Chapter 41: CHAPTER XXIX – Progeny of Conflict: Bridge

Having been spent both physically and mentally, a tired and exhausted Sphaere and Rhystea fell swiftly to sleep. Cekell looked upon their relaxed faces, one trying to smile and the other trying not to frown. Through their countenance, he could see just how hard they tried to concern themselves not only with everything around them, but also to contain that which lay just below the surface: a burning light waiting to break through and illuminate all around them, a deep sadness that struggled to hold itself together lest that which it supported also fall to pieces.

Drifting to sleep, they both had unconsciously latched onto the other. Unwittingly grasping the others hand as if to help them up or perhaps hold them high, as if holding on with all their might in order to avoid falling off an ever shrinking ground. They slowly slid closer and closer, until it seemed like they were trying to share the same breath, one exhaling softly as the other inhaled deeply.

Only the smallest of spaces remained between them, and out of desire to bridge the gap Cekell reached up with his probe and gently lay it on both of their foreheads ever so slowly so as not to disturb their hard earned respite.

Carefully, he lowered himself into their dreaming minds, cautious to not dig deeper than necessary to see the individual lights that made up their soul, which seemed as little more than different constellations in the night sky. He admired the lights they cast, but avoided getting to close and getting sucked into either of their memories.

Drawing upon the passing whimsy of both fear and hope, Cekell grasped a hold of all that he could manage, from the concerns of yesteryear to the desires for tomorrow. In this way, he delicately unwove dissipating thoughts of what might have been and what could be, meticulously drawing out kernels of what is, specifically in the form of feelings and the meanings attached to them.

To this end, he sat upon the edge of the consciousnesses of his caretakers and syphoned off fleeting fancy, and eagerly, if not slowly, pulled out the underlying meaning that linked those thoughts to the words and meanings they carried, partaking of the information that served as their foundation.

‘This is what I want to build,’ ‘this is what I want to avoid,’ ‘this is how I plan to proceed,’ ‘this is how I think I can secure,’ all broken down to their simplest forms, minute constituents of ‘this’ and ‘that’ or ‘is’ and “ain’t,” each carefully absorbed into an understanding of how emotion is conveyed in terms that even Cekell both understand and reproduce vocally.

As if picking fruit from a tree, Cekell reached for different colors of rays of light that streamed by, decrypting the meanings of the carried words by separating them individually from the thoughts they were attached to; removing the seed of information they conveyed from the juicy feelings that surrounded them while being mindful of the stem that linked them to something more.

It was a tedious and painstaking process, but carried with it great reward in the form of both insight and knowledge. He could delve deeper and learn more, more rapidly, but this was an excellent start to grasp both the fundamentals as well as pick up on more frequently used words alongside the feelings connected to them.

As he was finally starting to run out of the quick fix of simple and easily digestible tidbits, he looked to move a layer deeper; but when his caretakers stirred, he decided to back off and give them some time recuperate and fall further into sleep.

Careful not to disturb his caretakers, Cekell gingerly lifted himself up with his gravity field and dropped himself over the side of the hammock before wrapping them in a barrier and scurrying out of the cave. Exiting the cavern, he spied his first objective and quickly darted to the fire.

There were several demis surrounding the fire, including a couple Reptilia and an Aves, all of which watched curiously as Cekell strolled right up to the edge of the blaze, looked it over and hopped into the flames, causing all of them to gasp in surprise.

Paying them no mind, Cekell rooted around the burning logs until he found one of sufficient size, a larger portion of wood that he cleared smaller pieces off of before climbing onto it, lifted it up with his gravity field and rode it off into the jungle.

 

Devose eyed the black pyramid in his hands doubtfully as he listened to Verakry’s explanation, “There’s really not much I can do to assist you with that, I’m afraid. As an Umbralim, it takes a toll on my being just grasping it. Activating it is beyond me, let alone utilizing any of it’s capabilities. You’re on your own here.”

