Ardent

by Florian Armas

  “A Wanderer with the Blue Light,” I said. “Like an Assassin Grand Master. It’s not a legend.”

  “Just very rare that one person could be both Wanderer and Assassin: the Seer. So rare that it became a legend. The Seer appears only during a disaster, a Fracture. The opposite is not always true; there was no Seer when the Talant Empire vanished four thousand years ago during the Great Fracture.”

  “Frankis has been a disaster for a long time already.”

  “Frankis is such a small thing. Empress Dochia was the first recorded Seer and the founder of our order. The tradition is that the First Light passes some things only to her successor. I will break now with that Rule and tell you some of our deeper secrets. The last Empress provoked the Fracture, or at least sped it up. She felt that the Alban Empire had become a source of degeneration, and needed a restart. That’s why she let her cousin, Nabal, to split the Empire.” Valera turned toward me with a sad smile. “She was able to preserve parts of our civilization by splitting the empire into kingdoms. The second Seer was an Assassin. He emerged before the Great Invasion of the Karait nomads from the east. He united the eastern kingdoms in an alliance to repel the barbarians. You know about the last Seer. It was mostly that my mind needed a refresh; there are some differences now, that I fail to understand. Both of them became Seers when they were young.”

  “Then maybe we should look at our younger sisters.”

  “I did this, after Fate let me know of the new Seer’s arrival. None of them is strong enough. The second one with some potential is even older. Drusila...” She stared at me, but I had nothing to say. Nothing good. “Maybe things are not so desperate, and Fate is still waiting to throw the dice.”

  “Why did Fate let the Alban Empire vanish instead of reforming it?” There was some contempt in my voice, but Fate doesn’t care much about our outbursts. Her mind is above such ignoble things.

  “It grew on wrong foundations from the remnants of the Talant Empire, and it was too rotten. You need to burn the old grass to start a new life cycle. It may be that the fire burned too much and too long,” Valera whispered her worries. “At least its dissolution was more peaceful. The Talant Empire vanished in violence at a scale we still fail to comprehend – nine out of ten people died during the White Salt invasion from the sea. They landed in the north of Frankis, not far from Peyris, and in some other places. There are few traces left from the Talant Empire, and most of the land became uninhabitable after the invasion, poisoned by something invisible that we still don’t understand. And another unknown thing created the volcanoes, here,” she pointed to the ground. Indeed, the legend says that Zarand mountains are young, born from a continuous eruption that lasted for more than a hundred years. Sometimes, the legends come true. The eruption ended as abruptly as it started. “It took a millennium for the land to regenerate after the war. Fate draws the future in a general way, and the last touch belongs to us. You know that.”

  Yes, I nodded. “I heard from Codrin about some mountains named Zarand in Arenia. Is the Alba Hive in Arenia built there?”

  “No, it’s in Fagar Mountains, but there is a reason for that duplicate name. The east was less affected by the invasion, and a thousand years ago, one Alban Emperor colonized parts of Frankis with people from Arenia. They missed their ancestral lands and named the new homes Zarand, Arad or Severin. History,” she shrugged, and closed her eyes for some moments. “Drusila will become the next leader of the Wanderers, and you the Fourth Light; not ranked high enough to be part of the Inner Council of Three, still part of the High Council of Seven.”

  “Is it necessary to talk...?” I tried to change the subject.

  “Yes, it is,” she said dryly, but her eyes were sparkling with a trace of amusement. “Why should I not take lightly to joining Fate? It’s a blessing. Let’s forget about that, there are more pressing needs. Because of her powerful family, Drusila is closer to the Circle than I ever was. For the ... Saaages,” she mocked them, “I will always be an orphan with no pedigree. I don’t even know my parents. I am divagating like an old tart,” she laughed. “Drusila’s political connections may bring as much good as bad, but at least we will have some influence when they pick the next candidate King. Even if he takes Severin, which I still doubt, Orban will not be reelected. Now, let’s move on to some practical things. In two days, you will leave for Silvania.”

