Chapter 1 – Lucious
“Lucious, are you alright?”
A familiar, masculine voice spoke in the darkness.
“He is not looking well – we must do something,” said another voice, older than the first.
Lucious tried to open his eyes, but even now, he could only see silhouettes. Mother? Only a few cycles old, he turned his head to her bedside. Empty. A disease had spread through the village over the previous weeks, eventually breaking out into an epidemic. Turning the blood toxic to the host, the organs eventually became poisoned and shut down. Lucious’ mother was taken by the virus days ago.
“Has the Alchemist procured anything yet?” said the elder of the two.
“Rafael? I don’t—I don’t know. I should see if he has any news.”
“Vivek, your son is dying in there. You should be with him. I will go see Rafael.”
“No! No…I can’t bear to look at him right now. Not after losing her, not after Thalia.” A door opened.
“Vivek, listen to me!” The door closed. Moments of silence passed, and then, a gentle hand touched Lucious’ forehead. “Don’t worry, Lucious. Grandpa is here.”
~
The crackle of wood brought Lucious back to reality. He stared at the bonfire, but the heat of its flames did nothing to dry his tears as they burned away his grandfather’s remains. Oro Duvesh, the late Elder of the last known Human Village, perished the night before. His body, wrapped in bandages, was covered in oils and incense to mask the smell of cooking flesh. Around the fire, people were talking about his sudden passing. The Old Ones said it was his old age, but many were wary to accept it.
Amongst them was Lucious. He thought Oro would live forever – what boy doesn’t think that of his father figure? After his mother died, Lucious’ biological father, Vivek, became estranged and obsessed with his studies. He left his father, Lucious’ grandfather, to raise Lucious in his steed. Now, not yet a man but no longer a boy, Lucious felt lost. The people around him paid him no mind. Under his cloak, he was just another villager in mourning, and the people spoke freely.
“He seems a little young, don’t you think?” A woman said.
“Who, Vivek?” Said a man. “He can’t be that young, can he?”
“He’s much younger than the Elders before him,” said another. “His father was at least twenty cycles older when he received the throne.”
“It’s a tragedy,” said an older woman. “Elder Duvesh led this village through The Great Shifter War and that nasty epidemic. If presented with misfortune again, I can’t imagine how the village will survive without him.”
The talk dwindled into a murmur in the background, but Lucious knew they were right. His father was much younger than Oro when he became the Elder. And his father, the man who abandoned him on his death bed – could he be trusted to lead? Lucious pondered this for a moment. Grandfather Oro taught him everything he knew – raised him, led him, and in some ways, molded him. Could he have been setting Lucious up for something greater? It would be tradition for Lucious to become the next Elder of his lineage, but that wouldn’t happen for many cycles, and the village needed a leader now. They still needed his grandfather.
Lucious stood up and looked across the village. Settled within the mouth of a mountain, an Academy was constructed at its base. Atop that, a Temple was carved into the face of the mountain itself. It’s time. Lucious looked at the bonfire once more. Its flames had grown double as the fumes of scented oils mixed with black smoke. Lucious took his leave and headed for the Academy.
He walked along a bridge between the center and upper level of the village. The grand structure of the Academy before him was nearly hidden within the night. The light of the moon shimmered through tall windows and reflected in the pond below to guide Lucious’ path. A large hub sat within the center of the Academy, and through it, the main hall led him towards the back stairwell. After walking up two flights of stairs, Lucious opened a cellar door and stepped out onto the stone floor. To his right, the face of the mountain protruded outward several yards to form a terrace. To his left was the Temple
Not as large as the Academy, the Temple was still grand, with large pillars on both sides, a glass trapezoid ceiling, and a large tower that seemed to stretch up into the skies. Its backside fused with the rest of the mountain, as if always a part of its natural structure. On the far end, a large stone structure with a bell stood tall. Saved for emergencies, Lucious hoped he would never hear it ring. He looked at the entrance to the Temple. “Why have you summoned me, father?” He said to no one. “Tonight, of all nights?” He pushed open one of the large doors and walked inside.
Just as dim, the altar room and throne sat under the moonlight in a room directly across from Lucious. He walked past the diverging halls and entered a large, circular room. Columns seemed to hold up the parts of the ceiling that surrounded the trapezoid of glass above, obscured by a tower perched upon its center. Several rows of pews were lined up on each side, and towards the back of the room, a large altar sat upon a circular platform. Sharing the space was the throne of the Elder.
Lucious pulled down his cloak, exposing a messy mohawk of dark brown hair. Although not a traditional hairstyle of those studying Monkship, it was customary to reveal one’s head when entering divine ground. He sat down in a pew near the platform and gazed at the throne. In place of his late grandfather was a burning candle, stuck in a foundation of its own wax upon a ceramic dish. It would burn for several more nights until the spirit of Oro passed through the Abyss and into the Suntavelm. Lucious sighed in the empty room, thankful for a moment of silence before footsteps echoed from the halls. His grief would have to wait.
