by Tammy Salyer
Jaemus had spent the last hour trying to get that particular piece fitted to the hull and was loath to once more have to remove the hundred or so screws he’d already threaded. But Stave was right. No matter how loud and inventive Jaemus was with his complaints, the plate wasn’t going to join correctly.
Putting his aggravation aside, he reflected on the plusses. The Magdastervians had gratefully offered to help him and the other Himmingazians repair their badly damaged fleet, and not just repair but outfit them with their own specialized steel. And while they’d first assumed they would only get the ships back to Himmingaze if a dragør graciously agreed to create a starpath for them, Jaemus had been taking the opportunity to modify them into something that wouldn’t just fly from place to place in one realm. No, between the fighting, the escaping, the saving of a couple of worlds, and so on, he’d had enough exposure to the Cosmos to formulate the final steps he needed to build a ship capable of star travel, and not by the starpaths. No, he was more than done with all things Verities. And from what the Knights seemed to think, the Verities were done with them as well. Besides, starpath travel was much too easy, if you were on good terms with a dragør. He relished seeing the rest of the Cosmos through good old Himmingazian, and Jaemus Bardgrim, ingenuity.
“Drink?” Stave said, and held out a flask of something ripe and dubious smelling.
“Is that the ghastly stuff I nearly choked to death on last time you offered it?”
“The same—Brun’s own mix of hops and rye with a special fermented twist of my own. But it’s easier going the second time, I promise, I do.”
Shrugging, as he was due for a break anyway, Jaemus took the flask and swallowed an only partially cautious gulp. It burned like the last time going down, but Stave hadn’t lied. At least this time the burning subsided to a dull glow before Jaemus grew worried that he was going to be fuming it from his throat like a dragør.
“… good stuff,” he choked out, and passed the container back. “Would you care to grab a wrench and help me remove this panel?”
Stave, looking suspiciously disappointed at Jaemus’s quick recovery, concurred. “Don’t mind if I do.”
They passed the next hour amiably as Stave filled him in on some late developments. The Knights who remained so—Safran, Stave, Roibeard, Mylla, and Griggory—had returned that morning from burying Eisa atop Mount Omina, entombed within the former sanctuary of Vaka Aster, a great honor. Roibeard had chosen to bury her there rather than returning her to Dyrrakium, reasoning it was what Eisa would have wanted. Despite her flaws, her faith in and loyalty to their Verity had never wavered. When Jaemus had learned she was to be interred there, he’d wondered if Stave would object, given his and Eisa’s many proverbial crossed swords. But he’d been surprised, maybe all of them had been, when Stave had merely said, “She was never evil, only human. Like the rest of us.”
Jaemus hadn’t known her well and had stayed behind. The Knights, even in all their great strength, still grieved like anyone else, and he felt it better to give them the space and privacy to do that. After all, her real family had been the Knights Corporealis in the end.
“Did Symvalline and Ulfric come back for the service?” he asked.
“No, but they’d already said their goodbyes before leaving, they had.” Stave looked into the middle distance. It was late in the evening, and though Jaemus had been working by the light of illuminate orbs, the night’s darkness swallowed anything beyond the ship’s immediate vicinity. After a moment, Stave blinked and added, “If my guess is right, they won’t be coming back at all. They’re in Arc Rheunos with their daughter now, and I expect that’s where they’ll stay until the end.”
He nodded, thinking it fitting. And what was more, whatever their end, he knew it would be a long time coming. A curious thing had come to light since the Verities had unified, and unified the Cosmos in the bargain. Before the Syzyckí Elementum, the Himmingazians who’d been brought to Vinnr had nearly died from some innate incompatibility between worlds, and Jaemus had learned the same ailment had nearly taken Ulfric and Symvalline’s daughter in Arc Rheunos as well. Yet, the Himmingazians, and Jaemus himself, had not left Vinnr at all in the three weeks since the Elementum, and they were each as hale and hearty as when they’d arrived. Another boon, he decided before overthinking or second-guessing it, that would make their star travel to the foreign realms of Arc Rheunos and Ærd easier. Not to mention whatever unknown worlds that might be lying in between and beyond.
