by Peach, Hanna
“I’ll bet they have.” The Elder grinned, and a youthfulness lit his face. “Care to show us how?”
Vix nodded and closed her eyes. For a moment nothing happened.
Then a myriad of colors began to bleed from her body like paint in running water. The rivers of color spread out over the area around them like a playful sea. The buildings began to change. They grew taller and more ornate. Door frames and window frames grew curls and engravings. Some of the surfaces changed from wood to silver or gold. Alyx’s mouth dropped open.
From the low roofline grew a large oval structure, an open air theatre. Poles, wrapped in white material, reached out from around the edge of the structure to form a single point. These “sails” must have unraveled and formed a roof to keep out the rain.
Finally the last of the colors rolled into place and the new Uria stood silent.
“It does look different,” said the Elder softly.
“What is that building?” Alyx said, pointing to the theatre.
Vix’s lips pressed together. “Uriel’s latest addition to his city. Installed before I left. A gladiator ring, where Uriel would pit warriors against each other in a fight to the death.” Vix’s face grew dark. “It started as a novel and public way to punish the warriors who broke protocol. Uriel’s justification for blood sport. In the end, it became… something more.”
Alyx felt a chill come over her as if the clouds had suddenly covered up the sun. She saw a small movement in the corner of her eye, made more startling by the fact that everything here was as still as death. Alyx snapped her head around. She squinted. There seemed to be a lone figure in the top stands of the theatre, just close enough for Alyx to make out that it was a woman. When Alyx turned back to Vix, she was staring at the figure. What else had leaked out of her subconscious?
Alyx opened her mouth to ask, but the Elder stepped between Alyx and Vix, grabbing Alyx’s arm.
“Come,” the Elder said with a sternness hardening his features, “we have spent enough time looking around. Let me show you where the chamber is.”
Alyx stared back at him for a moment, fighting the urge to ask about the woman. Deciding that she should let it go, Alyx nodded. She understood wanting to keep your past a secret.
The Elder led them to a pale yellow cylindrical building just off the center of Uria. From the outside there appeared to be no windows. Above the doors positioned just under the roofline was a pair of engraved scrolls.
“Is this the Archives?” Alyx asked.
“Indeed,” said the Elder. And with a swipe of his hand the doors moved aside for him. “The doors are shielded. You will have to by-pass them first.”
Inside, the building appeared to have a series of levels that branched out like spokes of a wheel around the center, each level crisscrossing in a staggered pattern from the high ceiling to the lower levels below. Hanging from each level were ornate metal Threadcases with patterns of waves and fish and waterflowers weaved into the design. Within the Threadcases were Threads, hundreds of them. The windowless building was illuminated only by large pearls glowing with a light from inside them, held in metal claws around the wall.
“The entrance is below,” said the Elder, and he led them down through the spiraling levels. As they descended Alyx noticed that the center pole was carved with what looked like battle scenes. Near the bottom was a seraph carved so that he was larger than life. Alyx recognized Uriel’s face within the grey stone.
“It says something about his character, don’t you think, when he builds his own figure into the entrance of his secret chambers.” The Elder’s voice was tinged with disgust.
Alyx stared at the carving of Uriel. This was the entrance?
The Elder pointed at Uriel’s neck. Alyx noticed the hollow charm lying against his chest. Across the breastplate and carrying up over the shoulders was a curling vine design grooved into the stone and covered in a glass.
“Uriel is an Alchemist, so he designed this entrance only to be activated by an Alchemist. Because this is only a DreamScape I can tell you how it’s meant to work, but I can’t show you. I don’t know how to open it. You will have to find an Alchemist willing to assist you when you come to do this for real. Or if you had some Alchemist bloodink.”
“How is it meant to open?”
The Elder pointed to three chambers covered with glass, one at the statue’s throat, one at his stomach and another at his right shoulder. Two of the chambers were filled with grainy metal.
“You have to get the contents of each of these three chambers into the charm.”
Alyx stared at each of the three chambers. She could see now that the curling vine pattern joined each chamber to the charm which was segmented into three sections. But... how in the blazes was she meant to move the contents?
The Elder continued, “If you succeed in opening the entrance, the final barrier will await you inside the tunnels. A test.”
“A test?”
“Or tests. Uriel fancies himself a bit of an intellectual savant. He believes that he is smarter than anyone else. Hence, his chamber isn’t locked by just a mere magical shield.”
“And if I don’t pass these tests?”
The look in the Elder’s eyes was enough to tell her that she wouldn’t like the answer. “I never said that getting the Threads of Dark would be easy.”
“Okay…” She was almost afraid to ask. “What are they?”
The Elder shook his head. “I am not sure, exactly. Uriel has a habit of upgrading them when he thinks of new ones. If you pass the tests you’ll be let into the chamber containing the Threads of Dark.”
Alyx chewed at her lip with her teeth. She didn’t like the sound of “tests”, especially “upgraded tests”. Surely there was another way in?
A thought struck her. “Why can’t I just tunnel my way through with EarthWeaver magic?”
