The Sorcerer's Dragon (Book 2) (10 page)

“Your main focus is manifesting an eidolon into your hands that contains the right amount of energy you need, but…I think we’re going about this all wrong. Have you considered using a conduit?”

“I don’t follow.”

“Your friend, Olivia, does it. She uses a standard sword to infuse her energy into. It’s fast, and in many ways, it’s stronger than an eidolon. Your eidolon is tied into your will, right?”

“In a sense,” she said, stretching her neck. Something in her back was pinching her. “If I get wounded, then the eidolon might get weaker.”

“An external vessel wouldn’t. You could be wounded, and a sword in this example would be just as strong as when you started out. I understand that eidolons have the capability to get even more powerful, but how often will that happen?”

“What are you saying?”

“I think that we should stick with this model, but you should focus on infusing your power into external vessels and not so much into your eidolon. It will actually help you conserve energy, and if the stories you’ve told me are to be believed, once we’re on Terra, you might get sick again. It will be good to not have to use your eidolon.”

“That will take some getting used to.”

“It’s not that difficult. The main problem will be stopping yourself from instinctively summoning an eidolon all the time. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t ever unsheathe it should your standard sword or whatever you’re using happens to break. Though with the proper blacksmith, that shouldn’t be a problem. I suppose that’s why Olivia had hers custom made.”

“Where is she now?”

“Ian’s house. Where they’ve always been. You keep asking for them but I assure you, you’re in good hands.”

“I…I do?”

“Yes,” he sighed, turning around to assess his tools. “Every day in fact. I don’t blame you though. You’re still groggy.” He paused. “Arianna has no excuse though.”

“So…what…what happens now?”

“I think,” he paused to think, “I think that we should take another month to redesign your right arm. Although I want to get going as soon as possible, there’s no point if you end up having to come back here a couple days in.”

“Thank you,” she said. “This…this is a lot of work.”

“Oh, don’t thank me,” he chuckled. “I’m getting paid handsomely. Ian must really believe in you or something. I mean, I understand the possibilities. But the risk he’s taking is far beyond what I would be able to do.”

“What do you mean?” she said through a parched throat.

“He didn’t tell you?” Milo asked, walking back over to her and examining her right arm. “Of course not. How could he? You’ve been back here pretty much the whole time.”

“Tell me what?”

“I’m getting his house,” Milo replied.

Remi felt her heart stop. His house? The house his parents lived in? The one where he performed his work? His home? Why? He barely knew her. He knew…nothing about her. Was finding new materials on Terra that important to him? Did he really think that his reputation would increase so much that he would be able to get the house back or secure an even better one? From what she understood, there wasn’t unlimited space in Virga so why would he give up such prime real estate? Why for her?

“Why?” she found herself muttering, and Milo chuckled to himself.

“Because he’s smitten,” he said, tapping a screw on her right arm.

“I don’t know him.”

“No, you don’t. And he doesn’t know a thing about you. That’s why you’re so fascinating.”

“I don’t get it.”

“It’s because you’re not from around here,” he said, bending down close and rubbing grease on the screw so that it could be removed easier. “Here in Paragon, the people are all the same. We think the same. Act the same. Believe the same. And in that lack of diversity, we become sick in our own way. Without change or growth, we become stagnant and unhappy. We start lashing out or getting cranky and we don’t even know why. We become terrible, terrible people because it’s the only way we can justify the agony that is going on internally. We refuse to seek out new things or new concepts because we’re supposed to be in Paradise, but we also need a way to cope with that decision.”

“You don’t seem so bad.”

“That’s because we’ve just met, and you are in fact, new and exciting. Give it time. You’ll see what I mean.”

“And Ian,” she sighed. “Is he the same?”

“No,” Milo replied. “And I think that’s because he’s been fighting against his upbringing all his life. I think that’s why he wants to go on your journey so bad as well. It’s because he needs it. He can’t go on for decades more without change. It’s nice to have a home, but it means nothing if you’re not happy within it.”

“I know how that feels,” Remi said, closing her eyes.

“Yeah,” Milo’s voice trailed off. “So…do you want me to redesign both arms?”

“Go for it,” she said without hesitation.

The pain continued.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce to you the new and improved Remi!”

They began clapping as she walked out of the back room, feeling as if she was part of some strange beauty pageant. She raised her arms high as she came around the glass counter and they were all there to greet her.

Olivia, Eckard, Harlan, Ian, Arianna and Milo.

They were all genuinely happy for her and she could see in their faces, even Olivia’s. She hadn’t seen them except for hazy bouts here and there for over four months. But now she was ready not only to see them again, but the world at large. It was a brand new day for Remi Fonteyn.

“Those are sleek,” Olivia whistled as Remi walked forward and let her rub her fingers down the biceps. These arms were crafted out of more steel than wood so they started out a little heavier, but Milo compensated for the weight by making them thinner. In the end, she gained more durable arms that were actually slightly quicker than her last pair. Not to mention that she could now summon an eidolon without launching it from her shoulder if she had to. That was nice.

“These aren’t the final product,” Milo said as they awed over her new limbs. “I would love to make a stop by Delilah if at all possible and see what they think. She might even be able to get better upgrades there.”

