“It is a fine day, Our Stowe. Today we come to the fruition of all our hard work.”
“Will others be witnessing?”
“No, it was determined the added complication of an audience was inadvisable at this juncture.”
“Lest I fail and ruin the celebration,” Stowe says, her eyes keenly fastened on the silver bowl.
“You are very talented, perhaps the most talented of all of us. But in the challenge you face, talent is of little import.”
It was important last week, last month, last year, Stowe thinks. But no matter, the Dirt is in his hand and if she listens quietly she will get it all the sooner.
“Density. Impermeability. Sustaining mass will be key to dominating your opponents.”
“Opponents?”
“Traitors are everywhere. You must learn to defend yourself as well in the Dreamfield as you have learned to here in the real world. There are many threats to the Masters now. Irritants that must be set aside forever.”
“I am to fight an Eater?”
“Yes. Perhaps more than one.”
“The one who kept me from finding my brother?”
“I do not command the Eaters, Our Stowe. I cannot say who will meet our challenge. But I am sure they will be there. The Eaters would all dearly love to see you dead.”
Does Kordan also want her dead? Does he know of Darius's plans for her future? She could hear the contempt in his voice when he said her name. It was greater than when he spoke of the Eaters.
Kordan takes a pinch of dirt and places it on his tongue. Smiling, he offers a heaping spoonful to Stowe, who cannot help but devour it hungrily. After a moment Kordan presents another. Willum's warnings echo at the back of Stowe's mind, but he doesn't know how hard it is, how much easier the Dirt makes it for her. And this is important, too important. Maybe next time she'll heed him and take less. But this time, Stowe accepts the extra dose and, lying back on the smooth curved bed, lets her mind focus on the inward journey.
O
N A BEACH WITH SAND THE COLOR OF BURNT UMBER, VULTURE BESIDE HER,
O
UR
T
ERRA-COTTA
S
TOWE SURVEYS THE WATERY LANDSCAPE.
“W
HAT'S OUR APPROACH
?”
T
HE VULTURE STEPS INTO THE SEA AND DISAPPEARS.
W
ITH A DOWNWARD SWEEP OF HER HAND,
S
TOWE GLIDES EFFORTLESSLY INTO THE WATER, DESPITE HER FORM OF CLAY.
L
EAGUE AFTER LEAGUE OF VAST CORAL BEDS, PULSATING FIELDS OF ANEMONES, SCHOOLS OF TINY GLOWING FISH AND THEIR LUMBERING SOLITARY PREDATORS ALL ZOOM PAST HER.
M
OVING AT FABULOUS SPEEDS, SHE BARELY GLIMPSES THE SIGHTS AS THEY WHISK BY, THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN HER RESOLVE AND HER ANXIETY CONSUMING ALL HER ATTENTION.
“H
ERE.
” T
HE VOICE OF
K
ORDAN INTRUDES UPON HER THOUGHTS.
H
OW FREE HE FEELS TO INVADE HER IN THIS WAY.
S
HE IS PARTIALLY TO BLAME, SHE KNOWS.
A
T FIRST IT SEEMED A MOST APPEALING MAGIC, AN ENTERTAINING GAME, BUT SHE WAS MISTAKEN.
N
OW SHE RECOGNIZES IT FOR WHAT IT IS, THIS BARGING INTO HER MIND.
A
N ASSAULT.
W
HEN THE TIME COMES, SHE WILL MAKE HIM SUFFER FOR IT.
L
IFTING HER CLAY HEAD SO THAT HER EYES SKIM THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, SHE GASPS.
H
OW COULD THEY CALL THIS A
WALL
?
W
ERE THEY SO PETTY, SO AFRAID, THAT THEY COULD NOT ADMIRE THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THEIR ENEMIES?
T
HE SURGING CASCADE OF ENERGY DRAPES LIKE A LUMINESCENT, LIQUID FABRIC.
I
TS LENGTH AND HEIGHT ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE, FOR IT SPRAWLS ACROSS THE HORIZON IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
T
HIS
W
ALL IS SO LARGE THAT, FAR TO THE WEST, THE
S
PIRACAL,
D
ARIUS'S MOST DANGEROUS
C
ONSTRUCTION, APPEARS TINY AND INCONSEQUENTIAL.
