Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) (23 page)

Sara

Sara listened to their conversation, still overwhelmed by the entire display. She realized then that if Garret was able to wield magic, than there was also a good chance Seth had the ability as well. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the realization, but she didn’t imagine it would change anything between them, even if he could.

“You still want to try, Seth?” Ashton asked, afraid Garret’s near detonation might have changed his twin’s mind.

“Well, Garret seems to be fine so I don’t see any reason not to,” Seth answered as if trying to convince himself.

Seth gave Sara’s hand a light squeeze before he released it, silently telling her he loved her. He then sat forward in his seat awaiting his friend’s instructions. All Sara could do was watch.  Taking a deep breath to calm herself, realizing that her heart was pounding in her chest, she leaned forward to watch events unfold.

“OK Seth, now relax and clear your mind. You need to try and focus on nothing. Leave yourself open and wait until you feel the power. When you do, isolate it from the rest of your mind and then you can control it.”

Sara watched as Seth nodded and quickly closed his eyes.

Seth

Relaxing his body, Seth then tried to relax his mind. Images of memories past flooded his mind’s eye but he shut them away. He could faintly hear his friend’s whispered prayers and he quickly worked to tone them out, along with any other noise that might disturb him. Only a moment had passed and Seth found himself shrouded in darkness, alone in his mind. It was a peaceful feeling, yet somehow empty. The emptiness inspired a feeling of unease within him and he tried to banish it, but it remained no matter how hard he tried.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Seth realized he needed to find a way to unwind, to ease himself into a state of openness where he would be receptive to the magic. He hurriedly tried to force himself to relax but to no avail. Then it occurred to him. He could allow the memories to return momentarily and seek one out that was soothing. Once he became relaxed again, he could simply banish it away as he had done before, and then he would be prepared to accept the magic. To this end, Seth released the memories he had temporarily locked away. They flashed through his head in a flood of pictures and emotions. As each memory presented itself, he dismissed it, looking for something more calming. A few came close but did not quite give him a complete feeling of ease and so he too discarded them. The memories flashed one after another until one appeared that he could not release. Seth held the memory of Sara sleeping in his arms for the first time. It was the morning they spent in the grove of trees, his back pressed to one of them, Sara curled in his arms. Peace flooded through Seth’s mind. He had found the one thing that put him at ease. Seth berated himself mentally for a moment, realizing it should have been an obvious choice. Sara always made him feel comfortable and relaxed. Sara made him feel whole.

This image in mind, Seth went about again locking away any stray thoughts and memories that might interrupt him. Finished with the mental exercise, he was once more shrouded in the empty darkness of his mind. A moment later he became aware of something tugging at the edge of his consciousness. Thinking it was another memory, or perhaps even a stray emotion, Seth sought it out with his senses. Much to his surprise, it was nothing belonging to him at all. He could feel the power more than see it, though it was visible. Not as one would see with the eyes, but something more ethereal, something like smoke or water churning this way and that. It pulled at his mind as if seeking a way to escape or a weakness that would permit it to leave. It twisted and churned in incoherent patterns, and as it did so, Seth recalled his instructions and went to work. The ethereal being that was the power had found no way of escape and so it had eventually made its way through Seth’s mind to where he waited in the darkness alone with Sara’s memory. Seth monitored its every movement. He watched it come. The smoke-like substance reeled away from his consciousness when they nearly came into contact, trying to escape him. Seth did not let it go. Instead he tightened the walls of his mind, decreasing the area the darkness filled and so making it darker. The smaller Seth forced his subconscious domain to become, the nearer the power was forced to him. Seth squeezed and squeezed mentally until there was no more space between him and the power and he could feel it whirling around him.

Seeking a means of escape from the non-worshipper, the goddess’s power struck at the only thing it could find in the darkness. With smoky tendrils the power grasped Seth’s memory of Sara nestled in his lap and tried to wrench it away from him.