“But Cekell managed to use it a few short moments after he was born?” Devose questioned.

“Indeed, at least as your own father has recounted to me. He was able to project an electron stream from it. As I understand it, humanity can accomplish something similar with their own devices. If you can get them to provide you with such, you may be able to gain a clue as to how to operate it – not unlike how I provided a drop of dark matter to your brother in order to give him a hint with how to interface with the Umbral point.” Verakry advised.

“Is a gravitational field is similar to a magnetic field?” Devose dug for answers.

“They do have similarities, yes, but so do your senses. Just as you would be unable to hear with your eyes, your gravity control will have no bearing on your magnetic field. I’d love to be able to answer all your questions, but you mind as well be asking the blind what something looks like. A magnetic field is wholly outside of my capabilities.” Verakry characterized.

“I suppose it wouldn’t be as simple as that.” Devose sighed.

“Don’t be so discouraged. There’s no reason you can’t do anything and everything your brother can.” Verakry pointed out.

“Exactly, and yet here I am scratching my head just trying to figure out the slightest bit. That’s precisely what is so discouraging.” Devose sneered.

“Nonsense. You’re young and inexperienced. You will remain so until you go out and expose yourself to the things this world has to offer. Sitting in contemplation will only get you so far. You mustn’t forget that you yourself adapted to the Umbral point quite quickly so it could very well have something to do with how you were each born with those points. Cekell adapted to the Umbral point so fast in part due to my assistance, and I just can’t offer that with regards to the Astral point.” Verakry suggested.

“You do have a point there. And then there’s the fact that Cekell did not gain his barriers from the Astral point, but they have undoubtedly been indispensable to him and likely for his growth as well. What can you tell me about utilizing mana?” Devose queried.

“That’s another tough one. Interacting with mana comes down to the individual. The fact that Cekell was able to not only replicate a mana given ability from something else, but to go so far as to expand upon it, is truly something I myself would like to know more about. I do theorize it comes down to how the entirety of your bodies are comprised of mana. It would be different were you a base human, then I could simply connect you to your mana and help you coax out a reaction; but as far as displaying an ability that you yourself have no concept of, you may as well be asking the blind to paint you a picture. That being said, I would ask you this: have you actually tried doing anything, or are you just floundering because it doesn’t come naturally to you?” Verakry posed the question.

Devose was at a loss. No, he had in fact not tried to do anything more than he was instructed to. He had never really explored on his own or actually try to figure out anything for himself. Before he could make a rebuttal, Verakry continued, “Don’t expect to be able to simply copy your brother’s barriers either. He learned a simplified version of it from one of the creatures out here, and then modified it as he saw fit. Now he possesses several advanced variations, and trying to reproduce those would be even more difficult.”

“Hmm… So, find a mindless beast and try to imitate it. That… could be an excellent starting point. Trying to run before I can walk would be silly. Maybe in the process I’ll even manage to discover something with the point. Thank you, your explanations have been enlightening and given me a clear objective. It’s time I stand on my own two feet, put one of them in front of the other, and carve my own path. Until I can do that, I’ll never be able to stand where he stands let alone overcome him.” Devose determined, struggling to maintain his composure. The advise he was being given made sense, but it did nothing to quell his frustration.

A grin spread across Verakry’s face before the writhing shadow warned, “Careful with which beast you attempt to imitate. Your brother had a grasp on the Astral point before I turned him loose out here, and even mindless as they are, may of these beasts will still try to make a meal out of you.”

Devose scowled back at the shadow clad figure, insisting, “If that’s what happens, then it is what I deserve. A warborn that cannot deal with an ignorant creature holds no value to you or anyone else.”

“Could you have dealt with that… what did they call it? Stonescale? Be careful underestimating these beasts as heedless. Maybe they only possess a modicum of mana, but several of them work together as a pack or herd. Cekell learned his barrier from a passive creature, you’ll be hard pressed to learn as much from something that’s ravenously trying to consume you.” Verakry asserted.

