Terra surveyed the crowd and recognized centurions, tirones, and optios, but many she did not. They moved through the crowd.
Terra glanced at Tacitus addressing his strike team. They all stood in perfect formation.
They passed by another strike team doing stretches. Terra counted eight of them. “Wow. Two strike teams working together.”
Zaid shook his head. “That strike team is led by Javed. He has the largest team. They are not the highest ranked in points, but he is good at team based tactics.”
Terra then looked to the other side where three tirones sat around a holoface. She looked away when they shot her a dark glare. All three of them had vicious scars and a grim demeanor.
Zaid did not look at them. “They are led by Nergüi. She is Mongolian,” he said in a low tone. “Her strike team has only three members, but they have the highest average of points in the entire Academy.”
Terra regarded several soldiers in foreign uniforms as they walked towards them from the other direction. As they passed, one turned to her and Zaid.
“Hey you bunch of Legion wannabes!” he said, making a gesture that Terra didn't understand. His dark blue, futuristic armor design reminded Terra of Vand's armor.
Another soldier approached, putting a hand on his shoulder. She wore a different uniform. It was dark gray with orange trim and patches, like the Kalians they had faced in the survival test. “Don't be stupid. Save it for the Trial of War.”
“No!” the first soldier yelled, shrugging off the Kalian's hand. “Every year you humiliate us Helcians in the salient. Not this year! This year, we will wipe you out!” he said before walking off while making another strange gesture.
Zaid and Terra exchanged confused looks. Then they both tensed upon seeing Lycus approach.
“Tiro Mason,” Lycus said in an irritated tone.
Terra stiffened and saluted.
“Come with me,” Lycus said.
Terra followed.
“I should dust you right now,” he said, glaring over his shoulder at Terra.
Terra frowned. “For what?”
Lycus stopped and faced Terra. “For breaking into the Archives and looking up my war record.”
Terra's brow lowered as she wondered what kind of stupid test this was. “I didn't break into the Archives. I could care less about your war record given that I'm about to take the hardest test in my life.”
Lycus's eyes narrowed. “You are either an expert liar, or another tiro stole your identity because our system registers that you broke into the Archives to access forbidden information.”
Terra raised an eyebrow. “Is this another secret test?”
Lycus turned. “Just follow me.”
He led her into a small indoor area before facing a pair of fadedoors guarded by several legionnaires. Each had the patch of the Third Cohort on their uniform, the Guardians; a cohort dedicated to guarding important facilities and acting as bodyguards. They saluted Lycus and the doors faded.
The interior was plain save for a three dimensioned holographic model that appeared above a glass floor. Around it stood three women each garbed in ornate pearl colored robes edged in gold that suggested a position of authority or importance. The young women appeared a few years older than Terra with the familiar shade of silver in their long hair, but what really looked odd to Terra were their headpieces.
Their strange crowns shimmered in pearl white metal with the front extending down in a solid metal plate that completely covered their eyes, like a masquerade mask with no eye holes. Above the ears was a pair of glowing, convex glass orbs which formed the base of swept antennas.
One of the women turned her head towards Lycus as though she could see just fine through the metal plate. “Praetor Lycus Cerberus,” she said in an ethereal tone. The Sybil's tone reminded Terra of Delphia. The Sybil then waved her hand in the air. Various holograms of mechanical components appeared in her hand's wake. “Precognition told us of your arrival, but not your purpose.”
Lycus's expression became stoic. “I apologize, Sybil Nona. An event has come to my attention that requires your precognition.”
The second Sybil turned to Lycus. “It is most odd. A Qadar like yourself should be more visible to us. Regardless, there are more meetings destined for today.”
Lycus nodded. “Is there a tiro you wish for me to send to you, Sybil Decima?”
Decima nodded before turning back to the model. She took the holographic parts Nona had made and arranged them into a projection of a new aeon edged weapon. “Could you bring us the tiro called Hikari Urashima next? We wish to speak with her before she undertakes the Labyrinth. We think she may be a Qadar as well.”
