Ascension of Death

by Andy Peloquin

  Kodyn’s heart sank at the words. He and Aisha had just won a battle on the west, only to face near-certain defeat from the east. This makes it all the more imperative that we get into the vault before the Iron Warlord’s monsters capture the palace.

  “Lady Briana and her companions believe they have uncovered the true purpose behind this attack,” the Pharus said. “The Iron Warlord seeks to claim the Crown of the Pharus and the Blade of Hallar.”

  Lady Callista stiffened, her hand twitching as if aching to grip a sword. “To what end?” Her brow furrowed. “They do not confer the power to rule.”

  “No, Lady Callista,” Kodyn put in, “but we’re fairly certain they’ll open the Tomb of Hallar.”

  Lady Callista’s eyebrows shot upward. “The tomb has been sealed for thousands of years. A single, unbroken slab of shalanite not intended to be opened.”

  “My father believed otherwise.” Briana stepped forward, holding up Suroth’s journal. “His research into the vault and its Serenii architecture gave him reason to suspect that it contains a hidden mechanism or Serenii magic to open the Tomb of Hallar. A tomb that holds the power to unleash the Final Destruction.”

  Lady Callista’s eyes went to the Pharus. “The prophecy?”

  The Pharus nodded. “You know how my family has lived in the shadow of the prophecy since the days of Hallar.” He stood taller, his voice ringing with a tone of sovereign authority. “It is our solemn duty to protect Shalandra, to stop Hallar’s Prophecy from being fulfilled. If there is even the slightest chance that the Iron Warlord can unleash it, it is my sworn duty as the descendant of Hallar to do everything in my power to stop him.”

  Issa’s face twitched at the words “descendant of Hallar”.

  “And, in the meantime,” Aisha spoke up, “we believe there’s a way we can neutralize Tethum’s army.”

  Lady Callista and Issa both sucked in sharp breaths. The Pharus’ eyes narrowed, and the Blades’ expressions revealed an assortment of curiosity, suspicion, and, in the case of Hykos, hope.

  Aisha hesitated and looked to Kodyn. Kodyn knew what she was thinking; she’d had the same look in her eyes before she had spoken of her Spirit Whisperer powers to him. Doubt, uncertainty, and worry about what they’d think of her, what they’d do once she revealed the truth.

  Kodyn nodded. “Tell them,” he signed.

  Drawing in a breath, Aisha reached into her shirt and pulled out the Serenii pendant. Issa, Lady Callista, Hykos, the white-haired Blade, and the Pharus all seemed shocked by the sight of the glowing stone. Curiously enough, the barrel-chested Blade with the black beard seemed only mildly curious.

  “Among my people, there are those touched by the spirits of our ancestors and granted the ability to speak with the dead.” Aisha swallowed but pressed on. “Spirit Whisperers, they are called. We are called.”

  The eyes of the Blades and the Pharus widened even more.

  “The dead speak to me and I hear their voices,” Aisha said. “I can answer them, converse with them, summon them to heed my bidding.”

  Aisha glanced at Kodyn again, as if seeking encouragement. He nodded and smiled. Briana and Hailen added nods of approval.

  “They grant me power, power that can be used for amazing things.”

  “It saved my life in the Heartspring,” Kodyn put in.

  “And it warned us about the attack on my father’s mansion,” Briana added.

  Hykos sucked in a breath. “Is that how you found the Gatherers in the Keeper’s Crypts?”

  Aisha nodded. “It is.” She turned back to the Pharus and Lady Callista. “And, with this power, I am able to neutralize the alchemical poison that is turning your citizens into Stumblers.”

  The Pharus exchanged a glance with Lady Callista. The Lady of Blades was visibly skeptical, yet the Pharus seemed far less surprised by this revelation.

  Kodyn squeezed Aisha’s hand for encouragement.

  “In the Terrestra,” she continued, “there were survivors of the attack on the gardens. They are with the Secret Keepers, who are studying them to determine the true nature of the poison. My power will neutralize the toxin, render the Stumblers unconscious. But the Mistress’ priests are attempting to create an antidote that will save all of those turned into Stumblers.”

  A small smile played on the Pharus’ lips. “Your companions confirm your story.” He turned to Hykos. “Archateros, summon the Arch-Guardian at once. We would hear a report on his findings.”

