by Dan Neil
Gilfried nodded. “I’ll tag along, too. It’s not well-known, but I’m pretty good with secrets.”
Keia smiled. “As long as we have protection, we may as well, right?”
Lesteria nodded once toward each of them and then opened a portal, beckoning them to follow. They emerged in a dark back alley and ducked beneath a large leather shade. Devin nudged Keia as if to suggest her worst-case scenario was looking more likely.
Lesteria turned to them and clasped her hands behind her back. She didn’t meet any of their eyes, instead staring at the ground. Then, in a low voice, she said, “First of all, thank you for trusting me.”
Devin blurted out, “I have a feeling that we’re about to get into something really bad.”
Lesteria’s cold blue eyes met Devin’s. Then, Lesteria said, “Like I said, I wouldn’t ask anyone to do this unless it was absolutely necessary, but here I am. I’m a bit desperate at the moment, and it’s—embarrassing. Otherwise, I never would’ve talked to any of you.”
Keia said, “I don’t know if I should feel insulted.”
Lesteria pressed on, “Now that we’re alone, I’ll speak freely. I need you to pretend to be my friends—just for a little bit.”
A moment passed before any reaction came. Then, Keia’s head tilted to the side, and Devin’s face scrunched up in confusion.
Devin said, “You need us to what?”
“I need you all to pretend to be my friends—not for too long, don’t worry.”
Keia interjected, “Why? What the hell is this?”
Lesteria’s frown deepened, as if fighting against saying any more. She relented and said, “Okay, I guess you’ll need to know some of it. My mother is in town, and in her stupid letters, she said that she’s worried about me. She’s asking if I have friends. Friends! As if I came all the way up here and joined the King’s Militia to make friends.”
Devin scratched her head. “Your mother is in town? For Gladios?”
“Yes. She likes watching you northerners try to fight.”
Nodding, Devin said, “That’s right! You’re from Greislav! I completely forgot!”
“Look, I’ve already told you why I need help. I can’t let you walk away now. I need you to keep this a secret, all right? No talking about it! Not even with that other girl you spend so much time with—Raya, is it?” She looked at Gilfried and Jisaazu. “That goes for you two, too. No spilling to anyone. Got it?”
Keia jumped in. “Why do you want to be so secretive?”
Lesteria shot her a glare. “I’m a private person.”
Keia crossed her arms and said, “I mean, I like my privacy too, but this seems excessive.”
Lesteria sighed and muttered something under her breath. “All right, look. We don’t have much time before the drawing, and we need to keep this brief.” She turned to Jisaazu. “What’s your name?”
“Me? I, uh, I’m Jisaazu.”
“Got it. Jisaazu, Gilfried, Keia—” Lesteria’s eyes settled on Devin.
“Wha—we’ve been in the same division for six months! Do you not know my name?”
Lesteria didn’t respond.
Devin sighed. “It’s Devin. By Aion, you really didn’t come here to make friends, huh?”
Lesteria nodded. “Got it. All right, let’s go.”
She flicked her wrist and opened another portal. She timidly looked back before going through, as if to make sure they hadn’t bailed. Then, taking a deep breath and muttering something else, she stepped through.
Devin shrugged. “Here goes nothing.”
With that, the four of them followed Lesteria. They arrived in a large gray room filled with gray furniture. Burgundy banners lined the walls, and traces of the hue accented everything in the room. Everything was regal and decadent but somehow cold.
A deep female voice said, “Three minutes and thirty-two seconds late, daughter.”
A woman was awaiting them with her back turned, a burgundy cape draped from her shoulders. Four men, each wearing different armors and wielding different weapons, sat by casually. There was something familiar about them, so much so that it ate at Keia. Where had she seen them before?
The woman turned around, and Keia almost gasped. Her hand shot up to her hair. Lady Katarinerva Vandor stood before her.
Lesteria replied coldly, “Hello, Mother.”
Keia stared in awe at Lady Katarinerva Vandor as silence hung over them. A freezing aura radiated from her, and her hardened eyes spoke of an iron will. The tension was palpable.
