And that brought things back to his original topic.
“Both of you spend a lot of time away from Gharrick Pass, unlike Fei and the others,” Nathan said. “I have teleportation gateways to connect all of my binding stones except the one at Castle Tartus, where Anna is. We should use them more often.”
“My office is a lot nicer than yours,” Seraph said with a smirk.
“You’re ignoring my point,” he replied.
Narime sighed. “Like I said, it’s harder to settle in than it appears. Gharrick Pass is Fei’s turf. As Champions, we move between the fortresses instantly. But the knights and soldiers don’t. I help you run the military, but I’m better known up north in Castle Forselburg because it’s former Federation territory. I’ll force my way in here with enough time, but as Fei gets better at commanding, there will be less reason to boss her around.”
Nathan wanted to object, but he knew better.
In his world, Fei grew up to a worldly and reliable woman. She had been Nathan’s most reliable Champion in many ways. Writing her off because she still needed time to grow into her position would be a mistake.
“I’d still like to see you around here more,” he said.
“I’m still busy,” Seraph said. “I’ve already established Fort Taubrum as an administrative hub. More people can visit it than Gharrick Pass, anyway.” She paused. “I’ll make an effort to visit more often. But I don’t need to see your paperwork to imagine how much there is. We’re trying to rebuild after a war while preparing for another one.”
He grimaced. She had succinctly covered his concerns.
It was late spring, and the first harvest of the year was rapidly approaching. Nathan knew that everything was far more complicated this year. An invasion had happened. Countries had dissolved. Laws, taxes, and land ownership were shifting beneath the feet of the farmers.
In the end, the people he protected just wanted to grow their food and go about their day. They didn’t want to worry about bandits, silly tax changes, nobles they had never met, or changes to slavery laws when most of them had never even seen a beastkin.
Nathan had more people to protect than ever, and land that thrived.
In his world, nobody worked a lot of the land he now protected. It had been overrun by demons. How many of these soldiers had died in his original world? Almost all of them, he knew.
This peace had been won through the blood of an entire world that only Nathan knew about.
Yet that peace remained as fragile as ever.
“Leave the future to me,” Nathan said. “I’m about to visit Anna and talk to her about politics. There may be a civil war brewing, but we can’t spend all our time worrying about it.”
“That’s what this meeting is about, isn’t it?” Narime teased. “How we replace you while you’re gone?”
“And here I thought you had already replaced me everywhere except the bedroom. If I vanish, do you even need me to do anything, Seraph?” he asked with a wink.
“Don’t joke about that,” Seraph said. “I’d need to find ten men to handle the amount of work I send to you. You are going to hire more clerks to help me, right? Kuda’s team is great, but we control nearly ten times the territory now.”
“Yes, I will,” he promised.
“Good. Now, let’s talk business,” Seraph said, and they got down to the details.
The day after the meeting, Nathan left with Fei and a company of beastkin knights. His destination was a fortress to the east of Gharrick Pass, on the border of Anna’s duchy. It lay to the north of the duchy’s capital of Tartus.
Nathan was the only Bastion in the duchy, and he had complete command of the Imperial Army in the region. And also of Anna’s army, given how close he was to her. That meant he was responsible for protecting everything inside its borders. But this visit was special. He was visiting a friend that he had promised to train to be a Bastion—the sorceress Vera Nair.
A small fort sat in a rocky, infertile part of the region among abandoned quarries and mines. The locals had several names for it, as the fort was ancient. But these days, it was known as Kravum Rock, named after a famous Bastion.
The fort was tiny and weathered. A single layer of tall sandstone walls sat on overlooking bluffs. A much taller keep stood within those walls, and it was also built from sandstone.
A handful of soldiers bearing Anna’s emblem greeted Nathan as he rode in. Fei took charge of her knights. He took the opportunity to slip inside the keep, while she ran through a few short drills and had them unpack their supplies.