The Elder smiled. “That would be too easy, wouldn’t it? Uriel has secured the tunnels with bands of a powerful EarthWeaver magic combined with MirageWeaver. They stop any EarthWeaver from sensing this tunnel as well as preventing anyone from tunneling into the chamber from the outside.”
Uriel, an intelligent foe. Just great. Give me an army of Darkened any day.
A thought came to Alyx which made her peer curiously at the Elder. “How do you know all this?”
The Elder’s face darkened and a kind of sadness dulled his eyes. “When I was still a part of the society, I was a city designer. My DreamWalker ability helped me to create my designs in third-dimension before they were built. I helped him design the tunnels.”
“You were friends?”
“Once. The closest.” The Elder turned away and the DreamScape faded.
Alyx awoke in the cave. She wanted to ask about the Elder’s history with Uriel and the society, she wanted to ask why he left, but she didn’t. She knew she wouldn’t get any more out of the Elder.
At the mouth of the cave, Alyx and Vix thanked the Elder. As they turned to leave, the Elder put his hand on Alyx’s shoulder.
“You must save him, Alyx. He is very important.”
Alyx nodded. “I know.”
The Elder shook his head. “No. I don’t think you do. What is coming will either be the end of everything or it could free us all. He plays a great role in this. As do you.”
“No pressure or anything,” she muttered.
That damned prophecy. Alyx grimaced as she felt the weight of her tasks press onto her shoulders again. She didn’t need reminding of her responsibilities.
Chapter 10
Jordan hurried into the compartment where Tobias had called an urgent meeting. He felt his body relax when he saw that Alyx was already sitting in their makeshift meeting room. It felt like he had been holding his breath while she had been gone. He didn’t like not being by her side. How would he protect her if she needed him?
Get a hold of yourself, he scolded himself. She made her choice about who she wanted and it wasn’t you.
He
made his way over to her, making sure his movements were slow and controlled even though his heart was racing. As he got closer he had to quash his desire to touch her to sate himself that she was real. Instead he nodded a curt hello as he sat down in the chair next to her. Only then did he look around the room, noting that Tobias, Vix and Dianne were already seated around the table.
“I have news about our Saudi community,” Tobias said.
Jordan heard a small exhale of breath from Alyx. Instinctively, he slipped a hand over one of hers, which was gripped on her thigh. It may have been his imagination, but her cheeks seemed to color a little. Probably just his imagination. Then he felt her fist relax. To his surprise, her little fingers slipped through his.
Jordan remembered he had been at Alyx’s side when she had been told about the death of her friend, Elysia. He had rubbed her arm to try and soothe her but it had only caused her to tense up even further. It had only been when Israel touched her that she had relaxed like this.
Alyx had always been so guarded with herself around him; her heart’s loyalty to Israel was so complete. Why was she reacting so differently to him now? Could she… could she possibly be letting him in? Or was he making something out of nothing, a fancy born out of unfulfilled desires.
Jordan’s attention was jolted back to the table when he heard Tobias’ words.
“The Saudi Arabia community was also attacked by Samyara’s Darkened army. Luckily, they found the Tracer on Omniya with just enough time to evacuate everyone. They were able to get out through one of the secret underground tunnels and to the desert before the Darkened breached their community.”
Jordan found himself breathing a sigh of relief. He wasn’t the only one. No more deaths to grieve. For the moment. It may have been too much if they had lost anyone else from the FreeThinker community. It barely felt like he had even had time to grieve the ones who had gone… Zia, Ky, Fernando and Rosa…
No. There was no time to indulge in grief. Not now. Not while their situation was still so precarious. And while Samyara’s army was still such a threat. And Michael… whatever that bastard was up to…
Tobias continued, “I held an emergency DreamWalker meeting with Belle and Aaban, the chief of the Saudi community. We have agreed that it is a safer and more strategic move to consolidate.”
“But it also makes us a bigger target, Tobias,” protested Vix.
“We considered that, but it also means we have more resources and we are stronger if we stick together.”
“What about leadership?” Dianne piped up. “Who will be Chief?”
“Once we consolidate, Belle, Aaban and I shall act as a committee.”
“I don’t like it, Tobias,” Vix muttered. “I don’t like it. We have always been a small community. Easier to defend, easier to manage…”
“Like it or not, Vix. These are very different times we are heading into. And they call for different measures. We must be adaptive if we are to survive.”
Vix leaned back in her seat with her arms crossed, but she kept quiet.
“For the moment Marin and Israel simply can’t be moved,” said Tobias. “On top of that, neither Adere nor Ana are in the best position to be relocated. I will send on some of the uninjured Aradale Seraphim to our various safehouses. I don’t like separating us, but we have no choice at the moment until we can find a location for our new community. We have imposed on Mason’s hospitality long enough.”
Tobias was met with various nods around the room.
“Vix, can I count on you lead a team to start scouting for a new community? One that will take our increased size. Take some of the other warriors of Aradale. Those from Florence who want to help are already on their way here.”
Vix uncrossed her arms and sat up straighter in her chair. She nodded. “Of course, Tobias. I will do all I can.”
Warmth radiated off Tobias’ smile. “I knew I could count on you.”
