Schism: The Battle for Darracia (Book 1) (13 page)

“
But Greanam, what of the wysbies?” Tulani called, fear making her breathless.

“
Wysbies! Ha! Sweet meat they only want, not this old leather. Wysbies, she says.” Tulani heard the echoes of her grandmother’s laughter in the dank cavern.

***

V
’sair seemed to rouse, his heavy hand brushing away the wet cloth over his eyes. He coughed once as he tried to rise. Tulani pushed him back gently and told him to wait.

“
How long have I been here?” he asked.

“
An hour, maybe two. Oh, don’t move, V’sair.”

He pushed up anyway.

“Slowly, V’sair. You have been very sick.”

“
Tulani?” He let his unfocused gaze come to rest on the girl. “Where are we?”

“
It’s a long story,” she said with a smile.

“
I think the one thing I can be sure of is that I have the time.”

As
Tulani served him more of the caylet tea, she related their escaped. V’sair was able to drink it himself from a mug, as he lay propped up by a pile of blankets. “Then she parted the trees, and we were inside Aqin.”

“
The volcano? How is that possible?”

“
I don’t understand it myself, but here we are.”

“
I dreamed of strange pulsing lights,” he told her, his eyes scanning the cave.

“
Bobbien prayed and then…well, it’s hard to believe, but I think one of the Elements was here. I heard it, felt it…”

“
Tulani, that’s crazy. You don’t really believe in all that nonsense, do you?”

She shrugged.
“It was like nothing I’d ever felt. It surrounded you for a while. Did you not feel anything?”

“
I dreamed of colors and the Fireblade. But I am always dreaming about the Fireblade. Where is Bobbien now?”

“
Getting food and more herbs for your arm.”

He rolled off the side of the
bed and used Tulani’s strength to stand. “I have to help my parents.” The room dipped, and he swayed. He would have fallen if not for Tulani’s support.

“
You are in no condition to do anything.”

“
I don’t have a choice.” His eyes fell on the Fireblade he had used in his fight. Holding his ribs, he stumbled over to it and picked it up, watching as it pulsed weakly with a pale red. He turned it around, and with each rotation, a hum started, filling his head.

“
V’sair, you will start to bleed again.” Tulani moved closer, but he waved her off, feeling stronger, as though his power came from the glowing colors of the sword.

Could this be it?
his thought excitedly. He had vague memories of his fight with Pacuto and knew that the strange sword had felt alive, as though a force had magnified its power. It vibrated within him, and for a minute, everything receded; he became aware of only the blade, his hand, and his heart. Suddenly a voice echoed; he thought it might just be in his head, but a glance at Tulani told him she heard it too. It called his name, and as if on cue, they both dropped to their knees. Oh, Great Sradda, could this finally be happening to him?

The room darkened then brightened
, a rush of wind making them both shiver with cold and excitement. A voice filled the cavern, their skulls, their every fiber. It rushed through V’sair, and he teetered on the verge of something great. His vision went white, as if all sight was stolen, yet he saw everything with a clarity that didn’t need eyesight.

“
You thought yourself not good enough for the secrets?” the voice chided him with a chuckle. “You thought we did not love you, silly child?”

“Ozre
?” V’sair whispered.

“
I would say ‘in the flesh,’ but that would be a lie.” The words surrounded him, bathed him. “Yes, yes, it is Ozre. I could have a bone to pick with you, young sir, but I know you. The belief was buried deep inside you. Hidden away, like a treasure. You want to learn the secrets of the Fireblade?” the voice teased.

“
If you are Ozre, then you know I do,” V’sair said boldly.

The room filled with laughter that rolled over them like the crushing waves of the sea.
“You played the game of a nonbeliever, but that was only because you doubted. You know what the problem was, where the problem was.”

“
I am half Planta.”

“
There is the nonsense you speak of!” the voice roared, stopping him midsentence. “Think, V’sair. Think.”

“
They say that I am not strong enough to learn the Fireblade, that I don’t have Darracian strength.”

“
You believe all one needs is brawn? You think we would go to all the trouble and just rely on brute strength?” The voice was soft but ominous.

V
’sair sat on his haunches, speechless. For his entire life, he had been excluded based on his physical appearance. Of course one needed Darracian bulk to wield the Fireblade; otherwise all species would want to learn to use it.

“
If you need more than Darracian strength, then I am doubly at a loss.”

A great wind barreled through the chamber, lifting objects to crash against the stone walls.
“You bore me!” The room flared red then pulsated blue. “I thought you more capable than this!”

Out of a black vortex
, a glowing orb appeared in one corner and grew into a small ball of white light that gathered momentum by spinning around the room. It grazed V’sair’s head, and he ducked to avoid an impact. His skull felt detached from his body. The orb came at him again, and he jumped so high that it buzzed past him harmlessly. Panting, he watched it crash against a wall and come speeding back toward his face. He spun around, weaving drunkenly, bending backward, and felt it burn across his chest.

“
Better and better!” the voice yelled. “Do you wish to try again?”

“
Strength,” V’sair said carefully, “is an illusion?”

Tulani called out,
“It is one’s perception.”

“
Quiet girl, lest we deposit you in the fires of Aqin!” The small sphere of flame danced around her as it admonished Tulani. “When we want to know something from you, we will ask.” The ball spun over, coming face-to-face with the prince.

“
V’sair?” the spinning light demanded.

