# Chapter 14 — Say Yes When Asked

Pain. That was the first sensation that flooded Aiden's consciousness as he drifted back from the depths of oblivion. A searing, all-encompassing agony that seemed to radiate from every fiber of his being. He tried to open his eyes, but even that simple action sent waves of nausea coursing through him. He could only open his left eye.

The forest floor, a tapestry of damp earth and decaying leaves, rushed past Aiden's blurry vision. He was caught between a world of darkness and flickering light, a disorienting dance of pain and fading consciousness. Every bump, every uneven root, jolted him back to the reality of his injuries. A searing heat radiated from his lower left lung, a constant reminder of the blade that had found its mark. The broken ribs in his side throbbed with each jarring movement, sending waves of agony through his body.

"Common Aiden stay awake. You have to fight through this."

Aiden tried to order himself awake to gain control of his fading senses. But each attempt was met with a surge of pain, a tidal wave of agony that pushed him back down into the abyss of unconsciousness.

A low growl rumbled close to his ear, followed by what sounded like a series of frustrated barks and snarls. "Grrrr... arf arf... growl..."

The sounds were oddly familiar, yet Aiden couldn't quite place them. His mind struggled to make sense of what he was hearing.

A sharp whistle pierced the air, followed by a series of rapid chirps. "Tweet tweet... chirp chirp..."

"Gods, he smells like a damp, rotting corpse," a voice snarled, the sound of guttural growls and teeth-clicking. "And he's leaking blood all over me."

Aiden bounced hard, swaying, his eyes popping open. For a moment, he caught the silhouette of a massive canine face with shining white teeth dug into his pants as he dangled while massive paws moved rapidly without a hint of noise over the forest floor. The black fur of the giant wolf was matted and he saw one of the animal's eyes glowing in the moonlight.

I need to understand what's happening, he thought as he swung back the other way under the beast's jaws, and a fresh wave of pain sent his mind far away.

In his nightmare, a huge wolf stood over him growling in displeasure. Then the beast sniffed and coughed making noises he understood. "Humans taste like rotten fruit and smell like burnt leather."

A piercing whistle, followed by a series of rapid chirps, which Aiden knew said, "Faster! Be careful, he's going to bleed out and I'm not sure if that urded Seeker detected us! Common I know you're faster than this!"

Aiden struggled to stay conscious, the pain a relentless tide pulling him further into the darkness. The forest, once a familiar haven, had transformed into a dizzying maze of shifting shadows.

"He's too heavy," the wolf retorted, its voice a symphony of growls and whimpers. "How can I move faster and be careful at the same time?"

"You're going to get us killed!" the bird said, her chirps pure scolding. "You're moving too slow. We need to get him to the river, now!"

Grrrr... arf arf... The growl was softer this time, almost apologetic. "I'm trying, but it's not easy. He's all bones and awkward limbs."

They are trying to save me. I have to help.

Aiden felt himself swaying, dangling from the wolf's grip like a rag doll. The world beneath him whizzed by —a blur of green and brown, a chaotic tapestry of roots and leaves, and the occasional flash of bright moonlight. So he tensed up and tried to keep himself from flopping about as the wolf moved.

It hurt, and being carried by his pants and belt he was mostly folded in half. He managed to grab onto his pants leggings with each hand, which stopped a lot of the chaotic swinging. This had a twofold effect: one, the wolf was clearly able to move better, making its running smoother, and two, reducing how much he was being jerked around decreasing the number of painful stabs he had to suffer.

Arf... whine... arf... "That's better. What'd you do?"

Chirp... chirp... "How could I do anything? Diurdin! He's steadying himself. Aiden hang on."

Arf.. arf.. growl... "That's a surprise. Tougher and smarter than I thought."

He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the pain and the disorienting chaos. He concentrated on holding onto his pants and being an easy package.

The pain was fading, and that made him more afraid. He knew he was dying, and the pain's slow decline was actually his body going numb from blood loss.

He couldn't make his mouth work and fought to clear his mind. Focus, Aiden. Stay strong.

The numbness let him concentrate more on what was going on. He was being carried at speed through the forest by his belt and pants in the jaws of a giant wolf. The smell of the forest's damp, earthy scent permeated the air. It was a familiar smell, one that reminded him of countless hunting trips and long walks through the woods. But there was something else mixed in with it—a metallic tang that he recognized all too well.

