didn't think that was a necessary part of the process, just a sign of the deep emotion behind her reserved language. In any case, the sphere lit up with the same light as the rest of the Biolumin Relay, so Fiyu placed it into the gelatinous wall. It was swept away and the entire mass pulsated more brightly as the message departed.
"Your business is complete. Depart."
They didn't say anything, just returned to their sleigh, Fiyu smiling the entire way.
Chapter 29
Part of Nauda didn't want to leave the glowing ring around the Animallight Messageplace, but the rest of her was extremely rea
dy to return to Fithe. As much as she disliked the dusty city, she'd take its endless red stonework over the void any day. Fortunately, they didn't need to make any other stops, just fly directly back.
Even Fiyu seemed happy to return, now that she was confident her relative would eventually find her. She urged Nauda to come sit by her and they spoke about what they could do while waiting. The atmosphere in the sleigh was certainly better than it had been for most of the trip, so it was odd that Theo seemed to be the only one unhappy.
Ever since they had passed the ring of fire, he'd been looking behind them, even though they couldn't see much of anything anymore. He just shifted behind them as a grumpy presence until he eventually spoke up.
"Fiyu, did your stealth technique ever falter since we left?"
"Oh, certainly not." She looked back to him with a frown that Nauda could just barely make out. "I nearly perfected it back in Deuxan, and I have only grown more practiced since then."
"Are you sure nothing's following us?"
After concentrating for a moment, Fiyu shook her head. "I have examined the region thoroughly. There are no dense objects moving, I am sure of it."
"Okay." Theo was silent for just a few heartbeats before he leaned forward. "I'm not insulting your capabilities in any way, but nothing is perfect, right? A sufficiently powerful soulcrafter could evade you or pierce this sphere, and a sublime beast with the proper-"
"Enough." Nauda finally cut him off, because Fiyu wasn't going to. "We're both nearly blind here, so we'll just have to trust Fiyu's judgment."
That made him finally subside, though he continued to grouch in the back. Nauda had always believed his caution was reasonable, and she'd completely believed in his phantom threat ever since the tree at Myufuru had been wiped from existence. That didn't mean that he couldn't be paranoid, so she did her best to ignore him.
Something crashed into the back of the sleigh and they tumbled through the darkness.
