Fallen Star

by Steven Drake

  Jerris fidgeted anxiously as he waited, nervous about what would be an important discussion. He had to strike a proper tone, balance firmness and diplomacy, assert himself but without aggression. It would not be easy. The Order of the Golden Shield were not enemies, but neither were they truly his friends, only allies of convenience. Jerris’ best hope was Niarie, who was also the Archmage’s granddaughter, but there were limits to what even family ties could accomplish when power was at stake.

  After a few minutes wait, Jerris was fighting sleep, so the sudden violent opening of the door caused him to jerk upright in surprise. Eldrik strode into the room, flanked by Nielas and Oswald, who seemed to be recovering well from his battle injury. Tobin followed a few paces behind. The old dwarf raised his bushy snow-white eyebrows to look Jerris in the eye, and in that look, an entire conversation passed between them. Tobin’s face fell, and he looked at the floor, shaking his head. There was no need to tell the old dwarf that Darien had fallen.

  Eldrik sat across the table, with Nielas and Oswald sitting on either side of the Archmage. Jerris did not like the look on Nielas’s face at all. Nielas seemed to dislike him for some reason, and he suspected it had to do with his and Nia’s friendship. Oswald looked as he usually did, an optimistic and capable lieutenant, struggling to smile even in this obviously grim moment. Tobin sat with his head bowed a few feet away down the long table. It was unsettling to see the usually cheerful old dwarf wear such a grim countenance.

  Archmage Eldrik blinked and rubbed the bridge of his nose. His eyes were red with obvious weariness.

  “Before I say anything else,” Eldrik said, “let me thank you for bringing my granddaughter back to me. I cannot express my gratitude enough. I was given a preliminary report by a messenger, but it only told me that Darien was missing. What happened?”

  Jerris gathered himself, straightened his body, and started into the story, recounting everything since they had left Kilnar two days earlier. Eldrik and the others listened silently. There was far too little to tell. They only knew for certain that Traiz and Darien had fought, and that Traiz had been killed. Gransz had identified the corpse outside the rookery as belonging to a demon, and presumably Darien had killed it, but what happened after that was anyone’s guess. The fact that they had found the Star Sword seemed almost irrelevant.

  Eldrik refrained from commenting until the end, and thankfully so did Geoffray. Finally, when everything was finished, he sat and waited. Eldrik looked to Geoffray, who finally spoke up.

  “I never trusted that Inquisitor.” Geoffray stared down at the table. “I tried to warn you, but you never listened to me. I trusted your judgment, your experience. Thanks to this mongrel elf, the Ebonscale have forbidden me searching for the Demon’s Blade. The Demon King will grow stronger, and we are greatly diminished. The Order of the Golden Shield is shattered, Rana is dead, and we have nothing to show for it.”

  “We do have something to show for it.” Jerris said. “Nia, show them.” Nia took the sheathed Star Sword from her side and lifted it up. “With the Star Blade, we have a chance.”

  “Nia, you found it?” Nielas opened his eyes wide for a moment, but a moment later, his lips smoothed, and his expression flattened into an inscrutable mask. Whatever he was thinking, he wasn’t showing it.

  “Yes, and now it’s in the hands of a novice, with no combat experience,” Geoffray said. “It’s as good as useless now.”

  “Damn you Geoffray,” Nia cried. “Take the damn sword.” Nia threw it on the table. It clattered against the wood and the blade slipped out of the sheath by a few inches, glowing white, drowning out the torchlight. Everyone was silent.

  “That won’t work I’m afraid,” Eldrik said. “Like the Demon’s Blade, the Star Sword binds itself to a single master, but unlike the Demon’s Blade, the Star Blade chooses its master. I regret not telling you, as I regret many things. It cannot be given to another. It can only be taken by another upon your death.” Nia looked in horror at her Grandfather. “Nia, I am so sorry.” The old man’s pained expression told of the internal agony he was suffering.

  “At least we have it,” Oswald said. “Geoffray, you’re not giving Nia enough credit. She helped us win the battle.”

