by Clayton Wood
Still, his pen hovers over the page, and he chews his lip, glancing up as the next Councilman raises his hand, folding his paper and sending it along. Sabin sighs, tapping his pen on the page, feeling an old bitterness – one he thought he'd long left behind – rise to the surface.
There is only one name he can write.
Still, he finds himself hesitating, unable to will his hand to write it. Another Councilman – three seats to his right – raises his hand. Sabin clenches his left hand under the table, his fingernails biting into his palm. He notices a sudden, prickly numbness in his left foot, a sensation he hasn't experienced in nearly five years.
The Councilman two seats away raises his hand.
Sabin glances down at his page, putting the tip of his pen to the stark white paper. A black dot appears, spreading outward slowly. He lifts the tip, staring at that inky spot, seeing the Councilman to his right shift his weight, then raise his hand.
He places the pen on the paper, gliding it across the surface with quick, clean strokes, then putting his pen down on the table. He raises his hand in the air, then stares at the paper for a split second longer, at the name he scrawled there, before folding it and passing it along.
He leans back in his chair, folding his hands on his lap and watching as his paper is passed along to the Elder Runic, seated opposite him across the large circular table. The Elder unfolds his paper, then nods once, refolding it and placing it on top of the pile before him. Samel clears his throat, then stands, his eyes sweeping across the eleven seated Councilmen.
“We have a consensus,” he declares, taking the stack of papers and shuffling them as he speaks. The Councilmen all breathe a sigh of relief, as does Sabin. If they hadn't reached a majority vote for each of the positions to fill, they would've had to start the process over again until they did. It is already after midnight, and everyone – Sabin included, is exhausted.
“For the position of Elder Runic,” Samel declares, his voice still powerful and commanding despite his frail, elderly form, “...we have elected...”
A hush goes over the room, and Sabin knows all too well why. The choice of Elder Runic will greatly affect the balance of power in the Council, and by extension the entirety of the Empire.
“...Sabin.”
Sabin stares at the Elder Runic in shock, his mouth falling open. He feels a strange numbness come over him, gooseflesh rising on his arms. His fellow Councilmen turn to look at him, and he closes his mouth abruptly, trying desperately to keep his expression calmly neutral.
They chose me?
He hardly believes his ears, staring in silence as the convened Councilmen start applauding, rising from their seats to give him their ovation. He stares down at the polished surface of the table, feeling a wave of giddiness wash over him, a pleasure he has not allowed himself for a very long time.
They chose me!
He stands then, barely noticing the numbness in his leg as he does so. He bows before his peers, placing his right hand on his chest in the gesture of acceptance, then sits back down. He suddenly feels like weeping, such is his amazement and joy. For this is his reward for his years of single-minded focus and dedication, the seemingly impossible goal he’d set for himself five years ago, as he limped down that cobblestone path away from Vera, away from the man who had taken her from him.
“Elder Runic Sabin,” Samel states, nodding deferentially at Sabin, “...would you kindly declare the winner of the next seat on the Council?”
Sabin nods silently, watching as the former Elder Runic removes a folded piece of paper from the pile before him, unfolding it and staring at it before refolding it and passing it along. Sabin watches as it passes from hand to hand, until it is placed in his hands. He holds the folded paper for a moment, staring down at its stark surface.
Five years, he muses. That's how long it had taken him to create a new life for himself. A new fate. One where he was the architect of his future, instead of being a victim of the forces around him. It had taken the cruel words of a man whose name he still loathed to hear to realize who he was, and what he needed to become. The words of a man who had never allowed himself to be a victim of anyone.
“The newest member of the Council is...” he declares, his voice booming across the table. Sabin unfolds the paper slowly, seeing the familiar, precise strokes of his own writing there on the page. He doesn't even read the second name on the page, looking up at his fellow Councilman instead.
“Ampir.”
