THE KEEPERS RISE

Chapter 10 - Fear's Strike - Part 1

*Remember to click the play button to listen to the soundtrack as you read!*

The first thing Velda felt was a painful cold against her back. It was all-encompassing. She forced her eyes open and found that she was standing upright in an entirely dark room. She paused in confusion. I'm standing? Wasn't I knocked out?

In a flurry, it all came back to her. The meeting with the Tarrephaene Council, the admiral, the Dark ships, Light Councilor Laryssa Rohana, and the kathumis. The kathumis! She had gained the advantage, but he had used strange magic at the end of the fight, which explained why she had passed out.

That did not, however, explain the numbing sensation in her freezing arms and legs. They were against a cold metal wall. Hesitantly, Velda tried to move away from the cold, but found that she couldn't. There were magical barriers around her feet and wrists, preventing even the slightest movement. Velda tried to lean forward to investigate and discovered that her head was held in place in the same way. She wasn't standing, but held up by her hands and feet against the wall, an uncertain distance above the floor, if there even was one.

She shivered, and thought, Cha, what's going on? There was no answer. Chalchiuitl, listen to me! Velda was becoming panicked, and she quickly tried to get to the vaya power that could transform her into a mep and release her from the bonds designed for a human. She couldn't even manage to conjure her magical stream. It just wouldn't come.

She could feel her ring still on her finger, but her Powerstone's magic seemed blocked somehow. Moreover, every part of her body was numb and hard to move. Shifting her icy fingers, she managed to turn the stone close enough to touch it with her thumb. There was a magical layer around the emerald, likely preventing magic and contact with Cha, who was hopefully still inside. By this point, Velda was completely terrified. She had no way to escape from where she was being held, no magic, and no way to communicate with anyone.

And then, she heard someone else breathing. It scared her half to death, but she was hopeful that someone who could help was nearby. "Hello?" she called into the darkness. She couldn't detect a single aura. It made her feel more alone than ever.

Her voice's echo resounded multiple times before she heard Will'ym's voice say skeptically, "Velda, is that you?"

"Will'ym?"

Will'ym spoke again, his voice welcoming in the uncertain situation. Velda was glad she hadn't imagined it. "Ha! You're here too! I thought all seven of you would be elsewhere."

Velda winced at the appearance of another seven. She had a sinking feeling that they hadn't been due to chance. "But where are we, exactly?"

Will'ym's voice grew grave. "I don't know. I've only been awake for an hour or so, and I've been trying to get used to the dark, but there's absolutely no light in here. It's impossible to see."

Velda shivered again, and this time she felt the cold as a pain in her chest. She heard Will'ym shift against the wall, trying to get away from the cold, but they both knew it was to no avail. After more silence, Velda mentioned, "My stone is blocked."

"Really? How?"

"I don't know. There's some magic around the stone like on my wrists and ankles."

"I've noticed that my magic is gone. My stone must be blocked too."

Velda pondered this for a while. "But you'd need very strong magic to block a Powerstone. That kathumis didn't seem to be as strong as me. I got through his shield easily."

"But he had enough strength to make us all black out. He must have taken his shield down intentionally to use that magic instead. He knew what he was doing. After all, your attack basically disappeared when it hit him."

Velda knew when she was wrong. "That's true." The room was eerily quiet. Not even the hum of a starship's engine could be heard. "There's nobody else in here?" Velda asked dejectedly.

"I only heard your breathing. I think it's just us." More silence from Will'ym. Then, "On the plus side, you don't have to lay down to fall asleep here."

Velda laughed a little. "I guess you're right. I hope we won't be stuck here for that long, though." She shivered again. "We might freeze to death."

"Unlikely, but I agree."

Velda stared into the darkness. It was pure black, with no hint of windows in the room or light of any kind. It all looked hopeless. "I miss talking to Kov," Will'ym said with a sigh.

"I can tell that Kovas is much more interesting than I expected at first."

"Kov is harsh sometimes, sure, but it's also there when I need someone to talk to. I don't make many friends my age."

This made Velda curious, and the conversation was helping her forget about being cold. "What was life like for you before you met Kovas?"

"Not much different. I was given tutors early on so I could learn at my own pace. Kov was like having another tutor in a new subject, and it could talk for hours about all sorts of things." Will'ym's nostalgia took over, and Velda didn't interrupt. "Kov taught me how to make swords, and we worked out enchantments for them together, along with Konte Lin. Councilor Sekoto also showed me designs of her swords that I could base my own off of. She's a brilliant swordsmith."

"You mean your mom?"

Will'ym hesitated before responding, "Right."

"What about your dad?"

Will'ym was quiet. He didn't want to lie to her. Velda heard him shift uncomfortably against the wall. "It's a sensitive topic," he said.

"I know how you feel," Velda solaced. "I lost both my parents before I ever knew them." She waited for a response, but when none came, she continued, "You still have your mom, so you're better off than me, at least."

"No. I'm not."

"How so?" Velda suddenly had an idea of what Will'ym was hiding, but she wasn't willing to jump to conclusions.

"I never knew my parents."

That was the confirmation Velda needed. "Do you know who they were?"

"No. I haven't been told, and I don't think I ever will be. I was given an old picture of them once, but I didn't recognize them."

"Why keep this a secret, though? I was open to everyone about not being royal right away."

"Of course, because you weren't adopted as a baby. Nobody knew when I was adopted that Councilor Sekoto hadn't simply been hiding me and the father." He shifted again. "She told me only a few years ago, then offered to continue keeping it a secret, because I wouldn't be allowed to be a Councilor if it was discovered I didn't have a hint of noble blood."

The Tarrephaene Empire's government confused Velda. On Myusaria, the MepQueen could be deposed under extreme circumstances by the Council and a popular vote, and replaced with anyone they deemed fit. The same was true for each of the Councilors themselves. Then again, Velda realized, there were a lot more tarrephaene than meps. Choosing among everyone in their Empire would be a tough process. "How many noble families are there?"

"Hundreds of millions, but that's a minuscule number compared to the entire tarrephaene population." Will'ym sighed, glad to speak his worries. "I'm such a bad excuse for an heir to the Council. Some Council members could refuse to accept me if they found this out, just because I'm not actually Liarey's son."