by Joshua Cook
“Call these supplemental rules for those with the talent. One: any pattern can be tied to an item wrought with the magic. Once it’s tied, its permanent to all but another with the talent. Two: to unravel another’s work is very, very hard, and carries great risk.” Xid pointed to Cendan’s key again. “That was Oakheart’s focus. He created after he left us and joined the Bridgefinders, right? That gives you some level of protection from the possible harm if you ever unraveled a bound-magic created by Oakheart.”
“Normally, if I tried to unravel something you created, something bound, I’d have to be very careful. One wrong step, and I could lose my power forever. I could die, I could kill someone else depending on what the item was and what it could do.” Xid looked at Cendan with a decidedly serious expression.
“My teacher told me once, years ago, a Gardener created a gate. A gate that formed a Bridge to the Echo world. A permanent gate. The Gardener in question made it for a nymph – yes, a classical nymph and all that the name implies. And it worked; the nymph could use it to come here, and by the virtue of him having the talent, he could visit her. But another Gardener saw the nymph, and as is the way sometimes, was overcome by lust for her. He couldn’t bear the thought of seeing them together.”
“He decided to unravel the gate with the other Gardener on one side, and the nymph on the other. But during the unraveling, something went wrong. The gate ripped a hole into... Well, we don’t know where. But the Gardener who was doing the unraveling, was dragged into the gate just for a second and vanished. Just as quickly, he was thrown back out, but what came back was… not normal. He was smoking, and held his hands to his head, screaming. Screaming about whatever it was he had seen. The gate was destroyed, and sadly the nymph was too, as the gate exploded on the other side as-well.”
Cendan nodded. “But... how can you all know this? If someone saw him why didn’t they stop him?”
Xid smiled, a thin lipped one this time. “In time, some sort of sanity returned; enough to get the story at least out of him. He was never the same though.” Xid paused then locked eyes with Cendan. “He was also my brother.” Cendan paused and nodded.
“As I said, that key will give you some protection as it is part of Oakheart’s... profile, I’ll call it. And I don’t think you will need to use it to do so, honestly. But seeing as how Oakheart was the last one with the talent who was also a Bridgefinder, I thought it worth mentioning.”
Cendan nodded.
“Ok, now: how to tie things to an object.” Xid handed him a small wooden ball. “We are going to make this light up, without you needing to cast the spell at all. First, you need to charge it. Similar to how your fetish – sorry focus; I’ll get that right sometime – is charged. Cram it full of magic.”
Cendan did so. It was hard however; the ball wasn’t a repository for magic normally, and it didn’t want to stick like it did with his focus.
“Not bad. It’s harder than you think though, isn’t it? Okay, so it’s full. Now keep it that way. At the same time, pull more magic and form the pattern for the light spell.”
Cendan found this to be harder still. With one part of his mind trying to keep the lights of the magic from spilling out of something they didn’t want to be in, and the other grabbing magic and forming the right pattern, he could feel the sweat forming on him, even though it was cool in this workroom.
Finally, he thought he had it.
“Ok... I think.” Xid seemed to examine the ball and gave him a small smile.
“Ok, now you’re going to overlay the pattern on the ball, but instead of having it flow over the ball and off, you are going to tie it to the magic stored inside the ball. There won’t be a start and an end, but a loop. A loop that pulls from itself.”
Nodding, he tried to make it happen. The lights kept wanting to slip away, and the pattern didn’t want to loop.
“Careful.” Xid admonished him. “It’s not easy, but you’re doing well.”
Cendan concentrated again. Suddenly he felt a click, and the pattern stabilized on the ball.
“Great job!” Xid exclaimed. Cendan looked at the ball with his new sight and liked what he saw. The stable pattern was there; the magic was there. But how to make it light?
“Gardener Xid. I see it all, but it doesn’t glow?”
Xid laughed. “Will it to. Just like you will a Bridge to close.”
