by C B Williams
Mouse raised an eyebrow and grinned at Wren’s blush. “Interesting,” she said. “I’m looking forward to some girl talk with you, sister.” She burst out laughing when Wren actually giggled.
Flick swallowed his jealousy and instead concentrated on the happiness he saw on Wren’s face. “Did you just giggle? When did you ever giggle, Wren?”
She giggled again and clamped her hands over her mouth. “Not another word about giggling. Don’t forget, I’ve got a sniffer on my side.”
Mouse took a step back when Little Sister stepped forward, her head cocked, ears pricked.
Wren looked up at Eloch. “Should we introduce Little Sister to a couple of new pack members?”
Eloch smiled. “Don’t be afraid,” he told the two and sent a mental signal to Little Sister to greet the new pack members.
Moments later, both Mouse and Flick were stroking soft, black fur and listening for the very first time to a sniffer’s rumbles of pleasure.
“I wonder if all sniffers are like this, deep down,” mused Flick.
“Under the right care, of course they are,” Eloch replied.
Little Sister rolled over on her back for a belly rub.
“She’s so trusting,” Mouse said, her voice filled with amazement. “I just never imagined.”
“How could you?” Wren said angrily. “The poor things never knew another way to be,” her voice softened, “until Eloch.”
“And now Spur has reawakened, there will be more changes,” Eloch said.
Flick looked up. “Spur reawakened? What do you mean? How can a planet be awake?”
Eloch grinned at him. “Prepare yourself, Flick, for Spur has chosen you to be Her Champion.”
Flick gaped at Eloch. “I-I don’t understand,” he stammered as he jumped to his feet and backed up a step.
Wren touched Eloch’s arm. “Maybe this is too abrupt. Maybe we could backtrack a little.”
Eloch glanced at Wren. “What do you suggest?”
“Let’s duck into one of these buildings, where it’s private, and you can show them exactly what it means to be a Champion of a planet. Maybe even begin by telling your story.”
Eloch studied Flick and Mouse, who had also risen to their feet. Both looked a little dazed. “I see I’ve assumed too much. You’re right.”
“Spider should be here,” Mouse said.
“Then go get him,” Wren told her. She pointed to a relatively safe-looking building. “We’ll be in there, first floor.”
Mouse took off at a run while the other three entered the building and crossed into a dusty, vandalized living room. With a sweep of Eloch’s staff, the room was sparkling clean. Candles from bronzed wall sconces cast a warm glow. A fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. In front of the fireplace were five comfortable-looking chairs arranged in a half circle.
“Let’s sit and get warm,” Wren said.
Gently, she helped Flick out of his cloak and guided him to a chair, draping his cloak on the chair behind him as he sat. She laughed quietly as she watched him run his thick fingers through his shock of hair. “I know exactly how you’re feeling,” she told him. She took off her cloak and flung it over the chair next to Flick, then sat. “It seems like magic, but Eloch assures me it’s not.”
Eloch leaned his staff against the wall and sat in the chair next to Flick. “First you need to understand Spur,” he said. “And then you need to understand the relationship between the spirit of a planet and Her Champion. I know you feel like I am pressuring you, but it’s because Spur is pressuring me. She thought it would take months, maybe years to find Her Champion, but the moment She saw you, She decided Her search had ended.”
Flick looked up. “The breeze I felt.”
“Was Spur scanning you.”
“And she has picked me to be Her Champion?”
Eloch nodded.
“So what are you? Aren’t you Her Champion?”
“For only a little while longer. I am Entean’s Champion.”
“The planet he’s from. It’s light-years away,” Wren interjected. “He has to get back there and be Entean’s Champion.”
“Right,” Flick said. “Wren told us you came because your planet wanted you to represent Her.” He grinned suddenly. “She said she wasn’t sure if she believed you, but then the pilot,” he shot a glance at Wren. “Aiko, right?” At Wren’s nod, he continued with a grin. “Yeah, Wren called you crazy until Akio confirmed you weren’t.”
Eloch chuckled. “You saw what I did with this room. How can you explain it and not believe?”
