Elemental Faith

by L. M. Somerton

  “If it makes you happy, I’ll do as you ask, but if it comes to it, and I can’t, you must promise to do the same. No sacrificial heroic nonsense, okay?”

  “Okay. I love you, but if we don’t get moving, I won’t survive Gregory’s temper, let alone whatever has brought us all here.”

  “I think the name of this lake is a pretty big clue,” Dominic said, his tone wry.

  “I’m afraid you’re right.”

  The path hugged the edge of the reservoir. There was no wind to disturb the surface of the water, which was so black it could have been a hole in the earth rather than a lake. A jet passed high overhead and Evrain watched its path, wondering at how people’s normal lives were continuing all around them. He had to accept that normal would be forever out of reach for him and Dominic.

  “There’s a building over there,” Dominic said, pointing out a dim low shape in the distance. “It probably houses some machinery to do with the reservoir, but I can’t see where else we need to go.”

  Evrain nodded. “And I think I just spotted a light.” A flickering beam steadied, pointed in their direction, then moved toward them. “Someone is coming out to see where we are.”

  They walked quicker and out of the darkness, Coryn appeared, wielding a large flashlight.

  “Finally! I got sick of Gregory’s pacing, so came to find you. Felix rang to say you were here.”

  “Hi, Coryn. It was quite a long walk from the gate and we didn’t have a torch,” Evrain explained. “Neither of us fancied a dip in the lake so we took our time.”

  “Come along inside where it’s a fraction warmer, at least. Hi, Dominic, sorry we had to ruin your Christmas Eve.”

  Dominic smiled and shrugged. “It’s the same for all of us.”

  Evrain led the way into the building. To one side a tangle of huge pipes and machinery whirred, the white noise somehow comforting. To the other, his friends were gathered on an assortment of mismatched chairs positioned around a battered table.

  Damon immediately bounced over to give Dominic a hug. “Come and sit by me. I’m kinda scared.”

  Gregory gestured, pointing out an empty seat for Evrain, who nodded at the assembled group. Coryn came to stand at Gregory’s shoulder. Nate leaned across the table to shake Evrain’s hand. “Thank you both for coming so quickly.”

  “Evrain, I need to introduce you to somebody you’ve met, but don’t know,” Gregory said. “This is Killian Archambault and his partner, Eric.”

  Killian gave him a small bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you under less trying circumstances, young man.”

  Eric smiled, but didn’t speak. He was slight, round metal glasses balanced on the end of his nose, his head topped by a mop of messy chestnut-brown hair. Killian was a complete contrast. He was tall and broad shouldered. His hair was shaved close to his scalp and he sported a neatly cropped beard. Everything about him, from his expression to the way he held himself oozed dominance. Eric pressed clung to his arm, clearly besotted.

  Evrain was tempted to come up with a sarcastic retort but settled for a nod and a slight smile.

  “Killian and Eric were visiting New York for the holidays. We were fortunate they were in the country,” Nate said.

  “What’s going on?” Evrain asked. “I feel like I’m a few steps behind the pace here.”

  “I’ll explain,” Gregory said. “One of Nathaniel’s duties in this area is to periodically check the status of the fault lines. He travels enough around California managing his windfarms to make it an easy enough process. Every six months or so he visits the main hotspots and feels for potential problems.”

  Evrain understood what that meant—he was familiar enough with casting his elemental senses through the earth when he helped Dominic in the garden. He couldn’t imagine what it must feel like to sense the contained power of the fault lines.

  “And I’m guessing he found something worrying on his latest tour?” Evrain asked. The slight lines around Nathaniel’s eyes were deeper than usual.

  “Indeed. Something deeply troubling. Nathaniel, perhaps you would care to explain?”

  Nate nodded. “Of course. I should give you some background, first, so apologies for the geography lesson. The lake we are next to was originally a small natural sag pond. Do you all know what that is?”

  “No clue,” Dominic said.

