“What happened?”
“Someone stole it and I’ve been unable to find it,” Henry muttered, his foul mood hung around him like a fog. He gestured to the small bed. “I’ve been sleeping in here ever since. But the culprit hasn’t tried again.”
“Is that why you brought me here? I’m sure we can get Corin’s help.”
Henry’s expression darkened at the sound of the God of Justice’s human name.
“So that’s what he wants to be called?”
“Henry, what is your problem? The God of Justice isn’t dead! It’s good news for the realm!” Sade exclaimed.
Henry blew off some dust from the God of Death’s statue.
“Don’t you find it odd? I mean why-” Henry sneezed before he continued. “Why now? He’s supposedly been hiding for a hundred years in the mortal realm after a war between the Gods. I have heard nothing about a war from the Goddess of Spring.”
“He hasn’t been forthright with that information, but he’s a God! There are some things we are not meant to understand!”
“And another thing, why does his magic have to replenish? He’s a God and should have no problem accessing it!”
“Well, perhaps he went to war with the God of Magic and now he can’t access it!” Sade shook her head and started for the door. “If you just want to argue with me then I’m leaving.”
“Sade, I’m sorry. I don’t want to argue with you, but I’m afraid he might be a false God,” Henry said slowly.
Sade whirled around and nearly tripped on her cloak. She righted herself then pointed at the God of Justice’s statue.
“That statue would not glow unless the God of Justice wanted it to,” she snapped. “Did you not see the rune he conjured out of thin air? I don’t know of any Vestrals who can do that! His magic tore through a dispel rune like it was nothing!”
“Then why the army of unrefined outside the village?” Henry asked as he folded his arms; there was a slight glow in his eyes. Sade took a breath to calm herself, she did not need to ignite the ire of the Goddess of Spring.
“Those are just people drawn to the God of Justice’s light,” Sade said.
“Bullshit! I don’t know what you are planning Sade, but it cannot be good if you are gathering wild magic users. Why are you trying to cause a war in the middle of a famine?” Henry was shaking with anger. His face turned bright red, but the glow in his eyes remained the same.
“We are not trying to cause a war,” Corin’s voice said from the doorway.
Sade bowed her head with reverence as he entered the room. The sweet feeling of divine magic filled her senses and she let herself relish in it for a moment before she turned her attention back to Henry.
“Then what in the hell are you planning on doing?” Henry snapped. His posture tensed when Corin drew near.
“Things that do not concern you, Vestral to the Goddess of Spring,” Corin said smoothly as he brushed a hand against his statue. The runes flared brighter for a heartbeat before they returned to their soft glow. He clasped his hands behind his back and he glanced at Sade.
“I thought you said he wouldn’t be a problem.”
“I didn’t know asking a question would turn into such an issue,” Henry muttered and glared at his boots.
“It is when you question the will of a God,” Corin said and then took a bite from a piece of bread laying on the Goddess of Spring’s altar. The statue depicted a woman smiling as she held up a budding flower.
Henry’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t say a word while Corin made his rounds around the shrines, nabbing bits from the altars like he was testing Henry. Sade’s stomach churned to see the altars of the Gods demeaned in such a way, but Corin was right. She had no place to question the actions of a God. Perhaps they had an odd sense of humor?
“I will let you in on a little secret, Henry,” Corin said and tossed him a coin he had nabbed from the God of War’s altar. “That High Vestral of yours is one of the most corrupt people in this kingdom. Make of that what you will, but I am afraid I must ask my Vestral to come with me.”
“It’s time?” Sade’s stomach churned again.
“Yes, they are ready to begin the Rite.”
Henry’s eyes widened with alarm. “Which one? The Rite of Possession? The Rite of Purifying?”
Corin snorted. “No, the Rite of Attunement. Since the High Vestrals in every kingdom have decimated my shrines and scattered my Vestrals across the damn continent, I’m having Sade make new ones.”
Henry ignored him and gave Sade a pleading stare.
