by Billy Wong
"Good luck resisting those temptations," Julianna said flatly. She pointed her spear at the younger woman. "If by some miracle you succeed, that is."
Leelee laughed again. "Admirable bluster, just as would be expected from the Saint Princess. But I know you're weakened. You barely use magic these days. That moving corpse of yours must not be able to channel as well as it once did. I will destroy you!"
She probably was weakened somewhat since part of her focus was reserved for maintaining her form, though she hadn't dared to test her maximum limits for other obvious reasons. Did Leelee really think her a literal animated corpse, rather than made of energy? She shouldn't assume either way, when her adversary could be trying to throw her off. "I've always been shy about resorting to magic when grittier solutions would suffice. What makes you so confident that I'm weak?"
"It doesn't matter if you are or not. Righteousness stands with me. Today I'll best you."
"You're free to delude yourself as long as you can." Julianna charged. Leelee raised her hands in front of her and gathered energy before them, then unleashed it in a massive blast. Julianna leapt over it while it roared across the room, smashing a hole big enough to fit a wagon in the far wall. "Quit wasting so much magical energy!" she cried as she landed and dove aside from a barrage of small bolts from an extended palm. "Why don't you stop that and fight me in a physical bout?"
"And give up my advantage? No chance!"
Rolling up from her dodge, she darted at her foe again. Leelee backpedaled, shooting out another medium sized blast. Julianna decided to brace herself and power through, swinging her spear into it first to diffuse its force though it still hurt. Seeing her near, Leelee's eyes bulged. She spun desperately away from a thrust at her, yelped as the spearhead sliced her gown. As she touched her mildly bleeding side with a panicked look, Julianna said, "You don't have much real combat experience, do you?"
Leelee bared her teeth in rage while she backpedaled. "It doesn't matter, I'll still kill you!" She threw a bevy of small, fast bolts at Julianna, which blew craters in the floor as she zigzagged around them closer and closer. Almost within reach, Julianna swiped at her. Leelee jumped away, then yelped as she brought the spear back around and hurled it at her head. She leaned aside, energy building around her right hand as she prepared to retaliate. "Ha, missed-" Her sentence was cut off as she felt the pain and looked down. Julianna had rushed up to her in the moment after throwing her spear, and driven her rigid hand into Leelee's abdomen. "Not... fair," she choked out, spraying bloody spittle with every word.
"I predicted with your lack of savvy, you would let your guard down if I seemed to make a mistake. Never do that. But I suppose you'll have to make use of that lesson in the afterlife." She pulled out her gory fingers and Leelee fell to her back, gasping raggedly. "You alright?" she asked Keith as he and Julian walked up next to her.
"Just a minor bruise. I figured you wouldn't want me to intervene, so I sat back and watched."
"If I couldn't stop her before she wasted much more magical energy, I might've wanted help. Got her just about quickly enough."
"Mom, you killed..."
Julianna sighed. "A battle to the end with me was her true wish. I gave it to her." She noticed Leelee wasn't quite dead, still trembling slightly, and knelt beside her. "I'm sorry for giving you the memory of your father's death. It's understandable why you would be affected strongly. Though you can't escape responsibility for your actions, I hope your spirit will find peace."
Leelee managed to open her eyes a crack and said in a shaky voice, "I don't want your self-satisfying apologies, you fake cunt. I loath you. I curse your family. I hope your son develops a cancer that consumes him, and your lover's brain rots so he becomes an empty drooling shell before his slow death. As for you, I'll wish for you to live on in that inhuman body until the world ends, all alone as your sanity is lost..." She stopped breathing, and was gone.
"Wow," Julian whispered, "she really hated us. I'm surprised she could hide it so well."
"Are we certain she was really behind it all?" Keith asked. "She showed good discipline to keep up the charade for so long, but it's still hard to believe she had the resources and ability to run an organization that spanned at least three countries."
"Who knows?" Julianna said. "We'll hold an investigation, though I don't know how much we can find out with her dead."
Julian sadly regarded Leelee's corpse. "Maybe you shouldn't have killed her yet. Couldn't you have beaten her without doing that?"
"Maybe. Probably, especially if Keith helped. In the heat of the moment though, it felt like a grudge that should be settled for good. Too late for regrets now. We'll ask her adoptive father about it, and hope for the best."
"I suppose she did have Thaddeus killed..." He still sounded displeased, however.
Keith embraced him and patted his back. "She probably never really loved you. There are plenty of women out there for a young monarch, don't be too hard on your mom."
"I understand why she did it. Just give me some time to get over this."
"After I write a letter to the baron explaining what happened," Julianna said, "I'm going to the wellspring."
Julian did a double take. "Right now? You're going to leave dealing with her father to me after killing her?"
"I'm sorry, but I've been delayed long enough by this assassination bullshit, and the more time passes the more scared I get over the continent's future. Yes you heard that right, even I can be scared. So I need to resume my search, and pray that I start gaining useful knowledge soon. Don't worry, you'll have your father to help you out."
