Read Online Ibenus (Valducan series) by Seth Skorkowsky - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Seth Skorkowsky
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weapon?"
"Do you mean to tell me that you don't feel it?" Alex asked. "That feeling that your life has been somehow incomplete without Umatri? Perhaps you've even questioned your sanity because of an obsessive need to be with it, an un-living object has won your love, a love it could never return."
A spike of anger shot up Gerhard's spine. He stiffened. How dare this man think Umatri couldn't—
"Ah." Alex raised a finger, a triumphant smile across his face. "So you do know. Umatri does love you because despite all reason, you know him to be alive. Don't you?"
Gerhard pursed his lips, eyes averting from the old man's knowing stare.
"You felt its call at the museum. You returned day after day just to be near it. In your dreams you felt him, felt him calling, begging you to return. Then finally you touched him, felt him and that love. And then your dreams changed."
"How did you know that?" Gerhard lifted his gaze to meet Alex's matter-of-fact smile.
The old man sipped his drink. "Because within that blade lives an angel, Gerhard. And out of everyone alive he has seen your soul and has chosen you to be his protector, his champion to aid him on his quest. I know this because every Valducan knight has bonded to a living weapon, and Umatri has bonded with you ."
"His quest?"
"To destroy demons."
A sharp laugh escaped Gerhard's lips. "You're serious?"
"I am." He swirled his drink, gazing at it like chemist studying a solution, then met his eyes. "Holy weapons have existed for thousands of years, magical weapons that slew monsters. Those myths are based on real people and real weapons . If you know Umatri to be alive, capable of returning your love, is it so impossible to believe that there are other things out there, beings that only Umatri could kill?"
Gerhard gave a nervous chuckle. He'd never believed in a god but didn't wish to offend or debate the old man. Alex's obvious response would simply be that Gerhard had just more or less admitted that he believed…no, knew , Umatri to be alive. He decided on a different route, instead. "If Umatri wished for a warrior, then why me?"
"There is a military base in Stuttgart." Alex swirled the drink again, then sipped it. "That was part of why I selected that museum. Do you have any idea how many soldiers and their families walked past Umatri's display?"
Gerhard shook his head.
"Your mother passed away some years ago. Were you close?"
"Yes."
"As much as her loss grieved you, did you not feel that maybe it should have upset you more, as if you were somehow broken because you were able to move past it so quickly?"
Gerhard's fingers tightened again on Umatri, that remembered guilt pressing the back of his brain. He'd never told anyone that and, now hearing it from the old man's lips, a renewed anger barbed and twisted within him, anger at himself for not mourning her as deeply as he should have, anger at this man for reminding him of that failure.
Alex set the snifter down onto the table. "I know more than that about you. You lack most prejudices. You've always been in fine physical condition, especially hand-eye coordination. You've never once considered suicide, and you've never had, nor will you ever, suffer from post-traumatic stress."
"How could you know that?" Gerhard asked.
"Because a holy weapon has bonded with you. Being a great warrior is more than training. It requires a very specific type of person. Out of everyone who saw him, Umatri selected you. So say whatever you wish about what faults or shortcomings you might believe you have, but Umatri has seen your soul, Gerhard, and has judged you the worthiest."
A knock sounded from the door. Gerhard turned as Taras peeked inside.
"Ah," Alex said. "Come in."
Taras pushed open the door and carried in a pitcher with some glasses. A tall, auburn-haired woman followed with two plates of sandwiches. Gerhard's stomach tightened and rumbled at seeing the food.
"Sam," Alex said to the young woman, "I want you to meet
"Do you mean to tell me that you don't feel it?" Alex asked. "That feeling that your life has been somehow incomplete without Umatri? Perhaps you've even questioned your sanity because of an obsessive need to be with it, an un-living object has won your love, a love it could never return."
A spike of anger shot up Gerhard's spine. He stiffened. How dare this man think Umatri couldn't—
"Ah." Alex raised a finger, a triumphant smile across his face. "So you do know. Umatri does love you because despite all reason, you know him to be alive. Don't you?"
Gerhard pursed his lips, eyes averting from the old man's knowing stare.
"You felt its call at the museum. You returned day after day just to be near it. In your dreams you felt him, felt him calling, begging you to return. Then finally you touched him, felt him and that love. And then your dreams changed."
"How did you know that?" Gerhard lifted his gaze to meet Alex's matter-of-fact smile.
The old man sipped his drink. "Because within that blade lives an angel, Gerhard. And out of everyone alive he has seen your soul and has chosen you to be his protector, his champion to aid him on his quest. I know this because every Valducan knight has bonded to a living weapon, and Umatri has bonded with you ."
"His quest?"
"To destroy demons."
A sharp laugh escaped Gerhard's lips. "You're serious?"
"I am." He swirled his drink, gazing at it like chemist studying a solution, then met his eyes. "Holy weapons have existed for thousands of years, magical weapons that slew monsters. Those myths are based on real people and real weapons . If you know Umatri to be alive, capable of returning your love, is it so impossible to believe that there are other things out there, beings that only Umatri could kill?"
Gerhard gave a nervous chuckle. He'd never believed in a god but didn't wish to offend or debate the old man. Alex's obvious response would simply be that Gerhard had just more or less admitted that he believed…no, knew , Umatri to be alive. He decided on a different route, instead. "If Umatri wished for a warrior, then why me?"
"There is a military base in Stuttgart." Alex swirled the drink again, then sipped it. "That was part of why I selected that museum. Do you have any idea how many soldiers and their families walked past Umatri's display?"
Gerhard shook his head.
"Your mother passed away some years ago. Were you close?"
"Yes."
"As much as her loss grieved you, did you not feel that maybe it should have upset you more, as if you were somehow broken because you were able to move past it so quickly?"
Gerhard's fingers tightened again on Umatri, that remembered guilt pressing the back of his brain. He'd never told anyone that and, now hearing it from the old man's lips, a renewed anger barbed and twisted within him, anger at himself for not mourning her as deeply as he should have, anger at this man for reminding him of that failure.
Alex set the snifter down onto the table. "I know more than that about you. You lack most prejudices. You've always been in fine physical condition, especially hand-eye coordination. You've never once considered suicide, and you've never had, nor will you ever, suffer from post-traumatic stress."
"How could you know that?" Gerhard asked.
"Because a holy weapon has bonded with you. Being a great warrior is more than training. It requires a very specific type of person. Out of everyone who saw him, Umatri selected you. So say whatever you wish about what faults or shortcomings you might believe you have, but Umatri has seen your soul, Gerhard, and has judged you the worthiest."
A knock sounded from the door. Gerhard turned as Taras peeked inside.
"Ah," Alex said. "Come in."
Taras pushed open the door and carried in a pitcher with some glasses. A tall, auburn-haired woman followed with two plates of sandwiches. Gerhard's stomach tightened and rumbled at seeing the food.
"Sam," Alex said to the young woman, "I want you to meet
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