《Dynasty's Ghost》


 Prologue: Forbidden Knowledge

    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The room around Ormin was dark and filled in every corner with stacks of texts. Once this place, this room on top of the tallest tower, had made him feel safe, made him feel at home. But now, his surroundings seemed to have betrayed him. They were frightening.


    ¡°You dared augur with the spirits of the dead, the spirits of hell,¡± said Ormin¡¯s cloaked nemesis. ¡°Did you not think we would find you?¡± The words clicked, and a forked tongue took measure of the air every other moment.


    ¡°I just wanted to know who He would be,¡± said Ormin desperately. ¡°I just wanted knowledge. I dedicated my life to the pursuit of truth!¡± Ormin franticly gestured an arm at the room with all of its books and scrolls.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°And because of the knowledge you already had,¡± said the intruder, ¡°you knew what would happen if you pierced that particular veil. You are no innocent for me to warn, Sage.¡±


    Ormin collapsed backwards onto his leather chair, suddenly weak. ¡°I just wanted to learn who He was. I couldn¡¯t go on in this life, this chaos, without knowing.¡±


    ¡°And are you happy now?¡± clicked the reptilian thing, ¡°knowing that you will be taking your knowledge to the grave?¡±


    For the first time in his life, Ormin did not have an answer. ¡°You don¡¯t have to kill me,¡± he said, edging back in his chair.


    The creature pulled back its hood, exposing the head of a snake. From behind its back, it drew a scythe, double-bladed, with one blade on each end pointing in opposite directions. The weapon was almost as big as the creature, and bigger than Ormin. It twirled in the creature¡¯s clawed hands.


    ¡°Please,¡± begged Ormin.


    Then the blade cut down, and the world had one sage less.

 Chapter 1: Chaos in the Capital

    Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen stared out her window and looked down the streets of the Occluded City. Almost all the buildings were in flames, and a few remaining Imperial Guards desperately battled against the throngs of commoners trying to overrun them. Blood filled the streets.


    Mai could hardly believe that the Occluded City could fall so quickly, or that commoners would dare set foot inside the place of their betters. But she supposed she would have to.


    Mai¡¯s sensitive nose smelled smoke coming from beyond the closed door of her room. The Palace itself is on fire! That thought heartened her, as she realized she would not need to endure the madness she saw for much longer. The fire would end her, and whatever would happen would then happen. She did not wish to see the future. It could only be worse.


    Mai sat on her bed with its silk pillows and blankets. She formed herself cross-legged and composed herself, determined to wait for her death in a way that would restore at least a tiny bit of honor to her family.


    But then a knock came on the door. As Mai got up, it burst open, and General Varsis walked into the room flanked by two of his soldiers.


    ¡°General!¡± she cried. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± She had thought he had left the palace when all the others did, when the mob had allowed all not of House Tachen safe passage out of the city. ¡°Are you here to rescue me?¡± A glimmer of hope crossed her mind. House Makini could have stayed loyal despite it all.


    ¡°Of course I am not here to rescue you, Princess,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I am here to make sure you die.¡±


    ¡°I would have died easily enough without your help,¡± said Mai, indignant.


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± said Varsis. ¡°But I needed to make sure you would be dead. I have to kill you myself.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°You know all too well what caused this madness, Princess,¡± said Varsis. ¡°You saw.¡± His calm tone was almost reassuring. ¡°Your father dropped dead in the middle of his thirteenth annual People¡¯s Address. He dropped dead, leaving you his only heir. And you were born a bastard girl who could not be expected to inherit the throne. The commoners as well as everyone else saw the blatant sign. And so they rioted, with the full support of the soldiers of several of the Houses, and the grudging support of the others.¡±


    ¡°I know this,¡± said Mai. ¡°I was there, Lord-General. Why do you wish to kill me?¡±


    ¡°Because what happened on that balcony overlooking the walls of the Occluded City was a sign, and I want no one to forget that. The people are believers now, but eventually, some will remember that there is still an heir to the dynasty that ruled for eleven hundred years, and many will want you to rule them, even if you are a bastard.


    ¡°But I am a believer,¡± said General Varsis. ¡°I believe that the sign was for change. I will kill you here, and make sure your dead body is dragged through the streets so none will wish to rally around you. The people might rally for a missing girl, but they would not rally for a corpse.¡±


    ¡°I am prepared,¡± said Mai. ¡°Do what you must.¡±


    The general, having done her the courtesy of explaining his actions, was not going to waste any more time. Instantly, his left hand, the one made of steel, clamped down on her throat, lifted her feet off the ground and slammed her against the wall.


    Mai¡¯s feet kicked, and she hated herself for it, hated herself that she could not go calmly to her death. She was a bastard, and she was good for nothing. As Mai struggled breaths under the iron grip, Varsis drew his knife. But just before he was about to slit her throat, she gasped out, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Varsis dropped her, and Mai was barely able to keep herself from collapsing to the ground. Panting, she leaned against the wall for support.


    ¡°What is it, Princess?¡± said the Lord-General. ¡°I have yet to leave this place, and I am pressed for time.¡±


    ¡°Your¡­dagger,¡± said Mai. ¡°It has the Imperial seal on its hilt.¡±


    Varsis briefly examined the weapon, then sheathed it in disgust. ¡°It would be dishonorable to kill you with that,¡± he said. ¡°I agree.¡± He started to draw his sword, and then shoved it back into its scabbard. ¡°It seems your father¡¯s House has laid its mark on all my weapons,¡± said the Lord-General. He surveyed his men. ¡°And those of my guards as well. But no matter. You will still die. Graven!¡± he shouted, and one of his two bodyguards stepped forwards. ¡°Suffocate her. I and Taros must leave if we wish to reliably escape. Once you are done, throw her to the mob and try to find your own way home, but if you do not make it, I will still know the great service you have done.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Aye, Lord-General,¡± said Graven, and then Varsis and Taros strode out. Graven turned to Mai.


    One of Graven¡¯s teeth was missing, and from the little his House Makini garb showed of his naked body, he was covered in scars.


    Mai shrunk from him. It was one thing for Varsis to kill her with a blade. That was a noble way to die, and he was a noble man. But this Graven¡­He looked to be barely of high enough caste to call House Makini his own, and suffocation was the manner of disposing of cats and dogs. Mai knew she was a bastard, but she was no dog.


    ¡°How dare you do this?¡± said Mai. ¡°Use your blade, coward!¡±


    Graven took a step to her. ¡°I dare not be cursed, for then I will never escape,¡± he said. ¡°This way is better. House Tachen has lost so much honor today, a little more shall not be missed.¡±


    He grabbed her with all the strength she expected from a seasoned warrior. He threw her onto the bed, and Mai tried to relax, though attaining that goal was beyond her. If she accepted her fate, as a princess should, the honor lost would be minimized. Varsis had only ordered this because he had no other choice.


    Graven reached for a pillow, and thrust it over Mai¡¯s head. She didn¡¯t try to struggle, but her body still flailed, wanting and needing air. She was a thing of base, and so her body did not understand honor.


    Suddenly, however, the pillow was gone, and Mai breathed again. Am I dead? she wondered. But this did not feel like Elysium.


    In another moment, Mai was able to see the reason Graven had withdrawn. Another man had entered the room, armored with black leather armor, and sword at his waist. As Mai leaned up, Graven got up, and drew his own sword to defend himself.


    However, his actions were too late. The black-armored man rushed at Graven. Their blades met but once, and then the new arrival twisted his sword in a style Mai had not seen before, and then his curved sword penetrated through Graven¡¯s leather, and came out his back.


    The stranger¡¯s sword withdrew, and Graven gasped blood and fell to the ground, summarily dispatched.


    Mai thought for a moment that the stranger was of House Dunesis. After all, he wore black armor. Perhaps he had saved her so that he could be the one to kill her. There was probably great honor in making her death, she realized.


    But as the stranger put away his bloody sword without even wiping it, he did not dash the customary sigil in the air with his blade that those of House Dunesis made after a successful kill. Mai was confused.


    Who is he? she thought. Is he a commoner? Instantly her mind filled with fear. If the man was a commoner, then he could have a far worse fate in store for her than a simple death. He could violate her! Mai would never have thought one of the houseless could defeat a warrior of the Makini in honest combat, but on this day of horrors, nothing seemed impossible.


    But he did not seem like a commoner. He seemed like nothing she knew.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± asked Mai, as the stranger turned to her.


    ¡°Come,¡± he said, and grabbed her arm roughly.


    ¡°Take your hands off me, you lowborn!¡± Mai screamed.


    ¡°You will come with me willingly, or I will carry you as a babe,¡± said the man.


    Mai ripped her arm out of his grip. ¡°I can walk,¡± she said indignantly.


    ¡°Then follow.¡±


    The man walked to the door of Mai¡¯s bedroom, then turned back when she did not immediately come after him.


    Mai hesitantly took a few steps closer to the man, and he took her hand. The gesture seemed so smooth, she did not try to resist.


    Into the hallway they went. It was covered with flames. As Mai stared with disbelieving eyes, she saw a portion of the floor crumble and fall away.


    ¡°We cannot get through this,¡± she said. ¡°I must go back to my room to die with honor.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    Mai did so, utterly convinced that it did not matter, as they were both trapped anyway. The man¡¯s eyes slowly surveyed the room.


    And then he moved, quick as a cat, heading right at the largest concentration of the fire, right where the floor had fallen out. Mai¡¯s hand was held tight, and she was dragged with him.


    Mai closed her eyes, as, for a moment, she felt the fire burn her.


    But then the fire was gone. Mai opened her eyes again, and they were on the other side of the flames, in an area of the hallway that was only starting to catch.


    The princess¡¯ eyes widened as the stranger, with one hand, reached down and tore off a large strip from her dress. She was about to say something, when she looked down at it, and realized that the fabric he removed had caught fire. He had saved her from it.


    Then the mysterious man was on the move again, dragging Mai with him. He seemed to know the palace by heart, but that was impossible. Mai knew almost everyone who had worked in the building, and he was not one of them. Furthermore, he dragged her through burning passageways and chambers she had never known existed.


    Mai had lived in the palace her entire life, and he knew it better than she did.


    Minutes latter, Mai found that they had reached the stables. Rows of horses attached to carriages in turn attached to the walls filled the huge room. The horses were in panic from the fire, but the hitches held tight, and so they could not escape.


    ¡°The trappings of the rich,¡± the man whispered. He walked her to one of the smaller carriages, then turned to the horse that was bound to it.


    As the man neared, the horse quieted. ¡°I name thee Aruith,¡± said the man. ¡°Rain. Everything should have a name, and what better name to douse the fire?¡±


    Mai was about to say that the horse probably already had a name, but she thought better of it.


    The man turned to her. ¡°Get in the carriage,¡± he said.


    For the first time since the man had quieted her, Mai spoke. ¡°How are we going to get out?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I know a way,¡± said the stranger, already beginning to unlatch the carriage from the wall. ¡°Get in.¡± He stopped his work to open the door for her.


    Mai did, and the door was closed behind her. The inside of the carriage was lavish, if small, and drapes covered the windows from the inside. Mai had no desire to push them back.


    Soon the carriage began to move.

 Chapter 2: Identity

    Mai felt the carriage grind to a halt around her. It felt like and indeed must have been hours since she had entered it. She got up, stooping her head so that it would not hit the low ceiling, and the carriage doors opened for her.


    Mai got out, stepping from the low-lying floor of the carriage to the grass outside. The black-clad stranger closed the door behind her. At first, Mai did not speak. Her surroundings had no hint of city. Short grass surrounded them in every direction, and it was only far to her right and up a hill that she could see a hint of road. It was night, and she and the stranger were all alone.


    Save the horse. It snorted.


    The man went over to the horse. He unhitched it from the carriage. As he did so, Mai watched him. The stranger was lithe. His skin was pale, but not overly so. His hair, however, was as dark as the clothes he wore, and thick. He seemed to be in his mid-twenties.


    ¡°Aruith,¡± said the man, as he let the horse go free. ¡°Don¡¯t run.¡± The horse took a few steps away from the carriage. Then, compliant, it started to settle down under the starry sky.


    Finally, Mai assumed the confidence to speak. ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked, when she was sure the stranger¡¯s attention had turned to her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡±


    And they sat, Mai kneeling on the ground, and the stranger cross-legged.


    ¡°May I ask your name now, sir?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said the man. ¡°If you wish, I can be Casari is Koranor.¡±


    Mai shifted, ill at ease. ¡°Why would you say something like that?¡± she said. ¡°You must know as well as I that name is of a demon.¡±


    For a moment, the man said nothing. ¡°What I said was indeed in poor taste,¡± he agreed at last. ¡°My name is broken.¡±


    ¡°Your name is Broken?¡± Mai asked, confused. ¡°But that¡¯s a commoner¡¯s name, and you act like a noble.¡±


    ¡°My name is what it is,¡± said the man. ¡°Nothing can change that. I believe we should move the conversation elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Why did you rescue me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°As of yet, that business is my own,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I assure you, I mean you no harm.¡±


    ¡°How can I be sure?¡± asked Mai. ¡°There are many reasons why you might wish to harm me.¡± In truth, I can only think of a few, but they are enough.


    ¡°I can swear an oath,¡± said the man, readily, too readily for Mai¡¯s comfort.


    ¡°But you are lowborn,¡± said Mai. ¡°Lowborns lie. How can I know for sure that you can be trusted?¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Because the oath I will make,¡± said the man, ¡°is one that is of such great honor, if it is ignored, my life will be forever stained.¡±


    Mai was curious, curious to hear what oath a lowborn could know that was worth so much. ¡°Go on.¡±


    Broken got to one knee. ¡°Stand,¡± he said. As Mai did, he drew his sword, still bloody, and wiped it off upon the grass. Then he looked at her, and their eyes locked as she stared down at him. Somehow, he looked to be in complete control. He twisted his sword ever so carefully, so he did not cut himself, and offered its hilt to her.


    ¡°Take this,¡± said the man, ¡°And I am sworn to you, Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, first among all, now and forever. My life before yours. To the depths of hell, and the bliss of Elysium, my goals above all are your safety and happiness. I am your man.¡±


    Mai took the heavy blade, shocked. She knew of no oath stronger. He had said the word ¡®I¡¯ where he should have said his name, but that was not important. The other parts of the oath outstripped that minor detail. Holding the sword awkwardly, she asked, ¡°How could you know those words? Only nobles do.¡±


    ¡°Tell me to rise,¡± said Broken, ¡°and then hand my sword back. Until then, the oath is not done.¡±


    ¡°Rise,¡± said Mai, and Broken stood. She handed him his sword back, and he took it, and drove it home to his sheath.


    ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± asked the man.


    ¡°Sage-Emperor preserve us,¡± Mai murmured. ¡°Now, how did you know the oath?¡±


    ¡°I cannot tell you,¡± said Broken. ¡°Even though I am your man, there are some things best left unspoken.¡±


    ¡°Who are you? Where do you come from?¡±


    ¡°Those answers are best left unspoken, as well,¡± he said.


    Mai sat back down on the grass, feeling as if the stranger had cheated her. ¡°So you can tell me nothing of who you are?¡±


    Broken got down as well. ¡°That is correct. But there is a more pertinent question.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Where do you wish to go, Princess?¡± asked the man.


    Suddenly, everything came rushing back to Mai. She remembered the buildings of the Occluded City burning, and she remembered seeing her life ripped from beneath her very eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said.


    Broken changed the topic. ¡°What do you remember of the chaos?¡± he asked.


    It was easy for Mai to recount, too easy. ¡°I was watching my father¡¯s speech from a different balcony,¡± she said. ¡°Then he just¡­collapsed. I ran back to my room as the people started to kill each other. Then you found me.¡± She almost started to shed tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be more composed.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Broken. ¡°But, are you sure you don¡¯t know where those still loyal to House Tachen might be found? I will take you there.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    Broken got up, retrieved some things from a compartment on the carriage, and then came back with food and cloths to eat with. He handed her a loaf of the palace kitchen¡¯s finest bread, and started eating another. ¡°I got this as we were leaving,¡± he said, between bites. ¡°The route I drove the carriage came right past the food stocks.¡±


    Mai did not respond, and just kept eating. The familiar food was reassuring. Her dress was torn beyond repair, and she was sure she looked in similar shape. However, she could still feel as if a small part of the universe was still right.


    Mai quickly finished what she was given. ¡°Can I have another?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    After she was done, Broken gave her a water sack, which she eagerly drank from, not knowing how thirsty she had been until her lips touched the water.


    And then the meal was over.


    ¡°Show me your legs, Princess,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I can fix your dress.¡±


    Over the next few minutes, Broken carefully hemmed away with a knife, straightening the rips he had made in Mai¡¯s dress, even as she still wore it. It surprised Mai how quickly he worked.


    When he was done, her left ankle was still covered, but the bottom of the dress now slanted diagonally, going all the way up to just under her knee. There wasn¡¯t much sign the blue dress had ever been made a different way.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You can sleep in the carriage,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯ll be outside.¡±


    As Mai got in, she saw that Broken was already starting to lie down on the grass for his own rest.

 Chapter 3: Varsis

    It was so late, it was probably morning by the time Varsis and Taros reached the docks. Leaving the Occluded City and then getting out of the metropolis that had sprung up around it, without attracting much attention, took time.


    Rain pattered on the abandoned docks, as Varsis and his bodyguard sprinted to the ship that would take them home. Everyone else who could leave already had, and Varsis¡¯ ship was the last one still anchored.


    Huge sections of the wooden docks were blackened, and some parts still smoked. If the skies had not opened, Varsis doubted there would have been much in the way of docks to return to.


    As Varsis reached his ship, a rope ladder was tossed off the side, and Varsis climbed. As he came over the side, a strange sight greeted his eyes. His loyal crew was there, ready and waiting, but so were dozens upon dozens of what looked to be refugees. Varsis¡¯ personal craft was quite spacious, but the deck was completely covered with them.


    As Taros came over the side as well, Varsis turned to his captain, who stood right there, ready and waiting for Varsis¡¯ orders, as if nothing was amiss.


    ¡°What in the world is going on, Salko?¡± Varsis asked, as the rain poured down onto his face. ¡°Who are all these people?¡±


    ¡°Nobles of House Tachen, sir,¡± said Salko, ¡°and their wives, and their children, and their servants. When they got to the docks, ours was the only ship they could seek shelter on. After they got past the mobs, I couldn¡¯t refuse them.¡±


    ¡°You are far too kind,¡± said Varsis. ¡°And now I can¡¯t get rid of them.¡± There seemed to be several times more refugees than crew, and if Varsis ordered his men to throw them all off the ship, chaos would ensue, which was the last thing Varsis wanted.


    Captain Salko smiled, and Varsis knew that the captain knew exactly what he was thinking.


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind for your own good,¡± growled Varsis. He could give a thousand reasons why the refugees should never have been allowed on board, but he knew Salko knew those reasons just as well.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Still smiling, Salko shouted at his men, ¡°Get the Legacy sailing! Head north on the river! Do it now!¡± At Varsis, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you out of the rain.¡±


    Varsis, Salko, and Taros made their way down into the ship. Even on the under-levels, it was hard to keep from tripping over the multitudes of people that lined the halls. Still, Varsis restrained himself from saying anything. He could talk once they got to the captain¡¯s quarters.


    Salko¡¯s room was small and unlavish, with little more than a chair, a bed, and a table. It was the first place on the ship Varsis had seen yet that was bare of people.


    Varsis took the chair. He drummed his fingers on the armrests, noting, as he always did, that the digits of his steel left hand felt nothing.


    ¡°Any damage the refugees cause is on your head,¡± said Varsis. ¡°And they better be able to pay for themselves. I told you, Salko, to keep your ship as inconspicuous as possible. That seems to be the last thing you did here.¡±


    ¡°Your orders were quite hard to follow, in any event, sir,¡± said Salko.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± asked Varsis. The Lord-General, however, remembered the suspicious lack of gangplank when he had entered the ship, and realized he might have an idea at what Salko was talking about.


    ¡°Rioters tried to drive us away, even after I took down the Imperial flag,¡± said Salko. ¡°It proved impossible to be both ready to leave at the slightest notice, and invisible, as you might have liked. Three of my crew died repelling commoners, and it was all I could do to keep the others from leaving the city without you.¡±


    Varsis was reminded of the reason he hired Salko in the first place: his loyalty. ¡°Then you did well,¡± he said, getting up. ¡°As long as all the extras on this ship are gone by the time we reach Makini lands, I¡¯ll forget this ever happened.¡±


    ¡°Thank you sir,¡± said Salko.


    As Varsis rose from the chair, he felt the Legacy start to move away from the docks. All was good.


    ¡°There is one other thing I must inform you of,¡± said Salko. ¡°During one of our battles with the rioters, Graven¡¯s body was thrown up onto the deck. The rioters must have known this was a Makini ship. We¡­we thought you were dead, sir. If I might ask, how did he get separated from you?¡±


    Varsis calmed himself. Graven being dead did not necessarily imply that he failed his task; in fact, it could imply quite the opposite. However, Graven¡¯s body thrown up over the railing did not seem to be a good omen.


    ¡°You will find out soon enough,¡± said Varsis. ¡°When I know more.¡± If I ever know more. Graven had just been swallowed up by the chaos in the streets. It was quite possible that Varsis would never know what had truly happened. ¡°How was he killed?¡±


    ¡°It was strange,¡± said Salko. ¡°According to Roin, one of my crew, he had been impaled by a warrior¡¯s sword. All I saw was the blood, but¡­Roin tends not to be wrong with things like that.¡±


    ¡°Is his body still onboard?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Varsis didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°Let me see him.¡±

 Chapter 4: Morning

    Mai woke, and immediately she began to feel uncomfortable. The sense of mystery she had felt last night was gone. She had fallen asleep on one of the carriage¡¯s benches, but upon awakening, she found that while her feet were still on the bench, she had fallen so that her head and shoulders were on the floor, and she ached.


    Mai leaned up, and all the jewelry she wore jingled. She maneuvered her way back to actually sitting on the bench, where she let out an involuntary sob. She was alone, without any attendants. It could be acceptable to lose her composure in private, couldn¡¯t it?


    Yesterday¡¯s events came at her hard and fast. She had realized before, quite a while before, that her life as she knew it was over, but until now, she had no idea what that meant. Tears flowed freely.


    Mai¡¯s father was dead. All the people she knew at the court were probably dead as well, and things could only get worse. I am protected by¡­No! Held captive by a warrior who will not tell me anything about who he is. Mai knew she had nothing left, nothing except a man named Broken who probably was just going to rape her and kill her, anyway.


    Mai¡¯s gold hoop earrings, her gold necklace, her gold wristbands and ankle bracelets, they all did nothing for her. They did nothing for her in a way she had never understood before. She wanted to rip all of her jewelry off, except, if she did so, it would mean she really was done, and she cared nothing about the honor of her House. She had to keep wearing it all, for the sake of House Tachen.


    The princess reached for the door of the carriage, and stepped out. Even as she looked all across the expanse of fields, brilliant in the morning, Broken was nowhere to be found. Mai didn¡¯t worry. Broken would be back to claim what was his soon enough.


    In her head, Mai heard the words she knew Broken would say to her, after he revealed the truth about himself. ¡®You didn¡¯t really think I was your knight in shining armor, did you, Princess? You didn¡¯t really think I wanted to help you? You did? Well, that¡¯s a laugh. No, it really is, you just don¡¯t get it!


    Mai collapsed to her knees as fresh tears welled in her eyes, tears she now shed without hesitation. She kept hearing Broken¡¯s voice. You¡¯re crying now, Princess? Why would you do that? There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of¡­well, there¡¯s plenty to be afraid of, but what¡¯s going to happen is still going to happen, like it or not. And you might like it, or at least some perverted part of you will.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Mai¡¯s head flashed around as she saw Broken come around the side of the carriage, arms filled with what looked like another meal. She got to her feet almost immediately, eyes blazing with anger. ¡°How dare you act like this!¡± she shouted. ¡°How dare you make me believe, for a moment, that things might work out!¡± She wanted to hit him, wanted to hurt him, but she had at least some honor to maintain.


    Broken set the food on the grass. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend any longer, lowborn! I know what you¡¯re after!¡± Mai assumed that Broken would grab her, and tell her to quiet down, so that the people on the road wouldn¡¯t hear her, or he would deny her words, and tell her that he had no idea what she was talking about. Either way, Mai knew what she would say next.


    But Broken said neither. ¡°What am I after?¡± he asked plainly.


    ¡°You know what you want from me,¡± said Mai, hesitating a little.


    ¡°If I do, then what could be the harm in saying it?¡± asked Broken.


    Silence came from Mai. Her anger was too much for words, but as so, she didn¡¯t know how to express it.


    ¡°You fear my intentions are not benign,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Yes, monster,¡± said Mai. She found that her words no longer came out in a shout. However, they were edged better now, and stronger.


    ¡°So what do you have to gain by calling a bluff?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I want to get this over with.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± said the man. ¡°Don¡¯t you enjoy life, at least a little? Come, sit down, and have breakfast.¡±


    Broken sat, and Mai did as well, though she didn¡¯t know why. They ate in utter silence.


    ¡°Can I do anything to make you think better of me?¡± asked Broken, when they were done.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Broken packed up what was left of their meal. ¡°Then let¡¯s go. If we head far enough south, eventually there will be a town.¡±


    Broken then gave some horse feed to Aruith, which had strangely enough not run off. Broken hitched the horse back up to the carriage.


    As Mai watched, Broken sat in the driver¡¯s seat of the carriage, and then beckoned for her to sit next to him. Knowing that Broken would just chase her down if she tried to run, Mai obliged. Broken took the reins, and, more gently than most drivers Mai had seen, urged Aruith to move up to the main road.


    The horse slowly moved up the gentle hill until they reached the paved ground. Broken then urged Aruith in a direction that was presumably south, though how he knew that, Mai wasn¡¯t sure.


    As they traveled, the road was all but empty. A few travelers on horseback passed them in both directions, easily speeding past the slow carriage. Mai understood why. In times of chaos, she had been taught, most commoners hunkered down and the rest wanted to get where they were going as quickly as possible.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Hours passed in silence. There was a short stop for midday meal, and then they continued on. Mai had nothing to say.


    The land they traveled on slowly became more and more hilly, almost mountainous. Fog came and went, and Mai soon lost track of the number of hills they had cleared. Trees grew around the road.


    All Mai could do was wait. She wondered if the few travelers she had seen thought her and Broken an odd pair, or if they had even noticed her at all. As Mai realized she could not herself remember what the folk that had passed them had looked like, she decided that they all had been too wrapped up in their own troubles to care.


    Another traveler passed them right then, riding a black horse, in stark contrast to Aruith¡¯s white. Heading in the opposite direction, he seemed to slow down as he passed by the carriage, but afterwards, he sped up again. In turn, Broken gave the traveler a rather strange look.


    Their carriage headed on through the hills, but Broken began to look more wary.


    Good, Mai thought, though she didn¡¯t know the reason for Broken¡¯s behavior. Let him sweat a little.


    A few minutes later, a man came out from behind a rock, planting himself firmly in the middle of the road before Broken could ride past him. Broken pulled Aruith to a halt.


    ¡°Welcome to this part of the Tachen Hills, traveler,¡± said the man in the road. His clothes were torn and shabby, but he seemed to be completely confident.


    ¡°Might I ask your name?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I am Devin,¡± said the man. He removed his cap, revealing a face of twenty and some years, and patted an oddly straight sword at his waist.


    As if that was some sort of signal, men crept out of the woods from all around, encircling the carriage. There seemed to be about a dozen of them, and they all held weapons.


    ¡°I am a Thief-Lord,¡± said Devin, ¡°and these are my crew. Hand over the lady¡¯s jewels, and perhaps some other things and we¡¯ll let you be on your way.¡±


    Broken got down from his seat. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d let me fight you in single combat?¡± he said to Devin, nonchalantly. He started to slowly draw his sword.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m no fool to get a warrior¡¯s sword anywhere near me,¡± said Devin. He gave a glance to one of his followers, who held a crossbow. ¡°One more step forward, and you¡¯ll be dead, and there¡¯s no reason to be dead in a business transaction.¡±


    The man holding the crossbow pointed it solidly at Broken. For a moment, it seemed to Mai as if Broken would rush Devin, and try to fight them all, regardless of the odds. But only for a moment.


    Broken slammed his sword back into his sheath, and Devin and the crossbow man smiled. A laugh rolled up from the entire group of bandits.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve called my bluff,¡± said Broken, quite calmly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be having the lady¡¯s jewels, then?¡± asked Devin.


    ¡°If this is actually a robbery,¡± said Broken, ¡°let¡¯s do it properly.¡± As Mai craned her head to see, Broken opened the doors to the carriage. ¡°As you can see, there¡¯s nothing inside,¡± he said, as the bandits watched him carefully.


    ¡°All right then, let¡¯s do this right,¡± said Devin. ¡°Call the lady down from the carriage.¡±


    Broken turned to Mai immediately. He gestured to her by crooking the fingers of his hand. Despite being called like a dog, Mai got up and came over.


    Upon seeing how rude Broken was to his lady, Devin and his crew laughed again. ¡°Arch, Brad,¡± called Devin. ¡°You two check the wagon, top and bottom, see if there¡¯s really nothing important inside.¡± As those two did as they were told, Devin turned to Broken. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to give me your sword now,¡± he said. ¡°It looks valuable.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Broken, drawing his blade, and tossing it over to Devin, who just barely caught the sword by its hilt.


    The thief looked rather surprised that Broken had turned over his weapon so easily. ¡°Your dagger too,¡± he said, and that weapon Broken quickly withdrew and tossed to the ground.


    As another member of the bandits took Broken¡¯s weapons, Devin stepped closer.


    ¡°You¡¯re not like any warrior I ever met before,¡± he said, sounding genuinely surprised, not sarcastic. ¡°What are you doing with the lady?¡±


    ¡°I just follow my instincts,¡± said Broken. ¡°I was in the Imperial City when the Emperor died, and fate led me to her.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not her protector,¡± said Devin. ¡°You¡¯re just some random guy who made his way into the Imperial Palace, stole some things, and made off with a lady.¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± said Broken. ¡°Now it seems though, my good fortune has taken a turn for the worse.¡±


    ¡°That it has,¡± said Devin. He looked over at Arch and Brad, who had opened every single compartment on the carriage, and now seemed to be checking for hidden ones. ¡°You found anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, boss,¡± said the bigger one. ¡°Just some provisions, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Well, close everything up, Arch,¡± said Devin. ¡°We¡¯ll soon be on our way. If only everyone was this cooperative.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be wanting the lady¡¯s gold, then?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Yup,¡± said Devin. ¡°Shame to take things from a fellow thief, but business is business. The gold will probably wind up at the same pawn shop, anyway.¡± He took out a bag. ¡°Take it from her, and toss it all in here.¡±


    Broken looked at Mai. ¡°Take the gold off,¡± he said, in a voice deadly serious. He took the bag from Devin.


    Mai slowly reached up and undid the catch on her necklace, thinking about how she had been so willing to give up all the gold in the morning, but now that she was called upon to do just that, it took effort. She tossed the necklace in the bag, pulled off her wristbands, and put them in as well.


    It took Mai a long time to take off the earrings. A servant had always put them on for her, and she barely knew how to do it. After removing the two ankle bands, she found suddenly that she was done. She had no more gold, no more reminders of her former affluence. It was all in the bag that Broken held.


    Broken gave the bag to Devin, who took it, and seemed to feel how heavy it was. ¡°Wow,¡± he said. ¡°Who is she, anyway, to have this much?¡±


    ¡°The Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen,¡± said Broken, without hesitating. ¡°Daughter to our late Emperor.¡±


    ¡°I must say,¡± said Devin. ¡°You got a catch.¡± At the carriage, Arch and Brad finally stepped away. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be leaving you,¡± said Devin. ¡°But I almost wish we could take her too.¡±


    ¡°For a night, you could,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late, and I need a safe place to stay,¡± said Broken, ¡°and what better place to stay than a den of thieves? We might even be able to work out a long term arrangement, as I doubt I¡¯ll be able to return to my old duties as a warrior in the Occluded City.¡±


    ¡°So you were a guard,¡± said Devin. ¡°And I like your thinking. Seeing as you¡¯ve just provided us with our best catch ever, I don¡¯t see a problem letting you stay the night. For more than that, you¡¯ll just have to wait and see¡­People!¡± he called to his crew. ¡°We¡¯re having two guests tonight,¡± he said, and there were grunts all around of assent. ¡°Anyway,¡± said Devin, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Broken,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°So you¡¯re a commoner who¡¯s also a warrior,¡± remarked Devin. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of a few of those, and I mean a few. There were probably like, ten in the entire history of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I proved my worth to many people,¡± said Broken. ¡°I hope to prove my worth to you as well.¡±


    ¡°Broken¡¯s a crap name,¡± said Devin. ¡°Why would your mother name you that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she didn¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you change it?¡±


    ¡°Why bother?¡±

 Chapter 5: Den of Thieves

    Mai sat next to Broken on the carriage, as they traveled to Devin¡¯s camp. The bandits themselves had hid their horses in the woods, and now the entire group rode together, through the wooded hills.


    The bandits¡¯ camp turned out to be a cave. Aruith and the other horses were left outside, tethered to nearby trees, and then Mai and Broken were shown in.


    The cave was a lot bigger on the inside than it looked on the out, and there was surprisingly little in the way of dirt or damp. Illuminated by well-spaced lanterns on the walls, the cave looked well lived in.


    As the group trudged in, two more bandits, who had been sitting at a table, apparently cavesitting, got up to say hello. ¡°Who are those two?¡± one of the pair to Devin, in a loud voice. The other one went to help with the loot. Mai slowly backed herself up near a wall, a good few paces from Broken and the thieves.


    ¡°We robbed them, but this man, wants to stay the night, Rai,¡± said Devin, clapping Broken on the back.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have let them come here; they¡¯ll know where this place is, now,¡± said Rai. He was compact, and muscular.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Devin, giving Rai a look.


    ¡°Who¡¯s the girl?¡± asked Rai, in a completely different, and much more hospitable tone.


    ¡°If my good friend Broken¡¯s story is to be believed,¡± said Devin, ¡°she is the only daughter to the late Emperor. And I believe him too. She had a fortune of gold on her in jewelry. He¡¯s just a thief, like us.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure they can be trusted?¡± said Rai. ¡°I mean, thief or no, he probably just wants the gold back.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much,¡± said Devin, sitting down on one of the four benches inside the cave. ¡°Broken wants to join us, and he¡¯ll be on his best behavior. And besides, there¡¯s fourteen of us, and only one of him, seeing as the Princess doesn¡¯t count. What could possibly go wrong?¡±


    A few of Devin¡¯s men slid a huge oblong table up in front of him, and pulled all the benches around it. ¡°You got that right,¡± said Devin. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat. Ryan, get some food.¡± One of the thieves ran into the depths of the cave, as the others sat down around the table. ¡°Broken,¡± said Devin. ¡°Get the Princess over here, and then sit down with us.¡±


    Broken came up to Mai, and would have dragged her with him, had she not walked as fast as she could to the table. Broken and Mai sat on the same bench, empty except for them.


    ¡°All right, then,¡± said Devin, sitting at the other end of the table. ¡°I had better introduce the both of you to my group properly. ¡°That¡¯s Arch, Brad, and Rai,¡± said Devin, naming his men around the table. ¡°And then we have Hest, Ran, Gred, Tom, then me, of course, and Walt, Ire, Farn, Bill, and Ken. Ken, go help Ryan with the food.¡±


    Ken disappeared into the back of the cave, and a few moments later, he and Ryan came out, with plates of some kind of meat.


    ¡°Ah, venison,¡± said Devin. ¡°We eat that a lot these days. Find it right in the forest, too.¡± The food was passed around, the two servers sat down, and then everyone began to rip into the food with their bare hands. Broken seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he dove in as well.


    A little piece had been placed in front of Mai, but all she could do was stare at it in revulsion. Devin noticed she wasn¡¯t eating.


    ¡°What, the food not good enough for you, Princess?¡± he said, mockingly.


    ¡°Those of the noble caste do not eat meat, and nor do they eat anything with their hands,¡± she said, as firmly as she could manage.


    Half the table, with the notable exception of Broken, snorted in laughter. ¡°Well, that¡¯s all you¡¯re going to get, Princess,¡± said Devin. ¡°Don¡¯t eat it. It¡¯s more funny that way.¡±


    The meal was soon over. While Mai drank a little water, her allotment of meat soon went into the thief Rai¡¯s mouth, after he realized that she really wasn¡¯t going to touch it. Mai¡¯s stomach growled.


    Soon drinks were being passed around to all save Mai, and the bandits as a whole began to liven up. As Mai sat there, her arms folded across her chest, several of the men started laughing hysterically at one another, and another group, including Broken and Devin, began to exchange increasingly ludicrous stories with one another, about what they had accomplished.


    ¡°Back in the year eleven hundred Tachen,¡± said Arch, ¡°two years ago, I wrestled with a bull. Not a fake bull mind you, but a real one. And not in one of those things they do in the south, but in a real fight, where I pinned its arms behind its back.¡±


    ¡°You lie,¡± said Brad, knocking Arch off his bench, who fell without any complaint, and only slowly stumbled back up.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Rai, while Devin, who had been sitting near the other end of the table, got up and took Arch¡¯s seat, while Arch walked away dejectedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one,¡± said Devin, but Broken cut him off.


    ¡°It¡¯s the year eleven hundred two Tachen?¡± he asked, and choruses of ¡®yes¡¯ met him around the table.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you ask such a stupid question?¡± asked Devin, lazily.


    ¡°Because if it¡¯s the year eleven hundred two Tachen, then I¡¯ll be having my one thousand twenty-seventh birthday any time now, if I haven¡¯t had it already.¡±


    ¡°That is a good one,¡± said Rai, clapping his hands together.


    ¡°Do you think the Princess has a story that good?¡± asked Devin.


    Mai suddenly remembered she was there. Her exhaustion, combined with the general chaos of the room, had made her feel just as lightheaded as she was sure most of the others did.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± said Brad, ¡°but we can ask.¡±


    But before Mai could be asked anything, Arch came up behind her, and forced a huge jug into her mouth, before tilting her head back.


    Mai coughed and spit, and drink went everywhere, until several moments passed, and a most peculiar sensation overcame her. When Arch withdrew, she got up and shoved the thief. To her surprise, he toppled almost toppled to the ground.


    ¡°Look, your lady¡¯s getting feisty, Broken,¡± said Devin, but when Mai comprehended the words, she didn¡¯t think they were all that mean-spirited.


    Mai grabbed another drink off the table, on a whim, and chugged it, and then another. By this point, everything was spinning.


    Someone tried to grab her as she fell over, possibly Brad, but she pulled away from him, and collapsed into another¡¯s arms. The other person tried to stand her back up, and Mai laughed as she kissed him. The man kissed her back, and started to walk her to a dark corner of the cave, amidst a chorus of clapping.


    Mai laughed again, and got more and more dizzy, even though she thought she was on the ground. She pressed forward, and then she was pushed back, with the words, You¡¯ll be glad, in the morning.


    Then she fell into oblivion.


    ***


    Mai woke the next morning before she opened her eyes, and she awoke with a much clearer head than she had the night before. She could scarcely believe what had happened, or at least, what she thought had happened. She kept her eyes tightly shut. What have I done?


    Finally gathering the courage to open her eyes, Mai did so. She was lying in a small, side chamber to the cave, completely unlit, though torchlight from the main chamber filtered in. A man was next to her, also on the ground. However, he was as far away from her as the small chamber allowed.


    Sensing she was awake, the man rolled over. It was Broken, and he still wore every piece of his black armor.


    Mai suddenly realized she was as fully dressed as he was. ¡°What¡­happened?¡± she asked.


    Broken stood, his head just pressing against the low ceiling of the cave. ¡°Nothing,¡± he said. ¡°Completely and utterly nothing. I swore to protect you, and I would never break a vow.¡± He held out a hand to help her stand up.


    Mai took it without thinking, and got to her feet. ¡°So you didn¡¯t¡­¡± she said. ¡°And I didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Broken. ¡°Those outside, of course, think that we did, and so it would be best to pretend as such until we leave their company.¡±


    That said, they walked out into the main chamber. It was strange to think she had been so wrong about someone who, less than a day ago, she had hated.


    In the main chamber, most of the thieves were slumped over in various places, but Devin and Rai looked more or less alert.


    Broken put an arm around Mai shoulders, and quickly walked over to where Devin and Rai were sitting in old chairs and talking, looking very much like he had simply shrugged off the effects of the night before, even more than the thieves had. Mai herself, oddly enough, felt almost normal.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Devin, getting up and clapping Broken on the back. ¡°How was last night?¡± He glanced at Mai, who was frowning. ¡°What¡¯s up with her? Remember some things she didn¡¯t like?¡±


    ¡°I believe she did,¡± said Broken. His face for a moment had an odd sort of grin, but it quickly faded. ¡°Listen, I need to leave today.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Rai, sounding suspicious and leaning up in his chair.


    ¡°Because, while I am still very interested in working for Devin,¡± said Broken, ¡°I do have a small bit of business in the south that I need to take care of.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll just tell the authorities where this place is,¡± said Rai. ¡°And we can¡¯t move, not again. I¡¯ve been quiet long enough.¡±


    Devin stared at Rai with his green eyes, then put his cap on. ¡°Remember what I told you yesterday,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bunch of crap, and you know it!¡± shouted Rai. Instantly, he was up on his feet, and a straight sword was in his hand. He pointed the weapon at Broken, who did nothing but grasp Mai¡¯s shoulder a little tighter.


    ¡°We have to kill him,¡± said Rai. ¡°We can keep the girl if you like, she might be good fun, but we have to kill him!¡±


    ¡°Enough, Rai,¡± said Devin, and his voice resonated with command. ¡°Sit down, and put the blade away.¡± His fa?ade of good nature was gone.


    ¡°You can¡¯t command me anymore, not after these last few months,¡± said Rai. ¡°I¡¯ve given so much for you, and in return, you¡¯ve barely kept me and the rest of us alive. You¡¯re not a Thief-Lord any more.¡±


    ¡°I give no more empty promises,¡± said Devin. ¡°We are starting back, tonight.¡±


    Rai¡¯s face cycled through several emotions: anger, dread, joy. ¡°But what about Broken?¡± he asked, still not lowering his sword.


    ¡°I can deal with him,¡± said Devin. ¡°Tell the others.¡±


    Rai sheathed his sword, and ran off.


    ¡°What was that about, Thief-Lord?¡± said Broken. Mai was confused. When Devin had first shouted that title, back on the road, she had assumed it was an epithet he made up for himself.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Devin, and in that one word, the authority he had shown for Rai melted away. ¡°Let¡¯s go outside. I give you my word, as a Thief-Lord, that you shall not be harmed here, by Rai, or any other.¡±


    Broken nodded, and then he and Devin walked out into the forest. Mai came along as well, as Broken¡¯s right arm was gripped tight around her shoulders.


    The forest was wet with morning dew, much like the palace gardens had been. Flowers blossomed in the verdant morning, and it seemed that Mai, Broken, and Devin, standing around the cave mouth, were unwelcome, somehow. They didn¡¯t belong.


    ¡°As you may have heard from the previous exchange,¡± said Devin, ¡°my men and I are leaving today; to get done something I have wanted to do for a long time now. If you go to take care of whatever business you have, and then come back, we will be gone. So the offer is simple. Come with us now, on our great adventure, or depart in peace.¡±


    ¡°The latter is the choice I must take,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Then I will help send you off,¡± said Devin. ¡°Come back inside.¡±


    Almost as soon as they re-entered the cave, Devin was surrounded by his men. Arch was the first to speak. ¡°Rai said that--¡±


    ¡°What he told you is true,¡± said Devin. ¡°The gold we are now in possession of is enough to finance the expedition. We¡¯re going home. Now, help our guests get ready to go wherever it is that they wish to go.¡±


    Wherever the home Devin referred to was, his thieves seemed eager to a man about his decision. They quickly got the carriage ready to go, and then began packing their own supplies.


    Broken finally let go of Mai, when Devin called him over. Their conversation took place too far away for Mai to hear, but at the end of it, Devin gave Broken back his sword and his dagger.


    An hour or so later, they were off. Mai found herself much as she had a day ago, sitting beside Broken on the driver¡¯s stand of the carriage, as Aruith trotted along, heading out of the hills.


    In a day, Mai found much had changed in her opinion of Broken, but she had no idea how to tell him that. ¡°I was wrong about you,¡± she said at last, after an hour of silence.


    ¡°Were you scandalized when I started talking to the bandits?¡± Broken asked, not talking his eyes off the road before him.


    ¡°I¡­¡± The truth was, Mai had been so conflicted over the end of everything she knew, and so convinced that Broken was false, that she had barely thought about the people with whom they had spent the night. ¡°They should all be hanged,¡± she said at last, but couldn¡¯t find much force to back her statement.


    ¡°Did you think I knew what I was doing with them?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°What¡­no!¡± said Mai. ¡°I thought you were one of them, and I¡¯m sorry now. I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± A thought crossed her mind. ¡°How did I get drunk so quickly?¡±


    ¡°You never drank before,¡± said Broken. It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°You weren¡¯t prepared for it.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± said Mai. ¡°That foul liquid will never touch me again. You swore to defend my honor, and so, you can make sure of it. Only men drink.¡± For a moment, Mai felt like she had stepped too far, like she needed to treat Broken with more respect, but she thought better of it. She was a princess, and he was her servant. The proper order of things was slowly being re-established. ¡°Would you lie to me?¡± she asked Broken, honestly curious.


    ¡°I do not lie,¡± said Broken. ¡°At all.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you call saying that you are over a millennia old to the bandits, then?¡±


    ¡°Maybe I wasn¡¯t lying.¡±


    Convinced that she had won the argument, Mai settled back into her seat.

 Chapter 6: Gansu

    By midday, Mai and Broken had reached civilization again. Civilization, in the form of a walled city, on the horizon. Knowing that they had been heading south, Mai made an educated guess as to the city¡¯s identity. ¡°That¡¯s Gansu, right?¡± she asked, stifling the urge to point.


    ¡°I believe so,¡± said Broken dryly.


    Gansu, to the best of Mai¡¯s knowledge, was a Tachen city, loyal directly to her House. Given that her House had fallen, Mai had no idea what the state of things inside the walls would be like.


    As the carriage rode closer, however, things seemed at least mildly functional. A guard greeted them at the gate, and waved them in. The streets were filled with people, including dozens of soldiers, who, while lacking Tachen markings, still looked to be the Gansu native guard, out in force. From government buildings, Gansu¡¯s shrub banners waved, and Tachen banners were nowhere to be found.


    ¡°This city is unaligned,¡± Mai observed.


    As Aruith pulled their carriage through the city, Mai became more and more aware of those on the street giving her odd looks. She realized, suddenly, that the carriage was painted with Imperial colors. In a city that was unaligned, the carriage was odd, indeed.


    Broken rode up to the town square, and drove their carriage off to the side. ¡°Wait here,¡± he told her, dismounted, and passed out of sight into one of the buildings.


    Mai looked around, nervously. She had never been around so many commoners before, without bodyguards. More than that, she had barely been anywhere before, without bodyguards. Two silent men had guarded her, day in and day out, until the day where the Occluded City was invaded, when they had mysteriously disappeared.


    Thankfully, none of the lowborn going about their daily business had a desire to talk to her. They knew she was of the noble caste, and so they left her alone. That has to be the reason, doesn¡¯t it?


    Broken came back and bit later, with a rather plump and smiling man. The man had two servants, one of whom was pulling a horse.


    As Mai got down from the carriage, the fat man asked, ¡°Is this it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken, as he unhitched Aruith from the carriage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you a thousand enu for the wagon,¡± said the fat man, and he took out a money bag.


    ¡°It¡¯s worth ten times that,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Glad to see you know what it¡¯s worth,¡± said the merchant. ¡°However, I don¡¯t see anyone else giving you an offer, and seeing as you won¡¯t tell me where the merchandise came from, that¡¯s the best I can do.¡±


    ¡°You know as well as I where the carriage came from,¡± said Broken. ¡°I took it during the riots in the capital. Otherwise, it would have burned. I did not steal it.¡±


    ¡°True, true,¡± said the merchant. ¡°But you don¡¯t want to be seen with a Tachen carriage here, where people don¡¯t yet know where their loyalties lie. Two thousand enu.¡±


    ¡°I can get the wagon repainted quite easily,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°But then the painter will be suspicious of you,¡± said the merchant. ¡°Still, you have a point. Three thousand enu, final offer.¡±


    Broken said nothing, then slowly smiled. ¡°You want this deal more than I do,¡± he said. ¡°Much more than I do, Sendi.¡±


    ¡°Four thousand,¡± said Sendi.


    ¡°Make it five, or I walk away.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Coins exchanged hands, the merchant¡¯s horse was hitched to the carriage, and then suddenly, Mai, Broken, and Aruith, were left standing there as the merchant and his people walked away.


    ¡°What happened to the food we had?¡± said Mai, remembering. ¡°You left what we had remaining in one of the compartments!¡±


    ¡°There was none left,¡± said Broken, fingering the heavy money purse Sendi had presented him with. ¡°And as I had no coins before this, if Sendi had not taken the deal, we would have been left rather lacking.¡±


    ¡°How could you risk everything like that?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°I risked nothing,¡± said Broken. ¡°I would have found another way to the coin we needed.¡± Something about his careless statement unnerved Mai.


    ¡°So what do we do now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We find lodging. It¡¯s getting late.¡±


    Leading Aruith, Broken pushed through the crowds. Mai followed him, trying her best to avoid brushing against any of the commoners, a task at which she was only barely successful.


    Near the edge of the city¡¯s main square, there stood a building in typical Tachen style, thin, with slanted roofs, and three stories high. However, it was not like the buildings Mai was used to. Compared to the Occluded City, the building looked squalid and run-down.


    Broken opened the door, and asked for an innkeeper, who quickly came outside. Coin was paid, and Aruith was handed off, to be sent to the building¡¯s stables, as Broken and Mai were shown inside.


    The innkeeper, Fetch, walked them through the entrance room, then up a set of wooden stairs. Once they reached the second floor, Mai began up the stairs to the third, but was called away by the innkeeper.


    ¡°Here, here, lady,¡± he said, pointing to a door. He opened it, and showed them in. ¡°I hope one bed is fine?¡± he asked, as Mai looked around.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± said Broken.


    Fetch nodded. ¡°When you are wanting for dinner, come downstairs,¡± he said. ¡°Even in this newly troubled time, the Emerald Singer is always open to travelers.¡± He bowed out, accenting his hunch. Mai found the hunch in itself odd, as Fetch only looked middle-aged. But then the man shut the door behind him, and Mai turned to Broken.


    ¡°I am worried,¡± she said, ¡°that this establishment does not know how to treat a princess.¡±


    Broken nodded.


    ¡°First of all,¡± said Mai, ¡°we did not get a room on the top floor. And beyond that¡­¡± She surveyed the room. ¡°There are no drapes on the window, only one nightstand, a single chest, and a single bed.¡± She put added emphasis on the last word.


    ¡°You do have to remember why this inn was built,¡± said Broken, taking off his sword-belt, and carefully setting it down in a corner of the room.


    ¡°And why was that?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because Gansu is a stop for travelers,¡± said Broken. ¡°Simple, everyday travelers. And we do not have the coin for a place more elaborate.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± stuttered Mai. ¡°You are my servant, because you said you would never break an oath. And as your charge, I demand you find a place more suitable!¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Do you want us to attract even more attention?¡± asked Broken. ¡°As your protector, I must keep you from doing things that will endanger your life. We stay here.¡±


    And so they did. Mai was righteously furious throughout dinner, though she was pleased to note that she could eat, as she was served no meat. Commoners sat all around her, and while Broken was sitting right next to Mai, he could not protect her from their glances. She stared back at them, coldly.


    When the meal was done, Mai and Broken went back up to their room. Mai immediately went back on the attack. ¡°If you care so much about my safety,¡± she asked, ¡°why did you let me be seen by those people? It is obvious they know who I am!¡±


    ¡°You kid yourself, Princess,¡± said Broken, quietly. He took out a small pocket mirror from a pouch, and handed it to her.


    Mai took the mirror, and gazed into it. The face she saw was not hers. Her hair, once brown and wavy, was black from dirt, and tangled. More than that, her dress, once brilliantly blue, had faded, and her jewels were gone. Only her eyes, just as brown as they always had been, reminded Mai that the person she saw in the mirror really was her. ¡°How¡­how can this be?¡± she asked. The mirror slipped from her hands, but Broken caught it before it hit the floor. ¡°I am royal.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think nobles looked better than commoners because of their superior traits?¡± Broken asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Mai said, sitting on the bed as Broken stood over her.


    ¡°Then why do you look like a commoner now?¡± asked Broken.


    Mai wanted to ask him how he could find the nerve to be so insulting, but she stayed quiet. I do look like a commoner. ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m a bastard,¡± said Mai. ¡°The immortals did not smile on my birth.¡±


    ¡°Then why, when I first met you, did you look like a proper princess?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai. ¡°I¡¯m no sage, to be asked such things. Find one, and ask him yourself.¡±


    ¡°So you feel there are some things that others are meant to know, but not you?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Mai, confused that Broken would be bringing up such a basic fact of life. There was an awkward silence.


    ¡°Take the bed,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the floor. You are still a princess to me.¡±


    Mai did not argue. As Broken blew out the room¡¯s lantern, plunging everything into darkness and starlight, she got under the covers.


    The next morning, Mai woke up, feeling sticky and disgusting. To her surprise, Broken was already awake, and was standing by the open window, without moving, gazing down onto the early morning traffic of the street, below. Even though Mai was sure Broken knew she was awake, he did not turn around.


    Broken¡¯s hands were folded neatly behind his back, and he had drawn back his black hair into a lock. If he had taken his leather armor off to go to sleep, Mai did not know, for he was wearing it again. The armor looked almost pristine. It seemed to Mai that as time went by, as she became more and more unkempt, Broken¡¯s appearance was less and less shabby. When Mai had first met him, she had mistaken Broken for a wild man. No one could mistake him for that now.


    At last, Broken turned. His eyes, light brown, almost silver, were filled with confidence. ¡°We are in Gansu because you knew of no safe refuge you could turn to, Princess,¡± said Broken. ¡°And it is here that we must plan our next moves. Do you have any idea now, where safety might lie?¡±


    Mai was about to say she had no idea yet again, when trumpets sounded. Broken returned to the window, and Mai came over to it as well. Down in the city square, below, people were pressing to the buildings, and more came out, gathering in crowds around the edges, leaving the middle a wide open space. Mai was wondering what the reason was, when horsemen began to gallop into the square.


    Trumpeters among the horsemen¡¯s number got off their horses, and continued to sound, and one of them seemed to be preparing to make a speech, even as more and more of the horsemen rode into the square. Mai estimated there were already perhaps a hundred of the horsemen visible, and more continued to pour in. They waved banners that appeared to be those of House Minsu.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go outside,¡± said Broken. ¡°I believe it will be important to hear what this is all about.¡±


    Broken rushed into the hall and down the stairs, and Mai was right behind him, curious to find out what was going on. The halls, the staircase, and even the entrance chamber of the inn were all empty when the pair reached them; it seemed as if everyone else in the Emerald Singer had already gone outside.


    In the open air, Broken didn¡¯t bother to push through the crowd. He spotted a crate left discarded on the ground, and stood on it, raising his line of sight above the rest. Without the elevation, however, all Mai could see were banners of wolves on yellow fluttering above, the signs of the Minsu.


    A great voice cleared its throat, though Mai could not see the speaker. ¡°People of Gansu!¡± the voice thundered. ¡°We who come here are soldiers of the Minsu!¡± There was little chatter, as all the people in the square knew as much, by now. ¡°We come from the south to reestablish order,¡± said the speaker, ¡°in the name of our late Emperor, may he rest forever, in heaven.¡± This statement brought up a roar from the crowd. It was not a roar of approval, but a roar of questions and comments to those around them.


    ¡°I know what you are thinking!¡± said the voice. ¡°I know many of you wonder: How can the Minsu still support House Tachen, after all the signs? I will answer your questions! What happened to the late Emperor was a great tragedy, and I agree with you, it had broken the Tachens, and ended the Arathou Dynasty. But, after eleven hundred years of working properly, I do not think our system needs to be broken. The leader of House Minsu, the beloved Xanthis is Roseped, has been a great supporter of order his entire life. Lord Roseped brought those sworn to the Minsu ever closer to those sworn to the Tachen. He has brought our House, and yours, closer and closer together. Lord Roseped has been a willing vassal of our late Emperor. Now that the Emperor is dead, Lord Roseped does not want the Empire to slide into chaos. He has been anointed by the monks, and chosen by the High Council. Lord Roseped is now Emperor Ehajdon I, may his reign be eternal!¡±


    A roar of support swept through the crowd, encouraged, Mai noted, by the shrub guards of Gansu, themselves. People shouted their enthusiasm for the soldiers of the reestablished Empire, and Mai almost joined them, before reminding herself that princesses did not cheer. Still, she was happy. She now knew the answer to Broken¡¯s question. She now knew who she could trust.


    Broken jumped down off the crate, and Mai was about to tell him the good news, but he shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s walk,¡± he said.


    Mai followed Broken¡¯s lead, as he slowly walked out of the square. ¡°Why are we leaving?¡± she asked. ¡°The Minsu will keep me safe. They just said¡­¡±


    ¡°Their leader said a variety of things,¡± said Broken. ¡°Not all of which were pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡± asked Mai, as the walked past a gaggle of drunks. ¡°The Minsu can get me away from these foul commoners, and back to the life I deserve!¡±


    Broken looked at her pointedly.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not a foul commoner,¡± said Mai immediately. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re not exactly one of them.¡± She was glad when Broken moved past the topic.


    ¡°During the speech, the commander of the Minsu troops said that the Arathou Dynasty was dead,¡± said Broken. ¡°That does not bode well for you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± said Mai. ¡°The Arathou Dynasty is dead. My father had no siblings, nor did his father, and I, a bastard daughter, could hardly be considered a possible Empress!¡±


    ¡°So think you,¡± said Broken.


    Mai flashed back to Varsis, and what he had said, about why he had to kill her, but she quickly put those thoughts away. If Broken learned about what Varsis had said, his argument would redouble. And Varsis was different, Mai told herself. The Makini had always been at odds with the Tachens, even though Varsis, one of theirs, had been supreme commander of the armies. The Minsu had a bond with House Tachen that stretched back hundreds of years.


    ¡°The Minsu are noble,¡± said Mai. ¡°Once they learn that I will support Emperor Ehajdon, they will sustain me.¡±


    Finally, they exited the square. The streets around were crowded with onlookers, as well as Minsu horsemen and foot soldiers, but not quite as much as the square.


    ¡°In any case,¡± said Broken, ¡°you cannot simply go up to the Minsu leader here and explain who you are; it is very unlikely he will believe you. Remember what you look like.¡±


    Mai¡¯s cheeks stung with humiliation. ¡°He¡¯ll just think me a lying commoner,¡± she said.


    ¡°So now, you can understand why this is nothing more than a plot twist, and potentially dangerous at that.¡± Broken stopped, and looked at her. ¡°Do you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai.


    An old man with a cane slowly walked up to them. ¡°Have you seen Ormin, good sirs?¡± he asked. His eyes were almost white, and he looked blind. Indeed, he stared off into the distance, and not at either Broken, or Mai¡¯s face. ¡°Ormin¡¯s a sage,¡± said the blind man. His face slowly turned to look in a more appropriate direction.


    ¡°No, old one,¡± said Mai politely, as she had been taught that the venerable were due great respect. ¡°Are you lost? Do you need help going somewhere?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not blind!¡± snapped the man, irritably. He blinked his eyes, and suddenly, they were black and intense. He suddenly even looked a little younger, though not by much.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You should be, girl,¡± said the old man. He straightened his gray robe importantly. He turned to Broken, and for a moment, it seemed as if his eyes widened in shock. ¡°And who might you be?¡±


    ¡°Broken,¡± said Broken, inclining his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting name to go by,¡± said the old man, in such a way that it seemed he knew Broken. ¡°My name is Moonsinger Fen,¡± he said, thus making it clear Mai¡¯s thought was false. ¡°Call me Fen, though. This old man has few enough friends. You can come back to my home,¡± he said. ¡°We can have much to talk about.¡±


    Even though it would be somewhat rude, Mai assumed that Broken would decline the invitation. Instead, Broken said, ¡°Of course, honorable Fen.¡±


    ¡°Then come along.¡± Fen turned, and started slowly walking along the cobbled streets. Despite his advanced age, he barely hunched, though he walked with a limp.


    Broken and Mai followed, Mai bewildered. ¡°Why would you waste our time like this?¡± Mai whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s completely sane.¡±


    ¡°This is but another twist of life,¡± Broken responded.


    Without turning around, Fen said, ¡°He¡¯s quite right, you know, girl. I don¡¯t like you very much.¡±

 Chapter 7: Moonsinger Fen

    Mai and Broken followed the old man through the streets. He hummed to himself, contentedly. Others stepped away from him, out of respect, or, Mai thought, annoyance.


    Fen led them through the streets to one that had barely any people, though it was quite wide. ¡°When I moved here, this road used to be a center of business,¡± said Fen. ¡°Times have changed.¡±


    Stone buildings filled the sides of the streets, but they all looked to be warehouses for some material or another. All of them, except the house Fen led Mai and Broken to. It was quite large, two stone stories. As the reached the door, one of the few on the street, a man riding a cart filled with materials, stopped by.


    ¡°Moonsinger!¡± he said. ¡°You have visitors!¡± The man then continued on his way.


    ¡°As the only person who lives here anymore, I¡¯m quite a novelty,¡± said Fen. ¡°But I manage.¡± He opened the door to his house, and walked in. Mai and Broken followed.


    The first room in the house was filled with too many chairs and tables, almost all of which were covered with papers, books, and artifacts. A tiny wheel set onto a stand caught Mai¡¯s eye.


    The only chair that was empty was leather, faded, and looked quite worn. Fen settled himself down in it.


    ¡°Whatever it-is-you-call-yourself-now, Broken,¡± said Fen. ¡°Indulge an old man, and take the chair opposite me.¡± He pointed at one stacked so high with texts the back of the chair could not be seen. ¡°You can move what is on it to the floor.¡±


    Broken immediately began the work, but it took him a moment to find a spot on the floor that was not covered with other things.


    ¡°As for you, girl,¡± said Fen. ¡°By my back door, there should be a bucket of water on the floor. Find some glasses, and fill them up. Even though I don¡¯t have a family to support me, Gansu¡¯s government is still grateful for the services I once provided them.¡± When Mai hesitated, Fen shouted, ¡°Chop, chop!¡±


    Mai looked at Broken, trying to make him realize that there was no way she was going to be performing menial labor, but he ignored her. Mai, now not seeing much of a choice, walked through an open door, into a back room.


    This room was just as cluttered as the first, and dark, as there were no windows or lanterns. A small bed was in the corner, and Mai supposed that was where Fen slept. There was another door at the back of the room, and Mai went through it.


    The third room was very different. It was stocked like a pantry, and there was no clutter, only order, as if someone besides Fen had been responsible for putting the room together. Glasses were on a table, and the bucket was on the floor, by the back door, just as Fen had said it would be.


    Mai filled two glasses, as she could not carry a third, and started back, wondering all the while why Fen wanted a drink of water.


    Mai was almost out of Fen¡¯s bedroom, when she stopped, by the frame of the door. Through it, Fen and Broken were talking, and Mai sensed they would stop when she came in, so she waited. She was curious what Fen and Broken could possibly have to talk about.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure about this?¡± came Broken¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Oh, yes, master,¡± replied Fen.


    Why would the old man say master? Mai wondered. Master was only an honorific to be used on children, or on those so far above you in status that no other title was appropriate. Broken was no child, but he certainly had no high status. He was just a commoner, who had somehow managed to become a warrior. Perhaps, to Fen¡¯s deluded mind, Broken is a child, Mai thought.


    ¡°And you have texts that can prove it?¡± asked Broken. ¡°I believe you; I just need to see for my own eyes.¡±


    Broken can read! Mai thought. Commoners almost never learned how to do that. She supposed it came from his warrior training.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Fen. ¡°I would not dream of withholding them from you, you who deserve to see them more than anyone¡­By and by, why do you travel with the last spawn of Arathou?¡±


    ¡°Careful,¡± said Broken. ¡°She stands outside this door.¡±


    Mai could take no more oddities and strange statements. She came into the room. ¡°I demand to know what is going on,¡± she said.


    Fen reached out for a glass of water, and Mai handed it to him, without thinking. She put the other glass on the ground, by his chair.


    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± said Fen.


    ¡°How could you know who I am, and still treat me like a servant? How could you know who I am, at all?¡± Mai expected Broken to be just as startled as she was, especially after all he had said about maintaining her secrecy.


    However, Broken just sat in his chair, calmly, allowing Fen to do all the talking.


    ¡°I am a historian, of sorts, girl,¡± said Fen. ¡°In my youth, I traveled far and wide. I would never forget an Arathou face.¡± The old man reached out a mangled hand, and brushed her cheek.


    Mai wanted to jerk away, but the thought came to her too late.


    ¡°Now go, girl,¡± said Fen. ¡°I have things to discuss with the one you call broken.¡± The lack of emphasis on the ¡®b¡¯ was clear.


    Mai phased her question directly at Broken, now. ¡°What is going on?¡± she asked plainly. ¡°Who is Fen?¡±


    ¡°You are not to call me Fen, girl,¡± said the old man. ¡°To you, I am the honorable Moonsinger. Now, go to the back of the house, and wait for us to finish with our business.¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Broken echoed. ¡°Trust me, for now.¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t feel like trusting anyone. She turned and left, not seeing much of a choice. She stood in the pantry, for several minutes, without doing anything. Broken had no right to tell her to leave, and no right to ask her to trust him. I have already put my life in his hands, the hands of a commoner, thought Mai. He cannot dare to expect me to do any more.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    As more and more time passed, Mai became increasingly determined to do something, anything. As she thought, she found flaws in Broken¡¯s logic. I can still go to the Minsu, she thought. I have codes, codes I was told to memorize, just for this sort of purpose.


    Mai didn¡¯t know if the Minsu commander would even know the codes, or if they were only knowledge among House Tachen, but she had to try. Mai wasn¡¯t even sure if she remembered the codes, as they had been told to her so long ago, it was like a half-forgotten dream, but she had to try.


    She would not spend one more instant with Broken, if she had the choice.


    Mai quietly slipped out the back door. She walked through the streets determinedly, trying to ignore the glances. They don¡¯t know who I am; they¡¯re just looking because I¡¯m there. They don¡¯t know who I am; they¡¯re just looking because I¡¯m there.


    Mai found her way to the main square, where tents had been set up, guarded by dozens of stone-faced Minsu, who had set up a perimeter. There were still many onlookers, but nowhere near as many as there had been, earlier in the day.


    Mai approached the closest Minsu guard, trying not to think about how, a few seconds ago, he had shoved away an old crone asking for a donation.


    ¡°Do you want something?¡± asked the guard, after Mai approached him, but had not yet worked up the nerve to say anything. The guard¡¯s massive shoulders seemed ready to rip her head off, if she did the slightest thing wrong.


    ¡°I...I need to see your commander,¡± Mai squeaked.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± asked the guard. ¡°Tarn, she wants to see the commander!¡± Another soldier, Tarn, who stood by one of the tents, with his arms crossed over his chest, chuckled with the first. However, Tarn walked over.


    Tarn was slightly slimmer than the first guard, but that didn¡¯t mean much. He was taller, and Tarn looked like he had more authority. ¡°Go,¡± he said to the original guard. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this¡­Why do you want to see our leader, exactly?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say,¡± said Mai, acutely aware that she was starting to attract attention from nearby commoners.


    ¡°Well then, leave,¡± said Tarn. ¡°Not every girl off the street can go talk to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very important,¡± said Mai, heartened a little by the fact that Tarn didn¡¯t look quite as battle-hardened as the guard before. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not who you think I am.¡±


    ¡°Then, who are you?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±


    ¡°Well then, come on,¡± said Tarn, grabbing Mai¡¯s arm, and dragging her to the tent. ¡°I¡¯ll probably get in trouble for this, but it¡¯ll still be funny.¡±


    The inside of the main tent looked almost like a room in a building. A carpet had been rolled out, and two servants were putting on the finishing touches. Sitting behind a desk, sat a man who looked more than a little bookish, not at all what Mai had been expecting.


    ¡°Who is this, Tarn?¡± asked the man, in the commanding voice that she had heard during the speech, putting some of Mai¡¯s fears to rest.


    ¡°Someone off the street, Adjunct,¡± said Tarn. ¡°She claims she¡¯s not who she says she is.¡± He seemed to be barely holding back a laugh.


    The Adjunct, however, seemed willing enough to play along. ¡°Well, girl,¡± he asked. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Mai¡­Maiako as Arathou del Tachen,¡± Mai stuttered.


    ¡°The late Emperor¡¯s daughter,¡± said the Adjunct, getting up from his chair. ¡°Well, that¡¯s truly an interesting person to pretend to be.¡± He walked up to Mai, until he stood right in front of her, a full head higher. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°I...I was told that if I said the word Veksis, I would be recognized for who I was,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°That word means lie in the High Tongue, in case you are unfamiliar,¡± said the Adjunct, with a smile. ¡°Proceed.¡±


    Mai could barely remember the rest, and the fact that the first word had meant lie did not hearten her. ¡°Veksis¡­Veksis say Morticum Artur.¡±


    ¡°Lies and death rising,¡± said the Adjunct. He had a peculiar expression on his face. ¡°Is there any more?¡±


    Mai struggled to remember if there was, but could not. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then I am sorry, my dear,¡± said the Adjunct. ¡°Wait. What is this?¡± His eyes had caught sight of the fabric of her dress.


    Hoping against hope that somehow, the Adjunct knew that a girl who was a commoner could not possibly afford such cloth, Mai remained.


    ¡°Where did you get this?¡± asked the Adjunct.


    ¡°I was given it.¡±


    The Adjunct said nothing for a moment, then, ¡°Tarn, take her out.¡± Mai heart sunk as Tarn escorted her out of the tent, and back into the mass of commoners.


    Broken was right, after all.


    Fallen, Mai walked back to Fen¡¯s house, and through the back door, surprised she remembered where it was so easily.


    When she walked through the back door, however, she found that her disappearance had not gone unnoticed. Broken sat on the table in the pantry, perusing a book titled A History of the Early Tachen Dynasty. As Mai walked in, he set it down.


    ¡°You went to the Minsu,¡± said Broken. ¡°They did not believe your story.¡±


    ¡°How could you know that?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Where else would you go?¡±


    As Broken did not seem angry, Mai asked, ¡°How long must we stay here?¡±


    ¡°Only a little longer,¡± said Broken. ¡°Moonsinger Fen is just a family friend. I told him who you were, but he likes to put on airs. You never had to worry.¡±


    ¡°Why did you tell him who I was?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°He, more or less, knew what I did at the Imperial Palace,¡± said Broken. ¡°Knowing who I was, and my penchant for getting involved, he made an educated guess. I merely acknowledged he was correct.¡±


    At that very moment, Fen ambled in, holding a huge stack, containing a variety of books. He looked like he might topple over at any moment. ¡°I found some more tomes that might be helpful for you,¡± said Fen. ¡°They don¡¯t contain anything new, just more which repeats what A History of the Early Tachen Dynasty says, in case you do not believe it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Fen,¡± said Broken, as Fen put the books on the table. ¡°I believe this one, well enough. I knew the author.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± said Fen. ¡°As she¡¯s back, I believe you two had better be going.¡± As Broken started to hand A History of the Early Tachen Dynasty back to Fen, the old man shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°You keep it, Broken One. There are other chapters you may find to be interesting, and I believe that somewhere, I have another copy.¡±


    ¡°I give you my thanks,¡± said Broken, stowing the small, old, and tattered book into a pouch at his waist. ¡°Do you need help moving the books you just brought here somewhere else?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± laughed Fen. ¡°It¡¯s high time this room started getting cluttered.¡±


    Broken and Mai started out the door, and Fen closed it behind them, continuing to laugh at his own joke.


    As they walked through the streets, Mai asked, ¡°Why were you so interested in that book?¡±


    ¡°It has some family history,¡± said Broken. ¡°Fen¡¯s interested in my family, and thinks I am, too. The book I took from him has nothing you would find helpful, or need to bother with.¡±


    They reached the Emerald Singer in time for the midday meal, after which, they retired to their room.


    In that room, there was silence. Mai could think of nothing to say, and Broken seemed content to stare out through the window, at nothing in particular. Even though Broken had not pressed her, Mai felt, that by going to the Minsu after Broken had warned against it, she had betrayed Broken¡¯s trust.


    But what¡¯s done is done, she thought. While nothing good came of what I did, nothing bad came of it, either.


    ***


    The Adjunct in charge of the Gansu occupation, Lin Harsel, sat at his desk, waiting for a meeting. Lin was thinking, thinking about the girl that Tarn had shown him. ¡°Second!¡± he called from his desk, for he knew Tarn was waiting just outside the tent flaps. ¡°Come here!¡±


    Tarn walked in. ¡°Your other captains will be here in a few minutes,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about that, right now,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°Then what do you care about?¡± asked Tarn, with a hint of a smile.


    ¡°The girl who you showed me,¡± said Lin. ¡°She really just came from the crowd?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Adjunct.¡±


    ¡°She gave the first third of a code,¡± said Lin, rolling a paperweight absentmindedly on his desk. ¡°The first third of a code that, if completed, would have proven her to be someone of high status.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t provide the whole thing, right?¡± asked Tarn. ¡°So what¡¯s the problem? I just sent her in here as a joke.¡±


    ¡°She was no joke,¡± said Lin. ¡°For a commoner to speak the first third of the code, they would have to be rather lucky. She could ether be a spy¡­or the real thing. Either way, it matters not, and either way, her presence will cause problems. I have thought long and hard about what to do, and I have decided that whether she is a spy, or the real thing, it really matters not.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do about this, sir?¡± said Tarn.


    ¡°Dispatch a squad to find her, and bring her in. If she resists, kill her, and any others who put themselves in the way.¡±

 Chapter 8: Consequences of a Single Action

    Mai¡¯s second night in Gansu began as her first had, with preparations for sleep. If she had night clothes to change into, the process would have been longer, but with the status quo, all she had to do was get into bed. Her clothes were incredibly worn by now, and she made a mental note to bring that fact up to Broken in the morning.


    Mai looked over at him. He was by the window again, the window, large enough that he could break through it, and fall on the stone below. Mai wasn¡¯t even sure what Broken could see, as night had fallen, and only torchlight illuminated the square, torchlight from the Minsu camp. Broken¡¯s armor and weapons were neatly piled in a corner of the room, by the bed, revealing for the first time what was underneath, a light-colored tunic.


    Mai got out of bed. ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about the window?¡± she asked Broken, putting a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°The frame is not important,¡± he said. ¡°What is important is what can be seen through it. And look¡­¡±


    Mai looked through the window. Four soldiers were walking away from the Minsu camp, and seemed to be heading straight for the Emerald Singer.


    ¡°What do you think they¡¯re after?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Conventional wisdom would say they want drinks,¡± said Broken, in an odd voice. ¡°But look closer.¡±


    Mai did, and as she looked, Broken spoke again. ¡°They are in formation, and they are determined.¡± Mai saw this was true.


    ¡°So?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Wait here.¡± Mai¡¯s hand fell away from Broken¡¯s shoulder as he quickly left the room, closing the door behind him.


    Mai watched the soldiers go into the Emerald Singer. Something about what Broken had said made her feel frightened.


    Broken reappeared a minute later, with a huge axe in his hands. He was very careful to close the door behind him, and lock it.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± asked Mai, and Broken set the massive thing under the bed.


    ¡°When we were having dinner, a drunken woodsman left his axe in the corner of the common room, and said he would be back for it later.¡±


    ¡°And you just took it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°We may need it.¡±


    ¡°For what? You¡¯re scaring me.¡±


    Broken said nothing. Instead, he positioned himself by the door.


    Heartbeats later, someone knocked. Mai became aware of herself breathing heavy, with fear anticipation. Why would soldiers be after us? But she already knew the answer. Broken had told her. Even Varsis had told her.


    ¡°Open up,¡± came a voice.


    Broken unlatched the deadbolt, but not the chain. Through the crack peered part of a soldier¡¯s helmet. It surveyed the room, and focused on Mai.


    Mai wanted to hide, or at least do something, but fear would not allow her to move.


    ¡°Is there something you want?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I am here with three of my men, boy,¡± said the soldier. ¡°Open the door. You do not want to stop us.¡±


    Broken has to do something, Mai thought. He has to do something! He can¡¯t just let them kill me! Since Varsis, a part of her had changed. She no longer wanted to die. Broken showed me hope, and after that, I can¡¯t just lose everything!


    ¡°I see I¡¯m involved in something that doesn¡¯t concern me,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯m opening the door.¡±


    As Broken closed the door, and began to unlatch the chain, emotions flooded Mai. Betrayal. Anger. Hurt. Fear. But through all of that, came the sensation that if only she had trusted Broken, things would not have ended this way.


    It¡¯s not like Broken has a choice, thought Mai. He can¡¯t take on four soldiers.


    Broken opened the door, and Mai saw all four of the hulking, leather armor clad figures with helms, wearing yellow armbands.


    ¡°Good job, boy,¡± said the lead soldier to Broken. ¡°Now, run along. You won¡¯t want to see what happens to your little whore, here.¡±


    Broken¡¯s hand slowly slipped from the handle of the door, and he began to take a step out, even as the lead soldier started to push past him, to get in.


    That moment seemed eternal.


    But it was not to last.


    Suddenly a whirlwind of action, Broken stepped back into the room, tripped the lead soldier, and quickly shut the door and bolted it.


    As the other three men started to pound on the door, their leader got to his feet, already within.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this,¡± said the soldier, throwing his helmet to the ground, revealing an angry, unshaven face. He spit a bit of blood onto the floor.


    Broken faced off against him, seemingly unconcerned about the pounding on the door. As the soldier started to draw his sword, Mai backed away, and Broken charged.


    Broken moved so fast it was blinding, striking with his open palms, and knocking the soldier¡¯s hands away from his sword. As the soldier tried to shove Broken away, Broken gutted him with a fist, then, as the soldier doubled over, kneed him between the legs.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    As the soldier fell to the ground in pain, clutching himself, Broken turned back to the door, and bolted it. He grabbed the bed, pulled it up on it side, and moved it against the door, as an additional barrier.


    Then, slowly, Broken began to arm and armor himself, from the neatly folded pile he had placed in the room.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t try to save her, if you knew who she was,¡± grunted the soldier, from the floor, still writhing.


    Broken shoved his sword and scabbard into his belt, now fully ready for combat. He picked up the axe from the floor. ¡°I know exactly who she is,¡± said Broken. ¡°I made an oath to protect her. And I never lie.¡±


    The soldier on the ground seemed to be gathering himself for one final exertion, but Broken kicked him savagely in the head, knocking the man into unconsciousness.


    ¡°Princess!¡± he said, and Mai remembered that she was still alive. ¡°Keep that door closed!¡±


    Mai did not think of arguing. She ran over to the door, and, around the upturned bed, pushed on it with all her strength. The door shook, and shuddered, and when a sword point broke through part of the sturdy wood, Mai let out an involuntary scream.


    Further into the room, Broken hefted the axe, and it seemed he was going to hem the unconscious soldier¡¯s skull in two. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she screamed. ¡°He¡¯s already dealt with!¡±


    With all his strength, Broken chopped down¡­but not at the soldier. At the bare floor. Wood splintered and broke apart as Broken chopped at the floor, again, and again, and again.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting us out of here,¡± said Broken, using his hands to shovel away bits and pieces of newly unattached wood. He then hacked and hacked again, until he reached the supports.


    In only a minute more, there was a hole in the floor. A way out.


    ¡°Get over here,¡± said Broken.


    Mai did not need much encouragement to abandon her post. The door was now so thoroughly hacked up by the soldier¡¯s blades, that it looked as if one more shove would break it apart.


    And surely enough, when Mai was halfway to the hole Broken had made in the floor, the door broke apart. Actually, Mai didn¡¯t think ¡®broke¡¯ was the best word to describe what happened to the door.


    In truth, it exploded.


    Bits of door flew everywhere, sending splinters everywhere. Mai felt her arms and legs get cut, and was glad her back was turned.


    As she reached the hole, Broken tossed the axe aside, and picked her up. Over his shoulder, Mai could see the three remaining soldiers, and then she was pushed through the hole, just as one of the soldiers took a slice at Broken with his sword.


    As Mai fell through the hole, splinters fell with her.


    The floor was not thick, and in but a moment, she found herself falling from the ceiling of the inn¡¯s main room, arms flailing violently.


    Mai landed hard on a table, cracking it open. The startled group of people sitting around the table scattered, and Mai found herself lying on the dusty floor, two halves of table around her. Her dress was covered with whatever liquid those at the table she had broken had been drinking. A growing circle of startled inn patrons came to stand in a circle around her, muttering to themselves, and pointing up at the hole she had fallen from.


    Mai, disoriented, struggled to get up, as a kindly old woman, or something that looked a lot like one, asked if she was all right. Everything was swimming, and Mai saw things in double vision.


    She staggered to her feet, blinking, and things started to clear, when Broken fell from above. He landed lightly on his feet, with one hand out for balance, and was accompanied by both a spray of wood, and a screaming, falling soldier, who landed with a wet thunk on the stone floor, with nothing to catch his fall.


    Mai looked up. The hole looked quite a bit bigger than it had before. She thought she heard, from above, one of the remaining soldiers shout to head down the stairs and finish the job. She turned to Broken.


    Broken stood. His breathing was steady, too steady to be normal in a situation like this. A long cut stretched from beside his left ear, to his chin, maring his otherwise handsome face.


    He looked at her, brushing himself off as if they had all the time in the world. Then he grabbed her hand, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡±


    And they ran. Time functioned normally once more. The door to the inn was slightly ajar when the reached it, but Broken kicked it all the way open. Then he turned, racing along the outside wall of the inn. Mai could hear the shouts of the soldiers behind them, and could plainly see more breaking off from the main Minsu camp to pursue, even as passerby on the dark street stopped and stared. Above them all, the starlight sky shown bright, and in an odd moment, Mai found herself finding in the heavens, the outline of Slepan, the Weaver.


    But then it was back to the running. Even as Mai ran as fast as she could, she still found Broken¡¯s grasp on her hand to be what dragged her onwards. She panted as they turned the corner, still hugging the side of the Emerald Singer, and glanced back to see Minsu soldiers chasing after them, in numbers much greater than the mere two that had emerged from the inn.


    Broken pulled open an unlocked door, leading to a back wing of the Emerald Singer. It lead to a stable, where a lone attendant was feeding the dozen or so horses housed. Broken leaped over a cart with feed that the attendant was pushing, and Mai brushed around it, the side of the cart burning her, as Broken rushed ever forwards.


    The attendant headed to the door, sensing this was not a place to be. Just then however, banging came on the door, which made the man rethink his position, and search for somewhere to hide.


    The banging continued for another moment, until one of the soldiers realized the door was one to pull, and then the soldiers flooded the shadowy room, screaming at Mai and Broken to halt.


    Even as all this continued, the horse in the open stall that the attendant had been working with became frightened by all the loud noise and running. It charged out from its open stall, and into the group of soldiers, barreling through them, until one cut it down with a sword.


    And Mai and Broken ran. Broken looked through the cracks of every stall as he passed, until finally, he stopped at the last stall. Mai stared at the rapidly approaching soldiers, but through the corner of her eye, inside the stall she could see white Aruith.


    Broken drew his sword, and it was an eerie sound to Mai¡¯s ears, for she knew he was not going to put it away again until it was covered with blood. Broken hacked, not at the chain that held the door closed, but at the very doorframe around it. Two cuts was enough for Broken to rip the door open with a single bare hand. ¡°Aruith!¡± he shouted, and the horse rushed to him.


    Broken leapt up upon the horse, and pulled Mai up behind him. She franticly clutched Broken¡¯s waist. She had never ridden a horse before, and it was a disorienting experience.


    And then the soldiers were upon them.


    It was as if a great wind had rushed through the open door, causing the lanterns to flicker. Mai felt the rushing air around her, and all she could see was flashes, as each time she closed her eyes, she held them shut for an extra moment.


    Mai could see Broken trying to cut a path through the soldiers. Blood flew.


    Eyes shut. Eyes opened.


    Aruith reared up on his hind legs, and Mai would have fallen, had she not been holding onto Broken¡¯s waist in a death grip.


    Eyes shut. Eyes opened.


    Aruith landed on the ground, seemingly with a screaming soldier beneath the horse¡¯s feet. Around Mai, the soldiers stepped back, then surged forwards.


    Eyes shut. Eyes opened.


    Mai saw a halberd slicing through the air, barely missing her shoulder. As she screamed, she realized Broken had cleared a path through the men. Aruith raced through the opening.


    And they were free.


    The mass of soldiers was still right behind them, and other men, who had stayed back when the battle was joined, still littered the stable.


    But Aruith galloped past them all, and out the stall door.


    In the streets, there was chaos, or near enough, with a ring of soldiers forcing commoners to stay away from the stable, even as the commoners shouted that they had a right to know what was going on.


    Some of those soldiers turned just in time to see Aruith break through their ranks. Others never had the chance. Before they could look back, Aruith was already forward.


    The commoners on the streets had no desire to stop a speeding horse, and stepped back, to give Aruith room, even as they looked on. Mai even thought that some of them were clapping.

 Chapter 9: Reliving the Madness

    The Adjunct Lin Harsel was not a happy man, for reasons in addition to the ones others might find immediately apparent. True, the girl, whoever she was, had escaped, with the help of a mystery warrior, and the manner in which she had escaped had made many citizens of Gansu trust their occupiers a measure less, but there was more to know. More that was classified, to a level that only Lin himself knew, not even Tarn.


    Tarn walked into Lin¡¯s tent at that very moment.


    ¡°Is there another update you can give me?¡± Lin asked his second.


    ¡°Our soldiers are succeeding in returning all the street-goers to their homes, albeit in some cases forcibly.¡±


    ¡°And as for casualties?¡±


    Tarn¡¯s typically easygoing brow creased. It was one of those rare times Lin actually found him to look like a warrior. ¡°One dead, his throat cut open in the stable. Rel was a good man.¡±


    ¡°A good man, who got in over his head,¡± said Lin. ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°Another was trampled by the warrior¡¯s horse, and he might not make it past the night,¡± said Tarn.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°Brent.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡± Lin knew Brent, and knew him well. Fate did not smile on either of them right now.


    ¡°Another is in serious condition, from both wounds and a nasty fall,¡± said Tarn. ¡°Four more have minor injuries, and the last wounded is-¡±


    ¡°How exactly did one of my soldiers suffer ¡®a nasty fall¡¯?¡± asked Lin, quoting.


    ¡°The warrior apparently chopped a hole through the floor with an axe, and one of our soldiers was unfortunate enough to fall through it.¡±


    At that moment, Rathos walked in. Rathos, who Lin had always considered his most experienced man in the field, and who had been a soldier for more than a dozen years. His head looked horribly bruised, and he looked both pale and black at the same time. Rathos¡¯ breathing was labored, and it looked like he would fall over at any moment.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°God-Kings man, take a seat,¡± said Lin, and Tarn, ever the helper, found a chair nestled in the corner of the tent, and pulled it to Rathos.


    But Rathos shook his head. ¡°I would never when reporting to my betters,¡± he growled. ¡°What do you take me for, a fool?¡±


    ¡°Rathos wanted to speak with you,¡± Tarn said quietly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep him away.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all warrior caste here,¡± said Lin. ¡°You can sit.¡± When Rathos didn¡¯t, Lin shouted, ¡°Gods damn it man, I¡¯m ordering you to sit!¡±


    Finally, Rathos took the chair. ¡°I think you need to hear some things about the warrior,¡± he said. ¡°The one who helped the girl escape. Inside his and the girl¡¯s inn room, we underwent single combat. And I lost.¡±


    ¡°Well, obviously,¡± said Lin. ¡°He escaped, didn¡¯t he? You¡¯re not what you used to be, Rathos. You¡¯re in your thirties now.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t beat me because he was strong, or he was fast,¡± said Rathos. ¡°He beat me because he knew a counter for every technique I could use. And he didn¡¯t just beat me. He dispatched me like I had no more skill than a novice. That man is more dangerous than you think, Adjunct. Thank you for your time.¡± And he got up and walked out.


    Tarn stepped forward again. ¡°We found him unconscious, you know,¡± he said. ¡°Rathos didn¡¯t stay that way for long.¡±


    Lin frowned. ¡°Go make sure Rathos finds a bed, instead of going to help the other soldiers, as I know he¡¯ll do,¡± said Lin. When Tarn hesitated for a moment, Lin shouted, ¡°Go!¡±


    Tarn went.


    Lin took out a piece of parchment from his desk, and readied a quill. He still had one more thing to get done this night.


    To Emperor Ehajdon I, May Your Dynasty be Eternal,


    I am worried about your orders, grace. My soldiers had an encounter with one we had good reason to expect was the Arathou Princess, and I ordered her killed, as you asked me to do on the chance that my men found her.


    However, she escaped. Do I send men to pursue?


    Your loyal servant, Adjunct Lin Harsel


    Lin took a bottle of runewine from the corner of his desk, pulled out the stopper, and then poured some of the liquid out onto the paper. Slowly, the words faded, until the parchment was blank again. Now, Lin¡¯s letter could only be read if one had the proper antidote.


    Lin put the stopper back on the bottle, and placed it back on the corner of his desk. He gently folded the letter, and stamped it with his seal. Deed done, he stared at the letter for a moment.


    There was hypocrisy in his orders. How could Lin be told to give a speech proclaiming that the Minsu were only there because the Tachen could no longer be, and also be told to quietly kill any heirs to the Arathou Dynasty, if any came across his way? It was almost, though not quite, what Lin considered madness.


    And now, he had been forced to carry out those orders, to an end that helped no one. Lin knew he had much to think about.


    ¡°Messenger!¡± he shouted.

 Chapter 10: Retribution

    A lone white horse galloped west. West in an empty road filled with darkness. West on a road that, in many ways, was traveled by Mai and Broken alone.


    After several hours, they crept into an old abandoned barn on the side of the road, beside a burned and empty farmhouse. If it had been yesterday, Mai would have complained about the conditions. But now, she was silent, without Broken asking her to be. She was humbled by what she had seen to be the consequences of her own actions.


    As Broken settled Aruith in, Mai collapsed onto the damp floor, and curled herself into a ball. She thought she heard rats, which once she had been terrified of, but now she was terrified of other, much realer things.


    Broken didn¡¯t come over to Mai, to ask if she was all right. Mai hadn¡¯t expected him to, even though, as tears ran down her face, she wished that just for a moment, he would forget what she had put him through. She wanted to be held, wanted someone, anyone, to tell her that things would work out.


    Before, she had shed tears for what had been lost. Now, she shed tears for what had been created.


    ***


    Light came though the broken barn windows, illuminating and shining with the light of the summer that had called it.


    But Mai didn¡¯t want to get up. Getting up meant that she would have to speak with Broken, and that his disappointment would be clear beyond all doubt. She didn¡¯t want that.


    Broken walked into Mai¡¯s line of sight, leading Aruith. She found the strength to look at him, from the ground.


    Broken¡¯s eyes, gray, for they were truly gray, not murky, gazed at Mai with a look of utter disinterest. ¡°I¡¯m going out,¡± he said, leading Aruith away, and together, horse and rider left the barn.


    Mai noted he didn¡¯t say he would be back. In an odd sort of way, Mai didn¡¯t care, either. She had been reduced to so little, nothing more could be taken away.


    Broken would be back, or he wouldn¡¯t. Regardless, life would go on, and Mai would live out the extent of her part in it, whatever that part was.


    It might have been many hours later when Broken returned. He carried a large, off-white sack over his shoulder, which he set down on the ground. Broken found a barrel, and moved it right in front of her. He sat down on it.


    And he said nothing.


    Mai looked at him, not even daring to get up. What could she say to a may that was her opposite in so many different ways? He was strong where she was weak. When his back was to the wall, he hacked soldiers to pieces when she was too afraid to even open her eyes.


    Once, Mai had thought that a proper princess was not supposed to look at men fighting each other, and perhaps that was true. But Mai was no proper princess. She was nothing, anymore.


    At that moment, Broken spoke his first words to her since his return. ¡°Can you grow?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Mai¡¯s words were filled with irony.


    ¡°Do you see a future?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°The sad truth is, about this world, that is so touted to be filled with shades of gray,¡± said Broken, ¡°is that everything, when you break it down enough, is either black, or white. Within you, there is an answer to my question.¡±


    Mai searched herself, and gave one. ¡°I don¡¯t see a future.¡±


    ¡°Then you have a blank slate,¡± said Broken. ¡°In some cases this is good, and in others this is bad, but in your case, it is the former. Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, as she was, could not handle the new life she had been presented with. Can you, Mai? Can you?¡±


    It was the first time he had called her Mai. She took heart in that, more than she herself though rational. ¡°I can try,¡± she said.


    ¡°Unlike what some say, the phrase you just uttered is an absolute, Mai,¡± said Broken. ¡°You have taken your first step towards a different life.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want me to do?¡±


    Broken reached out and grabbed hold of the bag that he had brought in with him. ¡°You need to wear something different now.¡± He pulled out something made of brownish fabric. ¡°This is homespun. A commoner¡¯s dress, or one of low enough class that it makes no difference. Put it on.¡±


    Mai walked over to a corner of the barn, and did so. She then came back over to Broken.


    ¡°Now, sit back on the floor,¡± he said. ¡°That will help facilitate things.¡±


    Again, Mai obeyed Broken, without the slightest hesitation. She looked up to him, student to teacher.


    ¡°Now, think of which of the Codes of Sara you are breaking, by sitting at the feet of one known to be your lesser.¡±


    The Codes of Sara were an ancient list of rules and regulations regarding the behavior and expectations of noble women. When Mai had been a little girl, she had lived and breathed them, and afterwards, the Codes had just been a fact of life. ¡°Thirty-eight,¡± she said. ¡°No noble lady may ever sit on the floor. And Seven. No noble lady may be humble before those of lower status.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to follow the codes?¡± asked Broken.


    Mai hesitated, sensing a trick question. ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the first code?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Never dishonor your House?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Mai nodded. Obviously.


    ¡°When you were taught the codes, did your teachers cover all the implications?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, you should well know, in accordance with the principles of honor, you should have killed yourself when your House fell in flames around you.¡±


    Broken thinks he¡¯s proving a point, Mai knew. But he wasn¡¯t. ¡°I tried to kill myself. I did! But then Varsis showed up, and then you, and I got sidetracked!¡±


    ¡°You had many other chances to kill yourself when you were with me,¡± Broken said. ¡°Or do the laws of honor say that, when committing the Final Sacrifice, one must give it a half-hearted attempt, and then, when that does not succeed, never try again?¡±


    Broken¡¯s words were pointed, angry. They were like the words an elder would say. Coming from Broken¡¯s mouth, they didn¡¯t make sense.


    And beyond that, Mai had no answer for him. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± said Mai. ¡°That I should just kill myself, and be done with it?¡± Broken¡¯s cut, though healing rapidly, was still evident on his face, the cut that he had been given while, trying to protect her. What is he playing at?


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°I am trying to say that, according to the system, you are supposed to be dead. It is clear that no matter what you have been indoctrinated to believe, you don¡¯t want to kill yourself. And this in turn provides my larger point. It is because of the system that you have tried to act just as a princess should be, even when the situation does not call for that, at all. The same system.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to tell me,¡± said Mai. ¡°That everything I¡¯ve ever believed in is wrong?¡±


    ¡°With a few exceptions, yes.¡±


    ¡°God-Kings preserve me,¡± muttered Mai. ¡°God-Kings hold me safe, and keep me from danger.¡±


    ¡°And when, exactly, was the last time they did that?¡± asked Broken.


    There was a proper answer somewhere, a proper answer that Mai couldn¡¯t find. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything you want,¡± said Mai. ¡°Please, just don¡¯t talk about this anymore.¡± Broken is dragging my beliefs through the mud.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± said Broken. ¡°Get up; we are riding on. When we are in public, you will call me Rassin, and I will call you Jess. We shall be partners, of a sort, I, a warrior-errant, down on his luck, and you, a girl he found somewhere, who tagged along for the trip. However, when we are in private, you will call me master, and I will call you servant.¡±


    Mai nodded, still numb from the day before. Orders were things she could take, as opposed to what they had spoken of before.


    Broken and Mai rode on Aruith until it grew dark, before stopping at a small town, and dismounting. The town¡¯s name was Nath, and it was on the very outskirts of the land that recognized the Tachen House as direct overlords.


    Broken quickly charmed the local tavern-keeper, and indeed, most of those inside the tavern. He entertained them with fanciful stories of his exploits, and how he had garnered great respect from many lords. When they asked him how he had fallen from their graces so far, he merely said that he would rather not say, which brought forth chuckles of laughter, which Broken seemed to encourage. Somehow, during all this, he managed to sell Mai¡¯s old, tattered dress for a small amount of enu.


    In the end, Mai was rather ignored, and she liked it that way. The tavern-keeper went to clear out a room, for them to stay in, after he had been persuaded with cash. And so Broken and Mai went to sleep. Broken had only called himself Rassin but once, and Mai had not yet said that name, or Jess. She liked it that way, too.


    Morning came, and was not so much of a blur as the night before. Mai woke in the storeroom the tavern-keeper had cleaned out for her and Broken, and Broken was not to be seen. She decided to go out, to see where he was.


    As soon as she reached the hall, a younger man beset her, one who Mai dimly remembered from the night before to be the tavern-keeper¡¯s son.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked her, without doing so much as providing his own.


    ¡°Jess,¡± Mai provided, annoyed that she finally had to say it.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice,¡± he said.


    Mai made a point of continuing to walk down the hall, to the common room. The son continued to follow her.


    ¡°What are you doing with Rassin anyway?¡± he asked. ¡°I mean, you don¡¯t look like that kind of girl.¡±


    The word girl itself was offensive to Mai, or, as she was sure Broken would put it, the word girl was offensive to Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. But it didn¡¯t matter. Mai was still angry.


    ¡°What kind of girl?¡± asked Mai, the last word rolling off her tongue in an odd sort of way.


    ¡°Rassin¡¯s kind of girl,¡± said the tavern-keeper¡¯s son. ¡°You sat and did nothing all of last night. It was like you were his prisoner, almost.¡±


    It was a very odd choice of words. Am I Broken¡¯s prisoner? Mai asked herself. What else does one call a relationship between two, where all one does is give orders, and all the other does is blindly follow. Would Broken let me leave him? Mad at something, Mai glared at the tavern-keeper¡¯s son.


    They turned a corner together, but he raised his hands defensively. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything by it,¡± he said. ¡°Just wonder¡¯in.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± said Mai. ¡°Good for you. Now leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°What are you, some kind of girl who thinks that she¡¯s more that she really is?¡± asked the lad. ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but Rassin just picked you up in a tavern just like this one, right. I mean, you¡¯re only with him for one thing.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± asked Mai.


    The lad burst out laughing, clutching his stomach, and doubling over. He raised one finger at Mai, to say he would be done in a moment, but she just kept walking, and entered into the common room.


    Broken was sitting on a stool there, lightly chatting with the tavern-keeper from behind the bar, as the owner half-heartedly wiped out some mugs. As Mai came over, the tavern-keeper chuckled at something Broken had said, and Mai wondered why he had never made her laugh.


    Then, as Broken and the tavern-keeper turned to her, an even louder, spastic bust of laughter echoed from down the hall.


    ¡°He found something about me funny,¡± Mai explained.


    ¡°Who?¡± asked the tavern-keeper, ¡°My son? He doesn¡¯t mean anything by it. He¡¯s just a little drunk, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Broken, clasping Mai¡¯s hand. ¡°We have much in the way of provisions to acquire for the next leg of our journey, Jess.¡±


    And so they walked out of the tavern, and through the relatively uncrowded streets, intermingling with the locals. There were few strange glances at them. Broken¡¯s attire was a little odd, as compared to the rest, but the town had seen many soldiers before, and even had a local militia.


    As they walked, Broken asked Mai what the tavern keeper¡¯s son had be laughing at, and Mai said she didn¡¯t know.


    They soon reached a small open air market. Mai winced. Places like these were something she had always hated about commoners. They were inevitably filled with chaos.


    And so it was. Fruits and vegetables seemed to be literally flying, and vendors called out from every angle for passerby to sample their wares. This place was nowhere near the size of any of the several located in the Imperial City, but it was bad enough.


    Broken bought two saddlebags, and, when he could have much more easily carried them both himself, gave both to Mai. He then began loading more bought things into those saddlebags, while Mai barely kept from staggering under the weight.


    Mai didn¡¯t get it. She wasn¡¯t about to start complaining in front of all the people, but she did not she why she had to be the one to hold everything. Her arms were not built for burden, and she had never had to hold anything so heavy in her life. Eventually, she discovered the weight was much easier when the saddlebags were slung over each of her shoulders, but not as much as she would have liked.


    Through it all, Broken seemed oblivious. It was as if Mai was an object to work with, and nothing more, not even in the slightest. He just kept haggling, buying, and, in one or two instances, actually reselling some things to different vendors at a higher price from what he had originally paid.


    But at last, they left. Back at the tavern, only when the burden of the saddlebags was passed to the ground of the spare room they had been given, was Mai allowed to rest.


    She collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

 Chapter 11: Passed to the Waves

    The waves of the Imperial Sea gently rocked the Legacy. Varsis, standing on the deck, was glad that they had finally reached open water. The Legacy was not a river craft, and made had made horrible time to the Makini lands as of yet. The flood of refugees, who were now, thankfully, all but gone, had not helped the process.


    Varsis¡¯ hands folded behind his back as the ship rocked up and down. Once, he had been affected by seasickness. But no more. It had been a side effect of his metal hand¡¯s implementation, the metalweavers had said, and that he should be thankful such a thing had happened. Curiously, Varsis did not share their point of view.


    ¡°Are we ready?¡± he shouted to Salko, who stood a distance away, near the coffin.


    The coffin was the best that could be made, under the circumstances. Materials had been picked up at the Legacy¡¯s various port stops. It was wooden, but weighted with metal so it would sink to the bottom. An etching of Graven¡¯s face, noble and composed, had been carved into the wood.


    The coffin was as grand as any that might have been given to a great warrior, and because of this, had raised some heads amongst the crew, but Varsis had insisted. If Graven had successfully completed his mission, a great deal of suffering would be prevented.


    Varsis stepped up on a pedestal, and turned from the waves to face the throng. All on the ship had come for the burial, except those crewmembers necessary to keep the ship running.


    ¡°Graven was a good man,¡± Varsis announced, and then he stepped down. There was nothing more to say. Graven had been a warrior, not a noble, so there was no long list of family etymology that had to be spoken.


    Varsis signaled to Salko, and Salko in turn signaled to his men clustered around the coffin. With a heave, they lifted it off the ground, and gently slid it off the side. There was no noise for a moment, and then a splash. It was gone. Graven was gone, sunk beneath the waves. Varsis would have waited for a proper burial, back at home in the lands of the Makini, if there had been a choice, but sadly, there had not been. The journey was too long, and the body had to be buried in a week.


    So now Graven¡¯s remains would forever rest at sea, though in life he had never had a connection to the water.


    Most of the funeral attendants turned and went their separate ways, the refugees to their cabins, and the sailors back to their duties. Even Varsis¡¯ personal attendants left him. That was, all except one, who had been leaning off the railing of the ship.


    She, Ana, walked over to him.


    ¡°Do the waters tell you something, my dear?¡± Varsis asked her. Perhaps he would marry her, and perhaps not, but the fact remained, they had been together for over a year, now.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the water-witch replied. She had been born a noble of House Makini, in a family with a close relationship to Varsis¡¯ own, but she had left to study the waters. A year ago, she had returned.


    It was a curious relationship, the one she and Varsis had together. They were both children of powerful families. When they were young, Varsis had been an awkward second son, while Ana had been the girl at the center of many a young noble¡¯s desires and dreams. Back then, Varsis had never entertained the notion that someone like he could end up with someone like her.


    But as he had waxed, accomplishing things greater than his parents had ever hoped, Ana had waned. It became apparent to all that Ana wanted something more out of life, than just being a seductive temptress. Three years ago, she had left for the northern waters, to be with the sirens. To become a water-witch.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    When Ana had returned, she found that no longer did men want her in the same way. She was now a part of their nightmares, not their fantasies. For all knew what she had become. And so Ana had come to Varsis, knowing how much he had once wanted her. And with him, she had not been rejected.


    In the year they had been together, Varsis had always thought it odd, that both he and Ana had assumed names. Ana was what the sirens had called her, and it was a name she had kept. But that mattered little.


    ¡°So, what is it you wish to tell me?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°The spirits of the waters tell me things of Graven¡¯s death. Things you may not like to hear.¡± said Ana, lapsing into a trace. Her words grew lyrical, and the seaweeds she wore as clothing rustled. ¡°Graven failed in the task you gave him. Princess Maiako as Arathou was saved, and your Graven was killed, by a man, who wore the colors of darkness. I feel for you.¡±


    Ana shook her head to clear it, and the aura of power that had been so clear before around her faded. She fell into his arms, and Varsis knew she was tired from the exertion.


    ¡°Thanks be to you, my little water-witch,¡± said Varsis. He tried to push aside the implications of what Ana had said. The few times she had provided him with information in such a manner, it had always been correct.


    ¡°I¡¯m no witch,¡± said Ana, dreamily, her eyes closed. ¡°I am a Singer of the Waves, one of the few to be human. You should appreciate me more, and insult me less.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Varsis. ¡°But if you left me, no one else would have you, my love. At least no one you would want.¡± Around them, the Legacy gently rocked.


    ¡°True enough,¡± said Ana. She was short, and her head rested on Varsis¡¯ chest. ¡°Why do I think that the only reason you put up with me, is because you want me in bed?¡±


    That was actually one of the least of Varsis¡¯ reasons for retaining her, but it was best for her to be humored. ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    At that very moment, Captain Salko walked up to them. ¡°If it¡¯s not too much to ask, sir, one of my crew has requested to speak with you.¡±


    Varsis had identified the man by his voice, and only now did he look up. ¡°Is there a reason for this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I do not know, sir,¡± said Salko. ¡°He only said that it was important, and that he needed to speak with you.¡±


    Varsis was somewhat intrigued. ¡°I will speak with him.¡±


    ¡°Follow me sir,¡± said Salko, and Varsis did, leaving Ana. He led the way to a portion of the deck where on crewmember stood and did nothing, as his fellows worked all around him.


    ¡°This is Roin,¡± said Salko, inclining his head to the idle crewmember.


    ¡°My lord,¡± said Roin, bowing his head.


    To Varsis, something about Roin differentiated him from the other crewmen, but Varsis could not quite figure out what.


    ¡°I have but one thing to say, and it requires only a moment, my lord Varsis,¡± said Roin. ¡°When this ship docks in the Makini lands, I wish to come with you, to serve as well as I am able.¡±


    If any other crewman had asked this, Varsis would have laughed him off. But there was something about Roin, even though visually he looked little different from the other sailors. And Varsis had always prided himself in finding new and unorthodox talent. ¡°We shall see,¡± he said.


    And with that, Varsis left, and retreated to his cabin. His cabin was spacious and well lit, and through a window, Varsis could look down upon the sea below.


    Varsis rolled up his sleeve, exposing all of the metal that had replaced his left hand. It was shaped as a gauntlet, and looked as such, as if one could just pull the gauntlet off, and find a normal appendage underneath. But such was not the case. Varsis looked at the metal hand, and tried to put things in perspective.


    It would take a week to get to the Makini capital if the ship was lucky. There was nothing for Varsis to do. But all he could think about was that Graven¡¯s death had been for naught.


    Varsis took out a short iron bar, no more than half a foot long, or an inch thick from a drawer in the room, as he often did when he was angry, and placed it in his left hand. Then he squeezed.


    With an audible noise, the metal bent as Varsis pressed down on it with all his might. When Varsis opened his hand again, what was left was mangled. He put what he had created back in the drawer.


    Who is the dark-cloaked man? Varsis wondered. Does he know what he hath wrought? All Varsis had wanted to do was extinguish the life of one innocent, so that thousands of others would be saved.


    For any to kill Graven, Varsis reflected, they would have to be a powerful fighter. So Graven¡¯s killer was formidable. But he will not be formidable enough.


    Not yet did Varsis know how, but he knew that the dark murderer would die. And so would the princess, so that others might live.

 Chapter 12: Visions of a New Dawn

    Time passed. Winds changed. And so too did the girl who was once Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. The morning after her second night in Nath, it began.


    ¡°What are we going to do today?¡± Mai asked Broken, as they woke up in the tavern¡¯s spare room.


    ¡°You know what to call me, if you want an answer,¡± said Broken.


    Mai remembered, and stifled her pride. ¡°What are we going to do today, master?¡± she said.


    ¡°Character development,¡± said Broken.


    He left the room, and, as Mai followed, went over to the tavern keeper, explained once more that he was down on his luck, and asked if there were any farmers in the area, who might need two extra farmhands. The innkeeper told them of a man he knew about a two day¡¯s ride west, who owned a somewhat prosperous farm, and had made public his need for help.


    ¡°And tell Tevin I¡¯ll vouch for you,¡± the tavern-keeper added. ¡°He knows me, rather well, I might add, and I think he¡¯ll trust my judgment.¡±


    And so, on no more than a vague promise by a tavern-keeper, Mai and Broken set off. Aruith was loaded with all the supplies that had been purchased the day before, but, as Mai weighted little, the horse seemed to manage.


    Over the next two days, they camped away from towns, using up the supplies. And until the end of the second day, when night began to fall, nothing happened. Broken rarely spoke to Mai, and she could think of nothing to say to him.


    But on the end of the second day, they rode to a town named Hetan. It was a small town, with minor loyalties to the Vedil House. Some commoners pointed them to the Tevin Farm, which was only a short ride away.


    Night was fully in the sky, when Broken and Mai reached the Tevin Farm. They dismounted, and left Aruith to his own devices as they walked up to the door of the farmhouse. Compared with much of what Mai had seen since she had left the Imperial City, Tevin Farm was in good repair.


    Broken rapped on the door, and waited.


    For a long time, there was no answer. Then the door flew wide open. A man with hair just starting to gray stood just inside the doorway, and held a large axe. Behind him, two young men with frowning faces also held weapons, one, a thick spear, and the other, a straight sword.


    ¡°Who be you?¡± said the older man.


    ¡°I mean no harm,¡± said Broken quickly. ¡°I and Jess, here, learned that you were looking for farmhands, and so we came.¡±


    ¡°Who told you this?¡± asked the man. He did not set down his weapon, and he looked at Broken¡¯s attire suspiciously. The pair of blades Broken wore were clearly evident.


    ¡°I was told by the tavern-keeper at Nath,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said the older man, finally beginning to relax. ¡°But why are you dressed as a warrior? Why the girl might want a job here, perhaps I can understand, but you?¡±


    ¡°I am called Rassin,¡± said Broken. ¡°And this is Jess. I am a warrior-errant down on his luck, and she is my partner. We are looking for the work you offer.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said the older man again. He still seemed to be unsure.


    ¡°Can we come in?¡± asked Broken. ¡°We have traveled far to get here, and it looks like it is about to rain.¡± A peal of thunder supported his argument.


    ¡°Fine then,¡± said the older man. ¡°I¡¯m Frac Tevin, and these are my two sons.¡± He put down his weapon, and slowly, his sons followed suit. ¡°We thought you were bandits,¡± the Tevin patriarch elaborated. ¡°This is Doner-¡± he pointed to the shorter son, ¡°-and this is Pelt.¡± He gestured at the other.


    Broken stepped inside, and Mai followed his lead. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to intrude any further,¡± said Broken, ¡°but our horse is outside, and-¡±


    The elder Tevin cut him off. ¡°Doner,¡± he said. ¡°Get their horse to the stables.¡±


    Doner ran outside, just as it began to rain.


    A few minutes later, Mai found herself sitting at a long table next to Broken, with Tevin at the far end. Doner and Pelt had returned to their beds.


    ¡°Forgive me if I am too curious,¡± said Tevin. ¡°But what do you want from here?¡± He gestured around the room, which, while seeming to be the main place the family ate, was also filled with tools for farming. The entire farmhouse, Mai saw, was well maintained, but old.


    ¡°A temporary job for me and Jess,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°How temporary?¡±


    ¡°A month at least, maybe more,¡± said Broken. ¡°Enough time for you to be able to replace us, once we are gone, with others who will be able to do the work better.¡±


    ¡°Seeing as neither of you have any experience, however,¡± said Tevin, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I can hire either of you.¡±


    ¡°Our wages will be paid at your discretion,¡± said Broken. ¡°If you don¡¯t think we are learning what we need to fast enough, you can send us away, without paying us once. I say this upon my word as a warrior.¡±


    ¡°That is quite an offer,¡± said Tevin. ¡°Regardless of how strange this whole situation is, I believe I would be a fool if I passed it up. You both can stay, at least for now.¡±


    As Tevin seemed about to rise, Mai¡¯s attention turned to the staircase, built into the corner of the room. A young boy wandered down the stairs.


    Once the boy reached the room, his little eyes stared at Mai for a moment, and then at Broken, much longer. ¡°Daddy?¡± he asked, still not taking his eyes off Broken, or more accurately, the scabbard of Broken¡¯s sword. ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Two people who will be working for us,¡± said Tevin, seeming to make an effort to not get up out of his chair. ¡°Go back upstairs, Gabin. You need your rest.¡±


    And so it seemed. Black circles welled under the little boy¡¯s eyes, as if he had already been awake for far too long. He started back up the stairs.


    ¡°That¡¯s my youngest of the three,¡± said Tevin. When he said that, for some reason, he seemed sad. ¡°He just turned seven this summer.¡±


    The little boy¡¯s the youngest by quite a bit, noted Mai. The other two of Tevin¡¯s children were as old as Mai herself was. There had to be at least eight years separating Gabin from the middle brother.


    ¡°Now then,¡± said Tevin, changing the focus from his son. ¡°The only place for you two to stay is in the barn out back, so I guess I¡¯d better show it to you.¡± Now, he seemed much less forceful.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The accommodations in the barn were horrible, as Mai had expected, but still, the barn she and Broken were in now did not compare to the abandoned barn they had slept in a few nights ago. The infestations seemed to be at a minimum, at least.


    Mai thanked the God-Kings for small miracles.


    The next day was a day of work. Tevin, and even Doner and Pelt gave orders and instructions. They seemed initially hesitant to make Mai do anything, but once they realized that she didn¡¯t complain about work, they piled it on.


    Mai and Broken were separated, as Broken worked in the fields, and Mai was eventually left alone with Gabin. Together, provided care for barnyard animals Mai had never thought twice about before.


    The whole experience was very curious for her. Mai hated the work, wanted to scream that she was a princess, and could under no circumstances do menial labor, but she was prevented. She couldn¡¯t say anything.


    Mai knew that those who had been her friends back in the Occluded City, if they could see her now, would laugh their heads off. But they could never understand.


    Mai was person conflicted. She didn¡¯t know whether, at one extreme, she should just forget everything she ever knew, or at the other, if she should just kill herself and be done with that.


    And because she knew nothing, she did as Broken told her. This world outside the Occluded City was strange and alien to her, and even the parts she thought she knew were different. That had been proven to her.


    The underlying reason that she subjected herself to the torment, to the humility was a simple one. If she left Broken, Mai wasn¡¯t sure how she could survive.


    Mai¡¯s life was in a commoner¡¯s hands.


    At every interval in their work, Gabin chirped at her, commenting about one thing or another, in the typical childish slur that made things difficult to understand. He displayed none of the tiredness he had the day before, and Mai, though much larger, had to really struggle to keep up with him.


    ¡°Tell me a story, Jess,¡± said Gabin, as they worked, with childish arrogance. They were collecting eggs from hens. Gabin actually did the moving of the chickens, and then he passed the eggs off to Mai, who put them in a basket she carried.


    ¡°Maybe later,¡± Mai responded, and that was that. It wasn¡¯t like she had any story to tell. The ones she knew, the ones she had been told when she had been younger, probably would go over Gabin¡¯s head.


    And so the day continued. Mai tried to separate her mind from the tedium of her body, but that task was difficult, more so than she could imagine. The times when she started to drift away were inevitably the times when one amongst the farming family was trying to teach her something. Then, when she was actually doing the job, she made mistakes, for she was not experienced, nor was her mind on her work. Mai noted that through it all, there was no sign of a woman besides her on the farm. Tevin was a widower.


    The brakes she was allowed to take were not an instant longer than necessary to recoup her physical strength. She couldn¡¯t believe that anyone, let alone her, had the strength to do that much work day in and day out.


    Broken of course, disproved her. Mai had seen little of him, as their tasks had taken them to different places, but when the whole group sat down for dinner, Doner, Pelt, and the elder Tevin all seemed to be congratulating him. Him, and not her. Of course not her.


    Soon the meal was over, and those at the table started to dissipate, heading to their respective sleeping quarters.


    Just outside the door front door of the farmhouse, Gabin caught up to Mai. ¡°Tell me a story, now. Please?¡±


    Mai looked around. Broken was a distance ahead of her, almost at the barn, and Gabin¡¯s brothers and father were nowhere to been seen. There was no one to take Gabin off her hands. Mai herself hadn¡¯t the slightest idea how to get a little commoner boy back to bed.


    Gabin sat down in the grass, and leaned back against the farmhouse wall, further cementing the idea that he was not going anywhere until he got the story that he had asked for.


    And so Mai sat down beside him, and looked up at the night sky, thinking about what to say.


    ¡°All right,¡± she said finally. ¡°Once there was a little boy.¡±


    Gabin readjusted himself, leaning up, and eager to hear what she had to say next. His face looked up at Mai¡¯s.


    ¡°And that little boy went to bed,¡± said Mai. ¡°Story over. Go to bed yourself.¡± She got up and started walking to the barn, trying not to think about how Gabin¡¯s eyes followed her retreat in disappointment.


    At the farmhouse, there was Broken. ¡°Did you tell a story to the little boy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, well sort of.¡± She explained.


    As Broken looked at her, Mai noticed two things. First, he was not wearing his warrior raiment, and seemed to have on borrowed clothes. And second, the cut on his face seemed to be healing at a prodigious rate. It could barely be noticed anymore. Broken looked for all the world to be a simple farmhand, and his look betrayed nothing of his intellect, or other skills.


    Broken then turned from Mai, and started up the ladder for the loft, where he had set up his sleeping area the night before. ¡°Apologize to Gabin,¡± he said.


    As he disappeared from sight, Mai lay down in her little corner of the room. ¡°Why?¡± she asked, through the darkness.


    There was no answer.


    ¡°Why, master?¡±


    ¡°Because connections are important to forge,¡± floated down a disembodied voice. ¡°The little boy likes you.¡±


    ¡°Why would he like me, master?¡±


    ¡°The reason is unimportant,¡± came the voice again, as Mai closed her eyes. ¡°But you should not let a friendship go to waste.¡±


    ¡°What kind of friendship can I have with a seven-year-old commoner boy?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Find out.¡±


    Mai began to get frustrated, and more than that, angry. ¡°What are we doing here?¡± she asked.


    There was no answer, and Mai grew angrier. ¡°I¡¯m not going to call you master again, until you tell me why I must!¡±


    ¡°To learn humility, of course,¡± said Broken. ¡°It is a lesson I am giving you, seeing as we have nothing better to do.¡±


    ¡°Why must we stay with these commoners?¡±


    But that was the last Broken said. No matter how many times Mai asked him to explain what he meant, Broken stayed silent.


    And dawn soon came again. The next day was easier, far easier than Mai would have thought, and it blended together. Tevin went into town for supplies, and he came back with tidings, rumors that the land would not be bloodless much longer, and House Makini was issuing a challenge to the mandate of Emperor Ehajdon I.


    But in the Tevin Farm, all that seemed far, far away.


    Later that day, Mai found herself alone with Gabin again, as they were at the table, just before the rest came in for dinner. The boy seemed to be deliberately ignoring her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for telling you a bad story,¡± Mai said.


    ¡°Telling me no story,¡± Gabin reminded her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good with stories,¡± said Mai. ¡°I don¡¯t know any.¡± But somehow, that did not seem to be enough.


    That night, in the barn, Mai railed and railed at Broken, furious that somehow, he seemed to be integrating more and more with the Tevin family, while Mai remained an outsider. To all her complaints, he said nothing.


    The next day, Mai stopped behind a doorway, when she heard Broken and Tevin chatting.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so good at everything, Rassin,¡± said Tevin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better farmhand than you, even though it seems you¡¯ll want on to greater and bigger things. But the one you travel with, your lover, she¡¯s, to put it plainly, awful.¡±


    ¡°Jess is not my lover,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Your sister, then?¡±


    ¡°I owe her what you might call a favor,¡± said Broken. ¡°A huge favor. And so I must put up with her. I¡¯ll take any pay reduction you see fit. She must stay here.¡±


    Mai had suspected how differently the Tevin family considered her from Broken, but now, she had actual words as a statement to that effect. She didn¡¯t like listening by the door, especially since this was the second time she had done such a thing with Broken, but the conversation was too alluring to pass up.


    ¡°What kind of favor?¡± asked Tevin.


    ¡°I owe her my life,¡± said Broken.


    Mai nearly started to laugh. For someone who had said once that he never spoke an untruth, this was an example of the opposite.


    ¡°That would be an interesting story to hear,¡± said Tevin.


    ¡°Yes it would,¡± said Broken. ¡°Probably more than you would think. ¡°If Jess were here now, she would not want to be here.¡±


    ¡°You mean the story¡¯s embarrassing?¡± asked Tevin.


    Mai, however, caught the real meaning of Broken¡¯s odd comment. He knew she was here, and he wanted her to leave. And so she did, going about her duties, as a peal of laughter escaped from Tevin¡¯s mouth inside the meal room.


    She was worthless at doing farm work, and only kept on because Broken, for some reason, wanted her to suffer.


    That was what Mai thought about the entire rest of the day, as she interacted with Tevin¡¯s two older sons, and his youngest. Gabin still seemed to hate her.


    She was worthless.


    The day moved on, and once again, that night, Mai asked Broken why they were at the farm, to no response. If she had even the faintest inkling of where she could leave to, Mai would have gone, but she did not.


    And so, she had not choice but to stay.


    Two more days passed as the ones before them did. Work, tedium, and the feeling that her efforts, however hard she tried, were not being appreciated in the slightest.


    Mai wanted to give up, but she wasn¡¯t sure what she could give up to, since nothing seemed to be fighting her.


    Nothing except life.

 Chapter 13: Home at Last

    Varsis walked from the gangplank of the Legacy. He breathed in a breath of the fresh, northern air. He was in Xiater, the city which was the seat of Makini power. And he was home.


    The Legacy had journeyed across down a river to get here, then across a sea, then up another river. Xiater was so far away from the Imperial City, the distances were scarcely imaginable. But he had made it.


    Varsis stepped onto the city¡¯s dock, crowded with merchant ships coming and going. Xiater had been founded on a rich mineral vein, and its resources supplied lands a great distance away.


    Behind Varsis, three others walked off the ship. Taros, his sole remaining bodyguard, Ana, his lover, and Roin.


    Roin truly was a quandary. Varsis had set Taros to the task of interviewing Roin. He remembered when his bodyguard had reported the results. Roin said he had only signed on board the Legacy a month and a half ago, a fact was verified by Salko and other crew.


    Background checks were a must when joining the crew, and Roin, apparently, had been raised the simple son of a fisherman, who, one day, for no discernable reason, had signed himself up onboard Varsis¡¯ ship.


    After it was determined that Roin was not only a quick study, but bookish in his spare moments, and knew a great many things, he¡¯d been promoted to Varsis¡¯ aide.


    Taros had said that Roin was harmless, but Varsis wasn¡¯t so sure. Someone who had the ability to rise so quickly, to be the aide of a noble, just had to be dangerous.


    At the docks, Varsis and his three followers were greeted by a pair of helmed Makini guards, who by the looks of them served the Council.


    ¡°Welcome back, Lord-General,¡± said one of the guards. He clapped his hand on his breastplate, and his partner followed suit. ¡°Your ship was spotted by those in the watch towers. Your mother wishes to see you.¡±


    ¡°Immediately?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Immediately,¡± said the implacable soldier.


    Varsis and Taros followed the guards, leaving Roin and Ana to their own devices. The pair would make it to Varsis¡¯ home easily enough by themselves. Varsis hadn¡¯t wanted to visit his mother the moment he got back, but she had called, and now it was unavoidable.


    As one of the guards opened the door to a Makini carriage, Varsis and Taros got in. The carriage started to move, and Varsis mentally prepared himself for what was to come.


    Varsis¡¯ mother was not any mother. She sat on the Council of the Makini, and was arguably the most powerful person in the Makini House. Other mothers wanted their children to grow up and lead happy and productive lives. All Hisa as Hakshi de Makini wanted was for her children to serve her.


    And if one failed to do that, she could turn dangerous. Varsis uttered a prayer as he remembered his poor older brother, who tried to oppose Hisa¡¯s appointment to the council. Now Varsis was the oldest.


    Through the carriage, Varsis could hear the beats of drums. The carriage stopped, and Varsis stepped out, followed a moment latter by Taros.


    Varsis stepped through a gate, and onto a black carpeted path, bisecting the courtyard. As he walked, he saw that Makini soldiers lined the path, double rowed, and on both sides. They were all helmed except for the drummers placed at intervals, and they gave off a feeling of power. Not one note was off beat, and not one soldier stood at anything less than full attention.


    Behind Varsis, the carriage rode off, and the gate closed down. He walked slowly down the created aisle, feeling the glory. He knew his display of grandeur was not truly his. Few but Hisa could have spurred so many soldiers to participate in a ceremony of arrival on such short notice, and Varsis knew his mother was behind it.


    He knew that every one of the hundreds of soldiers who stood in this courtyard, erstwhile for him, were actually a testament to the power of his mother. Varsis knew that more than wanting to greet her son; she wanted to show him that she still reigned in the Fortress.


    However, Varsis knew that all loved flattery, and he was no exception. Despite all his knowledge, the hundreds of soldiers standing at attention for him, and him alone, brought with them a sense of pride.


    Even though Varsis knew who was pulling the strings.


    As the drumbeats grew ever more rapid, the Fortress became clear before him. The Fortress was the heart of Xiater. The Fortress was what the city had began as, and if the worst came, what the city would end as. The Fortress was originally built a thousand years ago, to protect the mining camps in the mountains. Xiater had grown around it. For if any one building could spawn a city, the Fortress was it. The Fortress might even have the size to hold a city.


    For it was built of mountain. Any but the industrious Makini would have built a freestanding castle in the area, if protection was needed. The ground was flat enough, in some places. But the Makini of the old days had thought different. And now, a massive castle like structure covered almost an entire mountainside.


    Varsis was no historian, so he knew not which of the parts that lay before him were of the original construction. The Makini worked keenly to make new renovations look the same as the old had. Even though the Fortress¡¯ main areas were confined to the mountain face, dozens, if not hundreds of tunnels had been carved into the rock, always being added too. There was a saying, that the day the Fortress stopped growing, it would be the day that the Makini did the same.


    With the Fortress ahead, Varsis gazed at it in awe. He had not been home in a year, and though he had lived in the Fortress for most of his childhood, a year was time enough to restore much of its awe. Six giant towers had once been built in a semicircle around the fortress, each at least twenty stories high. And at each of those towers¡¯ very apexes, it looked as if another tower had been placed on its side, long enough to connect the towers to the main body of the Fortress. Those thick, glorified passageways were the barracks of hundreds of troops.


    Varsis passed them by. Now he was before the gate. Normally, it was open all the time, for with the amount of traffic that entered and exited the Fortress, nothing else was feasible. For Varsis¡¯ welcoming ceremony, however, it had been temporarily closed.


    The gate was a hundred feet high, and just as wide. A colossal set of steel doors showed their face at him, with metal spikes proudly displayed along their exterior. Varsis had long wondered about the practicality of spikes dozens of feet in the air, but perhaps they were worth their construction for their image alone. There was something about hundreds of spikes inlaid into a door, each on the size of a man, that gave one pause.


    Varsis finally became conscious of the drumbeats, and their steady rhythm. As he stopped in front of the gate, with the steel doors preventing him from going further, he heard the pattern, five medium sized beats followed by a louder one, repeated over and over again. But even as he listened, the rhythm changed. Instead of a marching beat, the drums began to provide music, the thick heavy music that the Makini were known for. And then it all stopped.


    The doors began to open.


    Steel creaked inwards. Varsis believed that the gates actually had the ability to move both ways, though he had never seen them go out, but in this situation, the choice was obvious. To go out, the doors would have crushed Varsis, Taros, and a few dozen soldiers, all of whom stood directly before it.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    As soon as the doors opened wide enough to accommodate a person¡¯s width, Varsis proceeded. Waiting would only waste time.


    Past the doors, and the area that was clear so that they could function smoothly, which was huge enough, there was a grand chamber, lit by hundreds of lanterns. Though usually crowded with hundreds of functionaries, today the room was all but empty. Varsis and Taros proceeded across the floor, which had drawn upon it the largest map of the Empire that Varsis had ever seen. It actually took time to walk down some of the roads that had been etched into the floor.


    This was yet another display of the Fortress. Once, the building had a real name, but now that was unnecessary. Commoners on the far side of the Empire knew what the Fortress was.


    Across the massive chamber, standing, of course, right where Xiater was on the floor¡¯s map, was a single soldier, attired much as those in the courtyard had been, but unhelmed.


    Varsis strode over to him, along the North-East Trade Path, conscious of the many silent moments the process took. When he had reached Xiater for the second time, he saw who had been set to greet him. Marke is Rothi, the current Lord of the Fortress. Marke was always proper, so his hands were folded behind his back, just so.


    ¡°I assume you will be taking me to my mother?¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°Lord-General,¡± Marke acknowledged his better with a nod. ¡°I will be taking you to the Council of Makini.¡±


    Which meant the exact same thing, even if Marke was too proper to say it.


    The three began to walk, heading deep inside the mountain. The Chamber of the Council was one of the furthest buildings in, for the added protection of the five who composed it. There was a standard joke that the further inside the Fortress they were, the more the Council had to worry about a collapse of the building, but that joke was limited to those who knew little. There were a thousand safeguards in place to keep that from happening.


    As Varsis, Marke, and Taros proceeded down the massive halls, the smallest with ceilings of twenty feet, some higher, Varsis began to see others. Apparently, only the courtyard and the entrance chamber had been cleared for him, and now that he was through with both areas, the Fortress was returning to life as usual.


    But as they went further in, through grates, guards, and locked doors, the hubbub of the Fortress receded. When Varsis was ushered into a grand room, darkened, and filled with paintings, he knew he was almost there.


    In the room of the paintings, Marke and Taros stopped following Varsis. The next room was where the Council sat, and they were not interested in seeing any but the ones they wished to. The Council could keep any they wished out, even including personal bodyguards, and the Lord of the Fortress.


    Varsis walked up to a simple wooden door, guarded by the only others in the room, a half dozen massive and stony-faced soldiers. One of those men opened the door for him, and Varsis walked through.


    He was in the Chamber of the Council.


    Leaders of the other Houses liked the light, and liked multitudes of courtiers with them, just to be told how great and magnificent they were, but the Council was different. Their audience chamber, instead of being lit and filled with people, was dark, and, in its vastness, all but empty.


    The room, rumor had it, had been constructed hundreds of years ago, when the capital had been moved to Xiater, and had been built from the basis of a cave. If that was true, it explained how the room maintained its ability to forebode, with all its awful precision.


    Varsis, having just entered the room, stood on a sizable carpeted circle of floor, surrounded by a railing.


    The room was constructed as if he, as the one to gain the audience, was in an arena, and the Council was watching him. A sloping rock face, or what looked like one well enough, surrounded Varsis¡¯ circle. The Council sat in two rows, three on the top row, and two on the bottom, in comfortable leather-bound chairs, that seemed to be built right into the ancient rock. Here again, the Council was different than other ruling bodies. Most lords preferred to sit in uncomfortable chairs of sold gold, or something of the like. The Council saw no point in that. If they ruled House Makini, why not be comfortable?


