Divine Apostasy Book 11 - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Ruin tried to shake off the imagery of Hamma’s words. He was just doing what was necessary, nothing more. That brought him back to the reason for this visit.

Leaning down, Ruin spoke to Io. “I was hoping we could talk about the towers.”

“Sure,” Io said. “You really shook things up down there.”

“No, not those towers. The ones in the Creation Realm.”

“Oh. Why are you interested in those old things?”

“Because every answer I find, every discovery I make generates a hundred questions. There’s some larger picture that I’m just glimpsing, but I’m so saturated with mysteries and the unexplained that I’m losing the melody while tuning the strings. What I need, Io’amar Thal’ara, Royal and leader of the Creation Realm, is help, and by help, I mean clear answers.”

After a moment of thought, Io responded. “Okay.”

“Are the Creation Realm Towers Stone, Order, Water, Light, and Life?”

“Yes.”

“Can you harden or improve the associated Meridians in some fashion?”

“Yes.”

“How exactly,” Ruin pressed.

“There are sacred sigils one can earn that effect the Meridians.”

“Can you show them to me?”

“They wouldn’t do you any good. This form and your human one can’t accept the sigils. Many have tried in the past, after extracting the details from their enemies.”

Ruin didn’t pry into what extracting really meant. “Are the five towers covered in sigils?”

This time Io’s pause was longer. “Yes,” he finally said.

“Are your Towers connected to other, distant Towers.”

“Define distant.”

“Outerverse distant. Original Creation Realm distant.”

This time Io paused for a minute before continuing. “Probably, but truthfully, I’m not sure. The Towers are a mystery, and no one knows where they come from or what they do other than the special sigils used to improve Meridians.”

“Did you create the Towers that exist currently in the Creation Realm.”

“Yes.”

“How many floors does it reach? And how tall are the Towers back home?”

“Two hundred and twenty levels,” Io said with a little pride. “And back home they reach a thousand.”

Ruin considered Io’s information. It aligned exactly with what he’d experienced in the Destruction Realm. It was more proof that the Destruction and Creation Realms created a balance between themselves, and the mechanisms appeared mirrored.

“Are there Body and Mind Towers in the Material Realm?” Ruin asked.

“Oh yes. Such an interesting place. Especially now that they guard Pen’s final secrets.”

Ruin stared at the dagger. “Are you joking?”

“Oh, no. I wouldn’t joke about that.”

“So Pen found the Towers? Or did he create them?”

“Found, of course. How do you think he learned about chakras?”

“I never thought about it. Where are the Towers and what are Pen’s final secrets?”

“They’re secrets. If I told you, they wouldn’t be secrets anymore.”

“That’s true,” Sift said.

“That’s not helpful,” Ruin told Sift. He focused back on Io. “I just explained I wanted answers not more questions. And are the Towers secret too?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure. But since the secrets and the Towers are all mashed together, giving you one is like handing you the other.”

“That sounds good to me.”

“No can do.”

“What about a clue?” Sift asked. “Can you give him a treasure map?”

“Interesting suggestion,” Io said thoughtfully. “I do love treasure maps.”

Ruin mouthed a thank you to Sift and waited for Io to decide.

“How about a riddle?” Io asked.

A riddle was better than nothing, Ruin decided. Io had manipulated events for a very long time, and Ruin knew it would be no different now. Io planned on giving Ruin just what was necessary to move him to the next level of Io’s game.

“Sure, a riddle sounds fine,” Ruin said.

Sift rubbed his hands together. “I love riddles.”

Io thought for twenty seconds and then recited a poem-like riddle.

On a distant world two pillars rise,
guarding a vessel from prying eyes.

Angelic wings bearing heavens wrath,
scorching paradise to Shag’la Rath.

Three fragments remain their message concealed,
Red, black, and silver a secret revealed.

Librarians wielding unknown powers,

 A treasure map to your hidden towers.

Ruin repeated the poem back to ensure he had it exactly right. He didn’t dismiss the poem as he understood how clever and smart Io was despite his carefree, story-telling personality. Io had manipulated gods and men for thousands of years in the pursuit of his goals. This was no different. There were clues in the poem that Rami should be able to track down.

“Thank you, Io,” Ruin said.