Seth, the power swirling all around him, did not anticipate the mental attack. He felt it as if it had left a physical wound. Realizing the power’s intent, Seth grasped his cherished memory of the woman he loved with his consciousness and held it firmly. With the memory secured, he focused his mind once again, and this time heaved his subconscious into itself with all his mental might. The empty darkness that was his mind folded into itself, submersing Seth within the goddess’s magic. He opened himself to the power and let it flow into him. As they became one, Seth could feel his body once again, could feel the power pulsing in his veins and beating in his heart. Seth reveled in the sensation, allowing himself to slip deeper into its depths, feeling it caress his mind when only a moment before it had tried to escape him. The sensation sent feelings of pleasure through his body of the like he had never known before. The magic was fulfilling, satisfying, and intoxicating. Seth loved the thrill of it in his body and thought briefly about how he had come to this enchanted bliss. He disconnected his consciousness from the blackened space of his subconscious where he remained one with the magic. Concentrating once again upon the image of Sara to focus himself, he molded the power to his will. The power strained against him momentarily, but Seth was able to overcome it quickly, forcing it to follow his purpose.

Assuring himself he was in control of the power, Seth once again reconnected with his body. He opened his eyes to reveal his companions around him, watching him intently. Seeking out Sara, he focused his gaze on her. Seth raised his hand before him, and turned it palm up. He found it easier to focus now that he could see Sara in person. Seeing that she now regarded his raised hand, Seth mentally checked again on the power contained within him, assuring himself it still remained bent to his will. Finding his control on the power intact, Seth’s lips parted into a wide smile as he released the magic.

Sara

Sara sat watching Seth intently. Long minutes had passed since Ashton had stopped chanting, yet Seth remained unmoving, showing no sign of the battle being waged within his mind. The group sat motionless as well, waiting, refusing to blink until something happened. When nothing
did
happen, however, they still remained unable to take their eyes off the motionless boy before them. Many more minutes passed and Sara began to worry something had gone wrong. She watched the man she loved, hoping for any sign, besides his breathing, that he was still alive. As if in answer to her plight, Seth’s expression changed. The change was miniscule, but it was better than nothing. Another moment passed and Seth’s eyes fluttered open. Sara watched breathlessly as Seth turned his head to face her. She locked eyes with him momentarily and then left his gaze as he raised his hand toward her as if holding out something for her to see. She looked upon his empty palm and then back to his face. Seth smiled. Sara did not understand what was going on and so looked back to his hand to see if maybe she had missed something.

Seth

Seth watched as his palm was consumed in blue flames. The fire twisted and slithered around his hand as if it were alive. It swirled upon his skin, ever moving, ever burning, but left his flesh unscathed. The blue flames licked at his fingertips and finally settled again into his open palm. The unnatural blue fire then expanded upward from his palm in a short pillar of fire. The pillar twisted then, and split in two. The halves of it flared and sputtered as they twisted around and over, back upon themselves to meet once again at the base of the pillar in Seth’s palm.

Sara

Sara gasped when she noted the flames consuming Seth’s hand as did Garret and Ashton. She again looked to his face, certain to find there pain and torment. She beheld his face again only for a second and was amazed to see he was still smiling at her. Returning her gaze to his open palm she now saw the flame growing into a pillar of fire reaching skyward from his hand. The flesh of his hand was unscathed, unburned. She no longer watched in horror as the flame again began to change and split into two halves. A look of pure wonder stood on her face as the two halves of the fire pillar bent back to once again meet at the palm they had risen from.

Extended towards her as if in offering, Seth held in his hand a perfect heart formed of blue flame. Sara had barely enough time to see the flame, and note its shape and intended meaning, when it disappeared with a sizzle. She sat in awe, her mouth open and her eyes wide in astonishment.

