I nodded. That was one thing I’d left unchanged. I wasn’t about to pass Daimin’s blame over to Lotholio. I had failed to protect Daimin’s family during the eclipse, and he largely remembered that as it had happened. Instead of me being a god at the time, he remembered it as me having volunteered to protect the Urisk during the eclipse.
“What do you plan next?” I asked.
Alliances and trade, Lotholio wrote. It will take time to develop the relationships with the other races; so many of them have shunned us for so long, but I believe that with time, we will be successful.
I smiled. “With you leading the Urisk, I know you’ll be successful.”
Lotholio’s eyes shimmered in a happy pattern. I owe this all to you, Vincent. Had you not helped me return to the Bright Side all those years ago, I shudder to think of what would have happened to my people.
“Well, they’re lucky to have you,” I said. “I know you’re busy, and I need to head back. I just wanted to check in. You take care of yourself.”
And you, Vincent Corinthos.
I left the cathedral and walked out of the city, Aegeon opening for me without a word. I walked for a while, noting just how long it took to cross the terrain when I couldn’t move at super-speed. I climbed a hill not too far from the city and sat down, just looking out at the landscape. I was going to miss this place. I stayed on the hill for a while, taking in the scents and sights, committing them to memory. Eventually, I got back to my feet and headed back to the city. I crossed the courtyard of my cathedral to a pair of pylons. “Aviorla,” I called. “Are you there?”
“Where else would I be?” her voice sounded like chimes. Aviorla is a living gateway from the Bright Side to Boston, and I’d used her to come and go until my talent to portal manifested.
“Can you open to Boston for me?”
In response, a shimmering gateway appeared in front of me. Phasilion like Aviorla don’t just open from point A to point B. You stand inside them for a moment, as if you’re in an elevator, and then they open to your destination.
As her gateway to the Bright Side closed, she said. “The Urisk are changed.”
“Yes,” I replied. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I changed them so they worship Lotholio now. It will be better this way. He will take care of the Urisk in ways I couldn’t. I’ve modified their memories so they believe they’ve always worshipped Lotholio. But if they ever get into trouble, I want you to send someone through to Boston to find me.”
Aviorla’s tone held no condescension, but rather confusion. “Without your powers, what will you be able to do?”
“No idea,” I replied. “But I’ll come.”
“Safe passage to you, Vincent Corinthos.”
I took a moment to satisfy a curiosity, something that had been nagging at me since I’d learned that phasilions had once been battle suits. I Glimpsed back on Aviorla’s life, watching her life in reverse at hyper speed, until I’d found what I’d suspected. Sure enough, she’d been Lotholio’s armor. And I suppose, in a way, she still was.
Aviorla’s exit portal opened onto the alleyway behind the Children’s Museum and I stepped through. Unless a crisis popped up, that was probably going to be my last trip to the Bright Side. The Urisk didn’t need me anymore. There was a hollow feeling in my chest where their faith had resided, and I did my best to ignore that. I still had the kobolds to protect, and now that I could think more clearly, a million thoughts were racing through my mind.
What did I want out of life? Why hadn’t Petra and I gotten married? Why the hell hadn’t I just talked to Megan about that damned promise in the first place? My entire life, my personal growth had been put on pause because of my followers. Now that I had my mental faculties back, I needed to use them. Step one would be to behave in such a way that the kobolds didn’t paint my behaviors into a corner.
I also need to find some celestial metal for Herb and Cynthia. I’ll need to check in with Thad and see if he’s got that new detector ready. Galahad needs help dealing with the demons from that prophecy, and then there’s the matter of how Treggen is connected to Megan, and where that bastard got off to. My to-do list wasn’t getting any shorter while I was standing there, and as I started adding more things to it, I stopped short.
Something else Commander Courageous had said to me had just come to the surface of my mind. I pulled out my phone.
“Hey, Petra,” I said once she’d picked up. “I just wanted to tell you that I love you.”
Author’s Note
I hope you’ve enjoyed Fractures. If you did, please consider leaving a review or shooting an email to [email protected].
Cheers,
Nicholas Olivo
Also by Nicholas Olivo
The Caulborn Series
Imperium
Krampusnacht
Sync
Promise
Shadows
Fractures
The Doc Graystone Adventures
Red Runes
A Watery Grave
Masks of Madness
The Jewel of Shambhala
The Crimson Mantis
Fractures Page 23