by Blake Vanier
He takes a deep breath and jumps from behind the tree. Immediately he dodges more bolts of energy, running from one tree to the next to get closer. When he has no other option, he blocks the Aether with the lid. After a second hit, his arm is throbbing in an unbearable pain that forces him to hide for a few moments.
He continues to fight, but no matter how quickly he moves, he is always forced to hide before he can get within striking distance.
He slams his back against a tree, catching his breath. The baking sheets on his chest and back have smoking holes in them. The trashcan lid is in worse shape, and the towels wrapped around his stick arm are charred. It's going for my sword side, where I don’t have my shield… smart. Maybe if I run straight at it, I’ll take it by surprise and I only have to block one zap. That would let me get close enough.
Nero dives out from the tree, charging the Entity. The first two bolts of energy zip over his head. At point blank range, he blocks an attack with the lid, temporarily knocking him off balance. It takes him two steps to center himself before he makes a wild jump, broomstick raised above his head. The Entity has long-since moved.
Nero's swing goes wide and throws him forward, leaving his broom side completely exposed. He senses the Entity’s imminent attack, desperately throwing his broom up to block. The stick takes the attack, and Nero rolls over his shoulder. He lands in a three-point stance, swinging the trashcan lid around in anticipation of another attack. The stick vibrates softly in his hand while he takes deep breaths.
The Entity just flickers in brightness and color. What the heck is it doing? It dissolves into nothing.
Nero's heart suddenly jumps to his throat as he notices Illi has made significant amount of progress toward day. What time is it? I'm going to be late for Sosimo's morning exercise!
*****
Back in his normal clothes and breathing hard, Nero stumbles into the exercise area as Sosimo is just finishing leading the other children through their morning Roroonki exercises. They all look at him oddly.
Later, as the children are heading out, Iona stops by Nero. “I haven’t talked to you in the last couple weeks. Are you mad at me?”
For leaving me? “No.” Nero looks over to Sosimo, who is waiting. “I think Sosimo wants to talk with me.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
“’Kay.” Nero walks away.
“I know you feel left out, and I respect the fact that you want to do your own training, but I want you to do these exercises with us. There’s no reason you can't.”
Nero nods. “I really meant to come back, I just lost track of time.”
“I expect you to be here tomorrow morning.” Sosimo turns to leave.
“Hey, Sosimo. Can I ask you another question?”
“Is this another strange one?”
“Uh, maybe”
“Well, at least it’ll be interesting.”
“Remember how you were telling us about the Games? Is there an event where they block Aether or something?”
“There is. It’s called the Trial of Odosa. The competitors block attacks from an Aether-canon the size of Gracie. It’s very impressive. What do you want to know?”
“Oh, cool. Do they use a metal shield or something?”
“No, of course not. That would be a horrible idea,” Sosimo says. Nero's face grows warm with embarrassment. “Aether flows through materials differently than normal energy. A metal is the worst choice.” Sosimo points to the wooden weapons hanging on the wall. “They use styks such as those, which provides a medium for Borukins to interact and store Aether.”
Holy cow! That's why it didn't hurt when the Entity attacked my stick… Did it know?
“Blocking and deflecting Aether attacks is a Borukin-specific skill called Odo. It is an important part of our culture and who we are. Very few races could match the skill of even a young Borukin in this. Why are you curious? Would you be interested in going to the Games if I take you?”
“Yes, that would be fun,” Nero says, smiling.
Sosimo nods. “I’ll keep that in mind. Now, let's get to work. We have candy to make.”
*****
“Hmmm, either you wised up or someone’s baking cookies at home.” The old Borukin is once again sweeping the front of his store in the early morning.
Nero dips his head, quickening his pace. He only carries the broken broomstick. Why didn't I go another way?
Nero hurries past an old, light skinned woman in a full-length, layered garment. The sturdy old woman looks into his eyes and smiles.
Nero yanks his gaze away, hurrying into the depths of the park. Jeez, that was creepy… Now, where is this Entity? It’s really going down today!
