Finally, Heric could no longer take it. He rushed to the surface. His first breath of air felt like molasses. He continued to gasp for air. He threw his arms out in anger. Water crashed to the sides of the room. Finally, he calmed down. His episode was over. He couldn’t get past his newest record. He would just have to try harder.
A servant stood by the pool. He cowered to the edge afraid of Heric’s outburst. In his hand was a towel. He presented it to his emperor as gently as possible.
“No,” said Heric, waving off his servant. “I’m going under again.”
Heric took several deep breaths. Then he let the air out of his lungs and he dove under once again. This routine continued for the next hour.
“Is he still at it?” Forman asked the servant later. He walked in to the bathhouse with a messenger. He could see Heric under the murky water. The servant sprung to his feet, but Forman waved him back down. “Do not disturb him,” he said. “He’ll come up in a few minutes. I will talk to him then.”
They waited. Heric fought through the water. Forman could see he was motioning through his fighting routine below. Then Heric reemerged. He was calm. His breathing remained in control. He made Forman and the others wait six minutes.
“Bravo,” said Forman.
Heric turned to see his confidant. His hair had to be brushed out of his eyes. The water was ice cold, but Heric no longer showed it. He remained still in the waist deep water.
“What is it?” Heric asked.
“There has been a new development,” said Forman. “I thought you should know about it.”
“Go ahead,” said Heric.
Forman urged the messenger to step forward. The man quickly bowed to his emperor before he addressed him, but he never returned his head straight up. His curled body made him look hunchback.
“I bring a message from Omye Beach near the sight of Selour and Aldrin the Ageless’ ship.”
“Have they moved?” Heric asked frustrated.
“No, sir, but a carriage has been found on the beach not too far from the area. It carries the seal of the Capitol.”
“What is a Capitol carriage doing down there?” asked Heric.
“The word is spreading. Your empress has been kidnapped by the Tcher Islands, sir,” the messenger finished. He shuffled back putting his arms close to his head afraid of any retaliation.
Heric stayed silent. He looked over at Forman and gestured for the messenger to go away. Forman did as he was instructed. He walked the man out of the room. The messenger was grateful. He did not want to be the one to deliver the awful news to his emperor. He was expecting lashings, but instead was rewarded with a gold coin.
Forman returned to the water’s edge. “Do you think it is true?”
“She’s not here. Why would she go to the east?”
“Perhaps she did not know any better,” Forman suggested.
“There were guards all along the road. Tcher has been there for weeks, unmoved. She had to have known.”
“What are you going to do? You wanted her out of your way. He will try to use her against you. She is your wife. Aldrin will assume there is some connection between you two.”
“She wasn’t kidnapped. She went there on her own,” Heric said.
“Then she is insane,” said Forman.
“I cannot let Marina get away with this. She spoke of an alliance between Eluan and Tcher. She could be following that vision of hers.”
“Then they will plan an attempt for the mainland.”
“It is time to attack,” said Heric. “Aldrin cannot remain in those ships forever. He needs to answer for his crimes, as does Marina.”
“What crimes has the Empress committed?” Forman asked.
“She is responsible for Abigail’s death. She will be held responsible for that if nothing else.”
“Are you sure?” Forman asked, bewildered by the news about Abigail.
“Ready the men, Forman,” ordered Heric. “Tcher will be met with the full force of the Eluan Empire.”
Chapter 23
The room Abigail was left in was more than she had expected. Her bed was layers thick. Clothes had been packed away for her. Perfumes and make-ups sat in a chest. A platter of fruits and cheeses had been prepared and left for her. It was glorious accommodations except for the chain around her ankle that kept her tied to the room. She was left in disbelief.
In the past year, she was beaten and hurt. Her captives had seen to that. The daylight peeking into the boat blinded her. It was the first time she had seen daylight since her kidnapping.
She hardly remembered any of it now. It was all buried in her memories. She was hidden away in cells and basements. Rarely was their room to stand let alone move. She had believed each one was going to be her coffin.
She tried to keep her thoughts on her past. While her captors came for her, hurt her, touched her, she would be thinking of home. She thought of Heric and how he was going to save her. But he never did. The life she remembered could not help her.
There were times Abigail no longer wanted to live. She was going to end it herself, but could never do it. She was tied up. She was force fed. They wanted her alive.
Now, she sat in a quiet room on the sea. Music played in a distant room. It hummed across the ship. The Eluan shore was visible in the distance. A painting hung on the wall over her mantle. It depicted early life on the Tcher Islands.
Abigail paid attention to none of that. Her eyes stayed on the mirror in the corner. She couldn’t look away at the woman she no longer recognized.
She had been left alone on the ship for days. Food would enter through a slot in the door. Abigail ate. Alexus taught her to be strong. While growing up, whenever Alexus returned from a visit to another city she would ask him why he did it. He would always answer, “I want to see how things turn out.” This was now Abigail’s time to see how things turned out.
The door to her room unlocked. After all this time Abigail had her first visitor. She recognized him as the soldier that had escorted her to the room in the first place. It was Falon.
