Duvold took a step forward and removed the hood which had been pulled low, obstructing view of his face. "It happened just yesterday. We were all down in the deepest part of the city carving new paths when suddenly Tulinda stopped her casting and nearly passed out. As soon as she began to wane we rushed her back up here and I've had groups of her fellow geomancers watching over her non-stop."
Gunvold sneered at the guild master and stepped aside while pointing to the door. "I don't care. All of you get out now or I'm going to carry your unconscious bodies out." One by one the geomancers left the room, glaring at the High Commander as they passed by.
Duvold was the final geomancer to walk to the door and stopped at the last minute, turning back to the Behemoth. "You know she's too good for you Gunvold. You don't deserve her, the two of you are nothing alike."
Gunvold stalked across the receiving area to a small hallway that led back to their bedroom. As he walked away, Gunvold spoke back to the guild master. "You don't know anything about her, we are exactly alike."
Gunvold passed beyond earshot of any response from Duvold and opened the door to their bedroom. Tulinda lay on their feather filled mattress under the thick animal furs that acted as blankets; a low burning fire in the fireplace barely lit the area. Gunvold walked across the room and knelt next to Tulinda taking her thin hand in his gargantuan palm. The small female Tormos turned to look at Gunvold, every inch of her body was soaked in sweat and her skin was noticeably clammy. Her eyes were glazed over and had a distant look in them, but she gazed upon Gunvold lovingly and smiled. The grand champion bent low and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I came the minute I heard my love, are you in much discomfort?"
"Only a little," said Tulinda as she began violently coughing. Gunvold took a rag that was lying on the table next to their bed and began wiping sweat from his wife's brow. "The pain is nothing that I can't handle though. Tell me, did you have a chance to speak to Thunvold?"
"I did," responded Gunvold. "Unfortunately, we are not able to move just yet, but he agrees. I've been continually drawing up different plans of attack in Deep Ridge. It will take some time, but our vision will become reality, this I promise you."
"Good," said Tulinda as she closed her eyes and swallowed, grimacing from the pain of the action, her lips visibly chapped and dry. "We have been planning for...for a long time. What a shame the Three are calling me home now. I had hoped to see our dream come true before one of us left to see the Three."
"Don't worry my love," said Gunvold lovingly as he continued to pat his wife's brow with the rag. "When you come back everything will still be in place for the invasion. It will be a glorious return for you indeed, starting your brand-new life as we crush the Red Empire beneath our feet."
Tulinda nodded, a faint smile coming to her face. "I will dream of it when I am with the Northern Night. The days of the Phlebos are over. My return will mark their downfall and we will rule them as the Three intended. With the two of us side by side we cannot be stopped, so the Three have willed."
"So the Three have willed," responded back Gunvold while smiling down at Tulinda. "Did you know Duvold was waiting out in our reception area when I arrived?"
Tulinda coughed violently again; once the fit passed, she took in several deep breaths. When she was able to talk again, she weakly shook her head. "I didn't know but...but there's not much I could have done. As much as I hate him, I have to continue the deceit. You know he can never know we work against him."
Gunvold sighed in response to his wife's words. "I cannot stand the sight of him. He represents everything that is wrong with our society."
Tulinda, with what little strength she had left, gently squeezed her husband's hand. "You leave Duvold to me, I can more than handle the gullible fool. Until then though, will you stay with me while I leave?"
"There is nowhere else I would rather be," spoke Gunvold. "I will be here as well to greet you when you return."
Tulinda nodded and closed her eyes. "I love you so very much Gunvold, may the Northern Night watch over you while I'm gone."
Gunvold leaned low and rested his head on her sweat soaked chest. He listened to his wife's ragged breathing while tears began streaking down his face. He knew it wouldn't be long, his wife's body was close to shutting down for her passing. "I love you too my wife, may the Northern Night watch over you on your journey."
