Soul of Power

by G David Walker

  With a thought, he was standing in the cell beside the sleeping body of Delani. Before he woke her, he studied her still form. She was a bonnie lass, no doubt, and there was a time when he’d had feelings for her. Then those emotions were overruled by other feelings, darker feelings, when he’d realized that he couldn’t go home, and worse when he realized that, for all of their pretend sympathy, the Circle didn’t really care. Then she’d tried to defend the Loremasters, took their side over his. That’s when he’d decided if he couldn’t go home, then he would make Teleria his home, in every possible sense of the word. The lad had put an end to his first try, interference Bothan intended to make him pay for many times over. But now? Well, now things were working out just fine.

  “Aye, just brawlie indeed,” he murmured with a smile on his lips. Then, louder, “Up, Del! It’s time to wake up. We’ve got things to do.”

  She started at the sound of his voice, blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she looked up at him. Then she scrambled to her feet and threw a bolt of amethyst power at him. He brushed her attack aside and wrapped his own power around her, waiting for her to stop struggling.

  “Let me go!”

  “Now, Del, why would I want to do that?”

  “Stop calling me that.”

  “But you’re my Del. For always, you once said.”

  “You are no longer that man, and I am not your Del.”

  “Are you sure?” He tilted his head. She stiffened as his power entered her, subjugating her will to his own. Then she smiled at him.

  “Of course I am your Del. I can never belong to anyone else. Yours alone, forever and always.” Then the rage filled her eyes again as he released his control. “You may force the words from my lips, but you will never change my feelings. Do what you will with my body. My heart will never be yours.”

  He shrugged. “I suppose. But a man takes what he can get.”

  “What do you want? Why are you here?”

  “I thought you might like to go back and see your friends.”

  She frowned. “You would let me go?”

  He grinned at her. “I said you could see your friends. I said nothin’ about lettin’ you go.”

  *****

  As her feet left the stone, a rush of emotion staggered Jason. Anger, sorrow, resignation, all flooded his thoughts as she began her descent. He’s not controlling her anymore. He rushed forward, but she was already beyond his grasp. Their eyes met as she plummeted toward the ground below. He could almost hear her voice in his head, telling him goodbye.

  “No! Lenai!”

  Use your power, Jason! Like when you saved me! Crin’s voice broke through the tumult raging in his mind and heart. The image of the egg falling toward the ground filled his mind. He’d saved Crin. He had to save Lenai. He sent a shining streak of iridescent dimsai after her. She was already over halfway down, gaining speed as she approached her death.

  But his power was faster, his passion stronger.

  Twenty feet from an impact that would have left her shattered and broken, dimsai wrapped her in a cocoon of force, stopping her fall and lowering her gently to the stone. He released his power and focused his eyes and senses on her, releasing his breath in a shaky sigh as what he felt through the bond confirmed she was still alive. Then she raised her hand in a little wave, giving his eyes confirmation as well. He put his back to the ledge and slid down to the ground; the trembling muscles in his legs refused to support his weight. His head dropped forward as he tried to bring his racing heart under control.

  As he took deep breaths to slow the pounding in his chest, Crin’s voice sounded in his head.

  That was well done, Jason. I knew you could save her.

  “Well, if it hadn’t been for you, I wouldn’t have known what to do. Thanks.”

  She is important to you, so she is important to me. You should go to her now.

  He couldn’t focus enough to create a portal, so he pushed himself up on shaky legs, and began to make his way to the main floor of the keep.

  Lenai met him before he’d made it halfway down. He didn’t give her time to speak before wrapping his arms around her. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” she said. “Once again, you have saved my life.”

  He broke away. “Yeah, you’re right. I did. And this time I know just what you can do to repay me.”

  “What is it?”

  “No more talk about breaking the bond. You don’t talk about it, you don’t even think about it. It’s not an option. Not anymore.”

  “But, Jason—”

  “No! This is the only thing I’ll accept. This or you end up owing me unless and until you can save my life.”

  “I do not want to be a threat to you.”

  “I’ll take that chance.”

  She stared at him for a long moment, and then nodded. “Very well.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Really?”

  “You have my word. No more talk of breaking the Bond.”

  “Okay. Then we need to go tell the Circle about what Bothan’s doing.”

  After asking one of the Warders, they found the Loremasters gathered in the dining hall. Reyga turned and smiled as he saw the two of them walk into the hall.

  “Jason! Lenai! Your timing is excellent. We were just going to see the Circle Chambers. The artisans have informed us that their work is done and it is ready for us to use again.”

  “We’ve got a problem. Bothan is back—”

  “Yes,” Reyga said, “Seryn told us of his appearance in the healing area.”

  “But that’s not all. He can control people now.”

  “Control people? What do you mean?”

  “I mean he just made Lenai jump off a tower.”

  “What?” Reyga looked at Lenai. “Are you injured? What happened? How did he do this? Wait.” He held up his hand before she could answer, and turned to the other Loremasters. “Loremaster Seryn, everyone, you should hear this.” Once the others had gathered around, Reyga turned back to Lenai. “Now, tell us everything.”

