Rift of Askrah Book 1: Fracture

It had been three days since the events that had transpired in Elome. Marina had awoken a full day after the attack. When she roused, half sitting, half lying on the back of her horse, Cal immediately began fussing over her. When he had established she was all right, they caught her up to speed on what had happened.

  When Galen had come to, everyone else had been unconscious, and Hetal was nowhere in sight. When Galen checked Nihlen though, he discovered he was gravely injured. So Galen loaded up their entire party, made a makeshift litter to hold Nihlen between two of the horses, and led them along their path. Galen surmised, and explained to her, that Nihlen had been the only one to not fall unconscious when they first encountered Hetal, and had acquired grave injuries protecting them from him.

  Marina was shocked, and deeply hurt over what had happened. She had looked down at Nihlen, and he was heavily bruised. One on his cheek, spreading across most of his face, particularly stood out. Galen had also found internal bleeding when he'd examined Nihlen, though it wasn't life threatening. He got that injured because he had to defend us… We were useless to him again. She thought bitterly, chastising herself once more, as she had been doing since she had regained consciousness, for being so weak.

  The effect was not all negative though. What had happened back there had hardened her resolve beyond anything. She had been training furiously with Cal and Galen, thirsting to become stronger. Cal had seemed much the same. The two sparred together furiously even after Galen had called a day to the training.

  When Galen took them from Elome, they had taken the roads to make travel on Nihlen’s body easier. In the three days they had been traveling, they had covered nearly all of Dalren. In that time though, Nihlen had shown no signs of improvement. Galen possessed a moderate amount of medical training, but regardless of what treatments he used, Nihlen’s condition did not improve. He did not seem to be in danger of dying, but there was no way of knowing when he would regain consciousness.

  Marina looked down at Nihlen from her horse as they rode. He was rather pale, and hadn’t moved at all in days. As she watched though, his eyelids suddenly began to flutter slightly. She watched and waited, and slowly his eyes opened.

  “Galen, stop!” Marina cried. “Nihlen is regaining consciousness!”

  Galen slowed to a stop immediately, and the three dismounted. As they circled around Nihlen, he coughed dryly, and looked up at them.

  “What happened?” He asked thickly.

  “We were hoping to ask you the same-” Galen began, until Marina burst passed him.

  “Nihlen, are you all right?” She asked, kneeling down next to him. She placed her hand on his forehead. “He’s running a temperature. Cal, go gather some more of the leaves of the Indil bush, it will help with his fever.”

  Cal nodded, and headed off to search for some.

  “I need to examine you now Nihlen.” Galen said, kneeling down next to him. “Can you sit up?”

  “I think so.” Nihlen said, pushing himself up.

  Marina could see the action caused him a great amount of pain. His bruises were still dark, and a hand flew to his side as he sat up.

  “You battled with Hetal correct?” Galen asked as he was starting the examination. Nihlen nodded. “Tell us about what happened after we fell unconscious.”

  So Marina listened as Nihlen explained everything that happened. The solid black cube, Hetal’s allegiance to Illian, Hetal’s power and the hits he had used. As he finished, he suddenly fell silent.

  “At least your injuries make more sense now.” Galen said, after Nihlen had concluded. “His power seemed to be high level reflexes, but that isn’t the case. Hetal’s power revolves around high speed vibrations produced by his muscles. Using the vibration, he can dodge incoming attacks by suddenly increasing the vibration, moving small amounts in the blink of an eye. When he attacked, the hits were physically light, but he was jarring your body, especially key points like organs and joints, with high level vibrations, causing internal damage while leaving the outside heavily bruised. A truly fearsome power.”

  Nihlen hadn’t batted an eye to what Galen had just said. He was staring blankly toward the ground.

  “Nihlen…What is it?” Marina asked hesitantly.

  “I picked up some other information from my battle with Hetal, though indirectly.” Nihlen began, as if he’d been debating with himself a moment ago. He sat up strong, and looked at both of them. “That cube he used, he told me it suppressed people with powers that were still dormant. If you break that statement down, it means that everyone has the potential to develop some sort of power.”

  “If that were the case though, this phenomenon would be well known, as many people would have powers. That definitely isn’t true though.” Galen countered.

  “Yes, that’s why I almost didn’t say anything. However…” Nihlen paused, looking at them both once more. He looked quite serious. “I know for sure that through the royal bloodline of Askrah, and now through the two separate blood lines of Draven and Rinh flows a power. We've encountered moving corpses and a man who vibrates his muscles at high speed. Why would some be able to develop powers, and not others?”

  “I can see a slight point there, and we know there are people who indeed have powers. What makes you make the jump to saying everyone has the potential to develop powers?” Galen asked.

