Rune of the Apprentice (The Rune Chronicles)

by Jamison Stone

  Aleksi had heard about forced rememberings. The Rune had been outlawed by the Masters’ Council as inhumane. As it provided only mild memory recall and possessed such a low rate of survival, the council had deemed its use ineffective and not worth its risk of fatality.

  Clutching his throbbing head, Aleksi slammed the door behind him and groped at the lock. He latched the door and tried to sit down but instead fell onto the floor. Aleksi’s sword clattered at his side as he tried to push himself back up onto one arm. The room was spinning violently and he forced himself up onto his hands and knees. He looked at his cloak. Cold sweat ran down his back as he crawled across the floor. His vision was so blurry that he had to use his sense of touch as he fumbled in his cloak’s pocket for the broken pendant. Aleksi’s fingers wrapped around its soft surface and his mind exploded with searing pain.

  Clutching the pendant in his hand, Aleksi crumpled to the floor. His head and Rune pounded in unison. He lay on his back and gasped for breath; tears rolled down the sides of his face. It was coming. Everything grew dark and the pain faded as blackness took him. Aleksi felt death seep into his body as his mind entered the gloom of forced memory.

  In his heart there was no fear of dying, only a longing for the truth.

  Aleksi opened his eyes to glowing snow falling in darkness. The endless night stretched out in every direction as the pure-white flakes fell through the black. The snow was silently landing on his face, melting on contact. Aleksi took a deep breath and felt the cold air chill his lungs.

  Where am I?

  His head no longer hurt, but everything seemed dark and hazy to his eyes. He tried to move but was unable. He was propped up on his back, but his body felt small and weak. Desperately trying to focus his eyes, Aleksi could see the shadowed outlines of a massive chamber around him. Defying all logic, a ceiling formed overhead yet still the snow fell.

  Suddenly, a dark, hooded figure approached from the distance. The man’s face was obscured and he held a sword dripping with blood. As he silently moved forward, he left a thin trail of red in the snow.

  Aleksi felt soft arms tighten about his body—he was being held. The embrace was warm and protective.

  Mother?

  Next to Aleksi, the darkness contracted upon itself and another man emerged. Although his face was blocked from sight, around his neck he wore Aleksi’s pendant. It was whole.

  Father?

  Aleksi’s father drew a Rune-covered sword and the blade ignited with life and color. In turn, the hooded man’s sword also glowed with its own fiery light. Without looking back, Aleksi’s father raised his sword and charged. The cloaked figure responded by swinging his own blade, and a wild blaze erupted from its edge.

  Aleksi’s eyes were blinded and a white afterglow lingered in the emptiness. Aleksi felt his chest grow tight. When his vision returned, he saw two separate halves of his father’s body lying on the ground, split diagonally from shoulder to opposite armpit though there was no blood. Aleksi heard the sound of a baby wailing and the protective arms encircling him clutched even tighter.

  Is that my voice? Aleksi felt himself gasp for breath as he continued to scream in the cold darkness.

  The cloaked figure turned toward them and raised his radiant sword aloft. It cast a brilliant halo in the canopy of falling snow. The arms that had been holding Aleksi suddenly let go, and his fragile body was placed on the ground as a woman rushed forward. Aleksi heard his mother call out for mercy as the cloaked figure swung his blade.

  Aleksi’s mother’s head toppled off and rolled away. As her body fell, gurgling burgundy pooled in the melting snow. The hooded man took another step as the blood misted around him.

  Aleksi’s ears rang with a high-pitched wail and his lungs stung from the cold. Strangely, he heard the sound most strongly in his right ear. The cloaked man then towered over him and Aleksi saw the man’s face under the hood—it was covered in Runes.

  Rudra!

  Master Rudra then raised his sword and, once again, Aleksi’s eyes were blinded with light.

  The light was so strong Aleksi felt it burn into his mind. Suddenly, he was no longer a baby and was no longer screaming. Still, the pain pierced him to his very core. Through the glare, Aleksi saw the ceiling of his cabin back on the Illusive Diamond.

