Aaliyah sat on the bed to the right. “You sleep there.” She nodded toward the other bed.
Gewey froze. “You mean we're staying in the same room?”
“Of course,” Aaliyah replied, clearly amused. “Space aboard ship is limited, and I will not have Shivis Mol sleep on deck.”
“I wouldn't mind.” He made no move toward the bed. Knowing her intentions made him feel uneasy, and he knew Kaylia certainly would not approve.
Her laugh rang out like music. “Calm yourself. I can have one of the crew stay with you if you wish.”
Gewey suddenly felt very much a child. He tossed his pack on the bed and settled his wits. “I wouldn't want to kick you out of your own room. I didn't mean to overreact.”
There was a knock at the door and two elf men entered, carrying a small basin filled with water. Their eyes fixed on Gewey as they placed the basin gently on the floor and left.
Aaliyah rose to her feet. “It is time for your first lesson,” She knelt in front of the basin. “The water is cold. You shall heat it.”
Gewey knelt beside her. “What do I do?”
“The same as you do with power from the earth. Only you must focus your spirit on the air that surrounds the basin.”
Gewey cocked his head. “The air? Not the water?”
Aaliyah shook her head. “No. You could heat it that way, but the effort would be much greater.” She reached over and took his hand. “You must learn to find the smooth path. Water will resist you, while the air is pliant.” She squeezed his hand tightly. “Open your mind to me. Allow me to guide you.”
Gewey breathed deep and closed his eyes. At once he saw Kaylia, her face anguished and lonely. His eyes snapped open.
Aaliyah released her grip and sprang to her feet. “This will not do.” Her voice was disapproving and sharp. “If you cannot govern your bond, I must…assist you.” Grabbing Gewey's shoulders she pressed down hard.
“What are you doing,” he demanded. Then it felt as if he had been struck between the eyes. He fell back, reeling.
Aaliyah knelt beside him. “You are not hurt, Shivis Mol.”
Gewey opened his eyes. It took him a moment before he managed to sit up and regain his focus. Something was wrong. An overwhelming sadness filled his heart, and tears began streaming down his cheeks. He closed his eyes, and reached out to his bond with Kaylia. It was gone! He glared accusingly at Aaliyah. “What have you done?” he roared. He experienced sorrow blended with sheer fury.
Aaliyah looked serene and almost satisfied. “Nothing that cannot be undone.”
Gewey leaped to his feet. His hand slid to his sword as the flow raged through him. “Then undo it!”
Aaliyah didn't appear intimidated as she slowly stood. “I will not. Not until your lessons are complete.” She turned to the door. “You are unable to control your bond with Kaylia. That will hinder our work, and we can ill afford that. The time I have to teach you is short, and I will not allow passion to cripple you.” Reaching for the door, she turned her profile to Gewey. “I will leave until you calm your storm.” With those words she left the room.
Gewey let out a tortured scream. For more than an hour he raged, pacing back and forth. Again and again he tried to reach out to Kaylia, but could feel nothing. The sensation of pure emptiness had him weeping openly several times. Finally, he sat on the bed, defeated.
The door opened and Aaliyah entered and sat next to him. Her face bore the look of deep concern and sympathy. “When you have the strength, you can overcome what I have done. I have not broken your bond, only pulled it from your grasp.” She placed her hand on Gewey's. “You must trust me.”
Gewey reached down and roughly pushed her hand away. “You had no right to do this.”
“Better for me to face your anger now, than to let you face your enemies unprepared.” She knelt back down beside the basin. “Come.”
Gewey stared with seething anger, and remained on the bed several minutes, before kneeling beside her. “You had better keep your word. Once you've taught me, undo it.”
Aaliyah took his hand. This time he did not resist. “When I have taught you what you need to know, you will not need me to undo it.” Her mouth turned up to the tiniest of smiles. “When that happens, your foes will tremble before you.”
Gewey closed his eyes and let Aaliyah enter his mind. Despite his anger, the touch of her thoughts felt soothing and warm.
