Altered Intentions

by G David Walker

  “Ah, Jason. Good. Now we can continue the conversation that was so rudely interrupted by your companion.” His gaze moved to Seryn. “I agree completely, lady healer, the air here is practically unbreathable.”

  Seryn frowned. Considering their last meeting, he seemed strangely unconcerned at their appearance here. What did he have planned?

  Nyala stepped forward. “Now, Jason, before he gets away!”

  Before Jason could move, Regor said, “If you do that, you’ll never know who’s deceiving you.”

  Deceiving Jason? What was Regor talking about? Seryn looked over at Jason. He had not placed his hand on Nyala’s shoulder yet. He looked as if he were weighing options.

  “Jason, what are you waiting for?” Nyala asked.

  “He did say I was being tricked.”

  “Of course you are. By him. He’s trying to confuse you so that he can get away.”

  “Now really, Jason,” Regor said, “let’s think about this. Aside from the little incident with the Shanthi, I’ve always been honest with you, haven’t I? You’ve always known how I felt about you. I’ve never denied it. Besides, do you see me leaving?”

  Seryn looked back and forth between the three of them. Until Nyala captured Regor with her and Jason’s combined power, there was nothing for Seryn to do except wait.

  “In fact,” Regor continued, “let’s be completely honest and open here.” The shadows surrounding him faded until a wavy-haired man stood before them, a knowing smile twisting his lips. What was he trying to do?

  “There,” he said, the shifting quality gone from his voice. “Now you see me as no human has in fifteen centuries. This is what I really look like.”

  “Yeah, so?” Jason asked.

  “Well, I’m sure you’ve seen Nyala without her pretty sparkles, haven’t you?”

  Jason nodded.

  “Well, then,” Regor said turning to Nyala, “how about you drop the disguise as well, my dear, just like I have? We can be, well, look like at least, a little group of happy humans having a nice conversation.”

  “Jason, listen to me. He’s trying to confuse you. He knows he can’t stand up to us, and he knows he can’t run and hide forever.”

  “She won’t do it, you know,” Regor said to Jason.

  “Jason, now!” Nyala reached for his arm, but Jason moved away. His eyes shifted between her and Regor.

  “Would you like to know why she won’t do it, Jason?” Regor asked. “It’s because, out of the seven of us, I am the only one who has perfected mimicry. Nivek is close, but if you could see the people he’s imitating, you could tell the difference.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Jason knows who I am.”

  “I’ll make you a deal, Jason. If Nyala removes her disguise, and you still think it’s her, I’ll let you take my power. I won’t even put up a fight.”

  “Lies!”

  “I’m not the one telling lies, my dear. That would be you…Airam.”

  Airam? All this time they had been dealing with the Matron of Souls? At least that explained why she acted so differently than what Jason had expected. Seryn moved away quickly, although the small distance she could put between them in this enclosed area would make little difference.

  The glimmering form faded until Airam stood with them, her eyes shifting from one color to the next.

  “Fine,” she said, “now you know. But, Jason, would you have joined with me if you knew who I really was?”

  “Yeah, probably not,” Jason answered. He too was backing away from the two Altered.

  “And look at what we’ve accomplished,” Airam said. “The three of us have eliminated three of the Altered. Now we just have to do one more. I don’t care if Nyala and Nivek remain. I trust them. I just don’t trust Regor.”

  Regor laughed. “She talks of trust and yet she’s used lies and manipulation to get you to do what she wants. And do you really think, once I’m gone, that she’ll just stop? Jason, I know you’re more intelligent than that.”

  “Jason I give you my word. Once Regor is gone, I’ll stop. I’ll even help you free Nyala.”

  “Jason, you know the word of a liar is worthless. Once the two of you finish me, I guarantee she’ll turn on you.” He pointed at Seryn. “She’ll probably kill the Loremaster first, then you. And, trust me, she’ll never free Nyala. She’s always hated Nyala. But I’ll make you a deal. Help me deal with her, and I won’t bother you or the Loremasters ever again. Teleria is plenty big enough for all of us. Remember,” he added, “I’m the only Altered here that hasn’t lied to you.”

