“What is in that devious mind of yours, Zeren?” Orilion asked.
Zeren crossed his arms as he began to pace around the two of them. “Consider this. Of all the factions here, the raiders are the weakest, and will most certainly be sacrificed in the coming battle, yes?”
Captain Fytys nodded. “I do not need my tribe’s young Striga to tell me the obvious. The other fleet captains have already mentioned they want my group of land ships as part of the vanguard. I have no doubts my crews will bear the brunt of battle.”
Zeren shook his finger at him. “And with the pact of truce, you are left with no choice. What you need is an edge, a piece with which you can bargain with.”
The pirate captain threw his arms up in frustration. “What kind of advantage do you propose? We have nothing.”
“Ah, but I can give you something,” Zeren said. “All I would need is one of your faster sand sails, and a small crew that will be missed by Vorconis’s spies this eventide.”
“I do not like this, Zeren,” Orilion said. “I think you had better tell us both what your scheme is.”
Zeren smiled. He had a plan to not only gain the pirates a small advantage, but to also get the Lethe expedition’s crew back safely. “Let us talk back in the ship’s hold. I do not like to speak of such things out here where even the wind could hear us.”
Chapter 25
Miri dreamed of her two mothers. The first had been kind and generous, a gentle teacher who had taught her to use the mindsense to help others. Her second mother instructed her in the arts of battle, to wield a weapon and use her Vis to gain an advantage in order to protect those under her care. Being a child, she grew up happy under their mutual loving guidance, and grieved at their loss over time. This had been her world, and it was everything she could remember.
But now the sharp flashes of pain she endured soon brought forth hidden recollections of a past life she never knew she had. Her sheltered existence amongst the tribes in the desert had suddenly been ripped asunder, to be supplanted by a more primordial recognition. She had lived before, in ages past- her true power bursting forth before retreating back into the shadows of each rebirth.
She could see herself as a child, standing on a flattened rock, an endless sea of white sand all around her. In front of her stood a woman wearing a crimson cloak, strands of long dark hair floating around her head as if suspended in a liquid air. The woman had a haughty face lined with eons of existence, her scarlet eyes burning with an unholy inner force. Miri could quickly sense the woman was her true mother- one of the First Three- and known as Neth.
Her mother’s voice carried through the air on rippling, visible currents, a sure sign of the strength she held within her own self. “Know this. The only limits to your Vis are but the curbs you place into your own mind. Your power is absolute. All of reality shall do your bidding.”
The only thing Miri’s childlike self could do was to stare back and nod in silent awe.
“Amongst all my children, your gift is unique, for it allows you to strive through the countless cycles of life, to be reborn each time,” Neth said. “You will lose your sense of self, for it is inevitable, but know it can be regained using the proper disciplines.”
She knew her true mother’s words made sense, for she had an inkling of some vast, untapped wellspring of might laying dormant inside of her, waiting for the right moment to burst forth into its full potential.
Neth’s face remained impassive, but the uttered words were having a profound effect. “You must let it flow through you. Embrace its soft currents, its ebbs and tides. Feel the distant echo until it gains in strength slowly, and then your true self shall be revealed.”
Miri’s childlike self nodded once more.
“Motes become fragments, fragments become pieces, pieces become whole,” Neth said. “Let each reflection reconstruct itself, until you are able to see the image of your own true being. Only then shall the way be set forth.”
Miri closed her eyes, imagining the infinite flowing of Vis all around her. The whole of Vis had always been there, she had just been deaf to its more subtle calling.
Neth’s next words carried a hint of anger. “But beware, for this power corrupts those who have it. An infinite force brings forth unbridled wants and excesses, which leads to a corruption of self. This growing affliction shall bring forth monsters.”
A sense of fear made Miri open her eyes. What stood before her was a snarling, beastlike woman, a face so horrifying it would cause instant death with a mere look. The little girl recoiled, screaming in terror.