He had one more question for Stave. “I’m assuming you all put the option to Griggory, taking on the role of Stallari now that Ulfric has left the Order.”
“Oh, we did all right.” He let the statement linger, apparently enjoying watching Jaemus’s anticipation.
“And?”
“And he didn’t even bother to say no. The old wanderer just hopped on his dragør and flitted off like a sparrow that’s heard the seed was better somewhere else. Didn’t even wave goodbye.”
“I suppose no one was surprised…”
“Not a one. It’s probably better this way, it is. Roi was practically born for the job, and he’ll be a fine leader for however long he likes.”
“I’m glad to hear it. He’s definitely the most level-headed of Vinnrics.”
“What are you saying about me, Glunt?” His voice was combative, but the smile he wore took all the challenge out of it.
Jaemus returned the smile, and then took a big risk, one he knew he’d never have taken if he hadn’t been through all that had happened since Ulfric had first fallen through the Creatress’s shrine’s ceiling and nearly into his lap. He gave Stave a hearty and affable slap on the back. Stave took it in the spirit it was meant and returned the gesture, nearly knocking Jaemus from his feet.
“There,” the stout Knight said a moment later as he pulled the panel from the hull, “we’ve got it off. I’ll carry it up to my workshop. Come by tomorrow morning and it should be all ready for you, it should.”
“See you later then,” Jaemus said, or whispered through half-filled lungs rather, as he was still recovering from the “friendly” wallop.
It was late, and Cote would be waiting for him with a late dinner. Yet, he lingered. Climbing atop the Glisternaut ship hull, he lay down and stretched out and put his hands behind his head, looking into a vast star-filled sky full of places and potential he’d never before been able to do more than imagine were out there. Since he’d been a child, Jaemus had wanted to wander the stars, see everything in the Cosmos for himself. The limits of the Glister Cloud had firmly held him back before, as had the limits of celestial beings, who in the end, one had to admit, were somewhat less ineffable and faultless than one would expect. Now that all the Verities’ petty disagreements had been settled, and Jaemus was free from the troublesome expectations of Knighthood that he’d never wanted, the only limits in the wide and mysterious Cosmos were those he created for himself. And as self-indulgent and confident, some might say cocky, as Himmingaze’s greatest glint engineer was, Jaemus certainly wasn’t about to do that.
Afterword
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this story and like to sing the praises of words that moved you, entertained you, or otherwise brought you some good feels, your review on the retailer of your choice or Goodreads would bring me much joy, and you my eternal gratitude.
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THE FIVE REALMS
Realm of �
�rd; the Ærdens
Verity
Fimm
* * *
Characters
Ayanna (Mylla’s mother)
Greven (Mylla’s father)
* * *
Locations
Kaldrwoot
Realm of Arc Rheunos; the Arc Rheunosians
Verity
Mithlí the Everlight
* * *
Characters
Agatha Pahzi (Minothian)
Akeeva Raamuzi (Archon, false Verity)
