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Armando couldn’t help it. Ever since he’d gained powers, he checked his body at least once a day. When he’d saved Izdahl, spiritual fire from a column of souls had traveled up his arms and marked him. So far, the magic had only showed on his arms, with the mesmerizing silver weaving under his skin and highlighting the structure of his veins. He didn’t know if that power would spread through his body, and if it did, he wasn’t sure what it would mean for him. He already had to wear magic-infused gloves Hadil had made to contain the power. Periodically, he had to deal with energy surges from the spiritual fire, but he still had the full use of his arms.
Freshly showered that morning, he stood naked in front of a full length mirror in the bedroom he shared with Izdahl. He breathed in deeply and flexed his arms. Liking what he saw, he grinned at himself. He heard a cough and looked off to his right.
Izdahl walked toward Armando, with a robotic tray hovering behind him as it carried their breakfast under a warming dome. Izdahl told the tray to land on a nearby table, as he went to stand behind Armando. He winked at Armando, before increasing his height to 8’ 2” by shifting to another one of his Nitelvosa forms. Izdahl’s skin darkened to a rich blue and he casually flexed his muscles that were much larger than Armando’s. Armando rolled his eyes and Izdahl chuckled.
He kissed Armando on the top of his head, laughing and teasing him. “Don’t let me ruin your fun. Show me those very human muscles.”
Playfully stubborn, Armando flexed again. Izdahl poked Armando’s left bicep. “Is that muscle functional? Or is it just for decoration?”
Armando turned, laughing and pushing Izdahl away. “Leave me alone. I’ll pretend you didn’t just insult me. And no shifting before breakfast.”
“Nice try.” Izdahl grinned, showing his fangs he’d casually extended. “I’m unruly.”
“I’m sure I can ‘incentivize’ you.”
“Message understood. I wouldn’t want to lose the privilege of enjoying your body.”
Armando smiled warmly at him. “You can shift whenever you want. I like all your forms.”
“Oh I know.” Izdahl winked and returned to his usual form. “Ready for breakfast?”
Armando nodded and Izdahl ordered the robotic tray to go to the balcony table. Armando followed him. They settled in to eat, enjoying the warmth generated in the covered and heated balcony, though snow fell outside.
“You said you’d tell me about the Velzos,” Armando said.
Izdahl nodded. “That’s right.” He stared off into the distance for a moment. “Let’s discuss the ones you don’t know much about. But before we do that, I think by now you’re familiar with Dagmar Havad. But I need to emphasize that he’s not an ally.”
“I know. He’ll likely bring up how I dropped the shield around the statue.”
The massive statue of one of the most powerful former Velzos, Zaitiv Havad, lay in several pieces. Though it was located in an arid and blighted area, seeing it had drawn intense interest from Armando. He’d visited the statue several times. His last trip to see the statue had ended with the shield around it behaving strangely. The barrier had shimmered and disappeared, exposing the statue after 300 years of it being protected. Dagmar had been furious, but the Velzo’s volatile reaction didn’t end Armando’s interest in the statue.
“I still want to go back and explore that area. I know...” Armando’s words trailed off, at Izdahl’s expression. “You disapprove. There’s that left eyebrow. You raise it when you want to shut down an idea.”
Izdahl smoothed a finger over his left eyebrow and chuckled. “You know me too well.”
“Fine.” Armando laughed softly. “Maybe right now’s not the time to see the statue again. There’s already too much attention on us.”
Izdahl gave him a pointed look. “I’m glad you realize that.”
Armando snapped his fingers, an idea sparking in his mind. “We might still get some answers. Isn’t there satellite footage, or something similar, of the planet? Maybe we can check the records on the day the shield drop. I remember feeling someone was nearby. Footage could tell us who else was around.”
Izdahl nodded. He called out to the house computer, directing it to reference the information they needed. The computer responded that the statue’s site was one of seven locations where satellite images and other footage were heavily distorted. The energy in those areas tended to affect technology.
