“What’s his name?” Toman asked as the Farri walked four-legged alongside him.
I don’t know, Verett replied. They are individuals, clearly, but they don’t tell us their names, and we deemed it disrespectful to name them. They aren’t pets, after all. They help us, and we help them.
“Fair enough,” Toman replied. Esset found himself still wondering.
Here we are. I hope these accommodations are satisfactory. Verett brought them to a hall with a series of regular-looking wooden doors, but the nearest opened without being touched. Inside was a simple but pleasant room; there was a bed, a small dresser and end table, and a table with two chairs.
All the rooms are identical. You are free to come and go as you please. We only discourage wandering as it’s easy to get lost.
“Thank you,” Esset replied as they looked in the room.
You are most welcome. Now I’m afraid I must leave you for a short time. There is a discussion to be had among the Ashiier. We may share our minds, but we are not always of one mind, so to speak. But don’t worry, reason always prevails among the Ashiier, and I will be back as soon as the discussion is concluded. Please, make yourselves comfortable.
“Thank you,” Esset said again, and Verett took his leave. His gait had grown spryer since he’d first met them—if what he’d said were true, and they had little call to physically move, then his increased mobility now was likely simply due to practice.
“Well, I’m exhausted,” Esset said. “I think I’m going to risk a nap. Hopefully what he said about not worrying about exploding is true.”
“I think we could all use some sleep,” Tseka replied. She hadn’t had to fly them anywhere, but staying on whatever flying mount they’d been using at the time had been more difficult for her than them—Nadran bodies weren’t well-suited to riding other creatures. In fact, they were remarkably ill-fitted for it.
“Hopefully Verett doesn’t mind waking us when he returns then,” Toman remarked, and they divided themselves up and claimed their rooms.
Toman woke to one of the Farri gently but persistently tugging his sleeve. He blinked groggily at him, attempting to identify him—the same one as before, he was fairly certain—then realized the Farri must have a reason for waking him and sat up. The ambient light in the room slowly grew to its normal level, and Toman realized that the light must have dimmed as he slept. Bizarre.
The Farri scampered to the door; his tail arched over his head and turned the handle easily so he could skitter around the Ashiier waiting outside. As for the Ashiier, he was one Toman hadn’t met before. He was a massive tortoise, his shell ridged with great, rough, diamond-shaped crystals. He was tinted a rich golden color, and he stepped within the room.
Hello, Toman. I am Jonas. May I enter?
“Of course,” Toman replied. He was thinking that Jonas was a surprisingly ordinary-sounding name for one of an extraordinary race.
All Ashiier were once of mortal races, Jonas said, responding to the thought as he slowly stepped towards Toman, stopping next to the bed where he could fix one eye on the young mortal man.
It was so long ago that it is difficult for me to remember, but I was once human. When a mortal comes here and chooses to stay, over time, he—or she—will take the crystal form of his or her soul, and be relieved of the need for sustenance or sleep. We dedicate ourselves instead to knowledge, magic, and often, to peace. Your Nadran friends would approve, I think.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Toman replied. He wondered if Tseka was that devoted to peace though; she often seemed rather violent.
It is better to be true to one’s nature, Jonas said, and until the crystal tortoise continued, Toman wasn’t sure whether he was bridging into a new topic or responding to his thoughts again—and that was getting disorienting.
Tseka knows that. She is of a fiery nature, and she does not deny it. But that doesn’t change her devotion to peace. She simply seeks to protect it for others more than for herself.
“That makes sense,” Toman confessed.
But I did not come to speak of your Nadran companion, Jonas said ponderously. I came to speak to you, of you.
Toman wasn’t sure what he meant, and there was a brief silence. Toman assumed, since Jonas knew what he was thinking, that the crystal tortoise would continue, but Jonas seemed to be waiting on him instead. As the silence lengthened, Toman’s discomfort increased, and he realized that he was pretty sure he knew what the Ashiier was after.
“I haven’t spoken of that to anyone.”
