Empyreal

by Helsel, Spencer

  Elder Jeduthun oversaw the remaining clean up. When he noticed Dani’s swords, his voice was as cynical as she ever heard him. “Novice Dani, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

  “Why did you send us here?” she asked sharply.

  “Pardon me?”

  “Why did you send us to the Fane that night?” she asked. “The

  demon came here. Why? What is so important about the Fane?” The question took him off guard. “It is the center of our worship to

  Gabriel, our founder. We told you this.”

  “But what else? That thing came here for a reason. Why?” “I assumed it wished to hurt us where we feel most connected to our

  forbearers. This is the focus of our beliefs.”

  “There’s no other reason?”

  Confused, he shook his head. “No. From our inception, the Fane has

  stood as our bastion of faith. Every Numen learns to respect and protect it

  from evil. It is our holy place. Even the Song of Sacrifice speaks of it.” “It does?”

  “Yes. The Song says that the Fane, a place of reverence, will be set

  aside in every city. We do not know why, but it was created by they who

  came before and we are beseeched to protect it.”

  Protect it. It was too much of a coincidence that Alecto came here.

  That means there’s something worth protecting. Dani assumed, like

  everyone else, that the Fane was just a shrine, but looking at it now she

  couldn’t help but notice other things: built into Empyrean’s rocky crater,

  only one entrance and only able to be assaulted if an enemy came across

  open ground; it was the most fortified part of the city.

  This wasn’t just a shrine. It was a vault.

  “Is there anything missing from the statue?” she asked, walking past

  him.

  “Missing?”

  “The statue was destroyed by the demon,” she didn’t want to say

  who she suspected the creature was, “but is there anything missing from

  what’s left? Anything not destroyed?”

  “We have not looked. Why would the demon take a part of a statue?” “That’s a good question.”

  Everyone searched. The sculpture was in a million pieces, both large

  and small. Some were the size of baseballs and some were the size of rice

  grains. It was the world’s worst jigsaw puzzle. Dani sifted through the

  debris, examining what was left, but it was hard to recognize what part of

  Gabriel she was looking at, much less if anything was missing. “Hmm.” Bouden squatted next to a large piece of the face. He

  frowned, looking around. “Does anyone see part of the trumpet?” “Trumpet?”

  “Gabriel’s Horn. It’s sometimes called the Horn of Truth or the

  Trumpet of Judgment. Gabriel is always depicted carrying it.” They all looked. Nothing.

  “I don’t see it.” Nathaniel said.

  “Me neither.” Dani sighed. “I never thought much about the horn.

  Why do you ask?”

  “Gabriel is God’s messenger and herald.” Bouden told her. “It’s said

  when the final battle for Earth commences, Gabriel’s Horn will blow. It will

  ‘reveal the truth and unbind the bound.’”

  “And that means?”

  “It frees those kept in confinement and loosens their bonds.” “It is a myth.” Jeduthun told them. “Gabriel is depicted in

  iconography with a horn due to his role as herald. It is only a legend.

  Gabriel is gone, like all the angels.”

  But he’s not, she knew.

  Dani kept looking, but try as she might she couldn’t find it. The

  trumpet was missing. “What if his horn was here?”

  “Here?” Jeduthun shook his head. “You must be joking.” “Why? What if Gabriel, who built this city, hid his horn here? He left

  with the rest of the angels, so what if the reason the Fane exists is to contain

  something that actually belonged to Gabriel himself?”

  “Then the angels would have left some allusion to it within the

  Song.”

  “But what if they didn’t want us to know about it?” “Why would they do that?”

  Nathaniel picked up on Dani’s line of thought. “What if the clues are

  there, but hidden in a language we can’t understand? Maybe Gabriel didn’t

  want his horn falling into the wrong hands and feared what would happen if

  Numen or demons used it. Then the best way to protect it would be to hide

  it somewhere safe, but secret. The Fane hides it in plain sight.” Dani’s memory flashed back to her conversation with Gabriel in the

  cave: It is where my heart, my truth, still lies. Within its walls lies

  something special to me. A symbol of who I was. She assumed he was

  speaking metaphorically, but what if he wasn’t?

