Victor of Tucson-12.26 Buildup

Victor of Tucson-12.26 Buildup

26 – Buildup
Victor had thought that breaking through the veil and vastly enhancing his connection to the flows of Energy would make hiding his strength even harder, but the opposite was true. Of course, he was sure his massively upgraded intellect had something to do with it, but his
connection
to Energy made manipulating it easier—even that which resided in his Core. His Aura Veil had already been strong, but now he could put an iron-clad shroud around his Core space, utterly obscuring it from scrutiny, much the way most veil walkers chose to move among mortals.
He was reminded of the time he’d first met Ranish Dar and the Great Master had let slip just a tiny sliver of his aura, putting Victor in his place when he’d challenged him a little too forcefully. Tes was another example. She’d walked among the people of Coloss for months, seemingly a fragile mortal, hiding the vast potency of her form and magic. Victor had similar control of his physical being now, too. He could contain its potential with a minor effort of will, appearing to be a simple human whenever he so chose.
Those thoughts ran through his mind as he made his way out of the villa to Dar’s coach with Tes clinging to his arm. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to hide his newfound power, but he did. He supposed part of it was the worry that Vesavo would back out if he knew the fight would be less one-sided than he’d anticipated. Of course, the man would lose face and give up his claim to Arona if he did so—a victory in itself—but Victor didn’t want the ancient Death Caster lurking in his past, scheming for vengeance. He wanted to be done with the bastard.
“Your control is admirable,” Tes said. “I must use magic to alter my physical nature. I don’t sense that you’re using the spell I taught you.”
“It’s a titan thing. My cells roil with Energy attuned to potential, and I can control it to a degree.”
“How very interesting—that must be connected to your ability to absorb fragments of your foes.”
Victor nodded. “Yeah, I think so.”
Dar was waiting at the coach, and he waved them inside, climbing through the door ahead of them. Victor’s onetime master had been predictably amazed at his success with the veil; he couldn’t think of another who’d pierced it so quickly. Victor, of course, didn’t feel like it had been quick at all; to his mind, half a decade was still quite a long time to toil at something. Still, he understood what everyone meant; there were people who were steel seekers for centuries—laggards, definitely, but still not terribly uncommon.
When he climbed into the coach, Victor was a little surprised to find Cora and Arona waiting within; he hadn’t sensed them, and he’d already grown accustomed to feeling the unique Energy signatures of other people in his vicinity. He supposed it was Dar’s coach—enchanted to shield the occupants from scrutiny. He smiled at Arona and said, “I thought you’d follow us later or maybe watch on one of the view screens in the city.”
“They’ll have a better view if they go with me,” Dar said, motioning to an empty seat for Victor.
“And they’ll be safer with us, too,” Tes added, sitting beside Victor, pressing close to his side. She’d grown very affectionate since his ascendance. He knew she’d loved him before, but she’d always held something back. His ability to find and pierce the veil seemed to have removed those final barriers. On the one hand, Victor was happy to have her give her affections more fully; on the other, a part of him hoped she would have done so eventually, regardless. He couldn’t really blame her in any case; she had many societal pressures weighing on her. His new status would silence a lot of the critics in her life.
Victor couldn’t argue that being with Dar and Tes would be best for Cora and Arona. If he lost, that would be one thing, but even if he won, it might drive Vesavo’s allies into desperate actions. The center of power was going to shift in Sojourn, but only a handful of people really understood how much; Victor’s battle with Vesavo was only the start.
“Are you nervous?” Cora asked, her hands clasped primly on her lap.
Victor smiled at her and shook his head. “Nah,
chica
. Fighting’s what I’m good at.”
“He’s fishing for compliments,” Tes said with a chuckle. “Don’t anyone tell him what else he’s good at.”
Unfazed by the banter, Cora looked at Dar. “Why must they enter a
dungeon
, Lord Dar?”
“Because Vesavo is a veil walker, and he wants to unleash his full potential. If Victor stood against him at all, he might damage the city.”
Victor smiled, leaning back as he put an arm over Tes’s shoulders. “They’re not going to try to arrest me if I break another dungeon, are they?”
