“Jason,” she said. “About the confrontation with the Shadow Lord…”
“Yeah?” He thought she sounded hesitant, which worried him a little.
“I just need to say…” She still sounded uncertain. “It gladdens my heart that you were willing to give yourself for me, but…” Her voice trailed off.
“But what?”
She stopped in the middle of the hall and turned to him. “You must promise me you will never do such a thing again.” Now her voice was firm.
“But, Lenai—”
“No, Jason. You must promise. I have sworn to protect these people. I have already been used once against them, and now against you. The thought that I might be the reason for even more suffering because of your sacrifice on my behalf would be more than I could bear.” She looked him in the eyes. “Promise me.”
“Okay, I promise.” He didn’t know if it was a promise he could keep, but her expression told him she wouldn’t accept any other answer.
“Your lips say the words, but your feelings are uncertain.”
“Well, I’m sorry. Check my feelings a little more and you’ll know that’s the best I can do.”
She searched his eyes without speaking. Then she gave a slight nod and began walking again. He fell in beside her, but the rest of their walk passed in silence.
When they reached the dining hall, the remaining members of the Circle, along with Captain Gatlor, were already seated around one of the tables. Because of the damage to the Circle chamber, the Circle had chosen to meet here for now. Saiken cha and members of the various Orders were already hard at work repairing the damage to the meeting chamber and any other damage that had been done when the Altered had first arrived. Nyala and Nivek were present as well, in their human appearances. Jason and Lenai took their places in the last two open seats.
He looked at the new faces around the table: the apprentices that were currently filling in for the missing Loremasters, and the others chosen by the Circle for Orders where no apprentice had been named. Carys represented the Emerald Order in lieu of Reyga. Brelt was here in Delani’s place for the Amethyst Order. Brin hadn’t named an apprentice yet, so the Circle picked a woman named Valyssa Erindal to represent the Ruby Order. Borin, having just recently been promoted to Loremaster himself, hadn’t had time to choose an apprentice, so a man named Tersyn Cor was here for the Obsidian Order.
“Ah, Jason, Lenai,” Tal said. “Nyala and Nivek were telling us of your encounter with the Shadow Lord.”
“Yeah, that was a lot of fun,” Jason said.
“Indeed,” Tal said. “Am I to understand that you offered yourself to Regor in order to save Lenai?”
“Well, yeah. I couldn’t just leave her in Regor’s hands.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t think of anything else to do.”
Tal laid his hands flat on the table. “Jason,” he said, “I believe everyone here can appreciate the nobility of your gesture, but I must insist that you refrain from making such an offer again. There is far too much at stake for you to risk yourself for any one person, whether it is Lenai, a Loremaster, or anyone else.”
“Lenai said pretty much the same thing. Like I said, I couldn’t think of anything else. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
“Thank you. Well, in any event, the outcome is promising,” Tal said. “With three of the Altered having been eliminated or stripped of their power, and with Nyala and Nivek now with us, for the moment we appear to have the upper hand.”
“Not necessarily,” Nyala said. “Regor and Airam withdrew because they were outmatched at the time. Keep in mind that they will be willing to do things to gain an advantage that we would not be so willing to do. Their lack of moral restraint could give them the advantage if the circumstances are right. The very things that we fight for could conceivably prove to be our weakness.”
Tal pursed his lips. “That is something I had not considered.”
“There is hope, however. Although Regor is still the strongest among us,” Nyala said. “I would say Airam and I are evenly matched, only slightly stronger than Nivek. Along with Jason, and yourselves of course, we do appear to have the edge in strength.”
“He didn’t look like the strongest to me,” Jason said. “How did you get so strong?”
“I didn’t,” she answered. “You made me that strong.”
“Huh? What did I do? Airam never had that kind of power when she was pretending to be you.”
“You are a conduit, Jason” Nivek said. “You draw on the power of dimsai and then you can either use it yourself, or you can pass it to others. All saiken are conduits to some extent, but in fifteen centuries, I’ve never seen one as strong as you. And,” he added, “you’re still getting stronger. Almost as strong as we are, but not quite. Not yet at least.”
“So why wasn’t Airam that strong?”
“Because part of you didn’t trust her,” Nivek said. “You unconsciously gave her only what she needed, nothing more. With Mother you were wide open.”
Jason thought about that for a moment, and realized Nivek was right. Something inside had always known there was something wrong with ‘Nyala.’ It had just never felt right. But the mission they were on was important enough for him to overlook his misgivings and give her the power she needed. The result was three less Altered to worry about.
“If you knew what we were doing, why didn’t you tell me Airam was pretending to be Nyala?”
“I couldn’t,” Nivek said. “If you had started acting differently, then Airam would have suspected. Plus, until you eliminated Haras, Ekim, and Darnoc, we were still outnumbered. I couldn’t do anything until the odds were a little more even.”
“So what are our next steps?” Jarril asked.
“It would be wise to strengthen whatever forces you can,” Nyala said. “Airam and Regor may have retreated today, but I know Regor. He does not accept defeat lightly.”