  Hykos saluted and strode from the room, limping slightly. As the door shut behind the departing Blade, the Pharus turned back to Lady Callista. “Briana has proposed to open the vault to ascertain the nature of the threat the Iron Warlord intends to unleash upon Shalandra.” He gestured to Evren. “This one has even suggested stealing the artifacts away from beneath the Iron Warlord’s nose.”

  Of course he did. Kodyn stifled a grin. Not only did that fit Evren’s nature to perfection, it also suited his plan to abscond with the Blade of Hallar. Shame I didn’t think of that first.

  “And what are your thoughts, Pharus?” Lady Callista cocked her head. “Do you believe this is the right choice?”

  A smile tugged at the Pharus’ lips. “I am willing to consider it, if only because we must consider everything for the sake of saving Shalandra. I’ll admit it’s far more unorthodox than I’d like, yet if it stops the Iron Warlord and averts the destruction foretold by Hallar, it could be a viable option.”

  “And what of this...power of yours?” Lady Callista turned to Aisha. “If you could bring down the Stumblers in the Terrestra, could you not turn it against those assaulting the gate?”

  “I could.” Aisha nodded. “But I would die long before the Stumblers were dealt with.” She turned up her palms, stared down at her hands. “This power is like a fire burning within me, like a bolt of lightning that scorches everything in its path. One spirit I can control easily. Ten require concentration and effort.” She lifted her eyes now. “To stop the Stumblers assaulting the gate, I would need hundreds, perhaps thousands of spirits.”

  “It’s too dangerous,” Kodyn said. He wasn’t going to let Aisha risk her life, not if there was another way. “But if we can get our hands on whatever Hallar hid in his tomb, there’s a chance we can turn it against the Stumblers and the Iron Warlord.”

  The Pharus’ eyes darkened. “The Prophecy—”

  “Warns of a final destruction.” Kodyn drove on, realizing a heartbeat too late that he’d just interrupted a man who had the power to order his immediate and painful execution. “But it doesn’t say what exactly that destruction is. Maybe it’s a weapon of power, something we can use to kill off the Stumblers.”

  His mind flashed to the Serenii artifact he’d seen in Hailen’s hands. The magic had punched dozens of holes into the bodies of Hallar’s Warriors; there could be something similar that would do the same to the Stumblers, at least push them back long enough to give Aisha a chance to rest and recover after using her powers for so long.

  He looked from the Pharus to Lady Callista and back again. “Until we get inside the vault and open the tomb, though, we’ve no way to know.”

  At that moment, the door opened and Hykos entered, followed by the Arch-Guardian.

  “Bright One,” Ennolar signed, bowing deeply.

  “Arch-Guardian.” The Pharus inclined his head. “I am told you and your Secret Keepers are crafting an alchemical potion that could save us all.”

  Ennolar nodded. He looked to Lady Callista and signed, “Our examination of the alchemical draught taken from the lab of Groebus of the Necroseti, the one behind the creation of the Stumblers, and the surviving victims has proven most enlightening. We believe we have ascertained the true nature of the toxin.”

  Kodyn’s eyebrows flew up. “Did you just say what I think you did? That you found out whatever the hell that hunchbacked bastard used to create the Stumblers?”

  “Yes,” Ennolar signed. “A particularly vicious concoction derive
d from some of the most potent plants on Einan today.” A small smile touched his lips. “My service to the Mistress forbids me from divulging much, but I can tell you that the potion contained toxins that acted on the brain, shutting down voluntary control and simulating death. A death that we have been calling the Azure Rot for the better part of two years.”

  Kodyn sucked in a breath, a sound echoed by the Pharus, Lady Callista, Evren, Briana, and Hailen.

  “What?” the Pharus demanded. “You mean—?”

  “Yes, Bright One.” Ennolar’s face grew solemn. “The toxins in the foul alchemical potion made it appear as if the victims of Azure Rot died. After they were buried…” Distaste twisted his thick lips. “That would explain the presence of militants and Gatherers in the Keeper’s Crypts.”

