Pasquinelli/Rise 465

That night just before twelve o’clock, Jon, and Ray were to leave were summoned to a final meeting with Jotea. They were to be given a final briefing and question-answer period.

Jon and Ray were sitting together chatting because the Prime Minister had not arrived yet. They were in a very small room in the castle that could have doubled for a broom closet. Their backpacks were piled next to its owner, ready for departure Jotea was still apparently afraid that there was a leak somewhere in the Council, and she wanted to continue to keep everything a secret. The fourth person in the room was her vizier, Solus, whom Jon had seen in the Council meeting. Jon and Ray continued to discuss the Frost and how they were going to counteract its efforts (but mostly Ray just complained). It was when Ray suggested Shifting into fur on her face that Jon had realized he’d never asked Ray a question that seemed very basic. He shifted the topic rather quickly.

“What does it feel like when you change like that?”

“Oh, well, It’s really...awesome,” she said.

“That narrows it down,” Jon said.

“You know that feeling when your hands are really cold and you put them under hot water? Kind of like that. It’s like a icy-hot burn. That’s the best way to describe it.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Oh please. You think I’d be doing it if it hurt.”

“I should have known,” said Jon.

“What does yours feel like? All that fire and stuff...must be hot.”

“It’s not really a physical sensation, but there is a sort of power surge. As if power was something you could feel and manipulate. It’s incredibly addictive.”

“Trippy,” said Ray.

“Yeah. That’s probably why we’re here now, doing this. I can’t imagine what it would feel like if I was even twice as powerful as I am now. I don’t want to become...that,” said Jon, referring of course to Ignus. His eyes narrowed as he remembered the dream he had just days ago.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let you get that far.”

“Thanks,” said Jon and he smiled at Ray.

Just then, Prime Minister Fauntyle came striding into the room. He looked nervous and was fidgeting. After finding a seat closest to Jotea and Solus, he started looking back and forth at the four of them. Jon briefly wondered if he was the leak. He seemed genuinely concerned for all their safety, so Jon put aside his doubts...for now. The Prime Minister was acting much different now than when Jon had first encountered him in Topaz Hall. He seemed almost cordial.

Fauntyle then spoke seeing as the Empress did not. “Your highness, Miss Cavitt, Mr. Kenneth... I bid you all good luck. I know you have both trained hard” -- he indicated to Jon and Ray -- “and I am positive you will be successful, but I also feel I must warn you. I have had personal experiences with Ignus in the past. He is ruthless and vile. You must be on your guard at all times. He is immensely powerful and will not think twice about eliminating you if he thinks you are in his way.

“Now, onto more factual discussion,” Fauntyle continued, abandoning the paternal tone he was using with them. “The Onyx Guild continues to grow in power. They are also no longer holding position at the Aurelia Mountains. They are moving up the mountains, further north and east. I’m sorry to say Empress, that they decimated the Royal Army there. They retreated -- what was left of them,” Fauntyle added, looking down at the floor.

The Empress closed her eyes for several seconds, clenched her hands into fists, opened them once more, and reopened her eyes, composure regained. Jon was surprised at how emotional of a reaction The Empress had, based on how calm and collected she always seemed. But on second thought, Jon admitted to himself that he would probably be royally ticked off too if his army was slaughtered in his own country.

“Very well,” said the Empress placidly. “We must make haste to the Frost and extend our ‘peace’ to him. I will find out what he is planning, even if I have to crawl through Drax on my hands and knees,” she vowed. She had an anger and fire in her eyes that Jon had never witnessed in her before.

“One final thing, majesty,” Fauntyle said. “Intelligence reports a small group of people spotted on the outskirts of the northern border of the Salmon Desert. They are headed northeast. It is estimated that they are headed for Norea and will reach the gates of the city in about a week. Maybe less.”

“How many?” asked Jon. He felt he should show to them that he was interested and genuinely cared about what could happen.

“Only three,” said Fauntyle.

