For weeks, he had concentrated his search to the southeast, beyond the Great Forest, but he had been unable to pinpoint its exact position. He had used up many ravens in the search, and his frustration had grown with each passing day. Then, quite unexpectedly, he had felt the unique energy of the Key surge through the aether, alerting him to its location. A nearby raven had been dispatched to a mid-sized castle in the southern borderlands.
Through the eyes of his small tool, he had observed the vessel and had beheld the glorious light of his Key, illuminating its flesh like a beacon. Now that he finally knew the exact nature of the vessel and where it lay, he needed to find a way to get both his ring and the vessel to him. Only then could he resume what had been interrupted by bitterest treachery over five lifetimes ago. It would not be easy. He needed a willing ally in the outside world, preferably one trained in the use of magic. He felt confident he would find such an individual among the ranks of Alasiri’s professional mages, one who could be bent to his purpose by the lure of greater power. Were not all magicians driven to a certain degree by the thirst for more power and knowledge?
No, it would not be easy, but it could be done.
A sound like the winter wind sluicing among the high, icy peaks of the Kesen Numai Mountains echoed through the dark chamber deep beneath the ancient fortress-the sound of The Nameless One laughing.
It is time.
Do you think the girl is ready?
Yes. She has already come to me asking to learn about what she calls her ‘blue fire.’
Still…She is very young, and such a burden would be extremely difficult for a trained, experienced mage, let alone a hikui girl!
What other choice do we have?
None…Very well…Begin the girl’s training. When she is further along, you will bring her to Sendai. I shall take over then.
There is still the question about our own strength. When the time comes, I fear that, without a full complement, we will be unable to complete the Working.
I am concerned as well, but there is no one suitable that we could invite to join us.
There is my son.
Your son is untrained…because of your family tradition, I might add!
I am beginning to deeply regret that. He is the only one of my children who has inherited the strength of my Talent, it seems.
Does he even know how powerful a mage he could become?
No. I put a block in place when he was a child, after I was certain of the magnitude of his Talent. I have kept it all from him, mainly to spare him the frustration.
Even if you began training him now, yourself, he could never be ready…Not for a Great Working.
He doesn’t have to have the skill of a full-fledged mage. He only needs to know how to control and direct the proper energies…and be willing to perform the Sundering, if need be.
Can you be certain he will strike the killing blow if called upon? If what you say is true and he is in love with this girl, he may hesitate at the last moment. I don’t have to tell you what that will mean.
He will do what’s necessary. My son understands quite well the concept of duty.
The girl’s father…You are sure of his identity?
I’ve seen the ring myself.
It could be some sort of a deception.
Unlikely!
This changes nothing, you know. All must go forward as planned.
I know…This is going to be so hard on my son…I’ve decided to allow him and the girl to be together so that they might have a little happiness beforehand.
Do you think that’s wise? It will only make it more difficult for them in the end. It seems rather cruel to me.
‘ Cruel’ is a harsh word…My son loves this girl. It’s not wise, but I’ve denied my child so much. I’ve forced him into a life that goes against his basic nature, deceived him about a fundamental part of his being…
You’ve allowed guilt to cloud your judgment.
Perhaps, but it’s a mother’s prerogative to indulge her children.
I just hope it doesn’t prove to be an obstacle.
When the time comes, they will both do what they must.
Keep me informed.
Of course. I’ll contact you again soon.
Amara opened her eyes and took a deep breath. The mental exchange with her colleague in the capital had taken only a short amount of time, but it had required that she expend a great deal of energy to span such a long distance.
She rubbed her eyes and yawned, then stood and stretched in an effort to fight off the weariness that weighted her limbs. Perhaps her colleague was right in pointing out the cruelty of allowing Ashinji and the girl to be together, but when she had first realized the depth of her son’s feelings, Amara knew that she couldn’t stand in their way. She would be their champion and plead their case to her husband. The fact that he was obligated to grant the girl any request she made of him would make it easier. In the end, he would relent and give Ashinji permission to marry his precious Jelena.
Ashi, my beloved son, how I’ve wronged you! I should have trained you myself and tradition be damned, but I didn’t have the courage to go against my family. Never before have I questioned the rule that only the females of my line could take up magecraft until now…
Amara shook her head. She had no time for regrets. She had too much to do. They all did, they who were the remnants of the once mighty Kirian Society, a sadly diminished order, in both power and prestige. Centuries ago, when the force of Talent had waxed stronger in the elven people, the Kirians held influence second only to the king in affairs of state.
As time passed, the elves saw the strength of their Talent fading; mage schools found it increasingly difficult to find enough candidates with sufficient magical abilities who could be trained as top-level mages, and so the ranks of all the magical orders-the Kirians especially-had become depleted.
Amara had come to accept that the elves must begin to turn away from magic, that science must now become the force to propel their society forward, but many of her fellow mages stubbornly clung to their belief that the elves would always have Talent.
Well, maybe so, but not in the same form as it existed today.
Amara studied her elaborately tattooed palms. The designs were arcane symbols of her magical order. For those who could decipher them, they clearly marked her as a Kirian. She had kept her membership in the Society a secret from everyone in her family except her husband, and even he did not realize the full extent of her involvement. How would he react when she told him what would soon be required of their second-born?