The Hunter's Gambit

by Nicholas McIntire

  Except for Jonas.

  Aleksei followed his Magus down a series of steps, to the center of the cathedral. The High Priest of Volos was still muttering incantations as Jonas approached. Acolytes cleared away books and candles, glancing at the two men curiously.

  “Excuse me, Cleric.” Jonas said politely.

  The priest stopped his prayer in surprise. “Highness?”

  “I need to examine the Lord Captain before you finish the ritual. It’s a matter of great importance.”

  The Cleric appeared surprised by Jonas' request, but nodded his acceptance.

  Jonas stepped past the priest and ran his hand through the air above the Lord Captain’s body.

  Aleksei shivered as he felt Jonas open himself to the Archanium. He couldn’t tell what the Magus was doing, but the fact that Jonas was touching the Archanium at all surprised him.

  Jonas straightened.

  “Thank you for the indulgence, Father.” he said quickly, bowing and turning on his heel.

  Aleksei hurried after him, but neither spoke until they were back in the blinding sunlight.

  “What’s going on?” Aleksei demanded.

  Jonas' green eyes were grave. “Lord Captain Lenox was murdered with the Archanium.”

  Aleksei frowned, “Are you sure?”

  “I have no doubt. There were…echoes of some very dangerous magic all around him.”

  “Why would a Magus want to kill the Lord Captain?” Aleksei asked, “And which of the Magi could even manage such a thing?”

  “I’m not sure exactly how it was done, so it’s difficult to say. I need to take a look at his office. Can you go to the Voralla and find Aya? Between the two of us we should be able to figure this out.”

  “I’ll be there as quickly as I can.” Aleksei promised before hurrying off towards the East Lawn.

  Jonas sighed deeply. The loss of the Lord Captain was a serious blow to Ilyar, yet it had seemed an innocent enough affair. The man had been complaining of chest pains for some time now. His early death was not entirely shocking.

  The death of Arred Bazin, however, was something else. Two men of such import in the same night was more than enough to pique Jonas' curiosity. But until now, there had been nothing to go on.

  Yet from the moment he laid eyes on Lenox’s body, Jonas had seen something peculiar. Actually finding the Archanium echoes had taken him most of the funeral service.

  But once he tested his theory, the echoes blossomed into view.

  Whoever murdered Lenox knew what they were doing. And they certainly didn’t want anyone poking around in their wake, nor the Lord Captain’s for that matter.

  By the time he reached the Lord Captain’s office, Jonas' mind was buzzing with possibilities. The magic that had killed Lenox was located in a very specific region of the Great Sphere, summoned from deep within the storm that was the Nagavor, the destructive, chaotic hemisphere of the Archanium.

  But the Magi in the Voralla followed very different meridians altogether, diving deep into the steady, placid seas of the Akhrana. Different enough that none of them could possibly reach that far across the Sphere.

  So that left Magi outside of the Voralla, which only confused matters all the more. There were hundreds of Magi scattered throughout Ilyar, but every single Magus in Kalinor lived in the Voralla.

  Additionally, the Lord Captain hadn’t left the city in months. Only a Magus in the Voralla would have knowledge of his activities. It was simultaneously unlikely that an outside Magus would have a substantial enough motive to kill the man.

  Excepting the one that tried to kill Aleksei in the Wood….

  Jonas opened the door to the office and staggered.

  The room was a blinding mass of Archanium echoes. Worse, the clear intent that ran through them was so chaotic, so dark that Jonas fought to keep from retching.

  He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and burst into a fit of violent coughing.

  “Jonas?”

  He heard Aleksei’s voice, but it sounded so far away.

  He slowly realized he was on the floor, gazing up at his Knight.

  “What happened?” he wheezed.

  A smile broke across Aleksei’s face. He gathered Jonas into a tight embrace, kissing his forehead. “Gods, for a moment I wasn’t sure if you were going to come around.”

