Joshua Simon - Forgotten Soldiers

“Change of plans?” he asked.

“No.”

“So you lied? Good for you.”

“I didn’t lie. I told him I understand their situation. Not that I agreed with their solution for solving it.”

“But you let him think that you did.”

“Yeah. We’re leaving tonight regardless of how ready the horses are. C’mon. I’ll help you unharness them. Then we need to go finalize things with the others.”

* * *

We made it back to the inn quickly. I let Ira fill in Dekar and Myra while I went to check on Ava and Zadok.

Ava was at the window, fully dressed in her black leathers and a gray shirt. I bought the shirt from Sivan the day before. Zadok stood next to her as they gazed in the direction of Hol. Neither turned as I entered the room.

I wondered what had them so engrossed. Ira was making a ton of noise in the common room, taking too much enjoyment from interrupting Dekar’s game of Crests.

I cleared my throat and finally got a response. They both jumped, wheeling.

“Gods, you could have said something,” said Ava.

“I didn’t think I needed to shout. What are you looking at?”

“The sky, Pa,” Zadok said. “It’s doing all sorts of crazy stuff.”

“Like what?” I asked, walking over. “I was just outside and didn’t notice anything.”

“It just started,” said Ava. “Come see for yourself.”

Thankful for a mostly overcast morning, I didn’t have to shield my eyes much from the glare. Staring out of town, past hills, forest, and distant low mountains, the sky flickered like a wind-blown candle, shifting in and out of oranges, reds, and purples. Other than the speed of each flicker not much had changed from minutes before. Or so I thought.

As the last deep purple ended, an almost lavender color pulsed, a white flash reminiscent of lightning followed, expanding and contracting before the color sequence started over again.

“What in the name of Molak was that?” I asked, stepping away.

“I told you the artifact wasn’t done. I assume it will keep on erupting until it does whatever it’s supposed to do.”

“I don’t understand why anyone would want to build something that would destroy so much,” Zadok said.

I put a hand on his shoulder. “Me either. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things in this world I don’t understand and that number seems to grow by the day.” Another white flash at the end of the color sequence occurred. “That one seemed brighter,” I said to Ava. “What does that mean?”

“I’d guess that with each white flash, the artifact is that much closer to releasing the next wave of power. I can feel something in the air. It’s not good.”

“Define not good.”

“I can’t. The sorcery is just different. Twisted almost.”

I tore my gaze from the foreboding sky to the street where many of the townsfolk congregated. They pointed and stared in the direction of Hol, exchanging worried and excited looks. Several looked back toward our room at the inn. I wondered how many thought we had the answers to the very questions I had running through my head.

I swore. “We might not be able to wait until tonight.”

“What?” Ava asked.

“I was coming to tell you that we are going to leave tonight. Things are happening in town and I thought it best if we snuck away.” I looked at the sky once again. “But now, I think that might not be soon enough.”

I recalled my conversation with Balak about the artifact from months ago. We had yet to see fire and brimstone raining down on us or the earthquakes.

“How much time do we have before the next eruption?”

She shrugged. “I have no idea.”

“We’ll just have to leave now and take our chances. Zadok, go tell the others to come in here? I’ll keep an eye on your Aunt Ava.”

“Sure Pa, but she really doesn’t need it anymore.”

I looked down, realizing that though Ava and Zadok had been standing next to each other, they had not been touching. My mouth opened, ready to yell at them.

Ava placed a hand on my arm. “I’m fine,” she said calmly. “It was my idea.”

Of course it was. I couldn’t see Zadok making that call on his own. “Are you crazy?”

“Calm down. I had to see how I would feel. You think I wanted to live the rest of my life with someone holding my hand like a child. Don’t worry, we did it a little at a time.”

“You still should have waited for me.”

“But I didn’t. And I’m still alive.”

I sighed.

“You aren’t upset with me, are you, Pa?”

“No, it’s fine.”

“All right. I’ll go get the others.”

“So, how are you feeling?” I asked Ava.

“A little dizzy if I move too fast, but otherwise good.”

“That’s a relief.”

“There is some bad news though.”

“I wouldn’t expect there not to be at this point. What is it?”

“I can’t perform sorcery.”

“You mean because you’re tired? That’s not that big of a deal. Granted, your sorcery could come in handy while on the road, but we’ll be fine until you get your strength back.”

Ava shook her head. “That’s not it. I wish it was. It’s like I can’t feel the power properly. Like I said, it’s twisted. The artifact has done something to my connection.”

I frowned. “Do you think being in contact with me, Zadok, and Myra had anything to do with that? Like we dulled your senses?”

“At first I thought that might be the case, but I’ve changed my mind. It’s like the artifact is changing all the sorcery in the world to use for itself.” She paused. “Ao be damned, I just hate feeling so helpless. So. . normal.”

I put my arm around her and gave her shoulder a quick squeeze. I could tell she was hiding just how much this bothered her. Like many mages, sorcery and the ability to perform it had meant the world to Ava. In fact, I often wondered but never had the guts to ask where I ranked in comparison.

“Give it time,” I said. “Unless Molak gets tired of his wife and kills Ao herself, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. You’ll figure out a way to use sorcery again.”

She managed a nod.

“It’s strange that my resistance still works though. You’d think that would have changed to some degree as well. I wonder why it hasn’t.”

“I don’t know. I get a feeling it’s going to be hard to explain a lot of things in the coming weeks.”

In the silence I realized that Zadok had begun raising his voice at Ira in an attempt to bring him into the bedroom. Ira was telling him he needed to relieve himself first.

“With Ira, you know this will keep up until we go in there,” Ava said.

I sighed. “You’re right. Let’s just go to them.”

I took the first step when Ava’s hand shot out and latched around my arm. “I think it’s happening!”

I followed her gaze. The sky’s color sequence had ended. It shone white in the distance and did not change except to brighten and expand.

“What’s going on?” Ira asked as everyone finally clamored into the room, having heard Ava yell.

“The artifact,” said Ava, voice low in wonder.

Ira swore.

“What do we do, Pa?” Zadok asked, voice edged with fear.

Myra put an arm on him for comfort. Her hand trembled as she caught a glimpse of the pulsing sky. It flashed quicker with each breath.

“I think all we can do is pick up the pieces when it’s over. In the meantime, you and your sister stay near Ira and Dekar. They’ll likely need your resistance. I’ll stay near Ava.” I finally said.

Outside, the townspeople ran around pointing and screaming while snatching up loved ones and making their way indoors. They looked over their shoulders in horror at the blinking light.