  “I can feel it.” Nihlen said simply. “These abilities… I think they’re the epicenter for everything that is happening. Something is happening in the world right now. It’s shifting. The development of these abilities, the sudden occupation of my kingdom, Illian, and all the stuff we’ve yet to learn. It’s all centered around these abilities.”

  “I agree.” Marina suddenly chimed in. “Plus, I feel something about that cube, and the way Nihlen says Hetal described its use.”

  “How far from Cascadia are we?” Nihlen asked.

  “You’ve been down for three days Nihlen.” Galen told him. “We are nearly out of Dalren now. I would say three more days and we’ll reach Cascadia.”

  “Then our course of action remains unchanged. We must search for information on abilities there. We cannot continue until we’ve learned more. Elome could have been the end for us all. We must find out all we can, so we can counter any situation we run into in the future.” Nihlen said.

  Marina’s heart sunk slightly at his words, but she drew herself up. “It almost was the end for us. We were saved solely by you. If it’s possible we could all develop abilities, that we could be less of a hindrance to you…” She suddenly cut off, her throat catching.

  “Marina…” Nihlen said gently. “What happened back there was no one’s fault. There is no way we could have predicted something like that would happen. Even Galen, who’s very strong and experienced was no match for that artifact. We’re all walking blind in this new world we’ve entered, and everyone is doing their best. I wouldn’t ask for anything more.”

  “But still…” Marina said, feeling frustrated. “I want to get stronger. I want you to be able to count on me.”

  “I can already count on you.” Nihlen said, looking toward her, his eyes gentle. “You’re becoming stronger all the time, even if you don’t notice it. I can see a difference in you even now after the three days I’ve been unconscious. You’re working very hard, so don’t be discouraged, all right?”

  Marina nodded, feeling comforted by his words. Maybe I am getting stronger after all. Still… It’s not enough. I want to find out about these abilities, and if I can awaken one as well.

  “Can you ride Nihlen?” Galen suddenly asked.

  “I believe so.” Nihlen said, pushing himself to his feet.

  Marina watched as Nihlen stood. His body looked extremely stiff, and he winced several times from the effort. “I’ll help you mount up.” She called, turning around to untie his horse from Galen’s.

  He waited as she brought Palata to him, and stepped into the cupped palms she offered with a brief nod. Once they were all saddled up, the group
rode off, finally moving at a good pace again.

  “Here’s what I don’t understand.” Cal suddenly said, just after they had begun moving again. He hadn’t participated in any of the previous conversation after returning from his task, just watching and listening like a hawk. Marina was interested that he was interjecting himself into the conversation so suddenly. “This is a new phenomenon isn’t it? Besides the highly guarded information regarding your powers, and the group known as Illian, what are we going to find? Do we just ask random strangers if they have special abilities until one says yes? I mean… How are we going to look for something like that? Cascadia is said to be an amazing city, but surely information on something like this, should it even exist, will be buried deep where we may not even find it.”

  His words rang true to Marina’s own feelings. Since they had decided to stop in Cascadia, she had pondered the same question. She had held her tongue though, because she knew the answer.

  “Truthfully, at this point I don’t really know. How could I? It’s not like this is a fairy tale of old, where mages and sorcerers are common place, and we just need look around the city for a guild.” Nihlen said, his tone much lighter than it had been since he regained consciousness.

  Marina laughed at his words, unable to help herself. After a moment, Nihlen chuckled as well.

  “In all seriousness though, Cal’s point is valid.” said Galen, bringing the conversation back to a serious note. “Information gathering takes a considerable amount of time if one is not privy to the right ears or mouths. How long do we plan to tarry in Cascadia to try and ferret this information out?”

  “I don’t know about how long… But I think it stands to reason that there must be groups besides Illian who have abilities.” Nihlen countered. “After all, even members of Illian are regular people before they are picked up by the group. As such, it is quite possible some kind of other under ground networks exist where people with abilities communicate with one another. A large city is an easy place to blend in with the crowds. Furthermore,” he continued. “While it is true my power has left a visible mark to the world on my eye, there was nothing striking about Hetal. He appeared completely normal, personality aside. From that we can gather many ability users can probably move among other humans freely, without fear of detection. So long as they are careful, no one will ever be the wiser. They may be able to detect me as soon as I enter for all we know.”

  “I think all we can do is reach Cascadia and go from there.” Marina said, suddenly tired of this contemplation. “We have a baseline plan, and that is the best we can do with this situation. Worrying too much when we are still days away will only serve to weaken us before we get there. We will look, and if we can’t find anything and it feels like it’s time to move on, we’ll do just that. Lets stow this conversation away for now, all right?” She finished brightly, trying to alter the group’s atmosphere.

