Of Heroes And Villains (Book 4)

by Julius St. Clair

  Chapter 7 – The Well

  “There is nothing here,” James sighed, kicking a rock down the massive crater. Arimus nodded in agreement. “We’ve checked every corner of this place. Trust me.”

  “Well, it was worth a try,” Arimus said, sitting down and crossing his legs. James crossed his arms and stared out into the crater, his white cloak flapping in the wind behind him.

  “Something about their account though,” James said into the wind. “I had a feeling about this one.”

  “Well,” Arimus said, closing his eyes. “At least we won’t have another Order on our hands. It gets a bit ridiculous at times. At least the Prattlian Order is too busy bickering among themselves to bother us. The Langoran Order alone are a handful. I can’t even imagine what a Quietus one would be like.”

  “Whenever there’s people around—in general, there’s always conflict,” James said. “So what happening now that’s so annoying? Anything worth mentioning?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle. But basically it’s the same tired demand from the Allayan Order. They want the other Orders to don eidolons—to show their allegiance to Allay. I try to explain how we are all the same. It doesn’t matter if one uses their energy to get bigger or fashion a sword, but they say it’s the principle. There should be a symbol that they can reveal to all of whom they follow.”

  “But Languor and Prattle still have their Kings.”

  “I know. And there is no way they are going to sign off on such a decree. I know they respect Catherine highly, and they were serious when they said that they would integrate with Allay, but not at the expense of their history and culture. The bickering will continue through the ages.”

  “I just wish I could have more time with Catherine,” he said. Another light breeze brushed past them. “It’s all I want. Nothing more.”

  “You and Catherine could find a successor like we did,” he winked. “Then you could retire.”

  “Yeah, right,” James laughed. “You’re sitting here in the middle of the Quietus Kingdom too. Hmph. Retirement.”

  “The truth hurts,” Arimus laughed, rising to his feet. “Well, I suppose we should be heading back. At full speed, we can be back by nightfall and have some dinner.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  “But before we go, are you absolutely sure there is nothing left to check? No hidden passages? Secret caverns?”

  “None. The Langorans, they are not.”

  “Well, the Prattlians did make a tunnel too. We have to give them that.”

  “True. I can only imagine them debating on the circumference of the tunnel, of how—“ James stopped, as if he had heard a noise. Arimus followed his line of sight, but he saw nothing in the distance.

  “What is it?”

  “Put yourself into the minds of the Quietus. Your Kingdom has been destroyed, and your loved ones have been killed, right before your eyes. All against an enemy that can manifest creatures scarier than you. What would you do?”

  “The Quietus are known to fight against all odds, even against insurmountable ones.”

  “But here?” James waved his hands before him. Arimus took in his surroundings. “In your own home? Your comfort place? The Quietus are always the ones looking for the fight. The fight doesn’t come to them. I think, that if it looked truly hopeless, they would run.”

  “So if there are survivors, they’ve gone elsewhere. But where?”

  “You’re running from this god-like enemy. What do you do? What place do you know of that could give you even an ounce of protection?”

  “Prattle!” Arimus snapped his fingers together. “They have a high mountain and security, and they wouldn’t have known about Thorn’s assault on the place. Not to mention that they have tried to attack Prattle themselves in the past without success.”

  “Exactly!” James said. “And even if they did go there and notice the destruction, what are the odds that their enemy will return? Especially after he was already victorious? And the boys did mention snow. At the time, I was so focused on finding my mother that I didn’t think of it carefully. Prattle is the only place that has an abundance of snow!”

  “Let’s go,” Arimus smiled. “Full speed.”

  James didn’t even confirm with his mentor. He had already taken off. Arimus was right behind.

  * * *

  “What are we going to do?” Bastion asked her, but Catherine put a finger to her lips.

  “Just grant me this one request. Release your eidolon.”

  “But why?” he whined. What was with everyone asking him to release his eidolon? Why did they have to see his soul? What did it matter?