The Empress started staring off into space as her face became passive. “Why would they only send three? Surely they don’t think that’s enough.”

“I am almost sure they do not think that, your highness. Perhaps they merely want to make their presence known?”

“It is possible. This is why we must be off at once. Something is queer. I can feel it.”

“Could Ignus be in that group?” said Jon.

“No. Our sources would know. Some of them are very proficient in detecting Charges. Besides, he wouldn’t travel with just two others. He is powerful, yes, but he is also very heavily protected. Perhaps a Light Mage?” said Fauntyle.

“No,” said the Empress. “We extended our friendship and we requested a presence. He agreed to an audience and nevertheless set a date. If he tries anything, we will be at war, and the Guild will be ill prepared for battle.”

“What if he tries to harm you?”

“Minister, I am the most powerful Magess on this continent, and I have a Temporal Mage whose powers equal that of Ignus. Plus, I continue to believe that Ignus believes we are on a mission of peace -- possibly even surrender. As long as he believes that, we will be safe. I have trained Jonathan and Racine extensively to deal with him if things become uncontrollable. We will also use Jonathan as an element of surprise in a worst-case scenario. Ignus will not be expecting another Phoenix Amulet there. He will not know how powerful Jonathan is. And if the situation becomes so dire that our lives are in great peril, I have prepared a Transportation Elixir. We will be instantaneously transported to miles from where it is drunk.”

“Transportation Elixir? It has been perfected?” asked Fauntyle with a gleam in his eye.

“Yes,” said the Empress. She smiled triumphantly. “We have only synthesized three doses, and I believe now is an appropriate time for something drastic.”

“Indeed,” Fauntyle said dreamily.

“Uh...what’s so special about this stuff?” said Ray, who had been patiently sitting there, remaining quiet.

“It is taken from the ocean depths from a hydrothermal vent. That particular sea water is very rare and contains charged magnetic crystals that when infused with a Charge from a Prox Mage, it will transport the drinker a certain distance.”

Jon briefly wondered if Sye had anything to do with the Elixir.

“In English,” Ray commanded.

“Funny water from the deep ocean that’s magicked by someone. It can then transport someone,” said Jon.

“In a crude sense, yes,” said Fauntyle.

“Just one more question,” said Jon. “I know this is a reconnaissance mission, but what are we stealing?”

“Information,” the Empress said. “As you are already aware, the Guild is moving out of the Frost. They have not moved very much at all in many years. Now they are making way and gaining ground quickly. I intend to read Ignus’ mind to find out why.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” said Ray.

“Yes,” said the Empress. She didn’t say anything else, and didn’t really need to.

Ray widened her eyes and broke into a smile. “I like that.”

“Are you sure you have everything? The viles of Transportation Elixir? Tuck them safely, but not obviously. We can’t let Ignus know you have an emergency way out...”

Jon had never witnessed the Prime Minister in such a nervous mood. It was like a mother who was letting her child go on a camping trip for the first time without her.

“Minister, please,” The Empress said coolly. “I’m sure the three of us are competent enough that we haven’t forgotten anything.”

He stopped at once. “Yes, of course. It’s merely that... I know your Majesty is Empress of Iannis, but I still remember us as kids, me being the slightly older one.”

Jon thought he actually saw the Empress blush when she avoided everyone’s gaze and looked away under the pretext of securing her backpack. Ray gave a laugh that she tried to stifle, but she ended up choking and had to hit herself on the chest a few times.

“I -- apologize,” Fauntyle said. His complexion went as red as the Empress’ had. “I am merely worried about your safety. I would hate this country to lose another monarch. And I would hate to see a very good friend hurt or worse.”

The Empress stepped in front of Fauntyle and put her hands on his shoulders. “You mustn’t worry. I need all the positive energy from Norea that I can muster.”

“I know. I will try,” he managed.

“Good. Jonathan, Racine, are you ready?”