  “Truer words have never been spoken.” Galen said, inclining his head.

  Nihlen looked back over his shoulder at her, flashing her a bright smile. She smiled back, feeling warmer inside suddenly.

  The remaining three days to Cascadia were like a blur to her. Though accustomed to her new lifestyle, the heavy travel, heavy training, and little sleeping never failed to keep her thoroughly exhausted. Whenever she could over the course of the journey, she slumped in her saddle, desperately wishing to fully rest her over-burdened eyes.

  Her exhaustion quickly disappeared though when they came upon the Gai’shir river, which signaled they were nearing Cascadia.

  The river was immense, and majestic. As the group rode up to it, Marina stared down into its pristine beauty. The white water crawled over the land at an amazing pace, thundering and rushing in massive rapids. It sprayed the nearby land and air with a cold mist, the light reflecting tiny rainbows in the countless droplets. The cooling relief of the mist was welcome after a long day of riding beneath the sun.

  “I’ll be…” Cal suddenly muttered, as he stared down at the river. “It truly is traveling in the wrong direction.”

  Marina studied the waters again. As she watched the current, she too felt the astonishment. The water was not flowing down the land, as it should, but northward.

  “One of the Great Wonders of the World. The Twin Rivers of Cascadia.” Galen said regally, flourishing his hands toward the body of water. “This means Cascadia will be coming into sight within hours.”

  “Where does this body of water come from?” Marina asked, fascinated by this phenomenon.

  “The Gai’shir river is fed by the Emony river, which flows out of the northern mountains of Quertia, Miken’s western neighbor. It is one of the largest rivers in the world, at least two or three times the size of the Gai'shir. As the Emony makes its way southward, it divides shortly after leaving the mountains. A large amount of the Emony river travels down this division, known as the Gai’shir river. As soon as the river divides, it begins taking its unnatural course to Lake Berot in Cascadia. Despite any research into the matter, no one can discern why the water which divides from the Emony river travels in this curious fashion.” Galen explained.

  “After seeing it in person, I believe even more this has something to do with abilities.” Nihlen said.

  “We may never know.” Galen said simply, starting his horse along the flowing banks of the river toward Cascadia.

  As they traveled alongside the river, they began to see other travelers. The river was full of boats and ferries, making their way up to Cascadia. But even on land, they were no longer riding alone. People had begun appearing around them, all heading toward the same goal. It felt highly strange to Marina to suddenly be around people. They had spent so much time riding off the beaten path, to be surrounded suddenly pulled at her anxiety, though no signs of danger were present in the nearby travelers.

  The group definitely garnered a fair amount of glances and whispers from anyone who saw them, but none more so than most mercenary groups would receive. It seemed to Marina they would have no problem blending in.

  For now.

  It wasn’t the people, nor the Gai’shir river that captivated her now though. That was reserved for the sprawling city that was Cascadia, which had just come into view. The river rushed ahead of them, surging across the land to their destination. That destination was a mountain, if it could truly be called that. It dwarfed the size of any mountain she had ever seen. In both height and circumference, it was awe inspiring. All the more so because of the two rivers rushing to and from its heart, creating a giant lake in the center of the city. The city itself was carved into the mountain, covering its surface like a mosaic. Even from how far away they were, she could see many large and spectacular buildings, reaching out of the mountains surface like a thousand fingers.

  “Broscome Mountain. It is one of the largest mountains in the known world, but by no means the biggest. Its size is still enormous though. It takes two days to completely circle the mountain by foot at the base.” Galen said.

  “Incredible…” Marina said, simply awed.

  Marina didn’t know what to say. Cascadia was breathtaking to behold, even at a distance. Her very soul stirred within her as she gazed toward the city. It’s amazing people are capable of such beauty, and yet also capable of such horrible destruction… Marina thought to herself, as the group wound their way toward Cascadia.

  They made their way up the Gai’shir quickly, encountering more and more people the closer they got to the city. Galen instructed them to remain quiet, and try to look like mercenaries. Most people would avoid them if that seemed to be the case. It wasn’t long before they encountered a rather long line of people, mulling along the side of the river. Ahead of them, Marina could see a large dock, several boats, and armed guards talking to the person at the front of the column of people.

  “To enter Cascadia, one must use the Gai’shir river.” Galen said. “In ages past, the city has been fortified so that scaling the mountain on foot became impossible. Land
was sheared away, rock formations exposed or created, and other natural barriers implemented, making the Gai’shir the only way to enter the city.”

  “What are we going to do when they inspect us?” Cal asked.

  “Nothing.” Galen stated flatly. “Unless there’s been some kind of significant trouble, access to Cascadia is heartily granted. It is a trading city after all. If they didn’t let people in, there would be no one to trade with. As long as we conduct ourselves properly, they will let us pass.”

