by Yi Zhu
“What do you want me to do?” Sawyn asked, and caught the older woman completely by surprise.
“Child, don’t you have more questions? About who the rebels are? Why we are fighting?” Mother asked.
Sawyn shook her head. “I was only in the North for a week, and I have seen all I needed to. I always thought life with Fye would be great, but only those privileged had access to even the most basic of needs. Down South, the children are forced into a life of physical labor, but those in the North are forced into gangs and commit violence just to survive.”
The Mother opened her mouth, but Sawyn squeezed her hand.
“I looked out in the distance, and saw a great tower,” Sawyn continued. “I saw the Elites walking around, unleashing devastation without thought of consequence. They took my brother away in that forsaken place. They are going to exploit him, enslave him just like they would do to me.” Sawyn’s heart swelled with passion, and her voice grew louder. “I watched as the man who dared to save me burned to a crisp, a girl who tried to do the right thing died a pointless death, and a brave boy’s life faded away in my arms. I tried my best to save him, but he’s probably dead. I am sick of feeling so powerless.”
Sawyn looked up into the sky, and Mother simply watched the child, speechless.
“I refuse to be scared, to be powerless!” Sawyn screamed out. “Everywhere I look, I find only suffering. In the South, the people are forced to farm their life away, without hopes of a better life.” She turned and looked the Mother in the eyes. “As always, the least fortunate masses are forced to die for the sake of the privileged few. I will break the cycle, and take the fight to the heavens!”
Mother’s mouth hung open, and tears flowed freely from her eyes. Hesitantly, she reached out and cupped Sawyn’s cheeks. “I’m sorry,” Mother whispered.
The rush faded away, leaving Sawyn surprised at her own outburst. Mother’s hands felt gentle as the woman caressed Sawyn’s face. “It’s not your fault.”
“No, I’m sorry that you are forced to grow up like this, that you never got to be a child. And I shouldn’t address you as such.” Mother paused.
“Saw,” Sawyn offered.
“Saw,” Mother repeated with a smile, her tears still running unchecked. “If you want to walk away from it all, Rebellion be damned. But if you want to learn, I will teach you all that I can, if you would let me.”
“Help me become stronger, and let me make my own choice,” Sawyn said, and reached up to wipe away Mother’s tears. “Caroline.”
Caroline swept Sawyn off of her feet, and hugged the child tightly. “I will love you with all of my heart, if you will let me.”
Despite having only met this woman, surrounded by strong arms and showered with love, everything felt right to Sawyn. For the first time in months, she closed her eyes and felt at home. As Sawyn surrendered herself to the warmth of the gentle embrace, she relaxed her body and calmed her mind. “Mother,” she whispered.
Chapter 7: Caroline
The girl appeared in my dream again. The one who saved my life. Where did she come from? And where did she go?
If I ever see her again, I will repay her a thousand times over. No, a million times over.
When I woke up, I was filled with a sense of longing. Not even my favorite proverb can truly express how I feel: “Give me a drop of water in the hour of need, and I will repay you with a well that runs eternal.”
-Diary of Academy recruit V41, Year 12, day 103.
Sawyn’s eyes lingered on the cabin she had made her home for more than a decade, and part of her wanted to stay. Though her body had outgrown the small space, it felt cozy to her. The honest part of Sawyn did have to admit it was annoying that her head often hit the short doorframe once she reached puberty.
Lovingly, she ran her fingers down the wooden door, and said her goodbyes to the house. With her meager possessions in tow, she headed toward the training grounds. She'd had trouble sleeping the past few nights, but with the departure seeming inevitable, Sawyn made her peace.
By the time she reached the ancient tree, Mother was already waiting to greet her. With a gentle smile, Mother held out a waterproof bag. “You will need this, Saw.”
As Sawyn reached for the bag, Mother pulled her in closer, and squeezed tightly.
“I … I can go in your place,” she offered. “Those younglings are no match for me.”
