by Neil Breault
“We need get inside. My father is inside. The Archon could be inside. We need to make it to them.”
“I agree. You need to make it inside. It is our duty to see that you have a chance to make it into the city. I want you to ride down this hill and circle around to the north. When you reach the next crest I want you to wait until the soldiers are distracted and then ride for the city.”
“How will we know when they are distracted?”
“We are going to engage them. You will know.”
Mikol and Dervo grasped forearms. Mikol had much to say, but Dervo nodded quickly and turned away. Mikol and Bayle rode down the hill. The grasses had grown deep. Without the help of a road it took them some time before they reached the next hill. They crested the hill and saw Dervo and the Wardens still behind them. They all looked in Mikol’s direction and bowed before riding straight at the soldiers.
“Do we go now?” asked Bayle.
“No, not yet.”
They waited nervously, watching Dervo lead his men to almost certain death to give Mikol a chance to make it in to the city. Soon enough they saw the soldiers turn to the Wardens and charge. Mikol gripped his saddle tensely, waiting for Dervo to release his magic on the men. They could not have traveled more than a hundred yards before light erupted, followed by explosions. Mikol could not see through the smoke and debris that erupted from the land. There was nothing more that he could do. He turned his horse and rode straight for the hidden entrance below the dungeons.
They took the few supplies they had left and sent the horses away. Inside, a sconce sensed their presence and lit itself. Mikol sighed. He created a shrouding rune. It was not as powerful as the spell he had used before, but did not want to waste any more power than he needed. The spell would mask their presence to anyone that was not specifically looking for them.
When they entered the dungeon Mikol felt a chill run up his spine as he remembered the corpse of the emissary. The cell had been empty but as they got close they saw people inside. Mikol recognized many faces. He dropped the shrouding and created a small light orb. Some of the prisoners moved closer to the light. He had expected to see fear in their eyes but instead saw awe. He heard his name spoken quietly by a few of the prisoners.
“What happened here?”
No one answered him. They continued to stare at him like he was a ghost. Mikol drew a rune on the lock. When he said the binding, it made a small explosion. Opening the cell door caused those inside to scoot away from him. He hushed them and placed his hand on the nearest one. Speaking a few runic words, he drew a small mending rune on the man. Whatever pain the man had been suffering from left his face and he looked at Mikol with understanding.
“It is you. We had thought you were dead too.”
“Who else is dead?”
“The king. The princes. Everyone.”
“Is Voletain alive?”
The man looked him for a moment.
“The Archon. Is the Archon alive?”
“No. He ... He’s dead too.”
“What happened here? Tell me everything.”
The man swallowed hard. He was not going to speak. Mikol did not want to hurt the man but needed answers. Mikol used a rune to compel the man to speak. The man looked up at Mikol and words rushed out.
“Some time back ... there was a small group of soldiers ... they encamped outside the city. They did ... nothing. Made no threats. No demands. They only waited. The Wardens ... kept the city locked down since the soldiers appeared. I walked the parapets one day ... saw some of the soldiers make their way to the city. They walked ... they walked up to the door and it exploded open. All of the Wardens ... rushed to meet the soldiers.... They were struck down quickly by strong magic. None of the Wardens ... used any magic in return. Why did they not use runes?”
Mikol had to adjust the rune as the man started to hyperventilate. After a moment the man calmed down and continued.
“The city guard ... tried to protect the city.... With so many magical enemies and without the support of the Wardens ... they were cut down quickly. All of the nobles ... were rounded up and put in the cells. Anyone who refused to cooperate ... killed. The king had died the day the soldiers attacked ... he was on the throne. No one struck him down ... just died.”
“Has there been any word from Arceri or Turos?”
The man shook his head. Mikol looked over the remaining prisoners and did what little he could do. He needed to save power to fight whatever they found deeper in the castle. He was able to help enough of the prisoners they could make it to the hidden exit.
“Are you coming with us?”
“No. I need to put a stop to this war. Ternia needs me. Go north and west. See if the Sanctuary is safe.”
They headed away from Valefort as Mikol watched. They made it far enough into the fields he was certain they had not been seen. Mikol and Bayle readied themselves to delve in to the castle.
Mikol had never seen the halls so devoid of life. Even in the dead of night, he had always come across a servant or someone wandering the halls. They made sure to explore every hallway they came across, looking for anyone. Eventually, they found obvious locations where there had been a fight. The dried blood marked the death of many unknown persons. The Wardens’ quarters were empty, save for bodies that still littered the floor. The smell told them they had been dead awhile. He knew some of these men. When they entered the throne room they were surprised to find it empty of anybody, living or dead.
“Who could have done all of this?” asked Bayle.
“I don’t know. But I think I caused it.”
“No you didn’t. Why would you say that?”
“He said the soldiers marched on the city and the Wardens didn’t use any magic. Why would they not use any runes?”
Bayle’s face fell as he understood.
“Dervo and his Wardens couldn’t use runes either. I had to remove their attunement runes before they could. When I broke the obelisk it caused everyone to be blocked from the flow of magic and from using runes.”
“There’s no way you could have known that would happen.”
