Ambere Chronicles Volume One: Kaurine Dawn [UNABRIDGED EDITION]

Chapter Eleven: to answer the Call of Fate

[Kaur'Ainda Fortress, Frostcap Mountain Range, Haldios IV, 31st of Emberspark, 5011 TE]

[Aerrin]

I ran up to Cewa, still riding high on my recent accomplishment. He turned when he heard me approach, a smile spreading across his face even as his brow furrowed in confusion.

"What..." He started to ask, but I interrupted him.

"I Ascended Boltz!" I cried, bouncing on the spot as I did so. His eyes went wide, and he asked, with sudden urgency,

"Where is he?" I nodded back the way I came from, and replied,

"We went to the med bay before I started the process; the medics are keeping him under observation right now." As soon as the words left my mouth, my lover took off at a sprint. I saw a faint trail of what looked like smoke as he rounded the corner, and frowned before following him.

[Cewa]

I skidded into the doorway of the medical "wing", finding Boltz playing a holopad game. He looked up as I came in, and then frowned as I looked him over, making sure nothing had gone wrong with the Ascension. When I realised he was Ascended perfectly, I felt my shoulders sag with relief.

"You're fine... Thank Luunah you're fine..." I said, half whispering the words.

"You thought I wouldn't be?" Boltz asked. I sighed, and sat on the bed next to him.

"I worried... That you wouldn't be able to handle the Ascension process. Aerrin was... Lucky. She was my First... But you are also the only one she can Ascend." I said, and he blinked.

"Your... First what?" Despite myself, I flashed him a grin, and said,

"Aerrin is the Prime Acolyte of the Enduring Tempest. Just as you are, now, the Sparkborn of the Prime." Boltz's eyes went wide, and then I watched as his composure began to crumble in real time.

"Chit, she won't be able to..." I put a hand on his shoulder, and said,

"Boltz... Jakob... Aerrin is my Prime Acolyte. I can Ascend an unknown number, though the power level drops off rapidly as I Ascend more." Boltz looked up at me, hope filling his eyes.

"I can Ascend her... But it would be a unique case. Because she would be Ascended under a Sparkborn. Such a thing has, to my knowledge, never happened. And most likely she will only get the passive benefits, such as extended life and telepathic communication." Boltz nodded, and said,

"Alright. I'll ask her if she wants to do it, and if she does, then you can Ascend her." I nodded, and squeezed his shoulder as Aerrin rounded the corner. I smiled at her, and nodded.

"Perfection." I said, and she frowned for a moment before smiling.

"Really?" She asked, and I nodded.

"Yes, I can see the Spark pulsing within him. But I must warn you though: Boltz cannot Ascend anyone, and he is also the only one you could Ascend. The choice must now be given to Chit, as to whether or not she wants to become a Sparkborn Acolyte. If she does, then she will be, to my knowledge, the only one Ascended by the Bearer of the Tempest while also being connected to the Sparkborn of their Prime Acolyte."

[A Week Later...] <7th of Raedisk, 5011 TE>

[Boltz]

Chit and I walked into the Hall of the Duality, where Cewa was waiting for us both. I held my lover's hand in my own as we stepped into the Hall of Luunah, and Cewa nodded to us, before addressing Chit.

"Are you ready for this, Chit?" he asked her, and she nodded nervously, her grip on my hand tightening slightly. Cewa nodded, and sat down on top of a faintly glowing symbol. As he did so, it flared up, seeming to emanate a kind of odd smoke. He gestured for us both to sit on two other symbols that were also faintly glowing, and we obliged. Cewa closed his eyes and dipped his head, focusing inwards.