“Allow yourself to feel as I feel.” Her voice lifted away the loneliness.
Gewey let himself drift nearer and nearer, until he could no long separate where his mind ended, and hers began. He had only been this close to Kaylia. Guilt and regret shot through his heart, but somehow, Aaliyah pushed it away, replacing it with a feeling of joy and contentment. He felt her spirit reach out to the air that surrounded the basin. At first it was confusing. It felt very different than when he drew power from the earth. It seemed as if it were so removed and strange, that it couldn't be part of the flow. But as Aaliyah began moving and molding it, he began to see how it melded to the actual fabric of the world. Suddenly it was so simple. He wondered how he had never seen it before.
“Magic,” he whispered.
“Yes,” said Aaliyah. “In a way.”
The air above and around the basin swirled and compressed, faster and faster, until heat sprang forth from its core. Increasingly hot, it danced and swayed, caressing the surface of the water and sides of the basin. Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended. The water steamed and rippled.
Gewey reached out and touched the basin, burning the tips of his fingers. He scarcely noticed the pain. “How didn't I see it before?”
Aaliyah squeezed his hand and helped him to his feet. “It may still elude you.”
Gewey closed his eyes and reach out for Aaliyah once again. This time she didn't allow him to join with her. “Why-”
“You must try without my help.” she said.
Gewey realized in that moment that he longed to feel her spirit, and felt ashamed. He felt as if he had betrayed Kaylia. “Of course.” He pushed his feelings aside, and tried to recreate what they had done, but as Aaliyah said, he couldn't. After three straight attempts, he threw his hands up in frustration.
“Patience,” said Aaliyah. “It will come more easily with time.” She turned to the door. “I will leave you to bathe. Then we can rest.”
“But it's still morning.”
Her voice became soft and seductive. “I prefer the night. And I am weary from our journey.”
Gewey blushed under her gaze. The feeling of guilt and betrayal returned to snap back his reason. He was very tired. And now that he had released the flow and his anger had subsided, he became keenly aware of the dull fatigue that was now washing over his entire body.
After he washed and changed into the elf clothing given to him by Theopolou, he settled into his bed. The waves rocked ever so slowly, until he drifted close to sleep. He was only barely aware of Aaliyah's return. For a moment, just before sleep completely took him, he could feel her mind touch his. It was soft and comforting, as if a mother soothing a frightened child. He felt his lips turn to a smile. Then there was only the dark oblivion of a deep, restful sleep.
Chapter 11
Gewey awoke to the sound of Aaliyah humming softly at the desk, reading a small blue book. He lay there and listened for a time, then sat up, refreshed and strong.
“You slept well, I trust?” she asked, without looking up.
He yawned and stretched. “Yes. I was more tired than I thought.”
“You have had quite an eventful few days.” She closed the book and placed it in the desk drawer. “I am sorry to say that you will get little rest while on board. We have much to do.”
She waited outside for Gewey to change, then led him to the galley. Two plates of eggs and bread awaited them. After breakfast, she took him on deck. The cool sea air sent a chill down his spine. As he looked out onto the Western Abyss he envied the sailors such a life. The dar
k, rolling waves and the endless expanse calmed him. The sun was just sinking over the horizon, setting the sky ablaze with swirls of orange, blue, and red. Stories his father had told him of storms and sea monsters couldn't exist in such a marvelous place.
Aaliyah walked to the port railing and leaned her slender figure over the side. The wind wrapped her thin cotton dress around her curves. “Beautiful, is it not?”
Gewey blushed, thankful she could not see his unease. “It is,” he replied and joined her. “It's like nothing I've ever seen.”
“It is not always so peaceful,” she warned. “The sea is more perilous than you can imagine. Storms can rise without warning, and there are beasts that lurk within that are larger than this ship.”
Gewey laughed. “Sea monsters?”
“Some,” she replied. “Though not all are monsters. Some are gentle and wise.”
Gewey cocked his head. “Wise? How can a beast be wise?”
