Ysevel and I were still reeling from the Duranjin's reveal of the Wraith realm as we stared at each other in pure, unadulterated confusion.
"So, if I'm understanding this correctly, you're saying that we're connected to the others in the Wraith realm?" I asked, hoping I'd not missed anything. "Yes, that's correct. Although, I do have to ask: how did you manage to acquire this power?" Sabura asked curiously as he moved his face near my core to examine it.
"As far as I understand it, one of my friends, known as Rennyr Virie was the one who gave us this power. Although, I think I was the only one originally meant to have it," I replied briefly. "Rennyr Virie," Sabura said distantly. "I believe I know who you're talking about. He is one of the Arwydus, as are you and your family, correct?" he asked.
"Y-yes, but how did you…?" I trailed off as he raised what I thought was an eyebrow at me. "Right, we're all connected," I said with a thin-lipped smile, answering my own question. "I'm glad you understand that, it's just a shame you're not as attuned to it as I am because I'm sure you'd be very surprised by the latest addition to the Wraithborn," he said wryly.
"But don't worry, Lady Kalia and I will help you become more accustomed to it with time," he said wryly. "But that would take years, if not decades, to learn," Ysevel began, knowing full well what he meant. "Yes, it would, and it will," Sabura said cryptically with a light chuckle.
"Time is a fickle thing, and it changes from realm to realm. For example, what if I were to tell you that there are ways to slow it down through the properties of mana?" he asked, putting his hands behind his back.
Ysevel looked as though an idea had spawned in her mind as her eyes opened widely. "You're talking about using the density of mana to change the flow of time," she said in awe, seemingly understanding what he meant, while I stood there looking like an idiot.
Sabura, obviously, noticed the look of confusion on my face.
"Precisely. Thoma, when you draw from the Ethereal, does time in the Between ever move forward?" he asked, turning to face me. "No, it doesn't. It's actually one of the first things we learn when we're first exposed to the realm," I said plainly, shrugging my shoulders. "Do you know why that is?" Sabura asked me wryly.
To say that I was absolutely dumbfounded by his question would be an understatement.
"I… I've never really thought about it. I merely accepted it as a fact because that's how I perceived it," I admitted, feeling embarrassed by my own ignorance. "Perception is a reality to most, this is true, but the moment you question or challenge that reality is where a shift in perception has room to happen," Sabura began, pacing back and forth.
"When we change our perception, or perspective for that matter, we can observe a shift in our reality that is often difficult to undo unless through extreme and extenuating circumstances. Having the ability to change your perspective is paramount to growth, as a stagnation of ideologies, and your own perception of reality, is often borne from a lacking ability to do so," he said effortlessly as if reading it from a book.
It's incredible how much of an idiot I feel right now, I sent to Ysevel as I reflected on his words.
It made perfect sense. Even Lady Kalia had once said that we were never meant to be enemies, and I suddenly understood what she meant by that. Our perception of reality was broken, but I still had no idea why or when that happened.
"So how does this apply to us having enough time to train to put a wedge in the Undergod's plans?" I asked, still missing a piece of the puzzle before me. "As Lady Ysevel said, we can use the properties of mana to alter the flow of time," he said bluntly. "But how is that even possible?" I asked, receiving only a chuckle in response.
"We will use what you call in your language a dome," he began to explain. "We can infuse this dome with an incredible amount of mana to alter the flow of time within it by creating a miniature realm that moves at a fraction of the speed of anything outside of it," he said, letting his words hang as if he expected a question. "How much of a difference are you talking about?" Ysevel asked, beating me to the question.
Sabura chuckled and knelt down on the floor as he formed a small pick with his kataki to scratch his explanation into the floor. Ysevel and I both dropped to a knee to get a better look at his explanation.
"Let me put it this way: every one hundred cycles inside of the dome equates to one out here. However, a thousand cycles out here equates to one year in the Between," he began, scratching odd-looking runic numerals into the floor.
"Since Lady Ysevel was correct in her assessment of it taking years to fully master this power, we will have to train you for the equivalent of ten thousand cycles inside of the dome to make sure that you receive adequate training," Sabura said, looking up at us to make sure we understood.
