“Still, that’s no reason to conspire to destroy the world.” Jan ran her fingers through her hair. “This could pose a problem to our investigation. Morgsten is a key figure in Kalvatin society. We cannot simply march into Kalvatin and demand to interrogate him.”
“Even if we did,” Rhys said, “it’s highly likely that he would lie about the Coruscalli. Not even a Kalvat would want to be connected to such a fanatical cult.”
“We should move out. It will be dawn soon. Our next course of action will be decided when we’re safely within the walls of Fort Solitude. Have the prisoners escorted to the nearest town. I doubt we will get any more information out of them.” Jan pitied the cultists. Most of them were young men and women, probably lured into this life by the Coruscalli’s propaganda. Of the cultists who surrendered willingly, none of them seemed like coldblooded killers. There was nothing more Jan could do for them other than to ensure that they were treated to fair trials.
At least now Jan had a face to go with her enemy, but in learning Morgsten’s identity she had solved only half the problem. She was no closer to putting an end to the Coruscalli’s plans—or even understanding precisely what those plans were.
It was not going to be easy to confront one of the most prominent figures in Kalvatin with such bold accusations.
Chapter Six
MORGSTEN PACED THE floor in his private quarters agitatedly as he read the letter that had come for him that morning. More troubling news arrived out of Rider’s Vale. It seemed that the Coruscalli cell operating in the area was all but eliminated, the few that remained taken into custody by the Arbiters. Morgsten paused in his circuit of the room and peered through a window facing west, toward Rider’s Vale. Those miserable fools were on their own now. No matter what happened, Morgsten could not attempt to free the agents and risk having his connections to the Coruscalli exposed. He could only hope that the agents who had been captured had the willpower to remain silent, but he had more pressing matters to worry about.
Morgsten ceased his pacing and turned abruptly at a sharp knock at his door. Now he was in for it. His agents had failed at something as simple as causing trouble for the Arbiters, and now he would hear all about it from the Overseer of the Coruscalli.
“It’s open,” Morgsten announced. He cursed himself for the way his voice quavered, but he had sound reason to be nervous. The Overseer was a dangerous man.
The door swung open and a figure clad in shadow stepped over the threshold. The Overseer slammed the door behind him, causing Morgsten to jump. He tried to maintain at least a shred of composure and clasped his hands behind his back as he stood tall and proud. The Overseer came to a stop several feet in front of Morgsten, a predator sizing up its prey. Light from the lantern glinted off the polished silver mask the Overseer wore, the only light that shone within the living shadow. The mask was ornate and highly detailed, and of a design that Morgsten did not recognize. Two narrow slots for the wearer to see through were set above a ventilated shield meant to disguise the wearer’s voice. Morgsten wondered who was behind the Overseer’s mask, who the person orchestrating the Coruscalli’s moves really was, but he supposed it did not matter.
When the Overseer approached him with information on a secret cult on the verge of discovering Ancient technology that could reshape the world, Morgsten was all too eager to take part in the discovery. He never questioned the Overseer’s orders, not even when those orders entailed the assassination of the GrandArbiter and fifty-six other senior officers of the Arbitrary Order or Lyth, along with countless other lives caught up in the massacre in Sonastra. He was completely loyal to the Coruscalli.
“Well,” the Overseer began. It was the first word he had uttered since entering the room and the sound of that voice, so metallic and alien, caused Morgsten to feel small and insignificant.
“What do you have to say about the situation in Rider’s Vale?” the Overseer continued. The low, hollow voice reverberated around the room like thunder.
“It is only a minor setback, I assure you.” Morgsten wished he could sound more confident, but it was impossible to keep his nerve when speaking to a figure as intimidating as the Overseer of the Coruscalli. “I can have more agents in the area within a week’s time.”
“That won’t be necessary,” the Overseer said. “Face it, Morgsten, you failed. Now your agents are prisoners of the Arbiters.”
“They are raw recruits and know nothing of the Coruscalli’s true agenda.” Morgsten was grateful that there were no senior cultists among those captured in Rider’s Vale. “There is absolutely nothing the Arbiters can learn from their prisoners.”
