Sapphire Ambition (Runics Book 2)

by Jeff Kish

  Era swallows hard. He can already piece the rest together, but he waits in silent anticipation for Fire to finish.

  “She didn’t deserve it,” Fire cries. “Hallie… she didn’t deserve it.” She grabs the sides of her head, fighting back tears. “When we interfered, Tema poisoned us and left us for dead. I lost consciousness for half a day while my body fought off the toxins. When I finally awoke, Hallie… her body was cold. She was gone.”

  Chapter 27

  Era listens intently as Fire’s voice fades. “Hallie was…?”

  “Killed in cold blood by Tema,” Fire whispers, her head buried in her knees as she grips the bandanna on her arm. “Before she poisoned us, I-I had a chance to kill her. Why did I leave her alive? Why…?”

  Era watches in pain as Fire caresses the scrap of cloth. “So that bandanna is…?”

  “Hallie’s. She gave it to me the day I met her.”

  “So what did you do next?”

  “I buried my friend,” she replies, “and I vowed on her grave to avenge her death. Tema left the mayor’s dead body behind, so I dragged it to the guild post and claimed it for myself. That earned me the cred I needed to get started.”

  “Started with what?”

  She meets him with moist eyes. “You’ve been dying to know how I got into assassination, right?”

  “O-Oh yeah…” Era says, suddenly regretting how much he’s pushed the issue.

  “I did it to gain experience and earn money as quickly as possible,” she explains, wiping her eyes. “I spent the better part of a year tracking down Tema’s identity. Spent major coin on that alone. I was finally ready to pool money to cross the border, which is what led me to hunting you and the brat. You were supposed to be my ticket across the border.”

  Era has no idea what else to say, or if he should even say anything. He watches his mourning friend in disbelief that she would have such a painful past. Suddenly overcome with guilt, he berates himself for how hard he’s been on her.

  “And now it’s clear why I survived her poison. It was supposed to kill me, but…” Soberly, she declares, “I’m a runic. That has to be why Hallie died and I didn’t.”

  “When you poisoned me, I recovered quickly,” Era notes. “In hindsight, maybe that’s why.”

  “Tema induced me with an immobilizing venom while they transported me across the border, so it seems she’s still into that particular hobby.” Fire’s face twists into a menacing scowl. “My dream was to kill her with a poison, so she could know the same last moments of despair that Hallie experienced.”

  Era offers an awkward chuckle. “That’s quite a level of obsession.”

  “If that Allerian menace had killed Jem,” Fire says in a low voice, “Athena… If she killed the ice queen back in that cavern, what would you have done?”

  He doesn’t need long to decide the answer. “I’d hunt her down. Even if I can’t hurt her directly, I’d have made her pay, one way or another.”

  “Not so different, are we?” she asks with satisfaction.

  “So Hallie is who you cried out about?” he realizes. “Back in the caverns?”

  “Yes, but that’s no longer a concern,” she says. “Tema is living proof that Hallie existed, and she’ll pay for taking Hallie’s life. I will kill her or die trying.”

  He grimaces. “But would Hallie-”

  “Don’t you dare ask if Hallie would want that,” she barks. “I’m not doing it for Hallie. Hallie’s dead! I’m doing it to avenge a fallen friend, and to cause pain to the one who caused me pain. Those are my reasons, and if you have a problem with that, then that’s your problem.”

  Wondering about this, he says, “Unlike Hallie, the Dark Cloak never existed. That no one has the right to take a life… The advice seems like a fantasy, given all we’ve seen.”

  The declaration alarms Fire, much to her own surprise. “You’re abandoning his big rule?”

  “No, but, I mean…” he starts, but he doesn’t know how to finish. He finds himself unable to cross that hurdle, to admit that his guiding creed could be errant. “I don’t know, yet. I think that’s part of me, but it’s hard to know what’s me and what’s not.”

  Fire glances to his arm and observes, “You’re bound. To the ice queen?”

  “Maybe?” he asks. “I activated my ancient thingy, but Jem wouldn’t take it.”