Blood. His blood.

As he drifted in and out of consciousness, more snippets of the strange animal conversation reached his ears.

Grrrr... arf arf... growl... The low, guttural sounds were tinged with frustration. "He stinks of blood, smoke, and fear. It's making my nose burn."

Tweet tweet... chirp chirp... The response was high-pitched and urgent. "Stop complaining. And concentrate on where you are going!"

Growl.. rrar.. arf... The wolf muttered, "I don't see you carrying anything."

Whistle, tweet, whistle. "You've carried more than that. I see the river."

As Aiden's back touched the cool pebbles of the riverbank, he forced his eye open. The world around him was still a blur of shadows and moonlight, but he could make out the silvery ribbon of the river stretching out before him.

A flash of red caught his eye, and Aiden turned his head slightly to see Ria perched on a nearby rock. Her feathers seemed to glow in the moonlight, a beacon of familiarity in this strange, pain-filled world.

I need to communicate. Aiden thought.

Chirp... Chirp... "Get his shirt off before you wash him."

Grr... "I know, I know. We can use it for a false trail later."

Then he was pushed around gently, but no amount of gentleness could stop the pain. He managed to move his hands and help slip his pouch and shirt off. But, as the wolf tugged the shirt free, stabbing pain hit so hard that his vision blurred into a red haze. He wasn't sure if he screamed or not.

Freezing cold shocked Aiden awake, his eye flew open in shock, only to be assaulted by a dizzying array of shadows and bouncing moonlight. The forest around him was a blur of dark shapes and silver slivers of light that filtered through the dense canopy above. He was being dunked in the river. He still had his pants on, but his shirt, cloak and pouch were gone.

Stay alert. Aiden felt himself being shifted, and a fresh wave of agony washed over him. As he was being dunked in the water, he opened his mouth, taking in a couple of swallows. The liquid cleared his mouth, and he felt the cold down his throat.

Barely conscious, he was carried back to the shore and laid out on the grass sideline.

Tweet... whistle... chirp... "That wound is really bad. Lick it."

Growl.. snuffle.. arf... "You lick it. I told you humans taste horrible, like rotten fruit and ocean water."

Chirp chirp... tweet... The bird-like voice was insistent. "You're the one with healing saliva."

I have to get through this. Aiden's mind latched onto the familiar cadence of the chirps.

Mustering all his strength, Aiden tried to speak. "R-Ria?" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The motion around him suddenly stopped. Tweet tweet! Ria's voice was sharp with surprise. "Aiden, hang on."

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"I'm not sure I want to," Aiden managed to rasp out.

A low chuckle rumbled from the inky blur above him. Grrrr... arf... "He's got spirit, I'll give him that."

Aiden felt something rough and warm against his face -- a tongue? The sensation was followed by a disgusted snort.

"Blech. Humans taste terrible, and he is so much worse."

Aiden felt the warm, wet tongue scrape the sword wound a few times. The sensation was followed by a disgusted snort and more soft growling noises. "Ria, you need to learn healing. Gods, this is bad. I'll be tasting him for weeks!"

Tweet... chirp... chirp... "Stop complaining. I've seen some of the things you eat."

Despite the pain and confusion, Aiden felt a flicker of indignation. "Excuse me for not being a tasty meal," he muttered.

The deep chuckle came again, "Careful, I'm starting to like you, pup."

The giant wolf snuffled him and then gently rolled him over with its nose. Aiden felt his stomach lurch. He cried out at the renewed pain, fighting against the wave of nausea that threatened to overwhelm him. But he lost the battle and fell back into the blackness.

When he opened his eyes again, the forest was gone. It was pitch black and he was being laid out on a cold smooth floor. The coolness and glassy surface instantly made him think of the mysterious chamber.

He was still in immense pain and couldn't even lift his head. But the pain was less, and once he was motionless, he quickly grew used to it.

He knew his eyes were open, and he was sure his wounded eye was much better than before. Still, he couldn't see anything in the darkness.

Chirp chirp! Ria's voice was sharp with concern. "Gigi, dump his pouch over here. Gods, I hope he didn't leave the keys in the village."

