The faux-croc swam until there was not a boat to be seen in any direction and then Jubal surfaced and crawled up onto the muddy bank. He fed potential into the Weapocarn amulet and ceased feeding life-force energy to the crocodile figurine. Instantly Elusion was lying in the mud with the rescued convict slightly farther up the bank.
“That was the worst experience of my life,” Bet declared in a ragged voice. “Not that I am ungrateful to be free and have the opportunity to be with my family.”
“I understand,” Jubal assured him, feeling the rescue could have gone better. “The rest of the journey will be easier and quicker.”
“Easier and quicker sound good to me,” Bet replied while his eyes scanned the river, up and down. “A boat could come along at any time and we are both exposed. Shouldn’t we move into the forest?”
Jubal managed to get to his feet in spite of the weakness in his limbs. The swim combined with the loss of blood left him fatigued, but determination gave him the strength to go on. He took a moment to launder his companion’s clothing. The top of the man’s head was level with Elusion’s belt. “We should go now. Come along.”
The convict followed the Weapocarn into the woods and they walked together in the shade of a vast canopy of limbs and leaves for an hour before reaching a clearing. They had plenty of forest between them and the river and an unobstructed view to the sky. With the risk of hitting a limb gone and a strong desire to get off of his feet, Jubal decided they had walked far enough.
“Not that I am complaining, but I thought the Instructor was going to take me to my new home. I don’t even know your name. I am Betsenadab.”
“You can call me Elusion,” Jubal replied, and then came to a stop in the center of the clearing. “I will take you to your new home. As far as everyone in Semidon is concerned, Betsenadab was just taken by a crocodile, and is dead. I will explain my relationship with Jubal when we arrive at the new settlement.”
Bet nodded affirmatively. “Lead on.”
Jubal sent energy into the tiny hawk-shaped amulet resting against his collarbone and in moments his feet extended into talons and his arms spread into wings. Elevation raised him above Bet’s head, Lasso of Air formed a harness around the man, and then Jubal shot straight up into the air, rising until they were well above the treetops with Betsenadab screaming in terror the whole way up.
Jubal spread his wings and flew using Forward Shield and Stream of Air to provide the wind to glide on. In the horizontal position he could see his passenger better. Liquid was dripping from the brown linens, but the man’s mouth was closed, and so were his eyes, which meant he found a way to cope with the fear. His bladder was another matter, yet it could only hold so much, and once it was completely emptied the poor soul’s clothing could then be laundered again. His ordeal should not last too long, Jubal hoped.
Puffy white clouds drifted in a pale blue sky and the view was spectacular. He had rarely flown in the daylight hours and seeing the great expanse above and the lush green forest below filled him with an inner peace that almost made up for the earlier excitement, but did nothing for his growing thirst or fatigue due to the loss of blood. Soaring proved to be far easier than walking or trying to propel a massive crocodilian body and even so, weariness combine with the peacefulness of flight made his eyelids grow heavy.
Pan had done more than modify living trees into houses; he made them taller than the surrounding trees, making them easier to spot from the air. Jubal saw them in the distance through blinks of the eyes that were lasting longer by the moment. He blink again, seemingly for an instant, but the duration must have been longer because the three trees were suddenly far to the left of where they had been. He was off course. A few adjustments to the wings corrected the problem.
The life-force energy feeding Forward Shield and Stream of Air should have been making him feel more vibrant, but his growing fatigue seemed to be more than a match for the normally ego-boosting experience of wielding potential. He pictured his wife and daughters and Bet’s family eagerly awaiting the arrival of their father. Those images stayed in Jubal’s mind until the enormous trees were below, which began a slow spiral downward. He focused Cushion of Air on the ground, and then removed the shield and ceased the stream of air, using Elevation the rest of the way down to the cushion.
The process had been exhausting and Jubal could barely concentrate, but managed to use Laundering to clean the soiled linens and then the blood from his own silks, and lower himself and Betsenadab to the ground without landing in the spring.
