Chapter 6 – Father of Lies

What Losinia had experienced could not be real. One moment she was stepping through the black hole that the man claimed was safe. The next moment the scenery changed, as if the original scene was only a curtain that had just been lifted. What’s this place. Oh no, it has to be a trickery! She tightened her grip on Harks.

—

Thoron Yedis was preparing for his research. He had two months of peace each year after the Test to continue his work. This practice had been interrupted since Harks’ arrival, but now that Harks was being summoned to the King, Thoron saw no reason not to pick it up again.

The weather was hot and humid, but it never bothered Thoron. The Library was coated with an ancient Weave that kept it cool and dry year round. The Academy was quiet around this time. Most students had gone back home to spend their quality time with their families.

If there was no proof that Thoron could not Weave, perhaps his inability to sense the shift in the Threads spoke for him. Which was why he did not notice when Harks and Losinia came through the Portal.

“Where are we?” Thoron heard a woman’s voice ask. He looked around searching for people but there was a big shelf between him and the couple.

“This is the Library,” Harks replied.

Even though the echo muffled the speaker’s voice in the Library, Thoron knew who had just spoken. “Harks? Is that you?”

“Thoron,” Harks started. He did not continue, however, as he felt Losinia’s grip tightening on him.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you,” Losinia said.

“Wait, lady, Thoron’s a friend.”

“Of whom?”

Thoron heard the whole conversation and was worried. He hurried himself to where Harks was. “What’s going on, lad?” he asked. In his mind, however, he had an idea of what was happening. The woman must have been a servant of the Crown. Harks was forced to reveal the secret tomes of Battle-Weaving.

“Please, lady, let me explain.” To Harks’ credit, he was not frightened at all. His tone was more of annoyance then desperation.

By the time Harks finished his story from his arrival to Castle Wevis, they were more confused then ever. Losinia was still convinced that they were an illusion created by the Father of Lies. Harks still claimed that he had created a Live Picture the likes of the lost Weave-Crafters. Thoron’s reaction was perhaps the most unexpected.

“Harks, there are no two worlds!” Thoron shouted at him. “Avonova is the one and only world there is. Let me tell you what I’ve been doing for the past thirty years, lad. I’ve been trying to prove that there is only one world.”

“Old thing,” Losinia said, “we’re trying to find answers. Keep your opinions to yourself. If you want to say anything, speak facts. Anyway, I can find out if you’re illusions…”

“Illusion my behind,” Thoron rebutted. “Take any book from the library and read. Illusions can’t be this detailed. And Harks,” – he turned his head to the sad Weaver – “if this loud mouthed excuse for a woman is from another world, how come she speaks the same language and swears as well?”

Harks was not happy with the way things were going. He was particularly disappointed in Losinia’s behavior. The woman in his dreams was gentle and soft. Losinia was tough even for a man. If only I had given in to Bola…. The very thought, however, gave him chills.

“No real man can swear like you, worn cloth, so you must be an illusion.”

“’Worn cloth’? Oh boy, I must be talking to a dolt. Well, woman with a sword, I should have guessed.”

“No expressions that exist can really describe you, embodiment of body odor. So I improvise.”

Thoron ignored her last comment. “Harks, on second thought, I agree with you. She’s not from here. She’s the mistress of hell.”

Harks had enough of this nonsense. “Stop, both of you! Thoron, Losinia was just brought to a strange place. It’s only normal that she’s distressed. Losinia, lady, Thoron is an old man and his heart might not be able to handle much banter. Please don’t be so graphic with him. You said there’s a way for you to prove that we’re not an illusion. Do it.”

“You asked for it.” Losinia raised her sword and prepared to strike.

“What’re you trying to do?” Thoron raised his hand between Harks and Losinia.

“If he’s an illusion, no blood will be spilled when I cut him.”

“Hold it right there, dimwit. I’ve never been able to kiss an illusion. Why don’t we try that instead? It’s less fatal if you’re wrong.”

And that started a whole new chapter in argument.

They were too busy to notice Harks walking out of their fight. Harks’ head was painful, and so was his heart. What’s happening to me? His headache grew worse and he could not think rationally. Stop it, please, stop the argument. Then a chilling realization came to him. I’ve lost everything, my best friend, my dream lover, and since I can’t go back to Wevis, there’s no chance for me to revive Weave-Crafting! He was convinced that the Live Picture he claimed he had created had to do with the Kai Well somewhere in the vicinity of Castle Wevis. I’ve lost everything, so there’s nothing else for me to lose. I’m sorry, Thoron. You’ve lived without me for so many years I’m sure you can live through this. Harks went to Losinia’s back, held out his hand to the sword she had unconsciously left on the table, picked it up and with a swift movement, slashed at his own neck.

