Varkon did not hesitate. “I understand. My life is tied to the boy now. If you wish, I will gladly swear a Ruilk to show—”
“There is no need,” cut in Tyler. “Varkon has proved his loyalty to me more than anyone else in the world. He will not betray us.”
“So be it!” said Haranio. “Now, let me start by saying that this will be the first time in many, many years that I have revealed this information to anyone. If you tell others about my involvement in these matters, I will almost assuredly be killed for my supposed treachery. Thus, I implore you all to be careful if you should find the need to repeat this.” Haranio gave a hardened, warning glance around the room before he began. “Not much is known of Avalon the man, but man he was, and a great magi also. He was slain in the Last Battle, to the great loss of the Alliance, for he had been the most effective figure in the war against Her. Just before he was killed, Avalon gave a precious artefact, which later became known as Avalon’s Heart, to the nÿmph Lamathil of the Sunbirch. Avalon forced him to memorise the words that must be said to open it. Those words are a secret that have been passed down by every guardian of Avalon’s Blessing, starting with Lamathil of the Sunbirch, who was the first. I am extremely concerned that the shamif knew the words to this poem, as it was a well-kept secret indeed, but I shan’t dwell on this now. With time Avalon’s Heart became legend, and then myth. Although some lost faith in its qualities, the artefact remained a powerful political weapon: whoever received the blessing would gain many believers and unquestioning support. There were several attempts to steal it, but every one of them failed – until the day that Hargill became its guardian. It was then that the greatest attempted theft of the Heart took place. Hargill nearly lost it, but fortunately the Heart was finally recovered, found in an obsolete room in the guard building, held in the mouth of a small white dog.”
“Haranio, the shamif could take that shape!” said Tyler excitedly.
Haranio nodded. “Yes, I made the connection but a little while ago. The worst of it was that we let the dog go, thinking it was only a stray. How were we to know? The robbery was very upsetting for Hargill. He was a man of honour, and he believed it was his life’s duty to protect Avalon’s Heart. Yet he could no longer fulfil this charge in Ithrim. Soon after this incident, the Council decided to give Avalon’s Blessing to a child. Even Hargill and I agreed that the time had come, because. Her power was growing rapidly. Unfortunately, a man named Barith Rino, who was then the Protector of Ithrim, tried to force Hargill to bestow Avalon’s Blessing unto his own, wretched son. This was the final blow for Hargill. On my advice he gathered a group of believers and many promising young children before setting sail in the middle of the night to an unknown destination. His intention was to raise one worthy of receiving Avalon’s Blessing. That was the last time I heard of my dear, old friend, until now.”
Haranio paused to clear his throat. “The reason why you were never told anything of the outside world when you were growing up, Tyler, was because if you had known, you may have unintentionally betrayed the truth. Hargill and I have always suspected that She could make out hints of other people’s thoughts. You have just confirmed that belief. We knew that Hargill could guard the secret location of Avalon’s Heart in his own mind, but could he trust an entire village of children to do the same? No, the less they knew, the safer they were.”
Haranio rested his elbows on the table in front of him. “She fears Avalon’s Heart, even if its legend is fading. Many people had doubts about any abilities the blessing can give, even myself. But I knew Avalon’s heart was important for another reason. In the same way as my reputation helps keep thieves away from my belongings, Avalon’s Blessing has the power to make people believe. It alone has the power to unite. Whoever is blessed will have many followers willing to be led into a war against our enemies. The bickering between the races is so severe that they must be given an excuse to come together, even against a foe that threatens them all with destruction. Avalon’s Blessing is the key. When the Council is summoned by Tritus and sees you, Avalon-Qwa, they will unite and march against Her before it is too late. This time we cannot wait for Her to come to Ithrim. We have no defences left – not even a city wall. This time we need to launch an attack first, and quickly. The greatest power of Avalon’s Blessing is that without it, all the races of the Alliance will die as individuals instead of facing the danger together and standing a real chance as one. The strange abilities that you are developing are surprising; I never expected the legends to be true. But they are of no consequence, for your greatest gift is to lead others into battle.”
“Do I get a say in this?” asked Tyler. “I don’t want the life you speak of.”
“You don’t believe that. Many are now counting on you to save their lives. You will rise to this, Tyler. I have only known you for half a day, and I already can see that you are a leader of men. I see why Hargill chose you.”
“They sing songs of you already, Tyler, slayer of the Dhimori,” said Irrian quietly from the side.
“Hargill did not choose me!” Tyler said, his frustration boiling to the surface. “I wasn’t selected from a range of possible alternatives. I was the only one, the only choice. The rest had been … slaughtered by then.”
