by Ben Hale
“Until the threat is extinguished,” Queen Annah said. “We must stand together. We have faced the most difficult of decisions. With the agreement of our neighboring kingdoms, we have decided to gather in Ilumidora for a final stand.”
The proclamation sent a murmur through the gathered forces, who likely had assumed the gathering place would be Terros. Queen Annah raised her voice, the amulet’s magic allowing her to speak over the doubt.
“Griffin is in no shape to defend against Draeken’s army,” she called. “And after speaking with my advisors, we have reached a decision. The kingdom of Griffin will evacuate to Talinor, where the people will be housed until we are able to return to our lands.”
Fire looked to his brother, surprised by the bold plan. To abandon the entire kingdom to Draeken would allow his forces to invade. It also suggested they would be relying on more than just military might to stop Draeken. What did they know?
Queen Annah swept her hand to the gathered forces. “I now address you, my brothers and sisters of Lumineia. Whatever grievances you have had against neighbors, bury them. Whatever doubts or ambitions, forget them. There is only one aspiration that matters, and that is victory over Draeken and Serak. They think we will surrender,” her voice hardened with anger, “but we will not relinquish our freedom. By blade and blood we stand together, an alliance of Lumineia.”
Her words echoed into silence, and then a rising cheer swept the soldiers. It spread into the city and through the camps, expanding to engulf the entire alliance. The people shouted, roaring their approval, and Fire smiled.
“Draeken wanted a fight?” he murmured. “A fight he will have.”
Chapter 23: The Warview
Mind prowled the spacious receiving room of their quarters in the Warview, struggling to keep his anger in check. Three weeks he’d been trapped in his quarters, his anger gradually building to a breaking point. What was happening on Lumineia? How long would they wait for the Bonebreaker to appear?
The quarters were unbelievably lavish. As large as a king’s great hall, the room boasted a spiral staircase to a second floor where a trio of bedchambers overlooked the ridiculously expansive receiving space. Couches and desks were placed about the room, all positioned to view the enormous wall that depicted battles in the Bone Crucible.
The krey called it the vid, short for a name in krey that Mind did not understand. The screen never stopped, and showed battle after battle, rotating through individual duels and larger conflicts, a ceaseless array of blood and battle across the planet. If Mind had not hated the Empire before, he would have gained such hatred after watching the vid.
The Warview was an inn, but that was like calling a king’s castle a hovel. Comprised of three towering buildings that stretched into the sky, the structure extended even higher than the clouds, taller than entire mountains on Lumineia. Gardens connected the three towers at various points in its height. Glowing green water gurgled down beautiful creeks and waterfalls, passing in and around a host of paths and ponds. The gardens attached to each of the three towers at thousands of intervals, a veritable labyrinth of light and greenery. Places to dine were abundant in the gardens, with krey and dakorians partaking of the small, open-roofed taverns that dotted the central structure. More vid screens were visible at the eateries, so the patrons would be able to wager on the never ending conflicts.
On the outside of the tower, a nearly invisible shield kept the volcanic air from reaching the gardens or the private quarters, the shield shimmering when dust or debris scattered across it. Mind had marveled at the sheer engineering of the structure, but knew the cost. How many lives had been paid to purchase such a building?
On the outside of the quarters, a second balcony overlooked the largest of the battlefields, the unforgiving region known as the Red Vent. Like a jagged scar, a breach in the surface allowed plumes of ash and smoke to rise skyward, the vent forming the center of the line between the two armies. Thousands fought for dominance with personal weapons, vehicles, and even larger war machines.
The only place to escape the scenes of battle was in his personal quarters, where Mind spent much of his time. At first he’d relished the opportunity to learn about the Empire, and once Ero had shown him how to operate the vid, he’d searched other channels. Of the millions available, he learned of worlds and history, ships and mighty krey houses. But throughout all the torrent of information, one thing was constant, a near reverence of the Empirical house, and the supreme power of the Krey Empire.
The days had turned into weeks, and despite countless offers to either buy Mind, or to entice him into more duels, the Bonebreaker did not appear. And it became increasingly clear that the woman might never arrive.
