Reality's Plaything 3: Eternal's Agenda

by Will Greenway

  —Janai T’Evagduran,

  2nd Princess of Malan

  The infinitely long step through Tal’s magical gateway was one Bannor would not soon forget. For an instant, the threads of the entire universe seemed to be compressed down to a single probability, a black slash carved across the gulf of time. It only flashed through his nola sight for a fraction of a heartbeat, but the after effects left him so shaken and dizzy that it took him long moments to really register their surroundings.

  They had stepped into a dark chamber whose size Bannor couldn’t begin to guess. While not light-less, the area gave the impression of depth without detail. The sound of Janai and Daena’s hard footwear guttered into the distance without any answering reverberations. The ceiling was lost in darkness. No curvature or texture was visible in any direction. A humming echoed through the vast space, the sound distorted and eerie. A faintly acrid smell hung in the air, and threaded through it was a myriad of faint scents reminiscent of both the outdoors and the indoors. The combination while not unpleasant was disconcerting and out of place. To smell trees and running water when none were visible was confusing.

  Tal paused for less than a handful of beats. He picked a direction and strode forward. Lost in this alien place, everyone followed. The strange gray perspective around them never seemed to change. Nothing grew further away, nor did anything seem to get closer. It seemed that Tal had just taken them to some vast empty chamber devoid of recognizable feature.

  “What is this place?” Janai asked in voice that wavered slightly.

  “Eternity’s Heart,” Tal answered.

  Bannor wondered how the heart of Eternity could be some titanic void. That made no sense.

  Janai voiced his incredulity for him. “This big empty space?”

  “Ain’t empty,” Tal answered. “You just don’t know what yer lookin at.”

  As the big man finished his words, the darkness around them split apart as though they had stepped through a curtain. The humming that Bannor had heard before became a thunder in his mind and chest; the rumble and surge of incredible life.

  From darkness to light, they had appeared at the inside edge of a giant circle of twelve spherical crystals each twice the height of a man all giving off a pulsing spectral illumination.

  Power.

  The sight made Bannor freeze in place. Energy fountained upward out of the gemstones into the space all around them. Ultra dense threads supercharged with eternity’s essence laced the area like filaments in a spider’s web. Each flow of power fanned out into the distance branching into millions of smaller and smaller filaments. Here in this place, primal threads of reality and causality were coming into being instant to instant. The heart of eternity… the core of creation.

  He gritted his teeth, expecting Tal to get split apart any instant as he strode heedlessly in the chaotic jumble of potentially deadly filaments of primal force. The shaladen warrior didn’t appear to feel or even notice the skein that had so riveted Bannor.

  Janai had stopped when he did.

  “Are you all right, Bannor? You look pale.”

  “I—” He could barely get his mouth to move. He looked around totally befuddled. This is where his savant powers came from, or at least it appeared to be. He blinked and shook his head. Through the glare caused by eternity’s power, Bannor realized that he had missed many of the details of their surroundings. The circle of crystals was not empty. There were more than a score of creatures standing alone and in groups near the stones. Many looked as human as himself, but there were others—ones whose threads and appearance made them anything but human. Here and there through the group were the eternals, gleaming paragons that loomed tall and imposing over the other creatures. He noticed that many of them had stopped their conversations to watch Tal escorting Daena and Wren. What eyes weren’t trained on the two women, slowly turned to him.

  Bannor’s stomach went queasy, he felt the attention of those powerful beings, felt the intensity of their intellects probing his intentions and his magick.

  “Carellion…” Janai breathed. It appeared that for the first time the princess really noticed what they had stepped into. “It’s immense—and so… are they.”

  “Uh huh,” he agreed.

  Noticing that they hadn’t moved, Tal stopped and turned back. “Hey, sight-see on your own time.”

  Stiffly, Bannor moved across the floor toward where Tal, Wren and Daena stood. Every step, he kept expecting to get split apart by the titanic power flowing through this place. He didn’t even feel a tingle. How could he see it, almost taste it, and not feel it?

