《Andraste》


 Prologue - Rebirth

    Prologue.


    She was standing in the middle of what I could only describe as the burning remains of a village.


    Perhaps smoldering remains is a more appropriate description.


    Nonetheless, she caught my eye as she stood gazing about her.


    She was silent now, but I¡¯d heard her cries grow hoarse the longer she yelled.


    I presume she called out the names of those dear to her.


    However, there were no replies.


    Certainly, the corpses lying about en masse could offer her none.


    For a few minutes more, I watched her as she wandered about.


    I watched her fall to her knees and despair as she clutched at a pendant that hung around her neck. Once again, I presumed it was from someone dear to her.


    She knelt and wept, and I chose to wait.


    As I waited, I studied the ruins around me.


    Recently, the village might have been home to four hundred souls or more.


    As I sensed the surroundings, I counted a quarter as many dead bodies.


    The others had either fled, or been taken prisoner, perhaps to be sold at the markets across the border, though it was doubtful since Caldera lay to the south, and it wasn¡¯t a land that condoned slavery or the trading of people as one might trade livestock.


    Perhaps her loved one, the giver of that pendant, was amongst those fortunate enough to be alive.


    I turned my attention upon the girl.


    How had she escaped? Had she been outside the village when it happened? That was dangerous considering it was evening and the creatures of the night were lurking about. Soon they would venture into the ruins and scavenge the corpses for food.


    I sighed softly, and then walked over to the girl.


    My footfalls were lost upon her.


    She would not sense me until I stood almost on top of her.


    The Ether that was her ally would be of little help to her against me.


    In truth, once I was done with her, the Ether would be forever out of her reach.


    In that respect, she would be just like me, forsaken by the Ether.


    She looked up, noticing me for the first time.


    I saw then that she was rather pretty.


    No, perhaps in the eyes of humans she would be considered quite beautiful.


    If only she were dressed in the fineries enjoyed by a lady of noble upbringing.


    Yet, despite the dirt, sweat and tears on her, and the ragged state of her clothes, I could not deny her beauty.


    She looked at me, and I saw fear spread across her face.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I reached down and placed my hand upon her forehead. She grew very still as I forced my Awareness upon her, instilling a calm within her.


    My senses flowed over her, and through her, and I found that she was worthy.


    As I had suspected when I first laid on eyes on her, she had the traits that so few possessed.


    They were traits that would elevate her standing within the kingdoms and empires of humanity spread out across this one world out of many.


    She would make a fine addition to the ranks.


    Hence, I made my decision to offer her a choice.


    ¡°I offer you the opportunity to begin anew. Will you take it?¡±


    Her eyes looked a touch addled, so I withdrew my Awareness to the edge of her consciousness, yet kept a grip on her fear.


    I needed her thinking clearly, without her fear influencing her decision.


    She recovered quickly. ¡°Anew?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The opportunity to make a difference, and perhaps to one day see justice served.¡±


    ¡°Justice¡­.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Justice, and not revenge.¡±


    She was quiet for a long while, but I could feel her thinking my words over.


    She nodded very faintly. ¡°Yes.¡±


    I smiled down at her. ¡°Very good.¡± I gave her a sympathetic look. ¡°This will hurt¡­a great deal.¡±


    My right hand morphed into that of a blade, and I plunged it into her chest.


    I felt the life begin to ebb out of her.


    No human could survive such a wound.


    While life yet remained in her body, I removed the blade that was my hand, quickly restoring it to its fingered form.


    She remained kneeling with a questioning look in her eyes.


    Why had I stabbed her? Had I not offered her the chance to begin anew?


    I reached into what passed for my coat and withdrew the Archetype. Wrapped up like a tiny fetus, its blue body resembled a gelatinous, amorphous substance.


    I held it close to the gaping gash in her chest. Sensing her weakened life force, it moved of its own volition and pored itself into her through the wound.


    Near death, her body would offer the Archetype little resistance.


    At first there was no reaction.


    Seconds went by, and fresh blood continued to pump out of her chest.


    Then I saw her body jerk upright while she was kneeling.


    I saw her arms twist back and her joints creak as her mouth opened impossibly wide.


    And then I heard her scream.


    Some might call it a scream of abject pain or unadulterated anguish.


    To my ears, it was the cry of a life reborn.

 Chapter 15.

    Chapter 15.


    I will say it now as I have said it before.


    I did not sanction the action taken, though as her Meister I had little choice but to support her decision. I certainly understood her motivation for taking the initiative and catching many of us by surprise, though Falken Claymore proved more insightful than I expected¡ªjust one of many reasons why I prefer dealing with his brother.


    The gods knew the Khan Wilders had given us enough problems to contend with that year. In dealing with the various issues that cropped up, I believe I flew over the continent a distance equivalent to the circumference of our world. As such, I needed the support of a special Khan, and Iris was that Khan.


    Iris Dirac Korvinus was special because she was one of the few Wilders blessed with a Seal of Arcala that did not harbor the ¡®curse¡¯. However, she was gifted with a unique Warlord named Akasha, which translates from an ancient language to aether or ether. Though classified a Sharkhan, Akasha possessed the ability to jump the rankings, and to do so in a significant way.


    As a result, Iris and Akasha were uniquely suited to dealing with the Wilder threat¡­and the rebellious elements within the Orden.


    Ravinia Claudia Eldridge


    Secretary of the Quorum of Khans


    Excerpt from The Women Who¡¯ve Shaped Our Times


    (Falken)


    I stood on the rise bordering the valley, and I felt betrayed.


    I had trouble accepting what I was seeing.


    Through field glasses, I watched the battle unfolding near the middle of the valley. Its pace and ferocity made it impossible to think of as a test. It was a battle that moved about in the blink of an eye as the two combatants exchanged blows that flashed with emerald light and made the ground tremble and the air shimmer.


    I lowered the field glasses and chose to watch the scene through my own eyes.


    Why had Fallon lied to me?


    She and her Warlord, Andraste, moved quickly, darting from side to side, forwards and back, blocking Iris¡¯s spear with talent that lacked training. It was a skill that would be earned in time and through constant practice, but there was talent behind her every move ¨C raw talent that could be nurtured, molded and sculpted into a razor sharp skill that would rival if not surpass Chiren¡¯s.


    Thus, as I watched Fallon and Andraste fend off Iris Dirac, it was clear to me she was not the girl that had trouble fending off the Jotnar in Gaellen Forest. Nor was she the girl that had trouble saving me when I jumped off Calandor.


    This was a Khan Wilder with the talent and basic skills to defend against an army.


    The question in my mind¡­was why had she lied to me? Why had she shown me a weaker side to herself, rather than demonstrate what she could truly achieve with her Warlord?


    In thinking all that, she was having a difficult time defending against Iris, who manipulated her Warlord¡¯s spear with masterful skill.


    I watched that spear cut the air, narrowly missing Fallon as the girl chose to jump back. Andraste landed less than lightly on its feet, but its footing was steady. In a heartbeat, Fallon was charging again, parrying the spear with one sword, and slashing at Iris with the second. Weeks ago, such a downward slash had almost cleaved in two a Kuraman Jotunn in Gaellen forest. Iris avoided the shimmering blade by turning her body and that of her Warlord aside, but it was a near miss. A heartbeat too late and she would have met the fate of the Kuraman pilot Fallon had killed when she chose to save me from certain death.


    This demonstration ¨C this test ¨C was beginning to make sense to me.


    Iris and Eldridge wanted me to see what Fallon was capable of achieving when pushed hard by a serious opponent. They wanted me to see Fallon could operate her Warlord with a degree of skill that could pose a serious threat to Caldera and her people. They wanted me to understand the danger of harboring a Khan Wilder. If I thought of this test in those terms, then I appreciated their efforts. However, I had chosen to believe in Fallon, which was why I was more preoccupied with enduring the feeling of betrayal roiling within me, than in considering the risk she posed to the safety of Caldera.


    A sequence of staccato booms reached my ears, and I watched Andraste roll backwards end over end, and come to a stop about a hundred feet from Iris and her Warlord. With some effort, Fallon willed Andraste back to its feet, but she swayed noticeably. She was also trembling as though wracked by frustration that bordered on anger.


    I watched her scream in rage, her cry muted by distance.


    Andraste¡¯s feet began to glow as a halo of blue-white light surrounded them, similar to the halos of light around the Impulse Wings of Iris¡¯s Warlord. Widening her stance, Fallon again charged at Iris, and this time Iris was forced to defend herself while being pushed back. Andraste appeared to float above the ground, yet I could clearly see it taking steps and pushing off as it executed brisk movements over the valley floor.


    With Fallon having closed the distance between them, Iris was forced to use the spear like a quarterstaff, parrying each strike from Andraste¡¯s twin swords in a blur of motion that was difficult to follow. The guard extending over the middle of the spear came into play, as Fallon¡¯s blades more often than not struck near the center of the spear. Iris and her Warlord were being pushed back, probably because she was trying to gain distance on Fallon, but the latter was pressing hard to keep that distance to a minimum.


    Though I felt deceived and betrayed by her, I also experienced a twinge of pride for Fallon. She had found a weakness in Iris and was exploiting it. However, simply hammering at the spear wasn¡¯t sufficient. She needed to get past Iris¡¯s defense that was proving to be impervious to everything Fallon employed against her.


    She needed weapons training, and that was something Iris undoubtedly had in spades.


    My gut clenched uncomfortably when I realized I was thinking of this as a life-or-death encounter. The more I observed, the more my realization began to weigh heavily upon me. This was supposed to be a test, not a fight to the death. It was a sobering realization and one that needed addressing.


    I turned to Eldridge standing beside me on the rise, and pointed at Iris and Fallon in the distance. ¡°I thought she was going to be tested. That doesn¡¯t look like a test to me. Ah¡ª¡±


    Eldridge was staring at the battle without her field glasses, and clutching her chest as though in pain. Her breathing was deep and slow, and her tightly drawn face poorly masked her distress.


    I stepped up to her and touched her shoulder. ¡°Madam Secretary? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Eldridge gasped and shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t know¡­I didn¡¯t know¡­this is what she wanted.¡±


    ¡°What who wanted?¡±


    She shook her head again. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she would take things this far¡­.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    I felt myself frown. The hurt I felt from Fallon¡¯s deceit and betrayal was slowly being iced over by a cold dread. I remembered that Iris and Eldridge shared a bond through the Seal of Arcala, one that allowed them to feel each other¡¯s feelings. It was what I wanted for Fallon and I.


