The First Five Days: of the Lionean Saga

by John O.

  Zach ventured in, “Only a being in flight could have achieved this exploit. Notice how smooth and high the palace walls are. They are virtually impossible to climb. The guards and Sentors are positioned in such a way that every single part of the palace is watched at all times. Only a significant diversion could have distracted the guards long enough for the assassin to go unnoticed; that is of course if the assassin was visible to the mere eye. Since no such diversion occurred, one must conclude that the assassin was indeed invisible.”

  “In addition, there are other clues,” Yosi continued, “Notice the marks on the left cheeks appear to have been made by long fingernails. The bruise marks on his wrists suggest his hands were pinned to the armrests by some means. It seems to me that the assassin must have descended from above, landing with his or her feet firmly placed over the Ishe’s hands, and effectively covering his mouth before striking him in the chest.”

  Zach added, “The speed and element of surprise would have given the Ishe little room to alert anyone. As such, he must have died without the opportunity to even gasp in surprise. His eyes however, reveal that whatever was happening shocked him beyond measure. This is consistent with the fact that he could not see whoever it was that took his life. The guards would also have been taken out easily, having not seen their attacker.”

  The Legator, while marveling at the in-depth analysis provided by the two men, struggled against his very being to accept what he had heard. The evidence in favor of non-natural means at play was indeed too strong to ignore. Another thing had also caught his attention. “Lord HN, I noticed you used the phrasing ‘his or her.’ Does the scratch by long fingernails lead you to believe the killer could have been a woman?”

  “That, together with other things,” The tone of HN’s voice evinced his reluctance to discuss what those ‘other things’ were. “Then again, the assassination could have also been executed by more than one person. Who knows?”

  Oracion clapped her hands in admiration. “I’m more than impressed!” she said to the Aishe.

  “What transpires?” he asked eagerly

  “This Yosi Sint and Zach Sen are formidable men; to think that I wasted my time in an attempt to throw them off. These men just figured out how I executed the Ishe.”

  The Aishe was thoughtful as he said, “Zach Sen. I keep forgetting that we also have him to contend with. He operates so silently that it can be quite easy to overlook just how dangerous he can be.”

  “It would seem so,” Oracion replied. “This ought to make life more interesting for me.”

  Aishe Thorne and his grandson, Joni Thorne walked into the room.

  “My grandson and I were returning to our province when a Sentor informed us of the Ishe’s assassination. How could this be?” The Aishe asked with a worried expression.

  Yosi detailed out the current theory that they had on how the assassination must have occurred. He concluded by saying, “I assume that the assassin’s reason for placing the bodies in this manner was to mislead us into thinking that he or she accessed the room through the door as opposed to the window. That way, the window would remain open for subsequent assassinations.”

  The Aishe was quite impressed by the HN’s analysis. “It is amazing how you figured all this out within a short time. The more pertinent question now is how we can find this invisible being.”

  “Indeed,” replied Yosi.

  “I also assume that the reason you keep referring to the perpetrator as he or she is because the possibility remains that a man disguised as a woman could have left those fingernail marks on purpose in order to throw us off,” reasoned the Aishe.

  “Exactly. Presumptuous conclusions would do us no good if we are to solve this mystery conclusively.”

  Zach Sen had made an important connection upon examining the knives. He immediately ventured the notion of discovery, “The knives look exactly like the ones used to kill my step-mother and sister. This might mean that the same assassin is being used consistently. Or could it be that the assassin is actually a lone wolf who is masterminding the whole plot? I very much doubt the latter, though.”

  “Let me see the knife,” the Aishe requested and examined the weapon upon receipt. “This knife comes from a collection of the first set of knives made in the factory instituted by my father. He had ten knives made for each Aishe as a gift. Each set has a unique serial number hidden in the handles. My father used to have a ledger which contained such details for accounting purposes. Perhaps when I am officially inaugurated, I will take the time to dig through the library for that ledger. It will prove useful in identifying the Aishe to which the knives belong. It will not necessarily help us identify the culprit, for the assassin may have furtively acquired the knives with a view to framing any one of us. But at least, it will be helpful in some way.”