  “Please, Bastion.” He wasn’t ready to say no to the Queen, especially when his life was in her hands, so he followed through. Placing a hand over his heart, he slowly released it, grabbing the hilt, and the rest, letting it emerge in whatever shape it desired. Once the hilt was out, it took on a variety of forms. At first, it was a book at the end of the hilt, then a snake, then a curtain, then a spear. When the spear appeared, the hilt melted into the pole and the pole extended outwards, nearly hitting Catherine in the face. She dodged it nimbly and laughed it off. He blushed and concentrated, turning it into the ocean blue Gladius that he had used earlier. Catherine stepped forward. Bastion winced as she brushed her hand across the surface. He was afraid that the sword would suddenly transform and cut her. Or worse.

  “Magnificent,” she said, taking her hand away. “Your abilities will indeed surpass my own. All of ours.”

  “What do you mean?” he asked. He was growing less afraid by the minute.

  “When you release your eidolon, your raw power is so great that it is hard for it to take form. For a few seconds, it is merely a product of your running imagination. After all, it is the mind that wills the soul into becoming more than its composition. Everyone has a soul, but it’s what you do with it that matters. That’s what molds it like clay into the vessel it was always meant to be. When you defended Daisy, what shape was your eidolon?”

  “This,” he said, turning over the Gladius in his hand.

  “That’s because you were focused. Although it was instinctively, you knew in your mind that you needed a sword to clash against the other. That’s your weakness, and what you should work on. Your control. And I don’t just mean your thoughts. Your emotions. Your basic instincts. Everything. The Sage Academy should teach you most of that.”

  “So I’m to go there? I’m going back into society?”

  “In a way,” she said, turning around and heading back to the throne platform. She motioned for him to follow. When they reached the top of the stairs, she pointed to James’ seat. Bastion sat down in it with hesitation. But as soon as his posterior hit the cushion, a smile emerged. It felt good. Catherine leaned to the side so that she could face him.

  “I must tell you something unsettling. It is how I knew who you were, even before you arrived with Seeker.”

  “Okay,” he said. He placed his hands in his lap and waited anxiously.

  “Your mother came here earlier. She said that you were forbidden to return home.”

  “What else did she say?” he asked quickly. Within two days, he had broken the eidolons of two citizens. His future wasn’t looking good.

  “She told me everything,” Catherine replied, “and I promised that I would not tell your father about her transformation, as well as yours.”

  “But why?”

  “It’s not my place. She will tell him in her own time. But that is not what I wanted to talk to you about. From this moment on, your home will be here, in the castle. You will have your own quarters, and you can come ask me a question any time you like.”

  “So you’re supposed to be my new mom or something?” She wasn’t that old.

  “Oh, no,” she laughed. “Call me a guardian. That’s more like it.”

  “And how does Master James feel about that?”

  “He’s just James from now on, and trust me, he’ll
be okay with it. We know each other very well. Still, is this something you would be interested in?”

  “Of course,” he chuckled, unfolding his hands and feeling the chair’s soft armrests. “I mean, if I’m wanted.”

  “Bastion, I know your history,” Catherine said, to which he felt his heart stop. He gripped the side of the chair, and she reached over to place her hand over his. “It’s okay. I don’t look down upon you for it.”

  “She did,” he said bitterly. He didn’t mean it to come out so cold, but it did regardless. “I think that when she found out I had released an eidolon, she was in shock. Having been with them for so long, she probably thought I had been assimilated.”

  “You’ll always be Allayan.”

  “I know,” he said. “I also know that the hatred for the Quietus runs deep. When they all died, it was like everyone took a mass sigh of relief. Like a disease had just been eradicated, and the world was better off for it.”

  “You were a prisoner in Quietus. That doesn’t make you one of them. Not that they are different than we are. You know that my husband is half-Quietus.”

