Masters of the Veil (8 page)

“These are what you will use to focus. These are second-skins that I have created for choosing purposes. As May has probably already explained to you, there are three disciplines of magic that come from the Veil. First, there are natural magics, which are best gripped with the aid of plants. The green second-skin is made from the leaf of the grampith tree.

“Natural magics are very useful. They feed, they clothe, and help us interact with the world around us. We would not survive without them. Nature is dough and you shape it to your desires—if you are skilled enough. Mountains can be leveled and water can fall upwards. Nature’s secrets will whisk you away to another plane where you can realize the awe-inspiring connections we hold with the world around us.”

Sam wanted it.

“Next, there are the mystical magics. The metal second-skin was mined from beneath Grus’ pass and made from silver-palladium mixed by my own hand. A mystical sorcerer would use this second-skin. The mystical magics keep true to their namesake. Even I don’t fully understand all that can be accomplished with this, and I have been close to the Veil for a very long time. Those who excel at the mystical arts can reach into the deepest, darkest parts of the mind and cast dreams into reality. They can navigate the vast and powerful river of time. Reap gold out of metals like a glorious harvest. Harness fear, and ride on its back until it tires.”

Sam instantly forgot about the first glove.

“And last… there is the second-skin made from the hide of Sectus Remisican, the skull-wolf. This is a tool of power magics. These tools work best if taken forcibly. In Atlas Crown, we do not kill when we do not have to; however, in this particular case we had to. The power sect is a dangerous one, yet it brings with it the ability to forge oneself into the greatest ruler and purveyor of dominance. Authority is a given. Supremacy is taken. The true power sect is scarcely found here. Those who have chosen it, or rather have been chosen, usually take the road down another path, a false path that can only lead to death and misery. However, when applied for good, the power sect can be the most useful of them all. An iron body has no need for a suit. That is what the Veil is at Her heart. She is power. She holds possibilities so grand, we can never understand, only observe.”

Sam felt a trace of the energy that had passed through his body at the game, the power that had turned the whole world into stone while he alone was left mobile.

“Now.” Bariv’s eyes returned to their fiery red. “Why don’t you go try one on?”

CHAPTER 10

“
R
epeating that over and over isn’t helping,” Sam growled.

“Losing your patience will only set you back,” Bariv said. “Try again, with less anger this time. You must work
with
Her.”

It had been two days. Two
long
days for Sam: getting yelled at, eating some sort of slop—
well, calling it slop would be generous
—and only stopping to sleep once, and that was more of a nap than sleep.

“I’m trying, but I don’t feel anything.”

“To try is the first step to success; it is also the last. You need to focus on the right landing.”

“That doesn’t make any sense!” Sam yelled. “Stop talking like that!”

Sam ripped off the skull-wolf glove and hurled it to the ground. After days of being told the same thing, he had pretty much resigned himself to accepting failure. He’d rather go home, anyway; getting thrown in jail for assault would be better than this nonsense.

Time after time, Bariv made Sam attempt to grip the Veil and perform some particular feat. Particular turned into general and eventually general turned into anything at all. The problem was that even the simplest task involved feeling the Veil, which Sam just couldn’t seem to do. They took small breaks here and there, but other than Bariv explaining a few unimportant things about the history of the Veil, it was constant monotony. Bariv told Sam to sit in a corner and meditate for hours on end. Even after a lengthy explanation, Sam still didn’t get meditation or what it entailed. Although he didn’t tell Bariv that—so while sitting in the corner for excruciatingly long periods, he tried to remember the pass completions for every QB he knew.

He had a newfound understanding of boredom.

“Pick that up.” Bariv’s eyes hardened at the sight of the second-skin carelessly tossed on the ground.

“I’m leaving.” Sam crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m obviously in no danger of hurting anyone else.”

“I said, pick it up.” The swirls on his cheeks took on an orange tinge.

“I don’t care about any of this! See
this
?” Sam plucked at his jersey. “This is what my life is about. This is what it has
always
been about, and you and your stupid Veil had to go and ruin everything for me.”

After a moment of silence, Bariv spoke. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

“Yeah, me too,” Sam huffed.

Bariv stood up and hopped off his platform. “I’ll make you a deal.”

“What could you possibly offer me?”

“Keep up the training, promise to stay here until you learn to control your power, and I will fix things for you.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed. “How?”

Bariv tapped the side of his head. “The Veil can do things you cannot possibly imagine, and I happen to be very close with Her.”

“You… you can make things go back to normal?” Sam tried to keep the shaking out of his voice.

“There will be no such thing as ‘normal’ for you now, but yes, I can right what has gone wrong. No one would remember what happened at the game. No one would even remember you left.”

“You can do that?” Sam’s heart pounded. “I wouldn’t be in trouble anymore? I could still play football?”

Bariv nodded. “If that is what you wish.”