  Still holding the pendant, he tried to make a fist and draw on the power of his Rune. Nothing happened—the Rune had gone dormant and the pendant didn’t respond. His eyes grew dim. The pain was too great and he knew he was dying. Aleksi felt the breath go out from his body as his vision faded to black. As he died, only one final thought clung to his mind. It was not of his parents or of Rudra.

  It was of her.

  Aleksi awoke as bright light once again assaulted his eyes. Smooth silken sheets grazed his skin and he rolled over to avoid the Zenith’s rays. Surprisingly, he could feel the softness of a bed beneath him. His mind felt foggy and his body ached. He tried opening his eyes, but the light was too much and he buried his face into a fluffy pillow. The pillow smelled sweet—like flowers, honey, and her.

  Aleksi realized he was dreaming.

  The youth forced himself up onto one arm. Using his hand, he blocked the Zenith’s rays from his eyes. He was lying in a large canopy bed atop a high mountain bluff. In the distance, he could see the vast ocean beyond. It looked very far away. There was little else on the mountain’s top other than some wildflowers, sporadic clusters of grass, and the vast view. Aleksi tried to look farther behind him but the glare was too bright. The Zenith felt unusually close and everything around him was imbued with its essence.

  Then Aleksi saw her. The young woman was looking out over the ocean and standing with her back to him. The youth tried to call out, but his voice made no sound. Although only several meters away, she felt distant to him.

  Despite the stiffness in his body, he pulled back the sheets and stood. The grass felt soft on his feet and he walked to her. The Zenith was reflecting on her back and illuminated her in a bright halo. She was wearing the same white dress as before, and her long blond hair blew in the warm breeze. Coming closer, Aleksi reached out with his heart. She still felt withdrawn and did not turn to face him.

  As Aleksi continued, the bright Zenith rays seemed to permeate everything around him. He had to perpetually squint so as to not be blinded. Coming to the edge of the cliff, Aleksi got a better look at the vast ocean stretching to an infinite horizon. He was very high up, higher than should have been possible.

  Am I atop the . . . No . . . He pushed the thought away as ridiculous.

  Coming up behind the young woman, Aleksi paused for a moment. She stood with an air of majestic indifference and gazed out at the imposing vista below. Aleksi slowly reached out his hand. It hovered uncertainly in the air. Finally, he gently took her palm in his. Her skin was soft and warm despite the seeming chill of her heart.

  At first she did nothing and just stood watching the waves as her hair blew in the wind. But then, ever so slowly, the young woman’s fingers tightened around his. As Aleksi held her hand, he felt her chest once again warm to him. But then she turned to face him and Aleksi saw that there was a profound sadness in her eyes and a majestic glow coming from her forehead. The young woman turned away as a silent tear ran down her cheek. With his other hand, Aleksi touched her chin, gently bringing her eyes back to meet his. He reached out with his love and felt the young woman welcome it into her heart. The glow on her forehead dimmed.

  Suddenly, her eyes went wide and she snatched her hand away. The young woman anxiously looked at the Zenith over Aleksi’s shoulder. She did not shield her gaze and Aleksi saw that the Zenith’s light was illuminating her eyes. Bringing both hands to her heart, she took a deep breath and Aleksi felt the young woman’s love withdraw from him. As the feeling of her turned cold and faded in his chest, Aleksi felt as if his heart were wrenched open. His pain was mirrored on her face, and when she looked at him again there was no anger in her—only sadness.

  The you
ng woman took another deep breath and, turning, pointed out to the great ocean beyond. As Aleksi followed her gaze, his vision zoomed as if through a spyglass. Suddenly, he saw the Illusive Diamond sailing through the water. It was profoundly far away.

  Aleksi felt her try to show him something, and his vision grew even sharper. He now saw into the ship itself. Into one cabin in particular—Luka’s cabin. Aleksi could see that the man was seated on the floor. His feet were crossed over his knees and his hands were folded in his lap. He was meditating.

  Suddenly, Aleksi’s vision returned to normal and the young woman once again looked into his eyes. She was trying to tell him something—something important. By the look on her face, she was straining heavily to do so.

  The young woman’s mouth moved, and in the most beautiful voice Aleksi had ever heard, she said two words.

  “Kill him.”