  “It’s different with Mast—James. He’s the great hero. The one that saved the world. He’s earned his place in their hearts. I’m just used goods. It’s like bringing your carriage home and finding dung on the wheels. People who know my past look at me like that.”

  He wasn’t used to speaking his mind so freely, but somehow, he felt at ease in Catherine’s presence. She didn’t judge, or even try to force her way upon him. She just listened, and perhaps sought a little understanding—not because she was using it as ammunition later on, but because she genuinely wanted to ease the burden of his suffering. She truly cared.

  “They thought I was tainted,” he said through grit teeth, his eyes listless with memories of his first experiences. “But they were the only ones to take me in. Because it was a pair of extra hands, and they needed the labor. It was hard enough living on the outskirts.”

  “The villagers on the outskirts truly are a proud bunch,” Catherine sighed. “We’ve offered to help heal the soil, till the land, fertilize…but they would have none of it. They believe that they can make it work without our assistance.”

  “Tell me about it,” Bastion said, sitting back hard into the throne chair. “They didn’t make it easier to forget my time in Quietus. They reminded me constantly with little jabs and nicknames. The only way I could deal with it was just keeping it all in and turning off my emotions the best I could. It was the only way. I’m too dangerous.”

  “Did you always have that amount of power?” she asked. “I mean, even before you released your eidolon, and you were in Quietus. Did you feel something different about you?”

  “Yes,” he said. There was no wavering, and no uncertainty in his answer. “And that’s why I…I want to learn more about becoming a Sage. I want to let go of everything. But it’s hard. It’s all I know. It’s all I remember. It scared me being in Quietus, more than you could ever know. I’m sorry…”

  “No. No. Bastion, it’s okay. I’m not here to cast judgment. I’m only curious. If you don’t want to talk anymore, that’s okay.”

  “I just don’t want you to look at me any less. I want to move on from my time there. From the outskirts. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

  “And we don’t have to. The conversation is dead.”

  “No. I have to say this last part. I have to. It’s…you know, it’s nice talking with you, Catherine. You make me hopeful. I’m not so afraid, knowing that you will be there to help me.”

  “I’m happy to help,” she beamed, and then her smile slowly fell as she grew concerned. “So Bastion, what…what was it that scared you in Quietus? If you’re comfortable saying…”

  “It’s…” he sighed, and then he looked up at her, his eyes looking directly into hers. “It’s the fact that even without an eidolon…I could have destroyed them all. Each and every one.”

  Chapter 8 – Hide and Seek

  “This time, we go with caution,” James said.

  “Agreed,” Arimus chuckled under his breath. Even though the ruined Kingdom of Prattle was far less dangerous and intimidating, the moment they reached the top of the mountain, there was an immediate, unnatural chill in the air. It wasn’t like in Quietus, where everything was still and dead. The air in Prattle was quiet, which was a completely different thing. Quiet meant someone was intentionally keeping their voice hidden. James couldn’t get a read on anyone in particular, but there was definitely something in the air that disturbed him.

  “I’ll take point,” Arimus said, stepping in front of James. “If we’re attacked, I can use my winds to send you over the edge.”

  “Right…,” James said, shaking his head. “Don’t be too hasty with that notion there. You know what, let me go in front. I’m the one with two arms.”

  “That was low,” Arimus said as James sped ahead.

  “No eidolons,” James whispered. “We don’t want to scare anyone away.”

  They reached the pillars of the entrance and stopped. Before, Prattle had ways to survey the area around them, in which case, they would be seen the moment they entered. With the Kingdom being in ruins, that was now unlikely, but it was better to safe. James turned to his mentor.

  “Arimus, I think you should go in first after all. That way, I can go around. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

  “Ashalynn will have your head if I’m not,” he said playfully. James glanced to his left, estimated how high the rock wall was, and then he jumped as high as he could. Arimus used his winds to cushion the descent, and James landed without a sound. James nodded to his mentor, and then he moved forward, behind the Prattle merchant shops and houses. He was able to see Arimus the entire time, who was now walking steadily up the center.

