by Clayton Wood
And what a woman Vera was!
He pictures her as he saw her last, dressed in a simple summer dress, her gray eyes twinkling as she laughed at a joke he'd made. She laughed all the time, enjoying the simple pleasures of life with a passion he'd never known possible. It was infectious, that passion. It made him feel young again.
Sabin sighs again, watching as life speeds by around him. Everywhere he looks, couples walk hand-in-hand. Everyone has someone. Everyone except for him.
“Professor?”
Sabin jerks his head to the left, spotting a young woman walking down the street toward him. With her long auburn hair falling in thick curls around her, and those lovely gray eyes, his heart skips a beat.
“Vera!” he exclaims, standing up from the bench with a little difficulty. They hug, and she pulls away, smiling at him.
“Enjoying your walk?” she asks. Sabin nods.
“I was just taking a break,” he replies. “My damn knee is acting up again.”
“You're falling apart, professor,” she quips, flashing him that miraculous smile.
“The rest of me works just fine,” he says with a grin. Vera lets the comment pass without responding in kind, brushing away a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes.
“Well, I have to run,” she states, giving him an apologetic look. Sabin frowns. Something is...off...about her.
“What's wrong?” he asks.
“Nothing,” she responds with a pained smile. “It's just...I'm meeting someone,” she adds. Sabin feels an icy bolt of fear stab his innards.
“Business or pleasure?” he inquires, his voice deceptively casual. Again that pained smile.
“I'm seeing someone,” she confesses, lowering her gaze. Sabin says nothing for a long moment, struggling to maintain his composure.
“Who's the lucky gentlemen?” he asks casually. She looks up at him.
“He's in the military,” she admits. “He returned from deployment two weeks ago.” Her voice starts to pick up pace. “He's a war hero,” she adds.
“A soldier?” Sabin replies, unable to keep the disapproval from his voice. She's an academic, after all...a simple thug would hardly be able to provide the intellectual stimulation she craved.
“No, he's a Runic,” she corrects. Sabin's eyebrows rise. “He's absolutely brilliant,” she gushes, making Sabin go cold. She'd talked the same way about him only two weeks ago. “He can do things with magic that I've never even imagined before,” she adds.
“And who is this fine young man?” Sabin asks, afraid that he already knows the answer. Vera smiles radiantly, unable to help herself.
“His name is Ampir.”
* * *
Kyle groaned, rolling onto his back on his bed and staring up at the ceiling above. He heard the soft patter of rain drumming on his bedroom window, and the distant rumble of thunder. He rubbed his eyes, glancing at the clock on his wall. It was nine o'clock in the morning. Fear shot through him, and he sat bolt upright, his heart pounding in his chest. He was late for class!
He leaped from his bed, scrambling out of his pajamas and into his white Runic uniform. He pulled on some socks, then his customary black gravity boots, then yanked his bedroom door open, bursting out into the main room of the suite. He froze then, seeing Kalibar and Erasmus sitting around a table, eating breakfast.
“Ah, good morning Kyle,” Kalibar greeted, gesturing for him to join them at the table. “Come, have breakfast with us.”
“Uh...” Kyle stammered. Erasmus turned to look at Kyle, his blue eyes twinkling.
“Ready for class so early?” he quipped. Then he chuckled. “No class today my little genius,” he informed. “It's the weekend, remember?”
Kyle breathed a sigh of relief, walking up to the chair beside Kalibar and sitting down. He'd completely forgotten that it was the weekend; on Doma, weekends lasted three days, with four days left for the work week. Leisure was something taken quite seriously in the Empire.
“I trust you slept well?” Kalibar inquired. Kyle nodded.
“Jenkins got me a dreamweaver pillow,” he replied. When had he gone to bed last night, six o'clock? He'd slept for fifteen hours! No wonder why he felt sleep-drunk.
