Ruin & Reliance

by Jeremy Dwyer

  “I won’t add to the burn, but to the sting,” Count Swithun said. He played the Five (5) of Vipers onto the table.

  “But I’ll keep making it hotter,” Countess Shae said. She played the Five (5) of Flames onto the table. “Now, that fire’s so hot it’s going to spread. I doubt you can get through it,” she said.

  “I don’t need to get through it. I just need to cash in,” Count Geordie said. He played the Twelve (12) of Diadems onto the table.

  “That won’t be enough to win, however,” Count Swithun said. He played the Fifteen (15) of Diadems onto the table.

  Countess Shae stood up from her chair and threw her remaining cards down on the table, face up, “Drop dead!” she screamed.

  “This game’s yours, Count Swithun,” Count Geordie said.

  “I will take the five (5) slaves of my choosing. Then, Count Geordie chooses, then Countess Shae,” Count Swithun said.

  “You don’t shuffle right! I watched you and it’s some kind of trick,” Countess Shae said.

  “We all took turns shuffling the deck of cards. Accusing me of cheating is hardly sporting of you,” Count Swithun said.

  “You do win, Shae…every once in a while,” Count Geordie said.

  “He’s too lucky,” Countess Shae said.

  Count Swithun started choosing the slaves he liked and then used a master key that he carried to unshackle them from the walls. He claimed three (3) males and two (2) females. The slaves still had their arms cuffed behind them.

  Countess Shae was bitterly angry and decided she had enough. “No! I demand a new game. Now I’m convinced you cheated!” she said.

  “That’s against the rules. We all agreed before to play fairly. You’ve won games when I was the host, and I did not accuse you of cheating. You claimed your prize with no objections from me,” Count Swithun said.

  “That’s because I never cheat, and you know it!” Countess Shae said.

  “Neither do I. Perhaps we should make this our last game. I’d like to spend more time with my winnings. These young slave women are just what I need,” Count Swithun said.

  “What’s leftover doesn’t look too bad. I’ll take my winnings now and leave, as well,” Count Geordie said. He selected five (5) female slaves and used a master key that he carried to unshackle them from the wall. These women were less attractive than the first set, but he felt they were good enough. These slaves still had their arms cuffed behind their backs, like all the others.

  “You’re another cheater, just like him! I hate you, Geordie!” Countess Shae said.

  “I never cheat. You could be a little kinder to me, Shae. The next game is at my castle, and you had better behave yourself there,” Count Geordie said.

  “I’m tired of playing with cheaters! There won’t be a next game!” Countess Shae said.

  “That would be for the best. I’ll be on my way,” Count Swithun said. He began leading his five (5) new slaves toward the castle gate, which was opened by the guards as he approached.

  “Better luck next time, Shae,” Count Geordie said. He also began leading his five (5) new slaves toward the castle gate.

  Countess Shae drew her sword and followed behind them. She exited through the castle gate and stepped onto the bridge spanning the moat that separated the castle from the land around it. The countess gave in to her rage and began slashing at the slaves that Count Swithun and Count Geordie were leading away.

  “No! You fool!” Count Swithun screamed.

  “Cheater!” Count Geordie yelled.

  Countess Shae killed three (3) of the female slaves and then fell down dead from an arrow piercing her head and another piercing her heart.

  “What? Who?” Count Swithun yelled.

  “It wasn’t me!” Count Geordie said.

  Moments later, Count Swithun and Count Geordie both fell down dead, their heads having been sliced off. The severing sword fell nearby.

  ~~~

  The spirits of Countess Shae, Count Swithun and Count Geordie descended into a place of flames, confusion, pain and chains. Each of their spirits was bound to unseen walls.

  “Where am I?” the spirit of Countess Shae asked.

  “What is this place?” the spirit of Count Swithun asked.

  “Why am I here?” the spirit of Count Geordie asked.

  “This is the Maelstrom of Vengeance, where you shall suffer eternally,” a deep and terrifying voice said.

  “Why?” the spirit of Countess Shae asked.

  “Who are you?” the spirit of Count Swithun asked.

  “We were just making a living,” the spirit of Count Geordie said.

  “I am Gadamalto, the Master of Spirits in this realm. You enslaved and murdered the innocent. Now, you will be my slaves, to be chained and tormented without end,” the deep and terrifying voice said. The spirits of Countess Shae, Count Geordie and Count Swithun were kept in endless bondage, unable to move as they were whipped, slashed and burned forever.