“Behold the Gorgon,” Neth said. “We had brought forth our own doom, and destroyed the world along with it.”
Tears fell down the little girl’s cheeks. Her own mother was guilty of such terrible things, and it made her feel ashamed. The despair washed over her like a coating of thick, caustic blood.
“You shall be my hope,” her true mother said. “It is through you I shall redeem myself. When I am gone you will need to seek out my places of memory, for the true Vis shall be the bulwark against those who seek to destroy all life.”
The little girl resolved herself to undo all that her mother had caused. Just as she was about to say yes, Neth’s form began to transform into something indistinct, as if it was fading out of its limited existence.
Neth’s final words carried a hint of affection, giving her daughter a relieved sense of wellbeing. “In time you shall remember it all. Protect the child. Farewell.”
Miri opened her eyes. She was lying naked on what seemed to be a bed of soft, pliable material. Sitting up, she saw Rion was fast asleep beside her, his labored breathing suggesting complete exhaustion. Smiling with relief, she ran her hand along his forehead, and the sleeping boy whimpered a little while continuing his restful slumber.
Looking around, the room they were resting in was smaller than the other chambers she had visited. A part of her wanted to settle down in the safety of this underground sanctuary, to retreat from all the horrors of the outside world and live peaceably for the rest of their existence. Using her mental tendrils to probe the boy’s surface thoughts, she knew it would be but a foolish illusion, for it was clear Rion wanted to continue on after his quietude.
A nearby crystal doorway opened, and Xith stepped into the room, carrying a white tray containing pale bowls of strange colored liquids. He bowed his greenish bald head slightly in greeting before placing the tray on a small table beside her. “I had sensed your awakening and brought you some nourishment. You are no doubt famished after the ordeal.”
Miri was intrigued. “How did you sense I had awoken? You are no Striga.”
Xith smiled and turned his head, glancing at the different sides of the room. “I am in tune with the all the elements of this sanctum. Whenever someone stirs a little or moves, I can see it all- the puffs of their breaths, the heat in their bodies, the fluid motions of their limbs. Changes in the air due to these things are relayed back to me.”
“This entire place, is alive?”
“Not in the sense of how humans and beasts live, no,” Xith said. “There are machines in this place called sensors, and I am in constant communication with them. They relay their feelings back to me.”
“So it is similar to a mindsense, except you sense other machines,” Miri said.
Xith smiled. “A good way of explaining it, yes. You are quite intelligent.”
Miri scoffed. “Intelligent? I can hardly even read glyphs on telling stones, despite Rion’s patient teachings.”
“That will come in time,” Xith said. “Observing your form, I can see the power slowly transforming itself into greater strength with each passing moment.”
Miri placed a caring hand on the boy’s slender body. “He seems quite tired.”
“Rion saved your life,” Xith said. “The nanites unleashed in the glass chamber had damaged your mind and body, and it was only by giving up his blood did he finally will you to return from the dead.”
“It taxed his little body greatly,” Xith said. “For he had barely recovered from the effects of the orla poison when he used his Vis to open the chamber, then drew out a blade to cut across his arm in order to give you his gift of blood.”
Miri’s chin trembled as she bent down and kissed the boy’s cheek. “Oh my Rion.”
“Fear not,” Xith said. “He is stronger than his form suggests. He may rest for a few more moments, and he will no doubt have a voracious appetite when he awakens.”
Miri held the boy’s hand with her own and gently pressed on it. She sent a soothing thoughtwave into his mind, to help his recovery.
“Here, let me give you some food,” Xith said. The machine man picked up one of the bowls on the tray and was about to hand it to her when his hand suddenly jerked sideways and the bowl fell towards the floor.
Miri reacted almost instinctively. Her hand drew away from Rion, but she sensed it was too late to stop the dish from hitting the floor.
Only the bowl remained where it was, suspended in the air, less than a foot above the ground. A few drops of the purple liquid also continued to float in space the moment its tiny portions had separated from the dish.
