Cradling the empty glass in my hands, I stared through him, trying to process everything. Trying to be sure that this was actually happening. My body still ached from the clash in the dead woods. I could still feel Nuna’s lips on mine, and a chill ran through my body.
Please, God, make sure Nuna, Tru, Tes, and everyone survives. I’ve never asked you for a damn thing. Just give me this.
“Who are you people?” I finally asked.
Raising his hand to the butterfly-woman, Sigemond said, “This is Lyaen of the family Papilionidae. She waited for you to awaken to use her principle in the spiritual arts to open your mind and ears to our tongue.
“As I’ve said before, I am Sigemond, head of the Arms of Earus. I oversee and coordinate forces to battle the Null and maintain peace throughout our worlds. In light of recent events, we’re taking any sort of unusual phenomenon very seriously, and we don’t want to leave any information on the table. Especially so with a wayward… I'm sorry, but who exactly are you, Oliver?”
A wave of sobering clarity hit like a cold shower, momentarily stunning me.
“Head of the Arms of Earus,” I muttered aloud. “You’re in charge of who fights where?”
Pausing to think on that, he nodded slowly. “In a sense, one could say that.”
Exhaling slowly and looking up into the ceiling, I suddenly didn’t care how gargantuan Sigemond was.
All my muscles snapping into action like a whip, I shattered the glass against the bed frame and launched the gnarled cup base toward Sigemond’s thick neck. Breathing heavily, I remained still, his grey locks bundled in my left fist and the flesh of his neck depressing under all the razor-fine points of the shards.
“Oliver?” the girls cried in tandem, the chairs they were sitting on screeching back as they jumped to their feet
“Guards!” Lyaen cried as she unfurled her wings to look like two giant eyes were glaring at me.
Not a second later, a dozen men and women either dressed in fanciful armor or tack wizard getups stormed into the room.
Hands still calmly clasped in his lap, Sigemond gave me a composed gaze.
“You want to know who I am?” I asked through clenched teeth. The glass clicked as my grip tightened, a small stream of blood from my cut palm dripping off my pinky and onto his shirt. “I am the last soldier of a nation— of a world— that you condemned. Everyone I ever knew is gone, my home, my friends, my family, my father.” I let out a shuddering breath to keep my hands steady. “I should fucking kill you.”
Lifting his chin, Sigemond responded easily, “If that is what you feel is right.”
The rage within me just launched out of my heart like a rocket. The rational part of me understood casualties came with war, even more so with something that was literally cosmic in scale. But the other half really wanted to carve out Sigemond like a turkey. He hasn’t just doomed my world, but others. Who knows how many millions or billions have people have died because of him.
Then what?
This mountain of a man was important, evident from all the people circling us with weapons drawn and hands extended for magic. Taking Sigemond’s life would cost me my own, but what am I accomplishing? Painting the floor red wasn’t going to rewind time or bring anyone back. All I’d be accomplishing was satisfying my selfish impulse. I rationalized he was no different than a monster for all the lives thrown aside. But that would make me a monster by killing him.
So many people have sacrificed themselves for me to get this far.
Willing one muscle fiber at a time to relax, I let out a shallow breath, then sat back down on the bed. In the final moment of the storm of anger, I slammed the glass on the ground, the little shards bouncing off the feet of the guards cordoned around us.
As I buried my face in my hands to cool down, Meriel and Fell crawled over the bed and flanked either side me. Ever faithful, like I was a bird and they were my wings.
“Stand back. The lot of you, back,” Sigemond ordered.
I dragged my fingers down my face and stared at him dejectedly. Sigemond turned his head away from the guards, who begrudgingly lowered their weapons and took a step back, then fixed me with a friendly stare as he rubbed his neck.
“A bit of a different reaction from Al,” he muttered to himself. Clearing his throat, Sigemond leaned forward a set his hand on my shoulder. “I understand how you feel, Oliver. I know you’re a good man. Meriel and Fell described all the challenges you’ve braved, and that restraint you showed spoke volumes. This was nothing more than a little slip that can be forgiven.” Sigemond pulled back and set his back straight. “Now, let’s say we move forward.”
