Chapter 80 - The War Within

“Are you sure, sweetheart?” Adrienne asked apprehensively from the doorway to his room.

Skyle tried his best to smile reassuringly, but could feel how painfully hollow the gesture was. Instead, he settled for showing her the edge of razor sharp focus he felt his soul gliding along at this moment.

“I am. Don’t worry, your son has taken a beating but he just needs a moment to stand back up.”

Adrienne’s eyes were filled with the sorrow and pride of watching her child slowly growing beyond the confines of her protection. Skyle could tell she was afraid of what he would find, but could offer no reassurances. He himself did not know what the long road ahead entailed. He only knew that within his chest burned a fierce determination to face whatever may come.

This resolute strength of will seemed enough to just barely satisfy Adrienne, as she nodded slowly before flashing a tremulous smile.

"Little Sky, just remember something. Losing someone precious is one of the hardest trials you will face. Spill your tears and sorrow, be angry at fate and destiny, cherish her memories and honor them - but don't let it change you for the worse. Don't let the darkness win out. Ria loved you for who you are now, and so does your family. Grieve for her and remember her, but sometimes, just sometimes it is ok to laugh when you want to cry and love when you want to hate. Remember we will be here for you, alright?"

Then, she closed the door and Skyle was alone.

"You're right ma. I can't let this darkness consume me. I won't let it. But you're wrong about one thing. Ria is still with me, waiting - and I will find her again."

Skyle knew good advice when he heard it, and he had to remind himself that no matter how hollow and useless it felt, he should at least try to follow his old habits until he could get his bearings straight.

"Laugh when I want to cry and love when I want to hate?"

Easier said than done, but at the very least, it would be a good start.

Skyle breathed deeply as he turned to a retrospective look at his life, starting with his room. It was full of the marks of his earlier years, filled with the sweet innocence of a naive child and the exuberant dreams of a youth. His Infinite Eye could easily pick up each fold and crack upon the weathered cover of his copy of “The Elemental Master: Awaken the Power Within.” He had spent long nights studying its pages, hoping to draw some inspiration to awaken his powers. Every failure had only inspired him to strive harder, and his indomitable spirit had never given up.

Now that he had finally found the reason for his ailment, it only added more strength to his determination, not less. In fact, his will could not be compared to before. His drive to absolutely succeed and his stubborn refusal to fail were now driven by a completely different beast altogether.

Whereas before he had only youthful dreams of magical powers and his own need to reach for excellence to blame for his stubborn refusal to quit, now he had discarded such foolish notions and fully embraced a true purpose: to protect his loved ones, and to find Ria once again.

This past week had been a rude awakening for Skyle. Only now had he come to learn of his past, and how close his whole world had been from the brink of desolation. Only his parents’ strength and Ria’s sacrifice had made it possible for Skyle to enjoy the life he now had.

Strength tempered by love, Skyle decided, was the ultimate ideal he would strive for in his life. As of now, he was sorely lacking in both. Finally, Skyle could understand why his father had subjected him to such arduous training. If anything, it had not been nearly enough.

That would have to change, starting now.

His mother’s loving care and example were also part of what had honed his own spirit, guided by principles which were rooted upon the values of family and home. In retrospect, Skyle could see how carefully his parents had guided his growth, so that Skyle would become a man of not only strength, but also heart and spirit.

These values were the bedrock foundation that would guide him when the dark taint within his blood began its insidious campaign against him.

“No,” he corrected himself. “The siege has already begun.”

He could only shiver as he recalled the sea of darkness that had engulfed him twice already within the past day. It had seemed so easy to allow the tide to take him, and draw all his worries and fears away. When he was floating within that mass of bleak shadows, he felt himself invincible, all-knowing, disdaining the feeble mortal concerns which had previously only served to shackle his potential.

The worst part of it was that Skyle could find no rational argument against any of the shadow’s whispers. It made tall boasts and claims, yet they were one and all deeply substantiated by fact and logic. If anything, the more ephemeral concepts of honor, sacrifice and love seemed like thin veils which lesser men would use to deceive themselves and others into masquerading their weakness as strength.

