by Matt Russell
Cassian's gaze shifted to the general. These words were designed to stoke the flames that were obviously burning in Dimitris—to humiliate him. Cassian wondered why, and so too did Somar, judging from the way the old man was eyeing Romulus. There was little time to consider this suspicion though, for at that moment Dimitris was a far more important concern.
"You are both inducted into the imperial army from this moment forward," said Romulus. "Lord Asango, you may now give your friend here any orders you wish, and he will submit to every one of them."
Dimitris's eyes narrowed at the General, and then they flashed to Cassian's. “Did you bribe him? Did you manage to invade his mind? I know how skilled you are at telepathy." His voice was filled with undisguised venom.
"Be careful how you speak to your superior officer, boy," said Romulus sharply. "You can be whipped just like any other soldier."
Dimitris glared in shock at these words. Cassian noticed then that perhaps twenty soldiers had gathered around this spectacle and were listening intently, and more were flocking over. Dimitris was discerning this as well from the way his eyes shifted around, and it was feeding his anxiety.
Cassian took several quiet steps toward Somar and whispered to the old man: "He's provoking him on purpose."
"Yes-s-s," Somar whispered back. "Look at Romulus's eyes."
Cassian gazed at the general, seeing him the way Somar had taught him to observe men. There was calculation in Romulus’s eyes, and also traces of exhilaration, as if everything were going according to plan.
"Take control if you can," Somar whispered, "before it is too late."
Cassian said aloud: "Dimitris—"
"Hold, Commander Asango," Romulus said, raising a hand to silence Cassian. "Dimitris Anondine, you will submit to Asango's authority, and you demonstrate that by bowing your head at your superior officer's feet, NOW!"
"That is beneath his dignity, sir," Cassian said sharply.
"His behavior here is beneath his dignity," Romulus said. "I expected more composure from a Starborn, but your friend here is disgracing himself with this tantrum. I will not have it!"
More men had gathered now. At least a hundred soldiers were forming a loose circle around this confrontation. Most of them were staring wide-eyed, but a few were whispering to one another and quietly chuckling at Dimitris.
"You will KNEEL!" Romulus said, his voice booming.
"What are you doing?!" Cassian shouted, glaring at Romulus. The general did not even bother to look at him, but Dimitris did for a brief instant, and it seemed that somehow Cassian's attempt to defend him had only provoked him further.
"You are going to have to fight your brother," Somar said, hunching over a little and whispering from behind a hand scratching at his nose. "This was all planned—setting one of you against the other. I can’t tell why."
Cassian felt Dimitris's anger harden into violent intent. He could not concede now. He could not kneel in front of all the men around him after being so brutally spoken down to by Romulus. If he did, word of the humiliation would spread throughout the empire.
"This is a disgusting joke," said Dimitris. He glared at Romulus. "I do not accept your orders, nor do I accept your judgment. I am Starborn! It is my sacred right to challenge Asango at any time in our contest." Dimitris locked eyes with Cassian, and he said in a cold voice: "We have both long known it would come to this, my brother. I always thought you would be the instigator, but I challenge you to a duel to the death!"
Before Cassian even knew what he was saying, a single word snapped from his throat, as if by reflex: "Accepted!" He could scarcely believe this was happening, yet now that Dimitris had made the challenge, there was no turning back.
The two gazed at each other for a moment in near perfect silence, which was remarkable given the number of men now surrounding the two of them. Cassian sensed the pangs of regret in Dimitris that their destinies had led to this, and he felt a mirrored pain within himself that was more profound than he might have anticipated. In another existence, the two of them would have been the dearest of friends. Cassian would have happily conceded the throne and spent his life helping Dimitris rule and inventing and theorizing with Telemachus, and the world might well have been all the better for their partnership. But that was a different world, and a different Cassian whose parents had not been taken from him and executed.
"Do you wish time to pray?" said Dimitris, his voice almost trembling.
"No," said Cassian. "I make you the same offer though."
Dimitris took a long, seething breath, and as he did Cassian's eyes shifted to Romulus. Though he could penetrate very little through the carefully trained psychic defenses of the general at that moment, he sensed excitement and satisfaction.
"No, let us decide this right now, my brother," said Dimitris, his voice dry and harsh.
"Agreed," said Cassian. The word tore at his heart, but he ignored the pain.
Dimitris gestured to an open grassy field at the east end of the camp. "There is as good a place as any, I suppose."
Cassian turned to Romulus. "Pull your men back at least three hundred paces from us and tell them to be ready to run if our battle grows out of control."
"Understood," said the General with a nod, barely able to contain his grin. Cassian hated Romulus more than any other creature in existence at that moment.
"Shall we proceed?" Dimitris said.
Cassian answered telepathically first:
Dimitris answered, radiating confidence.
There was truly no turning back. Without further word, Cassian began walking toward the center of the field. He felt Dimitris following close behind, with well over three hundred men looking. More were taking notice every moment. In the close confines of the camp, word that two Starborn were about to battle to the death was spreading like wildfire. Soldiers were running from tent to tent, screaming the news. By the time they both walked to the center of the field, Cassian guessed, there would be well over a thousand observers, and by the time one of them was dead, the whole camp would be watching.