  …my truth, still lies. His Horn of Truth, the Trumpet of Judgment,

  was here. Or had been.

  For the first time, Elder Jeduthun took the idea seriously. He looked

  horrified.

  “What would demons want with it?” Nathaniel asked. “Bouden,

  what does it do?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. The horn is just supposed to reveal the

  truth and sound Judgment Day. That’s it.”

  “That is not it.” Jeduthun spoke softly. His face, characteristically

  closed and hard to read, now read only fear. “If what you suggest is true,

  then it is much graver.”

  Dani turned on him. “You know what this thing does?” “As Novice Bouden told you, it loosens bonds, reveals the truth and

  unbinds those that were bound.”

  “And?”

  “It would unbind anything the angels bound. Namely, it could undo

  the bindings that cast all demons into Hell.”

  ______________________

  The Elders gathered. Two seats remained empty for the those who perished in the attack. When Jeduthun told them what Dani suspected, the same fear was in their eyes. Everyone understood.

  “This cannot be.” Castus’s voice threaded with terror. “How could a demon know the location of the Horn, but not this Council?”

  The Elders looked to Dani who stood with everyone else. Kleos, Nathaniel, Bouden, and of course Mastema; everyone there to back her up.

  “The demon isn’t a demon. It’s a Fury.” She barely got through before they erupted into argument. “It’s Lady Alecto. She led them inside.”

  “Impossible!” cried Elder Berith. “Lady Alecto is a servant of this Council. She would not side with demons!”

  “It’s true.” Dani insisted. “The cup that poisoned Nathaniel was used by the Furies in ancient times. It is their weapon.”

  “Lies!” of course Elder Heman added his own two-cents worth, even if it was worthless. “We should expect these foul deceits from you! Lady Alecto is a fierce warrior. She holds the reverence of many. It is simple to see your jealousy.”

  “Jealousy? Are you serious?” But from the looks the Council gave her, they were.

  “This Council sees your treachery,” Heman declared, “and now you attempt to undermine one our greatest and most beloved supporters. Unlike you, Lady Alecto knows her place. She does not seek to encourage sedition and you wish to subvert her. I call on every honest man to stand with me against this treason.”

  Castus stood. “Elder Heman, you speak out of turn.”

  But where Heman backed down before, he didn’t now. “No! We have lost many. Our borders were penetrated. The gifted question whether we can protect them. It did not happen until this,” he angrily pointed at Dani, “was allowed to enter.”

  He pointed at Dani and Dani wanted to snap that finger off, but Mastema stepped forward before s
he had a chance. “That is a lie, Elder. How dare you level such an accusation without merit!”

  No one was more shocked by Mastema speaking up for her than Heman. “I would expect such vileness from none other than a traitor, a failure and a coward! She corrupted you, Guardian Mastema. Her ilk spread vile lies. We broke our laws and moral code to allow her entry. Now we pay the price. I will not stand by and allow the punishment of God to rain upon us for turning away from Him.”

  Her eyes widened. “You think all of this is my fault? God’s punishing you because of me? Are you high?”

  Heman scowled. “What insult do you imply?”

  “I’m sorry.” She snarled sarcastically. “Allow me to speak your language: have you imbibed large amounts of cannabis to the point you no longer control your mental faculties, you dim-witted, moronic codpiece?”

  “That is enough!” Castus roared, trying to bring them both under control and failing.

  “No longer, Elder Castus.” Heman wouldn’t back down. “If you will not act, than I will. And I encourage all my fellow Elders to do the same. Gatekeepers!” the doors behind them swung open. A contingent marshalled in. “Arrest the Novice Daniella for subversion! Arrest her Guardian as well.” He turned on Castus. “We will get to the bottom of this.”

  The Gatekeepers encircled Dani and the others. Castus looked at a loss. His power was gone. Heman was taking over.

