Chapter 9 - Part 1

As the sun had tamed the weather into a docile beast the need for a barrier across grounds was no more. The promise of Spring lay just beyond the corner with just a few more weeks of winter left. Visibly in the sky, the early migratory Ha'fry birds had returned from their journey south, back to their dear homes. It made colorful displays of pearlescent whites and pinks with their flocks of millions.

The days at the Academy were loud and exciting filled with green students practicing arduously in its great vast grounds, now battered with pits and burnt ground all over. Master Uligarth had miraculously become more spritely as if he was 20 years younger. With the students in the yard practicing, his favorite activity, which was yelling at the poor souls, gave the old codger a boost of energy he had desperately needed after the harsh weather.

Haiden, unlike his fellow colleagues, was having a relaxing lunch with Tasgal in the Ash'en canteeen, brainstorming potential ideas and theories surrounding the mysterious reappearance of Regor in his life. Of course, Haiden told Tasgal what had happened the other day when he followed Master Coner and Mara. Which Tasgal was ready to accept as fact, unlike his other friends, Maree and Camila. Which of course were not pleased when Haiden had abandoned them for his Ash'en friend. Although curious about Tasgal's point of view on slaves, he didn't press the Ash'en when Haiden noticed he was dodging the subject.

One of the theories that Tasgal came up with was that the apparition was actually saying 'Feed me" instead of "Free me" all this time; to which Haide had to grant it to him, they did sound similar. But, he refused to believe his old companion would ask that of him even if he was a specter. They could not understand why Regor had forced Haiden to give him his Fios then, but it seemed important he did so at that time. In retrospect, it wasn't the smartest thing to do, though he wasn't sure he could say no.

Another theory, but this time on why Regor was at the Academy was because when he died he got attached to either Haiden or an object Haiden had on him. Haiden thought back at the items he kept, stashed neatly in a drawer; which he kept quiet even from Tasgal. He traced the scar on his palm as he mulled over which object could Regor be haunting. Secretly he was happy he could see his old friend, missing the time they had spent together during their trips; his nights full of regret from accepting his feelings too late to enjoy either rejection or bliss. Alas, the theory couldn't explain Regor's request to be freed, so they moved on to other theories even more ridiculous.

Cerebral as their lunches together were they still had not managed to come to a solid conclusion and plan of action to help Regor. That was up until one fateful night when the air stood still and that untraceable static bounced off Haiden's skin just as he was at his most vulnerable, about to doze off. A flash of images course in rapid succession through his mind and the static vanished just as suddenly. The images portrayed the massive tree in the courtyard, the page from the book, and Regor standing behind the tree the first time Haiden saw him.

The next day he couldn't wait to tell Tasgal what happened, waiting impatiently in Master Omnelia's class he tapped his leg incessantly. Once the hourglass ran out everyone ran outside in a frenzy to practice Minor spells. As Haiden went for the door he got flanked by Maree and Camila with their arms crossed around their chest. They gave Haiden a disapproving look.

"You've been ditching us for that big lump of muscle!" Maree started and Camila immediately palmed her face.

"What's he's trying to say is - "

"You've betrayed us!"

"Creators! Will you shut up!" she yelled fed up at Maree; putting on her nice face she turned to Haiden. "what HE's trying to say, is that we miss you!"

"Speak for yourself." Maree retorted and turned his back to both of them, clearly blushing. They ignored him.

"We haven't had lunch together in a week." Camila pleaded. "We miss having you around talking and laughing!"

Haiden was touched by Camila's words, even by Maree's forced indiference. As much as he tried to be a tough guy, Haiden knew he was a big softie.

"You're right," Haiden admitted. "I've been neglecting my friends. I'm sorry."

"So, does that mean you'll join us?" Camila asked.

"Yeah, but on one condition."

"Name it!"

"I want Tasgal to join us. We've been getting along really well. I'm sure you three will hit it off."

"You...you want us to befriend a muscle tower who only knows how to swing around his sword?" Maree mimed  hauling a massive cock to mock him. "Definitely not!"

"Deal!" Camila beamed.

