Diamond Bonds (7 page)

With a grimace, she confirms, “Well, it was definitely him who did it.  That’s some powerful shaping.”

“Is that why you’re after him?”

Fire shrugs.  “You know how it goes.  You never know
why
you’re after someone.  All I know is what he’s worth.”

“And what
is
he worth?” Orlan asks.  “If the price is right, I’ll offer my services to you.”

“Sure, come along,” she replies with a cold stare.  “I
promise
I won’t feed you false information about how to get paid.”

“I can take a hint,” he grunts as he picks his lantern off the ground. “Well, that’s all I have to show you.  Embarrassing as it is to admit, it took me the better part of an hour to get out of that hole, so they were obviously gone by the time I got out.  As best I could hear, they made nice with the people in the carriage and took off with them.  It was late in the day, so they were probably headed to Brentan.”

As he leaves, Fire calls out, “Thanks, old man!  You’re pretty useful when you’re not swindling me.”

Orlan shakes his head and turns back toward Hougur.  “And to think I showed you this for free.”  Waving a hand in the air, he calls back, “We’re even now, Fire!  Don’t come asking for any more favors.”

“Like this makes up for thirty thousand venni!” she calls out, knowing full well it might.  She tromps back into the woods, following the path from a distance as she traverses the dark terrain.  There will be no sleep for her tonight.

*              *              *

The travelers hike conspicuously along the open path, enjoying the midday road all to themselves.  The morning was a quiet one for the group, as a sullen Di has continued to wrestle with her conscience.  The relatively flat journey starts to become more difficult as they enter the hill country, and she moans as her legs complain about the inclines.  “Can we take a break?  Going uphill is hard.”

Jem doesn’t turn around as she continues her march.  “Hills cover half the way to Canterin.  It’s not going to get easier anytime soon, so get used to it.”

Era nods in agreement, providing no relief to Di.  The cusp of the hill is in sight, but seeing the distance only makes it harder to hike the path.  She trudges onward, slowly, until she collapses with a huff, her face and hair a mess of perspiration.

“Hey Jem, better hold up,” Era calls out.

She forces an aggravated sigh.  “Seriously, Di, do you even
want
to go home?” Jem yells as she storms back, her arms in the air.  “Look, you’re not even carrying anything.  Era and I have to hike with these ridiculously large bags,” she notes as she loudly smacks the side of her backpack.

Di rolls her eyes.  “Of course I want to go home!  You want me to go faster?  Fine!”  She jumps to her feet and hikes at an accelerated pace, overtaking her two traveling companions.  Though she attempts to maintain her lead, Era and Jem easily pass her at a normal walking pace.  Not having any experience living in the wild, Di just can’t make her legs move like she wants.

Jem stops and watches the sluggish girl make an honest but pathetic attempt to scale the incline.  “Alright, Era, what are we going to do about that?  We’ll never make it to Canterin at this rate.”

Era walks back to his lagging companion and, without asking permission, scoops her up in his arms.  Di lets out a small “eep!” and smacks him in the chest.  “W-What are you doing!?”

“I’m carrying the princess back to her castle!” Era exclaims.

Blushing, Di crosses her arms in contempt, but she doesn’t object.  Despite looking weak, Era’s strength and endurance continue to impress her.  He catches up to Jem, and they continue to hike the trail.

“S-So,” Di stammers, trying to become more comfortable with the situation.  “I’ve decided you two shouldn’t steal anything else while you’re escorting me back.”

“And if we do?” Jem asks, hardly interested in the conversation.

Di takes a deep breath and says, “If you do, then I’ll tell my father
not
to give you a reward!”

Jem glances at Era, but she can’t keep a straight face.  The two laugh aloud, much to the annoyance of the girl being carried.  Jem turns and says, “So you’re saying you’ll be worth nothing to us?  Doesn’t seem you’ve thought this through.  Aren’t you supposed to be smart?”

