《Void to Soulless》


 Correspondence

    Barien Dunelin


    Director of Anatomical Sciences


    In the Care of


    Department of Health, Medicine, and Well-Being


    Toborro, Curali


    Writing in correspondence to


    Mathiu Ferr


    Master of Surgery, Triage, and Wound Treatments


    In the Care of


    Imperial Ministry of Medical Sciences


    Garenesh, Serana


    Ser Ferr,


    It is wonderful to hear from you after all this time, my friend. How long has it been? Too long, for certain. How is young Stela doing? I daresay she was barely a toddler when last you and I met, but I imagine she is almost a woman fully-grown today, yes?


    As for me and mine, we are doing well, and I thank you for asking after us. Our children have all moved off by now, so it is just me and my wife Coren these days (and a grumpy cat named Slouch). The winds of Curali are refreshing even in old age, however, and I bid you join us here if life in Serana becomes too stuffy for you.


    On to other issues, however.


    In your previous letter, you sought information regarding erman physiology, specifically with cross-species wing transplants from an erman to a human. I will admit that this is something I have pondered myself in this modern age where human-human transplants are near commonplace, and even where cross-species transplant experiments have taken place between wildlife and livestock, though I am loathe to think on such grotesque hybrids.


    However, let us put that aside, and I shall answer as plainly as I may.


    On a base level, ermen and humans are very similar. Both stand at around the same height, with ermen being slightly taller. Aside from the erman wings, the skeletal structures are nearly indistinguishable: same ribs, same spinal column, same bones in the hands and feet, even down to the same hammer-and-anvil structures within the ears. To a casual observer, they are identical to the core.


    With the addition of the wings, though, the similarities end. We humans have the core form, but then the wings add a new skeletal structure, beginning with a small, second set of scapulae lower on the body than the shoulderblades of the arms, but overlapping them like two pieces of scale armor. There is some ligature between the sets of bones to keep them from scrubbing, though these systems can wear thin over time and give elder ermen difficulty in flight if they are prone to various connective tissue disorders or have not maintained a proper diet.


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    While the base skeletal structures are the near-identical to humans, the wings are nearly identical to those seen in birds capable of flight: humerus, radius, ulna, a structure similar to a hand, and a network of feathers that range from tertiary near the back to the primary feathers at the extent of the wingspan. When outstretched, these wings may reach a span of about seven feet, but this span varies as much as erman height does. If there are cases of erman with wings either too short to fly or too broad as to impede movement, I have not heard of them. That is not to say that these cases do not exist, but Edaria is prone to its secrets, so I have not heard of them if they do.


    With the addition of the wings, we then come to one of the few core skeletal differences between ermen and humans - reinforcements in the ribcage. Again, these are indistinguishable to a casual observer, but the full ribs and sternum are denser in ermen than in we humans. This is to support the added weight of wings to the back, which, while they are not heavy, they are not negligible. If you were to transplant wings from an erman to a human, these bones would need to be either hardened or enlarged. I am no bloodmage myself and have never asked one if altering bone density is possible, but you certainly have more access to that information than I do. Alternately, this could be compensated by strengthening muscles along the chest and back.


    Finally, the main aspect, and this being the reason I believe any of us would ask over attaching erman wings to a human: aether access.


    Of course, humans do not have access to aether - not even the smattering of bloodmages, as they are able to convert their own spilled blood into fuel for their magic, have these systems within themselves. Ermen wings carry filaments that can absorb and shape aether flows showered upon the planet by the stationary moon Cirellias and the traveling moon Rythellas (and the connection between the wings and those moons would be best answered by either an astronomer or a philosopher as it seems Edaria will crumble before they yield that information).


    These filaments extend throughout the feathers, filtering through core channels within the wings¡¯ bone structures, and then into the spine. My best guess is that between 90 and 98% of the filaments are in the wings themselves, with the spinal connection occurring along the twelfth vertebrae counting down from the base of the skull and behind the lungs. From there, filaments may overlap into the eleventh and thirteenth vertebrae, but then they are woven into the nervous system, which allows the erman to control the aether flows as they see fit. With these wings extended, the filaments form a structure akin to a large net in spirit, able to catch larger amounts of aether for more powerful spells. When contracted, they cannot draw as much, and their aether is less effective.


    While attaching wings to a human as limbs would likely be no challenge¡ªbarring a rejection, but I believe an adept bloodmage can force that to happen as we¡¯ve seen in other cross-species experiments¡ªthe key to such an attachment would be in binding these filaments into the human¡¯s spinal structure. At that point, as long as the structure holds, I would see no reason that a connection could not occur, and that, given enough time, the human would become indistinguishable from an erman.


    This then raises the question of where a donor set of wings would come from, assuming that you are not vile enough to try to assault and kidnap a straggler erman during the Void or Soulless Moon, during which some believe they lose access to aether. I doubt that Edaria would be willing to allow an exchange from an injured erman to a human. Perhaps you could find a set from an elderly erman who has lost much of their mobility anyway, but even then such wings would likely be of little use to a suitable human candidate.


    I thank you for offering me this mental exercise in my later years, and I can only hope that I have been of some help to you. Again, I do believe this is possible, though I think the challenge of finding wings would be greater than the challenge of binding them.


    Please, my friend, come to Curali at some point. We have plenty of room for guests now that our children have moved. I believe you would appreciate the company of Slouch, who is fat, happy, and currently brushing my leg in an effort to get some food.


    I look forward to hearing your reply and hope to see you soon.


    Your friend,


    Barien Dunelin

 Chapter 1

    ACT I


    VOID


    1


    The guard died in an eruption of blood and splinters as the iron-bound door across the hallway exploded from its hinges, echoing through the otherwise empty corridor before falling back onto the stone floor with a heavy thud. A hiss, a crackle, viscera boiling away in flame. Smoke rose from the remnants of the wood, the iron glowing pale red.


    The prisoner took several cautious steps away from his cell, sparing only a brief glance at the disfigured corpse, feeling no remorse. His mind buzzed, raced, parts of him screaming at the termination of a life while other parts held cold and callous. He knelt beside the body and pressed fingers to the guard¡¯s neck, checking for a sign of life. None. The exploding force of the door saw the guard mangled beyond recognition.


    Tracing a finger along the sword sheath hanging at the guard¡¯s hip, he considered arming himself but decided against the weapon. Part of him knew that it would be useless in his hands, and the door¡¯s impact had rendered the weapon itself useless as well.


    Distant footfalls echoed through the lower passageways. A cry arose from below, and the prisoner jerked his head to the right, listening. Thoughts tried to break into his mind, but only ones crying for escape held. He ached for it, but forced a moment of patience, stepping backward into his cell to lie in wait. Sweat cutting down his brow burned to mist in the lightning of his eyes. He crouched with fingertips pressed to the cobbled floor and stared outward at the wreckage in the hall, a tangle that had once been a man and a door.


    The first of the approaching guards came into view, visibly shaken and revulsed as he knelt beside his compatriot, copying the prisoner¡¯s actions of pressing fingers to the corpse¡¯s neck to check for a pulse.


    Blue light flashed brighter around the man¡¯s eyes as he pulled hard on a trickle of aether. That energy had been gone entirely from him for far too long, and he held it lovingly. Black flame licked his hands as he lifted himself from the floor, leaving smaller fires to dance lazily upon the stone before fading to oblivion. The black flame felt cool around his fingers.


    The guard still muttered to himself in a panic before noticing the gaping doorway behind him. He made a motion to grab at the shortsword on his hip and stood quickly, but the prisoner was already upon him, closing a flaming hand around the man¡¯s throat, holding tightly as the flesh began to bubble. The guard gurgled and flailed weakly against the prisoner. Blood trickled along the prisoner¡¯s arm as he felt the man¡¯s life dwindling, felt the man¡¯s thoughts of fear, panic, and madness. With his left hand, he jerked the guard¡¯s sword from its scabbard, twisted it in his grip, and rammed the tip into the struggling man¡¯s ribcage with a powerful upward thrust.


    The word steel came into his mind. The thought felt significant, but he shook his head. No time.


    He gave the sword a quarter-twist before scraping the flat edge along the sternum and shoving upward again. Blood spouted from the body in sickening gushes until it covered the hallway from the prisoner¡¯s cell to the other guard¡¯s corpse. He left the blade in the man¡¯s chest, shoving him into a pile with the other guard and his cell door. The ebbing blood sang in the prisoner¡¯s mind, and he reveled in the force of his own life.


    He turned left, away from where the second guard had approached. The prisoner first walked and then ran, blood and desperation hammered through him as he ached for a deep breath that his body would not take. Aether filled him for the first time in weeks, burning, screaming within him.


    A large wooden door barred him from the outside, this one much grander and thicker than the one on his cell. He pushed his hands forward, and a gout of black flame rushed toward it and punched through in a single motion. A large chunk broke free from the frame and skittered across the landing. Wood and flame sprayed into the waiting soldiers. Some stepped aside to let the burning chunk of door skitter across the floor and crash into the wall behind them. They fanned into a semicircle as they waited for the prisoner¡¯s next move, each soldier standing with his blade drawn. Torchlight flickered against the blackened night sky. A single bold soldier stepped forward, shortsword at the ready as he shifted, looking for a proper angle of attack. He paused for a moment, and the prisoner lunged. He tasted freedom again, and nothing would ever contain him again.


    With a grunt, he kicked away from the landing into a high jump. He locked eyes with the soldier as he spun and jettisoned a wall of flames into the arc of men along the right side. The prisoner felt their life force ebbing as they howled and burned, clawing at their armor to get at the fire, rolling and dying. The bold soldier faltered as the prisoner landed before him. He spun into a kick that struck the soldier¡¯s windpipe. Bone and cartilage creaked and failed against his sole. The soldier dropped to his knees with a gurgling wheeze and died.


    What remained of the soldiers from the other side remained cautious. They readied themselves for an assault, but none dared strike first.


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    A hammer cocked from behind, and the prisoner spun in that direction. Too slow. A crack, a lick of fire, a flash of light down the hallway. The bullet sailed true, but then fragmented and disintegrated against a splash of flame and raw aether erupting around the prisoner. Yet even as the bullet broke apart, the prisoner felt his ability to call aether dwindle drastically with the effort it took to maintain a flaming defense. He spun to see the gunman and other soldiers rushing down the hallway he had fled only a moment earlier, and these were much more equipped to handle an escape. He faced these men for a moment before turning to cast his black flame into the soldiers who remained on the platform with him. They fell to the stones with a cacophony. Bodies all around the prisoner burned, smoke boiling into the night sky.


    When he looked back into the hallway, more riflemen fell into stance and brought their weapons to bear. He pushed both hands together and used a large amount of what he had left to cast a midnight ball of flame down the hallway, filling the corridor from floor to ceiling. More screams, and he felt the lives winking out against his assault. Bullets sang out from the attack, but none found him. His fireball passed through to the other end, and he was left with a view of charred bodies among blackened stone.


    More would come soon.


    In a panic, he approached the tower¡¯s edge. A bright light shone high in the western sky. Cirellias, the low moon. The word felt strange in his mind, but the low moon called to him, urged him to take flight and soar beneath the stars. Something about that meant home, did it not? With hands pressed against the battlements, he peered over the edge. No, flight was impossible, and the fall would surely kill him. The rush of aether might save him, but it would leave him drained. The intense buzz was quickly fading from his mind, but it was still difficult to think.


    The prisoner stepped away, bare feet padding against the stone. Granite. Did stone mean something to him? He clutched his hands to the sides of his head and tried to hold on to the thoughts. No time for that. He shook his head, and the thoughts fell away. Aether was rapidly withdrawing, but still he summoned what remained into himself. He unleashed it against the platform, and the floor collapsed into the room below, dropping stone along with mangled bodies and wooden support struts. He leaped into the open hole and was again within the compound¡¯s interior. When he landed, he staggered against some wreckage, barely able to support himself against one of the walls. More shouts hailed from above. Perhaps they thought the prisoner had somehow called upon sympathetic liberators.


    He rushed headlong into the darkness of another corridor, clawing through his mind for access to the vanishing aether. Flame sprouted above his fingers, blue this time, the same hue as the light that flashed in patterns before his eyes, lighting his way well enough to keep from getting lost in the maze. He ran forward, sometimes cautiously, sometimes blindly, sometimes launching precious arcs of flame down hallways as a precaution. Guards crashed down into the rooms above him as he made his way down, and the sounds drove him forward.


    The interior blurred as he worked his way along halls and stairwells. The tower was of a sensible design, but panic drove him into dead ends several times, forcing him to backtrack and search for a different path. As he descended, the sound of his pursuers remained close behind.


    With a heaving breath, he forced his way through a door that opened into a large room filled with long rows of tables. A dining hall? He raced forward into the room, hoping to finally find himself on the lowest floor. Light flickered in a doorway some distance along the left wall, and he wove a path toward it, summoning feeble black flames around his hands. They burned as pitiful incarnations, and any attack he made with them would likely be stamped out before causing much damage.


    ¡°Caru?¡±


    He turned, and the flame swelled in his hands. It was the last he could muster, and he knew it.


    A young woman stepped from the shadows at the far end of the room and stood in slanting light next to one of the long tables. She peered at him in closer examination and finally exhaled. ¡°Caru!¡± She seemed excited. ¡°I thought¡­¡± She stepped closer and paused. ¡°I thought,¡± she repeated. Then she smiled. ¡°So it was you. They didn¡¯t get rid of you, and they didn¡¯t get everything.¡±


    The prisoner considered unleashing the flame, but then she looked up to him, and her eyes shone in the scant light. Pale green eyes, the color of distant seas, centered in a lovely face, framed by raven hair. A memory flashed: a whisper, a sponge, a prayer, an apology, a cup, and the flames around his hands vanished. Gone, and they would not return.


    He pressed his hands to his head and sank to his knees. All that power, gone, and something else was rushing in to fill it, a sense of self. He howled wordlessly in frustration, but the woman still approached, possibly sensing he was no longer a threat.


    ¡°That way,¡± she said, pointing to a doorway on the left side of the room. Flickering light danced through the gap. ¡°Go!¡±


    Half certain he was headed into a trap, he nodded and stood to rush through the lit doorway into a kitchen. Pans and utensils dangled from racks bound to the ceiling, and heavy iron pots formed neat rows across the floor. The prisoner rushed along a lane between large cookpots, careful not to make more noise than was necessary.


    He shoved the opposite door open in a panic, leaving the woman behind as he pushed out into the chill night. Guards would be upon him soon, but the woman had pointed him to freedom, for the moment.


    He darted through a blind maze of alleys, hoping to put bends and distance between himself and the guards to make good his escape. Two plumes of smoke and dust poured from other points over the city into the night sky, and he wondered if others like him escaped as well.


    Pausing for a ragged breath, he knew the aether had abandoned him. Caru Freehaven was again sane enough to recall his own name.

 Chapter 2

    2


    Muttering curses, Caru ran through the back alleys of central Garenesh to further himself from the military structure that had served as his prison for the past two weeks. His head still buzzed, but he recalled hearing at some point that it was an armory. Maybe they felt it was too dangerous to keep him locked up in a regular prison with humans? It went against all protocol for humans to imprison an erman, but the Seranians seemed to have cast such protocol aside.


    He glanced over his shoulder to see if anyone followed. None did. Plenty of shouts echoed in the distance, but those were likely for the bloodmages to find and tend to the wounded. Caru felt no pity; perhaps murder was wrong, but he would forgive himself for slaying his tormentors. The woman, though, there was something about that woman in the kitchens. She remained framed in his mind, but focus would elude him as long as Rythellas remained dark in the sky. The Soulless moon would barely be above the horizon now, maybe a bit into the sky, but Caru needed only look ahead to the fullness of Cirellias to see that it was yet before midnight.


    He licked his lips, mouth aching for long gulps of water. Even a few gulps of stagnant rainwater eased his rage. Rythellas still showered the erman people with dark rage, but they would be huddled together tonight for the Calming in order to contain their powerful outbursts. Caru had been alone, though, but now that he was without wings, the effects from Rythellas diminished. Where before he would have spent the entire night with family and friends, now one glimpse of a familiar face in a kitchen brought him down.


    He thought the fury might return when he was alone again, but his capacity was spent, and, with that, his mind returned. Still buzzing, but he could focus.


    Caru flung himself from another alley onto an empty street, bowing his head low between hunched shoulders and rushing ahead into yet another darkened stretch. The guards wouldn''t soon forget his chaotic escape, and he had no desire to face them again, powerless as he now was. He thought of the torment they had brought upon him, and the muscles in his back twitched and ached in response. Flight was no longer an option. High moon Rythellas had granted Caru the generous reward of escape, but now he would be left only to his own determination. Being away from the ermen Calming felt odd on the night of the Soulless moon, and he wondered if his mother thought he was dead. Though he couldn¡¯t see his homeland Edaria from the Seranian capital, he could look to Cirellias and know its direction; the Edarian subcontinent rested directly beneath the satellite, and the stationary low moon would serve as a beacon from nearly any point on this hemisphere.


    Coming to another thoroughfare, he glanced first left and then right. No lights, no people. The emptiness brought from him another whispered curse. If he could weave through a crowd of people, it would be easier to lose himself to any pursuing guards. A lone man running at night¨Cone with a scrap of bloody shirt at that¨Cwould raise questions even if the night watch was not on alert. Armory bells still tolled in the distance, echoed by others across the city. Turning eastward, he spotted the orange tint low on the horizon from fires blazing somewhere in the capital. Again he found himself wishing a safe escape to the others tonight. He wondered how long it would be before the Seranian military began patrolling the streets in force, but he crushed the thought. Panic would only end in his recapture, and he would see the entire city drown in flame before allowing that.


    Barrels of stagnant rainwater sat in one alleyway, glowing faintly beneath Cirellian light. Rats watched Caru¡¯s approach before retreating to various holes in the wall as he neared. Tiny eyes reflected moonlight from higher perches, the bold vermin remaining to spy on the intruder. Water oozed into his worn shoes as he padded through a large puddle and stopped at a barrel to first cup water into his clean hand for a drink and then to plunge the arm covered in guards¡¯ blood beneath the surface to rinse it clean. Refreshed, and looking less like a murderer, he stopped to rest for a moment. The alley was wider than some of the others, dotted with a few more barrels and crates. It stank of decay and cheap booze.


    The source¨Cwell, a contributor at least¨Cof the filthy smell rested at the exit to the next street. A grimy man lay curled in the fetal position at the entrance of a grocer¡¯s shop, perhaps to have the first pickings of whatever moldy fruits and vegetables the owner would throw out in several hours. For now though, the man held an empty bottle in his hand and muttered angrily into what seemed an especially aggressive dream. The drunkard¡¯s left arm flopped down in an impotent mockery of a punch before returning close to his chest. He then clutched his bottle in both hands, shivered, and curled into a tighter ball. A rough woolen coat lay some distance away from the man. Caru knelt beside the man, careful not to wake him as he claimed his prize. He shouldered the jacket onto himself and buttoned it in a rush as he walked across the street. The jacket was tight over Caru¡¯s shoulders and reeked of booze and regret, but it would serve its purpose. Turning into another alleyway, Caru saw the drunkard¡¯s arm flop again before drawing it back to his bottle. As he disappeared from sight, Caru smiled, imagining the flailing arm to be a wave of good luck and best wishes.


    Memories of his imprisonment returned, and the smile faded. Damned humans. Rage still kindled in his breast, but he could suppress it long enough, wear a smile long enough, to not cause a scene and get away from that damned armory. This was no time to dawdle. He jogged through alleys until he lost count, each time finding the streets dark and empty. Somewhere far behind, a guard shouted, the voice resonating over the quiet city. Interrogating the drunk man by now, no doubt.


    With five more streets between himself and the armory, Caru spared himself another moment of rest, leaning against the side of a building as he sucked in deep, ragged breaths. Immense resolve kept his hands from trembling or knees from shaking. Muscles burned with a deep fury. The escape had seemed effortless at the time, but without Rythellas driving him into a Soulless fury, his body would soon claim its toll. The Soulless night was taxing even during the Calming, and this marked the first time in his life that Caru had yielded himself to the moon¡¯s insanity.


    Taking a deep breath, Caru stood and moved across the next street at a more casual pace. Despite his present aches, giving way to the Soulless monster was exhilarating. Even with only the tiniest fraction of power remaining, he felt truly alive for the first time in weeks. The rush, the power, the sheer bloodthirst of it all! If only he still had his erman wings, if the damn humans hadn¡¯t taken them from him, the entire armory and surrounding city blocks would lie in ruin, if not the whole of Garenesh. Surely the human bloodmages would have killed him before he got that far, but the damage would have been formidable, nonetheless. Luck alone saw that there were no bloodmages present at his prison, or at least it had kept any who may have been there from discovering him.


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    A broader street lay ahead at the end of the next alleyway. To the left¨Csouth¨Cthe street curved into more darkness. However, the city was brighter to the north. Lanterns lit the path, swaying softly in the nighttime breeze as a small group of people walked the cobblestone road. A dark sliver cut across the Cirellian surface¨Cjust after midnight, then.


    Caru looked to his tight jacket and frowned. It still reeked of alcohol and fit poorly, but hopefully he would only look clumsy and not murderous. Dry mud flaked from his left arm. He shifted his shoulders and bowed his head, hoping the jacket would make him unremarkable. Holding a prayer in his mind, he approached the first group of people. Some noticed his dirty jacket and turned away in haughty disgust. The younger people noticed his attire and pointed it out to their companions, laughing softly at ¡°the clumsy oaf.¡± Caru forced a slight stagger into his step every third or fourth pace. Let them think him a drunken fool. A teenage boy shouted something Caru didn¡¯t understand and raised a hand. Caru forced a grin and waved back, punctuating it with a stumble that very nearly ended with him falling face-first against the pavement. The group laughed at his antics and cheered loudly before they returned to their business. Caru waved a second time and forced another stagger before he turned and let his smile dissolve. He approached the lights to the north.


    A loud whistle sounded in the distance, followed by a sound like a slowing heartbeat that ended with a prolonged squeal. Caru finally recognized the lights¨CGarenesh¡¯s central train depot¨Cand was surprised that it would remain open throughout the night, but he had little interaction or interest in human transport systems. Moving along the ground seemed so slow, almost archaic. Much faster to travel by air or Portals, but the humans lacked either option.


    Caru came to the station and saw the train, how it extended far into the distance, steam still hissing from the engine as stewards aided disembarking passengers. Bleary-eyed travelers filled the depot, some standing before a car while attendants pitched luggage to other employees, others leaving the station with no more than what they held in their hands. There would be no better time to move with a crowd. He waited at the depot exit, propped against a pedestal that supported a statue in bronze of the Seranian Blood-Emperor, Theop. It was a fine cut, but not one of his own. Surely such a thing would have been commissioned to a human sculptor. Caru made himself step away from the monument; stopping to admire would only rouse suspicions against his facade, so he willed himself to look in another direction. While he did want to admire the bronze figure in more detail, he equally wanted to turn and spit on the Blood-Emperor¡¯s image. Blood-Emperor Theop I, Sun Blessed! Caru willed his hands not to ball into fists. Though the bronze Blood-Emperor loomed over the broken erman, Caru held his peace. No sense in getting arrested again over defacing a monument.


    Cirellian light cascaded through the depot¡¯s glass roof. Iron rafters cast long shadows into places out of reach of the station¡¯s interior lighting. A group of nearly twenty travelers came to the building¡¯s south exit, and Caru fell into step alongside them, letting their movement guide him. They coughed and muttered and rubbed at their eyes, but none showed offense at his appearance, or smell. A few travelers broke away from the group at each intersection, but Caru remained with the larger group for some time. He hunched his shoulders and watched his feet shuffle along, keeping his head down.


    When another pair split away from the group, Caru realized there were no longer enough people to blend with. If he remained, the others would scrutinize him more closely and would likely be suspicious that he was a thug or a thief. He held his breath as he walked, expecting someone to motion for a patrolman to investigate the grimy man in their midst. Caru exhaled in relief as they approached the next intersection with no one walking away. It would only raise further suspicion if he followed someone as they left. He stepped away from his group to head west along a split avenue, toward the shining beacon of Cirellias. Toward home. Someone looked over their shoulder as he left, but they said nothing.The path Caru had chosen was dim, but at least there was some light to it. People milled about at different points along the boulevard¡¯s length, but no one presented danger. Still, he kept his shoulders hunched and eyes on the ground. Don¡¯t make a scene. Don¡¯t be remembered. Stay quiet, stay calm. That black slice along Cirellias¡¯s eastern surface grew wider as time passed. Each hour between him and the armory brought him closer to a true, lasting freedom.


    He wished to again be on Edaria, with Cirellias directly and perpetually overhead.


    Caru knew there was a Portal in Garenesh¡¯s Trade Plaza¨Cthe one he had used to come to this cursed city in the first place, the one that connected to his Edarian home, Detrina. Leaving that way would require him to remain in the Seranian capital, but it might prove more fruitful than making for the city gates directly. If he could get to the Portal and manage to activate it, he could return to Edaria and report his case to fellow ermen without human interference. Still, there remained the question of whether or not he could even use the Portal without wings. The Edarian Sentinels at the Portal platform would no doubt question his inspection, and that would undoubtedly bring more unwanted attention.


    Perhaps escaping through the city gates wasn¡¯t such a bad choice, after all, and would be easier if he could find more crowds to blend into.


    Then again, he might also be able to contact the Edarian embassy. Escape must lie somewhere.


    Yawning into his open hand, Caru decided he could save those questions for later. He¡¯d hardly slept at all the night before in anticipation of possibly escaping his prison without the Calming on a Soulless night. Twenty long hours since he¡¯d awakened, and the escape had further drained him almost to the point of collapse. Sleep felt like a bad decision, but so did passing out and tumbling into the street.


    He looked down several alleys before finding what he sought: a ladder propped against the side of a tall building. He glanced about to see if anyone noticed, then stepped between the two buildings when he was certain no one was looking. Caru climbed the ladder and met a light breeze that blew over the rooftops and prickled against his skin. It felt nice. He had once worried he would never feel another breeze. The humans may have taken the sky from him, but they would never have the wind.


    He stripped the drunkard¡¯s foul jacket away and used it as a poor man¡¯s blanket. Resting on the side of the roof opposite the ladder, he finally let sleep overtake his exhausted body.

 Chapter 3

    3


    Caru¡¯s eyes creaked open against the morning sunlight. Grimacing, he waved a hand skyward and sagged against the rooftop with a sigh when an aethereal haze failed to appear. He cursed the previous two weeks and every attempt he¡¯d made to draw aether during that time. On a Soulless night, he could escape a tightly-guarded prison; the next morning, he couldn¡¯t even summon shade.


    Damn the humans.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite the sleeper, you know?¡±


    Caru pushed himself upright and back against the short wall that surrounded the roof. He looked over the rooftop and noticed a human woman. Black hair, green eyes, smiling weakly. Familiar. ¡°What do you know?¡± he whispered.


    She laughed. ¡°Only that you didn¡¯t kill me last night, so that was nice of you.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°You blew up a large part of the armory last night and killed a lot of people. But I can¡¯t say there¡¯s any love lost between myself and the military now, so I followed you. You helped me out of a bind there, so I feel like I owe you.¡±


    He studied her for a moment. She¡¯d been in the kitchens as he made his escape. ¡°I know you, don¡¯t I?¡±


    A nod. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve met several times at the inn I used to work at. Bard¡¯s Path. We¡¯ve spoken, but mostly in the form of me bringing you food.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here now? Why were you there last night?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for later,¡± she said. ¡°For now, we have to get out of here.¡±


    Caru frowned. ¡°We?¡±


    The woman sighed and squatted down before sitting and leaning on the ledge opposite him. ¡°They probably haven¡¯t noticed I¡¯m gone yet, but they¡¯ll definitely notice you¡¯re gone. I don¡¯t intend to stay back until they remember me, though. Besides, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re flat broke, and I can smell that coat from here. I¡¯ll do what I can to get you out of here, but we¡¯re going together.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°Mieta,¡± she replied. ¡°And I remember that you¡¯re Caru, right? Caru Freehaven?¡±


    He nodded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. We can head over to my place to get some money and a change of clothes from my parents, and at least let them know I¡¯m alive. I haven¡¯t talked to them since I was taken to the armory, so they¡¯re probably worried about me.¡±


    ¡°There were others,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°Others?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Other ermen. At least I think there were.¡± Odd. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned how you knew me as an erman but don¡¯t seem surprised to see me as I am now.¡±


    She hunched her body into a ball before visibly forcing herself to relax. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that right now,¡± she said.


    Caru sniffed. ¡°There were at least three of us. I doubt more. You see what the damn humans did to me. You think Serana didn¡¯t do as much to them, or worse?¡± His head sagged, but he didn¡¯t let himself cry, whether in despair or rage. He looked east, into the rising sun, and winced. ¡°They took it all from me, and now they¡¯re probably going to kill me for it. Now I¡¯m supposed to trust you, of all people? You were there. You had to have known.¡±


    Mieta blinked, but said nothing.


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that, then. Well, I guess I¡¯m probably going to die some way in all of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get you out of this,¡± she said.


    ¡°And you think I should trust you on those words?¡±


    She looked up, met his eyes. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Mieta looked into his eyes, bore into them. ¡°Because I¡¯m a coward. That¡¯s why. I¡¯m a coward, and I¡¯ll die a coward if I don¡¯t do something. Trust me, it¡¯s because I can¡¯t live with myself. Let me do one brave thing.¡±


    Caru threw his hands up in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving the city until I at least look for them,¡± he said.


    ¡°You should be trying to get out,¡± Mieta said.


    ¡°I should, but I need to at least say that I looked.¡±


    She sighed. ¡°Fine, so go look. It might be better for us to separate while I get things sorted out, anyway. After what they did, they¡¯ll be looking for you harder than they¡¯ll be looking for me. I haven¡¯t heard much about other sites yet, but I think there are going to be a lot of missing people in addition to the dead, so hopefully they¡¯ll assume I¡¯m one of them. I¡¯m going to go back to my place for the night, if it¡¯s safe. I¡¯ll get a few changes of clothes and try to find some for you, take some money, and then I¡¯ll be at the train station tomorrow morning. I¡¯m not saying we should leave by train, but it¡¯s somewhere to meet. If you¡¯re able to find another way out, take it. I¡¯ll be fine on my own if you can get out, but I¡¯m going to help you if I can.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±


    She stood up and waved a hand. ¡°I had no hand in what they did to you, but I still feel the need to make it right, somehow. Go. See if you can find others, if there are others, and we¡¯ll bring them along if we can. Check the Portal or the embassy. The guards are on alert, so be careful anywhere you go.¡± Mieta went to the ledge where the top of the ladder peeked over. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be there tomorrow, though.¡± Then she descended the ladder and was gone.


    Caru sagged back into place and exhaled. She¡¯ll probably get me killed, he thought. But, she did have a point; he wasn¡¯t going to get far without some money and clothing. He sighed and stood, then looked out over the expanse of Garenesh from his vantage point.


    Midmorning sun over the Seranian capital was warm but not wholly unpleasant. High breezes blew across the roof he had claimed for his own. He shouldered his stolen jacket on once more, wincing when the cloth slid easily over his back where wings should be, and was grateful to find that time spent in the open had helped to ventilate the rank smell, if only slightly. Though still grimy and stained, it did not assail his nose as he looped buttons together up the front. Dressed again, he stood on the roof ledge to peer over Garenesh. Buildings poked and prodded at the sky across the sprawling city, but only a handful of spires in the city¡¯s heart truly stabbed at it. The Celestial Palace, home to Blood-Emperor Theop.


    Caru spat at the thought.


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    Everything about Serana was vile now.


    Normally, the sky would be filled with ermen, their wings outstretched to ride the low winds. Caru¡¯s back itched, muscles flexing impotently at thoughts of returning to flight. Humans stripped him of that, and he still didn¡¯t know why.


    He would burn every one of them responsible if he were able.


    Two weeks since they had cornered him at Bard¡¯s Path on the night of the Void Moon.


    He shook his head. No, best not to linger on those thoughts.


    Had Mieta been a part of that? He did recall a few brief conversations with her there over the past few years, but it wouldn¡¯t be that odd to find her working in an armory kitchen. The innkeeper could also have been a part of it, though Caru had always thought him to be a good man. It could as easily have been the merchant planning to sell him the marble, though, or one of that man¡¯s employees. It could have been a beggar across the street. It could have been the large woman who always sat near the door with a cudgel next to her chair. He exhaled a sigh of frustration. He wondered if anyone had told them why they were buying information on ermen staying in the city during Void. Probably not. Even so, Caru had likely been sold out for a few coins, and the tattling human had destroyed his life. Mieta could have been a part of that, but she did seem earnest in her desire to help, and she had helped him escape the tower. Maybe it would count for something. She¡¯ll probably get me killed, he thought again as he tried to focus.


    No ermen today, though. Serana had probably ordered the Portal locked down, so there would likely only be a token handful in the Trade Plaza. More likely, Sentinels would be posted at the other side of the Portal in Detrina to let the civilians there know that there was no travel. Still, not a bad idea to at least go to the Trade Square and see.


    From the rooftop¡¯s eastern ledge, he saw a human launch from one of the Celestial Palace¡¯s upper platforms, a solder borne aloft on a glider, a contraption of wood and canvas that would let them drift across currents for long distances. Though he could not make out details at such a distance, Caru knew that the dark blotch across the canvas formed the crest of Serana¡¯s Holy Shield. The only people launching from the Celestial Palace would be Seranian military.


    As the first Glider wheeled about the castle, another launched. And another. Another. Gliders dove off the ledge and flew over all points of the city. Soon it seemed there would be more gliders in the air than ermen. Birds, for that matter. The military was determined to find and recapture last night¡¯s escapees.


    Escapees? The possible plural still gave him hope. Smoke still poured weakly from different parts of the city. He wondered if any of the others had been recaptured yet. Even as he thought of them, he finally noticed the buildings where the bulk of smoke still billowed. Only two others beside his own prison, but they both ended as jagged monstrosities, opened ceilings gaping to the heavens. So much destruction made it seem as though Caru had tip-toed out of prison by comparison.


    A Glider slipped toward the central train station and made several passing arcs. The Glider was of no particular threat to Caru, but only minutes remained before one would think to inspect the western rooftops.


    Caru crossed the roof, descended the ladder, and pushed himself from the bottom rung into a long stride out of the alley. Mingling among the bustling morning crowds would make it easier to escape the notice of the Gliders, but there was still the concern over human bloodmages. As humans were kept from knowing the ermen¡¯s true capabilities, so did they keep their own secrets. Most of their abilities would guide them toward military service, but surely they were not so strictly limited.


    As he walked the streets of Garenesh, he realized his bumbling stagger was real now, not just a show to mimic drunkenness. Sunlight was brighter to his eyes than before his imprisonment, and milling throngs of people disoriented him as he was gently nudged back and forth.


    If anyone in the crowds noticed his jacket¡¯s stains or odor, none said anything. Yet he did not know how long his luck would hold. Could bloodmages sense the blood of others? Caru had only been able to hastily rinse his arms of blood once since his escape, after all. His arms were not stained when he looked at them earlier, but the scent might still remain. Could they distinguish between the blood of murder and a half-hearted lie about being clumsy? How long before someone asked him more prying questions? How long before a proper interrogation?


    A Glider¡¯s shadow flashed across the street ahead. Caru flinched, but he bowed his head and pressed forward. Jumping at shadows would only make him more conspicuous. The Gliders moved quickly, but their use would be heavily hampered over one of the world¡¯s largest cities. Still, Caru breathed a rushed prayer of thanks that he thought to leave the roof when he did. He kept his head down as he walked, hands stuffed into the pockets of his brown woolen breeches.


    He forced himself to try to think of a plan.


    The first step would be to find if the other ermen survived the night. Sure, they had caused more destruction than he, but that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that they were successful. Although Caru himself made short work of most of the fortress¡¯s guards, there had been that moment of vulnerability before leaving the building. Had the others escaped before aether had abandoned them? Were they as strong as he? Surely so, if they had done as much damage as the opened buildings indicated. But then, they hadn¡¯t destroyed half the city, only other isolated buildings. Likely they were as strong, but no more. Probably similarly maimed, with just enough power to feel Rythellas¡¯s effects before burning out, like he had.


    He came to the next intersection, looked up to find Cirellias, and turned westward toward it. Caru decided to check the Trade Plaza first to see if any of the others would try to find some way to access the Portal. If nothing came to light there, he could approach the embassy to perhaps plead his case if he was able to make it there. If it was inaccessible, that would leave the train depot and the gates, and he already had plans for the depot, in the event Mieta could be trusted.


    Even though Garenesh was linked to his home in Detrina, there was so much he didn¡¯t know about this city. He thought the few newspapers were all owned and operated as an outlet of the Seranian Empire.


    He was trying to think of popular bars and inns among ermen when a wave of silence came over the street, moving nearer to him. People gave bloodmages and their entourages a wide berth when walking through city streets.


    Caru held his breath as the splitting crowd pushed him near the gated entrances to a long row of houses. He kept his head down in an effort to not stand out. In an effort to not stop and stare and tremble in fear, for that matter. Keep your head down, don¡¯t look at the skullbashing bloodmage. Vision tunneled in a panic as he looked at the ground, but he restrained himself. He prayed not to break into a sweat as he swept his head up to look at the squadron. The two soldiers in the front would have been massive even without their heavy plated armor. Each had a shield strapped over his back and jagged singled-edged axes dangling from their hips. They looked bored, one of them actually yawning into a fist as they passed through the divided throng. Clinking and clanging softly, they moved like graceful boulders.


    A single spearman walked behind them, using the haft of his long spear as a walking staff. The tip swept back and forth with each step, carving short arcs across the sky. He at least looked more alert, but still he looked tired and like he would rather be doing anything else.


    The bloodmage himself walked behind the spearman, a grizzled swordsman with several knots of rank strolling at his side. Both appeared to be officers, but Caru was unfamiliar with military ranks. The tall bloodmage bore no weapons himself except for a small dagger in a scabbard against his left hip and steaming frozen vials of his blood on his right. Though he wore a long military coat, the bloodmage attire kept the sleeves cut off above the elbow. The dagger was not for enemies, but for the bloodmage to use on himself, and this particular one had crisscrossing scars along the lengths of both forearms. The blood-filled vials would be his first assault, but the dagger could split his veins for more resources in a heated battle. Though they always carried the daggers, it spoke to the situation¡¯s severity that he walked the streets of Garenesh with the vials at all. A deep nick across a finger would be enough to blast this street into ash.


    To their rear, another soldier, this one carrying a rifle. His eyes were more alert than the other soldiers, at least. As soon as Caru noticed the man, he was filled with fear at that vigilance. He averted his eyes to the ground before he might accidentally meet the man¡¯s eyes.


    As he looked down and shuffled against the fencing to his side, bits of conversation came to him as the squadron approached.


    ¡°¡ªscorched the upper hallway¡¯s interior,¡± the bloodmage said.


    The swordsman nodded. ¡°So I¡¯d heard.¡±


    ¡°Did you get the report from the other sites?¡±


    The swordsman whistled at the mention, but they passed from Caru¡¯s hearing as the crowd closed up behind them. He wanted to hear more, but he wasn¡¯t going to fall in behind the squadron, especially with that rifleman at the rear. Though the lead soldiers looked bored, that rifleman looked as though too much time had passed since his bullets last splattered some brains.


    Realizing he still held his breath, Caru finally exhaled. He turned his head down again, eyes intent on the ground before him. It was a comfort at least to know that bloodmages couldn¡¯t actually sense blood. At least not that of other people. A small comfort.


    Still, he wished he could have gleaned more information about the other two sites. He knew both had been atrocities from hearing a single snippet of conversation, but he still did not know if the other ermen survived or had been recaptured or worse. If they lived, he could manage some leeway in his plans.


    He glanced again to Cirellias, heading west before turning his eyes down.. Humans would kill him before he allowed himself to be their prisoner again.

 Chapter 4

    4


    ¡°Hurry, he¡¯s awake!¡± The voice was an old one, a familiar one.


    Theop¡¯s eyes fluttered open before he closed them shut once more against the room¡¯s shining interior, lit by the noonday sun. Silk sheets were cool against his torso as he lay resting on his stomach. Thoughts crept in his hazy mind after a moment, slowly focusing. How long had that bitter concoction left him unconscious? Hours, they said it would be. A glance through the recovery chamber¡¯s window proved that had been incorrect. He expected it to be hot, but then memory returned that this chamber was high above the city streets, kept cool by the strong crosswinds that buffeted the Celestial Palace¡¯s higher spires.


    Hands pressed against Theop¡¯s bare back, fingers kneading into freshly-healed muscles, pressing him against the bed. It took great focus not to rise up against those hands. Focus. He had prepared for this moment for what felt like ages and knew this to be a time for uncharacteristically small steps. With another exhale, the world lost more of its clouded, anesthetic edge.


    People stood about him in the stark white room. Several were high-ranking bloodmages in full military attire, overlapping steel discs forming a light cover over long robes that barely fell short of sweeping against the floor. The garb would not make them invulnerable on a battlefield, but it would be wasteful to give them less; they needed to bleed, but leaving half a battlefield scorched beneath a sheet of glass was rarely beneficial. Their arms were bared to the elbows, some forearms seemingly more scar than not. Those would be the fighting men. Others bore scars only in the palms of their hands¨Cthose would be the newest recruits or, more likely in this room, mages who had never seen battle. Not every bloodmage awaited a glorious destiny, but those were often hard to come by in this age.


    ¡°Detar,¡± Theop said. Was that hoarse growl his own voice?


    The man who alerted the others moments earlier knelt before Theop. Detar was many years older than Theop¨Cold enough to be his grandfather, perhaps¨Cand a trusted adviser to the throne. He kept his head shaved completely bald, wore a constant covering of beard stubble along his jaw, and had bushy black eyebrows. Though he was not himself a bloodmage, he had studied the ways of magic extensively over his life and had even partially aided in Theop¡¯s magical instruction years earlier, when Theop was but a teenager. Detar wore the ceremonial clothes to which he was accustomed: a silver-trimmed black coat with a high collar, long coattails, sleeves running down his forearm, terminating to reveal hands in sleek black leather gloves. A single-edged sword hung at his left hip, concealed by a scabbard covered in tight scrollwork. Theop had never seen Detar use his blade in battle, but former comrades spoke with awe of Detar¡¯s abilities. Displays in the practice yard were little in comparison to battle prowess, but he still moved with the speed and agility of a soldier forty years his junior.


    Detar¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he regarded Theop, concern flashing through steel blue irises.


    ¡°Yes, Blood Emperor.¡± Detar glanced to the men on Theop¡¯s right, and they fidgeted before him. Three of the men were dressed as bloodmages, two stood in the white coats of surgeons, and Minister Ferr stood at the forefront. The hands against Theop¡¯s back tensed briefly before relaxing yet still holding firm.


    ¡°How do I fare?¡±


    Detar turned to Ferr, who nodded. ¡°The healers you and Minister Ferr chose were indeed the best in their fields. They researched the additions and the grafting extensively. We learned much, but most importantly, they were able to do as you asked. The new human era you speak of may yet be upon us.¡±


    Theop relaxed, breathed more easily. He was amazed to find himself with only a dull ache across his back, but he believed that to be a lingering result of the tincture he had taken last night. The hands pressing along his back were unpleasant, but they were not necessarily uncomfortable.


    ¡°Good,¡± Theop said. ¡°This new era will require strong leadership, and I intend to be that leader.¡± The grin slipped easily across his face. ¡°I think I may find much honor in binding the human nations as one. We¡¯ll finally stand on our own. We¡¯ll be capable without charity.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Detar said. He returned Theop¡¯s smile, but something did not seem¡­genuine. The smile faltered, and his eyes twitched to the room¡¯s left side, where more men startled in surprise.


    Theop felt himself tense, relaxation fading. ¡°Detar,¡± he said, his tone slow and even.


    Detar turned back to his Blood Emperor, met him again with those piercing blue eyes. They quivered as though the man wanted to escape Theop¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°This is remarkable news you¡¯ve given me,¡± Theop said. ¡°Why do the men look as though they expect nooses at sunrise?¡±


    Detar let loose a long sigh. ¡°Sire,¡± he said.


    Theop¡¯s patience finally faltered. ¡°Out with it!¡± Detar may have raised Theop since the death of the previous Blood Emperor, but still the difference between royal advisor and Blood Emperor was vast.


    Detar stayed calm, but the others looked on in horror. Even as Theop scanned the room, men shied from his gaze, shuffling in place without moving their feet. The advisor glanced to the white tiled floor before turning back to Theop. ¡°They escaped.¡± His voice was hardly more than a whisper. The trusted men in the room winced at the words, but no one else spoke. Detar was the only one among them who would always avoid the Blood Emperor¡¯s ire.


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    Theop began to rise up on the bed, but Detar motioned for him to remain still. Hands tightened against his back, and Theop relented. Even as Theop sagged back into his place on the bed, Detar¡¯s eyes quivered as he desperately wanted to look away but feared the consequences of doing so. ¡°Escaped?¡± Theop asked.


    Detar¡¯s throat clicked as he swallowed. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Just after sundown. The results were, well, devastating.¡±


    ¡°Who helped them?¡± Theop asked. ¡°How did they find out?¡±


    Detar shook his head. ¡°The reports I received stated that they all escaped without assistance.¡±


    Inconceivable! They should have been powerless! Theop¡¯s hand trembled as he gripped an edge of the bed, but he willed it still. The other men in the room were right; he would not¨Ccould not¨Cunleash fury against Detar. Yet Theop¡¯s mind worked in a craze as he sought the right words. None of this made sense! The ermen were restrained! The three had been so resistant to yielding information over the previous two weeks, but Theop knew that he would need them to answer his questions. Prison wardens and bloodmages had been too lenient on them, perhaps, but Theop knew that he himself could find a way to shatter their defenses and rip from them the secrets of Edaria.


    ¡°How?¡± Theop asked. It was the only word he could muster.


    Detar shrugged. ¡°We do not know. They used aether, even though we knew that should have been impossible. We stripped all the filaments from their bodies we could find, but there must be something else at hand here, something we couldn¡¯t have known of.¡±


    ¡°If they could still draw aether, why would they let themselves be contained that long in the first place?¡± Two weeks the three captives spent in cells in different places around the capital. As far as Theop knew, they were unaware of each other. A coordinated escape should have been impossible.


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know, my lord,¡± Detar said. ¡°The other ermen fled to Edaria yesterday afternoon as expected during nights without Rythellas. It¡¯s odd that these three should escape on one of the nights we believe them to be at their weakest.¡±


    Theop nodded. Anger at the men in the room would not be the proper answer. This was something beyond even his own understanding, and he would not hold them accountable for this shortcoming.


    ¡°The damage was extensive,¡± Detar continued. ¡°In total, we lost nearly two hundred men. Even the Healer left the northern side of the Wolf¡¯s Palisade in shambles. Men are still there clearing out burned bodies and workers are trying to keep the entire facility from toppling over into the streets. It¡¯s barely standing as it is, but bloodmages are present and stabilizing the structure for now.¡±


    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve already taken some action?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. I met with General Hibranth, and units have been sent into the city to search for the escapees. Gliders and several bloodmage patrols. Guards on the gates and at the train depot, but with strict instruction not to rouse suspicion from the remaining few Edarians in the city. Business with them should be returning to normal soon, so we¡¯re trying to keep the matter confidential.¡±


    ¡°The Trade Plaza Portal?¡± Theop asked. ¡°The embassy? Both covered?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Detar said. ¡°The Portal is currently closed with increased guard presence in the Trade Square, and a perimeter of guards is being maintained in a two-block radius of the embassy. They should not be able to leave Garenesh.¡±


    Theop remained unconvinced. If the escapees the night before were as catastrophic as Detar indicated, he was no longer certain of erman capabilities. He needed more captives for information; he would never be able to control this power without their Edarian wisdom.


    ¡°We cannot afford to cause a scene,¡± Theop said after a few moments passed. ¡°If we catch them in the city, they may raise questions if they resist, but we can¡¯t afford to leave them be until Rythellas is full again.¡± That had been the night when they first detained the ermen, and without incident. And who knows if they can blow apart half the city in the meantime? Best not to voice that question aloud. ¡°We should let them think they¡¯re escaping while funneling them into a single route.¡±


    Worry finally melted from Detar¡¯s eyes. He must have finally seen that his trusted Blood Emperor would seize control of this catastrophe. ¡°What do you suggest, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Investigate the attacks and report your findings to me as soon as you are able. Report the investigations to the newspapers, but be sure not to mention Edaria. If anything, insinuate Dresk. It will give us increased leverage in the upcoming campaign if you can. Use your best judgment, and I will trust you. Keep eyes on the gates, embassy, and Trade Plaza Portal.¡± Men behind Detar nodded, making notes for orders to pass along to their own men. Theop finally grinned. ¡°Keep the gates closed for three days while we investigate the attacks and prepare for reconstruction, allowing for only the most vital of trade through the gates. In the meantime, increase patrols within the city, as much as we are able.¡±


    ¡°And the Portal?¡± Detar asked.