Years of training paid off as Losinia span around out of reflex and caught his lower arms before it was too late. She was, however, still not fast enough as a line of blood began to form on Harks’ neck.

Thoron shoved Losinia to the side and held Harks in his arms. “You stupid fool! I can’t believe you fall for that woman.” Thoron breathed deeply and hard. “You just told her I have a weak heart. Don’t you think what you did was any less than what she said?”

“I’m all right, Thoron. It hurts, that’s all.” Harks winced.

“Satisfied, witch?” Thoron questioned Losinia.

Losinia did not know how to react. She had never seen anyone so foolish before. For a moment, she regretted telling them what the test was. She was so determined to slash Harks herself. Yet when he tried to kill himself she stopped him instead. Why? I must be getting weaker in the mind. Help me Mentor. I can’t go on without you. Where are you?

“There’s blood, he’s real.” Losinia said in a cool tone. She must not let the strangers know she was losing control. She tossed a handkerchief to Harks. “It’s only a minor cut. Wipe it off.”

Harks grabbed the handkerchief and put it in a pocket. “Thanks, I’ll be all right in a moment.” He put his hands close to the wound and started Weaving. Bright thin Threads joined his wound with his fingers and a moment later the wound disappeared. Harks used his sleeves to clean up the blood.

Losinia was at first amazed to see the wound disappear in front of her. The amazement turned into anger, however, when she thought what had really happened. He tricked me! He knew all along he was going to be fine! How dare he play with my emotions! She had finally decided not to make an issue out of it. She would not let them know that they had succeeded in any way to waver her emotions. You want to surprise or impress me? I won’t show it.

The wound was gone, but the pain was still there. Harks did not know if it from the wound or the heart. How could everything just turn upside down in one day? The King has decided to marry me. I’ve created what must be a Live Picture but I nearly freed a monster. And then the woman in my dreams is nothing like in the dreams. I’ve lost everything!

 

“Lad, are you all right?” Thoron asked when he realized that Harks was staring in the air.

“I…I can survive,” Harks replied. “Now that I have your attention, can we do something more constructive?”

Ironically, the dying was perhaps the best thing that had happened on that day. The first thing they did after Harks healed himself was to try to determine if Losinia was from anywhere in Avonova. Thoron found a map of Avonova and showed it to her.

“What’s this?” Losinia asked.

“A map, woman.” Both Thoron and Losinia had toned down a bit. In truth, Thoron was never bothered by her comments. He found their arguments quite amusing, in fact. “A drawing of the world.”

“Quite a clever idea, but I have never seen one before.”

Thoron grew impatient. What’s the point in all this? Who cares where she’s from? “Forget it, woman. There’s no way we can find out where you’re from. Why don’t you just give up and stay here?”

“I can’t. I must stop the Father of Lies. The people depends on me.”

“Lady,” Harks said, “who’s the Father of Lies? Um…why don’t you tell us about your place and what you’re doing?”

“All right, I’ll start from the beginning, even though there are things you already know.

“I came from a small township called Locklia. We call our world Kel. I’m an orphan and was brought up by my Mentor Kolin of Jon. Our township has been under the tyranny of the Father of Lies for over a hundred years. It is said that the Father of Lies appeared out of nowhere about five hundred years ago. At first he was a blessing to us. He taught us things we did not know before, like speaking and writing. We called him another name then, but it has been forgotten. About a hundred years ago, the Father of Lies changed suddenly. He began to enslave our people to build the Everlasting Castle, kidnapped our children to become soldiers. Many townships became easy targets for nomads then. Since I’m a woman I’m spared from being sent to the Castle.”

“What about your Mentor?” Thoron interrupted.

“He’s a skilled fighter himself. He’s also good at hiding. The Father of Lies’ troops was never able to catch him. They didn’t even know if he actually existed!

“Anyway, since I’m a woman, my Mentor was not afraid to lose me and so he taught me the art of the fighting. In return, I became his eyes and ears. When I was old enough, we had decided it was time to get rid of the Father of Lies once and for all. We were able to penetrate the Castle and met him face to face. While we were fighting, the Father of Lies threw me aside with his evil force. That’s when I arrived here. You all know the rest.”

“Thoron, you know history more then I do. Have you heard of anything similar?” Harks asked.

“No, but…”

“Wait,” Harks said suddenly. “A portal is about to appear here. We must hide.”

“There is no place to hide here, Harks,” Thoron said. I still don’t trust the woman enough to share the knowledge of the secret room. “Go to Jurostic and look for Professor Eivan in the University. If she’s from another world, he’ll be able to help.”