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Armando sat next to Izdahl, facing the semicircular baltium bench where the seven Velzos presided. While he’d been told the conversation would be casual, the setup of the leaders seemed to belie that. He pushed aside his doubts about how well things would go, as Xeira Amasi called the meeting to order.
“We know the recent events at The Gathering were troubling,” Xeira said. “None of us could have predicted what happened.”
Dagmar Havad nodded, before adding, “We trust, Armando, that you’re on the path to a full recovery.” The silver-haired patriarch of the Havad Family sat confidently in his seat. His gray eyes had a calculating gleam in them Armando had seen more than once.
Armando looked down at his hands. He felt power press against his skin and knew this wasn’t the place to display any of his spiritual energy. Even with the presence of Velzos Xeira Amasi and Sunja Ziyad, whom he knew best, being present in front of every Velzo filled him with concern. The calculating gleam in several of the leaders’ eyes made his anger rise. That anger was edged with fear. He wasn’t sure about their true interests. That uncertainty pushed anger to the forefront.
“What does it really mean to recover from something none of us understand?” Armando glanced at the seven leaders across from him. “Does part of my healing include being in this chamber?”
“Those are very good questions,” Velzo Qyana Shabota said. “We understand this time presents conflicts for you.”
The leader of the Shabota Family sat casually in her high-backed wooden chair, but her green eyes were deeply serious. With medium length black hair, a light-brown skin tone, and an athletic build, she exemplified the typical physique of members of the Shabota’s military generals. Qyana had retired from service twenty years ago but still regularly went on morning runs, rotating to different military bases.
Velzo Ocono Marnel smiled kindly, his round face making him look quite youthful, though he’d just turned one hundred. Having a light-brown complexion and dark-brown hair with natural auburn highlights, he carried two of the features that were typical among the Marnel Family.
Ocono’s mellow demeanor was a contrast to most of the other leaders, as he said, “And this experience must have been a harrowing one.”
“I assure you, seeing my parents murdered in front of me was also harrowing. With all your power, none of you have found out who killed them. With all your power, you’ve never had me in front of your council, though the place my parents died became the site of an ugly battle between Nitelvosa factions. So why do you have me here now?”
Dagmar glanced at Izdahl. “Perhaps you haven’t had a chance to inform him of our protocols.”
Sunja raised a hand. “Just a moment, Velzo Havad. These are unusual circumstances. It’s not Izdahl’s responsibility to manage the situation. It is ours.”
Velzo Balvan Terada scoffed and derision glinted in his brown eyes. With short-cropped black hair, a light-brown skin tone, and a robust build, he physically dominated the room. “Perhaps your connection to these two clouds your judgment, Velzo Ziyad. We need to understand what happened. Learning if Armando and Izdahl pose a threat is a priority.”
“Exactly,” Dagmar said. “We haven’t even grasped how Armando dropped the shield around Zaitiv Havad’s statue. Yet, here we are dealing with another mystery with Armando at the center.”
Several of the Velzos nodded and murmured in agreement.
Balvan stroked his jaw. “True. These are serious concerns.”
“I appreciate the focus on solving mysteries,” Armando said. “If you’re that intent on doing so, prioritize finding who killed my parents. That mystery is more than 20 years old. Surely, such powerful individuals as yourselves can find the truth.”
Balvan glanced at Xeira. “Izdahl and Armando are under your power. Is this really how you let them conduct themselves?”
Xeira gave him a cold smile. “Careful, Velzo Terada. We don’t want to critique those from each other’s territories. You might not like where that leads.”
Balvan’s lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything else.
Xeira turned her attention to Armando and Izdahl. “We should all be candid. I’m sure we could do that in a respectful manner.” Before anyone else could respond, she held up a hand, adding, “Now that several of you are finished posturing, let’s address the central issues.”
Five-foot holographic panels appeared in the middle of the room. One of them was of Armando, with an image of him and the results of his recent health checkup. Another panel was of Izdahl, with the same format.
Xeira motioned to the holograms. “Izdahl, due to your death and resurrection by Armando, we have significant concerns. As for you, Armando, the events put a massive strain on your system. We want to keep close watch on your health, for another few months. Based on those results, we’ll determine if you two should begin Core Guardian training. Velzo Ziyad and I will closely monitor your progress.”
