A Dark Tide (Book of One) (13 page)

"
Yes, in the terms of this world, we were married once.
"

"
What changed?
"

"
The world changed, and we changed with it,
" Stroma answered and Aaron could tell that he did not want to discuss it further and he turned his focus to the gently flowing pool of energy in the window.

"
If the book is in this place called Etherium, must we not go there to retrieve it?
" Aaron asked.

"
It would not be wise for you to go to such a place, especially since we are not sure if this path even leads there. However, there may be a way to retrieve the book, but you will have to trust me.
"

"
I don't,
" Aaron said, knowing what Stroma was suggesting, but there did not appear to be any other way to get the book. "
I do not trust you Stroma, but I will trust you with this.
"

"
I have no reason to betray you, and this will put both of us at great risk, for I have far less experience than you do at resisting the shadow.
"

"
I thought you would have learned how to deal with the shadow over your nearly endless existence,
" Aaron said. "
You have fought the shadow before, haven't you?
"

"
Yes, Aaron, but never like this. Those who fell prey to the dark power were destroyed by it, and those of us who recognized what it was did everything in our power to eradicate it.
"

"
And the gods burned the world with truefire.
"

"
It was necessary, and the sooner you see the truth of it, the better.
"

"
Do what you need to do to get the book, Stroma,
" Aaron said. "
And be sure not to touch the power that comes from inside me, or we will both be lost.
"

"
Of course,
" Stroma said, and Aaron felt his weak presence slowly drift throughout his body. He felt the surprise of the god as he truly felt the power that raged deep within him, threatening to flow forth, and the cold, empty hunger of the shadow that grasped for his power. "
I do not know how you resist using your power, Aaron.
"

"
I do not want it. I never did,
" Aaron told him. "
I was even willing to give it to you.
"

"
Yes, I know,
" Stroma said. "
It is still strange for me to think in such a way.
"

"
Just get the book,
" Aaron told him, for he could feel the shadow awakening within him, looking for some way to get at his power.

Stroma drew energy from Aaron's body and focused it toward the window of the room then he pulled the power into itself, creating a kind of vortex of magic. Aaron felt him call out to the book, which felt similar to the way Stroma had shown him how to sense its presence. There was a kind of shift in where the book was, as though it had moved closer, but only a little, and then it stopped, as though it was stuck. Aaron could feel Stroma's frustration and his temptation to use the far greater power deep within him to simply summon the book.

"
Careful, Stroma,
" Aaron reminded him.

"
It is truly agony not to use it.
"

"
Yes, it is,
" Aaron said.

Stroma called the book again, drawing even more power from Aaron's physical form and there was movement and then it stopped again. Aaron felt his teeth clench as Stroma tried harder, and finally, whatever was stopping the book relented and he felt its presence drawing closer. The air in the window began to swirl like a pool liquid and Stroma reached out Aaron's hand as the book appeared, then he suddenly felt himself knocked backwards. In the shock and surprise, Aaron felt Stroma reach for his power. It was a defensive reaction, nothing more, but a dangerous one and Aaron felt the shadow latch onto the essence of the god as Stroma touched his power.

"
No!
" he yelled inside his thoughts and he pulled Stroma away from it, forcing him back out of his being and into the drifting place in the corners of his essence.

The shadow leapt hungrily toward his power as it rose, bidden by Stroma, and Aaron closed his eyes and focused on nothingness, willing his inner essence to be calm. The power that had welled up inside him slowly subsided and he felt the shadow grasping for it, almost as though it was angry at being denied once more, and he could tell that its power was even greater now, having taken much of what was left of Stroma's essence. Aaron opened his eyes, realizing that the book was in his hand, but that someone was atop him, and he saw a familiar face looking down at him. He shifted the spell he had cast around himself, expanding it slightly, so he could be seen.

"If it isn't my old friend, the young swordsman," the thief said with an odd look on his face as Aaron appeared before him. He let go of the book, rolled off of him and sprung to his feet.

"You must be a very good thief if you were trying to steal this book," Aaron said as he pushed himself up from the floor.

"A very good thief?" Jax smiled. "I am the best there is. And speaking of thieving, I see you no longer have my sword."

"Your sword?"

"Yes, the one I let you take from me that day on the streets. It was a very nice sword, a lot like yours, in fact."

"You let me take it?"

"You don't think you won that little game of swords, do you?" Jax said, shaking his head. "I was going to steal it back from you forthwith, but as you can see I was sidetracked by some other matters."

"Who are you, really?" Aaron asked.

"Who am I?" Jax smiled and then he bowed deeply. "I am the one and only Jax Larian."

The name was familiar to Aaron, not from the time he met him on the streets of Maramyr, but from something out of his memories, and another name echoed in his thoughts.

"Are you related to Dash Larian?" Aaron asked, realizing to whom the eyes he saw in his memory of the shadow belonged, for they were very similar to the ones that looked at him now.

Jax frowned.

"Yes," he said. "Sadly, once upon a time, he was my father."

"Where is he now?" Aaron asked.

"Gone from this world," Jax replied, his gaze hardening. "And that's probably for the best."

Aaron held up the book. "Is that where this book was, with him?"