Alvar (Deespora’s heartmatch)
Arudara (Salukis’s mother)
Ballio (little Zhallah boy child)
Browan (Salukis’s father)
Bunefer (Zhallah)
Cylli (Zhallah girl; Kalisk’s grandchild)
Deespora Raamuzi (Archon, leader of Zhallahs)
Drevor (Salukis’s uncle)
Duripi (mother of Cylli and Onni)
Dwoon (Mura’s younger brother)
Eleni (thirteen-year-old girl)
Erli Detzu (paramour of Mura’s)
Gostav (Minothian guard)
Hertha, Mistress (Minothian attendant and child watcher)
Inder (Viddzu’s son, Minothian)
Kalisk (female elder Zhallah rebel and council member)
Lysis (Mura’s mother)
Mura (friend of Isemay’s)
Neeka (little Zhallah girl child)
Onni (Zhallah boy; Kalisk’s grandchild)
Phaemee (Salukis’s aunt)
Pitaja, Master (tutor for children in Everlight Hall)
Poolan (Zhallah elder)
Rusa (thirteen-year-old Zhalla girl)
Salukis Engzu (Zhallah)
Toranzu, Kaneas (Minothian guard transformed into a Deathless)
Tulla (Agatha’s daughter)
Viddzu, Kaneas (Minoth guard transformed into a Deathless)
Widin (elderly barrow tender)
* * *
Locations
Aktoktos Gate
Churss forest
Cordu Valley
Maerria
Minoth Valley Gate
North Tyrns
Pass of Thossos
Skaphia Caves
South Tyrns
Thallorn River
Tyrn Mountains
Valley of Minothia
West Tyrns
Realm of Battgjald; the Battgjaldics
Verity
Balavad; Holiness Prime
* * *
Characters
Corvus Rhafn (Flesh Caster)
Realm of Himmingaze; the Himmingazians
Verity
Lífs the Creatress
* * *
Characters
Cote Illago (commander of the Glisternauts)
Drustim, Flight Leader (captain of the Deep Sea Gem)
Fex, Ensign
Heleina Gibbaden (Glisternaut navigator)
Jaemus Bardgrim (Glint Engineer, Glisternaut)
Joburg, Flight Leader
Jovus (father of Jaemus)
Mye, Flight Leader
Sandar, Spark Engineer
Bannus, Ensign
Saxton, Ensign
Trabazan, Ensign
Vreyja Bardgrim (grandsirene of Jaemus)
Yanna, Spark Engineer
* * *
Locations
Bludghadda
Dry Quarter
Isle Stonering
Never Sea
Vann
Realm of Vinnr; the Vinnrics
Verity
Vaka Aster the Vigil Star
Characters
Allanach (Yorish Knight before the Cataclysm)
Beatte, Arch Keeper of the Kingdom of Ivoryss
Brun, Tannir (commander of Dragør Marines)
Cympher, Chamberlain
Connaugh, Arch Keeper of Yor previously
Eisa Nazaria (Knight, Nazarian Most High, Heir of the Sixth Line)
Egsíl, Third Phase Venerate
Elinora Rekkr (Havelock’s mother)
Fergus, Arch Keeper of Yor currently
Furthsom (Ivoryssian Marine)
Gara Aoggvír, Third Phase Venerate (Seldeg’s niece)
Gusun Sveinungr, Fifth Phase Venerate
Griggory Dondrin (Knight, Yorish)
Gudmund Øster (Dastrart Age smith of Winter’s Bite and Star Spark)
Gwinifeve Dye (Yorish Knight from Griggory’s time)
Havelock Rekkr (commoner of Ivoryss, Dragør Wing Marine)
Havelock’s five sisters, Lizet, Edytha, Emoni, Gelle, Hilla
Heart of Purple Might (dragør, sire is Magnificence of Oceans Tempests)
Henrick Rekkr (Havelock’s father)
Irrick (acolyte of the Resplendolent Conservatum, hazel eyes)
Isemay Aldinhuus-Lutair (daughter of Symvalline and Ulfric)
Jarmand, Keeper’s Guard Leader
Jimp Owers (Dragør Wing Marine)
Kòrmak, Venerate
Lillias Grannd
Magnificence of Oceans Tempests (dragør)
Mallich “Roi” Roibeard (Knight)
Mylla Evernal (Knight)
Nennus (commander of Magdastervian forces)
Ozlaus, First Phase Venerate
Peke of Magdaster, Knight
Poppy’s Noble Inferno (dragør)
Safran Glór (Knight)