“That’s little comfort now. I destroyed my kingdom. For what? Some childish notion that I would find weapons that would win a war?”
The doors to the throne room were open. They heard voices in the hall. Bayle grabbed Mikol’s shirt and pulled him. Mikol pushed Bayle’s hand away and shook his head.
“I’m done running.”
Mikol prepared several runic wards and looked to Bayle. Sighing heavily, Bayle cast the only defensive spell he knew and hid behind the columns that lined the back of the room. Mikol walked to the throne and sat down. He waited for his enemies to come to him.
Chapter 20
Warlord
As the voices came closer, Mikol could hear talk of troop movements, supplies, and similar military talk. He did not recognize any of the voices. Four men rounded the corner into the short hall leading to the throne room. They had not seen Mikol yet but he watched them intently. He gripped the edge of the throne tightly, barely feeling the power in his hands. The four men were about halfway in the throne room when they spotted Mikol. Three of them stepped in front of the last, swords bared, pointing at him. Mikol did not flinch. They stared at each other for a tense moment before they stepped aside. The fourth man stepped forward with confidence. The cropped hair and stately manner in which the man walked spoke volumes about him. They locked eyes in a silent struggle for power. Even though the man looked away first, Mikol felt he had lost.
Mikol stood up slowly. His gaze never leaving any of them, he bowed slightly to the man.
“I presume you are the warlord Kagarin,” said Mikol.
“Warlord is such a presumptuous title. I prefer Emperor Kagarin.” The man flashed a toothy grin at Mikol, motioning for his guards to put away their swords.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Prince Mikol. I have heard plenty about you recently. I never expected to have a cousin
be so ... influential in helping me to take back what is rightfully mine.”
“Cousin?”
“Yes. Cousin. I see we have much to discuss. Get us some wine.” One of his guards darted away towards the kitchens. “I am the heir to this throne. Descended from Tanris Elderson himself.”
Mikol laughed.
“What? The deceiver prince?”
“He was not the deceiver. Egarin is the one who was the liar, the deceiver and thief.”
“I must have heard a different story than you; Tanris the Deceiver is the one who started a war for the throne.”
“He is NOT THE DECEIVER!”
Mikol barely flinched. Kagarin had raised his hand in a fist. With a deep breath, the spiteful glare left his face as quickly as it had come.
“Sorry, I forget you think it is we who live in the Savage Kingdoms, when truly, it is here that is most savage. Tanris is not the deceiver. King Ioyan pitted his own sons against each other to rule the kingdom. Tanris was the older son and should have been given the throne by birthright. Egarin was the Deceiver. He fed lies to Ioyan and convinced him that Tanris was trying to kill Ioyan. The king listened to Egarin’s lies and believed him. He feared for his life. He told Egarin if he killed Tanris he would make him the true heir to the throne. I am sure you know of the war that ravaged the world.”
“We call it the Sundering.”
“I have not heard it called that before. Most people just call it the great war. It is an apt name though. It sundered Ternia and the royal family. Egarin was ruthless in his pursuit to kill his brother and destroyed everything Tanris threw at him. When finally Egarin was poised to win, only the mercy of the king saved him. Ioyan could not have his sons kill each other. Instead, the king banished Tanris. He fled south through the wastelands and eventually ended up in the wilds of Austeria, where he lived out the rest of his life.”
“Now it is my turn to be surprised at something. But that is twisted and an embellishment on the actual events.”
“Not embellishment, only truth. You should ask your mentor.”
Kagarin pointed to the door to Mikol’s right. He turned to see Omoni walking through the door. For a moment, Mikol was elated, but his hope was quickly dashed as he realized Omoni was smiling at Kagarin. He gave Mikol a sidelong glance as he walked past.
“Welcome back, Mikol. I hope you had a pleasant trip. We’ll talk in a moment.”
Mikol’s mouth opened to speak but nothing came out.
“I had not realized you were back yet. How goes the siege of Highbarrow?” asked Omoni.
“We took Highbarrow weeks ago. After some much-needed rest the army is marching down to Ternia to secure it.”
“Excellent. What of King Nico?”
“Sadly, he did not see the inevitable and did not want to rejoin the empire. He gave a wonderful speech about freedom and how he could not fail his people. Since they were not his people anymore, he was only speaking for himself. If he had only understood what I was trying to do he would still have his head. Alas, it was not so. And what of the Wardens?”
“The remaining Wardens in the city have been dealt with, but those that fled back to the Sanctuary are proving to be a hassle.”
“I thought you said they would pose no threat to us after you all lost the ability to use your runes.”
“They do not pose a threat to us. Locked inside the Sanctuary without power or runes, they are helpless. Unfortunately, the Sanctuary is a fortress that is thousands of years old. Its defenses are vast and still active. It will take time to get into. But the Wardens are only occupying some of our resources. They can only hold out for so long before we take it. Unfortunately, they will not let me back in.”
“Did you find what you were looking for in the Sanctuary before you had to leave? You promised me unimaginable power once I took this city.”
“No. I did not find what I was looking for. But I don’t think it was ever at the Sanctuary. However, we have the next best thing to accomplish our goals.” Omoni turned again to Mikol. “I believe you have found the answer to the runic powers and will be able to give those powers back to me.”
