Ascension of Death

by Andy Peloquin

  A relieved grin broadened Aisha’s face. “Seems like things worked out well enough for you.”

  Evren’s smiled faded and his brow furrowed. “Wait, but if you can stop the Stumblers and use your power to cleanse whatever it is that’s turning them into mindless creatures, why did it work on only a few?”

  Aisha hesitated. She’d mulled over the question since the moment she realized the Kish’aa hadn’t killed the Stumblers, only fixed them. Something Ennolar had told her flashed through her mind. A psychotropic is a chemical that affects your mental state. It may cause hallucinations or could lead to severe and irreversible damage to the brain of those who take it.”

  She was no alchemist, but that sounded like the sort of thing that could contribute to the creation of mindless Stumblers. Alchemy that affected the brain rather than the body.

  “I can’t be certain,” she said in a slow voice, “but I think it may have something to do with an alchemical poison that’s turning them into these creatures. My powers sort of purge the poison from their systems—” Just as it had when cleansing the toxin from Kodyn at the Heartspring. “—but for some, their brains may be too damaged or decayed to recover.” Her face fell. “Without a Secret Keeper, we can’t know if there’s anything we can do for the ones who seem to be sleeping. If there’s a way to fix their brains.”

  “Damn, wish I’d kept one of those in my back pocket.” Evren made a show of patting at his pants and tunic. “I think it’s time we talk about how we can get down to the Temple of Whispers. Though, given how many Stumblers are flooding the tunnels, we’d have better luck getting old black-eyes there to smile.” He jerked a thumb at the stern, frowning face of Hallar carved into the mountain above the palace.

  Aisha’s gut tightened. She’d dreaded this moment, when she had to confront the fact that they couldn’t help Kodyn, Briana, and Hailen. Yet, now that Evren had brought it up, she had no choice but to face it. Unless they could figure out a way to get past tens of thousands of Stumblers, there was no way to reach their friends in the Temple of Whispers.

  Maybe I could go to the crypts, gather enough power to blast through the Stumblers at the gate, or in the tunnels. Her mind raced. It would take a lot of spirits, more than she’d ever absorbed before, possibly more than she could survive.

  The memory of Imbuka flashed before her eyes: his body consumed by the Kish’aa, the power fracturing his mind and burning through his flesh. Even with the Dy’nashia pendant, that might happen to her if she—

  “Aisha!”

  The sound of her name nearly stopped her heart. That voice was so familiar, but from here, in the Terrestra? It seemed impossible.

  It came again. “Aisha!”

  Aisha’s eyes flew wide and she spun toward the call. Kodyn?

  She blinked, as if afraid she had slipped into a dream or a memory of the Kish’aa. That she would wake up and find that she had, in fact, simply wanted to hear it so bad that she had imagined it.

  But it was no dream. Kodyn raced through the Terrestra toward her. Bloodstained, his face pale, yet that familiar, cocky half-crooked grin twisting his lips.

  In that moment, the world faded around her until nothing remained but her and that handsome face. Heat surged through her veins as she raced toward him and threw her arms around his neck. He was real…so very, very real and alive.

  She pulled back, seized his face, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips. A kiss that lasted an eternity as Aisha drowned in his presence, the solid feeling of his body against hers, the thump, thump of his heartbeat, the smell of his hair, sweat, and leather armor. Against all odds, he was here, in her arms. Relief, gratitude, joy, and affection surged through her, flooding her body with a raging heat far more powerful than the energy of the Kish’aa.

  Long seconds passed before she broke off the kiss. Kodyn staggered slightly, out of breath, his crooked grin even more lopsided. He beamed, a flush of color rising to his cheeks. “Wow, now that was worth fighting here for!”

  Aisha recoiled from his half-shout. “Kodyn, you don’t need to talk so—”

  “What?” he asked, again at an inordinately loud volume. “I can’t hear you, Aisha!”

  Brow furrowed, Aisha turned to Briana. “What happened to him?”

  Briana grinned. “Explosion a bit too close than is good for his ears.” She rushed toward Aisha and pulled her into an embrace. “But it got us here in one piece.”