Devose’s scowl intensified as he spat out, “I do intend to push myself, but I have no desire to get comfortable in the belly of some beast. I also wonder if staring down death wouldn’t stimulate my growth, but I’m not foolish enough to try without being able to adequately defend myself. I’m neither helpless nor stupid. If I find myself in over my head, I’ll retreat. There is shelter among the treetops. I can even observe a situation before running in blindly.”

Verakry laughed before announcing, “Rushing in blindly is usually what your brother did. That being said, even when he was first trying to learn about the Umbral point, he wasn’t powerless. I must admit, I’m looking forward to seeing how you fare. I just want you to be aware of your situation.” Without waiting for a reply, the shadow shrouded figure disappeared.

“I’ll take this discontent and use it to fuel my progress.” Devose growled as he tightly clutched the Astral point and sharpened his focus. Closing his eyes he reached out with his mind, but found nothing to grab hold of. After trying to find something, anything, for a long period, he finally unleashed his pent up frustration by charging a nearby tree and lashing out with a fist containing the Astral point, but only succeeded in landing a punch that hurt his own palm more than the iron oak which received the blow.

Opening his hand, Devose glared at the black pyramid that was now smeared with mana from where the corners of the Astral point had gouged into his flesh. Reaffirming his resolve, he grit his teeth, balled up his fist around the point, and thrust it against the tree. Again and again, harder and harder, he drilled his vexation into the steely bark of the iron oak, using his own silvery blood to paint a picture of violent rage.

“Wake up, damn you!” Devose cried out as he continued slamming his trembling hand into the tree. “Why for him? Why not for me?!” His desperation overwrote his pain as he maimed his hand in a pitiful plea to coax some form of response from the dormant point.

“Do I need to offer up my life? Perhaps you need more sacrifices, is that why he slaughtered so many? Because you demanded so much blood for payment?!” Devose growled through his clenched jaw as he continued to pound his fist into the tree.

“Damn you! If not for you, I’d have a family, and not just a father that’s disgusted by me! You’ve already taken everything from me! You owe me!!” Devose screamed as grief poured out of his hand. He bit his lip as he doubled over in pain and fell to his knees, clenching his eyes shut.

A long moment would pass before irritation welled back up, causing him to pry his eyes open as he once again lashed out, but he paused when he noticed a faint light emanating from somewhere behind him that barely illuminated his surrounded. 

Turning around, he could see a small flame in the distance weaving it’s way between the trees as it rapidly approached. As it got closer, he noticed it was coming straight at him, and then he noticed someone was riding within the flames – his brother. The mana he had splattered across the trunk of the iron oak slowly snaked it’s way back to him as a menacing glare spread across his eyes.

His body quivered and Devose ground his teeth as his brother stopped a short distance away from him, and hopped off the burning log he had been riding on, leaving it floating in the air behind him. A long moment passed in silence as neither of them said a word, and instead opted to simply stare at each other.

Breaking that silence, Devose bitterly spat out, “What do you want? Why are you here?” Swinging his arm as if to tell his brother to get lost. It was then that he noticed how much his mangled hand ached as he became keenly aware that he was clutching the Astral point as tightly as he could.

Cekell opened his mouth, but spoke no words, and as if something bade him to shut it, he slowly sealed his lips. Again he opened his mouth, and again words eluded him, so he broke his gaze and almost shamefully looked down.

“Why are you here?!!” Devose roared, taking a step forward with a clear intent to drive his brother away, held back solely by the understanding of just how weak he was in comparison.

Cekell still could not find the words to convey his feelings, and instead responded by moving the burning log in between them, setting it down in the middle of the space that separated them.

“What’s this?” Devose scoffed.

“Cekell thought it might help Devose understand Astral point.” Cekell spoke softly, unable to meet his brother’s gaze.

Aggravation flaring up, Devose trembled as he spat out, “Looking down on me, are you?!”

“No!” Cekell cried out somewhat regretfully, but with more than a hint of agitation, “Cekell not look down, Cekell want help.”

