The Artifact Competition (Approaching Infinity Book 1) Read online

  “I understand. Well, is there anything you’d like to know or share before you go?”

  “No. I only wish there was more I could do.”

  She smiled. “Well, there will be a stack of paperwork for you to do in a hundred and twenty days.”

  “Ah yes.” He smiled back now. “I’ll look forward to that.”

  “And we’ll look forward to your return then. Won’t we, Mr. Holson?”

  Jav was slow to acknowledge his new name, “Uh, oh, yes, we will.”

  Kalkin turned to Jav. “Jav Holson, huh? I’m getting used to it already. Good luck. I hope that creepy mask of yours doesn’t go out on you.” The two shook hands.

  “Thanks.”

  “And don’t ever forget, Jav,” Kalkin said. “You’ve been given an incredible opportunity here. This lady is a living legend. Do your best to make her proud.”

  “I will.”

  With a nod, Hol indicated the jump ship waiting on the other side of the wall. “Would you like an escort?”

  “No, thanks.”

  “Well, then, a hundred and twenty days.”

  “Yes, ma’am, I will see you then.” He took her outstretched hand and shook it, then turned and walked towards the gate.

  Hol and Jav went in the opposite direction and on into the villa.

  In the villa’s foyer, one of the young ladies waited, her right wrist wrapped thick with a bandage. “Mai,” Hol said, “will show you around the grounds.”

  Jav quickly tried to read the girl’s expression and couldn’t—her eyes were fixed on something beyond him. He nodded once and said, “Thank you.”

  Hol stepped forward, next to Mai, and turned to face Jav. “Before I leave you two, though, I wonder. . . Mai, could you tell Mr. Holson your impressions of the fight?”

  “Of course, Teacher.” Mai now looked directly at Jav, which nearly made him wince. “As expected, the Ritual Mask affords a great deal of strength, speed, and stamina. However, your fighting was primitive at best. You rely on your strength too much. Your strikes aren’t bad but they’re often wild. You are extremely effective at close range, like a cornered animal and as such you have no defense except for a very aggressive offense. A relentless offense is of course a valid strategy, but one that requires not only speed and strength, but also accuracy and precision. I think directed ranged attacks would cause you a great deal of trouble. And as for depending on brute strength alone, we all saw what happened when you met with superior force. Granted, Teacher’s blow left you essentially uninjured, but if she had used the Sky Fisher Claw instead, you would be dead right now.” Her breath ran thin as she finished and she broke into a short coughing fit.

  “Well,” Hol said, smiling, “thank you, Mai. I couldn’t have summed it up better myself. One thing I would like to elaborate on, though, is strength. There is no such thing as absolute strength. You would do well to remember that, Mr. Holson. Strength is and always will be a relative thing. All Artifacts awarded by the Emperor increase strength, speed, and endurance to varying degrees. In addition, each Artifact bestows its own unique special abilities, potentially modifying those physical traits further or granting new powers altogether. We must assume that any opposition we encounter will be similarly outfitted through whatever local means they have at their disposal.” She pointed to her forehead, to the unseen Charging Fork. “This can give me immeasurable strength or endurance. The only thing it costs is time. As fighters we all have our comfort zones—sometimes I can afford to take that time, sometimes I can’t. It all depends upon the opponent. But if I’m outclassed in strength and I don’t have the chance to make up the difference with the Charging Fork there is still a way to close the gap and that is through technique. With technique, you can redirect raw power and bend it specifically to your will. With technique, you can minimize your own effort to attain maximum results. Of course, this applies mainly to purely physical contests. Your superior, Specialist Kalkin, has a potent psychic power, which easily circumvents many basic defenses. Professor Cranden, whom I will summon here in the next few days, has an even subtler power that is perhaps more terrible. But we’ll leave discussions of the various kinds of strength for another time. What you will learn here, Mr. Holson, is technique. Learn to regard techniques as invaluable and irreplaceable treasures. If you can do that, then you’ll be successful. If you can’t, then I’m afraid you’ll be dead.”

  “Thank you. . . Teacher,” Jav said, bowing self-consciously.

  Hol was already walking away, waving in response.