"So, we're going to train for what we will perceive to be ten years inside the dome, but only a hundred cycles will have passed out here?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around the concept. "Heh, not as confusing anymore, is it?" he asked as if it were such a simple concept.
I wonder if we'll age normally in there, I thought, starting to consider the implications of what it could mean.
"I'm still confused as fuck, but I think I understand it a little better now. Thank you, Sabura," I said with a bow. "You're welcome. I know it can be difficult to comprehend, but I hope this explanation has sufficed for now," he said, standing up once again, prompting us to follow his lead.
Just as we rose to full height, I felt a strange tugging feeling on my core. It felt familiar but distant at the same time, like trying to remember a dream I'd just woken up from. "Ysevel, do you feel that?" I asked, unsure of what answer I was expecting. "N-no? Thoma, what's wrong?" she asked, but suddenly her eyes went wide, as she must have felt the same thing I was.
Thoma, can you hear me? I suddenly heard my mother's voice in my head like I would whenever we used telepathic communication. "Mom?" I asked breathlessly, feeling the strange mana surging within my core. Gods above, Thoma! Are you alright? Are you and Ysevel hurt? She asked quickly. I could feel both her anxiety and relief washing over my core as if they were my own.
We're alright, Siraye, Ysevel said, joining in on the conversation. It's good to hear your voices again. I thought… I thought I'd lost you both, my mother said as the weight of her emotions flooded us both. We're alright, Mom, but how is this even possible? How are you communicating with us? I asked, not bothering to hide my confusion.
Ren and Thorn are here with me. I don't have time to explain everything, but I know what Ren gave you because he gave me the same thing, she said briefly, making Sabura's earlier statement of the latest addition make sense to me now.
I don't think I have to tell you how surprised I am to hear that, but Mom, I'm… I'm sorry. We got caught up in Irun's spell, and I've been trying to find a way back, but… I trailed off, feeling the emotions that I'd buried welling within me. It's alright, Thoma. I'm just glad you have Ysevel there with you, she said comfortingly.
Who are those two? I can't fully see who or what they are, but I can see them here in the Wraith realm. Are there other Wraithborn there with you? She asked, likely referring to Sabura and Kalia who were standing right next to us.
It's a long story that we'll have to explain if we make it back, but we're alright. We're safe, for now, I said, entirely unsure of how to explain that the Iron Plume Clan members were taking care of us.
You mean when you make it back. I won't have my son trapped in another realm for the rest of his life, she said firmly. Yeah, you're telling me, I began with a half-hearted scoff. But Mom, there's something we have to do here first if we even want a chance of making it back in the first place, I said, already feeling the weight of my words before I even explained the situation. There was a slight pause before she spoke again, as she was probably readying herself for what I was about to say. Tell me, she said with a heavy heart.
To make a long and complicated story short, The Undergod, or Nexis Pelantyr as Ardrin called him, is regaining and rebuilding his strength. He's going to try to return to the Between, but for what reason, we still aren't sure, I said, trying to be as brief as possible. Gods above. Thoma, please tell me you aren't going to try to fight him, she said desperately.
I closed my eyes and forced the sudden fear that tried to grip my core down into the depths of my emotions. I couldn't lie to her, but I knew that I couldn't lie to myself either.
Mom, I know you've only ever wanted the best for me, I began, trying to keep my emotions under control. But this is something I have to at least try to do. Ardrin can't fight him alone, and with Ysevel and I being offered to train in the ways of the Wraithborn, we're both in a unique position to put a stop to his plans, I said with a heavy heart.
She must have felt the turbulent emotions I was feeling anyway because I could feel both a sense of pride and fear emanating from the connection she had to my core.
How long will that take? She asked with a heavy heart. According to Sabura's explanation of how time works here, we have roughly a month before he's ready to make his move. At least, that's how long it would be for you, I said, hoping I'd remembered the explanation correctly. And for you? How are you going to train that much in such a short time? She asked, allowing my earlier sentence to breathe for a heartbeat.