“Just about,” said Jon who was almost done checking his own backpack. He felt a wave of nervousness that was almost unnatural. He had no source for the emotion though he was nervous, he wasn’t that nervous. It was as if someone had injected him with the emotion, and it faded after a few seconds.

“Yuh-huh,” agreed Ray.

“Now if you four would leave me, I shall see you in an hour at our usual meeting place,” said the Empress. Jon and Ray gathered their things and hauled them out of the small lounge they were in. Jon looked back and saw the Empress begin to fold her hands, close her eyes and her whole body began to glow. He realized he had been staring when he felt Ray yank on his arm. Fauntyle left the room.

“She said she wanted to -- ” Ray said, but halfway through her sentence, she stopped and looked intently at Jon. She narrowed her eyes and looked quizzically back and forth between his eyes. “Oh no....”

Jon’s face started to heat up.

“You’ve got a crush on glowie in there? This is great!” she started to give a booming laugh.

“And what if I do?” Jon said loudly, breaking Ray’s playful air.

Ray stopped laughing and got serious very fast. “I just don’t want anything to happen when we get there. Your focus should be on the task; I think you should put your love-sickness aside and be ready.”

“I know, you’re right,” Jon admitted. He truly thought that it was probably a good idea to keep his focus somewhere that didn’t involve emotions. After all, his powers were tied to them.

“I know I am. I’m always right. Plus, she’s a mental remember? She knows what’s up with you.”

It was like a bucket of ice water was poured over Jon’s head. He hadn’t thought of that. He should have remembered, but didn’t. “Don’t worry,” he finally said, assuring himself more than anyone. “We’re there to accomplish a task, and I mean to do it.” After seeing Ray’s continued disbelief, Jon added, “Besides, I’m so nervous I can’t think, let alone dwell on emotions.”

That seemed to convince Ray, at least partially. She nodded once and left Jon alone in the hall. He gave a quick glance at the white light that was glowing from the space between the door and the floor in the room Jotea was in, and he too went off to make some final checks on preparations to his backpack. He put Ignus and Jotea out of his mind and began on some mental preparations for the trek through the icy Frost. Jon had another realization at that moment... of all the things he ever did in his life, this one was by far the most important. Thousands, millions, quite possibly billions of lives could be effected by what he did in the following few days. He was mind-boggled. He tried not to think about it too much or his head would start pounding like a vice was squashing it.

Jon roughly smashed his only pair of gloves into his backpack. He saw the mirror Sye had given him and also thought to pack it. Once that was tucked in the pair of gloves, he zipped it up. He transformed into his Phoenix Amulet robes and went outside to see how much his temporal powers had progressed. He looked up at the clock tower in the square. Eventually, he was contemptuous to the clock because the second hand moved along normally and if Jon had been successful, it would have slowed. He raised his arms toward the tower and closed his eyes, trying to mimic Jotea’s arm hand movement to invoke a Charge. He put pressure against both palms as he tried to enact the temporal halt. The clock continued to tick defiantly normal. In an effort to try again, Jon repeated the process. Again there was no result. The time was also half past eleven; they were leaving in thirty minutes, and it was at least a ten to fifteen minute walk up to the highest tower. Jon gave one last bitter look at the clock and headed back into the castle to do something he thought would be proper.

After fifteen minutes of climbing and silent reflection, Jon reached the tallest tower of the castle. He slowly and pensively crossed the square platform to the balustrade. He then gently placed his hands on the banister and leaned against it. His eyes caressed the twinkling town. Even though Jon had only been into town a few times, he felt a deep attraction and connection to the shining city. Jon couldn’t explain it -- he felt almost at home there. Sure he had a few altercations with a few people. But it was only a few people. There were also those like Sye, who befriended and saved a total stranger. And of course there was Jotea; another person Jon was happy to call a friend, but for a different reason. Ray noticed, and surely so did Jotea. Jon had had his share of crushes and puppy love in high school, but this seemed to be something more. He thought he might be falling in love. The only problem was that Jotea didn’t seem to be responding. But like he told Ray, right now was not the time to dwell on feelings. He would have enough trouble trying to stay alive, while making sure that the other two in his party were also okay.