  ~~~

  “Three (3) slavers down. Not bad for a single visit,” Zoe said as she stood on the south side of the land around the castle, facing the bridge that spanned the moat.

  “Let’s get in there and free the rest of the slaves,” Brant said.

  Zoe drank anew of the waters of the Lujladia Ocean from her vial and was energized with the powers of light. Brank drank anew of the waters of the Nabavodel Ocean from his vial and was energized with the powers of speed and strength.

  Zoe walked to the west side of the castle, where the bridge met the land, and looked far ahead, into the castle. She saw the guards inside – both those directly ahead and those hiding around corners – and then generated a blinding beam of light, scattering them. Brant stepped onto the bridge and picked up the sword he had thrown to decapitate the pair of despotic nobles.

  Once they entered the castle, Zoe and Brant moved quickly to find the keys and unlock the shackled men and women still held captive in the throne room. Zoe kept her eyes open – peering around corners and down distant hallways – to be sure they weren’t ambushed. They led the liberated men and women out of the castle, and then used the keys to remove the cuffs from the remaining four (4) females and three (3) males who had been taken outside already and who had been standing on the bridge during the attack.

  “Just get out of here. It’s your lucky day,” Zoe said.

  “Where do we go?” a female rescued slave asked.

  “Go wherever you want. I don’t know what to tell you,” Brant said.

  “I was bought and sold since I was a kid. I don’t know what to do or where to live,” a male rescued slave asked.

  “We’re scared. We don’t have answers. This is confusing,” another female rescued slave said.

  “Confused? Tough. This is life in Waderav. I don’t like it either. You’re free. That’s the best we can do to help,” Zoe said.

  “We fix the problems we can fix,” Brant said.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Zoe said. She and Brant then walked away from the castle of the former Countess Shae.

  ~~~

  Polyxene studied the contents of the newly acquired lightkeeper crystal and discerned more details. She knew the geography and politics of the world, and there was a specific region named on the pages of the books which were stored within the facets of this gem. She glided across the crystal floor of her fortress toward the first ruby spire and said: “Evethixomar! Stand at attention!”

  The swirling blackness within the first ruby spire came to a standstill in response to her words.

  “I have another war for you to wage,” Polyxene said.

  “Such good news! A war against whom?” the voice of Evethixomar asked, vibrating through the structure of the first ruby spire.

  “In the continent of Waderav is the Duchy of Velten, a territory that has its southern border one hundred seventy-five (175) miles north of Cinder Valley. It is a richly forested region. I want to take hold of it. Everyone there is to be killed, but the trees must
not be touched. Kill ten thousand (10000) men, women and children before damaging a single branch of a single tree,” Polyxene said.

  “I will send my minions to recruit a suitable ally to wage this war. I could guarantee victory…if you would allow me to fight more directly. In my present situation, however, my powers are restrained, so there are greater risks to this conflict and I cannot make promises,” the voice of Evethixomar said, vibrating through the structure of the first ruby spire.

  “I can guarantee that your pain increases. You know that. Do not waste your efforts trying to convince me to release you, pathetic little demon. Now, do as I command,” Polyxene said.

  ~~~

  Inside the armory of the castle of Countess Eurybia, Captain Gennadios continue working on forging weapons. He drank anew of the waters of the Kazofen Ocean from his vial and was energized. He molded a diamond in his hands and then fused it to a ruby in order to form the composite material that comprised the short swords.

  A swirling blackness appeared inside of the ruby and a voice spoke through it, vibrating the gem as it said: “Build an army and attack the Duchy of Velten to the south.”

