by Khalid Uddin
Four of the men stood against the wall to the right, each with a spear in hand.
“Welcome, friends.” A deep voice came from behind them as the door shut. A light copper-skinned man, nearly a foot taller than Bo’az and nearly as tall as Linas and Slade, circled around them and stood a few paces in front of Bo’az. The man smiled at them and eyed all three up and down. He stared at Bo’az the longest. He turned and walked to the opposite wall and sat in a cushioned wooden chair facing them. “Well, is this my Baltaszar? He is certainly more battered and bruised than I was expecting. Master Nasreddine, was this boy a problem during your voyage?” The man, whom Bo’az assumed to be Jahmash, spoke slowly and deliberately to the point that Bo’az almost felt that Jahmash was toying with them. Focus.
Linas cleared his throat and spoke solemnly. “He…he was not a problem, Lord Jahmash. Just…quite stubborn. There were many times when he…he needed to be put in his place.”
The man’s grin grew wider than before. “Ah. Was he not thrilled to be coming to see me?” Bo’az could also sense arrogance in Jahmash’s tone, yet it was so subtle that he could not be certain of it.
“My lord, he…he did not know of your existence until a few days ago. The source of his anger was that he was taken against his will. And…and that his lover was killed by Gibreel.”
“You dared to bring a companion, Master Kontez. I imagine she proved to be a burden, and that is why Master Casteghar killed her?” Linas nodded. “Where is Gibreel Casteghar, then? Surely he is overjoyed to return so that I may send him on another journey. How that man loves to kill.”
Linas cleared his throat again and paused before speaking. “My lord…the boy killed Gibreel. He pushed him off of a mountain.” Linas stared intently at the ground.”
Jahmash showed no emotion at any of the news. “Killed Gibreel. I suppose his personality did not afford him any favors, but you killed one of my favorite soldiers, Master Kontez. That is your first offense against me.”
Bo’az knew he should be afraid of Jahmash, but his mannerisms and even the way he spoke made him seem incredibly harmless. Even likeable. Bo’az could see how a man so charismatic could have a fortress and followers, and why Slade had stressed so much about this meeting. “I apologize for my offense, sir. Gibreel killed the girl I loved. Surely you would have done the same?” Bo’az could feel Slade staring at him. Have I overstepped my boundaries by explaining myself? Could I have offended him? Light of Orijin, stop talking you fool!
Jahmash showed no evidence of having taken offense. He remained reclined in his chair and spoke matter-of-factly. “If there is something I might relate with, it is the anger and rage that come with losing a loved one, whether in death or betrayal.” He squinted at Bo’az. “Do you have more news to share with me, Master Kontez?”
Bo’az’s heart pounded. Should I have anything else to say? What does he want to know? Bo’az looked at Slade, hoping for some sort of help. Slade closed his eyes and nodded. What does that mean? What…oh. “There…is…something. We…I think you should know. I am…I am not…Baltaszar Kontez.”
“What!” Linas turned to Bo’az and looked like he would have strangled him, had his hands not been tied. One of the soldiers used a spear to jab Linas in the back, sending him to his knees.
“Master Nasreddine. This boy is clearly not Baltaszar Kontez. He does not bear the Descendant’s Mark.”
“Rhadames told me that it was him! Why would I believe otherwise! Rhadames came with us so that he could identify the boy! That was his job!”
“Indeed. It was his job.” Jahmash glanced at Slade and back at Linas. “But you were the leader of this expedition. His faults are yours. Master Slade clearly lied to you. And we shall discern the reason for that shortly. There is something more important that I would like to know first. You are not Baltaszar Kontez. We know that. But then, who are you? How have you managed to fool my three collectors?”
Some of the nervousness left Bo’az. His heart calmed slightly. “I am Bo’az Kontez. Baltaszar is my twin brother.”
Jahmash rubbed his short dark brown hair then stroked his stubbly beard. His face was angular and sharp, yet powerful. He looked at Slade. “And Master Slade, were you aware of this when you found him? And when you lied to Master Nasreddine?”