  Daena and Wren watched as he and Janai proceed toward them, obviously grateful for any delays. Neither woman seemed particularly eager to see Koass. The two other savants while hardly at ease, seemed more comfortable with these amazing surroundings.

  As he and Janai crossed the area, he heard quietly voiced curiosity and intent eyes furtively following their progress. None of the eternals that Bannor saw were ones that he had seen before.

  Tal waited with folded arms as Bannor and Janai joined up with the group.

  “Tal,” a female voice called from behind them.

  A tall blonde woman dressed in close fitting blue velvet stepped out of a group and was by their side in five space eating strides. Bannor made no mistaking, everything about this woman screamed warrior from the intensity of her green eyes and the way she moved, to the campaign tattoos and master’s black-lightning mark on her cheek. She carried no weapons, but from the magic that swirled around her, Bannor didn’t doubt she could be lethal with nothing but her hands.

  The big man turned back. “Whatcha need, Beia?”

  Wren saw the woman and her face lit up. She went and took her hand. “Beia, so you are okay! Last I was at Gravar you were very sick, in fact so were Ess, Dorian, Cassandra and Aarlen. I hadn’t been able to get back since, but I heard that Cassandra and Dorian had been to Malan.”

  Beia patted Wren’s hand. “Yes, we were healed.” She thumped Tal on the shoulder. “A lot thanks to this big lunk.”

  Tal grinned. “Hey, you have to give yer kid Corim most of the credit for that. I just kept him out of trouble.”

  “So, all of you are okay then?” Wren asked. “I mean, I was totally surprised that anyone could hurt Aarlen. Nobody ever did tell Irodee and I what was wrong.”

  “Hey, I don’t want to interrupt this reunion or nothin’, but Koass wants them downstairs. Wren, you can catch up with Beia later.”

  Beia was frowning. “So, Tal, these aren’t those specialists you were promising?”

  Tal looked back at Bannor, and then to Daena and Janai. He pulled at his mustache and frowned. “Them? I don’t think so. Koass has me running them in for rule bending.”

  Blonde Beia pushed hand through her hair, brow furrowing. She had a severe face that might have been beautiful if her expression weren’t so stern. “Wren, are you in trouble again?”

  The blonde savant put a hand to her chest. “You know better than that, I never get in trouble.”

  “That’s what I thought.” Beia shook her head. She nodded to Bannor and Janai. “Good luck in there.”

  He felt a tremor of unease. Something about the way she said it made him nervous. Why should he be nervous though? He didn’t do anything wrong. “Thank you.”

  Tal made a coming gesture and the four of them moved together to the far side of the circle of gems. Bannor felt the attention on him intensify as Beia spoke to others in the group she had been standing with. His attention was drawn back to Tal as the big man made a gesture in the air in front of one of largest of the stones in the circle. In front of them, a gap opened in the black material underfoot, revealing a staircase leading down into darkness.

  “After you,” Tal said, gesturing everyone toward the opening.

  Drawing a breath, Wren was the first to head down, then Daena. Janai followed quickly on her protégé’s heels.

  “You too,” Tal said. “You volunteer
ed. Remember?”

  He let out a breath and started down the steep staircase. Inside the tingle of power lessened. The smell of flowers, and cooking bread became evident. As they hit the bottom landing, the image of some chamber of horrors had been dispelled from Bannor’s mind. The air just seemed too relaxed to be home to something horrible. The smells had a lot to do with it—but there was some other elusive quality involved. The air was cool without being cold, the walls were decorated in a variety of different forms of art, and a hodgepodge of rugs had been arranged on the dark wood floor. It was a study—a comfortable one. A huge desk dominated the rear of the room, books and papers stacked in neat piles monopolizing the largest part of its veined marble surface. Two doorways on the back wall hinted at chambers that must be a living quarters of some kind. Bannor guessed that even the omnipotent eternals lead some kind of private lives.