“The Delilah?” Harlan asked. “They’re the ones who have all the technology right?”

“Pretty much,” Milo said, admiring his work. “But Paragon has been talking with them lately. As long as we don’t pose ourselves as a threat, I think we should be able to visit.”

“We’ll see,” Ian said excitedly. “So I guess that means we’re going to be heading out?”

“Not just yet,” Olivia said. “It would be good for us to get a good night’s rest. Remi might—”

“Oh no,” Remi chuckled. “Trust me, I’ve had plenty of rest. I’m ready to try these bad boys out in the field. Don’t postpone the departure on my account.”

“There was one more thing,” Olivia said. She motioned to Eckard. “Want to tell them?”

“We were able to meet with one of the King’s officials,” Eckard said. “A man named Orson. We showed him a piece of the shard that Olivia was able to retrieve on the day of the Sage Academy’s fall and it is definitely a match for one of the Sorcerer’s human weapons. Whenever we’re ready, he has asked us to meet him at the third armory near Cirrus. It’s where they have shards for the other Sorcerer weapons.”

“He’s willing to part with the shards?” Remi asked.

“Only pieces. Not the whole things. Just enough to be able to track these other human weapons down.”

“So…we would be able to find them all,” she said. “Wow…I didn’t think it would come to this.”

“After we have a signal, it’s just a matter of choosing which way to go.”

“Then what are we waiting for?! Get a hold of Orson and let’s get this going!”

“Will do,” Eckard said with a bow, heading out the door. Ian stepped forward.

“You sure you’re up to this?” he asked.

Remi laughed. “More than ready. Are you?”

“Don’t have much of a choice,” he said weakly. “But yes, yes, I’m fine.”

“Where are we heading first?” Harlan asked and Olivia reached behind her to dig through her back pocket. When she was done rummaging, she lifted her hand and produced a red shard in the shape of a diamond. Remi stared at it in awe.

“Is that ours?” she asked.

“Yep,” Olivia said, raising her arm high for everyone to see. After Orson and his guards took most of the sword, they left me with this. Just enough to light the way.”

“You know that it works?”

“Tried it many times,” she said with a smile. “All you have to do is know what to ask. In this case, I’m asking the shard for the whereabouts of its owner. I want to know whose genetic make-up is intertwined within it. I want to know where that person is.”

As if listening the entire time, a beam of light suddenly shot out from the center of the shard, piercing through the ceiling of the shop and reaching out into the sky. Remi ducked under the beam and excitedly threw open the door. She gasped in awe as she saw the beam extend out past Virga and toward the sky.

“That’s where he is,” she breathed, then she turned back toward the others. “Or she! Either way, that’s what I’m looking for. Right now, there is someone out there that was created just as I was.”

“I hope that I’m not blinding them every time I use this,” Olivia laughed as she turned her attention toward the shard. “I’m done,” she whispered, and the beam faded into the air.

“I wonder how close Cimmerian is to finding them,” Ian said.

Remi took a deep breath and clenched her new fists. It didn’t matter what Cimmerian was doing. Even if they took the other weapons as prisoners, she would free them all.

“Excuse me,” a guard said from their right. Remi moved out of the doorway so that he could come inside. Eckard was right behind him. “Close that door,” the guard said once they were all inside. Harlan obeyed the order.

“Where’s Orson?” Olivia asked and the guard cleared his throat.

“He has other business to attend to, and there is nothing left to discuss. He has sent me to make the delivery on his behalf.”

“That was quick,” she said, eyeing the brown knapsack closed shut in his hand.

“We’ve been keeping tabs on all of you, and we received word that Remi was in good health. We knew that your departure wouldn’t be long so I was instructed to nest nearby with a small militia for protection.”

“Keeping tabs?” Ian snickered. “What does the King and his officials care about us?”

“Should you succeed,” the guard stated, “it will matter greatly. Particularly if you are able to persuade the weapons to join us in the war.”

“Speaking of which,” Remi said. “What’s being done about the Sage Academy? That was a blatant attack by Cimmerian, and an aggressive one at that.”

“We have no proof that it was Cimmerian. From our understanding, what was primarily used were of Delilah origins. We’re re-evaluating our treaty with them at this moment.”

“But the troops were wearing Cimmerian armor.”

“We are not ready to begin the fighting. That is a last resort. Something that you shouldn’t worry yourself about.”

“And the Sage Academy itself?”

“If we were able to reach any of the high-ranking Sages, we would have an answer for you, but that is not the case. Besides the students that were there that day, there is no one to be found.”

“How can that be?”

“Reports tell us that they’ve gone on their own type of journey, and without the King’s blessing I might add.”

“Something it sounds like I have?”

“Yes,” he said, opening the knapsack and presenting it to Remi. “For all intents and purposes, these are now yours. A shard from each of the non-human Sorcerer weapons stashed in our armory. We couldn’t salvage much, but they work just like the shard Olivia was able to retrieve from the enemy. Though we haven’t locked down the locations to where the shards lead, we suspect they will all guide you to your intended destination.”

