“Milo, I’m so sorry I asked. It’s not fair to you. I just…I was thinking of how if you hid, Ember would probably forget about you, especially if I tell her where to find Alicia, but…I don’t know when we’d be back. It might be a long time, and you would be alone.”
“But you’re also the best shot humanity has on getting a fair shake out of all this. The Sorcerers…they don’t really care what happens to us. They’ll destroy the three worlds in a heartbeat. If…if I’m able to create something that can make you better, shouldn’t I do it?”
“Do you even have the supplies to make something stronger?”
“Not what we need…but it’s not like we’ve explored the island completely either. Ember might have a stash in her home somewhere.”
“I don’t even know what…how I could repay you.”
“A kiss would be nice.”
Remi blushed. “What?”
“Oh, it’s not like that,” he laughed. “I don’t find you that attractive actually. But, I’ve never kissed a girl before, and it’s kind of on my bucket list.”
“Heh,” Remi laughed as she shook her head. Then she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him in close, pressing her lips hard against his. She didn’t feel anything. It was no different than rubbing two of her fingers together, but the contact did make her miss people again. To a small degree, she even missed Olivia.
When they parted, Milo’s eyes were still closed.
“That good, huh?” Remi asked.
Milo’s gaze met hers. “That was disgusting.”
“Don’t lie. You’re in love.”
“I’m being serious,” he said, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. “It was all wet and mushy.”
“No wonder no one’s ever wanted to kiss you,” Remi mumbled under her breath.
“Well, it won’t be happening for some time. It’s time for me to hide.”
“Don’t take too long. Ember could be here at any second, and she might be able to look around the whole island from where she’s standing too. You shouldn’t move too much.”
“Ugh, how will I know that the two of you are gone.”
“Her ego’s so big that I’m sure you’ll feel a change in the air.”
“Hey Remi?” Milo asked as he picked up the steel box containing the bulk of his materials.
“Yeah?”
“Kiss their ass.”
“You mean kick?”
“What’d I say?”
“Kiss.”
“Oh,” Milo sighed. “Well, I come from Paragon. We’re not very good at insults.”
“Take care,” Remi replied and she watched him shuffle along in the sand. Alone, she sighed and looked out over the ocean, taking it in for the last time. Once Ember returned, she would tell her what she knew of Alicia, and then the race would be off. There would be no time for pleasantries. But Remi didn’t mind. This was her life. It was what she chose, and she wouldn’t take it back for anything.
A gust of wind kicked up and some sand flew into her back. Remi didn’t have to turn around to know what was the cause. Ember had arrived.
“I brought these for Milo,” she said, opening her arms and letting a pile of wood, steel and tools fall to the ground. “Where is he anyways?”
“I think he’s going to the bathroom,” Remi said, causing Ember to wince. “But more importantly, we have a deal to complete, don’t we? I’m going to help you find Alicia.”
“Yes,” Ember said, though for some reason, it was like she wasn’t interested. She shrugged her shoulders when she had responded, and her eyes were dull and bored looking.
“Is everything okay?”
“Of course,” Ember said, clearing her throat. “Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Alright,” Remi said, moving on with the subject. “Well, first of all, Alicia will seek solitude and companionship at the same time. That means we have to find a group of people like the Langorans she used to be with. Rejects that are in a large number but have no desire to make their mark on the world. For whatever reason, they just want to be left alone.”
“And where would we begin with a search like that?”
“You know Terra well, so I’m sure you’ll have some ideas. Just look for mountains with a large, hollow, network system. Perhaps abandoned castles if that doesn’t work.”
“This could take some time,” Ember said. “And if she was able to shield herself from the Sorcerers before, she’ll do it again. It’s lot harder to see her when she finds one of those pockets on Terra I told you about. It’s like she has a knack for them.”
Pockets, Remi thought to herself. Like Darkheart. What properties did that place have that Alicia didn’t even notice? Did she age at all?
“You’re coming with me,” Ember said. “And that’s not negotiable.”
“Nothing ever is with you,” Remi winked at her. Ember wasn’t amused.
For the first time ever, Ember grabbed Remi’s shoulder before she transported them both. Remi instinctively grabbed her hair, but when she realized that it would be spared, she let one of her hands down, reaching up with the other to place on the wrist of Ember.
“Let’s go,” she said, and they both vanished as Milo watched anxiously in the distance.
***
They searched for Alicia diligently, but it was apparent that she was making sure she was well-hidden. After they visited the fifth hollow mountain, Remi began to doubt herself. Perhaps Alicia would choose to be alone this time. After all, she had lost some of her Langoran friends, and she probably wouldn’t want to involve anyone else.
Remi glanced at Ember as they hovered above Terra, just slightly over the treetops—a spell of Ember’s enabling them to watch without interfering. Though Remi wasn’t sure if she should just stand by. The images below were terrible. The leaves and grass were painted a crimson red, and there were a great deal of dead bodies strewn across the valleys. Even along the mountains, there was death. Whatever the war between Cimmerian and Paragon entailed, it was brutal. Neither side was holding back now.
“Aren’t we going to do something?” Remi found herself saying. She crouched down on the invisible platform and grit her teeth.