Jon continued to stare at the twinkling lights of the city. The black of the forest stretched on for many many miles. A breeze started to breathe on Jon’s neck. He took one last deep breath and one last look at the city, and went back to the winding staircase. He stopped off at his room and grabbed his backpack.

Once back up in the tower, he saw Ray and Jotea, who had been waiting for him.

“About time,” said Ray.

“Shush,” responded Jon, who was tightening the shoulder straps on his pack. Ray was wearing her black jumpsuit again, and Jotea was now wearing a similar suit, but hers was more intricate and regal. She also carried an enormous fur coat over one arm. “What’s that for?”

“For all the sunbathing we’ll be doing in Antarctica,” said Ray.

“Ha ha.”

“I meant that I thought those suits were insulated,” said Jon.

“Yes, they are thermally insulated. But Iannisenes are less tolerant of colder temperatures. It is one of the reasons Ignus hides where he does. It makes it difficult for us to follow and puts the Guild members in misery.”

“Clever,” Jon remarked. He got two simultaneous looks of contempt from Ray and Jotea (Jotea’s was less pronounced, but still there). “Geez. Sorry.”

“Ignus is not to be taken lightly,” Jotea scolded.

“Don’t you think I know that? If someone doesn’t break the tension, it’ll --”

“I understand we are all nervous about upcoming events. We need to be alert and stay focused or this will not work. Understood?”

Jon nodded and Ray put her hands on her hips.

“Good.”

Jon was always amazed at the power Jotea evoked. Indeed, her Charge was extremely strong, but this was a different kind of power. She was very much in control of herself and others, and from what Jon could tell, she was only in her early twenties and running a country. He had no idea what he’d do if he was in her position.

“It is midnight,” Jotea said. “Let us be off.” She put on her massive fur coat that had a high collar and covered all but her face. She gave them one last look and, fit the key into the Window furthest to the right. It spiraled inward, but this time, the center of the vortex was not hazy and lush green, but near pitch-black and looked like the mouth of a long tunnel -- hardly inviting to Jon’s eyes.

Ray took a step forward and extended her arm so that her hand was just inches from the portal. She waved it back and forth.

“‘Do not adjust your television sets’...” she mused.

“Pardon?” said Jotea.

“Forget it.”

Jotea took a deep breath. “I wish you would let me in on your jests,” she said hotly. “I do enjoy laughing, too.”

“Really?” said Ray. “I never would have --”

Jon cleared his throat loudly to interrupt Ray. “It was a television show where each episode started by showing static, and the narrator would tell the audience that nothing was wrong with their television sets.”

“I see. Why would they show simply static?”

“Because it was just part of the show. I guess it was to show the viewer was entering a different world.”

Jotea turned to Ray. “Was that so difficult?”

“You still didn’t laugh, though,” Ray pointed out.

“I--”

“Okay anyway,” said Jon. “Don’t we have places to go?”

“Yes,” Ray agreed.

“Very well,” said Jotea. She turned to face the Window and walked right in.

Jon held out his hand and a trio of fireballs appeared and began to rotate around. Then he too walked through the Window.

After the brief rushing sensation, extreme instantly prickled every inch of his exposed skin. His body automatically started to shiver and contract even with the Phoenix Amulet garb.

“Oh my GOD,” Ray said from behind Jon. “It is so damn cold! I’m going to freeze my...pants...off!” Ray was yelling even though she didn’t have to. There was no weather to speak of -- the temperature was bitterly cold, but the sky was very clear.

“Jonathan, a little light if you would?” said Jotea who was just visible under her headdress of gray fur.

“Oh, of course.” Jon brought the fireballs out and had them circle the three of them as they walked. Ray was so cold, she kept putting her hands out to them whenever one passed her.