“There is much about the world you have yet to learn,” she said. “One is that not all ‘beasts’ are what they seem.” She took his hand. “Come. It is time to begin.”
The crew was busy about their work, but each took a moment to greet them as they passed. Gewey had counted about thirty elves aboard, and assumed there were more below. Aaliyah led him to the bow where the navigator was concentrating on her duties.
“Is she using wind or water?” asked Gewey.
“Both,” said Aaliyah. She placed his hand on the navigators shoulder. “This is Faaliyasi. Join with her.”
Gewey obeyed, allowing his mind and spirit to drift outward toward the navigator. Her mind was different than that of Kaylia or Aaliyah. It was hard, cold, and as unyielding as steel. She let Gewey draw close, but only close enough so he could feel as she did. The flow was similar to what he experienced that morning, but a million times more complex. The forces intertwined in perfect harmony, dancing and twisting as one.
“Amazing,” he whispered. “How can you do this?”
Faaliyasi did not respond.
After several minutes Aaliyah pulled Gewey away. “She has trained for many years to learn this skill.”
“Can you do that?” Gewey asked.
“Yes, but not as well,” she admitted. “Our navigator’s begin learning their craft at childhood. What you saw was just a small thing. Should a storm arise, you will see her true power.”
Aaliyah had a small bowl of water brought on deck, and Gewey spent the rest of the evening trying in vain to touch the power of the air to heat it. He soon found Aaliyah to be as severe a task master as Lee had been, though not as harsh in temperament. By morning he was exhausted and frustrated.
When they returned to their quarters, he found that a basin of wash water had been left. The prospect of joining with Aaliyah excited him. He had not been alone inside himself since he first joined with Kaylia, and the loneliness was unbearable at times. Had he not been so utterly engrossed in his training, he was certain it would bother him considerably.
“You shall wash with cold water until you can learn to heat it yourself,” Aaliyah said.
Gewey's heart sank, but he tried once again. This time he felt it. Unlike the throbbing pulse of the earth, he felt an irregular current of energy.
“Yes,” said Aaliyah softly. “The air is not a brute like the earth. It is like a whimsical child. Let it dance through you.”
Gewey drew in the flow of the air for the first time. His fatigue washed away at once, and like when he used the earth, his senses erupted with awareness. But unlike the earth, it was difficult to control. It scattered and twirled throughout his body as a tempest. It resisted him, threatening to tear him apart.
“Do not use force,” Aaliyah instructed. “Use your heart…your soul, to have it obey your commands.”
“I don't understand.” The flow continued to build, rushing through him. Finally, he could no longer contain it. Gewey let out a horrifying scream and the air exploded, tossing both he and Aaliyah back, slamming them hard against the wall.
Gewey slid down, the breath forced from his lungs, gasping. After a moment, he regained his senses and caught his breath. Aaliyah was slumped down against the door. He sprang to his feet and rushed to her side.
“Are you all right?” he asked desperately. “Gods, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” He took her limp hand in his and reached out to her spirit. The moment he touched it, he felt the keen sense of loneliness vanish. Her spirit seemed to embrace him, pulling him to her.
Slowly her eyes fluttered open. “I am unhurt.” She managed a smile. “You are far stronger than I could have imagined.” She sat up straight. “But I should have known Shivis Mol would be.”
“I am sorry,” he repeated.
“Do not be sorry,” she said, soothingly. “The fault was mine. I must be aware that I am not training an elf child, but a young godling.” She placed her hand gently on his cheek. “And in this world you have only just come of age. I must remember that as well.”
Gewey stiffened. “I am a man.” he insisted. “Even before I came of age, I was my own master.”
She giggled, amused at his reaction. “A man need not assert that he is a man. Only a child would do so.” She struggled to her feet, aided by Gewey, and smoothed her dress.
Gewey gave no reply. Embarrassed by the truth in her words, he turned and retrieved his elf clothing from the chest. Aaliyah left the room to allow him to wash, returning just as he was climbing into his bed.
