“I had expected them far sooner, but I can’t help but wishing that they left us alone until we had reached my father’s house,” Humanius said sighing deeply.
“How can you tell that anything is out there?” Thad asked slightly curious.
“I and my sister have been keeping our senses aware. We have not really been reaching out to the magic, only leaving ourselves open to it. However, even that is dangerous, so we have been taking turns.
Thad followed behind Humanius as they moved to join the rest of the group. “How long until they reach us?” Bren asked looking over his shoulder toward the large palace looming in the distance.
“It’s hard to say, but they don’t seem to be moving as fast as the last group,” Belaroan said. “I would suggest we find a good defensible position and wait for them.”
Thad remained silent and quietly followed Humanius and his sister’s lead. He would have preferred to push forward and try to move around the enemy, but these were not humans they were fighting, but some odd creatures and he doubted they could be as easily fooled. Belaroan picked a large building covered in windows for them to make their stand.
As the others began to take up positions within the building, Thad made his way over to where Humanius stood looking out one of the windows at the road outside. “Humanius, don’t you think all these windows will make it easier for the scions to attack us from multiple directions at once?” Thad asked.
“There is the chance of that, but there are few buildings that are large enough for us to move about without feeling crowded. If they had been noticed earlier, we would have had many choices, but we are now in the common district and most the houses are only meant for families of two or three people.”
Looking around, Thad noticed a number of shelves holding what he believed once were books. Knowing that nothing he could say would make the gods chance their mind he wandered off down the rows. After some time, he picked one of the crystal books at random and pulled it from its shelf. As soon as his gloved hand touched the book something flashed through his mind.
Thad was no longer standing in a world of crystal, but in a brightly lit place of books where numerous people gathered to read at their leisure. “I wish mother wouldn’t force me to read these boring books,” a voice echoed in Thad’s mind. Shortly after the voice had spoken, Thad found himself walking toward the door of the building and out into the daylight. What he saw was unlike what he expected. The landscape was no longer made of crystal, but brick, stone, and metal. The road was made of a dark black stone that seemed as if it was one piece instead of individual stones.
Thad tried to turn around to move in any direction, but nothing he did made a difference. Outside, he mounted a horse and after a short ride reached a small house. As the door to the house opened, Thad’s eyes began to cloud and as everything cleared, Thad found himself once again standing in the crystal building. After a quick look around, Thad noticed that the others still stood where he had last seen them. After replacing the book where he had gotten it, Thad moved off to another section of the building.
Thad found an open section of the building with numerous large crystal chairs. His mind still muddled, Thad sat down and took a number of deep breaths. “What was that?” Thad asked himself, his voice carrying in the quiet building.
If I had to make a guess, I would say that it was a memory.
“A memory,” Thad said silently. Thinking about it, there was little else it could be. The real question was whose memory was it and why had he seen it.
Is it that hard to understand? If I chose, I could show you my memories. In the end that is all I am…An assortment of memories.
“That doesn’t explain why I saw it,” Thad said a slight trace of worry evident in his voice.
Don’t think I know any more about it then you do. I could feel odd magic from the moment that we crossed though the barrier into this world.
For the first time, Thad took a good look at Thuraman. It was then that he noticed that small lines of crystal stared to show on the staff’s smooth wooden body. Thad didn’t know why he was surprised, everything in this world was made of crystal, so why would Thuraman be immune from its effects. “Did you know?” Thad asked Thuraman worriedly.
Yes, though I am not bothered by it. Unlike you, it only affects me slightly. I don’t need my body to move, and as a creature of magic all it has done is increase my capacity. There is the slight murmurs of the magic’s pull, but it is easy enough for me to block it. I am made of gems and crystal so it cannot change what or who I truly am.
“At least that is one of us who doesn’t have to worry about losing himself,” Thad said with a meek laugh.
You might escape if you don’t linger in this place too long. It is hard to say what will happen to you in the end.
“That doesn’t really seem to help,” Thad said slightly irritated. After rubbing his brow, Thad laid his hands down on the crystal chair and once again his eyes clouded and he once again found himself sitting in the building long before it had been turned to crystal.
Thad found his eyes focused on a book that now sat in his hands. Unable to control himself, Thad read the words printed on the cream colored paper. It was a story about a young man who was sailing through the stars in the vast darkness of the abyss of the land beyond the worlds. At first, Thad thought that it might have been a true story about someone from this world, but it didn’t take him long to learn the truth. The story was nothing more than a fanciful story like his wife loved to read. It was meant to ensnare the mind and entertain. Thad didn’t know why, but he hated those kind of stories. Why read for leisure when one could better themselves by reading something that could better themselves.
His own memories clouded those he had been forced into. He had said those words to his wife many times as she had lay in the bed next to him reading. She had always protested that even books meant to entertain had lessons and things one could learn from. No matter what she said, Thad never could see what she meant, but he had learned that bringing it up only brought trouble, so he had stopped bringing it up.