  Her brow furrows. “Come again?”

  “I’m not bound to Jem,” he explains, “but I’m… unlocked. Or powered up. Seems like I’m the same as Di, except no one is giving me orders.”

  She cracks a grin while processing the information. “Like the brat, huh? You know, I actually ran into her on my way here.”

  “You did!?”

  “When Tema’s toxin wore off, I awoke to find that Commander negotiating with her.” Pausing, she carefully adds, “She was different somehow. She seemed intent on retrieving me for the general.”

  “No doubt under his command,” he says.

  “No. She wasn’t under a command, as best I could tell.” Shrugging it off, she says, “Well, do what you want with the information. Last I saw, she was fighting off a couple Allerian runics.”

  His jaw drops. “The Allerians invaded?”

  “Didn’t look like an army to me,” Fire says. “In fact, I’m pretty sure it was just two of them. Just how many runics are there, anyway?”

  “Jem and I have seen indications there are twelve of us. Maybe half in each nation?”

  “I suppose it’s irrelevant. What matters is…” She stands and brushes off the mud and dirt. “My sight is better. Take me to the binding chamber.”

  The subject change catches Era by surprise. “Why are you going there?”

  “To do the same thing you did. I’m going to activate my ancient thingy, and I’m going to go after Tema. And this time I’m going to kill her.”

  “But what about Di? You said she was fighting Allerian runics! Did she beat them?”

  “I was shoved into a sky boat before it was concluded,” she informs him. “Win or lose, that fight’s long over by now.”

  He finds himself sickened. In his mind, Di has been awaiting him from the comfort of the military barracks. To think that she may already be thrust into combat is a dizzying prospect, and he finds his sense of urgency renewed. “We need to move. It looks like the commander guy never came up for air. Do you think he’s…?”

  “He’s been underwater for fifteen minutes. No bubbles and nowhere to hide. Yes, I think he’s dead. And yes, that makes me extremely happy.”

  Era frowns. “I didn’t ask how you felt about it, but… I guess I’m glad, too. That he didn’t bind you.”

  Fire pauses before, reluctantly, saying, “Thank you. For saving me from that fate.”

  The words of gratitude are the first Era has ever heard her lips utter, and he isn’t sure how to respond. “Y-You’re welcome.”

  “So which way is it?” she asks, heading back to the island.

  He gathers his bearings and points over his shoulder. “Back behind that tree line.”

  She looks at their tag-along ally and asks, “Any chance we can leave the royal pain behind? Seeing as you’re questioning your morals and all.”

  “Eh, the guy doesn’t deserve that,” he says. “We should bring him along.”

  “Figures,” she mutters as she heads back to where their prisoners are still sprawled on the ground.

  “They give you any trouble?” Era asks as he approaches.

  “Fortunately not,” Ospif says, poking one with his sword. “They’ve barely stirred.”

  “Good. When they wake up, we’ll be long gone,” Era says.

  “Long gone?” Ospif repeats. “Do you know how to fly a sky boat?”

  “We’re not taking that. We’re headed back to the train I mentioned. It’s in an underground chamber.”

  “And where is that?”

  “This way,” he says, placing a bare foot at the water’s edge and forming a land brid
ge that rises from the depths, this one extending many times longer than the first.

  “We’re to walk past the horizon on that?” he gripes, eyeing the muddy surface and questioning its solidity.

  “If you’re worried then do us all a favor and stay here,” Fire grunts as she steps onto the bridge.

  “But how far are we headed?” he calls. “You can’t possibly form a bridge like that for long.”

  “I’m good for that challenge,” Era says as he works to maintain the path even as he walks along it.

  Fire notices him wipe his brow. “Takes a lot out of you, huh?”

  “Seems to,” he affirms. “Still getting used to it, I guess.”

  Ospif hurries after, still in disbelief of the display he witnessed. “Just what kind of monsters are you? Are you ready to fill me in?”

