by Lawrence, J.
“Is that your answer to everything?”
“No. Well, just the stuff that bleeds.”
“We will need to be quick about it. He’s already birthed in air on his own. But…”
Gabril knew that being a member of the Order bound him to come to the aid of any other inborn during their time of transformation. It was one of the first oaths taken as an initiate into the Temple of Di’Ghon. It was as close to sacred as an oath could be.
“But what?” Gabril turned fully towards him then, eyes boring into his. “What are you not telling me?”
“Just that… He lit up the Jen’Ghon meldstone.”
“You already said that.” Gabril shook his head. “You’re acting weird. You know I hate when you act weird right?”
“The other meldstones registered unbirthed abilities.”
Gabril took a step back. For him, it was the equivalent of fainting in shock. The yellow moon raced across the sky, throwing pale shadows across the forest floor.
“Which ones?”
“All five. Only air has birthed. But there is no telling when the others will come.” Lars only had six pieces of meldstone. “There could be more. We need to get him to Di’Ghon to be sure.”
“All five? Di’Ghon?” The warrior began to regain his composure, eyes scanning the gloom as the moon disappeared.
“Six with the Jen’Ghon. You know I don’t have a choice.”
“We are not going to make the same mistake as before.”
“Of course not, but we have to try. If he has any chance at life, at finding out what he is capable of, it’s there.” Lars Telazno threw his hands up.
“Capable of? Look what he’s already done!” Gabril gestured at the dripping woods around them. “Like you said, this water is going somewhere.”
The floods that the melting Anwarian Range would unleash could wash away thousands. The boy, whether he intended to use his ability to harm others or not, already had. Once bent in evil, the ability would pull for more. Evil begat evil. It would find a way to sway events in such a way that the inborn would find it easier and easier to do increasingly more harm. Eventually the inborn was lost in unbridled wretchedness. Once that happened there was no return. There was only one cure then. Death.
“He has just as much capability for good as evil.”
Gabril spat as the keep door swung open behind them.
Chapter 34
Melted
Thaniel slammed the door shut behind him, not able to see through the tears.
Monster. She called him a monster. In her eyes he was no different than the dra itself. He thought his heart would rip out of his chest on the spot. What was he going to do now? Just a few hours ago she was riding snuggled at his side as he brought her home to her father and now she’d probably rather see him roasting on a spit. Or maybe just never see him at all, ever. A lump in his throat throbbed so much he thought he might choke on it.
Thaniel couldn’t have been ten paces from the little keep when he tripped on something solid and landed face first in the half frozen ground. Strong hands almost immediately tried to lift him up. Thaniel swiped away the help and ran. He ran in the blurry dark until he couldn’t breathe. Then he slumped down along the bole of one of the towering pines, covered his head with his heavy leather cloak, and cried.
“Not a monster.”
He didn’t know how long he sat there all alone in the wilderness, repeating the phrase, that crying turned into mere jagged syllables, over and over again. But he guessed it had been a long while. At some point one of the moons had risen. It threw pale yellow knives of light down through the tight canopy overhead, illuminating the fog as it rose from the slushy ground. Thaniel shivered.
“That remains to be seen you know.”
Thaniel sprang to his feet in alarm to find it was just the old man, Lars Telazno, shadowed by his protector. The big warrior eyed him appraisingly before he spat.
“Go away. You’ve done enough already. What do you know anyway?”
“You know I am telling you the truth.”
“All I know is that you have some shiny rocks.”
“The path to evil begins at the denial of the truth.”
“You are one of those people that talks in riddles aren’t you?”
“You have no idea.” Gabril smirked. Lars Telazno shot the big warrior a look that would have withered an oak. It slid off Gabril with no effect.
“If you choose to deny your ability that the Creator has given you then you nullify his work in this world. Who knows what you are meant to do?”
“You want to talk, let’s talk.”
The old man folded his hands, a teacher ready to instruct.