  Arimus walked through the middle of the brick courtyard, where debaters and merchants had once shouted and bickered. There didn’t appear to be a living soul around, but James still felt the chill. Something was there. He just didn’t know what yet.

  Arimus reached the benches, just in front of the stairs that led to the destroyed castle. He sat down and draped an arm over the back of the bench. He began looking around, taking in the sights. After a minute had passed, he began whistling. James surveyed the area, trying to find what was hiding. He just couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

  Then suddenly, he got the feeling that he was being hunted. That same chill licked the back of his neck gently, tickling his hair, and patting his ego. He was in trouble. He was the one they wanted, not Arimus. He was the biggest threat. He was the—

  James craned his neck to the right just as the scythe stabbed through the roof from his left. It started moving parallel to his neck, getting ready to sever his head, but James summoned his eidolon from his shoulder. It was just enough to parry the scythe and send it backwards. The scimitar eidolon continued to fly out and James grabbed the hilt, leaping forward with it. He somersaulted in mid-air and caught a glimpse of the Quietus behind him. It was bigger than average. That was for sure.

  Arimus unleashed his wind-mill like eidolon and began searching around him. Out of the shadows of the ruined shops and courtyard corners, claws began to peek out from the darkness and tap against the brick floor. The large Quietus on the roof licked its lips and shuddered, its black skin moving like waves of the ocean from his head to his feet. It jumped off and leapt toward the Sages.

  Arimus caught it with a gust of wind and then sent it crashing into one of the already ruined wooden houses. It shrieked on impact, and the other Quietus emerged, surrounding the Sages in a semi-circle. The only escape was back out the entrance from where they came from.

  “Still got time for that leap over the mountain,” Arimus said. James shook his head.

  “At least one of us can joke in a time like this.”

  “Are you actually scared?”

  “That Quietus almost got me back there,” James huffed. “I barely sensed it.” />
  “Maybe these are more advanced. Either way, I’m not worried.”

  “No, me neither. Want to show them what they’re up against?”

  “After you.”

  James flashed his mentor a grin as a pillar of light shot down from the skies, engulfing him in its brilliance. A chorus of hisses pierced the air as he transformed his body. Within seconds, he once again donned his white hot Sage robe, its fabric glowing, and giving off light like a beacon, asking for all those nearby to witness his glory. It dared them to come closer, to draw nearer, and then to fall. Arimus followed suit. His pillar of light wasn’t as bright or as wide, but it did the job. A long, dark blue robe hung over him where hi cloak had once been, and his beard had suddenly gotten trimmed and cleaned. Standing back to back, the two Sages prepared for the battle, their victory all but certain.

  But the Quietus weren’t so drawn to the light. They hissed and bared their teeth, but they did little movement other than fidgeting.

  “We will not attack first,” Arimus said, gripping his eidolon tight. “For all we know, this could be the last group of Quietus in existence. If at all possible, we shouldn’t even harm one too severely.”

  “Right,” James said, still waiting for the assault. “COME ON!”

  “Is that what you truly want, Sage?” a voice cut through the air. The owner of the voice had not moved, so the Sages hadn’t detected anyone coming closer, but their senses were easily able to track the source. He stood from the bottom of the stairs that led to the castle.

  The mysterious Quietus shuddered as it was still on all fours, and then its tar skin began to recede, flowing upwards from his legs, up his back and then disappearing into the crown of his head, revealing the person underneath. The Quietus stood on its hind quarters until the reverse transformation was complete, losing its scythes, its long neck, and formidable, organic armor. Unintimidating and blinking rapidly through grey, listless eyes, the man sighed and took a weary step forward. His clothes were shredded and caked in mud. His pants had become shorts, and his feet were bare in the cold snow. Seeing him like that, James realized that it was probably more comfortable for him and the others to stay in full Quietus form. It was sure a lot warmer.