  “Thanks to what, blind luck?” Geoffray growled. “Will luck defeat the Demon King? We need to appeal to the Ebonscale. Gransz will listen to you, Eldrik. We need the Demon’s Blade. I don’t care what these elves say.”

  “Don’t you care about Darien at all? He died for this and all you care about is the sword.” Nia spoke harshly, unexpectedly. “Jerris was right. You should never have it.”

  Though grateful for the support, Jerris immediately became aware of the tension. Nielas, Oswald, Geoffray, and Eldrik were all staring straight at him. He had to answer.

  “I won’t allow anyone to search for it,” Jerris said. “I made a promise, and I intend to keep it. The sword belongs rightfully to the elves, and as their representative, I forbid anyone to lay hands on it.”

  Geoffray slammed a fist on the table. “You don’t get to make that decision. You are not in charge, and your Executioner is not here to back your boasting.” Ceres had taken notice and sat bolt upright, her hand drifted near her sword, just in case.

  “Everyone calm down, please,” Eldrik said. “We won’t get anywhere fighting amongst ourselves. Let’s leave the issue of the sword aside for now.” Eldrik rubbed the bridge of his nose again, showing his age more than ever before. “We don’t know for sure what happened. We don’t know for certain that Darien is dead, and we don’t have time to look for him. If he is alive, he will eventually return, and if not, we have no chance of finding him without the help of the Ebonscale. We should be concerned with Traiz. We have to gather all the information we can to limit the damage. He likely wasn’t acting alone. We have to find his associates and figure out what his objectives were.”

  “Isn’t it obvious what’s happened?” Geoffray said. “The Inquisition is behind all of this. He has been feeding information to High Inquisitor Barris while pretending to work against her, and thanks to you, he knew all of our plans. The enemy has taken the order right under our noses.”

  “We cannot assume that, Geoffray,” Eldrik argued. “What evidence we have suggests he worked against Barris. He may have had a different objective. Perhaps he only wanted to set us against one another, ruin any chance of reconciliation. We must be patient, gather information, reassess our situation. The conflict between us and High Inquisitor Barris may, in fact, have been his objective. By fighting her, we might give him exactly what he wanted.”

  “Damn you Eldrik!” Geoffray railed. “We’ve tried to do it your way. I trusted your experience, let you play at politics, and where has it gotten us? I’m tired of plots and intrigue. I’m going to gather my forces and put Barris where she belongs.”

  “Geoffray, you’re talking about bringing war upon our own people,” Oswald added. “It will be killing people who we once called brothers, good men who made a bad choice. We are already in a position of weakness. What will we be after expending men and resources fighting one another?”

  “We cannot reconcile with Barris,” Nielas countered. “We have burned too many bridges. If we don’t fight against her, we may as well walk into the dungeons of Trinium ourselves.”

  “Well, what do you suggest Nielas?” Eldrik countered. “Do you have any better ideas?”

  “We don’t have to do anything right away,” Nielas said. “Barris has planned this a long time, and most of the free kingdoms support her. Just our forces won’t be enough. We already have ties with the Ebonscale. If we can gain allies among the dragons and dwarves, perhaps we can use the leverage to negotiate some kind of truce. We can bide our time, until we’re in a better position to negotiate or fight.”

  “So, I sit here and wait while the two of you try to kiss enough asses to get us out of this. I think not,” Geoffray said coolly. “I have heard all this before. I have listened to your words of caut
ion when I should have been doing what is right. Without our principles, without our honor, we are nothing. Barris must be made to pay for her crimes, and the Shield must be led by someone who understands that honor and law must be respected above all else.”

  “Geoffray, no good will come of this. I am not yet ready to take up arms against our brothers. If you do this, I cannot guarantee my support.” Eldrik’s face hardened into a mask of stern disapproval, but Geoffray seemed genuinely unaffected. He glared back with undisguised menace, then stood.

  “You are unfit to lead us, Eldrik,” Geoffray said. “We believed in you, and all this time, you hid your greatest shame.”

  “What are you talking about?” Eldrik asked.