“You say the Creator gave me some gift.”
“Ability.”
“Whatever. But somehow I did something horrible with it.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Well, if the Creator gave it to me, and the Creator is all good and everything, then why didn’t he stop me from doing bad with his… whatever.”
“He has a point.”
Lars shot Gabril another glare.
“Thaniel, it doesn’t work like that. If he stopped us from doing bad then we wouldn’t have free will. We would be slaves. What kind of God would he be if he desired a world of slaves?”
“I was a slave for seven years. I didn’t see him come rescue me.”
“Yet, here you are.”
“Yeah, and all those other people are still back there in Ontar Hold. I guess he doesn’t like those people much now does he?”
“I’m starting to like this kid.”
“The point is that for some reason, you have a tremendous ability that can be used for good or evil. Your true nature is revealed by the light of every choice you make. Do you want to be good or evil?”
“I don’t want to be either.”
“Evil conspires and consumes. If you do not choose good… If you do not fight back evil by choosing good… Then evil will entice you. It will enslave you.”
“I just want to get Elycia to her father.”
“And after that?”
“Look. I appreciate you saving me back there, and I know some real weird stuff has been happening lately but I’ve been fine up till now.”
“Thaniel listen to me. This meldstone has special properties.” Lars Telazno pulled out the little stone from the folds of his robe. It was glowing bright cerulean. “We use it to train others like us how to control their abilities.”
Thaniel reached for the stone but Lars held it up high out of his reach.
“For a newborn, using the gift without meldstone, and someone to guide you through it, can have disastrous consequences.” Lars Telazno blew out a steamy breath and twirled his fingers through it. The tiny breath swirled into a little twister, barely strong enough to lift a few pine needles. It swirled in front of them, gyrating as it built in intensity. Thaniel watched with rapt attention. It was beautiful.
“If I were to set this free, there is no telling what it might become. It might do nothing. Or it might bring the keep’s roof down, and kill everyone inside.”
“You wouldn’t do that.” Thaniel peered into the old man’s eyes, happy to find a complete lack of malice.
“You are right.” Lars Telazno leaned back against a tree trunk and waited as the whirlwind ceased to exist. Pine needles rained harmlessly to the ground.
Thaniel blew out a sigh of relief.
“Either way I am directly responsible for my actions. Since I created the twister, then it only follows that if I would have let it crush them, I would be the murderer, not the wind.”
“I don’t want to hurt anybody.”
“I believe you. But tell me, do you remember how we met? Do you remember the wolves?”
How could he forget?
“Tell me how the first wolf died.”
Thaniel wasn’t quite sure why he flinched. The wolf had been about to rip his throat out when it suddenly stopped. Gabril thu
ndered in, and between him and his war horse, took care of the rest. It hadn’t occurred to him how the wolf died until Lars brought it up.
“It was dead before we got there.” Gabril added.
“I didn’t…”
“Yes, you did. We were still a ways back when I felt you use the Jen’Ghon to nearly twist its head off.”
He remembered how close the teeth were. So close that he could still smell the fetid breath of the beast. He didn’t want the wolf to die so much as he just wanted to live. Thaniel recalled watching the light of life fading from its’ eyes, its’ head not looking in the right direction compared to the rest of its body. It all happened so fast. There was a bright flash, followed by gruesome snapping sounds. Then it was dead.
Thaniel grimaced.
Now that he thought about it, the flash had been bright cerulean, as bright as lightning. Thaniel’s eyes went wide as he felt the truth of it sink in. He had no idea how he did it, but there was no doubt that he had. He killed the wolf.
“How did I?”
“Kill it?”
Thaniel nodded.
“I don’t know.” Lars’ eyes narrowed, “What I saw you do should have taken you years to learn.”
“What was I supposed to do? Let it eat me?”
