by D. S. Murphy
“Because she cheated...” Stephanie grumbled. “She wrote everything down in a book.”
“The genie mentioned it,” I said. “The emerald tablet, right?”
“I don’t see how that’s cheating,” Jessie said.
“It’s not a real book, it’s an infinite book. She doesn’t actually have everything memorized, it’s just that she has everything written down, the whole of human knowledge, and can access it.”
“The tablet is a myth,” Heph said. “Probably. Nobody has ever seen it, outside of dreams or visions. Isaac Newton claimed to have translated a page in his alchemical studies, after a Latin version found in 1541. You shall have the glory of the whole world and thereby all obscurity shall fly from you. Its force is above all force. For it vanquishes every subtle thing and penetrates every solid thing.”
“It sounds like the greatest weapon, ever,” Jessie said. “Why aren’t we trying to find it again?”
“It’s just a symbol for esoteric knowledge,” Heph said. “Code for scientific experiments and laboratory studies. Carl Jung allegedly encountered the tablet in a dream at the end of 1912, and began exploring his inner psyche with his Seven Sermons to the Dead.”
“Cool,” I said, raising my hand dismissively. “Can we get back to Isis?”
“She’s just a human,” Mist grumbled. “She’d be nothing without us.”
“The hieroglyph for her name originally just meant female of flesh,” Able nodded. “In other words, a mere mortal.”
“Think of an ant in a magnifying glass,” Heph said. “That much concentrated power, most humans aren’t built for it. They’ll burn up or go mad. And if they don’t, the fury of the gods is legendary. But a few, if they survive long enough, are turned into diamonds by the pressure. Her powers became legendary, and the Egyptians worshipped her as a god.”
“So she must know the spell!” I said. “Any idea where to find her?”
“I imagine she’s still holed up in Egypt,” Stephanie said. “She can’t leave without attracting Hera’s ire. But going there now is out of the question.”
“It’s too dangerous,” Able agreed. “We can’t just send our best troops out to protect you, get drawn up in a battle and lose valuable resources and assets.”
“I can protect myself without an entourage. And I’m not an asset.”
“Unfortunately, you’ve proven you can’t.” Stephanie said. “It’s true you show aptitude, and possibly you could be powerful, if you learned control. When you arrived at Nevah after your little trip down memory lane, how many hunters did it take to overpower you. Three? Five? Zeus knows this. Next time he’ll send more.”
“She tied with two centaurs today in practice,” Jessie said.
“I thought that was pretty impressive,” Sam nodded. “She’s come a long way in a short time.”
“Tied is a bit of an overstatement,” Mist said, with a derisive snort. “Survived is more like it.”
“In a real battle, they won’t line up and attack you one by one,” Able said calmly. “You need to learn to do more with your powers. Until then, you cannot leave Nevah, for your own safety.”
“You’re forbidding me?” I asked.
“I’m protecting you. Tell you what, once you’ve proven yourself capable, we can discuss it again.”
“When will that be?” I asked.
“When you can defeat a hundred torches single-handedly,” Able said.
My mouth dropped open. That was impossible. From two centaurs to a hundred torches.
“How long will that take?” I asked.
“Well that’s entirely up to you,” Able said. “But given your current state of near uselessness, I’d say at least a decade.”
“Ten years?” I asked, standing up quickly.
“Don’t worry, you won’t age while you’re here,” Tori said. “At least much slower than usual.”
“I don’t care about a few wrinkles,” I said, squeezing my fingernails into my palms. “Zeus dropped another barrage of bodies today.”
“Yes, I think he means to make it a daily ritual. Symbolic, somehow, like he can wear us down drop by drop, like water on stone.”
“This isn’t a poetic metaphor,” I said. “Those are real people! 12 a day – that’s... 360 a month.”
“4320 a year,” Heph said.
“Barely a village,” Tori said. “And there are far too many people already.”
“That’s not the point,” I glared, putting my hand on my hips.
