In the forge of the gods, a little earlier
Ahead of them, time passed as if in slow motion. When the door opened, the garden before them was silent. Inmyar barely had time to turn and lead the way before the rubicon reacted. Within seconds, a sea of fire swept across the entrance to the peaceful garden that housed the forge. It was as if chaos had invaded Elysium, with the guardian of the underworld as its sole protector.
-Hurry up!" said Inmyar, who began to run, her face tense.
Niris and Siti followed with the Szifia floating behind them. The explosions intensified. The fighters positioned in the garden to protect intruders came out of hiding to eliminate the few assassins who managed to get past the rubicon. They ran smoothly to the corridor that led directly to the underground forge. The home of the gods. The main, legendary forge, no longer in use but preserved in pristine condition by the owner. The only part of the forge bathed in the mysterious power of the masters' spirits.
Just as they reached the metal passageway leading down into the depths, a deafening crash stopped them in their tracks. As Niris glanced behind him, he barely had time to see a monster twice his size, smoke billowing from its mouth, brandishing a mace that threatened to collapse on him in less than a second, when a Union fighter stepped in and parried the blow with his long sceptre. The friction between the two combatants created a shockwave that shook the walls of the forge buildings.
Deprived of his usual weapons, Niris found himself powerless to observe the scene. Instinctively, he tightened his grip on the two weapons he held to his chest. A surge of adrenaline made him take a step forward to assist the fighter with those same weapons, but the latter's imperious tone stopped him dead in his tracks.
-Your Highness! We're protecting the forge, you concentrate on your task! the fighter said.
A hood hid his face and Niris couldn't make him out clearly. Only his gaze, glowing like a flaming torch, caught the angel's attention, and he hesitated for a moment.
-Trust us! You are our only hope, you must succeed and let us take care of your assassins, even if it is at the cost of our lives! So don't look back and do your duty, for the glory of all those who have fallen for our future peace!
Niris clenched his jaw. Behind him, Inmyar called with authority. Without further ado, he turned around, a bitter taste in his mouth. How he hated having to bow to the inevitability of events he wanted to fight! All for the sake of a hypothesis he wasn't even sure he'd realize!
As his anger took hold of him, a cold presence beside him sent a shiver down his spine. He turned and saw Szifia frowning, an icy gaze upon him.
"Now's not the time to let yourself be destabilized!" he admonished him.
-I know!" replied Niris, who continued to grit his teeth.
They continued on their way, trying to distance themselves from the commotion behind them. Blocks of stone began to fly in their direction and Inmyar destroyed them with his huge hammer before they reached them. They were interrupted by a changeling assassin who had managed to sneak up on them, but whom Siti put out of action in a matter of seconds with his spherical propellers, which he manipulated energetically around him like lethal cleavers.
Finally, they arrived at a large forged metal door on which two dragons facing each other spat flames that ran along the slit separating the two metal panels. The workmanship was masterful.
Without a word, Inmyar placed his hand on the door, and a click was heard. Then, without a sound and in a bright red light emitted by the eyes of the two dragons, the door opened. The half-giant stepped aside to make way for the angel, who stepped forward and entered the great mystical hall without further ado.
-May the masters be with you, Niris d'Egea," said the blacksmith with almost divine solemnity.
Niris had no time to reply as the Szifia dragged him inside and the door closed behind him as a swarm of monsters of all kinds descended on Inmyar and Siti, who in a murderous madness determined to protect their ideals, brandished their weapons to face the wave bearing down on them.
Niris stretched out his hand towards them in a desperate gesture, but the door closed immediately and his skin met the cold metal of the door. He restrained his rage and clenched his fist. Then he gave a loud thump against the door before turning away, his face drawn in anger. Szifia sighed.
-Look, I understand your anger and frustration, but there's nothing else we can do. Inmyar is powerful, and she won't give in easily. Now, if you want to put a quick end to this madness, the best thing to do is to get down to business as quickly as possible.
Without waiting for a reaction, he turned and walked over to a whitish sphere with bluish tints, sitting on a block of stone in the middle of the round room. The place was strange. It didn't look at all like a forge. The walls were painted with strange frescoes featuring elegant, majestic creatures that Niris had never seen, even in books. Writings in ancient languages surmounted the frescoes, giving a strange allure to these drawings.
