Chapter 11 - Virtuakinesis: The ability to create Illusions

Cons' POV

I didn’t sleep much, mostly because of the pain shooting up and down my side. I turned slightly as I could feel my body react to the light outside from the early morning. My door opened and Nora walked in, it was still barely light outside. “Mother?” I questioned.

“Con we have to talk.” Panic set in instantly, as I sat up as straight as I could.

“What is it?” I didn’t want to ask questions.

“Con, I know Diomedes tried to kill you because you are my bastard son.” I nodded slowly. “I can’t live this lie anymore especially if it almost gets you killed.”

“What are you saying?” I felt my breath catch.

“Con you’re not my son.” My mouth dropped open.

“What, why?-”

“I found you as a baby off the coast of Ironside, at the time I figured I would never marry. I was already quite old, so I told everyone that I had you as a bastard. I was trying to save you.” I felt tears coming to my eyes and they burned my retinas. “You were already established as mine for only a few days before I found out I was marrying Diomedes, I always thought bad luck followed us after that.” I closed my eyes and cried, Nora started crying too. “Two houses we lived in burned down, and Diomedes tried to separate us.”

“Why?” I whispered. She took my hand as hers shook.

“I was trying to protect you, but in doing so caused all this.” She whipped her eyes. “Con I’m so sorry, I should have told you sooner, let you leave.” The tears started coming down. “Even though all of that, I loved you and will always love you as a son, you are so kind and intelligent, the light of my life, I couldn’t stand to lose you.” I pulled away from her and dried off my face.

“I don’t, I can’t-”

“I’m so sorry, but after everything you’ve just been through, I had to tell you-”

“Who am I?” I said, looking at my hands, maybe someone out there could explain everything about myself to me.

“I may not know where you're from or your house but Con it doesn’t matter I will always be your mother and this will always be your family if that’s what you want.” I took a shaky breath. “Say something.”

“Thank you, for telling me, but I don’t know what to say, not anymore.” Nora nodded.

“I understand. Please Con, try to forgive me, I’ll wait for as long as it takes.” She stood up. “Should I tell everyone?” I nodded, gripping my bed frame, my mind was racing, I couldn’t think of anything I wanted to ask, I didn't want to believe her.

Janes' POV

We were all told Nora wanted to talk to us, I thought maybe she remembered something important about Diomedes or his plan. I walked into the healing house’s main room, everyone was there, but I didn’t see Con anywhere. “I have something I need to tell all of you.” No one said anything as Nora spoke. “I’ve already told Con, now I just have to tell all of you.” She exhaled. “Con is not my son, I found him on the shores of Ironside the week I was going to meet Diomedes for the first time.” I stared at the floor, I didn’t know what to say but everyone else did.

“Why did you lie?-” My father asked, Tristan started sobbing.

“Who are his parents?-”

“What did you decide to tell us now?-” Questions were flying all over the place. I couldn’t even tell who was asking what, I stepped to the back as everyone rushed towards Nora, I sat down and rubbed my head. I had to go find Con. I stepped out the back. I walked into town and to the split rock, Chiffron’s worship point. Only one person sat there, I walked up and sat down next to them.

“Did she tell you?” Con asked, I sighed.

“Yes, she just told everyone.” Con looked to the ground. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.” I shifted.

“Are you okay?”

“No.” I looked at the rock.

“Has Chiffron always helped you?” I asked Con, he shook his head.

“I never really got into worshiping, but I thought I’d try it.” I nodded.

“Want to try them both?” I asked, Con looked at me confused.

“Chiffron and Crepuscular?” I nodded. “Can’t we get in trouble for that?” I shrugged.

“I don’t see anyone around.” Con looked around.

“Okay.” I moved my feet together and he did the same, I grabbed his hands, and exhaled.

The light shifted, I saw a baby being born, my father held it, the Dark Well flag moved in the background, it was me. A flash and a woman with her back to us screamed, her platinum hair was blinding, a small bundle was handed to her, and Vale’s flag was wrapped around this baby, Con.

I opened my eyes and dropped Con’s hands. “Did you see that?” I asked.

Cons' POV

I took shallow breaths trying to understand what I just saw. “Yeah.”

“That was me, and then you, I just know it was,” Jane said standing up.

“We don’t know that-”

“Conrad, we both know it was,” I said nothing and stared at the ground. “We have to go talk to my father.” She started towards town till she saw I wasn’t following her. “Con?” I chuckled. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because it’s funny.” She looked confused. “One minute I’m a Stevens or Vasuman, then I’m no one, then I’m from the Vale.” Jane sighed.