“True,” said Flick.
“A planet’s reason for being,” Eloch continued, “is to care and provide for its creatures and maintain a balance. It is what She does. And all She needs in exchange is gratitude and acknowledgement. For some reason the people of Spur forgot Spur was their provider. They no longer believed in Her. She lost Her Champions and the planet fell into…”
He paused. “It fell into rubble, and Spur’s creatures were suddenly filled with malice and barely surviving. It pained Her so much She turned Her back on Her people and hibernated. While I’ve been here, and seeking Her since I arrived, She gradually became aware that someone knew of Her, someone was hunting for Her, wishing to see Her.
“Unfortunately, the someone was not even one of Hers. At our first meeting, She tried to have me killed, Her disappointment was so great. But then She realized She had need of me. In truth, we needed each other, because I cannot be who I am born to be without the spirit of a planet to Champion.”
“And what does a Champion do, exactly?” asked Flick. He leaned forward.
“A Champion helps the planet maintain the balance among all things. And since Spur has chosen you, I should warn you, this planet is extremely imbalanced, and dramatic measures will have to be taken to restore Her balance. The first will be to teach Spur’s people to respect Her and Her power. I have an idea how to begin, but then I will step aside and it will be up to you to continue.”
“But I don’t know what to do. I’m not ready.”
Eloch laughed. “It’s almost exactly what I said when Thaif, the Champion before me, told me Entean had decided I was ready, and I will tell you what he told me. He said it wasn’t up to us to determine our readiness. It’s up to Her, and She says it’s now. Spur will have me do this one thing, begin the process to rebalance, and then it will be your time.”
“But why me?”
Eloch briefly closed his eyes and then smiled. “It appears Spur wishes to answer you Herself.”
“How?”
Eloch held up a finger. “Watch.” He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes again.
Both Flick and Wren gasped when a fine gold mist began to rise from Eloch, like an overlay separating from its base. When fully separated, the mist rose above Flick and then hovered a few feet away from him as it began to take form. When the beautiful woman was nearly solid, She lightly touched down to stand before Flick. Both Flick and Wren fell to their knees, not daring to look directly at Her.
“Please, my Champion” Spur said in Her melodious voice. “Do rise and look upon Me. I wish to see your sturdy face. You as well, Daughter of Spur and Lover of Entean,” she said to Wren.
In unison, the two friends did as their planet requested.
Spur stood quietly before them, Her hands folded neatly in front of Her. They could actually feel Her power. They felt Her scan them, like gentle fingers flickering in and about their bodies.
“Blessings to you, My son and daughter,” Spur breathed. “At last. At last.”
Wren glanced at the sloppy grin on Flick’s face and wondered if hers looked as silly. To have a planet acknowledge her! Gooseflesh rippled over her skin. Acknowledged by my planet. No wonder Eloch feels so much more complete as a Champion. The feelings go so deep, words can’t even find them. She touched her face, finding it wet with tears.
“I am not worthy to be your Champion,” Flick was saying. “I’m nothing. I�
�m nobody. Born from scum and raised in dirt. I can’t even talk right. I can’t ever be like him,” he said pointing at Eloch.
“I don’t want you to be like Entean’s Champion. I want you to be like Mine. And to Me, you are beautiful. To Me you are perfect. To Me you are worthy. The work ahead of us will take years of steady building and repair. I have abandoned My people for too long. But I will make it right and I need you, Flick. I need your humility. I need who you are. The people of this planet are too used to abusing the little power they wield. I know you will not abuse what we will become together.” She reached out and touched her new Champion. “Within the next few days, Entean’s Champion and I will begin great works. Watch him. Learn from him.”
To Wren’s surprise, Spur addressed her, alone. “Daughter, there is something I would have you do. Now is not the time to discuss it, other than to say I am well pleased with the choices you are making, and I bless your union with Entean’s Champion. When the time comes for me to speak of it, I shall give you a gift to celebrate these choices.”
Wren felt her mouth tremble. She searched for words but couldn’t think of anything to say. Impulsively, she knelt in front of Spur and took Her hand and kissed it. With that kiss, she felt a surge of energy run through her before Spur gently withdrew Her hand.
