Page 15 of A Conduit of Light
Ashhad seen rhyzolm before of course, but true to his word, she did believe this was the largest piece ever found.Thestone was the rarest on the isle, mined only in theHallowMarshesto the west ofFelgren.Itwas said that the magic fromFelgren’strees washed away in storms to the river capillaries that made up the marshes.Newtrees then grew from the essence of the forest, their roots growing through stony ground.Occasionally, the magic was imbued into these stones, though not in purity, hence the inky lines coursing through the hard jade.
Everywealthy house on the isle owned at least one rhyzolm as it was fabled to contain magic itself.Therich and royal of the land would keep it near their sleeping children in hopes that the spirit ofFelgrenwould enter their bodies and give them channeler magic.Sheremembered the piece that theQueenwould hang over thePrince’sbed at night.Inhis later years, he wore it around his neck each day.Asfar as she knew, magic had never come to him, nor did it seem to work on other children.Sometimes, she had observed, the wealthy held on to disproven beliefs, no matter the evidence against them.
“ToenterViridis, you must place your hand on the rhyzolm and speak your name.Speakit clearly.Theportal will then open for you to enter.”
Figuerahlaid her long, elegant fingers upon the stone, grasping it as if to turn the handle of a door and spoke, “Figuerah.”
Immediately, a shimmer of green light the size of her body blazed before her, the rhyzolm no longer visible.Shestepped through without hesitation before it closed quickly in an intake of breath.
BaronRevichgestured toClairannia, her face alight with excitement.Shespoke loudly at the doors with her hand on the stone, “Clairannia!”
Again, the portal opened before her but adjusted to her smaller sized body, and just asFiguerah, she left instantly to their destination.
ThoughAshwas unaware of what lay behind those doors in this foreign maze of confusion, she validated her beating heart, adrenaline coursing through her furiously as she stepped up to the green stone, placing her own hand on its cool surface.
Allat once she was caught up in her predicament.Thelonging of home, the excitement of this fortress and this forest, full of the magic she had used since she could walk—it was too much in too short a time.Herheart hammered wickedly in her chest as she looked to theBaronand spoke her name, “Ash.”
BaronRevichsmirked with knowledge she once again did not possess when her name echoed through the corridor and no portal opened.Hechuckled and moved closer.Theirbodies inches apart, his orb of light above one hand, the other shoved in his pocket.
“Thesedoors are ancient.Ancientthings tend to take on sentience, as you’ll learn.It’spossible these doors know more of yourself than you do,Ash.”Heleaned to the side against the doors, looking up at their impossible height, continuing his casual stance and casual way of withholding information she wanted. “WhenIfirst tried my name, they didn’t let me in either.”
“Why?Whatname did you use?”Shelowered her hand to her side, unwilling to stand there stupidly before conscious doors of iron.
“Well,Itried saying my name as it was given to me. ‘Revich’Isaid and the doors didn’t budge.ItwasBaronHeimlenwho laughed then, knowing whatIknow now and will happily pass on to you.”
Heraised an eyebrow, waiting for her to question how, but she wasn’t about to ask.She’dstand there all morning if need be, knowing her ability to be silent would outlast his.Hefinally raised his hand to the rhyzolm and in a steady voice spoke, “Rev.”
Instantly, the portal opened for him, just a few inches taller than herself.
“Seeyou on the other side.”Andwith that irritating wink she’d rolled her eyes at before, he left her there alone in the dark, his light leaving with him.
Cursing, she produced her own ball of light, green in nature as was all of her magic, wondering if he knew she could conjure her own orb or if he didn’t care if she couldn’t.
Sheinhaled deeply, half wondering if she should turn around and try to escape, but that thought she forced down quickly.Itwas more likely she’d be lost in the madness of this place.
Thenshe wondered if she should try again in the same way and, never being able to gain access toViridis, would be let free of this place and back to her home in peace.
Butshewascurious.WhatwasViridis?Whythe secrecy and why the ancient, powerful doors that apparently knew more of herself than she did?Herheart was treacherous in her chest as she reached once more for the stone, the sound of her exhale expanding through the empty corridor.
Manynames filled her head then. “Ash’Arah” was the obvious choice to an outsider, but her disdain for the name meant it could not be the one the doors were listening for.
“Ash” for black powder streaked across the lines of her mother’s body as she stumbled toHyrithia’sgatehouse,Ash’semergence into the world very near. “Arah”, her mother’s name, the only clear bit of speech they could discern from her cries before she left her newborn daughter alone forever.Ash’sdiscontentment for the two words pieced together began as soon as she had been old enough to hear the story of her traumatic entrance into the world.Ifher mother had lived to name her, she was convinced she would not have been so heartless.
“Dearest”…“Ward”…even “Soot” came to mind—the tease thePrincehad used in their gangly youth for being named from the burnt remnants of a fire.
Nothingfit.Noname she had ever heard addressed to her had ever been right.Shehad wandered all her life alone in a mist of pure circumstance, and yet, just privileged enough to not end up on the streets ofHyrithiain a profession of hardship and hardened woe, and with a name that never once suited her.
“Idon’t know my name.I…Idon’t know of one that belongs to me.”
Speakingto boundless, sentient doors, she felt ridiculous and humiliated at admitting the truth aloud.Andmuch to her annoyance, the same sort of portal that opened for the rest of them blazed in light before her, just large enough to move through.Andso, heart continuing its attempt to burst through her chest, she left the empty passageway and took her first step intoViridis.
* * *
ThepossibilitythatViridiswas contained inside theFortresswalls was obsolete.UponAsh’sallowance to enter the sanctuary, the predetermined idea she had ofViridis’suse and size were gone from all thought.Thelight of the soul of the sun spilled across her face, causing her to squint in its persistent nature of warmth and radiance.
Viridis, in the simplest of terms, was a library with a garden at its center—or a garden where books were placed—she wasn’t sure which was more accurate.
Shestood atop the central landing, her boots gracing white stone, the cracks of which were mended in gold.IftheFortresswas a place of inner solitude,Viridiswas a place of external exuberance.Thetwo dwellings could not have been more opposite in their appearance, nor in the way she felt inside them.
