When she said nothing, Jan continued. “The Lythrillian faith teaches that Lyth’s people weren’t the first to live in Lythril. There was another race, people with darker complexions and customs and beliefs that differed from the teachings of Lyth.”
“My people,” she interjected. “The Followers of Lyth thought them to be no more than savages who worshipped a pagan goddess. We were driven from the Mainland, forced to retreat to the homeland of our Ancient ancestors.”
“It was a tragic misunderstanding,” Jan said, sadness creeping into her voice.
Black Talon’s eyes flashed fiercely. “Do you truly believe that? It was your ancestors that drove the clans from the Mainland. Your ancestors slaughtered many innocents in their crusade to purge the heretics from their newly conquered lands.”
Jan allowed the slightest of smiles at the irony in the Black Talon’s words. “Actually my ancestors probably only provided the horses used in the crusade. My family’s holdings are located in Rider’s Vale, too far from the frontlines to take part in the action. As for your earlier question, the answer is yes. I believe with every fiber of my being that the Followers of Lyth made a grave mistake in persecuting and exiling the Astraeyu Nouvin clans living on the continent.”
“That makes you the only one,” the Black Talon said. “One Mainlander among hundreds of thousands.”
“Believe me, if it were up to me I would do everything in my power to set things right. I would like nothing more than to see Astraeyu Nouvins treated as citizens of Lythril, to be allowed continued practice of their faith without fear of reprimand.” Jan tracked the Black Talon as she paced slowly to and fro. Only a low table separated the two of them, but Jan felt as though that polished piece of wood contained the scope and vastness of the Harrowing Sea. “I’m not so naïve as to believe that my ideals can be obtained overnight. Too many centuries of discrimination and conflict exist between our peoples, but I’m willing to take that first step, to open my mind and try to bridge the gap. I’m willing to trust you if it will benefit both our lands. Are you willing to trust me?”
The Black Talon paused in her pacing. Her back still to Jan, she said, “There are too many factors involved, too much at stake to cast aside assistance given so freely.” She turned, golden eyes fastening onto Jan. “Very well, Grand Arbiter, I will place my trust in you, for now, at least. Time will tell if you’re truly sincere in your words, or if you merely seek a means to an end. At any rate, as long I’m allowed to hunt the Coruscalli, this Astraeyu’s Talon will be your sword.”
Jan felt like she was shrinking into the sofa as the taller woman towered over her. Mentally reprimanding herself, she sat up straight. Now that she’d managed to convince the Black Talon that she was not holding her prisoner simply because of her heritage or because she wanted to obtain vital secrets of Astraeyu Nouvin government, it was time to get down to business.
“The Coruscalli,” Jan began, “you mentioned that the cult is after some power of the Ancients, something left behind by your ancestors.”
“The Firebringer,” the Black Talon said, taking a seat in the chair across from Jan. As she settled back against the high-backed chair, her gaze became introspective. “There exists among my people a prophecy, a prophecy that outlines the cataclysmic events that herald the dawning of a new era. The Prophecy of Fire, it is called.”
“But what is this Firebringer you mentioned?” Jan asked.
The Black Talon was silent for a moment before continuing. “No one knows for certain. Some claim that it is merely the name for the new era, for it is believed to be a time of fire and chaos. Others speculate that it is the name given to one of the mountains of Astraeyu Nouvi by the Ancients. The volcanic region is home to many such superstitions. Another theory is that the Firebringer is a device created by the Ancients.”
“A device?” Jan asked. “Is the Firebringer some sort of weapon?”
The Black Talon chuckled mirthlessly. “The Coruscalli appear to think so, otherwise they wouldn’t risk so much time in order to obtain more knowledge of the Ancients. If the Coruscalli’s theory is true, the Firebringer is a weapon like no other.”
Jan sat in thoughtful silence as she watched the flickering flame of the candle lantern cast menacing shadows on the walls. A weapon developed by the mysterious Ancients could prove devastating if it fell into the wrong hands.
“What does the Coruscalli hope to gain by finding the Firebringer?” she asked. A sudden breeze wafted through the room, extinguishing the candle flame. Jan gasped as the sputtering light went out and the room was cast into darkness. Not even the moonlight filtered in through the window now, for the sky had grown cloudy since Jan arrived.
