“Go ahead,” he said, sniffing the air. “I need to hunt anyway. If I stick around much longer I might decide to eat Eliza since she’s the slowest of the pack.”
Cole heard Eliza shift uncomfortably. He didn’t know enough about Roth to know if he was joking. After seeing what he’d done to Valen’s arm it was entirely possible.
“Excellent!” Alvani clapped her hands together. “Would you like Gale to fly you to your hunting grounds? Perhaps the two of you could hunt together?” Alvani gestured towards her winged companion.
Roth looked at the giant beast, which paused in its preening and chirped to him. “Nah, I’m too heavy. And I’m faster on foot than that thing is in the sky.” He made to walk away, but halted, touching one of his claws to Alvani’s hand. “I appreciate your offer all the same.”
Roth shot off down the path and out of sight. He moved so fast Cole was barely able to register his movement. How was he supposed to be of use to anyone when everyone here could use magic and climb trees faster than he could run on flat land? Whatever lessons were next, he hoped that they involved something less physical, as well as a meal.
Chapter 13
Passions
Alvani opened her arms to the seven, her lavender aura pulsing brighter. “Please, relax. There is no need for such militant formality with me, my dears. Now, to the matter at hand, your hand in particular, Valen. I want you all to make an honest attempt at healing poor Valen’s arm. Brave Storn will go first. Lileth, you are welcome to go last. I imagine you need some time to recover from helping Cole here.”
Huffing, Storn swiped the air with his claws. “All right, but healing’s not my thing. I’m more of a fighter, everyone knows that.”
Sitra flashed Storn a wild smile. “Warrior huh? Is that what you were when Eliza had you pinned under your own foot?”
Storn waved a clawed hand as though shooing a fly. “She’s a female! I couldn’t go all out against her, I’d kill her. And besides, she used her Passion to muddle with my brain. I was distracted.”
“Careful Storn, or else I may decide to heal you of your hubris once more,” Eliza said in her sweet motherly voice.
The entire group laughed, though Valen remained silent. Color drained from him as he started to sway. Storn retorted with a few insults under his breath as he appraised Valen’s arm.
Alvani approached Storn from behind, resting her hands on his shoulders. “Admitting to a weakness gives you strength over yourself, brave warrior. Given your limitations with the healing aspects of Passion, is this a wound that you can mend entirely?”
“No, not even close. My job is to give the wounds, not fix them,” Storn grumbled, sounding more annoyed by the second.
“You understand your limits then. That is valuable. You may not be able to fix this arm entirely, but surely you can help your friend but a little? What if it were just the two of you out on patrol and his life were in your hands? Where would you start?” She gave his shoulders an encouraging squeeze.
“Stop the bleeding I guess. Then he won’t pass out and he could carry himself back.” Storn reached slowly towards Valen’s arms with his dagger-like fingers. Cole noticed now that the black shroud did not extend to his hands like the rest of the group. His claws were much smaller than the others’.
“Storn my dear, your munisica,” Alvani whispered.
“Right. I was getting to that.” Storn closed his eyes and drew a long breath. Air whistled out of his nose and he shrank a few inches as the claws and black skin faded from his fingers and feet. When he opened his eyes, he was noticeably more relaxed. Valen swayed as Storn took his wounded arm into his hands, holding it as one would hold a newborn. Dull rosy light shone from Storn’s fingertips, beaming into Valen’s open flesh. The steady tapping of blood on the leaves slowed to an intermittent dripping. Valen still looked as if barely awake. Storn’s face went from stubborn scowl to genuine worry. “Deekus you’re a healer, come take this thing. I…I’ve done all I can do.”
Storn averted his eyes and withdrew to the back of the group. Deekus walked casually over to Valen, humming softly. Cole stood on his tiptoes, eager to see more of the magic.
A hand brushed the back of Cole’s head. “Cole, if you would join me, please.” He turned around to see Alvani walking towards her flying beast. Reluctantly, he followed close behind. Alvani rummaged through the saddles fastened towards the creature’s hindquarters. Cole stopped several paces away, afraid to get much closer to the massive creature. Its lower-canines were as long as his arm, sweeping up its regal snout like swords.