Finally, Katarinerva took a step toward Lesteria, and her daughter reciprocated. After a short approach, they embraced, both verging on a smile.
Katarinerva tussled Lesteria’s hair and said, “I missed you, daughter.”
“Mother.” Lesteria pulled away. “Not in front of my friends.”
Katarinerva turned to face them. “Ah, yes. Your pathetic northerner friends. Let’s see what lot you’ve cast yourself with.”
“Hey,” Jisaazu said. “I’m far from pathetic!”
Lady Vandor’s Honor Guards stopped what they were doing. The lady herself appeared to be in disbelief that a mere soldier would dare speak back to her. Keia and the others nervously watched on as their friend didn’t back down.
A smile broke out over Katarinerva Vandor’s face. Then, she reared her head back and laughed heartily. “You’ve got bigger balls than most of the men up here, kid! I like you.”
Jisaazu glanced downward, then blushed. Keia wasn’t sure that she understood the compliment.
The lady continued, “Judging by your faces, my daughter neglected to tell you who her mother was.”
All four nodded their heads in unison.
“Well, what family doesn’t have its secrets? Let’s all introduce ourselves, then. My name is Katarinerva Vandor, Lady of Greislav.”
“I’m Keia Atlos. Uh, Keia is fine.”
“My name’s Devin.”
“I’m Jisaazu.”
“I’m Gilfried, and I must say, Lady Vandor, it is a true honor to meet you.”
He knelt before her, and the others hurriedly followed, unsure of the protocol around someone who ruled an entire province.
With a confused expression, Katarinerva turned to her daughter and asked, “Lesteria, what are they doing? Is this some new northern thing?”
Lesteria glared at them and replied, “I told them to do it as a joke. I’m always pranking them like that. You could say I’m known for it, right, guys?”
The four grumbled in agreement, standing as Katarinerva chuckled.
“Thank you all so much for looking after my Lesteria.” Katarinerva bowed her head slightly. Turning her gaze to Jisaazu, she continued, “I’m glad she’s made strong friends in her time here. I thought strength was lost on your people long ago.”
Devin shrugged and said, “I mean, to be fair, she’s from the western continent.”
Katarinerva’s eyebrow raised. “That actually explains quite a bit. I am sorry for all you likely suffered in your youth.”
Jisaazu blushed again, looking to the ground.
Her eyes full of sorrow, Katarinerva said, “Lesteria has not suffered as you have, but she has had a—difficult life. Greislav isn’t kind to those born out of wedlock. An unfortunate byproduct of my people’s—piety.”
“Mother! They didn’t need to know that!”
Keia, her heart heavy, turned to Lesteria. She’s a bastard? I guess that explains why she came here.
“Of course,” Katarinerva pressed on, “if I die without making another child, she’ll have no choice but to inherit my position—as I like to remind her.”
Lesteria stamped her foot. “Don’t talk like that. You’re not going to die.”
Katarinerva chuckled. “We all die someday, daughter.”
“You know what I mean! You still have time.”
“I need to find a suitable man before I even think about that. Too bad the north isn’t known for their young stallions—not enough hair for me.”
Lesteria turned bright red. “Mother!”
“What? We all have needs, darling.”
“MOTHER!”
Devin failed to stifle a few chuckles. Keia, Gilfried, and Jisaazu looked to the ground, waiting for the mother and daughter to stop bickering. After another minute of teasing her daughter, Katarinerva took notice of the time.
“Oh! Look at that, now. It’s almost time for the Gladios drawing. You’d all best be going, now. I’ve got to get ready, too.”
Lesteria’s weight shifted, her shoulders curved inwards. Her eyes were pained as she asked, “Will I see you again before you leave?”
Katarinerva smiled warmly. “Of course you will. I’ve arranged for a special dinner tonight, just the two of us. We’ll have roast pig straight off the bone, just like when you were young.”
Lesteria’s eyes lit up. “You brought a whole pig?”
“Of course! I have to celebrate seeing my only daughter.”
