by Unknown
“This security measure is particularly effective against thieves seeking monetary gain and others blinded with vanity.” The Sicarius headmaster hinted toward Villifor’s oversized public persona.
Villifor countered, “Notoriety is a form of vanity. You simply hide yours behind a mask.”
King Darik ended the banter. “Headmaster, are all the members of Sicarius assembled?”
“All Sicarius Guardsmen will be present.”
“Good… let’s begin.”
The Sicarius headmaster led the group toward the assembly of guardsmen and used the moment to instruct Slate on his duties as personal attendant. “Please hold the door for our esteemed guests and stand guard during the meeting to maintain the safety of the King.”
Slate nodded in acknowledgment so that Villifor or Magnus wouldn’t recognize his voice and identify him. The headmaster intended for him to stand guard, but was it for the protection of the king or the headmaster? The headmaster’s plan eluded Slate.
The Sicarius headmaster stepped onto the stage, standing atop the Sicarius symbol laid into the floor. The King waited patiently against the back wall, which consisted of angled mirrors, with Villifor and Magnus positioned on either side of him. Statues of Darik’s lions framed the Sicarius headmaster, gazing outwards to the far walls of the large room.
Large, multi-faceted mirrors segmented the small rooms set against the far wall at various heights and distances from the stage. The Sicarius headmaster positioned the collection of mirrors to reflect images from within each small room into every other room. The complexity of the design astounded Slate.
“We are Sicarius. We are the eyes and ear of the Kingdom. We go where others fear and carry out our mission with speed, silence, and absolute finality. We do this so that the people of Malethya can carry out their lives without fear of people that plot in the night. We are Sicarius.” The orbs within the small rooms lit, revealing another Sicarius secret. No more than a dozen guardsmen made up Sicarius.
The purpose of the room became apparent. The reflected images served to protect the identities of the Sicarius Guardsmen, but it also prevented the guardsmen from knowing the size of the Sicarius Guild. The other guilds assumed that Sicarius was of comparable size to Ispirtu and Bellator. The reflected images gave the illusions to the Sicarius Guardsmen that their number was much larger. If any information from within the guild did filter to Bellator or Ispirtu, their assumptions would be maintained, allowing the Sicarius headmaster to maintain equal footing in negotiations or arguments. By bringing Villifor here, King Darik had significantly reduced the power of the Sicarius headmaster.
“Fractal’s blessing that none of our Sicarius brethren have left us since we last met.” The Sicarius headmaster gave a respectful pause anyway and then continued. “This emergency meeting of Sicarius was called by King Darik, who will address you directly.”
King Darik took center stage as the headmaster receded toward one of the lion statues. “The disturbances in the northern villages have been resolved by the Bellator Guild, completing your mission on your behalf. As a reward for their service, they will present the evidence in person. Villifor and Magnus, please give your report to the Sicarius Guardsmen.”
Villifor and Magnus stepped forward, with Magnus reporting his findings in an overstated voice of command. “No bodies were found in the search of Minot. I did, however, notice a piece of fabric that had torn on a shard of glass in a broken windowsill. The color immediately caught my eye.” Magnus produced the fabric from his pocket and held it out for all to see. “You will notice the shape of the fabric as well as the lions embroidered onto it. This obviously came from the shoulder section of a sleeve, meaning that someone had sewn the lion on upside down.” What Magnus lacked in deductive reasoning he made up for with inaccurate recollection. “Since it is common for peasants to support a rebellion by displaying overturned insignias of a king, I brought this important evidence to Villifor at once.”
If Villifor was perturbed by the exaggerated role Magnus painted for himself while retelling the story, he didn’t acknowledge it. Instead he continued on like any good showman would do. “The purple fabric is clearly a reference to House Regallo, but I had difficulty acknowledging that one of my fellow headmasters and sworn protectors of the King could be responsible for these attacks. With such circumstantial evidence, I sent the team back to Minot to search for any other connections.”