    ¡°Closed, except for any ermen returning to Edaria. Keep it monitored. Halt train passage into the city for the rest of the day today, and then resume normal operations tomorrow morning at sunrise. Tell the people that the city has been attacked, and that they are free to evacuate to the countryside if they feel the need, but that we have the situation under control. Make sure that every outbound train carries a bloodmage and a small squad of soldiers under his command, and have them return to the capital to do it again once they¡¯ve reached their destinations. Civilian clothing. Continue for five days.¡±


    Detar chuffed a single laugh before standing and facing the rest of the men in the stark white recovery room. ¡°You heard your Blood Emperor, men!¡± he said. ¡°Make it happen.¡±


    The men snapped to attention, double-pounding their fists over their hearts in salute. ¡°For the blood!¡± they said in unison before filing from the room.


    Regaining control over bad situations had always been one of Theop¡¯s strengths. He would hide this disaster at all costs, regain custody of the three precious ermen, and unlock the secrets he needed for victory. His body tensed in anticipation, and hands scrambled across his back to keep him restrained. He would have everything.


    His six wings flapped lazily against each other.

 Chapter 5

    5


    Garenesh¡¯s Trade Plaza was dominated by a large structure bisected by a long wall. In the open side of the square was an array of shops, inns, and plazas, arrayed in a concentric half circle pressed flat against the wall. Behind the wall was the Edarian Wharf, an open facility where merchants and workers sorted through bulk goods and raw materials, as well as most international mail.


    Normally, the Portal would be a flurry of activity the day after a Soulless Moon, the ermen eager to return to the human nations to resume their trade. However, today the Trade District square was filled with a large number of soldiers¡ªnot enough to impede the local citizenry, but enough to let them know that they were taking the attacks from the previous night seriously. Even over the wall, cries could be heard from local merchants demanding access to their shipments or complaining that they were being made late.


    As Caru sat on a bench across the plaza, he could see the Portal through the facility entryway. The Trade District Portal towered nearly twenty feet atop its tiered pedestal, a grand pointed archway formed of two pillars of glossy black material that met in a single point. The Portal seemed to drink in color amid rows of shops and swarms of customers across the Trade District Square. Carved figures dotted its surface, though no one had ever discerned a pattern among them or could tell if they were comprised of a long-forgotten tongue. Though Caru himself often stopped to look at the characters, it had been more from an admiration of their aesthetics than curiosity over their meaning. The Edarian Sentinels at the base of the Portal would try to keep the crowds moving, however, so he rarely had the time to study the characters in great detail. Still, he knew that carving of that scope and into that material was beyond his own ability, even with the aid of aether. The characters dug over an inch into the surface, jagged in some areas and sinuous in others. Raised, corded bands ran the length of the arch, giving it an impression of being constrained by frozen ropes.


    The Sentinel was a large erman several inches taller than Caru. He wore the usual Edarian outfittings - black plate fitted with steel chain around the joints and the Edarian crest emblazoned across the chest plate. Fastened onto his back was a simple embossed shield, and a scabbarded sword dangled from his hip. He held a large book in his left hand, in which he scribbled the newcomers¡¯ names after a brief questioning.


    In addition to maintaining order among Edarians present in any nation, the Sentinels also kept travel records of those arriving anywhere through a Portal. It had been over two weeks since Caru had last given his name to a Sentinel. As he sat on a bench in the warm shade, he wondered if there had even been an investigation into his disappearance when he had failed to return on the night of the Void Moon.


    Doubtful. Although Edarian laws said that all ermen must return home for the night of the Soulless moon, there was no law requiring them to return during Void. No, staying in the human nations during that night was only considered foolish.


    And, well, Caru had to admit that it had been, indeed, foolish.


    Caru studied his fingernails in an effort to look casual. Would anyone outside the Seranian government connect the destruction at various military installations around the city last night with the missing Edarians? Probably not, when none of them had been heard from in two weeks. Most likely, he and the others would already be considered missing or dead. The Seranian government probably had paid witnesses to spread reports to that effect.


    The Sentinel closed his book, and the two ermen walked away from the Portal to another point within the facility, likely having been sent over from the erman merchants in Detrina to obtain progress reports to the Portal reopening. Even so, they smiled to each other before disappearing from Caru¡¯s view. Caru envied their carefree attitude. Their naivete.


    Their wings.


    Of course he missed his own wings, feathers brown and flecked with black. He missed the rush of power that aether brought as it raced through his body. He yearned to have the winds of higher skis buffeting against his face as he soared far above the countryside.


    Damn those humans! They had taken everything from him, had taken what even made him erman. Earthbound life left him feeling cold, alien, alone.


    Caru considered different ways to approach the Sentinel to ask if his name was in the books, but the Seranian perimeter held, and it would almost certainly cause an uproar if they did somehow give him permission. Ermen, it seemed, were allowed to enter the facility, but none of them came out. Probably some early risers who had made it through before the Portal was sealed.


    Reclining against the shaded bench, Caru scanned the milling crowd for other developments. Investigating the Portal directly was out, for sure.


    He winced as someone sat next to him on the bench. A quick glance showed him a pretty human woman, her blonde hair hanging loose to reveal a pale face. Though her nose and lips were almost too generous, her striking blue eyes made up for any perceived flaw. She smiled at Caru, but he only nodded and turned to the crowd again with feigned interest. Best to avoid conversation; anything he said would only make him more noticeable to others.


    He almost groaned when the woman spoke, but she did so in little more than a whisper.


    ¡°You might stare a hole through the Portal if you try harder,¡± she said.


    Caru¡¯s face blanched, but he held his composure. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°You should at least walk around and look through some of the stores,¡± the woman said. ¡°When you sit in the same place for an hour, you¡¯re going to look suspicious to anyone looking for you.¡±


    Caru turned and looked into her eyes. He wanted to believe it was a surprisingly accurate practical joke. He shook his head and again turned his attention to the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re making me want to run.¡±


    The woman sighed. ¡°If you run, I¡¯ll have to find the other one by myself. I can hope that he¡¯ll have the sense not to draw attention, but I suppose discretion isn¡¯t in high supply today.¡±


    ¡°Other one?¡± Caru asked.


    She nodded. ¡°There are three of us, right?¡±


    Not a human woman at all, then.


    Caru grimaced, turning back to the crowd. ¡°I think three. I¡¯ve only heard mention of three sites being damaged last night, and I think a pair would have done more. Sickening, what they did.¡±


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    She sniffed. ¡°We¡¯ll make them suffer. Somehow.¡±


    ¡°You think the other is still alive?¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard that they¡¯ve caught anyone, though I suppose they wouldn¡¯t announce it to the public if they had.¡±


    Caru leaned back, shrugging his shoulders, and winced when the movement pulled on his new scars. He wondered if this third erman would make an appearance in the Trade District. It seemed like an obvious choice, even though it had turned out to be an otherwise useless one so far. ¡°How do I know you¡¯re even one of us?¡± Caru asked after a pause. He wanted to believe, but caution was the best course.


    The woman laughed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have much in the way of physical proof, but I can talk to you about the effects of Rythellas if you want. I don¡¯t think they know how we escaped just yet, else they wouldn¡¯t have left us alone last night.¡±


    Caru nodded again but did not speak.


    She sighed. ¡°If it helps to convince you, that was the first time I ever missed the Calming.¡±


    ¡°Mine, too,¡± Caru said in a whisper. He looked to his feet and added. ¡°I think I liked it, and that scares me.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m shifted Restoration anyway, so it was especially bizarre. I hope I never experience that again.¡± She reached behind herself to a small pack sitting against her right hip. She brought it back with half a hunk of bread, which she offered to Caru. ¡°Here, you look like you haven¡¯t had a good meal in a while.¡±


    Caru took the bread and offered his thanks before biting into it and savoring the rich, spiced flavor. ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he said, choking out the words as he swallowed. ¡°Spinecorn?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said.


    ¡°How did you get it? It¡¯s been hard for me to do anything without money.¡±


    She laughed. ¡°Sometimes a pretty girl can get favors for a wink and a smile.¡±


    Caru grinned. ¡°I suppose odder things have happened.¡±


    She nudged him softly. ¡°Also it helps when you can find clothes that don¡¯t smell as though you rolled around in a brewery all morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d hoped to look clumsy,¡± Caru said, feeling a flush in his cheeks.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that¡¯s not the case. Now then.¡± She reached across her chest and held out her open hand to Caru. ¡°What¡¯s your name, friend? I¡¯m Kimke.¡±


    ¡°Caru,¡± he said, gripping her hand and pumping it twice. ¡°I guess we¡¯re in this together now.¡±


    Kimke smiled, but the smile fell away as she scanned the plaza. ¡°And I think we should get ourselves away from here now.¡±


    Caru rose from the bench and followed behind Kimke as she plunged into the crowd. Her pace was quick as she moved with a determined stride. He covered the ground quickly and fell in at her side, the crowd jostling them as they tried shoving their way through.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Kimke stared ahead, intent on weaving through the crowd. ¡°Bloodmage,¡± she said.


    Caru tensed and looked over the crowd. No one stood out in a Seranian uniform, certainly no bloodmages wandering about in black robes tinged with red and chain. Guards stood at the corners of the streets entering the Trade District Square, but none seemed especially vigilant, certainly not scouring the crowds for anyone.


    Caru shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t see him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not in his uniform.¡±


    Caru looked at the crowd again, but no one stood out. ¡°Where?¡± he asked.


    ¡°He walked in from the southern street.¡± Kimke looked over her shoulder before turning to the crowd again. ¡°Just passed the bench where we were sitting.¡±


    Caru turned to look at the bench, but Kimke grabbed his wrist and yanked him back around. ¡°Don¡¯t call attention to us!¡± she hissed.


    They walked past the Portal facility¡¯s nearest corner on their way out of the plaza. Caru hated leaving it behind, but there was nothing left to do here.


    ¡°How can you tell? Caru asked as he and Kimke left the Sentinel and his book behind.


    ¡°Long sleeves,¡± Kimke said.


    Caru glanced through the crowd again, and Kimke was right; everyone wore short sleeves that ended above the elbows. It wasn¡¯t summer, but the days still grew hot in the afternoon, and everyone wore nearly identical styles of clothing in the Seranian fashion. The city¡¯s style would allow for people to wear longer sleeves after sunset, but everyone now wore short sleeves, all except the soldiers stationed around the square.


    They left the Portal behind as they turned west, aimed again at the city¡¯s heart. Cirellias hung suspended in the sky before them, partially blocked by the Palace¡¯s spires. The moon was mostly dark at this time of day, but a wedge did reveal itself across the surface. Caru glanced left and saw the long-sleeved man finally, standing with his head bowed as he rifled through the display window of a clockmaker¡¯s shop. Caru took another step, and the man disappeared behind the bulk of the crowd.


    Caru turned to Kimke as they worked their way westward. ¡°Sleeves don¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s a bloodmage.¡±


    Kimke shook her head. ¡°He¡¯s hiding battle scars.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. That doesn¡¯t mean he has to be a bloodmage.¡±


    ¡°Is that a risk you want to take?¡±


    Caru sighed. She was right.


    ¡°I¡¯m observant,¡± Kimke said. ¡°Call it a trait if you will, but I¡¯m good at spotting things.¡±


    ¡°Still seems like a guess.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was, and I¡¯m not going to argue that it wasn¡¯t. But I did spot you without having to reveal myself to anyone else. You have to admit I can at least do that much. Besides, you know they¡¯re going to keep eyes on the Portal, or you would have already tried something yourself.¡± The street beyond the square still held many shops, but not in such a great concentration. Any guards they passed didn¡¯t seem too interested in what the crowd was doing, probably only listening for sounds of distress. For now, the Seranian soldiers talked casually among themselves. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have gotten anything done in the square anyway.¡±


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°Even if the square had been completely empty, we don¡¯t have the strength to open the Portal. We¡¯ve always used them without a second thought because we¡¯ve done it so often, but opening those Portals really does take a fair amount of strength.¡±


    ¡°I thought about that,¡± Caru said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve thought about how much energy it takes. I doubt we¡¯d find another erman to let us through.¡±


    ¡°Not without far too many questions,¡± Kimke said. ¡°We could hope for a joint investigation between Edaria and Serana, but the Seranians would never let us start that process. If we¡¯re recaptured, no one will ever know what they did. As much as it pains me to say, we¡¯re earthbound for now.¡±

 Chapter 6

    6


    Ferrak rubbed his hands along his forearms, not used to heaving them covered in civilian attire. Even when off duty, bloodmages were expected to keep their arms exposed, ready to spill blood for fuel at any moment. It let people know who he was, as well, usually caused them to bow and scrape. Not much. Only a little. Just enough.


    The sweltering midday heat was unpleasant at best, and he constantly had to stop himself from rolling his sleeves up to the elbows as he searched through the capital streets for fugitive prisoners. Luckily, he had received a message earlier summoning him for a conference with the general.


    Ferrak did finally roll his sleeves up as he tread up the stairs to the Celestial Palace¡¯s arched entryway. Under normal circumstances, he would have stopped by the barracks to change into his uniform, but the barracks were uninhabitable, and were being prepared for renovations after last night¡¯s attacks. If only he had been faster, he could have locked the escapee in place long enough to allow the soldiers to capture her again, but that strange woman was a force unlike any he had ever seen before.


    He had never met a female bloodmage before, but he supposed such a thing wasn¡¯t impossible. A question for later.


    Even in civilian attire, soldiers and castle staff saluted him as he entered the main entryway, fists double-tapping their chests above their hearts before returning to their duties. Bloodmages were loved, respected, and feared by all within Serana. Maybe not in that exact order.


    The blood within him sang, begging for release, to become waves of destruction or currents of life. He idly caressed the dagger at his right hip as he left the entry for an eastern hallway. The dagger was covered beneath a broad red sash of his civilian clothing¡ªnot an outfit for the daytime, but no one commented on him wearing evening attire during the day beyond a few stolen glances. With a grimace, he pulled his hand away from the dagger and massaged his knuckles before relaxing again. Too many foolish young bloodmages fell to power¡¯s temptation, killing themselves by slashing their wrists too deeply.


    Young fools, they were indeed. They would never know what to do with that much power.


    Spending energy unnecessarily could leave him drained for days, even weeks if he exerted himself. Spilling one¡¯s own blood was no leisurely activity, no matter the heavy feelings that came through the accompanying sense of power.


    Ferrak rounded the corner at the end of the long hallway, turning right into another corridor, this one with a slightly lower ceiling. A lone rifleman double-tapped fist to chest in salute as Ferrak passed, and he was finally away from the common portion of the Celestial Palace.


    An Edarian emerged from one of many doorways along the corridor, chatting quietly with a Seranian officer. The human¡¯s uniform marked him as a second lieutenant, a fresh officer. The erman topped the human by several inches and wore the blackened armor of a Sentinel. Sentinels were the only non-officer unit among the Edarian military that would set foot on earthbound soil while on duty, except for the meager handful of soldiers stationed at their embassy. Edarian officers often came to meet with Seranian officials, but little else was known of their military structure.


    Ferrak admitted to himself that he preferred it that way. A single battle would leave him weak and pallid for days, but that much exertion seemed laughable for any Edarian and their aether-wielding wings. Luckily for the humans, Edaria never interfered in their conflicts. Ferrak thought that maybe he could stand against an erman for a brief time, but in a longer battle? He¡¯d be of little use after fainting from blood loss.


    His mind returned to the previous night, the way that woman had escaped in such a fury. Had she been bleeding?


    Was she a bloodmage?


    The cryptic demand that the escapees be recaptured came from Blood-Emperor Theop himself. Yes, they had caused an enormous amount of destruction in their escape, but the reports said that they had been otherwise unremarkable during their incarceration. Why had they attracted the Blood-Emperor¡¯s direct attention?


    Perhaps they were wingless ermen, but Ferrak knew that those rarely left Edaria. Stories he¡¯d heard said that they usually ended destitute, often as beggars, or worse.


    A female bloodmage, a wingless erman, or some other mysterious being?


    The second lieutenant and Sentinel passed Ferrak in the hallway. The officer tilted his head slightly to Ferrak, but the Sentinel only met his eyes briefly before looking ahead once more. Black wings shifted as the erman compacted himself to stay out of the way. As they resumed conversation, Ferrak overheard a scrap as the erman said that the city¡¯s best wine came from a dilapidated tavern on Garenesh¡¯s southern outskirts. The human officer laughed, saying that he preferred ale anyway and that the city¡¯s best ale was at a tavern near the western gate, the Barley and Grain.


    Ferrak shook his head as they passed from earshot. All the Seranian officers knew the best booze in the city was in Trade Plaza¡¯s Bell and Gin. He looked over his shoulder and saw the pair leave the corridor, turning toward the Palace¡¯s main entryway. One last ruffle of black wings, and they were gone.


    How much more convenient his life would be if he could tap into inexhaustible aether! And Ferrak doubted he could stand to do something as mundane as walking if he had those wings.


    He came to the door he sought, a plain wooden door bearing a simple bronze plaque reading HIBRANTH.


    Taking a deep breath, he rapped his knuckles against the door. He had only spoken with General Hibranth twice before, and both occasions had been tense. He stood silently, awaiting a response and considered knocking again before the answer came.


    ¡°Enter.¡± A deep voice.


    Ferrak did so, stepping inside to see Hibranth seated behind an oaken desk, thumbing through a sheaf of papers. His shoulders were wide, his black hair streaked with gray, and his arms free of a bloodmage¡¯s scars. What was it like, rising through military ranks with only hand-to-hand expertise? So much easier to burn attackers where they stood with flames fueled by blood.


    Hibranth looked up, and Ferrak pounded his fist against his chest twice, standing at attention. ¡°Captain Ferrak reporting, sir!¡±


    Hibranth sighed, tossing the papers on top of a much larger stack at the left edge of his desk. ¡°At ease, captain. Take a seat.¡±


    Ferrak raised an eyebrow at the invitation, but then sat in one of the three stout wooden chairs facing the general¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Hibranth said, leaning forward and rubbing a hand over his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough formality for one day. The Blood-Emperor sent me a steady stream of bloodmages today, and I say it¡¯s time we relax.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Ferrak said, with no intention to relax.


    Hibranth eyed Ferrak, nodding as he noted the bloodmage¡¯s rolled sleeves and the pattern of scars along both forearms. ¡°Ferrak, you say. Captain Ferrak.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°And you were one of the bloodmages chosen for the mission today?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ferrak said. ¡°Command sent me into the city to search for last night¡¯s escapees shortly after noon today. They gave me short descriptions and told me to pay attention to the Portal.¡±


    Hibranth nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll admit it must have been no easy task. Did you turn up anything?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. Two people were at least similar to the descriptions, and I almost thought I recognized the woman from last night, but it was difficult to say with the light of day. I notified three of my men to keep looking in the area when I was summoned here, but the two may have left by now.¡±


    ¡°You saw the woman last night, you say? You were at the barracks, then?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Hibranth eased back in his chair, studying the bloodmage. ¡°Suffice it to say that you are fortunate to still be with us, captain. She caused much damage, killed many of our men.¡±


    ¡°I am aware.¡± Ferrak flinched at his own words, sitting up straighter and hoping the general wouldn¡¯t mistake his tone for sarcasm. ¡°Good men, they were.¡±


    ¡°Were you able to confirm their descriptions? You really think two of them might have been at Trade Plaza?¡±


    Ferrak shook his head. ¡°They matched the general description, but it was hard to say more than that. I never got close enough to confirm eye color. Both were a little taller than average, as the description said. The woman wore a different style of clothes than the man she was with, but I did think it was odd to see sleeves at midday.¡±


    ¡°You were wearing sleeves at midday,¡± Hibranth said.


    ¡°I was, general, but I am wearing Seranian evening wear, still fairly common even in daytime. This man was wearing a coat or a heavy jacket.¡±


    Hibranth leaned forward to scribble a note. ¡°What else?¡± he said, looking up again.


    ¡°Both seemed in good health, but they were slimmer than most, which the description also mentioned. If the woman had not been dressed so much more nicely than the man, I might have thought they were beggars.¡±


    ¡°You were unable to question them?¡±


    Ferrak grimaced. ¡°No, general. The man seemed especially intense when I first noticed him, but the woman rushed him away when I came near the Portal.¡±


    Hibranth scratched another note. ¡°Were you able to follow them?¡±


    ¡°I tried,¡± Ferrak said. ¡°They left to the west, but on a street with few enough people that following them would have drawn attention to me. They stayed in the open.¡±


    Hibranth nodded again.


    ¡°I returned to Trade Square to search for the third prisoner. I told the squadron on patrol to move west and try to keep a lookout for where the pair was heading.¡±


    ¡°Did you tell them why?¡±


    Ferrak¡¯s orders had been specific¡ªdo not let anyone know why the military had an interest in the escapees and not to cause a scene if they were spotted. He didn¡¯t understand the reasoning there, but orders were orders. Most importantly, his orders told him not to draw attention to himself.


    ¡°No, sir. I told them to follow but not to apprehend.¡±


    ¡°Well done, Captain.¡±


    Ferrak closed his eyes and thanked whatever force looked out for him then. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Hibranth leaned back in his chair again, rubbing a hand over his stubbled chin. ¡°Why do you think they ran off when you came to the Square? Do you think they noticed you?¡±


    ¡°Doubtful. I kept my head down as much as I could, and they left nearly as soon as I arrived. I assume they planned to leave earlier, even if they did leave in a rush. I doubt I would understand, but it¡¯s possible they were ordinary people.¡±


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    Hibranth leaned forward again and looked to his papers to jot something else down. Ferrak bowed his head, studying a particularly interesting crack in the stone floor.


    ¡°They are ermen.¡±


    Ferrak¡¯s breath caught, and he looked up. ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°I thought you should know before continuing further,¡± Hibranth said. ¡°They were detained for two weeks, and they were the ones that escaped from various military installations across the city last night.¡±


    So they were wingless ermen, then. Ferrak nodded to himself.


    ¡°You hardly seem surprised,¡± the general added.


    ¡°I thought it was strange that a woman was Pulsing or using aether, even without wings. I¡¯ve never met a female bloodmage before, so this actually makes more sense to me. But, may I ask, why are wingless ermen important enough for this mission to be handled so covertly? Is it because we held Edarians in Seranian custody?¡± Edarians who violated Seranian law¡ªor that of any other earthbound nation¡ªwere suspect to those nations¡¯ codes, but sentencing always had to be carried out in Edaria. The official erman response was that human prisons were incapable of containing erman convicts, and Ferrak was inclined to agree. Perhaps those three had done something so heinous that Serana had instead removed their wings in secret and then left them to die. That only raised the question of how they had managed their escapes¡ªwithout coordination¡ªwithout their wings.


    ¡°If only it were so simple,¡± Hibranth said, pushing his notes to the side. ¡°There¡¯s much more to it, but nothing else I can comment on. If I¡¯m to be honest with you, I wish I didn¡¯t know more myself, but I can say that Serana stands at the helm of the future.¡±


    Ferrak didn¡¯t like that response. He felt like he had done more than spot two ermen in Trade Square.


    ¡°Have no fear, captain. Blood-Emperor Theop will see us through these times if we do the best we can and heed his wisdom. I assure you of that.¡±


    Ferrak wished the general¡¯s response didn¡¯t sound as scripted as it had. It sounded like he had given the same words to dozens of bloodmages over the course of the day.


    Ferrak nodded. ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    Hibranth eased forward in his chair before standing and moving to the front of his desk, leaning against it as he loomed over Ferrak. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some more information. The two you saw were Caru Freehaven and Kimke Bellrose. Freehaven is the man, a sculptor. Bellrose is a healer, but she has never worked with the Edarian military.¡±


    ¡°And the third one?¡±


    Hibranth cut his eyes to one side before looking to Ferrak again. ¡°He¡¯ll be the toughest one. His name is Martel Moonshroud, and he¡¯s the shorter, stouter one you¡¯ve seen in the descriptions. He¡¯s a Sentinel. Even without apparent access to aether, he¡¯s extremely dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Did anyone see him today?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Hibranth straightened and folded his arms behind his back. ¡°He was spotted near the Edarian embassy, but he kept his distance from the local patrol. A plainclothes bloodmage tailed him for some time before he passed pursuit to another bloodmage so he could report the sighting to me. As far as we know, Martel is still under surveillance.¡±


    Ferrak clenched and quickly released his fists, wishing he could have caught his two ermen. ¡°Sir, I am sorry I lost my trail.¡±


    Hibranth gestured broadly and flashed his best smile. ¡°We already know where they¡¯re going. We just need to make sure they are going to find the right way out of the city.¡±


    ¡°The right way?¡± Ferrak asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Hibranth leaned forward and placed a hand on Ferrak¡¯s shoulder. Ferrak felt a rush of pride at the familiar gesture. ¡°Captain Ferrak, are you fond of trains?¡±


    ¡ª


    The sun swept low toward the western horizon, leaving the surface of Cirellias only halfway lit. Eastern stars sparkled warmly as night prepared to drape the land. It would not be long before Caru and Kimke found themselves stranded outdoors for yet another night, another long, cold night spent on a stone roof with a stinky coat for a blanket. Perhaps he should have asked Mieta for a blanket¨Cor any kind of help¨Cearlier, but he didn¡¯t want to press his chances. The scars above Caru¡¯s back still ached from last night¡¯s rest.


    As they crossed Garenesh, they gave the Celestial Palace a wide berth to the north. It already swarmed with military personnel on alert for an attack against the Blood Emperor that would never come; that threat had died with Rythellas¡¯s setting. The pair agreed it would be best to avoid anyone in military dress, since they would most likely have descriptions of the fugitive ermen.


    But did the common foot soldiers know the escapees had once been ermen, or did the higher-ups tell them they were human? Many of the soldiers likely had erman spouses.


    Caru hoped that Kimke¡¯s boast of perceptiveness would be enough to spot soldiers not in uniform. The more he considered it, the more he thought her right about the long-sleeved man in Trade Square being a bloodmage. The Seranian military would scour all of Garenesh in search of the Edarians who knew their dark secret, and Trade Plaza would be no exception.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Kimke finally asked, muttering the words softly as they wove their way through a crowded street. Humans and ermen alike were out in force beneath the setting sun, the Seranians having already shed the breezy attire of the daytime for the long-sleeved, high-collared evening wear. The men favored dark velvet suits, and creamy lace was in vogue among the women. Neither fashion was one that anyone wanted rubbing up against a grimy coat, so many people shied away from Caru and Kimke as they passed through. The bubble that followed them through the crowd left them more conspicuous than Caru would have liked.


    ¡°I talked with a human woman this morning,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He sighed. ¡°A woman named Mieta. She said she could try to get me out of the city, but she had to let her parents know she was alive and well first. I¡¯m supposed to meet her at the train station around noon tomorrow. I probably could have traveled with her today, but I told her I wanted to look for you and possibly this other person first.¡±


    Kimke winced. ¡°What makes you trust her?¡±


    ¡°She was working at the inn where I was captured. The Bard¡¯s Path.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­not really something that works in her favor, you know?¡±


    Caru laughed, despite himself. ¡°You¡¯re right. But she was at the armory when I escaped. She was in the kitchen, apparently scrubbing pots. If she was in on my capture, they didn¡¯t reward her well for it.¡±


    ¡°Could she have been in on it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I can¡¯t say I know her well, but we were on friendly terms. Although, I guess I could say the same about the innkeeper. No, I think she saw what happened and got taken in for it. She implied she hadn¡¯t been able to communicate with her parents since our capture, so I don¡¯t think she was allowed to leave until my distraction.¡±


    ¡°You think we should trust her? You said yourself that you barely know her.¡±


    ¡°I think we should hear her out. She could have turned me in this morning, but she didn¡¯t. We¡¯ll get to the station early tomorrow, find her, and watch her for a while. If it¡¯s obvious she¡¯s not in contact with the government, we¡¯ll approach her and talk. Regardless, we have to find a way out of the city, but we can try that first. We¡¯ll have the early morning to look for the other erman if you want. We¡¯ll keep our distance, but you¡¯d probably see something I¡¯d miss.¡±


    A lone erman flew overhead, huge wings flapping and stretching as they glided smoothly above the rooftops. It seemed a few had come here this morning, heard of the Trade Portal¡¯s closing, and decided to stay in Garenesh rather than be stuck in Detrina on the other side. This one flew with a sphere of light on either side of their head, casting light on the ground below. A simple trick. Caru clenched his fists briefly but forced them to relax.


    Caru said, looking back to the street ahead. ¡°Makes me wonder if I hate them or the humans more.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate my own people, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Caru chuckled, and it felt good. ¡°You¡¯re right. Call it jealousy then, not hatred.¡± He turned to Kimke and noticed her sour expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Do you really hate the humans?¡± she asked. She turned her head, locking her eyes to his.


    Humor fled from him in a rush. ¡°You know what they did to us. Can you forgive them?¡±


    Kimke¡¯s voice remained low, almost a whisper. ¡°The ones that did this to us? No, I won¡¯t forgive them. Even though I¡¯m shifted Restoration, I want to find a way to kill them all.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Caru said. ¡°My only regret is that I can¡¯t remember more of what I did last night.¡±


    Kimke shuddered at the memory. ¡°I remember pieces. They may have deserved it, but giving into bloodlust like that was unnerving.¡±


    ¡°It felt good to touch aether again.¡± He looked up to see if anyone had heard. It was a dangerous conversation to have in public, but no one seemed to have noticed. His coat pushed them out of listening range, apparently.


    ¡°It did. Still, I don¡¯t hate them all. Not every human was involved in what happened to us.¡±


    ¡°We still don¡¯t know why they took our wings,¡± Caru muttered. Other people along the street were too involved in their own conversation to notice them beyond the smell. No one cared. Ermen gathered among them, not knowing that they could be capable of such atrocities. Caru wanted to grab them, shake them, tell them to flee back to Edaria before the humans ruined them, tortured them, left them for dead as they rotted away in isolated cells.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Kimke said. ¡°They never told you anything during the interrogations?¡±


    Those damn interrogations. Bloodmages healed him after each one, but Caru¡¯s body still ached with the memories, the constant breaking and mending. Odd that human bloodmages could be equally proficient¡ªand powerful¡ªin both healing and destruction. They had made Caru painfully aware of that as they had broken and healed his bones in an effort to extract Edaria¡¯s forbidden secrets. He had told them morsels of common knowledge but had kept secret the taboo topics. Humans may have accidentally discovered something about the Void moon, but they clearly had been taken aback by the other side.


    Small compensation.


    ¡°No, they never gave a reason why. If I asked, they only beat me harder.¡±


    Any of the ermen walking the westbound street knew all of those forbidden secrets, maybe even more than Caru himself knew. Yet here they were, talking with humans, laughing, singing, drinking, dancing. Panic welled within Caru, but he suppressed it. Not every human wanted to know those secrets, but those that did could be monstrous and determined.


    ¡°You think ermen are any better?¡± Kimke asked as they passed into another intersection.


    Caru looked across the intersection to a large and popular tavern. Music spilled through the open doors, and people inside sang and danced in time with the rhythm. Two humans and an erman sat together on a bench in front of the tavern, all three at least somewhat drunk, tapping their feet in time with the music as they laughed and clapped each other on the back while making a drunken display of singing along. Caru shook his head¡ªonly two weeks early, and he would have been the same as them. He wanted to think he had human friends in the world below, but he doubted he could trust them any longer. His capture seemed orchestrated enough that someone must have known his patterns. Humans had caused his pain and suffering, and it would be best to avoid them in the future.


    Would the humans be so willing to share their bench with an erman if they knew the secret of the Soulless moon? Each month, the Calming spared the world for a few more weeks. Knowledge of the Soulless night could even spark war between ermen and humans. The Seranian military must have learned something from last night¡¯s escapes. Maybe not, but Caru wondered if his destructive flight might not have given them some sliver of information regardless what the Soulless night truly was. Even without wings, he¡¯d escaped his prison, tearing through guards as though they were paper dolls. How much of the city would still be standing if he, Kimke, and the other one still had their wings? Dilated filaments in the wings would draw much more aether ripples from the moon than those that remained in his body, so much more that it addled ermen minds into forces of destruction. Last night¡¯s surge was hardly a mark on what any other erman could have done in those circumstances.


    ¡°We¡¯re no better, only blinder.¡±


    They pushed past the tavern, leaving music and laughter behind. Caru did have to admit that a stop for several drinks would have been nice. Having money to buy drinks would have been nicer. Kimke might be able to smile and wink her way to some booze, but Caru doubted his own charm would be so fruitful.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Kimke said.


    Caru blinked, returning from his thoughts. He spun to ask her what was wrong, but she was already approaching a group of people that stood gathered in front of another, smaller tavern. Holding his breath, Caru moved after her, keeping a watchful eye as she spoke to the group.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Kimke said, ¡°but did one of you say something about the trains?¡±


    A short woman in a low cut dress trimmed with lace nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°Theop posted a notice today saying that train travel would resume in the morning in order to maintain trade. The gates and Portal will still be closed.¡± Someone else in the group voiced their frustration, saying that they only wanted to go to the outer city, but that it would be easier to go all the way to Curali now.


    Kimke thanked the group, gave a small bow, and walked toward Caru again. The rest of the conversation faded into the drone of the city as Kimke and Caru walked away, still heading westward. ¡°So the train station will be running tomorrow,¡± she said.


    Caru nodded. ¡°It sounds like a good enough option, especially if Mieta will be there and able to get us tickets. I¡¯m worried at the timing, though. Do you trust it?¡±


    ¡°Not especially. It feels like a trap, but so is staying in the city.¡±


    As though summoned, a train wailed in the distance as it pulled into the station some distance to the south. ¡°I still don¡¯t like it, but trusting her is going to be our only choice. Leave in the morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kimke said. ¡°Let¡¯s find a place to sleep, and we¡¯ll spend the morning looking for the other erman before heading to the station. We¡¯ll leave as close to daybreak as we can.¡±


    Caru¡¯s back already ached at the idea.

 Chapter 7

    7


    ¡°Caru.¡±


    A hand pressed against his shoulder and shook his upper body. Dreams shattered against the light of early dawn. Something about a cup? Odd that such a simple image would stick in his mind. Of course, the dream also came with memories of having his wings stripped from his back, a dream of waking up in the middle of the horror of the demented surgery. The dream brought memories of flying through blue skies, wind ripping through hair and feathers, losing his sight as he soared through a dense, wet cloud cover, feeling the flood of aether as he flew with wings spread wide.


    He hated the dreams of flying almost as much as those of the surgery. They only deepened his sense of loss when they passed. Yet those were the same dreams that begged him to sleep again, to return to his life of flight and aether, to forget what those damned Seranians had done. So easy to close his eyes and drift¡­


    ¡°Caru! Wake up!¡±


    This time his eyes snapped open to see the blonde woman kneeling over him, hand pressed against his shoulder and urging him to wake. He plucked her hand away as he sat up, leaning on his elbows. Kimke shifted backwards, sitting on her heels, hands folded neatly in her lap. ¡°You¡¯re quite the deep sleeper,¡± she said, smiling.


    Caru laughed, and laughing felt strange. He thought he¡¯d forgotten how. ¡°I¡¯ve been accused of worse,¡± he said.


    As they both stood, Kimke reached behind where she sat and threw a soft bundle at Caru¡¯s chest. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± he asked, pulling the bundle before him.


    ¡°Clothes. You¡¯re going to stand out if you keep wearing that ratty coat.¡±


    He unfolded the bundle and examined the garments. Short sleeved shirt, dyed gray. Black leather vest. Simple brown breeches. ¡°Let me guess,¡± he said, tossing his coat and old shirt to one side. ¡°You got these with a wink and a smile?¡±


    Kimke laughed softly. ¡°Of course not. Even pretty girls don¡¯t get things for free when men think she already has a man. No, I stole these. I got up in the middle of the night and found clothes left on a line to dry. I guess the owner forgot them when the sun set.¡±


    ¡°Sly devil,¡± Caru said, looping his arms through the vest and lacing it all together. A vest with buttons would have been more practical and easier to work, but lacing was the more fashionable choice. If nothing else, getting dressed was easier without wings in the way.


    Hardly a fair trade.


    ¡°If you say so. I¡¯ll wait down below while you finish up here.¡± With that, Kimke climbed down the ladder propped against the building and descended out of sight. Caru swapped his pants¡ªthe ones he wore while imprisoned, no less¡ªand put on the shoes that he himself had stolen from the drunkard two nights ago. He smiled, thinking it might be unfair to chide Kimke for her theft when he was no better. Taking advantage of some poor drunk like that! The nerve!


    ¡°Feel any better?¡± Kimke asked as Caru stepped away from the ladder¡¯s bottom rung.


    The clothes felt a size too small, the shirt tight around his chest, the pants leaving his ankles bare. Otherwise, the clothing was certainly better than the stinking coat.


    ¡°Like a new man,¡± he said. ¡°Now you didn¡¯t happen to steal some poor man¡¯s breakfast, did you?¡±


    Kimke planted her fists on her hips and made a show of pouting before grinning. ¡°I doubt either of us are hardened criminals just yet.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Caru said, strolling to the alley¡¯s end, ¡°but I do think we have careers ahead of us as petty thieves.¡±


    Kimke jogged up to Caru¡¯s side and stuffed a hand into the thigh pocket of her short dress. When she brought it back out, she revealed a meager handful of copper coins and jingled them together. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal these. They were lying on the ground, and I happened to notice them here and there while getting our clothes. Amazing how much money people are willing to leave on the ground instead of bending over to pick it up.¡±


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll let that one slide then.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I thought if anyone would be fine with stealing from humans, it would be you.¡±


    ¡ª


    Less than two hours later, the pair stood at the entrance to the capital¡¯s train depot. A breakfast of pork and dried fruit fell well short of filling, but it at least gave them the strength to cross the city. Though they both could have eaten more, they agreed it would be better to keep some of Kimke¡¯s cache of coin on hand. It could be a while before they would run across more.


    Caru again stood in the shadow of Blood-Emperor Theop¡¯s statue, glancing at the Seranian leader¡¯s image in disgust while restraining himself from defacing the thing. Sun-Blessed indeed! He turned to Kimke instead, trying to blend into the crowd as a couple having a simple conversation. Were they standing too closely? Should he touch her arm? She was attractive in her own way, but it felt awkward standing so close with someone he wasn¡¯t romantically involved with. Then again, whatever helped the illusion.


    ¡°There she is,¡± Caru said, nodding toward a bench at the next entrance. No pointing. Mieta sat on the bench, hands folded in her lap as she sat waiting. Someone approached her, spoke a few words, and she hesitated before pointing in the opposite direction. The person bowed and then left. She visibly relaxed before straightening.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to her,¡± Kimke said. ¡°She¡¯ll notice you coming.¡± With that, Kimke was gone, and Caru was left standing in the shade of the statue to the Blood Emperor. He turned away from the statue so that he could study the station in more detail.


    It was a large structure, designed to admit two lines of extra wide passenger trains at any time. On either end of the station were large entryways that would allow for some of the taller trains to enter, those with two-story cars. The station itself was about a quarter-mile long, although some of the trains were more than twice that. A high, smoked glass ceiling allowed sunlight through.


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    At the edges of the station stood nearly as many shops and stalls as one would find in the Trade Plaza. Vendors barked their wares at the huge influx of people at the station today after a long closure the day before.


    Streetlamps dotted the boarding platforms, where people were now exiting the train, mostly seeming irritated that their arrival had been delayed. From the train, they were routed into a large walkway that would empty out into the station¡¯s luggage collection, where they would retrieve their things before departing into the city. Cries arose from the porters as those from the train tossed lighter luggage to those waiting on the platform.


    More people waited in a series of long queues to get onto the train, separated by long ropes into lines that terminated in metal gates. When the exiting passengers had cleared the platform, the gates were opened, and more surged forward into the train. It seemed many people were eager to leave; rumors must have been making rounds throughout the city.


    He turned to see Kimke approaching. She smiled, but it quickly faded. As she sat next to him on the bench, Caru looked up to see Mieta still sitting alone at hers. Kimke saw his expression and said, ¡°She thought it would be better if we stayed separated for now. She knows you¡¯re here, and she still hasn¡¯t cried out for security, so it doesn¡¯t feel like a trap, at least not from her.¡±


    Caru nodded. ¡°And the plan?¡±


    Kimke withdrew a ticket, about two inches wide and three inches long. ¡°She sends her regards and this ticket. She bought four tickets for a sleeper suite.¡±


    Caru looked down at the ticket to see that the suit number was 327, and that it was for a train departing for Lieve¡ªthe next large city to the west¡ªin around three hours. One adult, one way, and For the Blood! printed along the bottom edge.


    ¡°She said to take this time to look for our third, and that she would hold onto the ticket in case we find them.¡±


    Caru slipped the ticket into his vest pocket and stood.


    ¡ª


    Three hours later, Caru crossed the threshold from the station platform to the waiting train. When his feet pressed onto the wooden interior floor, he stabilized himself by gripping a mounted brass rod before turning around. He offered his free hand to help Kimke and Mieta board. Kimke¡¯s gaze bored into Caru¡¯s eyes as she boarded, and her grip was tighter than he¡¯d expected. Mieta had sat quietly on a depot bench for an hour without raising an alarm, only rising to meet them when the train pulled into the station, but Caru could still sense Kimke¡¯s distrust. If Mieta hadn¡¯t raised a commotion by the time they boarded the train, she would probably keep her word and stay quiet.


    Searching for the third erman had been fruitless, but at least Caru could say that they¡¯d tried. It felt callous to leave them behind, but fleeing the city was paramount, and the net would only tighten the longer they stayed.


    Mieta gripped his hand lightly and kept her head down to make sure her feet cleared the gap. Caru worried he might have held her hand too tightly, but he pulled her through to the inside. With an arm against her back, he ushered the woman into the car¡¯s hallway to make room for the next passengers in line.


    Although passenger trains such as this were extraordinarily wide, the hall itself felt narrow, even cramped, as it was lined by sleeper booths on either side. A look back toward the engine compartment showed a much roomier car, lined with rows of padded benches instead of private cabins. A series of glass-enclosed lanterns cast the train interior in a faint and flickering light. The train seemed especially dark when entering, leaving the high afternoon sunlight behind. Caru blinked his eyes a few times and quickly adjusted to the dim lighting.


    He examined the ticket from Mieta, confirming the cabin number scribbled in the appropriate blank. Here it is,¡± he said, stopping at a simple door engraved with 327. He cracked the door open and followed the women inside, turning to take one last look at the hallway. A cluster of men boarded with several pieces of luggage, but no one seemed to notice him. Something tickled in the back of his memory, but he couldn¡¯t place it. Perhaps his mind was still racing a bit from encountering Mieta. As an especially wide-shouldered man looked his way, Caru nodded abruptly and retreated to the cabin, closing and locking the door behind him.


    Perhaps the luggage had bothered him, or rather the lack of his own luggage. He worried that they looked suspicious without stacks of bags and suitcases. Perhaps anyone curious enough to ask would accept a story that they didn¡¯t intend to stay in the western Seranian city of Lieve for more than a day or two before returning to the capital. Then again, several other passengers probably only had the clothes on their backs as well. Simply people wanting to get away from the capital for a few days in light of the recent attacks, nothing more.


    Nothing more.


    The cabin felt small, but surely they all did. A small closet was embedded in the wall to his right. Four beds¡ªtwo on each side of the cabin, one atop the other¡ªwere folded against the wall, exposing foldout chairs built into their bottoms. Kimke had the chairs extended while Mieta was unloading her own light pack of luggage into the closet. By the time Caru closed the door and paused to breathe for a moment, Mieta had finished emptying her luggage and had sat down on a seat across from Kimke.


    He felt the weight of his decision as he seated himself next to Kimke, their knees almost spanning the narrow gap to brush against Mieta¡¯s. They turned to the human woman, races divided along the cabin¡¯s center line.


    Mieta opened her mouth, but Kimke raised a hand to silence her. ¡°Time to speak later,¡± she said. Mieta nodded, lowering her head and examining the wooden floor between her feet. Kimke softened her tone as she leaned forward. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°Please, I just need a few more moments to think.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Mieta said, looking up again and easing more comfortably into her seat.


    They sat in silence, none wanting to look at anyone else. Practicing speeches, Caru thought.


    Minutes passed before the train whistle shrieked, and then the wheels moved along the rails, chuffing with increasing rhythm. The scene through the cabin window shifted as the train pushed forward. As it left the depot, it angled downward slightly, dipping into the western channel, one of four that now quartered the capital. When the government first installed the railway into the capital, it did so by carving large open trenches along cardinal directions below street level so as not to disrupt the city above more than necessary. These channels were wider than any river channel would have been though, wide enough to accommodate two of the wide passenger trains side by side. The view turned to that of a slate gray wall with periodic bursts of shale as they passed beneath city bridges spanning the channels.


    It pushed west toward the city of Lieve and, more importantly, away from Garenesh. It wouldn¡¯t get them out of Serana, but it would bring them closer to Edaria.


    With a final pulse of shadow, the train was beneath and outside the western city wall. The densely packed buildings within the capital were replaced with sparser housing and shops that made up the western gate suburbs. The rail angled upward until the channel was even with the countryside, and then they were traveling in the open. Suburbs and outer city faded further until only farmland remained, broad expanses covering the countryside.


    Caru had never moved so quickly along the ground before. Even with years of flying behind him, the view through the window was nothing short of fantastic. Distant mountains remained stoic and unmoving while nearer trees and the occasional farmstead zipped by with blinding speed. It was exhilarating to watch, to move at these speeds again.


    Is this how people travel without aether or Portals? he thought. Without wings? Edaria had its own rail network, but it was mostly used for freight shipments rather than passenger travel. There still was passenger travel over longer distances, but Caru had never used it. Being erman came with graceful ease of travel. He suppressed a sigh, wondering if this would have to be the kind of thing he would have to grow accustomed to.


    Caru turned away from the window and saw that Kimke and Mieta stared out as well, entranced. Perhaps he wasn¡¯t the only one who hadn¡¯t ridden a train before.


    The women broke their reveries, turning to look across the cabin at each other again. Caru exhaled, not realizing he¡¯d been holding his breath.


    ¡°Now,¡± Kimke said. ¡°I think we need an explanation.¡±

 Chapter 8

    8


    Mieta took a deep breath and closed her eyes before speaking. A moment to gather her thoughts, and then it began. ¡°Two weeks ago,¡± she said, ¡°soldiers came to The Bard¡¯s Path and took Caru. On their way down, they saw me looking on from the kitchens, where I¡¯d stayed after the dining hall had closed so I could wash dishes and clean up. One of the soldiers pointed at me, and the others restrained me and told me to follow. They promised horrible things if I made a scene, so I stayed quiet. Caru was unconscious, so I believed them.


    ¡°They took us to the armory and had me wait downstairs for some time. I kept asking them questions, but they always told me to keep my mouth shut. About an hour passed before a bloodmage came in, asking for help with ¡®cleanup,¡¯ so they took me upstairs to a room where men moved around an unconscious erman.¡±


    Caru tensed. The Seranians had kept him in the armory since that night. His only memory of the night was the unending pain, and everything else was blocked from him.


    ¡°They had you strapped onto a long table, hands and feet in restraints at the corners. You were face down with a wide leather belt strapped over your back. When I walked in, they gave me a bucket of water, a cup, and a sponge. The soldiers then left to wait outside, and I was alone with two surgeons and a bloodmage.¡±


    It was hard to hear, but he wouldn¡¯t make her stop. Her face reddened while she spoke, and she shifted more than seemed normal. Her breathing was uneven and quickening. Had they really felt a need to keep him under such tight restraints, unconscious as he was? Mieta wrung her hands, seeming determined not to look away from him. ¡°The surgeon lowered his knife and made the first cut.¡±


    Kimke leaned back in her seat. Her face was ashen, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°Do we really need details like that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Caru said. ¡°It¡¯s useful.¡± Useful in fueling his hatred, but useful.


