Reality's Plaything 5: The Infinity Annihilator

by Will Greenway

  “The spirit gathering,” Wren said. “Like what happened to Grahm and Jharon when they died near me.”

  “Right. You have all felt that connectedness. That is your tao binding and sharing with others. This way if a body and its tao are both damaged and there are other tao forms nearby, those memories are preserved. Bannor is able to remember the time since becoming an ascendant because all of you were close to ‘remember’ for him.” Gaea rubbed his chest sending a sense of warmth and well being through him. “When his body was unsealed, his core tao restored the ‘unremembered’ aspects by drawing them from each of you.”

  “All without us knowing?” Azir said.

  “You probably felt a tingle when he was unsealed, or when you came near him.”

  “That’s right, I did,” Wren confirmed.

  “So did I,” Ziedra said. “Kind of a warm rush. I usually feel that when I meet a meet a new savant for the first time.”

  “That recognition you feel on first meeting another savant is the share binding taking place. The Chyrith who designed tao forms understood their inherent weakness, and built in as many precautions as possible.”

  “I am just glad whatever it was worked,” Sarai said. “Bannor is alive. He’s really unhappy.” She touched his cheek. “But he’s still with us.”

  “While this is fascinating,” Idun said. “We digressed from the main tactical point. How long does this ‘antithesis’ thing for a single entity take?”

  “Sixty beats,” Gaea answered. “Maybe double that.”

  “I don’t think that’s right. How did Bannor get slammed then? Daena was the target.”

  “I do not know,” Gaea acknowledged. “My understanding is that the device can only be used to attack a single entity at time, and that it can only remember one identity.”

  “Maybe somebody upgraded the damn thing,” Azir growled. “Maybe they sat up there and recorded all of us.”

  “That would mean they could blow the dren out of any of us on a moment’s notice,” Ziedra said.

  “Damn it,” Wren said. “This must be a recent development. If the Baronians had this during the dread siege here they would have wiped out the defenders.”

  “The moorgeer was probably employed by my uncle,” Janai said. “Their original target was Daena, though we still aren’t sure why. That first moorgeer certainly did not have the jikartandak.”

  “If it was uncle Bertrand, there is some logic to the genemar hitting Bannor. He has no affection for Daena—she’s human too—and as far as he’s concerned—a much bigger threat. She’s Janai’s One. She is only a ward prodigal now. She could potentially become a princess conjugal and thereby be in line for the throne.”

  “What?” Daena let out. “You’re kidding?”

  “No, of course not, there have been a few occasions of noble women marrying each other.” Sarai sighed. “You two do everything but sleep together. To an outside observer, anyone who knows Janai a whit, knows that you becoming her conjugal is a real possibility.”

  “It is not!” Daena stormed. “That’s not funny.”

  “I’m not being funny. I’m just saying how it looks.”

  “Still, how would he get the genemar?” Janai asked.

  “He may not have it, but we know that the Daergons and Baronians will have been sniffing around the citadel looking for a weakness—a way in to get at us. It’s possible they may have been looking for a convenient ally to help them get in. He knows most of the secret accesses.”

  “They wouldn’t put something as valuable as the genemar in the hands of assassin. How could it have been used?”

  “The genemar attacks through the subpaths. It can operate at huge range,” Gaea told them. “They need only be able to see the target. That could be accomplished through a telepathic rapport with the assassin. All they really need is the pattern of the target person. If they have that, then they can be struck from virtually anywhere.”

  “It is true that the shields have not been tuned to block out telepathic contact,” Radian said. “Physical access to the citadel is still possible as long as a person can overcome the wards.”

  “We need to analyze that jikartandak and find out whether it was what caused Bannor’s tao to be shredded.” She drew a breath. “If it isn’t, we need to know if what hit him actually was the genemar. Gaea, do you have a way to ascertain if what was used on him was the genemar?”

  “Under normal circumstances there would be some evidence in the microstructure of his body. However, this jikartandak has so corrupted his ascendant body that I don’t think it is possible.”