Remi didn’t say a word. She passed out a shard to each of them. Each one depicting a potential ally in the battles to come. Remi kept two in her hand.

“Let’s see what these do,” she said, and they all extended their shards high.

“Ask them out loud or internally,” Olivia said, “but remember that you do have to ask.”

Beams of light suddenly shot out from each of the pieces, all going off in different directions. Remi looked down at her chest and noticed that the blue shard that was in Ian’s hand landed on her. The beam didn’t go through her. It stopped right there.

“Looks like they work,” Ian replied. Remi blushed. She couldn’t deny that seeing the beam of light illuminate over her made her feel special. It was like she had a grand purpose that surpassed the others. At least, that’s what she hoped. The truth was probably a lot more sinister and disappointing—that she was a tool, used and discarded as required. She was done being that.

“Let me see that one,” Remi asked, holding her hand out to Ian. Ian threw the shard into her hand and suddenly, she was no longer standing before her friends.

She was surrounded by darkness.

And she felt like she was being watched. She heard someone clicking their teeth behind her and she turned around to identify the source. There was no one there. Nervously, she tried waiting until her eyes adjusted to her surroundings but they didn’t. In fact, the darkness seemed like it was getting worse, as if it was climbing up her clothes and crawling along her face, up to her eyes and then seeping deep inside.

She grit her teeth as she felt the darkness pouring into her, so slow and thick it felt like honey to the touch. She nearly screamed but her mouth felt like it was glued shut. Her hands relaxed and her fingers hung loosely. She didn’t want to be there anymore but she didn’t know how to escape. She could feel herself—

“Remi?” Ian asked. Remi’s eyes went wide as the light flooded into her pupils. She covered her eyes and rubbed them vigorously. “Are you okay?”

“Something happened to me when I touched that,” she said. She squinted one of her eyes and saw that Ian had taken back the shard.

“What was it?” Olivia asked. Remi looked at each of them and noticed that the guard was taking mental notes.

“I don’t know. It…it…I can’t explain it. I was covered by darkness, and it felt like someone was watching me.”

“Had a vision?” Harlan asked, taking out his notebook and pen. “Good or bad?”

“She said she was covered in darkness,” Ian retorted. “Which do you think it was?”

“I don’t know, darkness isn’t always bad. It’s quite cozy when you’re under your blankets at night. Could never sleep with the light on.”

“This isn’t that,” Remi said, already forgetting what she experienced, as if it had all been a nightmare.

“Do you want to try again?” Olivia asked but Remi shook her head.

“I’m okay for now,” she said. “But I will later. I just…I’ll need someone to watch over me when I do it.”

“It might be a clue to one of the Sorcerers…possibly, your Sorcerer.”

“Mine?”

“Weren’t each of the weapons created by one of the Sorcerers? The vision might have been about him or her.”

Remi felt even less like messing with the shard now. If that was her Sorcerer, then she didn’t expect the future to be a smooth and happy one. It felt like the darkness was trying to reclaim her, as if she was property that had run away and she needed to be rebranded.

“We can talk about it later,” Milo said, walking out of the shop with his grey suitcase in hand. Remi hadn’t even noticed when he left the group. “We should be on our way.”

“Right,” Remi said, clearing her throat. “Um…which way should we go first?”

“Well,” Olivia said. “I have a suggestion.”

“Sure.”

“We should go with the red shard, since that’s the one we know works for sure.” She turned to the guard. “Not saying that your master is a liar, but at least we know this one has been tested without outside influence.”

“I understand,” the guard said with a stoic face. “And if there is nothing else, I will be on my way.”

“You are relieved,” Olivia said and he did an about-face and left them. Remi sighed and stared at the red shard.

“Where’s that one headed?”

“Terra,” Olivia said. “But based on the beams of light, it’s not too far from Paragon. It seemed like the farther away one of the weapons were, the thinner the beam of light. Did you notice how the beam connected to you was so big that you started glowing?”

“I did,” she admitted, blushing a little.

“To Terra it is,” Ian replied.

“I’m sure it won’t be as easy as we think,” Olivia said. “How are we supposed to know that this isn’t some crazy trap?”

“We’ll ask around,” Remi said. The group fell silent.

“Uh,” Milo spoke up, “I thought this was supposed to be a stealthy kind of mission.”

“Not my style.”

“So you actually want the Sorcerers to know that we’re looking for them and their weapons?”

“I do.”

“But why?” he whined. “I don’t get it.”

“Because…then they’ll know that we’re serious about our mission. And I’m willing to bet that they’ll talk to us first before thinking of destroying us.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because we’re the only ones looking for them. We’re the only ones not afraid, and they’ll want to know why.”

“Speak for yourself,” Ian replied. “Harlan’s peeing on himself right now.”

“I am not,” he declared though everyone glanced at his crotch momentarily for confirmation. Harlan started blushing and he closed his eyes in embarrassment.

“Alright, let’s stop wasting time,” Olivia said. “Everyone got what we need? Because it’s time to head out.”

“Wait!” a high-pitched noise rang throughout the air. Milo winced as he saw his sister running out of the shop and heading straight for him. She nearly tackled him to the cobblestone street as she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tight.