“I am not saying you were wrong. But, somehow, you are using your ability without the slightest clue as to what you are doing. You need to learn to control it. Did you know that just one sliver of fear at the wrong instant and the Jen’Ghon would have slipped from your grasp? That wolf would have… The point is that without training you are going to get yourself killed, or worse... Kill others. Tell me, what would you do if you accidentally killed that little girl you are so smitten with?”
Thaniel cringed, feeling his face go red.
“Thaniel, think of this as a gift or a curse. Your actions decide which. You must come with us to Di’Ghon.”
“Must? The only thing I must do is keep my word. I’m taking her to Navillus.” Thaniel set his jaw. “If you want to come along it’s fine by me but I’m not…”
Thaniel never finished the rest of it. The entire conversation vanished from his mind as his ears strained to confirm what had already turned his blood to ice. As he recognized the sound of Elycia’s distant screams echoing through the trees, everything else just melted away.
Chapter 35
Sack of Grain
Thaniel, Gabril, and Lars all broke into a run. Before the scream sounded two heartbeats Gabril bolted. Lars was next. Paralyzed with fear for Elycia, Thaniel stood stupefied for a second longer than the older men.
However, once he started moving he caught up to them almost immediately, passing Lars Telazno like he was standing still. Gabril was another matter. For as big as he was the man was incredibly fast. Gabril’s legs ate up the ground with smooth economy of movement. At first Thaniel thought he wouldn’t be able to pass the big warrior.
Then Elycia’s screams reached a different pitch and intensity. Thaniel wasn’t sure if she was yelling louder or if they were just that much closer, but there was a desperateness he heard now that he found impossible to mistake.
The thought of something or someone hurting her filled his lungs to bursting. A furious panic dipped its claws into his soul, and pulled out a burst of speed. Long accustomed to running for hours on end, his legs responded. Thaniel flew over the uneven ground with one thought ringing through his head.
He had to get to her.
It only took another few seconds to pass Gabril.
He couldn’t imagine what could have made her scream like that. It sounded like she’d seen a… monster.
Monster. That’s what she’d called him. What if she didn’t want his help? He tried not to think about how she’d hit him repeatedly as she screamed out how he’d probably killed her father and destroyed her home.
Thaniel missed a step. His next foot struck something hard. The ground came up fast, hitting him before he even felt himself falling.
In an acrobatic leap that would make a circus performer proud, Gabril spun through the air, narrowly keeping from trampling Thaniel underfoot.
“Are you alright?” Gabril didn’t even sound winded.
Lars Telazno crashed into the scene. The old man was breathing hard but he wasn’t nearly as far back as Thaniel figured. No sooner was he there than he was kneeling at Thaniel’s side, his face a mask of genuine concern.
Thaniel didn’t answer. He wasn’t about to be fussed over while Elycia needed him. He sprang back up and was about to take off when pain shot like white hot lightning up from his foot. His entire leg just crumpled under the immeasurable pain and he went down again.
“Make room.” Gabril shouldered in and was about to pick him up.
“No.” He yelled. “I’ll just slow you down.” Thaniel locked eyes with Gabril. He was about to try batting the man’s hands away when Gabril stepped back, nodded grimly and disappeared into the dark.
Thaniel didn’t know what hurt worse. The ankle or knowing Elycia needed his help and there wasn’t anything he could do about it. He hobbled up against a tree bole trying to ignore the spikes of pain. White streaks raked across his vision as he put some weight on it.
“Easy.” Lars said, gripping him by the arm.
“What are you doing here? Go.”
The old man regarded him like a wayward child, one that needed a scolding. He was about to say something more when Thaniel cut him off.
“You want to me to go to Di’Ghon?” Thaniel asked.
Lars squinted, trying to catch his breath. He didn’t have to answer the question.
“Let’s be clear. If something happens to her while you’re here making sure your precious new student’s ankle isn’t hurt too bad you can take your Di’Ghon and shove it.”
Lars Telazno’s bushy eyebrows drew down in anger. His mouth opened as if he was about to swear. Instead, the old man blew out a frustrated sigh so hard that even his mustache moved. He grimaced before he took off into the forest after Gabril, all the while muttering something about being old.
