Ajalon: Blood to Blood, Chap. 2

Chapter Two – Just Moments Before
         
         Kennon Skyril approached the large tree quickly, and rapped his staff three times against the trunk, as Walker jumped down, and landed just inches away from  him, “Hello, Master Skyril, how is your evening?”
         The Lord of the Malador smiled warmly, “Good, for what is going to happen momentarily.” Kennon laughed lightly inside. “I have come today, to let you know that my time is near at hand. But there is another, more pressing matter at issue. I have already sent the warning to the mind of every wielder in the world, and now I bring it to you.”
         He watched as Walker closed his eyes and nearly lost himself deep in thought. The Lord of the Malador had always been Kennon Skyril. He opened his eyes and asked, “By what means?”
         “That is of little importance, for it has already been written in the Scrolls,” said Kennon, as he waved his hand to the sky, “In a few short minutes, the Final Merger will be complete. How….that is still somewhat unknown, for when your father Sealed Ether, it was thought that the Mergers would never finish, and that our world would be in this state forever.
         “Our best scientists calculated everything, and we have discovered a source strong enough to sustain the event, and still keep the planet intact. Close your eyes and feel for it.”
         Walker did as commanded, and when his eyes were shut, he drifted out, into space, time, and every molecule that made up the Existence. As he searched for this energy, his mind drifted so that he saw several molecules up close. In each, he noticed a thread of some power stuck to them. Along this thread was the DNA code of the source of these threads of power. He pulled his mind back into his body and asked, “Can you find out the code? To the DNA?”
         Kennon shook his head, “It is a false code, one that was embedded into the power when we discovered it. It constantly changes and evolves growing, and gaining a stronger hold on each and every molecule in the entire Existence. We have however found a single constant, and it consistent with Prince John Salathiel’s blood…your blood.”
         Walker was stunned, “You mean this power is linked to my family? How?”
         Kennon once again shook his head, “We have theories, as to what could have caused this phenomena. Its been out of our league so far, but we are fighting to learn about it. One of our ideas states that when your father fused with the Lighter Half of Ether, some sort of DNA activation occurred, in so giving him a regeneration power that heals him whether he is using his power or not, a power that seems to have a life of its own. Fusing with Ether in essence might have been a cause for adding John Salathiel’s DNA to be added to Ethers.”
         “The Prodigal Son has come Home….that is what he said!” said Walker, “As he was dying, he said that. I don’t know what it means.”
         “That simply means he returned to the Father, to Ether. That is nothing,” replied Kennon, “So we believe also that these Power Threads may actually be parts of your father’s cells that are still alive.”
         “After three years? That isn’t possible!”
         “Why not, everything else that has happened has been possible,” countered Kennon, “We don know that this energy must be harnessed by a host with the same code within, and that there is non one on this planet with any similarities to the energy’s DNA but yourself and Jarek.”
         Walker fell to the ground, as the sky burst with heat, and he braced himself as best as he could on the shaking ground.
         Kennon pointed once again to the sky, and said, sending his energy upward against the solar radiations to shield the two of them, “It has begun!”
         From the east, something caught Walker’s attention. Whatever it was, it moved fast and toward him. He kicked off of the ground, as a wall of rock tore through the Orchard, rocks pelting his legs hurling him into the air, to collide with Kennon.
         The Lord of the Malador caught Walker and steadied him, the two looking down below in awe, as a massive wall of broken earth coursed through the ground, as if to take down the Tower. Instead, it broke against the Tower walls, but soon covered the land around it and stretched still outward.
         The two of them turned their heads to the sky again, looking through the red-energetical ward that Kennon still held in place, and then through the radiation to see the two suns pull themselves together, to become one massive star in the midday sky. When the storm finally cleared, Walker asked, “Was that...”
         Kennon nodded, “As it is done, there is nothing to do but wait. If the Mergers’ Completion is evil, then Hell’s door has been opened, if it be good, then let the Gods bring peace and happiness.”