    Swallowing hard, I asked, ¡°Are you talking about Iris?¡± Throwing a glance at the two combatants darting about on the valley floor, I then asked, ¡°This isn¡¯t a test, is it?¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s discomfort grew but she didn¡¯t answer me. Her pained attention was on Iris and Fallon out on the valley.


    The field glasses I carried hung on a lanyard around my neck, so when I dropped them they fell against my chest. Using both hands, I grabbed Eldridge and spun her around to face.


    Leaning into her, I snapped, ¡°What is Iris planning on doing? What does she want with Fallon? Tell me now!¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI didn¡¯t know how far she was planning to take this.¡±


    ¡°To take what? Start talking sense!¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s discomfort was now clearly distress.


    Before she could reply, I heard Alleyne yell at me. ¡°Falken, let her go.¡±


    Ignoring my sister walking toward us, I shook Eldridge harshly. ¡°Tell me what she is planning!¡±


    Alleyne snapped, ¡°Falken. Calm down. You¡¯re hurting her¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet, Alleyne.¡± I leaned close to Eldridge. ¡°And you¡ªstart talking.¡±


    Eldridge eyes focused on me and she released a short gasp. ¡°To¡ªto take her Seal.¡±


    The cold dread I¡¯d been feeling chilled my innards. ¡°What?¡±


    Eldridge swallowed uncomfortably. ¡°It¡¯s possible for one Khan to take the Seal of another Khan.¡±


    ¡°To take it? How?¡±


    Eldridge began to breathe quickly. ¡°By¡ªby extracting the Seal with the command authority of a Khan.¡±


    I released her harshly, almost pushing her away, then half-turned to glare out at the two Warlords locked in what I now saw as a struggle for Fallon¡¯s Seal of Arcala and Andraste.


    Alleyne addressed the Quorum Secretary. ¡°Lady Ravinia, what reason has Fallon given you or Sharkhan Iris for removing her Seal.¡±


    Eldridge spoke between hasty breaths. ¡°Iris¡­she wants to remove Fallon from being a threat to your lands.¡±


    I clenched my jaw and snarled at the figure of Iris clad in her Warlord. ¡°I decide if she¡¯s a threat.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just trying to do what¡¯s right for Caldera.¡±


    Alleyne asked, ¡°By taking the Seal and Andraste from Fallon?¡±


    Eldridge nodded weakly. ¡°By taking it from her before Kassius can grow any stronger.¡±


    I shook my head and threw her an angry glance. ¡°Fallon won¡¯t roll over and give it to her.¡±


    The woman nodded. ¡°That is understandable. However, it is only possible between Khans, but one of them has to submit to the extraction process. It cannot be forcibly removed. The Seal will not relinquish its residence within the host body unless it¡¯s by consent from the host.¡± She bowed her head briefly. ¡°Or if the host is soundly defeated.¡±


    I clenched my hands, and held back the urge to lash out. ¡°You agree with her. You want Iris Dirac to remove Fallon¡¯s Seal.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­Fallon Kassius is a risk you can ill afford.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my decision to make.¡±


    She shook her head, still weak as she struggled against the feelings flowing into her from Iris battling Fallon. ¡°Your Grace, look at them. Look at that girl and tell me her talent and skill doesn¡¯t surprise you.¡±


    What she spoke was true, but it wasn¡¯t surprise I was feeling but anger and dread caking the pain of betrayal and deceit upon learning Fallon had been holding back on me.


    I heard Alleyne¡¯s somber voice. ¡°Falken, she does have a point. I didn¡¯t know Fallon could use her Warlord this well¡ª¡±


    I spun half way around to stare in dismay at my sister. ¡°You¡¯re doubting Fallon as well?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. Listen to me before making snap conclusions.¡± Alleyne folded her arms under her large bosom. ¡°I was asking if you knew she was this capable.¡±


    I clamped my mouth shut before exhaling loudly through my nose. ¡°No. I had no idea. When she saved me the first time, she had trouble moving her Warlord.¡±


    ¡°She said she was exhausted. But if she could operate Andraste this well, then what kind of battle was it that left her exhausted?¡± Alleyne sounded fearful. ¡°What truly happened between her and the Reinvald army pursuing her?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know, but speculating was dangerous. I needed Fallon to tell us more of her time on the run. Until then, I chose to divert the conversation.


    Pointing again toward the valley, I asked, ¡°So what¡¯s taking Iris so long? Why hasn¡¯t Fallon been defeated yet? That girl is a Khan Wilder with no training to teach her how to use her Warlord¡ª¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t true,¡± the Quorum Secretary retorted. ¡°Are you blind? Aren¡¯t you seeing what everyone else is seeing? Look at her. Does that look like someone without training?¡±


    Inwardly, I agreed with her. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. But if she¡¯s been out there in the wilds all alone, how could she have gained any training.¡±


    I glimpsed my sister nodding in agreement. Alleyne said, ¡°He does have a point.¡±


    Eldridge exhaled loudly but only after taking in a very deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s the dream. The dream of Ragnarok. Some of the Wilders experience the dream. In that dream they are fighting a great battle¡ªa battle to end all battles. It is a struggle against an enemy that they slaughter in countless number. Hundreds of Warlords and Khans raging across a desolate land¡ªa fiery land¡ªkilling an enemy they can never remember upon waking from the dream.¡±


    I knew of the dream.


    I¡¯d read it in the journal my grandfather had left me ¨C a journal that recounted his conversations with the Khan that had once served Caldera for many, many years.


    ¡°I know of the dream,¡± I admitted to her, then turned to face the battle that was drawing further and further away from us. Though it shifted about madly, it was moving north along the valley, toward the forest carpeting the base of a short mountain.


    I could feel Eldridge¡¯s gaze on my face. She sounded cautious. ¡°You knew about the dream¡­yet you didn¡¯t ask her?¡±


    I swallowed tightly. ¡°No¡­no, I didn¡¯t¡­.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a great deal I haven¡¯t asked her. However, it¡¯s not as though I¡¯ve had the luxury to do so.¡±


    On the journey from the northwest lands to the mountain-Citadel of Calandor, I¡¯d been concerned by the reaction of the men toward Fallon so I¡¯d kept her hidden for the most part in General Meyren Milerna¡¯s carriage and in the company of the two maids, Silvia and Marina. Since arriving at Calandor, my chances to speak with her had been limited by the amount of work heaped upon me by the affairs of the land. I was certain the longest we¡¯d spoken or spent in each other¡¯s company was during her recounting of the events that followed the destruction of her village more than a month and a half ago.


    Eldridge leaned toward me. ¡°You knew about the dream, yet you didn¡¯t ask her? All the time you¡¯ve had with her, and you didn¡¯t ask her about the dream?¡±


    I glared at her. ¡°I told you already¡ªI haven¡¯t had that much time with her. A lot has happened since she saved my life!¡±


    Eldridge pointed into the depths of the valley. ¡°That is the answer Iris and I were seeking. To know whether or not Fallon Kassius was receptive to the dream. By pushing her hard, Kassius has been forced to reveal the extent of her abilities. The only way for her to demonstrate this much skill operating her Warlord is if she had received training and gained experience from the dream.¡±


    ¡°Why is that so important?¡± I asked bluntly.


    ¡°Because Khan Wilders that experience the dream are prone to succumbing to the darkness it carries.¡±


    I held my breath, as I recalled the words I¡¯d read in my grandfather¡¯s journal.


    Alleyne stepped closer. ¡°What darkness?¡±


    Eldridge winced as she pressed down upon her chest. ¡°Damn it, Iris. Why did you choose now¡­?¡±


    Alleyne¡¯s voice grew harsh. ¡°Answer me. What darkness do you speak of?¡±


    Eldridge swallowed and threw her a pained glare. ¡°The darkness in the dream and in her Seal. That darkness that drives them to turn against us. The whisper of madness that they struggle against, and that many give into.¡±


    Alleyne breathed out loudly. ¡°That is just a myth.¡±


    I threw her a glance. ¡°You¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. I heard it from Grandmother. When I was child, she and I went to visit Lady Eloise against Mother¡¯s wishes. She told me of the darkness that Lady Eloise had fought against all her life while she was a Khan. But when I asked her, Lady Eloise told me the darkness was nothing more than her own dark feelings brought into light by the Seal. She struggled against it like we do against the darkness in our hearts. She said that was all there was to it.¡±


    It was more or less what Lady Eloise had recounted to my grandfather.


    Eldridge exhaled heavily. ¡°You play down the danger it presents. Your Lady Eloise may have been an exception to the norm.¡±


    I faced Eldridge. ¡°So because of your fear of this ¡®darkness¡¯ you¡¯ve decided to take Fallon¡¯s Seal from her.¡±


    ¡°Iris made the choice. I didn¡¯t. That said, we¡¯re doing you a service. We¡¯re protecting your lands.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re interfering.¡±


    She folded her arms. ¡°Your Grace, Khan Wilders influenced by the dream more often than not develop into problems for the Orden, for the authorities, and into dangers for the people.¡±


    I frowned at her. ¡°So you say. However, we hear very little from the Wilders themselves, now do we? And Lady Eloise served Caldera for many, many years before choosing to give up her Seal willingly so that she could bear a family.¡±


    Eldridge winced sharply, but then recovered and narrowed her eyes. ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°How do we know it¡¯s truly the Wilders bringing harm to people and property?¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°The Wilders never declare responsibility for destroying anything. They never post anything in the village or town squares to claim ¡®they did it¡¯. They never stand and shout before a crowd and point the finger at themselves. It¡¯s always the Khan Orden that points the finger at them.¡±


    She pressed her lips tightly for a long, long while during which I kept my gaze trained on her. Swallowing visibly, Eldridge said, ¡°May I remind you, that you asked us to come here.¡±


    I turned bodily toward her. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to remove her Seal. I asked you to help us with her.¡±


    ¡°And that is what we are doing.¡±


    I exhaled in frustration. ¡°By removing her Seal of Arcala without my permission. Without even giving her a chance to prove herself or her intentions. You are judging her unfairly.¡±


    ¡°We have learnt from our mistakes in Kapernia.¡±


    I raised my chin at her. ¡°What really happened there? What really took place in Kapernia?¡±


    She averted her gaze. ¡°Kapernia is a closed matter.¡±


    ¡°Hardly. You¡¯ve brought your troubles in Kapernia here by choosing to act against someone under my guardianship.¡±


    ¡°Although Iris made the decision, I agree with her. As the Secretary of the Quorum of Khans, I have witnessed the calamity the Wilders have wrought. I have seen the carnage they can wreak. This is for the best.¡±


    I clenched my hands, restraining myself with all my will from striking her. ¡°You don¡¯t make that decision on my lands. Not while I am the Archduke of Caldera. I invited you here on good faith, and this is how you repay me.¡±


    Eldridge tightened her jaw. ¡°Quite frankly, your Grace, the Khan Orden doesn¡¯t need your permission to carry out what it believes is the best course of action.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Is that so? Then you leave me no choice. Consider my previous offer of co-operation rescinded.¡± I stepped back from her. ¡°And consider yourself detained until further notice.¡±


    She blinked sharply as her eyes widened. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    I waved at the guardsmen nearby. The guard-captain, Talus Torin, a tall fair-haired man a few years older than I, had been watching us closely so he was prepared for my signal. In moments, a handful of my men surrounded Eldridge who looked about in disbelief.


