by B. T. Narro
There was another flash of light. A blast of wind pulled Leo to his hands and knees, then shoved him over and rolled him along the ground. He tried to stop himself, but it was no use as he was flung across the room.
No!
He waited for the portal to suck him up and spit him out, inevitably trading places with his brother. Fortunately, he soon rolled to a stop and realized the wind had died down.
He didn’t even need to look up to feel that his brother was in the room with him. His stalwart link told him how relieved Andar was.
Gods. The link itself was thicker and stronger than ever. Leo felt a surge of power as he focused on the immovable Artistry that made it.
A couple of strong hands helped Leo up. His eyes were blurred from tears as it took all of his control not to weep with joy. He did not realize just how much he’d missed his brother and how worried he’d been. He hadn’t let himself feel it completely until now that Andar had come back.
Leo threw his arms around his brother.
“You did it,” Andar said with a shaky voice as if he might cry.
“You sound like you didn’t think I would,” Leo teased as he stifled a sob.
“Well, it took you long enough.”
“I was waiting for you!”
Andar chuckled as he wiped his eyes.
“Is it safe?” Darren asked from the doorway.
“Father!” Andar didn’t seem to hear his question as he ran over and threw his arms around their father.
“You’re finally back!” Darren said with a crack in his voice. “You seem all right. Everything fine?”
But shouting in Analyse stopped Andar from answering as Dasfis and his son ran over to embrace Siki. A group of Analytes crowded around them. Leo saw Rygen waiting nearby and waved her over.
“Hello, Andar,” she said as she kept her hands to her sides nervously.
“Rygen? Skyfire and ash! It’s great to see you.”
“I’m glad you’re safe,” she said as they hugged.
“You have to tell us where you went,” Leo told Andar.
“I wish there was time,” Father interrupted. He gave Leo a look to remind him.
Leo clicked his tongue. For just a few blissful moments, he had forgotten just how quickly they needed to act.
“What’s happening?” Andar asked with dread.
◆◆◆
Jarrel’s army was a few hours away. It was difficult to watch Andar’s expression as Leo told him how Jarrel had two thousand more troops than them. But Andar really showed a look of horror when he found out why Jarrel was attacking them.
It had taken some explaining to catch Andar up. Darren became busy seeing to the last fortifications before the battle, so Leo took it upon himself to ensure his brother would be fed and given the appropriate armor.
Andar was finishing the last of his food in Leo’s room in the palace when there was a knock at the door.
“May I come in?” asked Siki in her accent.
“Yes,” Andar said with delight. “So you’re knocking now.”
“Of course. Do you need anything?”
“No, I have everything I need before the battle.”
Siki lingered in the doorway as a silence passed between them. “All right,” she said eventually and turned to leave.
“Wait,” Andar said, removing the plate from his lap and standing.
“Yes?”
Leo felt the tension in the room. He wondered if he should leave. Andar had said nothing about Siki yet, but that was only because he was eating while listening to Leo update him on everything that had happened. Leo was sure his brother had much to say, and frankly he didn’t want to miss any of it. He certainly needed to know what it was like for Andar to enter a rift of Esitry and what he’d done to destroy it. Everyone was waiting on the news. KRenn especially would want to know, though Leo still hadn’t heard anything about the man after he’d gone off to rest again.
“How are you?” Andar asked the princess.
“I’m fine.” There was another long pause. “And you?”
Leo felt as if there was a magnet trying to pull them toward each other.
“I’m fine,” Andar said as he rubbed his neck. “You look nice.”
She smiled. “So do you.”
Both had bathed and changed. They hadn’t seen each other since coming back.
Leo stood. “I should check on Rygen.” She had gone with Darren to offer help in preparing for the battle.
Siki pushed out her hands toward him. “No, Leo. I’m sorry to interrupt. I should be leaving.”
“Oh,” Andar said. “Goodbye, then.”
“Goodbye, Andar.” Siki started to turn but stopped herself. “Goodbye, Leo,” she said with a bit of embarrassment.
“Goodbye, Siki.”
The princess took a step or two but turned once again. “Please be safe, both of you.” She said the words to each of them, though she only looked at Andar. “I have high gratitude for what you both are doing.”
“Thank you,” Andar said.
She nodded and finally left, closing the door after. Andar sat with a sigh. He looked down at his plate with disinterest.
“Uh, Andar?”
“Yeah?”
“What the sarding hell was that!”
Andar had wide eyes. “Since when did you start swearing?”
“Since all those terrible things happened after you went away. What went on between you and Siki?” Leo asked. “And you have to tell me about the rift you destroyed.”
“Skyfire and ash, how could I not mention it so far? So do you remember everything KRenn explained about Jaktius Perl?”
“I don’t know if I ever really understood everything he explained.”
“What about the part where there must be something in our realm that’s creating Esitry?”
“That I understood. That thing is the only reason these rifts of Esitry exist in the first place. It must be what you destroyed to collapse the rift.”
“You’ll never guess what it is.”
“It’s something I know?” Leo asked.
“Yes,” Andar said with a laugh.
All Andar had told him so far was that the portal took him to Disetel, the land of the barbarians. He’d said he and Siki encountered many problems because of the barbarians, but he had yet to give any details.