  “I will not be here when...” I stopped abruptly, feeling ignoble for bringing back the subject of her passing away.

  “It’s a good thing that you will not be here when Drusila takes over,” Valera chuckled. “We’ve got news from Arenia. The Usurper died two months ago. Baraki, the Chief of the Royal Guard, became confident enough to let his poison finish the Usurper, and everybody there thinks Codrin dead, except the Wanderers and the Assassins. “Yes, Dochia,” she answered my mute question. “The Assassins know that Codrin is alive. Baraki became regent for his grand-son, a toddler, so practically he will be the ‘King’ for many years. Our sisters from Silvania want to stop the wedding between the Silvanian King’s daughter and Baraki’s son. It’s a complicated matter; she was promised to Codrin originally, then to the Usurper’s second son, who died in an, hmm … accident.”

  “Do they want to reenact that old promise for Codrin?” I asked, thinking about Saliné.

  “They want to keep the possibility open. It could help Codrin regain his throne. Silvania and Arenia are neighbors. Our sisters need assurances to persuade the Silvanian King drop the marriage contract with Baraki’s son,” Valera stared at me, “and you are the best choice to convince them that Codrin is the leader Arenia is waiting for. Did he win the battle against Orban’s army?”

  “I left just before the battle started. And I did not use the Light,” I added quickly.

  “Sometimes, I would say ‘la naiba’ the Rules.” She used my own words, smiling thinly. It was an ancient form for ‘damn’, that few people still used. I learned it in my childhood, from an old woman in my village, and I liked how it sounded. They thought her a witch, and feared her. I enjoyed her wittiness and knowledge about healing plants. “Don’t worry; we will know Codrin’s fate before you leave. We have another sister coming back through Severin. She should be here in two days.”

  “Can we talk about something?” I asked, halfhearted.

  “From your, hmm, reluctance, I assume it will be unpleasant. Let it be.”

  “For years, I have kept this inside; I don’t think that Livia’s death was an accident.”

  “Have you any proof of that?” Valera’s voice was suddenly cold and distant, and I just shook my head – Livia’s death was an awful subject for both of us. “Then talk to me when you have that proof.”

  “A Triangle of Assassins tried to ambush me on the road back.”

  “They are usually good for setting ambushes.”

  “Fate granted me a glimpse of my own future, before they could attack us. It was just a whisper: danger. Umbra went scouting, and their hawks attacked him. We killed one. The Assassins are led by a Master, a Seeker. I don’t know him, so this was prepared some time ago. They followed us up the Lonely Pass. I tried to set a trap of my own at the Saddle, but they did not fall into it.”

  “The Fracture may be closer than I thought,” Valera whispered. “A second unnatural death of a High Light would be no coincidence, so you may have a point about Livia.” She moved away from me and stared silently through the window. “A war between us and the Assassins will bring nothing good, but some kind of ... punishment should be initiated. You will raise this matter to our sisters in Silvania, and ask them for a Conclave with both Silvanian and Arenian Wanderers. I will write a letter to them. Let’s go back to Drusila. She is a Reformer who wants a closer relation with the Circle. You know that,” she said without turning.

  “Drusila has the most to gain from Livia’s death,” I said without thinking, and immediately regretted it.

  “Enough, Dochia. I need a proper state of mind to perform th
e Passing and transfer my powers and knowledge to Drusila. I dislike her, and you could be right, but she will become the First Light in a week from now. What I was saying?” she tried to recollect. “Yes, our enhanced cooperation with the snakes from the Circle. It may be a good thing. It may be an error. We can’t know without trying. There is an experiment that Drusila is leading right now. A few trusted men are being trained in both Wanderer and Assassin ways of fighting, in a valley not far from here. Viler, her nephew, is their leader. They should help us penetrate the Circle. It’s just that Drusila likes power too much. You will learn how much is too much when you come back. If things go wrong, we have to rely on Codrin.”

  How can he help in a Wanderers’ internal struggle? Valera kept quiet, waiting for me to say something. Codrin? “He has the Wanderer Light,” I said, reluctantly.

