The Book holds many lessons on life, but each man reads from it his own truth. Many a young scholar has co up to , troubled by this assertion - for is not the Book an immutable Truth, fixed and perfect?
It is, and it is not. The Book is a mundane object, filled with mundane text. It has been printed by n on paper n made, bound in leather by a man. Its contents have been translated, written and rewritten by human hands. Within its pages one may read the biases and agendas of generations of faithful.
This explanation provokes nothing but further despair in our scholars, of course. I must then explain that there is only one immutable Truth: that of the divine. Each of us carries it within ourselves, each shard of radiant divinity as unique as we are.
The Book is malleable to the hands of n because divinity guides those hands. Where so might see perversion of the text, I see an imprint of the editors own guiding light. The divinity refracts through every word on those hallowed pages, making its slow way through the years until it finds a reader who needed to see precisely that phrase.
The words are, perhaps heretically, unimportant. Divinity recognizes a reflection of itself upon reading them, and is overjoyed to know that it is not alone.
- Saleh Taskin, On Reclamation, 687
There were no more ambushes of that scale waiting for them, as it happened, although two lone snipers did take potshots at their team; bereft of support from masking souls, those few attackers did not manage to do more than reveal their positions before dying. They paused in their advance when they had cleared up to the citys market square, standing aside to let the armor pour forth into the plaza.
Michaels group was directed back to a mid-city staging area then, a converted Ardan camp that now teed with ndiko faces. Most of the soldiers split away from their group as they arrived; Michael guided the artifex who had been wounded towards the dical tents.
Im sorry, I didnt do a very good job on it, he said, helping the woman limp across the flagstone. It looks stiff.
The artifex raised an eyebrow at him. Im not dead, she said. Thats decent enough for a start.
He laughed and helped her the rest of the way to the triage tent, where he passed her off to so harried orderlies. Michael walked outside and turned towards the camps command post when he spotted Luc ducking out of a nearby tent.
Luc saw him too, walking over with a faint smile. The two n shook hands. Right back in it? Michael asked. It seems like things are busy here.
They are, Luc said, looking out over the tents. Quite a few wounded in the advance, the Safid had prepared positions ahead of ti. He looked at Michaels shirt. But you already knew that, yes?
Michael looked down; his shirt was shredded in front, missing its right sleeve. His trousers were little better, though thankfully still modest. We did see an attack, he said. One dead, a few wounded. I was just dropping one off here.
You did better than most, then, Luc sighed. Other patrols ca back with dozens wounded. Weve been working flat-out since we arrived, and not with soldiers alone. Locals stuck in the fighting, too scared to co out for aid. Only about half of those in the tents are soldiers, Id say.
Good thing theyve got you, Michael said.
Luc did not smile. It is, he said. He looked away, watching the n moving through the camp, then turned back to Michael. Im going to stay here, after the fighting is done.
Michael raised an eyebrow, his attention fully on Luc; he had not picked it apart from the jangling emotions of the dical tents before, but Luc was vibrating with nervous energy. Permanently? Michael asked.
Maybe not permanently, Luc said, managing to sound halfway-casual despite his evident nerves. But theres people who need here - and I think that will still be true after the ndiko leave. Its a big city, and its been hurting since long before the siege started.
I imagine so, Michael said, looking Luc over; when they had co across him not far from here, back in Severs camp, he had been a starved wretch. Now he looked nearly as healthy as he had back on Sparks island, although he still lacked the easy smile he had shown then.
Michael offered his smile instead, and his hand - his left, with the sharp demarcation at the wrist. Lucs eyes widened briefly before he shook it, still wearing his ndiko-issued gloves.
Im glad youve found sothing you want to pursue, Michael said. Truly. You deserve a bit of happiness after everything thats happened. He released Lucs hand. But if you ever need , just ask.
It was, sohow, the wrong thing to say; Lucs smile died. Im sorry, Luc said. I appreciate you saying it, and youve been so good to despite everything, I- He broke off, flushing, and looked to the side. Michael let the silence linger, half because he didnt know what to say; Lucs sudden shift in tone had been jarring.
Eventually, he looked back at Michael. If I am going to find happiness in this world, I have to look for it far from you.
Michael blinked; he had not known what Luc would say, but this was far beyond his expectations. If Ive done sothing to offend you-
Luc was already shaking his head. Youre a good person, Michael, he said. You try so hard to give everyone what they want, and they love you for it. But they keep asking for more.
Is this about Leire? Michael asked. I think Antolin will keep a closer watch on her now. It took us all by surprise, but him most of all.
Luc ran his fingers through his hair, not eting Michaels eyes. Its her, he said. But not only her. Antolin, Sobriquet - they believe that you can fix everything thats wrong in the world. Theyre probably even right. But the world wont roll over and let you do as you please; the world is made of dangerous n who will be driven to desperation by your power.
He looked up and t Michaels eyes. No matter how powerful you beco, you cant control that. The harder you push, the more desperate theyll beco. And you, youll be fine. But the rest of us are standing under the growing storm, hoping we dont get struck by that lightning.
A well-worn frustration grew at hearing Lucs words; Michael frowned. You know that the alternative to this is letting Saf trample over the whole continent, he said. What would you have do, stand aside and pretend I dont have the ability to shape the world? Go off and live on a farm like Jeorg did?
Wasnt that what you wanted, once? Luc asked. He glared at Michael, exasperated. Must you be incomparable? Because the world tries to match you, and when it cant, when theres nothing to push back against your overwhelming influence, the result is a spasm of chaos that inflicts itself on everyone caught in the middle. His lip curled. Not Smoke and Sibyl, not Stellar cackling behind her glass - the people here, in these tents, who are coming apart faster than we can put them back together. I have to look at it every day, damn you! Would it be so hard to pretend to be less than what you are, if the alternative is tornt for the undeserving?
The volu of his voice had grown steadily as he spoke, until he drew looks from passers-by; Lucs eyes widened when he realized they were being watched, and the fire left him. Im sorry, he said. This isnt how I wanted to go. I wanted to - to wish you happiness, and good luck, and to thank you for being my friend.
He looked to the side. Because you have been a friend to , of the best sort. I just cant stand beside you anymore. Theres too much pain left in your wake. I want to stay here and watch the storm pass elsewhere, and help as many people as my power permits. He managed a small smile. A life of quiet good - and a shorter life than yours, so that I can die pretending that I have two normal hands, and pass it all back to you. Thats how well et again, in whatever beautiful world you make - and you can tell how foolish I was to fear it.
Michael was taken aback at the tirade, at its sudden fall as much as its rise. So of Lucs points resonated; others seed annoyingly nave. He spent a mont existing with the half-ford responses drifting through his mind. Eventually, looking at Lucs downcast form, he decided that he would prefer to respond to the latter part.
Youve been a friend to too, Michael said. And Im sorry if Ive caused you pain. He looked out at the tents. If Ive caused anyone pain. It wasnt my intention.
Luc nodded, managing a smile. I know, he said. And I dont an to lay it at your feet. Down here all you see is the - contrast. His smile faded, and he shook his head. But I know. It helps, to know that theres probably hope in the end.
He looked up, a wan smile returning to his face. Say goodbye to Unai for , he said. I stopped going to his lessons after Leire did - what she did to you. Hes a good man even if he cant see her for what she is. I owe him a lot.
Luc t Michaels eyes and nodded. Then he turned and walked away.
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