Concentrating to reduce the volume of Cushion of Air until their feet were firmly on the ground had proved to be more difficult than it should have been but he succeeded. “You can open your eyes,” he told his passenger, and then fainted.
A sphere, pink like the plumage of a flamingo, floated near the ceiling and illumed the entire room. The color and the bedchamber were intimately familiar. Somehow he was back home and in the presence of his wife’s aura.
Jubal’s mouth felt as if it had been wiped dry with wool and he lacked the energy to do more than turn his head, but it was enough to confirm what he already knew.
Vashti’s eyes were red-rimmed as if she had been weeping and had been awake for a long time. She sighed with relief and extended her hand, but the appendage could not touch his face, being blocked by the hawk head. “Please, I can do nothing to help until you stop the energy powering your amulet.”
He ceased the flow and her hand immediately pressed against his forehead. A warm tingle swept through his body as the Aaka, Diagnosis, assessed his health. The sensation ended and she removed her hand. “Your silks are perfectly laundered and I can see three cuts in the fabric, but no matching wounds in your flesh, yet you are missing a large quantity of blood. What happened?”
“All we knew is that you brought Betsenadab to the new settlement and then fainted. I feared you were going to die, but your sister told us of Cassi’s vision, so I was not as afraid,” Ursa’s voice came from the other side of the bed. Jubal turned his head toward her and she added, “The Metamorphosis amulet prevented any of us from helping you. Pan formed a wooden crate, I used Elevation to place you inside, and then used the same Aaka to port you to the river, where Hermes sailed us back here to Semidon. Victoria, Natura, and Pan also returned with us.”
A delicate hand grabbed his chin and turned his head the other way. “What happened?” Vashti still wanted her questioned answered.
Jubal opened his mouth to reply but only managed to cough until his wife gave him a cup of water. After he drank that and several refills, he nodded. “Poseidon tried to rescue Bet from the crocodile and three blades of air cut into my side. It was a major effort swimming in croc-form to get away from my brother, costing me no small amount of discomfort, and a lot of blood. When it was safe to do so, I healed the wounds. How long have I been asleep?”
“The boy still treats severe injuries as if they are trivial. Son, you could have died at the hands of your brother and he only trying to save a man from a terrible fate,” his mother’s voice came from the foot of the bed. “Why am I bothering to point this out when it is obvious you survived and have already dismissed the incident as being unimportant?”
He also could have cooked his brain in an experiment, Cassi’s viewing notwithstanding, but Herara would never know about that, nor would his wife. Even being fatigued Jubal knew better than to tell them everything.
“You were asleep for a little more than ten hours, as Kronos keeps track of the time,” Vashti informed him and then added, “Herara is right about your attitude. However the incident is not fully behind you. Even for a Nephilim you have a fast metabolism, but it requires fuel. Since Nimrod has not yet composed an Aaka that replaces blood, water and plenty of food will have to do. Our next stop is the dining room where you will eat and gain strength.”
Jubal had not expected Herara or the loss of so many hours, although had no objection to filling his belly, and yet still had questions.
What happened while he slept? How much did his mother know of his activities?
More than ten hours had passed and he should have been back before noon to teach his first class of the day, which meant he had missed several sessions, and the last lesson should have been underway at that very moment. He stared at his wife, glanced at the ancient and then eyed Vashti again, hoping she would understand his silent question. She took hold of his hand. “All is well, now that you are awake. Everything went as you planned, except for your encounter with Poseidon, and even then your team improvised and succeeded in getting you back home. Your mother came to see the twins and was here when the crate arrived.”
“If you are wondering if I know what you have been up to, the answer is, yes,” Herara joined the conversation, clearly able to have read his expression as easily as had his wife. “No, do not look at her or at Ursa. And no, Victoria did not tell me. The priest paid me a visit. I approve of your goal, although feel you need to improve on the implementation. Cassiopeia sees a long life ahead for you but that does not mean you cannot be maimed. Be careful or this task will cost you an arm and a leg or any number of appendages. Keep it up and you might even manage to die in spite of her viewings.”
