Ellipsis - Creators of Six #1

by Jacob White

  “What about the other gods? Have you spoken with them?” Anna asked.

  “No, although we are banished. Our realm is a place of endless space. I have not seen another since we were banished.

  “Can the other gods sense your presence here with us?”

  “As long as I don’t travel far from the stone or use massive amounts of power I should remain undetected. When the time comes that it no longer matters. I promise I will be at your side until this is finished. Until then it is still too much of a risk. All of our pieces have not been placed where they need to be.” The group was silent all thinking on the news we just learned. Then Gibi came up to me and asked Anna the same. “Could the two of you fall back? I want to try something.” We let Ralph know, and we slowly fell behind. We climbed off our horses, looking at Gibi.

  “What was it you wanted?”

  “This is going to be extremely dangerous, but I am curious about your access to my essence through the stone. I would like you to pull the water from the air. Not using any other source but that. Then make it rain just over the three of us.”

  “This is a horrible idea. If he doesn’t have access to those powers, or pulls too much, he might kill himself along with me.”

  “That is why you are here, Anna. I need you to monitor his progression or the magical presence he gives off. If it is nowhere close to where he needs to be to manipulate, knock him out.” A smile went to her face a bit too quickly. I gave her a dull glare, but her face didn’t change. “Whenever you’re ready.” I looked to Anna, and she nodded, focusing on me.

  I closed my eyes and started to concentrate on the moisture in the air. It was hard at first as if every source of water was answering my call. It was hard to filter out what I needed and what I didn’t. As time went on, I could finally locate the water I needed.

  “Good, focus and gather it atop of us.” I began to pull, except I didn’t not tire. The water came so fast I didn’t know what to do. It wouldn’t stop once I called on it. I started to panic.

  “Weaver, stay in control. You are the owner of this manipulation.” I tried, but I couldn’t stop it, but now even the trees gave to me as well. Then everything went dark.

  When I woke up I stood slowly and looked around. Everything as far as I could see was dead, drained of its water source. The air was devoid of moisture leaving my mouth dry. As I turned in place there was nothing but dead Forest. I took a step where Anna and Gibi were talking and heard sloshing at my feet. I was ankle deep in water. I created a small swamp around me. My ears perked as I heard the clatter of hooves racing in our direction.

  “What in the six heavens happened!” Dirk was yelled as he got closer. “All we felt was a pull back here and then the trees started dying around us. We were scared shitless Liam had come but it turns out it was just the second calamity, eh?

  “How long have you been holding on to that one?” Ralph asked, chuckling.

  “For a while now, the timing just never seemed to come.” Then Gibi spoke.

  “Well, that answers our questions about your access. How do you feel?”

  “I only have a headache and a bump from where Anna hit me but no exhaustion.”

  “Much longer it wouldn’t matter as you would be dead. Gibi was able to shield our horses and us before any real harm was done. I wouldn’t recommend doing it again. If that proves anything, it’s that you need control now more than ever.” Anna voiced to the group.

  “Yeah, once you have sex with that one. I would hate for all of us to die just because you finally became a man.”

  “Thanks Dirk.” I rolled my eyes.

  “I aim to please.”

  “All that aside, thank you for the vote of confidence that I could break Weaver here.” Les smiled at me.

  “Not you too… He doesn’t need any encouragement.”

  “Are you okay?” Laila’s voice came into my head.

  “I am fine, just a bump. Has Aden talked to you? Is he doing okay?” I was getting better at holding mental conversations while moving around to avoid suspicion.

  “He mourns our mother and worries for father just as I do. He feels he abandoned his duty leaving with us. He is just conflicted; he will be all right.” I mentally nodded. I had no idea if that was even something she could feel but Laila must have heard it or felt it as I felt a smile in return.

  “Okay, well if Weaver is done siding with Liam, let's get on the road again.” Dirk said

  “Gods, I hate you.”