Thaniel strained to hear what was happening.
Elycia’s screams were already subsiding a bit. Jorel was there. It sounded like he was trying to calm her. Yet even from this distance Thaniel could make out the alarm in his voice. A harsh grumble mixed in with both voices, sounding a whole lot like Harkanin’s famous curses.
Thaniel cringed when he tried to put weight on the leg.
“If it’s not broken yet, it will be if you don’t stay off it.” A smooth baritone cut through the quiet.
Thaniel spun toward the close voice, accidentally putting all his weight on his leg. Pain momentarily swept his consciousness away, replacing it with a blazing display of bright shrieking colors.
When his vision returned the first thing he realized was that he was being held up by strong hands. The second thing that came to him was that he knew the face that materialized before him.
“Ghile?”
“Thaniel, you remembered my name.” Ghile grinned in response.
“How could I forget it? It’s yours.” Thaniel answered.
The pain had him reeling. But even so, a shiver went up his back, making the hairs on his neck stand on end. Something was wrong. He shook his head and rubbed at his eyes, not trusting what he was seeing. Ghile was standing up straight and tall in front of him even though he couldn’t do that. The poor man’s back was so bent and twisted that Thaniel couldn’t remember ever looking up at him. Also, Ghile had him by two hands. The man he knew had only one good hand. The other one was shriveled and nearly useless.
Thaniel tilted his head as he stared at the man in confusion.
Ghile’s grin never wavered. If Thaniel didn’t know better he’d swear the man was actually enjoying his confusion immensely. Then Thaniel saw something that made him absolutely positive that the man standing in front of him couldn’t be Ghile. In all the times he’d spoken to Ghile his eyes reflected the empty stare born of a harmle
ss and completely innocent half-wit.
Thaniel stared into eyes possessing a cold hearted intelligence.
“Smart boy.” Ghile said.
Then, faster than Ghile could possibly move, he was right on top of Thaniel. One arm encircled him tightly while the other clamped down a cloth over his face.
A horrible stench filled his nostrils. When Thaniel breathed in, it felt like he’d inhaled fire. He didn’t understand why Ghile would attack him but he was. Thaniel struggled to break free of the man’s grasp but Ghile had wrapped him up and ridden him to the ground with the ease of a grappler. He had effectively pinned both his arms behind his back while he simultaneously held the vile smelling cloth over his face.
“You don’t deserve this.” Ghile’s whispered voice was close to one of his ears.
Thaniel knew he needed to fight but for some reason he couldn’t move his arms and legs. He felt Ghile lift him into the air. The last thing he remembered was that he was looking at the ground as Ghile ran with him slung like a sack of grain over his shoulder.
Chapter 36
Queasy Little Flutter
At least Elycia finally stopped screaming at the top of her lungs. As girls went, Jorel guessed the sight of the dead oxen was pretty gruesome. There was an awful lot of blood. The way it was splashed everywhere, it looked like somebody painted the place with it. But still, the way she was screaming you’d think she’d seen something well, scary.
“Damn wolves.” Harkanin swore. “Never seen the likes of it.” He held up a torch over a gaping wound in the oxen’s side.
“Never seen a wolf attack an ox?”
“No, seen that,” He glanced up at the gouts of blood sprayed on the side of the keep, “but it never looked like this.”
Elycia was staring out into the dark. She was trembling like a leaf in the rain.
Harkanin harrumphed as he walked around the penned up beasts checking for wounds on any of the other animals. He even looked over Gabril’s big black horse, from a safe distance of course. Right now the thing looked more like a revenging spirit than a horse. Its ears were pinned back and its teeth were bared. Every once in a while it gave the pen railing a kick that cracked through the night. Anybody that thought horses were all nice just had to get one look at that thing to change their tune. Jorel had given those hooves a wide berth after watching it take out those wolves.
