Ruin Mist Chronicles Bundle

by Robert Stanek

  Brother Liyan struggled to recover his wits. I truly did not know or understand, forgive me.

  Queen Mother returned, evident sadness in her words. We each have our parts in this and we must play them out. We have waited too long. Our people return to the lands of Man. There will be no further discussion.

  Queen Mother called out to Galan. Galan opened her eyes, her thoughts in juxtaposition with Queen Mother's. Yes, my queen?

  Leave us now, Queen Mother directed to Galan alone. Tell Brother Seth I await his presence.

  Galan fixed her eyes upon Brother Liyan. Remember your place, her glare warned. Then she rushed out of the chamber.

  Seth returned from a bath to find Brother Everrelle waiting for him.

  Everrelle whispered to his mind, Queen Mother wishes you to return to High Hall and would have you wait in the antechamber until her summons to enter.

  Seth excused himself and rushed off. Today was the third day of secretive meetings in the hall and now he was to be invited in? He couldn't fathom why.

  Seth found the antechamber empty. He waited, his thoughts flowing with the passing of time.

  Hours passed. The walls of the antechamber oscillated through casts of gray, hovering just slight of brilliant silver then fading to quasi-black. Oblivious to this light show, Seth sulked. He had seen it a thousand times before and would see it many thousands more. The subtle but swift changes were supposed to be soothing, but he wasn't soothed.

  Seth felt utterly helpless as he waited. He considered eavesdropping on those behind the closed doors. It would have been an easy enough feat to do, a simple projecting of thoughts, nothing more. Those within would not have gone to the trouble of masking open thought. He would have only to reach out.

  The notion tempted Seth for a time before his thoughts turned to Galan. As they had walked to the bathing pool distress had replaced her usual playfulness. Later she told him she had not masked her thoughts during a conversation between Queen Mother and Brother Liyan. She had heard, seen and felt everything through Queen Mother's eyes.

  Galan had told him privately, I am afraid for you my brother, but I cannot say why. Will you promise to return to our quarters afterward?

  Seth had said he would, though he had been aghast at her deed.

  For a time his thoughts became unfocused, and just when he thought he could wait no more, the doors swung open and the summons came. He was shocked to see all the members of the three councils in attendance and that many others streamed in through the far door. Many eyes were directed at him and he did not know why.

  An unusual amount of energy filled the air, accompanied by a strange silence, which to his prescient mind was like an unwholesome numbing. People fidgeted around in their cushioned seats or floated agitatedly just above them, carefully controlling the flow of their thoughts.

  Seth was beckoned to the fore, not by the flow of words or feelings to his wildly spinning mind but by the briefest stroking of his senses, a presage bundled in the form of a picture and thrust upon his mind with such a force that it would have felled most others. This was done for effect. It was such an overpowering tool that only Queen Mother would have ever resorted to its use. Sure, Queen Mother could have directed him with wordless thoughts, but any child could have done that. Apparently, she wanted to stun him and she had.

  Head slightly lowered, eyes wide and upturned, Seth lurched to a perplexed halt. Words whisked through his mind as through a dream and then an avalanche of voices followed. Seth could only stare blankly ahead, still half in stupor as he sought to digest the multiple conversations.

  Queen Mother lowered her gaze and when their eyes met a smile passed her lips, and only in that instant did Seth realize none of the others knew what she had done to him. In a way, she had stolen his words before he could offer protest. When he finally did start to protest it was already too late, only Seth had the misfortune of not realizing it immediately.

  How can this be so? he demanded.

  "Brother Seth, the decision of the High Council is final." The voice that permeated the air of the great hall was Brother Liyan's. It was not often that one of the Brotherhood spoke aloud, but this too was done for effect.

  Immediate silence followed.

  "It was I who offered your services. The Red Order shall serve in this undertaking." the voice, again spoken aloud, was Queen Mother's and now audible gasps crisscrossed the chamber. In the thousand seasons Queen Mother had spoken aloud only once before.