Everyone with spiritual energy used to power the three planetary shields were called Shield Guardians, but there was a specific designation known as Core Guardians. These were twenty individuals with the strongest spiritual energy. They resonated the most with the shields and their fragments generated power for the center of the multi-layered shield.
While Izdahl’s shield fragment became active the previous year, Armando’s remained dormant. Armando noted that Xeira had spoken as if he was already a Core Guardian, despite the fact his shield fragment wasn’t active yet. The expectation it would activate soon hung over his head. He’d learned that, unlike the other Shield Guardians, he could activate his fragment. The fact he hadn’t done so remained an issue.
Xeira glanced at Sunja, who nodded and continued, “If you cannot fulfill your roles, we’ll select two other candidates.”
Dagmar cleared his throat. “Even if Armando and Izdahl pass, it’s prudent to have several guardians on standby.”
“The precautions are already reasonable,” Ocono said. “Every pair has a backup.”
“Armando and Izdahl’s situation is unique,” Vaihan Nieri said. “We might need more backups than usual. We can’t afford to take chances. But we can discuss those procedures among ourselves. In the meantime...” Vaihan stood, clasping her hands and smiling. “Armando, would you mind if I examined your arms?”
Armando glanced for reassurance at Izdahl, who nodded in support. He looked back at Vaihan. “Not at all.”
“Thank you.”
He’d expected her to walk to him, but Vaihan suddenly appeared by his side and startled him. Without thinking, Armando raised his arms and crossed them in front of him. He released a pulse powerful enough to launch her in the air and sent her crashing against a wall. The impact created a dent that spiraled into cracks. The others in the room went silent, before a few rushed to help her. Vaihan groaned in pain as she accepted the hand Xeira offered. A look Armando couldn’t process passed between them.
Vaihan smiled and pushed to her feet. “Armando, I apologize for startling you, but I needed to test something. If you don’t mind, I’ll walk to you and look at your arms.”
Armando assessed her for a moment, before saying, “No, I don’t want you touching me.”
Vaihan put a hand over her heart. “Please. It might answer some important questions. I needed to test your reflexes to be sure. Now, I must hold your hands to learn more.”
Armando glanced at Izdahl, who nodded. He looked back at Vaihan. “All right.”
She walked to him, held out her hands, and he placed his in hers. She closed her eyes for a few moments, nodding as gentle blue light began to emanate from her. When she opened her eyes, she smiled. “Interesting. It’s just as I suspected.” She glanced at the other leaders. “He’s like one of the Nieri Velzos from about 350 years ago. It’s just strange seeing a human with powers like hers. I’m surprised he hasn’t died already.”
“Is it like we discussed?” Sunja asked.
“Yes. His body’s harnessing incredibly powerful energy.”
“How’s he managing that energy?” Dagmar asked. “We should feel it radiating from him, but he appears like a normal human being.”
“His spiritual power has always been an anomaly, since he’s like Zaitiv Havad.” Vaihan tapped her chin, as she studied Armando. “We don’t feel the power emanating from him because he’s suppressing them with his own energy. At least for now. I could only be sure there was other spiritual essence in him after touching him.”
“I’m still right here,” Armando said. “Don’t talk about me. Speak to me.”
“I apologize, Armando.” Vaihan took a step closer to him. “Your opinion is critical, of course. Unless you’re confident in what path we take to help you manage this power, nothing we do will work.”
“Why should I listen to any of you?” Armando asked. “What makes you think I trust you?”
“You’re a liability,” Balvan said, his voice gruff. “You need our guidance. As a human, how can you handle such power? It will rip you apart. Perhaps we should test you and see what you can withstand.”
Xeira pierced Balvan with her gaze. “We will not be ‘testing’ Armando. He isn’t an experiment. For that matter, neither is Izdahl.”
Balvan clicked his tongue. “I only meant—”
Xeira waved a hand. “I know what you meant. The issue is closed.”
“What about the damage he could cause?” Balvan asked. “Aren’t you worried about him?”
“No.” Xeira looked at Armando, her eyes steady and confident. “I know him.”
Armando gave her a small smile. Some of the tension he’d been holding slipped away.
“So you’re prepared to accept responsibility for anything he does with those powers?” Balvan asked.
