Dusk Falling (Book 1) (46 page)

“You will let me deal with the how. You only need to worry for the when.”

~ ~ ~

Night fell on the Sigil and they bedded down in the cave of the Divinari. The great dragon returned once, bringing with him a large banquet of fruits and edible tubers. Vermarryn did not bring any meat in a silent protest unmarked by any of his unwelcome guests. The Deity had told him to find the mortals substance in which to eat. After leaving the fruit in a pile, the Divinari was dismissed again. A rumbling growl led his passage back out, the appreciative words given to him from the mortal beings only serving to remind him his den was usurped and he could do little about it.

“I hate to impose like this. That Divinari looks very displeased at this arrangement.” Aya whispered to Serrtin who sat beside her.

“It’s not like
we
kicked him out.” The saurian responded, chewing a tuber. She opted out of partaking of the fruit.

“But it
is
his place of rest.” Aya said, looking back toward the cavern’s entrance.

“I would rather not make enemies of the Divinari.” Agemeer interjected, swallowing a bite of melon not wholly unlike honeydew. “I do hope he does not make this a personal transgression.”

The two women nodded.

“Why would you care even if he does? Divinari don’t leave the Sigil.” Genlo said without looking up from the pear he was skinning with his claws. He watched the peel pile up on the cave’s floor not at all interested in eating the fruit.

“But they
can
leave.” Serrtin said, gesturing with the tuber. “From what I know, they live a very very long time- outliving Elves many times over. Creatures like that probably have connections and I doubt they are that forgiving.”

“And that worries you?”

Serrtin grinned over at him. “Not at all.”

The Jrahda-trethen snorted and tossed the fruit over his shoulder. Getting to his feet, Genlo headed off.

“Where are you going?” Serrtin asked.

“Why is it you still feel like I need to tell you everything? I am going to get some air.”

Aya watched him walk away, the light of the fire burnishing his pale hair. She drew up her legs and clasped her arms around them. It was quiet except for the spitting and snapping of the fire. Serrtin broke off a bite from her second tuber, the sound drawing the mage’s eyes. Serrtin had a small smile lighting her face as she feigned great interest in her meager dinner. Agemeer did not say anything either though he was conspicuously not meeting her eyes, a canine smile turning the corners of his mouth up. He sneezed. SkyRift looked as unsettled as he had on first arrival and kept apart from his allies. Avarice had moved to take up Vermarryn’s vacated spot on the shelf, reclining back on the raw ruby formation. His eyes were half-lidded in thought.

“Well, I guess I am going to get some sleep. Take the opportunities given.” The saurian announced. She fell over onto her back and kicked out her legs. Nestling her head on her bent arms, Serrtin closed her eyes. “What about you Agemeer?”

“Oh yes, quite. SkyRift, please be at peace.” The Wulf mindspoke. SkyRift looked up and gave a single nod though he did not appear to take heart. Agemeer rested his gray head on his paws.

Aya frowned, fully aware of what the pair were doing. At least SkyRift was not part of it. The girl knew she would need to talk to Genlo and get an idea of his feelings towards her but she did not have to like her team planning the setting. Dark eyes moving of their own accord to the caverns entrance, she had to admit it was as good a time as any. For now they were safe, tomorrow would start them out on a perilous journey she hoped they would not come to regret.

Not knowing what she would say or do, Aya strove to her feet before Serrtin could do something so foul as to suggest maybe she too needed some fresh air. She was well-aware the saurian was not asleep. Pivoting on a curt heel, the mage paced down the corridor listening to the echoes of her boots. Her righteous courage fled the moment she felt the cool wind blow across her face, whipping her hair around her. Fighting the battle with her mane, she was not aware of Genlo dropping down from his perch behind her.

“Worried I might not return?”

Aya gasped and whirled. Blushing furiously, she tucked her wayward hair behind her ears and looked elsewhere. “Eh, no. I-I do not.” She said, “Worry, that is.”

“Ah.” He replied simply. The Elfkin looked to have something else to say but did not speak further.

“We came here for advice, don’t you think it was luck to have gained the assistance of a God instead? They are not known to offer help so readily.” Aya commented, unable to say what she really wanted to say.