Absolute strength, after all, needs no moral justifications, no higher code of conduct. Strength is a purpose and a reason all on its own. It demands nothing from others, for it simply takes what it wants. Strength lacks nothing but an all-consuming worship upon the altar of its pursuit.

Even now, Skyle could hear the siren whispers of his darker self. How to argue against such cold reason which disdained the most basic foundations of the world Skyle had been raised to uphold?

The answers eluded Skyle. In truth, he was confused. He lacked answers he desperately needed, for he was still young and easily lost. There was no fear, however, even within the deepest shadows encroaching upon his soul. For within his heart, the fierce fire of Ria’s memory burned with an amber light. It dispelled the pitch black darkness, and cast upon the shores of memory a warm, comforting glow.

This was his bulwark, Skyle knew. It was his refuge against the storm. He would draw comfort and nourishment from the light of Ria’s memory, as well as the love of his family. They would guide the way for him, and eventually, he would learn the answers he needed to vanquish the darkness.

On that day, he would reclaim Ria’s memory, and be reunited with his love.

Though not yet thirteen, Skyle had vague recollections of the centuries that had passed within Sanctuary. As foretold, the sandy shores of memory lay awash in the bleak waters of time. Skyle could only stare at the scars imprinted upon his heart by his own resolute will to not forget. He would remember, and he would not let go - neither of his beloved Ria, nor the boy she had so foolishly, recklessly loved.

Though not yet thirteen, and besieged by dark circumstance and evil fate, Skyle knew he was truly fortunate. Most men wander through their entire lives without finding that special person who completes them. The one who unlocks from their innermost vaults their full potential, and engenders a deep desire to make it bloom. A luminous presence who simply by their mere existence justifies all the illogical, nonsensical acts which true love demands.

This was to be his answer, for he had found her. He had known her to be his other half from the first moment he knew her. Even at his most tender age, he had known he would walk hand in hand with her until oblivion or eternity embraced them. It would not matter which, so long as they were together.

Skyle’s eyes moved to the bow hanging from the wall. It was his prized Asarian bow, into which he had poured all his frustration and talent. It had soaked in the many bitter tears Skyle had shed during his darkest days, when only the sound of the arrow striking its target dead center had provided solace from his self-hate.

Skyle looked down now, finding the silver disk still clutched tightly in his hand. He whispered in his mind a wordless request, and the magic of Sanctuary answered his call. It was an instinctive action, fueled by vague memories that even now dispersed into thin air.

The silver disk gave off a brief glow. It was echoed within his mind, where he saw the silhouette of a familiar black bow and a tattered book. Skyle did not wonder at this, for he understood exactly what was happening. Instead, he extended his other hand forward and willed Moonshadow forth.

One moment, his hand lay expectant. The next, the silky smooth finish of the deadly masterwork bow lay cradled comfortably within his grasp. His fingers stroked the ebony finish, noting that even the impacts of Leena’s windblades had failed to leave even a single notch upon its surface.

As his fingers lingered over some of the obscure glyphs carved upon its exterior, they seemed to respond to his touch in a way they had not before. Instinctively activating his True Sight, Skyle could see tendrils of dark essence coiling within each glyph. They stretched toward his fingers, where they found a similar layer of shadows waiting. The instant they met, they began to intertwine, melding together like the branches of a vine.

A barely perceptible tremor ran through Moonshadow then. The dark essence weaved through many more glyphs which suddenly surfaced upon previously blank portions of pitch black metal. Skyle could feel a resonance within the weapon in his hand, as though it were experiencing an awakening not unlike his own. However, at this moment the dark essence from his body seemed to run dry, and the glyphs once again sank beneath the surface of the bow.

Skyle tried to study the glyphs more closely, but the few that were still visible had once again gone inert. It was only after a moment that he realized that most of the runes had not disappeared, and instead moved to another part of the bow. These new additions now blazed with incandescent light.

Whereas before Moonshadow had been a rather straight-forward bow with winged tips, there were now two additional blades flaring out from its limbs. They protruded nearly four full inches beyond the main body of the bow, framing its center. They resembled the feathers of a bird, bearing line after line of intricately carved runes. Skyle could tell the edges of each feather were razor sharp, and imbued with a powerful aura. He felt in his guts that Moonshadow had just become an even more dangerous weapon, both to himself and his foes.

