Rohvim #1: Metal and Flesh (36 page)

Aeden said, “Priam often spoke of the hunting trips with his father. He would always bring back a few things from one of the ruins if their hunting took them near one. In fact, before the invasion, on their last hunting trip, they found a new ruin they had not seen before, high up in the mountains. It was nothing but a single door set into the rock wall of the mountain. They tried entering but it was locked, and no amount of bashing with rocks even so much as scratched the door. It was metal, with the same look as your toy—not rusted at all. They figured they would return someday with some metalsmiths and attempt to enter it somehow.”

They walked for several minutes, pondering the recent events, before the master healer spoke up, “You had more than one question?”

“Yes.” Aeden began “Yes I did. When I was in Rupert’s mind, just before he died, I put my hand on the wall where his memories were displayed, and I could feel him. I could feel everything that he felt in those memories. And now that I think about it, the first time I used a rohva power, during my tournament duel, I think I felt that man’s feelings as well.”

The master healer nodded, “Well then, you must be a rohva of either the first or the second kind. All the firsts have been able to do that, as well as the one of the two seconds that I know. Did it surprise you?”

Aeden answered, “Surprised me. Changed me. I felt what Rupert felt and I had never felt those things before. And there’s more. When we did the rite for Rupert, kneeling there in the circle around his grave, when we stood in the healer’s hall, I felt all of you. I couldn’t read your minds, I just felt everything that all of you felt. Is that normal?”

The healer said, “Well, frankly, there have not been a whole lot of deaths in the society. A handful, to be sure, and I have not attended all of them. I had not heard of this, but it would not surprise me, given the firsts’ propensity for this sort of thing. A bit of folklore has built up in the society over the years, one thing in particular being the disposition of each kind towards a particular gift. The firsts are the feelers. They feel strongly the emotion of others. In my experience they have been the most compassionate. On average.” He said this last part with a skeptical look at Aeden.

“What are the others?”

The healer went on, “Well, not every kind has a specific thing or gift or quality, but most do. The thirds tend to compulsion and justice. The fourths I know are tireless workers, needing little sleep. The fifths are seen as strong and coordinated in body—master Arturo, for example, is of the fifth kind, as is our Stuart.”

“Are you talking about me?” Stuart called back.

“Yes, Stuart. You’re wonderful.” The master healer replied, before continuing, “The sixth kind is especially skilled at having a fundamental knowledge, or feeling, almost, of how our rohva minds work. They are most able to split their attention between their inner rohva selves and physical surroundings. Clara is a sixth, I believe. The eighths are brilliant. Simply brilliant. Rupert was of the eighth kind, as is Gregory. The ninths are tumultuously emotional. Anger, joy, love, passion, hate, they have it all, only double or triple than most of us. The tenths are builders. They love all things they can touch and feel and build or assemble. Edwin is a tenth, as is I believe Frederick. The elevenths have a quickened sense about them. Their vision exceeds that of most people—some tell me they can see colors that we cannot, and yet have not the words to explain them—try describing red, for example. They hear more closely, and their noses and tongues are sharpened—in more than one way, mind you, as is evidenced by Diana, a true rohva of the eleventh kind.”

“And the seconds, sevenths and twelfths?” Aeden asked.

“As I said, not all of them are necessarily known for one thing in particular, and even if you are of the ninth kind, for example, doesn’t mean you can’t control yourself. All tenths are not laborers. I never recall seeing Frederick build anything. Though he does seem to touch Darla quite a bit more than necessary.”

 Aeden snorted, and the noise brought Rupert to his mind. “Rupert was of the eighths. That makes sense—he was very smart. He taught me much about mind dueling. What are you?”

“I am of the twelfth kind. Frankly, I do not know what my strengths are. Of the handful of twelfths that I know, there is nothing really that sets us apart. Other than being unnaturally wise, of course. And humble.” He said, his eyes twinkling.

“What makes us one kind or another? Were my parents both of the first kind?”

“Probably at least one of them, but we don’t know. All this knowledge has been lost for thousands of years, and we have reconstructed but a sliver of what our race once had. But the future lies ahead, and you will live to see our knowledge broadened. By how much, no man can say.”

They continued talking for much of the afternoon, with Lady Ellen, Gregory, and Edwin joining them in conversation. Towards the end of the day, the terrain became rougher, and hillier. Frederick called out, “Hey! Look there!” They looked ahead and in the distance saw a vast collection of small wooden shanties or huts surrounding a large building in the center, made of stone or brick. They hid themselves behind a low hill to avoid searching eyes, and huddled to discuss their approach.

Arturo spoke, “We should wait until dusk, not an hour hence, and approach from the south where the land provides more cover.”

“Agreed,” said Gregory, and the master healer and Lady Ellen both nodded.

The master healer said, “Once there, and the way inside discovered, we must find the Lord Shiavo quickly. If we can disable him either physically or in rohva duel, perhaps we can also gain some control over the drones. Regardless, any drone we encounter should be disabled and set free if possible, taking into account any present risk, saving any lethal force only for Shiavo and any guarding him, and even that is to be avoided—We want him alive so as to question him concerning his motives, and perhaps we may discover the location of our brother, Priam.”

They concluded their plans, and settled in to wait for darkness. They lay about the hillside, keeping their heads down to avoid detection. Aeden found himself lying by the master healer, and a thought struck him. “Master, I had one more question for you.”

“Very well Aeden. You are entitled.”

“How did you discover your true nature?”

