Merritts of Writing 3

Chapter 38

Carter

I’ve felt a lot of emotions since the canisters fell. Most have revolved around fear and survival. Never have I felt such utter despair and loneliness as I do now.

Was the one I loved truly not as lost to me as I had thought?

A SURPRISED MOMENT LATER

“Really?” I blurted, completely surprised. “I didn’t know that.”

Stevron frowned and looked to me. “The Oracle of Death implemented a plan which entailed putting fyre crawlers venom in a formula that could be distributed easily to the Sapphyre Wings people.”

The realization of what Stevron implied horrified me. I swallowed hard. “Making it easy to identify our people and easier for the Larcore to target us.”

“Yes.”

Hope suddenly surged through my chest. “Was that what happened to us? Everyone who changed was actually one of our people?”

Stevron wet his lips. “In a matter of speaking, yes, but thankfully many Sapphyre Wings never showed any signs.”

“Then the reason we are not able to have children is not because of the canisters?” Angie asked.

Stevron shrugged. “I’m not entirely sure. The venom could very well be the reason all pregnant women died and why no children born that day survived. And why no women have conceived since that day.”

“But you’re not convinced?” I insisted.

Stevron swallowed. “No, it’s my belief that The Life Sage, angered about The Oracle of Death’s attempt to target us, decided to withhold the Life gift.”

“If so, then why haven’t our people continued to be reborn?”

“That’s a question that you’ll have to ask The Life Sage yourself.”

“Time to journey to a new land.”

Both Stevron and I stared at Angie.

“Excuse me?” I croaked.

Angie wet her lips and repeated what she had just said. “Time to journey to a new land. That’s what Jake told me. Does that mean you or perhaps I have to find The Life Sage?”

I scratched at my itchy jaw, unused to having the prickliness of whiskers. I contemplated Jake’s statement to Angie. After a few moments I sighed. Stevron was right. I would have to find The Life Sage and avoid The Oracle of Death finding me. And since I couldn’t stay with the salvage crew any longer, and put them in danger, it looked like I would have to journey to a new land. I hadn’t a clue where The Life Sage was but I knew that Jake would help me.

Speaking of Jake, I could sense that he was still with me. I could feel his presence but he was cowering along the fringes, trying to make himself as small as possible. Why was that? Jake was usually so boisterous and full of energy when he was with me. Talkative and pleased at my acceptance of him. What had happened? Was he somehow afraid of me because I had transformed? Which didn’t make sense since Jake always knew that I was the next in line to become The Oracle of Death.

Stevron nudged my knee and his light touch snapped me out of my musings. From Stevron’s expression Angie had obviously been asking more questions. I turned my attention to her.

“Do we all have life forces?”

“Yes,” I replied. “It is what sustains us during our time when we are fyre wings. But our life force can only sustain so many lifetimes. And although our lifespan is far greater than the Far Beyond people, we eventually fizzle out and what’s left of our life force returns to The Life Sage so that it can be redistributed for future generations.”

“And what happens if a fyre wings isn’t reborn?”

Stevron swallowed and took over. “The fyre wings’ life force sours and endures unbearable suffering and The Life Sage becomes poisoned by their souring. Eventually The Life Sage will weaken to the point where she will die.”

“So, then the life force souring is the equivalent of The Oracle of Death being exposed to an Outsiders blood?”

I was impressed with Angie’s thinking.

I nodded.

“That would mean The Life Sage has been dying for the past seven years.”

“That’s right, Angie,” Stevron said.

“What happens if The Life Sage dies?” Angie asked.

“If The Life Sage is not renewed we die,” Stevron said, a saddened expression crossed his face.

“The Sapphyre Wings people?”

I sighed. “Yes, and the Far Beyond people die as well.”

The look of distress that filtered across Angie’s features had Stevron briefly touching Angie’s arm.

“That’s why I feel,” Stevron said, “that Carter must find The Life Sage. If The Life Sage is causing the imbalance then she must be made to understand that unless she allows the rebirthing process to begin again she is endangering our whole world.”

I knew the dire threat would seemed so unreal to Angie, but to myself I was fully aware that we were very close to the reality of our world ending. The Life Sage like The Oracle of Death, over the centuries had endured many life souring events. How much more could she take?

I saw in Angie’s eyes that Stevron’s words had peaked her curiosity. “Can there be a next in line to The Life Sage just like you are next in line to The Oracle of Death?” she asked me.

I nodded. “Yes, but a successor doesn’t work in the same manner.”

“Why is that?”

I frowned and rubbed at my temple. “It’s complicated and we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves.” I glanced at Stevron, imploring him to pick up the history thread.

“The Life line is very strong and hasn’t become,” Stevron began, “let’s say tainted by outside forces. Our people, the Sapphyre Wings, must follow a strict structure of who we mate with because those breeds we are matched with will ultimately dictate what breed our children become.”

“I thought the rebirthing is random?”

“The rebirthing is random,” Stevron said, “but although each Sapphyre Wings retains their original sex, not all who are reborn are the same breed in which they were when they died.”

“Once a female, always a female, but perhaps a different breed, right?”

Stevron gave Angie a nod. “There are some Sapphyre Wings, like those that carry the Death or Life lines, such as Carter’s mother and Carter himself, well, their hereditary line never changes.”

“So you’re saying there’s a possibility I wasn’t always of mixed blood?”

Stevron pressed his lips together. He said nothing.

I frowned wondering why Stevron was reluctant to answer Angie.

Angie shifted her legs and raised her eyebrows. “Ah, come on,” she huffed, “you have to tell me. You can’t leave me hanging. What breed was I before this life?”

“Angie,” Stevron said. “You were never a fyre wings, nor where you ever a Far Beyond.”