    Kimke sniffed, but she let Mieta continue without further interruption. Mieta somehow reddened further, turning away from Kimke and forcing herself to meet Caru¡¯s eyes once again. ¡°Well,¡± she said, ¡°skipping ahead to the more important parts. It was right after they removed the first wing. The bloodmage took it to a back corner, saying something about keeping it preserved.¡±


    ¡°They never said why?¡± Kimke asked. She looked askance at Caru, the look on her face letting him know she didn¡¯t want to trust the human more than necessary.


    Mieta shook her head. ¡°They didn¡¯t speak very much. I don¡¯t think they wanted me to know more than I already did.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange they would let you witness what happened at all, then,¡± Kimke countered.


    Mieta shrugged. ¡°Perhaps. I think they wanted me there as a comfort. When Caru woke, I doubted they wanted to see his face themselves.¡±


    ¡°When I woke?¡±


    She frowned and nodded. ¡°Yes. You woke during the preservation process. Woke up screaming, actually. The skin on the left side of your back was still peeled back from where they had removed the bones.¡±


    Kimke shifted, but Caru motioned for her to stay quiet. ¡°I woke up screaming?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would have, too. One of the surgeons held your right wing down to keep it from flapping against them. The other yelled for the bloodmage to help, but he only said that he couldn¡¯t stop the preservation process until it was complete. That¡¯s when the surgeon holding your wing down ordered me over. I knelt with the bucket and sponge and wiped the sweat from your forehead. I think it helped. I hope it helped. I took the cup and filled it with water. When I held it to your mouth, you drank it so quickly, and then I¡ª¡°


    ¡°You said you were sorry,¡± Caru said.


    Mieta nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was wrong, what they did to you.¡±


    ¡°We noticed,¡± Kimke muttered.


    Only a day before, Kimke had been more forgiving of the humans, but it looked like that might have passed. Leave her to stew for a bit, then. ¡°And then?¡± Caru asked.


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    ¡°The bloodmage finished. He left the corner, and your wing was stiff, propped up against the wall. The way it sat, it didn¡¯t look natural.¡±


    ¡°And he put me to sleep again?¡±


    ¡°Yes. You slept until they were finished. I¡­ I watched. I couldn¡¯t do anything, but I could make myself bear witness. I owed you that much. When they took you away after the surgery, they threatened me, saying that they would have my head¨Cand my family¡¯s heads¨Cif I talked. I was almost a prisoner myself after that, barely let out of the kitchens so that they could keep eyes on me.¡±


    Caru¡¯s flight from the prison was still blurred in his memory, but he did remember her. ¡°We met in the dining hall,¡± he said.


    ¡°You looked different, but I knew it was you, even through the rage and the look in your eyes. No human short of a bloodmage could have made it out alive with all the soldiers there at the armory.¡±


    ¡°You said you were almost a prisoner yourself,¡± Kimke said.


    Mieta nodded. ¡°Almost, but not entirely. I wasn¡¯t allowed to leave the armory, although someone said they would allow it in due time. Not on the night of your escape, though. I was in my chambers with a guard keeping an eye on me. There was an explosion upstairs that alerted him, but it wasn¡¯t until the bells sounded that he said he had to go. He told me not to leave, that he was going to see what was happening.¡±


    ¡°But you left?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, but I knew what you were before. I¡­didn¡¯t know if there was any hope for you to escape, or even if you were alive. I went as far as the dining hall to wait and see if you came through, or if it would be someone else. For someone else, I probably would have just gone back to my chamber and locked myself in. Leaving wasn¡¯t a risk I wanted to take without cause, but then I saw it was you.¡±


    Seeing her in the dining hall had triggered those memories locked away, maybe even Calmed him to the point that he could remember himself and plan again. One softly spoken apology had kept him from incinerating the cowering woman where she¡¯d stood. A memory of a sponge and a cup had abated his rage enough for him to make good on his escape.


    ¡°How are you with us now?¡± Kimke asked. Caru flinched; if she kept a rough tone with Mieta, then Mieta might stop communicating with them altogether. Even if Kimke was hesitant to bring Mieta along, Caru knew she would be useful, at least for a time, until they reached Lieve. Maybe longer. She did show him kindness, after all.


    ¡°I would like to know that myself.¡± He hoped his tone sounded softer than Kimke¡¯s.


    ¡°They watched me so closely after the surgery,¡± Mieta said. ¡°After you escaped, the guard never came back. I debated running for a moment, but then I knew I had to do something.¡±


    The Calming spared both of us, Caru thought. It was supposed to take more focus than a simple memory, though. Normally it was a night spent in a circle with loved ones, convincing yourself and others not to lose control to the call of the Soulless Moon. Maybe the loss of the wings made it easier to be Calmed?


    ¡°I followed after you left, and I even slept on the same roof as you for the hour or two that I could manage.¡± She laughed weakly. ¡°I guess I¡¯m lucky I woke up first so I could explain myself. I hated what they did to you, and I hoped I could help. I hope I still can. I¡¯ll admit that I took the opportunity to get away from the armory, and I hope you can help me with my own escape, as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in danger following us, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Mieta slowly nodded and hunched into an even tighter ball. ¡°I doubt I¡¯m safe in Serana now. I don¡¯t know if I should even consider myself Seranian anymore.¡± When she looked up, Caru saw the wetness around her eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure you come out fine,¡± Caru said.


    Kimke snorted. ¡°We don¡¯t even know if we¡¯re going to be fine yet.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll all be fine together. We¡¯ll get new wings, help the third erman do the same, and help Mieta get to safety.¡± Caru flashed a grin, but neither of the women returned it. The grin was weak anyway. Hardly any charisma at all.


    Kimke¡¯s negativity was more realistic, Caru had to admit. Not only would they need to return to Edaria, but they would now need to help this human woman cross a border to a different country if he meant to keep a promise. Was the third erman even still alive? After nearly two and a half weeks, it was hard to imagine ever having wings again. It would be impossible to grow a new pair, even with Healing, and he doubted the Seranian government would be willing to return the wings if they were still being preserved.


    At least Garenesh was a memory now, fading slowly to the east.


    Caru watched mountains drifting through his window. Granite quarries were out there. Marble too, good marble. A marble purchase had brought him to Garenesh in the first place on that day, the day of the Void Moon, the night of his capture. He¡¯d convinced himself that he didn¡¯t really need to go back home on the night of the Void Moon, since it would mean having to make another trip from Garenesh to Detrina and back again. One mistake, simply because he¡¯d felt safe in a Seranian city.


    He nearly laughed, remembering that he¡¯d paid for the slab of marble in advance.


    He wondered if Mieta could see Cirellias from her seat.


    He wondered if she would ever appreciate it the way he did.

 Chapter 9

    9


    Being away from the city was its own comfort. The constant paranoia of military patrols had been stifling, and being able to relax even for a moment felt nice. Lieve would likely have a garrison of its own, but hopefully one small enough that they could skirt it easily and make good their escape. So long as their escape remained rumors and not news.


    Caru closed his eyes, leaning back into his seat and scooting his feet across the cabin floorboards. The train¡¯s steady pulse invited relaxation. His thoughts drifted, but they always returned to his old concerns. Yes, they had escaped claustrophobic Garenesh, but there was still no solid plan in place after leaving Lieve.


    He wondered if, perhaps, he could accept his life blending as a human, a man from some faraway land, new to the Seranian countryside and eager to set up shop as a sculptor yet again. Would returning to Edaria be worth it if he would have to live the rest of his life as a wingless beggar? Maybe it would be better to start a new life in a new land as a new person.


    While most Edarian sculptors left obvious marks of erman craftsmanship on their works, Caru prided himself in his skill with hands, hammer, and chisel. Working felt more personal, more intimate, when carefully chipping away stone to reveal the structure held within. Most erman sculptors were adept at blasting away chunks of stone with precise aether strikes; Caru had tried that himself for several years off and on, but he felt as though he¡¯d never gotten to know the piece afterwards. Yes, he still did some finishing touches with aether, like joining split seams in the stone and removing small imperfections. Unnatural polish and added hues were usually requested, as well; human buyers expected erman works to have a certain additional flair to them. Working without aether would take longer, but he could adapt. Given a few months, he would have his skill honed well enough to make a living at it again. He could reestablish connections in the stonework industry, open a new studio, adjust to a new life. It seemed possible, a new future within his grasp.


    Caru glanced left to Kimke and saw her staring dejectedly at the cabin floor, softly tapping her feet as the train rumbled along. She was a Healer, almost entirely reliant on aether. Could she regain her life so easily? Learning the more mundane variety of that trade would take much longer¡ªyears, even. Would she be willing to relearn almost everything again? Humans had taken everything from her, and she would need to learn her craft from the ground up, from nothingness.


    Mieta brought her own issue. Caru knew he still didn¡¯t understand everything she¡¯d surrendered by joining them. Kimke was distrustful of her, but he hoped she would soften over time. He admitted to himself that he didn¡¯t really want to trust her either, but he¡¯d seen her several times before this all started, and he did have that flash of memory of an apology and a sip of water. No, she wouldn¡¯t be like the other humans. Couldn¡¯t be. Caru couldn¡¯t make himself believe that she had any ill will toward the ermen, but Kimke likely thought him overeager in his acceptance.


    A sound like pouring sand washed over the cramped room. The three looked out the train¡¯s window to see wet streaks of rain dribbling along the glass, barely visible in the fading evening light. Distant lightning flashed with a boom of thunder following several seconds later. As though the lightning was a herald, the rain intensified, sounding less like sand and more like pebbles.


    ¡°The Tempest must be in a foul mood tonight,¡± Caru said. The Eternal Tempest spun like a slow, squat hurricane in the lands beneath Edaria, churning away for as long as history had been recorded. The storm¡¯s edge extended some way beyond the cliffs of Edaria¡¯s borders into western Serana and Chasar, covering an area nearly two-thirds the size of Serana itself. Weather in the Tempest itself wasn¡¯t considered extreme, but it was never-ending, and the storms it sometimes ejected made for fertile farming in western Serana.


    ¡°Glad I¡¯m not flying in it,¡± Kimke said, voice little more than a whisper.


    Mieta watched, entranced, as the storm strengthened. Any more interest in it, and she would have her face and hands pressed to the glass like a child. ¡°Storms never get this strong in the capital,¡± she said. Lightning stabbed in the distance, making a feeble attempt at illuminating the countryside.


    Caru eased back more comfortably in his seat, watching Mieta watching the storm. She was so excited. Had she ever left Garenesh? It was easy to take travel for granted as an erman, between the wings and Portal access. Caru could purchase a stone slab in Garenesh¡¯s Trade District at noon and have his next meal on the shores of Curali.


    Could have, anyway. Those days were gone.


    ¡°Have you ever been out of Garenesh before?¡± Kimke asked. At least her tone had softened a bit.


    Mieta looked away from the window and folded her hands in her lap, meeting Kimke¡¯s gaze with a kind expression. Caru hoped Kimke would believe he had reasons to trust her. ¡°No,¡± she said. She looked down at her hands. ¡°When I was young, my parents never found a reason to leave, and.by the time I was grown, staying in the city was habit.¡±


    ¡°Never even beyond the city walls?¡± Caru asked. A life without travel seemed strange, almost alien. He really had taken his life of convenience for granted. Aether more so than travel.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I had plans to leave, but those always got pushed back. And now, well¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve missed so much of the world,¡± Kimke said. With luck, her civility would continue.


    ¡°We¡¯ll try to remedy that,¡± Caru added.


    Mieta smiled, but to Caru it seemed somewhat forced and he realized his impulsive words implied they would have some sort of future together, which seemed foolishly optimistic at this juncture. To his relief, Mieta replied in the same vein. ¡°I would appreciate that. I¡¯m glad to have such experienced guides.¡±


    They chatted idly in the cabin as the train continued westward, countryside dimming further as the sun finally set. Another day and a half before they reached Lieve, or so the tickets claimed. Caru planned to explore the train the next day. The walls of the small room were starting to encroach after his time spent imprisoned at the armory.


    With the sun down, they unfolded the cabin¡¯s beds, two to a side with one over the other, chairs collapsing away beneath them. Caru took the bed under Kimke¡¯s, and Mieta slept on the top bunk across the room. He stared at the bed above him, reminding himself that he was in a cabin on a train, not locked in a prison cell between beatings. Sheets of rain and peals of thunder made for a rapid lullaby.


    It felt good to have a mattress again.


    ¡ª


    The train whistle shrieked as sunlight crested the horizon, obscured by feathery cloud cover remaining from last night¡¯s storms. The sharp report roused Caru from his slumber, leaving him blinking lazily at the bunk above him. No one barged into the cabin and carried him away.


    At least one thing was going right so far today.


    He rested a moment with his fingers laced behind his head. If there were no delays, the train would arrive in Lieve tomorrow. From there, they could¡­ What?


    He hoped some answer would come to him in the night, but there was no such luck. Lieve did have a Portal, opening to somewhere else on Edaria, a smaller city several dozen miles from his home in Detrina. Returning to anywhere on Edaria would be a start.


    That then raised its own questions. Even if they could convince the Sentinels on duty that they were ermen, where would that leave Mieta? So far as Caru knew, the only humans allowed onto Edaria were military officials, diplomats, and the occasional human family member. There was supposed to be some kind of mental enchantment imposed on human spouses before marriage ceremonies, but Caru never really understood the details. Without that, he knew they wouldn¡¯t offer any special treatment to Mieta. The Edarian government was perhaps not the most gregarious institution, but Caru knew firsthand the lengths some humans would go through to learn their secrets.


    Mieta had given up so much already, her livelihood and her normal day-to-day existence, possibly her family and friends, and Caru hated to think of her loss wasted. If only he¡¯d gone home during that damned Void Moon, he would still be whole, and she wouldn¡¯t be a fugitive. He had stayed one night and upended both their lives.


    Knuckles rapped against the cabin door, and Caru jerked himself upright. He almost cracked his head on the bottom of Kimke¡¯s bunk, and he whispered a curse as he stood.


    He froze.


    The top two bunks were empty, blankets pushed into small piles against the walls. Memories of his imprisonment flashed in his mind again. Had the women been taken in the night? Why hadn¡¯t he been taken as well? His heart fluttered. No, if anyone had taken the women, they would have taken him also. Caru straightened himself, stepped forward, and cracked the door open. Kimke stood with a tray, one side with a plate of food and the other with a cup of orange juice. She laughed softly as she pushed her hip against the door and edged her way into the cabin.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°My hands were full, and I couldn¡¯t open the door.¡±


    Caru exhaled. No nighttime abductions, after all. He wondered when the paranoia would finally end. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up when you left?¡±


    Kimke motioned for Caru to take a seat on his bed before handing him his breakfast. Cured ham, fresh fruit, and thin slices of hard spinecorn bread set his mouth to watering. The orange juice was sweet, some of the pulp strained. ¡°We thought it best to let you sleep,¡± she said.


    He swallowed and popped a cube of apple into his mouth. ¡°We?¡± he asked. ¡°You and Mieta? Together?¡±


    ¡°Maybe not exactly together,¡± Kimke said, plopping down on the bed across from him.¡±Caru?¡±


    The ham was exquisite, the first properly prepared food he¡¯d eaten in weeks now. He swallowed a bite with more orange juice before looking at her again. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You really trust her?¡±


    Caru sat the plate on the bed at his side and held the half-emptied cup loosely in his hands. ¡°I do,¡± he said in a level tone. ¡°I know you¡¯re having trouble accepting that, but I really do trust her. She¡¯s had plenty of time to turn us in, if that was her plan.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you against all humans two days ago?¡±


    Caru laughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you chastise me for that?¡± He sighed, reconsidering as he looked out the window to the endless plains beyond. ¡°I was,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Maybe I still am. But I know she¡¯s not going to harm us, or she would have done so at the station yesterday.¡±


    Kimke shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Caru. I still expect a trap to spring on us when we get to Lieve.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than that.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I remember now what she did during the¡­ During the surgery. She was kind, even with my screaming. I remembered that somehow during my escape. I think she Calmed me.¡±


    Kimke¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°Really now?¡±


    Caru recalled sitting in circles for the Calming with his family as a child, with friends or lovers later in life, Calming as he was Calmed. It was meant to be a thing shared between those you were closest with, those you would have done anything not to harm.


    Caru nodded. ¡°I was nearly spent anyway, but she grounded me.¡±


    Kimke grinned at the implication.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Caru said. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I think maybe it didn¡¯t take as much to Calm me, since I was already running out of aether. I wasn¡¯t able to draw as much, so maybe it took nothing more than simple kindness to bring me down?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Kimke said, still smiling. ¡°I guess we¡¯ve never missed a Calming before, so it could be possible we were doing more to prevent it than was needed.¡±


    ¡°I think we were the first to miss a Calming in¡­ I don¡¯t know. Centuries, maybe.¡± Even prisoners were given extremely limited and monitored access to friends and families during the Soulless Moon. Caru wondered what happened to the ones without connections. He¡¯d never known anyone that had turned Soulless before, and it never made the newspapers. Odds were likely that the Sentinels would find them at the first sign of a disturbance and deal with them harshly, maybe lethally.


    ¡°They must have thought we were weakened during the Soulless Moon like we are during Void.¡±


    ¡°They probably know now.¡± Suppressing the shiver took a strong will. Three military complexes nearly destroyed and slated for months of repair from three supposedly powerless ermen. That his body still had enough aether filaments to absorb anything was the greatest miracle of all. ¡°We still don¡¯t know why they took our wings,¡± he added.


    Caru lifted the plate again and took a bite of the crisp spinecorn bread. Amazing that such a bristly plant could make such a sweet bread with a natural spice. They might not know why the Seranians had taken their wings, but there had to be some greater purpose. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have been beaten and interrogated for two weeks. Wanting to know how wings interacted with the moons, simple lessons children learned about weaving aether, questions about the mental enchantments placed on human spouses when marrying ermen, so many others. There was a use they couldn¡¯t see, or else they would have been left for dead.


    ¡ª


    Mieta stayed behind on the top floor of the dining cart. Two sets of stairs led downward, one from either end of the cart. One was marked for staff, leading to a section on the bottom floor that housed the kitchens, and the other for passengers, leading into a broad hallway with wider windows facing the south.


    She had initially wanted to go back to the cabin with Kimke, but she knew Kimke wouldn¡¯t approve. Besides, there were probably things they would need to discuss in private. At least Kimke seemed a bit softer today than yesterday.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    She sat alone at her table, eating breakfast as the scenery drifted by. The world outside of Garenesh was strange in ways she had never considered. Everything was so big and so far away. As she watched the fields and plains, she realized it was the first time in her life she had seen an unbroken horizon. Truly otherworldly.


    The plates rattled quietly as she ate. Pork again, as it was a common staple in Garenesh.


    A handful of people littered the dining car, some of them still in the process of waking up, apparently. At any given time, it seemed that at least three of them had fists to their mouths to stifle a yawn. As Mieta took another bite of her spinecorn bread, she wondered if Caru was even awake yet. He probably was by now, with as much food as Kimke had taken back to their room. Food that Mieta had paid for, and she knew that unspoken debt likely grated on Kimke.


    She wished Kimke would trust her. The two of them had endured nightmarish atrocities, and she really did want to help them. She understood their distrust, though. The previous two weeks had been cruel for her, as well, forced to live and work beneath the constant eyes of monsters that would do such things to innocents. Best to quell those thoughts before losing her appetite. Were humans truly capable of such evil? She knew they were, but she couldn¡¯t let herself dwell on it.


    Mieta had been so close to finally achieving a step forward to advance a career in the city, and then the dark side of the government had taken everything from her in an instant. And she still didn¡¯t know why. With a team of bloodmages, surgeons, and at least two military officials, it was impossible for this to go unnoticed by the government. How high did this reach? Why?


    She finished her meal but remained in the car to stare out the window. Sounds of conversations and rattling utensils filled the cabin with a low cacophony, reminding her of home. She savored the wordless tones.


    Travel itself had always felt like an alien concept to her. Mieta had never thought it was strange to stay within Garenesh¡¯s walls for her whole life until Kimke had mentioned it the night before. Everything was so much more convenient in the city. Yes, she had read of the lands outside the walls, but most of them were so far away. She had certainly never given any serious thought to actually visiting any of them. Why bother? The city had everything she needed, and everything beyond the walls could be left to mystery and imagination.


    Actually seeing the world now, though; that was something else entirely. Everything was so vast, seemingly endless. What would the floating Edarian continent look like? Did the people of Curali really live in huts made of straw and reeds? Were oceans really endless, covering entire horizons in miles and miles of blue waves?


    She would ask Caru more about the world later. Or Kimke. Anything to bridge the gap.


    Motion in the chair across the table tore her eyes from the window. The man sat down across from her fast enough that Mieta had to suppress a surprised squeak.


    He looked out her window to the scenic vista. ¡°A lot different from Garenesh, eh?¡±


    He looked short, but that could be an illusion created by his width. The stubble of his hair was barely long enough to see that his hairline was receding. Where his head was almost bald, his beard was thick but pressed tightly against his features. His arms were banded with thick muscle. Mieta remembered to check for sleeves. His arms were bare and free of scarring. At least he was no bloodmage.


    ¡°Very different,¡± she said. ¡°Not like anything I¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    The man grinned before chuckling and leaning back more comfortably into his seat. He wasn¡¯t especially attractive, but at least he was amiable. ¡°The world¡¯s not as big and scary as you might think,¡± he said.


    Mieta wanted to tell him that it was more fascinating than frightening, but thought better of engaging the stranger in more conversation than needed. ¡°Good to know,¡± she said.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked, leaning forward and stretching a large open hand across the table. ¡°I¡¯m Gault.¡±


    She reluctantly pressed her slender hand into his. ¡°Tenka,¡± she said, giving the name of her youngest aunt. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± He gripped her hand with slightly too much pressure. Not a painful grip, but one that showed he was potentially unaware of his own strength.


    ¡°A pleasure,¡± he said. He exhaled and looked about the cart at the remaining diners. He turned back to Mieta with an obvious effort to appear friendly. ¡°What brings you away from the big city?¡±


    Mieta shrugged and studied her empty plate, trying to think of a graceful way to exit without calling attention to herself by being rude. The conversation was moving into deeper waters than she wanted, but she guessed it was a common question today. ¡°After the attacks and the reopening of the rail lines, I thought I might get out of the city for a few days. I lived near the armory, and the city suddenly feels unsafe. I had enough money put away for a short trip, and my mistress at the seamstress shop gave me leave to see the countryside for a few days. She said trade would be slow anyway since she was expecting a delayed fabric shipment from Edaria. She told me to enjoy myself.¡± She felt she might be talking too much, but she couldn¡¯t seem to stop herself. ¡°She¡¯s really nice, my mistress.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Gault said.


    ¡°I should go check on my¡­ cabin.¡± Mieta got to her feet and offered a quick, informal bow as she backed into the narrow passageway between tables. ¡°It was a pleasure meeting you, though.¡±


    Gault returned her bow with a warm smile. ¡°I look forward to speaking with you again, should I be so lucky.¡±


    She grinned back, hoping to hide her panic as she made her way to the passengers¡¯ stairs. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± she said, somehow keeping herself from breaking into a sprint as she returned to cabin 327.


    ¡ª


    Dusk came with a light drizzle.


    Mieta had returned hours earlier and told Caru and Kimke of her chat with the strange man in the dining car. Caru had tried convincing her that Gault was only interested in chatting with a pretty young woman. Mieta had said she wanted to believe that, but that some of his questions had been too pointed.


    Caru weighed their options silently, wanting to treat them all with equal caution. Then again, leaping away from any shadow in their path would be counterproductive in itself, and would eventually draw its own attention. He knew Mieta would be restless until they investigated, though, and he felt the same.


    His stomach felt empty, and he knew it would be only a short time before it began growling. He stood. ¡°I¡¯m going to get us some food before we all starve,¡± he said. They had skipped lunch while discussing various ways to investigate Gault without being noticed. Also it would do Mieta some good to see that she hadn¡¯t frightened the two ermen into hiding.


    That Mieta stood at all was a surprise, but Caru was taken aback by her speed. ¡°I¡¯m going too,¡± she said.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I need to see if he really was suspicious, or if it¡¯s my imagination going crazy.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Caru said. ¡°Kimke? Care to join us?¡±


    ¡°I think I will,¡± she said as she stood.


    With another thirty minutes behind them, they sat around another table in the dining car, idly picking away at the remaining crumbs on their plates. The evening meal had been chicken and potatoes with a few fruits added on the side, all served with chilled wine. Perhaps not the best meal he¡¯d ever eaten, but a sight better than what his Seranian captors had given him. If nothing else, it appeased the beast in his belly.


    They kept conversation light as they scanned the car for the mysterious Gault. Mieta wanted to know of the ermen¡¯s travels, especially interested in the tropics of Curali to the south and the frozen mountains of Chasar to the north. Dresk she also found fascinating, that being Serana¡¯s eastern neighbor, a land where towering trees blocked the view of the sky in places, sometimes even over the cities. She seemed to find her homeland dull by comparison, but Caru knew how others spoke of the nation¡¯s endless panoramas. Nowhere else in the world could people see for such long distances, a land where you could sometimes watch a storm roll in for hours ahead of time from a perch high atop the occasional mountain.


    He wanted to tell her what Dresk looked like from the sky, the endless sea of green with cresting waves frozen in the rise and fall of tree tops. Cities were often difficult to find in the dense forests, so the locals had constructed tall towers to serve as markers for the sakes of erman visitors. They knew ermen brought trade and wealth, and it was important to be noticeable. He wanted to tell her of such things, but it would be foolish to speak of flying where others might overhear.


    Caru sat with Mieta to his left, away from the aisle and frequently looking out the window. He sat across from Kimke, who sat on the aisle seat with an open seat next to the window.


    A broad man appeared from the passengers¡¯ stairwell at the front of the car and made his way down the aisle. Mieta looked away from the window, and Caru suddenly felt her hand on his thigh, fingers digging in. ¡°That¡¯s him,¡± she whispered.


    Caru watched as Gault approached. Surprisingly, he stopped behind Kimke, rested his hands on her shoulders with disturbing familiarity, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear.


    Kimke appeared astonished, and then¡­relieved?


    Gault left her and came around to the aisle, to plant his large hands on their table and lean forward slightly. Kimke put a hand to her mouth. ¡°Martel?¡± she whispered.


    Gault nodded faintly, but didn¡¯t respond out loud. ¡°You seem well-traveled,¡± he said.


    Caru reined his shock and forced himself to look the man in the eyes. ¡°Oh,¡± Mieta said from his side. ¡°Gault, is it?¡±


    ¡°At least you remembered,¡± he said, grinning.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she said, her tone bringing a sense of innocent charm. The charade was obvious to Caru, as her grip along his leg tightened. She was obviously wary of the wide man, and Caru wished he didn¡¯t feel the same.


    ¡°We try to travel when we can,¡± Caru said, gesturing across the table to Kimke.


    She blinked and joined the routine. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°We wanted to share our love of travel with our friend, Tenka.¡±


    Gault¡¯s grin widened, and he put a hand on the back of Caru¡¯s chair. ¡°Yes, she did say she had never left the capital before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already quite an adventure,¡± Mieta said. ¡°I haven¡¯t even seen Lieve yet, but I already want to see so much more.¡±


    Gault took a step the side and planted both hands on their table as he leaned forward slightly. ¡°If anyone could tell you of travels, I suspect it would be these two.¡± Something felt off about the man as he spoke. Was he nervous? Afraid? He spoke confidently, but he was blinking too much for a man at ease. Caru wished he could speak openly to Kimke; she obviously knew something about the man. Gault cocked his head toward Caru. ¡°Although I think they¡¯re holding back on their tales. They¡¯ve definitely seen more interesting lands than Curali. Perhaps you should ask them about the diamonds on the moon sometime.¡±


    Caru¡¯s pulse quickened, and his throat went dry. He glanced across the table to see Kimke¡¯s blanched face, mouth opened slightly as she sought words.


    ¡°I¡ª¡° Caru said before swallowing. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with them, myself.¡± His voice nearly cracked, and his vision narrowed as his periphery dimmed into a tunnel. Had it really come to this, being taunted and captured on the train? He knew leaving by train had been a bad idea from the beginning. If they were caught now, there was nowhere to run. They were trapped in boxes, and that was that.


    Things were definitely bad.


    And yet Kimke seemed oddly at ease. Caru met her eyes, and she inclined her head in a nod. He relaxed, but only slightly. Mieta slid her hand to Caru¡¯s knee and released, moving to hide both hands in her lap.


    ¡°I think we both know you know more than that,¡± Gault said in a whisper. ¡°But this is not the place for that discussion.¡± He drew a scrap of folded paper from a hip pocket and slid the sheet in front of Caru. ¡°Be safe,¡± he said. With that, he walked away toward the passenger stairs and was gone. He spoke those two words without irony. Did he mean them, or was that part of his act?


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Mieta asked as the wide man disappeared down the stairs.


    ¡°I know him,¡± Kimke whispered. ¡°We can trust him. He¡¯s¡ª¡° She glanced around, but no one else was within earshot. ¡°He¡¯s one of us. Now, what does the note say?¡±


    Eyes are on your back, he read. I¡¯m a friend. Caboose at midnight. Come alone.


    ¡ª


    ¡°Who was that?¡± Mieta asked.


    They were again in cabin 327 after Gault¡¯s disappearance. Caru struggled to maintain his composure and was pleased to see his hands had finally stopped shaking. Everything had been advancing as expected, and now he had to face the possibility that everything was crumbling.


    ¡°Martel Moonshroud,¡± Kimke said. ¡°I know him. He¡¯s a Sentinel. Well, was, I guess, since it looks like he¡¯s the third erman. We were together the night I was caught, but I never imagined they would catch him as well. I¡¯m astonished they would risk taking a Sentinel.¡±


    ¡°What happened that night?¡± Mieta asked.


    Kimke laughed, but it felt forced. ¡°Martel and I would meet up sometimes at a bar in the southern part of Garenesh. A lot of the Sentinels like to go there for the wine, and Healers and Sentinels run in a lot of the same circles.¡±


    ¡°A date?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. We know each other, and I guess we were warming up to each other. I was waiting for him to finally grow a spine and ask me for something more, before I had to do it myself.¡±


    Mieta grinned. ¡°He does have good shoulders,¡± she said.


    Shoulders? Caru thought.


    ¡°He really does,¡± Kimke said. ¡°At any rate, we had too much to drink that night, and ended up staying too late. There were still a few ermen there willing to miss the call home for Void, but they were mostly in groups. Martel and I, well, we decided that nothing was happening that night. So we left, said our goodbyes in front of the tavern, and then left to return to our rooms for the night. Alone. I¡­guess it was stupid, now that I think about it. Anyway, I guess the tavern was being watched, and they caught us after we were separated. I hate to think he went through what we went through.¡±


    Mieta nodded and looked out the window, up into the western sky. ¡°What was that about the diamonds on the moon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s imagery you¡¯ll find in a lot of erman literature. During the warm seasons, we get eclipses on Edaria every day around noon. You can see the eclipses in Garenesh twice during the year, late in the evening if you¡¯re looking for them. But during those warm seasons, there are weeks where Cirellias eclipses for us every day on Edaria.¡±


    Mieta nodded. ¡°Yes, dusk is longer during the warm months. We¡¯re taught not to look at Cirellias then. They say people can go blind that way.¡±


    ¡°The sun flashes brightly as it moves into and away from Cirellias,¡± Kimke said. ¡°It¡¯s dark for about thirty minutes as the sun moves behind it, but those flashes are blinding if you look at the right time. That blindness can be Healed pretty easily with a knowledgeable erman, though it¡¯s not advised that anyone look. Especially for humans, I suppose, though I imagine ermen Healers would be willing to help.¡±


    Mieta sat in thought for a moment. ¡°Those flashes, I take it they look like the diamonds Gault mentioned?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we call them,¡± Kimke said. ¡°Twin diamond tiaras on opposite sides of the moon; one at the beginning, and one at the end. You can see them safely if you know how to bend some of the light away from yourself, which, sadly, isn¡¯t an option for either of us any longer. You can also use tinted goggles. They look like the kind that the Gliders in Garenesh wear, but they¡¯re so dark that you can see the sun and nothing else through them.¡±


    Caru opened the note again. The note mentioned eyes on his back. That much he already suspected, though he hoped those eyes remained in Garenesh. Perhaps that was too much to hope for. ¡°It says to come alone to the meeting tonight.¡±


    Kimke snorted. ¡°Muscleheaded idiot, is what he is. He doesn¡¯t know either of you, so he¡¯s trying to get you sorted while I¡¯m not involved. I should go, just to teach him a lesson.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t. I assume he means it to be something between you and him. He revealed a lot when we saw him earlier, so he took a risk. Yes, I want to see him, but that can wait. Go get him sorted, send him my regards, and then let¡¯s make a plan to leave Lieve together.¡±

 Chapter 10

    10


    Walking came with great difficulty, as he knew that it would. The surgeons had worked to bolster his pectoral muscle mass and reinforce his rib cage, but only so much could be done. Theop¡¯s legs moved with their normal strength as he paced through the antechamber to his sleeping quarters, but the crest of wings at his back skewed his balance. It took a fair amount of control to keep the wings from flapping against each other. He had fallen on his face enough times already. Power should not be so cumbersome, but he would persevere in order to keep it.


    Detar stood in a corner on the antechamber¡¯s far side, watching Theop stagger across the room. Detar still wore his black uniform, sword still belted at his side. He kept his arms folded over his chest, watching Theop¡¯s progress. He never commented on the failed attempts, but he was always there to aid him after each fall, obviously concerned over his health and dusting him off. Theop knew this was a time to maintain appearances. Detar was one of his most trusted men, almost like a father to him, and he was loath to show weakness in front of one of the few people he admired.


    The sheer potential of the wings in themselves was baffling. Was this how an erman felt at all times? He yearned to control the flows of aether soaking into his body, ached to master his new appendages. No, of course the ermen would not feel this way; they only had two wings. They could not understand the raw power within him. The ability to wield aether instead of bleeding himself dry was remarkable. He could draw much more power through wings with such ease and without cost.


    He focused, exhaled. Six wings spread wide behind him, and aether swelled within him in response. Stretching alone gave him enough power to summon a deathflare if he chose. And he could live to speak of it after! The wings even felt as though they magnified each other so that he could drink in more potential than any three ermen separately. With so much energy locked within his body, he wondered how much of Garenesh he could destroy with a single action.


    Theop slowly walked to the high balcony that extended from the antechamber¡¯s eastern window. He sagged forward and planted his hands on the railing, exhausted even with the short walk. A moment later, and Detar¡¯s shadow loomed at his side, though the man stood back and said nothing. Low and to the south, Theop saw the gleaming ceiling of the central train station, lit from the inside by lanterns and lamp posts. Even from this distance, he knew he could destroy the building and everyone within it. Rather, he could if he could master the flow of aether.


    Detar finally took a step forward with hands clasped behind his back and stood next to Theop. Theop had known Detar since his childhood, and Detar had been middle-aged even then. ¡°Are you feeling well, my lord?¡± Detar asked.


    I said I would not show weakness in front of him, Theop thought. He did not fear heights as some did, but he still clutched the balcony railing in a tight grip. It was not the fear of heights that put him on edge, but rather the thought that an errant shift in his wings could make him lose control again and this time spill him over the edge to the ground below. Any involuntary movement now could be disastrous. ¡°Yes, friend,¡± Theop said, voice hoarse. Detar¡¯s concern was genuine, he knew. It was comforting that someone cared for him and respected him for reasons other than the fear of his station. ¡°Having thoughts to myself, I suppose.¡±


    Detar frowned and took a step back from the railing. ¡°You seem tense,¡± he said. ¡°I think this may not be the best place to stand. I would hate to see anything befall you.¡±


    ¡°In that, you are right,¡± Theop said. It took great conscious effort, but Theop released his hold on the railing and stepped away. The top wings¡ªthe brown ones with flecks of black in the feathers¡ªtensed in response. Theop paused, inhaled deeply, and willed them to relax. When they complied, he released his breath and slowly stepped away from the balcony, moving awkwardly back to the antechamber floor. Detar moved smoothly, entering behind him and closing the balcony doors.


    Theop closed his eyes and forced himself not to tremble.


    ¡°Progress, my lord?¡±


    Theop sighed, chuckling softly. ¡°It is difficult,¡± he said. ¡°I am learning, but I have to teach myself.¡± He held out his right hand, willing a small blue flame to burn in the palm. ¡°Erman aether is alien to everything I¡¯ve learned through blood magic. As bloodmages, we have some control over the spell once it is cast, but then it runs its course and dies once the fuel is spent.¡±


    Of course Detar would know the basic workings of blood magic, but he nodded anyway.


    Theop continued, maintaining the flame over his palm. ¡°Yet with aether, spells can be altered even after they are cast.¡± The flame in his hand grew, pulsing, expanding. Colors streaked now over the surface¡ªblack, blue, red, green, repeating. To alter a spell in such ways with blood magic would require more blood. The flame swelled into an orb larger than his head.


    Detar stood in the flame¡¯s light, unflinching. He was obviously confident in Theop¡¯s abilities, and Theop would not let him down.


    Shadows danced across the room as the striated flame spun over his hand. ¡°I can even split the spell,¡± he said as the ball divided into smaller twin copies. He lifted his left hand, and one drifted over to that palm. ¡°Their spells also have no need to run their full course.¡± The balls merged back into one, and Theop flung the fire toward the oaken doors of his bedchamber in one rapid motion. Detar did take a step backward at that, but Theop severed his link with the flame before it made impact, causing it to vanish abruptly, inches from the door. ¡°Blood magic,¡± Theop said, ¡°would have destroyed the door unless I cast another spell to divert it, in which case it still would have smashed into the wall. Aether is truly amazing.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have an understanding of the principles,¡± Detar said.


    Theop folded his wings against his back. Perhaps six wings had been overambitious, but the power they brought was worth the difficulty in movement. He would learn aether and regain his mobility. His determination would drive Serana.


    ¡°I wish I did,¡± Theop said. ¡°It¡¯s like knowing you can turn a huge slab of stone into a statue, and then attempting with no lessons and bare hands.¡±


    ¡°A grave task then, indeed,¡± Detar said. ¡°A pity the Edarians escaped.¡± He brushed an idle hand over his sword¡¯s hilt. The adviser had been particularly troubled by that escape.


    ¡°It is. Even more alarming that they did not give away their secrets under the attention of our bloodmages. Perhaps I should have taken a more direct hand in their questioning.¡±


    ¡°You think we should try to capture another one?¡±


    ¡°We could attempt it, but too many problems would arise. We would not be able to restrain an erman without removing their wings again, and I¡¯d rather avoid that if we could. We are already under the Sentinels¡¯ scrutiny since those three did not sign the registries when the rest of the ermen returned to Edaria on the night of the escapes.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Theop sagged and sat on a heavily padded stool. Chairs were difficult with the wings, even the low-backed or split-backed chairs designed for ermen. He wondered wearily if he would ever be able to sit comfortably again. Detar stood before him, hands behind his back, head tilted downward.


    ¡°Do you remember the story my father told me, Detar? Before the end?¡±


    Detar nodded. ¡°I was there with you, and I was there with him when his tale happened.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Theop asked. ¡°Was his telling accurate? It was nearly thirty years ago now, but I never forgot it.¡±


    ¡°You have to understand that his mind was slipping, my lord. However, I still don¡¯t know exactly what happened, so it would be impossible for me to refute his words.¡±


    ¡°How do you remember it, then?¡±


    Detar coughed into his fist before starting. ¡°There was a skirmish along the border with Chasar. We feared it would devolve into war, but we were also going to protect our lands. The dispute was over a small town, and we didn¡¯t expect to have to send a large presence. A battalion could have handled the situation, so we sent two thousand, maybe twenty-five hundred men with perhaps fifteen bloodmages.¡±


    Theop nodded. ¡°And you weren¡¯t with them?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Detar said. ¡°I was nearby, with your father. The plan was to have the soldiers move in, crush any resistance, secure the perimeter, and then your father would go into the town to sue for peace, and to remind these villagers that they were a part of the Seranian Empire.


    ¡°However, we never saw fighting. The soldiers simply moved into the town to no response. Your father and I waited with his retainers for several hours before a messenger returned from the soldiers, telling us that the village had been abandoned¡ªit was a ghost town. We were preparing to go into the village ourselves to at least perform our own investigation.¡±


    ¡°And then the killing began?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. There was an explosion near dusk. Sounds of men fighting and dying. It looked like a bloodmage battle.¡±


    ¡°My father believed it was a group of ermen,¡± Theop said. ¡°He thought the villagers had hired ermen to remain behind while they fled.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t rule that out,¡± Detar said, ¡°but there is nothing left of the village now. In the end, a series of deathflares scoured it away. We¡¯d sent a dozen bloodmages in, and all were dead. We tried to create an outline of events later, but there¡¯s no way to know. Yes, your father believed there were ermen¡ªclaimed to have seen them¡ªbut I can¡¯t attest to that myself. I think it more likely that Chasar had left a few bloodmages lurking in the village for a surprise attack.¡±


    ¡°My father said he saw an erman in the distance. At least one, but it must have been more.¡±


    ¡°My lord,¡± Detar said. ¡°You must remember that your father was on his deathbed when he told you that story. I can¡¯t dispute the events that he told you about, but his mind was going. I think maybe he dreamed that version. Ermen don¡¯t involve themselves in our wars. That¡¯s the way it¡¯s always been.¡±


    ¡°And yet the ermen have that power, do they not?¡±


    It looked as though Detar might sigh, but he apparently caught himself. ¡°They do. We know they would have been able to do it. I don¡¯t have it in me to claim that it was definitively a group of ermen, though. Again, it was as likely a squadron of bloodmages with surprise on their side.¡±


    Theop sat in silence, then leaned forward and laced his fingers together, looking up. ¡°Any reports from the trains?¡± The discussion over his father¡¯s memory was over.


    Detar nodded, seemingly eager to finally offer good news. ¡°General Hibranth made his report earlier today. Bloodmage Captain Ferrak and a retainer of three soldiers boarded the train after the two ermen, or at least Captain Ferrak thinks they were the ones. Hibranth said a third person boarded with them, as well.¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Theop¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°The third erman? No, wait, you said the two ermen and someone else.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Detar said. ¡°It was not the third erman. She was female anyway, so definitely not a Sentinel.¡±


    ¡°A woman?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No wings, so we assume she is a human.¡±


    ¡°Strange,¡± Theop said. ¡°Do we know who she is?¡±


    Detar shifted weight from his right leg to his left. The man only ever fidgeted when he feared he would disappoint Theop or when the truth would be unacceptable. Would he lie? He looked uncertain and rarely hesitated with answers. ¡°No, my lord,¡± he said.


    A lie, then.


    Theop did not press the matter. If she had been important, Detar would not have lied. There was little that a lone human could do, at any rate. ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°Where are they going?¡±


    ¡°Lieve.¡±


    ¡°To the Portal, you think?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Detar said. ¡°It is also possible that they simply took the first available train out of the city, and at least seven other destinations have Portals.¡±


    ¡°Disturbing that they are heading toward Edaria,¡± Theop said. ¡°Although I suppose all points are virtually the same distance through Portals.¡±


    ¡°Should we make preparations for travel to Lieve?¡± Detar asked.


    Theop stood, sweeping across the room to the balcony doors again. He did not open them this time, instead settling on looking over the city at a safer distance than before. ¡°No,¡± he said.


    ¡°Sire?¡±


    ¡°Alert Lieve to the ermen presence. As for those stationed in Garenesh and nearby forts, it is time to turn our attention eastward.¡±


    ¡ª


    With muscles tensed, Caru turned the handle of the door leading onto the caboose¡¯s open rear deck. Rain had started again a short while ago, but it already had swollen into a weak storm. Air currents along the body of the train kept rain from soaking the deck, but the floorboards still shone brightly in the lightning flashes. Faint light flickered across the deck from the mounted lantern.


    He leaned beside the door rather than propping himself against the railing along the opposite side. Too easy to be ambushed with his back exposed like that. He folded his arms over his chest and waited patiently, enjoying the rock and rumble of the train.


    The wind whipping across the open deck and through his hair reminded him of the open skies, wings extended, letting breezes rush over his feathers and feeling the rush of aether flooding his body. Twin flows of wind and aether harmonized as a beautiful song within himself, but now¡­


    Now the wind whispered gently in his ears, notes rather than chords. He closed his eyes in an attempt to savor the melody, awaiting his meeting with Martel Moonshroud. Caru wondered if it was wise to leave Kimke and Mieta in the cabin, but the note had said to come alone, and Kimke seemed to trust him. Yet that still left them exposed.


    Caru patted down his sleeves and adjusted his vest. Still a few minutes to midnight.


    He didn¡¯t want to be away when Martel appeared, so he steeled himself and remained propped against the wall. The women would be fine. If not, he would see to it that they became fine and make anyone else regret their involvement. No. No, they were safe. They were locked behind the cabin door. Even as far back as he was, he knew he would hear signs of a struggle if the struggle involved smashing a door in. Thunder roared in the distance, and Caru wondered if that was true. Someone would hear, though. If men beat at a cabin door with screaming occupants, someone would come investigate. Surely the threat of outside involvement would stop anyone from making a scene.


    Yet that involvement wouldn¡¯t necessarily play in his favor. Involvement meant people would start asking questions that he didn¡¯t want to answer yet.


    Caru shook his head. No, the women would be fine. They had to be.


    The door¡¯s handle shook before the door cracked open, allowing a wide figure onto the deck. Martel lingered for a moment before crossing the deck, where he stood at the rear railing. With fingers laced together, he leaned over and rested on it, looking outward to the disappearing landscape at the train¡¯s rear. He slumped his shoulders a bit, then looked over his right shoulder to Caru.


    ¡°This rain is unsettling, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said.


    Caru stepped forward cautiously, still standing a pace behind the large man. He saw why Mieta thought Martel was shorter than he was. The width was misleading, but the man stood nearly as tall as Caru himself.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°The moons. I don¡¯t like thick cloud cover because it means I can¡¯t see, either. I like knowing what they¡¯re doing, what they look like. I want to know where Rythellas is.¡± He said the last part quietly, barely audible over the rain pattering against the caboose canopy.


    Wrapping his hands around the railing, Caru leaned forward and looked skyward. Martel was right; not being able to see the open sky was unsettling. For two long weeks, he had made silent prayers to the wandering moon, hoping it would give him the strength needed to escape confinement. Rythellas may have been the reason he had been imprisoned in the first place, but it had come through for him in the end. Even without his wings, Rythellas had seen to it that he could again have the wind¡¯s fingers in his hair.


    ¡°I think we both owe much to that moon, yes?¡± Martel said.


    ¡°We do,¡± Caru said after a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a huge risk meeting you here, you know,¡± Martel said. ¡°I really want to trust my instincts here, but for all I know, you and the black-haired woman are Seranian agents.¡±


    Rain caught in eddies in the wind, droplets sometimes rebounding to pelt Caru¡¯s face. He wiped water away from his eyes, turning to study Martel, to really pay attention to the man. He looked back with slightly wider eyes than Caru had expected. Was the man really that afraid?


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about there,¡± Caru said. ¡°You, me, and Kimke, we¡¯re the same.¡±


    Martel grinned. ¡°You got her name out of her, at least,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yours, too, Gault. She said your name is Martel Moonshroud. She said you¡¯re a Sentinel, that you were drinking with her the night you were captured. She¡­said you have nice shoulders.¡±


    At that, Martel turned to face the receding rails and laughed into the open. ¡°I knew she touched them more often than one who was just being friendly.¡± He turned and leaned back on the car¡¯s railing. ¡°I still haven¡¯t heard her vouch for you, though. She didn¡¯t seem to be in more distress than I would have expected, but at least show me your back.¡±


    Caru shrugged before turning. He removed his vest and then pulled the hem of his shirt over his head, revealing his back to Martel. Twin scars extended beneath Caru¡¯s shoulder blades where a separate set of bones would have rested, supporting wings.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Martel said. ¡°You¡¯ve known horror, and now we¡¯re in this together.¡±


    Relief washed over Caru in such a rush that he feared he might collapse. A grin spread over his face, and he stifled a laugh. ¡°I thought we¡¯d never find you,¡± Caru said. ¡°Certainly not here, of all places.¡±


    Martel nodded. ¡°I tried going to the embassy, but it was lousy with Seranian guards. Every street within two blocks had them out and about, trying to look casual. The sheer number, though¡­ I thought about trying, anyway, but I didn¡¯t know if they had my picture.¡±


    ¡°We thought about going there,¡± Caru said. ¡°I went to the Trade Plaza first, and that¡¯s where I found Kimke. We thought about a few possibilities, but Mieta found me the morning after my escape and said she could get me out. Others, too, if I brought them. She¡¯s running with us.¡±


    ¡°Mieta,¡± Martel said. ¡°So she¡¯s human?¡±


    ¡°She is. Got captured when she saw them taking me, and they had her under supervision at the armory since then. When I left, she took the opportunity and followed me.¡±


    ¡°You trust her?¡± Martel asked.