Focusing on the warmth from the girls at my side, I relaxed my jaws and tried to keep the thoughts of violence to a minimal. Tried.
“And how do we move forward?” I asked, unable to fight the heat in my eyes.
Sigemond parted his hands. “How about you share your tale, Oliver. Then we’ll go from there.”
Giving sidelong glances to Meriel and Fell, I stared at my hands, wondering where the hell to even start. More accurately, I didn’t want to think back, to be reminded of everyone and everything being nothing more than memories now.
But I’ll carry those memories with me until my last day.
“Alright,” I breathed out. Meriel and Fell each claimed one of my hands, both unabashed even with so many prying eyes on us. They conveyed I wouldn’t be going through this alone, and I couldn’t have been more grateful. “It all started on a Monday…”
Epilogue
It took several hours for me to finish my story, and I stopped several times to clarify things for Sigemond, but I went from the very start of when everything went to hell in Chicago and finished with the current moment. When I finished, it was dusk. And all the strange men and women who rushed during my attempt on Sigemond’s life went from glaring at me with contempt to great reverence as they listened.
After the conclusion, I felt hollow and only remained up because Meriel and Fell never left my side. Recounting the Isusi wasn’t easy. Their well-being made my heart race with worry. I desperately clung onto the hope that the girls made it back to the temple.
Feeling far too drained and overwhelmed with the choice of where to begin interrogating Sigemond, I opted to call an end to our discussion. Learning more about Sigemond, the Arms of Earus, magic, Scintillion, other worlds would finally answer all the questions weighing me down, but I wasn’t in the proper headspace to process anything.
There was only one person I could muster the energy to talk to.
Sigemond sent off one of the female mages in the group watching over us, who returned with a fresh robe and set of slippers for me. As I dressed in front of everyone, I asked about my gear. Sigemond said everything, but my weapons would be returned after Lucinia’s mages finished inspecting everything. I didn’t like being away from my things, though I shouldn’t push my luck considering how civil the brawny man was after my outburst.
Before letting me go, Sigemond expressed he’d like to have another sit-down, but only after things have settled down. On the spot, he ordered Meriel and Fell to be my chaperones, which they affirmed to immediately.
Biding me farewell with a surprisingly heartfelt smile of his rough features, Sigemond left with half of his guard, and the other half were left to escort us.
Stepping out of the ward and into the hall forced me to a standstill. I thought the ward looked outrageously affluent but damn. Everything from the walls and ceiling were built from wood, featuring a level of craftsmanship that would put royal manners to shame. The floor was at such a high mirror degree that it looked like marble. There wasn’t a speck of dust or scuff anywhere.
After gawking, the guards led us down the hall, where I saw some statues, displays filled with some mystical-looking things, and lots of portraits and paintings that depicted strange scenes and a lot of inhuman characters.
We only walked for a short while before we rounded a corner and came i
nto a lounge that had halls leading elsewhere. Exploring the massive academy was the last thing on my mind.
At the sight of our arrival, Al and his companions from earlier left their seats to greet the girls and me. One of them, however, sprinted towards me on all fours.
“Artemis!” Al yelled, then stumbled over a low table when he dived for the dog-lady.
The other women in his party tried to catch her, but the dog-lady had a head start and was fast. So fast that she weaved around the guards who went to intercept like they weren’t even there.
Meriel and Fell threw themselves in front me, looking ready for an all-out brawl. But then the woman came to a screeching halt a few feet shy and just stared at me.
“Why is there a wolf-beastkin here?” Fell asked, her tail frizzing like crazy.
“Oliver, stay back!” Meriel warned.
