Kingdom Blades (A Pattern of Shadow & Light 4)

by McPhail, Melissa

  And Tannour Valeri, who had found him and Lazar in the lower fortress and in quick order ‘softened’ places in the wall—strategic spots where a crack would allow the water to escape without weakening the fortress’s structural integrity—such that the Fortress of Khor Taran sprouted enough leaks to mitigate the waterfall and the coming storm and prevent the upper levels from flooding. They might even be able to restore the fortress one day, once the aqueduct had been repaired.

  Trell saw these men as his greatest resources—weapons if they must be so used—in ending the war. They were weapons he never would’ve gained had he not embarked upon the task to free his father’s men. And marching behind those weapons were nearly a thousand Nadoriin and Dannish soldiers, the beginnings of his own army. His force for peace.

  The men arguing around him wielded ideas as swords, points made and debated as blades scraping and separating. They argued ethics and obligation. They thrust duty against morality and looked surprised when the two resoundingly clashed. The blade of reason collided with myth and met unexpectedly firm resistance.

  The night drew on, and Trell listened. He let them debate, argue, talk themselves in circles until they’d exhausted every idea, explored every option they could present; until they found themselves frustratingly back at the beginning, a fork in the road he’d once been standing at but had now left confidently behind.

  He reached for his wine with his good arm. The other wore a sling on orders of Madaam Chouri, who had healed both his shoulder and his ankle but bade him keep from using either for several days. He would have plenty of time to heal before they arrived at their next destination, which was the Saldarian camp where the rest of his father’s men were being held. This intelligence had come to him compliments of Tannour.

  Setting down his wine, Trell raised his hand to gain the others’ attention. They looked to him and quieted.

  “We cannot help them in Raku.” This comment Trell directed at Gideon, who’d been pushing hardest for this objective; the captain’s concerns lay with his liege, Trell’s king father. “We’re more than a week’s forced march from the oasis, Gideon. I’m the first to feel my father’s loss—both of my fathers were undoubtedly involved in that battle—but we’re too far away to offer them any aid.”

  Trell looked to Rolan and Raegus. “Nor can we engage Radov’s forces at Ramala and draw out their flanks. Whatever battle is ongoing in that arena, it must run its course without our interference.”

  Trell turned his attention to Lazar. “I won’t ask you or your men to fight your own, but I will ask you to lend me your assistance in whatever way your consciences permit.”

  Lazar crossed his arms and considered Trell. “What do you intend?”

  Trell cast his gaze across everyone in the room, all of them good men, men he trusted. Men he could depend upon. Many of them men who would lay down their lives for him. The weight of this responsibility was never far from his thoughts, or his decisions.

  “We cannot help them in Raku,” he repeated, including all of them in his gaze, “but here’s what we know: that we have to end this war somehow; that the front lines are now centered around Ramala and that Radov has moved all of his forces there; that the Ruling Prince himself is there—likely Viernan hal’Jaitar as well; and that they’re fully occupied with the Raku campaign…” he looked around at all of them again, taking a moment to meet each gaze, and finished the thought, “…leaving Tal’Shira undefended.”

  Their silence was testimony to their reason.

  “Trell,” Loukas scraped out his name through his disbelief, “you’re not thinking—”

  Trell met his gaze. “Yes, Loukas. We’re going to take Tal’Shira.”

  ***

  In the cityworld of Illume Belliel, the center of the starry spiral that was the Thousand Realms of Light, the second strand currents flashed, and a tall man stepped off a weld.

  He pocketed the silver ring that had brought him there—a stolen ring, a coveted ring—and lifted his dark gaze to the stars. In time, that gaze floated languorously across the sparkling cityworld, observing how its lights seemed a mirror of the night sky…imaging how those lights would look once chaos broke out.

  A slow smile claimed the man’s features.

  He spun in a swirl of blood-red silk and walked away from the nodecourt, far enough to clear the wards that protected the cityworld from unwelcome guests entering that way. But his guests would not be entering that way.

  He concentrated.

  A silver line split down through the air and quickly broadened into a glossy darkness blacker than the night. When the portal reached the shape and size of a door, the man swept a hand before him and bowed in invitation. “Come, my friends.”