After a brief moment, they embraced once more. Then, Katarinerva turned to her visitors and said, “It was nice to meet you all! Especially you, Jisaazu—I’ll keep my eye on you.”
The blood drained from Jisaazu’s face. She turned and whispered to Keia, “Is that a magic thing? Where’s she going to put it—doesn’t she need both?”
“I—don’t worry about it.” Keia turned to the Lady of Greislav. “It was nice to meet you too, Lady Vandor!”
The lady laughed. “Please—friends of Lesteria’s are friends of mine. Call me Katarinerva.”
After everyone had said their goodbyes, Lesteria opened another portal and ushered her friends through. They emerged once more in a dark alley just outside the marketplace. Lesteria had her head in her hands.
“Oh, mother! How humiliating!”
She peeked out for a moment. “You all can go now. Please don’t tell anyone about any of this.”
Keia stepped forward and said, “Lesteria—”
Jisaazu interrupted, “Thank you!”
Lesteria lowered her hands. “Huh?”
“Thank you. I enjoyed meeting your mother.”
The girl seemed taken aback. “Um, yeah. It was no problem.”
Jisaazu sheepishly added, “I’m glad to see you appreciate her.”
“Thanks.”
Lesteria turned to the others, still bright red, and said, “Thanks, you all. I—I’m grateful for your help.”
Devin giggled and said, “Hey, what are friends for?”
Gilfried joked, “Yeah, now that you’ve said it, it might not be pretend anymore.”
Lesteria’s mouth opened. “Oh no. Can I take it back? Is it too late?”
He raised his hands. “Kidding, kidding.”
Lesteria breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, then. We should get going to the drawing now. To show my gratitude, I’ll take us there.”
She opened another portal. Keia, Jisaazu, Devin, Gilfried, and Lesteria emerged just outside Gladios Hall. At the entrance, another banner about the tournament hung from an arch supported by massive stone pillars carved with epic battles. They walked through the arch and found a sprawling auditorium.
Keia took a moment to appreciate the room’s decorum. Gladios Hall was constructed without a roof; sunlight shone throughout. Rows of marble pillars lined the walls, centered around a decadent stage. Regal banners portrayed the king’s sigil, and several beautifully stained windows depicted Sir Brinston Buckley’s charge at the Battle of Kent, King Symon’s victory over Edal Halcion at Magnus, and the Surrender of Velshamsphire by Rielgan Osu after the Greater Civil War of Gaddeaux.
The balcony was teeming with nobles and merchants gathering to see the event. The Nine Province lords and ladies, their families, and their Honor Guards were sitting in a specially designated section. King’s Militia soldiers had reserved seats below the stage.
Devin pointed. “Look! There’s Raya! She’s the one waving like a maniac.”
The group followed Devin through the building crowd of people and greeted their friend.
“Good thing you got here when you did,” Raya said. “The hall’s filling up quickly.”
Gilfried joked, “They all want to know who I’ll be fighting.”
Hitch, Finnegan, Erisim, Ferred, and Vhalia all arrived with their partners in tow, but there was little time for introductions.
The ceremony began with iron footsteps as Sir Brandon, Sir Kaine, Sir Tristayne, and Gaheris took the stage. Sir Brandon stood foremost among them, and he raised his hands to quell the crowd.
Then, in a booming voice, he said, “Citizens of the Kingdom of Gaddeaux, I, Sir Brandon Gladwell, First Knight of the Noble Order, by the power of mine and the realm’s king, Symon Del Gaddeaux, do officially declare the Gladios Ceremony to begin!”
The people cheered raucously; Sir Brandon Gladwell quieted them once more. He then gave a grand speech about the rules that threatened to numb Keia’s brain.
The rules were the same as they’d always been. There were three concurrent tournaments: one for mages, one for paladins, and one for warriors. Mages were on standby to keep combatants safe. Every year, they bragged about how the rules had remained unchanged for a century before explaining the damn things.
Her hands clenched into fists as more pressing matters weighed on her wandering mind. How can I be sitting here, listening to a bunch of horse-shite rules, while Aliya and Carter are out there in Greerwood without me?
