Prime, p.17
Prime, page 17
He suspended them several meters above the ground. “Hold your fire, Mr. Messenger. I only wish to talk.”
Several guards moved to surround him, but none went to get the King.
“Very well.” He dispatched one peasant and tossed the crumpled body over the curtain wall.
He looked at the closest guard, a baby-faced boy. “These people are counting on you to save them. Are you going to let them die?”
A guard hesitated, so a tendril squeezed a young peasant girl.
She screamed, but Babyface froze with fear. The One found an older guard. “Does she have to die?”
The man ran inside.
Moments later, the old King and Messenger emerged from the castle wall; the Messenger was still nursing his wounds from the attack that took his Keeper.
“What do you want?” said the old King.
“You abdicate, he gives me the Amulet, and everyone lives.”
“And you would be king?”
“I’m the only one left.”
“Why did you kill her?”
“She insulted me.”
“You’re insane.”
He tossed another victim over the wall and turned his eye-shaped clouds toward the old King. “Oops.”
He looked at the remaining hostages and smiled. “Should he be more careful?”
“Stop it,” said the old King. “I can’t negotiate like this.”
The One laughed and pulled a young girl level with his face-shaped cloud. “He-” more laughter. He pulled the girl closer again. “He thinks we’re negotiating. Tell him not to be so presumptuous.”
The girl couldn’t speak.
“Tell him!”
“This isn’t...” Her voice disappeared. “You can’t.”
“The child understands.”
“Put them down, and we will talk.”
“How about you come out here, and I’ll put them down?”
“I don’t think–”
Another peasant flew screaming into oblivion.
The King stepped closer. “I’m here. Put them down.”
A woman dressed in the same fine robes as the old King ran to his side.
“No!” she screamed.
“Ah. It’s the barren wife.”
“Go back!” said the old King. “Please.”
Her eyes darted between her husband and the One, and then she took a few steps back.
The old King looked at the One and limped forward. “Please?”
The One put one peasant down and waited for the King to move. With each step, he released another peasant until the King was within reach. He dropped the last one and encircled the King loosely around the neck.
“What would you like to discuss? Hasn’t the weather been simply wonderful lately?”
The King didn’t respond.
The One looked over at the elderly Queen, terror deliciously painted across her face.
The One oozed his face closer to the old King. “You wanted to talk. So, talk.” He squeezed the old man. “How’s - the weather?”
“Fine,” croaked the old man.
“See?” He relaxed some of the pressure. “Now, that wasn’t hard at all.” He looked at one of the Guards. “People have no manners these days.” He turned his eye-shaped clouds back on the King. “Now, I want the Amulet. Make him give it to me - now.”
“You won’t be able to use it.”
“Do not tell me what I can do!”
The tendrils tightened again, and the old King’s face turned purple.
“Did you think I could do this?” He relaxed the grip a fraction.
The old king coughed and had difficulty speaking. “No,” he croaked. “Is it reversible?”
He laughed. “Now, who’s insane?”
The old King looked at the Messenger.
“Is that speck going to stop me?” He enclosed the King in a cloud up to his neck and lifted him. “Tell him to give me the Amulet.”
“Tobias?”
“Yes, Highness?”
The King nodded.
The Messenger shifted into the middle of the cloud.
The One felt complete.
His essence flowed around the Amulet
Immense pleasure flowed back.
He looked down and marveled at the green glow from his chest-shaped clouds.
The light grew brighter, and the pleasure was too much to bear.
The energy flow seemed to reverse.
Too much.
The One crushed the Messenger, but the pain increased.
He clawed but could not remove the Prime.
Something appeared around the Amulet.
He lifted away from the glimmer, and the pain was better, but the glow became a dome over the remains of the Messenger, then over the castle, pushing the One further from his prize.
In moments, the glowing dome covered the entire kingdom.
The One flew back to collect his prize. One tendril touched the gossamer membrane, and the agony returned.
He flew higher still, and his mind cleared.
His prize was there, still around the neck of that nuisance.
They will not keep him from his prize.
“No!”
Expecting only a shout, the blast cracked a castle wall but did nothing to the Barrier.
Blast after blast.
Forests flattened in seconds, but the Barrier only bent slightly.
He destroyed everything for miles around the Barrier and would have continued his assault, but the morning sun forced him back into the shadows.
Toby handed the book back to Madame Strunk. “That’s a history book?”
“Why do ye ask?”
“It... it reads more like a novel.”
“Be careful. The Ruling Council takes a dim view of treason.”
“What?”
“I’d keep those thoughts to myself.”
“Yes, ma’am. May I ask another question?”
She nodded.
“If the Ruling Council burned all the books, why does Teacher have so many books?”
She smiled. “In the first days after the King’s death, the Ruling Council burned everything because the One was the wages of sin.”
