by Reiter
“The link has been established with the Phalmeen System,” a robed figure announced.
After a few sparks of light, a large portal formed in the center of the room... and three smaller portals formed along the wall of the chamber... but they were of a majikul origin and very much unexpected. Silvery lightning bolts arched out of each of the three additional portals striking those that stood closest, giving men – clad in gray body armour – a clear path to enter the chamber. The energy rifles they carried erupted in laser fire.
“We are besieged!” Quybron yelled, turning to step toward one of the portals, his palms pressed together until he completed the stride. His hands quickly parted and a Shield Spell was immediately released.
The protective construct had only half-formed when the first energy bolt struck. The shield finished forming and Quybron, along with the three administrators, were protected... at least from two of the three portals.
The third still possessed an open angle and it seemed that the attacker knew who to target first. Quybron was struck twice and driven to the floor. His armour had taken the brunt of the shots, and the man was still alive – still conscious, but seriously pressed. A flash of white light caused many in the room to scream from the pain of being blinded.
The projected hologram of the ceiling was deactivated. Valian and his retainers dropped down from the ceiling, firing their weapons in practiced patterns that made the ten people seem more like an entire platoon. Valian landed near the center of the chamber with two pistols drawn; Annodia landed behind him, also with two guns, and the two stood back to back. The other eight landed with two retainers dedicated to each quarter of the chamber. Valian and Annodia stood as back-up for half of the room; each only fired once to assist the dedicated fire team.
“Annodia, if you would be so kind,” Valian said calmly. “Team Four, go for grenades to the portals.”
Annodia woman dropped her guns, reaching to her back where she produced a small metallic cube. Depressing the only switch on the device, she threw it into the portal forming in the middle of the room.
Grenades were tossed into two portals just before all three portals closed, taking the men in gray armour with them. The portal in the center of the room began to flicker.
“We’re starting to lose the portal-lock!” one of the technicians cried.
“Booster is in the portal, Chief,” Annodia said into her comm-link. “Hit it now!”
“Counting down from five,” Sandra replied as flash of silvery light fired from inside the portal, giving it cohesion. “Four... three... two...”
Light of an electric bronze color erupted from inside the portal at the center of the room. When it faded, the portal also faded, but that only made it easier to see the Duke and Duchess. Vaiyorl was just closing his shoulder bag when the light of his MannA faded away. He looked around the room, seeing the wounded... and the dead... and set his eyes on Quybron who was being helped to his feet by Valian.
“Valian?!”
“Oh, hello there, Father,” Valian said, catching the eyes of the Head of Security. Quybron nodded, patting the young man on the arm. Only then did the young KnighT turn to face the Duke. “My apologies, Your Grace. We–”
“Embrace me, son,” Vaiyorl whispered, walking toward Valian with his arms wide open. The two locked arms around one another and for a moment they remained still.
Valian looked over Vaiyorl’s shoulder to see Guysorla approach. He patted Vaiyorl’s back and moved to meet the Duchess halfway.
“Are you alright, Your Grace?”
“I’m not sure,” she replied, looking at the form of the man she had raised in her home. “Are you going to eat me too? Just look at you! Where is the boy I left behind not that long ago?”
“I ate him first,” Valian replied and the two laughed as they hugged one another. “And you’re wearing new jewelry,” he noted, pulling away to take a closer look at the gold and leather bracer with a large garnet center stone. “This has a bit of feel to it.”
“To the survivor go the spoils,” Guysorla said with a smile. “The former owner was so pressed to give this to me, I decided to assist in her ambition.”
Valian stepped back and closed his eyes. He put his hand to his chest as his nostrils flared. “I have to remind myself that you are spoken for, milady.”
“Quybron?” Vaiyorl said, walking over the man. “How do you fare?”
“Burned, bumped, and bruised, Your Grace,” he reported. “But still alive, thanks to your Ward. He expected this attack... and he was in the ideal position to thwart it. He and his men rained in like Dreadnaughts. I don’t even think they had to contend with any return fire. All I can say for sure is the launch point for this attack was not aboard this platform.”
“How can you say that?”
“The grenades his people lobbed into the portals will have gone off by now,” Quybron explained. “... and I am not receiving any blast alarms anywhere else on the platform.”
“Is everything alright over here?” Valian asked, walking with Guysorla on his arm.
“You saved my life, young man,” Quybron spoke first. “I’ll not soon forget it.”
“You mean you won’t start being genuinely grateful until you rule out whether or not I staged the attack just to foil it,” Valian returned.
“Valian!” Guysorla exclaimed. “That’s not what we think at all.”
“That’s not what you think, Mother,” Valian said, without taking his eyes off of Quybron. “But Master Lotansheer here would be less than his station if he did not at least have the suspicion in his mind.”
“Just as any good KnighT of a standing House would suspect me for doing the same,” Quybron returned, matching Valian’s stare. “Let us both be diligent about our duty then.”
“Make no mistake, Lord Quybron. Diligence is merely the beginning!” Valian ushered Guysorla over to her husband and gave only a single hand signal before turning to leave the room. His retainers fell in behind him. They did not march, but it was easy to see they moved as one.