  And so they waited. The line moved at a pretty steady pace. Galen’s words seemed correct. The soldiers usually spoke only briefly to the people, sometimes checking bags or wagons quickly, before allowing the person or group passage onto a ferry. Several times the process was halted as a boat made its way upstream, or a full ferry was replaced with an empty one. Finally though, they made it to the front of the line.

  “What’s your business in Cascadia?” The lead guard asked. His voice was short and strained from beneath the helmet that covered his head. He wore full plate armor, which must have been murder in the heat of the surrounding day.

  “Re-supplying.” Galen said smoothly. “We were hired for a border skirmish in the south. We are returning home to Galden now.”

  The soldier waved off his explanation, uninterested. “That’s fine, but make sure you keep those weapons where they are now. We don’t take kindly to armed violence in Cascadia. Cause any trouble, and all that awaits you is your body flowing out with the Natu river.”

  The group inclined their heads, and the guard nodded. “Climb aboard then. You will find lodgings and stables all across the city. Enjoy your stay in Cascadia.”

  They climbed onto the ferry. With the four of them and their horses, plus those who had boarded before them, the guard deemed the ferry full, and called out for its cast off.

  As they traveled up the mountain, Marina looked around in wonder. The mountain was flying by them at a tremendous rate as they climbed up with the river. Marina began laughing, but it was drown out by the rushing noise of the roaring river. As they climbed, Marina stared toward where the river leveled off above, where the city would be exposed. The closer they came, the more breathless Marina had become. As they crested the top of the river, and entered the city, Marina gaped at her surroundings like a child leaving her small village for the first time.

  The architecture of the city was old, a testament to Cascadia’s place in the world. As old as the buildings were though, they were highly maintained, and the bricks, slate, and stone shone brightly with the sun. The buildings loomed all around her, all kinds of shapes and sizes. It was all the more impressive because she beheld the sight as she drifted across Lake Berot on a ferry, immediately thrust into the heart of the city.

  “It’s an amazing sight the first time.” A voice beside her said, pulling her out of her personal revelry. Standing beside her was an elderly man and a little girl. She hadn't noticed them when she'd boarded the ferry. “I remember the first time I came up the Gai’shir river into Cascadia.” The old man chuckled, his voice holding a tone of reminiscing days long past.

  “It truly is.” Marina responded, looking at the duo. The old man was slightly stooped, his haggard claw-like hands grasping a staff hand crafted from wood. It was old and travel worn. His clothes were simple, a white shirt and brown slacks. His head was nearly bald, just a few white wisps here and there. He looked quite delicate, and was definitely very old. The girl next to him looked to be only seven or eight years of age. She wore an adorable pink dress that made her almost seem to be a life sized doll. Her hair was blonde, and tied into two long pigtails. Most of her was hidden behind the old man, as she peeked around at Marina.

  “You are an awfully pretty young lady to be part of a mercenary group. I wonder how that came about.” The old man mused aloud.

  “Well…” Marina stammered. “That’s quite a long story, really.”

  “I’m sure it is.” The old man said simply.

  A sudden tremor rocked the ferry. Estaria danced below her, trying to keep her feet under her. To no avail though as Marina fell out of the saddle, landing hard on her back.

  “Marina, are you all right?” Cal called, dismounting and rushing toward her. He quickly helped her to her feet, and she brushed herself off.

  “I’m fine.” Marina said, turning to where the old man was. “Are you-” She stopped. The space where the old man and little girl had been standing was empty. No trace of them at all.

  “Who are you talking to?” Cal asked, following where she was looking with his own eyes. “You didn’t hit your head when you fell, did you?” He asked, concern taking over his voice.

  “No, there was…” Marina stammered, not sure what to say. Where did they go? She thought, confused by the sudden disappearance. I spoke to him, saw them. I know they were there! “There was an old man and a little girl standing next to me. I was talking with the old man before that tremor. When I got back up, they were gone. Did none of you see them?” She asked, a note of pleading in her voice.

  The other three shook their heads. A strange feeling began creeping over her. “They were there…” She said, looking away.

  “I believe you.” Nihlen suddenly said, striding toward her. “Stranger things have happened after all. If they’re gone now, there’s nothing we can do. Everyone on your guard. Anything could be waiting for us here.”

  She warmed at his words of confidence, reinforcing what she knew had happened. I wonder if I’ll see them again.

  The ferry pulled up to a large set of docks, set into the north bank of the lake. Ferries floated all around the lake, some heading toward the Natu to descend once more, others anchored for later use. The passengers slowly made their way off, Marina and her friends leading their horses onto the dock. It felt weird being in a city again for Marina. Avoiding any sign of other people for so long, it was strange to now be in the midst of a crowd. And there was definitely a crowd.