  Bannor blinked as he realized that someone was behind the desk. Long hair loose on his shoulders and dressed in a dark blue casual robe was Koass. A plate of snacks at his elbow, he leaned back in a chair, square glasses perched on his nose. A book balanced in one hand and a crunch fruit in the other, the eternal might have been mistaken for a mortal if not for his glowing green eyes.

  Tal came from behind Bannor and stopped at one side of the desk. “Here she is as requested, Boss.”

  Koass put down the fruit he was eating, intently studying the tome in his hand. After a moment, he snapped the book shut with a crack that made everyone except Tal jerk. Straightening in his chair, he placed the volume neatly atop a pile of other reading materials on his desk and pushed the glasses up on his nose. “Excellent, Commander Falor, thank you for your prompt action. I accept delivery of your wards. You may log this mission as completed without need of follow up. You may be dismissed, take the rest of the day off.”

  Tal grinned and saluted. “Thanks, Boss.” The big man turned to Wren and leaned close. “Stay outta trouble, okay?”

  Wren frowned. “I’m not in trouble now.”

  “You know what I mean.” He nodded to Bannor, and Princess Janai, then left the room without a second glance back.

  “Miss Sheento,” Koass said, emphasizing the ‘miss’ strong enough that it made Bannor wince. “I see you brought some friends with you. I suppose you know why I had you brought in?”

  Daena gulped. When she spoke her voice shook. “Well, sort of.”

  Koass picked up the fruit he’d been eating, bit into it and chewed with a thoughtful expression. He swallowed and let out breath. “Let’s make it clear then, shall we—?”

  “Lord Koass,” Janai spoke up, stepping forward. “Please, I’d like to—”

  “Take responsibility?” Koass said, making the elf bend backward with the intensity of his gaze. “Never fear, Arminwen, I will get to your part in this.” Koass paused. His gaze went to Bannor. “Wasn’t she your responsibility first, Bannor?”

  Startled by the eternal’s sudden shift of attention. Bannor stuttered. “W-w-well, yes. I got her into the mess anyway.”

  Elbows on the desk, Koass steepled his fingers. His brow furrowed. “Yes. The whole affair with Hella was facilitated by you.”

  “Through coercion,” Bannor added quickly.

  “Through coercion,” Koass amended with a wry smile. “Extenuating circumstances are such a bother.” The eternal straightened in his chair. Though he looked and sounded the part of a benevolent creature, Bannor knew the power of the being on the other side of the desk. Koass wielded ultimate power, and did exactly as he saw fit to suit the ends of the eternals—how his decisions affected lesser creatures was a secondary concern at best.

  The advocate eternal sighed and focused his attention back on Daena. “Daena. Do you enjoy making me cross?”

  The young savant turned first one straightened, her glowing green eyes going wide. She bunched her hands in the silk brocade of her dress, knuckles turning white. “Oh, no, Sir. Of course not!”

  Koass’s deep voice remained firm and level. “Was I in some way unclear, when I ordered you to allow yourself to be monitored?”

  Daena dropped her gaze. “Well, no. I just thought that…” Her voice trailed off.

  The eternal frowned. “Thought what?”

  “Ummm,” she said in a faint voice. “I just assumed that I couldn’t make myself undetectable to you. You are eternals after all.”

  The eternal narrowed glowing eyes. “If you felt it was impossible to hide from us, then why try?” He sniffed. “Were you trying to hide from someone else then?”

  “Ummm, I’d prefer not to say, Sir,” Daena answered.

  Koass leaned back in his chair and pressed his lips together. He glanced at Janai.

  Though it was little more that a brief look, the princess flinched as though she’d been pinched.

  “This is where you come in I assume?” Koass asked.

  Janai drew a breath. “Sir, I assure you…” she started.

