by Ben Hale
“You are not my foe, Captain,” Raiden said. “But the Verinai I gladly kill.”
Whipping his sword free, he sliced the wing off the lightcast bird, and then struck the barrel, leaving a notch that liquid trickled from. Sparks crackled from the bird’s wound, falling toward the stonesap. The rings of soldiers surged back as Raiden dived off the wagon and rolled under it. Soldiers, dwarves, and Verinai all dived away . . .
The detonation obliterated the wagon, engulfing the Verinai that had drawn too close. Their burning bodies were flung into the trees, setting them ablaze. One barrel was knocked upward where it detonated in the canopy above, swallowing a pair of trees in the ensuing fireball.
Men and women screamed and scrambled away from the carnage. Billowing smoke and cinders rose from the scattered flames amid shrieks of the dying. Surviving mages called for aid and they drew from the stream beneath the bridge, using its water to extinguish the flames before they could spread. The smoke gradually cleared, revealing a gaping hole in the bridge. The Verinai searched for the body but as the hours passed it became clear.
The Soldier was gone.
Chapter 25: The Living City
Battlemages hunted among the trees, the dead Verinai, and the scorched earth around the destroyed wagon, but their efforts were futile. Mineva herself came and sought for his body, her orders increasingly harsh as they found no sign of the Soldier’s corpse.
“Perhaps the fires consumed him,” a Verinai said.
“The Soldier was not made of paper,” Mineva snarled. “Now find him.”
“As you order,” he replied.
Mineva’s expression gradually changed from triumph to doubt, but she refused to believe the Soldier had slipped through her fingers. Her demands growing more fervent, she drove the soldiers to greater efforts.
Raiden watched the display from the balcony of a tavern in the city above, a small smile on his face. He had no doubt they would figure out what he’d done eventually, but for now, they didn’t want to admit he’d slipped through their fingers.
With the stonesap set to explode he’d rolled beneath the wagon—and right off the edge of the bridge. Catching the lip, he’d swung himself into the darkness below just as the stonesap had blown.
He’d huddled in the dark just feet from the massive explosion, the sheer force cracking the bridge to its foundation. For an eternal moment he thought it would cave in, but then the earth stopped trembling. Rising, he removed his mask and cloak before stumbling into the haze of smoke and dust.
Elven soldiers scrambled to extinguish the flames before they could spread, but in the billowing smoke they did not notice an elf dressed as a merchant slip through their ranks. From there it had been easy to ascend into the city. Raiden had even passed within feet of Mineva, who had surveyed the carnage with an expression of smug triumph, unaware that the Soldier was within spitting distance.
“Do you think they killed him?” the servant elf asked.
Raiden looked up and saw the concern written on her features. “The Soldier has proven adept at escape,” he replied with a smile of assurance. “I’m sure we’ll see him again in the future.”
“You care about that criminal?” an elf nearby asked. “He was nothing but a murderer and a thief.”
“The Verinai are worse,” the elf maiden said. “Word is they killed King Talin.”
“A lie!” The elf said. “They sought to protect him!”
She muttered and departed, leaving him to rant in her absence. Many of the other tavern’s patrons harbored the same divided sentiment. The people seemed uncertain whether to celebrate or mourn the Soldier’s death, or even believe he’d been killed. Some of the disagreements turned violent, forcing the elven guard to step in.
All around the tavern, elves and a smattering of humans spoke in tense undertones, their words laced with worry and doubt. Many of the common folk believed that the Verinai used their power to build and support the people, but those who had experienced Verinai arrogance were vocal in their opposition.
Raiden’s smile faded as he watched them. Known for serenity and peace, the elven populace was on edge. Behind forced smiles and casual greetings, an undercurrent of anger and suspicion was rising. Fueled by Verinai oppression and the Soldier’s increasingly public defiance, the people sensed a line was being drawn, and the day would come when they would be forced to pick a side.
Raiden sighed and looked to the destroyed road below, wondering how it had come to this. Although no one knew it, he’d tried to forestall the Verinai through legal means prior to becoming the Soldier, and even petitioned the Eldress Council for aid. He’d had a family then, a brother who stood with him.
The Verinai had tolerated him as they denied his accusations, but when the people began to listen, they had come for him. And his brother had paid the price. Raiden grimaced at the memory and turned his attention to his ale, staring at the cup as if the contents had answers. Raiden had become the Soldier to punish the Verinai and force the people to see the truth. But his actions had led the people to war, a war they could not win.
If the Verinai were allied with Oracle Teriah they would be nearly unstoppable, and all the armies of Lumineia would be for naught. The common folk may have outnumbered the Verinai by a thousand to one, but they would never overpower the guild of Verinai. Even if the other mage guilds joined the common folk, how could they triumph?
Alydian.
The answer came as he thought the question. The only chance they had of preventing a mage war was for Alydian to join the Soldier. Together they could humble the Verinai before the races dissolved into a bloody war—a war that had already begun with the murder of the Griffin king.
Dropping a few coins on the table, he rose and exited the open-air tavern, making his way up an arcing branch that led to a higher level. The treeways were packed with elves all craning for a look at the devastated road, and soldiers were in abundance. They paid no mind to an elf walking among them.
