Still, once we’d triggered their final defense and Zedd had escaped his imprisonment via death, there was little left for me to do. I was about to leave when Aaden pointed out something I’d missed.
“His pack is still here, Empress.”
Having managed to avoid dying myself, I had no idea how long it would take for Zedd to resurrect, but it seemed odd that his gear had remained behind for even that short length of time. The implication of its continued presence finally registered, and I peered inside the pack once more, hardly daring to hope that what I thought had occurred might be true.
The leather armor and sword were still inside, just as they’d been when I’d looked there before, but neither was soul bound, and I was able to take both of them from the pack and place them in my own Inventory. The links had not only killed Zedd but also managed to overcome his Deathless nature, giving him a final, true death—something I could have never done myself. The knowledge that he hadn’t really escaped me tempered my disappointment, and I was able to leave feeling somewhat better than I had only moments before.
I had planned on inflicting a great deal more punishment on Zedd and advancing my own proficiencies in the process, but with him dead both of those goals were beyond my reach. Still, between practicing some of my talents as we’d traveled the road and others on Zedd the night before, I took a moment to see how far I’d been able to advance myself at his expense.
Dreya Dae
Sintári Female
Title: Sintári, Empress
Level - 64
1883385/18911200
Health - 506/506 Aura - 1364/1364 Endurance - 506/506
Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable
Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects
Specialization – Protector
Mastery – Warlock
STR - 61 (+6)
CON - 42 (+4)
DEX - 42 (+4)
INT - 33 (+3)
WIS - 33 (+3)
CHA - 80 (+8)
Abilities
Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. – 36%
Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. – 35%
Block – You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 20%
Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost - 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 47%
Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 42%
Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 43%
Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%
Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 41%
Blood Price – Your arrow inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%
Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura. – 37%
Achilles Strike – Cripple your target with a slash of your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 41%
Penetrator – Advanced Ability – Your arrow pierces through armor easily. With increased proficiency, it may penetrate through even greater barriers. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Aura. – 20%
Disable – Advanced Ability – A successful strike of your blade to an extremity renders the affected limb completely useless until healed. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Endurance. – 41%
Shockwave – Advanced Ability – Your arrow explodes on contact, dealing minimal damage but generating a stunning shockwave in a radius around its detonation. Size and scope of this effect increase with proficiency. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 120 Aura. – 42%
Combine Abilities – Advanced Ability – You may channel more than one Ability into a single attack. Success depends on your proficiency with each individual Ability. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 150 Aura. – 4%
Sintári Abilities
Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial, they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.
Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities. – 81%
Shadow Armor – Use your shadows to form a barrier that not only absorbs incoming damage, but also lashes out at any foes within its reach. The power of this armor’s offense and defense depend on how much of your darkness you channel into it. Modifier – Shadow Magic Affinity. Cost N/A. – 12%.
Protector Abilities
See Truth – Twice per day, the spoken words of your target become visible to you, allowing you to see the truth held within them. Strength and duration of this effect increase with proficiency. Cost – 60 Aura. Modifier – Wisdom. – 45%
Spells
Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. – 52%
Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type, and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 53%
Elemental Arrow – Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura. – 28%
Spike – Launch Ice Spike(s), delivering bonus cold damage on a successful hit. Cost – 40 Aura. – 22%
Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura. – 29%
Find Weakness – Highlights vulnerable points on the target. Modifier – Intelligence. Cost – 80 Aura. – 22%
Summon Elemental – Summons an Elemental creature. If you succeed in binding it to your will, the creature will serve you faithfully until the spell’s expiration. Modifier – Charisma. Cost 100 Aura. – 42%
Shield – May be cast on self only. Manifests a forward-facing barrier against incoming projectile attacks. Duration and resistance of the barrier are based on proficiency and modifier value. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 80 Aura. – 24%
Entangle – Create an area of entangling vines that will hold any foes caught within its radius. Area of effect, the distance you may cast the Spell, and the power of your vines will all vary based on your Abilities and proficiency. Modifiers – Strength and Dexterity. Cost – 150 Aura. – 28%