  “When tectonic plates slip and create a natural V-shape in the land, water often gathers to form a pond. The lake here was expanded by the construction of a hundred-foot-high earth dam in 1868. It’s something of a miracle, but the dam survived the 1906 earthquake intact despite the fact that the fault line runs directly beneath it.”

  Damon looked beneath the table as if searching for cracks.

  “The lake was named after the fault. It’s a hotspot for seismic activity and always on my checklist, mainly because of the dam. The last big quake happened out at sea. If the epicenter was directly beneath us, the dam wouldn’t survive and the damage would be catastrophic, not just from the water.

  “So what did you find?” Evrain asked.

  “The best way for you to understand is for you to feel for yourself. Gregory and Killian have already taken a look because I wanted other opinions about what I suspected. I can’t describe it. You need to take a look for yourself.”

  Evrain nodded. “It would be easier for me to be outside.” He didn’t need to be in direct contact with the earth to feel what was going on beneath the surface, but it made things simpler. He beckoned to Dominic. “Give us a few minutes.”

  Evrain led Dominic down to the lakeshore. He didn’t say anything, and Dominic didn’t ask any questions, for which he was grateful. He cleared his mind and focused his senses on the lake, probing the black depths until he found rock. He channeled, closing his eyes to reduce distraction. The instability of the fault line was immediately obvious, but he got the sense that it had been that way for an age, settling with a groan every now and again like an old man with arthritic joints. He widened his range, probing into hidden nooks and crannies and found a spot that glowed angry red in his senses. This had to be what Nate had discovered. The enormity of the plates was overwhelming and Evrain had to channel hard to narrow his focus. He was aware of Dominic tensing next to him, but he had to put Dominic’s pain out of his mind while he listened to the earth. Abruptly, he cut off, pulling Dominic into his arms for hug.

  “That’s enough, let’s get back inside.” They re-joined the others around the table.

  “Well?” Gregory asked.

  “The pressure down there, it’s terrifying,” Evrain said. “I sensed a minor fault, branching from the main one where two sections of rock are grinding against each other. The structures can’t hold. There’s going to be a slip and it’s going to be a big one. I could hardly comprehend the scale of what’s going on down there, but it burned dark red in my mind. Whatever is going to happen is imminent. If we’re going to attempt to do something about it, it has to be now. The epicenter is so close to the surface. I can’t imagine what the level of destruction would be.”

  “We’ve all come to the same conclusion.” Gregory sighed. “Your view is more detailed. Do you have any ideas for a solution?”

  Evrain hadn’t expected to be asked for his opinion. With three much more experienced warlocks in the room, he imagined his place was to be told what to do and then do it. His surprise must have shown on his face.

  “Remember, Evrain, that since you passed the testing you are the most powerful of all of us. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even consider attempting to do anything about this,” Gregory said. “I’ve told you before that it isn’t always possible for us to intervene where the elements are concerned. A tweak here and there is all that we’ve been able to accomplish. The depth of your abilities means that we can explore more radical work, and I’m not assuming that we will succeed, but I think we have to try.”

  Evrain nodded. “Of course.”

  “Any warlock visiting this country has
to let me know about their presence, which is how I knew Killian was in New York. His deepest affinity is with earth, so we are very fortunate that he and Eric are here and willing to help.”

  “Our pleasure,” Killian said. “Any of you would do the same if I needed your help in Europe. But even my connection to the earth is not as deep as Evrain’s. I’d be very glad to hear your thoughts, young man.”

  “I think there might be a way.” Evrain reached for Dominic’s hand, needing his support. “It’ll take all of us, though, and it isn’t going to be easy. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I’m strong enough for what I have in mind.”

  “Let’s hear it.” Nathaniel steepled his fingers and leaned forward. Killian pulled Eric onto his lap.

  “We need to play to our strengths. Gregory will need to extract all moisture from around the area I need to work in. I’m not even sure it can be done that far underground.”

  Gregory shrugged. “I can certainly give it a try.”

  “Nathaniel will then need to create cushions of air so that the plates don’t move before I’m finished with what I have in mind. Killian, I’ll need you to loosen the structure of the rock, then I’ll use the heat being generated by the friction between the plates to fuse the rocks together.” Evrain looked at the faces around the table. “You think it’s ridiculous, don’t you?”