The orb
hung suspended before him. The light was so bright that it should have hurt his eyes, but it didn’t. V’sair saw straight through it, to the red core in its center.

“
Strength is a state of mind?”

“
You question it?”

“
It’s a state of mind,” V’sair said firmly. “Strength comes from here,” he pointed to his head and then to his heart.

“
Why did you desire to take the Fireblade?” Ozre questioned.

“
To prove that I am Darracian, that I can hold my own among them.” He thought for a moment. “To show my father that I can lead them. To be like the rest of them,” he finished weakly.

“
Silly child…” The orb moved away and bounced before him. “You were planned. For eons and eons, you were planned by the Great Sradda. We Elements put our minds together to create these circumstances. It doesn’t start and end with you V’sair. You are part of a greater strategy. Darracians, for all their brains, are filled with anger. Two halves make one whole,” the voice finished cryptically.

“
Two halves make one whole?”

“
V’sair, V’sair…use that head.” This time the orb clunked him mightily, and stars clouded his vision. “Sorry, but you are dense.”

“
He’s recuperating!” Tulani wailed.

“
Excuses.” The ball of light pulsed then laughed once again. “Try to think.”

When V
’sair sat in silence, the orb floated toward him tentatively. “There was peace in this place until they segregated. Do you understand? When Darracians mated only with Darracians, and Quyroos mated only with Quyroos, they grew dull. Society stagnated. There was no exchange of ideas. The tree dwellers became stunted and allowed themselves to become oppressed. The Darracians chose to interpret everything—from the Fireblade to the Holy Sradda—to their own advantage. This is a dark age. When we wall ourselves away and there is no exchange of ideas, we think we know everything. It is no coincidence your father found your mother. That was planned, for the offspring would have the best of both. Do you understand?”

“
I am the combination of the two,” V’sair said, “but what of the Fireblade?”

“
Ah…” The voice laughed. “All you ever think of is the Fireblade. You still think it makes you special,” it sneered. “That is a notion of the Darracians. They are convinced it makes them superior. Watch Tulani.” The orb spun to bathe the girl in blue light. The sword rolled over to rest at her feet. “Pick it up,” Ozre commanded. Tulani bent and wrapped her tiny hands around the handle of the sword. It leaped to life before her astonished eyes. “Move!” the voice commanded.

As if she had practiced her entire life, Tulani waved the sword expertly
; it glowed bluish white, with the vitality of a thousand suns. Empowered, she smiled as she sailed around the room, parrying with an expertise that bordered on genius.

“
A perception?” V’sair asked.

“
Perhaps a leap of faith?” Ozre countered.

“
A test,” V’sair confirmed. “A test of belief in…” He was about to say “the Elements” but was suddenly blinded by insight. “A test in belief in myself!” he shouted, jumping up. “The test is in oneself.”

“
Took you long enough, V’sair. You now possess the great secret of the Fireblade, a truth evident in its blue color, which represents justice. When one understands the meaning—”

“
Or your intent?”

“
What do you think is our intent?”

“
It says in the Sradda Doctrines that you are the Element of strength and that Darracians are strong, the strongest.”

“
I would hit you on the head again, Prince, but I think Tulani will go after me.” Ozre laughed. “Strength is not always about brawn. There are different strengths.”

V
’sair was quiet for a moment; then his eyes lit up. “Strength to know what to do and not give in to our base needs!”

“
Excellent!”

“
The others talk of great strength exclusive to Darracians,” V’sair said. “They claim it comes from you and the communion with the Fireblade.”

“
A way to keep the weaker oppressed. That was not in our plan.”

“
Why didn’t you stop it?” V’sair stood and confronted the orb. “You are the power of the Elements,” he spouted, “a force of nature, the soul of our universe. Why didn’t you stop it?”

“
What!” The orb spun angrily. “What of free will? Oh, yes, it’s easy to blame the Elements for everything. What a perfect excuse, scapegoat us so one can behave as badly as he chooses and pretend it’s our will.” Ozre paused and asked softly, “Will you never learn? We are here for your benefit, for you to realize your insights—not to be used for an excuse to torment others for a society’s selfish needs.”

“
So,” V’sair said, “what happened to all my father’s people when they believed themselves initiated by the Fireblade? What happened to them?”

The orb
danced in the air. “Pick it up and see for yourself.”

Tulani placed the
Fireblade in V’sair’s open palm. It strummed to life, changing from its previous orange color to a cold blue. Watching with fascination, they observed the color deepen with startling intensity.

“
All the others are shades of red?” V’sair asked the orb.

“
Reckless red, angry red, ignorant red.”

“
You are red,” V’sair offered helpfully.

“
I represent the humble red of the planet. I,” Ozre told him patiently, as if talking to an idiot. “I’m not a Fireblade.” The orb started to spin. “Your blade is blue for a purpose.”

“
Peace?” Tulani asked, as Ozre moved from side to side.

“
Cold reason?” V’sair cocked his head thoughtfully.

“
Why?” Ozre circled them.

“
The Fireblade should be used for justice, not hate or oppression.”

“
Emmicus can rest easy. He has done a fine job,” Ozre said sadly.

“
Emmicus, my navigator?”

“
He tried to teach both your father and your uncle. Between Reminda and Emmicus’s lessons, Drakko has opened his mind. Staf Nuen and his ilk are stuck with antiquated notions of their own superiority. They have twisted our intent. The Fireblade was intended to prevent injustice, not promote it.”