  Geoffray bared his teeth, half smiling and half snarling. “I knew there had to be a reason you were so eager to believe the Executioner, when there was no reason for you to do so, when you, of all people, should have stood with me in condemning him. Now, thanks to your granddaughter’s careless words, I know what that reason is. She called him her brother. Now it makes sense. Your son laid with a wretched elf witch and produced mongrel children. When did you know? Was it when you met Darien at the Tribunal, or did you always know? Did the enemy tell you? How do we know Traiz was not answering to you? You always were quick to embrace his schemes. This calls your entire career into question.”

  Eldrik blanched as if he’d just been punched hard in the gut. He laid a hand on the table to steady himself and bowed his head.

  “Please Geoffray, don’t do this. Don’t you see this is what they want, us fighting each other?” Niarie pleaded. “You’ve known me and Grandfather for years. Do you hate elves that much?”

  “Apparently, I don’t know you as well as I thought, and it is not about my personal feelings. It never was and never will be. I do what I do for the Golden Shield, for the things it represents, the things Rana died for. The elves damned themselves long ago, and that has nothing to do with me. Save your curses for your ancestors who brought the demons and their dark magic to our world, or for the gods themselves. I don’t care to listen.” Geoffray bristled with anger, venom dripped from every word. This was so much worse than before. The Shield Knight had gotten to the point where he almost tolerated Darien, but Rana’s death had clearly had affected him, and not for the better.

  “Eldrik, is this true?” Oswald asked. “You hid this from us? You didn’t trust us?”

  Eldrik turned away and sighed, but turned back with a sense of calm on his face. “It’s true, and I’m tired of running from it. I acknowledge my crime, if a crime it is. My son fell in love with an elf woman far from home, a woman who became Niarie’s mother. I will not condemn him for following his heart then, or my granddaughter for doing so now. I have hidden this for over twenty years, and I am tired of it.”

  Niarie stood, tears glistened in her eyes, but Jerris grabbed her. This was not the time for harsh words, no matter how well deserved they might be. He looked up at her, saw the pain on her face, but shook his head, his eyes pleading earnestly what he could not say. She reluctantly sat down, but grasped his hand, and pulled herself close. The implication was obvious to everyone present, and Jerris felt immediately more confident. He could not simply sit and listen to Geoffray insult his entire race. He had to say something. If he was worthy of being a king, he had to show it now. He stood, leaned forward, placed his hands on the table, palms down, then looked Geoffray Leonhardt straight in the eye without flinching.

  “I’m not going to apologize for things done by people I don’t know who died centuries before I was born,” Jerris said. “I’m not going to ask for an apology for what humans have done to elves for centuries either. I’m content to leave the past where it is, so I can build a better future for my people, a better future for all of us. I don’t care about insults. I don’t care how much humans hate elves or the other way around, but I know this. If we don’t stand together, we’ll fall, one by one.”

  “I would rather die fighting for what I believe, then win a hollow victory while sacrificing my principles. If the path of righteousness leads to death, then I will die. This is no longer a debate.” Geoffray remained utterly implacable.

  Eldrik turned solemnly to Geoffray. “If you feel so strongly about this, Marshal Leonhardt, then I offer my resignation as Archmage. If you think yourself worthy, then let your wisdom guide the Golden Shield into the future.”

  Eldrik then stood, and took an amulet from his neck, a Golden Shield emblazoned on a green stone. He laid it on the table and shoved it at Geoffray.

  “You choose them, then?” Geoffray said.

  “Yes, I suppose I do. What did you expect, after insulting me, and my granddaughter, and my son’s memory, all at once? You have been a good man Geoffray, and the Shield owes much to you, but I can tolerate only so much.”

  “Can we at least be civil?” Oswald said. “We’re all tired, and hurt. We all feel Rana’s loss, some more than others, but perhaps we should rest. Cooler heads may see things differently.”

  “Fine,” Geoffray said. He rose to his feet, kicked his chair away, breaking the flimsy thing into several pieces that clattered on the floor as the man stormed off.

  “I’m tired,” Eldrik said. “Nielas, you’re free to follow Geoffray if you want. If you wish to take up the mantle of Archmage, you have my blessing.”