  Mastema stepped between her and the guards, drawing his khopesh. With a wave of his hand, he summoned Fyre around them, creating a ring of flames. A dozen spears leveled in his direction.

  “Stay yourselves, brethren.” He warned. “I do not wish to spill blood.”

  Heman leapt from his throne to the floor, drawing his adamantine blade. “Do you not see their tr eachery? Elder Asaph! Summon your men! If she will not stand down,” he raised his sword, “she will be put down like the dog she is.”

  Her anger flared. Her hands burned. In that moment, she could have done it: she could have summoned the destructive light and burnt him to ashes. She would have enjoyed it, too.

  But she couldn’t. Her hands lost their warmth. The small, unnoticeable glow faded. She wouldn’t kill him. If she did, Mastema and most her friends would be dead for supporting her.

  Dani expected to hear the call for more arms, but she did not. Asaph said nothing. He sat silently on his throne.

  Heman noticed, too. “Elder Asaph!”

  He stood, drawing his scimitar. He stepped down, flanking Heman. He looked ready to carry out the order. But then his sword came up and pressed against Heman’s neck.

  “Stay your blade.” Asaph warned him. “Gatekeepers! Lower your weapons!”

  “No!” Heman yelled. “Do not!”

  But the Gatekeepers quickly snapped to, their spears withdrawn.

  “Did you not hear me?” Heman cried.

  They had, but they also heard Asaph. He was Head Gatekeeper. Ethan said they all respected him most. They wouldn’t disobey.

  “Our laws state,” Asaph said to Heman, “that the Council makes decisions. Elder Castus and Elder Jeduthun are our Co-Consuls. They have the final word.”

  “You cannot earnestly side with her!”

  Asaph glanced at Dani, and then turned back to Heman, his sword staying where it was. “No. But whatever reserves I have, I will maintain fealty to this city and to this Council. I will not bring forth a kangaroo court to judge and hang us all. Now stay your blade, Heman.”

  The lack of title was explicitly clear. Similarly, the look in his fellow Elder’s eyes was enough. Heman withdrew his sword, sheathing it. When Asaph extended his hand, he gave it over. Only then did the Head Gatekeeper withdraw his own.

  Asaph looked again at Dani. There was no love loss there. He didn’t trust her, but had some sense of code that stopped him from killing her. Small victories and whatnot.

  Heman returned to his seat, shamefully staring at the ground. His supporters quickly sidled away from him.

  Asaph turned to Castus. “Elder, I believe that all suspicions must be looked into. Elder Heman was,” he glared briefly at him, “foolish, but we must be prepared for all possibilities. Lady Alecto should be summoned.”

  “Very well.”

  “Guardian Mastema should also be put in shackles.”

  Castus glanced briefly at Elder Jeduthun, who said or indicated nothing. The whitehaired Elder nodded. “Guardian Mastema, Novice Daniella, do you acquiesce?”

  Before Dani could give a biting comeback—possibly a Pirates of the Caribbean reference—Mastema withdrew his sword and offered it to the nearest Gatekeeper. “I do.”

  “Mastema!”

  He shushed her with one gesture. “I will submit myself before this Council.”

  “Elders,” Kleos rushed forward, “Novice Daniella was with the rest of us when the attack occurred. She is innocent of the attack on this city.”

  “We will see.” Castus said solemnly. “Everyone will be confined to quarters. Elder Jeduthun? Do you agree?”

  The other Elder looked briefly at Dani. She silently pleaded for him not to do this, but instead, he nodded. “I do. We must be cautious, but she may keep her weapons. Take Guardian Mastema to the cells for drawing his blade. Return Novice Daniella and the others to their homes. I will go with them to ensure their safe return.”

  The Elders left. Gatekeepers placed Mastema in shackles. Dani glared at Jeduthun has he stepped from the thrones. “How could you? You and I both know Mastema and I aren’t in the wrong here.”

  “Do not speak as if we are equals, Novice.” Jeduthun’s voice was warning.

  But all he did was piss her off. Dani went to Mastema. “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault.”