S
INKING, SHE OBSERVES THAT THE
W
ALL EXTENDS TO THE OCEAN FLOOR AND PROBABLY BEYOND.
S
HE CAN SEE WHY IT IS CONSIDERED A THREAT TO THE SECURITY OF THE CONURBATION.
D
IPPING AND FLARING AS SPARKS OF LIGHT SHOOT ACROSS IT, THIS BARRIER APPEARS TO BE ALIVE AND IT IS MOST CERTAINLY DANGEROUS.
V
ERY DANGEROUS.
A
S IF SENSING HER DOUBTS,
K
ORDAN JOLTS HER BACK TO THE TASK AT HAND.
“O
NCE YOU HAVE PENETRATED THE
W
ALL, DO NOT TARRY.
B
LAST BACK THROUGH IMMEDIATELY, AND RETURN TO ME.
”
“W
HAT IF
I'
M PURSUED
?”
“A
NY STUPID ENOUGH TO FOLLOW,
I'
LL CATCH AND BRING HOME AS A SPECIAL TREAT FOR THE
E
LDEST.
A
FTER, OF COURSE,
I'
VE PERFORMED MY FIRST DUTY, WHICH IS TO PROTECT YOU.
”
A
ND TO MAKE SURE
I
DON'T THINK TOO DEEPLY ABOUT WHAT
I'
M DOING, REALIZES
S
TOWE.
B
UT THE UNDERTAKING IS IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID, HER PATH AND THE
M
ASTER'S STILL INEXTRICABLY INTERTWINED.
E
MBRACING THE PAIN, SHE TRANSMUTATES UNTIL THE WHOLE OF HER BODY, EVEN HER PRECIOUS HAND, HAS CRYSTALLIZED INTO DIAMOND.
R
EADY, SHE FOCUSES HER INTENT ON THE NEAREST POINT OF THE UNDULATING CURTAIN.
S
HE LEAPS, NEVER TAKING HER EYES OFF THAT POINT, STEADILY ACCELERATING AS SHE ROCKETS TOWARD HER GOAL, BRIMMING WITH ANTICIPATION.
S
HE SEES THE FLICKERING RAYS OF LIGHT FORM A LIVING TAPESTRY, BUT WITHIN SECONDS SHE'S TOO CLOSE TO DISCERN ITS MESSAGE.
I
F ITS SURFACE IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DECIPHER, THE NATURE OF ITS DEPTH IS EQUALLY ELUSIVE.
S
INCE ITS OPACITY PREVENTS HER FROM SEEING THROUGH IT, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING IF ANYONE WAITS IN AMBUSH.
B
UT ON THIS SIDE OF THE
W
ALL, THERE ARE NO DEFENDERS, NO ONE TO SLOW HER APPROACH.
T
HAT, AT LEAST, IS AS EXPECTED.
W
HEN SHE'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO HEAR THE INTERTWINED WHISTLING AND HUMMING OF THE BARRIER, SHE REALIZES WITH A SHOCK THAT SHE'S ALREADY IN.
T
HIS WALL IS DEEPâSO DEEP THE OTHER SIDE IS BEYOND THE REACH OF HER VISION.
T
HE LIGHT IS FANTASTIC, VIBRANT COLOR JUMPING, DANCING, FLARING, BOUNCING OFF HER CRYSTALLINE FORM.
S
HE CHECKS HERSELF FOR ANY FLAWS.
T
HERE ARE NONE.
H
ER IMPERMEABLE ANATOMY PROVIDED SAFE PASSAGE THROUGH THE
W
HORL, AND THE THREAT IN THIS WALL OF VISCOUS ENERGY SEEMS MINIMAL BY COMPARISON.
C
ONFIDENT,
S
TOWE STAYS ON COURSE.
S
HE WATCHES, INTRIGUED, AS A SHAFT OF LIGHT GLANCES ALONG THE EDGES OF HER PRISMATIC SKIN UNTIL IT COURSES THROUGH HER, BLENDS WITH HERâTHEN, SPLITTING INTO AN INFINITE ARRAY OF COLORS, IT INFUSES HER WITH RAPTURE.