  “The most cunning liars tell the truth most of the time,” Airam shot at him. “That makes the lies all the more believable.”

  “Coming from one who made lies an art form,” Regor sneered. “She’s even the one that imprisoned Nyala, for all her talk of letting her go.”

  “Would you let Nyala go if we helped you?” Jason asked Regor.

  “Of course! She was my wife, after all. I hate seeing her like this.”

  “Oh, now the lies truly begin. The prison was your idea, Regor. You even insisted that it require two Altered to set her free.”

  “How can you say that? You demanded that we deal with Nyala first, and then retake our… how did you put it? Our rightful places as rulers of Teleria?”

  “Those were your words, not mine!”

  Seryn watched as the two Altered began arguing, looking as if they had forgotten her and Jason, who had moved to stand beside her. She jumped as a hand grabbed her shoulder, and then they were no longer in the caverns. She spun around and saw that they were in a small valley surrounded by jagged peaks. A large glowing sphere sat in the center of the basin and a dark-haired young man stood in front of it.

  “Nivek!” Jason said. “What’s going on?”

  “Jason, I had to get you out while Regor and Airam were distracted. Come on! We have to get my mother out of there.” He pointed at the globe.

  “No! We have to get Lenai! Regor has her.”

  “Lenai? The Shanthi girl? Jason, this is about more than just one girl!”

  “I know that, but Regor is using her to attack me through our bond. If we leave her there, he can get at me again.”

  Nivek looked startled. “How is he doing that?”

  Jason threw his hands up. “Like I know?? All I know is we have to go back and get her.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about Lenai, but we can’t go back now. Wait,” he said, as Jason started to interrupt. “Think about it. If we go back now, it’s you and me against Regor and Airam. There’s no way we win with those odds. But if we get Nyala out, then it’s three against two and we’ll have the upper hand.”

  Seryn saw Jason clench his fists, but he did not protest. “Fine,” Jason said. “But you said it took two Altered to get her out. I’m not an Altered.”

  “No, but you have Altered power,” Nivek said.

  “Huh?”

  “I went to see Darnoc after you and the others left. He said h—”

  “After we left? You knew what we were doing? You knew about Airam?”

  “I knew.”

  “Then wh—”

  “Not now!” Nivek waved off Jason’s question. “I’ll explain it later. We don’t have a lot of time so just listen. Darnoc told you he gave you something, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “He put some of his power inside you. If you can draw on it, the two of us can free Nyala.”

  “Inside me?” He looked alarmed.

  “Yes, but don’t worry. He’s not like Regor. Come on.” Nivek led them over to the sphere. “Now, Jason, do you remember your mind being filled with fire when you were with Darnoc?”

  “Yeah, kinda hard to forget.”

  “Good. Put your hand on the surface and focus on that memory. Try to bring the flames up in your mind again. Visualize the fire, as hard as you can.”

  Seryn watched as Jason laid his hand on the glimmering sphere and closed his eyes. His brows drew to
gether as he concentrated and she heard him whisper, “Fire.” She could not suppress a gasp of surprise as flames erupted around his hand and forearm.

  “Perfect!” Nivek said. He had resumed his Altered appearance. Now he laid his hand on the sphere beside Jason’s. Shining cracks appeared, radiating out from their hands across the surface of the prison. Then, with a silent, almost blinding flash of light, the sphere vanished. Where it had been, an auburn-haired woman now lay. That must be Nyala’s human appearance. She looked weak and drawn. Nivek ran to her and dropped to his knees.

  “Mother, are you alright?”

  “Stop!”

  Nivek did not hesitate. He threw two blasts of dimsai at the other Altered. Seryn saw them raise their hands to defend themselves, and then they were in yet another place.

  “We only have a few minutes before they find us again,” Nivek said. “I hope it will be enough.”

  “Is she well?” Seryn asked. “What have they done to her?”

  “She will be if given time.” He turned to her. “What we are, what we became, survives on the dimsai around us. Inside the sphere, there was enough dimsai to keep her alive, but not much more. She needs time to absorb dimsai to recover.”

