Legends of Windemere: 02 - Prodigy of Rainbow Tower

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “Thank you, Lorvis. How do you plead, my good lady?” the horse-headed god politely asks.

  “I plead not guilty, powerful Ram. I did not interfere in any way that would have altered the fates of the mortals involved. If I did then it was unintentional, which all of us are guilty of from time to time,” Zaria calmly declares. The murmur from the other gods causes her to let her irritation get the best of her. “Need I remind all of you that I helped write the law of influence? It was designed to prevent intentional intrusion and not to punish accidental interference. Things happen that even we cannot predict. All of us have existed long enough to know this.”

  Her gaze does not falter as she raises her head to stare directly at Ram. The war god manages to keep his smile at the corner of his mouth instead of letting it consume his face. Only a few gods notice the change of expression and follow his example. The other gods continue talking amongst themselves wearing a manner of expressions. Though, Zaria notes that most of the gods appear to be annoyed by this pointless meeting.

  “I am well aware of the law and its history. Need I remind you that I was involved in its creation as well,” Ram counters sternly. “Yet, your actions were anything, but unintentional. You knowingly lead the mortal girl to this mortal boy with the intent for her to save his life. We are also aware that you spoke with him as he was dying and used your connection with him to keep him alive. It is not your role to choose who lives and dies.”

  A screechy voice from the crowd screams, “You go beyond your power and do the job of others!”

  “I do nothing of the sort,” Zaria snaps. She lets her voice rise above the outburst of noise from the angry crowd of gods. “My job is to protect everything that is pure. The boy is pure of spirit and I kept his spirit alive. There was less than a five percent chance that keeping his spirit alive would also keep his body alive. I had no idea that he could instinctually use the connection to hold onto life. My intent was to allow the boy to pass on peacefully. As for the girl, I used proper protocol for interacting with a mortal by giving her a feeling instead of outright telling her. That is the way that we work and it did not guarantee that she would reach him in time. Again, I state that I did not break the law.”

  Ram rises to his feet, shaking the world with his thundering stomp. He calmly waits for everyone to be quiet. “Your pleas do not fall on deaf ears and dead hearts. We all have the utmost respect for you, dear Zaria. That is why we hold council instead of handing out the traditional punishment. It pains all of us to put you through this.”

  “Not me,” mutters a leather-clad goddess with whip-like fingers. A roar of laughter breaks the seriousness of the council. Only Zaria, Ram, and one other god refuse to join in the laughter. It is this other god who finally speaks, his mere presence causing all noise to stop.

  “My apologies for arriving so late,” says the ebony-haired man with a melodic voice. “I make no excuse, but I am here to speak on the matter at hand.”

  “You are granted permission, Lord Gabriel,” Ram says, giving the man a small bow. “Yet, I think we all know that you would gladly see Zaria sealed away. The disdain and malice you two have for each other is well recorded throughout our history. Bards have made careers off writing songs about the ill will that the two of you bear toward each other.”

  Gabriel stands next to Zaria and gently takes her hand in his. She looks slightly disgusted as he gives her hand a small kiss and winks at her. A dark cloud begins to form over the amphitheater until Gabriel lets go of her hand. The Hell God grins as he looks up at a furious blue-skinned goddess standing atop a broken pillar. He waves her angry stare away before putting his attention back on Ram and the rest of the council.

  “On the contrary, I would be very upset if we were to lose her. She is one of the few of us who has decided to put away her personal feelings and help me with what must be done. So, I honor our partnership by coming to her defense. This goddess has done nothing wrong,” Gabriel declares, his voice booming like thunder. “Her actions were made for the benefit of us all and she chose to save the life of an essential mortal. It is something that many of us would do when faced with such a decision.”