“Sade you know how dangerous the Rite is!” he exclaimed. “Have you ever done it before?”
“No, but we have a scroll,” Sade said as she tried to sound confident.
“Sade, you could kill people if you do this wrong! Binding a person to divine magic is extremely dangerous!”
“Enough!” Corin stormed over and grabbed Henry by the collar of his tunic. “If you continue to sow seeds of doubt into my Vestral, I will escort you to God of Death’s halls myself. The only reason you are alive is because of her, but my patience is wearing thin. Go tend to your flock, Henry.”
With that Corin grabbed Sade by the elbow and led her out of the temple. She didn’t dare glance back at Henry, but she could feel his magic churn around him like a storm.
“You know he is going to notify the High Vestral,” she said and Corin smiled.
“That is exactly what I want him to do. In fact, he’s already sent three letters of varying degrees of urgency. I expect this last one will do the trick if she already hasn’t mobilized.”
Sade started to ask how he knew that, but thought better of it when he handed her a scroll. She glanced at it and shuddered when she saw the seal for the Rite of Attunement.
“Sade, I know this may seem daunting, but you are the only one I trust with this,” Corin said, he gently patted her on the back.
“I could kill people,” Sade whispered. Long buried memories of her own attunement danced in her thoughts. She remembered little except for glowing runes and never-ending pain. “Most of them are adults, I was a mere child when I was attuned, and I barely survived it.”
“If you don’t do it, the kingdom will perish under the tyrannical rule of the High Vestral,” Corin said as they walked out the village gates. A crowd of around a hundred people stood waiting in a small field not too far from the village in case they needed help, but far enough the screams would be muffled. A few tents were scattered in the forest around them. Among them, somewhere, were Attrius and Leida.
They were surrounded by torches that had the rune of the God of Justice carved into them. On one end of the field was a small platform with a chair and table for Sade to observe them. Normally, each person would be sequestered in their own chamber, but the tents were not strong enough to hold up in the event the magic collapsed. This way Sade would have a chance to pull them out of the circle if something went wrong.
They bowed when Corin approached, and while most looked eager, some looked rather uneasy. Sade didn’t blame them; most people did not understand how attunement worked and would run screaming if they knew what it entailed. Since they were already partially attuned to divine magic, however, she hoped they would survive the Rite.
“Let us begin,” Corin said and Sade unrolled the scroll.
THE RITE OF ATTUNEMENT was usually a three-day process, but since the unrefined in the group had some affiliation for a different God, she had to add in a fourth day to remove the other Gods presence. This would be the easiest day.
Sade held up her rune for the God of Justice while the group of people in front of her knelt and allowed the magic of the God of Justice to flow through them.
“God of Justice, we relinquish all ties to any Gods or Goddess we unknowingly had ties to, and from this day forth we swear to follow you for all the days of our lives.”
They repeated it over and over, the hum of magic filling the air. Various colors swirled around them and the w
eak connection they had with the other Gods was broken. A few people swayed, but no one fell to the ground.
Sade darted a glance at a combination rune she had carved into the table; pink and ice blue magic swirled in the grooves. She was checking to see if anyone in the group was having issues. For now, the magic looked calm and gave Sade no cause for alarm.
Her arms were aching as she held her divine rune over her head. She’d been standing there since dawn, and now the sun was setting. The glow from the runes on the torches and her rune cast an eerie glow onto the surrounding trees. Corin paced around the outside of the circle, in a normal Attunement Rite, his magic would be invisible, but it danced on his cloak like tiny streaks of lightning.
He sent out a wave of magic, blowing away all the colorful sparks that danced in the crowd. He turned to Sade and gave her a thumbs-up. She sighed with relief and she shoved her rune back into her pouch.
“Congratulations, you have survived the first day,” Sade shouted, and the crowd responded with a cheer before they scattered to their encampments. Sade sat down and stared at the lines on the scroll she had placed on the table beside the rune, which was anchored with rocks to keep the wind from blowing it away.