“He certainly did,” Kalibar replied with a chuckle. “I think we'll need a pillow with less dreamweaver silk,” he added. Jenkins appeared suddenly, carrying a tray of steaming vegetables and what appeared to be chicken. The ever-dutiful butler placed the tray before Kyle, and he immediately felt his stomach growling. He dug in with zest, devouring the meal in minutes. When he was done, he gave a loud burp – as was the polite thing to do in the Empire after a good meal. A flash of lightning lit up the windows at the far end of the suite, followed by a rolling thunderclap.
“How can it be raining here?” Kyle asked, turning to look out of the window. “Isn't the Gate shield up?” The massive dome-shaped gravity shield that covered the campus should've kept the rain out, after all.
“It lets rain in,” Erasmus replied. “And air. No one knows exactly how it works,” he added. “We simply copied the Ancients' original design.”
“Speaking of designs,” Kalibar cut in, “Erasmus was telling me about your new idea,” he added, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “He's already used the K-Array to test Ariana. We've found a pattern it weaves constantly, and Erasmus is developing your screening tool.”
“Cool,” Kyle replied. Erasmus slapped his meaty palm on the tabletop.
“See, I told you he'd make a hell of a Runic,” the Grand Runic declared. “And you didn't believe me!”
“You were right,” Kalibar agreed. “You've become quite the inventor, Kyle,” he added, putting an arm around Kyle's shoulders. “I'm proud of you, son.”
“Thanks,” Kyle replied, feeling a flush of pride. He'd never been particularly good at anything on Earth, being an average student and not great at sports. But here on Doma he'd found his niche.
“When's your speech in the Southwest Quarter?” Kalibar asked Erasmus.
“In an hour,” the Grand Runic answered. “If the rain lets up. I'm making an appearance for the grand opening celebration,” he explained to Kyle. “We're done rebuilding a major residential tower.”
“Wow, that was quick,” Kyle commented.
“That's the power of my Runics,” Erasmus stated proudly. “They've been itching for a chance to show this city what they can do.”
“They've more than succeeded,” Kalibar said. “I suspect that with Kyle's inventions and the rebuilding of the city, we'll have more children applying to be Runic students than ever before.”
“About time,” Erasmus agreed. He sighed contentedly then, leaning back and patting his impressive belly. “You know, I could get used to this,” he added. Kalibar raised an eyebrow.
“More of what?” he asked. Erasmus smirked.
“Not having your damn bodyguard around,” he answered. “It's so peaceful without that meat-head constantly baiting me.”
“Wait, did Darius come back yesterday?” Kyle asked, feeling a pang of fear. Kalibar shook his head.
“No, he's still vacationing,” he replied.
“He's not back?” Kyle pressed, trying to keep the rising panic from his voice, and succeeding...barely.
“If he was, I'd know about it,” Kalibar answered. “What's wrong?”
“Nothing,” Kyle lied. There was no way he could tell them what was wrong...only Ariana knew. “Where's Ariana?”
“She's taking a walk about the campus.”
“I need to talk to her,” Kyle stated, rising out of his chair suddenly. Erasmus grinned.
“Ah, young love,” he mused. He turned to Kalibar then. “It's about time you got yourself a girlfriend,” he added with a lecherous wink. “Someone scandalously young and beautiful. Make all the guys jealous...you could have your pick of the Empire!”
“I don't have time for that,” Kalibar replied dismissively. Erasmus snorted.
“Everyone has time for that,” he retorted. “You'd better find someone before it's too late,” he added. “You're not getting any younger, you know.”
“Maybe you're right,” Kalibar mused, tapping his goatee with one finger. Erasmus's jaw dropped.
“What?”
“Maybe you're right,” Kalibar repeated. Then he sighed. “I've been avoiding it ever since Lena died.” He shook his head then, staring off into the distance. “I don't even know how to meet women anymore. When I think of how much time I've wasted...”
“Bull,” Erasmus interjected. “You're a damn national treasure, a father, and the finest Battle-Weaver in the Empire. You were just...padding your resume the last thirty years to attract the finest ladies.”
Kalibar laughed out loud at that, and Erasmus chuckled. Kyle could only manage a weak smile, considering the circumstances. He was itching to find Ariana. Erasmus must have noticed his discomfort.