He’d managed to change out of his dusty clothing in the tavern privy but needed a bath and a bed. However, staying in Rualia would be risky. Once Mineva accepted that he’d escaped, she would be out for blood, and the city would be the first place she would look. She might not know the Soldier’s identity, but she knew enough to track him.
He worked his way to the opposite side of the city to an elven ascender, but when he reached it the people were crowded around the exit. On a terrace lined with smaller branches, dozens of elves were clamoring for answers. Beyond them an elven guard stood before the lift.
A long slender branch extended from the main tree and held a cage. Large enough for several people to stand in, the cage provided a graceful descent to the ground a hundred feet below. But the cage was bound to the trunk, its doors shuttered and barricaded.
“What’s the meaning of this?” a woman demanded.
“The queen is not permitting us to leave?” a man echoed.
“Please have patience,” the guard shouted, attempting to drown out their complaints. “The Verinai have ordered the city closed while they perform a search for the Soldier.”
“He was killed in the explosion!” an irate human shouted. “What purpose can you have to search the city?”
“The Soldier’s body has not been found,” he said. “They want to ensure he did not slip into the city.”
“How long do you plan on keeping us here?”
“As long as it takes,” the guard insisted.
“The queen will not stand for this!” an elven woman cried.
Raiden slipped away before he was spotted. Shuttering the city was a dangerous move, one that incited the ire of the elven people. It also superseded the queen’s authority. When she learned of the Verinai trapping an entire city she would be furious—if she wasn’t already under Verinai control.
He worked his way to another exit, his pace hurried, as if he were on an important errand. It too was blocked, and the next. As word spread of the Verinai blockade th
e elves began to push toward the exits, demanding to be released. The rising tide of anger mounted as the guards began their search, systematically moving through the city.
Elves cried out in dismay as they were forced to endure a search by the Verinai, but their shouts of protest went ignored. Those that resisted were shackled and dragged away, and in minutes the city was in an uproar.
Raiden pushed his way through the struggling crowd, evading knots of soldiers fighting to carry out their orders. Raiden knew they were looking for the Soldier’s mask and considered discarding it. Then he heard what they were truly searching for.
“What is the meaning of this?” a human demanded as a Verinai stood in front of him.
“Quiet,” the elf barked, and leaned in.
“What are you doing?” the man shouted, recoiling from the inspection. Another guard caught his arm and held him fast.
“Detonated stonesap leaves a residue,” the Verinai said. “If you were anywhere near the explosion an earth mage will see the dust all over you.” He passed a hand over the man, a flicker of light on his fingertips. “It can linger in the flesh for hours, even days.”
“I’m a simple merchant from Griffin,” the man shouted, indignant.
“He’s clean,” the Verinai said, waving in dismissal. “Bring the next.”
An elven woman was forced to stand before her. “The Soldier is male, you dolt,” she snapped.
“Master Mineva isn’t taking any chances,” the Verinai said with a thinly veiled sneer.
Raiden tightened his grip on the mask in its hidden pouch and drifted away, mingling with a dour group of elven water mages. When another group of soldiers appeared, Raiden took a small path to a higher level.
The branch led him to a quieter section of the city. Larger limbs held aloft great houses, the walls and ceilings built of living branches. Prolific light orbs adorned the homes of the wealthy, and streams curved among the treetops.
The serenity of the upper terraces was marred by the shouts and screams from below, and Raiden drifted into the highest tavern he could find. Mineva had demonstrated a willingness to subdue the entire city to find him, and she wouldn’t stop with the lower terraces.
The elves in the tavern lined the balcony, speaking in hushed tones. Their food sat on the polished wooden tables, steam dissipating as the plates cooled. Even the bartender stood against the rail, shaking his head at the near riots unfolding below.
Raiden made his way to the rear where the tavern clung to the side of a great trunk. He tried not to pace but he could feel the trap closing about him. After the events of the morning it was an altogether familiar sentiment, and he doubted he could escape a second time.
He considered his options but none were appealing. He could try and snag a rope to lower himself to the forest, but he would be spotted and killed long before reaching the ground. Or he could attempt to hide and hope they did not find him. Neither boded well for his survival.
The shouts drew closer as the Verinai gradually ascended through the city, driving their quarry to where he could not escape. Raiden scowled and paced at the rear of the tavern, casting about for any avenue of escape.
A flutter of light drew his gaze.
He paused, his gaze drawn to a tiny lightcast hummingbird. It hovered in an obscure corner, nearly invisible unless someone was skulking in the rear of the tavern. His curiosity got the best of him and he reached for it. At his touch it unfolded into a note.
R,
Clever ploy with the wagon. There’s a secret door behind you that will take you out of the city. Be well.
A
The bird’s wings turned red and burned before his eyes, the ashes crumbling to his feet. He began to laugh as he stepped to the great tree. Now that he knew where to look, he spotted a curious knot in the bark of the tree. He pressed a finger to it—and a section of the bark swung inward, revealing a hidden staircase illuminated by a handful of light orbs. Raiden breathed a sigh of relief as he stepped into it and the door shut behind him.