  Once Lenai had finished, Seryn said, “This does not bode well. Although we have theorized about the possibility of controlling unwilling subjects, no one has ever been able to do so. Even Delani, with the Amethyst focus on mental control of animals, was only able to use Brelt’s body with his cooperation. To find that Bodann has apparently gained this ability means it will be impossible to know whom we can trust.” She looked at Lenai. “You said you lost consciousness for a time after reaching the parapet?”

  “Yes. Once I reached the top of the tower, there was a moment where it seemed Bodann hesitated. Then I awoke, lying on the ground, but once more under his control.”

  “I wonder if that’s when everyone started saying that stuff to me,” Jason said. “Maybe he can only control one person at a time. When I looked for auras, I saw his, but it was jumping from person to person. Never on two at once.”

  “That is a possibility,” Seryn said. “But we should not assume that is the limit of his power, until we have further proof. I believe…” She trailed off, looking past them to the door. Jason turned around and saw Delani approaching them.

  “Loremaster Delani!” Reyga said. “Where have you been?”

  Without looking back, Delani spread her arms and sent twin blasts of dimsai at the Warders standing on either side of the door she had entered. The power threw them against the wall and left them in crumpled heaps on the ground.

  “Where I should have always been,” she replied. “At the side of my love, Bodann. If you are wise, you will embrace his rule. If you are not, you will die.”

  Painful Memories

  Nyala barely saw the landscape before her, immersed as she was in her own thoughts. Seeing Ishadon after so long had stirred up memories that now refused to be ignored or pushed aside. Her thoughts went back to the day it began…or ended…or changed. She’d never been sure how to think of it.

  It had been a beautiful day, warm and sunny, and the seven o
f them had been having a wonderful day together in the countryside outside the city. Well, eight, if you counted Mike and Sarah’s son, Reed. His death had weighed the most on her soul over the centuries. Kevin had been keeping the child entertained when Reed pointed at the sky and asked in a voice of pure innocence, “Wat dat?”

  They all smiled at his child-like curiosity and turned to see what the little boy was talking about. When she saw the silver cylinder dropping toward them, she thought her heart had stopped. The cloudy trail following the descending missile looked like a dagger aimed straight at them. She’d known immediately there was no chance of survival, but instinct refused to allow her to accept her certain fate.

  “Run!” she shouted at them.

  They barely made it halfway to their vehicles when the missile detonated overhead. The shockwave knocked them all to the ground where she waited for the searing agony of incineration she knew was coming. She only hoped it would be over quickly. What had actually happened was far worse than anything she could have imagined.

  The pain was beyond excruciating, so intense that her brain could not recognize it as pain, but as a sensation that defied description. She looked at her hand, watching it lose cohesion, and just had time for the irony of the situation to register. Killed by my own creation. Then she lost consciousness.

  She’d been awakened by Kevin, desperately shaking her and telling her to wake up over and over again. It took several moments for her blurry vision to come into focus, and once she could see clearly, she wished she couldn’t. As she looked around, the only thing her shocked mind could think was, Well, it worked. Although she could see the buildings of Ishadon in the distance, between them and her there was not a single scrap of living greenery. The ground surrounding them was bare dirt, with not so much as a single tree or blade of grass interrupting the dusty canvas. They’d all stared at the landscape and then at each other. Finally, she asked the question she knew they were all thinking.

  “Why are we alive?”

  “Ah, I see you’re up here brooding yet again.” An all too familiar voice broke into her memories, pulling her back into the present. She spun to face the newcomer, her power immediately springing to life around her.

  Regor held up his hands. “Now, now. I’m not here to fight. I just want to talk.” He smiled as she reduced her power, although not quite quenching it all the way. “So, where were you this time? Or should I say ‘when’ were you? Since we both know all you ever do is dwell on the past and things you can’t change.”

  “What do you want?” She was in no mood to put up with his self-indulgent repartee. Not after their last meeting.

  “Just what I—”

  “Mom!” Nivek appeared beside her, throwing a glistening wall of force between her and Regor. “You can’t beat us both,” he said to Regor.

  “Wait,” she said. “He says he only wants to talk.” She laid a hand on Nivek’s shoulder. “And with you here, that would be his best choice.” She gave Regor a look to emphasize the subtle warning in her voice as Nivek extinguished his power.

  “Actually, I’m glad you’re both here,” he said. “This way we can all talk together.”

  “You didn’t seem too interested in talking the last time we were all together,” she said. “I seem to remember the words ‘treacherous hag’ being mentioned.”

  “Yes, well. Heat of the moment, I suppose. I should actually congratulate you on that. You caught me completely off guard. Not many people can do that.”

  “Thank you. Now I repeat: What do you want?”

  “I want to give you one last chance to join me.”

  Nyala blinked a few times as she tried to process his statement. “I’m sorry. Did you just say you wanted us to join you?”

  “I did. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed or not, but there is a new player in our little game, as you called it recently.”

