“In extreme times. This is not an extreme—”
“You would be wrong, Emissary Strahd. I was invited by the council to come and speak to them about something very dire indeed.”
“I would have to check with—”
The Duke pulled out a small parchment with a seal at the bottom. Before Pieter even read the parchment, he saw the seal and realized it was the seal of the Embassy itself. He even touched it with a trace of his own Void and felt the safety protocols of the seal react to him. It glowed for a moment when Pieter took the parchment. He looked it over, then at the Duke.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh can’t I?” Harkness asked, his face unreadable.
“You are here to discuss what happened at the Thalis Manor. I don’t remember you being there. I don't even know what house you belong to.”
Harkness gave him a dry chuckle. “My dear Emissary, I am from no house. I was raised just today.”
“There is no House Harkness in the registry.”
Harkness raised a gloved finger. “You are wrong, over two hundred years ago there was one. My family has waited some time for the other houses to slip. And, it is unfortunate that it happened in such a way. But—”
“Who raised your house?” Pieter asked, skeptical of this supposed duke.
“Why, the scion of the Thalis family himself. Baden Joy Thalis.”
Pieter shook his head. “He’s five. You mean an advisor—”
“Baden’s seal is on the documents, if you must know. I hear he likes to stamp things. And, as for the tone you are taking, I don't like it very much.”
Pieter stared at the man. The railcar seats were hard and stiff with only a thin cushion under him. It was enough he couldn’t get very comfortable, which was by design of the Embassy. He wanted to try and relax for a few moments, and with Harkness here, there was no way for that to happen. He let out a sigh and waved his hands. “I am sorry for how I treated you, Duke Harkness.”
“You are forgiven, Emissary Strahd.”
The two traveled together in silence for the rest of the trip to the Embassy. Pieter looked out as they arrived, and was pleased to see at least two familiar forms at the arrival stand, Seven and Nine. He had wondered what had happened to them since he had left Europa. He felt bad for leaving them, yet Tellish and Samuel hadn’t given him much of a choice.
He stood, as did the duke. Three silent Emissaries in their long black cloaks and black clothes waited. When Pieter stood, he saw each of them grip the hilts, yet did nothing else. He could tell that they were Cerberi from the red badge of a three-headed dog on their cloaks. Pieter moved to the side, so the duke could leave first. Harkness didn’t even try and let the Emissary go first. He smiled and left the rail car with a sigh and groan.
“I am glad to be out of the tiny cramped car. And, who are you three?”
Pieter was coming out when he saw the faces of emissaries. They gave him a hard look and then turned to the duke. “Duke Harkness, please, follow us. We are your escorts, and will show you to the council chamber.”
Pieter tried to ask one of the them, Kyrs, what was going on. Yet the younger Emissary turned from him with a snap of her shoulders and walked behind Duke Harkness as part of his group. Pieter watched the four leave the platform, more confused than before. “What is going on here?” he asked Seven, who waited for him.
“Do not understand, sir,” Seven said.
“Sir, we were worried about you. Why did you leave us on Europa?” Nine asked.
“I had to leave rather quickly. I am sorry I couldn't send for you both. How did you get to the Embassy?”
“Emissary Tellish and Healer Emissary Samuel brought us,” Seven said, moving a little to one side to flank Pieter as he walked down the steps of the railcar platform.
“Why would they bring you?” he asked.
He sensed something was strange about his two steamjacks. He turned to speak when Nine grabbed at his shoulder, while Seven reached for his witchwood sword. Nine clamped on hard to Pieter’s shoulder, and before he could do anything, Seven had his sword and brought out a pair of manacles.
“What is the meaning of this?” Pieter shouted.
“Sorry, Sir. But we are under orders from the Embassy to take you into custody as soon as you step on the floor of the Embassy,” Seven said. Pieter heard something melancholy in Seven’s voice.
Pieter jerked back from Nine, who said, “Sir, please. Sir Pieter, please, we don’t want to hurt you.”