  “That would prove to be an ineffectual quest, lord Aishe. For my father already had Ishe Fiten look for the ledger when his wife and daughter were killed. It was nowhere to be found,” replied Zach Sen.

  “Meanwhile,” Yosi interjected, “If you don’t mind, Aishe Thorne, I intend to make sure that window is blocked in my interim capacity as Ishe. The smaller windows allow in enough air for ventilation so as not to cause any undesirable side effects.”

  “Thank you but there’s no need for that. In fact, I will need no guard in this room, for I can take care of myself.”

  Everyone, including Joni Thorne and the Legator, looked incredulously at the Aishe.

  Defensively, the Aishe said, “I know you think it unwise but I am confident that if the HN does not arrest this mystery assassin, I will definitely capture him.”

  “Or her,” Joni added before saying, “Grandfather, It would do you no good to be unnecessarily exposed. Heed the HN’s advice at the very least.”

  “Do not worry. I’ll be fine,” the Aishe said in a resolute manner that brooked no dissent.

  “Lord Aishe, the Leade and I will be on our way,” Yosi announced before adding in a low tone to Zach, “I’m taking a detour towards the temple. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  “You and I will be working together in the coming days, Yosi Sint. Take good care, you two,” the Aishe replied.

  As he watched the two men leave, Joni Thorne said to the Aishe, “I think it would be best if I hand over to my assistant in order for me to serve you here as a bodyguard. With me present, we stand a better chance of apprehending this assassin.”

  “That won’t be necessary, Joni. Again, I can care for myself.”

  Joni was almost livid at what he thought was his grandfather’s intractable folly. Controlling his temper, he replied, “You think? Tell me, how do you plan to handle this alone when even HN Ruki Sen could not?”

  The Aishe smiled and said, “You already know that the only being I fear is the Almighty Spirit. This mysterious being is nothing in comparison. Think about this: why is it that the assassin decided to throw darts at HN Ruki as opposed to stabbing him with a knife as he or she did with Ishe Fiten? The answer is simple. He or she was afraid of the HN and, instead, preferred to attack from afar. While Ishe Fiten was himself a good fighter, the assassin leveraged the element of surprise in taking him out. Now that I am aware of his or her means of attack, the assassin will not be so lucky with me. Thus, I will allow myself to be bait for the creature, and ensure that this hunter becomes the hunted.”

  Joni smiled at the Aishe’s tenacity and thought to himself, Perhaps this sixty-eight year old man no longer holds on to life as we young ones do. However noble, if he has a death wish, I certainly would not sit by and allow it be granted.

  “Father. Allow me leave to rid Lionea of the next Ishe right now,” Oracion opened her eyes and said with a look of a woman scorned.

  “Now? What has he done?”

  “Nothing much, other than brag about how he will apprehend me. He needs to be taught a lesson as to who he is dealing with.”

  “Get a hold of yourself, Oracion,” the Aishe replied with a s
mile. “Our goal is to rule this Island, not destroy it. To kill Aishe Thorne now would be to invoke chaos that would quickly degenerate into full scale war. He will get what is coming to him when the time is right.”

  “As you wish, father. But tell me this, why does he think himself to be a match for one like me?”

  The Aishe laughed and said. “Pay Thorne no mind. When we were younger, he was quite skilled at martial arts, though he could never best Sen or Hart at a game of tag. I believe he is just trying to face his imminent death with confidence; for by now, he must know that his life is forfeit. Being as religious as he is, he must hope that the Almighty Spirit, a creation of my father, would be able to protect him.”

  “A creation of your father?!” Oracion exclaimed.