  Darkness spilled through the portal.

  It took many forms, many densities. It poured into the cityworld as smoke from a burning house. Gradually the smoke assumed many shapes, all as unique as the imaginations that had chosen them. Some claimed solidity; others misted, faint as ghosts but possessed of power, as lightning in the storm.

  The last to emerge stood the tallest of all. He had black hair, glossy like the darkness, and eyes that sparked an electric blue. Everyone who gazed upon him saw a different face. A few of them even appeared human.

  But Shailabanáchtran just saw a Warlock. “Welcome, Baelfeir. Welcome back to the Realms of Light.”

  Baelfeir looked around and flashed a lightning smile.

  ###

  End of Kingdom Blades

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  Appendix

  The Strands of Elae and Their Associated Adepts [chart]

  Glossary of Terms

  The Sormitáge Ranks

  The Laws of Patterning

  The Esoterics

  Dramatis Personae

  Glossary of Terms

  Underlining within definitions denotes words that may be found in this glossary.

  Adendigaeth (aden´– di gay´uth) [Old Alæic] 1 Rebirth, regeneration 2 A festival in celebration of the Winter Solstice lasting varying lengths but traditionally ending on the Longest Night.

  Adept (a´-dept) n. [Old Alæic] 1 One born with the instinctive ability to sense and compel one of the five strands of elae 2 A race of such persons, each with attributes intrinsic to the strand of elae that modified them [an Adept of the third strand] 3 A Healer, Nodefinder, truthreader, or Wildling.

  Alir (ah -leer´) n [Agasi] 1 lit: heart-light 2 The path followed by an Adept during the course of his life; also referred to as the path of destiny, especially in the vernacular of the Palmers 3 Indicating either of the Two Great Paths of elae able to be followed by an Adept inducted into the Vestian Sorceresy. See Paths of Alir.

  Angiel (ahn gēl´) n. [Old Alæic] The Maker’s two blessed children, Cephrael and Epiphany, who were made in the Genesis to watch over His worlds.

  Annwn (an´ wen) n. [Old Alæic] The Otherworld where all life was formed and where the Maker resides. At the gates of Annwn stand the Extian Doors. On the Longest Night, the angiel open the Extian Doors to allow all the waiting souls to journey through Annwn, that they may learn the secrets of death and Return.

  Ascendant n. [Cyrenaic ascendere, to climb] A priest or cleric serving the Prophet Bethamin. Ascendants are marked by tattoos denoting their rank and function.

  Atrophae n. (at´ tro fay) [Cyrenaic átroph, not fed ] A cursed object created with mor’alir patterns designed to bring harm or illness. An atrophae can be formed of anything into which a pattern can be indelibly inscribed.

  Avieth (ay´ vee uth) n. [Old Alæic, bird] A third strand Wildling race of shapeshift
ers with the ability to asssume two distinctly separate forms: human and hawk.

  Awaken (ah wā´ ken) v. [Old Alæic] Adepts who have Returned Awaken to their inherent abilities usually during the transition of puberty but sometimes as early as two years of age.

  Balance (bal´ans) n. [
  Catenaré (ca-ten ah´-ray) n. [Old Alæic, catēna, a chain] The second ranking of Adept enrolled at the Sormitáge University. Adepts wear the Catenaré cuff until they pass their Invocation Trials to advance to Maritus status, usually a span of five to ten years of study.

  Celantia (se lan´ tee-ya) n. [Markhengari, box] A box formed of constantly shifting patterns developed by the Elf realm of Markhengar, often used for the capture and imprisonment of criminals.

  Cephrael (sef´ray-el) n. [Sobra I’ternin] The Maker’s blessed son. Ascribed as the Hand of Fate, Cephrael is responsible for administering the Maker’s ultimate justice. See also angiel.

  Companions – See Fifty Companions

  Deyjiin (day´zhen) n. [Old Alæic] The power that roams Chaos and the dimension of Shadow, antithesis of elae.