Lycus clasped his hands behind his back. “As you wish.”
The third Sybil examined the projection of the aeon edge while shaking her head. “This one will not do. It is destined for a failed guardian who has endured betrayal. While honorable, he will likely not survive the Labyrinth,” she said before waiving her hand through the holographic model. It dissipated before she turned to Lycus. “Why have you come here, Cerberus?”
Lycus pressed his lips together. “I told you, Sybil Morta, I don't like to be called that anymore.”
Morta faced Lycus. “You once so proudly took your aeon edge's name as your own. I do wish you would adopt it, at least in part, as Silverwind did. You are Qadar after all. Fated.”
Lycus's clinched his fists. “Silverwind has come to terms with her past. Respectfully Sybil, my past is my own business.”
“Then what business do you have for the Sybil of the Moirai?” Morta asked.
Lycus gestured to Terra. “I wish for you to give this tiro an omen and to read her. I wish to know if she broke into the Archives.”
Morta frowned. “What tiro?”
The other two Sybil glanced around as if searching for someone else. Terra now doubted they could see anything from behind those masks as she clearly stood only a few paces in front of them. After a moment, she cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Tiro Terra Mason,” Terra said, wondering how to address them.
Nona scowled. She leaned in closer as though trying to focus on Terra. Then she pulled back as her expression soured. “You brought us a null? No wonder our precognition could not foresee your purpose.”
Decima turned to Lycus. “Is this an insult, Cerberus?”
Lycus remained expressionless. “Not at all. I simply need the truth.”
The Sybil faced one another and stood silent for a long moment. Terra wondered if she should go when they turned towards Lycus.
“Very well, Cerberus,” Morta said. “We shall give you your omen and a reading. Though I cannot promise much accuracy, at least when a null is concerned.”
Nona stared at Terra. “I see nothing of importance.”
“Yes,” Decima added. “This one has no great destiny.”
“Destiny?” Terra asked, confused and a little annoyed. “You can see a person's destiny?”
“We are Sybil,” Morta said in a commanding tone. “We do not see as you. We see Time itself in all it's endless variations. The Grand Design; Time's plan for humanity's future. Only we can see it in all of its beauty and wonder.”
“We can even see part of your memories,” Decima said. “There is little of interest in your memories. No great tragedy. No great triumphs save for making it so far in the Academy. I do not see that she has been in the Archives, Cerberus. She is innocent of that crime.”
“She is like the opposite of Kairos,” Nona said while inspecting Terra like she was a nasty stain on a new rug.
Terra raised an eyebrow. “Why was Kairos so special?”
There was a moment of silence.
“Kairos was the light in the dark. Qadar.” Nona whispered.
“She was Qadar; a child of fate. The master of thought and memory,” Decima added.
Morta stepped forward. “We see thought and memory. We see fate and destiny. Most destinies are dim like distant stars. H
owever, some are bright burning stars like Silverwind or Cerberus. We call them Qadar. Some are nulls like yourself who do not shine at all, for their link with fate is weak at best. Kairos was like the burning sun at noon, beyond even the greatest of the Qadar.”
Nona smiled as though recalling a fond memory. “We foresaw her coming when a bright light of the Beginning of Time flared, sending out a shard of itself into Time.”
Morta frowned. “It coincided with a creeping shadow from the End of Time. We knew that the shadow would soon threaten Saturn City.”
Decima nodded. “When Silverwind first brought Kairos to us, we could tell she was a special person. Even then we saw the workings of destiny. It wasn’t long after Kairos became part of the Legion that the first of the Faceless began devouring Time. She was a child of prophecy. The one destined to save the city and all Time.”
“You are not her,” Morta said. “You will never be her. You have no fate. You have no destiny. You are a null. You will not make it through the final trial. That is clear to us.”
Terra glared at the Sybil. “How can you know that?”
“Simple,” Morta said while standing in front of Terra. “We see an aeon edge in each legionnaire's future. We use this vision to forge an aeon edge upon completion of their training. There is no new blade in your future. You have no part in the Grand Design.”