  “Can we help?” Jason asked.

  Nivek considered and then nodded. “Maybe. If you send your power into her like you did Airam, she might recover more quickly.”

  Jason knelt beside Nyala and put his hand on her shoulder. Then he bowed his head and Seryn saw power coalesce around his hand and sink into Nyala’s body. As she watched, Nyala’s shoulder began to sparkle. Then the shimmering radiance slowly spread across her body. As the glow reached her knees, an ebony blast of power knocked Jason away.

  “I should have known we couldn’t trust you, Nivek,” Regor said. Airam stood beside him, her shining eyes providing a counterpoint to the roiling shadows surrounding him.

  “I’m not the one who couldn’t be trusted.” He pointed at Nyala, the spreading radiance beginning to cover the last vestiges of her humanity. “She was your wife. The mother of your son, me! You turned your back on us. What did you expect me to do?”

  Seryn hurried over to Jason as he struggled to his feet. A cursory examination revealed no injuries other than a few scrapes and scratches.

  “I expected you to stay out of the way. If you had, we wouldn’t have to do this.”

  Thunderous concussions shook the air as Regor and Airam began throwing blast after blast of dimsai at Nivek. The force of the explosions hammered Seryn to her knees, and almost knocked Jason back to the ground as well. The Altereds’ attack was relentless, giving Nivek no chance to retaliate. All he could do was hold his shield. Seryn saw him revert to his human appearance and go to one knee. A look of desperation and fear was etched on his face. As their attack continued, Seryn saw his shield beginning to contract and shrink until it was less than a hand’s-breadth from his palm. A few more blasts and it collapsed. Nivek lay on the ground staring up at the two Altered.

  “Why?” Nivek cried. “You’re my father!”

  “Still living in the past,” Regor said, as he threw a massive bolt of dark power. The attack detonated against a shimmering wall of force that sprang up between Nivek and the two Altered.

  “You will not touch him!” Nyala’s voice rang through the echoes of the explosion hanging in the air.

  Seryn’s head snapped around. Nyala was on her feet, shining almost too brightly to look at. Behind her, his hand on her shoulder, Seryn could just make out Jason’s form.

  “Nyala,” Regor said. “You should have stayed where you were.”

  “And you should have thought twice before attacking my son.”

  “You forget, there are two of us,” Airam said.

  “No, Airam,” Nyala replied, “you forget that I am his mother.” A ball of dimsai formed in Nyala’s hands and began growing, its light getting more and more intense. Just as Seryn was about to look away, Nyala launched it at Regor and Airam. The resulting explosion threw both of the Altered to the ground, for an instant revealing their human appearance before their Altered guises reasserted themselves.

  “You are not that strong,” Regor gasped, disbelief clear in his voice.

  “I’m as strong as I need to be. And right now, I need to be strong enough to destroy you!”

  “Well, before you do anything foolish, there is one more thing you forgot.” His power spread to the side, and when it retreated, it revealed Lenai, wrapped in coils of shadow. “Don’t do anything Jason might regret.” Dirt and blood streaked Lenai’s face and skin, and the clothing not covered by the darkness was ragged and torn. It was obvious that only Regor’s power was keeping her on her feet. Her head hung down, but her red-rimmed eyes, fixed on them through tangled strands of hair, were still filled with a strength of defiance clearly absent from her body.

  “Wait!” Jason shouted. He let go of Nyala’s shoulder and came around to stand beside her. Nyala’s radiance slowly faded back to the way it was the first time Seryn had seen her.

  “Jason, what is he talking about?” Nyala asked.

  “Jason, kill me,” Lenai said in a hoarse voice. “As long as I am alive, he can use me against you.”

  “Not gonna happen,” Jason said. He turned to Nyala. “Regor was using the bond between me and Lenai to attack me.” He turned back to Regor. “But you don’t have to do that now. I’m right here. You don’t need her anymore, so let her go.”

  “Oh yes, I release her and then you vanish through a portal. Do you really think I’m that foolish?”

  “I won’t. I promise.”