Xeira focused on Balvan. “Yes.”
“Does the same go for your precious great-grandson?”
“Of course. And never forget Izdahl’s mother is Hadil Ziyad.”
At Xeira’s words, there was an unsettling stillness in the room. Armando glanced at Izdahl. He couldn’t read the expression on Izdahl’s face.
It was Ocono who finally broke the silence with his gentle tone. “Our options for managing Armando and Izdahl’s powers seem limited. And Xeira, as much as I trust your judgment, I confess I have reservations. These are strange circumstances. I’d like to get a better understanding of Armando and Izdahl.”
Qyana nodded several times. “Perhaps a deeper conversation with them might put us at ease. You and Sunja know these two well, but the rest of us are at a loss.”
Xeira glanced at Izdahl and Armando, before looking at the group of Velzos. “Deeper conversations would be fine, as long as they’re not a stressful process.”
“I agree,” Sunja said, her tone firm. “Conversations over tea. Perhaps dinner. There will be no interrogations. You could try to do more, but I assure you, it won’t end well.”
Dagmar nodded. “I like the idea of keeping things casual.” He motioned to Armando. “At a minimum, I’d like to know how he dropped the shield around Zaitiv’s statue. That matter alone has earned me a conversation.”
Xeira turned to Armando and Izdahl. “Is that agreeable?”
Armando glanced at Izdahl, who nodded, before speaking for the both of them. “Yes, we agree.”
The Velzos continued the discussion for a bit longer, before reaching a conclusion. A few of them would set up meetings with Armando and Izdahl.
“If there’s nothing else, we’ll end for today.” Xeira waited for others to speak up, when no one else did, she closed out the meeting.
As the Velzos were filing out, Dagmar motioned for Armando, who went to him.
“How’s your health?” Dagmar asked. “I’d imagined you might still be recovering from the incident at the tournament.”
Armando gave him a tight smile. “My health is getting better. Thank you for asking.”
“Of course. By the way, I’ll have Elij reach out to you to set up our conversation. I look forward to a longer discussion.”
Armando nodded. “Of course, Velzo Havad.”
Armando met Izdahl’s eyes, as Dagmar walked away. Izdahl’s expression reflected the unease Armando felt. Elij, Dagmar’s main assistant, also had a fearsome reputation as the Velzo’s Primary Enforcer. Dagmar choosing her to be a contact for Armando seemed to have an underlying threat.
***
After the conversation with the Velzos, Armando wanted to clear his head. He’d always found the Genzi Forest to be perfect for that. He leisurely walked with Izdahl in the vibrant woods, enjoying the sights and sounds of winter. The last remnants of leaves crunched under their feet, the sound made that crisper by the layer of fresh snow. Armando pointed out to Izdahl a group of five rilecci, quiet and tall animals with dark-blue fur. The deep call of the memdor hawk, a bird that thrived in any season, echoed through the forest. Armando inhaled deeply, letting the air fill his lungs and feeling glad to have these restorative moments.
“Are you all right with what was said at the meeting?” Izdahl asked.
“Xeira reminded the Velzos about your mother,” Armando said. “Why did they get so quiet?”
“Oh. That.” Izdahl let out a long sigh. “There’s no delicate way to say it. So I’ll just get it out. My mother’s side...Well, some of the Ziyad Family can manipulate souls in frightening ways, like trap them and feed off their energy. Even destroy them.”
“What?” Armando stopped and stared at him. “Are you serious? That sounds unreal.”
Izdahl paused his walking and laughed. “I’m not surprised by your reaction. Of all the Nitelvosa groups, the Ziyads have the most members with those frightening abilities. Those of us with these powers are called Orshan Vieda. It’s an ancient Ziyad dialect meaning Celestial Reapers. It’s believed that such stunning power comes from our gods.”
“All right. That was a lot.” Armando glanced around and found a downed tree trunk. He went to it and cleared it of the dusting of snow. Sitting, he looked expectantly at Izdahl, who did the same a moment later. “I need to know more.”
Izdahl took a deep breath. “My mother’s the most feared since she has all the abilities. Normally, when a soul separates from the body, the memories and feelings fade from the soul. But the Ziyads can maintain the body’s mental connection with the soul, even with the soul separated from the body. Nitelvosa believe in reincarnation after, at most, a thousand years. For that to happen, the soul must have survived.”