Despite the weathered exterior, the inside was fully furnished and clean. Nobody greeted him, however. In fact, there was nobody inside at all.
The keep was a tall, narrow building. The central hall occupied most of the interior, and Nathan saw an empty meeting space at the far end. Vera was alone here, besides the few soldiers outside. Nathan doubted that she’d redecorated. Most likely this place hadn’t seen much use.
A double door gate stood at the far end. Magical runes glittered on it, preventing access. Nathan was the only person who knew how to open the gate. He had engraved those runes into the door, after all.
If somebody looked at the keep from the outside, they wouldn’t see the other side of that gate, however. It didn’t lead anywhere in this plane of existence.
Ignoring it, Nathan instead descended into the basement.
The moment he reached the bottom level of the keep, he heard mumbling. As expected, Vera was down here.
This level of the basement consisted of a single large room. A glowing orb sat in the stone flooring, surrounded by decorative engravings and writing. The orb appeared to be a dull monochromic white, with two black bands running across its surface. It was known as a binding stone, a magical artifact that enabled its controller to bend the fabric of reality.
Nathan controlled four binding stones. That made him extremely powerful, as far as Bastions went. Normally, the farther a Bastion got from his binding stones, the less powerful he became. But with multiple binding stones, he had an immense reserve of power to draw on.
A gorgeous woman stood next to the orb. She wore a blue robe and gleaming white jacket that emphasized her hefty cleavage. Her usual assortment of golden jewelry was nowhere to be seen, however. Her flowing red hair fell to her waist.
“Waste enough time down here?” Nathan said loudly as he exited the staircase.
The woman, Vera, turned. She smiled at Nathan. “I wouldn’t call it a waste. I’m a sorceress, and what better way to learn more about magical theory than to observe it in the real world?”
“You’ll think otherwise once I just tell you about this stuff, even if I’m taking it slow,” Nathan said. “The more you learn about binding stones, Messengers, and the way magic works, the more your faith is tested. That’s why Bastions take oaths to Omria not to share or abuse those secrets or the power of the stones.”
“And it’s why heresy is so dangerous,” Vera added with a frown.
Both of them grimaced, but for different reasons.
Vera had flirted with heresy when she had worked with the Federation last year. Although she had sided with Nathan and the Empire in the end, it still raised questions about her.
By contrast, Nathan was up to his neck in heresy. The difference was that almost nobody knew. When his world had been destroyed, he had sided with a demonic Messenger—one of the greatest enemies of a Bastion—in order to have a second chance. He didn’t regret his decision, but it made his words ring hollow.
His faith in the Watcher Omria had been tested.
And it had shattered.
Nathan gestured for her to join him on a walk upstairs. They began to ascend, and he locked the doors behind them.
“How slow is ‘slow?’” Vera asked.
“As slow as I feel is necessary,” he said. “Power changes people. A binding stone is power on a level that most people can’t comprehend. Bastions can create precious metals from nothing. They c
ommand elite warriors capable of destroying armies. Women throw themselves at them—men in your case.”
“No, thank you,” Vera said flatly. “I already told you that I’m not interested in that side of things. My entire life has been one of seclusion, and I liked it that way.”
“That doesn’t help your argument for becoming a Bastion.”
She remained silent as they walked through the empty main hall. They walked up the steps to the upper floors, until they reached Vera’s private quarters. Like everything else in the keep, it was small and cramped. Most of the room was taken up by magical knick-knacks, but there was a tidy bed and dressing table.
“I’m willing to change to become a Bastion. A lot is changing in my life. It’s why I came here early and left my tower behind,” Vera said. “You’re giving me the chance for something that I nearly gave up on. But I’m not interested in a legion of subservient beastkin whose tails wag whenever I’m near them, and whose expressions scream ‘breed me.’”
“I feel you’re making a statement,” Nathan said. He leaned against the open window in the room.