  “Do you know why the Assassins want Codrin alive?”

  “He was mentored by an Assassin Grand Master, and they hope to get a skilled...”

  “Yes, he was mentored by their best trainer, who let slip that Codrin has enough talent to become a Grand Master. A rare thing.”

  “Codrin may have both Lights,” I suddenly understood.

  “It was prophesied that the next Seer will come to full power in Frankis, but there is no word if that means being born here. So it may be a race between you, Drusila and Codrin. One race. One winner. Always. I hope that you win.”

  “He may be the fastest horse in the race, and perhaps the best choice.” My age is the proof. From that moment, I decided to treat Codrin as more than the rightful King of Arenia.

  “Codrin doesn’t lack qualities, so he may be,” Valera shrugged. “And the last Empress is his ancestor. Fate’s ways are never straight. Drusila will return three days from now. Tomorrow night, come to my room. I will do the Passing for you too. La naiba with the Rules,” she smiled.

  “Who will agree to be the Tertiatur and support the Passing?”

  “No one. That will remain our secret. I am powerful enough to make it without a Tertiatur’s help. Things will become even more interesting for my dear successor. I may be even tempted to...” she said, thoughtfully.

  “No,” I protested; she could indeed die in the Passing.

  “That is an order, Fifth Light of the Wanderers.” Her harsh words contrasted with her motherly tone and smile. “Don’t be stubborn, and do as I say. What do four days less matter, in a seventy-six year lifespan? Nothing.”

  “It means something to me.”

  “I know, Dochia,” Valera said, with a thin smile. “But some things are more important, and time compels me. There is much you should learn, and just think of Drusila’s face if she did not receive the Passing; she can be so bitter; it would curdle a goat’s milk. Seeing her upset deserves all the pain.” Valera’s laughter filled the room, and I could not stop a smile either. “Don’t think me so weak; she will receive it too; the survival of our order is paramount, and both of you have a role to play. Yours will be more important than you think. Or Drusila thinks.” Her voice had now the schooling tone I knew so well from my novitiate period, so many years ago. “There are many things you don’t know about the Passing. It will transform you, and it takes time for the mind to adapt. The Light will be gone from you, for a week or a month, or perhaps more, and a terrible sense of loneliness will descend on you. The longest period we are aware of was two months without Light. But that has happened only once in more than six hundred years. Your mind’s control over your body will not be affected. I know this well from my own experience. You can walk; you can ride; you can fight. I will not send you away without guarantees that you can defend yourself on a long journey. Some sisters may realize what has happened to you, and Drusila will be the first one to know, because of her skills. One more reason to leave Alba before anyone is aware. The signs of the Passing will vanish before you come back, and it will remain a secret.” She stopped, staring at me thoughtfully, then rubbed her chin for a while.

  “One thing came to me now. It was not a vision, perhaps just an intuition. It makes sense for the Assassins to attack one of us only if they can be absolved by a First or Second Light, because of common necessity. One more reason for you to leave the Hive. Be silent and go now.” She returned to the window and remained still, her slow inhaling-exhaling noises filling the silent room – the sign of a Wanderer entering in her meditation trance. I went out slowly, afraid of disturbing her.

  Drusila wants me dead... I could not doubt Valera’s intuition. I have not seen my room in three months, I sighed after closing the door behind me, trying to keep my bad feelings away. An austere room with a small bed, one wardrobe, and a table with three chairs. My beloved place. It may become a nightmare soon. In the Wanderers’ world, I was a ‘Wasp’; one who went where our needs dictated. Others were ‘Bees’; they stayed in our Hives. Not all the Wanderers were fighters and riders, and some were too old to even travel. A Fifth Light should become a Bee at her promotion, but I came to that rank before my time, because of Livia’s sudden death. I like to travel, and I am still young, I smiled.

  In the open window, Umbra was resting, his large dark-blue eyes fixed on me. In the twilight, his contours were well defined against the sun, and the smooth light enhanced the red feathers of his collar. “Tell me,” he said.

  “Valera will join Fate in a week from now. Only we know about this.”

