Born of Fire (The Cloud Warrior Saga Book 8) by D.K. Holmberg Page A
Authors: D.K. Holmberg
Ads: Link
Maelen, and knowing him only since Tan had learned strength and power with fire and the other elementals. Asboel had known him before he even realized that he could shape, and in many ways had guided him through the initial steps with shaping.
Amia watched him as if knowing the direction of his thoughts. It was possible that she sensed the way his mind had turned, focusing on his lost draasin friend. Some times were easier than others, but lately, especially since coming to Par-shon, he found it difficult not to think of Asboel. Tan wished he had hunted with him, even if only one more time.
He sighed, pushing the thoughts away and focusing on saa. The elemental swirled in the fire, almost as if giving Tan the time he needed.
Fire misses the Eldest as well, Maelen.
Tan smiled. He has rejoined the Mother. I should not mourn.
Even the brightest fires burn out.
It was something that Asboel might have said. There had been many forced bonds in these lands, he started.
Once there were.
Do any remain?
Saa swirled and flickered, the flames leaping for a moment. Some bonds remain, but they are older than the one who forced the others.
I don’t understand.
The Bonded One.
The Utu Tonah, Tan said, forming an image of him in his mind.
Saa burned brighter for a moment. The Bonded One. He required much of Fire and did not give in return.
What of these bonds? Tan asked, changing the image to one of the mark on the stone buildings, or the windmill. Were these placed by someone like the Bonded One?
Those were before.
A series of images flashed through his mind. All were for fire and flickered so quickly that he began to lose track. None of the images involved bonded shapers, nothing like the men and women that Tan had faced when confronting the Utu Tonah. What he saw were more like the runes on the leaders of Par-shon that he’d destroyed.
Did these give in return? Tan asked.
These lands are unlike the places you know, Maelen. It is more than giving and taking.
Explain it to me then.
Another series of images flashed through his mind, this time in the shape of rock formations and landmarks and other places, none of which he had a way of understanding. They continued one after another, the effect dizzying, before finally easing and then stopping altogether.
I still don’t understand, Tan said to saa.
These are for protecting.
Protecting what? The people? That had been what he suspected when he touched the earth elemental and found the way that it had surged through him. The earth contained in the mark supported the building, kept it strong. But he didn’t think that was what saa implied.
Not the people. This.
More images came through his mind, so many that Tan lost track.
He didn’t understand, and he sensed from saa that there was no other way to explain to him, which meant that Tan needed to find another way to get answers. Only, he didn’t know where.
5
The Athan Returns
T he shaping that Tan used pulled him on a bolt of lightning, streaking him across the sky soundlessly, moving as fast as thought. Tan was one of the few who could use this shaping to travel. Most of the warrior shapers hadn’t learned to master spirit, not as Tan had, and though they could travel on shapings of earth, wind, fire, and water, they couldn’t add spirit into the mix.
As Tan had learned, the difference was dramatic. When he shaped without spirit, the shaping came on a rush of wind and a torrent of noise racing through his ears. There was more of a sense of movement, and he could track where he traveled, something he couldn’t do when he added spirit, but the shaping was weakened as well. Without spirit, there was none of the same speed.
Amia clung to him, though she had grown accustomed to the shaping. Once, he would have traveled with Asboel, riding along with the draasin, but even while Asboel had been alive, Tan had taken to shaping his travels. Now that Asboel was gone, he had no other choice.
Asgar remained in
Amia watched him as if knowing the direction of his thoughts. It was possible that she sensed the way his mind had turned, focusing on his lost draasin friend. Some times were easier than others, but lately, especially since coming to Par-shon, he found it difficult not to think of Asboel. Tan wished he had hunted with him, even if only one more time.
He sighed, pushing the thoughts away and focusing on saa. The elemental swirled in the fire, almost as if giving Tan the time he needed.
Fire misses the Eldest as well, Maelen.
Tan smiled. He has rejoined the Mother. I should not mourn.
Even the brightest fires burn out.
It was something that Asboel might have said. There had been many forced bonds in these lands, he started.
Once there were.
Do any remain?
Saa swirled and flickered, the flames leaping for a moment. Some bonds remain, but they are older than the one who forced the others.
I don’t understand.
The Bonded One.
The Utu Tonah, Tan said, forming an image of him in his mind.
Saa burned brighter for a moment. The Bonded One. He required much of Fire and did not give in return.
What of these bonds? Tan asked, changing the image to one of the mark on the stone buildings, or the windmill. Were these placed by someone like the Bonded One?
Those were before.
A series of images flashed through his mind. All were for fire and flickered so quickly that he began to lose track. None of the images involved bonded shapers, nothing like the men and women that Tan had faced when confronting the Utu Tonah. What he saw were more like the runes on the leaders of Par-shon that he’d destroyed.
Did these give in return? Tan asked.
These lands are unlike the places you know, Maelen. It is more than giving and taking.
Explain it to me then.
Another series of images flashed through his mind, this time in the shape of rock formations and landmarks and other places, none of which he had a way of understanding. They continued one after another, the effect dizzying, before finally easing and then stopping altogether.
I still don’t understand, Tan said to saa.
These are for protecting.
Protecting what? The people? That had been what he suspected when he touched the earth elemental and found the way that it had surged through him. The earth contained in the mark supported the building, kept it strong. But he didn’t think that was what saa implied.
Not the people. This.
More images came through his mind, so many that Tan lost track.
He didn’t understand, and he sensed from saa that there was no other way to explain to him, which meant that Tan needed to find another way to get answers. Only, he didn’t know where.
5
The Athan Returns
T he shaping that Tan used pulled him on a bolt of lightning, streaking him across the sky soundlessly, moving as fast as thought. Tan was one of the few who could use this shaping to travel. Most of the warrior shapers hadn’t learned to master spirit, not as Tan had, and though they could travel on shapings of earth, wind, fire, and water, they couldn’t add spirit into the mix.
As Tan had learned, the difference was dramatic. When he shaped without spirit, the shaping came on a rush of wind and a torrent of noise racing through his ears. There was more of a sense of movement, and he could track where he traveled, something he couldn’t do when he added spirit, but the shaping was weakened as well. Without spirit, there was none of the same speed.
Amia clung to him, though she had grown accustomed to the shaping. Once, he would have traveled with Asboel, riding along with the draasin, but even while Asboel had been alive, Tan had taken to shaping his travels. Now that Asboel was gone, he had no other choice.
Asgar remained in
Similar Books