The only light in the room was the two vivid points of illumination across from Jan, the fiery eyes of the Black Talon that were eerily aglow in the dark. Like an animal’s eyes.
“Who can say for certain?” the Black Talon replied, rather evasively now that Jan could no longer see her face. “Perhaps they wish to acquire such a weapon in order to conquer the world and assert their cult’s beliefs as the one true faith of Lythril. That’s what usually motivates these types of fanatics, is it not? Power and religion.” Her words came out clipped and terse, her accent making it difficult for Jan to understand her. “Whatever the Coruscalli’s intentions, rumors of the Firebringer have been enough for the cult to conduct its secret business in the Labyrinthine Archipelago for many years. The Eyes of Astraeyu’s Will have been tasked with keeping watch over the Coruscalli’s actions. The Talons are called upon when more drastic measures need to be taken, just as this business in Sonastra.”
The clouds passed from in front of the moon, and for a moment the room was illuminated in a ghostly blue light. Jan considered carefully what the Black Talon had told her. Astraeyu’s Will was the central structure of Astraeyu Nouvin government, the foundation on which the island nation’s beliefs and values were built. Astraeyu’s Heart was the center of command, the Eyes acted as spies for the Heart, and the Talons were the sword of Astraeyu. Jan had not expected the Black Talon to speak of these details willingly. No Astraeyu Nouvin would reveal lightly the role its government played in the overseeing of foreign affairs, especially not an Astraeyu’s Talon.
Jan swallowed hard before hazarding the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since she first met the Black Talon. “Are the Talons assassins?”
“No more than the Arbiters are assassins. We keep the peace. Sometimes that requires making unpleasant decisions and dealing with the situation as we see fit.” Another bank of clouds drifted over the moon as the Black Talon spoke. “This is also true of the Arbiters, yes? It is your duty to make the difficult choices, the ones ordinary citizens aren’t trained to handle.”
The truth in the Black Talon’s words struck Jan. For a moment the weight of her burden was too much to bear. It was hard to breathe as she thought of the overwhelming responsibility that had been thrust upon her with the title of Grand Arbiter.
“That is true,” Jan said, reclaiming her voice at last. The Black Talon succeeded in pointing out just how difficult Jan’s new role would be, and it left her feeling drained of energy. Jan had no more questions, at least not for now. “Thank you for your cooperation. That will be all for now. If I require your assistance in the future, I’ll return.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” A trace of sarcasm could be heard in the Black Talon’s voice. Obviously she still believed she was a prisoner in Seawatch Tower, and Jan didn’t blame her. The Arbiters had given her no reason to believe otherwise. It was for her own safety that Jan isolated the Black Talon in the tower room, but Jan couldn’t bring herself to explain how the Tiruvali feared and mistrusted her simply because she was an Astraeyu Nouvin. Now was not the time to broach such a subject, not when Jan had so recently acquired the Black Talon’s willing cooperation.
All that Jan recently learned kept playing over in her mind as she stumbled toward the door through
the dark and summoned the Arbiters standing guard to let her out.
“THIS IS A most unusual development,” Rhys said. He rubbed at the stubble on his chin as he paced the floor in Jan’s office.
Jan also summoned Beatrix, her other most trusted advisor and friend since long before she became Grand Arbiter. Unlike Rhys, Beatrix was more relaxed, lounging in a chair in front of the grand desk like a contented feline. Here, among friends, she removed the concealing cloak revealing the elegant form of her magically altered body. Her sleeveless tunic showed the short, fine hair that covered her arms. Darker rosettes stood out against the tawny fur.
What surprised everyone when first meeting Beatrix—and apparently this was also true for Rhys—was the tail. A long tail with black rings and a tufted tip curled elegantly, a tail that, from its twitching, betrayed Beatrix’s outwardly calm demeanor. Clearly, Beatrix was every bit as rattled as Rhys that the Coruscalli had existed in secrecy for so long. She was simply more adept at masking her emotions.