         Jarek slowly lowered himself to the ground after his power ceased to rage. The Ascension was complete, for that was what it was,  his spiritual powers were vibrating above the charts, and his body had physically changed. His arms were thicker, more muscular, and his shoulders were broader, as if heightened to their prime. He was taller now, than before and looked to be about twenty five years old. He thought that after that much energy had poured into and out of his body, he should feel somewhat exhausted, if not out-cold. He instead felt better than he ever had before.
         In his mind, images of what looked like molecules flashed so fast that they were unnumbered. After watching them for a moment, he commanded that three hundred and fifty thousand of these molecules be compacted into a single object, a blade, three and three quarter feet long, with a hilt, one and a half feet long, twisted together of Illostrix and crystal.
         Ever since his birth, he had been flooded with knowledge of the Creations of All Things, and now that the knowledge had power to back it up, he could put himself to the test. He felt as his weapon formed that he had been raised up, almost god-like, like his real mother, Raena Gizal.
         He often wondered what it would have been like to have his mother’s reputation and power, she had been so powerful and so technical in her fighting that Jarek loved it. His father was force alone, pure strength, and it helped to destroy, but he had seen his mother heal things with her great powers. She had absorbed the energy of the Mergers of the Realms and the Moons, so she had been able to aid John Salathiel, his father, in the Final Seal of Ether.
         His father was a god to these people who lieved here before the Return to Life. He was the High King of Ether, his mother, the Queen. That made him the Prince of Ether in his eyes.
         Clearing his mind, he took a look around, at the destruction he had caused, and was overjoyed, not at the destruction, but that someone with good intention held this power. This much power would be a terrible power to fight against.
         He smiled inside, wondering what Walker’s face would like when he felt the potential inside of him. For now however, the power would remain hidden.
         
         Walker frowned when the level of energy lowered until it finally vanished from his senses. After what Kennon had said, he knew that Jarek had hosted the Final Merger. All of Science pointed at it with good hypothesis; Walker just hoped his brother would do good with the power he had just gained.
         He calmed himself and took a step, dematerializing from the Orchards, and rematerializing within the Hidden Library.
         This room had been here since the Tower was built, and the Princes had always hidden here to sould search, or to plan their wars. Here there were thousands of years of history, and even more of magical prowess. This room was from just after the Remnant, and it was believed that the Pentacle itself once gathered in this library.
         The Pentacle was the governing power of the ancient world of the Faerie. In the Age of the Remnant, Five men and women ruled the world, and they were ruled by one, the highest and most divine, the Metamor. Walker’s ancestor, Orathiel had been the key factor in the distribution of power after the Pentacle’s defeat. He had decided the borders of the Kingdoms thereafter.
         Here in the Hidden Library, Walker searched for a book. In Imar, deep below the city it was believed that an ancient training ground once existed, in which the art of the Lancers was taught to its greatest potential three millennia ago. The Lancers of the modern age were not as powerful as they once were, but still were as powerful as the Ajalon.
         This book when he found it would be given to Jarek as a gift, for he would be entering the Coven of Lancers at eighteen. Jarek was a born Lancer, growing up until now, he had constantly been juggling things with his mind, getting the idea from the many times he had seen his mother fight in the War.
         This book would be what led Jarek to mastering his gifts.
         
         Jarek appeared in his chambers once again, trying hard to keep his new-found power under his control. He found that when he didn’t focus on it, the energy tried to bulge out of his grip, as if it had a mind of its own.
         Being in the classes and at the level of his knowledge and responsibilities as a trainee, Jarek had his weapons and books of power here in his room. A small portion of the Ajalon believed in Altars, and Jarek had one, on the sill of the window. His was made out of grids much like Walker’s which was the second of only sixteen in the entire Tower. Altars held much energy, but most of the Ajalon found them more or less useless. Jarek however, found much use with his. He stepped before it and knelt.
         He reached for his athame and held it up, in front of his eyes. For a moment he didn’t speak, instead focusing himself and channeling the energy of the earth through him, and through each of his chakras. Staying silent, he brought this energy out into his aura to flood it with cleansing power.
         He was calm now, and quickly jabbed the athame into the Altar-wood to hold his calm in place.
         Lifting from his knees, he pulled the Rivers close to him, and started to turn as his chamber door burst in at him, “Malodra!” Golden chains spiraled through the air, binding him instantly, pushing the Rivers back from his reach.
         Walker stood there with six other Ajalon and asked, “Your name?”
         “Jarek Salathiel,” replied Jarek, gasping for air. He was suspended in midair, with chains wound around his legs, arms, torso, and neck.
         Walker was stunned when he took a closer look, “What happened?”