by Jarod Meyer
The hall spanned above and around him, larger than almost every other single chamber in Valhalla. It was a place of feasting and celebration, where depictions of Archonia’s mightiest heroes adorned the walls. The space made him feel horribly small, and with the monumental task of investigating Meredox’s corruption looming like a mountain of stone above him, that wasn’t a good thing.
Samuel and Ulifrig sat on either side of him, eating their breakfast. William barely touched his food. Most of it was far too rich for a simple breakfast. He looked over the many platters laid out on the hall’s table. It was covered in herb-butter marinated swan, suckling pig broiled with garlic cloves, crepes stuffed with fresh fruit and butter and sugar glazed pastries of every kind. He would have given anything for a simple sausage biscuit. Instead, he listlessly picked over some of the entrees, before finally getting up and leaving.
Juarez and Katrina were lost in the newfound glory and daily tasks of being Guardians, and for the most part, avoid William’s and his mission. He wondered if they thought he would pursue it, find no evidence, and hopefully, move on. This thought annoyed him, and instead of driving himself to anger, he decided not to now dwell on it. He needed to act.
William politely took his leave from the hall and made his way towards the Adjudicator’s wing. It was effectively cut off from the rest of the castle, accessible by a single door on the fourth floor.
“What knowledge do you seek in the hall of the Adjudicator?” asked a man, standing before the massive set of double doors.
The doors were clad in gold with detailed, purple engravings spanning their impressive height above the man stood an inscription, just as on the Guardian’s door. It read: Only the wise may enter.
William spoke with confidence. “I am here to study the laws of Archonia. I have a writ of passage from Achilles himself, stating that I may do so with an escort, so I do not disturb the initiates in training.”
The Adjudicator took the writ, and smiled.
“Very well, tainted one. You may enter,” he said, before floating out of the way and gesturing towards the door.
A hiccup marred William’s step. Perhaps this door was like the Guardian’s door. Powerful forces had barred him entry until he’d passed his initiation.
Only the wise, William thought, and pushed on the doors.
Thankfully, the doors swung open easily He turned and smiled at the guard, who threw him a scowl.
“It appears you’re worthy, tainted one. I shall send for an escort,” he spat, before lifting a hand and losing a beam light down the long hall. A woman appeared a few moments later, wearing very simple robes of green and gold. He hair was a nest of tangles and she had somewhat of a crazy look in her violet eyes.
“Hello, tainted one. May I have your writ of passage?” she asked, politely.
“I have a name,” William said as he handed her the scroll. Their refusal to use his name was seriously starting to aggravate him.
“Forgive me, William,” she said, looking over the writ. “I have heard only rumor about you, and was under the impression that is what they refer to you as. I am Sylvia.” She gave William a genuine smile and curtseyed.
She led William down a hall and into a very large room filled with more books than William had ever seen stone shelves two stories high lined the walls, holding what he believed to be millions of books. Fresh new murals covered the walls, while statues of famous Adjudicators bracketed each groups of the shelving. An aisle separated the sides of the room from the rows of tables, where many people you people were already hard at work poring over mounds of books and scrolls. Most stopped, turning to look at him in wonder.
I must look like some kind of freak to them, he thought.
“Do I have something on my face?” William asked a man nearby, who openly stared at him with no discretion.
The man flinched, looked embarrassed, and went back to his studies.
“What is it that you wish to study, Guardian?” Sylvia asked.
“Well, Sylvia,” William began, slowly, “I think, and lord Achilles agreed, that the Guardians need to learn more about their jurisdiction when it comes to protecting Archonia.”
“Of course, dear William,” she said as she swept over to a book case. “This section is devoted to jurisdictional grievances brought before the Synod throughout Archonian history. It is quite a fascinating subject.”
“I’m sure it is,” William responded, sarcastically.
“I will leave you to your studies then. I do advise that you to stay in the library wing. The rest of the hall is forbidden to you,” she said, her voice small and squeaky.
William’s eyes got very wide in disbelief as she explained the obvious.
“Thank you, Sylvia,” he said as if speaking to a young child.
William spent his entire day poring over books written by Meredox himself. Evidently he had served as a Grand Justicar for four hundred and fifty years, before that a Justicar for three hundred, and also a judge. And most judges of the age had never seen any real combat since the obelisks had been created. William continued reading engrossed in the tales about Meredox. He found a memo amongst the pages written by none other than his history professor Laurence Echard.
A bill came before the Synod to invade hell and bring a group of fallen Archonians to justice. Before he had become an Adjudicator, Meredox and his brother had lived in Archonia in peace. This was at a time before the rigid rules quit letting every soul pass into this land. You see, not all people who are welcomed here stay. Some went bad. Perhaps they got bored or tired, but they fell into darkness, and brought sorrow to many.