“Not yet. Not until after we’ve found Alicia and determined what the other Sorcerers are up to. You’ve gotten strong under my tutelage, but you’re still a weapon, and now isn’t the time for you to be used.”
“But so many people…” Remi trailed off.
“Your intervention will mean nothing if one of the Sorcerers decides to scorch the planet. Make no mistake, if one of us suspects that we have no hope of winning the war, we’d rather destroy it all. This will be a very delicate game to play.”
“I could do both,” Remi said, clenching her fists.
Ember rolled her eyes. “Have you heard a word I said?”
She didn’t. Her eyes had fallen upon a familiar face with a stab wound in the middle of his chest. It was Harlan, Ian’s friend. Remi swallowed and slid her hand forward. She realized that the tip of her fingers had found the edge.
“Don’t even think about it,” Ember warned, but Remi didn’t listen. She leapt from the platform and dropped down to the battlefield below. Ember caught the back of her collar in mid-air.
“Not until our deal is complete, then you can kill yourself if you really want to.”
“Sorry,” Remi muttered as Ember threw her back onto the platform.
“Don’t apologize. Work harder. We need to find Alicia before someone else does. Think. Where could she be? If we don’t find her soon, I’m going to start getting irritated.”
“I don’t know how to find her,” Remi admitted. “I thought I knew, but it really seems like she’s gone into hiding.”
“There has to be a way.”
“I…wait. Let’s go back to Darkheart. You know where it is by now, don’t you? Ever since Alicia emerged from that place?”
“I do. But why would she go back there?”
“Alicia had a lot of
friends there, and think about it. It’s one of the last places the Sorcerers would think of looking. I’m sure she’s there.”
“She better be,” Ember muttered. “Or I might just take one of your limbs.”
“Been there, done that,” Remi said. “Come on. Transport us there.”
Remi forgot to close her eyes during the transport, and as a result, it looked like the world around her muddled with a paint brush and then wiped to the side as if the colors of the planet was mixed together and thrown into a bucket.
The moment they stopped moving, Remi threw up into the snow. Ember sucked her teeth and kept walking forward, staring up at the mountain that Alicia had called her home for so many years.
“The surface of the mountain is warm. It is still inhabited.”
“She’ll be there,” Remi coughed. “But I should take point. She’ll attack otherwise.”
“Like I’m concerned with one of you weapons.”
Before Ember could say another word, a wave of fire hit her in the back like a freight train. It sent her flying off her feet, but only for a second. She landed back on her soles and weathered the blow as the fire consumed her body. Remi squint her eyes and placed a hand over her eyes as the fire continued, trying to consume Ember but to no avail.
“You dare come to my home,” Alicia growled, her voice echoing along the trees. Ember and Remi turned around to see the weapon appear, wearing her signature fur coat. Alicia’s eyes were bright yellow and her teeth had become fangs.
“Alicia,” Remi said, and Alicia’s demeanor changed instantly.
“Remi!” she cried, rushing over to her and wrapping her huge arms around her. “I thought I would never see you again!”
“It’s been a long time,” Remi laughed.
Alicia looked at her strangely. “It has? It’s only been a few days, hasn’t it?”
“Right,” Remi said, forgetting about the difference in time on Ember’s island and Terra.
“You look different,” Alicia said, looking her over. “Healthier. Stronger. How is this possible?”
“You just wait until she starts fighting,” Ember replied. “Once she starts using those muscles, the time difference will stabilize and she’ll be completely changed.”
“What is she talking about?” Alicia asked.
“I’ve gotten some training,” Remi replied. “From Ember.”
“What are you two friends now?” Alicia asked, looking at the Sorceress suspiciously. “Isn’t she our enemy?”
“She will be, but not yet. We’re teaming up for now in order to take down the other Sorcerers. I’ll fill you in once we’re back at the island.”
“Why should I go with her?”
“I’m not asking you to go with her. I’m asking you to come with me.”
“But Remi, you know what’s going to do. She’s going to try to extract my memories. And…I don’t want to fight if I don’t have to. It’s getting crowded in here.”
“No fighting,” Remi said. “I’ve done enough training so that you won’t have to. And as for the memories…I’ll be right there by your side. If Ember goes too far, I’ll take her down.”
Ember raised an eyebrow at Remi, but she didn’t say a word. That was bold words for a human.
“You can protect me?” Alicia asked.
“I can,” Remi assured her. “Even from a Sorceress.”
Ember gave Remi a strange look again. Did she miss something? Was there some kind of special training Remi did when she wasn’t around? Something that could actually put her on part with a Sorcerer? No, that was impossible. The girl was strong-willed, but she was still very much human.
“Take my hand,” Remi said, and Alicia happily took it. “We won’t be gone long. If you’re here with anyone, they’ll barely miss you.”
Ember placed her hand on Remi’s shoulder. “I would suggest that everyone close their eyes.”
They obeyed, and within a few seconds, they were back on the island. Alicia nearly fell face first in the sand from the uneven footing.
“Where did you take me?” Alicia demanded.
“We’ll explain everything,” Remi said. “I’ll start from the beginning.”