  Jonas managed a weak smile. Aleksei’s arms felt like a crushing vice.

  “Did you go into Lenox’s office?” the prince managed.

  Aleksei’s grip relaxed. “For a split second, long enough to pull you out. I was more concerned about you than anything in there.”

  Jonas pushed himself his feet, steadying himself against the wall. “I’m fine. I just had a reaction to something in the room.”

  “Jonas.”

  He turned when he heard Aya’s voice.

  “That was no reaction.” the prophet said solemnly as she drew closer. “Whoever killed the Lord Captain also left a trap for the unfortunate Magus who decided to go sniffing around. You’re incredibly lucky that Aleksei pulled you out when he did. I don’t completely understand the spell myself, but I’d wager he just saved both your lives.”

  Jonas walked to the doorway of the office and peered in.

  The Archanium echoes were as strong as ever, but he no longer felt ill in their presence.

  This had already become far more complicated than Jonas had first imagined.

  “Aya, what do you see?” he asked.

  Aya frowned, “What do you mean? I see an office.”

  Jonas blinked. “The Archanium echoes. What do they look like?”

  Aya’s eyes narrowed, “I don’t see any Archanium echoes. I can tell that it was used in this room recently, but I don’t see any actual spell residue.”

  “You can’t see anything? This room looks like it’s on fire to me.”

  Aya’s eyes widened. “Sometimes, if your path is at an opposite extreme of the magic used, you can’t see the actual echo. These were very dangerous spells, so it’s not surprising that I can’t see them. I doubt anyone in the Voralla could. But that also begs another question.”

  “Why can I?”

  Aya shrugged, “You’re generally self-trained, Jonas. That’s taken you along a very different meridian. I believe you know what that may be.”

  Jonas nodded again. He knew. But this was not the time to go into a philosophical discussion about the ramifications of his path through the Archanium.

  “I need to speak to Andariana.” he said, turning and heading towards the Queen’s chambers.

  “She’s holding Court today.” Aya offered. “She’s announcing her choice to replace Captain Lenox.”

  “Then I need to hurry.”

  Jonas broke into an unsteady run. His lungs ached from coughing and he still felt weak, but it was imperative that he reach his aunt before she announced the promotion.

  The moment he’d seen the Lord Captain’s office he’d known what had to be done. It would not be a popular decision, but it was the only one that could work. He hated even thinking it. He hated the entire notion to the core.

  But he had no choice.

  By the time he reached the throne room, he was panting for air. Aleksei was right behind him the entire way, and he could feel concern burning through their bond.

  Jonas pushed his way into the throne room.

  Andariana was in the middle of her speech, but she stopped the moment she saw him.

  “Gentlemen,” she said quickly, stepping down from the throne, “I apologize, but we will now take a five minute recess.”

  There was a murmur amongst the men, who were watching both Jonas and Aleksei with considerable confusion and interest.

  Jonas stepped back into the hallway. Andariana waited until Aleksei pulled the doors shut before she rounded on her nephew.

  “What is it? It had better be important.”

  “More important than you can i
magine.” Jonas panted. He glanced at Aleksei, “Can you keep the corridor clear?”

  Aleksei nodded and took off at a trot down the hallway.

  Jonas explained the last half hour to her, leaving nothing out. Andariana’s skepticism quickly shifted to shock.

  “This is incredible.” she whispered. “But we still have no idea why the Lord Captain was murdered?”

  Jonas shook his head, “But I imagine we’ll find much the same on Lord Bazin. Neither of those men died by accident, Andariana. Someone had a vested interest in killing them. And anyone else who got too curious.”

  The Queen shivered. “So what am I to do?”

  Jonas arched an eyebrow. “The only thing you can do.”

  Minutes later, Andariana stepped calmly into the throne room and walked crisply to the dais. She turned, sitting straight-backed in the heavily carved throne, surveying the gathered generals and lesser officers.