A
ND THOUGH SOME SMALL PART OF HER KNOWS SHE SHOULD DEFEND HERSELF, SO CERTAIN IS SHE THAT THE EFFECT OF THE
D
IRT IS BEING AMPLIFIED SHE BELIEVES HERSELF INVULNERABLE, UNTOUCHABLE, UNSTOPPABLE.
A
S THE FAR SIDE OF THE
W
ALL BEGINS TO COME INTO VIEW, SHE REMEMBERS
W
ILLUM'S WORDS.
W
HAT CAN BE USED TO ATTACK MAY ALSO BE EMPLOYED TO DEFEND.
A
S IF A NOTE OF TRUTH HAS BEEN PLAYED ON HER SURFACE, SHE REALIZES HER MISTAKE.
T
HE ENERGY PULSING THROUGH HER IS OPENING HER, ILLUMINATING HER, OUTLINING A MAP OF HER INTERIOR.
F
OOL GIRL!
F
OOL TO TRUST
K
ORDAN.
S
HE CHOSE THE WRONG DEFENSE; SHE SHOULD HAVE SHIELDED HERSELF, CREATED A PROTECTIVE AURA.
T
URN AROUND, TURN AROUND!
T
OO LATE.
S
HE WAILS AS SHE EXPLODES OUT OF THE TRANSLUCENCE AND INTO ENEMY TERRITORY.
F
OR ONE BRIEF MOMENT, SHE FEELS SHE'S BEEN GRANTED A REPRIEVE.
N
OTHING BUT OCEAN AND A PERFECT SKY.
T
HIS IS THE ESTEEMED LOCALE OF THE
E
ATERS
? S
HE COLLIDES WITH A CLOUD, PUFFY WHITE, COOL AND COMFORTING.
B
UT HER RELIEF IS SHORT-LIVED: SHE CANNOT MOVE.
M
OBILIZING ALL HER RESERVES, SHE EXTRACTS HERSELF FROM THE CLOUD ONLY TO SEE THE OCEAN FOAM AND RELEASE FOUR FIGURES FROM ITS DEPTHS.
M
OUNTAIN LION, LIZARD, JACKAL, AND BEAR.
H
ER ONLY HOPE A RUSE,
S
TOWE PRETENDS TO CONTINUE STRUGGLING WITH THE CLOUD.
A
S SOON AS THE LION IS UPON HER, SHE KICKS OUT, HER DIAMOND FOOT CONNECTING WITH A FORCE THAT SPINS IT WILDLY INTO THE WAVES.
T
HE JACKAL'S AT HER HIP, ITS TEETH SOMEHOW PIERCING HER.
S
TOWE PRIES ITS MOUTH OPEN, SHAKES IT HARD UNTIL SHE HEARS BONES CRACK.
S
HE TOSSES THE JACKAL INTO THE SEA, BUT AS SHE WRAPS HER LEGS AROUND THE BEAR, SHE'S JERKED AWAY FROM THE CLOUD.
T
HE LIZARD INSTANTLY ATTACHES ITSELF TO
S
TOWE, SINKING ITS TEETH INTO HER SIDE.
C
ATAPULTED VIOLENTLY BACK INTO THE BARRIER BY THE SEARING PAIN, SHE FEELS HERSELF REPLENISHED BY THE SURGING CURRENT.
H
ER KNEES SQUEEZE ALL BREATH FROM THE BEAR.
S
HE LETS IT DROP AND GRABS THE LIZARD BY THE TAIL, YANKING HARD.
T
HE TAIL SNAPS OFF.
T
HE LIZARD CLAWS BENEATH HER RIBS, BURROWING DEEP.
S
HE REACHES INSIDE HERSELF, FOLLOWING THE CURVE OF THE REPTILE, AND CLOSES HER HAND AROUND ITS SOFTEST PART.
B
ONES CRUNCH AND THE LIZARD'S VISCERA SPILL THROUGH HER FINGERS INTO HER CORE.
