Gowinda scowled in anger at whatever beast did this heinous act. "I promise no harm will come to you, now tell me who did this to you, what did he look like?"
"He was," said the girl pausing for a second in uncertainty.
The door to the room suddenly opened and a figure stepped inside draped in plain brown robes. Gowinda turned to curse out his subordinate until he saw who it was. "Vuurbin, what in the Three's name are you doing here?"
The priest of the flesh gave the champion a warm smile and turned his attention to the girl on the table who had abruptly stopped sobbing upon noticing the priest. "It is a pleasure to see you again Gowinda. I heard the dreadful news of what happened. I just wanted to stop by to see how she was doing."
Vuurbin walked across the room and took up position on the opposite side of the table from Gowinda. He gently placed his hand on the blanket covering the girl's body, an action which caused the woman to noticeably shiver. Smiling at the girl he softly spoke to her. "My name is Vuurbin, and I am a priest of the flesh milady. I heard of the horrific act that occurred to you and I just wanted to personally stop by. I wanted to let you know how sorry I am for what happened to you, but know that the justice of the Three is far reaching. Know that any who overstep their boundaries will be found. I want you to know that the Three see everything and know everything that occurs. Do you understand that they see everything?"
Gowinda couldn't help but notice the girl had gone almost catatonic looking at the priest. She faintly nodded her head in understanding. "Good, I'm glad you understand what the Three can see and what they can do to those who displease them. Keep this in your heart my dear and the Three will safeguard you." The priest of the flesh gently patted the girl and turned to Gowinda. "I'm sorry for the interruption grand champion, however I was so upset upon the hearing the news I felt it best if I come right away and offer whatever sympathy I could. I will let you continue in your official duties." He smiled at the champion and quietly exited the room, softly closing the door behind him.
When the door clicked shut Gowinda turned back to the girl and spoke in a whisper. "Is he the one who hurt you? You can tell me; you don't need to be afraid."
The girl wouldn't even look at Gowinda now; she just stared off into the wall as if looking beyond to the next room over. "I don't know," she said in almost a whisper. "Please leave me alone, I just want to rest."
Gowinda went to grab her and try to shake some sense into her but he stopped himself. "Please just tell me! I need to hear it from you, tell me who did this. If it wasn't him, I'm sure it was one of his subordinates."
The girl didn't even move; she just lay on the table as if frozen in time. "I don't know, please go away."
Gowinda backed away, his muscle's tense from anxiety, he nearly turned around to punch the wall but once more restrained himself. "When you're ready to talk, I'll be waiting." The champion turned and exited the room closing the door behind him.
* * *
"Can't sleep either I see?"
Tulinda stood on one of the few balconies in Deep Ridge which hung out over the Tempest Path. The howling winds caused the geomancer's robes to flutter about violently. She had been lost in thought looking down at the crashing waves far below. At the sound of the voice, she turned and was greeted by Duvold's smiling face as he walked out onto the balcony and likewise leaned against the railing overlooking the angry waters below.
"I haven't been able to sleep in quite a while your highness," said Tulinda coldly, "especially not since what happened at Armistan."
"Please my dear," Duvold stated comfortingly, "I may be the emperor now, but you know such formalities are not necessary. As I have always been to you, so shall I always be - simply Duvold."
"How did your meeting go earlier tonight Duvold?" Tulinda asked the question in an indifferent manner, but both knew she was greatly interested in the answer.
The emperor smiled and tapped his knuckles against the railing. "You can probably guess how it went. I'm afraid it was mostly a meaningless exchange which resulted in nothing but me confirming with my own eyes what I already knew - that he is a deeply troubled individual."
Tulinda turned and faced Duvold. One hand remained on the railing while the other gripped the emperor's arm. "I want to speak to him Duvold. I think I may be able to get him to open up. If he were to be honest with anyone, I have to imagine it would be me. Despite all the contrary evidence I think - no I believe that there is still some sane part of him left. If nothing else, we need more definitive information as to whether or not he is involved in some sort of coup."