Cendan shrugged and did so. Light bloomed, bright and strong, giving everything a slightly harsh look in the bright while light.
“Turn it down a bit, would you?” Xid laughed.
Cendan felt a little sheepish and did so. Now a nice soft glow was in the palm of his hand.
“How long will it last?” Cendan asked, studying it.
“Functionally forever. Barring the total destruction of the planet, the end of magic, or the merging of our world with the Slyph’s echo," Xid answered. “You have done very well. Now, practice. Lots of practice. Through the door behind me, there are rooms for sleeping, eating, bathrooms, and two smaller workrooms. Both were set up years ago for students. For whatever time we have left until either the Slyph or Grellnot wins, you can stay here and practice, practice, practice.”
Cendan nodded. “Can I go and check it out?”
Xid smiled. “Of course. Feel free. I’ll get a few things together for food. I’m sure Heather didn’t feed you much.” At the thought of food, Cendan felt his stomach rumble.
“No, actually. Haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
Xid nodded, shooing him through the door.
“Go on then, I’ll get it organized.” Cendan headed off the hall and Xid’s face took on a decidedly darker cast. “He’s far too powerful to let run around free. I’ll have to let the Elders know.”
Chapter 16
Marcus grimaced again, looking at the unconscious form of Jasmine laying on the table in one of the old creature study rooms. Why could she not see how much Cendan had destroyed their world? Why did she not understand? And then she had brought a witch, one of those outside the Bridgefinders who frolicked and did who knows what with the creatures of the Slyph. And she brought one into here, into this place; the seat of the Bridgefinders power.
Marcus had nearly screamed with rage when he had found out. With the stone sphere in his hand, he had felt a momentary compulsion to kill Jasmine. Smash her head in, his mind demanded, end the life of any betrayers! He hadn’t, but it had been a struggle not to. His head hurt so much these days, and he was tired, so very tired. He couldn’t remember when he’d last really slept, when he’d actually really eaten, or even taken a shower.
He spent all his time either questioning Jasmine over and over again, searching for some reason to trust her again, or sitting in the dark, reaching out through the sphere into the headquarters; finding out what the sphere could do. He was never without it now. It stayed in his hand, even when he would finally collapse into short restless naps. He knew it better than his own focus, which, though he still wore it, he’d not touched with that part of his mind in days; weeks even.
He remembered the day he’d gotten the sphere. Two days after Sal’s death, before he had realized the depths of Cendan’s true evil nature. He’d gone to the Maker wing on his own, unable to sleep. He’d been reading about the construction of the headquarters, and how it had been done. Then he’d seen the reference. The reference to the Keystone.
Just a hint, but it looked interesting. He’d looked for more and found that the Keystone was only able to be used by the leader of the Bridgefinders. Marcus had been proud then. Finally, being the leader meant something. He’d always been somewhat ashamed of the fact that being the leader really meant nothing when there were only three of them. And when Cendan had joined, it had been even less; a Maker was far more important than he was. Jasmine and Sal had practically fawned over Cendan when they had found out.
But this, the Keystone; that would elevate him, at least according to the notes he had read. He knew what it looked like as-well, thank
s to some long ago Bridgefinders notes. He had searched in secret for three days before he found it. Locked in a chest up on a shelf in the Maker wing. As soon as he had grasped it, the connection between himself at the headquarters had blossomed in his mind.
The others were giving him space to mourn Sal, he knew, which meant he had time to explore. And the more he used the sphere, the more he understood. Cendan was the problem; he had to go. But how? The days and nights ran together as he had sat in the barrier room, examining the sphere, reaching out with it. It was only then he knew; Cendan was not only the problem, EVA was as-well. It was so clear now.
Then Cendan had come to him, logical and superior, just because he was a Maker. Cendan wasn’t the leader of the Bridgefinders. He was! Cendan didn’t get to call the shots; he did! But how to get rid of him was elusive until the Map. Cendan had broken it, Marcus was sure of it. Broken it and blamed the Slyph. Dragged Jasmine into his evil by somehow tricking her into bringing a witch into this place. Plating a creature of the Slyph even, to draw attention away from himself, the true villain.