In the center, a block of stone rested on a red earthen floor. On the block, a sphere. Niris followed the Szifia and approached the sphere. The Szifia positioned himself opposite him, on the other side of the sphere.
-Good, now put your hand on the sphere," said the Szifia.
Niris obeyed and placed the katana and specter on the ground before putting his hand on the sphere. Nothing happened. He waited a moment longer, then raised an astonished eyebrow, to which Szifia responded with another sigh.
-You're no ordinary apprentice, so it's going to be more complicated.
-We haven't got much time," protested Niris, who was becoming impatient. And what the hell is this thing anyway?
He had spoken, pointing at the ball with his chin in disdain.
-It's a D'oronak sphere, a divine object," replied the Szifia. It establishes a connection with master spirits.
Niris frowned.
-Szifia, spheres I-don't-know-what... that's a lot of detours to make contact with supposedly divine spirits nobody's ever seen!
This time, Szifia didn't answer immediately.
-And you think anyone can talk to the masters? he finally asked.
Niris sighed. He wasn't interested in this exchange. He was tired and irritated by the situation he found himself in.
-And why not? Aren't masters the mediators of the masters' power, with the aim of making it accessible to all? Is it not their mission to fulfill the requests of the inhabitants of the intergalaxy as they progress along the master path? Isn't their mere existence proof of the Masters' desire to make themselves accessible to as many people as possible? But now that I realize how difficult it is to get in touch with them, I'm thinking that maybe this isn't the case at all, and that it's all just a big plot to instill fear in the population of a greater being that doesn't actually exist.
Szifia looked at him intensely. Unlike Niris, who let his most raw emotion speak as he felt it at the moment, he seemed to give great importance to the angel's words. His gaze intensified and he planted his pupils in the angel's, which seemed ablaze with doubt.
-And who do you think is behind this plot? he asked.
-I don't know, anyone...who cares! It doesn't matter. I know that there is no conspiracy and that no one is crazy, manipulative or powerful enough to carry out such a conspiracy scheme, and the existence of my master is living, concrete proof of the very existence of master spirits, I'm well aware of that. I've seen too much evidence of these beings, through my mother's own life, and the ancestral power of angels brings me the continual conviction that these super-powerful beings really do exist. But a mere mortal wouldn't know right from wrong in such a situation! Anyone who doesn't have access to my knowledge can only doubt their existence, which is so intangible to them! It doesn't make sense! My master taught me that masters want to work for the peace of peoples and limit the use of their own power so as not to impose a peace that would be too fragile to last. But this goes against their behavior. If they want to make themselves accessible, they can't hide behind artifacts, facades or even masters who are their so-called messengers. Such a method is as doomed to failure as the use of force.
Niris was absorbed in his speech and didn't notice the light breeze around him that lifted the great red dust that surrounded him and the Szifia.
-Niris, you are a being full of wisdom and emotion. This is both your weakness and your strength. You're as capable of doing great things as you are of destroying everything. And all the time, your mind vacillates between one and the other. But your master saw in you his heir, that you will know how to choose the path to take in these tumultuous winds. She considered you capable of taking the path of the masters, and by this choice, she has predetermined your destiny, even if you don't know it yet. Failure is no solution for you," said Szifia with a solemnity and gravity that sent a shiver down the angel's spine.
-I couldn't care less about your opinion on... Niris couldn't finish his sentence.
There's still a lot you don't know about the Masters, and your doubts are well-founded and intelligent. And the fact that, even without an official apprenticeship ceremony, you've managed to awaken your master's spirit of mastery shows your worth and the wisdom of your choice of the last master of blades.
Niris was surprised by her last tirade. He couldn't understand what the spirit was trying to tell him.
-This is more of a sanctuary than a forge, young angel. Master spirits aren't blacksmiths, they're super-evolved energeticists. Natural energy is their very nature, and this is how they create the legendary weapons of the masters, no other way. Fire and metal are not their working tools, but pure energy manipulation is the form of their power.
