Lightgiver.

Pharim War Book Four.

GAMA RAY MARTINEZ.

CHAPTER ONE.

Jez brought the hammer down hard as he sent a flow of terra magic into the long slender piece of metal. The magic crystallized on the blade, seeming to form veins of gold through the steel. Again and again, he struck. He could only work for a few seconds at a time before the metal cooled and he had to put it back into the forge. Still, his arm burned with the effort, and his back ached. Burns covered his leather ap.r.o.n, but the garment hadnt protected him completely, and he had more than a few blisters where he had been careless.

He put the metal in the fire and jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see Master Besis, the protection master of the Carceri Academy. Besis was a large man with the build Jez would expect to see on a blacksmith or someone of a similar profession, which wasnt surprising given that, among other things, the dominion of protection encompa.s.sed the study of earth. The master sighed and shook his head.

You know, I didnt even bother to go looking in your room this time. When was the last time you were actually in it?

Jez stretched his muscles and tried to work out the aches in his arms and back. He was surprised to realize that, at some point, the sun had set, and it was now full dark. Only the forge provided any illumination. Besis gave the small stack of books that had been shoved into one corner a sidelong glance, no doubt realizing where they mustve come from. Besiss own secret library held many volumes describing dangerous magics such as those used to create this sword.

I took a bath there this morning. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Wait what day is it? That mightve been yesterday.

Jez, you spend every spare moment either here or in the library. You cant keep doing this. Theres not even a need. Sharim is gone.

h.e.l.l be back, Jez said. He might even be back already.

You cant go into the abyss and come out again.

Demons do, Jez said as he pulled the metal out of the fire and started hammering again. Besis waited as Jez banged out the final shape before sticking it back into the forge.

Hes not a demon. Jez raised an eyebrow at that, and Master Besis threw up his arms. Okay, he is a demon, but hes also a human. At worst, h.e.l.l be killed, and he can come back as an ordinary demon, bound by all the same laws they are.

He wouldn't have run there if he didnt have a way back.

And do you have any idea what that is?

Jez shook his head and waved at a clay tablet hed set on a table amidst the blacksmithing tools. Besis glanced at it and glared at him. It was one of the oldest pieces of writing in the protection masters secret library, and he hated for such things to be removed, but he had given Jez certain privileges. For his part, Jez only had a basic grasp of the language on the tablet, and it would probably take him hours to read through this small portion of text. Not yet.

Jez, please, get some rest for a change. I know youre strong, but even you cant keep this up.

Jez pulled the sword out of the fire and dipped it in an oil barrel to quench it. A quick application of terra magic cleaned the blade so that the steel and the gold veins within it, glimmered in the firelight. He placed it back in the forge, in the coolest part of the fire where it would be tempered. Then, he turned back to the master.

Six months ago, Sharim almost destroyed an entire order of pharim. Are you willing to risk him doing the same thing again? We have to find him.

Besis put a hand on his shoulder, and Jez looked up. Jez, he went into the abyss of his own free will. Even if someone opened another portal like the one you closed at Rumar Keep, he wouldnt be able to get through.

Jez pulled out the blade and quenched it once more. With a burst of terra magic, he attached the hilt hed forged earlier that day. He wrapped a band of leather around it to give him a better grip and examined the blade. It was well balanced, and if he concentrated, he could feel the gentle hum of power within. He couldnt help but smile. For too long, hed wielded the blade given to him by the evil mage Dusan. It felt good to have his own weapon, but his smiled faded when he looked at Besis.

Id feel better if I could be sure.

Besis tapped the clay tablet. Jez glanced at it and then to his stack of books. These only represented his latest attempts at finding answers. Besiss secret library contained volumes of information considered too dangerous for the common student. Jez had practically begged Besis for an entire term to grant him unrestricted access to it. Even knowing what he did about Jez and the battles hed fought, the master had been hesitant, though he had eventually relented.

You wont find your answers in any tome I hold.

Jez looked away. The other masters wont let me into their libraries.

Thats not what I mean. Youve spent months searching for definite knowledge of the abyss from volumes written by people who had no way of knowing, and when you couldnt find that knowledge, you constructed a weapon, hoping it would keep you safe. Did you ever consider other sources for the information you seek?

Jez nodded. Villia wont talk about it, and I havent been able to get ahold of Welb since we left the beast mens valley. Hopefully when Osmund gets back...

A few months before when Jez, along with his friends Osmund and Lina, had gone to the beast mens valley, they had encountered a group of former shapeshifters who existed halfway between the form of a beast and that of a man. They claimed to be able to help Osmund find balance between his conscious mind and that of his alter ego, the scion Ziary. When Jez and Lina had left, Osmund remained, promising to return to the Academy eventually.

