37 - SEA OF SOULS

“You talk a lot,” I said, “and you talk well. Easy to get lost amongst all those words of yours. But I’m getting tired now. I want you to tell me, bluntly, what, exactly, you want me to do for you, and you’ll give me in return.”

The Autarch nodded. “I appreciate directness as much as you do. Here’s what I’m offering: a place by my side. Not simply a leadership role, but a pivotal role. You will be amongst the most powerful people in the world. Perhaps one day…even an equal to myself. You will guide and shape humanity. You will fight against our enemies. But first, I ask that you join the Tiran Academy. It’s where the best and brightest in the Autarchy are sent. There, you will learn how to fight. You will learn how to think. To lead. You will learn languages, siegecraft, spycraft, tactics, and generalship. You will learn how cities and empires work—and how to both build and destroy them. You will understand civilization. Truly understand it. Do all of this, Aurion, and I will make sure age will never touch you. You will be like me. And for centuries to come, for millennia, we will steer humanity and conquer the stars.” The Autarch placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. “It’s not an easy road. It is lonely. It is painful. It is, always, a burden. But it is also the most noble and selfless thing any of us can do. It is a sacrifice for the future of the species.”

Words to stir the heart—and to be sure, my heart was stirred. There was real appeal to the words he spoke. I could see it, too—could see myself standing by his side a thousand years from now, the two of us masters of mankind.

I took a deep breath. It was also against the Philosophy of Death. Humans playing at gods. It wasn’t how things were supposed to be.

But who was right? Which way was better?

I gritted my teeth. “I will do it.”

Marak blinked in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected me to agree so quickly. “I…am very glad to hear that, Aurion.”

“This Academy…what’s it like?”

“Difficult,” Marak said immediately. “It is designed to be as difficult as possible. It is dangerous. For some, lethal. You will be pushed to the absolute limits, both physically and mentally. It could very well break you…although I have a feeling that you’re more like me than you even know, and that you will excel.”

“How long will I be there?”

“Four years,” he said. “At the end of four years, all students of the Academy are assigned a role in the Autarchy. To start with, you might be an apprentice to a general, or the right hand of a governor. It depends entirely on how well you do. Some are sent to the Sun Knights or the Seeking Hand.” He frowned. “I doubt you’d go to either. Your future is grander than that.”

I nodded slowly. I’d have been lying if I said that the idea of the Academy wasn’t also appealing. The chance to learn. To shape myself into a more formidable tool. Into a person who might not feel like such a child next to the Autarch.

“Aurion, there are two things I must ask of you first.”

“Ask away.”

“Firstly…I need you to tell me where the Thorns have taken Akios. What their plan is.”

I blinked. The man had overwhelmed me with so much talk of invaders from another world, the future, and academies, that I’d almost forgotten about Akios. I wondered what had become of my friends. Were they still alive? The fact that Marak was even asking now gave me hope. Some of them, at least, had to have escaped, otherwise the Autarch would already know. I just hoped that Justinia—and Felice—were amongst them. And that they would forgive me for what I was about to do.

“I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to,” I said. “I don’t know where they’re going. Camillan has something in mind, I’m sure, but he didn’t tell me what it is. In truth, they didn’t even know where the portal would take them. You’d have a better idea than me.”

Marak pursed his lips, displeased, but I could tell he believed me. “As for the second thing, I will require you to have a Dream Shard implanted.”

I went cold. “No.”

“Such an immediate response,” he murmured. “Tell me, why are you so opposed to it?”

“It would link me to you,” I said. “I do not want that. I don’t want you in my dreams.”

“You sound so vehement that I’m almost offended.”

“Apologies. But there it is.”

“If you are to work for me, it would be highly beneficial to form a link between us. It would allow us to communicate—”

“I don’t want that.”

“And it would be a sign of trust.”

I grinned at the Autarch. Strange, really, how quickly my fear of the man had melted away, leaving me feeling braver than ever before. “You’re just going to have to take a chance and trust me anyway. I gather that that’s not something you do very often: take chances.”

