by Oxford, Rain
“I would have to stop and take these off, and get new socks out.”
After a while without speaking, I let my mind wander to Vivian. We had met in high school. Honestly, we thought we would be married by now. Neither of us talked about it except in passing, but we were always together. I thought I loved her.
Sure, I had to leave her for her own sake, but why was it so easy? I considered returning to Earth after I was fully trained and, in my little fantasy, she would welcome me back and forgive me for disappearing for years. But would she accept my new life? In reality, I knew she would move on. And then it occurred to me that if I went back to Earth, I wouldn’t see Divina anymore.
“Edward, did you ever love two women?”
“You mean where one of them is out of your league and the other, you can’t be with because it’s too dangerous?”
I nodded and thought he understood until he gave me a look of pity. “Do you always know for sure if you love someone?” I asked.
“I have found there are degrees of love, and even different types of love. None of them are easy, but some of them are more difficult than others to get over. Unrequited love is always hard because you never know what could have been.”
“So what do I do?”
He stopped in the middle of the street and his frown was discouraging. “I haven’t a clue.” He ruffled my hair. “You need a haircut.” With that, he turned and walked away. I stared after him for a moment with my jaw dropped… then I laughed.
We arrived at a busy music store. About four rows of shelves were filled with what looked like thick CD cases and across the room, the wall had shelves full of weird little sets. They had the general shape of small CD players, about three inches in diameter. Some were a solid color, some were multiple colors, some were clear, and some changed colors. Edward went over to the sets and I followed.
“Which do you want?” The ones that slowly changed colors were awesome, but the clear ones revealed everything inside them. There were little gears and the whole bottom half was hollow.
I pointed to one of the clear ones and an employee came as if called. She had short, light brown hair and hazel eyes with tight, tan shorts and a light green, short-sleeved shirt. Her smile was bright and cheery as she greeted us. Edward said something and she pulled one of the clear sets down and handed it to me. The woman didn’t stick around.
It was very light and made of something that seemed to be between plastic and glass. There were little jell-like buttons on the edge around it. Edward pushed a large one and the top opened like the top on a CD player. Instead of a place for a CD, there was a small indent for a chip. Edward led me to one of the shelves.
“What kind of music do you listen to?”
A little bit of everything, but I mostly listen to what Vivian calls Pagan rock, I thought, but couldn’t say. Of course, I didn’t have to; Edward could hear my thoughts. He wasn’t allowed to do magic in Anoshii, so he had to be real careful.
As if to prove me right, Edward pulled certain cases from the shelf without replying to my invaded thoughts. After he picked out a bunch of the cases, the woman returned. Edward and the woman chatted as he gave her money. She took a case down from behind the counter and handed it to me.
When we left, I pulled the set out of the bag to look at it better. “How does it run if there’s no electricity?”
“It runs on water. I’ll show you later. The chip she gave you in the black case is a writable one. You stick it in the top slot and the music chip in the bottom, and then you can write a particular song or several onto the writable chip. That way you can keep all your favorite songs on one chip.”
Next, we went to another weapons shop and got two wooden swords, a bow, and some arrows. I had a really bad feeling my combat training would continue at home.
“Edward? How come I got this?” I asked, indicating the empty sword holder on my side. “I haven’t got a sword.”
“You need a sword. You don’t have the magic to defend yourself, so I had planned on giving you Ronez’s sword. He…” Edward went silent as several people passed us. “Ronez always favored daggers to swords, but he never went anywhere on Duran without his favorite sword, which was a gift by another Guardian.”
“How did you two deal with the gravity difference when you traveled?”
“Well, I never had a problem with Earth’s gravity; it was the air I disliked. He was born sago, so he was naturally strong. He adapted well, but still didn’t enjoy Duran; he always missed electricity and his cars. What do you think of Duran so far?”
“This world feels simple because there’s no electricity or political stuff that I know of yet, but it’s also complicated because I’m new to it. I haven’t ever lived in a place where the people’s sole goal wasn’t to screw everyone else over.”
We arrived at another building, which looked a little simpler and more elegant than the regular shops. There was no giant window to display wares or sign boasting a sale, the door wasn’t propped open, and people were not going in and out of it.
“Now, there are sensors in here. No speaking and definitely no magic. We should only be in here for a few minutes,” Edward said.
“Can’t I wait outside? I won’t move a step.”
“You have to be there to take your card. Go up to him, say your name only, and then take your card with both hands. Don’t look around when we get in there; act as if you’ve been in there a hundred times.”
I nodded and entered. It was easy to resist looking around because, unlike in the stores, there was no color or furniture that stood out and demanded attention. Straight ahead of us was a large, old, wooden desk, piled high with stacks of paper and books. The only light in the room was made by little floating balls of fires that danced around slowly. Two rotated over the desk so the man who sat there had light to read by.
The man looked to be in his late forties and there were frown lines on his forehead. His dark brown hair was speckled with silver. He only looked up when we stood in front of him and I saw that even his green eyes were laced with specks of silver and dull with solemnity. He didn’t bother to smile or stand.