  Mai had again taken to looking fixedly at something besides Jav—anything besides Jav, it seemed. She sighed and turned. “Come on,” she said and started down a corridor to the left with Jav following behind. It was dim, lit only slightly by the light from the foyer and as such Jav and Mai nearly bumped into Mei who was leaning against the wall. Her arms were folded arrogantly across her chest and her face was half covered by the darkness.

  “You don’t belong here,” she said. “You’re not welcome here.”

  Two more of the young ladies, Amia and Tani, had come up silently behind Jav and Mai. Their faces grim and hard, they stood a bit too close to Jav in an attitude of menace. Jav saw on Mai’s face a brief contortion of shock, but after their eyes met, she looked away, her expression now one of apparent boredom.

  Mei glowered at Jav, her disgust raw and alive upon her face. “Nobody cares about any rank you hold within the Empire. With the Ritual Mask sealed you’ll just be another normal, fragile and in the way. I was next in line to compete for an Artifact and I’ll be damned if I let anyone, especially an undisciplined outsider, get in the way. Your Imperial pedigree is an insult. All of us who’ve worked so hard under our own power, spilling our own sweat and blood—” She stopped to compose herself before continuing. “I advise caution, Mr. Holson,“ she said, spitting his freshly given name like poison. “Training here is dangerous, and, as I’m sure you’re well aware, accidents do happen. One happened today, didn’t it? Well, another one could happen at any time. Any time.”

  Jav stared at Mei for a moment trying to think of an appropriate response to a threat like that. She was the senior-most student, a position that demanded respect nearly on par with that of Hol herself. Coming up with the best he could, he stammered out, “All right.”

  Mei returned Jav’s stare and held it for moments after his inarticulate response. Then she looked at Mai and nodded for her to continue on down the corridor. Mai acknowledged the dismissal and started off once again.

  Once they had gotten out of earshot of Mei and the others, Mai said without turning, “It might be wise to be afraid of her.”

  Having something else on his mind, Jav barely heard her. “I’m sure you’re right,” he managed to say. Mai rolled her eyes but then Jav spoke again, catching her off guard, “I don’t want to disrupt your duties or how you’ve planned to go about them, but would it be possible to show me where the infirmary is?”

  A jolt of surprise went through Mai almost causing her to stop. But then she checked that surprise. Why shouldn’t he want to visit Lili in the infirmary? As much as they all might want to dislike him, and as much as the Ritual Mask might make him one, he wasn’t a monster. Or at least so it was beginning to seem. She smiled slightly in spite of herself and answered, “Sure. Come on.”

  10683.057

  From the window in his room, Jav could see the jump ship landing outside the surrounding wall. He quickly straightened his clothes in the mirror then headed down to the courtyard. Before their guest came through the gates, Jav took his place with the girls, last in line next to Mao, who was just half his size. She kicked his foot and glared at him for not arriving sooner, but there didn’t appear to be any real malice in the act. She had been mature enough to prioritize Professor Cranden’s arrival over her favorite show, Sine Wave Squirrel, so Jav had better show similar sense or else.

  Professor Cranden had served as one of the 18th Generation Generals, but now taught full-time
at the Locsard Psychic Academy. He and two beautiful women, who appeared to be his aides, were ushered through the gates by one of the villa staff. He wore rich red silk with intricate patterns of gold embroidered all across the front and down one side. His skin was the color of bronze and he was completely bald except for a heavy braid of hair that was like spun gold growing from the very top of his head. The braid was quite long and wrapped several times around his thick, corded neck. At its base was a ring of antique brass that appeared to have comb teeth that sank directly into Cranden’s head. This was the Gate Crown, the Artifact awarded to him by the Emperor.

  Jav didn’t know what the Gate Crown could do. Cranden was very tall and stout with a chest like a barrel, but Jav remembered that Hol had said his power was subtle. He only knew that Cranden taught at the Academy where the psychics were developed and trained, and that his Artifact must somehow amplify his innate powers.

  Hol walked towards Cranden as he approached and when they met she took his hands in hers. “Mont Cranden. It’s good to see you.”

  “And you Laedra.” His voice was a deep and rolling baritone.