“Patience,” Tardoq said.
“I’m always patient,” Mind snapped. “But this is foolish. We cannot sit here while Lumineia falls to Serak and Draeken.”
The dakorian leaned against one of the pillars in the room, munching on Jolisin, a type of food he’d retrieved from the kitchens. Mind glared at the dakorian, but the soldier continued to eat. Just as Mind was about to shout, Tardoq spoke in a voice of ice.
“Do not think you are the only one that is worried, human. I too, have friends on Lumineia.”
Mind growled and looked away, annoyed and angry at his own helplessness. “Why has she not come?”
“She is probably already here,” he said. “You must understand. This woman is cautious, and has evaded capture for ages. The price Ero won for your victory is paltry compared to the bounty on the Bonebreaker’s head. I would guess she is planning her assault as we speak.”
The corner of the room that contained the ascender glowed, and Ero rose into view. He stepped off the ascender and motioned to the two of them, his expression bringing Mind to an abrupt halt.
“She is here,” he said.
Tardoq gave Mind a pointed look, and he rolled his eyes. “How do you know?” Mind asked.
“I have a friend that works in the building,” Ero said. “It’s why I chose this particular place of residence. He informed me that the room adjacent to ours has been claimed by a mysterious party, one that wanted discretion for their arrival. While that is not uncommon, the fact that they insisted on the room next to ours indicates they are here for us.”
“About time,” Mind said.
Ero regarded him with a look of disapproval, and Mind abruptly realized his own impatience. As a fragment, he’d always been patient and calculating, but he’d lost his piece of Power, leaving him altered.
He grimaced. “My apologies.”
He didn’t explain the reason. He’d changed since the separation with Draeken, and he was still grappling with his new identity. Facets of his person that he’d always counted as immutable had been stripped, and he was not certain as to his own strength.
Ero nodded as if he understood and pointed to the south wall. “She’s in that room, and her party is arriving right now.”
Mind rose to his feet and drew his sword, eager for action after weeks of inactivity. Tardoq and Ero flanked him, both obviously agreeing to his assumption. The only reason to pick the adjacent room was because you did not intend to use the door.
“She’s here,” Mind said, sensing the minds on the other side of the wall, “but what can we expect?”
“She is too cautious to believe our words,” Tardoq said. “She will want to ascertain our credibility, probably by combat.”
After all the waiting, Mind was eager for the Bonebreaker to appear. At the same time, he found a measure of apprehensiveness—also a new attribute gained since parting with the fragment of Power. He disliked the uncertainty.
The seconds passed in silence and Mind wondered how long they would have to wait. Then the back wall began to glow faintly, the white material shimmering and turning silver in an arch. Tardoq nodded as if it were expected.
“A wall Gate,” he said, and then glanced at Mind. “It’s a weapon of thieves, and creates a Gate that passes through a
single wall. Very useful. Very expensive. Very illegal.”
The wall turned silver, and then translucent instead of the solid silver of a regular Gate. Through the liquid, shapes were visible, large and small, and Mind spotted blurry outlines of the room beyond, a matching one to their own quarters. One figure approached the Gate and stepped through, and Mind’s eyes widened.
The Bonebreaker stood at thirteen feet tall, her armor thick and powerful. She carried herself with the grace of a gazelle and the might of a dragon. Her muscles rippled with strength as she hefted the great hammer in her hand. Her horns were long and twisted, and jet black. She did not seem surprised to find the three of them standing in greeting.
Her eyes passed over Ero and Mind, dismissing them as weaker, before settling on Tardoq. A faint smile formed on her features before she came to a halt. Four more dakorians came from behind, followed by two humans, a woman and a man. The humans were dressed as slaves, but Mind noted the spark of determination in their eyes, marking them as ones who did not bow to the krey. He also heard their thoughts.
The man and woman both worried about the danger, and feared that it was a trap. The woman cared deeply for the Bonebreaker. She’d been rescued by the dakorian several years past and viewed her akin to a queen. The man loved the woman, and his stance was more protective.
