when Gabriel sent Mom and Dad to the surface. He took their
immortality right here in this room. They almost drowned before they made it to
the surface,” Elle explained.
“He sounds like a
hard man,” Valerie said.
They swam closer to
Gabriel’s group.
“What if there are
pockets of knowledge in the seas on Earth that we don’t know about?” Gabriel
asked the group, who listened eagerly. “The Fractus will give us the chance to explore
those depths. The Fist will shut us off from that knowledge forever.”
“Not true,” Valerie
said, not waiting to be invited to join the conversation. “As leader of the
Fist, I don’t wish for a future where connection between the worlds is closed.
But we need to do it responsibly, in a way that is safe for those without
magic.”
Gabriel hid his
surprise well, but his brows drew down in obvious displeasure at her presence.
His quick eyes took in Elle and Will, and his frown deepened.
“The child-leader of
the Fist has come to our depths. What an honor,” Gabriel said, not bothering to
hide his condescension.
Some of the other
Illyrians were more excited, muttering to each other and taking the chance to
examine her more closely. Valerie could see merpeople from around the conch
swimming closer.
She raised her voice
so she would be heard. “You were all chosen to guard the knowledge of the
universe because you are the best among us. You chose paths of integrity. I ask
you, is it right to use violence to force a world order upon the humans?”
“You said nothing of
this, Gabriel,” an Illyrian woman said with a flick of her tail.
“She exaggerates.
There will be conflict, but the Fractus’s goal is to save lives, not end them.
The humans are irresponsible and need to be reined in,” Gabriel explained.
“Is it ethical to
decide what’s best for them? True, the Fractus may stop some of the evil people
on Earth, but how many good people will be quashed in the process, because they
do not possess magic?” Valerie said.
“Perhaps the answer
to this problem exists in the seas on Earth,” Gabriel said. “We’ll never know
if we don’t have the chance to explore them.”
“I want to find a
safe way for travel between worlds. Someday,” Valerie promised.
“The promises of a
child who has no idea how she would achieve such a thing. Do you have a plan to
unite our worlds?” Gabriel spat.
“Not yet,” Valerie
said.
“She has been
elevated to a position of power because she is a vivicus, but she will never
lead us back to Earth. She doesn’t even know that her own brother is helping
the armies of the Fractus to defeat the Fist!”
Valerie was too
shocked to hide her reaction. She didn’t doubt Gabriel’s words were true, and
the revelation almost shut down her mind, making it impossible to find the
words she needed to win the hearts of the Illyrians. Next to her, Elle and Will
drew back in shock.
“You can see that
I’m right. No doubt her heart is in the right place, but she is not special.
She is not a true leader, but a vivicus whose mind will soon be stripped of its
consciousness by her power. Is it wise to chart a course with her?” Gabriel
said, his eyes flashing with triumph as he stared Valerie down.
“We will find a way
to stop the Fractus, with or without you. And when we do, there will be time to
investigate how to open up relations between the worlds. All those who come in
peace will be welcome,” she said, but her words were lost in the roar of
chatter that followed Gabriel’s speech.
She had already been
dismissed by the Illyrians. Silently, Elle and Will led her away from the
conch.
“You need to hurry
to the surface,” Elle said. “Gabriel could take away your temporary immortality
at any time.”
Valerie didn’t have
to be told twice. She raced to the surface, with Elle and Will right behind
her. She burst to the top seconds before her tail vanished. She swam to the
shore, which thankfully, was close by. She didn’t
immortality right here in this room. They almost drowned before they made it to
the surface,” Elle explained.
“He sounds like a
hard man,” Valerie said.
They swam closer to
Gabriel’s group.
“What if there are
pockets of knowledge in the seas on Earth that we don’t know about?” Gabriel
asked the group, who listened eagerly. “The Fractus will give us the chance to explore
those depths. The Fist will shut us off from that knowledge forever.”
“Not true,” Valerie
said, not waiting to be invited to join the conversation. “As leader of the
Fist, I don’t wish for a future where connection between the worlds is closed.
But we need to do it responsibly, in a way that is safe for those without
magic.”
Gabriel hid his
surprise well, but his brows drew down in obvious displeasure at her presence.
His quick eyes took in Elle and Will, and his frown deepened.
“The child-leader of
the Fist has come to our depths. What an honor,” Gabriel said, not bothering to
hide his condescension.
Some of the other
Illyrians were more excited, muttering to each other and taking the chance to
examine her more closely. Valerie could see merpeople from around the conch
swimming closer.
She raised her voice
so she would be heard. “You were all chosen to guard the knowledge of the
universe because you are the best among us. You chose paths of integrity. I ask
you, is it right to use violence to force a world order upon the humans?”
“You said nothing of
this, Gabriel,” an Illyrian woman said with a flick of her tail.
“She exaggerates.
There will be conflict, but the Fractus’s goal is to save lives, not end them.
The humans are irresponsible and need to be reined in,” Gabriel explained.
“Is it ethical to
decide what’s best for them? True, the Fractus may stop some of the evil people
on Earth, but how many good people will be quashed in the process, because they
do not possess magic?” Valerie said.
“Perhaps the answer
to this problem exists in the seas on Earth,” Gabriel said. “We’ll never know
if we don’t have the chance to explore them.”
“I want to find a
safe way for travel between worlds. Someday,” Valerie promised.
“The promises of a
child who has no idea how she would achieve such a thing. Do you have a plan to
unite our worlds?” Gabriel spat.
“Not yet,” Valerie
said.
“She has been
elevated to a position of power because she is a vivicus, but she will never
lead us back to Earth. She doesn’t even know that her own brother is helping
the armies of the Fractus to defeat the Fist!”
Valerie was too
shocked to hide her reaction. She didn’t doubt Gabriel’s words were true, and
the revelation almost shut down her mind, making it impossible to find the
words she needed to win the hearts of the Illyrians. Next to her, Elle and Will
drew back in shock.
“You can see that
I’m right. No doubt her heart is in the right place, but she is not special.
She is not a true leader, but a vivicus whose mind will soon be stripped of its
consciousness by her power. Is it wise to chart a course with her?” Gabriel
said, his eyes flashing with triumph as he stared Valerie down.
“We will find a way
to stop the Fractus, with or without you. And when we do, there will be time to
investigate how to open up relations between the worlds. All those who come in
peace will be welcome,” she said, but her words were lost in the roar of
chatter that followed Gabriel’s speech.
She had already been
dismissed by the Illyrians. Silently, Elle and Will led her away from the
conch.
“You need to hurry
to the surface,” Elle said. “Gabriel could take away your temporary immortality
at any time.”
Valerie didn’t have
to be told twice. She raced to the surface, with Elle and Will right behind
her. She burst to the top seconds before her tail vanished. She swam to the
shore, which thankfully, was close by. She didn’t
Similar Books
