“As you can see,” said Yanti. “The things you fight for are in fact fighting against you. By now your dear wife has joined us, and as you see, your son has been with us all along.”
“She would never betray her people.” Lee’s face burned with fury. “And whatever it is you've done to my son to make him this way - for that, I swear you'll pay with your life.”
Yanti drew his weapon and took a step back. “Come then. Let us see if your reputation is deserved.”
Lee sprang forward, slashing through the air in a wide arc, attempting to end the fight in a single blow. But Yanti spun to his left with a speed Lee had never before encountered. If not for his training and physical power, his momentum would have sent him sprawling.
“Hasty, Starfinder,” taunted Yanti. “Mind the things you have learned.” But he made no move to counter.
Lee cursed himself for such an arrogant and foolhardy attack. Yanti was no ordinary opponent. He should have suspected as much.
This time Lee attacked with more caution and finesse. Short, powerful strokes rained down on Yanti as he attempted to throw him off balance, but to Lee's dismay, Yanti parried each blow easily. Lee became concerned by Yanti's lack of aggression. The man had not yet made a single move to attack, seeming to be content to fight off Lee's onslaught.
“You're trained well,” admitted Lee, taking a step back. “But if you think to tire me out, you'll find that will not happen.”
“No, no,” replied Yanti, still smiling. “I only wish to admire your skill. You have indeed been well educated in the art of the sword. It is a pity you won't allow my master to make you even more powerful - as he has done for me.”
With these final words, Yanti charged, bringing his sword hard down at Lee’s head. A deafening clang of metal on metal shot through the air, causing a flash of sparks to fly. Lee had only just been able to raise his own sword in time. A second blow from Yanti whizzed by his ear and he was forced back, nearly losing his footing.
Now Yanti began to toy with him, slashing and feigning. Lee tried to regain advantage, but Yanti kept forcing him further and further back. Finally, Lee dropped to one knee from the sheer force of yet another attack. He pushed with all of his strength and somehow managed to get back on his feet, but he knew now that Yanti could finish him at any time. He glanced over long enough to see Dina and Millet still on their horses, staring in horror.
“Ride, you fools,” he shouted. “Ride before it's too late.”
“It is already too late, Lord Starfinder,” said Yanti, pointing to Jacob, who had a bow drawn and pointed at Dina's head. “At that range he won't miss.”
“If you let them go, I will do what you ask,” said Lee bowing his head.
Yanti laughed softly. “Being that you are in no position to bargain, I cannot help but be amused. Still, you have shown courage. A quality my master values greatly - as do I. Still, I am not foolish enough to simply kill you and allow your companions to roam free.”
Lee tensed, ready for another assault. “Then we end this.”
“Indeed we do,” Yanti agreed.
In a flash Yanti raced forward. Lee attempted to side step and counter, but Yanti was too fast. His own blade had barely moved when he felt Yanti's blow striking home on the back of his skull. He fell to his knees with a grunt, and his sword flew from his hand. His head was swimming as he looked up to see Dina weeping and Millet in silent prayer. He marveled that he still lived. His head should have been split in two. Then he realized that Yanti had hit him with the hilt of his sword, and not the blade.
“You fought well.” Yanti's voice sounded far away. Then he felt his entire body jar as Yanti delivered one final blow.
His last thoughts before darkness took him were of his wife. He had failed her.
Chapter 21
Consciousness came slowly - and very painfully. The world around Lee was spinning violently. Then realization washed over him. Feeling anything at all meant that he was still alive. Yanti must have spared him. But why?
He opened his eyes and let the light filter in. The wound on the back of his head throbbed, but he knew he had to sit up. He had to find out if Millet and Dina still lived. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to his knees. As his vision cleared he could see that their horses had been tied to a fallen log and their gear neatly placed beside them. Millet and Dina were lying tied and blindfolded just off to the side of the road. Near to them, Jacob was bound and blindfolded in the same way, only judging from the bruises on his face, he had also been beaten and was unconscious.