“Your presence brings no benefit, it is only a burden! If I wanted anything to do with you, I wouldn’t have left!” Devose boomed.

“So what? Cekell go where Cekell want. If Devose want run away, then Devose run away. That Devose giving up, not Cekell!” Cekell countered.

With an incoherent yell, Devose charged forward and struck his brother, who offered no resistance, no guard, and no attempt to avoid, merely receiving the strike across his face as he stared back in earnest regret as opposed to the angry glare he was receiving.

Silence was the only thing they shared as they stared at one another, one in fury, the other almost apologetically. No words seemed suitable to convey how they felt as they waited for the other to respond.

Again it was Devose that broke the silence, inquiring, “So I’m not even worth expending effort to fight back, am I?!”

“No.” Cekell answered coldly, “Rain carry more threat than Devose.”

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Enraged, Devose took a swing with both his arms one after the other in an attempt to land a combination of blows, but the arm containing the Astral point was blocked by a barrier that wrapped around his clenched fist and held it in place, while the other fist glanced across the annoyed look Cekell was wearing.

“Seems Devose punches hurt Devose more than Cekell.” Cekell stated icily.

Devose tried but was unable to retract his fist, so he instead lashed out with a sharp tongue, “Didn’t I tell you that you sound like an idiot when you refer to yourself in third person?”

“Rather be idiot than weak.” Cekell fired back before dispelling his barrier and freeing his brother’s hand.

“Tch!” Devose had naught more than a tongue click to argue with as Cekell’s words nearly knocked the wind out of him. They conveyed a fact that he simply couldn’t dispute, regardless of whether or not he liked it. “Why are you out here bothering me? Just go back to your comfortable place and leave me alone!”

“Ritsy and Ray-Ray don’t like us fighting, so Cekell try to help.” Cekell answered.

“I don’t need YOUR help!” Devose screamed in his face.

“Well Devose need someone’s help, who else will help him?” Cekell questioned.

Again Cekell’s words struck truer than any attack would be able as Devose found himself incapable of mounting an argument. After a moment of glaring daggers, Devose requested, “Then give me back my mother, you murderous demon!”

Now it was Cekell who was knocked speechless. Finally lowering his head, all he could come up with was, “Cekell… cannot.”

“Because all you can do is take! You have nothing to give back! You’re not wanted here! Even father would rather carve your heart out than look at you!” Devose snarled.

Cekell grimaced as Devose’s words washed over him. He didn’t understand much about hatred, but even he could tell that this was genuine malice being directed at him, and what’s more was that deep down, he knew he had earned it. He didn’t remember much of that time, it all had happened so fast, and even then, he wasn’t really aware of anything that was going on around him; yet, his father had engraved that hatred into him, and hearing Devose speak about it made the scar over his chest throb.

He wanted to say a lot of things, but Cekell choked on the words. He wanted to tell his brother that he was sorry, but he couldn’t imagine that solving anything. He wanted to express that he lost family too, but it would be more accurate to say he had thrown it away when he himself was the root cause of it all. He figured anything he had to say would just make things worse. All he could do was receive his brother’s anger, not that he could so much as hope for that to remedy anything. Still, it was the least he could do, so he grit his teeth and prepared to bear as much of his brother’s animosity as Devose could throw at him.

Seeing that his words were salt in the wound, Devose laid into his brother, “Thank you oh ruinous one, for providing a means with which I might be able to return some small fraction of the suffering that your regretful birth has bestowed upon the entirety of our family! I only hope that I can begin to repay you for all the torment you have wrought!”

Flinching at the scathing remarks, Cekell opened his mouth to speak, but could not form words. Not when he knew there was nothing he could possibly say to make it better. Not letting up, Devose prodded him, “Oh, something to say? Let’s hear it then, this should be good.”

“Cekell… sorry…” Cekell eked out, nearly choking on the apology as he knew full well it fell on deaf ears.

