Chapter XIV

  “Firrik…? What the hell was that?” Seiras Ka breathed, his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath, while his strange words caused her to furrow her brow with confusion.

  “E-excuse me?” Tali stuttered nervously. “What do you mean?”

  “That vision! Of me dying in the Niras Lounge! Of me among those Masters?! What the fucking hell did you just show me?! What mental manipulation was that?!”

  He was screaming like a man who had just seen his own death, a reality that should have been impossible. Throughout her life, there had never once been a person who had shared in her visions, who could know without even a scrap of doubt that she was telling the truth, so she couldn’t prevent her brain from shutting down for a few seconds as it struggled to process not only the goldmine of information that was her most recent vision, but how to maneuver the coming interaction with the Master of the Mind. The blade of his knife was pressed against her throat, his small body straddling hers as she lay in that corpse-ridden tunnel beneath the fortress of Ankalla. She knew she wasn’t going to die, but that didn’t make his hideous visage any less terrifying.

  “M-Master Ka,” Tali began carefully, licking her dry lips as she struggled to find the right words to use. “How were you able to see that? Only I have ever had this ability…”

  Seiras cocked an eyebrow. “What are you talking about? Don’t take me for a fool, Disciple… Were you not the one who put that spell on me? Were you not the one fucking with my head! I’d accuse you of partaking in mind magic, but something about that feels wrong. That vision didn’t reek of mental mana like most do, so what was it? Answer the question, or I’ll open your neck.”

  Tali hesitated, sparing a brief glance over his shoulder to where she could just barely see Velanor lying prone on the ground, seemingly unconscious.

  “Ignore him,” the Master spat, his saliva splattering across her face in the process. “He’s alive, if that’s what you're wondering. He’s just…elsewhere... Stuck within his thoughts… But if you keep me waiting any longer, he will not stay in the realm of the living.”

  The Voice of Rei internally sighed, unsure of whether she was happy or not that Velanor still lived. Alright, I think that whatever happens here is going to be risky no matter what I do, so I might as well go all in. Let’s try and cooperate with this man, see if I can maybe talk him into letting me go…

  “I can see visions of the future, Master,” Tali finally forced herself to say, somehow managing to re-erect her mask of confidence. “Ever since I was a young girl, I could witness occasional glimpses into what was coming merely by touching a person. Sometimes, it was as simple as what we’d be having for dinner that night. Other times, it would show me things far greater…like the ignition of Stellareid’s Fifth Ring, this assault on Ankalla…or even the death of a Master…”

  Seiras clicked his tongue almost immediately, his head snapping forward so that their noses and foreheads were pressed against one another. “But you didn’t touch me, now did you?”

  “You’re right…” she conceded, flinching slightly both at his closeness, and at the coldness of the dagger against her throat. “Yet I saw the future anyway. If I had to guess, perhaps mind magic and time magic interacting the way they did broke down some of the typical conditions needed for my foresight. Our minds magically linked, so I didn’t need to touch you, and you could see what I did. Or at least, that’s my running theory.”

  His tongue flitted through his pursed lips, and she could see in his bulging blue eyes that he was considering her words. “Hmm…? Curious… My gut urges me to call you a liar, but my mind sees the truth in what you claim. Tell me then, Tali Firrik, is your time magic the method behind Kosah-Rei domination? Have you been using these alleged visions to outplay the Citadel?”

  “Exactly right, my friend,” she answered with a wry smile. “I succeeded because we would succeed, if that makes sense? We acquired our powerful talismans because we would someday acquire them. It’s a sort of…chicken-or-the-egg kind of deal… See, I witnessed a vision of us finding Barron’s armor set, so I knew where to go and what to do in order to get them. That’s how I found all of my allies, that’s how we became so dominate, so trust me, Seiras Ka, when I say these visions are very real.”

  “You’re being oddly forthcoming,” he growled, to which she replied,

  “Why shouldn’t I be? I don’t want to die.”

  He clicked his tongue yet again, this time with even more annoyance. “Well, then I request you clarify one more thing… You said you foresaw the Battle of Ankalla, so why is it succeeding, hmm? Why have you not prevented it?”

