The Darkness of Dawn

by Braden Michael

  “Do you finally realize it truly was your fault?”

  Alexey flinched violently, stumbling and crashing to the floor. He gazed up at the man in the room with abject terror.

  “ANTON?” Alexey blurted, terrified and unconvinced by his eyes.

  “You remember my name, at least.”

  Alexey stared at the thing that looked like Anton: his face was identical to his dead friend, and blood leaked out of a gaping wound on his gut precisely where Anton was once stabbed. The blood dripped onto the floor, sliding down the drain and fading into the abyss.

  “Y—y—y—y—you c—c—can’t…” Alexey stumbled, his breaths accelerating.

  “I—I—I—I—I c—c—c—can’t w—w—w—w—what!?” the pseudo-Anton mocked.

  “You can’t be here! I watched you die!” Alexey’s fear turned into vicious contempt.

  “And what did you do about it? Huh? You threw that little toy into the air, despite knowing what it was capable of. Your recklessness killed us,” pseudo-Anton seethed.

  “Viktor attacked Petrenko! We were outnumbered! I had no choice!” Alexey pleaded, tears gushing.

  “We wouldn’t have done that had you not manipulated us into hating the Winterguard! Had you kept your petty grievances to yourself, we wouldn’t have made such foolish mistakes trying to serve you!”

  “STOP!” Alexey slammed his eyes shut and clasped his hands over his ears.

  Alexey shook and curled up into a ball: anything to protect himself from Anton’s words. He continued his seemingly futile attempt to hide for some time. Eventually, he began to gather his senses, lifting his head and opening his eyes.

  Anton had vanished, and his blood no longer dripped through the drains: only the bath’s water did, which had started overflowing. Alexey rushed to turn the faucet off. The metal squeaked, and then the water stopped. He exhaled in relief, then began to undress.

  Standing naked, he grabbed the Artifact out of his pants, clutched it in his fists, and tossed the last of his dirty clothes aside. He grabbed a sponge and bar of soap, placed them on the stand beside the bath, then stepped inside, the hot water sensually biting his skin.

  Artifact in hand, Alexey continued to soak in the hot water, watching it turn grayer and grayer as the filth detached from him. Whatever the past was, it doesn’t matter. It’s gone now. You need to look to the future. Whether it was him or the Artifact that spoke the words, Alexey did not care.

  CH 50 – Asher XIII

  The only time that Asher truly felt at ease was when he spoke to Vai. Seeing Andy fight in the tournament in the army camp had reminded him of the horrors that followed him and the horrors that remained. He couldn’t explain the ease he felt with Vai, but he felt it, nonetheless. He realized he had been obsessed with the idea of unity without ever thinking about what it meant. Could she be the key?

  Asher stood in the center of the courtyard. Almost every aspect of the wedding had been completely set up. Dozens of benches surrounded the center platform, the fountains had red wine flowing from them, and an ensemble performed gleeful ambient music. Countless guests, mostly nobles from the city, drank from the wine fountains, retrieved food from the feasting tables, or gathered around to watch the dancers. Asher could see Lord Tandon, Lady Stafford, and Lord Fiskman in the crowd, mingling with many others. He stepped down from the center platform to greet them.

  “Hello again, my Lady, my Lords.”

  “Your Majesty!” said Lady Stafford.

  “My Emperor,” said Lord Tandon, bowing.

  “I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance once more, your Majesty,” said Lord Fiskman, grinning.

  “My Lord, I must thank you for your part in planning our strategy. It’s proven quite successful thus far,” said Asher.

  “You’re too kind, your Majesty. All your victories thus far belong to you. I merely made a suggestion. I’m no commander, truly, your Majesty,” said Lord Fiskman, chucking humbly.

  “No need to be so modest, my Lord. If you remember, we were all arguing and unable to come up with an actionable plan, until you stepped in and offered one.” Tandon and Stafford chuckled while Fiskman maintained his humble smile. “So, you three… Is there anyone else in my War Council at Sturgeon?”

  “My, uh… My brother, Colonel Stafford, would have wanted to be here, but he’s currently overseeing the transport of Prince Hideki,” said Lady Stafford.