Mind had thought he would be unable to read the thoughts of the other dakorians, but none were Bloodwalls, and all were younger than a hundred years. Mind caught snippets from their thoughts, enough to recognize that they carried themselves with integrity and honor, as well as paranoia. They’d lived most of their lives being hunted, and would not hesitate to kill any threat.
“Bonebreaker,” Ero greeted the woman.
“Krey,” she said evenly, her eyes still on Tardoq. “Call me Belrisa.”
“Belrisa,” Ero said with a short bow. “I am grateful you have—”
“I wasn’t talking to you.”
Her eyes flicked to the four marks on Tardoq’s horns, the same four marks that graced her own horns. Both were Bloodwalls, only Tardoq had come from a lesser house, while Belrisa had once been the personal guard to the emperor himself.
“Tardoq,” she said. “Bloodwall for Wylyn, head of the house of Mor’Val, ranked ninth, but high enough be considered second tier. Your reputation precedes you.”
“I am no longer the Bloodwall of house Mor’Val.” Tardoq drew his sword and placed the point on the floor. “And Wylyn is dead.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You have renounced your rank?”
“I have.”
Her eyes flicked to the sword. “Why a sword? Our people have not used such an antiquated weapon in ages.”
“My hammer was broken,” he replied, “and I was given this sword as a replacement.”
“I would have believed you until that,” she said with a sneer. “No dakorian would choose a sword over a hammer lance.”
“He speaks the truth,” Mind said.
The Bonebreaker met his gaze, her scowl turning to curiosity. “It is uncommon for a human to speak to me without fear.”
“I do not fear what I can defeat.”
She burst into a laugh, her companions exchanging smiles. The two humans both smirked as well, and Mind again sensed their allegiance to the woman. He wondered how many more had been freed by the Bonebreaker.
“You are bold,” she said. “I’ll give you that.”
“We need your help,” Mind said. “I come from a world called Lumineia.”
A flicker of recognition registered in the eyes of the human woman. “There are whispers of a world kept secret from the Empire, a place of free humans. But we know that such rumors are Empire lies.”
The human man nodded. “They seek to draw you into a trap.”
Belrisa sniffed and shook her head. “A pitiful attempt.”
“Lumineia exists,” Mind said. “And it is unique for what it possesses.”
“Free humans?” one of the dakorians scoffed. “No such world exists.”
“Free humans,” Ero said. “And magic.”
“Magic?” Belrisa scoffed.
“A power only possessed by the race of man,” Ero said. “A power the Empire would fear.”
“Another myth,” the human jerked her head. “Tales for children so they do not see their plight as slaves. Mankind does not have any power.”
Mind reached his hand out and gathered the threads of gravity magic to lift the woman off the ground. She called out in surprise as her feet lifted free and the man grasped her arm. Mind relinquished his magic and her feet returned to the floor.
“A clever trick,” Belrisa said, but her smile was gone. “But gravity spheres can grant the same ability.”
“We speak the truth,” Ero insisted. “And we seek your aid.”
“A krey, a human, and a dakorian Bloodwall,” she shook her head in disbelief. “Every year the Empire gets more clever in their attempts to assassinate me.”
“Belrisa,” Tardoq said. “We are not with the Empire. Ero may be krey, but he protects Lumineia from discovery, and Mind is one of the most powerful mages on Lumineia. I’ve spent the last several months there, and learned the value of a free people.”
“You expect me to believe you are a friend to humans?” she scoffed. “A dakorian Bloodwall?”
“As hard as it is to believe,” he said, “it’s true.”
She raised her hammer and pointed it to him. “Prove it.”
Tardoq took a step forward and raised his sword, taking a combat stance. Mind noticed he placed his thumb on the highest rune, activating the magic embedded in the blade. Light flowed up the sword, making it heavier than normal. Belrisa noticed the enchantment and smiled as she started forward.
