Chapter 16 - Dawn of Unwanted Ascension
Copeland Steele looked outside the window and saw a flurry of activity around the Palace. He knew it was coming, the old woman who had predicted the lives of his two friends had predicted his down to a T as well. All he could do is halfway stare out the window and dream of a way out of this.
Simon Sutcliffe looked over at his friend, wondering what to do for him. It was no secret anymore that Copeland was probably going to be the replacement. This fact alone was enough to depress him. It was even worse to see Copeland sulk.
The lecture wasn’t even half over when an old woman entered the room. She looked old enough to have been around when the empire was founded and the instructor stopped when she entered the room. There was obvious recognition, especially since the instructor was old enough to remember the last time she’d made an appearance.
"How can I help you, Edwina?" the instructor said, looking pale, "Is…"
"You’ll find out later today," Edwina said, "I’d like to speak to Copeland Steele."
Copeland perked up a little at that. He didn’t like the sound of it, but he couldn’t help but notice his name. He stood up and walked down to the front, not quite sure of what was going on. Simon and Miranda could only watch as Copeland left the room. They had the same sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs that he did, knowing that they may not see him again.
Edwina led Copeland to a special room where Mr. Irons was sitting, bottle of strong booze next to him. Irons looked up at Copeland and took another drink from the glass he had already poured for himself. Edwina left the room quickly, content to let the men talk this over this subject.
"Sit down, Copeland," he said, "Have a drink."
Copeland sat down, wondering what was going on. This certainly wasn’t what he was expecting. He wasn’t about to refuse the offer of booze, not with the way his nerves were going. He took a big drink and looked at the large middle aged man.
"What’s going on, Mr. Irons?" Copeland asked him, watching the older man take a drink
He looked at Copeland in confusion for a few moments and then realized that in the confusion over Taliaferro’s death he’d forgotten to take off the stuff that Marina had put on to him. He removed the nose and the wig, placing them on the table. He pushed his own natural hair back and looked at the young man.
"My name isn’t Mr. Irons, Copeland," he said, "My name is Massimaferro."
Copeland closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was young, but he knew who the Mullinix-Apprentice was. He also knew that the Mullinix-Apprentice was not inclined to talk to a simple first semester student for no reason.
"I’ve been chosen, haven’t I?" Copeland said, taking another drink.
"Yes," Massimaferro nodded, "You have. Mullinix-Elder Taliaferro joined the ranks of the gods an hour ago."
"I should have kept my mouth shut today," Copeland chuckled, "Huh?"
"You were still the top choice," Massimaferro said, "That just confirmed it."
"Great," Copeland said, "My life is over, huh?"
"Not at all," Massimaferro smiled, "It’s just beginning."
"Do I get a choice?" Copeland asked hopefully.
"Everyone gets a choice," Massimaferro said, "But will you take a walk with me before you refuse outright?"
"How can I refuse?" Copeland sighed, "Where are we going?"
"Follow me," Massimaferro said, taking a last drink from the bottle and handing it to Copeland, "We’ll talk a little bit about what this means."
Massimaferro led Copeland out of the building towards the palace itself. It was a large building, designed with security in mind. The city around it was really an afterthought, but the palace itself was really well planned. They entered through a security gate, with a respectful nod for the uniformed guard standing watch.
"Welcome to the gates of power," Massimaferro said as they walked, "What does it look like?"
"The fulfillment of an old nightmare," Copeland admitted, "I’ve had nightmares about this for five years now."
"I heard the report about that story," Massimaferro admitted, "Fortune tellers are a bitch, aren’t they?"
"How did you…" Copeland asked, eyes wide, "I’ve only told two people that story! Did you talk to Simon or Miranda?"
"Stacy, actually," Massimaferro smiled, "Standard procedure. Miranda was our other choice, as you’ve deduced."
"Did you place Simon with me?" Copeland asked, not liking the fact of being duped like that.
"No," Massy said, shaking his head, "Simon is simply a kid from the capital. Rav Suvorov is the agent we put on you."
"Suvorov is a Mullinix Guard?" Copeland said, "Isn’t he a bit violent for that?"
"I never said he was a good one," Massimaferro sighed, "This was punishment duty for him it seems. I guess he did ok with it."