“They don’t matter,” Able said. “Not in the grand scheme of things.”
“To them, they do matter.”
“Still, my decision is final. Who knows,” he smirked. “Maybe you’ll learn faster than we expected.”
“Fine,” I crossed my arms. “Just remember, all the training in the world isn’t going to help me, if I can’t undo the spell. That’s the only option. I will not kill Zeus and kill all those people too.”
“Tell you what,” Able said, folding his slender fingers together. The cold sparkle in his eyes matched the glint of his sapphire ring. “Tomorrow we’ll organize a tournament, to simulate an actual battle. That will give you an opportunity to show me what you can do.”
***
It was cold the next day, and gray clouds dampened the morning light. I got dressed in jeans and a black sweater, and pulled on my gloves. It was chilly, even in the halls. For the first time, I wondered whether the mansion had central heating or if the gods just liked the cold.
I stopped to look out the window; down below the ground was frozen and white with frost. I’d woken up late, and the other residents of Nevah were already emerging from the sides of the estate. The roots, traipsing out of their tree fort abodes in the camp. To the right, a long line of torches, dark and rugged, like a line of ants.
And between them, the seekers. They were the most colorful group by far, with a patchwork of different colors; fabrics and clothing from all over the world. For a brief moment, sun broke through the clouds, illuminating the gathering, and I saw their swords – sharpened bits of metal, like a thousand needles pointing towards the house. Towards me.
“I thought this was just a game,” I said at breakfast, rubbing my eyes. “Why are they all armed?”
We’d gathered near the living room with the wide balcony, where we could watch the troops gather together in ranks. The torches lined up in rigid blocks, perfect squares like toy soldiers. The roots, who’d done this before, found their places as well, while the seekers milled around, waiting for instruction. Tori and Stephanie were sipping mimosas, in thin but elegant nightgowns, like it was Christmas morning.
“It wouldn’t be fun without a little danger,” Dion smiled. He was wearing a suit and tie, sprawled on the couch, and looked like he just got back from a night of clubbing. I could have sworn he was wearing eye shadow.
I couldn’t imagine any of them taking part in a competition, with their spotless clothes and elegant poise. But I’d seen them in action. I realized, they were probably bored out of their minds, and looking forward to some sport. For the first time, I realized I might have to fight against them, and shivered.
“What about me?” I asked, picking up a blueberry Danish and refilling my coffee. “Where do I belong?”
“You’ll be with the roots,” Able said, appearing behind us. “Although you aren’t exactly a descendant, in the traditional sense.”
“You don’t have magic of your own, not really, but you also don’t use and harness other people’s magic. Still, you have a supernatural ability, kind of, so you belong with the roots. Sitri will be with you, as a shifter.”
“Can I be with the seekers?” Jessie asked. Able nodded, then placed his hands on Sarah’s shoulders. “Sarah, as an heir, will be with the family.” I started to object, but Alice grabbed my arm.
“We’ll have her guard the flag,” she whispered. “She’ll never be in any danger.”
I looked over at Sarah, and the smile on her face t
ook my breath away. For the first time ever, I realized, she was being embraced by a family. Chosen. I didn’t want to take it away from her.
The sun was high by the time we made it to the field, a massive stretch of flat ground on the side of the house. Sam stood on a golden pedestal with a cone-shaped acoustic horn.
“There will be six matches. Each team will play against each other team once. Scores will be calculated based on speed, style and strategy. The torches and heirs will go first.”
I spotted Curt and Priya on the sidelines along with a few other roots I recognized. I joined them as we watched the heirs move into place. She ignored me at first, but at least she wasn’t yelling. Maybe Curt had already talked to her. There were about a hundred lesser heirs – direct descendants of some powerful god. Behind them stood the family. Some were wearing light armor or holding weapons. Able and Stephanie looked almost dangerously casual, like they were going out for a run, instead of fighting off an army of torches. Dion was helping Tori stretch. Sam was chatting to Sarah. I noticed Heph wasn’t with them, then saw him on the side of the field, helping Alice set up a white tent.