  “Because I can’t,” she stated simply. “What I see is inevitable. Trust me, I’ve tried to change the future before, and it amounts to nothing. That’s why I’m so confused right now. You know enough circumstances of your death to prevent it, yet for some reason, you’re still going to die. This vision…is an abnormality in more ways than one…”

  Seiras narrowed his eyes skeptically, and for a moment, she feared her blunt honesty may actually cause things to deteriorate further. She had, after all, just told him that he was doomed to die, so would that make this seemingly unstable man lose his composure? Tali couldn't be killed, but she could very easily be maimed so long as it was eventually healed. She swallowed her nerves, keeping a pleasant smile on her face so as to continue seeming harmless.

  “They can’t be changed, can they?” he finally uttered. “So what you’re telling me is that everything in that vision will happen, no matter what? I’m going to die to an unknown assailant? Caeli and Mackia will ascend to the Masters of Wind and Nature? And this Aniextium… I’m going to succeed at making it? But what if I simply never step foot in the Niras Lounge again? What then, Firrik?”

  She shook her head. “I have no idea. Every vision I’ve ever wanted to prevent did not provide enough details to prevent it. This has given you enough to avoid it, so my only conclusion is that you go there willingly, knowing your fate is sealed. But why would you do that?”

  “A good question, for I wouldn’t.” Then, to her surprise, Seiras removed the knife and crawled off of her, his feet landing against the stone ground as he stood up straighter. “Which is what unnerves me. I do not wish to believe you, but having experienced that vision myself, I can sense the unique mana signature within it. Time magic, you say… Fascinating…”

  Tali nervously got to her feet, not wanting to assume he was standing down but also getting the feeling that she may be in the clear. “So then… What can I do for you? I really do need to get out of here, but I understand that a Master such as yourself wouldn’t just let me go…”

  Seiras chuckled, the sound a raspy and low rumble that caused a shiver to go down her spine. “Oh, I’ll let you leave, Firrik, but only under the condition that you satisfy my curiosity.”

  “I’m sorry? Meaning?”

  “Meaning I don’t want to die.” He raised his head to stare up at her, a wide and twisted smile coming over his face. “I am a curious man at heart. I love to learn. I want to understand this strange multiverse we call our home, and just now, I bore witness to a new type of mana. That’s not something that happens every day, now is it?”

  “I don’t suppose it is, but…” She frowned. “I truly don’t know how to help you. I swear on Rei, I have never been successful at preventing the future.”

  “There’s a first time for everything, my dear.” Still laughing to himself, Seiras stuck his bony hand into an inner pocket of his cloak, only to produce a small golden coin a mere second later that he held out for her to take. “Follow the company back to Erika and use this to get into the city. Flash it to the guards and they won’t even question you.”

  Allowing the coin to fall into her palm, Tali couldn’t contain her surprise when she realized it was his Master’s badge. “B-but, you—”

  “Go straight to the Malthorne Inn and wait for me there,” the Master went on, talking over her as if not having heard her speak. “There’s a few things I want to look into first, but I’ll make contact with you the first chance I get.”

  Tali watched him begin to pace around the corpses, her heart beating with anxiety as she attempted to follow the course of the conversation. “I don’t understand. You’re just going to work with me, simple as that? What of your loyalty to the Masters? To King Markreas?”

  “What loyalty?” Seiras grunted. “No, no, no, I have no loyalty to anybody but myself. So long as you are beneficial to me, then I see no reason to turn you over. You’re going to help me live, is that understood?”

  Help him live? But I can’t! If I could change the visions, then today would have never happened! I just sacrificed my uncle, as well as Quill and who knows how many others, so how could I possibly try and save this freaky little monster? That being said… Tali lowered her eyes to gaze at the golden coin with interest. I can’t deny the opportunity here. A free passage into Erika? There’s no way I can pass that up. I’m still banking on Liri using the Teritus against the King and Queen, so the fact that fate is sending me to the capital indicates I might need to be close by… I can’t prevent Seiras’s death, but he can think I’ll try all he likes. I understand his mindset. So long as you’re useful to me, then I see no reason to toss you aside.

  “Gotcha,” Tali finally agreed. “Then I’ll see you in Erika, Master Ka.”

