Mythborn: Rise of the Adepts (21 page)

Arek didn’t respond to that, his attention completely on the shade’s appearance and substance. At this close range, Arek thought he looked quite alive and began to reach out to touch him to confirm it.

Piter jumped awkwardly away, yelling, “Idiot! Your touch will banish me!” The shade said this with an acid hate even Arek could read, as if being here was paramount to something. Piter smiled and pointed at the bed. “Look where I sat.”

Arek slowly turned his head and looked. “What? There’s nothing there.”

“Exactly. You saw me sit down. Are the sheets disturbed? Did I pull the blanket away from you with my weight?” Piter watched him for a few moments as Arek struggled to comprehend what was going on, then said with a smirk, “Quick as ever.”

“You’re really dead?”

He looked at Arek for a moment longer, then offered, “I am dead, now bound to serve you, and I don’t like it.” He walked a short distance away and looked out the window. “All I had has been taken from me, by you and your kind.”

Arek looked at Piter, still unable to believe his eyes. Clearly the shade was not happy to be here. Yet, Piter was answering his questions... but why? Arek was not so shocked as to forget that once out of childhood, he and Piter had never really gotten along. So why was he willing to answer
anything,
especially if Arek truly caused his death? Something wasn’t right.

He watched as Piter stood, patiently looking out the window as if he waited for something, or someone. It also occurred to Arek that he had never seen Piter kneel to anyone, and when this thing had entered the room... a sudden intuition forced him to his feet.

“Piter, why are you here?”

Piter turned to Arek and stated, “Lilyth has bound me to serve you.” He didn’t seem to want to answer, but acted as if compelled. “You create an opening... a
thinness
between the planes. It allows me to appear here, instead of where I should.”

Arek continued, “Do you have to answer what I ask?”

Piter hesitated, his eyes darted back and forth, then he curtly replied, “Yes.”

“Do you have to tell me the truth?”

To this, Piter smiled and replied sarcastically, “As I see it,
Master.”
Piter walked slowly over to the bed, his arms behind his back. “There is one thing I’ll offer: I may escape this wretched servitude on occasion.”

Arek said, “When?”

Piter had already started to dissipate. “Whenever I want to frustrate you. You’re an imbecile, as always.” With a small laugh and a flash, Piter was gone.

“Piter!” Arek looked around the room in confusion. This can’t be happening, he thought. I didn’t kill Piter and this proves it! He was just here! Arek decided quickly to find Master Silbane and tell him Piter had somehow used a spell or something to make himself look dead... that
had
to be the explanation.

What about the sheets? Arek was sure he had sat down and yet he never felt the mattress move. What of the moonlight? Had Piter cast a shadow? He couldn’t remember now and his stomach lurched a bit. He sat down on his bed, feeling sick. Had he really killed Piter?

Adept Thera entered the room, clearly awakened by Arek’s yell. “What is it?” The young apprentice looked pale and confused. “What’s the yelling about?”

He looked at the adept as if seeing her for the first time. He then stammered, “Piter... Piter is here.”

“What? Arek,” she said carefully, “what happened?”

Arek looked around the room, confused. “What? He wants... he said he’s bound.” He blinked a few times as if waking from a dream, then looked directly at the adept. “I must see my master. I don’t think Piter is really dead.”

Thera looked at Arek with pity in her eyes. With all the kindness she could muster, she said, “Relax and start from the beginning. If we are to wake the others, I daresay we will need a good explanation.”

Arek looked at her, his eyes calculating. “You don’t believe me.”

“I don’t know what to believe yet,” Thera replied. “Please, tell me what happened.”

Arek fell onto his back, crossing his arms over his eyes, and said, “Piter appeared here. He said he served me.”

She moved closer to the bed and sat down next to Arek. “Go on.”

Arek couldn’t help but notice the bed shift and the mattress move when Thera sat down. It was so easy to discern now, which made Piter’s claim seem all the more real. “He said he had to answer my questions, but he didn’t like it.”

“What makes you say such a thing?”

Arek uncrossed his arms, splaying them out to the sides. He did notice her flinch a bit as his uncovered right hand came close to contacting her arm.

“He only seemed interested in tormenting me.”

