The Games for Nihon (BOOK THREE)

Chapter 28 - The Road to Astchâ

Mother did not spare any troubles to make sure her cortege would be visible from far and wide, making a lasting impression on anyone who laid eyes on it. First in line, as an advance party, went the carriage for Master Zbgi and a few of his disciples. Sofia had assumed this was for protection, but then again, who would be reckless enough to attack Mother. She was at the height of her power and every particle that came into contact with her seemed to reverberate with it.

But protection wasn't the intent. Instead, Master Zbgi was in charge of smoothing the road and ensuring that the surroundings fitted in with the pomp and splendor of the parade. Marble pavement and fresh flowers. Glowing lights and sweet scents.

"And what happens to it once we're through?" Sofia asked. She knew the answer.

"It goes away again," Orì said, shooting her a look that said why do you even ask?

Sofia made a face at her.

"You know," Ami intercepted. "This is not so different from what I did when we were crossing the mountains into Illyah."

"No, that was different," Sofia insisted. "We were fleeing for our lives. Or our freedom, at least."

"That turned out well," Orì muttered.

Sofia paid her no heed. "This is just to appear fanciful. Greater than we are."

Orì shrugged. Ami didn't look very concerned either. He looked out of the window. It was one of his favorite activities to watch the landscapes go by.

"It's nice, though," he said. "Can't you make it real?"

"It doesn't work that way."

"How does it work, then?" Orì asked. She was always a bit sulky when it came to Sofia's abilities, but she was curious too. The result of this combination were questions that always sounded a little bit like accusations.

"I don't really know, yet," Sofia said. That was not the whole truth. Thanks to Antibe, she had a much better idea than she'd had before, but there were still aspects of it where she felt like she was completely in the dark. But she had not told Orì or Ami about Antibe, and she was feeling increasingly guilty about that.

Antibe had readily agreed to help Ami deepen his mask-making abilities by opening his mind to the influences around him. As Antibe had told Sofia, her own talents in this area were nothing to brag about, but what she could do was help him unlock that which lay inside of him. So, as far as Ami was concerned, Sofia's conscience was a little bit alleviated. But Antibe kept refusing to seek out Orì. She would know, Antibe had said. And then their secret would be out. It was eating away at Sofia.

That was why she said to Orì, in a more conciliatory tone than her friends had expected her to,

"I cannot just go around and turn whatever I find real. At least, not just like that. There is no magic wand that I can point and be done with it. What I can do is create something, an illusion, and then anchor it in reality so that it becomes a permanent fixture and develops a kind of life of its own, independent of me. Some things are easy, like a flower or a stone. Others are more difficult, and if I get them wrong, it either doesn't work at all, or the result is somewhat - skewered."

Ami and Orì were almost holding their breath. Sofia rarely talked about these things. This was like a spell that they did not want to break. Afraid that, if she would open her mouth, the wrong thing would come out, Orì shot Ami a look.

He got the message and turned to Sofia.

"So - like what?" he asked, as casually and unconcerned as he could possibly muster.