Koass nodded.
“Gaea didn’t explain it that way to me,” Wren said. “She didn’t mention it at all actually.”
Koass shrugged. “What’s the point? The Eternals fill that role now.”
“And you guys never need help I suppose?” Daena said, folding her arms.
The Advocate Eternal grinned. “Actually, we are continually understaffed. In fact, right now we’re in search of some subject matter specialists.”
“Does it pay?” Wren asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Wren!” Bannor let out.
“Hey,” The blonde savant turned on him, hands on hips. “I wasn’t signing you up. Although, you should seriously consider it—how else are you going to buy a decent wedding gift for Sarai, much less a good ring?”
Bannor blinked. He’d totally forgot about the money. The only money he had was the gold that Sarai gave him. “I can’t. I have that nightmare schedule to contend with.”
“Well, if your schedule is an issue,” Koass said. “It might help to know any time spent here has little bearing on the passing of time at your home. You can return to the instant you left or ten days after—they are the same.”
“Really?” Bannor said. “Sarai doesn’t know I’m gone then?”
“I doubt it. Unless, she has chronal awareness and can detect when you are temporally dysjuncted.”
“Whatever that means,” Daena added. She glanced at Janai. “How much does it pay?”
“Deana?” Janai said in tight voice.
“You mean you need money?” Koass asked. “I thought the princess was taking care of you.”
Daena glanced at Janai. “She is. I’d like to have money of my own sometimes. I mean we’ve been having fun… but nothing exciting has happened. After what Bannor and I did in Gladshiem, being in Malan is kinda—well—dead.”
Janai put hands on hips and frowned at the young woman.
“I like dead,” Bannor said. “I like not being chased. I like not being in pain.”
“Well, I came in on the end. I was in one big fight then boom—it was all over.” She looked up at Koass. “I might be a baby, but I have my uses.”
The eternal nodded. “I know you do.”
“So, what subject matter do you need specialty in?” Wren asked.
Koass raised his chin. “We need field operatives with knowledge of forces and magic in particular, also someone with experience in causal reality and creation. Lastly, we need some specific insight into matter and attraction.”
“Come now,” Daena said folding her arms. “Isn’t that too much of coincidence? Three requirements and three savants that fit them.”
The advocate eternal smiled. “Coincidence? Let’s just say that few things happen accidentally around me. I called Wren into this. I had other reasons for seeing you. I felt it was a fair chance that I’d get Bannor if both you and Wren disappeared. So, his coming along was a bonus.”
Bannor frowned. “I don’t understand, Sir. From everything I can see, the eternals embody the different universal powers the same way savants do—and you don’t have our limitations! Why would you need us?”
“Because we can only be in so many places at once. We have our avatars, the Shael Dal. However, our powers are greatly diminished through them.”
“They don’t have a tao,” Wren said.
Koass nodded. “We saw the dramatic boost in power that Bannor experienced when he briefly became my avatar. The power of eternity—of Gaea’s seed—flows best through a creature possessing a tao.”
“Still,” Wren said. “We’re limited by our physical bodies. I mean that’s what the whole alpha, beta, tao and body conflict is all about—” She glanced to younger woman. “And what makes Daena so special.”
“We’re aware of your limitations. We have a situation that calls for special measures and special people. We are confronting a problem that is truly astounding in its scope. We are dealing with creatures who have redefined the precepts of magic, time, and reality. They have used that ability to create an army of millions, each soldier possessing an amazing amount of power.”
Bannor frowned. “How amazing?”
Koass drew a breath. “Their common foot soldiers wield wizard level magicks and the equivalent of decades of hard wartime expertise. They are extremely resilient physically, and only slightly less so mentally.”
“They sound like monsters,” Janai remarked.
“However,” Koass said. “They don’t look like monsters, aside from being bigger than the average human, their appearance is nearly indistinguishable.”
Bannor’s stomach tightened. This sounded a lot like Hecate’s attack on Titaan only on a larger scale. “Koass, armies usually have a goal,” he said. “What are they after? What do they want?”
