This was the fourth time they had found a healing reference in the arcan books. The first three times it was only in passing. Just footnotes in some senile man’s writings. The references were never about how to heal a person, only that fractions of arcan could lead up into the healing abilities.
Nikali could invade people’s thoughts. He could manipulate their bodies. He could even infect them with disease, but he could not heal them. Not yet. It was a higher degree of control that Nikali could not acquire. He wasn’t powerful enough. He wasn’t skilled enough.
This new page looked promising as Nikali read through the passages. Then his envious smile turned into a disgusted frown. He slammed the book shut then swung it into the desk nearby. Several times Nikali bashed the book into the desk before he finally let the book go and it soared across the room into the wall. Nikali screamed with rage. The page was yet another disappointment.
“What did it say?” Cassandra asked. It would take some time for her to find the page again. There were no numbers on the pages. The only way to tell one page from another was the drawings left by the scribe.
“Bullrag, that’s what it said,” cursed Nikali.
“What did it say?” Cassandra asked again. She got to her feet and confronted Nikali face to face.
Nikali took a step back. His frown then turned back into a smile. Only this time it was the smile of a broken man.
“Did you know that there is more than one type of arcan?” Nikali asked through laughter. “I just learned that. In that bloody book. Pages and pages we’ve read and in just some random page it says, oh hey, by the way, you might not be able to do some of this stuff.”
“What do you mean?” Cassandra asked. Her voice stayed calm. She had to be the voice of reason against Nikali’s intensity at times.
“Different people affect arcan differently,” said Nikali. “It’s not just a power intake. There’s something else. Something that comes from our bloodlines that manipulates the arcan differently for every person.
“This crazy man who wrote this book knew that. And he just puts it wherever he wants! That is a page one piece of information!” Nikali yelled directly at the book.
“There has to be way to get around that,” suggested Cassandra. “We just have to keep reading.”
“For what?” Nikali asked. “So we can get to another page that says we’re all just a hallucination in a drug fever dream of his. This scribe is driving me crazy! How many pages have we translated that have lead us to nothing? We should just give these books to the Blood Beauties and be done with it.”
“No,” said Cassandra. “These books are ours. If the Blood Beauties get them then they have no reason to help us any more, whether I agree with it or not.”
“I hate this man,” said Nikali gesturing toward the books.
“What did he say?” Cassandra asked again as she sensed Nikali was calming down.
“There are three different types of arcan,” said Nikali. “He calls them razers, menders, and purgers. The razers can break down the physical world, while the menders can rebuild it, body and mind.”
“What are the purgers?” Cassandra asked.
“Something else,” said Nikali. “He didn’t say much about them. The razers and menders were a balance. They worked together to build Prial. The purgers were their enemies. That’s all it says. That’s all he gave us. Menders are healers. And if I can’t heal things then that means I’m a razer. And If I’m a razer then I can’t heal things.
“I am going to look weak in front of the people when I cannot perform the acts that Farrah can.”
“I’m not giving up,” said Cassandra. “Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he didn’t know enough. Maybe we just need to keep looking.”
“You’re right, and the Blood Beauties are still capable of great power,” mused Nikali, nodding his head with excitement. “They are still holding back. I know it. We need more. The people’s blood is sweet and strong, but there is more. I can smell it on the Blood Beauties. Maybe they are capable of much more, but don’t even realize it yet.”
“We don’t need the Blood Beauties-” but Cassandra’s words were cut off.
Nikali's thoughts could not be contained. “We just need more power. I’ve felt close to Heric. I can heal him. I know it. I just need more power. Farrah will not be the only one to heal anybody. I can break the arcan barrier. That’s what gods do, after all.”
Chapter 27
“What do you know about her?” Nikali asked the Royal Council at their latest meeting. The fury arck was in its typical spot curled up on the throne at the head of the table. That left Nikali on his feet, staring out the window. He barely addressed the Royal Council when he entered the room.
The news of Farrah had been rotting away in his mind since the out crier spoke up at his latest execution. Nikali was appalled that this was the first time ever hearing about another powerful user of arcan. Nikali believed himself to be the highest power in Eluan, but now he had his doubts.
The Blood Beauties were silent about the situation. They had not yet responded to Nikali’s enquiries. Even Nikali could not uncover Farrah on his own. If she was so powerful Nikali believed he should be able to feel her presence, even across all of Eluan, but she was somehow hidden from his grasp.
The room was solemn. Every member of the Royal Council kept their head down and avoided any chance of eye contact with Nikali. While he had his back to the council, they worried he would still be able to see them.
“I am your Emperor!” Nikali scolded the men. “I need to know everything that is going on in my empire. Tell me what you know.”
“There isn’t much,” Quaet finally spoke up.
“It’s Farrah,” Nikali growled. “She was a part of Aldrin’s entourage. We had her captive. How do we not know anything about her?”
“You are the one that captured her,” said Palin. “What do you know about her?”
Nikali thought back to the night at Hilldad. He didn’t remember any of the details. He was lost to the blood of the avadon he had slain, and the arcan it provided. “She was not a threat back then. Something has changed. What?”