Magnus picked up where Villifor left off. It was too smooth to not be practiced. “We returned to Minot and one of our more junior members got separated from us. The attackers besieged the village, pinning the untrained soldier near the base of the rock wall. They lit fires to the village huts, separating us further, but Bellator Guardsmen protect their own. We circled around the blazing village, slicing through attackers and hoping beyond hope that we could get to the soldier in time. We made one final push and found the overmatched soldier fighting with a stick, having dropped anything resembling a real weapon. Our valiant efforts saved his life, but he was not the same. He had killed a defenseless girl, watching her burn and likely provoking the original attack. Upon questioning, he referenced unfathomable enemies despite multiple conflicting accounts of the event.”
Villifor finished the rehearsed speech. “The untrained soldier’s account of the attack indicated magical intervention. I presented this evidence to King Darik, who will proclaim his conclusions.”
Villifor and Magnus split to either side of the stage, giving room for King Darik to announce the fate of Malethya on the basis of circumstantial evidence and a skewed report. “The citizens of Malethya are under my protection, and as such I have failed in my duties as their king. Even more troubling are the continuing but unsubstantiated rumors of forbidden magic having played a role in these attacks. I set up the guilds to ensure parity beneath my rule, but the current evidence suggests Ispirtu has disrupted that balance of power.” Darik paused before continuing loudly and with the authority of a king. “If Brannon has been using or teaching Blood Magic, he must be stopped before his power grows. I will not stand by as Brannon attempts to place a raven on the lion’s throne. Tonight we will take the battle to him. At dusk, we will attack Ispirtu.”
The Sicarius headmaster knelt before King Darik. “Sicarius will aid you in your task. Command us.”
“Your devotion will truly be tested, Sicarius.” King Darik rested his hand on the Sicarius headmaster’s shoulder. “During the Twice-Broken Wars, I learned the value of teamwork on the battlefield, so I established Bellator and tasked Villifor with teaching battlefield tactics. The wars also taught me the value of information, so I established Sicarius. To defeat an army of trained wizards, I need Sicarius and Bellator to work together.”
The King motioned for Villifor and Magnus to join him and the Sicarius headmaster. A slight nod by the King toward Villifor and Magnus was noticed by the Sicarius headmaster, who twisted the King’s arm off his shoulder. But the headmaster’s move was too late to prevent Villifor and Magnus from pinning the Sicarius headmaster’s arms and preventing escape.
Darik continued. “Unfortunately, I don’t believe that is possible. You have been my eyes and ears in times of peace, gathering information and ending threats to Malethya on my behalf. Despite your networks and methods of extracting information, it fell to Bellator to uncover the truth. How is that possible?” Silence filled the room. “Am I expected to believe that our opponent was so cunning that he hid his plans and schemes from all of you? I am left with only one reasonable explanation. My loyal servants of Sicarius have been compromised by Brannon.”
A roar of objection filled the room, muffled slightly by the glass the guardsmen spoke through. Some rose to leave but found the rooms locked. Had the King asked for locks on the doors knowing this day would come? Was this his plan all along? The King spoke over the din with an absolute authority and self-assurance born of years on the throne. “I appreciate the years of loyal service you have provided. I now ask one mo
re thing. If you are truly loyal to me, prove it by offering the ultimate sacrifice.”
Slate watched in horror as many of the guardsmen produced knives and fell upon them. “Nooooo….!” The guttural scream of the Sicarius headmaster filled the enclosed room, its pain bouncing off the mirrored walls and echoing indefinitely.
The King surveyed the rooms and addressed Villifor and Magnus. “The guardsmen that remain have proven their loyalty to Brannon through disobedience. Dispose of the remaining Sicarius Guardsmen…”
Slate had to free the headmaster. He rushed forward. Villifor and King Darik turned, but Slate flew by them before they could draw their swords. Magnus positioned the Sicarius headmaster between himself and Slate, wrapping one arm around the headmaster to maintain control of the gyrating spy. Slate threw a punch with his stonehand, and connected with Magnus’ forearm, shattering the bones constraining the Sicarius headmaster.
