The Year of the Lumin

by Andrew Ryan Henke

  Noir blinked and looked at Grandel. He had rarely seen him show any emotion, but right then he had a very pleading look to his eyes.

  “All right. It's not like I have any idea how to start searching for my uncle anyway.” Noir threw the covers off and swung his feet off the side of the bed. “So what do you need me for?”

  “You will be able to help me determine if this supposed Lumin is truly what he says he is or just an impostor.”

  ~~~

  Grandel led Noir down many roads and around dozens of corners. While they walked, Noir asked, “Why are you so interested in the Lumin, anyway?”

  Grandel gave Noir a sideways glance, then looked back to navigating the streets ahead.

  “I suppose you have proven that you are not just a boy anymore and deserve to be spoken to like a man.”

  He spoke slowly, as if pulling up many old memories. “I once loved a woman, and still do. When I was a general for Chiron, Kahmi was the only one I could talk to about my... actions.” Noir knew he was referring to the actions that he was least proud of. “She was the first one to suggest starting our own town to break free from the tyranny of Chiron. Her plan gave me hope for the first time in years. We meticulously laid out the plans for our free town, but when it was finally time to act on them, she became ill. Kahmi could not follow me because the Luxins and chemists of Chiron are very good at keeping the damage from her illness in check. She would not have had these benefits if we moved far from Chiron, and it could have shortened her life from years to months. But she made me promise that I would realize our dreams by myself.”

  Grandel stopped walking for a moment and looked at the sky. “The chemists and Luxins have helped her hold on for a long time, but eventually it will claim her life.”

  Noir said, “But if you find the Lumin in time…”

  “Exactly.” Grandel started walking again and Noir followed.

  “So that’s where you were last night. Visiting her.”

  “Yes. She is not well. Kahmi’s time is coming soon.” Grandel sighed and brushed past another person. “There have been many false Lumins before, but, if I can, I always check them out just in case.”

  At last they reached a huge crowd of people gathered around a clearing. Grandel said that this was the place that the Lumin was supposed to make an appearance there. Grandel and Noir tried to nudge their way through the crowd, but everyone else was equally as determined to see what was happening as they were.

  After a few moments of fruitless trying, Noir turned to Grandel and said, “Well, any ideas?”

  Grandel searched their surroundings. His eyes fell upon a roof top near the center of attention overlooking the action. There were a few other people on roof tops as well, but this one was mostly uncrowded.

  “Up there.” Grandel pointed to the roof. “Come on.”

  Noir followed Grandel around behind the building. As they walked, they heard the sounds of men calling to the crowd.

  “Silence! Silence, please!”

  “The Lumin approaches!”

  “Be still your tongues in the presence of our savior!”

  Behind the building, there was a stack of crates in a wagon that made for easy climbing. Grandel went up first and held down a hand for Noir.

  A cheer rang out for a moment before dying down. A new voice, calm and collected, loudly spoke. “Citizens of Chiron. I am the prophesied Lumin. I have come to you at last in this dire time. To prove to you my stature and good will, I have come to show you miracles.”

  Another cheer rang out as Grandel and Noir stood on the roof and saw the sight for the first time. A curved row of guards had their hands on their sword hilts in their belts and pushed back the crowd with their shields. The man at the center of the crescent of guards wore pure white clothing and had long reddish-blond hair. Not a speck of dirt could be seen on his robes and it brightly reflected the light of the day.

  “Is there anyone here who needs healing?” he called to the audience.

  Noir could tell that the man suddenly drew upon a large amount of lux. The trail of yellow light went from the man’s hand into one point in the crowd.

  Where the trail of lux ended, a man raised his hand and came forward from the audience. As he walked forward away from the rest of the people, Noir saw where the lux was flowing. One of his arms appeared to be cut off above the elbow. It looked extremely believable to all except Noir’s eyes. He saw the yellow light encircling the area where the man’s arm should have been. Somehow he was bending light around the area where the man's arm really was.

  “What afflicts you, my child?” the false Lumin called to the man.

  “Oh, great Lumin. My arm was lost when I was a boy. I have heard rumors that you can build flesh from nothing.”

  “Indeed I can, my child. Come forward.”

  The ring of guards paid the man no mind as he stepped past them up to the man in white. Noir looked over at Grandel. He was concentrating very intently and holding something in his belt pouch.

  “My child. You have long had this affliction. Are you sure you are ready to be rid of it?”

  “Yes, Lumin. I am ready.”

  “Then it shall be so. Behold!” Noir saw the man make a separate flow of lux. Noir knew what he was intending it for beforehand and closed his eyes. A very bright light pierced through his closed eyelids and a startled cry rang out from the crowd.

  The light lasted for a second and was gone. When Noir opened his eyes again, everyone in the audience was looking away holding their eyes. The man in the white robes no longer used any lux. The once armless man now had a sleeveless arm. To all but a Luxin's eyes, it would appear to be a miracle.

