The Coming Chaos

by D. K. Holmberg

  Lucy squeezed her eyes shut but couldn’t drown out the waves in the distance. “All of them have chosen to stay.”

  “Just stay?”

  “They want to better understand what abilities they might possess.”

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “I suppose not. They want to know if there was any reason behind what was done to them, and if there’s anything they might be able to do to master those abilities.”

  “And were you so different?”

  “I was different in that I had abilities prior to anything happening.”

  “You did, but they weren’t the same, were they?”

  Lucy opened her eyes. “What are you asking of me?”

  “I’m asking you to keep an open mind. It’s the same as I asked the women I will help and have helped.”

  “All of them?”

  “I’ve never forced anyone to serve,” Carth said.

  “You forced me.”

  “Did I?”

  Lucy wanted to argue, but there was no real arguing to it. She hadn’t been forced to serve, not really. She had chosen to do so. She had wanted to better understand her powers, and to know whether she had been controlled, Pushed along the way, and because of her time with Carth, she had a better understanding of what she had gone through. Because of Carth—and Ras, when she thought of it—she was free of any outside influence.

  And it had made her stronger.

  She was more than what she had ever been before. She was no longer of Elaeavn, and yet, Lucy realized that was part of her struggle. She still felt as if she were without a place. With everything she’d gone through, she still didn’t know what she might need to do. Was it only about staying with the C’than? Was it only about helping the women in the village? Or was it something more? She’d found the women within the village had been accepting of her serving the C’than, especially as they came to understand the C’than were not all involved the way they had believed.

  “I suppose you didn’t,” she said.

  Carth smiled at her. “I think we should gather the Binders, and then we will go after the rest of our help.”

  “Where would you have me Push him?”

  “I have a feeling you won’t have to Push him very hard at all.”

  “Why is that?”

  “I have a sense that once you begin to influence his mind, you will find he’s already making plans we can act upon.”

  Lucy frowned, watching Carth. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I have held nothing back from you.”

  “There’s something. It has to do with the Architect, but I can’t figure out what is that you think we need to better understand. Why aren’t you telling me everything?”

  “I’m not keeping anything from you, Lucy. Anything I might believe is nothing more than a theory. When it comes to playing the games I like to play, theories can be wrong, and it’s not until you test them that you begin to uncover whether or not they are.”

  “And what theory is this?”

  “You.”

  “Me?”

  “Your experience with the Architect was unique. He used you, and yet from everything you’ve told me, he wasn’t surprised by the augmentation you took on.”

  Lucy frowned, thinking about it. When she’d been exposed to the Architect, he hadn’t been surprised. That was different than the rest of the Ai’thol, but at the same time, he had seemed to expect it. He had taken it in stride.

  And hadn’t he said he had been experimenting with something like that?

  “Why does that matter?”

  “It matters because it makes me question whether or not Olandar Fahr knows what the Architect was doing.”

  “The Architect works with Olandar Fahr.”

  “He does, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own plans. And with what we’ve encountered so far, I can’t help but think that perhaps there is something we’re overlooking. I have others looking into it, and yet so far they haven’t uncovered anything.”

  “Which is why you want to find the Architect.”

  “The Architect can bring us toward Olandar Fahr. I believe that much, and it’s possible he can do even more than that.”

  “You think the Architect can help you understand the other side.”

  She tipped her head, nodding. “I think if we begin to understand what the Architect’s after, we might be able to learn what Olandar Fahr’s after—and this other side.”

  49

  Lucy

  Lucy looked around. As she stood on the edge of the shoreline, feeling the surge of energy around her, she thought that the other woman had to be right about this, though it involved finding something she wasn’t sure if she could. It involved finding the Architect. She could feel his mind, the way that his thoughts were there, glittering through the back of her mind. The more she focused on him, the more certain she was that he was there, but it would take a stretch for her to reach him more easily.

  The more that she focused on him, the more certain she was she knew where he was. And as Carth had suggested, it wasn’t all that far from here.

  “Are you ready?” Carth asked.

  “I am, but what if this isn’t right?”

  “You are only influencing, not Pushing.”

  “And I don’t know if that is even going to work,” Lucy said.

  Carth wanted her to influence, but the more Lucy thought about it, the more uncertain she was that influencing in the way Carth intended would even work. How could it when she didn’t know whether the Architect would pay any attention to the pressure she exerted upon him?

  Then again, what she needed to do was something subtle. She wasn’t trying to force him to notice what she was doing. If he did, he would react. That was her greatest concern.

  It had been Carth’s idea. The more Lucy thought about it, the more she thought she understood the purpose behind it and the benefit to it.

  The connection between her and the Architect went both ways. Not only did she have some way of reaching his mind, but Carth suspected that he had a way of reaching her mind. It was likely going to be subtle—unless Lucy Pushed just a little bit, enough for the Architect to know what she was doing.

  And if he was aware of it, then they would fail.