  “I think it’s…ambitious,” Killian said. “But not impossible. In simple terms, what you’re suggesting is a kind of elemental glue. What do you think, Gregory?”

  “It might just work. The idea is simple though the execution is complex. I think I can do my part. Nathaniel, what about you?”

  “It’ll be a challenge. I’ve not been channeling through Damon for very long and not with the kind of intensity this is going to need.”

  “I can take it,” Damon said, white faced. “This could save thousands of lives, couldn’t it?”

  “Hundreds of thousands,” Gregory clarified. “And billions of dollars in damages.” He tapped his fingers on the table. “It’s decided—we’ll give Evrain’s idea a try. If we fail, the situation won’t be any worse than it was before.”

  “Unless what we’re doing sets something off,” Evrain said.

  “Well, you will have to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Gregory replied, his expression grim.

  As they all walked out into the night, Killian took Gregory to one side. “You’re putting an awful lot of weight on those young shoulders, Gregory. Are you sure he’s up to it?”

  “No,” Gregory admitted. “How could I be? Nothing like this has ever been tried before.”

  “The strain could kill him. His part is by far the hardest of all of ours.”

  “You’ve seen him in action, Killian. In the heat of it, so to speak. I train him as best I can, but I have to let go of the reins and now seems an appropriate time, don’t you think?”

  “If he thought the testing was a baptism of fire, he’ll be learning new lessons tonight.”

  “I think we all will.”

  They reached the lakeshore and arranged themselves in a loose circle, each warlock standing close to his partner. Coryn looked anxious, Damon pale as a ghost, Eric determined—he had removed his spectacles. Dominic was trying to hide his anxiety, but it wasn’t working. Evrain tried to give him a reassuring smile but he feared it reflected his own insecurity and fear.

  “Let’s get started.” He had Killian to his left and, though he didn’t know the man, took comfort from his strength.

  Coryn shuddered as Gregory raised his arms and began invoking the first stage of the plan.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Evrain closed his eyes and extended his senses into the earth. He could see, or rather sense, the slow but steady movement of water as Gregory drew it from the pores of the rock. As each droplet was removed from the area of the fault line that Evrain meant to fuse, it was replaced by a miniature cushion of air. Nathaniel’s control was impressive. To keep so many different spots in his head and maintain the integrity of the protection he was providing was an immense task. Damon whimpered and Evrain took a quick look to see him sagging against Nate’s side. Nathaniel lowered him to the ground then knelt next to him, muttering and twisting his fingers into complex shapes, never stopping. Damon’s face was twisted in pain and Evrain had to close his eyes again. It was too hard to watch.

  Gripping Dominic’s hand in his right, he bent the middle finger of his left hand until it touched his palm. He twisted his thumb in the opposite direction and extended his remaining fingers. The ache in his hand from the unnatural position helped his focus. Power flowed through him, or rather through Dominic as his conduit, into the ground. He probed deeper and deeper, following the path laid by Nathaniel and Gregory. He sensed Killian working alongside him, not yet manipulating the earth, just getting to where he needed to be.

  In Evrain’s mind, the area where there was most friction between tectonic plates burned red hot. The heat was so much more than anything he had dealt with before—even the magma Killian had produced during his test was cool in comparison. The tension between the rock faces was immeasurable and, for a moment, he was terrified of what he was attempting. His confidence faltered. As if sensing his uncertainty, Dominic stroked the palm of his hand with his thumb. The gentle, rhythmic movements calmed him. Next to him, Killian grunted and deep beneath the earth rock fragments and crystals began to shift, creating a substance that Evrain could work with.