“Always check behind the waterfall,” Sift added. “It hides the treasure.”

“How did you arrive at ‘waterfalls?’” Ruin asked.

“Io’s riddle mentioned vessel. That’s clearly a boat. And boats mean water. And water means falls. Waterfalls mean treasure. Easy.”

“How can you spout such nonsense with complete confidence?” Ruin asked.

Sift raised his eyebrows. “How many waterfalls have you come across?”

Ruin already knew where this was headed. Both waterfalls he’d encountered, one in the Spirit Realm inside the original Fractal dungeon and the other during the Journeyman’s Step trial. Both had hid things of value.

Ruin closed his eyes and shook his head in defeat. “Fine, so far you’ve been right.”

“One hundred percent accuracy my friend.”

“There are a lot more than two waterfalls in the universe, and they can’t all have treasure.”

“We will only know for sure if we check. You owe me a vacation anyway. We can take a waterfall safari.”

“Very wise,” Io told Sift. Then he continued. “Did I ever tell you about the waterfall I saw where the water fell up?”

Sift leaned down. “No. How did that work?”

“Wait!” Ruin cut in before Io could get going. “I need to leave but I have a couple more questions.”

“Hurry up,” Sift said. “I want to hear about the firefly.”

That confused Ruin so much he just stared at Sift.

“Firefly is the opposite of waterfall,” Sift said as if explaining to a first grader. “Does Destruction Essence make you dumb?”

“No, but talking to you does.”

“An artist I knew used fireflies in his ink,” Io said. “It made the tattoos glow and—”

“Stop!” Ruin yelled. “This is what always happens. It’s like a rockslide of stupid. Just let me ask my questions so you two can turn each other’s brains to mush.”

Io continued, ignoring or not caring about Ruin’s frustration. “I’ve never heard of brain mush, but I knew a chef that made brain pudding.”

Ruin pointed at Sift who had opened his mouth to speak. “No. Don’t ask until I’m gone.” Ruin suspected Io was doing this on purpose now to avoid answering any more questions. “How do I get access to the Creation Realm sigils?”

“That’s easy,” Io said. “Head to the Spirit Realm and firefly until you pass the threshold.”

Ruin forced his jaw to stop clenching. “By firefly do you mean travel up into the sky.”

“Yes,” Io said.

“Firefly sounds better,” Sift muttered.

Ruin ignored Sift. “Is that it, Io? I just need to pass this threshold?”

“Oh, no. You’ll be examined and must demonstrate your lineage before you can enter the inner realm.”

“Is that like proving what family I’m from?”

“Exactly.”

“How do I get one of these lineages?”

“Get one?” Io asked. “You already have it. You both do.”

“What?” Sift asked.

Ruin already suspected what Io had just revealed.

“We have your lineage,” Ruin stated. “The Creation Essence in my mind you placed there with Rami and the Creation Essence you used with Uru to connect my Dark and Chaos Meridians before I was even born.”

Io didn’t respond.

Ruin looked from the dagger to Sift. “Remember when I used Io to slice you open and connect your Air Meridian in the Spirit Realm?”

“How can I forget. We almost died to that stupid squid.”

“That only worked because Io used some of his Creation Essence to bind your pathways.”

Sift touched his chest.

Ruin refocused on the dagger. “What does having your lineage mean exactly?”

“That’s hard to explain,” Io said. “The simplest and probably closest explanation is that in the Creation Realm, you’d both be considered my sons. Or maybe my nephews. A direct descendant in any case.”

Ruin had expected this because he’d just gone through it with Deryssa. He placed his head in his hands. Varthon had mentioned Io was here because his family wanted him gone so they could claim Io’s power. Io had been exiled here. The Val’dor family’s terrible situation weighed heavily on Ruin, and he could feel the immense burden of Io’s family problems approaching now as well.

“You’re a king, aren’t you?” Sift asked.

“I am,” Io responded.

“That makes me a prince. The prince. I’m next in line.”

The comment pulled Ruin out of his miserable thoughts. “What?”

“I’m older than you. That makes me the heir.”

Ruin shook his head. “Obviously it would be based on when we became Io’s…relative. And that happened to me way before you. I’m clearly older.”