With the sphere, he had cut EVA and Cendan off from one another. He’d also been able to banish Cendan from the place. It had been hard, but with his new power he could reach new heights, and go down as the most powerful Bridgefinder who ever lived. He daydreamed sometimes about future generations of Bridgefinders, learning about the great Marcus Wheeldon. Cendan would be a footnote.
He reached out again with the Sphere, towards Jasmine’s unconscious form. She was still out, in some form of heavy sleep that he didn’t quite understand. It wasn’t magic, Marcus knew; it couldn’t be. It was some extension of their inborn abilities. It had kept her under for days now, without need for food or water.
She was so beautiful lying there. Marcus felt the old pain in his chest. He loved her. It was the only reason he hadn’t killed her that day when the rage and anger at her betrayal had come. He had loved her since they were children. Why didn’t she understand? They were meant for each other! A slew of special full blooded Bridgefinder children was supposed to be their future. Ten or more! They could have brought the Bridgefinders back from the edge of destruction.
But she didn’t want him. She didn’t love him. She had even dated Cendan, throwing that in his face when they had first met the stupid Maker. She should have been his! Marcus, the leader of the Bridgefinders, should get what he wants, and that was Jasmine. His tongue licked his lips as his gaze wandered over her unconscious form. Maybe later… Marcus shook his head. Why did his head hurt so much these days?
Wheeling around, Marcus stalked down the hall away from Jasmine. She would be fine there, for now. And if somehow she woke up, the restraints would keep her locked down until Marcus came back. Maybe the headaches had something to do with the Sphere, he wondered. Marcus changed direction and headed toward the Maker wing, the only place he’d find anything about his symbol of authority.
The Maker wing was open as always now, and even in his delirious state, he felt a bit of a thrill at crossing that door. Cendan’s only good deed. Not that the fool deserved even that credit. If the old Bridgefinders hadn’t stored the Keystone here, there would have been knowledge to share for years. The Keystone could unlock any door in the place.
Setting himself down in the primary study, Marcus began searching though the books and journals, searching for more information on the sphere. Some notes about foci and the sphere turned up in the first book, but he didn’t understand it. Resonance? Uncontrollable fluctuations? Marcus tossed the book off to the side. Idiots. He was in complete control of the sphere. He was the singular power here, and he was in control!
Grabbing another journal off the stack that Cendan had left before his departure, Marcus noted the symbol of the Maker known as Oakheart on the cover. This was all partially his fault too, Marcus felt. If Oakheart had not been captured, things would have been different.
“Makers are dangerous, powerful fools,” Marcus said out loud to the silence and gloom. A wave of pain and nausea interrupted his reading, and he nearly doubled over.
Maybe what was happening to him was something Cendan had done. Revenge of sorts, for Marcus asserting his right as leader to banish him. Yes. That made sense; of course that was it. Hatred for Cendan burned brighter still. Cendan had first nearly destroyed the Bridgefinders and now was striking back at him somehow. Bitter bile filled Marcus as he thought of the Maker dating his love, destroying the one thing that Marcus honored above all. He hated him. He hated him so much.
To calm himself, Marcus started flipping through the journal of Oakheart’s. At least Oakheart had illustrated most of his notes. Most of it didn’t make sense to him; Maker gibberish he thought. The last third of the book was in fact blank. It must have been a late one, even possibly the last one before the fool got captured. He was about to toss it and reach for a new journal when the sphere in his hand seemed to writhe as it got close to the book.
Marcus stopped mid-throw. He slowly brought them together, feeling the sphere seem to move in his hand once more. Words formed on the blank pages, new words, clear and plain. He spoke them to himself.
