| |
October 14th
Eldren’s shoulders were heavy with defeat. As the ’ship made its way back to Harbor, he started running through excuses on why he failed. The thought of what Cristiano could do with both the Death ’stone and the War ’stone was a harrowing thought, and he had to explain how he let both of them slip through his hands. And to lose Luca in the fight was too much. He didn’t have to talk to Phae or Torin to know how badly it had affected the both of them.
Not to mention they lost Luca. Eldren hadn’t known him long, but they had gotten along well, and he found himself crying tears for the quiet elf he hadn’t expected to shed.
Eldren dashed the tears from his eyes and got up to leave the ’docked ’ship. He caught up to her as she was leaving as well. “How’s Torin?” he asked.
Phae suppressed a sigh. “He’ll be okay. It’s just a lot.”
Eldren gave a sage nod. “Understandable he’d be upset.” He side-eyed her as they strolled onto the ’dock, in no hurry at that moment. “Is he safe to leave alone right now?”
Phae cleared her throat. “About that. You should spend time with him. I think you two would get along.”
“Really? He seems so standoffish. It’s hard to get a read on him.”
“I don’t think any of us are doing that hot right now, all things considered.” Phae stopped walking as she considered something. “You guys got the cartridges done faster than I expected,” Phaedra said, frowning when she saw Eldren’s expression.
“That’s the thing Phae. I hadn’t actually made any, barring a few we used to test fire.” Eldren rubbed his face. “I can’t think of who would have made them or had access to the formula.”
Phae thought about the scrap of cloth and realized it was still in her pocket. She pulled it out and passed it over. Eldren took what looked like a half melted, blackened lapel pin. “This was in Luca’s fist,” she said.
Eldren took the scrap of cloth and squinted. “It’s damaged, but I think I can restore it enough to identify it,” he said, putting the scrap into his own pocket. “Something isn’t right. That shouldn’t have happened like that.”
“I know.” Phaedra tugged at her collar, frowning. “I should go report to Orso,” Phae said. “Can you make sure he gets settled?”
Eldren could see the wisdom of her request. “Yeah. I’ll wait for him,” he promised.
Phae smiled at him, looking relieved, and clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks. I’ll go find him when you’re done.”
They parted ways, and Eldren hung around waiting for Torin. Merethyl walked up to him, eyebrow raised. “Waiting for Torin,” Eldren said. “I’ll catch up with you later.” She nodded and moved on.
Torin appeared, looking shattered. His skin was sallow, and his eyes looked sunken in. Eldren gently grabbed his arm as Torin went to walk by him.
“Phae asked me to stay with you.” Eldren met his eyes as Torin swiveled his head to look at him, and Eldren met his gaze. “Why don’t we go find somewhere for you to rest for a bit?”
Torin walked with Eldren, his footfalls a quiet whisper next to Eldren. Eldren led him to his room at Temple, where Torin collapsed in a chair and pulled out his flask. “Damn it, empty.”
Eldren sat down with Torin and passed over a full flask. “Had a feeling,” Eldren said as Torin looked at him surprised. “Whatever gets you through it, right?”
Torin took it with a shaking hand, though he didn’t open it. “Tell me about Phaedra,” he said.
“Like about why we’re friends? Because no one else would talk to me. Demeter hated me, like she hated all the others. Phae didn’t like that and kept me company as we made our way to Sanctuary.”
Torin’s mouth twisted into what was almost a smile. “That sounds familiar.”
“Phae has that quality that makes people flock to her. Temple kept hoping she’d get her act together and work to be on the council, but it’s not what drives her. She’s afraid that if she advances too much, she’ll lose touch with the people who need it most.” Eldren paused. He didn’t want to leave Torin to brood, and maybe giving him something to focus on would help get him through. Eldren wasn’t friends with him, not like Phae was, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t try to help distract him. “You’re a magus, right?” Without waiting for Torin to respond with the obvious, Eldren kept speaking. “I have something I need to restore, but I could use help with the magical part of it. While it’s the kind of magic I use sometimes with engineering, I don’t usually do any sort of restoration.” It was only a small lie. He was more than capable of handling the magic required, he just wanted to give Torin something to focus on.