  “Don’t assure me, Princess,” Koass said. “It doesn’t help. I realize very well that you have been providing something that this girl needed badly—a family and a sense of identity. You’ve shown her genuine affection and care, and that is admirable. However—” He paused and gazed at Daena. “Let there be no mistake, her obvious intelligence aside, we both know she is still just a child less than a score of summers old. Gratitude is a powerful force, as is a youngster’s desire to please their parent and win acceptance.” He placed both hands on the desk. “We are also both aware of your culpability in misleading her as to the importance of certain actions she’s taken for you. That is, of course, why you wished to keep your activities obscured from Bannor, so that others might not use him to be aware of your…fun in other kingdoms.”

  The elf princess scowled at Koass and said nothing in response.

  Daena frowned and looked at Janai.

  Bannor started to say something when someone entered in through one of the doorways. The girl, a little younger than Daena, dressed in a short skirt and high necked blouse strolled right up behind Koass. She was tall and willowy with silver streaked dark brown hair. Slanted blue eyes looked out of a round face with an upturned nose and smallish mouth.

  She swept around him, kissed him on cheek and put a piece of parchment on the desk in front of him. Koass smiled at the young woman, putting an arm around her and squeezing her against him. He then studied the paper she had brought. His brow furrowed. Whatever news was written on the page didn’t please him much.

  After a moment, he kissed the girl on the cheek. “Thanks.”

  The girl smiled, gazed at their small gathering for a moment, then left the way she had come.

  Koass pushed the paper to one side and fixed Daena with his gaze. “Daena. It’s not your fault that you’re young. However, that doesn’t alter the fact that you are far too inexperienced to have the power that you currently possess. These abilities are still just a toy to you—a game. Again, this is because you simply don’t know depth of your potential. There are others who do have a grasp of it.” His gaze went to Janai. “I would hope that they would resist the temptation of using your ability for gain. However, that has not been the case. While those acts are disappointing, those indiscretions are inconsequential in light of the mischief you might have been causing—intentionally or not. Rather than let you continue your path into some real trouble, I’ve called you to heel before you did something that really annoyed me. The monitoring is not just for our piece of mind. It is also to keep you out of the hands of someone more—ambitious—than your lady Janai.”

  “Do you think someone could do that?” Wren asked.

  Koass smiled. “You think Aarlen is the only villain out there with sweet promises?” He sighed. “Though inside you may wish to deny it, Daena. You are the reincarnation of a first one—with all the requisite powers and abilities.” His voice rose ever so slightly. “Should you have the knowledge, you would be as powerful as any of the eternals under my command. That is, in fact, why you must allow yo
urself to be monitored. I don’t care who else you hide from, but you will let your protectorate contact know your location and condition at all times.”

  “All times?” Daena repeated.

  “Yes, Daena,” he growled. “That includes privy trips, baths, and any other compromised situation. You are not to be out of contact for any reason. This is your one and only warning. If there is another incident there will be brig time and thereafter you will be assigned a very visible and inconvenient guardian to watch over you. Am I clear?”

  Daena swallowed. “Yes, Sir.”

  “Sir, might I be allowed to ask question?” Janai asked. At Koass’ nod she straightened. “I don’t ask this to challenge you. It’s more a point of understanding, but how is it the eternals have the right to dictate to us? Besides being more powerful than we are, what gives you the authority to make such decisions? I don’t remember electing you as defenders of the universe.”

  Surprisingly, Koass didn’t look offended at all by Janai’s rather blunt and direct query. “That’s a fair question. You probably just don’t know how often the balance of the universe you live in is threatened. In the beginning, Gaea gave birth to them…” He gestured to Daena. “Surely, you see the resemblance. She and I even have the same physical trait of the glowing eyes. It’s not an accident I assure you. For purposes of simplicity, let’s just say that the first ones simply didn’t work out. They were too self-involved, too conflicted and aggressive for their own good. However, Eternity still needed guardians. Through a long involved process I won’t go into today, the eternals are one half of what evolved from Eternity’s desire. What gives us the right to judge and keep order? If it makes you feel better—it’s because we were here first. With a few exceptions, all life in this universe is an accident. We, on the other hand, were planned.”

  “So, the first ones were originally meant to defend Eternity?” Bannor asked.