    Below the chairs, on the rock face, about half a dozen servants crawled, serving to their masters¡¯ needs, and pressing to the ground so they would be as invisible as possible. Almost all the light in the room, from its mysterious source and unknown source, was focused on Varsis, the one who had been granted the audience, so he could not see the Council members and the others very well. However, he thought he saw a slave girl licking the feet of the Councilman who sat in the top right chair, and others carrying around platters of food, holding them above their heads, but no higher than any in the council¡¯s knees, so at their pleasure, the any in the Council could take something to eat.


    As for those of the Council themselves, they were cloaked in shadow, and wore dark robes. The features on their faces could only be made out with effort. In the top row, however, on the center chair, Varsis knew sat his mother, Hisa as Hakshi. Even though, in theory, the Council was a group of equals, the one who sat in that center chair was first among them. Hisa had sat in that chair for five years now. Things lurked in the shadows, ready to serve them.


    The first of the Council to speak was the only other woman, the one who sat in the lower right chair, to Varsis¡¯ view. Her name was Via as Nemed, and she was no more than a girl in her twenties, no older than Varsis. She had been on the Council for less than a year, so Varsis had not seen her in that seat before. To get a seat at the Council at her age was unprecedented, but there was a negation to that: she was Hisa¡¯s pawn. All knew as much, when Via, incredibly inexperienced, had gotten a seat on the council after the oldest among them had died of old age.


    ¡°Are you a servant of the Makini, Varsis Hakshi dol Makin?¡± asked Via, starting the ritual.


    ¡°With all my heart and all my soul, illustrious member of the Council,¡± responded Varsis. Though I have more power than you do. In fact, rarely did any but the most junior member of the Council voice the ritual. Varsis performed a deep bow.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Hisa, the moment the ritual was over, in the cold, echoing voice of hers. ¡°You have returned to us, my son.¡±


    ¡°I have indeed, mother.¡± Varsis inclined his head. Here, only bowing at the beginning and then end of the audience was necessary, but with Hisa, it was always better to err on the side of caution.


    ¡°What can you tell us?¡± asked Hisa. ¡°What news can you bring us from the capital?¡±


    Varsis understood her intent. ¡°Not much you do not already know, I am sure, Lady of the Council,¡± he said. ¡°Except for one thing.¡± He elaborated as much as he could on his decision about Maiako as Arathou, and what had happened as a result. Hisa listened, and then replied.


    ¡°You did well, my first son,¡± she said. ¡°You made the correct choices. It was not your fault that things turned out as they did.¡±


    You mean, I made the choice you would have made, Mother.


    ¡°Tell me again about the cloaked man who rescued the Princess,¡± said Hisa. Varsis obliged, going into as much detail as he could, and then Hisa continued.


    ¡°There is a chance that the man is nothing more than a would-be hero, who actually managed to succeed. That chance is so great, I myself believe it. Graven was new at his job, and not as good as Taros. Certainly not as good as you, my son.¡± She paused.


    ¡°There is something we think you should know,¡± said the Councilman who sat at was Varsis saw to be Hisa¡¯s left, a moment later. Varsis remembered his name to be Grako dol Belas. ¡°Our spies discovered a disturbance in the town of Gansu. It seems the Minsu soldiers there encountered a girl who they thought was the Princess, and tried to kill her to remove the extra thread. Her protector saved her.¡±


    Hisa picked up where Grako left off. ¡°The information you bring clarifies the knowledge of our spies,¡± she said.


    Varsis cut in. ¡°If you so desire, I will hunt the pair down for you. My failure brings disgrace upon our family.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Hisa. ¡°You did not fail, and you will not leave the capital to go on a fool¡¯s errand. There are much more important things for you to do, my son. Much more important things.¡±


    The Councilman who sat to the right of Hisa picked up where she had left off, seemingly unphased by the slave girl working at his feet and legs. ¡°You see, we of the Council have made a decision. We are a House older than the Arathou Dynasty ever was, older than any other House that exists to this day. For a thousand years, we have licked Tachen boots clean, sending our natural resources to all parts of the Empire, so that rival Houses could prosper from our hard work.


    ¡°But no longer.


    ¡°The Makini are done serving. We are the strongest of the Houses, the richest. We will not accept the False One, Ehajdon as our master.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Great One?¡± said Varsis, against a sudden wind that, defying all logic, rustled through the chamber. ¡°There are the Prophecies to consider, and the Mandate of Elysium!¡±


    ¡°Do you think we of the Council will bow our heads to a prophesized hero that will be anointed to unite us all?¡± asked Hisa, angrily. ¡°Use your head, little boy. The priests are wrong. The Arathou Dynasty has had corrupt ruler after corrupt ruler. Someone assassinated the late Emperor Mentis, to be sure, but it had nothing to do with the God-Kings. The age of the mythic is over, and has been since the first pathetic Tachen put a crown upon his own head.¡±


    ¡°We will not wait for something that will not come,¡± said Grako, as the winds finally resided. ¡° Xiater will be the capital of something far greater than the Empire ever was. Even the westerners will fall before us.¡±


    ¡°Before this month is done,¡± said Hisa, ¡°the armies of the Makini will march to end Ehajdon. For five years, you have led the armies of House Tachen, as their Lord-General, as a display of coexistence between the Houses. Fight with us now.¡±


    Varsis got to one knee. ¡°I do gratefully accept the Council¡¯s charge.¡±


    From the dark things, which lurked in the shadows all around, Varsis thought he heard an answering roar.

 Chapter 14: Mirror

    Lin Harsel had been recalled. Tarn had been left as the capable commander of the Gansu garrison. Lin was not worried about that, at least. He was worried about a great many other things.


    For instead of a response to the letter he had sent, to inquire about his more hidden orders, he had been recalled. Lin, by nature, trusted his superiors to do what was best. He was still worried.


    Lin rode through the Tarang Forest, which surrounded the city that was the seat of Minsu power, Tarang itself. Until the Imperial City was recaptured, Tarang would be the provisional capital of the Roseped Dynasty.


    Behind Lin rode six of his soldiers, whose job it was to keep him safe. Lin could have come to Tarang in much more style, in a carriage, with a platoon of troops behind him, but the Emperor himself had responded to Lin¡¯s letter, and had written that Lin should come to Tarang with all due haste. Lin was not one to keep his Emperor waiting.


    Out of the forest Lin and those who trailed him rode, and through the Arch of Loyalty, the gate to the city, inlaid with pure gold.


    Tarang was a city made in the Imperial style, and one of the most prosperous in the Empire. The streets, filled with people, were paved, and excellently maintained, despite the huge number they accommodated.


    Lin headed to the Minsu Palace. Once there, he checked his horse at the stables, and parted with his men.


    It did not take long for Lin to reach the throne room, as he had been in the palace many times before. Hundreds crowded the room, talking to each other, conducting business, all in the light of the Min.


    Lin gazed up at it for a moment. Suspended from the ceiling by dozens of tethers, it was diamond shaped, and about fifty feet in every measure. It was brilliantly blue, and somehow was able to shine that light down upon the entire room. When the Min had been found, it was by the youngest son of a lesser noble house, but it had provided him such great luck that he had been able to found House Minsu.


    Lin walked down the blue carpet that bisected the room. It was always kept empty. As Lin looked down the carpet¡¯s enormous length, he saw that it continued up a set of marble steps, that raised any who walked up them ten feet above the crowd. And at the end of the carpet, there was the gold throne of the Minsu. Emperor Ehajdon I sat upon it, conversing with the advisors that clustered upon the upraised semicircle of the room.


    Lin walked down the blue carpet as quickly as he dared, without seeming rude. When he ascended all the stairs, the Emperor waved all his advisors away, who quickly scattered, taking with them numerous charts, texts, and maps, and even a small table. The eight honor guards, however, remained, four standing on each side of the throne.


    Even as the advisors left, Lin bowed deeply at the Emperor, holding his head down for a polite count of twenty. Then he looked up, and into the Emperor¡¯s face.


    Emperor Ehajdon I was nearing forty, but he did not look to be that old in the least. Courtiers often said that he looked ten years younger than he really was, and they said it honestly. The Emperor had an inviting, almost boyish look about him. Even clad in the silver robes of state, as he was at that moment, it was easy to forget who he was.


    ¡°Emperor,¡± said Lin, shifting in his stance uncomfortably. The last time Lin had met with the man, he was only High Lord Roseped. Now, there could be new protocols when addressing him, that Lin was not aware of.


    ¡°Relax, Adjunct,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°I sit in this uncomfortable chair of gold so that others do not have to suffer.¡±


    Lin tried to do as Ehajdon said, but it was difficult. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go somewhere private, to discuss what we need to?¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± said the Emperor. He swept an arm out, encompassing the court. ¡°They cannot hear us. There is no point to discuss what we need to in a place of solitude and gloom, when here in public, there are safeguards. My spellweavers assure me that only those who have ascended the stairs are able to hear us. That said, I believe you are wondering what I want from you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord¡ªYour Majesty!¡± Lin corrected himself almost immediately, but he was not sure if that was enough.


    ¡°As I said before, you can relax, Lin,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°If you really would feel more comfortable, we can leave here.¡± The Emperor stood, and starting walking down the blue carpet at a brisk pace, as two of his guards fell into step behind him. His long robe trailed across the ground.


    Lin rushed down the stairs, trying to keep up with the Emperor¡¯s brisk pace. ¡°Please, tell me what you want me to do, Your Majesty, and I will do it!¡±


    The Emperor did not stop, but did slow down a little, so that he and Lin could walk parallel. ¡°My secret orders to you were only written with the deepest reluctance,¡± said Ehajdon, in his boyish voice. ¡°I abhor the death of innocents, but my advisors assured me that if she died, it would only save lives. Just as my advisors told me that if I proclaimed myself Emperor, a civil war might be averted.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    They left the throne room, but Ehajdon continued to walk at the same brisk pace, startling those in the halls, who did not expect to see their lord and master walking at so brisk a pace.


    ¡°Do you know what Ehajdon means?¡± the Emperor asked.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°It means avenger. I hate the name, and much prefer Roseped. I do not want my rein to be one of war, and, well, avenging.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this, Your Majesty?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°Because I know you were worried about your orders, my faithful servant, and I want you to understand how reluctant I was to give them.¡±


    Lin wanted to argue the point, to say that he had never been worried about his orders, but that would be a lie. He hoped the Emperor understood how faithful he still was to the cause.


    ¡°Do not worry, Lin,¡± said Ehajdon, as if he could read minds. ¡°I do not doubt your loyalty.¡±


    Now that they were in a completely different section of the building, the Emperor took out a key, and unlocked a door leading off from the hall. The room inside was one for meetings. Beautifully furnished in blue and silver, the colors of the Minsu, it featured an oval-shaped wooden table in the center, and a dozen chairs all around.


    The Emperor shed his robe of state, and gave it to one of his guards, who neatly folded it. Underneath, the Emperor wore much more functional clothing. Ehajdon sat in one of the chairs, and Lin took the one across from it.


    ¡°I called you back to the capital for two reasons,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°The first reason is, because my advisors felt that you might do something stupid if left alone. I was inclined to disagree with them, but that is irrelevant, now.


    ¡°The second reason is quite different. The Makini are massing their armies, as was feared, so my fledgling empire must cease concentrating on the north, on the Tachen lands. They must rot in anarchy for a little while longer, as we cannot spare the troops.


    ¡°You see, geography indicates that the forces of my Roseped Dynasty and the armies of the Makini will clash in the territories of House Vedil. Until the Makini are dealt with, Tachen lands will be more or less irrelevant. Gansu, which was seized quickly, because of its strategic importance to Tachen lands, is now almost completely out of the picture. We will not withdraw from it, for that would be seen by some as a sign of weakness, but the city no longer matters.


    ¡°And you see, Adjunct Harsel, I want you right where the action is. You will be reassigned to lead an army against the Makini.¡±


    ¡°But, why me, sir?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°There are a multitude of reasons to that question,¡± said the Emperor, ¡°but chiefly among them is your talent. I keep an eye on those who graduate first in their class, as you did.¡±


    Lin was amazed that Ehajdon had cared to learn so much about him. ¡°I am honored you heard of my accomplishments,¡± he said modestly.


    ¡°Why, thank you,¡± said the Emperor, inclining his head. ¡°But I fear you think too much of me. I am just a man, like you, who tries his best to make our world a better place.¡± As Lin stared at Ehajdon, in awe that the Emperor would incline his head at a lowly adjunct, the Emperor quickly became aware of how dumbstruck he was.


    ¡°None of what I just said comprises the point I am trying to make, so if you wish, you may forget I ever said what I did,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°I meant every word, but that, as I said, is another point.


    ¡°What I want to know is if you are going to accept my offer.¡±


    ¡°To lead a portion of your armies into battle?¡± asked Lin. ¡°Of course I accept. However, I worry about my level of experience. I-¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Your success in the desert campaigns three years ago puts that fear out of my mind, and back then, you had barely graduated. All I worry about is that you do not know the extent of your own abilities. There was good reason you became an adjunct. If I limited myself to those who were more decorated than you, I would be working with a group of elders.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for your confidence,¡± said Lin. How could the Emperor remember my service three years ago? When the battles were over, he did present me with a Medal of Valor, but I was one among many who received that honor!


    ¡°I only vest my confidence with those who deserve it, Lin,¡± said Ehajdon.


    ¡°You wisdom is unmatched by the glowing sun, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin. ¡°Your cunning is beyond that of all the creatures of the forest. Your--¡±


    But he was cut off by pair of advisors coming through the door. The younger of the two, who lacked so much age that his chin was bare, carried an immense pile of scrolls and papers, and immediately unloaded his burden on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we were late, Your Majesty,¡± said the younger. ¡°You were not on your throne when we came to see you, and we did not know where to look. You must be horribly angry, and your vengeance is terrible, and-¡±


    At that moment, the older advisor shoved the youth away from the table, stopping the babbling before it got too intense.


    ¡°I apologize for Mihal,¡± he said. ¡°The boy is rather excitable today, Your Majesty.¡± This elder had a shaved head, but a large, thick beard, only starting to turn gray. Lin recognized him as Arek is Tomel, chief advisor to the Emperor.


    ¡°Is there good reason for the excitement?¡± asked Ehajdon, abandoning Lin, and getting up to head for the stack of papers.


    ¡°I would not have interrupted you otherwise,¡± said Arek. ¡°Here is the reply from the Vedil.¡± He reached into his clothing, and pulled out a letter, sealed with what Lin could plainly see to be the Vedil symbol.


    Ehajdon opened the letter, and Arek read over his shoulder. Meanwhile, Mihal started to get up from the ground, where Arek¡¯s blow had put him.


    ¡°This is very good news,¡± said Ehajdon, a minute or so later. ¡°The excitement of being a ruler never ends.¡±


    ¡°If I may ask, sir, what did the Vedil say?¡± asked Lin, from his place at the table.


    The Emperor looked at him, and Lin thought he could detect a flash of annoyance. But it was gone in a moment. ¡°The Holy Citadel has decided to join with us,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Two of the seven Houses are with me, now.¡±


    The Emperor turned to Mihal. ¡°Be useful, and go run and fetch some wine,¡± he said. ¡°In a few hours, there will be time enough for more intrigues, but for the moment, there can be rest.¡±


    Ehajdon smiled.

 Chapter 15: Revelations

    Ishad walked through the empty sanctuary, collecting prayer books that had been left on the benches. Technically, it was a sin to not restore a Book of God to its proper place, but so few paid attention to that minor rule that monks such as himself were assigned to ¡®clean up¡¯ after every public prayer session. Inexperienced monks, of course. Ishad had surrendered his last name for the brown cloak a year ago.


    Even after a year of serving well, Ishad still had two more years to go before he could be raised from the rank of novice, to intermediate. Not that he was complaining, of course.


    Awkwardly, as Ishad was carrying some dozen books by now, he reached under his brown cloak, and brought out the Symbol, which hung on a chain around his neck. For a moment, Ishad stared at the snake eating its own tail, at the delicate gold workmanship that had crafted such a thing.


    Then Ishad continued moving through the benches. The sanctuary was huge, with a thousand seats. If Ishad wanted to be done by Lunch Hour, he would have to hurry.


    And so Ishad did. The room, which was awe inspiring for those who first entered it, had look since lost that appeal for Ishad. The great ceiling, which was inlaid with a serpent of stained glass, eating its tail, was now only decoration. Ishad could only imagine how anything could have been put up on the ceiling, fifty feet into the air, or how the stained glass serpent had even been made, but it was still only decoration.


    What might have been a quarter hour later, Ishad had finally placed all the books back in stacks on tables near the doors. He knew he should be heading off to eat his midday meal, as he was sure the Lunch Hour had already started, but he headed up to the dais. He couldn¡¯t resist the chance to pray at the apex of one of the holiest of all sanctuaries.


    The dais, a circle in the center of a circular room, was completely bare. Ishad carefully positioned himself in the exact middle, and knelt. Above him, the stained glass serpent took on new meaning, and Ishad couldn¡¯t believe how he had been thinking of it only a few moments before. He took out his Symbol from under his cloak once again, and grasped it with both hands.


    God, I try to purge myself from sin. I fail, but I still try. I strive to walk in the footsteps of the God-Kings, those mortals, who in death joined You. I fail, but I still try. I bless my ungrateful self in your presence.


    Ishad remembered when, a week ago, he had heard that the Vedil, sworn Guardians of the Faith, had joined with Emperor Ehajdon I. Ishad remembered how frightened he was, that because of what the Vedil had done, the barbarian Makini would ride down from the mountains, and sack the great city Ishad served as a monk in, the Holy Citadel.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    And then, he was no longer afraid.


    ¡°What are you thinking, mortal?¡±


    Ishad got to his feet, and whirled around, the fear very suddenly back.


    But only a monk stood behind him, unusually tall, cloaked in brown, and hooded so that his face could not been seen.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Sneaking up on me, and then saying something like that. Who are you?¡±


    But then Ishad saw a clawed, scaled foot stick out from under the robes. His instincts had been right, and suddenly, unequivocally, he knew he was going to die here. ¡°Demon!¡± he shouted, hoping someone, anyone would hear him. But in the sanctuary, closed until evening devotion, no one would. Ishad showed his Symbol to the monster¡¯s face, hoping somehow, the sight would restrain it. ¡°How dare you enter a house of God!¡±


    ¡°I am no demon, mortal,¡± said the thing. It pulled off its hood, revealing the head of a snake. ¡°I am what your Symbol shows you. I am a Nari.¡±


    Instantly, Ishad saw his mistake, and he got to his knees. ¡°Forgive me,¡± he said. ¡°I did not know you were real!¡± Legends stated that the Nari were charged with maintaining the Mandate of Elysium, the natural order on which all things depended. But they were widely thought to be myths, even by those in religious circles.


    Clearly, they were not.


    As the Nari hissed, and looked around the sanctuary, Ishad continued to grovel. ¡°I was arrogant before you,¡± he said. ¡°I judged without knowing. Forgive me!¡±


    ¡°Nothing can ever be forgiven,¡± said the Nari. ¡°Give me your Symbol.¡±


    Ishad was slow to respond. He had been given his Symbol on the day he became a monk, and he had been charged to keep it safe, and never remove it. Surely the Nari would understand his position.


    ¡°Give it to me!¡± the Nari shrieked, and its cry echoed throughout the chamber, inhuman, and loud beyond any noise Ishad could make. It proffered a scaled, six-fingered, clawed hand.


    Ishad was not about to delay any longer. He took it from his neck, and placed it up into the Nari¡¯s hand, as he continued to kneel.


    No faith could prepare him for what happened next. The Nari¡¯s hand contracted, closed, and squeezed. The object that had been the center of Ishad¡¯s last year of life melted as the Nari squeezed; it melted and disintegrated. A fine, golden powder drifted around the Nari¡¯s crushing hand, and then was drawn to it, and then disappeared. The Nari opened his hand, and a copper chain fell from it, all alone, no longer with any purpose.


    As Ishad looked up at the Nari, it seemed more alive than it had before. Its scales were brighter, and its eyes shown with even more yellow. When Ishad had first seen it, the Nari had stood well over six feet in height, but now it seemed even taller.


    The Nari¡¯s long neck swiveled downwards as it replaced the hood upon its head. Then, without another word, it walked away, off the dais, and down an aisle. As Ishad watched, the Nari pushed through the doors at an exit to the sanctuary, and was gone.


    Ishad suddenly was aware of how alone he was. He reached out, clutched his empty copper chain, and sobbed.

 Chapter 16: Humanity

    Varsis started to leave the Fortress late in the night, for home. He had domestic business to manage, now that he was finished with the Council. There were plans to look over, old contacts to find, and, on the route, servants to yell at, as Varsis found that in his absence, the few rooms in the Fortress that Hisa had long ago devoted to him were currently being used by custodians to store cleaning supplies. Varsis had rarely used those rooms, even when he had been living in Xiater, so he could see how the servants had made the mistake, but still, he had to protect what was his. The day he gave something up for no reason would be the day that began his decline.


    Varsis¡¯ grandfather had told him that. A grandfather he now desperately wanted to see. It had been too long.


    Varsis, tired of the pomp and ceremony that had accompanied his Fortress entrance, intimidated the servants into finding him a horse. It was neutered, and rather placid for a male, but it bore him well, out to his villa on the outskirts of the city.


    Varsis¡¯ villa was flat, with only one story, but it extended vastly in all directions. Wasted space equaled affluence, and Varsis had never lacked that. His mother¡¯s coins only stopped flowing to him when the Makini government started paying him for his services as a general. In another way, the Makini government¡¯s money also belonged to Hisa, but Varsis preferred to think that he had reached a stage in his life where he was self-sufficient.


    Varsis rode up to his villa, and then gave over the horse to a servant.


    ¡°New acquisition, sir?¡± asked the man.


    ¡°New acquisition.¡±


    Varsis then set himself about the task of finding his grandfather. Varsis was sure the man was in a garden somewhere, but that helped matters very little. His villa had literally dozens of gardens in open air spaces within it, and every time Varsis returned to his house, he found more and more on the periphery. His grandfather loved gardens.


    Varsis asked two of his servants where his grandfather might be found, but after they gave contradicting answers, he sent them back to their duties, and looked on his own.


    After some time, Varsis found his grandfather sitting on a hard wooden bench in the central aviary, surrounded by plants and birds. Varsis¡¯ grandfather, the great Oneako is Hakshi, had his eyes closed, and meditated with his hands on his lap.


    Oneako was well preserved. His hair was white, and he had long since abandoned the practice of shaving, so he had a long white beard as well, but other than that, he did not look as his seventy years would suggest. Oneako¡¯s wrinkles were at a minimum, and his muscles still had strength.


    In another moment, Oneako responded to his grandson¡¯s presence. He opened his eyes. ¡°Come sit, Varsis,¡± he said, patting the area on the bench beside him.


    Varsis did as he was asked. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, grandfather,¡± he said. ¡°Too long, I think.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Varsis,¡± said Oneako. ¡°You must remember, a year is not to me what it is to you.¡±


    ¡°But regardless, grandfather,¡± said Varsis, ¡°I still missed you.¡± They hugged lightly, patting each other on the back.


    ¡°So tell me,¡± said Oneako, ¡°how are things in the greater world? I am content to play at the duties of a wife, ordering servants around, and waiting for the joy of my life to return to his home, but I am curious to know what I am missing.¡±


    ¡°Hisa has ordered the Makini to war,¡± Varsis quickly provided.


    ¡°Oh, I know that,¡± said Oneako. ¡°I would have to be a senile fool to miss as much. I care about your exploits, Grandson. You were always my favorite of all my spawn. I didn¡¯t move into any of my other grandchildren¡¯s houses, did I?¡± His eyes sparkled. ¡°I care about your exploits.¡±


    Varsis went into detail about what he had done in the past year, but stopped when he reached his decision to kill Maiako.


    ¡°My children always had to make hard decisions,¡± said Oneako. ¡°Some have made them better than others. None of my children followed in my footsteps. They all used my fame to become government officials, warriors only in name. And so on with my grandchildren. Besides you, only Hisa became anyone of note.¡±


    Varsis and his grandfather chuckled at the understatement. They both knew well that the former¡¯s mother and the latter¡¯s daughter was the de facto ruler of the Makini.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about your decision so much,¡± said Oneako. ¡°What¡¯s done is done, and you thought you would be saving many more lives.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t approve of my decision?¡± asked Varsis.


    Oneako signed. ¡°Redie!¡± he called, and a brilliantly red bird swooped down from one of the trees, and landed on Oneako¡¯s outstretched fingers.


    ¡°What kind of bird is that?¡± asked Varsis. He had never seen its like before.


    ¡°It¡¯s a parrot,¡± said Oneako. ¡°All the nobles around here started getting them, so I went and saw what my and your combined monies could buy. Somewhere around this place, we have a dozen of them. They come from the rainforests in the far south. I campaigned there, many years ago.¡±


    The parrot reached up with one leg, and scratched itself. Despite himself, Varsis smiled.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all this bird can do,¡± said Varsis¡¯ grandfather. ¡°Redie, say something.¡±


    ¡°Something,¡± the parrot chirped.


    At hearing a bird speak, Varsis couldn¡¯t control himself. He laughed.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all he can say,¡± said Oneako, smiling.


    ¡°Not all, not all,¡± said Redie.


    ¡°Are parrots intelligent?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°No one thinks so,¡± said Oneako. ¡°They just tend to spit back what they hear. In fact, having the birds around spawned a new verb around these parts. To parrot is to repeat what another has said. Fly,¡± said Oneako, and the parrot went back to the tree it had come from.


    Varsis found himself thinking about military applications of the parrot. If they could be trained to fly to certain places, they could convey messages to battle commanders. They would be useful at times when soldiers didn¡¯t have a chance to write a message down, and attach it to an owl or carrier pigeon. ¡°Is there any particular reason you showed me the bird?¡± he asked his grandfather.


    ¡°Not particularly,¡± said Oneako. ¡°I just showed you the bird to brighten your mood. It was clear you are upset at the choice you made. Now,¡± he asked keenly, ¡°you have told me what you intended to do. What actually happened?¡±


    Varsis explained how, at the last moment, Maiako had told him that it would be dishonorable for him to kill her, and how he had taken the coward¡¯s way out, and asked Graven to do the deed. He then explained what happened to Graven.


    ¡°I am sorry for his loss,¡± said Oneako.


    ¡°Grandfather,¡± said Varsis. ¡°You never told me if the thing I wanted to do was the right thing.¡±


    ¡°One only can guess at what is truly right,¡± said Oneako. He suddenly sounded his age. ¡°When I fought directed armies, and fought battles in my prime, I tried not to question the morality of my orders. Perhaps it is nothing but the old man in me that is saying this, but if I had been in your place, I would not have tried to kill her. I am glad that she is still alive.¡±


    What Oneako said was a deep blow to Varsis. ¡°But¡­what of the man that saved Maiako?¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°He sounds like a dashing gentleman,¡± said Oneako, ¡°as yourself. Perhaps he is you conscience?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, Grandfather,¡± said Varsis. ¡°The man killed Graven. I want him dead.¡±


    ¡°In my life, I have seen vengeance ruin far more lives than I care to think about,¡± said Oneako, ¡°and not just the lives of those who have done the wrong. Let your anger rest.¡±


    Varsis breathed a calming breath. ¡°I will try, Grandfather,¡± he said. ¡°I will try. In the same tune, what do you think of Hisa¡¯s bid for conquest? Today I met with the Council, and she asked me to be a part of it.¡±


    ¡°Morality has abandoned these troubled times,¡± said Oneako. ¡°As for the logistics of it, I think our House has a chance to win. The only group that actively opposes us, as of now, is the army of Ehajdon, comprised of the Minsu and, soon enough, the Vedil. We have a greater army than the boot-lickers and the religious fanatics put together.¡± The general in Oneako was starting to come out, and the old man was fading.


    ¡°I agree with you, Grandfather,¡± said Varsis, glad the discussion had not continued in the vein it had been going in before.


    ¡°Care to spar?¡± asked Oneako. The talk of war seemed to have invigorated him. He got up from the bench, and picked up the two quarterstaffs leaning against the closest tree. He threw one to Varsis, who caught it.


    Varsis got up from the bench. He bowed, and his grandfather did the same. And then the battle was on.


    With any other old man, Varsis would be horrified at the thought of striking at them with all his skill and speed. But not Oneako. It was said he had lost much, over the years, but he still retained much, as well.


    Strike, clatter. Amongst the trees, the two combatants circled, startling the birds into flight with the sound of wooden staff slamming against wooden staff.


    Varsis tried for an attack coming from high up in the air, and rained down blows upon Oneako. And it seemed the old man was faltering.


    But Oneako had taught Varsis all of what he knew, and he was not out, yet. Calculating, the old man retreated, feinted a strike to Varsis¡¯ right side, then struck an actual blow to his left. It was blocked, but with that strike, the momentum of the battle had changed. The battle had turned in Oneako¡¯s favor.


    Varsis repulsed attack after attack, spinning his quarterstaff with such skill that a passing servant stopped to stare at the combatants in awe. But he found each strike of Oneako¡¯s was coming closer and closer to hitting its mark.


    But Varsis was one to work with his assets, and the truth was, he was not tired. Not at all. He blocked Oneako¡¯s attacks with greater and greater strength, and hacked out between them, forcing the old man to defend himself.


    Oneako increased his tempo, as well, until the battle was one of fluidity and constant motion. It would have been a dance, were not both participants trying to defeat each other. However, each was hard-pressed, as it was hard to defeat an opponent that knew almost all of the moves the other would use.


    That in mind, Varsis tried something new, attacking in the Tiger style he had picked up during his last year in the Imperial City, filled with a variety of repetitive, hard strikes, followed by sudden withdrawal. Oneako rose to the challenge masterfully, until¡­


    ¡°Stop!¡± his cry rang out.


    Varsis froze in mid-swing, expecting this, as it had happened many times in recent years.


    ¡°I fear I no longer have the strength to go on,¡± said Oneako, putting his quarterstaff down.


    Varsis did as well, and they sat down again, and for all the world it seemed as if neither had even attempted an exertion. Varsis¡¯ grandfather knew to stop before he showed the weakness of age.


    ¡°Good fight,¡± said Oneako. ¡°I have learned some things from you, today.¡±


    ¡°And I from you, Grandfather,¡± Varsis replied.


    But then, the servant who had stopped to watch them, instead of going on his way, came over. He acknowledged Varsis and Oneako with a bow, and then spoke. ¡°Something horrible has happened, my lord Varsis.¡±


    Varsis knew that if something as such was said, it was not said idly. He sprang to his feet. ¡°What happened?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Your lover¡­and that new man, Roin, who came here to be trained. She¡­¡±


    ¡°She what, man?¡± asked Varsis. ¡°Speak up.¡±


    ¡°The water-witch killed him,¡± said the servant quietly.


    Varsis knew there had to be more to the story than that, but he didn¡¯t have the time to wait. He bowed to his grandfather. ¡°I fear I must leave you,¡± he said. ¡°But do not worry, I will return.¡±


    ¡°I believe you,¡± said Oneako. He was one of the few who seemed not to care about what Ana was. Indeed, at times he seemed even less prejudiced about her than Varsis.


    His grandfather spoken to, Varsis starting running. His servant got the message, and ran as well, leading the way.


    No heads were turned as they raced down the halls. Indeed, all the halls seemed curiously empty. Varsis didn¡¯t like what he was seeing.


    Varsis, his servant right ahead of him, rushed into an open-air garden. The sight that greeted him was not a good one. Immediately, his eyes were drawn to the fact that a body was floating face-down in the fountain, which he suspected was that of Roin.


    But even more than that, Varsis saw that in the center of the garden, a large group of his servants had gathered. As Varsis pushed through them, and the servant that had guided him here fell away, he saw that in the center of the group, two of his house guards had pinned Ana face-down to the floor.


    To Varsis, however, most strange of all was the fact that Ana was wearing a dress, green of course, but still a dress. She never did that, and once, she had even said that if she did, she would be going against her faith.


    ¡°All right!¡± he shouted, and those who had been speaking fell silent. ¡°What is going on here?¡±


    One of the guards holding Ana down spoke up. ¡°The new kid, Roin, just walked past her in the garden, and she killed him!¡±


    To Varsis¡¯ surprise, that was the general consensus. There were shouts of affirmation from all sides.


    ¡°Did anyone actually see this occur?¡± he asked.


    Two custodians said that they had been in the garden when Roin had started to walk past Ana. They said that a moment later, he had been dead, and face down in the water.


    Realizing that was all the crowd was going to tell him, Varsis looked down at Ana. Her eyes were closed, and she was still, amidst all the now-returning jeers, which Varsis did not bother to silence. Only the heavy breaths her mouth took proved that she was any less dead than Roin.


    ¡°Let her up,¡± said Varsis, with authority. His guards obeyed.


    Ana stood slowly, brushing herself off, with all the dignity that she could find. Still, she did not speak.


    ¡°I would like to hear what you have to say for yourself,¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°I cannot say here why I did what I did,¡± said Ana. The crowd shouted at her, and only loyalty to Varsis restrained them.


    ¡°Then you have no reason,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I did not think you would do such a thing, but now you have proved that they--¡± he gestured to the two dozen servants clustered around, just to make them feel that he was on their side--¡°were right about you all along, along with all the others.¡± He took a step closer to her, and whispered in her ear. ¡°I present to you a choice. Die here, by my sword, or I will hand you over to those in the Fortress. I am sure Makini spellweavers will be able to restrain you for the rest of your life, and I believe they will be able to profit from experimenting on you, water-witch.¡±


    All the softer, he whispered, ¡°You dug your own grave, you know.¡±


    ¡°I know, my love,¡± she whispered back. ¡°I choose the latter of your options.¡±


    Varsis was, to say the least, surprised. He never would have thought Ana would have wanted to spend years in suffering, and had given the last choice as a courtesy to her. Also, he had wanted to be done with this situation before he left the room, but now that was not going to happen.


    Varsis stepped away from her. ¡°Come with me,¡± he told the two guards. ¡°We are taking her to her room, and shortly thereafter, people will come who can take her off our hands.¡±


    The crowd clapped in appreciation, even as Varsis frowned.


    And then they walked. Ana moved of her own free will, though she had a look about her that suggested that by ways other than physical strength, she was going somewhere that she did not want to be.


    It did not take long for the four of them to reach her room, but once they got there, Varsis became even more worried. He did not trust two guards to be able to hold her, when she decided that she wanted to leave. Ana was a water-witch, after all, and the guards were but men.


    So Varsis walked Ana into her room, a room that was filled with riches and finery, and turned her to face him. The two guards waited for instructions outside, behind a closed door. Some lesser nobles might have gouged out their eyes to have all in the room. But it was not enough for Ana.


    ¡°I cannot understand why you did what you did today,¡± Varsis said. ¡°Despite it all, I might¡­I might have loved you. Even considering what you are. We could have had a future, and you took that away from us, because you could not contain the sick impulses that reside within you.¡±


    Ana actually had the courtesy to look pained. ¡°I can tell you, now that we are alone, why I did what I did. Roin--¡±


    ¡°No doubt you have a reason,¡± said Varsis. ¡°But I will not hear it. I still have a desire to sleep soundly at night.¡±


    ¡°But--¡±


    ¡°We are done here, Ana, quite done,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Goodbye.¡± He put a hand on the back of her neck, and began to exert pressure in the place he had been taught about, taking care to be sure he found the right area.


    ¡°Goodbye, my love,¡± she said. She closed her eyes. ¡°But we will see each other again.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± said Varsis.


    Ana fell to the floor.


    Varsis opened the door to the room, and walked out. In the hallway, his two guards seemed concerned.


    ¡°What happened in there?¡± asked one of them. ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s still in there? Did she put a spell on you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, boy,¡± said Varsis, using the word only for effect, as the guard was not much younger than he was. ¡°I have killed demons. And she, most certainly, is not at that level.¡±


    Varsis lightly kicked open the door to Ana¡¯s room, that he had only partially closed. She still lay on the ground, and had not moved an inch. Ana was just as unconscious as he had left her, and she would stay that way for several more hours. He said as much.


    As the guards nodded, he walked away. Without turning around, he told them that spellweavers would be for Ana shortly.


    Varsis barely turned a hallway before he ran into Oneako. Varsis¡¯ grandfather did not need a cane to walk, and moved quite quickly for someone of his age.


    ¡°I heard what happened,¡± said Oneako. ¡°All of it. I cannot believe the choices some people make. I spoke to Ana earlier today, and murder seemed to be the last thing on her mind.¡±


    ¡°You disagree with my decision, grandfather?¡± asked Varsis, incredulously.


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± said Oneako. ¡°I was just thinking about the oddities in life. I already sent a runner for the spellweavers.¡±

 Chapter 17: Return to the Heroes

    A month, like any period of time, could feel long or short. This month, the month Mai had just endured, had been an eternity. And what was the worst part? It was not over. She and Broken were still stuck at the godforsaken Tevin Farm.


    Or, not exactly on the farm. At the moment, Mai was in Hetan, for provisions. Broken was not with her, though he was elsewhere in the town. As Mai scuttled along the back alley she had found in the town, that, when traveled, cut travel distance, she reminisced on the last month.


    Mai was a diligent worker, now. Tevin, Doner, Pelt, they all said so on a regular basis. Mai was clueless as to how she had done it, but in a sense, she had come into her own.


    But it was torture.


    When she and Broken were alone, he still made her call him master. And now, she did with little hesitation. It was humiliating, but Mai couldn¡¯t bear not talking to anyone who knew who she really was.


    Mai realized she was almost out of the alley, and sighed in relief. The heavy packages in her arms would not be there much longer. She would meet up with Broken soon, and then they would go back to the farm.


    Suddenly, however, those thoughts were adjusted, in a way that she had not before imagined possible. Three youths stepped out from behind three different piles of refuse, in such a way that made it seem they had been lying in wait for her.


    The strange thing was, Mai knew them. Not well enough to know their names of course, but she knew each of them well enough to recognize on sight. One of them had even come up to her once before, and spoken to her, not even unpleasantly.


    But Mai had no doubt in her mind as to what he was doing here now. Nor any of the others. A month of the life she had led had taken off many blinders.


    She dropped the packages. Her priorities had suddenly been rearranged.


    ¡°Well, well,¡± said the youth she had spoken with before. He seemed to be the leader of the group. ¡°It seems a certain young lady has walked into our--what shall I call it?--trap.¡±


    Mai would have shouted something to the effect of, ¡®get away from me, you filthy commoners,¡¯ but now, times had changed. That was not longer her first impulse. She simply screamed, ¡°Help!¡±


    The leader didn¡¯t seem all that perturbed. ¡°No one cares,¡± he said. ¡°And why would they?¡± he asked. ¡°You¡¯re nobody.¡±


    That sentence struck a chord in Mai. She might not be sure who she was anymore, but she was sure she wasn¡¯t no one. She glared at him. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do something, do it,¡± she said.


    And then he and his two buddies advanced.


    In response, Mai turned, and started to run. A month ago, she never would have done that, no matter what the circumstances. The Codes of Sara were clear. However, they no longer seemed pertinent to her life.


    As she rushed down the alley, the youths gained on her. She didn¡¯t need to look back to know as much. They were faster than her. But she had known, all the same, that to not try would have been even more pointless.


    The net result, however, was that she was much deeper into the alley, when the first of them caught up to her.


    The first¡ªit wasn¡¯t the group¡¯s leader, but Mai didn¡¯t know which one of the other two¡ªtackled her from behind. She clawed him in the face, and he howled, and pulled back.


    However, by now the other two had reached her. Their leader grabbed her, and with both hands around her neck, slammed her into the wall, as the other cheered him on, and the third got back up to his feet.


    The leader of the group raised Mai into the air, and slammed her into the wall. Her legs kicked, and improvising on that, she kicked all the harder, knocking the leader back, releasing his grip on her, and, by definition, sending her to the ground.


    But that didn¡¯t help her. Mai knew she was going to die, knew it in every fiber of her being, and embraced the pain and rage that knowledge caused, and oddly, the bit of relief.


    But then, from the ground, she heard a very particular voice.


    ¡°Improvised Dolshen kick,¡± said Broken, emerging from the shadows. He no longer wore his armor any more, just farmer¡¯s clothing, but his presence was an intimidating sight.


    To Mai, at least.


    The leader of the youths got up, brushed himself off, and approached Broken head-on, as his two friends swiveled around to approach each of Broken¡¯s sides.


    Mai slowly picked herself up off the ground, and actually let out a small laugh. They have no idea what they¡¯re getting themselves into, do they?


    ¡°I think you should be going, tough guy,¡± said the leader of the group.


    ¡°No, I do not,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I think the three of you should.¡± His steady, deep tone was enough to make the three pause.


    But not for all that long.


    There was a blur of motion, and then one of the three went down, clutching his lower extremities in pain. Another of the three fell backwards as well, seemingly knocked out with a blow to the head.


    And then the only one left was the leader, who slowly backed away.


    Broken rushed forward, grabbed him by the neck, lifted him up, and thrust him against the wall. He was getting what he had done to Mai, only where he had needed both hands to do it, Broken only needed one.


    The youth wheezed under Broken¡¯s tight grip, as Broken spoke a last few words, painfully slowly. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­do¡­that¡­again.¡±


    Broken then dropped the former leader, and he ran off down the alley, seemingly without care for his two partners, who were still lying incapacitated on the ground, one displaying signs of movement, while the other did not.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Broken asked Mai.


    Mai was suddenly angry. No, not angry. Furious. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you expect me to say,¡± she said. ¡°But I want to tell you something. Back there, before you came, I thought I was going to die. And do you know what I felt?¡±


    Broken said nothing.


    ¡°I felt relieved,¡± said Mai. ¡°I felt relieved. A long time ago, you rescued me from my death. A few days later, you did it a second time. And now you did it a third. But for what, I ask you?¡±


    Again, Broken did not speak.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s wrong of me to say this,¡± said Mai. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s incredibly selfish of me. But I can¡¯t go on like this. I work all day, because of you, and then at night, you make me call you master.


    ¡°I know commoners do the sort of work I do every day,¡± said Mai, ¡°and I have newfound respect for them. But how could I be put through everything I was put through, for this?


    ¡°You do one thing, and then you do another as if you are trying to push two different sets of agendas,¡± said Mai. ¡°You truly are Broken.¡± She meant that in both senses of the word.


    ¡°I want you to know something,¡± said Broken. ¡°I am sorry. I am sorry for what I put you through. I know you will not accept what I said without something more, so I say this--


    ¡°Tomorrow morning, with provisions, we will leave Tevin Farm,¡± Broken said. ¡°We can go anywhere in the Empire you wish, anywhere you think you will be safe, or anywhere you just want to visit. We can travel for as long or as short a time as you desire. You need not call me master ever again.¡±


    Elation filled Mai. And suddenly, as if a fog was lifted, Mai knew where they could go. Where they could be safe. ¡°Asan Paril,¡± she whispered. ¡°The city, in the Vedil lands, where the sun rises over the water.¡± She spoke louder and louder, with increasing confidence. ¡°The lord there is just and fair, and I know him. He will not turn us away.¡±


    ¡°Then let us hurry back to Tevin Farm,¡± said Broken. ¡°We must tell them of our sudden departure.¡±


    And so they walked. Behind them, one of the youths on the ground moaned in his agony.


    Mai was able to find all of what she had dropped in the alley, so they could go back to Tevin Farm with haste. Once they returned, they met with Tevin, and his two older sons, in the dining room.


    After Broken explained what was going to happen, the elder Tevin nodded. ¡°I expected this,¡± he said. ¡°Clearly, I did, ever since that dreary night you came here, when you said this would be a temporary arrangement. I do not begrudge you for it. Rassin, you were up front with me the entire time.¡±


    ¡°The name I go by more often really isn¡¯t Rassin,¡± said Broken. ¡°And neither is her name, the name you would consider real, Jess.¡±


    Doner leaned forward on his chair. ¡°You mean you¡¯ve been lying to us the entire time?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Broken. ¡°As I said a month ago, others have called me Rassin, and others have called her Jess.¡±


    ¡°Then who are you?¡± asked Pelt. ¡°And what else have you been lying to us about?¡±


    ¡°I never lie,¡± said Broken. ¡°I meanly said one thing, that you supposed meant another. And more than that, everything I have ever told you about my path and hers, is true.¡±


    ¡°I think there is a more important question, son,¡± said the elder Tevin. ¡°Why do you tell us this now, the day before you leave?¡±


    ¡°Because I wish to protect this family,¡± said Broken. ¡°This family that has been so kind to us. I do not wish any of you to suffer hardship because we interfered in our lives.


    ¡°And now, I will tell you who we are,¡± said Broken. ¡°She is Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, and I am her protector. My name is Broken.¡±


    As Mai had expected, her name made far more of an impact on the family than Broken¡¯s did.


    ¡°My God,¡± said Doner.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± said Pelt.


    Mai had to congratulate Broken on the way he had set up what he was about to tell the Tevin family, though she had as little idea as they why he wanted to reveal such an important secret. Broken had set up what he was about to say so well, not a one of the three doubted the truth of his statement.


    ¡°All this time, I was ordering around a princess,¡± remarked the elder Tevin. ¡°The real heir to the throne, not Ehajdon. Are you going to reveal that you are still alive, Princess?¡± he asked her.


    Mai said nothing for a moment. It was an odd feeling to not have Broken answer for her, and step in with exactly the right remark. For she had the very clear sense right now that he was not going to say anything.


    ¡°No,¡± Mai said.


    ¡°But why, Princess?¡± asked Pelt. He seemed to be fighting the urge to kneel. ¡°I think I speak for my brother and my father when I say that, despite whatever it was that happened in the capital, we are your men.¡±


    Doner nodded, and the elder Tevin voiced his affirmation.


    ¡°If you gathered an army, we would fight for you,¡± he said. ¡°As would a great many others around here. The Arathou Dynasty, which lasted for eleven hundred years of peace, or near enough, shouldn¡¯t have to end now. Ehajdon, though he might be a fairly decent ruler himself, is still just a pretender.¡±


    Mai was amazed by the voicing of support. ¡°But I¡¯m a bastard,¡± she said. ¡°My¡­my blood¡¯s impure.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still the daughter of Emperor Mentis, ain¡¯t you?¡± said Doner.


    ¡°And more than that,¡± said the elder Tevin. ¡°You being a bastard just means you have commoner blood in your veins. If you made it to the throne, you¡¯d be half commoner, and half noble. And that¡¯s a true ruler that I would fight for, one representative of the people.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m a¡­¡± Mai trailed off.


    ¡°You mean that you¡¯re a girl?¡± asked the elder Tevin. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about history and such, but I know there¡¯s been Empresses on the throne. If the God-Kings could allow it once, they could allow it again.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said Mai. ¡°You¡¯re really serious.¡± She looked at Broken helplessly, not knowing what to say, or what to say, or what to think.


    And so, finally, he cut in. ¡°My mistress came here to regroup,¡± he said. ¡°And now she must leave to gather allies.¡±


    That was all the support Mai needed. She spoke again, annoyed that she had needed Broken¡¯s help. ¡°I am honored that you think so highly of me,¡± she said. ¡°But for now, things must be as they will be.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I ordered you around like I did,¡± said Pelt.


    But now Broken spoke again, with more of a voice of command. ¡°You three were told her identity for one reason,¡± he said. ¡°Because I believe that those who wish to do the Princess harm will come here, and you need to be prepared.¡±


    The elder Tevin gazed over at his straight sword, which hung over the fireplace mantle. ¡°We will accept that risk,¡± he said. ¡°It is the least we can do, to repay the Princess for the way she was treated.¡±


    ¡°I do not want you to fight them,¡± said Broken. ¡°Getting killed on the Princess¡¯ behalf is something I cannot allow kind folk such as yourselves to do. If enemies come, I want you to point them in our direction. We will be going north, to Asan Paril.¡±


    Mai was shocked. She wanted to ask Broken what in the name of the God-Kings he was thinking, to ask the Tevins to help their enemies. But she kept quiet. If Broken had a good reason for saying what he was, she did not want to hinder him. She had learned that much with him.


    ¡°Why would you say this?¡± asked the elder Tevin. ¡°What we never knew, we could not ever tell.¡±


    ¡°I said what I did, because I do not want you to die,¡± said Broken. ¡°Say what I told you, and say that you overheard I and the Princess speaking of it. Otherwise, those who come will kill you.¡±


    ¡°You are truly noble to offer as much,¡± said Tevin. ¡°But I cannot take any way out at your expense.¡±


    ¡°We can protect ourselves,¡± said Broken. ¡°We can run. You have a livelihood, and cannot.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Doner.


    The elder Tevin got up, and walked over to where Broken sat, and spoke as Broken reflexively got up to meet him. ¡°I know not what nobles and your like think of my kind, sir, think of commoners. But when my wife died giving birth to Gabin, I made an oath that I would raise my children right, and so I have. Against what you might believe, we have honor.¡±


    Broken looked at him for a moment, with such a look on his face that it seemed to Mai he was about to start shouting. It almost seemed that Broken wore a look of loathing for the man before him.


    But then the fury behind his eyes was gone, and Broken sat back down. ¡°You have made a choice then,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, we have,¡± said Pelt, as the elder Tevin slowly sat back down.


    The rest of the day consisted of nothing so awkward. Aside from the fact that apologies were given for how they had been treated, over and over again, by all of the Tevins, even Gabin, after he had been told, things generally progressed smoothly. They were all in high spirits.


    After Aruith had been made ready for the journey, and a second horse had been given to them by the Tevins, named Swift, (For Mai had learned the basics of riding over the past month) the family and the two guests sat down for dinner.


    Dinner was filled with grand suggestions and musings. For all of their being solemn earlier in the day, the family was quite relaxed now. They all joked about rather strange ways to tell the world that Mai was still alive, and Gabin seemed the happiest of them all.


    Gabin seemed amazed that someone as important as Mai would set foot inside her house. He asked question after question about what it had been like to grow up in a palace. Mai, despite herself, endeavored to answer each and every one. It was odd, very odd, but she still felt bad about not telling Gabin a story all those weeks ago.


    During the festivities, Broken seemed less charismatic than usual. He still dove into the conversation, and entertained everyone with his odd thoughts, but he seemed reserved this day, as if he was thinking deeply about something or another. Once Mai realized how much attentions she was paying to him, she made it her business to ignore Broken. After what he had done, she did not feel the need to ask him what was on his mind.


    And then, rather suddenly, the day was over. While in the weeks before, Mai had prepared herself for sleep with the knowledge that it would be more of the same in the morning, this night, she readied herself for adventure. Things were different now. Oh, so different.


    The Tevin patriarch had given up his bed this one night, for Mai to be able to sleep in it. Broken was in a bed as well, Doner¡¯s bed, despite a bit of strained resistance on his part to the contrary.


    For the first time since Broken had saved her from the burning palace, Mai had a restful sleep.

 Chapter 18: A New Day Dawning

    The next day, things were as they should be. The Tevin family was nothing but polite and courteous to those who were leaving them. Goodbyes were exchanged; saddlebags were packed, checked, and rechecked, to make sure Mai and Broken had all the supplies they needed for the great journey ahead. Broken put on his armor and weapons for the first time in a month.


    And then they were on their way.


    Only so much of Mai¡¯s emotions could be translated into words that day, only so much could even be comprehended by her conscious mind.


    But it was all there. Mai felt the rush of exhilaration as she rode away from the farm, knowing she would never return there again. Mai felt the excitement of realizing she could truly ride a horse now, that half-remembered lessons from days of her youth, combined with Broken, Pelt, and Doner¡¯s practical teachings, were together enough to allow her to do this, to experience majesty on such a profound scale.


    Mai felt the power as the trees rushed by, as her horse, Swift, rode side by side with Broken¡¯s Aruith. She reflected on how he had gotten his steed, as opposed to how she had gotten hers. Broken had stolen his mount. Hers had been given as a gracious gift.


    Wind rippled as the sun waxed glorious overhead, unencumbered by the wrath of nations. Mai thought back to what she remembered of the man who now called himself Ehajdon. When she had met him, only once, many years ago, Ehajdon, then Xanthis, had been nothing but charming, a perfect gentleman. Beyond that, he had seemed nothing if not na?ve.


    Mai only saw this in retrospect, for back then, she had been as na?ve as he was. He had met her once, alone, and they had talked and laughed about how invincible the Arathou Dynasty was, he, the dashing man, who looked too young to be the age he claimed, and she, first daughter and only child to Emperor Mentis IV.


    That memory, of them sitting together on a balcony five years ago seemed odd. Mai wondered how Xanthis had grown since then, if, in fact, he had grown at all, for Mai, up until a little over a month ago, had been the same child she had been back then. Mai would reach her twentieth birthday sometime next month, and Xanthis had to be around forty, now.


    Mai pictured Xanthis, now Ehajdon I, fighting against Varsis, for that was what the war would be; Minsu and Vedil, against the black-bannered Makini that Varsis represented.


    In Mai¡¯s mind, Varsis was everything that Ehajdon was not. Varsis was strong and cold, when Ehajdon was kind and weak. Varsis fought for a House that cared not about the established order of things, and was taking advantage of the chaos to gain more power, whereas Ehajdon was just trying to return things to the status quo.


    Mai didn¡¯t know which side she supported. Both had tried to kill her. Mai thought again, briefly about what the Tevin family had said, that she should try to raise her own banner. Mai dismissed the idea as ludicrous again, just as she had the first time. But a nagging thought permeated her, as she rode as the sun set.


    Was her rise really so impossible?


    Images flashed through Mai¡¯s mind, of her being raised on a throne, of armies fighting for her, and commoners shouting that she was one of them, that she was their Empress, and they would accept no other, for she had their blood.


    Mai cringed at the thought. Royal blood was dominant over common. Her father mattered more than her mother. What she was thinking was blasphemy, she knew. There could never be a ruler from the masses.


    But the thoughts persisted.


    Even as Mai and Broken found an inn, and settled down for the night, the thoughts persisted, and even as she lay in bed, they tormented her still.


    But as she thought still through the darkness of the inn room, from the bed, Broken, from the floor, asked her a question.


    ¡°Can honor alone make one do things?¡± he asked, in the night.


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Mai, without thinking. ¡°Honor is what binds us. Honor is what keeps our Empire of millions upon millions of souls, from falling into the chaos of the Outside Lands.¡±


    ¡°And are those who follow the path of honor always rewarded for their actions?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°If not in this world, in the next,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°What if those others who are honor bound to release them from their charge?¡± he asked.


    Now, Mai knew what he was talking about. The Tevin family. ¡°They are good people,¡± she said. ¡°They only wish to repay for what they have done, by sparing us pain.¡±


    ¡°But they did nothing wrong,¡± said Broken sadly. ¡°And I know, as well as I know I am still alive, that those who wish ill to us will find them, and make them suffer if they withhold.¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t know what to say to that. It was almost as if Broken¡¯s calm, perfectly in control exterior was being pulled away, leaving a frightened babe underneath. A babe Mai knew not how to comfort. Nor was she sure she wanted to. ¡°If they die,¡± she said, ¡°they will be rewarded in Elysium.¡±


    ¡°But what if they find everything they ever believed in is a lie?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Do you know the stories, of how a new dynasty will be anointed after an old one falls?¡±


    Mai was taken aback by the sudden change in topic. Still, she answered. ¡°The priests say that amidst the fighting, one will come, be anointed by the maintainers of order, and He will bring all together again. And the sages will find Him, out of the ashes of the old, when the time is right.¡±


    ¡°But what if that never happens?¡± asked Broken. ¡°What if all is for naught?¡± Shadow of the moon danced through the window and about the room.


    ¡°That is impossible,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°How do you know what is and is not possible?¡± asked Broken. ¡°What do you know about Casari is Koranor?¡±


    The topic being quite suddenly changed again, Mai shifted her mind to discuss. ¡°As I said to you when we met,¡± she said, ¡°and as I am sure you know, he is a demon, one of the worst who ever existed. A thousand years ago, the scriptures say, he tried to tear down the Arathou Dynasty when it was still young, and establish his own.


    ¡°But he lost his war, and was placed inside a crystal prison, by a maintainer, where he was to wait, conscious, but unable to move, until the maintainers of order designed to free him. That has not happened yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in the snakes?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Do you believe in the Nari?¡±


    ¡°I was taught from a young age that the Nari were the maintainers of order,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°So you believe in the scriptures literally?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe Casari got what he deserved, to be tormented in eternity, able to think but not move?¡±


    ¡°I believe that any punishment the maintainers of order could give is just and fair,¡± said Mai. ¡°The Nari are the ones that keep the world from ending.¡±


    ¡°Imagine what that punishment would be like,¡± said Broken. ¡°Just for a moment. A single moment.¡±


    Perhaps it was due to the darkness of the night, or possibly a darker, different reason, but Mai was able to visualize herself as Casari with ease. She felt the crystal prison, and the horrible lack of everything, that the crystal prison provided.


    The scriptures said that Casari, within the prison, could neither see nor hear nor smell nor taste nor touch. For a moment, for the briefest of moments, Mai felt what that would be like on an acute level.


    Mai felt the madness, that she knew would come to one in that state, eventually, and she felt the fear, the horror that no matter what she, or Casari, tried to do, nothing would, happen, he would not move, and the world would go on without him.


    Forever.


    And then the peculiar sensation was gone, and Mai back in her bed, surrounded by the comforting darkness of the night, and no longer the darkness of being blind. Mai shuddered in the transition.


    ¡°Why would you make me think of that?¡± she asked Broken. ¡°And why would you ask me about Casari twice? What are you? A demon worshiper?¡±


    Mai knew she had asked an insulting question immediately, and she knew what the answer to her question was.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°I may have¡­peculiar beliefs, but I am not that.¡± Oddly, he didn¡¯t seem that angry. If Mai had posed the question to any of her noble acquaintances, back when she had lived in the Occluded City, they would have been furious.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Mai apologized. ¡°I should never have asked that.¡±


    ¡°You do not need to apologize,¡± said Broken. ¡°The insult was not meant to be one.¡±


    That was Broken, Mai reflected. A king would have killed her for asking that. A normal servant would have said that he was too lowly to be offended.


    But Broken was no ordinary servant. He had sworn to protect her, and, in the strictest sense of the term, he had. Mai knew Broken was something more than a commoner and a warrior. She just didn¡¯t know what.


    Sleep.


    Morning came, and Mai and Broken traveled that day to a new town. Mai never caught the town¡¯s actual name, but all the talk in it was of the Holy Citadel of the Vedil, and the Makini, who would be coming, coming.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Mai reflected that the calm before the storm was all but over. The storm itself was coming.


    The people of the common room in the inn they were staying at were rowdy, rowdy because they didn¡¯t know what was going to happen, what the future might bring. Mai was sympathetic.


    That night, there was almost a brawl. Tables were toppled over, and people screamed at those from different regions then they, accusing them of being traitors, or murderers, or something of the sort.


    One man, who almost seemed to be a monk, except he lacked the Symbol, was made fun of for that, and asked if he was trying to be insulting to the Holy Caretakers of the Citadel. He squeaked in the negative, but it seemed that he was going to be beaten to a bloody pulp.


    Mai, not wanting to watch that, and reflecting that she and Broken had already eaten their meals, and the whole common room seemed to be teetering dangerously on the edge of an all out brawl, to the lamentations of the innkeeper, asked Broken if they could go on up to their room.


    ¡°Soon enough,¡± said Broken. He got up and stood on the closest table, to be noticed. Then, to the room at large, he bellowed, ¡°I command you to be quiet!¡±


    And the room, very suddenly, obeyed. There was an air of authority in Broken¡¯s voice Mai had never heard before, and a sudden feeling that his will was unshatterable. Mai though he might chastise the people in the bar for their foolish behavior, for starting to fight each other because of fear of invasion, instead of banding together to fight the Makini. If Mai had been in Broken¡¯s place right then, that would have been what she had done.


    And so, a moment later Mai reflected it was a good thing that she had not been in Broken¡¯s place. For he did something so different entirely. Something so much better.


    Broken sang a song Mai had never heard, as well as any bard Mai ever had. He sang from his heart. And while he did, the room was quiet.


    And I want before the storm


    And I walked before the night


    For I traveled on


    Into the darkness


    And I know how people sleep


    People die and people fallen


    People think the world is gone


    Into the darkness


    By my true name-


    I won¡¯t let the world go and pass me by


    Not again¡­


    Never again¡­


    Once I thought that I could change the world


    And thus I became fallen


    But now I¡¯m back before the storm


    Here in a world that doesn¡¯t want me


    So here now I will forge a path


    Into the darkness


    I know not which side I find myself on


    But in all of the truth


    I am back


    And that¡¯s all that really matters, anyway


    With Broken¡¯s last word, the room broke into wild, frantic applause. No one seemed to be sure why they had enjoyed it so much, or why the song had been so appropriate to defuse the situation, but nevertheless, it had worked.


    As the innkeeper asked Broken if he wanted a drink on the house, the monk without his Symbol told Broken how thankful he was, that attentions had been turned away from him.


    Broken took the drink, spoke to the monk a little while longer, then with a variety of other different people. And then he was done talking, and he and Mai went up to sleep in their room.


    When Broken closed the door, Mai couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°How did you learn that song?¡±


    ¡°I made it up,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°How did you find the time to do that?¡± asked Mai. ¡°The song was like something a bard would sing, not a soldier.¡±


    ¡°You would be surprised what time can be found in the world,¡± said Broken. ¡°And I never really considered myself a soldier. I still don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°A fallen man,¡± said Broken, and Mai easily caught the reference to his song.


    Suddenly, Mai became aware of how sad the song really was. It was all about losing one¡¯s place, and the ongoing search for finding it again. More than that, for Mai, it seemed incredibly appropriate. She didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Broken did, but what he said was in a completely different vein. ¡°I want to teach you something,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked. The pair of lanterns in the room flickered at a strong wind.


    ¡°Do you know why we stay in the same room each night?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°To save our limited amount of coins,¡± Mai said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°Of course. But for two other reasons as well. First, to pretend that we are sleeping together. That attracts less suspicion than if I am clearly shown to be your bodyguard.¡±


    Mai was put off by the matter of fact way Broken phrased that, but nodded for him to go on.


    ¡°Secondly,¡± said Broken, ¡°to keep you safe. You do not know how to defend yourself, that is clear.¡±


    Mai remembered how she had struggled against the thugs in the alley, and how easily Broken had been able to subdue them. She nodded again, feeling disappointment in herself for her weakness.


    ¡°I wish to teach you to defend yourself,¡± said Broken.


    Mai¡¯s first instinct came straight from the Codes of Sara. She couldn¡¯t learn to fight. Fighting was a man¡¯s art. She was a female. But then she remembered how wrong the Codes of Sara had been about a thousand other things. And more than that, she found within herself a desire to no longer be outclassed by Broken, to understand and even be able to do some of the things he did.


    ¡°I will learn,¡± she said.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Broken. ¡°Your first lesson, of course, is patience. It is late, and so I will teach you nothing else until tomorrow. Goodnight.¡±


    And so they got into bed. As she did so, Mai found herself longing to start learning something real in the way of fighting. Her desire surprised her. She would have thought it would be easy to wait just one more day. Apparently Broken¡¯s first lesson would not be a waste.


    Sleep.


    The early morning of the next day was a blur to Mai, until they began to saddle Aruith and Swift in the inn¡¯s stable, and prepared to leave. That was when the monk without his Symbol showed up, leading a small horse out from its stall.


    Broken greeted him. ¡°Ishad!¡± he said joyfully. ¡°I¡¯m glad you could make it!¡±


    ¡°I have nowhere else to be,¡± said the young monk dryly.


    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Mai asked Broken, and at her words, the monk cringed.


    ¡°Ishad and I spoke of some things last night,¡± said Broken. ¡°He has nowhere to go, little money, and, more importantly, when he said as such, I believed him. He¡¯s coming with us.¡±


    ¡°Does he know who we are?¡± asked Mai. She worried that Broken was perhaps making the same mistake she had made, by telling people things they should not know.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Broken. ¡°But then again, you don¡¯t even really know who I am.¡± It was odd how cheerfully he said this.


    As if to prove his point, and that moment, Ishad asked, ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°No one you need to worry about,¡± said Broken. ¡°I already proved to you that I am a friend to your order, did I not?¡±


    His saying that seemed to allay Ishad. Mai, of course, still had no idea why a monk would leave the Holy Citadel to wander, but she was glad that at least somebody had an idea about what was going on.


    And so they rode. Mai found it odd when she realized that she was a better rider than Ishad, when she had only been riding for about a month. Of course, Broken had more skill than the both of them combined would probably ever have, so a semblance of order was maintained.


    That, night, there was no nearby town, as Broken had decided on them taking a back road, and so they made camp by the side of the road, in a small forest.


    Mai hadn¡¯t the slightest clue how one made a camp, but again, Broken provided the skill necessary to balance out both her and Ishad¡¯s negligence, which turned out to be substantial.


    Once a fire was roaring, made as such by the timber box Broken had thoughtfully decided to buy, all three sat around it to eat. Ishad had an assortment of almost stale wafers, and so that was their meal, to conserve what they had of food that was not almost inedible.


    The night was cold, even though it was summer, and Mai shivered. ¡°Ishad,¡± she asked the monk, ¡°how did you come to be a wanderer?¡±


    ¡°My lady, it is a sad story,¡± he said. As those words were spoken, Mai realized Ishad was only her age, in contrast to Broken, who seemed perhaps five years older than either of them.


    ¡°I lost my Symbol, lady,¡± said Ishad. ¡°And thus, for a year and a day, I was ordered to travel aimlessly around the Empire, begging favors from those around me to survive. And so I am.¡±


    Mai had never before heard of such a rule, and she had thought she had known a substantial amount of the monks of the Holy Citadel¡¯s way of life. But she accepted what Ishad said as fact, as Broken had seemed to. And what Broken believed, it seemed, was always true.


    ¡°How did you lose your Symbol, Ishad?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say,¡± Ishad replied. Then, in a very unmonkish way, he asked, ¡°So what¡¯s your story? How did you come to be wandering? Broken only hinted.¡±


    And at that moment, Mai realized suddenly that Broken had stepped away from the fire to gather more wood for its continued existence. Mai thought she could see Broken a good way into the forest, but for all intents and purposes of her conversation with Ishad, he was gone.


    ¡°I would rather not say, myself,¡± Mai said.


    ¡°I am risking my very life by traveling in the company of strangers,¡± said Ishad. ¡°The least you can do is become a little less strange to me.¡±


    A sudden question came to Mai, and she asked it. ¡°How long into that year and a day of wandering are you?¡± she asked.


    Ishad sighed. ¡°My lady, I left the Holy Citadel eight days ago.¡±


    Mai suddenly felt a surge of empathy. Ishad was a wanderer, thrown from everything he ever knew, and just starting to find his new place. Of course, he could eventually go back, but to Mai, such was a technicality. She had found someone she could identify with.


    Broken was her protector, and so it seemed he would always remain. But his story, it seemed, was not so tragic. In fact, it very much seemed he had saved her because he had nothing better to do.


    ¡°I am sorry for you,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Do not be, my lady, for my wandering is a curse, and one I fully deserve.¡±


    ¡°If I cannot know what you did,¡± said Mai, ¡°I cannot be sure.¡±


    ¡°The way I lost my Symbol is very personal, my lady,¡± said Ishad, and it did not seem as if Mai would get much more from him in this manner. She decided to change tactics.


    ¡°Who do you think I am, then?¡± asked Mai. ¡°I will not tell you mine. You must guess.¡±


    Out of the corner of her eye, Mai looked at Broken. He seemed far enough away to not hear anything. Mai wasn¡¯t sure why that mattered, but it did.


    ¡°I would say you are a lady of high descent,¡± Ishad said.


    That much did not surprise Mai. She assumed Broken had said as much, and beyond, one did not call another my lady over and over again unless they thought there was a reason to use the title.


    ¡°Anything else?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You have a smoother accent than most,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Its exact tone tells me that not only are you a noble, but you are from the Tachen regions. With that knowledge, and the fact that seem to be wandering yourself, with but a single bodyguard, I would guess you are a refugee from the Imperial City, trying to find allies in a world that may well seem to have gone mad around you.¡±


    Mai was amazed. ¡°You knew all that from the timber of my voice?¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± said Ishad. ¡°That is my gift. I can tell where anyone is from just by listening to them. My gift, in fact, is the reason for me becoming a monk in the first place. I would tell the story to you, if you would like to hear it.¡±


    ¡°I would,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I was born of House Amzu,¡± said Ishad, ¡°into a merchant family. We lived on the Island, in a secluded fishing town, but we traveled often, far and wide, from our lands all the way out to the deserts of House Dunesis. And in this time, I discovered my special talent.


    ¡°My parents, for they were suppositious, thought that I was reading the minds of the people I used my talents on. They wouldn¡¯t believe anything else. They thought that I was possessed. And so, after a period of time deciding what to do, they sent me off to the Holy Citadel, to become a monk.


    ¡°I did as much, but when the monks found out about my gift, they saw it for what it was. They knew it had nothing to do with evil. I was my parents¡¯ second son, but I had always wanted to strike of on my own and found a merchant company. I wanted to renounce my vows, but I found I could not. It would mean much dishonor, and that, I will not have. Unlucky winds bore me to the Holy Citadel a year ago, and there I will remain.¡± He sounded sad.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Ishad replied, but he seemed to regret the words a moment later. ¡°I suppose, my lady, that I¡¯m not your average monk.¡±


    Mai wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that, and was relieved of the duty when Broken returned, carrying a load of firewood in his arms. He dumped it all a safe distance from the fire, and then carefully fed the conflagration a stick. Broken then sat down, and lay back on the grass.


    A thought occurred to Mai. ¡°Last night, you said you would teach me to fight,¡± she said to him. ¡°Now the day is all but over.¡±


    As Broken did not respond for a moment, Mai thought that perhaps things had changed when Ishad had become part of their group. Maybe Broken didn¡¯t want to show her anything in front of Ishad.


    It seemed that was the case, but Broken was not shy. ¡°Get up, and step back a dozen paces,¡± he told the monk, ¡°then get back down on the ground and go to sleep. We will do the same soon enough, but my charge must learn a few things first.¡±


    Ishad was not fool enough to argue with Broken. He did as he was asked, with a silent nod.


    And then Broken faced Mai, who stood to meet him.

 Chapter 19: By Dying Embers Light

    Mai stood in the moonlit forest, Broken a few feet in front of her. A road winded through the trees, but it was small, ill-kept, empty, and at least a couple dozen paces away. A campfire burned from them at a similar distance, and near that, a sleeping body huddled. Mai and Broken had been standing here, doing nothing, for a good few minutes now, maybe more.


    Then, at last, Broken spoke. ¡°What do you see around you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We are in a forest, and it is night,¡± Mai replied. ¡°I hear the chirping of crickets, and I think perhaps I see the shadow of an owl, in the distance.¡± She included the last two parts because she had no idea what Broken meant by his question, and because of that, wanted to say as much as she could.


    ¡°I know for a fact, that this forest¡¯s name is Redwood,¡± said Broken. ¡°It is not named for any of the trees, but for a battle that took place here, many centuries ago. Now, tell me why what I just said is irrelevant to our current situation.¡±


    Mai thought, and the answer came to her, surprisingly easily. ¡°Because the fact that we are in Redwood Forest is not tangible, as opposed to what I told you. Everything I mentioned could be seen or heard or felt or touched.¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°So, when will you stop testing my patience?¡± asked Mai. ¡°I would like to learn something this night.¡±


    ¡°It is amazing how insightful you can be in one regard, and how clueless you are in another,¡± said Broken. ¡°We are all like that, but it is still amazing.¡±


    Mai fought a strange urge to stamp her foot, something she had always done in Occluded City when servants were failing to do something the way she wanted. ¡°So then, when?¡±


    ¡°You fool,¡± said Broken lightly, without any anger in his words. ¡°We are already learning how to fight. In order to do that effectively, you must pay attention to all things around you.¡±


    Suddenly, Mai realized what Broken¡¯s previous statement had meant, and she did very much feel like a fool. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. Mai thought she might already be coming up with an answer on her own, but she wanted to test Broken¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Because you can turn your surroundings against your enemies,¡± said Broken. He did not seem at all angry at her for asking the question. ¡°You, Mai, can demonstrate very easily. Run at me, as fast as you can, and try to knock me over.¡±


    Mai blinked at him. There wasn¡¯t much she could do more unladylike than that, and while she was by no means following the Codes of Sara anymore, there were still some things she just couldn¡¯t do.


    But then Mai¡¯s eyes narrowed. What was ladylike or not didn¡¯t matter for Broken. And he deserved to be knocked down a peg.


    And so Mai ran at him. For a moment, she saw a brief smile on Broken¡¯s face, and then, suddenly, she was face down on the ground, her clothes covered in dirt and bramble. For the first time, Mai was glad she was wearing commoner clothes, as opposed to an Imperial dress. It would have been ruined.


    Mai twisted, stuck in something, and looked up. Broken stood over her. ¡°How did you do that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Simple,¡± said Broken. ¡°I used my surroundings to their best advantage. Look at you legs.¡±


    Mai did so, and saw that her legs were caught in a low-lying bush, that she surmised had been hidden from her because of the shadows. The bush had grown in a place about halfway between where she and Broken had stood.


    Mai automatically started to protest. ¡°But you didn¡¯t do anything,¡± she said. ¡°It was the bush!¡±


    ¡°And that,¡± said Broken, ¡°is what proves my point.¡± After a beat, he helped Mai from the ground.


    ¡°So, now what?¡± said Mai, brushing herself off. She felt much less cocky, now that she had failed twice in a row.


    ¡°First, I want you to note that that terrain would not have hindered you, had you been less distracted,¡± said Broken. ¡°To fight, one must pay attention not only to what lies around them, but to their enemies¡¯ minds. I used your own mind against you, by the process of my goading. To fight, transcend your own mind, and bring the enemies back to theirs.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°To put it simply, do not doubt the power of the mind,¡± said Broken. ¡°Many a trained warrior will drop his blade and run, if you do something that reminds him well enough that he is in a life and death situation, and one small mistake could cost him everything he ever knew.¡±


    Mai tried to take that all in. It was difficult. After a minute or so, Broken continued.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Now we can move on to more conventional methods of teaching,¡± he said. Broken drew his sword slowly from its sheath, and its brilliant steel shimmered in the dim light.


    It was elegant. The blade itself was etched with runes of a different tongue. Mai knew the letters spelled out words in the High Tongue, but she was not comfortable with the language, so she could not read what was written.


    Broken saw at what Mai was looking. ¡°Avia brazen poret isa dra secorpum.¡± he read, revealing to Mai that he, a lowly commoner, could decipher runes that Mai could not.


    Still, Mai didn¡¯t feel too bad. It was Broken¡¯s sword, after all. Maybe he had asked a sage what the words on the sword he had been given meant. It was quite rare for a sword to have words on it, and so he may well have been curious enough one day to seek a sage out.


    ¡°Do you know what you said means in the low tongue?¡± asked Mai. Even now that the words were spoken, she found that she could not. She knew little of the High Tongue, but had expected what was written to be a common phrase, such as ¡®victory in battle.¡¯ She should have known that the sword, like Broken, would be much more complicated than she first thought.


    ¡°Of course I know,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I will not tell you. What is written on my blade was a secret a millennium in the making. Now, my sword is called Aurasing. Take it.¡± And so he handed Mai the magnificent blade, greater than any she would have before thought a commoner could get his hands on.


    Mai had never seen the blade clearly before, and now she saw Aurasing looked like nothing less than a relic from a different age. It was heavy, but she turned it over in her hands, careful not to cut herself. The style the sword was constructed in was unlike any she had seen before. The sword¡¯s cross-guard was not a horizontal bolt of steel, as almost all swords Mai had seen were made like, but instead, the cross-guard was shaped as an oval.


    ¡°How did you get this?¡± Mai asked. ¡°How could a commoner warrior get a sword clearly made long ago?¡± And yet, as if to spite her, the blade¡¯s edge seemed unblemished by age, as if it was new.


    ¡°There is much you do not know about me,¡± said Broken. ¡°There are some things you may not yet wish to hear.¡±


    ¡°Did you steal the sword?¡± asked Mai, with suspicion.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken.


    Mai tried to ask the question again, but in a different way, but Broken rebuffed her. When she tried a third time, he changed the topic.


    ¡°Do you know how to hold my sword at the ready?¡± he asked.


    Mai shifted the sword so that it was vertical, held it with both hands, and shifted her stance so that the blade could be more easily accommodated, just as she had seen warriors do time and time again.


    Broken came over to her, and corrected Mai¡¯s exact posture. To her excitement, however, she had been mostly right. Hours upon hours of time that her father had made her spend watching military parades had finally paid off.


    Broken took what felt as much time to carefully show her how to properly chop the sword, but Mai endured.


    Another hour or so was spent learning and then endlessly practicing basic sword drills. When Broken finally took Aurasing back, and told Mai to get to sleep, she was tired and sore.


    I¡¯ll feel better in the morning, Mai told herself.


    She dreamed that night.


    Broken stood on a bridge over a pit of fire. But he did not look terrified. He drew his shining blade. Then Mai realized she was some kind of creature, loping at him over the bridge. She was big, and she was monstrous. When she came nearer to him, an emotion filled his face, but it was not fear.


    He was laughing. He was happy. ¡°You think that¡¯s all you can do, dream girl,¡± he said. ¡°But if you were me, you could do so much more.¡± Then he jumped a hundred feet in the air, and when he landed, he was a Nari, lightly cloaked. The Redwood Forest was all around them. And Mai was human once more.


    ¡°I am not who I once was,¡± said the snake. ¡°This is said by dying ember¡¯s light. If you go to Asan Paril, you will be putting yourself in needless danger. Stay put, and we will find you.¡±


    Then there was a flash of light, and Mai was a monster again, facing off against Broken on the bridge across the ring of fire. ¡°Goodbye, Mai darling,¡± he said, laughing at the play on words.


    Then suddenly, Mai realized she was dreaming. ¡°Who are you?¡± she screamed at him, knowing full well the only answer would be from her mind.


    ¡°In this place, whatever I want to be,¡± said Broken. ¡°Whatever I want to be. It is a misnomer that the mind is the one safe place people have. Does this look safe to you?¡±


    And suddenly Mai was off the bridge, and falling. ¡°This is the safety of Asan Paril,¡± said the Nari, who suddenly was falling beside her. ¡°Danger wrapped in a friendly face. Do not go. DO NOT GO!¡± the thing shrieked.


    And then Mai hit the lava. All became black, except for a tiny whisper, in Broken¡¯s voice. ¡°And you should take heed because we are real, my darling. You think you know this, but you do not truly believe. We are real¡­¡± And then there was silence, and Mai found herself very suddenly--


    Awake.


    Mai panted with a sudden lack of breath, as she lay on her bed of fallen leaves and brush. As her eyes began to focus, she saw that both Broken and Ishad knelt over her, looking concerned. Through the trees, the sun was high in the sky.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± asked Ishad.


    Mai¡¯s only response was a moan and a grunt.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s sick,¡± said Ishad to Broken.


    Broken held a hand to Mai¡¯s neck for a moment, as her vision swam. ¡°Not the case,¡± said Broken. ¡°But she should get up.¡±


    As Ishad asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Broken reached down, grabbed Mai by her shirt, and hauled her to her feet in a quick motion. Suddenly even more disoriented, Mai began to stumble and nearly fell. Broken caught her before that could happen.


    ¡°Are you with us?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°I think so,¡± Mai said hesitantly, half expecting him to turn into a snake. But she knew in her heart that she was awake, and Broken¡¯s form was solid. ¡°I had a dream,¡± she said. ¡°An incredibly vivid one.¡±


    ¡°We know,¡± said Ishad. ¡°You were mumbling things, and then you said very clearly, ¡®Do not go.¡¯ Do you know what you were dreaming about?¡±


    A cry so loud it pierced the dream entirely, thought Mai. ¡°Things,¡± she said. ¡°Odd things.¡± Mai remembered what she had dreamed of perfectly, but she had a sudden hesitation to speak about it. ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± she said, which seemed to reassure both of them.


    They had a morning meal, and then the three of them began to ride north. Mai, however, long after she awoke, continued to have the sensation that something was horribly wrong.

 Chapter 20: Protecting a Dream

    It was night at the Tevin Farm, when a knock came at the door. Tevin was sitting in his comfortable chair, the only one in the entire house to have padding. He supposed it was his age that demanded he pursue the activities of the old, or rather, the lack of activity, but he thought he had deserved this time to rest, for he was relaxing after a long day of hard work.


    Grumbling to himself, Tevin got up from his seat at the family table, and made his way to the door. His sons were all asleep, and he was loathe to wake them. He could deal with one vagabond, or whoever else had the impunity to come calling this late at night.


    As another knock came, this time, with more insistence, Tevin hurried over to the door, smoothing his graying hair. He found himself uncharacteristically nervous. After all, the last time anyone had come to the farm this late, it had been the rightful heir to the throne, and her protector!


    Tevin opened the door a crack, leaving the chain fastened. He might be slowly becoming senile, but he was no fool yet.


    Through the opening in the door, Tevin found himself looking at a somewhat short, pale, and nervous-looking man in dark clothing.


    ¡°I need your help,¡± asked the man simply. ¡°Please let me in.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Tevin. ¡°Not that it matters. Get gone, or I¡¯ll rouse my sons, and then you¡¯ll be in for it.¡±


    The man took on a curiously pleasant tone. ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m an alchemist, you see, and that means I make things.¡± He took out a brown vial, waved it in Tevin¡¯s face. ¡°None of your boys will be waking any time soon.¡± He then put away the vial.


    Tevin didn¡¯t know what the small, skinny man was trying to accomplish, and frankly, he didn¡¯t care. He unchained the door, opened it wide, then grabbed the man and lifted him off his feet. As the man hung limp in his grasp, Tevin shouted at him. ¡°You, witch, will undo whatever you have done, and then you will leave. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°I understand perfectly,¡± said the man, utterly and completely calm. ¡®But I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be doing what you said. Look beyond me.¡±


    Tevin looked outside the doorway. Beyond Tevin was perhaps the most frightening sight he had ever seen.


    A gargantuan man stood there, clad from head to toe in black, spiked metal armor. He was twice a thick as Tevin, twice as wide, and seven feet tall. The man stepped to him.


    Tevin hastily set the witch down. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± he asked, taking an involuntary step backwards.


    Using the space that had been provided, the pale man advanced across the threshold into Tevin¡¯s house. Behind him, his massive bodyguard hulked down, and managed to get inside. The armored man¡¯s head brushed the ceiling. The bodyguard carried no weapons, and the reason was clear to see. He could crush with nothing more than his armored hands.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°Now that you have been made aware of the balance of power here,¡± said the short man, ¡°I wish to inform you a few things. Firstly, the appropriate derogatory nickname for one of my status is warlock, not witch. I am a male, and my name is Eton. And secondly, I would like to ask you a few questions.¡±


    Tevin shifted in his stance. They stood in the living room now, but at the halfway point between that room, and the dining room, there was a fireplace, and over the mantle hung a sword. Tevin tensed, to prepare to make a run for it, but a moment later he realized he would never make it. The hulking, armored man would grab him before he could even get close.


    ¡°In the past month,¡± said Eton pacing back and forth through the nearly empty living room, ¡°you played host to a rather unlikely pair. A formidable man, such as my friend here, and a helpless female. Am I correct?¡±


    Suddenly, Tevin realized what this was all about. Broken had warned him. But despite what Broken had asked him to do, Tevin would keep his promise. ¡°I know nothing,¡± he said.


    Eton seemed to treat his statement as an acknowledgement. ¡°Did they say where they were going?¡± he asked. ¡°Right before they left, did they hint?¡±


    Tevin said nothing. ¡°No?¡± asked Eton. ¡°Your boys, before I put them to sleep, were all the same. Even little Gabin. How touching. But from him, at least, I learned that they were indeed here. So tell me where they went.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± said Tevin.


    ¡°Liar,¡± said Eton lightly. ¡°Your youngest also made it clear to me that you know where they head. Speak, or I will wake him up, and then he and I can have another chat, much less pleasant than the first. And, if you do not talk, I will kill you. I only offer this choice because it is easier to be told information by someone, than drag it out of the mind of a small child. Make you choice quickly, my friend.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not friends,¡± said Tevin, growling.


    ¡°I think we are,¡± said Eton. ¡°After all, I wish to spare your children the misery of losing their sole surviving parent.¡±


    Tevin involuntarily thought back to the day when he had told Doner and Pelt that their mother was gone. A grimace of sadness crossed his face. She had been barren for so many years, so when he had realized Gabin was coming, the entire family thought it a gift from the God-Kings. He remembered when he learned he had been wrong. It was just fate.


    ¡°Not a pleasant memory, I see,¡± said Eton. ¡°I can relate. My own mother died giving birth to me, just as your Julie died giving birth to little Gabin.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Tevin shouted savagely.


    ¡°So you are rejecting my generous offer, to give you back your own life?¡±


    It was a strange moment for Tevin, as he had never really considered accepting the deal. His oath to Broken was his bond.


    ¡°I am rejecting your offer,¡± he said, putting it in Eton¡¯s own terms.


    ¡°You are a fool, old farmer,¡± said the short man. ¡°You are wasting your life because you will not tell me information I will learn if a few short minutes without your help.¡±


    ¡°My oath is my bond,¡± said Tevin.


    ¡°Well then,¡± said Eton, regaining the small bit of composure that he lost. ¡°You have made your decision. ¡°I, as an agent of powers far greater than you, cannot waste any more time here.¡±


    Eton pulled out a vial of black liquid from a pouch, and pulled out the stopper. ¡°Wrath,¡± he said, holding it up. ¡°The drink of demons, for it is said they can ingest what causes, to us, paralysis and death upon contact. Enjoy.¡±


    Eton splashed the contents of the vial at Tevin. Tevin tried to dodge, but a small amount of the substance landed on the sleeve of his right shoulder. In a matter of seconds, too quickly for Tevin to react, the black substance burned through his clothing, and reached his skin.


    Tevin uttered a cry, cut of a moment later when his lungs could not longer draw breath. He fell to the ground, immobile. Through his rapidly fading senses, he thought he saw Eton smile down on him, and say, ¡°The wrath of a Makini agent is swift.¡± Pain pierced the old farmer.


    Then Tevin felt himself die.

 Chapter 21: The City of Faith

    A second day was spent riding through Redwood Forest. By lunch, Mai gathered from Broken that the forest was a shortcut to the Holy Citadel. From the Holy Citadel, they would pass through river lands, and then finally reach Asan Paril.


    They camped in the forest again that night. Mai noticed that Ishad was nervous, but he would not say about what. After a dinner Broken had bought at the last town was eaten, the night progressed much as the last one had. Ishad went to sleep, and then Mai and Broken squared off away from the campfire for her next lesson.


    ¡°I have a question for you,¡± said Broken. ¡°Why did I teach you the basic arts of the sword last night?¡±


    ¡°Because it was basic?¡± Mai guessed dryly.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Broken. ¡°Did you not think about how impractical it would be to fight with a sword, when you do not have one of you own?¡±


    Mai was ashamed to realize she had not, and said as much.


    ¡°I taught you some basics of the sword first,¡± said Broken, ¡°because the sword is the most identifiable weapon. In many situations, an axe, or a bow, of a spear in a warrior¡¯s hands could be more deadly than a sword.¡± He paused.


    ¡°But the sword has a quality none of those other weapons have,¡± said Broken. ¡°No one writes epic poems about a warrior and his trusty polearm. The sword has myth, and it is the tool most linked to combat, in the minds of all. It is the center of all ways to fight, in the eye of humanity. Tonight I will begin to teach you a skill much more pertinent.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The art of fighting with one¡¯s body,¡± said Broken. ¡°The martial arts, if you will. Others can search you for weapons, and take swords and axes and bows away, but no matter what the situation, you will always have your body.¡±


    Mai thought about what Broken had said for a moment, then nodded in agreement.


    Broken unhooked his sword belt he wore for Aurasing, and threw it and his blade together to the side.


    ¡°Come at me again,¡± he told Mai. ¡°Whatever way you like. There is nothing hidden on the grass to stop you, this time.¡±


    Mai looked and saw that was true. Despite that, Mai very much felt that, as yesterday, Broken would begin his teaching by embarrassing her in some way.


    But who¡¯s watching? she thought. Just Broken. And the God-Kings knew he had seen her in so many embarrassing situations, many not even of his making, that Mai thought one more wouldn¡¯t matter much.


    Mai thought briefly about what to do, and then started to calmly walk forward, her hands at her sides in imitation of Broken¡¯s stance. Mai came within five feet of him, three feet of him. And then they were standing almost face to face. Broken was only reasonably tall for a man, so he did not tower over her.


    Then Broken made the first move. He hooked one arm under her legs, and in almost no time at all, he held her in his arms.


    Mai just looked at him. She didn¡¯t know what to say to that.


    ¡°You are not very aggressive,¡± said Broken. ¡°I saw that yesterday, and I see that today. That is a problem. In a fight to the death, you cannot defeat an opponent by blocking all of his attacks.¡±


    He looked down at Mai in his arms, and she very simply looked back up at him.


    ¡°I see you wonder about this particular position,¡± said Broken. ¡°To be held in another¡¯s arms is compromising, and not in the ways you might expect. In this position, I could easily slam your head into just about anything, flip you over and send you falling on the ground, or, if somewhere here there was a balcony, I could drop you off it.¡±


    Not the talk one expects to hear when being held in another¡¯s arms, thought Mai.


    A moment later, Broken carefully set her on her feet. ¡°Now,¡± he said, ¡°let¡¯s try something else.¡± Broken stepped back a pace, then fired off a punch into the air that would seem to hit an opponent¡¯s head. ¡°North punch,¡± he said. He fired one off to the chest area. ¡°Middle punch.¡± Then a low punch. ¡°South punch.¡± He then fired off a variety of kicks, giving their names as well. When he was done, he asked Mai, ¡°Do you remember all of what I just showed you?¡±


    Mai shook her head, and Broken said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think so. Pay better attention this time.¡± And he went through the routine again. Mai paid special attention to the kicks. Front kick. Rounded kick. Side kick. She suddenly realized Broken had showed her only six things. The first time, however, he had gone through the routine at a speed too fast for Mai to follow well. Now he was slow, returning to a ready stance, with his hands protecting his head between each and every demonstration.


    ¡°Those are basic,¡± he said. ¡°But that does not mean they are any less formidable than other techniques.¡± Broken went through the routine again, this time blindingly fast. When he came to the kicks, the air rippled. ¡°Alright,¡± he said. ¡°You try to do that, as slowly or as quickly as you like.¡±


    Mai opted for slowly, but when she was finished, Broken congratulated her nonetheless. And then, as yesterday, the real practice started. Drills, endless drills and combinations and steps. Even some sword work was integrated into the lesson, though that much was only review.


    And so a second day passed.


    The night also passed by without incident. When Mai awoke, she was thankful that she did not have any bizarre or disturbing dreams.


    And so they were off. On this day, they reached the end of the Redwood Forest. As it shrank behind them, their dirt path rejoined with the main road.


    Only a few hours after that, the Holy Citadel appeared in the distance. Mai had never been to the city before, but it was as grand as the stories told. Huge Symbols had been carved into the stone fortifications, and purple banners flew from the city walls. The roads around the city were crowded.


    Suddenly, Ishad called out, ¡°Stop!¡± and Broken and Mai quickly pulled their horses off to the side of the road, and dismounted. Ishad was waiting for them.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± said Ishad, ¡°but as long as you are in that city, I will wait out here. I was cast out, and until my year and day are up, I am not allowed to enter again.¡± The passerby stared at him before going on their way.


    ¡°If you made a promise, than you are doing good to keep it,¡± said Broken. ¡°Get further from the main roads, into the little clump of trees I see over there, and make camp. We¡¯ll get you food for dinner, and in the morning we will leave. The only reason we stopped here is because it is along the fastest way to Asan Paril.¡±


    He then got back on his horse, and Mai followed his lead. She could think of nothing to say that Broken had not already said. They rejoined the crowds, and headed to the city gates.


    At the Holy Citadel, the gate guards were accompanied by monks, who shouted to the masses about the various ways they could reach spiritual redemption and enlightenment. Few seemed to pay much attention to the monks, and the crowds on the roads around the base of the city were enough so that Mai and Broken could slip in without harassment.


    Inside the walls, the city was much the same. Brown-cloaked monks were interspersed the city¡¯s population. It looked like there was about one monk for every ten other people. Some monks hurried to one of the temples, and others performed civic duties, picking up trash from the streets, and cleaning off the sides of buildings.


    Because of all the cleaners, it seemed, the city sparkled. Mai could see why so many made pilgrimages to the city, just to bask in its glory. And this city did have a glory. There was nowhere in the Empire comparable to Elysium, but, it was said, the Holy Citadel was closer to heaven than most. Mai could see why that statement had been made.


    In the Holy Citadel, the roads all sloped up, as if the city had been built on a giant mound. Why this was the case was a mystery, but the slope created an effect. As Mai rode Swift through the city, it felt as if she was ascending, for indeed, she was.


    Broken rode ever higher and Mai followed his lead, until they reached the very apex of the city. Here, at both the very top and very center of the city, there was a great circular plaza, with a ground of cobblestone, flat, and empty except for guards, monks, and functionaries. None of those groups took advantage of the area¡¯s sheer size.


    Near the center of the plaza, there was a great tower, where Mai knew the lords of the Vedil had their councils. But next to that tower was the center of the city. There stood a great building, with walls of plated gold. It was covered with stained glass windows, and was shaped as a dome. Mai knew the building was known as the Greatest of the Temples.


    As both she, and, oddly, Broken, stood gaping at the sight, a pair of soldiers on horseback approached them. They wore the robes of monks, but swords were at their waists, and tattoos of the sun were on their foreheads.


    Though Mai had never seen warrior monks before, she knew who they were. Asurik. The temple guards, sanctified to protect the places only monks could reach. Their heads were shaved, and they looked at Mai and Broken with the utter disinterest that only seasoned warriors could display.


    ¡°This area is restricted,¡± said one of them. ¡°Services at the Greatest of the Temples do not begin again until sunset. Return then, if you wish.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    ¡°But leave now,¡± the other added.


    Broken bowed his head. ¡°I apologize,¡± he said. ¡°We only wished to see what is famed all over the Empire.¡±


    ¡°You have seen it now,¡± said the Asurik who was the first to speak.


    ¡°Indeed we have,¡± said Broken, and turned his horse around. Mai followed his lead, wondering why he had wanted to see the Greatest of the Temples so badly. Broken had not seemed like one for sightseeing.


    They found a room at an inn midlevel on the slope, called the Penitent Sage. Almost as soon as they reached the room, Broken left, saying that he had to go to give Ishad food so he would not be hungry. Mai was left alone.


    She went over to the window, and looked out, much as Broken had done soon after they had met. The window looked down upon the slope, so Mai could see the buildings and the streets, as if she was upon a tall tower. The slope of the Holy Citadel was not great, but still enough for the view to be awe-inspiring.


    It was a diagonal city. All of the doors and windows on the buildings were facing downwards, Mai saw, realizing what she could not have from the ground, that it was no luck she had gotten a room with a window facing this direction. Mai saw the walls of the city, which must have been twenty feet high, but the inn was situated on ground twice as elevated. Mai could look over the walls, and onto the roads. She could even see some of the lesser towns that had grown up around the city.


    It was truly amazing. Constantly cooped up in rooms, or other enclosed spaces, as Mai had spent most of the first nineteen years of her life, she had never had a chance to see such grandeur. Before her father had died, she had only twice left the Occluded City. That was grand enough, but it was same old.


    Mai was seeing the world now, in a rapid, fast-paced tour. Being on the run from those who wanted to kill her had its perks.


    Mai laughed in delight at how odd that thought had sounded in her mind, and how it was true. She was doing things other princesses had never dreamed of.


    A few hours passed, and Broken had not yet returned to the room. The sun was setting now. Suddenly, the city began to ring with the sounds of bells. Mai knew what the bells stood for. It was the call to the prayer of the sunset. From her window, Mai could see crowds heading to one of the many temples in the Holy Citadel. Prayer was by no means compulsory, but in the Holy Citadel, where bells rung at prayer time, unlike anywhere else in the Empire, people tended to be more religious than most.


    Mai made a decision. She would join them. She would journey up to the Greatest of the Temples, and pray at the holiest place in the Empire. Broken had not expressly forbidden as much, and her faith had been tested on her trip. It was a sudden decision indeed, and as Mai reflected, probably rash.


    However, Mai thought, it was not like she would be telling anyone who she was. She would just be one of the thousands joined together for prayer.


    Mai rushed downstairs, and out of the Penitent Sage. She joined the multitudes in the streets, heading up the slope to the plaza. She had a newfound appreciation for how workers must have labored to make that area flat.


    Now, no one was on horseback, so Mai was glad she had not thought to go and retrieve Swift from the inn¡¯s stables. Everyone was joined together, warrior, commoner, and noble. Mai saw a group of haughty aristocrats on a pilgrimage, with their guards, but even those soldiers could not keep them from the masses of the commoners, who had done what they had done, and wanted to pray at the Greatest of the Temples as well.


    Mai was glad that her time with Broken had worn most of her aversion to commoners away, for now she had no alternative to being glanced at, and accidentally being pushed and prodded. She was among the commoners now, and they probably though her to be one of them. It was an odd thought.


    The congestion on the streets made everyone move slowly, so it might well have been two hours before Mai reached the plaza at the top of the Holy Citadel. By now, the sunset was over. It was night.


    On the plaza, dozens of Asurik, most mounted, and all placed at strategic intersections, kept the masses flowing in an orderly fashion to the Greatest of the Temples, and away from the tower where the Vedil lords had their court.


    Finally, Mai entered the Greatest of the Temples. There was no hallway inside the building, no antechambers to go through. Here, there was but one room, with its great raised dome. A great stained glass painting of a serpent was on the ceiling, and, in the very center of the room, in middle of all the curved benches, was the empty dais.


    However, except for the dais, the room was filled. All the benches had been long since crowded to capacity, and so the unlucky others sat down on the floor, which seemed to be almost filled as well. Mai found a spot on the ground near the back, right behind the last of the benches. If she looked straight ahead, she could see nothing but the wood, but if she craned her head up, she could just barely see the dais. Despite the horrible viewing from where she sat, the area on the ground near her was quickly crowded.


    Noble, warrior, commoner, all pushed together, as if one. Mai knew one of the tenants of the Greatest of the Temples was that all of the praying humanity within its walls must pray together, and not separate themselves into sections based on class, status, or gender.


    Of course, there were contradictions to this. A group of nobles had their guards vacate a bench of commoners that had gotten there first, and the people tended to bunch into class groups nevertheless, but for the most part, the equality tenant of the Greatest of the Temples was being upheld. This seemed to be mostly because of the efforts of the warrior monks.


    Asurik walked through the masses, finding places for the last few people to sit, for it was a great disrespect not to sit during prayer in a temple. The Asurik moved individuals who knew each other apart, and sat commoners next to nobles. And if any argued, the Asurik lightly explained they could eject any who were being uncooperative with the laws of the temple.


    Soon, an old man, dressed in the purple and gold vestments of priesthood, began to walk through the crowded aisles. He was accompanied by two other priests, slightly younger. Carefully, they reached the dais.


    ¡°I am Agumen,¡± said the old man, spreading his arms wide. ¡°I am highest of the high priests, and I stand in this, the Greatest of the Temples. I stand on the dais, in the center, where I am blessed, and I have a priest on each of my sides. The one on my left stands for the past, and the one on my right stands for the future. I am the present.¡±


    All of the thousands in the Greatest of the Temple knew the ritual. As the masses started to bow their heads, Mai bowed hers as well. A moment later, all of the thousands of the heads rose.


    ¡°On a normal day,¡± said Agumen, ¡°perhaps ten thousand would sit within these sanctified walls, to pray to God, and honor those who serve underneath Him. But today, I am told, you number fifty thousand. Every one of you deserves to be here. I ordered that all prayer books be removed today, so that there is no lucky one of five. You will all be equal, and you should bask in each others¡¯ presence.


    ¡°For I know why so many of you have gathered here today. I know, that, today, as the sun went down, many of you wondered if the setting sun was a metaphor for the fall of the Vedil, for even the fall of humanity as a whole. You came here to reaffirm your faith. Join me in the Song of the Temple.¡±


    Even though not everyone knew the words, there were enough chanters that it was easy enough to follow along. For the Song of the Temple was no song. It was a chant of strength.


    ¡°We are gathered here today weak, and we will be made strong,¡± said Agumen.


    ¡°We are gathered in this holy place, and it will sanctify us,¡± came the response, from tens of thousands of throats.


    ¡°We came here weak, and filled with sin,¡± said Agumen.


    ¡°But we will be redeemed, as we bask in that which is holy.¡±


    ¡°We came here to the temple, to reclaim honor,¡± said Agumen.


    ¡°And once it is reclaimed, we will be joyous in praise,¡± said the masses.


    Then it was done, and for a brief moment, all bowed their heads again. Then Agumen spoke once more.


    ¡°I will tell all of you something,¡± he said. ¡°Something many of you may not know. I lead the Song, but I responded as well. Why? Because I am the same as you. I need what you need, my congregation. I need honor, and I need truth.¡±


    ¡°You are truly great!¡± came a shout, and Asurik began to converge on the location, to remove the perpetrator from the Greatest of the Temples. There could be no elaboration in a place where all were equal.


    Agumen continued as if there had been no interruption. ¡°These days, we all need to feel secure. With war brewing, and the sudden, unexplained death of Emperor Mentis IV, may he rest in peace, all of us are affected. The Empire has not seen a war on this magnitude in a thousand years.


    ¡°But that does not mean we need to falter. No,¡± said the old man. ¡°On the contrary, we need to be strong, to keep living in a time such as this. The order that has endured for thousands of years, even before the Tachen Dynasty, will not crumble and fall within our lifetimes. I will not let it. Will you?¡±


    Now there was a shout in response, a glorious scream of, ¡°No!¡±


    Mai saw the majesty of what Agumen had said. It didn¡¯t matter what side of the conflict a person was on. None wanted the world to fall into the chaos and darkness that it had before the dynasties. For that would spell misery for all.


    ¡°It is night now,¡± said Agumen. ¡°So let us sing the Song of Ending.¡±


    And so they did. The Song of Ending was another chant, much longer than the Song of the Temple. After that, the congregation chanted the Song of Beginning, to show that the day would begin again, and after that, the Song of Enduring, to prove that the next day would live strong. Then there was the Song of Lions, and, at Agumen¡¯s choice, the twin Songs, the Song of Fear and the Song of Hope.


    Then the hour of the service was done. Mai, with all the crowd, filled out past the Asurik, and down from the plaza, back to wherever they were staying for the night. Mai felt refreshed, as if the aura of something great had trickled down and restored her.


    Being with Broken, with his views on the order of things, was difficult for one such as Mai. Her faith had been tested with him. Now her mind was clear again. She was happy.


    As she reentered her room at the Penitent Sage, Mai found Broken within. She shut the door.


    ¡°Where were you?¡± asked Broken, sitting on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°At the Greatest of the Temples,¡± said Mai. ¡°Just as you could not pass up the chance to see it, I could not pass up the chance to worship within it. My tutors taught me much about the world, but now I am finally experiencing it. And getting my faith restored as well.¡±


    Broken smiled at her, and almost seemed to laugh.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Nothing you would find funny,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± said Broken. ¡°First you must know, I do not pray, not ever, because, many years ago, something shook my faith more than it could recover.¡±


    Mai almost gasped. What Broken had said, he had hinted at, time at time again. But he had never before said as much. ¡°You do not believe in God?¡± asked Mai, just to clarify.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°I only say that my faith has been shattered. Perhaps it can recover, and perhaps not.¡±


    ¡°What could have possibly happened to you to make you feel that way?¡± asked Mai. She suddenly realized she was still standing, and sat down on the bed beside Broken.


    ¡°Something more horrible than you would ever think I endured,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°You have some odd companions, for one who believes as such,¡± said Mai. ¡°A monk, and the heir to the mandate of Elysium.¡±


    ¡°So if you judge me by the company I keep, I will be returning to religion any day now,¡± said Broken. ¡°All I found amusing, was that while you were praying, I, despite my lack of faith, was spending my time giving food to a monk, so that he would not starve. Perhaps that means that I, unknowingly, am religious myself. That¡¯s all I found funny. You probably don¡¯t consider what happened to be as such.¡±


    Broken was right. Mai said as much.


    ¡°Well then,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you more of what I know, now.¡±


    ¡°In the Penitent Sage?¡± asked Mai. ¡°This is an inn. I can¡¯t just start waving your sword around in this place!¡±


    ¡°That was an excuse, you know,¡± said Broken. ¡°I do not think you meant it to mean as much, but nevertheless, you just gave an excuse. No one here is going to see you. Our door is shut and locked.¡±


    Broken got up, and Mai did as well. Then Broken drew his sword, and actually tossed it to Mai. He tossed it hilt first, but he still tossed it.


    Mai stepped back quickly, and the blade fell to the floor with a clatter.


    After the sword lay there for a moment, Broken picked it up, and replaced it on his belt. ¡°I can teach you to catch that,¡± said Broken. ¡°Now let¡¯s start where we left off last night.¡±


    Broken focused on martial arts again, that day. Soon enough, Mai collapsed into bed, exhausted.

 Chapter 22: Rebirth of Nightmares

    Horsemen gathered before the storm, under a curtain of rain and darkness. Varsis was one of them. He cursed as he saw the muddy ground of the farmland. It would make the coming battle all the more difficult.


    For that was what this would be. Across the dreary farmland an army of conscripted peasants, trained foot soldiers, and gold-coated Vedil horsemen awaited. They were just barely visible across the darkened field, but Varsis¡¯ scouts had assured them that the soldiers were indeed there, in numbers equaling perhaps two thousand.


    This would be a waste of lives. Behind him, Varsis had an army of six thousand. His troops were the vanguard of the Makini army, the first that could be marshaled, and there would be many more after them.


    Right now, all Varsis had to do was crush this pathetic thing the Vedil called an army, trapped on the edge of the Makini-Vedil border, utterly surrounded, and unwilling to give up.


    This would indeed be a waste of Vedil lives. For if Varsis had planned this right, few, if any, of his men would die this day.


    Rain pattered into Varsis¡¯ open mouth, and he spit it out. It annoyed him that his helm did not cover his face.


    Varsis then started to ride, rushing across the front of his horsemen ranks. As he did so, his men cheered him, the two thousand horsemen here, along with the foot soldiers behind them.


    As Varsis finished his crossing, he wheeled his horse close to a man, standing on the ground on this far side of the formation.


    ¡°It¡¯s muddy,¡± the man complained.


    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t prevent you and your partner--¡± Varsis nodded at another man who stood near the first, ¡°--from doing what needs to be done.¡±


    ¡°You are correct, General,¡± said the man. ¡°It does not. I and my brother will do exactly what needs to be done. You may distrust us because we are mages, but I can assure you, the alliance between the School of the Valley and the Makini council remains strong.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps because the School of the Valley exists at the Council of the Makini¡¯s discretion?¡± Varsis shot back. ¡°Those I serve are the ones who keep the farmers in the valley in check. You know, the ones that come to us complaining that their livestock are being born with two heads?¡±


    ¡°That has nothing to do with us,¡± said the man.


    ¡°You know it does, Marsen Tanelbane,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± came Marsen¡¯s terse reply.


    Varsis stared across the farmland at the Vedil, who waited for his army to charge. They had no idea what was about to befall them. He smiled, though he knew none of them would see him.


    Varsis¡¯ plan had been carefully set. There was a reason he had waited to attack until night, a very good reason. The darkness and the fog would drastically reduce the strain on the two brothers.


    ¡°Do it,¡± Varsis told the mages.


    Marsen and his mute brother clasped a pair of hands together, to link their power. Varsis, looking down on them from his horse, felt a hum in the air. There was no other way to describe it. Marsen and his brother closed their eyes.


    Then, suddenly, an exact replica of Varsis¡¯ army appeared on the other side from the huddled Vedil. Varsis could only see the phantom army vaguely, but his adversaries could see the army much better. The Vedil, in their fear, threw themselves into chaos.


    Varsis saw officers scream orders, as their troops turned to face this new threat. Or what they thought was a threat. The army was a visual illusion, nothing more, and a poorly defined one at that, due to its sheer size. But through the wind and the rain and the fog, it looked real enough.


    And in its own way, it was real enough to kill.


    As the phantom army charged at the Vedil positions, Varsis played over in his mind what he was sure the commanders of the Vedil army were thinking.


    They hid a second army from us! No, the first army was just a fake, to distract our attention. Look at they just stand there, as this second army charges us. The first army was all an illusion.


    Varsis silently applauded himself, as almost all of the Vedil army turned to meet the phantoms. In his strategic planning, he had seized upon a valuable resource. Marsen and his brother had been assigned to his unit. When mages fought in wars, which was rarely, they usually were just integrated with the regular warriors, and sent into the thick of combat to fight to the best of their ability. The illusions were now doing far more damage to the Vedil cause than two more warriors ever could.


    Varsis waited just another fraction of a second, and then screamed, ¡°Charge!¡±


    The cry was taken up by his own ranks, and mud splashed as a thousand cavalry suddenly charged. Varsis¡¯ foot soldiers ran as fast as they could after the horsemen, but Varsis doubted that when they reached the fighting, there would be much of an enemy left to fight. His five thousand on foot, more than twice the number of the enemy, would only be needed as part of a mop-up operation.


    As Varsis and his real soldiers charged, his two mages, who had gotten out of the way of the army, slowed their phantoms, so the real cavalry would reach the Vedil first.


    The closer Varsis got to the enemy, the more disjoined he realized their situation was. Soldiers were in complete chaos, not knowing which army was the illusion, or even if either army was the illusion.


    A few moments before Varsis and his men reached the front Vedil line of spearmen, Varsis pulled a small vial from a pouch at his waist, and tossed it at the Vedil positions. There was a sudden explosion, and then the five or so men who had been directly in front of Varsis were reduced to little more than ash, and many beyond that vicinity were burned, wounded and scared.


    One of the many reasons soldiers should not bunch together, Varsis remarked to himself. He pulled out another vial with his left hand, and drew his sword with his right, ¡°For the glory of the Council!¡± he screamed, reflecting that, in truth, the Council was no part of the reason her was fighting here today. As his men shouted the same, all around him, Varsis amended his statement by shouting, ¡°For the glory of the Makini!¡± just so he himself would have something to fight for. That cry was taken up as well.


    And then Varsis was upon his enemy. With his left hand, he threw the second vial as far as he could, creating a second explosion, put his left hand back on the reins, and started hacking with his right. The whole his explosion had created in the Vedil front lines was quickly being filled in. Varsis knew he had to prevent that from happening.


    Varsis¡¯ horse trampled over a Vedil soldier. Varsis¡¯ sword, formerly swinging wildly in the air, to build momentum, hacked away the trampled soldier¡¯s spear, so his horse would not be skewered. One down.


    As Varsis looked around, he saw his cavalry crash into the Vedil lines, and he heard the screams of men. It was far more than one down now. But still, Varsis¡¯ section had made the biggest progress. The explosive powder had done the trick. This day, there was only enough for Varsis, because no one else had thought it would work as well as it did.


    Varsis momentarily sheathed his sword, then pulled out his last two vials, aware that he was at the very front of the charge, and that in another moment a horde of regrouped Vedil would be upon him. But he was waiting for something far more important.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Varsis saw that the phantom army was about to strike, and he had to make it seem as if they did. Varsis threw his vials over the majority of the Vedil, hurling them at the part of the army waiting for the phantom charge. A gratifying explosion reached his ears, even as the illusion, upon reaching the Vedil army, completely and utterly disappeared. The explosion would confuse them for a little while longer.


    As Vedil charged him, Varsis redrew his sword. Cutting and chopping, using the same techniques to slay every soldier in his path, Varsis became a killing machine. Through the break in the lines he had created, many of Varsis¡¯ horsemen rushed past him, attacking the Vedil soldiers from the side, as they compatriots attacked in a more conventional way.


    From what Varsis could see, it looked as if the Vedil army was breaking apart. But Varsis knew the truth. He wheeled his horse around, just in time to see all the cavalry the Vedil had descend upon him.


    And since Varsis knew the truth, he had prepared for it. At about this time, his foot soldiers had caught up with their mounted brethren, and his archers sent out a hail of arrows. As his cavalry decimated the Vedil foot soldiers, Varsis watched as the Vedil cavalry were being destroyed by his archers.


    He integrated himself into his foot soldiers¡¯ front lines, preparing for when the remnants of the Vedil cavalry would slam themselves against his positions. Varsis looked around his formations, to see if his captains had done what they were supposed to. And they had. Spearmen in the front, swordsmen in the middle, archers in the back, raining a deadly hail on all enemies.


    Varsis watched horseman after horseman fall in their doomed offensive. One out of two seemed to have fallen by the time they reached his lines.


    And once the horsemen reached his lines, they were impaled. A line of fortified, ready spearmen, with their weapons lowered, was the ultimate counter against calvary, especially calvary as frightened as the Vedil were.


    Varsis had to wince as an entire line of Vedil horsemen, in their fear unable to think of a better tactic, impaled themselves against the waiting spears.


    A pair of calvary came at Varsis, seeing the lone horseman in the front line to be a commander, but Varsis welcomed the attention. This might be my first real fight all day.


    Varsis waited for them to come for him. The one heading to his left side came into striking distance a fraction of time before the one on his left. In a quick, deft motion, Varsis batted his opponent¡¯s sword away, then plunged his own downwards into the horseman¡¯s chest. Good thing metal armor never caught on. Studded leather might be good for glancing blows, but it could not withstand a direct attack of Varsis¡¯ ferocity. He yanked his sword out from the man, who fell to the ground, as he turned to block a strike from the other horseman¡¯s sword.


    The other horseman seemed to be better. Even as the horse who¡¯s rider Varsis had just impaled was downed by spearmen, the other horsemen maneuvered his own so it was not cut down by spear strikes from behind.


    As Varsis and the Vedil horseman exchanged a series of blows, Varsis found new respect for his adversary. This was the kind of fight he had been wanting. He shifted his sword to his left hand, something he did not like to do. He did not want to feel as if he had won a battle by cheating. But Varsis, realizing this was no game, and the enemy had to be downed so that he could help his troops, used his left hand to slam the pommel of his sword into the Vedil horseman¡¯s face. That blow alone came with it a crack of breaking bone. Varsis shifted his sword to his right hand again, and then, watched as his opponent fell to the ground, a worth adversary dispatched in an instant.


    Then Varsis turned to the remaining cavalry. His sword now very much in his metal left hand, Varsis, one man charged his enemies ranks, for he saw that he would have support soon enough, as his swordsmen were closing in from both sides.


    Varsis¡¯ left hand struck with frightening strength. Every blow it gave subdued another opponent. Varsis switched his sword back to his right hand, and then simply began using his left to drag enemies off their horses, onto the ground where they would quickly be trampled.


    And then, suddenly, it was over. Among the Vedil horsemen, and the few foot soldiers that had charged with them, a white flag was raised. The Vedil bunched together, dropping their weapons, as Makini surrounded them.


    Varsis smiled. One of his captains ran up to him on horseback, and asked what should be done.


    ¡°Take their weapons,¡± said Varsis. ¡°And treat them as prisoners of war.¡±


    ¡°But sir,¡± said the captain. ¡°They will only slow us down.¡±


    Varsis looked at him. ¡°You do not know me well, Captain Sari,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I will not kill those under a white flag.¡±


    ¡°But--¡°


    ¡°And I don¡¯t care what my record shows,¡± said Varsis. ¡°This is not the Eastern Range. Those are not barbarians. And there are some levels I will no longer stoop to.¡±


    Without another word to his captain, he rode off. There were still plenty of fighting Vedil to kill. Those, he had no qualms about.


    When Varsis reached the main group of Vedil, however, he found a slaughter. Those here had simply not been given the time to surrender. He surveyed the ground, where here, prisoners of war had already been taken. They numbered perhaps only two dozen.


    The battle was over.


    ¡°Order a count of the prisoners,¡± said Varsis to Sari, who had found him again. ¡°Then order a count of the dead.¡±


    Captain Sari seemed much more compliant now. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he said, and rode off.


    Varsis dismounted. He sheathed his sword, held for so long, and walked through the farmland, that had been once a battlefield.


    Here, Makini medics tended to the wounded, both of their own, and of the Vedil. Those that had surrendered deserved to be cared for, and Varsis was glad to see that as much was being done.


    Varsis, satisfied that he had succeeded, gazed into the mists, as his mind calculated. Six thousand troops he had here, for he was sure the battle had only garnered negligible Makini losses. There were another four thousand troops behind him, but they were the occupying force, those whose job it was to hold onto the land Varsis conquered for them. Those four thousand would be no help.


    But Varsis only led the vanguard. There were another thirty thousand troops being marshaled in Makini lands, and that was only the standing army. New recruits would add another sixty thousand soldiers to the mix, and that was not counting the conscription, that was sure to occur, soon enough.


    Varsis thought. He led his six thousand. The next ten thousand that came along would be under the direct command of a General Brasko is Areveli, the supreme commander of the Makini armed forces. Varsis knew little of Brasko, and as such, did not know if the man would be a hinder, or a help. There was no doubt he was competent, for unlike in other Houses, only those truly qualified rose to high positions in the Makini army. But he could be Hisa¡¯s man, and that would be a problem.


    For once his mother learned of this great success Varsis had given the Makini at this first great battle, she would try to downplay his success. All Varsis wanted to do was win the war, and he would be better able to do that without his mother¡¯s intrigues.


    ¡°Help¡­¡± a voice came, and Varsis turned to it. A man in a Vedil uniform, covered in blood, and twisted at an awkward angle was the speaker. It was no surprise to Varsis that the soldier had been neglected by the medics. His voice was so faint, and his body was so bloody, that they had thought him dead.


    Varsis headed to the man, and knelt beside him. ¡°Do you think you can live?¡± he asked. Oddly, when soldiers on a battlefield were asked that question, they tended to have startlingly accurate answers.


    ¡°No,¡± the man gasped.


    ¡°Medic!¡± Varsis shouted anyway, on the off chance the man was wrong. He ripped clothing off the nearest dead man, to help stanch this one¡¯s bleeding.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± said the man. ¡°I know you. You¡¯re Strong Hand, the general of the Makini.¡±


    Varsis was surprised, not that the Vedil had came up with a nickname for him, but that it was such a positive one. Perhaps his time serving in the court of Emperor Mentis had made him seem more noble to his enemies.


    ¡°That I am,¡± he said, seeing no reason to lie to the dying man.


    ¡°I¡­saw¡­you on the front lines,¡± said the Vedil soldier. ¡°You fought with your men, instead of keeping yourself safe, like most generals. Why?¡±


    ¡°Others may be different,¡± said Varsis. ¡°But I cannot ask a man to do something I would not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­noble,¡± said the soldier.


    Varsis glanced away from the Vedil, as he saw a medic racing over.


    Then the dying soldier, who seemed so weak a moment before, had a fit of strength. With a scream of pain, the bloody man drew a knife from his belt, and threw himself at Varsis.


    It was like a corpse was trying to kill him.


    But a corpse couldn¡¯t win. Varsis easily dodged, and the man fell flat on the ground, face down.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry,¡± the Vedil soldier mumbled, with his face in the dirt. ¡°But you were so important, I had to try. You¡­understand¡­¡±


    His last sentence trickled off, and Varsis rolled him over. The Vedil¡¯s eyes were glazed. Varsis checked for a pulse. None. The man was dead.


    Suddenly, the medic arrived. There was no need to explain anything, for the new arrival had seen what had happened on his way over.


    ¡°He tried to kill you, sir?¡± the medic asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± confirmed Varsis.


    The general stood, as the medic checked for a pulse one more time. Varsis walked away. He had neglected his officers for long enough. It was time to meet with them, and get reports.


    Varsis quickly found a runner, a soldier whose job it was to convey messages. ¡°Tell all the captains you can find that I want them to report to me in the command tent,¡± he said, and the runner went on his way.


    Varsis took his time walking through the farmland. Morning was coming, and light was on the horizon. The day would dawn with a thousand bodies on the ground. It was a sobering thought.


    Not that Varsis needed sobering. When he was conflicted, he retreated into his discipline, into his honor.


    Finding his horse again, Varsis mounted, and rode from the battlefield. The command tent, along with the army camp, was located on top of a lightly sloping hill, and all around it, Varsis could see Makini soldiers running on missions.


    Varsis smiled. He was home. He had been fighting in wars for so long, that he had no true place to return to. Though the villa in the capital might be his in name, in truth, it was Oneako¡¯s. He had no true place to return to.


    None except this.

 Chapter 23: Shadow of the Temple

    Night danced in the form of shadows, interplaying through the window with the intricate tapestry of the floor. Mai¡¯s eyes opened, though in an instant, she knew that it was still the middle of the night. She checked the floor around her bed. Broken was gone.


    ***


    Outside the Holy Citadel, in an outskirt area of the Redwood Forest, the monk Ishad had a wrenching sensation. Something was wrong here. Something was terribly, horribly wrong.


    It was the middle of the night, and Ishad huddled around the fire Broken had set up for him. He had not been able to fall asleep. Hearing a sound uncomfortably like slithering, Ishad looked around filled with pure fear. He never wanted to see a Nari again, and somehow, he felt as if he was about to.


    Then something dropped from the treetops. It landed behind a bush, with a noise too loud to come from anything small.


    As Ishad got up, and walked over to the bush, there was a rustling, and a Nari head emerged.


    ¡°Your cloak, monk,¡± said the snake. ¡°Throw it into the bushes. Now!¡±


    ¡°Are you the one I met before?¡± asked Ishad, hesitant to do anything for the creature.


    ¡°Yess, monk,¡± said the Nari. ¡°Now give me your cloak.¡± It stood, naked, except for the golden scales that clothed it. The body was humanoid, thick and taunt. Claws protruded from fingers and from prehensile toes. It held a double-bladed scythe in its left hand.


    The Nari proffered its right hand, and its black eyes gleamed. ¡°I need that cloak, for I must meet with the one you call Broken. I meet with him now.¡±


    Ishad knew not what to do. He wanted to stop the Nari, but he doubted that in his encounter that would be possible. Ishad shed his robe, exposing the white pants and shirt that a monk typically wore underneath.


    With a deft motion, the Nari took the cloak, and covered itself. Then, a moment later, it was suddenly gone. The Nari had moved with such speed that Ishad had blinked and missed it go.


    ¡°By the God-Kings,¡± Ishad swore. He then proceeded on to a whole other string of curses. In his youth, his travels had taken him far and wide, and so he combined trader-speak of the Amzu with the desert language of the Dunesis, to make up whole new ways to express his revulsion.


    Ishad would not allow the Nari to ruin his life a second time. It was odd, he reflected, that he could hate the guardians of the order of the world so. But he did. There was something wrong with that Nari. The thing had spoken of a meeting with Broken, and--


    Ishad realized, quite suddenly, that he had to warn his new friends of what was going to befall them. He had not told Mai or Broken of how he had lost his Symbol. They would be unprepared. And if the coming of the Nari against Broken had anything to do with Ishad, he would never be able to forgive himself.


    He had to help them.


    But I can¡¯t go into the Holy Citadel! A part of his mind cried, a part of his mind that still cared about the rules. I was exiled!


    But if I can help, thought Ishad to himself, it will all be worth it.


    And, not wanting to give himself any time to convince himself otherwise, Ishad glanced at his horse, Stride, to make sure the animal was properly tethered, doused the campfire with some on-hand water in a bucket, and took off running in the direction of the Holy Citadel.


    How do I get in? Ishad wondered. The gates were barred in the middle of the night, and Ishad knew he would not be able to convince the guards to let him in.


    And there was another problem. While most might not know the significance of his white clothing, any monk would. And there were many monks in the Citadel who knew him, and knew he was not supposed to be in the city. Ishad gave one brief thought to what would happen if the Asurik found him, and became terrified.


    But the fear did not deter him.


    Ishad came within sight of the Holy Citadel, and gazed upon its massive walls. There looked to be no way around them, and if he stayed where he was, on the night-deserted main road, spotters on the walls would see him.


    But once more, Ishad confirmed with himself that he was indeed going to go inside, no matter what the cost.


    He edged away from the main gate, where he knew guards were sure to be stationed. Once he was a couple hundred feet away, he headed for the wall as quietly as he could, hoping his light clothing would not help the guards find him.


    Once at the wall, Ishad held himself tight against the bricks, then looked both to the left and to the right, checking the wall¡¯s circumference, for a series of loose stones, or some other way he could climb.


    To his right was the main gate. It looked abandoned, but Ishad knew that a group of the Holy Citadel¡¯s guards, possibly Asurik, possibly not, lurked in that area. To Ishad¡¯s left, however, maybe twenty feet away, was a rope hanging from the edge, and dropping low enough that it just bushed against the ground.


    God-Kings, Ishad thought. That can¡¯t be there! This can¡¯t be as easy as just climbing a mysterious rope!


    Nevertheless, Ishad hurried over to it. Upon closer inspection, it appeared the rope was made out of scales. Golden scales. Sheddings.


    The Nari¡¯s work! thought Ishad. He would have guessed the Nari had used a more elaborate method of getting into the Holy Citadel. But he would have been wrong.


    Ishad began to climb. If it worked for the Nari, it will work for me. He simply didn¡¯t have the time to determine if he was walking into a trap.


    The climbing was hard work, but Ishad¡¯s past, as the child of merchants, had been all about that. Ishad climbed because he had to.


    Grunting, Ishad pulled himself over the edge. The skin rope had been tied tightly to a crenellation. Ishad decided to leave it there. Let the guards wonder.


    Ishad looked again from side to side. He was on top of the wall, and the walkway extended in both directions for a distance until guard stations, in the form of enclosed rooms on the top of the wall, were reached. Everything seemed abandoned, but Ishad knew looks could be deceiving.


    He headed left, as that direction was further away from the main gate. A set of stairs leading to the ground had been built on the interior side of the walls, and Ishad headed down.


    The stairs didn¡¯t twist. Ishad hugged the left wall, as there was no railing, and he had no desire to fall to his death.


    Then, suddenly, he was off the wall. He was on the inside of the Holy Citadel. Buildings were in the foreground.


    ¡°Identify yourself!¡±


    Ishad whirled around, just in time to see two soldiers appear from a guard room built next to the wall.


    Of course there would be guards, thought Ishad. Stairs up to the wall would never be left unprotected. At least they aren¡¯t Asurik.


    ¡°What were you doing on the wall?¡± asked one of the soldiers, loudly.


    Ishad didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t have the time. He took off running.


    One of the guards gave pursuit, as the other hung back to maintain protection over the stairway.


    Ishad ran through the nearly empty streets, the soldier close behind. Seeing a ladder leaning against a house, Ishad clamored up it, and pulled the ladder out of the guard¡¯s reach, just before the soldier would have grasped it. From his vantage point, Ishad watched the man, defeated, fall back to his post.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Ishad grasped the ladder, and heaved it to lie across the flat roof of the house. A moment later, when he was sure that the soldier was gone, he put the ladder back on the side, and climbed down.


    The soldier had been foolish. Due to the sloping of the streets, there had been nowhere for Ishad to escape being chased down.


    But now he was safe.


    Hurrying along, Ishad tried to remember the name of the inn Broken and Mai had been staying at. He knew Broken had mentioned as much.


    The Penitent Sage, Ishad recalled. He knew where that inn was located in the city. He could find it. He felt elated. But then his features hardened. He had a job to do, and the rope had had climbed had been tangible proof that the Nari was ahead of him.


    Ishad ran faster.


    ***


    Mai got up from her bed, and, in her exhaustion, actually spent a moment or two looking for Broken within the room. But she knew she searched in vain, and quickly gave up that pursuit.


    Where could Broken have gone? she wondered. It was the middle of the night! And if he had to go, why didn¡¯t he tell her? He had always told Mai when he was leaving before. Despite her tenuous relationship with Broken, Mai still felt a little hurt.


    Then there was a knock on the door.


    Startled, Mai nearly jumped. Broken gone, and now people knocking in the middle of the night. Mai didn¡¯t like where this was going.


    The doors at the Penitent Sage had no chain, and Mai was not about to take a risk, not now. ¡°Who is it?¡± she called through the door.


    ¡°Ishad,¡± came the monk¡¯s voice.


    Mai hastened to unlock the door, and opened it.


    Without waiting for even a moment, Ishad stepped into the room. He was wearing white, not his monk robes. He looked very nervous.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mai asked him. ¡°I thought you said that you were exiled from the city.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± said Ishad gruffly. ¡°But there are some things more important than that.¡± He looked around the room for a moment. ¡°Where¡¯s Broken?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just gone,¡± said Mai. ¡°I woke up a few minutes ago, and he wasn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± swore Ishad, and Mai looked at him, shocked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know monks were allowed to curse,¡± she said.


    ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Ishad replied. ¡°I had to come here to warn you and Broken that a Nari was coming, but now I fear it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°A Nari?¡± repeated Mai. ¡°They¡¯re real?¡± It was one thing that she believed in the legends of the Nari, and another thing entirely to learn that they were actually walking about.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know myself until recently,¡± said Ishad. ¡°A Nari was the reason I was exiled.¡±


    ¡°Why would a Nari be after Broken?¡± asked Mai. ¡°They are guardians of the natural order!¡±


    ¡°Apparently,¡± said Ishad. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they are good.¡±


    Mai just looked at him, utterly confused.


    ¡°I risked everything to come here,¡± said Ishad, slowly. ¡°I think that should prove to you I think the threat is real. You have to help me find him.¡±


    Mai suddenly found herself believing Ishad, but that helped the situation little. ¡°I have no idea where to look,¡± she said.


    ¡°Think,¡± said Ishad. ¡°The Nari came to me in the woods about an hour ago, and while he took my robe, he said that he was going to meet with Broken. ¡°At the time, I thought he was going to surprise Broken, but maybe they really had arranged to meet.¡±


    ¡°When would the Nari have met Broken before?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Perhaps when we were in the forest, when we were both asleep, and he was yet not,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Think about a place in the city that Broken stopped to look at, in an odd way. That may be the place where they planned to meet.¡±


    Mai frowned. That could make sense. ¡°As soon as we entered the Holy Citadel,¡± said Mai, ¡°Broken headed to the plaza.¡±


    ¡°At the top of the city?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mai paused. ¡°But what can we do to help Broken, if he can¡¯t help himself?¡± she asked. Mai could not imagine a situation where Broken would be outclassed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But I¡¯m going to the plaza. Join me, or not, as I am convinced you are not the one in danger.¡±


    ¡°Why would you risk your life for Broken?¡± asked Mai. ¡°You hardly know him.¡±


    ¡°I cannot allow the Nari to ruin any more lives,¡± said Ishad.


    Mai saw the look of fire in his eyes, the determination to do what was right. There is still good in the world, she thought. With all that had happened recently, she had been unsure.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can do, but I¡¯m coming with you.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the help,¡± said Ishad.


    And so, together, they ran from the room. Passing through the common room, where a half-asleep bartender muttered something polite at them, the two exited the Penitent Sage.


    Mai and Ishad rushed through the streets, up the great hill, as the moon and stars shone down upon them.


    And then suddenly, they had reached it. The plaza, a massive, empty expanse of inlaid stone. But they were too late. In the center of the area, Mai saw two figures conversing, tiny from the distance.


    One was clearly Broken, as there was something about the man¡¯s manner that was so revealing to Mai, even when they were so far apart. The other was tall, framed by shadow, and had a long, snakelike neck. The Nari.


    Mai looked around. The plaza, except for the two who were speaking, and the two who watched, was bare. There were no Asurik, or lesser guards.


    ¡°Where are the soldiers?¡± she asked. The plaza should have been guarded at night.


    ¡°The Nari took care of them,¡± whispered Ishad. He ducked behind a barrel, and Mai followed his lead.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we do something?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Because I am open to the possibility that I was wrong, and the Nari only really wanted to speak with Broken,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°But you seemed so sure before,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I was convinced we would find Broken here dead,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Now that I see that is not the case, I do not want to blindly rush into something I know nothing. Now, silence. I believe I can lip read what Broken is saying. Not the Nari, just Broken.¡±


    Mai did as Ishad asked, curious to hear what would be said. There was so much she did not know about Broken. Perhaps the answers would be revealed here.


    Ishad peered out from behind the safety of the mislaid barrel. ¡°The snake just finished saying something,¡± he whispered. ¡°Now, Broken is speaking.¡± Ishad had been talking so quietly, Mai moved closer to him, so that she could hear.