  “This nonsense again? Your fear is unjustified. What you are preparing for will not affect us. The threat that he once posed to us is no longer above our heads since he can never invade Ambervale again,” Ram declares to a loud chorus of agreement. “If he becomes a threat to our existence once more then you are to blame. It was you who chose to become a god before killing that monster. You could have killed him before the law of influence was above your head. We would have thought no less of you for delaying your ascension in order to remove him from Windemere. Instead, you let your thirst for power put you in a position where you could not destroy your enemy. Thanks to your mistake, he has continued to live and thrive in the shadows beyond our home. So, we have made sure to ward our home from his presence. He is now a mortal concern and should be left as one.”

  The crowd erupts in noise that is a mess of insults, threats, and declarations of power. A short song from Gabriel briefly steals their voices, so that he can speak without interruption. He slowly watches the other gods for any sign of an attack, but none of them appear willing to take such a risk.

  Confident that they will listen, Gabriel calmly continues, “That is what you said all those centuries ago and this mortal man almost destroyed the pantheons with his power. I will freely admit that it was my inexperience and youthful ways that lead to him surviving. The touch of godhood was sweet and I took it without thinking of the problems that I left behind. Yet, I am still able to do something. My job is to bestow destiny upon the good and the evil. I have chosen the good that will combat this ancient evil. This is not something that I can do alone, but every time I have asked for help, I am refused and mocked by all. That is all except a handful . . . and only one of this handful has promised to put her existence on the line. Our dear Zaria has been my greatest ally in this and her actions mirror what I would have done. It is because of this that I have put aside my personal opinions of her and come to her defense.”

  Silence covers the audience when Lorvis yawns, filling the amphitheater with a decaying stench. “As usual, you talk more of yourself than of the real issue. Please make your defense quick and to the point. I am getting bored.”

  “I agree with the necrocasting god. We have little patience for your rambling about events of the past,” an amber-cloaked god announces, laying his hands on his lap. All eyes lock on this stoic god who scans the amphitheater as if memorizing every detail. “I should point out that you are wrong in your assumption, Hell Lord. We all hold you and Zaria in great respect and do not mock your actions, but you are asking us to commit to a path of action that could result in us being sealed. Many of us do not feel that this single being is worth the risk that you would be asking of us. Look around yourself, Lord Gabriel. The calling of council is proof that anyone who joins you in this endeavor will run the risk of breaking our only law. As god of knowledge and wisdom, I personally cannot bring myself to join you because I see that your actions are reckless and, at times, unwise. Still, as a god who was once mortal, I can understand what drives you to such actions.”

  “What are you saying, Gar?” Ram asks, impressed by the knowledge god.

  Gabriel interrupts the younger god, ignoring the mild look of displeasure he receives. “I believe he is stating that there are times where the rules must be bent. I do not ask that any of you to join me. All I ask is that you not throw blind justice at those who give me aid. Luke Callindor is important to our future and Zaria did as much as she could to save him. I will point out that she could have broken the rule entirely instead of bending it. I will also point out that my worry is something that most of you cannot understand. Most of you were born gods and know little of mortal life, but I know that many of us were once mortal. I thank the always-logical Gar for reminding all of us of this fact. There are emotions that linger after rising above the mortal life
.” Gabriel pauses to look around the sea of gods around him. “I sense that I am merely rambling at this point.”

  “You are!” half of the council exclaims.

  “At least, we are an amusing lot,” Gabriel says wryly, chuckling loud enough to bring the nearest gods to their knees. “My point will be made now. Zaria should not be punished because she was merely aiding me. I have allowed her to act with the level of freedom that was originally only mine to have. It is temporary and will be taken away once the threat has been removed. This is the deal that I offer to all of you who help me. If you punish Zaria then it will require that you punish me alongside her. And we all know that punishing me is an unhealthy activity. Now, what is your verdict, council?” He confidently locks eyes with the silent Zaria.

  “I truly hate owing that bastard, but I guess he is useful as an ally when you really need him,” Zaria thinks to herself.

  “I will take that as a compliment, my dear. Besides, I owe you for saving the young warrior,” Gabriel replies through telepathy.

