by Dan Neil
“Come on; everything’s going to be all right. You’re Lady fucking Atlos. If anyone can get us through that forest and back, it’s you.”
Aliya wasn’t as sure as Friedrich. Then again, he had no idea what was out there.
What could be waiting for us?
A deep frown settled on her face. Shivers crawled down her neck and back like a centipede. “Let’s just get this over with.”
Aliya broke into a brisk walk, and Friedrich followed.
He winked. “Hey, how bad could it be? So it’s going to be cold. We dealt with worse in Greislav.”
Aliya’s expression was stoic. “This isn’t like Greislav; we don’t have any nearby villages to fall back on. We don’t have any allies supporting us or any supplies—other than what we have right now.”
“We have each other; isn’t that enough?”
Aliya said in a low, sad voice, “It might not be.”
Silence hung over them for a moment. Friedrich’s grin faded as he said, “Way to look on the bright side. Why are you being such a downer about this mission? This whole thing was your idea.”
Downer? No, she was realistic. Over-enunciating through clenched teeth, she said, “Because Carter’s been missing for more than a month in the most dangerous place on Alea. Two more entered the forest to look for him; they were killed within days.”
Friedrich shook his head. “Almost as if something doesn’t want anything in its forest.”
Her eyes focused on the horizon, hostage to Greerwood beyond it. “It’s very possible something is waiting for us. We might end up in a real fight—nothing like Axl’s thugs.”
“As long as we have each other, we’ll be fine.”
Aliya nodded.
I wonder if I could scan Greerwood from here?
Aliya closed her eyes and drew Mirage. Three identical swords materialized, hovering around the original blade.
Friedrich raised his hands, jumping away. “Whoa! What the hell?”
“Calm down; I’m just trying something.”
Aliya cast a telepathic scan, opening her mind as the spell swept over the plains.
Something’s wrong, she thought. Her mind had stretched out across the sea of grass, coming across an unexpected presence—no, a group, multiple groups, spread over the ground between her and Greerwood. Her stomach dropped. No one’s supposed to be out here with us.
Pressing forward, Aliya kept her reach focused on Greerwood. She soared onward until the dead, gray trees filled her ‘vision.’ There was nothing in these woods but death and pain. A moment of sheer cold overtook her, stemming from the darkness waiting in Greerwood. It hovered at the very edge, beckoning to her, calling out, LIAR!
A sudden weight fell over her body. Her heart dropped, leaving what felt like a hole in her chest. No. Please, no.
Her eyes jumped open as she took deep breaths, reminding herself it was all in her mind—for now. Friedrich was staring expectantly.
“Well? What were you trying?”
After her heart had stopped racing, Aliya raised a hand and rubbed her nose and mouth. “I was seeing if I could reach Greerwood from here.”
Friedrich fixed on her with a concerned gaze. “Can you?”
A frown crept over her face. “Barely.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
Aliya closed her eyes for a second and decided to omit the worst of it. “There are people south of Greerwood—a lot of them. Most of them are coming and going from Northstead—at least, I think that’s where Northstead is.”
Friedrich scratched his head. “So, what are you saying? That the Lord of Northstead has turned coat and raised an army?”
Her face scrunched up in thought. She shook her head and said, “No, I doubt it. Last I heard, he died years ago. I’ll bet bandits are using his home as their base—if they didn’t kill him themselves. The way they’re moving, spreading themselves out—it’s as if they’re looking for something.”
Friedrich chuckled, a smile coming over his face. “So, our path is swimming with enemies.”
Keeping her gaze off in the distance, she replied, “More or less. It’s possible to avoid them.”
His eyebrow shot up. “There’s a bunch of foreign bandits in the king’s territory, and you want to avoid them?”
Heat rose in Aliya’s cheeks. Carter was dying in Greerwood, and Friedrich wanted to fuck around with second-rate bandits. In a low voice, she said, “They aren’t pertinent to the mission. We can inform the king when we return.”