Pieter held up a hand. “Wait one moment. I haven’t stepped onto the floor of the Embassy.” He looked down and he still had one step before the actual floor of the Embassy’s welcoming sector.
“True,” the twin steamjacks said in unison. “But, as soon as you do—”
“I understand, but until then, I am not under arrest. Correct?”
“Yes sir,” Nine said before Seven could.
“Good, in that case could I have my sword back? And could you bring me Master Saheed?” Nine started to move away when Pieter added, “And a meat pie, I am starving.”
“Yes Sir,” Nine said.
Pieter turned to look at Seven. “Why aren’t you following your brother? Don’t you always—”
“Nine and I swore thta when we returned to you, we wouldn’t leave you alone. Regardless of what you say,” Seven said. “So, one of us will always be with you.”
“Ahh,” Pieter said, regretting his words to send Nine off. If Seven doesn’t leave, it won’t work. He shook off the sudden turn of events are started to think of something to do to get out of this. He needed to get to the council chamber and find out what Duke Harkness was going to say about the slaughter of the Houses at Thalis. He stroked his chin a few ties, looking at Seven.
“Yes sir?” Seven asked, looking at Pieter with the creepy serene faceplate.
“I don't think my legs can carry me much farther. Could you lift me up and take me to the council chamber, please?”
“That would mean I would arrest you.”
“How? I am not touching the floor. I am riding in your arms. I promise, once it is over, I will step onto the floor and you may follow through with your duty and arrest me.”
Seven stuck out his arms, helping Pieter lie upon them. He settled in for a small journey to the council chamber.
“What of Nine, and your meat pie?”
“He will have to come down the same hallway we will be crossing. If we run into him, I will get it from him,” Pieter said with a smile.
“Yes sir. You are a very clever human,” Seven said with a small nod.
“Thank you Seven, that means a lot, coming from you.”
“Welcome, Sir Pieter.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Kyp looked around the halls of the Embassy, unsure of where to go. He saw several boys and girls his age, some younger and some older, all dressed in a white cloak of some kind with street clothes underneath. He felt out of place without one of them. Everyone in the railcar had one. The only thing that helped him was when Pieter dropped him off personally. Some wore half-cloaks, a handful had bands of black along the hem of their cloaks that denoted some rank, Kyp was sure.
He knew that this was the only place for him. Flynn had simply left when Benny landed in the special dock for the Ilvan. When Kyp tried to talk to him, the linesman shrugged his shoudlers, “Maybe it is best we don’t see each other again.”
And with a shrug, he turned and walked away. The last of his family gone. Kyp clenched his fists. This is not the place for that. You are with your new family. Take solace in that. Though, he didn’t even believe his own words.
He held the letter of introduction tightly. It had been seen by the very tall, lanky Martian. He wasn’t sure if it was male or female, since it was always hard to tell, when the hopefuls arrived. “Wait there,” the Martian had said in a high chirping voice. The Martian had directed him to a large open courtyard. As he left, the Martian added, “The Master of Novices will se
e you soon.”
He looked up and up at the massive buildings of the Embassy. Each one was crafted with stone blocks of basalt, onyx, and jet. The massive building of the Embassy proper rose thousands of feet into the air of Io. The courtyard he was in had white and black checkerboard patterns below his feet. In the exact center of the courtyard was a massive pool of some kind. There was no fountain, just a pool of water where dozens of hopefuls and others sat motionless, a few others chatted amongst themselves. Many of them gave Kyp a wide berth. Kyp moved a little closer to the pool and wondered what those at the pool were doing. He thought it had something to do with contemplation, since that was what Pieter often spoke of; breathing and closing his eyes. Yet, he knew there had to be more to it than that. When he had pressed Pieter for more, the Emissary said, “You must learn to crawl before you run.”
A voice broke Kyp from his thoughts. “And who are you?” a youth, about Kyp’s age asked, striding towards Kyp with the grace of a lion. The youth carried himself like a noble, his clothes tailored and pressed. At his hip was a witchwood sword and wore a black band around the hem of his half-cloak that hung off his left arm. The silk cape flowed off his shoulder when he stepped up to look at Kyp, a sneer on his face.
