Jace sat up and looked around. He was completely alert. The room was dark and thunder shook outside. It's thunder. He looked around. Silently and softly he got up and slipped out of his room. The entire place was dark. He looked around, "Well at least I can see."
"That is a plus isn't it?"
Jace jumped and spun around.
Chandra stood on the balcony railing behind him.
"How did you—?"
"You aren't the only one with secrets Telepath," Chandra jumped down and walked up to him. Her eyes burned a bright orange that signaled that she was drawing from mana, "The only reason I'm here is because I've brought a message."
"Since when did you play messenger?" Jace asked curiously.
Chandra glared at him, "There are explosives lining this entire building. If you piss me off I could very easily set off a spark and this place will blow up before you can say no."
Jace's eyes widened. Damn. I can't tell if she's bluffing and her head's too chaotic for me to read.
"Now," she sat on the table in the middle of the room. She was taking her sweet time knowing it bugged him when he was left hanging with only small tidbits of information.
"Well?" Jace snapped after a moment of silence.
Chandra laughed, "It's a warning. 'The further you delve the more you lose. If you lose yourself then you lose everything that matters to you.' See ya." She slid off the table and walked out onto the balcony.
"Wiat!" Jace stared at her, "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Chandra shrugged, "I was just sent to deliver the message."
"By who?" Jace asked.
"Who knows," Chandra smirked, "Later!" she leaped off the balcony railing.
"Wait," Jace jogged out onto the balcony. That's easily a hundred foot drop. Is she insane? Yeah she is.
She flipped and landed in a roll before darting away and fading effortlessly into the shadows.
"'The further you delve the more you lose'?" Jace asked. He looked up at the cloudy sky as lightning streaked across the clouds. I'm just being paranoid. It can't really be that bad. Besides she could have been lying. She's one of the few minds I can't read. That's troublesome. I don't know if she's lying or if she's right. 'The deeper you delve the more you lose. If you lose yourself then you lose everything that matters to you.' That's very cryptic. "She could mean delving into books or she could mean delving into the multiverse or a multitude of other things!" Jace sighed. He paused, "Or…if you delve too deep into someone's mind you could get lost. It's happened to telepaths before." Or maybe I'm just psyching myself out. He sighed, "I'll just have to figure out who sent her with that message and then decide if the source is credible or not." Jace nodded, "There." He glanced at the shadows where she had disappeared. Not now. Definitely not now. He wandered over to the bookshelf.
Jace opened his eyes, "What?"
"Good morning!"
"What!?" Jace sat up.
Chandra was sitting on the table with her legs swinging, "You talk in your sleep. Did you know that?"
"Yes I knew that," Jace muttered.
"Oh," Chandra smirked, "So what's your plan to avoid whatever the message said?"
"Why do you care?"
"Curiosity," she turned away from him, "A reasoning you are all too familiar with I assume. Unless I'm wrong, Telepath."
"I have a name," Jace muttered.
"So?" Chandra shrugged, "You are a telepath aren't you?"
"Yes but that's what I am not who I am," Jace said.
"Is it really just what you are?" Chandra asked. She leaned forward, "Are you sure a telepath isn't who you are? How often do you look into other's minds to decide whether they are worth speaking to or dealing with? How often do you look into other's minds to get the information you need instead of just asking?"
Jace rolled his eyes, "That doesn't make a telepath who I am."
"Okay," Chandra sat back and looked out the window that led to the balcony, "tell yourself whatever you like, Telepath."
Jace's eyes narrowed, "Whatever. What are you doing here?"
"I'm here because I want to be," Chandra turned to him again, "Is that a problem?"
"Kind of since you didn't bother asking," Jace muttered.
"You were asleep," she shrugged, "I wasn't going to wake you."
"Thanks for the compassion," his voice was laced with sarcasm.
"You're welcome," Chandra nodded and turned back to the window.
"I thought you hated me," Jace looked at her in confusion.
"Who said I didn't?" Chandra didn't look at him.
"Why are you here if you hate me?" he asked.
She rolled her eyes, "Really? I've explained this."
"No you haven't."
"It may not have been as in depth of an explanation as you would have liked but it was an explanation."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was."
"No."
"Yes it was."
"Chandra it was not an explanation."
"I told you because I wanted to."
"But why would you want to if you hated me?"
"Because I want to."
"Why?"
Chandra glared at him, "Because I want to!"
"Okay," Jace backed down, "Fine. You wanted to."
"You're too easily intimidated."
"What?"
"You are too easily intimidated," Chandra repeated, annunciating every syllable slowly.
"I'm not dumb. I heard what you said," Jace snapped. He sighed, "I asked because it was unexpected."
"Oh yeah," Chandra pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him.
"Is this why you're really here?"