“That is correct,” the Overseer agreed. “They will be dead before the Arbiters even have the chance to interrogate them.”
Morgsten must have flinched at the startling revelation, for the Overseer laughed. The sound came out as a low growl through the mask.
“I also have agents in place in Rider’s Vale,” the Overseer said. “I have advised them to deal with the current problem as they see fit.”
The captured cultists did not stand a chance. Morgsten knew the price of failure in the Coruscalli was death, at least in the Overseer’s eyes. He swallowed hard, hoping he did not show a fraction of the fear that he felt at the prospect of displeasing the Overseer.
“A wise decision,” Morgsten managed in a small voice. “Prisoners suddenly turning up dead will give the new Grand Arbiter something to think about.”
“Ah, the Grand Arbiter,” the Overseer said. It was difficult to tell through the mask, but Morgsten thought the Overseer grew thoughtful at the mention of the Grand Arbiter.
“Yes,” he agreed. “Not only have we lost agents, but the new Grand Arbiter is proving to be more of a nuisance than the previous one.”
At this, the Overseer focused his attention on Morgsten.
“The defeat of the Coruscalli cell in Rider’s Vale is a minor problem in comparison,” Morgsten continued. “It is unfathomable how January Sterling obtained information on the Coruscalli’s base in the Labyrinthine Archipelago, but the woman’s meddling has set our plans back considerably.”
The artifact in the Ancient ruins was now broken, damaged beyond repair. Indeed, no one in the modern era possessed enough understanding of Ancient technology to even attempt repairs, and without the artifact, Morgsten was uncertain where to turn next. The Coruscalli had been attempting to activate the dormant artifact for months. Research concluded that the device was a containment apparatus designed to preserve the Ancients while they slumbered. The Ancient in this particular device had perished long ago, but the energy contained within was what the Coruscalli was truly after.
The Prophecy of Fire spoke of one “blessed by the light” unleashing the Firebringer’s power. The energy stored within the Ancient device was the only lead the Coruscalli had on figuring out how to activate the Firebringer, and now it was gone. Perhaps something the Arbiters did triggered the reaction that caused the artifact to self-destruct. How infuriating. The key to awakening the Firebringer’s true power, and it had slipped through Morgsten’s fingers.
“January Sterling could become a problem for the Coruscalli,” the Overseer said. “With knowledge of the cult’s activities in the north, she might be able to determine that the Coruscalli has been receiving aid from some rather wealthy investors, including you, Morgsten.”
Morgsten thought of this before. If his name was revealed to the Arbiters, it could further hinder his plans to locate the Firebringer. Work to uncover the Firebringer’s location and purpose was progressing, but more slowly than Morgsten originally anticipated. It would be some time before all the pieces were in place. With the Grand Arbiter on his trail, Morgsten worried that the Coruscalli were running short on time. The Prophecy of Fire was more complicated than anyone could have imagined. There were numerous steps involved in summoning the cleansing flame into existence. The Ancients placed many safeguards to keep their secrets hidden f
rom outsiders. It was the secrecy of the Ancients which currently stood in the Coruscalli’s way of obtaining entry to what Morgsten believed to be the ruin containing the Firebringer. Morgsten’s agents were so close, but the Ancient magic at the excavation site was beyond comprehension.
“You are no closer to unearthing the Firebringer and the new Grand Arbiter has somehow obtained a lead on the Coruscalli’s activities in the north,” the Overseer said. “What do you intend to do about it, Morgsten?”
Morgsten knew he could not afford to make any more mistakes now. The Overseer was beginning to question his merit as a leader. If he failed to handle the current situation, the Overseer might have him eliminated.
“Exposing the Astraeyu Nouvins for the monsters and witches that they are would be most satisfying,” Morgsten said.
“What are you suggesting?”
“The Ancients are supposedly the ancestors of modern day Astraeyu Nouvins,” Morgsten continued. “I personally have difficulty believing that a race of savages can be the descendants of a civilization as advanced as the Ancients, but it is common belief across Lythril. Revealing that the Prophecy of Fire and the Firebringer are products of Ancient Outlander mysticism would be enough to send most of the world into an uproar. Everyone knows the Outlanders are dangerous. Ask any native of Tiruval. They are a menace that has plagued the northern coast of the Four Kingdoms for as long as any Tiruvali fisherman can remember.”