  “We both know you fantasize about me.” He blew me a playful kiss only to receive a gesture that I wouldn't show my own mother. We were back on the road but I now I only had more questions. Gibi went on ahead and settled next to Laila, but none of us could hear her conversation. Not for lack of trying. Dirk almost fell off his mount leaning so far towards them. I was tempted to finish the job with a gust of wind, but I was worried I might blow all the trees away with him. It didn’t stop me from smiling at the thought. After Gibi was done talking with Laila, he floated his way back to me.

  “I will be leaving you all, but I will still be watching. I need to try and find out how Liam is blocking me.”

  “Gibi, before you go I have a question.” I raised an eyebrow to at Les as she spoke.

  “Could you please explain to me how and why you made Laila and Weaver kiss in this mystical grove?”

  “Shit…” I looked towards Laila. She was so red, I felt sorry for her.

  “This is the first I've heard of this.” Aden gave me an accusatory look.

  “I just remembered I must go now, Les. Ask me again when I return.”

  “What you mean is, when you have an excuse, yes?” I couldn’t believe Les decided to do this now. Gibi only smiled. “You son of a who—” Then Gibi left in a small flash of light. “I think I might accidentally stab that god.” She said to no one in particular.

  “I'm sorry for the embarrassment, Princess.”

  “That is not why I am red, Weaver?”

  “Are you okay?”

  “It just made me remember what we had almost done, and… never mind.”

  “Laila, tell me.” My curiosity getting the better of me.

  “And… It made me want to do it again.” Laila said

  “Oh. Right. Sorry to have asked.”

  “No need, I am not ashamed of what happened. You are quite a good kisser.” Now I was burning in the face.

  “Thanks.” I wasn’t quite sure how to respond, but she seemed satisfied enough to leave the conversation behind. We rode into the night, mostly to the sounds of Dirk and Les planning revenge on a god. I'm not sure how Dirk was involved, but he loved sticking his nose where it would lead to trouble.

  We found a defensible outcropping and made camp. Horses were spread out in case we needed flee in a hurry, but not cut off if they were all slain. We decided to go ahead and make a fire as Ralph went hunting with Prince Aden. To our surprise, a deer was resting over Aden's shoulder about an hour later. Even though there were still three arrows sticking out of its neck and head. It made my mouth water at the sight. As hungry I was, it still needed to be skinned and cleaned. I had no interest in smelling like a dead animal. I made sure to make myself busy to avoid the task. I sat down next to Anna as we looked at Dirk, stomping outside of the temporary camp.

  “Hey, are you holding up okay?” I pushed Anna with my shoulder.

  “I am fine, but I would be better if…”

  “If?” My eyebrow raised.

  “If you were keeping me warm at night.” As soon as she said it, I knew Gibi was doing this on purpose now.

  “Gibi!” but I only received a laugh in my head

  “Weaver?”

  “Ahh, yes, sorry. I will make sure you can get closer to the fire at night.” She seemed disappointed, but we made light conversation after that. “On a different subject, I wanted to ask you what you felt or saw when I dipped into Gibi’s magic.”

  “Well, it wasn’t as so much dipping into his magic but a
natural reaching just as if you were training. I couldn’t sense the power until you began reaching for the water in the air. Weaver, I know I knocked you out, but it was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever felt in my life.”

  “How? I nearly killed us along with half the forest.”

  “True. It did take some effort to knock you out.” I saw Les looking at us from the other side of camp. No doubt judging if I was too close.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, it felt unnatural to stop you. I still don’t understand it. It felt like pure magic. That you weren’t manipulating at all. Almost like you were breathing. It was that natural. I did a poor job of describing it, but I will remember it always.”

  “I still don’t understand. When it was happening, I felt panic and fear. I knew I couldn’t control it. It was just so much power. It felt as though the water in the air wanted to be commanded. And had to respond to the magic I was using. By the end of it, I couldn’t keep it back.”