Describing the area as bleak would have been an overstatement. From what they could see in the darkness, Jon could tell he wouldn’t want to call the place home unless he was a polar bear or an icicle. The ground was pure white and flat as far as the eye could see. It didn’t seem as if they were stepping in snow, either. The ground was literally frozen over. Once light from the party’s flaming orbs reflected back from a column of ice, Jotea explained that it was a diamond tree. It wasn’t really made of diamonds, but they were actually thin saplings that excreted water as a form of protection against the elements. The water solidified and created a bare, tree-like structure made of ice. It wasn’t a rare plant, either. The further they walked, the more diamond trees they saw, flashing brilliantly back at them.

After trudging through the cold for more than an hour, Jotea stopped and said, “We’ve made pretty good time. We can camp here for the night.”

Perhaps it was Jon’s weakening and flickering fireballs, or Ray’s constant groaning and grumbling, but Jotea was enough of a diplomat to know when to quit, plus it was past one in the morning. Even empresses needed sleep.

“Camp? With what?” asked Ray.

“With this,” Jotea said simply. She fumbled around in her backpack and brought out a decorated bottle from its depths. After pouring out into her hand a thimble full of what looked to be sparkling sand, Jotea blew on it, and it shimmered and spread out into the air and down to the ground. The individual grains landed in the outline of a perfect square. They then illuminated and shot out spindles of light into the air, forming a pyramid of lit threads. The spaces between the threads closed and there sat a seven-foot high pyramid of light.

Jotea approached the structure and pulled on a flap that was turned out to be an entrance. She stood back and escorted Ray and Jon inside like a footman. Inside the tent was a lovely living space sectioned into four rooms; one entrance/foyer, and three sleeping quarters. Ray finally smiled because the inside was well lit, and most importantly, warm.

“To turn down the illumination, run your hand across the fibers until it is at the desired level. We will be protected from the cold and any other outside unpleasantness that may occur. Good night.” Jon went to an unoccupied quarters and plunked his backpack down on the ground. He had a twin cot in one corner and that was the room, and the only other available space was taken up by his backpack on the floor. It was a far cry from his huge castle quarters, but he reminded himself that living with Jotea had spoiled he and Ray. After removing his Phoenix Amulet garbs, he fell right to sleep on top of his cot.

By the time Jon woke up again, he hardly realized how he could have been sleeping. As soon as he opened his eyes he had to close them tightly again. The brightness was very intense. It was like walking into high noon sunlight from a darkened room.

Jotea strode into his quarters and the curtain patrician billowed out of her way.

“Good morning,” she said brightly.

“How did you know I was --?” Jon began sleepily.

“I am a mental.”

“Right.”

“You neglected to turn down your illuminated quarters.” Jotea then handed Jon -- who still had his eyes closed -- a pair of odd-looking aviation-type goggles. He put them on blindly and opened his eyes. Although it was still bright, it was not nearly as intense as before. He sat up and began to shake off the drowsiness that still hung onto him.

“Racine is rising as well. We should be off in a half an hour.”

The drowsiness lifted in a second and was replaced with a mild panic when Jon’s brain processed where he was and why. Butterflies flitted about in his stomach as he thought about the task still ahead of them.

Jotea left him, and Jon was left to his own devices. He transformed and met up with Ray and Jotea in the common area. Both Ray and Jotea were fastening their garments and in Jotea’s case, a fur coat. Ray looked like she didn’t have a very good night, and with those odd goggles and her jumpsuit, she also looked as if she was about to go flying into space.

“You all right there?” said Jon.

She gave him a sideways glance that said more than enough.

After another few minutes of final preparation, they were ready. Jotea instructed Jon and Ray to line up outside in front of the tent so she could inspect them, and to leave their backpacks in their quarters as they would be shrunk with the tent. After the inspection, she nodded at them in approval.