“Never say that,” said Haranio angrily, and eyes fired a hot blue. “The entire reason that Hargill left Ithrim was that no child there was suitable for Avalon’s Blessing; most were ignorant, arrogant, or violent. Hargill gave up his life to raise you and your friends, and I can say with complete confidence that you would have been his first choice, regardless of the situation. Hargill was not the type of man who would settle for second best. Think about it: he could have given you Avalon’s Heart, unopened, and told you to return it to me, but he wanted to make sure that you were the person to receive the blessing. Tyler, you were his chosen from the beginning.”
Tyler hooded his eyes with the resigned glance of one who didn’t know what to think anymore. Haranio’s voice softened.
“But you will not fight this battle alone, child. You will always have companions. Varkon and Irrian have already dedicated their lives to you, and I shall also play my part. We will all do our best to guide and protect you as well as we can. However, you would do well to remember that Avalon’s Blessing is only a promise – it is not a certainty of success. Think on the words of the poem: a spider’s web shall bridge the worlds, and hope shall be remade. There is no prophecy, no assurance of victory or divine destiny here. All that Avalon’s Blessing offers is a fighting chance to fight back the powers that oppress. Do you understand, Tyler? You could be killed at any moment now, just like the rest of us.”
Haranio sat back in his chair and clasped his hands together. “Now, with regard to your newfound abilities, I am curious about these strange dreams you have been having. The Dhimori, when he was aboard The Eye of the World, had the ability to read people’s minds to a certain extent, did he not?” Tyler nodded tiredly. “But you only seem to be able to sense the thoughts of others when you are asleep, emotional, or are almost encouraged by the Dhimori. Is this correct?” Another nod. “I would guess more is possible. It seems you’ve been given the same ability as the Dhimori, but you have not yet found a way to control it.” Haranio studied Tyler carefully. “But I doubt that even Dhimori can pick up every thought that anyone ever has. Instead, perhaps it is only possible to see those unprotected, shallower ones; those that drift unconsciously in your head like the beating of your heart. Varkon, this may sound strange, but could you cut yourself very slightly with that dagger you have there? Trust me, I will explain.”
Varkon raised a quizzical brow, but then with a shrug he drew a short blade from his belt and slowly pulled it across the skin on his palm. Tyler winced with imagined pain as he watched the ghatu meticulously and unemotionally perform his task.
“Thank you, Varkon. Does it hurt?”
“A little.”
“Tha
t’s perfect. Now I want you to try to concentrate on the pain. Try not to consider anything else. Tyler, I want you to pick up Varkon’s emotions, his thoughts. Focus on his mind.”
“Haranio, how can I possibly …?” Tyler sighed hopelessly. “Where would I start?”
“By looking at him and committing yourself entirely to your purpose.”
Tyler didn’t have the faintest idea what to do. He stared at Varkon and willed himself to know his thoughts. It was a ridiculous exercise. “It’s no good!” he said, throwing up his hands “Nothing’s happening.”
“How can we help this …?” Haranio muttered gently. “Tyler, tell me again about the last couple of dreams that you had with the Dhimori – the one with all the glowing spheres and the blackness.”
When Tyler had finished explaining these dreams in even greater detail, Haranio simply mumbled, “Youth waits only for your blessing, your gift you freely gave.” He said nothing more for quite a time, and because no one could bring themselves to interrupt the magi’s thoughts, the room became agonisingly quiet. Eventually, however, one side of the old man’s lips curled into a victorious smile.
“The poem!” he said softly. “A spider’s web shall bridge the worlds.” Of course! Tyler, do you know anything of the world of magic?”
“Nothing besides what you’ve told me.”
“Which is barely anything at all. When a spell is cast, the magic is not conjured from out of nowhere. It comes from another place, another world.” Haranio hissed out all his breath with the irritation of one who knows exactly what he wants to say but simply cannot not find the words to describe it. “Let me explain more clearly. There is this world, the one that we live and die in.” He tapped the table as if to demonstrate the fact. “But there is also another world, one which only a magi can see. When I cast a spell, what I am in fact doing is retreating into this other world of magic that overlaps the world in which we live. There the currents of power become suddenly visible, allowing me to direct their flow into the real world, to cast them. Now, I’ve just had an interesting thought: what if there is another world out there?” Haranio’s eyes lit with the thrill of his idea. “We know of the real world and of the world of magic, but what if there is a world of the mind – the place you go to, Tyler, when you have your dreams. It’s a fascinating idea, a whole other world that no one has even considered might exist, a place that connects the minds of the real world, where our ideas and beliefs alternatively exist.”
“My tattoos!” Tyler said, catching Haranio’s excitement. “The spider has three dots next to its leg, and I’ve never understood what it could mean. What if they represented these worlds that you are talking about? One dot for this world, one for the world of magic, and one for the world of the mind. A spider’s web shall bridge the worlds.”
Haranio settled back with some satisfaction into his chair.