One of these was Meredox’s brother Luxor. Meredox vowed he would bring his brother to justice, and so took the path of the soldier. The Synod saw fit to send Meredox, and a group of the finest warriors to hell to destroy these fallen Archonians. The warriors were obliterated. Only Meredox made it back, barely alive. To this day the Grand Justicar would not say what they had faced in Dichonia. He only saw fit to propose the creation of the Guardian Corps to create a more fearsome soldier to battle the forces of hell should they ever break through.
Laurence Echard of Helios
That treacherous bastard, William thought to himself, slamming his fist on the table and leaving a crater in the stone tabletop. Clearly Meredox had led his fellow Archonian Soldiers into a trap. There is no way he would kill his own brother.
Some adjudicators looked at him in surprise and annoyance, and he slowly covered the dent in the table with a book. William could no longer focus on the books, so he got up, and decided to look around the hall he put his books away, before heading towards an exit as casually as he could. He thought he was home free when he had passed out of the hall, but his hope died away quickly as he rounded a corner
“Tainted one,” Meredox said his voice smooth and quiet. “What in the name of the gods are you doing here?”
“My lord,” William said, bowing low, and saluting with one fist over his chest. He knew that he had to treat his superiors with the utmost respect, especially after his outburst at the ceremony. “I have a writ of passage to study in the Adjudicator’s library.”
“Yes, Sylvia told me, however, the library is not here,” Meredox said, his face not betraying any emotion.
“My lord I…” William began, but Meredox cut him off.
“Curiosity is not a sin, tainted one. Come with me,” he said, walking past him.
William followed the Grand Justicar warily. He knew he was in no place to refuse.
“How fares your training, young Guardian?” Meredox asked calmly.
He caught William off guard, who simply said, “fine my lord,” and paused.
“It’s very interesting…the words you speak, and the way you say them,” Meredox said, walking steadily down winding halls.
William was trying to memorize every passage, but there were so many, and they all looked so similar.
“The era from which you hail must be very interestin
g as well,” Meredox continued.
“No one should ever have to live where I’m from,” William replied bitterly, shaking his head.
“Yes, I saw a glimpse of this life at the trial, all those many months ago. We all saw the suffering you endured,” the Grand Justicar said, not flinching.
They came to a stop in front of a small set of doors. He opened them, light flooding the already lit hallway.
“These are my private quarters,” Meredox said. “Please come in.”
William struggled to hide his shock, but also his nervousness.
That was easy, he thought. I found his private quarters.
The rooms appeared to be very decadently appointed. Rich tapestry hung from the walls, while bookshelves lined with trinkets and treasures took up the remaining space. It felt very warm and inviting compared to the vast, dark halls of Valhalla.
“These are fine quarters, sir,” William said.
“Thank you. Perhaps one day you will have your own quarters,” Meredox said, turning to a bookshelf. “But I didn’t bring you here for idle chatter, tainted one. I would like you to answer my original question. Why are you here? What are you seeking in the library of the Adjudicators?” he asked, not looking at William.
A long moment of silence passed, and Meredox began looking for something on his shelves.
“I wanted to learn more about Archonia, specifically the Adjudicators,” William said, skirting the truth but avoiding an outright lie.
“Do you know that I have a gift, young one?” Meredox asked, casually.
“No,” William said slowly.
“Yes. It is rather useful. You see, I can tell if someone is lying. I have had centuries of practice. All the human signs, the tells, are on your body right now. You still lack the discipline to mask them. The tension that is in your body shows in your muscles, while the sudden flush of blood in your face betrays you. Even if they weren’t so painstakingly represented, I can see inside you. I can see your soul, and do you know what I see?” he asked.
William fought the urge to turn and flee, keeping his face emotionless and resisting the impulse to make eye contact with Meredox, even when the man got right in his face. The tension was staggering, and William’s heart could barely handle it. His thoughts screamed move! Act! But he used every ounce of determination to resist.
“I came here to learn more about you,” William said, letting his gaze slide up to Meredox’s eyes. Meredox smiled and stepped back.
“I do not trust you, tainted one. Twice today you have been very close to lying to me. Do you know the punishment for lying?” he asked.
William shrugged. As he did, Meredox produced a long metal object from a case.
“We mark you as a liar,” the Justicar said, brandishing the metal rod in the air, before pressing it into his own skin. He screwed up his face in mock pain.
So, it’s a branding iron.
William didn’t flinch, nor would he speak and incriminate himself. Meredox studied him closely, waiting for a reaction. Finally, he took a step back and continued.
“You’re doing well, tainted one, but know this. If you ever even think about breaking our laws, I will be there, and rain down swift retribution. Now go,” he said, turning and placing the iron back in its case.
William saluted, bowed, and exited the chambers. Sylvia appeared out of thin air as soon as he stepped into the hall. She quietly escorted him to the entrance of the hall.
* * *
The whole encounter had left William exhausted. Yet he was eager to tell his friends the news. He raced outside to the training grounds, where he knew Katrina and Juarez would be. They were sparring, and from the looks of it Katrina was winning.
“I have you again,” she said triumphantly, pinning Juarez to the ground.
“Guys!” William shouted.
The two turned, looking at him in surprise.