  The Aishe laughed again before replying, “Although you find it hard to believe, it is the truth I speak. The Almighty Spirit is an illusion created by my father to unite the people, both migrant and Icasa, under one religious umbrella. He did it to ensure no internal conflicts, as would be a result of different beliefs. The added benefit of keeping people upright due to the fear of the Spirit was also beneficial for governance. A smart man, that Hinary Rosento.”

  “Are you certain of this? I always understood that your father believed in no one god, until the Ispri had him build a temple after having received a vision to−”

  “Nonsense! That is nothing but a myth propagated by my father to lend more credence to his creation. I am certain he died a skeptic.”

  “Are you trying to say there are no spirits?” asked Oracion.

  “I am surprised to hear such a question from you, Oracion. How can I say such a thing when I know you possess the Rangelica? No. What I am saying is there is no supreme spirit that holds other spirits under its command. If there were, the earth would not be a battlefield. While it is unclear to me how this world came to be, it is evident that the struggle for supremacy exists amongst spirits as it exists amongst men. My father did a wonderful job and I would have done the same, were I in his shoes. After all, who cares if other people base their whole existence on a myth when it makes leading them so much easier?”

  Except for the Ispri, every other occupant of the temple was fast asleep. This was how the Ispri preferred it whenever he wished to pray through the night. With outstretched arms, he lay prostrate as he interceded for the safety and security of the Nation. A nagging feeling caused him to turn around and look towards the west entrance.

  “Goodness Yosi, how long have you been standing there?” the Ispri asked.

  “Around five minutes, I believe,” Yosi Sint replied and began to walk towards the Ispri. “The Ishe is dead in addition to the two guards that were with him.”

  Her dream is already coming to fruition, the Ispri thought with foreboding as he replied. “Heavens! When did this happen?”

  “Over an hour ago.”

  “Do you have any idea who might have killed them?”

  Yosi regarded the Ispri with a steely face as he replied, “The person was once again airborne.”

  For the first time since Prisca’s birth, the Ispri began to wonder whether he really knew her as he once thought. Did she really visit the Helesp as she claimed? If Yosi’s estimation was correct, it meant that there was indeed no alibi to support Prisca’s claim about her whereabouts. This isn’t good, he thought to himself.

  “Is there something you wish to tell me?” Yosi asked

  He speaks to me as though he has no trust in me. Is this an interrogation? the Ispri thought as he replied, “I was just thinking about how much more Prisca has become a suspect to you.”

  “Nothing would please me more if this was not the case. I believe she’s in your room as we speak.”

  “How…”

  “Because I can perceive the fragrance of Rosa Centifolia. Isn’t that the scent she usually wears? In addition, you kept looking askance towards your room as you contemplated in silence. So again, I ask; is there something you wish to tell me?”

  “You will speak to me with some respect, Yosi Sint! Has your brief stint as HN so intoxicated you that you forget your manners?”

  “Forgive me, father. I had no intention of coming off as rude. However, there are grave matters at hand and it befuddles me to think that you would withhold information that may prove vital. Please tell me what you know.”

  The Ispri sighed and began in low tones, “To be honest, I am just as confused. Prisca arrived this evening to inform me of a nightmare she had. As you may have heard, her dreams tend to come true and, as such, I thought it normal for her to come here right away as she did. Sadly, she predicted the death of the Ishe which has now come to pass. We talked about the dream for awhile amongst other things. After much talk, she informed me that she needed to see you to discuss another matter. I warned her that she could not afford to be seen visiting you at such an unseemly hour and she decided to use her invisible form. About an hour later, she came back in tears, informing me that the visit did not go as planned. Apparently, Sly was able to see her and this set her off balance. She eventually located your room, only to overhear you and Zach Sen discussing about her as though she was the mysterious assassin responsible for HN Ruki’s death. You eventually threw a knife which almost struck her as she fled. However, I am no longer certain she visited the Helesp as she claims. Did any such discussion about Sly ever happen between you and Zach?”

