The Sage's Reign

by Shakyra Dunn

  Leilana was gasping for air, the blood loss rapidly consuming her. Her vision was darkening, and each breath was becoming difficult to release. She couldn’t hear Solus’s screams or the swords clashing in the distance. Her fingers grazed the metallic cover of the Lasette.

  One spell… just one more spell…

  The fire in Solus’s heart set off like infernos, shattering every sense of reason. There was little that he had to offer to those that he cherished. Everything that he had known was being seized by his biological father. The man that sought the life of his best friend. The one who was sending his love to her grave, slowly. There was so much that Hinju was stealing from him that he had nothing left to lose.

  Drops of blood were pouring past Leilana’s lips, spilling onto the pages. The words were little more than etched outlines. Still, she allowed her mind to wander and her fingers to sign the symbols of the Minsuran text. Time was escaping her, but her lips continued to move. Right as she reached the final word in the passage, she collapsed.

  Solus was about to strike through Sentora’s defenses when he heard a thud from behind. His knees were going weak. Seizing the opportunity to cut down his Lord’s scion to size, Sentora sliced him across the chest, blood splattering onto the floor. Solus’s eyes went void, but the pain was almost nonexistent. Blood was seeping through his clothes, his body twitching, mending, which he found peculiar. He felt absolutely nothing. He continued to stand up straight, looking down at himself. The blood on his hands was thin, like water, the cuts to his body miniscule.

  Rem was kicking into overdrive, his brown eyes reverting to a vengeful amber. He swung his hand forward, catching Sentora by the throat, slamming him into the ground. Sentora smirked despite the agonizing pain. The Prince had yet to reach his full capability—his Bloodlinch powers were still in control, which only inhibited his strength.

  Solus managed to snap out of his stupor and raced to Leilana’s side, taking her in his arms while asking after her. Leilana stirred at the sound of his voice, reaching up a hand to caress his cheek and wipe away the tears forming in his eyes with a tired smile. Before he could express any form of gratitude or relief, her hand fell to the floor, her eyes slipping shut. Her chest didn’t rise, and when Solus grabbed her hand to rouse her, it was icy to the touch. “L-Lei?”

  His fingers were pressing against her wrist, his left hand supporting her head as it slumped off to the right. He couldn’t detect a pulse. His own heart nearly stopped.

  No. She couldn’t be dead.

  His hands trembled as the blood left on the girl’s body came gushing down. The crumbling walls behind him bore no sound. The fighting continued. The world abandoned him as if he were an empty husk left to rot while everything pushed forward as it always had.

  “If it were up to you to save others, even if it meant that their bodies would no longer age, they were bound to you, and they would no longer be human… would you?”

  Kinaju knew the risks of his power far better than Solus ever could. Being a Necromancer held weight directly in line with the kingdom’s Prince due to their past feud, and now with a life he cherished in his hands. He couldn’t allow her to suffer. No matter how much he rejected the thought, he was running out of options. If Kinaju spoke the truth, if he was truly a Necromancer, then he didn’t have much time left. The human body in a cataclysmic state could live for a few minutes before imminent death set in. He could revive her before then.

  Solus rested a hand on Leilana’s, leaning down to kiss her forehead, whispering, “Please trust me to help.” He was tugging on her dress, laying both hands on her chest, one over her heart and the other near her lungs. He wasn’t sure what the process of revival was supposed to revolve around, but some hope was better than none.

  Sentora’s speed was increasing. Every step that the rebel fighter took, Rem had to avert his eyes in another direction to ensure that he didn’t get cut, but the blade kept nicking his face. When Rem trained his eyes again on Sentora, the man almost vanished, only to reemerge behind him. Rem let out a slight yell as the blade plunged into his back. One shove from Sentora’s foot sent him flying into nearby tables and chairs, overturning them. Solus cringed at the impact, but he couldn’t allow his focus to shatter. He was close. He could feel it. He could feel Leilana’s soul churning, and all that he needed was a little time to make things right.