* * *
The magic lanterns lining the docks of the Stridon marina cast a pale yellow glow on the churning seawater below, rippling waves crashing onto the shore with a spray of white foam. Far above, Kyle shivered in the cold night air, staring down at the shoreline as they passed by. He glanced at the huge shipping boat moored to the docks, then at the dozens of smaller vessels swaying gently in the water.
“That's the boat that's leaving tomorrow,” Ariana shouted, pointing to the larger ship. Her voice was barely audible against the shrieking wind. “The one we're looking for looks just like it.”
“Got it,” Kyle shouted back. He shivered again, his teeth starting to chatter. He'd assumed that the Aegis he wore would have protected his entire body from the cold, but he'd apparently been wrong; he felt warm only where it covered him.
“You're shaking,” Ariana observed. Kyle nodded, realizing that she probably didn't even realize how cold it was.
“I'm freezing,” he shouted back. He wove magic, creating a gravity shield around them. The wind vanished; he wove again, creating a small flame in front of himself, feeling the welcome warmth it gave. He felt Ariana shift her weight on his back.
“Look,” she stated, tapping on his shoulder. He glanced back, seeing the docks far away now. Hundreds of tiny lights shone like stars from the streets and buildings of Stridon, and the sight nearly took Kyle's breath away. He'd never realized just how big the city was. It stretched for miles along the shore, almost as far as the eye could see. Far in the distance, he could still make out the glittering pyramid atop the Great Tower.
“It's beautiful,” Kyle murmured. He gazed at the city for a moment longer, then turned forward. “Where is the boat we're looking for?”
“Straight ahead,” Ariana answered.
“Are you sure?” he asked skeptically. If the boat had been traveling since this morning, then it had certainly traveled a great distance out to sea. Searching for it would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, unless they knew exactly where to look.
“I memorized the route on the shipping map,” Ariana explained. They both gazed down at the endless stretch of water before them for a long moment. “Maybe we should go higher,” Ariana reasoned. “It'll be easier to spot the boat that way.”
Kyle complied, willing his boots to ascend, his gut sinking as they accelerated upward. He felt pressure building in his ears, and he held his nose and blew through it to equalize the pressure. Without any buildings or trees below them, it was impossible to gauge how high up they were, or how fast they were moving. It was also difficult to tell if they were moving forward in a straight line; if it hadn't been for the guarantee of a straight shot when activating only one crystal on his gravity boots, he could have been traveling in circles and not even know it.
“Do you see it yet?” Kyle asked. Ariana shook her head.
“Can you take us higher?”
“We're still going up,” Kyle answered. He popped his ears again, then shivered. It was definitely getting colder, despite his fire and the insulating effect of the gravity shield. “I can't see anything,” he admitted. Without the city lights, it was almost pitch black.
“I see everything,” Ariana reassured. “Keep going.” Kyle did so; the air was frigid now, and he was feeling a bit lightheaded. With the gravity shield completely insulating them from the wind, he had no idea how fast he was going anymore, just if they were speeding up or slowing down. He glanced backward, at the city. Or rather, where the city had be
en; now there was only blackness behind them. Blackness all around them, save for the enormous tapestry of stars above. He felt suddenly disoriented, as if he were hurtling through space uncontrollably, with no idea where he was going.
“You okay?” Ariana asked. “Your heart’s beating faster.”
“Yeah,” he mumbled. He glanced backward, hoping to see that beacon of light atop the Great Tower, but there was only darkness. “I can't see the Tower anymore.”
“It's there.”
“You can see it?” he asked. He felt Ariana shift on his back.
“I can see it,” she confirmed.
They flew forward and upward silently, the howling wind muted by the gravity shield around them. Kyle began shivering again, and he made the flame in front of him a little hotter.
“I think we're high enough now,” Ariana opined.
“Yeah,” Kyle agreed. He swept his gaze across the darkness below, hoping against hope to spot the shadowy form of a boat in the distance. But he saw nothing. “Do you see anything yet?” he asked.
“No.”
“How far out do you think it is?”
