The Habit of the Sorcerer

by J J Moriarty

  “But one answer forever eluded him. Where did his grandparents come from? Where did they go? What lay beyond the void? Logos searched everywhere and constructed an unreachable tower in the centre of the mountains where he could be left alone to study only these questions.”

  “Some versions of the story have it that Logos never got his answer, that he had finally met the question he couldn’t answer. That’s probably not true. More likely is that over the course of the six hundred years he lived in isolation, Logos found an answer to his question. He found out who he truly was. Logos owned not only his own envy, but the envy of all creation. What a terrible burden to bear, the meaning of life.”

  “Carried by a giant lizard, Logos descended from his tower, and rode deep into the giant rainforest. There, he came upon the caves his mother called home. Vishi rode out to meet him, and she was so worried by the exhaustion that marked Logos’ face that she invited him inside to rest for however long he wanted. Logos grew angry at the offer and scolded his mother. It was then that Vishi realised that this creature before him wasn’t her son anymore. It was too late.”

  “Logos struck down all Vishi’s servants, then overpowered her. He tied her to his lizard and rode north. The lizard brought Logos and his prisoner to the tower, and there, Logos locked himself in – his lair entirely impenetrable.”

  “The alarm was raised, and Bvontei’s heart was broken. His favourite son had stolen his sister and lover. Bvontei summoned all the gods to his home, hoping their combined might may just be enough to overwhelm Logos. Thanatis ignored the summons, remaining with Orgy in the underworld. Bvontei never forgave his brother for that. Besides those two, all of the rest of the Pantheon gathered to organise Vishi’s rescue.”

  “It did no good. In all their might the Pantheon could not rescue their matriarch. They used the weather, they used water, they used the sun, they used the moon. Logos’ fortress was impervious.”

  “It was Andras who finally realised the only way to reach Logos. The fortress stood at the top of a tower that grew far into the air. Andras began to climb. He had nothing but a spear with him, but that was cumbersome enough. For the climb was long, and deadly.”

  “After seven years of climbing the sheer rock face, Andras came upon Logos’ lizard. The lizard challenged him, and they fought for forty-nine days. Finally, Andras cast the beast down the side of the mountain. Victorious, Andras continued his climb. Through winter, spring, summer and autumn he climbed until he was so high the seasons no longer mattered. He climbed so high that no snow fell, there was nothing but black rock as high as he could see.”

  “At the turn of the seventieth year, Andras finally reached the peak. There were giant battlements and gates, but no sentries to guard them. There was no noise – the tower was nothing but desolation. Andras walked through the front gates, then through an ornate front door. He climbed three thousand stairs of three thousand steps each, and he finally came upon the giant common room.”

  “Andras’ attention wasn’t attracted by his mother, bound naked on a bed. It wasn’t attracted by the five children playing around the room. It wasn’t attracted by the scribbles and paint that covered every surface. Andras’ eyes were held by the creature that faced him across the room.”

  “Logos’ hair had gone grey, and he had lost many teeth since Andras had last seen him. Logos’ skin was faded and saggy, like he had too much for his body. He had lost a lot of weight. In the years of his fall to corruption, Logos had taken to breaking his skin with uncut nails so Andras saw a face that was pockmarked and scarred. None of Logos’ clothes fit him, and he carried a long whip in his right hand.”

  “Andras stared at the dishevelled face of madness before him and struggled to see his brother in any of the mannerisms, any of the expressions, in the appearance of the god before him. Andras understood then. Logos was dead. All that existed now was Lorikuy, the God of Corruption.”

  “Lorikuy began to hiss, whispering what he thought Andras wanted to hear. Andras didn’t listen to a word, for a soldier does his duty with blind devotion. Raising his spear, Andras charged right at his twin. Lorikuy was as quick as him, and the whip was used to evade. Andras may have been born to fight, but Lorikuy had owned the envy of the world. Lorikuy cast his brother out of the room with the whip and flung him to the ground at the gates of the tower. There, under those grand battlements, Lorikuy and Andras duelled with spear and whip. Lorikuy goaded his opponent the whole time, Andras did not speak once.”