  Seth was just as purposeful when he responded in thought as when Queen Mother had spoken aloud. What of the Brown? Is this not a duty of the warrior order?

  It was a small defiance, but it was a defiance far greater than offering his opinion when she had obviously warned him that she wanted to hear little more than his silence. The presage had been her warning to him and now Seth had defied her, yet those of the council were not privy to her earlier act. So while gasps passed around the chamber, Queen Mother fixed her open gaze upon Seth. Under the weight of her stare he must hold his tongue, and listen carefully.

  "Brother Seth, their part will come. It is not now," Queen Mother again spoke aloud. "Why do you think you have been studying their ways these many past weeks?"

  A trace of anger passed over Queen Mother's face; her naked rendering of such a strong emotion in the company of the Council and so many others was in itself significant enough to make Seth's knees tremble. It wasn't so much that he feared her wrath. Queen Mother held no malice within her. Her eyes held only caring and her heart only love. A greater pain than physical pain was shame and dishonor.

  Who will accompany me? Seth asked, breaking the silence and risking all.

  Brother Liyan responded aloud to return respect and order to the council room. "The choice is yours, Brother Seth. I know it will be a difficult one but I have confidence in you, Brother Seth of the Red, First of that order, Queen's Protector. You are the chosen one."

  Brother Liyan was silent for a time, his gray robe cascading to the floor ruffled in the breeze he played about the room. Brother Seth, you have hardly committed an unforgivable transgression.

  Seth sent Liyan tortured thoughts. I told her I needed her beside me when I made the journey. I told her and then I kissed her. These ideals of Man corrupt my thinking.

  Brother Liyan settled into the thickly cushioned couch beneath him. Brother Galan will forgive you. I have been your mentor for only one season now, my appointment at Queen Mother's request. Just now I understand what it must have been like enduring the teachings of the seven orders and after every phase of the training beginning anew like a child and always in training with children. I am suddenly less afraid of the mysterious and powerful Red.

  Seth started to interrupt.

  Brother Liyan cut in before Seth's thoughts could flow. Let me finish, Brother Seth. It is Mother-Earth herself that corrupts your thinking. Have you never been beyond Kapital or Sanctuary?

  Seth returned, I have traveled the canals of the city from end to end with Sailmaster Cagan, and I have traveled the road to Sanctuary. Is there anything beyond I would care to see?

  Brother Liyan bowed his head. Now I understand why you fought so hard in High Hall. You are genuinely afraid of venturing into the world and I have perhaps discovered the one thing that can bring true fear to one of the Red. You ask what is beyond Sanctuary and my answer is that the whole of the world is beyond these walls. Sights so marvelous you could hardly begin to imagine them all. And never forget that what you call Kapital, the people call Leklorall.

  Liyan sent Seth a mental image, the green of a forest against the backdrop of a white-capped mountain, the sky so blue it was almost purple. That is our ancient home. Is it not truly beautiful?

  Brother Seth held the picture in his mind's eye for a time before responding. The homeland of his people was indeed beautiful. What of my act? Are my thoughts polluted?

  Brother Seth, I will tell you a secret I have never told another. Liyan waved his hand and brought
the light breeze in the room to a standstill. Just as you fear what you do not know, I have always feared the Brothers of the Red. In fact, terror is a better word to describe the emotion.

  Seth quickly replied, That is an emotion we are trained to evoke. It ensures obedience to our wishes and safety for Queen Mother.

  Brother Liyan nodded contemplatively. It is something you would do well to forget as you journey into Man's world and while it explains much, it is not the point I am trying to make. We all have our fears and what we fear most is a thing unknown to us. From birth your kind is secreted away from all of society. By the time you complete your training you are passed youthful adolescence and then we dub you Protectors of the Queen, never thinking that up until now all your dealings have been with teachers and children.

