ARC: Assassin Queen (25 page)

25

The Power of Life

“You
’
ve been doing well,
” Ayalla said.

Kyth raised his head, surprised at the relief he felt at this brief praise. He was exhausted, hauling rocks all day, learning to dissipate them with and without touching them first, and to put them together at Ayalla
’
s command. Unlike her rocks, he was never able to recreate the original shape exactly, but on the grand scale of things it didn
’
t seem to matter. If she was happy with his progress, he was going to take it, no questions asked.

“And now,”
Ayalla went on,
“
I will tell you why we have been spending so much time on rocks. You wanted to know this, didn
’
t you?
”

Kyth merely nodded. He had felt curious about it at some point. But now, after days and days of this endless practice, he felt so tired it didn
’
t matter anymore. He had accepted the fact that he was here to do Ayalla
’
s bidding for as long as she deemed necessary
–
and not just him. Every night after she returned him back to their camp, she left again with Alder, who kept her company at night and returned in the morning looking no less exhausted than Kyth, even if much happier. The Forest Woman seemed to have infinite energy and no need to sleep at all, which made Kyth feel even more surreal about the fact that she was apparently still intending to train him to use a power similar to her own. He hoped she didn
’
t expect him to develop the same kind of stamina
–
not in this short time at least.

“
Now, listen closely,
” Ayalla said. “
Inside the Kaddim
’
s fortress there is a special chamber, the one that feeds their Reincarnate
’
s power. Many who speak about it believe it leads directly to the underworld. But very few of those know that it
’
s not the chamber but a stone inside it that links the Reincarnate to the Cursed Destroyer. It looks like a platform, an elevated rectangular slab in the middle of the room.
”

Kyth froze. He knew about the chamber. Once, after Kara
’
s escape and re-capture, he
’
d overheard her talking about her vision of the stone slab. His skin prickled at Ayalla
’
s words, the realization of what he was learning cutting through the haze in his tired mind, snapping him back to attention.

“
This stone,
”
Ayalla went on,
“
is infused with the Destroyer
’
s magic. So much so, in fact, that very few realize a very simple fact. No matter how much magic it holds, it
’
s still a stone, made of the element earth. As such, it is held together by similar types of bonds that hold together the rocks you have been practicing on. And now, with your training, you have the ability to turn it into dust once you get close enough to have it in your direct view. If you do, it will sever the Reincarnate
’
s link to his source of power. It will make him vulnerable.
”

Kyth gaped, absorbing her every word. Everything she taught him up to now suddenly made sense. He shivered at this realization, for the first time filled with hope that this plan of training him in the use of his magic could actually work.

“
Is this the way to defeat him?
”
he asked.

“It
’
s the first step, yes.
”

“
The
first
step?”
Kyth
’
s heart sank again, tiredness settling in anew. What she said just now seemed hard enough to accomplish. The chamber she spoke about had to be at the very heart of the fortress, in the place protected by the entire Kaddim
’
s defense force. Worse, by the time Kyth and the Majat arrived there, the Kaddim would likely be aware of the menace. Was destroying the stone not enough...?

Ayalla laughed.
“Don
’
t look so forlorn. You didn
’
t think it was going to be this easy, did you?
”

“
Actually I did, for a moment.
”

“
There is a bright side,
” Ayalla said. “
Through the stone, the Reincarnate
’
s power will be feeding all his warriors, especially the Kaddim leaders who call themselves Brothers. After you dissolve it, their link with each other will weaken. They will no longer be able to feed off him at all. This will make them all the more vulnerable, giving your Majat friends more of a chance. It will also give you your opportunity to end it all.
”

Kyth pulled himself upright. In all his prior Majat training he had learned too well that he couldn
’
t allow himself to feel exhausted or to assume he could relax before time. Mai and his trainers had beaten this attitude out of him once and for all, often in quite the literal sense. Ayalla was no different. Of course here, in her realm, he didn
’
t need to be afraid of bruises and scratches earned in weapon practice, but these bouts of tiredness he felt after each training session seemed bad enough, even if they always passed after a good night
’
s sleep.

“
My power is not normally meant to kill,
” Ayalla said. “
But since it feeds off the elements, it could be used this way. The human body is made of elements too, just like everything else around us.
”

Kyth
’
s eyes widened.
“
You want me to dissipate his body, as if it was a rock?
”

Her lips twitched.
“
Close, but not exactly. To kill a living being, you need to call upon another element – fire. The bonds that hold a human body are made of water. Fire can aid you in dissipating them.
”

“Fire?”

“
Yes. The process is much the same, actually. You must see the watery bonds holding his body together. Then you must call upon the fire to dissipate them, make them boil. It should be easy in the middle of a desert filled with fire and wind.
”

Kyth nodded slowly. As with everything he learned here, it made sense. He knew exactly what he had to do. Except that practicing it seemed impossible. Unthinkable. He couldn
’
t possibly suck the life out of another living being simply for the sake of perfecting his skill. Yet, could he do something like this, even to his arch enemy in the middle of a battle, without ever trying it on someone else first?

Ayalla seemed to read his thoughts.

“
You hesitate, and rightfully so. And no, I will not ask you to kill anyone to practice this. I will, however expect you to learn to dissipate water. Starting with this pond.
”

Kyth looked. The pond was small and shallow, feeding off the brook running into the glade. Yet, it held so much water
–
much greater in size, it seemed, than any of the rocks he had worked with before.