“I am. But that’s not what I’m getting at. I saw what happened to Leopold when we fought the Messenger. He’s considered one of the greatest Bastions of the Empire, and he nearly died. That was the price he was willing to pay for being a Bastion.” Vera closed her eyes.
Ah, Leopold Tyrim. Nathan’s superior and the right hand of the Emperor. He was a cunning old man who had staunchly supported Nathan.
“That’s what it means to be a Bastion, Vera. As immensely powerful as you’ll become, it’s tied with the duty to fend off endless waves of demons,” Nathan said. “Right now, I’ve sealed away the demonic portal of this fortress using runes. But the demons will be gathering. Once you become a Bastion, we’ll need to go through that gate and destroy them.”
He was referring to the double door gate in the main hall of the keep.
Every binding stone came with a dangerous penalty. A portal to Hell—or some other strange world—was permanently connected to the location of each binding stone. Demons constantly invaded through them. Rarely, a powerful demonic general, known as a Messenger, attacked.
Messengers were like Bastions amped up to the nth degree. A Messenger had defeated Nathan in his original world, defeating countless Champions effortlessly. A couple of months ago, he had defeated a Messenger in this world with Vera’s and Leopold’s help. Leopold had nearly died in the battle.
Vera sighed. “I know. It’s the part of being a Bastion that I both welcome and dread.” She changed the topic. “Are you visiting Anna soon?”
He raised an eyebrow at the sudden topic change. “That’s the plan. But first, I think we should spend a few days going over some basic Bastion training.”
Vera brightened up at the change of topic. The training allowed Nathan to focus on something simple.
After a few days, he left Vera and the knights behind at Kravum Rock. He and Fei prepared to ride south, to Tartus.
One of Vera’s topics sprung to mind as he mounted his horse.
“Change, huh,” he said, staring at the cloudless horizon.
A lot had changed for Nathan, and he had changed a lot. The world he lived in now had nothing in common with the world he came from. Predicting the future was impossible.
But he was still a Bastion, and had years of experience and the support of many talented people. Fei smiled at him and he smiled back.
They rode to Tartus, where he would meet Anna in the capital of her new duchy. They needed to make preparations for the coming problems.
Chapter 2
The city of Tartus hadn’t changed much since joining the Empire. It had been the capital of its province in the Federation. Now it was the capital of its duchy in the Empire.
Nathan and Fei navigated through the dense urban sprawl of the city. Marble, granite, and wooden buildings stood side by side in a manner that should appear ramshackle, but somehow looked normal. Local guards swapped out their Federation crests for Anna’s emblem.
Markets ran day and night in the city, and a throng of people filled the streets. Nathan kept his hands free to bat away pickpockets who got too close. Not that he needed to bother. Everybody recognized him. The crowds cleared a path as he rode.
Nathan arrived at Tartus’s palace. It was a squat marble building formed of columns, with a series of steps to gain access to the building itself. Guards patrolled around the base of the building.
At the top of the steps was something that had changed drastically since the city had joined the Empire, however.
Heavily armed and armored beastkin knights stood guard. They wore the same uniforms as Fei’s knights, except that they also had Anna’s emblem on their armor. As Nathan approached, they slammed their fists into their breastplates. A deafening boom echoed off the marble structure.
Other knights heard the salute and repeated it. The noise continued for over a minute.
Nathan walked past them and entered the palace. Long ago, this building had been the gathering hall for village chiefs and nobles. Over time, as Tartus grew in size, it became a palace.
Its former occupant had been High Lord Torneus, who was now in the custody of the dark elves of the Aurelian Spires. Nathan had personally seen to that.
Clerks and servants wandered the halls of the palace. Nathan recognized some, but far from all of them. A senior servant told Nathan that Anna was lurking in her study, so that was where he and Fei went.
“Everybody here is wearing your crest,” Fei said, poking Nathan in the side.