  Pushing aside the pain in his head, Evrain muttered a rapid series of words, weaving his fingers into complex shapes as he sought to gather the heat contained within the earth. He wasn’t sure how he knew that he had seconds to act but he was absolutely certain that if he failed, catastrophic events would follow. He threw every ounce of energy he possessed into controlling the fire element, pulling molecules together, encouraging the heat to rise and rise. He replaced Nathaniel’s air bubbles with liquid heat, dissolving the mobile crystals Killian had created into liquid rock. He was shocked into opening his eyes when a geyser of steam and rock erupted from the surface of the lake, sending fragments of superheated granite high into the air. As they landed, every particle created a hiss. None of the debris was close enough to hurt his friends so he ignored the noise and carried on pouring power into the fault line. He hadn’t thought about how he would cool the liquid rock to fuse the plates together and there was no way he could control the other elements at the same time, but Gregory, Nathaniel and Killian came to his rescue. He released his hold on fire as cool air and cold water doused the massive area of liquid rock. The reaction hit him like a bus, throwing him off his feet as the fire element tried to push back. It wanted to grow, to create more heat, and Evrain got the sense that it blamed him for being thwarted. The angry backlash whipped across his body in a line of fire, pain consumed him and white light filled his vision. It was as if his entire body burned on the lakeshore and when darkness came, it was a merciful release.

  Evrain was still channeling until the moment he hit the ground. Dominic caught him as he fell, dropping to his knees to cradle Evrain’s body. He didn’t dare say anything as it was apparent that the other warlocks were still engaged with whatever was happening deep below the surface of the earth. Evrain’s face was flushed and sweat coated his brow even though the temperature had to be below freezing. His left hand was clenched into a fist and when Dominic massaged it, he found blood oozing between Evrain’s fingers. Under layers of clothing, he couldn’t tell if Evrain had further injuries, but his breathing was fast and ragged. Dominic was desperate to get him somewhere safe where he could check him over properly but he had to wait.

  Gregory swore and leaned heavily against Coryn. His skin had an unnatural gray cast to it and he looked exhausted. Nathaniel took a deep, shaky breath. His eyes, which had darkened to black, cleared. In his arms, Damon was barely conscious. Nathaniel stroked his hair with a trembling hand. Eric seemed dazed but was peppering Killian’s face with kisses and muttering soothing words to the warl
ock whose drawn face betrayed his pain.

  “Did you succeed?” Dominic asked.

  “Yes.” It was Nate who responded. “Evrain fused a massive area of rock. I don’t know how he did it. How is he?”

  “Alive. Apart from that, I don’t know.” Dominic’s voice shook. He was close to tears and desperately trying to hold himself together for Evrain’s sake. “I need help getting him inside.”

  “I think I can manage that.” Killian extracted himself from Eric’s grip. “You grab his feet and I’ll take his head.”

  Between the two of them they carried Evrain inside, laying him on the floor with a rolled-up coat to cushion his head. Dominic started checking him from the bottom up, shoving his hands under Evrain’s clothes to check for injuries. He pushed up his pullover, opened his shirt and cursed when he saw the livid mark crossing Evrain’s body from hip to shoulder. He could have been slashed with a flaming whip.

  “Fuck.” Dominic had no idea what to do. He couldn’t think.

  Killian dropped to his knees next to Evrain’s body. “Fetch me some water, Eric. There’s a small kitchen area over there.”

  Eric found a sink with a single tap and in the cupboard beneath it there was a bucket full of cleaning supplies. He tipped everything onto the floor then filled the bucket before lugging it across to Killian.

  “Here.”

  “Perfect.” Killian pulled Evrain’s shirt further apart. He cupped his hands in the bucket then spooned water across Evrain’s wound, muttering under his breath as he did. Ice crystals formed on Evrain’s skin and his breathing eased.

  “Need to get the heat out of the wound,” Killian said. “You keep adding water and I’ll keep freezing it. It doesn’t take too much energy.”

  After a few minutes of the unorthodox treatment, some of the redness around the wound had faded and Evrain’s breathing had evened out—as if he were sleeping rather than unconscious. Killian staggered to his feet then slumped into a chair by the table. From somewhere, Coryn had managed to magic up hot water, a jar of coffee and some mugs and was handing out hot drinks. Every man in the room seemed shell-shocked.