Chapter 62 Kailin #2
The next exercise was more advanced, shooting moving targets.
Small discs zipped across the range at varying speeds and heights.
It was significantly more challenging, and my performance wasn't quite as stellar as before.
Still, I managed to hit more targets than most, again coming second to Codric, who seemed to possess an almost preternatural ability to track and lead his targets.
I was lining up a shot at a particularly fast-moving disc when the training hall door opened, distracting me, and as I saw Alar enter, accompanied by a second-year cadet, my concentration broke completely, and my shot went wide, missing the disc.
"Focus, cadet," Kaveek barked at me.
"Yes, sir," I said, steadying my aim for the next shot.
I forced myself to concentrate and hit the disc, then the next one.
When Kaveek finally called a halt, the second-year cadet approached him, and after a brief exchange, Kaveek turned toward me. "Cadet Strom. You're to report to Shaman Fatewever. Cadet Voss will escort you."
My heart skipped a beat.
I was being called, too?
What could the shaman possibly want with both Alar and me? Had rumors about us being a couple reached the shaman, and he decided to intervene for some reason?
According to the rule book, we weren't doing anything wrong. Heck, we hadn't done anything other than kiss yet, and I was sure that was allowed.
I caught Alar's eye as I moved to join Cadet Voss. His expression was frustratingly neutral, but he gave me a small reassuring nod.
"Good luck," Shovia whispered as I passed by her.
The journey to the shaman's office was filled with anxious speculation.
Cadet Voss wasn't much of a conversationalist, answering my attempts at small talk with monosyllabic responses.
Eventually, I gave up and climbed the stairs in silence, saving my breath and concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.
As we ascended toward the upper floors of the Citadel, the stairway widened, the stone steps giving way to polished marble.
The twelfth floor was breathtaking. The ceiling soared at least thirty feet above us, and the corridor was wide and airy, lined with ornate columns and illuminated by both electric lights and the natural glow filtering through the windows.
The walls were decorated with intricate murals depicting scenes from Elucian history— the Dragon Pact, Elu handing the Precepts of Truth to the first shaman, dragons and riders soaring through the sky, epic battles against the Sitorian forces, and more.
I wished I had time to study them properly. As an artist, I was fascinated by the technique and detail. Some of the murals looked ancient, while others seemed to have been added more recently, creating a visual timeline.
Cadet Voss led me to a set of massive double doors carved with the symbol of Elu, the Two-Faced God, one half of the face on each door.
The image captured the dual nature of Elu—the beneficent creator on one side, and the dark destroyer on the other.
The effigy was as beautiful as it was intimidating.
"Please, wait here," Voss instructed, before using the heavy knocker to announce my presence.
As I stood before those imposing doors, I studied the emblem of Elu.
The artist had created a perfect balance between the two aspects, neither overwhelming the other, each distinct and powerful in its own right.
The light face was serene, radiating a gentle glow, while the dark face was fierce and menacing.
The craftsmanship was extraordinary, the details so fine that the effigy seemed almost alive, watching me with its dual gaze—one loving and encouraging, the other judging.
I'd seen countless depictions of Elu, but none had captured the essence of the Two-Faced God quite like this one. It was mesmerizing, inspiring, and terrifying in equal measure.
As the doors opened, I was led into the antechamber, where a different cadet motioned for me to go through another set of doors that were left slightly ajar. "The shaman is waiting for you. You may go in."
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the shaman's office.
The room was vast, with ceiling-high windows along its width, offering a breathtaking view of the mountains. Bookshelves lined the side walls, and Shaman Saphir Fatewever sat behind a large desk, with Moki sitting on the back of his throne-like chair.
"Cadet Kailin Strom," he greeted me, his voice warm and resonant. "Please, come in."
I walked further into the room, acutely aware of the significance of being here. I was sure that few cadets ever saw the inside of the shaman's office or had been summoned for a private audience.
"Shaman Fatewever," I said, dipping my head in respect.
He gestured to a chair positioned in front of his desk. "Please, sit."
As I settled into the chair, Moki regarded me with those large, dark eyes of his, his head tilting slightly as if he was assessing me.