“Kyp.”
“Kyp what? What house? Where are you from? You must have a last name of some kind.” The youth twisted his sneer into a mocking smile.
“Just Kyp.”
The youth glared at Kyp, a smirk on his face. “What kind of commoner has no last name?” he asked.
Kyp felt his teeth grind in his jaw. “Just because I’m not some jumped-up noble, doesn’t mean I don't deserve to be here,” Kyp said.
“Oh, you want to prove you are as good as the nobles?”
“Percy, what are you—”
The girl that spoke was cut off by a hand gesture from Percy. He took out his witchwood sword and stabbed it into the stone floor. It struck hard, and stood up quivering slightly. “Hilda, silence. This little turd thinks he can walk into the Embassy with no name, no title, no Emissary to sponsor him, and thinks he can do what he wants?”
“I have a sponsor,” Kyp said, holding up the letter.
“Who?”
“Emissary Pieter Strahd.”
Percy let out a long laugh. “If that is your sponsor, then I don't even need to dirty my hands. He is going to be served. And you will be tossed out on your pathetic ass.”
Kyp saw red, lunging at Percy before the other youth could move. Kyp struck him hard in a bull rush that brought down the stunned youth. Percy tried to scream, yet Kyp’s hand was up and slamming down into Percy’s face three times before anything could be done. Then, Percy jerked out a hand and Kyp felt something grab him by the neck and jerk him backwards hard. Like when the Emissary Tellish tried to pull him away from Pieter.
Percy stood up, wiping blood that trickled from his mouth. One eye was already swelling shut from Kyp’s blows. “You think you can touch me! You are a worthless commoner, touching a noble, tenth in the line to the Emperor! You will pay for that!”
Percy jerked his hand back and his sword flew to his hand. He brought it down on a stunned Kyp. Kyp closed his eyes, thinking he was going to die.
He then heard the clash of wood on wood. He opened his eyes and another witchwood sword held Percy’s blade. The blade holding the noble’s away from Kyp by a foot was the color of polished bone. It looked old. Kyp looked up to see it wasn’t a blade at all, but a staff, held in the hands of an old stooped man, beard of white with streaks of black, hair having similar streaks of black in mostly-white hair that hung past his shoulders.
“What is the meaning of this?” the old man asked Percy.
Percy looked at the old man with fear. He dropped his sword and went to one knee, as had everyone else in the courtyard. “Master Tenzen, I… I didn’t—”
Before he could finish speaking, Tenzen brought the staff up, clipping Percy in the jaw. It sent the young noble reeling onto his back. A small spray of blood followed.
“You are too angry, Percy. You let your Rift unfold when you struck out at this boy.”
“He did as well. You can even see the—”
Tenzen brought the staff down an inch from Percy’s foot. “He is untrained and untested. You are an Accepted, one who has had the Test. Your Rift should be banished.”
Percy flinched as if struck by Tenzen’s words. “Yes Master Tenzen.” He moved away.
Tenzen looked around at the young and old hopefuls. None of them made eye contact, some even kept their heads bowed. “Let this be a lesson to you all. Rank and birth status does not matter in the Embassy.” His voice was in Kyp’s head. It didn’t boom, yet he was sure everyone in the courtyard could hear him.
“Yes Master Tenzen,” everyone said in unison around Kyp and the old man.
“This is a good teaching lesson. Accepted Percy, you will see the Master-at-Arms, and will be demoted for a week.”
Kyp saw Percy physically flinch at the announcement. His voice quavered as he said, “Yes, Master Tenzen.”
“The rest of you, about your duties.”
The rest of the people scurried away like rats out of a lit room. Moments later, Kyp and Tenzen were the only ones in the courtyard. Kyp stood up and bowed to the old man. “Thank you, Master Tenzen. I don’t—”
Tenzen smiled at Kyp. “Do not thank me, Kyp. Your own journey is going to be far worse since I intervened.”
Kyp looked up, puzzled, “How so, sir?”