Koass sighed. He rose from his seat and put his hands behind his back. “You ask the very question we have been trying to ascertain, Bannor.” The eternal frowned. “What we know is fragmented. In fact, we’re not sure the creatures themselves know what they are after. That is exactly why we need all the viewpoints and insight that we can get. We need experienced operatives that team well who can fill the gaps of knowledge and ability within our existing personnel.”
“Well, we have a fair amount of experience, I suppose,” Bannor said. “Though, I’m not sure what we could add compared to those people out there.” He indicated up the stairs.
“You’re a survivor, Bannor,” Koass said with a nod, glowing eyes focusing on him. “You show discipline and inspire trust, you value life and avoid conflict when you can, but fight with all your heart when cornered. You’re a leader. Even if you had no other talents, you would be a valuable asset to us, but you are also the Garmtur Shak’Nola. You have plenty to add.”
He shrugged. “Okay then, you’ve got me, as long as I don’t get in trouble with my wife.”
Koass shook his head. “Bannor, if things get as bad as I think they will, trust me… we shall all have much worse to worry about than marriage preparations…”
* * *
Chapter Four
Subject Matter Specialists
« ^ »
Love is a strange beast, inspiring, depressing, and frustrating all at once. There is little I wouldn’t dare for the one I love, no wall I wouldn’t scale or danger I wouldn’t face. I know because I have.
—Ziedra Skyedoom-Felspar
Wren led the way back up the stairs, directed to go speak with someone named Aarlen. The name had made Wren grit her teeth. It was the third time Bannor had heard the name mentioned. It was just a name. No one else seemed to recognize it either.
Back in the gleaming chamber filled with magic and life force, Bannor simply couldn’t master his heart. It just wouldn’t slow down. His senses just wanted to go crazy from all the layers and skeins looped through everything. Forcing his breathing to be more shallow, he tuned his savant senses down until they were almost nothing. At least it kept his ears from constantly ringing.
“You okay?” Daena asked putting a hand on his shoulder.
“Yes, I think so,” he said shaking his head and looking into the green glow of her eyes. “This place just scrambles me up.”
“I know what you mean,” Daena said with a nod. “I’ve just turned my senses off. I was getting a headache.”
Wren was walking around the perimeter apparently in search of someone.
Bannor focused on the young savant. “Can I ask you a question?”
Daena looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. “What?”
“You were already beautiful after you merged with Hella, but now… I don’t want to sound like a prude, but aren’t you too young to be looking like that?”
The girl looked down at herself. Dressed in that sapphire party gown and platinum jewelry, curly auburn hair brushed out and flowing over her shoulders, she was a buxom sight that would turn heads in any court, street, or castle. “Too young?”
Janai folded her arms and fixed him with narrowed eyes
. “Yes, Bannor, what are you intimating? I think she’s breathtaking.”
Bannor didn’t answer immediately, his attention diverted for a moment as they weaved around the giant gemstones. He noticed that the eternals and other people gathered in this strange far off place were still watching them. He turned his attention back to Janai. “I know Daena is breath taking… but does she have to be that breath taking?”
Wren stopped for a moment, hands on hips scanning the periphery of the huge glowing circle of gemstones. Bannor assumed that people could be scattered throughout this vast chamber. The place had no visible boundaries. The circle of gems did appear to be the hub though. He guessed that there were probably domiciles like Koass’ beneath all the stones. Beia could be in any one of those.
“Where did she get to?” She trained on Janai and Daena. “What Bannor is so delicately trying to ask, is why Daena is being so obvious.” She cupped her hands in front of her in an expressive fashion. “I mean, come on, who are you trying to impress, hmmm?”
Daena’s face flushed. “I—”
“It’s okay, Daena,” Bannor put in. “I mean, I guess if I could change my shape, I would experiment too. I guess if I were a girl…” He glanced at Wren. “I’d experiment even more.”
Wren rolled her eyes. “I know this shape isn’t Daena’s idea, she’s just doing as Janai suggests. So, what are the man-catchers for, Janai?” Wren asked. “Have you got Daena leading some poor sod on?”