  “Gentlemen, I apologize for making you wait. Understand that it could not be avoided.

  “Some very unsettling news has just reached me. It seems that the late Lord Captain Lenox was in fact murdered.”

  This sent shockwaves of outrage and whisperings through the assembly. Andariana seemed to brace herself for what was to come.

  “He was murdered with the Archanium.”

  The room exploded into angry shouts and oaths. She raised her hands for silence, but the officers were too enraged to notice.

  A thunderclap resounded through the room, bringing them all to a terrified silence.

  “Gentlemen, your queen is speaking.” Jonas said.

  They glared at him, but maintained their silence.

  “As I have yet to understand the motive for the Lord Captain’s murder,” Andariana continued, “I can only assume that the next man I appoint to the post will be in the same danger.”

  Another wave of murmurs ran through the assembly. Jonas raised a hand and they died out immediately.

  “Therefore,” Andariana continued, her face betraying nothing, “I regret that I cannot possibly name any of the esteemed generals gathered here today to the post of Lord Captain.

  “No normal man could possibly survive against a Magus wielding such dangerous magic. The only men who might stand a chance are among the Archanium Knights.”

  There was silence. This was clearly the last thing they expected to hear.

  “However,” she said quickly, before any assembled could begin to gather their wits, “I do not command the Voralla. The Magi and their Knights are subject to their own laws and hierarchies. It is not my place to name one of their kind to our military ranks.”

  The assembly took a collective breath.

  “Therefore, I am forced to select the only man who meets my criteria. A man from among your own ranks with the skills necessary to survive the post. I’d like you all to stand for your new Lord Captain. Captain Aleksei Drago.”

  All eyes turned to Aleksei.

  He had been watching the doors in case of trouble. As he slowly turned his head, he found the eyes of all his superior officers fixed on him. His face reddened as he took in the glares of seasoned generals, watching as a brash young boy was named to the most coveted military position in the realm.

  And then the weight of it struck him.

  He now commanded these men. Every single one.

  As a group they saluted.

  Aleksei gulped silently, then crisply returned the salute.

  He felt about ready to faint.

  “Hail, Lord Captain Drago.”

  The call resounded through the throne room.

  He had not a single clue what to do next. Fortunately, they dropped their salutes and he followed suit.

  And then it was over. The men began to talk among themselves. He watched their faces carefully. By and large, the senior officers looked relieved. He doubted any of them wanted to follow a man murdered with the Archanium. Especially since there seemed to be no motive.

  Aleksei had been assigned to the most powerful military role in Ilyar, but also the most dangerous. There were few who envied him.

  “Lord Captain?”

  He turned to find Jonas standing there with a slight smirk.

  Aleksei scowled, “Did you plan this?”

  The Prince shrugged, “I wanted to warn you, but I was afraid you might refuse the role. This really is the only solution, and I couldn’t allow your humility to get in the way.”

  “I don’t like being manipulated, Jonas.”

  Jonas laughed, “You are now the authority in Ilyar. The Lord Captain, who must be obeyed. In the last five minutes you’ve gone from being a Knight and the Prince’s Bonded to being on almost equal political footing with me. A simple ‘thank you’ might be in order.”

  Despite his shock and his fading anger, Aleksei allowed himself a laugh. The idea struck him as absolutely ludicrous, but the reverence that the title carried was growing on him.

  “Lord Captain?”

  He turned and smiled as a man only a few years his senior saluted. He returned the salute, “What’s your name, solider?”

  “Colonel Charles Ander, Sir.”

  “Colonel Ander, it’s a pleasure.”

  Ander seemed unsure of what to say next. “Lord Captain, I…I mean no disrespect. But I appreciate the suddenness of Her Majesty’s proclamation and your previous rank as a Captain hardly gave you time to prepare…to understand certain…complexities. Would you permit me to take you through some of the finer details of Her Majesty’s Legion?”