  ***

  Three weeks after her encounter with Seiras Ka in the tunnels of Ankalla, the time had finally arrived for Tali to face him again. However, this time, she was not only prepared, but she was also no longer alone. That morning, a letter was delivered to their inn requesting they meet in one of the private rooms in a very upscale bar down the street. It was signed with an alias to prevent anybody who intercepted the message from learning who it was that sent it, but it detailed instructions to use the Master coin as a means of acquiring a private room and that they would meet that evening, after dark. Therefore, as the sun began to set on the Great City of Erika, Tali departed for their destination alongside Velanor Kinrono and Leiolai Sartella. The trio wore heavy raincoats since the storm had returned sometime in the last few hours, but not even those could quite stem the biting chill of the night air.

  Summer really is ending, Tali internally mused. Though, I guess I should be grateful I won’t have to spend this winter up in Ankalla. It’s much nicer down here in central Ijiria.

  The walk was thankfully fast, and upon doing as ordered, the coin enabled them to be taken to a private room on the Malthorne Inn’s third floor without any need for identification or biological checks. Evidently, that was just how much power came with one of these coins, leaving her wondering what Ijiria would do if it was ever stolen by somebody who sought to take advantage of it.

  Then again, perhaps the Ijirians would consider that a worthy punishment. In their eyes, a Master of Ijiria should be too clever and powerful to inadvertently lose their coin, so if they ever did, then they deserved the consequences.

  Tali smirked to herself, loving the thought of King Markreas’s expression should he ever find out just how easily she was galavanting around his city. She was still one of the most wanted individuals in the Empire, yet there she was, in the heart of Erika with nobody any the wiser.

  The room they were led to was small but comfortable, with a little seating area containing four chairs in the back right corner, a long dining table across from it, and a little waist-high shelf of games just behind it. The carpet was a deep red, the firelamps illuminated everything comfortably, and the window between the chairs and table offered them a pretty view of the market below. Their escort bid them a good evening, informed them that they would stop by periodically to check if they needed anything, then departed, leaving the three of them standing there for a few seconds in silence.

  Tali nodded to herself, satisfied for the moment, before moving over to take a seat in the chair facing the door. She motioned for Leiolai and Velanor to do the same, but neither took even a step to follow. Velanor’s hand rarely left the pommel of the sword sheathed on his hip while Leiolai began to anxiously pace, her features furrowed with consideration.

  Sighing, Tali said, “You two can relax, you know? If Seiras was going to hurt us, I don’t think he’d have let me leave Ankalla. This is a bit too much effort to just pull the rug out from under us now. I mean, I totally could have just stolen his coin and fled to Trovia or something, so he’s taking a lot of risks, too.”

  “Yeah, that’s one of the things bothering me,” Leiolai grumbled. “I know he said he wants to cheat death, but to just suddenly decide to work with the Kosah-Rei, with hardly any convincing on your part, is ridiculously suspicious. Under his circumstances, I don’t think I’d have taken everything you said at face value, yet that bastard did a one-eighty and sent you on your way with a Master’s coin of all things! He might not be trying to kill us, but he’s definitely up to something!”

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  Tali shrugged casually. “I mean, probably, but does it really matter? We know next to nothing about him. He’s a complete and total enigma, so maybe he meant it when he said he didn’t feel loyalty towards Markreas.”

  “I think that’s concerning as well,” Velanor grunted, to which Leiolai nodded vigorously.

  “Exactly! Working with an enigma like that, well…” The changeling shook her head. “I hate it. And I’m going to keep saying that until it either works out, or we’re all dead. Whichever happens first…”

  “Leio…” Tali extended her hand outwards, intending for Leiolai to grasp it. The other woman eyed it for a moment before taking a few steps forward and doing as Tali wanted. “Thank you for worrying, but I feel this is a risk worth taking. With the others gone, we’re not in a position to do anything anymore. In order to keep the Kosah-Rei’s ideology alive, we need people that can help us the way Vesh, Quill, Uma, and Barron did before. I expect Liri to be one of them, but if we could recruit Seiras into our ranks as well, our infiltration of the Citadel could be even more thorough than we dreamed. And Mr. Kinrono…” She then turned to face Velanor with a warm smile. “If it’s not Liri’s time yet, then maybe I can convince Seiras to release Keskivaara. We need the Master of the Mind.”

