Chapter 14

Vaysh looked into his friend's eyes. Surely he had misheard, yet Pell had directly his words quite purposely and was now stood expecting a response or at very least, Vaysh's reaction.

"Excuse me, but could you repeat that?" The voice did not belong not Vaysh but instead Apollo, who'd stepped up beside the Tigron. Moon stood on Pell's other side.

"I can. Thiede said that he will meet with you two, but only if Vaysh joins you." Pell shrugged. "What can I say? He's unpredictable. We asked him why, but he wouldn't share that with us."

"Hmmm, well, if that's the condition, that's fine," Apollo announced, looking to his hostling. "Isn't it? We don't have to have Thiede all to ourselves, do we?"

Vaysh felt a wave of irritation rising up from inside. Once again, he was being made to feel like an afterthought. "What about me?" he demanded, stepping past all three off them, into the open spaces of the Sanctum. "Whoever said I'd go speak to Thiede? I didn't even want to come in here and now you automatically think I'll want to join you in a little trip join Nostalgia Lane -- with Thiede?"

Even as the spoke these words, Vaysh was aware that he was no being truthful. In fact he did want to speak with Thiede. For many years, decades even, he'd had things to say to him that he had never expressed. Questions he wanted Thiede to answer. Curses he wanted to hurl. In the mind communion, he might do all of those things, but now that he was being offered the opportunity, he was running away from it.

"But, Vaysh, you've got to," Apollo urged. "It's the condition."

"It's also Thiede's will," Pell said.

"Which is also the Aghama's will," Apollo continued.

Vaysh was torn. On the one hand he was desperate to join in, not only for his own reasons but to see what Thiede would say to his lost family. On the other hand, by that point he'd made such a strong stance against it that to back off would seem foolish.

"I know all about the Aghama's will," Vaysh replied quietly. "Believe me. He's inflicted his power on me numerous times."

Pell, who had braved Vaysh's anger to walk up beside him, softly set his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "We all know that, Vaysh. Perhaps that is something you and Thiede could discuss."

Vaysh stared down at his hands, fists clenched tight against his thighs. The situation was impossible.

It was then that he felt another hand touch him, on the other shoulder. Glancing to his right, Vaysh saw the bottom of Apollo's robe.

"My hostling has something to say," Apollo whispered. "Open you mind and listen to him."

Vaysh looked up at where Moon stood, a few feet away, small and glowing blue in the still pulsating lights. "Please, Vaysh, do not fight this" his mind sang out. "It would mean so much to me and to my son. It also means a lot to you and you know that it does. And there is another reason."

"What other reason?" Vaysh asked silently.

Moon approached him. "I think I know why Thiede wants you there. If I'm right, you won't regret your decision to accompany us."

Apollo's hand squeezed his shoulder. "Please."

Vaysh's entire frame tingled with Apollo's touch. How easily he was being manipulated -- and how little will he seemed to have to fight back!

"All right," he agreed quietly. "I'll join you."

Cal and Rue sauntered off the dais, approaching Pell expectantly. "So," Cal said, "is it our turn to stand and watch?"

"I'm not sure," Pell murmured, looking to Moon. "Is it?"

Moon made an open-handed gesture as if to say, "Fine by me, go ahead."

"Sure," Apollo added. "It would be good to know you were here, in case anything should go awry."

"I should hope nothing does!" Vaysh exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Vaysh" Pell soothed, "the Aghama seemed to be referring to your very warmly."

Vaysh looked at him askance. "Now that does worry me."

Pell smiled. "All right, but go up there and do it anyway." He motioned to the dais. "It's all yours. I assume you know what to do?"

Moon, already stepping up to the platform eagerly, pointed to his chest and raised his eyebrows. In the mindvoice he said, "Me? I should hope so, Pell -- I'm Nahir Nuri, after all. Apollo is Algomalid. Vaysh must be at least that. We can manage."

The Triad stood back while as the other three arranged themselves on the dais, each one of them serious now, dedicated to enacting the ritual just as formally as the Triad.

The wild blue light was pulsing faster now, Thiede no doubt anticipating the coming communion.

Forming a triangle, knees and hands touching, they allowed their bodies to grow limp and soon, began the process of becoming one. Given the way the three of them had communicated through Moon, and that such communion was a component of basic caste training, it was not long, only a few minutes, before they were thinking and breathing as one. Each of them generated energy of their own, whether in images or feelings or thoughts, but as they did so, it was shared with all.

Vaysh found this joining to be easier than he had anticipated. He felt comfortable with his companions, almost unimaginable given his initial reaction to them only the day before. Moon had a gentle, soothing soul, however, and Vaysh sensed he was welcomed, not resented. Perhaps this had to do with some knowledge of what Thiede had in mind? The question was asked and through the bond Vaysh learned that yes, that was part of the reason. Answers would come soon. Apollo echoed his hostling's confidence and squeezed Vaysh's hand ever so slightly, sending a tingling feeling through his body and presumedly, the other two bodies as well.

Eyes closed, they at last arrived at the moment of expressing their intention: "Thiede, we are here, come to us!"

Lights flashed in their eyes and minds. Vaysh shuddered as suddenly he felt the familiar spirit roaring into their presence: Thiede.