I know. And I have only fragments of it gathered from your thoughts and dreams, thoughts and dreams that unsettled the Farri you greeted and then evoked his sympathy. You feel like your mind and heart and soul are all split, which, in a sense, they are. You also feel that what you have gone through is too great to overcome. You are right, but you are also wrong. Will you speak to me of this? Jonas waited again; he waited as long as he needed to wait. Toman felt the urge to trust this Ashiier, despite him being a total stranger—or perhaps, because he was a total stranger, yet a stranger who could be trusted.
“I’m not who I was before. I want to be, but I can’t. Part of me is sure that Moloch will kill me, or worse, capture me again. That part knows there’s no escaping him, no beating him, ever. Period. But the other half of me is like before: Idealistic. Responsible. Duty-bound, even. That part of me wants to laugh aloud and run beneath the sun, but the other half of me is always there, shadowing every thought and clouding over the sun in the sky. It wants me to hide forever, or—” Toman choked for a moment. “Or just kill myself.”
Tell me what happened, Jonas urged him. Tell me what happened after your brother called the phoenix.
Toman propped his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. Then he began to speak.
Despite her fatigue, Tseka couldn’t sleep. The bed was meant for bipeds—meaning it was raised off the floor and didn’t fit her coils comfortably—and she suspected it would be rude to drag all the bedding onto the floor. Finally she tried compromising; she curled around a pillow on the floor and rested her torso on the bed. She wasn’t comfortable enough to sleep, but she was pretty sure she dozed until she heard the door open.
Tseka straightened immediately to see one of the Farri peering in at her.
“Hello,” Tseka said. The creature’s tail bounced in a gesture that Tseka interpreted as happy—maybe a return greeting?—and the Farri gestured for her to come. Tseka tossed the pillow back on the bed, adjusted a braid around her torso, and slithered to the door.
“Orvanis!” Tseka hadn’t expected the guardian of the entrance to Myzavere at her door.
Tseka. The giant crystal bear inclined his head. May I enter?
“Of course.” Tseka shifted her scales off to the side.
The room, while not seeming overly large before, accommodated him comfortably.
“What can I do for you?” Tseka asked, wondering why Orvanis was here. They were here for Esset, after all. She wasn’t sure why she warranted a visit.
We Ashiier have convened on account of you, our visitors, and we have decided to help, Orvanis replied, his voice deliberate and respectful in her head.
“That’s a relief. We’ve all been worried about Esset,” Tseka said, some of the tension in her shoulders easing away. “But why are you seeing me and not him?”
Verett is with him now. But the phoenix cast her blessing upon all of you. I had hoped to speak with you. Orvanis sat as still as a statue, but Tseka could feel the hints of the emotions and inflections in her mind that she normally would have gathered from facial cues and tone.
“About what?” Tseka was more than willing to speak; she just wasn’t sure what he’d want to talk about.
About you. Amusement; Orvanis definitely exuded amusement.
Tseka’s eyebrows rose.
We are interested in any the phoenix has blessed, Orvanis said.
Tseka shifted uncomfortably. “Okay.”
&nb
sp; I apologize if it seems intrusive, but we Ashiier are open with our minds, and you, through no fault of your own, cannot and do not guard your thoughts.
Orvanis was right, it did feel intrusive, but Tseka found that she didn’t mind as much as she thought she would have—maybe because of the Ashiier’s nature, she couldn’t say for sure.
We appreciate your acceptance, Orvanis said.
“What else do you see in my head?” Tseka wanted to know.
You are strong of mind and body, and confident in yourself and your abilities. And yet you feel helpless. It is a strange dichotomy. Will you speak to me of this? Orvanis asked.
Once again, Tseka shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t usually like talking about her feelings—who liked talking about their insecurities?—but at the same time, she felt like she could trust him. Not only was he Ashiier, he was a warrior. She could sense it in him, that they were alike. Maybe he would understand. Maybe he could help.
“I…guess so. Where do I begin?” she asked.
Where did the feeling start?
