An Empire in Runes (The Runes of Issalia Book 3)

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  “Seeing the tactical advantage of such a tool, we realized that our force could quickly capture every major city on the continent in a fraction of the time required to travel on foot. The potential benefits of such an ability was too strong to ignore, yet I questioned it, feeling uneasy about the fortuitous revelation. I told the man that he must prove his discovery before we even considered following his lead. He left the tent, appearing unhappy. I expected that was the last we would see of him. When we felt a disturbance that could only occur from a tremendous amount of Chaos, the other Arcanists and I ran from our tent to seek the cause.”

  “Across the field from us was a shimmering curtain of energy. Amazingly, the man had indeed created a portal by using Chaos, rendering a hole in the very fabric of our existence. Where the portal led, there was no way to tell.”

  “The man claimed that the doorway led to the gates of Sol Limar. I again cast doubt and demanded that he pass through the doorway first to prove its safety. To my surprise, the man stepped through the curtain of energy and disappeared.”

  “Minutes passed, and the army became restless, for they had already begun to show signs of aggression. When the man suddenly reappeared, we Arcanists were amazed. However, it was too late and many of those we had converted with Infusion sought to destroy the man and those who accompanied him. Something…something happened then. I’m still unsure of what drove me to it, but I remember walking through the doorway as if I were in a trance. When I woke up from the trance, I found that I was somewhere else. Somewhere dark and dreary. The army we had formed was surrounding me and appeared as confused as I.”

  “Over the next few weeks, we traveled the land but found no other people. As time went on, the men we had charged with Chaos changed. The power appeared to eat away at their brain, reducing them to mindless beasts. Luckily, we Arcanists discovered that we could control the beasts by influencing the Chaos within them. It was the only thing that kept them from killing us or tearing each other apart.”

  “For years we traveled this dark, desolate land and found nothing but strange creatures living there, creatures that became our food source. Those of us who could still speak, though we were few, called the place Tenebris. We Arcanists concluded that The Hand realized that our army had become too powerful, so they conspired to lure us to Tenebris to rid themselves of us. The other five Arcanists and I vowed revenge should we ever find a way to return.”

  “One day, when a two of us were near the point of origin, the doorway reappeared. Sensing an opportunity, the other Arcanists and I decided to each take a group, as large a group as we could control, through the doorway so we could exact our revenge.”

  “It took time and energy to gather the mindless beasts that our men had become. As the groups gathered, they entered the portal. However, something happened to the doorway and it faded away before half of us could pass through it. With the doorway closed, we feared that we had forever lost our chance to escape Tenebris.”

  “Not having any other plan, we waited and waited, policing the area for years in hope of the doorway reappearing. A few months ago, it suddenly materialized. When it appeared, we were ready. We last three Arcanists began gathering our forces with the intent of passing through the gateway.”

  “Another Arcanist, named Pax Utili, brought a group through first. Moments later, I gathered my group and passed through the doorway. When we did, we found nobody else in the area. Oddly enough, although we passed through the doorway moments apart, we would find that hours or days had passed on this end by the time we appeared. It took weeks for me to find the others and by then, much of our revenge had already been exacted. We followed the trail of destroyed cities up the coast until we joined Pax’s force in the snows of Hurnsdom. The third Arcanist and his army never did appear.” Elias glanced toward Brock. “I discovered what came of them after Brock relayed his tale about how he and Ashland destroyed the gateway.” Elias shook his head. “It appears that the man is trapped in Tenebris alone, with a thousand of those beasts. That is, until he can no longer control them and they destroy him.”

  Elias paused, appearing to be considering his words. After a moment, he resumed his telling.

  “After facing some difficulty with the weather and the Holy Army in Hurnsdom, we turned south to escape the snow and to clear the mountains so we could attack the western cities. Upon the plains is where we ran into the real army, the one who would defeat us.”

  “Despite being faced by two thousand giants with the power to drown you in fear from their screams and then smash your head off with a swipe of their hand, Brock and his small army were able to stop us.” Elias glanced at Brock again. “When Brock healed me, I found that I could think rationally again. Under the influence of Chaos, I hadn’t even realized how it had made me so angry and aggressive.” He shook his head. “When I witnessed the non-Arcanists become mindless animals, I thought that I had maintained control. However, I hadn’t”

  Brock addressed the Academy Masters. “You can feel the truth in Elias’ words, despite their unbelievable nature. What he describes is The Banished Horde. He was among their leaders. The men he led, the ones that evolved into mindless beasts after being infused with Chaos, were banshees.” Brock paused, seeing startled looks on the faces in the room. “Yes, banshees. They are ten feet tall and are as strong as five men. Their screams contain a powerful fear that can render you helpless, so frightened that you cannot fight nor run. Worst of all, they are so mindless that they will eat anything. Anyone.”

  Pretencia spoke. “Are you saying that they eat…people?”

  Brock nodded. “Yes, and it’s more horrible than you imagine.”

  Hushed whispers arose from those seated in the room. Brock could feel perceptions changing, backed by the power of the Truth rune.

