by Franc Ingram
Oleana laid out her blanket on the hard roof singles and sat down, wiggling until she was as comfortable as she could expect. She folded her legs under her and rolled her shoulders. She’d grown stiff from not stretching after the fight earlier that day. She should have been soaking in a hot bath, but her questions were more important than her comfort.
Eyes closed, Oleana cleared her mind and thought only of the words the Twelve had given her for those times she needed to speak to them. “Open channel one, priority message to particle cloud, care of the Twelve. Authorization code oscar - foxtrot - tango - four - oscar - mike - ginger - four.”
The wind howled an eerily sad song calling to the sky for help. Oleana waited, knowing they would answer, they always did. It was the one thing she could count on, besides a stiff drink keeping her insides warm.
“Twelve responding. Authorization code accepted,” a familiar voice said in Oleana’s head, the one she called One.
The first time she heard the voices, several lifetimes ago, Oleana was sure she’d lost her mind. Who hears voices and isn't labeled insane? When they tried to explain, she’d paid no heed. When they said they would send her proof, she had run away fearing what that might mean.
Daycia was patient and kind. It took Oleana months to trust the older woman, but once their bond was formed, Oleana realized Daycia meant more to her than any of the women who ever birthed her. Their relationship surpassed incarnations.
“You have located the Master of Animals.” number One said.
Over time Oleana had encountered four different voices, with subtle differences in personalities. She’d numbered them in order of appearance. Then there were those few times when many spoke at her at once. She didn’t know how many it was then. She couldn't distinguish them. Those first few encounters, she was just happy to keep her brain from liquefying, the experience was so intense. Whether there were actually twelve entities, or that number just held some significance she didn’t understand, Oleana didn't worry herself about it. Keeping up with four was enough for her.
“Yes, in record time. If I believed in fate, I’d say we were meant to run into each other, but I know better.”
“Fate is the construct of weaker minds to explain what they do not understand,” Three said. She was always over explaining things. While One and Two showed signs of understanding the idiosyncrasy of human speech, Three missed it all. On top of that she had the most lyrical voice of all of them. Even though none of them showed any preference for gender of any kind, Oleana always pictured Three as a beautiful woman.
“Yes, well fate or no, I have the Master of Animals, and Daycia worked her gift and showed him who he really was. She also suggested he might be stuck in some kind of prey mode. Does that make sense to you? Could that really be possible?”
The Twelve murmured amongst themselves. They’d gotten better at toning it down so Oleana didn’t feel like ripping her ears off to lessen the pain.
“The connection you four have with the smart particles that run through everything on the planet is a two-way connection. You tap into it, and it taps into you. If he were activated while feeling like prey, the Master of Animals could have been flooded with flight hormones. It will pass. You will know if he is reset.”
Speaking with the Twelve was like speaking another language. Oleana was used to most of their terminology, but with long breaks in between talking to them, she had to acclimate herself once again.
“How exactly do I do that?”
“You will know. This is why you are the Guardian,” Two explained.
“Thanks for the sage advice,” Oleana replied dryly.
“You are always welcome,” Three said.
Oleana rolled her eyes. “Can you at least point me in the direction of our wayward Master of Earth? The sooner I get away from Cornelius, the better off I will be.”
“Cornelius is very dangerous. It would not be wise to encounter him at this juncture,” Three explained.
“He has amassed many followers up in his mountain. He has found some way to disrupt our sight. We cannot tell how many yetis he has created, but it is enough to start a very bloody war,” Two said.
“Well, point me to my next destination and I will be on my way,” Oleana said her irritation building. She tapped her fingers against her thigh resisting the urge to yell. The Twelve always asked everything of her yet getting the smallest bit of information out of them was like trying to pull a cow through a straw. "You know it would be much easier if the other Heirs knew as much as I did and I didn't have to waste time explaining things each time."
"We have explained that the four of you were set up this way for safety. If the others knew too much before they were ready they would only draw attention to themselves. But someone..."
"Someone had to be burdened with failures of the past," Oleana finished, cutting Three off. "Yes, I know. I'm the unlucky one who gets activated by age twelve struggling to deal with puberty and a flood of new memories at the same time while the others stay dormant, blissfully unaware of what's ahead."
"Does this upset you?" Three asked.
Oleana choked on a bitter laugh. She clenched her jaw to keep from letting lose a string of expletives longer than her arm. Instead she smiled and kept her tone flat, knowing that venting to them would do her no good. They might just force an upload to try to fix the problem. "No, it does not upset me."
“The Master of Earth is in the realm Caledon, specifically Central City, or it’s vicinity,” One said, ignoring Oleana's tangent conversation.
“What is this, the reunion tour? First Solon, now Central City. Out of all the places on this planet, why would he be there?”
“Certain genetic lines are more compatible with the genetic reprogramming that the particles enact, than others. It is only logical for the four to be reincarnated in certain regions more than once following the line of certain families. I could upload a chart if that would be helpful.”