“Now, today is our only and final day of traveling. We will be meeting with Ignus later this afternoon. Here.” She dove into one of the folds of her coat and pulled out two viles filled with scarlet-colored liquid. “These are your doses of Transportation Elixir. Use them only when I do, or if I tell you to.”

“What do you mean, ‘or if I tell you to?’” said Ray.

“I may be engaged with Ignus, or unable to get to my dose in a timely manner, so I may have to join up with you a few moments after you take your doses.”

“Seems kinda dangerous,” said Ray.

“Come now,” Jotea retorted. “I know what I am doing. I have ruled over an entire country for the past three years.”

“Yeah. And you’re only what? Two years older than me?” she said.

It was at that moment Jon realized the difference in their ages, or lack thereof between he and Ray and Jotea. She couldn’t have been older than twenty-five.

“That is correct. However, because of my genial history of advanced mental capacity, I reasoned and had the mental capacity of a thirty year old when I was eleven.”

“Wow. Nice work,” said Jon.

“Thank you, but such a feat is not extraordinary in my family, so I am most undeserving of compliments.”

Ray gave Jotea a little push and said, “Jeez, lighten up. It was just a compliment.”

“I...apologize. I am preoccupied and apprehensive regarding the coming events of today.”

“You’re not the only one,” Jon said.

“You two need to loosen up,” Ray said heartily and proceeded to shake her limbs thoroughly out, and rotated her head on her neck. She looked like she was in a fit of spasms.

“Yes, but do not -- loosen up -- too much. We need to be fully alert when the time comes.”

Jon put his Transportation Elixir in the depths of his cloak. Ray put her dose in her bosom.

“Are we ready?” said Jotea.

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” said Jon.

As soon as they made sure everything they needed was out of the tent, it reformed into its grains of lit sand, which sparkled once again and were collected by Jotea’s telekinesis back in the decorated bottle.

Once that spectacle was over, Jon took in the Frost’s own unique beauty. Even with the sun-blocking goggles, it was still very bright. That landscape was something else entirely. The whiteness was overpowering and utterly permeating. Mounds of snow and frozen ground stretched on for what seemed like forever, and the diamond trees, now fully visible, dotted the expanse. Off to the right was the southern portion of the Aurelia Mountains that Jon saw in the map during the Council meeting...one of those peaks was the one they would be meeting Ignus in.

Fortunately, the weather was calm, so the group didn’t have to yell over howling wind and falling snow.

They began to make their journey to the southwest. At first, it was bearable. There was an occasional conversation and the scenery was interesting enough to actually produce conversation and keep interest as they walked along. Jon was purposely trying to keep his mind on his surroundings; he found it kept him adequately distracted.

But after three hours of trudging through the frozen and snowy ground, conversation eventually died away and Jon was feeling more and more nervous. He was actually surprised Ray wasn’t complaining more than she was. Maybe she was just too cold and too tired to care.

The silence was starting to ring in Jon’s ears loudly. He thought of a question that he probably should have asked the first day they got there.

“Jotea,” Jon said, and it had been so quiet for so long that the other two women jumped a little bit. “How did Iannis come about? I mean, how did the native people find it?”

“Oh!” Jotea said, surprised. She apparently couldn’t understand how she hadn’t told them all this time either. “Well, it is a very interesting and sorted story,” she began.

Ray gave a low groan. Her breath rose like a cloud and obscured her view so that she waved her arm to get it away from her.

“Iannis began,” started Jotea, not paying attention to Ray, “when a group of four known as the Great Commencers decided to expose their Charges to humans approximately five hundred years ago on earth. Your people were afraid that magical people would use these advantages to harm them. Of course, that notion was silly. It would be the equivalent of saying all humans go around and use their talents and knowledge to only take advantage of others.”

“Mass persecution of magical persons broke out, and the Four felt responsible for bringing a terrible fate to their people. Unfortunately, one of the Four was murdered by a group of humans before they located the Crystal of Power.”

“Wait, so this Crystal you told us about before was lost?” said Ray.