Seldeg Aoggvír, Chancellor of the Dyrrak Phalanx (Heir of the Third Line)
Serl (Stave’s grandfather)
Sœrnec, Ambassador (Lœdyrrak before the Cataclysm)
Starkas Nazaria (Domine Ecclesium of Dyrrakium)
Stave Thorvíl (Knight, originally from Magdaster in the Kingdom of Ivoryss)
Sveinkí Edizriis, Fourth Phase Venerate
Sveinungr, Fifth Phase Venerate
Symvalline “Sym” Lutair (Knight)
Tannir Brun (Commander of Dragør Marines of Asteryss)
Ulfric Aldinhuus, Stallari (Knight)
Urgo (bruhawk)
Yggo (bruhawk)
* * *
Locations
Ivoryss; the Ivoryssians (kingdom)
Aster Keep (Asteryss)
Asteryss City; Asteryss for short (capital city of Ivoryss)
Dryft and Tarmvred (highest peaks to the north of Morn Mountains)
Gethbrond (coastal city)
Great Province Byway (runs between Yor and Ivoryss, south of the Howling Weald)
Howling Weald
Kolga (Ivoryssian city surrounded by lakes with salt-rich lagoons)
Magdaster (northernmost city)
Morn Mountain Range
Mount Omina (Morn Mountains)
North Byway (only road through the Weald from Magdaster, links to Great Province Byway down south)
Udunum Island
Verring Sea
Vigil Tower (Asteryss)
Wilt Mountain (Morns, where the bruhawk aeries were hidden)
* * *
Yor; the Yorish (kingdom)
Almull Sea
Great Lochanian Forest (meets Howling Weald somewhere on the other side of the Morn Mountains)
Lake Cuffdeach
Umborough (Yor capital)
* * *
Dyrrakium, the Dyrraks (empire/kingdom; formerly Lœdyrrak)
Anzuru Desert
Citadel Suprima (Elezaran)
Elezaran (capital of Dyrrakium)
Penitence Rock (dais at the Citadel Suprima)
* * *
DYRRAKIUM CULTURE
Five Phases of Citizenship: body purification, mind purification, releasing attachments, overcoming weakness, devotion (faith and loyalty)
* * *
Six Aspects of Devotion: faith, strength, wisdom, duty, loyalty, dominion
GLOSSARY
anni-cycle (similar to a year in Himmingaze)
archaneology (lore within a Scrylle)
Archon (Arc Rheunos equivalent of Knight Corporealis)
Aster Games (annual sporting competitio
n in Ivoryss)
barrow tender (gravesperson)
Battle of the Byways (Yor and Magdaster skirmish around 650 turns ago)
bizzle (Arc Rheunosian hive insect)
Bounding Skate (Glisternaut ship)
bruhawk (Vinnric, extremely large hawk related to dragørs)
Cæcra ad resrs, boromcad bea dord. Kucik kea kesrs, emsu kæ lœkra (Cycle of light, balanced by dark, focus my sight, into my heart)
Cataclysm, the (event that left Dyrrakium exiled from other Vinnric kingdoms; when Lœdyrrak became Dyrrakium)
cave snouz (Arc Rheunosian mammal)
chelbiefin shark (Vinnric creature)
chookter (slang for commoner in Vinnr)
chuffee (drink of Himmingaze)
Churss Circle; Circle, the (gathering site for council in Maerria)
Conquestum Ecclesium (fight ceremony in Dyrrakium to choose next Domine Ecclesium)
constrained (Himmingazian word for “arrested”)
cosmoscruiser (such as the Bounding Skate)
Council’s Crest (Glisternaut ship)
cycle; Glister cycle (Himmingazian measure of time, close to a day in length)
dalla flower (Vinnric lavender-colored flower)
daystar (sun, Halla in Vinnr)
dead rolls (the dead of Arc Rhuenos)
deca-cycle (similar to a decade in Himmingaze)
Deep Sea Gem (Glisternaut ship)
Distalfulcrum (moon alignment in Arc Rheunos)
Domine Ecclesium (a title for leader of Dyrrakium)