Jubal stared into her eyes, aware of the golden trident on her forehead, and the vast pool of life-force energy waiting to be used. Mel had told her of the task and Jubal found pleasure knowing no member of his group had violated the secrecy. It was also pleasing to know his mother approved. Beyond that, he wanted to get back to work as soon as possible. Similar words of caution had been coming from her for as long as he could remember. He did listen, he really did, but events always seemed to overtake him and result in some injury or another.
He sat up in bed, which was when he noticed Andromeda standing at the door, but spoke to his mother. “I am going to make another crocodile amulet, this time a much fatter brute, but not right now. It is time to eat.”
“Send a trickle of energy into the Weapocarn amulet,” Vashti told him.
Jubal had no objection to complying, but hesitated, being curious. “Is Elusion expected somewhere?”
“We cannot have two Instructors in the house at the same time,” Andromeda replied, and then her eyes seemed to light up. “I know, I will tell everyone that I hired you because you impressed Jubal. That will explain your presence.”
Rather than sit in bed, Jubal powered the amulet, and then stood up as the Weapocarn. “The suggestion is good, I approve. However, I am going to need a briefing of what has happened around here while I was asleep.”
Vashti pushed him toward the door. “And you will have one, while you are eating.”
Jubal knew better than to argue the point and so went with them down the stairs to the second level. They entered the dining area, sat down, and soon food was on the table.
“Luna delivered the crate in full view of the public, but people think it is full of raw materials and things you requested from the original settlement,” Ursa began the briefing. “Bast went down to the pool-room. She used the location Aakas to find minerals in the ground. It turns out there is a large quantity of gold nuggets in the subterranean river. She has spent hours down there using the Melody, Burrow, to break through the floor to get to those tiny pieces of precious metal, and then Elevation to collect them. The shelves in your storage closet are now full of nuggets, which people assume arrived in the crate.”
“Good thinking,” Jubal praised the effort after swallowing a mouthful of stewed meat.
He made a mental note to go down and be sure the burrows were filled in with no sign of them having been there.
“Thanatos sent word about a disturbance at the facility. It seems Captain Ruffard complained to Ares about a certain Weapocarn,” Vashti took up the briefing. “My nephew convinced the administrator Elusion had been sent with a message by you and was unnerved by the encounter, and was out of sorts when he met the captain. It was an unfortunate situation that will not happen again.” She paused, considering something, and then added, “Andi’s idea is a good one. We can use Elusion as a courier.”
“That is all good,” Jubal replied. “But I want to know who is pretending to be me while I am here. Who is conducting my classes?”
“Finish eating and I will take you to see for yourself,” Vashti responded without providing a name, which meant she did not want to say right away. Her eyes met his and she began fidgeting with her hands. “I want you to see him in action first and then I will reveal who he is.”
Jubal trusted her with his life so decided to trust her recruiting ability as well. “Okay, please pass the fried rice.”
“Eat some vegetables,” Herara insisted.
He finished eating, a full meal approved by his mother, and walked downstairs to the classroom. His wife, mother, bodyguard, and assistant, entered the room with him, but no one else knew who he really was.
Jubal’s double stood at the front and was giving a lesson. “All eight of you have done well. Remember, people, when you practice on your own, do not neglect the thirst. It is your body’s way of warning you not to over extend yourselves. If you drain the pool of life-force energy, your body will lose all moisture, and Hades, Thanatos, or Anubis will have to collect your mummified remains. Be sure to drink plenty of water and play the Melody on an instrument or sing the notes,” he paused while staring at the person sitting in the chair to the left, a young man not yet old enough to grow whiskers. “You could whistle the Aaka, but I caution all of you not to perform the Melody mentally until you are familiar enough with the notes to hear and see them in your mind. You have all passed the first course on Melody-wielding and unlike those who merely want to use an Aakatool, are well on you way to mastering your potentials. I look forward to seeing you back here in three days to continue that journey.”