“Perhaps when Brin, Delani, and Borin return, we will have yet another weapon to use against them,” Kalen said.
“What about Reyga?” Jason asked.
“Reyga must find his own way,” Tal answered. “His power has been corrupted by the Shadow Lord. I can only hope he can find a way to return to us.”
“You’re not even gonna try to help him?”
“Jason, I truly wish we could,” Tal said, “but you remember what happened when Bodann placed just a portion of Regor’s borrowed power into Lenai. This time it is Regor himself who has set the trap, if indeed that is what has been done to Reyga. Considering what happened to Elira, we dare not risk such an outcome again. I am sorry.”
“You must prepare as if none of them will return,” Nyala said. “I do not mean to be harsh, but you cannot wait on the hope of what they may or may not add to your defenses. We do not know how long or short this respite will be. But I can assure you, the day will come when you will face Regor again.”
Tal nodded. “Then we must do whatever we can to be ready for that day. The future of Teleria will depend upon it.”
Epilogue
Darkness. Void. Nothingness. Then awareness of the dark. Recognition of the void. He wondered at the blackness surrounding him. There was nothing to see. He turned his perception in every direction.
Nothing.
Who was he? What had happened? Where was he and how had he gotten here?
Whispers in the dark. He heard them, but could not understand what they were saying. Then a tiny point of light appeared. Then another. And another. More and more lights until a vista of dancing sparks emerged before him.
Fragments of memory. Another whisper, more distinct this time. A name. His name? Yes. He was. A feeling like a smile came over him. In truth, he was…again. He should not be, but he was. He remembered what had happened. He saw now that it had not been the end, but a beginning.
He turned his attention to the lights. Multitudes of lights, some stronger than others. New lights formed and others faded away. He saw seven lights like small star
s, outshining all of the others. And an eighth light, not quite as bright as the stars, but much brighter than the rest. A lesser star, but one that seemed to be slowly gaining strength.
He watched as one of the stars moved toward the lesser star. Then the two of them approached a third star. The two stars became one and reached out to touch the third star. The third star flared briefly, and then went out, like a candle blown out by a puff of breath, and the one brighter star became two again. He watched as the two stars, brighter and lesser, repeated the process, drawing near another star, and then one more. Each of the stars they touched faded and vanished.
Then the two stars approached another star. This time they didn’t touch the other star. Instead, a fourth star came and took the lesser star away, leaving the first two stars to themselves. The new star took the lesser star to yet another star. Now there was a trio of stars and a pair. The pair chased the trio, but the trio did not run. Soon, the pair of stars left the trio, each going its own way. The trio stayed together.
He focused his attention on the brighter stars. Understanding filled him. He knew who the four remaining stars were. He knew, too, who the lesser star was. He knew who he was. Then the whispering voices surrounding him helped him understand what he was. What they had done. What he had become. The knowledge filled him with a dark joy.
“Will ye be happy to see me, laddie?” He added his own whisper to the feathery chorus. “Sure, and I’m lookin’ forward to seeing you.”
Jason’s story continues in
Soul of Power
Jaben’s Rift, book 3
Appendix
A Little More About Teleria
The Races of Teleria
Teleria is home to numerous races other than humans, most of which came about as a result of the protophasic technology used in the last world war, the Devastation. Their progenitors were created either as a side effect of the technology or came to Teleria through a rift from another world. This list contains only the most prominent of the sentient races.
Ally, Neutral, or Enemy indicates their general stance toward the Circle.
Dokal (Ally)
The first Dokal came to Teleria through one of the rifts created during the Devastation. The rift subsequently collapsed, leaving the small exploratory band trapped and unable to return home. Although a warrior race, they are also very introspective and thoughtful. After learning of the Loremasters and their quest to preserve and restore knowledge, they became allies of the Circle. The first saiken to begin working on creating portals to other worlds did so primarily in an attempt to aid the Dokal in their desire to return home.
Over the centuries, their numbers have grown, although they are still outnumbered by most of the other races. What they lack in numbers, however, they make up for in size. The average Dokal stands three heads taller than a human and the smallest weighs twice as much. Their skin is extremely thick and plate-like, serving as a natural armor. Their weapons of choice are battle axes, maces, and clubs, wielded by both male and female in battle. As Far Planers, they do not possess any dimsai ability.
The Dokal mentality is part warrior, part philosopher. Belying their daunting appearance, the typical Dokal has an excellent sense of humor and a quick wit when they choose to display it. Their leadership is determined by mutual debate and discussion and it can sometimes take them months to come to a consensus. The leaders rule until they either step down from their position or die due to battle wounds or old age.
F'aar (Ally)
This amphibious race is also alien to Teleria. During the Devastation, a rift opened up to their watery home world, dragging an entire F'aar village through. When the rift closed, they were unable to return. The F'aar are the only non-Telerian race where any member can use dimsai, similar to the humans of Teleria.
Generally human looking, their amphibious nature is clear due to the gills on the sides of their necks, slightly webbed hands and feet, and horizontally slit pupils in their eyes. They also possess an inner eyelid that allows them to see clearly when they are underwater.
