Then Nikali began to laugh.
He laughed at all of the decisions he had made in the past. He laughed at letting Heric protect him for so long. He laughed at giving Abigail the statue of the bluehorn bird. He laughed at Alexus being torn apart by the avadons in the forest. He laughed at Marina playing coy so that nobody would notice her until she was ready to strike.
Most of all Nikali laughed that he had yet again failed.
He couldn’t save Heric. He was not a healer. He was a destroyer.
But Farrah could save Heric. She was the key. The Blood Beauties were right. Nikali just needed Farrah’s powers. Charos needed her blood.
Chapter 54
The line reached out the door and around the corner of the Senate House. Word was spreading. Abigail opened her doors to anybody in need of help. For the first time since Abigail’s arrival it looked like Myrus was back on the right track.
Many of Abigail’s followers worked the line of the soup kitchen they established. Workers from the area came each day to feed themselves during their shifts or collect food for their families waiting at home. Darden was able to make a deal with the local farmers and with Seres on supplying food for each and every day.
Grifith hurried with a crate of vegetables in his arms. He hurriedly and politely excused himself as he made his way through the crowd to get the fresh food to the cooks in the domicile. He didn’t want anybody to have to wait on him. He moved as fast as he could, but a nagging pain in his left ear kept distracting him. It wasn’t even really a pain. It was more of a small pressure poking him every few seconds. Whatever it was, it was growing annoying.
Grifith stopped to put the box down. Then he took his free hand and rubbed his finger against his ear in the hopes that he could break up whatever was thumping inside of him.
The pressure went away for a moment. Then it came back just as maddening as ever.
“Grifith, hurry!” shouted Darden from across the hall. He was waving for Grifith to get the vegetables down to the cooks. Grifith abandoned the effort to rid himself of his problem and grabbed the crate once again.
“Sorry!” Grifith shouted. “I’m coming! One second!”
Grifith double timed it and rushed through the remaining crowd to get the food to where it belonged.
“Tell Farrah that the rush is almost over,” said Darden once Grifith returned from the kitchen. “We’ll have her meal ready for her soon.” As Darden spoke he placed his pinky in his ear and scratched the inside.
Grifith watched his friend pick at his ear causing more attention to turn to Grifith’s own ear problem. He started to rub his ear again to try to drive away the infuriating pulse.
“What are you doing?” Darden asked as he watched his friend go mad rubbing the side of his head.
“There is something bugging me,” said Grifith. “It won’t go away.”
“Is it like a thumping sound?” asked Darden.
Grifith stopped his movements and stared at Darden. He slowly shook his head affirmative. Darden did the same thing.
“What is it?” Grifith asked.
“I don’t know,” said Darden. He began to look at the crowd surrounding them. Every person looked uncomfortable. There were little twitches in everybody’s gestures. Some started to pick at their ears the same way Darden and Grifith were.
Whatever the annoyance was, it was happening to everybody.
“Where is Farrah?” somebody whispered into Darden’s ear.
“Who wants to know?” Darden asked as he turned around to face whoever was talking to him.
But nobody was there.
“Was somebody just here?” Darden asked Grifith. “I could have sworn I heard somebody say something.”
“I heard it too,” said Grifith.
Darden looked out at the crowd again to see if anybody was looking for his attention. What he saw was the opposite. Everybody was looking around. The entire Senate House was looking at each other uneasily.
“Where is she?” whispered the voice again.
Darden moved his hand close to his ear where he heard the voice. There was nobody there. A low mumble erupted in the Senate House. Confusion was growing. Everybody wanted to know who was whispering.
“Show her!” the voice whispered; only this time a sharp pain accompanied the sound. Everybody in the shelter house winced in a second of agony.
“Keep Farrah upstairs,” Darden ordered Grifith.
“What is it?” Grifith asked.
“I don’t know, but we shouldn’t do what it says,” said Darden.