  Aleksi’s eyes snapped open and his chest lurched with breath. He was lying on the floor of his cabin and looking at the ceiling. The room was dark, with only a silvery-blue shaft of light coming from his porthole window. There was a dismal ache in his head, but his former agony was gone. As he sat up, his body felt stiff and profoundly sore.

  Aleksi put a shaky hand through his hair and it came away damp. The young woman’s message had been clear, but so had the vision of his parents’ murder. Aleksi wished the truth of their demise was different, but it was impossible to fabricate forced rememberings.

  Not only did Rudra know who my parents were—he was the one who killed them . . . Why would he do such a thing?! Who were they and why did they deserve to die? Why would he force me to live always questioning their identity while he knew the truth all along?

  Aleksi still held his father’s broken pendant and his Rune seemed to be dormant. The youth stood on unsteady legs and went to his cloak. Letting out a sigh, he put the pendant back into the pocket. As he did, his hand grazed Rudra’s letter.

  After securing his blade at his side, Aleksi left his room. He closed his door silently and, instead of walking to the deck stairs, he stopped short. He clearly remembered which room belonged to Luka. Pausing outside the man’s door, Aleksi inhaled deeply. He felt vigor flow through his body in anticipation. If the door to Luka’s room was similar to his own, it would take only one swift kick of his boot heel to gain entry. After that, a slash of Aleksi’s blade would end the man’s life. Luka obviously was powerful, but a blade would cut every man’s flesh the same if he was taken unaware.

  However, as Aleksi grasped the sword’s hilt and his body tensed to kick, a flicker of doubt rose up in his chest. If Luka knows of my parents, what else can he tell me? What else does he know about my past? About Rudra? Nataraja? The pendant? My Rune? Luka was sent to assassinate me, but he stayed his hand . . .

  Suddenly, Aleksi felt the young woman of the dreams urge him on, silently begging him to strike. But what of Domadred and the crew? If they are so keen on his proposal, what will they do when they find Luka lying in a pool of his own blood?

  The feeling of the young woman grew frantic, and Aleksi was forced to push it away. They would surely know it was me, and then I would never make it to Vai’kel. Besides . . . A memory of the mother from the Apothecary Guild and her hungry children rose in his mind. The memory of the woman’s kind embrace warmed Aleksi’s heart. What Luka said about the people of Old City is true. The oppression of the ruling class of Guardians’ Plaza is unjust and unethical. Suddenly, the image of Aleksi’s slain foes in Mindra’s Haven flashed before his eyes. And if I kill Luka like this, I will be no better than Nataraja. Is assassination seeped in anger the path of a Master? No . . . I will not do it!

  Aleksi let out a sigh and walked back to his room. At least not yet. As he closed the door to his chamber, the feeling of the young woman grew desperate. He tried to comfort her with his heart, but the sensation of her slipped away into an obscurity of despair. Aleksi tried to cling to her, but she quickly faded into a malaise of nothingness.

  Aleksi picked up his sketchbook and left his room. As he ascended the stairs and came on deck, he was met with the strong smell of the ocean and the wind’s salty spray. The soft light of the moons and the sea’s glowing waters illuminated everything around him. Clutching his notebook tight, the youth tried to call out to the young woman with his heart—but sadly, she was gone.

  Aleksi let out a sigh and, after tucking his notebook into his belt, climbed the mainmast’s ratlines. The cool evening breeze blew over his skin. Entering into the glowing canopy of sails, Aleksi was surrounded by the rush of the wind and the creaking of the lines and tackle. There was a strong breeze and the Diamond cut through the water with little resistance from the waves below. This made climbing rather easy—it was his thoughts that gave Aleksi pause.

  As he passed the topsail, images of his parents’ murder flashed through his mind. He saw his father’s bloodless body split in two and his mother’s severed head steaming in the snow. Then Aleksi heard Luka’s words. You cling to a Master who has not only abandoned you but wronged you far worse than you could possibly imagine. Bitter pain stung at Aleksi’s chest. There are others out there who can teach you, and I promise they would not abandon you like the man you search for now.

  What could my parents have possibly done to deserve such a fate? As Aleksi climbed, he felt tears well up in his eyes. Why didn’t Rudra ever tell me? Why didn’t any of my teachers tell me? Why . . . ?