  Devoveré (de-voh ver´-ay) n. [Old Alæic, to vow] The fourth ranking of Adept enrolled at the Sormitáge University. Adepts are awarded their Devoveré ring (often called a Sormitáge ring) upon successful completion of the Devoveré Trials. Gaining a Devoveré ring automatically entitles an Adept to membership in the guild respective to their strand.

  Docian (dos´ see-an) n. [Old Alæic docilis, readily taught, equivalent to doc (ēre) to teach + -ian] The first ranking of Adept enrolled at the Sormitáge University. Adepts wear the Docian collar from their earliest years until they pass the Invocation Trials to advance to Catenaré status.

  Drogue wolf (droag) n. [Origin unknown] A sentient animal, larger and more intelligent than a common wolf, which roams the mountains of Agasan. It is most often found in the Navárrel, the Geborahs and the wild ranges of the Hallovian plateau.

  Drachwyr (drak´wēr) n. [Old Alæic] An Adept of the fifth strand of elae: the drachwyr were banished to the icy edges of the realm in the year 597aV. Also called a Sundragon.

  Eidola (eye dohl´ la) n. [Old Alæic, eidolon, phantom] A mutated lifeform that possesses great strength and is difficult to harm and kill. It receives its lifeforce and animation from a binding to a superior life form, such as an immortal.

  Elae (e-lā´) n. [Old Alæic, elanion, life, force; the power of life] 1 The itinerant (roaming) energy that, in its accumulation and formation, creates the pattern that becomes the foundation of a world 2 Pertaining to any of the five codified strands of this energy, each with distinctly separate attributes.

  Epiphany (ē pif´fany) n. [Sobra I’ternin] The Maker’s blessed daughter. Epiphany is the speaker of the Maker’s will and is often turned to in prayer by those seeking divine blessing. See also angiel.

  Espial (espy´-al) n. [Cyrenaic espyen
  Fhorg (forg) n. [origin unknown] One of the Wildling races most notably known for their use of blood magic.

  Fifty Companions n. [Colloquial] The name given in reference to the Adept survivors of the Battle of the Citadel on Tiern’aval.

  Hal’alir n. [Agasi, light of the heart] In the Vestian Sorceresy, ‘The Path That Casts Infinite Reflections.’ Adepts following hal’alir wield the lifeforce primarily towards constructive or creative aims.

  Healer (hēl´er) n. [Old Alæic haelan > hal whole] An Adept of the first strand of elae who has the ability to see the life patterns of living things and compel the creative forces of the first strand to alter them.

  Khoda Panaheh (lay) n. [Kandori, “God protects”] 1 A tattooed mark upon the forehead which is gained when an Adept of the royal lines of Kandori takes the oath of immortality and works the Pattern of Life.

  Leis (lay) n. [Old Alæic leis] The shortest pathway available to a Nodefinder when using the Pattern of the World to travel, often connecting spaces within a small geographic area.

  Literato n. [Old Alæic literati, learned, scholarly] A scholar at the Sormitáge University whose focus is on research of the strands of elae or into the history of the realm or the Adept race.

  Maestro n. [Old Alæic, master] A teaching scholar at the Sormitáge University.

  Maritus (Mer´i-tus) n.. [Old Alæic maritum, act worthy of praise] The third ranking of Adept enrolled at the Sormitáge University. Adepts wear a Maritus bracelet until they’ve completed their thesis and passed the Invocation Trials to advance to Devoveré status, often a span of five to ten years.

  Marquiin (mar kwen´) n. [Myacenic, chosen] A truthreader who has been chosen by the Prophet Bethamin to be cleansed in a “purifying” ritual involving, in part, the insertion of Bethamin’s Fire into the Adept’s mind.

  Merdanti (mer dan´tē) n. [Agasi] 1 An impossibly hard black stone named for the region of Agasan in which it is found 2 A weapon forged using the fifth strand of elae and made from this stone.

  Malorin’athgul (muh lor´en – ath´gool) n. [Old Alæic, they who make the darkness] A race of beings from beyond the known Realms of Light who were birthed by the Maker to balance Creation by unmaking the universe at its far unraveling fringes while it is constantly expanding at its core.