A snuffling sound came from nearby, followed by the sound of metal and papers falling stone.

Grr... yip... woof... "They're here."

Tweet tweet... chirp... Ria's said. "That is good."

Some scuffling sounds and bird flaps came, and a bird landed on Aiden's chest. Except it was much heavier than it should be.

Hot wolf breath followed by that warm, rough tongue licking at the sword wound. Woof... yap... "This isn't helping as much as he needs. It's healing. He's not going to make it, Ria. He lost too much blood, and there are internal injuries."

Screech... whistle... Ria said angrily. "Leave this to me. Go make that false trail. And close the doors!"

Grrrr... The response was a low rumble of agreement. "Be back about high meridian. I'll help you burry him like the other. Then we need to get out of here."

The ticking of claws on stone moved away in the dark, and then the sound of a door latch closing came.

Ria walked back and forth, pecking at Aiden's bare chest in places for a few minutes. The cold floor and lack of being bounced or moved allowed Aiden to clear his head as he pushed the pains into a corner of his mind.

Some clicks, and deep breaths came from Ria as she muttered to herself. "Duirdin lady, are you really going to do this again? You swore never again. Never."

The bird stepped up and Aiden could tell she was looking at his face from her perch on his chest. She settled down and a let out a deep sigh. "I can't ask this," she said mournfully.

Aiden could feel the tightness in his chest getting worse. Beyond the other wounds and broken bones, there was a strange pain that radiated from his core to his shoulders and back. He was panting slightly and having a hard time getting enough air.

Aiden set aside all the absurdity of talking to a bird and was just glad he wasn't alone. "Ask what?"

He felt her jump slightly. "You're awake! How do you feel?"

"The wolf, uh Gigi?"

"Ya, Gigi."

"Well, Gigi is right." He wheezed. He could feel that only one lung was working, and a cold, tingling feeling was growing around his whole body. "I'm not going to make it. At least you're free. So tell me, what won't you ask?"

Ria settled back down, and he could feel her warmth in the center of his chest.

"There is a kind of magic you can do that will save you. It will give you a path to great powers. But almost everyone who follows this path becomes like that Seeker who hurt you."

"Why do you call him Seeker?"

"That's what he is."

"Bram said his name is Cassian."

"Okay, fine. All Seekers become like Cassian, or worse."

"No, you said almost everyone. What'd you mean?"

"I don't know. I just know that those who once held to the path have all been killed by those like Cassian."

"Cassian has this power?" Aiden coughed, spitting something to the side and wiping his mouth clean. He was sure it was blood.

"Yes, that is why I hid from him and couldn't help when he attacked. I need a partner. He'd kill me instantly and permanently if he knew I was alive."

Aiden had a sudden thought. "The skeleton. That was your partner? Something went wrong."

"Yes. They discovered her and laid a trap. Like all the others, she died trying to correct the problems."

"What problems?"

"We don't have time. I'm sorry Aiden, I like you. I do. But, I don't want to see you die or turned into someone like Cassian."

I have to convince her, Aiden thought. He didn't want to die or have time to be subtle, so he decided to dive in. "I'm dying," Aiden said. "How long have you been alone?"

Ria was silent for a long time. Aiden was content to concentrate on getting his body under control and trying to get enough breath while she thought.

"Longer than you'd believe."

"Bram thought that skeleton, your previous partner, had been sitting in that chamber for more than five hundred years."

Ria actually chittered without saying anything, just making sweet noises. Finally, she tweeted more, "I think it was closer to a thousand years. Not exactly sure, I stopped counting a long time ago."

"Will this magic save me?"

A long pause, "yes."

"Will this power let me stop people like Cassian?"

"Maybe. I don't know what is going on. Naomi had only found bits of the ancient knowledge before being discovered and I've been hiding ever since."

The memory of his father, the mayor, and the people of Lapidara being cut down like they didn't have any value burned. But, Aiden oddly didn't want revenge. He wanted to know what was going on and to make it impossible for such people to act that way.

"I want to live. Let me be your partner. Together, we will deal with these problems."

"Aiden, this is serious. Those remaining are strong. I'm surprised I'm still alive."