  “She is a fine, but lonely woman. It may be a blessing.” Umbra’s words brought back Livia’s death, until I realized that he was speaking about Cloud, Valera’s peregrine raven, who had died four months ago.

  “It may be a blessing,” I said, surprised by how differently we reacted. “Tomorrow, she will perform a Passing on me.”

  Still in the window, Umbra whistled. It sounded more like a toddler’s cry than a whistle; with all his efforts, he was not able to replicate accurately that human noise.

  I bit my lips to stifle a smile that would have been improper. “You did that on purpose.”

  “To join Fate at peace with yourself is a blessing. To be called by her is a rare honor. Not many Wanderers are allowed to see their future.” Yes, I nodded absently. “Who will be the Tertiatur?” Umbra asked, avoiding any mention of breaking the Rules.

  “No one.”

  “It may be dangerous.”

  “For Valera, yes, but I could not change her mind. We need to open the Light this evening, and see what we get. From what she said, it will desert me for a while after the Passing.” One thing at a time. We had enough time left to worry about tomorrow. “I wished we could see into the past too,” I sighed.

  “There was just a little rain that night. I bet a fat worm that Codrin won the battle.” As always, Umbra understood my worries, even without me voicing them. “And too much power is not good. We have enough advantages from seeing the future and correcting some wrong things that may look right for others.”

  “If I think about Drusila, too much power serves no good, but the same applies to all of us. Power corrupts. Valera thinks that she hired the Assassins who tried to kill me, but we have no proof. I am not a wheel in Druslia’s entourage. Then it may be that she killed Livia so she would become the First Light earlier than she would deserve. There will be some marks on me from Passing, and the thing must remain hidden, so we will leave for Silvania two days from now, the morning after Valera performs the Passing on me. Always in a hurry,” I sighed.

  “Do we have enough time to visit Duke Stefan?”

  “No, unfortunately, and this was just the right time to talk with him about what happened in Severin. Aron is going to cause more trouble for Jara and Codrin. We must go to Muniker on our way back. The Duke asked me to pass a request on to the Litvonian Chancellor. And I promised Codrin to return to Severin and tell him more about Duke Stefan. I have no one to announce him that I won’t come. Maybe the Mountes, but that will be in a month or two or in spring. Varia... Her house is on the road to Muniker. We can’t leave without warning her that we will be o
ut of Frankis for a while. And you like Livia,” I smiled, remembering his attachment to Varia’s daughter.”

  “She feeds me well.” Umbra clamped his beak with some nostalgia; Livia always spoiled him. A Wanderer’s peregrine raven stays away from cities and houses when we are traveling, and very few people knew about them, usually only the ones who received a Wing Talisman from us. Varia was my cousin and one of our hidden links with the outside world. Many traveling Wanderers found shelter in her house. “And she likes to play. Her husband, Matei, can warn Codrin that we are going to be away for a while. He will not be happy to return to Severin after being so long away with Valer, but...”

  “Yes, you are right. If there is something else... Let’s open the Light.” Hesitantly, I went to close the window, after Umbra flew to the table. For whatever reason, the small noise of his flapping wings calmed me.

  “Please, Fate, enlighten me,” I pleaded, touching my temples with both hands. After so many years, opening the Light was routine, and the future came to me soon after a brief burst of white light, a path that we could rarely control – Fate enjoys surprising us, and many times we are more spectators than actors in our visions. When we touch a person’s hand it is sometimes easier to see that person’s future. Sometimes. The undercurrents of the timelines flooded me, like fire flowing through my veins. I found myself in a place of scorched earth; there was not so much as a blade of grass or a fly. Barren land, and the flow of time almost vanished. There was no sound. In a moment, Umbra joined me too. A High Wanderer is always an active presence in her vision, able to walk inside that inner world, and interact with whatever persona Fate sends your way. Less trained sisters can only see things from a fixed point. I turned: the same barren land continued to the horizon. Maybe I can fly, I spread my arms. I couldn’t.

  “You are not me,” Umbra chuckled.