To World's Above: An Epic YA Fantasy Adventure (Roots of Creation Book 5)

by Jason Hamilton

  “I’m going to need you soon,” she said.

  The troll turned its massive head to face her, those purple eyes regarding her.

  “I need to link with Yewin again, to discover what more we need to do here, to defeat Cain or find Illadar. Has anyone told you about Illadar?”

  The troll hesitated but gave a brief nod of its head.

  “I think I’m supposed to find it, using these.” She showed him the two Pillars of Eternity. “But I need to know more.”

  The troll raised one arm, pointing out at the valley. His meaning was clear.

  “No, I don’t think this is Illadar. I mean, it could be, but some things just don’t fall into place.”

  The troll lowered its arm and opened its mouth to breathe out a single word. “LLLLOST”

  “Yes, that’s right,” she confirmed. “As long as Cain can find us here, or others still want to hurt us, we will still be lost. I need your help and Yewin’s to know what to do next.”

  With a rocky crack of joints, the troll raised itself back onto its feet, staring down at her for a moment, then heading off back down the hill towards the cabins below.

  Jak followed. She had rarely felt as thoughtful as she did now. Maybe it was just a result of losing her mother, or of all the tests the Pillar of Eternity had somehow put her through. But something about this valley did not feel like home. Instinctively, she knew there was more to come.

  A corner of her mind reached out to try and find Cain. But whatever connection she had with him had seemingly vanished. She felt no headache, and there was no sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach to suggest that he was near. She wasn’t completely sure where she had dropped him, but she knew it would take him days to return, even if he flew through the air at his fastest rate. Yet why was it that she felt so threatened by him right now? It was like she couldn’t enjoy the luxuries of this valley while she knew he was still out there. Like none of it would even matter until he was no longer a threat.

  She followed Rael the troll until she came back to the cabins on the south side of the valley, where she had met with the leaders of those who had already gathered here.

  Those that had already been in the valley for a while were helping the Fae and other newcomers to get settled. Jak saw them carrying belongings and other supplies into various cabins or large tents. Many gave the troll a startled look, quickly stepping out of his way, but most appeared curious, even in awe of his enormous bulk. Many eyes met hers as well, and she could see from the reverent way they nodded at her that they knew who she was as well.

  The people went back to their work as Jak and the troll trudged along the dirt street that ran through the small town. The troll’s head waved from side to side, looking undoubtedly for Yewin.

  It didn’t take them long to find the Bright Elf. He still talked with Li and the others, even though most of his people and the other members of the council had wandered off to help their respective groups settle. They stood near one of the cabins at the end of the street, near where Jak had first met with the Triad. All of them stopped their conversation as they noticed the giant troll approaching.

  “Jak,” Yewin said, as he spotted her next to the troll. “These three were just telling me their side of the story. It seems the power of the second Pillar kept you busy on that mountain. I can’t wait to learn more. If it can send you back in time like it did for us…”

  “Perhaps later,” Jak said, coming level with the troll. “But I wanted to talk to you about something first.”

  “Of course.” Yewin gave a brief farewell to the others, who nodded at Jak and returned to their own duties. “What is it?”

  Jak glanced around at the many people surrounding them. “Perhaps it would be better if we took this away from the crowds.”

  Yewin didn’t object, so Jak led them all away from the main road, back up the hill that she and the troll had come from. When they were safely out of earshot of any creature on two legs, Jak turned to face both Yewin and the troll.

  “I’d like to link with both of you again. I know it’s still a risky business, but we have Rael and the trolls now to help. Their energy gives you more of a chance. And I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more I must do. I need answers.”

  Yewin did not hesitate. “If you need me to link with you, I am ready to do so. I’m honestly surprised that you did not ask earlier. After what you achieved on the plains outside Riverbrook…”

  “I think that experience scared me. It was almost too much responsibility and power. But after what I’ve been through on Mt. Knot, and going back in time, I think I can handle this.”

  Yewin nodded. “I assume you’d like to do it here?”

  Jak glanced at the troll, who met her gaze with steady eyes. “I would, if both of you are willing.”

  In answer, Yewin stepped forward and took the Pillars of Eternity from her hands, placing them gently on the ground to one side, then taking both of her hands in his own. He took a deep breath and waited for the troll, who stepped behind Jak and put his massive arms on her shoulders, just as he’d done on the battlefield.

  Then energy burst into her, out of her, all around her. It was an exhilarating experience, but one that she was ready for. Rael had established his link. A second later, she felt a rush of knowledge enter her, like a library of truth that was so vast it could not be sorted, counted, or understood. There was so much of it that it became hard to focus on any one thing.

  But this time she had questions. Before she had acted on instinct, and the well of knowledge had responded as such. Now, she had to be more direct.

  Where is the third Pillar of Eternity?

  27

  Jak let the question float through her mind, guiding it to find the answers in that sea of truth brought on by her link with Yewin. She knew the answer was out there somewhere, and that it was exactly what she needed. Illadar would not happen without the third Pillar. Of that much she was certain. All the legends spoke of three Pillars, even the Book of Illadar.