Janai folded her arms and frowned. “That’s none of your business.”
Daena’s gaze found Bannor, her glowing green eyes studying his face. “You really don’t like it?”
He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Daena, that’s not the point. Like I said, you were attractive before. This is—” He eyed Janai. “Overkill. It suggests something about you that may not be true.”
“Like what?”
“A girl a lot older than you really are.”
Daena frowned. “I’m fifteen. I’m old enough to marry!”
Wren shook her head. “Don’t be in a hurry to grow up Daena. You’ve got a long, long—long life ahead of you.” She rose on tip-toes and shielded her eyes. “Ah, there’s Beia.” She headed off across the circle of stones.
The young savant stared after Wren and looked up at Bannor. “Is she kidding?”
He looked toward Wren. “No—no she’s not. She grew up in the streets like you. Come on, let’s see what we can find out.”
Wren had stopped in front the tall blonde lady that had asked Wren to talk with her after their interview with Koass. Beia leaned against one of the giant stones, her hands laced over the top of a huge silver bow easily as thick as Bannor’s wrist and almost as tall as the woman herself. The weapon had a strange liquid silver look to it, the surface shimmering and rippling as though alive. It looked like metal, but the idea was ludicrous, nobody could pull a bow that thick made out of metal. Even if it was wood, it was certain no ordinary person shy twelve stone of brawn could even make the string stir. The blonde Myrmigyne had changed her clothes and now wore a gray surcoat over black togs, her long blonde hair tied back with a leather band decorated with feathers. She seemed a bit more relaxed than earlier and smiled as they joined Wren in front of her.
Wren turned to them. “Beia, this one you met earlier, Bannor Starfist,” she nodded him. She swung her hand to Janai. “This is Arminwen Janai T’Evagduran, second princess of Malan.”
Beia dipped her head to Janai. “Arminwen.”
Janai nodded back.
Wren nodded to Daena. “This is Daena Sheento, Janai’s ward prodigal.” Wren put a hand on Beia’s shoulder. “This is Beia Targallae. She’s one of the people who taught me sword fighting.” She smiled. “You’d probably know Beia best from her membership in the Band of the Crescent moon.”
Janai was eying the huge bow. “Did you enter any archery tournaments under the name Regaura?”
Beia’s eyes glinted in recognition. “Yes, I usually enter tournaments with my formal name. I almost beat you in Silverwood in ‘92. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to get back to try again.”
Janai smiled. “I look forward to it, that’s the most competition I’d had in many summers.”
“Some day when I have the free time.” She turned her head, and blinked at Wren with emerald eyes. “So, are you our subject matter specialists after all?”
“That’s what Koass told us,” Wren answered. She frowned. “We’re supposed to meet with Aarlen to get some idea of how we can help.”
“Aarlen?” Beia’s brow furrowed. “Why would he? Ah, I know why.”
Wren dipped her head. “So what exactly was going on at the tree with you and everyone? I mean Cassin and Annawen were running things, it was so strange.”
Beia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, the Shael Dal had a big mix up with one of my enemies… and it got really complicated. A lot happened to me during that mess…” Her voice trailed off. Her eyes got a distant look.
Wren turned her head. “Are you okay now? I mean from when I was living in Loric’s house, you seem—well…happier. Like something good had happened.”
Beia pressed her lips to a line. Bannor could see emotions igniting in the woman. “Mixed blessings I suppose. I do feel better, I worked through some terrible problems… As you saw we all got hurt, but Aarlen was the worst.”
Wren shook her head with an incredulous look. “I just can’t imagine anything hurting her.”
Beia nodded, a solemn look on her face. “It’s my fault, I pushed her to do something and…” Her voice trailed off. “Well, you saw, it nearly killed us all…”
Hearing the wistful way Beia spoke, the troubled look on her face, Bannor could tell it must be something terrible. He glanced to Daena and Janai who were listening, obviously moved by the Myrmigyne’s words.