Tseka uncurled and recoiled her long body into a more comfortable position before replying. “After Salithsa—my home and the home of my people—was attacked. That’s when it started. When the Reshkin invaded our home, it was awful, but it changed everything for me. Before the invasion, I didn’t know what I was missing, but now… After the Reshkin, I’ve felt purposeless. I know guarding our home is important, but…”
But it is a passive duty. There is no objective.
“Yes! And it was even worse when we heard that Toman and Esset had been killed or captured by Moloch. We knew Moloch could come after us, but there was nothing we—I—could do. I want to do something. I want to seek out those who threaten my people and my friends and end the threat.”
And what if there were no threats?
“Then…” Tseka deflated. “I don’t know. My people are a people of peace. It is our highest value. But we also believe in being true to our nature. It’s why I’m a warrior. To me, the answers aren’t in tomes and scrolls, they’re in life. And there are threats, and I want to fight them. But now…” Tseka fell silent.
Speak your fears, the Ashiier encouraged.
“It’s stupid. I knew, intellectually, that the world is huge—vast!—but before I first set out with Esset, to help him rescue Toman… I had no idea how big it really is. It’s big, and colorful, and wonderful…and it’s utterly terrifying. How can I possibly help our brothers against the horrors they face? How can I protect my people against someone like Moloch? Their magics are huge—Toman’s, Esset’s, and Moloch’s alike. I have nothing but my hands and my wits.”
Esset could not have rescued his brother without you.
“I know, but this feels different. I fear I will be more of a burden than a help if I accompany them further.” And that was the core of her problem. She had finally found purpose, and she had no power to fulfill it.
I can see in your mind that you do not underestimate your hands or your wits. And while both would undoubtedly serve you well, my people and I want to help. We want to give you the power to protect that you so deeply desire.
Orvanis’s words took a moment or two to sink in.
“Give me…the power to protect,” Tseka repeated.
Indeed.
“What’s the catch?” Tseka asked. Surely this was too good to be true.
You must use it to protect people.
“That doesn’t sound like much of a catch.”
It is not, but you sought one. Orvanis was definitely amused again, Tseka noted, but she found herself starting to smile back.
“So, what then? You just give out magical powers like treats?” Tseka asked.
Think of it more like an unlocking; our magic will release a power in you that will act as an extension of who you already are. But in short, yes, we can grant abilities to those we deem worthy. Despite the good humor still emanating from Orvanis, Tseka could also sense his sincerity.
“I guess what confuses me is that you hardly know me. Even the phoenix could hardly know me.” Tseka wasn’t sure why she was arguing against this. Or maybe she wasn’t. Maybe she was just making sure this was what it looked like on the surface.
We can see inside your mind. The phoenix’s blessing granted you entrance to Myzavere. What we see in your mind is how we know you are worthy.
Tseka was quiet for several long moments before she finally nodded. “Very well.”
This is good. Orvanis began to glow, and Tseka braced herself with eager anticipation.
It was good, indeed.
In the room next to Toman’s, Verett was visiting Esset. A Farri had woken Esset when the crystal ferret arrived, and Esset had swiftly invited him into the room.
How was your rest? Verett inquired. Esset blinked.
“Really good, actually.” Esset was surprised by his own answer; although the nap hadn’t been long, it was the best rest he’d gotten since summoning the phoenix.
Excellent. Tanala, whom you have yet to meet, is currently holding your bond with the phoenix stable. We will fabricate a more permanent solution for you, of course, but in the meantime it won’t bother you.
“Thank you. Immensely,” Esset replied. Then he hesitated; there was an issue he wanted to bring up, but he wasn’t sure how to start.
Speak your mind, Verett urged. Don’t worry about giving offense.
“How do we repay you for your help?” Esset asked.
You do not. How many times have you helped without asking for payment? Think of this situation as something like that.
“Thank you.” Esset had never been more sincere in his life. Verett inclined his head.
So, Verett said, resuming their previous line of conversation. The Ashiier have agreed as a whole to help you; all of you, actually, if each of you permit. Orvanis is with Tseka now, and Jonas is with Toman.