  “Welcome,” she said. “I really appreciate your coming.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly. It’s my pleasure both to be of service and to see an old friend.”

  Still holding hands, they walked together towards Jav and the girls and stopped before them. “I see your young charges are still as lovely as ever.”

  Hol cleared her throat and crossed her arms. Her mouth was bent in a patient smile.

  Understanding his host perfectly well, Cranden changed the subject. “Yes, well. . . Ah, this must be Mr. Holson.” He looked at Hol to confirm and said, “Jav, is it? I rather like his name. I haven’t heard that name. . .”

  Hol’s eyes dropped and her smile became a little sad.

  Cranden’s tone softened as he finished his thought tactfully, “Well, it’s been a long time.”

  “I’ll have someone show you to your room,” Hol said.

  “Thank you. When would you like to get started?” Cranden asked.

  “I’ll leave that up to you.”

  “Very well. We’ll take twenty minutes to get our things settled in the room then start immediately. Let’s get business out of the way so we can spend the rest of the next few days catching up and reliving past glories.”

  Hol’s face brightened. “I’d like that,” she said. She motioned for one of her staff to escort Cranden into the villa.

  • • •

  Twenty minutes later Cranden was brought down into a brightly lit auditorium that was situated within the villa’s expansive basement level. He followed his escort’s lead down the steps to the stage area below, noting the features of the voluminous room as they went. Along the walls surrounding the room on a high mezzanine level that seemed inaccessible were shelves reaching to the ceiling. These were filled with books; weapons, both broken and intact; souvenirs from slain opponents; awards and certificates; and other objects that seemed to defy description. They took the final step down from the simple, wide staircase rows of stone seating and joined Hol, Jav, and two other staff members who all stood waiting.

  Still looking around the room, Cranden nodded his head in approval. “This room is perfect. Everywhere else is so dark. But if it all possible, could we have it to ourselves? Setting up locks on extra-dimensional space is simple; I could do it by the hundreds with a wave of my hand, but locking away an Artifact from its host is far more delicate and requires a fair degree of concentration.”

  “Of course.” With a nod she sent the staff members on their way.

  Cranden faced Jav. “Now, Mr. Holson,” he said, “just relax and try not to panic. This may feel a little odd, but it shouldn’t hurt. Not overly much anyway.”

  Hol backed away as the big bronze man raised one hand before Jav. Jav stood straight and swallowed hard. Cranden’s eyes narrowed and his supreme effort soon showed itself in the beads of perspiration that formed upon his brow. A dim corona of gold light began to limn Jav’s face. Its intensity increased and flared into blazing, white-hot life as the Ritual Mask became visible. Cranden pushed forward with his outstretched hand, actually seemed to push through Jav, and the Ritual Mask receded. It seemed to shrink and withdraw into Jav’s head, but was still somehow visible. With his other hand, the first two fingers extended, Cranden started tracing intricate patterns in the air. About Jav’s head a framework cube of bright golden light appeared, its shape being dictated by Cranden’s phantom diagrams. The number of lines continued to grow and white gold sparkles lanced along them with increasing frequency. He paused his tracings for a moment, took a breath and directed his fingers into several swift circular motions. With the completion of each motion, a solid layer of light folded over three sides of the cube and was accompanied by a loud, permanent-sounding clap. He continued this, covering three sides of the cube at a time, until he was well satisfied. With a mighty exhalation, he drove both hands forward, pushing hard as if meeting resistance. Now several complex constructs of light fell in succession upon the face of the cube forming a lock whose mechanism shot into place with a final, deafening boom.

  Jav watched trying to follow the movements of Cranden’s hands as they flashed hypnotically before his face. His head grew heavier and heavier and everything seemed to stretch away from him. For miles and miles, his surroundings drew away and the distinct sensation of floating overwhelmed him. Nausea reached in and took a firm grip of his stomach as thunderclaps rocked his head from multiple directions. Then he was falling. In a helpless spiral he fell endlessly until suddenly everything came into focus and he was standing just as he was when it all began.