Besis smacked his forehead with his palm. Oh, Im sorry. Thats the whole reason I came to find you. Osmund sent a message from Hiranta. He arrived just after sunset and stopped only long enough to use our speaking stone there. We advised him to wait until morning, but he insisted he could make it and started up the mountain. h.e.l.l be here around dawn.

Jez shot to his feet. Excitement surged through him, and not just to see his friend. Theyd found one other thing among the beast men of the valley. Welb, the former pharim, had been living among them for centuries, wanting nothing more to do with the world of men. Still, he had knowledge that no mortal possessed, and if Osmund had spent any time with him, he wouldve tried to get information about how Sharim could escape. With a little luck, Jezs search might finally be over.

CHAPTER TWO.

The city of Tarcai, home of the Carceri Academy, sat in the caldera of a fire mountain. Overlaid with obsidian, the buildings glimmered in the light of the sprising sun, but Jezs attention was focused outward. He, along with Lina, waited eagerly on the lip of the caldera and looked to the path leading down from the city. Fair skinned, Lina wore a hat to protect herself from the sun. Her golden hair fell to her shoulders. Neither had said anything for several minutes when Lina turned to him and wrinkled her nose.

You smell.

Jez shrugged. Sorry, I spent all day at the forge.

She rolled her eyes. Couldnt you at least have taken a bath first?

Jez raised an eyebrow. You do realize hes been in the jungle for the past six months, right?

She let out a breath but didnt answer. In spite of his purported smell, she sat down near him as they waited. It was a hard trail up the mountain, and most who ascended it did so by mule. That took most of a day, though, switchbacks and steep climbs could be taken to speed up the journey if one went by foot, as Osmund had often done. Just after dawn, a hulking form came into view.

Osmund had always been tall, nearly seven feet. As a student of destruction, he was especially gifted in pyro and venta magic. Hed also studied the more mundane areas of the dominion and had worked with weapons of all sorts. That training had hardened his muscles. Osmund had always looked formidable, but his time among the beast men had obviously changed him. His skin had darkened from spending so much time in the sun. He was broader of the shoulders, and his eyes constantly darted around as if looking for prey. He still wore a sword at his hip, though the wooden handle had been replaced by one of wrapped leather. As soon as he saw Jez and Lina, he smiled, though he never stopped examining his surroundings. When he got close, he broke into a run. Jez yelped as the larger boy effortlessly swept both him and Lina into his arms.

Its so good to see you. At the sound of the laughter in Osmunds voice, the unease that had begun to creep into Jez melted away. You didnt have to meet me here, though.

Jez smiled as Osmund put them down. You see, Lina? I told you we didnt have to come.

She gave him a mock glare. As I recall, youre the one who woke me an hour before sunrise, insisting we needed to come here as soon as possible.

Osmund laughed so hard Jez and Lina found themselves joining in. It was a few minutes before anyone could speak again.

The two of you dont change, do you? Osmund asked.

If youre asking if hes managed to grow out of being an uncultured fishermans son, then no, Lina said. He doesnt change.

Says the girl who cant even get dressed without half a dozen people to help her.

Hey, thats not fair, Lina said, trying to hold in a laugh. Today, I only had five.

They all laughed again before heading for the Quarter Horse, the inn that had become their favorite place to take meals. No sooner had they entered the inn than Lufka, the old innkeeper, ushered them to a seat and called a serving maid to bring them each a bowl of stew and a loaf of fresh bread. It was an old dance, and Jez knew that when they left, the innkeeper would insist on giving their meals for free. Jez would argue, and eventually one or the other would prevail. Jez had saved the life of Lufkas son on his first day at the Academy, and since then, the innkeeper had always greeted him and his friends with joy.

So, can you control him? Jez asked once theyd been served.

Osmund leaned in close and spoke with his voice pitched low. You dont control something like Ziary. Even when Marrowit put him to sleep, he was still aware, and he came back worse than ever. If you hadnt been ready to bind him... Osmund shivered at the memory. Sharim being there was the only reason he didnt attack you right away. It took him a long time to calm down enough for Galine and the others to deal with him. I cant control him, not really. He glanced at the scar beneath Linas eye before turning away. I can influence him. I can stop him from trying to kill everyone who breaks the smallest rules. Its a balance, though. Hes not buried as deeply, and itll be easier for him to come out when he detects true evil.

Lina tensed but showed no other signs of discomfort. Jez was impressed. Her scar had been caused by Ziarys sword, but the weapon hadnt just cut her flesh. It had shown her herself, all her shortcomings and flaws brought to the forefront. Shed seen herself as a petty creature unworthy of life, and it had taken her a long time to get over that. Her scar had never entirely healed, and not even magic had been able to remove it.

Are we safe? Lina asked.