"You ask a lot of questions," Jax said, looking at him suspiciously, then he changed the subject. "Obviously you were the one that pulled that book here. It's dangerous, you know, especially if you have any magical talent, and I think you do. The way you're holding it, it looks like it's pretty important to you. Tell me, why do you want it so badly?"

"I intend to destroy it," Aaron told him.

"Oh, well then," Jax said with a smile. "Please, by all means, do it. Rid the world of the accursed thing. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Suddenly there was a deep and reverberating crack of power and the walls of the palace began to shake. Aaron let his senses expand outward, sensing what might be causing it, and he knew it was the power of the dark god, angered that he was near but remained hidden.

"If you value your life, get as far away from Maramyr as you can," he told the thief.

"Right then," Jax said and he started for the door, then he stopped and turned. "Oh, I met a friend of yours named Brian, a strapping young fellow, one of Lord Kaleb's men. When I mentioned the story about my sword, he said he knew you."

"Yes," Aaron said. "Brian is a good friend. If you see him, please wish him well for me."

"I'll do that," Jax said. "And when my sword is returned to you, I'd like to opportunity to win it back, in a proper match."

"I will agree to that," Aaron said, in a moment of slight amusement, which was cut short by another reverberating crash.

"No rush, of course" Jax said, patting the sword at his hip. "I have another one just like it."

"
Ask him where he got it,
" Stroma echoed in Aaron's thoughts as the thief turned to leave.

"Where did you get your hands on another godsword?" Aaron asked.

"Godsword? Is that what they're called? They were giving them out at the tournament here in Maramyr. It was a bloody slaughter but the victors each got one, along with a command in the army, a dubious honor I naturally declined, what with being a thief."

"
That is disturbing news,
" Stroma commented. "
It seems that the weapons of power have been found."

"You had better go, Jax," Aaron said. "There is a dark and destructive power here and it searches for me."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Jax said, then he cocked his head. "Well, I suppose you just did. Right then, I'll be going."

Jax smiled and waved, then he dashed from the room. As soon as he was gone, Aaron used a little more of the power that remained in his physical self to open the magical pocket where Stroma had placed the other four books and he withdrew them, one by one, placing each copy atop the other. As soon as the last book was placed, the books began to merge together and, after a moment Aaron held only one book in his hand. He flipped the book over and turned it upside down, then he closed his eyes and opened the book, facing its pages away from him. The book almost seemed to vibrate in his hands, and, after a few moments, it finally stopped, and he closed its pages once more.

"
It is done,
" Stroma said, weakly. "
The link between Kenra and the book is gone, and all those who were held by the power of the book are now free.
"

"
It was as simple as that,
" Aaron commented.

"
Of course
," Stroma said. "
The books were meant to be used by the gods, and only they would have been able to break the connection to those who followed them through the magic of the book
."

"
Yet I was able to break the connection
," Aaron said.

"
Of course, with all the books combined, you now have the one true book, the original, as it were. I created it and since you have my knowledge of it, you are now its master
."

Aaron held the book up and looked at it. It was such a simple volume, leather bound, nondescript, the sort of book one might walk past on a shelf in a library without giving it so much as a second glance. He turned the book around and flipped it over, then he closed his eyes and opened the book.

"
What are you doing, Aaron?
" Stroma asked, his tone both confused and concerned, but Aaron ignored him.

The book vibrated in his hands and Aaron felt a strange sensation that reminded him of a boat that was tied to a long line that hung slack in the water, floating just a little ways away. He opened his eyes and the rope pulled taut as the book pulled toward him, as though it wanted to slam right into him, then the book became calm once more and Aaron saw his own reflection appear in the open pages. It was like looking in a mirror, except the pages were like a painted representation of him. Aaron walked over to the window, where the air rippled like water with the magic of the pathway. He held up the book, and looked at it for a moment, then he used nearly the last of the power that remained within him and drew several lines of magic between himself, the book and the pathway, then he created a simple spell around the book and it disappeared.

"
You take a great risk, Aaron,
" Stroma echoed within his thoughts as Aaron turned and walked from the room.

*****

Sitting by the fire, swirling the drink in his latest bottle, the man who was once known as Dash Larian frowned, remembering a life long past. He was not sure which parts of it were real or just things he had dreamt up while in a drunken daze, but no matter how many memories of laughter and smiling faces he tried to recall, they always turned dark. It was his curse that everything he knew would turn to ashes and dust, and he shook his head and closed his eyes tight, trying to shut out the thoughts of darkness. He took another swig from the bottle and felt the warmth of the sweet water burn its way down his throat, and a moment later the waves of welcome fog began to roll in upon him.

He reached for another bottle, then he changed his mind, deciding that perhaps he had already had enough for today, whatever day it was, and instead of a bottle, something else appeared in his hand. He looked at it and recognized the book, but it was different than how he remembered it. Even though it seemed solid to the touch, it appeared to be strangely translucent as though it was some kind of illusion, like it was only partially there. Curious that it would have returned, and hoping that whatever was happening in the world was less difficult than the thoughts that were rattling around inside his head of late, Dash opened the book, and he saw the one place he had been trying to forget, the room where it had all happened.