“Yes, there was a great quest to find it, and the fourth member died before it was located. Among the Four was a Transcendental Magess. She could actually astrally project herself just about anywhere in the galaxy. Unfortunately, the Transcendentals have all but died off, save for a few. Anyway, she found a planet in a remote solar system approximately forty seven thousand light years from Earth. It was a planet about two-thirds the size of Earth, and only three percent of the planet is covered in land. It was a beautiful place, but quite wild. After she returned, the Four decided it would be their new home, after they found the Crystal.”

“How did they know about the Crystal?” said Jon.

“Everyone knows. It is something of a legend in Iannis. Their next problem was how to transport there; the Transcendental Magess could only project herself there, not everyone else. But the Crystal of Power solved that, of course. It has existed longer than any of our people can remember. Anyway, once found, it was used in the stones that surround the Gate. Small fragments were chipped from it and embedded in the stones. The stones were then infused with a Charge from a Prox Mage, and there you have it.

“Our people went through the Gate and the Crystal was placed somewhere in Iannis where it maintains all Mages and Magesses Charges and stabilizes the climate.”

“Right,” said Ray slowly. “And this power thing is what we’re trying to keep away from the Guild?”

“Yes. It has never left the proximity of the ruling family since it was located.”

“And if by chance, they do get it --?” said Jon.

“You do not want to know,” Jotea said curtly and averted her eyes forward.

“Touchy subject, got it,” said Jon. “But what happened after that? So those three people found a way in. Then what?”

“Well, there was a mass transport of our people; those that wanted to go in any case. They gathered at the Gate and began a translocation. Several Mages and Magesses elected to remain where they were, and still others stayed back to construct more Gate Chambers.”

“And where does the name ‘Iannis’ come from?”

“Ah yes. That honor was bestowed on the Transcendental Magess who found the planet, Ianna.

“I want a whole planet named after me,” Ray said.

“If it were up to you, we’d also have a holiday known as Ray Day,” said Jon.

“And?”

“Exactly, please continue, Jotea.”

“Yes. Now, with all the Magi in the new world, they set up our capitol city and placed the Crystal in a safe location.”

“Somewhere in Norea,” Jon concluded.

“Actually, no. Our first capitol was abandoned three hundred years ago when a volcano erupted. Rock minions now overrun the area.”

“Wait a second. I thought the Crystal controlled weather,” Ray said with pride. She was clearly pleased to have found an inconsistency in Jotea’s story.

“That is partially true. The weather Magi came together as a group and channeled their powers through the Crystal in order to create a permanent, stable climate. But, we unfortunately do not have control over seismic events on the planet.”

“So you can control harmless rain, but not deadly volcano eruptions?” said Ray.

“In a sense, yes.”

Ray nodded and said only, “uh-huh.”

“Contrary to what non Magi usually believe, Charges cannot simply solve any and all problems in the blink of an eye.”

“Guess not,” Jon muttered under his breath.

The group carried on its way without a whole lot more conversation. Although Jon found the history of Iannis extremely intriguing and wanted to know more about it, he also figured that now was probably not the most opportune time. Ironically, the weather seemed to agree with the group’s mood. The whole time they had been in the Frost, they had clear skies, and only had to deal with cold temperatures. Now, dark clouds had began to gather. With only about forty-five minutes of traveling left, a blizzard pelted the Frost.

It got so bad that they had to stop. The wind was stinging their faces and the rapidly falling snow made it impossible to see. Ray had spotted an alcove in one of the mountains that they could use as a shelter for the worst of the storm. Thoroughly cold and wet, they consented to take refuge.

The three of them (Jotea included) collapsed on the rocky floor, Jotea’s backpack tossed to the side. The sound of the howling wind outside would have made any other person want to curl up in a ball in front of a fireplace. But here Jon, Ray and Jotea were trying to get through it. In any case, they were all too tired to notice. Jon lit a small bonfire that hung in midair; it provided enough warmth and light for the group.