Armando’s brow furrowed. “How do you even kill a soul? I didn’t think something like that was possible.”
“It’s difficult, but some Ziyads can crystallize souls and that allows us to destroy them.” Izdahl stroked his jaw. “Millennia ago, long before humans arrived, there were vicious inter-territory conflicts. The Ziyads crystallized thousands of souls from other families. We crushed those souls or fed off their energy to keep battling. We were considered monsters.”
“Is that something you and Syrik can do?” Armando asked, softly.
“Syrik can crystallize a soul, but I can also do that and feed off the energy. Mother taught us the techniques when we were children. She was determined for us never to be at anyone’s mercy.”
“Have you trained with real souls?”
“No. Generated ones.” Izdahl sighed. “Okay. This is so weird to explain. Generated souls are scientifically created. They’re not tied to anyone who’s been alive. We didn’t actually train on real souls.”
“But you learned the techniques. Do others know you can do this?”
“They do. I’m in a special section in the system the Spellcaster Management Board runs. So are my mother and Syrik. Those abilities are likely the main reason the Velzos worry about the soul fire changing us. We don’t know how it could affect everything I can do.”
Armando searched Izdahl’s eyes, as he processed what he’d learned. “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“It’s not something typically discussed, at least not with humans.” Izdahl scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’ve locked away some of my powers. So, I didn’t see a reason to mention any of that.”
“Why didn’t you want me to know?”
“To be honest, I became scared of what I could do. I suppose I should tell you why.” Izdahl gazed off into the distance, before returning his attention to Armando, with a deep furrow in his brow. “Back in my twenties, Syrik and I took a trip. We’d been invited to a Southern Terada Territory for a summit about young Nitelvosa. Syrik and I represented the Amasi Family.”
Izdahl massaged his temples and Armando put a hand on his arm.
“Are you all right? Is this too hard for you to share?”
“No. I want to tell you. I just hate the memories.”
Armando nodded. “Take your time.”
“On the way home, several Nitelvosa from the Havads, Marnels, and Teradas attacked me and Syrik. My brother ended up with massive gashes across his neck and chest. When I saw how hurt he was, I became ruthless with my powers. I pulled the souls of ten assailants from their bodies and shattered eight of their souls. Then I fed on the energy of the other two until they were just husks of themselves.”
Armando’s eyes widened as Izdahl continued to explain. Izdahl avoided looking at Armando, as he spoke of how he’d used the energy from the last two souls. He’d healed Syrik, bringing his brother back from the brink of death. After an investigation, the Nitelvosa Families involved had agreed Izdahl had properly acted in defense of himself and his brother. However, not everyone was willing to let the issue go and tension remained among the factions.
“Syrik almost died,” Armando said. “You must have been devastated.”
“Yes. It really messed me up and using the souls how I did wrecked me even more. For months, I had nightmares about that day. Then, I made a serious decision to help settle my mind. I requested that my soul manipulating powers be sealed.”
“That seems like a huge step.”
“It was. My family had serious reservations about my choice, but they ultimately supported me. It was much easier for me to sleep after the changes.” Izdahl gave Armando a furtive glance. “Do you see me differently now? Knowing what I could do, at least if I turned back on my powers. You know I shapeshift into the memdor hawk and you’ve seen me fire dueling, but—”
“I’m jealous, Izdahl. Maybe if I had those powers, I could have saved my parents and protected my sister.”
“You can’t blame yourself for that,” Izdahl said softly.
Armando gave him a sad smile. “Help me get my mind off that horrible night...You said reincarnation can happen every thousand years.”
Izdahl nodded. “Yes.”
“Does that mean I’ve been around Nitelvosa who’ve reincarnated?”
“You have.”
“A lot of them?”
“No, but most who reincarnate are only able to do so three times.” Izdahl gave Armando a proud smile. “But my mother has done so seven times. That’s why some Nitelvosa are in awe of her. And fear her. She was first born during our Warring Period, almost ten thousand years ago. She’s the only Nitelvosa alive who has reincarnated that many times.”
“Are you serious?” Armando buried his head in his hands before looking back at Izdahl. “I’ve just been casually having meals with her and taking walks with her. She’s even listened to my bad jokes. This is so embarrassing.”
