by Kurtis Smith
“I only have a vague picture in my head,” Davin answered, looking into the distance. “I dream about her sometimes. All I remember vividly was her captor was heavily shrouded. I can’t even remember my mother’s face. As I was chasing after that person my mother’s voice told me to stay where I was. She said I’d be needed for more important things…”
Kayleigh scrunched her face. “And you hate that you could do nothing to help her. It was out of your hands.”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“And that is why you are fighting so hard for your godfather.”
“With my mother I could do nothing but accept her fate. With Roland I can do something. This time it can be different. Whether or not I succeed will be my own doing.”
“I admire that, Davin,” she said, turning his gaze back on him. “You have a determination that many seem to lack.”
Why is she complimenting me? I have done nothing with my life to be proud of.
“Oh yes, real selfless,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Worried about only one man when I have power to help an entire kingdom. I don’t think that makes me great.”
She stopped picking berries for a moment. “Everyone deals with these things in their own way. I can’t say what I did after my father was captured was exactly noble either.”
Davin grew more interested. “What happened exactly?”
“I tried to join a group of outlaws in Tilea and convince them to help me rescue my father. I bribed them with what little money I had, helped them with some of their dealings, and still they didn’t agree to help me. I even considered offering my body to them, convinced it was the only thing strong enough to sway them, but came to my senses before I actually went through with it. I disappeared after that and never saw them again. I’m not proud of what I did, but I knew I hadn’t gone so far that I couldn’t go back.”
Davin smiled at her for the first time. And as unexpected as her story was, he was grateful. “I know. I’m just not sure how to do that yet.”
“Maybe you already have.”
Davin looked at her blankly. She continued. “I wouldn’t worry about it right now. When the time comes to judge your deeds, it will not be for you to decide anyway.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way.
“That actually is a bit more comforting.”
For a few moments she returned to picking the berries off the trees. “I read about something in my father’s Ancient texts that talked about the Union of Consciousness. It was a skill your ancestors developed that allowed them to read one’s mind. The Purists only used it as a means to add another mind in deciphering thoughts one had trouble with alone.”
Davin’s heart beat faster. “How did this power work?”
“From what I understand, the one performing it needs to be physically touching the other’s head. It doesn’t work from a distance. Egan should be able to withstand it, but I am unsure if you will be able to yet. It takes a toll on the body. You may not be ready.”
Davin was confident that he could hold up fine. He just had to get Egan to agree to perform the task. He nodded at Kayleigh. She smiled and nodded back. There was a long pause that made Davin start to feel awkward. He was unsure what to do or say. She, however, looked completely at ease. He envied her confidence and self-esteem.
“Thank you,” he told her finally.
“I don’t know if it’s possible, but it might help you move on from your past. I feel that the present will need your full attention sooner rather than later.”
Davin was truly grateful for her suggestion, and even her wisdom. “You are wise beyond your years, Kayleigh. Anyone ever told you that?”
“Once or twice.” She smiled and looked behind him. “Egan’s coming. I’ll leave you to your practice.”
In a moment she was gone and Egan had taken her place.
“Enjoying yourself?” Egan asked light-heartedly as he stepped into sight.
“It is nice being alone for once, peaceful. You should try it some time.”
“I’ll think about it,” Egan answered, in a tone that said he didn’t really care to. “Enjoying Kayleigh’s presence, are we?”
Davin involuntarily jerked, but Egan said nothing about it.
Does Egan know something I don’t? Or does he just assume that I enjoy attractive girls as much as the next man?
“She is very nice.” After a pause, he continued, “She knows quite a bit about us and our ancestors.”
“Yes, I’m sure that’s what you find nice about her,” Egan mumbled. Davin ignored him but didn’t to waste his opportunity. He was hesitant to ask though. Egan would never agree to it.
He raised his voice. “I’m serious. She told me about a bit of Driocht that could allow mind reading. Do you know of the Union of Consciousness?”
Egan’s grin vanished and Davin knew he had understood. He answered slowly. “Davin, I know why you want to use it, but I don’t think you are ready.”
“Would you perform the Union of Consciousness on me?” Davin interrupted. “It might help me come to terms with my past.”
Davin knew that he was surprised at this request. He was probably even shocked anyone knew of this gift but him.
“Where did she learn of this?”
“In her father’s texts.” Davin shrugged. He figured that was obvious. “Why, is she lying?”
Egan frowned. A concerned look grew on his face. “I don’t think she would do that to you. I was merely unaware that there were texts written about that topic. It wasn’t commonly used from what I understand. It was dangerous, even to such an advanced mind as our ancestors had.”
Davin wasn’t going to give up easily. He was nervous, but his desire to know the truth overcame it. This was a risk he was willing to take.
“Do you know it works?” he asked Egan.
“Yes, but I have never actually performed it on anyone. I don’t know the risks that go along with it. And there could be great side effects.” Egan spoke in a way that told Davin he really didn’t want to try. And he really wanted Davin to give it up.
“Would you do it for me?” Davin hoped to persuade.