“Millet - Dina,” called Lee. “Are you hurt?” He struggled to his feet and stumbled towards them.
“We are both fine, My Lord,” said Millet. “Yanti decided to leave us unharmed.” Lee was about to search for a knife in the gear, but then saw that his weapons had been placed beside Millet. He cut their bonds and helped them to their feet. Dina immediately noticed Jacob and ran over, seething with fury. She stood over him momentarily, then spat on the ground.
“If he wasn't your son,” said Dina. “I'd slit his throat here and now.”
“I wouldn't blame you,” admitted Lee, gingerly touching the back of his head. “But his fate is in my hands, and I alone must decide what to do with him.”
“Well, that can wait,” said Millet. “First I must treat your injuries.” Lee didn't protest, and allowed Millet to examine his wounds.
“Your skull must be made of stone to have taken such a blow,” Millet muttered. He retrieved some medicine and bandages from their gear and finished the dressings.
“What happened after I was knocked out?” asked Lee.
Millet's face twisted in anger, then relaxed as he regained his composure. “He told Jacob to bind and blindfold us. After that I heard Jacob arguing with him that he should kill us all and be done with it. But Yanti just laughed at him. Next thing I heard was a thump and what sounded like a body hitting the ground. I can only assume that was Jacob. After that, Yanti must have tied off our horses and searched through our gear. Before he left, he told us that you were still alive, and that once you woke up there would be a gift waiting for us. I suppose he was referring to Jacob.”
“How could your own son betray you like that?” asked Dina, still furious. “And his own mother...”
“I know,” snapped Lee.
He took a deep breath. “I know,” he repeated, this time more calmly. Millet placed his hand gently on Lee's shoulder. “What will you do?”
“I'll keep my word,” Lee replied. “I will save my wife.” His eyes fell on Jacob. “And he will go with me.”
“You can't be serious,” Millet protested.
Lee’s eyes remained fixed on his son. “I've never been more serious. Yanti knew what he was doing, leaving me alive.”
“What do you mean?” asked Dina.
Lee glanced sideways her. “He wants me to go north, and he wants me out of the fight. If I am captured attempting to rescue my wife, then they will try to turn me. If the Dark One was able to empower Yanti so much as to make short work of me, his own power must be unfathomable. If I went with him willingly, he would worry about treachery along the way. This way, I deliver myself into their hands. And he knew exactly what he was doing by leaving Jacob behind as well.”
“I still don't follow,” said Dina.
“By doing so,” Lee explained, “he leaves me with an impossible choice. If I decide to return to Gewey and continue aiding him, I will be forced to kill my own son. I cannot trust Jacob, therefore I cannot take him with me. Nor can I simply let him go.”
“Why not?” argued Dina. “He clearly wants you dead. Why not just leave him to return to his masters?”
Lee looked at Dina angrily. “He's my son. He is what he is because I abandoned him. I'll not simply leave him to his fate. No. If I can save him, I will. And if we are killed, we'll die together.”
“And I will go with you,” said Millet.
Lee smiled at the man with intense affection. “No, my
friend. You must continue to do what I cannot. You must return to aid Gewey as best you can.”
Millet opened his mouth to protest, but Lee held up his hand, silencing him.
“You must do this,” pleaded Lee, his eyes welling with tears. “I have never given you a command, dear friend - not until now. I must break the oath I made to Gewey, so you must have more honor than I. You must keep the word of the house Nal’Thain, as you are bound to do. But you will not do so as my servant.”
He walked over to his pack and retrieved a sealed parchment. “From this moment on you shall be known as Millet Nal’Thain. I empower you with the rank and privileges of Lord and Patriarch of my family. I officially step down from all titles and pass them to you.” He held out the parchment.
Millet took a step back. “My Lord,” he cried. “You cannot do this. I am your servant, and shall remain so. I refuse this.”