  Aleksei offered the Colonel a broad smile, though in all truth he wanted the hug the man in thanks. “I think that would do me a great deal of good, Colonel. I imagine I’ll be richer for the experience.”

  Ander relaxed visibly. “Thank you, Lord Captain. I was afraid that I spoke beyond my bounds.”

  Aleksei shook his head, “Colonel, we both know the reason I was promoted. I can survive in this position better than anyone else in this room. That does not make me a military expert. Not yet, at least. I only hope that with your guidance and with the assistance of the other officers present, I might learn the particulars of commanding Her Majesty’s Legion to the best of my ability.”

  Ander saluted again, “Thank you, Sir. I’ll speak with you tomorrow, then, at your earliest convenience.”

  Aleksei returned the salute. “Perhaps after the midday meal, Colonel?”

  Ander saluted one last time, excusing himself.

  Jonas walked over from a group of generals. Aleksei had noticed how stormy they looked when they approached the Prince, but they seemed in much better spirits as they headed from the room.

  “What did you tell them?” Aleksei asked quietly.

  “I simply reminded them of the manner in which Lord Captain Lenox died. A few extra details ensured that they were more than glad to see you named to the position than any of them.”

  “I just pray you made the right decision.” Aleksei muttered.

  Jonas smiled sardonically, “I know what I’m doing.”

  But Aleksei recognized the moment for what it was.

  The moment Jonas might have signed both their lives away.

  CHAPTER 20

  The Lost Returned

  One Year Later

  THE OCEAN CRASHED beneath the platform, showering the party in spray. In the moonlight it seemed as though clouds were sweeping across them.

  Bael ignored the irritant. He had eyes only for the cliff face.

  For the mammoth gate it housed.

  Within the cliff stirred a rich and ancient power. A power imprisoned, writhing with the promise of release.

  A man stood before him, dripping with sea spray and shivering in terror.

  “Open it, Raim.” Bael said softly, pressing the tiny copper bird into the other Magus' hand.

  “As…as you command.” Raim stuttered.

  Bael stepped back. The Magi behind him were only too eager to follow
his lead.

  No one knew what lurked behind the gate. But fortunately for them, Raim had been selected to find out.

  Extremely dangerous magic was being practiced this night, but to be on the receiving end of aeon-rich spellcraft was not conducive to survival amongst Bael’s followers.

  Raim hurried to the gate, pressing the bird into the center of the Angelic Crest.

  For a moment nothing happened. Raim held the Archanium, apparently ready for whatever the long dead Magi of old might have prepared.

  With a great grinding of gears and the rending of ancient wards, the gate fell apart like rotten cloth in a stiff breeze.

  Bael coughed and waved smoke from his eyes as his followers cleared the platform of sparks and debris. Raim stood exactly where he had a moment before, seemingly unscathed.

  Bael smiled.

  The platform rumbled. Bael had to clutch at the cliff face to maintain his footing on the slippery stone.

  A terrible wail poured forth from the mouth of the mountain. Bael covered his ears lest he go deaf. The men and women behind him followed suit.

  Raim stood still, transfixed by whatever he saw within the cavern.

  And then the cliff erupted, vomiting a titanic deluge of midnight into the shattering storm. Bael turned his face from the sudden heat, trying not to breathe in the stench that issued forth.

  When he looked back, Raim was lying battered and broken at the edge of the platform. At Bael’s gesture, a Magus hurried over to the prone form, spending only a second to confirm the man’s impending death.

  “He won’t live more than a few minutes.” the man called.

  Bael nodded and quickly turned into the cavern.

  The moment he entered, the room lit with an incandescent glow. He ran his hands over the intricate carvings that covered the walls and pillars of the space.

  The Third Transept.

  The runes and pictograms told the story of the Magus Cassian. A man who had lived a thousand years before Bael. A man who had possessed the same power Bael now sought, at least for a time. A man who had wreaked havoc for nearly a decade.