“I have news.” He then proceeded to tell them all that had occurred in the hall of the Adjudicators.
“I can’t believe it. I didn’t know anyone could even pass through the barrier between Archonia and Dichonia,” Juarez said in disbelief.
“Apparently anyone pure enough to live in Archonia can pass in or out through it that door. I think that is why Gabe is fighting for more people to come live here,” William reasoned.
“I think I finally believe you, William,” Katrina said. “I have been reading about the creatures that dwell in Dichonia I do not think that anybody could have survived there. Even Meredox,” she stated.
“There are only a few days until the day of rest. We must be prepared,” William said.
The group spent the next few days going through the motions of training, but they held back, conserving strength and energy. Meditation on the eve of the day of rest was difficult, as they struggled to relax and clarify their thoughts. When meditation failed them, William, Katrina, and Juarez fell back into familiar hobbies. Juarez had a knack for painting, and Katrina had her piano. William had his as well, but didn’t do it in the daylight hours. When he could get away, he would visit the Garden of Medina, and work on projecting plants as life-like as he possibly could. He had been meeting Angelica there regularly now. William descended from the sky, spotting her instantly.
“Angelica. How are you?” he asked.
She smiled and said, “I’m great. Look at you, flying through the sky.”
William smirked and felt his face flush hot. “That’s not the half of it,” he said. He looked around, to make sure there wasn’t anyone watching.
William held his hand out to Angelica. His gray light shot forth, slowly molding into a simple, beautiful flower. He picked it up and handed it to Angelica.
“You like showing off?” she asked, smelling it.
“Only if it works,” William said, lightly.
He had made the flower smell like a salty ocean breeze one of his favorite memories of his time abroad in the military.
“…what have you been up to?” he asked casually as they walked towards the open sky. Despite his strength and prowess, he found the idea of talking to Angelica nerve wracking, like he was an awkward teenager again.
“Hmm. I have been attending classes, as you know,” she said.
“This world is still not what you were expecting?” William asked, as soon as her voice trailed off.
“Most definitely not. I think that it is wonderful, but I couldn’t believe that I had it so wrong…well, you know,” she said, sighing.
“Come on. You weren’t that far off. You believed in a life after death. I think that you had it pretty close. All religions on Earth do. They all agree that you should be a good person and give of yourself. They all believe in a life after death. They just have some of the details mixed up. I mean with so many different religions, some were bound to mess up the details here and there,” William said, comfortingly.
“Yes, you’re right,” she said, softly.
They continued to talk for hours. Angelica had been as busy as William, though her path was considerably more peaceful. In addition to her classes, she attended religious studies and groups.
“Do you know that religions here believe that after this life you will be united with the creators, as they called them? I’ve gone on three pilgrimages already, and visited nearly all the great cities of Archonia. It’s so wonderful, William. I wish that you could see it too!” Angelica said, excitedly.
William watched her walk, taking in her enthusiasm and energy. He’d only read about most of what she’d seen and done. For example, the city of Ionia, which lay on the farthest eastern boundaries of the world, at the borders of Oblivion, was home to one of the obelisks. Then to the west it’s twin city, Ovaria. To the south was the city of Scione, where a great wall was erected along the borders of Archonia and Dichonia. There, sentinels tirelessly watched to ensure the forces of hell didn’t somehow break into their world. Each of these great cities held a shrine to the creators. Angelica had already paid homage to them all.<
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William listened as she went on and on, enthralled with her stories of the great forests and wide plains of Archonia. They found a place to sit next to a beautiful lake, where they continued to talk.
Exotic looking trees clustered around the water’s edge, their roots jutting out of the ground and rolling down into the water to drink. Strange song birds filled the branches were their song a hymn so pleasant that William fell into such a state of ease that he almost fell into a meditative state. Angelica’s voice enthralled him, and he didn’t realize the time. The sun was dipping in the sky, forcing William’s heart to skip a beat, as he realized he had completely forgotten his task.
William interrupted her.
“Angelica, I have to go,” he said, solemnly.
“Oh, I’m sorry, have I kept you from your duties?” she asked.
“No…no, but there is something I must do tonight, for all of Archonia,” he said, softly.
“What is it?” she asked, a glint of fear in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you, Angelica,” he said, his face tight and insides clenching up. “Let me carry you back to the city.”
“I’ll be fine, William. We are in no danger here,” she laughed. “Go!”
He turned to go, and she hollered after him.
“Be careful, William!” He faced her again and smiled, then took off into the dwindling light.
* * *
“Where have you been?!” Katrina shouted at William. “The guards are about ready to change. We almost missed our chance!”
“I’m so sorry, guys. Juarez let’s go,” William said, racing towards the Adjudicator’s wing. “We’ll wait for the signal, Katrina.”
Katrina veered off down another hallway.
It was a few, tense moments before the two were at the entrance to the wing, the halls already filling with darkness. The bright crystals lighting the hallway could not reach the full height of the ceiling, so William and Juarez climbed the wall and moved from statue to statue, careful to move as quietly as possible.