"Camila!" Haiden's two friends started arguing about bringing an Ash'en to the wielder dining hall but Camila won the argument pointing out that it's worth trying to befriend Tasgal since he could introduce them to other Ash'en for when they get paired together.

The three young wielders went to pick up Tasgal from their usual meeting spot. He didn't like the change of venues but it was an opportunity to see how the wielders get to eat so he didn't complaint too much before agreeing. The silence was deafening, neither Maree and Camila nor Tasgal initiated in conversation. Haiden, sensing the awkward atmosphere, tried to start a subject going but failed miserably as no one was really interested in the sudden burst of nice weather.

Once at the dining hall, Tasgal was taken aback by the opulence the inside of the building displayed. Yes, the outside was heavily decorated and well maintained to the point where the white marble shone, but this was so much more luxurious than the canteen, Tasgal felt quite inadequate.

"Well, since it's your first time here, Tusgral," Maree intentionally botched his name from the smirk on his face, "I'm buying!"

"Stop being such a shit-face!" Camila retorted. "It's free anyways." This managed to get a chuckle from Tasgal. In truth he didn't mind Maree's attitude, and liked Camila's overprotectiveness of her friends, but they were the sons and daughters of the richest elites in the Empire. It made him feel like he shouldn't even be breathing the same air.

Haiden felt responsible for bringing the best food the dining hall had to offer just as Tasgal had done the first lunch they've had together. He disappeared and quickly reemerged with two plates of roasted hamil stew with two sweet buns. Haiden's favorite. He waited expectantly to see if Tasgal liked it, and his face lit up with the delicious taste.

"The food here is amazing," Tasgal admitted. "but it would take three or maybe four portions to satisfy an Ash'en warrior." he smirked.

"Well, refinement and self-control are paramount to a Wielder." Maree said in a snide sort of way.

"Which you thoroughly seem to lack." Retorted Tasgal which aroused a round of laughter even from Maree.

"I think he'll grow on me." Maree admitted.

The lunch was going great, everyone was getting along surprisingly well, but there were two things that dawned on Haiden. This meant that his private lunches with Tasgal were over and he now had to open up about Regor with Maree and Camila. The former was something he couldn't do anything about, but he could at least start being more honest with his friends. Haiden took a deep breath and spun the same story that he told Tasgal, along with the recent developments.

Both Maree and Camila stood frozen. They didn't know how to react. Should they apologize for his loss, should they comfort him for the horrors he had witnessed, or lend their shoulder to cry on.

Camila grabbed Maree's hand under the table to let her speak. Maree gave a slight nod. She had decided neither of those options, but to just accept everything as is and try to help. She gave Haiden a reassuring smile. "Thank you for deciding to tell us. We'll do anything we can to help you free Regor." she said.

"We are? Hol-" Maree interjected but a kick under the table from Camila silenced him.

"We are." She confirmed.

"Thank you, both. We haven't really been able to figure this out just the two of us." He looked at Tasgal, a slight pang of guilt washed over him as he shared with his friends the one thing they had just between the two of them.

"Of course!" Camila started asking questions to get a better idea of the situation. After everything was clear they covered the images Haiden saw in his mind last night. They dissed out outrageous thoughts and theories until finally coming to the conclusion that they should convene at the tree after midnight as Regor clearly wanted Haiden there. The lunch ended after the three Wielders had classes to attend and the Ash'en had training.

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The blue sister reigned the night. The ethereal atmosphere it created gave Haiden chills as he waited just beyond the courtyard. He didn't want to go in alone. Maree and Camila soon joined the lonely Wielder.

"What took you so long." Haiden whispered not wanting to incur the wrath of Master Uligarth.

"Someone had the briliant idea to stop by the library real quick for a midnight read." Maree replied in a hushed voice and Camilla rolled her eyes.

"I got this," she said holding up an old tome. "I came across it while I was researching for my Crystallization Minor spell. It mentions the Sparking Howler, but under another name. Didn't think much of it then, but when you told us earlier about the book on the Hundui people and what they called the Sparkling Howler I remembered the mention of Hana'Ea in this as I flipped through it. Here." she opened the book and placed a light stone between its pages. Haiden noticed the control she gained over the stone. She has been practicing just like everyone in his class. Camila's finger roamed the pages until it found what she was looking for.