    ¡°Broken said some word that started with an s, and ended as such,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Then he said something to the effect of, ¡®Why are you telling me this, when you know I can do nothing else.¡¯ The snake is talking again, now.¡±


    ¡°Your talents are amazing,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Then have brought me nothing but grief,¡± replied Ishad. ¡°Broken says that he gives his respect to the Nari, but it would be best if the snake left. The snake is saying something again. If only I could have studied its face longer!¡± There was a moment of silence, then, Ishad whispered, ¡°Look.¡±


    Mai did, peering out the opposite side of the barrel from Ishad. The snake had turned from Broken, and began to walk away. In a sudden great leap, it vaulted perhaps a hundred feet from a portion of the ground of the plaza, to a building at its edge, quite near where Ishad and Mai hid.


    The snake then disappeared. It seemed not to have seen them.


    ¡°We should go back to the inn,¡± said Mai. ¡°Broken¡¯s all right, and you can hide in our room until morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Ishad, turning away from her.


    Mai whirled around to where he gazed. Two regular guards stood over the barrel, only a couple feet away. ¡°You are wanted, monk Ishad,¡± said one of them. ¡°The Asurik are on their way. You should not have come back.¡±


    ¡°Girl,¡± said the other guard, ¡°you can be on your way. This fallen monk¡¯s fate does not concern you.¡±


    At that point, Mai made a split second decision. As Ishad stood, resigned to his fate, Mai scuttled back like a crab on all fours, pretending to be frightened. Then she got up, and turned to hurry away past the guards, and down the slope. The two leather armored men ignored her, in favor of Ishad, thinking she had already been dealt with.


    They were wrong.


    Stopping behind one of the guards, Mai pivoted, and, as Broken had showed her how to do, delivered a standard front kick to the area between the guard¡¯s legs. She recalled that Broken had even used that exact move, once.


    The guard, completely unprepared, dropped, and the other guard to Mai.


    Just as Ishad, seizing on the opportunity, used his fists to club second guard in the head. He tripped, sprawling onto the ground, but before he could get up, Ishad kicked him, savagely, twice in the gut, and once in the head, to knock him out cold.


    The soldier Mai had attacked had gotten back to his feet by this point. He tackled Mai, sending her to the ground.


    But Mai enacted more of the technique she had learned from Broken. She curled her legs into her chest as they fell, then kicked out, as hard as she could, aiming for the guard¡¯s abdomen. Her strike didn¡¯t have enough strength in it to topple him over backwards, but it did have enough energy to twist his fall, so instead of landing on top of her, he landed flat on the ground beside her.


    And then Ishad was upon him, fighting as if he was a street brawler. Instead of being graceful, he kicked and kicked again his opponent on the ground, beating the man into a state of semi-unconscious submission. The way Ishad fought was the last thing Mai had expected from a monk.


    Ishad offered a hand to help Mai up, and she took it.


    On her feet again, she looked at the monk in a new light. ¡°How did you learn to fight like that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not like an Asurik, eh?¡± said Ishad. ¡°The technique I learned from being a merchant¡¯s son. If one goes a lot of places, one gets into a lot of fights. But once you started attacking, I had no choice but to join in. Why did you help me?¡±


    ¡°Because I saw how noble you were when it came to Broken¡¯s safety. I couldn¡¯t let you suffer because of your honor,¡± said Mai.


    As Ishad said, ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Mai turned her head to where Broken had stood in the middle of the plaza.


    Broken was as gone as when Mai had woken up without them. During the fight, instead of helping, he had slipped away. Mai found it hard to believe he had not noticed the brawl.


    Mai then looked down the street, at where Ishad stood. Behind him, a block or so away, but still behind him, eight Asurik with quarterstaves raced up the street, intent on the exiled monk.


    Ishad noticed a second later. ¡°My God,¡± he said. He turned to Mai, and a second later, they started running across the plaza.


    The Asurik were so much faster, however. Both Mai and Ishad were winded from the fight, and the warrior monks were fresh, fresh and strong. By the time Ishad and Mai were halfway across the plaza, the Asurik were only a few feet behind them.


    Then the lead Asurik grabbed one of Ishad¡¯s arms, and held him tight. Mai continued to run, even though she was no longer being chased. She headed away from the plaza and down one of the streets.


    For the Asurik, Mai knew, were not enemies on her level. They were beyond. Still, Mai was brought to tears that she could not save Ishad. She turned down a street aimlessly, intent on eventually working her way back to the Penitent Sage, but not sure during exactly which hour this would happen.


    Suddenly looking up from the ground, she found a metal armored man facing her, gigantic in every way.

 Chapter 24: Shards of a Greater Will

    Mai screamed, even as she saw red eyes glimmer behind the armored man¡¯s helmet. On this night, of all nights, she knew meeting an armored man on an otherwise empty road was not a chance occurrence.


    The man reached at her, but slowly, giving Mai a chance to dodge. She ran around him, and down the sloped street as he turned to chase her.


    A few moments later, Mai stopped, as she almost ran headlong into a second man on the street. This man was unarmored, and was short, slim, and pale. ¡°Hello, my dear,¡± he said. ¡°My name is Eton, and I shall be your executioner on this fine eve.¡±


    He laughed as Mai dashed around him, and further down the street. As she looked back, he seemed to throw something at her, and, on instinct, she veered away, crashing through the glass window of an empty store in an attempt to evade.


    And it seemed she had done what she had done not a second too soon. Behind her, the street exploded, raining debris.


    Mai was thrust down to the ground by the force of the explosion, and when she got up, she realized she was not in good shape. There was quite a bit of blood on her clothing, and she felt faint.


    Around her, the room, it seemed, had once been home to a bookselling practice. Now, books littered the ground, and bookshelves had fallen. Terrified, Mai looked around through the darkness of the unlit shop for a back door, and found one. She rushed through it, just in time to hear another explosion. Oddly, this one didn¡¯t seem in her direction.


    If she survived this, Mai reflected, Eton would haunt her dreams for a long time to come.


    She headed right, further down the hill. As she ran, she reached a crossroads, where Eton waited for her, calmly. He showed no signs of exertion.


    What is this? Mai wondered. Am I sleeping? Is this a nightmare? Mai hoped she was, and she hoped that she would be waking up very, very soon.


    As Mai stood there, horror-stricken, Eton showed her a vial in each hand, vials Mai just knew were filled with more explosives.


    ¡°No, these are not for you, dear,¡± he said. ¡°I have things to do here, other than you.¡± Eton then tossed the vials in opposite directions, one to the left, and one to the right, as he started at Mai with his dark brown eyes.


    The townhouses to either side of them exploded into flames a moment later. The screams of their dying inhabitants, awaking from their dreams only to burn, haunted Mai, and her eyes glazed over.


    Then, from behind Eton, Broken came around the corner. He seemed unhurt. Mai didn¡¯t think she had revealed him to Eton, when the pale man turned. ¡°Another shortly to be down,¡± he whispered.


    Even though Eton¡¯s back was to Mai, somehow she knew that if she tried to strike him, her blow would not hit its mark.


    Eton threw another vial at Broken, and Mai screamed, expecting him to explode into flames like the buildings around her had. She expected her one-time savior to turn to ash before her very eyes.


    Broken did neither of those things. He stayed, unchanging, even as the vial disappeared from Mai¡¯s vision. There was no explosion, no fire. It was as if Broken was a bastion of reality in a world that had gone insane.


    Mai drew upon her courage, and started running for Broken, away from Eton. She saw that his face was clenched into an odd shape. She saw that the monster she was running away from was confused.


    When Mai stopped as she reached Broken¡¯s side, she realized what had happened. He fingered the vial in his right hand. He had caught the horrible thing before it could break, and destroy him.


    Broken wore his black armor, and he slowly put the vial into a pouch at his waist. Then, with his right hand, he drew Aurasing.


    But when Mai turned back to see what Eton was doing, he was gone. His handiwork, the fires, raged around them, spreading to new buildings. They were testament to the fact that the madman had been real.


    Mai looked and Broken, needing some reassurance that in his company she was safe. What she saw in his face frightened her. When Broken had fought the thugs in the alley, he had almost seemed amused that the thugs had thought they could defeat him. Now his face was etched with a frown, and he looked to be in utter concentration.


    Seeing that Broken was worried was, to Mai, more frightening than Eton had ever been. She had never seen him this way before.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± she asked him, her eyes watching the buildings burn.


    Broken looked at her, and their eyes met. ¡°To the Penitent Sage,¡± he said. ¡°We need our things.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked him.


    Broken didn¡¯t respond. In silence, they began to run for the inn.


    Around them, people began to head out of their homes for the street, looking around with eyes bleary from sleep, asking each other what was going on, why there was a fire. The people of the Holy Citadel seemed fearful.


    Mai couldn¡¯t blame them.


    As Mai and Broken reached the street upon which the Penitent Sage had been built, Mai breathed a sigh of relief. The inn still stood.


    In the distance, however, fires burned, in all directions. Eton must have set more. Mai was reminded of the Imperial Palace in the Occluded City, and how it had burned around her. It was as if the past was being relived.


    All were out on the streets, so when Mai and Broken entered the Penitent Sage, the common room was empty. Mai was beginning to head up the stairs to get what had been left in their room, when the door to the inn was smashed through.


    Mai heard screaming on the streets, but she couldn¡¯t understand it. The massive man wearing metal armor was coming after her and Broken, not the passerby.


    Without taking his eyes off the armored giant, Broken spoke to Mai, ¡°Retrieve what needs to be gotten, now!¡±


    Mai raced up the stairs, as she heard the armored man charging at Broken. During the giant¡¯s run, Mai heard chairs and tables splinter and break. But she heard nothing from Broken.


    Mai reached the second level of the building, found the room, and fumbled for the key to unlock it. As soon as she did so, Mai¡¯s trembling hands dropped the key, but she didn¡¯t bother to retrieve it.


    Only one small bag was in the room, for the rest had been on Swift, and were at Ishad¡¯s camp. Mai swung the bag over her shoulder, and headed out of the room and down the stairs.


    She didn¡¯t know if, when she reached the common room, she would find Broken or the giant victorious.


    When Mai reached the common room, what she found was Broken, and only him. There was a massive cut on his chest across the front of his leather, reaching through to the skin, as if a giant claw had slashed him.


    Broken was leaning over a destroyed table, and breathing heavily. The giant was nowhere to be seen at first, though when Mai looked through one of the broken windows, she saw in the dim light that the giant was in the middle of the street, encircled by a group of Asurik and regular soldiers.


    As Mai watched another moment, the giant picked up on of the soldiers, lifted the screaming man high over his head, and then threw the guard against the ground. Mai winced.


    Looking back at Broken, she saw that he had staggered up, and he no longer needed support from the table on its side. But yes, he staggered. Mai couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Broken, still holding Aurasing to that moment, sheathed the sword.


    ¡°Are you all right, Princess?¡± he asked her, looking unsteady on his feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Mai. ¡°But you need to see a doctor. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I drove the thing away, and then the soldiers showed up,¡± said Broken, nodding out the window.


    As Mai watched, another guard standing too close to the giant was picked up. This one was thrown a good thirty feet, right into the side of a burning building. The soldier slammed against it, and collapsed to the ground, out of sight.


    ¡°You need to see a doctor!¡± said Mai, more strongly now, as the terror of seeing Broken weakened began to sink in.


    ¡°A doctor couldn¡¯t do anything for me that I can¡¯t do myself,¡± said Broken. His body curled slightly, and his eyes closed.


    A moment later, Broken stood to his full height, eyes open and fully aware. His stance no longer seemed unsteady, and he seemed to have regained strength. The cut on his chest seemed to close a bit, and looked less real.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the back door,¡± the revitalized Broken said, and he and Mai both turned.


    As they headed for the way out, Mai heard from behind her a shrill scream. She didn¡¯t look back. Mai had no desire to know what was happening to the next of the giant¡¯s victims. Nevertheless, there was a crash, and Mai saw a body hurdle through the window of the Penitent Sage, where it collapsed against the bar, and lay still.


    Mai didn¡¯t understand how the giant could continue to stand against the dozens of soldiers trying to bring him down.


    It was a mystery she wished had never existed.


    ***


    The Asurik pulled Ishad through the streets, even as buildings flamed and people screamed. They were dedicated. Too dedicated, Ishad thought.


    ¡°You have to let me go,¡± he shouted, even as he struggled against the grip of two of the eight Asurik. ¡°The people need your help!¡± It wasn¡¯t just because he wanted to save himself from the punishment that would await him. Ishad truly believed that the Asurik should be helping save lives, instead of so stubbornly carrying out what they believed to be justice.


    Suddenly, the two Asurik holding Ishad let him go, and he thought for a moment that he was free to leave. Then the leader of the group of Asurik, a female with red hair, slammed him, and used her staff to hold him by his neck against the nearest building wall. Her face contorted with rage.


    ¡°You are a disgrace,¡± she said. ¡°Ishad, you, a monk, have broken your vows. You lost your Symbol, you returned to the Holy Citadel when you had been exiled, and you attacked two guards of this city. ¡°In case you forgot, Ishad, the exile was upon pain of death.¡±


    Ishad gagged against the staff, as the Asurik holding him swept an arm against the backdrop of the city. ¡°The sentence would normally have been carried out by starvation,¡± she said. ¡°But now, due to the circumstances, it seems we have no time for that.¡±Stolen story; please report.


    She released him, and Ishad, exhausted and utterly unable to resist, fell to the ground, grasping his throat.


    ¡°I, using my power as an Asurik Guardian, unmonk you,¡± she said. ¡°And now, you can die as a normal man.¡± She twirled her staff, in preparation to deliver a powerful crushing blow to Ishad¡¯s head, when one of her subordinates interrupted her.


    ¡°Guardian Talil,¡± said one of the other Asurik, ¡°look!¡±


    Talil did, and Ishad, on instinct, look in the direction that was pointed as well. For a moment, he thought he was delusional.


    A powerfully built, gargantuan man in black spiked metal armor came lumbering down the sloped road, heading straight at Ishad and the group of Asurik.


    Talil, suddenly ignoring Ishad, cried for the man to halt, and when he did not, barked an order to her Asurik. The warrior monks cast aside their staffs, with a sudden clattering, and all drew swords from hidden sheathes within their brown robes. The Asurik began to form a semicircle around the giant man, but he ignored them, pushing past the holy warriors with such strength the two who tried to stop him were sent sprawling to the ground.


    As Ishad finally managed to get up, the armored giant slammed a huge fist into the ground, where he had been lying a moment ago. When the giant withdrew, Ishad saw that his hand had created a crater in the gravel.


    But also when the giant withdrew, he did so with Talil perched on his back. The giant stood carrying her weight with no effort, but Talil, using her position to best advantage, curled around the giant¡¯s chest, and plunged her sword into the hollow between the man¡¯s helm and chest plate.


    Talil¡¯s sword sunk to its hilt, and she jumped off with a cry of triumph. Already, the Asurik began to turn from the giant back to Ishad, who had only begun to edge away. They thought the armored man was defeated.


    But the horrible thing was, the giant was not.


    The thing slumped for a second, as if about to fall, then, with its left hand, reached for Talil¡¯s sword hilt, and pulled the blade out. The sword had no blood on it.


    As the Asurik were momentarily frozen, the creature tossed the sword aside, and turned its head back to Ishad. The Asurik who stood in its way was pulled across the giant¡¯s knee, and had his back broken.


    Then the giant lumbered on.


    Ishad jerked himself out of his trance, and began to run, away from the thing that was pursuing him.


    Ishad glanced over his shoulder, and saw that the Asurik had once more circled around the beast, delaying its campaign against Ishad.


    The young former monk kept running, glad that this time, at least, the Asurik penchant for revenge was working for him, and not against him. In the warrior monks¡¯ haste to bring down the thing that had killed one of their own, they failed to realize that the unholy creature was only after Ishad.


    Why, however, Ishad did not know.


    With the beast and the Asurik occupying each other, Ishad found himself free to run through the streets, run through the fiery hell that the once peaceful Holy Citadel had become.


    He was looking for Mai, and Broken. He hoped to find both.


    ***


    Mai and Broken might have found each other in the wreaked city, but they found little else to help them. To the back of the Penitent Sage, there was a door, and through that door was a stairwell that led to the street above, but from there, no clear path through the smoke could be found.


    Broken hopped from the street, to the low roof of the Penitent Sage, which was easily accessible due to the oddities of the city¡¯s slope.


    Mai followed him, but on the roof of the inn, nothing could be seen through the darkness of the night, and the smoke of the flames.


    At least, nothing to her. Broken saw something, then he lead Mai off the roof, and together they started running again.


    The smoke was growing in quantity, and it seemed Eton was setting fire after fire. Mai, barely able to see a few feet in front of her, was grateful when Broken grasped her hand.


    Then she remembered what had happened to Ishad. It had been horrible that she had forgotten his plight for a moment, but during the course of everything, she had.


    ¡°Ishad is in this city!¡± Mai shouted to Broken. ¡°He came to warn you about the snakes¡­we were in the plaza. Asurik took him!¡± Mai knew the story was coming out disjointed, and was probably very confusing to Broken, but she had to say something. ¡°You have to save him,¡± she cried. ¡°He came to save you!¡±


    ¡°This story will be told to me in full later,¡± said Broken. It was not a question. ¡°But for now, I will find him.¡±


    He pulled her all the faster through the streets, until finally, at an intersection, there was little enough smoke to allow Mai to see again.


    And through the suddenly cleared haze, Ishad was there, and headed to them. He seemed to have had been running, and looked to be in almost as bad shape as Mai or Broken.


    Broken gave Ishad a careful look, and then released Mai¡¯s hand. ¡°You can see enough to follow me now,¡± he said to her. ¡°You two, come along, if you wish to live through this.¡±


    And so the group, now all together, continued to move to the distant city gates, guided by Broken. Mai exhaled that at least she could see the city wall, down the slope, in the distance.


    Past much horror they ran, but it seemed as if the nightmare was beginning to end. Bucket brigades of commoners had been formed, led by city guards shouting instructions, and constantly being resupplied by carts, drawn by surprisingly calm horses, and filled with buckets of water.


    Mai didn¡¯t know how many spellweavers the Holy Citadel had to call upon, but it seemed as if they were out in force, and helping to the best of their ability. Twice, Mai thought she saw buckets shooting water onto flames, and once, she even saw a fire they passed by begin to shrivel and die, with seemingly no outside help. Neither Eton nor his armored helper were anywhere to be seen.


    However, it seemed as if the area near the Holy Citadel¡¯s gates had suffered the worst of the madman¡¯s attack. The smoke was worse here, and Asurik, normal guards, and commoners alike still ran about in confusion.


    When Mai, Broken and Ishad reached the main gate, it was shut, and its bars cut them off from the outside. There seemed to be no soldier around who they could ask to have the gate opened.


    Broken stopped for a moment, as if sizing the situation. He then led the way to a small open door beside the great locked gate. The door seemed to head into a bulging part of the city wall, into the seemingly deserted gatehouse.


    The three headed inside. Beyond the door, was a dark, deserted corridor. All the lanterns had been blown out, and the only light trickled in from the fires behind them. Broken gestured to a stairwell, nearly unnoticeable under the conditions, and the three headed up it.


    As Mai climbed the stairs, all light fell away. It was dark here, far darker than the way the city had been under the smoke. It was as if she was blind. Mai only took the steps at Broken¡¯s constant urging.


    Mai had no idea how Broken knew where to go, but he did. After ascending what seemed to be two flights, Broken started moving out of the stairwell, to a destination it seemed only he knew. There was slightly more visibility on this floor, as a single lantern flame struggled to stay lit.


    Mai hoped that what Broken was looking for was in the room with the lit lantern hanging on the wall, and indeed it was.


    ¡°Look here,¡± said Broken.


    As Mai¡¯s eyes squinted, she saw that in the center of the room was a great lever, in position so it was practically on the ground, and the size of herself, Broken, and Ishad put together. It was attached to a half-wheel, tilted so that the wheel was vertical. Wrapped around the wheel were chains, with links so large a head could fit through them.


    Suddenly, Mai realized what the wheel and the lever were for. This device is for opening the main gate! Realizing the room¡¯s importance, Mai wondered why it would have been left unguarded at a time like this. The answers that came to mind did not reassure her.


    Broken grasped the lever. ¡°Help me,¡± he said, and together, Mai, Broken, and Ishad heaved at the heavy device, trying to turn it around the wheel.


    Chains rattled, and started to move, as the lever was pulled a foot up from the ground, then a second foot. Gravity would still be against the three for a while longer. Much more there was to pull, and much less to push.


    Straining, Mai wondered how many guards it usually took to move the heavy lever. That got her thinking again, about where the guards had all gone.


    And then she began to have her answer. The one living lantern flame in the windowless room flared, until it was as bright as a fireplace, and did not stop growing in intensity. As the lantern rocked back and forth on its chain, propelled by a mysterious wind Mai did not feel, it illuminated the entire room.


    The gate room was large, but every angle of it was purged of shadows in the lantern¡¯s fiery light. The lantern was now straining against the chain that held it to the wall, pulling in every which way, as if it was possessed.


    Mai looked at the other lanterns lining the walls. They were calm, unlit, and still. Most, however, looked like they had been put out in a rush, and the candles within were half-burned out of wax.


    Broken, through all, continued to pull at the lever. Now it stood vertical.


    All hopes of finishing the task, however, were put to rest when Eton walked in.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said. ¡°Welcome to your end. It took great pains to set this up for you. Many of the guards did not want to leave their posts. They were too loyal to flee, even when frightened out of their minds. And so I had to kill them, and move the bodies elsewhere.¡±


    The possessed lantern seemed to strain to reach him.


    ¡°Now, all three of you will die,¡± said Eton. He took out a black vial, drank the contents in a single gulp, then carefully put the vial away. ¡°Better,¡± he said. ¡°Much better.¡±


    As Mai and Ishad stood horrorstruck, Broken drew Aurasing. ¡°I drew this once and you fled,¡± he said. ¡°Amuse me a second time by doing so again.¡±


    ¡°I left you, because at that time, there were more important things to be accomplished,¡± said Eton. ¡°The fires, for instance. Think not for a second that your little sword scared me away.¡±


    ¡°You lie, Terrasanu,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Eton. ¡°So maybe I do. But I have planned this. You cannot defeat me, warrior, even with a holy blade.¡±


    With a sudden, savage stroke, Broken used Aurasing to sever the chains holding the possessed lantern to the wall. It fell to the ground, flickered, lay still. Its light diminished until it was at the level it had been when Mai, Broken, and Ishad had entered the room: it was barely alive.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± said Eton, through the new darkness, ¡°that a holy sword would bring an end to the light.¡±


    Mai heard a rushing sound, and suddenly, she could see that Eton was right in front of her, even though he had been a distance away a second ago.


    ¡°He¡¯s right here!¡± she shouted.


    An outstretched Aurasing interposed itself between Mai¡¯s face, and that of Eton. Mai took a step backwards, as Broken took her place.


    ¡°Ive heri Terrasanu arav,¡± he spoke in a steady voice, holding his sword out between himself and Eton.


    ¡°No you don¡¯t,¡± said Eton. ¡°Not after everything I have accomplished here!¡± The lantern flickered brightly, trying to return to its days of glory.


    ¡°Avasedia, delmar,¡± said Broken. He held Aurasing out in front of him like a staff, with one hand grasping the hilt, and the other hand pressed flat against the blade.


    Eton laughed now, as the flame grew brighter, and the lantern started floating in midair.


    Then, from behind him, came a white-robed priest holding a massive Symbol. His aged face grimaced as he held it up.


    Eton, however, seemed much more frightened. Even though his lantern was back at full strength, he glanced nervously from Broken back to the newcomer.


    The lantern clattered to the ground, powerless and flickering once more, and then there was another rushing sound.


    And then Mai had a very strong feeling, that Eton was gone.


    All the lanterns started to burn again, suddenly, restoring a normal level of light to the room. Mai¡¯s eyes were drawn to the white-robed priest, and he smiled, and placed the Symbol he carried around his neck.


    ¡°I give my thanks,¡± said Broken, quietly sheathing his sword. ¡°But who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am High Priest Ralad,¡± said the man. His hair was half-black, half-gray. ¡°I believe, however, that the more pertinent question is, who are you three? I will know if you lie.¡±


    ¡°Travelers,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Ralad. ¡°The quintessential answer. Your statement, I know, is technically true, and yet it tells me nothing. What did you come to be doing in this building, fighting that creature?¡±


    ¡°We wanted to leave,¡± said Broken, ¡°but the gate was down, and the door to the gatehouse was open.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said Ralad, ¡°it will be better for everyone if the gate is opened. I might as well help you in your task.¡± He grasped hold of the lever, and pulled it. Broken assisted, and in about a minute, they had worked the lever into the open position.


    ¡°I am in a quandary as to what to do here,¡± said the High Priest, once the deed was done. ¡°You all seem to have, at least inadvertently, done a great service to the Vedil in a time of need. But one among you is a monk who should not be here.¡± Ralad looked at Ishad carefully. ¡°He was barred from this place for a year and a day, upon pain of death, and it is not yet time for him to come back. Did you, one who speaks for this group, know of this?¡±


    Broken said nothing for the briefest of moments, one that seemed far too long for Mai. Ishad came back to this place, knowing that if he was found he would be killed? Mai thought. Her respect for Ishad increased, as well as her fear for what was to become of him.


    However, it was Ishad who broke through the silence. ¡°I am no longer a monk,¡± he said. ¡°The exile no longer applies. I was captured, just before the madness began, and Guardian Talil unmonked me in the streets. She intended to kill me right there, but then an armored man beset us, and I escaped. Guardian Talil with verify this, with reluctance. As the moment after I was unmonked has passed, I can no longer be harmed.¡±


    Ralad nodded. He moved his robes, so that the Symbol he wore around his neck became hidden. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said. ¡°And I see this is true. Tell me, Ishad, who are those you travel with? One does not speak, and the other does so in riddles.¡±


    ¡°He need not say anything,¡± spoke Broken. ¡°I will tell you what you must know, though I warn you, if you mean any harm, I will deal with you.¡±


    ¡°A bold statement, coming from one who my mere presence saved,¡± said Ralad. ¡°But do tell.¡± He seemed amused. ¡°I can promise you, upon my word as a Priest of the God-Kings, that neither you nor the lady will be harmed by anything of my doing.¡±


    ¡°She is the exile princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen,¡± said Broken. ¡°And I am her protector.¡±


    I am getting very tired of Broken speaking my secret to any and all who care to ask, Mai thought.


    ¡°An interesting statement to learn to be true,¡± said Ralad, unphased. ¡°Given the situation, and the fact that you, Princess, should by all rights die and end the evil of the Arathou Dynasty, I am left in a bit of a quandary.¡± He paused. ¡°But I am noble, and I have said what I have said, which I cannot take back. Come along, you three. I shall provide you with lodging in the very tower that hosts the Vedil Lords. The Holy Citadel is compromised at the moment, but not the tower. I am one of the lords, and so my will is law. Come. Once safely inside the tower, we will have much to talk about.¡±


    And so the odd group of four headed from the gatehouse.


    From one lion¡¯s den to another, Mai reflected.

 Chapter 25: Inside the Tower of the Vedil Lords

    Mai found herself, soon enough, in the Vedil Tower. She was in a bedroom, with a level of luxury she had not seen since her departure from the Occluded City. The door was unlocked, but she was quite certain that if she tried to leave the room, guards would stop her.


    The room was lightly furnished, but all inside was of the highest quality. The bed, silk, the armoire, polished, and somehow filled with clothes both of Mai¡¯s size and befitting one of her stature. The room was on the interior, so there were no windows, but a potted plant in each corner completed the room, and gave it an open feel.


    Mai didn¡¯t really have a desire to look out a window anyway, and see such a beautiful city covered in burns. She was all alone here, as she, Broken, and Ishad had all been separated, but again she cared little. Mai did not want to see anyone now. She needed time to recover.


    A knock came on the door. Mai, confused, didn¡¯t answer it, but a moment later, Ishad slipped in, and the door shut behind him. But this Ishad was different.


    He wore a dark tunic, a blue vest, and pants. His clothing seemed to befit one who was a merchant, more than one who was a monk. His short, brownish hair, instead of being pressed down to his skull, had been combed loose. Mai remembered what Ishad had told her of his history, and wondered what could have happened to make him seemingly return to what he once was.


    ¡°You changed,¡± she said.


    ¡°That I did,¡± Ishad replied, taking a step further into the room. ¡°Priest-Lord Ralad verified what I told him, and now, I am a free man. I am no longer held by any bonds of duty.¡±


    Mai wanted to say she was happy for him, but stopped. She didn¡¯t know if Ishad would find it insulting if she said that she was glad he was no longer a monk. She doubted it, but did not want to do anything that Ishad might find insulting. She had a sudden desire to impress him.


    ¡°You look good,¡± she said.


    ¡°You do too,¡± he said, in response.


    And the truth was, Mai knew she did. Her wounds, which turned out all to be minor, had been dressed and properly looked at. She had been given a red gown to wear, befitting her nature, and the servants in the Tower of the Vedil Lords had probably improved her appearance as much as they had improved Ishad¡¯s.


    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± she asked him, sitting on the bed, and inviting him to do the same, which he did.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I asked to see you, and the soldiers outside my room obliged,¡± said Ishad. He looked at her, and Mai suddenly remembered that since last she had talked to him, he had learned who she really was.


    ¡°I guess you want some answers,¡± she said.


    ¡°What about?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°Learning about your identity wasn¡¯t a total shock. Broken called you Mai, and even before the truth came out explicitly, I knew that the first name of the princess of the Arathou Dynasty was yours. I had all but assumed the truth, even before it was explained to me, and verified by a Truth Teller.¡±


    ¡°You mean, you aren¡¯t mad at me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Why in the Empire would I be mad at you?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°Not telling me who you really were was simply what you thought you had to do in order to stay alive. It¡¯s perfectly understandable.¡±


    ¡°No. it¡¯s not,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Yes it is, come on,¡± replied Ishad.


    It was bizarre for Mai to see him talking like this. It seemed as having his tenure as a monk end was the best thing that could have happened to Ishad. In an odd fashion, the way Ishad now behaved as if everything was under control reminded Mai of Broken, except while Broken brooded, Ishad seemed content.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do with you life, now?¡± asked Mai. If Ishad is not going to talk about who I am, then I¡¯m certainly not going to force him to. Mai was glad she had been given the opportunity to avoid the subject.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do what I always wanted,¡± Ishad said. ¡°I¡¯m going to start my own merchant company. My lip reading skills will become useful, one way or another.¡± He paused, and his eyes, which a moment ago had been hopeful, now looked hard and real. ¡°But first, I want to see you to Asan Paril. It might seem stupid, as we hardly know each other, but after this night¡¯s events, I want to make sure you are safe before we part.¡±


    Far from Ishad sounding stupid, to Mai, he sounded touching. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said. ¡°That really means a lot to me.¡± And, in Mai¡¯s heart, it really did.


    Suddenly, Mai realized the origin of the raw emotion. She liked Ishad. Liked him a lot. She put a hand to cover her suddenly open mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that big a deal,¡± said Ishad, thinking Mai¡¯s new action related to the last thing he had said.


    ¡°No,¡± Mai said, ¡°It¡¯s just, that¡­¡± Unsure what to say, she leaned over, and kissed him. His lips returned the gesture, and they held that way for a rather long, nice moment, until Ishad pulled away.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have done that,¡± he said. However, he didn¡¯t seem very sure, and that gave Mai all the courage she needed to press.


    ¡°Why not?¡± she asked, sliding a hand into his lap.


    ¡°You¡¯re a princess,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Not just any princess. The Princess of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± said Mai. ¡°Why should you? You¡¯re not a monk anymore, Ishad. Live some.¡± Mai lightly grabbed Ishad by the shoulders, and pulled him down to lay flat on the bed. He didn¡¯t stop her. Mai retreated, and lay back on the bed as well. The pair¡¯s feet dangled off the edge.


    ¡°But¡­¡± said Ishad. ¡°I¡¯d be taking advantage of what just happened. The stress of this night¡­¡±


    ¡°You are just as stressed as I am,¡± said Mai, staring straight up at the flat, white ceiling. ¡°There¡¯s no advantage to be taken here. I¡¯m not drunk.¡± She briefly remembered the one time she had been drunk, in the lair of Devin¡¯s thieves. For a moment, she felt embarrassed, but she pushed that emotion away. This was no time to feel that way.


    Nothing happened for a moment. Then Mai rolled on top of Ishad, and something began.

 Chapter 26: A Meeting of Two Gentlemen

    ¡°There is something more to you.¡±


    ¡°There is something more to you, as well, but I am the one sitting in the chair in a dark room being asked questions, and not the other way around. Based on that knowledge, I would say I am the more trusting.¡±


    ¡°Is that a threat, or merely an odd statement of fact? With your riddles, friend, it is hard to say, even for me, one who is a Truth Teller.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are running into difficulties because your abilities are irrelevant here. I do not lie, but neither do I tell you things I do not wish for you to know.¡±


    ¡°Another man would have no idea what you are talking about, but I, alas, do. I have had experience with many criminals, who have tried to trick me by making true statements that are not the whole truth.¡±


    ¡°I am no criminal.¡±


    ¡°Even if you are not, you have still perfected the art of saying only exactly what you want to. Why would a bodyguard to a princess need such a skill?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps for instances such as now.¡±


    ¡°You test my patience. But perhaps I am at fault, for not phrasing my question correctly. When would you have time to learn such a skill?¡±


    ¡°I was not always Maiako as Arathou del Tachen¡¯s bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°That is obviously true, my friend. She was born after you were. That leads to a different question. How old, exactly, are you, my friend?¡±


    ¡°What possible gain could you get from my answer to that question?¡±


    ¡°A frame of reference. I would like to know exactly when you were born, so I can decipher how old you were when certain events happened.¡±


    ¡°Events of the Empire, or events in my life?¡±


    ¡°Both, my friend. Now, enough with your questions. Answer mine. You are obviously in your mid to late twenties. What harm can uttering a single number do?¡±


    ¡°The age of my body is twenty-four.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you look older than you really are. What could you have experienced, my friend, to harden you?¡±


    ¡°I could have experienced a great many things.¡±


    ¡°What did you experience?¡±


    ¡°Battles. War. More than you might think.¡±


    ¡°You did not look uncomfortable facing that Terrasanu. Did perhaps, once before, in one of those battles, you come face to face with something from the darker corners of magic?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°I see you do not wish to talk about that. I accept you choice. Perhaps what happened when you endured that encounter is the reason why I feel so strange about you, Broken.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Perhaps, Priest-Lord Ralad.¡±


    ¡°And perhaps not. But in any case, I am confident that you pose no threat to the Vedil, so long as we host you and your charge in a manner befitting hosts.¡±


    ¡°So long as you give us shelter here, I will not do anything that might revoke such hospitality.¡±


    ¡°A good statement to make, Broken, one that curtails me from making you swear an oath.¡±


    ¡°That was the reason why I said it.¡±


    ¡°So it was, so it was. You seem to be able to read me, a Truth Teller, as well as I can read you with my gift. I would appreciate it if you would like to continue this conversation, but, as a host, I would understand if you would like to stop.¡±


    ¡°In but a moment we can stop, Priest-Lord.¡±


    ¡°You surprise me yet again, Broken, and have earned the distinction of being the first to wish their stay in an interrogation room lengthened.¡±


    ¡°Untrue. Many prisoners prefer talking to someone, as opposed to returning to their cells to languish in tedium.¡±


    ¡°And how might you know that?¡±


    ¡°Guess. And while you do so, listen to me, for I wish to ask you another question. Answer carefully, for I will know if you lie.¡±


    ¡°I usually say that, young one.¡±


    ¡°This whole situation is unusual, Priest-Lord. I may be here, but I am, by your own admission, no prisoner.¡±


    ¡°So, what is your question? I will answer if it does not infringe on that which I, myself, must keep secret.¡±


    ¡°Will you be talking to Ishad or Mai in a similar manner?¡±


    ¡°I already talked to Ishad, son, but not here. He, due to a twist of fate, has been released from all bonds of monkhood. He is now free to stay with you and the Princess here, as a part of your group, or leave when he likes.¡±


    ¡°And what of Mai?¡±


    ¡°The fact that you call her by her first name interests me, Broken. By all rights, you, one of your status, should be calling her mistress, or some like term.¡±


    ¡°Our relationship is unorthodox.¡±


    ¡°So it seems. To answer your question, the Princess will be brought here as soon as we are done.¡±


    ¡°I would ask you a favor, Priest-Lord. I would ask that she be left in peace.¡±


    ¡°On what grounds? My vow to do you no ill during your stay here is all that keeps me from informing my fellow lords, and then the Minsu, that there is a certain young lady in my possession, who could cause them a great deal of trouble if left to do what she will.¡±


    ¡°I have something to barter, Priest-Lord.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My sword, Aurasing. When we first sat down here, you spoke of it. You were interested in looking at it more closely. I would give it to you.¡±


    ¡°I would very much like to have such an ancient sword for my private collection, especially one with such an intriguing inscription on its blade as Aurasing. But what makes you think I would take such a deal? If I really wanted your sword, I could keep it. It, along with your soon to be mended armor, sits in a private room of the Vedil armory. My private room.¡±


    ¡°I have faith in your honesty, and your honor, Lord-Priest. If you are one to uphold a promise made under uncertain conditions, in the guardroom at a time when you had no idea how valuable my charge would be to you, you would certainly return my sword to me.¡±


    ¡°Unless you make it no longer yours. Yes, I see. The truth is, no matter how much I would have liked to talk with the Princess, I do not truly need to. And a permanent possession is worth far more than a fleeting moment of happiness. I accept your deal.¡±


    ¡°I give you my thanks, Priest-Lord Ralad, and I confirm the transaction.¡±


    ¡°You certainly place a high value on the safety and security of your charge. But perhaps, somehow, you truly know best. When you look at me, Broken, what do you see?¡±


    ¡°I see a man bathed in the shadow of this room, sitting at a chair behind a desk, directly to my front.¡±


    ¡°I expected such an answer, you know. Satirical instead of metaphorical. I am not sure why, but I was curious as to what you would say, as one who places odd values on such things. I cannot comprehend why you made such a deal. Aurasing, a sword ancient and steeped in your heritage, would be the last thing I would expect one such as you to give up. A warrior, or so I have heard, is his blade.¡±


    ¡°I am not so materialistic, anymore.¡±


    ¡°Are we done here Broken? If I am not to meet with the Princess, I must go about the task of brushing off my fellow lords¡¯ questions as to the identity of two of my three guests.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are done.¡±

 Chapter 27: The Day After

    When Mai woke up, she assumed it was late. Not late at night, as the single remaining lit lantern on the walls seemed to suggest, but late in the morning, considering that by the time she had gotten to sleep, there had most likely been light outside. Here, the room had no windows, and so the dim light was as such because she and Ishad had made it that way.


    The dim light, however, did not help with Mai¡¯s grogginess. Her arms were wrapped all the way around Ishad, and when she inadvertently squeezed a little, he began to wake as well.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new day,¡± he said, opening his eyes, ¡°even though it doesn¡¯t feel like it.¡±


    ¡°I guess we should get up,¡± Mai said. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t really want to.¡± She snuggled nearer to Ishad.


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± he responded, ruffling her hair. ¡°But I suppose we have to see what this place has in store for us, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°That we do,¡± said Mai.


    With her spoken encouragement, Ishad got up, started to gather his clothes, and put them on again, which was no easy task, due to the fact that they were scattered all over the room.


    A moment latter, Mai got up, wrapped herself in the bed¡¯s sheet, and began to search for her own clothes, which were similarly placed on the floor. The room¡¯s dim lighting didn¡¯t help the search, but as there was no tinderbox in the room, there was nothing to be done about it.


    Mai had gathered all her clothes together, but had yet to change from the sheet into them when a rap came on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Ishad shouted. Somehow, he was all but dressed, and when he finished tying his boots, he would be done.


    ¡°But a servant, sir,¡± came a female voice. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have bothered you and the lady, but it¡¯s well past midday, and my job is to tidy the room up.¡±


    Upon learning it was even later than she had thought, Mai rushed to get dressed. She was still straightening out her dress when Ishad went over to the door and unlocked and opened it to let the woman in.


    She wasn¡¯t much of a woman, actually. She was more of a girl. For all the Vedil principles of religion and equality, they still seemed to maintain certain stereotypes. The girl had an older voice, but she was clearly no older than twenty.


    Walking in, the girl flashed a strange, quick glance at Mai, but when Mai returned the look, the girl turned her gaze to the ground.


    ¡°There¡¯s a common dining hall for guests down the hall to the left,¡± she said. ¡°The cooks should be waiting for you, and so should your other friend. He¡¯s so patient! He¡¯s been sitting there for at least three hours, scarcely saying a word to anybody.¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t know for sure, of course, but that sounded like Broken. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she told Ishad, and they left, leaving the girl to clean.


    Down the hall to the left, there was an open door. Inside the room, there was a pretty standard dining hall. Small, but normal. Off to the side, on the right, there were doors that led to kitchens, and a single table, adorned with plump chairs, sat in the middle of the room.


    And Broken, of course, sat at one of those chairs, on what Mai considered to be the left side of the table. When she and Ishad walked in, he was sitting on the very edge of the armless chair, his back hunched. As Mai and Ishad walked in he moved over to a more conventional seating position.


    Mai sat at the chair opposite Broken, and Ishad sat at the chair to her right side. The kitchen servants brought out the first platters for three, and as Mai began to eat the appetizer of what seemed to be the start of a luscious meal, Broken started to speak.


    ¡°There are some things I think you should know, about last night,¡± he said. It was odd to watch him talk and eat at the same time. Broken took a bite, then quickly chewed and swallowed, and then moved on to the next part of his sentence, mouth completely devoid of food.


    Appetizers done, the chefs moved on to the main course. It was rice, but a very elegant sort of rice, layered with a sort of brown sauce.


    ¡°What do you think we should know?¡± said Mai, trying to mimic Broken¡¯s graceful eating pattern, but not entirely succeeding.


    ¡°First of all,¡± said Broken, ¡°I am sure you are both wondering what happened to me, after I disappeared from the plaza.¡±


    So he did know where we were, thought Mai.


    Broken continued. ¡°I would very much like to hear your stories, as to exactly what happened to each of you. But first, I will tell my own, including my discussion with the Nari.


    ¡°The night before we reached the Holy Citadel, a Nari contacted me, unbeknownst to you. He said that the next night, after we reached the Holy Citadel, he would speak to me in greater detail at the plaza.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you went out of your way to go there when we arrived,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Correct,¡± Broken replied. ¡°I was scoping out the location. That night, I went to the plaza, and as I suspected, the guards were mysteriously gone. Then the Nari came, and spoke to me about some private things. And then he left. After that, of course, was when the trouble started.


    ¡°First, I must ask both of you a question. In your travels last night, did either of you encounter a giant in metal armor, who seemed more or less unstoppable?¡±


    Both Mai and Ishad nodded.


    ¡°Well, the correct term for that creature is golem,¡± said Broken.


    Mai and Ishad gave him blank stares, as they all continued to eat.


    ¡°It is no surprise that neither of you have heard that term,¡± said Broken. ¡°Golems are a carefully guarded secret of House Makini. At first glance, they look like men, after a fashion, but are not.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why an Asurik was able to plunge her sword through a golem¡¯s neck, and it was able to pull the blade out and continue fighting?¡± Ishad asked.


    Mai struggled against a feeling of being queasy. The new knowledge Ishad had revealed about the golem did not go over well with her meal.


    ¡°Correct,¡± said Broken, in answer to Ishad¡¯s question. ¡°The reason the golem could withstand such a blow is because inside the armor, there is nothing but churning, twisting metal gears, all interlocked together.¡±


    Mai was now seriously having problems with eating her food, and a quick glance to Ishad revealed that he was not doing that much better.


    ¡°The golem has no vitals to pierce,¡± said Broken. ¡°Even if somehow, a warrior was able to decapitate one, the thing would just continue to move on, without a head, and at some point during the fight, simply pick the head back up, place it in the correct position, have the gears reintegrate it with the rest of the body, and continue.¡±


    Mai was beginning to have the feeling that Broken was deliberately trying to make one or both of those he was speaking with throw up. Thankfully, Ishad changed the conversation¡¯s course.


    ¡°So, how do you kill one?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± replied Broken. ¡°In the millennia, and slightly more, that golems have existed as mindless servants of the Makini, not one has ever been brought down. Not one. Golems have been tossed off buildings, dropped from ships into the depths of the ocean, but eventually, they all come back, and none the worse for the wear. In the latter case, the golem that had been dropped off a ship trod two miles on the ocean¡¯s floor back to dry land. The ship¡¯s crew might have gotten rid of it, but they didn¡¯t destroy it.


    ¡°Ever since they were invented by Makini spellweavers, golems were used in every operation that needed to go right. They are incredibly strong, and the primary way they kill is to break other things with their bare hands. They are slow, but they are deadly. If twenty swordsmen were ordered to go up against one, and not run, in short order there would be twenty less swordsmen. For more than ten centuries, the Makini have made sure that no House other than theirs knows the secret for making the things. Indeed, few even know they exist.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°If the golems are indestructible,¡± said Mai, ¡°why didn¡¯t they keep tearing the Holy Citadel apart? When we headed to the Vedil Tower, under Priest-Lord Ralad¡¯s protection, everything seemed to be returning to normal.¡±


    ¡°Simple,¡± said Broken. ¡°The Makini knew that if they left their prized possessions running amok in the Holy Citadel for too long, they would have been captured, and examined carefully, so the Vedil could figure out how to build them as well. Other Houses learning the secret of constructing golems is, as I have said, one of the last things that the Makini want.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re sure that it was the Makini who were after us last night?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Patience,¡± said Broken. ¡°In due time, all will be explained to the best of my ability. Let me return in the story to where I left off, when I disappeared at the plaza.


    ¡°You see, I disappeared, because a golem had grabbed me, dragged me down a side street, and tried to kill me as best it could. It did not succeed, but I knew that neither could I kill it, so I fled until I rescued Mai,¡± he paused, ¡°but that¡¯s her story to tell. I then found you, Ishad, and together, we had that experience in the gatehouse.¡±


    ¡°So, what about Eton?¡± asked Mai. A moment later, she realized that she had been the only one who he had told his name to.


    ¡°You mean that short little man that tried to kill us?¡± said Broken. ¡°He was no man. He was, as I called him in the gatehouse, a Terrasanu.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Terrasanu?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°In High Tongue, it means demon,¡± Ishad supplied. ¡°I learned that courtesy of my monkhood.¡±


    Mai breathed very, very deeply, and took a calming bite of rice, one of the last bits there was in her bowl.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°Eton was demon.¡± He glanced at two servants, who began to come out of the kitchen to serve desert. ¡°But for their sakes, we shall continue to call him Terrasanu. The other word tends to cause an inordinate amount of fear.¡±


    The servants, giving the three talkers slight, polite smiles, gave out the desserts, and took away the appetizer plates.


    ¡°The Terrasanu was an agent of the Makini,¡± said Broken. ¡°He directed the golems, and he lit the fires.¡±


    ¡°How could the Makini, well, get a Terrasanu on their side?¡± said Ishad. ¡°Aren¡¯t Terrasanu aloft from human affairs, and intent on only destroying as much as they can?¡±


    At this point, the servants went back to the kitchen.


    ¡°There are certain rituals, certain rites I know of, that can bind a Terrasanu to serve a human master unwillingly,¡± replied Broken. ¡°They are of course, very dangerous, as the slightest break in formula, or a lack in the requisite power, cause the wrath of the Terrasanu to fall on the would-be master. I can only assume that the Makini thought the risk was worth it, for they needed all the power they could find to pull off such an audacious stunt, as attacking the Holy Citadel.¡±


    ¡°So, why were the Makini after us in particular?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Our association to a certain princess they want dead,¡± said Broken.


    Ishad nodded, but Mai asked, ¡°How could you know all this?¡±


    The knowledge did fit in with Broken¡¯s character, but Mai did not understand how one, both a commoner and a warrior, could also somehow within them contain enough knowledge to rival a sage.


    ¡°I traveled much in my youth,¡± said Broken. ¡°And rare indeed is the time when I forget something I once knew. But now, Ishad, tell your story. Mine is done.¡±


    Ishad finally explained the exact circumstances that had led to his banishment, and then proceeded to explain his encounter with the Nari in the forest. After that, he explained much of what Mai already knew, until he reached the part when they had been separated. He spoke rather flatly of an Asurik named Talil trying to kill him, and then he spoke of the golem, that had been his rescuer, of sorts. Talil turned out to be the one who plunged a sword between the golem¡¯s helm and breastplate, to no effect.


    After Ishad was done, Mai spoke. She explained what had not already been told, about how she had encountered the golem, and then Eton, and had learned his name, and how Broken had saved her.


    When she was done, Broken said, ¡°It seems that there were two golems, not one.¡±


    Catching on to what he was talking about, Mai asked, ¡°How rare are they?¡±


    ¡°Golems are very costly to build,¡± said Broken. ¡°The Makini have perhaps a dozen, maybe less, and almost certainly no more.¡±


    ¡°Eton might be fast, but how did the golems get away from the Holy Citadel?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°My guess?¡± Broken replied. ¡°Sewers.¡±


    And with that, rather disgusting word to hear during a meal, Mai found that the three of them were done. She was unsure whether what they had just eaten could be called breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Perhaps it was a combination therein.


    From the door to the room, leading out to the hallway, an Asurik walked in, distinguishable by the tattoo of the sun on her forehead. Unlike male Asurik, her head was not shaved, and indeed, brilliant blonde hair trickled halfway down her back.


    ¡°Talil,¡± Ishad muttered under his breath, and Mai realized that this was the Asurik who had tried to kill him.


    But now, she did not seem quite so violent. There were no weapons in her hands. ¡°I see that you are finally finished eating,¡± said Talil, taking a step into the room. She looked at Ishad. ¡°You need to come with me,¡± she said.


    Ishad got up from the table. ¡°Why?¡± he asked, seeming suspicious. Mai couldn¡¯t blame him.


    ¡°Because the Augrave wishes to see you.¡±


    Talil said the sentence in such a matter of fact way, that it took a moment for the meaning to sink in. The Augrave Agumen, the priest who Mai had seen conduct a service at the Greatest of the Temples the day before, was no ordinary priest. He was the religious leader of the entire Empire, and had enough spiritual authority to counteract the Vedil Lords. Though never had an Augrave claimed the title, they had all been de facto leaders of House Vedil.


    ¡°What would Augrave Agumen want with me?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± said Talil. ¡°Nothing you need to be worrying about. Indeed the audience will only be for a pair of minutes, maybe less. The Augrave is very busy, but he wishes to meet you, for yours is an interesting story.¡± For a moment, Talil glared at Ishad, something Mai was not sure Asurik were allowed to do, but then the look subsided.


    Ishad walked over to Talil, and together, they left the room.


    A second later, Broken also got up. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said, looking at Mai. ¡°And hustle. We shall be walking rather fast.¡±


    Slightly confused, Mai got up, and they left the room together. Behind them, Mai heard shouts from the servants that they were not supposed to leave, but as Broken ignored them, so did she.


    In the hallway, Broken did indeed move fast, and while he turned right down the white hall, he passed by Mai¡¯s room, and with it, any chance that she could guess where he was going.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡± she asked, as they hustled through the hallway, startling the servants and dignitaries.


    ¡°I am talking to you,¡± said Broken. ¡°Where we are going right now is irrelevant.¡±


    And yet, at the pace they were moving, their destination seemed quite relevant. ¡°What about?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°About what happened last night,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Eton? The golems?¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± said Broken. ¡°What happened latter in the night. Concerning a certain Ishad and you.¡±


    Before Mai could answer, they passed by a servant, pushing a gigantic cart of laundry. Broken went to the right, and Mai went to the left. When they regrouped at the opposite edge, Mai was controlled.


    ¡°How did you know about that?¡± she asked, instead of denying it, which would be stupid. If Broken could say something like that, he has to have proof.


    ¡°I made an educated guess,¡± said Broken. ¡°And you confirmed it.¡±


    Pretending one knew something in order to get the other to admit it was not a new trick. ¡°Where did the educated part come from?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°This morning, when I was waiting for you and Ishad in the dining room, I wasn¡¯t idle. I talked to many servants who passed by the room. Last they knew, the ¡®former monk¡¯ had gone to the lady¡¯s room, and he had not come out.¡±


    So it wasn¡¯t really a guess, thought Mai, somewhat relieved that Broken¡¯s knowledge wasn¡¯t her fault.


    Broken headed to a stairwell, and they walked down a few flights, during this time, unable to talk. But when they reached the lowest floor, and exited the stairs, Broken began to talk again.


    ¡°It is truly amazing, but while high ladies think they have the most palace gossip, it is the servants who learn things first,¡± he said. ¡°Not that what I learned was really gossip to anyone but me. The truth is, the servants weren¡¯t all that surprised.¡±


    And before Mai could respond, Broken increased his speed and brushed past her, reached for a side door, and opened it, as the room was unlocked.


    Broken headed in, Mai followed, and as soon as she was in, Broken shut the door.


    For a moment, there was darkness, but then Broken somehow found a tinderbox to light a lantern on a table.


    Newly illuminated, Mai saw that the room was used for storing wine. Dozens and dozens of racks had been placed in aisles, and they were filled with wine bottles of various vintages, all neatly categorized and ordered. A short logbook, that explained this order, was on the table with the lantern.


    The room was cold, and it was huge. It was a palace¡¯s wine cellar. Mai, despite living in the Occluded City for years, had never been to the Imperial Palace¡¯s wine cellar. But this all begged a question.


    What are we doing in a wine cellar?


    ¡°Why did we stop here?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Because the door was left unlocked, and I can tell such things,¡± said Broken. ¡°I wanted to go somewhere private. It was only a matter of chance that the door to this room was unlocked.¡±


    ¡°Great,¡± said Mai. There was nowhere to sit, so she continued to stand. ¡°So, why do you care so much what I do?¡± And more importantly, why was my first instinct to hide what happened from Broken?


    ¡°I worry about you,¡± said Broken. ¡°I worry about how you¡¯re handling everything. What happened last night was far, far worse than what happened in Gansu, and what happened in Gansu pushed you off the edge.¡±


    ¡°You think that what happened last night was because I was pushed over the edge?¡±


    Broken nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s¡­¡± Mai searched for a strong enough word. ¡°That¡¯s crap Broken, and you know it.¡±


    ¡°Is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Remember what happened in the cave of Devin¡¯s thieves?¡±


    The words stung. Somehow, Broken had hit upon the one though Mai had last night that had been against what she was doing. ¡°That¡¯s different!¡± said Mai.


    ¡°How many times have you¡­before this?¡± was all Broken said in response.


    ¡°Once.¡± Mai paused. That time didn¡¯t really count. ¡°Never,¡± she clarified. ¡°But this is none of your business!¡±


    ¡°I see I¡¯ve hit a chord,¡± said Broken. ¡°And you know why that is? Because you didn¡¯t think. You didn¡¯t think about the consequences. You could be pregnant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pregnant,¡± said Mai. ¡°My cycle¡­¡±


    She trailed off, as it seemed Broken was no longer interested. He was walking through the aisles of wine, stooping to run his finger against the stoppers of some of the bottles closest to the ground.


    ¡°Here we go,¡± he said, taking out one of the bottles. ¡°Vintage ten-ninety Arathou.¡± He promptly put it back.


    Broken stood up, and walked back over to Mai.


    ¡°All I want you to know,¡± he said, ¡°is that your choice is indeed your choice. But choices can have consequences, and the unforeseen ones can be the most dangerous.¡±


    He came over to her, and for a moment, Mai thought that Broken was going to hug her. But then he did not. He did not even clasp her hand.


    ¡°Just remember,¡± said Broken. ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide anything from me. You won¡¯t succeed, and it¡¯s not worth the effort.¡±


    And with that, they headed out of the wine cellar, and back up the stairs, returning back to the level they had come from.

 Chapter 28: Three Partners

    By the time Ishad returned from his meeting with the Augrave, Mai had found out, from Broken, that the rooms the three of them had been given were right next to each other, and were more or less identical.


    When Ishad returned, he found Mai and Broken waiting for him, in Broken¡¯s room.


    ¡°How was it?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Nothing much,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Quite literally.¡± There was a chair in Broken¡¯s room, near the wall, so he grabbed it, moved it to the center of the room, and sat down, so that he was better able to face Mai and Broken, both sitting on the edge of the bed.


    Ishad continued. ¡°It was exactly like what Talil had said. The Augrave met me in his chambers, told me I was a quandary, and sent me away. It was odd. So, when do we leave?¡±


    Broken wasn¡¯t thrown by Ishad¡¯s continued involvement, as Mai had just a few minutes ago filled him in on Ishad¡¯s insistence to help.


    ¡°As I mentioned before we arrived here,¡± said Broken, ¡°in order to reach Asan Paril as quickly as possible, we must journey across the Vedlin Fields.¡±


    ¡°The Asan River runs right by the Holy Citadel, and leads to Asan Paril, at its mouth,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more expedient to take a ship?¡±


    ¡°I have already thought about that,¡± said Broken. ¡°Taking a ship would not be a good idea, because ships stop in ports of call.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°The Makini incursion to the Holy Citadel had two goals, as I mentioned. It may have failed in killing us, but it succeeded in reducing the morale of the Vedil. If something like this could happen, it could happen again, Vedil commoners will think. And because of this, the Makini will capitalize on the moment. Right now, the Makini armies are doing nothing but consolidating outlying Vedil land into their nation. Soon, I believe, they will strike into the Vedil heartlands. And the Vedlin Fields is the heartlands of the Vedil.¡±


    ¡°You think we will travel onto what will become a battlefield,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Broken. ¡°With us upon it. If we took a ship, before long, the ship would turn around, or eject its passengers, or abort its voyage. Or perhaps the Makini would take it.


    ¡°We must be cautious. In this, the last leg of the journey, it will be easy to believe that all is won, just before all fleets away.¡±


    ¡°Are we all in?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Of course we are,¡± said Mai. She looked at Broken.


    ¡°Where my lady goes, I will follow,¡± he said. ¡°Ishad¡¯s camp was taken apart on the orders of Priest-Lord Ralad, and his horse, Stride is waiting for us in the tower stables, along with Aruith and Swift. In other places in the tower is everything we had in the Penitent Sage, and everything we have that we brought here, along with more supplies. Priest-Lord Ralad is a thorough man. However, we are expected to leave in the morning.¡±


    ¡°And so we shall,¡± said Mai. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to stay.¡±


    The three went to their separate rooms. Nothing interesting happened that night, nothing at all.


    In the morning, just as Broken had said, everything was ready for them to leave. A week¡¯s worth of supplies for the three of them were packed, and Broken¡¯s armor was returned to him, stitched up as new.


    When they went to the stables, a pair of servants helped get their horses ready. ¡°I hear you were out on the streets, during that Casari night of fire,¡± said one.


    It was odd to hear the name Casari used as a curse now, reflected Mai, though often it was. The way Broken had introduced himself all that time ago made her more conscious of the demon¡¯s name in conversation.


    ¡°We were,¡± Mai said, replying to the servant¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Well, we are glad you were able to survive the night, lady,¡± said the other servant, helping her up onto Swift. When she got on the horse, the two men went to help Ishad and Broken.


    Mai reflected once more, thinking about how her survival that night in the Holy Citadel had really been in doubt.


    Then they were off. She, Ishad, and Broken rode from the Vedil Tower, and then from the Holy Citadel. As they slowly trotted their horses through the streets, Mai gazed at the destruction all around her. While the Tower, and everything else on the plaza had been left alone, the main part of the city seemed in horrible shape.


    Eton had been methodical in his destruction. While each of the many fires had been contained in short order, there was no sector of the city save the plaza untouched. There was no street that could be walked on, without seeing the blasted and charred remains of a building.


    The fact that it was the day made it all the more disturbing. What Mai saw seemed to prove that nightmares were real. She understood what Broken had meant, when he had said that the Makini would rush to invade after burning the Holy Citadel. What Mai saw, temples charred and black, was much more a psychological blow than anything else.


    But the blow was still incredibly powerful. Seeing what she saw now, after knowing what the Holy Citadel had looked like before the fires made Mai mournful and sad, and she was no Vedil.


    A Vedil would probably see this as a destruction of what was held most dear. The city was called the Holy Citadel for a reason. It was the center of Vedil faith, the center of all faith, and the fact that the city was under Vedil control Mai knew was always the crowning source of pride for the people of that House. Vedil always tended to be more religious than most.


    Mai didn¡¯t understand how anyone could have ordered such a destruction. The Holy Citadel was not just for the Vedil. The city¡¯s temples were for all.


    Mai had witnessed the destruction of the Occluded City, but from a distance, and only in a few fleeting glances. She had left that place in a carriage with its windows closed off. Here, she was right in front of all that had gone wrong. Mai felt pained, pained because she was reminded that she had no idea what the Occluded City had come to. Then, she had not had the courage to look.


    But then, Broken took the lead, and increased his pace, making Ishad and Mai also increase their speed. They traveled out of the city gate, and then turned and began to travel in the opposite direction of the forest. In the new direction, Mai found luscious farmlands. The group rode through the beautiful landscape until the Holy Citadel was but a blot in the distance, and then, only a memory. It was hard to believe that a House with lands this beautiful could have a capital so scarred.


    Regardless, however, Mai was glad to be out of the city. The fresh air did wonders for her. Here she could put what had happened in the Holy Citadel behind her, and look for a brighter tomorrow.


    Broken¡¯s words hung over her head, that war would come here soon enough, but at the moment, that was hard to believe.


    The silent riding gave Mai a chance to think, and she realized how much she had changed since she had left the Occluded City. She was no longer as na?ve. She was sure she had not witnessed the worst the world had to offer, but she had seen and endured terrible things nonetheless. And, in an odd way, those terrible things had strengthened her.


    She no longer judged on sight. Broken, a commoner, and Ishad, of the merchant class, had both proven to be loyal and courageous many times over. In short, they possessed the qualities that only nobles were supposed to have.


    Mai rode on.


    The three of them camped that night, when it got dark, in the outskirts of a field belonging to some farmer or another. The farmhouse could been seen as only a small wedge in the difference, but, to avoid being seen, they lit no fire, and only ate cold rations. The grass around them was thick, and a few feet high, so when they settled the horses again, secured them, and lay down, Mai had the sensation as if she, Ishad, and Broken were giants in a forest.


    Broken walked away, saying he had to go and spy on the occupants of the farmhouse. That left Mai and Ishad alone.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯m wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start picking up the ambiguous comments from Broken, now.¡±


    Mai smiled. ¡°What I said wasn¡¯t sarcastic. Well, I guess it was a little, but really, I¡¯m happy.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Because for the first time in a long while, I feel like I actually know what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me how you left the Occluded City, and how you met Broken?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°They happened at the same time,¡± said Mai. And she elaborated, as Ishad listened carefully. Mai told the whole story as best she could.


    ¡°So you really don¡¯t know who Broken is,¡± said Ishad when they were done. ¡°Nor do you know why he took a month long detour at a farm in the middle of nowhere.¡±


    ¡°I guess,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I thought he had been your bodyguard for a long time,¡± said Ishad, ¡°considering the unorthodox way he treats you.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. She heard concern in Ishad¡¯s voice, concern she hadn¡¯t realized until now was necessary. Broken had told her bits and pieces of his life, but in such a way that they really couldn¡¯t be put together. Broken knew everything there was to know about Mai and Ishad, but they knew next to nothing about him.


    ¡°When you first joined up with our group,¡± said Mai, ¡°Broken said that he had convinced you that he was a friend of your order. What did he say?¡±


    ¡°He told me some codes,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Monk codes, known only by those who are both good and able to take those words with them to their graves. I thought that in his time as your bodyguard, he would have been taught the codes. Now, I have no idea where he could have learned them. Commoner warriors don¡¯t get told things like that, I guarantee it.¡±


    ¡°Ishad?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Your talent, recognizing the lands where people grew up by the sounds of their voices, what does it tell you about where Broken was raised?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the strangest thing,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Broken speaks differently than most. He fluctuates, so when he was talking to me when we met, I thought he was Amzu. When he talks to you, he sounds Tachen.¡±


    ¡°Do you have similar problems with other people, on occasion?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°No,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Only with Broken.¡±


    And then, Broken sat down next to them, suddenly and silently back from his excursion. Instead of pretending that Broken had no idea what they were talking about, Mai asked him point blank, ¡°Where were you raised?¡±


    Broken didn¡¯t seem taken aback, but then, he never did. ¡°I learned all I know now in a great many places,¡± he said. ¡°The farmers whose lands we are sitting on seem normal, and unlikely to discover us. We can train.¡±


    And so he and Mai did. Broken somehow remembered exactly where he had left off with her lessons. When Ishad expressed interest, Broken taught him a little as well.


    All seemed normal, or at least as normal as things could be, until Broken withdrew his sword from his sheath, to demonstrate something.


    The sword was different. Mai hadn¡¯t noticed before, because the sheath was still the same, but when it was drawn, even a fool would not recognize it for Aurasing. The sword¡¯s guard, instead of being shaped oval, was now a more modern crossguard. The blade didn¡¯t have the same sort of gleam as Aurasing, and the writing on the weapon was gone. There were no more High Tongue runes. The sword just looked typical, one that any soldier marching off to war could carry.


    ¡°What happened to your real sword, Broken?¡± Mai asked, abandoning her fighting stance.


    ¡°I traded it away,¡± said Broken. Then he told her of Priest-Lord Ralad wanting to speak with her, and him giving the sword away just to prevent that.


    ¡°That sword was worth more than a few minutes of my time!¡± said Mai, confused as to why Broken would have ever proposed such a deal.


    Ishad started to walk over, but Broken ignored the new arrival. ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said. ¡°But what was at stake was far more than a short, pleasant conversation. I spoke to him in an interrogation room. He would have sucked you dry. Priest-Lord Ralad might be a noble man, but he was not going to let you go, without seeing exactly where you stood on each and every issue. I offered him the only thing I could that might dissuade him, and it did. Otherwise, you still might be speaking to him, right now.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that can be true,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Aurasing was my greatest possession,¡± said Broken. ¡°But you are more important to me than any possession.¡±


    Broken let those words hang in that air a bit, as no others jumped in to fill the void.


    Finally, he spoke again. ¡°This lesson is over.¡± He shoved the lesser sword into Aurasing¡¯s sheath. ¡°Let¡¯s get to sleep.¡±


    And so they did.


    ¡°Hello,¡± said the Nari.


    Mai knew she was dreaming, she felt as much, but there was nothing she could do to wake, even as a Nari, adorned in Ishad¡¯s onetime monk cloak, advanced through a shifting sea of tall grasses, grasses twenty feet high.


    ¡°I¡¯m dreaming,¡± said Mai, as if saying as much would help her.


    ¡°Right you are,¡± replied the Nari, in a manner that was reminiscent of how Ishad spoke. No, the words sounded exactly the same. There was no hissing, just a human voice coming from such foul lips.


    A moment later, he turned into an exact replica of Ishad, but he still wore the monk cloak. ¡°But what can you do about it?¡± asked the former Nari.


    Mai turned around, and Eton was right there, in the tall grass. He took out one of his vials, filled with red. ¡°He¡¯s gonna show you this,¡± said Eton, shaking the vial in a hand. Then he and the vial were suddenly gone.


    Mai turned around again, and the Nari in Ishad¡¯s monk robes was back. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± it asked her. ¡°Say something.¡±


    ¡°Help me¡­¡± Mai found the courage to mutter.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to help you,¡± said the Nari, suddenly so much closer, right up until it was almost against Mai¡¯s face. Its height was so much more evident now, so Mai had to crane her head upwards to look at it.


    ¡°Actually,¡± said the Nari, stepping back, ¡°some will help you. But I will show you your destiny.¡±


    The forest of tall grasses was gone, and Mai found herself standing on darkness. All around her was black, but Mai could see both herself and what she wore perfectly.


    Then, two men walked out of the darkness, both hooded as specters of death, as executioners.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Mai felt compelled to shout. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done wrong.¡±


    Then the two men were suddenly so much closer, and each one grabbed one of her arms tightly.


    ¡°This may be the last leg of the journey,¡± said the one holding her left arm, through his hood. He spoke in Broken¡¯s voice. ¡°But¡­this last leg is long, and fraught with peril.¡±


    ¡°This will happen,¡± said the executioner to the right, in Ishad¡¯s voice. ¡°Perhaps not exactly like this, but this will happen.¡±


    Suddenly, there was a bucket of water on a table in front of her, and the two executioners thrust her head into it. As Mai struggled to hold her breath, she saw a golden crown shimmer into existence in the bright blue water, and then melt away. Then the Nari¡¯s head appeared.


    ¡°All this is avoidable,¡± it said, ¡°If only you run and hide. We don¡¯t need you dead; we just need you out of the picture. You are not the one who has been chosen to succeed the Arathou Dynasty.¡±


    When Mai¡¯s lungs felt as if they could take no more, the two men in black suddenly pulled her head out of the water. The Nari head in the bucket disappeared, and a full Nari walked out of the darkness, still cloaked in Ishad¡¯s robes. It walked forward, knocked the bucket off the table, and rested its clawed hands upon the cleared surface.


    ¡°Remember what Broken made you do,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You were a farmer girl once, and you can do it again. That choice is more preferable than death, I believe. Run, and never be Maiako as Arathou del Sarathorn again.¡±


    ¡°Sarathorn?¡± Mai asked. ¡°I was never Sarathorn. I am Tachen.¡±


    ¡°You became Sarathorn when you snubbed your nose at the Codes of Sara,¡± said the Nari. For a brief moment, the snake sounded like one of Mai¡¯s etiquette instructors, back at the Occluded City, but by the end of the sentence, the resemblance was gone, replaced by the Nari¡¯s typical hissing speech.


    ¡°If you prefer, Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, so be it,¡± said the snake. ¡°But your name can be neither. Run and hide little girl, else your friends will betray you.¡±


    As Mai twisted her head from side to side, she saw the two executioners that held her pull away their masks. They were Broken and Ishad, respectively.


    ¡°To stop this, find a farm, little girl,¡± said the Nari. ¡°Choose a new name, and settle down on that farm. Or else you will die.¡± It disappeared.


    Broken and Ishad swung Mai around to face them.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, as they thrust her to the ground, and advanced. Mai appealed to Broken first. ¡°You swore to protect me!¡±


    ¡°There are greater things that need protecting,¡± said Broken. With Ishad, he got on his knees, and reached at Mai, who lay on her back on the black ground.


    ¡°Ishad!¡± Mai cried. ¡°You love me!¡±


    ¡°There are things more important than love,¡± said Ishad, his hands, with Broken¡¯s, reaching for her neck.


    ¡°Duty,¡± Broken and Ishad said together


    Then there was a flash, and Mai was falling, falling through white. ¡°And remember this,¡± said the Nari¡¯s voice, though Mai could not see it. ¡°So you know what you dreamed is true.¡±


    Suddenly, above Mai, Eton was falling as well. He took out a little vial of red liquid, and showed it to her, smiling.


    ¡°This is important, my dear,¡± he said. ¡°This will be mentioned.¡±


    Suddenly, Mai was awake.


    Looking around her, and seeing that Ishad and Broken were preparing the horses, Mai got up from the ground, squinting at the morning sun.


    ¡°I have to tell you something important,¡± she said to them.


    ¡°It will have to wait,¡± said Broken, gesturing across the field. Three farmers were running at them from across the farmland, shouting things impossible to hear because of the distance, and trying to reach the trespassers before they got away. ¡°We must go now,¡± Broken clarified.


    Mai mounted Swift, and, and at Broken¡¯s lead, began to ride out of the farmland. She wasn¡¯t sure what the three of them had done to make the farmers so angry, but she didn¡¯t want to be around when they reached the erstwhile camp.


    Mai¡¯s Swift, Broken¡¯s Aruith, and Ishad¡¯s Stride easily outpaced the three farmers on foot. In short order, the farmers were left in the distance, and the three travelers reached the main road.


    As they continued to ride, Mai hoped the three farmers didn¡¯t get out their own horses to pursue, but, as they continued to ride, with only normal traffic on the road, Mai realized that fear was unfounded.


    As Aruith beat the pace for the other two horses and their riders, Mai found her desire to share the dream slowly begin to fade, as did her feeling of its importance.


    It¡¯s nothing, she told herself. I had another dream involving Nari and warnings before, and nothing came of it.


    But this new dream seemed more vivid, and a counter to Mai¡¯s thought surfaced. I haven¡¯t reached Asan Paril yet, and that¡¯s where the dreams say the horror will arise. Not until I reach that city safely will the dreams be proven untrue.


    Convincing herself, Mai resolved to talk about the dreams to Ishad and Broken.


    Soon.

 Chapter 29: Train of Souls

    Varsis, on his proud stallion Falor, surveyed upon hilltop the image of an army moving. Below him, on the road, ten thousand soldiers and their camp followers trudged along the clear road. Great black wagons, interspersed amongst the troops, carried supplies. Hundreds of horsemen were here, too, and spares were trailing at the back of the great train, should any of the currently used horses fall. It was a sight indeed, awesome for some, terrifying for others.


    But all was not as well as it could have been.


    The soldiers wore packs on their backs and had been marching in this way for hours. Even from a hundred feet above them, and half as much distance to the side, Varsis could see the strain on their faces.


    Just keep marching a little bit longer, he willed them, and a little bit more, and before this day is out, we will get where we must go.


    As a messenger on horseback rode up to Varsis on the hilltop, the general turned. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°News from General Areveli,¡± said the messenger, and Varsis saw that the man was not from his army. ¡°I have traveled long and hard from his army to bring you his orders,¡± the man continued.


    ¡°What are they?¡± asked Varsis. He had thought that, when the Council had provided his army with four thousand reinforcements after what had come to be known as the Battle of the Phantoms, they had been implying that he had become the supreme commander of the Makini armies, or at least autonomous. Varsis had as many troops with him as Areveli did, and Areveli¡¯s army was trailing a few days march behind Varsis¡¯ troops.


    And yet Areveli could still give him orders. He supposed as much had been inevitable, but still, Varsis felt a little resentful.


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± said the messenger. ¡°Under the code Out of the Backers, and with General Brasko is Areveli as the sender, you are ordered to make camp, and wait, for the next several days, for General Areveli¡¯s army to meet and consolidate with yours.¡±


    Varsis sighed. There was nothing wrong he could tell with the orders. After the Battle of the Phantoms, Makini gains in Vedil territory needed to be consolidated, and a short pause in the marching would restore morale. Right now, his army was over a hundred miles into Vedil territory. They deserved to feel as if they had accomplished something large enough that they could rest.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± he asked the messenger.


    ¡°Yes, Lord-General.¡±


    Varsis was proud to see that title in use again. Then, without another thought for the messenger, he raced on Falor down to the bulk of his troops. Finding Captain Sari through the masses in short order, he spoke to the man, ¡°Tell the other captains that I have ordered us to make camp.¡± Then, to effect that, he shouted, ¡°Make camp!¡±


    All the soldiers under Varsis¡¯ command were veterans, and they knew what they were supposed to do. Once they realized that their general had made the order, organized chaos ensued, to make sure the camp was created as quickly as possible.


    Varsis¡¯ subordinates barked out orders, and in a very short time, the camp was beginning to take form. Furnishings were unpacked for the officer¡¯s tents, even before said tents had been set up. The enlisted tents, smaller and easier to set up, were being created much faster.


    But all was well. In a few hours, night had fallen, and the camp was done, centering on the road, and circling out from there in all directions.


    It was about at this time when Varsis, crossing the camp to inspect things, was called by a messenger to come over to the command tent. He rode over, left Falor with an aide, and walked in.


    Inside, there was a round table, peopled by all of Varsis¡¯ captains and prominent advisors. But here too, seated in the taller chair, the one Varsis used, was a man not supposed to be here.


    The man looked somewhat old, perhaps in his fifties, but his long black hair had not a strand of gray within, and merged with his long gray beard.


    Varsis knew of the man who wore such a style. He had never met the man, but had certainly heard of him.


    ¡°General Brasko is Areveli,¡± said Varsis, taking a deep bow. ¡°It is an honor to meet you at last.¡±


    And it was. Any resentment Varsis had serving under the man was gone now, replaced by only a feeling of duty. He felt ashamed that he had even thought such seditious thoughts. Such was what the gaze of the great General Areveli could do to another.


    ¡°Mine as well, General Varsis Hakshi,¡± said Areveli from his chair. The older man patted to the empty seat next to him. ¡°Sit.¡±


    Varsis did. ¡°Sir, if I may ask,¡± he said, ¡°when did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I left my army this morning,¡± said Areveli. ¡°I arrived an hour or so ago. My captains can march by themselves for a couple of days, and I was anxious to see the great Varsis in person.¡±


    The thought occurred to Varsis that perhaps his reputation had preceded itself more to Areveli than Areveli¡¯s reputation had to him.


    ¡°To that effect,¡± continued Areveli, ¡°All others, leave us!¡±


    Without protest, Varsis¡¯ captains and advisors left. They knew who the greater was here. Captain Sari flashed Varsis a small smile as he walked away. It seemed as if Sari wanted to see his general humbled.


    But then the leaders were alone, sitting next to each other at a table in a tent that could comfortably accommodate twenty.


    ¡°What is it you wish to talk about, General?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°I wish to know what kind of man I am dealing with,¡± said Areveli, settling back into his chair. The hair on the top of his head and on his beard flowed downwards to his waist. It seemed as if neither had ever been cut. ¡°I wish to see your hand, Varsis,¡± said the General.


    Varsis had no doubt as to which hand Areveli wanted to see. He proffered his left hand, feeling its cold steel.


    ¡°I see something interesting,¡± said Areveli. ¡°Your attire is odd.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°How so?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Your right arm is bare to the shoulder,¡± said the older general. ¡°But your left is covered all the way up to your wrist. It is as if you are trying to hide the steel that his your hand as much as possible.¡±


    He is perceptive, Varsis noted. The only other two people who had deciphered that much about Varsis¡¯ costume were his grandfather, and his mother.


    ¡°This begs the question,¡± said Areveli, ¡°What lies above the wrist? Show me the extent of the steel.¡±


    Varsis pulled up his left sleeve with his right hand, exposing all of what looked like nothing more than a steel gauntlet.


    ¡°That does not seem so bad,¡± said Areveli, as Varsis covered his arm again. ¡°You cannot tell it does not come off.¡±


    As much, many have said, thought Varsis.


    ¡°Why do you hide it so?¡± asked Areveli. A moment later, he shook his head. ¡°Never mind. I know. You are afraid your hand represents your weakness as a person.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°You are a General,¡± said Areveli, ¡°but you do not rest. In those times when you could do as much, you pretend to be a drill sergeant, constantly reviewing everyone¡¯s performance, even when you know you are just wasting your time.¡±


    ¡°I do that to attain my standard of excellence,¡± said Varsis. ¡°In five years, no battle I have participated in has gone against me.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are indeed a man who will eclipse my accomplishments,¡± said Areveli. ¡°There is a good chance you already have. But my forte is research, and I have discovered a great many things about you. I learned that five years ago, just before you started to win every battle you fought, you were fitted with your metal hand. Perhaps I am right, and perhaps I am not, but it seems as if your excellence is out of drive to do everything you can to make up for what you consider to be¡­an infirmity.¡±


    It was an interesting moment for Varsis, then, as he realized that Areveli was right.


    ¡°Many would give up a hand to have a replacement such as yours,¡± said Areveli. ¡°But you do everything you can to not use it. Why?¡±


    As Areveli had helped Varsis find something out about himself, Varsis found himself helping Areveli by giving an honest answer to that question, a question so personal he had never answered it before, not even to his grandfather.


    ¡°I hate bearing the mark of the Council on me,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I am not their mindless beast. I am no golem.¡±


    ¡°And yet, in a way, you are,¡± said Areveli. ¡°You serve them tirelessly, granting them great victory after great victory, and always put their needs above your own. You accepted the metal hand to replace your stump only because the Council asked you to do it. Inside, you may be the greatest anarchist in the world, Varsis, I would not know, but on the outside, you are the Hand of the Council. Few have ever served as loyally as you.¡±


    Varsis wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that. He was angry at Areveli, to be sure, but he didn¡¯t know why. ¡°I¡­I thank you for your insight.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of golems,¡± said Areveli, there was another reason why I wished to speak to you alone. It is about that operation, the one I am sure you have heard of.¡±


    ¡°The one that, if our spies tell the truth, has reduced the Holy Citadel to a smoking wreck?¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°The very same,¡± said Areveli. ¡°I fear they embellish, but it matters little, as that particular classified mission had been more than worth its cost. The Vedil are afraid.¡±


    ¡°Whose idea was it?¡± asked Varsis. His status had made him aware, generally about the operation, but nothing specific.


    ¡°Hisa¡¯s I believe,¡± said Areveli. ¡°Your mother. As it seems as if the Council will order our combined armies to take the Holy Citadel in short order, it was made necessary to tell you the fine details of the operation.¡±


    ¡°What agents were involved?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Few, interestingly,¡± said Areveli. ¡°I, also, had nothing to do with the operation, and was only briefed in full after the fact. There were only three. Two golems, and a demon.¡±


    ¡°A Terrasanu?¡± repeated Varsis.


    ¡°Indeed. And a very unpleasant one at that.¡±


    ¡°So there were no humans involved?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Our spies in the Holy Citadel observed, but they did nothing more, so I do not think they count,¡± said Areveli. ¡°As a trivia fact, this was the first mission ever undertaken by the Makini that did not include at least one human.¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°Yes. I wonder if Hisa knows what she is doing,¡± said Areveli. He paused. ¡°It is alright if I call her Hisa, is it not?¡±


    ¡°I care little what you call her, so long as you serve,¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°I thought as much,¡± was the reply. ¡°Well, no matter. The fires and explosions were caused by flame powder, an invention I am sure you have heard of.¡±


    Varsis nodded.


    ¡°There was also a secondary objective,¡± said Areveli, ¡°one I found quite interesting. Princess Maiako was in the city at the time of the assault, and the demon and the golems attempted to kill her and her two retainers.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Varsis. He barely restrained himself from standing. ¡°Hisa told me, herself, that Maiako was more trouble than she was worth, and that the Princess would be left alone. She lied.¡±


    ¡°People with power tend to do that,¡± said Areveli, ¡°if they think it is in their subject¡¯s best interest to be told what they want to hear.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to lead that mission,¡± said Varsis.


    ¡°Hisa thought that it would be more productive for you to lead an army, clearly,¡± said Areveli. ¡°And I happen to agree with her.¡±


    ¡°You said that our agents attempted to kill Maiako,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Does that mean they were unsuccessful?¡±


    ¡°It does indeed,¡± said Areveli.


    Varsis had the feeling that without Maiako¡¯s mysterious guardian, she would be dead. ¡°Damn it,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Control yourself,¡± said Areveli. ¡°For there is one who will finish the briefing for me, and I believe he is angry enough at his failure without additional incitement.¡±


    ¡°One of the agents?¡± asked Varsis. ¡°But the only agent who can even speak is the Terrasanu.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± said Areveli. ¡°You will be briefed as I was briefed.¡± He raised his voice. ¡°Send Eton in!¡±


    Only a few moments later, a short, pale man dressed in nondescript clothing walked into the tent, and stood across the round table from Varsis and Areveli.


    ¡°The great Varsis,¡± he said. ¡°I was wondering when I would get a chance to¡­see you.¡±


    ¡°Save me the small talk, and report,¡± said Varsis. When his eyes flashed to Areveli, it looked as if the man was amused. His beard was shaking ever so slightly.


    ¡°If I must,¡± said Eton.


    Varsis was getting annoyed. ¡°You are bound to serve us, demon. Give your report.¡±


    ¡°Are you so sure I am bound?¡± asked Eton.


    In response, Varsis pulled off a Symbol, that he always wore on his right wrist, and held it up with his left hand. The gold of the Symbol and the gray of the steel flashed together. Varsis stood. ¡°You do not wish to test me, demon. I have killed your kind before, and can easily bring you great pain.¡±


    Eton¡¯s response was odd. He should have been repulsed by the proffering of the Symbol, at least slightly, but he merely leaned in, across the table. He withdrew a moment later.


    Varsis replaced the Symbol to his wrist, and sat back down again, seeming to calm himself. On the inside, however, he was seething. What had Hisa been thinking, binding a demon this strong? His Symbol was heavily consecrated. Upon Varsis¡¯ activating it, Eton should have been pained.


    But he had not been.


    ¡°So, my report,¡± said Eton, as if nothing had happened. ¡°My failure. I used flame powder to blow things up, in accordance with my orders, but Maiako¡¯s guardian, a man with a powerful and ancient sword, drove me off.¡±


    Eton laughed, and walked out of the tent.


    Varsis immediately turned to Areveli. ¡°That thing is dangerous,¡± he said.


    ¡°So I have gathered,¡± General Brasko as Areveli responded. ¡°And as you have more experience in the area than I, my belief is reinforced.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t just show my Symbol because I got angry,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I showed it because I wanted to see how powerful Eton was. He wasn¡¯t affected.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that as well, and believe me, I worry too,¡± said Areveli. ¡°But powers higher than me say that he will not stab us in the back, and I have no choice but to believe them.¡±


    ¡°What powers?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°The Council, of course.¡± Areveli paused. ¡°The Terrasanu is with us, now. He has been assigned to our armies. I suggest you use that tactician¡¯s mind of yours, and find some way to make him useful.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I am going to talk to him right now.¡± To find out more about Maiako¡¯s guardian, he did not add. ¡°With your leave?¡± asked Varsis, getting ready to stand and walk out.


    ¡°In a moment,¡± said Areveli. ¡°Ten thousand troops are being massed by our great leaders each month, and sent to the front lines. I want you to think about where you believe our army to be headed. Now, you may go.¡±


    Varsis stared at him for a moment.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Areveli. ¡°My moments are truly moments. You may go.¡±


    Varsis left.

 Chapter 30: Calculated Damage

    ¡°Where are they headed, my friend? Where are they going?¡± As Lin helped him, General Trexen as Achang poured over a table filled with maps.


    ¡°It is questionable,¡± said Lin. He struggled to keep the sir away from the end of his sentence. He had only just been promoted to general, and that put him at the same status as Achang. It was quite hard, however, to feel equal to a man perhaps fifty years his senior. When Emperor Ehajdon had given him the job, he had warned that all his other generals were quite old. Lin was now seeing this for himself.


    Achang was nearly blind, and as he leaned forward in his comfortable chair, he squinted at the maps that lay before him. ¡°Get a servant in here,¡± he told Lin, not looking up.


    ¡°Servant!¡± Lin shouted.


    As a servant was coming in, Achang said, ¡°I just can¡¯t find a map of the Karaki lands. That¡¯s all I need.¡±


    Lin, who was standing next to Achang, saw the map immediately, and brought it over so that Achang could see.


    ¡°Ah!¡± said Achang. He looked up at the servant. ¡°I do not need you anymore. You may go.¡±


    With a shrug, the man left, leaving Lin alone with Achang once more. As Achang pored over the map, General Ras Xaien entered the room. Xaien was a short old man with a long white beard, who walked with a cane, but he was rather sharper than Achang, or so Lin had come to believe.


    Lin, Achang, and Xaien had all been sent to the plains around the city of Gansu, and that area was serving as a staging area for the armies of the Minsu. More troops poured in every day, until now, the army camp was rivaling Gansu in population, and perhaps fifteen thousand soldiers were ready for combat, but it did not seem that the soldiers would help to save the Vedil anytime soon.


    Lin and Xaien agreed that they should at least be marching east with all due speed, heading support the Holy Citadel, and perhaps from there, punch a hole in the Makini front lines, but Achang, as the most senior, kept overruling them.


    He wanted to review all the options, again and again. It seemed that the army would sit on the fields of Gansu forever.


    And due to Minsu law, there was nothing either Lin or Xaien could do to stop him. They had appealed to the Emperor, only to find him gone from his residences.


    ¡°How are things going, young one?¡± asked Xaien.


    ¡°Much the same,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Xaien. ¡°At least the Makini are not knocking on our front door.¡± He made an odd sort of hop, that he did whenever he was annoyed, which, recently, was quite often. ¡°How are things going, Trexen?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Very well,¡± said Achang. ¡°It appears that the House Karaki troop movements are defensive, rather than offensive. We need not be worried.¡±


    ¡°But what of the Makini troop movements?¡± asked Xaien. ¡°Those are quite offensive.¡±


    ¡°We have time,¡± said Achang. ¡°We wait, and see what happens.¡±


    ¡°You will not wait, old fool,¡± came a voice, and all three general¡¯s heads turned to the doorway. There stood Emperor Ehajdon, clad regally, yet functionally. There were no courtiers around him, only a pair of bodyguards.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said Achang, standing, as both Lin and Xaien bowed. ¡°What brings you to this humble place?¡±


    ¡°What brings me here, Achang, to this map room, is you,¡± said the Emperor.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Achang. ¡°Did I displease Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± said Ehajdon. Followed by his bodyguards, he walked over to the only chair in the room, the leather one Achang sat upon. ¡°Get up.¡±


    With difficulty, Achang twisted his frame to look upon the Emperor in his new position.


    ¡°But, I am old, Your Majesty,¡± he said. ¡°I will be nine and eighty before the year is out. Grant me some comfort.¡±


    ¡°It is good you know how old you are, Achang,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Now, get up.¡±


    With great difficulty, Achang got up from his chair, his whole body shaking with effort. He grasped for his canes, the two of them, as he needed one for each arm, and, painfully slowly, rounded around the table until he was standing opposite his old chair.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Emperor sat down, and his two bodyguards flanked him. Seeing where this was going, both Lin and Xaien hurried to also stand by his side.


    When Ehajdon spoke again, Achang stood alone. ¡°In the last month,¡± said the Emperor, ¡°I have been traveling the Minsu countryside without rest, making sure that every part of this House¡¯s domain was ready for the war that was to come. During that time, I expected my three best generals to be able to do something. Sadly, when I returned to the Minsu Palace, I learned that they had not.


    ¡°And when I reviewed the information I had at hand,¡± said Ehajdon, ¡°I realized who was at fault. I realized that there is a sharp drop in quality between my second best general, and my third best. Achang, you have stayed on this field so long that I walked into a building to get here. The building that, I was told, was constructed as the headquarters of the army. A residence for the generals. But then I learned that it was constructed under your orders alone, Achang. Yours.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Majesty,¡± said Achang, wobbling on his crutches. ¡°I needed a place to work!¡±


    ¡°What purpose will this building serve when the army moves out?¡± asked Ehajdon. ¡°That is, if you ever expect it to move out. This building took two weeks to construct, a horrible waste of time, unless of course, you plan to be here for much longer.¡±


    Surprisingly, Achang did not deny it. ¡°We have all the time in the world, Your Majesty--¡± he said.


    Ehajdon cut him off. ¡°Even if that were true,¡± he said, ¡°which it is not, the Vedil do not have all the time in the world. With the recent failure of my negotiations for the Karaki to join us, and the utter lack of order with what remains of the Tachens, the Vedil are House Minsu¡¯s only ally. We must march to support them.¡±


    ¡°I do not agree, Your Majesty,¡± said Achang. ¡°Safety first. We must make what we can out of our limited resources.¡±


    ¡°And what kind of frugal spending is it to create this building?¡± asked Ehajdon, ¡°when by all rights it should be abandoned in a few days as the army moves out?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± said Achang.


    ¡°I did not think that you would be so much of a problem until now,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°I thought that making Lin my third general would correct the imbalance you caused. But then, you kept overruling him, him and Xaien. You would not see their logic, and if I order this army to move out myself, you would simply fail to see their logic somewhere else down the road, when lives might be at stake.


    ¡°I am releasing you from your position.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± said Achang. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know where you could have found the reason to make such an order.¡±


    Lin was amazed. It had been clear what Ehajdon was doing the moment he began to speak. Achang not knowing what was going on was yet another reason why he had to go.


    ¡°I explained it to you,¡± said the Emperor, replying to Achang. ¡°But still, I will give you one more chance. I will turn your fate over to your colleagues, who may well know you better than I do. Xaien, Lin, do either of you believe that there is the slightest reason to retain Achang, here?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± said Xaien immediately.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin, a beat later, beginning to understand how horrible Achang had to feel, as the man slunk in his crutches, and almost fell.


    ¡°Then it has been decided,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Trexen as Achang, you are removed from duty. Your generalship has ended.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± said Achang, ¡°I serve you, as I served your father, and your grandfather, and your great-grandfather.¡±


    ¡°And I am told that at one point, you served well,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°But that time has passed. Think of this as a retirement.¡±


    And before Achang could say anything else, Ehajdon raised his voice. ¡°Servants!¡± he called, ¡°help Trexen as Achang to his carriage!¡±


    A pair of servants entered, looking not the least bit surprised at their new task, and performed admirably. Soon, the once-general Achang was gone.


    Ehajdon turned to Xaien. ¡°You know Achang well,¡± he said. ¡°Please make sure your old friend gets to his carriage safely, and does not try to convince any that he still has authority.¡±


    ¡°You are a wise emperor,¡± said Xaien. The small man bowed and left, shuffling on his cane.


    Lin found himself alone with the Emperor and his guards.


    ¡°I would ask something of you, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin.


    Ehajdon got up from the chair. ¡°What, my general?¡±


    ¡°Did you have to be so, well, blunt, with Achang?¡± asked Lin. ¡°I read about him, when I studied in the Academy, and he was once a great strategist. He may be well past his prime, but he has done much for the Minsu, and his age grants him respect.¡±


    ¡°Age may grant respect in popular culture,¡± said Ehajdon, ¡°but it does not do the same for me. I have seen too many old dying fools trying to drag society down with them.¡±


    Lin wasn¡¯t sure what to say to that. ¡°I am sure you are right, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I know I am right, Lin.¡± Ehajdon took out a rolled-up scroll, and set it on the table. He unfurled it. ¡°Here is the damage report from the Holy Citadel,¡± said the Emperor, looking down upon the paper.


    Lin read. ¡°Eighty-four civilian fatalities, three hundred ninety seven civilians otherwise injured, eighteen soldier fatalities, forty-six soldiers otherwise injured, property damage estimated at one million standard coinages. Details follow.¡± He stopped reading. ¡°It sounds horrible.¡±


    ¡°And it is,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°But perhaps not in the way you would expect. One hundred and two dead in a city of two hundred thousand is not much of a blow. But it is a show of Makini power. This is what we are up against, and why I cannot allow for incompetence.¡±


    Ehajdon rolled up the paper and put it away. ¡°I ascended to Emperor to stop atrocities like this from happening. I wasted no time in trying to reunify the Empire. But it appears I am too late. We will still win this war, sooner or later, but more of this--¡± he patted the paper in his pocket, ¡°--is going to occur.¡±


    ¡°I will do whatever you ask of me, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°For a moment, I thought you were second-guessing my ethics. I can assure you, those do not need oversight.¡±


    He started to walk from the room, followed by his pair of guards. At the door, he stopped, and turned. ¡°March the soldiers well, General. In due time, the levies will be called upon, and hundreds of thousands more will come to assist. The Makini will be crushed. Farewell.¡±


    And the Emperor left.


    Lin smiled, filled with renewed hope. He bowed in the direction of the empty doorway. ¡°I assure you, Your Majesty,¡± he whispered, ¡°The Makini will die.¡±

 Chapter 31: Remembered Dreams

    The three made camp in another grassland that night, and Mai had still not told the others about her dreams. She believed, to a limited extent, that the quick stops for breakfast and lunch had not given her enough time to tell the stories in full. But, near the bottom of her heart, Mai knew that the reason she had delayed so long was because she felt the dreams were somehow personal, and not to be shared.


    For if the dreams meant nothing, and they were just odd fragments of a shattered mind, Ishad and Broken would learn that Mai did not trust them very far. Mai cared little what Broken thought of her, just as she was sure he cared little what she thought of him. However, if the dreams meant nothing, Mai didn¡¯t know if she could bare Ishad hearing them. She did trust Ishad.


    Mai thought briefly about perhaps only telling Broken, who, after all, was probably the one who would know the most about dreams anyway, but she found she couldn¡¯t bare telling Broken a secret to be kept from Ishad. If anything, it should be the other way around, but, Mai had the feeling that Ishad would know little of things such as dreams.


    The three had a quick dinner of rations from the Holy Citadel. Then, Mai cleared her throat. Before she could say anything, however, she saw Broken take out a red vial from his clothing, and run it through his fingers. She remembered it was the vial he had caught from Eton¡¯s hand. And he had done exactly what the dream had said he would. Mai was unnerved.


    ¡°I¡­I think I have something important to tell you,¡± she said. And then, as Broken quietly encouraged her, she explained both of them, as well as she could remember. When Mai was done, she asked, ¡°Do they matter?¡± She didn¡¯t know which answer would be a better one, at that point.


    Broken, being Broken, started his answer in an odd fashion. ¡°Do you believe in the mystical, Mai?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°You mean God?¡± Mai responded. ¡°Of course I do.¡±


    ¡°No, I do not mean God,¡± said Broken. Ishad was off to the side, but Broken sat across from Mai. They had lit no campfire, for it was still summer, and his face was dark and shadowed. ¡°God is the spiritual. I mean the mystical. I mean magic.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess,¡± said Mai. It was an odd question. ¡°At the Palace, magicians entertained all the time, and, on odd occasions, I saw spellweavers going about their business. Magic is more of a fact of life than anything else, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°That, indeed, was more the answer I was looking for,¡± said Broken. ¡°So we are agreed that magic is real. Thus, it is quite possible that those dreams mean something. Considering the situation, and all the factors at play, I would say it is quite likely.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± said Mai. ¡°A Nari is using my dreams to tell me that if I go to Asan Paril, danger and betrayal awaits me?¡±


    ¡°The most obvious answer is often the correct one,¡± said Broken. ¡°I agree with your synopsis.¡±


    Mai swallowed. ¡°You¡¯re going to betray me?¡± she asked him. She turned to Ishad. ¡°And you, as well?¡± Mai could barely imagine what kind of demonic scheme would play out like this, and yet, Broken seemed not to be denying it.


    ¡°No,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I would never do anything to harm you. I--¡±


    But Broken cut him off. ¡°That is quite enough lover talk, for the time being.¡± He turned back to Mai. ¡°You miss my point. Just because a Nari says something doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s literally true. Nari never lie, but they can hide things. Just as I do.¡±


    ¡°Just how many ways can ¡®your closest companions will betray you¡¯ be taken?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°A great many ways, besides the obvious,¡± said Broken. ¡°That statement you just made could also mean that fellow travelers on the street will at one point accost you, or that a group known as the Companions will go after you. And I have many more examples, if you care.¡±


    Mai could hardly believe how quickly Broken had thought of his answer. His mind was a force to be reckoned with, indeed.


    ¡°But the Nari didn¡¯t say that, exactly,¡± she said. ¡°He said something much more convoluted. And more than that, he predicted that you would take out the red vial. He can see the future.¡±


    ¡°It is not a great leap of the imagination to think, once I had the vial, I would take it out and look at it,¡± said Broken. ¡°The Nari was not reading the future, there. What worries me more is what that vision implies. As we were fighting for our lives in the Holy Citadel, the Nari was watching us.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the Nari in my dreams was the same one you spoke to?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°It is quite likely,¡± said Broken. ¡°The Nari believe in balanced equations. They send out just the right amount of force to accomplish their tasks, no more, and no less.¡±


    ¡°You know a lot about a race most believe to be myth,¡± said Ishad, immediately, asking the question Mai would have had she not been in weakness.


    ¡°Did you really expect anything less of me?¡± asked Broken. ¡°I know a great many things others do not.¡±


    ¡°Considering the circumstances,¡± said Mai, ¡°could you tell us what the Nari spoke to you about?¡±


    ¡°That business is my own,¡± said Broken. ¡°I would tell you, and I would tell you quite readily, but I fear that your knowledge of what was discussed in that conversation would only serve to further confuse and complicate things.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you think I should do?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°My advice?¡± said Broken. ¡°Ignore the dreams, and continue to Asan Paril. The Nari might have a reason they don¡¯t want you to go there, but you might not like that reason. Of course, what you do is ultimately up to you, and I will not hinder the choice you make in any way.¡±


    Mai looked as Ishad.


    ¡°Go to Asan Paril,¡± he urged. ¡°Continue this journey. Perhaps I am not the best one to say as such, considering my history with the Nari, but I think it would be best to spite them.¡±


    ¡°And so I shall,¡± said Mai.


    There was training that night, but only a little, and then there was sleep.


    Morning came soon, preceded by a dreamless night. They traveled for the next day, and the day after that, until a week had passed.


    Nights were spent in inns, soon enough, when they left the farmlands, and entered more densely populated areas. And always, there were two rooms purchased.


    The war had yet to fall on the Vedil heartlands, when that week was up, but it felt more and more like the calm before the storm. Vedil recruiters were everywhere, and in all the taverns and inns, word had it that Vedil army after Vedil army had been sent to its doom trying to stop the advancing Makini hordes, and even the armies of the great Emperor Ehajdon would not be able to save them.


    Rumor had it that the Makini armies were lead by the greatest tactician in a thousand years, a man with a fist of steel, that could squeeze, and break bone. Varsis, Mai knew was that man, and at night, she trembled. She imagined him coming to squeeze the life out of her, and do it right the second time around. And Mai was afraid now, for unlike before, she cared about her life.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Ishad was a comfort, but only so much. Mai thought it was his humanness in the face of Broken¡¯s unchanging perfection that had attracted her to him, but he was as worried as her about what was to come.


    And Broken, well, Broken was the same as he always was. He had an answer for everything, even if that answer actually said little, and he managed to make their limited coin supply seem to last forever, and even increase. But he, too, seemed at least a little worried, at what was to come.


    For it seemed they would not make it to Asan Paril before the battles reached them.


    By the end of the week, they were at a large city named Barad, and only midway between the Holy Citadel and Asan Paril. At that place, they had already gotten the two rooms necessary at one of the local inns, the Restless Dog, and Broken had gone to do whatever he did to find more coinage.


    But neither Ishad nor Mai were in the Restless Dog, either. They walked the streets of the river city, born on the banks of the waters of the Paril River.


    Barad was the largest city in all the Vedil lands, and in a way, much more refined than the Holy Citadel. While the Holy Citadel focused on religion, Barad focused on the arts, and other secular culture. It was said that the Empire, all those thousands of years ago, had been born in what was now Vedil lands.


    Mai believed that statement to be true. Barad was a center of learning, and growth. The city had two universities, and scholars from even the Unknown Lands, outside the Empire¡¯s borders, made their way to Barad, where all could learn in peace. The great Library was here, and it was said that any trivial bit of information could be found within the palace-shaped building, down to the weather the Holy Citadel had experienced a year ago to the day.


    And here, on the ancient streets, Mai walked hand in hand with Ishad.


    ¡°This is all so amazing,¡± she said, looking at a great fountain, spitting water a dozen feet into the air, built into the center of the intersection of a pair of streets. It was night, and the water sparkled.


    ¡°I have something to show you,¡± said Ishad. He walked all the way up to the fountain, which was quite easy, as the streets were not crowded.


    Mai followed him, even as Ishad reached the fountain, and leaned against it. ¡°Do as I do,¡± said Ishad. Mai leaned against the fountain as well. Then Ishad instructed, ¡°Look up.¡±


    Mai did, seeing, to her amazement, that the very top of the water stream shooting from the top of the fountain pointed straight at the head of the constellation Reconsus, the Northern Sage.


    She knew immediately that the phenomenon was what Ishad had been referring to. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± said Mai, and she was being honest. In the Occluded City, things were designed to make people gape in awe, not gape in wonder.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d like that,¡± said Ishad. ¡°This fountain was built two thousand years ago, in exactly the right proportions so that the illusion would be effected.¡±


    Mai pulled away from the fountain¡¯s stone, and examined it in new light. The fountain looked old, to be sure, but not as old as two millennia. The stone dolphin in the center of the fountain, and its blowhole, from which the water shot up into the air, did not seem quite so ancient.


    ¡°The fountain is kept in perfect condition,¡± she marveled.


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± said Ishad. ¡°The Rememberers, a group of scholars, pay enough money from their own pockets to make sure all of Barad¡¯s many historical artifacts and landmarks are kept as pristine as they can possibly be.¡±


    ¡°How do you know this?¡± asked Mai. ¡°You¡¯re sounding like Broken.¡±


    ¡°My family traveled far and wide to trade things, and set up deals,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Barad was one of the major cities we traveled to. In many ways, it almost feels like a home, even though I have not been here in two years.¡±


    ¡°A second home?¡± Mai repeated. ¡°Does that mean you have connections here?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± asked Ishad.


    Mai, in response, spread a hand out to encompass the city. ¡°Anything else one can see here, that is more¡­restricted?¡±


    ¡°Since my family ostracized me,¡± said Ishad, ¡°I am sure most of my connections have dried up. But I do have some friends here, that have little to do with my family. Come.¡±


    And so they walked through the streets, heading a place only Ishad knew. They passed by the great Library of Barad, which, complete with an impressive courtyard, really looked like a palace. And to think all of it is filled with records, exhibits, and artifacts!


    But that building, in the end, turned out not to be where they were headed. They headed into a section of the city where street performers were everywhere, and festivities were in all directions. A large crowd of children had gathered around a puppeteer, and various live and exotic animals were on display. In the corners, more hidden, were groups of men at tables, making bets and rolling die.


    Ishad and Mai turned a corner, and she saw even more of the same, but even grander. The street before them was fifty feet wide, and headed in a straight line, all the way out to docks on the river Mai could see in the distance. Here, taverns had their customers seated on tables out on the streets, to enjoy the cool night breeze.


    Suddenly, there was clapping, and everyone on the center of the road got out of the way, as a parade turned down the street and headed Mai and Ishad¡¯s way. First in line was a giant snake, operated by perhaps a dozen people within the costume, and then other entertainers leapt about, dressed as eagles, lions, bears, and a host of other creatures. They operated with an enthusiasm that almost seemed forced, but was amazing nevertheless.


    When the parade passed, Ishad said, ¡°That was the Boralang. Every night, without fail, the Boralang roams the streets of the Art Quarter. This road we are on is the center of the Art Quarter. Maverax Lane.¡±


    ¡°Maverax?¡± Mai asked. Maverax was the name of the first God-King, the legendary immortal who came down from heaven to grant order. Maverax was the immortal who founded the Empire. ¡°People think a lot of this road, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They do indeed,¡± said Ishad. ¡°There is even a local story that the reason this road is named such, is because Maverax himself gave the name.¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± asked Mai. ¡°This city can¡¯t be ten thousand years old.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But it is. Barad is far older than the Imperial City.¡± He walked over to one of the buildings on the strip, which looked to be yet another tavern, though its doors were closed, and windows were shaded. Ishad knocked on the door.


    A young man, perhaps Ishad¡¯s age, opened it. He wore clothing that made him out to be a soldier, but instead of wearing the colors of any of the Houses, he instead wore black, with a strange, twisted green insignia on the center of his shirt.


    ¡°Welcome to Maverax Precinct,¡± he said, automatically. ¡°As I am sure you were not intending to come here¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°Hey, Ral,¡± said Ishad, clapping him on the back.


    ¡°Ishad?¡± asked Ral, returning the gesture. ¡°Come in!¡±


    And so Mai and Ishad walked into a small, though nicely kept office. A second soldier was sitting at a desk filing through some things. He did not look up as Mai and Ishad entered.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Ishad?¡± asked Ral, with fading enthusiasm. ¡°Last I heard you were a monk, but you¡¯re not wearing a robe, and you have a lady at you arm.¡± He flashed a smile at Mai.


    ¡°I got out,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t get out,¡± said Ral, confused. ¡°To be a monk is for life.¡±


    ¡°Not under all circumstances,¡± said Ishad, grinning. ¡°It¡¯s a great story, and I¡¯ll tell you sometime. But first, can you let us up to the rooftops?¡±


    ¡°For you?¡± asked Ral. ¡°Sure, but I¡¯m going to hear your story sooner or later, you know.¡±


    They walked to a door in the back of the room, and Ral took out a key and unlocked it. He remained behind, and closed the door, as Mai and Ishad ascended the twisting stairs that lay beyond it.


    Mai had thought there was nothing else that could impress her about the city. When she got to the roof, she found herself wrong.


    From the rooftop, it could be seen that almost all the buildings in Barad were exactly the same height, and had flat roofs, with railings. Causeways Mai had not noticed before connected different buildings. It was as if the city has a second level.


    ¡°What is this?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Do you see the soldiers up here?¡± Ishad asked, pointing out indistinct shapes all a distance away.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mai said.


    ¡°Well,¡± Ishad replied, ¡°Barad, a thousand years ago, was mostly burnt to the ground, and when the city was rebuilt, it was decreed that most roofs had to be built at a certain height, to create a second level of the city where soldiers could get around to spot trouble. That¡¯s why the precinct was so small. There are dozens of different offices spread throughout the city. Most of the Barad Guards patrol from here, looking down on the city, and if they see trouble, they go through the nearest precinct, and deal with it. The idea was ingenious.¡±


    ¡°Why is there so much empty space?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because no one is allowed up here but the guards, and those they deem safe enough to come up here,¡± said Ishad. ¡°And that number is few. You have no idea how well I got to know Ral, before he let me up.¡±


    Mai walked over to a railing, and looked down on Maverax Lane. From above, it looked even more incredible.


    ¡°Is this the kind of thing you wanted to see?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai.


    And so it was.


    While Broken did whatever he was doing, while people fought and died on battlefields too close for comfort, Mai gazed out onto the streets with Ishad. They carefully avoided the soldiers, who Ishad said would probably ask questions, and together enjoyed the view.


    She was with him, and she was at peace.


    A cynical part of Mai¡¯s mind wondered when Barad would fall. At this point, it seemed inevitable that the Makini would reach it, or at least so Broken told her. But if the people of the city still found the time to celebrate and be happy, so could she.

 Chapter 32: Trouble in Paradise

    Mai and Ishad wandered the rooftops, traversing bridges, until they overlooked a market. Below, hundreds of little people went about their lives, and in a strange way, the effect was calming. Fruits and vegetables were the primary wares on sale, and squinting, Mai saw an individual transaction be made.


    But a moment later, the calm was Broken. For indeed, Mai noticed him in the crowd, who noticed her right back almost immediately.


    Mai was annoyed, because she didn¡¯t want to deal with him right then, but then felt elated, as she remembered there was no way for Broken to get up to the top of the roof, to reach them.


    Broken walked up to the edge of the building that she and Ishad were on top of, and Mai waved down at him.


    Then Broken put his hands against the stone wall, and Mai realized that he was going to climb. She didn¡¯t know how he was going to do it, as the roof was twenty feet up, but she had the sinking sensation that she and Ishad were not going to be alone for much longer.


    A market tent stood against the wall, and Broken looked at it very carefully. In a fury of activity, he bounded up to the top of the tent, and before it could collapse, jumped.


    Broken¡¯s hands reached the ledge of the roof, underneath the railing, and both Mai and Ishad backed away.


    Then, a second later, with a great flip, Broken somersaulted over the railing, and landed, with a flourish, on his feet.


    ¡°Getting into a festive mood, are we?¡± asked Ishad.


    Mai, however, was more concerned. Broken¡¯s acrobatics had attracted a lot of eyes, and the last thing they needed was attention.


    But neither Broken nor Ishad seemed perturbed.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± replied Broken, even as a pair of soldiers, elsewhere on the rooftops, headed over.


    ¡°That was something,¡± said one of the Barad guards. Mai shrank back, waiting for some kind of confrontation to start, but nothing did.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing how many people try that,¡± said the other guard, ¡°but few ever make it up. We watched. Congratulations. Now, however, I think, for the sake of security, you and your fan club better leave.¡±


    And so Ishad, Mai, and Broken did, shepherded through another tiny precinct, and down to street level. The guards expressed nothing but enthusiasm for what Broken had done, and explained that they wished to talk with him longer, but their jobs prevented them from doing so.


    Outside the precinct, a small group of people who had seen the stunt waited to congratulate Broken, and ask him questions. However, Broken said some noncommittal things to evade the questions, and, with Mai and Ishad, quickly escaped the growing group.


    As they walked together through the streets, Mai asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the guards care?¡±


    ¡°Everybody¡¯s easygoing in the Art Quarter,¡± said Ishad. ¡°It¡¯s just in their nature. People here love visitors, and they love to see interesting things. There¡¯s a general consensus that the Holy Citadel provides enough uptightness for all of the Vedil.¡±


    ¡°I fear there¡¯s another reason, too,¡± chimed in Broken. ¡°The people here are more lax now, because they know that there¡¯s nothing but horror in the immediate future.¡±


    The statement made sense, but neither Mai nor Ishad knew what to say to that. Broken had ruined the pleasant mood nicely.


    Broken looked at Ishad, in such a way so that Mai, between them, moved around to Ishad¡¯s other side.


    ¡°I have something for you,¡± he told Ishad, unhooked a belt, complete with sword from his waist, and handed it over. It was only then that Mai realized Broken had been wearing two sword belts before, and two swords.


    Ishad took the belt, sheath, and blade. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± he asked. ¡°And why are you giving me this now?¡± he asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the inn be a better place then the middle of a street?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to wait,¡± said Broken. ¡°You have practiced with one when you were young, and you quickly remembered under my care what technique you forgot. And, if you truly want to protect Mai, you will need a weapon.¡±


    And so, Ishad attached the belt to his waist as he walked.


    ¡°What about me?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Don¡¯t I need to defend myself?¡±


    ¡°You do indeed, but tradition will not allow it,¡± said Broken. ¡°Normal women, in our culture, do not wear visible weapons of any kind, if they wish to escape extra attention. And despite my performance at the market, I do care about what other people think of us. In our group of three, when I was the only one noticeably armed, attention was attracted because Ishad was not, and the inquiring mind wanted to know why I was special. This way, with both the men armed, things are more uniform.


    ¡°And more than that, you of all people should be shocked at the mere thought of ladies carrying swords.¡±


    Broken¡¯s statement was an undisguised jab at the princess Mai had once been, but she took it without saying anything. There was nothing to say. She had changed, and Broken had changed her.


    ¡°Where did you get the sword?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we had enough coins to purchase this.¡±


    ¡°I gambled for it,¡± said Broken.


    He said what he said in such a way that Mai did not think in the slightest it was chance that the sword had been won. She imagined Broken surveying the gambling tables, until he knew exactly where and what to bet, doing so, winning the sword, and walking away as soon as he did so.


    Soon enough, they reached the Restless Dog, the inn where Broken gotten them accommodations.


    Inside things were oddly joyful, but none of the three joined in with the party occurring in the common room. Instead, they went upstairs, headed into their rooms, and went off to bed.


    Sleep.


    Morning came early as the dawn did, but it did not seem to be the dawn that awoke Mai. Instead, it was the noise and bustle of the streets.


    Mai yawned, got dressed, and came down with Ishad to the common room, where Broken waited for them.


    They ate a meal, and went outside to get the horses. However, in the streets, an angry warrior intercepted them. He wore garb befitting a traveler, but his face was clean-shaven, his short brown hair was neatly combed, and he had the look of a noble about him. Upon seeing Broken, Ishad, and Mai, he placed himself between them and the stables.


    Mai took it upon herself to speak, thinking that if he indeed had noble status, it would be easiest for her to diffuse the situation. She knew how nobles thought. ¡°Why do you stand in our way, stranger?¡± she asked.


    Simultaneously, Broken and Ishad put their hands on their swords, an action that seemed to acknowledge they were letting her take the lead.


    ¡°I stand here,¡± said the man proudly, ¡°for I make a challenge against one who hurt my honor.¡±


    All around them, passerby suddenly stopped and started to form a circle, sensing that whatever followed would be a sight to see.


    ¡°Who hurt your honor?¡± asked Mai, hands folded across your chest.


    ¡°I know not why a peasant girl is guarded by two warriors,¡± said the man. ¡°And, truly, I do not care. I, Savel is Varad, Lord of the Second Paril, challenge the one who blighted my honor, as is my God-given right.¡±


    Savel moved a section of his brown poncho, revealing a sword. He drew it. His brown eyes flamed.


    Mai stepped to the side, fuming. He called me a peasant girl! My clothes are well worn, but I am clearly no peasant! His father probably licked my father¡¯s boots. But there was nothing she could do. Nevertheless, Mai smiled, knowing that if Savel challenged Broken, he would get far more than he bargained for.


    ¡°Who has blighted your honor?¡± asked Broken, stepping up.


    ¡°Last night, you stole away my sword and sheath,¡± said Savel.


    ¡°Really?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Because the way I seem to remember it, last night you were gambling, drunk, and with a pair of ladies at your arms. Hardly activities befitting one who is both a lord, and a warrior. I merely sat down, and switched our die. You were too drunk to notice. After your blade was won, I even switched the die back, just to be sporting.¡±


    The crowd, hearing the story, laughed, and Savel glared at them.


    ¡°Our battle, you trickster, would be one for the ages,¡± said Savel. ¡°But I do not wish for an epic battle. I wish for my blade and sheath back,¡± he said, ¡°so I will challenge the one who carries them.¡± He pointed to Ishad, accusingly. ¡°You don¡¯t know how hard it was to find a sword and sheath elsewhere. But now, I challenge you.¡±


    For a moment, Mai expected Broken to do something, to interject. Ishad might be a decent fighter, but he was no real warrior. Savel was.


    But Broken said nothing, and Ishad did not seem to back away from his fate. He was honorable, to the end. ¡°To the other¡¯s mercy then,¡± he said, speaking the traditional acceptance to accept a duel.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Mai was confused as to where Ishad had learned those words, as duels only took place between warriors and nobles, and he was neither, no matter what Savel thought. But then she remembered how well traveled Ishad was.


    Broken stepped back, as did the crowd, to create a circle. After a moment of reluctance, Mai did as well. She didn¡¯t know how Broken had known that the drunken lord would find them again, and challenge Ishad, but she was sure he had. She seethed with anger. What does Broken have against Ishad?


    Ishad drew his sword, or rather, Savel¡¯s, and prepared to fend off attacks.


    Savel smiled, as he saw Ishad was inexperienced. ¡°Ah,¡± he said. ¡°A young warrior. I knew one who needed my blade couldn¡¯t have all that much talent. You probably dropped your own sword, somewhere, and forgot where you put it.¡±


    To Mai¡¯s horror, the crowd laughed again.


    Then Savel charged. Ishad managed to fend off one strike, then another, and for a moment Mai dared to hope that he might somehow be able to win.


    But Ishad stumbled, after parrying a strong blow, and Savel took advantage, spinning around, and slamming Ishad in the gut with the pommel of his sword.


    Ishad gasped, and fell to his knees. Savel¡¯s sword dropped from his hands.


    As Ishad recovered, Savel carefully switched their blades, so that his own sword was in his hands once more, and the sword he had come into battle with was lying on the ground.


    Ishad reached for the new sword on the ground, and grasped it, but before he could get up, Savel sliced down at his head. Ishad blocked, on one knee, but Savel twisted his blade, and the sword Ishad held went flying.


    It was then that Mai realized that the fight was over. But Savel was not done.


    The Lord waited for Ishad to get up, then sheathed his sword, and punched Ishad savagely in the gut. Once, twice, three times. In sympathetic pain, Mai felt every blow.


    Then Savel reached out, shoved Ishad to the ground, and started kicking him. Over, and over and over again. With each of Savel¡¯s kicks, Ishad convulsed on the cobblestone.


    Mai looked around. There were Barad Guards in the crowd, but they did nothing to stop the proceedings. Savel had issued a challenge, and Ishad had accepted to save his honor, so Savel could legally do what he chose with him. There was nothing that the soldiers could do to stop it.


    That didn¡¯t prevent Mai from cursing them under her breath.


    The beating went on for a few more moments, until Broken stepped into the circle. ¡°You have already won back your sword, sheath, and belt,¡± said Broken. ¡°Release Ishad here from the bond of the challenge, or I will challenge you next.¡±


    Savel stepped back from Ishad, who lay bleeding on the ground.


    ¡°Who is he?¡± asked the Lord. ¡°Your apprentice?¡±


    ¡°In many ways,¡± said Broken. ¡°Thank you for sparing him.¡±


    ¡°It was the least I could do,¡± said Savel. ¡°You and he were not the only ones at fault here. Last night, I sinned. Now, if you would be so kind, retrieve my sword belt and scabbard. I already have my sword.¡±


    Broken reached down, unhooked the belt and scabbard for Ishad, and gave it to Savel.


    Savel threw the belt and scabbard he wore on the ground, and replaced it with his own. ¡°My thanks,¡± he said. ¡°As it would take more effort that it would be worth to return the gear and sword I brought here today, your apprentice may keep it. Thus do I show my humility.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate what you have done,¡± said Broken, and then, he and Savel clasped hands.


    The crowd, seeing two great warriors come to terms, began to clap.


    Mai, however, did not join in. Her gaze was on Ishad, ignored and abandoned on the ground.


    Broken and Savel released hands, and the watching crowd parted, and went about their ways.


    And Mai ran over to Ishad, and knelt beside him. Looking up, she saw both Savel and Broken above her.


    ¡°So that¡¯s who the peasant girl is,¡± said Savel. ¡°The poor excuse for an apprentice¡¯s poor excuse for a lover.¡±


    And with that, Savel turned, and left.


    Mai from the ground at Broken, who had already hooked the belt, scabbard, and sword Savel had left behind to his belt for safekeeping.


    ¡°You did this,¡± she said. Knowing that Broken would just give her some sort of rhetorical answer, she turned away from him, to Ishad.


    Ishad did not look in good shape. He had been scraped against the ground until he bled, and he looked dazed and completely disoriented.


    ¡°Can you get up?¡± Mai asked him.


    Ishad nodded slowly. With great effort, Mai put an arm around his shoulders, and helped him up.


    Broken just stood there, a distance away, watching. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the Restless Dog,¡± he said. ¡°We will have to stay here for another day.¡±


    Mai struggled to support Ishad, who it was clear could not remain on his feet without her help. Broken, who Mai was sure could support Ishad with much more ease, just stood there, face inscrutable.


    Broken didn¡¯t offer help, and Mai didn¡¯t ask for it. Somehow, they started to walk, and made it back within the Restless Dog.


    As the patrons of the common room stared at them, Mai started helping Ishad up the stairs, even as Broken, silent, trailed behind.


    They reached the room where Mai and Ishad had slept the night before, and Mai carefully helped Ishad lay down in the bed. Broken was in the room as well, but he was still silent, and offered no help.


    Mai turned to him, almost too angry to speak. ¡°You knew this would happen,¡± she said. ¡°For anyone else, what happened would have been on random chance, but somehow, you set this up.¡±


    ¡°Ishad needed a sword, and we do not have enough coins to buy one,¡± said Broken. ¡°Now, Ishad still has a sword, and experience, as well. I intervened before he died.¡±


    ¡°You disgust me,¡± said Mai, as she realized Broken was not denying what he had done. ¡°Get out.¡±


    Broken turned, and left the room, closing the door behind him.


    With that, the anger left Mai, replaced by fear for Ishad¡¯s safety. She rushed over to him, and sat down next to where he lay.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± she asked him.


    There was a pause, and Mai realized that since Ishad had been beaten, he had said nothing. Maybe he could no longer talk.


    But a moment later, at least that fear was allayed. ¡°I¡­¡± said Ishad weakly. ¡°I think he cracked a couple ribs.¡±


    Mai wanted to pull off his shirt to see what his chest looked like, but she didn¡¯t dare. She was no healer, and she could be doing more harm than good.


    It was horrible to see Ishad lay like this. At the burning of the Holy Citadel, they had all escaped much more fearsome adversaries than a single warrior, and had escaped with little injury. Savel had been no demon or golem. How could he do this to Ishad? It didn¡¯t seem fair, for Ishad to escape that horror only to fall to a vastly lesser threat in Barad.


    ¡°Rest,¡± she told him. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll see if I can go find help.¡± But Mai had not the faintest idea of where that help might be located.


    ¡°I know where you can go,¡± said Ishad. He cracked a thin smile. ¡°I have connections here, remember? Go to Ral. He¡¯ll be at the precinct. Tell him I¡¯m hurt, and he¡¯ll get a healer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back,¡± said Mai.


    And she left the room, and took of running, as if Ishad¡¯s life depended on it. She didn¡¯t know much about wounds, so for all she knew, it did.


    It didn¡¯t take long to find the Art Quarter, and it didn¡¯t take long to find Maverax Lane. She rushed to the precinct, and knocked on the door.


    Ral opened it. ¡°Welcome to Maverax precinct,¡± he said. ¡°This can¡¯t be where you¡¯re--¡± He stopped mid-sentence. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Ishad¡¯s lady friend,¡± he said. ¡°I never caught your name.¡± He noticed the look on Mai¡¯s face. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Ishad needs help,¡± said Mai, wasting no time. ¡°He was challenged by a warrior in the streets, and he¡¯s hurt badly. He told me to come to you.¡± As an afterthought, she added, ¡°My name¡¯s Mai.¡±


    ¡°Ishad was the one who that happened to?¡± asked Ral, incredulous.


    ¡°You heard about that already?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°News travels fast in Barad,¡± said Ral. ¡°And challenges are rare.¡± He frowned, smoothing his brown hair. ¡°Who was the black wearing man with you?¡±


    ¡°His name is Broken,¡± said Mai, ¡°and he travels with us.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t do a good job protecting his friends, does he?¡± asked Ral. ¡°What inn are you staying at?¡±


    ¡°The Restless Dog,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Go back there,¡± said Ral. ¡°I¡¯ll get a healer as quickly as I can, and meet up with you there. You coming along would only slow me down.¡± He looked honestly worried for his friend.


    Mai turned and back, heading for the inn once more. When she got inside the common room, and rushed up the stairs, Broken was nowhere to be seen, but she cared little.


    ¡°Are you still all right?¡± she asked Ishad, at his bedside once more.


    He looked at her. ¡°As all right as I can be. It hurts¡­¡± He trailed off, as if he was embarrassed about showing weakness in front of her.


    ¡°Ral¡¯s coming as soon as he can find a healer,¡± said Mai. ¡°Just hold on a little while longer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dying,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°You could be. We don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the encouragement.¡±


    And then Mai sat there with Ishad, silently, listening to him breath in pain. A half hour later--or an hour--or maybe two, as Mai had no way to keep track of time, Ral and a healer barged in.


    Ral was still in his uniform, and the healer wore hers: a white robe. She carried no visible equipment, and was surprisingly young, in her mid-twenties.


    ¡°Get away from the patient,¡± the healer said roughly, and Mai complied. She more or less switched places with the healer, as she got up to stand next to Ral, and the healer sat on the side of the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about her manner,¡± said Ral. ¡°Ailur is a good healer, but her bedside manner can be less than expected.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what she calls me, as long as she makes Ishad better,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°How long could you have known him?¡± asked Ral. ¡°Ishad only became a monk year ago, and I know that half a year ago, he was still one of them.¡±


    ¡°A couple weeks,¡± said Mai honestly, surprised herself by the quick way the relationship had developed.


    ¡°Is that about how long Ishad hasn¡¯t been a monk?¡± asked Ral.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    As they spoke, the healer placed the palms of her hands on Ishad¡¯s chest. Frowning, she quickly and efficiently pulled Ishad¡¯s thick shirt off, and threw it to the side. Ailur then placed her palms on Ishad¡¯s chest once more. She closed her eyes.


    ¡°He has multiple rib fractures, in case you care,¡± said the healer, ¡°along with a great deal of internal bleeding. Little external damage, but don¡¯t get your hopes up. The only reason there¡¯s a skin is to protect what¡¯s inside.¡±


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°His chest is rather smashed up,¡± said Ailur. ¡°Without me, there would be a live chance of about one in three, but not immediately. He¡¯d linger about a month, enduring increasing amounts of pain.¡±


    The fact that Mai had just learned the wounds Ishad had received could prove mortal, and as such, she had not wasted her time running, did not allay any of her fears.


    ¡°But, you can heal him, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the healer. ¡°He¡¯ll be as good as new. Well, not quite as good as new, as when I¡¯m done with him he¡¯ll be a little bit older, but¡­¡±


    ¡°The healing ages him?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°No,¡± said Ailur. ¡°He¡¯ll just be the fraction of a day older then¡­Forget it. Forget I ever mentioned it. The healing process has nothing to do with artificial aging. Just let me work.¡±


    Mai looked at Ral.


    ¡°I can only imagine what she¡¯ll be like when she¡¯s actually old,¡± he said.


    But Mai was in no laughing mood.


    She watched, as Ailur¡¯s hands on Ishad¡¯s chest seemed to press hard, then harder still.


    Ishad let out a wheezing gasp, and Mai heard the sound of within his body, things moving.


    Then Ishad¡¯s head flopped to the side, his eyes closed.


    ¡°They always tend to faint at some part of this,¡± said Ailur, not glancing up from her work. She closed her eyes.


    Mai stood there for a few minutes, hearing the crackling sound. Then, Ailur opened her eyes, got up, and walked away from the bed. Ishad was still unconscious.


    ¡°Why¡¯s he still--¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Like that?¡± said Ailur. ¡°He¡¯ll be out for a few more hours, at least.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s healed?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°At this point, it would be very, very unlikely for him to die,¡± said Ailur. ¡°I fixed all the major problems, but the minor ones, the problems the problems caused, are beyond my ability to heal. He will wake up fatigued, as that¡¯s the main side effect, and he shouldn¡¯t get up from bed for a few days. Now, what about my pay?¡±


    Mai stared at the healer, unsure if they even had any to give.


    Then, Ral cut in. ¡°I¡¯ll pay,¡± he said. Turning to Mai, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back here tonight, to see how he¡¯s feeling.¡± Then he and Ailur walked out. In the hallway, Mai thought she heard them arguing.


    Mai waited for a few moments, until she was sure Ailur and Ral were gone, and then she went into the hallway. She walked to Broken¡¯s room, and instead of knocking on the door, tried to open it. And it turned out, the door was unlocked.


    She walked in, and Broken, who seemed to have been meditating on the floor, got up to face her. He still wore the two swords at his belt.


    Mai wasn¡¯t really sure why she had come here. If the door had been locked, she would have turned away without knocking. But then, she was sure Broken had left it unlocked on purpose.


    ¡°Ishad could have died,¡± she said.


    ¡°I take that to mean that he¡¯s not going to,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°He could have died because of what you did, and he would have, too, if not for the healer.¡±


    ¡°However, if I interpreted correctly, he¡¯s not going to, barring unforeseen circumstances.¡±


    Disgusted, and not sure why she had come to him, Mai left the room. Broken shut the door behind her.


    Mai returned to the room where Ishad slept. Not wanting to disturb him, she sat down on the floor, much as Broken had, and began to meditate. A memory came to her, one that she began to recall.

 Chapter 33: Recollections of a Golden Past

    A year ago, in the Occluded City, I was called to meet my father, in one of his audience chambers. I hurried through the Imperial Palace, accompanied by a pair of quiet Shadow Guards.


    When Mai reached the third audience chamber, she was excited. But when she walked in, the great room was all but empty. The audience chamber could have held a thousand souls, but before Mai had walked in, it had held but three, the Emperor, and his two guards. Now it held six.


    Mai, entering through the grand doors, saw her father sitting on a throne of melted gold, shaped with grand curves.


    Emperor Mentis IV wore the red robes of state, and he had upon his head a crown inlayed with more precious gems than Mai could count.


    Mai walked up to the throne, accompanied by her two guards, who acted like shadows, hence their name.


    When she reached the dais, she stopped, and her father, the Emperor, looked down on her. Mai bowed deeply, her golden dress shining.


    ¡°Do you know why I have called you here?¡± asked the Emperor.


    ¡°No, Father.¡±


    ¡°I have brought you here so that you can remember who, and what you are.¡± He nestled in a bed of his own black hair, braided, and long enough to reach his waist. ¡°You shunned Lord Arei is Reven, of House Karaki. Even after I told you that you were promised to him.¡±


    ¡°I meant no disrespect, great father,¡± said Mai. She bowed again, deeply.


    ¡°Do you know why this room is empty?¡± asked Emperor Mentis.