"No," she shook her head, "I'm here because I want to be."
"Okay," Jace sighed. He opened it.
"What does it say?"
He glanced at her over the piece of paper, "It says you're annoying me."
"I know I'm annoying you," Chandra nodded, "Now what does it really say?"
"That's what it says."
"No it isn't."
"Yes."
"You're a terrible liar. What does it really say?"
Jace glared at her, "I am not a terrible liar!"
"Yes you are now read it!"
"I am not and I already did!"
"No I want to know what it really said and you are a terrible liar!"
"I am not! I'm not reading it," Jace crumbled it and threw it across the room.
"Fine," Chandra slid off the table and walked over to it. "I'll read it," She scooped it up and straightened it. She read it out loud, "'Lock your heart away for too long and it will start to fade away. Not lock it away at all and it will shatter and cease to be.' That almost rhymes."
"Let me see it," Jace reached out.
"No," Chandra crumbled it back into her hand and held it close to her, "You threw it away."
"You gave it to me," Jace snapped.
"And you threw it away," Chandra put her hands on her hips, "if you want it back then you're going to have to get off your ass and come get it."
Jace growled, "Fine." He stood up and walked over to her, "Can I have it now?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't have it anymore."
Jace rolled his eyes, "Really?"
She nodded. She tossed it over his head before scooting behind him and scooping it off the ground.
"Keep away is a lot easier with two to keep it away," Jace commented.
"Okay," Chandra smirked. She summoned a small dragon and tossed the crumbled piece of paper to it.
Jace glared at her and then turned to glare at it, "Stop. Just give me the paper."
"No. Get it yourself."
"Chandra give me the—" the building shook. Jace looked around, "What is going on? Give me the paper."
"Okay," she handed him the paper.
He opened it and read it, "That really is what it says." He scanned it. His eyes widened, "How did you—never mind." The building shook more violently. He darted out the door and down the stairs.
Chandra followed.
Why is she still following me? I thought she would have bailed out the window. Jace sighed and walked out into the street. A very large dragon leaped off and dived at him. His eyes widened. He glanced over his shoulder at Chandra. She was oblivious. "Duck!" Jace yelled at her.
Chandra turned away from her summoned dragon to see a large on diving at them. She crouched close to the ground and it pulled up to soon. Its wing's kicked up air that blew her hair into her face and dust into her eyes and nose. She couched, "That was fun."
Jace sighed, "Yeah, super fun." He stood up and walked over to the library. How did she get in contact with Orriyon? Orriyon's never been wrong before. But what does that mean for me? 'The further you delve the more you lose. If you lose yourself then you lose everything that matters to you.' And the other one, it was written on a piece of paper. 'Lock your heart away for too long and it will start to fade away. Not lock it away at all and it will shatter and cease to be.' He looked at the crumbled piece of paper in his hand and swallowed. It counters itself. It says lock your heart away and it will fade away but then it says not lock it away at all and it will shatter and cease to be. That's counter to everything it's said. But she's never wrong. She's never been wrong. What does that mean for me? Why did she send Chandra as the messenger? Why not someone I'm more likely to believe? What is she warning me against? What's going to happen if I make the wrong decision and end up locking my heart away? What happens if I delve too deep? What is she warning me against delving into?
He started to pace through the library tapping his fingertips together. If I make the wrong decision then I could sow the seeds for my own destruction. I have to find her but where is she? I don't know where she is. Last I knew she was back at home but she could be a planeswalker. If she is then she could be anywhere. If she's anywhere then I could scour the entire multiverse and not find her.
Chandra didn't bother following. She sat on a bookshelf and watched him in amusement.
Jace growled in frustration, "That doesn't help." I could always go back but that's a death sentence. I don't really want to die because I went back looking for answers.
"Something on your mind?" Chandra asked. Her tone was amused.
"I'm an idiot," Jace shook his head. He turned to her, "Where is she?"
"Who?" Chandra asked. Her eyes widened, "Oh you mean the little blond girl I got the warning and the paper from."
"Yes," Jace nodded, "Where is she?"
"Right this way," Chandra smirked.
Jace's eyes narrowed, "Lead on."
Chandra led him through the Blind Eternities to a world she had only been to twice before. She arrived right where she wanted to be, "We're here."
Jace looked around. I don't recognize this place. The only way she could have gotten here was if she planeswalked.
"Sorry to disturbed your revere," Chandra was being sarcastic, "but the locals here call her The Oracle and are very protective of her since she is young."
"Whatever, I just want to talk to her," Jace muttered.
"Okay." Chandra led the way down an ornately patterned street.
The building in front of them was cathedral-like in its design and many stories tall. The statues guarding the door were carved to resemble angels in battle.