  Both of her allies seemed like they wanted to keep arguing the point, but before either could attempt, the door to the private room was pushed open. Leiolai released Tali’s hand, taking a few steps back to stand beside Velanor as they watched a small cloaked figure move inside, the door gently closing behind him right away. The man then reached up and removed the cowl, revealing twisted features, matted white hair, bulging blue eyes, and an excited, almost wild, smile.

  Seiras eyed all three of them for a few seconds before arching his back in a bow. “Good evening, friends. My apologies for taking so long to meet with you, but it’s been a chaotic week, and I’ve had business to attend to. To you, Madame, I am Seiras Ka, the Master of the Mind.”

  As he addressed Leiolai, the changeling tensed up with discomfort. “Charmed.”

  “And you are?” Seiras pressed, waving his fingers to indicate she should introduce herself, but Leiolai didn’t speak a word, leaving Tali as the one to mediate things.

  “This is Leiolai, Master Ka. I’m sure you’ve heard of her.” Leiolai shot Tali a nervous look, but the Voice ignored her, keeping her attention solely on the Master. “And you remember Mr. Kinrono from the tunnels, right?”

  Seiras nodded. “I do, yes. And Ms. Sartella, it's a pleasure to put a face to the name…assuming this is your real face?”

  “Most say changelings don’t have real faces,” Leiolai stated curtly. “So who’s to say?”

  The Master of the Mind smirked, then walked across the room to climb into the chair across from Tali, his fingers wrapping around themselves on his lap. “Very well then. I can tell when I’m not liked, so for the sake of your friends, Firrik, I’ll make this as brief as I can. Simply put, I’ve pondered much of what you said at Ankalla regarding your time magic, so while dear Koroha was researching the secrets of Keskivaara’s lightning, I was doing my own studying on foreign magics.”

  Tali frowned, not fully understanding what Seiras meant by that. “Keskivaara’s lightning? Sorry, I don’t mean to change the subject so soon, but what do you mean?”

  “You don’t know?” The Master suddenly seemed genuine in his surprise, as both he and Tali looked to find Velanor just as confused. “Kinrono? Are you aware that Keskivaara possesses an unknown magic type revolving around electricity?”

  “I, uh…did not know that,” Velanor stuttered. “I mean, he was always quite vague in regards to where he was before returning to Stellareid, and I rarely asked, so it’s not terribly shocking, no pun intended, but…” He cleared his throat. “How do you know about this?”

  Seiras chuckled. “He used it against King Markreas in a last ditch attempt to kill him. Unfortunately, it was not successful, but His Majesty was so unsettled by it, Keskivaara was spared so that information could be tortured out of him. However, if not even his precious husband was aware, then Master Taurus was screwed from the start.”

  “He’s being tortured?” Velanor pressed, panic erupting across his face.

  “He is, but I’m thinking we can work something out… As it happens, I’m here to barter, and I’m more than willing to trade Rickori Keskivaara for the cooperation of the three of you.” Seiras leaned forward as he dragged the discussion back to its original topic. “How does that sound, Firrik?”

  Tali forced herself to push aside the implications of Keskivaara’s magic for the moment, especially if Seiras was being truthful in his offer to release the People’s Mind. Regaining Keskivaara and allying with Seiras at once would do wonders for recovering her movement, so she kicked herself into gear and responded.

  “That sounds lovely, and I’m more than happy to cooperate. What would you have me do?”

  “Hmm… Well, like I said, I was doing some research on your magic, but I didn’t come up with anything of value…” he explained. “Most of the reports detailing prophets and seers were proven to be nothing more than scams and frauds. What you’re able to do is unique, perhaps one-of-a-kind, so that makes it valuable beyond anything.”

  “And you’re just believing her?” Leiolai snapped. “That isn’t raising any red flags for you?”

  Seiras shrugged. “I’m a mind mage, Sartella, and as such, I have seen this world from a different perspective than most. I can’t quite put it to words, but having experienced that vision, I can say with near confidence that it wasn’t some trick. Most people cannot sense the presence of mind mana, but those who wield it are quite alert. If Firrik was using magic to make me see things, I’d have known. Besides, existing within that vision, I could feel the presence of a magic I’ve never felt. That, alone, is more proof than I need.”

  “Very well,” Tali said, trying to get the Master back to addressing her as opposed to the clearly antagonistic Leiolai. “So you believe that our vision of the future is true. You think you’re going to die at some point in the Niras Lounge.”