    She laughed softly. ¡°You cannot be serious. Your Grace, what are you thinking¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Captain Torin, escort the Secretary of the Quorum back to the citadel. She is to be placed under armed guard in a holding cell.¡± I looked at the man and added a solemn, ¡°However, before then¡­she is to be collared.¡±


    Torin¡¯s eyes widened briefly, but then he bowed quickly at a shallow angle. ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡± He snapped his fingers, and one of the guardsmen standing beside an enclosed wagon hurried over with a black box about a foot in width and half as thick.


    Eldridge¡¯s disbelief turned to shock as she watched the guardsman approaching with the box in his hands.


    The man walked over to me, and then offered me the box with rounded corners and smoothly beveled sides.


    The Archons referred to it as a case. To open it, I had to enter a key code, a sequence of numbers that represented a lock on the case. Few people in Calandor, let alone Caldera, knew the code to this and the many other Archon devices left in our care. However, according to the documentation provided by the Archons, this case and the many others, was instructed to recognize a handful of the members of House Claymore, and a select number of the citadel senior staff. I was one of those it should recognize, but Captain Torin wasn¡¯t.


    When I placed my palm on the top surface of the case, I felt a tingle run through my hand, and then the numbers from zero to nine appeared on the box in glowing squares. I entered the sequence to unlock the case, and a moment later it opened up with a hiss that was quite dramatic. I wondered if the Archons hadn¡¯t deliberately made it so to either impress or frighten people.


    It certainly had an effect on Eldridge whose eyes bulged then narrowed in disagreement. ¡°Your Grace, I urge you to reconsider.¡±


    I opened the box lid, revealing a black collar of interlocking chevrons lying in a cast made of a soft material that wasn¡¯t fabric.


    Looking at her sidelong, I asked, ¡°You know what this is?¡±


    She drew her lips into a thin line before replying. ¡°It¡¯s an Archon device that repels the Ether.¡±


    ¡°Correct. It¡¯s used to prevent strong Ether Empaths or Ether Kinetic talents from using the Ether to escape their captors.¡± I reached into the case to pick up the collar. ¡°I¡¯m not taking any chances with you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I suspect you¡¯re a rather talented Ether Empath, so my duty is to safeguard the guards watching over you. I don¡¯t want you using the Ether to mess with their emotions.¡±


    Alleyne quickly cut in. ¡°Falken, allow me. You don¡¯t have to collar her.¡±


    I kept my attention on Eldridge. ¡°Yes, I do.¡±


    ¡°Falken, this is taking it too far.¡±


    Eldridge smiled weakly. ¡°You see, your Grace, even Lady Alleyne agrees.¡±


    Alleyne huffed and it sounded like she was sneering. ¡°Oh, I agree that you should be tossed into a cell at the base of the citadel. Your decision to judge Fallon unfairly has my blood boiling. You know nothing about that girl yet you¡¯re already passing judgment. I was merely thinking of sparing my brother the use of a precious Archon item¡ªespecially one that can deliver a killing shock with a word.¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s eyes bulged again. ¡°What?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°She¡¯s right. These Archon collars are able to incapacitate or kill a person with a command issued by voice.¡±


    The Quorum Secretary looked faint. Casting her gaze down, her shoulders slumped and she began to laugh in surrender. ¡°Yes. I know all about them. Trust me. We have quite a few of those as well in the Orden¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°Good to know. Now be good and hold still.¡± I removed the collar from the case, and stepped toward her.


    Alleyne snorted. ¡°You should have let me handle her. I¡¯m a stronger Empath than she is. I can watch over her on the journey back to Calandor.¡±


    ¡°Are you planning on watching over her while she¡¯s in a holding cell?¡±


    ¡°No. I can have the Lamfir Knights keep guard over her.¡±


    Eldridge glanced up at me. ¡°The Lamfir Knights?¡±


    I shrugged. ¡°They deal with troublesome Ether Empaths. Other than the Girl Scouts¡ª¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°Other than the girls of the Scout Army¡ªthe Fifth Army¡ªthe Lamfir Knights are the most highly trained Ether Empaths in all Calandor. They are heavily involved in the handling of Empaths or Ether Kinetics arrested for criminal activity. The saying it takes an Empath to battle an Empath is quite true.¡± I pressed the diamond shaped link in the middle of the chevron collar. Within a heartbeat the Ether was forcibly pushed away, and a void formed around me and Eldridge who was standing within the collar¡¯s effective range. ¡°Ah, so it does work.¡±


    Alleyne asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring them along?¡±


    ¡°The Lamfir Knights?¡± I didn¡¯t bother throwing her a disbelieving glance. ¡°And give Madam Secretary a reason to suspect she was riding into a trap?¡±


    Eldridge arched an eyebrow at me. ¡°You planned ahead?¡±


    ¡°I planned on you planning this¡ªtaking Fallon¡¯s Seal.¡±


    She looked back down and sighed heavily. ¡°You certainly are as troublesome as they say.¡±


    ¡°I aim to please. Now, hold up your hair, Madam Secretary.¡±


    Eldridge did as I instructed. ¡°Before you collar me. Might make an observation.¡±


    I hesitated with the collar only inches from her neck. ¡°What might that be?¡±


    Eldridge made a point of looking over my shoulder. ¡°Your Khan and mine are gone.¡±


    In a heartbeat, I wrapped the Archon collar around Eldridge¡¯s neck. As soon as I felt both ends lock together without the need for a clasp, I quickly stepped back a few feet then turned my head to look out across the valley.


    She was right.


    Iris and Fallon were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± I muttered in disbelief and disappointment. Turning to Captain Torin, I hastily said, ¡°Get the Secretary of the Quorum back to Calandor. Oh, and make sure nobody sees her. Wrap her up in something.¡± I jutted a thumb toward the valley. ¡°I need to deal with this.¡±


    Torin looked faintly confused. ¡°Ah¡­how, your Grace?¡±


    Sweeping my gaze over the forests and mountains to the north, I shook my head weakly. ¡°I have no idea. I have to find them first.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, you¡¯ll need an escort.¡±


    ¡°Fine, pick out a handful of your riders.¡± I started walking toward my stallion.


    Eldridge called out loudly from behind me. ¡°Actually, I know where she is. We are bonded after all.¡±


    I stopped walking and cast a glare at her from over my shoulder. ¡°How convenient.¡±


    Eldridge shrugged and wagged her slender eyebrows at me. ¡°Well?¡±


    Alleyne wildly waved a hand to gain my attention. ¡°Falken, what are you going to do if Sharkhan Iris comes looking for her? It¡¯s not like we can stop her from tearing down the citadel.¡±


    ¡°Even she should know that¡¯s not an option for her.¡±


    Alleyne exhaled curtly. ¡°Falken, you know that she can create those ¡®barriers¡¯ just like Fallon. And she can use them to push people and objects away. She doesn¡¯t need to summon her Warlord to get into the citadel, rescue the Secretary, and then make her escape.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like we¡¯re doing something wrong.¡±


    ¡°Well, are we not?¡±


    I stared in thought at Ravinia Eldridge who was glancing northwest every so often with a faint grimace curling her lips now and then. I was certain she was still in pain, and believed she was doing her best to hide it. However, it implied the battle between Fallon and Iris was still in progress, and though I didn¡¯t know for how much longer, I knew something had to be done to protect Fallon from Iris.


    I inwardly debated calling in the scout flyer keeping an eye on the ground from on high.


    The scout flyer?


    I blinked sharply as I realized I¡¯d forgotten all about it, then turned quickly to search for it.


    The flyer was circling to the northwest in the direction Eldridge was casting glances.


    I took that to mean that Fallon and Iris were somewhere over there ¨C somewhere in the forest.


    With the flyer keeping a watch from overhead, I would have little trouble finding them. But what would I do when I arrived there? Also, I ran the risk of getting caught up in the fight, possibly injured if I strayed too close, but how close did I need to be to gain Iris¡¯s attention.


    I turned my head and regarded Eldridge, bothered by what I saw.


    Why was Eldridge in pain? Did it have something to do with Iris¡¯s feelings in conflict with Eldridge¡¯s? No, that couldn¡¯t be. The Quorum Secretary admitted she agreed with Iris¡¯s course of action, so there had to be another reason for her intense discomfort.


    I watched Eldridge bite her lip until it turned white and bloodless. A heartbeat later I walked up to her, then reached out and grabbed her by her dress. The act of pulling her close to me distracted her for a moment.


    ¡°Why are you in pain?¡± I asked bluntly. ¡°You feel what she feels through the bond established by the Seal of Arcala. So I¡¯m asking you¡ªwhy are you in pain?¡±


    Eldridge swallowed with some difficulty. ¡°I do believe¡­cooperation between you and I¡­is at an end.¡±


    I searched her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s injured, isn¡¯t she. Something happened either in Kapernia, or somewhere in Mierna or Reinvald, and Iris was injured. Seeing as that pain is feeding into you, I can only assume it¡¯s because Iris has chosen to summon her Warlord, and that¡¯s aggravating her injury.¡±


    Eldridge reached up and tried to shake off my grip on her, but all I had to do was clench my fingers that little bit more and her efforts proved futile.


    She hissed in frustration. ¡°You really are troublesome.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve pointed that out already, so I presume my guess is correct.¡±


    Again she averted her gaze to the northwest. ¡°Yes. Iris was injured when she tried to subdue and neutralize Fallon¡¯s sister.¡±


    Again, I forgot to breathe. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Eldridge snorted in contempt. ¡°You really are a fool. Then again, you¡¯re like any other man, blinded by the woman he fancies. You have made poor choices so far regarding that girl. You didn¡¯t asked her about the dream, and I presume you ask her little of anything else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re testing my restraint, Madam Secretary.¡±


    She met my gaze with an icy stare that lost its edge from the pain she was enduring. ¡°Fallon Kassius has a twin sister who was also gifted with a Warlord, a Seerkhan very much like Andraste.¡±


    She took a couple of quick breaths, and at sight of her wincing loudly, I released my grip on her dress.