Di glares at Jem, but Era says, “Look, Di, we’ll do our best not to make you uncomfortable.  But if it means getting you back home, doesn’t that make it alright?  I mean, if it’s for the greater good and all that.”

“I just…” the girl starts, unsure how to defend her values in such a scenario.

“Besides,” Era says, “I need the practice.  Jem keeps nagging me about that!  Practice is a must, so of course I can’t pass up an opportunity that comes along.”  Di punches Era in the chest, doing her best to pout while enjoying his embrace.

Upon coming to the crest of the hill, Di leaps from her guardian’s arms and hurries down the incline on her own.  As the other two follow, Jem leans close to Era and whispers, “She’s trying so hard to crush on you, but you’re making it difficult!”

Era shrugs.  “Maybe it’s for the best.  I think she’s a little young for me.”

*              *              *

“Okay Era,” Jem concedes in annoyance.  “Time to go get her again.”

Era frowns and looks back at the struggling girl.  “We’re almost to the top.  You don’t think she’ll make it?”

Jem crosses her arms with a sour look.  “Listen, I’m all for making her carry her own weight, but I also don’t want to age ten years before we get her home.”  Impatiently uncorking her canteen, she takes a chug of water and immediately spits it out.  “Blech!  When did this get so warm!?”  She tips the canteen and sticks her finger in to frost it.  Taking another swig, she wipes her mouth with a satisfied sigh.  “Ah, much better!  You need more ice?”

Era takes a drink of his and says, “Nah, mine’s good.  I had you load it up last time.”  He looks back and calls out, “Di, you want a drink?”

Di catches up to her two companions, out of breath and drenched with sweat.  “I… I could… could use some…”  She takes the canteen and collapses at his feet.

“Geez Di, you’re a wreck,” Jem says as she adds more ice to her canteen.  “Isn’t exercise a requirement at the Academy?”

Di finishes chugging and wipes her mouth.  “Quite the opposite.  Everyone sits inside all day studying and practicing elemental arts.  No one’s in good physical shape there.”

“At least you’re young,” Era offers.  “You still have hope of not growing up to be fat and lazy.”

“The elemental masters
aren’t
lazy!” Di insists, staring at the sky.  “It was an amazing place to study.  No one in the world is as skilled as they are.”

“Isn’t there an Academy in Alleria?” Jem asks.  “They’re probably just as skilled there.”

“Not that there’s any way to know,” Era comments, “seeing as the border is locked down.”

Di furrows her brow.  “Actually, the two Academies are able to send communications through the border, and in some cases, the professors even travel back and forth.  Though, admittedly, the last time that happened was just before I came to the Academy.”

“Whoa, really?” Jem asks.  “So the Academy
is
that special.”

Era takes another swig of his water.  “What’s so special about sitting around all day studying?”  He squats and places his palm on the path, forming small pillars of dirt all around his hand.  “You learn plenty just by using the elements.”

Di smirks.  “Think you can beat me in knowledge?”

“What’s there to know?” Era chides.  “Water, ice, earth, fire, lightning, air…” he trails off trying to remember the others.

Jem sighs.  “Light and wood!  Geez, Era, don’t embarrass yourself in front of an Academy student.  You make me look bad as your mentor.”

“So which ones are core elements, and which are derivatives?” Di asks with a smug grin.

“D-Derivatives?” Jem repeats.  “I’d guess… ummmm…”  She pauses, hoping Di will interrupt, but the girl just watches in amusement.  Sighing, she admits, “Okay, so I don’t know the fancy terminology.  What’s a derivative, oh wise one?”

Beaming, Di starts drawing in the dirt with her finger.  “The core elements are earth, fire, air, and water,” she says as she draws twelve small circles, themselves arranged in a large circle.  “This is called the Elemental Dodecagram.  The four core elements are each assigned a quadrant with three circles.  Two of the circles are dedicated to the control of each core element, which is divided into ‘instantiation’ and ‘contortion’.  Or, for the uneducated,
making
and
shaping
.”