“I am returning now,” Spur said.
She dissolved into the golden mist and Eloch breathed her in. He stood and stretched. “Your planet’s Spirit is beautiful, is She not?” he asked.
A scuffling of footsteps announced Mouse’s and Spider’s arrival. “Wow, look at this room!” Mouse exclaimed. “What’d we miss?”
Wren looked at Flick. Their shared grin dissolved into laughter.
“Not much,” Flick replied. “Only the Spirit of Spur, Herself.”
Eloch smiled down at Wren when she unconsciously slipped her hand into his while they walked to the Kin. She was so engrossed in telling Spider and Mouse about seeing Spur, she wasn’t even looking at him. Which gave him the freedom to study her. She was attuned to what was going on around her, it was usually hard for him to enjoy watching her without her noticing and becoming self-conscious.
The hand he was not holding was alive with gestures. Her eyes were bright, cheeks glowing pink. Her head swiveled back and forth between Mouse and Spider, sending her coils dancing. She glanced back, caught him studying her, and winked. This time, there was no self-consciousness. She kept right on chattering. But she had noticed his scrutiny and was aware of him. He sighed. Not nearly enough time to enjoy his Wren.
They were close to the square where the Kin lived, and Wren started to take the lead. He watched her hesitate and allow Flick to move ahead. Once a leader, always a leader, Eloch supposed. He released her hand and slowed his pace so she could enter the square with her friends. At the entrance, Eloch came to a full stop and commanded Little Sister to sit beside him.
This was Wren’s time to shine.
His would come soon enough.
The square looked like a small town he’d find on Entean. The lower levels of half the buildings were makeshift shops where supplies were stored according to categories. The upper levels, he assumed, were living quarters. The other side of the square looked lived in as well, although not as many of the rooms looked occupied. The side where he stood still had an air of abandonment. He sensed more than saw the people positioned on various rooftop locations. Wren had called those on lookout eyes. He liked that.
In the center of the square stood the fountain of a woman who poured water from a pitcher. Several women were gathered and chatting with one another as they drew water. As he watched, they quieted and turned toward their KinLeader and his entourage.
Someone cried out and pointed at Wren. From one of the shops came a heavyset man with his arms outstretched, followed by two boys. The man scooped Wren up and swung her round and round as the crowd began to gather around her. The man let her go and she was enveloped by another pair of arms, and then another and another. Her laugh rang out in the frosty air. Then they were all talking at once. Even though Wren said few had survived that hellish night in Sub-City, forty-five people still could make a lot of noise.
Eloch watched Flick raise his hands and shout for order. It took a few moments, but the crowd calmed down enough for Flick to call for a KinTalk in forty. Flick saw him and gestured him over with one hand as he gave a sign to the rooftop eyes with the other.
Eloch glanced at Little Sister, whose ears were pricked with interest. “Stay close to me,” he commanded and strode toward the crowd. The crowd gave him plenty of space. He suspected it was more because of Little Sister, who was behaving quite properly, than he.
“This is Eloch of Entean,” Flick said, “and his sniffer, Little Sister. They are friends of the Kin. Eloch saved Wren from death. And,” Flick paused, “you’re not going to believe this until he proves it to you, but he is the Champion of our planet, Spur. Go get yourselves ready. We’ll continue this discussion at the KinTalk. Skip,” he said to the man who had swung Wren about in welcome, “open up the storehouse. We’ll have a communal feast tonight, when Wren will tell you her story.”
The man smiled and saluted his KinLord, then motioned to the two boys to follow him. When he smiled, Eloch suddenly realized the man had no tongue.
Mouse caught his glance. “Wren cut it out. By all rights she should have killed him.”
He shot a glance at Wren, who shrugged. “KinLord’s not a job for the faint-hearted, Eloch.”
“Neither is Champion.”
Flick gestured for Wren, Mouse, Spider, and Eloch to follow him toward the less inhabited side of the square. Eloch went last and saw Mouse send a quick signal to the eyes on the roof.
