The De'Nauguath Chronicles - Book 1: The Summoner's Daughter

Chapter 16: Thought

Brätha, Gorvia

Haiduk looked out at the stars. He scowled. Starlight made his skin burn.

"Reàhs might favor you a little more if you don't make such ugly faces at him."

Haiduk turned around for an instant. "Father," he nodded.

Nearing footfall returned the greeting. Too many shadows drenched the room at night to see his father's face. "You will always be at odds with the Elements. You may get the upper hand from time to time, but they will always oppose you, and you them. Never forget that."

"You always said that I had some of every element inside me. I shouldn't be so daunted in their presence."

"Some things are impossible. Some are only ill-advised. You don't change an arrow's direction mid-flight without a consequence."

"That doesn't stop my skin from blistering."

"Your strength is still coming, just as I planned it would. The timing is just as it should be. I saw the world when it was made. I know what magic it takes to do what we seek to do."

He swallowed and stared out at the sky again. He forgot his father's presence in the shadows.

"Listen to me well. I did not snatch you from nothingness without a reason. You would still be trapped if not for me. Imagine what you might have been if you'd had a different father," he sneered. "The only way to achieve the path we are on was through you. Being on a long journey isn't the same as being frozen in place." He turned to leave.

"I don't like it," Haiduk blurted.

"You regret something?" He sneered, disappointed and annoyed. "Don't worry, boy. Your conscience is clear. It will always be clear if you focus on sincere efforts."

"There are other ways."

His father's eyes were sharp. He rushed at Haiduk. The hand that he put on his son's shoulder squeezed so hard that it shook. Yet he swallowed hard and took a careful breath. "Watch your words, my son." His voice was calm.

Haiduk stared.

"Always watch your words. Those are the beginning and the end. They're weight and weightlessness. They enslave or embolden. They can be holy or heinous. You underestimate my skills and undermine my plans if you say things like that."

"I've seen sick dogs who met more peaceful ends. I've seen mad wolves treat each other with more respect."

"And what do you care about it? Who told you to care about mongrels and traitors?" Spittle flew out on the last word. "Shouldn't they pay?"

Haiduk tried to ignore the perforating fingers. A freezing feeling was passing from one figure to the other, and Haiduk soon had trouble breathing normally. He was careful to keep his blinking steady. Something tugged on him to speak again – but whether it was his own mind or his father's trickery was unclear. "I only mean that you chose a less efficient path. It would be hard for you to draw it out any more than you already have. It would be hard to make an impression greater than what you already forged."

His father scoffed. "That's vengeance, lad. Don't you want vengeance for being born a weakling?"

"I'm not so weak anymore."

"It would be poor justice to see it done in an instant." He snapped his fingers. A small flame issued from them. "Shoot a spark too quickly and no one will notice that it was ever there." They both watched the flames for a moment. "If they had enough strength to defy me in the war, they have strength to see the price of rebellion." He folded his hand up. The fire ceased with a dull hiss. "How they accept that is their own business."

"It was your war." The two spent a long moment recovering themselves. Haiduk stared. Disobedience meant far more than shame. Brash bravery would look suspicious. "When will the next one be ready?"

"Imminently. Each new attempt tells me more about the process. This one will call for a longer rest. You will need to oversee some things while I restore myself." He made for the door.

"Will there be enough time?"

"Is that a quaver I hear in your voice?"

"You always made it sound so precise, but there have been so many mistakes already."

His father smiled, a benign gesture devoid of benign intent. "Time never passes in the same way to everyone when one side is oblivious. We have all the time we need."