“You don’t really suspect Quybron, do you?” Annodia asked after she took her place at Valian’s side.
“Not for the first moment,” Valian replied. “The man has damn-near died for the Duke on more than one occasion... but I want him to be suspicious of me.”
“You do?!”
Valian nodded once as the doors closed behind the last of his people. “For this to work, he’ll need to be more than that!”
Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough.
Mary McLeod Bethune
(Rims Time: XI-4808.30)
It was a bright morning at the Jhormynn Estate. There was not a single cloud in the sky. Yorlson stood well behind Shonsatah and Pirion as they anxiously awaited the arrival of the transport. Fighters flew overhead first, followed by a gunship. All three children noticed the increased security, but only the younger two made any sign of recognizing it, and there was noticeable relief when the transport touched down.
The Duke and Duchess finally arrived, greeted by passionate embraces from the two youngest children followed by a formal greeting from their first-born and his entourage. While Guysorla appeared to be surprised by the reception Yorlson delivered, Vaiyorl took everything in stride, maintaining a smile. His visage remained pleasant as he was led from the landing pad into a reception Yorlson had arranged in the ballroom.
“And to think... we came home to get some rest,” Guysorla said softly as she waved at some of the cheering attendants.
“Mother, please,” Yorlson said, almost dismissively, “these are dignitaries of the Empire. The two of you have been to foreign lands, successfully representing the Empire, enduring attempts on your life! We do this for the Throne!”
Husband and wife exchanged looks with one another, but were distracted by a thunderclap that seemed to rattle the entire house. With most of the guests looking around, Vaiyorl suppressed a smile when he saw lightning strike t
he outside patio deck. Walking out of that flash of light was Valian, dressed in very formal attire that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight. He entered the ballroom and engaged the attendants of the affair with a bright smile and a bit of spectacle as he spoke.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he boomed, “... friends and family... honored guests... the Duke and Duchess Jhormynn present for your entertainment, a trek through a world fantastic!
“Now I know what you’re thinking,” Valian said softly as he split into three images of himself. In a room full of SpellCasteRs, he managed to still evoke gasps of astonishment. After all, all those sensitive to the flow of MannA had no warning of the performed feat; no Energies were detected. “... what can a simple Ward know of such things?! What if I were to tell you that is it not a Ward you are looking upon now? At least, not a simple one.
“Some of you know me through my time upon the Test Tower, oh so many years ago,” Valian said as each image slowly became the boy he was on that day. Then those three became nine, spreading out on the ballroom floor. “Yet much has changed since then, and so have I,” Valian returned to his age, but not before the nine became twenty-seven. “So have we all... but one thing remains constant: the light will always be alluring.” Each of the Valian images became a small point of light and ascended from the floor. “The light within us... the light around us... we are drawn to it, just as you are drawn to me!”
The points of light exploded, showering the guests with glitter and streamers and fireworks that tickled instead of burning. There was laughter and applause as Valian appeared in the middle of the ballroom floor after another burst of light.
“How is he doing that?!” one patron asked.
“All I know is that it isn’t MannA,” another stated.
“It’s too beautiful a day to spend inside,” Valian claimed, turning to face the doors he had entered through. “Come with me, good people. Follow the light!” Valian’s body exploded in a stream of light that extended to the doors, opening them when it reached the doorway, and then flashing out onto the property.
Running like delighted children, the attendees rushed out of the ballroom only to find a field of tents awaiting them. The carnival had come to the property, and every carnie wore a black bodysuit and either a comedy or tragedy theatre mask. The fire-swallower spat a column of flame up into the air. The cloud-dancer leapt through the column, tumbling toward the ground, but ascended just before reaching the grass.
Appearing behind Quybron, Valian clapped his hands down on the man’s shoulders and ducked when the Security Chief came around with a back-fist encased in MannA.
“Well swung, Lord Quybron,” Valian said with a bright smile as he walked toward the Duke and Duchess. “And there you are, you two.” He embraced them both and closed his eyes to feel their arms wrap around him.
“Valian, what have you done?” Guysorla asked.
“It’s quite obvious,” Vaiyorl said, taking his wife by the hand. “... he’s given us the means by which to make a very stately departure. Yorlson, this is your affair, I am sure you will see to it. Give our regards to our guests. Come along, my love.” The Duchess giggled as her husband quickly led her away from the greeting platform to the door leading to the corridor. She was still laughing when they reached the stairs leading to their bedchambers.
“Do you know what you have done?!” Yorlson spat, glaring at Valian.
“Why yes, I’ve given the people a real show to enjoy!” Valian replied. “Look at them, they’re loving it!”
Valian stepped closer to Yorlson and spoke in a softer tone. “But I have to inquire: if this was for the Duke, where was his constituency? I only saw one of his Barons... and of course there was True Lord H’Tanvor. But there do seem to be a number of people here who are some relation or connection to sitting members of the Imperial Council of the Mage.
“Such a stately soaring simpleton you are,” Valian chided, grasping Yorlson’s jacket, snatching his body as if it were a handkerchief.