“Oh? Sorry are you? For what?” Devose smiled as his brother shrank away, “For snuffing out the life of our mother? For turning our father against us? For destroying every part of our family? No wonder you are the better warborn, you entered this world eradicating everything that you touch! You’re a blight, and I can’t help but to wonder what sins I have committed to deserve having you for a brother!”

Cekell cringed and stiffened up. He wanted to run away, even another round with the stonescale would be preferable to this, but he could not bring himself to turn his back on his brother. All he could do was accept the vitriol that was sweeping over him, honestly hoping it would do something to ease his brother’s rancor.

“If only a meager apology could fix anything, but lets face it, you are only capable of razing everything around you, scorching the very ground you walk upon. I hope I’m there when Rhystea and Sphaere see you for the monster that you truly are. How long before they open their eyes and see that you are nothing more than the bringer of ash, that you have nothing else to offer?!” Devose relished the sight as his words seared into his brother.

“No!” Cekell cried out defiantly, unable to tolerate anymore.

“No what? Are they blind and unable to see you for what you are? Are you capable of more than rampant destruction?” Devose berated his brother.

“Cekell protect!” Cekell asserted.

“Like you protected your own mother?!” Devose savored raking his brother across the hot coals that were the undeniable truth of his actions.

“Cekell not monster… Cekell not…” Cekell tried to defend himself, but lacked the resolve.

“But, you know how important family is, right? Do Sphaere and Rhystea both not value family above all else?” Devose’s eyes lit up as he asked.

“Family… most important.” Cekell whispered meekly.

Devose reached out and traced the scar across his brother’s chest as he continued, “Is this not the only gift that father has seen fit to give you? Your just deserts for wrecking your own family?”

Unable to argue, Cekell doubled over as the weight of the words were too much for him to bear. Venom dripped from Devose’s mouth as he added, “At least father and I can share in our hatred for you. All that remains of your oh so important family, that you yourself have shattered, want nothing more than to see you suffer and rot. If you’re not an unwanted abomination, than what are you?”

“Cekell is shield! Ritsy and Ray-Ray want Cekell be shield!” Cekell insisted, finding his conviction.

“A shield, is it? But-“ Devose was cut off.

“Cekell is shield!” Cekell interjected, “If Devose want hate Cekell, that fine! Cekell is shield and protect his Ritsy and his Ray-Ray!”

“Then I will be the blade of retribution, and I will avenge our mother!” Devose exclaimed.

“That fine! Devose too weak to be shield!” Cekell countered.

Convulsing with fury, Devose lashed out with his fist containing the Astral point, striking Cekell in the head, who unflinchingly received the blow, and further fueled Devose’s furor. Before Devose could continue pummeling his brother, he got a reaction from the point as the iron oak behind him bowed down almost reverently. His magnetic field flared to life, beckoning iron laced leaves and bits of metal in the ground to rally to his side.

Cekell did not blink as his brother roused the dormant point, even as Devose cast his gathered metals at him. Not even batting an eye, Cekell merely erected a barrier to rebuff the attack. Even so, Devose would not relent as he directed the throngs of metals to swarm and surge against that barrier, but no matter how he thrashed about with his newly discovered abilities, the barrier would not budge.

Both warborn eyed each other through this tense stalemate, both fully aware that Cekell could turn the situation around if he so desired. Devose would not yield, instead opting to test his newfound power as he condensed all the bits of metal he had gathered, constricting it all into a large sphere and slamming it into Cekell’s barrier.

The Sphere fractured and burst as it crashed into the barrier which brushed off the blow as no more than dust in the wind. Devose growled as he spread out his magnetic field in a bid to assemble even more metal to form an even bigger sphere, which again collided into Cekell’s barrier, but this time delivering a heavy enough blow to crack it.