Niris remained silent. He was just beginning to feel the spiritual force of the Szifia's words, and was intimidated by what he heard and thought he understood.
-This sphere," continued the Szifia, "is an extract of the soul of the master spirits. It's a means for them to communicate directly with the souls that come into contact with them, but it's a one-way exchange. Only the master can perceive the presence of the one who makes contact with him. As for us, Szifia, we're nothing more than guides. Guides for those who have the glorious destiny of placing themselves at the service of those who entrust them with the power to change the course of things. And if it's so difficult to access master minds, it's for the good of your own people. For if it were so easy to access the power of master minds without any control whatsoever, then the world would long ago have descended into absolute chaos, ruled by pure, unstoppable evil.
-What...what do you mean?" asked Niris, who had noticed the commotion around them.
-Only the chosen ones can access the spirits of masters," replied Szifia. Not everyone is worthy of carrying the weight of the world's guilt on their shoulders. That's why masters live longer than any mortal species, because they are extremely rare individuals. It's very difficult for a mortal to set aside his own condition and think bigger and wider than his own life. This contradicts the very notion of mortality, which is why these beings are so rare and so precious. But they do exist, and that doesn't mean they're omnipotent. I'd even go so far as to say that their mortal weakness and emotions are their greatest strength, contrary to what you might think. We're only capable of sacrificing ourselves with greatness if we understand the importance of that sacrifice and want it fully. And to do that, you have to be sensitive to the world around you and its emotions. And it looks like you can do it.
-What do you mean?" asked Niris, looking around him with concern.
A violent gust of wind took over the space around them, almost making the frescoes seem alive. Niris swallowed. He remained on the alert, forbidding himself to give in to fear.
-You're not even an official Blademaster apprentice, but it seems you've managed to arouse the curiosity and interest of the master mind of the Blademaster, Shoyonan the Reformer.
Niris stared at Szifia in amazement. Then a glimmer caught his eye. Under his hand, Oronak's sphere had begun to glow. Worried, he looked again at the Szifia, but it seemed to be extinguished. Suddenly, the angel no longer felt his presence.
-Szifia? he called hesitantly.
Suddenly, the creature seemed to come alive again, moving imperceptibly. Then it began to speak, but its voice surprised Niris. It was much more cavernous than before.
-You are... Niris d'Egea, right? The apprentice Lou chose to succeed him," said the Szifia, who seemed to be having difficulty articulating.
Niris couldn't get a sound out of his throat, so he just nodded.
-I am Shoyonan, the master spirit of the master of blades," said Szifia, who seemed to have regained normal speech.
-Shoyo...nan? Niris asked, feeling his head spin.
He was in the presence of the spirit of the master whose existence he had doubted only moments before.
-Don't worry, your doubts are well-founded. And what you said about us was right on the mark," the spirit reassured him. I'm sorry to surprise you like this, but I thought it was the best way to resolve this rather critical situation.
-I...I understand..." Niris stammered, trying to regain composure.
-I'll try to keep it short, but unfortunately, the master way is a long journey with no shortcuts. But today we're running out of time, so I'll cut to the chase.
He paused before resuming.
-I'm going to make you an official Blademaster apprentice, and then you'll become Blademaster. You'll be the heir to a new generation of masters that will emerge during this war. I'm going to give you a weapon that represents the high expectations I have of you. Follow our teachings and raise your blade for the justice you wish to see realized.
The two weapons at Niris's feet rose into the air and began to glow. Niris stared at them in amazement, then realizing that Master's spirit was about to leave, he called out to him.
-Wait! Don't go! Don't leave! Why not? Why should I? And why come back when you decided to plunge yourself into eternal sleep? Please don't leave me without an answer!
A silence answered his question, and for a moment Niris thought it was too late, but Shoyonan's dark voice made him lift his head with hope.
-You're a lot like Lou at her age," he says gently. She was full of passion and doubt, an absolutely magnificent personality. The slightest submission or injustice made her shudder with horror, and the simplest joy was her salvation. Of all the masters I accompanied, she was the one I was most proud of. To the very end, she made the choices that were hers, fully and serenely. She never stopped doubting and searching, and never gave up on that part of her that many others find dark and dirty. And you're just like her.