  “I'm not saying this is true, but it might have to do with Ellipsis itself. You must remember that Gibi created this land or rather developed it. I'd assume his magic is in almost everything and it was just trying to return to its source.”

  “How come when I draw from around me or myself I do not need a word to focus?”

  “Well, think of it as eating food. It takes little effort to pick up a chunk of meat or fruit, right?” My stomach rumbled. “Once your body takes that source of food what happens? It breaks it down; it uses your own body for this process. How many times have you been tired after eating a big meal? Or even sick to your stomach? This would be the same concept if my example made sense. When you draw in magic, you are asking it to respond to you. Or picking up the meat to eat it. When you cast it back out, then it requires more energy to manipulate it.”

  “Okay, that helps a bit. But before at the castle, I was exhausted when I'd do even little magic.”

  “Yes, you were. This has to do with how much magic your body can hold within you for that period. What happens to a cup when you over fill it? When your body was just becoming used to magic your body didn’t know how to store it. I'm assuming your body just put in random places, opposed to a central location within you. Even if you couldn’t recognize this, your body still had to work harder to retrieve what it had stored. When you used a word, it gave the magic something to latch on and pull out easier afterward. This is why words are important, spells can be cast without them, but it would be like pouring water over your hand. The water just goes off every which way. Now if you let it out through a gap in your hand, it rushes to that point and leaves.”

  “Okay, so my body didn’t understand how to hold the magic. Thank you, Anna. You’re a much better teacher when you aren't torturing me.” She gave me a loving smile that was not unnoticed by Les. We both stood and went to our sleeping arrangements; the deer had been finished and cooked when she got up to get our food. When she returned, Les gave me a questionable stare. “What?”

  “Why are Anna and Laila staring at you?”

  “You're not going to like the answer, but I assume you want to hear it anyway.” I said to Les.

  “You would assume correctly.”

  “I think Gibi is playing a trick on you, just as he had when we were at the Gibi’s grove.” Her nostrils flared and breaths heavier.

  “Dirk!” She yelled as she stood and walked towards him. Dirk burst out in laughter and he was rewarded by a firm punch to his arm. After she returned she went straight for my face and kissed me passionately making our tongues reunite. I knew why she was doing this but who was I to argue. She then pulled back and dragged me under the sleeping blanket we were using. She made me take off my leather bottoms before getting in. I knew where this was going. She shifted lower.

  “Les…” I whispered, “Stop. Everyone will know what you're doing.”

  “That’s the point. They have to know your mine.” She looked up with a wicked smile then went back down.

  “Weaver, what is she doing?” Oh, gods… was all I could think as Laila came into my head.

  “Well, I'm not sure how to explain.” My voice even in my head came out choppy and all over the place as pleasure overtook me unable to focus.

  “I might offer some enlightenment, Laila.” As if this couldn’t get any more awkward Gibi decided to join in on our conversation.

  “Really, Gibi!” He laughed and went into an explanation as tasteful as he could.

  “Oh, I understand. Does this bring you pleasure, Weaver?”

  “You have no idea. I mean no, but yes. Dear god’s everyone out of my head!”

  At my request they did but I glanced at Laila and Anna. Both were staring. Anna’s eyes filled with anger and Laila’s filled with curiosity. Then the end came. She felt this and came back up smiling, kissing my forehead and turning over.

  What the hell had just happened? Did she really just do that in front of everyone? I was sure there were other ways to prove her point. Then I remembered who I was talking about. She never did anything less than half way. As a reminder, my floral attire came into my sight. Dirk then made his way over to me.

  “I'm going to take your shift with Ralph. I can see you need some time to… recuperate.”

  “Wait who would that put me with?”

  “Prince Aden. Two hours before we wake.” If it wasn’t Anna or Laila, I could handle it.

  “Are hoping for someone else?”

  “Dirk, I will kill you.”