“I am tired,” continued the whisper in everyone’s ear. “You’ve put all of your hopes and dreams behind Farrah, the savior from the east. Every day I hear how great she is. Every day I hear how she is going to change Eluan. Not anymore. I am going to change Eluan. I am your Emperor. You cannot flee from my grasp. Thousands of you have come to Myrus in the hope that Farrah would protect you. I am here to tell you that is not a reality. I will prove to you that I am more powerful than her. I am your savior, for I am Charos, Emperor of Eluan.”
Grifith heard every word of Nikali’s as he dashed up the stairs three steps at a time to the top floor. He knew the path to Abigail’s room by heart and was there in a matter of moments.
“Emperor Nikali is here!” Grifith shouted once he entered Abigail’s room.
“We know,” said Odessa standing next to Abigail. “I heard it to.”
“Darden says not to go anywhere,” said Grifith.
“What does Nikali want?” Abigail asked. She was the only one that could not hear his whisper.
“He wants to show everybody that he is more powerful than you,” said Odessa.
“You can’t do it,” said Grifith.
“Grifith is right,” said Odessa. “He’ll kill you if he finds you.”
“I won't fight Nikali,” said Abigail. “But my people expect me to do something. We still need to stand up against him.”
“No,” said Odessa. “Maybe before, when you were as powerful as Nikali, but not anymore. You’re healing small wounds now. But that is not enough. We can't stand up against him yet. He cannot find you.”
The sound of horns interrupted their conversation. It was the alarm for enemies at the gate. The sound sent a quiet chill down everybody’s spine.
“Where is he?” Grifith asked.
Odessa hurriedly grabbed her weapons. “I’m going out there. I want to see what kind of force Emperor Nikali has with him. I will send Paltro up here to protect you. Grifith, make sure Farrah stays here. Nikali cannot find her.”
“I will,” said Grifith. Then Odessa was out of the room.
Abigail stayed silent. She knew Odessa was right. Nikali was not himself anymore. Their past was history. Abigail once looked eye to eye with Nikali and he did not see her. She couldn’t confront Nikali. Not now.
Seres and his guards rushed through the streets of Myrus. Nikali’s whisper was not isolated to just Abigail’s followers. All the people across Myrus heard his voice. Ellen did not speak a word while Seres tried to look around them for the source of Nikali’s voice. When the horns were sounded Seres rushed to his horse to confront the oncoming enemy. Nikali was nowhere to be found in Seres’ room. Nikali’s arcan continued to astonish Seres. What else was Nikali capable of?
The gates to Myrus opened for Seres and his men. Odessa was quick to join them just before the entryway. She had been waiting for Seres to arrive.
“Where is Farrah?” Seres asked.
“She is safe,” said Odessa.
“Good,” said Seres. “Come with me.”
Seres broke off from his men and lead Odessa to the city wall itself. An entrance to one of the towers was Seres’ destination.
The two of them walked straight to the top. It was the best vantage point in the city.
Myrus soldiers were there to greet Seres and Odessa.
“How many are there?” Seres asked, not bothering with the proper greetings.
�
��Six,” said one of the soldiers.
“Six?” asked, unsure of what he had just heard. “Six thousand?”
“No, Commander,” said the soldier. “Just six.”
Seres fumed. His face turned boiling red. He looked out the tower’s window toward the south of the city. The soldier was speaking the truth. There were just six people standing out in the distance, Nikali and his entourage.
“Who sounded the alarm for six people?” Seres asked.
“I don’t know, sir,” said the soldier. “The whisper. We all heard it. It had many men scared. Somebody must have sounded the horns when the group appeared out in the open.”
“Francesco de Seres,” Nikali whispered. “I see you.”
Seres stopped listening to the soldier. He turned back toward the window of the tower and looked down at the group outside the city again. Nikali was waving.
Seres looked down at his men. His army could overrun Nikali and his entourage. The entire war could all be over in a matter of minutes.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” whispered Nikali. “If your army advances then I am gone, and so are your chances at negotiating.”
