Awakenings

by C. D. Espeseth

  Then something struck Thannis’s body hard, and he felt himself falling.

  It was as if he had just been ripped from the stream of life, and everything suddenly became sickeningly dull.

  “No,” he tried to say, but there was no air in his lungs. His body wouldn’t respond.

  “What in the hells were you doing?!” the professor snapped from somewhere above him. “You trying to get yourself killed?”

  “Don’t touch me,” Thannis tried to say. He felt the weight of a body on him and thrust it off. His skin felt on fire, his whole body like an exposed nerve.

  “You were going to die,” Dennis answered defensively, nursing his stomach where Thannis had struck him.

  “You know nothing,” Thannis hissed. “I was going to live, I was–” A headache slammed into him, and he rolled onto his side. His mind finally began to make sense of what had happened. “I’m all right.” He waved at Dennis to leave him alone. Normal sensation finally began to sink back into his body, and he could once again feel the stone floor against his skin.

  “Stupid boy,” the professor cursed down at him, “We’re lucky the glassware wasn’t damaged with that foolhardy attempt.” Professor Attridge studied the equipment on the bench. “Everything appears in order.” A strange look came over the professor then, and he quirked an eyebrow up at Thannis. “Why would you do that?” The initial anger at Thannis’s brashness had been replaced with scientific curiosity.

  “They are connected,” Thannis said between breaths. “Whatever you’ve done has blended the energies somehow, made it more than the sum of its parts. I’ve never felt anything like it,” Thannis tried to explain, but his mind was still slow from the onslaught of power.

  “Yes I suppose they would be, wouldn’t they.” Professor Attridge was already lost in his own thoughts and was already scribbling down his thought into a leather-bound journal on the desk.

  Dennis was looking at him strangely. “It grabbed you,” he whispered.

  “What?” Thannis shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

  “The liquid,” Dennis stepped in closer and whispered to him, “when you pushed the globe in and your hand was about to sink in, I thought I saw it reaching towards you as well.” Dennis looked as if he had just seen a phantom.

  “Don’t be daft,” the professor scoffed from his stool, “The liquid is inert; it is only a medium used to transfer the energy more efficiently.” Professor Attridge shook his head, his quill already scribbling along the parchment. “Reaching out to grab him, of all the ridiculous things to say.”

  “Can we get more of it?” Thannis dismissed his shocked cousin’s comment. It couldn’t have reached for him. That didn’t make any sense.

  “Yes, yes, of course.” The professor waved away the question. “I can get the alchemists to make as much of the liquid as we need. We should have a good store of most of the ingredients. Of course, it still won’t be cheap …” The professor left the last for Thannis to fill in.

  “Have any costs collated and sent to me. I want as much of this liquid medium created as possible. And get a big vat,” Thannis ordered. “The biggest you can find.”

  “Why? How many santsi were you thinking of connecting?” Dennis was looking at him sceptically.

  Thannis glanced towards the back room, which held empty shelves ready for their orders of the amazing new santsi. The possibilities blossoming in his head were coming almost too fast to follow. “All of them.”

  He had spent so long just searching for the next sensation, the next unique flavour of a special soul. Imagine if he could store and combine the energies at the same time. He could sample the currents of the incredible mixture, and each time would be a new experience. Heaven would not taste or feel as sweet as what he envisioned.

  “All of them?” The professor’s eyebrow rose. “Surely even you would not be able to control that many. You have some sort of deathwish?”

  “I can control it.” Thannis sounded surer than he was, but he didn’t care. Whatever the consequences, it would be worth it.

  I need to have that talk with Father, right now. Thannis stumbled up to his feet. But first, the Artificium. He had another topic he wanted his new young prodigy looking into.

  “Where are you going now?” Professor Attridge asked irritatedly.

  “To direct my new army of researchers towards some interesting ideas I’ve just had, and then to a long overdue meeting. Oh, Dennis, just tell him who I really am. I’ve grown tired of my charade.” Thannis waved flippantly at his cousin.

  “He already knows,” Dennis answered with a slight smirk. “And no, I didn’t say.”