Xith grinned. He had deliberately dropped the container to see if she had the power to stop it from falling to the ground. “Yes, you now have the mindforce as well.”
Miri blinked several times in astonishment. Not only could she sense Rion’s muddled, exhausted thoughts while he was sleeping, she could also feel the minute disturbances of air currents within the room, which gave her enough guidance to form an invisible hand of Vis to keep the bowl and its contents off the floor. “I … Is this of my … doing?”
Xith nodded. “Yes. Can you place the bowl back onto the tray?”
“I shall try,” Miri said. The sensations of the mindforce were all new to her, for at one time all she could discern were the thoughts of others. Now even the material world seemed to have a life of its own. She could feel the globular drops of liquid as they pulsated in the air, along with the hardened ceramic clay of the bowl she had been holding using her Vis.
Concentrating, she first placed the outlying droplets of liquid back into the main contents of the bowl before slightly increasing the force underneath the container. The bowl slowly rose into the air, shifted slightly for less than half a pace, and then settled down gently on top of the tray.
Xith began clapping. “For a novice, that demonstration is extraordinary. My archives tell of Magi boys wrecking havoc, throwing stones with great force against the walls of the citadels, despite their instructors telling them to lift such pebbles but gently. It seems you are helped by the mastery of your mindsense- it allows for a more delicate touch when initiating the higher, supple disciplines of Vis.”
Miri extended her hand sideways. The pieces of clothing had been lying on the far end of the room flew across the air before gently lowering themselves to her waiting hand. “I … I can feel more Vis within me than ever before.”
“Gorgons have a much higher reserve of such energies at their disposal than ordinary Strigas or Magi,” Xith said. “It is said they may even draw out Vis from their own enemies and use it to fuel their power.”
Miri looked down. “Is that what I am now? A Gorgon?”
“You are whatever you wish to be,” Xith said. “Now eat and replenish your body, for you should not subsist on Vis alone.”
The farewells were subdued, for Xith felt no emotional attachments, and both of them were more concerned for Zeren and the others rather than staying at the sanctum for much longer. They needed to return and deal with both the problems of the Khanate, and of the Maker. Both Miri and Rion had gone back to the raft, and now they were floating across the darkened currents once more, heading back out towards the nameless underground city.
Miri sat beside the boy in the middle part of the watercraft when the tunnel began to narrow indicating they would be exiting the shaft within moments. She turned and observed the boy as he cradled a small glowing crystal in his hands. “Where did you get that, Rion?”
The boy glanced up at her and smiled before returning his attention back to the radiating shard. “Xith gave it to me. He said it was better than any telling stone.”
“What does it do?”
“It is like thousands of telling stones,” Rion said. “This gem contains all of his knowledge, and it will help us find the Lost Vaults.”
Miri drew in a deep breath. “I will still need to defeat the Maker.”
“We shall defeat him, whatever he is.”
Miri placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, Rion. I must deal with the Maker alone. You cannot accompany me.”
The boy turned and looked into her eyes. “You will need as much help as you can!”
She shook her head. “I … cannot place you in harm’s way, you know this.”
Rion grimaced. “I will be at your side whether you wish it or not!”
Miri scowled at him, sending out a barbed thoughtwave which staggered the boy’s senses. “No!”
Rion nearly fell sideways onto the flooring of the raft. He was determined to stay with her, but it was obvious she wasn’t giving him a choice in the matter. “Miri … please.”
Miri was taken aback by her own ferociousness. “I am sorry I lashed out at you, Rion. I … it seems I have not yet having full control over my Vis.”
Tears began to form on his eyes. “Miri, you promised me you shall always be at my side.”
She placed her hand on his reddened cheek, wiping away the tears. “And I shall be once again, after I have dealt with Elayris.”
“But … you are both Gorgons. She is one of the First Three. Her power is so great.”