Jem is annoyed by Di’s subtle insult, but Era doesn’t get the hint.  “I’ve never heard those terms before,” he says with interest.

Di practically glows, enjoying her spotlight as she etches two symbols into the sand next to her drawing.  “This symbol represents instan- err… making, and this one’s shaping,” she says as she points to each one.  She then fills two circles in each quadrant with the symbols.  “Let’s say this quadrant is earth,” she explains as she points to a group of three circles, “then these next quadrants are fire, air, and water.  Since you have both making and shaping for each of the four core elements, you have eight primary elemental manipulations.”

Era looks the drawing over, having never seen anything like it.  “So what are the four empty circles?” he asks, pointing to the remaining ones that haven’t been designated by a symbol.

“Those are the derivatives!”  She etches a third symbol into the sand under the previous two.  “This symbol means ‘derivative’, and each element has one.”  She fills the last four circles with the third symbol, completing her drawing.  “Water has ice, air has lightning.  Fire, light.  Earth, wood.  There are twelve elemental instances: eight cores and four derivatives.”

Era studies the drawing with interest, and, though Jem does her best to act bored, she finds herself drawn in.

Di flops back against the ground.  “Everyone is born in possession of a single instance, though most people never put in the effort to develop their talent.  Those possessing core instances are called manipulators, while those with derivative instances are known as elementalists.  Elementalists are much rarer than manipulators, plus they have the ability to both
make
and
shape
the derivative element.  Core manipulators can only do one or the other, never both.”

Jem nudges Era in the side.  “See, I’m
special!
  You should show more respect.”

Era grimaces.  “Sure, but she said you should be able to both make and shape ice.  You can’t
shape
ice, so maybe that means you’re not talented.”

Jem glares at Era.  “Sounds like you want to drink warm water the rest of the way to Canterin.”

Di adds, “Well, I should specify that some of that is theory.  Based on our understanding of elemental structures, elementalists
should
be able to both instantiate and contort, but that’s never been documented.  As it stands, elementalists are generally split into makers and shapers, just as with core users.”

“Next time tell me that sooner,” Era complains, hoping Jem forgets her warm water threat.  “So can Jem also control water?  Being a water derivative and all that?”

Di shakes her head.  “Only one instance per person.  What nature gives you at birth is what you have all your life.”

“So how does nature decide that?” Jem asks.

Di shrugs.  “It’s theoretically inherited, but there are many cases that can’t be explained.”

Era laughs.  “All those smarties studying this for hundreds of years, and they don’t even know that!”

The young schoolgirl wants to object, but Jem squats and brushes Di’s diagram away with her hand.  “Okay, break’s over!” she orders.

Di groans, but Era scoops her up.  Before she can argue about being carried again, he eases her concerns.  “Don’t worry, it’s just for a minute.  The hilltop is right there, see?”  Di relaxes and enjoys her water as Era carries her up the last leg of the hill.  Reaching their destination, he sets her on her feet.

Finishing off the rest of Era’s drinking water, Di’s eyes grow wide as she takes in the sight of a massive gorge right on the path.  “My, how beautiful!” she exclaims.  “It looks like the road carves a path right through that hill!”  The path runs alongside a river with cliff walls towering on either side, providing relief from the seemingly endless stretch of hills.

“Don’t get too excited,” Jem warns, “because we’re not going down there.”

Di frowns.  “But, if not down there… then where?”

A sadistic grin spreads across Jem’s face.  “We’re going up there!”  She points to the west side of the hill, indicating the travelers will be hiking off the trail to go over the valley.  “We’ll need to wade through the river here as well, while it’s still narrow.”

Di’s jaw drops at the thought of both wading through water and then climbing the highest hill yet today.  “Why would we do
that?
  Why wouldn’t we take the easy path?”