by Andrew Rowe
The swordsman lowered his eyes, turning his head away. “You’re…you’re right, of course. I’m sorry. I miss Garrick, too. I just – I need to do something. Every day we wait, the chances of catching Sterling diminish.”
Nakane refilled her glass of wine, passing the bottle back to Landen. “I agree with the shockingly overconfident swordsman. Steps should be taken to apprehend this ‘Sterling’.” She turned her head to Lydia. “Major Hastings, would you be willing to put together a force to find the Vae’kes?”
Lydia nodded. “I will speak to my superiors about it. It’s more likely now that he’s killed one of our own, but I can’t promise an army. This will most likely have to be a discrete affair – one does not hunt the child of a god without significant political dangers.”
Nakane sipped at her drink and set it back down. “Is there any precedent for this sort of affair?”
“Not that I know of.” Lydia adjusted her glasses, a thoughtful expression on her face. “The Vae’kes are typically left to their own devices, as much as we might dislike them. I’m not aware of one of them ever killing a paladin before, however.”
Jonan looked to Nakane, then to Lydia. “I need to advise you against this. The Vae’kes are used to acting with impunity for a reason – they are nigh unstoppable. And that’s not even taking the possibility of war into consideration.”
Nakane turned toward Jonan, liquid swishing in her half-full glass. “And what would you suggest, Master Kestrian? Shall we allow one of my brother’s killers to go free, fearing the consequences of pursuing him?”
Jonan winced. “Give me some time to consider the matter. Perhaps I could speak to one of the other Vae’kes and find some leverage.”
“We do not have the luxury of delaying much longer. Without evidence, Torian will go free. I will not allow that.” Nakane set her glass down, standing and turning to Lydia. “Major Hastings, I will look forward to hearing the results of your inquiry with your superiors.”
The last child of House Theas turned back toward Jonan. “Speak to your other Vae’kes if you must – but I would be more interested in seeing results with Torian. If his daughter can be swayed to speak against him, perhaps there is hope for resolving that matter before we find the Vae’kes.” She lifted a hand and left it hovering in the air near Landen. “Come, cousin. Escort me home.”
Landen rolled his eyes, setting down his glass. “Right, Nakane.” He stood, taking her hand, and began to walk her out of the room. He glanced back toward the blonde woman on the way out. “Don’t do anything stupid without me.”
Silk smiled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
***
Jonan found Rialla at Southway Manor, just as he had expected. He had not expected to find her with company. Liarra Dianis sat across from her sister at a small table, sipping a cup of tea. A hint of sadness pulled at the corners of her eyes.
Rialla had a book open in front of her, but she turned and stood as Jonan approached. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here for a while.”
“Nakane should be relatively safe with her cousin for the time being. I need to speak to you about the trial. Can we talk privately?”
Rialla glanced at Liarra, who remained seated. “Anything you want to say to me you can say around my sister.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea.”
Liarra set her cup of tea down, waving a hand. “It’s alright. I won’t be offended if you need some privacy.”
“No, I think you should hear this.” Rialla folded her arms. “It’s alright. I’ve told her everything.”
Everything? He felt a momentary surge of panic. What does everything entail?
Jonan took a deep breath, unconsciously lifting two fingers to his forehead. “Right, right. I’ll be succinct, then. Your father was, at a minimum, most likely involved in coercing Nedelya Theas into suicide. Given that he also manipulated the poison in my arm before Liarra treated it – and thank you very much for that, by the way – I feel it’s safe to say he was also attempting to conceal evidence of a connection with Kalsiris’ murder.”
“You’re…welcome.” Liarra turned her head away meekly.
Rialla nodded. “Yes, you’re probably right. And I suppose you’d also want to mention that Liarra and I are both going to be suspects if Father goes free.”