  “Let’s find lodgings with a stable. We’ll rest for the remainder of the day, and figure out a plan for tomorrow.” Nihlen said, as they stepped off the dock. It was hard to hear him over the cacophony of the city around them.

  Off the docks, they were in a large plaza. The street was massive, but even still it was packed with people, animals, and wagons. Lining the far side of the street, opposite the lake, was an enormous bazaar. Three floor high buildings lined the streets, and hand made stalls filled all the space in between. Large sets of stairs could be seen periodically, leading further up the mountain, where Marina could see more buildings.

  “Cascadia is divided into three parts.” Nihlen said from her side, startling her. “Right now, we are in the Market District. All the area from here up the mountain belongs to the Market District.”

  Marina threw her gaze toward the top of the mountain. Set into its side, and scaling nearly to the top, all contained buildings. To her it looked to be an enormous climb if you wished to visit the top buildings.

  “The higher you go, the better, and more expensive the shops become.” Nihlen continued. “To the east, you will find the living quarters of the common people, and lesser merchants. The same thing applies in this district as well. The higher you go up the mountain, the more opulent the homes become. Finally, to the west, you will find the lands and homes of the nobles and wealthy merchants. Those who hold more power in the city, whether it be wealth or political power, live near the top. At the top resides High Lord Marian Kora. He is the governing leader of Cascadia, and one of the most powerful men in the nation of Miken.”

  “Cascadia is a city of gold.” Galen said, continuing the explanation. “Here, wealth directly translates to power. Even the noble blood line in the region is second to economic power. Being one of the greatest trade cities in the world though, this makes sense. There’s probably nothing you can’t accomplish here if you have the money to back it up. But remember, that makes this place all the more dangerous. When money is involved, shady characters are
not far behind. Legal and illegal commerce are both lucrative here, so we need to be cautious.”

  They began traveling down the plaza, toward the Common District. It didn’t take long to find a suitable inn. Like all other businesses in Cascadia, the city definitely did not hurt from a need of inns. The inn was called Jewel of Lake Berot. It was nothing extravagant, but it would suit their needs just fine. After leaving their horses in the adjoined stable, they headed in. Inside, the floors were scuffed and scratched, paint peeled from the walls, and a permanent tinge of alcohol, smoke, and greasy food hung in the air and covered the tables. It had a pleasant atmosphere though, and some of its current inhabitants were eating and drinking at the tables, raucous laughter erupting without notice. Marina was also pleased it was at least clean enough she didn’t have to pretend not to notice the dirt.

  They quickly paid for a room large enough to accommodate them, the inn keep echoing the warning the guards had given, that any trouble would not be tolerated. With a hasty promise, they ascended the stairs, as worn and scuffed as the floor below, until they reached the third floor, where their room was located. As Galen unlocked the door, and the group made their way in, Marina heaved her bag off her shoulder, tossing it unceremoniously aside as she headed for the closest bed. On her way though, she noticed a large set of bay windows, and walked to them instead. She threw them open, and gazed outside. The view was spectacular. Lake Berot could be seen just across the way, sparkling in the fading sunlight of the day. The din and cacophony of people hummed below as they went this way and that. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she found her vision obscured by a wrinkly face staring at her from right in front of her own face.

  Marina gasped, falling backward. She crashed hard to the floor, still staring up at the face which had appeared out of thin air before her. Her actions had drawn the attention of the others, who had whirled around from their own task of settling in to check the source of the commotion.

  “Marina, move!” Nihlen yelled, the first to react. She heard him lunge forward, and moments later his hand was gripping her arm.

  “It’s all right. He’s the old man I saw on the boat.” Marina said, turning to the old man. “You scared the life right out of me! What are you doing up there anyways?”

  Nihlen’s grip still held on her arm, but she started to stand up and it relaxed some, and he aided her to her feet.

  “Who are you?” Galen asked, moving forward to stand by Marina and Nihlen. “Are you the person Marina saw on the boat?”

  “Fear not, I mean you no harm. We’re just here to chat a little bit.” The old man said, his face breaking into a smile, causing all his wrinkles to deepen even further. It made him look simply ancient. “It is rather uncomfortable on my old bones to perch on this window. Do you think you could invite us in?”

  Marina looked to her friends. She hadn’t noticed Cal had also moved up to her side. She wasn’t sure when he had moved. He has improved greatly since he started training. Marina thought fondly. With a slight nod from Nihlen, the group moved back, allowing the old man to swing himself through the window. He landed with a soft thud, and it was then that Marina noticed the little girl from before was holding on to his neck. She dropped to her feet, peeking her head out slightly from behind the old man’s cloak.