Slade took a deep breath. “I knew he was not Baltaszar right away. I assumed they were twins. This boy looks just like his father. I knew he must be related to Baltaszar.”
“I charged you three with this mission over three years ago. Why is it that, in all that time, you could not find Baltaszar Kontez? Why do you have his ordinary brother here instead?”
Linas spoke first. “My lord, I apologize. Clearly if I had known, this would not have happened. I would not have allowed us to return without Baltaszar! Slade even said that he would take the blame!”
“Linas. Come here. Let me show you something.” Linas arose and walked toward Jahmash, though he looked to be straining to stand still. “Face your peers. Do you see them?”
“Yes, my lord.”
“How? Jahmash’s voice maintained a pleasant, yet deliberate tone. “How could you possibly see them? You are so blind that you could not tell the difference between a Descendant and this ordinary boy. Now tell me, do you see them?”
Linas furrowed his brow. “No, my lord.”
“Very good, Linas. Very good. You are so blind that you do not see things right in front of you.”
“I do not, my lord,” Linas said, flatly.
Linas’ hands moved to his face, twitching the whole time while Jahmash spoke to him. “And if you are so blind, then you do not need your eyes for anything. Obviously, they betray you.” Jahmash had spoken so soothingly that Bo’az would never have guessed what came next. As Jahmash finished speaking, Linas silently dug his fingers into his eyes and pulled them out of his face.
Bo’az shut his eyes tightly and fought the urge to vomit. At first, he had no idea how a man could do that to himself and not scream from the pain. Only then did Bo’az truly understand just how powerful Jahmash was. He opened his eyes, but tried to focus on something besides Linas. Simultaneously, Bo’az and Slade were hit in the chest by small objects. Only when Bo’az looked at his feet did he realize that Linas had thrown an eyeball at each of them. Bo’az gagged and recomposed himself.
Jahmash spoke again. “You are now just as useful as you previously were. Only now, you cannot be deceived by your eyes. Do you understand?”
Linas said plainly, “I understand, my lord.”
“Very good.” Jahmash grinned widely again and spoke to Linas as if he was encouraging the man. “Perhaps you might even gain the gift of prophecy now, just like those Blind Men.”
“If I am lucky, my lord.” Linas jolted and fell to the ground screaming. His hands clung to his face and he rocked back and forth. Bo’az assumed that Jahmash had released whatever control he’d taken of Linas’ mind. Jahmash raised a hand to his soldiers. Two walked to Linas and carried him out. Bo’az continued to hear Linas’ screams for several minutes after he’d left.
Jahmash turned his attention toward Bo’az and Slade once more, speaking just as pleasantly as if nothing out of the ordinary had just occurred. “Gentlemen. Now you may explain to me why we have arrived at this situation. Bo’az, while I am sure you are a charming young man, I am still quite disturbed that you stand before me rather than Baltaszar Kontez. Master Slade, why do you bring me a dog when I clearly asked for a lion?”
Slade stared down at Linas’ eye for a few moments before answering. “It was not until we had searched almost all of Ashur that I had heard rumors of Baltaszar Kontez’s true whereabouts. His father was not originally from Ashur, so I did not know where they might reside. It turns out that Joakwin Kontez had been hiding in a small forest village; it was so well hidden that the rest of Ashur had never even heard of it.”
“You are not answering my question, Master Slade.”
“I apologize if my words sound like
pretense. I am getting to the point. It had taken me so long to find Kontez’s village that by the time we did get there, Baltaszar had left for the House of Darian.” A glimmer of anger flashed across Jahmash’s face for a split-second, and then it was gone. If Bo’az’s eyes had not been focused intently on Jahmash, he would have missed it. “At that point, I thought that if we attempted to capture Baltaszar, it would cost us our lives. According to the rumors, his manifestation is a dangerous one. Surely he would not be traveling to the House of Darian alone. I chose to stop tracking him because I thought there was a strong possibility that he’d found other Descendants. If that was true, we would surely fail in capturing him.
