by Ben Hale
“From this day forth,” Othan said, “your training will shift. All of you have shown combat proficiency against normal foes, and each morning you will continue to fight bandits and soldiers. But in the afternoon you will fight each other, testing your mettle against those you will fight beside. Patrol members will be shuffled so you may each learn to fight alongside each other, and individual standings will be displayed outside the Requiems. Four weeks remain in the second trial, and at the end of each week, the lowest ranked acolyte will be dismissed. The remaining four patrols will be given the honor of journeying to the third trial. First and fifth patrols, you will begin, and the match doesn’t end until one patrol is dead.”
His gaze swept across the acolytes. “Welcome to the Crucible.”
Chapter 15: The Crucible
In their first Crucible, Alydian and Grogith managed to kill Erona, while Toala killed another Verinai in their patrol. Grogith ordered them to drift up the right flank, but Holan’s reaver hunted them down and tore them apart. The defeat was painful and disappointing, and Alydian ground her teeth in anger as she watched Holan celebrate his victory.
The patrols were changed and they fought again, and again. Alydian disliked fighting alongside Holan, especially when his orders were designed to give himself more chances at a kill. Alydian’s disdain for Holan and the other Verinai was evident, and when Holan drew out Ferin’s death she snapped, striking at him and knocking him away.
Holan wiped blood from his lip. “I knew you were a barren-lover,” he growled.
Othan ended it then, and they fought again. But after that, the behavior of the other Verinai changed toward her. The divide between the Verinai acolytes and her patrol widened, forcing her to pick a side. She didn’t hesitate.
The animosity increased daily, and even the Verinai guards joined in. Confused and angry, Alydian found herself in the midst of a rising tide of hatred, and the Verinai acolytes began to target Alydian in every engagement. She died often, but more often than not she was the victor. At the end of the first week, Alydian finished second of the acolytes for kills, a fact which drew even more hatred.
The next week, the daily skirmishes escalated into savage and bloody affairs as acolytes sought to prove themselves. Alydian felt the sting of death more times than she could count, and even after leaving the Requiem she felt the lingering ache. When the Verinai began to strike at her outside the Requiem she voiced her concerns to Devkin, who frowned.
“Are you certain it was Holan?”
Alydian lifted her sleeve to reveal where a fire star had dug into her flesh. The line across her skin remained where she had healed it, and the skin was still tender. The star had sliced into her arm just after leaving the Requiem, and she’d sucked in her breath in surprise and pain. Holan had turned away, a smirk on his face.
Devkin’s expression darkened and he caught her arm to examine the wound. “I will have him dismissed for this.”
Alydian pulled her arm free from his grip. “You would be forced to reveal your witness,” she said. “And if you reveal me, my training will be over.”
Devkin didn’t retreat from her glare. “They can kill you,” he snapped.
“They won’t,” she said. “And isn’t this what we wanted? For me to learn to defend myself?”
“Not at the cost of your life!”
She growled at him, magic sparking in her hands at her fury. “You swore loyalty to me,” she said, her voice rising. “Are you abandoning your oath?”
“Of course not,” he snapped. “I’m fulfilling it!”
Abruptly the door swung open and a servant entered with a tray of food. She caught sight of Alydian and Devkin with magic in her hands, the tension palpable in the room. Her eyes widened but Alydian managed a smile and stepped to her.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Fifth Sister Raine will be returning tomorrow,” she said. “She requested to share an evening meal with you.”
“Tell her I would be grateful for the opportunity,” Alydian said graciously, and then noticed the girl’s expression. “Is something amiss?”
“It’s not my place,” she said, bowing and retreating.
“Please,” Alydian said. “Speak your mind.”
The girl paused near the door. Under Alydian’s soft gaze she relented. “The kitchens fear you dislike their food,” she said. “You no longer attend meals with your mother and nothing remains on your trays.”
Alydian suppressed a laugh, realizing the cooks would certainly have taken notice of her change in routine, and increase in appetite. Smiling, she gestured to the tray the girl had brought.
“The food is as delicious as ever,” she said. “But after the Soldier’s attack, I prefer to eat in my quarters.”
“That is what I said,” the girl said, smiling and bowing before she departed.
The door clicked, and Devkin said, “You’re eating as much as I do.”
His sour tone caused Alydian to laugh and their previous anger dissipated, but Devkin’s eyes were still dark with fury—and fear. He was her guardian, tasked with protecting and serving her at the cost of his life. And she was placing herself in harm’s way.
“I will survive,” she said. “I swear it.”
He scowled. “I don’t understand why they would single you out.”
“They act betrayed,” she mused.
Alydian and Devkin argued deep into the night. Only when Alydian used her farsight to ensure she would survive the next few days did Devkin relent. Even with the assurance, Alydian slept poorly, unable to shake the sense of foreboding.
The next morning she joined the ranks of her friends in the mage training chamber, and tried to ignore the baleful glares from the Verinai. The rest of the week passed in a blur of exhaustion and fear.
Although they spent much of their time battling each other, they still used the Requiems for daily training, diving into battles and wars long forgotten. Alydian used the chaotic moments to learn, watching the Runeguard to learn spells for the magics Alethean lacked. Each night she practiced in the confines of her quarters, pushing herself to ever increasing efforts.