  Acid surged in Kodyn’s gut. They were literally gathering all the not-dead dead people. Hundreds, thousands of the Mahjuri, Kabili, and Earaqi victims that had succumbed to the plague. The bastards herded those walking corpses through the underground passages someplace where Groebus could store them out of sight, ready for the attack.

  “I do not know how Groebus revived them from their death-like state.” Ennolar shook his head. “But we do know that the potion was laced with ingredients that caused hallucinations—” He turned to Aisha and Briana. “—such as the plant you called Whispering Lily, as well as toxins that increased the parts of the brain vulnerable to suggestion.”

  “Suggestion?” Evren asked. “Like the Illusionist Clerics’ tricks?” His face had gone dark, anger glimmering in his eyes.

  Kodyn’s eyebrows rose. Evren’s reaction surprised and puzzled him.

  “Yes,” Ennolar signed. “And one more, unusual, ingredient.” He turned to the Pharus. “Shalanite.”

  Bloody hell! Councilor Angrak had been skimming from the shalanite mines. They had believed it had all been exported to enrich the Necroseti coffers, yet it seemed at least a fraction had been diverted to Groebus for his black alchemy. Further proof that Groebus had been the one orchestrating the turmoil in Shalandra at the behest of his master, the Iron Warlord.

  “But there is hope.” Ennolar’s eyes brightened. “We believe that our alchemical potion created to cure the Azure Rot, combined with the Illusionist Clerics’ knowledge of the human psyche and brain, will be able to reverse much of the damage done to the Stumblers’ brains by the black alchemy.” He hesitated a moment. “I can make no promises, Bright One, but it is possible that the creatures could be restored to full mental function.”

  Aisha gasped. “You can fix them?”

  “We are hopeful.” Ennolar smiled. “Many more tests will be required, but already my Secret Keepers have begun crafting a potentially effective antidote from ingredients collected from the Terrestra. It will, however, be many hours before we have anything prepared.”

  The Arch-Guardian’s brow furrowed and he turned to Aisha. “You are the one with the ability to render the Stumblers unconscious, yes?” His eyes dropped to the glowing pendant hanging at her neck.

  Aisha stiffened at Kodyn’s side, but nodded. “I am.”

  “Have no fear,” Ennolar’s fingers said, his face revealing no hint of menace. “I have not come to take the artifact from you, but to warn you.”

  “Warn me?” Aisha cocked her head.

  “Your power can save the Stumblers, burn the poison from their bodies,” Ennolar signed, “but to do so now would only kill them.”

  Aisha sucked in a breath.

  “What do you mean, kill them?” Kodyn demanded. “The Stumblers in the Terrestra looked fine, just unconscious.”

  “They were.” Ennolar’s eyes darkened. “But they have begun to die in the hours since. Their bodies function, but their brains are not fully in control. Some have ceased breathing, while others’ hearts stopped.”

  Aisha’s face went white. “No!”

  “You could not know, nor could we.” The Arch-Guardian shook his head. “Our antidote will cure them, but it must be administered soon after the poison is burned from their brains, otherwise the risk of death is high.”

  Aisha’s jaw muscles clenched and her brow furrowed. Kodyn squeezed her hand. She’d gone from hoping she could save the Stumblers to learning her actions had led to their deaths. It didn’t matter that they had tried to kill her—in her mind, once she’d cleansed them of the poison, they had been people.

  “This is a good thing,” Kodyn told her. “It means you’ve got a chance to rest, recover from using your powers so much. And by the time you’re back to full strength, the Secret Keepers will have their antidote ready.”

  “That is the intention.” Ennolar signed.

  Throughout, Lady Callista had been translating for the Pharus. Now, he spoke up for the first time. “That is, indeed, the good news I’d hoped to hear.”

  Ennolar swept a low bow. “I live to serve, Bright One.”

  The Pharus smiled. “Now, I would ask you a question, Arch-Guardian. Suroth would have given me a direct answer, and I expect the same from you.”

  Again, Ennolar bowed.

  Pharus Amhoset Nephelcheres tapped his lip with a strong finger. “Do you believe our best hope of defeating the Iron Warlord is to open the Vault of Ancients and uncover whatever terrible power my forefather, Hallar, concealed in his tomb?”

  Ennolar’s spine stiffened and his eyes flashed, darting to Briana. “You said you intended to study the vault, not open it!” Anger burned across his face.