Izdahl laughed. “She would never want you to be nervous around her.”
“Have you reincarnated?” Armando frowned. “I feel like that’s something I should already know.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve never reincarnated.”
Armando nodded. “Good. Or maybe that’s not the right word because it kind of sounds selfish. It’s just I’d feel strange if you’d had other lifetimes.”
“Maybe I do need several lifetimes to appreciate you. To love you the right way. To be patient—oh so patient—with you.”
“Am I really that bad?”
“In just this one lifetime, you’re more than a handful.”
Armando grimaced playfully. “Well, when you put it like that...” He was silent for a few moments, pondering what Izdahl had shared, before he asked, “Have you ever used those powers at other times?”
“Three other times, and without remorse, before Syrik’s life was endangered.” Izdahl became quiet. “All Ziyads with these abilities must serve as Enforcers for two years.”
“What kinds of things happened when you were an enforcer?”
“There was a Ziyad serial killer from a northeastern territory. I was on the team that captured her. I ended any chance of her reincarnating.” Izdahl’s voice became low. “I know the horrific screams and wails a soul makes when it’s ripped out of a body. To defend you, I’d do the same thing again. And again. Without hesitation.”
The strength of Izdahl’s admission seared through Armando. “No one has ever said anything like that to me.”
Izdahl cradled Armando’s cheek with one hand. “You deserve someone who can protect you, especially after everything you’ve gone through. I can’t bring you further into the Nitelvosa world and not do right by you. I’d never forgive myself.”
Still overwhelmed by the fervor in Izdahl’s voice, Armando rose to his feet. He paced to process all he’d learned and he was curious about much more. His feet crunched on the light layer of snow.
“What else?” Izdahl asked. “Now’s a good time for as many questions as you want.”
“Why do the Ziyads have those abilities?”
“Not every Ziyad has them—mainly ones from the southern Ziyad territories. Apparently, some of us have an affinity for the afterlife. The saying is that we have one foot in the grave and we’re comfortable with it.”
“And what do you think?”
“I don’t mind that belief about us. Saying ‘I’m Ziyad-Amasi’ is a quick way to give a warning. But some don’t even deserve that.”
Armando laughed softly. “You’re kind of scaring me.”
Izdahl playfully grabbed him, pulling him down to the tree trunk to nuzzle him. Armando was almost taken into the joking mood before something troubling grabbed his attention.
“Wait. If Syrik has those abilities, could our niece get them too?”
“We’ll have to wait and see about little Caia. There aren’t any Ziyads who also have human parents.”
“Do you think Syrik told Valeria about this possibility?”
“Of course. We’d never have a child with someone, Nitelvosa or human, without letting them know about that trait. It is a sacred rule. Those who’ve broken it...” Izdahl grimaced. “I’d rather not go into detail about that. At any rate, Mother already has a plan in place to monitor and protect Caia. If Caia does have those abilities, Mother will be the first to know.”
Armando looked down at the ground. “Valeria never said anything about this to me.”
“Considering how you were acting back then, knowing could have made you more belligerent.”
Armando nodded, feeling reassured about his niece’s safety. Yet something else bothered him. He glanced at Izdahl. “A lot of time passed since we got together. You could have told me these things already.”
“I didn’t think it would be relevant. Or at least, that’s what I’d hoped. After I served as an enforcer, I had Mother lock my abilities because I felt so conflicted about them.”
“But you said you’d killed without remorse.”
“Yes. Those people deserved it. I felt conflicted because I wanted to get back with you. I made a choice to shut down my abilities, at least until I could better come to terms with them.”
“How do you ‘lock’ abilities like that?”
Izdahl sighed. “Armando...”
“Please, Iz. We said we’d be honest with each other.”
“I didn’t lie about anything.”
“You know what I mean.”
Izdahl let out a frustrated sigh. “Mother locked my abilities away with a special ceremony. If I release them, I have to be categorized at a different level with the Spell Management Board. That means more scrutiny. That system was started due to a bias against Ziyads. I’d rather not have anyone looking too closely at me. I like my privacy.”
“Well, you’re a Core Guardian. How you feel about privacy will have to change. Before you know it, you’ll get called into service.”
“Sure, but I can still be grumpy about it.”
Armando laughed softly. “I suppose so.”