    Caru hesitated a moment, considering. ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°And Kimke?¡±


    ¡°She had her doubts, but Mieta¡¯s held good on her end so far.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s usually hard to get Kimke¡¯s approval, so I¡¯ll take her word for it.¡±


    Caru took the note from his pocket and unfolded it. ¡°Your note said something about eyes on our backs?¡±


    Martel nodded. ¡°I recognized men from the Seranian military while I was there. They were dressed in civilian clothing, but I could tell they were looking for someone. I watched them until I saw Kimke in the crowd, but I wasn¡¯t going to shout her name or draw attention to myself. When I saw you get in line for Lieve, I went to the ticket counter and paid all the money I could scrounge off the streets to get on. I was at the back of the line, and I saw those men get on this train as well. I¡¯ve met one of them a few times before, a bloodmage captain. Ferrak. He¡¯s known as a damn good mage. I don¡¯t know the others with him, but they look like they take gravel with their meals.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot of people from the Seranian military?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°Like Kimke said, I¡¯m a Sentinel,¡± Martel said. ¡°Was a Sentinel, at any rate. Lieutenant, First Class. Sworn to protect ermen everywhere, and then I find myself stripped of power in the capital of a supposed allied nation. Sickening.¡± He spat over the railing, and saliva sailed into the darkness. ¡°By the way,¡± he added, ¡°what¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Caru.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Caru,¡± Martel said.


    ¡°Likewise. Hail, Sentinel.¡±


    A smile cracked Martel¡¯s face before he laughed into the darkness. Distant lightning flashed again, lighting his face for a moment. ¡°I think I¡¯ll have to get used to hailing Sentinels myself from now on. Either that, or I join up with a human army somewhere. Not the Seranians, that¡¯s for sure.¡± He spat again. ¡°I may not have wings, but I still know which end of the spear to put in someone.¡±


    ¡°I hope I can find a use for myself like this as well,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°Perhaps, but I want what was taken from me. Answers, too.¡±


    Caru nodded. Having answers would make for a nice start. But no, there was only darkness. Land behind the train faded into darkness, but his own fate ahead was still mired in that same darkness. No predictions, only flashes of light.


    ¡°Those military men,¡± Caru said after a pause, ¡°do they know you¡¯re on the train or who you are?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Martel said. He paused. ¡°I hope not.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll split up then. If we stay together much longer, we¡¯ll risk you getting noticed, too. We probably won¡¯t be able to stay in Lieve for very long.¡±


    ¡°No, we won¡¯t. There¡¯s a garrison there, and I¡¯m sure Ferrak has orders to alert them as soon as we arrive. That might take a while, though, so we might be able to get out if we¡¯re fast enough. We¡¯re heading west already, and I do like the idea of being beneath Cirellias again. I hate to leave Kimke longer than I have to, but I¡¯ll be close behind if anything does happen.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll meet outside the western gate then,¡± Caru said. ¡°I¡¯ll leave a scrap of blue cloth on a stick on the side of the road to mark our location.¡±


    Martel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for it, then. Hopefully we¡¯ll be together again soon. Until then, be careful, friend. Go back in now, and I¡¯ll wait here a moment. I¡¯ll watch to make sure nothing surprises you.¡±


    Caru returned to his cabin unharmed. The women were safe, eagerly awaiting his return. He told them what had happened and told them of the plan. Kimke mostly hated it, but she agreed that it might draw too much attention in a town as large as Lieve if they were all traveling together. It hopefully wouldn¡¯t take long before she was reunited with Martel again.


    The feeling in the cabin was anxious, but exhaustion finally claimed them. Caru took his bed on the bottom and drifted off quickly, content that at least one thing had fallen into place.

 Chapter 11

    11


    Caru woke the next morning to an uneasy mix of hope and paranoia. Kimke and Mieta were already awake, and had brought him a tray of fruit and cheeses. While he ate, theyformed a rudimentary plan of leaving the city, basic since Caru had only been to the city a handful of times, and Kimke had never been.


    They would exit the train depot and work their way to the west. Sharing the train with Captain Ferrak would make escape difficult, though, so they would need to move quickly, and without time to examine the Lieve Portal. If Ferrak didn¡¯t catch them on the station platform, he would most likely report to central authority quickly and have the city perimeter locked down.


    Time spent making that report would be time they could use making their escape, though. Even with a royal decree, getting the orders from the local garrison to soldiers at the walls would take still more time. With luck, an escape made at a full sprint might give them an advantage of an hour or so.


    Kimke was astonished that Martel had been with them for the entire trip. She took pride in her sense of perception and was disappointed that she had never noticed Martel back at the station in Garenesh. Caru was still shocked she had found him days earlier in the Trade Plaza by the way he had studied the Portal. He hadn¡¯t been staring, no matter what she¡¯d said. He wasn¡¯t that foolish.


    By the same merit, Kimke chided him for being too eager to trust people. Caru only smiled and pointed out that he¡¯d been right to trust his instincts with Mieta. That brought a quick smile from the human woman, and her eyes beamed at his confession of trust.


    She did have a pretty smile.


    For a human.


    The group forced themselves to relax for a few minutes before the train began its approach to Lieve. Though Lieve was a major population center of the west¡ªthe former capital of the nation of Khald before the region had been  taken by Serana centuries ago¡ªthere had been no need to dig channels through the city for the trains. The city was somewhere to the left of the train, and their view from the cabin¡¯s window to the right showed only an increasing number of farms. The train passed beneath an arch, and then they were cruising between tightly packed buildings. Lieve did not have Garenesh¡¯s size, but it made up for it in density. Mieta leaned from her seat, looking up through the windows at the buildings. Though Caru expected her to be disappointed by architecture so similar to that of Garenesh, she was enraptured. It was her first time seeing another city close up, after all.


    It was hardly spectacular when viewed from the sky, and certainly didn¡¯t compare with the other capital cities. Instead, it was a small city made large by the presence of the Portal. Khald had never been a mighty nation, focused mainly on agriculture surrounding the Portal¡¯s economic hub. Erman trade and loamy soil fed by frequent Tempest storms had forced the city into existence.


    There was no rain today, though. The skies had emptied themselves the night before, giving the land time to soak it in. Scattered puffy clouds dotted the sky, but the sun shone through otherwise unabated.


    The train coasted for a moment before the brakes engaged, the squeal sounding much quieter from within the cabin than it had from inside the depot two days ago. Smoke and steam streamed past the windows until the train came to a shuddering stop. Caru and the women shared a look as they let themselves exhale. Time to fade into the crowd while dodging their pursuers.


    They stepped out to find nearly all the train passengers already making for the station platform. Elbows and shoulders jostled the three as they made their way through the cramped corridor. With Mieta to his his left and Kimke to his right, Caru shoved through and burst from the car¡¯s exit onto the station platform. While Central Station in Garenesh had been a grand construction of glass and steel, Lieve had only a broad, open platform with ticket booths dotted along its length. Porters stood along the train, unloading luggage while city guards moved in to keep them from being rushed by the crowd. There really were hundreds falling out onto the platform. Caru thought it amazing that so many had fit into the train, and even more amazing that his small group had managed to get a private cabin. Caru hadn¡¯t seen the conditions in the forward cars, but all those people must have been packed in. Were so many really that eager to get out of Garenesh?


    As a clamor arose at one of the luggage racks, Caru was grateful that Mieta had brought only the one small suitcase. It only held a few changes of clothes and nothing more.


    Caru nodded to the women and descended with them from the platform. Keeping an eye to Cirellias to keep him moving westward, he looked down the broad avenue leading from the station and saw the arch in the wall that marked the city gates. He rubbed his hands along his pants over the thighs and was shocked at how slick his palms were. His nerves were getting to him. He glanced over his shoulder once, looking for either Martel or Ferrak. Ferrak he wouldn¡¯t recognize, and there was no sign of Martel, either. No time to linger, keep moving.


    Mieta whipped her head from side to side as they walked along the street as though wanting to see everything at once, but still she focused on the task at hand. Caru turned down a side street, not daring to take the most direct path to the gate. He strode with a determined pace, and humans and ermen alike shied away from his intensity. More than a few feathers ruffled indignantly in his wake.


    Kimke pushed to the front of their group, angling through the avenue as Caru and Mieta followed side by side. He took a moment to scan the crowd. Humans and ermen laughed, traded, shook hands. A group in the distance clapped and sang together, forming a circle around a human man and an erman woman. She jumped, flapping wings and lifting several feet from the ground. The man made an elaborate show, laughing as he clutched his hands together and begged her to return. She smiled, and the others around him cheered as she descended to resume the dance. Even the guards were relaxed, a few of them joining in to clap to the music.


    It should be easier to tell good from evil.


    He considered asking Kimke to slow down, but despite their pace, no one was crying out over them; he doubted they were even the rudest people in the crowd. Within minutes, the station was already over a mile behind them, and no alarm had been raised. Ruffled feathers, yes, but no one had called out to the guards. ¡°You can slow down for a minute,¡± he muttered to Kimke. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re being followed.¡±


    Kimke slowed, turned to scan the crowd, and then nodded. A casual stroll would draw less attention, but Caru still wanted to sprint.


    He wondered if the rest of his life would consist of running toward cities and then away from them.


    Kimke turned down another street, and the Portal stood before them, this one also in the center of a small trade square. Unlike in Garenesh, this Portal stood in the open air, the centerpiece of a small park. On the back side, however, erman longshoremen arranged sacks and crates into incoming and outgoing shipping lines in a fenced off area on the rear side. Human merchants waited for their shipments at the gate to the arena. The day was warm, so many of the erman workers had stripped to the waist, sweating in the sunlight as they moved freight with aether and muscles.


    A few ermen flew above the square, and more entered and exited through the Portal after sharing a quick word with the Sentinel on duty. Caru wanted to examine the Portal or speak with the Sentinel, but that would only raise the same questions he had feared in Garenesh. He still thought he might be able to make a pass at it, but there were Seranian guards here as well¡ªnot on alert yet, but he didn¡¯t want to be in the city if Ferrak managed to have it locked down.


    He sighed in relief as Kimke turned down a side road next to the wall and brought them to the western gate. The guards on duty didn¡¯t look especially interested in people leaving, so word of their arrival must not have come from the garrison, yet. There were too many people for the guards to notice, especially without orders.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Their gamble had paid off.


    The three still slowed their pace as they passed through. Best not to raise unnecessary suspicion when no one seemed to care.


    Lieve¡¯s tight paving stones quickly gave way to sparse cobble between the outlying buildings. Shops and homes pressed against the walls as though begging for entry into the city. Streets meandered, heading in general directions rather than the intentional direct lines and curved arcs from within Lieve. Each corner held its own surprise, and Caru was grateful that none of those surprises were harmful.


    Buildings spread farther apart as they moved away from the city. Cobblestone gave way to packed dirt pathways, and trees began peeking out from between shops. Outer Lieve gave them room to truly breathe. Kimke kept her eyes up, making sure they were still moving westward. More of the moon lit from the bottom as the sun continued along its downward arc.


    The sun lingered low and slightly to the south as they passed the last of Lieve. City turned now to farmland, various crops swaying in breezes as they anticipated the approach of distant western clouds. Caru strained his eyes west, hoping to see the outer edge of the Tempest on the horizon. No such luck there, though he could now see the outer cliffs of Edaria, indistinct as they were at that distance.


    ¡°It will be dark soon,¡± Kimke said.


    ¡°It will,¡± Caru agreed. He pointed to a road branching to the right, a simple dirt path that led to a distant copse of trees maybe two miles away. ¡°We¡¯ll turn up there,¡± he said while pointing the trees out to the women. ¡°Set up and camp and wait for Martel.¡±


    When they came to the split in the road, Caru knelt and retrieved a piece of folded blue cloth from a pocket in his breeches. Holding the cloth strip in his hand, he looked over the pathway until he found a pointed stick large enough to weigh it down, but not large enough to hide it.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Mieta asked.


    ¡°I told Martel I¡¯d leave a sign for him.¡±


    ¡°Not too obvious, I hope,¡± Kimke said.


    ¡°Not at all, just blue cloth on a stick.¡± He took the stick and jammed it through the cloth with a quick thrust, effectively creating the most pathetic flag he had ever seen. ¡°This isn¡¯t too noticeable, is it?¡± He waved his creation feebly for emphasis.


    Kimke grinned before laughing at the display. ¡°It should be fine as long as your craftsmanship doesn¡¯t repel him.¡±


    Caru slumped his shoulders, feigning sadness and planting the flag along the intersection¡¯s northern edge. ¡°Maybe next time I¡¯ll hunker down and carve out an idol for the man to spot.¡± He smiled as he stood and took a few steps along the path. ¡°You two are coming, right?¡± he asked, turning on his heels and taking a few backward steps.


    Mieta laughed and moved forward, turning to look at Kimke, who shook her head and then walked forward to join them.


    As they walked, Caru felt like they were slowly becoming the people they were meant to be.


    ¡ª


    Ferrak bolted through the streets of Lieve, paying no heed to those whom he shoved out of his way. More than a few people raised fists behind him, shaking angrily. They did not matter. He¡¯d had the two ermen and the human woman directly under his nose for days on that train, and he would not let himself fail General Hibranth now. However, they had only been spotted once, in the dining car, and by the time Ferrak had been alerted, they had been gone. The sheer enormity of the train made it difficult to conduct a room-by-room investigation without alerting passengers. The oversized passenger train would seat some six hundred people, and two hundred of those could rest comfortably in private cabins. The original plan was to stake out the departure platform and collect the fugitives as they left, but the speed with which they had left made him suspicious that they had been alerted to his presence. Releasing his orders at the Lieve garrison had taken longer than he had expected, and the men at the gate had wanted to argue with him and verify the documents he bore from the general. Time had slipped through his fingers. He barked orders to Seisk, Farren, and Dell, telling them to spread over the city and see to it themselves that the gates were locked down.


    The ermen would most likely try to escape to the west, as it looked like they were trying to work their way back to Edaria, or at least toward the fields in its shadow. Much good that would do them. He admitted it did not make as much sense as he hoped, but they had taken the first westbound train out of Garenesh two days earlier. Perhaps that was only coincidence, but ermen heading toward Edaria were too risky to ignore in their current state.


    He pushed through a cluster of people as he came to the large western gate. Would they still be in the city? There was never enough time! That he remained in civilian clothing did not help his situation, with his military dress still packed away in the simple pack slung over his shoulder.


    ¡°You!¡± he said, pointing to one of the guards.


    The crowd backed away and paused as the man snapped to attention and planted a hand on his sword¡¯s hilt. One of his companions lit up as well and raised the barrel of his rifle in Ferrak¡¯s general direction.


    ¡°What business do you have?¡± the swordsman asked, nodding for the rifleman to lower his weapon. He never drew his hand away from his sword, though. When the gun lowered, the crowd continued milling through the gate, though at a much slower pace.


    ¡°Captain Ferrak Carsynth, Seventeenth Infantry, Garenesh Division. I¡¯m looking for¡ª¡°


    ¡°Ain¡¯t dressed like no captain I ever seen,¡± the rifleman said, looking like he might raise the gun again.


    Ferrak swore and dug into a breast pocket, pulling out a leather case and opening it to reveal identification, documentations bearing his physical description, rank, stamped with the Seal of the Flame of Garenesh, and signed by General Hibranth himself some years prior.


    The two guards scanned the document, and the rifleman lowered his weapon when his superior nodded. ¡°I trust you have more sense than this fool?¡± Ferrak asked the swordsman.


    The swordsman licked his lips. He whispered, ¡°Bloodmage,¡± and then said aloud, ¡°Yes, captain.¡±


    Ferrak leaned in close to keep the exchange from the ears of curious passersby. Enough people watched already to make him nervous. Best to keep them from hearing more than they needed. He motioned for the rifleman to lean in as well, and the man obliged. ¡°Blood-Emperor Theop is looking for three fugitives,¡± he said, holding his open hand a few inches above and to the side of his head. ¡°Male, dark brown hair, green eyes.¡± He then lowered his hand until it was even with his own head. ¡°Female, light blonde hair, blue eyes.¡± Hand parallel to his shoulder. ¡°Female, black hair, green eyes. Traveling together, or so we think. Have you noticed them in the past hour?¡±


    ¡°We ain¡¯t seen nobody like them,¡± the rifleman said.


    Idiot!


    Thankfully, the more intelligent man spoke up. ¡°We¡¯ve seen hundreds, if not thousands, pass through here in the past hour, captain. I¡¯m sorry, sir, but if people matching those descriptions passed through, they didn¡¯t act in a way to draw attention to themselves.¡±


    Ferrak cursed himself for ever losing sight of them on the station platform. Those three had sprinted away like they knew they were being followed, but how could they have known? At least the guard gave an answer, if not one Ferrak wanted to hear.


    He saw motion to his right and was relieved to see Seisk jogging down the wide street toward him. The large man actually made a decent attempt at weaving through the crowd while only bumping into a handful of alarmed people. The long haft of his waving lance tended to create a bubble in the crowd around him as the gleaming tip sawed through the air above.


    ¡°Sir!¡± Seisk said, giving a quick salute as he came to a stop. ¡°The other gates are on alert. Farren and Dell are now moving west of the city as you suggested, and the Lieve garrison has sent patrols in other directions.¡±


    ¡°Good work, corporal,¡± Ferrak said. ¡°You and you,¡± he added, pointing to the two guards before him. ¡°Tell the other men here to search for people matching the descriptions I gave you. Try and detain them, if possible, but try not to make a scene.¡± They nodded, and Ferrak hoped they understood.


    He turned and was blinded momentarily by the gleam of Seisk¡¯s lance. It passed quickly, and he smiled as he looked through the western gate. The plan would come together. It had to.

 Chapter 12

    12


    Before darkness settled, Caru gathered a bunch of dry twigs and leaves and arranged them into a cone in the center of a circle of stones. He supposed that was how one went about lighting a campfire, but he had never started one without aether. Humans had a way of starting fire by rubbing sticks together, but there was no need for most ermen to know it. Unfortunately, Mieta also didn¡¯t know how to start a campfire, having never been outside of Garenesh before. Caru thought he might be able to get a blaze going with flint and steel. Even so, there wasn¡¯t much in the way of stone or metal in the copse, only a broad expanse of dirt.


    Kimke sat with her legs folded before her, hands resting in her lap as she stared intently into the twigs. He knew she was being foolish, but he found himself wishing her well.


    As the sun fell away from the sky, half of Rythellas reached its zenith, illuminating the western face. It wasn¡¯t the darkest night, but Caru worried Kimke would damage her eyesight staring like that. Given another week, Rythellas would be bright enough to read by even without Cirellias¡¯s assistance.


    The poor woman really did believe she could get a flame going. Foolish, if noble. If he had been able to pull any amount of aether, he wouldn¡¯t have let himself be starved and beaten for two weeks. Was Kimke crying? Caru shook his head, dismissing the thought. Leave her to her focus.


    Mieta sat across from her, staring at Kimke as strongly as Kimke stared into the tinder. Her forehead wrinkled, and she made shapes with her mouth as though searching for words that wouldn¡¯t come. Finally, she turned to Caru and found her words. ¡°What does it feel like?¡± she asked.


    Caru looked up toward the road to the south. Still no movement. It was good that Ferrak and his men weren¡¯t approaching, but he worried after Martel. Surely the man should have arrived by now? Caru wondered if Martel could even see the pathetic flag he¡¯d left at the intersection. The man had seemed observant. He was a Sentinel, after all. ¡°What does what feel like?¡± Caru asked, turning back to Mieta.


    She shrugged. ¡°Aether.¡±


    Caru nodded. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. What do you think having a left arm is like?¡±


    Mieta held her left hand out before her, extending the arm to its full length. She twisted it first at the wrist, then the elbow, and finally the shoulder. She studied her fingers as though seeing them for the first time, splaying them wide and then closing them into a fist. ¡°Flexible,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Useful in its own way.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right-handed?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And you would miss your left if it was gone?¡±


    ¡°I guess so?¡±


    ¡°You guess so?¡± Caru asked, raising an eyebrow before smoothing his features. ¡°That¡¯s what I would have thought three weeks ago. I¡¯d had aether my whole life, used it without a second thought. It was always there, so I never thought about not having it. You take your left arm for granted because it¡¯s going to be there tomorrow, and it¡¯s second nature to use it.¡±


    ¡°What he¡¯s trying to say,¡± Kimke began. Caru and Mieta looked up at her, surprised that she would speak during her reverie. ¡°What he¡¯s trying to say,¡± she started again after a pause, ¡°is that we don¡¯t know what it feels like. You feel alive with your wings spread wide, but that¡¯s not a description you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    ¡°You miss your left arm because having it is all you know,¡± Caru said. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say what drawing aether feels like, but it¡¯s much easier to say what it¡¯s like to not have it.¡±


    Kimke dabbed at her eyes but never took her focus from the twigs. ¡°It¡¯s like being half a person,¡± she whispered. ¡°Caru doesn¡¯t want you feeling bad for us, but it¡¯s so much worse than losing a left arm. Maybe aether was like a left arm, but the wings, they were like legs. I feel like I¡¯m crawling. You ask what it¡¯s like to use aether, but I wonder if this is what humans feel like all the time. Where do you find the strength?¡±


    Mieta shook her head. ¡°We don¡¯t feel the loss. This is all we know.¡±


    Kimke stared, again losing herself to concentration. ¡°Sorry,¡± she said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to take away from who you are, but I hope you understand our frustration.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Mieta said. ¡°I know I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry it was my people that did this to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Kimke said.


    Caru relaxed, pleased that Kimke finally understood that and was willing to admit it. He turned away from looking at empty fields and put a hand on Mieta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You did the best you could do,¡± he said. ¡°You still are.¡±


    Mieta rubbed the back of her hand against her eyes. The hand didn¡¯t come away wet, but there was a trail from a single tear. She wrapped an arm around Caru¡¯s waist, leaning against him. He paused for a moment before reciprocating, wrapping his arms around her and appreciating her support, her attempt at understanding.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you escaped,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Touching,¡± Kimke said, an odd look creeping across her face.


    Then she collapsed, falling sideways into the soft grass.


    Caru released his hold on Mieta and rushed across the campsite dropping to one knee, and sliding by Kimke¡¯s side. She felt so light and fragile as he slipped a hand beneath her back and pressed her limp body to his chest before arranging her in a seated position. Her breathing was faint, but at least it was steady. A hand pressed against his back a moment before Mieta knelt beside him. With her other hand, she reached out and pushed a lock of pale blonde hair away from Kimke¡¯s face. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked.


    Caru looked over his shoulder and saw a dim light flickering unsteadily against the encroaching darkness. He shifted away from Kimke, and Mieta leaned in to press her against her chest, whispering something unintelligible. Leaves fed the small flame, so he helped them by piling more material into it. It seemed so weak, barely a flame at all, but he wouldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°She spent herself,¡± he said.


    Mieta turned and noticed the tiny flame. ¡°She did that?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Caru said. The fire grew stable, so he turned away to help Mieta shift Kimke into a more comfortable position. Kimke looked helpless, hands folded before her slender body, seated with her face bathed in the glow of the flame she had summoned. Her breathing held steady.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± Mieta asked.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine,¡± Caru said. ¡°This happens when we burn too much aether at once.¡±


    Mieta gazed into the hungry flame. ¡°She pulled aether?¡±


    The flame grew and swayed in the night breeze, a dance of fury and energy. ¡°I thought she was crazy,¡± Caru said, smiling. ¡°It looks like we still can use some aether. A pathetic amount, but at least there¡¯s something. I guess they didn¡¯t manage to strip all our filaments, after all. We were able to draw some aether the night we escaped, but I never thought we¡¯d be able to use enough to be of any use after that.¡±


    Mieta only nodded.


    ¡°Though I guess we shouldn¡¯t consider this too useful,¡± he added. Minimal effects for a large amount of rest needed after. So little remained of their potential.


    Light from Cirellias dominated the sky as the sun finally vanished. Endless stars filled the rest, spreading to such distant limits. Did people live among those stars, struggling against their own enemies, fighting their own battles? Disease, dragons of legend, the very gods themselves? Did they ever find their own wings?


    Did they lose them?


    Were they aware of this world¡¯s own struggles?This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°I wish I knew what using aether was like,¡± Mieta said, breaking the silence.


    Caru turned and stared into the flames again, watching as they flickered among the tinder. Fire had always been there, but he¡¯d spend so little time thinking about it. It was an unfamiliar source of energy, when compared against his lifetime of using aether. Ermen could light and heat themselves with simple orbs of light. That was one of the first abilities erman children learned when they were of age. Those simple orbs floated as an extension of self. An erman could feel the light and heat the orbs emitted on a deeper level as they maintained their link with the spell. Aether had done so much in his life that other natural forces seemed alien, primitive, and distant.


    Aether always required that link. He could feel the spells as part of himself, controlling them as he might control a finger. If this simple flame was not restrained though, it would burn the cluster of trees where they made their camp. He could not stop the flame by willing it away or by severing his connection with it. It was a force unto itself now, free to live its life and die when it burned away.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to describe,¡± Caru said. ¡°Kimke was right about it being more noticeable when it¡¯s gone.¡± She looked peaceful, though he still worried over her. ¡°It¡¯s like breathing as deeply as you can. You feel the strain against your chest, but it feels good. You let it go, and you feel this tiny, euphoric moment. That¡¯s the only way I can think to describe it.¡±


    Mieta didn¡¯t say anything, but Caru watched as she closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. She held it for a moment before pursing her lips and letting it spill slowly from her lungs.


    Caru smiled when she opened her eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Something like that. It¡¯s a shame we never think about it.¡±


    ¡°Pity.¡± The deep voice came from behind.


    Caru spun and rolled, springing to his feet and lunging forward a few blind steps.


    ¡°Easy, friend,¡± Martel said. He planted a hand against Caru¡¯s chest.


    Caru took a step away, and then he smiled and grasped Martel¡¯s outstretched hand.


    Martel stood up straighter, looking over Caru¡¯s shoulder to where Kimke rested. ¡°She¡¯s sleeping already?¡±


    ¡°Spent herself,¡± Caru said. ¡°Managed to start that fire, but, well, you see how that turned out.¡±


    The Sentinel nodded and took a seat near the campfire before Caru joined him. The three of them sat, talking quietly as Rythellas marched across the sky. It felt right, somehow. Sleep came easily.


    ¡ª


    Caru awakened hours later to the sizzle of cooking meat. He rolled over to one side before sitting and facing Martel. The man squatted beside the campfire, turning a flank of meat over a makeshift spit. Skewers stuck in the ground at his side¡ªthree of them, each with prepared meat. Grease ran down the length of the sticks, where it formed small pools in the dirt. The fire couldn¡¯t be right, though; they had extinguished the flame before sleeping, afraid that it would break free from its stone ring in the middle of the night.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Caru asked. He pressed a fist against his mouth to stifle a yawn.


    Martel kept turning the meat for a moment. It charred slightly, just enough to make Caru¡¯s mouth water. It wouldn¡¯t make an especially large meal, but it smelled delicious. Martel glanced at him before turning his focus again to the spit. ¡°Woke up early,¡± he said with a sniff. ¡°Found a small rabbit warren nearby, so I nipped us a few.¡±


    ¡°Smells good,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°They teach us to make food at least edible in the military. I guess it¡¯s not required, but the other men appreciate someone who can cook.¡±


    Several furs sat in a small pile at the camp¡¯s edge. ¡°You saved the hides?¡± Caru asked.


    Martel shrugged, pulling the meat away from the flame for a moment. ¡°I thought we could make a few coins in the next town. I guess you three are as poor as I am now?¡±


    Caru nodded.


    ¡°I thought so. Rabbit furs won¡¯t sell for much, but copper is better than wishes.¡± He decided the meat could use more heat and stuck it back onto the spit.


    Mieta still lay curled near the fire, sleeping peacefully. It was a shame they hadn¡¯t found time to get blankets. The nights weren¡¯t especially cold, but Caru still hated seeing the women sleeping without covering, exposed to the elements. Rain wouldn¡¯t hold back forever.


    Kimke had never stirred during the night, still lying in the same position in the same spot where they¡¯d laid her down. Burning out like that was rare among ermen; it normally took an unreasonable amount of power to spend that much energy at once. Kimke had used her entire resource on a single tiny flame. That effort tempted him to try drawing aether again, but he knew Martel and Mieta couldn¡¯t afford to have a second unconscious person with them. Maybe he¡¯d try on a day when they had time to rest again.


    He knew they had barely escaped Ferrak in Lieve. Did the man know they headed west? North would be the better option, bringing them closer to the border with Chasar. If they kept heading west, they would only find themselves at the edge of the Eternal Tempest.


    ¡°You made the fire yourself?¡± Caru asked.


    Martel nodded. ¡°I did, but more sensibly.¡± He looked to Kimke before turning back to the fire. When he pulled the meat away from the flame again, he said, ¡°The military teaches survival skills, as well. They taught us to make fires with sticks and stones. Humans can do it that way, you know? Seemed like nonsense at the time, but now I¡¯m glad I know it.¡± He planted one end of the spit in the ground, adding it as a fourth. ¡°Won¡¯t be much of a meal,¡± Martel said, ¡°but it¡¯ll keep us going for a while. Be sure to suck the marrow out of the bones, though.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This will fill you up, but there¡¯s not much to it,¡± Martel said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it takes to starve eating only rabbit, but I¡¯d rather not find out.¡±


    Caru raised an eyebrow.


    Martel only shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t make the rules,¡± he said. He pulled one of the cooler haunches from the ground and passed the skewer to Caru. It was cooked all the way through, at least. It tasted good¡ªquite good, actually¡ªand he had to pause to wipe grease from his chin several times.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± he said, muffled between bites.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Martel said. He stared into the distance, toward Lieve. A few buildings were barely visible on the horizon. ¡°Where should we go next?¡±


    ¡°Storms to the west and oceans to the south,¡± Caru said after a brief consideration. ¡°East is out. We barely got away from the capital, and going back is a bad idea. That only leaves north.¡±


    Martel nodded. ¡°North sounds good, but I still want to be closer to Edaria.¡±


    ¡°You think it would do any good?¡± Caru asked. He cracked a leg bone and winced as he sucked the marrow. It wasn¡¯t as bad as he¡¯d expected, but the texture was strange.


    ¡°It might,¡± Martel said with a shrug. ¡°Regardless, I¡¯d like to see home again, if only from the bottom.¡±


    ¡°We would be very close to the Tempest.¡±


    ¡°We could be crazy,¡± Martel said. There was no humor in his voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡±


    ¡°Where is the one place we know the Seranians won¡¯t follow?¡±


    Caru looked west. White clouds dotted nearby skies, but they were much darker in the distance. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about going into the Tempest?¡±


    Another shrug from Martel. ¡°I doubt cutting the whole way across would be a good idea. We¡¯d end up in the ocean, anyway. All I want to do is go far enough in to shake the military from our trail, then cut north. We should be able to cross into Chasar easily, and then we exit the storm.¡±


    Caru searched for a response, but Mieta turned and sat up, breaking his concentration.


    ¡°Good morning, princess,¡± Martel said.


    She gave a lazy smile and pushed long black hair out of her eyes. ¡°Enough of that talk,¡± she said, sitting up with a fake pout. ¡°More of whatever smells so good.¡±


    Martel plucked a rabbit skewer from the ground and held it out to her. She pulled a strip of meat away and ate it hungrily. Martel didn¡¯t give her the line about the marrow, and Caru wondered if he¡¯d been tricked. However, even as Mieta ate, Martel cracked a bone from the rabbit he¡¯d been eating and slurped at it. If it was a prank, at least the man was committed to it.


    Mieta looked horrified, but then Martel explained about the bones, and Mieta reluctantly followed suit, wincing the whole time.


    ¡°Kimke¡¯s still out?¡± Mieta managed between bites.


    ¡°She might be out for a while,¡± Caru said.


    Martel frowned at Kimke¡¯s resting body. ¡°We¡¯ll have to leave soon. It¡¯s going to be hard for us moving with her like that, but we can¡¯t stay here much longer. I¡¯ll carry her if I have to, but it¡¯s going to draw attention. Even so, I think most of the foot traffic from Lieve goes back to the east; not much is left in the west past a few more farms and a small village or two.¡±


    ¡°You really want to carry her?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°Why not? She doesn¡¯t look too heavy.¡±


    ¡°You may not think that for long, but what if she sleeps like that until noon?¡±


    Martel shrugged and looked at Caru across the dimming flame. ¡°I¡¯ll carry her until noon, then. I swore to protect ermen, and I still intend to. Wings or no wings, we are what we are.¡±

 Chapter 13

    13


    ¡°She¡¯s heavier than I expected.¡± Kimke¡¯s arms looped around Martel¡¯s neck. She seemed near consciousness again, now able to hold a weak grip. Maybe she was only asleep. Her body had felt almost lifeless when they had first left the camp, lying across Martel¡¯s arms. For such a large man, he held a delicate demeanor while carrying the woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let her hear you say that!¡± Caru said. Mieta laughed softly.


    Martel grinned, but didn¡¯t look away from the path as they walked. ¡°Her breathing is stronger now,¡± he said after a moment. Kimke¡¯s chest rose and fell with greater depth now. If nothing else, she would wake well-rested. Her hair shone brightly in the midday light, spilling in a mass over Martel¡¯s left arm.


    The dark clouds Caru had spied the night before drew closer. The skies were swollen with rain, eager to drench the countryside. Caru idly thumbed the soft rabbit furs at his side, hoping those would fetch enough coin to keep them in an inn for a night. Sleeping exposed in the encroaching rain would kill them as surely as the Seranians. Lightning flashed far on the horizon; rain would be inevitable. Martel¡¯s plan to lose the Seranians by fleeing into the Tempest might work, but Caru wondered how they would fare after spending a few nights in the storm. The land inside would be mostly barren, and they would need to carry some form of shelter with them.


    Caru turned to see Mieta staring at the flashing lights at the Tempest¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Will it be bad in there?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Caru said. Best not to embolden her.


    ¡°Not the strongest of storms,¡± Martel said, ¡°but definitely the biggest.¡± He barked a laugh; at least his sense of adventure was unshaken. ¡°The Seranians won¡¯t be idiots enough to follow us in there.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying we¡¯ll live because we¡¯re the biggest idiots?¡± Mieta asked, grinning. Caru chuckled; this really would be a suicide mission.


    Kimke¡¯s body shifted against Martel¡¯s chest as the man shook with laughter. ¡°Birth defect, you see,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°Where my brain should be, there is only more muscle.¡±


    ¡°Aw, poor thing!¡± Mieta said, taking a step toward the Sentinel and patting his huge arm. ¡°Caru and I will try to be brains enough for all of us.¡±


    Martel grinned. ¡°I seek only to be but a humble beast of burden, princess.¡±


    Mieta pulled her arm back and put her hands together over her waist. ¡°Enough of that talk,¡± she said in an angry tone before her grin gave her away. ¡°Sorry, beastie. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll play in the rain with you.¡± She turned and fell back in line with Caru, still wearing that hint of a smile.


    Caru looked from the corners of his eyes to meet Martel¡¯s glance. They had both seen the Tempest before. Perhaps Martel had already been inside the storm¡ªit seemed an ideal place to train troops for extreme environments. No ¡°playing¡± in there. Storms were always a danger to fly through. Winds and rain would damage the best of erman wings. Storms generally grounded ermen, making it more difficult to hold a proper barrier. Barriers were even more difficult to maintain near the Tempest, if not impossible. Aether felt strange near the storm. More powerful, but also more chaotic.


    Not a place ermen liked to think on.


    They would probably be able to avoid much of the storm, Caru thought. Rather than diving in headlong as Martel seemed to favor, they could most likely get by with skirting the edge and walking north, dipping inside only if they spotted soldiers at their rear. It would take a constant watch at their back, though. If they were caught unaware, the soldiers might chase them some distance from the outside before springing a trap. Caru prepared to voice his plan, but a shift to his right broke his concentration.


    Kimke groaned, bringing a hand away from Martel¡¯s neck so she could shield her eyes from the sunlight. ¡°Why am I moving?¡± she asked quietly, as though readying herself to fall back to sleep. She closed her eyes and leaned her head away from the cushion of Martel¡¯s arm. One eye opened again, studying Martel¡¯s face. ¡°Martel?¡± she asked. She seemed more alert, and then she smiled. ¡°Hey, big guy.¡±


    ¡°At your service,¡± he said.


    She tried to focus, but it was obvious she was still exhausted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a break,¡± Caru offered.


    Martel bent at the knees, shifting Kimke¡¯s weight until she could stand again. She eased her weight down and stepped away from the Sentinel drunkenly before finding her footing and looking to the others.


    ¡°You spent yourself last night,¡± Caru said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to, but you started a fire with aether.¡±


    She stared distantly, focused on nothing. ¡°Spent myself on a single fire?¡± she said. Caru remembered the way she had dabbed at her eyes before the flame sparked to life. ¡°I was never aligned to Destruction. Even so, I had so much more power than that. I healed people. I reattached limbs. I reattached wings.¡±


    ¡°Kimke,¡± Caru said, stepping nearer. ¡°I know you¡¯re in shock now. I think you know that too, given your training. It hurts. I know it does, but we need you strong. The military is still on our tail, and we have to keep moving.¡±


    Martel stepped forward and pressed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing softly. ¡°We¡¯ll make them pay for what they did to us,¡± he said. ¡°I promise.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Her voiced wavered. ¡°None of us have power any more.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut the throats of those responsible in their sleep if I have to,¡± Martel said. ¡°I¡¯ll even get your vengeance first, if you want.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Kimke calmed after a moment and finally managed a weak smile. ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re as eager as ever,¡± she said.


    Caru prompted everyone to start walking again. Kimke seemed well enough for it, and the light exercise seemed to help her wake up.


    ¡°He¡¯s the Sentinels¡¯ finest. Carried you all morning without complaint.¡±


    ¡°Why would I complain?¡± Martel asked, laughing. ¡°Light as a feather!¡±


    Mieta stifled her own laugh.


    ¡°I would have stolen a few cantaloupes and juggled you with them if Mieta hadn¡¯t stopped me!¡±


    ¡ª


    Nightfall came hours later. Roads grew denser, and then paved, alerting them to a nearby village. Stars spread across the sky to their rear, but steady droplets of rain pelted their faces. The darkened sky to the west promised a wet night. Martel seemed certain of success, but the Tempest would be brutal. It already was at this distance. Caru mentioned his plan to walk along the outside of the storm earlier, and the others had agreed. They would still likely spend several nights in the rain, but they could hope for the promise of an occasional dry one.


    Farmhouses dotted the countryside, and it didn¡¯t take long to find one with a barn far enough away from the house that they could intrude without being noticed. Lights were already out inside the house itself, so their presence would hopefully go undetected. There were no animals inside, as it appeared to be used as a tool and equipment shed, with a few bales of hay and some sacks of grain. They climbed the ladder at the barn¡¯s rear where they entered the loft. The scents of wood and earth were overwhelming.


    Even if the empty loft wasn¡¯t comfortable, it was at least spacious enough for them to rest. Rain pecked against the roof, making a natural, steady rhythm. Even through the cloud cover, Cirellias shone hazily through an open western window as it reached its fullest phase.


    The day¡¯s travel had been exhausting, and Martel hadn¡¯t found the time to search for more food. Kimke had eaten the last of the rabbit, which Martel had stashed away before clearing camp that morning. Caru¡¯s stomach rumbled, but he knew complaining wouldn¡¯t help.


    Maybe Martel would be as lucky again in the morning.


    For now, Martel sat at the barn¡¯s western side, looking up through the window at hazy Cirellias. Rain spattered against his face, but he seemed to welcome it. Caru and Kimke approached him, one standing to either side. Cirellias really was a comfort, in its own way. Always stable in the sky, always shifting through different faces. It guided ermen as surely as Rythellas, if not more so. Mieta took a cautious step behind them, joining them as they watched the stationary moon. How did she view it? Caru wondered if humans even noticed it. Looking at night skies¡ªwas that some weird thing only the ermen did?


    ¡°How old were you, your first times?¡± Martel asked.


    The question perplexed Caru, but Kimke¡¯s reddened cheeks were more entertaining. She shifted, and Caru glanced over his shoulder to Mieta. He raised an eyebrow, and she put a hand against her mouth to keep from laughing.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Martel asked, confused.


    Kimke cleared her throat. ¡°Does that question not strike you as inappropriate?¡± she asked, her voice prim. ¡°Something most people don¡¯t talk about in the company of people they had met only a day before?¡±


    Martel seemed still confused, looking from one to the other before realization dawned. ¡°Oh!¡± he said. ¡°Oh. Not that. Perverts.¡±


    ¡°What did you mean, then?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°I meant the first time you tried flying to Cirellias,¡± he said. ¡°Yeesh.¡± It was strange to see a man so large blush so hard.


    ¡°You really tried that?¡± Kimke asked.


    ¡°Sure, didn¡¯t we all?¡± Martel said. ¡°I was thirteen. Flew as hard as I could, but I never even came close. Of course, I didn¡¯t. They told us our whole childhoods how far away the thing is.¡±


    ¡°They say you can fly around the world three times and might cover the distance from here to there,¡± Kimke said.


    ¡°I was young and dumb,¡± Martel said. A high gust drove a sheet of rain against them through the open window. At least Martel¡¯s body kept them mostly dry. ¡°I already knew I wanted to be a Sentinel, so I thought I should be able to do anything.¡± He rubbed a hand over his chin, looking at the moon. ¡°It¡¯s a good lesson for young ermen. Just because someone tells you something is impossible is no reason not to try.¡±


    Kimke sniffed, but she smiled.


    ¡°I was eleven,¡± Caru said after a moment. Memories came back from that day. Seeing his homeland dwindle beneath him as he made his vertical climb, watching homes blend and disappear against the earth below. Air growing thinner and colder with each flap of his wings. Aether roaring through his body like a furnace, forming a sheath to protect him from the damp as he thrust upward through the clouds.


    He remembered the aether failing.


    The lack of air had left him lightheaded, and he¡¯d tried to pull a tight barrier of heat around himself to keep his core temperature from decreasing. However, after six vertical miles, the sheath had shattered. Harsh skies had shocked his systems, leaving him to plummet as ice had formed over his skin and stiffened his wings. As he¡¯d fallen again toward Edaria, he¡¯d focused until he¡¯d been able to straighten his orientation, and had managed to flex his wings until they could hold a stable formation. They¡¯d stretched all the way as he¡¯d fallen, and he¡¯d worked them until he¡¯d shaken away the last of the ice and made the air currents work in his favor again. The air had grown thicker until he could breathe again, and he¡¯d finally regained full control of his body.


    Cirellias had eluded him¡ªby tens of thousands of miles¡ªbut he¡¯d gotten some idea of his limitations. Questions had raced through his pubescent mind as he¡¯d descended. Can I fly farther one day if I work harder? Aether had filled him as he¡¯d spun his way back through the clouds, and then he could again see individual homes against the land below. The massive city of Detrina had dominated his vision as he¡¯d returned home and allowed his parents to call him a fool for trying, but he¡¯d known they had tried it themselves.


    ¡°I would have had it, too,¡± Caru said, smiling, ¡°if not for the huge distance, and the cold, and the lack of air. It taught me how important it is to breathe and be warm if I wanted to use aether.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fun,¡± Mieta said. ¡°I wish I could see the world from up there.¡±


    Caru nodded. ¡°It¡¯s something every erman experiences at least once. Well, except for Kimke, here. She already told us she¡¯s the exception to the rule.¡±


    ¡°Seventeen,¡± Kimke muttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Martel asked.


    ¡°I was seventeen when I tried flying to Cirellias.¡±


    ¡°Late bloomer,¡± Martel said. ¡°That was what? Five years ago?¡±


    She cut her eyes at the man, as if daring him to say anything else. ¡°It was twelve, thank you.¡±


    Martel thought for a moment, obviously wanting to tease her some more. Finally he settled on: ¡°At least you¡¯re aging well.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±

 Chapter 14

    14


    They left the barn early the next morning, making sure to depart before the owners awakened. Yawning periodically, they worked their way on roads that passed between damp, open fields. Morning mist cast the landscape in a shroud, but at least the limited visibility fascinated Mieta. Martel offered to do some light hunting, but the others declined. Hunting would take too long, and they were all ready to move forward, even if it meant doing so with growling stomachs. They did manage to swipe a few fruits and vegetables from some of the fields they passed. They would have preferred meat, but at least the food they found was filling.


    Light rain started in the afternoon. A look at the sky showed it to be the herald of heavier storms, but it felt cleansing, liberating, in that moment.


    They kept conversation light. Yesterday¡¯s talks had been invigorating, leaving them all in higher spirits. As they continued their westward approach, Caru was glad for the company.


    How could the Seranians have done what they had to such good people?


    Better not to say that out loud. Mieta might despise the military for the horrors they had forced her to take part in, but she was Seranian herself, as was her family, her friends, and most of the people she had ever known.


    A week earlier, Caru had hated all humans. In fact, he had come within a hair¡¯s breadth of burning Mieta to ash as he¡¯d escaped from that armory. It was strange to see her now, walking at his side, laughing and chatting. Smiling when their eyes met. Each time, it felt like his heart skipped a beat, and his mind would cloud for an instant. He stammered more than he would have thought possible, but there was no getting around it.


    He still held that grudge, but he couldn¡¯t hold it against all humans, nor against all Seranians.


    ¡°Mieta,¡± Martel said. ¡°You heard all about our exploits chasing the moon last night. It¡¯s your turn. Story time.¡±


    Mieta blinked, then reddened. ¡°I spent my whole life in the city,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know that I have stories to interest ermen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very easily amused!¡± Martel said.


    Mieta smiled, but she didn¡¯t respond at first. They walked in silence for a moment before she spoke. ¡°Ten years ago,¡± she began, ¡°some of the parents in my neighborhood wanted to show off their children¡¯s talents. It took some planning, but eventually they got money together to rent out the playhouse down the street from my house. Of course, all the children in a show like that are going to be actors or singers, although there was a juggler, and one of the children told a few jokes everyone in the audience had heard before. I hated that artists and writers didn¡¯t make it onto the stage.¡±


    ¡°And I take it you joined?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Mieta Kain,¡± Martel said, sweeping his hands across his vision in a display of grandeur. ¡°World Class Juggling Comedian.¡±


    They all laughed for a moment before Mieta swept her own hands in a similar gesture. ¡°Mieta Kain: The Clumsiest Woman in Garenesh.¡± She grinned and put her hands away. ¡°No, I sang. I wasn¡¯t good, but my mother insisted I had a good voice. I¡¯d never been trained or anything, but at the time I¡¯d wondered if my parents might pay for lessons.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I was nine or ten at the time, so I think they were still waiting to see what I would want to do.¡±


    ¡°You went on stage without training?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°I did. As I said, I wasn¡¯t good, but none of the kids were.¡±


    ¡°What did you sing?¡± Kimke asked.


    ¡°It was a song about a sleepy dog. It wasn¡¯t a children¡¯s rhyme or anything, but it wasn¡¯t anything you might hear in a bar. It was more of a¡ª¡°


    ¡°I want to take him out to play, but that old dog just sleeps all day,¡± Martel suddenly crooned, snapping his fingers. ¡°I want to make him wake up, but he¡¯s been there since he was a pup.¡±


    Mieta lit up, left Caru¡¯s side and walked backward in front of Martel as she joined in, clapping and singing in a duet. They both had amazing voices, and sounded great together. They made it through the chorus before Martel cut off, admitting that he didn¡¯t know the rest of the song.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know how it ended, either!¡± Mieta cried, laughing. She fell in pace at Caru¡¯s side again. ¡°I made it through the first two verses, finished the chorus for the second time, and then I stood up there in front of dozens of people and froze. I didn¡¯t think to turn it into part of the show, or make like I wanted to hurry up for the sake of the other children. No, I just¡­stood there with my mouth open, staring out at this crowd until my father finally came and brought me off stage. I was mortified.¡±


    ¡°Sounds terrible,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°It was!¡± But then she laughed again. ¡°Some of the other children laughed at me¡ªsome of the parents laughed at me¡ªbut I think mostly they understood. I wasn¡¯t the first one that froze that day, so they obviously knew what to expect. I thought I might never go up in front of people like that again, but¡­¡± She paused, looking for the words. ¡°But how it ended didn¡¯t matter. You know, it was my first time up there like that, so I kind of expected it would happen, even at that age. But for those first two verses of some song about a sleepy dog, I had everyone¡¯s attention. They looked at me, and they wanted more. And I wanted more.¡±


    ¡°And?¡± Kimke asked. ¡°Did you ever get back up there?¡±


    Mieta laughed. ¡°As much as I could! Only ever for local things like that, though, and those were hard to come by. That¡¯s why I started working at an inn. It wasn¡¯t much, but there was a common room, and there was a stage off to one side, and the longer I worked there, the more they would let me on that little stage. Sure, the customers at an inn can get rowdy and want more from a lady on stage than just her song, but they were kept in line more often than not. I had plans¨Cand even a date¨Cto appear on a larger stage, but¡­¡±


    Caru¡¯s mood soured in an instant. ¡°You had the chance, but here we are.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I wanted to do the show. I really wanted to. But now I¡¯m mixed up in this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Caru whispered.