Sam thrust his hand forward. “Deal.”

Bariv pointed a finger in warning. “But you must work hard while you are here, and you may not leave until it is safe.”

“Safe from what, exactly?”

“It is better that you do not know the particulars. But I will tell you this: getting close to the Veil will make things safer for you. So, the harder you train, the quicker you can leave. But I must warn you, there is a right and a wrong way to use the Veil. I know you are meant for this path, yet you have a choice of how to travel down it. In the near future, you will be tempted to take the easy route, but the Veil is not about ‘easy.’ She is about tenacity, courage, and spirit. You can steal a gift, but remember, you will not have earned it.”

Sam couldn’t help but smile. “Whatever, be as cryptic as you want. As long as you make things right back home, I couldn’t care less.”

“Then it is decided. Now, not another word about it. We have training to do.”

“How long will it take?”

Bariv thought for a moment, and then crouched to put his hands flat against the stone floor. Sam heard a small rumble coming from below them. It got louder and louder until it ended in the scraping sound of rock on rock. After a moment, a crack appeared in the stone, and a charred-looking chunk of rock popped out. Bariv was left holding a large lump of coal.

Once standing, Bariv put his hands on either side of the coal and squeezed. A blinding red light filled the cave, and Bariv’s hands clapped together. When he opened them, he was holding a diamond about the size of an acorn.

“It takes power to create a diamond—sheer force. It takes control to change it back into coal.” Bariv handed it to Sam. “Once you can do that, you are free to go.”

Sam wondered how much a diamond like that would sell for back home.

“Don’t lose it,” Bariv warned.

Sam wrapped his hand around it. “So, once I can make this coal again, you’ll fix everything?”

Bariv nodded.

Sam placed it in the pocket that held one of his thigh pads, the stone pressing into his leg beneath the pad. “Let’s get to work.”

He felt odd shaking hands with someone so short.

Sam’s heart raced in his chest; he couldn’t believe that he could get a second chance. He was going to work himself to the bone if it got him home faster. From here on, he was going to take his training seriously.

Who knows?
Maybe this stuff could actually come in handy, once I learn how to use it.

Bariv leapt back onto his podium. “Let’s try something else for a moment. Maybe I went about this the wrong way. Please, why don’t you have a seat in front of me?”

Sam made his way back to the front of the stone stage where Bariv sat.

“Traditionally,” Bariv said in a cool, dry voice, “I have taught all outsiders in a certain way. Most have responded beautifully to my methods, and have now integrated themselves as positive members of our society.”

Sam sat down and relaxed.

“However,” Bariv swayed back and forth, “I have forgotten that you are not like

everyone else, and I must not treat you as such. As I’m sure May has told you, I am the one who is responsible for feeling the small ripples in the Veil when young sorcerers have their first grips. It does not happen very often in the world you come from, yet I have become acutely aware and increasingly accurate at finding those young entities when it does. You, my young entity, created a tidal wave.”

“Then why can’t I do any of this?” Sam twisted his head back toward the glowing podium. “I can’t even grip onto the Veil. Every time I do that focusing thing you taught me, nothing happens.”

Bariv rubbed one of his swirled cheeks and a strong wind passed Sam’s face. “I guess for you, more contemporary methods must be pursued. Normally, one must learn to crawl before he can walk.” He paused. “I think I must teach you how to run.”

With that, Bariv stood up like a lightning bolt. The boy waved his hand and the skull-wolf glove pulled itself over Sam’s fingers. Sam felt himself wrenched to his feet.

All at once, a loud boom thundered around him and a blast of red came toward his face. As a reflex, he held up his arm to stop the oncoming flash. Instead of pain, he felt a rush of energy across his palm, and then something warm and comforting, like a blanket left sitting in a sunbeam. The feeling caressed his forearm, made its way down to his elbow, and suddenly disappeared.

“Whoa.” Sam blinked a few times. “What just happened?”

Bariv was standing with his arms out and his knees bent. “You were almost just beaten to a pulp.”

Sam examined his hand. “What?”

Bariv tilted in a small bow. “I sent a scorching ball of energy at you.”

“What! Why would you do that?”

“The real question is,” Bariv gave him an appreciative grin, “how did you stop it?”

Sam’s clenched teeth slowly turned into a smile. “How
did
I stop it?”

“That is between you and Her.”

Sam’s cheeks rose even higher. “No c’mon. How did I do it?”

“I assume you tapped into Her, and quite masterfully, as a matter of fact. If you hadn’t stopped that energy, I would’ve had my hands full healing you. Might’ve taken weeks.”

“C’mon.”

“So,” Bariv gave a single clap. “Now you know you have the ability. Self-fulfilling prophecies make everyone a prophet.”

Sam shook his head and rolled his eyes.