  “Oh, you promise, do you? You’ll forgive me if I don’t find that comforting.”

  “Just because your promises don’t mean anything doesn’t mean mine don’t.”

  Regor remained silent.

  “Okay, how about this,” Jason said, “you let her go, and you can have me.”

  “No, Jason!” Lenai struggled against Regor’s grip. “You must not!”

  “Jason!” Nyala said. “You cannot do this. You are too important.”

  “I’m not gonna let him keep her, and I’m not gonna kill her,” Jason said. “This is the only way.”

  Regor was silent for a few moments. “If I agree to this, and you do not fulfill your end of the bargain, there is no end to the pain I will put you through when I finally do have you have in my grasp. You will beg for death for centuries.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Pain, torture, blah, blah, blah. So do we have a deal?”

  “Jason,” Nyala grabbed his arm. “Think about what you’re doing. You’re sacrificing the future of Teleria for one person.”

  He gave her a long look. “Wouldn’t you?” he asked. “If it was the right person?” He looked at Nivek, and then back to her.

  Nyala didn’t answer. Her gaze went to Nivek for a moment, and then she slowly took her hand from Jason’s arm without saying anything.

  In a way, this one gesture was more reassuring to Seryn than anything else that had transpired. This was what she would expect from how Jason had described Nyala.

  Jason turned to Regor. “Let her go first.”

  “No, Jason,” Lenai said, her voice weak. “You must not.”

  “It’ll be okay,” Jason told her. “It’ll be okay.”

  “No tricks, boy.”

  Jason shook his head. “No tricks. I promise.”

  Regor’s power faded from Lenai. As the last traces of shadow disappeared, twin blasts of iridescent force knocked Regor and Airam backwards. Dimsai grabbed Jason and Lenai and jerked them behind Nyala.

  “Jason promised,” Nyala said. “I didn’t.”

  “You treacherous hag!” Regor shouted.

  “Nyala?”

  “Choose now, Jason. Do you really want to go with him?”

  “No, not really.” He put his hand on her shoulder, and Seryn squinted as Nyala’s brilliance became almost blinding. Regor and Airam threw blasts of dimsai at her again and again, but her shield did not
show any sign of faltering.

  Seryn did not know how long the attack went on, but the two Altered finally paused. Airam’s eyes were not glowing quite so brightly, and Seryn could just make out a human form inside Regor’s shadow, which was not nearly as dense as it had been before.

  “If you two are done, then I guess it’s my turn?” Nyala’s tone was sweet, but Seryn was certain her “turn” would not be.

  Regor and Airam exchanged glances, and then Airam vanished. Regor turned back to them.

  “Very well, Nyala. The day belongs to you. But remember, there is always another day.” The torches of his eyes turned to Jason. “We will meet again, boy. Count on it. And the next time we meet, there won’t be any deals.” Then he too was gone.

  Jason knelt by Lenai, who had sunk to her knees once the dimsai released her.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “You know I was willing to die to save you,” she whispered.

  “And you know I’m never gonna let that happen,” he said. Carefully, he helped her to her feet. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before they change their minds.”

  *****

  Jason and Lenai walked down the corridor in Lore’s Haven toward the dining hall for a meeting of the Circle. After Regor’s and Airam’s retreat, Nyala and Nivek had paid a visit to the keep to clear out Regor’s saiken. Once the saiken realized the Shadow Lord was no longer sharing his power with them, they abandoned the Haven rather quickly, with any stragglers being encouraged to leave by Nyala and Nivek. Seryn treated Lenai’s injuries while the Haven forces waited to return to the keep. Then, after they returned to Lore’s Haven, they’d had to examine the keep, assess the damage, and begin repairs. This walk toward the dining hall was the first real chance they’d had to be alone together since Lenai’s rescue.

  “So are you sure you’re alright?” Jason asked her.

  “Yes. Loremaster Seryn is a skilled healer,” Lenai said. “I have no lingering injuries.”

  “Good.” For some reason, he couldn’t think of much of anything to say. He had questions, but this just didn’t seem like the right time to ask them.