Dar snorted. “Hardly. This is the Coliseum of Champions; it’s designed for battles between veil walkers. If you can break it, we’ll need to worry more about people bending their knees to you than trying to punish you.”
Victor looked into Dar’s fiery eyes as he replied, “Challenge accepted.”
Arona nudged his shin with the toe of her shiny boot. “Victor, don’t tempt fate with boastfulness.”
“Fate and I are good friends.”
This time, it was Tes who cautioned him, nudging him in the ribs with an elbow. “Stop that. Can’t you see people are worried about you?”
He didn’t reply right away, but after a few moments, he said, “Thanks for caring about me, everyone. It’s mutual.”
They rode in silence for a while, but then, to Victor’s surprise, Dar said, “Cora, I understand Victor is training you to manage some of his affairs.”
“Yes, Lord Dar,” she replied, her diction perfect and prim—a sure sign that his attention made her nervous.
“That’s very good—excellent experience for a young cultivator. Speaking of cultivating, however, don’t look to him for training; he’s notorious for finding ways to cheat his way out of it.”
“I’m not
cheating
, Dar,” Victor said, chuckling softly.
Dar waved him off, leaning toward Cora. “In any event, after today’s business is done, I have something for you.”
Cora’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Victor nervously before saying, “You do? Um, I mean, thank you very much, Lord—”
“Don’t thank me yet. Let’s make sure it’s right for you first.”
Victor sat up straight, looking at the enigmatic Spirit Master. “Don’t try to trap her into some kind of bargain, you old devil—”
“Oh, hush, boy! You may not be my student any longer, but I can still teach you a thing or two. I’ve taken note of Cora’s affinity, and it just so happens that an old enemy of mine was a Blood Caster. I have a few of the objects I claimed from his cooling corpse, and one in particular might serve the young lady well, should she have the courage to accompany me to my sky tower.”
“Thank—”
“Don’t thank him yet,” Victor growled, though his lips betrayed a good-natured grin.
Cora clamped her mouth shut and looked out the window, her discomfort evident to all.
“You shouldn’t tease her so,” Arona said.
Tes nodded. “My thoughts exactly. Don’t worry, Cora, I’ll accompany you if you decide to accept Lord Dar’s invitation. It wouldn’t be right for a young lady to go to such a place unescorted.”
Dar began to grumble, but Tes simply leaned forward and looked him in the eyes, and he crumpled. “Oh, well, of course, an escort would be appropriate. It would be good to have your opinion on a device I’ve been crafting, in any event, Lady Tes.”
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The rest of the flight was filled with similar sorts of banter, and the time passed quickly for Victor. He was confident, but as always before a fight, he felt some of the old nerves returning. He coped as usual, visualizing Vesavo, imagining the many ways the Death Caster might try to kill him, and then visualizing his reaction to each. When the coach docked with the flying island where he’d find the portal to the Coliseum, he had a hundred or more strategies in mind.
Victor had never been to that particular island; he’d never even seen it. When they climbed out of the coach, he was surprised to find that it was basically a flying mountain. High, craggy stone walls rose high into the thin Sojourn atmosphere. The landing where the coach had docked was immense—a great stone platform dotted with dozens of pavilions, beneath which the elite of the city had set up luxurious carpets, couches, and outdoor kitchens. This was where they’d observe the duel.
“You’ll climb those steps,” Dar said, pointing to a narrow cleft in the mountain face. Steps led away into the heights between the stone walls. “There’s no flying up there—wards prevent it—so no shortcuts.”
Victor looked around the platform, taking in the many pavilions and the clusters of rich and powerful people gathered beneath them. “I don’t see Vesavo.”
Dar nodded. “Don’t worry about him. He’s a planner, right, Arona?”
“If I know him well, and I do, I’d say he’s already in the dungeon.”
Victor looked from Arona to Dar, his brows drawing together. “Am I late?”
Dar shook his head. “No. He can’t leave his ready room until the duel begins. Don’t worry.”
“Where’s our pavilion?” Tes asked, moving to stand beside Dar.
“There, toward the center.” Dar pointed, indicating a giant structure made of orange and sky-blue silk. Pennants bearing Dar’s seal flapped in the stiff breeze. “My staff will have a nice lunch for us, and my viewing window will provide an excellent vantage of the battle.”