“Negotiating?” asked the soldier. Seres turned to look at him. He was hearing the whisper just as well as Seres. They all were.
“You can’t do it,” said Odessa.
“Do not presume to order me,” said Seres. “I ultimately decide what happens to my city.”
“You’ve made a deal,” reminded Odessa.
“One that I hope will be worth it,” said Seres. “Let’s go. Nikali wants to talk.”
The Myrus army waited outside the walls of the city, ready to defend it on the word of Francesco de Seres the End of Days.
A path was opened up at the entryway, allowing Seres and his men to reach the front lines and to confront Nikali, face to face. They moved slowly by the ranks of the soldiers. Seres did not want to show any panic or fear. He moved his horse with pride and confidence.
As Seres got closer he could see Nikali was accompanied by Cassandra, dressed in an Eluan general’s garb, and the four women of the Red Cast. Nikali waited, tilting back and forth on the balls of his feet. The women surrounded their emperor at full attention.
None of them had horses. Seres looked all around. He could not see any trace of an army or even any modes of transit. It worried Seres. He had spies at the Capitol. No word had come that Nikali was leaving the city. It was truly as if Nikali and the others appeared out of thin air.
Seres came to a halt still a short ways away from Nikali. He double checked the area one last time. Then he gave his orders. “Odessa stays with me. The rest of you will hold back. Watch for my signal. If Nikali makes any attempt to attack, trample him.”
The soldiers confirmed their orders then held back as Seres and Odessa continued their approach.
“Why just us?” Odessa asked.
“You represent Farrah,” said Seres. “I expect you to do what’s best for her, and see that I am doing that as well. Plus, you are already privy to more information than them. There are already too many secrets to deal with.”
Nikali stepped forward to get a clear view of Seres and Odessa. His crown shinned against the daytime sun. It looked freshly cleaned, without the wear of travel.
“I’m so glad you could join me,” said Nikali. “You’ve been causing some problems.”
Seres remained on his horse. He was close enough now to talk to Nikali without raising his voice. It was as close as he was going to get. “Myrus no longer recognizes the authority of Eluan. You have no power here.”
Nikali snarled. “I have power!” His voice echoed in Seres’ ear and everybody else’s across the city.
“Your jaunt against my soldiers was nothing,” continued Nikali. “You will not have that chance again. My mother has filled your head with aspirations of failure. Bow to me now, or I will take everything away from you.”
“No,” said Seres.
Nikali snarled. A low growl could be heard under his breath. “How can you be so foolish?”
“This is my city, Nikali,” said Seres. “I will not give it up upon the request of a madman.”
Nikali smiled. “This is not a request.” He grabbed his crown and dug it deeper onto his skull. The metal cut against his skin and droplets of blood began to flow down Nikali’s face. “I am the emperor.”
“Not here,” said Seres.
“You keep saying that,” laughed Nikali. “But it’s not true. Everything here belongs to me. Those delightful people that scurried away from the city belong to me. Do I have everybody’s attention now?”
Nikali’s voice echoed in Seres’ ear. He could hear Nikali in person, but also the whisper up close.
“I want everybody to be listening closely,” said Nikali. “Listen to me well. I am looking for Farrah. I know she is in Myrus. She has made a wonderful home for all of you that ran away. I must thank her for taking such wonderful care of all of my subjects. Please, bring her to me.”
“Farrah will not bow to you,” said Seres.
“I don’t want her to bow to me,” said Nikali. “By Eluan law she is to be executed. Let it be known, that Myrus is harboring a fugitive. Farrah, granddaughter of Aldrin the Ageless, the heir to the Tcher Islands, and false savior of Eluan is sentenced to death.”
Seres stayed quiet. He could hear the whisper in his ear and knew everybody else in Myrus just heard Nikali’s words.