“You have my gratitude, Alydian,” he murmured, and then disappeared down the staircase.
Chapter 26: The Third Trial
Deep in her farsight, Alydian watched Raiden slip into the Thieves Guild escape route. She remained in her magic long enough to verify he escaped the city before relinquishing it with a sigh.
When she’d heard that the Verinai had located the Soldier, she’d taken the first opportunity of privacy to dive into her farsight. She’d seen his face and knew his name, so it hadn’t taken long to locate his tree, and she followed his future to see the wagon explode. Even through the magic she flinched, her heart gripping with fear. But his tree continued to grow beyond the moment, indicating he’d survived.
She’d watched him escape the explosion with piercing relief. But her doubt turned to anger when she’d witnessed the Verinai bind and search the people of Rualia. Such an action superseded law and inquisition, forcing the people to relinquish their freedom by force. Her anger rising, Alydian watched the elves endure the scrutiny of the Verinai, and then she spotted Mineva through Raiden’s eyes.
Although clean and dressed in expensive garb, the woman reminded Alydian of oil. She’d spoken respectfully to the oracles, including Alydian when they’d met, but her tone turned condescending to everyone else. She’d even tried to order Captain Devkin to retrieve a cup of cha for her, an action that had made Alydian’s blood boil in her veins. If her mother had not been there, Alydian would likely have done something rash.
Through Raiden’s eyes, Alydian watched the hate and barely suppressed rage in Mineva’s features. She would search every corner of the city to find the Soldier, even if it meant shattering legal precedent and shackling innocent people. On impulse, Alydian had cast the hummingbird and sent it soaring away.
Alydian let her magic fade and strode to the balcony that overlooked the city. Rualia lay in the heart of Orláknia, and was just a day’s ride from Dawnskeep. The hills obscured her view, but a dark haze still rose in the distance, smudging the horizon and marring the blue sky. On impulse she made her way to the door and swung it open to find Yaria and Bathic outside.
“Any news?” she asked.
At her back, Yaria answered, “Master Mineva trapped the Soldier outside of Rualia but he escaped into the city. She’s searching it now.”
“How are the people reacting?” she asked.
There was a moment’s pause, and then Bathic replied, “Many are cooperating with the Verinai and elven guard, although a few have resisted the effort to find the criminal.”
It was carefully worded to sound true, but obscure the truth. Many could have been the majority or just a large group, and the choice to say that instead of most indicated her guards knew exactly what the Verinai were doing in Rualia—but they didn’t want to admit it to an oracle. Alydian’s lips tightened as she recognized that her guards protected her, but they were Verinai first.
Misunderstanding her expression, Bathic said, “Mineva has sworn to find him, my lady.”
She turned away so they wouldn’t see her slight smile. Mineva had no idea that Raiden was already slipping from her grasp, and Mineva’s frustration would only mount. Then Alydian’s smile faded and she turned to her guards.
“How many were killed when the wagon detonated?”
“Thirteen,” Yaria said, her tone dark.
Alydian didn’t respond, and shut the door again before returning to the balcony, fighting the surge of guilt. She’d aided The Soldier after he’d killed again, and felt as if she’d crossed an invisible line. Why was she helping him?
She turned back when Captain Devkin entered, bringing her morning meal. He nodded to Yaria and Bathic before deftly shutting the door. He placed the tray on the table and moved to stand beside her.
“Were you going to tell me the Soldier paid you a visit?”
The blunt question should have been shocking, but it wasn’t. Captain Devkin was clever and relentless, and he’d cle
arly been suspicious when he’d seen the damage to her quarters. Sinking into a seat by the tray of food, she rubbed her neck.
“Can we discuss this later?” she asked. “Today is my only day of respite before I embark on my third trial as an acolyte, where we both know I’m supposed to die.”
He jerked his head and folded his arms. “We discuss it now.”
She leaned back in her chair and met his gaze without flinching. Fleetingly she realized that their relationship had changed over the last few months. Devkin had been her guardian for some time, but now she viewed him as an equal, rather than her protector.
“He wanted to tell his side of the events in Terros,” she said.
“That he didn’t kill the king?”
“Why do you say that?” She asked.
He snorted scornfully. “The Verinai claim he killed King Talin, but that makes as much sense as the rumor of your mother turning into a dragon.”
She laughed without humor. “The Verinai have begun experimenting with magic,” she said. “They created a new spell, one so powerful that it nearly destroyed the castle at Terros.”
“And it killed King Talin?”
“No,” she said. “Master Mineva did that with her own hand.”
Devkin regarded her for several moments. “Tell me everything.”
She left nothing out, even what she’d done regarding the note to get him out of Rualia. When she finished, Devkin’s expression was pensive, and he leaned back into his seat. While he sat silent she took a citrus off the tray and methodically peeled it.
“You aided a criminal,” he said slowly.
“I know,” she said quietly.
“Why?”
She stared at the peel in her hand, and noticed the contrast to the bruises on her skin from her confrontation with the Soldier. She did not have an answer so she just shook her head. When he did not respond, she looked up.