“How do I do it?”
he asked.

“It
’
s much like the rocks, only when you blend with water you must go deeper. Submerge into it.
”

“Submerge?”

“Yes.”

“
How about when it comes to the Reincarnate?
”

“
The same. You must submerge into him. There are different ways to do it, but given the constraints of a battle that will be going on around you, I recommend a kiss. A deep one, like a lover
’
s. He will know what you are doing, so you will have to force him into it.
”

Force him into a kiss.
The idea of kissing a man, forcing him into it, seemed disgusting. The thought that he had to do it to their worst enemy, one also filled with the bitter stink of Kaddim power made him want to throw up. Yet, Ayalla
’
s expectant gaze, the way she looked at him without even a hint of a smile, made him realize that she meant everything she said.

He swallowed.
“I… I
’
ll try.
”

“
Yes, you will. We
’
ll start practicing with water tomorrow. In the meantime, I will also start teaching you and Alder to control the spiders. But all of this must wait until you rest. Let
’
s walk back to your camp.
”

Kyth didn
’
t question this as he rose to his feet and followed her.

The sky was still bright as they emerged into their campsite, but the tall trees around the glade made it seem dark, the glowing campfire in its center beckoning with light and warmth. Kyth trudged toward it and lowered down next to Celana, who smiled and edged sideways on the log she was using as a seat to give him room.

As if on cue, Alder rose from his seat on the other side and stepped toward Ayalla. She drew him into a deep kiss that made Kyth look away in embarrassment. Then she turned and walked away, Alder following her like a sleepwalker.

Kyth sat for a while, aware of Celana
’
s blush and of the way Garnald looked at them nonchalantly, as if everything happening here was normal and natural.

Kyth raised his eyes to the old Mirewalker with wonder. He knew that to achieve this title, to become Ayalla
’
s errand man, Garnald had to have been her lover too, at least at some point. From the lack of jealousy or restlessness as Garnald watched Alder
’
s nightly forays, Kyth had to assume that this love affair was in the past. It made him worry. What would happen to Alder when he got older or Ayalla outlived her fancy for him? Would he become heartbroken? Or would he turn into one of Ayalla
’
s errand men, bound to her without seemingly getting much in return, like Garnald?

He wanted for Alder to be able to find happiness and lead a normal life. Being Ayalla
’
s lover, growing old in the forest to come and go at her beck and call, didn
’
t fit the bill, however much Alder seemed to be enjoying his time here at the moment.

“
Does Ayalla ever let her men go?
”
Kyth asked.

Garnald
briefly glanced down the path Ayalla and Alder had disappeared a short time ago.
“
Yes, she does. Frequently, in fact.
”

Frequently.
Somehow, the information brought no reassurance at all.

“
What happens to them then?
”

Garnald shrugged.
“
Nothing bad, if that
’
s what you
’
re thinking. It feels somewhat like a spell being lifted. The men remember the pleasure of being with her, as well as all the lovemaking skills they learned, but they are no longer consumed with obsession over her. They can return to normal life, as if nothing happened. It feels quite good, actually.
”

He leaned forward and filled his mug from the kettle hanging over the fire, taking a long sip. Kyth also poured two mugs, handing one to Celana, and drinking from his own. The tea felt fragrant, so good after the exhausting day.

“
Was it the same with you, Garnald?
”
he asked.

The Mirewalker chuckled.
“
At some point, yes. But since I had no other family, no woman who waited for me at home, my relationship with Ayalla continued longer than normal, on and off. In fact, I got so used to this life that I can imagine no other way, really.
”

Does she still sleep with you?
Kyth knew he would never dare to ask. Yet, he felt glad at seeing the contentment in the older man
’
s face. Garnald seemed genuinely happy with his life. That was all that mattered, wasn
’
t it?

“
What about Alder?
”
he said.

Garnald raised his eyebrows.
“
What about him?
”

“
Do you think some day she will let him go too?
”

“
Probably,
” Garnald said. “
At some point, he will most certainly run out of stamina. Men do, as they age, and I
’
ve never yet seen her drive anyone that hard.
”

Kyth blushed, stealing a quick glance at Celana. She asked to be here, of course, but he knew this kind of talk wasn
’
t appropriate for the ears of a young girl. He supposed talking was better that watching the foreplay as Ayalla took Alder away every evening, but he still felt guilty for pressing the subject in Celana
’
s presence. Only his concern for Alder drove him to continue the conversation.

“
Alder is different,
”
Garnald said thoughtfully.
“
She likes him a lot, almost like a lover, not merely someone to sate her urges.
”

Kyth
’
s heart sank.
“
Do you mean, because of this she may keep him by her side?
”

Garnald shook his head.
“
On the contrary. My guess is, she may release him earlier than usual. Perhaps when this war is over?
”

Kyth let his tired eyes wander, looking into the greenish depths of the darkening forest. When they were growing up, Alder had his sights set on Ellah and she seemed to be agreeable with the idea. This was of course before Ayalla took him as a lover. If she ever lifted her spell off him, was it too late for this relationship to take off again?

When this war is over.
To an extent it was up to Kyth to see to it. Yet, the knowledge didn
’
t seem to settle in his head. He was so used to thinking of himself in a supportive role, a shield that could protect the formidable Majat force. He never thought of becoming a central player in this battle. Was he truly capable of living up to the hopes everyone was placing into him?

Was this war ever going to end, to allow them all a chance for happiness?