The Edge of Chaos by Jak Koke

Author:Jak Koke [Koke, Jak]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: fantasy
ISBN: 9780786951895
Published: 2009-08-04T04:00:00+00:00

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Slanya stared silently into the fire. Her own history of chaos flickered on the edges of her memory. Elusive.She looked up, watching Duvan carefully as he paused in telling his story. He had packed and repacked their backpacks, had organized the firewood, and he kept looking out over the edge of the mote at the swirling vortex ahead. Now he paced, having nothing more to occupy his attention while he considered how to continue.

After a minute, Duvan went on, "They were surprised that I emerged from the Plaguewrought Land whole and untouched. And soon after, it became apparent that some of the elves were afraid of me. I was already a social outcast because of my race, but now I was alien.

"Boys and girls died during the fire-etching rituals. Not all, of course, but a goodly number. The rest were marked by the changelands-etched. Nobody came away untouched. It had never happened before.

"I found myself shunned. Friends I had worked so hard to make avoided me. Everyone whispered about me as I passed. They didn't know what to do with me. And then Rhiazzshar came to me and made everything right. She was a young priestess of Silvanus-very beautiful, very kind. She befriended me and held me while I cried in her arms. I was desperate for some affection, and she was very comforting.

"Rhiazzshar told me that the others were afraid of me, that they didn't understand why the changelands had had no effect. She wanted to know if I knew. But of course I had no idea. She said that we had to find out why so that we could convince the others that I was no threat. Then I would be accepted, perhaps even regarded as a hero.

"I asked her how I could do that, and she suggested I start by seeing what my limits were. How long can I resist the Plaguewrought Land? Is it just avoiding me, or am I impervious to it?

"I considered what she said, but I was afraid to try any of that. She held me and said it was all right."

The emotion in Duvan's voice tore at Slanya's heart. Rhiazzshar had clearly meant something to him. She also realized that Duvan was revealing a great secret about himself. His ability to avoid the effects of the changelands wasn't luck at all, and it was only partially rooted in knowledge. If what he had told her was true, Duvan was resistant to spellplague.

Around them, the sound of the storm had grown-a keening, scratchy wail, like an orchestra of sand rubbed on tin, punctuated by the booms of earth cracking apart and smashing together. It was close now, and Slanya needed to not think about it. So far, this mote had been drifting through a patch of calm, but it felt like it could pass into the storm at any moment.

"I fell in love with Rhiazzshar. She was my coming-of-age, really. After my failed fire-etching ceremony, she and I spent all our free time together, mostly isolated from the others.

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