"You know I won't allow that," said Duvold to the guild master. "You've done your part and I won't subject you to anymore such torment. The fact you may be able to get closer to him than anyone else also means you leave yourself open to the most damage. I highly doubt there is any rebellion. Our sources are very accurate, and we have heard no chatter from any corner of the empire. Gunvold has always been and will always be a lone wolf. It's no secret that he and I have never liked each other or seen eye to eye. The reasons for Gunvold's actions are lost to anyone but Gunvold."
Tulinda let out a sigh, while she was clearly paying attention to the conversation; her eyes seemed lost, as if her mind was elsewhere. "Is it for certain then, will he be executed?"
"It is not set in stone yet," Duvold said with a forlorn tone, "however I do feel comfortable in saying yes. I do not see Gunvold living out the month. While execution is extreme, we cannot afford the risk he presents anymore, especially with the plight of our people and already strained relations with the Phlebos. The very survival of our race may hinge on the meeting with our brothers and sisters a few hours from now. Gunvold has long been deserving of execution anyway. He has no respect or regard for anyone other than himself. For hundreds of years he's been a powder keg waiting to blow and a few days ago at Armistan the fuse ran out."
"I have a favor then to ask of you Duvold," Tulinda said, "a personal favor."
"Anything, ask and it is done."
A look of unimaginable sadness blanketed her face. While her eyes were dry and no tears streamed down her face, Duvold could feel the pain emanating from her soul. "When the order comes down, I request to be the one who executes Gunvold."
Duvold reached out and took Tulinda's hands in his own. "That is a heavy burden to bear Tulinda, are you sure you wish to have such an action weigh on your soul?
The guild master of the geomancers nodded her head and Duvold pulled her close. He held her in a comforting embrace. "Then your wish is granted, when the time comes you shall be the one to end Gunvold. If you change your mind though, please let me know."
"Thank you old friend," stated Tulinda in a whisper, "however I do not imagine I will be changing my mind."
The two separated and Tulinda resumed her position staring out across the Tempest Path. They stood there for some time in silence enjoying the privacy of each other's company. As a small glimmer of light began to appear on the horizon Tulinda finally broke the silence. "Duvold, what was I like before my last resurrection?"
"As I've said before, you have always been the same to me, albeit you're a little less reckless than you were in your previous life. You have been and will always be my friend. Know that of all Tormos, you have the largest and most caring soul of anyone I've ever known."
Tulinda felt like she should smile, but ultimately such a gesture would be hollow as she didn't feel happy. "What do you think will happen after today if nothing is resolved. What if the Phlebos don't have a cure? What will we do then?"
Duvold turned his head to see Aun slowly creeping into the sky. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there my dear."
* * *
The lantern holding the dim candle cast a small ray of light through the bars of the cell revealing Gunvold lying on his back on a small cot. Without opening his eyes or moving, Gunvold spoke to the shadowy figure that watched him from the other side of the bars. “Everything is moving along I assume?”
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“Everything goes as according to plan grand champion." The man cloaked in darkness shifted uncomfortably at being in the prison block. "The meeting is still scheduled to occur in a few hours. Assuming nothing unforeseen occurs, the plan will go down as anticipated. I came down here though to bring good tidings, a bit of news which will make our job even easier I think.”
“Go on,” coldly stated the former grand champion.
“We’ve had scouts watching Aun’s Light near constantly and multiple reports confirm that Mielor is not in the city. I think it’s safe to assume the bitch is going to snub Duvold and have a lackey fill her place, it seems most likely Lorne is standing in her stead.”
“Good tidings indeed," spoke Gunvold. "As soon as the meeting is over with I want a full report, we have to make sure we handle this carefully or else all is lost.”
“Of course grand champion, you will be the first to know of any developments.”
Gunvold turned for the first time and looked at the figure standing before him. “Keep up the good work Byrinda. There will be a special place in my empire for you and your family. Know that few of us with true strength of will are left”
The Inda chieftain bowed low, the heavy furs that covered his body shifting with his weight. “Glory to the new empire and glory to you future emperor.”