Mikol looked between Omoni and Kagarin. The throne suddenly felt uncomfortable. Omoni flashed his teeth in a smile Mikol had seen before. Instead of being warm and jovial, it felt predatory.
“You look upset. I assume you are confused, boy. Let me put you at ease. I truly did think there was something hidden from the Sundering. Only too late did I learn there was no secret cache of runic weapons. But I know you found something. If only Voletain had been a little more open to the world he could have seen what could be accomplished with both runic magic and blood magic.”
“Did you kill Voletain?”
“It had to be done. Unfortunately, he was too set in the old ways and would not listen to reason.”
“What reason could possibly by worth the Archon’s life?”
“Immortality.”
“Immortality? Why would you want to be immortal? Didn’t you warn me to protect myself from those I love for as long as I am going to live? Everyone I know will die.”
“Not everyone. Only the weak will die. The powers of blood magic can harness the energy of another person and interweave it into the life of the strong.”
“What happens to the person giving you their energy?”
“After they have given their energy they are no longer my concern. Their bodies are simply husks,” said Omoni.
“They die. And who gets to choose who dies?”
“I will choose who receives the gift of bestowing their life for mine. My empire will rule all of Angalataea for all time,” said Kagarin.
“Oh, yes. I forget you do not know the whole plan,” said Omoni.
When Omoni turned back to Kagarin, Mikol was surprised to see two more men standing behind Kagarin’s guards. Without a word, swords were driven through the guards’ chests. The speed at which Kagarin drew his sword and stepped into a defensive stance awed Mikol. In a different life he would have liked to spar with this man.
“You were not my first choice, Kagarin,” said Omoni. “There were others that I had groomed. None of them had your fervor though, or your conviction. Most of them believed me at first but eventually saw through the lies and the end game I was playing for.”
Kagarin and the two assassins were slowly circling. None of them made a move. Mikol knew Kagarin could not make the first move without opening himself up for an attack.
“What are you talking about?”
“You’ve played your role perfectly. But now that Mikol has returned, I can move up other parts of my plan. Your empire was never going to happen. Once your, sorry, my army reaches Ternia, it will be a small matter of pruning the traitors and securing my empire.”
The assassins were forcing Kagarin to keep his focus on them. Neither of them had made any direct attacks but kept the pressure on Kagarin.
“I will kill you, Omoni. Why are you threatening the last heir of Tanris?”
“You still don’t get it. There is no heir. When Tanris Elderson fled to the wastelands, that is where he died. Alone, defeated and without any heir. You think Ioyan would not have known what happened to his beloved son? He tried to bring him back. But Tanris refused to come back and face his father. When he died his body was brought back and buried in an unmarked tomb in the royal mausoleum.”
The assassins both moved to attack Kagarin at the same time. Mikol could barely keep up with the speed of all three men. He found himself almost cheering for Kagarin as he dodged, parried, and attacked the assassins. His execution of movement was flawless, and he struck down one of the assassins. The other man faltered and stepped back, clearly not expecting Kagarin’s talent. Kagarin lost no time and took advantage of the confusion as he closed the distance to the second man. Omoni raised his hands. Mikol could not keep up with the exchange of blows between Kagarin and the assassin. With one final dodge, Kagarin felled the assassin. In the same instant, Omoni released a spell
that struck Kagarin in the back. He fell forward, his sword clattering to the floor. Mikol flinched when Kagarin’s head hit the floor hard.
“You should never turn you back to your enemy,” said Omoni. He took a step forward.
“In another time you would have made a great king. But you trusted someone you should not have and didn’t listen to those you should have,” said Omoni.
The third guard re-entered the room, dropping the pitcher of wine as he reached for his sword. Omoni turned to the man, his finger pointing at him. Mikol saw blood dripping from his extended finger. Droplets of blood were flung towards the man as Omoni cast another spell. The man did not see it coming and screamed in pain. Mikol heard a loud popping sound.
“I will let you live if you report what you see to the generals.”
The man held his right arm to himself and gritted his teeth but nodded his head. Omoni withdrew a curved knife from his belt and walked to the twitching body of Kagarin. Omoni knelt down next to him, stroking his hair as a father would.
“Yours will be the first blessing of my empire.”
The only sound that escaped Kagarin’s lips was a soft hiss. It turned into a terrifying wheeze as the dagger slowly entered his back. Mikol did not hear what Omoni said next but saw a dark red essence spill from Kagarin’s body and flow up the dagger and into Omoni.
“Go now.”
The guard ran off. Omoni stood and stepped to the first assassin. He shook his head and moved to the second assassin. The man reached out to Omoni.
“Shh. Quiet now. You have almost served your purpose.”
He batted away the man’s hand and slowly plunged the dagger into the man’s chest. Mikol could see another dark red essence flow up the dagger into Omoni. It was not as bright as Kagarin’s. Afterward, Omoni wiped the blood off of the dagger with the dead man’s clothes. He sheathed the dagger and stood up. Brushing off his clothes, he walked toward Mikol and leveled his gaze at him.
“Now, tell me what you found.”