  Cranden was slapping Jav on the shoulder, saying, “That’s it, come back to us.” He turned to Hol. “He’ll be fine. May feel like he’s got a head cold for a few days, but the Ritual Mask is locked away now.” He stepped towards Hol who was gesturing for him to join her and the two proceeded up the stairs.

  While everything in the room was in sharp, almost painful focus, sound warbled in and out arrhythmically and Jav was still terribly disoriented. He thought if he moved at all, he might spill whatever was left in his stomach from his last meal. He heard one of the two shout a little sharply, “Come along, Mr. Holson.” He took a shaky step forward and his stomach held tight. The tremolo sound stabilized a bit, too, and he heard their conversation as they climbed the stairs.

  “I suppose I’m lucky you were gracious enough to come. I hear you have your own student to look after these days.”

  “Yes, Mr. Sappertine shows great promise. His discipline is such that it will put him in direct competition with one of your two entries, not with those in the Locsard block.”

  “Well, good luck to us all.”

  Jav had stopped at hearing the words your two entries. Didn’t Mei know? She must.

  At the top of the stairs, Hol sighed. With practiced patience, she said, “Mr. Holson, we’re waiting for you.”

  Jav snapped out of his reverie. “Yes, Teacher!” he blurted and hurried in a drunken course up the stairs.

  2. GETTING STRONGER

  10683.073

  VETPD Planetary Acquisition Notice #1399

  From: Hars Felsco, Director, Territorial Planning Division

  A blind runner was dispatched from Planet 1397 and has made contact with the 2nd position planet of System 281. Planet 1399 is secure.

  10683.098

  VETPD Planetary Acquisition Notice #1400

  From: Hars Felsco, Director, Territorial Planning Division

  A blind runner was dispatched from Planet 1398 and has made contact with the 1st position planet of System 281. Planet 1400 is secure.

  10683.104

  Stooped, with his hands on his knees and panting in exhaustion, Jav stood upon a square of concrete at the far end of the villa’s courtyard to the left of the main gate. Between the platform and the wall, Mei stood at a small podium, running some controls. They both wore the practice uni
forms required of all of Hol’s students: a light, robe-like jacket, slate blue, tied at the right hip; voluminous pants of the same material tied off at the ankles; and shoes which were nothing more than black fabric enough to hold the foot and a flat, everplastic sole.

  Mei was shaking her head. “You’ll have to do more than that.”

  Out of breath, Jav nodded.

  “I’m turning it up now.” Mei’s fingers moved over the controls and Jav’s eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. His hands slipped from his knees and he fell chin first to the hard, rough surface below where blood immediately started to pool from raw, scraped skin. But more than just falling, he looked as if he were being pressed into the concrete.

  Mei’s lips curled into a nasty little grin. “There,” she said. “When you’ve got that under control, you may be able to join us over on the other side.” She was walking away now towards another platform, this one to the right of the main gate where the rest of the girls were practicing.

  Jav struggled to get his arms underneath him so he could push himself up to his feet. Below the concrete slab was an artificial gravity generator that was producing five times the normal rate. He had just barely gotten a handle on three times normal gravity and now he was expected to go through the forms at five with his body weighing three hundred and sixty-five kilograms. First, though, he would have to get up. Just moving his arms seemed impossible, inching them ever forward over the span of an eternity, but he finally got them into a push-up position. He heaved his weight forward and forced the muscles in his arms into action. They shook like quivering springs but held long enough for him to get one leg under him. He stayed there like that for some time, shaking with effort. Just keeping his head up was a constant and maddening challenge, but he wouldn’t give up.

  He remembered his first day with the gravity trainer and all the incredulity and derision the girls had directed at him when he sheepishly admitted that he’d never used one before. He rated normal at exactly one gravity. Mei had snorted, somewhat more than audibly, and Hol, surprised by the revelation, had offered nothing in the way of a reprimand. Sighing, she simply clapped Mei on the shoulder and walked off towards the villa. How could someone rated at one gravity be given an Artifact? And where did his RPP of thirty-three thousand come from? It certainly wasn’t psychic in origin. All of the girls wanted to know and weren’t too shy to ask. He didn’t have any answers, though. All he knew was that he would have to make fast progress here to avoid the constant looks and sounds of disgust.