Rage of the Diamond's Eye (The Guildsmen Series Book 1)

by Becker, Shawn

  The blue sky above was blocked by Cassius’s concerned face. “Are you alright?”

  Myst’s giggle turned into gleeful laughter as the tears continued.

  “Yes,” was all she said and smiled as she sensed her uncle Teeg’s relieved spirit pass on to whatever realm awaited it.

  For once, everything was alright.

  34

  Tienn waited for the foreman to give the order, holding the round, wooden support beam against the new gate section. A stout man with a red, puffy face marched along the new section inspecting the base and frame. His keen mason’s eyes scanned the river stone and mortar framed by thick planks of wood and searched for any imperfections. Finding none, the foreman bellowed and Tienn, as well as ten other men of Fhaalvak and one woman – Myst – removed their support beams. The sound of bouncing wood echoed against the new wall as each beam was dropped in a somewhat haphazard pile.

  Tienn arched his back. It had been eight days since the Zynnashans attacked Fhaalvak and even after the healing he had received from the unfortunate Diamond Magi, he was still feeling sore from it. He wore a simple linen vest he kept open, exposing his dusky, twilight-tinged chest to the cool autumn air. The dark pants he wore were stained, his traveling boots were dusty, and he kept his snow colored hair tied behind his back as he worked to help the people of Fhaalvak rebuild their town.

  Tienn inspected the area where the Zynnashan ship had crashed through and was impressed at the hard work these people had invested in repairing the river market, the river dock and the wall that once protected it. The only evidence the ship had even been there were the burned husks of empty shops and homes and the smell of fresh lumber. The black iron Zynnashan vessel had somehow backed itself out of the debris and floated away across the angry waves of Lake Th’baerne. Tienn had asked Lynth, who was recuperating with the others at the Fhaalvak Inn, how this had happened. The Zynnashan only shrugged his shoulders and said that most magical objects simply return to their masters.

  Hours after Myst had called forth the power of the Purestone, the Zynnashans and their leader, Havaas, had awoken and all were reacting quite differently than what he or Cassius had expected. Havaas was now blind, his eyes burned away by the radiance of the Purestone. But his demeanor was now that of a wise cleric, not an enraged beast. No longer enraptured by the diamond, he and his wolf pack collected their dead and disappeared into the surrounding forests.

  The people of Fhaalvak let them go without too much trouble. They were busy enough with mourning and burying their own dead. Lieutenant Gartis assumed command of the knight regiment and made arrangements to have Captain Longvaale’s body taken to Kaalé and interred in the tombs below Borgam Keep. The other knights and footmen were to be taken to their families across the lands of Kaalmoore, to be buried as their own kin saw fit. Tienn never understood the reason some placed their dead within the ground. As a Draaken, it was customary to consecrate one’s body by fire, but who was he to judge the ways of others?

  Myst approached him tentatively, her muscular arms glistening in the late morning sun. She wore her customary black vest and pants. Her red hair was matted down from sweat and dust smattered her clothes and bare skin. She pulled off her work gloves as she neared him, dusting off her pants and fidgeting with her hair. Her green eyes were alight with an emerald fire and her smile was brighter than the gold and red leaves that now canopied the surrounding forests.

  “Good morning,” she greeted politely.

  “Hello,” he replied with a careful smile. “You seem to be in good spirits today.”

  “Considering what we will have to deal with in the coming hours, yes. I feel good this morning.”

  Tienn nodded, knowing that she referred to the meeting. Yesterday, an entire regiment of Palidiamos arrived, led by none other than Chancellor Tevic himself. They had come for the diamond – or what they called the Eye of Diathanos, but the Magi were claiming it as their rightful property. Margas Shek – the head of the Amethyst Order – argued that he had lost one of his men and paid hundreds in gold crowns for the diamond. Cassius, acting as mediator under the jurisdiction of the King and Lord Demestri (the King’s cousin had yet to return after fleeing Fhaalvak), was to monitor the situation and, if necessary, make a decision if one was not reached. Cassius had also requested that Myst and Tair attend as witnesses and secretly asked Tienn to keep an eye on them.