"Okay Mom, I guess I shouldn't rely on you so much when you aren't the princess anymore—I mean, you know what I mean. By the way, should we find another seer to take Thaddeus' place?"
"You can try, but he was known as the most gifted in this part of the world so a replacement might not measure up. Your girl did a hell of a thing, taking away such a talent just to spite us."
He nodded weakly. "I can't fault you for killing her taking that into account. Good luck, and I sure hope you find a way to save our land."
They gave each other a parting hug, then Julianna got her horse and headed for the nearest wellspring of magic. It was only a few days away, and the guards at the outpost that had been built nearby greeted her enthusiastically. "Your Highness!" said one of the two on duty at the actual cave entrance while both bowed. "What brings you to our humble station?"
"Just need to take a look at the wellspring. And you needn't bow to me anymore. I'm just an advisor now, save your respects for my son."
"But we want to honor you," said the thickset stubbly-faced man. "Everyone admires you so much, and you'll always be our Saint Princess."
She smiled. "Thank you." Stepping past into the tunnel, she wasn't sure why seeing them bow had made her feel negatively. Maybe it was guilt over letting Thaddeus get killed so quick under her watch, or she just felt increasingly like a relic of older times that didn't belong in the present. Why did she have such thoughts? Keith and Julian loved her, and so did most of Aerilea's citizens. She shouldn't feel unwelcome. But Leelee's vendetta reminded her how brutal she could be, both in dispatching her father and how she had killed Leelee herself without a second thought. If the world was to move away from violence and bloodshed, did it really need a person like her in the lead or close to it? Maybe she should change, but wasn't sure if she could. It had become ingrained in her nature by now to react to threats with force, an old war pig like her being pretty set in its ways. Perhaps she shouldn't view herself poorly for that? Some things did have to be answered with violence after all, so people like her should exist for when swords needed to be drawn. Yet maybe she tired of being this way. Or was it the fact she should be—or arguably was—dead and still walked the earth that made her question if she belonged? She didn't know, but told herself not to dwell on it too much. Insuring a future for the continent and its people took priority over her personal doubts.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" asked the guard who had greeted her.
"No, unfortunately. Guess it's time to move on to the next wellspring, though I dread to think I might be disappointed again."
Given that she would have to pass by Myrrhise to reach the second wellspring on the other side of it anyway, she decided to stop in and check how her son and future husband were doing. Well, future husband if they survived that long. "How did meeting Leelee's father go, if it's done?" she asked Julian when she arrived in the throne room.
"We haven't met. When he received your letter, he just asked that her body be sent to him, and we did so. I didn't want to force him to come, since he must be grieving and it isn't a priority."
"He could have aided in her deeds though, so somebody should speak with him soon. Also, I'd like for our people to look into any rumors or legends about a place of golden light somewhere remote on this continent, maybe deep underground or something. I think the place Thaddeus spoke of might be the origin of the energy at the wellsprings, and if we found it we could possibly see what the problem is, like if it's blocked or weakening itself."
"That sounds like a good lead, Mom. Are you going to the other wellspring still?" She nodded. "Before you leave, there's a man here you might want to meet first." Her brow rose curiously. "He says he's from the lower world, and came out of concern for the safety of his land after the recent island falls."
A visitor from below? Interesting, both in general and because she wondered how he had gotten here. It must've been difficult considering how long it took before one came. "Does he speak our tongue?"
"No," Keith said, "but we got him to teach us much of his language by showing him pictures of things and having him name them. One of our particularly interested and prolific scholars can translate decently for him already, though it's still rough of course."
She stared in disbelief. "Somebody learned a whole language in a week or so? Even as a woman who could once blow up a mountain, I'm beyond impressed."
He laughed. "She can translate by looking up his words on the dictionary we made, though she knows some of them by heart already. A conversation with him takes a long time, but it's not impossible to have one."
"Okay then. I'm sure you've talked to him already, but I'll see him too."
Keith had someone fetch the middle-aged robed female scholar, then guided Julianna and her to a guest room where the visitor from below stayed. He was a pale young man with long braided hair, dressed in ring mail armor under furs. She figured he didn't feel completely safe here, hence why he still wore that. "I'm Julianna," she said. "What's your name?"
The scholar paged through the book she held while writing out her sentences on a piece of paper, and Julianna knew this was going to take quite a while. When she finally conveyed Julianna's message to their guest and he replied, she said, "He says his name is Utok, and asks if you are the queen of this continent."
Shouldn't Keith or whoever spoke with him before already have covered this? But she supposed it might be tough to come to a proper understanding in these circumstances. "I used to be the ruler of this nation, not the whole continent, but I'm not anymore. My son is now."
More slow translation. "He says he is aware that is the official state of things, but knows you are the true power behind the throne. It's clear that all revere you, and look to you for direction."
Darn, did the people who'd interacted with him do that bad at giving Julian respect and gush over her that much? "I help my son govern, but he takes the lead. Anyway, what questions does he have for me?"
"He asks if you are a god, for he's heard tales you were killed and came back from the dead."