  What they needed to do was ensure he wasn’t aware of what she was doing. It was the kind of influence she didn’t know if she was capable of.

  “Take a deep breath, and be ready for this,” Carth said.

  In the distance, the shoreline beckoned. “I don’t understand why here.”

  “Because here is believable.”

  “You really want him to go where you think the other Elder Stone might be?”

  “I want him to follow. Whether or not he does is a different story. If this fails, then we can try another approach. And yet, I don’t think that it will.”

  Lucy breathed out. She focused on the Architect’s mind and began to let only a little bit of her connection seep out.

  She took Carth’s arm and borrowed from her mind. It was the image Carth gave her, that of a dense forest behind her, a place unlike any Lucy had ever visited, and with that image in her mind, she Slid.

  When she emerged, the air was humid. There was energy here, though Lucy wasn’t sure what that energy represented, or if there was any way to ensure it wasn’t harmful to her. The only thing she knew was that she detected it. The longer she was here, the more certain she was that the energy was real, and that she was following the right path with Carth.

  “This is where the remaining Elder Stone can be found?” Lucy asked.

  “It’s possible. I’m not entirely sure, though the more I learn about it, the more certain I am there is something here.”

  “What now?”

  “Now you will continue to hold your connection.”

  “Between the Architect and me?”

  Carth nodded.

  She maintained that focus, that connection, and could feel the pre
sence of his mind.

  This time when she Slid, she emerged where she chose, not where he was choosing for her.

  “What now?”

  “Now we go for support.”

  “What sort of support?”

  Carth grinned.

  An image formed in Lucy’s mind. It was the way Carth communicated where she wanted Lucy to Slide, and it never ceased to surprise her how much control she had over what she presented to Lucy.

  “Do you think you can reach it?”

  “Why there?”

  “Because I believe that Daniel and Rayen are there.”

  Lucy frowned, focusing on what she could detect of the vision. “I don’t feel anything from Daniel Elvraeth.”

  “It’s possible that you would not. And Rayen would be similarly closed to you, though for different reasons.”

  “And if they aren’t there?”

  “If they aren’t there, we will look elsewhere.”

  “How long do you think we have?”

  “Considering we are dealing with Olandar Fahr? Not long.”

  “What if we aren’t dealing with Olandar Fahr?” She held Carth’s gaze. “If it’s like you said, and the Architect has made plans of his own, what if Olandar Fahr doesn’t come?” And the more Lucy thought about it, the more likely she thought that was. The Architect was the type to make such plans, and more than that, he struck her as the kind of person who would use what he had uncovered, and perhaps abuse it.

  “I think we will be pleasantly surprised.”

  “What do you know?”

  “It’s not what I know, but what I suspect.”

  Lucy focused on what Carth had shown her and Slid.

  They emerged on a rocky shoreline, a sense of power all around her, though it was different than before.

  She could feel that power, the same way she felt the power coming from the Elder Stone or the flame. There was something about it that resonated with her, and she knew with certainty there was an Elder Stone here, though not which one it was.

  She turned her attention to Carth. “What place is this?”

  “This is Keyall, and in Keyall, they have a unique defense against the shadows.”

  “Because of their Elder Stone.”

  “That’s right.”

  “And that’s why Daniel and Rayen have come here?”

  Carth nodded.

  “How would they have known about it?”

  “Because Rayen knew about it. And there’s a man here I have some experience with.”

  “I don’t know how to take that.”

  Carth waved her hand. “Nothing like that. It’s been a long time since I’ve had any thoughts about anything like that. In this case, he’s someone who offered me help, and we have stayed in touch, though less so of late.”

  “What kind of help has he offered?”

  “The kind I needed when I was in trouble.”

  “I can’t imagine you ever being in trouble.”

  “You’d be surprised. And when it has to do with Olandar Fahr, the trouble is often much greater than you realize at first.”

  “You were in Keyall because of Olandar Fahr?”

  “I was in Keyall because of someone else, but I left because of Olandar Fahr. It’s a unique place, or at least I thought it was.”

  When she turned away, heading toward town, Lucy realized she didn’t do so on the shadows. It was almost as if the shadows faded away, drifting from her, or perhaps she lost control over them.

  Lucy stared, frowning to herself. What had she said? This place had some natural immunity to the shadows. She tested her ability to Slide and found that hadn’t changed at all.

  “We can just Slide wherever we need to go,” she said.

  “We can, but I would like to make sure that everything is as it should be here.”

  “What do you think would be different?”

  “That’s the problem. I don’t know.”

  There had to be some reason Carth wanted to come here that was about more than just Daniel and Rayen. She might not be the same strategist as Carth, but she understood the other woman had plans upon plans, and many of them involved aspects of things Lucy didn’t fully understand.

  They reached a building. A tall wall surrounded it, and lights glowed from the upper floors. A pair of guards stood at the front gate. Carth simply stood in the middle of the street, watching them.

  “Why does it seem like you are taunting them?” Lucy asked.