Cassian shut all of this out as he came to the center of the grass. Anything less than his complete focus would yield Dimitris victory. This knowledge allowed him to let go of his compassion. Instead, he surrendered himself to the section of his mind that had carried him through every assassination attempt since he was eleven years old. This part of him had always been able to transcend fear. It was ruthless, calculating, and operated on the unshakable belief that it could overcome absolutely anything. Through this lens, he assessed his brother. Dimitris possessed understanding of terrible ancient battle magic and arcane secrets that far exceeded Cassian's knowledge. None of that was to be feared though. It was a puzzle to be solved.
"I give you one final chance to concede, Cassian," said Dimitris. His voice was hard, but it betrayed hints of fear. He could not hide the rapid beat of his heart or the trembling of his hands. Cassian's own heart was pounding hard in his chest, but not like Dimitris's.
"You are not ready to die, brother," Cassian said, his words coming out cold and harsh. "It terrifies you. I have no wish to kill you, but if you attack me, your life will end right here, at twenty years old, on a patch of unimportant grass."
"You cannot defeat me in single combat," Dimitris said with a vicious laugh.
"I can, and you know it."
Dimitris stared at Cassian, and then at the now hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers that had gathered around them both. His face grew pale, and he spoke in a soft, distant voice: "There is no turning back for either of us. This was always our destiny."
"Can you not see we are being manipulated into it?"
"Of course I can," he said, gazing down. "But what can either of us do? This is our Emperor's will." His raised his eyes in a glare. "Ready yourself, Asango."
Cassian stared back, though he no longer gaz
ed upon his brother. Dimitris had become a threat to his life, and there was no place for sympathy in the equation of survival. “I am ready.”
Dimitris raised his hand and whispered something inaudible, and Cassian sensed the particles in the air accelerate around his own body. A split second later, he was enveloped in an ocean of flame. Cassian's magic formed a protective cocoon instantly, holding back the inferno around him with an impermeable golden layer that extended a short distance from his body at all points. The tactical part of his mind instantly deciphered Dimitris's intentions: He was putting him on the defensive—trying to overwhelm. The logical response was clear. Cassian reached out through the flames with his magic and found Dimitris, who had moved away and was already concocting an even greater attack. He raised his right hand and hissed: "Reskiat,” and an explosion of lightning shot from the tips of his fingers, leaping through the fire and finding its unseen target on the other side.
Cassian sensed Dimitris strain as he dropped his attack, forced instead to summon his own barrier to defend himself. In that instant, Cassian focused his will, sending a concussive blast of raw magic outward in every direction. The flames puffed away into nothingness, and as they did, he saw Dimitris holding out his right hand and chanting.
For a precious few seconds Cassian was utterly transfixed. Dimitris was using one of the legendary blood moon spells. It was completely unlike anything Cassian had ever studied. A great swell of mystical energy swirled in a cloud of dark smoke where Dimitris gestured. It shaped itself into what looked like an enormous wolf of black flame with blood red eyes. The thing glared at Cassian, bearing translucent gray teeth within its wisping mouth. Beautiful and terrible, the spell was conscious, he sensed, given life and the necessary degree of intelligence to carry out a single goal: kill its target.
Cassian's eyes shifted back to Dimitris, and he instantly grasped the tactical advantage of this conjuration. The creature could attack independently of Dimitris, thereby putting Cassian on the defensive while leaving Dimitris free to formulate offensive magic. For a brief instant, Cassian thought of summoning Titus. His dragon could likely destroy the beastly spell with ease, but then that would be a form of cheating. The creature was of Dimitris's magic, which meant Cassian could only answer it with his own power.
The wolf leaped at Cassian, whisking through the air as if its shadowy form were entirely untroubled by gravity or friction. It was on him almost instantly, burning claws slashing against Cassian's shield of magic. He allowed this to happen, knowing that it would drain valuable power but needing the chance to evaluate the creature. There were hissing black sparks as energy grated against energy, and Cassian noticed immediately that there was no physical force to the blows. He understood. Spears and arrows would pass through the conjuration, for it had no real form. The image of the wolf was meant to terrify, but it was really only a controlled cloud of magic. All the true power was focused in the teeth and claws.
Dimitris attacked again suddenly, sending a vortex of emerald flame at least eight paces in diameter directly at Cassian. This spell was a far simpler construction than the creature and much more immediately destructive, and it was heading at Cassian faster than he could dodge.
Locking his focus on the spiraling flames, Cassian focused his mind and wrestled enough control of Dimitris's spell that he was able to turn its path and send it whisking into the snarling black wolf. The creature made a terrible scream as the blast struck. Evidently, it could feel some degree of pain, yet it did not die. The attack only immobilized the thing for a moment, sending it in a shrieking backward tumble.
Dimitris stared aghast, and a great swell of fear leaked from the barrier around his mind. He was shocked that Cassian had able to take control of the spell. Seeing this opening, Cassian charged forward, willing his body to lift off the ground and soar, blood hot in his veins. He knew he was going to win. Dimitris might have access to terrible ancient spells, but Cassian possessed superior control over magic.