"This is insane," Copeland said, "Why me?"
"Why not?" Massy grinned, "Why shouldn’t it be you?"
"I’m nobody," Copeland said, "I shouldn’t have this sort of power."
"That’s why we chose you," Massy said, "Because you feel that way. Because you don’t want it and would love to avoid it. That’s exactly why we need you, Copeland."
"But I don’t know how to do this," Copeland protested, "I saw that case with the Mullinix, where he figured out that the wife beater had been getting help. I could never have figured it out."
"Not yet," Massy told him, "That’s why you’ll just be an apprentice. I guess they never got around to why there are three of us, did they?"
"It was just considered a rote fact," Copeland said, shaking his head, "Why?"
"Because Marcus Mullinix knew that you couldn’t learn to rule on the fly and do it effectively," Massy told him, "That’s why he put this system in place. No one person can rule alone and know everything. The apprenticeship is there to give you a chance to learn what you need to."
"And the Elder?" Copeland asked.
"Gotta have some hope of getting out alive," Massy said, "Also, when you’re in power it is good to have someone above you that’s been there. The Elder also often handles a lot of the lessons for the apprentice when the Mullinix is busy."
"You’re pretty calm for someone who just had the weight of the world dropped on his shoulders," Copeland said, "How can you be so calm?"
"We’ve been living with the knowledge that Tali didn’t have much longer," Massy told him, "I don’t want the job still, but I am ready for it after years of learning from Iggy and Tali."
"Iggy?" Copeland asked.
"We sure as hell don’t go around calling each other by our ruling names," Massy chuckled, "Insegniferro is a tongue twister at the best of times. So is Massimaferro. You’ll find that we’re a very familiar group here. When we’re not being official I am Massy and the new Elder is Iggy."
"I mean you seem so aloof, so powerful…" Copeland said.
"That’s what it is supposed to look like," Massy told him as they walked into a darkened building, "People want strong, aloof rulers. But if you live like that all the time, it will either make you that way permanently or make you a tyrant."
"Like that idiot in Siraq," Copeland said, grasping the obvious.
"Exactly," Massimaferro smiled, "Also that idiot to our south, King Facie of the Mavelans."
"Where are we?" Copeland asked, looking around the dark building, "This place looks foreboding."
"This is the crypt," Massy told him, "Every Mullinix since the beginning of the empire rests here for eternity."
Copeland was suddenly awed by the realization. He was within meters of the bones of every single one of the leaders, going back longer than he could fathom. The large building resembled a cavern, one with very different construction styles as it had been added on to many times over the centuries.
"Come here," Massy said to the younger man as he walked towards the oldest section of the crypt, "This is the mortal remains of the man who started it all.
"
"The one you told us about in class," Copeland said, gazing at the stone coffin that held the remains of Marcus Mullinix, "How can I follow someone like him?"
"You’re just the type he envisioned," Massy said honestly, "The thing that scared him most was that someone who wanted it and could make the position more powerful would get it. That’s why we go through this testing process."
"I still can’t believe it," Copeland sighed, "A complete nightmare."
"It’s not all bad," Massy smiled, "The people are nice and you’re never hurting for company unless you want to be."
"What about the finer points of life?" Copeland asked him as he looked on, "It sounds rather lonely."
"That’s what the house staff is for," Massy told him, "You’ll love them."
"I don’t know," Copeland sighed, "This is still too unreal."
"Let’s put it this way," Massy told him, knowing what was going through his head, "You don’t want this power, right?"
"Right!" Copeland exclaimed.
"Would you want to put this on anyone else?" Massimaferro said honestly, "We chose you for a reason. Were we wrong?"
Copeland didn’t know what to say to that. Massimaferro let him think about that for a moment before they turned out and headed towards the door. They walked out back into the blinding sunshine of the summer day. Massimaferro walked around a little and stretched a little.
"Ok," Copeland said, "I don’t have a choice, do I."
"You do," Massimaferro said, "But I think you’re going to make the right one."
"Ok," Copeland sighed, "I’m in. So what is next?"
"Come on inside," Massimaferro invited him, "You get to meet everyone."
The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension Page 17