“Do you propose that we direct the Arbitrary Order of Lyth’s animosity toward the Astraeyu Nouvins?” The Overseer seemed genuinely interested in Morgsten’s plan.
“Not just the Arbiters,” Morgsten said. “We could set the entire world against the Outlanders. If the High Council of Lythril only knew that the Outlanders were in possession of such dangerous secrets, it would no longer be able to ignore the threat that Astraeyu Nouvi poses to Lythril.”
“Yes, the Outlanders have been allowed to thrive on their remote island in the north for far too many centuries.” The Overseer appeared to agree with Morgsten. That was good. Maybe he could buy more time for his agents to locate the Firebringer before the Overseer decided to do anything drastic.
“The Firebringer is said to be a device capable of destroying the entire world,” Morgsten said. “Even Outlander folklore speaks of the dangers of unleashing such power upon the world. If we can make it appear as though Astraeyu Nouvi intends on using the Firebringer to conquer the rest of Lytril, even the incompetent oafs on the High Council will see just how dangerous the Outlanders are and be forced to take action.”
Morgsten waited in silence as the Overseer contemplated the details of his plan to turn all of Lythril against Astraeyu Nouvi. Morgsten’s life could depend on this plan. It was maddening, not being able to see the Overseer’s face and read his emotions.
“What an excellent idea, Morgsten.” The hollow sound of the Overseer’s voice caused Morgsten to flinch. “Beneath the combined might of the Four Kingdoms, Astreayu Nouvi would burn. Even the Arbitrary Order would be forced to relinquish its pursuit of the Coruscalli in order to deal with the larger threat. Meanwhile, the Coruscalli would be free to continue its search for the Firebringer unhindered. I wouldn’t have guessed you capable of concocting such a nefarious scheme. You must truly loath Astraeyu Nouvi.”
“The Outlanders have stood in the Coruscalli’s way more times than I care to remember.”
“Astraeyu’s Will is an old enemy of the Coruscalli, yes,” the Overseer said. “It will be satisfying to watch as Astraeyu Nouvi crumbles. Still, we have to devise a method of alerting the Four Kingdoms to the danger that lurks in the north without exposing too many details of the Firebringer. We can’t risk leading the Arbiters right to us. Or maybe we should.”
The Overseer fell silent again, prompting Morgsten to voice his curiosity aloud.
“What do you mean, Lord Overseer? You mentioned alerting the Arbiters to the Firebringer.”
“January Sterling has been touched by Ancient magic,” the Overseer explained. “Whatever happens as a result, this new Grand Arbiter bears watching. She has thwarted our plans once. Having her close will allow us to keep an eye on her.”
“You want to lure the Grand Arbiter to Kalvatin?” Morgsten could hardly believe what the Overseer was suggesting. January Sterling was an unpredictable and volatile element. Personally, Morgsten wanted to be as far from the woman as possible, but apparently the Overseer saw things differently.
“You will invite the Grand Arbiter here, to the Institute of Thaumaturgy,” the Overseer said, not giving Morgsten any room for argument. “She will be your guest of honor at the upcoming masquerade. With January Sterling here in Orsela, you should be able to keep track of her every move.”
“Of course, Lord Overseer,” Morgsten said. “I will not disappoint you.”
Morgsten dreaded having to endure the company of someone as troublesome as January Sterling, but if it kept the Arbiters from interfering with the Coruscalli, any price would be worth paying. Once the Firebringer was in Morgsten’s hands, no one, not even the Arbiters, could stop him from releasing its fiery wrath and restoring order to the world.
Chapter Seven
TALON GLARED AT Jan as the Mainlander woman stood with her arms crossed over her chest defiantly. Jan’s posture said there was no room for argument, but her expression was less than certain.
“Are you saying the Arbiters are just going to sit on this information?” Talon asked again. “You know the identity of one of the chief figures of the Coruscalli. If we strike swiftly, we can eliminate Morgsten and be away from Kalvatin before anyone is the wiser. Unless…are you are worried that this will jeopardize relations with Kalvatin? If that is the case, I will go alone.”