“Med center,” Curt said, nodding towards it.
“But we’re not in any real danger, right?” I asked. My short sword was hanging from a broad belt around my waist.
“Accidents happen,” Priya grinned. “But Alice won’t let anyone die.”
“Great,” I muttered. “Thanks for the reassurance.”
The torches lined up in ten perfect parallel rows of one hundred. In full battle armor, they looked more than intimidating. Puriel was standing with Eligor at the front of the battalion. Even this far across the field, he looked regal. Different from the others. Their arms were dark with the scarred marks of the fallen, wearing gray and silver armor. They looked like zombies, like insects. He was a leech, the only one at Nevah. He looked stronger somehow, and it wasn’t just the sleek, black armor Able had given him. More vibrant, more alive, and yet a dark cloud swirled around him, like the light was sucked out of the sky around his figure. The darkness near him made it seem like his silhouette was lit up from the inside. Most torches became dangerous because they were starved of energy. Maybe the excess power at Nevah was keeping him strong and normal. I hoped that was the case.
“So wait,” I said, “it’s just the six of them, against a thousand torches?”
“Five of them,” Priya said, brushing her dark hair out of her eyes. “Sam is the referee. They used to let him play, but he can just grab the flag and make it back to his own side before the whistle finishes blowing. This isn’t about winning, it’s about providing real combat experience.”
Sam announced the rules, which were simple: get the other team’s flag back to your own side, without killing anyone. If you were dealt what would have been a mortal blow, you had to leave the field. Then he fired a pistol and the game started. The ground trembled, as the torches surged forward as one force. The lesser heirs did their best to stop the flood. They were faster and stronger than I expected. I saw one fight off almost ten torches at once. But the torches were relentless. As soon as one fell, two more filled the gap. The family waited patiently for their turn, and when half the lesser heirs were finished and the torches came streaming through on both sides, Tori and Dion charged forward. Dion with a long bladed staff, and Tori with two short daggers. They stood out like flowers among weeds; Tori in a red costume that trailed behind her like a tail, Dion in plum-colored light armor. They blazed through the oncoming charge, leaving a pile of groaning torches behind them, until they were far into the other side of the field. Their offense had left an opening behind them however, and the torches they missed pressed forward towards the raised platform at the end of the field. At the top was a large yellow banner on a pole.
I saw Able nod towards Stephanie, and I could almost see her smirk as she raised her staff. It flashed with purple light. Then she thrust it forward and a torrent of energy came crushing down on the invaders. The dark energy was transparent, yet took the shape of a giant serpent. She waved it like an enormous ribbon, spinning it around herself in complicated loops, then unleashing it forward in a devastating attack. She walked calmly towards the torches and took down those still standing with her bare hands – darting between their swords and loosing a flurry of chops and kicks.
“It’s so unfair,” I said, crossing my arms. “And it’s not exactly good practice for the torches.”
“There will be more matches,” Curt said. “And this is only the first thousand. I’m sure they drew lots to see who had to go up against the heirs. Plus, it’s not just about practice. This is a chance to show off their power to the new arrivals.”
I held my breath as I watched a battalion of torches sneak around Stephanie and climb up the back steps of the raised platform. Able seemed distracted as they closed in. I wanted to shout a warning. Sarah was standing next to Able, holding the short staff Heph made for her. I’ll admit, it looked formidable, crackling with energy and letting off a light blue glow. Just as the torches prepared to raise their weapons, however, they fell suddenly, gripping their necks.
I looked for the source of the attack and found Mist crouched in the corner of the field, reloading her bow. She must be using some kind of tranquilizer dart instead of arrows. I was so focused on this end of the field, I didn’t even notice Tori grab the flag on the other side. Dion cleared a wide path in front of them and they crossed the midfield line together, waving the yellow flag and ending the game.
