Father is alive!
The same thought ran through SoYa’s head over and over again. His heart pounded with bounding exhilaration as he rounded the last corner to the Apprentice’s quarters. Green eyes flickering with excitement, he lifted his fist and pounded on the door to his brother’s chamber.
Just wait until TsuYa hears! I can’t believe that this entire time Father has been alive!
Tapping one foot, the Apprentice began to rock back and forth in front of the door, waiting for an answer. Then, in a flurry of eager impatience, he banged on the door again.
“Tsu! Tsu, open up! I’m back! I’ve got a lot of crazy stuff to tell you!”
Though I just don’t understand… if Father was alive… why did he leave us thinking he was dead?
SoYa glanced up and down the hall. Everything was covered with a shroud of silent desertion. He hadn’t seen the face of a single Apprentice since he had arrived back at Nefol.
I suppose… There has to be a reason for the things he chose to do even if I don’t understand them. I’ll just be happy to see him again!
Once letting TsuYa in on the information that he had found, SoYa planned to ask his brother to join him on the trip to find their father. The sparrow at the Host Gate said that Aunt SaRa might be of some help.
It’ll be just like the old times when we used to journey off to Arddun and back just for the fun of Market Day.
A soft grin crossed SoYa’s face. But TsuYa had still not answered his door.
Tsu used to love sleeping out under the stars and sitting around the travel fire for hours at night just talking. Those were the days when we were much more free. I really miss it.
The Apprentice leaned his shoulder against the wall, craning his head back in thought.
It will be good to spend some time with him. And to see Father again… Surely… everything will feel just like it used to be.
A slow scowl was working over SoYa’s face.
I guess Tsu’s not home after all. I wonder where they’ve all goneto? I’d best find them. If it’s another Apprentice meeting, I should be there. I’ve probably missed so many classes and meetings because of everything that’s happened…
With a slight bound to his step, SoYa made his way through the hall, down the stairs and outside into the warmth of the afternoon sun. As his green eyes squinted against the light, the small man extended his thoughts to seeking. Manipulating thoughts and mind patterns was a rare ability to have. But it came so easily to him.
SoYa had discovered at an early age that he was an Athrylith. A mind mage.
The unwieldy powers of the Athrylith were the most feared area within the magic sphere. Because so little was really known about mind powers, those who were gifted with such abilities were often unjustly scorned. It was an honest fear, though. Such power could be easily misused. The Council had chosen to shun the teaching of mind magics and to restrain anyone who could use them.
That was why SoYa had told no one that he was Athrylith. Not even his brother knew.
That was how Father wanted it. He said to me — “Keep it under your hat just for now, SoYa. One day they will come to understand you better. But until then, you have too much talent to share with the young people of this world to be cast from your work at Nefol. Promise me you will tell no one…”
SoYa had promised. And kept the promise at a high expense.
He had endured many a year under baleful stares of other Apprentices who looked upon him in disappointment. Afterall, as the eldest son of the great ZenToYa, there were high expectations to be met. Though SoYa was best known for mediocre healing abilities, even those were very pale next to what some of the mid-ranking Apprentices could easily work. But only he knew that healing was only a second-rate ability compared to his true talent.
Day after day, he faced the disillusioned frowns of those around him. Even TsuYa had that light of pity in his eyes now and then. It hurt most when it was coming from his brother. That was the time he wanted to speak out most. Afterall, TsuYa was his most trusted companion next to AsaHi.
AsaHi had been the only one that never looked down on him. Maybe that was what had drawn him to her when they were younger. Over time, her companionship had turned from trusted friend to his Promised. AsaHi’s own lack of magic often got her the same treatment among the people of Nefol. Afterall, the rest of her brothers and sisters were attending the School and she was not.
AsaHi… I hope above hope that you are safe…
The passing thought rippled through SoYa’s mind waves as he touched upon his brother’s consciousness in the distance. A flickering image pulsed in his mind’s eye. With a subtle nod, SoYa turned on his heel and made his way in the direction of the Gathering Grounds.
As he drew closer, glances between the buildings showed him a crowd of Apprentices gathered in the bowl-shaped clearing not too far in the distance. It was all bathed in a tense silence, an unusual thing for a gathering of so many people. Their eyes were all fixed on one central point. No one even seemed to notice as SoYa shouldered his way into the crowd, hopping up and down to see over the shoulders of the taller Apprentices that blocked his view.
Finally, with a frustrated huff, he turned to the nearest Apprentice and nudged him with a quick hiss, “Hey… what’s going on?”
It seemed like it was the hardest thing in the world for the Apprentice to turn his gaze away and looked over at SoYa. Then he did a double take, “SoYa? Is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” he replied, not quite certain if he should be familiar with the man who was addressing him. It often happened that way… it seemed everyone knew him though he hardly knew anyone else.
“Where have you been?” it was almost an accusatory tone.
“I was out on an errand,” SoYa answered lightly. “What’s going on here? Why all the fuss? I couldn’t find anyone anywhere when I got back.”
The other Apprentice pursed his lips.
“What’s… wrong?” a sinking feeling clutched his stomach.
“You shouldn’t be here, SoYa.”
“What? What do you mean?”
The young man peered around, his green eyes searching nervously, “Did anyone see you come in?”
“No. I’ve only talked to you.”
“Good, come on.”
They made their way between the borders of the Gathering Grounds, finally heading into one of the silent stone buildings that overlooked the procession below. SoYa found himself at a window with a view out over all the clearing below.
The massive sea of white robes dotted the green like a quilt pattern, all facing inwards. In the center of the gathering was something that he did not recognize. It seemed to be a perfectly round pool of some sort… though rather than being filled with water, it was overflowing with white-hot pulsing energy. It hovered a foot or so above the grass.
A low hiss escaped his lungs, “What… is that thing?”
“I don’t know… but it creeps me out,” the other man nodded. “I only came because it was a mandatory-called Meeting. But there’s no way I want to watch them experiment on some little kid!”
SoYa choked, “Who called this meeting?”
The Apprentice’s face gave a deeply pained look as his hand raised to indicate the group of men standing upon an upraised platform next to the eerie white pool. SoYa followed the line of sight down, squinting in consternation.
“What?” he nearly fell out of the window at the shock.
There was a group of high-ranking Apprentices gathered upon the dais, sporting their official scarves and sashes. But what caught his eye instantly was the midnight-blue robes worn by the man standing with his back to the crowd at the head of the group.
Those robes! They were Father’s! That is the robe of the High Guide of Nefol!
“Shouldn’t those belong to you, SoYa?” the other Apprentice asked softly.
“I… well…” he blinked down at his feet. Then he nodded, admitting, “Technically, they belong to me.”
“Then why is TsuYa wearing them?”
Entries (RSS)