This time he did smile. I was grateful that he did not hold a grudge for long.
“I made a small band that fits comfortably on your wrist. It will act as a buffer. You will have to physically draw power around you rather than having it happen naturally,” he explained. “It might take some time for you to adjust, as it will be more difficult for you to create the veil that hides you so effectively. But it will also make it easier for you to resist other sources, like the book you encountered earlier today.”
Raphael reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin metal bracelet. It appeared to be made of iron, but when he handed it to me, it was much lighter than I expected. I slipped it onto my wrist and immediately felt a resistance form around me.
“That’s interesting,” I said as I turned my arm looking at the metal band. “It feels like I just rolled myself in a blanket.”
I reached for the air around me to try to create the illusion that would make me vanish. It was still there, but it felt like a rubbery barrier separated me from it. I pushed through the barrier and was able create the illusion.
“Yes, it’s more difficult, but worth it if it keeps me from incinerating everyone around me.” I smiled at Raphael, expressing my gratitude.
“Speaking of that,” Raphael began. “I think we should try to find out exactly how that ability works. Leaving you to figure it out with trial and error is probably not the best idea.”
I laughed. “I agree. I should find out what the limits are in a safe environment.”
Raphael took us back to the plateau that I had scorched earlier. We worked on controlling the intensity of the fire, the direction, and the source. I learned that I could use the air around me to force the fire into a thin line, or suppress it into a tightly compressed ball. Raphael had so much knowledge about controlling my ability, I was left feeling like a child learning from a master. But I was fairly certain that he did not have any magical ability. When we paused for a break, I asked, “Raphael, how do you know so much about controlling magic?”
“It is my gift,” he said simply. “I don’t have excessive strength, healing, or the ability to control the essence around me. But I can see how others use their magic and learn from it.” He cleared his throat and blushed slightly. “I’ve also been gifted with the ability to understand runes, which enables me to create items like your bracelet.”
I was astonished. “That’s an amazing gift!”
He smiled, revealing his boyish features. “I think so.”
We stood at the edge of the plateau, looking east. The view from that height was amazing. The mountain that concealed Santuario was behind us, while lush green hills spread out before us. Far in the distance was a bluish-green haze on the horizon.
“What is that on the horizon?” I asked, pointing towards the haze.
“That’s the ocean,” Raphael replied.
“I didn’t realize we were that close,” I said with astonishment.
“We aren’t really that close,” Raphael replied. “It would take several days for you to reach the ocean from here.”
We sat there in silence for a while longer before heading back to Santuario.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was famished when we got back and intended to find some food. We were about to go our separate ways when the door to the tower swung open and Mikel rushed out. Relief spread across his face when he saw Raphael.
“There is an emergency in France. Both of you, come with me.”
He started back into the tower but stopped before he reached the door.
“Darian, find Adalina first and bring her with you.”
Mikel and Raphael entered the tower while I went to the Warriors’ Arena, reluctantly foregoing my meal. Adalina was training with her troops, just as I expected. I probably should have been training with them, but it started to look like I would not be joining her group of warriors. She saw me enter the arena and nodded at one of the men. He took over leading the drills, and she walked towards me with a look of concern.
“What is it?” she asked. “You look as though the world is ending tomorrow.”
Was my expression that severe? I’d been through a lot today, but training with Raphael had calmed a great deal of my anxiety. “Mikel needs to see us,” I replied. “I guess my expression probably mirrors his.”
She didn’t waste any time heading towards the tower. We went up to Mikel’s office and let ourselves in. Mikel was sitting at his desk, and Raphael was standing next to him, looking at a map.
Mikel spoke as soon as we closed the door. “We have finally located one of the possessed leaders within Napoleon’s army. We need to remove this demon immediately. It’s possible that its removal will slow the ambition of Napoleon and hopefully turn the tide of this war.”
“Do we have an exact location?” Adalina asked.
“Yes, we know where he lives,” Mikel replied. “He does not go to the battlefield, but stays in Paris. He’s one of the strategists, which is a reasonably easy position to compromise. My hope is that the man will see the evil that possessed him and change his opinion of the war.”
“When do we go?” Adalina asked.
“I would like Darian to go a couple days ahead of us to determine his schedule and routines,” Mikel explained. “We need to be able to isolate him so that we can remove the demon.”
I nodded in agreement. “If someone can take me there, I will establish a timeline of his routine. Most people are creatures of habit, so I should be able to identify the best time to get him alone.”
“Perfect! Do you want to take anyone with you?” Mikel asked.
“No, I think it’s better if I’m on my own.” I worried about putting anyone else in danger if I were to lose control. Mikel seemed to read my thoughts.
“I have complete faith in you, Darian. You were a scout in the Austrian Army long enough to establish the skills to be successful,” Mikel replied. “Adalina will take you to our safe house in Paris, and we’ll arrive at sundown in two days.”