But it was the crucible that dominated the acolytes’ focus. Each moment in past battles was a chance to survey the other acolytes, studying them, measuring their strengths. Knowledge gleaned was quickly exploited in the two castles of the Crucible. Then Alydian was placed with her three friends to fight beside Holan’s patrol.
They stood in the space between the red and white castles, listening to Commander Othan describe the impending conflict. Alydian noticed the scorn in Commander Othan’s gaze as he glanced at her, and her lips tightened. “They want us to fail,” she said.
“But why?” Ferin murmured.
Before she could answer, Grogith growled. “The Runeguard is no longer a legion of races, and we do not fit.”
Alydian frowned, recalling that the Runeguard had originally been a legion of soldiers from every race and kingdom, a symbol of unity among the divided world. But over the last few centuries the magicless guard members, or those with only one talent, were gradually replaced by the stronger Verinai.
Ferin fingered the hilt of his blade, but an easy smile spread on his elven features. “Let us defy their expectations.”
“And how do we do that?” Grogith asked with a scowl.
“By surviving,” Ferin said.
The elf grinned, and Alydian couldn’t help but smile in turn. At four centuries old, the elf was the oldest among the acolytes by a wide margin, but his skill with a sword had caused even Captain Devkin to praise him.
“Patrols one and five,” Commander Othan barked, interrupting their conversation. “You will defend the fortress while patrols two and three attack.” His boots clicked on the stone as he strode among them, his expression lighting with a dark smile. “One week remains, so every kill counts.” Then his form disintegrated, leaving them to their combat.
Holan barked orders to his Verinai and they surged into
a sprint, passing through the doors of the white fortress and leaping to the battlements. Alydian followed them to the fortress, but Erona met them inside.
“We have no need for your type of aid,” she said, signaling a Verinai to shut the gates.
“We will defend the wall,” Grogith growled, his raspy voice turning harsh.
Erona stepped close to him but the gnome did not retreat. He folded his long arms as Erona growled, her words laced with profanities and allusions to Grogith’s mother. When she was finished Grogith’s narrow features were dark with fury.
“My patrol,” he said simply, and turned on his heel.
“Stay out of our way,” Erona shouted at his back.
Grogith ascended a staircase that wound around a turret, entering the overlook at the top. Then he turned to face them.
“I’d like to gut her myself.”
“As would I,” Ferin crowed, drawing his sword.
Toala gestured to the battlements, where Holan’s patrol had taken up position. The wall curved around the corner of the white fortress, the battlements facing open ground. Two turrets bordered the main doors, while another three clung to the castle’s keep.
Bridges connected the rear turrets to the main fortifications. Pathways and stairs wound their way up, connecting the towers into a labyrinth of overlooks, sweeping arches, and alcoves. Cracks and scars marred the stone, some deep enough to threaten the integrity of the fortress.
“What do we do?” Toala asked.
“We let them fall,” Grogith said.
“That’s it?” Ferin asked, dismayed by the answer. “Shouldn’t we at least try to defend the fortress?”
“No.”
Grogith folded his arms, jutting his chin out. His small black eyes reflected no hint of compromise. Ferin grunted and looked away before offering his sword to the gnome.
“Will you at least enchant my blade with some of your magic? It will give me an edge against the Verinai.”
“No,” the gnome said.
“Why are you even here?” Toala demanded, anger seeping into her voice.
“My secrets are my own,” Grogith said, and stalked away.
Ferin attempted to follow but the gnome cast a look back that froze him in his tracks. Then he was gone. In the ensuing silence, Ferin turned to Alydian as he ran his fingers through his graying hair.
“What’s wrong with him?” Toala asked.
“Did anyone else hear him appoint Alethean as his lieutenant?” Ferin asked slyly.
“I did,” Toala said with a grin.
Alydian hesitated, recognizing that, with her farsight, she could lead them in the impending battle with ease. She’d secretly begun using her farsight in previous battles, quickly switching between future and present. But doing so would betray the gnome and likely deepen the divide between them. She shook her head.
“Cast entities and prepare yourselves, but do as he says.”
Without waiting for a response, she followed the gnome. Grogith had taken a path and ascended stairs to the extreme summit of the white fortress. Nearly touching the sky and capped with broken battlements, it overlooked the wall and the fortress below.
Alydian found him leaning on the battlements and she stepped to his side. She did not speak, even when the second and third patrols attacked, and magic erupted below. Her friends remained in the turret and did not offer aid even when one of Holan’s patrol was knocked from the wall, screaming as his leg broke upon the ground.
“Be gone, elf,” Grogith said.
On impulse Alydian slipped into her magesight and peeked at the gnome. Anger and pain reflected back at her, so dense that she winced and withdrew. As Holan barked orders and defended the fortress alone, she spoke in an undertone.
“I’m here because at one time I felt weak and powerless.”
He did not move, but his black eyes flicked toward her. She continued as if she had not seen the motion.