“…Perhaps.” Genlo said, looking down the mountainside. “I, for one, do not trust this so-called God. He has already stated that he is only doing this for his own benefit. If something changes, he may just abandon his word and betray us.”

“Then we will have to keep an eye on him and hope for the best.” Genlo turned his gaze to her and she smiled back. “As we did with you.”

“I…made a promise. And I want you to know about it.” He confessed, changing subjects without pause. He was not really sure why he wanted her to know, just that he had to tell her and she had to know. Aya held her tongue and let him continue. “T-to Yukarim. But it wasn’t Yukarim, it was the Stairwell. I don’t know if it matters or not.”

Genlo ran a gloved hand over his hair, stepping a little way away. He wanted to pace, unsure of how to frame his peculiar thoughts. “I told him that I w-would protect you. As best I could.”

Aya’s heart threatened to throttle her, her hands clasping tight before her. The Jrahda-trethen still did not turn.

“Because I took him away from you, I figured it should be me who stands in his place. I-is that… okay..?”

“Yes.” Aya said breathily, voice pitched so low even with his Elven hearing he almost could not hear her. “Thank you. I accept.”

Genlo nodded. “Your brother might not appreciate me leading you
there
. As best as I can might not be enough.”

“It will be fine. We will protect each other; we all will.”

With a half-glance over his shoulder, Genlo gave another nod. “Going back… it may not be the right course of action, with our faith grounded on the flighty whim of a Deity. I am not sure I am strong enough…”

Aya heard the pitch of fear in his tone, the nervousness he strived so hard to hide. That he was displaying such so openly touched her. She knew how difficult it was for someone like him to speak of shortcomings to
another. “I want to make a promise too. That you are strong enough and I won’t give up on you. No matter what happens, I will be standing beside you.”

“Is this… truly what you would have me do..?”

“It will work out somehow.” Aya said, unsure of what she should say in response.

“If it does not,” Genlo said as the wind picked up. His hair whipped around him. “…can I trust you to… to end it for me? I don’t know why I feel I can ask this of you…” A little bit of his normal spite filtered back into his voice.

“You can ask anything of me.” The Bren replied, pacing closer. “But what do you mean ‘end it’? We’re going to finish this together, aren’t we?”

“I mean,” His voice without a doubt losing its patient unusual softness. “…if that… if
Avarice
decides to betray us and the Verca get what they want, I want you to…” He gestured off with a gloved hand as if that would sum up his wishes.

“To what?”

Genlo growled and turned on her. His amber eyes flashed in the moonlight. “Don’t pretend to be dense. You know what I mean. If they get what they want, there will be nothing left for me in this world or any other world. I will want death. If you wish to promise me something, promise me that.”

“You want me to promise you death?”

“If you can succeed. And I don’t care how you do it. I most likely won’t even be conscious of it.” Genlo said with a sudden wicked smile. “So feel free to make it as messy as you like.”

Aya blanched. “Are you serious?”

“Of course.” Misjudging her reaction, he looked at her with disdain. “Though I have some doubts about your ability to make good of such a promise.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aya frowned.

“I
mean
just what I said- if it came down to it, I would probably be better off asking it of your Yarcka companion. At least she would not qualm over killing.”

The mage opened her mouth to protest but no words came out. How was she to put in to words that it was not the thought of taking life that caught in her throat, it was the thought of taking
his
life? She did not want him to fail, she could not even begin to think of that possible outcome. “I-it is not… I don’t want…”

“As substandard as your abilities are, if giving the opportunity to strike while Vas- while
He
- is unprepared, they should suffice.”

That did it. “Substandard?! My abilities are not substandard! How dare you say such things after all I have tried to do for you!”

“I’m actually surprised you don’t have a scepter or staff or something, what with your skill level. A crutch like that is often used by types who can’t project energy fields.”

Aya huffed, placing her hands stubbornly on her hips. “Then why don’t you teach me then since you are so much better than I! Then you won’t have an excuse to bait me into an argument!”