“We barely knew she existed,” said Quaet. “We had never seen her on Tcher in the previous years before the war. When she was our captive Emperor Heric only wanted to use her as leverage against Aldrin, nothing more. We didn’t think she had any more true value, thus she was never interrogated in her short time here. She was going to be executed if Tcher had not attacked.”
“Fine,” said Nikali. “Then send out some spies. Find her.”
“That has already been done,” said Twell.
“Oh,” said Nikali before General Twell could continue. “When was that?”
“A few weeks ago,” said Twell.
Nikali turned around to face the Royal Council. He looked directly at General Twell with a disappointed grin. “So you have heard about her, and yet I am just now learning about our enemies. Is that right?”
“I wanted to learn more before I made my report,” defended Twell.
“I see,” said Nikali. “Have you learned enough yet?”
“We still don’t know her motives,” said Twell.
“I know her motives,” said Nikali. “She’s from Tcher. She wants to destroy Eluan.”
“That’s not all,” said Twell. “All of the reports from our spies to the people that are spreading her story say the same thing. She has orange eyes. She’s from Prial.”
The Royal Council adjusted in their seats to overcome the grief and dishonor of Eluan’s past as they heard General Twell’s words. What was only two decades ago seemed like a lifetime of shame for the men ruling over Eluan. Even though few of the men actually had a hand in the slaughter of the Prial people it still hung over their heads as a disgrace from the past.
Nikali did not flinch at the newest revelation about their mystery enemy. He ignored the tiny voice in his head telling him to remember. Remember his past. His friends. A girl with orange
eyes. But they were all gone, lost to the petty politics that the Eluan throne brought forth. Nikali discouraged himself from thinking about those times when he was nothing more than a slave to apathy. He had a purpose now and he could not hope that his friends would return to somehow make things better.
“Then she is twofold an enemy of Eluan,” said Nikali. “What has she been up to?”
“She is being helpful,” said Twell. “What the man said was true. She has been healing people. Anybody that comes to her. People are starting to flock her way from across Eluan. She is growing a following.”
“Healing? With arcan?” Nikali asked.
“Yes,” said Twell. “She is actually relieving people of the Tcher Touch.”
“Is that what the people want then?” Nikali asked, more to himself than the Royal Council.
“The people want to feel safe,” answered Marais anyway.
“I am making them safe,” said Nikali. “I have given them happiness.”
“You have given them fear,” said Quaet.
“Exactly,” said Nikali. “They can fear me, but I will not harm them. I will only harm our enemies. Then once I am the only thing to fear everybody can see the peace that surrounds us, and they will live in happiness.”
“It doesn’t work like that,” said Marais.
“It will,” said Nikali. “I just need total control, and Farrah is disrupting my plans.”
“We have no army to attack her,” said Quaet with a tone of disrespect.
“I will handle that,” said Nikali. “I will handle everything. Spread the word. Farrah is an enemy of Eluan and anybody caught conspiring with her will be seen as an enemy as well.
“I will heal Eluan. That is my duty and mine alone. We cannot give in to our enemies from fallen countries, and we will not succumb to the threats of terrorists. Give it time, gentlemen. I will grow more powerful, and soon nobody will stand in my way.”
Chapter 28
Later that night, Nikali stormed through the brothel tucked away in the Talons. His path guaranteed that nobody from the palace saw him enter the Blood Beauties’ lair. Every eye was on Nikali inside of the building. Every person going about their day slowly turned their heads to watch the Eluan Emperor make his way up the stairs to the top floor of the building. The feeling of being watched once chilled Nikali. Not anymore. He wanted the Blood Beauties to know he was coming.
Nobody bothered to get in Nikali’s way as Nikali came up to the entrance of the Blood Beauties quarters. The door swung open without Nikali touching it. He pushed his arcan up. The power engulfed the torches that surrounded the Blood Beauties’ room and the fires lit up every inch of space. The blinding blue light of the flames revealed the Blood Beauties standing at attention, waiting for Nikali.
Nikali could feel the three women trying to pierce into his emotions, but Nikali was too strong for that now. The Blood Beauties’ concoction was enough to keep Nikali powerful. They couldn’t break into his thoughts anymore.
“What do you want?” asked the Blood Beauties in unison.
“You promised me more power,” screamed Nikali.
“You have more power,” said the Blood Beauty, Harel.
“Not enough!” shouted Nikali. “What I want is still out of my reach, but now I’m hearing about another woman who can do what I want to do. What is her secret?”
Harel smirked. She rolled her eyes at Nikali’s childish antics. “Farrah.”
“You know about her?” Nikali asked.
“Yes,” said the Blood Beauty. “We’ve looked into her.”
“Can you do what she does? Can you heal?” Nikali asked.
“Not yet,” admitted Harel.
“Then what are we going to do about it?” Nikali asked. “I want her powers. I have people to heal.”
“Then ask Farrah yourself,” cut in Mareen.