Compel – Force a sentient creature to answer a single question. If you successfully dominate their will, the target will reply with a truthful answer to one question you ask. Modifier – Charisma. Cost – 80 Aura. – 8%
Slumber – Area-of-effect sleep Spell. All enemy creatures caught within the boundaries of this magic who fail a Constitution check will fall into a deep state of unconsciousness. Modifier – Charisma. Cost – 350 Aura. – 1%
Fireball – Launch an orb of raw fire energy at your foes, which will explode on contact. The force and magnitude of this blast will vary depending on your proficiency and modifiers. Modifiers – Intelligence and Wisdom. Cost – 300 Aura. – 3%
Shadow Magic – Affinity 17%
Life Drain – Rip the life force from your target and add it to your own. This will either restore your own Health or add a temporary boost to it if it is already full. Modifier – Constitution. Cost – 150 Aura. – 5%
Skills
Bow – 68%
Critical Hit – 54%
Blades – 51%
Long Sword – 50%
Short Sword – 53%
Dagger – 60%
Critical Hit – 44%
Two-Handed – 57%
Pole Arms – 14%
Spear – 23%
Armor – 45%
Medium Armor – 47%
Perceptio
n – 58%
Environmental – 56%
Identify Enemy – 56%
Identify Person – 54%
Combat Dodge – 26%
Subterfuge – 41%
Stealth – 41%
Find Trap – 20%
Disarm Trap – 20%
Set Trap – 20%
Manipulation – 58%
Persuade – 69%
Barter – 42%
Survival – 24%
Tracking – 27%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 19%
Skinning – 16%
Field Dress – 15%
Alchemy – 19%
Herbalism – 31%
Potion Craft – 27%
Lore – 9%
Identify Magical Item – 16%
I’d avoided using many of my talents on Zedd, for fear that I might accidentally kill him. Still, between using him as my personal target and the practice I’d had while we traveled, I’d managed to make some decent progress, so it would have to do. Without my Deathless antagonist, I was left with only normal training from there on.
I wandered around for a while as our preparations to leave were being made until I stumbled upon Venna—I’d almost missed her since she was nearly completely hidden from view behind her screen of guards.
“Zedd got away,” I informed Venna when I made my way to her side. “He didn’t escape. His collar killed him when we tried to neutralize its power.”
I then told her the brutal details of just how he’d died, and that his death had actually been final. Once I’d explained it all, I let Venna know what I needed from her.
“Zedd’s blade will be helpful, but I want it cleansed first. Can you or one of the other Curates purify it somehow?”
“Give it to me, Dreya,” Venna offered without reservation. “Thassa has a ritual for matters such as this, and I will perform it for you. Would you like me to return the blade to you when I’m done or should I simply pass it on to Líann?”
Without me telling her, Venna understood exactly whom the weapon was intended for; it really wasn’t that difficult a guess, after all. Venna wielded her mace, Ella preferred the spear, and although Saibra fought with blades, Líann was the one most in need of the enhanced protection the sword offered.
“Give it to her as soon as you’re done with it, Venna,” I instructed as I passed over the blade. “Unfortunately, there are still more Deathless like Zedd out there, and I need to protect each of you to the best of my ability.”
I stayed by her side for the first few hours we traveled that morning before venturing off to find Khorim. He wasn’t too far away, as I’d asked all my Ministers to stay as close together as possible to bolster each other’s security with the combined force of our protective details. For everyone’s safety, this consideration would also be in place while we camped overnight. Previously, we’d set up our tents wherever we liked, often quite separate from each other. But now, with the powerful threat against us, Ella and I had been forced to revoke that freedom. Our tents would be close enough together to allow our guards to support each other in the event of another attempt on one of our lives, greatly enhancing not only our protection but also offering an increased measure of security to those who guarded us as well.
“I think what’s inside here would be very useful to one of your ‘scouts,’ Khorim,” I said as I passed the pack to Khorim.
“I’d like to agree with you, but I confess… I’ve no clue what this is,” Khorim admitted as he looked over the armor. Apparently, Aaden’s identification had worn off, and the item’s properties were no longer obvious to all who gazed upon it.
“It boosts the wearer’s Stealth by 30%, Khorim,” I let him know.
“Aye,” he responded with a wicked grin. “That’ll be most useful to one of them in particular.”
While some of Khorim’s scouts were indeed just that, others served in more clandestine roles. From spreading propaganda to spying and sabotage, Khorim’s agents had aided our cause from the very beginning. Providing one of his valuable agents with such a boon to their Stealth would only further aid my efforts, especially once we turned our attention towards the Dark Lands.
Over the next several weeks, we marched onwards towards home, and the days fell into a fairly steady routine. The daylight hours were spent walking the road with my companions or occasionally passing some of the many miles in the quiet confines of my carriage. Then, when we stopped for the night, I’d frequently tour our camp, speaking with the soldiers as they made things ready before retiring myself.