Leo tried to think what could be in Disetel as well as here, something Leo had heard of, that created Esitry. He felt as if he should be able to guess it.
“I have no idea,” he eventually admitted.
“It was a wisdom tree,” Andar answered.
Leo was baffled. “But there are many wisdom trees throughout Aathon, and they don’t create Esitry.”
“I know, but I’ve been thinking about this for a while and I think I understand it. The wisdom tree I saw was bigger than any I’ve heard of before.”
“How could you possibly cut it down, then?”
“I couldn’t. But I could eventually damage its roots enough, though it took me a long time. I could feel the rift weakening as I dug my sword into them. It led me to realize something. Do you remember how Rolan wanted me to dig in the caverns to look for the source of Artistry?”
“Yes.”
“I think the roots of that wisdom tree go so deep that they reach this source. And when they do, something changes within the tree. It starts producing Esitry.”
“Because the roots reach the source of Artistry?” Leo asked.
“It’s the only explanation I could come up with. I don’t understand how. I was hoping KRenn might have an idea.”
“He might,” Leo said. He’d already told his brother how unwell the mage had been as of late. There was no reason to mention it again.
Leo didn’t know what to make of this information about wisdom trees, but there would be time to discuss it later with others.
“What about you and Siki?” Leo asked.
“Nothing happened,” Andar said with disappoi
ntment. “She’s engaged to be married.”
“Oh,” Leo said with shock. Why hadn’t he heard of this man yet?
Leo figured it was because her husband-to-be must not have anything to do with destroying the rift or fighting Jarrel’s army. That meant only one thing.
“He must be very rich,” Leo said. “Dasfis needs coin for his army, and now to rebuild the capital.”
“Yeah,” Andar agreed, then let out a sigh. “Too bad we aren’t rich, eh?”
“It is a shame.”
“What about you and Rygen?” Andar asked with a bit of joy to his tone. “You said you’ve been here a couple of days now. I would wager all the coin I had that something’s happened.”
“Should we really be discussing girls?” Leo asked incredulously.
“You want to go outside and stand there heroically for a couple hours as we wait for battle?” Andar teased. “I know I’d feel like a fool.”
“True,” Leo agreed.
They’d already covered everything they needed to know about the fight. It would just make Leo nervous to go over it again.
“So?” Andar asked.
“Let’s just say that Rygen and I have been very happy in the short time we’ve had together.”
Andar chuckled.
“Oh, sards, and Father tried to have the talk with me, and Rygen could hear everything.”
Andar laughed. “You have to tell me the details of that.”
Leo shared and laughed with his brother for a little while. He was even happier when Rygen knocked on the door and joined them. They brought up fond memories from Jatn and told stories from their time apart.
It was too soon when trumpets started to blare, signaling that it was time to set formation. Jarrel was in sight.
◆◆◆
Everything Andar had told Leo, as to what happened in Disetel, had also been told to Dasfis and many others by Siki. That gave Leo one less thing to worry about if something happened to him and his brother during this battle. The thought scared him enough to make his hands shake, so he tried not to think about it.
Leo was pleased when KRenn came to stand beside him and Andar.
“Sir,” Leo said with a bow. Andar did the same.
“That’s unnecessary, gentlemen,” KRenn said. “In fact, I need to apologize to both of you. I realize now that I was not of sound mind when I came back from the great rift. I should’ve predicted that the portals from the Taesitry would suck one or two of us into them. I’m sorry for everything the two of you, and Siki Meplr, went through because of my mistake. I heard about what happened in Disetel, Andar. While I am grateful you have gone into a rift using my method, and it worked, you never should’ve had to do that. And Leo, sometimes I’m still surprised that you survived against two dozen cavaliers on your own. I am lucky both of you are as talented as you are, otherwise your deaths would’ve been on my conscience.”
Andar asked KRenn, “What do you mean Leo was nearly on his own. Weren’t you there with him?”
“I passed out shortly into the battle.”
Andar spun to Leo. “You told me you and KRenn scared them off.”
“Leo fought them all back, killing the mage with them and their leader before the rest gave up.”
“Skyfire and ash,” Andar muttered. “All I did was face a small group of barbarians. There was no mage among them, and Siki helped me out.”
“But you only had a dagger,” Leo said. “And you faced an archer among them.”
“Still…” Andar looked ahead at the approaching enemy army. He had an expression as if he had something to prove.
“Andar, you will fight carefully, right?” Leo prompted.
“Fight carefully, what does that even mean? These are the bastards who would’ve killed all of us and our father if things had gone just a little differently. These are men who would’ve forced themselves on Siki. They will take the coin and valuables of not only Dasfis but of all the Analyte people eventually, leaving their entire race to destruction as the rift consumes their now impoverished cities. And I’m not going to forget that Jarrel hit me, when I was his own soldier, while his men held my hands back. Who knows what else he’s done to other soldiers who have disobeyed him.”
Andar’s tone was rough with anger. “I will protect myself, if that’s what you mean, but I will not be careful as I slay as many of these vile men as I can.”
“Well spoken,” said an accented voice from behind them.