    I took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°A week ago, we encountered the girl tearing a village to the ground. Iris stopped her, but in the struggle she was wounded.¡±


    ¡°A fully trained Khan wounded by a Wilder?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say, there were circumstances we did not anticipate, and one of them got the better of Iris.¡±


    I had a suspicion I knew what she meant, but I chose not to voice it. Instead I asked, ¡°Her injury hasn¡¯t healed, and she was hoping to subdue Fallon in a short amount of time before it prevented her from achieving victory over Fallon.¡±


    Eldridge nodded very shallowly. ¡°As I said, you¡¯re quite troublesome.¡±


    ¡°Fallon is proving to be more of a problem than she expected.¡±


    ¡°Fallon Kassius is a problem just like her sister.¡±


    I started shaking my head slowly, then eventually turned away. I didn¡¯t want Eldridge seeing the dark expression I was making, because it was probably much darker than it felt.


    However, Alleyne saw it, and in response I saw concern and despair in her eyes.


    ¡°Falken¡­what will you do?¡±


    I shook my head. Quite simply, I didn¡¯t know. But standing here doing nothing was not going to resolve the current situation.


    I started walking toward my stallion once again.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Eldridge called out. ¡°Convince Fallon Kassius to relinquish her Seal. Do it before she is hurt. I know Iris is committed to her path. She won¡¯t stop. She will not allow Fallon to keep her Seal.¡±


    I sensed someone walking fast at my side, and realized it was Alleyne. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Did you plan for this?¡±


    ¡°To a degree, but I didn¡¯t know Iris was injured, and I didn¡¯t know about the encounter with Fallon¡¯s sister.¡±


    ¡°It could be a lie.¡±


    I shook my head very faintly as I climbed onto my horse¡¯s saddle. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    Alleyne stepped closer and touched my leg. ¡°Falken, how can I help?¡±


    I looked down at my sister, and a troubling thought crossed my mind. It circled back and became an idea, a slender thread tied to a slender hope.


    I swallowed and took a deep breath. ¡°Can you influence Eldridge? Can you use the Ether to influence her¡ª?¡±


    ¡°And have that influence flow back into Iris?¡± Alleyne glanced away thoughtfully. ¡°I could, but if Iris is already in pain, I¡¯m not sure what feelings I could feed into Eldridge.¡±


    ¡°Pain.¡±


    Alleyne blinked and stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Pain?¡±


    ¡°Could you amplify it enough to incapacitate Iris?¡±


    I watched her open and close her mouth a few times before she uttered, ¡°It would¡ªit would leave Ravinia unconscious. I don¡¯t know if we would lose our connection through to Iris. It¡¯s possible the Seal would continue to allow feelings to flow between Eldridge and her Khan.¡±


    Restraining the urge to grind my teeth in frustration, I looked over at the forest to the northwest, a kilometer or so in the distance. The scout flyer riding the strong Etheric currents high above, was circling farther and farther in a northerly direction. I had to assume the battle was moving farther away from us.


    I turned around at the sound of horses approaching me from behind. Half the detachment of guardsmen rode on horseback and acknowledged me with a deep nod.


    Alleyne grabbed my attention. ¡°Falken, what if I try something else?¡±


    I looked down at her, and saw the thoughtful look in her eyes, and the faintly wicked smile she wore.


    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±


    Her smile deepened. ¡°Leave Eldridge to me.¡±


    I chose not to glance at the Quorum Secretary who was once again pressing her hand to her chest. Instead, keeping her in my peripheral vision, I focused the rest of my gaze on Alleyne.


    ¡°What are you planning?¡±


    Alleyne stepped back. ¡°Falken, have a little faith in me. Besides, things have progressed this far. There¡¯s no turning back now.¡±


    A dozen thoughts ran within my mind, clamoring for my attention, each one a possibility of what Alleyne was plotting.


    Each one a danger in their own right.


    But my sister was still smiling, and I noticed it wasn¡¯t wicked but confident.


    She had something in mind, and I understood that she needed to know I trusted her.


    Taking a deep breath, I gave her a firm nod. ¡°Do what you must.¡±


    She returned the gesture by confidently tossing her blonde hair that shone golden in the morning light, and planting her hands on her shapely hips. ¡°Go save Fallon.¡±


    Nodding to her once more, I glanced at the guardsmen behind me, each man awaiting my order with caution in their eyes.


    ¡°Ride with me,¡± I said, then turned and snapped the reins.


    The stallion snorted once, then tossed its mane before setting off at a brisk gallop down the gently sloped hillside that flowed into the basin of the broad valley.


    Using the circling scout flyer to guide me, I rode northwest toward the forest of trees that partially encircled the short mountain a couple of kilometers ahead of us


    The sound of a dozen horses followed me, as the guardsmen fell into a wide formation that soon flanked me. I glanced at them. Now that we were riding I noticed their expressions had become severe yet determined.


    I promised myself, I would not lead them into harm¡¯s way.


    If the situation became too dangerous, I would ride into it alone.


    Ahead of us, the forest of trees beckoned, and for the first time in many minutes, I heard the sound of Warlords clashing.


    Swallowing down my fears, I gripped the reins tightly and rode onward.


    #


    (Alleyne)


    I watched Falken ride across the valley, feeling him and his men disturb the Ether flowing over the land.


    Through the Ether, I sensed the captain of the detachment of guardsmen approach my right shoulder and stop a few feet away.


    ¡°Lady Alleyne, we should head back to the citadel.¡±


    I shook my head, and turned away from the valley. ¡°No. Not yet.¡±


    He gave me a look of concern. I could sense he was conflicted between his duty to Falken which was implicitly to protect me, and his duty to serve me. ¡°My Lady¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have matters with her,¡± I replied. ¡°And I will finish them before my brother returns.¡±


    Ignoring the veiled looks of doubt and apprehension from the guardsmen around us on the rise, I walked with even strides over to Ravinia Eldridge who was looking wearier by the minute as she struggled against the agony flowing into her through her bond with Iris Dirac.


    I stopped a couple of feet before her.


    ¡°Madam Secretary, I cannot forgive or condone the decision of your Khan. Since you¡¯ve chosen to support her, I will add you to my black list.¡±


    Eldridge laughed weakly. ¡°Oh, how troubling.¡± She winced as she struggled to remain standing.


    ¡°However, you can make things easier for yourself. You can help turn the situation around.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Lady Alleyne, I would not be much of Meister if I did not offer my Khan her support in her time of need.¡±


    ¡°True. And I wouldn¡¯t be much of a sister if I didn¡¯t offer my brother my help in his time of need.¡±


    Eldridge gave me a half smile that was almost a grimace. ¡°Then where does that leave us?¡±


    I bestowed upon her my coldest smile.


    ¡°Let me show you why I¡¯m considered the strongest Ether Empath Weaver on this side of the Northern Continent.¡±


    The woman laughed again, but it was short and bitter. ¡°You¡¯re not going to make this pleasant, are you?¡±


    I stepped closer to her, and peered strongly into her eyes.


    ¡°That depends on how much of a fight you put up.¡±

 Chapter 16.

    Chapters 14 and 15 were reposted after being revised. Some changes to the exposition took place to make the story work better.


    <hr />


    Chapter 16.


    I did not lie to Falken.


    I just didn¡¯t tell him the whole truth.


    It wasn¡¯t meant to hurt anyone. I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell him the full story.


    So I kept it a secret. A secret about my family. A secret about my sister and I.


    Looking back¡­I have no idea what I was thinking.


    I should have just told them all the truth instead of keeping it tucked away¡­like I did with my half of the pendant.


    Fallon Kassius


    Excerpt from The Women Who¡¯ve Shaped Our Times.


    I¡¯d always believed, or fooled myself into believing, that I could resolve a situation¡­no matter how dire¡­by my own means, whether by strength, talent, skill, or mental wits.


    I was one of those, or perhaps I should say he was one of those, that believed they could do things best on their own.


    Though my limits from back then have since been surpassed, there¡¯s a great deal I cannot accomplish without the help of others.


    Going it alone is a fallacy born of misplaced machismo, regardless of gender.


    So that day, I ¨C or rather he ¨C made the conscious decision to rely on someone else to save someone precious to him.


    Little did I know how costly that decision would be.


    Little did I know of anything back then.


    But losing her was something I knew I could not accept, and for that reason, I was willing to sell my soul to the devil with angel wings.


    Except from A Falken¡¯s Point Of View.


    - An autobiography of Falken Galen Claymore.


    (Fallon)


    It was difficult for me to see.


    The agonizing throbbing within my head was clouding my vision making my surroundings appear ghostly and indistinct. My other senses were doing little better. My hearing was filled with the roar of rushing water as though I was standing on the bank of a raging river.


    Yet I fought on, because I had no choice but to do so.


    If I lost, I would lose the Seal and Andraste, and I had already decided long ago that I would not give either of them away.


    Our fight had moved from the valley to the forest.


    I was the first to break away from the valley. With a handful of low, fast leaps, I left the valley behind, and jumped into the forest to the north. In my Awareness, I could sense Iris chasing me, jumping like I was rather than flying low over the ground.


    With one high leap, Andraste and I had crossed over the treeline, and landed within the thousands year old forest. They were trees that made Jotnar look small, and the Warlords no less so. However, there was sufficient space between the rising tree trunks for Andraste and I to maneuver.


    The blue-white rings surrounding Andraste¡¯s feet appeared to make my Warlord lighter, and improved how far it could jump. But I wasn¡¯t able to make the same rings appear around Andraste¡¯s Impulse Wings. Maybe with time and practice I¡¯d be able summon more of Andraste¡¯s power and abilities. However, time was something I didn¡¯t believe I had, not with Iris intent on ripping the Seal out of my body.


    The trees complicated my struggle against her, but I could only hope they did the same for her.


    I¡¯d noticed something odd about her ¨C something I didn¡¯t expect.


    She looked to be in pain.


    She was doing her best to hide it, but before my vision grew hazy and grey, I was certain I¡¯d seen her grimace as though in pain.


    Was she injured? Was there something wrong with her Seal of Arcala?


    Whatever the reason, I felt she wasn¡¯t at her best. After all, she was a Khan, and I was newborn Wilder with only the dream to teach me how to use Andraste. She should have overwhelmed me by now.


    She should have defeated me with ease.


    Yet here I was, darting, leaping, and dodging her spear between tall trees.