  “We can get at him with a time scan,” Radian said. “We can get Megan or Adwena to give you access.”

  “Mother, you didn’t sense anything when it actually happened?” Wren asked.

  “Daughter, I must admit that right now my senses are rather limited. All of my adaptations were for seeing out of the subpaths. Being more aware here in the real world will take some time.”

  “Bannor would have been the one to ‘see’ it and he was the one who got hit.”

  “I’ve asked for assistance,” Sarai informed everyone. “Wysteri? Can you treat Bannor now?”

  Another figure moved into his field of view and he felt a light touch on his arm. After a few instants she drew away. “Yes. I can repair his body.”

  “Why are you saying it that way?”

  “This tao, this special essence, is not something I can repair.”

  “Don’t worry,” Gaea said. “I will deal with that part.”

  “Since I have to regenerate his body anyway, should it be augmented to the way it was before? I can get the design from Octavia, or perhaps she can do it.”

  Sarai put a hand on his shoulder. “Bannor?”

  He started to talk and realized he couldn’t. he focused the thought.

  “Blind?” Sarai repeated aloud.

  “He’s so used to seeing through his nola, he probably doesn’t even realize he’s not using his eyes,” Wren remarked. “He’ll have to re-teach himself to see normally again. At least until his nola can be restored.”

  “He should have the better body at least until the crisis is over,” Sarai said. “Not that it seemed to help in that situation.”

  “If he had been in battle form, the jikartandak probably wouldn’t have affected him,” Daena offered. “We’re all going to need to be careful. We don’t know how much of that stuff there is, and how hard it is to come by.”

  “If you wish, I can consult with Mercedes and Octavia concerning a possible inoculation,” Wysteri offered.

  “Yes, please,” Sarai said.

  “We better move fast,” Azir said. “Before someone else gets killed.”

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  * * *

  Chapter Seven

  Bannor saved my life and nearly lost his

  own. It made me feel so tiny and shallow. I

  said I loved him. I railed at Sarai when she

  told me I didn’t know what love was. How

  could I love someone if I hadn’t even

  figured out how to love myself? Then I

  realized that Bannor did love

  me, a brother’s protective love. I knew then

  that he truly saw something in me worth

  loving, and that my trying to force my idea

  of love on him was probably the most

  foolish thing I have ever done in my entire

  existence.

  —Kumiko Dinai “Daena” Sheento,

  Ward Prodigal of Malan

  Bannor blinked and felt a chill on his skin. His inability to see and near death had put him past the point of caring, so he hadn’t fought when Sarai requested Marna and Octavia reform his original body into that of an ascendant. He drew a breath, and felt a slight tingle. At least the hurting had stopped. The blurring of his vision was gone and he could see the room through the clear lid of the t
ransformation chamber.

  Until this very moment, he had not realized just how much the garmtur had affected his perceptions. All the colors seemed washed out. Objects did not stand out in sharp contrast like he remembered.

  The chamber tilted up with a whining sound that made the cylinder vibrate around him. Trapped in a metal cage he now knew how Sarai had felt. Even though the transforming was already over, he still felt a sense of unease, of being enclosed in the Kriar’s alien artifices.

  The chamber clunked to a stop and Octavia peered in, rainbow eyes glinting in the greenish light of the chamber. The red-haired mecha gave him a satisfied smile and unbolted the lid and swung it open. She reached out a long-nailed finger and touched his cheek, leaning from one side to the other. She nodded to him and stepped back.

  Sarai stepped around the side of the cylinder and held out a hand to him. He gripped her wrist and let her help as he leaned forward and stepped onto the cool metal of Wysteri’s private treatment area. He stared down into her violet eyes, drinking in the always-beautiful details of her angular face. The mere thought of not being able to see her again had been like having his heart cut out.

  His wife-to-be looped her arms around him and pulled tight. With a sigh he gathered her close.