Upload was a bad word, Oleana learned that the hard way. It was like learning a year's worth of stuff in the matter of a few seconds. The first time Three uploaded information into Oleana, she couldn’t sleep for a week. A mind-scrambling headache camped behind her eyes the whole time, and it took Oleana days to decipher the information she’d been given. The next couple of tries were a bit easier, the learning curve being rather steep. Even though her last experience only caused her pain for a day, it was a process Oleana only agreed to when absolutely necessary.
“No thanks.” Oleana took a deep breath and thought about her next words carefully. They were familiar words to her, but they never produced anything worthwhile. She knew it would just frustrate her overlords, but she could not stop herself from asking anyway. “One more thing. Why me?”
“We have discussed this topic sixty-seven times to be precise.” Three countered. “We have run out of word combinations that would bring any clarity to the matter.”
“I’ll ask six hundred more times until you give me an answer that makes sense,” Daycia pleaded passionately. “One that justifies having to carry the weight of three failed lifetimes around with me. One that explains why the one person who is supposed to save the world, feels more at home on a rooftop talking to the sky than actually talking to people. People get hurt, they get sick, and they die. The Twelve are forever.”
“You are more human than Twelve,” One said. Oleana detected the faintest hint of sorrow in his voice. Or maybe it was regret. “That humanity means you feel pain and loss in a way we cannot. For that I am sorry, but it is that pain that will make you and the other three better leaders than us, better than the ultras. They need you more than they need us.” With that the conversation was over. The world around her seemed to move a little slower. The night was a shade darker, and the wind colder. Sixty-eight times, and Oleana felt no more at ease with the answer than she had the first time.
CHAPTER EIGHT: BREAKFAST
Dinner with Daycia was good, breakfast was even better. Being guardian o
f the city came with its perks. She knew all the secret places with the best food. She received a warm reception no matter where she went. Daycia was queen of Solon in all but name.
Oleana remembered being the queen’s beloved pet. This time around she was wary of all the attention. Lorn was soaking it up, so she kept her mouth shut.
Even Leith was getting in on the action. He’d spent the night at Daycia’s private residence, along with Lorn and Oleana. It was a picturesque cottage that was nestled at the end of the same street that housed the upperclassman dorms. Where the dorms were mostly function over style, trading comfort for functionality when cramming so many active students into a small space, the cabin was all about style.
It was a three-bedroom affair, with large bay windows, and a fireplace in every large room. Oleana hated leaving it. Only the promise of chocolate drizzled pancakes, and hot cider pulled her away. The fact that she intended to lace the cider with a double shot of her favorite rum, only sweetened the deal.
The second they stepped into the Decorated Pastry, the atmosphere shifted. A young woman, with a clean white apron tied at her full waist, escorted them to a large booth meant for a party double their size. Before Oleana was settled in, another woman, this one older, her graying hair tucked behind her large ears, brought them each a large mug of the signature apple cider.
Oleana took two greedy sips, banishing the cold that had seeped into her bones. She could never get used to the cold, and the sooner she got back to a place that wasn’t so scared of the sun, the happier she’d be.
With her rum installed, Oleana was better able to deal with the press of people that wanted a moment with their hero. Oleana leaned back in her chair and let them wash over her like waves over a rock. The ordered food came, and Oleana ate until she was sure she would bust. She felt so sluggish she wouldn’t have been able to fight a fly. Lorn pushed his plate away with food still on it.
“Do you know how hard I’ve worked over the years to fill that boy up, and you do it with a single dish?” Oleana said, calmed by the warmth in her belly. “You throw a few sweet treats at him and he can’t even eat it all.”
“Well mom if you actually knew how to cook a decent meal it wouldn’t take so much to keep me satisfied,” Lorn shot back.
“Since my cooking is so intolerable, I’ll be sure never to subject you to it again.”
“Let’s not be drastic,” Lorn begged quickly.
Oleana laughed at the look of feigned panic on the boy’s face.
“You do laugh,” Leith drawled, “I thought your face be stuck in that frown.”
“The stern look keeps unwanted company at bay,” Oleana said cutting Leith a knowing look.
Leith shook his head. “You stalked me. Not the other way sister.”
Oleana sat forward, encroaching on his personal space. “Don’t flatter yourself. It was for one reason only.”
“Yeah, since we found Leith so quickly does that mean we get to spend some time in Solon, maybe learn a thing or two from the great Daycia, or are we moving on, again?”
The way Lorn emphasized that last word saddened Oleana. She knew how the boy felt. Moving from place to place was not ideal. Lorn had finally found people who understood what his life was like. He found a new mentor in Daycia. It would be hard to leave that behind knowing the odds were against him in returning. Oleana didn’t like the idea of sitting stagnant. She tried hiding from duty to no avail. Now that she was on the inevitable path, it was best to see it through to the end, and without delay.
“I plan to catch the next coast-side train out of Erald. The Twelve said we need to head toward Central City, and that's where we need to be, as soon as we can.”
Lorn’s shoulders slumped. She had intended to break the news to him later in the day. It was his own curiosity that rushed things.