    ¡°Sorry, nothing!¡± Mieta said. ¡°I wanted to sing, and I¡¯m still going to. Not in Garenesh, probably not in Serana, but somewhere. And I¡¯ll have you three with me. I don¡¯t know how this is going to turn out, but we¡¯re getting through this.¡±


    ¡°And if anyone messes with you or laughs at you¡­¡± Martel made a few jabbing motions that ended with an uppercut.


    ¡°If anyone messes with me, I¡¯ll ask them how they got through my bodyguard.¡±


    Caru felt an odd flash of jealousy, but he let it go. Martel was too damn likable.


    ¡ª


    The road ahead was a long one, but it shortened with each step. It wouldn¡¯t be long now before their pursuers ground them into the stormwall ahead, if they were still being chased. Shortly after the light drizzle started, lightning flashed far in the distance. They couldn¡¯t see individual lightning strikes, but the horizon itself pulsed with life, both inviting and warning. The thin line of the Tempest grew with each step they took, and the wider it grew, the quieter the conversation became. Silent stretches spread among them, and Caru yearned for a conversation to fill the void. Even Mieta¡¯s optimism seemed to wane. Caru hated watching her smile fade into concern.


    They hadn¡¯t actually noticed signs of pursuit since their flight from Lieve, though. Perhaps the Seranians thought they had fled to the north? They could allow themselves a brief reprieve to see if they were being followed. If they were, then the plan was already set. If there were no signs after all, then perhaps they really should cut north from the next town onto a path leading into Chasar. Kimke and Martel had both shown themselves to be more observant than Caru, so they would likely see signs of soldiers on the move before he could.


    Rain intensified into a storm as they neared another town before dusk. Kalis, the sign at the edge of the cobblestone road read. ¡°The Town On The Edge Of Humanity,¡± it added in smaller script. Kalis could hardly be called more than a village, but it would serve as an intermediate point between Lieve and the most distant of farms. The city was nauseatingly colorful, clashing against the skies. Though the streets were wet and covered in a thin layer of mud, the citizenry was dressed in the most vibrant of colors. The colors of Kalis didn¡¯t clash, but their brightness jarred against Serana¡¯s customarily stoic architecture.


    A quick trip by the fur trader¡¯s office¡ªa squat, square building in a blue brighter than any sky Caru had ever seen¡ªawarded them a modest handful of copper coins. Well short of a fortune, but enough to keep them fed and housed for the night when pooled with what little money Mieta had on her and the remains of what Kimke had filched days earlier in Garenesh.


    They found an inn shortly before sunset. The Storm¡¯s Blessing looked warm and comfortable with lantern light and a flute¡¯s low melody spilling into the street. The flute played an oddly somber tune for such a colorful city, but then The Storm¡¯s Blessing was also the only building in town made of muted browns and grays.


    More welcoming to visitors, Caru thought. He could actually look at the building without wanting to rub his eyes.


    A hot bath reinvigorated him. Was it really the first time he¡¯d felt clean since the Seranians had taken him three weeks ago? He recalled daily lukewarm buckets of water tossed into his cell with a coarse brush and no soap. Bathing in peace and silence gave him a moment to collect himself. Steam relaxed his muscles and mind. He hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d been so tense, but he wasn¡¯t surprised. After weeks of stress, it was nice to finally let it all go. After toweling and dressing in clothing that still needed a cleaning of its own, he walked down the stairs into the inn¡¯s common room. Mieta sat alone in a corner, and beckoned him over.


    As he sat down, she smiled and pushed a plate of food toward him. ¡°I took the liberty of ordering for you. I hope you like mutton.¡± Her smile was bright again.


    ¡°Oh, I do,¡± Caru said, already carving away at the strip of meat with a knife and fork. It was well-prepared and much better than stolen fruits or charred rabbit.


    The musician still played, standing with his flute on a raised dais on the room¡¯s opposite corner. He kept his eyes closed, swaying to the music. Couples danced closely together on the floor, their movements guided by his melodies. It had been a long time since Caru had given pause to listen to music, and the performance was pleasant. It reminded him of earlier times, of a life as a moderately successful sculptor with the income to spend on such luxuries. He wondered if his money was still piled in a bank in Detrina, or if it had all gone to his mother along with news of his death.


    He wondered if he would ever be able to let her know he¡¯d survived. He shook the thoughts away. Now wasn¡¯t the time.


    ¡°Where are Kimke and Martel?¡± he asked before swallowing another bite of his meal.


    ¡°They left while you were in the bath,¡± Mieta said. ¡°I think they wanted to take a look around town. Martel said he wanted to see if we were being followed. He wants to make sure we¡¯ll be able to stay outside the Tempest for a while before going in.¡± She paused and added, ¡°I hope they¡¯ll be fine by themselves.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be,¡± Caru said. He was disappointed with them for leaving Mieta alone in the common room, though. At least it was crowded; if anyone had tried pulling her out, she could have kicked and screamed enough to draw attention.


    That would matter less the further they got from people, from witnesses. A small village like Kalis could easily be made to keep quiet. The seat at the table suddenly felt very uncomfortable.


    Mieta looked into the table¡¯s wood grain, her eyes distant. Had her thoughts wandered to a dark place, as well? Her hand felt cool against his as Caru reached out to comfort her. Was she trembling?


    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± he said, meeting her eyes. ¡°Me, Kimke, Martel, we¡¯re going to see you through this. We¡¯ll do¡­something. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen next, but we¡¯ll see you through.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see each other through,¡± she said. The tremble vanished as her resolve visibly returned. ¡°I¡¯ll do my part.¡±


    Caru nodded. ¡°Do you want to go up there and sing, then? I think everyone would like to hear it, and I doubt the man up there would refuse a break.¡±


    ¡°It would bring too much attention,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Let¡¯s blend in a little, instead.¡± She slid out of her seat, stood, and offered a hand to Caru.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said. ¡°I saw something I liked in Lieve and thought I¡¯d give it a try. I¡¯m going to need you for this part.¡±


    Caru eased out of his seat and took her hand.


    Couples still danced in the middle of the room, standing close as the flute¡¯s music drifted about. The tune shifted pitch into something lighter. Good dancing music. Caru drew Mieta against him and was surprised when she pressed in even tighter. He slipped a hand to the small of her back, and she cupped one of hers around the nape of his neck. It felt more awkward than he expected; his touch was clumsy compared to hers. She slid her right hand down, and Caru interlaced the fingers of his left against it. She felt delicate in his hands as she let him lead, rotating slowly in a small circle, dipping slightly away from each other on every fourth beat. Bobbing, swaying, losing himself against her rhythm, Caru eased out of some of the trauma of the past three weeks.


    Beaten, tortured, starved, fleeing, all frustrations could be forgotten in the joy of a moment and he found himself opening up to it. Despite his resolve to enjoy himself, he stumbled through the next step and bumped Mieta off balance. She laughed and corrected the next move, weaving seamlessly back into the dance between the other couples. Caru muttered a quiet apology.


    She smiled up at him. He thought perhaps he should work at becoming more like her: able to find enjoyment in every situation. They dipped together, Caru leaning above as she bent backward, soft hair falling loose and cascading over his hands. She felt nice in his arms. How long had it been since he¡¯d danced with a beautiful woman? He blinked, afraid he would lose his step again and send her spilling to the floor. He kept his balance, and she gently guided him back into the rhythm.


    Too long, that¡¯s how long it¡¯s been, he thought with a smile.


    Music played, and they danced until their Caru¡¯s feet ached.


    After what felt like a happy eternity, the musician set his flute aside. ¡°It has been a pleasure playing for you fine folk tonight,¡± he said, ¡°but I¡¯m afraid it is well past my bedtime.¡± That, he punctuated with a wink and a flourish. ¡°I do hope you will all join us for more music, mirth, and mead tomorrow night.¡± He bowed to a round of applause and stood to see several patrons toss coins into his open flute case.


    Mieta took a backward step and gave Caru a slight curtsy. ¡°Thank you for such a pleasant evening,¡± she said, flashing that winning smile again. ¡°And you only stepped on my toes the one time.¡±


    Caru grinned, leading her back to the stairs. ¡°I¡¯m not a complete oaf, you know.¡±


    ¡°Should we go back to our room now?¡± she asked.


    They walked up the stairs, several boards creaking softly. ¡°It looks like the common room is dying down for the night,¡± he said. ¡°If we don¡¯t rest now, we won¡¯t. We¡¯ll plan something once we see what Kimke and Martel found.¡±


    He turned and saw Mieta still grinning as he opened the door to the room Martel had rented for the night. Neither Kimke nor Martel were present.


    ¡°I think Martel just wanted some time alone with her,¡± Mieta said.


    ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ll take notes from the man sometime,¡± Caru said.


    They fell asleep without hearing from Kimke or Martel.


    ¡ª


    A hand pressed against Caru¡¯s shoulder, shaking him awake. Heavy rain drummed against the inn¡¯s roof, and the noise tempted Caru to drift back to sleep in spite of the urgent hand. Distant lights flashed against his closed eyelids, followed by ever-present rumbles. He cracked an eye open, staring up into the darkened room, trying to gather his bearings. He wondered if he would ever get a full night of sleep again.


    ¡°Caru, come on, wake up.¡± It was Martel¡¯s voice, anxious.


    Caru sat up and raked a hand through his hair. Kimke meanwhile sat on the edge of Mieta¡¯s bed, speaking with her quietly. He looked back up to Martel, who stood in a gathering puddle, rainwater dripping from his body and spattering against the floor with a sound like a finger tapping glass. His close-cropped hair glistened with rainwater in the pulsing lights. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Caru asked. ¡°It¡¯s not even daylight yet.¡±


    Martel glanced at Kimke. Mieta scrambled out of the bed, giving weight to Martel¡¯s next words. ¡°It¡¯s Ferrak and his men. They¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    Martel nodded. ¡°They arrived in full military dress. Bloodmage, three infantrymen. They asked about three people meeting all of our descriptions except mine. I guess they don¡¯t know I¡¯m with you yet.¡±


    Caru eased himself out of bed. No wonder Martel seemed so stressed. ¡°You just now found this out?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We wanted to see for ourselves first. Foolish, I know. We waited around the gates until we saw men in uniforms, and I know Kalis doesn¡¯t post guards at night. We overheard them talking about us. We¡¯re caught if we don¡¯t leave now.¡±


    On the other side of the room, Kimke gave Mieta space. Caru and Mieta gathered their shoes and other items before following Martel and Kimke downstairs. The boards still squeaked underfoot, but they couldn¡¯t be heard over the driving storm outside. The inn¡¯s common room sat thankfully empty. Caru imagined he could still hear the flute¡¯s melodies beneath the storm¡¯s own symphony.


    Lightning flashed again, illuminating the brightly-colored buildings through the plate glass window. It seemed so dark outside, so cold despite the warm season. Walking into the rain outside would be madness. No worse than what we¡¯re planning on doing, Caru thought. If nothing else, venturing into this night would serve well as practice for the upcoming journey into the Tempest.


    Madness.


    Martel cracked the inn¡¯s front door open, peeking his head out beneath the overhanging awning. He scanned both directions before looking over his shoulder to the other three. ¡°Looks clear,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He opened the door and stepped into the streets of Kalis. Caru braced himself, held his breath for a moment and tightened his hands into fists. Two steps brought him outside, and rain slicked his hair against his scalp in seconds. It was a shock, like being awakened with a bucket of water. He shivered, exhaled, and then embraced the deluge. It wasn¡¯t so bad once he got used to it. Uncomfortable, but not insurmountable.


    Kimke came next, followed by Mieta, who squeaked before forcing herself to adjust.


    Martel motioned for them to follow as he led them away from the inn, heading west. Staying in town for the night would have been nice, but the western horizon beckoned angrily. Stray animals peered at them from between buildings. They had sense enough stay out of the rain. None made a sound, only stared silently at the passing party. Even beasts thought them fools.


    Martel leaned around corners at each intersection to check other streets, motioning the others forward again when he deemed it safe to cross. Escaping the city felt like it took an eternity, shoes slapping loudly against mud, spraying water onto each other¡¯s shins. However, it only took several minutes before they dipped through a free-standing wooden gate that marked Kalis¡¯s western exit. This really would be the final city between civilization and the Tempest wall. Farms would dot the countryside, but Serana¡¯s border was almost at its end before passing into the storm beyond.


    Rain blinded them, slowing their flight as they wiped water from their eyes. They plodded further from the edge of the city, and their feet squished deeper and deeper into hungry mud. The ground became a greater foe the longer the storm raged.


    A figure lunged onto the muddy road from the right, toward Caru. With a startled reaction, he backpedaled, slipping and falling into the mud. Two feet of spear haft cut a blurred arc into the space where he¡¯d stood only a moment earlier. Caru pushed himself to his elbows and shoved backward from the looming figure. His right foot slipped, and Caru collapsed helplessly into cold mud. The attacker drew his spear back, aiming the metal head at Caru¡¯s throat. The steel glistened wetly, flashing bright against the lightning


    Panicking, Caru shifted his weight and rolled onto his stomach. The spear¡¯s downward thrust plunged into the ground to his left side, stabbing where his legs had been. A blow like that wouldn¡¯t have been fatal, only disastrous. The weapon sank deeply into the mud, leaving the man struggling to pull it free.


    Arms wrapped around Caru¡¯s waist from behind as he tried scrambling away again. He resisted for a moment before he realized they were Kimke¡¯s and Mieta¡¯s. He wanted to sag with shock, but he forced his feet to the ground, regaining traction as the man freed his spear. He lowered his weapon in a horizontal stance pointed at Caru.


    As the spearman took his first step, Martel rushed him, shoulder held low. His tackle connected on the soldier¡¯s hip, shaking his balance. Martel wrapped his arms around the man¡¯s knees as he stood, pulling legs away and sending the man to his back with a loud splash. Martel then straddled him before balling his hand into a fist and hammering it into the man¡¯s jaw. The spearman howled in pain before dropping his spear so he could wrap his arms around Martel. He tried to roll over to get on top, but stout Martel would not be moved.


    With a grunt, Caru pushed himself away from the women, dropping and sliding to reach out and snatch the discarded weapon. He lifted it, holding it awkwardly as the men grappled. He made tentative jabs with the spear, but he worried he would only hurt Martel if he tried to assist.


    Martel looked to Caru and noticed he held the spear. He raised his fist, slammed it into another blow, and freed himself from the man¡¯s grip. He rolled onto his side, leaving the attacker slumped into the mud in a daze. The human shook his head and tried to regain his footing to stand, but he slipped in the mud and fell on his back again. Caru tossed the spear into Martel¡¯s open hand. Martel gripped it and gave it a quick spin to assess its weight and balance. The weapon hummed through the storm¡¯s rumble as Martel cut several swaths through the air. Satisfied, he gripped the shaft tightly and turned on the human.


    The spearman staggered to his feet, still reeling from Martel¡¯s blows. The spear spun in a blur, and Martel cracked the butt of the weapon against the man¡¯s chin, snapping his head upright. The human took several tottering backward steps. With a practiced lunge, Martel slid forward and swept the spear¡¯s haft through the man¡¯s knees, sending him sprawling into the mud again.


    Martel stepped forward and pressed the steel tip to the base of the man¡¯s throat, just above the breastbone. ¡°Speak!¡± Martel bellowed. The softness and kindness Caru had come to know had vanished as though cleansed away by the rain.


    The man tensed as though considering giving more of a struggle, but he seemed to think better of it with the metal tip against his throat. ¡°Edarian,¡± he said weakly.


    Martel¡¯s eyes widened, and Caru felt he might execute his opponent on the spot. Indeed, Martel¡¯s muscles tensed. Lightning flashed, and Caru feared the hunger he saw in Martel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Martel shouted, making himself heard over the storm¡¯s fury.


    Caru heard wet footsteps and turned to see Kimke and Mieta standing at his side. He nodded, and they all turned to watch the interrogation. Things could still turn disastrous.


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Martel shouted.


    ¡°Not enough,¡± the man said, finally letting himself collapse against the mud. Rain poured over his unprotected face. ¡°You¡¯re the Sentinel?¡± he asked, chest rising and falling in quiet laughter. ¡°If I¡¯d known you were with them, I would have been more careful.¡±


    ¡°Why are you after us?¡±


    ¡°Hibranth¡¯s orders,¡± the spearman said.


    Martel swallowed, hesitating. His previous fury softened. It wasn¡¯t a name Caru recognized. ¡°The general?¡± Martel asked. ¡°General Hibranth?¡±


    The man on the ground laughed again. ¡°Higher up than that, friend. General Hibranth only issued the order, but the mission came from Theop himself.¡±


    ¡°Theop?¡±


    ¡°You three ermen are quite wanted at the moment,¡± the soldier said. ¡°However, it¡¯s Captain Ferrak you need concern yourselves with. He¡¯ll bear down on you. He¡¯ll silence you for good. Might even destroy your traitorous friend while he¡¯s at it.¡±


    Martel tensed again, the tip of the spear flashing against the lightning.


    ¡°Girl!¡± the grounded man shouted. She would be able to hear him over the storm. ¡°Did they tell you they¡¯re ermen? Did they?! Pathetic, wingless, earthbound ermen!¡±


    Mieta cringed as she heard his words. Her shoulders hunched as Kimke wrapped an arm around the woman¡¯s waist, motioning for her not to face the man in the mud.


    ¡°They¡¯re not human! You¡¯re nothing like them!¡±


    Martel exhaled, pulled the spear back.


    ¡°They¡¯re liars! They¡¯re dead. Captain Ferrak will¡ª¡°


    No thunder drowned the sound of cold steel piercing sinew and bone. Kimke tightened her grip around Mieta¡¯s waist before slipping an arm up to wrap around her shoulders. Kimke drew her away as Mieta cried out against Martel¡¯s attack. Caru suspected she wouldn¡¯t fault Martel for killing their stalker, but seeing anyone killed was a shock; Caru knew because he felt it himself, a conflict of horror and satisfaction that was hard to reconcile.


    A soft purple glow formed over the eastern horizon. Darkness was running out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move the body,¡± Martel said. ¡°Ferrak won¡¯t need more reason to destroy us than he already has.¡±


    It would be pointless. They wouldn¡¯t have the time needed to properly hide the body. Ferrak would already know that one of his soldiers had gone down the western road. Their intended path was obvious, anyway.


    The soldier was heavy in Caru and Martel¡¯s arms. Kimke made sure Mieta didn¡¯t turn to watch.


    One less thing to worry about, Caru told himself, helping Martel lay the man down by a tree. One less thing to worry about, but one more name added to the list. Theop, Serana¡¯s Blood-Emperor. Caru hated the man already on general principles, but knowing the man was directly involved in their pursuit¡­ More madness.


    The dead man rested, covered in wet leaves. The others pressed westward.

 Chapter 15

    15


    Ferrak¡¯s hair swayed in long wet tendrils to his shoulder as he paced the streets of Kalis. Every few steps saw him reaching to again shove the hair out of his eyes. Under normal circumstances, a simple spell would have kept him dry, but being days away from the capital left him eating civilian food, and he knew he could not replenish his blood supply as readily as normal. A sense that blood might be precious in the coming days left him not wanting to waste what he had on frivolous spells. No, best to embrace the rain. He¡¯d done so as a child. It would be fine.


    Thoughts of bloody beef made his mouth water as he quickened his pace through the village. If only he had acted sooner in Lieve, he wouldn¡¯t be stranded in this backwater town. The colors made his eyes ache, even in the dim light before dawn. An orb of light floated before him as he searched the city, which did take a small amount of blood and a trickle more as he constantly had to adjust its direction. The orb was a simple creation, a variation of a basic fire spell. It burned as brightly as a lantern, but it would not harm anything it touched. A necessary expense as the light from the horizon was not yet bright enough. The streets were poorly cobbled at best, and he would not fail the Blood-Emperor by twisting an ankle now.


    The swell of blood on his fingers burned in a steady golden light before the rain could wash it away. It was not yet time to pop the corks on the chilled vials on his hip, enticing as they were.


    Ferrak passed through the lone western gate without question. No one would bother a town so far away from¡­everything. Lieve was nearby, but still well over a days¡¯ walk. The lack of guards was unsettling, but the city was probably too garish for anyone to want to intrude anyway.


    Seisk was gone.


    Ferrak had told him hours ago to stake out a position several hundred feet from the gate with orders to leave his post only if he saw the Edarians escaping. Had they known they were being followed? They must have, or they would not have moved so quickly. Seisk would be capable enough to deal with them, though. The wingless ermen would be no match for even a single well-trained soldier. The sculptor would be useless, as would the Healer without her wings. The human woman had been, what, a kitchen maid?


    That still troubled him. Why was a human traveling with them? Hostage? Traitor? Ferrak had seen her in the train station in Garenesh and several times along the rails to Lieve, but she hadn¡¯t seemed distressed, and she¡¯d never tried to escape them, but surely she would not be traveling with wingless fugitives of her own free will.


    How did these people deal with such constant, fierce storms? He wiped his hand over his face again to brush hair away. Definitely getting it cut when I¡¯m back home.


    Ferrak expected to find Seisk with a group of detained ermen. He was a good soldier, always eager to follow orders. The spearman knew how to get things done. Sure, he may have broken a few erman bones in the process, but it would be easy enough for Ferrak to heal them and get them carted back to the capital. He found himself yearning for civilization again already. He may even return to the city to find a promotion waiting for him. Execution of the Blood-Emperor¡¯s command so quickly would surely garner favor. His hard work would finally¡ª


    A mound lay next to a tree some distance from the road. With nothing else of note in the area, and no sign of Seisk along the road to the west, Ferrak approached the mound. Even at a distance, in the swelling light of morning and by his own light, he could see a boot sticking out of it. Ferrak knelt and began sweeping the brush cover away.


    Seisk lay staring at the sky, rain falling into his open eyes. Bruises dotted the man¡¯s face. His mouth hung slack above a neck that looked like it had been split open with his own weapon, as the spear itself was missing. How could he have been beaten so badly? Those three should have been nothing before him, even if they had managed a coordinated attack.


    But¡­ the spear was gone. Ferrak thought that couldn¡¯t be right. He glanced about in a panic. The spear was gone. Seisk was dead, and his spear was gone.


    Hibranth had mentioned that the third erman was a Sentinel. Was he a spearman? Possibly a lancer? Ferrak couldn¡¯t remember; weapons seemed little more than ceremonial to most bloodmages. He did remember learning that the Edarian military still trained with such weapons. Even without access to aether, an Edarian soldier was meant to be on equal footing with their human counterparts in mundane combat. An erman could be a threat even without wings if they could overcome the adjustment to balance. He shuddered as he mopped a hand over Seisk¡¯s face. If that was true, there would be no stopping an Edarian army.


    The body before him was proof enough of that.


    Rain finally sputtered to a stop as the first true rays of sunlight pierced the eastern cloud cover. It was a new day, and Ferrak would make sure that it was someone¡¯s last. Surely the Blood-Emperor would be just as satisfied if he returned with two ermen rather than three.


    Seisk had been a good man. Ferrak would make someone pay for his death.


    The orb of light before him dwindled and winked out as the pinprick on his fingertip healed and the fuel source died. Ferrak did not bother resummoning it.


    It was time for new spells.


    ¡ª


    Detar climbed the stairwell leading to the top of one of the Celestial Palace¡¯s tallest spires. Strong cross breezes blew across the open platform as he stepped onto the landing. A good one, one that comforted him in his old age as it sailed over his bare scalp. How long had it been since he had paused to consider such things? Appreciation of gentle breezes may not be commonplace among the Seranian military, but an old man could stop to savor his remaining time.


    Pigeons cooed and fluttered energetically in their cages, likely mistaking him for a handler. He wished he had brought feed with him as he rubbed a gloved thumb over a cote¡¯s latch and flicked it open. They were useful and loyal creatures, and Detar liked to reward either trait when possible. As he stooped to look into the cage, he managed not to groan. Age crept like a vine, one that he knew would break him soon enough. He allowed himself to wince at the ache; he was alone on this platform.


    Detar looked among the birds bearing hollow tubes on their legs until he spotted one with a blue strip of paper wrapped along its length. Blue was from Lieve. He folded gentle fingers over the bird, careful not to harm the poor thing. It flapped its wings lazily but did not resist his touch. Detar plucked the tube from the pigeon''s leg before returning it to its perch. ¡°Thank you, friend,¡± he said with a weathered smile and a soothing pat. The bird flapped its wings in a way that reminded Detar of the way that Theop¡¯s wings did when he was lost in thought now.


    It was still difficult to think of that boy as Serana¡¯s leader. Perhaps the leader of more than just Serana soon, if he fulfilled his vision of uniting humanity. Humans did deserve to stand on their own two legs instead of beneath the sheltering wings of the ermen.


    But was that really a thing to enter into war over? The ermen seemed peaceful enough. Their merchant classes were eager to take money and goods from the human nations, but they had never sought land or conquest.


    But, as Theop insisted, how long would that peace hold? If blades crossed between the nations, any Edarian teenager would be a threat to the most seasoned of bloodmages, not to mention the humans¡¯ common foot soldiers. Open war between ermen and humans would be nothing more than a one-sided slaughter, a genocide. Theop was right to try and balance the scales.


    Detar walked away from the pigeon cotes and leaned his elbows over the platform¡¯s railing. He pulled the tiny stopper from the message tube and shook the contents into his hand before planting the tube in his breast pocket. Garenesh lay sprawled out before him in the early morning light, and the tower even gave a view of the distant northern mountains. If he strained his eyes, he could see individual people walking along the streets. Smoke rose from buildings across the city as people prepared their morning meals. With the high winds, the city¡¯s view was almost peaceful. Very little noise drifted up this high. All the trains were gone from the central station, but it was still a bustling center of commerce to rival the Trade Plaza.


    There were no soldiers in the training grounds on the city¡¯s northern edge. Most of the local military had been summoned east, toward the Dresk border now that word had been insidiously spread that it was Dresk who had infiltrated and attacked military installations within Garenesh itself. Theop would reshape maps, if necessary. Humans would stand whole, defiant in their existence. Whatever it took. A part of Detar regretted not being at the Dresk border, but Theop trusted him enough to leave his adviser in charge of local affairs during his absence. It was amazing that young Theop was already able to wield aether like an erman so effectively after only a few days since his surgery. Aether seemed less of a hurdle to him than his ability to maintain balance while walking. Flight proved impossible through conventional means with the awkwardness of six overlapping wings, but Theop had quickly learned that he could levitate and move with alarming speeds using huge amounts of aether. The mobility was certainly a boon to the Blood-Emperor; Theop had feared he may be unable to move as quickly as before with the burden the wings provided.


    Theop had already shown great skill using aether for destruction, usually to greater result than through his own blood magic. His insistence that blood magic was inferior led Theop to redoubling his efforts to understand erman capabilities.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Such determination to protect the integrity of his own people.


    Humans should be able to stand on their own. They needed no mercy from benevolent superiors. Detar nodded. Theop was right in this. He felt a welling of pride as he unrolled the thin paper. The enclosed letter was written in a neat, compact script.


    Sire,


    Arrived in Lieve. Alerted garrison. Spotted two of the three, with another. Human.


    Pursuing west.


    Ferrak


    Detar rolled the note again before sliding it back into the tube. He would report the note to Hibranth and see what the general had to say about this Ferrak. He hoped Ferrak would not overstep any boundaries with overzealousness.


    Two of the three, and another. Human. Those words puzzled Detar. His forehead wrinkled as he scanned the city. The sculptor, the soldier, and the healer. Hibranth had said that they might have spotted the sculptor and healer at the train depot, and that a human woman had accompanied them. Maybe it was time to ask more questions around the sites where Serana had held the erman detainees.


    Odd that they were heading west from Lieve, as well. Detar had been certain the report would say they left north, toward the Chasar border. That would have given them their shortest route of escape, but still they had moved west. The only things in that direction were a grim death against the Eternal Tempest and a floating continent they could not reach.


    Odd.


    The men searching Garenesh had turned up no sign of the Sentinel. That was unsettling. If the Edarian government learned what had happened before Serana was prepared, it would prove disastrous even if Theop had begun to master aether. Detar¡¯s sword suddenly felt heavier on his hip. Perhaps it was time to look for the missing erman himself. Surely the Sentinel had fled the city, or he would have already found some means to alert his people. Focal points of erman activity remained under heavy surveillance in Garenesh, but Sentinels spent more time in the city and they would have more connections than most other ermen.


    Could something have drawn him away?


    Theop would see his people through these challenging times. Detar could not wield any form of magic, but he had once been named a master swordsman. He knew people doubted his abilities in his old age¡ªrightfully so, to some extent¡ªbut he knew he remained at least twice as capable as his critics. He gripped the hilt as he spun around and returned to the stairwell.


    Theop wanted humanity to prove themselves able to stand on their own feet, and Detar was determined to set the precedent.


    ¡ª


    It felt good, holding a spear again. Right, even. Seranian steel was lighter than that used in the Sentinels¡¯ weapons. It was a stout material¡ªespecially when imbued with strength from a bloodmage, as this one seemed to be¡ªbut holding it did feel awkward. Not a bad weapon by any means, but the shaft was shorter than Martel liked, and he feared a faster swing would throw him off balance.


    The rain had broken several hours earlier, and the Tempest¡¯s cool breezes took its place. Those winds seemed harmless some miles away, and that felt misleading. The storm¡¯s fury lived within its face, those white, stabbing forks of lightning flashing beneath the storm and continent that now dominated the western horizon. He was glad that Caru had latched onto the plan; he was only half sure of it himself.


    Martel had ventured into the storm some years earlier as part of his Sentinel training, but not even the Edarian military required its initiates to stay in for very long. The white lightning was fine, but the colored lightning deeper within had a way of twisting aether in dangerous ways. Although the storm was outwardly bound to the natural forces of weather, there was more to it than that. The storm drove the very aetheric elements of the planet itself. It was as though the world roared at the twin moons with its own form of wild power, churning its protest through an unending tempest.


    Martel knew dipping into the storm to evade the Seranians would be reckless and he hated to have Kimke in any more danger than she¡¯d already been through.


    He definitely felt an attraction to the woman, and had since they had met. It was a dignified attraction, if he said so himself. Nothing at all like Caru and Mieta, stealing glances at each other every moment they thought the other wasn¡¯t looking. Adorable for people half their ages, but merely amusing now. Martel himself  preferred women with sleek and slender wings, but he didn¡¯t fault Kimke for that loss. It was the same as his. He remembered her wings had had gentle forms, golden and flawless. What a senseless loss. He remembered the spear entering the human¡¯s throat, and smiled.


    Caru turned from sneaking a glance at the human girl. ¡°What¡¯s got you smiling?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Martel said. ¡°I can¡¯t smile?¡±


    Caru shrugged. ¡°I never said you couldn¡¯t, but I didn¡¯t hear anything funny, and I know I could use a laugh.¡±


    Mieta leaned over from Caru¡¯s other side, looking up at Martel. ¡°It¡¯s a good smile,¡± she said, grinning. ¡°I like it. Suits you better now than it did when we met you on the train.¡±


    Martel blanched. Smiling at a man¡¯s death suited him better? What was he becoming?


    ¡°It is a good smile,¡± Kimke said. ¡°It always was. It¡¯s like watching a happy bear the moment before he eats you.¡±


    Martel roared with laughter. He found Kimke¡¯s wit refreshing, even if it often led to a little goading and prodding. It was nice to be with someone who wasn¡¯t always filling the conversation with overt compliments. She had a strong will to her and seemed to know her own mind.


    He strode forward, planting the butt of the spear into the dirt with each step as a walking staff. ¡°A bear?¡± he asked. ¡°No lions? Dragons? I guess being a bear might not be so bad. I could get used to sleeping for a few months at a time.¡±


    ¡°Bears are fine,¡± Kimke said, patting his arm.


    The spear felt odd in his hands, not because it had a strange weight to it, or because it was too short, but because he had killed a man with it only a few hours earlier. It felt strange that the others could already bring themselves to smile, to make jokes. He wished he felt the same way. He had killed only a small handful of men in his life, and he regretted each one.


    Even the Seranian, now that guilt for his flare of satisfaction had set in.


    He wished he felt less pity for the dead man, even if he had been on their trail, hunting them, wanting to haul them back to isolated cells in Garenesh. That man would have seen them imprisoned again, but Martel understood that he was only following orders. It was beyond his authority to question the mission, handed to him from the Blood-Emperor to General Hibranth to his own captain. Maybe he¡¯d been a good man. What would Martel have done if given similar orders? It wasn¡¯t something he wanted to think about. He had killed a man of his own volition. No one had ordered Martel to kill the man; it had only been something that had felt right in that moment. He would not see himself locked in a solitary room again, waiting in the dark to be mutilated and questioned and beaten. He shuddered, knowing that Caru and Kimke had gone through the same.


    Was it possible to feel pity for the dead man while also not regretting what he¡¯d done? Martel shook his head.


    Martel was the kind of man to stand in the pouring rain and jam a man¡¯s own spear through his neck. Kimke had suffered enough violence. She deserved better. She deserved better than him.


    Even so, the others had stayed behind to watch. Caru had been cold, emotionless. It was a side of the man Martel would never have expected. Maybe he¡¯d been wrong to think of Caru as a soft man for being an artist instead of a soldier. But the Seranians had spent two weeks forging the three ermen into new creatures. No longer erman, but not willing to be human. It wasn¡¯t easy to think of himself as erman any longer, but he had to cling to something. He would still protect ermen. That was his sworn duty, and even losing his wings wouldn¡¯t cause him to break his oath. Most ermen now would see his protection as laughable, but they were no longer his problem. He would make these two his priority, and see them through to whatever lay at the end of this road. And Mieta, he supposed. Their plight was not hers by necessity, but she¡¯d taken it upon herself to help them, and he respected her because of it. She wasn¡¯t an erman, but she had proved to be more than human in his eyes. She could have gone her own way, but she¡¯d thrown her lot in with Edaria, and would now be bound to their fate.


    ¡°Our bear looks thoughtful,¡± Kimke said.


    Martel looked down his left arm to her upturned eyes, so blue, so deep and pure. She really did deserve better than him. ¡°Merely thinking of how to repay what I owe,¡± he said.


    Kimke laughed softly. ¡°Silly bear,¡± she said. ¡°Who holds your debt? Not me, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Caru followed with his own soft laughter. ¡°If anything, I owe you my life. You saved me this morning, after all.¡±


    ¡°Only acting within the line of duty,¡± Martel said lightly. ¡°Any Sentinel would have done the same.¡±


    ¡°I wonder about that, but I hope you¡¯re right,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°You saved all of our lives,¡± Mieta said. ¡°If not for you, we would have never stood a chance.¡± Martel saw Caru wince at that.


    Martel felt a certain welling of pride as he acknowledged the truth of her words. Perhaps it had been a more excessive rescue than he would have liked, and the soldier¡¯s death was regrettable, but Martel knew he¡¯d fight any humans that would come against him if it meant keeping these people safe. He had killed a man, yet Kimke was free beneath an open sky. That was the kind of reward he could bring himself to live with.


    ¡°You know,¡± Mieta said after a long pause, ¡°there is one thing you can do to repay your debt.¡± She grinned wickedly.


    ¡°Name a price,¡± he said.


    ¡°As soon as we get to safety, you have to take Kimke on a date.¡±


    Kimke sputtered at his side, and she wouldn¡¯t make eye contact when he looked over to her. Her cheeks were pink.


    Caru laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think Martel would ever be speechless!¡±


    Martel worked for a moment before a sound would come out, and he found himself laughing. ¡°Fine, if she¡¯ll have me.¡±


    Kimke turned and punched him playfully in his shoulder. ¡°Of course, you skullbashing idiot. I thought you¡¯d never ask.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, let¡¯s get somewhere safe, at haste!¡± The Tempest loomed ahead, lightning crackling within the depths.

 Chapter 16

    16


    The sun disappeared over the Edarian rim. Though the storm beneath was wider than the continent, Caru could still make out chunks of land from this vantage if he focused. He had stood on those cliffs before, looking out over the world below, over the Tempest¡¯s edge, but he had never considered flying down to look at it from the other direction. It was horrifying in its own way, how that lightning flashed and danced within those depths, the way that winds brushed against his face while still some miles out. The flight down to this point would have been a long one, but it was much longer walking. So much he had taken for granted.


    As the sun passed the rear side of the Tempest hours later, Cirellias¡¯s western half was perched high in the sky, followed by Rythellas, also about half full. They faced the west as twins as familiar stars appeared, twinkling in the twilight.


    It really did seem as though they might finally escape their pursuers, that they would be able to plunge themselves into the storm and find freedom on the other side.


    Caru watched as Kimke occasionally brushed against Martel as they continued westward. Mieta¡¯s urging Martel to finally admit his feelings seemed to have relaxed Kimke a bit. Martel seemed refined enough, but Caru had noticed Kimke could be uptight at times. Healers were used to their own roles in society, Caru suspected. Perhaps that role wouldn¡¯t keep a Sentinel and Healer from finding comfort in one another.


    ¡°Farm up ahead,¡± Martel said. He gestured with the slain soldier¡¯s spear. They had passed through a few small towns¡ªlittle more than four or five homes gathered around a central square¡ªthroughout the day, but this farm was far from any others. Caru strained to see lights or anything beyond, but there was nothing, not even a dirt path leading westward.


    The storm was close, and this would be their last chance to rest before making a decision the following day. A field separated them from the farm¡¯s barn by several hundred feet. The barn sat in the middle of the field, with a path leading from it to a farmhouse nearly half a mile away. Other farms dotted the landscape, but none farther west. These people seemed to like living as close to the world¡¯s edge as they could, but Caru didn¡¯t see how they could bear the constant storms slung out from the Tempest. ¡°Want to take a break for a few minutes?¡± Martel said. ¡°I want to get away from Ferrak and his men, but I could use a quick rest.¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± Caru said. ¡°Should we cut across the field? Seems like it¡¯d be quicker that way than to go all the way down and cut back upon that path.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look,¡± Martel said. He walked off the side of the road and studied the crops for a moment. It was hard to see without the sun, but the moons shone brightly enough. Martel brushed a hand over the short stalks before bringing it back with a wince. ¡°No good,¡± he said. ¡°Spinecorn.¡±


    Caru flinched. Spinecorn may make for delicious bread, but it would be nearly impossible to walk through without protective equipment. It grew much like other forms of corn, but with barbs on each kernel instead of long husks. Individually, the barbs were no threat, but they could still cut, and walking through several rows of them would be worse than any briar patch. Though spinecorn was delicious, it had to be ground into a fine powder before it could be made edible, and eating it raw was never an option. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not going that way, then,¡± Caru said. ¡°What do you two think?¡± he asked, looking over his shoulder to the women.


    Kimke looked first to the field, then to the farmhouse. ¡°We can¡¯t go through that field, but we do need to rest soon.¡±


    ¡°We can take the path around after, then,¡± Caru said. ¡°And get some rest in the barn. I¡¯ll keep watch when we get there. I¡¯m not tired yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Martel asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The Sentinel nodded. ¡°Then that settles it. Maybe it won¡¯t be as far as it¡ª¡°


    ¡°Light,¡± Mieta said.


    Martel cut off and looked down the eastern road, back the way they¡¯d come. Caru turned with Kimke and saw a strange light, moving so fast, almost like¡ª


    ¡°Down!¡± Martel yelled.


    Caru dropped to his stomach without a thought, pressing hands into the road¡¯s dirt. He turned to make sure Mieta was alright and saw her frightened face illuminated as the ball of light¡ªno, it was fire¡ªsailed overhead and passed harmlessly into the distance. A moment passed, and the world dimmed to moonlight again as the flame died. The sound of men running made Caru push himself up to hands and knees to see three men sprinting in his direction.


    ¡°Go!¡± Martel yelled.


    Caru quickly scanned to make sure that Kimke and Mieta heard the order, but they were already on their feet and rushing toward the spinecorn field. He did his best to catch up and pass them so he could try to clear a path, but they were gone and fleeing through the field. In a safer time, he could join them and they could stamp down the plants at the base, but for now, all they could do was cover their faces and dive in. Each row had a space of several feet between it and the next¨Cenough for a farmer to walk through without slicing their skin to ribbons without protective gear¨Cbut shoving through haphazardly was the only path left to them. Caru joined them, kept his face covered as best he could, and tried to flatten a path. He already felt several deep scratches oozing blood as he stamped down another plant.


    ¡ª


    Martel gripped his spear tightly as he advanced on the group of humans.


    Bloodmage. Swordsman. Rifleman. He swallowed. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but he could buy the others some time. He didn¡¯t know how Caru and Kimke had spent their weeks in captivity, but he had exercised. He had maintained his strength and grown more easily accustomed to his sense of balance without wings. Martel had known he would escape. He had been certain of it.


    He positioned himself so that the swordsman was between him and the man with the gun. He tightened the grip on his spear and charged.


    ¡ª


    Ferrak hesitated. He saw the way the Sentinel moved with the spear, but he was one against three. Ferrak could stay behind and deal with him personally, but the others were escaping through the field. Spinecorn? He would cut himself to ribbons getting through it, but he didn¡¯t mind shedding a little blood.


    He turned to Dell, who already had his rifle leveled. They met eyes, and Ferrak nodded. He would chase after the other three while his men dealt with the lone soldier. He ran a finger along one of the frozen vials hanging from his belt and turned to the field. The blood within flashed gold for an instant, and Ferrak launched a ball of light into the air. It glowed a dark orange as it illuminated the area.


    ¡ª


    As he crushed his way through the third row of what he thought must be fifty, the sound of steel against steel echoed in the distance. Light flared again, but no one cried out in pain. He feared for Martel, but knew he would be a liability if he went back to try and help.. Another light rose, but this time it ascended and froze in the sky, suspended above the road and the field¡¯s edge. Caru raced between another row of spinecorn. It bit into his arms again, but he shoved more plants aside. Mieta pushed through the gap and started working on the next row, blood already streaking along her arms.


    ¡ª


    Martel shifted to the right, mirroring the rifleman on the far side. The swordsman looked uncertain, but he held his blade before him. Single-edged, about two feet of Seranian steel glinting in the light of the bloodmage¡¯s spell. Shadows danced erratically as the orb in the sky flickered and burned.


    He looked from the swordsman to the rifleman, then to the sword itself. Martel glanced up to the man¡¯s eyes. The man tightened his grip on the sword, and the moment they both knew would come finally arrived. They advanced toward each other, both shouting. Martel brought his spear down to prepare for an upward sweep.


    They met, and the spear swept up, but the swordsman twisted to one side, angling to bring his blade down on Martel¡¯s overextended arm. Both screamed. Martel moved to his left as the sword came down, and it missed him by inches. He swept his spear back to get some distance between them and then fell into a double handed stance. He wanted a moment to stabilize his footing, but the rifle was still a threat.


    A shot rang out, but it missed wide. Hopefully, the shifting shadows the ball in the sky made would hinder the shooter. A curse sounded a moment before the casing was ejected. Martel didn¡¯t have long. He circled around until the swordsman was in the middle again.


    ¡ª


    Ferrak swore. He was blind in the field, and the kernels drew more blood along his exposed forearms than he¡¯d expected. Spilling blood was well enough for a bloodmage, but he could still die from blood loss if he wasn¡¯t careful.


    A drop of blood flashed gold, and lightning streaked from the clear sky. It arced to where Ferrak thought the fugitives might be, but no one cried out. Of course, he would never be that lucky.


    The Sentinel could die, could pay for Seisk¡¯s murder, but Ferrak wanted to bring the others in alive, if possible. Still, if necessary, the Blood Emperor would likely be satisfied with silencing them, as well. More beads of blood flashed gold, and more lighting flashed outward in a large arc before him.


    ¡ª


    Lightning stabbed from the open skies ahead in a rhythmic advance. Their pursuers must have seen them dive into the field but couldn¡¯t tell which direction they went. Gunfire cracked, the sound nearly lost in the thunder. Plants rustled some twenty feet to Caru¡¯s right, and the lightning began popping farther and farther away. It was lucky that the bloodmage had overestimated the speed they could make through the field.


    The lightning stopped, and Caru feared that the bloodmage may have given up on them to focus on Martel. He paused for a moment, and the sound of steel pinged in the distance again as Martel¡¯s fight continued. Caru entered what he thought was the seventh row of spinecorn. In the light of Ferrak¡¯s light, Caru looked down and saw the blood trickling down his arms. He muttered something even he couldn¡¯t hear and hoped Kimke and Mieta were in better condition. With a harsh wind and a brilliant light, a wide swath of fire carved a path through the field to his right. Apparently the man was going for a less targeted solution. Caru wanted to make for the open pathway, but that would only leave them open targets for both the bloodmage and the rifleman.


    ¡ª


    Martel grunted as the swordsman parried him again. He had to admit that the man was good, but he still thought he could take him in single combat.


    But there was the gun.


    If it had only been the swordsman, he would have many more options to get around his defenses. As it was, the swordsman kept angling to one side to give the other man a clear line of sight, so Martel had to keep outpacing him. The swordsman wasn¡¯t even trying to close the gap.


    Martel grunted and stabbed his spear at the man¡¯s right knee. It was parried again, but Martel knew to expect that by now. He leaned into the momentum as the spear tip was pushed away, rushing forward and cracking the butt of the spear against the man¡¯s jaw. The man shook his head, bewildered for a split second, and Martel was upon him.


    ¡ª


    Ferrak stepped into another row of spinecorn. Kernel spines were stuck into his uniform now.


    He focused, and there was a golden flash as the rows ahead of him flattened in a line, following the path his fireball had taken a moment earlier. He thought he would have heard more gunfire, but then he paused and heard more grunts and curses from the fight behind him. His men could certainly handle one wingless erman in uneven combat, right? He nodded and advanced forward. More blood burned gold, and a fan of fire pushed out before him and into the accursed field.


    ¡ª


    Barbed kernels swatted against Caru¡¯s face as he shoved another row of the devil plants down. Kimke didn¡¯t say anything, and Mieta had been silent since they¡¯d left the road.


    Caru stood still in front of the women and held his breath as heat blasted against his face. There was more fire, but now it was spread out like a fan instead of a single cutting orb. A low metallic sound roared its fury, but the spell quickly died out. Small flames licked against charred plants, but the stalks were still too moist from the previous night¡¯s rain for the fire to spread across the field.


    Caru spun left between two rows of spinecorn, leading the women through a wide path. Ferrak still searched, but Caru could at least take a moment to bat down another row of plants. He knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the open for long, even if it meant letting the crops shred his skin again. They rushed to the far side of the charred arc, all low to the ground to give the rifleman a smaller target. When they burst into the opening, their feet crunched through piles of plant matter that crumbled to ash with each step.


    ¡ª


    The swordsman reeled for a moment and appeared to gain his bearings before Martel brought the butt of his spear into the man¡¯s chin. He staggered backward, and Martel arced the metal end of his spear onto his right hand. The swordsman cursed, and the blade fell away onto the dirt path.


    He looked up, horrified, but Martel had no time for it. He brought his spear back, then lunged it forward into his opponent¡¯s belly with a double-handed grip. Blood leaked from his mouth as Martel ripped his spear back. When he fell to his knees, Martel shoved him aside and sprinted toward the gunman.


    ¡ª


    Another gunshot.


    Ferrak paused, listening for a moment. It was oddly quiet back on the road. He considered going back to see what had happened, but he was almost upon the others. It was clear they were making for the barn.


    But still¡­


    He focused, and lightning rained upon the road. Not much, but it could upset the balance. Make the Sentinel think Ferrak was paying more attention to the fight or even returning to it.