“Precisely. You had a chance to interrogate one of the people attacking the compound – you have evidence none of the rest of us do. Moreover, if you chose to speak about your brother—”
“No. I will not bring Elias into this, and I do not believe I will be addressing the court at all.” Rialla looked at her sister. “I have only just regained some semblance of my family; I won’t risk it again so soon.”
“Inaction itself is a risk. What precisely do you expect to happen if Torian is set free?”
Liarra turned to look at Jonan directly, her voice faint. “We will leave.”
Jonan tensed his jaw in frustration. “That will make you look like criminals.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have places I can go, as I’m sure you’re aware.” Rialla shook her head.
“Would you allow your father to walk free, even knowing what he has done?”
Liarra stood, moving to Rialla’s side. “He is right, sister. If we do nothing, we will bear the guilt for the remainder of our lives.” She turned her gaze to Jonan. “I will speak to the court.”
Rialla shook her head fervently, taking her sister’s hands. “No, no. You would make yourself a target. You must not do this.” She turned her gaze toward Jonan. “Give us time to think on this. I will not leave the city without informing you first, I swear to that.”
Jonan nodded, his expression grim. “Very well. I will leave you to consider it.”
The scribe’s arm throbbed with inner pain as he marched out of the manor into the chilling air outside.
Chapter XXV – Taelien VI – The Edges of Friendship
Taelien knelt upon a stone floor, the Sae’kes sheathed at his side, encircled by a ring of an unfamiliar black powder.
Around the circle were three figures, each holding a lit torch and wearing the robes of the priesthood of Xerasilis.
This particular inquest was being held in an amphitheater beneath the open sky. Among the two rows of seats were a dozen paladins from varying branches of the order, each in full uniform. Lydia was not among them – her injuries prohibited her presence.
Behind the two rows of seats stood three familiar figures - Colonel Wyndam, Lieutenant Morris, and Second Lieutenant Banks.
He had pictured a gathering of this kind many times, envisioning it as his initiation into the Paladins of Tae’os. But this was not an initiation – this was just his own part in the trial for the murder of a fallen friend.
One of the three priests stepped away from the circle, raising the torch with both hands.
“Applicant Salaris, you have been called to speak in the service of the laws of gods and men. Bound in the flames of purity, you must speak the truth, lest they consume you.”
Taelien knew the words to speak for this particular ritual. “Bound in the flames of purity, I will speak only the truth. Let Xerasilis render his judgment upon me.”
“Then, by the flames be judged.”
Taelien took a deep breath as the speaker stepped forward, lowering his ring to powder. There was a flash of yellow-blue light as the powder sparked to life, spreading quickly into a conflagration that enveloped the air around him. The flames were only a few feet high, but in his kneeling state, they came to the level of his neck.
The ring of fire glowed blue, bathing him in warmth, but the flames did not burn his skin.
I don’t sense them as flames, he realized as the fire licked close to his skin. They’re not ordinary fire – not even ordinary sorcerous fire. They feel more similar to what Edon used, but still different somehow.
He reached out instinctively with his mind, but the flames remained foreign, distant, and beyond his immediate c
ontrol. If the blaze turned inward, he knew he would have no defense.
Colonel Wyndham stepped down from her position near the top of the amphitheater, approaching the ring. “Applicant Salaris, please describe in your own words the events leading to the deaths of Applicant Laurent, Applicant Merrick, and Lieutenant Torrent.”
Taelien raised his head to look directly at the colonel – not out of arrogance, but out of respect. “Colonel, I can only give honest testimony to what I directly witnessed, and I did not directly witness any of their deaths. My group arrived at the Shrine of Lissari to find Applicants Laurent and Merrick already deceased. Applicant Sterling appeared to be wounded, but alive. Applicant Eridus also appeared deceased.”
“How did you determine that Applicant Eridus was deceased?”
Taelien grunted. “He was lying in a prone position like the other deceased applicants. Applicant Sterling told us a story of how Eridus had died, and we took him at his word.”
“Continue.”