With her arm freed, the headmaster produced a dart from one of the numerous folds and jammed it into Magnus’ leg, causing him to collapse. The headmaster held the king and the Bellator headmaster at bay with the threat of throwing knives.
“You just killed people who devoted their lives to serving you.” The Sicarius headmaster spat the venom-laced words to the king. Darik positioned himself between them and the only exit. Villifor circled to flank the headmaster.
“They killed themselves. No one should trust someone implicitly. I see you didn’t…”
“Someone needs to atone for the terrible mistake you just made.”
Bellator Guardsmen streamed into the previously secret home of Sicarius. They were trapped. “You are not in a position to threaten anyone.” Darik and Villifor, now protected by a full squadron of Bellator Guardsmen, ordered the advancement of the troops.
“You’re right. There are too many of you to fight.” The Sicarius headmaster kicked the head of the closest lion statue, toppling it over. A noise emanated from beneath the floor and the Sicarius symbol emblazoned on the stage dropped away. The Sicarius headmaster grabbed Slate and jumped into the darkness below before the Bellator Guardsmen could react. A second noise sounded as the moving plate covered their escape route, blocking pursuit from above.
Frantic shouts of the Bellator Guardsmen trying to find an entrance to the subfloor filtered through the floor and into the darkness surrounding Slate. As they tried various doors and switches, their shouts turned to screams of unbridled pain. The Sicarius headmaster had left plenty of surprises for unwanted guests. “I had the builder install the trapdoor, but I never thought I’d have to use it.” Remorse carried along the alternating tones of the headmaster’s speech. Slate reeled from the events above and didn’t speak.
Slate made a split-second decision to free the Sicarius headmaster, using his stonehand in the process which revealed his identity. He acted in direct opposition to the King. Slate was an enemy of the crown.
“I left a lantern down here. This should help.” A soft light reached into the darkness of the room, spreading upward to reveal the method of their escape. The Sicarius symbol and a wooden support beam lay beneath them and a second section of flooring covered their escape route, supported by a series of steel tracks. The Sicarius headmaster saw him examining it. “I hid a lever arm inside the statue of Darik’s lion. When I kicked it, it released the support beam, opening the trapdoor. When the support beam fell, it triggered a second mechanism that lowered rails beneath the opening. The second set of flooring slid down the rails and covered our escape.”
The slight decline of the rail system created a small gap between the stage and the second section of flooring. Darik could be heard above. “You, guardsman with the battle axe, get over here. Turn this floor into kindling and be quick about it.”
The Sicarius headmaster chuckled joylessly, “I had the wood floor laid on top of a metal frame. They won’t be getting in here anytime soon. Regardless, we should be on our way. Follow me.”
They traveled a short distance to a ladder and climbed into a long, narrow room that made Slate’s jaw drop. He was inside the mirrored wall overlooking the Bellator Guardsmen, hidden from his pursuers. Darik silently asked Villifor very pointed questions, undoubtedly involving their escape. Villifor in turn barked orders at any guardsmen who appeared to be milling around without a purpose. Magnus reawakened and held his arm while trying to control his rage.
Above the Bellator chaos raged a different battle. Three Sicarius Guardsmen frantically attempted to escape their locked cells. One kicked at the glass without success. Another worked on the hinges of the door, and the last guardsman tried to break into the ceiling. “Can we save them?” Slate asked without hope.
“The trapdoor was an exit.” The Sicarius headmaster stepped up to the window. “I cannot save them. I have failed the Sicarius Guardsmen. I have failed the Sicarius Guild. I have failed Malethya.”
Slate did something he never thought he would do. He put an arm around the shoulders of the Sicarius headmaster and didn’t find a shock stick in his neck or a dart in his leg for the trouble. He said, “The King made a mistake. Let’s make sure he doesn’t continue the pattern.”
“What do you suggest?”
“They are marching on Ispirtu. We need to uncover the truth before they do.”
