“Big changes indeed, Storn.” Alvani caught a falling flower in her delicate fingers. “We don’t believe these events are merely coincidence. Dark times are fated for us all. We must stand united so that we do not fall into the same traps as before.”
“Even we elders will have to bend our nature to adapt,” Roth growled. Flowers landed in his bladed hair, giving him a terrifyingly beautiful wreath on his bloody head. “It does no good to have the strength of a mountain if you fall prey to Hunger and Fear. All three fires must burn within each of us. When one is snuffed out, the others must burn all the brighter.” Roth sneezed, scaring a few nearby soul flies with the concussing boom. “I say this, but I must admit that I revel at the chance to use my Rage against our enemies. As should all of you.”
“Rage certainly has its place, Rothael,” Chiron agreed, gazing at a few garnet soul flies looping around his head.
Cole suppressed a shameful feeling that cropped up from somewhere behind his curiosity. How much was he to blame for all of the evil that now plagued Aeneria? He destroyed the barrier, which allowed the Domina to cross over. If Chiron hadn’t been distracted by the Domina by the lagoon, he would have been able to watch over Deekus and save him. He even felt he was somehow responsible for the return of the soul flies, which were probably even now being tortured and fed upon elsewhere.
His curious guilt was interrupted by a sudden change in the soul flies. All at once, the glinting orbs fell from Deekus’s tree. Hundreds of them swirled around the base, rising gradually back towards the stars like a tornado made of rainbows. The river formed again. Cole could see the dust drifting from them as they shot up into the sky. The glittering substance formed a hazy cloud high above, drifting slowly and steadily towards Oberon, which was blazing anew with fresh hues.
Chapter 18
Reunited
Deekus’s death left Cole diminished and withdrawn over the next few weeks. His guilt mingled with his longing for home, sinking him into a quagmire of his own dark thoughts. After lessons he would retreat to his room and sleep in hopes of waking up back on Earth. Not only did he wake up in his tree every time, but he didn’t even dream about Earth anymore. The demanding lessons consumed his waking hours and spilled over into his sleeping thoughts. Cole made infrequent progress, though it never seemed to amount to anything besides the occasional happy accident.
With Chiron’s guidance he developed a tenuous level of control over his Wisdom, though the lessons never got any easier. Chiron assaulted his mind so often that Cole eventually stopped resisting altogether, which left him mentally raw and drained for the rest of the day. The hard part was determining when Chiron was inside his head. The elder had a way of disguising his presence as one of Cole’s own thoughts, tantalizing and distracting Cole while stealing memories or taking control of his limbs. Cole would have given up on the school if not for one aspect that worked with increasing reliability. He kept two stones on his bedside table. Most nights, if he wasn’t too tired, he was able to shift a bit of heat from one to the other.
Roth’s lessons increased in brutality as Cole proved himself little by little. Roth had them fight each other, hunt wild animals, move immense objects, and even fight him. Each lesson only served to remind Cole that if he were ever confronted by an actual threat, he had best run away or have a few friendly spell-casting giants nearby. Despite his relative physical handicaps, Roth never give him an inch of tolerance for his small size. He would hit Cole with the same force he used on everyone else. If it crippled him or broke his internal organs, then it gave someone else a chance to use their Passion to heal him. Though the physical training hardened him into better shape, Cole was unable to summon any form of Rage. He remained just as delicate as the day he arrived. But he would definitely make first cut in basketball tryouts at the very least.
Alvani’s lessons always followed Roth’s, the reason being that the students often nursed terrible injuries that required her expertise. Her lessons were most welcome after Roth’s, and Cole took to Passion a little easier than the other schools. He may not have been able to heal so much as a scratch, but he was bonded with Goran, something no one else had achieved save for Alvani and her Gale.
In the evenings when alone in his room, Cole was not entirely alone. He spent a good amount of time experimenting with his bond with Goran. He found he was able to communicate certain things with his friend, such as brief thoughts and feelings. Goran even initiated the communication sometimes, presenting Cole with a kill he was proud of. Cole didn’t recognize the creature, but it seemed much larger than something a twenty-pound animal should be able to take down. Goran was different somehow, as if there were more of him.