  “Your days of ruling are far from beginning, Prince Remiel. And now you are left with nothing.” Rem’s face was racked with agony. He struggled to rise to a stand, resting a hand on his chest, spitting out some of the dark red substance onto the floor. Sentora pointed behind him, right at Solus and Leilana, but Rem didn’t bother to follow his gaze.

  “Look at the subjects that have fallen at your feet. Do you have the strength to protect them?” Rem remained silent, his hands curling into fists as he rested them on his knees. “You’re nothing but a shameful whelp, consumed by the idea of playing king. You’re far off the mark.”

  Maybe he was right. As much as Rem wanted to believe it, he still wasn’t ready to become king. He wasn’t strong enough to follow his own volitions and guide his friends. He wasn’t prepared to walk through a blood-trailed street and watch people fall at his feet. But he was sure as hell ready to try.

  “Please help Rem. Forget about me now.”

  Solus let out a strained gasp as his eyes shot open, resting his hands on either side of Leilana’s body after he lowered her to the floor. Sweat was rolling down his forehead, and his lungs felt as though they would collapse until he settled his mind. He sat upright, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.

  “Don’t you dare quit on me,” he snarled. “We’ve come too far for you to give up.”

  He pressed his index finger and thumb to her forehead, and for an instant, a faint crimson glow emerged from his fingertips. The miniscule interaction surged through her body. He pulled away and her eyes opened, their auras connected. He couldn’t stop staring at her but he pried himself away when footsteps reached his ears. His attention shot to Rem and Sentora.

  The blade in Sentora’s hands produced a metallic sheen, intertwined with burning flames. “You have come a long way from your kingdom only to end up losing everything right here.”

  Solus was in midst of jumping to a stand when the energy fueling his movement rushed away. He stumbled, falling to his knees, a sharp breath escaping him. Perhaps using his Necromancy too frivolously as a new user would become dangerous.

  Sentora lifted his blade. “Long live the king, I suppose.” Rem lowered his head, prepared for the end. Solus watched him in shock before forcing himself to a stand, rushing to his aide. The blade came crashing down, and Rem shut his eyes.

  No impact came.

  Rem’s eyes snapped open to find Solus gripping Sentora’s wrist, his vest and shirt ripped apart, a large burn mark covering his upper back, blood spilling onto the floor. Solus briefly glanced back at Rem, his eyes heightened with budding determination. His expression rivaled how his body was reacting to the new injury. Rem’s senses dulled, his eyes becoming void, his teeth growing sharper. Solus snapped Sentora’s wrist, pushing him forward, using him as a shield against the next strike.

  Rem slammed his claw into the Maester’s chest, expunging his heart by crushing it in his hand, continuing to shake long after the organ had crumbled into a smog. Sentora dropped to his knees, his body dispersing into dust before he hit the floor. The moment that Sentora was out of the picture, Solus collapsed like a fell tree, succumbing to his pain. Rem outstretched his hand to try and catch him, but before he could, he too fell backward, the room spinning out of control.

  “Rem!” Amiria cried out. Her voice was too distant. He kept wiping his eyes, but the haze wouldn’t clear, his chattering teeth chomping down on his bottom lip. When he regained visibility, his gaze flew to Sien first. Her heart was mending anew despite her wavering aura, and he couldn’t figure out why. His mind was rushing far too much for him to wonder.

  Amiria k
nelt beside him and wrapped her arms around him, tears rolling down her face and landing on the back of his neck. “Rem… we were so worried…” Rem pulled her into an embrace, though the confusion on his face was geared still towards Sien. Sien was kneeling next to Leilana, resting a hand on hers before gripping it with both of her own. Her healing energy spilled from her essence within seconds, engulfing Leilana’s body. The gesture woke Leilana from her fractured state of consciousness.

  “Cici,” her voice was strained. “I… where’s…?” Sien pressed her index finger against the girl’s lips, effectively silencing her.

  “Everyone is going to be fine. You need to rest and regain your strength.” Leilana didn’t hesitate to drift off again. Amiria pulled Rem to his feet, her hand intertwined with one of his.

  “How’s the city?” Rem asked. Sien couldn’t bring herself to face him, which left Rem considering her state of mind.