"Hana'Ea, regarded as a sacred and most valuable plant in ancient tribes due to it's hallucinogenic seeds." She looked up at Haiden with a skeptic look and continued. "It is said that they grow only in spiritually strong places where death has blessed the land."

"What does that mean?" Maree asked

"It means it only grows where people have died." Haiden answered. He looked around the tall fluid tree in the center of the courtyard. It was surrounded by a lot of those plants. He audibly gulped.

"...the Hundui people have recorded the need of only a single plant to enter trance to traverse the two worlds, that of the dead and living, while modern day men require multiple seeds to feel the hallucinatory effects, however, it borders a deadly dose that if exeeded there is no known cure." All three of them froze and looked at each other. "....deadly dose being roughly over 100 seeds." Camila sighed in relief.

"But Haiden only needed one seed to see Regor. What if he is part Hundui?" Maree asked. This startled Haiden. He wished he knew, but all knowledge of his past ancestors was lost to him.

"I wish I could either deny or confirm this, but I do not know." He told them, feeling uncomfortable. His past has always been something taboo that he rather strongly avoided.

"This could explain your eyes, Haiden." Camila said, at that moment both of them stared Haiden down. Camila holding her light stone up to him.

"Your features are definitely uncommon to the North-East plains of the Empire. You said you're from Ynlan?" Maree asked intrigued and Haiden quietly nodded. He was analyzing him head to toe as it just dawned on them that he does not resemble any of the North-East people of Ynlan that usually have dark eyes, tanned, with tall muscular bodies nor South-East people surrounding Elo'yn with their similarly tanned skin, hair running from blond to ginger and everything in between and blue eyes.

They looked at Haiden's amber eyes, jet black hair, fair complex. He started to fidget and his heart pounded in his chest. Luckily for Haiden, Tasgal cleared his throat making Maree and Camila to jump in surprise.

"Don't sneak up on people like that!" Camile whispered holding her heart steady.

"What were you guys doing?" he asked, confused why the two of them were huddled around Haiden inches from his face.

"Nothing!" Haiden interrupted, he cringed as he said that louder than intended. "You got the book?" Tasgal nodded and got it out of his bag. "Good."

They didn't waste any time and went into the courtyard and sat on one of the stone benches that surrounded the big spectral tree. It's branches twisted and turned gracefully towards the open sky. It's yellow leaves, now a shade of soft pale blue as they basked in Lotri'ea's etheric light.

"Right, so," Camila began. "We know that Regor needs to be freed, or at least helped." Everyone nodded. "Regor first appeared to you at this tree, then when you inhaled the Sparkling Howler's seed." Everyone nodded. "Then he directed you to this book and to this specific page." She held the book that Tasgal just brought and flipped through it till she found the page on Hana'Ea. She read carefully through the page and then once over. Thinking and mulling things over in her mind along with the excerpt of the plant from the book she found and after a few minutes a loud "Aha!" left her lips. She immediately covered her mouth and gave everyone an apologetic look.

"What is it, Cams?" Maree asked.

"Here!" she whispered, pointing to a single phrase in the book on Hundui people. "It says here that the priestess brings the spirit to guide her in life and beyond through the veil. Maybe Regor wants us to free him from the other side into this side."

"But won't he be enslaved to me?" Haiden asked. "That's not being freed, is it?" He said, that too was his first thoughts when he read the book. Tasgal and Maree shrugged and let Camila speak.

"I don't know, but the only thing remotely to being 'freed' from what we have here is the from the other side, through the veil. It's worth a shot." Haiden thought it through and she was making sense, maybe he had ignored the truth in front of him because he didn't want to deal with his dead companion. Or that it made everything real and the part he plaid in his death even more heavy on his consciousness.

"She does have a fair point, Haiden." tasgal finally said.

"Why else would Regor show you the tree, it's already brimming with Sparkingling Howlers." Maree pitched in.