“Hush now, for it shall be my worry, not yours.”
Rion pushed himself away from her. He looked at the end of the tunnel. “If you are lost … then I shall be too.”
Miri knew she couldn’t reason with him any further. She wanted to reach out to Rion and give him a hug, but her mindsense was telling her he wanted to be alone for the moment. With the end of the tunnel now in sight, she gestured with her fingers, and the spear of Kaelr leapt up from the opposite end of the raft and lowered itself gently into her waiting fingers.
When they drifted back out into the canal once more, they could see the glowing sphere pods had once again replenished themselves high up in the ceiling, and the city around them had gone quite once more.
Leaping out onto the banks of the channel, Rion looked away from her and began to walk towards the cliff wall. Miri jumped out of the raft and followed closely behind. It would take them the better part of the day to climb back up the escarpments and into the crevasse of ice. Despite the physical absence of the orlas, Miri could sense them watching her and the boy, but her own newfound powers were formidable enough to prevail against the orla hordes should they be foolish enough to challenge her. None did.
Chapter 26
Even before the dusk came, one of the pirate sand sails had slowly peeled away from the main fleet as they maneuvered to moor their vessels along the cleft of rocks at the staging area. By the time darkness had fallen, the errant land ship had already unfurled its sails as it moved swiftly over the gloaming horizon and out of sight. The crew numbered no more than five, but with the help of its four passengers, the sand sail they harnessed made good progress as it headed towards the outlying holds of the Tooan tribal areas.
Orilion couldn’t help but scowl as he crouched down beside the ship’s wheel. When Zeren had told him of the plan he thought it was the most foolhardy scheme he had ever heard of. But Zeren had been so confident, and with their position so precarious, Orilion decided to go along with it.
Gorbym was the captain of the sand sail, and he knew the lands around them quite well, for he had led many raids into the nearby areas over many cycles. He remained standing by the ship’s wheel while making minute adjustments and whispering orders
to his crew.
At four hour’s past the trapdoor leading to the ship’s hold was flung open, and three people came out and onto the quarterdeck. Zeren wore his customary armor and vambraces as he took the little girl by the hand and led her to where Orilion had been sitting. Trailing behind them was the young Striga’s mother.
Zeren crouched down beside Orilion and gestured at the little girl. “Meet Thalena, the raider’s young Striga and daughter of my mentor, Fumal Led.” He pointed up to the woman who stood beside her daughter. “This is Syviss, her mother.”
Orilion made a slight bow. “It is an honor. My own wife, the matriarch of the house I belong to, is also a Striga.”
Thalena eyed him warily. “You have closed your mind to me.”
Orilion chuckled. “Apologies, child. It is instinctual whenever I am in the presence of one who uses the Vis.”
Syviss knelt down so she could be at eye-level with her daughter. “Thalena, you must focus. Try and find the captive woman for us.”
The little girl pointed towards the jutting spire at the far horizon. “I can feel her. She is very sad and lies just beyond.”
Zeren gestured at the captain to slightly alter the sand sail’s direction before turning his attention back to the Striga child. “You have done well, Thalena. You must keep your thoughts from mingling with hers, lest you become likewise saddened.”
Thalena’s lips trembled. It was hard not to empathize with whom they had sought, but Zeren’s own teachings had helped to harden her thought defenses, enabling her to blunt the excessive emotions dripping into her mind. Closing her eyes, she let out a deep breath and began her meditative calming exercises.
Zeren turned towards the land ship’s captain. “How much longer?”
“The winds favor us this eventide,” Captain Gorbym said. “We should reach our destination within the hour.”
Zeren nodded. He had wanted to ask Thalena to find out if she could detect how many tribesmen were guarding Karan, but he didn’t want to place too many burdens on the child. He felt confident about the whole endeavor since surprise was still on his side, and his formidable abilities would sweep aside any obstacles presented before him.
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