by Shakyra Dunn
Rem crossed his arms. “Then let’s get this show on the road.”
They decided to split into two groups: Solus, Leilana, and Sien in one, Rem and Amiria in the other, both parties working on either side of the town once they’d secluded themselves behind buildings. Rem and Leilana were essentially acting as the leaders of each party. Sien and Amiria each took up the mantle of supporting their allies as need be while Solus remained in the shadows. Amiria waited for guards to draw near their location before playing a light tune on her flute, which promptly caused them to doze off, leaning against the walls. When they slipped up, Rem pulled them behind the building where they stood and proceeded forward. Solus was mentally marking their path to guide Leilana towards Olen’s home. It was harder to navigate during the nighttime due to the lack of proper lighting, but the surroundings were close-knit.
Sien took a knee, firing an arrow at a nearby guard. Leilana opened the Lasette, conjuring a spell that muffled the sound of the man’s scream. What shocked her was that the spell didn’t stem from the book—in fact, it was completely different from what she intended. She vacantly stared at her empty palm as Solus took her hand, leading her to their next hiding place.
“Try not to space out,” Solus whispered, to which Leilana nodded.
Sien fired off another arrow, striking the ground this time to draw attention towards their location. Sure enough, two of the guards began approaching, one of them pulling the arrow from the dirt, turning it every which way. Leilana kept glancing at her hand every few seconds, and when no reaction came forth, Solus and Sien hesitated. Leilana held up her hand, her fingertips clamping together. She watched the men reach for their throats, gagging on what Leilana thought was air until she loosened her grip and found them acting in coordination with her movements.
Solus’s mouth fell open when she tightened her grip again as a mere experiment, accidentally snapping their necks. She jumped back, falling onto the dirt, her breaths quickening. Her mind was jumping through loops, and she couldn’t help but recall her first kill. This time, there was no bloodshed, limited pain, and more control, but the result was the same. Once again, lives had been taken by her own hands. She broke down all too quickly, and Solus had to cover her mouth and pull her into his arms to keep her quiet as she sobbed uncontrollably.
Sien was chewing on her bottom lip, feeling helpless, but knew that Solus could handle Leilana. She watched Rem and Amiria rush ahead and duck behind another building, repeating their joined effort of Amiria putting them to sleep while Rem hid their unconscious bodies. They were such a dynamic force, it was almost enviable to watch. Amiria always did seem to bring out the best in him.
A guard yelled upon spotting Sien slightly peeking out, and before she had even processed it, her arrow shot into the guard’s neck. Leilana had calmed down enough to swing out her hand, casting a spell to muffle the scream before more came running. Sien stumbled back at the sight of the man’s body collapsing, more so out of surprise.
“We’re out of luck,” Solus whispered as some more guards began venturing to their location. “What do you anticipate we do now?” Leilana gathered herself and pushed past Solus, stepping into the open. He reached for her hand, but by then, she was already exposed to the Order of Helix.
“The Minsuran Princess!” one of the guards exclaimed. Leilana inhaled slowly, staring at her palms before thrusting them forward, unleashing a powerful force, knocking the guards off their feet. Right before they touched the ground, a gravitational force caught them, entrapping them in what appeared to be bubbles. She waved her left hand in front of her, the bubbles dispersing with a single ‘pop’ sound.
No guards left in sight, Rem took the opportunity to rush to the girl as she dropped to her knees, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Leilana! Are you okay?”
She was clutching her head, trying to wrap her head around the powers that had come into her disposal. They were so unlike any skill that other Arcana or Maesters could conjure up. Maybe this was her own personal ability. “Y-Yeah, fine. Just confused…”
“That energy,” Amiria said to herself. “I don’t think it’s normal.”
“Let’s not worry about it,” Sien cut in. “We should get to Olen’s before someone catches on about us being here. More guards could swoop in at any time.”
Rem held out a hand to Leilana. “Can you stand?” She reached out to take it, and he smirked as he pulled her to her feet. Leilana’s gaze lingered over her hand in his, still hung up on her the powers sleeping deep within her.