    ¡°Why, father?¡±


    ¡°Because I ordered it so. Hundreds of people had gathered here only a few hours ago, but I ordered them out, and so they left. You are my daughter. My only child. You are supposed to follow my orders better than any other.¡±


    ¡°I do, father,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You are a bastard, and a liar. You will never overcome all of your base nature, but by being honest to me, you can try.¡±


    ¡°I, I ran from him, great father, because he tried to take advantage of me. He tried to bed me against my will.¡±


    ¡°That is his right,¡± replied the Emperor. ¡°I sold you to him, in hopes that one day, you might make me a grandson that might inherit the throne. You are half commoner, and that blood sullies you. You had no right to refuse him.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me father,¡± said Mai. ¡°I did not know.¡±


    ¡°You knew perfectly well,¡± said Emperor Mentis. ¡°I made you aware of your status from the day you were born. And now, because of your¡­antics, Lord Reven has retracted his offer. You have cost me much, girl.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Shut up,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°I know everything, and you know nothing. You are worthless, and you are not sorry. Not in the least. I would strike you myself if to do so would not sully my hands. What do you have to say for yourself now?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You are right as always, lord and master, omnipotent one. I am nothing before you, I am worthless. I am not sorry, for that is what you say, and your words are truth, but with your mercy I will survive to be sorry, one day, and on that day it is this worthless one¡¯s hope,¡± said Mai, ¡°that my Emperor would delight his visage with a smile.¡±


    ¡°That smile is a long time off, girl,¡± said Emperor Mentis. ¡°For now it is the time I must decide what to do with you.¡±


    I thought he would be happy with me, Mai thought. I thought he would tell me that I was finally growing into my own, and standing up for myself, in his image. But Mai realized those thoughts were blasphemous. She could not believe that before, she had not known. She was truly worthless indeed.


    ¡°Your justice is kind, in any form,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°It is indeed, it is indeed,¡± said Emperor Mentis. ¡°By all rights, I should have left you with your mother, but I was too noble for that.¡±


    Mai became acutely aware of the Emperor¡¯s mention of her mother. She knew not who her mother was, and her father was the only one who knew. When she had asked before, he had always rebuffed her. But, she spoke with her father so rarely, and¡­ Mai stopped. She had no right to ask him anything, and this point, she had no right to do anything but wait for her punishment.


    That didn¡¯t stop her from blurting out, ¡°I beg you, please tell me my mother¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°I do not know why you always ask that, my child,¡± said Emperor Mentis. His visage softened. ¡°Your mother was a commoner, just like all the rest. To know her name would only bring out more ill in you. It would enhance the lesser part of your bloodline. Half of you is noble, and the other half stands out like a pulsating sore. You do not want that sore to grow into something more insidious.¡±


    ¡°I understand your reason, and accept it,¡± said Mai. She still didn¡¯t know why her father¡¯s answer just didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Emperor Mentis. ¡°So that is taken care of. Now, the punishment.¡± He now spoke to the Shadow Guards at either of Mai¡¯s sides. ¡°Double her sessions with the etiquette instructor.¡±


    The Emperor paused, and Mai dared to think that was all. Doubled sessions with the instructor would mean four hours a day, not two, but that was still bearable, especially compared with some of the punishments she had been dreading.


    But, of course, the Emperor was not done. He had been merely thinking. ¡°Confine her to her room for a week.¡±


    Mai breathed. Still tolerable.


    ¡°No, two weeks,¡± said the Emperor.


    Mai had trouble restraining herself. Two weeks! She would die!


    ¡°No, a month,¡± said the Emperor.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± said Mai, able to keep silent no longer. ¡°Don¡¯t you believe that to be a little much?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± asked the Emperor. ¡°Defiance, after things had been going so well?¡±


    Mai remembered who she was. ¡°Of course not, Your Majesty. Your punishments are true, and wise.¡±


    ¡°There will be no visitors allowed, except for housekeeping servants,¡± said Emperor Mentis.


    Mai looked on the bright side. At least this meant the extra etiquette instructor sessions would not begin until she was released.


    ¡°The etiquette instructor must also be allowed in, to teach,¡± said the Emperor.


    Mai wanted to break something. In spite of herself, she really, really wanted to break something.


    ¡°Is that all, Your Majesty?¡± asked the Shadow Guard to Mai¡¯s right, after Emperor Mentis had given a lengthy pause.


    ¡°It is,¡± said the Emperor. He looked directly at Mai. ¡°Do you accept your punishment to be just?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai, trying as hard as she could to believe it was. But what Emperor Mentis had said just did not feel right. She supposed the feeling was nothing more than her base commoner instincts.


    ¡°What was that, girl?¡± asked the Emperor.


    Terrified at the slip she had just made, Mai said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. This worthless one apologizes for not calling Your Majesty by his title.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± said Emperor Mentis. ¡°You may go.¡±


    Mai bowed deeply, for the third time, and began to walk out, accompanied by her two Shadow Guards. Once in the hall, she wanted to say something, but she knew it would not help.


    And what followed came exactly as expected, for me. One month, I spent in a single room, kept away from all I wished to talk to. There was no second opinion to Emperor Mentis¡¯ justice.

 Chapter 34: The Past Influences the Future

    A day passed, with only the briefest of meals, and then it was night, and Mai lay on the ground beside Ishad¡¯s bed. Ishad had not awoken since the healer had done her job, and Ral had come and gone, seeing that Ishad was still asleep.


    Ral said, during his brief visit that the sleep was nothing to worry about, that it just meant Ishad was healing all the faster, but Mai had not been so sure.


    On the ground, right then, Mai busied herself with thoughts not of Ishad¡¯s ailment. The memory that had been stirred up, of her last encounter with her father, had brought up a host of other issues, all muddled and tangled together, ranging from Broken, to, well, Broken.


    That night, Mai had a dreamless sleep, but it was not a restful one. She woke up in the morning, worried that Ishad might never do the same.


    But when Mai got up, and walked over to Ishad, she saw him breathing peacefully on the bed. A moment later, he, sensing her presence, tiredly opened his eyes.


    ¡°So, one of the last things I heard before I fell unconscious was that you saved my life, by getting Ral, who knew where to find a healer,¡± said Ishad.


    Mai felt a tiny surge of pride. ¡°Indeed,¡± she said. ¡°But it was nothing.¡±


    ¡°Of course it was,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But for some reason, I¡¯m grateful all the same. How was the healer¡¯s payment taken care of?¡±


    ¡°Ral said he would deal with that,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Ishad, ¡°we need to find a way to get moving. I can¡¯t walk, or ride, but I know people who can get us a three-horse carriage. I¡¯ll have to speak with Ral, and I¡¯ll thank him for yesterday, and talk to him about this.¡±


    ¡°But, the healer said you have to stay in bed for a few more days,¡± said Mai. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be moving around.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But your safety comes before my comfort. I won¡¯t let us all sit around Barad like idiots, waiting for the might of the Makini to fall on us.¡±


    ¡°So¡­I¡¯ll go find him?¡± said Mai.


    ¡°No,¡± replied Ishad. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to find him. He has today off. I know where he lives, but he won¡¯t be there. He¡¯s never home. We can wait for him to come to us. He¡¯ll visit today, probably in only a couple hours.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± said Mai. ¡°Should I go get you some breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I have something say. I realize I never told you my last name. Before I was a monk, I didn¡¯t have one, but now I do, again. It¡¯s not all that important, considering, and even without it you know more about me than most.¡± He paused. ¡°But we are in the company of Broken, who will not say that much about himself. I want to make it clear I am keeping no secrets from you. My last name is Aran.¡±


    Mai stared at him. In most situations, saying a last name would mean nothing, but under the current conditions, the truth was the exact opposite. She felt suddenly ashamed that when Ishad had said he wanted to leave the city as soon as possible, she had immediately agreed with him. She could not change her mind, as staying and being captured by the Makini would result in death. So she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Your words mean more to me than you can imagine,¡± said Mai. ¡°The only reason I agreed with you about leaving so quickly, is because, well, we have to.¡± She paused, and prepared to say a set of words that before that day, she had never before dreamed she would say honestly.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Those words mean more to me than you can imagine,¡± said Ishad, mirroring Mai. ¡°They make everything I have done feel worthwhile.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get breakfast,¡± said Mai.


    And so she did. Downstairs, she encountered a pleasant surprise. Ral was entering the common room just as she walked in. Mai ate briefly, then led Ral to Ishad, gave Ishad his meal, and walked out of the room to let the two talk alone.


    For some reason, then, she was drawn once more to Broken¡¯s room. Again, she opened the door without knocking, and again, he was inside. This time, instead of meditating on the floor, he was sitting cross-legged on the bed. His back was to Mai, and he made no sign of knowing she was in the room.


    ¡°Ishad woke up,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Good for him.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking last night,¡± said Mai, ¡°about a great many things.¡±


    ¡°Good for you.¡±


    ¡°In that process,¡± said Mai, continuing, ¡°I believe I realized something. I realized why you came to save me, and why you are still here.¡±


    ¡°And why do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°You are attracted to me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°That is an interesting idea, but the truth is, if I wanted you, I could have had you at so many different times.¡±


    Mai realized this was true, but was not deterred. ¡°You wanted me to love you back,¡± she said.


    ¡°Love is a strong word. A very, very strong word.¡±


    ¡°And you make what happened to Ishad happen,¡± said Mai. ¡°Because you could not believe I was falling for him, instead of you.¡±


    Broken got up, and turned to her, so that they stood face to face. ¡°You believe I am that spiteful?¡± he asked. His gray eyes showed nothing but coldness.


    ¡°I do,¡± said Mai, standing up to his gaze.


    ¡°You seem to believe that you are one others would fight for,¡± said Broken. ¡°But, let me explain a few things. You are far from ugly, but you are also far from being the most beautiful girl in the whole, wide world. I have traveled far, and I have seen commoners more pretty than you. Any one of which I could have had. I am not a man who wants for things, after he sets his mind on them. And you are nothing special.


    ¡°Perhaps once, any many would have been lucky to have you, because you were the Princess of the Empire. But now your father is gone, and you, because of the fact that you are the Princess of the Empire, are hunted. Any man with you adds a target to his back as well.


    ¡°I ask you,¡± said Broken, ¡°Do you think I want an average-looking girl, whose relationship is likely to be the end of me?


    He stared at her with those gray eyes, and Mai didn¡¯t know why she had come here. Last night, everything had seemed so clear. Now, it was all she could do to keep from crying.


    ¡°Do you think I would want to trade places with Ishad?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Do you really? He is a marked man. The only reason I did what I did was to make him a tiny bit more prepared for what will come.¡±


    ¡°If that,¡± said Mai, choking back tears, ¡°is truly your opinion, why do you continue to stay with us? Are not you at risk by being so close to me?¡±


    ¡°I made an oath,¡± said Broken. ¡°I will not leave you unless you release me from it. Furthermore, death will not come to me unless I wish it to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re like my father,¡± said Mai. ¡°You think you¡¯re perfect, but you¡¯re not. You¡¯re just human like everyone else, but you¡¯re doing your best to hide it. Whether you are attracted to me, or whether I was a fool is irrelevant. You act like you¡¯re trying to be God. I can only have relationships, of any kind, friend or lover, with people who can talk to me like I am their equal. You do not do that. You hide things from me. You are not my friend. I will not release you from your oath, because you have saved my life more than once, and it seems likely you will do so again.


    ¡°You should never have crawled out of the swamp that birthed you, commoner.¡±


    ¡°Classest again, are we?¡± asked Broken. ¡°You know, your boyfriend is little better on the scales.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for that slip,¡± said Mai. ¡°It is not your commoner background that made you the self-righteous bastard you are. You did that yourself.¡±


    Broken¡¯s gray eyes still stared at her.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± said Mai. ¡°Ishad is arranging the purchase of a carriage, since he can temporarily no longer walk. We should be out of here by the end of the day.¡± She paused, and added another phrase. ¡°No thanks to you.¡±


    Mai turned from the room, and walked out. Broken did not make an effort to follow her.


    Mai returned to the room where Ishad lay. His breakfast was finished, and Ral was gone.


    ¡°How did things go?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°We talked for a while. He knows as much as I can safely tell him.¡± Ishad continued. ¡°Ral¡¯s going to find another friend of mine, and that friend will get us the carriage. We should be able to leave this afternoon. I can only hope that will leave us with enough time to get us to Asan Paril.¡±


    ¡°It will,¡± said Mai. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°When I was talking, where were you?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Talking to Broken.¡±


    ¡°You think what happened is his fault, don¡¯t you?¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s his fault,¡± said Mai. ¡°He admitted it.¡±


    Ishad was barely taken aback. ¡°Broken wanted to test me,¡± he said. ¡°My body doesn¡¯t appreciate him that much, but it¡¯s over, now.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so placid about all this?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing I can do. He¡¯s still our ally, and he still saved both our lives. He¡¯s doing far more good than harm.¡±


    ¡°But--¡± said Mai.


    ¡°If he does anything like that again, I¡¯ll be significantly angrier,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to be done right now that will help. We must get you to Asan Paril, and Broken can help.¡± He paused. ¡°Unless Broken said he¡¯s not coming with us.¡±


    ¡°Broken¡¯s coming,¡± said Mai. ¡°He feels strongly about the oath he made to me.¡±


    ¡®Well, that¡¯s good, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°Look at the positive things in life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m trying,¡± said Mai.


    The next few hours passed swiftly as they waited for the carriage to arrive at the Restless Dog. Around lunchtime, Ral came upstairs to tell of its arrival, and that it was waiting for them near the stables, under the inn¡¯s protection. He then said his goodbyes to Ishad, and left.


    After Mai and Ishad ate together, Mai notified Broken that they were ready to leave Barad. To his credit, he was immediately ready to go.


    Broken helped Ishad down the stairs, with much greater ease than Mai had been graced with taking him up. The three-horse carriage was ready and waiting by the inn¡¯s stables, just as Ral had said it would be.


    After those who worked at the Restless Dog were paid for Mai, Ishad, and Broken¡¯s stay, the stable-hand at the inn was more than willing to help them with the horses.


    Even still, Broken did most of the work, with a quickness that put the stable-hand to shame. They were soon ready to go.


    Broken took the reins, and sat at the driver¡¯s post on the outside, as Mai and Ishad got inside the carriage.


    The seats inside were wooden, and lacked padding, and were also thin, so the only place for Ishad to go was on the floor.


    Mai put a blanket Broken had gotten from somewhere over Ishad, and settled herself into one of the carriage¡¯s seats, carefully making sure her feet were not bumping into Ishad.


    The door was closed, and then Broken started to move the carriage. Barad was traveled through, and disappeared in short order, nothing like the way they had left the Holy Citadel.


    Aruith, Swift, and Stride seemed quick to accustom themselves to the carriage, or so it seemed, and the ride was plain and uneventful.


    As the hills and fields rolled by, Mai talked a little to Ishad, until she got the feeling that it hurt him to talk. Then, a silence lapsed over the carriage. The carriage was nothing like the one Broken had rode her out of the Occluded City in, but Mai could not help but feel a connection. This carriage was larger, and not as luxurious by far, but Mai could not help but feel a connection. She could not understand it. But the connection was there.


    At the end of the long, tiresome day, Broken pulled the cart off the side of the road. Mai eased Ishad off the floor of the cart and onto the grass, and they all ate dinner, after which, Broken insisted that Mai spar with him.


    They walked a distance away from Broken, and then Mai was handed Savel¡¯s one time sword. Broken drew the other.


    ¡°This is the first time we have a pair of swords,¡± he said.


    ¡°One is tainted,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Broken, even as he whipped the blade he carried in an ever-faster circle around his chest.


    ¡°Because it hurt Ishad,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You must forget your elementary notions of good and evil,¡± said Broken. ¡°The sword you hold did not hurt Ishad. It was a tool that Savel used to hurt Ishad. There is nothing wrong with it.¡±


    Broken then lunged at Mai, but his movements were considerably slow, and Mai was able to block his sword thrust.


    ¡°See?¡± said Broken. ¡°Your sword defends like any other. But you already knew that, didn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Others, who cared more about honor, would shun this sword for hurting their friend,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°But you do not, I see,¡± said Broken. ¡°Good.¡±


    Something about his tone provoked a physical response from Mai, but she had learned since her first lesson. She was not going to be embarrassed again.


    Mai twisted her sword from its clash with Broken¡¯s, then pulled back as if she were going for a chop, but instead, struck out with the pommel of her sword.


    As if he had been expecting this, Broken pivoted, and easily evaded.


    ¡°How did you know I was going to do that?¡± asked Mai, a little faint from her effort.


    ¡°Because you saw what Savel did to Ishad,¡± said Broken. ¡°The move was predictable. However, I applaud you for learning something from that fight.¡±


    It was as if Broken was coaxing Mai to fight harder. She slashed at him again, and again, and again, holding nothing back, but with each strike, Broken easily countered.


    Mai was breathing heavily now, and Broken had not a sweat. ¡°Would those attacks have taken out a lesser opponent?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Broken responded. ¡°Perhaps. I have a question for you, now, a question in light of all which we have been through together. What do you think of me?¡±


    ¡°I already told you back at the inn in Barad,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°That was said in the heat of the moment,¡± said Broken. ¡°Is it true?¡±


    ¡°The heat of the moment?¡± said Mai, with some mirth. ¡°A heat you made. You insulted everything there was to insult about me.¡±


    Under the night sky, and under the empty road and grassland, Broken spoke again. ¡°You wanted me to be the enemy, then. It helped with your grief. I obliged.¡±


    ¡°You are the enemy,¡± said Mai. ¡°You hurt Ishad.¡±


    ¡°In a way, yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°But only to teach both he and you a lesson about the frailties of being mortal. We had been in danger too long for someone to not get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You could have found another way!¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken, ¡°I could have. But I highly doubt it would have been preferable if you were the one laying on the ground now, recovering from the healing of major wounds.¡±


    ¡°You would have never done that to me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°You disgust me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°But now I will ask again. What do you think of me? We have known each other beyond that one event.¡±


    ¡°Every time I think I know who you are, you change,¡± said Mai. ¡°First I thought you a bandit or a murderer, but then you proved me wrong, when you were noble at that cave of thieves. Then I truly thought you wanted to help, until you made me spend a month at a farm. Then, I thought you were insane, but afterwards, it seemed you were trying to rid me of bigotry, if in a bizarre manner. Then you seemed honest and kind, if secretive, at least until yesterday.¡±


    ¡°So, before yesterday, you thought I was a good person,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are. You won¡¯t tell me anything about you.¡±


    ¡°So then,¡± said Broken, ¡°What do you think you know about me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a commoner and a warrior,¡± said Mai. ¡°You worked as a warrior in the Occluded Palace, but before that, you traveled the world, and became the best fighter I have ever seen. And my father took me to a lot of tourneys.¡±


    ¡°First of all, thank you for the compliment,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I have told you time and time again, you would not want to know the truth about me.¡±


    ¡°What kind of secret could be so horrible?¡± asked Mai. ¡°If you told me, it would go a long way to making up for what you did, yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you something, Mai,¡± said Broken. ¡°I have sworn to protect you, and so I will allow not harm to come to you.¡±


    His next words were frightening. ¡°However, according to the laws of honor, I would be well within my rights to kill you, right now.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said Mai. ¡°What¡­how?¡±


    For the first time, Broken looked sad. His face furrowed, and his eyes half-closed.


    ¡°What could I have possibly done to you?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°You did nothing,¡± said Broken. ¡°This is a thing of bloodlines. But you now have a glimpse of the reason why I can say no more.¡±


    They spared a little after that, silently. Then they both laid down in the grass, and got to sleep.


    Mai¡¯s dreams that night had no snakes, or dire warnings. They were normal dreams, all twisted, and convoluted, and nonsensical. But they all featured Broken, and what he had said.


    In the morning, three travelers woke up together, and two picked themselves up off the ground.


    Breakfast was quick, then Mai and Broken helped Ishad get into the cart, and into a seat this day, and then they were off.


    In the carriage together, as Broken drove the horses from the outside, Ishad said, ¡°You look troubled, Mai. What is the matter?¡±


    Mai wanted to tell him what was wrong, what Broken had said. She really, really did. And yet, she felt she could not. Mai had been with Broken for along time. She understood he would never hurt her.


    But would Ishad be so sure, after what Broken had done to him? Mai thought not. The mystery of how her bloodline could have wronged him was hers to bear alone. She could not tell Ishad.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± said Mai. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    And with that, second insistence, Ishad fell quiet. The carriage was silent.


    With that one problem, Mai was alone.


    That night, they stopped at a town named Bola. It was reasonably sized, and had a single inn, the Nameless Wretch. The inn¡¯s name was horrible, but still, it provided reasonable accommodations.


    What was far more eerie about the town, was that all its residents seemed tired, and sullen. The town looked as if it could hold twice as many people as were within. In the common room of the Nameless Wretch, after they had helped settle Ishad into a bed, Mai and Broken learned the reason.


    ¡°Visitors, eh?¡± said the bartender, and the crowd in the room, mostly the old and the female, laughed. ¡°You did not come to Bola at the right time, I fear.¡±


    Broken and Mai sat down at a table. Whereupon, Broken called over the heads of others, ¡°What¡¯s wrong about this time?¡±


    The bartender looked at him. ¡°This be a time of terror, traveler. This be a time of war.¡± His aged face paled. ¡°All of our young ones are gone now, conscripted, or levied, if you will. At Taramad Hill, only a few miles from here, our army waits for the Makini. They will be here in a couple of days, no more. Our boys out there are celebrating this as their last night of peace.¡±


    ¡°How do you know they are coming?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°A week ago, the remnants of a defeated Vedil army came here. They said the Makini were on the march, and we had to prepare for them. They said other Vedil couldn¡¯t help us. The hundred or so left from the Vedil army levied what young men were in Bola, and the surrounding lands, and began to train them. We have perhaps four thousand soldiers on Taramad Hill.¡±


    ¡°And how strong are the Makini who will come?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Ten thousand,¡± said the bartender. ¡°And from what we hear of them, trained to perfection. Much as I would like to think Vedil heart will win out over Makini brawn, I do not think any of us here believe that Taramad Hill is a battle we can win. We are lucky, though. The Makini army had been before grouped into one huge group, but now we have to deal with but half.¡±


    ¡°Half the Makini army,¡± said an old woman, raising her glass to make a toast. ¡°Against our poor sons and daughters.¡±


    ¡°And our grandchildren,¡± said an even older man, sunken into a corner of the dimly lit room. He raised his glass, as well.


    ¡°Hear, hear,¡± said the room, and all glasses were raised. And the room, as a whole, drank from them.


    Broken got up, and so did Mai.


    ¡°Off to bed?¡± asked the bartender. ¡°Had enough of our somber talk?¡± He slowly was cleaning a dirty glass.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°But my heart is behind yours.¡±


    ¡°Varsis is coming,¡± cackled the old woman, who had spoken before. ¡°Young Strong Hand. The one whose metal hand strangles all. He is coming for us, you know, with all of his brilliant strategies. Dream of him tonight. May God have mercy on us all.¡±


    With Broken, Mai hurried up the stairs to the bedrooms, away from the common room.


    At the door to her room of the three, she turned to Broken, who was just about to open his own door.


    ¡°The people downstairs frighten me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± said Broken. ¡°If they speak true, we will be out of here before the Makini fall upon the town.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± said Mai. ¡°It¡¯s just, the way the people were acting, it¡¯s like they welcomed death.¡±


    ¡°They believe they cannot win,¡± said Broken. ¡°And without hope, one does welcome the end. Not that it will come to them, of course. The Makini will not kill the old. These people will merely mourn their dead children for the rest of their lives.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Goodnight,¡± said Broken.


    Then they went into their respective rooms.


    In her bed, Mai wondered why she had told Broken she was afraid, and why, in a very odd way, his words had comforted her. They were honest, and while just as depressing as what those downstairs had said, brought with them stability. No matter what happened, no matter whether she wanted him or not, Broken would always be there, a solid in the shifting future.


    Then Mai remembered that Varsis was the general who led the Makini army, and suddenly, she was terrified.

 Chapter 35: Horror in Form

    Varsis smiled as he saw untrained Vedil boys dashing themselves against ranks of his Makini spearmen. He smiled so he didn¡¯t mourn.


    Varsis rode Falor, closer to the thick of combat, but decided not to join in. His soldiers didn¡¯t need his help, and Varsis didn¡¯t feel like massacring those who were all but defenseless.


    For once again, he had turned what could have been a reasonable battle into a rout. Varsis had carefully made it seem, with the help of his spellweavers, as if his army was a day behind its actual position.


    Then, in the night, he had struck at the Vedil camp from every direction, at the same time.


    Most of the Vedil who were being cut down on Taramad Hill were wearing night clothes, and were unarmed but for their fists, and the occasional knife.


    At this point, however, groups of the Vedil had found their supplies of weapons, and so, heartened by that, they all had fought on. They were also hearted by the fact that perhaps a hundred of their number was experienced, survivors from a previous battle, and those men were shouting directions.


    Fools.


    Varsis slowly rode into the part of the Vedil camp that had already been secured, even as, in front of him, his Makini pressed on.


    Then, suddenly, he heard calls for mercy, ringing throughout the camp. There were no white flags raised, probably because the Vedil didn¡¯t know where their white flags were stored, but Varsis knew what a cry for mercy sounded like. He smiled, even as Captain Sari walk over to him on foot, carrying a bloody sword.


    ¡®Take the prisoners, Sari,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Then prepare a thousand men. I¡¯ll lead them into Bola myself.¡±


    ***


    ¡°The Nameless Wretch is now under the protection of the Makini!¡± shouted a voice, and Mai was jarred from her bed, jarred from sleep.


    What is going on? she wondered, with exhaustion. The voice seemed to be coming from beneath the floor.


    Then, Broken rushed into her room, fully dressed in his leather, and armored with his pair of swords.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The Makini have come,¡± said Broken. ¡°A day earlier than the old folks thought they would.¡±


    ¡°How do we get out of here?¡± asked Mai, getting up from her bed. ¡°The exit by the common room is the only way out, and the Makini seem to be there. If we stay put, maybe they won¡¯t realize who I am.¡±


    ¡°They will,¡± said Broken, ¡°And the common room is not the only way out.¡± They rushed into the hall.


    ¡°Ishad!¡± cried Mai, but Broken was already dealing with that particular problem. Broken rushed into Ishad¡¯s room, and came out carrying him like a baby.


    Then, they heard the noise of boots on the stairs.


    Broken rushed the other direction, and Mai followed him, even though it looked as if they were heading into a dead end.


    When they reached the end of the hall, it was indeed that, with only a window looking down on a sloping roof to show them freedom. But only limited freedom. Through the window, Mai saw black-clad Makini soldiers everywhere on the street, where morning was only just beginning to shine.


    And then, on the opposite end of the hallway, troops ascended the stairs.


    Broken set Ishad down on his feet, who winced with a little pain, but seemed to be able to stand.


    From the stairs, three men entered the hallway. Two were on either side of the first, and they were standard Makini soldiers. But the third, standing between them, was Varsis. His steel hand flashed in the dim light.


    ¡°You are cornered,¡± he said, stepping forward step after step, advancing with his two men. ¡°And, more interestingly, I know who you are.¡± Varsis paused his voice, even as he continued to walk forward.


    ¡°Who are we?¡± asked Broken, calmly.


    With any other three Makini soldiers, Mai would not have worried for an instant that Broken could take them all. But this was not any three soldiers. There were two, and then there was Varsis. Mai wanted to tell Broken who Varsis was, so that he would know, but fear held her back.


    But Broken seemed to know anyway. ¡°Your single gauntlet that-is-no-gauntlet gives you away, Varsis,¡± he said. ¡°But again, I ask you, who are we?¡±


    ¡°I always make a point of entering every inn my troops capture, just to see if I can find you, Princess,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I thought my search was in vain. But now, I have found you.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°So you do know who we are,¡± said Broken, cutting off Mai¡¯s fear.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± replied Varsis. ¡°You are the mysterious one who always saves her. And you--¡± he looked at Ishad, ¡°--are the third. A motley group indeed. It is not that much of a shame that, this morning, I will end its existence.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any power!¡± shouted Mai. ¡°And, in last two months, all I¡¯ve done is tried to stay alive!¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, but your life causes more problems than it is worth, Princess,¡± said Varsis. He drew his sword. ¡°And so does yours, protector. You killed Graven, and I cared for him.¡±


    In response, Broken did not draw one sword, but drew two, from sheaths on opposite sides. He twirled them in his grip. ¡°You do not know who I am,¡± he said. ¡°I advise you to rethink.¡± The twirling swords spun faster and faster.


    Varsis did not back away. Instead, he lunged, but it seemed Broken had no intention of actually fighting. Broken, with his right foot, kicked the window out, and, as Mai and Ishad scrambled through it onto the sloping, tiled roof, Broken retreated behind them.


    As it seemed Varsis was not going to follow, Broken sheathed his swords, and stood tall on the roof.


    Below, Mai could see their unhorsed carriage. However their animals were in the stables. Mai remembered what had happened at Gansu, and wondered what Broken would do now.


    Through the window, Mai heard a curse of, ¡°Casari!¡± as well as scrabbling feet. Varsis seemed to intend to catch them on the ground.


    And for better or worse, the ground did seem to be where they were headed. The roof sloped down until it was barely a foot off the ground, and that was where the three of them slid and rushed. Ishad winced at every step, but other than that, seemed to be okay.


    As Makini troops scrambled to cut them off, the dark blue of the early morning shone overhead. The three fugitives hopped off the roof, but then, as troops converged, Broken stopped, even though they were quite near the shed.


    ¡°Aruith!¡± he shouted. The word sounded anguished, and Mai was confused.


    And then Aruith burst from the stable door, and stopped beside Broken.


    Broken mounted him. ¡°Aruith¡¯s a strong horse,¡± he said. ¡°He can carry all our weights, because he has to.¡±


    Not willing to argue, Mai and Ishad mounted the horse behind Broken, and Broken raced Aruith forward.


    And that seemed to be that. No Makini soldier seemed to be as fast as Aruith, even burned as he was. Until¡­


    Out of nowhere, Eton appeared, blocking the street before them, and Mai knew they couldn¡¯t run.


    Broken halted Aruith, and, at his lead, he, Mai, and Ishad, dismounted. Broken drew no weapons, and nudged Aruith away, who left them, and trotted down the street, to the running hordes of Makini trying to catch up to them.


    ¡°Accepting your doom,¡± I see,¡± said Eton, and Mai could not understand it. Is Broken really giving up without a fight?


    Eton pulled out a red vial, and threw it at them.


    In that moment, Mai felt Broken grab her and Ishad, and pulled them. He moved faster than anyone she had ever seen, and everything seemed to be in slow motion, as Broken got them to the side of the road.


    Just as the road exploded.


    But even as it did so, Broken got them inside a building, a building that looked to be Bola¡¯s town hall.


    Windows shattered, and Mai was sure the street was now a huge crater, but she did not look back, as Broken continued to half-carry both her and Ishad down into the building¡¯s basement.


    From outside, Mai heard Eton¡¯s voice again. ¡°If you want to be buried in rubble, I would be happy to oblige.¡±


    There was no sound of a second vial being thrown, but she knew it was coming. And so it did.


    ***


    Varsis, racing on Falor, to where Eton had corralled the princess and her companions, saw the street explode before him, just as he saw the companions evade by ducking into the town hall.


    Varsis dismounted Falor, as he could hardly ride the horse over the rubble of the street, and tried to reach Eton before it was too late.


    He almost did, as Eton threw the vial. ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡± he shouted, knowing what damage the first vial had caused, even as Eton said something, lost to the wind, about rubble and obliging.


    ¡°If we bury her body, we won¡¯t be able to find it again,¡± said Varsis. ¡°They¡¯ll be no proof.¡±


    He finally reached Eton, who had stopped for a moment.


    ¡°My orders are different from yours,¡± said the demon. The Terrasanu laughed. ¡°All I have to do is kill her.¡±


    And then he threw the vial.


    Varsis knew he dare not intercede now. The vial might hit something wholly different, and that would be so much worse.


    The vial arched through the sky, and hit the stone town hall.


    There was an explosion, and rock flew everywhere, even as Varsis watched. A moment later, there was nothing left of the town hall but rubble, unidentifiable as anything else.


    ¡°There,¡± said Eton. ¡°All is well. You were robbed the opportunity of fighting with the princess¡¯ protector, but ah well. Some things are just about the kill, not the way you go about doing it.¡±


    And Eton walked away, as Varsis stared at the rubble. There was no way to clear it, to know if the princess and the others were dead for sure. Perhaps his two spellweavers could do it with enough time, but that was not feasible. Under no circumstances could an army stop in the middle of a war zone to do heaving excavating. The stone building had been three stories, and it would be too much work.


    Varsis sighed. Once again, his own personal desires would have to be pushed aside in favor of the Council¡¯s orders. By the time the bodies were excavated, they would have decayed. There would never be true conformation.


    Captain Sari came up to him, as the man often did. An assistant of his was leading a horse.


    ¡°It seems, sir,¡± said Captain Sari, ¡°that this horse was used in the escape attempt before¡­¡± he looked at the pile of rubble. ¡°Before, well, that happened. The horse seems well behaved, and quite possibly suited to be a warhorse. Is there something we should do with it?¡±


    Varsis turned to look carefully at the animal. ¡°Send it to be inspected. And not just a cursory check. I want to know everything there is to know about Aruith here. Have the findings be reported to me as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°You know the horse¡¯s name, sir?¡± asked Captain Sari.


    ¡°Certainly,¡± said Varsis. ¡°The name was shouted quite loudly, you know, back at the inn.¡±


    ¡°I will go on my way, sir,¡± said Captain Sari. He nodded, and, with his assistant, turned to go.


    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Send someone to find Eton, and bring him to me.¡±


    ¡°Why, sir?¡± asked Captain Sari. ¡°I do not personally think it is wise to disturb a Terrasanu, especially after what he just did.¡±


    ¡°I am not afraid, Sari,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I have killed demons. Bring him to me. I have the sudden desire to rant at him. Soon enough, we¡¯ll get to what is truly important, but because of that demon, I suffered a great disappointment today.¡±


    ¡°It shall be done, sir,¡± said Captain Sari, hurrying away.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Varsis to the man¡¯s retreating back.


    Varsis¡¯ brow creased into a furrow. The demon had no honor.

 Chapter 36: Honorless Freedom

    Mai had endured many hardships since meeting Broken. But now, she was undergoing the worst of them all.


    Mai was trapped under the rubble, barely able to move, let alone do much else. Broken and Ishad were somewhere near her, she thought. Mai heard Ishad coughing, and was glad to hear he was alive.


    How long he was going to continue to live for was in question, however. The same question applied them all.


    Mai, at that moment, knew she was going to die. She knew she was going to die slowly under all the rubble, and she knew she was going to die painfully.


    ¡°Broken?¡± Mai asked, coughing in dirt, as she realized she had not heard anything from him, yet. If he had died, and left Mai and Ishad to suffer, in the next life Mai would punish him. Assuming, of course, that Broken got to Elysium. That was in question. There was no answer for a moment, and Mai began to think that he was really dead. She should have known better.


    ¡°Get up,¡± said Broken. He sounded perfectly calm.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Mai. ¡°I can¡¯t just get up: I¡¯m buried under rubble and dirt. You get up!¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Broken. ¡°I already did. Now, I will help you to do the same.¡±


    Mai felt weight being lifted and thrown off her, and then suddenly, strong arms pulled her to her feet.


    They were still in the basement of the town hall. The stairs they had come down, and the immediate area around it, was buried in rubble, but the rest of the basement looked untouched. Solid. Mai had been caught at the edge of the rubble, but it seemed Broken and Ishad had not been touched by it.


    Ishad coughed again, because of the dust. However, he was able to stand without support.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t the basement collapse like the rest?¡± asked Mai. She knew that when Broken was around, there were no chance occurrences of fate.


    ¡°To understand that question requires a history lesson,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± said Mai, brushing the dirt off.


    Broken took three high-backed chairs that had been stored in the corner of the basement, and placed them in a triangle in the center of the room. He, Mai, and Ishad all sat down.


    ¡°Back in the year eighty-four of the Arathou Dynasty,¡± said Broken, ¡°there were the demon wars. Demons appeared from all around, and lay waste to countryside without any warning. None. They just seemed to appear out of thin air, and wreaked their havoc until they were killed, or they decided to disappear on their own.


    ¡°When there is no greater cause pushing them, people will stagnate. But humanity is ingenious in times of need. Bunkers were created at the base of every town hall, and spellweavers spent their time casting enchantments to reinforce them. For a thousand years, the bunkers have stood, even after the demon wars, even after the buildings above them were torn down and replaced.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re in a bunker,¡± said Mai. ¡°A thousand year old bunker, that you knew would be here. But if the bunkers were supposed to protect humanity,¡± she said, ¡°why are they so small?¡±


    She gestured around. ¡°This room couldn¡¯t hold more than twenty people, if a reasonable amount of supplies were brought in.¡±


    ¡°You of all people should know the answer to that question,¡± said. ¡°You of all people, who once sat at the top of the social structure.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said Mai, in understanding. ¡°The nobles didn¡¯t care about the peasants.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°But what they did was still fortuitous for us, a millennia later. We still live.¡±


    ¡°So, the Makini have no idea we survived,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°What these bunkers were made for is not common knowledge. Only the sages really know, or care. They will think us dead, and move on.¡±


    ¡°We have no supplies,¡± said Ishad. ¡°How can we stay here? And, can we even get out?¡±


    ¡°All bunkers have a second exit,¡± said Broken, ¡°in the case--¡± he gestured at the rubble blocking the stairs, ¡°--of something like this happening. We will wait here this day, and then at night, we will find in the town what supplies we need, and be gone.¡±


    ¡°So you want us to stay here for an entire day with no food or water,¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken, for the third time. ¡°You will live. There is enough air filtering down through the rubble to see to that.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± said Mai. ¡°Ishad might be able to walk now, but he still needs rest. Starving him--¡±


    ¡°Starving him will save all of our lives,¡± said Broken. ¡°And do not worry for the injustice, for you will be hungry as well, soon enough.¡±


    And so they waited. There was nothing in the bunker but more furniture, and an absence of anything one would find in a typical basement, such as rats. The time spent waiting for the next nightfall was mind numbingly boring, for after the first hour, there was simply nothing to say. The only light trickled down from the rubble, and the room was dim.


    For hours, as Mai and Ishad sat and waited, Broken alternated between doing exercises, and staring blankly into space. It truly was strange, to see Broken punching the air one moment, his entire body finely tuned, and then sitting down on the ground to fiddle aimlessly with a small bit of rubble.


    But the hours passed, even though they felt like days. The light through the rubble filtered to blue, then dark blue, and then, to see anything, Mai had to make a prolonged effort.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°It is time,¡± said Broken.


    Mai watched his dark form head to a wall that looked perfectly normal. Mai thought she saw his fingers pry something from the wall, and then, she saw a hole revealed, a hole that lead to a tunnel, so small that any inside would have to crawl on their hands and knees.


    Broken disappeared into the tunnel, and then his voice emanated, ¡°Follow!¡±


    Mai and Ishad did.


    Inside, the tunnel was framed and supported with what seemed to be stone, but Mai knew, acutely, that she was surrounded by thousands of pounds of dirt, on all sides. If the passageway was really a thousand years old, as Broken claimed, it seemed likely to Mai that it had developed some defects. Perhaps when the reached a certain point, it would all collapse, and they would be buried in dirt.


    Broken continued to lead, as Ishad followed, and Mai brought up the rear. As she crawled on her hands and knees, the tunnel kept going and going, even when she could take no more. Mai had always had a fear of enclosed spaces, and as her head brushed against the top of the tunnel, even as she crawled, she felt everything coming in around her.


    And then, for a reason Mai could barely comprehend, Broken stopped.


    ¡°Are we there?¡± she asked, calling up through the tunnel.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°Now wait, and let me get the door open. The second doors were hid under dirt and grass, so they would not be noticeable. Now, it is likely that dirt and grass has grown quite a bit in the last thousand years.¡±


    Mai quieted, left to her fears that the door would be stuck beyond even Broken¡¯s abilities. Even he couldn¡¯t move thousands of pounds of dirt.


    A moment later, Broken said, ¡°I got the door to open inwards.¡± A bit of dirt clogged the pitch-black tunnel, then there was a sort of wet noise, and then Broken said, in a sort of muffled way, ¡°Follow.¡±


    Ishad did, and then it was Mai¡¯s turn. As she climbed up out of the ground, she felt as if she was rising from the dead.


    And then she stepped away, and abruptly, she found herself in a forest, with Ishad and Broken.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± she asked. ¡°This is not the town.¡±


    ¡°The tunnel went for a ways,¡± said Broken. ¡°A very, very long ways. We¡¯ve been crawling for three-quarters of an hour. Follow me.¡±


    How Broken knew exactly how much time they had spent in the tunnel was beyond Mai. As she wondered, she and Ishad followed his lead through the forest. When Ishad needed help, Mai provided it, but all in all, he seemed to be in good shape, considering.


    A while, but not all that long later, they emerged from the forest at the top of a hill. All around them were the remnants of a camp, a military camp by the looks of it. But here, everything was overturned, or destroyed. There were no bodies, but that just made everything look more ominous. A road traveled around the hill, and the destroyed camp.


    ¡°Taramad Hill,¡± said Broken. ¡°Wait here for me. It is unlikely anyone will spot you, if you stay a ways in the forest. I¡¯ll go into Bola, and get what we need.¡±


    And so he left.


    Mai and Ishad headed back a ways into the forest, and sat down. Together, they gazed out into the wreckage.


    ¡°My God,¡± said Mai slowly. ¡°Did you ever see something so horrible?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Never anything like this. But Broken has.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I saw it in his eyes. I saw it in the way he spoke. He appreciated how the site was new to us, but he spoke as if he was a sage, explaining something he already knew by heart.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t surprise me that he was in war,¡± said Mai. ¡°I would have been surprised if he had not been.¡±


    ¡°You have told me everything you know about Broken,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But I have a question for you. When was the last time a war hero returned home, unheard of, and unfamed?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I mean, Broken worked for your dynasty. Someone of his talents in war would not have returned home without recognition.¡±


    ¡°I saw many war heroes paraded past me when I lived in the Occluded City,¡± said Mai. ¡°And I can assure you, he was not one of them. From what he said, once, he seemed to have the job of a common guard.¡±


    ¡°Did he say that directly?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Broken is a master of saying one thing and meaning another,¡± said Ishad. ¡°He tricked you. Now, you say he never lies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what he says,¡± spoke Mai. ¡°But that¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the most outlandish thing you heard him say?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°When he was drunk once, he said he was over a thousand years old,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°He was drunk,¡± said Ishad. ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. What else?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai. ¡°Nothing else really comes to mind. What are you getting at?¡±


    Somewhere in the forest, an owl hooted.


    ¡°I think he was an agent of your House,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I think that¡¯s why he was so quick to swear for you, when you first met. I think he¡¯s trying to stay true to his duties by protecting you.¡±


    Mai thought for a moment. ¡°You mean, you think he was a spy for House Tachen?¡± she asked.


    ¡°More likely an assassin, but essentially, yes,¡± said Ishad.


    Mai thought about the idea. It seemed to fit with Broken. All except two things. ¡°Then why did he have an ancient sword?¡± she asked. Another question leapt unbidden to her. And why did he say he was within his rights to kill me, so great was his secret?


    ¡°That does not seem to fit,¡± agreed Ishad. ¡°But perhaps, it was just a special heirloom.¡±


    ¡°An heirloom from the family of a commoner?¡± asked Mai, incredulous.


    ¡°Probably not,¡± said Ishad, rethinking. ¡°Maybe it was given to him by the dynasty as a reward for good service.¡±


    That explanation seemed to fit better, but still, not quite as well as it could have. As for the statement she could not share with Ishad, Mai had come up with a sort of half idea. Maybe he said he was within his rights to kill me, because as an assassin, he could kill me to restore some honor to the Arathou Dynasty. For I should, by the laws of honor, be dead.


    But her answer was contradictory with what Ishad had said. If he was protecting her to maintain his sense of duty to House Tachen, he could not also think himself within his rights to kill her.


    Maybe he just really is that conflicted, Mai thought. With Broken, that seemed very much possible.


    ¡°Your idea makes a little sense,¡± said Mai. ¡°But why are we talking of Broken? He is not here right now, and but a day ago we were reminded of our mortality, and we discovered that you are not as incapacitated as a certain healer would have liked us to believe. We should be talking of something else.¡±


    ¡°What should we be talking about?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Something else.¡±


    They kissed.


    Broken returned a few hours later. It was only when he showed them food that Mai realized how hungry she was. She and Ishad ate ravenously.


    When they were done, Mai asked, ¡°What kind of transportation did you find?¡±


    ¡°I got the cart,¡± Broken responded, ¡°along with Swift and Stride.¡±


    ¡°What about Aruith?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Aruith is at the Makini camp,¡± said Broken. ¡°There was no time to get him back.¡±


    For a moment, Mai thought she felt a twinge of pain behind those words. If she did, she understood it. Aruith and Broken had been connected by a strange sort of bond, and now, that bond was broken.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°In a moment,¡± said Broken, as the owl that had hooted once hooted again. In a brief flash, he turned his body to look at it, perched on a tree. He had known exactly where the bird¡¯s call had come from. ¡°Now we will go,¡± said Broken.


    They did, and at the road on the side of the forest, the run-down carriage was waiting for them. Swift and Stride were hitched in, but the harness for the third horse, the primary, the one that was supposed to be the forward point of the triangle of horses, was empty.


    Mai and Ishad got inside, and Broken began to drive. There was food stored inside the carriage, food and supplies a plenty. She had already eaten, but Mai reached for a piece of bread.


    A thought came to her. ¡°Ishad?¡± she asked. ¡°After everything we¡¯ve been through, after all the times Broken has saved us, do you think we should really still be alive?¡±


    ¡°Life is unfair,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Unfairness works both ways.¡±

 Chapter 37: Act of Life

    General Areveli, Supreme Commander of the Makini forces, was leading an army into battle on this day.


    On horseback, he stroked his beard. After a brief juncture together, his army had split from Varsis¡¯, and headed south. Due to constant streams of reinforcements, he now had fifty thousand men under his command. No one had anticipated how quickly Hisa had been able to levy the Makini armies. No one.


    And news of Varsis¡¯ successes in the north had entitled him to use the vast army at his disposal. Indeed, without Areveli¡¯s help in the south, all of Varsis¡¯ gains would begin to unravel.


    And so, today, the siege of the Holy Citadel began. Areveli gazed around him. On this fine morning, his troops had encircled the city. There were more people inside the city than he had troops, to be sure, but in a city of two hundred thousand, there could only perhaps be twenty thousand troops with a level of experience, plus that number again of conscripts.


    Areveli¡¯s forces outnumbered the defenders, and his soldiers were infinitely better trained. The Vedil called the Makini soldiers hordes simply because of their number. A more professional army than the Makini simply could not be found.


    Areveli looked around, at his siege weapons at the ready. Catapults abounded in his formations, in every shape and size. There were massive ones, meant for sending projectiles flying over the city walls, and those smaller, as well, meant for breaking down the walls themselves, with boulders.


    Areveli was not a man to leap to conclusions, but he knew that on this day, the Vedil stood no chance.


    ¡°Ready!¡± he shouted, and his captains relayed the message. ¡°Flaming arrows fire at will!¡±


    And so they did. From the Makini ranks, perhaps five thousand arrows flew up to the battlements of the Holy Citadel. On the battlements, Areveli saw defenders drop like flies.


    ¡°Catapults!¡± he shouted. ¡°Fire at will!¡±


    Along with the stream of flaming arrows, giant rocks were added to the mix.


    In response, the Vedil¡­died.


    They seemed to have no strategy, no idea on how to defend themselves beyond indiscriminately firing arrows back. A few Makini dropped, but the number was petty. Everything was going as well as it could be.


    ¡°Battering ram!¡± shouted Areveli from his horse. ¡°Take position!¡±


    From the Makini ranks, a gargantuan battering ram, covered with wood, and wet cow hide, to prevent the men manning the thing from getting shot or burnt, advanced. It moved very, very slowly, and immediately became the primary target for the Vedil soldiers of the Holy Citadel.


    Areveli laughed. The battering ram was not supposed to break down the gate. It was merely a distraction.


    ¡°Ladders!¡± he shouted.


    Areveli¡¯s soldiers advanced with ladders with hooks on the end, ladder tall enough to reach the height of the Vedil battlements, and with the hook, take grasp.


    The ladders were a tricky business, and were quite susceptible to being knocked down, but for every one that fell, two were raised, helped in the task by a heavy cover of flaming arrows.


    Like ants, perfectly disciplined, his men began to climb.


    Of course, the Vedil were not completely incompetent. They did manage to knock away more of the ladders, even as the Makini men on them flailed and fell to the ground.


    But combat healers were already waiting for their part to play. As soon as the first Makini splattered on the ground, they advanced to make sure any who survived the fall would live to fight another day.


    Too often did men die on the battlefield for no other reason than neglect. Areveli was not going to let that happen.


    Changing focus, Areveli saw the first of his ladder men make it to the battlements. Many of them died, of course, impaled by the ranks of Vedil defenders, but many did not. They were Makini swordsmen, after all.


    As Areveli watched, the tides turned on the battlements. His forces were constantly being reinforced by new climbers, and the Vedil only had what they had. He laughed again as he saw that his archers had stopped firing at some regions of the battlements, as they were completely controlled by friendly troops.


    This would be a great victory in the annals of the Makini.


    Little attention was being paid to the battering ram now, which, due to its heavy coverings, had weathered the assault.


    ¡°Battering ram!¡± shouted Areveli. ¡°Strike!¡±


    The battering ram moved forward, giving the Vedil something else to worry about. It began to pound on the gate.


    Areveli turned to a lieutenant. ¡°Get me my owl,¡± he said, and the lieutenant rode off.


    Areveli continued to watch Makini victory after victory.


    When the lieutenant returned with the owl, Areveli took the jet black bird on his gloved hand.


    ¡°Watch the fighting for me, Darken,¡± said Areveli. ¡°When my men break past the walls into the city proper, return to me.¡±


    The black owl flew off, and Areveli continued to watch. Even after the walls were passed, it would take a long time to pacify the city, due to the great hill it had been built on. Vedil archers would be able to fire from rooftop down onto the Makini below. The conquest would not be over until the Greatest of the Temples was reached. Still, when his men passed beyond the walls, it would still be the beginning of the end.


    Not that the Vedil had ever stood a chance.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Areveli stroked his beard once more as, before long, Darken came flying back to him.


    It had only taken half a day to reach this moment. The Makini conquest of the Holy Citadel would go down as one of the shortest captures of a walled city in history.


    And Areveli stroked his beard.


    ¡°Make sure the order goes out to kill as many Vedil soldiers as quickly as possible,¡± said Areveli.


    His lieutenant nodded, and disappeared again.


    Areveli hoped that order would be carried out. Once white flags were raised, prisoners would have to be taken, and this war had given the Makini far more prisoners of war than they could ever use. The Vedil soldiers were better off dead.


    A different lieutenant came scurrying up to him. ¡°My lord,¡± said the man, ¡°the Vedil are beginning to surrender.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± said Areveli. ¡°Quite good.¡± There will be less dead than I hoped, but prisoners of war can always be used. I only worry about how many guards will be needed to oversee them.


    On his horse, Areveli turned. ¡°Make me aware when the city is fully under our control,¡± he said. ¡°I will be in my tent.¡±


    ¡°It shall be done, my lord,¡± said the lieutenant.


    Areveli rode off.


    A battered city stood behind him.


    ***


    Priest-Lord Ralad was a complicated man. He, unlike his fellow Priest-Lords, felt inclined to follow his secular Vedil Lord brethren into battle.


    He felt that if the Holy Citadel fell, so too did all Vedil hope, and so he risked everything just so that the defenders could have one more man.


    But, with he or not, the Vedil were losing.


    The Makini invaders were in the Tower of the Vedil now, and only the upper levels remained in the hands of the rightful.


    Ralad stood at a twisting hallway, wearing white robes, as he always did. However, he held a mace in his hands. Priests were not allowed to shed blood, but they could kill in other ways.


    Only one ally stood by Ralad¡¯s side, the Asurik Talil. Aside from he and her, the twisting staircase was empty.


    It would not remain empty for long.


    ¡°You do not have to stay here,¡± said Talil. She held a sword in one hand, and a staff in the other. ¡°You can still return to your quarters, and seek the protection you would be due as a priest and a non-combatant.¡±


    ¡°I do not consider that to be an option,¡± said Ralad. ¡°If I die defending this place, so be it. Remember when you fought the undying giant, back on that night when hell broke loose? You did not turn away even when you saw it crack one of your fellows over its knee, and God rewarded your bravery by sparing your life, and the lives of several of your other fellow Asurik.¡±


    ¡°I have told you many times,¡± said Talil, ¡°the metal giant was not after us. If we had not wanted revenge for the loss of one of our kin, it would have left us without killing a second.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the giant was after?¡± asked Ralad.


    ¡°No,¡± said Talil.


    ¡°Then God saved you,¡± said Ralad. ¡°And you, as an Asurik, should be the last to scorn Him.¡±


    ¡°I bask in your wisdom, Priest-Lord,¡± said Talil. ¡°I am humbled.¡± She briefly closed her eyes, but a second later, they flashed open. ¡°I hear soldiers, Priest-Lord,¡± she said. ¡°Here the come.¡±


    A moment later, climbing up from the twisting staircase came a squad of Makini swordsmen.


    Seeing Talil to be an Asurik, and the more deadly of the defenders, the Makini squad focused on her. But Talil was ready.


    As the first came at her, Talil parried his sword with her staff, and cut at his exposed neck with her sword. He dropped to the ground, blood pooling.


    As two more Makini swordsmen came into distance of Talil, Ralad solidly connected his mace with the side of one¡¯s head. The man, not prepared, dropped to the ground, but another pair of Makini stepped up to take his place, now realizing that Ralad was indeed a threat.


    Ralad stepped a pace back up the stairs, just missing a vicious sword slash from one of the Makini. As he saw that Talil was now pinned against the wall by three of the men, he rushed forward to help.


    As his mace parried a sword strike from one of the Makini warriors, Ralad suddenly saw that his help would be to no avail, that Talil was doomed.


    In a burst of energy, Talil cut down a second swordsman, but overreached, and another impaled her on his sword from behind.


    The man pulled his blade out from her back, and she slid to the ground, quite dead.


    Ralad let out a howl of anger, and slammed his mace out, yet again, just missing another head, but the Makini, now only having to deal with an old man, rushed at him. One slammed the pommel of his sword into Ralad¡¯s chest.


    Wheezing, Ralad dropped his mace, and fell to the ground. Before a sword strike could be levied to dispatch him, Ralad cried out, ¡°I yield!¡±


    And so the Makini took him.


    ***


    Lin stood around a campfire. His short fellow, General Xaien, was nearby speaking with some lieutenants.


    A few minutes later, Xaien returned to the campfire with a dark expression on his face. ¡°I fear what Achang did by delaying us was worse than what even Emperor Ehajdon realized,¡± said the little old man.


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°The Holy Citadel has fallen.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°And, reports have it that this was no hard victory for the Makini,¡± said Xaien. ¡°Fifty thousand troops fell upon the Holy Citadel, and destroyed its defenders.¡±


    The number fifty thousand was not frightening because it was impossible for the combined Houses Minsu and Vedil to match. Indeed, the combined population of their two Houses was greater than that of the Makini.


    But the number fifty thousand represented the speed at which the Makini could martial their troops. The war was two months old.


    Lin had no idea how the Makini had been able to raise so many troops in so little time, but he had to begrudgingly congratulate them. Then, he had to find a way to kill them all. The twenty thousand troops in his and Xaien¡¯s army were no match for the fifty thousand Makini in the south, and the ten thousand Makini in the north.


    And now the Holy Citadel had fallen.


    If the war continued at this rate, Makini troops would conquer Minsu heartlands before the year was out. And that was something that could not be allowed to happen.


    ¡°How do they do it, Xaien?¡± asked Lin. ¡°Where did those troops come from?¡±


    ¡°The Makini had most probably lightened the guard on almost every territory they control, in order to produce the armies before us,¡± said the little old general. ¡°Unfortunately, as we can hardly attack Makini lands from the Eastern Range, that matters little. Almost all of their troops are on our front lines, right where they can be most effective.¡±


    ¡°And we can¡¯t drop the guard on our own lands because we have potential enemies in every direction,¡± said Lin. ¡°The Makini know the mountain barbarians won¡¯t come after them, since they were defeated so strongly less than a decade ago.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± said Xaien. ¡°So what do we do, young one?¡±


    ¡°How many of the Vedil high lords were captured?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°Out of the ten secular lords,¡± said Xaien, ¡°only seven were in the city at its fall. Out of that number, we know not what happened, beyond the fact that at least one was captured, and at least one was killed.¡±


    ¡°And of the Priest-Lords?¡± prompted Lin.


    ¡°Out of the ten Priest-Lords, nine were in the Holy Citadel at the time of its fall,¡± said Xaien. ¡°All we know is that more than one was captured.¡±


    ¡°And of the Augrave?¡± asked Lin.


    ¡°He is in enemy hands,¡± said Xaien. ¡°This much, we are sure of.¡±


    All in all, what had just been said was all horrible, horrible news. Out of the twenty one leaders of the Vedil, all but four had been in the city. The Vedil leadership would take a long time to recover from this.


    The captures were a boon for Vedil-Minsu integration, as less Vedil leaders meant less opposition to the policies of Emperor Ehajdon. But looking at the military aspect, as opposed to the domestic aspect, it was all an utter nightmare.


    Lin had to find what was left of the shattered Vedil armies, and rally them together. As the south of Vedil was all but fallen, he would have to find what he needed in the north.


    ¡°We will head to Barad,¡± he told Xaien. ¡°To add to our army, any Vedil in reasonable shape that we find will be conscripted. As this maneuver will leave our homelands somewhat exposed to Makini assault, we will urge that Emperor Ehajdon initiate conscription of his own. Unless you have a better idea?¡±


    ¡°I, sadly, do not,¡± said Xaien. ¡°As much as I hate tearing young men away from their lives, I fear we have no other choice.¡±


    ¡°Then, it is decided,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°It is,¡± said Xaien. ¡°May the God-Kings have mercy on us.¡±


    ¡°I only hope that mercy is enough.¡±

 Chapter 38: Sons and Daughters

    Two more days had passed by, and both Mai and Ishad had spent much of that time in a carriage built for three horses, that now only rode with two.


    Whether the lands they traveled were Vedil or Makini, it was unclear. All the towns they passed on their way hoped the Vedil would save them, but were resigned to their fate. In the first few towns, Makini occupation troops were everywhere, but as they passed through more and more land, the Makini disappeared. But even without them, no Vedil had hope.


    That second night, they slept in a forest, even though there was a town nearby. Their status, as travelers through a war zone, had begun to attract much attention, so Broken had decreed they would only spend every other night in a town, to reduce their visibility.


    Food rations were low, and after the meal, Ishad retired early. He had still not completely recovered from what had happened, though he was much, much better.


    After the meal, Mai practiced her technique with Broken. He still wore both swords, a constant reminder of what had caused the occurrence.


    After they were done sparring, they both sat down, and Mai felt like asking the question she and Ishad had come up with two days ago.


    Before Mai could do, so, however, an owl hooted, and Broken¡¯s attention shifted to the animal. Yet again, Broken¡¯s eyes darted to its location in but a moment, and Mai, her eyes following his, joined Broken in looking at the bird on the branch.


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about the owl?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯ve both seen them before, and you most likely far more often than me.¡±


    ¡°Not all animals are what they seem,¡± said Broken. ¡°And that bird is not what it seems. It is the same one that hooted down on us two days ago.¡±


    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s the same bird?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The owl is jet black, and larger than most,¡± said Broken. ¡°And beyond that, it perches in a very particular way.¡±


    ¡°So what does it matter that the owl was following us?¡± asked Mai. ¡°It¡¯s just an owl.¡±


    Broken was silent for a moment, staring at it.


    ¡°Right?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Wrong,¡± said Broken. ¡°How often does an owl sit exactly the same distance away from the same party, twice in a week?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly the same distance away?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°The owl was trained. It is spying on us.¡±


    ¡°For who?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The Makini.¡±


    ¡°But they think us dead!¡±


    ¡°Indeed they do,¡± said Broken. ¡°But they sent out an owl looking for those of our description, just in case. Quite thoughtful of them, considering none of us really are dead in the slightest.¡±


    ¡°So what are we going to do?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The bird has yet to go back to its handlers, to report,¡± said Broken. ¡°If I have my way, it will never do such.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill it?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡®Watch.¡±


    He stood up, and began to hoot, just as an owl. Mai would not have been able to tell the difference, had she not been looking at him.


    And the owl flew down from its branch, landing on Broken¡¯s outstretched arm. With the bird still perched there, and seemingly in no hurry to go away, Broken sat down beside Mai again, once more.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± said Broken. ¡°Thank the bird. When animals are intelligent, that just makes the whole process that much easier.¡±


    Mai thought back to Aruith. ¡°You are quite good with animals, aren¡¯t you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite good with everything,¡± said Broken, seemingly without humility. ¡°But, yes, I do have a talent in this area.¡±


    The owl fluttered over from Broken¡¯s left arm to his right, the one closer to Mai. She edged away, ever so slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± said Broken. With those words, the owl looked into his eyes, and Broken stared right back. ¡°What do they call you?¡± he asked it, softly.


    ¡°They call you Sleep, don¡¯t they?¡± said Broken. ¡°But what, Great Black Owl, do you call yourself?¡±


    The owl stamped a claw on Broken¡¯s leathered arm. It then twisted its head all the way backwards.


    ¡°They can do that?¡± Mai whispered.


    ¡°Then can make another quarter turn, if they really want to,¡± said Broken, not looking away from the bird. ¡°Ah,¡± he said. ¡°Your name, in our language, is Claw-Back. The Makini never called you that, did they?¡±


    The bird shook its head no, in a very human like fashion. It then looked at Mai once more, and she, for the first time, realized how big it was. The owl was as large as Broken¡¯s entire chest.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°She can¡¯t talk to you like I can. But I¡¯ll be your partner. I¡¯m sorry you can¡¯t go on your own. You can stay with me, and I promise you¡¯ll be cared for.¡±


    ¡°The owl can¡¯t go out to the wild?¡± asked Mai. ¡°It certainly looks big enough to survive on its own.¡±


    ¡°She is, indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°But she is a special breed, twisted by Makini magic. The Great Blacks are larger than their wild cousins, and much more beautiful,¡± said Broken. ¡°But the magic also means that if she does not commune with a human every seven days, she will die. If she does not want to go back to the Makini, and she wants to live, which she does, she must stay with us.¡±


    ¡°How intelligent is Claw-Back, anyway?¡± asked Mai, as the bird continued to look at her.¡±


    ¡°The intelligence of an owl cannot be directly compared with that of a human,¡± said Broken. ¡°But Claw-Black is sentient, or self-aware, and is more bright than many men who walk this Empire.¡±


    The owl hooted.


    ¡°Sadly,¡± said Broken, ¡°the spells used to bring her into awakening are only known by the Makini, just as the spells to make a golem are. Other Houses know how to turn other birds into sentient messengers, but Great Black Owls are solely of the Makini. Except, now, for Claw-Back here.¡±


    Claw-Back let out several hoots.


    ¡°She tells me there are few wild owls captured and made anymore,¡± said Broken. ¡°She was born of two other Great Blacks.¡±


    ¡°How do you know what she is saying?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The Makini invented a language for their birds to speak,¡± said Broken. ¡°On my travels, I learned it.¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t know what else to say. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to her, then,¡± she said.


    The owl peered at her.


    ¡°She obviously doesn¡¯t like me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± said Broken. ¡°It¡¯s just that people like you, who she can understand, but not speak with without an interpreter, remind her of how the Makini made her straddle two worlds, the world of the owl, and the world of the human.¡±


    The owl hooted a little more.


    ¡°Claw-Back says that in all her time as a messenger and spy for the Makini, she never wanted to serve them. She simply didn¡¯t want the seven days to pass without contact. All she wanted to do was live.¡±


    A peculiar feeling came to Mai as she realized the owl was talking to her, and all Broken was doing was translating.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to live like that.¡±Stolen novel; please report.


    The owl made a few more noises.


    ¡°She says that it¡¯s all in the past,¡± said Broken. ¡°With me, she has a feeling that things will be better.¡±


    Broken reached up a hand, and petted the owl.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go now,¡± said Mai, awkwardly. And so she left, heading over to where Ishad slept.


    When Mai came over, Ishad half-woke from his sleep. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Broken got himself a sentient pet owl.¡±


    Sleep.


    In the morning, they were off again. Mai and Ishad got inside the cart, and the owl flew off somewhere. Unlike other owls, it didn¡¯t seem to mind that is was daylight.


    Mai trusted Broken to head them down the quickest path to Asan Paril, but that day, looking through the carriage windows, it seemed as if they were heading into lands even more in turmoil than the ones they had already gone through. Buildings were destroyed, and there were few people to be found.


    Eventually, they reached a few soldiers in Vedil colors, standing in the road. Broken stopped the carriage. Through the window, Mai heard the dialogue.


    ¡°You should not be traveling on this road,¡± said one of the soldiers.


    ¡°And why not?¡± asked Broken. ¡°I, and those who are with me, are civilians. We are safe from those who obey the rules of honor.¡± There was then the sound of Broken patting one of his swords. ¡°And those who do not obey said rules, I can deal with.¡±


    ¡°Well, all right then, sir,¡± said the soldier. ¡°If that is what you believe, we¡¯ll not stop you.¡±


    ¡°We just must warn you though,¡± said another soldier. ¡°We, here, will probably be the last shred of normality you¡¯ll see in a long time.¡±


    At that, all the Vedil laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take my chances,¡± said Broken. ¡°Step away from the carriage.¡±


    And so the Vedil did. And so they rode on.


    On that road no others traveled, Mai saw carrion birds circle in the sky, and she got a bad feeling.


    Then, she heard Broken say, ¡°Get out of the carriage, right now!¡±


    Mai and Ishad did so. They stood on a desolate plain, between clumps of forest. But from those clumps, on either side, soldiers were appearing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± said Mai. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a battle here in a few minutes. We can¡¯t stop!¡±


    But they had, at the side of a small earthen embankment.


    Deftly, quickly, Broken loaded the supplies on Stride, and Swift. Mai got on Swift, and Ishad and Broken got on Stride. And now, they rode on their horses, dragging the cart along with them.


    As they pressed their horses to head away from the soon-to-be battlefield, Mai realized that Broken had actually saved time. Riding on the horses seemed to be faster then riding in the carriage.


    Out of nowhere, Broken¡¯s owl swooped down, and landed on his shoulder. And they continued. They reached the forest before the battle began, but barely, just barely.


    And then, and arrow whizzed just in front of her.


    ¡°They¡¯re in the forest,¡± Mai cried.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing to do,¡± said Broken, halting the horses in front of a huge oak tree. ¡°We must stop. If they realize we are still, they will know us to be noncombatants, and not attack.¡±


    By the huge oak tree, Broken unhitched the horses from the carriage. He sat them down in the small space between the tree and the carriage.


    Then he, Ishad, and Mai got inside.


    Mai looked out the window, and she began to see horror. Vedil soldiers, knowing that the carriage and its inhabitants had just gotten caught up in the fighting, paid them no heed, rushing past the carriage, under cover of arrow fire.


    From a distance, Mai heard screaming.


    And then the counterattack began. For every purple-colored Vedil Mai saw in the forest, Mai saw two black-clad Makini running at them. Everyone on the forest floor seemed to have a sword or a spear, and all of the weapons were in use. All around the carriage, even as they ignored it, men killed each other.


    ¡°What is this?¡± asked Mai, even though she knew, looking away from the window.


    ¡°You know what this is,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Can you close the window shade?¡± said Mai, not looking back. ¡°Please?¡±


    ¡°I apologize,¡± said Broken, ¡°but as much I cannot do. I must see how the battle progresses, to see if we are ever in danger.¡±


    Mai understood him, and yet did not at the same time. How could anyone have a desire to look at that? Mai glanced at Ishad and saw that he, like she, had turned away from the window.


    ¡°I have a question,¡± said Broken. ¡°Mai, Ishad, why do you avert your eyes? Why do you look away from danger, when it will still be there, even if you do not look?¡± It sounded no Mai as if Broken was actually curious. Through the fighting, though the death, he managed to be curious.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai, for in truth she really didn¡¯t. However, when she averted her eyes, things just seemed better that way.


    ¡°If the same horrors will come, or not come,¡± said Ishad, speaking much more eloquently, ¡°why bother too look?¡±


    ¡°Because looking begets information,¡± said Broken, ¡°and information can help one find a way out of horror.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± said Mai. ¡°We have you.¡±


    Broken was then strangely silent. He continued to stare out the window.


    Mai heard a splattering, that sounded like blood, quite near the carriage, and she winced. The noises and the smells continued to plague her, until she was curled up in a corner of the carriage. And a quick glance told her Ishad was not much better.


    Broken, of course, was completely unaffected.


    And the battle raged on. From the sounds, and the smells, it seemed as if the very apex of the conflict was right around them, was right around the carriage.


    Then there was a sound, like a thunk, of something hitting the carriage, itself.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Stray arrow,¡± said Broken.


    And that was not the last stray arrow to strike them. Not by far. The carriage was like a giant pincushion, attracting stab, after stab, after stab.


    ¡°How can they just kill each other?¡± said Mai. ¡°How can they just keep killing each other?¡±


    Before, at Gansu, and at the Holy Citadel, and at Bola, there had been clear cut enemies. Broken, Mai, and, in the last two cases, Ishad, had been doing nothing more than trying to escape, and those after them had been trying to prevent that.


    But here, Mai didn¡¯t know who were the good, and who were the bad. The Vedil served a false emperor, who wanted her dead, and the Makini served Varsis, who wanted her much the same way.


    It was all so confusing.


    For a brief moment, Mai hoped that they all killed each other, but that hope quickly fled. She had known Vedil. She had known the Tevin family, when they had been at her farm.


    No Tevin deserved to be killed.


    And with that, Mai realized she could not generalize. To be sure, Varsis was evil, and so was his henchman, Eton, but she was sure there were plenty of Makini who were as innocent as she was.


    And so, Mai came to the sobering conclusion that all around her, innocents were dying, fighting only because they had the belief that their House would not do anything against honor.


    Each thought that the other side was filled with demons, Casari-cursed. And so they killed, because in their hearts, they felt it was the right thing.


    Mai found herself disgusted at the way human society functioned. The Makini and those sworn to Emperor Ehajdon had tried diplomacy first, Mai was sure. But when that avenue had become difficult, they acted like children, and resorted to fists and violence.


    And Mai was quite sure of one thing. Even if one was stronger, it did not mean that one was right. Broken was living proof of that.


    And as her thoughts did, so to did the battle begin to wind down. The frantic shouts became less and less numerous, and the screams sounded as if they came from farther and farther away.


    The storm of death was ending.


    ¡°Thank you, God, for delivering us from that night,¡± said Mai, bowing her head in prayer.


    But, while most of the battle was over, all not yet was. Mai turned back to the window, just in time to see a haunting sight.


    There was a lone Vedil soldier out there, standing with a lone Makini soldier. The Vedil had lost his weapon, and the Makini had not, but it was clear who was in the better shape.


    Blood poured from the Makini, stained him. He barely seemed able to keep himself on his feet, and he seemed no older than Mai. The Makini¡¯s sword dropped from his hand. It very much seemed as if the Vedil had not inflicted the damage on the Makini, but instead, they had met at a chance occurrence.


    ¡°They¡¯re all dead!¡± shouted the Vedil, who was no older than the Makini. The Vedil¡¯s shirt and brown hair were bloodstained as well, but unlike the Makini, the blood was not from him. ¡°They¡¯re all dead!¡± shouted the Vedil again, louder this time, to a forest empty but for himself, the Makini, and the three watchers from the carriage, which he seemed not to notice.


    ¡°People like you killed my family!¡± shouted the Vedil, as the Makini just stood there, awkwardly. ¡°I enlisted because of that, and now people like you killed all my squadmates. People like you!¡±


    It looked like it was a pain for the Makini to continue to stand. His black hair was not only caked with blood; it was also caked with sweat. He said nothing.


    The Vedil picked up the Makini¡¯s dropped sword, and held it in his hands. ¡°But, for all your crimes, at least I can kill you now,¡± said the Vedil. ¡°At least I can kill you now, to avenge my family.¡±


    ¡°What¡­what are you talking about?¡± said the Makini. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t kill your family.¡±


    The Vedil didn¡¯t answer with words. Instead, he slammed the pommel of his sword into the Makini¡¯s chest, in a way that very much reminded Mai of what Savel had done with Ishad.


    The Makini dropped to the ground, just as Ishad had, but unlike Savel, the Vedil would not let him stay there.


    The Vedil reached down, grabbed the Makini, and dragged him to the carriage with Broken Mai, and Ishad, and slammed him against the side. The Vedil was still quite oblivious to the fact that three were watching him. The new angle meant that Mai couldn¡¯t see the Makini at all, but she could see the loathing in the Vedil¡¯s face as he looked down on him.


    ¡°Why¡­do you need to kill me?¡± wheezed the Makini. ¡°I have a family too. A mother, and a father.¡±


    In response, the Vedil grabbed him up, and threw him to the ground, once again putting the Makini¡¯s broken body in Mai¡¯s sight.


    Mai saw, acutely, blood drip from the Makini¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have family!¡± shouted the Vedil. ¡°You¡¯re a savage! You¡¯re all savages!¡±


    The Vedil raised the sword high over his head, and cut down.


    There was a wet thunk, and then it became very clear that the Makini was dead.


    At that moment, Broken got out of the carriage, and Ishad and Mai followed suit.


    Suddenly noticing them, the Vedil asked, ¡°Who¡­who are you?¡± He dropped the Makini sword.


    ¡°No one who matters to you,¡± said Broken, calmly beginning to stand Swift and Stride up.


    ¡°Traitors!¡± shouted the Vedil. ¡°You should have helped!¡±


    And then he ran off.


    Ishad looked at him as he went, but Broken said, ¡°Let him go.¡±


    ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you wait until he was gone?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because I knew he was no longer a threat, and to wait longer would be to waste time,¡± said Broken.


    Mai¡¯s eyes drifted to the dead Makini slumped on the ground. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do something?¡± she said. ¡°I mean, we can¡¯t just leave his body here to rot.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care so much about that particular body,¡± said Broken, not looking up from his work with the horses. ¡°Look around.¡±


    Mai did, and saw what Ishad had a moment earlier.


    There were bodies strewn everywhere. The Makini was not the only one by far, and he was by far not the worst mangled.


    There were dead Vedil here, on the ground, and dead Makini, in seemingly equal numbers.


    ¡°The Vedil said the Makini won,¡± said Ishad carefully. ¡°But it seems there are about equal casualties on each side.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± said Broken. ¡°This was an even battle. But in the end, the Vedil retreated, and so the Makini were victorious by default.¡±


    ¡°This is terrible,¡± said Mai. ¡°There were all people. These were all sons and daughters.¡±


    Broken¡¯s eyes bored into her, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. ¡°Even Varsis is someone¡¯s child,¡± he said.


    Varsis, who haunted Mai¡¯s dreams almost as much as Eton, was somebody¡¯s child. Now, that was a thought, indeed.

 Chapter 39: Wilted Roses

    ¡°I have a question,¡± said Ishad, the next day, as he and Mai rode in the carriage. ¡°Why do you think Asan Paril will be such a safe haven?¡±


    The question had struck Mai at an awkward moment, a moment when she had been thinking about the past, not the future. ¡°Um,¡± she said. ¡°Why? Asan Paril is known for its neutrality. It is the only city in the world that is not allied with any House.¡± She looked at Ishad. ¡°But you probably knew that.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But, it sounds like you have a second reason. Continue.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­I met the city¡¯s lord, several times,¡± said Mai. ¡°His name is Tur is Ashat. He frequented the Occluded City often. We were friends, of a sort.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°Forgive me for asking, Mai, but how often did you see him?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps twice a year,¡± said Mai. ¡°But¡­I know he was my friend. He was the only person to ever stand up to my father for me¡­¡± She trailed off, and put her hand to her mouth. ¡°I fear I have said too much.¡±


    ¡°You think it was a deep dark secret that your father abused you?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°It¡¯s not. You wear what was done to you on your sleeve, Mai. When his name comes up in conversation, you don¡¯t get sad. You often seem to think that everything is your fault, and you are eager to please.¡±


    Mai looked at Ishad, horrified that he knew.


    But Ishad continued. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry, though,¡± he said. ¡°I think no less of you. How could I? It is your father who should toss and turn in the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a weakling,¡± said Mai. A horrible, terrible thought came to her, that Ishad only cared for her out of pity. That couldn¡¯t be true. But what if it was?


    ¡°I do not think you¡¯re a weakling,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I think you bear mental scars. But so do I. Do you think it was just out of the blue that my parents decided I was possessed, and sent me off to become a monk? I was always the most talented of their three sons, and they hated that, as I was also the youngest. My parents didn¡¯t want to think that by passing their company on to their eldest, Vi, who barely even wanted the job, they were making a bad decision. All my life, they came up with ways to tell me that my talents were a sham. The last way they did that was, of course, telling me I was possessed, and sending me off to become a monk, but there were many things they did before that.¡±


    Mai stared at Ishad. ¡°What you just told me was very personal, wasn¡¯t it?¡± she said. ¡°I¡­I didn¡¯t need to hear.¡±


    ¡°I needed to tell someone,¡± said Ishad. ¡°No one knew, except for my parents, and my siblings, who after a time, came to support them. I felt too ashamed to make my friends aware that my parents were trying to make me feel my gifts were a curse. I have now bequeathed that secret to you. Treat it well.¡±


    It was hard for Mai to say which reached for the other first, but a moment later, they were hugging. Hugging quite tightly.


    Perhaps a few minutes later, they broke apart.


    ¡°You got me thinking,¡± said Mai, to Ishad, as she settled back into her seat.


    ¡°About what?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°What could have happened to Broken, to make him act the way he does?¡± asked Mai. ¡°If we are both products of the way we grew up, what must have happened to Broken?¡±


    ¡°Something horrible,¡± said Ishad.


    ¡°Obviously,¡± said Mai.


    And from that word, she began to think. Broken was on her mind too often as of late, but she couldn¡¯t help it.


    An hour or so later, she decided she had to speak with him once more.


    That night, they stopped at a barren plot of land, a field in the middle of nowhere. As they stopped, Claw-Back flew off to do whatever an owl did. They ate, and they spared for a little. With no apology, Broken deemed that night, Ishad was healed enough to take the second sword, and so he did.


    Later that night, when Ishad was asleep on the grass, and Mai and Broken were nearby, slowly getting to sleep, Mai sat up.


    Of course, Broken did so immediately as well, as was his nature.


    ¡°I have to talk to you,¡± said Mai, as Ishad lightly snored in the background. She continued. ¡°What has happen between us, all the different times I was angry at you, all that is too complicated to deal with. So let¡¯s just forget it. If Ishad can forgive you for what you did to him, perhaps I can, as well.¡±


    ¡°What do you wish to speak to me about?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Life,¡± said Mai. ¡°Yours, in particular. I want to know why you never share anything. I want to know why you¡¯re always so cryptic.¡±


    ¡°Did I not hint at one of my secrets?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I remember full well you said that you were in your rights to kill me,¡± said Mai. ¡°I would be mad if I forgot. I don¡¯t want to know about your deep dark secrets. I just want to know something. Ishad thinks you might be a former Tachen assassin. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken, quite flatly. ¡°But, because you asked, I wish to show you something.¡±


    Before Mai could respond, Broken pulled off his shirt. It was odd, but Mai couldn¡¯t remember seeing him shirtless before.


    But then, under the light of the stars, she saw what he had been hiding.


    He had a tattoo, on the upper part of his right arm. The tattoo completely covered the region, from shoulder to wrist, and wrapped all around. It was of a serpent biting its own tail.


    Most tattoos were just that: tattoos. They stood for nothing. But there were harsh punishments of death, that restricted tattoos of the Symbol to nobles, and nobles alone.


    Mai could not believe it, at first. Broken was a noble. ¡°My God she said. You¡­ But I thought you were a commoner. You told me¡­¡±


    ¡°I lead you to believe as much,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I never said it.¡±


    ¡°Your name¡­¡± said Mai. ¡°Broken can¡¯t be your name. No noble would name their child as much.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°My name is assumed. But one of those deep, dark secrets forbids me from telling you why.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me this earlier?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because I wanted you to believe I was a commoner,¡± said Broken. ¡°That way, there would be no awkward questions about which House I was from, and to who I held my allegiance.¡±


    Those questions, however, were even now coming to the forefront of Mai¡¯s mind. ¡°Can you answer them now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°For the same reason as before. If I told you my House, it would take you one step closer to finding out who I am. And you finding out who I really am is something I cannot have, not yet.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Again, that is another question I cannot answer,¡± said Broken. His gray eyes stared at her. ¡°But I will tell you this much. You know my name.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just say it?¡± asked Mai. ¡°You can say nothing that will make me think any worse of you.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°I highly doubt that,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°You told me you could kill me, by rights,¡± said Mai, ¡°and I just took it. Now, you prove to me that you are a noble, and I accept that, as well.¡±


    ¡°But the secrets I withhold, I withhold because they are the worst,¡± said Broken. The way he said it, Mai found herself believing him.


    But she also wanted to know. She had to know. And tonight, Broken had proven that he could be pushed into revealing things. ¡°What if I swear to you, that no matter what you said, I would act no differently around you then I do now, and tell no one of your secrets, not even Ishad.¡±


    ¡°That would still not be enough. My full story is long and convoluted, and you would wind up latching onto the wrong parts.¡±


    Mai sensed it was time for her to back off. ¡°I understand,¡± she said, though in reality, she did not. ¡°I won¡¯t pry.¡±


    ¡°I told you what I told you this night because I believe you have a right to know,¡± said Broken. ¡°And I feel I have been rather hard, as of late.¡±


    ¡°Is that the closest thing to an apology about Ishad that I¡¯ll get from you?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Broken responded. He looked truly sad then, as the stars shone around them, and Mai thought she saw a single tear drip from his cheek. But that was impossible. Broken didn¡¯t cry.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Broken, putting his shirt back on. ¡°But there is nothing you can do to help.¡±


    Rather stunned that when she had approached Broken this time, he had actually opened up, to a degree, Mai lay back down on the grass.


    Sleep.


    In the morning, it was quite clear that Ishad, though he had been right by Broken and Mai last night, knew nothing of the conversation. Mai knew she should have expected as much. Broken must have known that Ishad would sleep soundly, and that was the only reason he shared.


    Realizing this, Mai made the difficult decision not to tell Ishad what had been said. She didn¡¯t want Broken to stop trusting her. Once Broken had told everything there was to tell about himself, then she would relate what she knew to Ishad. When she told him at last, she knew he would understand.


    Or she hoped. Ishad was a very rational person, but rational people could only be pushed so far. He would probably ask why she had not told him in the carriage, when Broken was on the outside.


    But the answer to that, was that she believed that Broken would know if Ishad knew. For now, he had to be kept in the dark.


    After they all had breakfast, Broken made an announcement, as Claw-Back flew down from a tree, and landed on his shoulder. ¡°We will only spend one more night on this travel,¡± he said. ¡°For in two more days, we will reach Asan Paril.¡±


    We¡¯re almost there, thought Mai, happily. We¡¯re almost there.


    They got into the carriage, and began to ride.


    Inside, Ishad asked, ¡°What do you intend to do once we reach Asan Paril?¡±


    And with that question, much of Mai¡¯s fantasy evaporated. The truth was, she really didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Go to Tur is Ashat,¡± said Mai. ¡°Convince him to protect me.¡±


    ¡°I gathered as much previously,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But then, what you going to do with the rest of your life? You can¡¯t just hide behind the walls of Asan Paril until you grow old and die.¡±


    Mai did not want that. It was only now that she realized that once she reached Asan Paril, she would be free to do whatever she chose. She had just been expecting to stay in the Asan Paril palace, subconsciously. After all, that was really the only thing she knew how to do. She wasn¡¯t suited for a job. But she didn¡¯t want to hide in the palace for the rest of her life, hoping the city¡¯s neutrality would protect her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°And where do I fit into this?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°I tried to kid myself before, that once you reached Asan Paril, I would just leave. But the truth is, I love you, Mai, and I never want to leave you.¡±


    Mai looked at him. She loved him too, but she had never expected the feeling to last. She had thought that once she reached Asan Paril, they would go their separate ways, if only because they had no future together. Ishad was of the middle class, and Mai was a noble.


    But now, it seemed, Ishad thought differently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see how we can stay together,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Do you really love me?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then we will find a way.¡± Ishad thought. ¡°Perhaps I could base my merchant business, when I set it up, in Asan Paril. To do so would be a smart idea, even without you, as it is unlikely war will come to the city. Then, when my business booms, which you know it will, given my talents, we could marry. Rich merchants sometimes marry nobles, after all.¡±


    The frightening thing about the idea was that is seemed like it might work. It did not seem impossible. But the idea did not seem real, either. As much as Mai wanted to believe that what Ishad said could happen, she could not.


    ¡°Because of who I am,¡± she asked him, ¡°won¡¯t that be like flirting with chance? I mean, I have enemies, and proclaiming me to be your wife, with all the world watching, would make them target you, as well.¡±


    Silently Mai remembered something Broken had said, after she had confronted him right after Ishad had been hurt. He had said something to the effect of: expect more like this in the future, and not from me. And Broken had the disturbing tendency to never be wrong.


    ¡°We can make it work, Mai,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But only if we believe that future is a possibility.¡±


    Mai was suddenly conscious of what they had, right then. They were in a run-down carriage, with cracks beginning to appear on the inside of the wooden walls. Baggage in black saddlebags was strewn around their foot room, and they sat together on a small bench, as they had no other choice, as they had nowhere else to sit.


    How can we turn the little we have here into a future?¡± Mai wondered. It didn¡¯t seem possible.


    They talked about other things for the rest of the ride, that day.


    Night proceeded as it always did. They stopped again, in a bit of small forest. Broken seemed unwilling to let them rest in a town, after what had happened in Bola, but Mai didn¡¯t mind, as she was worried about the same thing.


    But as they ate dinner over a campfire that night, Mai let herself feel a small amount of elation. This time, tomorrow, she would be in a place where she would be able to stop running.


    The three of them practiced a little with swords, that night, as Claw-Back watched, hooting, from a tree.


    Then, they all lay down to go to sleep on the forest floor, but Mai only pretended to doze off. When she was sure Ishad was sound asleep, she sat up again.


    And, just as she had expected, Broken sat up a split moment later. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked Mai, as she gazed at him.


    ¡°Last night, you told me something very personal about who you are,¡± said Mai. ¡°Tonight, I need to ask for advice about something very personal to me.¡± And then, she detailed Ishad¡¯s plan to open a business, and then marry her. ¡°Do you think what he suggested could work?¡± she asked.


    There was none of the usual cryptic in Broken¡¯s words. ¡°I think it could,¡± he said at last. ¡°I think it could give you the happiness you seek. And I will do everything in my power to make it work.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Mai asked. ¡°You think it would work?¡± But then her mind wandered over to the other part of what Broken had said. That he, personally, would help it work.


    ¡°In truth, I do,¡± said Broken.


    But then, suddenly suspicious, Mai asked, ¡°What do you mean, you would make it work?¡±


    ¡°I fear I have not made my duties to you clear,¡± said Broken. ¡°I will not leave you after we reach Asan Paril. When I swore to be your protector, I swore to be your protector for life.¡±


    And the full impact of those words hit Mai. ¡°But¡­don¡¯t you have a life?¡± she asked. ¡°Once you get me safely to Asan Paril, you don¡¯t need to protect me anymore.¡±


    ¡°That may be true,¡± said Broken. ¡°But the fact remains, if I leave you, I will have nowhere to go.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because everything I once had is now gone.¡±


    There was so much raw emotion connected to that sentence, Mai felt overwhelmed.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have lost everything,¡± she said. ¡°For someone of your talents, there can¡¯t be anything impossible for you to fix.¡±


    ¡°I cannot go back in time,¡± said Broken. ¡°I cannot change what already happened. And there is nothing left to be salvaged.¡±


    Mai remembered what she had said to Ishad, about how Broken must hide horrible secrets from his past. Now, she was getting evidence of that. For some reason, in spite of what he had put Ishad through, Mai felt herself feeling sorry for him. It was incredible, she knew, to feel sorry for a man who seemed to have all the talent in the world.


    But she did.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened,¡± said Mai. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to tell me, because that¡¯s probably one of your secrets. But know that I¡¯m sorry for you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Broken. ¡°That means much to me.¡±


    Mai suddenly was confused. ¡°When I came to you before, you did not open up like this,¡± she said. ¡°Before yesterday and today, you never treated me like I deserved to know the slightest thing about you or your life.¡±


    ¡°And you want to know what is different now?¡± asked Broken. ¡°I will tell you. Today and yesterday, you came to me sincerely wanting to talk to me, and not yell rhetoric. I appreciated that.¡±


    Claw-Back flew down from a tree, and landed on the forest floor, nearby them both. She hooted a little, and cocked her head to the side.


    ¡°She says that she could not help but listen,¡± said Broken. ¡°And she also says, speaking as one that has endured great misery, and now has found great happiness, she hopes that we can find our happiness as well.¡±


    Then, suddenly, Ishad sat up, and rubbed open his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he said.


    Broken shot Mai a look that clearly said: please don¡¯t tell him.


    And Mai respected his wish. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to sleep.¡±


    And so, after Claw-Back flew away, the three of them did just that.


    The morning came wilted. As it was the day that they would reach Asan Paril, Mai had expected herself to feel more excited. Instead, she just felt dead. Last night¡¯s conversation had drained her.


    They had breakfast, got into the carriage, and began to ride.


    The first sign that Asan Paril was ahead was a checkpoint manned by white-leather armored soldiers. They were Asan Paril guards, and their job was to prevent the chaos of the outlying lands from coming into the city.


    The guards were quite easy to get past, however. It did not take much convincing for them to believe that Mai, Broken, and Ishad were travelers heading to Asan Paril to escape the war. For indeed, that was what they were.


    They headed on, after a brief stop for lunch perhaps an hour after the checkpoint. As they continued to ride, it became clear that the area they had passed into was no war zone. In the towns around Asan Paril, and on the roads, people bustled with the exchanges of everyday life. Their activities made the sullenness of Bola seem almost unreal. How could there be such order, and such chaos, so close to each other?


    Mai didn¡¯t know. And in the scheme of things, Mai realized that she knew very little.

 Chapter 40: Asan Paril

    At last, the great Asan Paril itself had come into view from the carriage window. The road ran parallel to the city, before turning and heading to the gate, so for a few minutes, Mai and Ishad had a perfect view.


    And what a sight it was. Perfectly white walls glistened, and Mai saw Asan Paril against the backdrop of the ocean behind it. Asan Paril was built at the side of the Paril River, and it lacked walls on the side that touched the water. Mai from her angle, could see little of that, but she could see enough to hint.


    As the road to Asan Paril¡¯s main gate began to began to turn, and become parallel to the river, not the city, Mai saw all the traffic on the river. Further downstream, there was desolation.


    Here, there was celebration.


    From one of the ships on the river, a blocky, black thing without visible sails, fireworks shot out, staining the blue sky. Beside the river, Mai could see viewers watching, and clapping at appropriate times.


    Other ships headed to and from the Asan Paril port. Here, however, there was one sign of the chaos in other lands. No ships were heading upriver. But that seemed to do little to dampen the festive mood. Many, many ships were heading out into the ocean, and that had to make up for the lack of ships heading in the other direction.


    As their carriage merged with other traffic heading into the city, and the archway main gate of Asan Paril was about to swallow them up, Mai continued to reflect.


    There were some cities larger than Asan Paril, but they were few. There were some cities older than Asan Paril, but they were scarce. There were even a limited number of cities, Barad included, that were more of a center of culture than Asan Paril. But Asan Paril had something on all of its city brethren.


    Asan Paril was the only city to have never been taken by force. Armies had come to it, during times of war, and burnt the lands and towns around it, but those armies had never pierced the white walls. Not once, and quite likely, not ever.


    Mai let a smile come to her face as they passed through the gates, passed through the soldiers and the gate waving on incoming traffic. Asan Paril had never fallen, and it was quite likely that it never would. She was safe.


    Mai looked over, and saw that the rocking of the cart had lulled Ishad to sleep. He was lightly snoring. While his strength seemed to have returned to him, he was rather tired, as of late.


    Then, Claw-Back, who had been sitting quietly on the ground, so quietly Mai had forgotten she was there, fluttered up, and landed on Mai¡¯s lap.


    Broken had convinced her and Ishad to let Claw-Back stay with them, as, if they had entered Asan Paril with a gargantuan black owl sitting on their driver¡¯s shoulder, it would have looked suspicious. Now, she was starting to regret their decision.


    The owl urgently hooted on her lap, staring straight at her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Mai. ¡°You know I can¡¯t understand you.¡±


    But the owl just continued to hoot.


    Mai reached over and closed one of the blinds, to keep passerby from seeing what was going one inside the carriage, but as she moved over to the window on her side, the giant owl hopped onto her head, and pecked at the window.


    And suddenly, Mai realized what the owl was trying to show her.


    There was a man in a black cloak, hooded, and walking quickly through the streets of Asan Paril. But that was not interesting.


    What frightened Mai about the man was that he was exactly pacing the carriage, taking due care to stay exactly in the same position relative to the carriage, as it moved through the streets. He was tall, and somehow, he moved with a grace.


    Suddenly terrified, Mai pulled closed the blinds, and Claw-Back hopped off her head.


    Claw-Back landed in Mai¡¯s lap, again, and started scratching at the air with a claw.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mai asked, aware that the owl wanted something, and that they were now playing a game of charades to get it.


    Through everything, Ishad remained fast asleep.


    The owl continued to scratch at the air with a single claw, and made sudden, urgent hoots.


    ¡°You want to write something?¡± asked Mai, taking a guess.


    The owl flicked her head up and down.


    Mai reached for the saddlebags, as the owl hopped back to the floor. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we have something to write with,¡± she muttered.


    Mai grasped the first saddlebag she could reach, opened it, and pawed through it. There was nothing that could be used to write with, inside.


    Of course there isn¡¯t, thought Mai. Who would have thought that a pen and paper would be necessary for our journey?


    Just as the nagging feeling came to Mai that Broken, being Broken, should have found a way to prepare for this, in the second saddlebag, she found all three things necessary, pen, ink, and piece of parchment, all rather close to each other.


    Mai got off the bench, knelt on the floor, flattened the parchment out on the bench, inked the pen, and handed it in the direction of the owl, who had hopped up onto the bench to replace Mai.


    Mai had no idea how the owl intended to write with the pen, but Claw-Back found a way. She darted at the pen with her mouth, and grasped it solidly. However, the pen was now held in a horizontal position, so, to accommodate for the new challenge, Claw-Back twisted her head all the way down to the side, until the pen brushed against the paper.


    Somehow, the bird began to make her scratches into words, and Mai got the feeling that Claw-Back had done this before.


    Claw-Back wrote something that looked like a straight angled J, but soon enough, transformed into an N. She then repositioned herself. Then next letter looked like an H, except in the end it turned out to be an A. When the third letter, which started out as a P, began to turn into an R, Mai realized what Claw-Back was writing.


    ¡°That was a Nari following us, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Mai breathed.


    Claw-Back dropped the pen, and vigorously nodded.


    ¡°Do you know why the Nari was following us?¡± she asked.


    The bird shook its head no.


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Mai asked.


    The owl took up the pen again, and, with just as much difficulty as before, wrote two words. Just can.


    Mai put the paper, the pen, and the ink away, and got back on her seat, while Claw-Back, ruffling her feathers self-importantly, sat back down on the carriage floor.


    Mai gathered the courage to open her blind again. The black-cloaked Nari was gone.


    Mai decided not to tell Broken about the Nari until after they had stopped. If Claw-Back had not thought the information important enough to tell Broken immediately, she could wait as well.


    And so she did. Looking over at Broken, Mai saw the excitement had not awoken him; he was still asleep.


    Mai settled back in her seat, worried about the Nari, whose motives she could not begin to guess at, and worried if she was doing the right thing by waiting to tell Broken.


    Through the window, Mai saw bustling streets. And then she saw the palace. No, not a palace. The Palace. It was called as such in some circles. It was multistoried, brilliant, and bright, and courtyards around it were filled with fountains. Mai had never been in Asan Paril before, but legend had it that some of the streets were paved with gold. And it turned out, the legend was correct. Perhaps not in the way Mai had imagined, it, but still. The paths around the Palace were all lined with gold.


    The Palace was not built to withstand a siege, the elegant balconies, and high towers attested to that. The designers had expected all attacks on the city to be turned away at the city walls, and indeed, all had been. The Palace was nothing more than a giant sculpture.


    And Broken rode their small run down carriage right up to the small gatehouse at the edge of the security fence surrounding it all.


    Does he have no tact? Mai wondered. We¡¯re not going to convince the guard to let us through like this!


    Broken and the guard exchanged a few words, and then a few sentences, and then a second guard was called over. But still, Broken did not leave. His two-horse carriage meant for three stayed put.


    Behind them, a much more noble carriage pulled up. Mai watched the driver of that carriage get up, walk over to where Broken and the guards were arguing. He joined in.


    After a moment, Mai would have thought he would join the guards against Broken, but that did not prove to be the case. He seemed to be taking Broken¡¯s side. Then, as Mai watched, Broken rolled up his right sleeve of his ever-present black leather armor, and showed the others his snake tattoo.


    And instead of believing that he was no noble, and hauling him off to be executed, the driver of the other carriage and the guards both seemed to be rather awed.


    It was at this point that the nobles in the carriage behind Mai¡¯s carriage got out and came over to the argument, rather annoyed in their own right.


    Everyone exchanged a few more words, and Broken made sure the newcomers saw the tattoo before he rolled down his sleeve.


    The Broken held up a hand, as if to tell the five others to wait a moment, and then he went over to the carriage, with Mai inside.


    Broken opened the carriage door for her, like a butler, and, against her better judgment, Mai stepped out.


    As they came over to the two guards, the driver, and the two nobles, Mai became conscious of all five of them staring at her.


    ¡°This is the Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen?¡± asked the driver, incredulously.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°That¡¯s no lady,¡± said the lady noble, ruffling a fan over herself, to cool her body under its green dress. The summer was still in full force.


    ¡°No way,¡± said one of the guards. ¡°That¡¯s just some commoner you picked up on some random street.¡±


    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to pull,¡± said the other guard. ¡°You may well be a noble, as I don¡¯t know who else would want such a tattoo, but she is most certainly not. Get gone before we throw you both in prison.¡±


    Broken leaned over, and whispered in Mai¡¯s ear. ¡°Now would be the time you go on a rant, Princess,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you do it before.¡±


    Interestingly, though, it was the next line that convinced Mai to do what Broken wanted her to do.


    ¡°No royalty would be caught dead in those commoner clothes,¡± said the lady noble. ¡°And no royalty would look as ill-groomed as you do. Now, bow to your betters, and get gone.¡±


    Mai stared at the noblewoman for a moment, and gathered herself together. Then she began.


    ¡°I have a question for you, madam.¡± said Mai, adopting her most haughty noble tone. ¡°If you were dragged through mud, shot at, and almost killed not once, but several times, would you still look elegant?¡± The tone felt strange on her tongue. She had not spoken with it in quite some time.


    Mai looked at the lady in response, but the noblewoman was quiet. She was starting to understand.


    ¡°The only reason I survived any of the madness, is because this noble here, this one who calls himself Broken, as an alias, took it upon himself to keep me alive, at any and all costs to himself,¡± said Mai. ¡°My jewels were stolen by thieves, but still, I am here, at a place that is supposed to be a safe refuge.¡±


    She looked at all around her. ¡°But this is what I get! Suspicion!¡±


    The noblewoman seemed to have slightly recovered. ¡°Well, you taught her well, one who calls yourself Broken,¡± she said. ¡°But you did not teach her well enough to fool me.¡±


    However, the two guards, the butler, and indeed, the other noble, all seemed to think differently. They looked at Mai with a newfound respect, and she was quite sure that now, it would be quite easy for Broken to talk his way into seeing Lord Tur is Ashat, who would recognize her on sight. But now, Mai had a small vendetta to play out.


    Mai looked straight at the noblewoman. ¡°Well, Selri as Anbe del Karaki, it is not as if your senses are what they could be, so forgive the others if they do not take credence to your words.¡±


    Still, Selri did not catch on. ¡°How do you know my name?¡± she asked, sounding a little frightened. She would be more than frightened a moment later.


    ¡°I know your name,¡± said Mai, ¡°because, one year ago, you were quite the scandal of the Occluded City.¡±


    Mai almost smiled, upon seeing the noble take a small step away from Selri.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about, commoner!¡± said the noblewoman.


    Mai let the smile play out on her face. Oh, yes, Selri deserves what is coming. Mai had been insulted too much recently. There was no more doubt in her mind about whether or not to set off the fireworks display.


    ¡°One year, ago, Selri,¡± she said, ¡°if you recall, you were visiting the Imperial Palace, for some reason or another. There was a party, you got drunk, and,¡± she paused for the kicker, ¡°in the morning, stable hands found you curled up against a pig in the stables, breathing contently.¡±


    Broken chucked outright, the guards and the driver gave Selri odd looks, and the nobleman took another, fuller step away from her.


    ¡°Is this true, Selri?¡± he asked. It was a terrible faux pas for a noblewoman to drink anything strong, at all, a larger one to get noticeably drunk, and, for sleeping in the stables with pigs--


    Mai was quite surprised Selri had been able to find a man who had not heard that little tale.


    ¡°My cup was laced,¡± said Selri, with a surprising amount of dignity.


    ¡°And then,¡± said Mai, ¡°you just happened to stumble around the building, out to the courtyard, around to the stables, and, inside to the part with the pigs? No, my dear Selri. Some part of you wanted to be with them, I am afraid.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said one of the guards, the one who had, before, delivered a speech about how Mai¡¯s clothes were that of a commoner. ¡°She really is¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way a commoner would have known that,¡± said the other guard, looking at his fellow soldier.


    ¡°It seems I have learned a great thing from this chance encounter, Princess,¡± said the nobleman, speaking his first words to Mai, and dropping into a deep bow. He wore tan clothing, and a golden chain around his neck. Raising himself back up, he said, ¡°Hiro is Varad at your service, my lady.¡±


    Selri shot him a disgusted look, but no one seemed to care what she thought, any more.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s get this lady into the Palace, shall we,¡± said Hiro, gesturing widely. ¡°We have been standing out here far too long, now.¡±


    Broken started back to the carriage, but Hiro shook his head. ¡°No, no,¡± he said. ¡°My driver will take care of that.¡±


    ¡°First, though,¡± said Broken, ¡°we must take out our third person.¡±


    He came back with Ishad. Ishad seemed very, very tired still, and his eyes looked only half open. He seemed unsteady on his feet, and acknowledged the others with a dim nod.


    ¡°He¡¯s a friend,¡± said Broken. ¡°A good friend, by the name of Ishad. He¡¯s just been a little sick, lately.¡±


    A look of concern flashed over Hiro¡¯s face, but whether it was real or faked, Mai couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get you all into the palace all the quicker,¡± said Hiro. ¡°Let¡¯s go in my carriage.¡±


    And so, the four of them got into his carriage, and the driver carefully maneuvered around the now-abandoned one that blocked most of the entrance, and continued to travel, slowly riding for the stables, through the courtyard.


    Inside Hiro¡¯s carriage, there was a large red cushioned bench arranged in a semicircle all around the carriage door. The inside of the carriage was lusciously upholstered. Mai would be hard pressed to find a carriage more different than the one she had been riding in before.


    On one side of the bench sat Hiro, and on the other side of the bench sat Mai, Broken, and Ishad, in that order. Mai took note of the way Hiro had smoothly left Selri standing at the front gate.


    ¡°So,¡± said Hiro, looking at his three guests, and stretching his arms out to rest on the top of the bench cushions, on either side of him. ¡°The first of the three newcomers to my carriage on this fine day is the Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. The second guest is her protector, a noble himself, a man who goes by the alias Broken, but is of House¡­¡±


    Broken was silent for a moment. ¡°That I cannot say,¡± he said at last.


    Hiro looked put off for a moment, but only for a moment. ¡°Of course, of course,¡± he said at last. ¡°In these chaotic times, we would not want our House to be known, especially if our House is questionable. You are a Makini, I assume. Or a Minsu, worried about what will happen if the aforementioned House begins to gain power. I understand completely.¡± Hiro paused. ¡°Of course, as a noble of Asan Paril, I do not have to worry about such things, as I have no House. It is good to have my allegiance be to a neutral city. I don¡¯t have to worry about getting involved in a messy war.¡± For a moment, it seemed Hiro was going to drift off into a segue, but he brought himself back on topic. ¡°So,¡± he said. ¡°I have told you something about me. Now, tell me something of yourselves. What does Maiako as Arathou del Tachen hope to gain from Asan Paril, I wonder?¡±


    ¡°Safety here,¡± said Mai. ¡°I wish to end my travels, and stop running.¡± For some reason, she felt suspicious of Hiro, but she couldn¡¯t see the harm in telling him that much, at least.


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the noble responded. Being a city of safe refuge in a harsh world is what Asan Paril is known for, after all.¡±


    Around them, the carriage began to stop.


    ¡°I see we have reached the area where we disembark,¡± said Hiro. He went to the door, and held it open as Mai and the others stepped out.


    They were on a path, leading to a door to the Palace. The carriage was still on a road that would lead to the stables. Hiro gestured to the driver, who continued riding on his way. The carriage had soon passed through another of the Palace doors, and was gone from sight.


    Then the group of four headed for the main entrance. It was a huge marble archway, the height of three people, with snakes sculpted around the edges. Massive double doors were held open, wooden, yet enforced with thick iron bands.


    The group concluded the path, and entered through the maw.


    The first room inside was just as marble as what was on the out. It was huge, and its centerpiece was a gargantuan marble staircase, spiraling up from the center of the room, to reach balconies above. Looking at the staircase, Mai got a little dizzy. There were railings, but it seemed the staircase continued up for two floors, or maybe ninety feet. If someone was pushed off the top¡­well, Mai didn¡¯t want to think about that.


    She wasn¡¯t sure why she was quite so morbid. Perhaps her current thoughts were due to her experiences as of late.


    Aside from the architecture, the room was occupied by a great number of people, of all different sorts, all taking or bustling to and fro. A group of attendants processed records behind a marble desk. This staircase base clearly also served as the lobby of the Palace.


    ¡°To see Tur is Ashat,¡± said Hiro, ¡°we must ascend all of the stairs.¡± He gestured widely at the staircase, quite unnecessarily.


    The four walked over to said massive construction, and began to climb. The stairs themselves seemed to have been positioned just so, in a manner so that it did not feel Mai was climbing stairs, merely walking, and in the process of that, somehow going up.


    They passed a great deal of traffic on the stairs, most of which acknowledged Hiro with a crisp nod. Soon they reached the landing at the second floor, which was more or less a railed causeway between the staircase, and the safety of a more normal second floor hallway, which seemed much less foreboding.


    Hiro glanced at Mai, as she in turn was glancing down at the lobby floor below, and all the tiny people walking on it.


    ¡°The view is grand, is it not?¡± he asked. Hiro continued. ¡°This staircase was crafted to give the feeling of walking on air, to those upon it.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai. ¡°The view is grand.¡±


    They continued up the spiral staircase, from the second floor to the third. The third, as Mai had noticed previously, was the highest level. As she crossed the causeway to the main third floor hall, she made a deliberate effort to not look over the railing. The railing itself was only four feet high, and it would be too easy to lean too far and plummet over the edge.


    Once the four reached the hallway, the mood of the building changed. Instead of marble splendor, in the main third floor hallway, there was brown brooding. The walls were of dark polished wood, and paintings of different historical figures. Chandeliers above gave off enough light to see by, but the hall still seemed rather dark. Closed doors lined the walls, and what seemed to be a maze of hallways extended off of the main third floor hall.


    The hall was crowded, much like the lobby and stairs had been, but here, the lighting and mood made everything seem much more desolate.


    After walking what seemed to be the length of a city block, the four came to a set of closed double doors, and the far end of the hallway.


    Hiro grasped a handle, and pulled one of the doors open, holding it that way until Mai, Ishad, and Broken all entered. Only then did Hiro enter himself.


    Mai didn¡¯t know what she had been expecting, but what she saw was not it. The room they had walked into was small, gray, and had another door at its far end. However, instead of being crowded with courtiers, the room was filled with eight guards in white, four on each side of the room. All of them held weapons.


    One approached the visitors.


    ¡°You have reached the antechambers of the apartments of the Lord Tur is Ashat, of Asan Paril,¡± said the senior guard, with a tight grasp on his halberd. The senior guard looked at Mai and Ishad in distaste. ¡°State your business, if you wish to enter.¡±


    ¡°I am Hiro is Varad, brother to the Lord of the Second Paril, as you well know,¡± said Hiro. ¡°I have very important guests for him to see.¡±


    ¡°You will be let through,¡± said the senior guard in white. ¡°However, if Lord Ashat dislikes your visit, you shall not be let through again.¡±


    A second guard stepped up. ¡°Surrender your weapons,¡± he said. ¡°They will be returned to you when you leave.¡±


    Broken placed his sword and sheath into the bag that the guard proffered, and Hiro did likewise. When it came to be Ishad¡¯s turn, however, his movements were stumbling, and blocky. He still seemed exhausted.


    The guards quickly patted down the three men for weapons, and then opened the door to Lord Ashat¡¯s apartments.


    All four walked through.


    Inside, the apartments were what one might expect from the apartments of a great lord. Priceless treasures littered the sitting room, and everything seemed to be themed in white. A pair of guards standing at the edge of the room acknowledged the newcomers with nods.


    ¡°Sit down,¡± said one of the guards. ¡°Lord Ashat should be with you shortly.¡±


    And so Mai, Broken, Ishad, and Hiro all sat down on various chairs and couches, and waited for the lord¡¯s arrival.


    And soon he came. In sharp contrast to Hiro¡¯s blandness, Lord Tur is Ashat was one to be quite easily picked out from a crowd. He was a tall man, with a six-foot frame. Ashat was in his mid-thirties, and his hair was completely gray, but the most noticeable thing about him was his eyes. His right was completely normal, brown, and intelligent, but his left was simply¡­not there. Closed eyelids drooped over nothing.


    When Lord Ashat had been a young boy, he had been in an accident that had made him lose his eye, but since then, he had refused to wear a patch, saying that patches were for those who had something to hide.


    Now, he entered the room, and sat in the remaining chair, across from the couch where Mai sat, with Hiro next to her.


    ¡°I was informed I had visitors,¡± said Tur, looking at them all.


    It took only one survey for Tur to see who they were. ¡°Ah, Hiro,¡± he said. ¡°It seems you have brought a very interesting guest.¡± He nodded at Mai. ¡°And also, it seems, she has a pair of companions. Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°You are indeed, my lord,¡± said Hiro. He now was removed from the grace he had displayed to Mai. Here, he seemed somehow like a dog bowing to his master.


    Mai glanced at Ishad and Broken, to see their reactions.


    Ishad, sitting in a chair to Mai¡¯s left, stared vaguely at a spot on the far wall. He still seemed completely out of it. Broken, on the other hand, had leaned back into his chair, seemingly relaxed, and was regarding Lord Ashat calmly. Nothing fazed him, and certainly not a half-blind man a mere four inches taller that he was. Mai was at least somewhat sure that was how Broken regarded things.


    ¡°So, Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, what brings you to Asan Paril?¡± asked Tur is Ashat.


    ¡°Life,¡± said Mai. ¡°Since the untimely death of my father, life had been against me. It seems as if the only thing the Ehajdon loyalists and the Makini can agree on is that I must die.¡±


    ¡°Because you are a threat to the order both groups wish to create,¡± Tur is Ashat easily completed, a little too easily for Mai¡¯s peace of mind.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Ashat.¡±


    ¡°So you want to seek refuge here,¡± said the Lord of Asan Paril.


    ¡°Yes, Lord Ashat.¡±


    The frown that had been growing on Tur is Ashat¡¯s face suddenly brightened into a smile, much to Mai¡¯s surprise. ¡°Your refuge is secure,¡± said Tur. ¡°As long as Asan Paril¡¯s white walls endure, you can have a place here.¡±


    ¡°I thank you,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I know you do, Princess.¡± Tur is Ashat then turned to Hiro. ¡°Thank you for escorting my three visitors here, Lord Varad,¡± said Tur is Ashat. ¡°But, I have heard you have left a certain lady unattended, at the gate to the Palace, and she is making quite a fuss against you, or so I hear. Perhaps you should go deal with her, and let me talk to these three alone.¡±


    Hiro took the hint. He bowed, and left the room for the antechamber.


    ¡°Now that he is gone, I have a suspicion that you three will be more forthcoming,¡± said Tur. ¡°Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°You are, my lord,¡± said Mai. ¡°What do you wish to know?¡±


    ¡°The identity of your two companions, for a start,¡± said Lord Ashat, looking at Broken and Ishad in turn.


    Mai realized that she had not told Ishad that Broken was a lord, and that the truth would have to come out sometime.


    Then, with a start, she realized that Hiro had already said as much in Ishad¡¯s presence, in the carriage, and he had not reacted. There was something wrong with him. There had to be. But for a moment, Mai put her fears aside, to speak.


    She looked over at Broken. ¡°This, Lord Ashat, is one who goes by the alias Broken. He is a noble, though he will not tell me from what House. However, his loyalty is assured. He swore to me, and has saved my life more that once.¡±


    ¡°Welcome to my apartments, Broken,¡± said Tur is Ashat. The Lord of Asan Paril noted the comfortable way in which Broken was sitting. ¡°I see you have already made yourself at home.¡±


    ¡°Why stand on ceremony when doing so accomplishes nothing?¡± Broken asked. Mai could scarcely believe Broken had said what he had just said to a High Lord. But then again, Broken might well be a High Lord himself.


    ¡°You have an interesting manner about you,¡± said Lord Ashat to Broken. ¡°You seem to be a man of chance, of whim.¡±


    It was odd how accurate that statement seemed to be, Mai reflected.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I can be more appropriate, if the situation calls for it.¡± He stood, and performed a perfect bow. ¡°Broken, at your service, my lord.¡± Broken then sat back down, and eased back into his chair.


    Tur is Ashat stared at Broken for an extra moment, and then turned to Ishad. ¡°Your other friend does not look well in the body,¡± he said, ¡°much as your first does not look well in the mind.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai. ¡°Ishad does not look well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Ishad, haltingly. ¡°You have a nice place here, my lord. I am rather tired, though.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps a good night¡¯s rest will make you better,¡± said Tur is Ashat. ¡°And if not, my physicians can have a look at you in the morning.¡±


    Ishad nodded. ¡°Thank you. Something just doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Guards!¡± Tur is Ashat called through the door, and one poked his head into the apartment. ¡°Go find Broken and Ishad here rooms, and prepare another for the lady. I will talk to her a little bit longer, but Broken and Ishad will go with you.¡±


    The guard nodded, and, as soon as Broken and Ishad had left the room, closed the door behind them.


    ¡°Ah, we are alone now, Mai,¡± said Tur is Ashat, reverting to a more connected form of address, one that made Mai feel more comfortable.


    ¡°I hope you were not too put off by Broken and Ishad, Lord Ashat,¡± said Mai. ¡°Ishad seemed rather sick today, and Broken¡­well, he¡¯s always like that.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Lord Ashat,¡± said the Lord of Asan Paril. ¡°Call me Tur. I would not call you by your first name, and not allow you to treat me likewise.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I will admit, that when I heard the news of the chaos in the Imperial City, I was very frightened for your safety,¡± said Tur. ¡°I am very, very glad, that you survived, and that you came here, for now I can protect you.¡± He paused. ¡°But your companions did not seem to fit you, Mai,¡± he said. ¡°How much do you really know about them?¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± said Mai. She felt like she could trust Tur, and so she related the story of how she and Broken had met, how he had saved her from Varsis¡¯ man, and how he had saved her many times after that. She also told of Ishad, enough to make it clear of their relationship.


    ¡°Ishad¡¯s an ex-monk?¡± laughed Tur. ¡°He¡¯s quiet enough to play the part, at least.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not usually like that,¡± said Mai. ¡°He was seriously wounded in Barad, about a week ago, and even though he was healed, he hasn¡¯t really been the same since.¡±


    ¡°How does one get severely injured in Barad?¡± asked Tur. ¡°The city has not fallen under Makini control yet, and it has a reputation for being an enjoyable city to visit. My own trips there were quite pleasant.¡±


    ¡°A warrior named Savel is Varad challenged Ishad to a duel,¡± said Mai. She paused, hesitant to reveal why exactly the duel had been called. After Broken¡¯s impression on Tur is Ashat, the last thing she wanted was for the Lord of Asan Paril to think any worse of him. ¡°Savel is Varad defeated Ishad, and injured him badly.¡±


    ¡°Savel is Varad?¡± said Tur. ¡°Did this Savel happen to say if he was Lord of the Second Paril, in his challenge?¡±


    ¡°I believe he did,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Then I fear you have not seen the last of him,¡± said Tur. ¡°The Second Paril is the second of the four noble families in this city. He has returned from his excursion in Barad, and is here now.¡±


    In truth, Mai had always known that the Second Paril was a family in Asan Paril. She had just, in her hope to make Asan Paril seem to her more like a place of safety, ignored that tiny detail.


    But now, Mai felt the safety of the city begin to unravel. This was not supposed to happen, especially not yet. She had not even spent a single night within the city walls.


    Why was she afraid? Because even though Mai had wanted to put all the blame on Broken for what had happened, she still knew Savel had been the one to enact the deed.


    Tur is Ashat saw Mai¡¯s distress. ¡°It is all right, my dear,¡± he said. Though it seemed impossible for one of his scarred and massive figure to be comforting, he managed it. ¡°If I did not let your father, my liege Emperor, lay his hands on you that day, I would certainly not let one of my own lords hurt you, or anyone you loved. Not in my city.¡±


    Mai¡¯s memory flashed back to that time. Two years ago, that night, Emperor Mentis had been in a rage, a terrible rage. Mai had angered him, by refusing to wear to a dance a particular low-cut dress he had wanted her to. For the dress had been more than low-cut. Parts of it had been more or less nonexistent.


    And that night, as Mai had whimpered before her father, on the floor, Tur is Ashat had entered the room, otherwise empty, except for guards.


    He had braved Emperor Mentis¡¯ wrath, and in the end, Mai had not been punished.


    ¡°I thank you for your support,¡± Mai whispered.


    ¡°Anything for you, dear,¡± said Tur. ¡°Savel often loses all his inhibitions when he lacks oversight, but with my eye on him, he will not come near you. You should be aware, though, Hiro, the lord who brought you here, is Savel¡¯s younger brother.¡±


    Mai had not known that.


    The world suddenly became another bit more frightening.

 Chapter 41: Focused Rage

    Varsis was angered. Of late, said emotion often could be said to be his avatar, but on this day, it was more than that. Anger was him.


    Varsis stared at Captain Sari, who had brought the news to his personal tent.


    ¡°You tell me,¡± Varsis breathed, ¡°that the bird is gone?¡±


    Next to Captain Sari stood one of the owl handlers, a man by the name of Tak Rasi. Tak Rasi wore simple black garb. Also, on his face, Tak Rasi now wore a look of terror.


    ¡°Let us review the situation,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Rather slowly, as this night is an unbusy one, and I have no other pressing matters to attend to. First,¡± Varsis ticked off on one of his flesh fingers, ¡°I order an owl be sent out to spy for any travelers who might be Mai, and her friends, under the incredible possibility that they might somehow be alive.¡±


    Varsis ticked off a second finger. ¡°Then,¡± he said, the owl returns with the information that those who looked like Mai, her mysterious warrior, and the third.¡±


    Captain Sari interrupted. ¡°We do have names now,¡± he said. ¡°Under interrogation, Priest-Lord Ralad of the Holy Citadel said that the third¡¯s name was Ishad, and he is a former monk, and Mai¡¯s lover. Priest-Lord Ralad also said that the mysterious warrior called himself Broken, though he knew no more.¡±


    ¡°Clearly,¡± said Varsis, ¡°you tend to repeat information when you are nervous. And I despise nothing more than those who waste time. This is the third time I have heard that information, and the second time from you. Shut up!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I simply was not sure if you remembered, sir,¡± said Sari. ¡°You weren¡¯t using the names.¡±


    ¡°I remember everything that matters,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Now, shut up!¡± He raised his steel hand a slight bit, threateningly.


    And this time, Captain Sari quailed, took a step back.


    Varsis gave a small smile. ¡°Thirdly,¡± he said, ¡°when the owl returned with said information, instead of bringing said information to me, without my knowledge, the bird is sent back for a second day of observation, to confirm.¡± Varsis ticked off another finger. ¡°And fourthly, said bird fails to return again. Now, why do you think that is?¡±


    ¡°The bird could have run into a problem,¡± said the owl handler, outstretching his hands, plaintively. ¡°Darken was a female. Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know what I know, Tak Rasi?¡± Varsis asked the owl handler. ¡°I know exactly what our Great Black Owls can do. I have seen the tests. Great Black Owls can rip dogs to shreds with their talons, are unaffected by sunlight, and are very intelligent. The owl you so affectionately call Darken did not run afoul of some forest predator. She has simply left us.¡±


    ¡°I cannot see any other explanation, general,¡± said Tak Rasi. ¡°The owls must return to a handler every seven days, to commune, else they die. They know this. That is what keeps them in check. Darken would not be gone this long from us willingly.¡±


    ¡°Natural conditions did not do this,¡± said Varsis. ¡°And it seems, according to your belayed report, that Mai, Broken, and Ishad did somehow survive the collapse of a building around them. So¡­¡±


    ¡°I would have given the report sooner,¡± said Tak Rasi, but given as there was good cause to believe the targets dead and all, I thought it would be best to confirm that the targets Darken found were actually the targets you were looking for. And I still don¡¯t think¡­¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°They are alive,¡± said Varsis. ¡°The bird¡¯s findings, combined with the fact that their carriage, and two of their horses went missing soon enough, gives me due cause to believe they survived. And if they survived, I think it highly likely the bird¡¯s disappearance was their doing. The former monk could not identify the owl for what it was, as he simply does not have the skills. Likewise for the Princess. But the one who calls himself Broken, he is a quandary. I have heard much about his skills, enough to know he is no ordinary fighter. He repulsed me for a moment in the hallway, enough for me to know he is an excellent fighter. And now, he shows this new talent.¡± Varsis paused. ¡°Tell me, Tak, how could someone know the bird for what it was?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said Tak Rasi,¡± they would have to be familiar with local fauna, and see that the owl did not fit. But then, if what you are implying is true, this Broken would have to manage to kill Darken, and Great Black Owls don¡¯t die easily, and they know when to flee.¡±


    ¡°I see you have answered what would have been my next question,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Well done.¡± He sat down into a comfortable chair, looking up at Captain Sari, and Tak Rasi, who he now had to look up to.


    Neither of them seemed to take Varsis sitting down as a good sign. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, General,¡± said Sari. ¡°You told me to handle this for you, and so I failed. I never even learned that the bird had seen anything of note until today.¡±


    ¡°And so,¡± said Varsis, ¡°I realize this in not your fault.¡± His anger was more in control now, but only because he saw the endgame of his play. ¡°I also see that the mystery of what exactly happened to the owl Darken, besides the fact Broken dealt with it, will have to be solved another day.¡±


    Tak Rasi saw where Varsis¡¯ dialogue was headed. As Captain Sari edged to stand beside Varsis, instead of at his front, Tak said, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, General. It¡¯s not!¡±


    Varsis focused his gaze on Tak Rasi. ¡°Explain,¡± he said calmly.


    Tak Rasi stuttered, and in the end, came up with nothing. Just as Varsis had known he would.


    ¡°I see,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Your argument was not very convincing. There are three other handlers besides you, for what was once eight, and is now seven reconnaissance birds. They admitted you were always the least qualified amongst them. You will not be missed.¡±


    ¡°I will not be missed?¡± repeated Tak Rasi. ¡°What does that mean? What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I have not executed a subordinate for gross incompetence in a long time,¡± said Varsis. ¡°A very long time. In almost all circumstances, I do not feel that said action is appropriate.¡± Varsis turned to Captain Sari. ¡°Did you make it clear that he was to report to you the second the bird found something?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Sari.


    Varsis turned back to the bird handler, who was frozen in place by fear. ¡°Your death will be a lesson,¡± he said. ¡°You failed to report crucial information, and then lost your bird. Your death will be motivation for others.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Tak Rasi, falling to his knees as Varsis stood, and approached him.


    Varsis remembered the last time he had executed a man for gross misconduct. That man, through cowardness, had caused the deaths of twenty, had had been given an opportunity to rectify his mistake, and instead, had chosen the coward¡¯s way out, and had doomed forty-one more soldiers. Sixty-one, in total.


    That man had deserved to die.


    But did Tak Rasi?


    All Tak Rasi had done was loose a bird, and failed to report promptly. Was that really equal to sixty-one dead?


    Varsis knew that his grandfather, Oneako, would tell him to show mercy. Oneako would say that Varsis cared so much about the location of Mai, because he was following a personal vendetta. Because he was angry at his mother Hisa, and the rest of the Council of the Makini, for lying to him about their pursuit of Maiako as Arathou del Tachen.


    Oneako, if he were here right now, Varsis knew would extol the virtues of calm, of reasoned thought.


    But then Varsis reasoned. Tak Rasi had failed his only duty. He was not a soldier, he did not have to fight. All he had to do was take care of owls, and report their findings. He had failed in both his tasks. And Tak Rasi could not be discharged from service. He knew too much of Makini secrets.


    Tak Rasi had failed.


    Varsis knew what he had to do. He was no longer happy about the task, but as he approached the man begging on the ground, Varsis knew he was doing what had to be done.


    Tak Rasi¡¯s hands were clasped together.


    ¡°Pray I send you to Elysium,¡± said Varsis.


    Then he reached down, and snapped Tak Rasi¡¯s neck.


    Oddly, there was not the slightest feeling of satisfaction.

 Chapter 42: Ballad

    Mai, Ishad, and Broken had all been given rooms inside the Palace, all next to each other, down some corridor on the third floor. While here too, the halls were dark and foreboding, the guest chambers were lush and inviting, themed of course, in white, the Asan Paril color.


    The rooms were arranged next to each other, with Mai¡¯s being first left to right, followed by Ishad¡¯s followed by Broken¡¯s.


    Ishad was in his room when Mai was escorted to the area, and so was Broken, and so she sat in her room. Soon, however, a servant entered, and told her that it would soon be time for the dinner feast. She was provided with noble clothes, for the first time in months, and Mai eagerly bathed in a private bathroom, and changed into a sparkling white dress. Jewels were provided, and she eagerly put on a necklace, and earrings, as well.


    Mai then left her room, for the hall, where Broken stood. He wore provided clothing as well, but it was in his normal color, black, in sharp contrast to Mai¡¯s white.


    ¡°Ishad will be served in his room tonight,¡± said Broken. ¡°He¡¯s not coming downstairs, and he¡¯s very tired.¡±


    Mai looked at the closed door to Ishad¡¯s room in concern. ¡°Did you see him?¡± she asked Broken. ¡°Is he all right?¡±


    ¡°I saw him briefly,¡± said Broken, ¡°but servants chased me out. Ishad looked tired, but otherwise fine.¡±


    Mai shoot him a look, to remind him whose fault it was.


    Broken did not respond with any sort of retort. Instead, he said, ¡°You look beautiful, Mai.¡±


    The compliment took her completely by surprise. It was the last thing she had expected from Broken, Broken, who, only a few days ago, had told her that she was, more or less, worthless, and not pretty enough to matter.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mai, carefully. ¡°You look rather handsome, yourself.¡±


    And Broken did, indeed. He wore traditional noble clothing, and his hair had been combed, and his face had been washed. And what was underneath did not take much encouragement to take out. As Broken was blessed with so many other positive physical attributes, it was no surprise to Mai that he looked good. His thick, dark hair, freshly cut, traveled down to the back of his neck, and his gray eyes added mystery. For a moment, as she truly looked, the sight took Mai¡¯s breath away.


    And this was despite everything she knew of Broken.


    ¡°You look good too,¡± she told him.


    Broken looked at her carefully for a moment, then flashed her a charming smile, in a way that almost seemed ironic.


    ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± she asked, looking around the hallway. Everyone else seemed to have their own business.


    ¡°Attendants are going to come to escort us to one of the dining halls,¡± said Broken. ¡°For now, we wait.¡±


    And they did not have to wait long after that announcement. Mai spotted a pair of official looking attendants heading to them.


    ¡°Why were you so rude to Lord Ashat?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer when there is more time,¡± said Broken. ¡°Shush.¡±


    And then the attendants were there. One was male, and one was female, but they both wore similar, mostly white uniforms.


    ¡°We are here to take you to the First Dining Hall,¡± said the male.


    And so, the attendants began their duties, and began to escort Mai and Broken through the halls. They proceeded across the causeway to the grand staircase, then down a flight. Mai did not go anywhere near the edge as they passed over the second causeway.


    The second hall floors were framed with a lighter stain of wood than the third, and that added to the atmosphere. The halls here were also more crowded.


    The attendants led them through a set of open double doors, and then, suddenly, they were inside the First Dining Hall.


    To proceed from the entryway to the room down to the tables, there was a grand, sweeping staircase. Broken and Mai were lead down.


    In the first Dining Hall, there were three tables placed vertically parallel. At the head of the center one, at the far end, was Tur is Ashat.


    Mai and Broken were seated midway though the middle table, next to each other.


    And then the attendants walked away.


    Mai looked around. There were nobles here. Real nobles, a class she had not seen much off in some time.


    Discreetly looking around, Mai saw that all the lords and ladies in their immediate vicinity were ones she did not know. Further up the table, however, she saw Hiro, very noticeably without Selri on his arm. Near him, though, she thought she saw Savel, and looked away.


    All around servants began to serve the first course, bowls of elegantly steamed and flavored rice.


    When the platters were served, Tur is Ashat, at the head of the table, took the first bite, and then, there was the peculiar sound of around three hundred mouths quietly eating.


    Mai joined in, and a beat later, so did Broken. During the meal, Mai managed to avoid any real conversation. Broken eagerly spoke, but managed to talk about nothing important.


    The meal continued on for a second course, and then desserts, and then, as those were being finished, it seemed the entertainment would start.


    And so it did. A bard hopped up onto the center table, and moved to the middle, right by where Mai was seated.


    The bard was dressed gaudily, and he carried a stringed instrument, which he began to strum deep notes with.


    ¡°My name is Aren Faled,¡± said the bard. ¡°I come here, from the lands of House Dunesis, to tell you the ballad of the calm after the storm.¡±


    There were murmurings, and, from some of the ladies, extra long glances. Mai was not among them.


    ¡°You see,¡± said the bard, ¡°while Asan Paril remains a bastion of stability, other lands of the Empire, other cities, they do not have things quite as good. There is death, there is destruction, and there is desolation.¡±


    There was more murmuring, and Mai found herself nodding to the bard¡¯s words.


    ¡°But I do not come here to tell of horrors,¡± said the bard. ¡°I come here to tell of a legend. The Legend of the Chosen One. The Legend of the Anointed.¡± He continued to strum. ¡°Whenever an emperor dies under mysterious circumstances, a dynasty falls,¡± said Aren Faled. ¡°But what rises to take that dynasty¡¯s place? Another, of course. The dynastic cycle has gone on for thousands and thousands of years. But there is a legend, most of you already know, about how a new dynasty rises up after an old one dies. There is a legend, that states that a Chosen One will be Anointed by the snakes, the Nari.¡± Here there was an appreciative laugh from most, as they thought they were too old for bedtime stories. But the bard did not appear dissuaded.


    ¡°The Anointed One, it is said,¡± he spoke, ¡°can be anyone, from anywhere. He can be a commoner. But he is chosen because of his wisdom, because of his strength. It is said no man can best him.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Somehow, Mai found herself looking at Broken. However, the bard¡¯s next statement took away the possibility of Mai¡¯s foolish idea being true.


    ¡°He must be younger than twenty.¡±


    Broken was older then that, it was quite clear. Case closed.


    The bard continued. ¡°This man is chosen, nay, this man is destined to begin a new dynasty. But what he must do to reach that goal is what I sing of, tonight.¡±


    There was clapping, and when the clapping died off, Aren Faled began.


