Chapter 87

Ezma

Free of the Yoke

Sometimes once you hear something you can’t take it back. This was one of those times. Ezma stood bewildered looking at Mr. Vita with confusion in her mind, after hearing what he claimed to be his true name. The only problem was, there was no mistaking it. The moment the word was uttered the world shook for a moment; nearby animals called out in fear. The ground felt like it would split apart and eat her and her bonded dragon Jhamet whole. Lightning arced through the sky and landed nearby with a deafening boom.

All of this is to say that the name should not be uttered again, for words have power. That word has a lot of power. Despite all the explosions and violent eruptions of nature Jhamet never even rustled, a sign of how powerful Dhe… Mr. Vita’s sleep spell was. Then a question came.

“So, you are not Lykan’s real father?” Ezma asked.

Of all the questions Mr. Vita had expected, this was not the first one he had expected. Though given the source he could understand. With a sad nod.

“That is correct. I stepped in to save the child when his parents were cut down by an enemy attack.” Mr. Vita offered.

So many more questions came from that answer that Ezma didn’t quite know where to begin.

“But you look just like him?” Ezma finally said.

Smiling Mr. Vita just let out a sigh. “Yes, when I finally arrived on the scene of his parents’ murder. I took on the form of his father. A form that I am afraid I will soon need to discard.” He added the last part as an afterthought that was spoken aloud.

“So, if you are here, does that mean that the others are also watching?” Ezma asked. Her voice dropped to almost a whisper as she spoke about the others, as if just speaking about them tangentially would draw their attention. Which for all she knew, speaking any louder would draw their attention.

“Yes, my dear. Also, with having you here and confirming his health means that I have stayed too long on this plane. My task is now complete.” The old man, who was not a man at all proclaimed. Just as he turned, Ezma called out.

“Wait. I have so many more questions.” Ezma began.

Hearing that Mr. Vita turned around and gave a sad sigh. “I know. This is your nature. Not just you, but humans in general. Unfortunately, I have already answered my side of the pact. Should you wish to continue, you would need to answer your own questions.”

Ezma paused at this, hearing the words spoken a golden glow began to envelop her whole body. “What is this?”

“This is the pact of truths. Surely you knew such a thing. You asked your primary and three follow on questions. Each of which I answered. Should you wish to continue you must do so truthfully.”

A tingle of fear and amazement washed down Ezma’s spine. She had been brought up on the old tales. The tales of the old magic, this piece being set at the heart of many such stories. In the tales many would be heroes gained the knowledge to defeat an impending doom, all for them to be forced into some form of self-discovery. Thinking of this, Ezma couldn’t help but think of one thing.

“Wait, I only asked three questions.” Ezma demanded, stomping her foot for emphasis.

Hearing this Mr. Vita just shook his head. “My dear you in fact asked many questions. But this bond only took place when you asked me about my first name. To have such a name is to have power over one such as myself. To have such a name means that I would need to come to you, to hear you out. Realize it is a burden that you now carry. A burden that is forever etched in your mind and your soul. In the next life you will feel this one-time bond to me, and you will be forever changed for that.”

Hearing this Ezma felt so stupid. She had him, she could have had any question in the world answered. So many things that make no sense could have been explained by him, but she wasted the chance.

“We can stop here if you like. Your soul will forever be caught up in a debt to me, meaning you will never be able to call upon me. Lest the call is to offer up your own life in repayment for a debt of true knowledge.” Mr. Vita spoke, as he did the golden cocoon around Ezma began to grow tight and constricting. It was an odd feeling, as the cocoon didn’t seem to interact with her body at all. Instead, the golden cocoon covered and smothered her soul.

A sliver of fear entered her mind, but Ezma took in a deep breath and steeled her resolve. “No, lets continue.”

Hearing this the man who was so much more than a man nodded as if he expected this to be the outcome all along.

“Very well then. Do you know the way this will go, or should I spell out the rules?”

Ezma needing more time to catch up to everything that was happening to her, paused for a second and then realized knowing the true rules might be better than assuming the stories she grew up on were correct.

“P..please spell out the rules.” Ezma said, a slight stutter to her words.

“Very well. I will ask you one base question, then three follow on questions. You will answer each question truthfully, lest you suffer a punishment of the gods. Since the gods are busy, I will act in their stead as arbiter. Shall we begin with the first question, or do you need more of an explanation?” Mr. Vita asked.

With those words several questions formed, but the first and foremost was “I don’t need to swear before the gods?”

Hearing that Mr. Vita just waved a dismissive hand. “No, that would be just to draw one’s attention. As I said, I am already here, and I can see your soul. I will know if you lie, even to yourself.”

Even to myself? Ezma thought, but before she could get too far down that line of thought he cut her off.

“Shall we begin?” Mr. Vita asked, a sudden importance on his words as it seemed he was impatient about something.

“Yes.” Ezma said after taking a second to compose herself.

“Good. The first question is do you wish to be free?” Mr. Vita asked.