  Pretencia stood and leaned forward, his palms on the table before him. “You mentioned a man in your story, the one who betrayed you and The Hand.” He stared intently at Elias. “What was this man’s name?”

  The Arcanist leaned on his cane and turned toward Brock. Knowing the answer and the effect it might produce, Brock nodded.

  Elias took a breath and responded. Pretencia’s eyes grew wide as the room erupted.

  CHAPTER 42

  Dalwin’s world crumbled to dust, leaving him shocked and disturbed. His foundation was rooted in the pureness of the system and the laws that governed the people. An undercurrent of corruption and conspiracies revealed that the system he had placed above all else was based upon lies, with even more lies on top of those lies.

  The Empire, the Ministry, and the Hierarchy had been his life. Holding true to the laws outlined by the Ministry, he had dedicated his life to the code of their doctrine. In the past hour, each stone that had constructed his beliefs had been systematically removed. The final block, the keystone that held it all together, was destroyed with the answer to his final question. Elias’ response still echoed within Dalwin’s head.

  “The man’s name was Pascal Fallbrandt.”

  Fallbrandt was the visionary who had triggered the Age of Knowledge by founding the Academy as an institute dedicated to the pursuit of higher learning. Fallbrandt was the Ministry’s most famous and revered figure. Under the current Ministry laws, this immense historical figure would have gone through life as an Unchosen, shunned for a natural ability he possessed to wield a magic that someone had deemed forbidden.

  Movement attracted Pretencia’s attention as Ashland Pym stepped forward holding two black books. She handed them to Brock, who nodded thanks before turning to face the dais.

  “In my hands, I hold journals written by Pascal Fallbrandt himself,” Brock announced. “These books outline Fallbrandt’s version of the story Elias just recited. In his recordings, he states that he was brought to Sol Polis by a
group within the Ministry known as The Hand, who agreed to fund his research on Chaos in return for sharing in the knowledge. Fallbrandt saw the capabilities of Chaos as a means to advancing society with the hope of improving people’s lives.”

  “However, The Hand had a different agenda, one he would later discover. Although he had warned them that Infusion might be dangerous and required more time and research, they proceeded without consideration for those who they infused.”

  “When the dogs that Fallbrandt had infused with Chaos began to change, he realized that Chaos bound within a living being would eventually drive them mad. Unknowingly, he had created the first ever pack of bacabra using Infusion.”

  Mutters of disbelief stirred in the room. Pretencia ignored all else, focused on the information Brock was sharing.

  Brock continued. “Fallbrandt confronted Ministry leaders, who informed him that it was too late. They had already built an army of giants, armed with the strength and fear needed to crush anyone they faced. The Hand was convinced that the Ministry should rule the people, guiding not just spiritual beliefs, but also controlling their entire lives. With this army, they would set out to conquer the entire continent.”

  “Fallbrandt felt horrible, knowing that the misuse of his discoveries would cause many deaths, and he feared what type of rule might result under the influence of The Hand, for such a lust for power would not stop once they had control. Despite great risk, he put a plan into action, a plan with the intent of stopping The Hand’s quest for power.”

  “He commissioned a craftsman to create an ornate throne, one fit for a king. Specific runes were carved into the throne and one of those runes, the same rune you see on the floor before you, was infused with Chaos.”

  “The man also hired a gifted metal smith to forge a unique weapon. Unlike other swords, this one needed to make noise, so the blade was fluted such that it whistled when cutting through the air. He infused Courage into the blade, making it a weapon of magic designed to counter the Fear that had been Infused into the army he was to face.”

  “Not knowing if he would survive his gambit with this dark enemy, he gifted the throne to the king of Kalimar. Within the throne, he hid these two journals, which would prove The Hand’s involvement and their intention of deposing the current rulers of Issalia. In return, the king offered Fallbrandt the assistance of his best fighter, a man named Garrett Pularus.”

  “Together, along with Fallbrandt’s assistant, they would try to stop this dark army before they even got started.”

  Brock looked down at Elias. “This is where Fallbrandt’s recorded tale ends. The rest, I must conclude from Elias’ story. Apparently, the man discovered a rune that enabled him to create a doorway to another place. With it, he somehow tricked The Horde to enter before he closed it. He probably thought them banished forever, but some residual energy must cause the doorway to reappear now and then, enabling The Horde to return while it’s open.”

  Benny’s eyes grew wide. “Perhaps it has to do with the mysterious planet that appeared last year. If that’s where The Horde was sent, the position of the planet could affect the portal. When it draws close to our planet, somehow the gateway reopens.”

  Varius interjected. “You expect us to believe this wild tale? Fallbrandt died hundreds of years ago, and you’re telling me that this man,” she pointed at Elias, “knew him?”

  Brock shrugged. “I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. You can feel the Truth even if you don’t believe it.”

  Pretencia nodded in agreement. Truth and lies were not a matter of opinion under the effect of the Truth rune.

  Nindlerod spoke in wonder. “I bet that time moves at a different pace on the other side of the doorway. An hour might pass in Issalia while a minute passes on Tenebris, making a hundred years here only seem a few years there.”