  “For the moment, I have little reason to think otherwise,” he confirmed. “I also believe your claim that the future can’t be changed. There was no motivation for you to tell me that, for most would have murdered you on the spot for informing them they were doomed to die. The only reason you’d have said as much is if it were the truth, or what you believe to be the truth. But you see, I wish to defy death! Fate does not get to tell me what to do, so I’m going to break past the limitations of your vision, whether they exist or not.”

  As she listened to him speak, Tali felt a stabbing of guilt in her heart as she recalled something Uma had said to her—something nearly identical to what Seiras was asserting.

  “I’m not trying to be rude here, and I more than apologize for any disrespect I have directed towards you, but I wish to be in control—or as in control as I possibly can be! Even if I have no chance in hell of surviving my predicted death, I must try. Can you swear to the Goddess Rei that you will give me that chance! …Just because you’re willing to lay down and accept the future doesn’t mean I am!”

  Suddenly, she wondered if it was an insult to Uma’s memory to so much as entertain the thought that Seiras could cheat her vision. She had been firm in her refusal to help Uma, a man she had cared for and liked, so what kind of vile person did it make her to agree to work alongside Seiras?

  I’m sorry, Uma. If it means anything, it’s not like I think this will actually work. I just need Seiras to think it.

  “Well, I’m willing to try if you’d like me to,” Tali responded cheerfully, hiding her internal turmoil as best she could. “But I wouldn’t even know where to start. I mean, if you just don’t go to the lounge ever, you should be okay.”

  Seiras twisted his lips in thought. “In theory, sure, but it worries me how certain you are that the visions are inevitable. You allowed the Kosah-Rei to be slaughtered because your visions told you they would be. You didn’t even try to save them. That alone tells me that you have strong reason to believe you’re powerless, and while I won’t pry into that reason, I know it’s there. Therefore, I am going to allow this vision to happen.”

  “Y-you are?” she murmured. “What do you mean?”

  He grinned smugly. “What I mean is that I’m going to die in the Niras Lounge, but I am not going to die. Now first, I need to clarify one thing before I elaborate. Is it possible that the man in the vision was not me? For instance, could Sartella transform someone into me and send them there in my place?”

  “No, absolutely not,” Tali answered firmly. “Even setting aside that the person in the vision could effectively use mind magic, my ability shows me a person’s future when I touch them. The fact that it was a vision created by interacting with you means you had to be there. There’s no question, Master.”

  Seiras spread his hands in concession. “I suspected as much. Good, then I can go on. Let me tell you a little fun fact about mind mages. You see, despite being referred to as ‘mind’ magic, it isn’t really related to the brain. We can’t forcefully read more than surface-level thoughts, we can’t control a body for longer than a few seconds, nor can we alter brain chemistry. Truly, my magic is more about perception. I can make people see things that aren’t there, make them feel things they aren’t feeling, drive a person mad with nought but an utterance and a little finesse. Why do you think those pastors at Ankalla all killed each other? Their senses went wild.”

  He paused, as if wanting to see if his audience had anything to say, but when all three remained quiet, he went on. “However, as already stated, we can mess with the mind a little. There’s something in us, a consciousness of sorts that is separate from the brain. Tell me, have you heard of the Ijirian relic referred to as the ‘Assassination Stone’?”

  Tali shook her head. “No, I don’t believe I have.”

  “I wouldn’t think so. Most don’t know much about the relics, but given who you are, I still thought it best to check. The Assassination Stone is an item that uses mind magic to swap the bodies of two individuals. It takes one’s consciousness and puts it in a different body, but the brain itself isn’t moving. Say you and Sartella used this, you would experience her entire form from her perspective, her brain included, but with your own thoughts, memories, and feelings. So if consciousness and the brain were one in the same, that wouldn’t work. But it does. And unfortunately, the mind mage who made it went crazy and died, so we never learned how they did it.”

  “Okay, so you intend to use this stone then?” Tali inquired skeptically. “Like, put somebody into your body and have them take your place?”

  “Oh no, that wouldn’t work,” Seiras clarified. “The body and soul are still linked, even when swapped, so should my body die, my consciousness would, too. That little detail is why it’s referred to as the Assassination Stone. Steal someone’s body when they don’t expect it, then open their throat with their own hands. They’ll die without a fight.”

