A few minutes later, after her eyes had mostly readjusted, the cell’s stone floor rumbled and slowly began to ascend. The metal grate grew closer and closer, and she drew in a deep breath and stood. The Dawn Conclave must have finally come to a decision regarding her future….or they simply wanted to ask her more questions.
The grate parted open just before her head hit the bars, and she waited until the platform’s gears ground to a halt before tilting up her chin and glaring at her arbiters. Even with the sunlight burning in her eyes, she could still make out the seven armored figures arrayed in a semi-circle along the balcony above. The Conclave rarely made use of the ancient Chamber of Judgment these days; its sole purpose was to sentence knights who had willfully broken Maeleon’s Code. As far as Elade knew, no living traitor had been hauled back to the Dawn Citadel in over a decade.
“Dame Devarath,” Alric’s deep, throaty voice echoed off the walls. “You have once again been brought before this Conclave to answer for your numerous crimes against the Knights of the Last Dawn. We have completed our deliberations, and a sentence has been determined. Please stand.”
Elade was tempted to ignore him. Ever since she had been brought back to consciousness and dumped upon the steps of the Citadel, she had been torn between petty defiance and resigned submission. As much as she loathed Alric and the others for what they’d done to Tevek, she had been dangerously close to turning herself in many times over the past few months. Before Amberwood, she probably would have embraced this fate—she’d been so worried about her mere presence condemning her allies that a lifetime inside the Citadel dungeon had seemed like a welcome reprieve.
But then she had spoken with Darius, and her weeks and months of wallowing in self-pity had suddenly seemed wasteful beyond measure. Rotting in prison wasn’t going to help anyone, and whether the Dawn Conclave wanted to admit it or not, she remained the best weapon against the Crell Breakers tearing Torsia apart. Unfortunately, the choice was no longer hers.
Gritting her teeth, Elade slowly stood. Whatever the Conclave decided, she was going to face their judgment on her feet, just like a paladin should.
“The charges against you speak for themselves,” Alric continued. “You have assaulted a fellow knight, and you have disobeyed a direct order from your superiors. Most grievously of all, however, you have kept your true nature hidden from this Conclave despite the clear and precise tenets of Our Lord Maeleon’s Code. No Unbound shall carry the shield of the Last Dawn. No Unbound shall earn the right to call herself ‘paladin.’”
At least two of the Knight-Lords stirred in place as Alric recounted her crimes, though Elade couldn’t identify them with the blinding sunlight searing her eyes. Still, the Conclave clearly wasn’t unified in its judgment. Perhaps that would be enough for them to grant her some small amount of mercy…
Alric leaned his gauntlets upon the dais in front of him. “My colleagues wish to note that your efforts at Serogar saved many young knights, and Highlord Dracian held you in high regard. Before we deliver our sentence, do you wish to speak any final words in your defense?”
“No, my lord,” Elade replied. “As everyone here knows, I am guilty on all counts. I stand ready to face the Conclave’s judgment.”
“Very well,” he said, clearly surprised—and relieved—at her submission. “Normally, any one of these charges would justify permanent expulsion from our order. Taken together, they warrant a much harsher punishment. Men have languished in this dungeon for a lifetime after committing lesser crimes. Still, the nature of your transgressions is unique in the history of our order. Never before has a spawn of the underworld been taught our techniques. Never before has an Unbound wormed her way into our good graces and learned our most guarded secrets. Banishment would allow you to share this knowledge with others, and imprisonment would allow your corruption to taint our impressionable young members. There is, consequently, only one punishment befitting crimes of this severity.”
Alric glanced back and forth to his fellows along the balcony. “Dame Devarath, for your crimes against the Last Dawn, it is the judgment of the Conclave that you be sentenced to death.”
To Be Continued
The Godswar Saga will continue with Absolution, due in 2015!
