The Year of the Lumin

by Andrew Ryan Henke

  When he reached the place across the street where he had sat the day before, he pretended to fiddle with the grain baskets and crates stacked there. However, his focus was on the soldiers behind him.

  “They think he was here,” one soldier said.

  “Who? The deserter?”

  “How did we miss him?” asked a third.

  “He must have come at night. Right now they are questioning the chemist and Luxin who were treating her.”

  Grandel's knees felt weak. Were treating her? Was she gone?

  “Well, I guess they'll never find General Grandel the Merciless now. They lost their only lead.”

  No! She couldn't be gone! What happened? She seemed stable last night!

  Grandel felt like he would pass out when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

  A gruff voice came from behind him. “Hey, you. You eavesdropping?”

  Grandel half-turned his head and said, “No, sir. I am only taking inventory of these goods.” He looked at the soldier out of the corner of his eye. The man looked to be in middle age: old enough to remember Chiron's most notorious general.

  Grandel was right. He heard the man say, “You're, you're... him!” Then he heard the sound of a sword being drawn from its scabbard.

  Grandel grabbed one of the heavy grain sacks and threw it in the soldier's face. It knocked the man onto his back and burst open, sending grain all over the small street.

  The other soldiers were looking in shock as Grandel burst into a run. He pushed past a few startled people in the street and quickly scrambled up a wall onto a low roof.

  He hopped down into another street and continued to run.

  Grandel ran in despair long after he had lost the soldiers behind him. The onlookers did not see the man's tears as he ran.

  Chapter 31

  Asiada

  Ratt sat in the room not exactly sure why he was alone. There was no note of any kind saying where his two companions were, though their things were left behind. Noir’s area looked disheveled, as though he had left in a hurry. Grandel's things were still packed from their trip.

  It was already past mid-day and he had only been awake for a few minutes. He sifted his hands through his light colored hair and vowed to stop sleeping in so late, even though he knew he would not keep to it.

  Ratt walked to the now lukewarm urn of water and washed himself with the wet cloth as best as he could. Ratt clothed himself again and, feeling restless, retrieved his silver axe from beside his bed. He proceeded to practice the combat stances and strikes that he had learned from Fafnir. As he passed from one form to another, his mind wandered to a familiar train of thought. Why had Fafnir put so much effort into training him? He couldn’t use any vigors, and Noir certainly didn’t seem to need any help defending himself. Did she see something different or unique in him that he was unaware of?

  A knock at the door startled Ratt out of his daydreaming and practice. Ratt held his axe at ease and called, “Who is it?”

  “It's Asiada.”

  “Who?”

  The voice grew curt, “The maid, now open up.”

  Ratt’s heart jumped. He recognized that arrogant tone. He quickly checked all of his garments and buckles to make sure they were fastened and in place. He ran a quick hand through his hair and went to put his axe by his bed. However, as he went to set it down, he changed his mind and hung it in the leather loop on his back in an effort to look as manly as possible.

  Ratt opened the door and smiled his most charming smile. It was the odd girl from before. She looked annoyed as if talking to Ratt was one of many tasks that she had no desire to do.

  Asiada looked flatly at Ratt, either oblivious of his attempt at charm or ignoring it. “My dad says he needs tonight’s rent or he has to kick you out.”

  It figured Grandel didn’t think to pay the rent before he went out to who-knows-where. Ratt grunted and turned to go fish his tali pouch from his things. When he came back, Asiada was giving him a disapprovingly confused look. Ratt said, “What?”

  “Why are you wearing a weapon indoors?”

  Ratt's heart suddenly stopped. He cursed his hasty and ridiculous decision to put on his axe. Who would wear it around in their room? He stumbled over an explanation, “Well, uh.” He put a thumb over his shoulder as if it explained. “I was practicing my forms. You know. I gotta stay on top of my skills.” Ratt again tried on his most charismatic smile and leaned against the door frame.

  The girl cocked an eyebrow and said flatly, “Your forms, huh? So you got rent or not?”

