Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign (Worlds of the Crystal Moon, Book 1) (11 page)

Sam could not believe his ears. “You allowed a master of deception to talk you into letting us touch your crystal? Doesn’t that seem—?”

Bassorine gave Sam a look.

Knowing he was pushing the issue, Sam changed the subject. “So what about George? He fell through the floor with the base of your statue.”

Bassorine tapped the butt end of the staff he was holding against the front of his boot. “If Lasidious is behind this, he must have a reason for George being here. None of the others know of this mortal. I was not expecting Lasidious to place you on Grayham before the Peak. If I had known, none of this would have happened. Lasidious can be unpredictable. I was not anticipating a summons by the crystal until Late Bailem.”

Sam rolled his eyes at Shalee, careful to show only her his disgust of the situation and then responded. “If you didn’t expect us to be here until later ... assuming Late Bailem does mean later ... why did you release your hold on the Crystal Moon before this so-called Peak?”

Bassorine knew he had made a mistake, but he was not about to admit it. The god looked the fighter in the eyes. “Who are you to question me when determining the proper moment in which to do anything? I’ve listened to you make judgments, and I’ve had enough. I suggest you concentrate on fixing the problem, instead of badgering me. Do I make myself clear? I won’t allow a mortal to speak to me in this manner.”

Sam was dying inside. He wanted to tell Bassorine he was an idiot. Instead, he held his tongue. “I’m sorry.”

Shalee, now able to reclaim her speech, piped in. “Why not just kick this Lasidious guy’s behind? You can get the Crystal Moon back yourself while you’re at it. You should be fixin’ your own mess, not us. Fetch the base of your statue, and while you’re at it, put your little crystal back on it. That’s what you should be doing.”

Shalee continued. “I have obligations. This problem of yours doesn’t concern me. You said it yourself. You’re the God of War. Don’t you have the power? Are you weak or something?”

Bassorine remained patient. “It’s not that simple. Your misguided rant is a waste of my moments. Not all the gods choose a side.”

Shalee was about to rebut, but the god silenced her once more. “Some of us stay neutral in events of good and evil. We believe in free will. I’m the God of War, but I don’t determine the alliance that wins a confrontation.

“I love to battle, both hard and fierce, but I do not care who holds the balance of power. When the Collective came to me with this idea, I agreed only because of the entertainment it would provide. We’re gods, and if the worlds are destroyed, we have the power to create others. The Collective will view this struggle as a game. I prefer to think of the gods’ manipulations as an everlasting game of chess.

Bassorine pointed at Sam and then at Shalee. “You will be my pawns. The struggle for power shall not manifest in the form of a war amongst the Collective, but rather, war will manifest across the worlds. I’ll use you to keep as many of my chess pieces on the board as possible.”

“I’m not a chess piece,” Sam protested.

“Me neither,” Shalee added, moving closer to the fighter’s side. “I’m with him.”

Bassorine shook his head. “You are what I say you are. There will be no further conversation regarding this matter.”

“Free will. Yeah, right,” Sam grumbled. “What a joke.”

Shalee started to object, but Bassorine silenced them both with a wave of his hand. “The only reason I care is because a trick has been played, and my control over the Crystal Moon has been stolen. I would like the Crystal Moon back, but it is not essential I have it to exist. I shall simply play the game better than Lasidious. He’s the Mischievous One for a reason.”

Bassorine paused. “Now that I think about it, today’s events are amusing. Now more than ever, I don’t want the worlds destroyed. I also don’t want to stop these events from unfolding. I smell war on the horizon. This new struggle for power between the races will create glorious battles.”

Sam and Shalee were stunned. How could these “so-called” gods toy with worlds and each other? It took a moment for Sam to regain his composure.

Bassorine allowed him to speak.

“Okay, okay. So what about the gods who hate evil? Where are they? Won’t they put a stop to this insanity?”

“There are gods among us who want peace, love, and harmony, but not at the risk of a war between the members of the Collective. Also, there are gods who love chaos, hate, and fear, but not enough to fight for it. We want a simple existence, and we’ll be amused as the drama unfolds. That’s all.