“Well, I guess I’ll head up. People are starting to realize I’m here.” It was true; many of the citizens gathered under nearby pavilions had moved to the edge to gawk at him. At the moment, Victor was dressed casually in loose linen pants and a tunic with a deep V-neck. He couldn’t have looked more relaxed if he had tried. He played it up, smiling and waving at a few of the crowd, but then Arona surprised him by grasping his wrist and tugging until he looked at her.
“Remember what I told you about him, Victor. Take him seriously. Don’t try to play any games like you did back on Ruhn.”
“Right. I know, I know—”
His words were cut short as Cora slammed into him, grabbing him around the waist as she hugged him tightly. “Be careful, Victor.” Her tone and the fierce, uncharacteristic hug made him remember how her father had died—now she was about to witness him, another father-figure, whether he liked it or not, going into the same sort of duel.
“Hey.” He pushed her shoulders gently, peeling her off him, then squatted so they looked each other in the eye. “Don’t worry about me, okay? I’ll win this fight, but even if I didn’t, I’d be sure to make my ancestors proud. You could find me in the next life and tell me what a dummy I was.” He winked, and she smiled, shaking her head as she wiped a bit of moisture from her cheek.
“Don’t make jokes.”
“It’s only half a joke, I’m afraid,” Tes said, putting a hand on Cora’s shoulder. “Victor won’t back down from this fight, so we must have faith that he’ll do his best.”
“And I will.” With one big hand, he pulled Cora close, kissing her forehead. “Be brave now.”
Victor stood and started to leave, walking toward the distant stairs. “Tes, walk with me a bit?”
“Of course.”
“Luck, Victor!” Arona called after him.
He turned and waved, and when his gaze drifted from Arona to Cora and then to Dar, the old master nodded solemnly, and the gesture did a lot of heavy lifting:
Win this fight, and everything changes,
it said.
“You’re very good with her,” Tes remarked when they were a dozen paces away.
“It’s easy to be good with such a good kid.”
“Is she? A kid?”
“To me—to you, yeah.” They took a few steps, she entwined her fingers with his, and he added, “If something went wrong—”
“Nothing will go wrong.” A moment later: “If something
did
, I would see that your girls were all looked after.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d find some way to get Arona free, too. I quite like her. I’m sure one of my kin would have an object I could trade for her freedom. It’s quite easy to entice Death Casters with ancient treasures.”
“Okay, okay!” Victor chuckled, squeezing her hand. “I feel like you’ve spent way too much time thinking about what you’d do if I lose.”
“I’m a dragon, Victor—planning is like breathing to me.”
As they walked, they passed several pavilions, and Victor saw a few of the Sojourn Consuls with their entourages. He didn’t see Roil, but he waved to Lo’ro, and when he was nearly past the crowds, he saw Lady Rexa waiting not far from the steps. “Wonder what she’ll say,” he muttered.
“One can’t ever know with the Fae. I hope the little plan you and Dar have cooked up is at her behest and not the other way ’round. I’d hate to think you’ve fallen into debt with one of her kind.”
“Well, the scheme was hatched between her and Dar, and, yeah, she approached him about me and my part.”
Tes squeezed his hand. “Good! Then the debt is in the right direction.”
By then, they were close enough that Rexa stepped forward, waving, as she called out, “Lord Victor. Might I have a quick word?”
He angled his steps toward her, but Tes tugged on his hand. “I’ll leave you now.”
“Yeah?” Victor stopped, turning to face her fully.
“Yes.” Her pink lips curled at the corners as she reached up with both her hands to gently cup the sides of his jaw. “Make this victory quick and decisive, will you? It will ensure the other vipers on that council know better than to trifle with you.”
“Yeah, I won’t play around.” Without thought, and without hesitation, he leaned forward and kissed her, and she pressed into him, just as hungry as he. Aware of his audience, Victor kept it simple, but he couldn’t stop the flush of heat that rushed through his body, and his aura
almost
slipped, but he clamped it down as Tes pulled away. With her taste—a hint of spice, and something cloyingly sweet—still on his lips, he turned and continued toward Rexa.