“Jonas?” Esset asked, also surprised by how ordinary the name was.
A very human name, yes, Verett replied. The blue ferret briefly explained that they’d once all been mortals once, from different races.
“What were you before?” Esset was curious to know. Verett tilted his head to the side and seemed to think about that.
Elth, I believe. It was so long ago I hardly remember. I had a violent life until I came to this place, I remember. Beyond that… Verett shook his head. Each person’s past is important, of course, since it shapes who we are, but to be honest, those years of my life would be like a single distant year in your own to you.
“Fascinating,” Esset remarked. He could hardly imagine his life so far being reduced in him mind to a single distant year that he could hardly remember.
“Surely—” Esset began, but then he stopped himself. “It makes a lot of things seem very petty, doesn’t it?”
Yes and no. The short-lived sometimes value small things too much, but conversely, when we live as long as we do, sometimes we value small things too little. As always, there must be balance. Despite his more personable persona, Verett was a philosopher at heart as well.
You know, you have an inquiring mind. You would fit well among the Ashiier. I think you will refuse any invitation to stay now, but should you ever change your mind… You would be welcome among us.
Esset was surprised by the invitation, but he realized that Verett was right. He probably would fit in with the Ashiier—it was an extremely tempting offer—but on the other hand, he had duties and responsibilities. He’d always believed that he should use the abilities he had to do good in the world. And right now he definitely had a job to do.
“You’re right, it’s very tempting, but I can’t right now. Maybe someday…” Someday, if he outlived his usefulness in the world, maybe he’d return here and start a new life.
We will be here if you decide to come, Verett said. Now, to the matter at hand. Ashiier magic works through the use of crystals. His wry tone acknowledged the obviousness of the statement. As such, a crystal is our fix, so to s
peak, to your problem.
“Do I wear it?” Esset asked, not sure what the Ashiier meant.
Not exactly. There was that droll tone again.
“So…” Esset got the distinct impression that Verett was enjoying drawing this out.
The gem will be embedded into you—a hand, a shoulder, back, chest, forehead—wherever you like. It will stabilize your bond with the phoenix, and allow you to use the magics she’s granted you, such as superior summons and the manipulation of fire, Verett explained.
“Embedded.”
Verett nodded.
“Can we do something so it’s not…flashy?” He’d gotten over desiring something “exciting” like that, recognizing that drawing attention wasn’t always desirable. In fact, more and more, he felt that the less attention he got, the better.
Yes, I believe I can do something like that, Verett replied. Are you ready to begin?
“What do I do?” Esset asked. He was nervous, but the thought of being in control of his power again was exhilarating.
Nothing. Just remain somewhat still, Verett replied.
“Okay. I guess I’m ready then.”
Verett lifted a crystal foot and placed it against Esset’s chest. The crystal ferret began to glow with an inner luminescence, with the light focusing around the paw on Esset’s chest. At first Esset felt nothing, but then he felt something like energy running through him. After a moment, he realized he was glowing too—it was the soft yellow halo of the phoenix’s power. Esset expected pain, but none came, although the sense that energy was running through his body increased. The buzz was strongest underneath Verett’s paw on his chest; it even felt warm, like the glow of a campfire or cheerful sunshine on an upturned cheek. Remaining still wasn’t a problem; he wasn’t quite paralyzed, but he did feel frozen in a sense, as if nothing could have persuaded him to move just then.
Suddenly the sensation stopped, and Verett pulled his crystal paw away. Esset felt a bit sapped, but still exhilarated, as if he’d sprinted and then downed an ale so quickly it went straight to his head.
“Wow.” That was about all Esset could manage at the moment. He put his hand to his chest and felt where Verett had touched him. There was a lump there, as if something were beneath the skin, round and about an inch and a half in diameter. A gem, presumably, but beneath the skin so no one would know it was there without putting a hand on his chest.
Fire Within: Book Two of Fire and Stone (Stories of Fire and Stone 2) Page 16
