The Year of the Lumin

by Andrew Ryan Henke

  “No. Not really,” Noir answered honestly.

  Ratt sighed and put one foot on the bottom step of a spiraling set of stairs. Noir stopped and listened from a couple steps above him. “This is coming out wrong. I'm not sure how to say what I'm thinking.” He looked up at the tall ceiling above him. “What if I change after I get this armor? I like being powerless little me. If I'm powerless, I can ignore stuff. Who am I to challenge it? You know?” He took a few steps up the stairs and stopped next to Noir. “But if I do have that power and I don't...” He trailed off, shook his head, then turned and leaned against the marble handrail of the stairs.

  Noir understood and empathized, but the thought had never occurred to him. He also did not know what to say to help his friend, though he knew he should say something. They stood on the stairs awkwardly for a few moments while Noir struggled with what to say to comfort or help.

  Before Noir could think of anything appropriate, Ratt said, “And you all don’t even really know me. Why should you trust me with something so powerful?”

  Noir had not expected that. “We don’t know you? That’s not true at all. We’ve been….”

  “What’s my last name?” Ratt quickly interrupted.

  Suddenly Noir’s face felt red. He didn’t know Ratt’s last name, though he remembered Ratt telling him when they first met. “You’re right, I don’t remember.” Noir felt cornered but then thought to say, “But there’s more to a person than just facts.”

  “That’s exactly my point. If you all don’t even know the facts about me, then how can you know the deeper me?”

  A long pause passed until Noir said as convincingly as he could, “I know you, Ratt.”

  Another long pause, then Ratt eventually said, “I think I want to walk around for a while by myself.”

  Noir knew that sometimes being alone could be very good for sorting out emotions. “Yeah, okay, I guess. I'm going to head back.”

  Without knowing what else to say, Noir walked up the stairs, leaving Ratt behind. He made his way through the halls, trying to recall what he knew about Ratt's past. His parents disappeared and he was forced to be a carpenter, right? Wasn't that what he had told him?

  Noir looked up at a blue-robed Syeter who was walking toward him. Was that all that Ratt had said about his past? Had he said more and Noir had forgotten, or was he afraid to talk about it? Noir looked at the Syeter again and realized that the man was walking right toward him. His face was hidden by the blue hood, but a gruff chin moved as the Syeter spoke. “Please follow me, Noir.”

  The Syeter turned and opened a carved wooden door and walked into the dark room. Noir felt that something was amiss and hesitated. “In here, Noir. There are urgent matters we must speak of.”

  The voice was familiar so Noir dismissed his feeling of uncertainty and followed the Syeter in. The room lit up as the Syeter quickly touched several glow spheres. “What is this about?” Noir asked.

  The Syeter turned and said, “Don't be alarmed, Noir.” He pulled back the hood and Noir recognized Captain Osarik, the leader of the exiled Azurite Knights.

  Noir immediately embraced his lux and put up a strong light barrier around himself in case an attack came. He also quickly drew out his golden-hilted sword and placed its tip between him and the captain.

  “Put down your guard, Noir,” Osarik said. “My armor is off for the moment so I could convincingly fit into this robe.”

  As Noir backed toward the door, he quickly tried to think of what the knight's intentions could possibly be.

  “I am little more a fighter without my armor than you are without your lux. So for the moment, I have more to fear of you than you do of me.”

  Noir quickly responded, “What's the meaning of this?”

  The man sighed and put his hands up, palms out in a placating manner. “I understand how you feel about me after what happened before. But your mind has been skewed by those complacent fools upstairs.”

  “What are you talking about?” Noir thought of the enchant handcuffs that Ratt had stolen. He wished they were with him and not in his room.

  “You are unaware, Noir. You do not think past what you see and are told.”

  “And you are going to, what, fix what I think?” Noir shook his head. “I'm leaving.”

  “Listen, Noir. The Syeters of this tower are not as simple as they seem. They have hidden secrets, intentions, and projects.”

  “You aren't making a very convincing case for yourself, Captain. Especially with you kidnapping Ratt and trying to get to me like you did.”

