by Thomas Green
Luna sighed. “It’s nothing.”
Miranda’s mouth stretched into a cruel smile. “Sounds like you want something.”
Luna turned red. “I’m sorry… it’s just… you have recovered, which means you will now leave to command your armies and I will return to my team.”
“And?”
The words left Luna slowly, broken apart by awkward pauses. “And I was hoping, you know, that we could become… friends?”
Miranda’s face hardened as her voice turned cold and cruel. “I will think about it.”
The question pierced Luna’s heart like a spear. She took an eternally long minute to calm down. It didn’t help. Her heart kept pounding at a crazy speed, her insides remained knotted, and her throat stayed stuck.
Miranda slipped out of bed and went to dress, donning tight black leathers and heavy boots.
“I’m sorry… I guess I will go,” Luna whispered and dressed up.
“See you around.” Miranda threw a glance over her shoulder before leaving through the door.
These last words almost knocked Luna to the ground, crushing her spirit as they echoed through the air. Barely breathing, Luna slipped out through the window and left the compound of the barracks.
By slow steps, she limped through the city, her head bent down, staring at her feet. She didn’t speak or eat for the entire day as she walked through Xona, heading to the exit leading toward Redwall.
When the massive metropolis disappeared beyond the horizon, Luna crumbled down upon the grass, huddled up against her knees and burst out into tears.
Gentle arms wrapped around her from behind and the smell of myrrh filled her nose.
“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself,” Miranda whispered into Luna’s ear.
In disbelief, Luna glanced over her shoulder, her red, tear-stained eyes looking into Miranda’s emeralds, her mouth gaping.
Miranda’s hand slid up to the back of Luna’s neck to hold her head in place as she latched onto her for a kiss.
Luna’s mind went blank, her muscles lost all strength, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Miranda followed her move, pushing herself on top of her to finish the kiss. “I wanted to give you a proper thank you for taking care of me.” Miranda ran the finger by Luna’s cheek. “And about the whole friends thing you mentioned… I don’t want to be just friends.” Miranda smiled and rose. “See you in Redwall.” She disappeared.
Luna shook her head and blinked her eyes. Miranda wasn’t there, yet the scent of myrrh still filled the air, and the sweet taste of her soft lips lingered in Luna’s mouth.
When Luna’s mind recovered, she darted forward to catch up with her team on its journey to Redwall.
30
Salazar
Salazar strolled through the wooden hallway of his palace, pushed open the door and entered a book-filled study room, Katherine straight behind him. Inside sat Mark, who was tasked by Salazar to use his adventuring group to find any and all information on Luna and Raven.
Salazar took the seat at the head of the table, scanning the weary adventurer. “Have we made any progress?”
Mark raised his gaze from the tome in front of him. “Not much.”
“Elaborate.”
“We have no idea what that girl Luna is or how to counter any of her abilities.”
Salazar’s expression turned grim. “What is the problem?”
Mark kept his voice controlled, hiding his fear, without success. “During the last fight, she crossed two hundred feet in under two and a half second, starting from standing still. The arena of Redwall is a hundred feet across, so if she follows the same combat plan from this match, she will be at us in a second, wiping most of our team by the impact alone.”
“All right.” Salazar frowned. “Anything else?”
“We had done research on Rapacious Reavers. Despite their ridiculous uniforms, they are one of the most senior treasure and monster-hunting bands on the continent. Unfortunately, we possess little information on their skills, as they are being outperformed by Luna and Raven to the point where they need not use any of their serious spells, abilities or formations.”
“And Raven?”
“Nothing.” Mark sighed. “His arena score is three thousand eight hundred and forty-six wins, zero draws, and zero losses, and he has over twenty thousand confirmed kills over his fifteen years of fighting in the arena. He has fought every type of opponent there is and has always prevailed. Yet there is no sign of him using anything other than strengthening.”
“Strengthening is the most basic aether manifestation there is. I find it impossible to believe he uses nothing advanced.”
“Us too,” Mark said. “But there is no evidence of anything.”
“It’s not strengthening!” Salazar thundered. “His aether usage appears like strengthening, feels like strengthening, seems to have the properties of strengthening and is being used akin to strengthening. But there is more to his power than strengthening.”
“We know, but we found nothing. Also, it gets worse. Most of his opponents from the past ten years were people who challenged Stallington for the title of prince, so they were almost surely skilled aether wielders. Did you send your intelligence services to investigate him?”
“Of course, I did,” Salazar said, “and they found nothing useful. He is practicing throwing a spear into a dash, but that doesn’t matter now. I will fight him alone in Redwall.”
Katherine clicked her tongue. “Needless to say, I strongly suggest you change this decision.”
Salazar spared her a quick glance. “Noted.”
Mark took a deep breath before he spoke. “So… should we consider ourselves fired?”
“No. The match format in Redwall is the ring. By the first second of the match, everyone other than me will step out of the boundary to be disqualified, leaving me in the arena alone. While I will win the match, I may use too much power to fight at full strength in the finals in Illysaeas so I will need you for that round.”
Mark exhaled with relief. “If I may be so bold, what is your plan for the battle in Redwall?”