We traveled straight through, not making the periodic stops Evans typically insisted upon. The Army had been gone from home long enough, and with no battle waiting for us at the end of our journey, we all agreed that speed was of the utmost importance. We only stopped for longer than a single night twice; once as we passed through Oróna, and then again in Rhoboth. On each occasion, our hosts treated us to a victory celebration, and although I greatly appreciated their hospitality, the festivities also served as another pointed reminder of the price we’d paid in achieving our goal.
As we journeyed, my Tári joined me each evening, ensuring that my time was not spent dwelling on such unpleasant matters. I’d never been able to spend quite so much time with them before as I was during our travels, and I actually began to dread returning home and relinquishing their company. But the pretense we’d used to explain their constant presence would not hold up long beyond our arrival in the Imperial District, and I knew that we’d have to resume our more discreet habits once we were home.
Although my nights with Saibra were the least… intense of all, the time I was able to spend with her were some of the most rewarding hours of my life. Helping her slowly emerge from the long shadows that Insleí’s tortured existence had cast over her provided me with a nearly unrivaled sense of accomplishment. Despite the fact that her wounds ran far deeper than any of mine, Saibra’s gradual conquest over her inner demons closely mirrored my own struggles in many ways, an unlikely coincidence that was not lost on me.
I found myself almost moved to tears when, on the last night we would share together before arriving home, Saibra slid beneath the covers, gave me a quick kiss, and then nestled beside me comfortably without any sense of hesitation. The changes she’d undergone over the course of just a few short weeks were nothing short of remarkable, and I could only admire just how much she’d managed to overcome during that brief period of time.
Nentai visited me more than once during the remainder of our trip, and although she had not yet secured the help of any of her siblings, Mother assured me that she was hopeful at least one would eventually agree to name one of my Tári their champion. She also had plans to help any of my Tári who were not lucky enough to be so blessed but was holding off on those matters until after any champion was named. Nentai’s latitude with such things was apparently highly restricted, and she didn’t want her efforts duplicated by one of her siblings.
While I welcomed Nentai’s news even though it meant that her aid would be delayed, she was not at all happy with what I had to tell her. Mother found my revelations about Zedd and his collar of dark metal chain most disturbing, and although she claimed to know nothing of the mysterious artifact, I had the distinct impression that she was being less than truthful with me. Still, when she refused to provide any information about it beyond what little I already knew, I had no option but to let the matter go and trust that she’d eventually confide in me at some point.
Despite my mixed emotions, when the army emerged from the forest and into the wide swath of open land that had been cleared outside the Garrison walls, I was overcome by a deep sense of nostalgia. After being away for so long and having lost so much during that time, I was finally home again.
Only a skeleton crew seemed to be guarding the walls, however, but before I could inquire about how understaffed they were, Ella and Saibra hurried me off into my carriage.
“What’s going on?” I asked them in co
nfusion.
“Something special,” Ella assured me. “Just be patient, and you’ll see. A lot of hard work went into putting this together, so don’t go ruining it with one of your little temper tantrums.”
Her quip about my ‘little temper tantrums’ got under my skin, and I almost snapped at her before I caught myself. Ella’s brow arched knowingly when she noticed my forced restraint, and she smiled as I sat by impatiently, knowing that her words had served well enough to prevent me from protesting the unexpected turn of events.
I was expecting our procession to halt once we reached the Palace, but our carriages, joined by the entire Army and what seemed to be nearly every last citizen of my Realm, proceeded on into the valley. We traveled its entire length, and as I gazed out the window of my carriage, I could see the many months of progress that had been made while I’d been away.
Crops grew tall in the fields, and herds of livestock grazed among the lush, green grasses. Several small towns had sprung up where there had been only empty land before, and many new faces walked beside the familiar ones of the people I knew well. My Realm had grown stronger while I’d been away, a fact that I found both comforting and odd in a strange way—I had become so accustomed to having to do everything myself, or at least required to make the final decisions on so many matters, that to see my Realm functioning so well without me was somewhat jarring.
Even more unsettling was the near-absolute quiet of the procession as we marched along through the valley. There were no raucous cheers of welcome, nor any hint of celebration at our return. Even after the losses we’d suffered, I had not expected such a somber greeting, but I finally understood the reason behind it once we drew to a halt.
My carriage came to a stop at the foot of the high cliff wall at the valley’s far end. Off to one side, the waterfall fell from the heights above, and on the other lay the small glen we’d come to call The Vale of Heroes—the resting place for our honored dead.
But we had no dead to bury after Laska. We’d been forced to honor our fallen with a funeral pyre, burning what little was left of their remains in the harsh, cold lands of the frozen north. Perhaps my people had planned some ceremony to honor them, I imagined, until Venna took me by the hand and led me towards the sheer face of the rock wall.
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