“I think we are very much on the right track. Now, Tyler, don’t focus on Varkon here, in this world – of course it is impossible to do that. You will have to retreat into this new world to which you have access. The rules will be different there.”
“I still have no idea how to get there, Haranio! Where should I look?”
“Of all the times I have slipped into the world of magic, the first was the hardest. After a while, I began to know where to look. You’ve already been to this other world a number of times in your dreams. Find a way in your mind to retreat to that same place that you have been so many times already. Let your feelings be your guide.”
That made sense. Tyler closed his eyes and focused inwards, searching for that sensation he felt each time he was catapulted into the darkness to face the Dhimori. He sifted through his jumbled thoughts for the bridge to the other world that the poem spoke of …
Everything rushed inwards. The blackness behind Tyler’s eyelids gave away to the true blackness of that other place, a deeper darkness which stretched on forever. Thousands of dim, shimmering spheres floated aimlessly like shining bubbles.
Three were especially close. One appeared to be much larger than the others. It was particularly energetic and was flickering rapidly.
Tyler moved towards it. It was actually more of a glide, as though he was flying towards the glowing sphere. He was almost on top of it when he felt a curious tug, as though each particle of his being had been shifted instantly several feet to one side.
He was in a room, aboard a ship. Even after the long weeks he had spent aboard this wretched vessel, he was still not used to the turn and creak of it. He couldn’t wait to step out onto the firm land where he had been born. His hand was hurting a great deal, because he had cut into it more deeply than he had meant to. No matter; it would heal quickly enough. He was more concerned about the boy. Tyler was sitting on his chair with an utterly blank expression on his face. The boy looked as though he was comatose. A thin drool had started to seep from the slack of his mouth.
Tyler snapped opened his eyes and wiped off the dribble that was, as he had seen, hanging perilously off the edge of his lip.
“Well?” prompted Haranio keenly. Irrian leant forward with equal excitement.
Tyler grinned weakly. “I did it. I was inside Varkon’s mind. I could read his thoughts, or at least, some of them.”
“Good. Now our little miscommunications such as the one we had on Mount Natsa can be avoided!” said Varkon with amusement.
Tyler laughed tiredly. “I don’t think I could have seen any of your deeper thoughts even if I had wanted to, Varkon. What I saw was the surface – ideas that you wouldn’t care if anyone else knew. It would have been difficult find anything deeper than that. I think you were self-consciously guarding the most important parts of your mind, and if you hadn’t been in pain, it may have been nearly impossible. I could see Haranio and Irrian’s minds, but yours was easier to read, I think, because your mind was pulsing with emotion. In truth I found the whole exercise extremely draining. I’m quite exhausted.”
“It probably requires the same sort of effort as casting a spell, which is not as pleasant a task as some people would think.” Haranio chuckled. “But I’m pleased with the progress that we have made today. We have discovered another world! Who would have thought?”
Haranio rose to his feet. “I thank you all for your hospitality aboard this fine ship; you have been very kind. Tyler, I have a feeling we’ve only just begun to explore this new and exceptional gift of yours. Before the Council arrives, we will have many months to discover more. In the meantime, I will ensure that you all enjoy your stay in Ithrim.”
Tyler looked around the room at his new friends. It had been a journey beyond anything he could have imagined only months ago, a rise from obscurity to become an important part in the rise and fall of nations. He breathed in deeply, as though readying himself for the unknown future battles he had yet to fight. The murder of those he loved would be avenged.
A thought struck him. “Haranio?” he ventured.
“Yes, Tyler?”
“You said that I was stolen away from Ithrim by Hargill as a child?”
“That is correct.”
“Well, that means … Are my parents still here?”
Haranio heaved a sigh. “I will take you to them tomorrow.”
A FINAL WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:
Enjoyed this book? Your review will make a big difference to ensure the second book comes out sooner! Please take 5 minutes to review Tyler’s Dream on Amazon.com (or your preferred online bookstore). Be honest (I say optimistically!).
In the next book find out how Tyler begins to explore his new powers as he prepares for a final confrontation with She. There are several big twists I can’t wait to share with you, including an extremely exciting scene that inspired me to start writing this series of books in the first place.
Head to www.PeppersBookstore.com/Tylers-Dream and scroll to the bottom to sign up for email alerts, and
connect on social media.
Thank you for any recommendations given in advance, loyal reader. This book is only possible because of you.
#TylersArmy
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo by Jason Catlett.
Globetrotting author Matthew Butler grew up in Zimbabwe (Africa), where he won a national award for his writing. After a time in Oxford, he migrated south to Australia, where he continues to write and illustrate for various publications. He is the Chief Marketing Officer of a large public company, a Certified Chartered Accountant, a Graphic Designer and User Experience expert.
Tyler's Dream Page 21