"Commander Ravel has brought something remarkable to my attention," Saphir said, his piercing eyes never leaving my face. "He said that you can communicate with his dragon, Onyx."
"Yes, sir. I also heard other dragons speak to me when Commander Ravel arranged for a test. I heard each one of them."
He nodded, a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "You didn't just hear them, Kailin, it was a two-way conversation with dragons you were not bonded with. That is unheard of."
I swallowed. "Commander Ravel mentioned that. He said it might mean that I'm a shaman, but that's ridiculous. I can't be a shaman. I can hardly believe that I'm a rider or rather, a potential rider. I still need to pass the test of the solo flight."
I was talking too much, too fast, betraying my stress and anxiety. I wasn't a showman like Saphir. I couldn't inspire people. I wouldn't be a good spiritual leader or even a passable one.
"All shamans are riders, but not all riders are shamans," he said. "The hallmark of shamans is additional gifts, and I have several of them. I wonder if you have any other talents aside from your unique ability to communicate with all dragons."
"It's not unique. You can do that too."
He nodded. "That is true, but I can do that because I'm bonded to Nyxath, who is their queen. You are not bonded to any dragon yet."
A hysterical laugh started bubbling from my belly at the thought that my gift seemed like something I would have inherited from Nyxath and not Elu.
None of the myths claimed that Elu could communicate with all dragons, but that must have been an oversight.
Obviously, the creator of our world could communicate with all its inhabitants.
"It is true." Saphir smoothed his hand over his long white beard.
"What is true?" I asked.
"That it is not mentioned in any of the written records that Elu could talk with all dragons. You are one of a kind, Kailin."
I gaped at him. "Can you read my thoughts?" I immediately slammed the trap door like I'd practiced with Onyx.
He looked at me as if that was obvious, and he couldn't understand why I was asking him that.
"Oh, yes. I told your friend Alar about it, and I got confused for a moment.
I usually don't read people's minds unless it's necessary for security, but sometimes the thoughts are so loud that I can't help but overhear them. "
I was stunned. "Who else knows about your ability to read people's thoughts?"
"Only a select few, and I would like it to remain that way, so please don't tell anyone about my mind-reading ability."
There was a strange resonance in his voice that settled over me like a net, but I pushed against it, feeling it slide off me as if it was dissolving. "Can I mention it to Alar since you've already told him?"
Saphir pursed his lips. "You can try, but I compelled Alar not to talk about it either, so he won't be able to discuss it with you."
So, the net I'd just felt was compulsion? Had my mental blocks helped me get free of it?
I'd heard rumors that the Sitorian priests used compulsion to control their disciples, so to realize that Saphir could do the same thing was disturbing. I didn't want Elucians to have anything in common with those vile people.
"I don't like using compulsion," Saphir said, and I wondered if he'd heard my thoughts despite the barrier I'd erected. "As I mentioned, I only do so when security demands it. It's a convenient tool for making sure that secrets don't get out."
I could understand that, but it didn't make me feel any better about his ability. Then again, it all depended on who wielded the power. A gun could be used to murder or to protect from murderers. It was all about the person holding it and their intentions.
A furious chattering drew my attention to Moki, who had been watching me intently from his perch on Saphir's chair. Our eyes locked for a brief moment, and he suddenly leaped onto the desk and from there straight onto my lap.
Too stunned to move, I looked at him, waiting to see what he was going to do next.
He just plopped down, curling himself like Chicha often did, and let out a contented sigh that sounded awfully human.
"That's unprecedented," Saphir said.
Without thinking, I began gently stroking Moki's silky fur that felt much softer than any other I'd ever touched.
"He's never done that before," Saphir said, watching us with amusement. "In all the years Moki has been with me, he has never jumped into anyone else's lap. I have to admit that I feel a little jealous."
He'd said it with a smile, so I assumed he wasn't really envious of his pet choosing a new friend.
Had Moki done that because he felt that I was a shaman like Saphir?
"What exactly is he?" I asked, continuing to stroke the amazingly soft fur.
Saphir's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Moki is one of a kind."
I knew that. There was no other creature like him on Aurorys, but I hoped Saphir would tell me more.
Evidently, Moki was one of those secrets that were not to be shared.