    Then he ran forward into the burned field and launched a weak ball of fire in the direction of the barn, not daring to destroy it. Let them find their sanctuary. He threw spells haphazardly, trying to level as much of the field as possible.


    ¡ª


    Their footsteps raced along the other side of the ashen ring. The blackened area covered a span of nearly twenty rows to the barn, but more rows remained untouched at the boundary. Mieta raced ahead of the others, tucking her body into a shoulder charge and ramming into the next row at the ash¡¯s edge. Caru passed her as she stood, and he ran into the next row, rolling into a ball as he tumbled, no longer caring if it scraped or cut, only that he might give the others a wider area to run through. A single ball of flame carved a path through the field, but it missed far to the right.


    A sound arose from Ferrak¡¯s direction. Someone cursed, and more lightning flashed down. The attack faded, and there was another report from the rifle. Caru shook his head, trying to keep his thoughts clear in the cacophony. Another row fell before him. Another row, another row.


    Spells flew in all directions, but each one pinpointed Ferrak¡¯s location. How many spells could he cast? How did humans have so much blasted blood? Lightning, fire, even gusts of wind flattened patches of the field. Spinecorn ripped at Caru¡¯s body, but the rows and rows of it kept the bloodmage blind. Someone behind cried out in pain. At least it didn¡¯t sound like Martel. Ferrak shouted another curse, and Caru pressed forward, shoving down another row. A massive downburst of wind flattened rows of spinecorn for a hundred feet surrounding the bloodmage. Stalks slapped against Caru¡¯s body as he fell, and he heard pained hisses from Kimke and Mieta.


    He shook his head as he stood and lurched forward from the fallen plants. Their pursuer cried out as he spotted their flight to the next rows of spinecorn with the barn now so close. He rushed toward them, but the orb of light overhead suddenly winked out, and he vanished in the sudden darkness. Mieta stumbled and fell, but Caru quickly knelt beside her and helped her gain her footing. He was shocked at the amount of blood leaking from both of them.


    Ground split open in a radiating pattern. Caru grunted as he tripped over one of the cracks and fell headfirst into the next row of spinecorn, multiple barbs raking against him as he stumbled. I¡¯ll never eat another skullbashing hunk of bread in my life! He forced himself to stay on his feet and lunged forward, stomping down another row and another and another until he crushed the final one.


    The barn loomed before them like a bastion of sanctuary. Caru knew it wouldn¡¯t stop a bloodmage¡¯s assault, but, with luck, the man would have bled himself out enough to keep from destroying it outright. Caru made staggering progress toward the building before stumbling into the wall. He leaned against it as he shuffled his way into darkness.


    Another flame rushed overhead, striking above where he had stood a moment earlier. The spell felt weak, hasty. Paint peeled away from the fire, but the wood didn¡¯t burn. Caru led the women around the corner to the front of the barn. Blood slicked his own hands as he pried the barn¡¯s double doors open and ducked inside. Without the open area outside, Caru thought he might have a chance to make an attack against the bloodmage. He feared it would likely be a suicidal attack, unsure of his ability to kill the man with a single blow.


    The three of them stood together against the back wall in a defensive position. Caru didn¡¯t know what they were all planning to do, but he scanned the barn interior looking for anything to use as a weapon. A pitchfork and shovel leaned against the door opposite them next to a heavily padded single-piece suit designed for spinecorn work.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡ª


    Martel didn¡¯t know how long it took the man to ready another shot, but it wouldn¡¯t be more than a few seconds. Of all the things he knew, he suddenly wished he¡¯d learned more about rifles. From what he¡¯d seen, the soldier would fire, then pull a bolt to eject the cartridge, and then aim to fire again. He didn¡¯t know how many bullets a gun like that could hold, but he did know he¡¯d been shot at four times.


    The barrel swept in his direction, so he tried to randomize his movement. The end of the barrel swayed a bit as Martel advanced, but then it froze for a moment. Rather than weave back into his path, he instead suddenly dodged far right. The soldier fired before he had a chance to correct, and the bullet sank into the dirt several hundred feet to Martel¡¯s rear.


    Only a few seconds.


    Martel ran forward as the soldier ejected the cartridge. He tried bringing the gun down, but Martel was already on him. He held his spear to keep the gun from descending further, and then kneed the rifleman in the stomach. The other man grunted, but he held onto his gun. Standing in that pose, with each struggling against the other¡¯s weapon, Martel suddenly leaned forward and slammed his forehead into his opponent¡¯s.


    His vision swam for a moment, but the other had been too blindsided to expect it. He dropped his gun to the ground. Martel brought his spear back, and rammed it into the man¡¯s chest. The soldier slumped and fell to his side on the ground.


    As the man lay bleeding out into the dirt, Martel kicked him onto his back. With a foot planted on the soldier¡¯s shoulder, Martel braced himself and pulled the spear free.


    Two down, and only a bloodmage remained.


    One attack is all it takes, he reassured himself as he ran into the destroyed spinecorn field.


    ¡ª


    After an agonizing delay, the bloodmage¡¯s hand wrapped itself around the outer door jamb, and he pulled himself into full view. Long hair hung loose about his face, partially consuming the mad gaze within his eyes. His arms bore many scrapes and cuts, but few of those bled. Amazing with how deep they were, but they remained dry. Hopefully in his fury, he had burned himself dry. His right hand held a dagger in a tight grip, the blade pressed high against his own left arm. A new cut would give enough blood for at least one spell, that much Caru knew.


    ¡°My men are dead,¡± the bloodmage wheezed. The man couldn¡¯t be used to so much physical exertion, and the blood loss had to be mounting. The dagger trembled in his grasp as he prepared himself to open his arm again. ¡°I heard one of them die a moment ago, and there are no more gunshots. Farren and Dell are both gone. We were supposed to bring you back to Theop, but your Sentinel killed us.¡± The blade pressed into his arm, digging deep before dragging across, and a thick bead of blood swelled and slid down his bicep, his forearm, and into his left hand. ¡°We were supposed to bring you back alive, but I think you¡¯ll understand our grudge, Caru.¡± Gold flashed in his hands as blood burned, but it vanished as quickly.


    Martel lunged from behind, sweeping the butt of his spear through the backs of the man¡¯s knees, sending the bloodmage down in a heap. ¡°Get out of here!¡± Martel said, looking at Caru before rolling the bloodmage over on the barn floor. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡±  The bloodmage tried to regain footing, but he staggered, either from blood loss or Martel¡¯s blow. He pushed himself to one knee, then swayed for a moment before dropping into a huddled position.


    Caru nodded, and the three of them crossed the room to the entrance.


    Martel pressed a boot against the bloodmage¡¯s chest and shoved back, sending him pinwheeling awkwardly before falling against a support beam in the middle of the barn. Caru stood in the doorway watching as the women hurried around the corner.


    ¡°You took away who we were,¡± Martel growled, bringing his spear up and angling the tip toward the bloodmage¡¯s throat. ¡°I want to know why, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re important enough to know.¡± The Sentinel¡¯s muscles tensed, and he stabbed the spear point forward.


    Ferrak raised a hand to defend himself, and it was enough. The spear glanced along his forearm, sliding it off target from his sternum and into his stomach. Ferrak howled in agony, throwing his head back and gripping the spear with both hands. No spells came. Shock. Ferrak was already delirious, but now squirming in a pool of his own blood as he and Martel fought for control of the spear.


    Martel turned, and Caru saw the fear in his eyes. ¡°Get them out of here! Now!¡± he bellowed.


    Kimke took a step forward, looking at the impaled figure on its back before Martel. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, softly despite the dying screams pouring from the bloodmage.


    Martel turned and glared at her. ¡°I¡¯m keeping you safe. Now go!¡±


    Caru pulled her away, and they were gone.


    ¡ª


    Martel found himself with several options. The spear in his hands, which was now jammed between two ribs in the bloodmage¡¯s back, the pitchfork and shovel at the door, at the rear of the barn, where the three others had stood, a machete hung from a peg on the wall, or his own fists.


    The machete was the best option, but it was far enough away that he would have to leave Ferrak unattended for a few seconds.


    So Martel planted a hand on Ferrak¡¯s chest, stamped down hard, and yanked the spear out. A part of him hoped that the trauma would cause the bloodmage to pass out until he died, but sometimes people held on for a moment longer than they should. Sometimes people found one last reserve of strength or one instant of clarity. The bloodmage¡¯s eyes cleared, and the two of them shared one look into each other¡¯s eyes. One look, and they knew their fate was inexorably tied together, that any paths their lives might have taken would have led to this moment.


    Martel remembered.


    He remembered the cries from his brother and sister when he told them that their mother had died, gone to join their father in whatever came next. He remembered being little more than a child and raising them while he tried to raise himself. He remembered seeing them finally grown into adulthood and realizing that protection was his role in life now. He remembered going to the Sentinel recruiter, telling them that he was shifted Destruction, and that he was willing to fight to protect.


    He had killed a handful of people in his life, and he had admitted as much to the others. Once, things had gotten out of control in a fight in a bar in eastern Garenesh. A drunken erman had taken offense to something a group of humans had said. Sentinels were often stationed near bars in order to maintain Edaria¡¯s peace to those in other lands. No matter where an erman went, they were bound to be watched by local Sentinels. Someone in the bar had run out to the street to cry for help, and Martel had gone inside as the drunken erman¡¯s wings had spread wide, and sent a ball of fire into his agitator¡¯s chest. The man had lived, though he¡¯d later sworn off drinking for good, and had hopefully never entered another bar or tavern in his life. The erman hadn¡¯t been as fortunate, and his life had ended with Martel¡¯s spear jammed through his back.


    Two others had been Soulless ermen, and those situations were always kept quiet. Caru had once mentioned in their walk from Lieve that they were probably the first to be Soulless and uncontrolled in centuries, but that wasn¡¯t true. ¡°Make friends quick¡± was the advice given to erman prisoners. Those that didn¡¯t¡­ All ermen returned to Edaria during Soulless, and that included Sentinels. With nothing to do in the human world below, they were stationed to prisons for the night. A group of Sentinels could restrain a Soulless erman, but it was often too difficult to maintain. Martel had been a part of six of those operations, and he had killed two of them himself.


    He wondered how many humans he had killed during his escape from his cell in the Seranian training facility in northeastern Garenesh. He wondered, but only to himself. Killing was dark business, and he didn¡¯t want to know.


    He remembered one night after a Soulless moon almost two years ago, when he had killed the second Soulless inmate. He remembered going to a bar in southern Garenesh and trying to forget. He had been off-duty, and many of the other Sentinels had recommended it. He remembered sitting on a stool at the bar in the dim light, staring into a mug of beer. He remembered a blonde erman sitting on the chair next to him, a pretty woman, a Healer.


    ¡°What¡¯s got you so down?¡± she¡¯d asked before calling the bartender over and ordering a drink.


    He¡¯d wanted to tell her.


    Instead, he¡¯d laughed softly. ¡°Nothing,¡± he¡¯d said after a moment. ¡°Just trying to decide if I¡¯ve had too much to drink.¡± He¡¯d looked over to her and smiled, and she¡¯d smiled back. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got room for one more,¡± he¡¯d said before motioning the bartender over and ordering one more.


    They¡¯d talked, and it had been nice. She¡¯d talked about her day as a Healer. She¡¯d watched someone die, someone beyond saving. She¡¯d known it wasn¡¯t her fault, that not everyone could be saved, but she¡¯d needed to go back out and recall what it meant to be alive for an hour or two.


    He remembered making plans to do it again the next week, then the next week, and so on. He remembered enjoying her company. He remembered his friends urging him to ask her out for something more. He remembered feeling inadequate, feeling that she deserved better, feeling everything that made him look for always one more damned excuse.


    And then he remembered Mieta finally doing what no one else had thought of¡ªasking her out on his behalf. He remembered the flutter in his heart when she¡¯d agreed, and he remembered the quiet relief that had come after that, and the lingering sense of joy that remained even now. He remembered wondering if he¡¯d loved Kimke all that time.


    He stood and angled his spear at the dying bloodmage¡¯s neck. As he lunged, the sea of blood that surrounded them flashed gold.


    He was glad that he had bought Kimke enough time to get away. He thought of the others, Caru, Kimke, his brother, his sister, his friends, all the people that had helped him throughout his life.


    But in that last instant, he thought of Kimke, and he smiled.


    And then he was gone.


    ¡ª


    A flash overtook the field as Caru, Mieta, and Kimke ran back through the trampled and burned rows of spinecorn. In an instant, the flash collapsed in on itself, forming into a massive ball of pure white that shattered the windows of the barn before incinerating the walls. The light throbbed, expanding with each pulse, eating more of the land each time. Heat blasted against Caru¡¯s back, and he struggled to stay upright.


    With a piercing howl, the bubble of light shattered, focusing into a westward beam. The howl faded and shifted into a high wailing sound as though hell had opened up onto thousands of damned souls. The world lit up around them, and the ground quaked under their feet, buckling in a wave as the light ripped through the earth, shrieking louder as it fanned outward.


    As the land buckled, Mieta fell sprawling. Caru turned, bellowing words even he couldn¡¯t hear. He tried shielding his eyes from the intense light, but his forearm made for a weak barrier. He squinted against it as he made his way to Mieta. How long do these damned things last?


    Martel.


    He gritted his teeth as he pulled his forearm from his face, lending Mieta a hand as she stood. The beam still raged, but the spread stopped, leaving it as a wide column that pierced the Tempest.


    As Caru stood at her side, Kimke shuffled past with slow, disjointed steps. Her hands twitched at her sides, sometimes opening completely, other times balling into tight fists, other times flexing unevenly, only two or three fingers extending. Not a good sign. She did not shield her eyes from Ferrak¡¯s deathflare. It shone brighter than the sun, but still she stared forward.


    Caru fell into a long stride, rushing toward her as he tried not to look at the shaft of light. It finally abated slightly, but the beam still burned hot. He thought he shouted her name, but he couldn¡¯t hear over the dying spell. Pure white light collapsed into myriad spiraling colors.


    He placed his hand on Kimke¡¯s shoulder, and he tried to turn her around, to at least make her stop staring into the light. He opened his mouth to speak, but took a backward step as a full-armed slap blurred his vision. He drew his hand back and instinctively balled it into a fist without thought as he took a staggering step away. Strength of will reminded him that this wasn¡¯t a fight, and he unclenched his fist. No, the fight was over. Now he faced a woman who¡¯d lost more than he could imagine.


    As his vision refocused, Caru stepped forward and behind her. The deathflare finally dissipated; the twisting colors collapsed into cascading points of light, and then even those were gone. It would have been beautiful under different circumstances. Darkness again engulfed the countryside, leaving it lit only by the two moons. Shadows danced as his vision returned.


    Kimke broke into a sprint, but quickly fell as she tripped over a fold in the land. Caru slid into a kneeling position at her side and placed a hand on her left arm, which she promptly brushed away before standing again. She ran to where the barn had stood, now the epicenter of a crater that marked a bloodmage¡¯s death.


    Caru chased after her.


    Land provided difficult footing after the last and largest fold, which was nearly three feet high. Beyond that¡ª


    Glass, or something like it.


    The reflective surface stretched out in an arc over the remaining miles between the farm and the Tempest. Several warped reflections of the moon and stars shone up from it. Caru slipped on it, skidding several feet forward before catching himself. It was too slick for his shoes, so he removed both so his feet could find better traction. The ground was slick, but the glassy substance wasn¡¯t thick. It crunched beneath his footsteps like walking over a thin layer of ice.


    ¡°Kimke!¡± he shouted, but she never slowed. Instead, she broke into a run, shaking her head in denial.


    Her footing slipped, and she fell, sliding to her knees. She scrambled forward on all fours, pulling herself along by her hands as she tried to get her feet beneath her again. Her frustrated cry made Caru wince, but he lunged forward again, this time wrapping an arm around her shoulders.


    ¡°Leave me alone!¡± she screamed, voice cracking into a ragged sob on the last syllable. She bowed her head, long blonde hair pooling against the cool, reflective ground. The world seemed to hold its breath as Kimke sucked in air with long, ragged gasps. A tapping sound accompanied her breathing, the sound of tears splashing onto the surface. Tik! Tik-tik! She bunched her right hand into a fist and brought it down against the ground. The surface did not shatter like glass but instead cracked into a large web. Stars, moons, her own image, all broke and multiplied, divided in the reflection. Kimke spat against the network of her own reflection, bringing her fist upon it again and again, breaking herself further.


    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked. Her voice hitched again.


    ¡°Kimke, I¨C¡± Caru said before realizing he did not know the words.


    ¡°Where is he?¡± A whisper.


    Caru let his arm slide from her shoulders as he stood. There was nothing to say. Lightning flashed in the Tempest¡¯s depths as though it tried to heal itself from the gash Ferrak had carved into its side. The storm¡¯s deadly rhythm pulsed within.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left,¡± Kimke said. ¡°It¡¯s all gone. Everything is gone. Him. He¡¯s gone.¡±


    Caru didn¡¯t want to accept Martel¡¯s death. Something about having the Sentinel in their retinue seemed to stabilize their flight. The man was so damned capable.


    Now Caru felt lost again, as he had on the day after his escape from the armory, wandering the streets of Garenesh. Martel had been the man watching over them, protecting them. He¡¯d singlehandedly exterminated their pursuers. More may come, but he¡¯d killed the ones nearest to them, including a bloodmage at the expense of his own life. Martel had even bought them enough time to dive into the storm.


    Everything between the barn and the stormwall was simply gone. No sign of Martel, no sign of Ferrak. Nothing. No sound except that of Kimke¡¯s breathing and the tears against the ground, both punctuated by the Tempest¡¯s wailing. Footfalls approached ever closer, coming from behind.


    ¡°I¡¯m useless,¡± Kimke whispered.


    Caru steeled himself at her side. He had expected this conversation for some time, and he supposed now was inappropriate but inevitable.


    ¡°I know what you want to say,¡± she said. Her voice hitched, but she hammered a fist into the ground, defying her anguish and forcing herself forward. ¡°You want to tell me¡­ I don¡¯t know. You probably want to tell me that I¡¯m a good person, that I hold us together, that I¡¯m good moral support, something like that.¡±


    ¡°Kimke,¡± he began again.


    ¡°No!¡± she said. ¡°You can still do your job. Martel could still do his, and Mieta can still do hers. What do I have left?¡± she asked. ¡°I can¡¯t even heal a small cut anymore!¡± Her voice gained strength. ¡°I was a Healer! Now if I so much as start a small fire, I pass out for hours? A spark is all it takes to spend me? Where is the justice? I lost the one I love¡ªI can say that now¡ªand there¡¯s nothing I could have done. With wings¡­ With wings, maybe I could have healed the bloodmage, stopped his blood flow somehow. But¡­ But then the deathflare.¡±


    ¡°Kimke, there was¡ª¡°


    ¡°You can come back here and build a statue in his honor if you want,¡± she said. ¡°No matter how many bandages I make¡ª¡° She spat on the ground. ¡°¡ªNothing will bring him back. I can¡¯t even honor his memory!¡±


    He wanted to say more, but he held back. It would only make things worse.


    ¡°You know,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°I could have done it. You¡ª You always talked about maybe setting up a life again somewhere. Learning to sculpt and pretending to be a human, right? I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to Heal again. I was wrong. I could have put it together. I¡­ I know anatomy. I know a few basic salves I could make. I¡­ With him, I could have done it. I would have found a way to make it work. But now.¡± She exhaled and gave herself a moment to weep. ¡°I can¡¯t. Not like this. Not without him.¡± Another breath. ¡°It was finally coming together! The idiot man.¡± She laughed twice before it fell into ragged sobs again. ¡°That stupid man waited so long to take a chance with me that he could have taken over a year ago. I wanted him to, and I would have made the first move eventually. But I wanted him to, you know. And I had him. Finally, I had him. And now, there¡¯s nothing. I could have done it, and now I can¡¯t.¡±


    She punched the ground a third time, breaking a small section into shards. Kimke plucked one as though picking a flower, holding it in her right hand, gripping until rivulets of blood seeped between her slim, delicate fingers. The shard flashed in the moonlight, first reflecting Rythellas, then a wide swath of stars, and finally settling on the image of her face. Her voice was distant. ¡°It killed him,¡± she said. The shard twisted in her hand as she lowered it against her left wrist. ¡°It should kill me too.¡±


    Caru shoved forward as her muscles tensed, hand ready to drag the glassy shard over her wrist. He pressed down, knocking Kimke onto her side. ¡°Let me do it!¡± she screamed as the shard fell from her grip. Kimke toppled, and her mangled right palm smeared blood over the ground. ¡°Let me do it!¡± she screamed again. ¡°I¡¯m useless. Let me die. I¡¯m nothing!¡± Sobbing wracked through her body as she pushed Caru away and raised herself to hands and knees. ¡°Please. Why?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in this together,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°He¡¯s not!¡±


    The words stung. ¡°Not now,¡± Caru said. ¡°But he got us as far as he could.¡± It was hard to mask his own grief, to wear the brave face for her sake. ¡°If we don¡¯t press on, he died for nothing.¡± The footsteps behind quickened as Mieta saw the expanse of blood. She staggered to Caru¡¯s side, standing beside him, ready to kneel beside Kimke. She was still breathing hard. She¡¯d lost a lot of blood to the spinecorn field, almost as much as Caru himself. Caru wanted to tell her to wait, but the words didn¡¯t come soon enough.


    When Mieta¡¯s hand touched Kimke¡¯s shoulder, the erman woman slapped it away. ¡°Get your hand off of me, human.¡±


    Mieta spun, locking her confused and hurt gaze against Caru¡¯s eyes. It pained him, seeing her like that. She¡¯d tried so hard to not be set aside as something different from the others. He sighed and took a step closer to Kimke.


    ¡°Humans have brought us nothing but pain,¡± Kimke said, standing so she could face Mieta. ¡°Took our wings, tortured us, beat us, chased us, killed us! What we should do is repay them in kind.¡± She spat. ¡°Humans.¡±


    ¡°Kimke,¡± Mieta said.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Kimke took a step forward and stared into Mieta¡¯s face. Mieta was tall for a human, but she still looked small against a looming erman woman. ¡°I want to kill a human for the sake of justice.¡± She poked a finger against Mieta¡¯s chest. Mieta shrank away, obviously not wanting to hear any more of what Kimke had to say. ¡°You should be thankful for your guardian.¡± Kimke turned to Caru. ¡°We should leave her here, but I know you won¡¯t stand for it. You¡¯re a fool for that. I¡¯ll protect you if I can¡ªMartel would want it that way¡ªbut you¡¯ll have to be careful on your own. Martel swore to protect ermen.¡± She turned again to Mieta. ¡°Only ermen.¡± With that, she shoved her way between the two of them, plodding against the glassy road that led from Martel¡¯s last stand and the destination he was taking them to. The storm wall flashed.


    Caru and Mieta stood in silence, watching Kimke dwindle with each step. His body ached as he watched her moving away, a horrid mix of despair and bloody injuries. A small hand intertwined against his own, but it didn¡¯t draw back from the blood in his palm. He gave it a squeeze. He needed comfort.


    ¡°I loved him, too,¡± Mieta said. She sniffed and brought the heel of her free hand to scrub tears from her cheeks.


    ¡°I know,¡± Caru said. Tears now leaked from his own eyes. How could he comfort anyone when he hurt so much himself? Maybe he could sculpt again one day, but for now he was as useless as Kimke felt. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°I did, too.¡±

 Chapter 17

    17


    It was painful, watching Kimke as she stalked some distance ahead, hands clenched into fists. She never looked over her shoulder and didn¡¯t seem to care if Caru and Mieta still followed. Martel¡¯s death had cut her deeply, and Caru worried that Mieta was the only human around for Kimke to hate. Caru hated the Seranian military even more¡ªespecially knowing that Theop himself was the root of their agony¡ªbut Mieta wasn¡¯t like that. If anything, she was the only human he had trusted in nearly three weeks.


    Meanwhile Mieta kept her head bowed, watching her feet as they shuffled along. When they approached the storm¡¯s edge, they turned north toward Chasar. There was no longer a pressing need to go into the storm, but they could still hold the border and make it to Chasar in several days if they pushed themselves. Wind blew rain over them so many times that they no longer bothered wiping it away. Kimke marched, Mieta looked to her feet, and Caru wondered if he could make any of it better.


    Caru cursed himself. He should have been able to do something more while Martel fought. A few tools had remained in the shed, and he wondered if there was anything he could have done differently, anything that wouldn¡¯t have gotten them all killed. But no, he was not a trained fighter; anything he had tried would have only put him in the way or caused more damage. He remembered the night they¡¯d left Kalis, when he¡¯d feinted weakly with the spear against the fallen soldier, never able to find an attack he was confident in. Martel had accepted the spear from him and finished the job. Martel had been their protector, and his death bore into Caru deeper than any amount of spinecorn ever could. Sometimes, when he let his guard down, Caru allowed himself to weep for their loss.


    Each time he did, he knew he didn¡¯t feel a fraction of what Kimke did.


    The sun sped across the sky, carving a path from horizon to zenith, shrinking shadows away from the Tempest¡¯s face. The showers the storm expelled usually passed quickly, but the pouring rain constantly stung Caru¡¯s scratches and cuts. The gashes at his knees and elbows still leaked blood, never having time to heal without use. If nothing else, the rain washed him clean, but he still felt himself pressed to the brink of exhaustion. Mieta bore plenty of her own scrapes and scratches, but she grimaced each time she looked at him. He didn¡¯t know if he wanted to know what he looked like if his ripped and bloodied shirt was any indication. His feet ached as the sun disappeared behind Edaria shortly after noon. Mieta slowed her pace, but Kimke remained resolute. If he and Mieta stopped for a rest, they might be able to catch up to her later. If anything, she walked faster with each passing sheet of rain. Following her felt more like a pursuit than an escape.


    The land cooled as the sun hid, and the showers came more frequently. Caru shivered with a chill and very nearly called out to Kimke to slow down, but she ran from him and Mieta as surely as she fled from anything they were leaving behind in Serana. If she kept her pace, she would march until she passed out.


    Finally he called out. ¡°Kimke!¡± he shouted. They had to stop, or they would die. His voice was thick and hoarse, barely sounding like himself at all. Mieta patted him across the back; thankfully that hadn¡¯t been pulped the night before. She offered a warm smile before trailing the hand away and distancing herself to his right. The gesture was clear: If Kimke turned around, it would be best for her to see them separated. Caru brought his hands to his mouth in a cone, and he bellowed her name again. ¡°Kimke!¡± Thunder echoed from within the Tempest.


    Up ahead, Kimke shook her head and broke into a run. Caru cursed as he pushed off the ground, chasing after her. She was the slower runner, but Caru¡¯s wounds caught up with him quickly. Between his ragged breaths, he heard Mieta following close behind. His muscles felt like water, as if they would dissolve in the storm¡¯s next wave. No sleep in over a day and nearly two days without food. He wanted to shout to Mieta to stop running, that he would take care of everything and bring Kimke back when he settled her. He knew Kimke wouldn¡¯t want to see Mieta, not yet. Kimke needed time to compose herself, if time would even let her heal that wound.


    ¡°Kimke!¡± he shouted again. Her name burned in his throat.


    She ran faster.


    Deep scratches split open again, and he saw blood blossoming on his forearm with each step forward. A gust of wind blew more rain on him, and it burned. His vision blurred, and pain flared into agony. It was nothing compared to his treatment while imprisoned, but it was enough to make him consider stopping. Gold flecks spotted his vision, but he blinked them away. This was no time to faint.


    At least Mieta knew better than to run ahead and restrain Kimke. Caru didn¡¯t think he had the strength to break up a fight. Wind blew more rain on him, but he clenched his teeth and forced his way through. Thunder boomed, and Caru yelled in a wild, wordless howl. How far would the skullbashing woman run?


    ¡°Kimke!¡±


    And then she did the one thing he¡¯d hoped she wouldn¡¯t.


    She screamed, covered her ears, and veered left, sprinting forward a short distance before diving into the seemingly solid wall of rain that marked the Eternal Tempest¡¯s edge. She disappeared quickly behind a cover of heavy rain, fading from black to gray to nothing.


    Caru ignored his body¡¯s pleas as he followed. He covered several hundred feet before crashing against the storm. He cursed again as he heard Mieta splashing through behind him. Lightning stabbed in the distance with multiple strikes, and a twinge pulsed in his back, where his wings had once rested. It wasn¡¯t pain, but something else that felt familiar. A quiet hum. He tried shouting Kimke¡¯s name through the storm, but his lungs were no match for the Tempest. Anything he said was gone as soon as it came from his mouth. He looked over his shoulder. Nothing. He stood so near the edge of the storm but could no longer see a way out. Only rain in all directions. Then there was Mieta, slowly approaching.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    It would be easy to get lost in here, Caru knew. He wondered if there was some trick to navigating down here, and he cursed to himself when he realized that Martel had probably known one. He had trained down here at some point to become a Sentinel, so they must have taught him something. The land was largely featureless, and getting turned around would only drive them deeper within the storm.


    He paused and considered abandoning Kimke. Only for an instant, and the corresponding chill wasn¡¯t brought about by the rain.


    Mieta came to his side, her arms folded over her waist, hunched forward as rain smoothed her long black hair over her back. He turned and looked into her eyes. Though she looked resolute, she looked like she was crying. It was hard to tell with the rain, but he wanted to cry himself.


    Her lips moved, but no sound reached him. Lightning punched the ground nearby. How had they ever thought to escape through this?


    Of course they had; they¡¯d had Martel.


    The landscape inside was completely barren, scoured clean by centuries. No plants, no animals, only an unending expanse of stone and mud that seemed to spread out forever.


    There was that tickle between his shoulders again. He didn¡¯t understand how, but it seemed to point somewhere. He shook his head. His mind was cracking under the strain. He spun in circles, looking for direction.


    Then his feet moved. He looked back to Mieta and then pointed toward¡­something. It was faint, but it felt right, like coming home after a long absence. Mieta nodded and followed behind as he led them to where this itch indicated. He worried he would drown beneath the constant rain.


    Had he ever felt thirst? Impossible.


    The sensation in his back was faint, but it was insistent. Was this how the Sentinels navigated the storm?


    Time passed without meaning. No sun, no sky, only the ever-present rain, lighting, and howling wind. How many hours? One? Two? Six? He shuffled forward into the storm, worried that he and Mieta would become separated. Panic rose within his chest as he imagined being lost in this storm until he died from exposure, but he feared that was already likely. Yet each time he turned to look, there she was, resolute.


    Kimke was lost in this blasted storm somewhere. Did she feel the same itch between her shoulders?


    His mouth and throat worked to make the word ¡°Kimke,¡± but not even Caru could hear it anymore.


    His body cried in pain, but he pressed forward. Kimke may not understand anyone but herself, but Caru wanted to find her again, needed to find her. Eight days had passed since  the  three ermen had escaped human imprisonment. One of those had already died, and he would be damned if he let her die as well. He would rush forward, grab her, find a way back out of the storm, and then¡ª


    There, in the distance. Lightning focused at a single point. Red, blue, pink, purple, all colors crashing together. The sensation in his back pointed there. He knew he had to reach it. The storm hummed with its own quiet breath, but that one point was alive. Though Mieta must have had her own questions, she followed without hesitation. If she thought Caru knew any more than she, it would be foolish. Foolish if she thought that being erman meant that Caru had insight into the world¡¯s workings. No one knew anything about the Tempest so far in, and this maybe by only a dozen miles. Tomes of literature had been written about it from the outside, but Caru knew he was already further in than anyone he¡¯d heard of had ever been before. No writings would mention this. Martel certainly hadn¡¯t said anything about it.


    Walking this far in as an erman would have been suicide. Martel said that wings could attract the lightning if they were spread wide, as though the lightning wanted to take the place of the moon¡¯s aether. Normal lightning alone would typically keep ermen on the ground during storms, and this was far from ordinary.


    He still worked his lungs to call after Kimke, despite the futility. Mieta now walked at his side rather than following. Exhaustion was a constant presence. Most of Caru¡¯s cuts and gouges were open again, and the wind and rain damaged his body further. He staggered, but Mieta¡¯s hand pressed into the small of his back and urged him forward. Lightning met at one focal point, and something finally came into view.


    It was incredible.


    Caru turned to Mieta¡ªshe really did look ragged after exposure to the Tempest¡ªand motioned for her to follow. Somewhere from deep within, he found the strength to run, feet plunging into muddy ground with each stride. His body screamed for him to stop, but he pushed forward. That sensation in his back had led him true.


    He halted as he came to the bottom of a tiered pedestal, black as midnight. A high, vaulted arch rose from the center of the highest level, the peak reaching almost thirty feet into the air. Strange symbols covered the Portal¡¯s surface, seeming to dance and shift even as they remained still.


    He turned to Mieta, hopeful. She looked up, confused.


    No one was here to hold the Portal open, but it was active. Light shone through the symbols across its surface and along the joined seams, radiating through the striations of the frozen ebony rope that ran its length. It kept dimming, but it regained strength each time lightning struck the peak. The roar of the storm was deafening, but lightning held the Portal open. A surface like fluid filled the Portal¡¯s interior. It didn¡¯t move in the rain and wind. In the middle of the Tempest, that one surface remained perfectly still, smooth as glass.


    Open!


    His mind raced with the word.


    It was somewhat concerning that this one was filled with red light and yellow swirls instead of the blue that he had seen in every other Portal. Something was different, but the mere existence of this Portal shook everything he thought he knew. Here it was, and it was open.


    Caru gripped Mieta¡¯s hand and felt a comforting squeeze. He looked to her for confirmation, and she nodded. They made their way up the pedestal steps, and all of his body¡¯s pain muted. He pressed his free hand against the Portal surface, relieved to find it felt the same as ever. He grinned at Mieta as they stepped through the Portal, eager to see what was on the other side.

 Chapter 18

    18


    Light rippled through the air like waves, shimmering over a lush landscape. Though the Portal looked to be identical to the one they had passed through, the world on this side looked different, alien. Some of the vegetation was familiar¡ªthey found themselves in a clearing in the middle of a copse of oaks, pines, ferns, and other familiar plants¡ªbut other plants grew at odd angles and bore strange leaves. One plant grew in stalks with long, drooping tubes that brushed the ground, swaying in a light breeze.


    There was no sky.


    When Caru looked up, he saw only more earth, hanging down from the jagged ceiling of a massive cave, over a thousand feet high with no edges in sight. Stalactites pointed to the world below, and he fought the urge to cover his head and hide beneath the oaks.


    Though the ceiling hid the sun, there was still that shimmering light. It seemed to come from all directions at once, but Caru saw a source in the distance, a rod of light that connected the ground to the ceiling above. From the point where the rod connected to the ceiling, it broke apart into a web of light branching along the ceiling in all directions.


    With shaking steps, Caru brought his drenched body away from the Portal and off of the black pedestal. Water tapped quietly as he and Mieta descended, leaving small puddles in their wake. Neither of them spoke as they studied this strange world.


    He didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d been holding his breath, but he exhaled slowly as he pressed his feet into the soft soil. Lightning flashed somewhere in the distance, but it was too far away for the thunder to come crashing through. A cool breeze blew over them, and this one was thankfully free of rain.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Mieta whispered.


    Caru nodded dumbly. He couldn¡¯t find the words.


    A thought occurred, and he spun to face the Portal again.


    Empty. No reflective surface, no ripples. Nothing.


    Mieta turned with him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no power,¡± he said, taking a short step to the pedestal¡¯s base. ¡°The other side was activated because of the lightning. It must have been some kind of wild aether. There¡¯s nothing on this side, though.¡± He studied it, hoping to see some change. This wasn¡¯t how Portals were supposed to work. Paired Portals were supposed to activate in tandem. Perhaps it had something to do with the lightning? Was that why the Portal¡¯s interior had been red?


    Mieta stood at his side, frowning and looking up at the Portal. ¡°And Kimke?¡± That name broke the spell the beautiful clearing had cast.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Caru said. ¡°I can only hope she felt whatever I did back there. Some kind of buzzing led me here. At any rate, we can¡¯t go back through this as it is. Not yet, anyway. We¡¯ll need to find another way back.¡±


    ¡°I hope she found her way,¡± Mieta said quietly.


    ¡°Me, too.¡±


    Mieta turned back to the clearing. ¡°Do you want to wait here?¡± she asked, looking over her shoulder to him.


    ¡°For a while, sure,¡± he said. ¡°We need to find a way to power this thing again if Kimke isn¡¯t here. If we can get it open, I¡¯ll go back into the storm to look for her again, but let¡¯s look around here first.¡± His cuts and scrapes cried out at the thought of going back into that storm, but he muted them. Will would drive him; he wouldn¡¯t fail Kimke again.


    He walked forward with his back to the Portal, pushing foliage aside as Mieta followed. At least these plants weren¡¯t covered in barbs, hungry to bite his flesh. The bushes¡¯ soft leaves even managed to soothe his wounds to some degree. The cuts were still angry, but they quieted somewhat. Not much, as he noticed at least two still trickled blood down his arms. The dense plant cover ended abruptly, yielding to the landscape beyond the Portal grove.


    Rolling plains opened before him, revealing a broad expanse as far as he could see, trailing off into the horizon. The column of light was closer than he¡¯d expected, possibly only a few miles away, and he could see evidence of a small village near it. He looked up in marvel, but when he looked back to the ground, he saw her.


    Kimke lay on the ground, sodden where she¡¯d collapsed. She was likewise still covered from the weeping cuts and scrapes they had taken in the spinecorn field. She lay on her side, her hand outstretched toward the light.


    Caru stepped away from the forest edge before staggering. His balance failed, and he fell to one knee before he could catch himself. Mieta gasped and was at his side in an instant. Her light touch against his back was a wondrous comfort. He planted a hand onto the ground and pushed to stand, but Mieta shifted and did most of the work for him.


    ¡°Kimke,¡± he whispered. Mieta supported him as he limped toward Kimke¡¯s prone body. He shook Mieta¡¯s hand away when he reached her and then knelt at her side. She was breathing, but faintly. Her skin was cool, and her eyes were closed. Caru was lucky to only bleed from two or three cuts; Kimke was bleeding in more than a dozen places.


    Mieta knelt at his side, swallowing as she looked over Kimke.


    ¡°Help me roll her onto her back,¡± Caru said after a moment. Mieta nodded, and they managed to do so.


    Kimke now lay on her back, hands laid at her sides, eyes open and blankly staring at the stone above. She breathed, but things looked bad.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Mieta asked.


    A thousand thoughts came, but none stuck. Rip clothes into bandages. Go gather some of those soothing leaves from the bushes behind. Apply pressure, find cold water, find something to fashion into a needle. More thoughts, and they were all worthless.


    Caru leaned forward and pressed a hand against her forehead. He closed his eyes and focused. Mieta looked like she wanted to say something again, but she instead closed her mouth and waited.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing,¡± Caru said. It was the truth. He closed his eyes and tried. They had taken his wings, but that didn¡¯t mean they got everything. He imagined his wings opening and pulling in aether, the same as they always did. He imagined using aether to look into a stone, getting a sense of what it was like inside, how the grain moved, where the fracture planes would lie. She was alive, but there had to be something similar with Healing.


    Nothing came.


    He remembered Kimke that night at a camp in another copse of trees, focusing on making fire as she spoke of what it was like to lose wings, to lose aether. Caru exhaled and tried.


    Martel had died to protect them all, and Caru refused to let that go to waste.


    He pushed. They thought they had taken everything, but they hadn¡¯t. They¡¯d left enough for him to escape during the Soulless Moon, and they¡¯d left enough for Kimke to start a small fire. They¡¯d tried to take everything. They thought they had.


    They hadn¡¯t.


    There, a sensation of something from Kimke¡¯s body came into Caru¡¯s mind. It was like the first time he¡¯d ever used aether to peer into a stone. No details, only a general sense of what was, like a light flooding into his mind. There were thousands of components, but he only knew one part. He could feel that light, and he felt that it was weak and fading. He imagined his wings spreading wide, and he pushed. The light drank, and his vision swam. Still, he pushed more into it.


    Kimke coughed. Caru opened his eyes and saw her as she sputtered, raising her back and bringing a hand to her mouth in reflex to cover the next cough. He turned to Mieta, who was already on her knees to aid Kimke.


    Caru¡¯s vision swam, and the world darkened. With the last of his strength, he steered his body away from Kimke and passed out on the ground at her side.


    ¡ª


    Mieta sat alone in the clearing for a moment, stunned. How had everything come to this?


    Martel was dead now. The thought came unbidden, one she¡¯d tried to force down every time that it came bubbling to the surface. Now it was there, stark and in the open. Martel was dead, and she¡¯d done nothing to stop it from happening.


    Caru and Kimke weren¡¯t dead, but they weren¡¯t good, either. There was still nothing she could do. Only a short while ago, the four of them had been walking down a dusty path in western Serana, laughing and chatting as they made good their escape.


    Those times were gone now.


    With the limp forms of her friends on the ground before her, and with the encroaching silence of the world around her, Mieta dropped to her knees and screamed.


    ¡ª


    The hand rocking his shoulder was unwelcome, but it wasn¡¯t necessarily unpleasant. Caru pushed his eyes open with great strain. Those mountains were upside down. He shook his head, trying to reorient himself. No, that was a ceiling. How much time had passed? With that wavering light, it was impossible to tell. He wanted to speak, but his throat burned like fire. How many times had he screamed for Kimke in the storm? Was that today or yesterday? A wordless groan escaped his gritted teeth, and he pushed. He had to find a way to power the Portal back to the maelstrom. He had to find Kimke. I will not let her die!


    A soft, feminine voice spoke. He shook his head in protest against the agony as he leaned forward and folded hands into his lap. A blonde erman sat before him, and a hand reached forward to touch his shoulder again.


    Kimke?!


    No, not Kimke. This woman was years younger, maybe as old as twenty. She did have blonde hair, but hers was shades darker. It fell about her shoulders in loose ringlets, not moving as she stared patiently at Caru. Deep brown eyes bore into his own. A concerned frown marred otherwise lovely features. Large yellow wings rested on her back, folded into a heart-shaped pattern. Feathers rustled softly as she tilted her head in his direction.


    An erman? Here? How?


    Caru raised a hand, brushing it over his torn face. His fingers rubbed along more grooves than he remembered, most of them budded with dried blood after his slumber. Mieta stood a short distance away from this woman, but she approached when she saw that Caru was awake. She was in a much better state than when they¡¯d first crossed through the Portal, now with no sign of cuts on her skin. Was this woman a Healer?


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Caru said to the newcomer. ¡°I decided to take a dive into some spinecorn.¡± The young woman¡¯s frown deepened, so Caru flashed what he hoped was a winning smile. What was going on here?


    The woman said¡­ She said something. He couldn¡¯t understand. It sounded like she was concerned, but none of the words made sense. He felt the concern more through her expression than her voice. Caru nearly repeated himself more slowly but knew she wouldn¡¯t understand him any more than he could understand her.


    Instead, the woman shook her head and pressed her hands onto either side of Caru¡¯s face. A tingle spread through his body as her wings spread wide. Aether flowed through her fingertips. Caru¡¯s eyes rolled up slightly as his body threatened to go limp. He forced numb fingers to dig into the ground at his sides, holding his focus on her as he felt wounds closing up all over his body. His shirt was still bloody, but he otherwise felt fine. The woman took her hands away, and Caru gasped before sagging back to the ground.


    The blonde erman leaned back, squatted, and sat on her heels, smiling as she let her wings close. During the two weeks of his imprisonment, he had experienced the vicious healing of bloodmages, but it felt like years since an erman had mended his wounds. She spoke again before laughing. Caru strained to understand, but none of the sounds meant anything. This was beyond a simple accent. Caru hoped that strange sentences and laughter meant something good. He itched to ask her questions: Were there more ermen here? If so, would they be willing to help in more ways than just healing? Could he finally get a message to Edaria? And where was ¡°here¡± anyway?


    He stood on shaky legs before bowing deeply, hoping that was the way of things down here. She laughed before standing and bowing herself, so that seemed alright. Caru nodded before planting a hand against his chest and tapping. ¡°Caru,¡± he said before pointing to Mieta. ¡°Mieta.¡±


    The woman nodded, repeating the odd words in her odd tongue. ¡°Kair-yoo. May-yeta.¡± Close enough. ¡°Belara,¡± she said, patting her own chest.


    ¡°Belara,¡± Caru repeated, wondering how the name sounded in her ears. His voice sounded stronger, and the burning was gone.


    Belara raised an eyebrow and pointed to Kimke, who appeared to be asleep. Belara¡¯s feathers bristled as she shifted, but she kept her wings closed. When Caru looked at Kimke, he saw that the worst of her bleeding had stopped. A few trails of dried blood remained along her face and arms, but she was only resting now. ¡°Kimke,¡± Caru said, scrambling forward to her side. He gripped her wrist and rubbed his thumb at the base of her hand until he felt her pulse. It was still weak, but it was steady.


    A gentle hand eased onto Caru¡¯s shoulder, and he looked up to see Belara¡¯s concerned expression. She rubbed her hand in small circles between his shoulders, and he slowed his breathing. Belara smiled and nodded. Caru relaxed his grip on Kimke¡¯s wrist, not realizing he¡¯d held it so tightly.


    Mieta then knelt beside him, leaning in to study Kimke¡¯s battered body. Belara tended to Kimke, running fingers over her face and examining her other eye.


    ¡°How is she?¡± Mieta asked.


    ¡°Better than she was, but she still had a long way to go,¡± Caru said.


    This was all his fault. He shouldn¡¯t have pressed her so. She would have come to her senses eventually. Grief did terrible things to people, but Kimke would realize in time that Mieta wasn¡¯t her enemy. Instead, he¡¯d wanted her to accept Martel¡¯s death and press forward even as he himself grieved. The man¡¯s death still tore at his heart, but Caru was willing to move forward and cooperate with Kimke and Mieta, so long as it ended with the deaths of those responsible.


    Rustling feathers echoed in the peaceful clearing as Belara again spread her wings. Kimke¡¯s pulse quickened and strengthened against Caru¡¯s grip. Color returned to her cheeks, and her body warmed. Another moment passed as Belara shifted her aether flow, and the rain evaporated from Kimke¡¯s body. Clothes wrinkled, and her hair dried into kinky tangles, but she seemed otherwise healthy.Stolen story; please report.


    Kimke lurched forward, gasping air in a huge rush before she collapsed back to the ground. Her eyes stayed closed. Erman healing was efficient, but it still took something from the person being healed. Caru¡¯s stomach now growled from his own healing, but it seemed that healing made Kimke faint, and there she remained. There were a few things Healers could do nothing for, and unconsciousness was one.


    ¡°How long¡ª?¡± Caru began before stopping. No use.


    Belara muttered something again. No, no use. She looked into his eyes and put her hand on his shoulder again. She spoke clearly. Please let her be saying that everything is alright. She gestured at the pillar of light and made a beckoning gesture. If she was leading them to more ermen¨Cor even helpful humans¨Cthen Caru was all for following. It was easy to be optimistic since this one had healed them. And also because they had no other options.


    ¡°Kimke looks better,¡± Mieta said.


    Caru wished Kimke would wake up, even if only to yell at him for running her off. He leaned over and put hands beneath her body. If Martel could carry her for so long, maybe he could too, with enough determination. When he stood, he realized a limp body weighed more than he expected, but he didn¡¯t let that slow him. If their positions had been reversed, Kimke would have looked after him. She was heavier than he thought she would be, but that wouldn¡¯t matter. She may be unconscious for a while yet, but there was no time to waste. This place was beautiful, but it had nothing to do with his goals.


    Get back through the Portal and kill the ones who did this. Nothing would stop him. Not the Tempest, not a bloodmage, not the Blood Emperor himself. Nothing.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ll be able to carry her?¡± Mieta asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea,¡± Caru said, ¡°but it¡¯s the best plan I have.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take before she wakes up, though.¡±


    ¡°If Martel can carry her for five hours, I can carry her for one.¡± That felt like a lie, even to himself. ¡°We¡¯ll stop to rest when we need to. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Carrying Kimke, reaching the small village in the distance would probably take six hours. Walking at a steady pace would make it much shorter, but he knew he would need frequent breaks.


    Mieta nodded. ¡°If you say so.¡±


    Belara coughed weakly, and Caru turned to her. She still looked concerned, feathers bristling uncertainly across her wings. She pointed to him and Mieta, then made a hand gesture, punctuating each motion with a different word he couldn¡¯t understand. Kimke rested heavily in his arms, and he could only hope deka-shay meant follow, as Belara then walked down to the path leading away from the small copse of trees, looking over her shoulder every few paces.