  “The others… They were at Thebeskar?” Asher solemnly inquired.

  Tandon listed his head down. “Yes… Wilkinson, Bronson, Michaelson, Eckman… They died gloriously on the battlefield.”

  “I was greatly saddened to hear of their deaths, and I look forward to seeing Howell pay for their deaths…” Asher replied. Wait… Which one was Eckman?

  “I’m sure I speak for Lady Stafford and Lord Tandon in saying that we look forward to helping you see to that,” Fiskman said, smirking.

  “No, I, uh—” Asher hesitated. The others furrowed their brows. “Thebeskar was, devastating, to our forces and our nobility. I need to guarantee that you three will stay alive, if the Emberlands are to survive. Will you all go back to Steeltower and check in with the people there? Assist my Chief Naturalist and Magister in making sure it’s all in order?”

  Tandon, Stafford, and Fiskman glanced at one another uncertainly, but when Fiskman grinned, Tandon and Stafford smiled and nodded.

  “It’d be our pleasure, your Majesty,” said Fiskman.

  Colonel Schafer and General Miles were speaking with two Rockland officers, so Asher decided to walk over, a fully-armored Andy shortly behind. Schafer turned his head, spotting the two of them as they approached.

  “Your Majesty! I wanted to congratulate you on your soon-to-be marriage,” Schafer said with an excitement opposite of his typical rough demeanor.

  “Thank you, Colonel,” Asher said with a polite smile. He turned around to Andy, motioning him forward. “When was the last time you truly spoke with Andy?”

  “Not since before he was selected for your personal guard.” Schafer turned his head to Andy with a look of admiration. “You’ve come a long way, son. I still remember when you bested everyone in our tournaments at Steeltower.”

  Andy chuckled. “Even our Emperor!”

  Asher laughed stiffly. “Barely.”

  All the men laughed lightly. Schafer and Andy proceeded to talk to each other while Asher stepped towards Miles and the two Rockland officers, all of whom seemed to admire him.

  “Asher,” Miles began, “I too would like to congratulate you. But first, I would like to introduce you to Colonel Auckland,” he pointed to the slightly younger officer, “and Lord Archard, the Robinsfort’s Lord of War.” He finished by pointing to the older and taller Rocklander.

  “I’m honored to finally meet you, your Majesty. The stories I’ve heard of your exploits at the Furakuhold are almost too difficult to believe,” said Colonel Auckland.

  “Thank you, Colonel,” said Asher.

  Lord Archard cleared his throat and began. “Although we briefly encountered one another before Colonel Litou’s surrender, we’ve not gotten the chance to officially meet until today. I’m honored, your Majesty.” He bowed his head humbly.

  “I was even more impressed to hear of the Battle of Robinsport. My men have been sharing many different stories. How exactly did your forces prevail?”

  “There are a great many factors to discuss, but to put it succinctly, we were better equipped, better positioned, and more patient,” Lord Archard said proudly.

  “Lord Archard is too humble to include that he created the plan to occupy the hill just below the city. Yamamoto’s army was always forced to maintain battle readiness since we were poised to attack at a moment’s notice. If the enemy army is sleep-deprived and making poor judgment calls, then they’re no army at all,” said Colonel Auckland.

  Lord Archard gave Auckland a humbled smile then turned back to Asher. “Colonel Auckland is too humble to credit himself with hi
s firedust arrows. We also wanted to thank you for the increase in firedust shipments. We were able to craft enough of them to destroy most of King Hiroshi’s army in an instant.”

  Firedust is damn useful, Asher thought.

  “I was told that her Imperial Majesty participated in the battle? Some said she was in the vanguard, but others said she was among the cavalry,” said Asher.

  “Our Empress did take part in the battle, among the archers,” said Lord Archard.

  “She did not have to, but she insisted,” said Auckland.

  “Most impressive,” said Asher.

  Miles finished his glass of wine with a refreshed exhale. “I must say, matching His Imperial Majesty with the Empress was a truly brilliant idea. We’ll have adequate forces, and Howell will swiftly be brought to justice. You were thinking brilliantly by setting this up.”