S
TOWE FEELS A MINISCULE JOLT IN HER ABDOMEN AS ITS LIFE FORCE DISSIPATES.
D
ISGUSTED, SHE HURLS THE DEAD THING WITH ALL HER STRENGTH OUT OF THE
W
ALL, FAR INTO
E
ATER TERRITORY.
S
HE IMMEDIATELY REGRETS THE ACTION.
S
HE SHOULD NOT HAVE KILLED IT.
S
HE COULD HAVE TRAPPED IT, BROUGHT IT BACK, A GIFT FOR
D
ARIUS.
S
O MUCH FOR CALM UNDER FIRE.
S
USPENDED IN A WEB OF LIGHT, SHE CENTERS HER ATTENTION ON HER WOUNDS, ERASING THE VISUAL EVIDENCE OF COMBAT FROM HER CRYSTALLINE FRAME.
T
HE PAIN, THOUGH, IS DEEP AND NOT SO EASILY QUELLED.
H
OPING THEY WILL EFFECT A CURE,
S
TOWE HAS ONE LAST WHIRL IN THE INVIGORATING PULSATIONS, THEN LAUNCHES HERSELF BACK TO WHERE
K
ORDAN WAITS.
S
HE SOARS GLORIOUS, TRIUMPHANT, TEEMING WITH NEWFOUND POWER.
AS LONG AS THEIR TERRITORIES REMAINED EXCLUSIVE, THE CLERICS AND THE BROTHERS KEPT AN UNEASY ALLIANCE. BUT BEFORE SAINT WALKED INTO THE DEVASTATION, HE FORESAW THAT WORSHIP OF THE FRIEND WOULD COME TO CLASH WITH WORSHIP OF THE MASTERS.
âORIN'S HISTORY OF THE FRIEND
M
ABATAN STANDS BESIDE
the middle of her boat, puts her hands on the gunnels and effortlessly lifts it over her head. Setting the middle thwart down on her shoulders, she begins walking down a rough trail, only her torso and legs visible. Roan and Lumpy follow, the grove and the sweet smell of cedar soon a fond memory.
Surrounded by a tall sea of briar, Roan is unpleasantly reminded of the Nethervines that once almost killed him.
“What happens if you touch one of these thorns?” he asks Mabatan.
“If you touch a thorn, you will get cut,” comes the muffled reply from beneath her craft.
“That's it? No poison?” Approaching the plant, Lumpy sniffs, “I guess the stink's enough of a defense.”
“It is the smell of a difficult labor,” counters Mabatan, offering no further explanation.
Picking up her pace, she moves adroitly, easily navigating the twisting trail despite the boat on her shoulders.
Something about the briar seems familiar to Roan. Examining it more closely, he realizes why. “These are cleansing plants I found out about in a book of my father's. I told Brother Asp about it and he organized a planting to reclaim contaminated farmland. In less than a year, the land was producing again.”
“The Abominations tainted this soil much more deeply than that. My grandmother planted these briars when she was young.” Mabatan's voice is tinged with a wistful sadness. “It will take ten more summers for this land to be whole again. Then, their job done, the plants will die.”
“Not much of a reward for the service rendered,” complains Lumpy.
“The reward is the work itself,” says Mabatan.
The air is thick with the moldering heat of the noonday sun when they come to a narrow lake. Mabatan flips the boat off her shoulders and carefully sets it in the algae-blighted water.
Lumpy gags. “Talk about going from bad to worse. Are we really going to paddle in that?”
The lake's stench is so powerful, Roan's struggling not to retch.
“Be thankful for the smellâit means these waters are seldom traveled.” Mabatan takes out a steel flask and sprinkles some of its liquid onto strips of cloth. Handing them to Lumpy and Roan, she continues, “It is an infusion of coltsfoot, sage, and knapweed. Hold it over your mouth and nose when you breathe. It will filter the toxins. And if the water touches you, quickly use the cloth to wipe it off.” Walking to an overgrown log, she moves a rock and reaches in. Withdrawing two paddles, she hands them to Lumpy and Roan. “This time you can paddle. If you know how,” she smiles.