“Applicant Sterling convinced us that he had been attacked only minutes before. We believed this story, and wishing to apprehend the people who had murdered the other applicants, we split our group.”
“Under what authority did you break from your training procedures to split your group and attempt to apprehend these supposed murderers?”
Well, Velas, technically, but… “Our group acted on our own authority.”
The flames seemed to burn somewhat warmer around him, but did not yet singe his flesh. He felt a bead of sweat drip down his forehead.
“Proceed to explain the events following that.”
“Velas and Landen chose to stay behind to assist Applicant Sterling. Applicant Velas had the best medical skills, and thus the best chance of saving Sterling’s life. Applicant Landen has superior archery skills, and thus had the best chance of providing Velas with cover fire if the assailants returned. Asphodel and I went to follow the presumed trails of our enemies.”
“At which point you split again, correct?”
Taelien nodded. “Yes. Applicant Asphodel’s divination abilities indicated to her that the enemy path diverged. She intended to catch Applicant Crimson, while I went to capture the Wandering War.”
“You state that your goal was ‘capture.’ Your intent was to arrest these enemies, then, and not take revenge for your fallen enemies?”
Taelien nodded. “Yes, although I was prepared to use lethal force in my own defense if necessary.”
“Very well. Continue.”
The flames seemed to sink somewhat, and he felt his words coming easier. “I confronted the Wandering War. I was outmatched at first. He demonstrated the ability to copy other forms of sorcery he had witnessed, including a version of Keldyn’s Bladecalling, at which point I discerned that he was most likely a Harvester of War.”
A murmur went through the crowd. Colonel Wyndam raised a fist, bringing silence to the paladins behind her.
“A Harvester of War. I will be interested in hearing more on this subject at a later time, but for the moment, explain how you survived this encounter.”
“I severed the bond between master and servant.”
The colonel folded her arms, quirking an eyebrow. “You severed a metaphorical bond with a physical attack?”
“During our battle, I began to sense a connection between the Wandering War. When he removed his cowl, I noted a Dominion Mark on his forehead. I was able to use the Sae’kes to destroy that mark. The effect on him was immediate – he ceased fighting, screamed, and fell to the ground. After a few tense moments, he righted himself, laughing, and thanked me for his freedom.”
The colonel took a breath, turning to look at the other officers. Lieutenant Banks made a few quick hand signs that Taelien didn’t recognize and then nodded his head. The colonel turned back to Taelien.
“And what followed that event?”
“While I was tending my own injuries, Lieutenant Torrent teleported nearby. He looked surprised to see the Wandering War helping me, and informed us that Velas and Landen were under attack. War and I quickly readied ourselves, and Torrent teleported us to concealed positions near to the battle. War and I moved to engage from flanking positions while Torrent teleported directly back into the fray. I moved slowly due to my leg injury. By the time I reached the battlefield, Torrent had been slain.”
“By Jonathan Sterling?”
Taelien nodded. “I did not see it happen directly, but I arrived quickly thereafter, and I trust the words of the survivors.”
“Would it not have been possible that the Wandering War could have slain Lieutenant Torrent?”
Taelien frowned. “I would find that highly unlikely. Landen and Velas saw –”
“Please only take your own perspective into account.”
The swordsman took another breath. “It would have been possible for the Wandering War to attack Torrent from behind and harm him, but I find it unlikely, given how quickly I arrived at the scene thereafter and how Sterling reacted to the Wandering War’s presence. Moreover, the Wandering War’s behavioral changes after I freed him indicated –”
“By your own admission, you freed an entity connected to the Dominion of War from external control. Do you believe you have a sufficient understanding of such entities to judge their motives in the midst of an ongoing battle?”
“No – not specifically, no, Colonel.”
The colonel turned and began to pace around the circle of flame. “You stated that Applicants Laurent and Merrick were deceased prior to your arrival at the shrine. Did you personally validate this?”