  Galen’s hand floated down to his sword as he regarded the two strange guests they had now acquired. “Who are you exactly? You don’t normally see people as old as yourself who hang around outside third floor windows.”

  The old man chuckled quietly, his eyes closed. “You do not indeed. I can assure you I am an old man, but not an old man you would see every day.” The second half of the sentence took on a sharper tone from the light tone he’d used on the boat and on his entrance. The group tensed, but then the old man laughed again. “You can be at ease, even if I held ill intentions, you outnumber me four to one and I have a child with me. Would this really be an advantageous place for me to cause trouble?”

  “It would certainly be unexpected.” Galen said, relaxing. He still held his sword though, always a prepared soldier.

  “How did you disappear off the boat like that?” Marina asked. “You were there talking to me, and then you were just gone.”

  “How indeed…” The old man said gently, rubbing his hand over his chin. “I am feeling rather tired, do you think I could have a seat?” He asked, an air of disinterest in his voice.

  Marina heard Cal suppress an annoyed grunt as he reached for a chair, and brought it over to the old man. “Thank you young man.” The old man said, taking a seat in the chair. He picked the little girl up, and placed her on his shoulders. She peered over the old man’s nearly bald head, trying to scrunch up behind him as much as possible. With a gentle pat to her leg, the old man took the group in.

  “I suppose…” He suddenly began, but then paused. “I should start with why I am here. More precisely, perhaps I should explain why I made contact with you on the boat, and why I’ve made contact again with you here.”

  The group nodded for him to continue.

  “The reason I am here is quite simple really. I know who you all are. Or rather, who one member of your group is in particular. Boy, you are the Prince of the now occupied nation of Draven, Nihlen Draven.” The old man said, and it was clearly not a question. He stated it as fact, as if Nihlen himself had told him. Marina shared a fearful glance with Nihlen before the old man continued. “You are here because you are searching for information on abilities, which you yourself possess. You are being pursued by Illian while attempting to retake your kingdom from whoever has occupied it in your absence after you were kidnapped by the lady Marina and that lad over there, Cal. After traveling to Leoradan to see your father’s childhood friend, the Queen of Leoradan, you embarked across this land with the Queen’s adviser, Galen. During your travels, you had encounters with Siren and Hetal while traveling to meet Karishian Delmoore in Elharlia. You stopped in Cascadia because you require information about abilities, and thought this would be a sensible place to take a look since it was on the way anyways. That about sums up your current situation right?” He ended lightly, as if he had just been talking about the weather.

  Marina and the others sat in a stunned silence. What was that!? Marina’s mind worked furiously, unable to believe she had just heard all the secrets of their entire journey so far from someone who they knew nothing about. How does he know all that? Including that Cal and I were originally part of the plot, and even kidnapped Nihlen! We hid that from the Queen while we were there. Did Galen catch that part? She glanced over his direction. His face was a mask of stillness. If he had picked up on it, he hadn’t betrayed any sign of it that Marina could see.

  “How did you know all that?” Nihlen’s voice was quiet, and Marina felt a strange feeling in the air. Beneath the hat, Nihlen was drawing on the power of the Eye of Kings, clearly disturbed by the revelations he just heard from the old man.

  “You do not need to draw on the eye boy.” The old man said simply, looking toward Nihlen. “Your secrets are on display for the entire world to read if they hold the right ability.”

  “You’re an ability user?” Nihlen asked, that dark edge disappearing from his voice.

  “I am.” The old man said lightly. “My granddaughter and I are both ability users.” He patted her leg lightly. She had completely disappeared from sight above his head when the conversation included her. “She’s shy, please forgive her.” He said lovingly.

  “You can read minds.” Marina said, looking at the old man in a whole new light. “That’s incredible!”

  “It has its uses.” The old man said, smiling at her. “I didn’t come here simply to tell you I’ve read into your darkest secrets and inner depths of your minds though. I came to give you some aid in your journey.”

  “So you will tell us more about abilities?” Galen asked.

  “Certainly.” The old man said. “However, you must understand something first. As
I said, right now the depths of your minds are open books to anyone with an ability similar to my own. Therefore, I cannot reveal my real identity to you. It is for the safety of myself, and my young granddaughter here. Certainly you will understand.”

  “What should we call you then?” asked Marina.

  “Urian will do for now if you feel the need for a title to address me by. You can call the little one here Shaya.” He added, patting the girl’s leg once more.

  “Urian, if you would, please tell us about abilities. Everything you can.” Nihlen suddenly said. His voice sounded even to a casual ear, but Marina heard a note of pleading or desperation underlying within.

