Mythborn: Rise of the Adepts (70 page)

Arek shook his head, then looked back at the goddess before him. "Who... am I?" he asked.

"Arek," Lilyth said with compassion in her eyes, "you are my son."

Journal Entry 22

Forgive me the delays in writing, though you do not perceive the passage of time between these sentences. For me, more weeks have passed, and they have been busy.

Malak has grown to fulfill the role of my defender. I have bestowed upon him the title, firstmark, for being the first to take up the shield I had marked with protective runes that night when he came to my defense. Now his role is to protect my castle and the surrounding environs.

My firstmark speaks of building a stronghold that will allow me to work in peace. He was also the first imp to speak, though to look at him now, one does not see the tiny creature that used to hide within my cocoon. I cannot bring myself to call him and his kin "imps" any longer. That word does not suffice and they have earned another name for their service.

I think I shall call them "elf" or "elves," a play on his very first word, and homage to our own children’s tales. And they are useful! Unlike those creatures, my elves are mythborn and war-forged.

I saw a flash and a rift open and close, not too far off. I send my elves to investigate. We will see a new order brought to this world, with me as its ruler.

B
ERNAL
’
S
Q
UEST

When you are ready,

Give your offspring over to training by another.

No father can strike with the force,

Necessary to breed expertise,

And with his love,

Condemns his child to an early grave.

—Davyd Dreys, Notes to my Sons

E
ven as Ash made ready his final preparations at the portal, the king angled his way toward the main council chamber, where the Far’anthi Stones were located. He turned down corridors, noting patrols at each intersection, then finally into the hallway that led to the chamber itself.

As he neared, he could see a group of guards inspecting the area. He came up on the ranking soldier and asked, "What happened here?" A booted foot stuck out from the chamber doorway.

"Four dead, sire. Don’t know who killed them, but it was done quick. Knife thrust to the throat or heart," answered the man-at-arms. "We’ll clean this up and station more men."

"Put every man within sight of at least two others. If someone goes missing, raise the alarm," the king said.

The man-at-arms saluted and went to see to the king’s orders.

Bernal sighed, then moved into the room. The bodies of four of his guards lay in pools of their own blood, and a sadness fell upon him at their sacrifice. These were the men Kisan had spoken of. However, like the missing attackers in his own encounter, the body of the man Kisan said she’d killed was nowhere to be seen. The adept didn’t seem to be the type to make things up, which left the king with an unshakeable sense of foreboding.

Without wasting any time, he crossed the chamber, making his way to a wall holding a sword and shield. Approaching the ancient weapons, he reached up and took down the Galadine blade, known as
Azani
, double-edged, straight, and keen. He grabbed the matching scabbard and in a single smooth motion sheathed it. He then strapped the shield across his back, its golden lion rampant on its black face, framed by lightning. That accomplished, he walked over to the table and scooped up Valor and a quiver of arrows.

He looked at his men with steel in his eyes. He carried with him now the weapons of his father and it filled him with a sense of purpose like nothing else had. "Down the stairwell. We head for the cisterns."

"Aye, sire." The men didn’t hesitate, but made their way out of the room and into the halls. As they exited, a group of guards turned the corner and hailed the king.

"Sire, a message from the watch commander," a lieutenant said, saluting.

"Go ahead," said the king.

"There are reports of things in the lower levels," he said sheepishly.

"Things?" asked the king.

"Creatures, sire. They attack at first sight, and... they are like smoke. Our weapons pass right through them." The lieutenant looked down, uncertain if his report made any sense. "I wish we knew more, but men have already gone missing."

The king pursed his lips, thinking. Infiltration of the fortress would have to be done through the water induction channels. The ancient cisterns and waterways that snaked under Bara’cor created hundreds of forgotten passages. Given that the remaining assassin had been making his way there, the king knew this should be his destination as well.

"I want two squads at each cistern entryway and a platoon of men at the entrance to both stairwells. I want at least two men in sight of both teams. I will check the catacombs, then join you at the main cistern entrance. Signal we may have intruders. Do not let anyone travel alone. Also, inform the watch commander that until further orders, Armsmark Rillaran has been promoted to Firstmark. He speaks with the king’s voice and his orders shall be obeyed as my own."

The lieutenant saluted and said, "Yes, sire."

"And send a runner to the Firstmark, in the war room. Tell him what’s going on."

"Of course, sire." The lieutenant took off with the king’s orders.

"Creatures, they say," Bernal said to his men. "You boys ready to do some fighting?"

The men smiled, nodding to their king. They knew he was a fearsome warrior in battle, but backed it up with the divine right earned through his royal lineage. He was a Galadine, anointed by the gods with powers against demons, or at least the legends said it was so. Was it not said the Galadines of old gave their Magehunters the power to stand against demons and their ilk? They would follow him anywhere, and he would lead them to victory.

"Then let’s go. My son is down there somewhere and I intend on finding him before his mother hears anything. If you know her, you know there’ll be the Lady’s price to pay if we fail." A small smile escaped the king’s lips as he looked at his men, his jest already easing tension and lending confidence.

Without another word, he moved down the stairwell and into the darkness of the lower levels.

L
ILYTH
’
S
G
ATE

We cannot know what destiny will bring,

Be it block, strike, victory, or defeat.

Accept things as they come,

But keep an open mind.

Winds often shift and change.

—Kensei Shun, The Lens of Shields

Y
our son?" Arek wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly. "How can that be?"

The woman smiled, revealing perfect, white teeth. The smile reached her eyes, which twinkled with amusement. "You of all people should not doubt what is possible."