“Hello,” he said. A tray of food was in his hands. Abigail instinctively tensed up as he walked inside. He set down the plate of lamb and stew on the table.
“Are the accommodations to your liking?” Falon asked. His grin spread across his face. It never went away while he spoke.
Abigail refused to answer him. Instead, she turned away to look out the window.
“That is the Eluan shore,” said Falon. “It is a lovely country. I finally got to see it recently.”
Abigail continued her reign of silence. It did not stop Falon from continuing his conversation.
“The Capitol was massive,” he continued. “Even the Tcher Citadel is meek compared to what Eluan has created. They never tell those stories about Eluan. You never hear about the beauty in it.”
“What do they tell you?” Abigail finally spoke up.
Falon jumped forward, eager to talk further with Abigail. “We’re reminded of the imperialist country that resides across the rest of the world. Tcher is our haven. As small as it is we are free from the Empire’s oppression.”
“You believe that?” Abigail asked.
“I have all the freedom I could wish for. Father Aldrin has given us that. Freedom through strength. The Empire will not crush us.”
“Aldrin is a lunatic,” said Abigail. “He is responsible for the deaths of countless lives.”
“It is only lunacy when you do not see the grand plan. He is timeless. We are just pieces of the arch. He saved his people. Soon, Aldrin the Ageless will carry this world into a better future when it is all said and done,” enthused Falon.
“I am alone because of him,” said Abigail. “He has no right to decide these kinds of plans.”
“You are alive because of him,” said Falon.
Abigail paused for a brief second. She thought back to Aldrin when she first arrived. She remembered the hint of a smile appearing on his face.
“Is it true?” asked Abigail. “Is it true what he said about me? I am his granddaughter.”
Falon shrugged. “You must ask him yourself. He wishes to speak with you. When you are ready, of course. This is a trying time for the both of you.”
Abigail got to her feet. Her chain raked against the floor. Her diner was in front of her. She took a bite of her food. Falon waited, but Abigail never turned back to him.
“I must be going now,” he said. “I will return tomorrow. I hope we can talk some more. I would love to hear stories about Eluan.”
“Tcher destroyed half of the world,” said Abigail. “You destroyed the stories along with it. You do not deserve anymore.”
Falon dropped his head. He left without a further word.
Chapter 24
“How are you, Nikali?” his cousin asked. Heric stood in the cell, looking over Nikali. Nikali did not pay him any attention. He did not look up when Heric entered the room or even move a muscle.
“I am sorry about this,” Heric apologized. “We thought it was for the best. You can be dangerous.”
“You thought that?” spoke up Nikali. “Or was it your lap dog, Forman.”
The shifting of armor was heard outside the cell door. Nikali look up. He rattled his own chains to mimic the one from outside.
“Come here, boy, come here,” Nikali taunted Forman behind the wall.
“Enough,” said Heric. “Forman did not decide this.”
“He certainly didn’t help me.”
“He does not trust you,” scolded Heric.
Nikali turned his glare over to Heric. “But what about your opinion? The Eluan Emperor himself? What does he have to say about Nikali Caning II, the-should-have-been-future-emperor?” Nikali fought to free himself out of his restraints. His body spasmed, but he remained in place.
“I don’t trust you,” said Heric.
Nikali let out a scream at the top of his lungs. He lunged out of the chair, but was held down by the chains.
“Lions wait in the field! The sun will set!” Nikali yelled out in a spew of hatred. “Vultures stay fed! The grass is always dead! Birds see the moon! The tides push the fish!”
“Quiet, Nikali!” Heric yelled back. But Nikali would not quiet down. He continued his rant of proverbs at the top of his lungs. Heric had no choice. He came up to his cousin and struck him across the face.
Nikali shot back into his chair. Silence filled the dungeon cell. Heric gave Nikali a moment to compose himself.
“Owwwww,” Nikali let out. He spit blood from his mouth.
“Are you through?” Heric asked.
“I can go for years,” Nikali said.
“That will not be necessary,” said Heric. He was calmer now. Nikali stayed quiet. “I have a proposition for you?”
Nikali leaned back in his chair. Heric’s sudden change in demeanor had him curious. He let his cousin continue.
“I want to offer you a position on my Royal Council. I have left one seat open in the hopes of your return. You will be given all the privileges of the royal class. You will want for nothing.”
“I already have that,” said Nikali. “And the pompous sloths that I can call my brethren have never even noticed.”
“You will have duties, Nikali,” continued Heric. “Your position will rise in the eyes of others when you take on responsibilities.”
“I would rather stay here,” snarled Nikali.
“I need your help,” said Heric. “The Tcher Islands have returned to the mainland. Eluan is going to war with them.”
“I am not fighting for this empire,” snapped Nikali.
“You won’t have to,” said Heric.
“Then you have nothing to offer me,” said Nikali.
“I do. And you have something to offer me.”
Nikali leaned forward. For once he was interested in what Heric had to ask him.
“I am putting together a new squad,” said Heric. “They will be the most powerful military the world has ever seen; trained to fight like Eluan and Louson plus the ability to control their arcan. I want you to lead them. You have demonstrated the most control over the most powerful arcan I have ever seen. You are the expert. Teach my men how to control their arcan. You will never have to go into battle. They will. And you will have access to more powerful Tamor Blood than what is available on the market.”