It takes him just a moment to track it down. Again, the Entity flickers in brightness and then settles to a darker violet when Nero gets close.
I hope that means it's scared…
The Entity shoots a bolt of energy and Nero rolls to the side. He closes the distance, diving behind a tree as sparks shower down over his head.
Alright. I just need to block the crazy-fast lightning with this little broomstick before it melts my face off. He takes a quick breath. Here goes nothing.
He pops out from behind the tree. When the Entity attacks, he whips the stick up with his eyes closed. He feels an impact on the stick and jumps back to safety. The broomstick vibrates with energy. He naturally pushes against it and the vibrations settle.
Ah-ha! It worked!
He runs out from the tree, charging. A few bolts fly over his head. He rolls out of the way of a third, landing on his feet and easily blocking a final bolt with the stick. Nero slashes right through the Entity, tearing it in two. Light and mist shower to the ground.
“I got it!” He holds up the vibrating stick in triumph. “I vanquished the evil…” Nero looks around. He is alone. His shoulders sag and his arms drop to his sides. So, right when I kinda make a friend, I kill it… wonderful.
Suddenly, his butt is searing, and he jumps high off the ground. He lands on his feet with his hand covering the painful spot. He spins around. The violet Entity flickers with brightness. “Cheap shot,” Nero yells.
The Entity shoots him again. Nero barely blocks it, dodging quickly behind a tree. He rubs his numb bottom. I guess I'm just going to have to do better! Nero smiles to himself and charges the Entity.
17
A Stolen Dagger
Nero
Nero blocks two quick attacks from the Entity. It is just a meter away before it suddenly falls apart. He inhales several times, charred broomstick ready. His breath is just barely visible in the cool winter morning. Where did it go?
He shifts his perspective to see the violet glow dissipate into the surroundings. Nero hears rustling from behind him. He spins around. The bright red, Aether glow of a person is running away.
He switches his perspective back to see a woman in brown. Soon, she is lost in the park. What was that? He runs forward to get a better look, stumbling on a golden glittering object in the grass. He drops his broomstick, picking up a long dagger. The engraved, dark wooden sheath is inlaid with gold and precious stones of green and red.
The handle is made from the same wood as the sheath, light grain running along its length. He pulls the dagger out, revealing a dark, double-edged blade. The triangles cut into its length are large near the base and smaller at the tip. He shifts his perspective to see a gentle pulsing red glow along the length of the sheath. There is a slight green glow between his fingers from the handle. When he slides the blade back in the sheath and removes his hands, green lines of Aether cling to his hand, as if the handle were covered in sticky slime. Eventually, the lines of Aether break. Green tentacles from the handle reach out for his hand.
Oh that's creepy. The tentacles sway like grass in the ocean as he moves his hand back and forth. This is weird. It's like they’re alive and drawn to me. What are they?
Suddenly, there is an iron grip around his wrist. The dagger is ripped from his hand.
/>
The old Borukin Nero had seen sweeping in the mornings, glares at him with a stare of death. “You two-handed, white-skinned, sorry-excuse-for-something-that-uses-oxygen, thief!” He says between deep breaths.
“What?” Nero yells, partially from pain and partially from surprise. “I didn't steal anything.”
The man turns, yanking Nero's arm with him. Nero resists, but the old man's strength is unyielding.
“Thought you could take advantage of an old man? Obviously, your Human brain didn’t account for the speed of a well-ripened Borukin! I was right behind you the whole time.”
Nero stumbles along. “I don't know what you’re talking about! I just found it on the ground.” Nero’s tears and panic start to build.
The old man walks with a slight limp. “Save your lies for the police. You'll be in jail until you get arthritis.”
“I didn't do anything wrong,” Nero barely squeezes out. Tears trickle down both of his cheeks.
The Borukin drags Nero the rest of the way to his shop in silence. Inside, he throws Nero on a chair next to a phone. The medallion on Nero’s neck jumps, catching the man's eye.