  “It was actually her Majesty’s idea,” Asher admitted humbly.

  Miles raised his eyebrows. “Hm…”

  “Her Majesty has proven to be a very capable leader for the Rocklands, I believe. She’s quite industrious, so I’m not at all surprised she engineered such a thing,” Lord Archard boasted.

  “It appears I was wise to accept,” said Asher. Archard, Auckland, and Miles laughed politely. “Well, it’s been a great pleasure meeting you, my Lord, Colonel. Enjoy the ceremony, and drink all of the wine you can.” He smiled, nodded, and walked away.

  Asher looked around at the rest of the guests, all of whom seemed to be thoroughly enjoying all the amenities. The wine fountains were a big hit, the Sturgeon nobility awed by them. It appeared that many were already modestly drunk, laughing loudly and gleefully. The ensemble continued playing upbeat and cheerful music, much to the enjoyment of all in attendance.

  For almost the next hour, the festivities continued: Asher stayed seated upon a grand throne prepared atop the courtyard’s center platform. He was approached by the city’s nobles, who offered him many gifts, ranging from Headland-crafted daggers to bottles of Headland wine. All that came before him offered words of praise, and all were so incredibly honored by his presence. Asher was turned off by the apparent falseness of their words, but he hid his distaste through his smile, as his father had taught him.

  Growing up, Asher had been to several weddings of nobility throughout the Emberlands, and a few others in the other Empires: the customs were the same throughout. The man-to-be-married was to sit in the pre-ceremony and receive goodwill gestures from the attendees while waiting for the woman-to-be-married to arrive, wherein the pairing would begin. The only difference between the past weddings and this one was that Asher was the one to be married, and it was the largest ceremony he, or anyone else, had ever seen. There were too many attendees in the vast courtyard for him to count accurately, and the evening air was filled with the jovial cries, cheers, and laughs of everyone around him.

  The attendees all fell silent and peered at the ensemble, confused by the lack of music. A Rocklander quickly hopped up to their stage and muttered at the performers before quickly scurrying off. Only the sounds of confused mutters and the never-ending flow of wine in the fountains reached Asher’s ears. His heart began to race both nervously and excitedly when the ensemble began playing the unmistakable Wedding Melody.

  Quick, upbeat, and high-pitched string jabs played whimsically, matching the steps of Vai herself, accompanied by a contingent of her Royal Guardsmen. All the attendees looked upon her, gasping and gawking. Asher wanted to go against the tradition and rise from his throne, but he kept control. He was hypnotized by her dress—the silk was as smooth as her skin, and the amber stones shimmered as her eyes did.

  Vai and Asher maintained eye contact and gleeful smiles as she made her approach to the platform. When her feet reached the steps, the drums signified each of her steps. The music came to a halt as she stepped before him and held out her hand.

  Just as he had seen at every wedding he had been to, Asher reached out to grab Vai’s hand, then rose to his feet. They briefly looked into one another’s eyes before standing to face the attendees. Asher prayed to the Stars that he would remember the words.

  “I, Asher Miller of Steeltower, hereby proclaim myself as hers,” Asher said loudly and emphatically.

  “I, Vaishalla K—Robinson of the Robinsfort, hereby proclaim myself as his,” she said, gliding past her stutter gracefully.

  Asher noticed the confused looks of many in the crowd, but they all seemed to move on quickly. They did drink a lot of wine…

  They turned to face each other, looked into each other’s eyes, and spoke the words. “I give myself to you. I will live for you, and I will die for you.”

  Asher could feel the crowd’s anxious anticipation as they leaned into one another, and their lips met in a gentle embrace. Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd, and the ensemble began performing extravagant music. Asher and Vai quickly pulled their lips back and smiled, looking at each other, then back to the crowd.

  They descended into the crowd with their hands held. As the music picked up in speed and volume, the attendees began dancing. Asher and Vai danced together as well. Before too long, the entire crowd could be seen dancing. At a few points, Asher saw General Miles dancing with a Sturgeon woman, laughing in celebration. But his focus was almost entirely on his wife.