Rem knocked on the door of the largest cottage in the mining town, where a man with a clean-shaven head with a goatee came to greet them. “Prince Remiel.” Olen appeared less than enthusiastic to see him, which took Rem aback. “Somehow I figured that all this noise was because of you.” He glanced over the group. “And I see that you’ve acquired a gang of misfits to guide you in your crusade. How typical an adventurer you’ve become.” Solus couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Blunt as always.
“Been a while, Laikros, and it’s great to see you again,” Rem settled with, holding up his index finger. “Listen, can I ask a favor of you?” Olen stared at him, his nose twinging. Uh oh, he wasn’t pleased with what was coming. Well, didn’t hurt to try anyway.
“How may I assist you, Your Highness?”
Rem almost crumbled from the relief washing over him. “I want information. We’re almost ready to take back Linmus, but we have to take one more step before we can dive in.” Olen gestured towards the inside of his home.
“Get in here then, rag-tag crew. You deserve to sleep in a warm home if you’ve come all this way to talk to me.” They stepped into the cottage, Olen closing the door behind them.
The cottage itself was of a humble size, a two-story building filled with framed pictures and ornate furniture. When Rem and Solus explained a bit about Olen’s service to the kingdom as Captain of the Guard, it made sense to Amiria that he had more refined tastes, but a lack of color was the furthest thought from mind when choosing his palette.
Olen had them seated in the dining area while he prepped a late-night meal, spare Solus. The retired soldier sent him upstairs upon seeing his condition with the assurance that he would be cared for later in the evening. Leilana was relieved that he’d be able to manage proper sleep. After finishing her meal, Amiria was the first to fall asleep, resting on Rem’s lap while he rubbed her back, then took her upstairs to rest in the spare room, where he and Leilana would join her later. Sien presumably went next after deciding to check on Solus and never returning, leaving the two heirs to speak with Olen.
“So, you’re assuming the Orb of Concord will turn the tides of war,” Olen concluded. “And that this weapon is here in Nilu.”
“I was told by a former Warlord that the Orb rests where ashen rain falls,” Leilana began.
Rem nodded in agreement. “A mining town made sense—ash falls from the sky because of the rising smog from the caves, covering people in soot, the same color as a shadow. Kind of a silly riddle.”
“I don’t think I would have guessed it if I didn’t have the Lasette and Ennis to guide me.”
Olen peered at the grimoire in the girl’s hands. “Ennis, you say. Ennis Erovina?”
“That’s right,” Leilana replied. “He was my older brother.”
“Then you must be the fabled heiress to Minsura’s throne.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it a throne, more like shrines. I only became a princess because I didn’t possess magic like my brother. We see how easily that unraveled. But I suppose it was all that my family had riding on the coattails.”
“And now you’re full of power,” Rem beamed.
“An apothecary, an Arcana, and the lost heiress to a disbanded clan. Quite a group that you and Solus have amassed, Remiel.” Olen folded his hands. “I have a confession. I have an idea on where the Orb of Concord is… but I can’t permit you to find it.”
“What?” Rem jumped to his feet. “W
hy not?”
“There were rumors of a mining field collapsing after someone went to investigate a strange aura illuminating in the area. It occurred not long after your departure from Nilu. No one is permitted to enter due to the severity of the ordeal. I warn you, Remiel, don’t pursue the Orb of Concord. It will likely cost you your life.”
Leilana was facing the ground, recalling the information that she stumbled across in the Lasette. The Orb of Concord was powerful, but it was also difficult to truly ascertain its power without the right qualifications. Rem stood the best chance at harnessing its energy due to his lineage, his own magical prowess, and his deep-running connections to other magical warriors. Each of his allies carried their own unique skill, one that could be utilized against Hinju’s reign.