* * *
Lorne walked down the spiraling stone staircase lined with torches and abruptly found himself in a large cavernous room underneath the Aun’s Light Cathedral. Braziers burned throughout illuminating rows upon rows of bookshelves caked in dust and spider webs. His foot falls and clanking golden armor echoed throughout as he walked past books which hadn’t been touched in hundreds of years. In the very center of the room stood a series of tables, at one of which was Sielan leaning over a pile of large books sprawled about. As Lorne approached, the imperial historian gave a brief smile to Lorne. “It is good to see you again Sielan, having not received word from you we feared the worst had happened.”
Sielan looked a mess, her face, hair and clothes were caked in dust. It was evident she had been on the move for quite some time. Despite her weary physical appearance, her eyes were alert and bright with excitement. “It’s been quite a trip. After leaving Bleak Water my guards and I arrived at Briny Watch. The town was in equal hardship as Bleak Water. Several townsfolk had not reincarnated and to compound the issue the coastal water has greatly receded recently, more so than any of its townsfolk can recall in their lifetime. The rotting fish and sea animals now exposed have left the town in a perpetual foul-smelling state. After assessing the situation, I realized there was nothing I could do to help. I informed them I would head to Aun City and tell the empress of their plight and request aid. I imagine the imperial runner that was sent for me arrived shortly after I had left the town. I didn’t inform the people at Briny Watch where I was headed next so they would have had no idea where I went.”
“What happened next?” Lorne leaned against the table and glanced around at the various books that lay before him.
“I trekked back across the Yellow Ocean and ended up in Red Run, it was there that I received some detail of what had transpired in Aun City and that you and other officials had just passed by a day or so ago heading to Aun’s Light. I stayed there overnight in Red Run. While there I was reading through some of my various books and I was struck with an epiphany; however, I needed to be certain that my crazy idea had some credence to it which is why I rushed here to the library, as the only book that could confirm my idea is a Tormos tome.”
Lorne scoffed at Sielan's statement regarding Tormos writings. “What could those savages possibly have to offer us? Besides, why are you looking in our library for their books?”
Sielan lifted one of the large books on the table and stood it upright. When she moved the book an entire layer of dust fell off the cover which was made of a brittle brown animal hide. Etched into the cover was the title of the tome: A Detailed History of the Death of Juxon – Written by Duvold the First.
Smiling smugly, Sielan continued in her story to Lorne. “Hundreds of years ago when Armistan was completed, the only meeting ever between Thunvold and Mielor occurred. According to the records, many of us, including both you and me, were present at that legendary meeting. While little was discussed, and it was more for pomp and ceremony than anything else, in a show of respect for each other the two rulers exchanged gifts. Mielor gave Thunvold some gold sculptures of wolves and in return, Thunvold bestowed to the Phlebos some of his favorite books from his personal library. As you can imagine, Mielor had no interest in reading anything written by a Tormos. While she outwardly expressed her gratitude, the tomes were quickly thrown down here in the archives where they proceeded to collect dust.”
Sielan stopped for a moment to catch her breath and then continued with her verbal onslaught. Lorne was used to Sielan being easily excited, but he had never seen her so wired as she currently was. “This book as you can see was written almost two thousand years ago, not that long after we were created. It is most likely one of the first books ever written. While there are no immediate first-hand accounts of the death of Juxon, the departure of Lunara and the subsequent creations of our societies, the first books detailing those events started to be written about fifty years after our creation. Regardless of your opinion of the Tormos, this tome is the closest thing we have to a firsthand account of the immediate aftermath of Juxon’s death. Furthermore, considering this is from the Tormos perspective, you must logically see that they would have a more accurate account of what occurred due to his corpse falling in their lands. Legend has long held that we are all that remains of Juxon, the offspring of his flesh and blood; however, I think something else may have survived, something long forgotten. Juxton is an inhospitable waste land even more devoid of life and resources than our own. The one area of land which is semi-fertile is the Dallion Forest. Why that area survived when everything else died is unknown. Of further concern of course is that the one tribe of Vesnians to ever permanently inhabit the Dallion Forest was driven insane to the point of killing their siblings. It was always widely assumed that the discovery of the undead drove them mad, but I’m beginning to doubt that after reading this book more closely. I think one more remnant of Juxon may still exist, locked deep underneath the Dallion Forest. I think the presence of this last remaining item may be what keeps the Dallion Forest fertile in perpetual winter and it may also have been what warped the Dallion tribe; however, for reasons which I'm not sure of yet.”