Sawyn kissed Mother’s cheek softly, and looked sadly upon the gray hair now littering the older woman’s head. Despite aging considerably, Mother still looked beautiful, at least in Sawyn’s eyes. For thirteen years, the two of them had found comfort in each other’s company, but it was time for Sawyn to brave the world.
“I am ready,” Sawyn answered.
“Remember, when addressing an Elite, if you don’t know his or her official rank, it’s always safe to call them Doctor.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“And in the Imperial City, never stand in the way of the Royal Guard.”
“I remember, Mother.” Sawyn stopped Mother by hugging her back. “You have taught me well over the years, and I remember everything.”
“Winter is coming; you should dress in extra layers. I shrank down my old gray coat; it should fit you well.”
“Mother! You love that coat,” Sawyn protested. For as long as she could remember, Sawyn always woke up every winter morning to find Caroline sporting the long gray coat. “You are going to be cold.”
“No, no, silly child.” Mother waved her hand. “I have a bunch of other clothes. Besides, I can just light a fire; all we’ve got here is wood.” She gestured to the dense forest close by. “Always dress warm, and don’t worry about hiding your body; you are such a pretty girl, boys will still love you.”
“MOTHER!” Sawyn cried out, embarrassed.
Sawyn’s flushing cheeks made Caroline chuckle with delight. Before Sawyn could stop herself, the emotions finally got the better of her.
“No, no, Saw, remember, crying will make you all wrinkly, like me,” Mother said, and gently kissed the tears away.
Though no longer a child, Sawyn allowed the woman to finish.
“Remember, child, if you ever have doubts, you can forget all about the mission, and come back to me,” Mother finished, her tone serious. “Do you have any questions for this old woman?”
“No,” Sawyn said, and shook her head.
“Oh, please, I raised you for all these years; I know when you are lying,” Mother lectured good-naturedly.
Sawyn took a deep breath, and made up her mind.
“You taught me everything I know, and you are the best fighter I know. You told me you failed all those years ago. Why?” Sawyn asked. Upon seeing the frown on Mother’s face, she added. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. I’m sorry.”
Mother reached out and squeezed Sawyn’s hand softly. “I … Sometimes a person can do horrible things, but still be good. Sometimes people have no choice … Sometimes love makes you do horrible things, and sometimes … love gets in the way,” she finished finally.
“I understand.”
Two days later, Sawyn stood next to the Great Divide and gazed into the dirty water. The toxins no longer fazed her, not after hundreds of swims over the years. It was initially hard to convince Mother to take her here all these years ago, though Sawyn made a very strong case for using the waters to improve her Riftborn talents. Instead, after days of crying, the lonely woman had caved in to her every demand.
It wasn’t underhanded of me; back then, I was just an innocent ten-year-old, she assured herself. At first, they came here every month, but as Sawyn’s tolerance improved, trips to the river became a weekly ritual. Sawyn turned to face south, and took in the sights. Who knows how long it will be before I come back.
Gently, she unzipped the waterproof bag, and found something metallic pinned to a piece of paper. Sawyn retrieved the note, and read it under the moonlight.
“Saw, this used to be my mo
st prized possession. I labored for years to earn that tiny piece of metal, and for a long time, it meant something to me. But now I want you to have it; maybe it will be useful to you. Wearing it will mark you as Highborn, and give you access to many places.
There’s also something else I couldn’t bear to say to you in person. In a way, I understand Vince, and what he had to give up to get to where he is today. I’m not saying you should forgive him, and it’s a terrible idea for me to get you to feel for one of your marks. But I grew up just like he did, and the Tryout changes a person in many ways.”
Sawyn crumpled the note, and almost tossed it into the river, but stopped herself at the last second. Instead, she smoothed the paper out, and placed it back into the bottom of the bag. With the note taken care of, she shifted her attention to the trinket. Careful not to drop it, Sawyn took a closer look.