  “Then—?”

  “But!” he exclaimed, raising a finger with excitement. “What that stone proves is that the consciousness can be removed from the body, if only temporarily! So what if I could make it permanent? What if I split my soul, put part of it in some sort of container, and allowed the other part to go through with your vision. A little piece of me would die, but if I could preserve most of it, all I’d need would be another body and I’d be good as new. The vision could happen, I could die, but I would live.”

  Tali suddenly felt a little spark in her heart, for what he was saying actually made sense. Seiras wasn’t proposing that they stop the vision from happening, rather he wanted to alter their perception of what happened. They witnessed that moment and came to the conclusion that Seiras was going to die in the Niras Lounge, but if he was able to accomplish what he was suggesting, then Tali’s vision could happen without the consequences they expected. It was probably the only strategy in existence that could bypass the future’s inevitability, but if it worked—if Seiras could reinterpret the future for her—then suddenly, perhaps her curse would seem a little less constrictive.

  “But you can’t actually split your soul, right?” Velanor growled, his eyebrow cocked with skepticism. “I mean, you said this was only theoretical.”

  Seiras nodded. “I did say that, Mr Kinrono, and it’s true. I can’t accomplish this as I am now, but I have time on my side. Caeli and Mackia are not Masters, and so long as it remains like that, I can’t die. I intend to use the time I have, to work painlessly to make this breakthrough, and then I’ll defy death itself. Most of it can be done with my own skills, but I would still like your aid, Firrik. Your foresight can both provide me with more visions of my future, and also perhaps find me the talismans I would need the way you did for Sir Kristoff and his armor. Agree to work with me, and I agree to work with you.”

  “Well, sounds like a deal to me,” Tali replied, finding herself surprisingly eager to work with Seiras despite the apprehension she had felt mere minutes ago. “Keskivaara’s freedom for my cooperation. How soon can you return our dear People’s Mind to us?”

  At that question, the Master of the Mind’s smile turned even more wicked as he leaned forward and said, “I think I can have that done very soon, for the Citadel is experiencing some tension at the moment.”

  Tali frowned. “Tension? Why? I would have expected the tower to still be celebrating their enemy’s demise.”

  “Oh no, our fun was short lived, for just this afternoon, it came to light that Princess Ilirianna and Ryokumo Caeli smuggled Abi Reiner to Omaruo after the Battle of Stellareid, and that the dear girl has been living there ever since.”

  “W-what?” Tali’s eyes went wide as she exchanged shocked looks with Leiolai. “Abigail is alive?”

  I mean, I was pretty confident we weren’t the ones who killed her the way Ijiria claimed we were, but I was still under the impression she had died through some other means. Liri brought her to Omaruo?

  “She is, yes,” Seiras went on. “Evidently, Master Edwar Grunly was told about this not long ago, and he let it slip to Masters Noctis and Luz, who then informed King Markreas. A meeting was held just before I departed for this discussion. From the sound of it, Noctis is going to retrieve her this very minute. I expect Ms Reiner will be executed for breaking the Oralian Isolation Act, and my hope is that in the chaos, I can slip Keskivaara from the dungeons.”

  While Tali was certainly still listening to the man, her brain was spiraling with all of this new, utterly critical information. Nigreos and Album didn’t know, but Grunly did? Was it just Liri and Caeli otherwise? So there’s a rift between them…and… A smile of her own began to twist Tali’s lips as it dawned on her the true meaning of this revelation. This is it, isn’t it? Liri’s being shoved into a corner, and if she’s desperate enough to save Abigail, then she’ll know there’s only one way to do that.

  “Tali?” Leiolai spoke her name with purpose, clearly having realized the same thing she did. “What should we do?”

  The Voice of Rei got to her feet and hurried towards the window before unlatching it and yanking it open. Off in the distance, through the darkness and the rain, she could just barely make out the looming tower of the Citadel, little lights flickering on its surface. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, before she turned around and looked Leiolai dead in the eyes.

  “Go, Leio! Go to the Citadel and keep watch! If anything happens, be ready to help!”

  Without a word, Leiolai Sartella obeyed, her body rapidly shrinking into that of a bird before she flew through the open window and into the night.