  “Where to start…” Urian said, reaching one hand into his coat. From within, he drew a long, dark wooden pipe. Lighting the contents with a match, Urian settled back into the chair, letting out a large puff of acrid smoke. “As I said, both Shaya and I are ability users. I’ve traveled the world most of my life, and have seen many kinds of abilities. Abilities themselves are a phenomenon that have existed as long as we have. Throughout time uncountable, abilities have surfaced within people, seemingly randomly. However, in times of conflict, the amount of abilities seen is higher, and likewise, when the world is peaceful, ability users become rarer. Never do they fully disappear though.”

  “What makes people develop abilities?” Nihlen asked.

  “I am unsure.” The old man said, puffing on his pipe once more. After he exhaled, he continued. “Asking that is like asking why the sun shines, or why we live here right now. For whatever reason, it simply is.”

  “Can anyone learn to use an ability?” Marina asked, unable to keep the question in any longer. This is my chance to find out. Find out if I can truly stand beside him. Marina thought, waiting for his response.

  Urian was silent. He seemed to be weighing her question in his mind. “Theoretically yes, anyone can develop an ability.” He said finally, puffing on his pipe once more. “In a way, you could say having an ability is like an illness. There isn’t always an explanation as to why one person develops it and another doesn’t. I believe everyone has the potential to possess an ability from what I’ve seen and experienced myself, but as every ability is unique it's impossible to say. Even if two seem similar, they are as different as each person. Consequently, unlocking that ability is also different for each person.”

  Marina nodded, turning inward. It wasn’t a definitive yes, but it’s indeed possible! It’s a step in the right direction at least.

  “Can you be more specific?” Cal asked. “Like what you can do to help yourself along the way of discovering your ability? How did you discover you had one?”

  Maybe I’m not the only one harboring thoughts of an ability… Marina thought, as she waited for Urian’s response.

  “I did not train my ability. One day when I was a child, I could suddenly read minds. The prior day had been completely normal. At that time, I knew nothing of abilities. I was scared, too scared to tell my parents or anyone. Even when I didn’t want to read their minds, I knew all their thoughts and secrets before I could control it. It wasn’t until many years of living with the secret that I learned how to control the power, and read minds only when I wished.” He paused to take another puff of smoke in, and then blew it out. “To answer your question though, the only thing I can say is to try and feel the ability that is locked inside of you. If you try to draw it to the surface, it may answer one day. Otherwise, you may have to wait and see if you wake up one day with a strange new power like I did.” The old man chuckled.

  “In addition,” Urian said, reaching into his coat once more. From within he drew a pouch, containing more of the substance which he was smoking. “There are two main types of abilities. Inherited abilities, also called bloodline abilities, and developmental abilities. An example of an inherited ability sits before us, the Eye of Kings. Unless suppressed, these abilities will show up within those who succeed the bloodline, and have the ability passed on through rites at birth. The second type is what others with abilities have, developmental abilities. These are the special, one of a kind abilities which those without bloodline abilities are able to use.”

  “Can a person have more than one ability?” Nihlen asked. “Could I possess both an inherited and developmental ability?”

  “A very astute observation.” Urian said, inclining his head. “Abilities are rare, even in times of crisis, less than a handful of people within large geographical areas will ever develop an ability. I have encountered people who possess more than one ability though, so it is not impossible.”

  “What about Illian?” Galen suddenly asked, changing the subject. “The whole reason we are concerned about abilities enough to stop our journey is the near defeat we suffered at the hands of Hetal. Is there any way we can effectively counter an ability user? He used some kind of item that suppressed all of us but Nihlen. Is there an item that will suppress people with abilities?”

  “Such items exist, but they are exceedingly rare. Creating objects with power requires having the ability to do so. Seeing people with similar abilities is extremely rare. Your only chance would be to find an item already in existence, which is highly difficult even in the shadiest markets in the world, or find someone with the ability to make items, which is probably as difficult as the former.”

  Cal punched his leg, cursing. Marina felt a blow too. If Illian held items of power like that, or worse, someone with the ability to make them, then their group was in a mountain of trouble.

  “There must be something we can do though, to help even the odds against other ability users.” Nihlen said in frustration.

  “Of course there is.” Urian said simply, taking them all in with his smiling gaze. “An ability is only a tool, at the disposal of the user. Therefore, it is only as good as the user. Train yourselves to your fullest, and you will be able to stand and fight, even without an ability. Your quest is dire though, and you may find your needs answered in the future.” The last part had a prophetic ring, sending shivers down Marina’s spine.

  Nihlen eyed the old man for a moment. “I wonder who you really are.”

  “I wonder…” Urian echoed, pulling on the pipe once more.