As Skyle studied the glowing runes more closely with his True Sight, a mysterious voice began reading words in a language he could not recognize. Strangely, he could still understand their meaning. It was then that he finally understood the purpose of Moonshadow's new feathers. They would power a new form of attack that was perfectly suited to him.

Skyle's fingers trembled with excitement as he gazed down at Moonshadow in deep reverence. He lowered his head in a silent salute to the master who had crafted such an exquisite masterwork weapon.

Even the string seemed to have undergone some changes in order to enable Moonshadow's new abilities. Skyle put the silver disk away and raised Moonshadow, drawing upon the bowstring with all his strength. He could barely draw it halfway, whereas before he had been able to draw it at least to two thirds of the way.

“It is evolving. Perhaps it draws upon this dark essence to either drive or recognize its growth?”

From what Skyle was able to gather now, Fierro Latimus had been one of the most powerful men upon Lyria, and Moonshadow had been his legacy. It did not surprise him that the weapon could strengthen itself. What did puzzle him was its reaction to the dark essence. What was this mysterious new energy, and why would Moonshadow react to it?

In the end, Skyle had to brush aside this question. He needed power desperately, after all.

"Ash, I will not fail you. I will reclaim your honor before the streak."

Brushing his hand along the smooth curve of Moonshadow, Skyle nodded in grim satisfaction. This new ability was a heaven-sent gift to Skyle, for he would soon have need of it.

Shaking his head, Skyle willed it, and Moonshadow obediently returned to the silver disk.

Skyle did not fully understand how the mysterious silver device worked, but he knew it could serve as a storage device. Furthermore, Ria had attuned to his energy such that no other person would be able to detect anything special about it, just as Skyle had been unable to activate it when he had first encountered it. Even under his True Sight it lay inert and plain as any normal metal disk.

Next, Skyle took out the journal. Fierro’s diary was in the same state of disrepair, its pages tattered and many blotches of blood obscuring its words. However, under the True Sight such blemishes quickly faded away, and pristine pages of golden text jumped into stark relief.

Only now did Skyle begin to understand that the words in his diary, all the treatises on war and weapon schematics, they were a mere front. They were a decoy set in place in order to hide the true treasure hidden within: the Desolate Star Technique.

Skyle had to wonder just what his gift of True Sight was. He wished Fierro had explained it, as he obviously was also gifted in it. For now, Skyle could only hungrily read the next pages of the Desolate Star Technique. After all, while explanations would be nice, what he needed most desperately at the moment was strength.

Upon examining the golden text, Skyle came to realize that he had already reached the peak of the third level of the Infinite Eye.

The first level, “Gaze far as though near,” allowed him to see at incredible ranges as though he were right next to the object in question. It had also granted him vision in the dark.

The second level, “Gaze near as though far,” had two effects. The first allowed him to spread out his True Sight into a more narrow or wide angle as required, allowing him to extend its range or spread its effect as needed. The second effect was to widen the angle of his own vision, allowing him an almost out-of-body experience where even things in his peripheral vision could be inspected with ease.

The third level, “Gaze without as though within,” further reinforced the second level by creating a sphere of vision which spread in a 360 degree angle all around him. It went beyond mere sight, however, and became more akin to a preternatural awareness of everything in his proximity. It almost felt as though the realms outside his eyes were as easy to sense as his own body. This level also unlocked the Farsight, which was able to predict the movement of objects around him based on the supernatural awareness of each and every detail within the ability’s range. It came at a great cost to his mental reserves, but the ability was incredibly powerful when used wisely.

The fourth level was “Gaze within as though without.” At this level, Skyle would be able to extend his Infinite Eye within his own body. He would gain full awareness of each blood vessel, muscle and bone within. This level would allow Skyle unprecedented awareness over each part of his body, and unlock the requisites for developing the other four movements of the first layer of the Desolate Star Technique.

Skyle had to pause at this. During the brief moments when he had allowed himself to be lost in the power of his bloodline, Skyle had possessed a similar sensation. Though it had not been sight per se, back at the alley Skyle had been startled by the ease with which he could control his body when he fought against Ramsey. Later on at the Hall of Combat, this feeling had only grown as he had been sharply aware of each muscle and bone of his body when going through the sword moves his father had taught him.