  “I’m not taunting, but I am contemplating.”

  “Whether or not we should Slide?”

  “Whether or not they are here.”

  “Do you want me to check?” She tried to focus on Daniel Elvraeth’s thoughts but found it was difficult for her to do so. It had been that way for quite some time, and the longer she was here, the less certain she was that she was picking up on them at all. She knew him well enough that she thought she should be able to find him, but perhaps he was caught up in something that prevented him from sharing.

  “You might not be able to determine anything here.”

  “Why is that?”

  “It’s the nature of the Elder Stone in Keyall. It gives some protection from the shadows, but it does something else that others have yet to see.”

  “And what is that?” Lucy looked around.

  “This place is unique. It’s a place of significant trade, and yet it has managed to stay out of the workings of the world for many years.”

  “Aren’t there other places like that?”

  “You would think so, but most places with ports the size of Keyall draw notice. In the case of Keyall, it’s almost as if the city manages to defy notice. It’s not so much that people aren’t aware that it’s here. It’s just that even being aware that it’s here doesn’t really draw the same attention to it.”

  “You think the Elder Stone here prevents others from discovering its presence?”

  Carth shrugged. For a moment, she seemed to glow slightly, not much, but enough for Lucy to make it out. It faded quickly.

  The shadows did not occur. Lucy wondered if Carth was trying to use them and failing, or whether it was simply a matter of her not even attempting to do so. If she were somehow restricted from using them in this place, then it might be that she had no interest in doing so.

  “I don’t know if it’s the Elder Stone, but it does have some influence.”

  “What are we waiting for?”

  “A good question. We have done our part, and now I think it’s time for us to see if we’ve succeeded in drawing out the Architect.”

  Carth held out her hand, and Lucy took it. An image formed within her mind, that of a room, shelves of books. And an older man dressed in a maroon robe. It was almost as if Lucy had been there, and she focused on it and Slid.

  50

  Daniel

  The air shimmered, and Daniel turned, suddenly on edge. He Slid, reaching for Rayen, and took a step back, grabbing her hand as he prepared to Slide away. She watched him, and shadows wrapped around her, spreading from her.

  As the air shimmered, Daniel turned toward it, ready for the possibility he would have to fight. He grabbed for his sword, wishing he had his cloak, but he needn’t have been concerned.

  Lucy emerged from a Slide, Carth with her.

  Carth took one look at Alistan, nodding at him. “You found him. Good. We need to go.”

  “What is this?” Daniel asked.

  “Apparently, this is a battle, and I’m going to need your help,” Carth said.

  His heart started hammering. Rayen nodded, going to stand near Lucy and Carth.

  “You can stay here if you’d like,” Carth said to Alistan.

  “Does this have to do with the Elder Stones?”

  “It does.”

  “Then I will go.”

  Carth smiled. “I suspected you would.” She grabbed Daniel’s cloak from a hook on the wall, tossing it to him, and nodded. “Lucy will take us there.”

 
They crowded together, Daniel taking Rayen’s hand, and as Carth reached for his arm, she looked over at Rayen. “It’s about time.”

  “What is?” Rayen said.

  “You have been isolated long enough.”

  Rayen flushed.

  Carth glanced at Daniel. “If you do anything to harm her, you understand what I will do to you.”

  Daniel nodded, avoiding Lucy’s gaze.

  They Slid.

  Traveling with Lucy like this was nothing like when he Slid. Hers was power and speed, a jarring sensation that jerked them free of this space and transported them quickly. They emerged with a forest in the background—a forest Daniel recognized.

  “Ceyaniah,” he whispered.

  Carth glanced over to him. “Where did you hear that word?”

  “From the people.”

  “You reached Ceyaniah?”

  Daniel nodded.

  “How?”

  “I Slid there.”

  Carth breathed out heavily. “I wish I had known this.”

  “Why?”

  “This is the location for the fifth stone.”

  “It’s not. We’ve been here. They don’t have a stone.”

  “They may not have told you that they had a stone, but trust me, I have found there is one.”

  “How?”

  “By following Olandar Fahr.”

  “He’s here?”

  “Not yet, but he will be, which is why—”

  Carth didn’t have a chance to finish. The air shimmered, the sense of Sliding occurring, and Daniel stared at it, counting a dozen, two dozen, even more, all appearing in front of them.

  The Ai’thol.

  “Are you going to be all right?” she asked.

  “I think so,” Daniel said.

  Carth cocked an eye at him. “I wasn’t talking to you. I was asking Alistan. You, on the other hand, will be needed.”

  “I will be fine, Carth. You understand the nature of my ability.”

  “Use it, then.”

  With that, Alistan disappeared.

  It happened suddenly, rapidly, and so quickly that he was shocked at how quickly he managed to vanish. Were the situation any different, Daniel might have laughed. Here he had thought that Alistan didn’t have any ability, but he was able to make himself basically invisible. That had to be tied to the Elder Stone from Keyall.