Arek saw Thera’s expression change from one of concern to a more thoughtful stare. He also noticed her proximity, and he pulled the thin gloves from his nightstand and slipped them on. The gesture was automatic, but served to break Thera’s contemplation.

“Did Piter say anything else?” she asked.

Arek thought about it then added, “He said Lilyth has bound his service to me. That doesn’t sound right, does it?”

Thera stood up, her face in shock. “Arek, get up,” she said, a new urgency in her voice where before there had been none.

Arek looked at the adept in confusion. “Why?”

“Get up. We are going to see the Council,
now.”

A
REK
’
S
S
TAND

When your opponent thrusts at you,

Divert his blade by pushing outward.

Then ride his blade in

And strike forcefully on his fists to disarm.

—Tir Combat Academy, Basic Forms & Stances

H
e
what?”
Themun asked. He addressed the full council, which had been awakened and hurriedly gathered in the chamber. They had been summoned instantly by mindspeak, but the effort cost the sending adept dearly in energy. Thera stood shakily near the center of the chamber, ashen-faced and clearly drained, having sent her mental summons the instant Lilyth’s name had been mentioned.

She waited as the rest of the council hurriedly took their seats, leaving Arek to wait outside until called for. The servant accompanying him looked more nervous than he, if such a thing were possible.

“He named Lilyth, as if the demon still lived,” answered Thera, “a fact kept from us until now.” She looked pointedly at Themun.

Themun ignored her accusing stare and asked Silbane, “You told him about the Gate, yes?”

“Of course,” Silbane answered, “but Lilyth’s role in the last war is common knowledge. Arek himself recited it to me when I asked him what he knew of Bara’cor. The fact Lilyth was not destroyed is the only secret I know of, and
that
knowledge was not revealed to Arek. He knows we seek a rift, nothing more.”

The lore father looked back at Thera and asked, “What exactly did he say?”

“He said Piter came to him,” she answered. “At first, I thought he was suffering from shock and trying to rationalize the killing by denial. After all, if Piter appeared, Arek could at least tell himself there was a chance the boy was still alive. Then he said Piter had been ordered to serve him,
by Lilyth.”

Stunned silence followed Thera’s last point. She continued in a low voice, “This isn’t an hallucination. Something is going on.”

Giridian motioned to speak and asked, “But why would Piter say he served Arek? It makes no sense.”

“Perhaps it was the connection Arek and Piter had through his death,” Silbane said. “Perhaps it serves as a path the demon can use.”

Kisan motioned to speak. “I mentioned the demon’s name in the infirmary, but Arek was under the influence of the
mhi’kra.
If he heard anything, he has better ears than we thought.” She looked around the room, her gaze finally settling on Silbane as she added sarcastically, “Perhaps we’ve found another thing your apprentice is good at, something more than just killing his friends.”

Silbane started to get up when the lore father put out a restraining hand. “Quarrelling now is of no use. Why would Lilyth care about two apprentices? There are many who have died closer to Bara’cor, and there are other beings of power that still walk this world.”

Giridian looked at Themun, then said matter-of-factly, “Then investigating the Gate has become our first priority.”

“Why else do I petition to send someone to Bara’cor?” Themun asked. “And I haven’t ruled out the possibility Arek has woven this tale out of a desperate need to rationalize his hand in killing his classmate.”

“How?” Kisan exclaimed. “The boy is a dullard when it comes to magic and now you think he can suddenly mindread?”

Themun looked pointedly at Thera. “One of us could be trying to influence a different course...”

Thera at first could not believe her ears. She had left the last council meeting because she was morally against the path they had chosen for Arek, but to suspect her of betrayal? Her fury grew and she retorted, “You distrust me because I don’t agree with you? Who is being childish now, Themun?”

“It was clear you disagreed with the council’s last decision regarding Arek,” said the lore father.

“Yes, but I wouldn’t—” started Thera.

The lore father cut her off, saying, “Betray this council to save the life of what you think of as an innocent boy? How are we to believe that?”

Thera crossed her arms and controlled her indignation. When she spoke, her voice echoed through the chamber with an icy chill. “You have gone too far. Believe what you will, but this boy should not go near Bara’cor. It is clear Lilyth knows of him and that cannot be a good sign. He is not making this up.”