He turned to follow the colonel as best he could without standing. “No, Colonel, I only saw them on the floor of the cave from a distance.”
“I believe that concludes this line of questioning.” She turned to the other officers. “Lieutenants, do you have any other questions for the applicant?”
“No, ma’am,” they replied in unison.
“Very well.” The colonel turned to the priests. “Judges, this candidate has concluded his testimony. How does Xerasilis render his judgment upon him?”
One of the other priests spoke from behind Taelien, “The darkness of concealment was upon one of his answers, however, Xerasilis judged his words to be in defense of another. He did not breach the oaths of the faith, though he should spend some time in contemplation of this hint of shadow.”
The colonel gave the priest a curt nod. “That is sufficient. You may release him from the flames of judgment.”
The priests lowered their torches to the flame – and the fire escaped the circle, traveling to relight the three torches.
The first of the priests spoke again. “In the name of Xerasilis, I declare you purified, and your words to be truly spoken. You may rise, Applicant Taelien, and return to your fellows.”
Taelien rose on wobbling feet, turning to salute the colonel.
Colonel Wyndam returned his salute. “Applicant Taelien, you are dismissed.” She turned toward the lieutenants. “Bring me the next one.”
***
The Wandering War’s cell was not what Taelien had envisioned.
Grey stone walls surrounded the chamber on all sides – there were no doors, no windows, and no other forms of physical entry or exit. The air inside smelled fresh, indicating the paladins had a sorcerous method of circulating the habitat’s air supply.
The chamber was the size of a large bedroom, though there was no bed within – merely a single prisoner at the center, and a pile of books adjacent to a plate of uneaten food and a jug of liquid.
Lieutenant Holder, a younger Paladin of Sytira with prematurely greying hair, released his grip on Taelien’s wrist as the disorientation from their teleportation faded. Lydia was at his opposite side, leaning heavily on a wooden staff. Her injured leg was still splinted and wrapped in bandages, but she had recovered enough to leave her bed in the three days since Taelien had played his part in the trial.
The copper-skinned warrior sat cros
s-legged with a book in his lap, surrounded on all sides by layers of wards etched into the floor and ceilings. The walls of the rooms were similarly warded, although with different symbols. Taelien recognized some from a variety of different languages, including his native Sae’li.
The Wandering War was dressed in simple country clothes – a grey shirt and pants – with no shroud to cover the scar that ran across his forehead.
War set the book aside, looking up and turning his gaze directly toward Taelien. “Ah, I have been requesting your presence for days now. Have you recovered?”
Taelien considered the question, folding his arms. “For the most part.”
The Wandering War stood. “Excellent. Shall we begin immediately?”
Lydia gave Taelien a glance that spoke of clear disapproval. Lieutenant Holder was already reaching for his sword.
“That isn’t why I’m here today.” He folded his hands in front of him. “I was hoping you would be willing to answer some questions for my friends and me.”
The copper skinned man tilted his head to the side, and then stepped closer to Lieutenant Holder. When War impacted an invisible barrier, he paused, sniffing at the air. “This one wishes violence toward me. Permit it and I will answer your questions.”
Lydia took a step forward, motioning for Holder to move back. He quickly acquiesced, putting his back to the wall of the room. “I…is this safe?”
The sorceress calmly put a hand up against the barrier. “Dominion of Protection, reinforce this barrier.”
A flash of light illuminated a cube-shaped barrier that enveloped the inner portion of the room.
The Wandering War smiled. “An excellent preparation, given my tone. Good.”
Lydia frowned, her eyes fluttering as she stepped backward. Taelien stepped close, taking her arm to steady her. “You all right?”
“I’m… I am fine. That spell took more out of me than it should have.”
War tapped a finger against the newly-reinforced barrier. “Ah, still suffering from the touch of the Vae’kes? Lacking in the strength to fight as you once did? I could be persuaded to help you with that problem.”