“I will face them head on, and I will win. I have prepared a detailed plan, yes, but I will not share the concept to protect it from being spied upon through the Limbo.”
Mark’s eyes widened. “Do you think they have a dream-walker capable of doing that?”
“I do not know. But Prince Stallington has somehow stringed together a team of two unbelievable monsters and a group of veteran adventurers. Therefore, I do not put him having a powerful dream-walker beyond the scope of consideration.”
Katherine smiled with satisfaction. “Finally a decision I can approve of. From other matters, Lord Alkambra of Redwall had invited you for a formal dinner the night before our match. I deem it a trap and suggest refusing the invitation.”
Salazar shook his head. “Unfortunately, my position does not offer the liberty of refusing. In Redwall, we will not rest within the arena compound but rather in a house which we will fortify upon our arrival. Have my spies find something as close to the house of the local representative of the Union as possible. With luck, the implicit threat of him being accidentally killed if we are attacked will work to our advantage.”
Katherine bowed, trying to hide her disapproval, unsuccessfully. “Your Highness.”
“Won’t it drag us into the conflict between the slavers and the Order?” Mark asked.
Salazar smiled. “I am counting on that. As it should have become obvious by now, my relationship with the Order is above standard. Yet I still give us being attacked inside the city a low probability since Lord Alkambra would find it difficult to justify a large-scale operation within the heart of his hometown.”
“And if he does?”
“Then all you need to do is defend the position until I return because I will not spend more than two hours at the dinner. And if he goes through with an attack, I shall arrange a swift change of leadership of his city-state, a th
reat which I will communicate to him,” Salazar said. “Katherine, have a letter sent to Lord Alkambra, saying I accept the invitation, and that if my team or I come to any harm inside the walls of his city, I will hold him personally responsible.”
She nodded. “Which reminds me, the council had approved an award of the Green Heart of Xona, and you are required to give the medal. The ceremony is in an hour.”
Salazar’s eyes narrowed. “To whom?”
“Miranda Darkscream.”
Salazar closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. “Please tell me this is a poor attempt at a prank.”
“No, your highness.”
“Stop calling me that when I am angry.” Salazar’s face returned to the usual, well-controlled mask. “Does the council realize the Order staged the demon outbreak to frame Mr. Leker, so rewarding their general for stopping it is counterproductive at best?”
“By the unofficial report, they do, but they also believe giving our city’s highest award to the Order’s most infamous assassin is a good way to solidify our relationship with the Order.”
“Cowardly, headless chicken,” Salazar murmured. “Very well, any other bad news?”
“No.”
***
A throng of people filled the hall of ceremonies to the brink. When Salazar arrived, Miranda already stood at the podium, her crimson hair glistening in the sunlight coming in through the tempered-glass windows, her face wearing a wicked smile.
Undisturbed, Salazar walked to the center of the podium to say his speech. “For revealing a conspiracy undermining the peace of our city, for outstanding vigilance and courage during investigation and resolution of the incident, I hereby give General Miranda Darkscream our city’s highest award, the Green Heart of Xona.”
The hall erupted into applause. Salazar walked to Miranda and attached the medal to her black tunic.
Miranda greeted him with a playful smile. “That was the least sincere speech I have ever heard from you, Salazar.”
He did what he could to swallow the anger burning inside him. “You are the least deserving recipient of this award in the history of the city.”
“You are such a sweet talker. I still can’t believe you approved it.”
Salazar kept his voice low and emotionless. “The approving document happened to be in the same file as a change to the toilet cleaning schedule and the recruitment approval for the new stable boy.”
Miranda smirked. “I put it there myself.”
His attempts at a controlled expression failed, making his face twisted into an image of searing rage. “Straight and honorable, you are truly a worthy recipient of the medal.”
“I guess I learned that from Lucas.”
“Speaking of the devil, where is he?”
Miranda shrugged ever so slightly. “No idea. He disappeared and said he would be back for Redwall. Nobody knows where or why but the last time this happened, things went bloody once he returned.”
“About time the Order did something more than petty framing.”
“Have you become nervous before your big match?”
Salazar arched an eyebrow. “Should I be?”
“Yes, you should. I haven’t studied Raven, but I know Luna is one hell of a monster and she looks pathetic next to him.”
“Thank you for the warning. Where does the sudden kindness come from?”
Miranda shrugged, offering no hint of truth. “I want to see a fun fight, not you getting cut down in five seconds.”
He sneered. “I will do my best to keep you entertained.”
“How sweet of you...” her voice turned to a lower octave, “but seriously, Salazar, you are a good man and a great ruler. Don’t underestimate this. Raven is more than dangerous.”
His anger subsided, and his eyes narrowed. “If I did not know better, I would say I had noticed a slight shade of worry within your voice.”
“I am not worried. But if I were, I would tell you to get Sibyl to brew you the Red Dream. You will bleed.”
As his heart nearly stopped, he pierced her with a glare that could shatter stone. “What are you after?”
“Your secret mistress and I go way back. I don’t care about you, but I do care deeply about her.”
Salazar exhaled in relief. “I will keep that in mind.”