Emboldened, a wild smile spread across the face of Devose who once again reached out for as much metal as he could acquire, plucking leaves and even the adamant acorns from the iron oak, which was stripped bare as Devose latched on to everything he could before contracting it all into a sphere which was raised up high above them. Instinctively taking a deep breath, he started rotating his amassed metals, faster and faster as he prepared to drill it into his mortal foe.

Leaping high into the air, he brought the amalgamated orb down with all his might, but still he would not break his brother’s barrier. Before the attack came into contact with it, Cekell dispelled his defenses and reached out with his hands as if to willingly accept his brother’s scorn and receive it without trying to block or evade, and was bowled over by the tempestuous torrent.

Devose’s smile faded. He had cleanly landed a mighty blow, but this wasn’t what he wanted. There was no satisfaction to be had even as he watched his brother get washed away in a tide of seething steel. His vengeance was not claimed so much as it was handed to him, and was thus even more devoid of meaning.

Releasing his field of magnetism, his collection of metals sprayed across the ground as they were carried by the momentum of the attack. The very Earth was savaged and scarred, giving Devose a glimpse of where such vengeance would take him. He clenched his jaw as he realized it was even more hollow than Sphaere had warned him.

He couldn’t even tell where his brother was after Cekell had been buried by Devose’s deep seated malevolence. A long moment would pass as his eyes strained to search in the low light of the still burning log, which only served to remind him that his awakening had all but been gift wrapped by his brother, further fueling his discontent.

This time the silence was broken by Cekell as he slowly climbed to his feet and shook off the blow. “That all?” He asked gratingly.

An astonished Devose could only offer a stupefied gaze as he witnessed his brother rise to his feet, covered in gashes that were all seeping mana. He could not put together words as he was simultaneously dismayed and relieved, unable to pin down what exactly caused him to feel this way. Was he glad he could still seek to carry out his vengeance? Disappointed that his brother could still stand? Or was it something deeper? Even without being sated, his desire for retribution waned. He could only turn and slowly saunter away, wondering if he was more content not being the one who delivered ruin unto another.

 

Dr. Tellamar reached out and placed a hand over the capsule, numb to joy even as he was overwhelmed by the fact that he could feel it pulse with life. He could not begin to claim this as a victory, merely a stay of utter defeat. Tears poured down his face, but even he couldn’t tell if they were born of joy from his success or regret from the price it had cost.

His mind was wracked by guilt by how far he had to go, crossing every line and breaking every moral code he had held, save one. He never gave up even as he was face to face with what such a path had led him to: an impossible choice. Desperate times and desperate measures had chased him to this door, and he had burnt every bridge he had crossed along the way.

He had alienated every friend, colleague, and contact; and he had no other remaining family. It was either open the door and hope for the best, or curl up into the fetal position and wait to wither away. In the moment, it had seemed so easy… and yet, looking back turned his stomach.

There was no comfort offered by the EKG highlighting the fact that his daughter was indeed alive, not when it was erratic and… inhuman? She survived to draw breath, but was that truly living? Even if she regained consciousness, would she be able to thrive? Would she be allowed anything resembling happiness?

These thoughts gnawed at Tellamar’s mind, who wasn’t even certain he had entirely staved off her untimely demise. He was in unknown territory, and there was no going back. He could only do as he had always done: press forward. There were no alternatives. He kept telling himself that, as it was the only source of comfort he could find.

Had God abandoned him, or had he abandoned God? Right and wrong were reduced to differing shades of grey when he consigned himself and his daughter to the incomprehensible, selling both their souls simply for what amounted to perhaps another moment in the light of day.

How long would it last? It didn’t matter. It was the only path available to him, and with neither reservation nor regret, he put one foot in front of the other and strode forth. His life, his soul, his integrity, his capability; they were all bartered away, fodder for this God forsaken EKG that refused to play the one tune he wanted to hear. Consequences be damned, he would only accept the ruling from one judge.

“You don’t have to forgive me…” Tellamar rasped out, “If you grow to hate me, I will accept any and every punishment you deem appropriate. You just have to live. I promise to give my everything to see that you do.”

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