“Notes on the cutting of the bindings. The keyhole is in place. EVA is highly skeptical of the idea and actively argues against it. I too am unsure if we should ever use it. Cutting the binding between our world and the Slyph’s will have unknown consequences. While the Slyph and her creatures would be hard pressed to ever form another Bridge to our world, I do not know what that would mean for the Spinner and Valkith’s other children. Still, the unbinding exists as a failsafe. A method when all hope is lost to separate us from her. She comes to me sometimes as I sleep, saying she has plans for me. I hate those nights. My focus will be the only method of starting the unbinding; I do not trust anyone else with the responsibility. I will erase my memories of this. These notes will only appear when my focus is used, or in the presence of that thrice damned Keystone. The keyhole is in EVA’s main mechanism room, upper wall, hidden from normal view.”
Marcus paused and read it again. A way of separating our world from the Slyph’s? Forever? And the fool had never used it? Who was the Spinner? Valkith? What was that? Marcus rubbed his forehead. The pain was back up, in force. It didn’t matter who they were. The only thing that mattered was that there was a way to end the threat of the Slyph forever. Once again, a Maker had placed himself above the rest of the Bridgefinders. They shouldn’t be allowed to run free. Makers should be kept here, locked up safe and away from any decisions. Doing the one thing they were good for, making things for the true Bridgefinders to use.
But it needed Oakheart’s focus, which was Cendan’s focus. A groan escaped him. Cendan had the focus with him when he left. He had to find a way to get that focus. He had to find a way to get Cendan back here.
Chapter 17
Cendan stretched, his back grumbling at the hard mattress he’d been sleeping on now for three days. The room he’d been given here, in Gardener Xid’s workshop, was sparse and somewhat primitive. A wry smile escaped him as he looked around. In truth, the place looked like a set from a medieval fantasy movie. The place didn’t even really have running water; he had to use magic as an exercise to get any to fill the bowl on the counter. The bathrooms were even worse. Cendan shuddered a bit at that thought.
Still, the constant practice had given him far more than he’d otherwise get. Gathering magic, forming the pattern and unraveling the pattern when he was done was starting to become second nature. Xid had commented more than once in the last days that he was taking to this faster than she had ever thought possible. He personally chalked it up to what Heather had told him. His tree and branch thought exercise was actually him working magic. He’d been doing it for years.
Cendan took his focus and held it in his hand, delving that part of his mind into the stored patterns in the key. He’d been doing this every morning he’d been here. Trying to explore, catalog, and know these patterns. Some had made a lot of sense: he had the pattern
for how to make a focus; how to tie something to the magic of this world; even how to tie things to the magic of the Bridgefinders headquarters that chunk of matter stuck between the two worlds.
More mundane things as well: pulling water; making wind; a basic sleep pattern. Patterns to strengthen iron and wood, and one to make cloth change colors for some odd reason. But the larger share of patterns were highly complex, and for those he didn’t have a clue. He assumed that most of them were for larger projects involved in making. In at least one of them, he could see parts of other simpler patterns. There wasn’t any place to practice any of them. While Xid had been helpful as a whole, his natural distrust of the Shrouded kept him from saying anything.
Xid had been somewhat dodgy in responses when asked about how long he’d be here, and even more vague when he asked about Heather. He’d not seen her since that first day, and that worried him, though he wasn’t sure why. It’s not like Heather was his friend; he still couldn’t believe that she’d used magic to seduce him like that. It seemed distant, unreal when he thought about it. Cendan still was bothered by the fact that no one would tell him where she was though.
Working the water pattern and getting cleaned up helped him put that all out of his mind, for now at least. It was rolling around in a back corner somewhere in his head, but he forced himself to ignore it. He needed to get to the workroom, and he didn’t want to be late. Today, Xid was going to start teaching him about Bridges. He had seen Heather form one once, but he’d not been as observant as he should have been at the time.
Getting dressed in some clothes they had provided him, simple clean linen garments, he made his way to the workroom. Gardener Xid was already there, and she was with Heather! A smile broke out on Cendan’s face; that somewhat surprised even him.