“Did you steal that, too?” The man grabs the medallion.
Nero fights with the old man, but is unable to stop him from pulling the necklace over his head.
Nero's head drops. “I didn't steal anything,” he says between sobs.
The old man hesitates, picking up the phone. “Where'd you get this, then?”
“Sosimo gave it to me. The candy maker.”
“Ha! Sosimo, the candy maker? You might as well call him Sosimo the rock trainer for the waste of talent he is.” The man shakes his head. “There’s no reason he would give a little rascal like you this medallion.”
“But he did!”
“Well, let’s see what Sosimo has to say about that.” The man looks Nero directly in the eyes. “Don't think about doing anything funny. Or anything at all. Just sit there and breathe. If you must.” He dials. “Hi, Sosimo. It's Saraf.”
Saraf frowns. “What? No, I'm not getting needy. This is about something else. Do you know a small child, Human―I think―light hair, really skinny, cries a lot?”
“Oh, yeah?” Saraf covers the phone with his hand, looking at Nero. “What's your name, boy?”
“Nero.”
Saraf's shoulders droop. He moves his hand from the phone. “Yeah, it's him. Did you give him the medallion I gave to you?”
“Well, I found him in the park with Kormick's dagger.”
“That's what I think, but he says he just found it.”
“You trust him? Are you sure he hasn't stolen anything from you?”
“Of course I saw the thief. I'm not getting that old.”
“The one that took the dagger was dressed in brown. If I had to guess, she was a she and definitely not Borukin.”
“No, the boy doesn't fit the description. I didn't say I saw him take it.”
“Well, then, yeah. His story could check out. But why would she drop the dagger?”
“Errrr… or more likely she saw me coming.” He lets out a sigh. “Okay fine, I'll let him go.”
Relief washes over Nero. He fills his lungs with air, wiping the tears away. Saraf’s shop is bursting with Artifacts. They cover the walls, shelves, and display cases. When Nero shifts his perspective, he is overwhelmed by light of every color. It shines as if the place were on fire. Holy cow, this is incredible! Without thinking, he hops off his chair, moving toward an especially bright glow from a display case in the back of the shop.
Saraf eyes Nero, still talking on the phone. “Are these kids with that catalyst thingy you’re helping out?”
“No? Well, pardon me. Why didn’t you tell me about them?”
Saraf shakes his head. “And I don't approve. Though, you do seem a bit more manageable lately…”
“You don’t need to keep asking. I already said I would help even though you’re going to be rustier than a sunken ship and I’m going to have to do everything.”
Saraf glances again at Nero, who is examining the Artifacts. “Okay, well I need to go, Sosimo. Goodbye.”
“Hey,” Saraf snaps. “I said you were only allowed to breathe. What are you doing, moving around?”
“I thought that was only because I was in trouble.”
“And you think you’re not in trouble anymore?”
Nero looks about. “Am I?”
“Not yet.”
Nero turns back to the Artifacts, sticking his nose on the display case. They are more impressive than any Artifact he has ever seen. Most of them radiate blue, while others are green or red. One has an orange glow. Nero lets his vision switch back to normal. He sees the artifacts as crystal rods, gloves, bracers, bracelets, and necklaces.
“Take your greasy nose off my case,” Saraf says. He palms Nero’s head, moving him away. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to keep this place clean?” Saraf rubs the glass with his shirt.
“Your Artifacts are amazing! They’re way better than Sosimo’s. Where did you get them?”
“Ha! Sosimo hasn't showed you the good stuff then. He was my most promising student.”
“For doing what?”
“For making Artifacts. Has he not told you? Do you think people just gave these to me because I’m nice? Do I seem nice to you? No. I made them. Most of them, anyway.”
“You did?” Nero asks, disbelieving.
“What? You don’t think an old but surprisingly good-looking Borukin such as myself could make Artifacts?”
“I never said you were good-looking.”
“I know. I’m just saying that for an old guy, I’m not too hard on the eyes.”
“You are pretty old-looking,” Nero says.