  “I despise you, Gabriel,” she thinks back.

  Ram rises from his throne a final time, a war hammer appearing in his hand. “We find the goddess of purity free to exist. It is not entirely because of you, Lord Gabriel. Upon further contemplation and private words with Gar, we have decided that this is allowed under her path. The youth will protect the pure and it is her job to keep the pure alive. So, it was in her best interest to keep him alive. Also, her actions did not guarantee success. The law of influence allows for us to take actions that guide, but do not guarantee success. This is our final verdict. If we meet again over this then it will be to seal both of you away. For our own amusement, we will seal Gabriel and Zaria together. This council is now closed. Good day to everyone.”

  One by one the gods vanish from the amphitheater. Great beasts rise into the sky while others sink into the ground on their thrones. Uli of the elven gods makes sure to leap into the middle of the amphitheater to congratulate Zaria. The armored goddess hugs Zaria before transforming into a wave of leaves that is blown away on a sudden breeze. Zaria and Gabriel remain in the amphitheater until they are alone. The final verdict continues to sink in, as they make sure not to look at each other.

  Zaria finally breaks the silence by asking, “What do you think of them giving us such freedom?”

  “I believe it is a step in the right direction. Although, I would rather not have my fate so closely tied to your actions. Sadly, desperate times call for strange bedfellows, such as the purest of beings working with the darkest. I might have to cook up a bard to sing of our alliance,” Gabriel says with a charming smile. “Now, I have urgent personal business to attend to. My wife did not seem happy with my actions. I should comfort her before she plans her revenge. I wish you a good day and hope that we will grow closer during this time.”

  Both gods disappear at the same time as the air around Ambervale begins to clear of spell smoke and the island returns to its bright glory.

  1

  The mid-day serenity of Visindor Forest is broken by the sound of trumpets and dwarven drums. The simple music reverberates through the trees for miles. Animals that are too curious for their own good, wander to the edge of the massive clearing surrounding the Hamilton Military Academy. The animals cautiously keep their distance from the academy and its graduation ceremony. It is from here that the loud music and even louder cheering is emanating. Banners and balloons cling to their perches atop the thick defensive wall as they are whipped by the wind. A few laughing, stumbling figures wander around the outside of the academy wall before going back inside. It is graduation time and everyone is curious to see who will be moving on and who will be subjected to another semester with Selenia.

  The headmistress solemnly stands at her podium on the dais with most of the instructors sitting behind her. Two empty seats to her right continue to be ignored by the staff and students as she bestows another silver and bronze ring to a young dwarf. The first year students are still whispering about at the beautiful dress that this half-elven mercenary is wearing. Sleeveless and high-collared, it is made from a starlight blue cloth and trails down to her ankles. She moves gracefully from the ring table to the podium and back again in delicate shoes of velvet and satin. Selenia is the most elegant woman at the school’s graduation even with her light pink buzzcut and the longsword strapped to her back.

  She is also a testament to mental endurance. After three hours of heart-felt speeches, outbursts from the crowd, and handing out rings, Selenia retains her smiling expression of pride and dignity. On this day, she is the embodiment of stamina and grace that the bards sing of across the taverns of Windemere.

  Selenia clears her throat for silence before announcing, “I would like to thank everyone for attending this year’s graduation and bearing with me through all of these speeches. Some of our speakers have been very eloquent this semester. As you all know, we call the students up to receive their rings from the top of the class to the one that barely graduated. This does not mean that the lowest of the graduates is the worst warrior. In truth, I’m very proud of this entire group of graduates due to the events of this semester. We had a very difficult semester filled with danger and pain. All of my students were called upon to use their skills and mature without warning. None of them failed to accomplish this. All of my students have shown great courage and skill in the face of their first battle. They have also helped to repair this school and accepted a delay in their education without complaint. I’m especially grateful to everyone for bearing with us during our rebuilding period. With all of that said, I would like to call up the final graduate.”