A flash of joy passed over the man’s face, and he eagerly started the tale, but with reverence. “I was a young man. My father was a scholar of the Chronicles, and had taught me at his feet my whole life. While in study with him, I became sure there was something more than this physical existence, that the Chronicles were more than just allegory or symbol. And I had heard stories—legends, myths, I don’t know, about strange ruins in the wilderness suggesting past greatness, an age of technology and wonders, free from death and sorrow. I thought, how could a society be great, and lose itself? Why would we be great in the past, and yet beset with pain and sorrow and disease now? So I set my mind to discover the truth. I traveled widely, visiting ruins and seeking out seers. After years, none of this searching yielded any truth to me, and I returned to Ramath depressed and dejected. One day, I happened to read a well known passage in the Chronicles. It said,
And if any of you seek truth, if the goal eludes you, if your searching and pondering lead to walls of stone, seek me out, and ye shall find. Ask me, face to face on the mountaintop, and I will tell.
So, not willing to go climb a mountain to seek out the Creator, I went on a walk outside Ramath, and came to the very stand of trees that you and the other youth spend so much time in. I raised my voice to the Creator, and then, somehow, I knew.”

“What do you mean, you knew?”

“It just came to me. It’s like I heard a voice within me, and I followed it, reaching back within myself and entering my mind. I saw my wall there, blinking and flashing with lights and memories. A voice—I do not know if it was audible or even the thought voice we speak in each other’s minds—told me that the wall was me, that it was my mind, but in the same sentiment, I felt I was told that it was not all of me. I didn’t understand, and I still don’t. But that is my story. From then, I met Clara, and we told a few others we deemed were prepared. The rest is history.”

When the sun fell behind the western hills, they moved forward once more, advancing behind a succession of hills, avoiding direct line of sight with the compound. At last they came to the final hill before the vast estate, and, lying down atop it, made their final plans.

“Diana, what do you see?” asked the master healer. Darkness having fallen, the night was open only to Diana’s eyes, who squinted and looked here and there.

“There are none about. There are but two guards at the entrance to the central building. Several of the outbuildings appear occupied, but there is no coming and going between them. There is a portico on the second floor looking out on the approach to the building, and there are two guards visible there as well.”

The master healer looked at Stuart and master Arturo, “Do you think you can jump up to that second floor and haul a few others up with rope?”

Arturo heaved his chest, “Well I’m getting up in years … I may be able to. This boy here should have no problem, though.” He said, motioning to the rotund boy. He continued, “We will disable the upper two guards, if two others will handle the lower two guards.”

Darla said, “Betha and I can take them.”

Aeden spoke up, “Why don’t we just mind blast all of them?” They all stared at him.

Edwin responded, “We don’t want to alert any inside to our presence. We can surely blast the guards in front, and many in the interior will also fall, but many are bound to be in the rear of the building and they will remain conscious, and alerted to our presence.”

“Oh.” Aeden said.

“What do I get to do?” said Frederick.

“Look pretty,” said Darla, pinching his nipple.

The master healer nodded, “It’s settled then. The rest of us will wait behind one of the outbuildings until you four have mastery of the front entryway. We will then join you, and split up, half taking the second floor entrance and the other half entering by the front door. Remember: first priority, find the warlord and disable or kill him. All else can wait.” The healer finished, and the four in the vanguard prepared themselves. They all left their packs and extra belongings in some bushes at the base of the hill.

Aeden strapped his armor firmly to his body, tightening the belts and fasteners, ensuring his sheathes were properly positioned on his back, the prize sword from Elbeth rising over his left shoulder, and the shopkeeper’s sword poking out above his right. Stuart produced two lengths of rope from his pack, and tied them to his belt. Betha and Darla drew their swords and stretched their arms, preparing for battle. When all was ready, the four left the hillside, keeping low to the ground until they reached the closest outbuilding. They crept along, running from building to building, until at last only a stretch of bare earth thirty yards wide separated them from the entrance.

Back on the hill, Diana whispered, “Oh no.”

“What?” said Gregory.

She shook her head. “There are now ten guards on the second floor portico.”

The master healer snapped his head around at the remaining boys, “Frederick, Aeden, how high can you jump?”

Without a word more, the two boys bolted to catch up with the others.

Chapter Twenty-one

“The friends of Ilien—men of might were they, strong, skilled in the ways of the Creator, and led the residue of men to a better world. And the world changed.” –The Adventures of Ilien, 46:3

Aeden and Frederick ran hard. They zigzagged around the outbuildings until they came to the dirt clearing before the compound, seeing their four companions charge ahead. They sprinted, desperately trying to catch up to warn Arturo and Stuart of the waiting ambush. With fifteen yards to go they saw the two leap high into the air, grab the second floor balustrade, and vault themselves over in acrobatic somersaults, while Betha and Darla disabled their targets. Seconds later, they reached the front of the building, and accelerating, leapt off the ground as hard as they could, just barely grabbing onto the edge of the stone balustrade. With heavy grunts they hauled themselves over and landed on their feet, drawing their swords.

They looked around themselves in awe. An assortment of bodies lay scattered about, a few bleeding, all unconscious, and they caught the last of it as they watched two more women, touched on the head by Arturo and Stuart, fall to the ground.

Arturo looked up at them, speaking in a low voice, “that was more than two.”

Aeden replied, “Diana said eight more appeared after you left. We came as backup …” looking down at floor.

Frederick counted the sleeping bodies. “There’s only nine here. One must have escaped.”

Stuart motioned to the rear of the portico. “There’s a door back here. I bet they know they have company by now.” Arturo looked over the balustrade and motioned to the women below that the second floor was clear, and the others approached from their hiding place.