“Are you trying to get on my bad side?”
“No, sorry. What I meant is―I didn’t think I’d ever meet a person that could make artifacts. They’re incredible. What do all these do?” Nero sticks his nose against the case again, pointing inside.
“Will you stop it with the nose?” Saraf pulls back Nero’s head and rubs the display with his shirt again.
“Sorry! What do they do?” So many different types…
“More than a feeble Human brain could understand.” Saraf turns Nero around, pushing him away. “I’m saving you the headache.”
“Please! I have a good brain. I promise.”
“I’m sure you do.”
I can’t leave. I may never get another chance to see these. Nero sits on the ground. “I’m not moving unless you show me one. You’ll have to carry me out.”
Saraf looks down at him, frowning. “I took a poop bigger than you this morning. Carrying you shouldn’t be a problem.”
Nero rises to his knees. He clasps his hands together. “Please, sir, just show me one.”
A shiver runs through Saraf’s body. “Ooh, I’ll do it as long as you don’t use that word again.”
Nero hops up and sticks his finger on the glass, pointing to a bracelet.
Saraf holds out his arms, looking at Nero’s finger like he was just insulted.
Nero pulls back his finger, wiping the glass with his dirty shirt. It only smears more grease around. “Oh, sorry.”
Saraf shakes his head. “Just leave it.” He fumbles in his pocket for a set of keys. “Sosimo made this bracelet a long time ago. It’s very impressive.” He looks at Nero seriously. “Don’t you dare tell him I said that.”
Nero shakes his head solemnly. “I won’t.”
“Good. Are you ready?”
Nero nods, shifting his perspective. Saraf’s body swirls with blue and red interwoven Aether. Many details of his face are still visible, completely different from the obscuring bright red glow from the Woman at Blue Horin. As Saraf reaches for the bracelet, the green tentacles fanning from it dive into his hand. Green veins of light crawl throughout his body. His natural glow dims. Nero jumps, letting his perspective shift back to normal.
Saraf is gone. Nero shifts his
perspective once again. Saraf’s glowing body is walking away. Suddenly the green veins in Saraf’s body dim and his normal glow returns.
Saraf jumps at Nero. “Boo! Bwahaha. Did I scare you?” Saraf frowns. “You don’t seem so surprised.”
“What happened?”
“What do you mean, what happened? I was invisible. Well, not truly invisible. This spiffy little bracelet discombobulates your brain waves, so they can’t perceive my presence. The downfall is, it drains energy faster than trying to dig up your grandma’s grave to get an Amulet she promised you but didn’t write in her will before the keep catches you…” Saraf says as his breath runs out. He lets out a nervous laugh.
“Is the handle of the dagger I found an invisibility talisman too?”
Saraf's eyebrows rise. “It uses the same cast of Aether, but it’s a speed and strength talisman instead. Why did you ask that?”
“They both have those strange tentacle thingies coming out of them.”
“Tentacle thingies? Did we change topics?”
“I don't know how to explain them, it's something I feel and see, I guess… They're kinda like―green tentacles―” Nero wiggles his fingers, looking at Saraf, uneasy. “When you touched it, the tentacles went into your hand and spread green lines of glowing light through your own blue and red glow. That scared me because when I looked for you, you were gone. When I focused, though, I saw your glow and brighter green lines.”
“Red lights, green lights, tentacles… The only tentacles I can imagine are the ones mucking with your brain.”
“I’m not making it up. All these Artifacts have different colors and stuff.”
“Uh-huh. Whatever you say, kiddo.”
“Why doesn’t anyone ever believe me?”
Saraf looks at Nero for a moment. “You did recognize the handle and the bracelet. How about I give you a challenge to prove what you say?”
“What type of challenge?”
“A challenge to the death!” Saraf says with both hands open toward Nero.
“What?” Nero looks at Saraf in shock.
Saraf drops his arm. “Okay, fine, I can see you’re not really into that. It doesn’t have to be to the death―unless you do something completely unexpected.”