“Do not fear Gale,” Alvani called, shuffling through the packs. “He will not harm you, though he is eager to meet you.”
Cole stepped towards Gale’s head, hand outstretched. The beast’s amber eyes glinted with human-like intelligence, blinking slowly as if to encourage him. Gale lowered his massive feline head, allowing Cole to make the first contact. Cole rubbed his fingers on the short velvety feathers above Gale’s nose, which was bigger than his two hands put together. Gale rubbed his nose into Cole’s bare chest, shooting him with steamy jets of air as he sniffed and chirped. Cole laughed as prickly whiskers tickled his naked arms.
Alvani emerged from around Gale’s puffy chest, smiling. “He likes you. He’s never met a human before. He finds you intriguing.”
“I’m an Underkin, I came from Costas,” Cole said, staring into Gale’s fiery amber eye.
“Do not worry yourself, you have not broken Roth’s orders. I am old enough to remember what humans feel like, so you may speak candidly with me without breaking any oaths. This is for you, dear one.” Alvani handed Cole a cloth bundle wrapped in twine. “I’m sorry if it is not to your liking, but I do not partake in the flesh of others, and it is all that I have with me.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it.” Cole unwrapped the elegant knot, unfolding the cloth. He was ready to eat a rock. When he pulled back the last flap he had to swallow so he wouldn’t drool all over himself. Inside was a bread-bowl filled with pink cream swimming with tiny seeds. He wanted to thank her for the food, but couldn’t resist his primal urges, and dove right in.
Alvani gave Cole a few minutes to indulge. She pulled her snowy robes tight and sat cross-legged on the ground, leaning back into Gale’s golden feathers. “You have a special soul.”
Cole gulped down a mouthful. “What do you mean?”
“I felt something inside you when I examined your mind. It was ambiguous, yet important. Whatever it was eluded me, yet I felt its power burning in the gaps between your thoughts. It is not mere chance that you are the first human to set foot on Aeneria by your own volition. You flit about as a leaf in the wind, breaking the rules wherever you go.” Her tone was chastising, yet playful. “This is not your first trip to Aeneria. We have felt you with us when you Traveled here before, during Terra’s last two passings. I sense significance written in between the layers of your soul, though I also feel your crushing doubt and sadness. Aeneria is changing. There is a shifting of the balance and you are pinned at the fulcrum. Do not let your doubts shackle you to what you know, for the life that you once held so dear is but a chapter in your story. Before this is over, you will have to destroy yourself and rise anew, or fade into irrelevance. Magic and cleverness alone will not see us through this storm. We have tried it before and failed. There are dark times ahead for us all, though your own trials will be of a shade darker still. Know this, however; you are not alone.”
Cole realized his mouth was hanging open in mid-bite. “I…I don’t know what to say. I don’t feel special or significant or any of those things. To be honest I feel as if I’ve been thrown into this world without any say, and now I’m stuck. I don’t want to fight in a war, I’d be worse than useless. I can’t even go a few hours without something trying to eat or kill me. I’m not made for this world, I’m made for Earth. I’m half the size of you Aenerians and I definitely can’t use magic.” Cole’s voice grew louder as suppressed anger came bubbling up hi
s chest. “How do you know I’m special anyway? Who the hell are you to say that I have to be a fulcrum or whatever? What if I don’t want any of this?”
Alvani remained silent. Sadness bloomed in her eyes as if she too felt all of Cole’s pain and loss. Embarrassed, Cole wished he hadn’t raised his voice. Alvani turned her gaze to the stars, nestling herself deeper into the soft plumage of Gale’s flank. She gestured for Cole to join her on the ground.
“I’ll stand, thanks.” Cole said to the ground.
Alvani let out a sigh, dropping her voice to a gentle whisper: “If it were within my power to send you back to Earth, right this very instant, would you accept?”