  Ratt emptied out the required amount of tali and handed it to Asiada. “There you go.”

  She put the tali in a pouch in her waistband and said, “Thanks.” Ratt expected her to turn and leave, but she hesitated a moment as if wanting to say something. “Did you hear about the Tierians?”

  Ratt flinched at the mention of his native kingdom. He hated that place. “No, what’s going on?”

  “They attacked Aldine and nearly took it over.” Ratt knew that Aldine was Chiron’s closest city to the Tierian boarder. “Lots of people died.”

  “Why did the Tierians attack?”

  “Well,” she started, “there are rumors, but I don’t know if they’re true.”

  “What rumors?”

  She looked at the ceiling as if searching through the past few days. “Well, some people think the Tierians are trying to exterminate us one city at a time.” Ratt sincerely doubted that. While he knew that most Tierians hated people from Chiron, they would have to have a good reason to attack a city. “Some other people say they think we are hiding the Lumin.” That seemed more likely to Ratt. People always acted strangely when it came to religion.

  Ratt nodded and said, “I see.”

  Seemingly out of things to talk about, Asiada said, “Well, I guess I’ll see you later,” and turned to go. After she had taken one step, she stopped sharply and grabbed at the other side of her waistband. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She turned around and handed a light blue envelope to Ratt. It had articulate golden workings on it and was sealed with a wax crest.

  “What is this?” Ratt asked.

  “It came earlier. The person said it’s for someone named Noir who might be staying at our inn. I know that's not your friend's name, but the description he gave sounded a lot like your friend. When I told him that, he made me promise to deliver it.” She waved her hand toward the letter. “So there. Now, I've got a thousand other things to do that are more important than being your messenger.”

  Asiada then turned and started to walk away, but Ratt was baffled. Who could possibly know Noir in Chiron? “Wait!” Ratt called to her, “Hold on a second.”

  The girl stopped and turned questioningly. Though he tried to hide it, Ratt's annoyance was betrayed in his tone. “That’s it? I’m sure you don’t get letters for out-of-towners very often. What was the person like? When did they come?”

  The girl's shoulders went back and she looked Ratt up and down as she spoke. “Don’t be all rude with me. I’ll have Father kick you out.” She paused as if expecting a response of some sort. When Ratt’s posture did not change, she made a defiant clicking sound and said, “It was a messenger from the Azurite Tower. Came this morning.”

  “What did the messenger say?”

  Her tone softened a bit when she noticed how worried Ratt seemed. “Nothing, alright? Just what I told you. He said the name Noir and gave a description. When I said I thought we had someone like that, he handed me the letter and told me to give it to him. Then he left. That's really all that happened, okay?”

  Ratt quickly tried to think of any reason why Noir would receive a letter from the Azurite Tower. He blurted out, “Noir’s uncle must know he’s here!” He didn't care that he slipped and used Noir’s real name.

  Asiada’s brow lowered in confusion. “What?”

  Ratt continued, “He’s going to be ecstatic. I can’t wait to tell him.” Ratt suddenly flung himself into Asiada and grabbed her in
a tight hug. “Thank you.”

  Asiada waited dumbfoundedly for the hug to cease. When it finally did, she quickly brushed her hands over her clothes and cleared her throat. Then she sniffed, turned, and walked down the hall and down the stairs.

  Ratt watched her leave, then went back into his room and closed the door. He studied the ornate blue envelope. It read on the cover in gold fancy lettering, “Noir.”

  Ratt sat on his bed and turned it over in his hands, watching the light from the room's only window reflect off the gold lines. “I guess I can’t be sure it’s from his uncle. What was his name again? Sto… Steman. Some strange name like that.” He turned it over again in his hands. “Noir wouldn’t mind if I looked at it first. Why would he?”

  Ratt placed one finger under the side of the paper beside the wax seal and started to pull, but stopped and debated with himself one last time. “Nah, he wouldn’t care.” He pulled and the wax seal popped open. Inside was a hand-written note, and out of it fell a small metal crest. Ratt read the note to himself while he turned the crest over in his hand.