“We’re up,” Curt said, gripping the handle of his sword.
“You’ve done this before, right?”
“Sure,” Curt said. “But not for a while. The torches and roots are roughly an even match, so we usually spend days on strategy and planning. But we’ve never played against seekers before, and Able didn’t give us any warning about these games.”
“Just stay back here on defense,” Priya said. “We got this.”
Sam fired a pistol and the game started.
9
The roots surged around me like a stampede, kicking up dust and rocks. I pushed forward, trying to keep up, but it was chaos. The seekers tossed ranged weapons, or distracted with spells and mirages. They were used to guerrilla warfare, not actual combat. Someone threw a Q-bomb and Priya laughed. “They don’t know what they’re doing. Those might work on hunters, but it won’t affect most of us at all.” The seekers cast a wide range of spells. I saw swords lifting themselves, clouds of pink smoke, battle camels breathing fire, and even some light teleportation. The roots meanwhile, were generally faster and stronger, and had centuries of battle experience. Once the magic tricks were exhausted and the roots had used up their bag of tricks, they scattered towards the edges, leaving the field wide open. The roots easily pushed past them.
The seekers weren’t quite finished, however. Around the base of their pedestal, a dozen seekers had set up some kind of perimeter fence, winding what looked like large music boxes. I saw Maddie cranking one, with Jessie at her side feeding her parts. The boxes emitted a high pitched whine. Maddie chanted a spell, generating a wide glowing circle with runes and figures, projecting forward and extending fifty feet in all directions. Ten such devices formed a nearly impenetrable wall. As the roots pounded against it, the remaining seekers began to creep into our territory, challenging our defense.
I ducked through the mass of bodies, my eyes wide looking out for the shiny swords, the din of battle ringing in my ears. I wanted to help, but every time I reached for a thread it moved; people were ducking and running everywhere, and it was difficult to pick out the threads of the roots from the seekers when we were all packed together. The threads of the roots were a little bit brighter, they stood out, which made it even harder to narrow in on the less conspicuous human threads. Every time someone blocked my path I grabbed their thread and walked around to the other side of them, slingshotting my way forward. But I could only handle two threads at a time.
A battle mage cast a spell
, and suddenly there were a hundred of him, pressing the offense forward and keeping the roots on defense busy. The clones seemed solid enough to land real blows, but didn’t take any damage. It took me a while to find the mage’s thread. When I pinched it, the mirages vanished and he was easily taken out by a girl riding a fire-breathing unicorn. It made me feel a little less useless.
I saw a glimmer near the edge of the field, and realized it was Priya, nearly invisible against the foliage behind her. She nodded at me and pointed towards the front, where our troops were still stuck against the magical barrier. My eyes widened as I realized her plan. If I could take out one of the seeker shields, she’d be able to sneak in and grab the flag. I moved forward again, as close as I dared, and focused on the pair of seekers casting the shield at the edge of the field in front of Priya. When she was in position, I raised my arms and grabbed both of their threads at once. They froze, and the glowing shield flickered, then disappeared. Priya darted through the opening and took out both seekers. Once the other roots realized what was happening, they surged around the newly created opening, overwhelming the row of seekers and quickly taking out the rest of the force field.
I felt a sharp blow to my ribs, and turned around to see Taylor grinning at me, with a dagger pressed up against my side.
“Nice trick,” he said with a smile. “But you’re done.”
“I was getting bored anyway,” I said. “Besides I think this match is about over.”
My confidence was a front, however. Secretly, I was shaken by the battle. We stood together watching as Priya grabbed the flag and climbed onto Curt’s back – he’d shifted into full centaur form, and though a few courageous seekers stood in his path casting charms, he charged through them until he’d crossed the midfield and won the game.
Priya and Curt got high-fives and hugs from the other roots, while I stood awkwardly at the side. Nobody seemed to realize what I’d done for the team, which was fine by me. I found Heph on the sidelines and joined him and Alice.