“Now see what we've done,” he stated with a chuckle. “I think we burned his ears.” He waved Kyle away. “Get out of here before we do any permanent psychological damage!”
Kyle nodded, bidding them both goodbye and nearly sprinting out of the suite. He made his way down to the lobby, to the double-doors of the lobby. He stopped short before the open doors, seeing dense sheets of rain pouring down from the heavens. The entire campus was covered in a muted gray, the occasional flash of lightning searing the heavens above. A cold wind bit his flesh, and he shivered, backing away from the double-doors. He certainly wasn't dressed for being out in the rain...he'd have to go all the way back up to his room if he wanted to change.
Then a flash of inspiration struck him, and Kyle wove magic, a gravity shield appearing around him. When Kyle stepped out into the deluge, he found himself completely dry. The rain ran down his shield in rippling torrents, however, making it difficult for him to see – like a car driving through the rain with the windshield wipers off. Still, he moved onward through the rain, his gravity boots splashing on the wet stone below. It wasn't long before the Tower was merely a tall shadow behind him, a darker shade of gray amongst more of the same. He paused, realizing that there was no way he was going to find Ariana this way...if he went any farther, he might not be able to find his way back. Ariana wouldn't have that problem, not with her amazingly keen senses.
Kyle nearly smacked himself in the forehead. Why not just call out to her? She'd be able to hear him from miles away, after all. He yelled out her name once, then again, shivering in the cold air despite the thick cloth of his uniform. He wove again, creating a small fire inside of his shields, and warmed his hands by it. He stayed where he was, calling her name out a third time, and then saw a shadow approaching him.
“Ariana?” he yelled, extinguishing the flame.
“Kyle!” a voice called out. The shadow grew more distinct as it drew near, and Kyle saw that it was indeed Ariana walking up to him. She was completely drenched, her hair matted to her head, her black Weaver uniform soaked all the way through. She hardly seemed to notice the dreadful cold, nor the biting wind.
“What are you doing out here?” Kyle shouted over the din of the rain falling all around them.
“Just taking a walk,” she shouted back. Kyle stared at her incredulously.
“It's freezing out here!” he protested. She just shrugged. “Come on,” he insisted, “...let's go back inside.”
“Drop your shield,” she countered. He blinked.
“What?”
“Drop it,” she repeated. He paused, then did as she asked, flinching at the inevitable downpour that would follow. But he remained utterly dry. He looked around, seeing a much larger gravity shield surrounding both of them, rain sliding down its edges in a 360-degree waterfall.
“How long have you been out here?”
“Since you went to sleep,” Ariana admitted. “I needed to get away from the Tower,” she explained. “I like the rain...the noise makes it hard to think.”
Kyle shivered, creating another small flame in front of him. He placed his palms before it, feeling the heat soak into his cold flesh.
“You know about, uh...” he began, then stopped. He'd almost said Darius instead of Ampir.
“He didn't come back, did he,” Ariana stated. Kyle shook his head. She turned away, putting a hand to her mouth.
“Sorry,” he mumbled. She shook her head, turning back to face him. The raindrops dripping down her cheeks gave the illusion that she was crying...something she would never be able to do.
“What do we do now?” she asked. Kyle shrugged helplessly, not knowing what to say. Ariana sighed, a flash of lightning reflecting off of her porcelain skin. “Do we have a chance without him?”
He paused, then shook his head.
“We don't really know that he's dead,” Ariana argued, running a hand through her wet hair.
“He said if he wasn't back, it would mean he was dead,” Kyle countered. Then the reality of what he'd said struck him: Ampir was dead.
Darius was dead.
Kyle turned away from Ariana suddenly, swallowing down a sudden wave of nausea that had come over him. Darius was dead...his grandfather. His friend.
And now everyone he loved was going to die.
He felt lightheaded suddenly, and staggered away from Ariana, toward the perimeter of her gravity shield. He placed his palms on its shimmering surface, his head swimming.
“Kyle?”
He didn't answer, his heart starting to race. He felt something cold and wet touch his shoulder, and flinched away from it, spinning about to see Ariana staring at him.
