by T. C. Edge
The pang of regret that hits me is brief, overcome as I think of my purpose here, my role as a soldier. I have to avoid thinking about the possible dead, the many innocent who may have been caught up so far in the violence. I just have to hope our estimations were right, that the part of the city we're targeting thus far has been evacuated.
It would be easier, I know, if I committed to that belief. Whether blinkered or not, I choose to do so.
As I stand in the open, however, regarding the distant plumes, I find my name being called from ahead. I turn up to see that it is Herald Avon, once more, beckoning me towards him as he did the previous evening. This time, however, rather than being at the base of the wall, I find him outside of the command centre.
I hurry towards him, combing my fingers through my hair as I go to neaten it up. Beyond, the door to the command centre lies open. I get the sense of figures gathered down the short corridor within. An impromptu meeting, by the looks of things, is being held.
With a slightly abbreviated morning greeting, Avon turns quickly as I prepare to ask him about the previous night's assault. He marches inside the structure, and I follow straight behind, my ears picking up the frenzied sound of voices as I go. There seems to be some tension, something important under dispute or debate.
I enter to discover that Herald Kovas is in his usual disgruntled form, directing his attentions, this time, upon the Overseer. He seems to be interrogating him over something, the rest gathered around at various perches within the room. As per last time, Gailen adopts his corner position, and Dianna sits upright at the table. And Elian...
Well, Elian, blessedly, isn't there.
"Well, how could they just...disappear!" I hear Kovas roar as I step, a little nervously, towards a seat. His eyes are squarely on the Overseer, his nostrils flaring like a bull. "You were the one who wished to keep them around for another night! Are you in league with these men or something? Have you taken pity on them during your....your sessions?!"
The Overseer stares directly at Herald Kovas, his expression suggesting that he's refusing to submit. Yes, Kovas is now the authority here, but the Overseer is a critical figure in Olympus. The Prime would not be happy to find out that he has suffered harm.
His visage says that, calm and assured, quite certain of his invulnerability here. He waits a moment for Kovas to quiet, before speaking in a respectful manner, hiding the indignation he must be feeling.
"I don't have the answers for you yet, Master Herald," he says. "However, I can assure you I will conduct an investigation immediately. The wild men were under limited watch and guard, as I myself discovered when I completed my final session with them. They may have somehow slipped their chains and gotten away. That area of the camp is sparsely populated."
"And the shield?" says Kovas, eyes still raging. "How could they possibly have circumvented the shield?"
"Again, I don't have the answers to that...yet," the Overseer goes on. "I will soon enough."
Finally, Herald Kovas appears to see me, turning his squat frame in my direction. As always, he looks at me with a frame of conflict, as though he'd like little more than to chuck me from the wall, but cannot yet bring himself to do so, potent weapon as I am.
"And you," he says, looking at me. His voice is a little calmer, though not much. "Do you have anything to say?"
I skip my eyes to the left and right, a movement to display my confusion. From what I've gathered, the captives managed to somehow escape last night, something he appears to be blaming on the Overseer, who might have been one of the last to see them.
"Say? About what?" I harden my voice a little bit, refusing, as the Overseer is, to have my integrity questioned. "You think I had something to do with...with whatever the hell happened?"
"You were quite direct in your feelings towards these wild men," Kovas says, his tone accusatory. "Perhaps you saw fit to set them free?"
I frown, looking at the others and laughing. "You really think I'd bother with that? Herald Avon will tell you, I was up on the wall until nightfall. Then I went straight to bed."
Kovas glances at Avon.
"It's true, Herald Kovas," says Avon. "Least, her presence at the wall. I cannot confirm the rest."
"Well I can," comes Dianna's sultry tones. "I saw Amber retire to Black Thunder as I made my way back to my own accommodations. She looked altogether exhausted. It wouldn't surprise me if she fell asleep right then and there, and slept right through the entire night."
I look at Dianna, who drops the most subtle of winks, her eyelid flicking down and up at tremendous speed.
Kovas watches on. I can't tell if he saw the gesture of not.
"And in any case, Herald Kovas," Dianna continues on, diverting attention away. "What exactly does it matter if a few barbarians escaped back into the woods. They are of no threat to us. It merely saves us the unpleasant business of, as you seemed quite adamant about yesterday, putting them down. Perhaps this is a good result, from a moral standpoint at least."
Kovas growls gently like some wild animal, turning his eyes from one to the next, Dianna, myself, and the Overseer coming in for particular attention.
"I don't know if you lot are up to something, but I'll have it stamped out right here and now," he says threateningly. "I saw you chatting out there yesterday, plotting something no doubt. I'll have to remind you that I am the Chief Herald of War. Nothing is done around here without my say so first."
"Yes, of course that is the case, Herald Kovas," says the Overseer, once more using his voice, his words, as a calming balm for Kovas's overheated head. "We did speak yesterday, but merely in reference to your plan here for the siege. We are, as yet, largely in the dark. Would it not serve us all to know what you're thinking with regards to defeating the Havenites?"
"You will learn of that at the right time," returns Kovas. "I have seen enough around here to doubt certain loyalties. I do not want my strategy spreading through whispering lips. Eventually, it might reach the wrong ears."
