He breathed, but he did not open his eyes. Losing hope again, she bent low, sobbing anew for him.
Gentle hands touched her shoulders, trying to draw her away from him.
She found herself looking into the grave face of the Magria. The Magria’s blue eyes were soft with compassion.
“Don’t let him die!” Elandra pleaded fiercely. “Use your powers and save him. In the name of the gods, save him!”
But the Magria reached out and wiped the tears from Elandra’s face with a pure white cloth, squeezing them into a small stone bowl. “And so shall she weep great tears,” the Magria chanted, “healing the earth and giving it renewal. As the earth is furrowed, and new life planted within the womb of the goddess mother, so shall the rain of healing tears feed and nourish all life.”
Anger burned across Elandra’s breaking heart. She turned away from the Magria, furious that the Penestrican was concerned now only with her rituals and ceremonies. Would no one help Caelan? Were they all going to stand around and let him die?
“Elandra.”
It was Caelan’s voice that whispered to her, soft and almost inaudible.
She saw him looking at her. His eyes were no longer blue. Instead they had turned a pale silvery hue, the color of rain. Yet they held all the love of this brave man’s heart for her, all his goodness, all the exhaustion to his very soul. He looked utterly spent, yet he was alive.
Elandra stared at his wounds and found them gone. Even the blood was dissolving where her tears had fallen in it. Gasping, she gripped his hand harder.
“Is it a miracle?” she asked.
He smiled at her.
The bald man gently pulled Caelan up to sit propped against him, holding him so that those who were beginning to gather around could see him.
“Orlo,” Caelan said weakly. “My friend.”
The bald man gripped Caelan’s shoulders and wept awkwardly.
Elandra heard rustles around her, and as she glanced around she saw the onlookers kneeling, one by one, then in twos and threes, then all of them going down on their knees.
“Caelan, forever!” called a man.
More took up the shout. “Caelan! Caelan!”
A Gialtan voice that sounded suspiciously like Lord Albain’s bellowed, “Elandra!”
More cheers rose up, and they all began to shout, “Caelan and Elandra! Caelan and Elandra!”
Strength was seeping back into Caelan’s face. His smile widened as he met her eyes. He gripped her hand and drew her closer to him.
“Beloved,” he said in a voice just for her.
She sighed, allowing herself at last to believe there could be happiness. “It is over,” she said.
“No,” he told her lovingly, as the cheers roared on and on and sunlight streamed down upon them, “it is just beginning.”
Epilogue
And it came to pass that Caelan and Elandra gathered the survivors unto them like children, leading them forth to a hill above the sea. There, they established a new city of strong walls and shining towers, called New Imperia. Scarcely had the foundations been laid out than did the tribes of Choven come, more walking together than had ever been seen before. On their shoulders, they bore twin thrones—one carved from a single massive emerald and one carved from topaz. Singing in their strange, ancient language, the Choven came in a long processional to present these magnificent gifts to the new emperor and his empress.
Other gifts came with the thrones—gifts of stunning jewelry, armor, weapons, gold plates, goblets, and cutlery, mirrors that reflected the soul or told the future, warding keys, magical locks, and treasure in such abundance it took the breath away.
The Choven set to work building the city, working faster than mere men could dress and position stone. They designed a palace of stunning architecture, laid out streets, created parks that left nature undisturbed. No arena for gladiators was built within New Imperia. The empress established schools for all children. Guild halls were built to encourage the recovery of trade and economy. The city bureaucracy was reformed; even the imperial army was reorganized. Treaties with neighboring lands were examined and improved. The Madruns were hunted down ruthlessly until none remained within the empire.
To the Penestricans was given the task of tracking down the Vindicants and purging away the lovers of darkness within the priesthood. Maelites were condemned without trial. Word went forth across the empire that all temples built to the darkness would be pulled down. Cults and blasphemers were rooted out without mercy so that all lingering traces of shadow might be expunged.
Lea came to New Imperia as she had promised her brother, but she refused to live inside the city walls. Instead, a small stone chapel was built for her within the forest. People troubled in heart, mind, or soul went to her. Children brought her wounded animals for tending. She received all those in need with kind tenderness and compassion.
The provinces arose and sent forth their nobles and warlords, who examined the shunned ruins of Kostimon’s destroyed city, who saw the rising grandeur of New Imperia, who heard the accountings, who met their new sovereigns and saw a man with eyes of silver and a woman with hair like fire, sitting on thrones more magnificent than imagination. The coronation ceremony was held. Every warlord knelt in fealty and gave his oath.
In the fullness of time, the Empress Elandra bore unto Caelan a son, sturdy and well formed, with red hair and blue eyes. They named him Jarel after a legendary warrior from antiquity. Elandra was to bear two more children, a boy and a girl, for her beloved husband.
Throughout his life, Caelan walked among men as a living legend. His defeat of Beloth was never forgotten. Tales of it echoed down through the ages, passed from father to son, and each year ceremonies reenacting the battle were held, to keep it clear in memory. Caelan the Light Bringer proved himself a worthy emperor who kept his promises, enforced justice, and stamped out corruption. When he rode at the head of his armies, no enemy of the empire would stand and fight.
Elandra, beloved empress, worked tirelessly to revise the laws of the land. Through her efforts, women were allowed to own property and to be educated. Her grace and fiery courage never deserted her, even until the end of her days.
Thus did the empire prosper within the realm of light.
Table of Contents
Part One
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Part Two
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Part Three
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Part Four
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Realm of Light Page 42