  Seth, you were wrong about the Brown Order. They were the chosen warriors only out of necessity. Before the Brown, there was always the Red. During those dark centuries when the races turned against each other, the Red remained first and foremost the warrior-protectors of Queen and people.

  Perhaps it is a good thing Queen Mother wishes you into the world, and a good thing that you studied the ways of Man. Their culture is not so different from our own that you could not learn from it. With Elf kind, mating instinct often skips generations for reasons only Great Father and Mother-Earth truly understand. Your feelings are not wrong Seth; they are as natural as the four winds.

  Brother Liyan crossed to Seth and put a hand on his shoulder. With Brother Galan, I would suggest you follow your instincts; perhaps it will bring good. There is however, one thing you should know—these feelings may never find her. It is a tragedy of our kind. For now, you should turn your thoughts to the journey ahead. You must ask yourself: Are you prepared to greet the world? Is the world ready for you?

  Chapter One

  Lying to the council was hard, though not because lying went against her principles. No, the ability to pass off a falsity was a virtue. Still, when one stretched what was already a lie, there was little room for the new lie, and she had to be careful not to be caught in the folds of that second or third lie. She had told so many lies of late that she was unsure which was the truth and which was the lie. She could tell that the First Priest, Talem, had not believed her.

  Her loyalty had been questioned. She was a priestess of Mother-Earth. So why did she aid the Priests of the Dark Flame? What was her connection to the frantic rounds of cleansing sweeping the kingdom? These were the questions that had been put to her repeatedly, and each time she had stated that there was a fine line between loyalties and that she, Midori, held loyalty to the greater of the causes.

  She was tangled in the web deeper than anyone knew or could guess. Now she had only to maintain the facade one more day and then she would be safe, safe from all probing eyes and prying hands. She wouldn't care what Talem did or said then. The council would be unable to touch her and she would be safe in High Temple.

  Midori would have left that very night if she had been able to, but Talem was always pushing, always questioning. He would not discover her secrets no matter how hard he probed and no matter what tools he used to wrest those secrets from her. She knew this.

  The private chamber she paced and schemed in seemed a tiny prison. She knew Talem had his spies that watched her through hidden peepholes. She did not care. Let them watch her, let them watch her all they wanted, she taunted in her mind. They would discover nothing. She was too clever, too quick, and had but a single night until freedom.

  She inspected her bags to ensure they had not been tampered with and smiled as she ran her hands over a subtle seal. Talem would never have guessed that she would have the audacity to bring her secrets with her to council, but she had. Her heavy bags concealed two scrolls; there had been three but the first had already been given to a trusted messenger and delivered long ago. The last two were for her to handle alone. One she was to read after she spoke to council, which was now. The last, she was to deliver. To where, she did not yet know.

  The impulse to pull the hidden scrolls from her bag ebbed as she forced herself to find control. She would wait. She had nearly succeeded and there was no need to be hasty when her goal was so close.

  "Do you want an eyeful?" she whispered to those unseen.

  Casually, she untied the belt about her waist and let the loose-fitting, black robe slip from about her shoulders and cascade to the floor. A water basin stood in a corner. Midori dipped her long, black hair into the gently warmed waters.

  Herbal scented soaps lined the wall to her left, but she took the plain, unscented bar to her right and used this to wash her hair. She moistened a cloth and dabbed it across her body to remove the day's sweat and grime. It had been a long day. Rinsing in the warm waters was soothing and allowed some of the tenseness of the day to slip away.

  A few more hours, she reminded herself as she lay down upon the bed, just a few more hours.

  Only minutes later, a heavy knock at the door awoke her. She brushed her hair back casually and crossed to the door, opening it without hesitation. She looked on unwavering at the one who stood in the doorway. "Why Talem, do come in," she said calmly.

  Talem stepped into her room. "I will forgive you this day's transgressions," he began, "for I know how the times of equinox affect your kind. But do not try my patience thus in the future."