  Osarik turned his back to Noir and took a few leisurely steps away. “You don't understand the situation, Noir.” He turned and looked back at him. “You don't really know anything. Only what those manipulative dogs upstairs have told you.”

  “Like what?” Noir asked with skepticism.

  “Well, there is an artifact here that comes from your world. They did not feel it necessary to tell you or your uncle about it.”

  An artifact? “What are you talking about?”

  “It is a small device that functions on a different system than chakra and enchanting. It's like nothing anyone has ever seen before.”

  Noir's mind careened through his memory. What could the man be talking about? “Tell me more about it. What does it do?”

  “It is metal and produces a light when a button is pressed. It captures what it sees and displays it on a pane of glass on the back, though it stopped working a month ago. Is this bizarre object familiar to you?”

  Noir took a step back in surprise. He thought, “Steven's digital camera!” He had given it to Noir at the cave to take pictures of the drawings on the walls. “I forgot all about it.” Noir said, “Where is it?”

  Captain Osarik laughed. “Do you see what I mean now? They only tell you what they want you to know. They are afraid you or your uncle would take the device if you knew about it.”

  Noir finally let down his lux barrier, but did not sheath his sword. “But what could they want it for?”

  “Probably to reverse engineer it. Find out how it works and use what they learn for other things.”

  “But who would do that? And where is it?”

  “Godo is not the only engineer here. There are many hidden sections of this tower. Ones that even the knights did not have access to. The only reason I know about this is because one of my knights stumbled upon it in one of their hidden workshops. The Syeters discovered this and banished him from the tower, but not until after he told me about it. And he was a good man who would not lie.”

  Noir was confused. Why wouldn't the Syeters tell them about this?

  “Now that you understand these Syeters a little better, there is more you need to know.” Osarik walked slowly toward Noir. “The only reason the Syeters are docile now is because they are biding their time, waiting for when they have the upper hand.”

  “What? What are you talking about? The upper hand on what?”

  “Control of Chiron. They have vied for control of the kingdom for hundreds of years, never quite having the facilities to overthrow the government.”

  Noir finally replaced his sword to its sheath, though he kept his hand on the handle. “Come on. You can't expect me to follow you on this. What about Jotunar? The three dragons are peaceful and always help mankind. Everyone knows that.”

  “You're right. But Jotunar is lazy, complacent, and longs for little more than peace and minds to bind to. Peace can be a shroud for impending evil.”

  “I think I've heard enough.” Noir grabbed the handle of the door behind him. “I think I'll return to my chambers now.”

  Osarik quickly responded, “Wait, Lumin. There is--”

  Noir interrupted him. “Lumin? Why would you call me that? I am not the Lumin.”

  “You don't think that's just another lie told to you by them?”

  Noir couldn't help but laugh. “They lied about what? That I'm the Lumin?” Noir laughed again and turned to leave.

&nb
sp; “Luxin Noir, there is something else you must hear that they have not told you.”

  Noir opened the door a crack and turned. “I am going to tell them that you are hiding here in five minutes. If you are not gone by--”

  “The Chiron army is being sent to destroy Talik, the free town. You have friends there, yes?”

  Noir froze when he heard the words. Then he returned the door to its closed position. Noir's voice was low and hushed. “What are you talking about?”

  “The Syeters know you would leave to protect them and they want to keep you in their midsts so--”

  Noir spoke harshly, “Enough with the conspiracy garbage! What of this attack? Tell me what you know!”

  Despite Noir’s harsh response, the captain looked pleased. “They have known for two days. The army leaves the day after tomorrow. The rebel town finally got clumsy and leaked their position. Tier will attack as well.”

  “Tier is sending an army too?” Noir suddenly felt anxious. “I need to go.”

  “Wait, Noir. You will never make it on your own. Both armies will have scouts everywhere. Go with me and my knights as protection.”

  Noir again grabbed the door handle. “I don't think that's a good idea.”