“The Labyrinthine Archipelago,” Rhys stated. He paused midstride and turned to face Jan where she sat behind her desk, her fingers forming a steeple in front of her. “Could the cult’s base of operations be located somewhere within the uncharted islands?”
“The Black Talon did say Astraeyu Nouvi has had numerous dealings with the Coruscalli in the past, incursions of territory, attempts by the cult to infiltrate Astraeyu Nouvi’s sacred sites, that sort of thing. It would make sense if the Coruscalli was operating from one of the islands nearby.” Jan considered the Labyrinthine Archipelago’s proximity to Astraeyu Nouvi as she leaned back in her chair.
Hundreds of smaller islands were located just south of the main island, in the Harrowing Sea between Astraeyu Nouvi and Tiruval. At one time in history, Tiruval and the barbaric Rasvar from Rashok’var, the neighboring kingdom to the west, had tried to conquer the Labyrinthine Archipelago. Their efforts were thwarted each time by the Astraeyu Nouvins, who held an immense understanding of the arcane as well as an explosive powder that could level a battlefield in minutes. The Labyrinthine Archipelago had served as a barrier during the battles, a line of defense against the Rasvar’s attacks, but in recent years the islands were mostly deserted, the secrets of the past left buried. One of the islands of the archipelago would be an ideal base for a cult that wished to keep its practices hidden from the rest of the world.
“Talk of this Firebringer unsettles me,” Beatrix announced.
“For once, I have to agree with Beatrix,” Rhys said. “If the Firebringer is a weapon created by the Ancients, we can’t allow a cult with violent inclinations like the Coruscalli to get its hands on it. In fact, it should be destroyed.”
“Or sealed away,” Beatrix suggested. “Such a relic should be preserved and studied. Perhaps it even holds the key to unraveling some of the mysteries of the Lost Era.”
“I’m afraid I will have to argue with you on this point, Advisor Lyon,” Rhys said. “Whatever the Firebringer is, it’s dangerous. I think we can all agree on that. A relic of such immense power shouldn’t exist in the world.”
“Typical,” Beatrix snorted. “Men of your caliber always seek to destroy what they don’t understand.”
“I was merely suggesting to the Grand Arbiter that we be cautious, at least until we know more about what we’re dealing with.”
“And before that happens,” Jan interjected, before the conversation between her two advisors became too heated, “we have to find the lair of the Coruscalli. Let’s face the facts. Until yesterday we didn’t even know a cult like the Coruscalli existed. History makes note of several religious sects cropping up in the time before the Followers of Lyth was formed, at which point most were either converted or banished from the Four Kingdoms. Imagine, somehow, that one such religion survived, its followers keeping their true faith hidden for many long centuries.”
“So members of the Coruscalli pretended to be of Lythrillian faith,” Rhys said bitterly. “Wolves in sheep’s clothing, blending in among the flock until the day to act should come. Complacent fools. No one saw it coming, not even the Arbiters. And why should we? Any rivals of the Lythrillian faith were dealt with long ago. We were so certain that no one would dare challenge us, Lythril’s most trusted protectors.”
“Complacency isn’t to blame for what happened in Sonastra,” Jan said. “It was a tragedy, that much is true, but I don’t think anything could have prevented it from occurring. The Coruscalli has waited for such an opportunity for years. No one suspected people so devious and cunning were orchestrating the attack from the shadows. No one, except for the Astraeyu Nouvins.” And we’ve refused to speak with them since the dawn of time. “For the first time in countless generations, the Arbitrary Order of Lyth was at a loss. But now, now we have an advantage,” she continued, her voice taking on an optimistic tone. “Fate has delivered us an unlikely messenger, the catalyst required to walk the path of the Prophecy of Fire.”
“You don’t mean…” Rhys’s voice trailed off.
“The Coruscalli might have the Firebringer, but we have something better. We have the Black Talon.”
“The Outlander?” Rhys asked. “Are you sure we can trust her?”
“We share a common foe in the Coruscalli. Besides,” Jan said, “how else would we be able to navigate the Labyrinthine Archipelago?”