"They're treating her like a goddess?" Jace asked, looking at the angel statues.
"Yes, they call her the Oracle," Chandra walked right up to the front door and talked to the guard.
He nodded. His armor covered his entire body. It was bright silver, reflecting the light of the sun. There was gold and blue trimming on the breast plate and bracers. His sword was strapped to his back and easily taller than he was. The other guard was similarly dressed except she had more fitting plates that were smaller. Her blade was hanging down by her thighs.
"Are you coming?" Chandra called.
Jace swallowed, "Yeah." This is too important. I need to talk to her. He walked up to Chandra with a nod to the guards.
They returned it and the female one opened the doors.
Chandra walked inside.
"How did you find this place?" Jace asked. He looked around at the mosaics and stained glass windows. They all depicted images of peace and prosperity. They showed people working together to overcome challenges.
A young woman with pretty brown hair and silver eyes walked up to them, "I am Silvara. I have been informed that you wish to speak to the Oracle."
"Yep," Chandra nodded.
"Ah, Chandra," Silvara nodded, "Is he a friend of yours?"
"I wouldn't—"
"Yes," She nodded, "He just doesn't like people and he's a compulsive liar."
"I am not a compulsive liar," Jace snapped.
"Yes you are."
"You told me I was a terrible liar just earlier this morning."
"So? That doesn't mean you aren't a compulsive liar. You can be bad at it and still be able to—"
"Please," Silvara interrupted, "You two act more like siblings."
Chandra shrugged, "He just wants to talk to her."
"The Oracle will be more than happy to see you," Silvara nodded.
The Oracle met them along the way. She had long flowing blond hair and crystalline blue eyes. Her face was young and she was somewhat short. She saw Jace and Chandra and smiled, "Hi."
"Oracle," Silvara bowed her head in reverence.
The Oracle glanced at her, "Rise."
Silvara lifted her head, "You know them then?"
"Yep."
"Okay," Silvara nodded. She turned and disappeared around a corner.
The Oracle smiled and skipped down the steps, "They trust me to lead them because I helped them win a war." She smiled at her two guests, "You've come about the messages?"
Jace nodded, "Yeah."
She smiled, "They're cryptic aren't they. Sometimes I don't even know what the future holds." She walked around the railing of the stairs case.
"Oracle," one of the guards kneeled.
She touched his head, "Rise."
He rose. He was easily seven feet tall. She looked tiny in comparison. He glanced at her trailers.
"They're fine," The Oracle nodded, "They're my friends."
"I recognize the redhead," The guard nodded to Chandra.
She returned it.
"He's okay. The two of them are friends and I trust them," She smiled.
"Of course," he nodded.
"Blind obedience," Jace observed once he was out of earshot.
"The new ones are like that," she shrugged.
"Okay so I don't really want to overstay my welcome," Jace started.
"You want to know about your future," she looked up at the sky.
"Oracle," the guard charged in, "Zombies are overrunning the kingdom."
She turned. Her eyes glowed, "Kingdoms fall like stars in the sky but they rise like the sun at dawn. Every kingdom takes what worked from the predecessors and create new things."
"Does that mean we're going to die?"
"No," she shook her head, "We are not going to die. Zombies are not natural here. There must be a source. Find the source and destroy it, him or her and the zombies will become weaker."
Jace glanced out the window at the smoke rising in the distance. He swallowed. Lilianna. Why here? why did you choose to attack this plane. There's no reason for you to do so.
"Let's go," Chandra said.
"Where?" Jace asked, turning around to look at her.
"To help, obviously," she rolled her eyes.
The guard looked at him pleadingly, "Please?"
"But I don't fight," Jace said, "I spend all my time in libraries."
"You can still help," Chandra snapped, "It doesn't always mean fighting."
"How then?" Jace glared at her, "How do I help in a war that doesn't involve fighting?"
"I don't know," Chandra shrugged, "You have a creative mind. you figure it out."
Jace sighed and studied his toes. If I don't help then they'll all be destroyed. There's no way they could defeat Lilianna. But if I do help then I'll have to fight. "I—"
Someone screamed.
Jace's head shot up.
The scream continued for some time before cutting off abruptly.
Jace swallowed, "I—I can't help. I'm sorry. There's nothing I could do against a force like that." He turned away.
"Jace! What is wrong with you?" Chandra followed him.
The guard sighed, "If he doesn't want to then—"
"Remember, if you lock your heart away for too long it will fade away," the Oracle said. "But be careful how much you let free because otherwise it will shatter and cease to be."
Jace shook his head, "I can't help." He disappeared.
"Fine," Chandra snarled. She turned back to the guard, "I'll find the source and take care of it. You protect her or take on the zombies in the street. Your choice." She turned and disappeared out the double doors.