BDS: Chapter Thirty-One

Gyan stirred as a drop of water hit his eyelid. He opened his eyes slowly as more drops joined the first. He pushed the arm that was stretched across his face away as his view slowly sharpened. "Hoshi, why is your arm—?" He jerked his head back away from Jarek's foot, which rested inches away from his face.

"Ow!" Brogan said as the back of Gyan's head hit his chin.

"Sorry, Brogan."

"Get off, Jarek!" said Hoshi as she sat up and pushed Jarek over onto Tarak. "Sorry, Tarak. Just shove him away."

Jarek sat up and pushed Hoshi back over. He hopped up. "That's not," he pressed his knee into the side of her thigh, "very," he flipped her hair in front of her face, "nice."

"Jarek!" Hoshi swept her leg out to kick him. He laughed and dodged to the side.

Thunder cracked loudly overhead and thick sheets of rain began to fall over the group.

"Where are we?" Valora said as the warriors scrambled to their feet.

Gyan looked at the surrounding trees. "No idea."

"There you are!" Kesól's voice carried across the clearing as the wind whipped and swayed through the trees.

"Sleeping on the job, eh?" Sade shouted through the wind as he appeared beside Kesól. "Come on, ship's this way."

"Where are Jalena and the others?" asked Gyan.

"Already on board the Xita," Sade replied. "She, Shamira, Danika, and Lorcan ended up a short distance from you all."

"What happened?" asked Hoshi as the group bolted into the ship.

"Jalena probably did some crazy Jalena-queen-light key-power thing and teleported us all together after we passed out," replied Jarek.

The group filed into the main compartment, each dropping into the nearest available chair.

As the warriors strapped themselves in, Valora watched Sade from across the compartment, where he was speaking with Marcile.

"Handsome isn't he, with those broad shoulders?" Hoshi said, watching Valora closely.

Valora shrugged. "I don't know—never thought about it."

Hoshi smiled. "He's as tall as you."

"Whatever," Valora said as she stood quickly and exited the compartment.

Hoshi laughed and followed her. "This is good, Valora!"

"Hey," said Jarek as he whipped around. "Where's my gladaé?"

"And mine?" Lorcan said as he ran his hand across his uniform and reached behind him.

The compartment door slid open and Jalena walked back through with Valora and Hoshi following. "They've disappeared," she announced.

"All of them?" Gyan said as he searched for his own.

"All of them," Jalena confirmed as she sat down. "After we started to form the Lumfáinne, Ralian had his men ignite a weapon that stopped the formation. Like Malik warned us, it interfered with the vibrational connection between us. I detected the threat just before and opened my Reserve, so it didn't affect me in the same way as everyone else. Then, I used my charisma on Ralian to stop him from using his weapon again. My Reserve guided me through the rest. The light from my gladaé expanded until it attracted the light within all of yours. The swords are what formed the Lumfáinne and helped us teleport."

"Has the Lumfáinne ever transported the warriors this far from the original location before?" asked Sade. "You appeared at the Alsar border."

"Not to my knowledge."

"That's some serious power, Master Jalena," said Lorcan.

Jalena shrugged. "It was the power of the gladaés."

Lorcan looked unconvinced. "Your sword provided the central point though."

Jalena smiled politely but didn't respond.

"You said that all of the gladaés have gone, Jalena?" Gyan asked. "Even for other warriors?"

She nodded. "Even the other masters and elder masters who went to help the Inala and Spear warriors."

"That's strange," said Valora.

"Do we know if they succeeded in driving the Androsan and Nardan armies out of Uthar then?" Kesól asked.

Jalena nodded. "Master Jabari just received word."

"Do you think Drasúl has some type of power to make the gladaés disappear?" Gyan asked Kesól.

"The timing was off. He was still unconscious when the Lumfáinne was initiated." Kesól put a hand to his chin. "However, as you have seen with the sword I carry, weapons of energy have the ability to transform or shift frequency, which is what I think may have happened to your gladaés."