  “Yes, we’re aware of Bodann. What does he have to do with us?”

  “He came to me and asked me to work with him. Airam is with us as well. Considering that he plans to eliminate anyone or anything that tries to stand against him, I thought I’d give you the chance to save yourselves.” He shrugged. “Call it a moment of sentimentality.”

  “Work with him?” Nyala asked. “I’ve felt how strong he is. It’s more likely that you’re serving him.”

  His confident expression slipped a bit at her statement. “A matter of terminology,” he replied. “Even if that is the case, I’d rather serve on the winning side than rule on the losing one. And trust me, there is nothing and no one on this planet that can stand against him one on one.”

  “One on one,” Nivek said. “You think if we all four team up we can beat him.”

  “So,” Nyala added, “you’re not as ‘sentimental’ as you claim. You just think we can get you out from under Bodann’s thumb.”

  “Maybe so. But you’d be helping yourselves just as much as you’d be helping me. Believe me, even if he is getting stronger, your little Jason Bennett is no match for what Bodann has become. Your only chance to survive is to join Airam and me. Then, when the time is right, we deal with Bodann together.”

  “If he’s that strong, what makes you think even the four of us will be enough?” Nivek asked.

  “Because I refuse to believe he’s stronger than all four of us put together.”

  “Just because you refuse to believe something doesn’t make it not true,” Nyala said. “Although I can’t speak for Nivek, I’m afraid I’m going to have to decline your generous offer. I’ll stick with Jason.”

  “Well, it’s your mistake to make,” Regor said. He turned to Nivek. “What about you? Even with only three of us, I’ll bet we can take him. How about it? Will you stand beside your father?”

  “Sure,” Nivek said, and then continued before Regor could say anything, “but my father’s been gone for a long time. I don’t know you.”

  “How can you say that?” Regor asked.

  “Because you tried to kill me!” Nivek shouted at him. “Did you really think I’d just forget about that? I hope Bodann does to you what you tried to do to me. I’m not helping you. Not now, not ever.”

  Regor’s eyes darkened. “Fine. Do what you will. But when you face your inevitable fate, remember this moment. You won’t have another chance.” Then he was gone.

  She looked at Nivek. “You know what’s coming, right?”

  “I know.”

  “Are you ready? Will you be able to do what will have to be done?”

  He nodded. “The man he once was would hate what he’s become. For that man, the man that was my father, we have to do whatever we can to stop this one.”

  *****

  Delani struggled to wrest control from Bodann, but she knew it was no use. His power was too strong, his control absolute. She could not even turn her head to check on the two Warders he had attacked using her body. She saw the Loremasters’ puzzled expressions turn to alarm as they realized what she had just done. Before they could react, she sent two more bolts of power crashing into the opposite walls of the dining area, causing the few people who were in the room to run for the doors. A wave of her hand blasted the remaining Warders into the walls as well, leaving them broken and moaning in pain.

  “Delani, what are you doing?” Seryn shouted, as argent power erupted around her hands. The other Loremasters were also calling up their power, although they seemed uncertain as to what they should do with it.

  “I am here to accept the Circle’s unconditional surrender to Bodann. Teleria belongs to him now. Swear fealty to him and you may be spared.”

  “What has he done to you?”

  “He has opened my eyes and my heart. I am willing to die for him. Are you willing to die for Teleria? Perhaps we should test that!” She watched as her hands threw a gout of purple fire at Seryn. The Diamond Loremaster was able to put up a shield to protect herself, but Delani knew that it had just been a small fraction of the dimsai at Bodann’s disposal. At any moment, he
could bring the full force of his power to bear, and crush any defense they could offer. She also knew they would never acquiesce to Bodann’s terms. If she could not find some way to stop this, the results would be unthinkable. And what was even worse was that they would believe she was responsible, that she had joined Bodann. She had to find a way to stop him.

  She tried to think. If she could not affect Bodann’s actions, perhaps there were other ways to fight back. She called upon her mental training to probe the power he was using to control her. As she studied it, she realized that, while he was controlling her, she had access to his thoughts and memories as well. Perhaps there was something there she could use against him.

  “We do not wish to fight you, Loremaster Delani,” Seryn said. “Please do not do this.”

  “You do not have to fight me,” her voice told them. “Merely bow down and accept Bodann’s rule.”

  Brin stepped forward. “You know we will not do that. Why do you serve him now?”

  “Because I choose to,” she answered. She sent another burst of dimsai at him, stronger than the first. He was able to shield himself, but the concussion of force knocked him back a few steps. She knew this was still just a small portion of Bodann’s power. And she could tell from his thoughts that he was going to keep increasing the strength of his attacks until they could no longer protect themselves.

  “Then it seems we will have to stop you, one way or another,” Brin said. Crimson power erupted around his hands as he raised them.

  “No, wait!” Jason shouted. Her gaze jumped to him. He was staring at her intently. “It’s not Delani,” he said. “It’s Bothan. He’s controlling her.” She felt a rush of gratitude for his perception. At least now they knew she was an unwilling participant.