  Aisha hugged the smaller, petite girl. “I was worried about you. All three of you.”

  “No need to worry.” Briana smiled up at her, relief sparkling in her eyes. “I had the bravest protectors any woman could ask for.”

  Beside her, Hailen ducked his head to hide a blush. His smile broadened as he caught sight of Evren, behind Aisha. “Evren!”

  The reunion of the two brothers only added to Aisha’s joy. Evren, usually so strong and stubborn, seemed to melt at the sight of Hailen. He swept the boy into a fierce hug. Aisha could have sworn tears glimmered in his eyes.

  She turned back to Kodyn and reached for him, gripping his hand tight. He stepped close and wrapped an arm around her, as if he, too, needed to feel her close to him. So much had happened since last they saw each other; they deserved a moment of peace after all they’d endured.

  A long moment passed before she broke off the embrace. “How are you here?” she asked, loud enough she hoped Kodyn could hear her.

  “Once again, the Serenii tunnels prove marvelously useful.” Kodyn grinned. “Though, there’s a bit of a Stumbler infestation going on.”

  “Wait, you got through the Stumblers in the tunnel?” Aisha’s eyebrows rose. “How?”

  “We had a bit of help.” Kodyn gestured behind him.

  Aisha turned to find Ennolar, Uryan, and ten other brown-robed Secret Keepers standing in the Terrestra. A bright smile broadened the Arch-Guardian’s face. “I am glad to see the Mistress has brought you safely here, Aisha.”

  “And you, Ennolar.” Aisha’s eyes went to Uryan, Thevoris, and the others. “All of you. Your presence here may very well turn the tide of battle.”

  From the corner of her eye, Aisha spotted Briana moving toward Evren. The Shalandran girl was hesitant, color rising to her cheeks. Evren gave her a grin that was surprisingly shy and, after a moment of awkward indecision, pulled her into an even more awkward hug.

  Adorable, Aisha thought, stifling a grin. But it’s good to see that they’ve found a bit of happiness.

  “…mean when you say ‘turn the tide of battle’?” Kodyn’s too-loud voice pulled her thoughts away from Evren and Briana. He gestured to the unmoving bodies on the grass, and the four ragged figures huddling next to Killian. “Does it have something to do with whatever happened to these Stumblers?”

  Aisha nodded. “Yes.” She turned to Ennolar. “I have discovered something, a way that you and your Secret Keepers could very well put an end to these creatures once and for all.”

  Ennolar arched an eyebrow. Aisha explained.

  * * *

  “Your hypothesis concurs with our preliminary findings,” Ennolar signed. He turned to Tianath with a questioning glance. “Could you explain?”

  “Of course, Arch-Guardian.” Tianath signed back, bowing to the balding Ennolar. “From what we have determined, the alchemical brew recovered from Groebus’ laboratory contains a particularly potent combination of toxic ingredients. While we have not yet determined the exact nature of these toxins, we can say for certain that they are not intended to attack the organs or the blood. Instead, they affect only the brains of those poisoned.”

  “Affects them how?” Briana asked.

  “That…” Tianath hesitated. “…is something we have not yet been able to determine. Without live subjects to test on, we cannot know for certain.” Her eyes slid past Aisha to the four figures beside Killian. “I would like to examine those subjects, determine what exactly the alchemical concoction did to them.”

  “If they’re willing.” Aisha nod
ded. “And if they’re strong enough to put up with whatever tests you want to run.” She glanced at the emaciated, rag-covered men and women that had once been Stumblers. From their gaunt cheeks, sallow complexions, and protruding ribs, they appeared as if they hadn’t eaten in days, maybe weeks.

  “Of course,” Tianath signed. “But if they are willing, I am hopeful that our tests will point to which specific toxins were used.” She hesitated again. “And yet, I fear that for those who are afflicted—” She gestured to the unmoving Stumblers. “—it may be too late. Whatever foul draught they were given would have acted directly on their brains. Possibly…permanently.”

  Aisha’s gut clenched. She’d dreaded hearing that.

  “Wait, but they’re still alive!” Kodyn said, this time at an almost-normal volume. It seemed his ears were well on their way to recovering. “Look, you can see them breathing.”

