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  Cid nodded silently.

  ‘You don’t want me?’ she asked after awhile.

  Cid hesitated. ‘I’m reluctant to get anyone else involved with us. If I had any authority in the matter I would have send you home. As a lowly traitor though I guess I could only welcome one such as you. There is something more to it though, I mean more than the letter, right?’

  ‘Am I this easy to read?’ asked Vanapha in amusement.

  ‘I would not call it that, but you kept looking at the stars as we talked. Now, it might just be that you are enjoying the sight, but given your occupation I’d think there’s a little bit more to it.’

  Vanapha nodded. ‘Look,’ she said and Cid followed her peering eyes into the night sky.

  Out in the wilderness the stars were a wonderful display, the landscape free of the ambient city light that diminished the heaven’s radiance. Still Mallova and Rodreon were the moons dominating sky. Between them however was a new moon, Shaki-Halima, a green moon beginning its cycle as it appeared as a small sickle in the sky. Cid knew enough about the enigmatic Valkyrie to know that they were only warriors because they needed to be. Their main occupations however, were alchemy and astronomy.

  ‘Now, Mallova and Rodreon are common sights…’ said Vanapha. ‘You know the Diamond Box right?’ asked Vanapha, interrupting herself.

  ‘I know of it,’ answered Cid.

  Vanapha pointed and explained like one who often taught younger ones at Rade’Remar. She showed Cid an elaborate network of stars, its shapes called echelons, each with a different name that was used to decipher the purpose of the moons’ positioning.

  ‘So Mallova and Rodreon in that formation merely suggests the duality of war. Rodreon is blood. Mallova is life. Life continues after bloodshed. The victor gets to live and the land welcomes the defeated to grow life anew. Now however, we see Shaki-Halima appearing between them, starting its cycle. In our interpretations it means revelation, or the truth uncovered, anything in that line.’

  ‘And you’re driven now because of this?’ asked Cid.

  ‘I know what you are thinking. Even we Valkyrie’s look upon the signs with scepticism; it is far too easy to misinterpret or generalize star signs when one is narcissistic or emotional.’

  ‘But you still think this revelation might concern you?’ asked Cid.

  ‘I am merely taking it as a sign that I should at least try to find truth. You however I can see are not all that trusting of my stars.’

  Cid laughed bitterly. ‘My friend Brunick, the big bloke with the axe, is one of the Mason. He believes in a Creator that acts as a father to us all. Your kind, the Valkyrie, put your trust in stars and moons. Me myself? I believe in what’s up here,’ said Cid, pointing at his head own head, ‘and I trust in this,’ he said, taking Mindevhier and holding it up so that it was bathed in firelight.

  Vanapha laughed lightly, carrying her mirth into her words, ‘this whole time I’ve seen a strong man with a great mind. Now I’ve realized that you are a fool also.’

  Cid smiled. ‘I wouldn’t argue that point, but in what way am I a fool to you?’

  ‘My sisters, like Claire did to you today, can see into the minds of men, a power given by the Valkyrie moon; Mallova. You travel with a Summoner of great power, his too is a gift from that lying far beyond what even Star·Seers can see. And your friend Brunick, well, you said it yourself; he is a Mason and he also is empowered by a moon, all the while believing in a father deity.’

  ‘What!? Wait, what is it that Brunick - I don’t understand?’

  Vanapha laughed again. ‘You have the most interesting friends and you don’t even know what they’re capable of or where they come from.’

  ‘Tell me about Brunick!,’ implored Cid.

  Vanapha shook her head. ‘I do not think he wishes you to know yet, besides, where we’re going you’re gonna discover all soon enough for yourself,’ said Vanapha, and Cid could see by her face that she was pleased with herself for having stunned him a little bit in return.

  Cid resigned, smiling by himself.

  ‘So is Alex an interesting friend too?’ he asked in retort.

  Vanapha smiled, ‘he is gifted with a bow, that is all. He is however loyal and trustworthy, that is easy enough to see. There are no powers greater than that,’ said Vanapha.

  ‘I’ll toast to it,’ said Cid quietly.

  ‘Food’s ready!’ bellowed Brunick from the fireside, having prepared the last meat from their supply given by Harlem.