    The Chosen can be a farmer, a writer a poet nay


    He can be a soldier or a dancer, or even this bard you see today


    The Chosen has a path set out before his wake


    There are tasks that he must do before the throne he can take


    I say that he is someone; I say that he is real


    I say that, he is Anointed, and to no king does he kneel


    He¡¯s destined to end the darkness; he¡¯s destined to take his throne


    But the path, the path he travels, he must travel all alone


    No one understands what he is, nor what he must do


    No one understands that he fights to keep us all too


    The Chosen wishes none to meet the end of time, of life


    He wants the world to be happy, without chaos or strife


    But there are some that do not wish him to bring unity to the land


    There are villains, dark stalkers, demons, false kings and-


    All these want him to stumble; all these want him not to be real


    But the truth is, that he exists now, tangible to touch and feel


    I say that he is someone; I say that he is real


    I say that, he is Anointed, and to no king does he kneel


    He¡¯s destined to end the darkness; he¡¯s destined to take his throne


    But the path, the path he travels, he must travel all alone


    The world before him¡¯s broken; it¡¯s a world that he must mend


    Before he can get his work done, many to his cause he must bend


    For they all think that he is no one, they all think he is fake


    A charlatan they will say, for their loved ones into battle, into battle he will take


    There will be, there will be some setbacks, down his dusty bumpy road


    For the Chosen, the Anointed, he carries a heavy load


    The villains wish to stop him, they use lies and deceit


    To, to defeat them is not an easy feat


    I say that he is someone; I say that he is real


    I say that he is Anointed, and to no king does he kneel


    He¡¯s destined to end the darkness; he¡¯s destined to take his throne


    But the path, the path he travels, he must travel all alone


    However, all is not hopeless, indeed, all is good


    The Chosen, puts the darkness, in a chest and slams the hood


    For he is, he is Anointed, and no one can bring him down


    He is destined to find a lover, and put her in a gem-laced gown


    And then when all is said, all is said and done


    The Chosen will take his throne, the Empire he will run


    But there is, there is a caveat, a caveat to this tale


    One day his descendants won¡¯t rule wisely, and the end they¡¯ll fail


    I say that he is someone; I say that he is real


    I say that he is Anointed, and to no king does he kneel


    He¡¯s destined to end the darkness; he¡¯s destined to take his throne


    But the path, the path he travels, he must travel all alone


    I say that he is someone; I say that he is real


    I say that he is Anointed, and to no king does he kneel


    He¡¯s destined to end the darkness; he¡¯s destined to take his throne


    But the path, the path he travels, he must travel all alone


    For the last stanza, the ballad had been trailing off, and then suddenly, it was over. There was an emptiness in the room.


    Mai looked over to Broken. He looked quite sad, quite mournful. Broken was not the only one in the room who looked that way; many of the ladies were dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs, and many of the men looked shaken.


    Indeed, Mai noticed that she was one of the few who was unaffected. It seemed odd to her, indeed, that Broken was more emotional at the moment than she was.


    A round of clapping began, and it seemed to Mai as if Broken had begun it.


    Aren Faled bowed, and bowed again, careful in his elaborate gestures to avoid knocking over any of the plates on the table.


    ¡°Thank you, kind lords and ladies,¡± he spoke. ¡°Your appreciation brings joy to my heart. The last time my story occurred was eleven hundred years ago. Now, perhaps, the story will occur again.¡± That last sentence was completely sober, not jovial.


    Before anyone could respond, the bard hopped off the table, and disappeared out a side door.


    There was another round of clapping, and then, as servants began to clear off the tables, a troupe of acrobats came into view, and began to somersault over the tables, and juggle.


    Mai saw people at the tables begin to leave, and it felt rather late, so Mai assumed the policy was that dinner goers could just leave when they felt like it.


    As the First Dining Hall began to empty, Mai got up, and walked over to where Tur is Ashat sat, at the head of the center table.


    Broken got up, and silently trailed her, but Mai let that be.


    At the head of the table, Tur is Ashat was flanked by two guards, and was talking to a group of nobles, including one who Mai thought might be Savel.


    However, as soon as Tur is Ashat saw Mai coming over, he waved the group of nobles away. When Mai came into speaking distance, Tur gestured for her to sit in the closest chair at the table, now unoccupied. Mai did so.


    Broken was also offered a chair, but he silently refused by shaking his head, instead standing in the background.


    ¡°I noticed you did not see fit to announce me as a guest,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I thought it was wise not to,¡± said Tur. ¡°There is no reason to hide your identity as princess, but I thought it best if such information circulated gradually.¡±


    ¡°As opposed to being shouted out by an announcer,¡± said Mai. ¡°You are wise, Lord Ashat.¡±


    ¡°Am I now?¡± said Tur. As she and Tur is Ashat descended into light conversation, Mai noticed that Broken had attracted attention of his own.


    A pair of moderately attractive noblewomen were engaging him in conversation, and from the smiles of their faces, and the sound of an occasional laugh, it seemed as if Broken was managing to make both comfortable at the same time.


    Mai also noticed another fact. Even as Broken spoke to the noblewomen, he maintained his close distance to Mai, and every few moments, gave her a discrete glance, which the noblewomen failed to notice.


    As Mai¡¯s conversation with Lord Ashat began to wind down, Broken shed his female companions, quite quickly, and had them walking away, still smiling. Broken then came over to where Mai and Tur is Ashat sat.


    Immediately, Tur is Ashat made the statement Mai had been about to. ¡°It seems you got your new friends rather quickly,¡± he said.


    ¡°I merely told them what they wanted to hear,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°That rarely works, my friend,¡± said Tur is Ashat. ¡°How did you do it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them what they thought the wanted to hear,¡± said Broken. ¡°I told them what they really wanted to hear. They both have due cause to believe they will have a chance to speak with me again.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Tur. His voice darkened. ¡°Any particular reason you hovered over myself and the Princess here?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Broken. ¡°You have bodyguards.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Tur is Ashat.


    ¡°I am hers.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think is going to attack her here?¡± asked Tur. ¡°The Palace is heavily guarded, and as you said, I have a pair of bodyguards with me now. They would protect her.¡±


    ¡°I was only being prepared,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Prepared for what?¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t like the way the conversation was going. Tur was not an aggressive man, but Broken was slowly dragging out every inch Tur possessed of that trait. Mai could imagine several scenarios with what had happened up to now as a jumping off point, and none of them were pleasant. Most involved some sort of brawl between Broken and Tur.


    ¡°Please,¡± said Mai, as she saw both men staring hard at each other. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Don¡¯t do something you would regret later.¡± She spoke to both of them. Then, directly to Broken, she said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to our apartments.¡±


    Interestingly, Broken backed down quite readily. ¡°As you wish, my lady,¡± he said. ¡°Come, then.¡±


    Together, they left the First Dining Hall. There were no attendants to guide them now, and on her own, Mai might have gotten lost, but Broken knew the way. When they were back at that lonely third floor corridor, with its three adjacent rooms, Broken beckoned her to come inside his own.


    Mai did so.


    The room inside was more or less a direct analogue of hers, with a gold framed bed with white sheets, elegant polished floors, and off to the side, a bathing area, with a tub. There was also a large window, that looked down upon the Palace courtyard. Broken lit a lantern, and then walked over to the window.


    As Broken opened the window, he spoke, without turning back to look at Mai. ¡°I suppose you wonder why I was so rude to our gracious host, twice now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Mai responded.


    Broken turned back from the now opened window, to look at her. ¡°In a place like this, Mai, it is very easy to turn from the protected, to the entrapped. You do not know Tur is Ashat as well as you would like to think you do.¡± It was not a question.


    ¡°He would never¡­¡± said Mai.


    ¡°But he might,¡± said Broken. ¡°I merely wish to remind him that you are not helpless before him. You have me, a man he does not understand.¡±


    It was remarkable how well Broken had summed up what Tur is Ashat had said about him, when Tur had talked to Mai.


    ¡°He would never¡­¡± said Mai, again. ¡°When you were gone, he confided in me.¡±


    ¡°So, maybe he thinks of you as a friend,¡± said Broken. ¡°But those more powerful than he could offer him very lucrative deals for you being given into their tender care. I merely wish for him to think of me, and what I might do, before he makes any such deal. There is a fact I think you know, Mai,¡± said Broken. ¡°A fact that you know, but do not want to accept. Friends change.¡±


    The open window let in the cold, and Mai shivered.

 Chapter 43: Nightmares Made Real

    As they stood in Broken¡¯s apartment, with the window open, and the door shut, Broken asked, ¡°What do you think happened to Claw-Back?¡±


    The truth was, what had happened to the owl had been a nagging question in the back of Mai¡¯s head all day. The last she had seen of Claw-Back, the owl had been in their old carriage, a carriage that Hiro had promised his driver would take care of.


    And, as there had been no reports of a frightened driver, and a Great Black Owl on the loose, Mai had to wonder what happened to Claw-Back. She was sure Broken knew. ¡°What happened to the bird?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°See for yourself,¡± said Broken.


    And at that very moment, though the window, Claw-Back flew into the room, making a perfect landing on one of the golden bedposts.


    Claw-Back hooted indignantly.


    ¡°She wants to say that when I was in my room before, she found me,¡± said Broken. ¡°She was rather annoyed that she had to tell me of the Nari, even after she went through all the effort of writing what she had to say down.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± said Mai sheepishly, to both the owl and the man. In the course of all the other exciting events, she had decided she had been going to tell Broken at the end of the day.


    ¡°No real harm done,¡± said Broken, ¡°as nothing happened in the interim.¡±


    Claw-Back hooted again.


    ¡°She says that she found a nice place to nest on the roof,¡± said Broken, ¡°and if we don¡¯t mind, she wants to be getting back to it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± said Mai.


    With that, the owl stretched her wings, and flew out the window. Shortly thereafter, Broken promptly closed it.


    ¡°How can a bird that size get around the Palace?¡± said Mai. ¡°How did she get out of the carriage unseen? Don¡¯t people notice?¡±


    ¡°Great Black Owls have a special talent for only being found when they wish to be,¡± said Broken. He paused, and his face darkened. ¡°But now, of the Nari.¡±


    ¡°What do you think it wanted from us?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    That was the first time Mai had heard Broken utter those words.


    ¡°You have absolutely no idea?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°I have ideas,¡± said Broken, indignantly. ¡°It is hard to keep from thinking. I just don¡¯t know which idea is correct, if any of them are.¡±


    ¡°How did Claw-Back know what was following us was a Nari?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Nari have an¡­aura, for lack of a better term, that tends to disturb wildlife,¡± said Broken. ¡°Claw-Back, being intelligent, was able to determine what the odd feelings she had meant. That much I know.¡±


    ¡°So tell me your ideas,¡± said Mai. She was quite worried. ¡°Why do you think a Nari might wish to follow us?¡±


    ¡°One idea is the strongest,¡± said Broken. ¡°However, it requires a bit of explanation. Back at the Holy Citadel, you saw me talking to a Nari. What we talked about was private, and, at least for the time being, will remain so, but I will say this much: the Nari seemed benevolent. However, directly afterwards, Eton, and the golems appeared, and began to wreck destruction. As soon as the Nari left, this happened, and not a moment before. Now I am not one to jump to conclusions, but¡­¡± He left Mai finish his sentence.


    ¡°But you think that the Nari are trying to kill us,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Broken. In front of his chest, he touched the points of his fingers together. ¡°I am afraid I must leave you on that note to go to sleep on. I have nothing more to say. Goodnight.¡± He yawned. ¡°I am tired tonight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight, Broken.¡±


    Mai left the room. Before reaching her own, she came to the door of Ishad¡¯s room, and stopped. Before she could get any rest, she had to see how he was.


    Mai slowly opened the door, then gently closed it behind her. Ishad¡¯s room was more or less exactly like Mai¡¯s, and Broken¡¯s. A flickering lantern provided dim light for the room. All the attendants had left. However, for some reason, the tub was still filled with water.


    Around Ishad¡¯s bed, white silk drapes had been drawn. Mai pushed past them. Within, Ishad lay under the covers of his bed. His face looked quite pale.


    Mai sat down on the bed, and Ishad¡¯s eyes slowly opened.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ fine.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for saying,¡± said Mai, ¡°but you don¡¯t look it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know I don¡¯t look good.¡±


    Mai smiled at him. As it seemed to be an effort for Ishad to smile back, Mai felt pained.


    ¡°Do you want me to go?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No,¡± said Ishad.


    Mai lay down, over the covers of the bed, and put her arms around him. ¡°I¡¯ll only stay for a few more minutes,¡± she told him. ¡°Only a few more minutes.¡±


    As Mai lay there, with Ishad in her arms, her words did not prevent her from falling fast asleep.


    ¡°Why did you not listen?¡± asked the Nari.


    As before, Mai knew she was dreaming. That fact was made all the more obvious as, all around both her and the Nari was whiteness. Whiteness that they stood on, whiteness that surrounded them. A blank slate.


    Mai didn¡¯t answer the Nari¡¯s question. Instead, she asked, ¡°Are you real?¡±


    ¡°What is reality?¡± asked the Nari. It hissed laughter. ¡°In your mind, this world exists, and I and you within it.¡±


    ¡°But outside of this dream?¡± Mai asked. ¡°I know I am real. Are you?¡±


    ¡°I am more real than you were, are, or ever will be,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You already know my race exists. I, like you, do indeed have a body outside this dream.¡±


    ¡°How did you get in here?¡± asked Mai. ¡°How did you break into my dream?¡±


    ¡°I did not break into your dream,¡± said Nari. ¡°To do so would put me at the whims of your unconscious imagination.¡± The Nari, for a moment, spread its arms wide. ¡°This dream, I created.¡±


    Mai suddenly felt short of breath, as all the whiteness turned to blackness. ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I did not begin this dream to explain myself,¡± said the Nari. ¡°I began this dream to explain something else to you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°You did not stay away from Asan Paril,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You did not hide in a farm. I, and my race, have a duty to protect life, but we have no duty to protect those who have ignored two warnings.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Mai asked, on a sudden whim.


    ¡°Slytherayaim,¡± said the Nari. It gave a mocking bow. ¡°And now, we are truly done with the pleasantries.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Remember the last dream you had, that I directed?¡± said the Nari.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Sudden images flashed unbidden through Mai¡¯s mind, of Ishad and Broken working together to force Mai¡¯s head underwater.


    ¡°That would never happen,¡± she said confidently.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the Nari hissed.


    Quite suddenly, Mai became unsure. In a world where snakes could talk to you though your dreams, couldn¡¯t anything happen? But Mai pushed that seditious thought away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to fight,¡± said the Nari. ¡°That will only make things all the more painful.¡±


    ¡°I know everything there is to know about you, my dear,¡± said the Nari, in a way that reminded Mai of Eton. ¡°I know your darkest secrets.¡±


    Images flashed though Mai¡¯s head again, images of her, and her father, and what her father had done to her.


    ¡°I know your deepest fears,¡± said the Nari.


    More images flashed through Mai¡¯s mind, images of graveyards, of tombstones. Of one with Mai¡¯s name on it.


    ¡°Odd, truly, that one who professes to be devoutly religious is so afraid of death,¡± said the Nari. ¡°If you really believed, you would not be so frightened to go on to Elysium. But the truth is, people are hardly linear. And now, your worst fear will be realized,¡± said the Nari. ¡°Enjoy.¡±


    And suddenly, Mai was awake. As she jerked up into a sitting position, her heart was beating so loudly she thought the entire Palace would hear.


    Slowly, she began to calm herself. She looked over at Ishad. Her awakening had jerked her arms away from him, but he still seemed to be asleep.


    As she looked down on him, she saw it was the middle of the night, and the only light was still the dim lantern that the attendants had left.


    Mai forced herself to breathe steadily. In the dream, the Nari may well have been real, but before, his threats had always been empty.


    But he said those two other times were my warnings, thought Mai. The Nari said something would happen now.


    Ishad rustled, and sat up. ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked Mai.


    ¡°Ishad, you still look sick,¡± said Mai, softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I woke you. I just had a bad dream, that¡¯s all.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°Do you forgive me?¡±


    Ishad turned his head away from hers for a moment, moving to sit on the side of the bed, with his feet on the ground, and staring at the floor. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault,¡± he said.


    A shiver coursed through Ishad¡¯s spine.


    ¡°You really should get some rest,¡± said Mai, putting a hand of his back. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room.¡±


    Ishad slowly got up to stand in front of Mai, and lifted his sunken head. Ishad¡¯s eyes gleamed bright yellow, and Mai knew that there was something terribly horribly wrong.


    On all four limbs, Mai slowly crawled backwards until she was pressed against one of the bedposts. ¡°Ishad?¡± she asked slowly, questioningly.


    Ishad chuckled, in his own rich voice, and the yellow faded from his eyes. They returned to their normal brown.


    ¡°Why are you frightened, Mai?¡± he asked her. ¡°Do you fear me? Do you fear your lover?¡± Even as he spoke, his back straightened, and all signs of his exhaustion faded from his form. He looked more alive now, more alive than he had been. He seemed taller, stronger, more mysterious. In a pair of words, he seemed more like Broken.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Mai asked him. ¡°Why did your eyes gleam yellow?¡±


    Ishad didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Remember your second dream, Mai?¡± he said. ¡°Remember how I am to betray you? Well, guess what?¡± He smiled. ¡°That dream is made real.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡± Mai whispered. ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°How can you face me and say that?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°After all you¡¯ve hid. You confide in Broken, you keep his secrets from me. All I¡¯ve ever shown you is love and devotion, Mai. You did as much as spit in my face.¡±


    ¡°How did you find out?¡±


    ¡°I have my ways,¡± said Ishad. ¡°However, you do not need to hear them.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Ishad laughed, again. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember your dream, Mai? I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±


    Mai screamed as Ishad grabbed her, and pulled her from the drawn bed curtains. Ishad held Mai close, and turned her to face him.


    Mai stopped screaming as Ishad released her. Her cheeks were red.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going to save you,¡± said Ishad. ¡°People heard the screaming, of course, but no one¡¯s going to reach you in time.¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Mai asked again.


    Before she could react, Ishad grabbed her once more, pulled her body tight to his, and briefly kissed her, before Mai pulled her face away.


    ¡°Because I must,¡± said Ishad. ¡°This must happen. This has been foreseen.¡±


    Mai struggled against him, but Ishad had suddenly become stronger now, stronger than he had ever been before. Her efforts were wasted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t resist, Mai,¡± said Ishad. Again, he let her go, and stepped back a pace.


    Mai didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°This is all your fault,¡± said Ishad. ¡°The least you can do is accept your fate. This is all your fault. Come with me.¡±


    Ishad took Mai¡¯s hand. She shivered, but did nothing else.


    Ishad then began to walk Mai in the direction of the water-filled tub, and she felt compelled to not resist.


    In front of the tub, Ishad grasped Mai¡¯s shoulders, and gently pushed her to her knees. His right hand then grasped a fistful of Mai¡¯s long, black hair, and his left pressed against the back of your neck, and grasped hard.


    Mai finally remembered that death was the last thing in the world she wanted. She struggled again, but Ishad¡¯s grasp remained firm, and eventually, her struggles subsided. Mai¡¯s arms hung limply at her sides.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± asked Ishad.


    Mai¡¯s head was pushed over the side of the tub, closer to the water. She took a deep, deep breath.


    ¡°I should have confided in you more,¡± said Mai. She was slowly crying, and each tear that fell made a ripple. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Goodbye, my love.¡±


    And he thrust her head into the water.


    Mai held her breath at first, for a reason she could not understand. She was dead anyway. Why delay breathing in?


    But there was no point to die sooner, rather than later. Death would be eternal. Life would not.


    With her eyes open, Mai thought she saw a shadow in the pool, of another coming to stand behind Ishad. She wondered if it was Broken, coming to watch her die, and by failing to save her, performing his part in the betrayal.


    Then Mai¡¯s lungs could hold no more.


    She took a breath.


    Mai knew nothing of the process of drowning, but as her limbs flailed, involuntarily, and she wheezed for breath, only taking in more water, she realized she was not dead yet.


    Her head and chest pounded in pain, but she was not dead yet. The darkness closed in, but she was not dead yet.


    And then suddenly, Ishad let go, and strong arms ripped her out of the water.


    Broken¡¯s arms.


    Mai took note of the room, ever so quickly. Ishad was on the ground, rolling from some sort of blow, and Broken had grasped her, and pulled her out from under.


    But even with her head above water, Mai still couldn¡¯t breathe. There was still water in her lungs. She was still drowning. She was still dying.


    Had she been able, Mai would have wailed at the injustice of it all.


    And then Broken slammed Mai, hard, against the closest available wall. As Mai hurled up swallowed water, again, and again, Ishad pulled Broken away from her.


    Ishad grabbed Broken in a headlock, and elbowed him in the chest, so hard Broken¡¯s mouth flew open.


    Mai hurled out the final bit of water, then collapsed on her knees, too weak to do anything more than watch the battle before her unfold.


    Broken still was in a headlock, but not for long. He was a little shorter than Ishad, but built much sturdier, and he used that to his advantage. Broken flipped Ishad over his head, and landed him hard on the tiled floor.


    If Ishad had been in a normal state, that would have been the end of the battle. But now, Ishad was not done.


    As Broken lapsed backwards, into a fighting stance, Ishad slowly got up. When he turned back to face Broken, his eyes were yellow again, and now, they showed no sign of reverting. His face was fixed into a dark glare.


    Ishad placed himself in a fighting stance, much as Broken. And then Ishad charged.


    Ishad threw a heavy punch, which Broken blocked easily, but a second punch penetrated Broken¡¯s defenses, and doubled him over. Taking advantage, Ishad pummeled Broken again and again.


    Then Ishad, finding strength Mai never knew he had, lifted Broken¡¯s tired body up over his head, and slammed Broken down on the rim of the pool.


    Broken collapsed upon the rim, smashing off the entire side of the tub, and flooding the tile floor with water.


    Ishad stepped back, and brushed a fragment of broken tub off his hands.


    Broken got up, with his back to Mai, but rather slowly, and when he turned around again, his eyes were yellow, like Ishad¡¯s.


    Broken and Ishad looked at each other, then focused on Mai.


    ¡°The rebellion was quite strong in you,¡± said Ishad, his yellow eyes gleaming.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± said Broken. ¡°I am on our side now.¡±


    They both took a step forward, in unison.


    And then Broken took a step back. Ishad turned to look, as Broken¡¯s teeth gnashed, and his eyes flickered from yellow to gray, before returning to yellow again. ¡°It is nothing,¡± said Broken, to an Ishad who looked concerned.


    But then Broken took another step back. His eyes flickered back to gray, and stayed that way. Broken stood to his full height. ¡°Things are merely more clear, now. Much, much more clear.¡±


    Mai became ignored once more, as the yellow eyes of Ishad, and the gray eyes of Broken turned to stare at each other.


    And the more frightening of the two colors was now the gray of Broken. He had within him determination. Determination so great it scared Mai.


    ¡°I should not have played along with this game for even a moment,¡± Broken said darkly. ¡°I cannot stand by when Mai is at risk.¡±


    Broken charged Ishad, even as Mai was finally able to get back to her feet. Ishad and Broken exchanged blows in an array of martial arts Mai would never have thought possible from Ishad.


    Once more, Ishad gained the advantage, and pummeled Broken again, and again. But when Ishad was done, Broken still stood there, with a sort of sadistic smile on his face.


    ¡°You¡¯re done,¡± said Broken.


    Broken stepped forward, and grabbed Ishad in a blur of action. They tussled for a moment, together falling upon the bed, knocking down the white bed curtain, and breaking off one of the bedposts.


    Mai, wanting to do something, anything, grasped a large piece of broken tub.


    In the thick of the fighting, Broken gained the advantage over Ishad. He gave a solid punch to Ishad¡¯s chest, then delivered blow, after blow, after blow.


    Finally, Ishad gave out. His legs failed him, and he collapsed to the ground.


    As Mai came over, with her piece of broken tub, Broken stood over Ishad.


    They both, for a moment, watched as Ishad, now trembling, got to his feet, once more. His eyes now alternated between yellow and brown, flickering and flashing.


    But his gaze was on Mai.


    ¡°You,¡± he said to Mai, through his fat lip, and with his face bleeding from numerous small gashes. ¡°You,¡± he said to Mai again, even as his whole body trembled with the effort of keeping himself from falling back to the ground. ¡°You will be dead,¡± said Ishad. He pointed a finger at her. ¡°This is not over.¡±


    As Mai faltered, Broken grabbed the piece of tub from Mai¡¯s hands, and cracked it over Ishad¡¯s head.


    The piece of tub splintered, and Ishad fell to a limp heap on the water-covered floor. His eyes closed.


    Broken looked darkly at his defeated opponent for a moment, but Ishad did not rise again.


    Then Broken turned to Mai.


    ¡°Are you going to try to kill me now?¡± she asked him. Mai wasn¡¯t sure if the sentence was sarcastic.


    ¡°Never, Mai,¡± said Broken. He had not shown any weakness during the fight, but now he began to breathe heavily. Broken was covered in water and blood, both his own, and Ishad¡¯s.


    Broken spoke again. ¡°I would die before I let the same happen to you.¡±


    The room, before so filled with clatter and noise, was now quiet.

 Chapter 44: A Shattered Mind

    ¡°What happened?¡±


    As guards finally rushed in, as Broken ordered them to take Ishad to the infirmary, not the prisons, that question was all Mai could think to ask.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Mai said again.


    As the guards began to take Ishad away, the room¡¯s window burst open, shattering, sending pieces of glass flying to cover the floor, mixing with the water and the pieces of broken tub.


    Claw-Back flew through the window, shrieking shrilly. The owl came to land on Broken¡¯s shoulder, and quieted.


    Some of the guards raised their weapons at the Great Black Owl, but Broken shook his head.


    ¡°She¡¯s my friend,¡± he said. ¡°And she¡¯s just as frightened about what happened as you are.¡±


    The guards stared at the owl for another moment. As Claw-Back continued to sit on Broken¡¯s shoulder, without erupting into violence, one by one, the guards shrugged, ignored the bird, and resumed removing Ishad¡¯s body from the room.


    When Ishad was gone, the remaining guards, four of them, turned their attention to Mai and Broken.


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked one of them, who seemed to be their leader.


    ¡°Ishad and I had a temporary altercation,¡± said Broken. ¡°We got into a fight, but it¡¯s over now.¡±


    The guard carefully surveyed the ruined apartment. He looked upon the destroyed tub, the water soaked floor, the broken bed. ¡°You two did this, alone?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°That tub was made to be reinforced,¡± said the leader of the guards. ¡°For it to be crushed like that¡­¡± He trailed off, then spoke again. ¡°Were you trying to kill each other?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. He got to one knee, and looked down. His breath was still ragged. ¡°Forgive me, but my¡­exertion has left me tired.¡±


    The lead guard looked around the room again. ¡°How did the fight start?¡± he asked. ¡°My lady, why did you scream?¡±


    Even in the state Mai was in at that moment, just barely holding onto sanity, she knew that Broken didn¡¯t want to tell the guards what really happened, and Mai also knew that Broken had a reason. She thought it best to support him.


    ¡°They began to brawl while I watched,¡± said Mai. ¡°I was obviously quite frightened.¡± She was barely able to choke out the words.


    The lead guard began to take a step forward, but backpedaled, when Claw-Back, still on Broken¡¯s shoulder, hissed at him, and flapped her massive wings.


    ¡°So you just wanted to see who was stronger?¡± the guard asked Broken, incredulous.


    ¡°I was,¡± said Broken. Mai noticed how he walked a fine line, saying the truth, while implying something else entirely.


    ¡°All right,¡± said the guard, taking another, smaller step back. ¡°I and my men will¡­will leave you now.¡± And he and his three fellow guards beat a hasty retreat, closing the door behind them.


    With the guards gone, Mai had no more reason to hold back her emotions. She looked down at Broken, with his one knee on the ground, with his panting.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± she sobbed. ¡°The yellow eyes! He tried to kill me! Why did he try to kill me! It was my fault. All my fault¡­¡±


    Broken got to his feet, as Claw-Back flew off his shoulder, to land by the tub and start pecking at the pieces.


    Broken grasped Mai gently, and held her close.


    She buried her face in his dark shirt, staining it with tears. ¡°What happened?¡± she moaned. ¡°What did I do wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± whispered Broken. ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡± His strong arms wrapped around her.


    ¡°Then why did Ishad try to kill me? Why¡­you¡­¡± Mai looked up, her face tear stained. ¡°You looked like you were going to kill me too. You and him. Together.¡± Mai could not meet Broken¡¯s firm gaze, and buried her face in his chest, again.


    ¡°The story is a complicated one,¡± said Broken. ¡°Rest.¡±


    And he rocked her gently in his arms.


    A few moments later, the door burst open, and a very angry Tur is Ashat entered, followed by a squad of guards.


    Mai looked at him for a brief moment, then buried her face in Broken¡¯s clothed chest again.


    She heard yelling.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± shouted Tur is Ashat. ¡°I do not believe the lie you told my guards, Broken! I have the Princess¡¯ safety to consider, and all I know is that you and Ishad started fighting in front of the Princess¡¯ very eyes. Her hair is soaked, her dress is covered in water! What in the cursed name of Casari happened here?¡±


    Mai heard the sounds of pushing and shoving, and before she knew it, Tur held her against his chest. Mai cared little. As long as she had a place to burrow into, she could sob in peace.


    ¡°As you thought,¡± said Broken darkly, ¡°what your other guards believe is not the truth. I did not want to tell them what truly happened, because I did not want to create a panic.¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡± asked Tur. ¡°Tell me quickly, Broken. My men can clap you in irons quite easily!¡±


    Mai just held Tur tightly.


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± said Broken, ¡°but right now, the truth of that statement matters little.¡±


    ¡°What happened!¡± shouted Tur.


    Mai felt her feet nearly lose their footing on the wet, slick floor.


    ¡°Possession,¡± said Broken. ¡°Ishad was possessed, and in that state, he tried to kill Mai. I stopped him.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said Tur. ¡°Sweet Elysium, shine your radiance down upon us tonight.¡±


    ¡°So you believe me?¡± asked Broken.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I do,¡± said Tur. ¡°I smell the scent of crushed minds.¡±


    Mai sniffed. An odor crossed between smoke and water greeted her.


    ¡°I am glad to see that part of your education has not been neglected,¡± said Broken.


    Tur whirled around, taking Mai with him. He barked orders. ¡°Get spellweavers, get priests,¡± he told his guards. ¡°Tell them to scan for any sign of possession in Ishad, or Broken. I¡¯ll take the girl.¡±


    Mai heard noises of most of the guards splitting up. Tur then lifted Mai up like a baby in his arms, and carried her, eyes still closed, into his apartments.


    Mai remembered being placed down in a bed, a soft bed.


    And then she lapsed into unconsciousness.


    Mai dreamed empty dreams, devoid of content or thought. She was glad of that, even in her state.


    When Mai woke up, she found herself not in Tur¡¯s apartments, but in her own. Broken stood over the bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s morning,¡± he told her gently. ¡°Ishad¡¯s elsewhere, but he¡¯s fine. We survived this.¡±


    Mai sat bolt upright. ¡°He tried to kill me,¡± she whispered.


    Broken placed himself on the side of the bed. ¡°He did not, Mai. He was possessed, and the thing that possessed him tried to kill you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± said Mai. ¡°He was right. I didn¡¯t trust him. He was right to try to kill me.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t try to kill you,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Mai. ¡°I saw what I saw with my own eyes,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Ishad didn¡¯t try to kill you,¡± said Broken. ¡°He was possessed.¡± And Broken handed her an old, brown book. There was a red bookmark placed about three quarters of the way through.


    Mai read the name on the cover. Afflictions of the Dark Spiritual.


    ¡°What¡¯s possession?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Read from the bookmark,¡± said Broken.


    Mai opened as Broken suggested, and read.


    Possession


    An affliction of the mind, whereby the mind is suppressed, and a malevolent presence takes control of the motor functions of a host, replacing the mind. This practice is of magic.


    Possession is most often a native ability of demons. While possession can be mimicked by other forms of magic, possession in itself is limited to demons. Only they have the foul ability latent to control a body from afar in said manner.


    A primary way to notice if one is being possessed, is to look for an unholy gleam in their eyes. This gleam is most often red. The gleam can be suppressed, but when the host body undergoes stress, the eyes often gleam, or glow.


    Strong minds can waver the infection of mind, and defeat the unholy powers that try to control their actions. This can be noted in the case of the year 587 Arathou, when Carli Hadbal--


    But Mai stopped reading. She looked up from the book. ¡°So Ishad wasn¡¯t in control of his body?¡± she asked Broken.


    Broken shook his head.


    ¡°But¡­¡± said Mai. ¡°He said so many things that were true.¡±


    ¡°Possessors can read the minds of their hosts as easily as you just read from that book,¡± said Broken. ¡°The thing that possessed Ishad knew everything he knew.¡±


    ¡°But the¡­thing knew things Ishad couldn¡¯t possibly know,¡± said Mai. ¡°And¡­¡± She told Broken of her third dream of the Nari.


    ¡°I suspected as much,¡± said Broken. ¡°I will now answer the questions I know you will ask. ¡°The book does not say this, but¡­Nari can possess as well.¡±


    ¡°Why does the book not say it?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because the book¡¯s authors did not believe Nari existed. I am trying to explain what happened,¡± said Broken. ¡°I am trying to help you understand. But there is so much to know. The Nari may well not have been the ones to possess Ishad.¡±


    ¡°But you,¡± said Mai. ¡°You had the yellow eyes as well, at least for a time.¡±


    ¡°Whatever tried to possess me, I defeated,¡± said Broken. ¡°My will was stronger.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Mai. ¡°This is all so complicated.¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What happened after I went back to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Tur dispatched some priests to make sure neither I nor Ishad was still possessed,¡± said Broken. ¡°They found no sign of continued possession. Then, Tur made sure no one besides he, the priests, and us knew what happened. He did not want the events made public.¡±


    Mai could see why.


    ¡°That, perhaps, is the most clear part of the entire puzzle,¡± said Broken, nodding with her.


    ¡°Broken?¡± said Mai.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired again.¡±


    ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here and guard you.¡± Mai heard a few more words before she went back to sleep, but her mind could not make sense of them.


    Sleep.


    Mai woke up again, and from the window¡¯s light, it seemed to be nearing the next dusk. Just as he had promised, Broken was still sitting on the bed beside her. To pass the time, he was reading from Afflictions of the Dark Spiritual.


    When Broken saw that Mai had awoken, he looked at her.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to stay,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I promised I would.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all my fault, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Mai. ¡°Ishad said so.¡±


    ¡°Possessed Ishad,¡± corrected Broken.


    ¡°But the Nari made him that way, Broken. He wouldn¡¯t be in the infirmary if I had done what the Nari in the dreams told me to.¡±


    ¡°The Nari weren¡¯t necessarily the ones¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes they were,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Remember Eton?¡±


    Mai quieted.


    ¡°It could have been him,¡± said Broken. ¡°And what happened could have been a whole host of other possibilities.¡±


    ¡°But the dream¡­¡±


    ¡°The dream was doubtlessly connected, but the Nari could have been faked.¡±


    ¡°It might have been Eton pretending to be a Nari, in the dream?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°But that does not matter,¡± said Mai, more deliberate, now. ¡°I should have followed the dream¡¯s instructions. I should have found a farm, and never left it. I should have hid. And Ishad¡­¡± Mai¡¯s face was still filled with tears. ¡°In that state, the thing that had him, Eton or Nari, told me that I failed to confide in him, and I confided in you instead, even though he gave me every reason to trust him, and you gave me little reason. I was wrong. Everything I have done is wrong. Everything!¡±


    ¡°What is everything?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Remember the last time you thought the world was spinning out of control?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°After Gansu?¡± Mai questioned.


    ¡°Indeed. You were so frightened, you did everything I asked. I had to work hard to give you self esteem back.¡±


    The memory of that time flashed in Mai¡¯s mind. ¡°And?¡± she asked.


    ¡°And I will not let you go through weakness like that again.¡±


    ¡°You were happy to exploit my weakness the first time,¡± said Mai. ¡°And there is no let involved.¡±


    There was silence in the room.


    ¡°What happened was my fault,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Let me tell you something,¡± said Broken. ¡°The world is a struggle for satisfaction. The only reason anyone does anything is because they see a carrot hanging in front of them, proverbial or otherwise.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°And why not?¡± challenged Broken. ¡°Every action has a motivation behind it. Motivation to be satisfied.¡±


    ¡°So what are you trying to say?¡± asked Mai. ¡°That the only thing holding me in my depression is me, because I want to be that way?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°You want to feel like what happened was your fault, because then, you will be able to feel as if you have some control over life. But the truth is, you had no control over what happened. You are depressed because you want to feel you have that control.¡±


    ¡°This is so existential,¡± said Mai. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the universe¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course you do,¡± said Broken. ¡°Everyone cares about something.¡±


    ¡°You. Are. Talking. In. Riddles.¡±


    ¡°Then I will be very clear,¡± said Broken. ¡°Get up.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Then you will starve in bed,¡± said Broken. ¡°You want your carrot. I do not have time for you to go through your whole cycle of self-hate.¡± Broken got off the bed, and looked down on her. ¡°Get up,¡± he said.


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai.


    Broken grabbed her, and pulled her from the bed onto her feet. Mai tripped, and almost fell. Broken steadied her, by holding onto her arms.


    ¡°Set me back down,¡± said Mai. ¡°If you let go of me, I will fall.¡±


    ¡°Why would you fall?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Your body has strength. I have seen too many good lives wasted in mourning.¡± Broken looked firmly at Mai.


    ¡°But,¡± she said.


    ¡°I have suffered much,¡± said Broken. ¡°I have much more reason than most to crawl in a proverbial hole and never, ever come out. I have much more reason than most to just stop trying.¡±


    At a different time, Mai would have been more understanding, more compassionate. But now all she wanted to do was return to that hole, and she could not think straight. ¡°I lost my father,¡± she said. ¡°What could possibly be worse than that, I ask you?¡±


    ¡°I lost everyone I ever loved,¡± said Broken. ¡°I can do anything but reverse death, and thus, those I care about are beyond my reach. But I have not given up.¡± Broken let his arms slide off Mai.


    She realized that she was still standing.


    ¡°Is this a miracle?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Or is this merely you understanding what really matters?¡±


    ¡°What matters?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Life,¡± said Broken. ¡°Glorious, glorious life. Depression wastes the limited time we have.¡±


    Mai just stood there. Everything around her seemed alien. She felt like she should still be in her bed.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± said Broken. ¡°When your head was underwater, when you thought you were going to die, what did you think about?¡±


    ¡°How I wanted to live,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Then live,¡± said Broken. ¡°Don¡¯t wallow. Don¡¯t sulk. Remember that life is only as fruitful as you make it.¡±


    Mai¡¯s stomach rumbled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some of that fruit,¡± said Broken.

 Chapter 45: The Sum of What We Have

    That night, there was a meal served in the First Dining Room. Broken attended. And so did Mai.


    After the food itself was consumed, Mai found herself talking to some of the other nobles. Not about anything in particular, just talk. And she found herself able to loosen up, a skill she had feared that she lost for good.


    At a different part of the room, Broken found his two girlfriends again, and as Mai conversed with those near her, Broken also talked it up.


    Perhaps a pair of hours later, near midnight, Broken found Mai in a lounge. It was late, and so Mai had little left in the way of company, and so she excused herself from those who remained, and came over to him.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mai asked Broken.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    And so, together, the two walked down the halls, that were increasingly empty. They found the grand staircase in the lobby, illuminated by a skylight on the ceiling, high up. The staircase, because of the hour, was nearly empty.


    Together, Mai and Broken began to ascend.


    ¡°What is fear?¡± Broken asked Mai, as they climbed the stairs together.


    ¡°Ask a philosopher,¡± said Mai, quickly.


    ¡°Are you backing out because you have no answer to the question?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Ah well. I have an answer, in lieu of yours. Fear is an instinct.¡±


    ¡°An instinct?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Does one choose to be afraid?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Well, no.¡±


    ¡°Then fear is an instinct,¡± said Broken. ¡°Fear drives lower animals to run from danger. But humans have sentient minds. And once one can understand, truly understand rationally the pros and cons of any situation, fear is useless. Indeed, fear is quite often a hindrance.¡±


    Broken stopped walking, and automatically, Mai did as well. Then she noticed where they were. They were standing on the third floor causeway, from the grand staircase to the hall.


    ¡°You noticed I was afraid of the height?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Quite,¡± said Broken.


    He walked to the railing, and leaned over. Mai took a few steps to the edge, but only a few.


    ¡°Do you know that hundreds of people walk across this causeway every day, without falling?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Do you know that dozens of people lean across the railing, every day, without plummeting to their deaths?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Then why do you still fear?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± said Mai. ¡°Why does a dog bark?¡±


    ¡°That question is, sadly, irrelevant,¡± said Broken. ¡°Come closer to the railing.¡±


    Mai took a hesitant step forward.


    ¡°Closer still,¡± said Broken.


    Mai took another step. She was almost at the railing.


    ¡°Now lean over, as I do,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°The fear is irrational, and in our world, logic is what drives the world. Even if you fall, you must realize that I will catch you.¡±


    And so Mai leaned over the edge. She looked down at the tiny people below, and shuddered. ¡°Why do you care about my fear of heights?¡± she asked Broken, turning to him, and away from the abyss below.


    ¡°Because once you conquer one fear, it is easier to conquer another, and then another,¡± said Broken. ¡°And because you never know when being able to suppress fear might come in handy. You want to see Ishad again, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°But¡­I could go to the infirmary, but I wouldn¡¯t know what to say,¡± said Mai. ¡°What am I supposed to tell him? I¡¯m sorry you got possessed by a demon, or maybe a Nari? I¡¯m sorry you tried to kill me? I wouldn¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°The fear you are experiencing is preventing you from doing something very important,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What does my fear prevent me from doing?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Looking like a fool in front of Ishad?¡±


    ¡°Tur is Ashat suppressed the news of the possession quite well,¡± said Broken. ¡°So well, in fact, that Ishad still has no idea what happened. He is in his infirmary bed right now, and he has no idea why his mouth said the things it did, and he has no idea why his body tried to kill you. How do you think he feels about that?¡±


    ¡°Horrible,¡± Mai answered. ¡°Of course he feels horrible. But why do I have to speak with him?¡± She paused. ¡°You want me to tell him but you understand possession far better than me. You could tell him yourself.¡±


    ¡°I could,¡± Broken admitted.


    ¡°So why do I have to face him right now?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Why can¡¯t I wait until I¡¯m ready?¡±


    ¡°Because in the interim, Ishad will languish in his hospital bed, thinking you hate him because he wasn¡¯t strong enough to resist the possession.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t think that,¡± said Mai. ¡°He knows I love him.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°What?¡± said Mai.


    ¡°People think things that aren¡¯t true,¡± said Broken. ¡°And without seeing you, without talking to you, Ishad won¡¯t know what¡¯s true and what¡¯s false. He needs your help, far more than you need your time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still getting over what happened,¡± said Mai. ¡°I just can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± asked Broken.


    She glared at him. ¡°No normal person would ask me to go up to him, so soon after a thing possessed his body, and used that body to try to kill me! I¡­I don¡¯t even know if I can look upon his face!¡±


    And Broken slapped her.


    Mai rubbed her cheek. ¡°Ow,¡± she said. ¡°What did you do that for?¡±


    ¡°Do you know how selfish what you just said sounded?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. ¡°But I¡­¡±


    ¡°Who do you think needs more help right now?¡± asked Broken. ¡°You, who have a modicum of understanding of what is going on, who had me there for you to make sure you were all right, or he, who still knows nothing?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even like Ishad,¡± said Mai. ¡°I do, and I¡­¡±


    Broken slapped her again, a little harder. ¡°A passerby to this conversation wouldn¡¯t know that, would he?¡± Broken asked Mai. ¡°You cannot abandon him now. He needs to talk to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing me too hard,¡± said Mai. ¡°First, you got me out of bed before I was ready to face the world, and now you ask me to do this!¡± She took in ragged breaths. ¡°I was almost killed a day ago!¡±


    ¡°And if you fail to speak to Ishad, for that reason,¡± said Broken, ¡°your would-be murderer will be granted one small success. Do you want that?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You don¡¯t sound very sure,¡± said Broken. ¡°Look over the ledge again.¡±


    And the commanding tone of his voice made Mai do as he asked. Looking down now, in the state that she was in, almost made her faint.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± She dragged her eyes away from the depths below.


    ¡°There is a proverb,¡± said Broken. ¡°It is always darkest before the dawn. That is what the proverb says.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of that,¡± said Mai. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be one to believe something like that.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t strictly believe it,¡± said Broken. ¡°But the truth is, right now, you have a choice. You can either put what happened behind you, or dwell. Do you wish to stay in the darkness forever?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Then fight,¡± said Broken. ¡°Go to Ishad, and speak to him, and prove that you are stronger than all of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not strong,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°There are different types of strength, Princess,¡± said Broken. ¡°Not all are physically apparent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not strong,¡± said Mai, ¡°in any way at all.¡±


    ¡°Untrue.¡±


    ¡°All you do is save my life again, and again, and again,¡± said Mai. ¡°It has gotten to a point where I expect you to be there.¡±


    ¡°It is true that I have saved your life many times,¡± said Broken. ¡°But think about how much you have grown, on your own scale.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When I met you,¡± said Broken, ¡°you were weak, so weak that the only thing you really wanted to do was kill yourself. Now, you have grown.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°For one thing,¡± said Broken, ¡°you want to live. For another, you see me as a person, not some dark faceless thing. You realized that there is something fundamentally wrong with the class system in the Empire, and your lover is not a noble, but from the merchant class.¡±


    ¡°But all that is meaningless,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Your success in life is not measured by the number of people you¡¯ve killed. Your success in life is measured by the mark you make.¡±


    ¡°The mark I make on what?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°On whatever it is you want to make a mark on.¡±


    Mai thought. And then she though some more. I have done things, thought Mai. Things most could not do. She realized she had been thinking about life in Broken¡¯s shadow. He was not the world.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°About what?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°I matter.¡±


    ¡°You saying that brings joy to my heart,¡± said Broken. And then he did a surprising thing. He hugged her.


    Mai barely realized what Broken was doing until his arms were fully around her. Carefully, Mai placed her arms around him as well.


    The few others on the causeway turned for a moment to stare at the odd sight, but Mai didn¡¯t care.


    She finally realized what Broken meant to her.


    Mai didn¡¯t love him, not in one sense, not in the way she loved Ishad. But in another way, she did. She loved him with the love of friendship. In those moments, as they held each other, Mai realized that Broken was understandable. He was complicated, to be sure. But he was human, and he made human mistakes, and one of those mistakes had lead to Ishad¡¯s injuries.


    Mai realized that Broken cared about her. Maybe not because he was attracted to her, but as a friend. She realized that in a very awkward way, Broken had been reaching out for a long time.


    At the same time, Mai and Broken let their arms drop.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Broken. ¡°I made a difference.¡±


    If Mai hadn¡¯t known he was an agnostic, she would have thought he was talking to God.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to our rooms,¡± she told Broken. ¡°It¡¯s probably around two now, and I don¡¯t want to wake Ishad, but I¡¯ll talk to him first thing in the morning.


    Broken nodded, and then they both headed off, to get to sleep.


    Dawn broken on Mai¡¯s second morning in the Palace, and in a strange way, she was satisfied.


    She knew an outsider wouldn¡¯t understand why. Two days ago, she had been nearly drowned by the body of her lover, possessed something, that not even Broken knew the identity of. There could be another attempt on her life at any time. It had already been proven that the Palace was not safe.


    And yet Mai was content.


    She got up, got dressed, and walked out into the hall, where she asked a passing servant the location of the infirmary.


    Once she knew the directions, Mai thought briefly about asking Broken to come along, but she decided against it. For one thing, it was early in the morning, and she didn¡¯t know if he was awake yet, though she thought it likely. More importantly, however, she thought that what she had to say with Ishad was rather private. She owed it to Ishad, after ignoring him for two days, to have enough courtesy to speak to him alone.


    And so, Mai headed to the infirmary. To reach that wing of the building, Mai traveled down the grand staircase to the first floor, then through a maze of hallways. She just barely remembered which way to turn at the various intersections, from the servant¡¯s instructions.


    But, perhaps a quarter hour of walking later, Mai reached her destination. A large sign hung over a double door, which Mai opened.


    Within, there were more doors and hallways, but, thankfully, a servant sat at a main desk.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Ishad,¡± Mai told the woman. ¡°Where can I see him?¡±


    The woman checked some files, frowning. ¡°This Ishad have a last name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Not that will be in the records.¡±


    The woman frowned deeper, but found something in the pile of records. ¡°Ah,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s here recovering from a recent concussion.¡±


    Tur is Ashat covered up the truth well, thought Mai. She understood why Tur had done as much, as talk of demons roaming the halls of the Palace would hardly be good for morale. But still, the ease at which he had spread a lie was somewhat shocking.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mai. ¡°Now, where might I find him?¡±


    The woman behind the counter frowned suspiciously. ¡°Who might you be?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Mai,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°No last name, either?¡±


    ¡°Not one that matters.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s behind the fifth door to the left, down the east corridor,¡± said the servant, pointing. ¡°Don¡¯t make a wrong turn, or you might end up in a restricted area,¡± she added. ¡°The guards won¡¯t be to keen about that.¡±


    Mai glanced at a pair of soldiers, standing stiffly, spears at the ready, and the back of the room. They blinked at her.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told the servant.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, my lady.¡±


    Mai followed the servant¡¯s instructions, opened the door, and entered Ishad¡¯s room. As Ishad looked to be still asleep, face down on his pillow, she closed the door quietly behind her.


    Mai looked around. Ishad slept on a bed comfortable, yet plain. There were no windows, and the room was rather dark, so Mai lit a lantern.


    The sudden light woke Ishad, and he shifted in his bed. He turned groggily. To Mai¡¯s relief, the yellow eyes were quite gone. Ishad just looked like Ishad, and actually, somewhat less tired than he had right before they had reached Asan Paril. He blinked his eyes blindly, and rubbed them.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± he asked. The words came out slow, depressed.


    ¡°Me,¡± said Mai.


    Ishad blinked, and set his arms down. ¡°Mai?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    Mai pulled over the room¡¯s sole chair, from its dusty corner, placed it by the side of the bed, and sat down. She looked carefully at Ishad, who looked carefully at her.


    ¡°You look pretty,¡± he said, not sitting up.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m very confused, Mai,¡± said Ishad. ¡°So many things, so many memories are in my head. I remember hurting you, and I remember other things. But then, two days ago, I think, I woke up here, and the healers told me I was recovering from a serious concussion. Having a concussion¡­ My head feels fine. I¡¯m just very confused.¡±


    Mai had been hoping that perhaps Ishad wouldn¡¯t remember what had happened when he had been possessed. That hope flew out the window.


    ¡°What do you remember?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Besides what I said?¡± replied Ishad. ¡°I remember us reaching Asan Paril, but almost as soon as we got to the city, my head started to feel like it was in a fog. The rest of the night was a muddle¡­until¡­until I woke up in the middle of the night, and¡­ But what happened then couldn¡¯t be real. I would never do those things to you.¡± Ishad looked so sad, so utterly defeated. ¡°But I did, somehow.¡±


    ¡°You remember everything that happened that night?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Crystal clear.¡± Ishad paused, for a moment. ¡°My God, it was real. I should rot in hell for all eternity for what I did to you.¡± His words were weak.


    ¡°It was real,¡± said Mai. ¡°But you didn¡¯t do what you remember.¡±


    ¡°I remember it so clearly,¡± said Ishad. ¡°The fog was gone, then. I tried to stop, but my hands, it was like they weren¡¯t my own¡­the words¡­ You should just leave me. There¡¯s something wrong with me, that much I know. I must be¡­I don¡¯t know the word for it¡­psychotic. Disturbed.¡±


    Mai looked into Ishad¡¯s tortured eyes, fighting the growing urge to look away. She didn¡¯t realize what Broken had meant before, by implying that Ishad had underwent a worse night than Mai had.


    But then she understood. At least that night, she had been in control of her own body. Ishad had been violated, violated so supremely that he had been forced to watch as a helpless bystander in his own mind, as another presence tried to use his body to kill the one he loved.


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, Mai,¡± said Ishad. ¡°You just told me that what I remember really happened. You should leave here, and never see me again.¡± His throat choked. ¡°For your own good.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know everything,¡± said Mai. ¡°Listen to me. What happened was not your fault.¡±


    ¡°Then whose fault was it?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°I know the things I did. I know the things I told you, things I¡¯m not even sure how I knew.¡±


    ¡°You were possessed,¡± said Mai. Instantly, she realized how stupid she had sounded.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± agreed Ishad. ¡°Something was wrong with me. And if something was wrong with me, it still is. My God, if Broken hadn¡¯t stopped me¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°No, Ishad,¡± said Mai. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean you were just acting like you were possessed. You were possessed.¡±


    Ishad blinked a few times, processing the new information, processing what he must have thought, only a moment ago, to be an impossibility.


    ¡°You mean, a demon was in control of my body?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°A demon?¡± he repeated.


    ¡°Or a Nari,¡± added Mai. ¡°Broken isn¡¯t sure which. But one of the two.¡±


    Ishad blinked a few more times.


    ¡°That is really what happened,¡± said Mai. ¡°I¡¯m not making it up. I wouldn¡¯t make something like that up.¡±


    A curious sensation came over Ishad. Upon hearing Mai¡¯s confirmation, he smiled, weakly. Mai understood his reasons.


    Ishad leaned up in his bed. He took a few shuddering breaths. ¡°My memory¡­¡± he said. ¡°In what I remember, Broken didn¡¯t seem to be acting right, either. He had yellow eyes, at one point.¡±


    ¡°So did you,¡± said Mai. ¡°Whatever possessed you tried to possess Broken as well, but he fought it off.¡± Mai worried that Ishad would take that statement badly, as it seemed to confirm that he was weaker than Broken, but she didn¡¯t need to have been concerned.


    ¡°Figures,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Nothing can stand up to Broken, not even demons. You¡­you know I tried as hard as I could to stop what my body was doing, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai. ¡°You would never hurt me. That thing, that had your voice and your body for a time, wasn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± said Ishad. He even cracked a dim smile. ¡°It¡¯s not like I could have really slammed Broken against a tub, and held my own against him.¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Possession is real. Who knows what else could be possible?¡±


    ¡°So, what happened?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°I mean, after Broken knocked me out with that piece of tub. Is¡­is the thing still inside me? I think I¡¯m in control of my actions, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You were checked by priests and spellweavers,¡± said Mai. ¡°You¡¯re clean.¡±


    ¡°Thank God.¡± Ishad thought, for a moment. ¡°I want you to know that nothing I said then was true,¡± he said. ¡°Nothing. Even if you¡¯re keeping secrets from me, well, I trust you.¡±


    Tears came to Mai¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve that kind of trust,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Of course you do,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I love you Mai, I love you with all my heart. Those aren¡¯t just words to me. Everyone might say them, but I¡­I mean them. If you¡¯re keeping secrets from me, I trust you enough to believe that you are doing so for a good reason.¡±


    Mai looked at him, and felt ashamed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t come here earlier,¡± she said. ¡°I could have, and I just¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Something that looked a whole lot like me had tried to kill you. You came here when you were ready, and for that I am grateful.¡±


    Mai filled him in on all that had happened in the past few days.


    When she was done, Ishad asked, ¡°When do I get out of here?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know when you¡¯re supposed to be let out,¡± said Mai, ¡°but one way or another, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re out of here by the end of the day.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    And when Ishad looked at Mai at that moment, in those once-sullen eyes, she saw hope.

 Chapter 46: Fractures in the Pattern

    ¡°What was the thing?¡± Mai asked, just to get the statement out there. ¡°Do you have any new ideas, Broken?¡±


    It had taken a long argument with Tur is Ashat for Mai to convince him to release Ishad from careful watch in the infirmary wing, but she had succeeded. Now, some time after midday meal, Mai, Broken, and Ishad had all gathered together in Mai¡¯s chamber, to discuss what needed to be discussed.


    Mai settled back in her chair, for yes, there were chairs now, one for the three of them, arranged in a triangle in the center of the room. She had asked the servants, and within the hour, they had provided the most comfortable armchairs Mai had ever had the pleasure of using. Identical, they were of brown leather, and seemed to be perfect for either sitting up, or reclining.


    A table was between them, with the book Broken had found in the library, Afflictions of the Dark Spiritual, carefully placed upon it.


    Within all the material comfort, Mai was pleased to have tangible proof that Tur is Ashat backed them.


    Even if she was less than pleased with Broken¡¯s answer.


    ¡°I have made little headway,¡± he said, sinking into his chair, and looking almost asleep, with his eyes narrowed into slits. Mai didn¡¯t doubt that Broken was the most alert one of the three in the room right then, but still, she found his behavior somewhat annoying.


    ¡°Then restate what you already know, for Ishad¡¯s benefit,¡± said Mai. The meeting of the three had only just begun, and she did not want Ishad to be left out.


    ¡°Two nights ago, Mai had a disturbing dream,¡± said Broken. Though he responded at once, he still lounged in his chair. ¡°This dream was the third in a series of three that Mai had, all featuring a Nari. In the first two dreams, the Nari was warning Mai to keep her head down, and not go to Asan Paril. The third dream made it clear that the time for warning was over.


    ¡°When Mai woke up then, Ishad found himself actively possessed, by a force that had been with him, sapping his energy, since he had arrived at Asan Paril. In that state, his body tried to kill Mai, who made attempts to resist.


    ¡°I was awoken by the sound of Mai screaming, but almost as soon as I awoke, a second presence flooded by consciousness, directing me to head to Ishad¡¯s room, and help him kill Mai.


    ¡°I shrugged off the influence, but, understandably, thought it would be a good idea to head to Ishad¡¯s room nevertheless. I reached the room, saved Mai from drowning in the tub, and got into a brawl with a possessed Ishad.


    ¡°In his state, Ishad had gained a tolerance for pain, and so was able to fight me with some ability. Ishad slammed me against the tub, and simultaneously, the presence tried to take control of my actions for a second time. For a second time, I shrugged off the presence, but allowed enough of it to get through to give me yellow eyes, thus convincing the presence in Ishad that its fellow presence had gained control of me. I tried to gain information, failed, and resumed brawling.


    ¡°Then I was able to knock Ishad out, and, seeing its host unable to accomplish its goal of killing Mai, the presence fled.¡±


    Broken glanced at Mai. ¡°Those are the facts.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Mai. ¡°We all read what Afflictions of the Dark Spiritual has to say on possession, at least up until the point when the book begins to give rather tedious and long winded explanations of case studies.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± cut in Broken, ¡°said book, while helpful, is not entirely accurate, as not only demons, but Nari as well, can possess.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for being so rash,¡± said Ishad, ¡°but doesn¡¯t it seem rather obvious what possessed me, and what tried to possess Broken? The Nari not only warned of the attack, but provided Mai with a fairly accurate description of what it thought was going to happen, with me and Broken forcing Mai¡¯s head underwater.¡±


    Mai was glad beyond words that Ishad had been able to take in all the new information objectively, especially the contents of her dreams.


    ¡°That does seem obvious,¡± said Broken. ¡°However, let us not forget Eton. He is an unknown part of the equation. Eton is very strong, and is very resistant to Symbols, and other forms of exorcism. And he, unlike the Nari, has a very good reason for wanting Mai dead, as he is employed by the Makini, who wish to rid her from the equation. It is possible that all the dreams were planted by him, to throw our suspicion off track.¡±


    ¡°Do you think now, that Eton was most likely behind what happened?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°While I myself mentioned that Nari can possess, that information seems irrelevant.¡±


    Mai knew that when Broken gave a statement about something, it true. Not even just likely to be true. It was true.


    Mai understood that Eton was behind what happened. She accepted that fact, and tried the best she could to move past it.


    ¡°I see your logic,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I just have a reservation. When the possession became apparent, my eyes turned yellow, not red like it said in the book. Yellow is the color of a Nari¡¯s eyes.¡±


    ¡°Most likely the yellow eyes were just another one of the many things Eton did to throw us off course,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°That makes sense,¡± said Ishad, and Mai nodded. ¡°But, what about the Nari Claw-Back saw in the streets when we first reached Asan Paril?¡± he added.


    ¡°Claw-Back was most likely tricked,¡± said Broken, which seemed to Mai to be a satisfactory answer. However, Broken frowned, and finally leaned up in his chair. He looked directly at Mai. ¡°In the dreams,¡± Broken asked, ¡°did the Nari ever give you a name to call it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai. ¡°In the third dream, the Nari called itself Slytherayaim, I believe.¡±


    ¡°Slytherayaim is the name of a real Nari,¡± said Broken. ¡°However, I still believe Eton is behind this all.¡±


    ¡°I agree with you,¡± said Mai. ¡°However, I am quite curious. Who is this Slytherayaim Eton decided to impersonate?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°I will tell you some of what I know,¡± said Broken. ¡°First of all, I will speak of the name. You pronounce it wrong, though doubtless you first heard it pronounced correctly. The suffix, the aim, is not pronounced as is the word aim. It is pronounced as em.¡±


    ¡°But it didn¡¯t sound exactly like that,¡± said Mai. ¡°It was more dragged out. I remember that much.¡±


    ¡°Only slightly dragged out,¡± said Broken. ¡°You dragged it out more than correctly in your speak, because you knew not of a letter ai.¡±


    ¡°Ai is not a letter,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Not in the modern common tongue,¡± said Broken. ¡°But, in the old tongue, ai is a single letter. It is written as a juxtaposition of the letters a and i.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°The aim at the end of Slytherayaim¡¯s name,¡± said Broken, ¡°is the ancient precursor of the modern suffix em. For it was decided that ai sounded sufficiently like e, that all instances of ai could be replaced with e. From the suffix em, we get the words empire, and imperial.¡±


    ¡°But imperial starts with an i,¡± objected Ishad.


    ¡°That was a further evolution,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°So you¡¯re trying to say,¡± said Mai, ¡°that Slytherayaim¡¯s suffix denotes him as a rather important Nari?¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± said Broken. ¡°Eton knows the Nari well. Slytherayaim is the name of a Nari also known as the Third Guide.¡±


    ¡°Guide of what?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Guide of the order of things,¡± said Broken. ¡°Slytherayaim is the fourth greatest Nari in their hierarchy, a hierarchy that has existed since the First Dynasty.¡±


    ¡°Has Slytherayaim always been the Third Guide?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°Only for the last fifteen centuries.¡±


    ¡°Long enough,¡± muttered Ishad.


    ¡°How long do Nari live?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°As with demons,¡± said Broken, ¡°Nari do not die of natural causes.¡±


    Mai tried to imagine a life of eternity, a life without aging. She could not.


    ¡°And that is what I know of Slytherayaim,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°How do you know that much?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°That is one of the things I cannot tell you.¡±


    Mai respected Broken. She did not press.


    ¡°Come,¡± said Broken, getting up. ¡°Let us go to dinner. ¡°Perhaps during that time, I will think of a reason to explain Eton¡¯s involvement, that does not have so many inconsistencies.¡±


    ***


    Tur is Ashat rested against his high backed chair. He was tired, so, so tired. But he could not sleep. For if he did, horrors would await him in the morning.


    This was certain, as the horrors were already with him.


    A thing, covered from head to toe in a brown cloak, covering all of its features, sat comfortably on the couch in Tur¡¯s reception room, in his private apartments.


    Tur, at the creature¡¯s request, sat in a chair opposite it. His guards, standing at the edge of the room, stared blankly into space, completely non-responsive. Tur didn¡¯t know for sure, but he was rather certain that if he came to his guards in the atrium, they would be in a similar state.


    Tur was not a timid man, but the situation urged caution.


    ¡°Lord Ashat,¡± said the thing.


    ¡°I fear I am at a disadvantage,¡± Tur responded. ¡°I do not know what to call you.¡±


    ¡°You do not need to know my name,¡± said the thing. ¡°Being aware that the threat I represent is real will suffice.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± said Tur.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Are you what was behind the possessions?¡± asked the Lord of Asan Paril.


    ¡°Indeed. I was thwarted in my aims then, but¡­I am far from defeated. And I represent powers far greater than myself. Powers willing to make you a deal.¡±


    Tur knew he should have made his spellweavers and priests be more thorough in their checkings. But, he reflected, there is a maxim, that hindsight is always perfect. Out loud, Tur said, ¡°What kind of deal?¡±


    ¡°The powers I work for are fully capable of bringing your Asan Paril to its knees,¡± said the things. ¡°However, those same powers have greater concerns than a mere city. Take Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, bind her, blindfold her, and bring her to a location in your city that I will mention, upon your request. Once the powers I represent have her, they will spare your city.¡±


    ¡°I thought you wished her dead,¡± said Tur.


    ¡°Dead on our terms,¡± said the thing. ¡°Not yours. Now, what is your answer?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you do not understand the magnitude of that little word,¡± said the thing. ¡°I penetrated into your chambers, past your guards, without great effort. If you do not accept, I can assure you; those I represent will ensure your city will die, in several senses of the word.¡±


    ¡°For the sake of my city, I would be inclined to offer you such a small thing as tribute,¡± said Tur. ¡°However, Mai is not mine to offer.¡±


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°I am bound by honor, demon, or whatever you are. I gave Maiako my word that I would give her safe refuge in Asan Paril,¡± said Tur.


    ¡°Your word?¡± asked the thing. ¡°Your word is no binding enchantment. Break it.¡±


    ¡°I am afraid I cannot,¡± said Tur is Ashat.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I will tell you a story, demon,¡± said Tur. ¡°A story about me, when I was eight years old. I was large for my age, and strong. And because of those twin facts, I was possessed with more than a little bit of pride. Once of my peers, a small, scrawny child, challenged me to swim with him across the Paril River. I laughed, and said that I was so sure I would reach the other side first, if I lost the race, I would gouge my left eye out. I made a vow to that effect.¡±


    The demon merely stared at him.


    ¡°As you can see, my left eye is rather missing,¡± said Tur. ¡°The luck of the God-Kings was not with me that day. I lost the race, and did not want to hold up to my end of the bargain, a bargain I imposed. My adversary cared little about holding me to my end of the bargain, and indeed, begged me not to do it.


    ¡°But one of my tutors at the time was a Karaki elder. He said that if I had made anything short of a vow, he could have ignored what I had said. But he told me that vows must be honored.


    ¡°And so I gouged my eye out. All thought it had been an accident, and I made no effort to reveal the truth. It is common knowledge that I lost my eye to an accident to this day.


    ¡°But the truth still stands, demon. I am not a Karaki, and as such, I do not flay myself at the slightest misspeak. However, I hold to my vows, and I vowed to Maiako as Arathou del Tachen that I would protect her. I accept any and all responsibilities of that vow.¡±


    The thing, completely covered head to toe by its brown cloak, shifted its head from side to side. ¡°It is one thing, mortal, to do what you wish with your own life. It is another thing entirely to play with the lives of every single man, woman, and child in your city. For I assure you, if you do not take my offer, Asan Paril will fall.¡±


    ¡°You represent an army,¡± Tur breathed. ¡°Are you with Ehajdon, or the Makini?¡± He couldn¡¯t imagine Ehajdon resorting to use of a demon, as one with his reputation, but Tur understood that he didn¡¯t know Ehajdon¡¯s true motivations.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know,¡± said the demon, mockingly. ¡°Perhaps I represent the Karaki, or the Amzu, or even the Dunesis. Or even something else entirely.¡± The thing laughed, in such a way that made Tur¡¯s hairs stand on end. ¡°However, I can assure you that those I represent will take your city, all for the sake of that one girl. My threats are not empty. Is no still your answer?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Tur. He stood, and drew his sword. ¡°Try to kill me for that answer, if you will, but I will not go down without a fight.¡±


    The demon did not get up. ¡°Lord Ashat, why would I kill you?¡± it asked. ¡°I need you alive, so that, when I come back to give you one last chance, you can reconsider.¡± Now, it rose from the couch.


    ¡°While you are safe, for now,¡± said the demon, ¡°others are not.¡±


    Tur turned to where his two guards stood, in their trance, just in time to see them both crumple to the floor, lifeless. Tur didn¡¯t need to check their pulses to know that they were dead.


    ¡°I will return,¡± said the demon, ¡°in a very particular amount of time. If your answer is still no, what you see before you will be only the beginning. The wrath of an immortal is not kind.¡±


    The demon opened the door to the atrium, and while it did so, Tur caught a glimpse of more of his personal guards, dead on the ground.


    Then the thing shut the door behind itself.


    ¡°Remember,¡± it called though the door. ¡°It is one thing to play with your own life. It is a very different thing to play with the lives of thousands of others.¡±


    Then there was silence, and Tur knew the thing was gone.


    In disgust, he jammed his sword back into its sheath. What good were his noble ideals now, when because of them, his two personal guards, Mel and Fin, both lay dead on the floor?


    Tur is Ashat had felt sorry for Mai once, sorry for the way her father treated her. But that feeling was gone, now. She was nothing but a burden.


    A burden he was honor-bound to bear.

 Chapter 47: Fading Light

    A new day dawned, and with it, new hope. Another day separated Mai from the night of Ishad¡¯s possession, and that could only be a good thing.


    Mai got dressed and entered Ishad¡¯s room, which by now had been cleaned thoroughly. Inside, there was no trace of the events three nights back. And also inside, was Ishad, sleeping facedown on the bed as light streamed through the window. The bed curtain was gone.


    ¡°Ishad?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°It¡¯s a new day dawning,¡± he said, slowly getting up from the bed, and smiling at her. It was amazing that he was able to smile so fully, in this very room, so soon after what had happened, had happened.


    Ishad began to change from his night into his day clothes, but even so, he understood what the look on Mai¡¯s face meant. ¡°Why dwell?¡± he asked her, slipping on a new shirt over his head.


    Before Mai could respond, Ishad finished dressing, and walked closer to Mai. ¡°Did I forget to tell you last night how stunning you looked in that dress?¡± she asked. ¡°And how stunning you look in the one you wear now?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have complimented me on this gray dress, when I didn¡¯t wear it until today,¡± said Mai, smiling quite despite herself. She supposed it was a mark of how much she truly loved Ishad that he was able to cheer her up by saying so little.


    ¡°Semantics,¡± said Ishad. ¡°This morning, I have to go back to the infirmary for a check up, but I¡¯ll be back by noon, and then I¡¯m all yours.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the priests and spellweavers already check you out?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Ishad, ¡°but last night, Lord Ashat approached me and said I had to be rechecked. He looked rather jumpy, and he is the lord of this city, so I didn¡¯t argue.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± said Mai, noticing how dark a shadow she cast in the brilliant sunlight. ¡°But hurry back.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Bye.¡±


    And so he left.


    Mai used the full length mirror in the room to check if her hoop earrings hung correctly, and then headed out into the hallway herself.


    In the hallway, Mai saw that Ishad was already out of sight, but Broken stood by the open door to his room.


    Broken noticed Mai immediately, and came over to her.


    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± she asked, alerted by the odd expression on his face.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°I can¡¯t be so alone anymore. I need someone to confide in.¡±


    Mai was startled, but managed to nod.


    Then, however, before they could go inside Broken¡¯s room, the pair of noblewomen he had been flirting with appeared in the hall, and headed at him.


    Mai thought they might be a little dissuaded when they saw that Broken was with another woman. She was wrong.


    The appearance of the two was irritating, to say the least. One was in a green dress, and the other, slightly shorter, wore white. They both looked as if, that morning, servants had labored for an hour so that they could appear just so. Their appearance rather put Mai¡¯s own to shame. By comparison, she felt like she had just rolled out of bed.


    ¡°This is Lady Aza as Sebe del Karaki,¡± said Broken, indicating the lady wearing the green. ¡°And this is her friend,¡± said Broken, indicating the other, ¡°the Lady Val as Resel of the Second Paril.¡± Mai noticed that his tone was now different.


    Feeling awkward, Mai said, ¡°I am Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. Glad to meet you.¡± A moment later, she realized she had just made it clear she was Princess of the Arathou Dynasty. Interestingly, neither Aza nor Val seemed to care.


    ¡°I heard rumors that you had come here,¡± said Val.


    ¡°Rumors?¡± laughed Aza. ¡°Broken told us!¡±


    ¡°Well, he wasn¡¯t our only source,¡± said Val. She turned back to Mai. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness.¡±


    ¡°And you as well, Lady Val.¡± Mai exchanged a similar bout of pleasantries with Aza, who, afterwards, immediately engaged Broken in conversation about a new bit of Palace gossip.


    ¡°How did you get to Asan Paril?¡± Val asked Mai lightly.


    ¡°Around a ways,¡± said Mai, sullenly.


    ¡°I heard from Broken you stopped at Barad,¡± said Val. ¡°I also heard, not from Broken of course, as he¡¯s too noble to say something like this, that you and the merchant who was our guest a dinner last night, are together. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°I¡­umm.¡±


    ¡°I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± said Val. ¡°Broken knows that everyone has their own taste, and I agree with him.¡±


    ¡°Ishad¡­¡±


    ¡°I did come up with this other idea last night,¡± said Val. ¡°I and Aza were talking, and both heard the rumor that, perhaps, this Ishad, on your horrible travels forced you to become engaged with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really think it was,¡± said Val. ¡°But then again, if the rumor was true, it would explain why there was another rumor, that three days ago, there was an altercation in Ishad¡¯s chambers. You don¡¯t need to be shy about it, Princess.¡±


    Mai looked at Val in a way that, if not a glare, was still supposed to humble the other woman. ¡°The rumors are false.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Val, ¡°of course they are, your highness.¡± She looked at Aza for a moment. ¡°We should probably get going. Broken and the Princess had some business they were to discuss.¡± Val looked Mai up and down, examining her. ¡°You look nice, Princess.¡±


    And a moment later, almost as quickly as they appeared, Val and Aza were gone.


    ¡°Most other men would be content with a single woman at their arm,¡± Mai told Broken, disgustedly. ¡°You, of course, need two.¡±


    ¡°I am their friend,¡± said Broken. ¡°Neither Aza nor Val are what you imply.¡±


    ¡°Then why have they been hanging around you for the past few days?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because they wished to talk to me,¡± said Broken. ¡°I can be quite charming, you know.¡±


    ¡°To those who don¡¯t know you,¡± said Mai.


    Broken nodded at the insult. ¡°There is more to the story of those two ladies,¡± he said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about Aza,¡± said Mai. ¡°But, Val was insulting.¡± She added emphasis on the word, to mock the way Val spoke.


    ¡°You should not be quite so quick to judge,¡± said Broken. ¡°Val loves rumors, to be sure, but only because she doesn¡¯t want to deal with the cold hard reality that her older brother, who she loves, dearly, was at the Holy Citadel when the Makini conquered it, and she had no idea what happened to him. Aza is from the Karaki lands, and has only been in Asan Paril for a few months. Her only friend is Val. Her father is on an extended visit here, and he is hoping to marry her off before he returns home, a home Aza desperately wants to return to.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± said Mai, suddenly a little ashamed. ¡°How could I?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge before you know the whole story,¡± said Broken. ¡°Did you notice how neither lady said one seductive word to me during the visit?¡±


    Mai realized that was true. She nodded.


    ¡°That first night when they met me, Val and Aza¡¯s intentions were something close to what you originally assumed. ¡°But, as I talked to them, I became very clear that they wanted nothing more than a friend. Did you notice how Aza only said a few words to you? Because of your status, she was too afraid to speak. Both are quite impressed with how you dealt with Selri. She was quite unpopular, you know. They were just too embarrassed to say as much.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°I appreciate you telling me this,¡± said Mai, with as much dignity as she could.


    Broken nodded. ¡°Now, come into my room,¡± he said. ¡°I truly have much to talk to you about.¡±


    And so they went in. Sunlight streamed from the window, as it had in Ishad¡¯s room, but now, sunlight was not quite so bright. It seemed to Mai to be a portent that the long summer would soon end.


    ¡°What do you wish to speak to me about?¡± asked Mai, when Broken shut the door behind them.


    ¡°My fears,¡± said Broken. ¡°Despite everything, I fear I am beginning to fail in my duty to protect you.¡± His gray eyes matched Mai¡¯s dress, and she began to wish that she had chosen another color.


    ¡°You have never failed me before,¡± said Mai. ¡°Why should you start now?¡±


    ¡°Because I am becoming distracted,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°With them.¡±


    ¡°The two you so easily explained away to me?¡± asked Mai.


    Broken paused. ¡°That is not all. Perhaps¡­perhaps I should not have troubled you, Mai. I may merely have woken up on the wrong side of the bed.¡±


    He turned away from Mai.


    ¡°Broken, everything¡¯s all right. You¡¯ve never let me down before, and you won¡¯t now. I¡¯m wearing gray,¡± Mai smiled. ¡°Perhaps that means I¡¯m your biggest fan.¡±


    And Broken turned back to her, with pain in his eyes. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t say that if you knew everything,¡± he said. ¡°I want tell you,¡± he rushed to say before Mai could respond. ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Broken, in a very odd sort of way, you¡¯ve helped me move past the most changing experience in my life,¡± said Mai. ¡°The riots in the Occluded City. My father¡¯s death. You have saved my life more than once. There¡¯s nothing you can tell me that will change that.¡±


    Broken looked into Mai¡¯s eyes, and with that gaze, seemed to look into her soul. ¡°I can tell you one thing,¡± he said at last. ¡°When the Nari met me in the Holy Citadel, he¡­reassured me that the Nari would not shy away from a¡­past connection they had with me.¡±


    ¡°So you know Nari,¡± said Mai. ¡°Big deal. And that much was obvious from before, Broken.¡±


    ¡°The Nari I met that night,¡± Broken continued, ¡°his name was Slytherayaim. He was the Third Guide.¡±


    ¡°The same name Eton gave for his Nari in my dream,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°To know that name, to know that name was significant,¡± said Broken. ¡°Eton has proved that he is more dangerous. And I am more sure than ever that Eton was behind the possessions.¡±


    Mai breathed deeply, as another little part of the safety of Asan Paril collapsed around her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you tell Ishad,¡± said Broken. ¡°But the truth is, I am confiding in you, not him.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re the only one I can talk to, who understands even a part of what I am going through,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­honored.¡±


    ¡°There is a training room on the first floor,¡± said Broken. ¡°If you want to see me, I¡¯ll be there.¡± And quickly, Broken left the room.


    Mai stood there, thinking, for some time.


    It was not good for Broken to be so worried.


    She had breakfast, and some time after that, Ishad came back, announcing that, just like the first time, spellweavers and priests had pronounced him free of corrupting magical influences.


    Lunch came, and lunch went, and then, the two of them took a carriage ride around the city of Asan Paril. The driver pointed out the sights, but Mai paid little attention, preferring to bask in Ishad¡¯s company.


    After the ride was done, Mai excused herself from Ishad, saying she had to go to the library. He let her go.


    The library of the Palace was in the building¡¯s basement, and was guarded by a few tired soldiers and librarians.


    There were few people in the dim series of chambers that composed the library, and those that were also visiting were bent over tables, examining manuscripts. Mai was ignored.


    She wandered through the interconnecting rooms, with their walls lined with high bookcases, and wondered how anyone could find anything in such a maze. She also wondered what she was looking for.


    Mai wasn¡¯t really sure.


    In her wanderings, with the brief help of a librarian, Mai found Afflictions of the Dark Spiritual, which Broken had returned to the library. But her gaze passed over it, and Mai moved away from the book without bothering to pick it up. That book wasn¡¯t what she was looking for.


    Mai wanted to escape from the world, for a time, and all that book could do was remind her of harsh realities.


    Eventually she just sat down, in one of the isolated chairs, in a hidden part of the library, and rested. She was tired.


    And, indeed, she fell asleep.


    When Mai woke up, her head was somewhat clearer. She traveled from the library to the training room Broken had spoke of.


    In the training room, things were very different from the library. Instead of many small interconnected rooms, here there was one large one. Mai moved past areas where soldiers practiced fencing, and areas with wrestling, heading to the back of the room, where somehow she knew Broken would be.


    And indeed he was. At the back of the room, a leather sack was suspended from the ceiling by chains.


    And Broken was pummeling it like he would never get another chance.


    Mai stopped a couple yards away from Broken, and watched him. Broken¡¯s armor and sword, Mai knew, were hidden away in his chamber. Broken wore nothing but a tunic and pants. The lack of his weapons, however, did not seem to impede him at all.


    Broken jumped two feet straight up, then, from his height, delivered two savage kicks to the leather sack, one from each leg. The kicks sent the bag flying backwards on its chain. When the chain reached its limit, the chain swung back at Broken, but he performed an identical maneuver to the one he had before. Jumping two feet in the air, Broken kicked it savagely again, and the bag hastily retreated.


    This time, when the sack returned, Broken fired off a seemingly endless series of punches, that solidly connected with their target again, and again, and again.


    Mai finally stepped forward.


    Broken didn¡¯t look at her, and didn¡¯t stop punching, but he nodded to make her aware he knew she was there.


    Now that she was closer, Mai could see that Broken¡¯s face and neck were christened with sweat.


    ¡°How long have you been doing this?¡± she asked him, amidst the noise of his continued punching, and the noise that all the others were making in the training room.


    ¡°Since morning,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t stop for lunch?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    Broken continued striking the bag with his fists.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to stop?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I can hear you fine,¡± said Broken, still not looking at her. ¡°And now, this is an exercise in dual focus.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± said Mai, feeling a little awkward. She watched his fists fly for a few moments, suddenly mesmerized. Then, she asked, ¡°Do you really need to train?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I was trying to see if being active would clear my head.¡±


    ¡°Has it?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°A little.¡±


    Mai watched Broken¡¯s punches continue for a few more moments. What he calls being active, Mai noted, I probably couldn¡¯t keep up for a single minute.


    ¡°Broken?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I have a question.¡± The question had only occurred to Mai at that moment, but she was very interested to hear the answer. As well as embarrassed to ask the question in the first place.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What do you know of my relationship with my father?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°He abused you,¡± said Broken, quite offhandedly. He continued to punch.


    Mai was rather taken aback by the prompt answer. ¡°How did you know that?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°The way you framed that question was a clear giveaway,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I have known for quite a while. Since Tevin Farm.¡±


    Mai thought she should have known that Broken knew. If it had been apparent to Ishad, it had been just as apparent to Broken.


    ¡°Why did you ask?¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Because¡­¡± said Mai. She steadied her speech. ¡°Because this morning you said that I was the only one you could talk to, who understood a part of what you were going through, and I wondered if you knew my secret, and that was what you meant.¡±


    ¡°Good guess,¡± said Broken, ¡°for a variety of reasons. But no. I was talking about the fact that I have told you other things about me and my past, before.¡±


    Mai just stood there, realizing that she had let such a private thing out, and it had not been necessary to mention at all. Broken had already known, and that had not been the reason.


    Broken quickly realized that something was wrong. He jumped up in the air one final time, perhaps clearing three feet, and delivered one more savage double kick, which slammed the sack almost to the ceiling.


    Broken then grasped the bag when it came back, and steadied it. He turned to Mai.


    ¡°You¡¯re not all right, are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± said Mai, sniffing.


    ¡°What you let go was not easy to say,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have bothered,¡± said Mai. Her face was beginning to go red, and she wasn¡¯t entirely sure why. She looked at the ground.


    ¡°You showed me that you trust me,¡± said Broken. ¡°That¡¯s worth quite a bit.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± asked Mai, looking up.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s go,¡± said Mai.


    They were about to, when a man in white-dyed leather armor stepped in front of their path. A manservant stood behind him.


    Mai recognized the high-bred face in an instant. The man in the white-dyed armor was Savel is Varad, Lord of the Second Paril. In Barad, he had danced on Broken¡¯s strings. Now Mai feared the situation would be quite different.


    ¡°Hello, trickster,¡± said Savel to Broken. He glanced at Mai. ¡°Ah. I see that Maiako, as ever, chooses to tag along.¡±


    ¡°If you know who I am now,¡± said Mai, ¡°I would thank you to hear a little bit more respect.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Savel. ¡°You were once a princess, Maiako, daughter of Emperor Mentis. But now, he is dead, and you grovel at the feet of my High Lord Tur is Ashat, begging him to protect you. I think I admired you more before I learned who you were.¡±


    ¡°Is there a point to this?¡± asked Broken, wiping the sweat off his face. ¡°For if there is not, we were leaving even before you arrived.¡±


    From behind a nearby counter, a guard shouted, ¡°I would let him go, my lord. He has been training here for the last eight hours. Without break!¡±


    ¡°So, my suspicions about you were correct,¡± said Savel. ¡°You are quite a fighter, Broken. But, as your name implies, you are less than whole, less than perfect, and so you will not mind if I challenge you.¡±


    ¡°I do mind,¡± said Broken. ¡°I have more important things to deal with than you, Savel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why would I tell you?¡±


    The two men looked at each other dangerously.


    ¡°At a later time, I would be more than happy to put you where you belong, Savel,¡± said Broken. ¡°But right now, as I said, I am busy.¡±


    ¡°You are being dangerously insolent.¡±


    ¡°Am I now?¡± asked Broken. He rolled up his left sleeve, exposing his snake tattoo, and proving that he was a noble, just like Savel.


    As Savel stared, Broken let the sleeve drop back down. ¡°You might know what I call myself,¡± said Broken, ¡°but you are sorely misinformed about other parts of my persona.¡±


    Savel took a slight step back. ¡°Perhaps I did underestimate you, my lord,¡± he said mockingly. ¡°But my challenge still stands.¡±


    ¡°And I accept it,¡± said Broken. ¡°But not now.¡±


    ¡°When then?¡± asked Savel.


    ¡°Tomorrow, at noon, two days from now, here, in this room, in one of the rings,¡± said Broken. ¡°Is that acceptable?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Then be gone,¡± said Broken.


    At Broken¡¯s words, Savel nodded, and, with his manservant, walked away.


    Mai surveyed the room, and saw the crowd of onlookers, which had gathered at the confrontation, now disperse.


    An odd sort of shadow fell over the training room, as Mai and Broken walked from it.

 Chapter 48: Growing Darkness

    After the events in the training room, Mai and Broken retired to their separate chambers, to prepare for another feast in the First Dining Hall.


    Mai brushed at her hair in front of her room¡¯s full length mirror, wondering where Ishad had gone, as he was nowhere to be seen. That was when Broken entered, without knocking.


    Mai turned as he came in. Broken had bathed, and changed, and was now remarkably presentable to high class society. He had changed his appearance quite a bit from the way he had looked in the training room.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock?¡± asked Mai, setting her brush down on the nightstand. ¡°You didn¡¯t know what I was doing in here. I could have been bathing!¡±


    ¡°And yet you were not,¡± said Broken, calmly. ¡°I came here, now, because I have an important question for you.¡±


    Mai picked up her brush once more, looked in the mirror, and combed a few more strokes. ¡°Can¡¯t it wait?¡± she asked. ¡°The feast will be starting shortly.¡±


    ¡°I do not expect an answer as of yet,¡± said Broken, ¡°but I need your answer by noon, two days from now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± asked Mai, abandoning her brush again, and for good this time. She looked firmly at Broken.


    ¡°Do you want me to throw the fight?¡±


    It took a moment for Mai to understand what Broken was talking about. Then she realized. The fight¡­ The match Broken is going to have with Savel! And a moment later, Mai realized why Broken had asked such a question.


    Broken gave the explanation out loud, anyway.


    ¡°I want to know if you want to get back at me, for what happened to Ishad.¡±


    Mai¡¯s mouth finally dropped open.


    ¡°You would do that?¡± she asked. ¡°With all the honor at stake? You would let him beat you, and suffer the humiliation?¡±


    ¡°Just as surely as I know that in an honest fight, I would beat Savel to the ground, I know that if you told me to throw the fight, I would,¡± said Broken. His gaze was straight down, at the tile floor.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking Ishad this?¡± said Mai. ¡°He¡¯s the one that got hurt, not me.¡±


    ¡°Ishad forgave me,¡± said Broken. ¡°You did not, and I feel the need to redeem myself to you. The outcome of the battle rests in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I have to think about this,¡± said Mai.


    Broken looked up again, with the tiniest hint of a smile on his face. ¡°I thought you would.¡±


    Mai¡¯s mouth shut, and her expression became pensive.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the feast,¡± said Broken. ¡°You can think there.¡±


    And so, together, they walked out into the hall. Once there, they came upon Ishad. He was dressed well, and looked to be in a hurry to go somewhere, but as he saw Mai and Broken, he stopped.


    ¡°Hello, Mai,¡± said Ishad. He nodded. ¡°Broken.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming with us to the feast, Ishad?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I have business outside of the Palace.¡±


    ¡°What kind of business?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°After we went our separate ways this afternoon,¡± said Ishad, ¡°I went to the merchant quarter, and introduced myself. A prominent merchant, named Belium Tarquin, has invited me over for dinner at his house tonight. He seems interested in hiring me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Ishad!¡± said Mai. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry that I¡¯m missing the feast,¡± said Ishad. ¡°Truth be told, I didn¡¯t really fit in with all the nobles last night, anyway.¡±


    Mai wanted to counter that statement, but it had indeed been the truth. ¡°When will I see you again?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I should be back tomorrow morning,¡± said Ishad. He smiled. ¡°Until then, I bid you farewell.¡±


    And then he walked away.


    ¡°It seems the dream of a life of you and Ishad together is beginning to be realized,¡± said Broken. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡±


    Mai didn¡¯t respond. After the question Broken had presented her with, she didn¡¯t quite know what to say.


    They went to the First Dining Hall together, for the feast.


    Before they began, Tur is Ashat announced that he was going to make a speech, but Mai was hardly listening. She was concentrating on making her choice, the choice Broken had presented her with. As she thought, Tur is Ashat began.


    ¡°Thousands of years ago, the First God-King, Maverax, fought the chaos, and founded the First Dynasty, the Aimpir Dynasty. His eldest son became the Second God-King, and the eldest son of the Second God-King became the Third. After that, the descendants of Maverax were mortal, and seeing that the order of things had been created, and was good, the three God-Kings ascended into the sky, into Elysium.¡±


    What do I do? I wanted Broken to suffer, for what he did to Ishad, when the damage caused was fresh. But now, Ishad has healed.


    ¡°The Aimpir Dynasty ruled for two hundred years, until the Emperor on the throne forgot his duty, and the God-Kings reached down from Elysium to strike him down. From the ashes of the Aimpir, a new, Second Dynasty arose, to unite the Empire once more.¡±


    But does the passing of time make what Broken did right? He danced Savel on strings. He did as much as strike the blows himself.


    ¡°The last Emperor of the Second Dynasty proved corrupt, and so the guardianship of the Empire passed to a Third Dynasty, and then, and Fourth, and then a Fifth. The cycle continues to this day. The Arathou Dynasty was the Ninth, and, after eleven centuries of its rule, the longest rule of any dynasty, by far, now it seems it too has faltered.¡±


    But should I grant Broken mercy? He offered this choice to me, of his own free will. He must feel horrible about what he has done.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°While the reign of the Arathou Dynasty has brought about peace and prosperity, we are again faced with a troubled time. The neutrality of Asan Paril stands firm, but I understand that to many of you, it seems the world outside our walls has gone mad.¡±


    Broken is smart, though. The only reason he offered to throw the fight may well be because he knew I could forgive him.


    ¡°It may not seem this way too many of you, but the current civil war is not the first time the Empire has undergone great trials. That is why I speak of history, to remind you all of how great our land is. To remind you of what the God-Kings promised, before the Ascension: The Empire will never fall. It has not endured three millennia to come to an end in our lifetimes.¡±


    I must get my vengeance. Broken has put me through so many horrible things, he deserves this one small embarrassment!


    ¡°The Empire will endure because it was founded on virtue. Great demons have stalked our lands, and tried to end the order. A thousand years ago, the demon Casari is Koranor almost succeeded. But he failed. Why? Because the Empire was possessed of something he could never understand, and still is. The Empire is possessed of unity. Even when different factions broke apart, they could become reunited, and forgive each other.¡±


    Forgiveness! Ishad forgave Broken, and he was the one wronged. Broken gave me this opportunity to reduce his honor, because I had not forgiven him. Because he wants me to forgive him, so that he can move on with his life.


    ¡°The Empire is also possessed of loyalty. Citizens have a common bond with each other, a common bond that, when the end threatens, is remembered. The Empire is possessed of duty. We are all a living whole within its benevolence, and in the end, the Makini, the forces of Ehajdon, and all the other Houses will understand. Those that war will realize, whether it is this year or the next, or even the year after, that they have a duty to reunite the Empire.¡±


    Loyalty. Duty. When it really mattered, Broken was always there for me, and for Ishad. He saved my life more than once. He saved Ishad¡¯s life more than once.


    ¡°I can assure you that there will be peace once again. Thank you for listening, my friends.¡±


    Tur is Ashat sat down into his chair, and the feast began. Mai ate, but as she did so, she glanced over at Broken, who sat across the table. Despite everything, she still wasn¡¯t sure what her answer would be.


    Dinner past quickly for Mai, as during it, she was deeply engrossed in thought. After the meal was finished, and people were free to get up, to head to talk to others in one of the nearby lounge chambers, or to retire, Mai found herself gravitating to the two noblewomen Broken was friendly with. Val, and Aza.


    When Mai reached them, Broken was nowhere to be seen. Mai approached the pair, and began to engage then in conversation.


    She was surprised with the results. Val and Aza actually turned out to be quite interesting conversation, and not at all haughty, like Mai had expected.


    As she and they talked, as the three noblewomen laughed together, Mai kept thinking that at any moment, Broken would show up.


    He never did.


    Eventually, it became late, and Mai left. Almost as soon as she had gone from Val and Aza¡¯s sight Broken appeared in the hallway beside her.


    ¡°Did you enjoy talking to them?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Were you spying on us?¡± Mai responded.


    ¡°I was talking to others nearby, in such a manner so that while I was doing so, neither you nor Val nor Aza could see me, but I could see and hear you perfectly well. Draw your own conclusions.¡±


    ¡°You were spying on me,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Better,¡± said Broken. ¡°While I do care for Val and Aza, you are my primary responsibility. I had to watch over you.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do so much watching over yesterday, when you were in the training room, and I was elsewhere,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You were with Ishad,¡± said Broken. ¡°I respect your privacy with him.¡±


    ¡°Why do you respect my privacy with him and not with others?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Because between you and him, there is a likelihood of intimacy,¡± said Broken. ¡°With Val and Aza, there is not.¡± Broken paused. ¡°Unless, of course, there is something you are not telling me.¡±


    Mai resisted the urge to slap him. ¡°I would never betray Ishad,¡± she said. ¡°And certainly not as a--¡±


    ¡°Do shut up,¡± said Broken. He looked about the crowded hallway. ¡°While I feel there is nothing wrong with certain words, and their implications, others might disagree, even as they associate certain words with you.¡±


    Together, they began to walk from that hall, up to their chambers. When they reached their respective doors, Broken turned to Mai once more. ¡°Have you thought about my question?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai. ¡°During the speech.¡±


    ¡°And have you come to an answer for me?¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± said Mai.


    Broken nodded in acceptance. ¡°The time you have left to make your decision is shrinking,¡± he said, and walked into his room.


    Mai went into her own. She got into bed, still troubled with the decision she had to make.


    Sleep.


    Morning came, as mornings would, and then morning past. At about noon, Ishad found Mai as she stood, alone, on one of the balconies of the Palace, looking down at the city of Asan Paril below her.


    ¡°How long ago did you get back?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Perhaps an hour ago,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I started looking for you as soon as I got back to the Palace, but you were quite hard to find.¡±


    ¡°Was I now?¡± asked Mai slyly. ¡°How was your night with the merchant?¡±


    ¡°Belium Tarquin is very impressed with my lip reading talents, along with my ability to know where a person was born from the sound of their voice,¡± said Ishad. ¡°He wants to see me again tonight, and it seems very likely he will make me a job offer, one that he hinted I won¡¯t need to leave Asan Paril, to perform the duties of.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°Odd to say this, especially after all the horrors we¡¯ve endured,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But sometimes, dreams do come true.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to do today?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I care not,¡± said Ishad. ¡°I just want to be with you.¡±


    ***


    Quite a bit of time later, Mai found herself preparing for a second feast in the First Dining Hall, the second feast in two days. She wondered what the cause was for such extravagance.


    Ishad was gone again, off to confirm his new job with Belium Tarquin, and Mai was rather alone. Broken showed up, as Mai made her way to the First Dining Hall, but he hardly felt like company, what with his question hanging over Mai¡¯s head. She acknowledged him with a nod, but nothing more.


    At the First Dining Hall, before anyone could eat, Tur is Ashat spoke again.


    ¡°You may wonder why, two nights in a row, the Palace has engaged in festivities. Many of you may think that this second night is wasteful.


    ¡°It is not. It is to drive home a point. It is to drive home the point that we must remain firm and strong, we of Asan Paril. We had the ability to create a second feast, and so, we were not afraid to make one.


    ¡°Yesterday I talked about ideals. But today, I talk about putting those ideals into practice. If we stand cowed and afraid, we lose honor. We must prove to the rest of the Empire that Asan Paril has not bowed to the raging storm around us. That is why we have a second day of festivities.


    ¡°Because, as I said before, ideals must be put into practice, or they are worthless.¡±


    During the meal, Mai thought on those words, and thought hard.


    Ishad forgave Broken. Ishad hasn¡¯t mentioned what happened in weeks. He has moved on, Broken is sorry, and my insistence that he throw the fight will only bring up old memories, old battles past. Yesterday, I thought long and hard, and came to no answer, only because then, I thought I would have all the time in the world to consider.


    But I do not. Time marches steadily onwards, and a day has passed. I must put my thoughts to practice. I must make them mean something.


    I forgive Broken.


    And I must dare say those words out loud.


    Dinner was soon done, and Mai left the room. For the second day in a row, she found Aza and Val, and talked to them lightly, for quite some time. Broken was nowhere to be seen, but, if yesterday was any indication, he was quite close on hand.


    It became late, and for the second time, Mai excused herself from Aza and Val¡¯s company.


    As she reached the hallway, Broken appeared at her side, from seemingly nowhere. Mai had been expecting as much.


    ¡°Have you reached your decision yet?¡± asked Broken. His eyes moved to Savel, who was elsewhere in the hall, chatting with his fellows quite loudly.


    ¡°I forgive you,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Thank you for saying that,¡± replied Broken.


    As he said as much, Mai realized something. Blame rarely fell on a single set of shoulders. Broken may have orchestrated what happened, to get back at Ishad for some reason Mai didn¡¯t understand, but while most of the fault might lie with him, not all of it did.


    Savel hadn¡¯t known he was being manipulated. He thought he was tormenting Ishad, an innocent, of his of his own free will. And he was completely unremorseful.


    Some blame had to fall on him, as well.


    Mai looked upon that smirking face.


    More than some.


    Mai fell to sleep that night, reflecting that Savel would get from Broken exactly what he deserved.


    And also, Mai reflected how the statements Tur had made in his speeches had made her think about the matter in a different light.

 Chapter 49: Light Casts Shadows

    ¡°So, what did you think of the speeches I gave, Savel?¡±


    ¡°Complete and utter bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Tur and Savel were in the former¡¯s apartments. The two dead guards inside, and the eight dead guards in the atrium had long since been removed, and replaced. Tur had lied about what had happened to them, saying he simply had sent the ten away on a private mission, so only the cleaners knew for sure.


    And Tur had intimidated them well enough that he was sure those men were never, ever going to tell.


    New guards were in the atrium and the apartment, guards less capable than their predecessors, but guards nonetheless.


    Not that it really mattered what they could do. The demon had already proved that he could deal with any number of mere mortals. The guards felt to Tur like ceremony, not protection.


    ¡°Is there a reason you asked to see me?¡± asked Tur, sitting down on one of his chairs as carefully as he dared. Since his meeting with the demon, he had been rather on edge when in his apartments.


    ¡°Of course there is,¡± said Savel, sitting on the couch opposite Tur¡¯s chair. ¡°Do you really think I came all this way to talk about those speeches?


    That was the way of Savel. He was never quite insulting, and yet almost at the threshold.


    ¡°I made the speeches because there are rumors abounding the Palace, especially around the noblewomen, that the civil war will drag on forever, and somewhere down the line, Asan Paril will fall. While they may have been nonsense, they still served a purpose.¡±


    ¡°Lord Ashat,¡± said Savel, ¡°you truly are jumpy today. I know why you gave the speeches. And I, as I said, did not come here to talk about them. Behind you, I am the second most important man in Asan Paril. I would have better things to do.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you here for?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°I am here because I have concerns about the Princess and her little troupe, my lord.¡±


    ¡°What kind of concerns?¡±


    ¡°Having them here puts a target on our back, my lord.¡±


    Tur thought of the demon. ¡°I know,¡± he said. ¡°But I gave Maiako my word that I would do my best to protect her,¡± he said. ¡°I cannot refuse to harbor her now.¡±


    Savel is Varad carefully adjusted his white cape, then sat up and looked at Tur. ¡°I know how much you love your honor,¡± he said. ¡°However, I believe Maiako has forfeited her privileges as guest.¡±


    ¡°I can think of no way she had done as much,¡± said Tur. ¡°But, I bid you go on.¡±


    ¡°Maiako has with her a man named Ishad,¡± said Savel. ¡°Ishad is of the merchant class, and he is her lover. I cannot tell you how many of the Codes of Sara her relationship breaks. By virtue of that, you no longer must hold to your arrangement.¡±


    ¡°I gave her safe harbor,¡± said Tur. ¡°Unconditionally. Unless she goes as far as to break one of the ten Laws of the Empire, I cannot go against my word. And last I checked, the codes were not laws.¡±


    ¡°You are making a mistake by not seeing things my way,¡± said Savel.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because there are those that will stop at nothing to see Maiako dead.¡± His words were eerily reminiscent of the demon¡¯s own.


    ¡°If I had agreed that Maiako¡¯s breaking the Codes of Sara was enough to remove her from my protection, what would you have suggested I do?¡± asked Tur, curious.


    ¡°Bag her, literally or metaphorically, and sell her to the highest bidder.¡± Again, Savel¡¯s words reminded Tur of the demon.


    ¡°I thought you said there are those who want her dead, not that there are those who want her as a prize,¡± said Tur.


    ¡°My mother is a noblewoman of the Minsu,¡± said Savel. ¡°Through my connection with said House, I have been made aware that, if Emperor Ehajdon cannot have her, he wants Maiako dead. However, if he can have her¡­he would pay a great deal.¡±


    ¡°Emperor Ehajdon¡¯s forces are getting crushed,¡± said Tur. ¡°He should have much bigger worries than a princess.¡±


    ¡°Not if that princess can single-handedly turn the war around,¡± said Savel. ¡°Emperor Ehajdon has claimed he is the continuation of the Arathou Dynasty, not the founder of the Tenth. If he can get the only child of the late Emperor Mentis to support him, the Tachen remnants would most likely swear their allegiance to his throne, and House Karaki might well do the same.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°And the Makini would not be able to stand against the Vedil, the Minsu, the Tachen, and the Karaki all arrayed against them,¡± said Tur. ¡°I see your logic.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, Ehajdon would then have to deal with all the attempts made on her life, instead of you,¡± said Savel.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± asked Tur. ¡°There have been no attempts made on the Princess¡¯ life since she arrived at Asan Paril.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, my lord,¡± said Savel. ¡°It does not become you.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± asked Tur, guardedly. He looked at Savel in a menacing fashion, making sure to give the other lord a good look at his empty eye socket.


    ¡°My sources tell me there was quite the scuffle a few days ago, in Ishad¡¯s apartments, while the Princess was there,¡± said Savel. ¡°An assassination attempt.¡±


    Tur was reluctant to affirm the information, but he felt he had no choice. ¡°Your sources are correct,¡± he said.


    But Savel was not done pressing. ¡°An assassination attempt, involving magic,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Involving a demon possession.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Tur again, wondering where Savel had found his sources.


    ¡°A demon, who latter visited you, expressed his displeasure that he had been repulsed, and killed ten of your guards,¡± said Savel.


    If the servants talked, thought Tur, I¡¯ll¡­ ¡°Yes,¡± said Tur, one final time. ¡°How did you learn all this?¡±


    ¡°A long time ago,¡± said Savel, ¡°the information came to me that you loved to keep secrets as much as you loved to keep your word. I merely ensured that those who you trusted with those secrets had a very positive relationship with me.¡± He paused, and took a deep breath. ¡°And now, to more business. When the demon spoke with you, what did it say?¡±


    Tur saw no reason to hide any more information. Savel already knew too much too keep the truth from him. He explained his interaction with the demon.


    ¡°And so it said it will give you one more chance to change your mind?¡± asked Savel. ¡°Fortunate, very fortunate. It should have killed you when it had the opportunity, for we will make sure it will not get another. What preparations have you made so far, for its return?¡±


    ¡°Besides replacing the guards, who I fear will be useless,¡± said Tur, ¡°I had this city¡¯s priests and spellweavers cast all sorts of wards throughout the palace. But that may not be enough.¡±


    ¡°It will be,¡± laughed Savel. ¡°For a man of your size and visual ferocity, my lord, I fear you have the heart of a child. Nothing will be able to get through all the wards and enchantments I am sure you made the priests and spellweavers place. We can sell Maiako to Ehajdon with the confidence that no enraged demon with be able to go on a rampage.¡±


    ¡°I already told you,¡± said Tur. ¡°Mai is not for sale.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps not yet,¡± said Savel. ¡°But she will be later. Her sole guardian is a man who calls himself Broken, and is quite the character.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± said Tur. ¡°One thing even your sources may not know is that he keeps a giant pet owl hidden from us. The owl showed up right after the possession.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Savel. ¡°Even more hidden eccentrics. With Broken as Maiako¡¯s protector, it should be easy to lure Mai into doing something she will regret.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°You should know,¡± Savel responded, ¡°that Asan Paril is not the first place I met Maiako and her friends. No, we met in Barad. Broken tricked me out of my sword, thus forcing me to undertake a series of actions to get it back, a series of actions that greatly wounded Ishad, and left Maiako not very endeared to me at all.¡±


    ¡°Did you know who she was, then?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°No,¡± said Savel. ¡°I thought she was just some tag-along to the master-apprentice swordsman pair of Broken and Ishad. Now I realize I could not have been more wrong. But what happened in Barad does serve a purpose. I challenged Broken to a duel at noon tomorrow, and, because of our past history, he eagerly accepted. I can beat him, and hopefully when the Princess sees her protector fall, she will be a bit more¡­unrestrained.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure you can beat him, Savel?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°I am an accomplished swordsman,¡± said Savel. ¡°An accomplished swordsman who has never lost a duel.¡±


    ¡°Only because you carefully make sure those you fight are less skillful then you,¡± said Tur.


    Savel¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡°That accusation--¡°


    ¡°Is completely true,¡± finished Tur. ¡°While you may know some of my secrets, I also know some of yours. Rather than entering tournaments, you choose to carefully smirk above it all. But I think Broken might be a bit more than you can chew.¡±


    Savel¡¯s mouth worked. ¡°I won¡¯t lose,¡± he said.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let myself lose.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure it is a matter of let, Savel?¡±


    ¡°Just leave the battle to me,¡± said the lesser noble in the white cloak and cape. ¡°Then, when Mai, of her own volition, of course, decides to do something she will regret later, we can have her.¡±


    Tur looked at Savel, with his one good eye. ¡°You intend to cheat, if cheating becomes necessary to win,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes,¡± acknowledged Savel.


    ¡°You are not a pleasant man, my lord,¡± Tur said.


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    Tur looked down at himself, at his massive frame. Often, he wished he had been born smaller, for being as large as he was, he was looked at as a fighter first, and little else after. Tur was a smart man, but only those who knew him well appreciated him for it.


    Tur sighed. He tried to care. He tried so hard to care that he had gouged out his eye. But that had hardly been seen as a step in the right direction. He stuck fast to his honor, and the latest result of that choice had been ten good men dead. Maybe he still cared, but, was he pleasant?


    ¡°No,¡± Tur told Savel. ¡°I am not pleasant.¡±


    ¡°I will meet with you tomorrow, after the deed is done,¡± said Savel. He then got up. ¡°Do I have your leave to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Savel,¡± said Tur. ¡°You have my leave to go.¡±


    And Savel left.


    Tur turned to his two personal guards in the room, staring at the far wall blank-faced. They had heard the conversation, of course, of the truth of things, of Savel¡¯s plotting. But they were honor bound never to repeat any of it.


    However, there was a demon at loose, and the mere word of it could well start a panic among commoners. And Savel, blatantly, had said that he might well cheat at his match with Broken. And, Savel had his mysterious sources.


    Tur was rather less inclined to trust his guards with information than he had a mere day ago. But there was nothing he could do about it.

 Chapter 50: Day of Honor

    It was not until midmorning of the next day that Ishad showed up. Mai only had enough time to tell him of the impending duel, and did as much. After consideration, she told Ishad of Broken¡¯s offer to her, and that she had refused it.


    ¡°Did I do the right thing?¡± she asked Ishad, wondering if she should have passed the decision on to him, instead of making it on her own. But then, as Broken had said, Ishad had forgiven him. Mai had not.


    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Ishad. ¡°I did not think he would apologize, but he has, and what is past is past.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t actually say he apologized directly,¡± Mai admitted. ¡°He implied as much.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Ishad. ¡°That¡¯s more like the Broken I know. But you made the right decision, nevertheless.¡± His brow, however, creased into a frown, and he glanced around at the walls of Mai¡¯s apartments. ¡°I must leave again for business, but I will be back in time to see Broken defeat Savel.¡±


    ¡°For business?¡± Mai repeated.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Ishad smiled slyly. ¡°Belium Tarquin took me on. I have a job.¡±


    Mai looked at him, unbelieving for a moment. Then a whole host of emotions flooded her. She was happy, happy beyond perhaps reason. But if Ishad could get a job in a matter of days, who knows how far he can rise? Maybe his dreams of becoming a wealthy merchant are more than just dreams, and we can live happily ever after, together, as husband and wife.


    Ishad left soon after he said those words, but for several minutes after he was gone, Mai did nothing but sit on her bed, smiling at the breeze that filtered through the open window.


    But then she got up, intent on seeing Broken, and left her room.


    Mai closed the door behind her, then checked Broken¡¯s room, but he was not there. As she thought to check the training room, as Broken might have gotten there early for the duel, a man came up from behind her.


    Mai wheeled around, just in time to see Savel slam down a hand on either side of the wall behind Mai, pinning her to wall without actually touching her. He leaned in, but Mai refused to let herself shrink back.


    ¡°Step back,¡± Mai told Savel, coolly. She looked around at the passerby in the hall, but none of them seemed the least bit inclined to help her.


    ¡°Are you wondering why no one stops me?¡± asked Savel, his white cape just barely touching the ground. ¡°Are you wondering why dozens of people see this, and yet they do not interfere?¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Because I am the Lord of the Second Paril,¡± said Savel. ¡°I am the second highest ranked in the city. No one would dare interfere in my business.¡±


    ¡°Except perhaps, for the Lord of the First Paril?¡± asked Mai, wondering where she was getting her nerve. ¡°Lord Ashat is my personal friend, and I doubt he would appreciate your behavior.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are right,¡± said Savel. ¡°And perhaps not. Perhaps he even condones this.¡± Savel abruptly let his arms drop to his sides, and stepped back a pace. ¡°I would advise you not to run,¡± he said. ¡°We do not need a scene.¡±


    Mai stayed where she was, as if rooted.


    ¡°One thing I wonder about, Princess,¡± said Savel, folding his arms, ¡°Is your behavior.¡± He brushed his dirty-brown hair, and his blue eyes stared at her. ¡°You do not act like a princess.¡±


    ¡°I do not need to act in any particular way to be who I am by birthright,¡± said Mai. ¡°I am the sole child of Emperor Mentis, may he rest for eternity in Elysium. I. Am. Your. Better.¡±


    ¡°Did you ever hear of the Codes of Sara?¡± asked Savel. ¡°Did you ever learn them? Or did you never even look at them once?¡±


    ¡°I am familiar with the Codes,¡± said Mai, ¡°as I am sure you know.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± asked Savel. ¡°The first time we met, I thought you were a common peasant. Why? Because you acted like one.¡±


    ¡°I can act however I choose,¡± said Mai. ¡°I know the Codes, but I prefer not to follow some of them.¡±


    ¡°Why did you not ask for servants to wait on you, when you arrived at Asan Paril?¡± asked Savel.


    ¡°Because I did not need them.¡±


    ¡°You were entitled. You were more than entitled. Very few noblewomen indeed get dressed without help, and you are the greatest of them all.¡±


    ¡°During my travels,¡± said Mai, ¡°I managed without servants. And now, I no longer see the need for a pair of women to pamper me as I get dressed. Men do not need assistance.¡±


    ¡°But we are the ones who suffer,¡± said Savel shaking his head at her, in quite a way that Mai couldn¡¯t be sure if he was serious. ¡°Men break their backs so that women can take from them. It is the order of things.¡±


    ¡°The Imperial Family makes the order of things,¡± responded Mai.


    ¡°But as you are the last one left of the Imperial Family,¡± said Savel, ¡°do not you think it is best to set the example?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai. Gaining confidence, she said, ¡°We are quite through here, my lord. I have been thinking about what you said, and I think any number of men would be sure to help a woman in obvious distress.¡±


    ¡°If I do not go, what will you do?¡± asked Savel.


    ¡°Scream,¡± Mai said simply.


    Savel backed away a few paces, but before he turned to walk away, it seemed he had one final thing to tell Mai. ¡°I await you at the training room, Princess,¡± he said. ¡°For while other women would never dream of going to a fight, you are Broken¡¯s lapdog,¡± he said. ¡°And you are a merchant¡¯s whore.¡±


    Before Mai could respond, Savel blew her a kiss, and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.


    Mai¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits. A few months ago, she would have been indignant after that conversation. Now, she was just angry.


    Broken, she thought, you better wipe that smirk off his face for good.


    An hour or so later, Mai started walking, heading for the training room. Her hands were clasped into fists.


    On the first floor, the training room was in a state quite unlike what Mai had expected. Much of the room had been cleared of all equipment and weapons, and a large circle had been drawn in red on the floor, right in the middle of the room¡¯s empty center. Around this circle, comfortable looking benching had been placed, most of which having awnings.


    Even as Mai watched, chair after chair was being taken out of storage somewhere, and placed around the circle. Mai had known the upcoming duel between Savel and Broken was to be a watched event, but she had no idea it was going to be this watched.


    For the room was not filled with its normal accompaniment of training soldiers. There were soldiers here of course, but they, like the other masses, seemed like they were in the room not to train, but to watch the upcoming event.


    For indeed, within the room, there were masses.


    Nobles of all sorts had filled about half the seats with awnings, and their attendants sat in the lesser seats. Nobles and their attendants were not the only ones in the room; there were also functionaries, and servants, from every part of the Palace. Contrary to what Savel had said, there were quite a few noblewomen. And more people poured in with every passing moment.


    In the throng, Mai searched for Broken, and found him, quite near the ring, standing and taking to a variety of soldiers.


    As Mai came closer, she heard one of the soldiers say, ¡°You know, Savel never fights in tournaments, Broken.¡±


    Before Broken could respond, Mai saw Savel enter the group, and say, ¡°That¡¯s only because I challenge the best, and tournaments are filled with too many drivel for my taste.¡±


    As Mai was decided whether or not she should still approach Broken, with Savel close by, from behind, someone tapped her shoulder.


    Mai spun around. It was Ishad.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Looking for me?¡± he asked, grinning.


    ¡°You got your business done fast,¡± said Mai. ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been more than an hour.¡±


    Ishad smiled. ¡°I think I work faster than I think I do,¡± he said. ¡°But all of the places I had to go to today were quite close to the Palace. In the future, I should be gone longer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re finding you dream,¡± she told him. ¡°I don¡¯t care how much time you have to put in to make that happen.¡±


    It seemed as if only a little more time had elapsed when servants began to announce, in loud voices, that everyone had to find a seat, as the match was soon to begin.


    Mai was recognized as princess by several of the servants, and so she and Ishad got good seats, near the front of one of the awnings.


    Mai settled in, as she watched the great deal of hustle and bustle before her.


    And then finally, everyone was either seated, or standing still, and eagerly peering forward. A great quiet swept over the training room-turned amphitheater.


    From opposite ends of the red circle, the two combatants emerged. They were garbed far differently than how Mai had seen them last.


    Savel entering from the right, wore white leather armor, and a long, white cape, that dragged perhaps three feet along the ground. A jewel-hilted sword sat carefully in its sheath at Savel¡¯s right hip. Mai noticed that the sword was not the same one Savel had almost killed Ishad over.


    From the left, looking quite Savel¡¯s opposite, came Broken. He wore his traditional black leather, and the sword he had received from the Holy Citadel in replacement for Aurasing was at his waist. By contrast with Savel¡¯s Broken¡¯s sword looked completely inconspicuous. He wore a cape as well, a black one.


    As Mai saw the two of them, so close together, she noticed something. Savel looked like nothing so much as a less jaded Broken. In features, they seemed quite similar, but Savel¡¯s blue eyes could not come near the intensity of Broken¡¯s gray.


    There was no announcement as the two strode to the center of the circle. No announcement was necessary. The crowds could plainly see there was no love lost between the two.


    When there was no more than six feet between the combatants, the ritual began.


    ¡°I, Savel is Varad, do challenge you, Broken, to a duel.¡±


    ¡°I accept said challenge,¡± said Broken. ¡°Name the terms.¡±


    ¡°A battle until one of us two acknowledges surrender,¡± said Savel, ¡°or one of us two is dead.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    The verbal part of the ritual completed, the combatants bowed at each other, and held that bow for a slow five count. Then they rose, exactly at the same time, and shrugged off their capes to the ground. The ritual was over.


    The duel was to begin.


    Almost at the same time, Savel and Broken stepped backwards into similar deep fighting stances, drawing their swords. The familiar ring of steel echoed through the near silent training room.


    Savel stepped forward, rotating his sword in his right hand as a spinning wheel, loosening his arm up.


    In response, Broken took a step backwards.


    A slight chuckle rippled through parts of the crowd.


    ¡°Why do you step back?¡± taunted Savel. ¡°Do you fear me?¡±


    Broken said nothing, but stared coolly into Savel¡¯s eyes. That was answer enough.


    Nothing happened for a moment, then another moment. Some of the crowd, getting tired of the waiting game, shifted.


    Then, seemingly out of nowhere, seemingly with no warning, Savel came at Broken. With a savage war cry, he aimed a blow for Broken¡¯s left thigh, but that attack was not to succeed.


    No longer retreating, Broken blocked.


    The two swords locked for a moment, and Mai, from her vantage point, could just barely see a vein bulge in Savel¡¯s temple.


    There was an appreciative noise from the crowd now. They realized that Broken had talent, and that watching the fight would not be a waste of their time.


    The crowd¡¯s support of Broken angered Savel. Instead of retreating to recalculate, Savel launched into a flurry of sword strikes, with the intent of overwhelming Broken, and ending the fight right there and then.


    But Broken did not break. He parried attack after attack, seemingly without inclination to launch one of his own. He did not retreat, either.


    And then, finally, Savel did.


    He stepped back a few paces, breathing briskly at his exertion. The crowd oo-ed and ah-ed appreciatively at Broken¡¯s skills.


    For Broken, having just endured a brutal assault, seemed none the worse for it. He raised his sword over his head, causing the crowd to cheer.


    And also causing Savel to think him distracted, and charge once more.


    But Broken was not distracted. Indeed, it seemed nothing could be further from the truth.


    Savel was skilled, quite skilled, but he was no master. Broken was a master.


    Broken warded off Savel¡¯s assault, and for the first time in the duel began one of his own.


    Broken¡¯s strikes were not wild, like those of Savel. They were calibrated, not to kill, not to overwhelm and end the duel right then, but to merely cause Savel to retreat.


    And so Savel did, and Broken pushed forward, his calm face betraying none of the effort of his arms and legs.


    This went on until finally, Savel was pushed back almost to the red circle.


    Then Broken smiled, and stepped back.


    Looking carefully, Mai saw what might have been fear in Savel¡¯s eyes. He skirted around past Broken, and back to the middle of the red circle.


    The crowd knew he only had been able to do as much, because Broken let him.


    Broken slowly turned to Savel¡¯s new position. Mai was reminded of hunter and hunted. Broken was the hunter, and Savel was the prey.


    Savel desperate to regain his lost dignity, began orating. ¡°Why do you wait, Broken? Who do you not end this? The truth, I know. It is because you can¡¯t.¡±


    Broken let Savel finish his speech, and then made his first vocalization of the duel. For the briefest of moments, he laughed.


    That sound echoed through the chamber, more powerful than sliding steel.


    Slowly, Broken began to walk towards Savel.


    Savel formed a defensive stance, and waited.


    Then Broken reached his adversary.


    Swords danced so fast Mai didn¡¯t know who had the upper hand, but then Broken pulled away, staggering, and Savel had upon his face a look of contentment.


    But not for long.


    Broken¡¯s body straightened at the moment Savel had least expected it, and Broken dealt Savel a blow with the side of his sword, carrying so much force that Savel fell to the ground.


    Broken looked down at Savel, ominously, as he held something up in his hand for the crowd.


    It was a vial of black liquid.


    ¡°Wrath,¡± Broken said to the crowd. ¡°A corrosive he wished to spill on me. Had Savel been successful, this liquid would have burnt through my armor, and dissolved my skin and organs. This man before you wished to win through use of poison.¡± Broken pocketed the vial. ¡°But I caught it first.¡±


    From the ground, Savel¡¯s sword dropped out of his hand, in surprise. ¡°I do not know where that came from,¡± he said. ¡°Broken is a liar.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I would need Wrath to defeat one as pathetic as you?¡± asked Broken. ¡°What I wonder, is what exactly you were going to say, when your enemy dropped to the floor from a smoking chest wound. But, being the talker you are, I¡¯m sure you would have thought of something.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± said Savel.


    ¡°But that eventuality is behind us now,¡± said Broken. ¡°Deal with the present.¡± Making sure the assembled crowd had a clear view of what was going on, Broken kicked Savel in the chest, flipping him over.


    On his back, Savel wheezed breath.


    ¡°Do you surrender?¡± asked Broken, looking down upon him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± breathed Savel.


    ¡°Then this is done,¡± said Broken, rather unceremoniously. ¡°I win.¡±


    Broken turned, and walked out of the ring, leaving Savel on the ground.


    There was a burst of spontaneous clapping, and then a few guards rushed out into the ring, to help the man on the ground.


    With his arms supported by the backs of two soldiers, the Lord of the Second Paril hobbled to his exit.


    Mai turned to look at Ishad.


    ¡°The kicking was rather appropriate, don¡¯t you think?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Rather.¡±


    With the duel over, the onlookers began to file out of the training room. Mai and Ishad joined them.


    ***


    The Lord Ashat visited Savel is Varad in the latter¡¯s personal chambers in the Palace, and waved all the servants away.


    Savel sat in a chair, clutching his chest with one hand, as the much larger man stood over him.


    ¡°After your defeat in battle,¡± said Tur, ¡°I thought it highly unlikely you were going to come to me, so, instead, I came to you. What do you have to say for yourself?¡±


    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± said Savel, rather softly.


    Tur had watched the duel, so he was quite aware why Savel was in pain. He thought Savel deserved more. ¡°You made a mistake?¡± Tur repeated. ¡°I do not think that begins to cover your monumental failure. You came to me, and gave me reassurances. And now you deliver¡­this. If I had been Broken, if I had been the one to have almost been killed by Wrath, you would never have left the circle alive. Do you have no honor?¡±


    ¡°The Wrath wasn¡¯t mine,¡± said Savel. ¡°Broken planted¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no servants here.¡± Tur scowled. ¡°Tell the truth.¡±


    ¡°It was mine.¡±


    ¡°Better.¡± Tur looked carefully at Savel. ¡°Now, I have a question,¡± he said. ¡°Broken mentioned how hard it would be for you to explain away if he died from Wrath. What was your plan?¡±


    ¡°I was going to pretend the Wrath was Broken¡¯s,¡± said Savel. ¡°I was going to pretend that he was going to use it on me, and by accident, he spilled it on himself.¡±


    Tur considered. That actually was a good plan, killing Broken and discrediting him at the same time. ¡°And because you are the Lord of the Second Paril, and Broken is but an outsider, you thought the crowds would believe you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Savel.


    ¡°But the way things played out, that did not exactly come to pass, now, did it?¡± asked Tur, refocusing the conversation.


    ¡°Broken is a rare fighter,¡± said Savel. ¡°Based on his cowardly tactics in Barad, I did not think he would be possessed of so much skill.¡±


    ¡°The best warriors tend to be the most unorthodox ones,¡± said Tur. ¡°Training is not talent. Broken is one of the best I have ever seen. And you were humiliated by him. Things were supposed to pass much as the opposite.¡±


    ¡°I can still do what I set out to do,¡± said Savel. ¡°In a few days, I can goad Mai into--¡±


    ¡°Stop, Savel,¡± said Tur. ¡°Stop before I do to you what Broken should have. I came to a realization during the duel, a realization that I should never have gone along with your idea. If I force someone to break a Law of the Empire, I have not upheld my word to protect that person. Mai is under my protection, know that.¡± Tur laughed. ¡°And it¡¯s not like you could do anything to the Princess with Broken as her bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± said Savel. ¡°I got to the Princess this morning, and Broken wasn¡¯t around to protect her.¡±


    ¡°Probably because he was contemplating just how to humiliate you in the duel,¡± said Tur.


    ¡°I have not conceded to him,¡± said Savel. ¡°Broken has not bested me yet.¡±


    ¡°I can show you a hundred witnesses to the duel who would say otherwise,¡± said Tur. ¡°And in any case, you are done. I allowed your actions before, but now I will not tolerate them. Maiako will remain here, and as you reassured me, the demon will not be able to touch her again.¡±


    Tur turned to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± said Savel, from behind.


    Tur heard the noise of Savel forcing his aching body to stand. Tur looked back, more out of curiosity than anything else.


    Savel wobbled on unsteady legs. ¡°The Princess might be under your protection,¡± he said, ¡°but Broken needs to be gotten rid of. There is something not right about him. Who keeps a giant owl as a pet?¡±


    ¡°Apparently,¡± said Tur, ¡°he does. While I do agree that there is something not quite right about Broken, telling the Princess that she is safe here also honors me to keep her servants safe. And in any case, I am not in the business of killing random people because they do not seem right.¡±


    Tur turned more fully around to Savel. ¡°Or, in you case, killing people for revenge. Broken defeated you honorably. I cannot say you fought him in the same manner.¡±


    Tur had no desire to listen to another word Savel had to say. He strode out of the room, as the man behind him sputtered.


    Behind him, Tur heard Savel collapse back down into his chair.

 Chapter 51: Fruits of Victory

    After the stunning victory of Broken over Savel, the former became an instant celebrity. Lords invited him to important parties, and now, he had far more noblewomen to talk to than just Val and Aza.


    And thus, Broken had less time to spare. It was not until a week later that Mai had the chance to sit down with Broken, and really talk to him. In that week, he had somehow convinced a lord into giving him a small villa, complete with three attendant servants, and so they met there.


    Broken and Mai sat down on opposite chairs on a roof balcony open to the sky, and one of the servants poured them drinks.


    ¡°Is there anything else you need, my lord?¡± asked the man.


    ¡°No, but thank you, Gan,¡± said Broken.


    And Gan left the two alone.


    Mai stared at the servant for a moment, as he disappeared down a flight of stairs, into the house proper. She was still rather confused as to how Broken had procured such a pleasant building.


    ¡°How exactly did you get all this?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Three days ago, we went to that party at the Lord of the Third Paril¡¯s house, remember?¡± asked Broken.


    Mai remembered well.


    ¡°I sold an object of value to his lordship,¡± said Broken, ¡°and in return, I received this.¡±


    ¡°What did you have to sell that could possibly be worth the same as the villa?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°The sword I used to defeat Savel.¡± Broken shrugged. ¡°Apparently his wife wanted it. His lordship was very careful when asking, as to not offend me, but, as the sword was not of meaning to me, I was quite willing to part with it.¡± He paused. ¡°And now I have this.¡± He patted the sword at his waist. ¡°And the Lord of the Third Paril was kind enough to give me a new weapon.¡±


    Mai changed topics. ¡°You were quite impressive at the duel.¡±


    ¡°Everyone keeps telling me that,¡± said Broken. ¡°In fact, even you keep telling me that.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill Savel?¡± asked Mai, getting to her real point. ¡°After he tried to kill you with the Wrath, he hadn¡¯t surrendered, so you had a chance to kill him.¡±


    ¡°I did not kill Savel because, while the rules of the duel would have allowed it, one is not encouraged to kill an opponent in the laws of honor.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t care about honor,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Not quite true,¡± said Broken. ¡°I don¡¯t care for some of the extremes, but I have my personal codes. But, more importantly, the hundreds of people watching the duel did care about honor, and I wanted to make a good impression on them.¡±


    ¡°Savel has a grudge now,¡± said Mai. ¡°Even defeated, he¡¯s still dangerous.¡± And she told Broken of her encounter with Savel, just prior to the duel.


    ¡°The risk was still worth it,¡± said Broken. ¡°And with me around, I doubt Savel will be able to cause much more harm. If he tries something again like that on you, I will kill him.¡±


    Broken said the words so casually.


    ¡°Broken?¡± asked Mai, ¡°How did you learn to be such a good warrior? With your skills, you should be renowned the Empire over.¡±


    ¡°And yet I am not,¡± said Broken. ¡°It is curious for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Mai nodded.


    ¡°The full explanation is one of those things I cannot say,¡± said Broken. ¡°However, I learned the ways of the warrior a long time ago. That is all I will tell you.¡±


    ¡°How long ago?¡± asked Mai. ¡°You¡¯re not out of your twenties.¡±


    But Broken would say no more on that. ¡°How is Ishad?¡± he asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen much of him recently.¡±


    ¡°Ishad¡¯s off on his job for Belium Tarquin,¡± said Mai. ¡°He¡¯s working hard, and he¡¯s gaining influence in the company.¡±


    ¡°Where do you see yourself a year from now?¡± asked Broken.


    The question took Mai rather by surprise. ¡°Here, I guess, with Ishad. He¡¯ll be richer then. The war will be winding down, and we¡¯ll be able to journey from Asan Paril without fear.¡±


    ¡°Where do you see me a year from now?¡±


    Mai thought. The truth was, she no longer needed Broken, not so long as she was in Asan Paril, and safe. ¡°Somewhere,¡± she said. ¡°Once the war is over, you¡¯ll probably disappear somewhere, and be gone from my life.¡±


    ¡°After all I have done for you,¡± said Broken, rather flatly, ¡°that¡¯s all you can say?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said Mai, ¡°with all your mystery, I suppose you will have to go back to wherever you came from sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t, Mai,¡± said Broken. ¡°That¡¯s the thing. I have nowhere to return to.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true,¡± said Mai. ¡°You¡¯re a lord. You must have a lordship somewhere.¡±


    ¡°What I once had was taken from me,¡± said Broken. ¡°When I found you, I had nothing but myself.¡±


    Broken got up, and looked over the railing, and looked the ten feet down to the street below.


    ¡°I could jump that,¡± he said. ¡°Such are my skills that I could jump down the ten feet, and emerge unscathed, when another would have broken bones.¡± He turned back to her, and flexed his muscles. The darkening afternoon sun stared down at him, making a shadow.


    It occurred to Mai that standing the naked light; Broken didn¡¯t look like all that much. He looked defeated, when he should have looked victorious.


    ¡°I have so much talent,¡± said Broken. ¡°So much skill, so much knowledge. And yet, without a purpose, what is a man?¡±


    ¡°That day in the Imperial Palace, I had no idea what to do with myself, my life. But then I learned from a passing servant that you were in your room, a room in a burning building, and you needed help.


    ¡°And so I came. I came, and saved you, against what others might consider the odds.


    ¡°And then I kept you alive. Those that wished you dead were legion, but I spited them all. I had purpose, and so, once more, I could do anything.


    ¡°But now you are in Asan Paril. There are still threats against you life, but they are lesser now. I am not needed as I once was.


    ¡°My battle with Savel was seen by some as a great victory, but I was not among that number. I was never in doubt that I could defeat Savel. I knew I could.


    ¡°But when I won, when I looked that defeated man in the eyes, and asked him if he gave in, in another way, I had lost, as well. Savel was the last major threat against you, Princess. Now, he has fallen.


    ¡°Another man would pretend he was still necessary, pretend that he was still relevant in the life of the one he guarded. But I do not see a point; I do not see a reason, to delude myself. I sit here, in this villa that came to me, preparing for possible threats against your life, and knowing that I doubt they will ever come. Asan Paril has never fallen. I wonder if it is my fate to stay here until I grow old and die, without ever doing anything important, anything meaningful, ever again.¡±


    Mai stared at Broken. She didn¡¯t know what to say. She didn¡¯t have the slightest clue.


    For how did one comfort another, when that other knew everything there was to know, unequivocally? Broken knew exactly what he was. And he knew he was no longer needed.


    Broken collapsed back into his chair, as if all the fight in the world had been drained from him.