  “They are alive,” Tianath replied in the Secret Keeper hand language. “Their hearts still beat and their lungs still work, because the toxin was intended to attack their conscious brain functions but not their unconscious functions. Digestion, respiration, cardiovascular, possibly even some basic neurological—all of these internal systems still work. Yet the parts of their brain that control consciousness, higher thought, logic, memory, even basic motor movements, those are all damaged by the draught.”

  “Which explains why they walk all wobbly,” Evren said. Briana had translated the conversation for him.

  Tianath nodded. “We will test both the recovered and unconscious subjects,” she signed, “and there may be hope for all Stumblers. But I can make no promises.”

  “Thank you,” Aisha said. Despite Tianath’s dour expression, Aisha clung to the hope that the Stumblers could be saved. The alternative, that hundreds of thousands of men and women would be turned permanently into these monstrous creatures, was unthinkable.

  “It is our duty,” Ennolar signed. “And yet, I fear we are doomed to fail. Even if we had access to all of our ingredients, such research would require days, possibly weeks of experimenting. Given our limited resources…” He shook his head. “With only the meager resources at our disposal—”

  “Wait!” Briana’s voice cut into the conversation. “I think I might have a solution!”

  All eyes turned to the girl as she dug into the sack. Glass clinked against stone, and a moment later Briana drew out a vial filled with mud-brown liquid. “This might actually work!”

  Kodyn frowned at it. “What is it?”

  Briana’s eyes went to Aisha. “Shadow Root and Whispering Lily.”

  “What?” Aisha’s eyebrows shot up.

  Briana smiled shyly. “I’ve been experimenting with it for the last few days, but I only cracked the formula last night. The Shadow Root should, in truth, shut off the part of your brain that enables you to sense, hear, and speak to the Kish’aa. But, like any chemical, the more you take, the more your body grows accustomed to it. Until it stops working.”

  “Please tell me there’s a ‘but’,” Aisha said.

  Briana’s smile widened. “But, mixing Shadow Root with just the right amount of Whispering Lily should balance out the effects. The Whispering Lily essentially stops your brain from adapting to the Shadow Root, and the Shadow Root stops the Whispering Lily from breaking down the parts of your brain that are sensitive to the spirits. It protects your mind and brings harmony to the effects of the Whispering Lily.”

  Aisha’s brow furrowed. “Just like that?”

  Briana gave a little shrug. “I can’t really be certain until we try it, but I think that is it.” She tapped her head. “I can’t say that I understand magic, but my father always said the greatest magic is the power of the brain. That made me think that maybe there’s something there—something different from my brain, Kodyn’s brain, or anyone else’s—that makes you sensitive to the spirits.”

  “Like some people are more sensitive to sounds, smells, or lights.” Ennolar looked surprised and impressed. “You truly are your father’s daughter. He always had a knack for looking beyond our understanding, for finding an explanation that challenged our knowledge while remaining true to science.”

  Briana blushed, and pride sparkled in her eyes. “Thank you, Ennolar.”

  “But how will that help deal with the Stumblers?” Kodyn asked. “You just said it’s only going to work on that specific bit of Aisha’s brain that makes her a Spirit Whisperer.”

  Briana inclined her head. “Yes, in the sense that it will amplify and balance her powers.” She turned to Tianath. “I believe whatever draught was given to these people to turn them into Stumblers also acts on those same parts of the brain. Giving them this—” She held up the vial. “—should balance out the chemicals in their brain, restoring it to its original condition. Right?”

  Tianath’s brow furrowed. “Perhaps. We cannot know for certain without testing, but—”

  “Look around you!” Aisha gestured to the Stumblers on the ground. “We’ve got scores of test subjects for you to try it on.”

  Ennolar inclined his head. “So be it. We will test out your theory, Briana. But without the ingredients from our storehouses, producing any quantity of antidote will prove challenging.”

  “Perhaps not as challenging as you think,” Tianath put in. “We are surrounded by a vast array of plants, a variety found in few other places on Einan. I can say with reasonable certainty that we should be able to find most of what we need right here.”