“And you’re all okay now, right? I haven’t seen Cassandra and Dorian, but I understand they’re okay.”
“They’re all fine,” Beia affirmed with a nod. “For us, it was more of a physical thing—physical things heal. Aarlen…” She swallowed. “Well, it was Hecate…”
The name made Bannor stiffen. Wren too straightened up.
“Hecate?” Wren scowled. “Beia, Bannor—” She glanced to him. “He killed her not long ago.”
“We know,” Beia answered with a nod. She raised her eyes to Bannor. “I don’t know how you did it—” Her voice hardened. “But I thank you for it. That bitch needed dead.”
“I’m missing something,” Wren said. “What exactly happened to Aarlen?”
Beia looked down, and pressed her lips to a line. “She… well, we…” She seemed to have a hard time getting out the words. “We sh-shattered her mind… the four of us…” She swallowed, the memory still apparently tough on her. “We broke her, and because we were all linked—we broke ourselves. While the group of us were unconscious Hecate stole Aarlen’s soul.”
Wren shook her head. “Hecate attacked when Aarlen was vulnerable; to get even for the renouncement in Riverback.”
Beia nodded.
Bannor stepped forward and put a hand on Wren’s shoulder. “Wren, obviously you know how all this ties together. If all of this has happened, how can we go see Aarlen then?”
Wren looked up at Beia. “I’m hearing this news along with you.”
The Myrmigyne sighed. “A new friend of mine—Corim—he intervened, he sort of put Aarlen back together. We really didn’t have all of her until after Hecate was killed.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “Wren, the only reason I’m telling you, is the experience changed Aarlen… she’s really—different now. She’s not the same person you remember.”
Wren frowned. “She couldn’t possibly get any… meaner—could she?”
Beia rolled her eyes, obviously uncomfortable. “You’ll see. I just wanted you to know that how you’ll see her—it’s not an act. All four of us, our minds bled into her and she lived in Corim for a while… it’s … compl
icated.”
The blonde savant blinked. “It sounds like one of my problems.”
“Yes, it’s a lot like that.” She straightened up, toed the hard black floor, and raked a hand through her hair. “I think I’m the one struggling with it the most. I like how she is now.” Beia shook her head. “That’s what makes me feel bad. I know she would want me to put her back to the way you and I knew her.”
“Oh whoa,” Wren breathed, she reached up and rubbed Beia’s shoulder. “That’s heavy.”
Beia gave Wren a forced smile.
Bannor knew that most of what had just been discussed was related to Wren’s past. Hearing the tone in the two women’s voices, he couldn’t help but feel that something momentous and fundamental had changed in Wren’s absence from her friends.
“I’ll take you to Aarlen now.” Beia looked around. “Have your friends teleported before?”
Wren looked around, her gaze fixed on Daena and Sarai. “I know those two have been doing it regularly. Bannor’s only done it twice that I know of.”
He drew himself up. “Twice,” he confirmed.
“Okay.” The Myrmigyne said with a nod. She took the huge bow by the handle. “Snowfire.”
The gleaming silver war-bow shimmered and pulsed, the surfaces giving off a dim blue radiance. Lines seemed to trace across its surface and then the weapon gave off a pulsing sound and collapsed in on itself. The metal became an amorphous blob flowing around Beia’s hand and arm, reforming and flowing into a new configuration with a bubbling sound.
Bannor raised an eyebrow as the shape stretched out into tiny limbs, reaching up and stretching out into small talon-tipped wings. The silvery metal color turned to a greenish hue whorled with a whole spectrum of colors, and lines etched a scale pattern over the length of a body.
In a flare of light, the transformation completed itself, leaving a small jewel-encrusted dragon perched on Beia’s arm. He looked similar to the giant dragons Bannor had seen in Gladshiem only this one was small and had an obvious stinger on the end of its tail. The entire surface of its skin glistened with different gems that caught the pulsing light of Eternity’s heart and reflected them in a dazzling display.
Reality's Plaything 3: Eternal's Agenda Page 5