As Thad’s eyes cleared, he was surprised that his own memories were as clear as the one that had overtaken him. With nothing else but time to wait, Thad tried to think about the memories. It wasn’t hard for him to notice that they came over him each time his hand touched something made of crystal. The gloves he wore were made of tanned deer hide and were so thin that it barely interfered with one’s touch.
Pulling off the glove to his right hand, Thad noticed that the crystal scale on his palm had grown much bigger, near the size of a small coin. It didn’t hurt, nor affect the movement of his hand. However Thad was sure that even if his whole hand was made of crystal he could still move it. That was what the enchanted stone he had made was supposed to do, but it seemed that it wasn’t slowing the effects quickly enough… it was still spreading too fast.
Shaking the depressing thoughts from his mind, Thad pushed himself from where he sat and moved back to where the others waited. He found Humanius still looking out the same window he had been moments before. “How does it look?” Thad asked, moving up behind his friend.
“They are moving slowly,” Humanius replied.
“How can you tell?” Thad asked taking a peek out the window himself.
“The scions have much more strength then the rest of the world. They are like a lighthouse to the captain of a ship. Though we can’t exactly tell how far away that beacon is, we can tell how fast it is approaching,” Humanius explained.
“How long do you think we have?” Thad asked as he moved back from the window and cut his eyes over to where his son stood leaning against the door.
“It is hard to say. If I knew how strong the scions were and how many of them there were, then I could better judge, but the truth is I don’t,” Humanius replied. “My best guess is that they will reach us between nightfall and morning, but I could be wrong and they could be here in the matter of moments.”
“I think I will trust you and have a rest,” Thad said turning to move away when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning his head slightly, Thad looked at the knowing face of Humanius looking at him.
“Is something wrong?” The god asked.
“Nothing really,” Thad replied. “Just a bit tired is all.” Humanius let go of Thad’s shoulder and let him go, but Thad knew that Humanius didn’t believe what he had said, but didn’t want to push the issue and that was something Thad was grateful of. It wasn’t that he wanted to hide what was happening, but he wanted time to adjust before he tried explaining it…At least that is what he told himself as he moved off back toward the open area of the building to lay down his pack and spread out his blanket so that he could lay down for a few hours and find some solace in his own company.
It might be best to talk to the god. He has lived a long time and I am sure that he knows far more than either of us about what is happening to you.
“I know,” Thad replied to Thuraman, a bit more bite in his reply than he had intended. “I just need to clear my mind first,” Thad replied in a calmer tone after taking a few moments to sort out his anger.
Time is one thing you might not have. You might not be able to tell, but more is changing than your body. I have seen you mad, confused, and calm. I have spent my life watching yours and you are not yourself now.
“I know, but right now there is little that he could do about it,” Thad said as he covered his eyes with this arm and after a few hours drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER VIII
“They are getting close,” a voice said in Thad’s ear as he was shaken awake.
As Thad’s eyes cleared, he noticed his son hunched over him, his face one of calm serenity. Seeing that his father was awake, Bren turned to move back into his position. Not knowing why, Thad reached out and took hold of his son ankle. “Wait,” Thad said as he pulled himself into a sitting position.”
“Yes,” Bren said his voice as calm as his demeanor.
“How are you doing?” Thad asked, unable to think of anything else to say to his son.
“Father, right now is not the best time to catch up,” Bren said calmly. “Maybe after if we survive we can sit down to have a nice chat.”
“That is just the point,” Thad replied. “We might not live past this day, and I don’t want to think that it ended without settling things between us.”
“Father there is nothing to settle,” Bren said almost confused. “I am no fool. I know your leaving was not your fault and I hold no ill will to growing up without you.”
Looking up into his son’s face, Thad couldn’t help but to laugh. “You might not think so, but your eyes tell a different story, but I won’t push it, not today, but soon you will tell me the truth. Life is too short to hold such feelings especially from yourself.”
As Thad got to his feet, Bren turned and walked back toward the three sets of double doors that led to the road outside and drew his obsidian sword. Thad didn’t know why, but each time he saw that sword something inside him shivered. It was much like the feeling the white swords had given him when he had fought against the Brotherhood, but it didn’t have the same sense of dread, then again the sword wasn’t trying to cleave his head from his shoulders.
Don’t you think that you should get ready?
Without replying, Thad moved into a position beside Humanius and drew his own sword, thought it felt a puny thing in his hand. As his fingers tightened and squirmed on the hilt of his sword, Thad wished he had his sword back in his hand. If only the sword headed his call as Thuraman did, Thad thought as he looked toward the doors and his son.
“Stay back,” Humanius said placing a comforting hand on Thad’s shoulder. “There is little you can do against the likes of the scions. The godlings stand a decent chance, but you would be killed before you could make a chip on their crystal hide.”
Thad felt like a child as he looked at his son and the other gods. For the first time, Thad believed that he should have stayed back if all he could do was be protected. It was a new feeling for him. Not once in his life had he needed to be protected, or he had never believed so himself, his wife might have disagreed with him on that point if she was here.