    ¡°Do you know why I show weakness after a fight is done?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you know why, after I defeated the demon possessing Ishad, I began to pant, I began to seem fatigued?¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Because after the enemy is gone, there is no reason to pretend, anymore, that you are more than you are,¡± said Broken. ¡°Remember when, at the Holy Citadel, my chest had a huge slash across it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Do you have any idea of how much that hurt?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Do you have any idea of what if feels like, to look down and actually see your insides? To you, it must have seemed like I was invincible, like I was immortal.


    ¡°But that isn¡¯t the truth. I merely looked at my wound, felt the waves of pain from the cut, and realized that I had no choice but to move past it. I had no choice but to pretend that I felt no pain. I had no choice but to move on, if I wished to save your life. Then, I was merely a man with a purpose.¡±


    ¡°You still have purpose,¡± said Mai. ¡°You¡¯re the most capable man I know. To me, it seems as if you can do anything. You make the rest of us seem like shadows.¡±


    ¡°Those are attributes,¡± said Broken, ¡°not reasons to live.¡±


    He continued. ¡°There was a time in my life when it seemed as if everything was over. I couldn¡¯t do anything. I didn¡¯t even have the power to kill myself, and end it all. Back then, I was as capable as I am today. And yet I was powerless. Then, I had no reason to live, but no way to stop living. I am beginning to feel that way again, now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you can tell me what was happening, when you were so¡­powerless,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°You are right,¡± said Broken. ¡°That is one of the secrets I carefully keep from you. But now I wonder: what is the point to keep secrets any longer? If you still have the slightest desire to know who I truly am, ask, and I will tell you.¡±


    It was then that Mai finally realized how fallen Broken felt. He was willing to bear what he had so carefully kept hidden. He was willing to tell Mai what he had hinted was one of the most terrible secrets in the world.


    And for no real reason.


    The truth was, Mai was tempted to say she wanted to hear it all, say she wanted to listen, but she had to be stronger than that.


    When Broken had still thought there was a purpose, when he had been so obviously stronger than her, he had shown Mai the way.


    Now, strangely, it seemed the situation was somewhat reversed. Mai held Broken in the palm of her hand, just as he had held her for so long.


    Mai realized she had to prove she had learned something from Broken. She couldn¡¯t let him tear himself down.


    ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­why?¡± asked Broken. ¡°You want to know.¡±


    ¡°Because there was a reason why you decided to keep parts of your life hidden,¡± said Mai. ¡°I might not understand exactly why, but by now, I believe that you keep your secrets for a reason. A good reason. I cannot let you fail yourself now.¡±


    Broken looked at her. His eyes closed, and a tiny, yet noticeable shudder racked his body.


    When he opened his eyes again, a moment later, he looked to have regained at least some of his strength. When he spoke, his voice was deeper, more in control.


    ¡°Thank you, Mai,¡± said Broken. ¡°Now, I do believe that you made the right decision. But you do not know how like my name I feel.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your name,¡± said Mai, on a whim. ¡°You have a real one, a real one you will not tell me, perhaps because I will recognize it. And that is your real name. Don¡¯t pretend you are really Broken. You are someone, and you are proud.¡±


    ¡°I have no pride. That was stripped from me a long time ago. But¡­perhaps you are onto something.¡±


    Broken looked at the ground, then looked back up. ¡°I just told myself my real name,¡± he said. ¡°I just reminded myself of the things I have kept hidden for decades.¡± He paused as if he was going to say something else, yet did not.


    ¡°Good for you,¡± Mai said, her words blowing on the empty air.


    ¡°I have but one question for you,¡± said Broken. ¡°And then, perhaps, I will never have another. When I ask this question, I mean no disrespect. Pretend you are answering it about another, if that helps.¡±


    ¡°What is the question?¡± asked Mai, curious in her own right.


    ¡°Why did you never fall for me?¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Mai asked, unsure if she was hearing the words right.


    ¡°Why were you never attracted to me?¡± asked Broken.


    There could be no mistake as the intent of his words.


    ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± asked Mai, somewhat flustered.


    ¡°Because I know some things,¡± said Broken. ¡°I know that for others, my presence might have been irresistible.¡± He spoke flatly. ¡°But not for you. Please answer the question.¡±


    Mai thought, and realized somewhat surprised, that she truly had never thought of Broken in a way like that.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mai repeated. ¡°Because I always felt you were too perfect.¡±


    Broken didn¡¯t seem to take offence at that. ¡°Explain, please.¡±


    ¡°When I met you,¡± said Mai, ¡°I had no way of possibly understanding you. You were too complicated, too deep. Now, while I know you better, I still don¡¯t know all there is to know.¡± She felt like a hypocrite for saying the next part now, after she had refused to hear the truth. ¡°And you never shared.¡±


    But Broken merely nodded again. ¡°And what about Ishad?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ishad might not have your talent, might not have your skill,¡± said Mai. ¡°But he¡¯s honest and loyal. He¡¯s understandable. And that¡¯s what I need.¡±


    As Broken looked back at her, Mai realized the truth of so many things. That day, when she thought Broken had been attracted to her, he had never denied, only evaded. She had been right.


    ¡°I realize that you may well be everything other women want in a man,¡± said Mai. ¡°But after my father, after everything he put me through, I could never be with a man who thinks he¡¯s more than me.¡±


    It was as if Broken truly had nothing to respond to that. After a minute, he said, ¡°Thank you, Mai, for being honest.¡± He looked shaken.


    Broken looked shaken, at something Mai had said.


    The world was on its head.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Mai asked, trying to sound kind.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. He bowed his head. ¡°Go back to your to-be fianc¨¦e,¡± he said. ¡°Go back to your life.¡±


    ¡°Ishad didn¡¯t propose,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°He will,¡± Broken responded. ¡°I am a shattered man, and I understand you can find it in your heart to care little. I am honestly sorry if anything I said today made you feel uncomfortable.¡± He got up. ¡°Now go. You don¡¯t have to come back.¡± He sounded so long-suffering.


    Mai did get up, but she didn¡¯t leave. ¡°When you found me, during all those times you saved my life, you were hoping for something more,¡± she said. ¡°That is impossible. But it doesn¡¯t mean you did nothing, and can do nothing ever again. Without you, I would have been choked to death in the Imperial Palace. Without you, I would have been killed by the Minsu guards in Gansu. Without you, Eton would have burnt me alive in the Holy Citadel. Without you, I would have been crushed to death in Bola. And without you, I would have died thinking Ishad killed me.


    ¡°You did something, Broken.¡±


    ¡°I did do something,¡± he said. ¡°But I have nothing for the future. I saved the princess from certain death at the hands of various people. That is in the past, as are all my other accomplishments.¡±


    With three short sentences, he cut down everything Mai had said.


    ¡°If that is the way you feel, then there is nothing more I can say,¡± Mai responded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for you Broken.¡± She paused. ¡°I¡¯ll go now.¡±


    And so she did. As she passed through the villa on her way out, Claw-Back landed on a chair, and hooted at her, mournfully.


    Mai didn¡¯t know what the bird was saying, but she caught the general gist.


    She walked out of the villa, to where a carriage waited, outside, to take her back to the palace.


    Mai had places to go, that night, people to see, parties to attend. She would have asked Broken to come with her, had she thought he would have accepted for himself, rather than simply because she asked him.


    Mai didn¡¯t really know what to think, as she sat in the carriage, all alone, hearing the clip clop of horse hooves beating the ground outside.


    When Broken had an enemy to face, a goal to achieve, a lurking evil hanging over his head, he seemed invincible.


    But when he had vanquished all, it seemed his immortality left him.


    Broken was depressed, and that was an odd fact for Mai to comprehend.


    ***


    One week after Broken had defeated Savel in combat, Tur was in his apartments, reading an old tome he had gotten from the archives. Squinting with his one good eye, he paused over an unfamiliar word.


    And he realized he was not alone.


    His two bodyguards, of course, did not count as company; they were still and silent until talked to.


    Tur set the book on the glass table in front of him, then got up and turned around.


    The demon in brown robes stood there, head down.


    It seemed Tur¡¯s two guards noticed the demon at the same time Tur had, and in a moment, they came up to flank Tur, swords drawn.


    But Tur barked a command for the blades to be put away. He stared at the demon. All that stood between them was the chair that, moments before, Tur had calmly rested on.


    ¡°I have come back,¡± said the demon. ¡°I have come back to ask you my question the final time. Will you give up Maiako as Arathou del Tachen?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Tur.


    The demon did nothing for a moment, paused by the answer. ¡°Then you know the fate that will befall you, you know the fate that will befall your city. You are no innocent, and you have been warned.¡±


    The demon began to raise his head to look at Tur, but the Lord of Asan Paril was not going to wait and let that happen.


    It was time to see if all the wards and enchantments that had been placed against the demon really worked.


    ¡°Verita!¡± Tur shouted, into thin air.


    An invisible wave of force blew through Tur, harmlessly, but hit the demon full force. It tumbled over, backwards.


    There was a sound of hissing, of crackling energy, but nevertheless, the demon began to rise to its feet.


    But the Verita ward was not all that was ready for the demon.


    Not by far.


    As his bodyguards watched incredulously, Tur screamed, ¡°Delmar!¡±


    Smoke poured from the demon¡¯s robes, from each and every crevice. It fell to its knees.


    Even though its face was looking right at Tur, he could see nothing of the demon itself, not through the sparks that crackled across its frame, and the smoke that poured from under its hood.


    ¡°Avased!¡± exclaimed Tur.


    The demon rose into the air, floating, and its limbs splayed out in an x, as it hissed in pain. Its hands and its feet looked like they were burning smoke.


    And to Tur, the demon no longer seemed remotely threatening.


    ¡°You thought you could kill ten of my good men,¡± said Tur, to the demon, which was placed prone in the air. ¡°You thought you could extort me, without ever paying a price. But you were wrong. Asan Paril will stand forever, and not even a Terrasanu can change that.¡±


    The demon shuddered, and Tur knew the three magics were taking their toll. Tur knew the demon was dying.


    No light shined from the demon¡¯s eyes when it spoke. ¡°I AM AN IMMORTAL, LORD ASHAT. MARK THE WORDS I SPEAK. ASAN PARIL WILL FALL.¡±


    Its voice echoed throughout the room, and made Tur¡¯s guards cower. But Tur knew the power was a fa?ade, an act. He stood there, unafraid.


    ¡°Listen to me, demon!¡± shouted Tur. ¡°You may be an immortal, but immortals can be killed. They can die. Fall silent. I will hear none of your lies!¡±


    ¡°LIES, LORD OF ASAN PARIL? I SPEAK NO LIES. MY WORD IS PROVEN. THE WHITE WALLS SHALL BE PIERCED BY A BLACK HAND, AND THE WHITE CITY SHALL BURN UNDER TREACHERY. THE WATERS SHALL STEAM, AND THERE WILL BE FIRE IN THE SKY. THIS IS NOT THE HOPE OF ONE NEAR DEATH. THIS IS PROPHECY, AND THIS IS LAW.


    ¡°AND I AM IMMORTAL.¡±


    A great noise of shattering glass came to Tur¡¯s ears, just as he and his guards were knocked backwards, onto the ground.


    The demon landed lightly on the ground. It still steamed, as the wards Tur had activated etched through its frame.


    But it was free once more.


    Without bothering to look at Tur, it said, ¡°YOU WILL LIVE TO REGRET THIS.¡±


    Tur closed his eyes, overcome by pain. When he opened them again, a moment later, the demon was gone.


    The wards had forced the thing away, but they had not been strong enough to kill it.

 Chapter 52: Vigil of Solitude

    A month has come, and a month has gone. Mai has lived her life in the White City, the city of Asan Paril, together with Ishad, even as summer turns to fall.


    I watch her now. I, Broken, who has saved her life four times, must watch her, and not intervene. Though I matter not, I must protect her still.


    It was yet another ball. Broken danced with Aza, conversing with her, but out of the corner of his eye, his gaze was on Mai.


    Mai danced beautifully. She had learned much about such since she had arrived at Asan Paril, and was able to implement what she had learned.


    Ishad was with her, and their dance, it seemed to Broken, played out quite perfectly the details of the last month.


    Ishad spun Mai, just as Broken, almost unconsciously, did the same with Aza, his mind on other things than the beat of the playing bards.


    Ishad spun Mai, as he had spun her for the past month, putting her perceptions of reality on end. It was said that during wartime, promotions could come at a moment¡¯s notice, and, from Belium Tarquin, Ishad had promoted once, twice, a third time, all in the space of a single month.


    He had coins now, coin enough that, in a few more days, the purchase of a villa of Ishad¡¯s own would be finalized, and then he would have one, just like Broken¡¯s, only slightly larger.


    In the past month, Ishad had forced himself to be acknowledged by the nobles, forced them to realize that he was going to marry their resident princess, whether they liked it or not.


    Perhaps three weeks ago, the Lord of the Fourth Paril had tried to arrange a marriage between his eldest son and Maiako, saying that Ishad, as a commoner, had no right to be in a relationship with one with as high a status as the Princess of the Empire.


    Ishad had then dealt with the Lord of the Fourth Paril, dealt with him quite handily, and dealt with him without the tiniest amount of Broken¡¯s help.


    Broken had a very complex mind. Memories and thoughts were compartmentalized. They had to be, otherwise Broken would confuse himself ever time he did worked on two things at the same time, which was often. Otherwise, Broken would wake up each night, screaming in horror at all the things he remembered.


    But Broken felt empty.


    He did not have to overthink his feeling.


    Feelings were feelings, and contrary to all evidence they could exist.


    Broken had never been tested to his breaking point. As he engaged in a more complicated move in the ever-ongoing dance, he realized he knew not how strong he was, how durable.


    Broken only knew that whatever he decided to do, he did.


    But what was there for him, when there was nothing left?


    Broken put that thought aside, and filed it away. He wanted to find an answer to that, and he would, eventually, but that thought was for another time.


    For now, as the dance ended, and Ishad and Mai were once again in the immediate presence of their armed guards, four of them, that Tur had deemed to be necessary, Broken no longer had to be there.


    Broken no longer had to watch over Mai, unseen.


    He bowed to Aza, the very essence of a gentleman, and told her he was sorry, but he had to get going. He had things to do this night, places to be.


    Aza nodded, and said she understood, but Broken knew that was lie. Aza was a good person, but on a fundamental level, she could not understand what Broken could possibly need to do that was more important than her.


    Broken was her friend, Broken knew Aza knew that. However, Broken also knew Aza didn¡¯t know why he would not take the next step. She didn¡¯t understand why Broken didn¡¯t want to take her, didn¡¯t want to make her his wife, and end her father¡¯s traumatizing search for a husband.


    But Broken couldn¡¯t take a wife, not now. He needed to be a loner, so if ever it came time for him to leave, he could.


    And now it was time for him to leave, if only for a little while.


    Broken gave Aza a good night kiss, which she gratefully accepted, and then he went on his way.


    Out into the dark sky Broken walked, from the large villa that had hosted the party.


    It was raining this night, and Broken was getting drenched from head to toe, but he cared little. There were more important things than rain.


    Other partygoers left the villa in carriages. Broken snuck through back alleys. He had a place to go that most of those who he had been so recently in the company of, would most likely find appalling.


    And rain drenched, he now looked fit for where he was to visit.


    Asan Paril, like most cities, had more than four Quarters. Oh, when the city had been built, no doubt it had only had four. But now, Quarter was synonymous with section, and Asan Paril had seven of them. The four that had been in the original city plans, plus three more that had been created before the White Walls had been built to encircle the whole thing.


    Out of those seven Quarters, the one Broken was off to was one where no self-respecting noble would look at, let alone do business in.


    And yet, Broken had business in the seventh of the seven. He had business in the Stone Quarter, so named because its residents had the tendency to throw rocks at nobles who passed their way.


    The Stone Quarter was residential, low-income residential, with more than a few pawn shops, and rather more unsavory establishments thrown in. Few who did not live in the Quarter had reason to go there.


    But it was to one of those unsavory establishments that Broken was headed.


    As he passed through the unlabeled archway that signified Stone Quarter, he saw a small group lurking in the shadows, dressed in clothing that indicated they were in the middle of bad days, and might never have seen good days in a long, long time.


    Broken knew they were muggers, knew that the moment he had laid eyes upon them. They waited for unsuspecting people to make a wrong turn, and then pounced.


    In a way, Broken looked like he might be a good target. He wore noble clothing, rain-soaked noble clothing, and everyone knew that if a noble found his way to Stone Quarter alone at night, the odds were not good for him making it out alive.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Broken was a noble entering Stone Quarter at night. And yet¡­


    The muggers did not so much as approach him, let alone do more. Somehow, amidst the pouring rain, Broken exuded the aura.


    For aura was one of the more sensible ways to describe it. Broken walked as one with a mission, as one who was in Stone Quarter with a purpose in mind, and would not stand for others in his way.


    A good way to describe his presence was a feeling of, don¡¯t mess with me, and I won¡¯t rip your guts out and make you eat them.


    No matter how Broken looked, no matter in what situation, he found himself inevitably accorded with respect.


    And so Broken passed the muggers by, as the rain turned the dirt ground into a river.


    The streets of Stone Quarter at night looked like caves. There was a sky above Broken¡¯s head, a black, dark sky, and it seemed as if here the sun never shined.


    Broken knew the truth, of course, but it pleased his mind to create metaphors.


    As he walked through the downpour, a dark, giant shape came down from the sky, and alighted on Broken¡¯s right shoulder.


    Broken was not the least bit surprised. It was Claw-Back, and Broken had been expecting her to join him. For without her, his trip would be for naught.


    Broken calmly kept walking, noting that none of the street goers had even looked up when Claw-Back had joined him. Their heads were down, and their hoods were up to keep their bodies from the rain. Each walker had their own story, Broken knew. Those stories they were engrossed in, too engrossed to care about Broken¡¯s own.


    Broken had scouted out the area before, so he knew exactly where to go, exactly where to walk. Stone Quarter was a maze, but Broken threaded it.


    He turned left, down an alley, decrepit even by the standards of Stone Quarter, and opened the door to a small building wedged between two larger ones. It was little more than a stone shack, in truth, but it was ancient.


    As Broken walked inside, bells on the door began to ring, announcing his arrival.


    Within the stone shack was a shop, of sorts. It might be called by some a magic shop, as all sorts of odd ingredients, devices, and books lined the shelves, and in the center of it all was a massive crystal ball on an ancient wooden stand. The ball¡¯s diameter was perhaps six feet, and it sparkled with an odd light.


    Broken, however, who knew the difference between different sorts of magical objects, knew the truth of this building. It was a magic shop, indeed, but it was a magic shop for the black arts.


    Broken walked up to the wooden counter, as Claw-Back peered around. There was no one in the room, who could be seen.


    And yet Broken was no worried. The witch who ran the store would come.


    And a moment later, so she did, coming into Broken¡¯s view, from a back room.


    The woman was ordinary as witches went. By the wrinkles on her face as she hobbled to the counter, Broken saw that she was perhaps a hundred. Not the youngest witch he had come across, but not the oldest either.


    ¡°Is there something you want, dear?¡± asked the witch. Her black eyes peered out at Claw-Back, who shifted and hooted at her in annoyance.


    ¡°Quite,¡± said Broken. He looked down at the woman, with such a hunch that it seemed she was bent over double, with such wrinkles so deep it seemed her skin would fall off. And yet, in her own way, she was normal. There were levels.


    ¡°I need to use the great crystal,¡± said Broken, looking back at it as it sat in the middle of the room.


    ¡°So you do,¡± cackled the witch. ¡°So you do. Would you like your fortune told, perchance?¡±


    ¡°The crystal can tell me no such thing,¡± said Broken. ¡°It is a communication device, nothing more.¡±


    The witch looked taken aback. ¡°One so young as you, knows so much about my arts,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you were but a lover looking for a potion to have a happy ending.¡±


    ¡°If that were true,¡± said Broken, ¡°then why would I have this owl?¡±


    Claw-Back shrieked, and the noise reverberated through the wax candles that provided the dim light, and through the plentiful human skulls.


    ¡°A trick bird, nothing more,¡± dismissed the witch. ¡°That is no familiar.¡±


    ¡°And as such, I make no claim at being a warlock,¡± said Broken. ¡°But my owl is sentient.¡±


    Again, the witch seemed taken aback that Broken knew so much about her craft. She shifted uncomfortably behind the counter. ¡°I am Felixi,¡± said the witch. ¡°It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of one so knowledgeable.¡±


    ¡°I am known as Broken,¡± Broken said. ¡°And I still wish to use the great crystal.¡±


    ¡°Who do you wish to talk to?¡± asked the witch. ¡°A loved one? A brother, perhaps? One such as you would have a brother.¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± said Broken. ¡°I wish to speak to a sage.¡±


    ¡°Sages and witches don¡¯t go together, young one,¡± said Felixi. ¡°If you know so much, you should know that.¡±


    ¡°I do know,¡± said Broken. ¡°But I care little. You will use your crystal to contact the sage I wish to speak with,¡± he said. Broken paused. ¡°Unless, of course, you are afraid.¡±


    ¡°Witches fear nothing, young one,¡± said Felixi, shuffling out from behind the counter, around to the crystal ball on its stand. As she moved, she asked, ¡°I must wonder, though, what I will get paid.¡±


    ¡°That is a question for a later time,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Of course,¡± responded Felixi. She stopped directly in front of the crystal ball, and Broken walked over to stand a little behind her.


    Felixi came up to little more than his waist, and Broken was not a tall man.


    ¡°What sage do you wish to contact?¡± asked Felixi, glancing backwards.


    ¡°Sage Moonsinger Fen, of Gansu,¡± said Broken, in a clear voice.


    Felixi stared into the crystal, and dropped the cane she had been using to walk with, as her arms spread wide.


    ¡°Moonsinger of Gansu,¡± she cried. ¡°Moonsinger of Fen. Moonsinger of sage. I call upon you!¡±


    The crystal ball, up until now clear, flashed white, and red lightning crackled underneath its surface.


    Broken stood calmly as the old, stooped face of Moonsinger Fen emerged. The man recognized Broken at once, behind the witch.


    ¡°My Broken lord,¡± said Moonsinger, ¡°What sort of witch¡¯s spell have you entrapped me in?¡±


    ¡°I wished to talk to you,¡± said Broken, stepping up. ¡°And, as I am in Asan Paril at the moment, this was the most expedient way.¡±


    ¡°Well, poo,¡± said Moonsinger. His disembodied head spit the invisible ground, that could not be seen through the crystal. ¡°This is disconcerting.¡±


    ¡°I wish to speak to you about something important,¡± said Broken, gently guiding the old sage back to his topic.


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Moonsinger Fen. ¡°You need help with that girl of yours?¡±


    At this, the witch cackled. When Claw-Back shrieked again, she fell silent.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°I have her well in hand. What I need from you is information. This owl here is a Great Black, and she has the ability to sense Nari and Terrasanu. When we arrived at Asan Paril, she sensed a Nari, when I believe she should have sensed a demon. I need you to verify the truth.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if my skills extend to that,¡± said Moonsinger, ¡°but I believe they do. Well, go ahead. Hold her out.¡±


    Felixi got out of the way, as Broken held out his arms, and Claw-Back hopped onto them.


    Moonsinger¡¯s face twisted into a frown. ¡°I know nothing in this infinite universe, of course,¡± he said. ¡°However, I believe I have an answer.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± asked Broken.


    ¡°The bird was misled,¡± said Moonsinger. ¡°She sensed Nari when she should have sensed Terrasanu.¡± His face pulled back. ¡°Is that all, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± responded Broken.


    Moonsinger¡¯s face pulled back from the surface, then came forward again. ¡°Tell your witch to let me go!¡± he said, rather annoyed.


    Claw-Back stepped back to her shoulder perch, as Broken retreated, to allow Felixi to interface with the crystal.


    ¡°Sands of distance, sands of power,¡± she whispered. ¡°Spread back now, this very hour.¡±


    A great bell rung somewhere in the distance, as red lightning flashed through the crystal again, and Moonsinger¡¯s face faded from view.


    When she was done, the witch lowered her arms, picked up her cane from the floor, and turned back to Broken.


    ¡°It is time for payment,¡± said Felixi.


    ¡°What would you like?¡± Broken responded.


    ¡°If that bird is truly a Great Black, I would accept it, so that I could study it,¡± said Felixi.


    ¡°I understand,¡± said Broken. ¡°You wish to learn the secret to make your own. However, Claw-Back is not for sale.¡±


    The owl hooted in acknowledgement.


    A crow flew out from one of the shadows of the magic shop, and landed on Felixi¡¯s hand, a dark companion to Claw-Back the owl.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Broken. ¡°Your familiar.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Felixi. ¡°But my payment is more important than my bird.¡±


    ¡°Most witches who have crow familiars turned to the craft because the wished for immortality,¡± said Broken. ¡°I wonder what you did when you wondered that was a lie.¡±


    Felixi glared at him. ¡°I will live longer than you.¡±


    ¡°But you will die, one day.¡±


    ¡°My payment,¡± said the witch, aggressively, and for the third time.


    ¡°What would you like?¡± asked Broken. ¡°What would you like that is not the owl?¡±


    ¡°Gold,¡± said the witch.


    ¡°I might have guessed as much,¡± said Broken. He took out a gold coin, and tossed it to Felixi, who caught the coin with unnatural speed.


    As the witch eyed her prize, Broken moved to the door. Before she looked up again, he was gone.


    Broken thought about his conversation with Moonsinger. I was right, he thought. As I always am.

 Chapter 53: A Long Time Gone

    What is war?


    Varsis rode Falor, inspecting his troops as they camped on a hillside just outside of Barad. The city had fallen to the Makini, but there was simply no room within for thirty thousand soldiers.


    For Varsis¡¯ army had grown. Hisa had given him troops in the past months faster than old ones had died, far faster. And his army, North Army, was not the only army of the Makini. In the South, there was another army of comparable size, under the command of Areveli.


    War is power.


    But not all was good for the forces of the Makini. The eastern two-thirds of Vedil lands were controlled by those loyal to the Council, but for the far west¡­


    The Minsu had finally arrived, and while their numbers were too few to launch a counter attack, they had slowed down the Makini advance drastically.


    War is tedium.


    For the past month, nothing had happened in the war to tip the balance, one way or another. From his main camp around Barad, Varsis often enough struck out against the forces of Ehajdon, but logistics always forced him to retreat.


    In the south, Areveli was having more success. The forces arrayed against him there were more unified, but, as such, easier to hunt down and disband. In the north, Varsis had to deal with guerrillas, and tactics that seemed almost terrorist in nature.


    He was bogged down against an opposing force he thought was no more than a tenth the size of his army


    War is tactics.


    In recent weeks, Varsis wondered if his soldiers could be put to better use elsewhere. He thought a third of his forces would be able to hold onto the Northern Vedil occupied territories just as well.


    And with twenty thousand soldiers at his back, who knew what he could do?If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    But Varsis¡¯ soldiers had been ordered to remain in place and use standard tactics, even against an enemy that made standard tactics almost ineffective.


    War is confusion.


    Varsis¡¯ army grew more massive with each passing day, with new recruits and conscripts streaming in, but he could make little use of his manpower.


    Varsis dismounted Falor, and let his horse be taken away by an aide. He headed to his personal tent. He had little to do, and so he thought it best to get to sleep early, in case something happened the next morning.


    Just outside the opening to his tent stood Eton.


    Eton was always a quandary. While the Council had informed Varsis that Eton was fully under control, Eton came and went has he pleased, sometimes helping in battle, and sometimes being mysteriously gone when Varsis could have used him.


    War is uncertainty.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Varsis asked the demon.


    ¡°Doing what I do,¡± said the thing that looked like a short little man. ¡°I come bearing a message.¡±


    ¡°A message from whom?¡±


    ¡°From the higher powers, of course.¡± Eton laughed, in a way that was more of a high pitched squeak than anything else.


    ¡°And who are these higher powers?¡±


    ¡°The Council. Your darling mother, the esteemed Councilwoman Hisa.¡±


    ¡°And what is the message?¡±


    ¡°Take twenty thousand of your troops, and conquer Asan Paril.¡±


    The statement was so ridiculous, Varsis nearly laughed out loud. He could take Asan Paril with twenty thousand troops, but the statement still made no sense. There was no possible way the Council, with its forces already pitted against the Vedil and the Minsu, wanted to attack another party.


    And, if Asan Paril fell, its proclaimed neutrality ignored, that might provoke other Houses to side against the Makini.


    ¡°I do believe you are lying, demon.¡±


    Eton shrugged. ¡°Believe what you will. You¡¯ll receive confirmation of this, soon enough.¡±


    And Eton walked away.


    As if on cue, a messenger came running up to Varsis, with a sealed circular container, the kind that always contained messages from the Council.


    Varsis took the container, ripped open the seal, took out the scroll within, and tossed the container to the ground, which the messenger quickly picked up.


    Varsis read out loud.


    The Council of the Makini herby orders the General Varsis to take twenty thousand of his troops, and to siege and capture the city of Asan Paril with all due haste.


    Varsis looked up at the messenger, who had heard all. ¡°What do you think of this?¡± he growled at the boy, who had remained, and had thus heard all.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know sir.¡±


    Varsis¡¯ mind raced, trying to determine if this order was somehow faked.


    But he knew that was impossible. There were too many safeguards in place.


    Varsis sighed. ¡°Call my captains here,¡± he told the messenger boy. ¡°I¡¯m going to need to talk to them.¡±


    War is insanity.

 Chapter 54: The Tangled Web Becomes Clear

    On that fateful day, as the fall turned to winter, perhaps three months after Mai had arrived at Asan Paril, she could scarcely believe her ears.


    Ishad had rushed into her apartments at the Palace to tell her the news, and Mai could tell he could scarcely believe it either.


    ¡°Say that again,¡± she told him slowly, clearly. ¡°Say that again.¡± My God, that can¡¯t be true.


    ¡°I learned this the moment I reported to Belium Tarquin¡¯s house for work today,¡± said Ishad. ¡°And I rushed back to you as soon as I heard. There is an army outside the White Walls. Asan Paril is surrounded by Makini forces.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who leads them?¡± asked Mai, desperately trying to make sense of something that did not.


    ¡°It is said that the Makini are led by one who is called Strong Hand.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the general¡¯s real name?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°You should sit down for this,¡± said Ishad.


    Instantly, Mai sat back downwards, onto the bed. ¡°What is the general¡¯s real name?¡± she repeated.


    Ishad stood over her, and while it was day, no bright light shined through the window now.


    ¡°The general¡¯s name,¡± said Ishad, ¡°is Varsis Hakshi dol Makin.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Mai, horrified. ¡°Anyone but Varsis. Anyone but Varsis.¡±


    ¡°We both encountered him at Bola,¡± said Ishad. ¡°He¡¯s not the worst we faced. He¡¯s no demon, just a man.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± said Mai. ¡°Varsis is more than just any Makini. He¡¯s the best general to come along in a hundred years. A prodigy.¡±


    ¡°Asan Paril has never fallen to siege,¡± said Ishad. ¡°You can¡¯t argue with facts. We¡¯re going to be alright.¡±


    ¡°The day¡­the day my father died, Varsis tried to kill me,¡± said Mai. ¡°If anyone can break through the walls, it is him, and he will be back to finish the job.¡±


    ¡°Calm down.¡±


    And oddly, Mai did. She looked up at Ishad, through tears she didn¡¯t remember crying.


    Mai stood up. ¡°What now?¡± she asked. ¡°And¡­why was this so sudden? Armies take time to move. Varsis¡¯ forces should have been spotted days ago.¡±


    ¡°They were,¡± said Ishad. ¡°But, as Asan Paril is neutral, High Lord Ashat thought they were just moving through the territory, to some other objective. It was not until this morning that the truth was found out.¡±


    ¡°How could Tur be so incompetent?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ishad admitted. ¡°Maybe he was preoccupied.¡±


    ¡°Preoccupied?¡± asked Mai. ¡°How can anyone be too preoccupied to not think about an army?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not clear,¡± said Ishad. ¡°One thing that is known, however, is that the other Paril Lords are not happy with Ashat. Spearheaded by Savel, they organized a meeting, to determine what should be done, not only about the army, but about Ashat as well.¡±


    ***


    Tur is Ashat sat upon his seat of honor in the meeting room of the Paril lords. Including himself, they numbered seven.


    And six to one were not good odds to work with.


    Before Tur¡¯s upraised seat, there was a great oak table, with three lesser chairs on either side. Each chair contained the Lord of one of the seven Paril. And not a one was happy with Tur.


    Savel sat at the chair immediately to Tur¡¯s left. He was the most vocal of the others. He was the ringleader. And that smirk on his face was gloating his victory.


    ¡°High Lord Ashat,¡± said Savel, ¡°you are not a popular man right now.¡±


    ¡°I gave you my reasons for considering the army to be harmless,¡± said Tur. It was all he could do to restrain from banging a fist on the table. ¡°No one would have thought any different than I.¡±


    ¡°You could have made better preparations for this eventuality,¡± said Savel, looking up at Tur in his high chair.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Public opinion is against you now,¡± said Savel. ¡°And against you quite strongly. In times of need, as like this, when the High Lord of Asan Paril is acting in ways that endanger the city, as like now, the Paril Lords can oust him. We need a unanimous vote, but I am sure one will be reached. All who vote for Ashat¡¯s removal, say aye. Aye,¡± Savel added, voting for himself.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The words traveled around the table.


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    Now, the only Lord left who had not cast his vote was the Lord of the Seventh Paril, the venerable Falil is Heratad. Lord Heratad studied Tur carefully, and for a moment, Tur dared to hope that the old man might vote nay, and give Tur a second chance.


    Tur was mistaken.


    ¡°Aye,¡± said Lord Heratad.


    Savel smiled upon the confirmation of his victory. ¡°As the esteemed former High Lord Tur is Ashat has no wife, children, or siblings, and thus, no heirs, his line is now defunct. I, as the Lord of the Second Paril, have the greatest claim to the seat of the High Lord, now that Ashat is removed from that position. Therefore, I am now High Lord Savel is Varad, Lord of the First Paril. My younger brother Hiro, is now Lord of the Second, in my stead.¡±


    Savel looked carefully at Tur. ¡°You no longer deserve that chair,¡± he said. ¡°Get up.¡±


    In that moment, Tur realized that Savel had won their long rivalry, in a way he had never thought possible. Tur knew of no way to resist. He got up.


    As Tur moved away from the chair, Savel took his seat, and leaned back upon his new throne.


    Tur stood off to the side.


    ¡°I see that, as my brother is not here, the chair of the Lord of the Second is now empty,¡± said Savel. He looked at Tur. ¡°Just this once, my former lord, you may sit upon it. But that chair is not yours.¡±


    And so Tur sat, utterly disgraced and humiliated.


    ¡°The next order of business,¡± said Savel, ¡°is what to do about the Makini army outside the White Walls.¡± A smile touched his face. ¡°They need to be negotiated with, but who should we send. Who is¡­expendable. The former lord Ashat, of course.¡±


    Tur saw the looks on the faces of those around him. They were not pleasant looks. ¡°I am not afraid of going outside these walls,¡± he said. ¡°If you wish me to go to the enemy, then I shall. You all are more cowards than I.¡±


    ¡°Safe cowards,¡± Savel corrected, with yet another irritating smile. ¡°This meeting is adjourned.¡±


    Tur came to the conclusion that a single mistake had cost everything, both to him, and to the city he so loved.


    ***


    Mai sat on her bed. How could everything fall apart so quickly? she wondered. ¡°We have to find Broken,¡± she said out loud. ¡°He¡¯ll know¡­something.¡±


    ¡°Finding him is easier said than done,¡± said Ishad.


    And that was the truth. Neither of them had seen Broken in a month, though Mai doubted the reverse was true. No longer needed, he had just melted away into the shadows. He still had his villa, but he was almost never there.


    But Mai had faith. ¡°We¡¯ll get to him, somehow.¡± She was halfway out the door, when she realized Ishad wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming with me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to get Broken,¡± Ishad said flatly. ¡°Think, Mai. How can he even help us?¡±


    Mai was shocked that Ishad would say such a thing. ¡°That¡¯s what Broken does,¡± she said.


    ¡°But we don¡¯t need him.¡±


    ¡°Then how are we going to get out of this city?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a merchant, remember. There are rumors that a Makini fleet will be arriving shortly, to blockade the city, but the fleet¡¯s not there yet. Asan Paril soldiers have forbidden citizens to leave the city through the port, to prevent a mass exodus, but due to my connections, I can work around that. I can get us out on a ship.¡±


    Mai looked at him. There seemed to be something very wrong with that idea, but on the surface, there was no complaint she could make. They needed to get out of the city as quickly as possible, and it seemed Ishad had an answer that did not involve Broken.


    Mai turned to her closet, and, as quickly as she was able, packed a few essentials in a single bag.


    When she was done, Ishad took it. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said.


    And they hurried out the door.


    As they did so, the pair almost ran straight into a squad of eight guards, led by Lord Hiro is Varad. Savel¡¯s younger brother. He still looked, in his way, dashing, but Mai didn¡¯t care much for the way he looked.


    ¡°Going somewhere?¡± asked Hiro, as his soldiers spread out in a semicircle, leaving Mai and Ishad nowhere to go but back into the room.


    ¡°Apparently,¡± said Mai, ¡°not anymore.¡±


    Hiro looked at Ishad. ¡°You can go, merchant,¡± he said. ¡°This does not concern you.¡±


    Mai saw Ishad¡¯s hands drawing into fists, saw him reaching for the sword he wore at his side, but Mai knew the truth. Ishad was no Broken. All he could do here was get himself killed.


    ¡°Stop, Ishad,¡± said Mai.


    Ishad looked at her, for a moment confused, then understanding.


    ¡°Glad to see you understand the futility of your position, merchant,¡± said Hiro. ¡°Go.¡±


    Ishad gave Mai one last long look, and dropped the bag of her things he carried onto the floor. The guards parted slightly, and Ishad slowly walked through the gap. The ring of soldiers tightened again, and Ishad was gone.


    ¡°When Lord Ashat finds out you hindered me¡­¡± said Mai.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± said Hiro. ¡°Ashat is no longer in a position to order anyone. My brother has replaced him as High Lord of the city, and now, I am Lord of the Second Paril.¡±


    ¡°Good for you,¡± Mai said bitterly. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°My brother believes that you remaining here is essential to the city¡¯s survival.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°My brother knows best.¡±


    And with that, Mai realized that he really didn¡¯t, that he was utterly and completely his brother¡¯s dupe. Up until that moment, Mai had had hopes that she could convince Hiro to let her go. Now, those hopes were dashed.


    ¡°Get back inside your room, Princess,¡± said Hiro.


    Mai didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    Mai backed through the door. Hiro picked up her bag from the floor, and threw it in the room with her.


    Then, the two of them stood toe to toe, Mai just within the bounds of the doorframe, Hiro just without.


    ¡°You will be fed at regular intervals,¡± said Hiro. ¡°You will be allowed a limited number of visitors. But you will not be allowed out. Guards placed at your door will see to that.¡±


    And he shut the door in her face, just as his own twisted into one of his brother¡¯s traditional smirks.


    Mai looked around her room, now her prison.


    Everything made perfect sense. Savel knew she was the reason the army was at Asan Paril¡¯s gates, and he hoped to trade her for the survival of the city.


    ¡°Damn this all to Casari,¡± she cursed, filled with a pent-up anger she had no idea how to express.


    How could she be locked up again? Images of what her father had done to her resided in her head, and would not go away.


    She knew the then and the now were only vaguely related in cause, but she couldn¡¯t help but feel the connection.


    After everything she had been through, after Broken had showed her that the Codes of Sara were not the only way¡­things had come full circle. Mentis, Savel, neither cared what Mai thought. They just wanted her to bend to their wills.


    Mai despaired.

 Chapter 55: Lover, Guard, and One-Eye

    Ishad was not a calm man as he left the Palace. Mai had been taken, and he had been helpless to prevent it. Ishad had thought he had grown from the time the Nari had melted his Symbol, and he had been reduced to tears, but when Mai had been taken, Ishad had felt just as helpless again.


    He walked through the streets of the Palace ground now, not aimlessly, but with a purpose.


    For even if he was helpless in the situation, he knew one who was not.


    Broken.


    Broken had disappeared from his and Mai¡¯s lives in recent months, and Ishad could not say he was sorry. He understood that Broken was more tortured than evil, that he owed his life to the man.


    But he also knew that he had almost died because of something Broken had done, purposefully.


    Ishad had said he had forgiven Broken, and in truth, he had, but Ishad still didn¡¯t want to see Broken any more than necessary.


    He was glad, a month ago, when Mai had said she no longer spoke with Broken, because she could no longer find him. Ishad hadn¡¯t liked them talking behind his back, no matter what he said out loud.


    Perhaps because he had been a monk, Ishad believed that actions and words meant far more than absentminded thoughts. When Mai had talked with Broken, even after the man had done what he had did, Ishad forced himself to put up with it. But when Broken had disappeared, Ishad had been happy.


    And now, he found himself in the peculiar position of having to find a man he had been glad had left his life forever.


    Ishad looked first at Broken¡¯s villa. He knew where it was, if just barely. It was not that far from the Palace.


    Ishad came to the door of the pleasant-looking villa, and rapped loudly upon it.


    A minute or so later, a servant opened the door.


    ¡°Is your master home?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°I need to speak with him.¡±


    ¡°My master¡¯s just about to leave,¡± said the servant. ¡°Here he comes now.¡±


    And the servant backed out of the doorway, as Broken appeared to replace him.


    A pair of months had not changed Broken at all. He looked the same as he always had. He wore his black leather armor, and his sword was at his waist.


    Broken¡¯s penetrating gray eyes stared at Ishad. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, tersely.


    ¡°Mai,¡± Ishad responded. ¡°Soldiers won¡¯t let her leave, and¡­¡±


    ¡°I know as well as you that she must escape this city,¡± said Broken. ¡°I was going to her at this very moment.¡±


    Every last bit of Broken seemed to be focused on his business. Ishad felt humbled.


    Ishad turned around as a servant brought around a horse to Broken. Broken walked around Ishad, and mounted.


    The moment before he was about to ride off, Ishad shouted, ¡°I¡¯m coming with you!¡±


    ¡°Then get on,¡± said Broken flatly.


    Ishad mounted the horse behind Broken, and then they were off.


    Sprinting through the streets, it had taken Ishad ten minutes or so to get from the Palace to Broken¡¯s villa.


    It seemed Broken was going to make the return trip in half that.


    Or less.


    Broken urged his horse ever faster, upsetting traffic as he barreled through it. On this day, because of the siege, tensions were high, and Broken was cursed at in a variety of astonishing ways.


    After a fruit cart was overturned when it made a quick stop to avoid slamming into Broken on his horse, the owner tried to pursue Broken. On foot.


    Even Ishad hadn¡¯t been the slightest bit worried that the man would catch them.


    As the Palace came into view, Broken urged his horse ever faster, rushing past the guards before they could bother to check his credentials.


    At the pathway to the main entrance, Broken came to a sudden halt, and dismounted.


    Quite disoriented, Ishad did the same.


    A startled stable hand remembered his training, and took the horse away, to the Palace stables.


    Neither Broken nor Ishad were waiting to see what was to become of the horse. Together, they rushed for the main entrance, then up the massive spiral staircase, to the third floor.


    Ishad found himself so filled with sudden energy that he was pacing Broken, which he found to be incredible.


    But soon enough, they came to a halt, perhaps ten feet away from the door to Mai¡¯s room.


    For the running was over. Eight Asan Paril guards, all armed and strong-looking, were interposed between Broken and Ishad, and the door behind which was Mai.


    ¡°Eight?¡± Broken asked them. ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s overkill?¡±


    ¡°Lord Savel knows quite well how capable you are, Broken,¡± said one of the guards, drawing his sword. ¡°He knows that you oppose his designs on the Princess. He would not dream of leaving her under-guarded.¡±


    ¡°Eight versus one?¡± laughed Broken.


    ¡°Eight versus two,¡± corrected the guard. ¡°We see the Princess¡¯ lover.¡±


    ¡°Stand aside,¡± said Broken. ¡°I wish to talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Lord Savel expected as much,¡± said the guard. ¡°And, in his benevolence, he chooses to allow it. You and the merchant Ishad may enter. But remember, you will not be allowed to take her with you when you leave.¡±


    ¡°And what if I try?¡± asked Broken flatly. ¡°What if my skills are such that eight versus one is a possibility?¡±


    ¡°Then you will run into all the other guards of the Palace,¡± said the talkative guard. ¡°I know you bluff when you say you can face eight, but even if, by some miracle, you succeed, every guard in this palace would die before allowing the Princess to escape.¡±


    ¡°So she¡¯s Savel¡¯s prisoner,¡± said Broken.


    The guard did not deny it. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± said Broken, ¡°let us in, or break your former oath.¡±


    The guards parted, and Ishad and Broken entered Mai¡¯s room. As soon as they did so, the doors shut behind them.


    Mai was sitting in a chair, not moving, and sitting so deeply in that it seemed she was trying to hide. But as she saw Broken she got up.


    The two said no words between them, but Ishad saw that their eyes communicated an understanding.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Mai was glad to see Broken. Very, very glad.


    ¡°Are you doing alright?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± said Mai. ¡°But, a few minutes ago, a pair of spellweavers came in here and cast some enchantments over this room.¡±


    ¡°That should hamper the escape process,¡± said Broken. ¡°But you will get out.¡±


    He walked over to the window, and flung the shutters wide open, as Ishad and Mai followed him.


    Ishad looked down. The ground was maybe fifty feet below.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you can jump that,¡± he said.


    ¡°Quite untrue,¡± said Broken, eying carefully the tiny courtyard below. ¡°But what I worry about is what precautions were made to prohibit the jump.¡± He tried to put his hand through the open window, but unbidden, it leapt back as if stung.


    ¡°Anti-organic enchantment,¡± said Broken, rubbing his arm awkwardly. ¡°I expected as much.¡±


    ¡°So then, how do I get out?¡± asked Mai. ¡°I heard your conversation with the guards through the door. We can¡¯t have that much more time before they force you two out.¡±


    ¡°Window, door,¡± said Broken. ¡°The window¡¯s not a viable option, and the door¡­through that way lies a lot of dead bodies, quite possibly including ours. There¡¯s no quick way out of here.¡±


    ¡°But there is a way out,¡± said Mai, almost pleading. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always a way out,¡± said Broken.


    And at that moment, the door swung open, and one of the guards appeared. ¡°Time¡¯s up,¡± he said. ¡°You might not get a chance to see her again, so say goodbye.¡±


    Broken looked at the guard in such a manner that made him shrink back.


    Ishad and Mai hugged, and he whispered her a few words of encouragement.


    Then Broken, from the doorway, looked at Mai, across the room. ¡°I will be back for you,¡± he said, blatantly. ¡°I give you my word that I will get you out of here.¡± He seemed not to care that the guards outside were listening to every word.


    Broken walked out, and Ishad followed. Then the guards shut the door, and placed themselves in front of it. Broken gave the soldiers one last look, and turned to begin to walk away.


    Ishad followed him.


    ¡°What were you thinking?¡± he asked Broken. ¡°Telling them you intend to get her free?¡±


    ¡°I am sure as much had already been surmised by Savel,¡± said Broken. ¡°He knows I will not stand idle and let him do with Mai what he will.¡±


    ¡°What do you think Savel intends to do with Mai?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Either use her as a bargaining chip to get the army to go away,¡± said Broken, ¡°or smuggle her out of the city, abandon Asan Paril, and give her to Ehajdon. Either way, she will end up prematurely dead.¡±


    Broken¡¯s tone confirmed he knew what he was talking about.


    ¡°If you knew this,¡± asked Ishad, ¡°why didn¡¯t you tell her?¡±


    ¡°If Mai had asked, I would have told the truth,¡± said Broken. ¡°But Mai did not, and I saw no reason to burden her with information that would not help her.¡±


    They reached the great staircase, and the stairs seemed to melt away between Broken¡¯s and Ishad¡¯s feet as they jogged down.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± asked Ishad, as they concluded the stairs, and headed out of the Palace.


    ¡°A variety of things,¡± said Broken. ¡°But rest assured, all three of us will get out of this city, together, and quite alive?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t elaborate?¡± asked Ishad, as they entered the stables, and began to look for Broken¡¯s horse.


    ¡°I could,¡± said Broken. ¡°However, if I did, you¡¯ll be telling me a lot of what I plan is impossible, so I don¡¯t see the point.¡±


    They found the horse.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Not really,¡± said Broken. ¡°Just lay low, and stay at your villa as much as possible, so I¡¯ll know where to find you.¡±


    They both mounted the horse, and began to ride out, but had to stop for a procession heading down the streets.


    At the procession¡¯s head, Tur is Ashat rode on a proud white stallion, and behind him, a servant, also on horseback, held a white flag tall.


    Behind both were a variety of nobles on horseback, the most significant of which being Savel himself.


    And Savel, on a brown horse, was shouting at the citizens all around.


    ¡°The Lords of Paril have decided that, despite his gross incompetence, the former lord Ashat will make parlay with the Makini!¡±


    ¡°Why are they giving him an honor?¡± Ishad whispered to Broken, looking at the procession.


    ¡°Parley¡¯s no honor,¡± said Broken. ¡°They¡¯re sending him out because he¡¯s disposable.¡±


    At that, Ishad looked carefully at Ashat¡¯s face, and saw the truth. The one-eyed man did not look even slightly happy or proud.


    Ishad had not yet seen the Makini, but fear of them pressed tightly around him.


    ***


    The procession faded away as the great gates of Asan Paril opened slightly, to allow Tur and the flag bearer out.


    And now, without the walls shielding the sight, the army of the Makini was fully visible. Tur had seen them before, from the crenellations, but being on their level was a wholly different experience.


    This was not twenty thousand tiny little black dots.


    This was twenty thousand fully armed soldiers. Just out of arrow range, their camp was being constructed. More black shapes rose. Tents, arrayed in a semicircle around the city, pining Asan Paril against the sea and the river.


    Tur and the flag bearer rode to them.


    As Tur came closer, Makini soldiers greeted him, and he could truly understand the size of the army. He was in the belly of the beast now. Black uniforms were everywhere. Tur dismounted, and the flag bearer did as well. Their horses were led away.


    Tur found himself standing in a sea of enemies, which circled around him, giving him room, and at the same time, ignoring him. He was a ripple in the ocean.


    Tur had been in armies before, seen army camps, but he had never seen anything on this scale before.


    A city had been erected, just to bring his city down.


    Armies did not march alone. For every soldier, there were two camp followers, somewhere. The sight was humbling.


    Out of the mass of black, a tall man strode, a man with a metal left hand.


    ¡°General Varsis,¡± Tur acknowledged.


    ¡°The very same. Lord Ashat, I presume?¡± Varsis stopped walking forward a few paces from Tur.


    ¡°No longer,¡± said Tur. ¡°Lord Savel is Varad is of the First Paril, now. I was stripped of my rank after ignoring the threat your army posed, the threat that is now realized.¡±


    ¡°And I thank you for that,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Your incompetence has made this process easier.¡±


    ¡°What are your terms?¡± Tur said gruffly.


    ¡°My army is here to bring Asan Paril into the fold of the Makini Empire,¡± said Varsis. ¡°And, for one other reason. We of the Makini demand your city¡¯s surrender, and we of the Makini demand you hand the Princess Maiako as Arathou del Tachen over to us. Only then shall your city be spared siege.¡±


    ¡°The Lord Varad rejects those terms out of hand,¡± said Tur. ¡°He requests that you leave our city¡¯s lands, before your vast host breaks itself on the White Walls, as all other armies have before yours.¡±


    ¡°I expected as much,¡± said Varsis. He looked at the flag bearer, and made a signal. A Makini trooper returned the flag bearer¡¯s horse to him.


    Varsis looked at the flag bearer. You have heard our ultimatum. Return swiftly, as your city has but a day to consider the offer, before the siege begins in force.¡±


    ¡°What about myself?¡± asked Tur, as the flag bearer stood still, confused. ¡°I stand under the white flag of parley as well, and so you are honor-bound to let me go.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± said Varsis, ¡°things are not quite so simple.¡± He muttered something under his breath. Something that sounded like a curse. Looking at the flag bearer, Varsis said sharply, ¡°Go, go now, or you will not be returning to the city either.¡±


    The flag bearer didn¡¯t give Tur another look. He rushed up onto his horse, then, as the Makini parted, raced back to the White Walls, without even glancing back in Tur¡¯s direction.


    Pathetic coward, Tur thought. If he had been able, he would have torn the flag bearer from limb to limb.


    But he was not.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Tur asked Varsis.


    ¡°I want nothing from you,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Another is the one who wants something. Follow me.¡±


    Varsis turned, and began to walk.


    The crowd of Makini soldiers pressed around Tur, giving him no choice but to follow Varsis.


    Varsis led Tur to a small black tent, within which was a small table, and nothing more, not even chairs.


    Varsis looked at Tur carefully, in a way that made him seem almost sympathetic to Tur¡¯s plight.


    ¡°You will not believe me,¡± said Varsis, ¡°but I wished to respect the parlay. I, however, have no choice in the following proceedings.¡±


    He then left the tent, leaving Tur quite alone.


    The big man paced for a moment, wondering what was to become of him.


    Then he heard the sound of another entering the room.


    Tur wheeled around, looking at the entrance of the tent, from across the table.


    A man had just entered, who looked the opposite of Tur in virtually every way. Tur was a tall man. This man was short. Tur was a heavy man. This man was light. Tur had one eye. This man had two. And while Tur felt completely out of place and confused, this man seemed completely confident.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± asked the small man. ¡°My name is Eton. I¡¯m the demon.¡±


    The words took a few minutes for Tur to comprehend. ¡°You¡¯re the demon who tried to kill Mai, and tried to kill me?¡± he asked, all but laughing.


    From what he remembered, the thing under the cloak had been bigger, and substantially more terrifying.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Eton. ¡°Do I not look appropriate to you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I could throttle you with one hand,¡± Tur responded.


    ¡°Somehow,¡± said Eton, ¡°I doubt that.¡±


    Tur blinked, and when his eyes opened again, Eton had suddenly left the tent entrance, and now stood no more than a few inches in front of him.


    For Tur, the terror came right then. ¡°How¡­how did you do that?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m a demon,¡± said Eton. ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions.¡±


    Tur looked down at the thing, and stepped back a pace.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I told you that you would live to regret not handing over the Princess,¡± said Eton, dangerously. ¡°I told you that you would live to regret harming me. Now, your city is under siege, and you are stripped of your status. Do you regret defying me now?¡±


    Tur was determined not to let the demon feel satisfaction. ¡°Every moment you do not accomplish your goals is worth it to me,¡± he said.


    ¡°That¡¯s sad Tur,¡± said Eton, taking a small step forward. ¡°I¡¯m still going to get everything I want. You, however, will soon have nothing left.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to kill me?¡± asked Tur.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Eton took out a vial from within a fold of his clothing. Within it was a black liquid. ¡°Wrath,¡± he said. ¡°Drink of the immortals, Nari and Terrasanu alike. Its mere touch burns those with frailties.¡±


    Tur stared at the Wrath, remembering that liquid was what Savel tried to use on Broken. It seemed odd, somehow, that there would be so much Wrath readily available.


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± said Eton. He opened the vial, and flung the contents at Tur.


    There was a burning sensation, filled with agony.


    And then there was death.

 Chapter 56: Blood on the White Walls

    As night fell, many soldiers manned the White Walls, preparing for what was to come. Their white uniforms seem stark in contrast to the black night, the black Makini tents in the distance.


    Two lords, the two greatest in Asan Paril, walked amongst their soldiers. One was nervous, and the other seemed to be feigning calm.


    ¡°They killed him!¡± Hiro said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they killed him!¡±


    ¡°Calm, brother,¡± said Savel. His pace was steady, his fingers interlocked at his chest. ¡°The flag bearer was not clear. Perhaps our former lord is not dead.¡±


    ¡°Of course he¡¯s dead,¡± said Hiro. ¡°What else could have happened to him?¡±


    The two lords were drawing stares from their loyal troops as they passed them by, but Hiro was past caring. He had to make his brother see his folly.


    ¡°I do not know,¡± said Savel. ¡°Leave me. I need to think. I need to inspect the troops, and I cannot do that with you pestering me.¡± He stared, not at his brother, but instead straight ahead.


    ¡°You would not need to inspect the troops if you but listened to me,¡± said Hiro. ¡°Why not just surrender?¡±


    Savel now looked at him, angrily. ¡°Do not even speak that word.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Hiro. ¡°I¡¯ve been loyal; I am still loyal. I think I deserve to know the cause of this madness. If you surrender the city and the girl, you can keep you post of Lord of the First Paril under the Makini. Nothing will change.¡±


    ¡°The loss of the girl is not nothing,¡± said Savel, beginning to regain his composure. ¡°She is worth fortunes to Emperor Ehajdon.¡±


    ¡°And she is worth nothing to you if we are all dead! The port is blockaded now. There is no way out of this city, but through the Makini.¡±


    ¡°Patience,¡± said Savel. ¡°I do not care what the odds are, and I refuse to be intimidated by the massive Makini host. Do you forget that Asan Paril has never fallen? The twenty thousand Makini beyond these walls do not have history on their side. We do. We will wait out the siege, and then, deliver Maiako to Ehajdon, and become rich beyond what a single city can offer.¡±


    ¡°I bow before your wisdom,¡± said Hiro, slightly inclining his head. His faith in his brother was restored.


    Then, suddenly, there was a flash of red in the darkness, and it seemed as if a flaming meteor was hurtling down on them.


    Before Hiro, Savel, or the nearby Paril soldiers could do more than turn their heads, the flaming rock slammed into the wall just below them.


    The resulting impact knocked everyone nearby off their feet.


    Hiro slammed against the ground, hard.


    Before he had recovered, his brother had already gotten back up, and offered him a hand. Hiro gratefully took it.


    He stood up again, and looked around.


    From his vantage point, he could see shadowy catapults around the Makini line. There were a dozen of them, maybe more. And from those devices, the fireballs kept coming, slamming against the White Walls, maring them, breaking them down bit by bit.


    ¡°What¡­are they?¡± asked Hiro, his eyes watching a fireball arc at a distant part of the wall. Upon impact, the fireball burned itself out, and the charred rock fell to the ground, having had made a significant chip in the wall.


    Savel looked at him, as all around them, soldiers scrambled to get to better vantage points. ¡°With enough spellweavers, one can do anything,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°The damage looks to be mostly cosmetic. This is a terrorist tactic, not one intended to demolish our defenses. It¡¯s not as if the White Walls can burn.¡±


    Two more heavy impacts shook the walkway.


    Hiro looked up into the star-filled sky. God-Kings preserve us. Perhaps the walls can burn.


    Red stars made their leap to the heavens, only to fail, and come crashing down.


    ***


    Broken walked through the streets of Asan Paril. The night was cold, and the people of the city had crowded outside staring up at the distant bursts of red in the sky, and the successive not-so-distant rumbles.


    Broken was not among their number. He saw no reason to gawk.


    And he had things to do.


    That night, as he entered the Stone Quarter, things were not as dark and foreboding. Perhaps this was because of the red illuminating the sky, or because, on this night, the citizens of Asan Paril were united in horror, instead of preying on one another. But, in the scheme of things, the truth of that didn¡¯t matter much.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Broken made his way to the witch Felixi¡¯s den.


    She, as Broken had expected, was to be found inside. Instead of being hidden when he came in, tonight she was rustling around in the main room, leaning up to look on her shelves for one ingredient or another. She had moved a cauldron to be displayed prominently, right next to the crystal orb, and was throwing different ingredients into the water that bubbled within it.


    However, as soon as Broken entered, Felixi turned to him.


    ¡°Back?¡± she cackled. ¡°I thought I¡¯d seen the last of you.¡±


    ¡°You were wrong,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Where is the owl?¡±


    ¡°Elsewhere.¡±


    Felixi gazed at Broken. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Holy objects.¡±


    ¡°You ask a witch for that?¡± asked Felixi. ¡°I am unholy. Why would I keep relics of good?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± said Broken, ¡°relics of good tend to be helpful when dealing with dark things that get out of hand, so much so that they are quite often useful even for other dark things.¡±


    He placed one of his own on a severed and cauterized hand sitting on one of the shelves. The hand tried to scuttle away, but Broken caught it, and examined it as it squirmed.


    His actions seemed to be making Felixi nervous. ¡°I do have some things,¡± she said. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°The largest Symbol in your possession,¡± said Broken, ¡°along with a Book of Aden, and as much holy sand as you have.¡±


    The witch sighed. ¡°Come with me, Broken One.¡±


    She walked to the door at the back of the room, opened it, and crossed the threshold. Broken tossed the severed hand to the ground, and did the same.


    The back area was quite large, considering. Felixi turned down a hallway, and came to a door locked with black chains. She put her hand to them, and muttered a few words, and the chains fell away. Then she opened the door.


    Within was a room the size of a closet. Relics of good were stuffed in every corner, from Symbols, to golden goblets, to holy books, to whole glass jugs of holy sand.


    Hovering over the whole closet, though, was darkness.


    ¡°You keep what you need well,¡± Broken remarked to the witch. ¡°Your spell here would seem to counter out most of the aura.¡±


    ¡°Only in the closet,¡± Felixi was quick to add. ¡°Outside of the closet, everything within should work as normal.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± said Broken. He reached in for the largest Symbol, and placed it around his neck. It was pure gold. He grasped a Book of Aden, flipped through it to make sure it was the real thing, and put it in a pocket. Then, he grabbed the jugs of holy sand, and, one after another, loaded them onto his left arm. There were six, and he was able to stack them as perfect pyramid, so that the last one just reached under his chin.


    As Broken turned away from the closet, Felixi shrunk back from his newly acquired holy aura.


    ¡°What do you need all that for?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know of a demon that needs that much to exorcise.¡±


    ¡°The truth of the matter is for me to know,¡± said Broken. He took out five gold coins from his right hand, and dropped them into Felixi¡¯s open palm.


    Then he turned, and left the building.


    From the Stone Quarter, to his villa, he walked. At the door, his servant, Gan, greeted him. Gan was a tall, thin man, the epitome of a butler.


    ¡°What is all this sir?¡± he asked, eyeing the jugs and Symbol Broken prominently carried and wore.


    ¡°What is necessary,¡± Broken responded. ¡°Go and get Cat and Hamm,¡± he said, naming his two other servants.


    ¡°They¡¯re out, sir,¡± said Gan. ¡°I know they¡¯re not supposed to be, but the sky, and all that. I¡¯m frightened too.¡± He paused. ¡°I just know my duties.¡±


    Broken walked into his entrance room. It was quite large, and sparsely filled with furniture. A circular carpet filled most of the center.


    ¡°All right, then,¡± said Broken. ¡°You¡¯ll do. Pull the carpet out of the room.¡±


    As Gan did so, Broken set down his burdens besides one of the walls, just underneath a painting of the first God-King, clad in his raiment of gold.


    Gan returned, just as Broken pulled one of the stoppers from one of the jugs. ¡°Unless I say so,¡± said Broken to his butler, ¡°no one should use the front door but me. Receive all who come through the back.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, sir,¡± said Gan.


    As the butler watched on, Broken began to pour out the sand in a large, thick circle on the hardwood floor, using every bit of the space that had been provided. It took two jugs to complete the design.


    Broken then took another jug, and began pouring another layer of sand in a careful pattern, forming different signs at various parts around the circle. As he continued his intricate work, Broken said without looking up, ¡°Needless to say, if so much as one grain get moved by you or anyone else, Gan, I will be quite furious.¡±


    ¡°I would never dream of disturbing your work, master,¡± said Gan. ¡°But what is it?¡±


    ¡°The answer to that is very complicated,¡± said Broken. ¡°And I believe you would not want to know.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, sir.¡±


    ¡°Gan?¡± asked Broken, as he finished pouring out the last grains of sand from the jug.


    ¡°Yes, master?¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°Of what, master? The Makini outside the walls raining hellfire upon us, or what appears to me to be your current bout of insanity?¡±


    Broken forced himself to wear a thin smile, for his butler¡¯s sake. ¡°The former, Gan.¡±


    ¡°Of course I am, master,¡± said Gan. ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What does it really matter if the Makini invade?¡± Broken asked. ¡°If Asan Paril falls, all it means is that there will be new rulers. I am far more worried about the one I am sworn to protect.¡±


    ¡°The Princess, master?¡± asked Gan. ¡°With all due respect, I am sure the High Lord Varad Savel can take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°He intends to kill her, Gan.¡±


    The butler was silent.


    ¡°If Savel gets his way,¡± said Broken, ¡°Maiako as Arathou del Tachen will be dead.¡±


    He was now working with his fourth jug of holy sand, putting on final touches to his work.


    ¡°I do not think I can believe that, sir. High Lord Varad would never-¡±


    ¡°If only we lived in a perfect world,¡± said Broken, pouring sand in the outline of the very last sigil. It was a sort of hook cross.


    He finished, with the fourth jug emptied, and set it down.


    Broken stood to his full height, and looked at the butler. ¡°The sad truth is, we do not live in a perfect world, Gan,¡± he said. ¡°What you see here, this circle, with all of the sigils inscribed around it, is my small attempt at making the world a better place.¡±


    ¡°I do not know how that can be, sir.¡±


    ¡°Does this circle look to be twenty feet in diameter?¡± Broken asked.


    ¡°I think so, sir,¡± said Gan, looking at the inscribed circle of sand on the floor. ¡°But, why would you ask me, when I lack the slightest clue as to what it is you are doing?¡±


    ¡°Because sometimes, those who think they know nothing actually have the knowledge,¡± said Broken. ¡°Leave me, now. I have much to do.¡± As Gan beat a hasty retreat, Broken picked up his Book of Aden and sat with it, cross-legged, in the very center of the circle.


    Then, Broken began to read, and his very words hummed with power.

 Chapter 57: Devotee of the Ashes

    In the end, everything is simple.


    Varsis looked from his camp, across the plains to the White Walls. The Walls, once vaunted for their beauty, were now filled with holes, scars.


    But they still stood.


    All Varsis had to do was take Asan Paril.


    However, that was easier said than done. The flaming catapults had failed to intimidate the Paril into opening their gates, and so, new strategies had to be developed.


    Varsis looked around his tent city, the recent construction that now arced around Asan Paril. What he saw here was in no danger, yet. All of the locals who lived outside the Walls had been subdued. Varsis knew the Paril could not save themselves. However, others could save them.


    All Varsis had to do was take Asan Paril.


    But he had to do it, soon. Already, spies reported that Ehajdon¡¯s forces were marching to break the siege, marching en mass, and proclaiming that the battle for Asan Paril would be the deciding one of the war.


    Ehajdon was putting every available resource into this, said the spies. The Minsu army coming to relive Asan Paril was forty thousand strong, twice the number of Varsis¡¯ forces.


    If the White Walls were not broken by the time the Minsu reached the city, Varsis¡¯ tent city would be caught between an anvil and a hammer.


    And even he, with all of his strategic genius, would not be able to come up with a way out.


    Varsis turned to Marsen Tanelbane, leader of the dozen spellweavers in the tent city. Tanelbane had been considered a hero after his performance at the Battle of Phantoms, so many months ago. His mute brother had died recently in battle, but that had only hardened Tanelbane to the Makini cause.


    ¡°So,¡± said Varsis. ¡°The flaming rocks failed to open the gates for us. Do you have any other ideas?¡±


    ¡°I think the reason the flaming rocks did not work was because the populace of Asan Paril was sheltered behind the walls, and could not see them clearly. We could readjust our catapults, to fling the ¡®meteors¡¯ over the walls, into the city proper. After an hour of that,¡± said Tanelbane, ¡°the citizens of Asan Paril should be begging their lords to open the gates.¡±


    ¡°But the lords won¡¯t listen to their common folk,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I know that much well. If we did that, we would be doing nothing more than hurting innocents, for no gain.¡± He paused. ¡°However, I authorize you to make the adjustments to the catapults, just in case I change my mind.¡±


    Marsen Tanelbane turned, and left him.


    Varsis looked out at Asan Paril. To his eyes, the city was so small it looked as if he could reach out with his metal left hand, and crush the life out of it.


    But he could not.


    Simple does not mean easy.


    ***


    Broken could no longer gain legal access to the Palace. He had tried, of course, the day after he had finished with the circle, and the day after that. But the guards would not let him in.


    Broken knew he could break it, but what was the point? Then he would have to get out, and that would be far more trouble that it was worth.


    Ishad had the same problem. Over the last two days, as the siege stagnated, after the rain of red, the two had met quite often.


    To some, it had been a great relief when news had come that the Minsu were marching to save them.


    Not so for Broken.


    Regardless of whether the Makini or the Minsu prevailed, Mai would still end up dead.


    Dead.


    What was the meaning of that word?


    It was a question Broken often wondered. It was desirable only to few, the miserable, who wished for an end to suffering, but, conversely, in death it was said that in death there was a great paradise, Elysium.


    Broken wondered why so many considered the passing of a person to that place was considered by so many a time to mourn.


    Events had conspired to strip Broken of his faith a long time ago, but he had always thought that for those who believed to mourn at a funeral was a contradiction, of sorts.


    But Broken, one who did not believe, was not about to let Mai die.


    If she was killed, that would mean he failed at everything that still mattered to him.


    Everything.


    Unequivocally.


    At that very moment, Broken was walking down a street, alone in a crowd of people. A sewer drain on the ground caught his eye, a sewer drain, that was the next part of his plan.


    It was day now, and Broken heard distant screams, that made it clear the Makini had launched an offensive of sorts, at the wall.


    Broken reached down, removed the sewer grate, and hopped within. He was noticed, of course, noticed by a great many people on the street.


    However, as Broken carefully replaced the grate above him, he knew they all thought he had legal, approved, business in the sewers. After all, who would want to go down there unless they were forced to fix something?


    The answer to that question, of course, was Broken.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    But it was rather unlikely any of the goers on the street, who did not wish to give the sewers more than passing notice, would come near to grasping the answer to that question.


    Pretend you have authority, and you¡¯re halfway to having it.


    The sewers were dark, with a ceiling approximately six feet high. Broken had four paths to choose from at his point of entry. Front, back, left, right.


    But first, Broken glanced down to see what he was dealing with. His boots stood upon a foot of sludge. The smell was noxious.


    Another man might have turned back at that moment, but Broken didn¡¯t even consider doing so.


    Excrement was just atmosphere, as far as he was concerned.


    Broken did a brief check, lasting no more than a split second, to make sure he had all his necessary gear. He wore all black, as usual, black leather body armor. His sword was at his left hip, and a long coiled rope with a hook at the end was at his right.


    That was all Broken needed.


    He trudged forward.


    It soon became quite dark, but Broken needed no candle. As long as there was the tiniest bit of light, from somewhere, he could see, even in situations that others would consider pitch black.


    As Broken walked, he placed himself on a mental map he was now drawing. He had broken into an office, two days ago, to memorize the official sewer plans, but he was acutely aware there was a difference between what the plans said, and what actually was there.


    In the near dankness, Broken walked though muck for quite some time. Left turn there, right turn there. And then, suddenly, he had reached the first of his objectives.


    From where he stood, the left sewer wall was cracked, cracked just enough for a man to slip through. The sewer plans had said that the area needed to be fixed.


    They, interestingly enough, also noted, that the reason the crack had grown, was one of the last things built onto the new sewer system, and had been built shoddily half a century ago, in an effort to get everything done as quickly as possible.


    The reason the wall was one of the last things built, was because it covered a connection to the old sewer system, a system that needed to remain partly operational until the new sewer system was complete.


    It was all rather technical, but Broken understood that by passing through the crack in the left wall, he would be entering a whole new maze.


    One with exciting new destinations.


    Broken squeezed through the crack.


    Through some cobwebs, Broken emerged in the old sewer system, the one nearly as old as the city itself.


    And the old sewer system was a whole different beast.


    This system was nearly as old as the city itself. There were parts built as recently as a century ago, but there were also parts built a millennia ago.


    And it was pitch black, completely and utterly. It was not just dim.


    The truth was, Broken could no longer see.


    Someone else would have turned back right then, gotten frightened, gotten lost, and set themselves on a path that would conclude with them dying, somewhere or another.


    But Broken was no someone else.


    Had he been someone else, someone else just as dedicated to his goals, Broken might have brought a lantern, in preparation for the pitch blackness he knew he would endure.


    But Broken had studied things from a variety of sources.


    And so he knew nature would provide a light to see by.


    This was not an abstract hope. Broken knew he would have a light source, soon enough.


    He feigned walking around in the darkness aimlessly for a while, being sure to make a lot of loud noises. He even screamed in horror. Twice.


    For he needed to entice his light source to come. He was quite a distance from where what he was looking for was, at least according to maps and charts.


    And then finally, it came. Broken could see the green light that heralded its arrival even before it turned the corner to where he stood, in the cave sewer.


    Broken headed to the bright green light steadily growing in intensity. He needed to deal with the thing a bit away from the location where he stood.


    Broken carefully walked perhaps two dozen feet, and looked around the corner.


    And there it was.


    In short, a twelve foot long, glowing green spider stared at Broken, through compound eyes.


    It was so huge it took up the entire length and width of the sewer.


    Broken had been hoping for one slightly smaller, but what he saw before him would do.


    The glowing spider snapped its mandibles, in preparation for a feast, that would never come. Broken drew his sword. The thing¡¯s story, the story of it, and all its brethren, was quite sad, really. It was just a spellweaver¡¯s experiment gone horribly wrong.


    For the truth of the matter was, nothing ever chose to be a giant, luminescent cave spider.


    The new sewer system had been constructed because cordoning the things off was the only way the lords of Asan Paril knew how to get rid of the things. Now, they were nothing more then legend. And, Broken, was rather sure, deprived of prey, they were starving.


    The culture, of sorts, that the spiders had was interesting. They would not eat a living fellow, by all accounts, though they would eat anything else. Also, they had an odd system of honor. If there was one prey, only one spider went after it. If there were two, there would be two, and so on.


    The good thing about that was, all Broken had to deal with was one spider.


    And so he refocused his attention to the task.


    The spider lunged, with its lumbering bulk, but Broken did not have the option of retreating. If he did, the corpse would not be where he needed it.


    And so, Broken charged.


    Eight glowing eyes studied Broken for a moment, but before the spider had decided on a course of action, Broken was upon it. In a split second, Broken¡¯s sword had found its way to his hand, and he chopped, severing the closest limb. Bright yellow fluid poured from the opening.


    And the spider was now enraged. With all its might, it slammed its body against the ceiling, causing rubble to pour down, which Broken ignored.


    As the spider set itself back down, Broken jumped upon its back, and cleaved off the thing¡¯s head.


    But the spider still moved, jerking, faster, and faster, as Broken carefully kept its balance on the thing¡¯s back.


    He had expected this. According to his sources, the spider¡¯s mind was interspersed throughout the body. All Broken had done by cutting off its head was blinded it and deafened it, and started the slow process of the spider starving to death, having no way to eat.


    But Broken wasn¡¯t going to wait for the thing to starve to death. He struck again and again from his vantage point, slicing off one thick green hairy limb with each stroke. Seven cuts later, the spider collapsed onto the ground, still quivering, but with no more legs left.


    Broken hopped off the spider, and straightened from his hunch to his full height. He then made several more cuts into the thing¡¯s body, which poured forth more yellow goo.


    And then, the thing stopped shuddering.


    Broken wiped off his sword on the wall, and replaced it in his sheath.


    He was safe now, after a fashion. According to his research, the cave spiders would not hunt one that killed one of their own.


    Broken saw that the dead spider¡¯s green light was now starting to fade, if slowly. He estimated it would be about three hours before the glow was gone.


    More than enough time for Broken to do what he had to.


    Broken picked up a long, glowing limb, and placed it around the back of his neck. Light shone from it, more than enough to see by.


    Broken allowed himself an inward smile. Nature had provided.


    He then turned back, and walked until he had reached again the crack in the wall. And then he walked in the other direction.


    The sewer sloped down, and as it did so, it seemed ever more as a cave. Much of the walls floor, and ceiling had rusted away.


    Then, as Broken passed another point, through another small gap, he knew he was out of the sewer system entirely, and instead, within an adjoining cave system.


    It was not long after that point when he saw a pinprick of light in the distance.


    Broken tossed the limb, nearly dull by this point, to the side, and headed to that light.


    To reach it, Broken had to climb up a steep thin slope, far too small for the spiders to squeeze through, which explained why they had remained trapped.


    And then he was out.


    As he expected, Broken found himself on a hillside, overlooking the curled tent city of the Makini. If he told the Asan Paril commanders of the tunnel, forces could be maneuvered through the tunnels to attack the Makini from behind. But that was not what Broken¡¯s plan entailed. Not at all.

 Chapter 58: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

    Broken walked down from the hill, at the tents. He had made it more than halfway to the Makini camp, walking at a slow, steady pace, when a sentry finally stopped him.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked the sentry, noting Broken¡¯s fine, yet dirty attire, and gazing for a moment at the sword at his waist.


    ¡°One who wishes to speak to General Varsis,¡± said Broken.


    The sentry paused, considering.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    The strength of Broken¡¯s voice was such that the sentry began to turn and lead Broken to the camp before he remembered his place.


    ¡°What is your business here?¡± he asked. Noting Broken¡¯s black attire, he asked, ¡°Are you one of us?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to have to take you in.¡±


    ¡°By all means.¡±


    The two slowly began to walk to the Makini base camp. When they reached the area, Broken saw Varsis riding by on his horse, oblivious to them.


    Broken whistled sharply.


    Varsis turned, recognized him, and dismounted with such speed it startled all nearby, including the sentry.


    ¡°You know him, general?¡± asked the soldier.


    Varsis didn¡¯t reply directly. He made a few gestures, and thirty or so Makini soldiers quickly formed a ring around Broken, Varsis, and the sentry.


    Varsis then dismissed the sentry, who quickly hurried back to his post.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Broken?¡± asked the general.


    Like Varsis to the sentry, Broken did not reply directly. ¡°I see you failed on this day¡¯s assault,¡± he said, noting that despite the sounds of earlier bloodshed, it was quite clear Varsis¡¯ forces had been repulsed.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked Varsis again. ¡°Do not respond, and I will have my men take you in, and you will not have a chance to answer that question for a long time to come.¡±


    ¡°I am here because, due to a twist of fate, we both share objectives,¡± said Broken. ¡°We both wish to bring down the Asan Paril government.¡±


    ¡°Why would you wish to do that?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Because I am Maiako as Arathou del Tachen¡¯s protector, and as of right now, Lord Varad Savel holds her prisoner against her will.¡±


    ¡°You do know,¡± said Varsis, ¡°that besides capturing the city, I seek to capture the Princess, as well.¡±


    ¡°And kill her,¡± said Broken. ¡°I know. But I believe that if I lead you into the city, I will be able to rescue the Princess during the fighting, and get her away from both you and Varad.¡±


    ¡°So you wish to propose a temporary alliance?¡± asked Varsis. ¡°Assuming you can somehow get Makini forces past the White Walls, which I doubt, you then plan to flee from us, and save your princess, while we try to both stop you and take the city of Asan Paril?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°That is truly an interesting proposition,¡± said Varsis, ¡°one I might actually be inclined to accept, if I thought you were telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°How do you think I came at you from your back flank?¡± asked Broken. ¡°There is a secret passageway. And, more than that, there is no hidden trap. If I truly was on the side of the Paril, I would have shown them the passageway, and they would have surprised you from behind, and destroyed you.¡±


    ¡°A passageway, you say?¡± asked Varsis.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Broken. ¡°A series of cave tunnels, that lead to the Asan Paril sewer system, that lead right to the heart of the city, completely bypassing the White Walls. I care not about divulging this information as, without me to lead you, your soldiers would easily become lost.¡±


    ¡°Why am I starting to believe you are telling the truth?¡± asked Varsis, with a somewhat amazed expression on his face.


    ¡°Because this is too well planned out to be a ruse. I know as well as you, that your Makini cannot afford to delay, with the Minsu marching here at full speed. And, with the failure of your morning campaign, it seems you have no alternative.¡±


    Varsis studied Broken carefully. ¡°You are truly a bold man,¡± he said. ¡°Deal struck.¡±


    ¡°Even if the Princess gets away,¡± said Broken, ¡°you will still have Asan Paril firmly under your thumb, wall intact, when the Minsu get here, so I doubt you will be sorry.¡±


    The next few hours were an odd buzz of activity. Varsis kept Broken close at hand, and guarded, but taking Broken wherever he went meant that Broken was able to watch Varsis in action.


    As preparations were made, and maps of the city were unfurled, Broken pointed to the location on the map of the modern sewers that the Makini would come to through the crack.


    Based on that, a variety of plans were decided.


    And then, as the sun began to draw low in the sky, a thousand Makini marched away from Asan Paril, up the hill, and to the sewer drain, with Varsis and Broken at their lead. If the first thousand were successful, more would be requested by runners, and the bunk of the Makini army would be sent through the sewers.


    Broken brushed away branches at the small cave mouth, and pointed, looking back at Varsis, his spellweaver advisor, Marsen Tanelbane, who stood beside him, and the long line of Makini troops that stretched back almost as far as the eye could see. A tree formation shielded the troops on the White Wall from seeing the Makini forces move.


    Varsis eyed the small hole, incredulously. ¡°You had better not be lying,¡± he told Broken.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    And so, Broken led the way down into the caves.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Once the floor leveled out, the Makini gathered, and made the cave their own. Lanterns were lit until the whole area was as bright as day, and placed at strategic points, in preparation for the coming of reinforcements. The Makini soldiers filled the cave even more fully than the spider ever hand. At the point where they had stopped to gather, only perhaps the first hundred could even fit within the cave.


    Then, when all was ready, Varsis signaled for Broken to continue.


    And so, Broken led the massive army forward. Together, they passed from the cave system into the old sewer system, as a long, straggly line.


    When they reached the crack in the wall, that led from the old sewer system to the new, Broken paused. He listened, until he heard the faint chewing noise he had expected. Then, Broken said, ¡°We are here. This crack leads to the sewer system on your maps.¡±


    Varsis looked at Broken, then called for a map, and a lantern to see by. Broken pinpointed their location.


    ¡°Well,¡± said Varsis. ¡°It seems you have delivered us well.¡± He looked back. ¡°Send runners!¡± he called. ¡°Move more of the army through the tunnels! We have reached the promised land.¡±


    He then looked at Broken, his joy turning sinister. ¡°And if you remember the deal correctly, this is where we part our alliance.¡±


    ¡°It is indeed,¡± said Broken, nodding, as Makini troops moved around him.


    From around the far corner of the cave, Broken heard the munching stop. The faint green aura from that direction began to become much more pronounced.


    The truth was, Broken had not just killed the spider as a light source. He had killed the spider, because he knew the carcass would lure another spider, to feast.


    Whereupon, that new spider would hear the army, and set its sights on bigger goals.


    That spider¡¯s attack upon the soldiers would be Broken¡¯s deliverance, and provide the distraction he needed, to escape. Said spider began to turn the corner, and all around, there were gasps from the Makini.


    There was a certain satisfaction Broken felt, as his plan came together.


    The green cave spider charged the troops, clacking its mandibles, moving at a speed that was startling for its size.


    And as Varsis barked orders, as the troops drew their weapons with a sudden clatter, and Marsen Tanelbane created a ball of energy to throw at the thing, Broken affected his escape.


    The soldiers around him were simply not prepared. Their eyes were on the spider, and he was sure they thought that he was gaping in horror with them.


    Broken drew his sword, in one fluid motion, and, in the briefest of seconds, moved from a standing position to a full out run in the direction of the small opening.


    As a variety of things happened, Broken forced his mind to consider things as if they were happening very slowly.


    First, Marsen¡¯s ball of brilliant white energy slammed hard into one of the spider¡¯s joints, disintegrating a limb, but only increasing the spider¡¯s momentum.


    Second, a single guard managed to get between Broken and the exit.


    Third, the spider slammed into the barely-prepared Makini positions, and Broken heard a scream as the spider used two arms to whip one of the soldiers off his feet and into a set of waiting mandibles. Blood spattered everywhere, as the soldier was almost instantaneously chewed and swallowed.


    Fourth, the guard in Broken¡¯s way drew his sword in a single, fluid motion, even as Broken ran to him. The guard set into a perfect copy of Tiger stance.


    The man was talented. Broken was unlucky now, as he had always been.


    But one didn¡¯t need luck, when one had skill.


    As the fractions of a second passed, Broken knew he had to decipher a way to defeat the soldier who stood between him and freedom. Others in his situation might have been encouraging their minds to think rapidly.


    Broken forced his mind to think rapidly.


    Perfect stance implies a man who is used to traditional tactics, who thinks of everything as an exercise. I need to do something that seems conventional, so that he will believe he knows the appropriate counter, but in truth, is something quite irregular, so I will be able to surprise and defeat him.


    Broken attempted to cut into the soldier¡¯s defenses with a standard Rainbow Arc, and when the man quickly began to counter, Broken moved into the traditional counter-counter, which involved an overhand swing.


    And then, as the Makini adjusted what was to be his block, to compensate, Broken kicked him solidly in the chest.


    The man flew to the ground. He was not dead, merely stunned, but Broken still could have killed the man if he wished.


    He chose not to. There was no point.


    As the cave spider killed another Makini, but overextended, and seemed on the verge of being brought down, Broken passed through the crack in the wall.


    On the other side, in the dim light, he sheathed his sword, even as he heard the final cries of the spider, as it died.


    Broken then started running for an exit.


    There was no pursuit. Varsis wasn¡¯t stupid. He knew chasing one man was not worth risking detection before everything was ready for the attack on Asan Paril from below.


    Broken found a drain, and snuck up to the streets, as the sun was beginning to set above him.


    He brushed himself off, and returned to his villa. There, his three servants awaited him within the entrance room. Broken was glad to note that the three of them stood well away from his circle of holy sand.


    ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± he told the three. ¡°You are all now unemployed.¡±


    ¡°But why, sir?¡± asked Gan, the butler.


    ¡°Because a variety of things will take place in this city, this very night, and one way or another, in the morning, I will be gone.¡± Broken paused. ¡°You do not want to remain in this villa, as it will be a focal point. Indeed, I do not expect there to be much villa left in the morning.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± asked the cook.


    ¡°The Makini will take this city tonight,¡± said Broken. ¡°I can guarantee that. I suggest that you three find a safe place to hide until the fighting is over.¡±


    After that, it did not take long for the servants to pack their bags and disappear. Gan was the last to remain.


    ¡°I will not pretend to understand how you know what you told us, sir,¡± he said, holding two large suitcases. ¡°However, you have been kind to me and my fellow servants, and so, I believe you are a good man.¡±


    Gan looked over at the inscribed circle. ¡°Whatever it is you are planning,¡± he said, ¡°it is my hope that you remain safe.¡±


    ¡°I will try, Gan Lotal,¡± said Broken. ¡°That is all I can promise you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±


    And so, Broken¡¯s last servant left him, leaving him alone in an empty house.


    He picked up his Book of Aden, and double checked all the enchantments he had set up around the circle. He was no spellweaver, but there were many different forms of magic. Enchantments from the Book of Aden were within Broken¡¯s ability to cast.


    When he was done, Broken placed the Book of Aden within the circle, along with the two remaining jars of holy sand. He then got up, and left the consecrated ground.


    Broken found the Symbol he had gotten from the witch Felixi, and placed it around his neck, as the Priest-Lord Ralad had done so long ago. Broken then found a cloak, and put it on, to cover what he wore.


    Broken then went about the task of changing his boots, and cleaning his sword, and sheath. The muck from the sewers, and the guts of the cave spider had gotten them both quite dirty, and Broken saw no reason to leave himself in that state. He had time, if only a little.


    When he was done, Broken knew it was time to put the next phase of his plan into action.


    The rescue was to begin.


    Broken left the house. He first headed to Ishad¡¯s villa. When Broken reached the building, Ishad himself, opened the door, and not a butler. He quickly let Broken in.


    ¡°Go to my villa,¡± Broken told him, handing Ishad the keys. ¡°Do not go near the circle, or if Mai dies, it will most likely be your fault.¡±


    ¡°The circle?¡± Ishad repeated.


    ¡°You will know what I am talking about,¡± said Broken. ¡°Once inside, lock all the doors, and let no one in but me, no matter what the circumstances.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± asked Ishad. ¡°What kind of circumstances?¡±


    ¡°You will know what I am talking about.¡± Broken looked carefully at the beleaguered Ishad. ¡°Go, now.¡±


    ¡°What will you be doing?¡± asked Ishad.


    ¡°Rescuing the princess.¡± Broken fixed Ishad with an intimidating stare. ¡°Go.¡±


    And Ishad turned and fled, out of the building, presumably to heed Broken¡¯s instructions.


    Broken watched him go, checked to make sure he was headed in the right direction, told Ishad¡¯s servants that they should probably be getting to a safe place, and left.


    Broken began to walk for the Palace. It was now almost completely dark, and so Broken walked quickly. He had to get to the Palace before the Makini effected their operation.


    Eventually, when Broken had reached the outer Palace gates, he knew he had succeeded in that. He paused, for the briefest of moments, considering carefully his next steps, and how they related to the plan as a larger whole.


    Broken looked all around. Up until this point, everything had played out as he had foreseen. There was no reason for his plan to fail now.


    However, Broken knew a fundamental truth: no future was set in stone.


    As plans could come together, so too could plans fall apart.

 Chapter 59: What a Tangled Web We Weave

    A knock came on the door of Mai¡¯s prison.


    Of course, it was not a prison in some senses of the word; there were no chains, there were no bars. But there was a door locked on the outside, guarded by eight armed men. That was enough for Mai to consider her apartments a prison.


    The knock was rather strange, as, considering Mai was confined. She thought for a moment, considering, as she stared out the window, magically sealed. Mai had maneuvered her chair so that she could sit, and enjoy the view of the early night sky.


    The knock came a second time, louder.


    Should I answer? Mai wondered. The door was locked from the outside, so she couldn¡¯t even open the door.


    Whoever wanted to see her had to know that.


    This was all some sort of cruel joke.


    Mai decided to stay where she was.


    And yet the knocking persisted, louder, and louder, until it so irritated Mai she could not stand it any longer. She got up, and walked over to the door, not really expecting the knocking to go away, but hoping, nevertheless.


    Mai turned the handle, and the door opened outwards.


    Savel is Varad stood there, surrounded by stone-faced guards. ¡°You certainty took your time, Princess. Whatever was the reason?¡±


    ¡°I did not believe this door would open,¡± Mai responded.


    ¡°And yet it has,¡± said Savel. ¡°There was something odd I noticed about you. The door was never locked. The guards outside would have forced you back into you apartments if you tried to leave, but still, the door was never locked.¡± He paused. ¡°And after I shut you within, you never tried the door, not once.¡±


    ¡°I simply realized that to try to leave would be pointless,¡± said Mai coolly.


    ¡°And yet,¡± said Savel, ¡°you did not try the door to check it, not even once. You merely assumed it was locked. Why would you do that, I wonder?¡±


    Mai prayed Savel would not be able to put the pieces together.


    And yet, he did.


    ¡°You are used to such treatment,¡± said Savel, after a beat. ¡°I was not the only person you were naughty with. Perhaps¡­your father and I shared more opinions about you than I thought.¡±


    Mai suddenly found herself able to take no more. ¡°My father was a good man!¡± she shouted at Savel. ¡°He was the Emperor! You are nothing like him. Nothing!¡±


    Savel took a step forward, into the room, and forced Mai a step back.


    ¡°If you truly believe that,¡± he said, ¡°you are a sad, sad little girl. Daddy didn¡¯t love you. Daddy put up with you, because he couldn¡¯t get his real wife pregnant. What do you think would have happened, had the Empress provided her husband with a bouncing baby boy? You would have been thrown away like yesterday¡¯s garbage. For indeed, that is what you are.¡±


    ¡°I am no such thing¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course you are,¡± said Savel. ¡°If you really followed the Codes of Sara, you would have killed yourself by now. And yet, you did not, showing yourself to be the pathetic commoner bastard child that you really are. You can¡¯t even attempt to follow a higher moral standard, can you?¡±


    Savel looked at Mai, who by now had shrunk back a few more steps.


    ¡°I would slap you, but I would not dare sully my hand with your filth. Do you know something?¡± he asked. ¡°In the past few hours, rumors have spread that the Makini have found a way to breach the walls, and before the night is out, Asan Paril will fall. And do you know who started such rumors?¡±


    Mai took yet another step back, and she found herself nearly pressed up against the window.


    Savel had conquered the room around her. Mai said nothing, her head hanging a little. Her hair, usually carefully combed back, spread across the front of her face. A bit came near her eye, but Mai didn¡¯t bother to brush it away. She said nothing.


    Savel seemed fine without an answer.


    ¡°The malicious lies,¡± he said, ¡°with aim for nothing more than a general and unfounded panic, were traced back to their source easily, once I told my agents what direction to look in. The lies were traced back to rumors started by the servants at the villas of Ishad and Broken.¡±


    Savel looked at Mai, and straightened, looking every inch a dignified noble.


    Looking every inch like the most evil man Mai had ever seen. Varsis just wanted to kill her. Savel wanted to destroy her more completely than that.


    ¡°Your lover and your bodyguard seemed to think the best way to set you free is to incite unrest,¡± said Savel. ¡°How wrong they are. Asan Paril will remain strong, until the Minsu come, and then, I will do with you what I will.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°There are some papers you will sign, some public statements you will be forced to make in support of Emperor Ehajdon¡¯s government,¡± said Savel. ¡°And then, when that is done, you will quietly disappear. Forever. That is your fate.¡±


    Mai couldn¡¯t even look at Savel anymore. She didn¡¯t have the strength. Three days of being confined to the room, after everything fell apart, followed by Savel¡¯s verbal abuse¡­


    Mai just didn¡¯t have the strength anymore.


    ¡°Another, if they heard that, would end their life, with all due haste, before allowing themselves to be used,¡± said Savel. ¡°But I don¡¯t need to worry about that, do I? You¡¯re too afraid to kill yourself. You are a pathetic weakling, who has not the slightest clue about what things really matter in the real world. Noblewomen obey the Codes of Sara. You are not a noblewoman. You are a disgrace, and a traitor.¡±


    Mai finally looked up again, to see Savel steadily advancing towards her. She had no idea what he intended to do, but there was a sadistic smile on his face.


    And then, a white-clad guard rushed into the room.


    Whatever kind of atmosphere had been developing, it quickly broke apart as Savel turned to the new arrival.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he demanded. ¡°You do know, if there is not a good reason for your presence, you will never step foot inside the Palace again!¡±


    But then, Mai noticed something Savel did not. The man¡¯s face was nearly as white as his attire.


    A moment later, Savel noticed as much as well. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, man?¡± he asked, speaking not quite as hard as he had before.


    ¡°The Makini are here,¡± said the messenger.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Savel.


    ¡°They got past the walls, somehow,¡± said the soldier. ¡°They¡¯re in the city. Hundreds of them, and more seem to be coming with every passing moment.¡±


    Now it was Savel¡¯s turn to have his face turn white.


    ¡°There¡¯s one other thing, sir,¡± said the man. ¡°A note was tacked to the Palace gate, one that was found only minutes ago, just before the Makini arrived. It said, ¡®now you know the lengths to which I will go.¡¯ It was signed by one who called himself Broken.¡±


    Savel took a jagged breath, and rocked in place for a moment.


    He then, with the messenger, rushed to the door. As the messenger disappeared into the hall, Savel paused by the doorway, and turned back to Mai.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you,¡± he said savagely, and slammed the door shut, shouting, ¡°Lock it!¡±


    And then Mai was alone again. Confused, and curious, she walked over to her window, and looked down on what was below.


    The Palace grounds were cordoned off, and within them there was order, but beyond, out into the city, Mai could here screaming. And below, even though no Makini could yet be seen, the streets were in chaos, with people running everywhere.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Mai didn¡¯t know what to think. Somehow, Broken had found a way to get the Makini into the city, that much she knew.


    However, Mai didn¡¯t understand how Broken thought letting the Makini into the city would help save her.


    She was startled out of her reverie by a tap at the closed window right before her. Mai looked up again. She blinked, trying to figure out if what she saw was real.


    Broken hovered in front of the window, perhaps thirty feet above the ground. Mai looked at his waist, and gained a small bit of understanding, as she saw he was tethered by his waist to a rope that hung from something above.


    But how did he expect to get through the window? It was still magically sealed.


    Nevertheless, as Broken gestured her to open the shutters, Mai complied. The air breezed in, but Mai knew nothing organic could do the same. She was so close to rescue, and yet, so far away.


    Broken brushed a black-gloved hand against the barrier, and, with a shower of sparks, he was repulsed.


    But then, Broken reached into a pouch, took out a large bag of sand, and slowly poured the contents out over the invisible barrier.


    As the sand burnt up against the barrier, it hissed, smoked, and, with a flash of blue light, seemed to disintegrate. Broken put the pouch away. He reached through the window again, and this time, his hand made it through.


    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Mai. ¡°How did you¡­¡±


    ¡°Holy sand,¡± said Broken. ¡°It doesn¡¯t just disintegrate dark magic, it disintegrates any magic that isn¡¯t holy. As I expected, that enchantment wasn¡¯t blessed.¡±


    Mai continued to stare. ¡°If you could get me out all along,¡± she asked, ¡°why didn¡¯t you get me out sooner? Why did you let the Makini in?¡±


    ¡°So you know that was my doing,¡± said Broken, rather calmly, as he swayed thirty feet above the air, in the middle of a rescue attempt. He looked at her. ¡°I needed a distraction.¡±


    Mai was still incredulous. ¡°Breaking the siege was your idea of a distraction?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Broken looked at her. ¡°You coming, or not?¡± He held out both his arms, and Mai, moving through the large window, put herself in them.


    As Mai looked down at the tiny ground below her, Broken held her tight, with a single arm. With the other, he began to pull them up, to the roof, where the rope was anchored.


    A few minutes later, Broken was on the roof, and pulled Mai up with him.


    Mai looked around. The roof here was flat, and empty. Stone gargoyles circled the parameter of the roof, and indeed, it was to one of them that Broken attacked his grappling hook.


    As Broken ripped the hook of his chosen gargoyle¡¯s ear, Mai noted that the only exit from the roof was a single set of stairs leading down.


    She turned to Broken. ¡°You rescued me, and now we¡¯re going to escape by walking through the whole of the Palace?¡±


    The stars twinkled around them, mocking.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken, as he reattached the grappling hook to his waist.


    Up from the set of stairs came two sentries. They saw Broken and Mai, and, clearly having orders, ran at him, drawing their swords. Broken drew his own.


    As Mai backed up against a winged gargoyle, Broken rushed past her, and met the two men in the center of the roof.


    Wind ripped all around as Mai heard Broken engage the two men. The wind made the noises of the clash of swords distant.


    Mai didn¡¯t know what Broken was doing. Doesn¡¯t he have a better plan then just fighting every Paril soldier that he sees?


    But what was odd about the fighting, was that it seemed Broken was being steadily forced back against the combined pressure of two blades, back in the direction of Mai.


    Mai knew enough about swordsmanship to know that the two sentries were nothing special. After Broken¡¯s performance against Savel, Mai would have thought he could have dispatched the two he faced now with much more ease.


    It was almost as if he was waiting for something, before using his full abilities. Broken¡¯s style was defensive. By now, the sentries had forced Broken into fighting within ten feet of Mai.


    She turned her head elsewhere, not knowing what to do, and looked back at the set of stairs, as up from them climbed a single man. A single man Mai noticed very quickly to be no man at all.


    It was Eton.


    ¡°Fancy meeting you here, dear,¡± he said to Mai, once he had fully ascended.


    At that moment, Broken and the sentries stopped fighting, as all three heads turned as one to the newcomer.


    Eton¡¯s body blurred, and he seemed to move forward without walking, move forward at an incredible speed.


    In an instant, he was right up beside Broken.


    Broken backed away, for some reason sheathing his sword. The two Paril guards did much the same.


    But it was too late for them. Far too late. Eton seemed insistent on finishing them off before he went after Mai and Broken.


    He blurred up to one guard, just as that man reached the very edge of the roof, and pushed him off. Then he blurred over to the other guard, and, before the other man could react, did the same.


    Mai was entranced in terror, but Broken was not. Moving rapidly himself, he did something Mai had never expected him to do.


    As Eton turned to them, Broken grasped Mai around the waist, and, with her, leapt off the roof, to the cultivated Palace gardens below.


    Mai had a perfect view of the ground when it happened. Now, they were even higher up than three stories. They had to be fifty feet above the tiny flowers, plants, and cobblestone walkways below.


    Mai had no idea what Broken was doing, and so, as she fell, she thought she was going to die, right then and there.


    She should have known better.


    For even as they fell, even as the ground rushed to them, Broken was in action. In the split seconds that followed, he positioned his body in a certain way, readjusted his grip on Mai carefully, in accordance to a plan only he knew.


    And then, suddenly, with a jerk, they were on the ground. Broken landed on three limbs, with one arms supporting Mai over his back. They had landed in a small bed of roses.


    Mai rolled off Broken, and got to her feet, as he did the same.


    She looked at the way up, at the roof, where a small figure, made even smaller by the distance, watched them carefully, silhouetted by night.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Mai asked Broken.


    ¡°I forced myself to,¡± he responded.


    ¡°But¡­that was fifty feet.¡±


    ¡°We have to go,¡± said Broken, and Mai saw that the small watching figure was now gone.


    ¡°It will take some time for Eton to get through the Palace, and get to us,¡± said Broken. ¡°But we have to go now.¡±


    And, so, almost simultaneously, they started running for the fence. Once they reached it, Broken was able to somehow catapult Mai over, and be there to catch her on the other side.


    Broken then looked around the street, in chaos.


    As he did so, Mai asked him, ¡°Why did you wait on the rooftop?¡±


    ¡°I was baiting Eton.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I knew the demon would come, and I needed him to chase us.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Because I need to lead him to a very certain place.¡±


    Mai would have asked what that place was, but she suddenly found herself very preoccupied.


    As the pedestrians on the street tried to flee, a thing turned the corner.


    Not a demon. This didn¡¯t look human in appearance. It was perhaps eight feet high, twice as long, and¡­was a giant glowing green spider.


    Mai looked at Broken, horrified, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t look the least bit surprised.


    ¡°What is that?¡± she whispered, as, while she and Broken just stood by the fence, all others fled before it. Left to right, the giant green spider was about to pass right in front of them, and yet, Broken stayed where he was, leaving Mai no choice but to follow his lead.


    ¡°Cave spider,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a cave!¡±


    ¡°They must have opened up the crack wider,¡± said Broken.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Long story short,¡± said Broken, ¡°it¡¯s my fault. And, no, it has nothing to do with the Makini.¡±


    Broken seemed to be waiting for something, even as the spider drew ever nearer. Mai watched it fling up an Asan Paril guard with a leg, and chew him to shreds.


    Sickened, Mai turned away, unable to watch. ¡°Why are we just standing here?¡± she asked. ¡°The spider¡¯s coming, and the demon¡¯s after us!¡±


    Broken looked surprisingly nonchalant. ¡°We¡¯re waiting for just the right moment,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Just as the green cave spider began to pass before them, completely oblivious to their passive presence, Broken scooped Mai up into his arms, and rushed at the overgrown thing.


    Broken reached a leg, and somehow was able to hop from it to the thing¡¯s back, and then, before the cave spider could do a thing to stop him, Broken jumped from its back, up to the roof of an adjacent building.


    On the building, from her vantage point in Broken¡¯s arms, Mai saw that Asan Paril was a flat and unassuming city. Behind them the Palace, loomed tall, and around them, so did the White Walls, but most of the other buildings, such as the one Broken was now on the roof of, were squat, box-shaped two story villas.


    Mai had little time to look though. She turned her head back to the spider, to see an impossible sight.


    Once second the spider was happily rampaging, the next, it was a burning carcass. Mai saw a tiny Eton put away one of his oft used vials. Then, the demon looked up, and spotted her.


    Eton smiled, and rushed to a ladder leaning against the side of the building Broken stood on.


    For a moment, Mai thought she had to do something, and quick, but it was only a second before Broken realized he had to move.


    As Mai watched Eton clear his head over the roof, Broken ran forward, with Mai in her arms, even as she continued to look back at the pursuit.


    As Broken reached the very edge of the roof, and had nowhere else to run to, he took a great leap, and cleared the distance, and landed on the next.


    Mai realized how Broken intended to use the masses of flat-roofed houses to help them. They were set up like a massive board, a massive gird. And so, unimpeded by the chaos below, Broken could jump from one roof to another.


    And that, it seemed, was what he was intent on doing.


    Broken continued to run as he held Mai, run and jump from one roof to the next, and then the next. Behind him, across the rooftops, Eton blurred to catch up, but when the demon jumped from rooftop to rooftop in pursuit, he did so at a normal speed.


    And so, Broken managed to stay ahead.


    But only just.


    As the demon caught up, got within five feet of them, and continued to blur forward, Broken leaped off the roof, and landed in a crouch on the street twenty feet below.


    That would have been incredible, had it not been preceded by a jump from more than twice the height.


    In the street, amongst the screaming people, and to the sound of distant rhythmic Makini marchers, Broken rushed from one side to the other, to a very particular villa.


    Mai recognized it as his. Broken set her down as he calmly knocked at the door. Mai looked back through the crowd of people.


    Eton was nowhere to be seen, but Mai knew he was coming. He was coming.


    As there was no answer to the door, Broken set himself into a fighting stance, and pulled back an arm, as if he was about to punch the door of its hinges.


    That proved not to be necessary, as a startled Ishad opened the door. As Broken immediately brushed past him, his eyes fell on Mai.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± Ishad said. ¡°I was so worried¡­¡±


    But Broken broke off their encounter by yanking Mai within the threshold of the door. She looked all around. The entrance room had been cleared of all furniture, and it was dominated by a giant circle of sand inscribed on the floor. Within the circle were two glass jars, filled with more sand, and a small, leather bound book.


    ¡°Get to the far side of the room!¡± Broken shouted at Ishad and Mai, as he faced the open door, and set himself into a deep crouch fighting stance.


    Even as Mai rushed around the circle, and huddled against the far wall with Ishad, she had to wonder what Broken intended. If he thought he could fight the demon, why hadn¡¯t he done so on the rooftop?


    And then, a blur moved to the open front door, and slowed.


    Broken took a step back, and thus Mai could see the new arrival. Ever more horrifying than the scene of chaos on the street behind him, was what had just walked through that door.


    Eton.

 Chapter 60: Exorcism

    What is fear? Broken wondered.


    Like all emotions, fear brokered rash decisions. But what make fear special?


    Oddly or, perhaps, reasonably, Broken knew the answer. He had been given so much time to think of an answer, once. More time than anyone would have ever wanted to ask for.


    Fear is the emotion of weakness. No matter what the situation, there is no cause to fear. What is, is, and cool calculated logical thinking is the best way to change the status quo.


    Broken had used logical thinking. It had brought him to this moment, with a demon at the door, and Ishad and Mai huddled against the far wall.


    And yet, for so many reasons, everything was perfectly under control.


    Broken took a step back, and feigned an emotion. He feigned fear, so that Eton would become more cocky. And those who are cocky make mistakes.


    ¡°Hello, Broken,¡± said Eton. ¡°Shall I kill you now, or shall I first kill Mai?¡± He paused. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with you first.¡±


    Broken took another step back, then another, and Eton kept moving forward. Their gazes were locked. Broken slowly began to reach for his sword, and Eton laughed.


    The demon abruptly stopped laughing when he looked down, and saw the circle he had walked into.


    ¡°What is this?¡± asked Eton.


    Broken moved his hand away from his sword, and allowed himself a small smile. ¡°Something I had to do, Eton,¡± he said. ¡°For I to escape with my charges, you needed to be taken out of the picture. Otherwise, you are too much of a risk, too much of an open variable.¡±


    ¡°So you intend to dispel me?¡± asked Eton.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Broken¡¯s hands flashed before his chest, forming certain symbols. The symbols that were inscribed all around the circle.


    A hum filled the air, as Eton stood there, unable to prevent the fate that was to befall him.


    Broken completed the last symbol, and set his arms down. He knew that his eyes were white now, bright white.


    Eton easily saw that. He looked frightened.


    Broken lifted the two jars of sand above his head. He muttered a word, a single word, and they shattered. The exposed sand now floated throughout the circle, and Broken felt a rush of power.


    He and Eton began to float, perhaps a foot in the air, as Ishad and Mai huddled together, and watched them.


    There was a building sound, there was no other way to describe it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what you are doing!¡± shouted Eton, above the ethereal wind. ¡°You¡¯ll kill yourself!¡±


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± said Broken, as his hair rustled.


    ¡°You pulled out all the stops!¡± said Eton. ¡°You added every option to the exorcism. You didn¡¯t hold anything back! This will kill you!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have any choice,¡± said Broken, as his cloak flew off, revealing the massive Symbol he wore around his neck. ¡°Other exorcism measures completely failed, so I needed something stronger. And besides, I will not die.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± shouted Eton, because for now that was the only way he could be heard, as he seemed to be waning. ¡°All that power running through you, it will be your end!¡±


    ¡°There is always a shred of hope for me,¡± said Broken. ¡°And so, I will reach for that chance. And because I will give myself no other choice, I will live.¡±


    Eton looked at him, confused.


    ¡°You, however,¡± said Broken, ¡°will not.¡±


    The power flooded Broken, as he shouted, ¡°Aden!¡±


    The book of Aden flew to his hands, and Broken exposed to burning holy power, forced himself to read.


    He took comfort from the fact that Eton seemed to be in as much pain as he was in.


    The pair floated up higher as Broken intoned. All through the villa, windows shattered. And Broken knew that was only the beginning.


    The walls blew out, but before the ceiling could fall upon them, it blew away too, thrown by the howling tornado of wind.


    And Broken and Eton rose ever higher, as a stunned Ishad and Mai cowered on the ground, pressed to the ground by the tornado¡¯s force.


    When the two of them were a hundred feet up in the air, the tornado stopped blowing them upwards, and simply swirled around them.


    Through the tornado¡¯s walls, Broken as he read, could see the city of Asan Paril around them. He could see the Makini and the Paril, and even another pair of green cave spiders, fighting, running, and for a moment, all pausing to look at the gargantuan tornado that was forming in the center of their city.


    And then, they all went back to their personal horrors.


    Broken filled himself with new dedication, even as he felt his skin begin to slowly flake off.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    He had to finish this.


    Broken chanted the remaining verses, and then, the Book of Aden burst into flames and disintegrated within his very hands, overwhelmed by the power it had unleashed.


    Below him, though Broken could not see it, he knew that the inscribed circle had blown to dust. The enchantment was fully activated, and there was no turning back now.


    Eton screamed in pain, and Broken, seeing no reason not to do the same, screamed with him.


    White was everywhere, and existence seemed to disintegrate. All was agony, but Broken welcomed the agony, took it in, and surpassed it. Sheer will kept him alive, in a moment when his soul should have departed. Sheer will kept him alive to continue to suffer.


    But the truth was, this was not the worst Broken had endured. Not at all. Not by far.


    Why did a man who did not believe in an afterlife risk his soul, his very being, in such a way?


    Broken had sworn to protect Mai, and no matter what the cost, he never broke a promise.


    Following the oath he had sworn to had led to the Makini within Asan Paril. It had led to the unleashing of the spiders, and it had led to the creation of the tornado, which was even now probably blowing away every structure in a good portion of the city, even as inhabitants, forced to the ground, watched in horror.


    Such was Broken¡¯s commitment to his word.


    Mai had once teased him about that, and Broken had accepted her comments, without making an argument.


    Why?


    Because Broken did not hold to his moral standard for the sake of others. Even if the whole world thought his beliefs were a joke, Broken would still preserve, and uphold oaths at any and all cost.


    Why?


    Because Broken needed something to believe in.


    Events in the past had striped away all of Broken¡¯s faith in anyone or anything but himself.


    And he could not let himself down.


    The pain was excruciating. It tried to convince him to give up, to give up and let death wash over him.


    Let the world rage against me. Let every man, woman, child, and beast in this world wish me ill. But I will endure.


    Why?


    Because I must.


    Suddenly, the pain, the tornado, it was all gone. And Broken had the distinct sensation of not being dead.


    What he was, however, was a hundred feet up in the air, and plummeting ever faster down at his ruined villa.


    But then, the gentle remnants of the tornado caught him, and set him, on his back, gently down.


    And in an instant, Broken was back up, and on his feet.


    He looked around. For a hundred feet in every direction, all buildings were flattened to the ground. The Palace, just outside of that radius, still calmly stood.


    All around, the people picked themselves up from the ground, unharmed, due to the nature of the spell. They picked themselves up, and remembered that Asan Paril was still being attacked, was still about to fall. And so, in short order, they resumed running, to whatever place they thought would be safe.


    Broken walked over to where Ishad and Mai lay on the ground, and helped them up.


    ¡°What was that?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°What it took to end Eton,¡± said Broken, calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    But then, a horrified Mai pointed at something behind Broken.


    And so, Broken whipped around.


    What he saw did not fit the facts, did not fit logic as he knew it.


    Eton was picking himself out of the rubble.


    ¡°You¡¯ve made quite a dent here,¡± he said, as he righted himself. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t enough to kill me.¡±


    Broken didn¡¯t understand. What he saw didn¡¯t make sense. His perceptions were shattered.


    Eton should have disintegrated.


    But, despite being bewildered and confused, Broken was not caught completely off guard. He had planned for this scenario, if only briefly.


    Broken took from his belt the vial of explosive liquid Eton had tried to use to incinerate him so long ago, back at the Holy Citadel.


    And he tossed it in the direction of the risen Eton.


    Broken saw Eton blur to get out of the way, so he knew the strike would cause no lasting harm.


    The resulting fireball was merely a distraction.


    The shockwave from the explosion tossed Mai and Ishad off their feet.


    And as the smoke cleared, neither was anywhere to be seen.


    But as the smoke cleared, Eton was.


    He strode out of the ruins of the twice-destroyed home, standing as tall as the short form he wore as his guise could.


    ¡°You thought you could kill me,¡± said Eton.


    Broken, though the fireball had not knocked him off his feet, was bent and hurting from his wounds. He looked up at the demon, trying hard not to cough up blood.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive, I see,¡± said Broken, trying to stall for time.


    ¡°Rather,¡± said the demon, and it pained Broken to hear the thing say a word he so liked to say himself.


    ¡°What do you intend on doing now?¡± asked Broken.


    The smoke was almost gone by now, but he could not see Mai anywhere. Ishad, however, was moaning on the ground a few feet away.


    Eton saw him.


    In a flash of a second, the demon came over to Ishad, in a blur. What was so odd about the blur, Broken noticed, was that as he went into that phase, Eton did not move his legs. It was as if his body was transferring itself across the ground, without needing something so¡­material.


    The demon stopped as it bent down over Ishad¡¯s limp body, and Broken, ever sensitive to facets of movement, noticed that the demon seemed to move his body in a way that suggested exhaustion, residual pain.


    The exorcism had hurt Eton; it had just failed to kill him.


    But as Broken analyzed this, Eton acted. The demon took out a small vial of black liquid, and poured it over Ishad¡¯s body.


    Ishad¡¯s body began to hiss.


    Eton then turned to Broken, five feet away from him.


    ¡°You failed to kill me,¡± said Eton. ¡°And now your friend must pay the price. That was Wrath. He will be dead soon.¡±


    Broken knew, in his moment of hesitation, he had lost Ishad¡¯s life. Ishad was now as good as dead. And death was the only thing Broken could not reverse.


    He mentally cursed himself over and over. Damn me to Casari¡¯s crystal prison, Broken thought. I deserve to be there. I deserve to be there.


    But he did not say the words out loud. He would not show the demon his weakness. The words he spoke conveyed a different message entirely. They conveyed strength. Strength Broken did not feel.


    ¡°I will kill you for that,¡± he said, in a voice as intimidating as he can muster. ¡°I, Broken, Breaker of the Siege at Asan Paril, swear on my life that I will kill you. When I allowed Varsis in, I knew you would come as well. And so I prepared a trap that brought you great pain, to show you that pursuing the Princess is not worth it. But you have forfeited your last chance to run and hide.¡±


    Broken forced his limp to disappear, and stood taller than Eton. ¡°For the rest of your life remember this: I will kill you.¡±


    Eton looked at him. Eton¡¯s mouth worked, but the demon seemed to not know what to say. He looked intimidated.


    ¡°I will go find Mai, and kill her now,¡± he said, and blurred away, disappearing into the distance.


    And with that, Broken realized he had intimidated the demon into leaving him.


    He rushed over to Ishad.


    Not much Wrath had been poured on him, and so Ishad was still alive. Still conscious.


    Ishad¡¯s chest was a black, bubbling, disintegrating mess, and yet he was still conscious.


    Broken as he turned to search for Mai, wouldn¡¯t have stopped for Ishad, had not Ishad called out in a gurgle.


    ¡°B¡­r¡­o¡­k¡­e¡­n.¡±


    Broken turned to him. Only a small bit of Wrath was burning through Ishad¡¯s skin, but it was still too much. Ishad would be dead within the minute.


    Broken knelt beside him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­d¡­y¡­i¡­n¡­g,¡­¡­r¡­i¡­g¡­h¡­t?¡±


    Broken nodded.


    ¡°I¡­¡­w¡­o¡­n¡­¡¯t¡­¡­t¡­a¡­k¡­e¡­¡­u¡­p¡­¡­a¡­n¡­y¡­¡­m¡­o¡­r¡­e¡­¡­o¡­f¡­¡­y¡­o¡­u¡­r¡­¡­t¡­i¡­m¡­e¡­¡­¡­¡­.I¡¯¡­l¡­.l......d¡­i¡­e¡­¡­a¡­l¡­o¡­n¡­e.¡±


    Ishad¡¯s next words came out in a rush. ¡°You have to go save Mai, now.¡± And then he screamed in agony, again, and again.


    There was nothing Broken could do for him. He turned away from Ishad, and stood up. He listened to the fading screams, as he looked around, searching for Mai.


    She was not within the blast radius, anymore.

 Chapter 61: Last Chance

    Broken stood in the middle of a blasted and desolate section of Asan Paril. All other activity was on the fringes, outside the area that had been ripped apart by the cyclone.


    Here, there was Broken, beside him, a poisoned and dying man, and all around them, remnants of destroyed buildings. That was all.


    Mai was gone, off to somewhere, and Eton the demon had gone as well, off to find her. What Broken had to do was find her first.


    And while Broken¡¯s carefully crafted plan was in shambles, he was not out of options. He had prepared well.


    ¡°Claw-Back!¡± he shouted to the night sky. ¡°Come to me!¡±


    Only a few minutes later, the giant black owl dove from the sky, and landed on Broken¡¯s right shoulder.


    ¡°Do you know where Mai is?¡± Broken asked the bird.


    She replied in the language Makini spellweavers had crafted when they had given Great Blacks sentience.


    ¡°Yes, Broken,¡± Claw-Back hooted. ¡°I¡¯ll guide you from the air. Savel has her.¡±


    Claw-Back glanced at Ishad, hooted mournfully, and rushed up into the sky.


    And Broken began to run to follow her.


    It was said that Great Blacks flew far faster than a man could run. And yet, Broken paced the owl.


    He wasn¡¯t running, so much as doing what Eton did by blurring, except in a slightly different fashion.


    He was moving with the wind because he had to, and not because he had a demon ability.


    In mere moments, Broken had cleared the radius of destruction the tornado had caused, and into the chaos that the less destroyed regions of Asan Paril were experiencing.


    Makini soldier fighting Paril guards, Paril civilians running for cover, one last giant green cave spider rampaging¡ªhe passed by them all. Obstacles were no barrier to Broken, as he followed the trail Claw-Back blazed from the sky. He flowed over them, no matter if the obstacle was as small as a cart, or as big as a villa.


    There was nothing that he would let get between him and Mai.


    And then, suddenly, Broken saw that he was nearing the docks. A lone Paril ship Broken could see from a distance making itself ready for launch. And then, Broken knew where Mai was.


    On the ship, Savel was preparing for launch, making ready to run the Makini blockade. Broken couldn¡¯t let that ship leave.


    The street that led to the docks did not curve. It was straight. Broken barreled down its length, darting around the Paril guards who protected the area.


    As Broken neared the ship, came within two dozen feet of the still-lowered gangplank, two guards interposed themselves in his way.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Beyond them, Savel was just then pulling Mai up the gangplank. She struggled against him, but to no avail.


    Broken had to get to her. He cut down the first guard with his blade in a fraction of a second, even as Claw-Back dove from the sky to help him, even as the dozens of other Paril guards all around rushed to impede him.


    As Broken turned to deal with the second guard, Claw-Back slammed into the adversary¡¯s chest with all the force of a hundred foot dive, her talons extended.


    The guard fell to the ground in a pool of blood, instantly dead, but as Claw-Back detached herself from the body, a crossbow bolt shot from behind Broken, and killed her then and there.


    The owl limply dropped beside the guard she had risked her life to fell, and Broken glanced back at those who had done the deed.


    A hundred Makini, give or take, obviously aware of Savel¡¯s plan to escape, and trying to prevent that, were charging down the street.


    Claw-Back had been caught in the crossfire.


    Suddenly, the two dozen or so Paril guards on land realized they had bigger problems then Broken, and moved to intercept, even as those on the ship hurried to use the time their fellows were buying for them, to shove off.


    On the deck now, being wrestled away from Broken¡¯s sight, into a cabin, was Mai.


    There are so many different enemies, thought Broken. Claw-Back and Ishad are dead. But Mai is not. I can still save her.


    Broken took advantage of his newfound ignoral, and turned to the ship. Just then, though, he heard a distant whisk, a rush of air, and suddenly, Broken saw that Eton was standing atop a nearby building.


    The demon threw something at the ship.


    A vial.


    Symbolically, Broken¡¯s heart stopped, as the vial arced to the cabin where Savel even now was dragging Mai.


    And then, there was an explosion.


    Chunks of ship flew everywhere. Oddly, it seemed as if the damage, to the ship at least, had been mostly cosmetic, but looking at the burning wreckage, that sailors even now were trying to put out, but there was one fact that remained.


    There was no way Mai and Savel had survived such close contact with the explosion. Savel, Broken could care less about, but Mai¡­


    Mai was Broken¡¯s reason for existence. He had lived for months with no purpose other than to protect her.


    And now she was dead.


    Broken had lost his purpose.


    The truth of the matter was, all things existed for a reason. Some things existed purely to survive, despite all odds.


    Broken was not one of those things.


    He had lived for Mai, and now that she was dead, he saw no reason to surpass the odds.


    Not a single, tiny reason.


    Broken¡¯s senses vividly took in everything around him. His mind watched, detached.


    Broken saw the Paril guards fall before the strength of the numerous and disciplined Makini.


    Broken saw the Paril ship put the fire out, and leave dock, using well the time their fellows had sacrificed their lives to give them.


    Broken saw the Makini approaching him.


    As the ship that carried Mai¡¯s corpse sailed into the distance, to the blockade, Broken turned more fully to the Makini.


    A hundred of them, maybe more, were coming at them.


    Broken felt the sword in his hand. He wondered how many he would be able to take down, before their numbers overwhelmed him, and destroyed him.


    Five? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Forty? Fifty?


    Or, in the strength of his pure rage, would Broken be able to massacre them all, go on to Eton, and see how many pieces a demon had to be sliced into before it finally died?


    Broken didn¡¯t know. And he didn¡¯t intend on finding out.


    For the truth of the matter was, Broken didn¡¯t believe in vengeance. After a deed was done, beyond all hope of possibly undoing it, what good would it possibly serve to make sure more lives were ruined?


    The Makini who ever now came at him had families, lives, every last one of them. Now that Mai was dead, Broken had nothing to protect.


    And so, he didn¡¯t see how the Makini were his enemies, anymore.


    As they came at him shouting, Broken sheathed his weapon.


    As the Makini crowded around him, Broken got to his knees, and raised his hands over his head.


    They stripped him of his sword, manacled his wrists behind his back, locked his legs in irons, and blindfolded him.


    And Broken let it all happen.


    He didn¡¯t care, anymore.

 Chapter 62: Numbers and Logistics

    ¡°Report.¡±


    ¡°Fifty-eight dead Paril civilians, two thousand eight hundred ninety-nine wounded. Two hundred thirty-four dead Paril soldiers, five hundred sixty-six wounded. One hundred and eight dead Makini soldiers, fifty-four wounded. All in all, the casualties are far lower than we expected.¡±


    ¡°Proceed.¡±


    ¡°Estimated property damage, two million standard coinages, mostly due to the freak tornado, and our violent assault on the Palace. Seven hundred ninety-three Paril military prisoners of war, one hundred and four Paril noble prisoners of war. The detention facilities we set up are proving sufficient.¡±


    ¡°Continue.¡±


    ¡°One special prisoner, held in special facility. Goes by the alias Broken. Noble. Real name unknown, real House unknown. Pertinent information, Ishad, an associate, found dead of Wrath poisoning, Great Black Owl Broken seemed to have ¡®befriended¡¯ shot dead at the docks.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s all alone,¡± said Varsis, looking at Captain Sari, who clutched his notes, as he sat on the far side of Varsis¡¯ desk, in the command tent. ¡°He¡¯s all alone.¡±


    ¡°That would appear to be true, sir.¡±


    ¡°What of our supplies, and what of the status of the approaching Minsu relief force?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you wish to order something to be done about Broken?¡±


    ¡°Answer my question, Sari.¡±


    ¡°My apologies, sir.¡± Sari shuffled through his notes. ¡°Captured supplies within Asan Paril should be enough to feed our army for five months. The Minsu relief force should arrive here in one week.¡±


    ¡°And what of our own reinforcements?¡±


    ¡°Another two thousand soldiers should reach our location within the week.¡± Sari paused. ¡°As Asan Paril is ours, when the Minsu arrive, we should be able to rout them. This could be the last great battle of the war.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± said Varsis, uncertain. He did not doubt his tactical skills, but¡­


    And then a messenger burst in.


    He held a sealed letter, with the stamp of the Council. Varsis took it, and opened it. He read.


    To the Lord-General Varsis Hakshi,


    We of the Council have been made aware of your conquest of Asan Paril, and would like to congratulate you. An epic battle with the Minsu is ahead, but we are sure you can succeed.


    However, we make of you one request. One who calls himself Broken is amongst your prisoners. We request you send him to the capital, with Eton as one of his guards, so that he can be put on one of the carracks. He is too dangerous to be held in any other way.


    Signed and Sealed by the Council of the Makini


    Varsis sighed. A request by the Council of the Makini was no request; it was an order. However, at least now the problem of what to do with Broken was solved.


    Varsis took leave of both the messenger and Captain Sari, and, clutching the letter, headed from the command tent, over to the tent where Broken was being held.


    As the guards who stood on the outside of the tent saluted him, Varsis stepped inside.


    It was dark within the tent. Outside, there was bright daylight, but only a bare minimum of that penetrated the closed tent flaps.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    In the center of that small tent, there was a support pole. Broken¡¯s arms were manacled behind his back and around the pole. His legs, splayed outwards and chained together, were just as stationary. Broken wore dark prisoner clothing, and a blindfold, but no gag.


    He had not screamed, nor even spoken since his capture, so a gag had never been placed.


    Varsis stood over Broken, and watched him carefully for a moment.


    The rhythmic movement of Broken¡¯s chest, up and down, was so steady one could set a drum band to it, but aside from that, there was no sign Broken was even alive. He slumped, head resting against his left shoulder, eyes closed.


    This was the man who had made Asan Paril fall.


    Coming to Broken, seeing him like this, made Varsis wonder about life. How could a man come up with such a deep and complicated plan, nearly succeed, and then, after failure, completely give up?


    When Broken had been leading the Makini through the sewers, he had been their prisoner then too, but he had been as much with his head held high, and with unquenchable fire in his eyes.


    And then, he had been able to escape.


    Broken didn¡¯t seem capable of escape, now. He didn¡¯t even seem capable of standing.


    There is something very strange about this man, thought Varsis. Broken didn¡¯t seem to be on the level of others. In all his years, Varsis had seen prisoners beg, plead, or take their imprisonments, or even impending executions in stride. What Varsis had never seen before was a man who seemed simply not to care.


    Broken seemed to utterly not care.


    Broken had been Maiako¡¯s protector, and now he no longer had that duty, but losing one mission wasn¡¯t the end of the world.


    Varsis had seen, in his years, people wanting to die, people saying as much, and actually believing it.


    But this was different.


    Broken didn¡¯t want to die, he just didn¡¯t care.


    And outsider might have thought Varsis was much the same way, a man who lived to serve the Makini Council, and treated his own thoughts as subservient to their own.


    That wasn¡¯t true. Beyond his service to the Makini Council, Varsis cared about other things. He cared about his grandfather, Oneako, and a part of him didn¡¯t want to die, so that, as Oneako grew older, and less self-sufficient, he would continue to be cared for.


    Another part of Varsis didn¡¯t want to die, because he hoped one day to find true love, something deeper and more real than what he had had with the sea-witch Ana. Still another part of him wanted to live so that perhaps one day he could sit on the Council, and be able to check his mother¡¯s power when she endangered the lives of others.


    He, one who was on first glance a mindless warrior, had a variety of things to live for. He couldn¡¯t imagine one who did not.


    Varsis pitied Broken, the man who had been so full of strength and courage, and now, was dead inside.


    At that moment Eton entered the tent.


    ¡°I trust you have heard where I will be going?¡± the demon that looked like a small man said to Varsis.


    The Lord-General did not answer immediately. His eyes were on Broken. After what Eton had done, if Broken had any purpose left, he would have tried to tear Eton limb to limb in reparation for the murders he had committed.


    Hell, if Broken actually found in the next few moments a way to kill Eton, Varsis would have let him. He disliked the demon that much.


    And yet, Broken did nothing.


    The murderer of those closest to Broken was in the room, and yet Broken continued to sit as he had sat, motionless and passive.


    Even though Broken¡¯s eyes were closed, Varsis could tell Broken was not asleep. Varsis knew Broken had heard Eton¡¯s voice, knew who it belonged to.


    And yet Broken did nothing.


    Varsis pitied him all the more, but could not, could not understand him.


    ¡°I do indeed know you will be leaving me,¡± said Varsis. As he looked at Broken, and saw what the demon had managed to reduce the once-proud warrior too, he couldn¡¯t help but add, ¡°Good riddance.¡±


    ¡°Good riddance?¡± asked Eton. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious how I managed to defeat Broken¡¯s exorcism without losing my essence?¡±


    ¡°You are an especially powerful demon,¡± said Varsis. ¡°Broken put everything he had into killing you, nearly costing his life, but in the end, he failed to bring you down.¡±


    Varsis had half-hoped his words would have roused Broken into doing something, anything, but in that effort, they failed.


    ¡°There is more to the story,¡± said Eton. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious to know the details, the specifics?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Varsis, flatly. ¡°I will not stand a demon gloating over the body of one many time more than his equal. Go. He¡¯ll be sent off for you soon enough.¡±


    If Broken had been a different prisoner, Varsis would never have had spoken about the logistics of his moving within his hearing. However, with Broken, it didn¡¯t seem like it mattered. And the detail that had been offered up was minor, anyway.


    Eton gave Varsis a smirk, and left.


    Once again, Varsis found himself alone in the room with one he had almost considered his rival. Varsis had thought that one day he and Broken would have made confrontation.


    But, alas, that was not going to happen.


    Disappointments were common in Varsis¡¯ life.


    He gave one final look of sympathy in Broken¡¯s direction, and headed from the room.


    Behind him, there was no noise, not even the barest whisper.


    Varsis walked away from a shell.

 Chapter 63: The Sun and the Moon

    The sun and the moon


    The earth and the stars


    I wanted to hold


    Them in my own hand


    I wanted, I wanted


    Them in my own hand


    I wanted, I wanted


    Them in my own hand


    Hubris.


    Why didn¡¯t Broken want to kill himself? If he had nothing to live for, why didn¡¯t he just kill himself? Why didn¡¯t he at least try?


    Because in truth, as he searched deep within himself, he just didn¡¯t care.


    Days passed. Broken knew he had left Asan Paril, that he was being moved somewhere else, but he just didn¡¯t care.


    Day and night, light and dark, Broken ate the food he was provided, and, for the remainder of his time, did nothing, absolutely nothing.


    He didn¡¯t even think. There was nothing to think about, anymore.


    Everything Broken had ever loved or believed in had been ripped away from him once before, a long time ago.


    Now, history repeated itself. Broken was alone once again. Despite all his careful planning, despite his meticulously applied skill, he had lost Mai. He had lost his purpose.


    If he tried to do anything, he would be like an ant running around in a colony that had lost its queen.


    There was no point to waste effort, energy.