The sigil in the shape of a fist gleamed under the moonlight. I understand, Mother, but I cannot, Sawyn thought firmly as she placed most of the luggage inside the bag. After making sure she left nothing behind, Sawyn tied a very tight knot and nodded in satisfaction.
With one more lingering glance of the Southern Kingdom, she dove into the Great Divide. She noted with pleasure that though she could feel the toxins enter her system, her body had no problem dealing with the effects. With broad strokes, she began making her way to the other side. As she swam, Sawyn mulled over Mother’s message.
One message cannot wash away years of hate, no matter how hard life was for him. Anger swelled up within her, and as she progressed toward the North, she began to smell Fye again.
Time to see if the trips paid off.
Sawyn closed her eyes, and stopped fighting the hate. According to Mother, emotions were key to her power, the more intensely she felt about something, the greater her manifestation of Riftborn talent would be. Sure enough, fatigue washed away from her body, and her movements grew more rapid. Fear, rage, determination, it didn’t matter what she was feeling, as long as the will was strong.
Water no longer resisted her as she paddled forward with staggering speed. So powerful were her strokes that each movement propelled her forward by several feet. Before she realized it, her hand slapped violently against the rocks on the other shore, and one of her fingers was sliced open from the friction.
With a curse, Sawyn pulled herself up, and ruffled through the bag for fresh clothes. “Sorry, Mother,” Sawyn apologized as she tore off a tiny strip of a handed down summer dress to bandage her wound.
The moment she finished treating the injury, Sawyn got back to her feet. There was no time to delay, as the trip to the Capital was supposed to be two weeks long by foot. With Sawyn determined to move only under the cover of darkness, it might even take months. No, she decided, I have waited long enough. I’ll make it within a week. Sawyn conjured the image of the Academy Towers to mind and felt the air smelling fresher with every breath. Several feet away, a Fye-powered streetlight dimmed considerably. If Mother’s theory was correct, the years of bathing in waste had pushed her abilities to a whole new threshold.
Angry, driven, and determined, Sawyn took off running north, with a vendetta fueling her soul.
Chapter 8: Creation
Inside the estate, in the middle of his workshop, Vince hammered several cogs in place with calculated precision. The rhythmic banging of the hammer echoed throughout the large warehouse, and brought the Shadow a feeling of peace. Every few minutes, he channeled alchemy to keep the forge at the optimal temperature.
“You forgot this part,” Zed offered, and pointed to a long, slender cylinder.
With an appreciative nod, Vince walked over to retrieve the component. Carefully, he placed it against a pipe in his half-finished project. Lightning burst forth from his fingertip, welding the two pieces of metal together.
“The mobility unit slammed into Katherine’s barrier and broke it, but what if I installed explosives? Then the blast would have sent shrapnel flying, and neutralized my opponent,” Vince said, and then stroked his chin with pride at his ingenious revelation.
“If you want something that would explode on impact, it would have to be an armed bomb,” Zed explained patiently. “Do you really want to have something like that strapped to your pants at all times?”
“No?” Vince answered, his mind racing to come up with a counter argument.
“Besides, you have to consider the extra weight. It is supposed to provide more mobility, not less.”
“Right, right,” Vince conceded, and sat down for a short break.
The workshop was unusually quiet on this night. A perfect place to relax after an entire day spent in the Capital. Though Vince never really enjoyed festivals, he was rather tempted to join in. When the newly crowned emperor announced Vince as the new Shadow, the crowd went wild. While the crowning of the emperor was definitely a noteworthy historical event, a Lowborn becoming the Shadow was completely unprecedented.
As Vince leapt through the rooftops to escape the admiring fans, the Lowborns had looked up at him with admiring gazes, and screamed his name with utter reverence.
What did they expect me to do? he wondered. Undoubtedly, large crowds remained outside of his manor gates, hoping to meet their new champion. The lack of commotion at this point attested to the Sentinel’s vigilance in maintaining order.