Egan looked at Davin with his mouth open slightly. He knew that Davin wouldn’t back down from this. They were the same in their stubbornness. One of them would have to bend eventually or their time in each other’s company would grow hostile.
“Very well,” Egan relented. If you will have it no other way, then I’ll help you.”
He stepped quickly toward Davin. Davin drew himself upright sloppily, his heart leaping in his chest. Now that it was actually happening, he was nervous. He hadn’t expected Egan to agree, much less start right this instant.
Egan stood arm’s length away from Davin and reached out his hands. They closed in on Davin’s head. As the hands met Davin’s body Egan spoke softly. “Bring the images of what you want to know to the forefront of your mind. I will attempt to decipher them for you and if it works correctly, you will have your answers.”
Davin nodded minimally but offered no other words. He concentrated on the mental pictures of his mother’s capture and disappearance. There were flashes of his old home, the strange people that came in the dead of night, the conversation with his mother, her wails, and his chasing them until the edge of town.
He could feel someone else observing the images as well. It was as if they were being pulled from the grip of his mind as soon as he accessed them. He knew Egan was trying to figure out the scene. He didn’t dare open his eyes for fear that Egan would lose his progress and they would have to start all over again.
This went on for several minutes. He could hear Egan telling him when to start the scene over and when to focus on a particular part. There was obviously a process to this, but Davin couldn’t tell what it was.
Slowly, a burning sensation was growing in Davin’s head. At first it was merely no more than an annoyance, part of the process. But it grew more intense the longer they stayed connected. Davin tried to hold on.
But it kept getting worse. He started to feel like a massive headache had struck him. He wanted to tell Egan to stop, but he also didn’t want all this effort to be for nothing.
Thirty seconds later Davin cried out loudly and pulled away from Egan. He couldn’t take it getting much worse. His head was splitting open from pain. It felt like someone had stuck a knife through his scalp and left it there. He cried out again and ran around the other side of the boulders. The scenery was spinning. The pain was too much to handle. Bending over, he vomited into a bush.
He sat down with his eyes closed and attempted to alleviate the pain. He rubbed his temples and it helped a little.
A minute later Davin heard Egan sloshing through the grass, coming around to check on him. Davin only opened his eyes to tiny slits. Egan was bent over him, looking remorseful.
“You weren’t ready for that. Your body rejected the procedure, that’s why you became sick. I am sorry. I should have refused.”
Davin put as much effort he could into making Egan feel better without getting sick again. “You know I would have pushed you until you gave in or killed me. I did this to myself. I take responsibility.”
Egan nodded and put his hand on Davin’s shoulder. “That is admirable of you, Davin. I appreciate your words.” He stood up and looked down. “Recover here for now. When you feel fit enough, come back to the camp. We will refrain from sword and Driocht practice for tonight, I think.”
Davin’s vision was still blurry as he watched Egan walked away, leaving him by himself once more. He immediately began feeling regret for forcing Egan to do this to him. If only he hadn’t been so stubborn.
As he found his way back to camp in the darkness he decided to accept the obvious answer. Maybe it was time to move on from learning the truth. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by his parents anymore. They were gone for good. There were more important things to worry about now.
Chapter 20 The Guardians of the High Passes
“Despite us losing our way several times today, we are right where I expected us to be,” Egan said as they set up camp for another night. Davin couldn’t believe that was possible but didn’t say anything. He hoped Egan was right.
Teague asked, “Will we still reach the Chasm soon? I am already tired of this place.”
“We should. But whatever time it takes to find what we need after that, I cannot tell. No one has ever been able to map the distance from the Chasm through the High Passes. The stories about people who never returned from there have deterred anyone in the last hundred years from passing the Chasm.”
“We also do not know exactly where to look either. There is no exact location in the texts to help us,” Kayleigh chimed in.
“Luckily, there are a couple of trails. That’s a good place to start,” Egan added. He had begun to form sticks for fire.
There was a short silence and then Teague spoke again, speaking to Egan and sounding hesitant. “I-I have been wary about this topic for some time. Would it be wise for Kayleigh and me to proceed past the Chasm? Surely, Davin and you would be the only ones allowed to survive, if even that is a possibility.”
For a moment Egan said nothing. Davin and Kayleigh stared at him, waiting for his answer as well. Then, “I cannot command you to join us, Teague. You may camp before the Chasm and stay there if you wish. We will leave provisions for you to live on for several days.” He turned to Kayleigh. “The same goes for you, my lady.”
She replied firmly. “You have my answer already.”
“The decision is yours then, my lord,” Egan said, leaning back on his arms to relax. “The only problem is if we don’t return, you will be all alone making your way back down.”
Teague turned away from the others and bowed his head. He seemed to be trying to resolve himself to the path before him. Davin didn’t blame him, if he hadn’t been a Descendent he would have been tempted to stay back. As it stood, he still would have rather refrained from going beyond the Chasm. These Auki spirits were not creatures to take for granted from everything Egan had told him.