“Farrah has done nothing but fool you all,” said Nikali. “She does not have the power she claims she does. I have that power. I have the power to bring Eluan back together and to free us from the fear and pain that our enemies have brought us.
“I have vowed to end the reign of terror that Tcher has brought on my land. So I will make this simple. Myrus has become the enemy of Eluan. But there is still a chance at redemption.
“Give me Farrah, and bow to your emperor once again. I will spare you the misfortune that will soon come. If you choose to fight then so be it. Myrus will fall once more. But it will not be the flames that turned this city into ash before. Myrus will see the fate that Prial once had. I will slaughter every traitor in the city. Then I will poison the earth underneath your feet. Your bodies will rot away untouched by any animal. Those brave enough to see the city again will remember what happened here. They will tell the story of the folly few who thought they could challenge Charos.
“Plagues will descend upon your city. Every day you will live in misery until you present me Farrah. Give me her alive. Give me her dead. Give me her head. It does not matter. All that matters is Tcher’s empire will end with her.”
Seres’ horse was startled by Nikali’s arcan. He wrestled against Seres’ commands. Odessa watched silently. She could feel her mood dropping like a cloud casting a shadow on the ground. Her thoughts went to Abigail and hope burst a spark in her thoughts.
“We will not give up Farrah,” Odessa proudly stated.
Nikali turned to the covered warrior. He eyed her down. Odessa could feel the penetrating annoyance of her ear throbbing. Then Nikali turned his attention away from Odessa and the irritation went away.
“I will be waiting,” said Nikali as a whisper once more.
With his final words, Nikali waved his hand and his group began to walk away. There was nothing further to discuss with Seres and Odessa.
They walked back into the horizon, and the nothingness they came from
Chapter 55
Grifith had been hard at work. As soon as he heard that Abigail no longer had the power that she held back in Jemn he knew it was up to him to get her strength back. He was going to need to hunt down stronger Tamor Blood. Luckily for Grifith, there were plenty of bars and taverns in Myrus that made their own Tamor Blood.
He began walking the streets every morning. He stepped into any tavern he passed. The process was slow going. He began in the center of the city near the Senate House. The establishments were not very helpful. Their Tamor Blood was watered do
wn and barely gave Grifith any feeling of power or relief.
Over the next weeks, Grifith made his way to the outskirts of the city until he found himself in the shantytown developed by the immigrants and refugees from elsewhere in Eluan that had come to Myrus to help rebuild the city. The work was steady, but it did not pay well. Most of them could not afford to live inside the city proper. The shantytown grew over the past year. It was now its own burrow growing out of Myrus barely under the protection of Seres and his men.
Grifith strolled through the crowded walkways of the shantytown until he crossed the next bar in his path. While looking like a pile of debris strung together, the bar was one of the earliest establishments in the Myrus shantytown. They had their regulars that kept the place in business, and as the empire’s coin flowed into Myrus in the beginning of the reconstruction much of it went through the bar.
As Grifith entered the bar he noticed it was even more run down than the outside. Ever since Emperor Nikali took over the money stopped flowing to Myrus. It was most evident in the lower class areas of the city. But despite the bars lower appearance and fortune it still had its regulars.
Grifith approached the bar. He slipped in between two men who looked about as bad as they smelled. Grifith leaned over the bar to get the attention of the barkeep and avoid just a hint of his neighbors’ odors.
“Could I get a drink?” Grifith asked the husky man behind the bar.
The barkeep eyed Grifith for a second then he laggardly filled up a mug of Tamor Blood and slammed it down on the counter in front of his newest customer.
“Haven’t seen you before,” said the barkeep. His hand was sticking out with fingers wiggling, signally for payment.
Grifith perked up when he saw the man’s hand. He quickly reached in his pocket. The jingling of coins was evident. It caught the attention of the other regulars sitting near him. They all looked to watch as Grifith counted out a few coins and handed them to the barkeep.
“I just got here a little bit ago,” said Grifith.
Eluan Falls: A Whisper of Fate Page 27