“It's been sailing for a whole day,” she reasoned. “It might take a while to catch up with it.” Then he felt her body tense up against his back. “Wait,” she exclaimed.
“What?”
“Slow down,” she urged, patting his arm. He complied, decreasing his magic stream. “Can you drop us down?” she asked.
“Do you see it?” he asked, feeling his guts rise up as they started to descend.
“I see a line of waves,” she replied, her eyes on the darkness below. She paused for a long moment, then squeezed his arm tightly. “I think they're from the boat!” She squeezed him again. “There it is! Bring us lower,” she urged. Kyle complied, lowering them through the darkness. He still could only see black haziness below, despite the brilliance of the star-lit sky.
“Where is it?” Kyle asked.
“Maybe a mile away,” she answered. “Can you see it?”
“No,” Kyle admitted. “I can't see anything.” He peered through the darkness, resisting the urge to create a light above their heads. He wasn't sure if the invisibility field would be able to nullify a powerful light source...and they'd be easily spotted from the boat if it couldn't. He noticed a subtle rippling as they continued to descend, and he blinked, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him. But the rippling was definitely there...and it was growing ever more distinct. He spotted a gray-blue line below, a path of churning water in the endless ocean. He followed this outward, and saw the faintest of shadows in the distance.
“I see it!” Kyle exclaimed, squeezing Ariana's arm and pointing to the shadow.
“That's it,” Ariana agreed. “We need to find a way onto it without getting caught.”
“I'll get us lower,” Kyle stated. “Maybe I can circle around it, to find a place to land.” He paused then, glancing at the dancing flame in front of him. He cut the magic stream to it, and it abruptly vanished.
“We should hide out below-deck,” Ariana reasoned. “There might be an empty room we can use.”
“Maybe,” Kyle replied, suddenly apprehensive. What if there weren't any rooms available...or any place for them to hide or sleep? He couldn't just fly above the ship forever, after all. It was freezing outside, and he would need to eat and sleep eventually. “Isn’t this a trading ship?” he asked.
“It is,” Ariana confirmed.
“There should be a cargo hold then,” he stated. “We could hide there.”
“Are you sure?”
“I don’t think it’ll be checked too often,” he reasoned. “And it should have wide spaces, so our invisibility field won’t hit any walls or floors and give us away.”
“Good point.”
They zoomed over the water, continuing to descend toward the water below. The shadowy form of the boat become more distinct as he flew them closer; it was similar to the boat they'd seen at the docks earlier, with a huge wooden deck and tall black sails jutting upward into the sky. A few tiny lights dotted its hull, leaving faint spotlights on the water below. Kyle was taken aback at just how far below them the boat was; despite having descended for minutes now, the boat was so far below them that it looked like a toy.
He cut back on his magic stream, slowing further while dropping sharply downward, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach at the sudden descent. They dropped through the air in an arc toward the rear of the boat, until they were only a hundred feet above and behind it. The massive deck of the ship extended outward before him, its tall black sails bowing outward with the wind. He scanned the deck, but there didn't appear to be any people on it. He adjusted his magic stream, leveling them out smoothly until they were a few dozen feet above the waves. The sharp tang of saltwater greeted his nostrils, and he took a deep breath in, instantly reminded of vacations at the beach back on Earth.
“Is there anyone on deck?” Kyle asked.
“No,” Ariana answered. “There's a lookout on the mast though,” she added, pointing to the huge wooden beam that the main sail came from. “Try bringing us along the side of the boat,” she added. “I want to look in the porthole windows.”
“Got it,” Kyle replied. He accelerated forward and to the right, until he'd brought them alongside the right side of the ship. It was four stories tall from the top of the waves, with three rows of round windows extending along its length. He slowed down, passing by them one-by-one. Ariana peered into each, until Kyle had nearly reached the front of the ship. Tall waves rose from where the prow of the ship cut through the water, and Kyle rose upward to give them wide berth.