Armando gritted his teeth. “That’s frustrating.”
“Maybe whoever was in the shield was there exactly because footage gets distorted.”
“You’re probably right.” Armando stroked his jaw, trying to figure other ways to learn who else had been around the shield that day. Izdahl drummed a rhythm on the table and Armando glanced at him. “Don’t worry, Iz. I won’t change my mind and go back to the statue, at least not right away. But I just know something or someone was hiding there.”
“Put that mystery away, for the time being.”
Armando nodded, as he took a bite of his buttered toast. He chewed slowly, considering what else he wanted to know. “I guess we should focus on something else. Tell me more about Velzo Marnel.”
Izdahl sighed. “Well, I badly injured his son.”
During a semifinal match in the Elite Fire Dueling, Izdahl’s competitor had been Deyn Marnel. The youngest son of the Marnel Velzo had been wickedly enchanted and sent a volatile stake into Izdahl’s chest. Before he’d fallen, Izdahl had launched a massive black fireball that had maimed Deyn. Had Deyn not been at an elite level, he’d have died within a minute.
“The Velzo and Deyn have been gracious about it,” Armando said. “Are they generally that easygoing?”
“They are toward the Amasis. We’ve been in good standing with them for centuries, though we’ve had a few hiccups.”
“I guess that includes when two of their clan attacked us in the park.”
The previous year, Armando’s office had been enjoying their summer picnic. Two Nitelvosa from the Marnel Clan had swooped through the area, intending to cause chaos. The event had triggered memories of the night Armando lost his parents. He’d been fortunate Izdahl had come to the rescue. The Velzo of the Marnel Family had been incredibly apologetic, wanting to maintain their positive relationship with humans and the Amasi Family.
“Right,” Izdahl said. “I’m glad we smoothed over that situation.”
“From what I’ve read about them, I get the feeling the Nieri Family might be easy going too.”
Izdahl clicked his tongue. “Not so fast. Vaihan Nieri is a good leader, but she’s a bit of a wild card.”
“Like Paltra?” Armando asked, referring to Vaihan’s great-granddaughter. He gave Izdahl a knowing look, as Paltra and Izdahl had dated.
Izdahl chuckled. “Yes, like Paltra, but don’t let that get you off guard. Vaihan has served as Velzo for almost fifty years.”
“That’s impressive,” Armando said. “I wonder if she—”
The house computer interrupted them, providing a reminder of Izdahl’s upcoming medical appointment.
The light morning mood became somber and Armando cleared his throat. After the events at the Elite Fire Dueling, he and Izdahl had been undergoing various medical reviews. This was the third one. So far, their hadn’t been any devastating news, but Armando wondered if their luck would hold.
***
Izdahl rested on the medical diagnostic platform. A machine hovered around him, scanning his entire body to create highly detailed internal and external maps of his features. He saw the 3D production of his body in vivid detail. Off to his left were two massive screens, one showing his body from the front and the other showing his body from the side.
When the five minute process was complete, the platform reconfigured, resetting to put him into a sitting position.
“Let’s explore your results,” Dr. Nya Brezlin, said. She brushed her dark-blue curls behind her ears, as she examined details on the two holographic panels in front of her. A minute later, the panels shifted to her left and she focused on Izdahl. “You mentioned the tips of your wings have started randomly changing to silver.”
“Yes. Is that because I was injured?”
“Well, I’ve never had a patient who experienced what you did. But I don’t think this new development with your wings is a source for concern. Some Nitelvosa have tips of other colors, usually the most powerful Nitelvosa. Between the shield fragment and your rebirth, I wouldn’t be surprised that your body’s changing. Both those experiences are having major effects on you. We’ll keep monitoring your health.”
Izdahl hadn’t expected how a decision about a shield fragment could affect him now. Like every Nitelvosa and human, he’d undergone a special medical review at the age of seven. A sample of silver Dara Anyi, or Soul Power, was taken from his blood. His soul power was examined to determine the strength of his spiritual energy.