  “I think it’s better to see for yourself,” she eventually told him. “Almost everything is gone, but… there are still some places in the city that remained intact. We found a building and some survivors, we’re all making due there.” Rem’s face fell. “Some people already left on boats, but the Order of Helix that swarmed the city went with them.”

  Amiria swallowed before asking, “What happened to Sentora?”

  “Gone,” Rem admitted, staring at the dust particles on his hand. “But he left a mark.”

  Amiria tightened her grip and he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead. He let go of Amiria’s hand to return to Solus. Sien was healing the minor wounds he’d sustained, stating to Rem that the brutal burns would need more care, which she would provide once they were out of immediate danger. Void and overcome with worry, Rem got Solus to a sit and supported him over his shoulders. Sien carried Leilana on her back, the younger girl nuzzling into Sien’s hair. Amiria gathered Leilana’s bag, staring at the Lasette before stowing it away.

  Rem forced back the lump in his throat when they stepped outside of the plaza to sheer ruin. Another realm gone, and the burden was on his shoulders.

  Rem couldn’t bring himself to gaze upon the fallen city as Amiria and Sien guided him to their hiding place, staring at the sky to avoid the bodies littering the ground, Amiria’s instructions barely reaching him. Smoke was rising. Even the moon was almost unrecognizable, blanketed under the pasty mist lining the atmosphere.

  Sien stared at his back, watching him half-limp as he carried Solus on his shoulders. The young attendant had occasionally opened his eyes to try and look around, presumably for Leilana based on the concern reading on his face, but before he came too close, he was out again. She wanted to fall back and try to ease his wounds to keep him from grave danger, but Rem implied on a few occasions that it would be better to do so once they were out of open sight. There was still a chance that some members of the Order of Helix were still around.

  They came to a halt upon reaching a charred building standing prosperously through the chaos. The flames climbing around it did nothing to knock it down. Amiria led them around the back entrance to avoid them, and they were met with the shocked, terrified and even blank faces of the citizens that had taken refuge. Rem took note of the leaky pipelines, dull lighting from scented candles, and the faint odor of rotting milk. This place was without power or much hope, but it could hold them together.

  Amiria guided them towards one of the open rooms across the corridors of the large building, where Rem laid Solus on a cot. Sien helped Leilana to sit when she stirred awake but continued ushering her to rest. Leilana obliged and buried herself under the thin blanket, drifting off to sleep moments later. Amiria glanced down at the tote in her hands, shielding it under Leilana’s pillow for safekeeping.

  “P-Prince Remiel!” One of the men exclaimed when Rem emerged from the bedroom, followed by Sien and Amiria, scrambling over to the group and pressing his forehead to the floor in lieu of a bow. “We’re relieved that you’ve returned safely!”

  “Please, lead us!” Another piped up. “Tell us what we can do!”

  Rem’s eyes darted in every direction as the voices clustered together in pleas and exclamations. He kept trying to block them out, but they kept swarming. After covering his ears out of frustration, he stomped his foot on the ground, the sound of his heel resounding, collective silence gathering amongst the concerned citizens, reminiscent of a gavel to wood. He scoffed, blowing some hair out of his face.

  “People of Kinsley, I’ll address your issues, and I will do what I can to assist you. But it will likely be carried out after this foreboding war has been dealt with. I’m planning to speak with the man behind the course of action, but right now, I’m thoroughly exhausted, as are my allies. We need time to recover before we set off.”

  “You’re not going to help now?!”

  “What will we do about food?” Amiria flinched at the forceful tones, her eyes darting to the ground. It wasn’t right that Rem was shouldering everything, but this was his duty.

  “Where will we go? The boats have already left!”

  “You have to do something, Prince Remiel!”

  “You can fight in a war, but you can’t even save a few people from starvation?!”

  “Please, everyone, calm down,” Rem exclaimed, holding both hands in front of him. He knew that some people could be impatient, even indigent, but right now, he couldn’t deal with the haves and have-nots. “I assure you, things will be taken care of, and until we have to leave Kinsley, we will support you! We played a hand in why things turned out this way, and we will make amends in good time.”