Eventually the novelty of a magical city full of aliens wore off entirely. To break up the monotony of his routine, Cole stopped by the markets on the way back from his lessons. Most of the merchandise was unidentifiable, and the locals scoffed at him at every turn. Cole had never known what it was like to be the target of bigotry. It didn’t bother him overmuch as the prejudice was founded on the premise of him being an Underkin, though it did make things inconvenient. He was denied entrance to certain places and completely ignored when he asked for directions or information. He went to bed hungry on more than one occasion after being physically removed from various establishments. Storn was helpful during lessons, but after hours he was usually too busy to accompany him.
Cole was able to persuade one shopkeeper to sell to him, however. The rude man at the clothing store had him duck in after-hours so Cole could pick up food and supplies, to include a straight razor and a mirror that could stretch to almost any size. He could feel scraggly patches of stubble running wild over his cheeks, and could only imagine how foolish he looked.
One evening after shaving his face he set his mirror against the wall and stretched it as tall as he could, examining the rest of his body. Unexpected pride shocked him from his usual melancholy. His belly no longer hung over his belt line. His stomach was quite flat, though he lacked any sort of definition. Overall he thought he looked shapeless. Even Eliza had more muscle than he did, though he conceded that skinny was better than chubby. He twisted, running his fingers over his ribs and protruding hip bones. Had his head always been so large? He thought of Valen and how he looked in his swim-wear. Cole promised himself he would start eating more. Perhaps Storn knew some exercises that would bulk him up.
Along with the clothing store, another place he could frequent without issue was the library. There was no check-out system, but Cole always returned the books he borrowed. He’d never been a big reader back at home, but he found reading through the Aenerian language cypher immensely satisfying. There were dozens of volumes on Aenerian history, but even on an alien planet with all its magic and wonder, the subject bored him into a stupor. Cole mainly focused on the books that depicted tales of ancient heroes and their adventures. One night while curled up over an epic about a Wisdom Walker who single-handedly ended a local planet’s war, a soft knocking at his door interrupted him.
Cole shot out of his chair, nearly drawing his dagger before forcing himself into a calm. Roth’s lessons had him on edge. If a visitor meant him harm they likely wouldn’t announce their presence first.
“Um, Come in?” Cole said to the door.
The door stretched slightly as Lileth’s massive head popped through. Her raven hair was freed from its usual bonds and fell in smooth curtains beside her face. She had a broad smile on her face.
“Lileth!” Cole blurted, hastily tossing his dirty clothes into his closet. “What are you doing here?”
“You’ve lived at The Sill for most of the month, yet every night you shut yourself away,” she said, eyeing his personal effects with interest. “I thought I might convince you to see a part of The Sill other than the library and your bedroom.”
Cole took a step towards her, smashing his bare foot against his bedpost. With an effort he kept the pain off his face. “That sounds great, really. Do you want to
come in and sit?” He pulled out his chair, which might have been big enough to hold her foot.
Lileth eyed the tiny chair, “It is a bit too…cramped in here for me. I shall wait outside for you.”
“Right, okay.” Cole blushed, pushing the chair with a bit too much force and sending it crashing under his desk. He strode away, attempting to make his blunder appear intentional. “I’ll be right out.”
“Cole,” she said, still smiling.
“Yeah?”
“Be sure to change that shirt before you come outside.” The door popped as her head disappeared.
He pulled at the hem of his torn shirt. It was still stained with blood from Roth’s lesson earlier that the day. After a quick wash in his laser-shower he pulled out his meager selection from his wardrobe. Unsure of the rules of Aenerian fashion, he decided upon an outfit he had yet to accumulate any stains on.
When Cole emerged from his room Lileth was nowhere to be found. Had she grown tired of waiting for him?
“Up here.” She laughed from above.