  The audience members began to look back, clapping and cheering. The once armless man knelt and grabbed the false Lumin’s hand. Tears streamed down his face as he said, “Thank you Lumin! Thank you!” over and over. Noir was impressed at his acting.

  The man in white robes smiled and said, “Go forth and enjoy your life, child. Enjoy what the Lumin has given you.” The kneeling man ran back to the crowd and let the audience members touch his arm as he walked through them.

  The man claiming to be the Lumin seemed tired by the use of lux, though he tried to hide it. He called to the audience again, “You have all seen my ability to use lux. However, it is prophesied that I can use all three vigors.” A murmur went through the crowd. Obviously, others had the same thought on their minds. “If one cannot believe in me through faith alone, I will prove my abilities here and now. Behold!”

  He held up one hand to the sky. A huge column of fire flew from his hand into the air and dissipated. Noir had seen fire created by a Din Mage before. With as much fire as he had just created, his chakra would surely be drained. However, he did not look any more tired than he had before. He had to have a Din Mage accomplice somewhere near.

  The crowd cheered. Some seemed overcome with joy at the sight and what they thought to be their savior. These people pushed forward against the ring of guards desperately trying to get closer. Most were calling to the man frantically. Apparently they accepted two vigors as enough proof for a Lumin.

  Noir was beginning to be appalled at the fraud. He wondered what someone would get out of pretending to be the Lumin until he saw the offering tins that were held by a few of the guards.

  Noir turned to Grandel who was watching the scene intently. Once he caught the man’s eyes, he shook his head sadly. Grandel sighed and said, “I figured.” Grandel turned away from the scene below and lightly touched Noir’s shoulder, nudging him in the opposite direction. Grandel climbed down onto the crates and then down to the street. Noir took one last look at the false savior, and then started to turn to leave.

  But something caught Noir’s attention and he hesitated a moment. One of the people standing on a roof around the corner from Noir had stepped forward. The person was in the middle of dropping a brown cloak that he was wearing. Underneath this cloak was another, this one red with black highlights. Its
hood was raised so the person’s face could not be seen. A reflective red symbol gleamed brightly in the sun as the person's hands rose toward the crowd below.

  Noir flung lux into a light barrier just as a huge ball of fire flew from the Din Mage’s hands. The fire exploded against the barrier right next to the false Lumin’s head. A loud cry from the crowd rang out and most people flung themselves to the ground. The false Lumin had turned around, not knowing what had just happened. He was staring directly into a second ball of fire as it flew toward him.

  Noir kept the barrier in place. The attacks were very strong, crippling his use of lux. He fought to keep the shield up as more balls of fire buffeted it. The would-be assassin was ferociously flinging these attacks. The crowd below erupted in chaos, most fleeing into the already crowded streets. The false Lumin fled, becoming just another head in the crowd of those scurrying for their lives.

  The Din Mage stopped his attacks and turned to run in the opposite direction. No one was there to stop him, so Noir started after him. Noir had to leap down onto the canopy of a merchant stand in order to reach the building that the Din Mage had been standing on. The Din Mage had already jumped down to a street below.

  After climbing up off the canopy, Noir ran across the roof and jumped down as well. He landed hard and was met with confused faces of those around him. Some were looking angrily in the direction of the person in the red cloak. This street seemed hidden from the chaos that had just erupted on the other side of the building.

  Noir said, “Sorry, excuse me,” as he pushed past people to catch up with the escapee. The black and red cloak made it easier to follow the Din Mage in the crowd. The person made a couple sharp turns onto different streets but Noir followed closely behind. Noir rounded a building corner that the Din Mage had just passed. This street had no shops and only a couple people walking along it. Noir could easily focus on the fleeing person ahead.

  Noir did all he could think of to stop the assassin. He hardened a column of air at knee height ahead of the escapee and watched as he approached it.

  The Din Mage’s legs hit the band of solid air and he was flung down savagely, skidding and rolling a few feet in the dirt. Noir started forward and secured the air around the person’s ankles, making it impossible for him to get up. The Din Mage pulled furiously at his legs, and then looked up at Noir who was running toward him. He raised a hand and Noir put up a light barrier.

  But the attack did not come. Noir approached and the Din Mage’s hand dropped to the ground. Keeping the barrier in place to be safe, Noir slowed his pace and stopped in front of the grounded person.

  “Noir? Is that you?” Noir was immediately taken aback. Who could possibly recognize him here?

  The Din Mage lifted a hand and pulled back the hood of the red cloak. It fell behind, revealing a woman's short brown hair. She had a look of shock and excitement at the same time.