  “My children need milk! I can’t let time take over, they’ll die without it!”

  Sien shook her head, unable to bear the words anymore. She shoved past Rem, a hand still on his chest. “Here, here! Prince Remiel is doing his best that he can! He’s been fighting for his life, and no one here seems to be showing any appreciation for the fact that he’s trying!”

  “He can try harder!”

  “He’s still just a child after all…”

  “He hasn’t stopped thinking about the kingdom ever since he lost his parents!” Sien continued. “The least, the literal least that you can do as his subjects, people that support his cause, is understand what that cause is about-!”

  “Sien,” Rem cut in. “That’s enough.”

  “No, you’re being too lenient! They’re taking advantage of your name because of what’s happened, Rem, you can’t let them push you around! Wasn’t this what you wanted to avoid?”

  Rem grabbed her by the arm, no force behind the action, his eyebrows furrowing. “Listen to me! It’s not worth chewing them out! They don’t have to understand! Don’t try to fight my battles for me!”

  She jerked her arm free and pushed him back a few steps. He was surprised by the gesture, holding up his hands in defense. “Someone has to speak up when you can’t! Solus isn’t here to protect you, and I’m not about to let you make a mistake!”

  Amiria shut her eyes, turning away from the group, her hands folded in front of her, her bottom lip quivering. Why? Why couldn’t she be more confident like Sien? Why was it when she did, it drifted away the moment that things became too cataclysmic?

  Rem crossed his arms, glaring down at the redhead. “Sien.”

  Sien ignored her name, lowering her voice, “Listen to me for once, Rem. Leave these people be if they’re only going to criticize your actions before you make them. It’s going to damage you.”

  “I’m not going to let them abandon hope, and if you do, then you’re being selfish. I thought you better than that after what you’ve seen.” He turned his back on her. “I don’t know if I can accept this. Even if you were speaking your mind and just trying to help, it was out of turn. These people have lost a lot this night, and their judgments are on me, not you. You didn’t have the right to criticize them.”

  Sien’s mouth fell open at the statement. “That’s-!”

  “I trust you to look after Solus and
Leilana, nothing more.” Sien outstretched her hand towards him, but he had already slipped past her. Rem looked to Amiria, snapping her out of her mental flux. “Come on. We’re going to try and find clean water somewhere in this place.”

  “O-Oh, all right…” Amiria glanced back at Sien as Rem walked ahead. Sien was having a staring match with the murky floor, and it seemed that the floor won, for she picked up her head to push forward with their ordeal. She moved past the people that were deciding to be patient, though it didn’t seem to be many. Amiria sighed.

  Tensions were rising. It was bound to be stressful for everyone involved.

  Sien set to healing Solus after he woke up screaming from the burning agony of his singed back. She managed to coax him into eating an herb, and soon, the pain dulled enough to ease his tensions, but not to cease the blood-flow. Sien was grateful that Leilana managed to sleep through the ordeal. She pressed some of the loose sheets to Solus’s back to slow the bleeding, the open wound drying up relatively fast. His sleep was far from peaceful; he was breathing heavily, his mouth partway open, and Sien ended up removing the ribbon from his hair so that it wouldn’t become too damp from his sweat.

  “Just stop,” he rasped as Sien dabbed at his forehead with a rag, pausing upon realizing he was awake. She could only hope that Rem would find water. “It’s too much…”

  “That may be true, but we must clean the wound, otherwise you’ll risk catching an infection. You’re already feverish, and I can’t allow too much time to pass. I can’t heal you unless you push past it. I’m sure you know this.” As if on cue, the door opened and in stepped Amiria, holding up a canteen.

  “We managed to find a place that still has food and running water. Rem is dividing rations for the citizens. Are you hungry?”

  Sien shook her head. “No. I’ll eat later. I need to be focused.” Amiria handed the canteen to her, and Sien drenched the rag in water. “This should be enough for now. I’ll let you know if I need anything else.” Amiria nodded, stepping outside. “You ready, Solus? It’s going to be cold.”