We arrived in an upstairs bedroom of what looked like an inn or hostel. It had a balcony overlooking the street below. The room was clean and quiet, with only a bed and wardrobe in the moderate space. Adalina was unusually quiet as she checked the wardrobe and under the bed. I chuckled, but waited for her to finish inspecting the room.
“The owner of the guesthouse will take care of all your needs,” Adalina explained. “She knows we come and go frequently and does not ask questions. We pay her very well to keep this room, but I always check to make sure no one else has been here.” Her brow furrowed as she looked up at me. “The man you are looking for has an estate three blocks to the west. It’s well guarded and will not be easy to infiltrate. Be careful not to get caught,” she continued. “They don’t know the meaning of mercy.” She gave me a strange look and then shook her head.
“I don’t get any of your clever remarks about how beautiful I am today?” I asked sarcastically.
“No! I’m worried for your safety.” She scowled at me. “You don’t have enough training, and you have not had the time you need to learn how to fight these things. You’ll end up getting killed. I should be staying with you.”
“I’m not here to fight,” I reminded her. “I’m here to watch and determine the best way for you to come in and fight. I won’t get caught, because they’ll never see me.” I smiled, trying to reassure her.
She glared at me. “I’ll see you in two days,” she said, then she was gone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I looked around the room, trying to decide if I should leave my bag or take it with me. I opted to take it with me, in case I should need one of the many weapons that were conveniently waiting to be summoned from the bag. I still had no idea how that worked, but it just reinforced Raphael’s brilliance.
I walked out onto the balcony, enjoying the warmth of Paris. I looked towards the west, taking in the vast city that stretched out before me. I thought I could see the roof of the large estate
that Adalina described. I would wait until late evening to approach the estate, but now would be a good time to investigate the atmosphere of the city. Were the people confident in their latest leaders? Were they worried about their future? Did they have concerns for their safety? It was a city still in turmoil after the French Revolution, which didn’t appear to be over. Napoleon was gaining in popularity, and the current government was not.
I looked down over the balcony and saw several cafés and coffee shops along the street below. I spent the afternoon wandering through the streets, listening to the local people barter prices, gossip, and talk about their livelihood. Surprisingly enough, many of them were not afraid to openly discuss their discontent, but I could feel the undercurrent of fear. So much had changed for this nation in the past few decades. I had not been in France during the Revolution, and I had only heard about their turmoil through the papers and gossip that filtered into Austria. Now I stood amongst a people ravaged by war. It was humbling.
Just as the sun began to set over the city, I made my way towards the estate. It was surrounded by a wall that followed the road for several blocks. Narrow alleys ran parallel with the walls as they turned towards the rear of the estate. Several men lounged outside the gate, and a few more tried to look like homeless vagrants along the walls. But their posture and sharp eyes gave away their true identity as guards. I suppressed a grin, wondering who they thought they were deceiving. I continued past the estate, ensuring that no one followed me.
An overgrown garden loomed ahead of me that looked like it had suffered greatly during the recent revolt. It would be the perfect place for me to disappear. I strolled into the garden as a normal man and snuck back out totally unseen. I backtracked down the street until I reached the first alley, then followed the wall to the rear of the estate. This part of the wall was not well kept and looked like it had also suffered during the revolt. There were several places that would be easy to climb over.
I continued to walk softly around the perimeter, encountering two patrols whose paths intersected at both the front and rear. Apparently, they were the only two that came to the rear. I waited in the shadow of a large tree to see how long it took them to make their trip around. After twenty minutes, they passed each other again, going in opposite directions around the estate. If one of them were removed, the other would know it, so both would have to be taken out of the picture. But it was also likely that the guards out front would notice their absence and come looking for them.
I continued around the perimeter, back to the front gate, and quickly crossed the street, still concealed beneath my illusion. I leaned against the wall of a nearby building and watched the house. If our dignitary enjoyed any nightlife, he should be emerging soon. Either that, or his entertainment should be arriving.
After another half hour, an elegant coach approached at the gate. The footman opened the door of the carriage, and a tall, slender woman wearing a long, stylish dress stepped out with his assistance. A man in a well cut, black suit followed her from the carriage, and they walked towards the house. The carriage pulled away and parked farther down the street, almost to the garden I had visited earlier. I watched the couple enter the home, then quietly walked down the street towards the carriage. I could learn a great deal from the servants of the wealthy. I stayed on the opposite side of the road until I was past the carriage, then I made my way towards the garden. I hid in the shadows of the tall trees outside the garden and listened to the carriage driver and footman.
“I don’t like that his lordship is meeting with this traitor,” said the driver, tugging at his black vest.
“His lady doesn’t like it either,” replied the footman. “I could hear her expressing her concerns to him on the way over here. She does not trust him.”
“I heard from the lady’s maid that the traitor no longer entertains his mistress,” the driver said with disgust. “Have you seen his mistress? She is a voluptuous woman.”
“He must have something wrong,” the footman said, making a derogatory gesture. Both men chuckled.
“She said he smells like death, so the mistress does not mind that he no longer favors her.”