With the first question asked, Ezma let out a sigh of relief. She was not aware of where this conversation would go, but this was a lot better than she had imagined in her mind. Hearing the obviously easy question though caused her to have some trepidation, as in the stories there was always a final destination that the gods had in mind. While Dhe…Mr. Vita was no god, not in the truest sense of the word he was a being of unmeasurable power, so he likely also acted with a clear objective that was not quite apparent at first glance. But seeing as this was a simple yes or no question, and the answer was obvious she answered.

“Yes.”

Hearing the words Mr. Vita nodded to himself. “My first of three follow up questions. You realize you are not meant to be a Diviner of Prophecy, that this was a role that was forced upon you due to your forced slavery to a dragon, correct?”

Ezma held up her hand at that, as her mind tried to wrap themselves around so many points that were in that one question. Some of the words made sense, she was by all accounts a terrible Diviner of Prophecy. She also knew that the only reason she got such an evolved class was due to her bonding with Jhamet, but what was this about forced slavery. Hearing the last part, the part of her being a slave, she focused and wanted to speak out to argue.

“No, I am not a sla…” Ezma began to argue, but before she could get too far into her argument she was cut off.

Mr. Vita held up a hand and with the wave of his hand magic flashed. The golden cocoon that had enveloped Ezma dug in tightly for a moment. Then she felt something stab into her soul.

“You have lied. You knew that you were not meant to be a Diviner of Prophecy.” Mr. Vita said, power and wrath raging in his words.

Ezma startled, wanted to speak out to protest. She opened her mouth to say that she was going to argue about the slavery part, but Mr. Vita beat her to the point.

“You were also going to argue that you were not a slave. Yet you knew for a fact that each generation of dragons gets stronger from their bonds with humans. You also know that the humans that are bonded get weaker and weaker with each passing generation. That in time, to be anything as a human, you must be owned by a dragon.” He spoke.

With those words and that revelation Ezma trembled. She knew the words he spoke to be right; she had lied to herself for so long that she believed she was free. Only to have it now be pointed out that she was in fact an adornment worn by the dragons of her land. Hearing this Ezma only nodded in defeated understanding.

“Then as punishment I will break the bond that gives you power.” Mr. Vita said, then with the wave of a hand that glowed with golden power, a cord of power that connected Ezma to Jhamet was severed. The minute it was severed, bands that had been wound around her soul for so long she didn’t even realize they were there began to fall away. Even while surrounded by the golden cocoon, her soul felt like it was able to breath freely for the first time in a long time.

“Now for my second question. What class are you?”

Ezma hearing the question was about to respond back with the ingrained response, one that was almost mechanical in nature. But before she opened her mouth Mr. Vita held up a glowing finger as if in warning.

With this Ezma pulled up her status and looked to make sure nothing had changed. When she did, she was shocked to see how one lie had changed her whole life.

Name Ezma Loren Race Human Class Primordial Elementalist Age 19

Seeing the change to her class, a feeling of shock and relief filled her. She had been so bad at prophecy for so long, always dependent on working with and through Jhamet that she had begun to doubt herself. Yet here she was, seeing a class that seemed both alien and natural to her at the same time.

“I’m…I’m a…” Ezma trailed off, her voice cutting out as shock filled her mind at the multiple revelations. Finally, after taking a moment to calm herself, she readied her mind and continued. “I’m a Primordial Elementalist.” With that, lightning cracked in the sky, as if a universal truth had finally been noted and accepted.

Hearing this a faint smile filled Mr. Vita’s weathered face.

“Now, for my third and final question.” Mr. Vita began, but then paused to give the moment a second to sink in. “What will you do to keep your freedom?” He asked then pointed a glowing finger at the still sleeping form of Jhamet.

Seeing the slumbering dragon so many thoughts ran through her mind all at once. So many complex emotions warred within her mind. He had forced her to be something she was not. He had done so for so long that she began to doubt herself. She thought of herself as useless, as worthless. Yet, now seeing the sleeping form of the dragon who was himself a diviner of prophecy, waves of anger, regret, and fear all welled up. She was angry for having to be forced to live a life that was clearly not for her. Regret that she had by her very culture been forced to find a dragon to bond with, lest she be deemed unworthy. Then finally fear, this was probably the most palpable of the emotions she had. She was free. In this moment, untethered to Jhamet, without his soul binding hers into a form that was never meant to be, she was free. Well and truly free.

Pausing for a second, she turned to Mr. Vita, a glint of determination in her eye as she suddenly realized the truth. She realized the truth that she was always meant to understand from this very encounter.

With a word she spoke her future into being. “Anything.”

Hearing that Mr. Vita smiled a cold knowing smile. “Then my work here is done.”

Hearing that Ezma turned to see the still sleeping form of Jhamet. There was a flash of light from where Mr. Vita had stood a moment ago. Ezma turned to see the space was now vacant. Whether this was due to his disappearing to a different plane of existence, or if he just put up his invisibility field again Ezma didn’t know, nor did she care. She had a task to do, and she didn’t know how long she would have before Jhamet awoke. Realizing this was her chance she turned to Jhamet with a feral gleam of unbridled magic in her eyes.

She took a step forward, primordial magic flaring to life in her fingers. The flare of magic slowly grew until it began weaving its way into her rifle. Then with a nod to herself, she took another step forward as she knew what she must do, to ensure her freedom. Then raised her rifle.