“Yatunus-mal.”
I couldn’t figure out if saying the person’s name was supposed to be a greeting, or just an acknowledgement. Edward responded with a mere nod.
“Haso o nai?” he asked me.
“Yatunus-tai Dylan,” I said, praying I didn’t screw things up. The scowl he gave me did nothing to settle my nerves, so I found myself with a rare conundrum; where to look. I could lower my eyes to the floor, which would be suspicious, or continue the tense staring contest with the stranger.
A door behind the desk, previously hidden in darkness, slid open. A girl stepped out, holding what looked like a black, glossy folder with both hands. She was about twenty-five with long, strait, light brown hair and smooth, youthful skin. She wore a white dress that looked like one of those from an old, classic, Roman movie and had no shoes on. I couldn’t be positive, but it looked to me like no women on Duran ever wore, or even needed makeup.
She bowed as she held out the folder. The man turned to her, took it, and turned back without acknowledging her, and then she straightened up and backed away. Just before her face disappeared into the dark, I saw her smile at Edward.
The man shuffled through the folder as the door slipped shut and pulled out a card. It was about three-by-five, thin, laminated, and looked like black marble. When he held it out to me, I took it with both hands like I was told. It was surprisingly heavy, but not like stone; it was definitely some weird form of plastic. In the center were gold symbols that were my new name, and in each corner was a small word in light bluish purple. I turned it over to see a row of simple symbols in white.
Edward left and I followed him, examining my card. When we got outside, I pointed to the symbol in the right-hand corner. “What’s this word?” I asked.
“Mogyaba. It means ‘apprentice wizard’. The one beneath it is the last name of the
one who made your file. He’s going to be your personal lawyer if you ever need one, which means when he dies, you’ll have to get a new one.”
“Why do I need a lawyer?”
“I’m not saying you do, but it’s his job to help you with legal problems. Just don’t ever tell your lawyer you want to sue him; he’ll take you seriously.”
“Is this guy good?”
He checked the name. “His great-grandfather was.” He took my card and examined it, not bothering to watch where he was going.
“Can I see yours?” I asked. He pulled his out of his bag and handed it to me. Unlike mine, his name and the letters in the corner were written in vibrant red. On the back, there was a list of symbols in gold. I recognized that they were the same as mine except in a different order. “What are these?” I asked, pointing to them.
“Numbers. They are your personal numbers that law identifies you with. You should memorize them and never give them out to anyone but who you have to.” He handed me back my card, took his, and we both put them away in our bags.
The sun was getting low by the time we reached the inn. The hotel was very humble and cozy compared to the shops, very delicate with a flat roof instead of the otherworldly fantasy design of the other buildings. While it was very large, it was nothing compared to those on Earth, and it wasn’t towering like the structures around it.
Something about it made me feel a little anxious, but in a good way.
Edward slid the door open, “Ojimada,” he announced loudly before stepping in.
I followed quickly, absorbing the home-like aura of the reception room, which was only about eight-by-eight. The light bluish-purple walls had a wrap-around mural of small, simple flowers and elegant streams, which had a calming effect for anyone who didn’t have OCD. The floor was made of a soft, light wood that seemed to flex just a little under my weight, and the low, flat ceiling was made of the same wood. The window next to the door let in a very natural and warm light; however, the heavy wooden shutters that were pulled open seemed out of place.
The young woman who came in and greeted us had her black hair tied into a bun and wore a vibrant green dress that almost looked like robes, with sandals to match. “Loge. Mokate Asano-tai Miyuki,” she said.
Another ‘tai’ title. How do you greet someone at your own rank? I didn’t have to worry about it because she went on without waiting for more introductions.
Edward and the woman spoke while I looked around. Something was off about the place and I couldn’t figure out what it was. When they left the room, I hurried after them into the hall. Halfway down the hallway was a sliding glass door to a courtyard, where there was a small pond with a waterfall surrounded by exotic, but small plants of various colors. Sitting on a large rock beside the pond, reading a book, was Mordon.
“Go ahead. Divina will find you later,” Edward said.
I hadn’t realized I stopped, but luckily he had. I put down the two heavy bags I was carrying, slid the door open, and went out. Mordon looked up and smiled.
I slid the door shut. “Hi,” I said.
“Hi, Dylan,” he said in English.
I sat down by him and pointed to his book. “What are you reading?”
“Otoga suia kuso betsu to.”
The only word I recognized was “kuso,” which I had figured out meant “potion.” Then he pulled out the little bottle of sleeping potion he’d used on his father. I understood; he was reading up on a stronger sleeping potion.
“Cool. Can I help?”
With a series of hand signals and words, he told me to come back later when everyone else was asleep.
“Okay.” I indicated that I understood. We sat there in silence while the sun set, cutting off the light for him to read. He suddenly glanced up, sniffed around, and even seemed a little panicked.
“Divina,” he said.