He frowned at that. While Anna had been encouraging the emblem among the beastkin, she had stopped short of doing so among her personal guards. She was new here, and Tartus had been on the verge of riots before Nathan swept in.
“More than beastkin are wearing them here,” Nathan said as they stopped in front of Anna’s study.
“Of course they are,” a new voice chirped next to them. “You and Anna are together. We can show our support for the Liberator and support our duchess at the same time, Lord Nathan.”
He suppressed a grimace and turned to face the newcomer. An attractive woman only a few years older than Fei beamed at him. She had long blonde hair and pricked horse ears, a long silken horse tail, and wore the same uniform that Fei did. Two garnets gleamed from her collarbone.
“Fyre, was it?” Nathan asked, remembering the Champion’s name. “We met in passing when you first arrived here with Duke Terrius.”
Fyre’s eyes lit up and her ears shot bolt upright. “Yes, my lord! But I don’t have anything to do with any of the other dukes anymore. Although I may be a Champion in service to one of Duke Terrius’s Bastions, I serve you and Duchess Anna in every conceivable way.”
Fei scowled at Fyre. Before the catgirl did anything foolish, Nathan gave her a push. Rolling her eyes, Fei went ahead.
Fyre followed Fei with her eyes for a few seconds, before turning back to Nathan with a more subdued gaze. “Is there anything wrong with showing you our support, Liberator?”
Drumming his fingers on his leg, Nathan wondered how open he should be with this Champion.
He knew little about her. One of his other Champions, Narime, had recommended her. Fyre had become a duogem Champion in the Federation while slavery was still practiced, which spoke well of her abilities. Surely, she knew of the dangerous political situation?
“It’s not your support that’s the problem, Fyre,” Nathan said, half-lying. Truthfully, he found her idolization of him deeply uncomfortable. “But what do you think everybody else sees? The Empire just arrived. The merchants and villagers will see division when we need to be presenting a united front.”
A frown initially formed on Fyre’s face as he spoke. Slowly, it vanished and she smiled brightly at him. She snapped off a salute.
“I get it, my lord,” she chirped, her eyes practically glowing. “I’ll talk to the others about being less obvious.”
He wasn’t sure
she did get it, but he’d take what he could get. Fyre was a beastkin Champion from the Federation, so she was bound to be influential here.
After returning the salute, Nathan stepped into Anna’s study. Fyre watched his every move.
“Getting to know your latest Champion?” Anna greeted him when he entered, her voice dry.
Nathan closed the door and pretended that he hadn’t heard Fyre whine in response to his action. The study was warded against eavesdropping, and the horsegirl had clearly intended to do exactly that.
Despite the name, Anna’s study was closer to a lounge. A few black sofas with plush upholstery dominated the room. A large desk in the corner allowed the room to technically be called a study. The architecture itself was dated, with tiny, claustrophobic windows, vaulted ceilings, and huge cornices. But the furnishings and paint gave the room a sleek feeling.
Nathan froze when he saw a large black door at the far end. It looked incredibly out of place, and nobody else paid any attention to it.
Probably because they couldn’t see it. The black door was a doorway to another world that only Nathan could see. It belonged to the Messenger he had made his dark deal with.
He chose to ignore it.
A petite woman with dirty blonde hair done up in curls lounged on one sofa. Anna had been letting her hair grow out since she met Nathan. Her hair had once been shoulder length, and was stretching farther and farther down her back every time he found time to be with her.
She wore a ruffled black dress that had slits in all the right places, and the way she moved her legs gave Nathan tantalizing glimpses of what he had to look forward to tonight.
“Hungry, are we? Did you hold back while you were staying with Vera?” Anna asked with a smile.
She rose from her seat and approached Nathan. He swept her in his arms and drew her into a kiss. His hands quickly wandered and investigated what he’d spied earlier. Anna moaned into his mouth. She rubbed his back, surrendering to him.
Heretic Spellblade 3 Page 2