I see Dianna shaking her head lightly, the reaction of an exasperated woman.
"Good," Kovas says. "Now, we have seen a few problems overnight. Several of our sentry positions were attacked and tested, if only by small groups of enemy soldiers. I believe they are attempting to find any weak spots within our flanks, and get to know our own defensive capabilities."
His eyes drop to mine, staying there as he goes on. "Unfortunately," he says, almost intentionally slowly, "a number of our workers were killed during the raids."
His pursed lips flatten out.
Within my chest, my heart thuds harder.
Jude...
"More will," he continues, "be sent out, of course, to continue their work. After all, we have plenty of Fringers to spare here."
He looks at me again, a threat in his eyes. Does he know about Jude? Is he subtly threatening his life?
Suddenly, I feel the urge to leap up and rush from the room, hurry towards the Fringer camp to make sure that Jude is OK.
The Overseer, seemingly aware of my sudden panic, holds a look on his face that demands I turn to him. I do so, and in my mind I can hear his voice, coming to life like a light in the dark.
Jude is fine, he says in my head. Stay calm, don't worry. I spoke with his supervisor earlier this morning. He wasn't among those killed. He is fine, Amber, at least for now...
"And these raids?" comes Dianna's voice, drawing my eyes from the Overseer. I pant a breath, relieved, though frightened all the same. "Did they learn much? About weaknesses along our lines, perhaps?"
"Not as far as we can ascertain," says Kovas. "If anything, their probing has probably revealed the futility in trying to attack us here. Most of their attempts were spotted before they could get close, and they'll have tasted some of our energy-based technology, which is certainly a match, at least, for their own." He drops his eyes towards me once more. "The sites that were attacked only saw a few of our lowly Fringers lost. Of course, we don't want to lose good worker
s, but better them than our real soldiers, if it has to be one or the other."
My eyes begin to darken. Oh, he knows about Jude. This is a threat, a definite threat.
And there's only one person who might have told him.
Beneath the table, my fingers bunch into fists, flames licking the underside of the wood.
Damn you, Elian. Why...why would you tell him?
"Beyond these minor raids, however, and the...unfortunate," he growls, "business with the wild men, the night has been quite profitable. We have managed to bombard a large section of the outer city, causing a great deal of destruction. The walls...well, they are more sturdy, perhaps, than we'd realised, and will take some getting through. However, we have time on our side, and will persist. It may take a day, maybe three, but soon enough we'll make a more...firm statement of our intent."
"Well, at least that's something positive," says the Overseer. "I assure you, as I have said before, that I will get to the bottom of what happened with the wild men as soon as possible."
"Yes, well make sure you do," says Kovas curtly. "We cannot afford such slip-ups again, even if we are still just bedding in. There is no excuse. I want whoever is responsible brought before me immediately. Anyone who is found to have aided in the escape will be punished with the charge of death."
No one has any words of disagreement there. It seems a reasonable punishment for treason, if that is what has happened.
"Now, we have little more to cover, and I have plenty to be getting on..."
Kovas's words are cut short, interrupted by a sudden knock at the door behind me. We all turn as Kovas invites the newcomer in, and I find my eyes falling upon a man I recognise, one who served Perses before his fall. A senior commander among his troop, multi-gifted as most of them are.
"Yes, Captain Winters?" Kovas grunts. "What is it?"
"We have completed our recce, sir, around the western edge of the city. We found something of interest. He may prove useful."
Kovas frowns. "He?"
"Yes, Master Herald. We have another captive, perhaps one who may prove himself to be more...complaint, than the others. He's being ushered to the interrogation cells now, sir."
Kovas's ears prick up a bit, his eyes moving off towards the Overseer. "It seems we may require your assistance, Master Overseer," he says. "Your investigation can wait for now." He begins moving off towards the door, the Overseer following in his step. "The rest of you, continue your duties. And," Kovas grunts, stopping, eyes turning on me, "Herald Amber. I want you to continue training with Elian this afternoon. We need you both fit and firing in the days to come. You'll find him inside Worldshaker."
He disappears at that, sweeping off through the door with the Overseer in his wake.
And below the table, my fists coil harder.
95
My fist is flaming when it knocks on the door of Worldshaker, scorching the darkened wood with each new thud. I don't call out or say his name, thinking it might just put him off, too frightened to come out and face me. I just stand there, banging, waiting for the door to open.
Refusing, now that this confrontation has been ordered, to move away.
It takes a few long moments before it does so, the heavy wood creaking as it reveals the space beyond, partitioned as Black Thunder is, into separate rooms and spaces. It's dark as I look in, the figure ahead of me almost black within the gloomy space. I get a sense of cold spreading from him, the air frigid inside, his robes looking almost stiff, not flowing with their usual swagger.
We stare at one another, a moment that seems to last a lifetime. There are many things I want to say, so many things, right now, that I want to do. None of them are good. None of them he'll enjoy.
And...none of them actually happen.
Instead, I just stare for a moment, feeling particularly awkward, finding everything more confusing than anything else. So little he's done recently makes sense. One moment, we're as thick as thieves. And the next...it's as if I don't know him at all.