“Kyle,” she pressed, grabbing him by the upper arms firmly.
“He’s dead, Ariana,” he stated.
“Kyle, maybe he...”
“He’s dead,” Kyle interrupted. “We’re all dead!”
With that, he tried to break away from Ariana’s grasp, but she was too strong. Suddenly he felt as if he were suffocating, and tried again to break free from Ariana’s grasp.
“I can't breathe,” he gasped.
“Kyle!” she shouted, her fingers digging into his flesh. He felt something snap in his right arm, a horrible pain lancing through it. He cried out in agony, dropping instantly to his knees. Ariana gasped, kneeling before him and reaching out to him with both hands.
“Ow, what the hell?” he gasped, pushing her hands away with his left arm. He glanced down at his right arm, realizing that it was hanging at an impossible angle. He gaped at it in shock. “You broke my arm!”
“Oh my god!” Ariana exclaimed. “Did I really?” She reached down to his mangled arm, and Kyle fended her off with his good arm. She gasped then. “Oh my god, I broke your arm!”
“I know!” Kyle yelled, gritting his teeth against the pain. Ariana stepped backward, looking mortified. “You know, you're going to kill me one of these days,” he grumbled. Another spasm of pain shot down his arm, and he cried out.
“I'm so sorry,” Ariana blurted, reaching for Kyle, then stopping herself, wringing her hands helplessly. “I am so, so sorry Kyle!”
“It's okay,” Kyle hissed through clenched teeth. “Just...don't touch me for a minute,” he added as she started to reach for him again.
“Okay, okay,” she replied. “What should I do?”
“I need to get back to the Tower,” Kyle replied, attempting to get to his feet. The movement caused his right arm to shift, sending another wave of agony through him. He nearly blacked out, setting himself down slowly until he was sitting on the cobblestones below. He took a few deep, gulping breaths, squeezing his eyes shut.
“Right,” Ariana agreed. “Can you get up slowly?”
“Let me sit here for a minute,” he said, blowing out of pursed lips. The pain in his arm began to ease somewhat, and he nodded. “Okay, I'm gonna try again. Don't help!” he exclaimed as she reached for him. “I got it,” he insisted. He collected himself, then rose slowly to his feet, grimacing at a sharp twinge of pain as he did so. He made it all the way up th
is time.
“Let's go,” Ariana prompted. She walked forward, and Kyle followed, clutching his bad arm to his side to immobilize it. That worked; the pain was at least bearable now.
“Where are my bodyguards?” Kyle asked. Even though they were invisible, they should've followed him outside. He was never to venture outside without at least two elite guards with him at all times.
“They're up ahead,” Ariana replied, pointing forward. Kyle peered through the storm beyond her gravity shield, but saw nothing. “They stayed back a ways,” she added.
“You can see them?”
“I see the rain dripping off of them,” she explained. “Come on, I'll bring you to them.”
“Wait,” Kyle interjected, stopping suddenly. Ariana turned to face him, her eyes filled with concern. Kyle paused, then let go of his grip on his injured arm. He hesitated, then flexed it gingerly, feeling a sharp jolt of pain as he did so. He gripped his arm again, grimacing against the pain, then clenched his teeth, letting go and flexing it again. The pain was intense, but not nearly as bad as it had been moments before.
“Kyle, be careful,” Ariana cautioned. Kyle shook his head, rubbing his injured shoulder gingerly.
“It's not so bad now,” he stated. Though his arm still throbbed terribly, he could move it now. He rotated his shoulder slowly throughout its range of motion. “Maybe it isn't broken after all,” he admitted.
“I heard a snap,” Ariana countered.
“Maybe you just dislocated it for a minute,” Kyle reasoned. He reached over with his left hand, gently pressing on his right arm where Ariana had squeezed it. There was only a dull, gnawing ache now.
“Better?” Ariana asked, clearly relieved.
“A little,” he agreed. “That really hurt, you know,” he grumbled. It still hurt. Ariana lowered her gaze.
“I won't do it again,” she promised. Kyle tried to glare at her, with little success.