Friedrich knew better than to respond right away. After a few minutes of walking in silence, he remarked, “I wonder what they’re looking for.”
Not slowing her pace, she said, “If we happen upon any, we’ll ask them.”
Friedrich smiled and patted his bladed gauntlets. “I love old-fashioned conversations.”
Aliya rolled her eyes. “You’re so weird. Why did I bring you along again?”
“Probably because deep down, you know I’m your favorite.”
“Sure.” Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then Aliya wondered aloud, “I wonder how long it’ll take us to get there if we walk.”
Friedrich turned to face her as he teased, “Don’t tell me you’re becoming impatient after hesitating earlier.”
Knowing that he wanted some sort of reaction, Aliya kept her face completely still. “The sooner we reach Greerwood, the sooner we find out if we live or die.”
He shrugged. “I guess that’s one way of looking at it.”
Aliya stopped and motioned for Friedrich to do the same. Then she pointed Mirage downward and ripped a chunk of ground, grass and all, out of the earth.
Friedrich nearly fell from the lurch of being suddenly airborne. “Hey! A little fucking warning!”
Staring ahead, Aliya said, “Get your feet under you. We’ll travel a lot faster this way.”
She plunged her blade into the center of the floating earth and knelt beside it while Friedrich sat and clung to the grass. Their makeshift vehicle moved slowly at first, then picked up speed. Wind streamed past Aliya’s face, pulling at her hair.
Clutching a handful of the ground beneath him, Friedrich said, “Faster, yes. But we’re also more visible. We’re basically announcing our presence to any nearby bandits.”
Aliya gave a hint of a half-smile. “We’ll see them, too. Let them see us. There’s nothing they can do when we’re overhead; at least, I hope not.”
Friedrich chuckled. “Yeah—me, too.”
They went on for the greater part of the day without seeming to get any closer to the horizon. The mountains loomed a bit larger but were still vague in detail. Greerwood had yet to come into sight.
Aliya descended and landed their makeshift vehicle.
She turned to Friedrich and said, “At this pace, I estimate we’ll reach the forest in a little over a week.”
He rocked his head back and forth, calculating the trip. “Maybe even faster—we’ve covered quite a bit of ground.”
Aliya nodded and continued, “Carter and Vaste used horses—took them two weeks to get through the plains. I figure we’re going faster than they would.”
“I guess. Why’d you set us down? Tired?”
Aliya smiled and retrieved Mirage. “No. I sensed a small group of bandits just up ahead. They’re not moving, and I don’t want to go around; so, we’re going to have a little talk with them.”
Friedrich readied his gauntlets. “Just the way I like.”
She shook her head. “No, not that way. I want to actually talk to them—find out what they’re doing out here.”
Shrugging, he suggested, “We could keep one or two alive.”
“I have a better idea.”
Mirage glowed a fierce purple. Aliya altered her and Friedrich’s appearances and created four illusory ba
ndits to match.
He nodded. “An illusion. All right—I like it. So what are we?”
“We’re six bandits traveling back to Northstead.”
In a deep, gruff voice, Friedrich asked, “Why’s that?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we’ll say we were spotted by a few members of the King’s Militia. I bet that’ll shake them. And don’t talk like that; you’ll give away that it’s a fake. I’ve already changed your voice.”
Friedrich placed a hand over his heart in mock surprise. “I say! My acting is spot on.”
Aliya’s eyes rolled. “Sure it is. Just leave it to me and try not to say anything.”
They walked due north with their illusory allies until they came over the crest of a small, round hill. At the bottom, seven people huddled around a fire.
Friedrich whispered, “We could take them.”
Aliya smiled. “I know.”
One of the bandits noticed them. “Hey! Who goes there?”