Taking up a place next to Humanius, Thad looked out the window and watched to road leading to where they waited.
Thad didn’t have to wait long before he got his first glimpse of the scions. Unlike the creatures they had seen before, these did not look like an animal, but stood upright and walked slowly on two crystal legs. There were three of the scions and Thad couldn’t help but think of them as humans. The way they walked, and looked around as if surveying the area, was far different than the scions they had seen last time and from what Thad could tell, it seemed as if they were talking among each other. It wasn’t that their mouths were moving, but from the way they looked from one to the other every so often.
When the scions were no more than a hundred feet from where Thad and the others hid, all three of the scions turned in their directions and walked straight toward the building where they were.
Right before the scions reached the door, the Godlings burst through and attacked them. Unlike the creatures before who moved like animals, these scions fought with an almost calm understand of their enemies. Within moments the only Godling that was left was the elven god, but the fight was not completely one sided, as one of the scions lay on the ground, its pieces scattered and broken.
The tall, strong elven god moved with grace; dancing outside of the scions grasp of death, striking whenever a chance presented itself. Each blow of the elven god’s blade made another chip in one of the scions, but it was making little difference until the blade dug deep into one of the creatures and its leg shattered.
Thad almost yelled with joy, but the scion was not the only one surprised by the shattering limb. The elven god lost his balance and fell on top of the scion as it tumbled to the ground. As it impacted the ground, the scion’s right arm shattered and large cracks formed on the creature’s head. The elven god tried to scramble away, but the scion grabbed at him as he tried to roll away and before the Godling could get free of the creature’s grasp, the other scion grabbed the elven god’s head and pulled it free from the Godling’s body as if he were picking a ripe grape from the vine.
Thad felt his stomach churn as he watched the grizzly scene. It was not the first time that he had seen a death, but nothing like what was happening in front of him. In an instant, Thad watched as his son jumped through the door, his sword raised for a strike at the scion. Thad tried to scream for Bren to stop as visions of the boy’s death flashed through his mind, but all he could manage was a slight whisper of a scream.
Everything seemed to happen slowly as Bren’s sword seemed to flow toward the scion’s chest. Thad expected the blade to bounce of the crystal, creating only a small chip, if any damage at all, but the blade dug deep, cutting through the scion as if he were cleaving flesh instead of stone.
As the scion fell to the ground and shattered into half a dozen pieces, Thad moved to the creature lying on the ground as it clawed to get into a position to strike at him. Before Bren’s sword could strike, Humanius yelled for the Bren to stay his hand. Without asking why, Bren lowered his weapon and moved away from the pitiful creature lying before him.
Thad started to ask his friend why he had spared the murderous beast, but he never got the chance. Humanius moved toward the scion and using one hand, struck the creature on the shoulder and knee breaking the limbs as if he was shattering shale with a sledgehammer.
A moment of anger flashed through Thad. If Humanius could destroy the scions so easily, then why had he let the Godlings die while he watched; while he did nothing? The anger quickly dissipated, though the question remained in the back of his mind.
“Speak,” Humanius demanded of the scion.
Thad thought that his friend had lost his mind. If these creatures had the ability or desire to speak, they would have done so long
before now.
“Young master, I did not think that it would be you that we found among the invaders. In truth, we all thought you long dead,” the scion said. Its voice was light and musical as if the words were sung from a flute.
“Roger,” Humanius said as he backed away from the scion.
“Roger,” the scion said as if tasting the name on its own lips. “I believe that was what I was called, though it was so long ago I am not sure; even my memories of you are muddled along with many others, most of those not my own.”
“What happened here?” Belaroan said stepping forward and looking down on what was left of the scion.
“Happened?” The scion asked, as if it didn’t understand what Belaroan was asking.
“Yes, what happened here? You know to our world, to you. When did the gateway fall?” Belaroan asked her face turning a light shade of red, though even without looking at her, the anger was clear in her voice.
“I don’t know,” the scion said. “Time passes, and all I know is what the voices tell me.”
“Voices?” Humanius asked.
“Yes, the voices of the one,” the scion replied, his face almost showing pain. “It is always there, though most of the time it is quiet like a light breeze blowing past your ear, but lately it has been like a mighty torrent… It has been demanding.”
“What has it been demanding?” Humanius asked, as he looked to the others.
“You,” the scion replied. “It wants those that cannot hear its voice. Those of us left… those chosen to hear its call have been called to find you.”
“Just how did you find us?” Belaroan asked as she clenched and unclenched her fist.
“We followed her voice,” the scion replied. “It was hard to understand, but as we got closer, the easier it was for it to guide us.”
“Thank you Roger,” Humanius said and he raised his foot above the creatures head. “Now rest.”
As Humanius said the last words, his foot shoot down and the scion’s head shattered like a vase dropped from a high ledge. “It sounds as if we won’t have an easy time of it, not with scions tracking us. I would suggest that we not waste any time and head straight to our destination.”
Crystal Throne (Book 1) Page 6