Lee smiled and pressed the letter into Millet's hand. “You cannot refuse. As the Lord Nal’Thain, it is my right to choose my successor. You are the only man I can trust with the challenges that lie ahead. And I am sorry. I leave to you a broken house of a broken land, and it will be up to you to heal them and restore our honor. I likely ride to my death, and even should I survive, I cannot return to my former life. I beg you to do this service.”
By this time, Millet was weeping openly. “I cannot restore your honor. I could only ever maintain it. The honor of Nal’Thain is embodied in you. I will not fail you, My Lor...”
He took a step back and bowed. “Lee.”
Lee smiled, then bowed low in return. “I know you won't, My Lord.”
Jacob began to stir. “You must leave before he wakes,” Lee said. “I don't want him to see what direction you are heading in.”
“What about Yanti?” asked Dina. “Do you think he will follow us?”
“I doubt it,” Lee replied. “He doesn't consider you a threat. The only reason he left you alive was to confuse and hinder me, making my choices even more difficult. If he had plans for you, he would have taken you with him. No doubt he had the means to transport you north, or have you imprisoned here. Still, I suggest you ride hard until you can take rest within a temple.”
Jacob groaned.
“Now go,” Lee commanded. He embraced them both and helped to repack their mounts. Millet glanced back one last time before they spurred their horses to a run. “Good luck, old friend,” Lee whispered.
“Wh..what's happening?” Jacob moaned, struggling with his bonds.
Lee took a deep breath and knelt down beside his son. “What's happening is that you've been abandoned and left in the hands of your foe. Luckily for you, that foe is also your father.”
Jacob stiffened. “Yanti - that dog. I will kill him for this.”
“Shut your mouth, boy!” barked Lee. “You have much to answer for - both of us do. If you choose, I will give you a chance for redemption.”
“Just kill me and get it over with,” Jacob grumbled.
“Why do you think you deserve such a kindness? You have betrayed your mother, you have betrayed your father, and you have dishonored your family name.” He cut Jacob's bonds.
Jacob pulled down his blindfold and rubbed his wrists. “And what have you done, father? What crimes have you committed? How are you any better than me?”
“I have committed crimes I can scarcely describe. And for those crimes I suffer, and will continue to suffer.” Lee stood and offered his hand.
Jacob stared at Lee for a moment, sneering. “You should kill me now. If you don't, I will kill you.”
“And in whose name will you kill me?” Lee asked. “Will you kill me for the Dark Knight, the Reborn King of Angrääl? The one who has just left you behind now that your usefulness to him is over? Or perhaps you will kill me in the name of your mother? Or do you mean for her to die? Do you? Has the Dark One blackened your heart so much that you turn your back on the one who loves you the most?”
“Loves me?” he roared. “She loves you - not me. She never loved me!”
“Of course she does,” said Lee, withdrawing his hand. “I have never known her to love anything more than you, and if you don't see that, then you are as blind as you are foolish. You think she wept for me?” He paused. “She wept because she knew you had to grow up without a father. She wept because of my absence in your life. She wept because I had stolen something precious from the true love of her life. Did she love me? Yes. And I love her still. But you do not know the depths of your mother as I do. From the moment you came into this world, you became her very reason for living. It was I who was second in her heart, not you.”
He re-extended his hand. “Come with me to Angrääl and I'll prove it.”
Jacob hesitated for a moment, then allowed Lee to pull him to his feet. “I'll go with you,” said Jacob. “If only to take my revenge.”
“That's good enough for now,” said Lee. “If you can refrain from killing me, at least for the time being, I may even be able to show you a thing or two about the power that flows in your veins.”
“As I said,” he replied. “I'll go with you. I promise nothing else.”
“I suppose that will do,” said Lee. “Perhaps together we will both find retribution and redemption.”
They loaded the horses and began making their way north. Lee whistled a traditional Hazrian travel song. Jacob did not join in at first, but after a time he started to hum along.
Chapter 22
Gewey's heart pounded as he passed through the massive double doors. Kaylia followed close behind, and though she didn't show it, he knew she was nervous too.