  “Andras was strong, but not strong enough. Lorikuy disarmed him, and finally stood victorious over his twin brother. Wounded, Andras was forced to his knees. Lorikuy towered over him and promised Andras that the void awaited him. Still Andras did not speak. He merely reached into his waist, where he kept his spare spearheads. Having lost the shaft, Andras decided to use the head alone. So, under the shadow of that tower, Andras unsheathed the first ever sword, and plunged it straight into Lorikuy’s stomach. He dragged it upwards, and opened Lorikuy up from his groin to his jaw.”

  “The scream that escaped from Lorikuy’s crushed lungs ran through the cosmos. It shook the mountain upon which he stood and broke it in half. The stone fell in a rain of scree, and the tower was brought down to the height of the other mountains. Bvontei, who had been alerted by the scream, rushed into the mess. A creature of great power, Bvontei felt no fear – he was strong enough to defeat Lorikuy.”

  “But he entered to find a shadow emerging from the dust. Andras, carrying his mother in his arms. Vishi was half-dead, exhausted and wounded. Bvontei tried to speak to them, tried to take a hold of his former lover. Andras ignored him. Vishi ignored him.”

  “Bvontei was hurt, and annoyed that his son would not obey his commands to wait. But the Patriarch of the Pantheon knew that he shouldn’t use his powers to stop Andras walking away with Vishi. Andras was a hero now, all would learn that. Besides that, Bvontei knew that Lorikuy could still be somewhere, and more than Vishi’s health, Bvontei cared about vengeance against his son.”

  “Bvontei came upon Lorikuy, wounded horribly among the rubble of his fortress. The Patriarch took his son’s body and ordered that he be stitched up. Bvontei’s servants did so, and closed Lorikuy’s wounds. Bvontei had the five babies in the fortress saved and taken to his home. Vishi may be hurting too much at that moment, thought Bvontei, but she would want to see her children someday in the future. So Bvontei had them all saved and gave instructions for them to be cared for.”

  “Bvontei knew that Lorikuy would not die. Lorikuy had not wearied enough of this word, and his soul could not be sucked into the void just yet. So, he decided to act. He had Lorikuy tattooed. Half of Lorikuy’s body was tattooed bright green, the other half pink. Bvontei had Lorikuy gelded, and spikes put into his cheeks. Then he placed Lorikuy in prison, a cage made of godsbone in the ruins of Lorikuy’s old fortress. Alone and in agony, this was Lorikuy’s future. Boredom and pain his only companions.”

  “The Pantheon thought the tragedy had ended. Vishi and Andras would return and the family could heal. It may take time, but it could be done.”

  “But they didn’t return, so a party went to search for them. The two were not hard to find – their bodies lying in a queensnake nest. They had committed suicide together, Andras and Vishi. They had driven their souls to the void, and the poison from the queensnakes had removed their tethering to this earth”, Aliya said.

  CHAPTER 24

  The summer heightened, and Hyzou trained. The days got warmer and warmer and the Pharaoh’s birthday grew nearer and nearer. Finally, the week of the fight arrived, and then, the final day of Hyzou’s training.

  “I wish there was more that I could do”, Hyzou said.

  “You’ve improved a lot”, Aliya said.

  “Have I improved enough?” Hyzou said.

  “There’s only one way to tell” Aliya said.

  “A test?” Hyzou asked.

  “Yes, the fight itself”, Aliya said. “If you survive, y
ou have improved enough under my tutelage.”

  Hyzou frowned. Aliya laughed.

  Hyzou took up the bucket of water. He placed his shaking hands inside. The droplets of blood that crisscrossed his hands fell off and turned the water red. Hyzou shook his head, and more blood fell into the water. The water wasn’t cool, having been out in the summer sun for hours, but it was cooler than Hyzou’s skin. The heat emanating from Hyzou could have cooked a pig.

  He cleaned his cuts and burns on his fingers and palms, then unsubmerged his arms.

  Hands shaking, tender from the pain, Hyzou undid the grey robe he was wearing and left it on the sandy ground. He did the same with his loincloth. He cupped some of the water, then flicked it at his face. He scrubbed hard at his cheeks and forehead to wash off whatever blood he could.