Torin looked at him, brow furrowed. “Really?”
“I build things. Specific things. Like the prophecy machine.” He noted how Torin’s frown deepened.
“What crystals do you use?”
“The ones for the machine? They’re supplied by the council. I’m actually the one responsible for it. That’s why it’s so strange they won’t let me repair it.”
Torin leaned his arms on the table as a dim light sparked to life in his eyes. “Where do the crystals come from?”
Eldren thought about it. “Temple supplied everything used.”
Torin rubbed his chin. “And you haven’t repaired it?”
“I repaired it enough to generate a new prophecy. Why?”
“Show me how you make the crystals you do make,” he said.
“What aren’t you saying?”
Torin hesitated as he stood up. “I’m not sure yet. It was just an offhand comment Cristiano made once.” He finished standing and looked away. “He mentioned that there were easier ways to produce the crystals Temple used, and he found it funny they still did it that way. Especially since Aurelius’s crystals would always be better.”
“He mentioned something about that.” Eldren watched as Torin shivered in what looked like revulsion.
“I can’t prove anything yet. Right now, I just want to see how you make them.”
“And then?”
“I want to see one of the crystals Temple provides.” He grimaced. “But food first.”
Eldren was taken aback. “I don’t think I’ve seen you ask for that.”
“Working for Aurelius, we fed off the energy he was supplying. Phaedra isn’t him.” He looked down at the table as the words left his lips. “It’s easier to get exhausted and feel hungry. It’s much different from before.” Something softer crossed his face. “I think I finally burned everything I had stored up.”
“We can go check out the dining hall. The rest can wait.”
***
Eldren pulled out the things he needed to make the only type of crystal he knew how to make. The ones used to power the small things he worked on, that he couldn’t just wind up. He placed a small crystal, white and dim, set in a brass base, on the table. Around it he drew a circle with chalk and scribbled some sigils into the middle of the circle and placed the crystal in the middle. Eldren closed his eyes and tapped into his Indeus. Power flowed from him into the circle, and the crystal lit up a brilliant green color for a few moments before fading back to clear.
Eldren closed his connection and exhaled sharply. “That’s it.”
“May I pick it up?” When Eldren nodded, Torin erased a portion of the circle and picked up the crystal. “It’s different,” he commented, turning the small crystal over and over in his hands. Torin looked at the crystal, eyebrows furrowed. “Can you show me the other crystals?”
Eldren blinked. “Maybe. Why?”
“This crystal doesn’t have to be powerful, so it’s easier to manufacture. But the ones that power things like ’ships, those are more labor intensive.” Torin’s mouth worked. “I know how Aurelius made his, but I don’t know what kind Temple uses.”
“Can you just get to the point?”
Torin set the newly made crystal down. “Aurelius uses the dead to power his crystals.”
The hair on Eldren’s arms stood up. “You’re kidding.”
“I’m not.” Torin looked affronted. “But I also don’t know the crystals Temple uses. Something else could power them. Like Wind Spirits. But something isn’t adding up.”
“We have to tell Phae.”
Torin tapped a finger on his lips for a moment. “Let’s wait. I don’t want her getting upset if it’s something harmless.”
Eldren chewed on his lower lip. “We can ask Simone. She has the newest model.”
“That works. I trust her.”
“Do you want to go ask her now?”
Torin shook his head. “Not yet. I also want to see what it was Luca ripped off the person who killed him.” A heavy weight crossed his face, and he swallowed, hand straying to the flask Eldren had given him. He patted it but didn’t pull it out. “Let’s restore the pin first.”
Eldren fished it out of his pocket and laid it down on the table. “The scorch marks look superficial. It’s melted somewhat, but magic could have helped preserve it.” Eldren frowned at the pin. It looked so familiar, but he couldn’t place it. “Are you sure you want to do this now?”
“I want to get it over before I lose my nerve.”
Eldren grabbed his chalk, drawing another circle with different symbols. He set the pin in the center and tapped into his Indeus again. Before he opened his eyes, he heard Torin gasp and take off, slamming the door behind him. Eldren opened his eyes and stared slack jawed at the pin in the center. It was the Temple insignia, an orange rose. And nestled underneath it was a red rose, the symbol of those who worked for the High Council.