“I know this is a lot but-”

“A lot?” I stood up. “This is-” Before I could continue Jane held my face in her hands.

“But you are one of the strongest people I know, and where you come from shouldn’t define you.” I followed her to the castle.

“Father?” Jane asked, turning the corner. I stayed behind the wall. “I saw something at Chiffron’s rock-”

“Jane you shouldn’t be there because-” Jane waved her hands.

“That’s not it.” She interrupted. “Con and I saw a vision of our births, he’s from the Vale.” I came around the corner. “I think we should go there.”

“What?!” Jon and I yelled.

“We can’t leave Dark Well now with Diomedes coming after us,” Jon said.

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“Yes we can, it will take him weeks to attack, plus you always talked about partnering with the Vale, we should get to them before he does.” I was impressed by her reasoning. Jon looked at me and sighed.

“Fine, you make a good point we should form an alliance before Diomedes does.” Jon leaves to prepare a ship.

“How’d you do that?” I asked, Jane shook her head.

“Everything I said was true, if the Vale sides with Diomedes we wouldn’t know what to expect from them.” I shrugged. We walked to tell the others.

“I don’t know about this Jane, we don’t know if my parents are at the Vale or still alive-” She stopped walking and grabbed my wrist.

“I know you felt it too, the overwhelming love and loss, it lingers, they’re alive Conrad, I can feel it.” I swallowed and nodded.

Janes' POV

I could feel the stress radiate from Con, I looked at all the faces yelling questions at him, questions he didn’t know the answers to. My body ached. I wanted more than anything to sit down, but I couldn’t leave Con alone with this mess.

“Jane and her father are going to try to ally with The Vale, and I’m going with them.” Everyone stopped talking immediately.

“Jane, is this true?!” Tristan yelled, I nodded.

“We need the Vale to be on our side, even if that means just agreeing to not side with him, it’s a long shot that they ever would but I don’t want to take that chance-”

“Why are you going to The Vale?” Neve asked Con, he exhaled.

“I need to get away.” No one said anything, I could finish his thought for him, to get away from the questions that now surrounded his every step.

“I want to go too,” Edur said. I raised my eyebrow at that.

“Why?” I asked, he smirked.

“I could be useful. I'm a lot more charming than either of you.” Edur said, Cons lips quivered and his shoulders moved slightly, he was laughing.

“Fine, but that’s it, I need the rest of you here, we need to figure out his next move,” I said.

“Wait, really?!” Edur said, I smiled and patted his cheek.

“I’m full of surprises.” I walked into our Great Hall and everyone followed me.

“What do you want us to do?” Valery asked, I waved them over.

“So glad you asked.” I went over to our map section. “Valery, I want you to look over our maps and army patterns. If there are any cracks you can see that Diomedes could use, fill them.” She nodded, I pointed to Tristan.

“Tristan, can you start coating our armor in our fabric mender? I want leather coating everything, we’ll need an extra layer against the sand.” Tristan nodded vigorously.

“I can do that!” He ran off. I turned to Neve and took her hands in mine.

“And Neve darling,” I handed her my second most valuable possession, “Take my notes and start gathering herbs in large amounts, I trust you know which ones.” She nodded. And gingerly took my notes. I finally turned to Con and Edur.

“Come on boys.” They quickly followed after me, I led them into my favorite room, our weapons room. I opened the wall up fully, and the shiny steel could make the strongest weep.

“Holy shit,” Edur said.

“I would suggest you pick a weapon for our trip.” Edur quickly ran forward and touched everything. Con stayed back looking over everything before his eyes landed on a long sword, he looked at me asking permission, I nodded. He picked it up. “You’re lucky you have long legs.” I gave him the holder and set Edur up with two daggers.

Cons' POV

Jane gave me and Edur sharpening stones, and we sat in front of the fire in the Great Hall. I was too disoriented, but Jane had distracted everyone from me, which I was grateful for. I mostly watched everyone run around, Neve sat at the tables writing things from Jane’s notes before getting up and leaving only to come back soon after and start again. Valery was huddled around many people discussing the positioning of the armies and artillery, and Tristan I barely saw pass by outside once in a while. Jane said her father was setting up the ship and we would be ready to leave the following morning. My eyes landed on Jane for the hundredth time today, it’s almost as if I was drawn to her, and it wasn’t hard to believe she moved around more than anyone jumping from person to person, task to task. She sat with Neve pointing to things before running out to Tristan’s side as she caught him walking by, she hovered around Valery giving updates to everyone's movements she was truly a leader in action. “Your hand hasn’t moved in a while,” Edur said, I turned to him.