  “Words, my One,” she breathed. “I don’t need them anymore.” She snuggled her face into the curve of his neck. “I hated that you had somehow managed to bring chaos into our lives again. Then, because they needed you, they gave us the shaladens. Now, I can see. I always knew how you felt—sensed it. I’m in you now, and I never want to lose that feeling…”

  He stroked her hair. Words. He had never been good with them, never needed them much until he met Sarai. Why speak a thing when it could be demonstrated and shown?

  They broke apart after a few moments. The King and Queen were there along with Janai, Daena, and Ryelle. Green Gaea leaned in the doorway without her regular escorts.

  Kalindinai came up and gave him a hug. “I am glad they pulled you through, Son-to-be.”

  He nodded. He didn’t want to say that despite not being in pain, he felt terrible. He felt so empty and hollow. Like a candle guttering on the last dregs of its fuel. The ascendant body was physically strong, but without the garmtur, it felt sluggish and heavy. No doubt he could become accustomed to life as something more than a human, but less than a savant. He drew a breath. He had become spoiled. He should be glad simply to be intact.

  Janai, Ryelle, each gave him a hug. Daena stayed back and watched from afar.

  He looked at the young ascendant. “Daena, you don’t have to feel guilty.”

  The girl pressed her lips to a line. Her glowing green eyes grew hooded and her gaze dropped. “Ever since we first met,” she said. “You’ve been protecting me. You never expected anything in return.”

  “Daena, I seem to recall you bailing me out a couple times.”

  “I did it for the wrong reasons,” she murmured, hands clenching and unclenching.

  “Sister, it’s all in the past. Don’t give it another thought. Make it up to me by being a good friend from now on.” He held out his hand.

  She stared at him. “How can you trust me after what I did?”

  “Daena, people make mistakes, they deceive themselves as to the truth of a thing. I know. I do it to myself all the time.” He held out his other hand. “Come on. Let us truly put it behind us. Now is not the time to be self-conscious and afraid of one another.”

  She raised her head, green eyes meeting his. “Really?”

  “For certain really,” he said, making a coming gesture with his fingers.

  Daena came a few steps forward. She glanced to Sarai. The princess stared at her with folded arms, expression neutral but not forbidding. Bannor knew there was less forgiveness there—but at least Sarai understood.

  The auburn haired girl brushed her hair back and came forward. She reached out for his hand and glanced at Sarai again.

  “Hug him,” Sarai growled. “He deserves that much for saving your life.”

  The girl swallowed. She was afraid of Sarai—as well she should be. The princess had been well within her rights to take her head off.

  Daena came and put her arms around him. “Thank you,” she murmured.

  He gave her a squeeze and patted her back. “I’m glad you’re safe.”

  Bannor separated from her and turned to King Jhaan. “Sorry to scare everyone.”

  “Bannor, I think you and I are past recrimination for things you can’t control—” He glanced to Sarai. “Including my daughter.” His jaw worked side to side. He ran a hand through his pale hair in an uncharacteristic display of discomfort. “It is becoming more obvious however where blame must be placed.” He glanced to the Queen.

  Kalindinai frowned and nodded.

  Sarai pressed close to him, putting her head on his shoulder. “What will we do, Mother?”

  “We?” Kalindinai said. “You will do nothing, I will handle my brother.”

  Ryelle laced her fingers, knuckles turning white and brow furrowed with concern. “But Mother, what if he really has allied with these rogue Kriar and the Baronians?”

  “Daughter,” Kalindinai said. “You do not know him. I do. If he is dealing with these creatures, it is because he believes them to be elves.”

  “Matradomma, he might not be trying very hard to distinguish them. If he sent the morgeer with the jikartandak, that is not a weapon any elf would countenance.”

  “No weapon an elf would countenance being used on another elf,” Kalindinai corrected. “Bannor, daughters, I will investigate this. It is my right. I will be about that task directly. I ask that you trust me.”

  Bannor bowed.

  Ryelle dipped her head. Janai frowned and after a moment lowered her head in acquiescence.

  “Mother,” Sarai said in a growl. “He may be your brother, but he has been after my husband-to-be from the start. Now, Bannor was almost killed. I insist that I be allowed to participate.”