    My vision may have clouded over, but my Awareness was like a spider¡¯s web spread for hundreds of feet all around me, and little escaped its presence. While it made up for what I could not perceive through my five senses, it was part of the reason my mind throbbed in agony. The other part of the reason was the fact I was having to concentrate and pour every ounce of my will into the Warlord in order to keep Andraste moving. Even if Iris was suffering from some injury or other, she was still moving faster and better than I. That meant I couldn¡¯t let my concentration slip for a heartbeat.


    Darting back, I avoided the stabbing blade of the spear.


    In the forest, her spear¡¯s great length worked against it.


    Several times I¡¯d sensed it cutting into tree trunks or slicing low hanging branches. When they fell, the branches were knocked aside by Akasha¡¯s barriers that glazed the air. At first they had been invisible, and only visible when they shattered like glass window panes. But as our fight grew harder, and my counterstrikes grew stronger, the barriers protecting her Warlord and mine began glaze the air and come into view. They still shattered when struck, but they were no longer invisible.


    I sensed Akasha kicking off as it charged toward me.


    I also sensed the placement of the forest trees around me.


    I will my Warlord to retreat, and Andraste leapt backwards through a gap in the trees. As it did so, both its swords sliced upwards to deflected the bladed spear tip aiming for my torso. Again, the thin invisible sheath protecting the spear was struck by the cutting field that surrounded my swords. Metal avoided striking metal, but the effect was still the same. The spear was knocked aside, and I was able to avoid being gutted.


    Andraste landed lightly on its feet, not doubt helped by the effect of the blue-white rings of light surrounding them.


    Again, I held my swords up for defense and offense.


    Then Iris did something unexpected ¨C she split the spear into two halves, and her Warlord gripped them like swords.


    My goal of making it harder for Iris to use her spear within the confines of the forest had come to an unexpected end.


    Past the burning sensation within my body, a result of how hard I was pushing myself and the Seal of Arcala, I felt my stomach sink in despair. At the same time, I couldn¡¯t stop my body from trembling, and it was making Andraste tremble as well. Its swords that I could faintly see ahead of me wavered like leaves in the breeze.


    I tried to regain control but I couldn¡¯t.


    I didn¡¯t know how to beat her.


    Even if she wasn¡¯t at her best, she was still better than I at wielding her Warlord.


    How could I expect to win against her?


    My trembling worsened, and I had trouble breathing.


    I was going to lose to her, and I was going to lose my Seal and my Warlord.


    Iris swung her blades. I half saw them, and half sensed them in my Awareness as they cut the air in a rhythmic pattern that caught me by surprise. I didn¡¯t know how to fend against her when she used the two halves of the spear this way.


    My attempts to block her were knock aside, so I did the only thing I could.


    I retreated, jumping back between the trees, trying to put them between her and I.


    Why was it so hard to fight against her?


    In the dream¡ªin the dream I was so much better than this, and better than her.


    In the dream, I wielded Andraste like a fine weapon.


    If only this was the dream and not the waking world.


    If only¡­.


    The sword-spear in Akasha¡¯s right hand whirled so fast it vanished from my clouded view of the world. But through my Awareness I could sense its movement, and I stabbed toward it with Andraste¡¯s left sword. Barrier met barrier with a flash of light, and the weapons locked for a heartbeat before Iris and I drew them back. She didn¡¯t hesitate, and used her left sword to deliver a slash that would have cut a Jotunn in two. However, my right sword was waiting for her, and again the barriers sheathing our respective weapons collided with a flash of emerald light.


    I willed Andraste to fall back and gain some room on Iris.


    Floating less than lightly, the Warlord skipped backwards over the uneven ground. Whether by my skill or its own, Andraste avoided tripping on enormous tree roots, and ducked behind a stout tree with the girth of a house.


    One of Akasha¡¯s swords swished through the air, scraping Andraste¡¯s glazed shields as it swung by at eye level, and buried itself into the tree¡¯s flank. Preoccupied with staying alive and undefeated, I didn¡¯t have time to cry out in surprise or panic. Akasha pulled the sword free in a heartbeat, while swinging the other blade at me. I parried against it, but it barely deflected and I reflexively threw my body aside while willing Andraste to twist out of the way as more of its barriers shattered. In the process, they further deflected Akasha¡¯s sword.


    I continued falling back, using the trees for cover.


    The grey in my eyes was gradually growing worse and the sound of rushing wind or water drowned my hearing. The trees looked like dark, towering pillars wrapped in a thick mist. Akasha was a fast moving shadow of limbs and coiling chains weaving between the trees and charging at me every second heartbeat. While my expanded Awareness allowed me to cope with my failing senses, I could do nothing about the torture I was enduring in my mind.


    My Awareness wavered as my skull chose the next moment to scream in agony as pain lanced through my mind. For several heartbeats I lost my focus, and in that moment Iris struck.


    I failed to block her attack, and Andraste had to weather it with its own shields that glazed the air, and shattered in rapid succession only to reform moments later.


    While the Warlord moved to my subconscious, reflex reactions, I grabbed at my head with my own hands.


    There was something there¡­something beyond the pain¡­something I could feel just out of reach.


    As I pressed down upon my skull, I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated part of my attention inwards, while at the same time I continued to guide Andraste between the trees, weaving a path that edged ever northwards up the sloped base of the mountain that was surrounded by the forest.


    Inwardly, I could feel it ¨C sense it ¨C a presence hiding behind a curtain of agony.


    Around me, Andraste staggered as Iris pressed her attack. I felt the Warlord stumble and land on the Impulse Wings that fanned out from its lower back. With my focus divided, I couldn¡¯t control it well enough to defend against Akasha.


    I needed time to reach out to that presence through the torment inside my mind, and draw back that curtain, even if it meant risking defeat.


    Iris didn¡¯t want to kill me. I was certain of that much. However, she wanted to remove the Seal from inside me. If I was too weak to struggle against her, the Seal would offer her little resistance, and it would somehow emerge from my body. Before that could happen, I needed to reach out and pull back on that curtain.


    I needed to reveal what lay behind it, because something made me believe my salvation lay there.


    With a blow from Akasha that shattered the barriers protecting me while I was merged with Andraste, the Warlord and I staggered backwards and fell against a large tree that groaned under the impact. The barriers reformed quickly, and weathered successive strikes from Akasha¡¯s sword-spears, preventing Iris from landing a blow upon me. But she was wearing me down, and I knew that once I lost consciousness from the strain of wielding Andraste, my Warlord would offer Akasha no resistance. Without me to control it, Andraste would grow lifeless.


    I could sense the barriers shatter, and feel my swords knocked aside when they feebly attempted to parry Akasha¡¯s striking weapons.


    Yet I was also drawing closer to the curtain separating me from salvation.


    I could feel the fingers of my mind reach out across the last bit of distance, and latch onto that curtain.


    With one final effort, I pulled it back, and revealed what lay beyond.


    I saw the dream with its burning sky and fiery clouds lit from within by crimson lightning.


    I saw the tortured, ruined land, where the green of life did not grow.


    I saw the armies of the enemy spread like a black shadow over the ragged landscape.


    And I saw myself clad in black waiting on the other side of the parted curtain.


    My other self smiled cruelly at me. Without warning, she reached out, grabbed me, and pulled me through into the nightmarish realm of the dream where I ruled the battlefield.


    #


    (Falken)


    I could hear the sounds of battle as the guardsmen and I rode through the forest.


    The fast gallop across the valley had been arrested as the horses slowed down a little to better pick their footing, and avoid thick roots they could trip over.


    With the overhead canopy of branches and leaves obscuring the sky, I could no longer see the flyer. However, we were guided onwards by the odd sounds that emanated from an area of the forest ahead of us, a sound somewhat unlike that of metal on metal. I had heard it before when Fallon and Iris battled out in the valley, but within the confines of the forest, it sounded ever more unnatural. A sharp zing accompanied every pitched metallic crash, sometimes underscored by a soft boom that rolled through the air.


    I aimed my steed toward the sounds of battle, while picturing the lay of the land in my mind.


    On the western face of the short mountain of Tor Invern, above where the forest encircled its base, stood the remains of Calmonad, the fortress that had served as home to House Clarent during their rule of Caldera before House Claymore came to power five generations ago. It was abandoned now, having fallen from grace and into ruin when the two families came to blows. My father had considered restoring it to its former glory, more so when mother left him with a gaping hole in his heart.


    I believe he meant it as an extended peace offering to House Clarent, since his marriage to mother had been arranged to appease generations of animosity between our respective houses. I know that he hoped she would return to his side in some manner.


    Sadly for him, he passed away before he could bring his dream to fruition.


    Calmonad overlooked the broad waters of Lake Corwin. A substantial amount of the fortress was cut into Tor Invern. It was the predecessor to Calandor, whose grand scale could only be achieved through Archon engineering and technology. But Calmonad was designed by human minds, and constructed by human hands aided by the first machines to be powered by the Ether and the Ether Kinetic talent of men.


    I was certain now that the sounds of battle were coming from a direction that would lead to the ruins of the fortress.


    I urged my horse to move quicker, then realized I was only urging us both into an accident we could not afford. As much as it pained me, I had to ease back on my steed¡¯s pace through the forest. I briefly wondered if the guardsmen were relieved I¡¯d abandoned my reckless intention to ride through the forest at a breakneck gallop.


    Allowing the horse to find its way through the forest, my attention settled on what lay ahead, and I glimpsed large shadows moving between the tall, stout trees.


    They were shadows that moved too quickly to be large animals or Jotnar.


    They were fleeting glimpses of the Warlords locked in conflict.


    I was heartened. If the two remained in combat, then Fallon was still in possession of her Seal, and had yet to relinquish it to Iris. There was the possibility of resolving the situation in her favor. Yet the closer I rode to them, the more I wondered what I could do to achieve the result I wanted for her.


    What could a dozen men on horseback do to a Khan and her Warlord?


    I would have to appeal to Iris. I would have to convince her that Fallon was not a threat to her, to Caldera, or to its people.


    As we rode onwards, the forest thinned out into a woodland, and the gap between trees widened as the ground began to noticeably slope upwards the closer we rode to the mountain. I could see the Warlords moving quickly between the trees, and the southwestern base of Tor Invern rising behind them.


    ¡°Your Grace¡ªwe¡¯re too close,¡± one of the guardsmen yelled out.


    ¡°I know,¡± I replied loudly over my shoulder. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t prudent to emerge out of the forest so close to them, so I urged my horse to veer north at a tangent away from Iris and Fallon.


    The stallion didn¡¯t need to be told twice.