Niris gasped. He'd expected to be crushed by an oversized power, but instead he felt a warmth full of compassion and affection. It unsettled him and he found absolutely nothing to say.
-Master spirits..." began Shoyonan again, seemingly hesitating, "are beings from another dimension. Don't you know that there are several cosmic dimensions in our universe?
The angel nodded without saying a word.
-We're from the same universe, but we belong to a different dimension, which is why we're intangible to ordinary mortals. Our dimension is not physical like yours, which is why any mortal creature would die in our dimension, and we wouldn't survive in yours. But for the rest, we're made of exactly the same stuff as you, the only difference being that there are far fewer of us, since we're eternal. But our emotions, our fears and our dreams are the same as yours. We have emotions and desires, just as you do, albeit in a totally different way, since we're not alienated by time and mortality.
Niris said nothing. He was fascinated. Fear had completely left him, and now he drank in the spirit's words with total adoration. He who had wanted all his life to understand the mystery of the existence of master spirits, was gratified by no less than the presence of a master in the same space as himself.
-There are only seven of us, but between the seven of us, we're more powerful than your entire mortal population. Amazingly, it never occurred to us that this power could be used to destroy you. In the early days of our existence, we shared your world without you having any real awareness of us. Some called us gods, others demons, but we really shared this existence with you. We interacted intangibly and invisibly, which brought fear and doubt to you. But despite all our attempts, we had never found a way to communicate directly with you and make you aware of our existence.
The spirit paused for a moment before resuming before a fascinated Niris.
-One day, one of you, more vicious than the others and bolder too, set out to make our power palpable, and through clever tricks managed to divert our power from its purpose. This being caused irreparable and immeasurable damage, all the more so as he died in the very experience of his act. This is what you call the Great Extinction, which dates back to the very beginnings of your civilization, billions of years ago.
-You're at the origin of the great extinction?" exclaimed Niris, going from discovery to discovery.
-Unfortunately, we can't deny our responsibility for this disaster," admitted the spirit. We were devastated by what had happened, and immediately decided not to interact with you again. The remorse was too great. So we stayed in seclusion for millions of years, except that we were still living with you, in the same universe, and we could see your civilization mired in the most horrible thing you could have created: war, famine, violence. This display of atrocity was unbearable for us, and we couldn't understand why you would do such things when we'd never thought of hurting each other seven when we'd been living together in the same dimension for millions of years.
Again he paused, Niris still hanging on his every word.
-One day," he continued, "we decided to help you again, but in a different way. We didn't want what had already happened to happen again. So we developed a very indirect but much more effective system of intervention. That's how the masters came into being.
-So," Niris pondered aloud, "the masters are the arms of your power?
-Exactly," confirmed Shoyonan. They are our faithful companions, those who help us extend a helping hand to this mortal humanity lost on a dark and aimless path of ceaseless destruction. We've shared our condition with them, so they can bear our presence despite our different dimensions. Then we gave them the tools to use that power. That's how all the vectors you know came into being: master weapons, Oronak orbs, naming ceremonies, shrines and even Szifia. They're all guardians and vectors of our power. And from there, the hardest part was agreeing on a way to choose the mortals who would bear the weight and burden of our existence.
-The burden? What do you mean, the burden of your existence? It's more like a chance to benefit from your power, isn't it?
The master spirit laughed at the angel's reflection.
-A chance if you like, but I think it's more of a curse," he corrected. We put our responsibility on the line for a single being whom we choose and in whom we place our complete trust. Masters are more than vectors, they are extensions of ourselves. It's a huge responsibility for us, and a vulnerable one too, but that's how we wanted it. To make it meaningful. And the person who finds himself invested with this trust finds himself under the weight of the enormous burden it implies. The burden of doing things as a chosen being. The burden of following the path without ever denying oneself. A master is a being who has been chosen for what he is, not for what he will become. This means that the master spirit has blind confidence in the master he invests to make the choices he thinks are right, because they correspond to his will. But the master makes them not under the influence of the master's will, but under that of his own will alone. In no case do masters impose anything, morally speaking, on masters. Masters are totally free to make their own choices and decisions. And that's what makes it such an enormous burden. You have to remain true to yourself, and never disappoint the person who invested you. Every decision must be carefully considered.