Not quite sure how to react, I stared back at the strange hybrid of human and wolf, going off what Fell said. Speaking of which, the wolf-lady was similar to Fell with the ears and tail, but this lady had a lot more beast to her. Her big mitts were capped with white claws, same for her feet that looked several sizes too big for her frame. She had a coat of grey fur that went up to her elbows on her arms and went past her knees for her legs. Her long, wild hair was in the same ashy-gray tone, making her big golden eyes seem brighter. What really put me through a loop was the tattered white sundress that barely contained her chest, and all the slashes reviled a lot of the toned body underneath.
It looked like she could do some damage. But she just stood there, watching me.
Lightly moving Meriel and Fell aside, I stepped forward. Thinking she was just excited to greet me, I extended my hand and said, “Uh, hey, I’m Oliver.”
The wolf-woman leaned in, sniffed my hand, and then ran away. She weaved back around the guards, and then crouched low at the feet of an intense-looking blonde woman with green eyes.
“Fell, Meriel?” I asked while I watched the blonde rebuke to wolf-woman. “Is that a custom or something?”
“I-I’m afraid I’m as lost as you,” the fox-woman admitted.
“What the fuck?” the elf asked as she rubbed her eyes.
Al and company walked around the guards. He apologized profusely as he went. Stopping in front of me, he chuckled awkwardly and rubbed the back of his head.
“Sorry about Artemis.” He looked back to the woman and question, then shook his head. “Still trying to figure her out. Oh, and I never formally introduced myself.” Proffering his hand, he greeted, “Alfonso Engel, but you can just call me Al.”
“Oliver Lawe,” I said while shaking his hand. “And we’re good about Artemis.” I ended the shake and ran my hand through my hair. “To be honest, I feel kind of feel weird about how she didn’t faze me.”
Al reached out and set his hand on my shoulder, sharing a sympathetic look. “From the sound of things, you went through things wilder than her.” He spared the girls a look. “You know, we were about to have lunch when you were, uh, delivered. Why don’t you and your friends sit to have a meal with me and my friends and we can talk? I’m willing to bet you have a lot of questions.”
Al’s unusual party of strange and beautiful women fell in behind him, the sight of them certainly adding to the question pile in my head. But they looked nice enough. Sort of.
The blonde lady Artemis huddled near gave a hard, analytical stare. The red-headed woman with the scarlet wings and tail had on a neutral face. Only the woman dressed as a witch with the long black hair spared a warm and welcoming smile.
“I do have a lot of questions,” I agreed. “But I’m just looking forward to having some familiar company.
“You seriously from Illinois?”
Al smirked. “Yep. Near West Side.”
I shook my head incredulously. Before we could talk further, a woman with long blonde hair and dressed blue robes came out of one of the halls, and then rushed towards us.
“Julika?” Al asked.
The woman known as Julika smiled and gave Al a lingering stare while she caught her breath. Despite being a mature woman, looking somewhere around her mid-thirties, she was pretty fetching. Platinum blonde hair done in an artful braid, great figure, and she had sky-blue eyes.
Once her breathing calmed, Julika turned her eyes to me, then bowed.
“Sir Lawe, I am Julika of the family Evasse,” she greeted.
“Just Oliver is fine,” I said.
“I see you’re not a fan honorifics as well,” Julika chuckled then took another opportunity to smile at Al.
“I thought you and Merula were still busy. What brings you here so suddenly?” Al asked.
She sighed then fixed a tight smile on her lips. “Master gave me a…spontaneous request.” She cleared her throat and returned her attention to me. “It pertains to you, Oliver.” She reached into her robes and, much to my surprise, pulled out my tags, cigar case, and Judge’s Bible.
I stared at my prized possessions, then back at her.
“Go on, Oliver,” Julika advised
I accepted them, feeling relieved to be holding the last pieces of home. I secured my tags around my neck, then inspected the book and case.
“My mages have finished expecting your personal artifacts and deduced they’re nothing of concern,” Julika informed, then gave an apologetic nod of her head. “We’re taking the liberty of washing your clothes before we return them, but as I’m sure Sigemond has already shared, your weapons will be in our care during your stay here. My master was very insistent that you received those artifacts as soon as possible.”