All seven stood and fumbled for their weapons; three raised spears, one a sword, and three held blunt objects and crude shields. They were ill-shaven, all wearing tattered rags and scavenged leather armor. There were few supplies of any kind in their camp, though they had something resembling a burnt human leg on a spit roast above their fire. Two of them had been sitting on a bloodied burlap sack, no doubt containing the rest of the corpse.
The first bandit spoke again. “Are you six friends or foes?”
The real Aliya stared in disgust but kept her illusory appearance the same. “Ally.”
His face scrunched up. “Oh, really? I don’t know you; you’re no ally of mine.”
“We’re here for the same reason.”
“And what reason is that?”
Aliya didn’t hesitate. “Our job.”
The bandit’s eyes narrowed. Then he loosed a guffaw and broke into laughter. “Right, then. Come—join us around the fire. We don’t have much food to spare, but you’re welcome to eat your fill.”
Aliya glared, but her illusory appearance remained the same. ”What’s for eating, then?”
A second bandit piped up, “Poor Buck fell behind, let’s say.”
A third said, “I’m glad he did, too. This’ll be the first proper meal I’ll have had in a month.”
A fourth slapped the third on the back and said, “Come on, then! We’ve had plenty of crawlers to eat.”
The third threw the fourth’s hand off. “You and I both know crawlers ain’t no proper meal! Can’t cook’em or nothing, and you don’t get full no matter how many you eat. You were whining, too, ’til Buck croaked.”
The first bandit intervened. “I’m bloody starving—I’m sure you all are, too. Come on—take a seat. We’ve got another minute; it’s best when the skin’s crisp. So, which way’d ol’ Renshaw send you?”
Aliya’s head tilted. Renshaw—who’s that?
Aliya and Friedrich joined the bandits, who dropped their weapons and picked up flasks. She responded, “We’re headed back to Northstead.”
The bandit’s eyebrow raised. “I ain’t never heard of no one getting recalled before.”
“We weren’t recalled; we were spotted.”
The bandits were unsettled, their eyes widening as they leaned in.
“S-spotted? By who? Did you kill them?”
They seemed more frightened than Aliya expected. She continued, “King’s Militia. And no, they escaped; must’ve been on a mission of some kind. Tried to kill ’em, but they rode away on a floating rock. Fucking cowards—but they all are, right?”
The bandits shifted uncomfortably.
Their leader thought for a moment and said, “This is bad news. If the kingdom gets onto us, it won’t be long ’til these plains are swimming with the king’s dogs. No worries; Elam here can alert ’em back in Northstead. We’ll have everyone on the lookout by tomorrow. They’ll be dead before long, especially if they go meddling.”
Aliya gulped. This might’ve worked a little too well; now I have to kill them all.
The bandit continued, “Either way, the sun will be setting soon, and Buck here’ll be done before you know it. We’ve already started our drinking for the night. Not that there’s shite else to do in the shitehole south, eh? May as well take a night to keep us company.”
“Aye, I hate it here. South’s filled with a bunch of idiots.” Aliya readied Mirage to strike. The blade’s three copies materialized and hovered into place directly in front of three of the bandits. She concealed the blades as they positioned themselves to attack.
Then, without warning, she pointed Mirage at the leader’s throat and made one quick stroke. The magical blade cleaved through bone and tendon, but the man’s head remained in place for a second before falling from his shoulders. His corpse collapsed, spraying blood from his open neck.
As he fell, Mirage’s blades surged into action, exploding through the chests of the three enemies. They were killed instantly, their armor and bones cracking from the force of Aliya’s flying swords. Blood gushed in every direction from the gaping holes in their torsos.
The three remaining enemies, now showered in their comrades’ blood, gave panicked shrieks and started to run. Aliya’s four illusory bandits surged forward and stabbed at them, eliciting screams, with optics to match, from those who believed they had been dealt gruesome wounds.
Friedrich jumped in and punctured a bandit’s heart with his bladed gauntlet, while Aliya directed her floating blades to carve up the remaining two. Before ten seconds had passed, the seven bandits were slaughtered around the campfire.