Sielan laid the large tome flat and opened it up to a spot she had pre-marked. With her index finger she pointed at the marked page, a wide grin spreading across her face in triumph. Lorne looked down to see a drawing that filled the entire page, it was rough and unsophisticated, but the image was clear. It showed the Dallion Forest from above and scattered throughout the trees were pieces of a broken blade – the Heaven’s Light.
CHAPTER 8
The Last Best Hope
"Why did you even bother coming here if you have no desire to work with us? You have shown us nothing but disdain and distrust!"
Duvold slumped back in his chair, his facial expression not disguising his disgust and frustration. Across from him sat Lorne with arms crossed over his chest. Despite the long length of the lone table in the Hall of Peace, only two of the chairs were occupied. In one chair sat Duvold and across from him sat Lorne. Behind each of them was a line of their advisors, and behind the advisors, along the back wall of the Hall of Peace, stood an even longer line of soldiers. On the northern wall stood Tormos militia and on the southern wall stood Phlebos soldiers, each watching the other side closely.
Armistan was completely shut down due to the meeting with both militaries having taken over the city. While the southern side of the city was full of a thousand warriors from the Red Army, the northern side was bristling with a thousand Tormos regulars. To any on-looker it would be hard to imagine that the two sides had lived in total peace for two thou
sand years, such was the amount of military power on display in the town known for peace.
"You are reading more into the situation than there is," responded the high commander. "While yes we may have been less than forthright, you must remember that the leader of your military forces is the one that made an assassination attempt on one of my top commanders, not the other way around."
Duvold was getting irritated with Lorne's obsession with Gunvold’s attempt on Corvul. As far as he was aware, he had met the pompous commander only once before, hundreds of years ago during the famous celebration of the completion of Armistan. He obviously remembered nothing, but Duvold had read up on the dossiers of Lorne as well as the other individuals presumed to be in attendance. Sadly, the one dossier he had read the most ended up being a total waste - Mielor's.
"Multiple times today I have apologized for his action," said Duvold in exasperation. "Gunvold acted as a rogue agent not on behalf of the United Tribes. Immediately after Tulinda saved Corvul from Gunvold's assassination attempt she detained the former grand champion. He is now in the Deep Ridge prison awaiting trial. He will face justice at our hands for delivering this dishonor upon us."
Corvul stepped forward; breaking rank with the other Phlebos advisors and spoke up in noticeable anger, a fury born of what Duvold guessed was desperation and humiliation. "You Lie! Tulinda did not save me; she merely interfered in me retaliating against Gunvold!"
Lorne, not bothering to look behind him to the brazen commander, calmly spoke with a tone that demanded total obedience. "Shut up and get back in line Corvul; this is not the time or place."
The handsome commander of Aun's Light returned to his position in line next to Sielan, his head cast towards the floor in hopes others in the room wouldn't see the shame on his face. When Corvul was back in place, Duvold continued in his pleas to his Phlebos counterpart. "Listen Lorne, I have taken the greater leap of faith here. I have come to you for help and assistance. You must understand the resistance I faced in making this decision. Some of the very people behind me in this room argued vehemently that this is a problem we alone must solve. I realized though that this problem is bigger than the Tormos and, whether or not you're willing to acknowledge it, the problem is bigger than the Phlebos. We have come to you, brother to brother, sister to sister, seeking to work together and find a solution to this problem. I have clarified and rectified the reprehensible and unforgiveable actions of Gunvold. However, all you have done is meet us with disdain and lies. First, Corvul blatantly told Tulinda that the Phlebos were not experiencing failed reincarnations which we now know to be false. Second, Mielor refuses to be present and exchange meaningful conversation between the two highest leaders in the land. Third, even now as we speak, you refuse to directly answer my question as to whether you are working on a possible cure. I know our two people have not been the friendliest towards each other, but we are brothers and sisters in both flesh and blood. Please, in the spirit of good will, if not for my sake, then for the sake of our sacred beliefs, drop your guard and allow an open and frank discussion on the crisis affecting our people."
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