***
“And so…how much time has passed?” Alicia asked.
“Seconds,” Remi replied. “But that’s not what’s important right now. We have to know what the Sorcerers are up to, and the only way is to sift through the knowledge that you possess.”
“And how are you going to do that? Interview me? I can’t think of everything.”
“I know the way most of them think,” Ember said. “Just answer whatever I ask, and we’ll get what we need.”
“Fine.”
“Have you ever seen someone with piercing eyes?”
“What kind of question is that?” Remi scoffed.
“Listen,” Ember retorted, pointing to her left eye. “Just look at my eyes. They’re different than yours in some ways. A little sharper in shape and the colors are more transparent. Although we look a lot like we came from those on Terra, the fact is that we are a different species.”
“Then where do you come from?”
“That’s not important right now,” she snapped, and then she turned to Alicia. “Answer the question. Have you ever seen someone with eyes like mine? Look for the strange angles in particular.”
“I’ll try,” Alicia said, rubbing her temples and closing her eyes. “Is there anything else I can look for?”
“Not yet. Just keep me posted.”
“I’ll be right back,” Remi said, walking away from them and trying to walk along the miniature mounds of sand. She was sure Milo was hiding, but knowing him, he wouldn’t go too far. He would want to see when Ember arrived so that he could act accordingly. Surely he would see her looking for him.
“Hey there,” he said casually, coming out of the bushes as if nothing weird was going on. “How’s it going?”
Remi giggled. “I just wanted you to take a quick look at my gear. Make any adjustments if you need to.”
“Were you in battle?”
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “But we were on Terra for a little while. Do you notice any changes in my body relative to the equipment? I don’t want the muscles in my shoulders to explode with energy and my limbs fall off.”
“I don’t think it works like that,” Milo chuckled, looking over her. “But to answer your question, no, I don’t see any cause for alarm. I am surprised you came out of hiding though. You actually found Alicia?”
“Yeah,” Remi said. “I’m acting out on faith here. I don’t know if I can trust Ember, but what choice do I have?”
“You’re right,” he sighed. “But shouldn’t you be in the conversation?”
“I’m not worried,” she said. “Call it a test. A way for Ember to prove if she’s on our side or not.”
“You’re taking a big risk.”
“It’s all we have,” Remi sighed. “We have to do what we can. But you should go back into hiding. I don’t know when we’ll be back once Alicia gives us the information we need.”
“Got any supplies for me?”
“I don’t,” Remi winced. “You’ll have to make do with what Ember’s already brought you.”
“Alright,” he said, patting Remi on the shoulder. “Then take care. I’ll be here anxiously waiting for your return. Hopefully you won’t need so many repairs.”
“I wouldn’t count on it,” Remi laughed. “Be careful, Milo.”
He nodded and began slinking away in the bushes that he had come from. Remi strolled over casually to where Ember and Alicia sat. Whatever information had been exchanged between them, it had disturbed Ember greatly. Alicia looked like she was about to faint.
“What’s wrong?” Remi asked in alarm.
Chapter 49 – The Sorcerers
“I didn’t think they would put themselves at such risk,” Ember mumbled to herself. “I would never…I would never…”
“What
did you tell her?” Remi asked Alicia.
Alicia cleared her throat. “I fulfilled her request. There are some people on Terra with those eyes, and based on the information about them, we were able to identify a couple. The rest…they’re still on Terra too.”
“What does that mean?” Remi asked. “What are the Sorcerers doing on Terra? Won’t they age fast?”
“The situation must be dire if they’re willing to stay on Terra for so long,” Ember breathed out in awe. “I didn’t know the game was that far along. I’m over here coming back to the island out of caution, and they’re making moves.”
“What did you learn?”
“The Sorcerers are amongst the people,” Ember said. “And they’re in positions of authority in some ways. They’re everywhere. Paragon, Cimmerian and Terra, orchestrating the flow of the war for their own gain. They’re using the war as a smokescreen while they meet each other on the battlefield.”
“That doesn’t make sense,” Remi said. “If the people have proof of the Sorcerers, then they’ll unite to stop them.”
“Not necessarily. Not if the Sorcerers keep their powers hidden...or…they kill all that witness their power. Either way, it lets us know that they’re a lot more involved than we thought. We don’t have any time to lose, especially since the war has already started.”
“But where do we go?” Alicia asked. “The Sorcerers are quick. They’ll see us coming.”
“Not if…” Ember sighed heavily. “Not if we find the Blade.”
“One of the weapons?” Remi asked, crossing her arms.
Ember looked over at Remi. “He has the ability to identify the Sorcerers from afar, as well as the other Sorcerer weapons. Basically anything that has our signature. He was created as a McGuffin of sorts. Anyone that was able to retrieve and capture him in times of need would be able to locate the other Sorcerers and take them out, or identify the ones they want to align themselves with.”
“This really was a game to you all,” Remi said in disgust. “I can’t believe this.”
“Well, this game has gotten real. We need to find him. It will give us the edge we need. We’ll know who and where our enemies are.”
The Complete Seven Sorcerers Trilogy Page 46