They turned to see Dasfis coming toward them through the ranks of soldiers.
“I’m proud to have you and your family fight for us, Andar.”
“Thank you, sire, but shouldn’t you be toward the back?” Andar asked worriedly.
“Jarrel will make his demands to me and no one else. I shall be at the front, next to your father.”
The Analyte soldiers beside the king helped clear a path for Dasfis as he made his way to the front. Leo and Andar had promised their father they would stay back when the fighting began, but still close enough where they could use Artistry against their enemies while shielded by their allies. But it became difficult to stand still as KRenn followed the king to the front, especially as they saw their father and Dasfis shake hands and share words.
“What are they saying?” Leo asked.
“How am I supposed to know?” Andar replied.
“You can usually guess these things.”
“I don’t know. Come on.”
Leo followed his brother until they were close enough to hear, but nothing was spoken then.
“What about Teyro?” Leo asked KRenn.
Before KRenn could answer, Darren turned to find his sons. “Boys…” he started to scold.
“We will move back when it’s time,” Andar answered for them.
“Teyro is not well enough to fight,” KRenn answered Leo. “He has sacrificed his remaining strength so that I may stand here this evening.”
So much else had been sacrificed so far. Leo had learned recently that Erisena had but one summoned creature left to fight for her, Ravitch. Every other creature she’d made a connection with had been killed by the kasigerr. KRenn still had many creatures at his disposal. However, Leo had seen the expert mage’s strength falter during every other bout. He didn’t expect KRenn to last long here.
Rygen would watch everything from the palace, where a number of guards at the top of the hill would ensure no one made it inside. It was the treasure of Dasfis that they guarded, though, not Rygen as Leo would’ve hoped. A small group of archers took their places near the palace as well. A wall with parapets had been built out of wood to offer them protection against enemy arrows.
Leo focused on the opposing forces. They were close enough for him to hear their boots marching in unison. It angered him that so many men were here to stand against them. It was solely out of greed that led them to kill. Yes, they all might be rich if their plan succeeded, but Aathon would be destroyed in the next century or two. Destroyed! How could they not care, even if they would be dead by then?
There were so damn many of them, all making up smooth ranks with such order that it instilled fear into Leo’s veins. They kept marching and marching, well into range of the archers at the top of the hill to Leo’s side. Finally, they came to a halt. Leo’s blood ran hot as it flooded with adrenaline. It would all start soon.
A tense moment passed as the two armies stared at one another. Jarrel’s was far larger. Leo wondered if Gavval had come to watch the battle or if he was with the rest of the troops headed west in their attempt to take back the land from the barbarians.
Jarrel came forward. “We only want the riches Dasfis keeps in his palace. So long as we trust they are everything he has hidden, we will leave peacefully.”
“How can you do this?” Dasfis yelled. “Your grandchildren will have no land to live upon if we do not destroy this rift.”
“Someone will come to a solution for the rift.”
Leo’s allies visibly shifted in frustr
ation. Dasfis yelled, “It can only be us! We have to join together now, or all of mankind will perish.”
“All of us here will be dead anyway long before it has done any real damage,” Jarrel continued, unfazed by the king’s argument. “I’ll give you an hour to collect all your riches. I also want Mavrim Orello. If he died from the wound my men inflected, then fetch his body.”
Mavrim pushed through to the front. The contrast of his age to the soldiers around him made him look closer to death’s door than the pale KRenn beside him.
“Gavval, where are you?” Mavrim shouted. “Come speak with your father.”
“He has allowed me to deal with this matter,” Jarrel said proudly. “Whatever you have to say, you will say to me.”
“Gavval, come forward if you are not too much of a coward!” Mavrim boomed.
The last word lingered in the air. Leo watched the enemy troops closely. Many of them looked worried as they stared ahead, but they appeared more annoyed than anything else. These were men who cared only about coin. Leo and his allies were just obstacles in the way of it.
Jarrel turned and said something too quietly for Leo to hear. Soon Gavval came out from behind the ranks of men.
“Father, everyone here will live if you surrender now. We will not take prisoners. We have only come for the coin.”
Jarrel started to say something to the prince, but Gavval held up his hand to silence the commander.
“I swear the words I speak are true,” Gavval continued. “We need coin to empower our army. The barbarians have swept through the west and are forcibly recruiting our own kind. They plan to overthrow us all. Come forward and pass the crown to me, so that I may lead our kind to victory. I need everyone’s support. We must leave this place and fight together, and we need the coin of Dasfis to do so. Leave the rift for last, after we have rid Aathon of barbarians.”
Mavrim took the crown from atop his head and held it against his chest. He then stepped out as if he might actually listen to his son.
“What are you doing?” Dasfis asked him, speaking too quietly for the opposition to hear.
“I can offer guidance to my son if I’m among them. I can convince him to change.”
Darren looked as if he wanted to grab Mavrim, but he kept his hand just short of reaching the king. “Sire, Jarrel will kill you and your son. He’s probably planning to kill your son already. The best way to help Gavval is to aid us with your Artistry in the fight against Jarrel. Your son will be captured when it is over. That is when he will need your guidance.”