  It was not going to be pleasant.

  Tienn used his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “How are you feeling?”

  Myst’s smile broadened as she nodded, acknowledging that Tienn was referring to her moment with the Purestone. “I’m fine, Tienn,” she answered, placing her hand on his arm. “Whatever the diamond did to that Magi twenty years ago did not happen to me. I am more at peace with who I am than I ever have been. The only way to explain it is that the diamond purified me…it gave me clarity.”

  Tienn nodded. “Perhaps it saw the beauty and kindness we all see in you.”

  There was a moment of awkward silence before Tienn cleared his throat. “Have you thought about where you were going after this? Will you return to Joram’s Bend?”

  Myst looked thoughtful for a moment. “No,” she answered softly. “I do not believe I have any reason to return in the near future. Besides, Tair would never allow it.”

  “The connection is strong between the two of you.”

  Myst scrutinized Tienn’s white eyes. It was hard to tell his intent from those snowy orbs. “It is. We have each other’s trust and that is quite a lot to have in this world.”

  “Indeed,” Tienn agreed, relishing a cool breeze that wafted by. “It is good that you have someone to travel with. I fear the winter will be harsh this year…in more ways than one.”

  “Where will you be heading?”

  Tienn seemed surprised by her question. “I shall return to Kaalé with Ayce and Cassius. Although Dorn will be leaving us to become a Protector, we still have a few students to train and monitor to become Guildsmen.”

  Myst’s eyebrows rose when he mentioned the Tharaakan’s name. “Will you not punish Dorn for his betrayal?”

  Tienn shook his head with a weary smile. “No, Dorn’s actions, while unfavorable to the Guild, were right within his heart. Besides, if not for him, the knights may have lost the battle at the tower gate.”

  Myst nodded. “Kreena told us of his heroism.”

  “You and Tair should join us as Guildsmen,” Tienn said quite suddenly.

  Now it was Myst’s turn to look shocked. “Are you inviting us?”

  Tienn stepped close to her, unnerved by the excitement he felt. “Your uncle was a skilled swordsman who trained some of our best fighters. His name will always be spoken with honor within the walls of the Defender’s Guild. It would be a further honor to have his niece as an initiate.”

  “And Tair,” she added.

  Tienn sighed. “Yes, of course. We shall not forget your shadow. Although, I fear she may be a more difficult student to teach.”

  Myst smiled. “You have no idea.”

  ***

  The meeting was taking place within the open space of the Fhaalvak Inn’s taproom. Cassius had originally planned to have it within the garrison tower, but Chancellor Tevic was adamant that they hold it within the small temple to Diathanos that graced the western portion of the city. The Magi deemed this inappropriate almost immediately, so Cassius suggested the inn as a common ground to meet. The former knight had moved a set of three tables on both sides of the room with two tables in the center. The Magi would sit on one side while Tevic and his entourage would sit on the other. Cassius would remain in the center – a barrier between both groups.

  The meeting imploded before it began.

  Chancellor Tevic arrived with his entire entourage, all of whom could not fit within the confines of the inn’s taproom. Tevic accused the Magi of choosing the location just for that very reason and he refused to step foot into the building without proper protection. Margas S
hek, who was watching from inside the still shadow-filled entryway, laughed aloud and told Tevic that he was quite welcome to leave the proceedings without the diamond. The Chancellor countered by stating that he would use his Palidiamos to take the Eye by force if necessary. With a snap of his gloved fingers, fifteen men produced keen blades of steel lined with the white radiance of Diathanos. Their movement was so precise, their armor made scarcely an echo across the clean cobblestones of the district.

  Before Margas could respond, Cassius let out a shrill, yet penetrating whistle. From the two streets that led into the cul-de-sac where the Inn stood, two regiments of the King’s Knight’s of Kaalé marched proudly and with purpose onto the circular roadway, flanking the paladins on their backside. Rows of footmen were combined with steel-armored men on foot and horseback. The Knights’ standard hung limply in the breezeless afternoon, but the hands that held them were strong and ready. They stood at attention, prepared for any word given by their Lieutenant Gatiss who, in turn, awaited any signal from Cassius to move in.