"I don't think it's the Sparkling Howlers he wanted Haiden to notice. Look here." She pointed again at the book. "The priestess needs a highly energetic and spiritual location for this. And from what Master Parvell had told us this tree has been here long before the palace had been built. It might be as ancient as the Hundui people."

"You actually listen to that old nutcase?" Maree said in disgust.

"Of course, I love history!" Said with an incredulous look, as if he didn't know that but Maree loved to be an asshole for asshole sake. Part was what she loved about him and part was what she loathed, especially when it was directed towards her. But she paid his remark no mind.

"Right, so what do we need to do?" Haiden asked determined and focused on the tree.

"Wait, you want to do it now?" Tasgal was shocked at Haiden's brazen attitude. "I think we need to do some more research - there's not a lot of details in that book."

"I know, Tas, believe me, I know. But I owe him this. Creators know how long he's been waiting to break through."

"You don't know how dangerous this can be!" Tasgal raised his voice

"Lower your voice." Maree pitched in, deciding to stay silent on the subject at hand.

"He's right, Haiden. We need to know more." Camilla agreed. She felt for Haiden wanting to help his friend, but they didn't know what would happen, there was barely any details in that book.

"It's all right in there!" Haiden spat as quietly as he could. "Get to a spiritual place, take the seeds, pull the spirit to this part of the veil, bond with it or whatever. Am I missing anything?" He said, dead stare somewhere just beyond the tree.

"Whatev...Haiden, this is a spirit we're talking about. Who knows what dangers are waiting on the other side." Camila tried to argue with him but he wouldn't have it. Besides the eagerness to want to help his friend, Haiden wanted the nightmare to end. The constant paranoia and looking over his shoulder was slowly chipping away at him.

"I..I don't care. We have to do it!" Haiden gulped, his gaze never breaking the single spot he was focused on. Tasgal followed his gaze, and strained to see anything but there was nothing there.

"It's here, isn't it?" he asked. Haiden gave a simple nod.

"Guess we're doing it." Maree shrugged and Camila slapped his arm and he yelped in pain.

"What else does the book say?" Haden asked as he started walking towards the tree. Camilla groaned and started reading again.

"Let me see..." She mumbled a few things until she got where she left off. "Priestess.... spiritually charged..." She took a few more moments and closed the book with a thump. "Alright, it says the priestess takes in the seed of Ea to bridge the worlds. The veil is thin in spiritually charged or traumatized locations. She pierces the veil with the gift of Ea herself - from Master Parvelle we... I " she corrected herself " know that this is what people used to call Fios or Wielding. And then with the stone of joining their fates intertwine for eternity."

"I guess we skip the last step?" Maree added nervously. Tasgal and Camila nodded in agreement.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Haiden?" Tasgal pleaded.

"I have to, Tas." Haiden's voice was calm and sweet. He looked over his shoulder at Tasgal thinking that he wanted to put this whole mess behind him and focus one the living. The Ash'en sighed and finally accepted Haiden's decision.

Tasgal locked his gaze on Haiden's eyes that were full of hurt. Even if everything around them had a ghostly blue tint, his eyes lit of amber fire.

"Alright, here's the plan." Haiden started. "I will inhale more than one seed, last time one wasn't enough to see the veil or whatever, Camila and Maree make a shield around me and the Sparkling Howler, we can't afford having Master Uligarth sending us to our rooms midd way. I'll just reach out with my Fios and bring Regor in."

"Well, when you put it like that it sounds easy." Maree added.

"Be careful, Haiden." Tasgal warned and stood back for Maree and Camila allowing them to raise the barrier. As they did, Haiden raised a hand, he stole a glimpse of the shadow behind the tree. It waited. Regor's features were dark but he could tell something was off. The hair on the back of his head stood in warning, he ignored it. He pushed through, pulling Fios. Static bounced gently on his skin up to his finger tips. He channeled his energy in the plants around him and one by one they bloomed. Pink spiky buds unfurled into beautiful flowers that sang in sorrow with awful screams of pain. The disjointed harmony of the howls of so many blooms was strong enough to give him vertigo, but he forced himself to hold steady.