Osmund smiled. As long as you havent committed any murders, I think youre fine. His face grew serious. You havent, have you?

No. This time, Lina did flinch. Of course not.

Jez tried to hold in a chuckle, but Osmund didnt bother. He laughed uproariously. Lina glared at him, but he waved her off. Youre fine. Unless were actually in the presence of demons, he shouldnt be able to come out on his own.

Lufka brought their food, and Jez was surprised when he took a bite and tasted fish. It was a rare treat on the mountain. He didnt recognize the type and gave a questioning glance to the innkeeper. Lufka gave him a wide smile.

Ive heard you speak of your fathers cooking. Im afraid I cant measure up to the stories you tell, but I thought youd appreciate this. Im afraid I couldnt get anything from the sea, not unless you wanted any of that dried garbage. The lake near Hiranta has a few species that arent too bad. I hope you like it.

It mustve cost a lot to bring it all the way up here without spoiling.

Now, dont you worry about that. I wouldnt dream of charging you for this.

Lufka...

I insist, young sir. A few free meals now and then are the least I can do.

I would have"

The innkeeper waved off his protest. I know you wouldve done it for anyone, but the fact is you didnt do it for anyone. You did it for my Kilo.

Thank you, Master Lufka, Lina said before Jez could respond. The innkeeper bobbed his head and left.

Jez glared at her. Why did you do that?

Because you were about to get into another argument about whether or not you were going to pay, and the two of you were going to go back and forth for a quarter hour instead of asking Osmund if he learned anything in the valley.

Jez bit back his reply and nodded. He turned to Osmund. The large boy had c.o.c.ked his head.

Did you spend much time with Welb? Jez asked.

Osmund nodded. Some. He spent a hundred years finding the balance between his pharim nature and his beast form. Its not exactly what I needed to do, but it was close. You want to know if I asked him about Sharim? Jez nodded, but Osmund shook his head. The Beastwalkers are probably the order of pharim that know the least about the abyss. What you need is a Lightgiver.

Jez raised an eyebrow. Do you happen to know where I could find one?

Why not just summon one?

A pharim? Jez asked incredulously. Then, he leaned back in his chair and pursed his lips. A pharim. That might actually work. Why didnt I think of that?

Osmunds grin practically went from ear to ear. Isnt it obvious? He looked from Jez to Lina. He sat up straight and thumped his chest. Im clearly the brains of this group.

Lina tossed a crust of bread at him, and it bounced off his forehead. They all laughed, but Osmunds idea had already begun to take shape in Jezs mind. It made sense, and he had attempted something similar before, when hed tried to summon a Beastwalker. He doubted one of them would be able to help. There were seven orders though, and if any would know how one could escape from the abyss or how one could be stopped from doing so, it would be the Lightgivers. By the time they left the inn, Jez was already trying to figure out the ritual that would summon a pharim of knowledge.

CHAPTER THREE.

You want to summon a Lightgiver?

Master Linala was incredulous. Her green eyes were as hard as emeralds as she gaped at Jez. She gave him a look so piercing that, after a second, he found himself looking away and instead scanned the innumerable volumes crammed into the shelves behind her. Though he had a little experience with summoning, he didnt recognize any of the books. He wondered if one of them contained the ritual he needed, but he doubted it. Anything that dangerous would likely be in the secret library beneath the building, or in Linalas head. As the master of the dominion of knowledge, she was a master summoner and would be one of the most knowledgeable people in the world about the Lightgivers. If she didnt know how he could succeed, she would at least know where to find that information. Finally, he met her eyes again and nodded.

I need knowledge of the abyss. I could try summoning demons and asking them, but if they knew how to escape, they wouldve done so already.

She sighed and shook her head so slightly her raven-black hair didnt even ripple. Did it occur to you that if this Sharim knew how, he wouldve escaped by now?

No. Jez banged his fist on her desk. She raised an eyebrow, and he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. Ill admit its possible, but if he had gotten out, I think we would know about it. Hes not going to stay hidden for long.

She narrowed her eyes. Jezreel, Master Besis has spoken to me about this. He says youre obsessed.

Its not that, Jez said.

She smiled. This mortal demon youre so afraid of, hes gone. You yourself saw him flee into the abyss. Theres no coming back from that.

You cant know that for sure. No one has studied the abyss enough to be certain. If anyone would know how to get out, it would be him. He took a deep breath. Him and the Lightgivers.

Im sorry. Even Ive never summoned a pharim.

But you could if you wanted to.

She snorted. I doubt it. Pharim arent like demons. Demons want to leave the abyss. That makes it easier. Without some sort of connection to the pharim, youd never summon one.

He hesitated for a second. I have one.

She gave him a slow nod. Yes, perhaps you do. Nonetheless, I wont craft a circle for you. The working is too risky, especially for the summoner.