Silence followed the last exchange, a silence that grew uncomfortable to many of the adepts, as neither Thera nor the lore father seemed to be willing to concede their position. Finally, it was Silbane who said, “Perhaps we should see what Thera saw, then judge for ourselves.”

Thera looked at Silbane, a hint of anger on her lips. She understood what Silbane was suggesting and knew it would set any doubt about her to rest. Still, it galled her that the one person whom she had been friends with for her entire life could so callously abandon her now.

“Very well,” she said, “judge for yourselves.”

She nodded to the lore father, who extended his staff. The black metal began to glow blue, a soft glow radiating outward to encompass Thera, who in response closed her eyes and motioned with one palm. Much like the vision earlier of the Altan Wastes conjured by the lore father, a new image formed.

The assembled adepts watched the scene with Arek unfold from Thera’s viewpoint. They saw Arek standing as if in shock and heard the exchange between the adept and the apprentice. They heard him relate his tale, just as he had to Thera when she entered his room. It was exactly as Thera had said. As the scene faded and she opened her eyes, she caught the faintest look of chagrin on the lore father’s face. Still, it did little to mollify her.

“I trust you are all satisfied?” she asked no one in particular, but her gaze never left the lore father.

The council remained quiet, only the sputtering of the torches that lit the chamber making any noise. Finally, the lore father coughed once and muttered, “My fear was not too farfetched...”

“No, you are within your rights,” Thera said, “but stubbornly continue to do what is plainly wrong.”

“When it comes to defending this land from the likes of Lilyth, nothing is wrong,” answered Themun.

Statements like this make us worse than what we fear, Thera thought sadly. She then turned her attention to the chamber doors and asked, “What of Arek? He waits outside.”

“I still have many questions about what he saw,” Kisan said. “What did Piter tell him? Does my apprentice still live? If he has a chance of being saved, I must know.”

Themun nodded and motioned to Thera, “Bring the boy in.”

She bowed and retreated to the chamber doors. A few moments later, she returned with the young apprentice, who was clearly intimidated to be facing the assembled adepts.

Themun looked at Arek for a moment, then motioned to Silbane. The master took his cue and stood beside his apprentice. Laying a hand on his shoulder, he gave him an encouraging smile and said, “Arek, you are not in trouble. Thera has brought you here because of what you saw and what you heard. We would like to hear it from you, to make sure there is no danger.” He patted the boy on the shoulder to ease his concern, then asked, “Can you tell us, from the beginning, what happened?”

* * * * *

Arek looked around, nervous. His voice came out small at first, but as he related the tale, it grew in strength. He told the council of Piter’s appearance, what he had said, the contempt Piter showed, and his decision to leave when he felt it would hurt him the most. In the end, he appeared more drained than relieved.

The council chamber fell silent as each adept contemplated Arek’s recounting, matching it against Thera’s shared vision. The fact that an apparition claiming to be following Lilyth’s orders appeared
here
was disconcerting to say the least. The fact that it appeared to Arek made no sense to any of them.

Silbane was the first to voice his thoughts. “Arek, you are sure Piter was... insubstantial?”

“Yes, master,” Arek replied. “In fact, he pointed out that he did not disturb the sheets.”

“And you think he was compelled to speak?”

“Compelled? No, sir... but he answered my questions.”

“Do you think he lied?” asked Giridian.

“No, Adept. I think he told me as little as he had to,” answered Arek, and to Silbane, this sounded truthful.

Themun asked, “What of this
thinness
Piter mentioned?”

“A byproduct?” Silbane added. “Perhaps he makes the passage easier?” The death of Piter by Arek’s hand could be a factor linking them, but what was the link to the demonlord? To that, Silbane had no answer.

Themun interrupted his thoughts when he asked Silbane, “You have spoken to your apprentice of your mission to Bara’cor?”

Silbane gave a hesitant nod feeling a sense of doom that nearly overcame him—the desire to remain here on the Isle that threatened to overwhelm his normally logical demeanor. Silbane was not one to fall prey to superstition or omens, as magic and science were the cornerstones of truth to him. Still, he sensed fear at his very core, and even he did not know why.