Aliya took a few deep breaths once they were all dead. “Shite. That went sideways, didn’t it?”
“No!” Friedrich said sarcastically. “I thought the plan was to kill them all along. Oh, wait; that was mine.”
“I wasn’t going to let them alert everyone in the plains. We need to get to Greerwood. There’s no time to fight a bandit army.”
Aliya looked to one of the foes with a grisly Mirage-shaped hole in his chest. His leather armor hadn’t helped one bit against the magical blade. She shook her head. What’s waiting for us will be far worse.
Chapter 6
Valiance
Day 100 of the Season of Aion, 1020 YAR
Keia held Devin’s hair as she vomited into a bush during their morning run. Raya was standing nearby with a spare cloth she carried for this very reason.
Keia looked over her shoulder. “First day back’s probably rough.”
If Lorinal ran up on us right now…
Devin breathed heavily and choked out, “I hate you.”
After confirming they were alone, Keia couldn’t hold back a coy smile. “I love you, too. If it makes you feel any better, I’m glad to have you back.”
Devin spat and summoned water to rinse out her mouth. Once she was done, she said, “Aside from this fucking running, it’s good to be back.”
Raya handed her the cloth. The left half of her lips curled into a teasing grin as she quipped, “Don’t worry, it’s all uphill from here—literally.”
Devin groaned, but they pressed on. After finishing their run, they were flagged down by Captain Oliver Alrick, who was standing beside two others. One she recognized as Deione, Oliver’s second in command. The other was a slim girl with bright-green eyes and pale skin whom Keia had seen before but never met. The new recruits were lined up before them.
“Raya, Keia, Devin,” Oliver greeted. “Step this way, if you would.”
They joined the others. Keia breathed a sigh of relief, glad not to have to deal with Lorinal that morning.
“Today is a special day,” he explained. “For the past one hundred days, you have learned with generic wands. Now, you will continue your studies with a weapon of your own creation.”
Keia gasped. “You mean…”
&n
bsp; “That is right.” Oliver smirked. “Today, you fashion your conduit. You have all met Deione, my second in command; he will be assisting you all.
“And this is Erisim.” Oliver gestured toward the pale girl. “She is our resident expert on conduit creation, be it metal, wood, or stone. So, first, Deione will take you to select your spellstones; then, you and I will acquire the materials. Finally, Erisim will help you assemble your weapons. Understood?”
The rookies all shouted in unison, “Yes, sir!”
Keia smiled. A brand-new conduit—this might help me pass that stupid evaluation!
“Excellent. Deione will show you to the armory in alphabetical order by last name. Keia Atlos, you will go first. I will be helping the others. Find me when you return.”
Keia followed Deione through the portal to Diligence Square. He moved with silent confidence, something she wished to emulate. They entered the Grand Hall, passing workers still repairing the damage from Axl’s attack, and ascended the spiraling staircase. The decorations caught her eye as they climbed higher into the palace. Tapestries showcased the victories of King Symon Del Gaddeaux—uniting the Oldlands, defeating Midraude the Butcher, and routing the armies of Ithratos at the Battle of Prisymon; the later conquests were represented by meetings and surrenders. If one believed the tapestries, most of the nine provinces were won through signing fancy documents at equally fancy dinners.
He was more honest about it in the beginning—blood brought them to the table.
Eventually, they came across a familiar hallway. Keia swallowed, her hand trembling slightly.
Same one Axl took me down.
In a soft voice, Deione asked, “Are you all right, young Keia? I thought this place might cause you pain.”
Keia mustered a smile. For a moment, it struck her how far she’d come, but her pride disappeared when she remembered how far she still had to go. She answered, “I’ll be all right. Thanks.”
Deione gave her a knowing nod and continued leading the way. They walked through three separate hallways before they came to a bank of armories. One vault bay was missing, leaving a hole in the wall that had been haphazardly patched up with fabric sheets while the new metal was created and enchanted.