“Leith, you need to pack up what you absolutely cannot live without. The rest must stay behind. There are plenty of times when we’ll end up walking, so don't pack more than you can carry for a long distance,” Oleana said needing to distract herself from the hurt etched on Lorn’s face.
“Wait there. Who said I be leaving. First the yetis, then you tell me all this Heirs of Eternity business, now leaving. You ask too much.”
“Leith, Master of Animals, Heir of Eternity, King of Euphoria. How exactly do you plan to accomplish all of that from your comfortable home?” Daycia asked, her tone flat. “You can’t access your full potential without the fourth Heir.”
“The three can only be crowned by the Keeper of the Crystal Tower, in Evermore, in the Wild Zone,” Lorn said as if reading it off a brochure. “From there, they will unite the Five Realms, and rule for an eternity, working hard to maintain the peace the Twelve longed to create for all of humanity. Mom used to tell me the story at night so I could fall asleep. I still have the occasional dream about the Crystal Tower, and the beautiful Keeper,” his sharp green eyes glowed with the fond memory.
“Never left the wall before,” Leith said mostly to himself. He downed the rest of his cider in one forced gulp, putting the cup down harder than was needed.
“As Daycia has mentioned, I ran away hard and fast when I first learned of the path in front of me, so I completely understand. You can’t let fear drive you.” Oleana pushed up the sleeve of his gray wool sweater, showing off the mark on his forearm. It glowed slightly with her touch. “That’s what proves you are more than the Silver Owl. More than Solon. And Lorn would kill me if we left you behind.” Oleana grabbed Lorn’s arm and his birthmark began to glow. The three marks began to pulse in time with her heartbeat. It was a faint light, not nearly the strength it would be with the four of them together. “You can stay here and stick to the world you know, and try to force yourself back into a mold you’ve already broken. Or, you can accept that you are an Heir of Eternity, accept my leading as your guardian, and come find out what you are really meant for. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather not waste another lifetime on a failed attempt at doing what we were all created to do.”
“That feels weird,” Lorn mused looking down at their arms. “I think I like it. Never seen it do that before. I feel so alive. Mom did you know it would be like this?”
Oleana nodded. She’d had her hands on two of the three kings before. She knew it wasn’t all there was. She longed to find the fourth, and complete the circle. Lorn, and even Leith, could take pleasure in the connection they had with each other. For Oleana, it was tempered with a sadness that made her want to scream, the bitter hard memories of lives lost. Her only comfort would come in getting the job done once and for all.
Lorn’s boisterous nature, and the strange happenings, drew attention that made Oleana cringe. “Put them away,” She instructed abruptly, rolling her sleeve down and putting her coat on for good measure. The boys exchanged puzzled looks and followed her lead.
Leith looked lost in thought, his eyes fixed on his arm. That cocksure smirk he had when they first ran into each other came back to his face. His nostrils flared. Oleana could see the decision he was making playing at the edge of his tongue.
Lorn opened his mouth to speak, but Oleana stayed him. She didn’t wish for Leith to feel rushed. Lorn tended to plow over people who were soft spoken.
Oleana pushed back from the table and stood, "We should talk about this somewhere a little more private," she said looking around at the growing crowd. Oleana glanced down at the buffet of food she was leaving behind, even after eating her fill, and wondered when she would next have such a fantastic meal. She turned away, pulling her hood over her head, preparing for the biting weather outside.
Lorn was near bursting with excited energy, walking on the balls of his feet. He walked circles around Oleana. He was distracting enough that she almost didn’t notice the odd dog at the edge of the street.
It was a mangy street dog. Shaggy hair and dirt caked feet. Nothing remarkable about its size or breed. There was something in its eyes though. Eyes so light blue they were almost white,
like glacial ice in the remotest part of the tundra. They transported Oleana back a century when she’d ran these streets as a young woman desperate for a taste of battle, instead of the bitter old maid she was now, that longed for the release that peace brought.
Those eyes were the eyes of a monster who considered himself an ice god. A man who would rule over humanity with a crushing fist, tossing it about like a dog with its plaything.
“Daycia,” Oleana croaked, reaching for her mentor. Where was her bravado, her training, her strength now?
Daycia turned, concern wrinkling her brow.
“What is…,” Oleana pointed at the beast too afraid to even ask the question.
Daycia looked, then immediately pulled Lorn behind her. “Tannin.”
The dog froze as if caught. It groaned and stretched. The dog stretched out to some six feet tall, covered in light gray fur like the yetis, but lighter and shorter. His body was lean and sinewy, where the yeti was all bulk. He had the yeti claws and the fangs, but a muted version.
“All night I track a familiar energy. Catch the scent of the thing that killed my brothers and what do I find,” it wheezed as if its vocal cords were raw from the change. “Daycia and her new friends. Or as I suspect, very old friends having returned. How did I not put it together before? Father has been scouring the five realms for you and here you are under the influence of his mountain.”
“Another mutant child of that self-righteous, self-important prick. How many times will he procreate before he realizes the world suffered enough with one of him. That it will not permit another?” Daycia spat, her voice holding a hard tone that shocked Oleana.