“Sade!”
She looked up to see Esmelda, Jerrick and Henry running toward her from the direction of the village. She stood up at once, looking around for any danger.
“What’s wrong?” She asked Esmelda, she noticed tears were streaming down Esmelda’s face and Jerrick looked terrified.
“We can’t find Devin,” Esmelda said, her eyes bright with panic.
“I haven’t seen him, I made sure there were only adults in the crowd,” Sade said with a smile, but Esmelda and Jerrick were staring beyond her with pure horror on their faces.
Of course, nothing can ever go right. This was a bad omen.
“Momma, Poppa! Look! The runes are so bright!”
Sade drew in a breath and closed her eyes, when she opened them, she turned around to see Devin standing dead center in the circle. He was giggling at the runes in the torches as the magic within them flared.
She wished a hole would open in the ground underneath her.
“It’s not too late? You only removed the other Gods’ presences, right?” Jerrick asked as Henry looked on in the background, his expression unreadable. His hands were clenched at his sides. “We can take him home?”
Sade wanted to reply, but her tongue felt like it were made of stone. It was too late to remove him.
“Sade?” Esmelda asked and she grabbed onto her shoulders.
Sade could barely look her in the eye while she shook her head. Jerrick pulled Esmelda into his arms as she started weeping.
“This part of the Rite imbues a bit of the God of Justice’s magic into him. If we stop the process now, he will either go mad within a year or his body will reject the magic and he will die,” Sade whispered.
“Do not fear, Esmelda, I will do everything in my power to ensure the boy is safe,” Corin said as he walked onto the platform. “Remember, there is a chance the attunement will not take, and he could resume his life unharmed.”
“But what if he doesn’t? My boy could die!” Esmelda shouted.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Henry said. The runes on his cloak cast a soft glow around him. Something had changed in his face, Sade wasn’t sure what, but it felt dangerous.
Sade started to protest, but Corin held up a hand.
“Why?”
“Because you and Sade have to continue the Rite; there is no way you can watch him alone with everyone else.” Henry pointed at the rune Sade had carved into the table. “Even with that, you can’t help him if things go poorly.”
“Please, I’ll do anything! I’ll make runes for your followers for free,” Jerrick pleaded as Esmelda clung to him. “Just get my son out of this alive.”
“I will do everything in my power, sir,” Henry said. He hopped off the platform and motioned for Devin to leave the circle. He knelt and talked to him. Esmelda and Jerrick followed.
“You cannot touch him. He is imbued with raw magic, and anyone who is not trained will suffer incurable injuries,” Corin said. His voice oozed calm and Sade felt a soft magic swirl around the couple. “It’s also safer for you in town. I will report to you myself of your son’s progress,” he said. He motioned for them to follow him back to the village as he continued to reassure them their son would be safely returned to them.
Sade turned her attention back to Henry and Devin as he continued to talk to the boy. Henry glanced at her for a heartbeat, his expression ice cold, before he rose and gently tapped Devin on the head.
She rolled up the scroll, ignoring the blanket of shame that swelled within her. She wanted to fling the damn thing into the forest, but it was too late and she had no choice but to continue.
THE SECOND DAY WAS not as pleasant as the first. Her nose scrunched up as she mixed a putrid concoction of various plants and tonics that was meant to not only cleanse the body but prepare it for the onslaught of magic it was about to receive. Henry stood near her, but he hadn’t said a word to her and only talked with Corin. His gaze never left Devin’s tiny figure huddled near the edge of the circle. Once the potion reached the point she could barely breath in the smoke without retching, she poured it into small bowls that Henry and Corin passed out to the crowd.
“Gods above what is this?” She heard Attrius cry out. “It smells like dog shit!”
The sounds of people vomiting filled the air as they drank from the bowls. Corin sent a blast of cleansing magic through the crowd, turning the vomit to ashes, which blew away in the gentle breeze. Henry raised an eyebrow at him then turned his gaze back to Devin, who was staring at his bowl with disgust.