Sir Brandon drawled on about the tournament’s sanctity and how important it was. Keia faded in and out until someone she knew was mentioned.
“Gaheris, would you like to tell everyone what they’ll be fighting for?”
A chill ran up Keia’s spine as soon as the name was spoken. That worm.
Gaheris stepped forward. He clearly wanted to be somewhere else, not putting on a show like the master knights. “The winner of each bracket will receive a custom weapon or conduit entirely to their specification and paid for by the king himself. Many famous weapons have been won in the King’s Tourney.”
Sir Brandon stepped forward and said, “And now, let the draws for each bracket and match be announced!”
Keia did not recognize any names being called for the Warrior’s Tournament. Jisaazu would be in that one. The only other name she listened for was Gilfried’s. Finally, it came up.
“Gilfried the Trident,” Sir Kaine announced, “your match is against Jisaazu of the Jaaza Greatsword.”
Keia turned to them. Jisaazu and Gilfried’s eyes were locked, but neither said a word. They were already taking measure of each other. It was certain to be an entertaining fight.
Devin cringed, grabbing hold of Gilfried’s arm and his attention. Keia winced once she realized why—Gilfried had a complex about fighting girls. It was no wonder, considering what he’d witnessed from his father as a child.
Devin leaned in and asked, “Are you going to be all right?”
He nodded. “I had a feeling something like this would happen. Don’t worry—it’s a tournament fight, I know no one’s going to get hurt. I think I can do it.”
Devin kissed his cheek to show her support. Jisaazu stared on, bewildered.
While the Warrior’s Bracket and Paladin’s Bracket were announced to raucous applause, fear for her family crept into Keia’s mind, dividing her attention. The Magician’s Bracket was revealed last. Keia heard Devin’s name called but didn’t hear who she was fighting. Neither, apparently, did Devin, who had been whispering to Raya.
Keia found herself unable to care about an opponent in some pointless event that kept her trapped here. She tuned out the niceties until Devin grabbed her shoul
der and shook her.
“Huh?” Keia asked. “Who am I fighting? Sorry; I wasn’t paying attention.”
Devin frowned. “You’re fighting Captain Castigan.”
Keia’s jaw dropped. “What? A captain?”
Her friend’s eyes rolled. “Oh, I’m just kidding. I don’t know who the hell you’re fighting, I thought you were paying attention.” Devin tilted her head. “Looks like you and I are going in blind, eh?”
Keia sat silently as her friends discussed their upcoming matches. She wanted to partake in the excitement of the tourney, but could not muster any joy. More pressing things weighed on her mind. Like a physical weight, the Greerwood entity—the figure from her nightmares—hung over her.
Devin, Gilfried, and Raya left to find a pub near the palace once the festivities ended. Jisaazu wanted to find Sir Kaine Sawyer. Keia decided to go home to catch up on sleep. She made her way through the crowd, oblivious to the celebration and invisible to passersby.
As she fought her way through the bustle, someone grabbed her arm. She gasped. Silence surrounded her as she turned to face an elderly woman in strange, dreary robes. The woman’s eyes were sharp and focused, and she clutched several small effigies.
Images of Giannara the Seer flashed into her mind—she’d grabbed Keia just like this seven years ago before dragging her into the house next to the LeBlancs’.
“The lost Atlos is returning,” she said, an eerie smile spreading across her face. “Be warned! That which you seek will be found—but only if you let the wind take you.”
Keia pulled her arm away. Before she could offer a reply, the woman melted back into the crowd. Perhaps she had never been there to begin with.
That’s just fucking weird. Am I losing my mind? Keia wondered. Her stomach felt uneasy as she pushed through the mass of people to make it to Diligence Square.
Finally, Keia was home. She treaded lightly to her room and closed the door.
The captured-light photograph on her desk beckoned. The image had been taken just one week before her mother and father’s death at the hands of Remy Crusoe, yet they all looked so happy. She sighed as her thoughts returned to Aliya and Carter.