  “We have no choice.” Briana set her chin, meeting his fury with cold determination. “If the Iron Warlord gets his hands on that power, he will unleash the Final Destruction.”

  “You swore an oath to safeguard the Mistress’ secrets.” Ennolar’s fingers formed the signs in sharp, angry motions.

  “And that is precisely what I am doing,” Briana replied. “Protecting them from a traitor who intends to use them to destroy all of Shalandra, the city your priests swore to protect, as my father did.”

  Ennolar’s expression didn’t soften, but the anger slowly dimmed from his eyes. “Yes, as your father did.” He let out a long, silent breath, his shoulders drooping. “He had reached the same conclusion, but the Council of Guardians voted against it. Yet perhaps he was right. Look where ignoring that power has gotten us.” With a sigh, he turned to the Pharus. “Yes, Bright One, I do believe our best hope is to open the Vault of Ancients and find the power hidden by Hallar. If it can save Shalandra, we must use it. If not, if it is only a force for destruction, then we must get it to safety, far from the evil that plagues our city.”

  “Thank you, Arch-Guardian.” The Pharus inclined his head. “May the Faces of Mercy and Justice watch over you and protect you in what lies ahead.”

  “And may the Mistress’ luck go with you, my Pharus.” With a deep bow, Arch-Guardian Ennolar hurried from the chamber.

  The door clicked shut behind the departing priest, plunging the room into a tense silence. All eyes fixed on the Pharus and Lady Callista. Kodyn could feel the tension radiating from Evren, Hailen, Aisha, and Briana. They had all come this far, fought so hard, and now was the moment of truth.

  “So be it,” said the Pharus after a long moment. “Let us open the vault and discover this secret hidden by my forefather.”

  “Thank you, Bright One.” Relief brightened Briana’s face.

  “I must attend to the battle.” Lady Callista said. “I will fight beside my men, make certain you have enough time to open the way.”

  “All due respect, Lady Callista, but your men don’t need you.” The Blade with the dark, bushy beard stepped forward, folding thick arms across his barrel chest. “You have your finest Blades and Indomitables leading the defense. The time for strategy and tactics has passed. Now, it is a last stand, a battle to the end. And the Lady of Blades’ place is beside her Pharus.” A knowing smile tugged at his lips.

  Lady Callista opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the white-haired Blade. “Listen to Elmessam, walida. If thi
s is to be the end, surely that is where you wish to be.”

  The Lady of Blades’ face was inscrutable, but Pharus Amhoset’s expression revealed an odd dance of emotions Kodyn didn’t understand.

  The woman exchanged a smile with the bearded Blade. “Allow us to serve you, one last time, Proxenos.” In perfect unison, the two of them snapped a crisp salute, gauntleted fists thumping on their breastplates.

  Sorrow flitted across Lady Callista’s face, and a visible protest formed on her lips.

  “Please, Callista.” To Kodyn’s surprise, Pharus spoke first. The monarch’s voice rang with surprising fondness, an almost tender warmth in his eyes. “I would face my ancestor’s legacy with you by my side.”

  Lady Callista’s eyes drifted toward Issa. The young Blade also nodded, her expression pleading.

  With visible effort, Lady Callista straightened and returned the salute. “Guardians of death, warriors of the fallen, you are given your duty. Your brothers in service stand ready to fight at your side. May the Keeper grant his eternal vigilance and strengthen your arm in this, our hour of battle.”

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Evren was surprised by Killian’s words to Lady Callista. I never pegged him for a hero. Then again, it turned out there was a great deal about the blacksmith and former Keeper’s Blade he didn’t know.

  “Savta!” Sorrow rang in Issa’s voice and twisted her face.

  “Issa, nechda.” The white-haired Aleema smiled, opened her arms to her granddaughter. “This is as it should be. Your Saba and I swore to serve and protect Shalandra with our lives. If I am for the Long Keeper’s arms, then I will join Nytano with pride in my heart.”

  Evren turned away; the two deserved a moment of peace to say farewells.

  From the corner of his eye, he caught Killian looking at him. The blacksmith gave a slight jerk of his head and strode from the room. Curious, Evren slipped out after the man.