  Everyone stood closer, filing with their clay plates provided by the Valkyrie’s packs as Brunick cut and served. The Valkyrie supplemented the meal with a few fruits they carried with them.

  Cid waited at the back with Alex and Lidayel, allowing the ladies to be helped first. Cid kept looking at the sky, his mind connecting the starry dots like Vanapha had explained. Seeing them as a system or pattern gave much more incentive for observing them. He and Elmira used to lie down underneath the night sky for long hours, drawing their own lines between stars, their design prophesying nothing of the world save for the love they had for each other.

  I miss you. The thought was not new, often surfacing when Cid was away from Lanston, but came by especially strong now with all the uncertainty of their situation.

  As Cid ate his mind wandered to the strange people around him; Summoners, Valkyries and now his friend the Mason as well. Despite their power they appeared as victims in their setting. More than anything Cid was renouncing the notion of bizarre coincidence, starting to speculate whether someone was dictating the players in this war. He found it hard to exclude Bennam, hard to stop wondering if the old man himself was traitorous. But if there was someone out there trying to help, who in heaven’s name could it be?

  Later that night Lidayel sat quietly next to Claire, talking. Most of the camp had already retired, scattered around the clearing. The Valkyries slept on their traveling cloaks, the men rolling out their sacks.

  ‘Your powers really don’t work during certain moon cycles?’ asked Lidayel.

  ‘When Mallova is at the dark side of Astalus our powers of Insight and Farsight are lost to us,’ said Claire.

  Lidayel frowned.

  ‘Can you explain Astalus to me? My memory isn’t being cooperative,’

  Claire was amused and told: ‘Astalus is the titan star, although it is a star in name only. In reality it is a lifeless but giant planet composed of metal compounds that appear as a dark blue crystal to us. It’s even many times larger than our own world. It is impossible to see though save through telescopes because it emits very little light of its own.

  ‘And it shares its moons with us, right?’

  ‘That’s right, you can say that Astalus has eight different moons. Astalus however loses some of them to us because of changing gravity patterns, and sometimes, when its pull is strong again, it will take those moons back,’ said Claire.

  ‘How does that work again?’ asked Lidayel, scratching his head.

  ‘Astalus seems to be liquid in the sense that it expands and contracts from time to time due to spontaneous temperature flares, ultimately altering its gravity patterns. When we are close to some of its orbiting moons they join Angaria’s orbit given that Astalus loses its gravitational influence. It all needs to happen at exactly the correct time, which makes it hard for even us to predict what will happen in the future. Of course should we be given too many moons, or none at all, .’

  ‘Incredible, although I expect I might’ve once known this before you were even born,’ said Lidayel in embarrassed amusement, ‘though there is a rather unexpected pleasure at learning things anew.’

  Claire smiled. ‘Now Rodreon, Castilleon and Mallova are moons orbiting Angaria on a regular basis. Relatively speaking of course. Greathir, Ellock, Loikana, Trigon and Shaki-Halima are much more uncommon, some of them taking centuries between appearances. At the moment we are witnessing Shaki-Halima make a rare appearance. Personally, it’s the first time in my life I�
��ve ever seen it,’ said Claire, staring fondly at the night sky.

  ‘To think a moon gives you your power,’ said Lidayel in awe.

  ‘They of course influence many things - tides, volcanic activity, animal migration, seasons and even people’s mood or magical capabilities.’

  ‘Insight and Farsight… Farsight, is that how you tracked us?’

  ‘We track trails the old fashion way as well, but yes, Farsight allows us to see mental enhancements of sights our eyes are too weak to see; it comes very handy in archery.’

  Lidayel laughed, ‘poor Alex, he doesn’t stand a chance. And Insight allows you to see into men’s minds, like you did with Cid?’

  Claire nodded. ‘We also use it to see more clearly into stars or chemicals, hence our specialties; Alchemy and Astronomy.’

  ‘How come only you though? What singles the Valkyrie out?’ asked Lidayel, also feeling that he knew the answer once.