Finally, Teague nodded with his back toward them. He spun around slowly and said, “I do not go willingly, but I will go. I must master my fears.”
“That is smart. I wouldn’t imagine you’d last long without us,” Egan said drily.
“I will not argue with that.”
Davin and Egan sparred heavily that night. Egan had set up numerous scenarios for Davin to react to. Several of them involved Davin using his fighting skills and Driocht magic in rapid succession. Davin fought Egan with one arm while the other performed the magic. Egan explained the way to use Driocht as a secondary attack and as a shield for defense. Both Davin struggled with. It wasn’t easy to do. One had to divide their attention between the two while not losing focus on either end. To lose this focus would mean death.
“Your sword and each Driocht orb have their various strengths. You must learn when to exploit them,” Egan told him as he tested Davin’s limits.
Egan was pleased none the less. He commended Davin for his efforts when they were done.
By the time the fighting was done, Davin was sweaty and tired. But he wanted to continue despite this. In two days they would have to face something that might require all of his and Egan’s skills.
As they walked back to camp, Egan questioned Davin. “Are you still bothered by the other night?”
Davin hadn’t been anywhere near that line of thought. It took him a minute to remember what Egan was talking about. “No, I haven’t thought about it since. I’m not worrying about it.”
Egan looked relieved.
***
Egan continued to lead them farther up into the mountains over the next couple days. Their pace was getting harder to keep now that the snow was getting deeper. But Egan managed to keep everyone going smoothly until dusk. They still had plenty of food reserves which helped with their motivation. Finding the will to continue on was hard enough. Davin thanked the Ancients that Kayleigh had packed well.
Caves that looked very similar to the one that he and Egan had stayed in before loomed ahead. Davin wasn’t sure how he felt about being here again. It meant that the Chasm would only be another day’s journey.
“These look a little more hospitable than what we have been dealing with the last few nights,” Kayleigh spoke up.
“They are,” Egan confirmed. “At least we will have one pleasant rest before facing what the High Passes hold.”
They closed in on the entrance of one the dark caves in front of them. Egan had Davin light the fire orb for them to see inside. This cave was even smaller than the last one Davin had stayed in, but it would still fit all four of them comfortably.
After eating and warming by the fire for about an hour, Davin decided to head outside. In the hour since they had arrived the temperature seemed to have dropped considerably further. He pulled his multiple cloaks around him tighter.
He had barely sat down when a voice spoke to him, the voice of the Lord of Trial.
“Davin, come.”
Davin watched as a smoky substance begin to move away from the cave in slow, controlled manner. He obeyed and slowly climbed up the slope to meet the Lord of Trials. The figure waited for him patiently to find the correct footing and finish his ascent. It was a slow process. And by the end Davin began to wonder why it was so important for him to be up there.
Finally, Davin stood only a few feet from it. He looked up at where the face would have been on a normal man.
“Do you have the answer to your last test that I seek?” the Lord of Trials asked.
Davin’s heart sank. He hadn’t really thought about it in a while. Other things had transpired since then that were consuming him.
“What is it that you want me to say?” Davin asked, a little frustrated at the lack of direction.
“Has your answer changed since you were last tested?”
“No,” Davin said firmly, hoping that he would earn favor with the figure for holding strong to h
is words and being honest.
There was an awkward, long silence just as there had been last time it had doled out his judgment.
“Fail. If you do not find the answer during our next meeting, you will be stripped of your abilities. I will test you again in three days.” Davin could hardly see him, but he still felt the presence of the Lord of Trial there.
Why is this happening!?” Davin cried. “I don’t understand. Why-,”
Out of the darkness came the voice, “You do not have the attributes that are worthy of your ancestors.”
A fury came over Davin that he hadn’t felt in a while. “What of the Corrupt Ones? Are you saying that they were worthy? They turned against their own race!”
The shadow was still for a long moment. “No man, Ancient or otherwise, is born with evil in their hearts…three days.” And with that he disappeared in a wisp of smoke, the same as his arrival.
Davin’s mouth dropped open. That couldn’t be possible. “No!” he yelled out. “You can’t do this!”
He climbed back down the slope as fast as he could and ran back to the cave. His mind was racing. This couldn’t be happening now of all times. All of his training would be for nothing if his abilities were taken from him. Reaching into his travel pack, he pulled out the Fire orb. It shimmered lightly in the moonlight. He attempted to work the Driocht magic. Nothing happened. He tried again, but still nothing. He couldn’t concentrate no matter what he did. In his frustration, he threw the orb in the direction of the slope he’d just come down. He knew he have to go chase it down later, but for now he didn’t care. This was outrageous.
And what had that last past meant? He didn’t want to think about it right now.
Just then, in the distance he saw a figure moving away from their cave at quite a clip. He couldn’t make out who it was in the darkness, but it wasn’t as tall as Egan and didn’t have long hair so had to have been Teague. What was he doing running away like that?
Davin trotted after him, trying to keep quiet so Teague wouldn’t hear him. Teague continued back the direction they’d traversed earlier that day, his pace only hastening more.