“I’m not a monster who leaves people to suffer in their own vomit,” Corin said, “unlike those who do it the ‘proper’ way.”
“I am always thankful to the Gods that I passed out during my attunement. When I awoke, I was clean,” Henry replied, glancing at Sade. “Do you remember anything from yours?”
“Bits and pieces,” Sade said, shoving away the memories that threatened to well up within her. She needed to concentrate and not cast self-pity on herself.
THE THIRD DAY WAS WHEN the screaming started.
Sade once again held up the rune for the God of Justice. She channeled the magic Corin was casting outside the circle. The magic flew out of the rune and orange sparks danced over the group’s clothes. Some covered their heads and curled into balls on the ground while others tried to leave the circle. But they were shoved back by the magical barrier fueled by Corin’s magic. Others looked to be unaffected by the magic swirling around them and looked at their squirming comrades with horror and pity.
Sade tried to see where Devin was, but the chaos in the circle made it impossible for her to pinpoint him. She could hardly see Henry standing at the North edge of the circle, his bright red hair looking like fire as it reflected the orange glow around him. She sent out a trail of magic and found him to be calm. Almost too calm.
“All right Sade, I think that is enough magic,” Corin said as he moved beside her. Sade looked at the swirling rune on the table; it showed no sign of anyone in immediate danger.
“I will be going to visit with Esmelda and Jerrick, Henry says Devin is doing well,”
Sade nodded and tugged her cloak tight around her as she sat in the chair. The group could not leave the circle until tomorrow evening.
Her eyes drooped as exhaustion flooded through her. Even though it was not her magic she was directly channeling, funneling the amount of magic needed to attune everyone was taking a toll on her body. She reached for her waterskin and dropped it when she heard a bloodcurdling scream from the center of the circle. The magic in her rune on the table flared. She jumped off the platform but skidded to a halt at the very edge of the circle.
The crowd parted so she could see a man crumpled on the ground. His skin had turned a fiery orange as the magic b
urned him from the inside out. He held out a hand towards Sade, his body dissolved into ashes until not even his tunic remained.
The crowd in the circle panicked and more began throwing themselves at the magic barrier over and over. Sade shook off her shock before she summoned a rune of calm from her pouch and sent the magic into the circle.
“Good people, please remain calm,” Sade shouted.
“Rosca just died!” a woman shouted.
“He wasn’t strong enough to commit his full body and mind to his God! If you do not calm down now, you will suffer the same fate!” Sade poured more magic into her rune; the crowd quieted some. It didn’t take long for the screaming to resume. More people fell to the ground and the God of Justice’s magic continued attuning.
She made her way back to the platform; she didn’t dare look at Henry. She hummed a lullaby, trying to drown out the sounds of the people in the circle.
THE DAWN OF THE FOURTH day, the group of hopefuls was silent. This was the most dangerous phase. They laid quietly on the ground; the only movement was the rise and fall of their chests as they breathed. Despite their languid outward appearance, a storm of magic raged within them. Their souls were being intertwined with the God of Justice’s magic. They were being reforged so he could speak through them if he wished.
Sade drummed her fingers against her knee as she sat on the step of her platform. Henry had not moved at all from his spot outside the circle, his gaze was solely focused on Devin, who had thankfully survived the night, unlike some who had quietly been reduced to ashes. Attrius and Leida were still alive, and both lay in quiet slumber.
“You’ve done well,” Corin said, he’d been sitting beside her since moonrise “Last I counted, only twenty-five souls have been taken to the God of the Dead.”
Twenty-five souls. Sade shuddered and bile rose in her throat. Corin placed a hand on her arm and gently squeezed it.
“Do not worry; they will receive the highest places of honor in the afterlife for their sacrifices,” Corin said his gaze darkening as he watched Henry. “How is the boy?”
The Spirit of the Realm Page 23