  “Two paladins, Chancellor,” Cassius advised. “It’s more than enough to protect you from two injured Magi.”

  Tevic’s face was ashen, but his eyes betrayed the fury that stormed within. With another gesture, the Palidiamos sheathed their weapons, each man eyeing the knights that surrounded them with exiguous bravado. Motioning for two of his Protectors to follow him, Chancellor Tevic glided up the wide stairs of the Fhaalvak Inn’s entry hall, giving Cassius a murderous glare as he passed.

  Cassius followed the three men and closed the door once inside. Within the taproom, Margas had taken his place next to Sajiix and his blond apprentice. The Guildsman was concerned for his former friend. Sajiix did not seem the same after the diamond attacked him. He was even more sullen than usual, quiet, and his haunted face seemed to be swimming in shadow. The only life he saw in the Magi was when he was reunited with his apprentice later that night after the Zynnashan battle. He then stayed behind closed doors at the Golden Harvest Inn, taking his meals in his room and speaking to no one – not even the leader of his Order. Tienn and Ayce stood behind the Magi, talking quietly with the two females that had assisted them in the battle with the Zynnashans. He felt a comfort knowing his two friends were here. The young women fidgeted nervously, uncertain as to why Cassius requested their presence. He would let them know shortly.

  Standing away from the center near the entryway to the kitchen was Lynth. He was wrapped in his dark purple cloak with the hood covering his feline face. The Zynnashan was also being reclusive, but Cassius believed that was more for his own safety since his own people were responsible for the massacre in Fhaalvak.

  To the right, Chancellor Tevic sat with a rigid posture; his eyes staring above the Magi, unwilling to even sully his sight with them. His two Protectors stood on either side; their hands grasping the hilts of their swords and, unlike their leader, their eyes bore hard into the visages of Sajiix, Margas, and Kaelyn. Cassius whispered a prayer of gratitude to Diathanos that the Ruby Magi was still too injured to take place in the proceedings. Having him and two Paladins itching for a fight was tempting fate a bit too much.

  Cassius moved to the center table and gave each side a long look, “We know why we are here, so let us begin. The Val’Cryys Diamond, known to the Houses of Vasalius as the Eye of Diathanos and known to the Elementai as the Purestone, was stolen from Zynnasha for the greed of one individual. That plot has been stopped and the diamond rests safely nearby. The question is – who does it return to?

  “Seeing as it was wrongly taken from Zynnasha, we will first offer the diamond to Lynth – a member of that noble race.”

  Tevic snorted, “A race that murdered hundreds of innocents to taint the sanctity of a gift from Diathanos.”

  Lynth approached the table where the Magi were seated. His glowing eyes held Tevic in a state of emotionless grace. “Commander Havaas and his retrieval force were ordered by Highlord Bragas to find and return this gift. It has long been whispered amongst others of my kind that this diamond influenced the Highlord’s decisions…and those of any that coveted it.

  “Whatever magic Sajiix Mirhan used or whatever miracle the human woman performed to break this hold,” Lynth gestured to Myst, “it did so utterly and completely. I have conversed with the Highlord and he is truly sorry for the destruction caused by his order. He has decreed that any reparations requested by the kingdom of Kaalmoore will be dutifully fulfilled with sincerity and that the Purestone be taken from us to be given to the people we have attacked.”

  Cassius knew this was what the Zynnashans wanted. They were quite adamant about the diamond, too. “Is there anything else?” Cassius asked, offering the Zynnashan a final word.

  Lynth nodded, removing the hood from his head with his powerful black paws. “Only a warning to your people, friend Cassius: The Purestone represents the light of Vasalius. It is the purity of good, the enlightenment of the noble, and the power of righteousness. But even these virtues can blind those who refuse to see beyond the light. To those that will hold the diamond – do not let its radiance blind you as it did my people.”

  Lynth had barely taken a step back into the shadows when Tevic slammed his palm against the wood of his table. “The Eye of Diathanos belongs with His House. As harbingers of the light, we men and women of Diathanos will not be swayed by such desires. How can we be influenced when we already have His light within?”