“Believe me Lord Jahmash, I understood clearly that this choice would make you unhappy. But in both scenarios, Baltaszar would have escaped us. I chose the path that kept us alive. Bo’az Kontez stands before you because he is our only bargaining piece. If you hold him prisoner, I can go back to Ashur and convince Baltaszar to come here. Bo’az is all that remains of his family. Baltaszar would assuredly do your bidding.”
Jahmash put a hand to his chin. “Your mind is incredibly strong, Master Slade. Too strong for me to invade. But I do not need to look into it to know that you are being truthful with me. Some of my ‘eyes’ have confirmed that Baltaszar Kontez travels to the House. And he does indeed have allies now. Regardless, it bothers me that you took so long to return to me. But your ability to surmise such a contingency plan makes me regret that I put Nasreddine in charge of your mission instead of you. Perhaps the ability to control my soldiers is not the highest priority.”
Slade took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
Nonetheless, you have still failed me. I will send you back to Ashur to retrieve my prize. But with a reminder to not fail again.” Jahmash nodded to the two remaining soldiers against the wall and touched a finger to his ear. In seconds, one soldier jabbed Slade in the stomach with a spear and knocked the wind out of him. Slade fell to his hands and knees. The other soldier unsheathed a dagger and severed Slade’s right ear. Slade croaked, clenching his stomach with one hand and the side of his head with the other. Jahmash stood up and walked to Bo’az and Slade, who was now breathing heavily and grunting. “Master Slade, you did not listen to me. I wanted Baltaszar and you brought me Bo’az. You have one ear remaining. Hear what I ask. I want Baltaszar Kontez. We have finally found out where the House of…Darian is hidden. Once Maqdhuum returns, we will amass an army so large that one thousand Descendants could not stop it. You will travel to the House with Drahkunov and Maqdhuum. Their armies will destroy the House of Darian and as many Descendants as they can. You will bring me Baltaszar Kontez. If you fail me this time, you will lose more than your other ear.”
Chapter 15
The House of Darian
From The Book of Orijin, Verse Fifty-Two
Use balance in grasping the past. Grasp it tightly enough that you may learn from it. Grasp it loosely enough that it does not replace your future.
As they rode across the desert plain toward a small range of mountains, Baltaszar realized that he’d become so lost in his thoughts that most parts of the ride had become a blur. He’d gained nothing of use about Vitticus Khou–nothing that could prove Khou and Oran Von were the same man. But Baltaszar was not deterred. He had a talent for remembering faces–he could still picture Yasaman’s perfectly–and could plainly see that Khou’s and Von’s faces were identical. If he could only find someone who had known his father, perhaps then he might get answers. If he’d remembered correctly, Slade had mentioned having known his father. But Baltaszar reasoned that his chances of seeing Slade again were as arbitrary, if not more so, as their first meeting.
During the entire ride from the City of the Fallen, Baltaszar’s memories and ponderings had consumed him. He kept searching his mind for some detail about Von that might connect everything, but he didn’t know enough. Most of the time, thoughts of Yasaman invaded and then he would think about her until something brought him back to reality–usually a question or comment from one of the others. Baltaszar decided he would eventually go back to Haedon to see her. Once he became comfortable at the House of Darian, he would request permission to return for a few days. First he would find Yasaman. He still was unsure of what he would say, but he needed to know where they stood. After that, he would see Von and demand answers about his father.
Baltaszar’s father was another matter. Anger tugged at his mind every time Baltaszar thought about him. Why didn’t he tell me about any of this? Why did he hide me away? He hoped that Slade had been right about having questions answered at the House of Darian.
“Dismount at the boulders!” Desmond yelled from ahead. Baltaszar focused on the scenery before him. An enormous craggy mountain dominated the horizon. He brought his horse to a halt and dismounted. Boulders densely littered the sandy ground.
A stout man, slightly taller than Baltaszar, in leather armor emerged from behind the boulders. “Welcome back, lads.” The man bore a tan complexion, darker than Desmond but lighter than Baltaszar. “Brought some fresh fish, did you?”
Desmond responded, “Ya know how it is, Kadoog’han. We need all the help we can get. Met them at ‘The Colored Road’. Nice fellas. Baltaszar an’ Horatio.”