“That’s a stupid way to calculate age. There are two facts. One, I’m older. Two, we both have Io’s lineage. That makes me the next king.”

“With my time dilation I’m like a hundred years older than you.”

“Slow down you two,” Io said. “Succession isn’t based on age. I name my successor unless I’m dead, in which case the family decides.”

Sift’s eyes widened. “Wait till I tell Lylan I’m royalty, too.”

“I can’t believe we’re having this conversation,” Ruin whispered. He snapped a finger to get Sift’s attention. “Hey, Prince Wonder, you shouldn’t be so quick to take the mantle of power. I just experienced how horrible the results of gaining a new family can be. And I’m betting Io is leaving some important details out.”

That seemed to give Sift pause.

Ruin turned back to Io. “So they check us at the threshold and find I’m related to you. Then they let me go see the sigils?”

“Oh, no. If you’re in that form they’ll kill you regardless. In your human form they might give you a chance to claim a higher state of being. A transformation trial. The likely result of that is also death.”

Io must have detected Ruin’s lack of fear. “I know you are powerful, but you don’t yet possess the skills you require to manipulate raw femites. True death doesn’t exist in the Creation Realm, but transitions from one state to another can result in something that’s basically identical. Your strength will not save you.”

That sobered Ruin.

Io continued. “If you successfully claim your true form, you’ll be allowed to pass into the inner realm.”

“Then I’ll be able to see the sigils?” Ruin asked.

“Yes.”

Ruin’s shoulders slumped. The risks involved didn’t warrant attempting such a transition.

“Hey,” Sift said and Ruin looked up. “I got you, little brother.”

The word brother hit Ruin hard. They were, in a sense, now brothers.

Sift continued. “Remember when we first met my parents and Mom commented on how our auras aligned or overlapped or whatever she said?”

“Yeah,” Ruin responded, thinking how that felt like a lifetime ago.

“I bet this is why. We were always meant to be brothers. Me the older one, of course.”

Before Ruin could argue Io spoke. “Auras are a mysterious thing. It would behoove you both to study those of everyone you meet.”

Sift looked at Ruin with a confused expression.

“Behoove means it’s something we should do.”

“You know what else would behoove me?” Sift asked. “Rubbing it in Lylan’s face that I’m royalty too. The next king of the Creation Realm. Are you done with Io?”

“Almost. When my human body was dissolving, I saw what I believe were the pieces of Creation Essence that connected my Dark and Chaos pathways retreating into a Meridian. I would’ve guessed, knowing what I know now, that the essence would’ve entered one of the Meridians associated with the Creation Realm. Instead, it chose my Body Meridian. Do you know why?”

“No,” Io responded, “but the Body and Mind Meridians are fascinating. They act as the fulcrum between Creation and Destruction. The transition point between the higher and lower realms and the only place balance is achievable. Perhaps the Creation essence desired level ground so to speak. A question worth pondering.”

“Now?” Sift asked.

“Yes, go. I predict you’ll be stabbed soon.”

“Stabbed? This royal body? She wouldn’t dare.”

“Now, I’m going with stabbed and whipped.”

Sift grinned as he retrieved Io and stood. He turned to go but paused and looked down at Ruin, his smile disappearing.

“I was serious you know,” Sift said. “I got you. You’re the shield on the bridge. There’s no reason for you to risk your life getting those sigils. I’ll do it and then give them to you.”

Ruin didn’t know what to say, touched by Sift’s offer.

Then Sift dashed away, already discussing brain pudding with Io.

Ruin stood and strode toward the portal he’d created to Grave not that long ago. He needed to get Lir’s help, and this was the quickest way. Ruin studied Io’s responses. The entity that inhabited that dagger rarely said anything without purpose. Io had given Ruin clues, and he planned to discover the secrets.

Ruin approached the portal and stepped through, returning to Grave for the first time since this all began.

Exiting on the other side, Ruin reached out for Lir but encountered only silence. It was then that he remembered Rami couldn’t speak with him mentally since he’d become a Saraph. That meant Lir wouldn’t succeed either. Ruin tried speaking with Fractal but had no luck.

The portal behind Ruin shrank to the size of a fist, blocking his retreat. Over fifty portals appeared around the platform and the quick response teams Lir created to combat intruders poured out of them.