  Captain Gennadios was startled at this and he dropped the diamond-ruby composite on the floor. He then left the armory and went to the throne room. Therein, he approached the throne of Countess Eurybia and knelt down.

  “What is it, my dear brother? Rise and tell me your concern,” Countess Eurybia asked.

  Captain Gennadios stood up and said: “My ever gracious lady, I was working diligently to make the diamond-ruby composite material. That is the specialized crystal with which I am forging the short swords needed by your army. Within the ruby portion of this crystal, a swirling blackness appeared and a voice spoke to me through it,” Captain Gennadios said.

  “What did this voice say, Captain Gennadios?” Countess Eurybia asked.

  “It directed me to build an army and attack the Duchy of Velten to the south,” Captain Gennadios said.

  ~~~

  From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda heard this report and said: “The Duchy of Velten is now the Duchy of Jovan. He is a slave driver, working his farmers and miners long hours and they will not survive his demands much longer.”

  ~~~

  “Captain Gennadios, why should I obey a voice that supposedly spoke to you through a crystal? This is preposterous!”

  “My ever gracious lady, I do not know any reason for you to obey. I only wished to report this matter to you,” Captain Gennadios said.

  “Bring me this crystal. I wish to hear the voice for myself,” Countess Eurybia said.

  Captain Gennadios hurried back to the armory and picked up the diamond-ruby composite from the floor. He returned to the throne room and presented the crystal to Countess Eurybia, who took it from him.

  Countess Eurybia looked into the diamond-ruby composite and saw a swirling blackness inside of it. A voice spoke through it, vibrating the gem as it said: “Build an army and attack the Duchy of Velten to the south. Damage not a single branch of a single tree. Spare neither man, woman nor child, yet preserve the land.”

  “Why should I obey this command? What benefit is it to me? This is a trick. Why should I take orders from an illusion?” Countess Eurybia asked.

  ~~~

  From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda heard this voice and he prepared himself. He drank anew of the water of the Ikkith Tar Ocean from his vial and was further energized with the powers of darkness. He methodically paced to and fro across the throne room while directing this power to cancel out any false light, thus dispelling any illusion that might conceal the source of the voice. Yet, nothing changed: no illusion was present.

  “There is no false light, my lady,” Colonel Nekoda said.

  ~~~

  “If this voice is not coming from someone hiding in the false light, then perhaps they are hiding in the darkness,” Countess Eurybia said.

  “I am speaking to you from neither light nor darkness, but from the spirit world, through this crystal. My master will guide you in battle and strengthen your troops. The Duchy of Velten will be yours,” the voice said through the diamond-ruby composite, vibrating the crystal as it spoke.

  “I would need proof of this assistance before I could even begin to consider the proposal. Even then, there is still is no guarantee I will accept,” Countess Eurybia said.

  “One hundred thirty (130) millennia ago, King Tjark granted the land to Duke Velten as repayment for his masterful work at crafting crystals for the king’s treasury and armory. Velten’s bloodline ruled that territory until recently. The land contains great wealth – rich quarries and fertile fields – yet the current lord, Duke Jovan, is a poor steward of its resources. He does not select highly skilled miners or farmers to extract the greatest value from the land, leaving most of its value unrealized. He commands his serfs to work long hours in the fields and quarries only as revenge. Jovan is bitter at those peasant laborers because of their unwillingness to help him when he was working among them and his harvest failed. Unable to pay the taxes, his family was killed and he was tortured. Jovan is now a madman, burning with rage, and he cannot be reasoned with. Yet, he has a small army of two thousand one hundred (2100) soldiers. You and your far larger army will easily conquer him and take hold of the land. Do not fell a single tree or break a single tree branch in your attack or occupation, and all the wealth of that land shall be yours,” the voice said through the diamond-ruby composite, vibrating the crystal as it spoke.