  “You know, I think now you might actually can now” He smiled and walked off.

  “Les. I love you, but you just embarrassed the hell out of me.”

  “You know that wasn’t my intention, but you did get something out of my plan.” I slid my fingers to her waist and unclasped a button.

  “Would you like something in return?” She moaned as I went lower, caressing between her legs.

  “Yes, please.” With her back to me again, she raised her arm grabbing my head. I wouldn’t stop until the favor was returned entirely. It didn’t take long as she let out a gasp that was a bit loud. I guess she was still playing her claiming game. The next part was worse however as I needed Laila’s blessing before I slept. I decided against it, considering what I just put the group through. I faded into blackness fearing what came next.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  A Possible Future

  I found myself sitting on a throne next to Les. Below the steps, my friends were on their knees with their faces pleading to me.

  “After all this time, I finally have you. Why have you run from me? I only want to keep you all safe from this world we live in.” Aden was the first to answer.

  “A world where you are just as evil as Liam. You helped slaughter thousands for this so-called ‘protection’.”

  “Those deaths were necessary! They refused to see what was happening. I should have you killed for leading them!”

  “But you won't, will you?” It was Anna who spoke this time. “Weaver, I know you’re still in there. We can still fight.”

  “No, we can't, Anna. Liam has captured Gibi and the rest of the world is already under his control. I had to accept his offer to save these lands, why can't you see this?” Laila stood, and I motioned to the guards to let her.

  “Weaver, not all is lost. Let me offer you the hope I once gave you before. I can show you the truth, we can—”

  “Enough of this!” Les shouted. “Your King has spoken. You are to be safe here, but you will not question the sacrifice Weaver had to make to make this real. In a world of fire and ash, our lands still flourish.”

  “He is not my king.” Aden spat at the ground.

  “Aden, if you speak that way again, I will have no choice but to kill you.”

  “No! Please Weaver, see reason!” Laila was back on her knees ahead of the group.

  “Why can't you see? All of you? Are you so blind? I did this for you, for all of you. We can live in peace for once.” I tried to make the
m understand.

  “You are a fool Weaver. You say we have peace but at what cost? You give tribute in the form of slaves to Liam. Ban mage’s from the land or execute them. You claim to do this for us, for your land but your people starve, kill each other and bow in fear.” I walked to Aden and drew my sword that Liam gifted to me. The black blade swirled in the same darkness when I first saw it in Laila’s head.

  “I am sorry Aden, for everything.” Hand his head came clean off. Laila’s screams filled the throne room. Aden’s head left a bloody trail rolling to my feet.

  “Who are you? Has your soul became so dark you would kill a friend?” Dirk yelled out. “You have to kill me too because if you don’t, I will come for you until I die.”

  “Just as you will.” At Les’s whistle a shadow hound appeared out of nothing. “Torture him in front of the others. To provide them with some motivation to stop this nonsense.” I nodded and flicked my hand towards the hound. He jumped and immediately clamped down on Dirk’s' arm. It only took seconds for the venom to take effect and he was on his back screaming. Ralph came and landed a swift kick to the hound’s head making him release him. It was too late. Dirks arm became a mangled mess of bone and skin. The hound bounded for Ralph. It stopped mid-jump and was ripped apart by magic. I looked at Anna, and she was on her feet with fury in her eyes.

  “This is over, Weaver. Stop this or I will kill you.”

  “You may try.” My magic was instantly on her. The wind cut her leg off, but not before I felt blood trickle from my side. I looked down and saw an ice knife dissipate. I screamed in anger and ended up cutting off the rest of her limbs. Then I was on Ralph as I cleaved his head from his body. I made Dirk my focus and removed his head as well to quiet his screams. Laila was all that was left. She was on her knees in tears. Blood stained her dress. She had become numb; I couldn’t bear to see her. She was innocent in all of this. She only offered what comfort she could to those around her. She stood and stumbled towards me with a knife.