“Well,” she remarked, watching Tes walk away, her blue, gauzy skirts streaming in the breeze, “that will surely bring you luck—the kiss of a dragon.”
Victor tried not to look surprised at the words. “Did you have something you needed to say, Lady Rexa?”
“Only to wish you luck and to ensure you were ready. I’m satisfied on both fronts. When did you break through?”
Victor tilted his head, eyeing her under a furrowed brow. “You’re perceptive. Even Dar said my shielding was—”
She laughed, a musical sound full of light that made Victor want to laugh along with her. “Oh, young man! You really must work on your game. I wasn’t certain, but now I am.”
Suddenly, he remembered he was dealing with a true Fae, and all the warnings he’d received from Dar over the years echoed through his mind. To her, this
was
a game. She was a member of the Summer Court, so she was on the side of light and life, but she also had a Fae’s mentality and sense of amorality. “I’ll remember the lesson.”
Her smile didn’t falter as she replied, “In any case, I’m pleased to know. Your part in this little drama is crucial. Poor Vesavo—a dog who thought to bite a snake, only to find it was the tail of a dragon.” She laughed. “That was a bit on the nose, considering your lady friend, wasn’t it?”
Victor shrugged. “I should get going.”
“I’ve yet to perform my duty. I’m not just here as a co-conspirator, Victor, I’m here as a representative of the council. I’m to inform you that before you step through the portal into the Coliseum, you must have any item you mean to use on your person. There will be no access to dimensional containers once you are inside, and that includes your spirit space.”
“All right.”
“Not one to waste words, I see. Well, off you go, then. You’ll see the portal at the top of the stairs—it can’t be missed.” She held up a dainty finger with a pink-painted nail. “One more thing: the battle will begin twenty seconds after you enter. Vesavo is already within.”
Victor inhaled deeply through his nose, nodding. “Anything else?”
“No, good luck, Victor.” With that, she burst into a cloud of colorful butterflies, and Victor watched them flit and flutter away toward a yellow and green pavilion beneath which ankle-high grass grew. The people gathered on that rich lawn were all dressed like Rexa in frilly, pastel-colored dresses and suits. He snorted, shaking his head, and then mounted the steps, climbing them three at a time.
He wished he could have just found Vesavo on his own and fought him without all this buildup. He hated that Arona and Cora had to worry. He hated that all their talk had made
him
worry for
them
. Tes had said he was “half-joking” about being okay with death, but he wasn’t really joking at all. He was a titan, and he knew his ancestors were out there—some of them were even watching him. As long as he fought his hardest, as long as he didn’t disgrace himself, he was ready for death.
He summoned his crown and put it atop his head, still climbing. It wasn’t that he was eager to die; he had a lot more living to do, and he wanted to see what Cora, Deyni, and Dalla made of themselves. He paused and summoned his greaves and boots, then sat on the steps, pulling them on. He felt like things were in a good place, though—the girls had plenty of people to look out for them. His armies had conquered most of Dark Ember; there were permanent gateways off that world if they had to leave.
He stood and resumed his climb, summoning his aegis and shrugging into it. Yes—things were fine in his life. Tes was a strong woman; she’d mourn him, but she’d carry on. Valla was absorbed in her studies—everyone would be
fine
. He smiled, shaking his head ruefully. He wasn’t sure it was such a good feeling knowing people would be okay if he died. It was one of those bittersweet things people talked about, he supposed.
He summoned his gauntlets, pulling them on, one by one. The truth of the matter was that he didn’t fear death. How could he when he’d spoken to so many spirits who’d already moved on from this life? He reached the top step, saw the swirling crimson portal nestled among the rocky cliffs of a tiny box canyon, and continued toward it.
As he drew near, Victor summoned Lifedrinker, grinning as he gripped her warm, metallic haft. “None of that shit matters, does it,
chica
? We’re going to kick this
pendejo’s
ass.”
“At last, battle-heart! I’ve rested long enough! Let us drench the world in the blood of our foes!”
Victor laughed, gripping her tight. “Hell yes. Let’s do it!”
Then, he stepped through the portal.

12.26 Buildup