  “Well, then enlist to travel with the Chiron guard. They'll happily accept a Luxin to their ranks.”

  Noir turned with a hand on the door and gave a long look at the man. He finally said, “Assuming what you're saying isn't completely lies, why would you help me?”

  Osarik lifted the blue hood again over his head. “Because some of us believe in you, Lumin.”

  Noir looked at the man a moment longer, then opened the door and left. He quickly walked down the halls of the tower buried in thought. The metal of his armor clanked together quietly as he walked. He ignored the looks of the Syeters who passed.

  Chapter 38

  Growing uncertainty

  The yellow tree symbol flapped on Noir's cloak as he stormed through the main hall of the Syeters. The majority of them sat cross-legged as usual in the center of the large room around the sleeping dragon. He walked past them to an adjoining hall that led to Ratt's room and his own room. As he rounded the corner to the hall, his fast pace almost sent him face first into a young Syeter. He recognized the man as Syeter Daysik.

  “Whoa, Noir. What's wrong? Why the hurry?”

  “Oh, nothing's wrong. I'm fine, Daysik.”

  Noir tried to go past the blue-robed man toward his chamber when he felt his mind open up and Daysik's sye voice enter his thoughts. Before the man could start his mentally projected sentence, Noir quickly said, “Stop doing that! Use your mouth; it's there for a reason. A person's mind is his own, not to be invaded by some....” Noir caught himself before saying any more. He suddenly felt ashamed at his anger. The Syeter's face was that of shock.

  And then something passed between them through the sye connection. Something bizarre and frightening. It was like a mind-shattering blast of images invaded Noir's mind. Although it only lasted a fraction of a second, Noir grabbed his head and nearly fell over from its intensity.

  Noir barely heard Daysik's caustic voice. “You will remember to not speak to one of us in such a manner.”

  By the time Noir regained his poise, Daysik was nowhere to be seen.

  Noir turned and stumbled on in the direction he had been going. As he went, the images that had been unintentionally blasted into his mind started to unravel. They seemed to be fantasies of Daysik's or perhaps the entire sye circle's that had been leaked to him.

  Many showed peaceful towns being ruled by blue-robed men. Each of these showed various levels of work ranging from slavery to entrepreneurship, always dominated by the Syeters. Other images were of the Syeters ruling over Chiron. Others still showed the Syeter-controlled Chiron warring with Tier.

  The image that haunted Noir the most was of himself being held as a shield against what must have been the might of the world. He was bathed in white light and blackness buffeted him before the entirety of the sye circle.

  Noir's mind felt overused by the sudden burst of information. As he realized this sensation, the images were suddenly gone from his mind. He could remember what he had thought about each one, but could not picture them any longer.

  “What just happened?” he muttered to himself.

  Noir walked the couple halls that would lead to Ratt's converted closet of a room. He walked in and started to talk, but found it empty. Somehow, Noir had expected Ratt to be there. Ratt was always who he had gone to for the last few months whenever he needed to talk about anything. Where was he now when Noir needed him so much?

  He walked down another hall leading to Steven's much more spacious and elegant chambers. However, as he walked, his pace slowed. He couldn't talk to Steven about all of this. What if he went to the other Syeters with it? Noir could only guess as to the meaning of the images. Possibly the worst thing he could do would be to go to Steven with it.

  Noir found himself deep in thought standing in the middle of the hallway. He flexed the muscles to progress in a direction, but stopped before he moved. Then he would start in another direction with the same result. He had no idea who to go to or talk to. Never before had he felt so alone, lost, and helpless.

  A gentle hand touched and rested on an unarmored part of Noir's arm. He quickly turned to see Asiada's concerned face. Her usual defiant and proud stature was missing for once.

  “What's wrong, Noir? I've never seen you like this.” She took her hand from his arm and stood in front of him.

  “Asiada...” he hesitated. Noir realized that he could confide in Asiada. As innocuous as her presence had seemed before that moment, suddenly Noir was immensely glad to have her with him. “Asiada,” he started again this time with confidence. “Can I trust you?”