    By definition, there was no reason to do anything, if there was no goal to strive for.


    And so Broken merely existed, and did little else.


    Days passed. Broken¡¯s surroundings changed quite drastically, but he cared little. He found himself on a ship, soon enough, a prison ship, or a carrack, as it was called.


    The ship was large, and circled the seas north of the Makini homelands aimlessly. For the carrack was not bringing its prisoners to any destination. It was the destination, and miles and miles of frigid sea all around proved a far more effective deterrent than any guarded walls.


    Not that there weren¡¯t guarded walls. There were.


    Broken, day in, and day out was kept in a windowless cell, perhaps ten feet long, ten feet wide, and ten feet up. His wrists were attached to chains that came from the ceiling. The chains were taunt enough so that they hung his hands at head level. His arms ached from being bent, but Broken didn¡¯t care.


    Black walls surrounded Broken on three sides, all but the front, the direction the chains held him, and made him face in.


    The front was formed of vertical black bars, ten of them, exactly. When a guard entered to give him food, all the bars shafted down, into the floor.


    Broken was neither chained nor imprisoned in his cell by any other way, but the chains and the bars were enough.


    From his vantage, through the bars, Broken could see the hall before him through eyes like slits.


    Guards passed by, on various errands, and occasionally they whispered to each other, without realizing that Broken¡¯s acute senses allowed him to hear them perfectly.


    From the guards, Broken had learned that the prison carrack was divided into three cell blocks. There were two blocks on what was called the basement level, and one block on what was called the sub-basement level. From what Broken gathered, he was in the sub-basement block.


    Each block housed a hundred prisoners at max capacity, Broken had also learned, but the ship was only about two-thirds full. It seemed the guards were still nervous though, as two hundred escaped murderers and other worst-of-the-worst would be able to easily overpower the fifty or so guards and other personal on the ship, if they all managed to escape.


    The guards knew that was impossible, such were the precautions taken on the ship, and laughed about their fears, but they laughed nervously.


    It seemed the sub-basement level was home to the convicts who were the worst of the worst, even for those who managed to be evil enough to get onto the ship. Constantly, their words assaulted Broken¡¯s ears, as they spoke of what they were going to do when they get out, how they were going to do it, and who they were going to do it with.


    Broken listened, and considered it all a lesson in human psychology. Not that he really needed to learn anything, anyway. Not in his state. Sometimes, Broken thought he heard the faint hum of a man praying, but he was sure the words came from one of the guards. There was no way a prisoner here was going to praise God.


    It was on the second day Broken was on the ship, when he was first moved from his cell.


    Four guards came in, as the bars shot down to the floor to let them have entrance, and unchained Broken. Immediately afterwards, they bound him again in a variety of other ways, so that he would not be a problem during transit. But Broken still had a moment of freedom. They blindfolded him, and led him out of the cell.


    Broken let the guards direct his shuffling, slow steps.


    Perhaps a quarter of an hour later, they finally reached their destination. Broken found himself being slammed down in a hard chair, and his various bonds being replaced with new bonds, to the chair.


    When the guards were done, Broken¡¯s blindfold was taken off. He examined his new restraints. The chair was metal, and his legs were chained to the legs of the chair. His arms were forced together into his lap, and chained to the floor. It actually seemed that in his current situation, Broken would be able to stand, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to go anywhere else.


    He sat across a high backed table, in a small room, only lit by a pair of hanging lanterns on opposite walls. It was rather similar in appearance to his cell. Across the table, there was a comfortable, cushioned chair, in sharp contrast to Broken¡¯s chair of iron.


    A girl sat in it.


    That was probably to harsh, Broken corrected himself. She was clearly in her twenties. It was just, he had rather expected an older interrogator. A guard stood on either side of her chair. Behind Broken, two guards flanked him as well.


    Broken studied the woman who sat before him. She, oddly for a Makini, had red hair, but it was carefully combed, and let to hang straight down behind her back. She wore black attire, of course, semi-uniform, and semi-armor. What was strange about it was that it showed an odd amount of chest, and even a little cleavage.


    Broken wouldn¡¯t have thought that the prisoners needed more incitement.


    But what did he know? He was nothing, anymore.


    ¡°We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way,¡± said the girl.


    Broken had a quip prepared, and was just about to let it loose, when he remembered that he had failed twice at life, and so there was no point. He stayed silent.


    ¡°You don¡¯t talk?¡± asked the girl. ¡°All right, then. Hit him.¡±


    The guard who stood to Broken¡¯s right turned to him, and unleashed a powerful backhanded blow to Broken¡¯s right shoulder.


    Broken absorbed the damage, and didn¡¯t even recoil. Truth be told, compared to the many things he had been through, the strike didn¡¯t even hurt that much.


    ¡°All right, then,¡± said the girl. It was clear she was nervous. What kind of interrogator is she?


    ¡°Your alias is Broken,¡± she said. ¡°What is your real name?¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Broken said nothing.


    ¡°This can be made very, very painful, if that¡¯s what you want,¡± said the interrogator.


    Again, Broken had no comment.


    ¡°Hit him again,¡± said the girl.


    And the guards did, interchanging, again, and again, and again. Through it all, Broken said nothing, his face expressionless.


    When they were finally done, the girl spoke once more. ¡°That¡¯s not the worst we can do.¡±


    The silence seemed to scare her.


    ¡°We will talk again, when you are ready,¡± said the girl. ¡°You have brought yourself a whole world of pain.¡± She looked at the guards behind Broken. ¡°Get the thunder-strikers. If that doesn¡¯t work, keep trying.¡± She looked solidly at Broken. ¡°The pain stops when you¡¯re willing to talk.¡±


    And then, she left the room.


    The guards didn¡¯t even bother to get Broken out of the chair. One of them left, and then came back with a small, black object, with painted yellow streaks. It was magic, Broken knew. He had felt the lightning coursing his body before.


    Then there was pain.


    Pain.


    Nowhere near as much pain as the failed exorcism had caused him, through. It was almost funny to see them try to break down a wall that could not be broken.


    Even as his body writhed with pulsating energy--writhed because he let it, because Broken didn¡¯t bother to hold himself still--his mind could hold concrete thoughts.


    If they were trying to make his whole world pain, they had a long ways to go. A very, very long ways.


    Broken closed his eyes, and thought, out of curiosity, what it would be like on a sandy beach this time of year. It was fall, and so there would be no crowds. It would be nice to walk down the beach.


    But Broken didn¡¯t deserve that. He had failed, twice. Once for what had happened all those many ages ago, and once, for what had happened less than a week past.


    Broken tried to open his mind up to the pain, tried to drown everything in the white of agony, but he could not. The pain was nowhere near intense enough. It felt like a pinprick, compared to other things he had been through. A pinprick, on a man who had never once been afraid.


    The pain wasn¡¯t enough.


    As the pain came, on and off, interspersed with the guards asking him if he wanted to talk, yet, Broken felt a twinge of irritation, at their futile efforts.


    No one knew more than he just how much they were wasting their time.


    Finally, after what Broken¡¯s internal clock told him had been eight hours, the guards stopped, cursing that their fourth thunder-striker had run out of energy, and they didn¡¯t have any more with them.


    The guards untied him from the chair, and brought him back to his cell. Broken let them carry him along, even though he could have walked, quite easily. To explain that fact to them would have meant talking, and that was something he was not prepared to do.


    When the guards put him back in his chains, within his cell, Broken straightened, opened his eyes, and looked at the guards.


    As, before they could stop themselves, they took a step back from him, in pure horror, Broken knew what they were thinking.


    How could he take so much, and still be conscious after the energy stopped? Broken was sure one was thinking.


    What kind of freak is he? Broken was sure was the running dialogue in the mind of another.


    Maybe he has some kind of Talent, Broken was confident a third thought. Some sort of Talent, so he can siphon off pain!


    As the bars snapped shut, and the guards scattered, Broken thought to himself about the truth. The truth he was sure had never passed through their minds, because they could not possibly accept it.


    I survived, unharmed, because I have inner strength you couldn¡¯t possibly imagine, guards.


    But when things mattered most, his abilities had failed him. The prison didn¡¯t contribute to his depression. Broken had been through worse, far, far worse, and emerged unscathed. The prison carrack to Broken was like a shell, a shell he could escape from at any time.


    Broken just didn¡¯t see the point.


    ***


    Her name was Alsi. Alsi as Sarani del Makin, in full.


    But who was she?


    Alsi was third interrogator aboard the prison carrack known as the Wretched. She was the junior interrogator, the third of three.


    Truth be told, the job of an interrogator was not the one she wanted. But she hadn¡¯t had much of a choice in the matter. Alsi was a noblewoman, the seventh of seven children, three boys, and four girls. Rather than being dotted on, as the youngest, she hard rather been ignored. If she did something, it was old news because her parents had already seen six children do it before her, and, if she didn¡¯t do something, she was frowned upon, because everybody else already had.


    The Lord Sarani, her father, had never really had the time or the patience for her, to the extent where he couldn¡¯t even be bothered to arrange her a marriage.


    One day, instead, only a single year ago, or near enough, he had met with her, and told her in no uncertain terms that she was going to be a Makini interrogator. He had had to say as much three times, before the words finally processed.


    Alsi had asked her father what he was talking about, but he responded by saying that the pay was good, and that she had never been the type to spend her life at balls and fancy feasts anyway.


    In truth, Alsi had always fantasized about marriage, as had almost every Makini girl her age, but her father had never spent the time to realize that. He had wanted her to be different, because that way, it wasn¡¯t his fault that she always had seemed stifled, compared to her older siblings.


    And so, in short order, she had been shipped off to train. In training, she had suffered a variety of horrors she had rather not think about, and then she had come aboard the Wretched, where the real horrors lurked.


    When her father had told her offhand about what her future was to be, after a few days in tears, Alsi had managed to take what came in stride.


    She still held all her emotions in, her stifled potential.


    She had not wanted to be this. During her time aboard the Wretched, about six months, now, Alsi had seen things she had never wished to see. In six months, the ship had only stopped at port once, to pick up supplies, and new prisoners. The ship had only stopped for a day.


    In her own way, just as much as the prisoners, Alsi was trapped. She was the only one, by happenstance, who had not chosen the assignment. There had been a manpower shortage, and so she had ended up on the Wretched, very much without any say in the matter.


    When she had first been given the position, she had wondered what kind of person would volunteer. The truth was, most of Alsi¡¯s fellow crewmembers had no more moral fiber than those they guarded. Some far, far less.


    A prime example of this was the resident demon, Eton, who had come onboard when the prisoner Broken had.


    Broken.


    Alsi stopped to think, as she looked about her surroundings. It was night, and she was on the deck of the Wretched, leaning over the railing. It was now that she had been given off time, to have one of those moments with herself.


    With herself, and her nightmares.


    Alsi had never had any illusions about her job. She was an interrogator. Her life¡¯s work was to make others suffer. But Broken had put everything into perspective for her.


    According to his file, Broken had been a warrior errant, of sorts. He had happened upon none other than the Princess of the Empire, Maiako as Arathou del Tachen, and had sworn himself to her. He then had been oddly successful at keeping her safe. But then, his run of luck had ended, and he had come to the carrack. It was Alsi¡¯s job to decipher Broken¡¯s past, to see if somehow, he was connected to any who were possible threats. His interrogation was a top priority.


    Why was it Alsi¡¯s job, and not the job for one more experienced?


    Because Eton had said so. That was the odd truth. When Eton had come aboard, he had relayed that his handlers needed Alsi to do the job. He said that Broken would be tough to crack, and only one with nonstandard experience could do it.


    Alsi didn¡¯t even know what that meant. All she knew, was that, an hour ago, the guards had emptied the energies of five thunder shockers on Broken, and they hadn¡¯t even put a dent in him. That was nearly a record.


    If it had been up to Alsi, she would have let the poor, fallen man go. All he had tried to do was save a life, and his current condition was no reward. But it was not up to Alsi.


    Indeed, if she displayed the slightest hint of rebellion, the captain could lock her up with the prisoners. And that was not something Alsi was going to let happen.


    She turned from the railing, from the dark, rushing sea, as she realized a figure was coming over to her.


    It was Eton. The two of them were all alone of the deck.


    Eton craned his neck to look up at Alsi, such was their difference in height. Alsi didn¡¯t know why a shapeshifting demon wouldn¡¯t choose a form more¡­intimidating. However, she had more pressing worries. Namely, what the demon intended to talk to her about.


    ¡°You failed,¡± said Eton, explaining his topic, quite clearly.


    ¡°It¡¯s been only one day,¡± she replied. ¡°Surely, you don¡¯t expect me to break him in one day.¡±


    ¡°It was not your results that I criticize,¡± said Eton, ¡°for I know it is too early to tell. What I dislike, however, are your methods.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°I fed him pain. I fed him more pain than I believe I could possibly ever handle.¡±


    ¡°That tactic,¡± said Eton, ¡°is traditional.¡±


    ¡°There is something wrong with proven methods?¡± asked Alsi.


    ¡°Broken knows the tried and true methods,¡± said Eton. ¡°He knows them well.¡± It seemed the demon himself knew Broken personally.


    ¡°Do you know my mark?¡± Alsi asked Eton.


    ¡°My handlers do,¡± replied the demon, ¡°and that¡¯s all that really matters. In order to break Broken, you need to do something unexpected. That is why you were chosen to interrogate him. Because you, yourself, are unexpected.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You are a female,¡± said Eton. ¡°A young, beautiful female, who looks like she has no purpose on this ship. Why do you think I forced you to wear that outfit?¡± The demon answered his own question. ¡°To highlight your¡­physical attributes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because Broken is an individual who needs to be engaged,¡± said Eton. ¡°He is able and perfectly willing to separate his mind from outside stimuli, to endure any pain you could possibly give him. His weakness is that, once he make a connection, he makes it for life. He is stubborn to no end.¡±


    ¡°You mean, he has honor,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°In a way,¡± replied Eton. ¡°What you need to do is to reel him out of his shell, as if he were some sort of turtle-fish. And then, when he is committed, he will be weak. Prey on him then, and get the information you need.¡± The demon paused. ¡°Why do you think Broken is so depressed now? Because he reached out, and formed a connection with the princess Maiako, and now, he knows only in death will he see her again.¡± The demon laughed.


    ¡°Think on that, Alsi. And then, when you see him again, I expect better results. Do not disappoint me, my dear.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Alsi knew she didn¡¯t have much of a choice.


    ¡°That is a very good answer, my dear,¡± said Eton. ¡°Now, start thinking. I bid you farewell.¡±


    And the demon swept away.


    Alsi was alone once more. Now, however, she knew she could not rest. She had a job to do. A very distasteful job, but a job nevertheless.


    Alsi headed to the crew cabins. There, she ran across the captain, a tall, imposing man, by the name of Ezea Radi. She turned away from him after exchanging proper greetings.


    She then headed to her room. It was small, no larger than a prisoner cell. A bed, a writing table, a chair, and a chest were all that could be squeezed within the small, dark space. A tiny porthole provided the only light within the room: the light of the stars. Alsi closed the door behind her, and pulled the porthole shutters wide open.


    Only a little more light filtered into the room, but that small difference made her feel a little better.


    Alsi changed into her night clothes, and readied herself for bed, smoothly, and, as she thought, at least, rather efficiently.


    And all the while, Alsi was thinking of ways to draw Broken out, entrap him, and rip his mind to shreds.

 Chapter 64: Chasing the Dream

    Shadows covered the floor, as Broken found himself in the interrogation room, again. The four guards stood where they had stood, and the interrogator sat where she had sat. From the day before, Broken¡¯s condition was unchanged. He, in the room, was again chained to the chair.


    ¡°Yesterday¡¯s work was ineffective,¡± said the interrogator. She brushed her red hair forward, and over her right shoulder. ¡°I congratulate you for your effort, for you achievement, and for your skill.¡±


    Again, Broken found himself wondering what kind of interrogator this girl was. Interrogators weren¡¯t supposed to build up their target¡¯s pride and self confidence.


    ¡°My name is Alsi,¡± said the girl. ¡°Alsi as Sarani. I thought you should know my name, as we¡¯re going to be seeing so much of each other.¡± She paused. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. I know you think my telling you this is odd. But it is not. I do not want to torture information out of you, I simply want it. Please tell me your real name.¡±


    Broken wondered what angle the girl was going for, as he stayed silent.


    After a moment, Alsi spoke again. ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk, not yet,¡± she said. ¡°Just listen, because I know you already are. I want to tell you about me, how I became this fallen shard. I want you to understand where I came from.¡±


    And, thusly, she outlined a story of a family where no one understood her, a father who didn¡¯t know what to do with her, and so, forced her to take the job she had now. It was spoken with such sincerity that Broken knew it was real. He knew that she was telling the truth; just as well as he knew she was telling him the truth as a means to an end.


    Unequivocally, Broken knew she did not have his best interests at heart. He wondered how she even could attempt to play nice, after ordering him burnt with lightning the day before.


    He wanted to say as much, but refrained. He was not going to speak. He doubted he would ever speak again.


    When she was done, Alsi brushed away an honest tear. ¡°I never told that story to any before,¡± she said. ¡°But now I tell it to you. You have to believe me when I say, I¡¯m sorry for what I ordered yesterday.¡±


    She looked at him with deep, sympathetic eyes, that looked as if they had seen great pain.


    Broken stared back, but said nothing.


    ¡°There is nothing more I can say, then, if you will not talk to me. You must go back to your cell now. Just tell me your name, though, and you can stay longer.¡±


    A moment later, Alsi ordered Broken to be taken back to his cell.


    ***


    As Alsi headed out of the interrogation room, thinking on how she could possibly build on what she had just said, during her next session with Broken, she bumped into someone in the hallway.


    Captain Ezea Radi.


    ¡°Why did you say what you said?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Who told you what went on in the interrogation room?¡±


    ¡°The guards, silly girl. Instead of cracking the man like an egg, you thought it would be best to tell your life story.¡± Ezea loomed so big there was no way Alsi could get around him, to safety. ¡°Did you suddenly lose your mind?¡±


    ¡°It is an unconventional tactic, I admit,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°Unconventional?¡± repeated the captain. He gave Alsi a meaty shove, and she fell backwards to the hallway floor. She offered no resistance. If she did, she knew she would make things worse. Ezea did not tolerate any sort of dissent.


    As Alsi wondered what was going to happen next, a voice called out from behind the captain. ¡°She did what she did, because I told her to.¡±


    It was Eton.


    As Ezea whirled around to face the demon, Alsi slowly picked herself up to her feet.


    ¡°What are you doing here, demon?¡± asked the captain.


    ¡°Listening,¡± said Eton. ¡°Overhearing things.¡±


    The captain¡¯s hulk filled the small hallway, but, indignant, Alsi called over his shoulder, to Eton on the other side, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you speak up earlier?¡±


    The blurred form of Eton rushed around Ezea, to between the captain and Alsi. Once placed, he stopped his fell magic. The captain turned around.


    ¡°Why?¡± asked the thing that looked like a little man. ¡°Because I wanted to see him hit you, my dear.¡±


    As Alsi stood there, what remained of her self-image greatly appalled, Eton turned to Ezea.


    ¡°And now that I have seen what I found amusing,¡± said the demon, ¡°I will tell you, Ezea Radi, to let her do what I wish, with regard to Broken.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± asked the muscular, tall captain. ¡°I will remind you, I run this ship.¡±


    ¡°That would not prevent me from killing you where you stand.¡± Eton fingered something in a pocket.


    ¡°I will¡­¡±


    ¡°I work for your superiors,¡± said Eton. ¡°You cannot harm me.¡±


    Eton turned around, back to Alsi. ¡°I bid you proceed, dear. Fail, and you don¡¯t need to worry about the captain. I will kill you.¡±


    Eton took a breath. ¡°Now, I fear I have better things to do than continue on with the antic-fest. We all have far better things to do than preen and strut.¡± He looked carefully at Alsi. ¡°Or, in your case, lick the boots of others. I will tell you this much, though. Your method is working.¡± Eton laughed, a high-pitched chirp.


    He glanced at both Ezea, and Alsi, and then blurred. Without moving his legs, his form raced down the hall, around a corner, and out of sight.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    The captain looked at Alsi, and said nothing. He grunted, turned, and headed away in the opposite direction of Eton, down the hall.


    Alsi was alone, and relieved. The nightmare never ended, but there were respites. Had Eton not come along, Alsi was sure the captain would have done far worse to her. There were many things he had warned her might happen, did she cross him.


    Alsi stood in the hallway, shivered, and then wondered if her actions in the interrogation room had made a dent in Broken¡¯s psyche, or if they had been for naught. She wondered what Broken was thinking, right then.


    ***


    What a fool I am.


    Despite his placement in the prison carrack, despite his mistreatment, despite the Makini attempting to mess with head, Broken knew who, on the ship, hated him the most.


    He did.


    I lost Mai. I lost Ishad. I lost Claw-Back. I thought that this time around, things would be different. I thought I would be able to save the land, save the princess. I thought doing as much would be child¡¯s play.


    I have never been so wrong in my life.


    I can¡¯t succeed, anymore. I can¡¯t calculate all the variables. I let Ishad die right in front of me, let the Wrath drain upon him, and I was too shocked to stop it.


    I was shocked that I failed to kill Eton. Another failure. Another failure added to the long list.


    I had a good run. For a time, Mai thought that she was safe, that I was competent. But the end is all that matters.


    And in the end, I failed.


    I failed again.


    Broken thought of how he had attempted to kill Eton, thought about how his attempt had failed.


    He wracked his mind in an attempt to know why. And then, finally, he had the answer.


    Moonsinger Fen.


    Moonsinger Fen lied to me.


    Why would he do that?


    This was a much more simple question than the last.


    Because the Nari deceived me.


    I thought we had reached an understanding. I was wrong. The Nari knew I was suspicious of them, after Claw-Back had noticed one, after the possessed Ishad had come into being with yellow eyes. Everything made sense, but I believed the opposite, because I wanted to trust the Nari. I wanted to believe that not everything I once knew was lost.


    When I used the witch¡¯s crystal to call upon Moonsinger Fen, the Nari got to him before I could. When I seeked confirmation that the lie I believed was the truth, he led me wrong.


    ***


    ¡°I said what you wanted. Leave me alone. Leave me alone, you ignorant snake!¡±


    ¡°Ignorant?¡± repeated the Nari, as it looked upon Moonsinger Fen, within the crowded living room of his house.


    ¡°Yes, ignorant,¡± said Fen. ¡°We made a deal. You said you would spare me the fate of Ormin, if I went along with your little plot!¡±


    ¡°And so, accordingly, I will not fell you with my blades,¡± said the Nari.


    Fen¡¯s mouth worked, as the old man struggled to search for a way out, a way to avoid the fate of his colleague. ¡°Semantics!¡± he accused. ¡°You twisted the truth. That, that isn¡¯t fair!¡±


    ¡°You know our ways, sage,¡± said the Nari, as it loomed over Fen, in its great, black robe. ¡°You know how we only tell the truth, but can yet be deceptive. And you know we could never let you live, as you know who the Chosen is, before it has been seen fit to reveal his presence to the world. You were deluding yourself.¡±


    ¡°I had to know,¡± said Moonsinger Fen. ¡°Broken came here, and then I started wondering things. It was not hard to put together the puzzle, and I wanted the final piece.¡±


    ¡°You are no innocent for me to warn, Sage,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You dared augur with the spirits of the dead, the spirits of hell. Did you not think we would find you?¡±


    Moonsinger Fen stared up at the Nari, as he stood there. ¡°I will not let you do this,¡± he said. ¡°I am a sage. I have magic. Perhaps Ormin was too afraid to use his powers, but, I am not.¡±


    As he spoke, Fen grew taller, as he channeled energy. The room, previously blurred for Fen¡¯s poor eyesight, slid into focus.


    ¡°You cannot defeat me,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You cannot defeat the Third Guide. You cannot defeat Slytherayaim.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Fen the sage, boldly.


    ¡°Because the will of the Nari is as inevitable as clockwork. We have maintained the Order of the First One for as long as the Empire itself. You cannot stand in our way. Not now, and not ever.¡±


    The Nari continued, as if there was a greater point it was trying to make, once that far surpassed Moonsinger Fen¡¯s existence.


    ¡°We are the Keepers. The Fallen One¡¯s escape was an anomaly, something that was not planned for. But the Keepers have adapted. Even now, one of our agents is taking care of him. His use has expired, and so he cannot be allowed to interfere with out plan.¡±


    It was at that moment that the Nari seemed to remember where it was again, that it had a job to do.


    ¡°Nor can you interfere with our plan, sage.¡±


    The Nari thrust out a great, clawed hand, and all of Fen¡¯s magic melted away from him, even as he fought to sustain it. The Nari¡¯s magic was great, greater than Fen¡¯s own. It was so strong.


    Fen felt his magic drain from him, escape from a losing battle. He willed it to remain, but it would not, as the Nari¡¯s hand began to close around his throat.


    Fen choked. Fen gagged. Fen lamented his very existence.


    But in the end, Fen died.


    ***


    Broken knew there was a significant hole in his thought process. If what Claw-Back had sensed had been a Nari, then where did Eton come from?


    But it didn¡¯t matter.


    It didn¡¯t matter because Broken had made a decision. A decision that nothing mattered anymore. And so, what was the point living?


    Life only brought him hurt. Life only brought him pain.


    Broken knew why he had been unwilling to kill himself before, why he had endured his days in the carrack without ending his own life.


    Because he had thought, in his pride, that there was a chance he might one day be useful again. But now he knew he was just kidding himself.


    Claw-Back was dead. Ishad was dead. Mai was dead. A failure could hardly be more supreme than that.


    Broken knew he had to accept that he had failed. He had to accept that his time was years past. He had to accept that he was nothing.


    His pride was worthless. Everyone close to him always died, inevitably died. He had once almost held an empire in the palm of his hand, and now he could not even keep alive the three that to him, had mattered most.


    Broken was going to kill himself.


    He had decided as much, and he doubted anything could change his mind. He was going to pass into the great abyss, and if he was lucky, end up in Elysium. If he was lucky, he would see those he loved once more.


    But he knew he would not be lucky, for he never had been. He knew, in his heart of hearts, that Elysium did not exist. The world was too cruel for God to be real.


    And so, rather than seeking heaven, Broken just wanted blackness. He just wanted an end to his ancient story, and nothing more.


    His life had been long, far too long for him to care about not having lived to the fullest.


    How was Broken going to kill himself?


    By the very method of his pride. For in truth, when Broken had surrendered, out of the fallen hope that all might be made right again, he had concealed an object that could have helped make an escape possible.


    He did not intend to use the object to help him escape, now. He intended to use it to end all.


    Even though Broken¡¯s arms were chained above his head, he was within moments of ending it.


    Broken rolled his tongue, rolled it just so, carefully just so, and twisted his teeth, as he hung limply in the chains, in the cell.


    He honored himself, by proclaiming a count. A count, down to the end of his sad, fallen life.


    Ten.


    Nine.


    Eight.


    Seven.


    Six.


    Five.


    Four.


    Three.


    Two.


    One.


    It occurred to Broken that it had never before taken him so long to do something, once he had decided to do it.


    In his dying moments, it seemed, he was short on strength, short on strength he had never before felt a lack of.


    But what did that matter? In any case, he and his life were pathetic. It would all be over in but another brief moment, and then he would never have to worry about anything, ever again.


    Before he could do anything, though, the bars to his cell began to slide into the floor.


    They must be intending to again take me to the interrogator, Broken surmised.


    He could have ended himself right then, even as the guards grasped him, to remove him from the cell.


    But, for a reason he didn¡¯t quite understand himself, he decided to wait. The visit to Alsi would be one last stimulus.


    One last experience, and then he would allow death to come.

 Chapter 65: Dying Wishes

    When the blindfold was removed, Broken found himself bound to the iron chair, for the third time. Alsi sat across from him, the four guards stood at the four corners of the room, that was all the same.


    What was different was that a Great Black Owl sat on the interrogation table, slightly off to the side, so that Alsi¡¯s line of sight to Broken was uninterrupted.


    ¡°I suppose you are wondering what the bird is doing here,¡± said the interrogator. ¡°I will provide the answer, without you having to ask, as I do not think you will. The bird is here for your company, as your file says you enjoy a connection with wildlife, and other such creatures. He is here to open you up a little more, make you looser, make you calmer. He is here to engage you, so that your focus will not drift away. His name is Spear.¡±


    Broken looked at the owl. It was so reminiscent of Claw-Back, and yet so different. Claw-Back had been female. This one was male.


    And this one wanted to talk to Broken.


    I am called Spear by my captors, said the Great Black Owl, in his language of hoots, but my real name is Talon. I hear you were responsible for bringing Claw-Back a time of freedom, before Makini arrows forever pierced her wings. I too, wish for freedom. If there is anything I can do, so that we can escape together, please tell me.


    It was abundantly clear that neither Alsi nor any of the guards in the room knew what Talon had said. Alsi¡¯ face was completely blank. Broken knew the Makini had thought the bird held them loyalty, when he, indeed, did not at all.


    Broken briefly considered answering, but then he decided against it. There was nothing he could really tell the bird, nothing that mattered, anyway, and he saw no reason to break his not speaking policy, now.


    Talon cocked his head at Broken, confused by a lack of any sort of response.


    ¡°As you can see,¡± said Alsi, completely oblivious to the true goings-on, ¡°two makes for all the merrier. I am now going to discuss with you, Broken, the facts and options.¡± She paused. ¡°Here are the facts. You are all alone in the world. Your old bird is dead. Ishad is dead. Mai is dead.¡±


    Instead of sadness, however, that last statement brought great joy. Joy, greater than any Broken had expected to feel, ever again.


    Alsi had said that Mai was dead, and Broken had reacted with joy.


    Why?


    Because Broken, among his host of other abilities, could tell to a startling degree if others were telling the truth. And on that last sentence, Alsi had not passed the test. The implication meant something so incredible, Broken, as analytical as he was, could scarcely comprehend it.


    If it was a lie that Mai was dead, then the truth was¡­


    Mai lived.


    And if she lived, Broken had not failed. He could still save her. He would still save her.


    A change began to come over him.


    Alsi saw this. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked.


    And Broken responded, as his back straightened, as his head rose to hold high. He responded, and spoke his first words, since his capture.


    ¡°Nothing is the matter,¡± he said. ¡°My God, I have purpose again.¡±


    Alsi, understandably taken aback by his sudden shift in demeanor, looked at Broken, puzzled. ¡°What are you talking about, Broken? Are you going to tell me what your real name is?¡±


    Broken looked at Talon, and responded to the bird¡¯s question about escape, with his own approximated hoots and whistles, so that his message would not be understood by others in the room.


    Be patient, he said. I give you my oath that I will free you, sooner than you might think. I only ask that you be ready.


    As Talon affected a nod, Alsi became aware that she was rapidly losing control of the situation. ¡°Your bird-talk is pathetic,¡± she said. ¡°Speak to me as the man you are, not as a lowly animal.¡±


    Broken rose to his feet, standing tall at the forefront of the chair. Though his wrists and ankles were still bound to the ground, he did not let them hamper his strength, suddenly unleashed.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He gave Alsi a look of such force, that even though he was in chains, she recoiled, and pushed her chair back. Then, she stood, but she was by no means ready for what he had to say.


    ¡°If I am a man, as you claim,¡± said Broken, ¡°then why am I bound?¡±


    ¡°You are bound because you must be,¡± said Alsi. From all directions, the four guards converged on Broken, intending to force him back down into his chair. Broken was not going to let that happen.


    ¡°Guards,¡± he said. ¡°When this conversation is over, I will allow you to take me back to my cell. But as of now, if a single one of you lays a hand on me, he will be dead in short order.¡±


    Broken¡¯s words carried such power, such conviction, that the guards stopped in their tracks. Even bound, Broken¡¯s sudden invigorated presence dominated the room.


    He twisted, and looked at each of the guards, in turn, and then back at Alsi. His powerful chest heaved breaths of air.


    ¡°What happened?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°What made you change?¡±


    Broken saw no reason not to tell her. ¡°You just made me aware of the fact that Maiako as Arathou del Tachen is alive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°Liar. You saw the report. You tried to hide the truth from me. But in the end, you could not.¡±


    ¡°How could a possibility make you change so strongly?¡± asked the interrogator.


    ¡°Not a possibility,¡± said Broken. ¡°A certainty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do you a favor,¡± said Alsi. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, give up your dream now. It will only come crashing down later.¡±


    ¡°It may,¡± admitted Broken, ¡°but in many ways I am made new again. I have a goal: the rescue of Maiako. And I will succeed.¡±


    ¡°How can you rescue a princess?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°You¡¯re in the most secure prison carrack in the Makini fleet. The Wretched has never had a successful escapee. You should worry about your own fate, before worrying about the fate of another.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± asked Broken, simply.


    ¡°I read your lengthy file,¡± responded Alsi. ¡°I know you backwards and forwards.¡±


    ¡°Do you really?¡± asked Broken. ¡°If you want information about me, it is an impossibility to be content in your knowledge.¡±


    ¡°I know you well enough,¡± said Alsi. ¡°I know you like to save people. I know you like to be a hero. But those days are over, Broken.¡±


    ¡°I was never a mere hero,¡± came the response. ¡°You do not know what I am, Alsi as Sarani del Makin.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me. What are you?¡±


    A great aura radiated from Broken. An aura of crushed dreams, simultaneously combined with hope beyond words.


    ¡°I am paragon.¡±


    Alsi tried to wrap her head around the unknown, alien word. ¡°Is that your real name?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°No,¡± said Broken. ¡°Paragon is no more my true name then Broken. Both are words that can be used to describe me, and no more. My true name would bring you great fear, and for that reason, I will not divulge that secret now. I will wait until the time is right.¡±


    ¡°Bring me fear?¡± laughed Alsi. ¡°You think you can bring me fear? You are a prisoner, Broken. A helpless prisoner.¡±


    ¡°If you really believe that I am helpless, then why do you not condemn me for my insolence?¡± asked Broken. ¡°Why do you not tell me to prepare myself for hours upon hours of torture? I will tell you why. Because in your heart of hearts, you know I have all but escaped, and you are preempting begging for mercy at my feet.¡±


    ¡°You think too much of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± The simple words reverberated through the room.


    ¡°You¡­do.¡± The words were slow, and weak, as if their speaker knew them to be lies.


    ¡°Now that I have made up my mind,¡± said Broken, ¡°this prison cannot hold me. I will escape. I guarantee that.¡± Dark fire shined in his eyes. The fire of one whose hope had been rekindled, and the fire of one who was not going to let himself lose that hope again.


    The guards said nothing. Alsi said nothing. The room was silent.


    ¡°I believe we are done here,¡± said Broken, sitting back in his iron chair. ¡°Take me back to my cell, now.¡±


    The guards, suddenly untranced, leapt to do so at once.


    ***


    Alsi was frightened out of her mind. That had never happened before. That had never happened before. There was something terrifying about a man who had been fallen, and had then decided to fight again.


    In her mind¡¯s eye, just as Broken had said, he was already free.


    Alsi didn¡¯t know how he could escape. But she didn¡¯t know so many other things as well. In a world where there was great cruelty, injustice, could there also be justice, hope?


    Alsi sat on her small bed, in her small, cell like room, waiting for someone to come and shout at her for divulging vital information to a prisoner.


    She didn¡¯t know what to think. A part of her hoped Broken would escape, while another part wondered what her fate would be, in that eventuality. Still another part of her didn¡¯t really care.


    A knock came on the door, but before Alsi could open it, the person on the other side realized it was unlocked, and walked in.


    It was Ezea Radi, captain of the Wretched. The tall, imposing man looked at her. ¡°How many failures can I add to your log?¡± he asked. ¡°I am running out of pages, bitch.¡±


    Unlike the last conversation, Alsi had no response for him. She had not the slightest idea about how to break Broken, anymore. Indeed, it was almost as if he had broken her.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°I failed. I know it.¡±


    ¡°Broken thinks Maiako¡¯s alive now,¡± said Ezea, ¡°and no matter what the truth is, I doubt you, or anyone else will be able to dissuade him.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡± asked Alsi.


    Ezea laughed.


    ¡°You made a mistake,¡± he said, when the hearty grunts subsided. ¡°We all make mistakes. Your mistake was more important than most, and so your punishment will be unpleasant. You will survive it, though, and continue to work here. And that¡¯s all that matters, in the end. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Somehow, Alsi wasn¡¯t able to follow his advice. ¡°What do you intend to do with Broken?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Neither you, nor any other interrogator is coming near him, again. I and the demon agreed on something, for once,¡± said Ezea. ¡°Eton said that, in his invigorated state, Broken is too dangerous to keep around, anymore, and I happen to agree. The demon said his superiors have cleared things, so that Broken can die, and be tossed to the sea.¡±


    Alsi couldn¡¯t believe that a short death would be the end of Broken¡¯s legacy, but it fit, here.


    On the Wretched, dreams died.


    ¡°Broken may have been able to figure out that his princess is alive,¡± said Ezea, ¡°but seeing as Eton¡¯s going to kill him in a few hours, that doesn¡¯t matter much.¡±

 Chapter 66: A Different Ship; A Different Destiny

    Thump-thump.


    Thump-thump.


    Mai listened to her beating heart, which reminded her that even in her current state, she still drew breath.


    Not that that meant much.


    Mai sat in a small cabin, in the bowels of the blasted ship Ascendant. Somehow, both she and Savel had managed to survive the explosion; somehow the ship had managed to run the Makini blockade.


    Some might have called that luck. Mai didn¡¯t.


    After the explosion, Mai had been knocked unconscious. She had woken up what others said to be three days latter, in the ship¡¯s infirmary, with her body burned.


    And she had woken up with Savel, standing over her. His right arm was in a sling, but other than that, he had been in good health.


    Savel had informed her that all was going to be all right, for him at least, and ordered the ship¡¯s healer to fix her wounds, to make her look aesthetically pleasing, once again. And so the healer had.


    The man had not been very capable in magic; so incapable, that he had not even been able to fix Savel¡¯s arm. But he had been able to ease the blisters that covered Mai¡¯s skin into nonexistence.


    The burns still hurt, even now, days latter. But she no longer had blemishes upon her skin, and, apparently, that was all Savel cared about.


    Much as he had before Broken had brought down Asan Paril, Savel kept Mai in a single room. The difference was that now, the door was locked instead of guarded.


    Savel no longer had the resources to waste manpower, and Mai was glad of that.


    From what she knew, the ship was bound for the lands of the Amzu, the House of the seafaring traders. The House of Merchants. Ishad¡¯s House. From the Amzu islands, Mai was told that then the ship would head south, on the rivers, and eventually end up in Ehajdon¡¯s capital.


    But Mai cared little for such technicalities.


    In the end, what mattered was that Broken had brought down Savel¡¯s city in flames around him, but he had not been able to kill Savel. He had not been able to kill her. And now, by reports Savel had made Mai aware of, Ishad had been killed by Eton, and Broken had been captured by the Makini, to rot in a prison carrack for the rest of his life.


    That was what mattered.


    Oddly, Mai cared little about herself. Even if Broken was gone, he had taught her things, things invaluable. She would not despair for her fate, because if she despaired, she could not think constructively.


    She would find a way out of this mess, one way or another. She only mourned for Ishad, and for Broken. It had taken her days to fully calm herself, after she had learned that the one she loved was dead.


    But still, despite it all, she found that tiny bright spot, and clung to it, for all she was worth.


    Mai¡¯s situation, at the moment, despite the ever-lingering pain of the burns, was actually quite comfortable. While Savel called her Casari-spawn whenever they came across each other, the rest of the crew was actually rather courteous. Her room was lavish, and made for one of the upper class. There were bookcases within, with actual books, so Mai was not bored. From what she knew, Eton¡¯s fireball had blown apart half the deck of the ship, but down here, in the bowels of the Ascendant, everything was neat and orderly.


    And so, Mai plotted her escape. Admittedly, the plot was only in its beginning stages. She had a vague idea of somehow getting off the ship, when it docked for supplies and repairs in the Amzu territories.


    As she lay on the bed then, she leafed through a book called Fallen Humanity. It, unlike most of the books on the two small bookcases, was nonfiction. It extolled horrible choices that some people were forced to make, and how life was unfair. The book seemed to be very much from an atheistic perspective, but somehow, it nevertheless insisted that life had meaning.


    It spoke that people who were jaded were making the world fallen, and not the other way around.


    The appendixes of the book were filled with studies about what the majority of people would do in certain situations, and what sort of people chose the opposite, and so on.


    Even though the book was well over a thousand pages, with tiny print, it was far more interesting than all the fanciful tales Mai had read, the ones that formed the majority of what was on the bookcases.


    Mai wasn¡¯t sure if everything she read made sense, but the book convinced her of a point that Broken had hardened in.


    She was no helpless damsel in distress, waiting to be rescued. She could do that much by herself.


    She wondered if the old Mai, the one before Broken had come along, could have dared think as such. She doubted it.


    Even if Broken had failed in his physical attempt to rescue her, he had still provided Mai with services invaluable. He had given her the strength and courage to go on, even in situations where it seemed all hope had faded.


    Such as this one.


    Mai mentally shook herself out of the sudden funk. However, she knew it had only come because she had thought about the truth. And the truth was, though she knew escape was most certainly possible, she wasn¡¯t sure if she, herself, had what it took to do as much.


    But she would try.


    I am not helpless, she told herself. I am not helpless.


    It was late that night, and so, as Mai had already been fed, she drifted off to tired, tired dreams.


    ¡°I am Slytherayaim,¡± came the hissing, mocking voice. ¡°And I am here to tell you a number of things.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mai asked the Nari, as they hung in the darkness of her mind, of her dreams.


    ¡°I told you, that you would be sorry, if you did not run and hide, Princess,¡± said the Nari. ¡°And now, I can see you are sorry.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Broken said you were Eton,¡± responded Mai. ¡°Stop showing yourself as a Guardian. You are no Nari.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± said the snake-shaped figure. ¡°I am Slytherayaim.¡±


    Suddenly, Mai believed him. Even before her dream-mouth could ask the question, her mind wondered, How can this be?


    The Nari gave her an odd sort of smile, and, between them, a table emerged, and two chairs.


    In the two chairs, Mai and the Nari sat, opposed. Blackness surrounded them, but upon the table, there was a game board. A game board, for the game known as Drau-Omon. It was a complex game, for the testing of skills between warriors, and other nobles. There were two sides, each with twenty pieces, some warriors, some common soldiers, and some priests. Mai had never played the game herself, so she knew little more. However, what she did know was that the pieces on this board, wood with etched squares, were not positioned for the start of a traditional game.


    ¡°Do you wish to know your misstep?¡± asked the Nari. ¡°I am obliged to reveal all to you, by the rules of Jin. The rules of honor.¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± said Mai, confused, but willing to be enlightened.


    ¡°Look upon the board,¡± said the Nari, and the pieces began to move. Two set up close to each other, one an obsidian warrior, the other a white marble figure covered in a cloak but with the hint of inhuman eyes, and turned face to face.


    Mai knew who was who. The obsidian warrior was Broken, and the other was Slytherayaim, the Nari.


    ¡°My Immortal meets your Warrior,¡± said the Nari. ¡°At the Holy Citadel, I and Broken talked, and he trusted me. He lost his last name because he trusted me, but he trusted me, nevertheless.¡±


    On the board, the Immortal figure pulled away from the Warrior, and darted away, to the very side of the board. The Warrior seemed to shrug its tiny shoulders. Then it turned, and ran face to face with a white colored piece, that looked like a hulking armored man, and while, tiny to Mai above, loomed over Broken¡¯s avatar, on the table.


    ¡°The Warrior meets the Construct,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°The Warrior meets the Construct right after he met with the Immortal, and yet he did not want to see the connection. And since he was blind to the color of the pieces, he only saw one enemy, not two.¡±


    On the board, Broken rushed from the Construct, only to nearly run headlong into another figure.


    ¡°The Acolyte comes into play, now,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You know him as Eton.¡±


    On the board, two other figures, smaller came near Broken, and, on the board, he shielded them from the Acolyte, as he drew his tiny sword.


    ¡°The Lady, and the Servant,¡± said the Nari. ¡°The Warrior knows these are obsidian pieces, and so he knows he must protect them.¡±


    On the board, a figure Mai knew to be the Priest arrived, colored black, and he helped Broken chase away the Acolyte.


    ¡°With the help of another, he does,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°And then there was much rejoicing.¡±


    Mai saw the Lady and the Servant press their tiny mouths together, as the Warrior looked away.


    ¡°For a time, things were happy,¡± said the Nari. ¡°But what was not known was that the marble forces had only poked and prodded, to find weaknesses. Weaknesses that were quickly exploited.¡±


    Out of nowhere, a marble Warrior marched up to Broken¡¯s piece, and shoved him away from the Lady. Away from Mai.


    ¡°Savel,¡± Mai breathed. ¡°You were pulling his strings.¡±


    ¡°We played with his emotions, in such a way he never even knew he was being used,¡± said the Nari. ¡°We merely, through the Acolyte, weakened the Lord just enough that the ever-jealous Warrior could take advantage of the situation. But he performed well.¡±


    As the figure known as the Lord approached the Warrior who was Savel, Savel knocked him away, and started dragging the Lady.


    The Acolyte appeared again, fought with the obsidian Warrior, and slew the Servant. A black piece known as the Monster appeared, which Mai knew represented the cave spider, but it was brought down by rows of advancing marble Footmen. The Owl appeared as well, but it too was brought down.


    And then, as the Warrior who represented Savel held the Lady triumphantly, Broken¡¯ piece was led away by the Footmen. The Footmen who were the Makini.


    ¡°And so, we reach this moment in time,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°The Acolyte will soon enough slay Broken, and I will kill you as soon as the Ascendant reaches harbor in the Amzu lands.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand something,¡± said Mai. For some reason, thinking on her fate seemed less pertinent then understanding how that fate had come to be.


    ¡°I am obliged by Jin to answer your questions,¡± said the Nari, patiently. ¡°Ask, and I shall tell.¡±


    ¡°I understand how you manipulated Savel,¡± said Mai, ¡°but how did you get the Makini on your side?¡±


    ¡°They only needed the slightest bit of manipulation,¡± said Slytherayaim, ¡°for the Council of the Makini understood that you and Broken were too dangerous to be kept alive. ¡°Our spy in their court, Eton, was all the influence they needed. The Council really does want you dead.¡± The Nari paused. ¡°As does Ehajdon, after a time, but I will not allow him to use you for his ends.¡±


    ¡°Eton?¡± asked Mai, confused. ¡°But, he¡¯s a demon. Demons and Nari hate each other. On your game board¡­¡± she swept out a hand, ¡°he, nonetheless, served you.¡±


    ¡°Think, Princess,¡± said the Nari. ¡°He¡¯s no demon, just a weak little man we molded into what we wanted. The Makini think he¡¯s a Terrasanu, but he¡¯s no such thing. There were so many hints to this, and yet, neither you, nor Broken, nor Ishad caught on. He has a specialized gift for magic; he can blur, but that is the extent of his abilities. He uses poisons we provide for everything else.¡±


    Mai knew the truth when she heard it. She, Broken, and Ishad had been duped. Slytherayaim and the other Nari had won, totally and completely. Only one other question remained.


    ¡°Why?¡± Mai asked. ¡°I always believed in your kind, even when my friends thought I was being silly. I always knew the Nari were real, and I thought you were keepers of order. The Guardians. The¡­¡± she paused. ¡°The good guys.¡±


    ¡°I am a Guardian,¡± said the Nari before her. ¡°I hold to the natural order. And you are an abomination. The only reason you still live is because of the one you know as Broken. And he is the spawn of chaos, now.¡±


    Mai looked upon the board, again. Armies of white Footmen fought and died on the board.


    ¡°What is this?¡± she asked, as she saw the men, all on the same side, slaughter each other.


    ¡°The way this are supposed to be,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°The natural order of things does not have to fit with your definition of good, or even your definition of sane. Out of the chaos, the unworthy die, and within it all, a beacon of order is crowned. That is what the Nari guard.¡±


    ¡°But, the prophecies, they are of hope,¡± said Mai. ¡°The Chosen One is anointed by the Nari to save the world.¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said the Nari. ¡°But we are the ones that bring the Empire to the brink of destruction, when each dynastic cycle says. We orchestrate it all, not just the parts suitable for bedtime stories.


    ¡°When Broken became involved, he etched a crack in the complicated pattern. Everything he touched became obsidian, became corrupted. But soon, everything will be fixed again. When this ship docks in the Amzu lands, we will be able to draw you out, so we can kill you, and dispose of your body with ease. That is the story, the parts past, present, and future. Are you satisfied?¡±


    ¡°How could a simple noble do so much, and nearly ruin your order?¡± asked Mai. ¡°How could you not plan for him? Who is he?¡±


    ¡°The truth is buried,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°Even the Jin cannot force me to say his true name, for that name is cursed. But, once, he was a ruler, great and powerful. Once, a long time ago, people knew who he truly was, and his enemies feared him. Millions of soldiers swore oaths in his name. The one you know as Broken nearly ruled the Empire, but not quite.¡±


    ¡°My God,¡± said Mai.


    The Nari looked at her. ¡°You have heard the answers to your questions. The Jin is satisfied.¡±


    The game board disappeared, and so did the chairs. Mai and the Nari were standing again, in the blackness.


    Then the Nari faded out of existence, and Mai was all alone.


    Then she woke with a start.


    All around Mai was the cabin, with the books. She still felt a determination to somehow get out of the mess she had been placed in, but she was also sullen. The dream conversation had left her with a looming sensation that she stood no chance against the ancient forces that propelled the universe.


    And indeed, Mai didn¡¯t see herself having a chance against the ancient forces that propelled the universe.


    If only the Nari were human, then she might have a fair shot.


    Mai picked up the book Fallen Humanity from the foot of her bed, and, for want of anything else to do, began to read.

 Chapter 67: Rage Against the World

    Broken hung in his chains, as his mind rushed with commitment. A million plans traveled through his mind, to be either discarded, or filed away for future use, and a million eventualities were given consideration.


    All in all, Broken was alive, and focused again, as focused as he had ever been. His hands were clenched into fists.


    He was strength incarnate.


    He was paragon.


    And the escape was just a small, tiny step in his life.


    He was paragon.


    Broken made comparisons, figured out how he had failed at Asan Paril, as his mind rushed with activity. He analyzed, and overanalyzed, until he understood each and every mistake he had made, and why.


    When he was done, he lifted his head triumphantly. He was new again. For the third time, he had a clean slate.


    And, in popular superstition, three chances were all one had.


    Broken would not fail again. He reminded himself of who he was.


    I am paragon.


    The bars to Broken¡¯s cell swung down, into the floor. As a very certain, very particular little man walked within, the bars returned to their original position.


    Broken was locked in a room with Eton.


    And he didn¡¯t care one bit.


    ¡°Do you know what I am here for?¡± asked Eton.


    ¡°You are here to kill me,¡± said Broken. ¡°But first, before you attempt to do as much, I wish to talk to you.


    ¡°I was thinking, Eton, about how my exorcism failed. You should have turned to dust, and yet you looked no more hurt than I was. Quite a bit less, in fact. I was wondering how that could come to be. And then I realized something.


    ¡°You are no demon, Eton. You¡¯re just a sad, sad imitator. In the employ of the Nari, no doubt.¡±


    Eton looked at Broken. ¡°You are a fool,¡± he said. ¡°You know nothing.¡±


    ¡°Quite to the contrary, Eton,¡± said Broken. ¡°I am sure I know more than you. You don¡¯t have to confirm what I said.


    ¡°Why?


    ¡°Because I know what the truth is. You can¡¯t hide it any longer.¡±


    Eton, wearing his small, little robes, shrugged his shoulders, looked around the cell, and then back to Broken.


    ¡°So what?¡± he asked. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do to me. You¡¯re in chains! You¡¯re in chains in this dark, dark room, in the dark, dark bowls of this ship. Your revelations are worthless.¡±


    Even as he hung in chains, with his wrists suspended over his head, Broken smiled. He smiled, partly to scare Eton, but he also smiled in genuine satisfaction. Everything was moving along to his plan.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong about that,¡± said Broken. ¡°You see, now that I realize you¡¯re human, I realize you¡¯re not a threat to me.¡±


    Eton looked at Broken darkly, reveled in his seeming helplessness. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you, Casari-spawn. There is nothing you can do about that. Accept it.¡±


    Broken laughed, for a reason he knew Eton could not fathom. ¡°No,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For the murder of Ishad,¡± said Broken. ¡°I sentence you to death.¡±


    ¡°Empty words,¡± Eton responded.


    ¡°Now that I know you¡¯re human,¡± said Broken, ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about you living through something as mundane as having your neck broken. I snap your head back, you die. In a few moments, I will do just that. You can try to blur, but, my reflexes are faster than yours.¡±


    The color drained from Eton¡¯s face.


    It suddenly occurred to the man who pretended to be a demon, that Broken was telling the truth. He was not lying.


    And, as such, in that moment Eton realized the threat was real, he tried to get out of harm¡¯s way. He tapped into his innate powers. He began to blur.


    But, as fate would have it, Broken was faster. He couldn¡¯t outrace the blur, of course; he couldn¡¯t run at all, due to the chains. However, in a fraction of a second, Broken knew what Eton was attempting to do, and reacted.


    Broken launched his legs off the ground. He wrapped his ankles around Eton¡¯s neck, and held in position, suspended off the false demon, and the chains that held his wrists. Not part of him touched the ground.


    With foreign mass around him, Eton was unable to blur. He shuddered, as the energy he had gathered was suppressed, and fell away.


    The little Eton stared at Broken, even as his neck was surrounded by ankles. Ankles that knew exactly what they could do, and how they could do it.


    Despite his precarious hanging position, Broken looked at Eton, and smiled, as he braced himself on the wrist chains, so that they would support his weight. He waited a moment, to exact his vengeance.


    Broken remembered something he had told Mai once. He had said that one could best re-grow after they lost everything. Lasting change was dramatic. At the time, when he had said that, Broken would have never dreamed he would have been the one building up from scratch.


    And yet he was. Eton¡¯s death was but the first piece of the puzzle.


    ¡°I am not a proud man,¡± said Broken, to Eton, who, trapped, stood there awkwardly. ¡°I can forgive any transgression against my person.¡± He paused. ¡°But you killed Ishad. He was no great warrior, but he was a noble man, and a good person. He deserved to live with Mai in happiness.


    ¡°You killed him.¡±


    Broken paused. ¡°I know it was the Nari who pulled your strings, who gave you your orders. But you still murdered an innocent person. You were complicit.¡±


    Eton said nothing, and, as he lived out his last few moments, looked at Broken coolly.


    Broken didn¡¯t care. He knew that inside, Eton was terrified.


    And then he twisted.


    His ankles pushed, and Eton¡¯s neck snapped. And then, the murderer was dead. Light drained from his eyes.


    Broken landed his feet back on the floor.


    Eton crumpled, and fell in a heap before him.


    And then, Broken settled, and waited.


    Guards ran past him, in the hallway, from the other side of the bars. They looked in horror at the dead Eton at his feet, and then rushed into the shadows.


    Broken knew they were planning what to do. Broken knew they were confused, uncertain how a chained man had managed to kill one they thought was a demon. They were uncertain what that meant for their own futures.


    If only they knew the truth.


    Broken waited, as Eton remained at his feet. He waited for the soldiers to come for him, and come they did.


    Beyond the cell doors, two squads of guards collected, staring at Broken, the man on the other side of the bars, in apprehension.


    They jeered at him, told him they weren¡¯t afraid of him, but the guards¡¯ huddled movements suggested otherwise.


    They didn¡¯t know who Broken was, what Broken was. He pitted them. They stood in his way.


    Rage against the world.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ***


    Varsis wore spectacles.


    It wasn¡¯t that, without them, it was hard to see, it was that, the alchemists had assured him, he would be able to see better with their aid.


    Varsis¡¯ didn¡¯t notice much of an improvement in his eyesight, but, to humor the alchemists, and, more importantly, his mother Hisa, who had paid for the invention, he wore them still.


    It had been an interesting week, after Broken had gone off to one of the carracks. The Minsu army had showed up, what some had prophesied to be the Final Battle of All Time had occurred, and¡­


    Varsis and his Makini armies had won handily, and sent the Minsu remnants scurrying from Asan Paril, with their figurative tails between their legs.


    Hiro is Varad had been set up as the puppet High Lord of Asan Paril, and everything continued to go well.


    But Varsis still sighed. Despite the fact that he had won another great victory, despite the fact that all projections indicated Emperor Ehajdon would be unseated before the year was out, and Makini hegemony would be secure, he was not content.


    Something was off. There was a tiny fracture in the wheel of the great plan, and Varsis worried that, if left unchecked, the tiny fracture could grow, and splinter everything to pieces.


    And that fracture rested with Broken. Fitting, Varsis thought, considering his name.


    Varsis, at the moment, was sitting in a chair in the Palace apartments that, he had been assured, had been home to Maiako, for the duration of her stay in the city.


    A pile of ancient books retrieved from the Palace library rested at his feet, and he was even now skimming through each, looking, searching. The books were genealogies, of all different sorts.


    Others, as such as Captain Sari, were confused as to why Varsis was spending so much of his free time in solitude, trying to find out a particular piece of information. They didn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t share what he was looking for, or delegate the responsibility to minor functionaries, who existed in Asan Paril in droves.


    For the truth of the matter was, no one else could do what he was doing. No one else remembered Broken¡¯s face.


    For Varsis was trying to discover Broken¡¯s family lineage. He felt a pressing need to discover more about that mysterious man, for he had a gut feeling that Broken would find strength again, and somehow, break out of the carrack prison that held him.


    And so, Varsis thumbed through the books.


    Just when he was about to give up hope, and call it a day, the name on the spine of one of the books caught his eye. Tome of the Shattered Mind.


    Varsis picked up the book. It had a black cover. He opened it. The book seemed not so much a genealogy as a chronology. It seemed to cover family histories during the Age of Despair, a thousand years ago, when the demon Casari is Koranor tried to break all order down.


    Varsis flipped through the pages, until a particular illustration, a portrait, caught his eye.


    Varsis stared at the portrait, and gasped, as revelations clouded his mind.


    He knew who Broken was.


    And he suddenly felt very, very sorry, for the poor crewmen of the Wretched.


    ***


    The bars slid down into the floor. Urged on by their fellow soldiers, a pair of guards stepped away from the mass of sixteen, at towards Broken. Their swords were out, and they stepped cautiously around Eton¡¯s fallen body.


    Broken, whose arms were still bound by chains, looked at them with eyes of fire, as the two guards approached him, as if they approached a rabid dog.


    Broken stood there, completely still, as the two guards prepared to cut him down with their swords, and end the threat he posed.


    They were such fools, in the scheme of things. Unknowing fools, but fools nonetheless.


    In the next moment, just as the guards converged on opposite sides to kill him, Broken acted.


    His wrists were bound by chains, so what was there for him to do?


    Free himself.


    There were no keys handily nearby, so what was there for him to do?


    Free himself. Will himself from the chains, with naught more than the strength of his mind. There was no magic involved, though it may well have seemed that way to the guards, the outsiders.


    All Broken had to do to free himself was compress his hands, until they were smaller than his wrists. And so, he did.


    In one smooth, swift yank, he was free.


    The guards saw this, and pulled back, horrified. Broken took advantage of their shock, and subdued them in but moments, his hands connecting with pressure points. As they both fell to the ground, unconscious, Broken helped himself to their swords. He held one in each hand, as he walked out of the cell, directly at the fourteen remaining guards.


    Belatedly, the prison bars swung closed, behind him. There were now three bodies in Broken¡¯s cell, and none of them were his.


    In the hallway now, and armed with two blades, Broken eyed his opponents.


    They eyed him back, and, remembering their training, drew steel. The hall was crowded with the rings of drawn blades.


    Fourteen swords, to Broken¡¯s two. Fourteen men, against Broken¡¯s one.


    And yet, his cold rage endured. His calm, calculated rage would not be hindered by such things as odds.


    The hallway was dark, condensed. There had been no cell opposite Broken¡¯s but now, as he stood unblindfolded in the hallway for the first time, he saw that in other cells, that was not the case.


    His cell was an oddity, with its mechanical bars, where all the other cells had pairs on the opposite wall, and were made of solid metal, with only tiny air holes. His cell was also at the very far end of the hall, a dead end.


    The guards positioned themselves between Broken, and the stairs leading upwards, at the far end of the hall.


    Broken considered his adversaries for a moment, and they considered him. And then the battle began.


    With only fifteen participating, total, it was only a small battle, but the ferocity was still there.


    Predictably, the Makini guards made the first move. They charged.


    Broken slowed his impression of time down, so he would be more adequately able to respond.


    As the first soldiers came at him, Broken leapt, straight up, into the air. His legs curled, then struck, slamming into the first guard¡¯s face and chest. He tumbled backwards to the ground, tripping a second guard with his fall.


    But Broken did not have the time to celebrate a temporary victory. He landed lightly on his feet, but as the tiny horde swarmed to intercept him, flowing around their two fallen companions, Broken had no choice to react, if he wanted to stay alive.


    And, because of his catharsis, he wanted that. He wanted that very much.


    Even as Broken began to touch the ground, he jumped again, pivoting, and gave a heavy double kick that slammed a guard hard against the bars of his cell. As he was in the air, Broken used his swords as rudders, of a sort, and as he landed, he landed with each sword in the back of a guard.


    He yanked them out, and the two dead men crumpled.


    But then, the rest were around him.


    Broken danced the dance of blades. There were not twelve opponents to fight, to kill, all at the same time, there were only four at each individual moment, for that was the number that could crowd around him, at one time.


    And while versing twelve might have been a feat for the ages, four against Broken was what he considered child¡¯s play.


    The truth was, his opponents never stood a chance.


    Broken flowed as water, his mind understanding what each guard would go next, even before they themselves knew.


    Broken was operating on a higher level, and while his form, his avatar was doing the grunt work, facing men, dueling, slicing, Broken¡¯s ethereal arms were folded over his shoulders. He watched what his body did, noted, and continued to direct.


    Then there were ten guards. Eight.


    It was at this point that his cell doors opened again, and released two groggy, newly aware soldiers, the ones whose blades Broken used. They, nevertheless, drew daggers, and waded into the fray.


    They were slaughtered.


    Broken quickly turned to other, more pressing fighters.


    And, one by one, dead body after dead body dropped to the ground, as blades tangled, twisted, cut, and sliced.


    He parried blow after blow with his opponents. But one by one, they fell. He did not.


    As the last soldier¡¯s screaming cry was cut short, Broken stood tall. Seventeen bodies littered the floor, and Broken¡¯s swords were drenched in red blood.


    But he stood tall, amidst the dead he had created.


    He was paragon. He had proven that, here.


    At the far end of the hall, by the stairs, a metal gate came crashing down, cutting Broken off from the stairs.


    Apparently, the remaining guards thought containment was the best policy, until they decided what else they could do.


    Broken wasn¡¯t worried. He had expected as much. And the next stage of his plan had nothing to do with leaving this hall, anyway. No, he had something to do, first.


    Broken bent down to a fallen guard, removed the belt and scabbard from the corpse, and placed it upon his person. He did the same with a second guard.


    Now, able to give his twin swords a home at last, he sheathed them, not bothering to wipe off their crimson coating.


    He was paragon. When he wished, he brought death. He saw no reason to shed who he was.


    Not anymore. He was done hiding, in one shell or another.


    He had been unleashed, after so long, oh so long, and any who faced him would meet his wrath.


    Broken reached down to the fallen bodies once more. There was one more item for him to collect.


    A key ring.


    Broken¡¯s cell had been rigged mechanically, to not need a key, but all the other cells, being traditional, followed the traditional system.


    And the truth of the matter was, Broken did not intend to vanquish the crew of the ship alone. After he was done, he would have no way to sail the carrack. He needed assistants, associates, acolytes.


    And the prisons themselves provided him with an answer. The other prisoners themselves would prove useful.


    They were madmen, murderers, and rapists. But Broken intended on setting them free.


    He unlocked the first door. Inside was no raving felon.


    Inside was a holy man. Crumpled against the far wall, unchained, but utterly defeated, leaned a man in priest¡¯s robes, with his head down. Broken recognized the man at once.


    It was Priest-Lord Ralad, of the Holy Citadel. Broken, knowing that the Holy Citadel had fallen to the Makini, quickly deciphered how the man had come to the Wretched.


    As Ralad saw light pouring in, he raised his head, slightly.


    Then, he recoiled, as his face registered recognition. Slowly, he got to his feet, and came over to the doorway, where Broken stood.


    His time in the bowels of the Wretched appeared to have weakened him. Broken knew the priest could not in truth not much more than forty, but he looked half that again.


    ¡°¡­Broken?¡± Ralad asked. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing here?¡± responded Broken. He jingled his ring of keys. ¡°Come, Ralad. We are escaping.¡±


    And the two of them walked out into the light, the torchlight of the hall. Broken gave a quick glance at the grate, protecting the stairway. No soldiers were massing on the other side.


    Broken was fine with that. He knew he would have to come to them.


    But Ralad could not be so analytical. He looked at the ground, where the sixteen bodies lay.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, nearly stumbling. ¡°How did you¡­¡±


    ¡°I killed them,¡± said Broken simply. ¡°You should be glad of that, as, had I allowed myself to die, you would not be free.¡±


    ¡°No warrior could take on that many,¡± said Ralad. ¡°And yet, you killed them all, and you don¡¯t have a scratch on you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m different,¡± said Broken, gruffly. ¡°Now, if you will excuse me, I have others to rescue.¡±


    Ralad put a hand on Broken¡¯s arm. He looked up at Broken, even though there was only a small difference in their height.


    Broken could have pushed him away, and moved on to freeing the convicts, but, for the moment, he did not.


    ¡°I asked you this before,¡± said Ralad, ¡°under very different circumstances. But now I ask again. Who are you?¡±


    Broken looked at Ralad, with his cold grey eyes. ¡°Do you really wish to know?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the priest, plaintively.


    Broken prepared to say his next words, and then they were uttered. The secret was out.


    ¡°I am Casari.¡±


    Rage against the world.

 Chapter 68: A Thousand Years

    ¡°I am Casari.¡±


    It was a great relief to say those words, after a millennia. It was an exultation. It was a statement, that no longer could the beast be caged.


    He was the thing generations of children believed lived in the dark. They knew him as demon. His very name was a curse.


    And now, he was free. Both in body, and in mind. He could accept who he was again. All of who he was.


    For a thousand years he had languished in a crystal prison. But now he was free. And no mortal soul could stand against him.


    He said it again, because he could scarce believe he had left the words leave his tongue.


    ¡°I am Casari.¡±


    After months of pretending to be no one, at all, his true name was spoken again.


    Before him, Priest Ralad, one of the holiest of the Citadel, trembled. A High Priest trembled in his wake.


    ¡°You, you¡¯re a demon?¡± he asked, in fear.


    ¡°I am no ordinary demon, Ralad.¡±


    The High Priest quickly removed his hand from Casari¡¯s shoulder, and uttered a prayer.


    ¡°God preserve me.¡±


    Casari took a deep breath.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said. ¡°I have no intention of harming you. I have more pressing matters to attend to.¡±


    Casari pushed the key into the lock of the next door, and twisted.


    Within was a brute. He got up, as he saw Casari was no guard.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, in guttural tones.


    ¡°Setting you free.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a murderer, you know, man,¡± he said proudly. ¡°Killed twelve. You don¡¯t scare me.¡±


    Saying as much, though, was proof of the opposite.


    Casari let him out, then unlocked all the doors, to all the cells.


    When he was done, forty scum stood before him. Off to the side, Ralad sat against a wall, muttering prayers under his breath.


    With his back to the grate, still devoid of any approaching soldiers down the stairs, Casari spoke to the assembled men. He doubted most of them had ever been so quiet, patient, or orderly before in their entire lives. However, Casari¡¯s dominating presence was more than enough to give all before him restraint.


    ¡°I am Casari,¡± he said. ¡°Casari is Koranor. A thousand years ago, I nearly broke the Arathou Dynasty. You know me as demon.¡±


    The thugs stood and looked at him, transfixed. Others would be horrified; others would repent their sins in his presence, but not these men.


    These were the worst of the worst.


    Casari knew that, to a man, they believed him, when he gave his name, and, to a man, they thought he was their god. A god of slaughter.


    ¡°You are breaking out, today,¡± he told his minions. ¡°You will make the crew of the Wretched understand for the first time what that name means.¡±


    There were nods, grunts, and shouts of affirmation, as Casari pivoted, and turned to the grate, that protected the staircase to the upper levels.


    He spit a vial from his mouth, to his hand. It was Savel¡¯s vial. Savel¡¯s vial of Wrath. He had kept it all this time. Guards had searched his mouth of course, but he had found ways to keep it hidden.


    It was fitting, that the mere drink of a demon would be enough to melt the steel before him.


    Casari, in a sudden, violent gesture, broke open the vial against the grate. The grate hissed, the grate steamed, and the grate melted.


    When all that remained was weak, warped, and twisted metal, and all the Wrath had been used up, Casari kicked the grate down.


    It fell easily from its post.


    Casari turned back to his followers. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said.


    And come they did.


    Casari pivoted once more, and headed up the stairs. The forty convicts followed him.


    As Casari ascended the stairs, he saw that they were empty. There were only two levels below deck, and, when he reached the door to the upper of the two, Casari stopped. He spoke to his followers, without looking back at them. ¡°Secure this level, and free your fellows,¡± he told them, tossing the key ring over his head, back in their direction. He then heard a man catch it. ¡°While you do this, I will deal with the deck.¡±


    Casari then swiftly continued to climb the stairs, as the murderers boiled through the door Broken had indicated. To a man, they obeyed his whim.


    Casari was alone when he concluded the staircase, and stepped upon the rain-tossed deck.


    Guards despite their fear, converged on his position, holding their weapons high.


    But, in a sudden moment, Casari was gone. He had not blurred. The answer was more mundane than that. He had faked right, and gone left, in a fraction of a second, and now, as the guards looked for him, in the opposite direction from where he was, Casari crouched, hidden behind a row of barrels.


    He then turned, and taking pains to remain unnoticed, and thus, unencumbered, stalked towards to main cabin, where, despite the raging storm of the night, lanterns hung, shining light.


    Creak.


    Casari opened the door, noticing that within, several men huddled together, speaking.


    They turned to him, and stood from their chairs when he entered, eyes wide with fear.


    One of them, a tall, burly man, obviously the captain, gained enough courage to speak.


    ¡°You will not get away with this mutiny!¡± he said, almost shrilly.


    ¡°Captain Ezea Radi,¡± said Casari. He looked about the brightly lit and excellently furnished cabin, that was in such contrast to the raging winds, and piercing chaos, that fluttered in from the outside. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    As Ezea¡¯s mouth worked, Casari took one step further into the cabin, then another.


    ¡°You know you will die, soon,¡± said Ezea, darkly. His hand edged for the sword at his waist.


    ¡°Mortals die,¡± said Casari, in tones overlaid with guarded rage. ¡°I am something else entirely.¡± He paused. ¡°And, I beg of you, do not think of this as a mutiny. I never swore an oath to you.¡±


    He continued slowly working his way within the cabin.


    Ezea, apparently fed up with Casari¡¯s tone, with his slick manner, drew his sword in one smooth motion, and charged, as his fellows reached for their own weapons, to assist.


    Casari could have killed them right there, but he wished to make things more interesting. He turned.


    At the door, behind him, a group of guards had massed, finally realizing where he had gone to. Before the Makini soldiers could do anything, before Ezea could attack from behind, Casari rushed forward.


    In a great leap, Casari jumped over the heads of the soldiers at the door, and landed on the other side of them.


    He was back on the deck. Back in the pouring rain.


    As the guards chased him, not knowing they were chasing one who was all but death incarnate, Casari leapt upon the railing, and looked down at his pursuit, balancing above the frosty sea.


    And there, as the men came at him, Casari drew his twin proffered blades. He crossed them into an x, in front of his face, and stood still, and the guards continued to rush at him.


    The first two tried to get up onto the railing as well, on opposite sides of him. As they managed to stand, slowly, hesitantly, Casari struck at them, simultaneously, with two stabs, while looking at neither.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He stared straight ahead, as he removed his blades, and the two bodies plunged into the ocean.


    But those two were only the first wave. The supply of guards was quite limited, Casari knew, and a substantial portion therein was either dedicated to dealing with the convicts in the bowels of the ship, or were already dead. Even still, half a dozen guards were still against him, not including the captain, and his officers.


    But even still, Casari invited them to bring it on.


    Casari came at them darting off the railing, and leaping from one end of the ship to the other, bringing death as he went. He used the mazelike deck, with its stocks, crates, and barrels, to his best advantage.


    And soon enough, Casari had cut clear across the ship to the other side, to the other railing.


    He leapt upon it, and a moment later, Ezea, hurtling towards him, slammed hard against his middle, catapulting both of them over the edge, into the sea.


    Casari could have prevented his fall. There was a sail rope suspended nearby, and it would have been a simple matter to grab hold of it, and let Ezea fall to his doom.


    But Casari had a sudden desire to be the end of the captain, rather than just let the waters take him.


    Casari allowed himself to fall.


    A few seconds later, he, and Ezea, plunged into the water, separately. The captain bobbed up immediately for air, gasping breath, but Casari stayed underwater.


    Underneath, all was a dark blue. Casari allowed himself to sink, even as his eyes, compensated for the liquid around them, saw the kicking legs of the captain, as he treaded water on the surface.


    Casari pivoted, until his legs were up, and his head was down, and kicked, hard. His legs shot up and out of the water, slamming Ezea in the back of the head. The captain yelped, and Casari grabbed him, and forced his weakening body under the water.


    And, so, the two of them floated, two feet below the surface, with water all around.


    Ezea became acutely aware he was running out of air, and panicked, frantically kicking. Casari merely grabbed him around the waist, and pulled him deeper into the water.


    And then, perhaps ten feet down, he stopped descending, and grasped hold of the captain¡¯s wrist.


    Ezea tried to struggle for air, as Casari calmly held him, his firm grip unbreakable.


    And eventually, the captain took a breath. He quivered, and then was calm. Casari released him, and let him sink.


    And then he swam for the surface. Casari took his first breath of air for the first time in three minutes. He didn¡¯t need it.


    Casari arose to the surface at the side of the Wretched. The hull of the ship loomed to his right, flat, with seemingly no surfaces to climb. The deck was perhaps twenty feet up.


    Casari dove down again, then leaped from the water, straight up. His fingers found grasps on the nearly flat hull, and he twisted, continuing to the sky.


    Then he, clothes now waterlogged, flipped over the railing, and landed on the deck.


    He had been to the murky depths, but he was back, now. Even as a pool of water coalesced at his feet, Casari drew his pair of bloodstained swords.


    He had not been gone long. Guards still stood upon the deck, and looked upon his reappearance with horror.


    Casari slew them. When corpses littered the ground, and not a Makini breathed free upon the deck, Casari strode down the stairs, to the lower levels.


    He was interested in seeing how much progress his band of murderers had made.


    On the middle level, as he strode through the halls, where the small crew had lived, and the lesser of the convicts had been housed, Casari gazed upon a scene of destruction. Newly freed prisoners were everywhere, rejoicing with their brethren, explaining just what it was they would do when they got back to the mainland. Bodies lay everywhere, both of crew, and of convicts, that had died to bring them down, but through the horror, Casari received his due respect.


    Even as he walked through the halls, heading in a direction only he knew, as the convicts saw him, they stopped talking, and stared at him. There were shouts of approval, and even head nods. What there were not, however, were disbelievers.


    Not a single fallen soul challenged Casari, as he walked amongst them. Even those who had not been freed by them had heard: he was their savior, and he was an ancient and all-powerful demon.


    Casari allowed his face to be graced by a tiny smile.


    He continued onwards, until he reached a deeper part of the ship, where the last few guards and crew hid; where the last few guards and crew were slowly being hunted down, and massacred.


    Casari turned down a hall, and gazed upon the door to the room, that had been where he had been interrogated. He heard sounds of crashing inside, and a familiar sounding voice, briefly crying out.


    Casari opened the door, and stepped inside.


    Within, things were as he expected.


    On one side of the table, crouching, looking horrified, was Alsi. On the other side was one of the murderers. Casari recognized him to be from the lower level.


    The convict was a big, strong, powerful man, with a grin on his face. The grin of one who was finally going to get to do something he wanted again, after a long, long absence.


    The murderer acknowledged Casari with another grin, and then refocused on Alsi. All hope seemed to have left her, as she backed up against a wall, and stood there, as the murderer circled around the table to reach her.


    Casari could have left things as they were. He could have walked out, right then, and left Alsi to the murderer¡¯s tender mercies, mercies she would undoubtedly not survive.


    But Casari chose not to walk out.


    ¡°Leave,¡± he called to the murderer, as he stood at the door. ¡°I have business with her.¡±


    The murderer glanced back at him, pausing at the end of his cat and mouse game. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, boss,¡± he said. ¡°She¡¯s mine.¡±


    Casari strode over to him, and the murderer abandoned his focus on Alsi, to stare at Casari. He crossed his hands in front of his chest.


    Casari walked slowly, ever so slowly. ¡°I am giving you a last chance,¡± he said to the murderer. ¡°Leave now.¡±


    The murderer¡¯s hands balled into fists, as Alsi watched, pinned to the wall by her own sheer terror.


    ¡°She¡¯s mine,¡± said the murderer again.


    Casari halted no more than a foot away. The man he faced was slightly taller, but Casari¡¯s gaze forced the man to slump to his level.


    Casari reflected that once, months ago, he had been faced with the task of rescuing a different damsel in distress.


    Then, he had used finesse, to carefully duel the oppressor, before winning the battle. Casari saw no such need for such elaborate ritual here.


    There was a man before him, that needed to die. Casari saw no reason to honor the trappings of society.


    Before the murderer could react, Casari grasped him by the belt, and flung him with force clear across the room.


    The body impacted the far wall, and there was a wet crack.


    And then a dead man peeled off the wall, and fell to the ground.


    Casari noted this, duly. Blunt force could sometimes be just as effective as the more enlightened arts.


    He walked for Alsi.


    She cowered before Casari, as he moved to stand directly in front of her.


    ¡°Alsi,¡± he said. ¡°Alsi as Sarani. I stand before you now, our situation much reversed. Just as I told you, I am free. What I foretold has come to pass.¡±


    And as Casari spoke, with his eloquent words, Alsi looked at him, in fear. Much of her red hair dangled in front of her, but it could not hide the look of terror, in her eyes.


    ¡°You did not save me out of mercy,¡± said Alsi. ¡°What do you intend to do?¡±


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± asked Casari.


    ¡°An ancient and powerful demon, or so I have heard.¡± Alsi laughed weakly, pressing herself further against the flat wall, as Casari stood before her. ¡°And I thought you were an innocent to be pitied, in all of this.¡±


    ¡°It would be hard to be further than the truth, Alsi,¡± said Casari. He gave his own laugh, and the shadows seemed to tremble.


    ¡°I beg of you,¡± said Alsi. ¡°Tell me my fate.¡±


    Casari took a deep breath. ¡°It is how one treats the helpless that defines one¡¯s character, not how one licks the boots of ones master.¡± He took a pause.


    ¡°When I was imprisoned on this ship, when you thought I was helpless before you, you coursed lightning through my frame with thunder shockers. It was not your hands that held the devices, but it was your words that guided the guards. In my weakness, you failed to show benevolence.¡±


    ¡°Is that so wrong?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°I did my job. I had little choice in the matter. And, as it turns out, as a demon, as Casari, somehow freed, you deserved every ounce of pain I could give you.¡± She caught herself, and gasped at her boldness. ¡°I am sorry, my lord. Forgive me that statement, if not my life.¡±


    Casari studied her.


    ¡°How do you wish to die?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I suppose I cannot say old age?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± said Casari firmly. ¡°You cannot.¡±


    Alsi seemed to be crying. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she said. ¡°But I beg of you to make it quick.¡±


    Casari drew one of his bloodied swords, and rested it in his left hand. ¡°Put your head on the interrogation table, Alsi,¡± he said. When she hesitated, he said, ¡°Do it now.¡±


    Alsi knelt, and did as he asked. She closed her eyes, and her whole body shuddered in anticipation of the blade that would come down and end her existence.


    And yet, it did not come. Casari smiled, as he sheathed his sword. Fate was odd like that. Perhaps one day, she would understand why he had spared her.


    ¡°Why do you wait?¡± Alsi whispered, her eyes still tightly shut.


    ¡°Because,¡± said Casari, ¡°I do not intend to kill you, now. Get up.¡±


    And Alsi did so.


    ¡°You have lost much in your life,¡± said Casari, to her apt attention. ¡°So much, that you were willing to give all you had left up, without a fight. You are, in the terms of my former persona, ¡®broken.¡¯


    ¡°And thus,¡± Casari continued, ¡°you can be molded into something that matters, again.¡±


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Everything your soul can give,¡± said Casari. ¡°And, in return, you will be given true purpose.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­why did you spare me?¡±


    ¡°Remember my maxim, Alsi. Remember the essential truth I have told you. You were molded by your masters to strike against me. Doing so was not your idea, not even truly your choice, and as so, not your fault. And I can forgive any harm against my person. And so I will, with you.¡±


    Casari spread his arms wide, and shouted to the winds, ¡°Talon!¡±


    And within moments, the owl, which had, obviously, been freed from its cage during the fighting, flew in.


    Talon landed on Casari¡¯s left shoulder.


    I have heard things about you, the bird cooed. Horrible, horrible things.


    ¡°I know that in the culture of the Great Blacks,¡± said Casari, ¡°little stock is put in idle rumors. Judge me for what you see me to be, with your own inquisitive eyes, and not by what others I said. I can assure you, our partnership and friendship will not be betrayed on my part.¡±


    I will give you a chance, hooted Talon. I will vest trust will you.


    Casari knew the bird said what he did, because he wanted to believe that there was still hope, justice, and fairness in the world. And he knew he would not betray Talon¡¯s trust. He did not lie.


    Casari noticed that Alsi was staring at him, and his newfound companion.


    ¡°See,¡± said Casari, ¡°others can trust me. Talon, who you once thought to be on your side, trusts my companionship more than he trusts the cages of the Makini, and understandably so. In a way, you share similarities with him, for in a way, you were caged, and now I set you free, so that under my supervision, you can grow.¡±


    Alsi nodded, as if she was in disbelief. ¡°How can you speak to it?¡± she asked. ¡°How can you understand what the owl is saying?¡±


    ¡°He,¡± Casari gently nudged. ¡°Talon is a he, and he is aware enough to know that, when you speak as such, you slight him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Alsi, immediately.


    ¡°You should wait until the words you say are the truth, before speaking them,¡± said Casari. ¡°But do not worry. In the future, you will have time to learn about which I speak.¡±


    The three of them looked at each other. Casari then twisted to the closed interrogation room door, before refocusing on Alsi.


    ¡°Are you ready to walk from here?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The former inmates of the Wretched now line the ship¡¯s halls,¡± said Casari. ¡°I freed them, but that does not mean they will look kindly upon you, one who oppressed them. Even under my protection, you will still be a target. The murderer who now lines the floor of this room is testimony to that. Are you ready for their scorn?¡±


    Alsi, with her fingers, brushed her hair back behind her head. She readjusted her stance to stand a little bit taller, though she still slumped.


    It occurred to Casari that even in her despair and confusion, even in the conservative Makini uniform she wore, on this day, she still looked pretty.


    ¡°I am ready now,¡± Alsi announced.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Casari. ¡°Then we shall go.¡±


    The pair turned for the door.

 Chapter 69: Weakness Glows in Triumph

    The assembled convicts saw three things path forth from the door when it opened. They saw a demon, an owl, and then a girl. And they did not like the last of those three.


    ¡°Casari!¡± called one, who was notable for his eyes, which looked as if they were formed of stone. ¡°May we have her?¡±


    The men, who, as the demon had said, lined the halls, stared upon her. Though fully clothed, Alsi felt naked. She wished she could hide behind her dark savior, but there were murderers all around them, entrapping them.


    Alsi noted the oddity of seeking refuge from mortal villains, under the protection of a Terrasanu, but that was as life went.


    Casari almost seemed to consider the proposition, formed so eloquently, in contrast to the pidgin speak of murder in the interrogation cell. As he did so, Alsi thought she nearly willed her heart to stop beating. But it did not.


    And at last, the demon shook his head at the speaker, and, thus, at the assembled ranks. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°She is mine, and will be used for my purposes alone.¡±


    And the crowd seemed to accept that.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Casari, in the center of the impromptu meeting in the hall, ¡°do any of you have any idea how to sail this ship?¡±


    The freed man, with the stone-cold eyes raised his hand, hesitantly. ¡°My name is Uran Tedi,¡± he said. ¡°Also known as Darksail.¡±


    And at that, some of the other convicts made gasps, and Alsi was with them.


    Five years ago, Darksail was the greatest pirate of the north seas, a man who had eluded the Makini navy for years on end. Oddly enough, he had been known for his honor.


    Alsi knew that, five years ago, he had been caught, but she had had no idea he had been a prisoner onboard the Wretched. She even knew him, and had interrogated him many times, knowing him to be Uran Tedi, the pirate, but she had had no idea who he really had been. She had no idea he had been a legend.


    And, his presence was accepted, just like that. If Casari is Koranor, Lord of the Fallen Host, could walk among them, then Darksail¡¯s presence was barely even interesting, and quite certainly likely.


    ¡°I would assume that means you can run this ship,¡± said Casari. ¡°I promote you to captain of the Wretched. You are second only to me. Now, get some men working, before we list in the storm!¡±


    Darksail acknowledged Casari¡¯s words with a crisp nod, and turned to the other freed prisoners. He began to set them tasks, and, with Casari¡¯s words behind him, all the others did what Darksail instructed, most of them heading for the deck.


    Before he did the same, Darksail asked Casari, ¡°Where are we headed?¡±


    ¡°The mainland,¡± said the demon.


    Accepting that cryptic answer, Darksail shrugged, and headed up the ship¡¯s stairs, to the deck.


    ¡°Make sure they do what they must,¡± Casari told the owl on his shoulder, which hooted, stretched its massive wings, and flew off.


    And then, in a now all but empty hall, Alsi was alone with the demon. She was terrified, terrified, but oddly staunch in the belief that when Casari had said he would spare her, he had meant those words.


    ¡°Now what?¡± she asked the demon, who, instead of looking at her, was staring at a blank spot on the wall.


    The demon sighed. ¡°There was an odd benefit to having had given up,¡± he said. ¡°Then, I did not have to worry about succeeding.¡±


    ¡°And how would I be classified as a success?¡±


    Finally, Casari turned.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    He did not look like a demon to Alsi, despite it all. He looked like a man. A man with gray eyes, but gray eyes of sadness, not gray eyes of horror. When she looked at him, she saw something there. She saw something behind them.


    But Alsi didn¡¯t know what. She reflected, and decided what she saw was most certainly one of Casari¡¯s ploys.


    ¡°When you can serve me without my needing to direct your actions,¡± he said. ¡°When you can stand in your own right, and be able to tell your father that what he did to you was wrong.¡±


    Alsi looked at him. ¡°You knew I was telling you the truth of my history, in the interrogation room?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Alsi felt silly. Casari was a demon. He probably knew every last one of her secrets just by looking at her.


    ¡°Go back to your room, Alsi,¡± said Casari. ¡°I can assure you, no harm will befall you while you sleep.¡±


    Alsi turned, and left him. The demon did not pursue, instead walking down a corridor in the opposite direction.


    Whether it was by fate, happenstance, or Casari¡¯s intervention, no former prisoners bumped into Alsi, as she made the trek back to her small room.


    Once inside, however, she found someone waiting for her. He was garbed in the robes of a priest.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked him. There had never been a priest as part of the Wretched¡¯s crew, and, in any case, Alsi had been sure all crew besides her were dead.


    ¡°I?¡± asked the man. ¡°I am Priest Ralad. Once, Priest-Lord, but no longer.¡±


    ¡°How did you get onboard this ship?¡± she asked him, edging to find room in the cramped space, a space that was not meant for two.


    ¡°As your prisoner, my dear Makini,¡± said Ralad. His words sounded so peaceful, so comforting, that Alsi did not realize their true meaning until a moment after they had been spoken.


    ¡°A¡­a prisoner?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°But, you¡¯re a holy man.¡±


    ¡°I forfeited any privileges related therein, when I helped defend the Holy Citadel,¡± said Ralad. ¡°And so I came here. You must not have read the prisoner manifest very carefully.¡±


    In truth, Alsi had not even gazed upon the prisoner manifest. That had been for the captain, and a few select officers. It had been classified beyond her reach.


    ¡°But,¡± she asked. ¡°What are you doing here here, in my room?¡±


    ¡°The demon who has brought madness down upon this ship sent me to speak to you,¡± said Ralad. ¡°He found me robes in storage, so that I could shed the prison gown, and bade me talk to you. He wishes for you to know that you are the last of the crew still alive.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound as if you serve him, now,¡± said Alsi. ¡°You, a holy man.¡±


    ¡°My faith is not shattered,¡± said Ralad. ¡°I still believe in the one true God. However, while I am not an old man, I am not a young one, either, and I have learned that it is better to go along with events you dislike, when revolting against them will result in your death, and no other change.¡±


    ¡°You do what he asks because you think that otherwise, he¡¯ll kill you,¡± Alsi simplified. ¡°You¡¯re a coward.¡±


    ¡°Sadly,¡± said Ralad, ¡°you are no more than me.¡±


    ¡°I know I am a coward,¡± said Alsi. ¡°But, you¡­¡±


    Ralad sat on her bed. ¡°I know what you are thinking. I know that my putting up with Casari is an abomination against the natural order of things. But there is nothing I can do to stop him, now.¡±


    Ralad looked at her, as Alsi nervously fidgeted, looking down at the man, who sat comfortably in the uncomfortable chair that graced her room.


    And a truth Ralad had spoken sunk in. All her fellow crew members were dead, now. Oddly, she felt not the slightest bit of remorse. She supposed that somehow, even now, Casari was beginning to turn her.


    Ralad saw how confused and uncomfortable she looked, and got up, and offered her the seat.


    Alsi gratefully took it.


    Now, instead of him looking up at her, the situation was reversed.


    ¡°As many priests before me,¡± said Ralad, ¡°I have come to realized that the world is not only black and white. Take this situation now, for example. You and I are speaking, as if we are on the same side, and yet, less than a day ago, you would have let me rot as a prisoner. Casari broke free from the ship, and yet, despite his ancient evil, he spared both of us.¡±


    ¡°What is your point?¡± asked Alsi.


    ¡°I know you are weary,¡± said Ralad, ¡°and I know you wonder and fear what the next day brings. Indeed, I am with you, and--much pity the expression--on the same boat. But you must have faith, for without light, there could be no shadows. That is what I mean when I say the world is not simple. In my studies of texts, in my studies of lore, I have realized that while the world is a complicated place, things always even out. Just as a new emperor will rise from the ashes of the Arathou Dynasty, Casari will one day tremble before the victorious forces of good.¡±


    He paused.


    ¡°Things always even out. Just have faith.¡±


    Alsi got up, and lay back on her small bed. ¡°But things feel so hopeless.¡±


    ¡°Let me tell you just one more thing,¡± said Ralad, ¡°and then I will leave you. Demons, Terrasanu like Casari think they can get away with their evil plots because they do not believe in an afterlife. They do not believe, that when they die, they will be in God¡¯s domain, and they will be judged for their sins. One who has faith has great power over heathen Terrasanu.¡±


    ¡°Why are you telling me this at all?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°Why do you care about me, or how I feel? I was one of those who imprisoned you.¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± said Ralad, ¡°while I cannot forgive harm done to another, I can forgive harm done to me.¡±


    He turned, and he left, leaving Alsi alone to ponder his words. They were not reassuring in the slightest.


    Why were they not reassuring?


    Because Casari had told her almost the exact same thing. Shades of gray, indeed.


    Alsi got to sleep.

 Chapter 70: Demon at the Helm

    That night, Alsi dreamt that something was watching her. She dreamt that a voice hissed in contempt, as it rummaged through her recent memories, and she dreamt that eventually, it faded into her consciousness.


    The next morning, when Alsi woke up, she thought nothing of it.


    As she lay in bed, with her eyes just barely open, her eyes in slits, she looked upon the closed door to her room.


    Alsi wondered half-heartedly if the events of last night had just been a dream, a nightmare, even. But she knew that was not the truth.


    Alsi looked at the closed door, and knew a demon lay behind it.


    No, not any demon, Alsi corrected herself. Casari is Koranor, Lord of the Fallen Host, He-Who-Suffers-Within-Crystal. Alsi paused. Of course, that last title doesn¡¯t apply anymore, she realized. Somehow, Casari had broken free, and now, she was caught in the middle of his glorious vengeance.


    It truly was odd to think that a monster from a story could somehow be pertinent to Alsi¡¯s life. It was hard to believe that the legendary Casari had an interest in her. And yet, both statements were facts, and thus true.


    Alsi rose from her bed, and looked about her small closet for something to wear. The closet was stocked with Makini uniform after Makini uniform, but the last thing Alsi wanted to do was wear something that reminded Casari of who she had been, before he had placed her life in his hands.


    She put on a moderately revealing grey dress, which had been forced to the very back of the closet from lack of use. She brushed out her red hair, and then¡­she was done.


    She did not know if Casari wanted her to leave the room. He had said nothing, one way, or the other. Alsi considered.


    If Casari wanted me to stay in the room, he would have said so, Alsi decided. I¡¯ll leave.


    And so, she opened the door. At first, she opened it only a tiny crack, for she was nervous, but soon enough, it was all the way open, and an empty hallway beyond was completely visible.


    Alsi wondered where all the murderers and scoundrels had gone. She stepped out into the hallway, closing the door to her room behind her.


    Alsi¡¯s heeled shoes made tiny clatters on the floor, that, due to the peculiar lack of noise, sounded like shouts.


    She pierced the silence, and she had no desire to pierce anything. Indeed, Alsi just wanted to crawl into a little hole, and never come out again. But that was not an option.


    And even as she stood in that hall, Casari came around the corner. ¡°You look good,¡± he said.


    The words seemed odd to be coming from a demon¡¯s mouth, but Alsi accepted them, nevertheless.


    And then, as she looked at Casari, she blinked, for he seemed different. The night before he had worn sea-drenched prison clothes, and had two bloodstained swords awkwardly buckled to his belt.


    Now, he was attired differently.


    He wore clean black leather armor he had found somewhere, and a single sword was buckled to the belt at his waist. He had brushed his hair back, and it arced down the back of his neck in a single, banded lock.


    In short, he now looked less a demon from a nightmare, and more an honorable warrior.


    The transformation seemed to be true, and yet, Alsi knew Casari¡¯s appearance to be a sham. And yet, she could not help but feel a little more at ease by it.


    Casari continued to walk forward, and outstretched a hand to her, the very image of a gentleman. ¡°Come,¡± he said.


    Alsi awkwardly stepped forward, and they interlocked arms, his left, to her right. And then, together, they walked down the abandoned hall.


    They came up onto the deck. Though it was day, the sun was covered by cloud, and fog.


    Here, it seemed, was where all the convicts had gone. To the direction of Darksail, men hoisted sails, checked inventories, and generally made the Wretched more and more their own with each passing moment.


    As he saw Casari emerge from below deck, Darksail came over.


    ¡°Are all the bodies disposed of?¡± asked the demon.


    ¡°Tossed to the waves,¡± said Darksail. ¡°Just as you asked, my lord.¡±


    At this, Alsi wondered if my lord was truly the correct honorific for a demon. One of Casari¡¯s other names, in legend, was Lord of the Fallen Host, but that, again, seemed to more of a name than a title.


    But, in any case, Casari seemed to accept what Darksail called him, without complaint.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Is the crew bending to your whim?¡±


    ¡°For the most part,¡± said Darksail. ¡°However, as you well know, almost all of them are scum. I¡­¡±


    But he trailed off, as a man with several missing teeth, and a pronounced hump, joined the discussion.


    ¡°How be things here?¡± the man asked, with an Amzu accent. He looked at Casari. ¡°My lord.¡±


    Again with the my lord? wondered Alsi. Did he tell them to call him that?


    ¡°Things are fine Gritch,¡± said Casari. ¡°Get back to work.¡±


    ¡°I will, my lord,¡± said the humped man, inclining his head. ¡°But I wonder, what of her?¡±


    And Alsi realized that Gritch was referring to her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Casari, injecting a small bit of venom into his voice.


    ¡°You let us kill all the others,¡± complained Gritch. ¡°All the others. But that girl here, was the cause of more than a little personal pain. I want her dead, and so do many others.¡±


    ¡°You are bold,¡± said Casari, ¡°to say such things. Do not begin to second guess me, or her fate. She will get what she deserves. But if you continue speaking to me as such, so will you.¡±


    Gritch realized this was not an argument he would live to see the end of, if it continued, let alone win, and so he stalked off, back to work.


    And so, Darksail continued. ¡°He, and others like him, are what I am up with, my lord. They want women, they want vengeance, and they want other things that would make most people¡¯s blood turn cold. I swear, I and the priest are the only ones with even a shred of decency, out of all the former prisoners.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    He seemed not to worry that Casari might take offense to that, and indeed, Casari did not. Instead, he asked, ¡°If you have a shred of decency, Darksail, why do you work for me?¡±


    Darksail laughed lightly. ¡°Because, Lord of the Fallen Host, I see no better alternative. I am yours out of happenstance, out of fate, but nevertheless, I am yours.¡±


    And Casari seemed satisfied with that answer.


    ¡°Can you give me our heading now?¡± asked Darksail, a moment later. ¡°We¡¯ve been plowing around in circles for some time. We have plenty of supplies, especially after so many died, and thus stopped needing to be fed, but we can¡¯t remain out here forever.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± said Casari. ¡°And so, I give you this ship¡¯s destination. Nishae.¡±


    ¡°Nishae?¡± Darksail repeated, and for what Alsi thought to be good reason.


    Nishae was the north port of the Makini. It was the center of all trade to and from the Frozen Lands, and had a heavy Makini garrison. As soon as the Wretched reached the port, it would be boarded, and all of the prisoners would be recaptured.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± said Casari. ¡°I have a plan. Now head there, and with all due speed.¡±


    Darksail inclined his head, and then took leave of Casari, and Alsi.


    During all this time, oddly enough, Casari and Alsi¡¯s arms had still been interlocked.


    Casari began to walk for the bow of the ship, and Alsi, thus chained, in a manner of speaking, had no choice but to follow him. Not that she had anywhere else to go.


    At the bow of the ship, there was a figurehead of a gargoyle, wings outstretched. Isolated from the rest of the crew, which worked on the center, Casari and Alsi stopped.


    Casari released Alsi, and then sat upon the back of the gargoyle, resting against the very prow of the ship, only a few inches from the far side of the railing, and the waiting sea below.


    Alsi stood before him.


    And as she watched, Casari closed his eyes. ¡°You are not my first pupil,¡± he told her. ¡°Mai was. I taught her much, but now, she is all alone. I will find her, but that is besides the point. My question is: what do you fear?¡±


    Alsi was too intrigued by Casari¡¯s other statements to answer the question. ¡°What will you do when you find her?¡± she asked.


    Casari¡¯s words hardened a little. ¡°As I said, that is besides the point,¡± he spoke. ¡°Now, what do you fear?¡±


    The first answer that came to Alsi¡¯s mind was truly obvious. ¡°You,¡± she said, looking at Casari, as he sat on the hind of the gargoyle, with its wings outstretched behind him. Due to a trick of the angle, and the lighting, it looked as if those backward wings belonged to Casari, and not the gargoyle. It looked as if those tormented wings were ripping out of his own back.


    Alsi wondered what Casari would look like, if he shifted from the form of a man, to the demon form he had been born with. As horrible images leapt unbidden to her mind, she wished she had not thought of the question.


    ¡°You fear me?¡± asked Casari. ¡°You do not need to. And yet, what one needs to do, and what one does, are two completely separate things entirely.¡± He paused. ¡°What would I need to do, to make you not fear me?¡±


    Alsi thought. ¡°Die,¡± she said, surprised by her own boldness.


    ¡°That, I fear, is not something I will allow to happen any time soon,¡± said Casari. ¡°Can you propose an alternative?¡± His eyes were still closed.


    ¡°No,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°Then I believe we will have to let that particular fear fester within you for the time being,¡± said Casari. ¡°Now, any others?¡±


    ¡°I am afraid of heights.¡±


    Now, Casari opened his eyes. He got to his feet, and stepped up and backwards, upon the gargoyle¡¯s back. He took another step back, and then another, until he balanced precariously upon the very stone head of the gargoyle. Casari looked perfectly balanced, but the sea, more than thirty feet below, at the prow, surrounded him on three sides.


    ¡°Do you fear for my safety?¡± he asked Alsi.


    ¡°No,¡± she responded.


    ¡°If I happen to die,¡± said Casari, ¡°you would be left at the mercy of the freed prisoners. Now that I have forced your mind to make that connection, do you fear for my safety?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that if you fell, you would die, or even be in risk of the same. And I believe that you are in perfect control of your body right now,¡± said Alsi. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you would fall, even if a sudden wind rocked the ship.¡±


    ¡°You are specifying,¡± said Casari. ¡°You are specifying, when you should be generalizing. Now that you realize that my end would bring yours as well, do you fear for my life?¡±


    And Alsi realized that she did. She said as much.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Casari. ¡°The first of many bonds to come has been forged between us. We both will be displeased in the other¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care if I die?¡± asked Alsi.


    ¡°Because I have already vested a substantial amount of effort in you,¡± said Casari. ¡°I would be displeased if all that effort went to waste.¡±


    The words were cool and calculating, just the sort Alsi would expect from a demon. And for that reason, she believed he was telling the truth. Apparently they did both have interest in keeping the other alive. That thought was odd, but it was true. Casari and Alsi, just as the demon had said, had a mutual connection.


    ¡°So now we have come to a conclusion, that you fear me, but there is nothing that can happen to make the fear abate. In short, there is no reason to fear me, in particular, for there is no happy eventuality for you, which ends in my death. So, coming back to the first fear you mentioned, has it been vanquished, now?¡±


    Alsi was slightly confused, but Casari¡¯s logic did make sense, to a certain degree. She nodded.


    ¡°Good,¡± said Casari. ¡°I shall now return to your second fear. Heights. Which are you more afraid of, a long and torturous death, or to stand where I am standing now?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Casari responded. ¡°Do or die methods can help, but I wish to mold you, not give you a way out. But, in the abstract, the question remains. Answer it.¡±


    ¡°I would stand where you are, of course,¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°Then do so.¡±


    ¡°But you said you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°And so I will not, even if you decide to stand there, instead of coming to me and facing your fears. But I ask you to come here, and prove me that you can do a simple thing that, with my nearby presence, does not risk your life in the slightest.¡±


    And so, Alsi stepped up onto the gargoyle, and took a quick step forward, until she was on its back, and above the far below sea.


    Unused to being in such a precarious position, unused to the winds, Alsi took a misstep. She would have plunged to her doom, except--


    Except Casari held to his promise, and grasped her around the waist, so she did not fall.


    As Casari repositioned himself, as to more easily hold her weight, she looked at him, at those gray eyes.


    Alsi didn¡¯t try to jerk away from him. A part of her understood the rational explanation for this, that she didn¡¯t want another near-doom encounter, but another part didn¡¯t want to jerk away simply because Casari was there. Alsi knew how odd and irrational the thought was, but it was a gut instinct, and those came and went without any direction from the conscious mind.


    It was odd then, but a part of her rationalized away Casari¡¯s demon existence. All he did was break free, Alsi thought. Is there anything so wrong with that? But then she reminded herself that Casari had allowed the deaths of all the crew on the ship, save her. That could have been nothing more than simple vengeance, that any man wanted against his captors, if given the chance, but--


    But, more than anything else, Alsi¡¯s odd, delusional thought was odd, and delusional not just because of what she had seen Casari do, but, in addition, what he was. Casari was a demon. He was Lord of the Fallen Host, and a thousand years ago, he and his armies had almost brought down the Arathou Dynasty, almost brought down the natural order of things.


    Alsi paused, in thought. She could think of nothing more evil than that. For his crimes, Casari had been locked in a crystal to spend eternity with nothing but his mind, contemplating his fate.


    And Casari had endured that for a thousand years, and now he was free. After a millennia of nothingness, Alsi didn¡¯t understand how he could still be sane. She doubted he was. Alsi knew Casari existed as a shell that wanted to bring down the world, and keep it down this time.


    And yet, all that could not keep some sick, twisted part of her, from being attracted to the human form he wore as a guise.


    ¡°Have I begun to fix you?¡± Casari purred. ¡°Have I begun to make you realize the irrationality of fear?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you have,¡± said Alsi. ¡°But to what purpose?¡±


    ¡°That,¡± said Casari, ¡°is not something you need to worry about yet. As we are on a ship, I will use a related metaphor: I am at the helm.¡±


    Alsi was suddenly frightened, and, in response, she said nothing.


    But Casari knew the reason of her hesitation. ¡°Don¡¯t wait for me to tell you it is all right to speak your mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± said Alsi, trailing off, as she felt Casari¡¯s oddly smooth hands supporting her. ¡°I¡­ Do you know where you are going?¡±


    ¡°I have a plan,¡± said Casari. ¡°But, if life tells us anything, it tells us that only the past is etched in stone. I know what I wish to happen, but I do not know what will.¡± He paused. ¡°Once, I thought I did. Once, I thought it was granted that I would succeed. But now I realize the truth. I am humble.¡±


    He did not look humble. Except¡­


    Alsi looked into Casari¡¯s grey eyes, once more. They did not look angry. They did not look confident, or amused. They looked sad.


    It could have been an act, Alsi supposed. In fact, it likely was. But looking into Casari¡¯s eyes, she did not understand how the demon could fake such pure emotion.


    ¡°You diverted the question,¡± said Alsi. ¡°Do you know where you are going?¡±


    And at that moment, the demon seemed very much like a man.


    ¡°Of course not.¡±

 Chapter 71: Unquenchable Flame

    Mai was supposed to die today.


    She had been informed, by none other than Savel himself, that the ship was to arrive at the Amzu port of Brajon in a few hours, at high noon. Slytherayaim had told her that she was going to die when the ship reached port.


    And Mai did not doubt that Nari for a second.


    She sat on her bed, reading Fallen Humanity. She had been reading much in recent days, and now, she was almost done with the book that revealed so much about the trappings of the mind.


    But, in a book of this size, almost done meant that she had a hundred pages left. She would never get all of that done in a few hours.


    It brought Mai a sting of annoyance, that she would never get to read the end, before her life was snuffed out.


    To another, it might have seemed odd that the strongest emotion she could muster was annoyance. But the truth was the truth. Mai had been living on borrowed time ever since Broken had freed her, kicking and screaming, from the burning Imperial Palace. According to the Codes of Sara, she, in disgrace, should have killed herself by now. Since Broken was gone, she could no longer borrow time from him. And so, Mai knew she was as good as dead.


    And why fear the inevitable?


    There was no reason to, no more than she should fear the sun rising in the east, and setting in the west. There was no more reason to fear death than to fear her ever constant heartbeat, fear the fact that fire burned you, if you touched it.


    And so, Mai was oddly at peace. She wondered if perhaps the meaning of her long journey throughout the Empire had been fate¡¯s way of preparing her for her end. Back at the Imperial Palace, Mai had been ready to die, but she had been afraid of death, terribly, terribly afraid.


    Now that she had seen the world, had reached a form of inner peace, things were different, in almost every possible way. Maybe she could not die, until she lived. And now that she had lived, now that she could accept the fact that she was going to die, perhaps it was her time.


    Mai wasn¡¯t completely sure about that last part, that it was her time, but she was sure enough, that there wasn¡¯t another way.


    Slytherayaim was an immortal. What could she, a mere girl, do against him? Perhaps Broken could have done something, but he was, in Mai¡¯s frank opinion, the greatest warrior who ever lived. The term mortal did not apply to him quite as much as it did to the rest of humanity. But Mai was most definitely mortal.


    After learning the things Broken had taught her, Mai knew she would never need fear for her safety, if she traveled down an empty street at dark, but Slytherayaim was much more powerful than a common street thug.


    There was nothing Mai could do against him. Slytherayaim was more or less a constant, himself.


    Mai heard noises through the hull, noises of the ship slowing down, anchoring in Brajon harbor. There was a steady clank-clank-clank noise, as well as the sound of shouting men.


    Why do they have to shout? Mai wondered.


    In truth, she knew the reason; the officers had to make the seamen aware of what to do where, and choreograph a variety of things all across the deck, simultaneously, with little margin for error.


    But, a part of her mind, that refused to accept the fact that all of the crew believed she would be alive for a long time coming, wished the noise would stop, so she could have quite in her last moments. Was that too much to ask?


    Probably.


    The clanking noises became grinding, and the grinding noises became grating. Mai had been on ships before, but only when she had been very young, and she hadn¡¯t realized quite how noisy an affair this would all be.


    Mai wondered if part of the reason for the excess noise was due to the fact that the ship was hardly in good condition, as a quarter of the deck was blown off.


    In any case, the crew of the Ascendant seemed finally ready to dock, and the noises slowed, and calmed. Perhaps Mai was imagining things, but she could have sworn she heard a tiny voice call, ¡°Extend the gangplank!¡±


    The words may well have been said, for a moment later, Mai heard a tiny thump, perhaps that of the gangplank.


    And then, the ship was docked.


    The Ascendant was now fully in the port of Brajon. Mai heard things being unloaded, and she wondered when someone would come, to unload her, too. She held no illusions about Savel and the crew of the ship thinking her any more than cargo.


    And then, a knock came on the door.


    Mai half expected it to be Slytherayaim, not wasting any time in coming to kill her, but, as the locked door opened, Mai saw that it was Savel.


    He walked across the room, clad in the finest white garb. Then he came over to Mai, and roughly manhandled her to her feet. Mai didn¡¯t try to resist, and yet, Savel acted with such force that Fallen Humanity dropped from the bed and onto the floor. Mai noted the irony.


    Savel took Mai to the deck of the ship, where, for the first time, she could truly see the extent of the damage Eton¡¯s blast had wrought.


    Twisted and charred metal writhed over much of the center of the deck. Even now, after the wood splinters had been cleared away, after the main cabin, which had been just brushed by the blast, had been made accessible again, from the deck of the Ascendant, it looked as if the ship would fall apart at the slightest additional damage.


    From the looks on the faces of passers by, on the docks below, they seemed to be thinking similar thoughts. Mai thought she smelled charred wood, but couldn¡¯t imagine how that smell had managed to linger for days.


    But regardless, the state of the Ascendant hardly mattered to Mai, in her condition. She would not return to it alive.


    As Savel grasped one of her arms tightly, but twisted, to yell at some of his crew, for one reason or another, Mai folded her hands in front of her chest. She calmly waited for him to return his attention back to her.


    There was an odd solace she took in her death: at least Savel would get no reward for her delivery from Ehajdon.


    Done yelling at his subordinates, Savel motioned for two of his guards to follow him, and again, began yanking Mai, this time, down the gangplank.


    They passed from beneath the Ascendant¡¯s massive, tired sails, and down the sturdy wooden bridge, to the wharfs of Brajon.


    The wharfs teemed with people, and ships. The second greatest port of the Amzu stood untouched by the war that wracked the mainland. Here, people walked the streets with wide smiles on their faces.


    The docks were packed with ships of every sort, and kind. Many of those ships dwarfed the Ascendant, but none were as damaged as she.


    Past all this, Savel walked Mai, with the two guards flanking them. Mai tried to look as dignified as she was able, under the less-than-dignifying circumstances.


    The four passed from the wharfs, and into the section of the city that seemed to have been built solely for the purpose of entertaining and lodging those stopping in the city, from a ship.


    Savel paused, outside the door of what seemed to be a high class inn, named the Wrathful Waters.


    ¡°Fahtil,¡± he told one of the two guards, a tall woman. ¡°Go check on the others. See if the crew¡¯s acquisitioning supplies, and getting shipwrights to fix the Ascendant, like I ordered them too, instead of going off to revel with this city¡¯s entertainment. Report back here, at this inn.¡±


    And the guard rushed off.


    Savel, Mai, and the other guard, entered in inn.


    If the servant at the main counter made note of Mai¡¯s hampered condition between her two companions, he said nothing of it. After he had been paid for the rooms, the servant waved over a pair of porters, to take the baggage the remaining guard carried, and to direct them to their quarters.


    The rooms were upstairs. Having done their jobs, the porters disappeared, and Savel directed Mai to her room, mockingly.


    The room within was substantially larger than what Mai had had on the Ascendant, and had a window, with a nice view of the bustling port street below.


    But she did not have the luxury of being able to look out, in contentment. Savel¡¯s cool stare into her eyes forced her to respond likewise.


    ¡°You have been quite the model prisoner, these past few days,¡± said Savel. Oddly, for a moment it seemed as if he would strike her, but then, Savel thought better. ¡°It seems,¡± he said, ¡°that you have realized hope is an idle thought.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ¡°Hope is never an idle thought,¡± Mai replied. ¡°Hope is what drives us, in the dark times, to continue onwards, so that we will still be there when the light returns.¡±


    Savel seemed taken aback. ¡°Did you come up with that yourself?¡± he asked dryly, covering up his surprise, as quickly as he was able.


    ¡°Quite,¡± said Mai, defiantly.


    ¡°Well, no matter,¡± said Savel, continuing on from his slow recovery. ¡°It¡¯s not like you can do something about your situation, anyway, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯re even going to try. Actions speak louder than words, my dear.¡±


    Mai glared at him.


    ¡°You and your talk of hope,¡± said Savel. ¡°You are but a pawn, a slave in this great game of life. I think it¡¯s time you are reminded of what you are.¡±


    He put a hand behind his back, and reached for an object he carried. Grasping it, he brought it into view.


    It was a set of manacles.


    ¡°It is a disgusting sight,¡± said Mai, ¡°to see the look of glee enter your eyes, as you fondle the prospect of putting those on me.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is entitled to their own perversions, girl.¡±


    Savel reached out, grabbed Mai¡¯s right wrist, and locked it in place, with the manacles.


    Mai was oddly shocked. Her father had done things to her, but never like this. He had confined her, but even he would not use an instrument such as the manacles to imprison his own daughter.


    Despite the sudden rush of feelings, however, Mai remained a fa?ade of calm. She would not allow Savel to see her weakness.


    Savel shoved her backwards, onto what might have been a comfortable, padded chair, in the corner of the room, but one that did not feel comfortable, or padded, at the moment.


    He locked the other side of the manacles around the right armrest, and stepped back, observing his handiwork.


    Mai formed herself neatly in the chair, finding a way to work around the status of her right wrist.


    ¡°I am going to leave you now,¡± said Savel, after a time of watching her, silently. ¡°One of my guards will be in the hall, so I trust you to behave yourself, least he come barging in.¡±


    Savel looked at Mai for another moment, carefully examining the expression on her face.


    Then he turned, sweeping his off white cloak in her face, and left the room, closing the door behind him.


    And, now, though guarded from the outside, Mai was alone. Looking about her surroundings, she stood. She tested the weight of the chair against her arm, and pulled. The heavy object made a horrible grating sound against the floor, and Mai knew she could never lift its weight.


    As the door started to open again, Mai quickly sat back down. The guard Savel had mentioned entered. ¡°Is something going on here?¡± the soldier asked, fingering the hilt of his sword.


    Mai¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°No,¡± she said. And, as it would be impossible to escape manacled to the heavy chair, the word she spoke was the truth.


    ¡°All right then,¡± said the guard. He left, and once more the heavy door was shut.


    Realizing how trapped she truly was, Mai found her eyes gazing upon a small bucket of water, placed in the far corner of the room.


    Considering the inn¡¯s theme, Mai knew the bucket and its contents had been doubtless placed there for art value, to add to the theme.


    And yet, she could not help but recall that the last time Slytherayaim had tried to kill her, he had tried to kill her, by drowning her in water.


    Mai had a sudden burst of fear that by the end of the day, her head would end up face down, in that bucket.


    But in short order, she calmed herself. She would not be weak. Never again. That trait had been purged from her, and would remain purged. Even if she had little control on the events that swirled around her, she still had her mind.


    No matter what the situation, she would always have that, if she chose. And so, Mai would not allow herself to lose her wits due to fear.


    Again, the door opened.


    And this time, it was not the guard. But still, the thing which came in was an expected visitor.


    Looking around the Nari, looking around Slytherayaim, features mostly hidden in his dark monk¡¯s cloak, Mai saw the body of the dead guard Savel had posted crumple to the floor.


    Slytherayaim shut the door, and pulled back the hood of his monk¡¯s cloak. There he stood, in front of a bound Mai, in all of his Immortal Nari glory.


    Standing six and a half feet tall, the snake person towered over the seated Mai, even as his head brushed against the ceiling. His six-fingered, elongated, clawed hands flexed, and unflexed, and the golden scales that covered his body glimmered in the light of day.


    What was eerie about Slytherayaim, most of all, though, was how much his head and neck looked exactly like those of a snake. Larger, of course, but the way that animal head cocked with intelligence, it was enough to incite terror.


    How did Mai know this was Slytherayaim, when, for all she knew from gazing into that face, it could be any other Nari?


    Because she didn¡¯t believe Slytherayaim would hand off the job to another. Mai knew she was worth his attention, and his alone.


    As Mai looked at the Nari, purging herself of fear, Slytherayaim¡¯s tongue hissed in, and hissed out. He opened his mouth wide, revealing massive, razor fangs, before snapping it shut.


    Before her, like this, the Nari looked larger than life, utterly and completely surreal. And yet, this was no dream. Slytherayaim had come to her in dreams before, but this, here, now, was no dream.


    ¡°Princess,¡± hissed the Nari. ¡°It is your time.¡±


    Mai said nothing, her heart blazing defiance. But there was nothing she could do to stop the inevitable. It pained her so, so much, to want to save herself so badly, and yet, be unable to.


    The Nari paced to the far corner, and picked up the bucket of water, just as Mai had dreaded. He then returned to her, and placed it on her lap.


    ¡°Put your head down,¡± said the Nari. He extended a clawed hand, with grasping fingers. ¡°My hand will guide you, hold you.¡±


    But Mai did not bow her head.


    ¡°This can be painful,¡± said the Nari, ¡°or this can be a great relief, for you, Maiako. It is your choice. You have nothing left in this world.¡±


    ¡°Broken¡­¡± Mai whispered.


    ¡°The one you call Broken has returned to his roots,¡± said the Nari. ¡°He calls himself by his true name, once more.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°I can see no harm,¡± said the Nari, ¡°if this knowledge will help you die. Broken¡¯s true name is¡­Casari.¡±


    Mai knew Slytherayaim meant the demon, without needing to hear the last name. All the pieces fit, all of Broken¡¯s strange obsessions. The first name he had ever called himself to her was Casari. She had thought he meant it in jest, but, reflecting, she realized she should have known.


    Casari is Koranor, Lord of the Fallen Host, had wanted to use her for his ends, and then discard her, just like everybody else. Mai had no idea how he had managed to escape his crystal prison, but frankly, that was not her most pressing concern.


    For oddly, even after learning that the man she had grown to trust was no man at all, she did not feel hopeless, resigned.


    In fact, learning that he was no hero, that there was no chance he could save her, lit a fire within Mai. She had no one to rely on but herself, and so, she would not let herself down.


    She remembered all the things Casari had taught her. He had been using her then, no doubt, but still, Mai could not help but feel that his words had been true.


    And what else did she have against the divine power of a Nari, but the words, the maxims, of a demon? What was more apt?


    ¡°I have told you,¡± said Slytherayaim. ¡°And you know I can speak no lies. Now, let yourself end.¡±


    ¡°If you want to do as much, you¡¯re going to have to force my head down,¡± said Mai. ¡°I will not go willingly into the night.¡±


    ¡°So be it,¡± said the Nari.


    He grasped Mai¡¯s head, and forced it down. Her strength was nothing against his.


    Mai¡¯s eyes were open, under the water.


    She could see clearly, for the light streaming through the window was enough to illuminate all, even here.


    \Try to breathe, and end this pathetic mockery of a life you live, came a voice. It was not of the Nari. It was of Mai. A portion of her mind told her such.


    And yet, Mai did not breathe.


    She recalled a statement Broken had said once. Even though he was a demon, even though he was a monster, even though he was Casari, he was Broken too, and Broken, the man Casari had pretended to be, had been a good man. A conflicted, tortured man, but a good man, nevertheless.


    At the Holy Citadel, when all things had seemed bleak, when a giant gash was ripped across his chest, Broken had come to Mai. She had been frightened for him, and he had told her that the cut pained him as much as it would any man. The only difference was, he forced his body to overcome the pain, to continue to live. He lived, because he presented himself with no other option.


    Knowing Broken was the demon Casari, Mai was fully aware that he didn¡¯t need inner strength to continue to live. He lived because he was a demon, and, as so, nearly invulnerable.


    But perhaps, there was something to his statement.


    When all hope seems lost, force yourself to overcome.


    All hope did seem lost.


    And, as Mai had said to Slytherayaim, she saw no reason to go quietly into the night. She would not allow herself to die; she would not allow herself to take her final breath.


    Mai had never been able to defend herself, in the past. She was weak, she was a female, and more than that, she had never really tried, because, from an early age, she had been taught that she was not one who could make her own decisions.


    But things were different now.


    Broken, or Casari, he had taught her things. He had taught her things about herself, things about the world, that she had never really put into practice.


    Perhaps he was a demon. Perhaps he really did want to bring the world down in flames. But did that mean that everything he said had to be a lie?


    No.


    I have power within me, thought Mai. If only I can think of a way quickly enough, I can escape this.


    But, as her lungs felt like bursting, as all instinct told her to breathe, higher reasoning began to evaporate, replaced by pure rage.


    She would not let herself die.


    She was no demon, she was no Broken, she was no Varsis, she was no Eton. She was merely a girl. And yet, Maiako as Arathou del Tachen would not let herself die.


    As her rage smoldered in the water, she remembered a different last name, one Slytherayaim himself had called her, in a dream. Sarathorn. Maiako as Arathou del Sarathorn. One who scorned the Codes of Sara.


    Suddenly, that House name seemed much more apt than Tachen. Tachen, the decrepit House Mai had been born of, that had no chance of regaining the throne, now that their champions, the Arathou, the family for which the dynasty was named, were scattered to the winds. Tachen represented stifling tradition. Sarathorn was the new. Mai was Sarathorn.


    And her own rage burned her.


    I WILL NOT LET MYSELF DIE!


    And Mai breathed, as her lungs could take no more. As her mind raged, her body faltered.


    Water flooded her lungs.


    And Mai was greeted with the curious sensation of not being dead.


    Everything she saw was red, literally.


    And then, there was the noise of a distant rumble, and the bucket exploded around her. Water spewed forth from Mai¡¯s mouth, until she could breathe again. Then, she looked up.


    Slytherayaim still stood before her, but he had stepped back a pace. His hand no longer held her head down. Mai¡¯s arm was still chained to the chair, but there was something different now, something very, very different.


    Somehow, she had endured. All over, broken chunks of the wooden bucket were scattered across the floor.


    Mai didn¡¯t know how what had happened happened. But she knew that she was still alive, and would not allow that fact to change.


    Slytherayaim seemed about to say something. What, Mai didn¡¯t know.


    But she was not about to hear it.


    Whatever had come before, exploded from her once again. The world was red, and all around, the bed, the floor, the open curtains: they all burst into flames. Even the Nari was not immune to the combustion. His cloak caught fire, even as everything else within Mai vision did the same.


    Mai didn¡¯t understand it. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening. But a part of her didn¡¯t care.


    The floor exploded beneath the Nari¡¯s feet, and great tongues of flame licked him. He was thrown backwards, out through the burning wall, down to the street below, even as he let forth a horrible, inhuman scream.


    And thus, he was gone.


    Good riddance.


    And yet, the fires continued to spread, culminating in explosion after explosion. There was a great burst of wind by the window, and the Nari, again came through, naked now, and carrying a great double scythe, in all of its gruesome glory.


    Slytherayaim rushed to her, raising his weapon, trying to end it all, trying to end whatever was happening, trying to complete his mission.


    But Mai knew that his attack was doomed. She knew little else, but she knew that.


    The world exploded into flames, red, and blackness, pierced by one last horrible scream.


    And as Mai faded into unconsciousness, she knew only one thing for certain.


    She would wake up again.

 Chapter 72: Doom

    The world was filled with oddities.


    Some could be officers, and yet want nothing more than throw their rank in their commander¡¯s face, and stalk off. Some could be children, and yet, in their naivety, know more about the workings of the world than sages, with a century of learning behind them. And some could be murderers, and yet be tender and carrying around those closest to them.


    None of those situations exactly filled the moment¡¯s paradox, and yet, the last of those three examples was quite close to the current truth.


    Casari was a demon, perhaps the greatest who had ever lived. Perhaps the greatest who would ever live. And yet, that did not stop Alsi from closing in on him.


    As a day had passed since Casari¡¯s takeover of the Wretched, and then another, Alsi had found herself growing ever closer to him. To it. To him.


    And now, at the twilight of the second day, the sensations reached their climax.


    In Alsi¡¯s bedroom, alone, the two of them were together, even as Darksail competently directed the ship to port.


    Alone. And doing all the things that were implied.


    Casari had not forced himself on her. Indeed, things had happened almost as opposite. Alsi had needed some way to find a grip on events around her, and now, had found one. It had all been her idea.


    Of course, Casari had not shied away from the prospect, but neither had he been forward. He had been modest.


    But now, they were together.


    Alsi knew she had no way to penetrate Casari¡¯s web of lies. She had no way to learn if his statements were true or false, if the words he uttered between kisses were honest, or calculated.


    But this was the only way she could get to him, at least, in the tiniest fashion. This was the only way Alsi knew how. And indeed, Casari was not making things unpleasant. Quite the opposite.


    Alsi wondered if this was love, or passion, or neither, or both. And while she wondered, time elapsed. The rhythmic motion went on, slowing, speeding up, reaching a crescendo, and¡­


    And then it all began to end. Slowly, but nevertheless, it all began to end.


    No longer panting, but still on her back, Alsi felt Casari¡¯s form beside her. Not above her, anymore. Beside her.


    ¡°My lord?¡± Alsi asked. She had long since adopted the title the former prisoners used for Casari, if not out of respect, out of a lack of any idea what else to call him.


    ¡°Yes, Alsi?¡±


    ¡°How did you break from the crystal that held you?¡±


    It was a daring question, one that came from the darkness of Alsi¡¯s heart and mind, one that she never would have dared ask, had not what had transpired taken place.


    ¡°There was luck involved, I suppose,¡± said Casari, beginning his answer. ¡°Luck that, for me, was a long time coming, and a long time overdue. But I do not credit my escape to the fates. I credit it to those who thought me long since disposed of, had forgotten about me, and, in attempting to find a solution to another problem, inadvertently set me free.¡±


    Alsi was confused. ¡°Can you explain that?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I do not know all the pieces to the puzzle myself,¡± said Casari. ¡°Indeed, while I may appear learned, my knowledge is but a bucket of water, out of the vast sea of all there is to know. But I will try to explain.


    ¡°For a thousand years, was trapped, and when I was suddenly freed, I knew not what had happened, I knew not why. Eventually, I discovered that my freedom had been a result of the actions of the Nari. Their inadvertent actions, I know now, even though I let them mislead me, for a time, into letting me believe that they were truly on my side.¡± Casari¡¯s words were dark, as he paused.


    ¡°Is that what you wanted to know?¡±


    Alsi nodded in the darkness. ¡°Yes,¡± she said.


    ¡°Why did you care to ask?¡± came the voice, as predictable as it was blunt.


    The truth was, Alsi wasn¡¯t entirely sure. She had been given the opportunity to ask one question of Casari, one question of his past, and she had asked one without truly giving it thought or measure. Her answer was as much for her own benefit, as it was for Casari.


    ¡°I guess, I just wanted to understand you better.¡±


    ¡°And have you?¡± asked Casari. ¡°The question you asked was trivial, compared to the net sum of what I am.¡±


    ¡°I feel I understand you better,¡± said Alsi, ¡°in a tiny, infinitesimal way.¡±


    ¡°That, I suppose, is better than knowing nothing,¡± said Casari.


    Alsi inclined her head in agreement, though she knew he could not see her.


    As she did so, she felt as if a great burden had been passed from her shoulders. She felt as if what had happened only moments before was now over, and now well and completely gone for good.


    Alsi half-expected, more than that, in truth, for Casari to get up then, don a robe, and leave her, transaction complete.


    And yet, he did not.


    Casari stayed right where he was, even there was no more carnal pleasure to be gained.


    As Alsi quieted, so did he.


    That night, she fell asleep beside him.


    ***


    Morning broke, through the tiny window, lapped by the waves. This day would be a special day, Alsi knew.


    For this was the day that Darksail had made clear the Wretched would make port in Nishae.


    This was the day that Casari¡¯s plan, whatever it was, would be revealed.


    Alsi twisted.


    Casari still lay in bed beside her. His eyes were still closed. Her gaze woke him though, and woke him in short order. Either that, or he had just now dropped the pretense of sleep.


    Casari got out of bed. He was not modest as he dressed, but in what seemed like mere moments, Casari¡¯s scattered clothing and black leather armor was worn once more. He was fully clothed, in what seemed like mere moments.


    Alsi was conscious of how, under the covers, she was naked.


    ¡°Come to the deck,¡± he said. ¡°It will be an interesting day, today.¡± Casari swept out of the room, then, in short order.


    Alsi got up, and got dressed, rather slowly. She felt as if her insides were shivering, and forced herself to stop overanalyzing Casari¡¯s every action. What will happen will happen, and there¡¯s nothing I can do in any case, so why worry?


    For no particular conscious reason, except perhaps in a final nod to what she had once been, Alsi put on a Makini uniform, without the insignia. Pure black, she wore, as Casari did. So perhaps, it was a nod to him, too.


    Dressed, Alsi made her way through the halls of the ship, up to the deck. Convicts filled the halls, as well, going about whatever their morning business happened to be. However, as she passed by them, they backed away from her, as if worried that an accidental brush against her frame would be considered molestation.


    For all the thugs knew that Alsi was under Casari¡¯s protection, and they knew that the last of them to defy him had ended up dead in short order. Alsi was under the protection of a demon. She couldn¡¯t quite get over how odd that was.


    On the deck, Casari was communicating with Darksail, by the bow. Alsi came over.


    Casari greeted her with an oddly warm look, even as Darksail, who had formerly been talking, fell silent. Even though Darksail was the most noble of the convicts by far, not including Ralad, it was quite clear he didn¡¯t like her. And Alsi couldn¡¯t take back the things she had done to him, when she had been an interrogator, so she was helpless to prevent his opinion.


    ¡°We will reach Nishae, this night, as twilight approaches,¡± said Casari.


    Darksail was silent, for a moment. Too silent. Finally he spoke up again. ¡°Forgive me, my lord, but you still have not spoken of you plan. And while you might not be in danger, waltzing the Wretched into Nishae Harbor will most likely get all of your loyal servants killed.¡±


    ¡°I know that,¡± said Casari, as an odd sort of smile crept upon his face. ¡°But do not worry, Darksail. So long as you put your trust in me, you will remain safe. I have a plan.¡±


    Those words reverberated throughout the rest of the day, as breakfast time passed, and then, so did lunchtime. The ship was heading into port, and every last one of the thugs knew that. They hoped that Casari, their god, had a plan that would bring them all great fortune, but the truth was, all on the ship were worried.


    As the day began to fade, and a smudge of land was spotted on the horizon, Casari formed a council at the bow of the ship, of those closest to him. At the very prow was Casari himself, the owl Talon on his right shoulder. To his right was Darksail, for all the world looking like a muted, more rugged version of Casari himself. To Casari¡¯s left was Priest-Lord Ralad, who had found a small Symbol somewhere on the ship, and grasped it even now, muttering prayers. And opposite Casari, stood Alsi, herself.


    ¡°Tonight is a night that will be forgotten in history,¡± said Casari. ¡°And yet, tonight is a night that is crucial to the lives of us all. You who are around me, owl, priest, interrogator, pirate, you all together, form a strange circle. And yet, you are my circle. You four are the ones who have come to stand near me, as chaos encircles the land. You four are my greatest allies, and I know how odd that is for me to say. I¡­¡±


    He trailed off, as Ralad lurched out of his place in the circle, towards Casari, holding his Symbol high.


    ¡°Avasedia, delmar!¡± shouted Ralad, as his eyes glowed white, in contrast to the fading sun. The Symbol glowed as well, basking Casari in a holy glow. For a tiny brief moment, Alsi thought Ralad¡¯s last ditch assault would destroy Casari, and that would be that.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    She should have known better.