  Dear Noir, I bet you are surprised by this letter. Through the sye circle, I felt your presence when you entered the city. I have been searching for you through it since I first was initiated. There is so much knowledge here, you need to come see. It’s simply… fascinating! There is a messianic prophecy in this world called the Lumin prophecies. What it says lines up with what happened to us pretty well. Jotunar and the rest of us believe either you or Aimee is the Lumin.

  Ratt stared at the words in disbelief. “He might be the Lumin? That's ridiculous!” Ratt tried to dismiss it as Noir’s uncle being crazy. But the small part of the Lumin Prophecies that he had read did seem to line up with Noir and his cousin. It also explained why he wanted to be secretive about his past. “If he is the Lumin, then he must be from another world. Come to think of it, he was pretty aloof when I first met him. And those clothes that he was wearing when I met him were really odd.” Ratt thought for a moment then shook his head. “No, what am I thinking? That's ridiculous”

  Ratt continued reading.

  I sent these letters to every inn in Chiron hoping to find you. The crest that I included should get you past the guards and into the Azurite Tower. Just ask for me. I’ve missed you. I hope all is well with you since what happened after the cave. Love, Steven.

  Ratt thought to himself, “His uncle must be a Syeter if he lives in the Azurite Tower. This stuff is all too much for me. Maybe I should just….” Ratt’s thought was interrupted by another knock at the door. He said aloud, “Man, I’m popular today.”

  Ratt placed the envelope and its contents on the stand beside his bed and went to the door. Before he reached it, however, he remembered the axe on his back. He took it off and placed it by his bed. He didn't want to look silly again.

  Ratt grabbed the door and opened it expecting to see Asiada again or one of his companions. Instead, three tall armored figures stood at the door looking sternly at Ratt. They wore the oddest armor that Ratt had ever seen. Each knight’s armor was made of many different pieces that all seemed to be designed in the same style by the same hands. The armor was mostly black and white but had reflective blueish-green accents dancing in curved lines around each piece.

  The one in front was slightly shorter than the others. He spoke calmly but forcefully. “Is the one named Noir here?”

  The threatening posture of these men made Ratt curse himself for now not having his axe. He took a comforting step backwards and said, “No one here by that name, sorry.” He started to close the door, but it was stopped by the knight’s hand. He seemed to be looking behind Ratt at something in his room near his bed. Ratt kept his eyes on the three, but tried to imagine the room behind him. “What is he looking at? My bed? My axe? No. The letter!”

  “That’s him. He opened the letter. That’s the Lumin. You’re coming with us, Noir.” The three started forward into the room.

  “I’m not no Lumin and I’m not going anywhere with you!” Ratt took a few steps backward toward his axe.

  “He's going for it,” one of the knights said.

  “There's no need for you to get hurt. Just come with us, Noir.”

  Ratt grabbed the hilt of his axe and formed one of the stances he had just been practicing. “My name isn't Noir, and one more step and you're going to find this axe in your chest.” The front knight moved forward. “I mean it.”

  The man continued to move forward as he said, “You don't want to try that. It won't end well for you.”

  The man came within striking distance of Ratt. As Ratt drew his axe forward and down, he said, “I warned you.”

  Ratt's target calmly raised his forearm into the path of the axe. Ratt's axe was deflected by a barrier of light just like the ones Noir had created in their sparring. Ratt did two more quick attacks with the same result and then stepped back.