When they reached an office room with three desks, Flick grabbed a chair and sank into it. “That went well, I think.”
“You did great, KinLord,” Wren said.
“Thanks, but we both know they would have quieted down a lot faster if it’d been you.”
Wren drew up a chair, sat beside him, and smacked his leg. “Nonsense. They’d be that way to any KinLord if one of theirs had just returned from the grave.” She ran her hand over her coils and flipped them off her neck. “Whew! It was quite the reception. Here, Eloch,” she reached over and pulled forward another chair for him.
Eloch rested his staff against the wall and sat as directed. Little Sister poked her head under his hand and allowed her ears to be fondled until the new smells in the room became too much and she had to nose around.
“What now?” Mouse asked as she sat beside Spider on the couch. She knocked his long legs to the side so she could have a little room.
“Now,” Flick replied, “we’ve got less than forty minutes to decide how to introduce Eloch and Spur to the Kin.” He brightened. “Do you think She’ll come forth again?”
“I don’t know,” Eloch replied. “Spur is different from Entean. Entean never showed Herself, preferring to work through Her Champion. Perhaps it is because I’m not Spur’s permanent Champion, but She does like to make an appearance. If it were up to me, I would caution Her to remain within. This meeting should be about the Champion championing Her and not about Her revelation.”
Flick grimaced. “I had hoped that Mouse and Spider would be able to see Her, though.” He looked at the two. “You have no idea how beautiful She is.”
“If She doesn’t show Herself this time, there will be other opportunities, I’m sure.” Eloch said.
“Tea?” Mouse asked and moved to rise.
“Can’t we have something else for a change?” Wren asked and looked pointedly at Eloch. “I had the most wonderful ale the other day.”
Eloch glanced at her sideways and tried not to smile. With an exaggerated sigh he gestured to the table placed before the couch.
“Oh—” said Mouse, and sat back.
“—my,” finished Spider while reaching for two of the tankards. He handed one to Mouse, who looked at it suspiciously.
Eloch
reached over and handed a tankard to Wren, another to Flick, and picked up the final one for himself. “To your health, and thanks be to Spur,” he said and drank deeply.
Flick deliberately waited for all the Kin to be assembled before he stepped up onto the raised platform and waited for the noise to die down.
“I learned today,” he began, “that our planet, Spur, is alive.” He looked at the raised eyebrows and scowls of disbelief on his Kin’s faces and laughed. “Your faces! I musta looked the same when I first heard it. And, no, I am not a crazy KinLord.”
He paused again. “Spur’s spirit and power dwell in this man,” he motioned for Eloch to join him. “Before there was the City, before there was Sub-City and Rubble, the people of Spur lived differently. They lived as one giant Kin, and Spur’s Champion was their KinLord. I don’t know what happened, what went wrong, but Spur was forgotten. And She, in turn, left us. But now,” he paused and stepped aside, “I think I will let Spur’s Champion speak on Spur’s behalf.”
Eloch nodded to Flick before turning his intense gaze upon the Kin. For a brief moment he stood, staff in hand, and allowed the people to feel the power that filled and emanated from him. Its impact was so powerful that Flick felt compelled to walk off the stage and stand with Wren and the others. So powerful that the Kin in the first row stepped back as well.
Eloch already knew his great size made him seem formidable, and now he put his full power—his knack, as Aiko called it—on display, so these people would always remember this moment, the moment they learned the truth of Spur.
“I am Eloch of the planet Entean and Champion of Spur,” he said in his deep, quiet voice. “I came as Entean’s Champion to stop your people from colonizing Entean. Entean also instructed me to ask Her sister planet, Spur, a question, and in order to ask, I reawakened the living Presence of your planet Spur.
“No planet should be without Her Champion, abandoned and ignored. No people should be without the wisdom of their planet. And now Spur has awakened, things are about to change, beginning with you, Flick’s Kin.
“In the south, in Rubble, Spur has created a new place for you to live. Flick informed me you Kin are already prepared to move into Rubble. In Rubble you will find the safe place Spur has created where the Kin will thrive. Spur will teach you how.