Cole looked up to see a sun lily leaf descending smoothly from the canopy. Lileth perched herself cross-legged in the center. She wore a flowing dress of chestnut brown, with a silvery chain coiled tight around her arms and waist. Her appearance was a stark contrast to her usual cloth armor and shoulder-cape, especially with the sprig of pine needles she’d fastened behind her ear.
“Where are we going?” Cole asked, jumping out onto the leaf. He wished he knew how to make objects fly. He would like to carry someone else for a change.
“I’ve seen the look of longing on your face whenever we pass the Arts District. I thought you might enjoy a tour.” Her hair whipped behind her as the leaf surged forward. “Also, it is the eve of the house of Allias. We are leaving the house of Pastori tonight and I want to show you our sunrise. It is quite breathtaking, especially now that the soul flies have returned.”
Cole was taken aback. Until now no one other than the elders had shown much interest in him. “Thank you Lileth, this means a lot. I don’t socialize much outside of lessons. People don’t like Underkin around here.”
Lileth placed a glowing finger over his boot. Cool relief replaced the throbbing pain of his stubbed toes. “That is true, but they are blinded by their bigotry. Most have never seen an Underkin before. If they looked but a little closer they would realize they have still yet to see one.”
“What do you mean?” Cole asked, averting his eyes.
“I’ve seen you before. Or part of you I should say. You are no Underkin.” She gave him a serious look.
“I’m not supposed to tell anyone!” Cole pleaded. He’d be in serious trouble if that secret slipped out. “Roth said he’d break my arms if I said anything!”
“Roth would not want you to reveal your secret,” she said, lifting her gaze up to the sky, which Cole only now noticed was slightly brighter. “Since I already know your secret, you are revealing nothing.”
“It was the meadow, right? That was you?” Cole asked, remembering his dream back on Earth.
“Yes. I had my suspicions, but after healing you so many times I recognized your essence. You brought the soul flies to that meadow. It was the most wondrous thing I had ever seen, and it came at a time when I needed it the most. I was in a very dark place and my heart was sick. I went into the forest to lose myself forever. Then you came from the sky. You found me in that meadow and gave me a candle to find my way.” She locked eyes with Cole, giving him a warm smile.
“I remember you,” he said, inching closer. “I remember your eyes mostly. I could feel pain inside them. I wanted to help.”
“You certainly did, and for that you have my gratitude. I would not be here today if not for you.” Her tone was light, but Cole knew the sentiment was serious.
Silence fell between them. Cole decided now was as good a time as any to breach the subject. “Is that why you keep saving my life? Are you trying to pay me back?”
Lileth’s face hardened to an emotionless mask. “I owe nothing to anyone other than myself. I healed you because it was the right thing to do. Any decent person would have done it.”
“I don’t know much about your magic, but I do know what you did to me was serious. Alvani herself said she couldn’t have healed me, and she’s a master of Passion. Where I come from, saving a life is a good thing no matter how you look at it. I know it’s a touchy subject for you, but I just want you to know I appreciate it.” He swallowed and chanced another question: “Why were you able to save my life but unable to heal Valen’s arm? I was hurt way worse than he was when I fell from the tree.”
“Could you explain how you were able to heal me in that meadow?” she asked.
Cole, thought about it, then shook his head. “No way. I just sort of felt my way through it.”
“I thought as much. The arts of Passion are as foreign to me as they are to you. I, too, am trying to feel my way through it.” She cast a sideways glance at Cole.
Cole thought she knew more than she was saying. He held his tongue though. He appreciated her company and didn’t want to push her away with his prying.
“Do not worry yourself over it,” she said, giving him a playful elbow. “Tonight is not a night for learning and heavy talk. Tonight is a night for enjoying yourself. So find some joy, won’t you?”