Vix appeared to have been placated through being assigned this important task. Jordan hid a smile. Tobias was always a smart one. That’s why he had been Aradale Chief, unchallenged, for so long.
Tobias turned to Alyx. “What did you find out about the Threads of Dark?”
“It exists,” Alyx said. “And it contains the knowledge of demon poisons. Unfortunately it is located within a chamber underneath Urielos. I need the help of an Animale and a familia or two to do some reconnaissance work.”
Tobias suddenly looked incredibly sad, the light almost fading completely from his face. “Normally I would ask Lukas to use his Animale and his animal friends to help, but…”
Lukas and Ana had been inconsolable and had kept to themselves since losing Ky. Jordan felt his chest squeeze at the memory of Ky’s smiling face. Ky, who had become like a little brother to him as he had watched him grow up. He forced himself to focus. No time for grief. Focus on the living. Focus on the now. One thing at a time.
“…I don’t think Lukas can help this time, Alyx. At the moment I am not sure that either of the communities will want to spare their Animale as they are being used so vitally for communications at the moment. Does anyone else have any ideas? Any Animale friends or familias we can trust?”
“That’s okay,” said Alyx as an image of a swift came to mind. “I think I know where to get help.”
* * *
“You have got to be kidding me,” Jordan practically yelled at Alyx.
Alyx watched Jordan running his hands through his hair as he paced in the compartment. After the meeting had adjourned and everyone had filed out, he had taken her aside to ask her what her plan was. Needless to say, he was not happy after hearing what she wanted to do.
“I am not letting you go find the RaceKeeper alone.”
Alyx bristled. “I’m perfectly capable of doing things by myself.”
Jordan looked like he was about to argue back when he paused and she saw his face soften. When he spoke she could hear his voice rumbling with passion. “Alyx. You are the strongest, most capable warrior I have ever known. I would never, ever want to suggest otherwise. I know you are perfectly capable of facing the RaceKeeper alone. But think strategically. Think like a flock leader. Would Symon ever let his warriors patrole alone? No. You are always in pairs. Why?”
He grabbed Alyx’s hands with his. Then he leaned in towards her, pushing lightly against her with his hands. Instinctively, she pushed back to match his pressure.
“Together,” he said, his voice low, “we cover each other’s weaknesses and we create a combined strength to form something… stronger. Together, we are more than when we are alone. Together we are… better.”
She froze as a lone thought appeared in her mind, adrift like wood floating in a rolling sea.
“The one who makes us better than when we are alone.”
Where had she heard this before? Alyx blinked and dropped her gaze from Jordan’s green eyes blazing at her.
She looked at their hands gently pressing against each other forming a peak and realized that their bodies were forming a kind of triangle. Both taking and giving weight and support to each other, forming a stronger structure.
Another thought appeared. “You don’t have to do everything alone.” Alyx knew this was something that Jordan had said more than once to her. And she had said it back to him.
She looked back at Jordan’s face. The last of her anger faded when she recognized the concern that underlay his features. It had always been there, she realized. Even as his face shone with anger, the anger was just a mask for the care underneath. Why had she not seen this before?
“There is someone else – a friend – who I want to talk to as well,” she explained. “He might be less inclined to talk around a person he doesn’t know.”
Jordan grinned. “Please. Everybody loves me.”
Alyx had to fight not to roll her eyes.
“I promise I’ll behave,” he said.
“Okay. You can come with me.”
Chapter 11
Isr
ael felt himself draw away from the nothingness. Back to this strange nowhere-place, lit up only by his awareness.
Alyx. She was his first thought.
He pushed out again to try and feel her. The absence of her presence caused a panic to jitter through him. He moved towards the edge of this place. He stopped when he came to that wall, that invisible wall. He knew Alyx would be on the other side. He had to get through this wall. He had to get back to her. He drew back his fist. He froze when a male voice spoke from behind him.
“Don’t.”
Israel spun, his fists flying to guard his face out of instinct. “Who’s there?”
“Relax, Israel.” That voice… that irritatingly familiar voice…
“Elder?”
“Indeed.”
The darkness seemed to clear a little, and he could see the figure of the old Seraphim he met in China, gleaming with light as if it was shining from within him. Everything else remained dark though. Was this really the Elder? Or his imagination?
“Where am I? What’s going on?” Israel demanded.
“What do you remember?”
Israel frowned. What did he remember? Alyx. The image of her cat-like green eyes came into his thoughts. Then the exchange at Remembrance Park. Alyx had risked her life for him – again. She had pretended to be him, wrapped in her mirage magic, so that Samyara wouldn’t really have him when they “exchanged” him for the lives of the four Seraphim. And Adere.
Adere. He had kissed her. His “act of love” to try and banish her demon possessor. But it hadn’t worked. Then… something happened... He had grabbed Adere. He remembered a sharp pain in his shoulder.
The knife… the darkness.
Israel felt cold. “Am I… dead?”
“No. The knife was poisoned. You’re in a kind of deep unearthly sleep while your body tries to hold it off. Like death but not quite”
“So… how are you here? Is this is a DreamScape?”
The Elder smiled. “We can call it that, if you like.”