  Hyzou turned the whole bucket over his head. The water mingled with the filth, sweat, blood and sand that coated his body cleaning some of it off.

  “There’s still blood on your scalp. You haven’t even managed to clean your head”, Aliya said.

  Hyzou sighed.

  “We need more water?” Hyzou asked.

  “A Servant is clean”, Aliya said.

  “Yes, master”, Hyzou said. “I’ll only be a short while.”

  Hyzou reached down and found his dirty robe. He walked into Abe’s house. His feet were shaky, his body exhausted.

  In Abe’s house there was no water. Abe hadn’t drunk water in weeks, nor had Hyzou seen him eat that much. This evening, like always, Abe was passed out. This time, downstairs, though lately he had taken to not even getting out of bed. Just drinking in his attic all day long.

  Abe’s beard was long and unkempt, his clothes were filthy and stained with rice wine. There was a stench in the air.

  Hyzou walked to a backroom in Abe’s house, where his master had stored all his things when Hyzou moved into his shed. There, stuffed into the corner, was a large pot. Hyzou was almost certain it had been taken from the training yard. It looked identical to the ones he had used to get his gruel and water from when he had been under the control of the master.

  Hyzou took the pot with him and walked away from the sty that was Abe’s house, out onto the street. He walked slowly, his muscles screamed with every step. His shoulders were struggling to carry the heavy metal pot. Lucky, then that the well was a short walk away.

  The evening was warm. Very warm. No rain in sight either. Summer was upon Lamybla, and the queue for water was long. The beggars were there, and Hyzou wondered if any of them had noticed that Akaris was gone. Hyzou waited in the heat with the pot resting on his head. The air was stale and it made Hyzou feel sick to breathe it.

  He hadn’t intended to kill Akaris, and still he felt it, like a weight. Hyzou sometimes wondered what Mak would have thought, had he seen Hyzou smash a helpless urchin’s head in behind a tanner’s shop.

  Why did he run? Hyzou thought.

  It was the overriding thought he’d had lately. Why did his father quit the Servants? Was he afraid? Tired? Did he want an easier life?

  It could only have been for a good reason. Mak had known about Hyzou’s visions, and must have sensed Hyzou’s powers, just like Hyzou could sense everyone around him now. How much did it cost him and Aliya to hide him from the Servants? Had Hyzou’s sister been strong too?

  Someone tapped his shoulder, pulling him from his reverie. Hyzou turned.

  It was the daughter of the house of that beershop. She was in the spot behind Hyzou in the line.

  “I almost didn’t recognise you. You look so… different”, she said.

  “Do I? I hadn’t noticed”, Hyzou said.

  She laughed awkwardly.

  “I hope we didn’t do anything to turn you off, you haven’t been around in ages”, she said.

  Hyzou smiled.

  “My master has stopped eating his lunchtime meal, so I eat it instead”, Hyzou said.

  “Your master? You’re a slave?” She asked.

  “Yes.” Hyzou said.

  She stood mouth agape.

  Hyzou bowed, then turned around to his spot in the queue.

  At the front of the line Hyzou paid his disks and then filled his pot. Once finished, Hyzou hoisted the pot up onto the top of his head.

  Hyzou plodded home. He was too tired, and it was too warm, to make any haste. So he took his time.

  At home, Hyzou took the water out to the garden, making sure to step around Abe’s body on the way out. Aliya was sat in the same spot, on her regular stool.

  “Told you I wouldn’t be long”, Hyzou said.

  “It really is far too warm. All these cotton bandages are like living in an oven”, Aliya said.

  “Can I help?” Hyzou asked, as he placed the bucket of water in the sand.

  “These burns will hurt me until I die. It’s just how it is”, Aliya said.

  “I keep thinking, you know, what would have happened if I’d accepted your help when we were in the cart from Piquea”, Hyzou said.

  “Instead, you jabbed your fingers into my burns”, Aliya said. “I remember.”

  “I’m sorry”, Hyzou said.

  “You were right to be suspicious” Aliya said. “I hadn’t gotten used to losing my hair, my face. I thought you might find me familiar. That wasn’t your fault though, I never got to know you as a child. I should have, I should have spent more time with Mygst and his family.”