The leaf hissed to a stop on the wet grass outside the Arts district. Fast-paced music thumped under the pale sunrise, instilling Cole with an energy he couldn’t explain. The district itself was a maze of tall stone buildings that stood out from the surrounding trees. The variety of colors on display was a welcome change compared to the earthy tones he was accustomed to. Ribbons hung between windows, and paper statues dangled on wires set between the buildings, each lit by tiny gratia stones in their centers. Fat beetles hummed overhead, bombing from tree to tree and blinking acid-green with the music. The people were noticeably friendlier, some even giving him a smile or a nod.
He followed Lileth to an open square where crowds were gathering around two women carrying heavy baskets. Lileth guided him up a set of stairs where they watched from a balcony. Each woman opened her basket and pulled out a long ribbon made of what looked like liquid metal. They walked in a circle opposite each other, their ribbons billowing far behind them, seemingly unaffected by gravity. Without a word they clapped their hands above their heads and their ribbons exploded with magic. One ignited with violent orange flames and the other shimmered into a glinting snake of pale-blue ice. The crowd took a collective step back, not wanting to touch either ribbon. The two women began a dance, still clutching their ribbons. From the balcony Cole thought they looked like a pair of serpents fighting each other. They twisted and jumped to incredible heights, using the entire square as their stage. They ran up the handrail of Lileth’s and Cole’s balcony, leaving a helix of orange and white dust in their wake.
Lileth tugged at Cole’s sleeve. “Come, there is much to see.”
Begrudgingly, Cole tore his eyes from the dueling women, admiring their athleticism. “Could we get some food soon?” he asked, remembering his promise to eat more.
“Of course. There are vendors throughout the district. I’m sure we’ll find something to your liking,” she said before descending the stairs.
They walked through an arched alleyway of flowering vines, passing by a group playing wind instruments. They sang a mournful melody about swimming with your lover under Oberon’s glow. Cole was suddenly reminded of Lileth’s hands on his bare chest back in the lagoon. The incident was purely professional of course, but he couldn’t deny the part of him that had enjoyed the touch. He looked up at her, reveling at how the passing lanterns played across the angles of her face.
They stopped by a few vendors, each selling tasty wares from a cart. Cole didn’t recognize any of it and in some cases couldn’t tell if it was plant or animal. He experimented with some fried deka seeds, gradually broadening his selections as each treat left him wanting more.
/> With their appetites sated and thirsts quenched, they wound deeper into the Arts district. Everywhere they went people were creating something. There were Aenerians with charred faces and heavy aprons working with molten glass and metal. They passed a set of podiums on which people stood and took turns speaking in rhymes. They couldn’t go more than a few minutes without finding someone slouched over a tree branch or leaning against a building, rolls of parchment scattered around them as they put quill to paper. In another square towered an ornate ruby obelisk. Passersby would stop on a whim to pick up a leftover tool and climb up to a naked spot and start carving.
“People may stop to work on the obelisk for a few minutes or a few months, depending on what they are feeling,” Lileth said, seeing the questions burning in Cole’s eyes. “There is one woman near the top who has been there my whole life. No one knows her name, though it has become customary to bring her food and clothes.”
Just as with the duelists dancing with fire and ice, Lileth had to pull Cole away from the sight when he picked up a chisel. Half dragging him from the square, she meandered onto a rooftop walkway, leading them towards a source of peculiar lights and sounds. The rooftop path brought them to the edge of an amphitheater which sat below them in descending concentric circles. In the middle was a stage filled with actors in plain white robes, working through their scenes. There were people scattered about, sitting on pillows and gazing not at the actors, but every which way, as if they saw things Cole couldn’t. The entire theater was covered in a thick amber cloud. Voices and lights exploded from the haze at various spots, though they seemed muffled and distant. The spectators were enthralled, gasping, laughing, or crying out in unison. Cole couldn’t figure out what was so interesting. The actors seemed like they were doing a decent enough job, though no one was looking at them and they didn’t say a word.
Lileth walked over to a rack set on the edge of the theater. She pulled off a pair of beaded necklaces, offering one to Cole. “Here, put this on.”
Saving The Dark Side: Book 1: The Devotion Page 30