“Can you circle back to the left side?” Ariana requested. Kyle nodded, zooming forward a few dozen feet, then circling carefully around the front of the ship. It took all of his concentration to maintain the same speed as the ship while circling around it, and he breathed a sigh of relief when they'd made it to the other side. He slowed down slightly, allowing the ship to pass by as Ariana again scanned the rows of portholes.
“Okay,” Ariana stated as they passed the last porthole. “I watched the sailors on the other ship earlier today, so I think I know how to get to the rooms below deck. The cargo hold should be somewhere around there.”
“Where should we land?”
“There,” she answered, pointing at the back of the boat. Above the deck, there was a two-story building of sorts. Kyle knew that it had a name, but he had no idea what that was. There was a door on the first story at the very rear of the ship. He flew them toward it until their feet were hovering over the wooden deck below, then lowered them carefully onto the deck, their feet barely making a sound as they touched down. Kyle walked up to the door, then paused, glancing at Ariana. She nodded once, and Kyle twisted the knob, then pushed it inward. A dark, narrow hallway greeted them, lit by a single lantern. A real lantern, Kyle noted, not the typical magical lanterns found throughout the Tower. Its flickering flames cast stark, shifting shadows that stretched down the hallway.
Ariana tapped Kyle's shoulder, then stepped in front of him, treading silently down the hall. Kyle followed close behind, then nearly jumped out of his skin as he heard a loud creak behind him. He spun about, his pulse pounding in his ears, but the hallway was empty. He realized that the entire boat was creaking as it rose and fell with the ocean's waves.
He felt a tap on his shoulder again, and turned around to see Ariana staring at him. He nodded, then followed her down the hallway again, until they came to a set of doors on the left. Ariana paused, putting her ear to one of the doors, then to the other. She nodded once, then opened the second door, motioning for him to follow. There was a cramped stairwell beyond, with stairs leading up and down. Ariana took the stairs downward into the belly of the ship. Again these were meagerly lit with oil lanterns; Kyle wondered why, seeing as how magic lanterns were so much better. They descended one story, then another, until they came to a door at the bottom. Ariana paused before it, then open
ed it up.
Kyle peered over Ariana's shoulder, seeing a much wider hallway beyond; it was more than wide enough to fit three cars side-by-side. Ariana led him down this, toward a set of double-doors at the rear wall. She stopped before the doors, grabbing the handles and pulling gently. The doors didn't budge.
“Locked,” Ariana mouthed silently.
She leaned into the doors, peering at the inch or so gap between them. Then she closed her eyes, and a faint blue light appeared on her forehead. She grabbed the handles again, and pulled...and they swung open. Beyond was a massive, two-story room. Stacks of crates and barrels lined the walls, with pallets filled with cargo stacked nearly to the ceiling. Dust swirled in the gentle light cast by the lanterns on the walls, and Kyle stifled a sudden urge to sneeze. This, he realized, must be the ship's cargo hold.
They moved forward into the cargo hold, closing the double doors behind them. Ariana wove deftly between the veritable walls of barrels and pallets, Kyle following close behind. She stopped suddenly, and pointed up at a stack of crates that nearly went all the way up to the bare wooden beams of the ceiling two stories above. She pointed to Kyle's gravity boots, then again pointed at the crates. Kyle nodded, turning his back to her, and she climbed on. He activated his boots, floating gently upward between the stacks of crates, until their heads were only a foot or two from the ceiling. Ariana pointed to the top of the crate stack, which was roughly ten feet square. Kyle nodded, bringing them over it, then dropping them gently atop it. She got off his back, forced to hunch over a little so that she wouldn't hit her head on the ceiling. She knelt down, dropping both backpacks onto the crates, then opened one of them, pulling out something wrapped in wax paper. She unfolded this, revealing a few pieces of duck.
“Here,” she whispered, handing it to him. He grabbed it, feeling his stomach grumble. Using magic always seemed to give him a heck of an appetite; Ariana had no doubt heard his complaining gut with her amazing senses.