Looking half terrified, Dimitris cried out "Hazak!" The air around his hand began to hum and hiss with electrical energy. Cassian sensed this and reacted. Lightning attacks were impossible to dodge and incredibly efficient at depleting mystic shields if the defender was unprepared. Still soaring forward, Cassian cried: "Vesthrok Dokshai!" calling on the spell he had used to enter Promethiock's prison years ago. Some part of his mind had already noted that he was ever so slightly faster than Dimitris at manipulating magic, and this was about to save his life. Just before the eruption of crackling lightning burst from his brother’s hand, a great sphere of invisible filaments formed around Cassian’s body. The two spells collided in such a brilliant flash that Cassian was forced to shut his eyes. He stopped his telekinetic charge and dropped to his feet then, too disoriented to continue.
"Krethrack Noss!" Dimitris cried, and a swell of translucent purple energy rushed from his hand—a river of destructive power Cassian did not recognize, jolting at sharp angles. At the same time, Cassian sensed the wolf attacking him from behind. He was about to be overwhelmed.
NO! Cassian thought, determination blazing through every fiber of his soul. He raised his right hand toward his brother, not casting spell, but sending raw magic down into the ground between them. Through sheer will, he summoned up a wall of dirt and stone thick enough to absorb Dimitris’s spell. As an explosion of earth occurred, Cassian whirled to face the creature. Its jaws were flying at him. He focused more of his power and ripped into the intricate magic that held the beast together. With a terrible scream, the wolf tore apart and vanished into nothingness.
Cassian turned back and stared through the cloud of dust, seeing his brother standing across the newly formed crater between them. The mental barriers between the two of them had worn away in the expenditure of magic, and their minds were naked to one another. Cassian saw that Dimitris had been holding back, just as he had. Neither of them had ever killed anyone, and no matter how fierce the contest between them, they still saw each other as brothers.
Dimitris's eyes narrowed, and Cassian felt him hesitate, but only for a brief second. he answered in disgust. Cassian could feel the resignation in his brother’s mind, as well as the sudden swelling of his still astonishingly vast magical power.
Dimitris began to whisper words Cassian could not hear, for the wind picked up around the two of them. Then there came a terrible crackling sound as Dimitris pulled dozens of spectral entities from other dimensions—places Cassian had never even known existed in the cosmos. His power gathered and combined in ways that seemed impossible. The construct of magic that formed was an enormous lateral vortex of swirling light that shimmered in a myriad of shifting colors. At first, it was a blur, but the energy crystalized and took shape into sharp angles, ever-shifting, ever-spinning in an almost hypnotizing three-dimensional pattern.
Cassian gaped. He had never seen spell-work so intricate or so terribly potent. The construct emitted a terrible shrieking sound that was almost deafening, and as it swirled, the intensity of its power caused rocks and debris to float up into the air. Cassian knew there could only be one possibility: this was the legendary Drathnakal, or, as it had become known by later generations, Saikon's End. According to legend, it had been invented by the first Starborn over a period of several years in an attempt to shatter the impenetrable cosmic stone that made up Promethiock's prison. Centuries later, Dracus Mobius, Starborn of the seventh generation, had used it to kill Saikon, the first known Demon King. It was said to be the most powerful destructive spell ever conceived by man—a force so dangerous that it had been kept secret for generations, yet Dimitris had acquired and mastered it.
Sweat dripped down Cassian's face. So close to the spell, there was no chance he c
ould dodge. He knew as well that no magical defense he could throw up would protect him. The Drathnakal had been used to kill dragons and obliterate castle walls. Still, it had never been used against another Starborn.
Cassian had imagined a moment like this many times. He had known Dimitris would have access to the most potent schools of magic in the world, and he had anticipated that his survival might one day rest upon a single theory: the greater the power in a spell, the greater its complexity and ultimately the delicacy of its construction. In the case of the Drathnakal, Dimitris had needed to summon forty-six spectral entities from the cosmic ether to control and direct the tremendous energy, and thus his mind was divided to forty-six ever-shifting points.
Cassian spoke no words and cast no spell of his own. His mind was his weapon. He focused his will and thrust his hand out with two fingers extended, willing every shred of his mental and magical strength into a blazing white beam of raw magic that he fired directly into the center of the Drathnakal.
The thin stream of white energy ripped through all of the intricate threads that held his opponent's spell together. The Drathnakal immediately began to break apart, crackling and bursting out of Dimitris's control. Two things happened at once then: Cassian's attack struck Dimitris in the chest, and the forbidden construct of magic exploded out in every direction.
Cassian was hurled backward. His aura reacted automatically with what little power it had left, forming a barrier around his flesh that just barely kept the bones in his body from shattering. He sailed fifteen paces through the air and then went skidding on his back along the dirt and grass.
When the violence of the explosion finally stopped, Cassian's body screamed of injury. He did not care about the pain though. Cassian forced himself to rise, for he could feel his brother behind the cloud of dust and smoke the spell had wrought from the ground, and he knew what he had done.