“Would I leave? This place is awful! With monsters like Kreed running around, and whatever the hell The Three are supposed to be. Do you even know what they do to people in Costas?” Cole was almost yelling now, picturing Lexy strapped to the tower with hundreds of others. Her woefully defeated face burned in his mind. He felt himself deflate as sadness doused his roaring anger. “No, I wouldn’t leave. Not just yet.”
Alvani offered the seat again. This time Cole accepted. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders, embracing him. He couldn’t tell if it was her magic, or being held by someone who cared, but the weighty sorrow lifted considerably.
“You are quite right. You have been placed here without your consent, and for the moment you are stuck. Another life has been forced upon you.” She pulled him closer, burying his wet face in her shoulder, “But you do have a choice. You don’t have to do any of this. If you choose to stay with us and continue your training, it will be of your own choice. If you choose to leave The Sill never to return, no one will stop you. Gale will take you wherever you please. There are places on Aeneria that The Three have yet to taint.”
Cole pulled back, drying his eyes on what was left of his sleeve. Another feeling rose up inside him, proud and strong. It was a burning desire to act. To save Lexy. He wouldn’t let her die like Joshy. “I choose to stay,” he said, hefting his white dagger. “Don’t think I’ll be much use to anyone though. I can’t do magic, but I’ll learn what I can.”
“I wouldn’t be so certain of that. You have Traveled. Even before the banishing, such a feat required a mastery of Wisdom. You have also dissolved the barrier, which even our brightest and oldest couldn’t hope to do. And when I was inside your mind I felt an empathic bond, which is a powerful and very specific form of Passion.”
“What do you mean I am bonded? I’m not in love with anyone.” His voice trailed off as his thoughts drifted towards Lileth. He knew he didn’t love her, but there was something compelling about her. He flicked his eyes over to the others, noticing her fierce eyes upon him.
Alvani reached out with delicate fingers and ripped off a piece of the bread bowl. “The bond that I am speaking of is similar to the one between Gale and me. You are bonded to another being here on Aeneria. An animal, unless I am mistaken.”
Cole swallowed hard, tearing his eyes from Lileth as Goran’s ruby eyes and white mohawk came to mind. “How can you tell? How would I even know?”
“With an animal, the empathic bond is initiated when one saves the other’s life. It is complete when the other saves the life of the first. There are other requirements, dealing with attunements of the souls, but that happens without your conscious self.” Alvani’s eyes closed halfway as Gale’s chirping turned to a deep rumbling purr.
Cole recalled his adventures with Goran, specifically the battle with the giant tentacle-grub. “It could be Goran. We met my first day here. I saved him from a grub, and he’s saved me a few times at least. How can I tell if I’m bonded?”
“It helps if you close your eyes.” She waited for Cole’s eyelids to meet. “Now picture your friend in your mind’s eye. Not only the physical, but the emotional. Think about how this person makes you feel. Allow this feeling to fill you from the inside out.”
Cole followed her instructions, but it certainly didn’t feel magical. He felt Goran within himself alright, but just in memories. Some were vivid, others vague. He pictured his little saber-tooth fangs, the white tufted mohawk, and the brindle stripes that ran down his flank. He imagined he was out hunting, running through the ferns chasing unwary critters towards his friend. He opened his eyes and found that his teeth were bared. There was something strange happening inside him. He held onto the sensation. “I feel him.”
“Very good, now tell me where he is,” she whispered.
“I… how would I know? He could be dead for-” Cole’s breath caught in his throat as a familiar energy drew his attention, “He’s alive! He’s alive and…I feel him, that way.” Cole pointed off the trail, opposite the others taking turns with Valen’s arm.
Alvani’s eyebrows met in a neat line below her circlet. “How do you know this?”
“I guess I don’t know it, but I feel him,” Cole grinned, giddy with excitement. Goran was alive! “I promise you, he’s definitely in that direction and he’s definitely on his way here. He’s moving so fast!”
Alvani waited with a patient smile, allowing Cole to fully enjoy his revelation. When his eyes came back into focus, she gave him a playful rap on the shoulder. “Still think you ‘can’t do magic’?”