    ¡ª


    More time passed, but Caru couldn¡¯t say how much. Judging from the ache in his shoulders and the way his arms screamed, it had been several hours at least. He kept thinking of laying Kimke on the ground for a moment so he could rest, but his feet kept pushing him forward.


    ¡°Are we really under Edaria?¡± Mieta asked. She¡¯d been trying to keep him distracted with conversation for some time.


    While Caru still wasn¡¯t sure himself, it made sense. No one had ever come this far beneath Edaria and gone back out to mention it. This could be anywhere on the planet, but then there was an erman down here. ¡°It would seem,¡± Caru said.


    He looked up to the lattice of light radiating out from the central pillar. They had always thought the continent was floating, but it wasn¡¯t; it was apparently being held up by whatever that was.


    She stared into the distance, eyes jumping in all directions ahead. Wide Seranian plains had impressed her only days earlier, but now there was this world that even Caru struggled to understand. ¡°They say ermen have a lot of secrets,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Is this one of them?¡±


    ¡°Is what one of them?¡±


    She turned, gesturing in all directions. ¡°All of this. This place. It¡¯s behind the Tempest. No one knows anything about all of this, and it¡¯s under your home. These plants, that light in the distance.¡± Mieta pointed a finger to Belara, who still walked ahead, leading them somewhere. ¡°Her,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Did you know about her and others like her?¡±


    Caru shook his head. ¡°We never knew about any of this. The only people that ever went into the storm were soldiers, and it¡¯s too dangerous to go far, even for them. I doubt they ever found that Portal in the first place.¡± Or if they had, maybe they hadn¡¯t gotten out again. Why else would an erman be here, in this skyless place? Was the Portal broken on this side?


    Mieta hesitated. ¡°You felt it, didn¡¯t you? The Portal, I mean. You went straight to it, even in the storm.¡±


    ¡°I tried to say something, but you couldn¡¯t hear me over the rain.¡±


    ¡°You lost your wings, but they didn¡¯t take everything.¡±


    ¡°I doubt they could have,¡± Caru said. ¡°They must have been working blind. Kimke was still able to start that fire once, remember?¡±


    Mieta nodded. ¡°And you were able to heal her a little.¡±


    ¡°Only a little,¡± Caru said. ¡°Maybe enough.¡± He paused to shift Kimke¡¯s weight again. He would need to rest before much longer. ¡°How long was I out after?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say without the sun,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Maybe two hours. I was worried at first, but you two seemed fine. I was about to rest when she showed up. I don¡¯t know why she was out there, but she knew what to do and went to work as soon as she saw you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she did. It would have taken a few more hours to get moving again without her.¡±


    Caru thought again about resting, but he didn¡¯t know if he could bring himself to start walking again if he stopped. Instead, he focused on his steps to mute his thoughts. Heavy though Kimke was becoming, she was his responsibility now. If she melted his muscles away, it was the least of what he deserved.


    Belara turned again to check on them. She frowned, studying Kimke before turning away again. She may think it strange that Kimke remained unconscious as long as she did¡ªespecially after being healed¡ªbut Caru had no way to convey to Belara the emotional trauma they had all endured only a short while ago. Kimke may have been in good physical condition, but Martel¡¯s death and everything after may have damaged her mind more than he¡¯d assumed.


    Caru was glad to see that Belara led them in the general direction of the strange light in the distance. It still pulsed and flickered, connecting this land to Edaria. Millions of ermen lived on the surface above, but none of them knew about this weird beam pulsing beneath them. They never knew that more of their people lived in this place.


    Belara spun suddenly, showing her palms to Caru and Mieta before turning her hands over and motioning to the ground. Stay here? It was the only guess he had. Was there danger? He dropped to his knees and laid Kimke on the soft ground. Standing, he realized how brutal the ache would feel later as he surveyed their surroundings. The cast of the land itself seemed very similar to that of western Serana - softly rolling hills with no mountains. The pastel hues of the pillar of light in the rift next to the village dappled the land differently than sunlight, but he could tell it was geologically familiar. Some of the vegetation was the same, but there were plants Caru had never seen before. More plants grew in the distance, but they were generally clumped together like the copse surrounding the odd Portal. He noticed something that looked like a turtle on the far side of the light. Visible this far away, the creature must be astonishingly large.


    Belara leapt into the air, flapping wings as she motioned again for Caru and Mieta to remain in place. Minutes passed as Caru studied Kimke, cradled comfortably on the ground. He whispered a prayer for her well-being and hoped that some force or fate would hear it. Mieta did the same several times. They took the opportunity to rest, sitting on either side of Kimke with their legs folded. Dark thoughts swam through Caru¡¯s mind, but he quelled them. No time for berating himself for different choices he could have made.


    ¡°Kair-yoo!¡± The voice echoed through the sky.


    Caru jerked his head up to see Belara descending, followed by three erman men with wings of various colors. Belara looked concerned as she landed. She spoke quickly, sounding panicked enough that he thought she¡¯d forgotten that he couldn¡¯t understand her. Belara gestured furiously, but none of those meant anything to him either. Alarmed, he stood between the men and Mieta and Kimke.The three men all bore steel swords. With their wings spread wide, they shaped aether that pulled Kimke into the air, ignoring his protests, and held her in place as she limply floated a few feet above the ground. He rushed at them with a shout, but invisible bonds enclosed Caru, binding his hands to his sides. Mieta stood likewise, head erect and shaking as she stared at Belara. Damn it, why had he been so trusting?


    Belara turned to shout more strange words at the men.


    Whatever she said, Caru didn¡¯t think it made a difference.


    ¡ª


    A silent march brought them nearer to the thin column of light and the village at its base. The bonds around him and Mieta weren¡¯t necessarily uncomfortable¡ªonly disconcerting¡ªand the soft ground had made the walk feel much shorter than Caru suspected it had actually been. Caru squinted as he tried to make out more details of the village, but it was too far away yet.


    Belara had chattered away in her strange tongue for the entire trek, but none of the soldiers gave her more notice than the occasional irritated glance between themselves. It seemed the young woman was much better at healing than swaying opinions. Bright yellow wings had flapped in frustration, but she had kept her argument rolling. Caru hoped she was telling them to keep them alive. Did they kill humans here? By all appearances, he and Kimke were as human as Mieta.


    They made quick time to the city¡¯s edge. There were no walls or outward fortifications, only a defined ring where trees and other plants had been cleared away, giving way to homes and shops made of stone and wood. Mieta flashed him a concerned glance, but neither of them spoke. Caru knew holding a conversation in their native tongue would be unwise while still in captivity. If the guards¡¯ reactions to Belara were any indication, Caru and Mieta were already in more trouble than he¡¯d anticipated.


    The village was filled with ermen. Most went about their daily business, leaping or flying over buildings rather than walking the city¡¯s pathways. A few did walk those streets, mostly laborers moving heavy materials, and there were a few market stalls near the outer rim of the village. Leaves like those of the great ferns covered the otherwise dirt route. They were from the same kind of plant that soothed his wounds when first leaving the Portal. Walking on them was even more comfortable than the soft, springy ground.


    ¡°No humans,¡± Mieta whispered.


    Of course.


    If these ermen had lived in the eye of a storm for so long that no one knew of their existence, it would be unlikely that they would know much¡ªif anything¡ªof what happened outside the Tempest¡¯s border. For all that Caru knew, they may have believed that the eye¡¯s edge was the end of the universe. Indeed, many erman villagers did notice their procession and swooped down to watch the spectacle. Before long, they were being watched flying ermen, from rooftop ledges, and some even who landed a distance behind on the leaf-covered pathway. As more people came to watch, the village quietened until the only sound left was that from Belara¡¯s continued protests.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they know what we are,¡± Caru muttered.


    One of their captors turned with a glare, but he kept moving forward. He was suspicious, but he seemed uncertain. His forehead looked like it had one too many wrinkles. Caru realized the man may not understand what he was holding in the restraints.


    ¡°We do look strange,¡± Mieta said.


    That was its own revelation. How many times had Mieta stood out like this in her life? She¡¯d lived in a human city, filled with humans like her. More ermen descended. With a final turn, they came into a wide forum devoid of leaves, filled instead with broad, granite paving stones that extended from a large central building into a broad avenue that bisected their current path. Ermen now surrounded the ring, watching as the soldiers led the detainees across the opening, leading them up a long flight of stairs to the tall building in the center. Caru noticed several of the ermen pointing at Kimke, still unconscious as the soldiers guided her. Rumors would no doubt spread quickly.


    The building itself was tall and open, looming over the rest of the city. Drapes blew lazily on the outside, rustling over windows without glass. Columns rose from the stairs, connecting to a large overhanging balcony. The doorways leading in stood twice as tall as an erman would need, closed with long flaps made from the same material as the drapes.


    Belara walked up the stairs backward, still making her argument. The lead guard gestured for her to move, and, for once, she complied. With a pained expression, she folded her hands together over her waist and moved to stand next to the large doorway at the entrance. The guards pushed through a slit that ran the length of the fabric, pulling Caru and Mieta behind. He gave Belara one final look before entering. ¡°Keno-shay,¡± she said. No use.


    The interior was dim, but still bright enough to see. More soldiers stood inside, speaking in small knots of conversation and eying the prisoners with curiosity. Belara must have come here when she¡¯d left, leaving suspicion in her wake. Their escort remained silent, not answering anyone that spoke to them. At the room¡¯s far end, they climbed a candlelit stairwell that dug deep into the building before coming into the second floor. They moved silently through a long hallway that ended in a single, open room. Light swam across the floor as breezes pushed the drapes aside. A small doorway led to the high balcony that shadowed the entranceway steps.


    A single erman man sat atop cushions in the center of the room, facing outward toward the balcony, feet crossed before him. Kimke¡¯s body drifted forward, lowering until she came to a rest before him. He raised a hand and spoke. The soldiers bowed, then withdrew from the chamber, Caru and Mieta¡¯s bonds dissipating as they left. Caru exhaled, realizing how tense the captivity had made him. It would be foolish to think these people would automatically treat him with compassion, even if he could prove he was erman himself. And if being erman was the criteria for survival, what of Mieta?


    Long, black hair fell well below the man¡¯s shoulders, blending with the black of his wings. His face was lightly wrinkled, but he didn¡¯t seem old. Possibly fifty years, if that. He smiled and gestured for Caru and Mieta to sit. Finally, a good sign, Caru hoped. They pulled cushions from the pile and sat on them with feet crossed at the ankles.


    ¡°Caru? Mieta?¡± he asked, pointing to them each in turn. His diction was better than Belara¡¯s, but his accent was still thick. Caru nodded before pointing to Kimke and speaking her name, which the other man repeated. He then pointed to himself. ¡°Drend.¡±


    Caru and Mieta repeated the name, and Drend¡¯s smile deepened. He leaned to one side and pulled several sheets of coarse paper to the pair. He tilted in the other direction, withdrawing a small bottle of ink and two feather pens, which he handed over as well. Caru held the pen between his fingers, and he knew that the black feather was one of Drend¡¯s own. Edarian ermen had once used such writing tools themselves, although those were now more fashionable than functional. Caru pointed to Drend¡¯s black wings, and the man nodded, feathers bristling for emphasis.


    Caru leaned forward and planted the first sheet of paper against the wooden floor. He stuck the tip of his pen against the paper. Mieta did the same, but neither of them made a move.


    Where to start?


    Caru made sketches of recent events, wishing for once that he was a painter or calligrapher instead of a sculptor. He made his sketches easy to decipher, but he couldn¡¯t think of a way to explain it all. He sketched an erman, standing next to a human, little more than blocky stick figures. He showed that picture to Drend before lowering it and scribbling over the erman¡¯s wings. Drend frowned, appalled, but then Caru remembered the state of his back. He twisted on the cushions, lifting his torn shirt to show Drend the scars from the humans¡¯ surgery. Bloodmage healing left scars, and even erman healing would not erase such an old wound.


    Drend nodded sagely as Caru righted himself on the cushion again. Caru pointed to himself, then to Drend and Kimke. ¡°Erman,¡± he said, tapping the image that once had wings. He then pointed to Mieta and tapped his pen against the other figure. ¡°Human,¡± he added. Drend nodded again, repeating the words. Slow progress, but Caru felt himself moving forward.


    Drend then looked to Mieta, raising an eyebrow as he hooked his thumbs together and made a flapping motion with his hands. Mieta shook her head before standing and turning away. She lifted the back of her shirt, showing her naked back. No wings, no scars. Mieta sat again. ¡°Human,¡± she added. Drend pressed a hand against his chin, rubbing slightly as he processed the information. It appeared the man really had never seen a human before.


    Caru drew more sketches, hoping to hit the important points as he showed them to Drend. They came from a land beyond the storm walls. That was the hardest point to make, and Caru worried it would shake the man¡¯s beliefs. What if they thought the Tempest was a god? The man shook his head incredulously, but he seemed to understand after some time.


    Mieta added her own sketches to the collection, drawing maps of the outside world. She seemed to have a talent for cartography, especially for someone who had never left the confines of her own city no more than ten days ago. Sketches of Garenesh followed with special emphasis on the Celestial Palace. They may not have added much to the most pressing issues, but Drend seemed especially impressed by her ability.


    Caru did have one thing he wanted to test. He drew a circle, then two outer circles with a circle on each of the two. It was a crude drawing, but he hoped to represent the world Ilthirios and its moons, Cirellias and Rythellas. Drend only shook his head, confused. No, that would be too advanced of a concept. It was hard for Caru to believe that any erman wouldn¡¯t know of the two moons. That was part of what made ermen who they were. Lunar cycles guided nearly every aspect of their lives, but here was an erman that didn¡¯t even know the moon existed.


    Drend then leaned forward, motioning for Caru to hand him a sheet of paper. Caru complied, ready to see what the man finally had to say in response. A moment passed before Drend leaned forward, sketching something onto the paper. The feather of Drend¡¯s pen was long and brown, not one of his own. Caru craned his neck to see the man¡¯s drawing, but the sketch was already complete.


    In the center was a large column of what looked like lightning, long like a thread, and then he pointed out the open window to the column of light still some distance away from this village. That much Caru had seen already. To the left was a figure of a human. Drend tapped a finger against that figure and then pointed back to Caru. Not a human then; a wingless erman. Drend drew a long arc through the lightning, connecting the figure representing Caru to another on the page¡¯s opposite side.


    An erman.

 Chapter 19

    19


    Caru couldn¡¯t look away from Drend¡¯s drawing, couldn¡¯t suppress the hope racing through his mind. Pass through a shaft of light to get his wings back? Without hesitation. To return to his true self¡ªto regain his identity as an erman¡ªhe would run through as many beams as Drend showed him. To have his wings back, he would dive into the sun.


    It was a long shot, he knew, but it was a possibility. He looked the drawing over a few more times to make sure he really understood. He patted his chest and then made that same flapping motion with his hands hooked by thumbs that Drend had made earlier. Drend nodded.


    Mieta¡¯s fingers laced between his own before he realized his mouth was moving silently. She squeezed tightly, and he remembered to blink. His heart still pounded. ¡°I¡¯m so happy,¡± she said quietly.


    ¡°I,¡± he began, speaking to Drend, ¡°thank you.¡± He added with a nod, ¡°I know you don¡¯t understand, but I have to say something.¡± Mieta laughed and released his hand. Caru placed his palms together and bowed to Drend, who only sat wearing a solemn grin. Drend returned the nod, but then he pointed a finger to the ceiling. Caru noticed Drend¡¯s expression and felt his optimism fade. With a single motion, Drend dragged the tip of his index finger across his own exposed throat. Even with a language barrier, a motion like that couldn¡¯t mean anything good, and it likely meant death.


    But Drend still smiled. Maybe he meant there was only the risk, not a certainty. Otherwise, why bother letting Caru know he could have his wings back at all? Even against tremendous odds, he knew he would go through with it. One chance in a thousand, and he would do as Drend said. ¡°Anything,¡± Caru said. Even if he didn¡¯t understand the word, maybe one so wise could hear the determination.


    ¡°Caru,¡± Mieta whispered.


    Caru turned and saw worry in her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes. I have to try.¡±


    ¡°Even at the risk of death? Don¡¯t you want to try to find another way?¡±


    Being honest with himself, he had given up on having wings back days ago. What chance of finding a donor for a transplant? Yes, he¡¯d sought passage back to Edaria, but to what end? To ease his mother¡¯s heartbreak only to provide her with another? His options were to either live there as an earthbound erman or to pretend to be human in some other country. He had been still undecided, but now¡­ ¡°I need to be who I am again. If he¡¯s able to make it happen, I mean to see it happen. I¡¯ve been grounded for almost a month, and I¡¯ve had my fill. I¡¯ll be an erman again at all costs, even if I have to die trying.¡±


    Mieta glanced to Kimke, who was still unconscious. Kimke could have passed for dead if not for the shallow rise and fall of her chest. Mieta¡¯s lips quivered, but she reached out to Caru, pressing the palm of her hand against his leg. He feared Mieta¡¯s feelings. Drend watched silently; surely he knew what was happening.


    ¡°Mieta,¡± Caru said, ¡°nothing will stand in my way.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°If your path is set, then I will walk it with you. I¡¯ll find some way to protect you, to protect Kimke. I¡­¡± She swallowed, looking to Drend¡¯s sketch. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let either of you die if I¡¯m able. All I¡¯ve done is watch, and I hate myself for it. I watched your surgery and stood by. I stood by and watched as Martel died. I can¡¯t keep doing that. I can¡¯t keep watching.¡±


    Caru sighed, and though he sensed her resolve, he still pressed on. ¡°This is our burden,¡± he said. ¡°Mine and Kimke¡¯s. We knew this path would probably lead to death, and we still walk it anyway. It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Mieta set her jaw and shook her head. ¡°I thought Martel would be fine, too. I couldn¡¯t help him, but I promise to do what I can for you two.¡± She stood. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be dead weight. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do, but you¡¯re not going through this alone. Know that.¡± She turned, bowed to Drend, and then was gone.


    ¡°Caru!¡± The voice was deep, resonant. He turned to see Drend leaning forward, holding an open palm facing out toward him. Drend shook his head and leaned back on his heels. Caru exhaled, shifting back into the cushions. Drend spoke more in his own language, reciting what Caru assumed was a local proverb about facing death.


    Caru knew Mieta wouldn¡¯t go very far; the guards on the lower floors would see to that. His wings would be worth any risk¡ªeven death¡ªbut he didn¡¯t want to put Mieta at risk. She had suggested she was dead weight, but they would all still be stuck in Garenesh and probably recaptured without her efforts. Instead of going after her, though, he sat with Drend, exchanging  sketches with one another. Sometimes they drew weapons, or plants, or animals, anything to keep his mind from wandering back to the challenge before him. After a series of drawings, Caru was able to explain that he was a sculptor, much to Drend¡¯s obvious delight. It was pleasant to find someone who appreciated the arts, especially in such a strange land. Drend replied with a series of sketches that Caru interpreted as a life of leadership. He couldn¡¯t decide if Drend had earned the role or been born into it, but the role seemed to fit him well enough that it didn¡¯t matter.


    A lucky thing. Caru had nearly expected a chopping block at the end of his escort from the Portal.


    Time passed, and eventually Kimke groaned. She shifted a moment later, and Caru darted from his cushion to her side. He put a hand beneath her head and tilted her up until he could see into her fluttering eyes. Drend stood, looking over Caru¡¯s shoulder with anticipation.


    ¡°Kimke,¡± Caru whispered. ¡°Kimke!¡±


    She coughed weakly. Caru brushed hair away from her face. Maybe it was best that Mieta had left, after all.


    ¡°Caru?¡± she said. Her voice was surprisingly strong. She may have cried herself hoarse in the storm, but it seemed that Belara had healed that as well. ¡°Is it you?¡±


    He nodded and flashed a smile. ¡°Who else would it be?¡±


    Kimke laughed and sagged against the cushions laid out beneath her. She tensed as Caru withdrew his hand, then leaned forward and screwed the heels of her palms against her eyes. ¡°I thought I was lost forever.¡± She wasn¡¯t crying, but Caru suspected that came with force of will. He nearly cried himself. Kimke had vanished and nearly died, and now she was back. The joy was overwhelming. There would still have to be a mending between the three of them, but at least she had survived the Tempest.


    Drend relaxed against his cushions again, crossing his legs at the ankles.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kimke asked. She brought her hands away from her eyes and looked at the raven-winged erman.


    ¡°Drend,¡± Caru said. Drend looked up at the mention of his name but remained silent. ¡°He¡¯s a leader or a wise man, something like that. He does a good job, whatever it is.¡±


    Kimke frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t understand each other.¡±


    ¡°I guess there are a few different languages still scattered somewhere in the world,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t understand each other at all?¡±


    Caru took a deep breath before beginning the explanation. Kimke listened patiently as he told her of the powered Portal miles within the Eternal Tempest, of how he and Mieta had stumbled through before passing out in a nearby field. Kimke grimaced when she learned how she¡¯d been discovered, but she did seem comforted when she heard of Belara¡¯s healing and the transport. She made a fast promise to repay Belara¡¯s generosity. The location fascinated her especially. She leaned in the direction of the balcony doorway, peering through to glimpse the world beyond, to see that there was no sky but instead a stone ceiling that covered everything and a column of light some distance away. Caru leaned forward as well, but he couldn¡¯t see upward beyond the eaves of the outer wall. The soft light still permeated the land, though.


    ¡°How long have we been here?¡± Kimke asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Caru said, turning back to her. ¡°Maybe as much as half a day. There¡¯s no sun, moons, or stars, so I can¡¯t tell, and I don¡¯t think they care so much about time down here.¡±


    Kimke sat back on some cushions and nodded politely to Drend. ¡°Thank you for watching over me,¡± she said. His feathers ruffled in response, but he said nothing.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t understand,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°I think he does.¡± In fact, he was grinning widely at Kimke. She nodded again before turning to Caru. ¡°Where is Mieta?¡±


    ¡°She left earlier, but she¡¯ll be around. As far as I can tell, we¡¯re being detained, even if we¡¯re not prisoners.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± She lowered her eyes and wrung her hands slowly. ¡°I should probably talk to her.¡±


    Caru grinned. ¡°Dropping your vendetta?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she said. Danger flashed in her eyes. She took a deep breath, then shook her head. ¡°Well, against her, yes. I only want to apologize. Funny, the things bad weather can make you realize.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯d love to hear that.¡±


    ¡°I hope so. Why did she leave anyway? She¡¯s been stuck on your hip since the train station.¡±


    ¡°Kimke,¡± Caru said, ¡°I might have good news, but we¡¯re going to have to risk our lives. Drend and I will show you some of his drawings here, and I¡¯ll see if you make the same conclusion as me. We¡¯ll probably have some time to figure this out, so we don¡¯t have to rush into anything. Mieta said she was going to find some way to protect us. I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s planning, but I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m planning, either. So Mieta is off looking for her own answers.¡±


    Kimke raised an eyebrow. ¡°What¡¯s going to kill us?¡±


    Caru sifted through stacks of papers, finally drawing out the one Drend made earlier with the pillar of light and the erman. Kimke studied the paper for a moment. She scrubbed tears from her eyes as she burst into laughter.


    ¡ª


    The heavy Seranian lance felt right in Theop¡¯s grip, more than a sword ever had. He rapped his fingers rhythmically against it. The weapon felt as though it was a part of him instead of some ceremonial decoration. If he could show mastery of the weapon, though, that may endear him on a more personal level to the Seranian troops several hundred feet below. He felt their eyes on his back, watching him through gaps in the dense Dresk forest cover with a certain reverence for their Blood-Emperor. Leading this excursion would ordinarily have been cause for a speech, but he could not summon the words. Yes, there would be a killing done here today, but it would be the smallest of many steps taken to unite humanity. History must sometimes build upon the bones of the dead.


    He released his grip on the lance, and a lashing of aether stopped its descent, bringing it back up and holding it steady at his side. Time enough for that later.


    With luck, the humans ahead would never see their approaching deaths. Regrettable, but Theop knew a declaration of power would speed unification between Serana and Dresk. Only a high signal tower meant for ermen poked above the massive trees. They would likely not see him from the ground so far away, but word may have already spread to this border town if anyone had noticed and reported on the army of tens of thousands of soldiers to the west.


    Theop splayed his wings wide, not needing to flap them as aether alone held him aloft. Raw aether could drive him forward with alarming speed as well. Controlling that speed took some time to manage before he could shift without feeling nauseous. Yet now, he descended slowly toward a town whose name he had never learned.


    As Blood-Emperor, he had witnessed many battles¡ªskirmishes, mostly¡ªbut three of those had ended with deathflares, from a bloodmage either taking a fatal wound or opening his wrists. Theop had never spilled enough blood for a deathflare, though he had learned how to craft them as a part of his childhood education.


    Aether bled from his fingers, coalescing into a single expanding point. The fury of it hummed in his ears¡ªhummed in his soul¡ªas the ball of light grew, rotating, glowing a white brighter than the sun. The flare before him fed hungrily on aether as he poured more into it until he could no longer see the signal tower ahead. Theop maintained his link with the spell as hepushed it away. Trees burst into flame, froze into glass, and shattered as the flare descended. With a great shrieking howl, it crashed into the town. Through the spell¡¯s link, Theop could feel it as buildings were destroyed and lives ended. Determination, he told himself. He pushed until the flare was in the ground before severing his link. The flare instantly winked out of existence to reveal a glassy crater below.


    He barely heard the horrified screams coming from around the impact site. He reminded himself that their deaths advanced history. If history paved over the bones of the dead, he meant to see the bridge to unity made wide. He drew his wings back in and prepared a multitude of smaller attacks. Balls of fire cut through trees as though they were paper. Forks of lightning split the open sky, stabbing the ground below, filling the air with the scent of ozone. Theop¡¯s heart ached as more cries arose in the city. Regrettable, but necessary. Each attack wounded his heart as they struck, but sacrifices had to be made. Unification was humanity¡¯s most important goal.


    Fire ripped through the forest below, shooting up from the ground at Theop. This town had no Portal, but the high beacon tower had been built to let ermen know that trade was welcome, and there were always a few erman merchants and other visitors about. He canceled his own assault and shifted aether into a protective barrier. Attacks crashed against the shield, making it shrink slightly each time before he spread his wings again and forced the barrier to expand. His compassion wore thin as he flung more fire to the ground. Tall trees groaned before collapsing into shattered trunks. Aether rushed into him as he formed a second flare, this one nearly as large as the first. Erman attacks arced to him once again. Theop held the flare but drew enough aether to shift his body to the right. He had to play at evasion, realizing he did not have the strength to form a deathflare and keep himself shielded at the same time. Even as he shifted, he felt his link with the flare waver, but, thankfully, he was able to reconnect and keep it where it was.


    Then the few ermen were above the trees, wings flapping as they wove aether into their own spells. Ten, fifteen, then more than twenty of them, crafting fire and ice, quickly expelling their attacks. Theop shifted in rapid succession, the world blurring each time. He tried using the deathflare¡¯s location as a compass, but each shift shook his link and tested his concentration. He rushed the flare to a weak completion and pushed it down, ramming it into the earth with greater speed than the first. Theop finally released his connection to it once it was fully beneath the ground. If there were more screams, he did not hear.


    Spells flew at him with alarming speed. Theop shifted through the sky, weaving a path through the attacks. His speed left the spells against him confused, wavering, and vanishing as their controlling ermen tried to find their target. The ermen abandoned their failed attempts but remained alert.


    As he flashed through the sky, he formed more spells. A line of fire split a brown-winged erman into two pieces, and both halves spiraled into the remaining trees below. Shards of ice impaled a blonde erman woman and the amber-winged man at her side. Their skin turned blue beneath crystalline frost as they died. More spells lashed out from Theop with fervent frequency. Many of them missed, but enough struck true against the ermen as they bolted in all directions in haphazard escape attempts.


    Theop shifted after the survivors with lance in hand. The steel tip bit and ripped through bodies and sent them into the forest below. More fireballs launched from the western forest now as the Seranian bloodmages entered the fray. A quick glance showed him broken ranks of his men spilling forward toward the glassy craters. Riflemen mostly, aiming their weapons at any human survivors on the other side who might think to resist.


    Grinning, Theop chased the eastbound escapees, flinging more attacks in pursuit, slaying more ermen than he¡¯d expected. A ball of flame ripped through a red-winged erman¡¯s torso to leave a hole of charred gore through the man, and Theop realized that no more ermen remained. Their flights had been quick, but none had been a match for Theop¡¯s speed. It seemed that the method of flapping wings was inferior to aether-driven flight. He tightened the grip on his lance and turned to see himself less than a mile from the holes in the forest canopy. Trees burned nearby in all directions. If the fire went unchecked, they could take out many miles of surrounding forest. They might even burn another town or two in their paths before sputtering out.


    Screams drifted from below, but it would be wise to leave survivors. Human deaths were regrettable¡ªreprehensible, even¡ªbut they would expedite the process. Witnesses would hopefully tell others that the Seranian military had triumphed over an erman assault in the skies above Dresk.


    Theop descended to his soldiers, wings never moving as he came to rest on the ground. Trees already groaned as soldiers took their trunks with heavy axes, carving a path into the remaining city wreckage. Dreskians may revere their trees, but they were cumbersome obstacles. Theop would turn his attention to the trees in time, helping the men clear their path to the next objective. Cheers came from some of the soldiers, mostly from cavalrymen in unstained uniforms and officers whose names Theop did not know. The enthusiasm was appreciated, but Theop wished the cries were as enthusiastic from the common enlisted. He wondered how many of the officers had killed men themselves.


    It was regrettable that his own hands were stained with blood as a supreme leader, but this was different. This was about unification, liberation, and independence.


    ¡°Blood Emperor.¡± General Hibranth stepped forward, pounding a gauntleted fist above his heart as he approached.


    ¡°General Hibranth,¡± Theop said with a single nod.


    The general smiled, but it never reached his eyes. ¡°A decisive victory,¡± he said. ¡°I am glad to have witnessed it myself. The dawn of the human age is upon us.¡±


    Lip service, Theop assumed. The man was loyal, but none of that ever reached his eyes. Of course, Hibranth had seen killing. Tales of his youth pictured the man with a blood-smeared past, a terror on the battlefield. After this assault, Theop admitted to himself that he did feel a newfound kinship with the man.


    ¡°It is a shame humans had to die,¡± Theop said. ¡°I could hope for another path.¡±


    ¡°As you say, my lord,¡± Hibranth said. He turned his gaze to the fire at the forest¡¯s edge. ¡°Your orders?¡±


    Theop knew the general¡¯s loyalty was wavering after this display. ¡°I¡¯ll assist in clearing a path and containing the fire. Give the order to march the men forward and offer aid to any humans in need. We¡¯ll see this done, general.¡±


    Hibranth nodded. ¡°And of the erman survivors?¡±


    Theop scowled and saw Hibranth¡¯s plastered grin disappear. ¡°Exterminate them if you find any. Make examples if you need to. We may lose some men, though. If the bloodmages cannot handle the survivors on their own, send for me. Ermen will have no quarter from Serana.¡±

 Chapter 20

    20


    Dreams ended, and Caru opened his eyes to a plain wooden room. Curtains shifted in the light breeze that wafted in from outside, and tall windows devoid of glass let pale purple light spill in. He couldn¡¯t tell that time had passed other than a sense of waking up refreshed. The world outside was exactly as bright as it had been when he went to sleep. He rolled to one side, twisted and put his feet on the floor. After some time spent chatting with Kimke and sharing more sketches with Drend, the erman leader had brought them to their quarters.


    Caru hadn¡¯t seen Mieta again before going to sleep, and he wondered after her. He trusted that she would be safe in this place, but there was such a change in her attitude when they had guessed over the risks Drend implied. She¡¯d said she wanted to protect him and Kimke, that she no longer wanted to sit by and watch, but Caru didn¡¯t know what to make of that. If anything, she had facilitated this whole endeavor, and they likely would have been recaptured in Garenesh without her assistance. Was she really supportive of Caru and Kimke¡¯s decision to try and regain their wings, or would she feel abandoned once they had the ability to leave her behind?.


    Accepting a reality as an impostor human had seemed so easy only days earlier, but if there was even a chance to regain his wings, it was a goal worth pursuing. Death would be no deterrent; Drend had shown him there may be a chance, and Caru was willing to take that risk. He refused to live as something less than himself, especially knowing he could have been the person he was meant to be if only he hadn¡¯t been afraid.


    Caru stood, feeling muscles stretch as he crossed the room to dress. The clothes Drend had lent them were soft and flowing, more so than any fashion he had ever felt comfortable wearing. The shirt¡¯s neck hung halfway down his chest, and the sleeves were wide enough for five arms. The shirt still bore a large slit in the back for wings, but anyone looking would only see his scars. He felt a fool in the outfit, but he tightened the broad belt around his waist to support his otherwise loose pants. He kept the shoes he stole from the drunkard, having grown used to them. They were good shoes.


    He pushed the open window¡¯s curtain aside and looked out over the city. It had appeared to be a simple village at a distance, but this would easily be large enough for a few thousand people. It certainly wasn¡¯t a metropolis on the scale of Detrina or Garenesh, but it may compare to Kalis, that eye-wrenching town where Martel had killed the first of their pursuers.


    Martel. He shook his head.


    This town behaved much as any other he¡¯d seen. Ermen flew over the rooftops, walked the streets, carried tools, shopped, ate meals, laughed. Flapping wings sparked a jealousy within Caru, but that only stoked his determination. He would fly with the ermen once more. He would feel aether raging within again.


    Knuckles rapped on his door, and Caru spun around. ¡°Come in,¡± he said. No one pushed the door open. Caru grinned as he crossed the room; only two people in this land would understand those words. He pulled the door open to see Drend on the other side. The wise man¡¯s feathers ruffled for a moment before he nodded to Caru and gestured to be followed.


    Questions swirled through Caru¡¯s mind, but he didn¡¯t have a pen or paper. Where? would be a hard concept to draw, anyway.


    Drend led him down several flights of stairs and through the grand antechamber, pushing the large front doors open to the dais at the top of the building¡¯s entryway steps. Soldiers were arranged in lines to either side, each bowing their head slightly as Drend acknowledged them. Their wings all remained steady.


    At a distance, between the rows of soldiers, stood two more ermen. Neither bore the soldiers¡¯ armor, but both looked resolute, looking directly ahead to Drend. They both knelt. Caru wondered if he was supposed to do the same, but no one in Drend¡¯s circle gestured for him to do so as he looked about.


    Drend spoke a few words to the people laid out before them, and they all saluted by first touching the tips of the first two fingers of their right hands to heart and then forehead. Caru fidgeted as he listened to Drend speak. Though he trusted Drend, it was still unnerving to watch someone he couldn¡¯t understand giving a speech to a group of soldiers.


    Drend finished his speech, and the two ermen in the middle rose. He gestured to them, then spoke as he gestured to Caru, and raised his hands. The crowd erupted into a cheer, and the formations broke as they started to intermingle with each other. Caru allowed himself to exhale and turned to Drend, ready to try to communicate something, though he wasn¡¯t sure what.


    A figure suddenly descended from above in a rush. Belara. She landed lightly as she decelerated, her wings flapping twice before folding behind her. The young woman ran fingers through her hair as she adjusted her clothes, then she smiled and trotted to Caru. A soldier tensed at her approach, but Drend made a cutting gesture that put him at ease. Caru laughed softly as Belara met him. She pressed her hands to either side of his face and started patting his cheeks, chattering quickly in her language as her shifting wings belied her composure. He touched one of her arms to try and calm her, but she still spoke as though they were lifelong friends, and he was expected to understand every word.


    Drend spoke again, and Belara nodded before taking a step away and bowing to him.


    ¡°Getting friendly with the natives?¡± Kimke asked.


    Caru turned to see her being led through the central building¡¯s doors by another woman. He beamed at a voice he finally understood. Kimke was clothed in a feminine variation of his own clothing, her neckline descending to almost scandalous depths, and sleeves with loose cuffs whose backs nearly trailed at her knees.


    ¡°If not for Drend, I think she might have tackled me.¡±


    Kimke laughed this time, but was nearly tackled herself as Belara was upon her before anyone could react. She spoke even more excitedly, wings now flapping openly as though she were going to take flight on the spot. She held her hands against Kimke¡¯s cheeks, patting softly as she nodded and talked, paying to mind to Kimke¡¯s expression.


    A woman climbed the stairs from the avenue below, smiling politely to the gathered retinue on the dais. She was tall and statuesque, her hair as dark as Mieta¡¯s, flowing waist length between black wings. She was stoic and walked with the confidence of someone used to being seen. A few soft wrinkles marked the edges of her smile, and dusted the corners of her steel blue eyes. Soldiers in the group knelt and pressed their hands to their hearts as she crested the stairs. Belara flushed, quieted herself and turned away from Kimke. She bowed and opened her mouth to speak, but then she closed it with a clack of her teeth.


    The tall woman walked directly to Drend, pressed her hands lightly against his cheeks and peered into his eyes. With a certain longing, Caru realized. The couple¡¯s wings flexed with a slight rigidity. They spoke quietly for a moment before Drend erupted into laughter. He scanned the group for a moment before his eyes landed on Caru and Kimke. ¡°Larasine,¡± he said, gesturing to his companion. The kneeling soldiers stood again.


    Caru and Kimke gave their names in response, with Larasine nodding politely to each one.


    Drend¡¯s warmth faded as he backed away from Larasine, turning his eyes to each of the nearest soldiers over several moments. He spoke again, voice booming to match his role. The soldiers snapped to attention, wings perfectly still and with their hands at their sides. Drend¡¯s speech ended with a questioning tone, but then he added another declaration and pointed to the pillar of light several miles away. The soldiers tapped fingers to hearts and foreheads again before relaxing. Drend¡¯s softness returned as he looked back to Caru and Kimke. Caru swallowed, not realizing he¡¯d been holding his breath.


    The crowd then dispersed, returning to other tasks. Ermen again flew from everywhere, mostly those who had been perched along rooftops as Drend delivered his address. Through the throngs of people, the two who had stood alone before made their way up the stairs to stand with Drend and the others for a moment. Drend spoke quickly with them before pointing to the column of light and smiling. Those two smiled as well, their optimism evident.


    For the first time since his escape from Garenesh, he realized he was no longer fleeing from, but running toward. This time, he was in charge of his destiny instead of being forced into it.


    He smiled at the light in the distance and felt a returning sense of control.


    ¡ª


    Mieta heard the sounds of the crowd in the distance. She had woken early to see people making preparations for some event, but they had mostly left her alone. A few stopped to marvel at her, but none interfered or tried to speak with her.


    She had walked the perimeter of the central building as she reflected on the things she¡¯d said yesterday. Of course she didn¡¯t like that there was such a risk in going through with Drend¡¯s plan, but she suspected Caru and Kimke understood the risks and were resolute in facing them. And, yes, she was worried in a selfish sense about what would happen to the relationship between the three of them if Caru and Kimke got their wings back, though her friendship with Kimke already seemed shattered.


    She was worried because she¡¯d grown to think of them as friends since their escape from the capital. She remembered the words she¡¯d said to Caru on that rooftop days ago now, ¡°Let me do one brave thing,¡± and she wondered how she¡¯d live up to that. Mieta wanted to aid them as best as she could, partially as a penance for not having done something to rescue Caru from his surgery, and partially because she wanted her life to have some sort of meaning. Martel¡¯s sacrifice had awakened something in her. Maybe it was happenstance that she¡¯d been in the wrong place at the wrong time when Caru had been taken, but maybe it had been fate, something to force her out of a dull, meaningless life path.


    It wasn¡¯t only Martel¡¯s death, but also the killing before that. Although she hadn¡¯t seen as much as others in this world by far, seeing Martel kill the man outside of Kalis had been a shock. That was when it had become real to her on a personal level, to know that people were fighting for survival, and she¡¯d felt guilty at that sense of wonder and adventure she¡¯d first felt looking out the train windows as they¡¯d fled from Garenesh. How naive she had been! It seemed like months had passed rather than days.


    At the back of the building was a small training ground for soldiers, now empty as they were at whatever event was taking place at the front. She¡¯d heard Drend¡¯s voice and the roar of the crowd several times, but still no one had returned to this area at the rear. They seemed fine with leaving Mieta to her own devices.


    She stood between two blocks that had arrows sticking out at various angles. When she looked across the way, she saw a mix of longbows and shortbows behind a line drawn in the dirt some hundred feet away. Not a spectacular length, but they likely also had larger archery training grounds outside the city.


    The yard was split at around the two-thirds mark by a long rope held up by several iron supports with rings at the top. Along that side, several worn dirt areas were separated by strips of grass, and those areas were marked with long streaks and skidding footprints. Weapon racks each held iron and steel weapons, and barrels stood along the way with wooden facsimiles. Mieta crossed beneath the rope and then neared the weaponry on the far side.


    Swords, maces, daggers, and axes were mostly familiar weaponry. There was an odd scoop thing she didn¡¯t recognize, but beyond that was a row of spears.


    Could she have helped Martel in some way if she had known how to fight? She reached forward and took one of the spears into her hand, feeling the smooth grain of the wood before pulling it away. It was lighter than she¡¯d expected. She spun it slowly, trying to imagine how to properly wield it. In the few instances she¡¯d seen, Martel had seemed to do it easily, but she knew there was more to it. Stance, footing, knowing when to strike with the head or when to deflect. Mieta stood straight, held the spear at around hip height, and then made a tentative jab with it. The spear she held was light, but it was still enough that she knew she could throw her balance off if she stepped wrong.


    A few erman soldiers returned to the yard, and Mieta fought a moment of embarrassment that tempted her to put the spear away and leave without saying anything. But no, she¡¯d said she would work to protect instead of standing idly by watching, and she meant to follow through. Instead, she reset her stance and jabbed again.


    One soldier left the yard and returned a moment later with a tall, raven-haired woman. They landed lightly at Mieta¡¯s side before the soldier nodded and left to join his compatriots. The woman instead said, ¡°Mieta?¡± Mieta nodded, and the woman touched her own chest and said, ¡°Larasine.¡±


    Mieta nodded and brought the spear away as she stood straight. Larasine instead shook her head and stood behind Mieta, then reached around and adjusted her grip on the spear. It did feel like an improvement. Larasine picked up a spear of her own, and then she fell into a stance. Mieta tried to copy it, but Larasine frowned and adjusted the angles of Mieta¡¯s knees and elbows. When she was satisfied, she returned to her own spear and showed Mieta some basic steps. No attacks, Mieta noted, only a few exercises to focus on stance and balance.


    Long minutes passed before Caru and Kimke arrived, and Caru looked relieved. ¡°We were worried where you¡¯d escaped to,¡± he said.


    Mieta tried to speak without breaking her motions, but it was difficult. Still, she tried. ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t going to stand by and watch anymore.¡± Step forward, upper sweep, rear step, reset stance. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever have a chance to get wings, but I mean to do something.¡±


    Larasine spoke, and Mieta froze. The older woman stepped forward, adjusted one of Mieta¡¯s knees, and then backed away. She motioned for Mieta to continue. Step forward, upper sweep, rear step, reset stance.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± Kimke said.


    Mieta closed her eyes as she followed through another sweep. ¡°Yes, I do,¡± she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lashed out at you like that,¡± Kimke continued. ¡°I was shocked. I¡­ I still am. It still hurts, and I know I¡¯m not in a good state of mind, but I¡¯m sorry for the things I said.¡±


    ¡°It is my fault,¡± Mieta said. ¡°If I could have protected you, if I could have protected him, if I could have done anything other than watch and cower in fear, then he¡¯d still be alive, and he¡¯d be protecting us, and we¡¯d be on our way to Dresk.¡± Her stance faltered, and Larasine stepped forward. ¡°But I didn¡¯t. I watched and now he¡¯s gone, and we¡¯re here, and I¡ª¡°


    She cut off as Larasine rammed the butt of her spear into Mieta¡¯s stomach. Mieta dropped her spear with a clatter and staggered away in shock as she doubled over. The end of the spear snapped up and hit her on the chin, sending her reeling as sparkles filled her dimming vision. She dropped to one knee.


    Caru rushed to her side, shouting something angry at Larasine, but Larasine ignored him. She knelt before Mieta, pressed a hand to Mieta¡¯s face, and then her wings spread wide. Mieta gasped as a lance of aether filled her body, but then her vision cleared, and the pain faded.


    Mieta stood and picked up her spear, again falling into that simple routine. Step forward, upper sweep, rear step, reset stance. ¡°I have to do this,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to just watch anymore.¡±


    Caru and Kimke seemed at a loss for words. Mieta ignored them and tried to focus.. Still, they stayed and watched Mieta and Larasine practice until Drend came for them, and then the three left together.


    ¡ª


    Time passed.


    Hidden away from the sky, it was impossible to say how much time, but Caru¡¯s anticipation stretched to the point of anxiety. He wanted to dive into the column of light now, but he suspected that he would need to wait for Drend to lead them to it, and perhaps there was more to it than just leaping in. He assumed there was a timing issue, although there was no night and day here, no twilight, no dawn. How did they even measure time? The language barrier was a severe detriment.


    Being in Drend¡¯s village was pleasant, but it also gave him time to dwell on Martel. He saw the way Kimke sometimes dabbed at her eyes, but she held her composure when around other people. He still felt that deep ache as well, a lingering pain that he didn¡¯t want to led fade from his heart. The Sentinel had been a natural leader and had possessed a vast knowledge of the world and how to survive in it. He¡¯d worked with a calm patience, but he¡¯d known how to take action when the time came. Caru felt weak and indecisive in comparison. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Though he had newfound determination, he still felt like his moves were being orchestrated, that he was constantly being shoved down the only path available. Even now, Drend held Caru¡¯s reins, might possibly be leading him to his death. The alien environment pressed a silence upon Caru, and the general lack of conversation left him little to do but mourn. Each time Kimke wiped her eyes, Caru felt the quiet rush of sorrow within himself. Even so, his sadness was becoming drowned by impatience. Whatever was to come, he wanted it to be soon.


    He slept several more times over the unmeasurable expanse of time, and he wondered how many days had passed. Caru spent the bulk of his time with Kimke and Drend, while Mieta seemed only to leave the spear in the training yard in order to eat or sleep. Whenever Caru tried to speak to her, she would answer in monosyllables and claim exhaustion. Her newfound determination was concerning, but he had no idea what to do about it.


    Shortly after watching Mieta in the training yard the first time, Drend had given Caru a stone the size of his hand. Limestone. With a proper kiln, it could be made into a ceramic, but Caru had rarely used that in his sculptures. With some of his tools from his home, he knew he could reshape it into a simple form, but it was difficult to show that to Drend. Exchanging notes in Drend¡¯s chamber during their first meeting, Caru had drawn a chisel over a questionable rendition of a stone, and then a hammer above it. He had then acted out holding something above the stone and then swinging an invisible hammer onto it. Drend had apparently realized what he¡¯d meant; now Caru had a hammer and a serviceable chisel. Not ideal, but he could make it work.


    He could tell there was an area prone to fracture even without aether. It was limestone, so it was brittle in general, but Caru came up with an idea that would keep most of the work away from the fracture seam. After an hour or so of aiming for what he thought he was capable of, Caru held the small sculpture up, now in the form of a seashell. He wasn¡¯t sure if he had all the details right, since he spent most of his time in Edaria and Serana, but he¡¯d seen enough diagrams of them to get the idea.


    It looked and felt clumsy when he was done, but Drend smiled greatly when Caru returned the stone. Drend held the stone high as he examined it, marveling at the radial grooves. Larasine arrived some time later, and Drend immediately shoved the small piece into her hands. The tall woman eyed the work approvingly, traced her fingers along the lines, and seemed to pay special attention to the way the shell folded along itself like a fan. After a moment, Larasine stood before Caru, bowed twice and softly batted her hands against his cheeks. Caru flushed, but he accepted her praise as graciously as he could manage.


    ¡ª


    Time passed.


    Caru found himself walking to the training yard several times each day to check on Mieta, but she was difficult to speak to in her current state. She apparently only wanted to learn how to fight, and she wanted to learn as quickly as possible. Each time he saw her, it seemed that Larasine had added more to her regimen, but still she pressed on, often until she was out of breath and soaked in sweat.


    Caru wanted to talk to her, but his attempts often broke her concentration, which led to Larasine knocking her down before healing her. It looked painful, but Mieta rebounded each time with increased focus. Once, he saw Mieta react in time to deflect Larasine¡¯s attack. Larasine nodded approvingly before whipping the butt of her spear into Mieta¡¯s jaw again.