Both Rhys and Beatrix stared openly at Jan’s suggestion that they venture to the uncharted islands to the north. Everyone knew the archipelago was hostile territory. Those who weren’t lost within the maze of scattered islands found themselves set upon by Outlander pirates.
Neither of Jan’s advisors was inclined to argue with her decision. Undoubtedly, Rhys and Beatrix were aware that they currently had no other leads, and each of them was as eager as Jan to find those responsible and make them pay.
“Have the Black Talon brought here,” Jan ordered as Rhys and Beatrix were dismissed. “I must have a word with her before we set out for the Labyrinthine Archipelago.”
ONLY A SHORT while later, the two Arbiters stationed at guard duty of the Black Talon arrived with their charge in tow. Heavy iron manacles were fastened about the Black Talon’s wrists, and Jan noticed that each of the Tiruvali Arbiters had their hands on the hilts of their swords.
“Is that really necessary?” she asked, indicating the restraints binding the Black Talon’s hands.
“The Outlander is dangerous,” one of the men replied.
Jan should have expected such a reaction from a Tiruvali. Separated from Astraeyu Nouvi only by the Harrowing Sea, the coastal region of Tiruval was often victim of Outlander pirate raids. These Arbiters had every reason to be suspicious of the Black Talon, an Astraeyu Nouvin woman who was apprehended during the boldest attack on the Four Kingdoms in history.
Jan nodded and said, “I understand your caution. Now, if you would please excuse me for a moment, there are matters I would discuss with the prisoner in private.” The two Arbiters saluted Jan and exited the room.
The Black Talon’s red-gold eyes were focused on Jan as she watched the scene with mild curiosity. “I noticed how you referred to me as ‘the prisoner’ just now,” she said. “So I was right. I’ve been transferred to another dungeon, even if this one does have finer accommodations.”
“The Tiruvali will see you as nothing else, no matter what I say,” Jan said. “They mistrust Astraeyu Nouvins. Too much bad blood between them.”
“Are you referring to how my people drove the Tiruvali back to the Mainland when they attempted to conquer the Labyrinthine Archipelago? That was such a long time ago. A pity the Tiruvali haven’t gotten over their defeat in the intervening centuries.”
“Actually I was referring to the pirates that plague the coasts of Tiruval. So many of these men and women have suffered the bane of the Harrowing Sea, or they know of someone who has. You frighten them. Dark features and eyes that glow like embers haunt the dreams of many Tiruvali.”
&nb
sp; “It is little wonder they look at me with such disdain,” the Black Talon replied gruffly. She shifted her weight to her right foot and stood straighter, her hands still bound in front of her. “For what reason have you summoned me? I admit I know little of Mainlander custom, but it seems unusual for a Grand Arbiter to have a prisoner brought to her office.”
“These are exceptional circumstances.” Jan got up from the chair and moved to the front of her desk. “A grave injustice has been committed, not merely against the Four Kingdoms, but to the Arbitrary Order of Lyth as well. Thus far, the only lead we have on finding the culprit is the information you’ve presented us.”
The Black Talon listened patiently as Jan spoke, watching her every move with a hawk-like intensity.
“I’m leading an expedition north, to the Labyrinthine Archipelago,” Jan continued, “and I want you to be a part of my team. All I want to know is if I can trust you.”
The Black Talon remained silent as she regarded Jan. After a few moments of the almost otherworldly quiet, the sound of her husky voice made Jan jump. “May I ask what you hope to accomplish in the Labyrinthine Archipelago? It is a place where Mainlanders rarely dare to venture.”
“It’s also the place where the Coruscalli conducts its secret rituals, is it not? The Coruscalli shall not escape justice. If the leader of the cult is there, hidden away on one of the islands, we will find him, and we will drag him into the light.” Jan locked gazes with the Black Talon. “I need you to direct the expedition, to offer any useful insight on the archipelago. Too many good people have been lost already. We can’t afford to lose more to treacherous seas and pirates.”
“Am I to be merely a navigator, then?”
“What more do you want?”
The Black Talon’s eyes flashed with more red than usual. “I want to put an end to the Coruscalli. Astraeyu Nouvi has suffered enough at the hands of the cult.”
Tears of the Sun Page 4