They'd wasted minutes of translation time for that? "No, I'm no god. I'm just a very powerful mage, who has a very human son to prove I'm human."
"He says that in their lore only a god can return from death, and he is honored to meet a mighty divinity such as yourself."
She slapped her forehead. "I'm already frustrated... um, don't translate that. Putting talk of my divineness aside, what other questions does he have?"
"He asks why the goddess does not stop the heavens from falling on his land, and if it is punishment for some slight for which his people should make amends."
Oh, gods... "It's not a punishment. Tell him"—screw it—"the gods are having some trouble right now, as the heavens have become unstable. But we're working on it, so hopefully nothing worse will happen."
"He thanks the goddess for hearing him. He humbly asks if he can touch you hand, to feel the texture of divine flesh."
"What, really? Really? Ugh, but I guess he probably isn't having lewd thoughts." His eyes looked far more awed than lustful, anyway. "Fine." She stuck out her hand and let Utok feel it while she rolled her eyes.
"He says you feel as elegant and graceful as you look, just like a goddess should. He hopes you will keep your word, and show mercy to his people by not punishing them further."
"B-but I just said it wasn't a punishment... doesn't he believe the so called goddess?"
The scholar bowed her head. "I'm afraid my grasp on his language is far from masterful, so there may have been parts of my translation he didn't understand or misunderstood."
She wondered how many of the minutes they had already spent on this turned out to be useless. "I'll leave clarifying things for him to others, but I do have one question of my own. How did he get up here?"
"He says he flew on a giant bird, which left him as soon as he got off. He doesn't know how he will get back down, and asks if you have a way for him to do so."
"We'll work on that too."
The scholar chuckled, and Julianna frowned wondering what was so funny. "He views you as a rather powerless goddess, and unimpressive in the scope of your powers."
"This... this wouldn't be the case if he could get it through his thick skull that I'm not a god... tell him this goddess once destroyed an enemy god the size of a mountain, and is just cautious about using her powers for fear of damaging the heavens."
"Are you sure about that?"
Julianna sighed. "It's almost truthful. If he insists on keeping his delusions, better this for an explanation of why we don't even have a way to go down, at least one where we know we can get back up." Although, if he only wanted to get down, maybe they could just give him a piece of cloth to hold overhead to slow his fall and have him jump off. That would be extremely risky and he probably wouldn't go for it, though.
After bidding him farewell and meeting back up with Keith, she asked, "Do I really look like a goddess? Utok insisted I did."
He gave her a big smile. "Of course. I've always thought you were beautiful as a goddess since I met you."
She put a hand on her hip. "I'm being serious."
"Your armor looks like something a goddess would wear, so form fitting and shiny."
"Then this goddess had better go on to the next wellspring. Also, if there's anyone with the patience for it, try and find out if our guest knows anything about magical wellsprings that might possibly exist down there too and how they get their energy."
Chapter 8
Julianna visited the next wellspring farther from Myrrhise, only to find it just like the other two. Another fruitless trip, which took weeks going back and forth. Maybe she should consider it fortunate just that the continent hadn't fallen yet, but the lack of
progress was immensely frustrating. She went home, wishing really hard that somebody had a good lead. The news she received from her son was about the opposite of what she wanted. "Mom, we've gotten word that Severil is on the verge of invading Ostuh!"
"What? What does that idiot Becca think she's doing?"
"Monsters have reportedly been crossing over repeatedly from Ostuh into Severil, and she claims the government of Ostuh is to blame for it so..."
Julianna glowered. She wouldn't put that past Gilbert and his cronies with their magical experimentation, but it seemed likely Becca was being a hothead too and acting without sufficient proof. "Write her to hold off on attacking until I get there," she said.
"You're going? But aren't I the ruler now?"
"Yes, but she knows me so I might have a better chance of reasoning with her."
"What about your investigation of the magical decline?"
She was loathe to put that aside, but... "Unless we have a new lead, there isn't much I can do about that now. So if I have the opportunity to stop a war from breaking out, I'd best take it."
"I'm coming too," Keith said. "I suspect there's a good chance you might wind up fighting those monsters, and if so I'd like to help you."
"Thanks, and I accept your offer."
They hurried south to Severil. Finding Becca not at her fortress home, they rode to the border by which her and her army of twenty thousand were camped. The warriors of Severil looked fierce and hungry, hard-trained rookies eager for their first taste of blood and scarred veterans ready to scratch an old itch alike. They were more than serious about this, then. "Becca, what are you doing?" she asked when she made it to the huge command tent and entered to see the young queen polishing her sword. "Are you sure Ostuh is behind the monsters moving into your domain? Have you sat down and talked to their leaders about it?"
Becca looked up and replied in an edgy tone, "I've spoken with them. They promised they would inform me of large monster migrations from their land to mine, but it continuously recurs without any word from them—unlike what happened with your son, it isn't a one time mistake. There is no way they keep missing such big groups over and over again, and we've already lost many people to them. I believe they've found a way to control wild monsters, and since they don't want to target their own or offend you by sending them north, they're testing them on us."