  Suddenly, Aleksi reached the crow’s nest and was confronted with the ocean’s vast majesty. Hoisting himself up onto the platform, he looked out at the water. Pulsing as if it were the heart of a great glowing creature, Terra’s curving ocean was alive with rhythm and beauty for as far as his eyes could see. The immensity of it terrified Aleksi. Beautiful, yes, but also so colossal and unknown . . .

  After settling himself atop the crow’s nest, Aleksi took out his sketchbook and flipped through its pages. In the light of the moons, he could clearly see the many pictures he had drawn of the young woman. For well over an hour Aleksi sat atop the mast, watching the moonlight play on the glowing water and the young woman’s beauty. He thought of Luka, Rudra, his parents, his past, and what he was supposed to do.

  Eventually, Aleksi noticed a figure begin to emerge from below in the rigging. It was Domadred. The captain seemed to be climbing past the sails and up to the crow’s nest. Soon, Domadred made it to the platform.

  Seeing Aleksi, the captain smiled. “Cannot sleep?” Domadred hoisted himself over the small railing and sat next to Aleksi.

  “I’m just thinking,” Aleksi answered, closing his notebook.

  “Well, you have come to the right place. I come up here whenever I am stuck on a dilemma. The height gives me perspective—or so I like to think.”

  “Are you pondering Luka’s offer?”

  “Yes. During their drinking I was able to gauge the crew’s opinion. I told them I would give my answer on the morrow. Although they still do not fully trust Luka or Asura, the promise of vindication is very alluring. Honestly, I agree.”

  “So you are decided, then?”

  “Oh no. If I were, then I would not be up here. There is something in my heart that says even if Asura can make good on his promises, a pact with him is not the right current to take home. But still, to be prime admiral of the Thalassocracy, that is a very tempting offer.”

  Aleksi remained silent and gazed out at the shimmering water. A cold wind blew across the youth’s face and he clutched his notebook tight to his chest. Domadred seemed to feel it, too, as he pulled his captain’s hat lower on his brow.

  “The Ice Floes,” Domadred said, taking a deep breath of the chill air. “I love their crisp smell! So invigorating.”

  Aleksi nodded and breathed deeply. The air felt fresh and frozen like newly fallen snow.

  “Aleksi, remember when I told you I wanted Brayden to have a normal life? This deal with Luka would ensure it. The course to redemption I have been on has been a long one. If I stick to it, only when
Brayden is grown will he see anything other than the life of a pirate and outcast. And even then, nothing is guaranteed. If I take Luka’s offer, however, Brayden will grow up as I did—with honor, opportunity, and privilege.”

  Aleksi did not respond.

  “You probably don’t know this,” Domadred continued, “but many years ago my father was the prime admiral of the Thalassocracy. We have had two since him, but at the time, many thought that I would be his successor. And I assure you, that is a very rare thing in the West. Sadly, my father died early and there were those that thought I was still too young for the command, so the honor went to another. My father’s successor then used the might of our fleet to assist the Northern Unification Army in taking over Vai’kel. At the end of the war, however, he was assassinated and the crime was wrongfully placed at my feet.”

  Aleksi looked up and met Domadred’s eye.

  “Just recently, however, I acquired evidence which will clear my name. Despite that, I will never be able to become prime admiral without further help. These days, the friends I have are not influential in the right ways. So, not only does Asura’s offer come at an opportune time, but I can also see his logic. He needs the connections I have, and in return, he will adequately repay me the political influence I lack. There is no doubt he could make me prime admiral, and it would be well worth it for both him and me personally. The question is—is it worth it for the world?”

  There was a long silence before Aleksi spoke. “There must be more in it for him. What of this . . . Saiya? Didn’t Luka say something about that the other night?”

  “Yes, I’m sure Asura has plans within plans. But what he could possibly want with her, I do not know. However, he would never dare harm her, that much is certain.”

  “Who is she?”

  “Never mind this talk,” Domadred said, waving his hand. “Once again, I bore you with the musings of an old man. Luckily, we have made exceptionally good time, and in a few short days we will see land. In truth, little of our plight actually matters to you; once we dock in Vai’kel, you will be off on your own adventures, no doubt. Unless you wish to stay with us, that is.”