  For the first time, Ennolar’s face brightened. “Then let us get to work,” he signed. “We will work in all haste, and pray that the Mistress’ fortune smiles on us.” He turned to Briana. “If you are right, you have just saved all of Shalandra.”

  Briana turned a furious red and her eyes dropped shyly away, yet she glowed under the praise.

  At Ennolar’s command, Thevoris, Lunus, and Uryan moved toward the four survivors and helped them up. In silence, they led the Stumblers-turned-humans into the palace. The rest of the Secret Keepers set about gathering a selection of unconscious Stumblers. All but Tianath, who disappeared into the gardens in search of ingredients.

  Hope surged within Aisha. They had a chance to turn the tide of battle, to stop the Stumblers from killing everyone in the palace and restoring them to sanity. But to make that happen, she needed the help of the spirits. The Kish’aa could cleanse their bodies of Groebus’ foul poison, giving the Secret Keepers’ antidote a chance to work.

  She turned to Kodyn. “Come, if we’re going to stop the Iron Warlord, we need to get to the Keeper’s Crypts.”

  Kodyn’s brow furrowed in confusion. “The crypts?”

  “Spirits.” A smile broadened Aisha’s face. “Enough of them to bring down an army of Stumblers.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Evren trailed a few steps behind Aisha and Kodyn as they strode into the palace. He contented himself to match Hailen’s pace; he’d been apart from the young boy for too long. Not only since arriving in Shalandra, but for the last year or more.

  When he'd first joined the Hunter’s quest, most of his time had been spent with Hailen, learning everything the assassin and Kiara had to teach them. Once Hailen went off to his training with Father Reverentus and the Cambionari, Evren had barely seen him. He’d missed Hailen—his bright smile, his infectious laugh, his incurable sense of optimism and belief in the goodness of humanity. After everything that he’d endured over the last few days, he needed a bit of Hailen’s boyish cheer in his life.

  And he had to keep Hailen safe. He’d been able to operate freely in Shalandra knowing the boy was safe; first in Suroth’s mansion, then in the Temple of Whispers. Now, however, it fell to him to watch Hailen’s back.

  Not that he could let Hailen know. The boy had developed a strong will, a fiercely stubborn streak a league wide. Evren couldn’t be seen to hover or be too over-careful; it would just make Hailen angry to know he was being mothered.

  Then there was Briana. She and Hailen see
med joined at the hip—to be expected, given the time they’d spent together in the last weeks. Evren found himself wishing for a few moments alone with Briana. A chance to talk with her in private, even though he had no idea what he’d say.

  Knowing she was alive had filled him with a near-overwhelming joy, almost as much as he’d felt when seeing Hailen. But even after all this time, being around her made him feel tongue-tied. He had no idea how to put into words how he felt, how happy he was that she was here, with him.

  Instead, he opted for something less sentimental. “How goes your research?” He directed the question at both, but his eyes locked on Briana. “Find anything interesting?”

  Briana said nothing, but her gaze slid past Evren to the armored hulk of Killian. Evren knew her well enough to recognize the reason for her hesitation. All her life, her father had trained her to keep secrets—from the secret of her true parentage to the secrets of the Serenii. That instinct was hard to break.

  Evren shot a glance at the blacksmith. He’d learned a great deal about Killian in the last few days. Despite the fact that the man had kept a multitude of very important truths to himself, Evren felt as if he could trust the man more, not less. Killian wasn’t just some thiefmaster out to profit on the backs of his Mumblers; he’d set himself up as information broker as a means of controlling the darker side of Shalandra, the criminal element that Lady Callista and her Blades could not. The way Lady Callista treated him, the note of respect in her voice when she addressed him as Elmessam, that spoke volumes about the real Killian.

  But Evren could understand Briana’s hesitance. These were her father’s secrets, things that had been kept from the people of Shalandra by the Mistress’ priests for a reason. She deserved to have her confidences protected.

  He shot a nod to Killian. “Give us a moment, old man?”

  Killian gave him a deadpan stare, then shrugged and quickened his limping steps to move a few paces ahead of them.

  “For what it’s worth,” Evren said, “Killian already knows my true purpose for being here in Shalandra.”