“Ah, Lucious. I wasn’t sure if you would meet with me,” his father said as he entered the room. Lucious looked up at him. They shared the same dark olive skin and hazel eyes, but his father’s had faded over time. His gaze gave away why he summoned Lucious tonight. He was never good at hiding his emotions, and Lucious saw this face once before – the night his mother died. It was a look of more than grief or loss. It was like someone hollowed out the light behind Vivek’s eyes and left him with nothing.
Lucious waited in silence.
“As you know, your grandfather was a very gifted man. From time-to-time, he worked with the High Monks to visit the Suntavelm and help expand our knowledge of the Suta and Jenca. He did this for cycles, many of which ended in success and his safe return.” He paused. “Lucious…son. I must be honest with you. Your grandfather did not die from natural causes.”
Lucious paused. He suspected that, but didn’t think his father would admit to it. “What do you mean?”
“The other night, something happened. Your grandfather made contact with another entity, or we believe it made contact with him. We don’t know why this being sought him out, but it delivered a message…At least, that’s what my father said before…” Vivek looked away. “He wasn’t strong enough to handle the possession.” He turned his gaze toward Lucious.
Lucious stood up. “No…”
“Lucious, please understand.”
“No, you can’t be serious.” Lucious backed away.
Vivek stepped forward. “We don’t have much time. Your grandfather’s soul is still making its way through the Abyss. If we can contact him, we can ask him about the message he received. For an otherworldly being to contact him, it must be important. It may even be one of the Daemos.”
“And you want me to do it? Why not you? You’re his son, you share the same blood that I do.” Lucious slapped his chest. “I don’t want to run into that—that thing – whatever it was that killed him.”
“We do not believe it was a spirit of malicious intent. Your grandfather simply didn’t have the strength, it was too much for his body to handle.”
“Again, why not you, father? Why would you summon me here for this?”
Vivek sighed. “Because, I cannot.” He looked at Lucious with solemn desperation. “I would take any chance to speak with my father again, but over the cycles I have tried to take his place as medium and failed. We knew these rituals were taking a toll on him, but he was the only monk able to make contact with the Suntavelm. He was adamant about seeing it through.”
“What rituals?” Now, Lucious took a step forward. “Seeing what through?”
Vivek nodded to himself. “Lucious, it’s time I told you the truth about what we do behind these walls.” He turned around. “Come with me.” He made way for the nearest exist, and Lucious followed with suspicion. The only thing behind the altar room was a long hallway that traced around its circumference and led to the monks’ corridors. Halfway down, Vivek stopped. He turned to Lucious and quietly extended his hand. Wary, Lucious reached out. Without warning, Vivek pushed him through the wall.
On the other side, Lucious was at the base of a spiral staircase hidden away from the rest of the Temple. “What-when? How?” He looked back as his father entered and immediately reached for the wall. Solid once again. “Where are we?!”
“You asked ‘what rituals’, Lucious. I will not force this upon you, but you should see what your grandfather and I have been working on.” Without another word, Vivek made his way up the stairs with Lucious now close behind. If it wasn’t for the many torches lighting the way, he would’ve surely stumbled. After several turns, the two came upon a set of grand wooden doors. They were easily twice Lucious’ height.
Before Lucious could ask about the doors, Vivek pushed them open with ease. He stepped forward and led Lucious into a large room, high above the village at the top of the tower.
“My Daemos…” Lucious entered a room in the shape of a pentagon. Outlined with balconies along its edges, a pair of columns met at each corner. Torches were integrated into those furthest from the entrance, and in the middle of the room, large runes were inscribed into the floor. Lucious always assumed there was a way to reach this room. Someone had to light the torches, but he never imagined a hidden staircase would lead him here.
The sound of soft chanting grabbed his attention, and he walked closer to the center of the room. Five High Monks were already seated at various points within a circle. Before each was a podium of rock, cracked open to reveal a beautiful crystal core. The High Monks were preparing to use Crystal Magick, but for what purpose, Lucious didn’t know.
“Your grandfather and I were part of a coven established by the Old Ones many cycles ago,” Vivek said. “He introduced me to these rituals when I was still a young man, long before you were born.” He placed his hand on Lucious’ shoulder. “He probably wouldn’t have approved of me introducing you to this so young, but he made it clear he wanted you here…one day. He believed you possess the same gift to cross over.”
Lucious looked at his father, at a loss for words. The High Monks in the middle of the room began to hum. “What are they doing?”
Vivek looked back at the High Monks. “Cleansing the room and channeling jenca for our next ritual.”
“To make contact with the Suntavelm?”
“To make contact with your grandfather.” Vivek looked back at Lucious. “His spirit has not yet left this plane. Even in the Abyss, he can still be reached.”
“And you want me to be the one to reach him.”
“Will you?”
The podiums became active and their crystals cast a soft aura across the room. Lucious looked on and walked closer to the circle. A pentagon was inscribed in the ground to connect the five podiums of crystal ore. Another, smaller circle was etched into its center. Grandfather, what were you doing here? What did you see? Lucious hadn’t ever gone beyond deep meditation, and tonight opened the door for an experience he never dreamed of. Torn between the chance to speak once more with Oro and the unknown, he pondered for several moments. Then, he took a deep breath and looked back at his father with a nod. “I’ll help you.”