It's Elian who speaks eventually, sending out some frost on his breath.
"Herald Kovas wants us to train," he tells me. "I'm...guessing that's why you're here."
"Why else would I be here?" I ask bluntly.
He stares at me. He knows why.
"Krun's injured," I say. "Not sure who's going to be looking out for us."
"I heard," he grunts. "You, er, you went back out..."
"Yeah, I did," I say firmly. "I went back out, Elian."
He nods, lowering his head. "Yeah....that's, er, good. You did a good thing."
I stare at him as he stares at the ground. My heart races furiously, eyes damn well refusing to blink.
"I did a good thing?" I say. "I did a good thing..."
He mumbles something incoherent.
"What was that?" I puff. "Something about...an apology, maybe?" My chest begins to heave. A sheen of water begins to build over my eyes, that of anger and complete bewilderment. "About...leaving me...out there. About leaving..." My hands begin to shake, sparking to life. They illuminate the darkened space ahead, lighting up Elian within the shadows. His eyes are shrouded in heavy bags. His hair, his skin, everything about him seems dulled and dying.
I press my breath out once more, and shut my eyes to calm myself. "Why? Elian," I say, just about staying in control. "I know you're a good person. I just...I just need to know why."
Slowly, surely, his eyes lift up.
Theres's something in them, something new, breaking away the cast of rebuke and doubt and shame that seems to have filled him. Now, a flicker of that rage I saw that night returns. A memory surfacing, and bringing with it a dreadful memory of my own. Of Perses on his knees, hardly able to speak. Of Elian standing before him, lit by flames, roaring at the great man.
It is true...
"What do you think, Amber?" he growls now, finding his life, the cold surrounding him beginning to ignite and glow red. "You're smart. What do you think he did?"
Now, it's him who stares at me, something lighting again within those eyes. And mine...mine fall, committing to the role reversal.
I can think, as I did before, of only one thing. Only a profound loss would cause such anger and hate and resentment. Only something primal would have him behave so.
"Your...your father." I say. Somehow I know. I don't ask. I say.
His eyes fix, staring. "My father," he whispers, voice barely audible. "It was..." he pauses, drawing a breath, body stiffening. "It was Perses who killed my father."
The words, the revelation, comes as no real shock to me. It seemed the only logical thing, and yet the question still remains...just how did he hear of this?
Just how did he find out?
Oh, I think I already know.
"Herald Kovas told you?" I say. I nod before he has time to answer. I know it's the only way he might have found out. How he fell into shadow the more time he spent with the man. How Kovas smiled so slyly as Elian brooded and glowered, glaring at Perses with eyes that could kill.
Elian's eyes flash again in anger and defiance. "What does it matter?" he growls. "What does it matter how I found out?"
"Of course it matters, Elian," I say, trying to get him to see. "Have you seen what's going on now? Have you seen how Kovas has been. He..." I look around, my eyes checking to see no one is nearby. "He wanted to lead this army. He wanted...Perses dead."
"You can't make accusations like that, Amber," Elian growls. "It's madness, and it makes no sense."
He grabs my arm, pulling me inside Worldshaker, drawing me off into his side of the carriage. It's messy, frosted over in places. I look around and, suddenly, feel sorry for him.
This isn't him. None of this is him.
It's all...Kovas.
"Amber," he goes on, speaking with a little more volume now. "If you speak like that, Herald Kovas will have every right to throw you in the stockade, or worse. It's treason what you're saying. And it makes no sense at all!"
"It make
s perfect sense, Elian," I counter. "He...he's been undermining Perses all along. You've seen it. He's been in Perses's shadow, and he's had enough. This is exactly what he wanted."
Elian shakes his head, refusing to believe or give in. "It makes no sense, Amber," he says once more. "Think about it. How exactly would telling me help him? What, you think he wanted me to kill Perses..." He shakes his head, scoffing at the idea. "I wish..." he grumbles.
"You don't mean that, Elian," I implore.
"I do," he says, not relenting. "I'm sorry I left you out there alone, Amber, I really am. But I'm not sorry I left him. I enjoyed watching him die."
He darkens again, a shadow of frost seeming to creep up on him.
"Elian..."
"No, Amber, I mean it!" he says. "The man killed my father. What do you expect?"
"I expect you to be mature, to think...rationally." I take a breath, slightly doubting my next words. "If...if Perses did what you say, if that did happen, then he must have had a reason. And how can you even trust that Kovas is telling the truth!"
"I trust him with my life," Elian growls. "He told me what happened. He told me that Perses attacked my father when they were on a mission. He said...he said that he killed him in cold blood."
"Rubbish!" I say, my voice breaking free. "Why the hell would he do that?"
Elian stares at me, his eyes straining hard as a darkness once more consumes him. "You don't know anything, Amber," he says. "You think Perses was this great man, this great leader. Oh, he had a dark past of his own. He didn't like his rule being challenged. And one day, he went too far. And my father paid the price."
I look at him, wondering how he could be so completely brainwashed by Kovas.
Surely this isn't true? Surely it would take more for Perses to have committed such a crime.