“I have bloodied the nose of a young scion of the noble house of the Emperor. There will be actions and counter actions. You will be at the center of many such problems for the foreseeable future.”
“How do you—”
Tenzen tapped the smaller sigil under that of the Embassy’s black orb outlined in red. Of an eye with a yellow burst of light backing it. “I have seen such things. That is how I knew you would be in trouble, and how I know you must come with me,” Tenzen said, moving to one of the four paths that led out of the courtyard. He didn’t choose the North or South path, which led to and away from the Embassy. Instead he chose one of the side paths, that led to the East.
“Where are we going”
“To reunite you with Pieter.”
“You know where he is?”
“I know where he will be,” Tenzen said, moving a bit faster.
“Master?”
“Yes, Kyp?” Tenzen asked, still walking with speed.
“Why are we leaving the Embassy?”
“He is going to be on the run, and I must get you to where he can meet you.”
Kyp looked at the old man. “What do you mean?”
“Ah youth, it is wasted on the young.” Tenzen said, stroking his beard. “Kyp, I can’t answer all of your questions. Now or ever. You must either trust me and follow me. Or do not trust me and go back to waiting for Pieter in the Embassy Grand Courtyard. Know that if you do, your life will be forfeit.”
Kyp didn’t have to think about it. Even as he walked away from the hall, he saw Percy staring at him, along with two boys that looked five years older than Percy who stood behind him, nodding as he spoke, glaring at Kyp. “I’ll follow you, Master.”
“Good boy.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Seven carried Pieter along the hallway, keeping to one side so as to not be seen by many of the Emissaries. It wasn’t the best plan, yet it was the only one he had that had a chance of working at all. They came to a cross hall, and he told Seven to duck down that way.
“But this is not the way to see Nine and the Council. You said we were—”
“Seven, please, listen to me.”
Seven leaned in close. “Yes sir?”
Pieter reached up behind the large steamjack’s neck to the three buttons. “I am sorry, friend.” He hit the three buttons all at once, causing the steamjack to power down. The light sound of the whirring core in his chest stopped and Pieter was dumped to the ground.
He was ready
for it, landed on his feet, and continued down the corridor, keeping an eye open and keeping himself from using the Void. He could sense many others in the Embassy who were using it, and he could tell more than a handful of Hunters were in the Embassy, which was unusual. So many of his own caste here, he thought there had to be something going on. A severing? The idea caused him to feel nausea. To be severed from the Void was something worse than death, according to those who survived the procedure. Though he himself had witnessed three people be severed. Only one chose to live. He shuddered knowing that he had killed the other two, even though it wasn’t his hand that had done it. Pieter found it odd to think it was such a horrible fate, since that was part of his job, to hunt down those whose Rift had grown to overtake them and sever them from the use of the Void.
He pushed off the thought and continued down the empty hallway. Something about his movements made him uneasy. This was too easy. There should have been more security, especially for a visitor to be brought in and allowed to speak on the floor of the Council.
“You are right, Pieter, it is too easy,” Tellish said from behind him.
Pieter whirled around, his sword coming up. He reached for the Void, and there was nothing. He cursed himself when he saw three other Hunters and another Cerberi. All of them friends of his. Makka, the Cerberi, moved forward, her slim rapier-like blade in one hand.
“Do not do anything foolish, Pieter. Come along quietly,” she whispered in her harsh, garbled way. The slash across her throat caused the harsh voice. A cut that had been meant for Pieter.
Pieter looked at his one-time friend. He slammed his mind against the shield trying to reach the Void again and again, each time rebuffed by the shield of his fellow Emissaries.
“You have lost, Rifter,” Tellish said. The smile on his face was wicked and cruel.
He wants me to fight him, Pieter realized. He took a deep breath, then knelt and offered his blade to Makka. She plucked it from his grip, and he felt his arms bound by the Void. The other Hunters moved to flank him on all four sides, the shield maintained to keep him from even touching the Void.
Void Emissary: The Book of the Void Part 1 Page 9