“There are people suffering because of this war, and it hasn’t even begun,” Rem tried to reason. “The Order of Helix has caused a great deal of damage to Adrylis to draw me out, and their leader is waiting in Linmus for my arrival. If I ignore him, there will be consequences taken on the civilians that are still trapped on the kingdom grounds. I can’t wait for things to unfold.”
“I can’t allow you to forfeit your life,” Olen retorted. “Yours is too great to lose.”
“Is my life worth many?” Rem asked. “I’ve watched people lose their homes, and they’ve lost hope. All of that is my fault. How do you expect me to just take a backseat to this ordeal?”
He sat down, pulling a cream-colored handkerchief from his back pocket, laying it on the table in front of Olen, who folded his hands and hovered over the cherished cloth. Leilana curiously examined it from her seat. She noticed from time to time that Rem would look at something longingly with his back turned, but this was the first time she caught a glimpse of what it was.
“I don’t understand, Olen,” Rem choked out. “You were in the Guard, you… you were Phiran’s closest friend, you fought together! You were all about saving people! Why tarnish something like that?”
“You can’t save everyone, Remiel, and that is something you learn as you walk through life.” With a grunt, Olen rose from his chair. “This is a time where you need to weigh your options. Sleep on it. Stay away from the mines.” Olen retreated to his bedroom, and Rem grabbed one of the nearby pillows from the couch, groaning into the plush cushion after he found a place on the floor and stretched his legs. Leilana hovered above him, poking the pillow.
“Hey… I know it’s tough to think about, but he may have a point. There’s a lot of risk behind seeking the Orb of Concord. You might not even be able to control its power.”
Rem was gazing at the ceiling, his arms supporting the back of his head. “Solus said that too, but I’m still going to try. There’s too much at stake, and we’re running out of options. I can’t bear to see anyone else fall.”
“Ever tried a secret union?” she joked.
“Sure, let me just pick a princess from my portable dispenser and mate with her.” Leilana rolled her eyes as he sat up. What a sad pun. “Shame that you’re the only qualifying princess in the market, but you’re not for sale, so that idea was out from the beginning.”
“Still, could you imagine? We could have lived such different lives. We were brought together because of Hinju, regardless of how things turned out. Without his guidance, I never would have become so close to you all. It seems like soon those days will come to an end.”
Rem chuckled, mostly to himself. “Hey, you know that’s not true. Once I’m ‘King Remiel,’ you’re going to be part of my court no matter what. Sien and Amiria too. And nothing can pull Solus away from Linmus. Pays to have connections in the right places.”
“I don’t doubt that. I just…” She sighed. “Would it be wrong to say that I have a gut feeling about how things are going to play out when we do meet with Hinju again?”
His smile faltered. “No, not at all. I have the same feeling. But it’s all right to be afraid.” She didn’t seem too convinced, and Rem ruffled the girl’s hair, regaining her attention. “No use getting hung up over it. Go on, up to bed with you.”
Leilana watched Rem from the top of the stairs after he’d ushered her away. He took refuge on the couch for at least another ten minutes, drowning in contempt. His expression reflected his torn state of mind, snagged by loss, growth, and sacrifice. He had come this far, and now the meaning of his life was coming to fruition. He was meant to carry out this duty with his own hands. But his thoughts hindered him, and he wasn’t vocalizing it. He probably didn’t want to trouble anyone with his fears. Still, he smiled and continued to move forward, and that was all that any of them could hope for.
Sien’s door opened, and she gestured for Leilana to come join her. Leilana glanced back at the stairs, driven by the silence, then proceeded into the girl’s room, Sien closing the door behind her. Solus wasn’t anywhere to be found, so it became clear that she took a place of her own after making sure that he was stable for the night.
“I heard yelling, and it worried me,” Sien admitted, taking both of Leilana’s hands, both girls sitting on the bed. “What’s going on down there? What did Laikros tell you?”
“He doesn’t want us to go after the Orb of Concord. He feels like it’s too dangerous to go diving headfirst into the mines—if it was hidden, there has to be a reason why no one wants to touch it. But it’s necessary for us to try. Linmus is at stake, and Hinju will overthrow the country if nothing can be done. Rem doesn’t approve of Laikros’ statements for the same reasons.”