    Even as the light began to fade from both Ralad and his Symbol, even as the energy he had expended was used up, and the older man fell to his knees, Casari stood at the prow of the ship, by the gargoyle, as steadfast as always. He seemed to not have even been hurt by the attack.


    Casari¡¯s eyes shone gray, as he watched the unwilling Ralad fall to his knees before him.


    In another moment, Darksail, Casari¡¯s shadow, had drawn his sword, and taken a step towards Ralad.


    But Casari¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°Let the priest be.¡±


    Darksail withdrew, and sheathed his sword, but with a confused look on his face. Casari elaborated.


    ¡°Ralad did not hurt me,¡± said the demon, looking at the weak and pathetic man at his feet, struggling to get up. ¡°He did not even come close. He only hurt himself. Would you kill a man for punching himself in the face?¡±


    Even as he spoke, Ralad finally made it back to his feet, and his whole body grunted with the effort of keeping himself there.


    ¡°Why did you try to kill me?¡± asked Casari, lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m an exorcist,¡± said Ralad. ¡°I had to try something. I couldn¡¯t just let you loose all the murderers here, upon the world again.¡± He glanced back at the former prisoners, who were even now manning the ship, and heading it for Nishae, amidst a chorus of light hearted shouts.


    Casari looked at him. ¡°I understand why you did what you did,¡± said the demon. ¡°If I had been in your position, I may well have done the same thing.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± asked Ralad, wearily.


    ¡°We pretend that what just happened never did,¡± said Casari. ¡°You were never a threat to me, and, in your current state, you are a threat to no one else, either. Assured that you cannot interfere with my plans, I will forgive you.¡±


    Ralad nodded. There was a confused look on the priest¡¯s face, but he seemed to not want to press his luck. That, and it seemed that most of Ralad¡¯s effort, at the moment, was devoted to standing.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Casari ably changing the topic, ¡°I was saying that the four of you here, are the ones closest to me. Even after the attempted mutiny, those words are still the truth. We will reach Nishae in another half of an hour. When this ship begins to dock in the port, return to this prow. You will see what my plan is, then. But for now, disperse.¡±


    And disperse they did. The meeting broken up, Talon flew off, and Darksail headed back to the center of the ship, to take a more active role as captain. Ralad headed below decks, no doubt to the room Casari had provided him, as a step up from the cell, so that he could rethink his actions.


    That only left Casari, and Alsi.


    ¡°Go,¡± he said. ¡°There are things I need to do, away from prying eyes.¡±


    And so, Alsi turned, and headed back to her small room. Like Ralad, there were things she needed to think about.


    Alsi felt the need to devote time to abstract wondering, about where Casari¡¯s plan was, in the end, going to lead.


    As Alsi felt the ship begin to slow, she got up from her chair, and looked about the small room, that had been hers for several months. Whatever Casari¡¯s plan was, Alsi was rather sure she would not return here.


    There was nothing to take. There was nothing she wanted. And so, Alsi left the small room, closed the door behind her, and headed for the deck.


    What had been a faint smudge of land in the distance was now easily distinguishable as a city, and coastline. As the former prisoners, all around her, sailed the ship closer and closer to the wharfs, Alsi quietly headed to the prow of the Wretched, just as Casari had said.


    Interestingly, there was another who had reached the prow first. It was Ralad. He leaned against the back of the gargoyle, and held his head in his hands. His white priest robes trailed around him, and the Symbol was around his neck.


    Undaunted, Alsi approached, and Ralad looked up.


    ¡°I suppose you wonder why I am here,¡± he asked her.


    Alsi nodded.


    ¡°In a strange way,¡± said Ralad, ¡°the demon Casari has reminded me of humility. There is no reason to go down with the ship, even if I have been embarrassed. Having tried to kill him not even an hour ago, now put my fate in his hands. How odd.¡±


    ¡°I know why you did what you did,¡± said Alsi.


    Ralad nodded now, even as he sighed. ¡°It is hard to remain with a shred of dignity, now,¡± he said. ¡°My act was even less than a failure. It might even have been funny. I should have known I would not have the power to go up against a legendary demon.¡±


    ¡°Remember what you said before, to me, that first night, after Casari took the ship,¡± said Alsi. ¡°Remember when you said that things are not simple. You may have lost now, but things are far from over. You do not know which way fate turns.¡±


    ¡°Which side are you on, anyway?¡± asked Ralad, still not raising his head to look at her.


    ¡°Casari¡¯s,¡± said Alsi, with only a moment of hesitation. ¡°I do not know the truth of all the things he has done, nor would I want to know, but I know a few things. He kept me alive when he did not have to, and he did the same with you. He showed us mercy.¡±


    ¡°If you read the texts, girl,¡± said Ralad, ¡°you would not think as such. Mercy and Casari do not go hand in hand. Once, he--¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± said Alsi, and Ralad obediently quieted. ¡°I am broken down to almost nothing now,¡± she said, ¡°and I am trying to hold onto my sanity, in a world that seems to increasingly lack all semblance of such.¡±


    Alsi was afraid that Ralad would go on anyway, reveal the truth, and allow Alsi to bask in the knowledge of what the thing was truly, that she had shared her bed with last night.


    But Ralad said nothing.


    Alsi quietly thanked him for it.


    She knew her life, as it was, was set on a path that would end in horror, of one sort of another. But she had no desire to peak at what was down that line. At least, not anymore.


    Darksail made his way to the prow a few minutes later. He came as the ship was all but docked, even as the sun was all but fallen. A last few remnants of blue lingered in the sky, but that was all.


    Darksail took note of his company, then cast a worried look at them. ¡°I hope Casari comes soon,¡± he said. ¡°Otherwise¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Well, see for yourselves. Look out, over the railing.¡±


    Alsi did, and, a moment later, Ralad forced himself to move from his position too look with her, with weary eyes.


    Alsi saw that, in a few moments, the Wretched was to set down its gangplank. The ship was all but anchored in Nishae¡¯s harbor. There were a variety of readily apparent reasons why this would seem to be a bad idea.


    Firstly, a variety of ships were heading around the Wretched, to block any of its paths to escape.


    ¡°Scout ships saw us,¡± said Darksail. ¡°They saw this ship, they knew that all communications with it had been cut off some days ago, and they correctly assumed the worst.¡±


    But the Makini warrior ships were not all. Those ships were merely what was keeping the Wretched penned in the harbor. Penned, to face the warriors that waited on the docks.


    For a hundred Makini soldiers waited on the wharfs, armored, and with drawn swords. Behind them, even more militia stood. The moment the Wretched set its gangplank down, a hundred warriors stood ready to cleave the murderers into pieces, even as they set their feet upon dry land.


    It was a classic pincer trap. Even if convicts jumped ship, the Makini, who completely encircled the Wretched, would simply pull their trap ever tighter, until those who were in the water were found, and killed.


    Alsi had to applaud whoever had set it all up. There must not have been all that much notice.


    However, she also had to fear. Alsi knew policy stated that, in the event of convicts taking over a prison ship, all crew were to be assumed dead, and steps would be taken off of that assumption.


    Alsi would most likely be mistaken for a convict, and killed, if she remained here.


    Glancing about everything, Darksail said, ¡°It¡¯s times like these that make me wish I had faith in God.¡±


    ¡°It is never too late to discover him, my son,¡± said Ralad.


    ¡°It is for me,¡± came Darksail¡¯s reply. ¡°Our fate rests in the hands of a demon, now.¡±


    ¡°May God preserve us,¡± said the priest.


    With a surprising amount of respect, Darksail added, ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°There is no need to fall back on blind hope, just yet,¡± came a voice.


    Alsi, Ralad, and Darksail all whirled around. Casari had come up from behind them, quiet, and unbeknownst to all. Talon, which sat on his shoulder, hooted happily.


    ¡°Who needs God,¡± Casari continued, with a hint of dark humor, ¡°when you have my vaunted plan?¡±


    There was silence.


    ¡°Good to see you¡¯ve decided to come along, Ralad,¡± Casari added, glancing at the priest.


    Ralad acknowledged Casari¡¯s words with a grim look.


    ¡°So, how do you intend to get us all out of this mess?¡± asked Darksail.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± said Casari.


    ¡°What?¡± said Darksail, immediately. ¡°I¡¯ve stood by you, since the beginning. I have no desire to get carved up into fish bait!¡±


    ¡°Whoever said I was going to betray you?¡± asked Casari. ¡°I never betray anyone. However, I never pledged anything to the murdering masses who roam the rest of this ship.¡±


    And suddenly, Alsi realized Casari¡¯s plan. Perhaps it was because she had wanted to see the best in him, that you caught on first. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to take us four off the Wretched, and leave the rest of the convicts to their deserved fates.¡±


    Casari smiled a grim smile. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    It was at that moment, that one of the convicts rushed up their group at the prow, from behind.


    It was the humpback Amzu murderer. Gritch.


    ¡°We all want to know, my lord,¡± said the man, speaking to Casari, but looking at Alsi in a way that made it seem his eyes were undressing her. ¡°What now?¡±


    Casari spoke in a high-tongued voice. ¡°Set down the gangplank,¡± he said, ¡°and swarm off the ship. Makini will be slaughtered tonight. I guarantee it.¡±


    An ugly smile, one with not quite all the teeth, gripped Gritch¡¯s face. ¡°We will attack them then,¡± he said. ¡°With your blessing, we will not lose.¡± He then turned, and shuffled away.


    When Gritch was out of hearing distance, Casari spoke again. ¡°What he doesn¡¯t realize, is that nine out of ten former prisoners on this ship are Makini.¡±


    ¡°You--¡± said Darksail.


    ¡°I told Gritch what he wanted to hear,¡± said Casari. ¡°And I did it without lying. Your life will not be one of those taken to night. And, thusly, hold your tongue.¡±


    And Darksail did. His mouth worked, as he gripped with the horror of how coolly and easily Casari had sent Gritch and his fellows off to their doom, but, nevertheless, he stayed silent.


    ¡°What are we waiting for now?¡± asked Alsi.


    ¡°We will escape, when those around us are distracted,¡± said Casari. ¡°We will wait until the slaughter begins. Now, let us watch.¡±


    Casari leaned over the side of the railing, head tilted to where the gangplank, even now, was being lowered off the side of the ship. It touched down amidst a clump of battle hardened Makini, on the wharfs. They set into more complete fighting stances.


    And then, the slaughter began. Alsi took a step forward, despite herself, and Darksail did the same.


    As she watched, a small group of the convicts, including Gritch, rushed down the gangplank, brandishing swords.


    The undisciplined murderers rushed at the waiting Makini, and, in short order, they were all cut down.


    Then the Makini surged forward, up the gangplank, even as the convicts formed a counter surge to stop them. On that gangplank, former prisoner after former prisoner died, and fell into the sea. The Makini slowly pushed forward, their numbers unscathed.


    Alsi swallowed hard. She knew that, in theory, all the murderers and rapists on the ship truly deserved nothing less, but, to watch them be cut down like that; it was sickening.


    They had trusted Casari to lead them to salvation, but he had no qualms about betraying them, as he had never explicitly said he would save them.


    Casari was a dark mockery of God, indeed.


    A moment later, Casari looked away, and Darksail and Alsi did likewise.


    ¡°It is time to go,¡± he said, even as the first Makini forced their way upon the ship¡¯s deck, and the convicts, having given up all hope that Casari would save them, tried their best to fight back. From the elevated bow, Alsi watched all this occur, below.


    From his waist, Casari withdrew a long, coiled rope. As those around him watched, he tied on end tightly around the gargoyle¡¯s neck, and flung the other end into the water. The far end reached the water, and made the tiniest of splashes, but the Makini warriors, too preoccupied with dealing with the last of the prisoners, did not hear it.


    Quick as a cat, Casari sprang from the gargoyle, to the rope. He reached up a hand, and helped Darksail above him. The pair snaked down on the rope, to make more room for others, and then Ralad was helped, followed by Alsi.


    The bow of the ship rose many, many feet above the water, and having her be the last of the four, made Alsi feel like she was in danger of being forgotten. As they all, slowly, edged down the swaying rope, as the owl Talon, which could have flown off, stubbornly stayed along for the ride, on Casari¡¯s shoulder, Alsi¡¯s heart pounded.


    But then, Casari made it in the water, then Darksail, then Ralad, and then her. At the front of the massive prison carrack the Wretched, they all treaded water.


    The wharfs were nearby, but the boots of Makini met them at eye level. The soldiers were all staring elsewhere, but it seemed as if it would be folly to head to the wharf, to the dozens upon dozens of boots waited, boots that belonged to the Makini who formed the ring around the ship.


    ¡°Dive,¡± muttered Casari.


    And they all did.


    Casari and Darksail, obviously, had the easiest time of it, and they helped Ralad and Alsi along. She had no idea were Talon had gone, now, but Alsi was rather sure Talon had not stayed along for the adventure, underwater. However, with the dark sea pressing in all around her, Alsi¡¯s eyes were more or less useless, so she had no idea, in truth.


    She just concentrated on holding her breath, and allowing a hand, the hand of either Casari or Darksail, to pull her along, as she paddled her feet.


    Perhaps half a minute later, the four of them surfaced.


    Alsi saw a roof of wooden panels, mere inches above their heads, and so, momentarily, she was confused. But then, as she saw the flats of boots above, she realized that they had swam under the wharfs. The Makini guards were above them.


    Alsi had a fleeting desire to call out, to alert the men that more escapees were below them, but she held her mouth shut.


    While she might have been one of the Makini military once, she was no longer the guards¡¯ ally. She was Casari¡¯s, and if she called out, she was rather sure he would not make things pleasant for her.


    And so, Alsi continued to peaceably tread water.


    She looked around, through the near darkness, the light of the stars being mostly blocked out by the wooden planks above them. Somehow, it seemed, Talon was back on Casari¡¯s shoulder, and not at all wet.


    As Alsi turned to look at Casari, so did Darksail, and so did Ralad. They were all waiting for him to make his next move.


    ¡°We will wait here, for a while,¡± said Casari. ¡°And then, when the soldiers disperse, we will be able to enter the city of Nishae.¡±


    And so, Alsi treaded water, feeling her joints begin to slowly cramp up, and pacing herself, for she knew she would have to continue to do this, for a long time yet. And as she paced herself, Alsi heard the noises of clashing swords, of convicts abandoning ship, and diving into the water.


    But, louder than both those noises, she heard the screams.

 Chapter 73: Effort for Naught

    As Mai slowly awakened, she remembered things.


    Flashes.


    A Nari had been coming at her, a Nari who had been Slytherayaim. The Third Guide.


    And then, all of Mai¡¯s anger and rage had been unleashed, and Slytherayaim had been blasted away by undying flames.


    Mai had been a hero. She had defeated the monster. So where was she now?


    Mai blinked, once, then twice, trying to bring all things into focus. She was in a room.


    Of course she was in a room. Where else would she be? What kind of room?


    A room with windows, curtains, and lush furniture. Of course. Savel only wanted the best, and that meant the best for his prisoners, too.


    But then, Mai began to realize that she might not be Savel¡¯s prisoner, anymore.


    As sensations returned, she found that she was lying on her back. She was lying on her back on a table. How odd.


    She felt herself, and looked, and realized she was wearing a dress. Not the dress she had worn, when she had defeated Slytherayaim. A red dress. How appropriate.


    Mai leaned up, and slowly got off the sturdy, dark wooden table. As she put her feet on the ground, she felt that the floor lurched under her. She realized that she was in no condition to walk, too late, as she tottered, and would have come crashing to the floor, had there not been a nearby wall handy, to lean upon.


    Mai¡¯s head spun.


    She realized she had no idea where she was, what she had been doing on the table, what she was doing in this room. Right now, for all she knew, she could be the guest of anyone in the Empire. Or she could be the prisoner of anyone in the Empire. Mai didn¡¯t know.


    A million things could have happened to her, after the Wrathful Waters had burned to a crisp. The inn, Mai thought, had likely fallen apart, leaving her unconscious body unprotected. She didn¡¯t know if the inn had fallen apart, for sure, but she didn¡¯t know what else it had been supposed to do, under the circumstances. For it wasn¡¯t just fire that had blasted from her frame. There had been waves of energy, too.


    For lack of a better term.


    Mai braced herself against the wall, but it seemed the wall was moving, rocking, up, and down.


    Was she on a ship?


    Was she on the Ascendant?


    As if to answer that question, the door to the room came crashing in violently, as if kicked. To Mai¡¯s uncertain mind, the world lurched again. She stumbled away from the wall, and barely managed not to fall, but when she looked up, again, she saw that her question was answered.


    It was Savel.


    And pieces came together for Mai. She was on the Ascendant.


    She might have saved her life, she might have defeated a Nari, but Savel had her once more.


    Mai looked at him, wondering what he was going to say, now that he knew she was not helpless, that if she was provoked, she could call upon great power. Abstractly, she wondered why, knowing this, Savel had let her stay in such an unsecured room.


    But instead of answering any one of those questions, Savel did something else, entirely.


    He kicked her.


    Viciously, in the chest, with the flat of his boot.


    Mai had been barely on her feet to begin with. She came tumbling down, to the floor.


    Somehow, from the smack against the ground, her head hurt even more. Mai hadn¡¯t been sure that was possible.


    And yet, as her first-person experience noted, it was.


    In her state, Mai acted on her instincts. And, years of being a princess had not taught her to fight back. They had taught her to be indignant.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked, rolling on her back, completely lacking any sort of energy.


    ¡°Because,¡± said Savel, kneeling beside her, and rubbing his hands together in a savage way, ¡°you are cursed.¡±


    Cursed? Does he mean because of my fire?


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mai mumbled, out loud.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Everywhere you go, you bring destruction,¡± said Savel. ¡°You made me fight Broken, and I lost. You came to Asan Paril, and the city fell. And now, after I left you at an inn, for but a few minutes, your unluck brings the whole building down, and kills one of my best men. You. Are. Cursed.¡±


    Mai was about to say that the first example rather paled in comparison to the second, and the third, and wanted to ask him just how egotistical he was, but, as her wits slowly returned to her, she thought it would be a better idea to keep silent.


    And so she did.


    Savel provided enough noise for them both.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what is wrong with you, Princess,¡± said Savel. ¡°And I don¡¯t really want to know, either. However, you should be aware that I hate you.¡±


    Something occurred to Mai as she lay there, as Savel whispered in her ear.


    He doesn¡¯t know.


    Savel truly thought Mai was cursed, not gifted. He honestly believed what he was saying.


    And with that realization, a small smile crept to Mai¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t taken precautions against her, because he had no idea she had a gift. He didn¡¯t know that Mai could do¡­whatever it was that she could do.


    ¡°What are you smiling about, witch?¡± asked Savel. He was yelling now, with full blown rage.


    Savel grasped Mai, pulled her to her feet, and slammed her against the closest wall. His blue eyes were more intense than Mai had ever seen before.


    ¡°Look about this room,¡± he said, more sullenly, calming himself.


    Looking around Savel, Mai did. As she had noticed before, it was a well furnished cabin.


    ¡°What is special about this room?¡± he asked, eyes gleaming.


    Mai said nothing, for in truth, she wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°There is no bed,¡± said Savel. ¡°There are no bookcases. As the Ascendant, newly healed from our stop at Brajon, travels by means of the Great River, to Ehajdon and his city, you will be lacking books to read, or a place to sleep. You will feel tedium, and you will feel exhaustion.¡±


    Mai almost laughed in his face.


    No books, she could understand as a punishment, but no bed? The floor was carpeted, and the leather chairs were soft and smooth. Mai had no worries about being able to fall asleep in either of those places. Truly, Savel had lead a pampered existence, if he thought removing the bed from a room like this would be a substantial punishment.


    But the point was moot, anyway.


    For Mai was going to take advantage of another facet of Savel¡¯s existence, and escape the ship.


    Mai openly grinned, and called upon her power to blow Savel away, to the next life. She knew he deserved death, for what he had done to Ishad, and, hitting her, and standing in the way of her freedom, after all she had been through?


    It was the last straw. Savel had earned himself a death sentence. Mai¡¯s head was still sore, and the world still spun a little, but she promised herself that once Savel was taken care of, once she was off the Ascendant, everything would be thought through.


    ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± Savel asked, without the tiniest hint of unease.


    Mai called upon the power that laid dormant deep within her, and imagined, in satisfaction, Savel¡¯s limp body being blown backwards through the door, by a burst of fire.


    Mai blinked. Her head throbbed all the more.


    But nothing happened.


    Savel stayed where he was, and no flame appeared.


    Mai didn¡¯t understand what had gone wrong, this time. However, she understood some of the implications.


    Savel pulled back, and kicked her again, and once more, Mai found herself on the floor. Her body throbbed, and her body felt agony once again.


    This time, Savel didn¡¯t bother to lean down to her level. He spoke from his feet, from the sky.


    ¡°I suppose the three days you were out must have made you more than a little delusional, Princess,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll snap you into reality soon enough.¡±


    He then turned, and strode out of the room, closing the door behind him, and leaving Mai on the ground.


    He left a newly enlightened Mai, who understood his words.


    That burst of fire that came from me, it kept me unconscious for three days?


    Mai wasn¡¯t sure if her power was really a gift, anymore. She was very, very afraid.


    ***


    Days passed, as Mai lingered in her little cabin upon the Ascendant. Upon the Great River, the ship passed through the lands of the fallen Tachen, where warlords fought each other, for what little remained to be had.


    Mai heard from the sailors, the day that the ship passed by the Imperial City. The Ascendant did not dare stop for supplies, in the place that had once been Mai¡¯s home, Mai¡¯s world, and everything she ever knew.


    The sailors who brought her food said that the Imperial City was in chaos, controlled by mobs, gangs, and criminals. Even the warlords, who brought a minimum of security to the outlying Tachen lands, could not take the Imperial City as their own, however much each and every one of them tried.


    The Imperial City, which had once been the beating heart of the Empire, the beating heart of Order, no longer maintained any sort of government.


    That simple fact scared Mai.


    But, as the Imperial City passed further and further behind them, Mai¡¯s mind turned to other matters. As the days passed, Mai finally was able to keep her head from buzzing, and so, once again, she could think about things that required deep thought.


    A prime example of such, was, of course, Broken.


    He required much thinking.


    Even in her room, without any books to read, Mai failed to be bored. Indeed, she had far too many things to think about, before she could even approach a semblance of such.


    Broken was Casari is Koranor, the demon, the Nari had said as much, and Mai did not believe the Nari had lied.


    And so, with Broken¡¯s demonhood a proven fact, Mai went over and over again in her mind every last conversation she remembered having with him.


    It was hard for her to believe, that Broken, at once so noble, fallen, and full of humanity, was in truth a demon.


    But Nari did not lie.


    The sudden anger Mai had had for Broken, once she had learned the truth about him, had long since faded.


    She wasn¡¯t so much angry, as terrified, horrified, and unwilling to accept the truth. And so, to while away the long, bookless hours, she tried to convince herself that Broken was indeed what the Nari said he was.


    On occasion, she also tried to use her powers again, but every attempt came to naught.


    And so the days faded, and passed, until the ship, upon the Great River, finally reached the seat of Emperor Ehajdon¡¯s dying would-be Roseped Dynasty.


    They had reached the city of Tarang.


    Mai was escorted, dragged, might be a better term, from her quarters on the Ascendant, to a carriage. She was pushed inside, and the doors were shut behind her. With curtains draped from the outside, and the doors locked, Mai had no way to see the city of Tarang.


    Once the carriage reached what Mai presumed was the Minsu Palace, she was pulled out, blindfolded, and dragged away. As she was pulled, she thought she saw the light of the Min, the great shining blue sapphire that had been dug from the ground, and placed in the grand chamber of the Minsu Palace.


    But Mai only saw that light for a few seconds. The darkness was what persevered.

 Chapter 74: In the Shadow of the Min

    As Lin made his entrance to Emperor Ehajdon¡¯s throne room, he made an impression, but for all the wrong reasons.


    As the blue light of the Min shown down upon him, Lin faltered, and fell to the ground, covered in blood that had long since caked.


    The ground around him let out a collective murmur, and stepped back. They were aristocrats. They were damsels. The did not expect to see bloodstained warriors limp through their protective bubble.


    Interestingly, Lin noted, as he forced his bruised and battered body to get to one knee, the only man who seems to care about me, is the only one who matters.


    For Ehajdon, upon seeing Lin, had leapt from his throne, and had rushed over to him.


    ¡°General,¡± said Ehajdon, his words powerful, but tinged with sadness, as he saw what Lin was going through. ¡°I am glad to see you are alive.¡±


    Courtiers formed a ring around the two men, but an invisible barrier, composed of their own fear, held them back from coming any closer.


    ¡°I am, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin, holding to his kneel, ¡°but few others are. I know you have heard other reports, but I was there, right in the thick of the Battle at the White Gates. I directed our armies, and I saw us fall. General Xaien is dead, and I saw him die. But I am sure you know that already.¡±


    But from the look on Ehajdon¡¯s face, it seemed he had not.


    ¡°We have had little news on the Battle at the White Gates,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Our information systems are in horrible disarray, and we are still trying to collect and reform all the units that survived that day. We knew as much about what happened to Xaien, as we knew what happened to you. We knew nothing.¡±


    A silence spread across the room. Lin could tell that all within had been trying to forget that horrible defeat, had been trying to forget that Ehajdon and his Empire were living on borrowed time.


    Lin realized he had reminded them all of the truth of their situation. He was too tired, to exhausted to be sorry.


    Ehajdon seemed to realize that Lin¡¯s presence was causing an ever-increasing detrimental effect on morale. He turned to his chief advisor, Arek is Tomel, and muttered, ¡°Calm the people down.¡±


    Ehajdon then turned to the assembled audience, and spoke to them at large. ¡°I and General Lin have some catching up to do,¡± he told them. ¡°And so, I will leave you, for now.¡±


    Ehajdon looked back at Lin, and gestured for him to rise, but Lin¡¯s knee seemed to not wish to budge. And so, Ehajdon helped his last remaining general to his feet, as the crowd stared.


    Ehajdon and Lin then quickly took their exit, down a side hall.


    Lin had to limp to keep up with Ehajdon, and the Emperor, realizing this, slowed down.


    ¡°So,¡± said the Emperor, as the two of them headed for one of the meeting rooms. ¡°How did you come to make such an impressive entrance in my throne room, today?¡±


    ¡°After the battle, I was barely left alive,¡± said Lin, ¡°and my forces were scattered. I made my way back here as quickly as I could.¡±


    Ehajdon nodded. ¡°A simple tale,¡± he said, ¡°but one that shows that God smiles upon us still. You are still amongst the living, and you bring with you a glimmer of hope.¡±


    They entered an empty meeting room, and sat down.


    ¡°Those who were your audience did not seem to think I brought hope,¡± said Lin, once he was settled in.¡±


    ¡°They will, once I put the proper spin on it,¡± said Ehajdon.


    Lin had nothing to say to that. He paused. ¡°So, what now, Your Majesty? I stand willing to do your bidding, but I must ask: do your advisors tell you we have a glimmer of a chance against the Makini, anymore?¡±


    Ehajdon paused, and a small smile crept to his face. ¡°We may have lost a battle, Lin, and an important battle at that, but we have not lost the war. Your sudden reappearance was not the only omen that God smiles upon the Roseped Dynasty. A trump card, yesterday, was delivered into my lap. Something that could turn the war around, in a single stroke.¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to foil, your optimism, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin, ¡°but I do not understand. Now, the Makini must have an army ten times our size, and the last of the Vedil lands have fallen to them. What can you possibly have?¡±


    ¡°Something that will bring the other Houses to our side, Lin,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Every last one of them, sans the Makini. As of yesterday, I have the Princess.¡±


    ¡°What princess?¡± asked Lin.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Mentis¡¯ daughter.¡±


    And suddenly, Lin understood. If she endorsed Ehajdon, then¡­well then, everything he had said would come to pass.


    But Lin, perhaps because of the dangers he had so recently escaped from, was cautious to begin to celebrate. ¡°How did she come to you?¡± he asked. ¡°Is she cooperative?¡±


    ¡°Yesterday, a battered a damaged ship sailed into Tarang¡¯s port,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°A ship, which contained both the exiled lord of Asan Paril, a man named Savel, and Maiako as Arathou del Tachen.¡± Ehajdon paused. ¡°The Princess is not cooperative yet,¡± he said. ¡°But, given time, she will be.¡±


    Something about the Emperor¡¯s calm, collected manner disturbed Lin. Without warning, he ripped off his torn and tattered shirt, exposing bandages that covered his chest. He, wincing from the pain the sudden movement had caused them, began to unwrap his chest.


    Ehajdon stared. ¡°What are you doing, Lin?¡± he asked quizzically.


    Lin threw the last of his bandages to the floor, exposing his chest. A huge gash was rent from his left shoulder, to his right thigh. Scars had formed to stop the bleeding, but they were crooked, ugly.


    And the slice was an inch wide.


    Lin took a hard breath, visibly reminded of how much pain he was in.


    Ehajdon took a deep breath. ¡°I knew you were wounded, Lin. Perhaps I did not know your injuries were quite this severe, but¡­you did not need to show me. I should have called for healers when I first saw you, and I will now. We can continue this conversation, later.¡±


    But Lin was not going to be deterred, from making his point. ¡°I show you this for a reason, Your Majesty,¡± he said.


    Ehajdon¡¯s concerned look paused, upon his face. ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Because I am beginning to fear you are na?ve,¡± said Lin. ¡°Just as na?ve as the others, who gasped when I walked in, but in a more subtle way. You think--and you think so strongly, that you make me almost believe as well--that Mentis¡¯ daughter will win this war, single-handedly.¡±


    Lin paused. ¡°I mean no disrespect, Your Majesty, and remain at your command, as always, but this scar you bear witness to is testament to the strength of the Makini.¡±


    ¡°It is a sword blow,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°A severe sword blow, one that should be looked at immediately, but a mere sword blow nonetheless. All your wound proves is that there is such thing as Makini steel, and our spies have already told us as much.¡± Ehajdon chucked, which Lin thought was in poor taste.


    ¡°The truth is, Your Majesty,¡± said Lin, ¡°you are wrong.¡±


    ¡°An axe then? Or a nasty encounter with a spear.¡±


    ¡°Wrong, and wrong again,¡± said Lin. ¡°A golem did this.¡±


    And he witnessed the look he had expected to see on Ehajdon¡¯s face: horror. That expression was gone in an instant, replaced by a mask of contentment, but both men knew what Ehajdon was really thinking, inside.


    ¡°They¡¯re using them in battle, now?¡± asked Ehajdon.


    ¡°Mass production,¡± said Lin. ¡°That¡¯s what they¡¯re doing, or at least, that¡¯s what I hear. Forges all over the Makini lands have been converted, so that they can churn out metal beast, after metal beast. At one point during the battle, I saw four of them, together. If your reports were true, that would be one more golem than the Makini had. But apparently, your reports were wrong.¡± Lin paused. ¡°This gash was given to me by one¡¯s claws. They are built with claws, now.¡±


    Ehajdon said nothing for a long while, considering, as Lin rewrapped his bandages, and put his shirt back on.


    ¡°I understand what being on the front lines has done to you,¡± he said, at last. ¡°I understand how demoralizing it must have been to see your men routed. You are no longer the man who I promoted to general. You are a wiser man, one who has seen and endured a great deal more things. Your worries are justified.¡±


    For a moment, it seemed as if Ehajdon was about to concede the point, but in the end, he did not.


    ¡°I must remind you though, Last General, that we have the Princess. We have Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. The Makini may have their metal monsters, but they will not be able to stand against an alliance of all the other Houses, which I will form, with her.¡±


    Ehajdon stood, and walked to the door of the meeting room, and opened it. ¡°Come with me, Lin,¡± he said.


    ¡°I thought you said I needed medical attention,¡± said Lin.


    ¡°If you could get this far without a healer,¡¯ said Ehajdon, with a flash of annoyance, ¡°you can surely last a few more minutes.¡±


    Lin nodded, and followed Ehajdon, as he walked through the halls.


    ¡°What I have to show you,¡± said the Emperor, ¡°shall hopefully allay some of your fears.¡± He stopped by a dark, hardwood door, and turned to Lin. ¡°And what you fear is what binds you, my friend. You have proved, by living, that wounds do not matter. You could be as good a general as Varsis ever was, or ever will be, if only you can stop, and no longer fear.¡±


    Ehajdon fitted a key into the door¡¯s lock, and swung it open. A dark passageway, framed by flickering lantern-light, was revealed.


    Ehajdon stepped within, and Lin followed him.


    Then Ehajdon closed the door, bathing them in near-blackness.


    Together, they continued to walk.


    Lin had no idea where they were going; indeed, he had never known that passageways such as this had existed in the Minsu Palace, before. Yet, obediently, he followed his Emperor, and hoped what was to come would indeed allay his fears.


    As they walked, Ehajdon spoke.


    ¡°These passageways were created because of fear, you know. My ancestors worried that their enemies were plotting to destroy them, and so, they built these tunnels, into the walls, to spy on others, throughout the Minsu Palace. From here, we can look through spy holes into most other rooms, undetected. There is a reason that you have not heard of these tunnels, before, Lin,¡± the Emperor continued. ¡°Even though the secret of these halls is ancient, it has been carefully protected for a very long time. The secret is known only to myself, and a few select others.¡±


    Ehajdon paused.


    ¡°You are one of the selected, now, Lin. I have put my trust in you, that you will keep this secret.¡±


    ¡°Your majesty, I am honored.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    A few moments later, they stopped, and Ehajdon turned to the wall. He slid something, and a tiny speck of light appeared.


    Ehajdon put his finger to his lips, and then gestured for Lin to peer through the hole.


    Lin did so. Beyond, his eye saw a room. Its furnishings denoted that it was a guest room of the Minsu Palace, but that fact did not seem all that important.


    For a girl lay on the bed.


    Mai. Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. A girl Lin had once thought it best and necessary to kill, but now held the fate of Ehajdon¡¯s enterprise in her small, little hands.


    Lin pulled back, and Ehajdon shut the peek-hole.


    ¡°Now, do you have faith, again?¡± he asked.


    ¡°You show me symbols,¡± said Lin, ¡°but you do not show me proof. I am yours, Your Majesty, but I worry about the fate of us all. Mai may turn the war around, and I hope to God she does, but the Makini are as of yet, undefeated.¡±


    Lin paused.


    ¡°Hope, however strong, cannot wash away the truth.¡±

 Chapter 75: Dark Journey

    Rain beat down beside a man of nightmares.


    Casari.


    Escaping from Nishae had been child¡¯s play for him; but he had gained little, if any satisfaction from doing as much. Alsi could tell by looking into his gray eyes. Those eyes made Darksail¡¯s own look happy, by comparison. Those eyes had seen the horrors of hell.


    They constantly reminded Alsi that she was in the company of a demon.


    The rest of the party had come along, as well, and so, she and Casari were not the only ones camped by that lonely road, that night. Darksail and Ralad were here as well. Darksail, who seemed ever increasingly automaton, retreating his mind within himself, and doing Casari¡¯s bidding without question.


    Ralad was a man of God, but lately, he too seemed to be doing much of the same. Only Alsi occasionally made a comment with any fire, or any warmth, but those words she spoke were unoften, infrequent.


    The days with Casari were long and hard. The entire day, the four rode, on black stallions Casari had stolen from a stables. And that was what happened every day. From dawn, until dusk, for a week, until the fall slowly began to turn to winter.


    That day, right then, at that very moment, as Alsi was preparing herself for sleep, as the rain beat down, Casari made a statement.


    ¡°Tomorrow, we reach the Holy Citadel.¡±


    Such blessed words seemed odd to come from a demon¡¯s lips, but it all mattered so, so little.


    Talon was on Casari¡¯s shoulder, peering at her.


    She looked at the owl, and then lay down on her bed of leaves, in the rain.


    Sleep. Dreamless sleep, as always seemed to await her around Casari, was lurking in the next world. Alsi fell into dream¡¯s arms.


    Morning came. The sun might have been bright that day, but the truth was unknown, as the sky was covered in a thick cloud of fog. It was no longer raining, however. Small mercies, at least.


    They mounted their horses, all four, which, each and every one of them, had the oddest tendencies, and obeyed Casari¡¯s commands to the letter.


    And then, they were off. Not off into the wild world of adventure, but off into another day of sullen torment.


    It had started to rain again, when Alsi and the others reached the dark, forbidding gates of the Holy Citadel. Makini guards allowed them entry, with little fuss.


    Up the sloping hill they rode, to the summit, where Alsi knew would await the Tower of the Vedil Lords, and the legendary Greatest of the Temples.


    Asurik had once carefully guarded the summit, Alsi knew. But now, the plaza was guarded by Makini, and the Makini could care little if citizens came to gawk.


    Indeed, many had come to the plaza for just that purpose, and the tiled ground was filled.


    Alsi, Casari, and the others, were unnoticeable, amidst the throng.


    Here, Casari dismounted, and his followers did the same, holding their horses by the bridles.


    The four of them, in addition to the owl, made an impromptu circle with the horses, which other passersby were forced to circumvent.


    And then, all but Casari turned to stare at him.


    ¡°We are in a religious place,¡± said the demon. ¡°A holy place¡­¡± He trailed off, then began to speak again, and strongly.


    ¡°Priest Ralad, this is your city,¡± said Casari. ¡°You were a lord here, a Priest-Lord of the Vedil, until the Makini came, and stripped you of your position, because you resisted them.¡±


    Casari paused again, forcing Alsi to hang onto his every word.


    ¡°However, priest,¡± continued the demon, ¡°your fellow Priest-Lords were not as unfortunate as you. They abstained from fighting, and were rewarded by being able to keep a semblance of their positions.¡±


    ¡°What is the point of saying this?¡± asked Ralad. Had this been a different time, had he been speaking to a different person, he might have made an aggressive statement, after the level to which he had fallen had been firmly planted in his face. But this was Casari.


    Aside from his simple question, Ralad stayed silent.


    ¡°Because the other Priest-Lords are your friends,¡± said Casari. ¡°They are your allies.¡±


    ¡°But as you said,¡± responded Ralad, ¡°they have little power, anymore. The Makini have doubtless stripped them of almost all of their secular power.¡±


    ¡°But they still have enough, for my purposes,¡± said Casari. ¡°Once, a long time ago, I traded you my sword, Aurasing, for a small favor. I would like it back.¡±


    ¡°So you just want me to go into the Palace of the Vedil Lords, go to the treasury, and ask the Priest-Lords if I can have the sword, in between explaining how it is I managed to escape the Makini, and get back here.¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    ¡°I would refrain from telling them too much about me, or my status, just yet,¡± said Casari. ¡°They would not like to hear about me. But that is more or less the gist of what I want.¡±


    There was a subtle undercurrent to Casari¡¯s voice, one that Ralad caught on to, immediately.


    ¡°Are you afraid, that a chorus of the best priests in the world would, if they found you, be able to exorcise you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No,¡± said Casari.


    His words seemed to be the truth, and so, Alsi wondered what else would be troubling Casari.


    ¡°I will go, then,¡± said Ralad. ¡°I can promise you this much; I can get around the Makini guards.¡±


    And, with an inclination of his head, the priest was gone.


    The four, owl included, waited, in the rain. Even though they stood in the middle of the plaza, no Makini, or indeed, any man, or any woman, asked them what they were doing, why they were standing there.


    Alsi knew that she, Casari, and Darksail must have been the only people in the plaza to be staring at the Tower of the Vedil Lords, and not the Greatest of the Temples, but no one questioned them on it.


    In the rain, through the clouds, each person on the plaza was wrapped up in their own individual lives, Alsi included. She knew that the older woman who jostled past them, with her baskets of fruit, was not wondering why four black horses, three people, and an owl were all standing silent vigil at the center of the plaza. She was too wrapped up in her concerns, whatever they were.


    There were so many other people all around, and yet Alsi was alone. Of course she was alone. How else would see be? A demon ruled her.


    Lightning flashed overhead, and, as if called by it, Ralad returned to the group, holding within his hands a long brown bundle, that seemed to contain something. He looked rushed.


    ¡°I have the sword,¡± he said. ¡°But, my fellow priests, they weren¡¯t satisfied with my explanation for how I appeared and disappeared so suddenly. I got out of the Tower quickly enough, but they¡¯re massing their servants, to search for me.¡±


    Ralad looked directly at Casari.


    ¡°If you want us to escape detection, we should go, now.¡±


    Casari¡¯s response was simple.


    ¡°Give me my sword.¡±


    Obediently, Ralad handed over the bundle, and Casari took it.


    Casari unwrapped the sword just a tiny bit, and Alsi caught a glimpse of the blade.


    Alsi knew nothing much about swords, but she was instantly given the impression that what Casari held was powerful.


    Casari slid the blade out of its wool sheath, into the rain. Aurasing glimmered with the light of a thousand moons.


    It was beautiful, so much so, that Alsi would not have believed it was Casari¡¯s, had she not seen the look in his eyes. That was not the look of someone who had stolen a holy relic. That was the look of one who had recovered something precious.


    ¡°Thank you for returning my blade to me,¡± Casari said to Ralad, and Alsi knew he meant it.


    But then, Alsi squinted, as she suddenly noticed there was something not quite right with the blade.


    Runes were etched across its surface. They marred it. The runes were of the old tongue, which, when written, usually looked impressive, powerful.


    Here, the runes just looked like graffiti, upon a masterpiece.


    Alsi wondered if Aurasing had once been a holy blade, and Casari had marred it, to make it his own.


    ¡°What do the words say?¡± she asked Casari, softly, not expecting an answer.


    ¡°The owner of this blade is fallen,¡± came the response.


    And it was said in such a manner that instantly discredited the theory, that Casari had etched the runes into the blade, himself.


    He sounded resentful. No, that was not a strong enough word. His translation sounded like the first drip of rage, before a maelstrom.


    ¡°We must go, if we wish to evade the servants,¡± Ralad reminded them.


    Casari covered his sword with the brown cloth, again, and cradled it like a baby.


    As he spoke, for the second time, lightning flashed.


    ¡°Who says we need to evade them?¡±


    There was a silence, as none but Casari knew if the question was rhetorical, or honest, if he wanted an answer, or if he was waiting to pounce on the first of them that ventured a guess.


    ¡°Those servants,¡± said Casari, ¡°do not work for the Makini. They work for the Vedil Priest-Lords. The Vedil Priest-Lords, who are friends and allies of Ralad, and are only looking for him because they are genuinely concerned for his welfare. Why run from allies?¡±


    Finally, Darksail said something. ¡°Because they are not your allies, my lord?¡± he ventured, as a guess.


    ¡°The question was rhetorical,¡± said Casari. ¡°And, in this case, at least, your answer was the wrong one. We will not run from allies.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± said Ralad. ¡°I only¡­can stand your presence because I am more¡­jaded, then my former fellows. They would kill you, or attempt to, on sight. You cannot be among them.¡±


    ¡°They will not see me,¡± said Casari.


    ¡°You cannot mask your presence from them,¡± said Ralad. ¡°They are Priest-Lords, and they will find out who you are. And then,¡± he said weakly, ¡°there will be hell to pay.¡±


    ¡°I will not do that,¡± said Casari. ¡°I will not infringe upon their company, even hidden. This is over.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± asked Alsi. ¡°Why do you mean?¡± She feared he meant their death.


    And Casari saw that fear in her eyes, and he slowly shook his head. He shook his head no.


    ¡°I will leave you three here,¡± said Casari, ¡°in the tender care of the Vedil Priest-Lords. They are Ralad¡¯s friends, and they will take the three of you in.¡±


    ¡°And what do you want the three of us to do in their company, without you?¡± asked Darksail, suspiciously.


    ¡°Ralad can convince his friends to give you money,¡± said Casari. ¡°The Makini think each of you dead, so you will not need to worry about them trying to track you down. You all can start new lives for yourselves.¡±


    The concept was hard to comprehend.


    ¡°New lives?¡± said Alsi.


    ¡°New lives,¡± said Casari. ¡°You three have served my purposes well. I now want you to go, and be happy.¡±


    And the three of them stared at him.


    ¡°I would let Talon go now, too, if I could,¡± said Casari, referring to the owl. ¡°But to do so would mean his death.¡±


    Silence.


    Alsi hadn¡¯t thought demons let go of their thralls.


    ¡°You think you understand me,¡± said Casari. ¡°But you do not. I am no mere demon; I am Casari is Koranor. And I have a job to do. One that I do not need your help for.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re letting us go?¡± asked Darksail.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said Casari. ¡°Be happy, be merry, and try not to kill too many little children.¡±


    ¡°What¡­what will you do?¡± asked Alsi.


    ¡°As I said,¡± spoke Casari, I have a job to do. I found purpose again, for a reason. Maiako as Arathou del Tachen is alive. I will find her, and I will save her. Or I will die trying.¡±


    Casari leapt upon his dark horse, Talon still perched upon his shoulder. He wheeled the steed around, in a display of expert horsemanship, and raced from the plaza.


    Away from the Greatest of the Temples, and the Tower of the Vedil Lords. Away from Alsi, Darksail, and Ralad.


    They were free.


    Casari had truly done them a service, Alsi realized, as her hope grew. Darksail and Ralad would have languished, undeserving, in prison, without his help. And she, Alsi?


    To an outsider, looking upon this all as a story, Alsi¡¯s hope might have seemed a little misplaced. She had had a job, working for the Makini, and now, she could never return to them, unless she gave them the truth, a long story, that would condemn her for treason. Casari had ripped away her old life.


    But Alsi wasn¡¯t so sure that was such a bad thing. She had been miserable, and now, she had a clean slate.


    But then, she thought of Casari¡¯s parting words. He had said he would save Maiako as Arathou del Tachen. And he was a demon.


    Alsi feared for Mai.

 Chapter 76: The Princess

    Mai was a character in a storybook. At least, that was how she felt. She was the princess locked away, and if the story played out, some noble warrior would save her.


    Except, the story would not play out. There would be a point of divergence. Emperor Ehajdon would use her for his needs, and then quietly dispose of her.


    A man came through the door of her room. The man she had just been thinking about.


    Ehajdon.


    He closed the door behind him, and then, his first words were, ¡°I am very grateful that Savel brought you here.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± said Mai, from the floor, where she sat, cross-legged, ¡°my father would be ashamed of you, right now?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± asked Ehajdon, smooth, calculating. No more than a foot before Mai, he sat before her on the ground, cross-legged, a mirror.


    But a foreboding mirror.


    ¡°You intend to use me, and then you intend to discard me, so that I do not get in you way,¡± said Mai.


    Ehajdon did not deny it. ¡°If there was any other option,¡± he said, ¡°I would take it. But there is not.¡±


    Mai looked at him, as innocently as she could. He was supposed to be the storybook king, who was wise, and just. Instead, he was sentencing her to death.


    ¡°Mai, listen,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°Your father would not want his legacy, indeed, the very Empire, to fall into the hands of the barbaric Makini. I only wish to do that.¡±


    Mai spoke a question, a question that had been haunting her for some time now. ¡°If I go along,¡± she said, ¡°if I speak the words you wish me to speak, why must I still die?¡±


    Ehajdon sighed. ¡°The world, perhaps, is not fair, Mai, but it is not my place to change how things work. According to the Codes of Sara, you should have killed yourself by now.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want from me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°I wish you to give a speech, one that all can hear,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°I want you to give a speech in front of crowds. I want you to tell them that the only reason you have spared your own life, for this long, is because you knew, in your heart, that before you died, you had to prevent the Makini from taking the word. I want you to say to the masses, outside the Minsu Palace, and the dignitaries from other Houses, that undoubtedly will be present, that the Roseped Dynasty, my Roseped Dynasty, is the rightful inheritor to the Empire. I want you to tell them that the barbaric Makini must be stopped at all costs.


    ¡°And then, Mai,¡± said Ehajdon, ¡°I want you to tell the assembled crowds that now, with your message delivered, you can finally end your existence. And then, you will take out a dagger that I will have provided for you, and stab yourself in the heart. That is what I want.¡±


    Mai looked at him.


    ¡°What can you possibly have more to gain from life?¡± asked Ehajdon. ¡°The Tachen have fallen, and will never rise again.¡±


    ¡°You cannot force me to do this,¡± said Mai. ¡°Nothing you can do to me will make it so that I will say those words.¡±


    ¡°And so, I will not try,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°I will not try to torture you, until you say the words and perform the action that I wish. If I did, and even if you relented, the assembled crowd would know the words came not from your heart. And the words need to come from your heart, Mai.¡±


    ¡°Why would I have to kill myself at the end of the speech?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Because according to the codes, according to honor,¡± said Ehajdon, ¡°you should be dead. Delaying your rightful death to deliver a warning is only noble if¡­¡± Ehajdon paused, ¡°¡­if you do the right thing afterwards.¡±


    ¡°And what if I refuse to go along with this, at all?¡± asked Mai. ¡°What if I refuse to be your savior?¡±


    ¡°I will give you a week to decide,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°And if your answer is no, I will direct my guards to quietly kill you.¡±


    Mai took a sharp breath.


    ¡°Death will come either way, Mai,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°But in dying one way, you save the Empire, and redeem yourself to Elysium. In dying the other way, you do nothing to prevent chaos from conquering the world, and damn yourself to hell.¡±


    As he spoke these words, he slowly leaned forward, like an uncoiling viper. Then he pulled back, and his voice was kindly almost as if he was the true father that Mai never knew.


    ¡°It is your choice,¡± he said.


    Mai knew what she would do. She would wait the week, so that she would have a week left of life, and then, she would say no.


    But then, Ehajdon looked into her eyes. His eyes were blue, and pure. Even though it was he who had threatened to kill Mai, it was Mai who found herself looking away, Mai, who found herself involuntarily beginning to sympathize with his cause.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    She tried to shake herself out of what she knew to be a funk, but she could not. She could not.


    By glancing away for a fraction of a second, Ehajdon broke the trance. He stood, and for a moment, it seemed he was going to turn, and leave Mai to her thoughts.


    But then he extended a firm hand, to help her up.


    Mai took it.


    ¡°I want to show you some things,¡± Ehajdon told her. ¡°Some things, that may help you make up your mind.¡±


    And together, oddly, hand in hand, the two walked from Mai¡¯s room, into the hallway.


    They walked through the halls, and, as they did so, Mai realized that this would probably be her best time to try to escape. But she kept putting off the moment when she would yank her hand from Ehajdon¡¯s grip, putting it further, and further away.


    And then, they had reached where Ehajdon had wished to bring her.


    The Minsu throne room.


    Above their heads, the light of the great Min shone blue down upon them. Mai looked up at it, for a moment, in wonder, before looking away.


    What she saw on the ground of the throne room, on the great expanse of floor lit by the Min, was not what she had been expecting to see.


    People were dancing.


    Mai had not seen a window in a long time, but she now realized that it must be night. The night of a ball.


    Mai was in a story, indeed.


    The perfect lines of men and women dancing, of warriors and ladies and lords, all together, was like artwork to Mai¡¯s eyes.


    Through the crowds, Mai saw a man come up, to them. She nearly flinched when she saw who it was.


    Lin Harsel, the Minsu Adjunct who, so long ago, Mai had thought she could trust with the secret of who she was.


    Mai didn¡¯t know how Ehajdon intended to convince her of anything, by showing her the face of a man who had nearly killed her.


    Lin came within speaking range of the pair, and gave a slight, shallow bow, in the direction of the Emperor.


    ¡°Lin, this is Mai,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°And Mai, this is Lin. But I do believe that the two of you have met before.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, we have,¡± said Lin, with such ease that Mai began to believe that this was a scripted performance.


    ¡°What are you trying to show me, except a man who tried to kill me?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°A variety of things,¡± Ehajdon gently answered. ¡°I am trying to show you what your sacrifice can accomplish.¡±


    ¡°And how, exactly, are you going that?¡± asked Mai. With Lin here, her patience was wearing thin.


    ¡°Look about you, Mai,¡± said Ehajdon.


    Mai did, and she saw the dancers. They were oblivious to her, Lin, and Ehajdon, and were instead embattled in their own little worlds. There was dancing, Mai saw, but there was also intrigue, and friendship, and love.


    On the far side of the room, near a wall, Mai saw a lord kissing a lady.


    ¡°Do you know what this is, all about you?¡± asked Ehajdon. He did not wait for an answer. ¡°This is what it looks like, to see people live. On this night, on the night of this ball, all my subjects put aside their worries about the Makini, and concentrate on petty things. But petty things that make them happy.


    ¡°The Makini could end all this. They will end all this, unless you stop them.¡±


    Ehajdon quieted, and Lin¡¯s words sprang forth. The lines are scripted, Mai thought, but that doesn¡¯t mean they aren¡¯t real, or true.


    ¡°I was at the Battle of the White Walls,¡± said Lin. ¡°I led an army against the Makini, as I am a general now. But I think you know what happened next.¡±


    Lin paused, for effect.


    ¡°We lost. My host was defeated by the armies of that demon-child, Varsis. Our armies lost, and the sages and the common folk then predicted it was only a matter of time before the Makini Council dragged Ehajdon down from his just throne, and began their reign of terror.


    ¡°Do you know how evil the Makini are, Mai? Do you know they use demons? Do you know they use golems? Do you even know what a golem is?¡±


    Mai nodded, surprising both Lin and Ehajdon, but they quickly recovered. Ehajdon picked up the speech.


    ¡°That is what I am up against,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°The Makini are murderers, Mai. The Makini have not professed a desire to reform the Empire under their own dynasty, under their own Emperor. Indeed, they have made it clear that they do not want that. They want to end the cycle of the dynasties, and impose their own tyrannical rule, of their oligarchy.


    ¡°The Makini have oft said that their system of government is more fair than having a single ruler, for their Council has five. But to accept that statement as fact, one has to overlook the truth.


    ¡°It does not matter if one rules a House, or a thousand, so long as their rule is just,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°And the rule of the Makini is not just. I could go on for a century, speaking of all the horrible crimes their House has committed.


    ¡°Do you know what they do to their prisoners, Mai?¡± asked Ehajdon. ¡°They do not give them a fair, clean execution. Instead, they have ships. Carracks, they are called. Prison ships. They put their prisoners on those ships, and, instead of giving their prisoners a fair death, let them languish in tiny cells, until they die of starvation, disease, torture, or even just the horror of it all.¡±


    Mai had not known that, and Ehajdon¡¯s words painted a stark image. She remembered, oddly, that Savel had said that Broken--back when he still had been Broken, and not Casari--had been taken by the Makini. She wondered if he had been put on one of those ships, and shuddered.


    And then she remembered that he was a demon, and he had probably already broken out.


    ¡°I could go on, Mai,¡± said Ehajdon. ¡°I could go on.¡± He paused. ¡°And so I will. The Makini rule over a large amount of territory, some of it hostile. When a town rebels, on occasion, the Makini implement a practice known as decimating. They kill one out of ten people in the town. It doesn¡¯t matter who those tenth people are, whether they are indeed one of the rioters, or whether they are an innocent baby. The Makini kill them. Shall I go on? I will.


    ¡°The Makini are a fierce warrior race, but sometimes, they are born with cripples. Instead of tending to the cripple, and making sure that the baby¡¯s life is the best it can be, under the sad circumstances, they decide that they must dispose of those babies. No mother wants her husband to see their child born a cripple, so quite often, when the baby emerges, when it immerges, and it is clear that it is broken, the mother bids her midwives throw the baby out the window, so that her husband, when he comes, will not have to gaze his eyes upon an ugly sight. Shall I go on? I will.


    ¡°Sometimes, the Makini fail, Mai. I know it is hard to believe, but on occasion, they do. Do you know what the Makini do to their own officers, who fail to win a battle? They declare that the officer is no longer a man, and--¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Mai shouted, and, for a moment, many of the dancers turned to look at her, before they turned away, and retreated back to their own lives.


    Ehajdon looked at her. Lin looked at her.


    ¡°So now you know things,¡± said the Emperor. ¡°Things you wish your ears had never listened to. And I apologize, for speaking of such horrible, terrible things, to you. But the truth remains, Mai, you can stop this madness. You, and only you.¡±


    Mai, who had been so sure in her position before, now faltered.

 Chapter 77: The Monster

    Choice.


    Choice was a problem, wasn¡¯t it?


    Everything that happened to a person, in life, was based on an action. An action, that had a choice behind it. Indeed, there were many who were doomed from the start, with no way out of their hole.


    But they had only been forced into such a situation because of the choices of others.


    Ehajdon had offered Mai a choice. She could either die, or die, and save the lives of thousands of people.


    Some choice.


    Starkly, the answer was obvious. If Mai was doomed anyway, why not just do what Ehajdon said, and save countless others?


    She sat on the floor, cross-legged, in the room Ehajdon had provided to her, and endlessly pondered the answer to that question.


    Five days had passed, since Ehajdon had given her his ultimatum. Each day, he had entered her room, and asked her what her answer was.


    And each day, Mai had said she needed more time to think.


    Today was the fifth day. The middle of the fifth day. Ehajdon had come today, and Ehajdon had left, and Mai had given him no answer.


    Suddenly, she heard a tapping coming from the wall by her bed. Curious, Mai came over, and leaned against the wall.


    She definitely heard tapping, coming from what seemed to be the far side.


    And then, combined with the tapping, she heard voices.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re in the right place, Devin,¡± came a voice, from the far side of the wall. It sounded strangely familiar.


    ¡°Shush,¡± came a second voice, even more familiar.


    ¡°He said there¡¯d be a door here,¡± said the first voice. ¡°I think we found the right peek-hole.¡±


    ¡°Shush, man.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to hear us?¡± asked the first voice. ¡°The girl we are supposed to be rescuing? Calm down, Devin.¡±


    Then, as Mai backed away from the wall, a portion of it swung backwards and open, like a door. Not like a door. It was a door.


    And from that door, out from a dark, torch-lit passageway, two men entered Mai¡¯s room. They looked as familiar as they sounded, but still, Mai couldn¡¯t place them.


    One spoke, with a flourish of his short, black cape. ¡°My name is Devin, Princess,¡± he said. ¡°And this is my associate, Rai. But I am sure you remember us.¡±


    And suddenly, Mai did. They were two of the thieves in the cave, the cave she and Broken had visited, on their second night away from the Occluded City.


    The thieves Broken had befriended. The thieves Casari had befriended.


    And this all begged a question: What were they doing here?


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Mai asked.


    ¡°Playing our part in this little fairy tale,¡± said the Thief-Lord Devin, with another flourish of his cape. ¡°We are here to rescue you.¡±


    ¡°But what are you doing here?¡± asked Mai. ¡°How did you get here? What possessed you to come through what are apparently secret passageways of the Minsu Palace, to try and rescue me? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be somewhere, reclaiming your throne?¡±You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t work out as well as I planned,¡± said Devin, ¡°even with all your jewels. But Broken found me and Rai, and promised a lot of gold if we went into the Minsu Palace, and rescued you.¡±


    ¡°Broken?¡± Mai asked again, as the word sunk in. Apparently the demon really had escaped from the Makini. She paused. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what he is?¡±


    ¡°A demon,¡± said Devin, matter-of-factly. ¡°The demon Casari, in fact. But he paid us a substantial amount up front, enough for us to do the job. He even was kind enough to point out that these secret passageways existed, thus making our job possible.¡±


    ¡°But, he¡¯s a demon!¡± stuttered Mai. ¡°How can you work for a demon?¡±


    ¡°He seemed honorable enough when we met in the cave,¡± said Devin.


    ¡°He paid some of our reward up front, too,¡± added Rai.


    Mai just looked at them.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t Casari come himself?¡± she asked, at last.


    ¡°Because he says he has business to attend to, this night, so that the escape can be affected,¡± said Devin.


    Mai couldn¡¯t believe that the Thief-Lord or his associate would do the bidding of a demon. But they were thieves. Mai supposed it was to be expected.


    ¡°All right,¡± said Mai. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡±


    ¡°Thought so,¡± said Devin, with a smile. He extended a hand to her, as a perfect gentleman.


    Mai took it.


    She was making a decision then, one to choose her own destiny, one to deliver her out of the hands of evil. Casari had thought her to think for herself, to not flow to the whims of fate, and so she would not.


    And so, Mai kicked Devin in the fork of his legs.


    He made a tiny noise, and his hand dropped from hers. He seemed to not entirely comprehend what was happening.


    And while Devin stood there, enduring his agony, Mai side kicked Rai.


    Her powerful blow caught him off guard, as well, and sent him tumbling backwards, through the secret door, into the passageway.


    As Mai advanced after him, Rai quickly recovered, setting himself into a fighting stance.


    ¡°We were told to bring you in, Princess,¡± said Rai, beckoning her, with one hand. ¡°And so we will, one way or another.¡±


    Mai came ever forward.


    Rai tried for a round kick, but Mai hooked it with an arm, threw him off balance, tripped him, and slammed him in the gut with her heel.


    And then she turned, just in time to see Devin entering the secret passageway, after her.


    Mai wasn¡¯t about to let herself get caught between the two men. She raced at Devin, surprising him. He tried for a punch, but was still somewhat winded from Mai¡¯s previous assault.


    Mai blocked, twisted around him, so that she was back in her room again, and nailed him with a hook punch, from behind. She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, and threw him backwards onto her bed, which groaned from the sudden weight.


    Back the dark hallway, Mai knew Rai was recovering, so she leapt upon the bed, pinning Devin.


    Mai chanced a quick look back, behind her, and saw that Rai was reentering the room. He was a big man, Mai realized, and he did not look happy.


    She looked back at Devin, who hung loosely under her pin, with the hint of a smile on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not every day that a woman forces a man to bed,¡± he said.


    And Mai kneed him in the groin, again. She released her grip, allowing him to double over, in pain, and then jumped from the bed, and faced Rai, her hands balled into fists.


    ¡°Where did you learn how to fight like that, princess?¡± Rai asked, guarded, cautious, as Mai pivoted, so that she could look at Devin, on the bed, and Rai, at the same time.


    Mai realized that Rai was afraid of her.


    ¡°How did you learn to fight like that?¡± Rai asked, carefully.


    ¡°Casari taught me,¡± Mai responded.


    Devin rolled out of the bed, and retreated to beside the larger Rai. All fight was clearly drained from him, and he looked weak.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Princess?¡± he asked. ¡°All we were trying to do was help you.¡±


    ¡°Help me how?¡± asked Mai. ¡°Help me, by delivering me to Casari, the demon?¡±


    ¡°He¡­he cares about you,¡± said Devin. ¡°He might be a demon, but there¡¯s good in him. I never would have taken this job, if I thought he was going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Demons lie,¡± said Mai. ¡°Demons lie. I will not turn myself over to his whims.¡±


    ¡°But what can you possibly do by staying here?¡± asked Devin.


    ¡°Save the lives of thousands,¡± said Mai. ¡°And that¡¯s something you could never even dream of doing.¡±


    She paused, to make sure she had the apt attentions of the two thieves. ¡°Now,¡± said Mai. ¡°If the two of you do not back through that door, and close it behind you, and then leave here, I will scream. And if I scream, guards will arrive, and they will kill you.¡±


    There was silence. The look on the two men¡¯s faces, as they realized that Mai didn¡¯t want their help, was either priceless, or incredibly sad.


    ¡°All right,¡± said Devin. ¡°Don¡¯t scream. We¡¯ll leave.¡±


    And then, he and Rai backed through the door in the wall, and closed it behind them.


    Mai listened at the wall for some time, to see if they were waiting for her to fall asleep, or waiting to enact another ploy, but, from the far side of the wall, she heard nothing.


    She was alone.


    And Mai knew what her answer was going to be, when Ehajdon came to ask his inevitable question, tomorrow.


    Mai was going to say yes.

 Chapter 78: Fate

    There were only two more days left, Lin knew, as he looked at Ehajdon, sitting on his throne.


    Only today, and tomorrow, Mai has left to decide, until Ehajdon has told her that he would consider her no final, and kill her. And Ehajdon did not break promises.


    Lin mingled amongst the courtiers in the throne room, speaking to them lightly, about nothing in particular.


    When he had been an adjunct, before he had met Ehajdon, before he had been promoted to general, Lin would have done anything to be where he was now.


    Now, he was the Emperor¡¯s right hand man. Now, he was the first that Ehajdon called upon when he had a problem.


    But Lin¡¯s titles did not rest easily upon him. For he was jaded.


    When Lin had been an adjunct he had truly believed that Ehajdon was as perfect as he pretended to be. But now he knew the truth. It was an act. There was a man sitting on that throne below the Min, a mortal man, with thoughts and fears, just like all of his servants.


    Lin gazed upon that throne with jaded eyes.


    And then, and odd thing happened.


    In truth, odd was not the right word for it. Terrifying was the right word for it. Horrifying was the right word for it.


    Except Lin knew that dark hands reached far, and he had been prepared for another catastrophe ever since he had clawed his way from the failed Battle at the White Walls, on his hands and knees.


    What had actually happened?


    Simple.


    The crowd had exploded.


    That was an elegant way of putting it, Lin knew, but at the moment, his mind was more apt to create poetry than truly be able to respond to the situation at hand.


    In truth, a large man in a brown cloak had shoved that cloak off, revealed himself to be a golem, and began to rampage, even as one, no, two, Lin noted, of the people in the room drew knives, revealing themselves to be Makini agents, and added to the chaos.


    Lin flew into motion, all action, all duty. He drew his sword with a swift stroke, and headed in the direction of the closer of the two Makini agents.


    Lin completely avoided the golem. He knew not how to stop it.


    As the golem rampaged, it seemed few of the Minsu courtiers present had a clue how to defend themselves. Drunk on Ehajdon¡¯s hopes, they knew not what to do when real danger threatened. And so they ran.


    Only the bodyguards of Ehajdon, and the Emperor himself, besides Lin, seemed to even have a conscious thought of resisting. Ehajdon drew his legendary steel sword, Moonbringer, the sword that had been passed down from Minsu heir to Minsu heir for generations, and it fit perfectly in his hand.


    Ehajdon¡¯s guards leveled their pikes, and steadily walked to the center of the room, even as the frightened others fled, slowly beginning to leave only the Makini combatants within the ring of guards.


    But even as things started to look brighter for the Minsu, things became horrible again. For the golem reached up, up, with a metal hand, and, with an awkward blow, that seemed to reach to high up, for the angle, sent the Min crashing down.


    The Min, the great shining blue gemstone that had been the soul of the Minsu for generations, came crashing down.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    It shattered into a thousand pieces upon the floor, beneath the golem¡¯s feet.


    And as it did so, it truly exploded.


    The Min shown bright, brighter even than the sun, for a fraction of an instant, and then, Lin found himself desperately trying to evade flying slivers.


    He, along with all the guards, along with Ehajdon, was forced to ignore his objective of ending the Makini present, and instead found himself cowering for his life.


    Lin ducked to the ground. And as he did so, he decided he should have come up with a better metaphor for how the golem had suddenly revealed itself. The Makini must have rigged some sort of magic about the throne room, for now, the ground exploded.


    The ground really exploded.


    Lin flew backwards, propelled into the air by flying rubble, and, once in the air, he found his body suddenly pierced by the razor shards of the Min, no longer with glow, and now only dark, and sharp, and deadly.


    Lin collapsed on his back onto the ground, and found that a moment later, his torso was covered with rubble.


    As Lin gasped for breath with ragged lungs, he noticed that he recognized a limp body next to his.


    The body was of Savel, and, as the body was pierced through the middle with a shard of the Min, and hung on the floor limply.


    So much for his reward, a satirical part of Lin¡¯s mind thought.


    As Lin¡¯s eyes gazed about the world, upside down, from his vantage, pinned by chunks of rocky throne room floor, he saw the Makini.


    They stood in the center of the throne room, untouched by the horror they had caused.


    Protective bubbles of flowing green magic slowly faded from around the two agents¡¯ frames, and between them, the golem stood, hulking, as always.


    ¡°Phase one is a success,¡± said one, in an ugly female voice.


    ¡°Yes,¡± said the other, in a low growl. ¡°Let us move on.¡±


    And then the three, man, woman, and construct, turned, and headed in a direction quite near Lin.


    As the female agent passed by Lin, she flashed into his eyes a dark, deep glance of her own.


    And as she continued on, Lin realized something. She didn¡¯t care if he was dead or not. She didn¡¯t care if his wounds were survivable, or mortal. He was no threat to her, and as thus, she would not waste any time on him.


    The three stopped by a different body on the ground, this one not pierced by anything. Lin could only see the body from an awkward, twisted angle, but he saw it was quite near the wreckage of what had once been the throne, and looked to be alive. Glancing between the legs of the Makini agents, from his vantage point, that was all he could see.


    But then, the ugly female voice made it quite clear who that body was.


    ¡°Open your eyes, Ehajdon,¡± she said. ¡°We know you¡¯re awake. We timed the blast just so.¡±


    For a moment, for a fraction of a moment, Lin hastened to hope that the man on the ground was not Ehajdon after all, and somehow, the Makini had gotten it wrong.


    But Ehajdon¡¯s voice responded, and that hope broke, faltered, and fled.


    ¡°It seems you have me at a disadvantage,¡± he said, ever the diplomat, ever pretending to be in control of the situation, when he quite obviously had not a shred of power left.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± said the guttural male. He picked up an object from the ground. Moonbringer, Ehajdon¡¯s ancestral sword.


    And then the man did a blasphemous thing, indeed. He held that sword to Ehajdon¡¯s throat, as Ehajdon lay prone, on the ground.


    ¡°We have a question for you,¡± said the female. ¡°One you will answer, or else, you will die.¡±


    ¡°We will spare you if you give us the answer,¡± said the man. ¡°On our souls, we swear this. But you must answer the question, else we kill you.¡±


    ¡°What is the question?¡± asked Ehajdon.


    The female answered, in a roundabout way. ¡°We know that you magically locked the door to Maiako¡¯s cell, so that it can be opened only by one who whispers a code. We intend to take Maiako with us, when we leave, and so, we need the words of that code. That is our question.¡±


    Lin knew Ehajdon would never answer that question. Even on the ground, broken and prone, with the tip of his own sword pointed at his throat, he would never betray the Minsu last hope like that.


    And then, Ehajdon spoke. ¡°Return Catharsis,¡± he said. ¡°Return Catharsis. That¡¯s the code.¡±


    Lin couldn¡¯t believe it. He had come to know that Ehajdon wasn¡¯t the perfect person he claimed to be, but now, starkly, Lin learned the truth.


    Ehajdon was just a man, a man who had tried to cling to honor, honor he had never been worthy of. Ehajdon had not been willing to die on his professed morals, on his professed code.


    Ehajdon was a fraud. A broken man, who had pretended to be an emperor, something he had just proved not to be.


    All this, Lin starkly realized, as the truth set in.


    The Makini agent dropped Moonbringer to the floor beside Ehajdon with a clatter, discarding it like an item no longer necessary. Which, it was.


    Then the two agents, and the golem, slowly, as if they had all the time in the world, strode out of the ruined throne room, leaving a fallen Ehajdon in their wake.


    Lin heard Minsu reinforcements rush into the room, only now, after the Makini were gone, and take haste to help their liege, and the other survivors.


    However, even as soldiers helped to uncover Lin¡¯s body, even as he came to the realization that he was not going to die today, he came upon a bigger truth.


    With Mai gone, and Ehajdon only a man, we have lost this war.

 Chapter 79: A Soul of the Nari

    Third Guide. Third Guide, I am, but I have lost, lost this. I have failed my kin, and I have failed sacred oaths, taken long, long ago, by my ancestors.


    Slytherayaim swam in a riverbed, treading water, far below the surface of the port, as he noticed his burns, noticed them as only a Nari could.


    He had failed. And yet, as thoughts processed in his mind, as possibilities and eventualities both, became clear, Slytherayaim exposed his fangs.


    Slytherayaim exposed his fangs, but that was the Nari equivalent of a smile.


    He let himself crouch down, by the grasses growing upon the harbors bottom, and looked up at the tiny ships, far above. The Princess¡¯s blast had thrown him here. Thrown him dozens upon dozens of feet, to the river.


    She had proven to be something different. A chink, in the otherwise perfect pattern.


    But still, Slytherayaim exposed his fangs in triumph. He might have failed, personally, but, eventualities, they were inevitable. The Makini would dispose of Mai, as a part of their normal cycle. They had been his backup, just as he intended.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He might have failed, but the tapestry continued to weave itself. And, as Slytherayaim had prepared for his failing, and had determined he needed to do nothing, in order to rectify it all, he had not really failed, at all.


    He had been assigned, by the First, and the Second, to kill Casari is Koranor, as well, but now, due to the pattern, things would go away oh, so neatly. The Makini would dispose of him, as well.


    I was a preemptive failsafe, nothing more, nothing more. I have failed, but even in failing, I have succeeded.


    To use a human phrase, the deck was stacked; it was stacked from the beginning. The turns and twists, that prey uses to try to evade the pattern, they, they make life interesting.


    But prey cannot evade the pattern forever. It is the pattern, that I and my kind are forever bonded to wield. The pattern has been built for millennia, and even without my help, it will not falter now.


    Slytherayaim might have liked to stay underwater for several more hours, nursing his wounds, but he had duties to attend to. He swam for the surface, knowing that the First and the Second would be waiting for him.


    The pattern is fate. Casari is a fool for love. He always was. And so, Casari and Maiako will die by Makini hands, in Xiater.

 Chapter 80: Black Dawn

    Varsis had oft wondered, in recent days, why Hisa had ordered for him personally to dispose of Maiako. He had come to the conclusion that she wanted to reward him.


    Varsis stood in a factory, by the door. A golem factory, no less, complete with the latest technological marvels, such as magic-powered conveyor belts, and huge smelting pots, which were carried along the belts, until, from above, liquid steel and other ingredients could be mixed within them.


    This factory, in the heart of Xiater, had cost a fortune to build, but it was worth it. Golem production was becoming exponential, as the golems themselves worked in the great forge. Soon, it wouldn¡¯t matter how many other Houses the Makini had to take on. They would have enough golems to kill them all.


    It was here, in the heart of Makini stability, that Varsis had been called to, away from the front. His services were no longer required, Hisa declared, and now, that seemed to be very much the case. The Makini won victory after victory against the Minsu, even without his presence.


    And so, Varsis had been recalled as Mai had been taken, and he was now waiting for the Makini agents, who had risked their lives to capture her.


    It didn¡¯t make much sense to Varsis, why Hisa hadn¡¯t just let those agents kill Maiako, and end the threat she posed, but Hisa had been very insistent, even as Varsis had been incredulous.


    She wanted to reward him.


    Varsis didn¡¯t know what kind of monster Hisa thought he was, that he would get pleasure from ending the life of a helpless girl, but as he had been ordered, so he would do.


    There was a reason for the locale, as well. Varsis had not only been told to kill Mai, he had been told to kill her, by thrusting her, from a platform, into one of the smelting pots, on the conveyor belt. She would burn as liquid steel spread throughout her, and then, she would die. Such was what Hisa wanted, not Varsis, but such was the deed that he was obliged to carry out.


    Varsis looked to the far end of the building, to the door. Mai was here.


    Through the door, two stone-faced Makini Guardsmen escorted a third, who came between them.


    As the two came closer, to Varsis, and Varsis¡¯ two own guards, who flanked him, the general saw the sorry state that Mai was in.


    A black blindfold covered her eyes, and a black gag covered her mouth. She wore manacles, that bound her tiny hands at her waist. A chain belt was around her waist, and, to keep her hands steady, where they were, another chain connected the manacles to the belt.


    Typical Makini precision had made it so that Mai could not budge her wrists. But that was not all. Mai¡¯s legs were manacled together, with only the slightest bit of separation between them, forcing her to hobble along. There was yet another chain around her neck, and one of the guards who flanked her held it, like a leash, forcing the helpless Mai to waddle in the direction he wished.


    In a pathetic mockery of her current status, Mai was adorned in a dress. A black dress, made for royalty, and fitted to perfectly accommodate her slender curves.


    Black, at least, was appropriate, Varsis remarked to himself. Black, for the Makini, and black, for death.


    Finally, Mai and her guards reached him, even as machinery clanged all around them.


    Varsis beckoned for the guards to lead Mai up, until she was no more than a foot away from him, and then, he beckoned them to make her stop.


    They did so, each grabbing tight a shoulder, in a way that would have stopped a hulking bouncer, let alone a helpless girl.


    Varsis felt a wave of disgust roll over him. This was the last way he would have wanted Mai to end. Hisa was a sadistic bitch.


    But she was also his mother, and also a Councilwoman, and so, while Varsis¡¯ mind might be disloyal, his body would serve her to the ends of the earth.


    Varsis reached out, and ripped off first the blindfold, then, the gag.


    Mai stuttered, blinked, and spit blood on the floor. Apparently, she had not been kept very well. She looked all around, forgetting for a moment her condition, as she gazed at the wondrous machinery, and the golems that ran it all.


    And then her green eyes turned to Varsis, and looked at him, carefully. Her breath was heavy, oh, so heavy, and yet she said not a word.


    Varsis, as such, spoke first.


    ¡°It is law,¡± he said, ¡°ancient law, that on one of noble birth can go to their death unable to speak, or with their senses impaired. And so, I obey that law.¡±


    Mai looked at him, and as she did so, her feet made a tiny shuffle. A hopeless shuffle, one of defeat.


    ¡°You do, Varsis,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, you do. I have had nightmares that a day like this would come, where I would be helpless before you, and you would kill me, and now, it seems might nightmares have been made manifest. My terror is real.¡±


    And she looked at him, with those innocent green eyes, of hers, innocent green eyes Varsis had never known she had had, before.


    ¡°Enjoy yourself,¡± she said, softly.


    Even though the words sounded defeated, Varsis noticed something. When he had come to kill her the first time, those were not the words Mai had said. Not by far. These words talked back at him, insulted him.


    It seemed the girl had grown a spine, when she had been running from her destiny.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    That made Varsis feel all the worse about what he had to do. But he had to do it. There was no choice.


    He turned his back to Mai, and began to walk up a set of stairs, on a platform. The two guards who flanked him fell back, and so, Varsis only ascended with Mai, and her two guards.


    As it became clear that Mai, in her encumbered state, was having trouble ascending the stairs, Varsis doubled back. He brushed he guards away from her, and helped her climb those stairs.


    When they were done, they were upon a great, black platform, overlooking a conveyor belt, carrying giant pots of molten steel.


    Varsis walked Mai to the very edge of the platform, and looked down with her, upon the great pots that slowly crawled below them, from left to right.


    ¡°You are going to push me in,¡± said Mai. It was not a question, it was a statement of fact.


    ¡°Yes,¡± responded Varsis. He wanted to tell her how, in his heart, all his hatred for her was gone, and he was honestly sorry for all this, but he could not speak those words out loud.


    To do as much would be to speak dissent of Hisa. And that was something that he could not do. He was bound by honor.


    And so, Varsis merely stayed silent, as Mai contemplated her fate.


    After a few moments, conscious of Mai¡¯s two guards, staring holes in them both, Varsis spoke. ¡°You are entitled to a last statement.¡±


    ¡°Someone once said that, even if an evil fate seems inevitable,¡± said Mai, ¡°it is best to delay that fate for as long as possible.¡±


    She shed a tear, one that fell from the platform, into one of the pots. The molten steel hissed.


    ¡°I do not know what the truth is,¡± said Mai, not looking at Varsis, but instead down, at her fate. ¡°So many things in this world are¡­contradictory. Neither good, nor evil. Neither black, nor white. I thought you were a good man once, and perhaps, you still are. Perhaps you are honor-bound to do your job, and that is the only reason why you will do this to me.¡±


    Now it was Varsis¡¯ turn to nearly shed a tear. She had laid him bare in a sentence, a sentence she did not even believe.


    But Varsis kept himself calm, and collected. There were people watching. The guards, from behind. They could not see Varsis cry.


    Mai continued.


    ¡°I am but a small person, in this confused and tangled world. Recently, I was taught that there was no fate, that the Natural Order is a lie. I do not know if I can believe that.¡±


    She paused.


    ¡°But perhaps I can, for the world is not fair. I am ready.¡±


    Varsis looked at her. She still wore her chain around her neck. Ungrasped, it dangled to her toes. Despite that hindrance, however, Mai¡¯s head was held high. It was her eyes that gazed down.


    Varsis, appalled and stunned at the image that stood before him, failed to move. He could have ended her right there, but for a moment, he stood transfixed.


    Without saying anything, he took out a key, unlocked her neck chain, and let it fall to the ground. He then did the same thing with her leg fetters, and her wrist manacles.


    Hisa had not asked him to do this, and Varsis knew the guards were watching, but he would not let Mai die, chained.


    For one reason or another, Mai did not test her freedom. She merely stood were she was, as she did when she had no range of motion. Even though her hands were free, they were still neatly folded, at her waist.


    Varsis he turned to stand behind her, and rested his hands on her shoulders, as she calmly stood, helpless against his strength, waiting to be pushed down into the burning agony below.


    But before Varsis could do it, he felt a presence behind him. He had not become a general by learning to ignore his instincts. He whipped around.


    Before him, stood Casari.


    The demon wore jet black armor, and had a sword at his hip. His gray eyes stared coldly at Varsis. His thick black hair was dreadlocked.


    At that moment, Casari didn¡¯t look as if he brought death. His sudden presence was more than that. He was not just a mere bringer of doom. He looked like a heathen god, adorned in all dark glory. And for that moment, to Varsis, Casari was death.


    The two Makini guards slowly edged away from him, even as Mai continued to stand by the edge, not turning, instead, staring down at the pots with their molten steel before her.


    Varsis spoke, to break the edged silence, taking a step forward, to prove to Casari he wasn¡¯t afraid of him.


    ¡°I know you are, Lord of the Fallen Host,¡± said Varsis. ¡°I do not know why you stalk Mai so, but I have no fear of you. I have killed demons before, and I will do you in just the same.¡±


    It was at the word Casari, that Mai finally turned. Out of the corner of his eye, Varsis watched Mai¡¯s widen. Varsis couldn¡¯t begin to guess her emotions, though. Did she feel hope, shock, or fear?


    But Varsis didn¡¯t know, and didn¡¯t much care. His sympathy for the girl drowned from him, replaced by cold duty. The situation was no longer under complete control. Casari was a dangerous demon, and he had to be killed, just like Mai did. Varsis made a mental oath that neither would leave the factory alive.


    ¡°I will kill you,¡± said Varsis, to Casari.


    The demon said nothing. He didn¡¯t laugh in contempt, or cower in fear. He merely drew his brilliant sword, a sword Varsis knew was named Aurasing.


    Varsis drew his own blade, Night¡¯s Gale.


    He and the demon faced each other. To break the silence, Varsis acted first. ¡°Kill the girl!¡± he shouted to the Makini guards.


    And then, a number of things happened.


    As the guards came after Mai, as they were instructed, Casari rushed Varsis. Before the general could do much of anything, he felt a firm kick knock him from the platform. The kick was twisted, and sent him rolling down the stairs, the same stairs that he had helped Mai ascend.


    As the rolling stopped, as Varsis found himself at the foot of the stairs, he got to his feet, took out a small Symbol, and put it as a bracelet on his off hand. Though small, the Symbol glowed with power, as Varsis activated it with a word.


    This was not over.


    Varsis rushed back up the stairs.


    This was only just beginning.


    ***


    Mai.


    Who was she, now? She had thought to sacrifice her life, to keep the demonic Makini from rising to hegemony, but she had failed, and she had been captured by them.


    And now Casari was here, just as they were about to kill her. Mai didn¡¯t know why. Mai edged forward, away from the ledge, and the pots, even as the Makini guards edged, then ran away from Casari, down a set of stairs opposite the ones he had kicked Varsis down.


    Casari ignored the men.


    His eyes were only for her.


    ¡°Come Mai,¡± he said, extending a hand to her. ¡°This is not the way I wanted things for sure, but everything can and will be explained.¡±


    Mai recoiled back from him, even though that meant heading back for the pots.


    ¡°You are a corrupter,¡± she said. ¡°You twisted lies in my ear for long, so long. I will say to you what I said to your men. I will not go with you!¡±


    Her words rang clear in her ears, and they made Casari pause. Casari, Lord of the Fallen Host, clad in all the raiment of battle, was paused by her words. Something was not right here.


    But Mai didn¡¯t care, to find out what. After everything she had been through, she was too broken to care for the finer details in life.


    All Mai knew was that he was evil, and if he was able to have her, once again, he would somehow use her to destroy the world.


    Destroy the world.


    He was Casari is Koranor. He was an arch-demon. That was what he did.


    ¡°Everything will be explained,¡± said Casari.


    But then, before anything more could happen, Varsis was upon him. Varsis, who had charged back up the stairs, and now held a sword in his right, and a Symbol in his left.


    Casari was swept away from Mai, as she watched him trade sword blows with Varsis. Casari back hopped onto the beams supporting the ceiling, from the edge of the platform, and Varsis followed him. Then, they were gone, dancing a dance of blades upon the rafters, a hundred feet in the air. Mai was alone.


    But she was not the only one who noticed as much. Returned from hiding, the Makini guards rushed upon the Casari-free platform, and at Mai.


    And she had no choice but to run from them, for the sake of her life.

 Chapter 81: Duel of Ages

    He is everywhere.


    At blinding speeds, Varsis and Casari danced upon the rafters, their blades exchanging powerful blows. To an uneducated observer, it would have seemed that the combatants had skills far above the average swordsman, and neither could gain advantage over the other. While the first part was true, the second¡­ It was not.


    Varsis was not holding his own against Casari. He was just barely keeping up. Casari fought as if Varsis was the source of all his rage. And he had no even used his powers, yet. He was dominating through pure swordsmanship.


    Varsis had lasted half a minute, so far. He doubted he could last the whole minute.


    Clang. Crack.


    Varsis leap from one beam to another, his metal hand holding out the Symbol behind him, as a ward. The Symbol did not seem to be working, even as Casari came after him, unhindered.


    On a thicker beam now, one perhaps four feet wide, Varsis spun around, to face Casari. It was clear he could no longer run.


    Casari stopped, evaluating. He took careful, slow steps, at Varsis, even as Varsis waited for him.


    To the casual observer, it might have seemed as if Varsis had a death wish. He did not. He merely knew the only way he could win this fight.


    There was a power, within his left hand, his steel hand. If he thought hard enough, unlocked the right mental barriers, that energy would flood Varsis, and make him as strong as a golem, strong enough to defeat Casari.


    And yet, he hesitated. He had only used the power once before, and that had resulted in the deaths of a dozen skilled warriors. There was no doubt the power was real. However, it imposed upon Varsis the senses of a golem, along with the strength. There would be no doubt in his mind anymore, until the surge wore off.


    If he used the power, he would be giving himself full over to Hisa, no longer able to even think contrary to her whims.


    Varsis had only used the power once before, but when he had recovered his senses, he realized how truly horrible his golem thoughts had been. He did not want to give himself up to Hisa, again.


    And yet, Casari continued to advance.


    Stop it, man! It¡¯s the only chance you have of winning!


    It was in that moment that Varsis gave himself to Hisa, mind, body, and soul. He gave himself up to evil greater than demons, for at least demons could think for themselves. And he did it all, willingly.


    He was the monster now, not Casari.


    Varsis did not physically grow, but a change filled him. Casari noticed the change at once, stopped his advance, and shifted to a guard position.


    But now, it was too late for him.


    Varsis sprang forward. Night¡¯s Gale danced in his right hand, even as he dropped the Symbol, from his metal left. Religion was unnecessary here. He already had all the tools he needed, to win.


    As he sprang, Varsis¡¯ metal fingers grew claws a foot long. He raked them at Casari, who barely dodged.


    Leap. Slam. Crash. Cut.


    Casari¡¯s strength paled in comparison to Varsis.


    Hisa¡¯s will shall be served. All agendas.


    Casari retreated across the beam, ever faster. He was running out of room, before the beam terminated, against the wall.


    You are pathetic, demon. It is a wonder you ever frightened small children. Varsis entertained himself, by considering the best way to deal with Mai, when this was done, the way that would most make up for her having a moment of hope. Perhaps he should hang her in chains, above one of the pots, and leave her there to slowly bake, from the fumes.


    Hisa¡¯s will shall be served. All agendas.


    Casari¡¯s back was to the wall now, figuratively, and literally. He still had not used his demonic powers, even though it was clear he had no chance of defeating Varsis without them.


    There was one more brief flurry of swords, and then, Varsis¡¯ metal claws ripped Casari¡¯s chest, causing gashes.


    Casari winced in pain, and his great sword, Aurasing, clattered to the ground of the beam, even as he, himself, dropped to one knee.


    Varsis could have ended Casari right then, with one more rake of his claws, but he knew Hisa would was to defeat Casari mentally, as well. And so, he tried.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Varsis asked. ¡°Why did you gamble your life, and fail, in an attempt to save a human girl? Are you mad for love, demon?¡±


    ¡°It seems you have gotten the better of me,¡± said Casari, through gritted teeth. ¡°That rarely happens, though it does seems I am off my game, as of late. Nonetheless, I applaud you.¡±


    Varsis wondered why Casari gritted his teeth. Demons did no feel much pain from mere flesh wounds. Perhaps Casari was so madly in love with Mai, that he had decided to emulate her.


    Varsis decided he was done with the conversation. Casari¡¯s statements were twisted. He would end this, and move on.


    He raised his claws, for a final slash.


    And then something happened, something he had not expected, had not anticipated. Blood dripped from Casari¡¯s wounds.


    Red blood.


    Demons did not bleed blood, they bled black ichor.


    And so, Varsis was faced with a truth, a truth that had somehow eluded him. Casari was human.


    Casari was human, after all this time.


    But Varsis cared little, even as a part of him noted that the man who was prone before him, had never been trying to destroy anything, at all.


    Varsis didn¡¯t know how Casari was human, when he was so clearly Casari as well, but it didn¡¯t really matter.


    Hisa¡¯s will shall be served. All agendas.


    ¡°Do you know why I braided my hair, this day?¡± asked Casari. ¡°I braided it, in remembrance of the long dead Ixan peoples. The Ixan were warriors, but they were also sorely misunderstood. I made my gamble, and I failed. It seems I will die misunderstood, as well.¡±


    Casari breathed heavily, as humans tended to do. He looked so weak, before Hisa¡¯s mighty servant.


    Varsis lunged for him, one final time, intending to rip the mortal Casari open with his claws, from limb to limb, a death blow, as he knelt there, helpless.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Casari didn¡¯t even try to stop the blow. He closed his eyes.


    Time passed slowly, so slowly, even for the bringer of death that Varsis had become. He wanted the process to end, so that he could go, and hunt Mai, and yet, it seemed to take forever for his claws to reach Casari.


    Forever.


    And then, as if he was the only one who was moving at a normal speed, Casari stood.


    It must have been a blur, but to Varsis, it seemed as if he was the one moving slowly.


    Casari picked up Aurasing, and, like lightning, blocked the rake.


    Varsis was repulsed, and Casari stood tall. His flesh wound seemed to fade.


    ¡°What?¡± asked Varsis. ¡°How? You¡¯re just a man.¡±


    ¡°I am just a man,¡± said Casari. ¡°That is all I ever was.¡±


    ¡°Then how can you--¡±


    ¡°I am Casari is Koranor,¡± said the other, simply. ¡°Fate will never smile on me, and so I forge my own destiny.¡±


    In response, Varsis could only muster up one thought.


    Hisa¡¯s will must be served. All agendas.


    Casari came at him with Aurasing, and, with Night¡¯s Gale, Varsis was able to block, but just barely.


    And then Casari came at him, harder than ever before. Under the monolith blows of Aurasing, Varsis was pushed back.


    Even with all the strength of a golem behind him, Varsis was pushed back, by a single man. He snarled, and fought all the harder, fought for Hisa, and for the sake of her new glory.


    And there, the battle stagnated.


    Neither could gain any grown on the other, upon that beam, above the machinery floor, and both were hammering the other with blows that would have felled any normal man.


    Casari tried for a Reverse Dragon attack, flipping around, and throwing all his strength into a stab, but Varsis countered with Steel Grasp, would have imprisoned Aurasing, but Casari responded with Counter Sting, withdrawing, and pulling back to a guard position.


    Varsis smiled. He could see Casari was getting tired. Before, all his attacks had been unknown, unpredictable. Now, Varsis could deflect them all easily.


    He was pleased to see sweat building in Casari¡¯s face, sweat, replaced by sheer terror. And sheer terror, replaced suddenly, by a--


    Smile.


    ¡°I will win this,¡± said Casari. ¡°Why? Because I must.¡±


    He has a third wind, Varsis realized, too late.


    Without warning, Casari leapt into the air, spiraling, until his boots slammed hard into Varsis¡¯ face.


    He fell off to the side, completely unbalanced.


    And as Casari landed firmly on the beam, Varsis realized he would not.


    Night¡¯s Gale slipped out of his hand as he plummeted a hundred feet, flailing.


    And then, as his body cracked, and his mind blackened, Varsis heard a phrase of words in his mind.


    ¡°I forge my own destiny.¡±


    ***


    Lights on.


    It seemed a dozen factory guards were chasing Mai across the factory floor. Running as fast as she could, Mai swerved around a metal pole, and then a pair of worker golems, pulling a massive wheel.


    As she raced around them, Mai tripped on something, and fell, but before she had even gotten back to her feet, she was still scrambling forward.


    She was running for her very life, and she had no idea how to escape.


    For an Emperor¡¯s daughter, the shouts of the men behind her were too real, only too real.


    Before now, people had always told Mai what to do, and she had followed their orders. Now she was on her own.


    No one stood high above her telling her what to do. And now that she had a life, again, she was determined not to lose it.


    But she was afraid.


    Mai¡¯s power over flame seemed to have disappeared, even though she could think of no more an apt time to use it. She had tried, she had tried, but it was to no avail. She was one girl against a dozen men, maybe more.


    She jumped over and across a conveyor belt, around the pots of molten steel, which had Casari not arrived, she would have been consigned to, by now.


    And as she came over the conveyor belt, she came face to face with one of the soldiers.


    It was clear he was on the fringe of the dragnet, and had not been expecting her, but nevertheless, he reacted, slashing his sword at her, to try to hem her in.


    ¡°The girl¡¯s here!¡± the Makini shouted, even as he wasted seconds of her precious time.


    Mai, sinking into what Broken had taught her, circled around his perimeter, doubled back, and, before the Makini knew what hit him, delivered a set of vicious kicks that crumpled him to the floor.


    And yet, Mai felt no sense of victory. He was one of many, and he had slowed her down.


    She ran forward, headlong.


    Until she came across a group of guards, in an open area.


    Mai halted, and looked about her. There were more than a dozen here, far more than a dozen, and they encircled her, even as a pair of golems lumbered over, to help.


    It was overkill, for sure.


    Mai had been near death to many times to count, in recent months. But now, she was sure she was dead.


    She desperately tried to reach inside herself, to find that speck of power she had, and burn them to a crisp, but it was to no avail.


    She was dead, or near enough.


    And then, it was if salvation came from the sky. A man on a rope, attached to the ceiling, swung at her, out of nowhere, and scooped her up, up and away.


    The rope arced upwards, to the platform, where this had all started. The man cut the rope, with a knife, and they both landed on the platform, on their feet.


    But as soon as she touched the ground, Mai backed away, again.


    For the man was Casari.


    Mai was weak. She had thought to use Casari and Varsis¡¯ distractions with each other to save herself, but now, it seemed, that would not happen.


    She had grasped for hope, she had not made, it, but soon, nevertheless, she knew she would soon be able to rest.


    As Casari released her, Mai backed up, until she was at the very edge of the platform, with the pots behind her. She would rather die a hideous death, than be used again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare come closer,¡± she said to the demon. ¡°You will not use me any more, and you will not come near me as I die. I would have died a long time ago, if you had not tried to use me for your own ends. This is over.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a demon,¡± said Casari.


    ¡°You lie.¡±


    There was a look on Casari¡¯s face, one that Mai had never seen before, in response to her words. It was horror.


    But Mai knew that look was a sham. She knew who he was. She knew what he was.


    Mai heard the shouts of the guards, as they began to encircle the platform.


    ¡°I will not be used, anymore,¡± she said. ¡°You taught me how to fight, but only so I could be a better servant. You taught me how to think for myself, but only so that I could think on my feet. And now, your plot has backfired. I am done with the charade that is life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done so much,¡± said the demon, which, like his one-time namesake, looked completely and utterly broken. ¡°I¡¯ve defeated so many odds. This dream can¡¯t end with such hypocrisy.¡±


    He took a small step for her, as the shouts of the Makini guards drew nearer.


    ¡°Stop!¡± shouted Mai. ¡°You take one more step forward, and I lean back!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter?¡± asked the demon. ¡°You¡¯re going to do it anyway.¡± He staggered, before straightening, in a sudden burst of feigned weakness. ¡°After defeating Varsis, I don¡¯t have enough energy left to run forward, and save you. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m too weak.¡±


    A tear dripped down his left cheek, and he looked as unsteady on his feet as any mortal.


    But it was a trick.


    ¡°I will see Ishad again,¡± said Mai. ¡°Goodbye, Dark One.¡±


    And she leaned back, and let herself go, allowed herself to fall into the waiting pot, and let the agony of burning alive carry her into Elysium.


    As she leaned back, there was an anguished scream.


    She fell.


    But before she could fall far, Casari launched himself at her, and managed to grab hold of a wrist, even as he himself was dragged half-off the platform, as well.


    He was on his belly, with his head, and the upper half of his torso draped off the side. He used one arm to brace himself, as his right hand grasped Mai¡¯s left wrist tightly, refusing to let go.


    She dangled, with her legs mere feet above one of the pots. The steam trickled up, and with it, came intense heat.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she shouted up at Casari, who held her as if she was all he had left, in the world. Mai tried to jerk away, so that she could fall.


    Casari¡¯s words were quiet. ¡°I¡¯m not perfect,¡± he whispered. ¡°I only pretended, because after so long, I was something again, and I wanted to be everything. I wanted to believe that surviving a thousand years of crystal prison had made me more than a man, had made me something unmatched. I was always strong, but when I came out, I thought I was something stronger. I thought I was immortal, in all but the word. I thought I was perfect, but I AM NOT!¡±


    He shouted those words, in sharp contrast to the ones before, even as Mai still struggled against him.


    ¡°Please,¡± he said, fully crying now, with both eyes, coughing blood, that hissed as it fell into the waiting pot, below. ¡°I know what I am, now. If I have been truly great, I would have never allowed Savel to hurt Ishad. I would never have been so weak, as to allow Ishad to die.¡±


    Mai looked at him, oddly, even as she continued to struggle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t pull you up, unless you stop resisting,¡± said Casari. He looked a wreck. ¡°You¡¯re all I¡¯ve lived for, since I came back to the world of life. Please.¡±


    Above him, Mai heard the sounds of boots, as the Makini guards had reached the stairs of the platform.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not a demon, you should let go, and save yourself,¡± said Mai, coolly. She had to die now. There was no other way to save herself.


    And with that thought, her arm, the arm Casari so desperately clung to, burst into flames, flames that did not hurt her.


    Her power was back. And it would help her die.


    Even as Mai could see Casari¡¯s right hand burn, she saw him hold on. She heard him scream, but still, he held on.


    ¡°YOU ARE ALL I HAVE TO LIVE FOR!¡± he shouted, even as Makini reached the top of the platform, and rushed over to him, to kill him, even as Mai¡¯s power caused his hand to slowly char away.


    More words came from him, quietly, as he realized the inevitability of his predicament.


    ¡°If you must die, I will die with you.¡± Even as Casari continued to hold her, he closed his eyes, and tightly. The Makini, above, drew their swords, and prepared to hack at him, to cause his dead body to drop her.


    One of the soldiers peered over the ledge, at the strange sight of Mai struggling to be dropped, the shrugged, and slowly drew his sword, for one clean cut, even as his fellows crowded around.


    The soldier raised his sword above his head, and then hacked down, with all his strength.

 Chapter 82: The Sum of All Emotions

    As the sword cut down, into his back, Casari emitted a grunted cry, a scream from all his soul.


    He was not dead; the strike had been mostly absorbed by his leather armor. But he was now in even greater pain.


    Mai¡¯s arm burned his hand, but still, he did not let go. He held on like his words were true, like she really was all he had left in the world. His eyes were tightly closed, and his face winced, even as the tears continued to flow.


    And suddenly, truly noticing all of this, Mai became unsure.


    Was this really all an act?


    Mai didn¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t know anything, but nevertheless, she had a choice to make, now.


    She could die, and, if Casari was mortal, cause him to die as well, or she could live. She didn¡¯t know if Casari was telling the truth, or not, and if he was a demon and a liar, he knew just how to play her, but if he was a man¡­


    In a burst of understanding, Mai realized she had to hope that hope. She had to trust that perhaps, all this time, Casari had been doing the best, he could, walking through the maze of life, just as she was.


    And suddenly, Mai stopped struggling. The fire on her arm died.


    She did this, even as the Makini soldier, above, raised his sword for a second strike, one that would surely end Casari, if he were a man.


    ¡°Damn me to hell if you use me to kill the world,¡± Mai whispered. ¡°But save me now, Broken.¡±


    Her words were so soft, Mai, for a fleeting instant of terror, didn¡¯t know if Casari heard them.


    But then, he acted. With strength Mai knew not from where, Casari fell backwards, to his feet, planting himself firmly on the ground, and pulled Mai up, in a single burst.


    Mai found her feet on the platform again.


    The blow that the Makini guard had been aiming missed wildly, as the soldier looked about in confusion.


    He looked at his fellows, who stood upon the platform, en masse.


    And then, Casari drew Aurasing, and with the strength of pure rage, lopped the Makini¡¯s head off.


    The decapitated guard fell to the ground in a clatter of armor, and the soldiers, jerked out of their shock, came at Casari, numbering in the dozens.


    Mai just stood there, as the guards ignored her, the weaker one, to concentrate on the man who seemed unable to be brought down.


    But even as she stood there, all but ignored, Mai saw the truth, as the guards circled around Casari, hacking at him with their blades. She saw the truth, even as his master swordwork cause two of the guards to fall backwards, into their pools of blood.


    She saw the truth, even as, more than that, she saw Casari falter, within the pressing crowd of opponents. One of his counter strikes was too slow, a second too slow, and a sword ripped a gash in his side. Casari, eyes red from former tears, favoring his left hand, limping, and with gashes across his chest, would not be able to win this.


    Casari, who Mai had once thought invincible, could not defeat a horde, alone.


    Mai knew what she had to do.


    She entered the fray.


    The Makini did not expect her to do more than stand there, as a trophy waiting for the victor to claim. But that would not be the case, any longer.


    Mai came at one of the guards from behind, locked an arm around his neck, choked him, and then grabbed his sword out of his suddenly weakened grasp. She released him, kicking him forwards, into his fellows, and then used her sword to ably parry a tentative sword strike from another guard.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    She spun around, kicking another Makini in the chest, and sending him flying off the platform, into one of the waiting pots. He screamed, as his body melted, and Mai grimaced, but she did not have the time to think about what she had done.


    She had just killed, for the first time in her life, committed an act that even a year ago, she would not have been able to comprehend, and her first thought after she did as much, was that she had to kill more.


    Mai found two guards against her, but she rushed out of their trap, coming between them. She slammed the hilt of her blade into the back of one¡¯s head, crumpling him, and then twisted, to defend against the retribution of the other.


    As the sound of sword strikes reverberated through the great factory, Mai realized she was holding her own, in a duel against a warrior.


    She didn¡¯t have time to think about that, either.


    Suddenly, Casari came around from behind her, and slew her opponent with a quick flick of his blade. Up close, he looked to be even more of a wreck than he had from a distance. But he still fought on.


    A lull suddenly came to the battle.


    As Mai looked around, she saw the bodies of a half dozen guards on the floor. Those remaining, perhaps three times that number, did not seem eager to confront Casari again.


    And they indeed had a reason to wait.


    Two golems were lumbering up the stairs, one from each staircase, to the platform. The guards clearly had decided to wait for the heavy reinforcements, before surging forward, once again.


    Horribly, Mai knew that plan was sound. The golems would be more than enough to defeat her and Casari, given the pathetic state they were in.


    Casari, still holding Aurasing proudly, above his broken frame, turned to glance at Mai.


    She looked into those gray eyes, and she knew he was no demon. Small mercies. They were going to die, together.


    Casari then turned to look at the soldiers, who had formed a semicircle around them. The ledge formed the rest of the perimeter.


    ¡°We are cornered,¡± said Casari, as with his right, mangled hand, he reached for something at his belt, wincing as he did so. ¡°But there is a reason why you feel the need for golems to end us; there is a reason why you will not advance, against a cripple, and a girl.¡±


    He paused. ¡°Because we will not die before your blades, cowards. We will not allow ourselves to.¡±


    From his belt, he withdrew something that looked very much like a small, single hand crossbow. There was rope coiled around it, however, unlike the similar weapon. Casari pointed it at a point on the ceiling.


    ¡°And will not allow ourselves to die at the hands of the golems, either.¡±


    He sheathed his sword, and gestured for Mai to grab onto him. She did so.


    And then, Casari turned around, and pulled the trigger.


    Rope uncoiled and shot out, like a snake, darting for its prey. Mai realized what the device was. It was a grappling hook.


    The hook at the end buried itself into a wooden beam. Casari leapt from the platform, and Mai, holding tightly onto him, had no choice but to do the same.


    They flew, over the pots, where Mai thought she saw the hints of a dissolving skeleton, and over the rest of the building, to the far side, by the door.


    All the guards had clustered around the platform, where Casari and Mai had been. And now, as they swung to the unguarded door, far faster than any of the soldiers could run, and certainly far faster than any of the golems could plod, Mai saw the ingeniousness of Casari¡¯s sudden plan.


    As they neared the end of the arc, Casari released the grappling hook, and he and Mai fell five feet, to the hard ground, right by the open door. But they were up in an instant.


    The two of them, tired, exhausted, and suffering, raced out from the building, into the streets of Xiater.


    The streets, where even now, it snowed.


    The streets were covered in white. Winter had come early this year.


    Upon the street, lost, and confused, the two of them drew stares from the passersby. Different guards, guards on foot, and guards on horseback, began to circle on their position, as the passersby edged away.


    Casari nearly doubled over, as he handed Mai five vials, with his left hand. ¡°We need a distraction,¡± he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m too weak to throw¡­¡±


    In a glance, as she took the vials, Mai knew who they belonged to. Eton. There was a story behind that, Mai was sure, but she didn¡¯t have time to ask, yet.


    She knew where Casari wanted her to throw the vials. She turned, and heaved them in the direction of the factory, with all her strength.


    The vials shot inwards, through the open door.


    For a moment, there was silence, and all on the street looked at Mai oddly. Casari looked to be in very bad shape. Even with both her arms, Mai could barely support him.


    And then, a distant rumble issued forth from the giant factory. Mai remembered how deadly it had been to the Ascendant, when Eton had thrown upon it a single vial. This was five.


    Fire spewed forth from all the windows, shattering them, and then the building exploded into flames. As shards of metal rained forth upon the snowy ground, and Mai knew she had condemned all within the building to death. But because of their deaths, she and Casari would live.


    It looked so odd, for Mai, as she gazed upon the conflagration, as she supported Casari¡¯s ailing weight.


    A nova of fire, in the middle of snow.


    Then Mai turned, and, dragging along Casari as best she could, ran.


    Amidst the chaos, no one noticed them, anymore.


    It was twilight. Casari, weakly pointed Mai in the direction of a stables, now in the heat of the chaos, unguarded, and Mai brought him inside, and loaded the both of them upon a horse.


    And then, using all of her skill, Mai rode them away.

 Chapter 83: Denouncement

    In the deepest parts of Xiater, Mai found an inn. The Dark Fly, it was called. The run-down status of it, and the buildings around, along with the odd, dark looks of those on the common room, at Mai and Casari, as they entered, confirmed Mai¡¯s opinion that the Dark Fly had been built in quite an unsavory locale.


    All the better, Mai thought. She didn¡¯t want to be where law-abiding citizens frequented. She wanted a place where everyone had a secret to keep.


    Mai walked up to the counter, as calmly as she was able, while using an arm to keep a spent Casari to keep from topping over. He hobbled along with her.


    ¡°What do you want, pretty?¡± asked the man at the counter. He was big, ill-kempt, and playing with a knife, scratching it across the surface of the table before him.


    ¡°A room for the night,¡± said Mai.


    The black-haired innkeeper looked around, to the others who slouched about the common room. ¡°What do you think, boys?¡± he asked. ¡°Should we let this girl, and her strong, powerful man stay the night?¡±


    Casari looked up at the insult, and lurched away from Mai, to her horror, forcing himself to stand on his own two feet, which did not look like they could support him for long.


    ¡°I might be spent,¡± he said, gazing at the innkeeper with those gray eyes of his, that had lost none of their intensity, ¡°but the one you so kindly refer to as a girl, is not.¡±


    The innkeeper seemed taken aback by Casari¡¯s high-minded words. He turned from him, back to Mai, and walked around the side of the counter, coming out to face Mai.


    ¡°So your man, thinks you can take me,¡± said the innkeeper, cracking his knuckles. ¡°Can you?¡±


    Those around laughed, and Mai realized she was not in the mood for this. Following up on what Casari had taught her, Mai¡¯s right hand darted out, and struck one of the innkeeper¡¯s pressure points, on the back of his neck. She slammed his head down, hard, on the table he had spent his time carving.


    His buddies laughed.


    Mai released him, and the innkeeper stood back up. ¡°You can stay,¡± he said, wearily, and Mai, using some coins from Casari, paid for the room.


    Then she helped Casari hobble into it, and together, they closed the door.


    Casari took the bed, and Mai, out of respect of his injuries, took the floor. The questions and the answers would have to wait until morning. Mai and Broken were soon fast asleep.


    Morning.


    Mai awoke to find herself neither robbed, nor with the Makini, but instead on the floor of that small, dirty room in the Dark Fly she had checked into the night before.


    Mai got up, and saw that Casari still lay upon the bed, breathing slowly. He was facedown upon a pillow, and by no means looked like a man who was capable of what he was. He looked deeply tired.


    But still, like the Broken of old, as Mai stared long enough, Casari rolled over, and sat up, looking at Mai with those gray eyes.


    Mai sat down on the bed beside him, and looked at him in shock, as she saw the state he truly was in. The night before, she had not gotten a very close look, but now¡­


    Casari still wore his armor, but red stained the leather, all over. Mai gasped, and reached for his hand, then dropped it in haste, fearful that she had hurt him.


    For Casari¡¯s right hand was charred black, and covered with blisters.


    Mai looked at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said.


    ¡°It was worth it,¡± said Casari, wincing as he gazed at his mangled forearm, as if feeling renewed pain. ¡°I saved you. I will live, and this-¡± he held up his hand, ¡°-will heal, in time. As will my other wounds.¡±


    Mai just looked at him.


    ¡°Now,¡± said Casari, ¡°do you want to hear the story, the whole story, of how I came to be here today? Of who I really am?¡±


    Mai nodded.


    ¡°Then I shall tell it,¡± said Casari. ¡°I shall tell it, after all this time. Do note though, that it may all not make sense until the very end. So I ask you, please, to not interrupt me.¡±


    Mai nodded, again.


    ¡°To do this right,¡± said Casari, ¡°I must start at the beginning. I was born in the year Seventy-Seven Tachen, I was born Fash Realer, son of a poor fisherwoman. I had no siblings; I was the result of a rape. The House my mother swore allegiance to as long since passed out of existence, but I shall tell the name of it to you, now. It was House Ixan.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that House,¡± Mai said, trying to come to grips with what Casari was saying.


    ¡°I did not expect you to,¡± said Casari. ¡°But please, let me continue.¡± The words seemed hard for him to speak.


    ¡°I was always, as my mother called it, ¡®the best of the best.¡¯ Not my words. Hers. I was always stronger than my fellow children, always faster, always more intelligent, always more capable, and as I grew older, these differences became more and more pronounced. Some told me the God-Kings had special plans for me. Others told me I was demon-spawn, and that whatever had impregnated my mother had been no man, at all.¡±


    Casari looked at Mai, carefully. ¡°However, later events proved that not to be the case. I am as human as you are, Mai.¡± He took another pause.


    ¡°In any case, I grew up, one way or another, as one of the lower class. Despite the hopes and dreams of my mother, and her small circle of friends, I fully expected to never be more than a fisherman.


    ¡°One day, that all changed. I was eighteen, when one in a brown robe entered my small fishing village. He asked the elders where he could find me, and they pointed him in the right direction, all the while wondering what a stranger could want with Fash Realer.


    ¡°The one with the brown robe found me alone, fishing on a wharf. He then approached me, and revealed to me who he truly was; he was no man at all, he was a Nari. A Nari, by the name of Slytherayaim. The Third Guide. I had never been one to put much stock in myths or legends, and so, seeing a real Nari before me, I was frightened. After I asked Slytherayaim what he wanted, and the Nari answered, I became terrified.


    ¡°You see, Mai, back in the year Seventy-Seven Tachen, the Empire was ruled by Emperor Nikui. Emperor Nikui had been on the throne for a dozen years, and by few accounts was he a good man. As years progressed, he took deeper and deeper cuts out of the Imperial Treasury, for his own uses. These cuts resulted in a lack of food to go around in famine years, and thousands starved, but still, Emperor Nikui would not explain his actions. When lords spoke up against him, Nikui declared them traitors, and executed them, stripped them of their ranks, and had their assets seized. It began to be common rumor that Emperor Nikui was spending thousands of the nation¡¯s gold coins on studies, studies of the dark magics, studies on how to extend life, and studies on how to gain power, and more power. In an attempt to divert attention away from himself, he declared war on several outsider states, beyond the Empire¡¯s borders. And thus, by the time Slytherayaim came to me, Mai, not only had thousands died of famine because of his actions, thousands had also died in pointless war.


    ¡°But now, I return, to I and Slytherayaim, alone, on the wharf. By this point, the wars had raged for two years. There, the Nari told me that I had been born with special purpose. I, and I alone, had the power to depose the madman that Nikui had become, and bring back peace to the world, by founding a new dynasty.


    ¡°More than a thousand years ago, Slytherayaim told me that I was the Anointed One.¡±


    Mai gasped, but stifled herself, before she said more.


    ¡°I had a similar reaction,¡± said Casari. ¡°I could not believe that I was going to be He Who Was Anointed, He Who Was Chosen. I thought the entire concept was a legend. And yet, there I was, on that wharf, face to face with a Nari. Clearly, some of my perceptions were going to change.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°Slytherayaim told me that he had searched for years, before finding me. He told me that my old life was over, and refusal of my destiny was not an option. He renamed me. He renamed me Casari is Koranor, and told me that when I sat upon the throne of the Empire, a House would be founded in my name. House Casari.


    ¡°And thus began my epic journey, my epic journey that, the Nari promised, would end in my destined victory. But things were not easy.


    ¡°I gathered an army about me, and surrounded myself with Nari advisors, and raised the flag of rebellion. But Nikui was determined not to go down, at least, to not go down without a fight.


    ¡°And so, civil war raged through the Empire, the battles with the outsider states forgotten. And for six long years, we fought. The north and the east were filled with my allies, but the south and the west, they belonged to Nikui.


    ¡°In those six years, I changed, from a na?ve boy with boundless potential, to one of the greatest warriors in the history of the Empire, a warrior bent on conquering himself the Empire, for the sake of the Natural Order, but a warrior disillusioned by war.¡±


    Casari paused, and swallowed.


    ¡°One day, in a brief respite from the fighting, I returned home to my mother, in the small fishing village that I grew up in. I greeted my mother, and embraced her, glad to be home.


    ¡°And then, as I held her in my arms, one of Nikui¡¯s assassins shot her with a poison dart. She died in my arms. I came after that assassin, hunted him down, made him beg for his life, and killed him, but even as I did so, I wondered: what was the point? When I returned to my generals, I told them we had to win the war, and quickly.


    ¡°In that sixth year of the fighting, my point seemed proven. Nikui¡¯s murder of my mother was only the first of his attacks. His armies pushed forward in all directions, and in that year, in that sixth year, it seemed everything I had fought for, would come to naught.


    ¡°In my desperation, I came to the Nari. I told them that they had prophesied, and they had predicted, but it now seemed that they were going to be wrong. I told them that if things went on like this, for another year, I would be lucky to be alive then, much less an emperor.


    ¡°And they told me what I had to do, Slytherayaim taking the lead of their chorus of voices. He said that Nikui¡¯s beast was fearsome, but it had one crucial weakness: the head. If I lopped off the head, Nikui¡¯s beast would die. And what was the head? Nikui himself, of course. I had to pierce the defenses of the Imperial City, and kill him.


    ¡°A daring raid on the Occluded Palace was planned. I was going along of course, along with my best friend, the General Tyasku, and my lover, Iru. Tyasku was a superb fighter, almost my match, and Iru, she was as good as he. Even though I cared deeply about them both, I knew they had to come along, and face the dangers with me, for I would need all the help I could get, if the Nari¡¯ plan was to succeed.


    ¡°The night before the assault, I spoke with them both. Tyasku told me not to worry about him; that I should worry about myself, for I was the one spoken of in legend, not him. He told me he would gladly die so that I could take the throne. I then went to Iru. She told me much of the same, and then we made love. And then the time for action broke.


    ¡°I, Tyasku, and Iru, along with a half-dozen more of my best soldiers, snuck into the Occluded City, by cover on night. But then, of course, things began to go horribly wrong. We were perhaps halfway to Nikui¡¯s bedchambers, when a guard spotted us, and sounded the alarm. We raced through the halls that night, into an ambush. We slew many of the Imperial Guards, but my men began to drop, as well. My men began to die for me. Soon, all of mine were dead, save I, Tyasku, and Iru. Tyasku turned to the swarm of Imperial Guards, and told I and Iru, under no uncertain terms, that we had to turn, and go one without them. He told us that he would hold the Imperial Guards off, long enough for I and Iru to evade them.


    ¡°As I and Iru ran, in the hope that somehow, we could complete our mission, Tyasku¡­Ty¡­threw himself upon the soldiers. He must have killed a dozen, before he was brought down. But nevertheless, as we escaped, Iru and I saw him die.


    ¡°We rushed onwards, in the hope of somehow, completing our goal, and so, we came upon Nikui¡¯s bedchamber. But another trap had been prepared for us. Nikui was there, indeed, but accompanied by a full cadre of soldiers, along with a golem, courtesy of the Makini. Indeed, House Makin was alive back then, too, and they fought on the side of Nikui.


    ¡°I stood there, in my horror, realizing how I was trapped. And then Nikui spoke. I remember the words exactly. ¡®Six years is a long time,¡¯ he said, ¡®and in that time, you, Chosen One, have caused me much annoyance. And so now, I will break you.¡¯


    ¡°And so, he took Iru, and he tortured her, before my eyes.¡±


    Casari¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, but he did not shed them.


    Mai looked at him, but no words could be used to describe her feelings. However, Casari answered them perfectly.


    ¡°I did not find a miracle to save myself, that day,¡± he said. ¡°I could not have won. If I did, do you really think I would be here, today? The only thing that should interest you is what exactly happened.¡±


    He continued. ¡°And then, Nikui killed Iru, after he had tortured her, before my eyes, in ways that I do not wish to describe. And then, he turned to me. ¡®What can I do to you,¡¯ he asked, ¡®that will be payback for six wasted years?¡¯ And then he smiled and said, ¡®I know just what to do.¡¯


    ¡°He took my sword Aurasing, and, with the dark magic he had spent years perfecting, etched runes into my sword, to scar both it, and me.¡±


    At that moment, Casari pulled his sword from its sheath, and showed Mai the words of the ancient tongue. ¡°The owner of this sword is fallen,¡± he translated, and then sheathed his sword back.


    ¡°And at that moment, Mai, I was,¡± he continued. ¡°I had seen the two closest to me die, both in vain. Nikui laughed, and said that he knew a spell, one that would torment me forever. And so, as I stood, basking in the shock, in the horror of it all, Nikui cast his spell.


    ¡°I was imprisoned in a crystal. I could not feel, nor see, nor hear, nor smell, nor taste, nor touch. And I remained as such for a thousand years, until this one.¡±


    Mai looked at Casari¡¯s face, studying it carefully.


    ¡°A thousand years, Mai,¡± said Casari. ¡°I went insane within that crystal. Several times. I lost my sanity, then gained it again, and then lost it again. I hallucinated, hallucinated that Iru and Tyasku were alive, hallucinated that I had won the war. But in the end, reality sunk in. I was trapped, with nothing but my own mind to keep me company.


    ¡°I counted the seconds for two years. But in the end, with nothing to do to pass the time, I focused my mind on greater pursuits. I focused my mind on trying to understand the mysteries of life: why I had lost, in spite of the prophecy, and why I was here, being punished for good deeds.


    ¡°Centuries passed, and all I could think about was philosophy,¡± said Casari. ¡°Perhaps now you can realize why I was so full of random quotes, before. But, in any case, I decided that the God-Kings did not exist. How could they? How could they make the world fair, if I was enduring, what I was enduring?¡±


    He paused. ¡°I could go on like this, but I do not think you need to hear any more, of what was within my head, when I was within that crystal. I will skip ahead, to the day I awoke.


    ¡°I awoke. There was no other real word for it. After a millennia, I was free again. I had no idea it really had been a millennia, yet, but I knew it had been a long, long time.


    ¡°And as I awoke, the crystal dissolving to dust all around me, I saw that I was in an abandoned basement room of a palace, which I immediately guessed was the Imperial Palace. I found that my body had not aged, that it had been kept in perfect stasis.


    ¡°And then I heard screaming. It had been long, oh so long, but deep within me still existed a fundamental truth: If innocent people were in trouble, and I had the power to help them, I was obliged to. I checked to make sure all of my gear was in place, which it was, after all those centuries, and then I found a set of stairs, and ran up them.


    ¡°Even as I did this, my mind pointed out my folly. I knew not what was going on. I had no idea what year it was. I had no idea if when I arrived to help those people, who were screaming, if I could actually help them.


    ¡°And even as I did this, even as I ascended the stairs, I was being assaulted with what it meant to sense things again. I could have marveled at the sight of a stone floor for days, delighting that I knew it was there.


    ¡°But I had always been one for duty, and even in this mysterious new world, that I had been freed into, for reasons unknown, I decided that I had to find a purpose. And so, I decided to help those screaming people.


    ¡°I came up one flight of stairs, then another, as I saw people running in all directions, paying me no heed. I saw that the Palace was on fire, and I saw that the only thought upon the minds of those around me, was that they wanted to get out.


    ¡°And so I made a fundamental conclusion. In a building of the Imperial Palace¡¯s size, it was quite possible that someone was trapped above, within the fire, wanting to escape, and not being able to.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know why the building was on fire, why there was chaos on the streets, whether it was for good, or for ill, but I knew I could use my talents to keep some from perishing in the fire.


    ¡°And so I searched the building, the Palace, ablaze. Just as I was about to give up hope of accomplishing my na?ve task, I heard a distant shout, one of ¡®Stop!¡¯ And I knew whoever had uttered that cry, I had to help them.¡±


    Mai remembered. She remembered when Varsis had grasped his metal hand upon her throat, and she had shouted out ¡®Stop!¡¯ to remind him that if he killed her, personally, it would bring him dishonor.


    Had that single cry really saved her life?


    ¡°And so,¡± said Casari, ¡°I rushed to the sound of that voice, as fast as I could, through the smoke, through the fire. And when I arrived, I saw a scene of horror: I saw a warrior forcing a girl¡¯s head into a pillow, trying to suffocate her. I saw you then, Mai, and I knew I had to save you.


    ¡°You know what comes next. I killed the man, and, using my knowledge of the Imperial Palace, preserved after all those years, I led us to the stables, and we escaped.¡±


    Even as Casari spoke, Mai was reliving the experience. Reliving it, from his side of awareness. He had been as confused as her.


    ¡°And then,¡± said Casari, ¡°as you know much of the rest, I shall flash forward to the first thing you do not know. Our first real conversation. You asked me what my name was. It had been a long time, and I knew time turned truth into myth, so I was reluctant to give out my real name. For all I knew, that name could have turned into a joke, one that was used to describe another who was a complete and utter failure. And so, I told you my name, but in a guarded way, saying, ¡®I can be Casari is Koranor, if you wish me to be.¡¯ That way, my words could have been perceived as a joke, if my name was a joke, or perceived as the truth, if there was no special bias against that name.


    ¡°And then you told me that Casari is Koranor was the name of a demon, and instantly, I learned the truth. It had not been enough for Nikui to do all the things he did to me; he had to deface my name, as well. And so, I uttered four simple words. ¡®My name is broken.¡¯¡±


    Mai gasped, in realization of the truth of what Casari had meant, when he had spoken.


    ¡°My lament, you interpreted to be my actual name,¡± said Casari, ¡°and I let it be. After all that time, Broken was an apt enough word to describe me.¡±


    He paused.


    ¡°And that is how Broken came to be. You know the rest.¡±

 Chapter 84: Missing Links

    ¡°Do you believe me?¡± asked Casari.


    For a moment, the word was caught in Mai¡¯s tongue, but then she spoke it. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Mai knew not why she believed it, for the story was so fantastical, so unbelievable, but she believed it with her heart, and she believed it with her soul.


    Mai looked at the man who sat beside her-Fash Realer, Casari is Koranor, Broken, all in one. So ancient, and yet so tired, so human.


    ¡°There are still a few things I do not understand,¡± said Mai.


    ¡°Ask. I have not a single thing left to hide.¡±


    ¡°How did you seem so knowledgeable about the world around you, if you were only just rediscovering it?¡±


    ¡°Devin and his thieves told me the date. And then, when I reached Gansu, Moonsinger Fen filled me in on more. You see, while most believed Casari was a demon, the greatest of the sages knew the truth. Moonsinger was such a sage, and he recognized me on sight. Laughing at my misfortune, he told me the rest.¡±


    ¡°And what about your meeting with the Nari, at the Holy Citadel?¡±


    Casari chucked, without mirth. ¡°That was when I learned why I had been freed, Mai,¡± he said. Slytherayaim sought me out, and said he had to speak with me. And so, at the Holy Citadel, he did.


    ¡°He said that Nikui¡¯s fell magics were the only reason the Arathou Dynasty had lasted for eleven centuries, and that now, things were going to be right again. Without saying as much exactly, he convinced me that I would take my rightful place, soon enough.¡±


    Casari sighed. ¡°I so desperately wanted to believe him. It was a lie, though. Slytherayaim wanted to start fresh, find a new Chosen One. That is why he wanted to eliminate me.


    ¡°You see, he pretended as if the Nari had freed me on purpose, when in actuality, I had only come out of that crystal as an unintended side effect. The Nari for centuries had been weaving hexes around the Arathou Dynasty, reducing the number of children born of the Emperors, and things of that ilk. Your father¡¯s sudden death was their doing. But in their magic, that they worked, the Nari did not realize that the enchantment holding me would be undone, as well. And since I was a relic of their only failure, they wanted to start fresh. The legends do not state that one will come from the past who will rule the Empire, and the Nari care deeply about such legends.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°The reason Slytherayaim wanted to eliminate you was much simpler. You are the last of the Arathou Dynasty. The last of Nikui¡¯s spawn.¡±


    As Mai looked at Casari, she finally realized why, once, he had told her that he was within his rights to kill her. She was Nikui¡¯s descendant. She was the descendant of an emperor that, according to legend, had saved everything from the evil Casari. Now she knew how legends could be twisted.


    ¡°You knew who I was,¡± said Mai. ¡°You knew who I was almost from the start. Why didn¡¯t you ever take revenge?¡±


    ¡°Because Iru, and Ty, and all the others,¡± said Casari, ¡°they all died a very long time ago. Killing you would not help them. I do not believe in vengeance.


    ¡°I saw in you innocence, and I nurtured you, to the best of my pathetic ability. I stumbled, I fell, I made so many wrong choices, but I always pretended as if I knew what I was doing.¡±


    Casari sighed. ¡°And now I am laid bare before you.¡±


    He then told Mai of what had happened to him, when he had been without her, and Mai returned much in kind.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what my powers over flame are?¡± she asked Casari.


    ¡°Magic expresses itself in different forms,¡± said Casari. ¡°Sometimes, magic expresses itself out of both a combination of innate talent, and dire need. When Slytherayaim faced you, you had dire need, and so you burned him to hell.¡±


    Mai couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°So you think he¡¯s dead?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course not,¡± said Casari. ¡°Nari are too tough for that. I just am glad that you were able to turn the tables on him, in such an effective manner.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your new owl?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Nesting in the outskirts of Xiater,¡± said Casari. ¡°I told him not to come with me, that I had to do what I had to do, alone. You¡¯ll meet Talon soon enough.¡± Casari gave Mai a smile, quite warm, under the circumstances, but she did not return it.


    ¡°What have we done?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You mean, during our journeys together?¡± Casari asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± responded Mai. ¡°At first thought, we did so much. We journeyed from one end of the Empire to the other, and rediscovered who we were. We are people of legend, me, the heir of the Arathou Dynasty, and you, a dynasty¡¯s ghost. We faced golems and madmen, and all the forces of Ehajdon, and the Makini combined. We survived a war. But what have we really accomplished, in the scheme of things?


    ¡°The Makini have won their war, and Nari still manipulate all.¡±


    ¡°That is one way to think about things, yes,¡± said Casari, ¡°but think to your words. We did not save the world, it is true, but you yourself said that we found ourselves. I will add something. Against all odds, we managed to stay alive.¡±


    Mai looked into Casari¡¯s gray eyes. ¡°But we could have done so much more,¡± she said.


    ¡°When I was in that crystal, I had time to think of many things,¡± said Casari. ¡°And I came to one underlying conclusion.¡±


    Mai heard the pitter patter of snow falling outside. She knew they would have to get going, soon, if they wanted to get to another town, before the roads became bogged down. She knew that they would have to keep running, and so, she didn¡¯t know what she and Casari had accomplished.


    ¡°What is your conclusion, then, Casari?¡± asked Mai.


    ¡°Call me Broken. Casari¡¯s days are past. When I called myself that, I pretended to be a demon, and I never want to do that again.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± said Mai. ¡°Broken, what is your conclusion?¡±


    A fierce storm raged within the man who was before her, a storm that despite his wounds, despite it all, would not quench. Broken spoke.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to save the world, to be a hero.¡±

 Epilogue: Savior of the World

    In the lands of House Karaki, a young noble stood upon a training field, watching those all around him spar, and train.


    That noble, Aeiron is Suru dol Karaki, could not help but have a feeling of slight disdain. He was greater than the others, stronger, faster, more capable, to a degree that some called him supernatural. And yet, he still had to spend an hour here, every day, rehashing drills he already knew by heart.


    In a fighting circle, Aeiron drew his sword, Tailsong, and whipped it through the air, performing drills at lightning speed, even as a small crowd began to gather, to watch. Aeiron allowed himself a small smile. Perhaps, if a large enough crowd grew, his father would finally allow Aeiron to start training at the level he himself wished to.


    As he continued on with the drill, Aeiron found ways to make it more and more elaborate, for the benefit of those watching. When he was done, he concluded his drills with a perfectly executed flip, that he was sure seemed effortless to those who watched it.


    Done, Aeiron left the training circle. As he began to head back in the direction of his father¡¯s castle, however, a brown-clad and hooded man roughly grabbed his arm, and pulled him out of the crowded throng, around and to the back of a weapons storehouse, where they were alone.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Aeiron roughly jerked the man¡¯s hand away, then, and rested his fingers on his sword. The hood obscured the man¡¯s features, indeed, hid them entirely, but Aeiron gazed defiantly at him.


    ¡°I do not think you know who you have decided to mug,¡± said Aeiron. ¡°And I assure you, that indeed, for you, this experience will not be pleasant.¡±


    Instead of running, or preparing for a fight, the stranger did something else entirely. He pulled back his hood.


    Aeiron found himself face to face with a Nari.


    A Nari. A protector of the natural order.


    Seeing that snake¡¯s head looking at him with intelligent eyes, Aeiron no longer doubted that the myth was real.


    ¡°Hello, Aeiron,¡± hissed the Nari.


    Aeiron committed himself to a short bow. ¡°Forgive my earlier words,¡± he said. ¡°But what do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°Have you ever felt like you were meant for something more?¡± asked the snake-man.


    ¡°I can say that I have,¡± said Aeiron, guardedly.


    Yellow, serpentine eyes studied him carefully, and the Nari¡¯s scales glittered against the dying light of the sun.


    ¡°After a millennia, we have found the next,¡± said the Nari. ¡°You are He.¡±


    ¡°He?¡± Aeiron repeated. ¡°What am I meant for?¡±


    But now, it was that Nari that bowed its head, in deference. It took a step backwards, and smoothly knelt, so that Aeiron could stand higher than it. And then, the Nari spoke.


    ¡°You are the Anointed One.¡±