    We rode quickly for the edge of the forest, passing through the treeline and emerging out into daylight. Bringing my steed to a quick halt, I looked up and shortly sighted the flyer, circling high overhead and to the west. However, I no longer needed it to guide us to the Warlords for I could see them now, scarcely a few hundred feet away from us.


    They moved about with a speed that would have torn a Jotunn to pieces. Blue-white light haloed their feet and appeared to give wings to their heels, allowing them to glide over the rocky mountainside while their arms blurred as they fought each other with weapons that could cleave cleanly through a fortress wall.


    I was surprised to see Andraste¡¯s Impulse Wings glowing with the same blue-white light that haloed its feet, and wondered if Fallon had mastered a little more of her Warlord.


    For more than a minute, I watched for an opening where I could approach and gain their attention with the least amount of risk. But it was fruitless, and so I gathered not only my resolve but my courage and chose to ride toward them.


    ¡°Stay here,¡± I ordered my men, then kicked the stallion under me into motion.


    I ignored the shouts of ¡®Your Grace¡¯ that came from behind me.


    The horse wasn¡¯t happy with the idea of being urged closer to the battling Warlords. Even if it didn¡¯t know what they were, it clearly recognized danger when it saw it. Nonetheless, it heeded to my demand and galloped closer until I pulled back on the reins, bringing it to skidding stop a hundred feet shy of the fast moving Warlords.


    Inhaling deeply, I shouted with all the air I could muster into my lungs.


    ¡°Iris! Stop!¡±


    It was to no avail, and they continued battling away at each other, moving about quickly enough to make it hard to see their faces.


    I took another deep breath, and yelled out again. ¡°Iris! Stop! Stop this at once!¡±


    ¡°Get away from here!¡± she cried out. Her voice boomed through air, amplified by some unknown means.


    A heartbeat later, the struggling Warlords reversed their position such that Iris had her back to the mountain. With Andraste¡¯s back turned partway toward me, I couldn¡¯t see Fallon¡¯s face as it was obscured by the Warlord¡¯s Impulse Wings and limbs. But I could see Iris, and I saw her pained face drenched in sweat under the strain of operating her Warlord.


    ¡°Get away!¡± she yelled again.


    For several seconds, Iris used her Warlord to keep Fallon and Andraste at bay. Like two swordsmen with weapons locked, the Warlords pushed against each other, and Iris chose that moment to glance at me.


    ¡°Run, your Grace¡ªrun!¡±


    I realized then that the circumstances had changed, and the tide of battle no longer favored Iris. I didn¡¯t know how it was possible but Iris no longer challenged Fallon. It was Fallon who now challenged the Sharkhan.


    But the fear in Iris¡¯s eyes led me to believe there was more to the situation.


    Iris¡¯s face twisted in agony as she fought against Fallon.


    Andraste was steadily pushing Iris¡¯s Warlord back up the gentle slope of Tor Invern. Neither of them touched the ground, yet the rocks underfoot exploded into a fine powder as though crushed by an enormous weight.


    I heard the air thrum loudly and harden. The pressure bore down upon me, and the horse I rode shied back. It struggled for footing as its feet slipped on the rocks. Sensing it was moments from panicking, I pulled back on the reins, urging it to fall back away from the battling Warlords.


    There was a loud cry, and a deep boom crashed over the mountainside.


    Somehow, Iris had succeeded in breaking free of Andraste, knocking the latter back along the mountainside. Andraste rolled a couple of times along the ground, then came up on its feet. It drifted backwards for a dozen or more meters before coming to a stop.


    In the blink of an eye, Iris snapped together the pommels of her swords, forming the long spear I¡¯d seen her use out in the valley. Her attention was on Fallon, but her words were directed at me. ¡°Falken Claymore¡ªget away from here.¡±


    I gathered my voice and yelled back, ¡°You have to stop this at once¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I stop and you die,¡± she retorted loudly. ¡°Look at her. Look!¡±


    I focused my gaze on Fallon.


    She was breathing heavily, drenched in sweat, smiling maliciously though her eyes looked glazed.


    Iris yelled again, ¡°She¡¯s lost herself to the darkness in the Seal. She¡¯s caught in the dream¡ªin that waking nightmare.¡±


    My heart clenched as my innards grew cold. I knew what Iris meant. I had read grandfather¡¯s journal and I understood what that meant for a Khan.


    Iris spoke the truth. To be caught in the dream was to experience a waking nightmare.


    I starting shaking my head in disbelief. ¡°No¡­no, it can¡¯t be...please, not Fallon¡­.¡±


    I glimpsed Iris¡¯s Warlord twirl the spear as it assumed a fighting stance.


    ¡°This is my fault,¡± she admitted, her voice loud in the air. ¡°I failed to subdue her. I pushed her too hard, and before I could defeat her she reached for the darkness to save her.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from Fallon.


    The girl¡¯s lips drew back as she laughed. The swords in Andraste¡¯s hands spun rapidly, and the Warlord shifted its stance, readying itself to charge at Iris.


    In the corner of my eye, I saw Iris lower her stance and her Warlord responded in kind. ¡°This is my fault. If I don¡¯t stop her, no one else will!¡±


    ¡°This is what you wanted!¡± I clenched my hands around the reins. ¡°You gave her no choice. You wanted this so you could have a reason to kill her!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill her!¡± she yelled back at me. ¡°I want to save her even if it means ripping the Seal out of her body¡ªI will not let the darkness take her!¡±


    I pointed at Fallon but shouted my words at Iris. ¡°You pushed her into the darkness, but you came here to steal her Seal!¡±


    ¡°I came to stop a Wilder from destroying your lands.¡±


    Iris¡¯s Warlord crouched and the halos around its feet and wings flared brightly,


    A heartbeat later, it launched itself low and fast over the mountainside, crossing the distance to Andraste in the blink of an eye.


    A gust of wind roared over me, so strong it almost unsaddled me. The air grew thick and became hard to breathe, and the sudden change in pressure clogged my hearing. I swallowed hard, trying to clear my ears while struggling to control my frightened steed that shifted wildly under me.


    The boom that resounded over the mountainside as Iris clashed with Fallon was the last straw for the horse. It bucked and almost threw me. By a miracle I held onto the reins and saddle, but the damage was done. Its hind feet slipped on the rocks, and it stumbled to its knees. Fearing it would roll over, I leapt off its back, and scrambled to get clear. Without me on its back, my stallion was able to recover better from its roll, and regained its feet before I did.


    On hands and knees, I looked up and across the mountainside.


    The Warlords¡¯ weapons blurred and flashed emerald and emitted a loud zing when they clashed that was unnatural to the ears.


    For almost a minute, Iris pressed her attack, driving Andraste down toward the forest treeline, but Fallon laughed maniacally and began backing away, circling northwest along the side of the mountain. Naturally, Iris pursued her, stabbing and slashing at her with the twenty-foot spear in her Warlord¡¯s hands.


    I watched them intently. The pace of Fallon¡¯s counterstrikes had improved. She moved better, more fluidly with less wasted motion. As rudimentary as her defense was, the two swords offered her enough protection against Iris¡¯s spear, that the latter was unable to strike at her body or that of Andraste. When Iris did find an opening, the bladed spear would crash against a pane of glazed air, a barrier of some sort, and shatter it. But before Iris could deliver a stabbing thrust, Fallon would retreat again. She would either dart aside, or skip back, her Warlord¡¯s feet floating inches above the ground, haloed in blue-white light.


    All the while, they continued to circle around Tor Invern, and ever closer to the ruins of Calmonad.


    I quickly looked around me and located my horse. The beast had wandered southward toward the forest treeline. I thought of going after it, then changed my mind, and decided to follow the Warlords on foot. Scrambling to my feet, I began running carefully over the mountainside, keeping my focus on both the ground underfoot, and the battling Warlords a few hundred feet ahead of me.


    I glanced over my right shoulder at the sound of horses galloping toward me.


    ¡°Your Grace! Please wait.¡±


    I stopped and half turned to look behind me. One of the riders broke off from the group and rode down to collect my stallion. The rest of the men surrounded me, and the man Talus Torin had designated his lieutenant, jumped down from his saddle and approached me with reins in hand.


    ¡°Your Grace, are you hurt¡ª?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªno I¡¯m not.¡± I shook my head quickly, and raised a hand to allay his concern. ¡°But I cannot have you and your men follow me. There¡¯s too much risk.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, we have orders not to leave alone. We¡¯ll escort you all the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± I stated firmly. ¡°You¡¯ll be escorting me into Hell.¡±


    The young man swallowed. ¡°Your Grace, even so, we cannot abandon you.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes, and studied him. Tall, square shouldered, fair-haired, and with grey eyes. He looked familiar, yet I couldn¡¯t place where I¡¯d seen him before. Obviously as a guardsman he and I may have crossed paths within the mountain-citadel, yet I felt I knew him for another reason. ¡°Guardsman, your name.¡±


    He inhaled sharply. ¡°Guard-Knight, Iain Auger.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Auger? Would your father be Cain Auger?¡±


    He nodded, and looked slightly embarrassed. ¡°He is, your Grace.¡±


    I swallowed and then released a grin. ¡°Your father instructed me in the art of piloting a Jotunn. I do recall he would pick on me more than the other students in his class. I thought he hated me.¡±


    Auger looked worried. ¡°Your Grace, that was most certainly not the case. My father spoke of you often.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡±


    ¡°Of course. He said you were the finest student he ever had. In fact, he was frustrated to tears that for a man of such talent you only attended class because you were forced to do so by the late Archduke.¡±


    I grimaced weakly. ¡°Well that part was true¡­.¡±


    ¡°My father was gutted when you lost in the finals.¡±


    I froze, and forgot to breath. ¡°Ah¡­well¡­I tried telling him¡­I was sorry.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, I think that angered him more.¡± He raised a hand forestalling. ¡°However, we should save that for another time.¡±


    I blinked slowly, regarding the young man before me, then cocked my head. ¡°When this is over, come and see me. We should talk.¡±


    Auger looked surprised. ¡°Your¡ªyour Grace?¡±


    I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. ¡°However, I presently need to do something about those two.¡± Turning around to look to the northwest, I planted my hands on my hips. ¡°The problem is¡­I have absolutely no idea what to do.¡±


    The two combatants were around three hundred feet away when I saw Andraste strike Iris¡¯s Warlord with such force it sent the latter careening across the mountainside.


    Fallon laughed in delight, and chased after Iris who had regained her footing, and now floated with sharp movements over the rocks. It was fair to say that both Warlords skated over the rocks like one might skate over a frozen lake. They moved fluidly over the slanted, ragged terrain, battling away with shimmering weapons.