  “I figured it out by the second day, my prince,” Profesor Attridge said without lifting his head from his notes. “I may be old, but I’m not deaf, dumb, or blind and I’m still a few years from senile.”

  Thannis found that odd, it was like a strange cloud over his mind had suddenly been lifted, and he could almost swear that clarity had come once he had placed his hand in the vat.

  It was then he saw a figure in a black robe slip past the wooden doors which then thudded closed.

  Neither Dennis or Professor Attridge even registered the noise of the doors closing.

  Thannis thought it odd only for a moment before pieces of a puzzle began to click quietly into place. His mouth twisted into a snarl and a rage which he had not known since his youth began to boil within him.

  Yes, he needed to talk to his father, but now money was not his only motivation.

  Murder had suddenly become a very close second.

  22 - A Talk and Reunions

  Some of our old technology will, of course, resurface. I will have to set Kali to watch for this and set a threshold for technological advance within each cycle.

  Her various scouts will have to relay the ability levels of each civilisation, as we cannot allow them ever to reach the level of destructive power we held. The planet cannot take that risk.

  - Journal of Robert Mannford, Day 077 Year 04

  Wayran

  Fellow Callahan’s Garden and the Artificium, The Academy, New Toeron, Bauffin

  Wayran turned the corner and passed through the small entrance into Fellow Callahan’s garden. The beauty of the cultivated trees and landscape hit him immediately, and he was struck with a feeling of reverence.

  Then he saw Adel sitting with her eyes closed and meditating upon a frozen pond in nothing but tight-fitting short trousers and a shirt just large enough to cover the top half of her torso.

  His breath caught in his throat.

  She was stunning.

  Smooth muscles like iron snakes corded through her legs and arms. Her stomach looked strong enough to bend a spear point.

  It was then he noticed the lack of snow or cold anywhere else within the garden, and as he looked closer at Adel’s crossed legs he could see she wasn’t sitting on the pond but rather in the pond. The bottom half of her legs and several of her toes were encased in ice.

  “Are you going to your meeting, or are you just going to stare?” Adel asked without opening her eyes.

  “Ah, sorry.” Wayran flushed and looked down at the ground. “It’s just you’re amazing– uh, I mean, what I meant to say was I didn’t mean to stare at you, or your body – no, I mean what you’re doing is amazing.” Idiot! He screamed at himself. That was terrible.

  “At my body?” Adel arched an eyebrow and Wayran heard the note of alarm in her voice. The ice suddenly melted away as if it had never been. Adel sunk into the pond and a cloud of steam billowed up in front of her.

  “I’m sorry,” Wayran said, completely disgusted with himself. “You just surprised me, I didn’t expect you to be here, which, in hindsight, is completely my fault.”

  Adel stepped through the steam as she cinched tight a belt on a long billowy robe. She looked confused and upset. “Why would you stare at my body? What’s so strange about it?”

  Wayran felt quite sure he was about to be on the receivi
ng end of one of Adel’s punches which had already begun to get quite a reputation.

  “There’s nothing strange.” Wayran backed away and held up a hand in the futile hope he might divert the strike. “You’re beautiful is all, I was being rude and ogling. I’m sorry.”

  Adel stared at him for a long moment. “Are you making fun of me?”

  Wayran saw her back foot pivot, and he cringed in anticipation of pain. He put his hands up to cover his face. “No, I swear to Halom I’m not. I should’ve turned away and let you finish instead of staring.”

  No punch or kick came, and Wayran dared to open his eyes. Adel had stepped off the path to Fellow Callahan’s house. She had an eyebrow raised as she started walking back to the pond. He thought he heard her whisper, “Beautiful?”

  She finally looked up at him, and Wayran was amazed to see her cheeks looking a bit rosier than usual as well. “He’s waiting for you.” Adel pointed to the house. “Just in there.”

  Wayran thought Adel almost looked a bit stunned by what he had said and he found that odd. She must have been told that before? Right?

  It was then he noticed she had retrieved a black handled sword in a black scabbard from the base of the pond.