“Some time ago I was attacked,” she murmured. “And they could have killed me. I was helpless and terrified, and sometimes I still feel the touch of a blade on my throat. I never want to feel that way again.”
Grogith grunted in disgust. “You do not know your own strength.”
“Perhaps,” she admitted. “So I need a captain to teach me.”
His laugh was raspy and mocking. “You know far more than I.”
“About magic,” she said. “But who will teach me to be defiant?”
He threw her a sharp look, one of his long ears rising. “I’m not your mother.”
“Nor I yours,” she said, and smiled.
Below them, Holan and Erona’s entities were torn asunder under the combined attack of the other Verinai. Screaming in rage, they retreated deeper into the fortress. The other patrols split up, one going for Holan and Erona, the other ascending after Grogith’s patrol.
“Come little barren and I will make your end swift,” a Verinai called, his mocking laughter echoing into the fortress.
Toala appeared with Ferin. “Holan couldn’t hold them, the fool. Now we have six Verinai coming for us.”
Alydian looked to Grogith, and the dour gnome stared at her. Then he rumbled in his throat and pointed to Ferin’s sword, an inky substance appearing and coating the steel. Ferin crowed in delight as his sword turned dark.
“It will only last a few moments,” Grogith warned.
“It will be enough,” Ferin said.
“Are you going to be our captain again?” Toala asked.
Grogith scowled at her tone. “Clog their ears so they cannot work together. Then send an entity to distract them.”
“What about you two?” Ferin asked.
For the first time Grogith smiled, but the sight was more disturbing than his scowl. “We punish them for their pride.”
Toala grinned and stepped to the battlements. Magic sparked in her fingers and dozens of tiny birds burst from her palms. They spread out and dropped into the fortress, hunting their adversaries. Two found a Verinai just below them. Flanked by lions of fire, the Verinai smirked and pointed upward—and the birds smashed into her ears.
She shrieked and grasped her head, clawing at the birds, but they would not be dislodged. The birdsong was piercing even to Alydian, and she shuddered at the idea of it in her ears. The distraction cost the woman dearly. Ferin leapt down the steps and alighted next to the first lion, plunging his sword into the entity. The lion trembled and disintegrated, while the other lion leapt to him. Toala opened her mouth and sound exploded from her throat in a horrendous wail. It struck the lion on the flank and knocked it from the ledge, and it tumbled into the darkness below. As it disappeared Ferin stepped to the Verinai and struck her on the skull. She folded in half and went down.
The rest of the Verinai’s patrol saw the woman’s fall and slowed to regroup. United, the five of them charged up the stairs. Instead of multiple entities, they had cast a single giant between them, and the huge entity reached all the way to the battlements where Alydian and Grogith stood.
Alydian sent her magic into the stones of the battlements, and they ground together, rising into a golem that caught the giant’s hand. With multiple magics swirling through its form, the giant’s fist struck the golem to the ground, and cracked it all the way to its feet.
Shocked by the unexpected strength of the giant, Alydian desperately sought to seal her golem, but the giant swung again. Grogith cast his anti-magic against it but the entity was far too strong, and the fist shattered Alydian’s golem, knocking her into the battlements. Alydian blearily stumbled to her feet and saw at a glance that Grogith was dead.
When her vision cleared it wasn’t the expected adversaries but Holan who stood before her. His features were bloodied from the combat and contorted with hatred. Little remained of the fair elf he’d been when they first met. All at once Alydian realized Holan had joined the opposing Verinai to strengthen the giant entity.
“Betrayer,” he hissed.
He cast a shimmering swo
rd of light and strode to her. Alydian spotted the remaining members of the third and fourth patrols, but they looked on with approval. Without ally or friend, Alydian desperately sought to call on her magic, but the fear once inspired by the Soldier returned in force, binding her power. She stumbled back until she struck the cold battlements. Then Holan reached her and leaned into the blow, driving his lightcast blade through her stomach.
Alydian screamed as the weapon pierced her and plunged into the wall. The searing agony ripped her breath from her lungs. Her trembling hands reached for the blade, blood seeping down her clothing. Holan leaned in, his expression turned savage.
“Betrayer,” he hissed again.
Alydian screamed as the weapon was yanked free, and everything went black.
Chapter 16: Ellie’s Refuge
Raiden guided the wagon to a small inn owned by one of the Defiant. He removed his mask and approached after dark, and knocked on the rear door. When the innkeeper appeared, Raiden flashed the sign of the Defiant by raising a fist and tapping the back of it with his forefinger. The man glanced about and then repeated the motion.
“We need to dispose of a wagon,” Raiden said, “and we need a new one.”
The man nodded. “Leave it in the barn. I’ll have a new one here in an hour.”
Raiden thanked the man and withdrew into the night. An hour later they transferred the guardian into the new wagon and left the Verinai wagon in the barn. As they shackled him into place the sounds of axes turning the old wagon into firewood echoed into the night. Then they pulled back onto the road and turned north.
Without their masks, they looked like a normal group of travelers. They spoke to the guardian as if meeting him for the first time, and he seemed to believe they were not the masked ones who had rescued him. Raiden still avoided speaking to him on the chance he would recognize his voice.