“Sin?”
“Religious belief was more fervent during the dark ages, and politicians used it for their personal benefit. The Council burned everything, but when they zealously burned some holy books, they only burned problematic books.”
“And they chose what was problematic.”
“Of course. As the original ruling council died off, the burning gradually ended. But even now, the Council will burn certain books.”
“The Book of Amulets?”
“Hopefully not.” She walked across the room to put the book back on the shelf. “The One reportedly used the Book of Amulets to make many lesser amulets, but has failed to reproduce the Prime. Some talk of the collection of amulets around his neck, like that awful youth amulet. Some say he is making more, inventing more all the time.”
“I’ve talked to him.”
Her head spun around. “Oh, my God.”
“It was weird. He makes it sound like he’s the good guy.”
“Be careful. He has spies in the castle.”
“I’ve heard. What should I do?”
“What does the Messenger do?”
He thought for a moment and then kicked himself for being so dense.
X
Toby considered shifting straight to Teacher’s room but decided not to risk it. Too many random stacks of stuff.
He dashed through the crowded corridors, avoiding eye contact with the other citizens in the castle. He heard his name twice, but acted like he heard nothing.
He turned the last corner and ducked into Teacher’s room. Someone was coming out the door at the same time. They collided, and books flew in all directions.
“Watch it!” shouted Raymond.
“Watch yourself!”
A wave of recognition came across Raymond’s face. “I didn’t know you were back.”
Toby pushed past, saying, “Since when do I need your permission?”
Raymond grabbed his arm.
Toby yanked his arm away. “Back off.”
Raymond put his hands up. “Wait. I need to tell you something.”
Toby didn’t move, didn’t let down his guard.
“I went back to Earth to look after you.”
“Right.” Toby turned to walk away from such stupidity.
“I’m serious.”
Toby ignored his lies.
“I thought it was easier to assume that character again.”
Toby expected more such lies and half-truths.
“You know two of the gang were from here. The other three started hanging around. If I pushed them away, it would look weird. If I started treating you differently, it would look weird. I couldn’t stand out, understand?”
Toby stopped. He didn’t answer, but he understood.
“I didn’t mean for you to get hurt.”
He walked away, refusing to listen to yet another lie.
“What do you want me to say? Sorry?”
“Are you kidding?”
“What do you want?”
“My father’s Tester never hit Dad, used goons to assault him, stuck his head in a filthy public toilet, or stole anything.”
Raymond looked away. “They weren’t on Earth.”
“So?”
“His Tester wasn’t in hiding.”
“No excuse.”
“I was doing my job.”
“Isn’t that convenient?”
“Look–”
“No, you look.”
“Gentlemen.”
Both turned, and Teacher walked in. His ruined face looked different, strained, but Toby didn’t care.
Teacher said, “We need to talk-”
“I will sit with the Orb.”
“That is your right, but there’s a problem.”
“What?” Raymond said.
“Lela is missing.”
Teacher walked in and sat on the edge of his desk. “She was at dinner last night, but she’s not in class.”
“What class?”
Teacher looked at Toby with his ‘You can’t be that stupid,’ face. “She is teaching at the Keeper’s school.”
Toby looked at Raymond.
“You think I did something?”
Toby kept quiet.
“Do you?” Teacher said.
Toby pointed at Raymond. “He has the only other travel amulet. He could have taken her out without being seen.”
Raymond shook his head. “I took her to the Keeper’s school. That’s all.”
“How did she and the Spiders get into that cavern? They didn’t migrate in from the glaciers.”
Teacher raised a calming hand and looked at Toby, “Why would Raymond do it?”
Toby looked narrowly at Raymond and said, “Good question.”
Raymond stood up and flung a chair to one side. With clenched fists, he moved toward Toby. “I’ve had it with your mouth.”
Toby stood up and felt the pain building in his chest.
“Stop!” Teacher slammed a book on his desk.
Raymond stopped.
Toby stood ready.
Neither blinked.
“Tobias, do you have any proof?”
He let the chest pain build a little more. It would be so easy.
“Tobias, do you have — any proof?
He cut his eyes at Teacher for a second. “No.”
Toby let the chest pain resolve and looked out the window. The breeze freshened in the trees. Another evening thunderstorm brewed up in the west.
Teacher signaled for Raymond to leave and pointed to the Orb. “Do what you came to do.”
Toby watched them leave and needed a minute to calm down. He found the old stool and placed it in position. Once seated, Toby tried to empty his mind. With the storm approaching outside, he stretched out his hands and closed his eyes.
Thunder clapped too close, Toby jumped, and his forearm grazed one spike.
“Ow!” The mark was already red, with a branching pattern extending about a centimeter.
Electrical burn.