    I heard laughter in the air ¨C a maniacal laugh I never thought I¡¯d hear from Fallon ¨C and it squeezed my heart.


    I spoke more to myself than anyone else. ¡°I have no idea how to save her¡­.¡±


    A woman¡¯s voice replied, ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you let me help?¡±


    She sounded quite close. In fact, she sounded like she was above us, which was surprising.


    However, I was unprepared for what I saw when I looked up.


    A woman with four dove-like wings emerging from her back, floated some thirty to forty feet overhead. I quickly noticed she was a brunette beauty, with long hair, womanly curves, and wearing a short dress that left little the imagination. She carried an odd twin-bladed spear that looked more like two broadswords joined at their pommels. Noting that her legs were sheathed in a strange, dark golden armor that ended in tapered feet, my gaze was drawn by primitive instinct to her underwear, clearly visible under the skirt of her gently fluttering dress as she floated above us.


    ¡°Ah, they¡¯re white,¡± I muttered.


    Auger nodded. ¡°Aye, your Grace. White indeed.¡±


    The woman squeaked and pressed her legs together. Then she smiled furiously and wagged a finger at us. ¡°Naughty, naughty. I guess I¡¯ll have to punish you all for peeking.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have time to mutter more than a surprised, ¡°Huh?¡±


    The next heartbeat, candlepin sized needles of light rained down from her wings, and struck the guardsmen and their horses. The men fell quickly, collapsing over their saddles before falling to the ground. As the horses panicked and fled, the needles of light chased them, and soon they too lay unconscious on the mountainside.


    Yet I stood unharmed while chaos reigned around me.


    It was clear she had other intentions for me.


    I took a step back when she landed in front of me. Her tapered feet narrowly avoided stepping on an unconscious Auger. I noticed her leg and feet armor resembled thick, wedge-shaped swords, and she stood three feet taller than I. Her arms were clad in a thick white armor, and the sword-spear in her right hand looked heavy enough to tax two men of able height and strength. If she was carrying it one-handed, I had to assume she was significantly stronger than any man I knew of, and certainly far stronger than I was.


    Having left my sword back in my quarters, I was thus unarmed before her. Yet even with a weapon in hand, I doubted there was anything I could do to defend myself against her.


    As she looked down at me, the wings extending from the dove¡¯s tail attached to her back quickly folded down.


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    Her smile was pleasant on the outside, but I saw the promise of pain if I wasn¡¯t careful. She certainly appeared annoyed at my having peeked at her underwear.


    In that event, she shouldn¡¯t float around in a short skirt.


    I cleared my throat quickly, but she spoke before I did.


    ¡°Falken Galen Claymore, I presume.¡±


    I stared at her for a moment, then made it a point to look at my fallen men and their horses. ¡°If you didn¡¯t know who I was would I still be standing?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡±


    After again looking at my men and their horses, I turned my attention to the young woman. ¡°I assume they¡¯re not harmed.¡±


    ¡°They will wake in an hour or so. The horses too.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Well, now that it¡¯s just the two of us, what do you want?¡± I pointed over my left shoulder. ¡°Please keep it short. I have matters to attend to.¡±


    Her gaze grew distant as she looked behind me. When she focused on me, she regarded me with pity. ¡°You have no grasp on the situation, do you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fully aware that there¡¯s little I can do. Nonetheless, I must try.¡±


    ¡°Then you would be wasting your time as there is nothing you can do.¡±


    I took a heavy breath. ¡°You said you could help.¡±


    ¡°I can indeed. However, I wish to understand something. What is your relationship with that girl¡ªthe girl that¡¯s fallen into darkness?¡±


    I took a moment before answering. ¡°She¡¯s special to me. She saved my life. I owe her and I wish to protect her.¡±


    She arched an eyebrow. ¡°How surprisingly frank. I can¡¯t sense a lie in your words at all.¡±


    I studied her pretty face for a moment. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    She tilted her head a little. ¡°You may call me Gabrielle.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± This time I eyed her from head to pointed feet. ¡°And what are you?¡±


    She tilted her head a little more, and the wings on her back rose and fell. ¡°Think of me¡­as a guardian angel.¡±


    I frowned at her. ¡°You¡¯re not an Archon, are you?¡±


    ¡°The gods forbid, of course not.¡± She looked fleetingly curious. ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t feel the Ether anymore.¡± I dipped my head suspiciously at her. ¡°And the Archons don¡¯t like the Ether.¡±


    She smiled mysteriously. ¡°Neither do the Khans and their Warlords.¡±


    ¡°That is true. However, I¡¯ve never seen a Warlord like yours before.¡±


    ¡°That is because I am not a Khan, and you can refer to my armor as a Celestial.¡±


    I refrained from running my gaze over her again. Instead, I frowned at her and guardedly asked, ¡°Why are you offering to help me?¡±


    ¡°Help you?¡± She sounded confused. ¡°I¡¯m not offering to help you. I am offering to help her. She is the one in danger, not you. Although, in her current state, she may end up turning against you and your people, and that would make my goal harder to achieve.¡±


    I pressed my lips tightly together for a moment. ¡°How do you intend to help her?¡±


    Gabrielle raised her left hand quickly. ¡°Before I do that, we need to come to an agreement.¡±


    ¡°Does this having something to do with your goal?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It does indeed.¡±


    I snorted softly and shook my head to underscore my words. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you. You¡¯re not offering to help me, yet you wish to come to an agreement? You¡¯re making little sense.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to help her or not?¡±


    ¡°That depends on what you want in return from either her or I.¡±


    Gabrielle lowered her hand. ¡°I wish to help the Khan Wilders. All the Wilders. That is my goal.¡±


    For a long while, all I did was study her in silence as a multitude of thoughts encompassing wild possibilities, guesses, suspicions and conspiracies all ran about madly in my head. With many exhausting themselves, the few thoughts that remained standing came to attention.


    I chose the one I believed most pertinent to the situation, and slowly crossed my arms.


    ¡°You want a safe haven for the Khan Wilders.¡±


    Gabrielle¡¯s eyes grew immensely large, and she dropped her sword-spear.


    Pointing a trembling finger at me, she stuttered.


    ¡°You¡ªyou¡ªhow can you read my mind?¡±


    #


    (Alleyne)


    On my orders, the remaining guardsmen escorted Ravinia Eldridge and I down the slope to the valley floor.


    We travelled on foot, rather than horseback, and once there I asked Guard-Captain Torin to remover her restraints.


    This surprised the captain and Eldridge, despite the Quorum secretary being distracted by the pain that flowed into her from Iris Dirac via the bond they shared.


    Sounding like he hoped I¡¯d reconsider, Torin asked, ¡°Lady Alleyne, are you certain?¡±


    I nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes. However, once you do so, I wish for you and your men to retreat to the top of the slope. That should be a sufficiently safe distance.¡±


    His concern was evident. ¡°Safe¡­distance¡­?¡±


    I smiled at him, but intentionally made it cold. ¡°Captain, are you hard of hearing?¡±


    He swallowed quickly. ¡°No, my lady.¡±


    Though he made no effort to hide his disagreement, Torin removed the restraints binding Eldridge¡¯s hands. Once he and his men had retreated, I stepped up to Eldridge and entered the void surrounding her that was devoid of the Ether. It reminded me of the times I stood close to Fallon. For an Empath Weaver of my talent, it was like being denied fresh air, and it was caused by the Archon collar worn by Eldridge. Restraining a shiver, I pressed my thumb on the diamond buckle at the front of the collar. It emitted a soft chirping sound, but did not open.


    However, I felt the Ether rush into the void.


    In essence, I had turned the Archon device ¡®off¡¯.


    The pain flowing into Eldridge through the bond she shared with Iris Dirac, instantly radiated out into the Ether. Hastily, I reached out to the Ether and used my talent and skill to cleanse the flowing Ether, removing the agony etched into the flows so that it would not affect me.


    The woman hardly noticed my efforts. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she concentrated on her breathing that was growing fast and shallow.


    I swallowed, and despite her anguish that I felt on the Ether, I spoke as icily as I could. ¡°Now then, Madam Secretary, let us begin.¡±


    The woman weakly opened her eyes. ¡°Begin what¡­?¡±


    ¡°My brother has his odd way of negotiating. I have mine.¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s face tightened in concentration. ¡°I¡¯m listening¡­.¡±


    ¡°You are feeling Iris Dirac¡¯s pain through the bond established by the Seal of Arcala. I sensed you were using your talent as an Empath Weaver to cleanse the flows, and thus alleviate your pain and hers. Am I right, Madam Secretary?¡±


    After a few breaths, Eldridge nodded.


    I nodded too. ¡°Unfortunately, my brother placed the Archon collar around your neck, and robbed you of the Ether. You were forced to endure Iris¡¯s agony on your own, without the Ether to help you.¡±


    Eldridge gave me another nod.


    I sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve given you the Ether, but I can see that you¡¯re too weak to use it effectively.¡±


    The woman gave me an anguished smile. ¡°¡­you are¡­quite correct¡­.¡±


    Rather quickly she settled to the ground on her knees.


    I sensed her attempts to cleanse the flows from within her body but the agony flowing into her through the bond with Iris was distracting her efforts.


    I sighed again, and reached out to the Ether with my Weaver ability. I blew it through her body like a great wind and it carried away her anguish. Then I concentrated on cleansing the flows within her body, writing new textures into the Ether that would oppose and nullify the pain Eldridge was exposed to. In effect, I was killing her pain almost as quickly as it was flowing into her through the bond.


    Eldridge sucked in lungfuls of air, and straightened where she knelt. With her pain lessened, her expression grew calm and eyes gained clarity. She looked up at me and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I want your help, Madam Secretary. I want you to call off Iris Dirac.¡±


    The woman swallowed and took a number of deep breaths. ¡°Iris won¡¯t stop until she has Fallon Kassius¡¯s Seal.¡±


    I folded my arms, while continuing to cleanse and rewrite the emotions on the Ether within Eldridge¡¯s body. If I stopped doing so, she would again suffer the debilitating pain, making it harder for me to negotiate with her. So for the moment, I kept the pain in check at a level that wouldn¡¯t overtly trouble her.