"We will find solutions. It's like working in the smithy. It isn't shiny trinkets or weapons that will fix things; it is hard, careful work. It's making plows, wagons, and the tools for the people to support themselves and others."

Aiden started coughing and couldn't stop for what felt like hours. When he managed to get himself under control, he whispered, "Please, Ria."

He felt Ria stand up. She pushed something metallic, heavy, and cold over his heart. Then, a second cold touch of metal came next to the other. He knew it was that silver medallion, and Ria added the other half. Where did she get the other half from?

He could feel the two halves of the medallion resting over his heart. Something about them yearned to come together. There was potential there that he instinctively understood.

Ria hopped off and, a moment later, pulled something over and worked it into place, covering his neck. It felt like a small square of leather.

She then flapped back up to his chest.

Sounding nervous and excited, Ria chirped and tweeted, "Say yes when asked." She said this as he felt her stand on the two halves of the silver medallion.

He felt her feet pull the halves together.

An explosion of green light blinded Aiden.

The pain vanished.

When his eyes adjusted to the bright light, he found it everywhere. He was lying on the floor of the strange chamber he and Bram had been studying and was inside the mysterious circle. The magical circle of symbols glowed brightly with green light, which lit the room. Looking down, he saw Ria standing on a silver circular medallion.

"What is this?"

Whistle... Chirp... "A link chamber. Here it comes. Just say yes. There'll be time for explanations later."

A silver bell rang out and a flat white square with writing appeared before Aiden. It wasn't paper, or a book, or a scroll. It was just a white square with writing. The language was familiar but odd. Still, Aiden could read it. A deep baritone voice boomed in Aiden's ears, reading the words that floated before him:

[DING]

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Awakener 4 2 3 4 1 1 8 7 2 connected from node 2 8 2 7. Mortal wound detected. Initiating bio-stasis protocol for neuro assessment.

Welcome, Awakener. After the near-death blow to the world, the Aisers, aided by generations of machinators, sought a means to restore it or evacuate the survivors. They failed.

The Subais, children of the Aisers, revolted against the Aisers, locking them away and claiming the splintered realms as their own. Before the Aisers were locked away, they performed one last great act to subvert the Subais's total control of the realms, initiating the great challenge to find and promote the next generation of true machinators.

Though the world's death has been halted by the Subais for fifteen millennia, no true machinators have risen. The Subais continue in their struggles to undo the last great act of the Aisers to restore their dominance.

You have been awakened to the acts of the Aisers and Subais. Having passed the first challenges you stand before the gate. You must choose to complete your transformation to Seeker within the realms of the Gemini 1 9 9 9 Systems.

This world, once a seamless tapestry of interconnected realms, now lies divided, each piece adrift and partially isolated. As a Seeker, you will find challenges, discover hidden knowledge, grow in power, and learn how to move between the realms. You are tasked with gaining the skills, knowledge, tools, and power to restore the ancient links that once bound these realms together. The path will not be easy, and the foes you encounter will be formidable, each guarding the secrets necessary to reforge the lost connections.

Embark on quests that will test your wit, strength, and resolve. Traverse landscapes, both wondrous and perilous, and confront creatures that will block your progress. Your journey will demand courage, intellect, agility, fortitude, luck, skills, and knowledge of the forgotten lores.

With each challenge overcome, you will grow in power and bring the possibility of restoration one step closer. Each realm reconnected will piece together the fractured world and unlock the chains binding the Aisers. But be warned: great adversaries await, ready to thwart your efforts and preserve the chaos that benefits their dark designs.

The Aisers call to any who reach this gateway. This is their final act, to provide the power to transform you and open the doors to power over Gemini 1 9 9 9. You may refuse and be returned to the realm and life you knew before you approached this gateway. But, the gateway will be forever closed to you. If you accept the call of the Aisers to join the ranks of Seekers, you will be transformed forever. They hope you will use the power they'll invest in you to navigate the fragmented realms and restore harmony to the world. This act will invest in you the power to override the Subais and grow beyond the normal limits of the world. The paths you choose to walk are yours. This key and its transformation will only unlock your destiny in the realms.

Do you accept this transformation? Yes / No.

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Aiden stared at the text. This wasn't magic as Bram taught, nor anything else he'd ever heard of. But, after rereading it, he knew he wanted to accept. He said, "Yes."