  "What kind would that be?" Midori shot back without thinking. She was so wrapped up in her current situation that she had forgotten to stay the flow of emotions within her, and this realization came to her just when she thought she was being so careful. Equinox was a time when the flow from the Mother was so strong that it could overcome her priestesses and drive them to do the irrational and spontaneous. There were many benefits to this, but they were not without certain disadvantages.

  She didn't let the priest speak before adding, "Do not worry, Talem. I am done here. Did you come to wish me a safe journey?"

  "I know you hide something," he said, stepping toward her. "I will find out what it is and then I will personally see that you are brought before the council."

  Midori was confident. "If I were hiding something, the council would have discovered it. I hide nothing, Talem. I spoke the truth and am exhausted of telling the truth. Now if you will please excuse me, I have a journey ahead of me tomorrow that demands an early start."

  "There is plenty of time to sleep. What I have to say will be quick, do not worry." Talem took another step toward her and grinned. "Do you know that you are quite striking in your way?"

  Midori backed away from him, shaking her head. Talem took another step toward her and flung her onto the bed. Midori shouted at him, "Do you seek to defile this vessel of the Mother?"

  Talem drew up to his full height, an act that made him somehow appear less vicious. "You just remain still, I do not intend to touch you or to harm you. I merely wish to gain your full attention and I can see that I have it now."

  Midori didn't say a word. She would let him think he had won this show of dominance.

  "We are much alike you and I," Talem began, "We are both users. We use those around us as tools to gain what we want."

  She wanted to scream at him that they were nothing alike, had never been anything alike and would never be anything alike, but she did not. She needed to be more aware of everything she did and said now more than ever if she was going to erase his suspicions.

  "We have our moments," she replied.

  "Good, that is what I wanted to hear. Our relationship could go far. Do you know how much untapped potential is out there?" Talem chuckled. "Oh, if you only knew."

  She did. She said nothing.

  "I need you on my side in this. I will forgive your earlier transgressions, just make no more." His last few words lashed out at her with a harsh edge. He started to chuckle to himself again.

  Midori looked up at him, her eyes seemingly receptive. She didn't know what sort of game he was playing, but intended to go along with it for now. "I could bec
ome persuaded to your cause," she told him.

  "Very well then, there are two scrolls in your bag with the shaman's own seal upon them," this was not a subtle Would you fetch them? but a direct command to go get them now.

  Midori didn't hesitate or change her expression; yet within her world filled with sudden turmoil. She had been so careful, oh so very careful. She had to think fast and hide the excitement from her voice. "I wish I could, but you must know as well as I that they will not open for any other than the intended recipient, or otherwise you would have broken the seal days ago."

  Talem said nothing.

  Midori's racing heart slowed, though only slightly. The priest had given her a way out with his silence, or at least she hoped so. "I wish that I could tear them open with my bare hands, but I can not," she said sounding exasperated, hoping she wasn't being overly melodramatic.

  "Yes, yes, I know the feeling. The shaman is a snake."

  "A vile, treacherous snake," Midori added.

  Talem grinned and then said, "It is good that we agree on this." He paused and Midori continued her receptive stare. "Who are the scrolls intended for, perhaps this can shed some light?"

  Names, demanded Midori of herself. She had to think quickly. She couldn't let Talem believe she was stalling. She had been close, so close. She had to choose names that would cause no harm to her cause. Deciding, she stated, "One I am to deliver to an innkeeper, I would be certain that it pertains to a long overdue debt and contains empty promises to the individual that he will be paid in due time. The second is bound for High Priestess Jasmine; I do not understand it myself," her aim was to gloss over the first with the more enticing second.

  "Jasmine," said Talem as if musing over the name, "that is interesting."

  "Yes, quite. Therefore, you see why I hasten to High Temple. If there is any chance that I can be present during the reading, I will surely take advantage of it and I will of course relay the information to you."