Ray sat herself down on the uncomfortably rocky ground and nodded off without so much as a ‘goodnight’. Jon would have followed suit, but he looked over at Jotea and saw her huddled up as close as she could get to the fiery orb. Her lips were beginning to purple and she had her ankles to her chin to try and keep warm. After a few seconds of deliberating, Jon decided to put his uneasiness aside and just go to her. Jon scooched over along the alcove wall. He got to within two feet of her and then put up a small dome of orange-red heat. Jotea relaxed a bit.

“Thank you,” she said through clenched teeth. It was obvious that as an Empress she was not used to thanking people. She started shifting around uneasily where she sat, and she kept her eyes on the hovering orb. Jon hadn’t recalled such nervousness from her since the last training session when she was knocked out.

“Don’t mention it,” Jon said, the feeling returning to his hands. He was surprised at his own daring -- he was the one who kept a fixed gaze on her. It was she who kept avoiding his eyes.

It was at some point during Jon’s mindless staring that he felt a rush of something. It was the same kind of inexplicable internal warmth he had walked into on his first night at Oak Tree Manor. Only now, it felt stronger. The contentment and bliss was magnified and it was so powerful and overbearing that Jon literally toppled over where he sat. The bubble of heat along with the fire orb both disappeared.

Jon shook his head and sat back up again. He must have been on the ground for longer than he’d thought, because when he re-conjured the fireball, Jotea was no longer in the cave (Ray was still sleeping soundly).

He scrambled outside (the fire ball went out once again) without thinking, and there was Jotea -- braving the storm and facing it head-on. It looked as if the blizzard didn’t have a chance against her gaze.

Jon slowly approached Jotea. He knew he couldn’t possibly sneak up on her -- she probably knew the precise moment when he regained consciousness. She sensed his presence, and in a way, he sensed hers.

Jotea’s hair was billowing majestically as Jon came face-to-face with her. She seemed to be looking past him at something far off in the distance. Her solemn expression made the bleak surroundings look almost inviting. She spoke before he did.

“If this mission fails, it will be my fault.”

Jon’s mouth dropped open in surprise, and his tongue began to freeze. “What?”

“My...burgeoning feelings are compromising this mission.”

Jon closed his mouth and got a butterfly in his stomach when her statement registered. It wasn’t the nervous kind of anxiety he had been feeling for the past day or so, this time, it was anticipatory excitement. Jotea had “feelings” for him. That made Ray’s warning the previous night seem irrelevant now that the feeling was mutual.

“Listen, I know it’s hard,” Jon said, half yelling, “and now awkward, but we can do this. Besides, whatever happened back there wasn’t your fault.”

Jotea gave a disbelieving chuckle. “Indirectly it is. That sensation you felt back on Earth when you heard me call you was intentionally sent, primarily to awaken the sense of urgency and directedness. At that time I could feel our minds connect. I knew these feelings were a possibility.”

Like being slapped in the face, Jon remembered that time in the hall when he felt that warm sensation and heard the voice. Of course it was the same sensation, so it would make sense that they were both from her.

“And,” she went on, “the connection in the cave was almost ... involuntary.”

As Jon had no clue what to stay, he stayed silent.

“We’re too close to turn back now,” pondered Jotea more to herself, “so we must go on. I will try and suppress it in any way I can, and I apologize.”

“You don’t have to,” said Jon and he turned his attention to the ground and started flicking snowflakes off his cloak. It was then that Jon realized that they had been standing out in a blizzard for five minutes. “Come on,” he said and offered an arm to the Empress.

She nodded, curtly, took his arm and the two of them trudged back into the cave, arm-in-arm.

Ray was still fast asleep. Jon re-activated the fire orb (bigger this time to accommodate Jotea), and he and Jotea took their places at opposite ends of the cave.

“Good night,” yawned Jon, even though it was mid afternoon.

“Yes....” said Jotea quietly.

Jon drifted off into a light and unrestful sleep.