  “Nonsense,” Kalindinai said with a scowl. “You’re pregnant. Request denied.”

  “Mother, I am not so fragile now you can use that excuse,” Sarai growled. “I am as strong as you and a Shael Dal as well. You know I am a better fighter. If there is trouble, you will need me. You might know your brother, but he may not know what he is involved in.”

  “Kal, she’s not being totally unreasonable,” the King tempered.

  “Matradomma,” Daena said. “Please.”

  Amber eyes hard, the Queen stared at everyone. She focused on Sarai’s violet eyes for the longest. “All right,” Kalindinai said. “But you will be silent. Say nothing.”

  Sarai let out a breath and nodded. “Agreed.”

  Kalindinai turned from them to Gaea who had watched in silence. “Has Koass confirmed the use of genemar?”

  Gaea raised her chin. “He is continuing to scan for verification. From my initial inspection, it would appear that it was the genemar or something that closely approximates it.”

  Bannor stiffened, feeling an icy chill.

  The King’s eyes widened. “Approximates?”

  “Yes.” Gaea’s green face turned grave. She brushed a strand of dark hair out of her eyes and swallowed. “That is why he is verifying. What hit Bannor, did not appear to be a true genemar. The energy was slightly different.”

  “Oh, that’s not good,” Daena murmured.

  “Daughter, that would be an understatement.”

  “You’re saying the Daergons may have created their own?” Sarai asked in tight voice.

  “It could mean a lot of things,” the green-mother told them. “It could mean in the intervening eons of time, the design of the genemar was changed. Equally likely, the Daergons have been tinkering with it. It would explain Bannor’s attacks—he was feeling the device being tested.”

  “Great mother,” Kalindinai said. “If someone close to my brother possesses this device, will it be a danger to myself and Sarai since we are not savants?
”

  “It can destroy spirits as it does a tao. Among most of your people it is a forbidden magic—skharvarren.”

  “The soul biter,” Kalindinai growled. “The magicks that can guard against that power are few.”

  Gaea nodded.

  “This just keeps getting better and better!” Daena let out, gripping her hair.

  Sarai let go of Bannor’s arm. She jumped up between Gaea and her mother. “Wait, but there are magicks that can do it, right?”

  Gaea nodded. “Yes.”

  “What about the tao annihilator? Will the same guard magick protect a tao?”

  The green mother’s brow furrowed. “It would provide minimal defense, but I see your point. It may be possible to devise an effective ward, as none currently exists that I am aware of.”

  “That sounds like a job for Ziedra and one of the elder mages.”

  “It should be possible since Koass is doing a detailed timescan of the attack. The magic can be sampled so it will be possible to analyze it and perhaps create a counterforce.”

  “Perhaps?” Ryelle said.

  “Not every magical problem has a solution,” Kalindinai said. “However, even a partial defense would be better than nothing.”

  “Mother, I asked the Shael Dal whether any of them knew about skharvarren and possible defense against it. Aarlen answered that she knows that magic well.”

  “She would,” Kalindinai frowned. “Damn, I hate delaying. If they have this genemar we would never get a chance to act. The shaladens will not protect us.”

  Bannor frowned. “If I had my nola powers I could do it. In fact, I might be able to stop that tao thing. I wasn’t prepared for that attack when they hit me before.”

  Sarai looked back to him. “Great mother, can you heal him?”

  Gaea tilted her head. “Yes, I can.” She swayed forward. “My son, if you would allow my touch.”

  He nodded.

  “Kneel down for me.”

  Brow furrowed, he kneeled at her feet.

  She reached behind his head and pulled his face to her abdomen, forcing him to breathe the husky-sweet scent of her body. Energy raced through his body in a torrent that made him jerk and twitch. He understood now what had happened to Wren, and why Gaea had asked him to get on his knees. He felt inundated by the all-mother’s presence, a flood of warmth and caring that lent strength and inspired courage. Fingers of her power touched his mind and body, probing, studying.