Genlo stared at her for so long with an unreadable expression the Bren began to wonder just how much her words had affected him. He had hoped his harsh statements would goad her to being stronger, to kill him if it came down to it, but her new proposition had merit. Intrigued despite himself, the Jrahda-trethen decided perhaps the best way to fulfill his own promise may just be that. “If that’s what you want then we will start tomorrow morning.”

Genlo brushed past her and moved on silent feet back to his perch high up atop the caverns mouth leaving Aya standing alone to wonder… did she just enlist him as her new teacher?

~ ~ ~

“What makes an elementalist powerful is the ability to project his element-based magic elsewhere. The spell does not need to originate from him, it can start from across a battlefield or even in the air high above. An elementalist uses their own energies to manipulate outside energies- that is the principle in your type of magic as well.”

Aya nodded along, surprised at how much the Elfkin knew about magics of different kinds. She did not ask how he had learned of such, knowing the answer might cause him to draw back into himself and she was enjoying conversation without barbs and rude remarks. The team had set out due south at Avarice’s request. Wrapped tight in his cloak, the Godling did not speak except to direct and walked apart from the team. In the full light of day, it was difficult to believe the small thin boy was indeed an immortal. When he chose to speak, his voice was that of a child but the words he used, the way he spoke and of the things he spoke of belied that of a mere boy.

But with the way things had been going for the ex-Hunters, it was not so hard to swallow. They had fallen in between two warring sects, championed a cause that could very well spell their own worlds demise, traveled by way of arcane portals and stairs, and met one of the sacred Divinari. Meeting a Deity now seemed like the logical next step.

“Projecting one’s spells requires knowledge of the different energies in the area. You must know how the air or the ground will react to becoming a conductor. Some may not accept the magic, some may work against you with bad results. You also must, at all times, be aware of certain ‘pools’ and ‘streams’ of magic that crisscross the entire sphere of Selnaria. Its very important you never mix with them or draw upon them.”

“Pools and streams? You mean like elements?”

“No.” Genlo replied, brushing aside a low-hanging vine. Unconsciously after he passed he cut the vine with his claws, allowing Aya to pass without quandary. A few vines later, he realized what he was doing and jerked to a stop. He looked back at the Bren but she made like she hadn’t noticed. He continued on. “When Lisaria was formed the two dying realms joined to become one whole, a spirit called magic filled in the cracks and those cracks move around our world like water underground or like air currents in the sky.”

“I see. And why should I not use these magics?”

“They are too strong and too volatile.”

“Can you use them?” Aya asked, innocent in her questioning.

Genlo smirked back at her. “If I wanted to fry my nerves and burn out my mage-talent, yes. Back to what I was saying about projection…”

Whilst they traveled, Genlo instructed Aya on how to use the air currents around them- the air being the most receptive to conducting spells. Trusting him to keep ‘watch’, Aya lowered her mental barriers to minimal levels and stretched out to Feel the currents. The wind was brisk but gentle, running its fingers through her hair and over her skin. It was hard to stay focused with the all-over pleasantness of the weather. She felt herself drifting with the air currents, sweeping up and through the boughs of the trees, past flower and squirrel and bird. Aya smiled brightly with a toothsome smile and spun, arms out at her sides. Breathing in, she felt more content and relaxed as she had been in some time. With her shields down, the girl could feel everything. Her friends were warm beacons, ones she merrily skipped around as her senses ran through the grass at their feet.

Serrtin and Agemeer too enjoyed the time free of possible ambush and battle. The Divinari were the only ones who resided upon the Sigil and with Avarice accompanying them, they had little to fear even should Vermarryn wish to exact personal vendetta for their affrontment. The great wyrm could tell the Godling for whom he really was but once they returned to Demaria they would not have such omnipresence to rely on. Avarice would simply be a child and they would need to be on guard once again. Perhaps even more so for some unscrupulous fiends might see the inclusion of a child to a traveling party as weakness, easy pickings, and they had yet to see if Avarice would defend himself in such a situation. The Wulf kicked up his heels and raced off with his tail in the air, such thoughts not yet coming to the old scholar. Serrtin however began plotting formation and possible strategies against raiders, the thoughts not at all disturbing her peace of mind.