"Open your eyes," Thiede entreated, and they obeyed. In the center of the circle, they actually saw Thiede. To Vaysh, it appeared as if Thiede was looking directly at him, but he knew that Moon and Apollo were be seeing the same thing. The body was ephemeral, not solid, but a pale mist, nearly colorless except for Thiede's hair, a flaming crown of red, and the intense amber eyes. Through their shared spirit, Thiede sent out wave of welcome and love, so personal and yet coming from the limitless depth of his immortal soul.

Vaysh's heart beat wildly in his chest and tears came to his eyes. He now knew some of what the Triad knew. This Thiede was different than the one who had lived on earth. He was now sublime and, without his mortal ego, capable of an understanding and perceptions that had eluded him, or not been important, when he was flesh and blood. No more manipulations, jealousy, hidden agendas. Vaysh knew all this in an instant and the knowledge rocked him like a small earthquake.

The other two were obviously similarly affected. Through the mist of Thiede's body, Vaysh saw tears streaming down Moon's face, while through the bond he heard the thoughts of Moon's heart, telling Thiede how very much he loved him and how blessed he was to be able to see him again. Apollo's eyes were dry but his heart also sang out with love and thanks. Thiede expressed a fatherly satisfaction Vaysh could scarcely imagine coming from the mortal har.

Even as the others continued to share their minds with Thiede the lover and Thiede the father, Vaysh was able to pursue a conversation of his own. This was possible, Vaysh knew with certainly, because Thiede was communicating with all three of them separately, using the reality of his dimension to bend the rules. Each of them could speak to him separately, but each of them could hear the others.

"You did not want to meet with me," Thiede intimated. "You were afraid. I hope you see now, you have no cause."

"I see," Vaysh let him to know. "You are different. You understand many things which you did not before. Your eyes have been opened."

"My heart also, Vaysh." In the ghost image Vaysh could see Thiede actually smiling. "Understand, it is not only the present that I see differently, but also the past. I look back and I see that I was wrong. Cruel and insensitive. Some of it was necessary, but some of it was not. You know all of it."

"I do. It is why I was afraid. I was angry about it still -- all that you had done to me, to Pell, to Cal, to others. You committed all that cruelty but in the end, found peace beyond your body and became the Aghama. It made me angry."

"You see now that my ascension was not simply a grand prize, Vaysh, don't you? It was a transformation. I was a flawed creature then, unbalanced and gripped by the passions of the mortal flesh -- the greed, the jealousy, the need to control. That is gone now. And I say now to you that I am sorry. Do you accept my apology?"

Vaysh thought it over for only a moment. There was no decision; he knew was he felt and Thiede of course knew as well. "Yes, I accept."

"Good, because then we can take the next step," Thiede declared.

"Next step?" Vaysh asked. "What next step?"

"The step in which, now that we have an understanding -- the start of forgiveness -- I actually do something to back up my words with actions."

"Actions? What actions can you take in your present form? I thought we were simply here to communicate."

"We are, but not just about you and me. I would like to discus my son."

Even as he said this, Thiede intimated something similar to Apollo, mentioning Vaysh, so that the two of them would be roughly focused on the same communication.

"You two have met and have, as I saw from the moment you entered the Sanctum, an affection for one another. I can feel it within you. Last night both of you recognized it. It must have frightened you, Vaysh, but I assure you, you need not be frightened. My son is meant for you."

Vaysh was startled. "Meant for me?" To have Thiede obviously so interested and possibly involved in his intimate personal life was a shock. His immediate reaction was to be angry.

"Vaysh, no, please!" Thiede gently pleaded. "However much you might guess it, I am not interfering, I am stating the truth. That is what I can see from here, in this existence. You two fit together. You are meant to be."

"Like the Triad?" Apollo asked.

"Nothing so dramatic and portentous, but a partnership, a chesna state... yes, I can see that happening. I see the future, you two together."

Again the tingling erupted in Vaysh's body, energy shooting down his arm, where it met up with what must have been a similar wave coming from Apollo, for their hands grew hot.

Vaysh was overwhelmed, his spirit swelling with the knowledge just unleashed. Of all the things that had flashed into his mind when he'd been told he would be meeting with Thiede, this had never been one of them.

"Is this what Moon meant when he said he knew why you might have requested me here?" Vasyh asked, a glance at Moon having reminded him of the har's earlier remark. "How did he know? Apollo, did you say something to him? Or is he just that perceptive?"

"He is of course perceptive," Thiede replied, "as he is in all matters, but Moon also referred to another matter, one we discussed long ago. It may come as a shock, but I will tell you. Vaysh, at the time Moon and I created Apollo, you were already my servant. I had already wronged you, damaged you, bringing you to the north with me. Although I never showed it, a part of me was very sorry for what I had done. Moon knew of this. During the first week of hosting, we imagined that one day perhaps our child could do you some good. We put our intention into the pearl, Vaysh. It seems the universe took our intention."

Vaysh turned to Apollo and knew without a doubt that what Thiede said was true.

"Share breath," Thiede whispered, and leaning towards one another, they did. A column of blue light surrounded them like the funnel of a tornado. The feeling that ran through them felt just as strong.

Thiede embraced them all so tightly, Moon as well, and with a final exchange of thank you's and goodbyes, they were left on the dais, not alone, but together sharing the spirit of joy.