“I hate this,” Vince admitted as he took the blueprint out of his pocket.
“You love science,” Zed said.
“I meant this job. The people who understand what it means to be Shadow want to assassinate me. Those who have no idea what this entails are envious of me. All I ever wanted was the power to make a difference.”
“But you ended up being a glorified bodyguard with a target on your head,” Zed finished, and patted Vince on the shoulder.
“When did I lose my way?” Vince asked.
“You didn’t. You are just frustrated because the path isn’t clear yet. But have patience … You are much closer to your goal than ever before, and an opportunity will come. And when it does, you can finally reforge the world.”
Reforge the world … my promise.
“Thank you, my friend,” Vince said, and buried his face in both hands to regain some focus. “I would like to be alone, please.”
“Of course,” Zed replied.
Vince closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. When he opened his eyes, Zed was no longer standing before him. With a sigh, Vince unpinned his Ivy Sigil, and held it up close to his face. Everyone who had earned that little piece of metal all paid a hefty price: at the very least, twelve years of their lives. But for Vince, the cost was unthinkable.
“Totally,” Zed uttered from behind the Shadow.
“AH!” Vince cried out, his body jerking into action, and before he realized what was happening, the box behind him burst into flames.
“Wow,” Zed said innocently, and whistled at the fire. “You are very twitchy, Mr. Alchemist.”
“I asked to be alone,” Vince said, his voice soft with fatigue. “It’s been a really long day.”
With an understanding nod, Zed wandered off, and disappeared once again, this time behind a shelf.
Embarrassed, Vince willed for Fye to cover the flames, and then wished for cold. Within seconds, the fire went away. Eager to avoid further awkwardness, Vince waited for a few minutes before returning to work. Since he was rebuilding his mobility unit, this was a perfect opportunity to make some improvements. Though Zed often offered great technology-related insights, sometimes the friend was immensely distracting.
Let’s see how long I can work without him interrupting me, Vince wondered, and began the modifications.
Chapter 9: Alone
Thirteen years earlier:
“This is impossible!” Vince said, and tossed down the hammer out of frustration. The assignment was to construct a condenser for Fye. I have the gas tank complete, and it’s strong, safe, and airtight. But how do I get the chemical from out there to in here? He picked up the
textbook, and began sorting through the chapters once again. While there were hundreds of pages of information, none of it made any sense to Vince.
Desperate to ace this assignment, he left his dorm room in search of Zed.
The moon hid behind the clouds, and Vince struggled to find his way on this especially gloomy night. As he progressed toward the Archives, the only other pedestrians he came across were guards patrolling the campus.
When Vince took a turn near the garden, a lonely figure stargazing caught his eyes. Considering the cliquey nature of the Academy, it was rather surprising to find anyone by themselves, especially this time of the night.
Probably a minor Highborn, Vince reasoned. But even from behind, Vince could see that the loner’s outfit was of the highest quality. The impending deadline urged the Lowborn to ignore this fascinating anomaly, but curiosity gave him pause.
“You found me,” the well-dressed boy said without turning around. “I’m so sick and tired of your annoying posse.”
“Sorry, I was just passing by,” Vince replied awkwardly.
The other boy finally took his eyes away from the sky, and turned to look at Vince.
The prince, Vince realized with surprise.
“Oh, I thought you were—” Darius began.
Before the prince could finish, Vince turned and scurried away. He had no desire to talk to the most powerful bloodline in the world, especially after Zed gave him a lecture about keeping a low profile.
After an uneventful jog, Vince found the Southerner alone in the library. A mountain of books balanced precariously next to the Academic recruit as Zed stared intensely at a diagram.
“Hey,” Vince greeted, and sat down across from his friend.
Without saying a word, Zed pushed a notebook forward.
Vince opened the cover, and found the blueprint he needed.
“Wow,” Vince said. “How did you finish the research so quickly?”