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Dramatis Personae
Relic Hunters
Jason Moore, Galvian male
Selvhara Narhesti, faeyn female
Gor, chagari male
Tam Eldrin, Galvian male
Sarina Zharrs, Asgardian female
Solarian Alliance
Tyrius Areekan, King of Solaria, Solarian male
High Priest Kaeldar, the Voice of Areekan, Solarian male
Krystia Tharule, Priestess of Areekan, Galvian female
Darius Iouna, High General of the Solarian Legion, Solarian male
Major Lennox, Advisor to General Iouna, Solarian male
Valestra Fallon, former Ambassador to Galvia, Solarian female
Captain Farkas, commander of Solarian forces in Lyebel, Solarian female
Hal Wystan, General of the Third Legion, Solarian male
Salia Belyise, General of the Fourth Legion, Solarian female
Solarian Alliance Council
Jonathan Alistan, Lord of Serogar, Solarian male
Lexius Jeracho, Lord of Estara, Solarian male
Edgar Margrove, Lord of Malgron, Solarian male
Andara Savilen, Lady of Laquoor, Solarian female
Gaiden Tamas, Lord of Citula, Solarian male
Tarisse Zoreal, Lady of Beleth, Solarian female
Crell Imperium
High Sovereign Variska Ishthare, Crell female
Supreme Commander Onar Tenel, Crell male
Colonel Karl Horsch, Crell male
Lieutenant Mirrel, Crell female
Captain Andreas Fuhr, Crell male
Scout Sabine, Izarian female
Garin Kroll, Crell male
Galvian Resistance
Ethan Moore, former Galvian General, Galvian male
Kyle Adar, Galvian male
Ria Magran, Galvian female
Aidan Darond, Galvian male
Knights of the Last Dawn
Tevek Dracian, Highlord, Taurosian male
Elade Devarath, knight, vaeyn female
Belek Talroy, squire, Ikaran male
Patrick Lavonde, knight, Solarian male
Gabriel Alric, knight-lord, Galvian male
Damn Vohn, Kor female
Unbound Asylum
Headmaster Velle, Solarian male
Sovan Lor, Borden male
Asgardians
Clan Lord Torvald Halfren, Asgardian male
Warmaster Jorgir, Asgardian male
The Order of Orias (the Watchers)
Lord Dathiel, Taurosian male
Appendix
Adorei Kel: Literally translated as “Demon lovers,” the Kel are an organization founded by rebel vaeyn who became warlocks to punish demons for their transgressions. They believe in enslaving demons as a means of revenge.
Aether: the source of all magic in the world, the Aether is believed to be the “blood” of the Immortals spilled across the world during the Godswar. Bound and Unbound mortals can “cha
nnel” the Aether through them and produce virtually limitless effects from telepathy to energy manipulation.
Anos Kecen: Appointed king of Tauros during the 14th century, known primarily as the man who invaded the vaeyn homeland of Sulinor and whose armies were subsequently decimated.
Ascendant: A mortal being who carries the spirit of an Immortal. They are capable of perceiving Aether and have the unique ability to inspire this ability in others. Most national rulers are Ascendants and have vast armies of Bound followers who conduct much of the day-to-day business of the government. When an Ascendant dies, he or she leaves behind a fraction of his or her own memories as well as the Immortal’s spirit. This “divine spark” can be consumed by another, who transforms into an Ascendant his or herself—assuming he or she survives the process. Outside of rare Unbound, Ascendants are considered the world’s most powerful channelers; however, the more channelers they empower, the weaker their own abilities become.
Anvira: An Immortal who merged her essence with Obsidian at the end of the Godswar. She is often worshipped as the goddess of healing, life, and prosperity. She is called the “heart” of the Triumvirate.
Asgardia: A tribal nation of warriors and hunters native to northern Torsia. Asgardians are typically tall, fair-haired, and strong. They tend to be suspicious of outsiders, and they have a long-standing feud with the chagari, whom they have nearly driven to extinction.
Ash War: A conflict originally between the Kingdom of Galvia and the Crell Imperium started in 1998 AG. The Solarian Alliance eventually joined the war effort against the Crell, but by the end of the war in 2003AG Galvia had been conquered and a peace treaty between Torsia’s two major powers was signed. It is considered the bloodiest war in modern history.
Bound: A servant of an Ascendant granted the ability to channel the Aether. They are telepathically linked with their Ascendant and his other followers at all times. Bound are known by many different names across Obsidian.
Breaker: A channeler with the ability to sever the bond between Bound and Ascendant, cutting off the former’s ability to channel.
Calhara: The largest continent in the western hemisphere of Obsidian and home to the faeyn, the vaeyn, and several other non-human species. While Torsia is heavily-populated, Calhara is more of a sprawling frontier beyond its cities.
Channeler: A generic term used to describe any mortal capable of drawing power from the Aether.
Crell Imperium: A modern empire spanning most of western Torsia. Consisting of several former independent nations—Borden, Galvia, Izaria—the Imperium is ruled by six Ascendants of great power known as the Sovereigns.
Chagari: A race of tribal bipedal felines native northern Asgardia. They are often considered tainted by demonic blood, and they are used as slaves in many nations.
Demon: A creature native to the Void. When summoned to Obsidian, demons are invisible and undetectable except by certain channeling techniques. In their native realm they are comprised of pure thought and emotion, but on Obsidian they can take many physical forms, including ones that look identical to humans. Demons were first brought to the world during the Godswar, and their population has dramatically increased since. Some demons are capable of possessing a mortal creature and taking control of their actions until exorcised, while others are little more than savage brute. Mortals who learn to summon demons are referred to as “warlocks.”
Divine Spark: The energy released by the death of an Ascendant, often taking the shape of a glowing sphere of light. If consumed by a mortal, the spark may cause them to Ascend, but it is also frequently lethal if the recipient cannot handle its power.