Once inside, Gewey was amazed to see a room that looked much like a theater. On either side, rows of marble benches curved along the walls, forming a semi-circle that met at the back of a raised, stone platform. The ceiling was vaulted and covered with the familiar orbs that had been used to illuminate the other rooms in the house so brightly; it took Gewey's vision several moments to adjust to their brightness here. Already standing across the stage, tall and proud, a group of six elves faced him, arms crossed and hoods drawn. Theopolou quickly took his place on the platform beside the other elders. Gewey and Kaylia walked down the narrow center isle until they were only a few feet away.
“That's far enough, human,” said the elf just beside Theopolou. Her strong, feminine voice echoed throughout the room. She pulled back her hood revealing long, elegant features. Her skin was the same dark bronze as Kaylia's, but her hair was jet black and wrapped tightly with silver ribbons.
She glared down at the duo, not attempting to mask her disgust. “I am Lady Bellisia, Chief Elder of the clan Hastriatis. You know Lord Theopolou. To my left are Lord Chiron, Lord Endymion, Lord Syranis, Lady Leora, and Lord Aneili. We are here to determine whether you are to give testimony on behalf of Lord Theopolou, who has been called to judgment according to our laws.”
“That has already been decided,” corrected Theopolou. “Do not taint my house with deceit.”
Lady Bellisia glared angrily at Theopolou. “It was not my intention to deceive,” she said. “I merely misspoke.” She turned her attention back to Gewey. “I do admit that some of us were curious to see you.” She glanced at Kaylia. “The human who could ensnare one of our people in the bond.”
“I was not ensnared,” barked Kaylia.
“Silence, girl,” Bellisia commanded. “You have no right to speak.”
“That’s odd,” said Lord Chiron. “I thought this was an open forum. Or have the rights of an elf changed?”
“Just because you support Theopolou and this madness,” shot Bellisia, “do not think I will tolerate your insults, even within these walls.”
“I give no insult,” Chiron retorted. “But as you well know, Kaylia has been invited to these proceedings. She has the same right as an elder here - as does the human.”
“I mean no disrespect,” said Gewey, “but I am called Gewey Stedding. You may use my proper name.”
“Indeed,”
said Bellisia. “So Gewey Stedding, Lord Theopolou has told us that you are quite remarkable - for a human. And he says you saved the life of one of his escorts.”
Gewey nodded. “We were attacked by Vrykol.”
Bellisia laughed. “Yes, I've heard. The ancient evil of the gods returned to plague the world. What is next? Shall the Elder Race return to reclaim the world?”
“Once again, you name me a liar,” said Theopolou. “You have all seen the head.”
“I do not call you a liar,” Bellisia replied. “I merely say that you have been deceived. The creature you showed may or may not be what you claim. Perhaps it is an abomination created by human hands in order to cause fear among us.”
“And how would they have done such a thing?” Theopolou asked. “Could they create a creature that is as fast as an elf, and will only die when you take its head?”
Bellisia paused. “We are not here to discuss the Vrykol.” Her gaze returned to Gewey. “And now that you are in our presence, I have a question. What are you?”
A chill crept into Gewey’s stomach. “I don't understand what you mean.”
“Do you not?” Bellisia pressed. “It's a simple question. We can all feel the flow that saturates your being. Humans cannot do this. So I ask again - what are you?”
“You do not have to answer,” said Theopolou, just as Gewey was opening his mouth to speak.
“Do you seek to deceive us, Lord Theopolou?” Bellisia asked. “Do you seek to bring danger among us?”
“The boy is no danger and you know it,” said Theopolou.
Bellisia crossed her arms. “Is that so? I think you are hiding something, and if he is not a danger, then there is nothing to prevent him from revealing his origins.” She looked at the other elders. “We all know that this Gewey Stedding is no ordinary human. How could he be? Perhaps he is a half-man, or perhaps something else. Whatever the case, do we not have the right to know?”
The Godling Chronicles : Of Gods and Elves (Book Two) Page 19