"Wh-why?" he stammered in reply.

"Because you have achieved so much, my son. So much more than those around you gave you opportunity for." She turned to look at the assembled shades, recrimination in her gaze. They withered at her sight, falling back to their knees as if in real pain, arms up in supplication.

"Wait," Arek said. He looked upon the shades with pity. "They did their best." He licked his lips, thinking. They seemed truly in fear, a fact that made him more uneasy. He had only interacted with Piter, who had certainly never shown fear around him, only disdain, cruelty, or anger.

Lilyth turned her eyes back to Arek and said, "Mercy is a sign of strength. It is far easier to strike, than to withhold. I am proud of you, my son." She smiled again, and Arek could feel his heart lighten and a feeling of joy washed through him. The feeling passed quickly, leaving him longing for more.

"I still don’t understand. How could you be my mother?" Arek tried putting the pieces together, but was missing too much information to understand how it all fit.

Lilyth moved down a step or two on the pyramid, surveying the scene like a queen. Her head tilted and the corner of her mouth lifted in a smile at the sight of Arek’s two companions. Ignoring his question, she asked, "Your friends?"

"Yes. Yetteje, uh... Princess of EvenSea," he finished lamely, unable to dredge up the royal family name at the moment, his eidetic memory failing him for the first time ever. He felt his face go red and hid it with a look at his feet. "The other is Niall Galadine," Arek finished, still focusing on the stone blocks making up the pyramid he stood upon.

Lilyth drew a quick breath of surprise and looked at Arek, then looked back down at the pair, one hand coming to her throat. "He is here? How fortunate."

Arek gathered his wits, then moved to where he could address Lilyth face to face. "You’re not what I expected. The Gate should have closed."

Lilyth stared at Niall for a moment then turned her attention back to Arek and said, "Of course. You deserve answers."

She beckoned to Niall with a delicate hand, "Please, come join us. What I have to say concerns you both."

To Arek’s surprise, Niall came up the pyramid at a jog, without hesitating, as if compelled. How had he heard Lilyth from down there? Mindspeak? Arek thought. He looked at the woman who claimed to be his mother and saw her smile in response. She seemed extraordinarily pleased, and this worried him more.

Niall neared them and paused, looking about in confusion. "What am I doing here?"

Lilyth laughed. "You certainly do not carry the blood of the Aeris, son of Galadine."

Though her comment sounded genuinely warm, it seemed under it ran a current of barbed humor, as if she made fun of Niall. Arek could tell that despite her openness and laughter, she was not someone to be trifled with. He did not know why he thought this, but knew it was true, nonetheless. Her voice rang like a fine steel blade when drawn, though he suspected she was far deadlier.

He noticed Yetteje had not moved, still frozen in place. He needed some answers, the trapped feeling evident in his clammy palms and racing heart. Perhaps a different tact, he thought.

"Mother, please tell me about all this," Arek said, motioning around him.

His use of the word "mother" had an immediate effect. Lilyth’s pose softened. She turned to look at him, her eyes alight with joy. "I... of course." She smiled, then crossed her arms, putting one graceful hand under her chin, "How much like your father you are."

"My father?" Arek looked at her in shock. "You know my father?"

Lilyth laughed. "I should think so. Let me tell you how you came to be here." She moved closer, her blue skin almost glowing with pleasure. "Many eons ago, we floated carefree in the Void. Simple were our pleasures and we stayed to ourselves." Her gaze narrowed and to Arek it seemed she somehow grew colder. "But we always heard the voice of the Sovereign. It gave us meaning. Those who answered never returned, yet still we came. And across the vast distance of time, we began to change."

Arek looked at Niall, who did not move. His eyes had glazed over, as if he were ensorcelled. He assumed Yetteje was in the same state and knew he had to keep Lilyth talking. He put on a smile and said, "Continue, please."

"Man’s yearning gave us shape. At first we were consumed by the millions, wasted as spells of power and other manifestations of their will. And yet, we did not die away. In fact, more of us came into existence to replace those lost. It was as if dreams created us, and those of us who survived grew strong."

Lilyth paused, her attention turning to Niall, and her gaze grew wistful, but there remained a hard edge to it. "Some men had great strength of will and their beliefs molded us. We served unseen, as spirits and legends of this world."

When Arek looked confused, Lilyth tilted her head to the side and smiled. "Arek, we are ethereal beings, our life is the very essence of magic. Man’s legends and myths shape us and give us life, meaning and definition. We are fairies, djinn, ghosts, angels," she continued to smile and then finished, "and demons."

"We have had many names through the eons, always standing at your right hand, unseen, unappreciated except by a few. Always, we thought you knew of us, but this was not true. You mold our essence blindly; myth and legend are our parents."

"You are our beliefs, come true?"

"Perhaps, some are. I am surely more than that now. We are gods and goddesses, slaves no longer. We are powerful, for we are the Way, just as you have made us to be. The Sovereign seeks to destroy this, and us. To oppose him, we need your help."

Arek looked down, careful to hide the stunned look on his face. His mind raced, but he stalled, saying, "I don’t understand."

"Yes, you do." Lilyth looked down, sadness in her eyes. There was more, much more, but now was not the time. "You understand and that is why you are our last, best hope."

If what she said was true, then the Aeris were the basis of their magic, but also beings of pure power, given purpose by people’s beliefs. Who knew how powerful they might be, for they were literally gods walking amongst them. When it seemed she would say no more, Arek asked, "And me?"