Page 465 of Of Empires and Dust

Haem knew without speaking a word that this was not Achyron, but Varyn. The Father.

He wanted to speak, but his words clung to his throat. He stood before a god. The protector of all things, the giver of light, the Father of all.

The pair of them stood in silence for what felt like an eternity until Varyn finally spoke. “What is it you seek, Haem Bryer? I know it in your heart, but I must hear it on your lips.”

“I want my brother back.”

“The giving and taking of life is fundamental to the existence of the mortal world. What is born must die to make way for what comes after. Life cannot simply be given back. If it could, it would lose all value. And even if that were not the case, why, of all the souls that have been taken from the world, does this single one deserve it above all others?”

“Because it was you who set him on this path. I saw his light in your eyes – the world did. He is your champion.”

“And now he is dead.”

Haem stared at the god, who looked out at the sea of silver. His heart burned as though set aflame. “Why am I here if there is no chance? Why bother listening to me?”

“I never said that.”

Calen’s eyesopened to a glistening silver ocean. His last memory had been of falling, of pain burning in his chest, of Valerys screaming in his mind. Calen pressed a hand to his chest, an emptiness within him, a hollow that could never be filled.

“You are dead.”

Calen turned at the voice. The speaker stood a head taller than him and was garbed in white plate and purple robes,his hair and beard thick and black. He knew the man without thought or words. “You are Varyn.”

“I am. And this is the Aethersea. Where souls pass through the realms between the living and the dead. Normally it would be Heraya meeting you here.”

“What will happen to Valerys?” With every second that passed, Calen fought his body’s need to weep. He had never felt a thing like this. His soul was shattered. “He’s alone. He shouldn’t be alone. Please don’t leave him alone.”

Varyn gave Calen a soft, brittle smile. “There are many things that should not be. Are you happy with what you did in the time you had, Calen Bryer?”

“I’m not done.” Calen shook his head. “What of Haem? And of Vaeril and Dann and Tarmon and Erik? Do they live?”

“They do.” Varyn looked out over the silver ocean. “I chose you for the same reason Valerys did. Not for the man you are, but for the man you have the potential to be. And I created the dragons of Valacia for the same reason. When I tempered the fires of my creations in Epheria, I did so to limit their potential for destruction, to balance their lesser qualities with those of other souls. But what I did not see was that limiting a soul’s light limits everything that they are. Ignoring our lesser qualities, burying our rage and our fury, it does not make us stronger. We must learn to control the darker pieces of ourselves, not destroy them. And so you and Valerys are unique amongst my creations, the tethers of your potential unbound. Together you could have been something greater than anything that has come before.”

Varyn lookedout at the ocean of silver as he spoke to Haem. “After we almost tore the mortal world apart, my kin and I sworeoaths, oaths that forbid us from weaving our wills into your world. We did so for your sake. We were no longer mortal, and your world did not deserve to burn at our whims.”

“Then what am I except a manifestation of Achyron’s will? Has he not broken those oaths? Has not Efialtír?”

Varyn let out a long sigh. “We allowed Achyron some semblance of excess as a counter to Efialtír. A weight to keep the scales balanced. To give back life to the dead, Haem Bryer, that is not a feather on the scales, it is a rock. What meaning has death and life if it can be changed on a whim?”

“Not every death. Just one.”

“If you hadanother chance at life, Calen Bryer, what would you do with it?”

“What is it you want from me?” Calen asked. “Chances like that do not come without strings.”

“And you do not like strings.”

“No, not particularly.”

“Efialtír has crossed from our realm through the veil into the mortal plane. He has taken corporeal form.”

“How is that possible?”

“Much can change in a short time. Efialtír has broken every oath my kind have made. He claims to love the mortal world. But it is not the world he loves, rather control over it. The last time gods warred in your world, we almost tore it asunder. I would not have that happen a second time. If you had another chance, would you be the blade that strikes back? Would you stand against Efialtír, fight with all your strength? Would you do whatever was needed to keep your world from burning?”

“I would.”

“All life comes at a cost,Haem Bryer.” Varyn let out a long sigh.

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