***

“This is pretty good.” Sam munched on the crispy item Bariv had given him. “Probably the best food I’ve ever eaten in a cave.”

“My own recipe. I usually use it as a reward for excellent training, but in this case I figured I could make an exception.” Bariv gave him a sympathetic look. “You looked hungry.”

“Very funny.” Sam ate the next bite in the most obnoxious way possible. “But you have to admit I’m getting better.”

“Yes… better.”

“Hey!” Sam dropped half of his food, barely noticing when it shattered on the cave floor. “I got that rock to move at least a foot!”

Bariv looked at him dubiously.

“Okay. A few inches.”

“Yes, you did. Normally, however, that is what my students accomplish in the first few hours.” Bariv’s eyes drifted to one of the candles.

Sam stopped eating. “Really?”

Bariv stared at the flickering light. “Hmm? Yes, but…” He bent down, scooping the small flame into his right hand. The candle went out. He went over to the cave wall and smeared the fire across the stone. The flame snuffed out as Bariv’s hand came away from the surface, revealing an image burned into the stone. A thick line of black ash flowed in sort of an S-shape, with a few cinders continuing to burn along the dark streak.

Sam flexed an eyebrow. “But what?”

“Well,” Bariv returned to the front of the platform, “the way you stopped my attack earlier. That was incredibly advanced. I did not hold back.”

“Why did you attack me in the first place?”

Bariv jumped off the platform and poked Sam in the chest. “There was so much for you to see.”

“But I could barely see it. That light was coming at me at, like, a hundred miles an hour.”

Bariv chuckled and stepped back. “Instinct.” He tapped a finger on his own chest. “You weren’t thinking, you were doing. It was innate. You had to
see
your ability. You needed to know what you are capable of. In most intense situations, sorcerers are able to make grips that they would never be capable of in normal circumstances. I put you in danger and you overcame.”

“Yet I still can’t perform the basics?”

Bariv gave a tiny nod. “Precisely.”

“What’s the deal?”

“Basics are tough. You have to learn the fundamentals, and that takes time and practice. You have to learn how to work in harmony with the Veil or you will be limited. Remember, you can steal a gift—”

“Yeah, yeah, but I won’t have earned it.”

Bariv rubbed his fingertips together and a blue current played across his knuckles. “There is something else that I wanted you to see.”

Sam groaned. “You’re not going to show me more of my memories on that wall, are you?”

“The Veil protected you. She was there for you in a time of need.” Bariv paused. “Did you know how to stop my attack?”

“No, it just happened.”

“Yes.” The electricity pendulumed back and forth on Bariv’s forearms. “It did. You did not force it; it happened naturally, you and the Veil working together. She sees you as one of Her children. You are bonded.”

Sam waited for more, but none came. “Your point?”

“Just something to remember.” Bariv’s eyes took on that aged sheen for a moment. “Give me the second-skin.”

“Huh?” Sam clutched the skull-wolf glove to his chest. “Wait, you just gave this to me. You’ve got to give me more time. You said yourself, the basics take—”

“Give it to me.”

Sam scowled as he pulled off the glove and handed it over to Bariv, who placed it back on the pedestal.

“Good.” Bariv’s hand lingered on the skin for a few moments.

Sam snorted.

“Now, it is time for you to get your own second-skin. I have a feeling that will make all the difference. These skins work for training purposes, but since they were molded by my own hand, they are linked to me, not the student. I believe you will have better success with one linked solely to you.”

Sam went over to the glowing podium, picking up the green second-skin. It was light and cool to the touch. “Really? I get one already?”

Bariv snapped his fingers. The skin slipped from Sam’s hand and shuffled itself back into place on the podium. “Yes.”

“So where do we get one?”

“
We
don’t get one anywhere.”

Sam raised his eyebrows. “Huh?”

“It is you who must get it.”

Sam scratched the back of his head. “But I don’t know where the store is.”

“Oh, dear boy.” Bariv chuckled—a funny sound coming from someone who looked so young. “There is no store. You must go out and make one for yourself. Just
buying
it could never bond you with the second-skin. If you want a link to Her, you must use something from Her, and get it on your own accord. You must find the right material and make the second-skin yourself to form the necessary bond.”

“Ah.” Sam reached down to touch one of the metal thimbles, but found that his fingers were softly repelled. “One of those lone quest things to prove myself, huh?” Sam sighed, and then waved a playful fist at Bariv. “So what do I do now? What kind of glove do I get?”

“
Second-skin
,” Bariv corrected. “And let’s focus on the most important thing.”

“How I get good enough to never have to listen to you drone on for hours on end?”

Bariv ignored him. “What sect of magic She will allow you to master.”

“Oh.”

“I think we both already know the answer to that.”

Sam’s eyes darted toward the skull-wolf glove. “So I have to kill something? You said power magics work best if the second-skin is taken forcibly, right?”