  ‘We are similar to the Masons, our teachings say that we were born from the moon Mallova as the Masons are of Greathir. Ordinary folk were born from the dust of Angaria itself, though some of them are given power of magicks through Castilleon, the sapphire moon and then of course by Summoners like yourself.’

  ‘Fascinating…’ said Lidayel.

  ‘It is said that your kind witnessed creation itself.’

  Lidayel shrugged.

  ‘It is said that the Summoners were breathed to life and then assigned to be the architects of our very constellation, taming the mighty Arrhua spirits to assemble the earths and skies from out of the chaos. When life flourished on Angaria you grew jealous of humanity’s corporal existence and thus descended you from the echelons of power to live among humans… Or so the story goes.’ said Claire.

  ‘Wish I could tell you whether it’s true or not, but right now I can’t even remember my own wife’s name.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sorry about that,’ said Claire, sympathy on her face.

  Lidayel was in thought for a moment.

  ‘You can look into men’s memories right? Like you did with Cid earlier?’ asked Lidayel.

  Claire nodded, hesitant as she saw eagerness lit up on Lidayel’s face.

  ‘Then try to look into mine, you might not see much, but maybe it can help me remember things faster,’ said Lidayel.

  ‘Sure,’ said Claire, already reaching out.

  Lidayel caught her by the wrist.

  ‘Be careful and go slowly, my memories are sealed by the powers of another Summoner, do not go farther than you feel comfortable with or you might hurt yourself.’

  ‘Okay.’

  Claire touched Lidayel lightly on the temple. Earlier that day she easily entered a willing Cid’s mind. Lidayel’s mind however was like a cage of locked steel doors. She tried to force her way through and could see her efforts hurting the Summoner. Still she pushed a little harder, determined to get something…

  Images flickered, so distorted that they were impossible to interpret. Sights and sounds washed intertwined, the both of them almost drowning in recollections ages old. She broke away, pain lancing through her own mind in time.

  ‘I’m sorry, I should’ve pulled out sooner,’ said Claire, breathless and exerted.

  Lidayel looked at Claire, somehow struggling to find words after the probe.

  ‘No, it’s fine actually,’ he managed, ‘it might be my imagination, but it felt like you’ve loosened things up a bit. Thank you.’

  ‘I hope you remember everything,’ said Claire with a smile, catching her breath.

  Lidayel noticed how tired she suddenly seemed, much like he now felt.

  ‘I have pestered you enough for the night, why don’t you rest now?’

  ‘I might just do that. It was good speaking to you Summoner, I hope you can tell me all about your kind one day,’ Claire said, standing up.

  Lidayel bade her good night, searching for himself a place to curl up and get rest. All the while he felt a growing power in his mind.

 

  It was the dead of the night. Lidayel slept at the edge of the camp, his back turned on his comrades. His stirring mind woke him every half hour, the thoughts and memories of a past life visiting him like relentless dreams.

  Something is definitely happening…

  No forest, I could risk it…

  Still lying on his side he stretched his arm out in front of him and snapped his fingers. Instantly a real flame sprang to life within his palm, sustaining itself from seemingly nothing. Its heat was caressing to Lidayel, yet he could make it hot enough to feel at home in a blacksmith’s oven. For many minutes he stared into the flame of his own design, faint memories forming and returning to him like a puzzle coming together.

  Finally a name formed and it rolled of his tongue.

  She did it, she unlocked my memories, or at least some of them.

  ‘Yarea,’ mouthed Lidayel, a cascade of emotions hitting him. ‘Yarea…’

  His power and memories were returning, if only a fraction of them. He was a Summoner once more.

  ‘I’m back,’ whispered Lidayel, closing his fist and dowsing the flame.

  Chapter 32

  The Way Forward

  At third hour of the next morning they gathered, their demeanour unhurried as they settled breakfast. It was the first time in some while that Cid felt relaxed, knowing that they were no longer in immediate peril. They were meandering for awhile, the intention of the parties growing into question.

  ‘Have you decided then?’ Cid asked the Valkyrie, deciding to bring things to a point.

  Vanapha nodded, her face again hid by her light steel helm.

  ‘I would like to come with you; my warriors are to return home, our arms will not be granted to a man as questionable as Stelinger.’