  The armored man calmly said, “I guess we have to do this the hard way.” Suddenly, he moved in an inhumanly fast blur of motion. Ratt’s head did not turn fast enough to keep up with the knight as he circled around behind. When Ratt turned, his temple was met by the long side of the knight’s hand.

  ~~~

  In a recently vacated room, Asiada fluffed out the clean sheets onto one of the guest beds. She flicked it into the air angrily, causing it to catch a pocket of air and drift down to the bed.

  “That boy.... I can't believe he'd talk to me like that in my own daddy's inn.” She flicked the sheet up sharply again, attempting to get it aligned correctly. “If he wasn't so cute, I would have had him kicked out in a heartbeat. And what was he doing with that axe that was much too big for him?”

  Asiada tucked in the corners of the now perfectly placed sheet. “That Noir boy's aura, though. Purple. I've never seen...” Asiada stopped in the middle of fixing the bed when she heard three very heavy sets of feet walking down the hall. After they passed by the door, she walked to it and peeked out. The three Azurite Knights had stopped in front of that boy's door. It opened and they soon walked in.

  Asiada could not hear everything in the conversation taking place. She made out a few specific words here and there, one of which was “Lumin.” The tone of their voices became escalated as though they were arguing or interrogating the boy.

  In a few moments, she heard a commotion from the room. She heard the boy yell something, then a few clangs of metal. After a moment of silence, she heard a low thud of something heavy hitting the wooden floor.

  After a few chuckles, the knights exited the room down the hall. Asiada gasped as she saw Ratt's limp body carried effortlessly on one of the knight's shoulders.

  Asiada's pride and rage got the better of her as it often did, and she jumped from her hiding place from behind the door. “What do you buffoons think you are doing?” She put her feet wide and held one hand out. “That boy is one of our customers.”

  The knight in front chuckled and kept walking toward Asiada as he said, “Not anymore, girl.”

  Asiada stood her ground as they approached. “We are entrusted with the safety of our cus--”

  Her sentence was cut short as a gauntleted hand brutally swatted Asiada into the room she had just been straightening. She tumbled to the ground and the room spun around her.

  It wasn't until after Asiada watched the knights carry Ratt down the stairs and disappear out of sight that she noticed her arm bent at a bizarre angle.

  ~~~

  Noir walked down the streets of the Chiron capital lost in his thoughts. He could understand Aimee's resolution about wanting to go home, but not to the extent of killing someone for it. Frequently he had to retrace his steps after missing a street he was supposed to take. The roads dead-ended where he thought they shouldn't and looped back on themselves when he thought they would go straight.

  By late afternoon, Noir came to the stone-worked inn where they had been staying. As he looked at it, he wondered if Ratt would be there waiting for him. “Would I just leave him if
I got the opportunity to go home? Aimee certainly would if she were in my shoes.”

  Noir pushed open the door to the inn. The man whom Noir had learned was the owner of the inn smiled as the door opened. However, it faded when he made eye contact with Noir. Noting the man's continued lack of hospitality, Noir started to walk past him toward the stairs. But before he could get past, the man put up a hand in his path.

  “Noir, right?” Noir was a bit surprised to hear his real name, but he nodded. “There's something you should know.”

  Noir stared at the man, trying to gauge his features for a clue as to what he would say. “Would your friend, the light-haired one, have any reason for being in trouble with the Azurite Knights?”

  Noir was baffled. He talked quickly, “Why? What has happened? Who in the world are the Azurite knights?”

  The man seemed to be containing his anger. “Well, because of him my daughter....” He trailed off and looked behind Noir sadly.

  A light hand touched Noir's shoulder and he turned to see the strange girl from the night before standing beside him. She said in a soft voice, “I saw them take him.” The girl held her arm tenderly. It was was wrapped in white cloth, though Noir could see it bulging from swelling.

  Noir started to realize the severity of what they were saying. He lightly grabbed the girl's good shoulder and said, “Tell me exactly what happened.”

  Asiada relayed the story as she had witnessed it. Noir only interrupted when she mentioned the letter for him. He asked if she still had it, to which she responded, “I think it's still in the room. I'm not sure.”

  Noir brushed aside the topic with his hand. “I'll check later when I go upstairs. Keep going.”

  Asiada finished the story up to the point where she saw one of the Azurite Knights carrying Ratt down the stairs on his shoulder.

  Noir asked, “Why didn't anyone besides you try to stop them?”