* * *
Gunvold stepped into Thunvold's personal chambers, closing the door behind him and locking it to ensure no one intruded on their conversation. The emperor stood out on his balcony high up in the Patriarch Mountain, a glass of wine in one hand as he looked out upon the Savage Tundra below which stretched as far as the eye could see. Thunvold was dressed in fine grey robes that had silver lacing streaked throughout which matched his beautiful silver skin and long silver hair. Gunvold walked out onto the balcony and stood next to his friend.
"I assume Tulinda has passed?" Thunvold asked his question while still gazing out across the tundra, the night illuminated by Lunara full in the sky.
"She did, just a few hours ago, I'll return to our bed tonight and wait by her side until she reincarnates," said Gunvold gripping the balcony railing.
"I'm sorry for the unfortunate timing of her passing. Right when it seemed as if all the pieces were in place, this happens," stated Thunvold while swirling the wine in his glass.
"I'm still drawing up the final plans" said Gunvold, "but militarily, most pieces are in place. I've informed all the champions that we have reliable information the Red Empire may be planning an attack. All are on alert and ready to mobilize when I give the order. How goes your attempts here with the chieftains?"
Thunvold took a sip of his wine and sighed. "Not well unfortunately, while I look forward to crushing the Red Army and having that arrogant cunt Mielor bow to me, I'm facing opposition amongst the chieftains. Duvold strongly opposes me and continually demands proof that the Red Army is planning hostile actions. I've stalled him for now but he's not alone, Charvold openly supports him or at least believe the decision for war should not be made rashly."
"We still have our supporters though do we not?"
"Yes," responded the emperor. "Byrinda is our loudest advocate and Khavold leans towards war, but we don't have enough to make it a clean action. I think, given the waning support, as well as Tulinda's unexpected reincarnation, we should wait for now. Continue making your plans and keep the militias at the ready as a precaution, but going into this war without full backing could be potentially devastating. The last thing we would want is to get into a conflict and then suffer a rebellion on our doorstep while we're away in hostile territory."
Gunvold growled in frustration at the unfortunate turn of events. "As usual the strong are being oppressed by the weak. For all the good this civilized life has brought us, the morals and ethics that accompany it hold back those that are meant to rise."
"I agree," responded Thunvold, "but it is this very society that has placed us in the position we currently find ourselves. We cannot act boldly and without thought, such reckless action could destroy all we have built. We, as well as the Phlebos, are not going anywhere. We've waited two thousand years for this; we can wait a bit more. Little by little the pieces are falling into place; it's just a matter of time until our statements of Phlebos treachery take root. Once the masses are afraid, truly afraid, then we will have overwhelming support for our war."
"I cannot argue with your words," replied Gunvold, "however I do not think Tulinda will be pleased with the delay of our invasion plan. For so long she has been feigning friendship with Duvold in order to get us accurate intelligence on his plans and maneuvers. She hates her guild master almost as much as she hates the Phlebos, and I don't know how much longer she can keep up the deceit. If she has to remain in his presence much longer she may snap. As you know, for all the strengths that make me love her, Tulinda can be a bit unstable."
Thunvold smiled and patted his friend on the forearm. "Trus
t me, I know how hot tempered our geomancer can be, but you have always done a wonderful job of tempering her impulses. Without your love softening her, I imagine she would have destroyed our entire city long ago in fits of rage. Let's hope when she reincarnates the Three decide to return her with a little more patience."
"We can only hope so my friend," said Gunvold with a smile.
EPILOGUE
Brothers and Sisters
Duvold sat before the roaring fire in his chambers watching the flames dance on an especially dark and cold night. Outside his windows the fierce northern winds howled with ferocity, snow flurries peppered the Patriarch Mountain and coated the balcony outside the emperor's chamber in a blanket of white. It had been almost two weeks since the expedition had left for the cavernous depths and there was still no word from them. Duvold had parties of militia permanently stationed on the edge of the Dallion Forest waiting and scouting for any sign of survivors from the party, but so far, all that had been found of them were their abandoned horses.