  “Do you possess information about what is going on in Draven?” Nihlen asked point blank, standing tall and regal like the Prince he was.

  “I do… But giving it to you would probably cause you more harm than good.” Urian said faintly. “I can tell you your family still lives though, so you may set your mind at ease on that point.”

  Marina could see the weight visibly lift from Nihlen. Instantly, he seemed to change before her very eyes. “You’re sure?”

  “I am. I would not lie to you in a matter that important.” Urian’s tone rang true with honesty.

  Nihlen sagged down onto the bed behind him, putting his face in his hands. Marina swelled happily inside for him. She knew how much of a toll that particular worry took on his mind.

  It had grown dark outside now, and a cool chill crept in through the still open window. The group was silent for a while, the only sound Urian pulling on the wooden pipe. After a while, Nihlen looked up from his hands, his eyes lightly tear streaked.

  “Urian, we need to know how to protect our minds from ability users like yourself. Is there anything we can do to defend our thoughts and secrets?”

  “It depends… It is possible to fend off mind readers. It requires complete control of the mind though. If your control is weaker than the strength of the attacker, they will gain access to your mind. Exceptionally strong mind readers will probably not be thwarted, but if your mind is strong enough, you should be able to repel any attacks long enough to defend yourself at least.” Urian paused for another pull. “To control your mind, you must have all your thoughts under your control. Your mind must be quiet and serene. The mind reader will attempt to pull memories out, or delve in, or something along those lines. As long as you control the memories though, they won’t be able to stir them un
til you fall to their mental attack. Meditate, and hone your focus. That’s about all you can do about that. As for the items of power, they are truly a problem for those without abilities. Pray that you can awaken your own, if you so desire to counter that. Otherwise, you may see a repeat of Elome.” His ending tone was grave.

  Suddenly he stood, Shaya rocking slightly on his shoulders. “I will leave you with these final words. What lies before you now is a daunting task. The world is entering another age of strife. Dangerous times await everyone in the future. Just as ages of peace have been enjoyed, ages of war also bring them down. This age is turning now, and with it comes change. What will be, will be, so don’t be swallowed by your Path. Fight with everything you have for what you wish to accomplish, but do not be blinded by it. People tend to lose themselves when in pursuit of what is important to them, making that very pursuit invalid. Don’t lose yourself, no matter how important your quest. Make sure you still find enjoyment in the things around you, for if you reach a point where you feel none, all is surely lost for you.”

  He headed for the window once more, bringing Shaya down into his arms. “Will we see you again?” Marina asked.

  “I feel that you shall.” He said with a jovial wave. Then without hesitation he jumped out the window. Marina ran over toward the window panicked. When she gazed out to the street below though, there was no sign of Urian. He had simply vanished.

  Urian’s sudden visit had wound them all up. Marina stayed by the window, breathing in the moist, cool air. She stared out at the lake, the reflection of a full moon glistening on the lake’s slightly rippling surface. Everything Urian had said swam through her head, along with a jumbled mess of other information that had arisen with it.

  “I never expected information to just appear before us.” Nihlen suddenly said, breaking the lasting silence. “I wonder who he really is. Could this be a setup of some kind?”

  “It’s possible.” Galen said, sitting on his bed. “Either way though, he knew far too much for his words to have been false. He was definitely a mind reader. The part about you and Cal was especially surprising…” Galen trailed off, looking at Marina. She looked away, disgust for the incident welling up inside her.

  “Do not be hard on her Galen.” Nihlen said in her defense. “She has done more than enough to atone for her wrong doing. I would be dead right now if it weren’t for these two. They were just hired hands, who could have been easily replaced. The guilt lies with Calden, and whoever he’s in league with.”

  “I meant nothing by it, I was just surprised to hear it was all. It seems I still have much to learn about all of you.” Galen said.

  “This information…” Cal said. “It was not as much help as we had originally hoped. Other than a brief lesson about abilities, we basically learned we may die if we do not develop abilities of our own. Only we still don’t know how to do that.”

  “Yeah…” Nihlen said, fiddling with the blankets. “At least now we know more than we did though. I suggest we heed Urian’s words, and do our best to strengthen ourselves, with or without abilities.”

  “We are travel worn, and would already be long asleep had we not had unexpected company. We should take some time to recover while we are here. We can’t save anyone if we grind ourselves to dust after all. Let’s get some sleep, and we can worry about the rest of this tomorrow.” Galen said.

  The group murmured their assent, each climbing into their beds. Marina quickly closed the window, and made her way to her own blankets. As the fatigue of the day caught up with her, she was out almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  As she drifted, right before the abyss of sleep, she saw a deep darkness pierced by a blinding light.

  Chapter 17

  Do Your Best