  There was something hypnotic about Vai that Asher could not describe. When he found himself lost in her eyes, they became his world. No matter what other sights there were to distract him, he only needed those eyes. He believed she must have felt the same way because her eyes were lost in his as well.

  Much later into the evening, Vai gave Asher a coy look, then stepped close to him, speaking so only he could hear. “Time for bed, wouldn’t you agree?” She pulled away slightly, maintaining her coy look.

  “I’d be a damn fool to disagree,” said Asher, a bright smile on his face.

  Most attendees were far too drunk to notice them as they walked towards the edge of the courtyard. The crowd naturally parted, offering them a small path to walk forward. They offered glances but were all too focused on the festivities to notice them leaving.

  Once they reached the edge of the courtyard, they spotted a grand carriage, furnished in marble and gold. Four horses were positioned in front, ready to pull at a moment’s notice. Looking around, the only people nearby were the carriage drivers, Vai’s Royal Guardsmen, and a few Emberland soldiers. The soldiers immediately turned towards them at attention.

  “Your Majesty, your Majesty,” a soldier addressed.

  The carriage drivers immediately perked up, then looked at Asher and Vai.

  “Take us to the Center Inn,” Vai said to the drivers. “Escort the carriage,” she said to the soldiers.

  Everyone who received an order responded affirmatively and proceeded to carry out their instructions. The soldiers formed around the carriage, one driver readied the horses, and the other driver hopped down and went up to the carriage door and opened it. Asher and Vai walked over towards the carriage.

  “Everything my Emperor and Empress need for comfort is in the carriage. I do hope everything will be to your liking,” the man said.

  “Thank you, friend,” Vai said ever so sweetly.

  The man bowed awkwardly and rejoined the other driver at the front. Vai climbed through the open door, followed by Asher. A warm and playful aroma massaged Asher’s nose as the dim candle light pleased his eyes almost as much as the sight of Vai did. The carriage interior was as large as a modest bedroom, decorated with beautiful drapes and furniture. Vai went over to the blue velvet loveseat then looked at Asher invitingly.

  As Asher looked into her eyes, he immediately felt his member stiffen, tightening his pants uncomfortably. He must have failed to hide his erection, as she glanced down and let out a mildly sensual laugh. She leaned forward and grabbed the bottle of wine on the table in front of them.

  “I hope you like Emberberry wine,” she said with a voice as soft as silk.

  �
�I wouldn’t be much of an Emberlander if I didn’t,” said Asher.

  Vai laughed sweetly, opened the bottle, and proceeded to pour the wine into both empty glasses. Once they were full, she set the bottle back onto the table and grabbed her glass. As she was about to grab Asher’s, he leaned forward and grabbed it himself. They held their glasses in the air.

  “To our marriage,” said Asher.

  “To our marriage,” Vai repeated.

  The glasses made a light ting as they touched. Asher took a sip from his glass and Vai took a modest gulp. Voices called from outside, and the carriage began to move.

  “Is it true that Emberberry wine is an aphrodisiac?” Vai asked with a sultry tone, offering Asher yet another sensual gaze.

  Asher’s pants tightened further. “Well, uh, I’m certainly feeling something right now. But I think it’s more you than the wine.”

  Vai giggled, taking another gulp from her glass. “I’m happy to hear you appreciate me for more than my army.”

  “The army is impressive, that’s for sure, but it doesn’t compel my eyes into admiration the way you do, your Majesty,” said Asher, taking another small sip of wine, the spiciness already affecting his tongue.

  “And I certainly don’t mind having eyes like that on me,” said Vai, finishing the last of her glass.

  “You like Emberberry wine even more than I do,” Asher joked, gesturing towards the empty glass.

  Vai set her glass down, gathered her wits, then turned back to Asher. “The ceremony was impressively grand. The whole world will hear of it, and Sturgeon will always remember. The rest of the night, however, will be ours, and only ours, to remember,” she said.

  “I like the sound of that,” said Asher, drinking most of his glass, then setting it down.

  Vai leaned into Asher, cupped his face with her hand, and kissed him deeply. As her hands ran down the length of his torso and to the sides of his legs, his hand worked around the curves of her back and hips. They continued for several seconds before Vai pulled away.