Since he had significant power, he’d been exposed to a cloned fragment of Planet Rivkaen’s shield. His spiritual energy resonated beyond 90 percent with the shield fragment. As a result, the fragment was implanted into his heart. The cloned segment he’d received represented a real location on the planet’s protective mechanism. Izdahl hadn’t learned the specific location until the previous year, when the Shield Regulation Agency (SRA) had activated his fragment. It meant he’d been designated as one of 200,000 Shield Guardians, specifically intended to replace one of the individuals who had that position.
He hadn’t officially taken on his responsibility to help power the shield and protect everyone else, but the situation remained at the back of his mind. It was only a matter of time before his service started.
Izdahl heard Dr. Brezlin knock on her tablet, bringing his attention back to her. She’d been his primary physician all his life. While it was comforting to have someone familiar with his health, he wished she’d had answers.
He felt a light pressure on his hand, as she squeezed it. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll figure it out. I’ll continue looking into it. Of course, I know your Great-Aunt Sunja and your mother Hadil have their healing abilities too. I’ll keep working with them to make sure we cover all areas. Is there anything else that worries you?”
Izdahl bit his bottom lip, before clearing his throat. “My fire feels different. It’s a strange heat. Sometimes, I’m worried I won’t be able to control it. The power under my skin is...” He glanced down at his hands and clenched his fists. “It’s uncomfortable.” He let out a sigh. “And the base of my wings keep hurting. The pain is sharp. It doesn’t last long, but it’s been there a few times a week.”
“Have you told your partner any of this?”
“Why would you ask me that?”
“Well, I’m trying to gauge how worried you are.”
“I let him know a few things about my health, but overall, I’m pretending I’m better than I feel.” Izdahl’s heart grew heavy, as he imagined Armando’s possible reactions. “I was hoping we’d find answers and I wouldn’t have to give him bad news.”
Dr. Brezlin nodded, with sympathy in her eyes. “I’ll continue to do my best, but I’m sure you understand this is a unique situation. To be straightforward, science has its limitations. That’s why we’re fortunate there are those with abilities like your mother. Together, we’ll see you through this situation.”
“I know and that’s reassuring. I just wish I had more answers about why I’m hurting. Could this be a sign of something worse? I don’t want to worry my mother or Armando.” Izdahl sighed. “You know how sickly I was. The events of the gathering remind my mother of those times.”
As a child, Izdahl had often been ill. His parents and the medical staff had figured out it had been due to his abilities to wield all the elements, especially fire. His stunning powers, which hadn’t been fully realized, put a strain on his system. Until he’d reached fifteen, he’d needed treatment to help him control the effects.
Dr. Brezlin nodded. “Yes. I do remember.” She smiled gently at him. “I’m also aware you have strong motivation for getting better.”
Izdahl chuckled, knowing Dr. Brezlin referred to Armando. Izdahl had met Armando when they were still babies, unaware of much but fast becoming friends. Once Izdahl had shown signs of elemental powers at the age of two, he’d had to get control of them. Otherwise, he would have been prevented from playing with Armando and other humans. Izdahl had been eager to stay as Armando’s friend. Knowing how fragile humans were, even compared to Nitelvosa at a small age, Izdahl had pushed himself to manage his abilities to avoid hurting Armando. His mother had cast a strong spell to dampen his powers, but his innate abilities would sometimes bypass the spell. His parents had consulted with the strongest spellcasters from all the seven main families, creating protocols for Izdahl to learn to control his powers.
Now, with the changes to his body, all his hard work was under risk of being undone. Even at that moment, steam rose from Izdahl’s skin, carrying tendrils of spiritual energy.
Dr. Brezlin watched him closely. “Your energy is chaotic right now. So, you know what to do. I can’t let you leave until you’re under control again.”
Izdahl nodded, beginning the deep breathing exercises his mother had taught him. He slowly restored balance to his elemental abilities, managing their fierce power that surged inside him.