The man nodded his head toward Baltaszar and Horatio. “The pleasure is mine, lads. Kadoog’han at your service. Shall we proceed, then?”
Badalao answered him. “Yes. Let us not waste time. I am eager to speak to Maven Savaiyon.”
Kadoog’han nodded. “Then let’s go.” He led them through a path in the boulders and they shortly arrived at an opening in the mountain. The others led their horses off to the side and were tying them to posts jutting from the ground. Kadoog’han nodded for Baltaszar and Horatio to do the same. “The portal is not friendly to horses. Descendants found that out the hard way. Long time ago.”
Baltaszar’s confusion must have been evident as he walked to a post. Desmond informed him, “When they first created the portal ta the House, they tried ta bring the horses through, also. Horses didn’t survive it. They learned quickly not ta bring ‘em through. Now we just tie ‘em up out here. Not like anyone else is goin’ ta take ‘em.”
“Portal?” Baltaszar was even more confused.
Desmond smiled. “Ye’ll see.”
They all walked back to Kadoog’han once the horses were tied. He led them into the cave in the mountain. Once they’d walked about twenty feet in, Kadoog’han stopped and waved them forward. “I will see you soon, lads.” He looked at Baltaszar. “Stay calm all the way through.” Baltaszar nodded and followed the others as they walked forward. For several moments, blackness surrounded him. It was so strong that he could not see the others. The ground remained firm, although Baltaszar could see only darkness beneath him. Baltaszar realized he was traveling forward quickly, despite the fact that he was not moving his body at all, like the world was racing by him.
The world finally rematerialized around him, except that Baltaszar now stood outside enormous doors. They were open and a giant common could be seen inside. Baltaszar marveled at the intricacy of the design on the front of the House of Darian. It had the look of a castle. The others all stood beside him, in the same positions as in the cave. Baltaszar looked around at them as they all walked through the doorway and into the main common room. “What…was that?”
Badalao turned to him. “We are now on an island off the coast of Ashur. It is the only way to keep the House of Darian safe from those who would seek to harm us. We use a touch portal to reach the island because, as you can see, it gets us here in mere moments. Before it was created, they would walk through a maze of paths in the mountain and then travel by boats.”
“So nobody knows where the House actually is?”
“Except for those of us who have stepped foot here, no one knows that it is on an island. Most people throughout Ashur assume that is it in the mountains or underneath it. Now that you are here, you are sworn to keep that se
cret safe.”
Baltaszar nodded. “Understood.”
Desmond led them to the left down a drab corridor. “We need ta find Maven Savaiyon. Likely he’s talkin ta Marlowe.” The hallway eventually opened to another common room.
To the left, two men stood in a doorway, talking. Their voices lowered slightly once they noticed the group. Baltaszar overheard the smaller man telling the larger one, “I have done all I can for the moment, Roland. He will not be killed unjustly. We shall schedule a hearing when there has been enough time to assemble the facts. If you would like to attest to his character, then by all means, do so. We shall speak more on this later. We have company.” He patted the taller man on the shoulder and the latter turned toward the group, nodded solemnly, and walked away. The shorter golden-skinned man faced Baltaszar and the group. “Young masters, is there something with which I might help you?” The man stared at Baltaszar long enough that Baltaszar shifted his gaze to his feet.
Marshall was the first to respond, from the back of their group. “We would like details on what happened to Gunnar and Adria, sir.”
The man closed his eyes for a moment. “I see. I have discussed the matter with Maven Savaiyon. The details will stay a private matter for the time being.” Baltaszar assumed that the man had normally spoken this curtly. Even Desmond hadn’t flinched at the man’s rejection. “For the time being, I would urge you all to return to your quarters and relax for a short while. Afterwards, have your fellow Descendants tutor you on the lessons that you all missed. Also, have Maven Villem find quarters for…what is your name, young master?” He pointed to Horatio.
“I am Horatio. Horatio Mahd. It is a pleasure to meet you Zin Marlowe.” Horatio stepped forward and thrust his arm toward the man. Marlowe, visibly irked, grasped Horatio’s forearm and let it go in one swift movement.