Dragons: A race of large, flying reptiles who original hail from the primal continent of Sauraka. They are often bred as flying mounts by many nations in the world. While they cannot speak, they have complex emotions for a reptile and often show signs of intelligent thought.
Elashi: A small country nestled between the Crell Imperium, the Ikaran Republic, and Talisham. The Elashi were originally a group of religious rebels from Talisham who forged an independent nation in protest of the Talishite ruler, the Pah, and his oppression of women.
Elysian: A race of human-like beings who consider themselves the direct descendants of the Immortals, particularly the druid goddess Anvira. In their own tongue, they are known as the “faeyn,” Long-lived and graceful, the elysians rule a vast kingdom in the Sorthaal Highlands. Though they dwell separately from their cousins, the vaeyn, they are resolved to never harm one another. Humans in Torsia created the nickname “elysians,” though some societies, particularly the Crell, have created the racial slur “elf.”
Galvia, the Kingdom of: An ancient human monarchy conquered by the Crell Imperium in 2003 AG. Galvians are known as a proud, pragmatic, and cultured people with a history predating most other human kingdoms. Before its destruction in the Ash War, Lyebel, one of the nation’s major cities, was home to one of the only free academies for Unbound in the world.
Garos: A fortress city on the northeastern border of Galvia and Solaria, newly constructed following the Ash War.
Geriskhad: Once a Crell fortress along the Galvian border, Geriskhad was destroyed in a surprise Galvian attack in 1998 AG. The Galvian army burned most of the surrounding farms and several of the nearby farming villages as well. The attack led to the declaration of war by the Imperium and the subsequent Ash War that followed.
Godsoul: While sometimes used as synonym for the “divine spark,” the Godsoul is the spirit of a real Immortal rather than an Ascendant. Mortal creatures carrying Godsouls wield remarkable power, but they cannot empower followers like Ascendants. They are also highly vulnerable to the magic of Unbound.
Griffon: A race of flying beasts bred and trained by the Solarian Alliance as aerial mounts. They are large avians with abnormally powerful musculature and cunning.
Groll: A race of barely sentient, bulky humanoids bred and enslaved by the Crell Imperium as laborers and shock troops.
Hassian Empire: One of the ancient world’s largest empires spanning most of central Torsia five centuries before the Godswar. Hassian culture and language shape modern Crell, Galvia, and Solaria, among others.
Ikaran Republic: A mercantile nation on the southwestern edge of Torsia. The Ikaran language is taught in virtually every urban center as the trade language of the world.
Isen: A mountain fortress in northeastern Solaria near the Galvian border. It was the site of a major siege and several subsequent follow up battles in 2002 AG.
Ishthare Rebellion: A revolt against the rule of the Crell Imperium staged by one of its former colonies, Tracordia, and its leader, Sovereign Variska Ishthare. The rebellion involved several coastal attacks along Crell lands on the western coast of Torsia and ultimately ended with the battle of Veinshel Harbor in 2013 AG.
Izaria: A human empire assimilated by the Crell Imperium in 1920 AG. As a people, Izarians are known for their care-free lifestyle, fine arts and wines, and obsession with personal beauty.
Ka’chek: A chagari racial slur for the Asgardians. Loosely translated, it means “pink savages.”
Katagha: Asgardian word for Unbound.
Kurden Pass: The only sizeable pass through the Avalon Mountains that separate Solaria and Crell.
The Knights of the Last Dawn: An organization of channelers called who worship the Immortal Maeleon. The order trains its members in martial combat and sends them out into the world to defeat what they deem as evil, specifically demons. It is ruled by a Conclave of knight-lords. Across the world, Knights of the Last Dawn are also known as paladins.
Maeleon: An Immortal and founder of the Last Dawn. He merged his essence into the Dawn Citadel rather than be destroyed at the end of the war, and he still grants his followers power today. He is often called the “sword” of the Triumvirate.
Manticore: A race of flying beasts artificially bred and created by the Crell Imperium. Like dragons they are reptilian, but they possess only basic animal instincts.
Their fangs produce potent venom capable of killing a grown human in only a few seconds.
Maz’Belar: The vaeyn capital city, located mostly underground within the nation of Sulinor in northeastern Calhara. The “dark elves” are always ruled by a female Unbound Ascendant called the Matriarch Queen.
Nephilese: the dead language of the Immortals, rarely seen or understood in modern times.
Numen: a wealthy Torsian nation ruled by an enigmatic Ascendant called the “Shadow King.” Numenese finery is valued all across the world.
Obsidian: The name of the world, as spoken in Ikaran. Its roots are a historical reference to the devastation of the Godswar and the ruins that remained as similar to what is left the eruption of a volcano.
Orias: An Immortal and founder of the enigmatic Watchers. Like the other members of the Triumvirate, Orias merged his essence into the world rather than let himself be destroyed, but it is a mystery as to where or how. He is often called the “will” of the Triumvirate.
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