“Divina’s coming?” I asked, assuming that he could somehow smell her perfume. He ignored the question and stared very pointedly at the pond. The guy could not play innocent well.
A few minutes later, the glass door slid open and Divina entered. She sat between us, slightly closer to me. “How was your day of putting up with Kiro?” she asked me.
“Successful, maybe. I think there were some things that he wanted that no one had. I got a little music player that is supposed to run on water, but I doubt it works well. I got new clothes, and my card.”
“Did you get any weapons?”
“No, but Edward’s going to give me something of Ronez’s when we get back. Is there any shopping we have to do while Edward does his thing?” I asked.
Divina considered Mordon, who was giving her his undivided attention. “We should not be having this conversation in front of your friend.”
“You’re afraid he’ll overhear one of the ten words he knows and catch on to the grand plan, then go to Vretial and sell us out?”
“Yes.”
“Edward didn’t seem to get any Guardian instinct attacks or something when he met Mordon.”
“You shouldn’t be so quick to rely on your instincts just because Kiro said they’re trustworthy. The gods didn’t give the Guardians any special powers of instinct; any they have is because of the Guardians themselves.”
“How do you know?”
“Ronez and I talked about it. Tiamat told him to think things through more because his instincts were putting his book in too much danger.”
“Do you believe everything the gods say?”
She gazed into the water. “How should I know what they say?”
“I’ve been wondering that the whole time. Do you believe everything they say? Do you have unwavering faith in their judgments? You don’t even doubt at all that they know exactly what they’re doing and what’s going on with Vretial?”
“That depends. The gods are not all one in the same. They have different priorities and opinions, and very often, they don’t agree. I believe what I choose to believe and what I feel is right. No, I don’t agree with them unconditionally.”
“Then how can you so easily dismiss the instincts of those who keep such powerful books? I was never hurt by following my instincts. And seeing as how often I have been injured in my life, that is saying something.”
The look in her eyes stopped my breath as she regarded me solemnly. “You trust me,” she said. She peered back into the water and I was able to breathe again.
“Yes. You can’t convince me not to.” It wasn’t just trust I felt for her.
“You shouldn’t,” she warned. “You know my work. You know I gather and trade information.”
I didn’t like the sound of that, and she definitely wasn’t trying to justify herself. “Whose side are you on?”
“I’m on my side, Dylan, and it would be best for you if you never forget that.”
“Mordon!” There came the call of Mordon’s father, and Mordon groaned as he stood.
He slid his book into the cover of a large plant. “Bye,” he said to me. He went to the door, slid it open, and left quickly, shutting it behind him.
It almost seemed like he wanted to get away from Divina.
“You should ask your friend who his father is before you trust him so unconditionally.”
“Who his father is, is neither Mordon’s fault, nor my business. How do you think Vretial is transporting his servants around?” I asked, changing the subject. “Edward says he doesn’t care, but I want to know.” I want to know how Ronez died, and I want to know why I do.
“I don’t know. The gods are watching Vretial; they would know if he were transporting his servants,” she said. I opened my mouth to ask her to explain, but she sighed and looked around. After determining we were alone, she leaned closer and lowered her voice. “The gods can transport people even if their names are not in the books.”
“Does Edward know?”
“No. Nano does. His god, Zer, tells him things.”
“And he tells you?”
“Everyone tells me eve
rything.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.
Once again, she glanced around to make sure we were alone. When she looked back at me, she poked me in the forehead. “Because, stupid, I trust you. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. None of it makes sense; we’re missing too much. If Vretial is using his magic to transport his servants around, the gods would know about it. Since the creation of the books, there should be no travel between worlds that isn’t through the gods.”
“How was there travel before?”
“The universes had gateways. However, ancient, savage beasts would roam free, so they closed the gates and each created a book. A book is an object of power to the gods, more than a symbol or incantation. Each of the twelve books is an avatar of its world. They were created second to make changes to their worlds as they see fit, and first to keep others from doing so. The books represent the world, so the gods’ magic can control changes throughout all time with them, and only those with a god’s power can do it.
“The difference between a god and a wizard, other than the obvious age factor, is that a god produces magic, while a wizard can only use it. However, the magic the gods use is different from the magic of the worlds.”
“Can a Guardian control physical energy?” I asked, already knowing the answer. I was trying to piece together what Nano and Nila have told me.
“No, of course not. Only nominal energy and Iadnah magic can directly, but Guardians can use nominal energy to control physical energy.”
“How does Edward talk to Erono? More importantly, how do I talk to Tiamat?”
“Why would Tiamat know any more about anything than Erono?”
“Honestly, the questions he’s asking are super important and all, but I really want to know why her book chose me.”
“Maybe you were the best one for it.”
“How? I have terrible luck and I knew no magic. Ronez had a bunch of children to inherit the book. Children who are powerful and know magic and---”
“You’re a descendant of him. You’re exceptionally powerful and impressively adaptive. The books are the power of the worlds, and are controlled by the gods. They do what the gods would do. Because your book came to you, it means that Tiamat believed you were the best, even without ever meeting you.”