As a rule, they are a pacifistic people, and it is very difficult to upset their natural composure. Threaten something dear to them, however, and their warriors, generally female, can be fearsome opponents. Their weapons of choice are poison-tipped spears and daggers.
Ferrin (Ally)
The Ferrin are a cat-like race of people. They appear to be mostly human, with their only feline features being slightly pointed ears set high on the sides of their heads, slitted pupils in their typically yellow or green eyes, and retractable claws in their fingers.
They are an easy-going race who can usually find some humor in almost any situation, even in combat, where they are masters of lethal grace and precision, employing acrobatic jumps, flips, and diving rolls in their repertoire of skills. As a rule, they disdain any form of weapons in favor of their razor-sharp claws. They also rarely wear armor other than metal bands on their wrists and ankles, as the armor interferes with their naturally fluid movement. They are one of only two hybrid races to have full use of dimsai, the other being the Grithor.
Ferrin warriors are generally male, although unmated females will often also take part in battle. Ferrin leaders can be male or female, with leadership determined by weaponless challenge combat. Leaders, past and present, are usually marked by multiple scars on their head, faces, and bodies. Leadership can only be challenged once per year. When multiple candidates are vying for leadership, various contests of skill will narrow the field to two candidates who will then battle for the position.
Grithor (Enemy)
The Grithor are very sensitive to light, having small, weak eyes, and have become an underground dwelling race, only coming to the surface at night or in emergency. Although pound for pound stronger, they are shorter than humans, with squat legs and muscular bodies. Their hands are slabs with stubby fingers and powerful claws. Due to their weak eyesight, they have developed extremely acute senses of smell and hearing. Along with the Ferrin, they are one of only two hybrid races to have full use of dimsai.
They live in warrens underneath the Scorched Plains and further south and west in Barrenrock. Living underground, they are usually covered in a layer of dirt and grime, rarely bothering to clean themselves. Their build makes them very efficient excavators, and their preferred method of attack is to hollow out the ground beneath an enemy until the ground collapses underneath them. Any attacker that manages to make it into their tunnel system is met with swords, maces, and dimsai from their saiken. Although unrivaled in their stonelore, their overall intelligence is slightly below average in all other areas.
Leadership belongs to whichever Grithor can intimidate the others the most, either by combat or threats.
Manarach (Enemy)
The Manarach species are human/spider hybrids, with human torsos, arms, and heads on hairy, pony-sized spider bodies. They are a predator species and consider any living creature as prey, unworthy of their respect or consideration. They are very reclusive, living in the foothills of the Cauldron Mountains southwest of Barrenrock, and few who venture into their land have ever returned. Manarachs are intelligent and extremely territorial of any place they consider theirs.
From the waist up, they are human looking except for two large black orbs where the human eyes would be, and six smaller orbs circling the rest of the head. They also have two hand-length fangs, which hide within folds of skin on the neck underneath their human chins. They do not possess any dimsai ability.
Manarachs are a matriarchal society, with females being dominant. Leadership is determined by battle, with the loser generally slain. Their preferred weapons are their fangs and spears. They also use their trapsilk to ensnare foes and potential meals, which are synonymous to the creatures.
Rodinn (Ally)
The Rodinn are one of the smaller races of Teleria. They are a naturally polite people, and can be somewhat timid around those they do not know. Unable to use more than the basic dimsai, they are v
ery good with their hands and often become skilled craftsmen. Although generally human looking, their hair never grows more than a thumbs-length long, and their eyes, nose, and ears are smaller than the typical human. They stand approximately the height of an average human's shoulder and are very quick and nimble. Other than becoming craftsmen, they often fill the roles of courier and voluntary domestic servants.
The Rodinn accept the leadership of wherever they may happen to reside. The oldest lucid resident of a Rodinn village will generally serve as the Elder of the village unless he or she chooses to decline leadership.
Shanthi (Neutral)
The Shanthi are a secretive people with the ability to change the color of their skin to match their surroundings, even down to matching patterns of leaves and walls. With proper training, they can learn to use the minimal dimsai available to their race to make themselves completely invisible. They are human in appearance, though their eyes are slightly larger than a human's. Their fingers and toes can extend when necessary, revealing sucker-like structures underneath the knuckles which allow them to climb and cling to walls and ceilings. Although the distance varies by individual, the Shanthi are also able to detect when others of their race are nearby.
The Shanthi do not interact with other races on a regular basis, particularly avoiding humans. In generations past, this was not the case, but some Shanthi started using their abilities as thieves, mercenaries, and assassins, selling their services to whomever had the coin to retain them. This reflected poorly on the entire race, even though those doing such things, called rishna kel by the majority of their people, represented only a small fraction of the race as a whole. As a result, the Shanthi have developed an extremely high sense of honor and loyalty to each other and any whom they grant the rare privilege of friendship. They can be easily offended if a remark is perceived as a slur or a question of their honor. Physical touch from anyone they do not know is unwelcome and can trigger retaliation depending upon the setting and intent of the other person.
Altered Intentions Page 26