Haiden placed a hand in one of the pockets in his cape and with the other one guided the seeds that sparked away in a beautiful eerie display in the ghostly light into his mouth as he inhaled deeply.

Haiden heard the muted voices of his friends as the whole world spun on its head once. Instead of the gloom atmosphere of the blue moon the air was infused with a gray haze that was thick and viscous. He caught multiple figures and shapes and forms that moved just out of sight in the haze, behind benches, columns, doors, and corners. Death hung sickenly in the air as the sweet miasma clung to his nostrils. Haiden felt like retching the contents of his stomach, the sensation was fully riding up his throat but never to completion.

It took him a few moments to recollect himself and spot the ever so familiar shape dear to his heart. He took a step, and another, and another and soon it turned into a jog which then turned into a full throttle run. As much as he tried, he didn't move an inch. Regor kept at a distance along with the other shadows in the haze. He called to his friends but no one answered back. He looked around and even their muffled voices ceased just like their pressance, but the feight static of the barrier was there; it gave Haiden a tiny bit of reassurance as only gray haze surrounded him.

He tried to run again, but in every direction he ran he simply stayed put. It soon felt like an itch he can't scratch. Like he was deprived of one of his senses. The more he tried the more futile it seemed. He looked back at Regor's figure. Through the haze Haiden could barely notice his features. They all seemed so oddly proportionate. Haiden strained his eyes and noticed Regor was mouthing something inaudible. He tried to lean over to try to catch anything.

The more he concentrated on hearing, a single word became more and more prominent, from a single muddled whisper to finally a shout that kept saying "Think!"

"Think what, Rego?!" he asked back

"Think. Think. Think. THINK! THINK!" It was becoming so loud Haiden's head was rining, he grabbed his ears collapsing to the ground. He eventually shouted 'Stop!' and so it did.

He slowly got up weary of letting go of his ears. "Think..." he repeated, realising what Regor meant. The same rules and logic from the living world must not apply to this other world. His physical body had no power here. He had to think on his actions and so he thought on coming closer to Regor presance. The world around him didn't move but shifted. Rearranging itself into the right sequence, configuration, so that now Regor stood before him. His flesh was not the tanned bright shade it once had. His dark eyes that sparkled with the promise of a bright future were dull and glazed over. However shocking it was to see his friend in this state, nothing disturbed him more than his slightly out of place features. They nagged at Haiden, his senses flaring urging him to back away. Of course, he ignored them. Haiden thought it might be a result of becoming a specter, or his memory of his probable first love was failing him. Any escuse will do, as long Regor was there with him.

He reached out to touch Regor and instead of the radiating summer warmth he used to feel he was met with empty cold. It made him instantly retreat his hand. The cold hurt. He wanted to hug him tight so badly, but just being near him would suffice. He feared it would send him into a shock of freezing pain.

Haiden could barely wrap his mind around seeing Regor again, and having touched him, even for a second. It was unreal. Taking his time he took the look of Regor in and after a long moment he took a deep breath and pushed all doubt from his mind. He had a purpose, a goal for why he was here. And so, he closed his eyes for a moment and searched for his Fios. It felt distant, like an echo, but it was there nonetheless, and he drew upon it.

The moment he drew on his fios the shadows hiding in the haze flew towards him with vicious screams, but they were met by the barrier. They circled and screamed and tried the barrier with decayed hands and unrelenting hunger. Paying them no mind Haiden focused on Regor that, now, stood silently in front of him, his gaze penetrating into Haiden's whole being, searching for something. Recalling what he needed to do, although vague, he had the action locked in his mind. Haiden used all of his energy he could muster and trust it into the space between him and Regor. The space fluctuated and moved just like pulled fabric, it stretched to the point of breaking. And break it did.

A white pulsating crack appeared that stretched with each throb. The white light coming from it was blinding and Haiden closed his eyes and with a final push he poured all of his Fios into it draining himself as much as he could.

Regor reached through the crack and grabbed Haiden's hand sending through him a sear of freezing pain straight to his soul. It was so sharp it enveloped Haiden's mind, his thoughts stopped registering. Everything went black.