“We allow each other to influence the beings living on the worlds, but we no longer fight one another to do it. If Lasidious is responsible for this, which I would wager he is, he did nothing more than use the greed or malice in the heart of a mortal to set these events in motion. The gods would not allow Lasidious to do anything more than influence the heart of one who is open to influence. This is the extent of how our power is to be used.”

Bassorine paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “Unless this George perished when he fell, Lasidious will not do anything to harm your friend. He will tempt and manipulate, but George will not be forced to do anything he does not choose.”

“Then we’re screwed if he’s alive!” Sam snapped as he threw his hands behind his head. “George isn’t our friend. He’s a jerk … the kind of guy no one likes. You should hear how he was talking. He’s going to be like putty in this Lasidious character’s hands.”

Bassorine walked over to Sam and put his hand on his shoulder. “Listen to me, young one,” he said in a soft voice. “You’re in for a great adventure. I have gifts the Collective agreed to give each of you before this chain of events began.”

Shalee allowed a half-hearted grin to appear at the thought of what kind of gift a god might bequeath.
It has to be better than the best day of shopping … and if it’s not … what a stinking sham it is to be a stupid god.
She shifted from one foot to the other in guarded anticipation of the potential greatness.

Bassorine pushed the staff in his hand forward to give it to Shalee, but before he let go, he explained. “This is a staff of sorcery. It is the only one of its kind throughout the worlds. Make no mistake, and do not judge it by its appearance. This object can wield as much power as its master can command. Other staffs exist, but no other of this caliber has been created. Once I let go, the staff will bond with you, and it will work for no other.

“But … I warn you. There is one complication when wielding this much power. If you wield it unwisely, before you’re ready, you can speed up the process in which you age. You could provoke an early death.

“However, there is also potential for longevity. If you handle the staff with intelligence, you’ll grow with it. If you command its power at a steady pace, you’ll extend your life thousands of seasons.”

Shalee trembled with excitement. She was happy about the gift and excited about the idea of living so long, but she was also scared to death. What if she used the power in the wrong way and as a consequence, aged faster? “Goodness-gracious,” she blurted. “I couldn’t accept having wrinkles at 23. That’s just wrong.”

The wood of the staff felt rough. “This is like déjà vu or something,” Shalee added. “I just know this is the same staff I’ve seen in my dreams. I think I’ve—”

“Hold on a second,” Sam said, cutting her off. “You’ve dreamt of this place, too? Why didn’t you say something earlier?”

Shalee rolled her eyes. “You’re not the only one who dreams, you know. I don’t know this place, but I’ve seen this stick.”

She turned her attention back to Bassorine. “This is kind of exciting. It’s kind of scary, too. Heavens ... how will I know if I’ve used too much power?” She pulled her arm back and clapped her hands. “I can’t believe I get to do something so unreal.” Shalee’s mind continued as she placed her hand back on the staff,
Maybe I can bring Chanice and my family here once I know what to do with this thing.

Mosley chuckled at Shalee’s reaction and then spoke with an enthusiasm of his own. “Your instincts will guide you. You’ll know when you’ve extended beyond your abilities.” The wolf snorted. “You’ll learn to avoid tragic outcomes by trusting your senses. This will take many moments to master, and your flanks will be punished.

“The staff’s power is only as strong as your inner strength, so practice often. As you grow, the power will become a natural part of you. It’s an impressive tool if you ask me.”

The wolf lifted his back leg to scratch the back of his neck. “I’ve seen similar staffs, though as Bassorine said, this one is special. You should be honored.”

Shalee looked at Bassorine and placed her other hand on the staff. “I may not understand it all yet, but lay it on me, big guy. Let’s get started.” She released her left hand and extended it. “Gimme a high-five.”

With a puzzled look, Bassorine responded, “Why would I give you a lifted number, lovely one? How does this ‘high-five’ relate to the staff? Numbers need not be involved.”