The students, five young women and three young men, garbed in red and black silks, all filed out, and Jubal was impressed. It had been a spot on impersonation with voice and mannerisms so close to true he suspected his mother might have thought it was him up there talking to the class had she not been in on the deception. “I admit the man is good at imitating me, but suppose he actually has to show mastery of potential and must perform a Melody?” Jubal spoke softly in Vashti’s ear.
“He has mastered every unrestricted Aaka and his hue is true blue,” she replied.
He thought of every Aakacarn he trained and many of them, himself included, possessed life-force energy in varying shades of blue, but only one whose potential was pure blue. The realization made him draw a breath and only self-control kept a sigh from escaping. “He is talented and has an impressive repertoire, but he is also a trickster and unstable. I don’t trust him.”
“He is a trickster,” she admitted, “But my cousin is also my friend and I trust him absolutely. He will not let us down or betray us. Besides, I added a red filter to the amulet so when he summons potential it shines as indigo blue, which makes him perfectly suited for the task.”
Jubal shook his head, not in disagreement, but in disbelief. “But, Loki does not care about our cause, one way or the other.”
He had spoken too loudly because the man suddenly looked up and smiled mischievously. “What brings my wife and ancient mother to my humble classroom?”
Jubal often thought of his mother as being ancient but never spoke the word out loud where she could hear.
Herara raised an eyebrow. “Young man, Noah and Vivian are ancients. I am merely more experienced than you children.”
“Of course you are, great lady,” Loki replied, quickly, perhaps realizing his mistake. “I have nothing but respect for you and am awed by your wisdom.”
His last five words were true but not something Jubal ever said to his mother.
“Elusion wants to know what would motivate an Aakacarn like my cousin Loki to help in a cause he cares nothing about,” Vashti went straight to the issue.
The fake instructor took careful note of everyone who had entered and then his eye
s widened when they focused on the male Weapocarn whose curiosity about motivations needed to be satisfied. Loki knowingly scratched the side of his head the way Jubal often did when he was about to do or say something clever. “It is difficult to speculate on exactly what would motivate such a paragon of virtue, one so highly skilled in the art of Melody-wielding, but at a guess I would postulate such a unique individual would do so for his favorite cousin. But also because the prank we are playing is far grander than any trick he ever pulled for laughs. Loki would enjoy perpetrating a hoax on the ruling Nephilim who left him out of the conferences when power was being distributed,” he paused, staring at Elusion. “Even I, the Instructor of Aakacarns, was only told of what had been decided in those meetings. But that doesn’t matter because I have carved out my own powerbase. Every Nephilim has been trained by me to one extent or another, even those who merely wield the Aakatools I created. A good many Aakacarns are loyal to me and are truly grateful for the teachings and innovations. I know for a fact that Loki is such a one.”
Jubal nodded, accepting the stated motivations, mostly because he trusted his wife’s instincts. “Thank you, Instructor. I hope you can win the help of such a capable Aakacarn.”
“I have no doubt of it,” Loki replied, never breaking character.
“Whether or not you children are through role playing, I am going to visit my newest grandbabies,” Herara stated, and then exited the classroom just as the husband of Andromeda entered.
“His royal majesty, King Nimrod, is here to see the Instructor of Aakacarns,” Orion announced.
Roddy walked in a moment later and fortunately his face was jubilant. “My friend, I wanted you to be the first to know. Semiramis is going to have a baby girl. She shall be called, Ishtar.”
“That is wonderful,” Jubal responded, and then realized his mistake.
The king looked at the Weapocarn for a few heart-beats and then focused on Loki. “Even those in service cannot contain their joy over the blessed event.”
Dawn Of The Aakacarns Page 44