The smile evaporated from Nikali’s face as Heric spoke. Then it came back bigger than ever.
“You trust me with Tamor Blood?” Nikali asked.
“You’re a good man, Nikali,” said Heric. “I know that. I trust that you will help me. We are the only family we have left. Together we can rebuild Eluan better than either of our fathers imagined. Will you help me?”
Nikali smiled at his cousin. “Show me my team.”
Chapter 25
Heric and Forman led Nikali down the corridors of the palace. This was familiar territory to Nikali, whether Heric knew it or not. They were headed for the Emperor’s chambers. Emperor Cyrus spent much of his time down in the chambers before his death. It was much more private than any other room. The hallway design allowed for only one guard to be needed to defend the entrance. Nikali had been down there many times.
They came to the narrow hallway. There was no guard at the door. That was unusual for Nikali. It meant Heric no longer used the room for his own personal privacy. They continued on to the door. Forman had to squeeze through the last stretch of hallway. His shoulders were too broad to fit comfortably. Nikali jaunted to the door as he had done in the past. He waited impatiently for Forman to unlock the entrance way.
“This does not leave the room, Nikali, by orders of the Emperor,” said Forman. “If word got out about the plans in here there would be outrage in the Royal Council.”
“Oooh, I do love a secret,” said Nikali. He glanced at Heric, but his cousin paid him no attention.
Forman unlocked the door. He and Heric were the only one with keys to the entrance. The door jostled open. The next moment, Nikali got a whiff of the air inside. It smelled of Tamor Blood. His spine tingled and his shoulders danced.
“You’ve been a naughty ruler,” said Nikali. Heric opened the door for him. Inside were five soldiers. They came to attention at the arrival of Emperor Caning.
Along the walls were training equipment, and battle weapons; spears, swords, arrows, and shields. There were items for target practice. Boulders and rocks were scattered around the floor in half piles. It was a training facility.
A table was in the corner. It held a giant cauldron surrounded by empty mugs. Red stained the table and floor around it. Tamor Blood filled the cauldron to the brim.
“You make this yourself?” Nikali asked.
“We have to,” said Heric. “We tried it with the Tamor Blood available at the market. Results were limiting.”
“How did you make it more powerful?” Nikali asked.
“Tree development. We discovered many of the merchants found their ingredients in the forest near the Capitol. Many of those trees are old. The forest in the northwest are younger and stronger. They create a more potent drink.”
“The northwest?” Nikali enquired.
“Yes, the Cylo Forest, where the avadons have settled. The thought wasn’t lost on me,” Heric said. “Our supplies are limited. We haven’t had anybody go over there for new supplies in months. The avadons have scared the people away. I am hesitant to send any soldiers in there. They could discover the cutting fields and more than likely get slaughtered by the avadon horde.”
“You are better off,” said Nikali. “Your supply has been leaked. the Talons has access to your batch.”
“Unfortunately,” said Forman, “But the situation has stayed small enough that little has been done about it. The Talons have always acted as their own entity whether it’s true or not. They have refused our help in the past.”
“Perhaps you were asking,” said Nikali. He began walking around the room to take it all in. He p
assed by the cauldron for one of the mugs. Nikali did not stop walking. He grabbed the mug in one swift move. Then he dipped it into the Tamor Blood as he walked away from the cauldron. The drink touched his lips. He trembled in glee.
The soldiers stared at Nikali, confused at this man their emperor had welcomed inside. A moment later, the rocks scattered around the room lifted into the air. They all rushed to the middle of the chamber and began pilling onto one another. Nikali arrived at the rocks as they continued to climb into the air. Then he sat down on the forming pile. They molded around his lower back. Finally, the rocks stopped moving in the form of a chair for Nikali.
“Is there a reason your men are staring at me?” Nikali asked.
“These men are some of our best soldiers, but they have never trained with arcan,” said Heric.
“Such a shame,” said Nikali.
“These are your men now,” Heric told Nikali. Then he turned to address his soldiers. “This is Commander Nikali Caning. You will listen to him. He will show you how to harness your arcan.”
“Yes, sir,” was said in unison from the soldiers.
Nikali looked at his future pupils. They stared back with curiosity. Then one by one each soldier fell to the floor; their feet swept out from under them. Heric and Forman looked at Nikali unamused.
“It’s going to be a lot of work,” said Nikali. “This will be fun.”
Chapter 26
Abigail gazed out the window of her room. She looked at the beaches of Eluan. She could see the colors of the soldier’s flags lined up along the coast. It was the flags of the first army to appear on the beach. The ranks were made up of legions from across the world. Abigail knew them all by heart. Alexus had taught her.
She kept herself busy while onboard the ship. Her room was filled with books from both Eluan and Tcher. Abigail passed the time browsing through the selection that had been left for her. She stuck mainly to the books from Tcher. Many of them she had never seen before. The ones she had were from a collection that Alexus had owned.
Eluan Falls: The Tides of Utter Undoing Page 8