Chapter 24: The Bonebreaker
Mind retreated as the Belrisa charged Tardoq and the two dakorians locked into a duel. He’d battled dragons and reavers, great warriors and renowned kings, but the duel between the two Bloodwalls surpassed them all.
The Bonebreaker swung her hammer in a swing that would crush Tardoq’s chest. Tardoq sidestepped, narrowly missing the blast of power that erupted from the head of the hammer. Tardoq swerved around her flank but she spun and twirled her hammer, swiping for Tardoq’s legs.
Tardoq leapt into a rolling flip and retreated up the stairs to the second floor. Belrisa pressed the assault, driving him back, her hammer crashing through the railing and sending glass and metal cascading onto the floor. Tardoq swung his sword at her shoulder but she blocked, and then struck him with her free hand, sending his giant form tumbling into Ero’s quarters.
She lunged out of view, her hammer shattering the wall and knocking Tardoq through the next wall into Mind’s quarters. Tardoq bounced off the bed and caught the edge, heaving it into the woman’s path. She blasted it with her hammer, the energy tearing a hole through the mattress and sending it bouncing off the far wall. But Tardoq leapt and caught a fixture on the ceiling, an ornate swirl that allowed him to grasp the edge. Swinging his legs over the tumbling mattress, he struck back, his now weighted sword coming down across her arm, drawing first blood.
“Perhaps a sword has merit,” she said, and lunged, driving the hammer at his back.
Tardoq rolled forward, the hammer passing above his body. The motion carried him through the open door to the receiving room, the spikes on his armor bones catching the glass and shattering the door. He came to his feet on the balcony overlooking the room and leapt into a flip that carried him back to the floor by a couch. She skidded to a halt on the balcony and fired her lance, the power deflecting off his sword to burn a hole through the wall into the Bonebreaker’s quarters. Tardoq sprinted to the side, using his sword to deflect each subsequent lance, the deflections burning into cloth and glass, wall and stone.
“This room was expensive before the damage,” Ero said with a sigh.
“You’re worried about the cost of the room?” Mind scoffed. “She’s going to kill him.”
Ero swe
pt a hand to the four dakorians and the two humans, all of whom had weapons pointed at them. The dakorians also carried lance hammers, while the two humans carried smaller weapons that fit in their hands, the end of which glowed with red light.
“Are you ready?” Ero asked.
“Of course,” Mind replied.
He started forward, and the group of dakorians raised their weapons. The one with a bone missing on his shoulder shook his head. “She will decide your fate.”
Mind realized the group had no idea about magic, just like the dakorians that had come with Tardoq through the Gate. All their training, all their vaunted skills, had not prepared them to find mages. Ero realized it as well because he reached to the two hilts hidden in the folds of his cloak and snapped them outward, the aquaglass enchantments flowing into two swords. The humans stared at the weapons in astonishment, while the dakorians scowled.
Mind took advantage of their confusion and reached for his magic. The gravity in the room extended through all of the combatants, but he reached for the gravity touching their weapons—and yanked the weapons to the ground.
The dakorians cried out as their hammers suddenly became four times heavier, the weapons thudding into the floor. One tried to pick his up, straining on the handle, while a second abandoned the weapon and charged. The remaining two joined the second, and Mind faced three furious dakorians.
They were too heavy to lift without the fragment of Power, so Mind reached for the objects in the room, the broken glass and metal. Raising them off the floor, he turned them into a whirlwind of sharp objects, the lethal wall rising up and carving back and forth. The lead dakorian tried to charge through the barrier, raising his hands against the glass and steel. They sliced him across his body, leaving him bloodied when he came out the opposite side. Mind leapt to his shoulders and jumped, flipping over the sharp wall and swinging the deadly whirlwind at the two dakorians, both of which darted to his two flanks.
Ero had engaged the two humans, and had destroyed their strange weapons, both of which sputtered on the floor, sliced in pieces by Ero’s aquaglass swords. They’d fired several times, burning holes into the walls. Mind turned the shards of glass and steel into long spears which hovered at the dakorians throats. They shifted and attempted to evade, but the six foot weapons drove them backward. One by one they were pinned against the wall.