  “Yes. Sly saw her and I perceived her scent towards my window, which caused me to launch the knife. What remains uncertain is whether she returned to the temple immediately, or stopped by to assassinate the Ishe on her way. From the looks of things, the Ishe was killed swiftly and, as such, it would not be far-fetched for Prisca to have executed this plan and still make it back to you in time.”

  The Ispri’s countenance betrayed the complex feelings he contended with. The idea of Prisca being capable of all those murders unsettled him. At the same time, he felt some anger at the thought of Prisca deceiving him all this while. Then there was guilt; guilt that he did not trust her enough as he should, especially as it was not yet certain if she was truly the assassin.

  Yosi realized what the Ispri must be dealing with and said in an attempt to alleviate his suffering, “It is also possible that she is not responsible. After all, she’s not the first to have unnatural abilities. There is you, Sly, and even Rahel. There are many who also believe my speed belongs in that category. Hence, there is no telling whether or not someone else, or even many others, have her exact abilities. Meanwhile, will you tell me of her dream? I wish to know, in case some clues lie therein.”

  The Ispri hesitated slightly before proceeding to recount her dream as he had understood it.

  When he was finished, Yosi said nothing and asked instead, “Why did Prisca insist on visiting me at that hour?”

  “Oh. She thought her visit may convince you of her innocence.”

  “But how did she know that I considered her a suspect?”

  The Ispri replied apologetically, “I told her. I also told her of how you came to know.”

  Yosi was beginning to consider the possibility that Prisca had not dreamed, but was instead informing the Ispri of her plans. Did she plan to hurt his family? Why would his father stand in a pool of blood claiming to have lost everything? Is she trying to warn me through the Ispri, that she would stop at nothing, including killing me, if I stood in her way?

  The Ispri misconstrued Yosi’s silence for anger and as such began to explain himself, “I apologize for telling her; she claimed to be in love with you and I did not want her to worry in case you acted strangely. In retrospect, however, it is possible that she only manipulated me into revealing things about you.”

  “It would be a pity if this were the case.”

  “I agree. Tell me, Yosi, what will you do, if beyond reasonable doubt, she turns out to be the assassin?”

  Yosi Sint fell silent as he considered the possibility. After waiting for what he felt was too long, the Ispri commented, �
�I am a bit surprised. This is the first time I have seen you come up short to a question before you.”

  “I know. The law requires execution of all murderers. I have never executed a woman before and I do not believe I can… especially one as beautiful as the Ispris. It is one of the many flaws which make me unfit for this office.”

  “Nonsense! No man is perfect, and you have been chosen for a reason. Making difficult choices is a natural aspect of your job. It is only normal to hesitate in the face of such. Just remember that it is your duty to do what is right at all times. Difficult as it may be, you must try to follow this advice.”

  Yosi smiled and thanked the fatherly priest before asking, “When will the Ispris return to her residence?”

  “On the morrow I believe. She will probably depart at dawn.”

  Yosi considered it for a brief moment before deciding to use the opportunity to seek the Ispri’s advice on another matter.

  “Earlier today, I contemplated speaking with the Ishe to grant the Foté Merchants’ guild audience on an economic issue. Now that I am acting in that capacity, perhaps I can use the opportunity to speak with guild directly?”

  “Since when did the HN become interested in such matters? Wouldn’t it be seen as overstepping the boundaries of your office?”

  “I am not really interested in whether or not they commence trade with Wesoa. I only want to use it as a means to appease the province. I have filled the Leade position Jetsi left behind. With nothing else to leverage, it may be wise to utilize this opportunity. The last thing we need is a province feeling ostracized.”

  “You’ve chosen another Leade?”

  “A boy named Rensy Set of the Even Province.”

  “I see. If nothing is done for the Foté Province, they would most certainly feel excluded. You are a smart man, Yosi. I believe you should do what you must.”

  Sighing, Yosi decided it was time to return to the Helesp. He would make better decisions in the morning, he reasoned. With that, he bade the Ispri farewell and made his way out of the temple.