  Perhaps the reason she couldn’t kill Cain using the Pillars was because they were incomplete without their third companion. Or perhaps there was simply some magic of creation in the third Pillar that was required to form Illadar. Even now, connected as she was to Yewin and Rael, she could tell that there was some truth to this. The three Pillars would be used to create Illadar. And there was even a hint of what Illadar would be. She probed further.

  A bead of truth floated towards her, like a single star separating itself from a sea of its brethren and coming to meet her. It grew larger and larger in her subconsciousness. The answers were there, she just knew it. Answers to the nature of Illadar, the location of the third Pillar of Eternity, and the secret to defeating Cain.

  She was only dimly aware of a flash of light from the real world, coming from the two Pillars of Eternity that lay on the ground. The runes on their polished white and black shafts were beginning to glow. But Jak only barely noticed, because the bead of truth was coming closer. It was almost upon her.

  Then everything around her vanished to a familiar and brilliant shade of white.

  Yewin was no longer there, or perhaps she was no longer with Yewin. But she recognized her location as a white hallway that she had visited many times before in her visions. Was this some other kind of test? What had happened to Yewin and Rael? Was all this in her head, and her body was still with them?

  “Oh good, you’re here,” said a voice behind her.

  She turned to see a woman about Jak’s age with shoulder-length, golden hair, standing only a few paces behind her. She narrowed her eyes at the newcomer. She’d never seen this person before. She did not look like Eve, who she had met upon taking the second Pillar of Eternity. And she was dressed in a fashion far beyond anything she was used to. The woman was dressed all in white, even sporting a cape, which seemed to blend in with the white corridor behind her. She also bore a circular, golden symbol emblazoned on her chest, and strange boots and gloves
that were red.

  “I’m so glad you made it,” said the blonde woman. “I mean, we knew you would eventually, but it’s so good to see things go right for once.”

  “You’re the woman in white,” Jak said, the realization hitting her a moment before she said it. “You showed Seph how to find the Book of Illadar, and you guided Li, Mosaial, and Bretton to the valley.”

  The woman gave her a small salute. “You got it!” she said in a cheery voice. She reminded Jak a little bit of Amelia, always excited. “I must say, I have so been looking forward to meeting you. You’re a bit of a legend where I come from. But I shouldn’t give too much of that away. Sorry, spoilers.” She chuckled.

  Jak narrowed her eyes even further. What a strange thing to say. She had never met this woman or anyone like her in her life. Had she been another person saved by some actions Jak had performed in the past, like Bretton? But then why was she here in this white corridor that had something to do with the magic of the Pillars? And what had happened to Yewin and Rael?

  “Why am I here?” she asked the woman. “I was just about to ask some questions through the link with Yewin.”

  “Yes, you asked for truth. And the magic brought you to me. I happen to be somewhat of a collector of truth.” The woman flashed a smile at Jak, who returned it hesitantly.

  “So can you tell me where to find the third Pillar of Eternity?” Jak asked.

  “I can help you find the answer.”

  Jak’s brow furrowed. “I don’t need any more tests.”

  The girl’s smile faltered and she looked down at the ground. When she faced Jak, her face bore a slightly more serious expression. “I’m afraid your time with tests is not over. You still have many left to face, and some of them will be hard. Very hard.” Her face held an expression Jak did not expect coming from a perky girl like this: pity. But as soon as it appeared, it was gone. “But this is not one of them. I am happy to give you some answers. Not all of them, mind you. It took a mountain of paperwork to even give me permission to talk to you and the others like this,” she indicated her white clothing.

  Jak cocked her head at the woman. What on earth was ‘paperwork’?

  “I’m sorry, I’m rambling,” the woman went on. “You want to know about Illadar.”

  “Yes,” said Jak, leaning forward a bit. “What can you tell me?”

  “All I can say is that it’s bigger than anything you have yet to imagine. You will fully understand when it comes time to create it, which is very soon.”

  “Why can’t you tell me now?”

  “Because either you wouldn’t believe me, or you would feel so overwhelmed that you might chicken out.”

  “Chicken?” Jak was having trouble understanding this strange woman. Had this really been the one to lead Seph and the others? She wasn’t at all like Jak would have expected.

  “Sorry, I mean lose confidence, decide not to go through with it. That sort of thing.”

  “Very well, so you can’t tell me everything.” Jak wasn’t surprised. “But what about Cain?”

  The woman’s face fell. “He is still a great threat. And he travels to your location even as we speak. He will be there in a matter of days.”

  Jak nodded, surprising herself by how calm she felt. She had expected as much. “How do I stop him?”

  “You find the third Pillar of Eternity of course,” she said, with an air of her cheerfulness returning.

  “But you said I only have a few days. Both Pillars took me much longer to find.”

  “The third one is not like the others.”

  “What do you mean?” Jak leaned forward. If only the woman would just get to the point and tell her where it is. “Are you saying it’s close? In the valley maybe?”

  “In a manner of speaking. There are three types of magic accessible to most of us. Do you know what they are?”

  Jak thought it through. “There are a lot more than three brands.”

  “I’m talking more globally than brands. Think of the two Pillars, what do they do?”