Nikali spit at the Blood Beauties’ feet. “I will not grovel at yet another person’s feet. I am the Emperor! I came to you because you promised me the power that I needed to achieve my dreams. But I’m learning that maybe it’s not raw power that I need. Maybe you are nothing to me.”
“What have you learned?” asked Harel.
“Why should I tell you?” retorted Nikali.
“Because that was the deal,” said Harel. “We give you more power, you give us the knowledge of your books. We have upheld our end of the bargain.”
“I know about the blood now,” said Nikali. “I have what I need from you. I can walk out of here and have this brothel burned to the ground by your own hands. Your end of the bargain has so far not been worth what I know.”
The Blood Beauties looked at each other as if having a silent conversation. Nikali stood impatiently, waiting for the three women to address him once again.
“There is more,” said Mareen. “There are different ways to process the body and its blood. There is still untapped power that we can offer you.”
“What is it?” asked Nikali.
“Not until you give us what we want,” said the Blood Beauties. “Farrah is powerful. Do you know why?”
“It’s in her blood,” said Nikali. “Different bloodlines can mean different arcan. The book mentions three different kinds. We are one. Farrah is another.”
“Then get Farrah,” said Mareen.
Her sisters turned to look at her as a plan formed in their heads. Then they all nodded before she spoke, learning of the plan through their shared arcan connection.
“We’ve been drinking from our shared pool of blood. Farrah is different. We can’t sense her. She has different powers. If we consume from her then perhaps we can tap into her abilities as well.”
Nikali nodded his head. He smiled at the thought of the Blood Beauties’ plan. The key was in the blood. That meant Nikali was going to have to go to war directly with Farrah and her growing camp of followers. But first, Nikali needed an army.
Chapter 29
Hundreds of people trailed along the roads of Eluan. They all followed the footsteps and guidance of their miracle healer, Abigail. People walked with smiles on their faces. There was rarely a complaint. Before anybody could ask for a break Abigail would instruct the group to stop. Abigail could feel her followers’ concerns and worries. In return she blessed them with joy and fulfillment.
As the group traveled, more people began to learn of the wonderful acts Abigail was capable of. She healed the sick and nourished the hungry. The people Abigail’s forming tribe came across were thankful for Abigail’s presence. Some paid what they could, some offered their homes to the hundreds traveling and offered animals from their stock for meals, and some joined the others to continue to be around Abigail and her wondrous power.
Darden and Grifith stuck close to Abigail along their journey. Darden often asked where Abigail was going. She’d often reply, “To where people need help.” Sometimes she would just shrug.
Abigail’s absentminded plan sometimes worried Darden. Heading west, it would not be long before they were in between the cities of Myrus and Eluan. The roads were much heavier in traffic and they were bound to be found if not stopped all together. The group already had to worry about any further attacks from the Blood Beauties. He didn’t want to add Emperor Nikali to their list of things to avoid.
Usually, Darden put the thoughts out of his mind by taking on more responsibility within the group. He kept track of all the donations that were offered to Abigail for her work. Without the innkeeper around anymore, Darden was able to spread the wealth a little easier, though keeping a working fee for himself.
Grifith kept his usual duties. He watched over Abigail and attended to her needs on the road. He was ready to get her anything he needed, and every day he was getting better at attending to her needs before she asked.
Abigail took a drink from her water skin that Grifith passed to her. She paused to take in the emotions that were surrounding her. People were relieved for another break. The sun was getting lower on the horizon. They would have to s
top soon enough. Now, was probably better than any. They could begin their trek in the morning. Abigail was in no hurry. The future was not something to look forward to.
Darden approached Abigail timidly. Abigail smiled when she saw him. She was used to his routine now. Every time she stopped he’d come by to get a status report. He always wanted to know where she was headed.
Truthfully, Abigail barely knew herself. It was just a feeling. Something out in the distance was waiting for her. Back at the inn she was able to push the feeling aside. There was so much to do back then and so many people coming to her. But now that she was on the move things had changed. Once she was on the move she could feel more of the world. It quieted and humbled her.
There was death in the east, fear in the south, rage in the west, but somewhere in the middle of it all thoughts were left dangling on a broken promise that Abigail could fulfill.
“Farrah,” Darden spoke up as he got closer. “How much further are we going today?”
“We are done for the night,” said Abigail. “You can prepare the people’s rations.”
Darden’s stomach grumbled as if responding positively to Abigail’s orders.
“And tomorrow?” Darden asked. “Where shall we go?”
It was the usual question Darden asked. He expected the usual answer. They had just been wandering for weeks now. There was plenty of food and water to last. It just worried Darden to not have a plan. He liked plans.
Abigail didn’t have the heart to tell any of them that wandering was her plan at the moment. She needed time. She needed time to think about their options. Things were becoming clear. Fate was reaching out, trying to catch hold of Abigail’s flock. It was her duty to protect them, but for only so long. Decisions would have to be made sooner or later. Fate demanded tribulations.
Finally, Abigail smiled. “You have been patient. Thank you. It took some time to get closer. I needed a better connection. I can feel them out there. They are waiting for us. At Myrus.”
Eluan Falls: A Whisper of Fate Page 14