"But, where did they go?" asked Jarek.

Kesól shrugged.

"Well, when mine returns, I'm gonna have a talk with it," Jarek said.

"Me too," Lorcan agreed.

"How is Sir Malik?" Gyan asked.

"Not well," replied Kesól. "His is very weak. I don't foresee him doing any more fighting soon. Maybe never again," he added quietly.

Jalena entered Gyan's mind. I don't think Ralian will attack again for a couple of days, but if we don't have an immediate threat, will you go with me somewhere tonight while the Order plans our next move? That is if you feel stable around me.

You already know my answer. Besides, I think it has stabilized completely now.

Then meet at the bunkers tonight after Council.

Finally, we run away together.

She smiled. Almost.

Anytime I get alone with you is treasured.

Gyan stood staring out the window in his and Tarak's room a short time later, watching the hard rain beat against the glass. After a brief period of rest, Tarak left for Council with Gyan promising him he would follow shortly. As the door slid shut behind Tarak, Gyan allowed his suppressed emotions at hearing Aderes's voice surface. His eyes lit up brightly, casting a glare off the window, as tears dropped down his cheeks.

Anger surged through him, blending with the affection he felt for his friend. Aderes, I don't know if you can hear me, but I will find a way to get you out of Drasúl, and I won't stop until I do. If there is a way to get you in, there must be a way to get you out.

His brow furrowed as his thoughts quickened. "Get you out..." he mumbled. "Wait a minute—as within, so without…flexibility in molecules…extension of power—that's it!" He wiped his eyes, grabbed his formal cloak, and raced out the door.

The elder masters were updating the group on recent events when Gyan burst through the Thesarei doors.

"I know where they are!" he said.

Syam stopped talking as everyone looked at him.

Gyan blushed. "Er, sorry," he said with a quick bow. "I didn't mean to interrupt, but I know what happened to the gladaés." He turned to Kesól. "Thanks to you."

"How so, Master Gyan?" asked Kesól.

"Well, when you were teaching me about frequency flexibility, you reminded me about the gladaé being an extension of a warrior's energy."

"Yes," Kesól said. "Go on."

"Then I saw your sword disappear and reappear when you were fighting Drasúl, and you said that weapons infused with energy have the ability to transform."

"They do."

"The malleability and transference of our energy is even written in our philosophy. As within, so without…as above, so below…" He began to pace. "Everything external possesses a component of internal, so in putting it all together—the evolution in our frequency—like learning how to teleport despite danger must have triggered flexibility for other aspects of our power to develop!" Gyan finished excitedly.

"What does that have to do with our gladaés?" asked Brogan with a raised eyebrow.

"The flexibility in frequency has transformed the sword. It has become a literal extension of a warrior's power!" He held his arm out to his side. His eyes lit up brightly as a mental image of his gladaé surfaced. Gold and violet light spilled from his hand. The light began to twist in the air until it extended to the length of a sword. After several moments, the light of his eyes faded, and the solid form of his gladaé appeared with the hilt in his grasp.

Kesól smiled as he stood. "Well done, Master Gyan."

The entire room erupted in a blend of cheers amid voices expressing relief.

"Due to the expansion that the majority of you have gained and the connection of the collective consciousness, when only a few of you adopt a new ability, the evolution has occurred for the whole team," Kesól said.

Gyan's eyes lit up again, and the gladaé faded back into swirls of gold and violet light.

"Congratulations, Master Gyan. Thank you for deciphering that mystery," Syam said. "And well done to you all. You have pushed knowledge and ability beyond where it was before. Now, we have a new level to teach future warriors.

"Does Fane know you're stealing one of his ships again?" Gyan asked Jalena after Council ended, and the two made their way to the bunkers.

Jalena nodded.

"Well, it will save us from his harassment at least. So, where are we going?" He asked as they flew a Xita-8 out the bunker entrance and through the Ira Aug falls.

"The Three Songs," she replied.

"Getting some nectar for Sir Malik at the cave?"