  “Aimee!”

  Chapter 30

  Reunion

  Noir held out a hand to help up his cousin. She took it and stood up.

  Noir asked, “What are you doing here?” He held a thumb over his shoulder pointing in the direction from which they had come. “What was all that about back there?”

  Aimee started to speak but stopped as they heard the calls and clanging armor of guards coming in their direction. She grabbed Noir’s arm and pulled him into an alley.

  “I'll explain later.” She looked him up and down quickly. “So you’re a Luxin, I guess. Where's your armor?” Clanging armor made Aimee refocus. “Quick, do the invisible lux thing!”

  Noir looked at her questioningly. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

  She made a scoffing noise and looked to the opposite end of the alley. “You're useless, Noir! I'll have to do it myself.” She raised a hand toward the street that they had just left. The air around the entrance to the alley became foggy. Ice formed around the walls and ground. It quickly grew and built upon itself with moisture pulled from the air. Within a few moments, a thin barrier of ice had formed between them and the street. It reached far above their heads and quickly thickened.

  Aimee grabbed Noir's arm and pulled him down the alley. “Come on. That should hold them.”

  The two ran out of the alley into a busy street. Noir thought they could easily blend into the crowd to escape the guards except for Aimee's red and black Din Mage cloak.

  “Lose the cloak.”

  “What? Why? You have no idea what I had to go through to earn this.”

  “They'll find you again in no time unless you get rid of it.”

  Aimee looked at him with an angry frown. “They'll find me because you slowed me down.” Then she sighed and quickly took it off. She looked around and walked to a merchant stand. The small man tending the stand looked at Aimee as she said, “Hey, I'd like to sell this.” She held up the balled-up cloak.

  The man took it and studied it. “Oh? A Din Mage cloak. This is an odd find. How much?”

  Aimee grabbed Noir's arm again and threw the cloak down on the stand. “Free, loser.” Then she pulled Noir into the crowd of passing people.

  The merchant called out behind them, “Hey. Hey!”

  Aimee and Noir walked at the same pace as the other people in the street and no one gave them a second thought.

  Noir started, “So what's going on with you, Aimee? What, are you like an assassin now or something?”

  She scoffed at him, “No. This is just one job.”

  Noir was amazed that this really was the Aimee he knew-- or thought he knew. “One job nothing! You were going to kill that man back there!”

  Aimee rolled her eyes. “Jeez, Noir. He’s a fraud and extortionist. Look, these people don’t even matter. They might as well not even be real. Heck, how do we even know that they are real?”

  “How can you say that?”

  Aimee's tone grew more agitated. “Where are we, Noir? Huh? Not Wyoming, that's for sure! I'm trying to get home as hard as I can. What have you been doing? It's your fault I'm here in the first place.”

  Noir became defensive. “Hey, you didn't have to come with us to see the cave!”

  That truly seemed to anger Aimee. She gave a nasty scowl and started to say something, but a few loud voices broke their conversation. The people around them had turned and were looking behind them. A group of soldiers were hastily pushing their way through the crowds. They shouted for people to move.

  Aimee and Noir watched as the guards pushed by and went on ahead. Noir was glad that they apparently blended in with the rest of the crowd. Those around them had started walking again, so they followed suit.

  Aimee continued the conversation. “Look! I just want to get home. Whether you or Dad come with me is not my business. I won't let anything, including you, slow me down.”

  “What? What's wrong with you, Aimee? He's your father.”

  She ignored what he said and continued, “I’m getting the heck out of this place and back home any way I can. You can come with me or not.”

  Noir was speechless.

  “I don’t care about Dad, and I don’t care about you. I just want to get back no matter what I have to do to get there.”

  “Is that why you were going kill that man back there? Someone promised you a way home?”

  Aimee screamed, “Shut up!” A small tear crept down the girl's cheek and people near them started pretending not to stare.

  Noir was shocked. All he could say was a pleading, “Aimee!”

  Aimee stopped abruptly making the people behind her grumble and have to dodge her. Noir turned and faced her as she said, “Make your decision now, cousin. I’m walking away on a path that will lead me home. You either come with me now or stay here in this place forever.” She put a finger to Noir’s face. “And don’t follow me unless you plan to from now on.”

  Aimee gave a long, unblinking stare into Noir's eyes. He could see the hatred in them but couldn't figure out what it was for.

  Within a few mom
ents, Aimee said, “Goodbye, cousin.” As she turned, Noir helplessly put out his hand to stop her, but she was already lost in the crowd.

  Noir stood amidst the passing Chiron people for a long while in shock from what had just happened. He had to find Steven. That made sense, right? What lead did she have for getting home? Did it have any merit? Why was she so angry at him and everything in this world?

  Noir finally turned and followed the other people on the road. His mind churned over many things as he walked along the streets.