  “I am already preparing my army. Their swords are still being forged. When the weapons are completed, I will deploy the army on a mission. If you want that mission to be taking hold of the Duchy of Velten, then your master – whoever that is – will have to provide assistance in a visible way. I need convincing proof that you’re going to keep your promise to increase the strength of my soldiers,” Countess Eurybia said.

  “You will have a sign of my master’s promise. Finish your preparations,” the voice said through the diamond-ruby composite, vibrating the crystal as it spoke.

  “If either you or your master betrays me – meaning, if you don’t help, or if this land isn’t worth what you claim – then I will burn every tree in that duchy instead of sparing it. And if any tree branches remain, I will break and burn them, as well. Tell your master that I’m no fool. Don’t make any promises that you won’t keep,” Countess Eurybia said.

  ~~~

  From under the cover of darkness, Colonel Nekoda asked: “My lady, even if we receive the promised assistance, can we actually trust this message from the spirit world?”

  ~~~

  “Of course I don’t trust the message, Colonel Nekoda. Still, I won’t waste an opportunity to take what’s readily available. Be sure that all of our soldiers carry flint and steel into battle. If we are betrayed, do not hesitate to burn every branch of every tree. No one will benefit from this battle unless we do,” Countess Eurybia said.

  “My ever gracious lady, when the composite weapons are completed, I do not expect that the soldiers will need assistance in battle,” Captain Gennadios said.

  “I trust your crystal bending work, my dear brother, Captain Gennadios, but you underestimate battle fatigue. Even in victory, some soldiers can be injured, disabled or killed, rendering them worthless. I would prefer not to suffer any losses. If we do, I will consider the promise of assistance to be broken.”

  CHAPTER 13: Price of Labor and Materials

  In the Trading Center One building on Haza’Kedro’Maral Island in the Pirovalen Ocean, Governor Aranka continued her investigative work in the vaults, poring over the central bank’s balance sheets and identifying more fraud.

  The Chronicler Caemgen watched the Governor and recorded everything he saw into his book, despite being ignored. He did not know what all the numbers meant, but he recorded them accurately. It wasn’t his job to interpret or analyze, so this did not matter.

  Governor Aranka exited the vaults an
d walked out onto the main trading floor. She stood at the head table, where Sechnall was waiting. Caemgen followed her.

  “Sechnall, contact the Premier Governors and tell them that I continue to investigate the fraud, and it is broad in scope, predating the arrival of Duchess Uliana. As of this moment, I see there is loss and misappropriation of gems totaling six trillion eight hundred ninety-one billion three hundred seventeen million five hundred forty-four thousand two hundred sixty-seven (6891317544267) platinum coins in value. I am only one third (1/3) of the way through this audit,” Governor Aranka said.

  Caemgen recorded this statement into his book. That may or may not be the true amount of fraud, but it was certainly true that Governor Aranka stated it.

  “I will relay this message to them, Governor,” Sechnall said. He drank anew of the waters of the Zovvin Ocean from his vial and was energized with the power to connect to the spirit world. He contacted an intermediary spirit and sent this message.

  ~~~

  Inside Depository Building Number Three Hundred Six, on Tilvonix Island in the Ursegan Ocean, the swirling blackness within the ruby spire came to a standstill. “Governor Aranka has sent a new report. She is only one third (1/3) of the way through the audit and has identified loss and misappropriation of gems totaling six trillion eight hundred ninety-one billion three hundred seventeen million five hundred forty-four thousand two hundred sixty-seven (6891317544267) platinum coins in value. The fraud predates the arrival of Duchess Uliana,” the voice of Athamus said, vibrating through the ruby spire.

  “Lux must die for this!” Premier Governor Kynthia said.

  “And we must recover our losses,” Premier Governor Enrichetta said.

  “We must send a new shipment of variable gems to the branch on Haza’Kedro’Maral Island. Governor Aranka will be able to distribute them from there. She has already been directed to adjust rates as necessary. These gems will expand to be more saleable, so that we can recover our losses more quickly,” Premier Governor Dustin said.