“I really appreciate that, Julika,” I said while safely storing my things in the pockets of my robe. “Please relay my gratitude to your master.”
Julika gifted a warm smile. “I’m sure you’ll get the chance to thank her soon. Our current state of affairs has us very busy. Forgive me, but I am needed back as soon as possible. Until next time, Oliver.” She bowed once more, then turned to my newest acquaintance. “Farewell, Al.”
She went back the way she came at a brisk jog, then disappeared down the hall. The unexpected encounter brought something to the forefront of my mind.
“Grand Mage?” I asked, looking to Al.
He took a second to think and then shrugged. “She’s like the boss of all the mages. And it’s probably a good thing you didn’t meet her personally.” Al made a face. “Talking to her can be a bit much.
“Anyways, why don’t we head to the dining room and get some food in us. I’ll explain everything the best I can, and my friends will fill-in any gaps.”
I locked hands with Meriel and Fell. “Yeah, let’s do that. If it’s alright with you girls?” They smiled and pressed into my side.
Al gave me a knowing smirk. “Great. Koko is going to bring us to the dining room,” he said, gesturing to the red-head. “Also, we’re going to be using a magic glass elevator to go down, so don’t freak out.”
“What?”
✽✽✽
I really appreciated Al’s way of simplifying the obscure and fantastical nature of magic. When Koko, who was a dragon-beastkin, brought us to our means of descending, it was exactly as Al described it: a glass elevator. It was just an empty shaft that went up and down for several hundred feet constructed of the same wood as everything else, but the actual thing that moved us was a big glass disc. Though Al warned me, I freaked out a little. Not as bad as Meriel, who yelped and clung to my side. Fell giggled in her hand for the rest of the ride.
I was then guided through more of the extravagant academy. In fact, the more I saw, the less the whole place seemed like a school of magic. Conjecture on my part, but I was having a bit of a sensory overload. And God help whoever had to clean this place; the upkeep must be maddening.
Thankfully, the dining hall in question wasn’t too far from where we stepped off the magic elevator. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but Al really downplayed the space. It was more like a grand ballroom people would murder to hav
e a wedding in. There were hundreds of tables and thousands of chairs, many of which had unique designs to accommodate the full range of species that studied at Lucinia.
Including the butterfly woman, and a couple guards from the entourage escorting me, I’ve only seen a handful of the more exotic species that populated Scintillion. It was late when Al suggested we eat something, so there weren’t a whole lot of people wandering the halls, but I did see a few unusual specimens meals in the dining hall. Some looked like normal humans with animal appendages like ears or tails; others we something beyond human. Like the well-dressed portly man with green skin sipping tea while reading a book at one table. An ogre, maybe?
Being completely frank, they didn’t bother me. Well, after having all sorts of nightmarish monsters thrown at me, I felt perfectly fine around other creatures minding their own business.
An extra-large table was prepared for us by the tall windows that offered a great view of a moonlit garden, and Koko spoke at length with several uniformed people who must’ve been chiefs. Being so caught up in the moment, I had no idea what to order. When I went to Meriel and Fell for some insight, they ran into the same problem. They revealed that Lucinia was so prestigious that they could basically order whatever they wanted, within reason. It took a bit of fussing, but the girls decided and then suggested a simple soup which the assured I would like.
After everyone else got their orders in, I asked Al questions about himself; mainly, how he got from Earth to here. The next couple of hours passed in a blur as he shared his tale, which almost sounded too made up to be real. Then again, while I was listening to myself talk to Sigemond, I couldn’t quite believe what came out of my own mouth.
To sum it up: Al started that dreadful Monday at his university when the Null invaded, fought a Caster that almost cost him his life, was brought back to Scintillion due to a bizarre occurrence, and discovered he was a Resonant. The title meant he had great magical power and could use all three principles. Unfortunately, that power drew the attention of Null agents hiding within Scintillion. At the end of everything, Al performed an incredible feat that solidified his title as Resonant, and he managed to expose several traitors.
Heart of the Resonant- the Soldier's Tale Page 36