  Oh, Gods! She wasn’t going to just hit him, she was going to kill him!

  Wayran turned to run, “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by it, I–”

  Then he heard the laughter and Adel was bent over and pointing at him, “You thought that I–” she pointed at the sword on her hip, “with this? Ha, ha!” She continued to laugh for a moment longer. “Wow, you misread people almost as bad as I do.”

  “So, you’re not going to kill me?” Wayran cocked an eyebrow at her, not entirely sure he was safe yet.

  “No, you silly boy. Why would I kill you?”

  “Well, because I was rude.”

  “Rude?” Adel shook her head. “How? By calling me beautiful? Wayran, you idiot, that’s the nicest thing anyone other than Naira has ever said to me. Ever.”

  “That can’t be.” Wayran shook his head, not quite believing it.

  “It’s true. Father never said that, and Naira is the only friend I’ve ever had. I wasn’t allowed to go into the village very often, and never by myself.”

  “Oh.” Wayran felt sad for her. He had an impulse to give her a hug but then thought better of it looking at the sword at her hip again. “I’m not sure what to say, I–”

  “Do you really think I’m beautiful?” Adel looked at him with such wonder it made Wayran smile.

  “Well, yes. You are.”

  Adel smiled.

  “All right, enough of that, you two,” a kind but firm voice called from down the path. Fellow Callahan was standing in his doorway with his hands folded together. “Despite my age, I do actually have things to do today.”

  “Sorry, sir,” Wayran and Adel said in unison.

  “Not a problem. Wayran – into the house, we have a lot to talk about. Adel – back to the pond. I want you to try and light that candle, remember?” Fellow Callahan pointed to the candle sitting atop a pole in the ground nearly a dozen paces from the pond.

  Adel nodded and started to loosen her belt.

  “Just wait until I’ve got this young man inside. He’s already given you enough distracting thoughts without being encouraged.

  Adel’s cheeks reddened as did Wayran’s but Wayran saw the hint of a smile on Adel’s tightened lips as he was lead into the house.

  ***

  “That’s quite a tale,” Fellow Callahan said as he leaned back in his chair.

  Wayran had just related everything that had happened to him and Matoh in the Wastes, his time with the Storm Chasers, his recurring dreams and the visions he had had during and after the battle with Matoh at the initiation ceremony. He finished off his storytelling about the journal he had recovered from under the sand at the Jendar complex and what Chronicler Talbot thought they might find within the journal.

  “I’ve heard second-hand of some of your adventures through Matoh. He quite often comes by to check on Adel, to make sure she’s all right. I think he feels responsible for her for some reason.”

  “That sounds about right. Matoh doesn’t need much of a reason to try and protect people. I’m fairly certain he already feels like he must save the city and the Nine Nations from just about anything.” Wayran was trying to sound jovial but was worried he sounded jealous of his brother and felt bad. “He’s tried to help me with my nightmares too, or maybe they have been visions all along. I don’t know.”

  Fellow Callahan held up a hand. “I understand, young Spierling. Now, more to the point, it sounds to me like we need to go see your friend, Chronicler Talbot. Come on, up we get. We’ll take Adel with us too. Don’t want her blowing my house to bits in my absence, now, do I?”

  “I guess not, sir,” Wayran said.

  As they walked outside, he was amazed to see Adel still sitting on the pond, now encased in ice up to her abdomen, but more impressively, the candle on the pole had been lit. It winked out suddenly as Adel breathed in, then lit once more as she breathed out.

  “Good,” Fellow Callahan said. “Your control is getting better. That’s good.”

  “How …” Wayran was lost for words and pointed at the candle, “… how is that even possible?”

  “Well, my boy, there are great depths to this world that very few people ever explore and there is just as great a depth, if not more, within your very mind and nearly infinite combinations of the two. Adel is exploring some of those depths and combinations with me in an attempt to learn a greater level of control.”

  “I don’t understand, sir.”

  “Well, not yet. It’s hard to grasp a concept immediately, most of us have to think on these things a great while before they make any sense. I know I did.” Fellow Callahan smiled at him and patted his hand.