Shalee dropped her hand. “Really? Are you serious?”

“I am always serious,” Bassorine responded. “It will be up to you to name your staff.” He let go of the object.

Instantly, Shalee’s fingers tightened around its shaft. She lost control of her body and lifted from the floor. As she rose into the air, the light filling the great hall faded. Her arms flung to either side, and her back arched, pushing her chest forward.

Sam stood in awe. He watched as the clouds painted on the ceiling came to life. They emerged from the art and took form before lowering and stopping above Shalee’s head. As the clouds hovered, they rumbled and extended a number of wispy arms toward her body. Moments later, they detached and began to spin. As a cyclone formed around Shalee, it filled the hall with a mighty wind.

As the anger in the clouds magnified, Bassorine shouted. “The fury of the storm is building! Get behind me!”

Mosley did as instructed, but Sam did not move. A clap of thunder filled the hall as a storm of lighting shot forth from the clouds.

Bassorine grabbed Sam and pulled him away from the spectacle as lightning struck the pillars and scorched the floor where Sam’s feet had been. After ensuring Sam was safe, Bassorine continued to shout. “The staff is bonding with her! The ritual will weaken her! She will be tired and need to sleep!”

Instead of responding, Sam rose onto his toes and peered over Bassorine’s shoulder until the fury of the storm subsided. Eventually, the lightning stopped and the cyclone vanished. The clouds returned to the ceiling as the hall once again filled with light.

As Shalee drifted toward the floor, Sam could see the scorch marks the lightning had left behind on her pajamas. They were ruined, and one of the bunny ears that had been attached to the slipper on her right foot fell to the floor and crumbled to ash.

Watching Shalee fall limp to the floor, Sam reacted. He rushed to her side and knelt. Her breathing was shallow. The doctor lifted her into his arms, cradled her head and then checked her neck for a pulse. It was faint.

“What the heck did you do to her?” Sam demanded.

Bassorine walked over and stood above them. “Worry not. She’ll recover.” The god turned and motioned to Mosley. “Take Sam’s place. Give Shalee a pillow to lie on.”

Sam allowed Shalee’s weight to transfer onto the wolf’s body, then he moved aside.

Mosley nuzzled Shalee’s head with his nose until it rested upon a softer part of his belly. “There, that should do.”

Sam stood and looked at Bassorine. “I don’t want your gift if that’s what I have to go through.”

Smiling, Bassorine removed the bow from his back and presented it to Sam. “Your gifts require a different form of bonding. This is the Bow of Accuracy. There is none with its ability on any other world. With this weapon, you can strike down your enemies from great distances. The enemy must be seen by your eyes. The bow will not miss if used for a just cause. It will only respond to a master with a good heart, and it will not allow a dark spirit to pull its string. Its quiver of arrows will never empty. You may pull from it forever.”

The god unbuckled the sheath holding the sword and handed it to Sam. “This is the Sword of Truth and Might. It is also one of a kind. The sword possesses the ability to search for truth when used upon your enemies. Place the blade on your foe’s shoulder, ask it for the answer you seek, and it will be given unto you.”

Sam’s face lit up. “Okay, okay. So you’re saying the sword will weed through the lies, and the bow will let me hit any enemy as long as I can see it and use it with good intentions?”

“Yes and no,” Bassorine responded. “Just because you possess the sword, doesn’t mean you have the ability to wield it. The sword will only work once it feels you have earned its respect. It lives and has a mind of its own. You have much to learn, and a short period of moments in which to gain this knowledge. You do not want the blade failing you in battle. Your bow, however, is not so fickle.”

Bassorine knelt next to the sleeping Shalee. “Mosley, take them to Brandor. I shall come to you once I know more of the Crystal Moon’s location.”

The God of War looked at Sam. “I cannot make Lasidious do anything against his will. I can only hope he sees fit to provide the clues needed to play a fair game. I shall return.”

With that, Bassorine disappeared, and a new statue appeared in place of the old, minus the Crystal Moon.