-And...what if the master makes a mistake?" asked Niris, who was as captivated as ever.
-Mistakes aren't fateful," Shoyonan explained gently. From one point of view or another, a mistake can be a victory or a success. It can even be something more complex than that, depending on who's looking at it. That's why, when we choose a master, we assess his personality in depth, to see whether he can be the chosen one or not, whether he has what it takes to carry this enormous weight, and the detachment required of anyone who has to sacrifice everything they have for the common good of a much greater whole.
-It's hard all the same," admitted the angel, who was beginning to understand what the master meant.
The master's spirit laughed at his remark.
-Do you think it's unfair? he asked.
-Unfair..." repeated the angel. When I think of what my master had to do to follow maitre's path and all she lost along the way...
-That's why we have to choose carefully," Shoyonan continued gravely. What Lou has done, the choices she's made, I approve of completely. Because all her doubts are mine, and her wandering is mine too, I'm at one with her whole life. And that's why I chose her. Even today, she continues to do what I consider necessary. The proof is that you're standing in front of me today, showing that she was right to make the choices she did. As for her seeing if it's unfair...
He seemed to think for a moment.
-It certainly is," he finally concluded. To ask a mortal being to make such a huge sacrifice is the cruellest thing of all. But that's also why we chose them. Because we know that in their greatness, our little mortal masters will know how to ignore everything else and take the path that seems right to them, whatever the cost.
The room fell silent. The wind had died down by the time Shoyonan had spoken, and all the sandy gains were back in place.
-It's a sad fate," realized Niris, lowering his head.
-It is," acknowledged Shoyonan. But beings like Lou, or even like you, are destined to suffer by their sensitive nature. You would have made these sacrifices without us. You would have sacrificed yourselves without us interfering in any way, because your gentle sensitivity makes you strong and sacrificial beings. And in my opinion, that's what makes you so great, so beautiful and so fragile. And that's why we choose you. Because we know you'll live by your principles, and it's those principles that we embrace. Masters are free beings whose grandeur and charm we try to embellish without ever imprisoning them. That's how heavy the weight of masters is in this universe.
Niris remained silent. He had raised his head and in turn planted his eyes in those of Szifia. He felt much more serene. This conversation had given him back all his determination.
-Thank you, Master Shoyonan," he said gratefully.
-Just call me Shoyonan. From now on, I'll be sharing my entity with you, since I'm officially making you an apprentice master of blades.
Niris nodded with a smile. He felt filled with a warm benevolence. The weapons, which had stopped mid-air, resumed their course. In a blinding light, they disappeared, and Niris had to cover his eyes to avoid being blinded.
-This is your weapon," said Shoyonan after a few moments. It is an extension of my being and my power. Make her your closest and most faithful companion, confiding in her your doubts and your victories. Never stop searching, one day you'll find the answers to your questions, however incomplete. And above all, always follow your path.
Niris fluttered his eyelids to adjust to the changing light, then widened his eyes. In front of him stood a magnificent katana with an intense black blade. On the flat of the blade ran inscriptions in ancient angelic that he could decipher, and a thin golden-yellow thread ran along the non-edged part of it. The handle was covered with deep-red leather straps, and a stylized dragon pendant hung from the hilt. It was simply magnificent.
He picked it up with infinite care and examined it from every angle, admiring it.
-It's called Evayekaramenidis, which means 'sharp passion' or 'flaming doubt' in our language," explained Shoyonan. Now find your master, and bring the masters back to this world. We're ready to come back and support you in this fight. Be the bearers of our benevolence and your pride.
Niris nodded with emotion.
-I promise," he said.
Then, without another word, Shoyonan vanished as he had come. Niris knew instantly when he felt his gentle presence fade away. All that remained was him and the Szifia, and a clammy sensation that clung to his skin. All he wanted to do was get out of this place.
Without another word, he turned and strode to the door. He placed his hand on the metal panel and activated the opening that was now no longer a secret to him. As silently as it had opened to let him in, it opened to let him out. The result was a scene of absolute desolation.