"Yes. The Inala already know I'm coming. The effects aren't the same if it isn't fresh or I already would've gotten more a long time ago." She sighed. "I don't think it will last long, but I hope it can help extend some of his time left."

Relaxed within the silence of the ship and Jalena's calming presence, Gyan slept as Jalena flew the distance into Eltia.

Gyan gazed in awe at the vortex of the Three Songs as Jalena landed and they exited the ship. The black, green, and violet glow of the three rivers shone brightly as the waters collided together, creating a magical aura of light across the waters. Colorful glowing flecks of water rose into the sky above the vortex.

"Next to the transformation of the Tran Ceiabré under the Aléise a Estel, this is one of Elsaria's most amazing sights," Jalena said as she stared at the water.

"One of the top three," Gyan said as he put his arms around her waist from behind.

She smiled. "What's the third?"

"More like what's the first," he replied as he squeezed her tighter.

She turned to face him. "You're biased," she smiled. "The promise of my affection and physical attention clouds your judgment," she turned back to the river. "Besides, I don't glow."

"Not true," he whispered. "I've seen you glow."

She chuckled and gave him a quick kiss. "Come on," she said as she grabbed his hand. "Maybe drinking a little nectar from the cave will help reduce this bias of yours and clear your mind."

"Not a chance."

"How are we getting in?" Gyan asked as the two made their way down the rocky terrain to the cave entrance. "Malik used magic when Jarek and I came with him last time."

"I had Kesól make me an amulet before I left." She took out a blue stone with an eight-point star engraved on the surface. She jumped down from the cliff that marked the cave entrance and held up the stone before the large boulder. "Ayé sam melán," she said as her eyes lit up.

"What did you say?"

"Open your song."

The rune hovered in front of the two as a high-pitched tone filled the air. Blue light emerged from the stone and outlined the star on the surface of the boulder. The light spread into a wide, transparent ring, revealing the path leading to the underground river. Jalena hurried through the ring and into the cave followed closely by Gyan.

"How do you know about all of this?" Gyan said as he observed the magical atmosphere of the canyon.

"All of what?"

"Star wizard spells—Malik's secrets—"

"At Sir Malik's request, I spent hours training with him when I was a child," Jalena replied as she removed the containers from a bag she carried. "I think he was looking for a warrior to transfer most of the Mysteis knowledge to."

"I think it was because of more than that."

She smiled. "He used to take me to study with the Inala for part of the year. It was there I learned the language of the Glisayas. I used to argue with him about why I couldn't stay with them longer."

"That's why I didn't see you as much when we were children. Aderes used to tease me—always asked who I was looking for."

"It's why Sir Malik is more like a grandfather to me than an instructor." She knelt beside the mineral pool at the side of the river and Gyan moved to kneel beside her. The two filled the containers with the pool's liquid and then took turns drinking the water.

Gyan stood and stretched out his fingers to touch the spheres of light floating through the air as the energetic boost from the water spread through him. "How blessed we are to have seen such places."

"I agree," said Jalena.

He turned to her. "Marry me."

She smiled. "I see that the mineral water has increased your irrationality rather than—"

"No." He smiled. "I've just decided that I'm going to ask you every day until you agree."

Jalena walked to the side of the cave and ran her hand along the jewels embedded within the walls. "When do you think we should? In between attempts to kill the Javen or getting shot with Ralian's frequency death ray?"

"You know what I mean…once everything—"

"Yes, Gyan," she interrupted quietly.

"Huh?"

"Yes."

He hurried to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "What did you say?"

"I said, of course, I will marry you," she said casually with a shrug. "We were always meant to be."

Words failed him as he yanked Jalena to him and kissed her hard.

"Gyan." Jalena laughed as he covered her face in kisses.

He hugged her tightly. "You have just made me the happiest warrior in Elsaria," he whispered.

"One of two," she corrected.

He touched his forehead to hers. "Now, let's go help an old star wizard wake up so we can tell him the news."

***