  “It is not. I raised my sword gladly in your defense.” He leaned down to her ear as a Gatekeepers put on his bindings. “Find Ethan. Lady Alecto took him. In this I know you are correct.”

  “But I don’t know where to look.”

  The Gatekeepers pulled him from her. He murmured. “The idols.” Then he was gone.

  Dani watched them take him. The idols. What the hell did that mean?

  “Novice Daniella,” Jeduthun called, “it is time.” ______________________

  Jeduthun led the column of friends and soldiers from the Keep. He walked next to Dani. She could barely look at him.

  “I know we aren’t friends,” she said with her eyes forward, “but I thought we at least weren’t enemies.”

  “We are not.” The Elder replied.

  “Funny way of showing it.”

  “If your Guardian had not surrendered, you would have died.” They descended toward the Vale Bridge. “You do not understand when it is time to struggle and when it is time to yield.”

  “Well you’re such an expert, aren’t you?”

  For the first time, Jeduthun faced her as they walked. “Yes. I have had much practice.”

  “So tell me: what’s the point of detaining us? You know Mastema is innocent. You know Alecto is the demon.”

  “Of course I know. The investigation will clear him and you of the charges eventually.”

  “And in the meantime, Ethan is out there somewhere with Alecto, dying.”

  “Yes. I realize. But the Council is a bureaucracy. It is hostile towards you, as you saw today. If Asaph had not intervened, you would be facing execution. Even I would have been powerless.”

  “You don’t sound like you trust the Council.”

  “That is because I do not.” They were halfway across the bridge. “Do not mistake me, Novice Dani. I would never work against the Council, but I am no fool. I trust my instincts, both about myself and about certain others.” He put weight behind the last few words of that sentence. “I know when something needs to be done, but I am a patient man. I know when there is an opportunity. Just as I know Lady Alecto took the opportunity gain entry into our city.”

  They just crossed over the Crystalline River.

  “I also know when fortune spreads its arms for me.”
Kleos and the others started to notice his tone. They exchanged quick glances. “Fortune such as traveling with one who knows the incantation to open that ladder,” his eyes flicked briefly to Kleos, “and being within reach of the very bypass to our wards. All I would need is one who is unafraid to defy the Council and willing to risk everything to find Guardian Ethan.”

  She blinked. Did he just suggest what she thought he suggested?

  “Of course, I could only offer you the briefest of chances.”

  “Like what?”

  “Guardian Kleos,” Jeduthun asked, “did you know I have a moniker, just as Guardian Ethan does?”

  Kleos’s mouth slightly tugged at the corners. “The Lord of Shouting.”

  He stopped. “Do you know why I am called that?”

  Everyone came to a halt. As Elder Jeduthun turned, Kleos’s fingers went to his ears. It took Dani a second to do the same. Her friends were right behind her.

  Jeduthun opened his mouth and the sound that came out shook her bones. It was like the Tigris’s roar times ten. Her knees buckled. It was if she stood in front of a two-story tall subwoofer. It reverberated on her body like waves. Her friends cried out, but protected themselves in time. Unfortunately, the Gatekeepers were not so lucky. Most collapsed, passing out in the seconds it took to fall to the ground. Dani got only a fraction of what they did and even she felt ready to black out.

  Jeduthun stopped. Dani staggered back up to stand, staring at him. Cautiously, she unplugged her ears.

  Her hearing returned slowly. “What the hell was that?”

  Kleos moved his jaw like popping his ears. “Elder Jeduthun has a very rare, unique gift over sound; like your power to speak to birds or Ethan’s to call lightning to his sword. It is why they call him the Lord of Shouting.”

  Jeduthun held out his hands. Ethan’s sword, Stormthrower, shimmered into existence. He held it out to Dani. “When you find him, Guardian Ethan will need this.”

  She didn’t take it. “You believe me?”

  “Of course.”

  “But,” she tried to think, “why are you helping me?”

  “The Council’s investigation will take time. Alecto will kill Guardian Ethan if she does not get what she wants: you.”