As troubling as the disappearance of the party was, the disappearance of Gunvold from his cell in the Deep Ridge prison was more disturbing. Duvold had always known that the cell the former grand champion was locked in could not hold him, he knew at any time Gunvold could break out if he wanted to. Thus, while Duvold was not surprised at Gunvold's disappearance, he was surprised at the mystery surrounding it as the Behemoth had simply vanished into thin air. Though searches of the cell block had not turned up any secret passages, Duvold was certain that the criminal had used one to sneak out of Deep Ridge. His current whereabouts being a mystery caused Duvold great worry. Gunvold's physical appearance would make any attempt at blending in impossible, let alone the fact that every Tormos, even those in the most remote and isolated reaches knew of the legendary Behemoth. If Gunvold was anywhere near other Tormos he would have been seen and Duvold would know.
In the wake of the expedition's disappearance, the escape of Gunvold and the absence of Gowinda, a new grand champion was needed. In hopes of raising the spirits of the people, Duvold had ordered a tournament to occur the following week in Deep Ridge to crown a new grand champion. The people would only respect a grand champion who earned the position, if Duvold were to appoint an individual, the tribes would view it as a sign of weakness in both the emperor and his personal pick. In the interim he appointed one of the champions he felt was loyal to him, Pulvold, as commander of Deep Ridge. Another champion he felt who was loyal to him, Barlvold, was chosen to lead the search of the Dallion Forest for any sign of the expedition.
About a week ago Barlvold had sent back word that a tremor was felt around the Dallion Forest. When he initially read the report, Duvold wondered if Tulinda had anything to do with the quake, but alas he had no way of knowing. These thoughts weighed heavily on the emperor, but none more so than the report he received yesterday in secrecy from Pulvold. The secret communication was truly devastating and Duvold did not yet know how to act. Liurbin had been staying in Deep Ridge to help run the city while Gowinda and Zeranidul were away. Pulvold reported that just two nights ago, in his private quarters, Liurbin was assassinated along with the guards stationed outside his door. Not far from his room the guards found the murder weapon, a Phlebos blade still covered in the blood of the victims.
So far Pulvold had kept the assassination under wraps, but it was only a matter of time before word spread. Search parties had been sent out to look for the assassins, but no traces were to be found. After thinking it over rationally and logically, Duvold was not convinced that the Phlebos were the perpetrators of the assassination, however the thought of a Tormos murdering another Tormos in cold blood shook Duvold to his core. For now, he hoped the investigation would turn up further clues and give him clarity on the troubling situation. If it really was the Phlebos, then despite the fact he abhorred the idea, he didn't see any other alternative than war. If it was treachery within his own ranks, then he had to ferret out the betrayers and bring them to justice. With either outcome he needed to know the truth and fast, as once word got out to the public, the situation was likely to spiral out of control and become something larger than even he could calmly guide.
Duvold leaned back in his chair and sighed in frustration. He was beginning to feel as if the whole world including the Three were conspiring against him. All around him he was being met with failure and death. Duvold was quickly beginning to feel as if forces larger than him were driving forward the fate of his people. The emperor stood up and walked over to his bed, the same bed that not so long ago Thunvold had died in. Duvold remembered back to the night of Thunvold's death and how so much had changed in such a short amount of time. He uncovered the sheets and crawled into the soft bed while sighing deeply. Duvold turned his head and stared out his windows watching the snow flurries dance about in the night. On the table next to his bed the emperor saw another report he hadn't yet looked at, the names of every Tormos over the previous week that had departed to join the Three, never to return. Each day the list of the dead grew longer and longer, and each day the list of the living grew shorter and shorter.
Duvold eyed the list with a mixture of curiosity and fright, but decided he had been burdened with enough bad news recently. The list of the dead could wait. The emperor closed his eyes and slipped into a fitful slumber on a night when Lunara could not be found.