  Elias nodded. “That is precisely what I have determined since Brock freed my mind from the influence of Chaos.”

  As the discussion wore on, Pretencia’s world began to reshape. Feeling the truth of the words, he began to see what must be done.

  Dal stood again, addressing the whole room. “Much has been revealed here today, things we dare not ignore. It seems to me that this group known as The Hand must be exposed. We cannot have corruption and hidden agenda’s influencing the governing of our people.” He pointed toward the Truth rune on the floor. “We have a unique opportunity, one where truthful statements and falsehoods are for once, absolute. I suggest we each stand and state that we are not involved with The Hand. Those who cannot do so truthfully will be removed from their position, which will enable us to make a clean start.”

  Vandermark stood and shouted. “Enough! Eldarro, now!”

  * * *

  Brock felt a sudden turbulence within the Chaos surrounding the room. He spun about as the doors burst open. Eldarro dove to the floor as he fell through the doorway. The twelve archers behind him loosed their arrows.

  Time slowed again for Brock as he seized the Chaos around him. With a clench of his fist, Chaos snapped every arrow, sending splinters in the air. Brock wedged a sheet of raw Chaos below Eldarro and flipped his hand up, launching the man back through the doorway and into the cluster of archers, knocking them down before any could fire another arrow. Brock used Chaos to slam the double doors closed as the door at the side of the room burst open.

  Brock spun about to find armed guards pushing through the doorway. He raised both arms upward, using Chaos to sweep the attackers into the air. They slammed against the ceiling, thirty-feet above the floor. He held them there while he seethed with anger for all the pain The Hand had caused. With a wave of his arm, the struggling soldiers plummeted downward.

  Brock, no! Ashland screamed in his head.

  He clenched his fist, stopping the helpless guards just inches from the floor.

  You can’t kill them. That isn’t who you are, she pleaded. They’ve done nothing wrong and are just following orders.

  Brock turned toward her, their eyes locking before he realized that he had almost murdered these men for little cause. It was the Chaos. Being charged with raw Chaos was affecting him, just as it has affected those who had been Infused with Chaos. With his eyes closed, he took a long breath to calm himself and regain control.

  “Brock, look out!” Benny shouted.

  Brock’s eyes flashed open, and he felt movement behind him. He spun about, and pain exploded in his torso, causing him to drop the journals. He gasped, struggling for air as he looked at the hilt jutting from his chest. Black fog danced at the edges of his vision, spots appearing before his eyes. The black closed in, his vision narrowing as he tumbled to the floor.

  * * *

  Ashland stared at Brock, in awe of the power he had just displayed. After stopping a dozen arrows in mid-flight and tossing Eldarro through the door, he lifted another eight guards until they were pinned against the ceiling. Brock appeared angry as he stared up at his attackers. He dropped his arms and the guards drove downward, their arms and legs flailing as they fell. Ashland cringed at the thought of them smashing into the stone floor and screamed out with her mind.

  Brock, no! Ashland screamed in his head.

  The helpless guards stopped just inches from the floor.

  You can’t kill them. That isn’t who you are, she pleaded. They’ve done nothing wrong and are just following orders.

  Brock turned toward her, their eyes locking. Ashland had never felt frightened by Brock until now. Red sparks danced within eyes that were not Brock’s, for those eyes burned of hatred. As he stared at her, his eyes began to change, began to soften. He closed them, appearing to be in an internal struggle. A moment of complete stillness fell over the room when a motion upon the dais caught
Ashland’s attention, her eyes flicking over to see Varius throw a dagger at Brock.

  Benny shouted, “Brock, look out!”

  Brock spun about and the knife slammed into him, knocking him backward and sending the journals spinning to the floor. Freed from Brock’s control, the soldiers who had been suspended in the air dropped the last few inches onto the floor. Horror held Ashland motionless as she watched Brock stare at the dagger in his chest while hovering ten-feet above the floor. Brock clutched at the knife, his hands fumbling for it, and then he fell. A collected gasp sounded throughout the room as he slammed hard onto the brick floor. Ashland and everyone else fell completely still, locked in a state of shock. Suddenly, pandemonium struck.

  The double doors at the back of the room burst open as Cassius and Cameron ran in, followed by a trailing squad of Paladin trainees. Vandermark and Varius bolted for the side door, but were met by Budakis, Gort, and a dozen Holy Army Paladins. Varius and Vandermark backed away from the armed men.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Vandermark demanded.

  “Sorry, Walter,” Budakis replied as he waved his sword in front of the Headmaster’s face. “But I think you should stay until we work this out.”

  Ashland glanced about the room, finding it surrounded and under control.

  “Nobody moves unless you want another hole in you.” Cassius shouted.

  Ashland turned toward Cassius. “I need to help him.”

  Without waiting for a response, Ashland spun about and slid onto the floor beside Brock. She put one hand on the hilt of the dagger and the other on his forehead. She looked up at Parker, who stood nearby.

  “Put pressure on the hole when I draw the knife. If he loses too much blood, I can’t save him.”