  “Sure, this will be fun,” Era says. “Fire, Di, and I aren’t human. We’re runes made a long time ago in the Third Kingdom. Our memories are fake, and we’re amazing at shaping and making. The military wants to turn us into soldiers and force us to fight the Allerians, who seem to have their own runics.”

  Ospif grabs his head as he attempts to process it all. “Wait a minute. You can’t be serious about any of that, can you?”

  “Di cut off my arm and it exploded into all the elements,” Era says. “I’m pretty sure it’s all true.”

  “Di did that? B-But you’re clearly as human as I am!” he exclaims. “This is utter nonsense. Did you forget that I am an educated elite, trained by experts of Third Kingdom relics? If such a thing existed, I would know about it.”

  In annoyance, Fire yanks a hair from her head and shoves it in his mouth. “Blech!” he yelps, furiously digging the hair from his mouth. “Why in the name of civilized behavior would you stuff a- YEOWCH!” he shrieks.

  Era snickers at Fire’s demonstration. “Also, our hair turns into our respective elements. I think that about covers it.”

  “Let’s get this over with,” Fire says, heading toward the chamber. “I’m not wasting another minute on this clod.”

  “Clod!?” he shouts, rubbing his tongue furiously as he chases after them. “H-H-How is this possible? How are you runes?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” Era says as they stroll, allowing the trail to crumble behind them as they advance.

  “So this chamber to which we’re destined… What exactly is it?”

  “An abandoned underground facility, complete with an underground trainyard and underground train tracks. I can’t tell if it’s where we were made or not, but it has our binding chambers.”

  “And what, pray tell, is a binding chamber?”

  “Don’t tell him,” Fire warns.

  “Yeah… might be safest not to explain it all,” Era admits. “I think I’ve already said too much.”

  “You’ve said hardly anything!” Ospif complains. “Why must I constantly be kept in the dark whilst being jerked around by you awful lot?”

  “Should’ve left him behind,” Fire says, glancing back at Era.

  He smiles, content to have Ospif along if only to have bewildered his academic mind for once. Confusing academic elites brings with it an oddly satisfying emotion.

  * * *

  “Stand up, Diamond!”

  Di’s eyes instantly open, and she leaps to her feet, nearly shoving Graff backward in the process. She looks around in bewilderment, finding herself standing on the stone floor in the headquarters entryway. The commanders are standing behind the general, and Opal is next to her. “The barracks…?”

  Galen is stunned by the display. “You can even restore consciousness with a command?”

  The general isn’t convinced. “No, something was amiss here. Diamond, I command you to tell me what you were doing.”

  “I was fighting enemy runic combatants,” she replies.

  “No, what were you doing just now?”

  She struggles with the question. “I was… asleep?” She grabs her head and tries to remember. “I’m not sure, but I feel refreshed. Better than I have in days.”

  “Because you slept for twenty hours,” Opal grumbles.

  Di forms a sarcastic smile. “Aw, were you worried about- Wait, twenty hours?”

  “Yeah! You napped for a full day!” Opal scoffs.

  “It was no nap,” someone calls out from the doorway.

  The familiar voice prompts a shiver to run down the general’s spine. “ARES?” he cries, facing the intruder. “You dare to show yourself after all these weeks?”

  “I dare?” he asks in confusion. “General, I feel you’re mistaken about my intentions. I have been seeking-”

  “Tell me what this was,” he barks. “Do these things just shut down after expending their energy?”

  “Depends on the situation,” he replies. “If properly cared for, a runic’s energy will never run dry.”

  Opal raises a hand. “Yeah, I didn’t shut down.”

  Ares slams his fist into his palm. “Ah ha, so it was only Diamond’s source of energy that was disrupted.”

  Di’s eyes widen. “My source of energy?”

  Ares offers a cocky grin. “Commands.”

  “Commands?” she asks. “Commands are my… energy source?”

  “It’s the rule of threes,” he replies, holding up three fingers. “Surely by now you know that a command can only last for three days at most?”

  “Of course,” Graff lies.