The headmaster removed his arm. “A shadow is used to plotting and avoiding traps. It isn’t often that someone comes to our aid, even amongst other members of Sicarius.” Bellator Guardsmen broke down the door of a Sicarius cell. The Sicarius Guardsmen threw a flurry of kunai and incapacitated several Bellator Guardsmen before becoming overwhelmed. Similar fates awaited the remaining members of Sicarius. Finally, the headmaster spoke. “They fought bravely and served Sicarius honorably. I owe it to them to uncover the cause of tonight’s tragedy. Let’s get to work, Slate.”
“Lead the way…” From within the mirrored walls, the headmaster traversed a series of ladders, crawl spaces, and tunnels. After what seemed like an eternity, the lantern’s light shined on a tiny room filled with nondescript trunks.
“It dawned on me that if I ever needed the trapdoor, I would probably need supplies as well. Provided that no one has found this room, there are some items that may help us.” Slate didn’t know how anyone could ever find this room. The Sicarius headmaster opened the first trunk to reveal a collection of exploding orbs. “In the early days of Sicarius, King Darik sent me on missions to track down and terminate rogue wizards. The mission never specified what to do with any artifacts or items in the wizards’ possession, so I collected them for my personal use.”
“There are enough exploding orbs here to outfit an entire army.”
“Yes, but they aren’t the only things I collected.” The next trunk was opened, displaying a wide variety of weaponry. Another contained robes bearing the crests of every noble family in Malethya. Trunk after trunk contained countless items of importance to a member of Sicarius. It couldn’t be called an armory because that wouldn’t have done it justice. With the items in this room, the Sicarius headmaster could become anyone and go anywhere. The headmaster was truly a master of the environment and Slate was glad to be on the same side.
“Will it be safe to leave the items here?” Slate asked the headmaster while picking out a few darts and kunai and fitting them into the folds of his robes. Slate reluctantly donned an Ispirtu robe, rationalizing he would need one to visit Lattimer.
“Eventually those Bellator Guardsmen will break through the floor and Darik will send men through every tunnel in the arena. We can’t assume they won’t find my storeroom.”
“Depending upon how things go this evening, we may need to disappear for a while. If I’m not mistaken, we are both fugitives now. Can you think of somewhere that would be safe to temporarily store all of this?”
“Somewhere outside of Ravinai would be smart,” the headmaster said. “If things go badly, it will be easier to retrieve later. We should also choose somewhere familiar to your friends. Lucus favors a catalpa grove
outside the city, correct?”
“That would be a good spot, but it’s just a grove of trees. There is nowhere to hide your supplies.”
“There is always a hiding place if you know where to look.” Slate thought there was a smile behind the Sicarius mask. The Sicarius headmaster hid various weapons and orbs while talking to Slate. “…and what were the plans for the rest of your group? I’m assuming that you met this morning in anticipation of larger upcoming events and formulated some plans.”
“I summarized the Bellator mission, which sounded quite different from the version Villifor and Magnus told Darik. The Furies are formidable opponents. Lattimer has been researching in the areas you suggested with some initial progress. I plan to go to Primean’s lab and see if my Perceptor abilities make any difference. Rainier reacted strongly to that decision and denounced me as his teacher. Lucus will meet up with us when we send word to him, Sana was at the palace, and Ibson’s state hasn’t changed.”
“You were expelled from Ispirtu and people aren’t known for breaking into the guild. I hope you formulated plans with more care than you did at the Regallo estate…” Slate offered only silence because he shared the headmaster’s concerns. The headmaster finished rearming. “I will show you out and then relocate my supplies to the catalpa grove. When I am finished, I will wait for you to leave the Ispirtu grounds.”
Slate knew what the next part of the plan would be. “Then we’ll get the answers we are seeking. We’ll sneak into the Regallo estate one last time to find out if it’s Brannon we should be fighting.”
“Exactly. Although, I think I’ve been in the shadows too long. I no longer have a guild to protect and owe allegiance only to myself. I won’t be sneaking anywhere. I plan to walk in the front door and get the information I need…one way or another.” The headmaster left the storeroom without waiting for a response, guiding Slate down another small tunnel and giving Slate time to contemplate the full meaning of the headmaster’s words.