  ‘We’d welcome the extra sword and company,’ said Cid with a smile, realizing he had been hoping the Valkyrie would stay.

  Vanapha took time speaking with her sisters, the women looking nonplussed through it all. Cid was sure that between Vanapha’s decision to continue to Durandal and word of an unsecure war operation, that it was much too troubling for the already proud and suspicious Valkyries. At the end of it she bid farewell to her warriors, parting with them after giving clear instructions for their return.

  ‘I told them to avoid the Lanston army entirely so that they need not report on what happened. They will return to the Kingdom and take a ship from Fortreal back home,’ told Vanapha to Cid, her sisters already clearing out.

  ‘That is wise, Stelinger might react rashly if he discovers you failed his command,’ said Cid at Vanapha, looking at his party. ‘All right then, we’ll try to make a straight pass to Jacanta point, although we might have to oscillate between travelling down in the canyon, on the ridge, or in the forest if truly necessary. We may need to hide a lot and pacing ourselves will be crucial. We can’t let Lanston draw too close to us as we are still considered enemies, but nor can we exhaust ourselves. At Jacanta I hope to make timely contact with the Lanston army so that we can see our names cleared and the war won.’

  His notion went uncontested.

  Silently they travelled north, trekking and manoeuvring through the last remainder of the maze of crags. It was an up and down struggle to continue forward and occupied them enough to forego conversation. It took them an hour and then they breached into the smooth fold of the canyon again.

  ‘Let’s take a moment to discuss where we’re going and what our plans are,’ announced Lidayel.

  ‘All I know is that I’m going to snap Stelinger’s neck!’ said Brunick.

  Cid shook his head ‘We don’t know whether he is a traitor Brunick, we can’t say for sure. We have to get to Jacanta point before making any assumptions.’

  ‘It’s time to accept it captain, Stelinger set us up,’ said Alex.

  ‘Archer here is right Cid, look at what he’s done so far; he specifically endangered Olum’s company because he knew you would not abandon them. Then he set loose the Valkyrie
on us knowing you would be reluctant to fight your own Kingdom, and much less women for that matter. Oh, and let’s not forget that nice prostitute story he sold you back then; it was he that was wondering around that night, I saw him, and he saw you with Elmira, which was all the excuse he needed to assign you to Alparack’s veil where the ambush waited. He is exploiting your character Cid, just like he’s always done,’ said Brunick determinedly.

  “Moral inclinations,” that’s what you called it right?’ said Cid.

  ‘Glad to know you’re listening,’ said Brunick.

  ‘I for one was talking about my wife,’ interrupted Lidayel flatly.

  ‘Oh, right,’ said Brunick.

  ‘What happened to her, where is she now?’ asked Vanapha comprehensively.

  ‘We suspect the Fallen has captured her,’ said Lidayel, his face darkening as though he was only just now reminded of the fact.

  ‘I think you’re mistaken on that,’ said Vanapha.

  ‘Mistaken on what?’

  ‘While I was with my sisters we came across several bandit groups, fleeing the canyon passes as the army marched. One group we encountered gave us some trouble, like they were intent on fighting us. When they realized who we are however they fled. They were a real cutthroat bunch, but they seemed to be traveling heavy and I was sure they had a woman tied to one of their horses. We only pursued them until they escaped to the north-western pass; they were undoubtedly heading for Durandal.’

  ‘That is another possibility,’ agreed Cid, ‘Durandal is well known for trafficking in women.’

  ‘And remember those men we saw in the forest, those killed by the Reavers!? Lidayel, your wife might not be with the Fallen after all!’ said Alex.

  ‘It is a comforting thought to be sure, but how can I be certain whether she is in Durandal or not?’ said Lidayel.

  ‘Magic?’ suggested Brunick, ‘you’re getting better at it now, right?’

  Lidayel smiled. ‘I am not too proud on being instructed on magic by a Mason, but you do have a point Brunick, I should be able to locate Yarea’s position without trouble while I meditate.’

  ‘In the meanwhile we still have to figure out what Stelinger hopes to accomplish.’

  ‘We’ll see Alex, for now we keep it simple, we’ll get in the way of anything that would put the army at peril.’