  “About time! We’re running out of ale!” exclaims a drunken voice from the back of the crowd.

  “Getonwitit!” shouts a more guttural voice.

  The crowd parts to reveal Duggan Ironcaster and Kevin Masterson leaning against a tree with mugs of ale in their hands. Selenia’s eye twitches as these walking interruptions continue to sway on their feet. Kevin quickly sits down before his bad leg gives out. The dwarven blacksmith, on the other hand, continues to yell for Selenia to finish the ceremony. The drunken outburst is not too surprising since Kevin and Duggan have made their drunken scenes as much a graduation tradition as the ceremony itself. Selenia still regrets agreeing to the drinking contest that led to the lifting of the drinking and fraternizing rule on graduation day, but her honor prevents her from going back on the deal.

  “Are you two done?” she asks dryly.

  “Not a chance, kid,” Kevin happily slurs. “We only get to drink two days out of the year, so we have to make them count. We need you to wrap it up since we’re out of booze. I think. Anyway, we’ll behave for the next five minutes. Let’s hear it for the great headmistress who led an army of amateurs against the forces of evil and won. Come on, people,” He awkwardly raises his half-filled mug of ale to Selenia. The crowd obeys the drunken man and begins a deafening cheer that succeeds in getting Selenia to smirk.

  “Thank you. Next time please wait until all of the graduates have received their graduation rings,” Selenia says with a politeness that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Now, I won’t lie that this final student was the most troublesome warrior to ever enter this school. When he arrived, he was insolent, impulsive, and undisciplined. Not to mention foolish and rude. I can only hope that trouble does not follow him everywhere as he leaves my academy. Yet from his attitude and recklessness, I can be sure that he will get into enough trouble to be remembered by history. He could have been at the top of the class if he stuck to the rules and stayed awake during his indoor classes.”

  Selenia looks at the clear sky and sighs. “Honestly, I do not remember having to punish or fight a student as much as this one. I thank him for keeping me on my toes. Without any more stalling, may I introduce the lowest graduate of this year and the newest hero of Windemere. I present this ring to Luke Callindor.”

  Unlike the other graduates, the blonde half-elf jumps on to th
e dais instead of taking the stairs. The crowd applauds as Luke is given the graduation ring and lets a big grin cross his face. While the other graduates wore blue shirts with yellow lightning trimming around the collar, Luke is wearing a black peasant shirt with an open collar and tight sleeves. A silver torque around his neck glints in the sun. The brown boots and pants are the same ones that he always wears only they have been cleaned for the occasion.

  “Not pulling punches, I see,” Luke whispers, shaking Selenia’s hand.

  “Be thankful that you graduated,” Selenia says without releasing his hand. She tries to tighten her grip while Luke fights to do the same. “After we found out about you and Ms. Grasdon breaking the rules, I was very tempted to punish both of you. Not to mention you entered my school under false documentation in order to protect the heir of Serab whose attendance at this academy I wasn’t informed of. You should thank Kevin, Duggan, and Theresa for staying my hand. They were the ones who pointed out that not letting you graduate meant you would be here longer. I don’t think I could have handled another semester without killing you. Now, go enjoy yourself.”

  Luke uses the stairs to get off the dais and he is immediately rushed by a small figure that darts out of the crowd. The small form bounces off Luke’s knee and gracefully balances on the half-elf’s shoulder with one hand. The other hand is in Luke’s face until he accepts the handshake. Nimby starts munching on an apple before he flips to the ground.

  “Let me be the first to congratulate you. Now we can set off on our adventure,” declares Nimby, his brown eyes glowing with excitement. “I can’t wait. I’m already packed. Orc bandits, goblins, trolls, undead, dragons, and chaos elves await us at every turn. It will be a tale of grand exploits.”

  “I hope so. I was starting to get bored here,” Luke says in a low voice.