  Mor’alir n. [Agasi, dark of the heart] In the Vestian Sorceresy, ‘The Path of Shadows’; Adepts following mor’alir wield the lifeforce towards destructive aims.

  Na’turna (nah toor´nah) n. [Old Alæic < nare turre, of the earth] A non-Adept; mortal.

  Node (nod) n. [Old Alæic nodus, knot ] The points where the Pattern of the World conjoins. Nodes connect places in vastly different geographic regions and allow a Nodefinder to travel great distances within a few steps. In the realm of Alorin, nodes also connect to the neighboring realm of T’khendar due to the nature of the latter’s formation.

  Nodefinder (nod-fin´der) n. [Old Alæic nodus, knot + findan, find] Adept of the second strand of elae who sees the points where the Pattern of the World conjoins (called nodes) and can use these points to travel vast distances; see also espial.

  Quorum of the Sixth Truth n. [Origin Unknown] A defunct order of fifth strand Adepts that held power in Cyrenaic times. The quorum are believed to have been involved with extensive experimentation on Adepts and na’turna in pursuit of understanding of their native gifts.

  Order of the Glass Sword n. Agasan’s spy network.

  Palmer n. [Caladrian, pilgrim] A religious order devoted to the study of alir and the influence or interference of destiny or fate upon an individual’s path.

  Paths of Alir n. [Agasi, heart-light] (also called the Two Great Paths) Referring to any of the valid paths an Adept inducted into the Vestian Sorceresy can follow. The commonly known paths are chrys’alir, the Mirror Path; hal’alir, The Path That Casts Infinite Reflections; mor’alir, The Path of Shadows; san’gu’alir, The Path of Blood; and ver’alir, The Blind Path (a rare path).

  Patterning (pat´ərn·ŋ) v. [Veneisean patrun, patron, hence something to be imitated, pattern] The codified methodology encompassing the use of patterns to compel the strands of elae to move against their natural course, an action (also called wielding) which is often erroneously referred to as magic.

  Qhorith’quitara (Cor´ith kee-tar-ah) n. [Old Alæic] The collection of apocryphal books derived from the Sobra I’ternin.

  Raedan (ray´ dan]) n. [Old Alæic raedan, to guess, read, counsel] 1 One trained to read the currents of elae and thereby able to discern the workings of patterns and
their effects throughout the realm.

  Realm (relm´) n. [Veneisean, realme (altered by assoc. with reiel, royal) < Cyrenaic, regere, to rule] 1 A kingdom 2 One of the thousand linked worlds, each represented by an elected Seat and four Vestals in the governing cityworld of Illume Belliel 3 The realm of Alorin.

  Return (Returned, Returning) (rē turn´) n. [Veneisean, retorner] An Adept who has died and been reborn. See also Awakening.

  Revenants n. [unknown] The remnant entities created by the Warlocks of Shadow and then abandoned; vampiric creatures who feed off the lifeforce of the living.

  Sanctos n. [Caladrian sanctus, hallowed] In the Caladrian belief, sanctified ancestral spirits who watch over their descendants.

  Shamshir’im (sham´sheer - eem) n. [Nadori saber, sword + ‘im, belonging to] The name for M’Nador’s espionage network of spies, wielders and assassins headed by the Adept wielder and consul to Prince Radov, Viernan hal’Jaitar.

  Simulacra (sih´muh - lack´rah) n. [Agasi simulācrum, likeness] A glass device for capturing and presenting patterns in three dimensions. Patterns forged within the glass will waken to a fourth strand flow of elae.

  Sobra I’ternin (soh´brah - e - turn´en) n. [origin unknown] The ancient text, most often attributed to the angiel Cephrael, which details the natural laws of patterns in thaumaturgic application. The book is itself written in patterns and has yet to be fully translated. Many Orders are dedicated to its study, translation and adaptation for use in the Adept Arts.

  Soglia-varcarés / soglia’re (So´-lee AHR´-ay) [Caladrian, bridge across the earth] Nodes or leis magically constructed into permanent portals that anyone can travel with or without a Nodefinder present and with or without any Adept talent. Soglia’res bridge two specific points, only those two points, and cannot be used to travel anywhere else but between those two points.