This natural evolution of the Desolate Star Technique startled him, and he began to wonder if just as Moonshadow had seemed to resonate with his power, so was this technique tailored to members of his bloodline. Had Fierro been a member of his family clan?

It would certainly explain many things, such as the reason why Fierro had been so willing to sacrifice his own life for Skyle. It also explained how easily he had been able to master Moonshadow and the Desolate Star Technique.

The fourth level of the Infinite Eye was the gateway which unlocked access to the remaining four movements of the first layer of the Desolate Star Technique. While the first movement dealt with the sense of sight, the other movements would enhance his senses of hearing, taste, smell and touch. If only the first movement was this powerful, Skyle could only imagine how his power would multiply when he mastered the other movements.

First things first though. Skyle threw all other thoughts aside as he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. The meditation technique quickly sank his consciousness within that empty space where he had first mastered the Infinite Eye.

Just as his abilities had evolved, so to had the space within his consciousness changed. Where before it had been a vast void where only a few flickering lights floated in the air, Skyle was now afforded a much wider view of a vast array of lights, each spinning in their own orderly orbits. It slowly dawned upon him that these were not unlike stars, shimmering brightly as they soared through the vast void at incredible speeds.

Skyle must now seek out the core of this entire space and merge it with his own consciousness. Lost within this shimmering sea of stars, however, Skyle had no idea which light he was supposed to pursue.

It was then that a throbbing sound, much like a heartbeat, could just barely be heard echoing through the void. Skyle shut out the lights around him, and spread his awareness far out into the darkness beyond. Still, the source of the sound eluded him, until he realized it came from within his own body.

Realization struck him, and he entered the third level of the Infinite Eye. Armed with this new third-person perspective outside of his own body, he saw an incandescent orb of light which he instinctively knew represented himself.

Skyle immediately sought to use his consciousness to dive within this light, but the exercise proved futile. There was resistance as he attempted to do this, a force which instinctively pushed back against his will. Pain laced his mind as he crashed repeatedly against this incorporeal barrier, but the light only expanded briefly before concentrating upon his point of attack and easily repelled him every time.

His sight began to grow hazy as his strength rapidly left him, his assault growing more feeble every time. Coincidentally, he noticed that the weaker his attack, the more yielding and feeble the force that resisted him became. It was only then that Skyle realized that it made sense. It was akin to striking a fist against himself, and using his strength against himself was a losing proposition.

Instead, Skyle opened up his Infinite Eye as wide as he could, seeking to take in the light that represented him within this realm. The light flickered brightly, nearly blinding at first. Skyle quickly activated each level of his Infinite Eye, going through each layer and finally arriving at the Farsight. As he activated this ability, he saw multiple shadows before him, each showing the light and its various reactions to his probing moves.

With deliberate care, Skyle slowly approached the light, taking care to always shift his perspective in the avenue of least resistance. Slowly at first, but with growing fluidity, Skyle was able to navigate past a dizzyingly complex maze of energies, until finally, Skyle found himself in the center of a vast network of light. Lines spread out from within this nexus in thousands of different branching directions, each pulsing with energy.

Skyle reached out toward this core of light with his consciousness. Immediately, he felt himself merging with this light, feeling as though he was being spread out and reaching far into each of the different branches extending outside.

Awareness was born then, of a vision unlike any he had known before. Knowing he had finally succeeded, Skyle exited the trance and opened his eyes. He looked down at his hand in wonder, as two different views were spread out before his eyes. One was his physical sight, which showed him a detailed view of the skin on his hands, down to each individual hair and crack upon its surface.

His other sight was that of the flesh beneath his skin. He did not even need to close his eyes for this, as this was somehow separate from the vision his eyes afforded him. He could see within his mind each drop of blood as it was sucked out of his bone marrow. Fascinated, he followed one particular drop as it coursed through his veins until it reached his lungs, then passed through his heart. He saw the energy through which it nourished each muscle it passed through, how it delivered the nutrients needed to repair the small tears left by the strained muscles in his left arm.