* * *
A loud pounding sound caused Yulor to sit up in his bed. He had been fast asleep and his head was still groggy from being jolted awake so fast. He rubbed his eyes to clear the crust away as more pounding could be heard. Somebody was at his door and wanted in desperately bad from the strength of the knocks. The former commander threw off the filthy sheets he slept under and got out of his bed. He was wearing loose fitting linens and walked out of the small bedroom he slept in.
Upon arriving in Red Watch, he had been appointed as a research assistant to the pyromancer guild. Although Aun City was where the pyromancers officially resided and ruled the guild from, the vast majority of pyromancers lived here in Red Watch studying the Blood Flows. He had been appointed the assistant to two of the lower pyromancers in the city and his days were spent lugging around their equipment, transporting lava samples and other various mundane activities. Assistants were not considered important in the eyes of the Red Empire, so he was given a two-room house, more like a hut than anything else, to live in near the pyromancer district of the city.
The living conditions he had been placed in added insult to injury. First, he was stripped of all rank and title by Lorne, losing any semblance of honor. Next, due to notoriously being known as the only person in Phlebos History to be dishonorably discharged, he became a social pariah. No one outside of the two pyromancers he worked with would speak to him at all and Yulor was beginning to slip into depression due to loneliness. Last but not least, he was forced to live in abject poverty further compounding his dishonor and pariah status.
Yulor crossed the small living area which was connected to the only other room, his bedroom, and stopped before his front door which was made of rotten wood. Just as he went to grab the doorknob, more loud pounding shook the side of his hut. Yulor opened wide the door expecting to see one of the pyromancers whom he worked for and was instead stunned to see a Phlebos army officer in full golden armor standing before him. Behind the officer stood four Red Army regulars who also wore steel plated heavy armor. Yulor was only slightly shorter than the officer who stood before him, but the armor and billowing red cloak made the soldier far more imposing.
"Good evening Yulor, it's been a long time since we've seen each other," said the officer casually as his eyes darted around the assistant's shabby dwelling.
"I'm sorry," began Yulor, "but do we know each other?"
The heavily armored officer ignored the question and instead rudely pushed past Yulor, walking into the filthy home and speaking to the former commander as he strolled around the small room. "Actually, we do, although I'm sure you don't remember me.
Why don't you have a seat?"
Yulor stepped back into his living room as the other four soldiers followed the officer inside and shut the door behind them. The group would have been cast into darkness if not for the torches the army regulars carried. The shining Phlebos officer leaned against Yulor's rickety table, the structure creaking and moaning in the process. He motioned to the small wooden chair across the room from him, indicating to Yulor he wanted the former commander to sit.
"I'm sorry, but what right do you have to barge into my home?" Yulor refused to comply, instead standing tall and proud while speaking to the officer.
The golden armored soldier chuckled while removing his heavy gauntlets and placing them on the table with a thud. "We both know you are not stupid Yulor. Mielor has authorized martial law from now until Three knows when. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, as long as it's for the good of the empire. Now I won't tell you again, sit down."
Yulor scowled in anger but sat down in the small chair while crossing his arms. Yulor had no recollection as to who this officer was, thus he knew he had to be no one of great importance. The arrogant soldier had no unique characteristics about him. His head was clean shaven as was his face, there were a few minor scars on his dark orange skin but nothing very noticeable.
The officer likewise crossed his arms and smiled warmly now that Yulor was complying with his demands. "Well, I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Dorrun, I am the gatekeeper here in Red Watch. It is technically a low officer position, but an officer position none the less. It doesn't surprise me you don't remember me; we met many years ago when Lorne was stationed briefly here in Red Watch. I am largely unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but I vividly recall meeting you, Worloh, Jorlan and Lorne. Ultimately, this moment of nostalgia is irrelevant as I did not come here to reminisce with you. I am here because of some things I've been hearing about you, troubling things."
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