“She’s just making excuses for the rejection. Dead men don’t walk around the estate making demands.”
They started discussing the other maids and female servants at the home, then took out a pair of dice to pass the time. It would likely be a while before their services were required. I snuck to the rear of the estate again and climbed over the lowest part of the wall. I could see the kitchen entrance from the shadows where I knelt. The lights from the kitchen spilled out the doorway as someone opened it, emptied a pale of liquid, and then closed the door again. It was probably the only door besides the front entrance, so I wasn’t sure how I would be able to get in the house. The home was two stories high and made of stacked stone. The architecture was a beautifully classic French. I trailed the inside of the wall towards the opposite side of the house and turned the corner to find a uniquely English garden that continued the entire length of the home.
There were two balconies overlooking the garden, likely bedroom suites for the master of the house and his mistress. Roses climbed the trellis’ on each side of the two balconies. It was too early in the year for the roses to bloom, and it looked like the gardener had just pruned them in anticipation of spring. I could probably climb one of the trellises and get onto the balcony. I decided to wait until the patrol passed on the outside of the wall before I tried. They might be able to see the trellis over the wall, and while they couldn’t see me, they would be able to see falling leaves or snapping twigs. I didn’t have to wait long for the two to make their rounds. As soon as they disappeared around their opposing corners, I nimbly climbed the trellis and was on the balcony in less than a minute. I crouched low and listened. I couldn’t hear any voices in the room and had almost opened the balcony door, when I remembered that I could look without moving. I had twenty minutes before the guards made their rounds again, so I pulled another layer of air around my body and closed my eyes. I pushed my way through the door and glided into the room with my mind. I made a circuit of the room, tracing the outlines of the furniture as I went. It was a spacious ornate bedroom with a seating area, dressing and washing area, and a grand four-poster bed. I didn’t see any people. I pulled back out of the room and checked the time. It had only taken two minutes.
I tried the door and was relieved to find it opened easily. I quietly snuck into the room and moved towards the interior door. It was silent in the hallway as well. I assumed that everyone was downstairs, meeting with their guests. The only ones who might come up would be servants. I pushed open the door and made my way into the hall, closing the door behind me. I moved towards the bedroom next door, checking my illusion and entering the room. It was almost exactly the same as the other, except it had an adjoining study. This must be the master suite. I silently moved towards the study. There were piles of papers on the desk, along with several quills and an ink well. A large bookshelf covered one whole wall. I looked at the books, which varied from the history of France to Italian romance. Interesting variety. I heard voices in the hall and quickly moved to the balcony. I silently slipped through the door, closing it behind me, but I wasn’t ready to leave just yet. I checked my illusion again to ensure that I would not be seen by the passing patrol. It was almost time for their rounds. I heard faint voices enter the room, and the hallway door slammed shut.
“He will not oppose me!” a man’s voice yelled. I assumed he meant the gentleman whose carriage had been out front. “I know he’s part of the rebellion, and I will not protect him when the general finds out.”
A woman’s voice tried to sooth him, but I didn’t hear what she said.
“Don’t try to make excuses for him.” The man’s voice indicated she had not succeeded. “I know about your visits with his wife. I know you’re in collusion with them. I should have you executed with the rest of the traitors.”
H
er voice rose slightly, but I still could not understand her words. She was not yelling with the intensity that he was. I heard the door slam again, and it was silent in the bedroom. I slowly moved towards the window and looked in. The man was sitting at the desk in his study with his head in his hands, and he appeared to be talking to himself.
I heard the door to the balcony next door open, and I froze. I was certain she would not see me, but I didn’t want to take any chances. A beautiful woman stepped out onto the balcony. She was wearing a long dress that hugged her very ample figure, with a fur scarf draped across her shoulders. She was shaking. At first, I thought she might have been crying, but as she turned towards the balcony where I hid, a look of anger and hatred shone on her face. She was still beautiful, even in a fit of rage. She stood there for several minutes before turning to go back inside. I could tell by her expression that she had decided to leave. I also assumed that her master would know it.
I looked back through the window. He had stood and was heading towards the interior door. I knew I needed to do something. If he caught her, she would be dead. But I couldn’t get caught either, or I would be dead. Could I distract the man inside long enough for the mistress to leave? Could I catch the carriage out front before it left so they could take her with them? I knew I was much stronger and faster than I used to be; I had to try. I checked my illusion and took a deep breath before throwing open the balcony door and pushing a strong wind into the room. The man was just about to enter the hall and turned at the disruption. I quickly jumped from the balcony and sprinted to the garden wall. I looked back to see him staring into the garden. I turned and jumped over the wall, then ran towards the street out front. The man and woman had just climbed into the carriage. Before the footman closed the door, I dropped my illusion and raced towards him. I was fluent in French, so as soon as I reached the carriage, I begged to speak with the couple. The footman acted duly offended, as any Frenchman should, but I pushed him aside and leaned in the door.
Light's Rise Page 7