  She gave him a wry look, the proud stature seeping into her persona again. “Why? Usually when people ask that, they're about to ask the other to do something crazy.”

  “No, it's not crazy, just important. And we need to be away from prying ears.”

  “Well, it seems to me a good place to go would be my room... since you're standing right in front of it.”

  Noir looked at the carved wooden door and realized that he had never known where the girl's room was. “Yeah, that'll work.”

  Asiada opened the door and Noir followed. Even though they had only been there for a few weeks, her room was surprisingly well-decorated and adorned with small trinkets and delicate-looking cloth. As Asiada closed the door behind them, Noir reached up and touched the glow sphere which dangled from the ceiling.

  Asiada grabbed the wooden chair that had been supplied with the room and jammed it under the curved handle to the door. Noir said, “A little much, do you think?”

  “I've gotten used to doing it here,” she replied matter-of-factly. “Apparently Syeters don't know how valuable a girl's privacy is.” She walked over to her perfectly made bed and sat down. Noir looked around for a place to sit as well, but after seeing nothing, chose a place against the wall. Asiada acted as though that was what was expected.

  “So what's going on, Noir?”

  “Where do I begin?” He paused thinking back on all that had happened in the last hour. “Well, what do you think of the Syeters?”

  “What do you mean?” She shifted on her bed as if realizing the conversation would be important.

  “Well, you know, do you trust them?”

  “Don't you? Your uncle's one of them, you know.”

  That fact was a large factor in his doubt over what Osarik had said. “I know, that's why I'm not sure about all this.”

  Asiada grunted. “Stop talking in circles! Sure about what, Noir?”

  Noir quickly told Asiada what had happened with Osarik. He left out the confusing disagreement that he and Ratt had shared beforehand. He did attempt to tell her about the images that had seeped to him through Daysik's sye connection, though he wasn't sure how to describe it. He concluded, “But with all of
that, it wasn't the most frightening thing Osarik said. You know the town that is outside of both kingdom’s rule? Talik?”

  “The one you guys were with before? Yeah.”

  “Osarik said that there’s a Chiron army headed to their location. If that wasn’t enough, there’s supposedly a Tierian force also.”

  Asiada grimaced. “Oh, that’s bad. Where those two collide….”

  “Yes, I know. It won’t be pretty... that is, if it’s true.”

  “Well, it’s easy to find out if Osarik is lying.” She continued on when she saw Noir's unknowing expression. “Just go out in the streets and open your ears.”

  “Really?”

  “Noir, if anyone knows about it, it’s already in the streets. We can go ask around tonight.”

  “Okay, then.” Noir stood up as though he meant to go right then, but Asiada remained seated on her bed. Noir turned to her questioningly. “What's wrong?”

  “Noir, this may not seem like the right time, but you promised to tell me about the other world that you came from. Remember, back when we were meeting with Jotunar?”

  Noir remembered saying that he would. “Asiada, the urgency of our current situation....” He trailed off. “Can we talk about it another time?”

  Asiada stood up from the bed and nodded. “You're right. Another time.” She walked to the door. “Let's go.”

  As she opened the door, Noir realized that he had not left the tower since they had first arrived. If the Syeters really did think that he was the Lumin despite what Jotunar had said, then they might not allow him to leave. He also realized that the images he had seen gave him new fortuitous insight into their possible motives.

  Asiada turned and started to lead Noir out the door, but he did not follow. “I don’t think I can leave, Asiada.”

  She stopped and turned. “What? Why?”

  “I don’t think they’ll let me.”

  She cocked a hip to the side. “Why? Because there’s some conspiracy to keep the oh-so-important Noir from leaving? Come on. A little big-headed, don't you think?”

  “No, Asiada. This is something that I need to seriously consider.” He ignored her scoffing and continued, “I need you to go find out about what Osarik has said. Find out if it’s true. But for now I need to play with my cards face down.” The girl’s confused expression reminded him that they probably did not have playing cards in this world. “I mean, I need to be careful not to let on that I suspect anything.”