  “Your faith already blinds you,” Margas said coldly. “The Diamond Order should be allowed to study the gem, discover its focus, and divine how it works. By doing so, we can control its use.”

  “Study, control,” spat Tevic. “One cannot control the light of righteous divinity! One must accept it within one’s heart; let it reassure you, not control you.” He pointed at Myst, who looked as though she suddenly wished she were elsewhere. “This young woman, this pure young creature, was able to break the link between the Zyn Beasts and the diamond solely with the essence of the goodness within her. Imagine the work that could be done with that kind of influence within the House of Diathanos!”

  “That woman is not a priest! She does not represent your House. You cannot base your argument on the actions of one person! Careful study and control will keep it safe.”

  “Many of those beloved by Diathanos were killed within the walls of this city,” Tevic challenged. “That alone should grant us the Eye.”

  “We Magi also lost a brother to this,” Margas retorted passionately. “The Arcanum also paid a very large sum for this artifact, gold we will never see returned!”

  “That folly is your own to regret,” said Tevic with disdain. “If you are foolish enough to pay for something that was not in your hands…”

  “It would have been in our hands had your men not tried to take it from us!” Margas shouted, leaping to his feet.

  “Enough!” Cassius yelled. He refused to let this contest get out of hand, even if it meant bashing people in the head with the pommel of his sword. “Lynth, do you have any thoughts as to who the diamond should go to?”

  Lynth gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. “As I have told you, we no longer wish to have anything to do with this object.”

  Cassius sighed. He expected that as well.

  “I have a missive from King Jalled that arrived this morning,” Cassius announced, pulling a thin scroll case from the leather belt at his waist. “Under instructions given to the courier, I was to read this message and report the King’s thoughts on where this prize should go. In accordance with this missive, King Jalled believes the diamond should be placed within the House of Diathanos at the High Temple in Kaalé.”

  Cassius watched as Tevic’s lips formed a sly smile. The former knight knew what the Chancellor was thinking, gloating over his assumed power over the monarch. Cassius fought hard not to smile as he continued the message.

  “The King is prepared to support such a measure if certain conditions are met.”

  Tevic
turned his head so fast that his neck cracked. “What conditions?”

  Cassius cleared his throat and went on. “First, the Palidiamos will cease patrolling the capital city and that the Knight’s of Kaalé shall return to their original places as the city protectorate. Second, the Palidiamos and all other clergy of Diathanos will no longer harass any Magi or those associated with the Arcanum within the walls of the capital city; subsequently, no Magi will be allowed to provoke those of House faith. Third, as Chancellor, you will cease your political agenda against the monarchy and tend to your flock without aspirations of kingdom rule. And, finally, the House will recoup the Arcanum any purchase price they made for the diamond. Any deviation from these conditions will result in your removal as Chancellor.”

  Tevic jumped from his seat, which clattered to the floor behind him. This time, the Chancellor could not hide his rage. His face turned as red as a stoked forge and his eyes blazed dangerously. “Removal!” he sputtered, almost incomprehensible. “I hold him and his son under the divine influence of Diathanos! How dare him!”

  “Wrong,” Cassius said loudly, halting Tevic’s furious rant, “The King has gone along with your political machinations long enough. He and Commander Greeve have been observing your behavior, playing along, watching you subvert his power for the past two seasons. They enlisted my aid in this endeavor and I have done my duty for my King.

  “The King believes you are a force for good, Chancellor, and he wants you to remain as such. However, he will not tolerate your push for power. Abide by these decrees, remain in control of the church, and keep the Eye of Diathanos or give the diamond to the Magi and build a temple someplace else.” Cassius finished, folding his arms in front of his chest, and awaited an answer.

  Tevic had placed both of his hands upon the wide silver medallion that dangled from a gold chain around his neck. The Chancellor’s soft thumbs traced the diamond shape etched into the silver; the gem dust that lay upon its surface glittered in the candlelight. The man rocked back and forth, mumbling a prayer to his god. For a moment, Cassius thought Tevic was prepping a divine attack, but he quickly realized that the man was simply praying for guidance in a moment of crisis.