“Not anymore,” Marak admitted. His gaze appeared distant. His voice became wistful. “But there was a time when I did. When it was all I did. When I threw myself headlong into disaster after disaster, making it up as I went along.” His lips tugged up in a smile. “An interesting way to live. Those were interesting times.”

Curiosity tugged at me. I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything—to see into the mind of the most powerful man alive and know, exactly, how he had accomplished so much. Perhaps it might even humanize him.

“Very well,” Marak said with a sigh. “I will take a risk. I will choose to trust you.”

I nodded. “Thank you, Lord Autarch.”

“I take it that I don’t need to throw out any threats? It should be obvious what will happen if you choose to betray my trust.”

“I’m quite aware of how you treat your enemies.”

“Ah.” That smile again. “You really do think I’m a monster, don’t you? Even after everything I’ve said.”

“I don’t know what I think you are, not exactly. But you’re not like the rest of us. I’m not even sure you’re human anymore.”

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Marak’s expression became tight. Ah, I thought. A soft spot. A weakness. It was something he wondered about himself. A doubt he had. A fear. I filed the information away.

“I must be off,” said the Autarch. “I have an empire to run. A species to save. I look forward to you joining me. You will have several more days here in the Victory Palace. I’d prefer it if you didn’t leave your quarters, for your own safety. If you need anything, ask for it, and it will be given to you. At the end of the week, I will send someone to pick you up and deliver you to the Academy. The timing of this all has worked out well, since a new academic year is just about to begin.”

I nodded. “Very well.”

“One last thing…at the Academy, keep your necromancy a secret. I know it probably doesn’t need to be said, but even still. The people of the Autarchy believe that all sorcery is gone from the world…except for what I and my most trusted servants possess. If the Academy finds out about you, they will not react well, and your future will be uncertain.”

Again, I nodded. It made sense. And if the goal was to learn as much as possible, to become as competent as I could, my powers would simply be a crutch.

The Autarch hesitated, as though he wanted to say something more. Then he nodded, turned on his heel, and strolled across the room.

Once the Autarch was gone, I sat in silence and watched the city. So many people. More people than I could really comprehend. A sea of soul churning. The smoke of industry rose from ten thousand chimneys, forming a great, dark cloud above the city. The Autarcy’s relentless march toward enlightenment and technological progress. What, I wondered, were the upper limits? Just how far could humanity go?

I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know the answer.

Life seemed suddenly so much more complex than it ever had before.

When I had departed my home, things had been simple. I had a goal. A mission. And although I hadn’t known how to accomplish it, the world had been cast in black and gray.

No more. Now, everything was muddied, and I couldn’t even be sure of what I wanted, nor what was the best thing to do.

Two paths stretched out before me. Allegiance to the Autarchy. Loyalty to the Thorns.

But perhaps I didn’t need to decide just yet. Perhaps I could commit to the Academy, rise through the ranks, and install myself in a position of power. How might I help the Thorns then? Was it even possible that I could destroy the empire from the inside out?

My head hurt. I rubbed at my eyes with the heels of my hands until I was lost amongst gray-black smears.

Sleep. That’s what I’d do.

But first, I would make sure that my friends had made it.

I closed my eyes and called upon the Soul Chain linking my aura with Stumbles. And there it was, still intact; I could feel it thrumming with power. Stumbles was still alive, then, or at least, as alive as a dead thing could be.

I traveled along the Soul Chain, forcing my mind into a small, decaying body—

And immediately I was elsewhere, transported into a small, dilapidated building. Someone was crying. My vision was colorless, rendering the world monochromatic. The perspective was all off, too, but that’s what happened when you saw through a cat’s eyes. I directed Stumbles forward and there was Amaline, bloody and bruised, leaning against the wall as she tied a bandage around the upper half of her right arm. She scowled down at the cat.

“Can we get rid of this fucking thing?” she barked.

Camillan’s voice from the next room: “Just leave it.” He sounded bone-weary.

But alive.

