***
She didn’t feel anything. It surprised her how little she felt; why wasn’t she crying?
“Did you hear me, Sevra?” Antok asked, his aged voice tinged with softness. “Your Uncle passed away four days ago.” He delicately handed her the letter from Lorna.
“I heard,” she answered flatly. She stared straight ahead but wasn’t really looking at anything in particular.
“I’ll come with you to pay your respects,” he said, “we can leave this evening.”
“No,” she answered quickly, “there is no need.”
“You will regret it the rest of your life if you do not go,” he responded, “it is something you have to do. Your duties for the day are forgiven, spend the rest of the hours in contemplation. Who is your instructor, I’ll let him know.”
“Fine, no need I’ll tell him,” she deflected, “tonight then.”
Antok quietly left her room, and she sat on the bed, reading through the letter a few times. The work she had been doing the last few months was for nothing, she was too late. She wasn’t sad or disappointed; all she felt was numb.
Why would the Gods teach her what she needed to save him, only to let him die when she was finally ready? The price to save Uncle Yuley had been high, and she prepared herself mentally for months in order to pay it. Only another human life could have restored his health; at first the thought of it was abhorrent, but as the weeks went by she became more desperate. Admittedly, part of her was relieved the decision was now taken out of her hands. She pushed away the revulsion at what she had been willing to do.
He will be at peace, child.
“I know,” Sevra said aloud.
Kubathu had the sensation of smiling, despite his plans not yet fully realized. The fact she hadn’t killed was not important, only that she had been willing to. Once started along this path, there would be no turning back for her. She would be his, for as long as he needed.
The Return
Within the deepest bowels of the keep, Antok readied to leave the isle of Dalesford for the first time in nearly a decade. Final preparations were made to ensure Kubathu’s prison was firmly secured. Instructions were given on the chance there was a breach, and the number of magi overseeing each seal doubled, just in case.
Sets of twin pillars ran along the portal chamber, all powered by massive obsidian and quartz discs, conjoined over a center axis upon which it could rotate freely. Only one was activated today, revealing a wavy mirage of a forest hundreds of miles to the west.
Master Trilo, placed in charge during his absence still voiced concerns. “I don’t see what you have to gain by leaving, why are you making this decision?”
He looked to Trilo slowly, his eyes coming into focus for a brief second. He squinted slightly and shook his head. “My mind has been made!” he yelled. How dare his subordinates question him, he needed to leave because… why did he need to leave? He reached towards his necklace, working his hand and fingers over the ruby. It helped to calm him.
They think you are too old and feeble to make a simple journey. All of them, they're jackals, raking at your heels, slowly eroding your authority.
He exhaled heavily in anger before turning away. He was still in charge of this organization, but that did not mean he was a prisoner to the keep. If he needed to leave for the day, it was his choice. Besides, Sevra needed him, it was only right for her to be able to say goodbye to her uncle. She was an interesting child, moreso because of what she had been through – what the Magicus Celesti inadvertenly put her through when Kubathu breached his prison a few years ago. He shuddered at the thought. He was still not certain what might happen to her if she ventured too far from the gem. Bernard had said the link was completely severed. Antok wasn't as certain, he wanted to err on the side of caution and accompany the girl.
Hesitating in front of the portal, a brief moment of lucidity urged him to stay, to fight against the voice somewhere in his thoughts pushing him along this course. The gem dangling from his necklace flickered gently in the scant lighting. With his finger he absentmindedly fussed with the ruby, the prison encasing Kubathu. It was a terrible weight to carry. Bolstering his resolve, he held fast to his decision. Should some remnant of the connection Kubathu made to Sevra remain, any ill falling onto her would be on his hands. He could not live with himself if that happened.
The girl is very important to me; see to it that no harm falls upon her.
Antok nodded. There were too few young ones these days joining the ranks. The continued success of the order depended on passing the torch to the new generation. It was his responsibility.
“Sevra, come along,” he said, taking the girl’s hand. They stepped through the mirage together, the icy chill of the surrounding ether a sensation he could never grow accustomed to. Twin pillars in the distance approached rapidly, though they moved slowly as if passing through a thick gel. It took only minutes to pass through, though the unchanged position of the sun was the only hint not much time had actually elapsed. They emerged on the other side, in the forests along the Golden Terraces, within a few hours walk of Shady Vale. Sevra and Antok walked side by side, along with a third presence. Kubathu was at long last ready to free himself.
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