  “I wish I had spent more time with them too”, Hyzou said.

  “Perhaps I’ve made up for it a bit now, Hyzou. You’ve been a fine pupil”, Aliya said.

  “I have something for you”, Hyzou said.

  “Oh?” Aliya asked.

  But Hyzou didn’t answer. Instead, he went into his shed, to a pile in the corner, at his bedside. Hyzou lifted the old blankets, until he found what he was looking for. He took it with him out into the yard.

  “This is for you”, Hyzou said.

  “Hyzou, I couldn’t take that”, Aliya said.

  “You should. If I die the day after tomorrow, I’ll have no use for it. If I survive, I can always steal some more”, Hyzou said.

  “Is that it all?” Aliya asked.

  “It is”, Hyzou said. “Everything left from the gold I stole from Kyrios Nuya.”

  “I… Thank you Hyzou”, Aliya said.

  Hyzou placed the gold onto her lap.

  “Go somewhere, master. We both know you haven’t got much time left”, Hyzou said.

  Aliya smiled.

  “I’ll return home”, she said.

  “To Uqing?” Hyzou asked.

  “To Uqing. I’ll watch you fight first though, obviously”, Aliya said.

  Hyzou walked to the bucket. First, he took a long drink of the liquid, enough to remove the thirst the day had built up. Then he dunked his head in the cool water. He washed his hands and face and soaked some of the parts of his skin irritated by the training. He undressed, and all over, he washed away the memories of the day. By the time he was done, Hyzou felt clean.

  “All this time, master, and you never asked me where my powers came from”, Hyzou said.

  Hyzou turned around and looked at Aliya. The evening sun fell upon her bandaged face. All this time and Hyzou had not gotten used to her; her bald head, scorched lips, lidless eyes.

  “You were born with them”, Aliya said.

  “No, I mean, you never wondered how I grew so powerful while in Lamybla? I was weak when we spoke in the cart. Then I turn up at Tamarkin’s pottery in touch with my entire Qi”, Hyzou said.

  “You never told me. I never asked. I just knew that a power such as yours in the world without any guidance was a dangerous thing.”

  “You’ve met them, haven’t you? The twins”, Hyzou said

  “I know them. Yes”, Aliya said.

  “Why do they like, Abe? Is it just because he is a Servant of Qi?” Hyzou asked.

  “Abe is no Servant. No more, anyway”, Aliya said

  “I underwent a surgery”, Hyzou said.
r />   “That’s… Hyzou. I would keep that a secret if I were you”, Aliya said.

  “It was the gelding. The Whisperer”, Hyzou said.

  “Humans weren’t created to survive that”, Aliya said. “It’s no wonder you’re such a raw power. If the Qi could help you survive that then I can’t even fathom your power.”

  “When I came out of The Whisperer’s surgery, I noticed something strange”, Hyzou said, before he could stop himself.

  “Oh?” Aliya asked.

  Hyzou thought a little, searching for the right words.

  “Maybe we should have this conversation if you survive the fight. You need your rest”, Aliya said.

  Hyzou breathed deeply, and tried to think of what to say. His body was slowly drying in the air.

  “I was senseless. But I had my Qi, and I could sense the Qi of others too”, Hyzou said. “The Whisperer, he shone brightly, as did his sister, so bright it blinded me with the orange light. The only thing as bright were the mountains, at their top, where the gods sat.”

  Aliya was silent.

  “Vo and The Whisperer. They’re gods”, Hyzou said.

  She shrugged.

  “How old are Vo and The Whisperer?” Hyzou asked.

  “Younger than the others”, Aliya said.

  “Than the other gods. That makes them thousands of years old?” Hyzou asked. “Millions?”

  “Younger than the others”, Aliya repeated.

  “I knew it. She’s Eanno. The God of Prostitution”, Hyzou said.

  “Does it matter, Hyzou?” Aliya asked.

  “I… I’ve had a lot of time to think these past two months. When we weren’t training, I had nothing to do but think”, Hyzou said.

  “You spent the time wondering about the gods?” Aliya said.

  “And the Whisperer. He’s Skuyako, the God of Geldings and Cripples”, Hyzou said.

  Aliya again just shrugged.