“I can’t ask you to risk so much,” Jan replied steadily.
“Why not? As an Astraeyu Nouvin, I am hated and feared across the Four Kingdoms. Furthermore, I have no ties to the Arbitrary Order. No one will suspect that I was acting on your orders.”
“As I said already, I can’t ask you to do this.” Jan seemed adamant in her decision, Talon thought as she regarded her carefully. “No, the best thing for us to do is to lure Morgsten out in the open, expose his dark secrets to the world. Our relationship with Kalvatin is tenuous at best. Publically attacking one of its most prominent figures and accusing him of associating with a fanatical cult bent on the destruction of the world would only anger the Kalvats. This will require subtlety, Talon. We have what we need to prove Morgsten’s involvement with the Coruscalli, but we can’t just come forward with the information, not in Kalvatin. It would be our word against Morgsten’s. The Board of Thaumaturgists will never believe us.”
“We have proof! Are you saying the Kalvats would rather believe the word of a traitor, as long as he is one of their own, over the evidence collected by the Arbitrary Order of Lyth? What an infuriating people.”
Jan laughed. “You have no idea.”
Talon glanced at Jan. She looked as though she had complete confidence in her plan to draw Morgsten out, but Talon feared that if Morgsten successfully obtained the secrets of the Firebringer, they would not have the luxury of time on their side.
It wasn’t as though Talon could confide all the details to Jan, however. As an Astraeyu’s Talon, she was sworn to secrecy on matters involving the Ancients, particularly the Prophecy of Fire. Talon also knew they couldn’t afford to waste too much time. Talon knew of the dangers of the Firebringer. Every Astraeyu Nouvin had heard of the Prophecy of Fire, but her position next to the Heart of Astraeyu’s Will afforded her more of the truth behind the legends. Although the Ancient writings were vague on what the Firebringer was precisely, it was said to be capable of unleashing fiery destruction upon all that it touched. The cleansing flames, the historians called it. According to the Ancients, the world must first be purified before it could be born anew, to rise from the ashes as Astraeyu had once done after the betrayal by Lyth.
As much as Talo
n wanted to warn Jan of the potential danger, she had made a vow not to disclose the information with anyone outside of Astraeyu’s Will. The fact that Jan was a Mainlander made Talon even more cautious. If word spread in the Four Kingdoms that the Firebringer was a construct designed by the ancestors of Astraeyu Nouvins, the Mainlanders would turn their wrath to Talon’s homeland, even though the Firebringer’s origins dated back to an era so long ago that no modern Astraeyu Nouvin knew of its true purpose. Those details wouldn’t matter to the Mainlanders. All that would matter was that Astraeyu Nouvi was responsible for bringing the Firebringer into existence, and the punishment for posing such a dire threat to the world would be severe, indeed.
Assuming the Firebringer was a weapon of forbidden magic capable of rendering unprecedented destruction, exposing its origins would be damning to all Astraeyu Nouvins, regardless of whether or not they knew of their Ancient ancestors’ intentions. Talon did not want to be the one to bring the wrath of the world down on her people, but if she did not do something, her loyalty to Astraeyu’s Will might all be for naught.
“Is everyone in Kalvatin so quick to disbelieve a person from the neighboring kingdoms?” Talon asked Jan, in response to their earlier conversation.
“Kalvatin has never really considered itself a part of the Four Kingdoms. Most Kalvats believe that their land should be the capital of the world.”
“As I said before, the Kalvats sound like an insufferable people.” Talon thought for a moment, and then said, “I dare not ask how Kalvatin views Astraeyu Nouvi.” She wondered if Jan would tell her the same facts she had learned before setting out for the Four Kingdoms.
“The Kalvats see themselves as masters of the arcane,” Jan replied. To Talon, she seemed to be considering each word carefully, as though she didn’t want to offend. “So, naturally, they would view Astraeyu Nouvi, a land shrouded in mystery and mysticism, as their rival. The Kalvats are not as hostile toward Astraeyu Nouvi as some of the other southern lands, certainly not Tiruval. In fact, I’d go so far as to say Kalvatin is jealous of Astraeyu Nouvi because of its reputation for the arcane.”
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