  “Archmage.” Nielas had been sitting quietly, observing what was said with an unreadable expression. He had not reacted with surprise when Geoffray had revealed the truth about Nia’s origins. Perhaps he already knew. He was the Archmage’s most trusted servant. “Perhaps we should do as Oswald suggests. Much has been said, but a hasty decision could have great costs.”

  “Alright Nielas,” Eldrik said. “Nia, you should stay with me tonight.”

  “No, I’m staying with Jerris,” Nia said. “I know how everyone feels about elves and I just, I don’t know what to think.”

  As Nia spoke, Jerris noticed Nielas’ lip as it curled downward slightly. For just a moment, Nielas made direct eye contact, a cold stare that chilled Jerris’ blood.

  “But you have the sword, the Star Sword,” Nielas argued. “Eldrik, we need that weapon.” Eldrik gave no response. “Even after everything that’s happened, we can’t ignore that fact. If the enemy were to discover she had it, her life would be in danger. Who knows how many spies Traiz had?”

  “All the more reason why she should stay away from us,” Eldrik countered. “We all failed to see Traiz’s treachery. We cannot expect to protect anyone now. Assume the mantle of Archmage and go with Geoffray, or seek your own way. Niarie has chosen her own path, and I leave you to choose your own.”

  Eldrik stood, and made a motion. Nielas and Oswald reluctantly left the hall. Oswald took a long look at Ceres, and nodded. She nodded stiffly back.

  Tobin stood, and walked over to Jerris, his eyes moist, but he held back his tears. The dwarf had been sitting quietly, listening without comment, and the look on his face now told Jerris why. Besides Niarie, he seemed to be the only one genuinely saddened by Darien’s loss and he looked deeply grieved. “Good luck to you whelp. The quest is over, and I’ve got to get back to my own kind. Things have happened that the dwarf clans need to know. You’ll still be counted an ally of the dwarves, at least if I have any say in it.” He took a few steps, then stopped. “And If you ever are in Vorog again, I’d welcome a visit.”

  Tobin walked slowly out of the room, grumbling as he went, leaving only Eldrik, Ceres, Nia, and himself. Jerris concentrated on the comforting warmth of Nia’s small hand in his own. If he held on to nothing else, he would hold on to that.

  “There is nothing I can say to apologize enough,” Eldrik sighed. “I am an old man, dragged down by the weight of my mistakes, of which there are far too many. My pride has earned me this.” Eldrik then looked straight into Jerris’ eyes. “Your small dragon friend has been busy the past two days. He doesn’t trust us, or the Ebonscale, at least not entirely. I don’t know where he’
s hiding all his people, but they disappear at night. I guess he has some hiding place. Given all that’s happened, perhaps you would be safer with him.” Jerris nodded to Eldrik then turned to Ceres. She gave him a nod as well, evidently agreed. “One more thing,” Eldrik added and Jerris looked straight into his eyes. “Protect my granddaughter, please. She is the only family I have left, and the only worthwhile thing I have in this life. I only wish I’d seen that sooner.”

  “I will, I promise.”

  “Grandfather.” Nia turned and reached out. She took his hand, and squeezed it. “You could come with us.”

  “No, I am old, and my burdens would only weigh you down. Make a better world than what we have left to you. If you turn left in the hall and take the last door on the right, there’s a storeroom with an exit to the outside.” Eldrik pointed to the door. “Above all, stay away from Geoffray. I’m not certain what he might do. He loved Rana, and seeing her choose a man he hated, then die for that choice. In his grief, he may do anything.”

  Jerris got up and took Nia’s hand. Though still exhausted, they needed to find a safe place to rest, and the Golden Shield barracks did not feel particularly safe at that moment. They took the back exit Eldrik had mentioned, and quietly disappeared into the night. They were tired, and with the city half destroyed, navigation was difficult, but they headed in the direction they guessed to be towards the ruins of the main hall. They had not taken ten steps when Kesz appeared in front of them, popping up as though he had been there the entire time.