“Now get out,” they all said in unison and turned their backs to Terra.
Morta then turned to Lycus. “Are you satisfied, Cerberus?”
Lycus bowed. “Thank you, Sybil. That was all I needed know.”
Lycus and Terra turned to leave.
“Wait,” Decima said, staring at Terra.
The other two Sybil looked at Decima.
Decima shook her head. “No. It was nothing. For a moment, I thought I almost saw something in her memories. A wind of silver I think. It is just the null's oddity.”
They turned their backs to Terra before she and Lycus left the room.
As soon as the doors faded back in Terra crossed her arms while lifting her chin. “Well that was a lousy free psychic reading. Why was it necessary for me to meet those people again?”
Lycus's stare turned cold. “You may be innocent of breaking into the Archives, but do not antagonize me, Tiro Mason.”
Terra stiffened. “Sorry, praetor, but I get testy when I am brought before people who constantly insult me.”
Lycus looked back to the solid fadedoors. “The Sybil are critical to the Aeon Legion's daily operations, but they dislike working with nulls since they can't see them very well. While their precognition is essential to the Aeon Legion, they have been wrong before. Regardless, now I have to investigate who stole your shieldwatch identity and broke into the Archives. I suppose I should have known better. There was no way you could have accessed that information even with your Academy pass. They would have to have a singularity AI in order to do that.”
“What's a null?”
Lycus grinned, a hint of his wolfish snarl hidden in it. “Why, Tiro Mason, a null is someone who is unimportant. Someone who has no great effect on history. Nulls are not even a ripple in a pond, unlike great historical figures who are like tidal waves through Time. We call these great figures Qadar. I suppose your culture would call them chosen ones. All of Silverwind's squires have been Qadar, until she chose you.”
“Is that what this is about? Are you trying to prove Alya wrong?”
Lycus's grinned faded. “No. How Silverwind selects her squires is the sole thing on which we agree. Everyone believes that Alya Silverwind has a special connection with fate that allows her to find talented squires. I know the truth though. She does it all on a whim. Nothing more. Her only guide is her instincts and they always lead her to squires with one special trait. One trait I look for above all else.”
“What's that?”
Lycus turned to go, but stopped to glance back at Terra. “The desire to be a hero.”
∞
After Terra's meeting with the Sybil, she found Zaid again. The centurions had told them to gather in an open room with a large fadedoor ahead. As the hour of the Labyrinth drew near, more tirones gathered. Hikari and Roland joined them as well after their meetings with the Sybil. Neither spoke of what their meeting was like, though Terra could tell both Roland and Hikari had returned with nervous expressions.
Terra looked around to the other tirones. Most were now present as the Labyrinth was less than an hour away. No one spoke and they would often glance toward the fadedoors ahead. She looked that way as well. She knew that soon she would enter the Labyrinth. The thought made her nauseous.
Terra looked at her shieldwatch display again. Fifteen minutes. When the centurions appeared, the tirones moved into formation by instinct. One centurion approached the fadedoor and touched his shieldwatch face. The large door faded.
The vanishing door revealed the open expanse under the city with the Edge below. Above them loomed the metal base of the underside of the city. Before the tirones lay a large metal runway with a series of fadelines. Those fadelines ended at the edge of the metal overlook. Terra wondered why the fadelines ended without connecting to anything. Before them was only the runway and the Edge below.
“Attention!” Lycus barked as he entered.
The tirones snapped to attention.
Lycus paced up and down the line of tirones. He slapped Roland in the stomach. “Stand up straighter,” he said before moving down the line. “Keep your temper in check,” he said to Hikari as he glared. He then passed by Terra. “Don't do anything stupid,” he said in a low tone. Lycus then stood aside and an entourage of people entered.
Several legionnaires entered the room all in their dress uniforms. Terra recognized Strategos Orion among them. They then stood at attention themselves. Lycus saluted as an older man entered.