The process was repeated thousands of times all over his body. It was a wondrous microcosm, a whole sea of stars that flowed with life and energy, repairing and nourishing his body in hundreds of different ways with every passing second.

The sheer wonder of it left Skyle speechless, and his heart throbbed with deep emotion. Part of it was gratitude, for he had never acknowledged all his body had done for him thus far. He had always blamed his own body for holding him back, but now he could see how hard it was working, day and night, without a complaint for his mistreatment and disdain.

Part of it was pure amazement at the intricacy of it all. The systems in place within his small body were far too complex and elaborate to describe, even now that he could see it all under his eye. If anything, the transparency of every process under the fourth layer of the Infinite Eye threatened to overwhelm him with so much sensory information, that Skyle staggered at the scale of it all.

As he watched minute tears in his muscles being feverishly repaired by countless tiny drops life essence, Skyle couldn’t help but shake his head at how blind anyone without the Infinite Eye would be to the true effects of their every action and decision. While other warriors could only fumble in their exercises, rituals and techniques to strengthen their bodies, Skyle would be able to see the full effects each and every decision he made, and better use such information to hone his body into a living, breathing weapon.

The Desolate Star Technique’s premise that it would allow a warrior to fully control his body in order to turn it into the ultimate living weapon was no empty boast, Skyle finally realized. Just the peak of the first movement granted such startling benefits, Skyle could not wait to see how it would affect his future training.

Skyle was genuinely glad, for he needed strength more than anything in the days ahead.

Not wanting to waste a single moment, Skyle immediately began to examine his entire body. He winced at some of the wounds upon his back, feeling sorry for his earlier carelessness. He could see how much work was involved in gathering enough nutrients to undo his mistakes. Moreover, he could see how the tender new tissue was far weaker than the older muscle surrounding it. He would have to devote extra time in order to rehabilitate those parts of his body back to their former strength.

The worst of it, however, came when Skyle saw his elemental veins. Finally, he was able to see up close the reason why he had never been able to awaken his elemental talent. Surprisingly deep channels of elemental essence ran in a vast network throughout his body. Some of these veins were filled with a dazzling light that shimmered brightly in his vision. Most of them, however, were pitch black wells that held only a disconcerting shadow within. This darkness was not the absence of light, but rather a thick mist that throbbed and squirmed as it slowly encroached upon the last few remaining spots of light within his elemental veins.

It was his first encounter with the taint.

The Aktaris, for he now knew the name of his enemy, had already spread through his entire body. It lay most deeply entrenched around his extremities, while only the core regions near his organs still resisted its taint. There, a brilliant blue essence flared from time to time, struggling valiantly against the endless tides of darkness that slowly leached away its light.

Skyle couldn’t help but snarl at the sight, and a deep fury burned in him as he saw how insidious the poison in his body was. It had infiltrated nearly every corner of his veins to one extent or the other, and it was now using his body’s own reserves to launch its hateful assault.

Time and time again Skyle attempted to marshal what little light remained within his elemental veins, but it was no use. They lay too scattered, and each further attempt only resulted in spreading even more of the deadly mist around his veins.

Time. He needed some reprieve so that he could find a solution to this problem.

He was now aware that cleansing the taint from his veins had been beyond even Ria’s considerable power to achieve. As for the Guardian of Sanctuary and her offer to cleanse the taint? Skyle was no longer a naive child. Given the animosity the Guardian of Sanctuary had displayed toward him, he surmised now that her earlier offer had been a lie. He did not fully understand what she sought to gain from such, but he would have to be careful of her in the future.

There was hope to deal with his taint, however. Ria seemed possessed of a firm belief that not only was it curable, but that Skyle would be able to find the answer on his own. Otherwise, she would have forced the answer upon him when he had rejected her repeated offers to inform him about his dark gift.

All Skyle needed for now was time. He needed to grow into his powers, to learn the mysteries of his bloodline, and to gather the weapons to fight his war.

The night trickled by slowly as Skyle directed all of his attention upon the wonders hidden within his own body, and the terrifying darkness that laid siege upon it all.

The battle had finally begun in earnest, and at long last Skyle had begun to fight back.