Ashton sat at Seth’s feet, clapping like a child who had just watched a play. His eyes sparkled with wonder. Garret too clapped loudly at the spectacle he had just witnessed and laughed heartily at his brother’s success. To Sara it was like a miracle, something out of a fairytale. Yet here was Seth, seated across from her, offering her his heart, both literally and magically.  She knew that she belonged to him in that moment. That no matter where his life took him, no matter what path he was chosen for, she would follow him and be there to help him and support him.  No matter what The Choosing ceremony brought with it, she would find a way to remain by his side.

Seth

Seth took a moment to regain himself, lost momentarily in shock at the fact that he had consumed all of the power lent to him by Ashton. He had enjoyed the feelings it had inspired within him, and now that it was gone, he missed it terribly. Pushing the empty feeling aside, Seth focused on the woman he loved, sitting in open-mouthed wonder before him. He reached out and took her hand, and as he did, she was able to compose herself.

“What did you think?” Seth asked Sara.

“It was amazing. It was beautiful. But at first it was a little scary,” Sara admitted.

“Sorry if I frightened you, angel, I just wanted to tell you in a special way that I love you,” Seth said with a tone of sincerity in his voice.

“Well, you succeeded, my love. It is a moment I shall never forget,” Sara replied honestly.

“Well, Seth how did it feel?” Ashton asked.

“I don’t know,” Seth began. “It was hard at first for me to focus, but when I finally found a way to, it really wasn’t difficult.”

“Each time you use the magic it gets easier,” Ashton stated.

“It felt good, though, almost natural,” Seth added.

“How do you feel now?” Sara asked, her concern evident in her voice.

“I feel terrific, Sara. I promise I was not harmed in any way,” Seth reassured her.

“Well then.” This time it was Garret who spoke. “It seems to me that we both passed the test, so what do we do now?” He was honestly unsure.

“There really isn’t anything to do I suppose,” Ashton said, and then thinking further on the subject, added, “It will all depend on what you are chosen for, and which god you choose to worship. Even then you aren’t guaranteed a blessing from the god. Even if you are, each god only lends their power with a predetermined purpose, and that purpose will be the only way you will be able to wield the power. Some of the blessed ones are able to perform various tasks with their blessing, but usually you are only able to perform one thing specifically.”

“So that means the only way I will be able to do that again is if I swear myself to a god and worship them like you do?” Seth asked.

“Yes and no,” Ashton answered. “Like I told you before, there are many gods and each requires from their followers different things. I would suggest waiting until after The Choosing and then learning which god fits the best with what you are chosen for, and what they expect from their followers. Then you choose the one whose teachings you want to follow.”

Sara

Sara sat quietly listening, trying to learn all she could about the ability Seth possessed. She knew he held no intentions of worshipping any god. This much she had gleaned from him in past conversations with Ashton. She too realized that the only way he could use the gift would be if a god blessed him and allowed him to summon their power. She found that she was happy with the fact that he was likely to never worship a god, and so would probably never use the gift he had been born with. Sara was unsure why it made her happy, and she felt guilty about the feeling. She was pondering both her happiness and her guilt when a knock sounded on the door.

They all rose from their seats at the sound and, curious about the interruption, approached the door together. Sara was the first to reach it and unlocking it, she pulled it open wide. Sasha stood in the hallway and looked at each one of them briefly. A look of relief washed across her face as she noted their condition, and she quickly replaced the look with a smile.

“Sorry to interrupt you,” Sasha said. “I have just returned from visiting my husband. In my absence the servants said they heard explosions. I assumed it was the god’s tear, but it appears to be intact and so I’m checking on our guests.”

The group nodded their understanding, unwilling to admit to being the source of the blasts. Sasha invited them to come and eat as the evening was growing late. They assured her they would come to dine shortly. Accepting their reply, Sasha turned and strode down the hall, her hips swaying in her near transparent gown.

Sara quickly closed the door on Sasha’s retreating form and turned to face the others. They all shared a knowing smile and Sara couldn’t help but giggle at what had just transpired.