  ~~~

  Grandel searched through the now dissipating crowds for Noir. Most of the remaining people were newcomers and had not seen the incident. They were asking questions to which Grandel did not have the answers. He had missed the action behind the building. When he had climbed back up to the roof, Noir was gone.

  Whatever had happened, he knew that Noir could take care of himself. He was one of the most powerful Luxins he had ever known despite the short time the boy had been using the power. Grandel's concern for his friend was taking second place to his dread of having to tell Kahmi about the Lumin being false.

  Kahmi had been right. Just like the others, this was a false Lumin. How much longer could Kahmi survive? It was obvious that she did not have long. His heart sank as he thought about the pile of bloody cloth he had seen next to her bed.

  That decided it. Noir would be fine, and Grandel wanted to spend as much time with Kahmi while he still could.

  Grandel made his way back to Kahmi's small house. As he walked, he was amazed at how fast word could spread in Chiron. People were already talking about what had happened with the Lumin. There were many different interpretations of the events. Some said the Lumin defended himself valiantly, while others said he fled like a coward. Grandel wasn't sure what the truth was and he didn't really care. All that mattered was that the man was a fraud.

  Grandel turned the last corner onto the street that would lead him to Kahmi's house. Once he was closer, he noticed a few armored men standing outside. He recognized their company symbol. He had commanded that company many times in the past. Grandel turned his head and hunched his shoulders to look as unassuming as possible.