A confused frown straggled against Cole’s mirth. “It doesn’t feel like I’m casting some strange spell or anything. It feels…natural, like tying my shoes or chewing food.”
“That is how it should be. Our magic is felt through the different parts of the soul and brought forth into the physical world.” She lowered her head, staring straight into him. “You, my young Cole, have just consciously performed magic from the school of Passion.”
Her words left him dumbstruck. “I… I still don’t get it. Could you explain more about your magic? Maybe not the finer details, but I feel like I could use a general overview.”
Alvani’s face lit with gentle surprise. “I give you but a taste and now you want the whole feast! You are more like the other students than you think. Very well, a general overview then.” She rubbed her hands together, folding them over her thighs. “At The Sill we concern ourselves with three schools of magic. These schools represent three parts of the soul that resonate with us. There are others, but we will not discuss them yet. First is the school of Passion. Its followers are our healers, artisans, artists, and creators. Passion can also be used to influence the thoughts of others; however, only those with a true moral compass are educated in that field. The cypher that was placed in your mind was not entirely malign, but if he wanted to, Kreed could have caused you great harm. Followers of Passion also connect with other living things. Sometimes this connection is a simple exchange, just a thought. Other times this connection is as severe and intimate as your bond with Goran.”
Cole let himself fall back into Gale’s fluffy belly as a question tickled him. “Why was it such a big deal that Lileth healed me? They’re working on Valen over there and no one is getting upset over that. She saved my life twice. I want to thank her.”
“Let’s just say that her family is none too fond of anyone who shows an aptitude for magic outside of the school of Wisdom. Some of the older families believe that the other schools are responsible for all of the less savory moments in Aenerian history. They are not entirely wrong, but in my eyes a society governed solely by cold logic seems rather bleak. There would be no fire, no flavor in the world. I am very proud of Lileth. Healing you went against her nature and her upbringing. When we found you washed up in the lagoon, I admit that even I thought you were one with the void. Lileth saw something however, and pulled you from death’s clutches without hesitation. In that moment, her proficiency with Passion exceeded even my own. She should be proud and embrace her abilities. Unfortunately, she views her actions through a lens of shame. If you want to show your appreciation, do not speak of it. She may come to you when she is ready.”
Cole frowned, casting Lileth a sideways glance. “I still don’t see why that’s so bad, but I’ll take your adv
ice. I need all the friends I can get here, and I definitely don’t want to make enemies.”
“Very wise. Speaking of Wisdom, shall we move on?” Alvani asked.
“Please!” Cole gushed, imagining himself casting fireballs and shooting lightning from his eyes.
“The followers of Wisdom use their magic to manipulate the physical world around them, changing the properties of mundane material to serve their purpose.” She paused, taking in the look on Cole’s face. “I see a spark in your eye. Are you familiar with Wisdom?”
“My friend Habbad can do stuff with Wisdom. He changed my eyes so I could see in the dark. He also used it to move a sun lily leaf that we used for a boat. Habbad said that once you understand the true nature of something, you can change the rules if you believe in the new rule hard enough. He tried to teach me to freeze water, but I failed.” Cole’s hopes rose. Perhaps Alvani would be a better teacher.
Alvani nodded. “Your friend Habbad seems to know what he’s doing. He would be most welcome to join us, if he is willing of course.”
Alvani plucked a stone from the ground and offered it to Cole. Confused, he accepted it, discovering it had no weight whatsoever. He hefted the rock, but it shot straight up in the air. He snatched clumsily for it, but it was gone.
Alvani watched Cole, amused. “Wisdom has many applications. Masters of Wisdom could Travel to the local planets and interact with the creatures there. Their aim was to quietly observe and learn, while providing gentle nudges to civilizations, guiding them towards advances in technology and society. They would also collect plants and animals doomed to extinction and bring them back to Aeneria, where they could flourish under Oberon’s light. I’ll not speak further on the subject of Wisdom as I do not wish to interfere with your other lessons. Shall we move on to the path of Rage?”
Saving The Dark Side: Book 1: The Devotion Page 21