“We’re going to take it then,” Sien concluded. “We have to. And we’re gonna do it together, at all costs!” Sien was glowing, the source strongest of the beads around her neck, and not just from her blissful state. The sensation was reminiscent of how Lancett reacted when he came to terms with their friendship. Sien seemed to notice it herself, continuing to laugh as she stared at her hands. She took off her beads, holding them out to Leilana, her teeth bearing from a sparkling grin that rivaled the stars of the night sky. Leilana took the beads with both hands, the illumination over them fading out gradually.
“Sien,” Leilana giggled, the whole matter of the laughter exuberating from the spunky redhead contagious. “You’ve just given me my second totem.”
“I always knew that I had some part to play in your life from the moment I met you. So, this doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all.”
“How did you figure that?”
Sien leaned forward, kissing the younger girl’s forehead, lingering for a few seconds before pulling away. Leilana’s face reddened at the contact. Somehow, it contrasted Solus and Rem’s affections towards her. Solus was never subtle these days, his affection for her clear as the morning sun. Rem knew the lines that could be crossed without stepping too far, and his gestures almost reminded her of the way that Ennis saw her. Over the months, all of them became motivators in her life, and she knew that they would continue to be until the end of their days.
“You’re one of my closest friends, Leidibug. There’s nothing I’d rather do than push you forward.” Leilana gazed at the beads in her grasp.
“I haven’t had many female friends before. So, hearing that makes me ecstatic.”
“And lucky for you, you have one that can heal, sneak you a couple of cold ones from my special supply, and kick your boyfriend’s ass if he breaks your heart,” Sien responded, cupping the girl’s cheeks in her hands. “Aren’t you fortunate, my little princess.”
Leilana couldn’t help but snicker. “I have always been thanks to all of you.”
“Awesome. Now, sleep with me, my dear, we have a date with the coal mines tomorrow.” Leilana always did find the innuendos amusing.
Rem’s confusion and anguish was too overwhelming to bring him closer to slumber and forcing it was getting him nowhere fast. Why was Olen so adamant about keeping him away from the Orb of Concord if it was so close to his grasp? This weapon was his only known hope for Adrylis’s safety, and he couldn’t pursue it because of one adult’s wor
ds.
The grandfather clock in the middle of the dining room bonged the signification of a new hour, but Rem didn’t bother to check the time. Too much of it was already being lost with him sitting around waiting for his thoughts to piece together. He rolled over on the couch, resting his chin on the cushions underneath him.
“Prince of Linmus. You have grown well under the guidance of your ancestors. You maintain control over the world’s burdens, your conviction unwavering. Yet, in you, I sense that there is more that you will need to learn before you are ready to accept our gift.”
Was he still not ready? How much longer would he have to wait? What more did he need to learn before he could earn the praises of his ancestors? There was no accomplishment without risk. He knew that already. It was a heart-sinking lesson that followed him from the moment that he left Linmus. Now, his journey was coming to an end. It was time for one more risk.
He was out of the door in minutes.
Trailing the vacant streets with no set destination, the distinct odor of ash and grime reared his senses. He checked through every mining corridor in his path, and not one was shut off to the public. There were lanterns lit on the interior, mining carts and pickaxes lining the entrance. He didn’t bother to peer inside; it was clear that he wouldn’t find what he sought in these passageways.
The sun was racing with him when he stumbled upon a collection of boulders that were securely blocking off a corridor to the far west of Nilu, and he smirked. A couple of hours of walking did do him some good. One by one, he worked at crumbling the boulders to pieces with the use of his energized claws until a path became clear through the rubble.
He cracked his knuckles after ridding of his Bloodlinch powers, mid-step into the unlit corridors when a familiar voice piped up, “You’re not planning to venture in alone, are you, Highness?”
Rem sighed, placing his hands on one of the overturned pieces of the boulder to regain his momentum. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”