  “But what you have failed to grasp is that every command also serves to reopen a runic’s energy conduit,” he explains. “After your last command expires, the conduit remains open for three days. Once it closes, a runic’s energy regeneration will be no greater than that of a human being.” Looking to Di, he asks, “When was the last time you received a command?”

  Her eyes narrow as she thinks back. “I think… when we captured the commander. Last week.”

  “A runic can last on its reserves for quite some time,” he says. “However, an intense battle would certainly drain those reserves. When the energy is gone, a runic will collapse until its vast energy reserves are restored, such as when a command is received.”

  Angry, Graff barks, “Why didn’t you tell us that from the beginning?”

  He pauses for effect before answering. “Well, you didn’t ask.”

  “I’ve had it with you, Ares,” Graff bellows. “You’re going to rot in my dungeon until you beg for death.”

  Ares loses his sense of amusement. “My, my, General. To think I was trying to help you. I even brought news to share, but, if you’re going to be like that, I suppose I’ll keep it to myself.”

  “Then I’ll torture it out of you. Diamond! Opal!” he commands. “Escort him to the cells below ground.”

  They march to Ares’ side, and Di forms a blade. “Move it.”

  He sighs and shakes his head. “I’ve thought about it, but… no. I already sat in your cell once, General. I’m not interested in doing it again.”

  “Irreverent to the end,” the general sneers. “Diamond, incapacitate this annoyance and drag his body down the stairs. Make it painful.”

  Di reshapes her blade into a club and brings it down over Ares’ head, but the weapon abruptly stops short. Puzzled, she swings at him from a different angle, but her trajectory is again blocked by the unexplainable force. She looks to her conductor in confusion.

  “What the blazes?” he cries in alarm. “Opal, electrocute him!”

  Opal charges his hand but can’t make contact, and he can’t seem to discharge with his target nearby.

  “That wasn’t kind, General,” Ares says. “Turning the very weapons I gave you against me?”

  Graff is unable to hide his bewilderment. “Just how are you…? What is going on, here!?”

  “There is little point in explaining,” he says as he steps toward the door. “I’ve grown bored of you. I’m afraid you won’t see me again.”

  “Galen! Marmela!” Graff barks, and the two injured commanders charge the
informant. In an instant, Ares extends a hand and blasts them away with powerful jets of air.

  He looks to Graff and asks, “Would you care to spar, General? I’m game if you are.” Graff clenches his teeth, but he doesn’t make a move. Ares snickers, “You’ll send your runics, you’ll send your commanders, but you won’t try yourself? Most disappointing.” He offers a wave and says, “Good luck surviving the coming bloodbath, General. I’ll be watching to see how you fare.” With that, he closes the barracks doors behind himself.

  Galen slowly gets to his feet, cringing as he deals with his bandaged leg. “Sir! Should we pursue him?”

  Graff stomps the floor in frustration, knowing there is no point in that exercise. “He played us,” he mutters. “Explain yourself, Diamond! What just happened?”

  “I-I don’t know! I couldn’t hit him,” she answers. “My body acted on its own. Like when I tried striking you at Grasis.”

  “Conductor immunity?” he wonders, his hand to his chin. “Could he possibly have power over you as well? If so, then why not use it?”

  “The villain is no pushover,” Galen says, rubbing the back of his head. “I’ve not felt anything like that from an air maker.”

  Marmela nods her agreement. “The force was even greater than… than Thayo’s.”

  “Thayo,” Graff grunts through clenched teeth. “As if I needed a reminder of that dismal failure of an operation.” Turning to Marmela, he says, “Commander, I expect you to reorganize your troop with haste. Needless to say, we have many holes to fill in the squads under your direction.”

  Galen is appalled by the general’s callous remark, but Marmela quietly salutes and leaves.

  “The rest of you,” he calmly but forcefully adds, “will meet in my office in two hours for a strategy meeting. Alleria could retaliate at any moment, and it is becoming increasingly evident that we are not prepared.” He marches back into the halls of the barracks, leaving the trio with nothing more than those chilling words.

  * * *

  Era allows the last of his bridge to crumble as they arrive at the island, and he squats to take a breather.