  “Adel, that’s enough for today. Get your robe on and come with us, we’re headed to the Artificium.”

  The ice disappeared once more as the candle winked out. Adel stood quickly, so only the bottom parts of her legs got wet. She seemed to be hesitating.

  “I don’t think Father would like me going to a place like that.” Adel’s head was bowed submissively.

  “Well, your father isn’t here at the moment, Adel, and it would be a point he and I would disagree on. The past can always be useful, and we should not be afraid of it.” Fellow Callahan touched Adel on the shoulder and made her raise her head. “Come now, let us find out what is in this book young Wayran has found.”

  “The one you found in the Jendar ruins?” Adel’s interest perked up, and she smiled shyly at Wayran. “Matoh told me that part of the story, and how you got that white spot in your hair.” She touched him on the head where he had been struck by the falling debris as he and Matoh escaped the collapsing room within the Jendar complex.

  “Yes, that’s the book all right, the one from the ruins, and yes the white patch of hair was gifted to me just after I’d found the book when the whole place seemed to be collapsing.”

  “It sounded like you were lucky to get out alive. Were you scared?” Adel asked.

  “Honestly, I don’t remember too much of it. I just remember trying to react fast enough to keep ahead of all the craziness. That and my heart pounding so hard that I thought I might have a heart attack.”

  They headed through the grounds of the Academy until they came to the Artificium and Wayran was surprised to see teams of builders, carpenters, and labourers all around the building. Wooden scaffolding formed a skeletal box around what had once been the green space where Wayran had chased the red-eyed man over a month ago.

  The memory of the strange being gave him chills. He hadn’t seen the man since and he still wasn’t sure if the man had even been real. Yet, despite the lack of evidence, Wayran was almost sure he hadn’t been hallucinating, not after his visions of late.

  “Are you all right, young Spierling? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost,” Fellow
Callahan said as he put a hand on Wayran’s shoulder.

  “I’m fine, sir. It’s just it was there I chased the red-eyed man through the Academy and into the initiation ceremony.”

  “Ah yes, I remember that part of your story, very curious indeed. Now, unfortunately, any evidence of the strange creature has been lost. Our Chronicler friends have come into some money and are building a new wing to the Artificium,” Fellow Callahan explained.

  “Where did the money come from?” Wayran asked, knowing the history of hardship and poverty most within the Chroniclers’ Guild knew.

  “He’s a somewhat mysterious fellow, some relation to the Nothavran royal line. It’s quite a break with tradition for someone within that family. Most are very devout Singers, though there are rumours that the Beau’Chants have much more exotic tastes and might even have ties to the Vinda Sisterhood,” Fellow Callahan said almost casually.

  “Really?” Wayran had never heard such a rumour, but he didn’t really pay much attention to politics or gossip.

  “Oh, there I go again, I should have learned by now not to let myself prattle on, people might start to think me old or some such nonsense.” The older man smiled, and Adel chuckled.

  The three of them walked up the steps, having to dodge past several sets of tools and stacks of building materials. It was then Wayran noticed a large coil of what looked like copper wire, except this wire was coated in some sort of amber coating.

  “What is that?” he asked as he stepped up beside the enormous coil.

  “This? Well, son, this here is what the boss calls electrical wire. Bought a big shipment of the wire they use at Spierling’s for all them fancy Syklan suits. Says he coated it with some sort of sap I think. Insoblates the wire it does,” the workman beside the coil said. He seemed very excited by them.

  “Insulates, I think you’ll find is the word, Steven,” Fellow Callahan corrected with a smile. “Very impressive, isn’t it?”

  “Oh, insulates, yes, that was it. Thank you, sir, and yes it is very impressive, Fellow Callahan,” Steven said, not minding being corrected by the older man. “The boss has commissioned all sorts of new contraptions to be put into this new wing. Those Chroniclers have been working overtime since he got involved. Heck by the time this is done, the new wing will almost be larger than the original Artificium. Brave new world we’re living in, sir, brave new world I, say.”