***
The night had fallen upon Xona. Hours after the moon crossed the summit of the sky, Salazar exited his chamber through a secret door. Down the secret staircase, he descended into a secret tunnel, reaching rooms that did not officially exist in the closed wing of his castle.
The beating of massive wings soon echoed through the air. The place shook as something heavy landed on the roof.
With knees made of lead, Salazar opened the trapdoor in the ceiling. A slender woman slid down into his arms, her touch electrifying, and her flowery perfume intoxicating.
Her hair was a weave of white and purple, her eyes infinite wells of indigo. She wore a tight, leather tunic, a warped longsword by her waist and enough jewelry to decorate the entire court of Xona. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, Salazar leaned in, catching her for a hungry kiss.
His heartbeat sped us as the rest of the world became meaningless. For that moment, there was nothing but her. “I’ve brought you something,” he whispered once he regained his senses.
Her eyes sparkled with light while her voice rung playful, but insisting. “Don’t make me wait.”
With a broad smile, Salazar pulled a necklace from his pocket. The string of pure platinum held a collection of diamonds, the largest the size of a chestnut. She pushed her long hair up, allowing him to place the amulet around her neck.
She grabbed him for a forceful kiss once he did. “Thank you.” Her hands slid by his back, removing his robes.
He failed to savor the kiss, for icy shadows crept up his throat. “I apologize for the delay, but I need to ask you for something, Sibyl.”
She smiled. “I will brew you the potion you want when you sleep and do you the favor you plan to ask for.”
He shook his head, his heart calming down with relief. Something in her words dispelled his fear, his doubts, everything. “You always know what I desire.”
She pulled down his robes and caught him for another kiss, letting him to unlace her armor. “You are afraid… afraid of dying… so afraid you cannot push the fear out of your mind.”
“Yes.” He sighed. “I am afraid this might be our last night.”
She gazed into his eyes, calm. “I would have been insulted if you weren’t.”
“How come?”
“The fear of death is the ultimate proof of our desire to live, and you have a lot to live for, love.”
31
Luna
Luna caught up to her team’s convoy within a day. The Reavers led their horses by the wagons while Raven sat in his cage with a calm smile on his face. She lay on the roof of his carriage and gazed upon the sky. Since the busy road provided enough opportunities to sate her hunger, she spent the entire journey to Redwall thinking of Miranda, wondering if the swarm of butterflies would ever leave her stomach.
***
Redwall stood within the middle of a desert illuminated by moonlight and thousands of fires. The city consisted of three levels, each of which lay encircled by a tall, red wall. Its back leaned onto a mountain, yet one much smaller than the peak of Cinderwell. Upon closer evaluation, Luna deemed calling the stone-covered hill a mountain would have been an overstatement. From what she glimpsed of the insides, the houses were built of clay, at most two stories high and everything was more or less full of sand.
The desert around Redwall was besieged by tents of the Union’s army while riders on wyverns filled the skies. Luna focused on examining the closest beast. The wyvern had a massive lizard-like head, long scaly body, a thick barb-tipped tail and a pair of leathery wings. Together with the head and the tail, the monster reached almost fifty feet in length.
A powerful voice shouted
from the side. “Entrance control!”
Luna looked over the edge of the wagon and saw four Urushnii riders sitting on massive brown wolves. The Urushnii were all about seven feet tall, had tanned, muscular bodies covered by leather armor and hair shaved on the sides of their heads.
Finubar nudged his horse to the guardsmen and presented them their papers.
The guard stared at her, his eyes meeting Luna’s. “Monster? This little girl is a monster? Is that a joke?”
She didn’t have time for this. She was there to meet Miranda, not waste time on a random patrol. Luna took a deep breath.
Within an instant, the Rapacious Reavers leaned forward to cover the ears of their horses.
Luna roared so strongly it felt as if the world itself trembled.
Wyverns scattered over the sky, men fell from walls, and the wolves of the Urushnii patrol collapsed to the ground as their hearts gave out. The beast within her laughed. Animals could not bear but a glimpse of the monster living with her, and the giant wolves of Urushnii were no exception.
She smiled. “How about now?”
The Urushnii stared at her from beneath the corpse of the wolf, pale as death. “No… madam.”
She gazed upon the mayhem she had caused with deep satisfaction, noticing the sea of tents that surrounded the city. Even at first glance, the deployment seemed familiar. She turned to Finubar. “I will catch up later in the arena. I need to go check something.” Without waiting for a reply, Luna leapt off the wagon to head into the town. She ran to the nearest accessible tower, scaled it and looked over the desert.
The memory of the legend of this place crawled into her mind. The lands around Redwall used to be steppes, but during The Upheaval, the Forsaken Prince set them ablaze to burn an enemy army. The unnatural, aether flame scorched the land, so it never recovered, turning the region into a desert.
She smiled and scanned the camped forced of the Union, recognizing different units, mapping the camp’s layout in her mind. 1-3-2-2-3-1. The Crouching Phoenix formation, exactly like how James taught her. That meant the fake general’s tent was over here, the real general’s tent was over there, and James was inside.