  “One controls time, and the other lets me travel instantly from one location to another.”

  “Time and space. These are two of the fundamental laws governing the universe. They are states of being, and the Pillars give us a glimpse into those higher dimensions. Yet they are still so hard for most to understand that your ancestors created the Pillars to sort of represent those powers, to make them easier to harness. Eventually others will come to understand them, and embody them, much like you embody the power of branding. But there is a third dimension, a third magic, that is a little easier for most to comprehend.”

  “Branding,” Jak said, a measure of comprehension dawning.

  The woman nodded. “In a manner of speaking, yes. Yet the powers of this dimension can manifest themselves in many ways.”

  “Are you talking about the Fae?”

  A smile crept onto the woman’s lips. “You’re catching on. And what do the Fae magics and branding have in common?”

  That wasn’t too difficult for Jak to answer. She’d discussed the universal similarities of brands at the college. “All the brands affect the physical world. Or our own physical bodies. I guess the same is true of the Fae, now that I think about it.”

  “And there you have your answer.”

  The white corridor pulsed with light, and the blonde woman took a step backward as if preparing to leave. “Wait!” Jak cried. “You can’t go. That wasn’t an answer. What about Cain? How is any of this supposed to help me?”

  White light enveloped the girl, and her hair began to fan out like there was a wind blowing it, though Jak could feel nothing. “You still have a long road ahead. And that is all I can tell you for now. Any more could have catastrophic consequences for everyone on Earth. Remember this, Jak. You are stronger than you think. You will need that strength in the coming days.”

  Then she vanished and the white light faded all around Jak. She was back in the valley, the sun high in the sky and beating down on her, Yewin, and Rael the troll. The link was still established. That well of truth was still there, almost taunting her with the overwhelming amount of knowledge it contained.

  What had the woman meant when she said she had her answer? All she had said was that the brands and Fae had magic that affected the physical world.

  She thought through what the woman had said about Pillars of Eternity. According to her they represented three dimensions. One affecting time, another affecting space, and the third…

  In a rush of comprehension Jak made the connection. She broke contact with Yewin and the troll, willing the link to cease. The rush of energy and truth cut off, but she was left with one clear thought.

  The third Pillar of Eternity wasn’t a single Relic like the others. It was everything. It was all of the brands and Fae magics combined. It was all those magics that affected the physical world. And as an Oren, her abilities to possess multiple brands, as well as link with the Fae and partake of their abilities, she was the closest thing the world had to being the embodiment of these physical magics.

  She was the third Pillar of Eternity.

  A wave of dizziness took her, whether from the sudden realization or from the loss of her link with Rael and Yewin. She took a step backward and Yewin reached forward to steady her.

  “What is it?” he said. “Did you learn something?”

  Jak met his eyes. Thoughts were reeling inside her head, new possibilities she hadn’t paused to consider before. Marek had been right. Now was the time to act and create Illadar using the Pillars of Eternity. All three of them. “We need to gather everyone together,” she said. “Cain is coming. We can’t be here when he arrives.”

  28

  They spent the next few days preparing everything they had to leave. To her surprise, Li, Bretton, and Mosaial did not object when she told them that they needed to pack up all their food, all their sheep and possessions, and get it ready to move.

  “We were expecting things to chan
ge once you arrived,” Li told her. “The woman in white informed us of this.”

  Of course the woman in white had told them that. Jak wished the woman would have told her as much. But that wasn’t her primary concern.

  A day later, the rest of the Sky Fae appeared, receiving a warm welcome from Jak and the members of her group. Every Fae seemed thrilled to learn of a new species. The Sky Fae were instrumental in helping to speed up their preparations. Their mobility allowed them to move food and livestock quickly and efficiently.

  Unfortunately, getting everything ready still took time. The blonde woman had told Jak that they only had a matter of days until Cain arrived. But she didn’t know if that meant one day or ten. Regardless, it took three days before most of the humans and Fae of the group were ready to leave. There was just one last problem.

  “Where exactly are we going?” Skellig said to Jak at a final council meeting near the lake. She hadn’t been happy when Jak told her that they had to be prepared to leave when they had only just arrived. The others of the council all stood in a circle, with Seph and Marek on either side of Jak, and representatives of each type of Fae present as well, including Vander who had taken over the role of leader for his people now that Karlona had died. They all looked to her now for an explanation.

  “I’m not entirely certain,” said Jak. “But I think the time has come to find, or maybe build, Illadar.”

  Both Marek and Seph turned to look at her in surprise. She hadn’t told them what she’d learned yet.

  “What do you mean, you’re not entirely certain?” said Girwirt the gnome. As per usual, his arms were folded in an expression of incredulity.

  “Meaning I know we can create Illadar, but I don’t necessarily know how. But I know I will when the time comes.” It was a vague answer, but all she was willing to share at the moment. She didn’t want to even try explaining the woman in white to anyone who hadn’t already met the strange woman.

  “I knew it,” said Marek, a grin spreading across his face. “I knew you had it in you, Jak. You always were one to find a solution. Just like that time when you left me to find your dad.” He winked at her.