“Huh?” I asked.

“You haven’t been sharpening your sword at all, you seem lost in thought and staring at nothing.”

“Not nothing,” I said, landing on Jane. Edur smiled.

“Why are we really going to The Vale?” Edur asked, I turned to him.

“Because-”

“I can tell when you're lying, Jane is better at it than you.” I sighed.

“We are going for all the reasons she said, but she thinks we may be able to find answers to where I come from there.” Edur didn’t say anything and shrugged.

“Why do you want to know?” I frowned.

“What?”

“I’m just saying I never knew where I came from and I’ve learned to embrace it.” I looked to the ground.

“I know, but my whole life I thought I knew, and having it all be a lie makes me question what the truth is, maybe I won’t care, but the question will always be there and for me, it’s a question I always had the answer to, until now.” Edur laughed.

“Okay sage, I just hope everything works out for you, for all of us.”

Janes' POV

I set the last of the leaves onto the table for Neve to start sorting. “I think that’s all I can be useful for.” Neve smiled.

“Thank you Jane, I think I can handle it from here.” She handed me my notes back. I patted her shoulder. With that I was done helping them with their tasks, really I just wanted to get them going, I turned to the two I left in front of the fire, Con quickly averted his gaze from me, I walked over to them, I sat on the edge of Con’s arm of the chair and threw my arm over the back.

“You boys, almost done?” Edur smiled and proudly showed me his blades.

“If you say so, boss,” I smirked and grabbed one from his hand, I ran my finger over the edge and it cut cleanly into my skin, meaning there were no jagged edges.

“Very nice.” I handed it back to him, he looked pleased with himself putting them in their holders. “Go help Neve sort the herbs will you, I don’t think those blades can get any sharper.” He bowed and ran off to Neve. “Interesting that one-” Con grabbed my hand and looked at the small cut.

“Was that really necessary?” He asked, I smiled and slid onto the chair next to him and he moved over.

“That’s what it would be used for right, I wanted to see if it would get caught on my skin.” Con shook his head. “What?”

“I don’t know about this Jane, going to The Vale.”

“Well, Edur was right about one thing.”

“Huh?” I smiled and ran my finger over his blade.

“You are both more charming than me, I need your help, I know I’m not the best person to talk to the Queen about war.” Con shrugged.

“I don’t know about that-”

“Conrad.” I reached my arm over the back of the chair and wrapped it around his shoulders. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.” I leaned my head onto our shoulders. I felt him relax.

“I believe you.” I patted his shoulder.

“You know I’m always right.” He laughed.

“Not always.” I huffed and lifted my head up.

“Come on.” I got up and he slowly rose next to me, I flipped through my notes and landed on the page I wanted.

“Where are we going?” We walked outside and into the evening air, I walked over to my small boxes of growing herbs, on the outside of the Great Hall.

“Here.” I reached down and picked up a flower.

“You're giving me a flower?” He asked, I shook my head and laughed.

“I’m not.” I broke the flower off the top and stripped the stem of leaves, I then broke that in half. “Eat this.” He raised an eyebrow at me. I rolled my eyes and ate my half. Relief started instantly, the cuts on my body pulled together, I flinched slightly before my body let me start breathing normally and I felt immensely better. Con shrugged before swallowing his half. I moved to his side and held his arm. His breath hitched and his eyes clenched before he relaxed.

“What was that?’ He asked, I smiled.

“Nadosa. The stem and roots are used to heal wounds.” His eyebrows shot up. “I thought you would like that,” I said, mockingly. “There is something else I’ve been meaning to show you.” He followed me out of the center of town and to one of our tallest buildings.

“What is this?” I put my finger to my lips and pushed open the door, rows, and rows of books filled our vision. “Holy Chiffron.” He stepped inside the room. The skylight still lit up the binds of the books even with evening coming on.

“We specialize in the research of most things including; healing, religion, animals, plants-”

“Why are you showing me this?” He asked, I smiled.

“I remembered you like to read, and I figure if you even want to get away while you're in Blacklock this is the place to do it.” He walked up to the first shelf and ran his fingers over the books.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything. When we get back you can spend all the time you want here, as long as you promise to still eat-” He hugged me, I gasped.

“Thank you, Jane, this is the nicest thing anyone has done for me-”

“Oh, Conrad, don’t be so dramatic, I’m not giving you the library, just letting you use it like everyone else.” He chuckled.

“Still.” I held his forearm.

“You can start when we get back, we have to sleep before we leave tomorrow.” He sighed, as he let me reluctantly pull him out of the building.