“At ease,” the older man said. His warm smile and soothing voice still carried a commanding edge. “No need to be so formal, Lycus.”
Although he wore the standard dress uniform, a white tunic edged in blue over a form fitting suit identical to Terra's training uniform, his possessed far more decoration. A plain looking aeon edge hung at his belt. Of the man's numerous medals and emblems, Terra recognized a complex insignia on the upper arms of his uniform; three crescents, a circle, and a three long triangles pointing outward. Terra's eyes widened. She knew that insignia. Only one man held that rank, the highest in all the Aeon Legion.
“Consul Prometheus,” Lycus said, lowering his salute. “I am rather surprised you are inspecting the tirones personally.”
Prometheus smiled. “I enjoy occasionally seeing how the Academy is faring.”
Lycus stiffened. “There is no need to waste your time inspecting them, consul.”
Prometheus dismissed the protest with a wave. “Don't worry, Lycus. It's been rather slow as of late. Besides, I hear there are many talented tirones this year. I am eager to see their performances.”
Prometheus moved down the line. He spoke with each tiro before moving on to the next. Then he came to Zaid.
Zaid saluted.
Prometheus nodded. “The Mamluks?”
Zaid looked at Prometheus with shock. “Yes. I am a veteran of Ain Jalut.”
Prometheus nodded. “Impressive. The battle that routed the Mongols. No easy task.”
Roland saluted as Prometheus walked to him next.
Prometheus inspected him. “You can always tell the bearing of a knight.”
Roland nodded. “Yes, consul.”
Prometheus smiled. “I'm happy we could at least help put you back together a little. I know your journey through the Academy must have been difficult so soon after your pilgrimage.”
Hikari then saluted as Prometheus faced her.
“I have heard a lot about you,” Prometheus said with a warm smile. “Almost all praise. We haven't had a talented tiro like you in some time. I also heard you were well versed in martial arts before you even came to the Academy.”
“I had to learn to defend myself, consul,” Hikari said plainly. “It was a violent time.”
Proteus nodded. “We could use that expertise now. I look forward to watching your performance.”
Terra then saluted as Prometheus faced her. Laugh lines creased his square, middle aged face. His older look made him appear kindly, yet it enhanced his commanding presence. She found his age odd compared to most eternally youthful Saturnians. Terra knew this man could look younger if he wished. Short silver hair with a center part topped his head. He looked Terra up and down while facing her, hands clasped behind his back.
“Tiro Terra Mason,” Prometheus said as he nodded. “Needless to say, we will watch your trials with particular interest.”
Terra relaxed when Prometheus turned away and walked to Lycus though she couldn't help but feel irritated. She knew so little about her teammates whereas Prometheus seemed to know everything.
“These are talented recruits this year, Lycus,” Prometheus said.
“Thank you, consul,” Lycus said. “We pushed them hard this year.”
“I do hope you will consider passing a few more of them than usual.”
“With all due respect, consul, I let the Labyrinth decide.”
Prometheus nodded. “Then I'll leave you to it.”
Lycus then touched the face of his shieldwatch.
Terra felt the ground shake as a loud metal groan echoed in the distance. She looked ahead to see several colossal metal rings fall away from the city. Each ring had twelve metal spires on the outer edge. Upon seeing the spires, Terra recognized the rings as huge salients. She counted twelve rings in total and though they varied in size, most stretched several kilometers in diameter.
As the rings settled in front of the metal runway, the glowing blue fadelines lined up and extended to the outer ring of the large salients. Blue glowing rings formed in the salient centers transforming each into a different terrain. The outer metal ring of the salient moved clockwise as the fadelines shifted to extend to random salients. Each fadeline would direct them to a random salient. Terra then understood. These salients were the labyrinth. She knew they would be separated as they entered and that each fadeline would take them to a different part of the Labyrinth. Even if they found their way back to the same fadeline, it would take them to a different location each time. This made the Labyrinth an ever shifting maze.
Aeon Legion: Labyrinth Page 32