    After what had to have been several days, based on how many times Caru had slept, more ermen suddenly arrived. The people of Drend¡¯s village stopped what they were doing and went to watch the newcomers enter, the same as they¡¯d done when Caru and the others had first come here. Drend sent some of his attendants to greet the new party, and he then met with them directly on the dais of his central building.


    They were a small group of ermen made up of a handful of soldiers, three people dressed in casual attire, and an old man who seemed to be held in the same respect as Drend. The old man stooped slightly as he approached Drend, the grayness of his age spreading through his hair and wings and over his weathered face. He was most likely another village elder, and this one more experienced than Drend. Caru wondered how many villages like this one were down here, beneath Edaria. The man spoke with a soft, rasping voice as Drend leaned in closely. Drend replied with a voice filled with the confidence and certainty of his relative youth. When Drend finished, the old man chuckled. He looked over Drend¡¯s shoulder to study Caru before turning his attention to Kimke. Drend stepped to one side and motioned for the two of them to join him.


    After a brief exchange of names¡ªthe old man¡¯s being Jorin¡ªDrend¡¯s people led the procession to a large meeting hall on the edge of the village that faced the Pillar¡ªas Caru had capitalized it in his mind earlier in the week. The meeting hall had wooden walls and ceiling with a rough stone floor. Caru sat with Kimke as everyone evidently prepared for a banquet of sorts, candles roaring to life through aether flows and trays of food floating to tables before the attendant ermen.


    Mieta entered with Larasine some time later. They chatted quietly, but they held their distance. Belara arrived, moving through the room and talking with different groups of people for moments at a time. She approached and attempted to speak with Caru and Kimke several times, but never for long before flitting away to someone else.


    ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ve been down here?¡± Kimke asked after several minutes had passed.


    ¡°A few days, certainly. Maybe four?¡± Caru shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say with no sky.¡±


    Kimke nodded. ¡°That¡¯s about as long as I thought. I was unconscious for part of it, but that sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    With plates of food steaming on the tables, ermen walked from seat to seat, lighting the final candles in the room. The people beneath Edaria were a little primitive in certain aspects, but not by much. They apparently hadn¡¯t developed steam engines yet¡ªand probably would have little use for them anyway, as most transportation developments arose from the humans¡¯ inability to fly¡ªbut Caru thought they would understand the concepts easily enough if shown. Candles may be a basic technology, but their similarity to modern candles in the outside world was uncanny.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it strange, this group arriving here now and this town apparently expecting them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit odd, but perhaps Drend sent for them,¡± Caru admitted.


    Kimke nodded. ¡°Time is strange down here, but I think they go through the same cycles we do.¡±


    Of course. ¡°Void Moon?¡±


    ¡°I think so. It interrupts our aether for one night, but I think the Pillar here wouldn¡¯t die out completely. They may not have a day and night cycle, but I¡¯d be willing to bet they still have calendars.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be enough to restore us?¡±


    ¡°I think the Pillar is much stronger than we¡¯ve imagined. It keeps this world lit all the time and sits in what has to be the center point of the Eternal Tempest, probably causing it as well.¡± She tapped a finger against her lip, eyes focusing on distant thoughts. ¡°In fact, with the way it¡¯s hitting and supporting Edaria¡¯s underside, I have to wonder if it''s played some role in erman development throughout the years. Cirellias showers us with aether, but we never knew about this.¡±


    ¡°With Edaria gone,¡± Caru said, ¡°this column would probably drive straight to the moon.¡±


    Kimke nodded again. ¡°And we¡¯ve sat all these years directly between the two forces. Could it restore us? Of course we don¡¯t have much to go on, but it certainly seems powerful enough to. We still don¡¯t know if that¡¯s what it does, though. All we have to go on is a pair of stick figures, but I don¡¯t know of another way to find out. We¡¯ll have more opportunities if we wait, but I¡¯m ready to find out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡±


    Kimke waited a long moment before speaking. ¡°You know, I try to break away when I feel that falling sensation in my chest. I try to find some corner to hide in until it washes over me. And when it does, it¡¯s like a tide going out. It¡¯s like standing on a shore and letting the waves hit you. That part hurts, but then I know I¡¯m alive. But when the tide goes back out, it drags the shore with it. Every time it goes back out, it takes more of him with it. How much more is there to take?¡± She paused. ¡°I think about when I ran into the storm a few days ago. I¡­ I know I shouldn¡¯t have, if only because some part of me knew and other parts hoped that you and Mieta would come save me. I don¡¯t know what drew us to this place, I don¡¯t know what this place is, and I don¡¯t know what that Pillar is. But. But if I¡¯d ran into the storm and died, that would have been fine, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you made it,¡± Caru said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this means either, but we would have been lost without you.¡±


    Kimke laughed. ¡°Nice of you to say, but you two would have figured it out. So look, here¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. If I¡¯d died in the storm, I would have been fine with that. But I don¡¯t know how long I can go on losing him. It¡¯s only been a few days, but I feel that part of him being dragged out of me. If I go down there and it ends up killing me¡­ Fine. You know? It¡¯s fine. If you want, you can stay behind and watch what happens when I go in. If I come back restored, I promise I¡¯ll wait with you until next time. I¡¯ll teach you everything I learned going in, and you can prepare.


    Caru hesitated. Another month, but he could be certain. Only a few weeks. He could learn what he could from Kimke and try to learn more of Drend¡¯s language. In a few weeks, he would be prepared. ¡°I¡¯m tempted,¡± he said, ¡°but I don¡¯t think I could live with myself if I let you face this alone.¡± He laughed. ¡°I also don¡¯t know that I could stand watching you fly around for a month while I¡¯m stuck on the ground. We don¡¯t know what it is in there, but I want to go as much as you do. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s worth the risk, but I know I don¡¯t want you going in alone. We¡¯re in this together. Always have been.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Kimke whispered.


    Caru looked up to see Belara striding across the room to the two of them. Belara smiled and motioned for them to stand, her yellow wings twitching slightly. She led them to the banquet proper, and had them take seats near the end of the longest table. Jorin sat at the head with Drend and Larasine seated together at his right, and Mieta sitting next to Larasine. Kimke and Caru sat opposite them as other retainers and then villagers entered and took their seats. The food was wonderful; some meats and vegetables Caru knew, but others were as alien as he expected. He wanted to know what everything was, but he thought better of trying to discover the sources. Some mysteries were better left unknown in strange lands.


    Caru ate quietly as those around him shared conversations in their unusual language. As he finished his meal, he wondered how long before Rythellas rose in the east.


    ¡ª


    Several hours passed once the banquet ended, giving him time to rest and take a nap in the meeting hall. He had gotten used to the bed in his quarters at Drend¡¯s tower, but the cot in the hall was as comfortable as his own bed after memories of sleeping on rooftops and basic makeshift camps.


    Caru met with Kimke shortly after waking, and they were led to a large group of villagers. The crowd of ermen watched as they approached. When the three of them came to the crowd, it parted before them, leading them to the center of the group, where five other ermen waited.


    After Drend¡¯s speech days earlier, Caru expected more fanfare, but the mood now was more muted. It was still pleasant, but there was something¡­ A pall, a cautious air.


    Caru¡¯s group nodded to the five already waiting, and they nodded back before giving their salute. Two fingers, heart, head. Caru copied the gesture, followed by Kimke, and that raised everyone¡¯s mood significantly. The other five smiled weakly, and then they, and the larger surrounding group, began to walk.


    The trek to the Pillar took about an hour. Caru wondered at first if they were walking instead of flying out of respect for the outsiders, but they didn¡¯t seem inconvenienced or surprised. They looked as though they had walked this path many times before, and he suspected this quiet march was part of their tradition.


    He still didn¡¯t know what this thing was. What he knew was that he had had his wings removed, then beaten for two weeks, slaughtered more men than he wanted to think about while ina Soulless rage, chased by the Seranian military, watched a man he could have called his best friend die, then passed through a Portal into a familiar world beneath his home that he never knew existed. He didn¡¯t know what this thing was, but it was here, and he knew there was either an answer or death waiting within. By now, he would be satisfied knowing what it was all for.


    They neared the Pillar, and the crowd parted to let him and the others approach further. The Pillar itself had carved out a large pit in the earth, a crater so vast that Caru couldn¡¯t get a clear view of its scale before it was lost in the haze of the Pillar¡¯s corona. The edge of the Pillar itself appeared as a solid boundary at the base of the pit, surrounded by a broad, level ledge at the base of a slope several hundred feet down.


    The descent to the pit¡¯s base was steep, but Caru thought he could make the journey with a little patience and determination.


    His hair rose and fell with the rift¡¯s currents. High above, chunks of stone drifted through the air, sporadically colliding with each other, some pieces breaking away and some pieces fusing together to make more boulders. He imagined he could feel Rythellas, bright and glowing, carving a path across a night sky as millions of ermen across the planet were left powerless.


    The Pillar roared as Caru stood on a rocky lip leading down into the deep pit. The gushing light was probably more than a mile across and covered the breadth of his vision when he looked up into it. It was terrifying, but he needed to know.


    To his right were the two ermen also standing on the pit¡¯s rim, those being the ones between the lines of soldiers during Drend¡¯s speech. To the other side stood the three ermen who had arrived with Jorin. They all looked nervous, but none backed away. A dark part of Caru¡¯s mind asked what they all knew that he and Kimke couldn¡¯t.


    Behind, Jorin¡¯s raspy voice now boomed over the fount¡¯s roar. The wizened erman spoke with wings spread, aether amplifying his words. If the Void Moon really was in the sky, the amplification must be rapidly draining the old man¡¯s energy. If not for the Pillar, Jorin would have been unable to draw aether at all. The words were meaningless in his own ears, but Caru saw the way the native ermen nodded their heads in accordance with the speech, and he trusted Jorin was as intelligent as he was inspiring.


    ¡°We¡¯re really going to do this, aren¡¯t we?¡± Caru whispered.


    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice,¡± Kimke said.


    ¡°I think Mieta is still hoping we find a different way.¡±


    Kimke sniffed. ¡°If you want to wait for another way, go ahead. I¡¯m trying the way before me now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think we should try to find out more about this process?¡±


    Kimke turned to him. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. We have this option, and I trust Drend.¡± She flexed her shoulders, as though testing invisible wings. ¡°We¡¯ve already lost one of us anyway.¡± Her lip trembled, but she regained her stoic composure. ¡°If I¡¯m lost, then what of it? He risked his life¡ªgave his life¡ªso we could have this chance, and I mean to take Martel up on his offer, one way or another.¡± She took a small step forward and kicked a pebble into this pit. It bounced down a precarious path, coming to rest against a boulder halfway down.


    Caru turned as Jorin¡¯s words grew louder. The old man raised a fist, and the ermen on all sides raised theirs in response, cheering. They looked to Caru and Kimke, and most of them were smiling. Jorin¡¯s wings closed at his back once again, and then the sage wilted before dropping to one knee to collect his strength after the exertion. An aide knelt at his side, wrapping an arm around his back and helping him to his feet.


    The aether flow may have been very well cut off, even with the Pillar right before them.


    Mieta stepped forward and joined Caru and Kimke, where she looked over the lip into the chasm before closing her eyes and taking a step back. She looked at Caru and frowned, but she said nothing.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± Caru whispered. He raised a hand to place it on her shoulder, but she shook her head and backed away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it,¡± Mieta said. ¡°I¡¯m going, too.¡±


    ¡°Why would you go in there?¡± Caru asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I¡¯ll find out. This isn¡¯t about restoring wings, or they wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± she said and gestured to the other ermen preparing for their descent. ¡°Whatever is down there is something I need.¡± Her expression had grown harder these past few days. Every time Larasine had cracked her with the spear, it only seemed to have made her more determined.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Mieta said, eyes flashing. ¡°Whatever we find in there, I¡¯ll try to protect you, if I can. Whatever happens, I¡¯m not going to stand by and watch again.¡±


    ¡°Caru,¡± Kimke said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll¡­ We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Caru sighed and turned to Kimke, then looked at the group nearby. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re ready for us,¡± he said.


    Kimke nodded. ¡°We¡¯d better not disappoint.¡±


    Drend walked up behind them and rested a hand on each of their shoulders. He said something quietly in his own language. Despite not understanding the words, hearing peaceful intonations from the man had a certain calming effect. If Drend would offer blessings now, Caru could find it in himself not to panic. Drend gestured to the column before backing away.


    Deep breath.


    With Kimke and Mieta, Caru took the first step down the slope of the pit, looking up to see that the other pairs of ermen were doing the same. Rocks tumbled away beneath his feet, rolling down into the crater as though attracted to the energy of the center. One foot in front of the other. Deep breaths. The Pillar loomed before him, filling his vision as he neared. Was this thing responsible for erman evolution? Reverence washed over him. There was so much power, and he was at its heart.


    Kimke moved forward on her own, eyes wide and mouth open. He felt himself speaking, but he couldn¡¯t hear over the aether¡¯s roar, wasn¡¯t even aware of what he was saying. He stood at the base, the pit evening into a level ledge surrounding the Pillar. Though it seemed formless at a distance, here it stood with a smooth, tangible surface. Rocks sailed high overhead, colliding and fracturing, spiraling in all directions only to find new momentum again and continue their neverending journeys.


    The three stood together at the bottom, close enough to see that the Pillar boundary was defined, solid. To their sides, the other ermen paused for a moment and then simply stepped across the boundary and into the light.


    Caru held his breath for a moment, wondering if there really was some other way. But, no, he had come this far and was within feet of a possibility. He looked to Kimke and nodded, then turned to do the same with Mieta. Their resolve was set, and this was where they had arrived.


    As one, they stepped forward and passed through the Pillar boundary.


    His world shattered.

 Chapter 21

    21


    Caru stepped into the torrent and screamed. Colors seared his vision, but none of it seemed real. Mieta and Kimke were in here somewhere, and surely no more than twenty feet away. His heartbeat echoed within his chest, and his throat burned as he howled in pain, but he muted all of that as he faced the power within this place. He gritted his teeth and pushed forward.


    Kimke¡¯s silhouette, barely visible in the distance, staggered forward before she fell to her knees with hands pressed to either side of her head. She crept forward, though. She could move, and so could Caru.


    Mieta had to be in here.


    He couldn¡¯t seem to stop screaming. It was like being lost in the Tempest, but so much worse. The Tempest had threatened to destroy his body with wind, rain, and lightning, but the Pillar wanted much more than that from him. He felt as if his body were being ripped away, and sensation that his soul would collapse into the aether at any moment. He wondered briefly if Drend had been luring them into a trap the whole time. No, no time to think of that. He fought forward, one foot before the other, advancing through the wailing aether.


    ¡°Mieta!¡± he shouted. No response. Damn the woman!


    Caru raised his hands and pressed his palms against his ears to try and block the cacophony. Specks floated across his vision, swirling colors flecked with gold. Another footfall, this one so staggering that he fell and landed facedown on the ground. Sound flooded his mind again, and he struggled to right himself. His hand shook against the rocks. With muscles struggling to respond, he collapsed in a heap before he could regain his footing.


    ¡°Mieta!¡± he yelled again. His face pressed against the rocks, and he knew her name wouldn¡¯t travel. He thought he heard someone screaming; was it Mieta or Kimke, or one of the other ermen? Something shook his shoulder, but it only became harder to focus. Why was there so much pain? Damn Drend for bringing us here! Damn the man!


    ¡°Wake up.¡± The voice was clear, a beacon.


    Caru pushed harder against the ground, but he couldn¡¯t rise. He floundered, praying for strength so he could stand and meet the voice. No, his body only shook harder. His teeth hurt as his jaw clenched, but he couldn¡¯t fight the rift¡¯s power. The shaking against his shoulder grew stronger, but he barely felt it, leaving the world to swim through colors before fading, fading, fading¡­


    ¡°Wake up!¡± The voice sounded panicked, but far away. The world beneath him shook rhythmically. Colors faded to gray, and gray faded to black. He closed his eyes.


    He sat up quickly as he screamed. Mieta backed away from him, hitting her head on the other side of the cabin as the train rumbled along the track. Caru sagged against the bed and saw the woodwork of the bunk above him. Panic faded to embarrassment as he turned to face Mieta. Had she awakened him? Why did his head pound so? Why did he feel like he¡¯d been in pain only moments ago? He pressed a hand to his forehead and exhaled as he sank back against the pillow.


    ¡°Bad dream?¡± she asked, smiling.


    Caru closed his eyes. ¡°Something like that. I dreamed¡­something. I don¡¯t remember what happened. We were fighting, I think.¡±


    ¡°Us? Fight? That doesn¡¯t sound like us.¡±


    It felt good to laugh. ¡°I guess not. What would we have to fight about?¡± He slowly rose, feeling muscles protest in a way that seemed to countered the night¡¯s rest. The cabin floor felt strange, rough.


    Mieta laughed as well, quiet and peaceful. Her hair was shimmering black, her eyes a deep, pale green. She was tall for a human, but that only made her seem more elegant. The train was soothing, the way it rumbled over the tracks. The sound drowned out all others, and the rocking sensation suddenly reminded Caru of his childhood, cradled in his mother¡¯s arms as she whispered stories and sang lullabies. What had brought him to this train? He tried to remember, but Mieta¡¯s luminous eyes clouded his mind. Had he really awakened screaming?


    ¡°Where are Kimke and Martel?¡± he asked with sudden, sharp recollection.


    Mieta still laughed, eyes sparkling so beautifully. ¡°Martel is dead, silly.¡±


    Caru gasped. His vision blurred at the edges, threatening to block out everything except the raven-haired woman across from him. ¡°Martel¡­ Mieta?¡± Something was wrong.


    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± she asked. ¡°He told you to run away, and you did. You left him to die. He must have thought you a coward in his final moments.¡±


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be.¡± Caru clutched a hand against his chest and felt his legs give way. He slid off the cot and shuddered on the floor, fighting back the flood of memories, memories of Martel being obliterated in the bloodmage¡¯s deathflare. No, Martel had told him to run. Right? He had ran because Martel¡¯s sacrifice would have been meaningless otherwise.


    ¡°Ferrak was delirious before he died,¡± Mieta said, lips twisting into a sinister grin. ¡°You could have killed him before he had time to shape that deathflare. Martel didn¡¯t have to die, but you weren¡¯t strong enough to stop it.¡± She laughed at him, mocking his weakness.


    No. Impossible.


    ¡°I did what¡ª¡°


    ¡°What he wanted?¡± Mieta finished for him. ¡°What he asked? Do you keep telling yourself that to assuage your guilt? Do you fool yourself with that? It may help you sleep ever so peacefully, but what about Kimke? Poor thing.¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, since you slept so well,¡± Mieta said with a laugh. ¡°She ran out crying before I woke you. You must have heard the sobbing. She ran to the back of the train, said she was going to throw herself on the tracks. I imagine she¡¯s quite dead by now, or at least dying. All because you couldn¡¯t do what you needed to do.¡±


    ¡°Mieta,¡± Caru said. ¡°Please.¡± He raised a hand and scrubbed tears away. He kept sliding until he lay on the floor and drew his knees up tight against his chest. Her words had filled him with shame, but also something else. ¡°No. No, this is wrong.¡±


    ¡°And what of me?¡± Mieta continued. ¡°Mieta, the human girl, never good enough for a blessed erman. I was never one of you, was I? I threw my entire life away to follow you, and I still wasn¡¯t good enough!¡± She laughed openly, and the gentleness was gone from her voice.


    Madness.


    ¡°I should have never helped you that night,¡± she said. ¡°Do you think I meant that apology? I thought you were weak for letting yourself get captured, and you proved me right. You only escaped because you lost control. You were never strong enough to keep going, but Martel could tell you that.¡±


    Caru wailed to block out her words, not caring if anyone outside heard. If anyone passing overheard the conversation, he might be imprisoned yet again, again thrown into a cell back in Garenesh. Everything was going to unravel, and it was all his fault.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak. Did you know that? Martel is dead, Kimke is dead, and I¡¯m probably going to die soon because of you.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± he shouted. He drew will and pushed himself up. ¡°I did what I could with what I had! Could I have done more? Could I have done something else? Probably. Certainly. I never asked for any of this. All I ever wanted was to have my life back. You know? That¡¯s all I ever wanted. But every step away only led to another step and another step, and things kept spiraling, and I wasn¡¯t suited for it. But I did the best I could and more. I wanted to give up more times than I want to think about, but I kept going. For me, for you, for Kimke, and for Martel. And now he¡¯s dead, and I¡¯m a little more hollow on the inside, but I never backed down.¡± He looked up and saw Mieta looking down at him, the grin now gone as she watched. ¡°I could have done things differently, but I¡¯ll never get those chances. I¡¯m not a leader, and I¡¯m not a fighter, but I never backed down.¡±


    Mieta and the train melted away into twisting vapors.


    His throat burned as he rolled onto his back and stared up into the aether column. His hands scrambled for traction. Was he further in than he had been, or had he made it a mere few steps before falling? What he¡¯d seen hadn¡¯t been real, had instead been some twisting hallucination within the aether. Surely Mieta didn¡¯t think he was weak like that. Did she? He shouted again, desperate to find her. Caru closed his eyes and pressed forward, crawling on hands and knees. Minutes passed before he raised his head and saw another silhouette in the torrent, a figure lying prone before him. He mustered his strength and advanced. It must be either Mieta or Kimke. He crawled forward and slid over rocks, pebbles biting against his chest and stomach. He reached out and closed a hand around the woman¡¯s ankle. He screamed louder as he pulled at the woman and rolled her over with his fading strength.


    Mieta stared upward, eyes distant. He fingers twitched and scratched violently against the ground and her feet kicked wildly as she screamed loudly enough to match Caru¡¯s own shouts.


    With a flash, the pain was gone. The heavy weight of that place lifted from his shoulders, and the beam itself dissolved into nothingness. Sunlight shone down, but that couldn¡¯t be right. He blinked as he tried to reason it out, but nothing made sense. Though his own pain was gone, Mieta still screamed and thrashed as vigorously as before.


    ¡°Pathetic creatures, both of you.¡±


    Caru turned to see who was with them, but invisible bonds had clamped his arms at his sides and held his legs together. A thick boot shoved into his ribs, kicking roughly enough to roll him onto his back so that he stared into the blue sky. Blood Emperor Theop smiled down at him, dressed in full royal regalia, even down to the ceremonial sword he held in his right hand. Droplets of blood cascaded away from its edge as Theop swung it to his side. He laughed, and Caru saw the scarlet trickle between Theop¡¯s fingers, staining the hilt before dripping onto the blade.


    Of course. All Blood Emperors were bloodmages, and that blood magic would be what kept Caru bound.


    Caru readied himself to respond, but his mouth wouldn¡¯t work properly. Instead, he only groaned. He arched his back and strained his muscles against the bonds, but nothing broke the hold. Theop shifted his boot to Caru¡¯s stomach and pressed hard. Caru grunted against the force and coughed into a hacking wheeze.


    ¡°You let your own kind die,¡± Theop said. ¡°It cost me one of my best men, but I still am amazed that you would let one of your own kind die before you.¡± The words burned, as difficult to hear from an enemy as they had been from Mieta. ¡°So many others died because of you. At least twenty soldiers on that night two weeks ago. Probably more. I understand the other erman was named¡­ Kimke, was it?¡± The Blood Emperor held his sword before him, smiling. ¡°You should know by now that not all of the blood on this blade is my own. You should have heard the way Kimke screamed as I slit her pretty little neck. Bled like a pig, she did. You killed one of mine. I killed one of yours. That¡¯s a fair trade, yes?¡± He laughed. ¡°Well, maybe I killed more than one of yours. There were so many of your kind in the Tempest.¡±


    Mieta still screamed toward the sky. Sweat soaked through her clothes as she howled, straining against unseen forces.


    Theop turned his gaze to her. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said. ¡°If you are so willing to let your own kind die, how would you feel about letting a human die? I wonder.¡± Caru tried to move, but the constraints of the blood magic stopped him. Instead, he groaned and twisted, thrashing against the captivity, but Theop ignored him. Instead, he knelt at Mieta¡¯s side and let his bloodied sword rest on her stomach as he leaned forward to inspect her. ¡°Pretty thing, isn¡¯t she? Pity what I¡¯m about to do to her.¡± He spoke in gentle, mocking tones. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you think of this, erman.¡± He raised his arm and angled the blade¡¯s tip downward. Theop grunted as he plunged the weapon, laughing as Mieta¡¯s blood gushed against his face. Her cries of agony never changed pitch, even with blood dribbling from her mouth. She¡¯d never even paused for breath as the blade had cut into her.


    Caru flailed against Theop¡¯s bonds but didn¡¯t have the strength to move. If only he had wings! No, Theop had taken those as well. That man, he¡¯d given the order. Why? It had been so long since Caru¡¯s escape, but he still didn¡¯t have an answer to that one simple question.


    Theop turned, smiling as he watched Caru¡¯s struggle. ¡®Well, it seems you feel something for humans, after all,¡± he said. ¡°Or at least one. Bonds wouldn¡¯t stop the hatred raging through Caru. Struggling was useless, but he could at least die defiant. Theop knelt before he lunged forward and sank the tip of his sword into Caru¡¯s stomach.


    Caru screamed and was surprised to hear his voice was no longer muffled. The pain was still intense, though. His body arched upward as the Blood Emperor vanished. The sun and sky faded, and the aether column returned, humming yet again with its terrible energy. The Pillar was a thing of illusion, apparently. Illusion and pain.


    Mieta still lay on the ground next to him, unmoving. He stared at her with dull comprehension. Every vision would have Mieta either hurting him or dying, whatever this Pillar could project.


    Even as he watched, her skin ruptured in places along her face, her neck, her arms. Blood gushed out and flashed gold before disappearing. It didn¡¯t matter if this vision would hurt him. He wanted to see her face. He knew what she was like in the real world. She wouldn¡¯t hurt him, especially not as the illusion on the train would have had him think.


    She opened her eyes and met his stare as he rested at her side. Both lay there together, shaking. She winced each time another cut opened, but she didn¡¯t cry out. ¡°Is it you?¡± she asked before relenting and screaming again. He couldn¡¯t hear her voice, but he could read the words on her lips.


    Caru tried to speak but only managed a nod.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she said.


    This illusion was strange, gentler than the others, even with the rift¡¯s howling and the horror of her bleeding. Caru wondered if he was any better. Something scraped the ground behind him, and he felt it in his bones.


    ¡°Me, too,¡± Caru said after a moment¡¯s pause.


    The torrent raged as Caru waited for the illusion to end.


    ¡ª


    The world reeled sickeningly as Theop fell to the floor. For several hours now, he had found it increasingly difficult to pull aether to drift through the halls of Dresk¡¯s royal palace. Each moment spent in the air had felt like one spent in a dead sprint. And then, suddenly, the ability vanished altogether, and he found himself sprawled on the carpeted hallway. He planted his hands against the floor and pushed to right himself.


    Steel slid from scabbards and echoed in the otherwise silent hall as Hibranth and his escort stood fanned at Theop¡¯s rear, facing down unarmed Dreskian soldiers. Theop dusted himself off as he nodded to his general. Hibranth made a motion, and the Seranian guard resheathed their weapons. None of the Dreskians had made a move to attack, but Hibranth and his men looked as though they were ready to die.


    King Cyril, Protector of Dresk by title, wheezed as he spoke, weaving a path through his own honor guard. ¡°Peace, friend,¡± the old man said. ¡°We have surrendered and mean you no harm. We will honor our terms.¡± Cyril was well into his seventies, and the age wore on him heavily. He walked with a severe stoop, supporting himself with a gnarled oaken staff. Long white hair fell over his shoulders, nearly to his waist. He was old, but he had been cared for. His actions may be slow, but Theop knew him to be a man of fierce intentions.


    Theop closed his eyes for a moment and focused to bring his wings behind his back again. The fall worried him to the point that he had not realized they were splayed out with the primary feathers bristling. Two of the bloodmages¡ªbearing the insignias of majors¡ªstood poised with daggers pressed against their palms. Thankfully, both had stopped short of drawing blood. The Dresk surrender had been difficult enough and would only get tougher if the Dreskians learned the Seranian military had slaughtered the king in his own palace. Theop considered his decision wise to leave the Seranian riflemen stationed on the palace¡¯s perimeter walls. They tended to be quick to pull a trigger if the mood took them; had they witnessed the Blood Emperor¡¯s fall, Theop knew that several of Cyril¡¯s mean would have been dead already.


    Theop did not care for the Dreskian king¡¯s tone when he spoke of honoring his terms, but he knew the man was aware of his new station in the world. ¡°At ease, Seranians,¡± Theop said.


    Hibranth lowered his longsword as he glanced back to Theop. ¡°You are well, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Theop said. He wondered if Hibranth cared at all about his Blood Emperor¡¯s well-being. ¡°Fear no Dresk plot. As the lord king said, the Dreskians are people of their word and will honor the treaty to which they agreed.¡±


    Cyril nodded but did not speak.


    Theop barely kept himself from sighing with relief as the bloodmages put their daggers away. A careless ball of flame would light the wooden palace like a festival torch.


    Hibranth offered Cyril a modest bow. ¡°My apologies,¡± he said. ¡°I only fear for the safety of the Blood Emperor.¡± He then turned again to Theop. ¡°You startled me, and I behaved in a way unbecoming of a general. I beg your forgiveness, my lord.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The fall had been startling, Theop had to admit. Were the wings already becoming defective after such a short time? No, impossible. He flapped them and felt no pain. They were not coming unattached, at least. Cyril stared openly at the display, but he quickly collected himself. The surgery and spells to graft the wings to Theop¡¯s body had been grievous, and he did not wish to go through that torment again. If they would not remain, though, he could look forward to a repeating cycle. The wings seemed stable enough, but that worry gnawed in his mind. He gave them a final, satisfactory flap before nodding. ¡°You are forgiven, general. I shall try to maintain better coordination in the future.¡± Theop glanced at Cyril. ¡°Shall we continue, friend?¡±


    ¡°As you say,¡± the old king said.


    Cyril left his honor guard behind so he could walk at Theop¡¯s side, hobbling along the hallway to the throne room, staff rapping loudly against the thin carpet with each step. Theop kept an even pace¡ªwalking now¡ªso that the king would not flag behind.


    ¡°What are you intentions with this¡­merger?¡± Cyril asked. The Dreskian king had initially feared that he would lose all authority in his homeland¡ªor that he would lose his life¡ªwhen Theop¡¯s armies approached, but Theop knew it would be best to leave the old man in power. The Dreskian people would be more compliant under their own ruler, even if he was only a king in name and little more than a regent in reality. The assault against Dresk had been only to deliver a powerful and straightforward message, nothing more. Serana had conquered her eastern neighbor; it would not be necessary to eradicate it.


    ¡°Quite simple,¡± Theop said. ¡°I seek the unification of the human race. That is all.¡±


    The king snorted loudly. Theop felt Hibranth¡¯s tension, but the general otherwise remained silent. ¡°You seek human unification, but those were humans you blew apart!¡± Cyril said. ¡°You rushed your military to the border in your trains and burned your way to the capital almost before we knew we were being attacked. This was planned long ago, I know. How many human lives ended today because of this march of yours? You butcher humans in the name of unification and expect us to comply?¡±


    ¡°Shall I check his tongue?¡± one of the bloodmages muttered.


    The bloodmage may have restrained himself earlier, but Theop would appreciate even more that he not wag his tongue unbidden. ¡°That is not necessary, major. We are in the presence of allies, and they may speak freely.¡± Theop turned to Cyril. ¡°My apologies. Shall I check his tongue for you?¡±


    The man grimaced, ignoring the joke. With a flippant gesture, Cyril stooped again and continued the short walk to his throne room. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± he said. ¡°I know it can be difficult to keep good soldiers in line at times.¡±


    Theop smiled, falling in alongside the king again. How long since Dresk had known war? Forty years? Fifty? The old man knew nothing of what it meant to maintain a military.


    ¡°You do see the advantages of unification, do you not?¡±


    ¡°Unification? Against whom?¡± Cyril turned to eye Theop¡¯s multicolored wings, then back to the throne room. ¡°Pfaw. Against the ermen? They want our money, not our lands. They mean humanity no more harm than Dresk meant Serana. ¡±


    Theop grinned. ¡°Perhaps not, but if they ever should, I believe an erman assault against humanity would go nearly as unhindered as a Seranian assault against Dresk.¡±


    The king¡¯s grip tightened against his staff, but he said nothing. Good. Perhaps he would be decently cowed soon enough.


    ¡°I speak of preparedness, friend,¡± Theop said. ¡°Humanity remains free, but at the will of ermen? What kind of freedom is that? Humanity deserves to stand on its own, not at the whim of erman mercy.¡±


    ¡°We have nothing the ermen cannot have,¡± Cyril said. ¡°They trade with us, dine with us, dance with us, laugh with us. Some of my best friends, my most loyal confidants, are ermen. No, they mean us no harm. They may have their own brand of magic with their aether flows, but they see us as equals. When have you ever known an erman to strike down a human? It happens, but they police themselves well enough that I can think only of a few sparse cases. When has Edaria ever moved to harm us, to conquer us? It does not happen.¡±


    ¡°But it could,¡± Theop insisted.


    ¡°And now it well may. We never provoked them to violence, and they have reciprocated, never seeking to anger us. They permeate our world, but now you have assaulted them, and worse.¡± Cyril¡¯s eyes flicked to the wings again. ¡°Young ruler, in your quest to free humanity from imagined erman chains, I wonder if you have not instead set us on a path to humanity¡¯s doom.¡±


    Foolishness. ¡°We shall see.¡±


    The parties passed through the huge arches that led into the throne room. Large, open windows gave a lovely view of the night sky outside. Both moons were full now, nearly lighting the sky as well as any dusk. Theop found himself studying the moons. Strange that he had never really paid attention to the lunar cycles before.


    ¡°And if I do raise erman ire,¡± Theop continued, ¡°I mean to make sure humanity can withstand it.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡± Cyrill handed his staff to a nearby aide before taking a staggering step toward his throne. He climbed the dais slowly and seemed relieved when he sat down in the padded wooden seat. He exhaled loudly before reclining, and turned to look down at Theop. It would be good to let the old man think he still had some position of power.


    ¡°I have not seen ermen in your city,¡±Theop said, pacing before the throne of Dresk.


    ¡°Then you have lose track of time,¡± Cyril said. ¡°Tonight is the night they return to Edaria. Their Void Moon. Surely you¡¯ve noticed the brightness outside.¡±


    Theop turned to look out the windows again. Of course. And they would have fled from Garenesh as well. Had it been only a month since his men had captured those three ermen? A pity he could not have spoken with the captives themselves before they had fled. That still proved its own paradox. Surely they had been weakened during both nights each month, but¡­


    Aha!


    ¡°But with your recent assault,¡± Cyril continued, ¡°I must say that leaving was a good idea. Even some of the human citizens fled the capital as your armies advanced, even though we had already agreed to your terms.¡±


    ¡°Does every erman always leave Dresk during this night?¡± Theop asked, maintaining his own train of thought instead of catering to Cyril¡¯s.


    ¡°When Rythellas is full?¡± The old king frowned in thought. ¡°They¡¯re supposed to, but a few might stay behind every now and again. Maybe once every few months, some diplomat might remain in the palace if they¡¯re especially behind in their work.¡±


    ¡°I see. And when Rythellas is new?¡±


    Cyril tapped his fingers against the arms of his throne. ¡°Yes,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°A mere handful when it¡¯s full, and all are gone when it¡¯s new. Surely it¡¯s the same in Serana?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I do not keep enough ermen nearby to keep track of their movements,¡± Theop said. So on the night of Rythellas in its new phase, every erman left, and it was on that night that the three wingless prisoners had managed their escape. Not weakened on both nights, but quite the opposite. If he should be so affected by Rythellas when it was full, then surely the opposite would be true as well. He already held unimaginable power, but if Rythellas offered some sort of amplification on that night, he would be a deity among both men and ermen. ¡°We have much to do,¡± Theop said. ¡°I need organization between our peoples, ad we have only two weeks.¡±


    Confusion spread over Cyril¡¯s features. ¡°Two weeks?¡±


    Even Hibranth was taken aback, frowning before apparently losing himself in thought.


    ¡°Yes. We strike quickly. Make preparations to march on Chasar as soon as possible.¡± Theop turned to Hibranth. ¡°General, you are to relinquish leadership of troops with us in Dresk to an officer of your choosing. You are then to return to Garenesh and seek Detar¡¯s advice in order to prepare the remaining Seranian troops for a campaign into Chasar. Wait a short while, and I will come to you soon to coordinate our advance.¡± A look back to Cyril. ¡°We will need Dreskian troops with us, if you will permit.¡± Theop would not give the king the ability to refuse, but he could grant him that illusion.


    ¡°I think it madness,¡± the old king said. ¡°Yet.¡± He exhaled, closing his eyes and likely bracing himself against the decision he would be forced into making. ¡°We¡¯re bound and powerless.¡±


    ¡°King Cyril!¡± one of his men said.


    ¡°Silence, General Terane,¡± Cyril said. ¡°We cannot afford to lose more Dreskian soldiers than necessary, and I will see to that.¡± He grimaced and glanced to Theop before looking to Terane. Theop pretended not to see that moment of disgust. It mattered not. ¡°Heed my words, and we shall save who we can.¡±


    As the king spoke, Theop felt the weight of the world in his hands. His wings rubbed against each other in excitement. Two weeks.


    ¡ª


    Mieta¡¯s pain seemed to mirror his won. Her face twisted haggardly as she howled against the Pillar¡¯s fury. It was difficult to see her; the ever-shifting colors largely blurred her from Caru¡¯s vision. She clutched her hands tightly against her body, screaming and shaking. He felt much the same. How long? Had he ever known a time without pain. No matter. These were all illusions. They had to be.


    Caru watched his mother burst into flame. Martel ran him through with a foot of Seranian steel. ¡°Justice for a coward,¡± he¡¯d called it. Kimke dove into the wall of the Eternal Tempest only to be annihilated a moment later by a rogue lightning strike. Drend and the other ermen beneath Edaria led Caru to a slaughter.


    Pain and death, pain and death.


    His spasming fingers dug long rivulet in the hard, stony soil. Spatters of blood stained the ground around him and Mieta as well, but they were thankfully difficult to see through the aether. Something tore at his back, but he couldn¡¯t make himself turn and see. Mieta was still bleeding and flashing gold in long rhythms. She pounded her fists against the dirt as she screamed.


    Ferrak scorched Caru¡¯s body while taunting him for being powerless enough to lose his wings at all. Cirellias shattered like glass, showering the planet with deadly debris, killing Caru and everyone else. Guards entered his cramped cell with blades bared, done with useless torture and coming to be rid of him. They laughed as his screams echoed through the halls of Garenesh¡¯s armory days before Rythellas would again turn Soulless. He felt a cry rising in his throat as the blades pierced his back. They sawed back and forth, tearing at his flesh.


    The only persistent illusion was Mieta. It hurt to watch her writhing in such a way, but hers was the only image that did not harm him, kill him, or call him a coward. Through the torment, she was the only one that showed compassion or seemed to care, reaching a comforting hand toward him in moments of lucidity between bouts of agony. With fists clenched, he crawled forward on his stomach. That image of her he kept in his mind was the only one that gave him a word of kindness. She was a dim figure seen through a sea of stars. He gritted his teeth tightly enough that he feared they might splinter. Only one thing in this torrent would end his pain, and he meant to find it. Bloodmages, storms, the world¡¯s leaders, nothing would hold him back. He wrapped an arm around Mieta¡¯s back and drew closer to her.


    Caru could still feel the guards¡¯ blades sawing through his back. Such pain that he would have thought impossible to endure.


    He cradled himself against Mieta and wove fingers into her silken hair. From somewhere came soothing noises as he stroked her. Mieta¡¯s eyes were distant, tears flowing freely down her face.


    The image twisted before him. Caru tried to focus, but she, the world, the Pillar, and everything else disappeared, leaving only an endless expanse of black void.


    ¡°Strange, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Kimke walked before him as surely as on solid ground. She wore no shirt or dress above her waist; instead, she was clad only in bloodied bandages. ¡°You had such a vendetta against humans after your escape, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Caru didn¡¯t speak, opting instead to watch as she wove a wide circle about him.


    ¡°You found them so¡­ disgusting, didn¡¯t you? Strange how one person can change your outlook on an entire race.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Caru said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Mieta that changed my views.¡±


    ¡°Who, then?¡±


    Caru gritted his teeth before spitting the name. ¡°Theop!¡±


    Kimke nodded, clasping her hands behind her back and studying her feet as she paced through the oblivion surrounding them. ¡°He did show you the worst of humanity,¡± she said. ¡°Men under his command, they preyed upon the weakest of us. Beaten, interrogated, they broke our bones, only to heal us so they could break us again.¡± She looked up, met his eyes. ¡°Does this form bother you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Caru said.


    She laughed. ¡°I may look like Kimke, but you must know by now that I am not. I am here to help you realize what you already know, and that is more than you think.¡± She paused and took a long breath. Caru wondered if breathing was necessary. ¡°I think you are beginning to understand this place.¡±


    Caru nodded. ¡°I think perhaps I am.¡±


    Kimke gave a broad smile. ¡°Which image of humanity is correct, then? Mieta or Theop?¡±


    ¡°Mieta,¡± Caru said without hesitation.


    Kimke sighed and pushed blonde hair back over her shoulders. ¡°You think humans are incapable of causing pain, then? They cannot make one suffer? Surely you remember the beatings you endured from them as they tried to extract the secrets of your race. Were they kind when they broke your arms and legs? You say that Mieta is your proper view of humanity, but is she? Is she really?¡±


    Perplexed, Caru said, ¡°Theop?¡±


    ¡°Hardly. You really want to base your views of humanity on that one? Remember that Mieta did abandon her life¡ªmundane, though comfortable¡ªto follow you even though she barely knew you. She showed mercy amidst your pain, showed you kindness when you had had your fill of her people.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the answer?¡±


    Kimke smiled again, this time slowly twisting her form until Mieta stood before him. ¡°Both,¡± Mieta said, the smile never leaving her. ¡°It is foolhardy to base all that you know on one person. You will either blind yourself to kindness or cruelty, when you should be vigilant for both. You once saw a human man dancing with an erman woman in Lieve. Do you think he meant her harm? Would he have lain down his life for her? Either may have been true, but which would you be more likely to believe? Most likely, he was somewhere in the middle. Would he have harmed her? Probably not. Would he have died for her? Again, most likely not. You wondered once why it was not easier to tell good people from the bad. It¡¯s simple, really. There may be a few good people and a few bad people, but¡ª¡°


    ¡°Most of the time, they¡¯re neither,¡± Caru finished.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Mieta said with a cheerful bob. ¡°People¡ªhumans or ermen¡ªare capable of great good and great evil. Paragons may exist, but are no more abundant than the truly evil. Most people can be convinced to become good, but evil is its own temptation. What of you, Caru Freehaven? Good or evil? I hope you find the strength to decide.¡±


    Caru nodded solemnly.


    ¡°What of Theop, then? Good or evil?¡±


    ¡°Evil,¡± Caru said. The anger stained his heart and quickened his pulse. ¡°He tortured three ermen for his own ends. He took our wings!¡± He closed his fists until his fingernails bit blood from the heels of his hands. Distant, swirling colors sprang to life in the void, red to mirror his own thoughts.


    ¡°Evil to you, perhaps,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Did you ever think he may have had pure intentions?¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s madness.¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± she said, ¡°but to his mind? Doing good sometimes does have a cost. Building a dam is good for the village, but condemned by the people in homes further upstream. Theop, however, is misguided. He exceeds his rights, even as a ruler. He may have had his people¡¯s well-being in mind, but what he did was profane. I think you will be even more surprised by his actions than you already are. He was wrong in the beginning, but things are even worse now that he has been further tainted by greed and power. Neither you, nor Kimke, nor Martel revealed the secrets of your people. That is commendable. You do have strength, and I hope it is enough strength to find the determination within yourself. What does Theop know of aether? What can he know of the Void or Soulless Moons?¡±


    ¡°Why would that be important to him anyway?¡± Caru asked. How long since his pain faded. At least this illusion was peaceful. At least this one was finally, seemingly, willing to help.


    ¡°Ask yourself why Mieta saw the detached wings so carefully preserved after their removal. Why was Theop so determined? Understand this: he may have a bull¡¯s strength, but he has a child¡¯s mind in one regard. Perhaps his intentions were pure at some point, but good can dwindle as motivations change. How long before his corruption is complete?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll put an end to him,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Mieta said. ¡°Do not think that calling yourself ¡®good¡¯ means that you can overcome the strength of will of an ¡®evil¡¯ man. You must have greater will. I can feel him only through the memories that you, Kimke, and Mieta share, but I do wish I could meet this Blood Emperor Theop.¡± She smiled and stopped her pacing. ¡°Now, Caru, do you think yourself a coward?¡±


    He closed his eyes, searching for an answer.


    ¡°Sacrifice is noble.¡± The words came in a low, booming voice. Caru opened his eyes to see Mieta replaced with Martel. The man smiled, at least. ¡°I died so that you might protect Kimke and Mieta. You may call yourself a coward for leaving me behind, but you did as I asked. You even went as far as to keep Kimke from killing herself after my death. Why do you consider the strength to die more worthy than the strength to live? If you had stayed behind, you would have thrown your life away, and then what of Kimke and Mieta? You¡¯ve kept them going, my friend. I only hope you find the strength to continue forward. You may think yourself a coward, but you¡¯re here in this rift beneath Edaria. You came of your own accord, but what drove you in? You had given up on getting your wings back by then. You dove into the Tempest because you saw Kimke and thought only to save her. You will have strength.¡±


    Martel dissolved, turning into Theop. ¡°You will need to find strength to defeat true evil, such as it exists. Alert others, fight, take whatever path you think is correct. It will take strength,¡± Theop said. ¡°Determination. Show me and this world your will. Take what you know of the Seranian Blood Emperor and exploit what you can. You¡¯ll find he has tremendous strength, but he has an obvious, glaring weakness. Use what you can.¡±


    Theop melted in turn, his form once changing once again to Kimke¡¯s. She was not clad in bandages this time, but rather in a yellow dress of long, flowing silk. Bright golden wings arced from her back, flexing as she spoke. ¡°How many times will you save her¡ªmy¡ªlife?¡± she asked. ¡°You spirited her away from her captive city, kept her from killing herself, and saved her from an unending storm. You can save her from herself, but do not forget her grief. She knew Martel longer than you by years and had grown to love the man. You know that. What is it like to face the death of someone like that? Her heart aches still, not only for what was lost, but for the loss of what could have been. Remember that, should she ever try to deal with that grief alone again.¡±


    Caru nodded as Kimke again shifted into Mieta. ¡°Caru,¡± she said. ¡°Why did I ever follow you? I never knew in the beginning how things would turn out or how I might eventually feel, but yet¡­ I think we¡¯re sometimes given very little say in matters of the heart. Strange, I suppose. Humans and ermen together, they¡¯re not unheard of, but I do know such things are hard to cope with. You think I¡¯ve always shown you so much kindness, but you¡¯ve done the same. You make me feel included at times when I feel like nothing more than the outsider, the human girl. I hope things work out between us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just another illusion,¡± Caru said.


    ¡°I am, but maybe I know more than your own mind.¡± She smiled. ¡°I think perhaps I¡¯ve only said what the real Mieta has thought all along. Ask me when we¡¯re on the other side, and I¡¯ll say much the same.¡± She shattered into nothingness, but a voice remained, speaking in a multitude. Caru, it said. You have the strength to do good, and I trust that you will. Your will is strong, and that is what I seek. I may call upon you soon, and you will know to return. You have faced yourself and are judged worthy.


    Colors shimmered in all directions, and he could again feel Mieta¡¯s body¡ªher real body¡ªin his arms. Her clothes had changed, but he only spared a glance through the shifting of the colors. ¡°Wait!¡± Caru cried out weakly. ¡°Who are you? What are you?¡±


    No answer.


    He shivered as he held Mieta, but he no longer felt pain. No, if anything, he felt the hum of a living world.


    The cuts and scrapes were gone from his arms¡ªhe didn¡¯t need to see them to know. He flexed the muscles in his back and felt his wings shift. It was enough to make his eyes brim with tears. Whole again, he thought. Drend hadn¡¯t lied. He flexed them again, itching to fly, but he had Mieta to tend to, as well as finding out what happened with Kimke.


    ¡°Caru,¡± Mieta whispered. He could finally hear her voice instead of needing to read her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said. He pulled her closed as he braced himself to stand. He looked down where he¡¯d lain only a moment earlier and started to laugh. He bent over and picked up something of his, marveling as he spun it between his fingers.


    A long brown feather, flecked with black.


    END OF ACT I