Yorlson had never personally experienced such strength, and he had only once before known such fear as the sort that gripped him. On that day, Valian had been there to save him. Yorlson only managed an incoherent stammer but nothing else.
“You’re the son of a Duke!” Valian barked. “One who was appointed by and remains in the excessive graces of the Empress! Don’t you understand that those people should be clamoring after you?! Scraping to be in your favor?!” Valian put his other hand to the opposite lapel and lifted Yorlson from the floor. “They should be looking up to you! But you’ve given them nothing to see!”
Valian brought Yorlson down, testing the strength of his legs. Again he was found wanting as he stumbled to the floor. He shook with fright, looking at Valian who snorted in disgust looking down at the Duke’s Proxy.
“And now you have a working example of what I mean,” Valian grumbled, turning to leave the room. “Oh, and just to be sure... the reception was a good idea, socially speaking. But it showed a lack of consideration of our parents’ time, and it was poorly executed. If you had simply made the announcement of the affair and waited for the requests to attend, that would have been a successful manipulation of power.”
“Do you know what I will do to you for this?” Yorlson uttered, finally able to speak.
Valian stopped and turned to face him. “No... what? What will you try to do, Yorlson?
“You are the Duke’s Proxy and when he is away, you are the master of this house. But I am the Duke’s Ward and now I am also his KnighT... his first and only KnighT! Do you know what that entitles me to? Challenges! No matter what action you put into place, if it is against me or mine – and like it or not, you are one of mine – I have the right to challenge your policies, your authority and standing, even your existence if I see fit! So choose your champion, Brother, and let us see what fool volunteers to share your fate!
“I was a child when I bested the Test Tower, Yorlson,” Valian pressed. “I bested that tower and the fate you left me suffer. I was a child then, before becoming the Phytos of Ulreejun Jorkethian for five years. Do you have any idea what he taught me? There were people in this room who saw me disappear from sight, and all they could say was that it wasn’t MannA... and they were right! It wasn’t. But that is not the only power in this realm.
“Make your aspirations to MajiK, Yorlson,” Valian taunted. “Get in line with all the others who want so desperately to be a Master SpellCasteR. My Energy yearns to be with me!” he asserted as light flared in his eyes. He did not sustain it long, and his stance returned to a normal posture. “Imagine what woe I can heap upon you now.” Valiant walked out of the ballroom and into the corridor. He turned without stopping and headed for the double doors leading out, his head lowered as if he were brooding over something.
Over halfway down the corridor from the ballroom, Valian felt a presence, but he decided not to pay it any mind. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see a woman standing against the wall between a suit of armour and the bust of Guysorla’s grandfather.
“That was impressive,” Olpria Tunique said as Valian walked by. He stopped, brought his head up, and turned to look at the woman. She was tall, comely, and incredibly inviting. “You are a man who understands what it is to wield power.”
“Is that what I am?”
“At the very least,” she purred, smoothing the would-be wrinkles out of her form-fitting dress.
“And what are you?”
“I am Olpria,” she said with a slowly-forming smirk.
“That is a most peculiar name for an intoxicant,” Valian said, walking to the woman. She held out her hand for him to address, but he walked right by it, wrapping his right arm around her waist, lifting the woman up to her toes as he brought her close. Her left hand was on the side of his face, her right was placed on his chest as his lips descended to hers.
Olpria muffled a protest, but it was half-hearted at best, and only partially uttered as her hand moved to the back of his
head. She felt the hardness of his chest muscles and moaned as he pressed his mouth down on hers with more force. Their mouths only parted long enough for their lips to assume better positions. Olpria moaned again as she teased his tongue with her own. She opened her mouth to allow him entry and her hands fell to his shoulders, gripping at the clothing and the flesh underneath as he took her tongue into his mouth.
Valian put his left hand in the center of her back, his fingertips applying pressure to her back muscles and her spinal column. He kissed her more passionately as her hips undulated into his body. His hand then moved up her back to her shoulders where he applied pressure again. It was a short distance to her neck and the back of her head where he grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling her lips away from his. His mouth fell to her neck near her chest where he continued his oral assault.
“N-N-Not,” Olpria panted, feeling his mouth on her shoulder, her body totally under his control. “Not here.”
“Do you prefer it here?” he asked, kissing the side of her neck, moving slowly up to the side of her jaw. “Hmmm, such a unique taste!”
“And there is so much more to delight you, sire,” she panted.
“No, you misunderstand,” Valian said, stopping abruptly and stepping back from the woman. “I said a unique taste. I never said it was a good one. After I’ve had an opportunity to sample refuse, then I will have a better reference. Good day!”
Valian turned and walked for the doors to the manor. He was fairly impressed not to hear anything from the woman, even though her untrained mind told him everything she was thinking and feeling. He smiled as he started down the steps to the drive.
Kethgeegan drove up in a hover-car, wearing a very cross look on his face. It was a smile of pride mixed with a stare of fear. He removed his earpiece and started shaking his head.
“You’re late,” Valian noted.
“You’re fortunate I came at all,” Kethgeegan returned. “I have to tell you, I wasn’t sure that driving onto the property was going to be a good idea, self-preservation wise. What were you thinking when you said that bit about her being a unique taste?”