I walked Stumbles into the adjacent space. Camillan sat slumped in an old wooden chair, massaging his right fist with his left. Dried blood caked the entire left side of his face. His hair was matted. His sword lay across the table in its sheath. On the other side of the room was Akios, bound and gagged and sitting with his back to a wall. His eyes narrowed as he saw Stumbles.

Anxiety clawed at me, and just as it did, Justinia strode into the room.

Limping, bandaged, and scowling. That same scowl I’d become so familiar with. That I, in a strange sort of way, had grown to love. Relief swept over me. They were alive. They’d make it. Somehow, despite all odds, they were safe—at least for the time being.

Justinia glanced down at Stumbles. “What do you want? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Perhaps Amaline is right,” Camillan murmured. “We ought to get rid of the thing. It makes me uncomfortable.”

“Nah,” said Justinia. “Aurion wouldn’t like that.”

“Aurion is dead,” Camillan snapped. I could tell by his tone that they’d already been over this. “Or, at the very least, you should hope that he’s dead, because if he’s not, the things the Autarch will do to him…”

Justinia raised her right hand. She was holding an apple. She crunched into it noisily. “Nah,” she said again. “I don’t think that boy is going to go down so easily. He’ll figure something out.”

Back in Althira, my motionless body grinned.

I urged Stumbles forward. The cat knelt in front of Justinia and then pawed at her trouser legs.

“What do you want?” Justinia hissed. “Get your fuckin’ dirty paws off of me.”

“You’re the one who wants it around,” Camillan grunted.

I forced Stumbles to meow. I turned his head, searching for something, for some way to communicate. There was a bookshelf up against the wall with only four books, all of which were old and dusty. Stumbles padded across to the nearest book and started to paw at it, knocking it on to its side.

“Quit it,” Justinia said. “Stupid cat.”

It took a lot of effort to dislodge the book and knock it off of the shelf. Dead gods, but I hoped Justinia was smart enough to figure out what was happening. I nudged it open with Stumbles’s nose, going to a random page.

From somewhere behind, Felice’s voice: “What’s he doing?”

“Don’t know,” Camillan said, rising to his feet, “but I’m going to kick the damn thing outside—”

“No,” Felice said suddenly. “What if…” I could hear her beautiful mind working beneath the surface of her words. “What if Aurion is trying to…”

“To what?” Justinia asked sharply.

I stared down at the page. Now, how to convey a message?

Felice crouched down to Stumbles, turning the dead cat so that her pretty features filled my vision. Gods, but it was good to know she, too, was still alive, and by the looks of it, uninjured.

“Aurion,” Felice said slowly. “Can you hear me?”

Stumbles meowed and pawed at her.

As though Felice couldn’t quite believe it, she said, “Lift your left foot if you can understand me.”

Stumbles lifted his left foot.

Felice’s eyes went wide. “Aurion is here. He’s in the cat.

“He…is in the cat…” Justinia echoed this in disbelief. She’d forgotten about her apple. “You have to be fuckin’ kidding me.”

“I’ll be right back,” Felice said, and ran into the next room.

A moment later she returned with a blank piece of parchment and a charcoal pencil. I grinned to myself. I thought I almost loved the girl at that moment. I only wished that I could be with her in person—that I could embrace her, and thank her for being smart enough to understand. Only the gods knew how long it would’ve taken Justinia and the others to figure it out—if they ever did.

“I’m going to go through a list of letters,” Felice said, still speaking slowly, as though to a child, “and I want you to make a sound when I say the right letter. That way, you can spell out a message to us. That is what you want, isn’t it?”

Stumbles meowed once again.

Felice laughed, a bright, wonderful sound. “Alright then. Let’s go…”

And so, over the course of the next hour, Felice helped me convey a message. It was a slow, painstaking process, and Felice, Justinia, Amaline, and Camillan all crowded around me eagerly as they waited to see what words would appear across the parchment. Akios watched coldly from his bound position on the other side of the room. I wondered absently what was going through his serpentine mind.

This was the message Felice helped me spell out: I am alive. With the Autarch. Will attend the Academy. I remain loyal.