Thunder clapped again. He tried to shut out the smell of the rain, the cool breeze, and the sound of dripping water.
Finally, he wondered...
As before, he was standing somewhere else, but he knew he was still sitting in Teacher’s room.
He was freezing until the warm gust filled the cavern.
Green mist formed and spun.
Became an oval. Several spinning ovals.
A face.
Greetings, Grandson
“Greetings, Grandfather.” He thought for a second and said, “How do I save her?”
The eyes closed,
Light and dark, is the sun,
Friend and foe, seem as one,
Appearance is not what it seems.
Destroy the thing that can’t be destroyed,
Some things are only in dreams.
Toby stretched. His back spasmed.
Deep breath. He worked to open his eyes and, out the window, saw a clear night sky.
“Too weird.”
“What is?” Teacher said.
Toby jumped.
Teacher’s glare didn’t diminish.
“Feels like I just sat down,” he shifted his weight on the hard stool, “although rump says otherwise.”
“I don’t care about your butt.” Teacher handed him a parchment and quill. “Write it down. Then get something to eat.”
XI
Toby and the Teacher walked into the dark dining area. Only a few late diners remained.
Toby was ravenous, but the pickings were slimmer than usual. The server filled his plate, and Toby joined Teacher at a table.
“The prophecy-”
“Eat,” Teacher said. “I know what the books say, but it’s not prophesy.”
“But-”
“Prophesy implies a supernatural source, but we have no evidence of that. And sometimes, the message is wrong.”
“How often?”
“I don’t know.”
Toby nodded and took another bite.
“Any word?” said a voice. Toby looked up and found Vaiden, the head of the Ruling Council.
Toby stood.
“Keep your seats. Any word on our Keeper?”
“None yet,” Teacher said.
“Any thoughts, Messenger?”
Toby took a second to swallow. “No, sir.”
“I want readiness report in an hour.”
Toby looked at Teacher, who said, “They want you to organize a search party outside the Barrier. I told them it will end badly.”
Toby looked at Vaiden and then back at Teacher.
Teacher shook his head. “Don’t even think about it. You are not ready.”
“It’s not your decision,” Vaiden said.
Teacher cut his eyes at Vaiden.
Toby watched the two men silently stare. What’s going on?
“But what about Lela?” Toby said.
“She does not want you dead either.”
“I’m not helpless.”
“You are not ready.”
“One hour,” Vaiden turned and left, his purple robe, with gold and silver stitching flowing behind.
“What’s going on?”
“He is Council Leader.”
“I know. What’s going on with you two?”
“Let’s just say he does not always agree with my decisions.”
“Like?”
“Like the order of testing.”
“He didn’t want me tested?”
“He wanted someone else tested first.”
“Who?”
“Tell me about the message.”
Speaking of changing the subject, Toby cleared his mind and recited the prophecy.
“What do you think?” Teacher asked.
“Friend and foe seem as one. It could mean I am confused about who is on my side.”
“Explain.”
“The One has visited me and said things that made sense. Raymond saved my life here, but on Earth, he and his gang beat me, robbed me and five of them could have killed me, except Hermes helped me.” He looked at Teacher but stopped.
“Lela’s decisions were confusing?”
He nodded.
“Finish it.”
“You tested me when you knew I wasn’t ready, just to get me out of the way.”
“I thought you wanted to go home.”
Which was true. “Why did Raymond do his bully routine at my school?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why not here?”
Teacher nodded. “I see.” He took a second. “There were — issues and I made the best decision I could.”
“Do other Candidates know the Tester is just doing his job?”
“We thought you knew what was happening and were playing along.”
“Someone attacked Mom, and the evidence points at Lela. Someone kidnapped Lela, and the evidence points to Raymond. Someone rigged two of my tests, and some evidence points at you.”
“What about the rest of the message?”
Unsure for a moment, he nodded. “The first three lines can mean too many things. I hope it’ll make sense when I need it.”
“And the fourth line?”
“What can’t be destroyed?”
“The Prime, for one.”
He tried to fathom some reason or meaning. “We can’t melt metal?”
“We don’t know.”
Toby pushed the food around on his plate. “Can’t destroy things in the past. How would I know to go back and destroy it?”
“A paradox.”
“You aren’t much help.”
“No, I’m not.”
Toby glimpsed something at the window. For a split second, his brain refused to acknowledge the reality of Hermes, perched at the window, with a coin in its beak.
The coin clattered on the floor, revealing that same fish-shaped rune.
For a full second, no one moved.
A woman screamed, and people scattered.
Hermes spread its wings and, after an emphatic, “Caw!” flew into the dark.
Teacher moved away, but he must have come to the same conclusion as Toby: there was no place to hide.
Toby stood up.
The cloud, black and dense, appeared above the amulet and the face formed.
