Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 47

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

47

Stuck in the swirling energy of the paravescea, Rian had followed the trail of Arryk's mind as it tried to travel down towards Arlunn, and probably, beyond that to view the Infinite. But, was Arryk capable of this?

As far as Rian could tell, Arryk's mind was now stuck inside the paravescea, just outside the artificial plane of the Interstitium. But, how could he contact Arryk and free him?

All Rian saw was a tangle of energy fields that he usually associated with a person's soul or their life-energy. Here it was. He threw his mind towards it.

Arryk! Can you hear me? Rian tried to communicate mind to mind with the mage, but he could feel no effect. Rian had done a few successful mental sendings in the past. Somehow, this was different.

You need to answer me, if you can hear me. Arryk? None of Rian's efforts seemed to have any effect. He would have to find another way to communicate with Arryk.

Or perhaps he could just drag Arryk's consciousness back towards their own paravescea tower. But when he tried it, there was no way he could "get ahold" of it. Both of them were nothing but pure mental energy. How could he move Arryk's unconscious mind? Or was it unconscious? Perhaps he was awake but just lost. How could he communicate with Arryk, if so?

Rian remembered the time Kyran linked with him to show him how to cast spells. He remembered how that felt. He tried it now, moving his mind toward Arryk's. But, if their minds joined, then how could he be sure that he wouldn't get lost as well?

He didn't know, but he'd take a chance.

Entering Arryk's mind, Rian encountered what seemed like a great fog. He pushed past this, trying to find Arryk's conscious mind.

He had to go several levels deep before he began to perceive anything. What he saw confused him. It was a world that he'd never seen before: a palace with other buildings around it, all on an island covered by some kind of dome. Shadows walked through this world, looking like people, but they weren't—it was very much like a dream.

Rian shivered. What was this place? It wasn't real, so it must be created from Arryk's mind. For all purposes, this world felt real.

Using their mind link, Rian followed it around the side of the palace to a balcony overlooking a small garden. There, he found Arryk, resting against the rail, staring at the garden.
 "Arryk?" asked Rian, coming closer.

The prince of Ashilan turned to Rian, looking at him apprehensively. "You? How did you get here?"

Rian hesitated, not sure how aware Arryk was of his actual situation. "I followed you down. We were worried about you."

"Who let you out?" demanded Arryk.

Rian shook his head. "No one. I'm still in the fortress ... in the Interstitium."

By the look Arryk gave him, he didn't believe this. "This is my homeworld of Ashilan. The guards should have stopped you." He glanced around, in irritation.

"No, Arryk, this isn't your homeworld. We're in the paravescea—"

"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Arryk. "I think I know my own homeworld!"