Aaliyah dimmed all the lights and climbed into her bed. “I am sorry if I upset you,” she said, pulling the blanket close. “But compared to me, your years in this world are few. There are lessons for you still to learn.”
“I know,” said Gewey. “I just feel…I don't know. I suppose I don't like being reminded that I'm so much younger and inexperienced than everyone around me.”
“You are young.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “But you are not without experience. And you are mature for your age. You should think no more on it. I will try to be more delicate with the matter.”
Gewey let the ship rock him to sleep. His dreams were fraught with images of battle, blood, and mayhem. They were so vivid that, at first, he feared the Dark Knight had found him again, but to his relief, he didn't appear.
Over the next several nights Gewey and Aaliyah continued their lessons, but Aaliyah thought it better to do so on deck rather than risk damage to the ship. Though there were no further accidents, Gewey struggled for the first few days to control the flow. The more he failed the more frustrated he became. But then on the fourth night it happened.
One of the navigators was on her way to her quarters. Her face was tense, her eyes narrow, and she appeared to be upset. Gewey stopped her.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“I am fine, Shivis Mol,” she replied.
Her name was Drasalisia. Gewey had seen her nearly every evening on his way up to the deck. Usually, he was already involved in his lesson, but this evening Aaliyah allowed him a little bit of extra sleep. “It's just that you look upset,” he remarked.
Drasalisia's face relaxed a bit and she managed a polite smile. “No, Shivis Mol. I am not upset. When you channel power from the air and water it can leave you…emotional. It takes effort to calm myself.”
“Emotional?” Gewey rubbed the back of his neck and tilted his head. There were three navigators on board. All women, and all seemed to him to be as stoic as priests of Dantenos, God of the Dead. “How do you mean?”
“The water is power and mystery.” she replied. “Difficult to understand, but easy to manipulate. The air is another matter. It is passion and fire. It burns and flows with a will of its own. When you control air, it demands that you use your own passion, or it will defy you.”
“You speak as if it were alive,” he remarked.
“Did you ever think it was not?” She huffed a laugh and walked away.
Gewey thought on this for a time, then sat next to the waiting bowl of water. He
closed his eyes and felt the flow of the air around him, drawing it near. He could feel it raging and bursting with power. Then he felt it. The passion. Love, hate, joy, sorrow, all pressing in together, trying to force its way out. It was alive. He drew it inside and let his own feelings surge into the storm. It was in that moment he understood why he couldn't control it before. In his attempt to control, he had withheld the part of himself needed for the air to join with him as one. His heart. In moments all the lessons came together and he knew exactly what to do, and heated the air around the bowl.
“Perfect.” Aaliyah knelt beside him. “Soon it will become effortless. You will be able to create wonders.”
Gewey sighed with satisfaction. “It's alive. I can feel it.”
“Of course, it is,” she replied. “The world is a living thing formed by the Creator. The pulse of the earth is its heart and body. The air its breath. The water its blood.” She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. “And when you are ready, you will see its soul.”
“Its soul?” Gewey imagined the world as an immense creature atop which all people resided. “I'll be able to see it?”
“Oh, yes,” said Aaliyah. “When you have control enough to master the physical powers of the earth, then you shall be ready to join with its spirit. For an elf, there is no greater power. Only a few of us have touched it.”
“Have you?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied. “I am one who has achieved such power. Though I admit, only to a small degree. To journey through the unseen world, touching the minds of others wrapped within your own spirit is a gift we all possess. But to join with the true spirit of creation…it is unlike anything you can imagine. Once you can do that, you will be invincible.”
Gewey realized she still held his hand, and felt his heart race. He quickly withdrew. Aaliyah smiled and let out a soft, contented laugh. She looked at him for a long moment then stood over him.
“I know what you're trying to do,” said Gewey, in a half-whisper. “It won't work. I love Kaylia.”
“I have made no secret of my intent,” she replied. “But I am no trickster. Do not sully our time together with accusations.” She motioned for him to resume his lesson.
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