    ¡°Why won¡¯t she stop?¡±


    Eldridge clamped her jaw for a long while. ¡°Because...because she believes Kassius has succumbed to the darkness in the Seal.¡± She gave me a strained smile. ¡°Something you denied existed.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°The Khan that served Caldera never experienced the darkness, nor did she experience the dream. Maybe she was one of the few Wilders to be gifted with a pure Seal. Either way, I said that more for my brother¡¯s benefit than mine.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe it¡¯s real.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I do or don¡¯t. What matters is that your Khan believes it and has chosen to defeat Fallon in order to obtain her Seal.¡± I shook my head. ¡°That is something I cannot allow.¡±


    Eldridge sucked in air before replying, ¡°Fallon Kassius has already fallen into darkness.¡±


    I exhaled loudly, wondering what she was playing at. ¡°And how could you possibly know that?¡±


    Against her chest, Eldridge¡¯s hands clenched into fists. ¡°Because Iris believes that. Through my bond with her, I can feel her emotions as I would through the Ether. I¡¯ve known Iris long enough to understand her thoughts through her feelings.¡± With some effort, Eldridge rose to her feet. ¡°She believes that Fallon has given into the Seal¡¯s darkness, and I have no reason to doubt Iris.¡±


    I frowned just a little. ¡°I have no reason to believe her.¡±


    Eldridge looked to gather her strength before responding. ¡°When a Khan succumbs to the darkness in the Seal, they fall into the waking dream and gain great strength from it. They are able to wield their Warlord with greater skill and can draw more power out of it. In a way, it is very much a berserker state except they are not blinded by rage. They feel a strong battle lust, and a desire to kill their opponents, but there is little to no rage behind it. That is what makes them so dangerous.¡±


    My frown deepened. ¡°And why does Iris believe Fallon has given into this darkness?¡±


    ¡°Because Iris is fighting for her life now. Before she was fighting to subdue Fallon Kassius, but that¡¯s changed. It changed while we were walking down to the valley. Iris is now in a life or death struggle, and that would only happen if Kassius was able to increase her control over Andraste.¡± Eldridge shook her head slowly, then added, ¡°Iris¡­she can¡¯t keep fighting like this. Her wound prevents her from summoning Akasha¡¯s true power. Eventually, Fallon Kassius will overwhelm her, and she will kill Iris.¡±


    I stared at her with distrust. ¡°Are you saying Fallon will defeat Iris¡ªa Sharkhan trained by the Khan Orden.¡±


    ¡°Khan Wilders, or dark Wilders as we call them, are able to draw upon a Warlord¡¯s unrestricted potential. But it places a huge toll on their bodies and they collapse into a deep sleep if they don¡¯t escape from the dream in time. Kassius wields a Seerkhan, a Warlord noticeably stronger than Akasha.¡± She pressed down upon her chest with both hands. ¡°I can feel Iris¡¯s struggle. I can feel her fighting against the pain.¡±


    Closing her eyes, Eldridge shook her head.


    ¡°Iris will lose, and Kassius will kill her.¡±


    ¡°You cannot know that for certain.¡±


    The woman opened her eyes and stared at me with all the strength she had to spare. ¡°Yes, I do. For if family can turn upon family, brother turn upon sister, then so to can a Wilder like Kassius turn upon Iris.¡± The woman took a quick breath. ¡°Fallon Kassius has no reason to stop. No familial bonds with Iris that would cause her to hesitate or reconsider or even to try fighting against the Seal¡¯s power in order to save Iris¡¯s life. For Iris, this is even worse than Kapernia.¡±


    ¡°What do mean?¡±


    Eldridge laughed bitterly. ¡°Kapernia¡­went all wrong for us.¡±


    This was what Falken wanted to know. What had transpired at Kapernia between the Khan Orden and the Wilders? What made it a dramatic event?


    I stepped closer to the young woman. ¡°Tell me what happened at Kapernia?¡±


    Again, Eldridge laughed, but it contained no humor. ¡°Iris¡­killed her brother.¡±


    I swallowed in surprise, and almost lost my grip on the Ether flowing through Eldridge¡¯s body.


    I swallowed again and found my voice. ¡°¡­why¡­?¡±


    Eldridge looked up at the sky, and I could feel her Empath Weaver talent beginning to add to my own as she copied my method for cleansing the pain flowing in a constant stream into her body.


    She took a couple of breaths, before replying.


    ¡°Her brother was a Khan¡­a Seerkhan¡­and a Wilder.¡±


    Eldridge shook her head slowly.


    ¡°He was talented and strong. One of the Orden¡¯s best.¡±


    I frowned inwardly, and cleansed my disquiet from the Ether at the same time. ¡°He was a Khan of the Orden?¡±


    Eldridge nodded faintly. ¡°He was entrusted with quelling many a problem across the lands. But more importantly, he was entrusted with the duty of initiating contact with newly fledged Wilders, and presenting them to the Quorum of Khans. He was also responsible for dealing with Wilders that refused the Orden¡¯s offer.¡±


    My inward frown grew. Refused the Orden¡¯s offer?


    The Quorum Secretary continued. ¡°But he betrayed the Orden, and the Quorum ordered his Seal be removed.¡±


    This time I showed her my frown. ¡°Why did he betray the Khans?¡±


    ¡°Because he allowed two Khan Wilders to escape, a brother and sister.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°Why did he do that?¡±


    ¡°Because the Quorum deemed the siblings unsuitable for entry into the Orden. Iris¡¯s brother, Iven, disagreed and argued against the Quorum. He offered to take them under his wing, and to teach and train them. He argued the siblings be given the opportunity the Quorum had afforded Iris and himself when they too were brought to the Khan Orden¡¯s estate. However, the Quorum rejected his offer, and ordered the siblings be stripped of their Seals. Iven feared the brother and sister would not be able to adjust to life without the Seal. They would be feared in the towns and villages. Their only choice would be to live at the estate and work for the Khan Orden, as many Wilders do.¡±


    I felt a twinge of disdain for the woman and the organization she represented. ¡°I¡¯m sure the former Wilders enjoy being constantly reminded of what they¡¯ve lost¡ªof what the Khan Orden took from them.¡±


    ¡°And what else are we to do?¡± Eldridge snapped at me. ¡°They are too dangerous to leave as Khans, so their Seals must be removed. At the least we offer them food and shelter in exchange for working at the Orden¡¯s estate. Now with a second estate, we can help even more of them.¡±


    A life of servitude under the Orden, because they could never return to life outside the estates, forever branded by the Seal, for even after it was removed from their bodies the tattoo remained. And even without the tattoo, people that were weak with the Ether were treated poorly, often lynched and exiled to the wilderness, banished from towns, villages, and cities despite the efforts of the authorities.


    All because they were most likely to be gifted with a Seal and Warlord.


    Taking a deep breath, I chose to direct the conversation back onto the original path. ¡°Did you agree with the Quorum¡¯s decision regarding the siblings?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t involved in their evaluation. But later I discovered the Quorum¡¯s decision had been influenced by the testimony of a Khan. Iven discovered this as well, and confronted the Khan, which led to an argument, an illegal duel, and her being seriously injured. He then fled the Orden¡¯s estate in Anderas, along with the brother and sister. He did this before their Seals could be removed. The Quorum issued a directive to the Orden that Iven be captured and brought to trial. The Khan Orden dispatched the Six Peers to enact the Quorum¡¯s directive.¡±


    Eldridge shuddered and her shoulders fell noticeably.


    ¡°They caught up with Iven and the siblings in Kapernia. And there Iven made his last stand.¡±


    I wet my lips slowly, and continued cleansing the Ether from inside Eldridge¡¯s body. ¡°You were there, weren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°I was. I flew with Iris aboard the Rafale, dispatched on the Quorum¡¯s orders. We observed the encounter between Iven and the Six Peers. Iven was able to hold them off, and succeeded in keeping them occupied. He dragged the encounter close to a nearby township, a rather large one, and tried to keep the Peers efforts focused on him. However, it wasn¡¯t to be. As the battle raged, the brother and sister fled and half the Peers went after them.¡±


    Eldridge shuddered and bowed her head, and I felt a deep anguish emanate from her body. It pain that didn¡¯t come from Iris, but from Eldridge¡¯s heart, and as such I chose not to tamper with it.


    The woman released a shuddering sigh.


    ¡°He tried to protect his sister¡­and he was cut down for his efforts¡­because the Quorum had authorized their deaths should they resist.¡±


    I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly constricted by the weight of her words.


    Eldridge shook her head slowly, eyes downcast.


    ¡°In despair and rage, the girl, Salia, summoned her Warlord. The Peers killed her too, and Iven lost his grip on his feelings. He opened up to the Seal, allowed himself to be swallowed by the darkness of the Dream, and unleashed all the power held by his Rhokhan Warlord, Kartikeya. He overwhelmed the Six Peers, and killed half their number.¡±


    She looked up slowly and met my eyes.


    ¡°Iris could hold back no longer, and so she joined the fray. Having fought down the Six Peers, Iven was wounded yet he struggled against Iris. They battled in the township before eventually falling to her spear.¡±


    The emotions Eldridge was radiating, feelings that were her own, dispelled my doubts about her recount. Rather, regardless of whether it was the truth or not, I was convinced she believed what she was telling me, and the event in Kapernia had left her deeply shaken.


    If true, then it had left Iris scarred as well.


    I did not believe there were many people in this world or others that could commit a killing against blood kin and not be troubled by it afterwards.


    With that thought, I had to consider that if Iris could kill her own brother in her duties to the Khan Orden, she would have no qualms about killing, rather than subduing, Fallon.


    And yet, I also considered the possibility Iris would falter before delivering the killing blow ¨C a moment of hesitation that may turn the tables on her and grant Fallon victory.


    I turned my head, while still administering to the Ether inside Eldridge, and faced the forests surrounding the mountain of Tor Invern.


    I knew what lay there, on the western face of the mountain, and overlooking Lake Corwin.


    The ruins of Calmonad, the former seat of power of House Clarent.


    Like my brothers and I, my blood was half Clarent courtesy of my mother, so half my ancestry had ties to that place.


    I had visited it, and though abandoned by House Clarent, it was not deserted. There were many people living there, tending to themselves after having chosen to live away from the towns and villages that dotted Caldera. Rather than drive them out, our father had allowed them to remain, often assigning guardsmen to watch over the many people that had taken residence there, preventing it from becoming a nest for bandits and smugglers.


    Father had desired rebuilding and restoring Calmonad, and giving it to the people. I didn¡¯t know Falken intentions for the place, but I did wish for him to fulfill Father¡¯s dream.


    Unfortunately, if Fallon and Iris were to battle there, I was certain people would die.


    Somehow, I had to prevent that from happening.


    I turned back to Eldridge. ¡°If Iris and Fallon continue their disagreement it will not bode well for Caldera.¡±


    The Quorum Secretary glanced north-west. ¡°On that we are agreed.¡±


    ¡°Help me stop them.¡±


    The woman exhaled loudly and her shoulders fell. ¡°This will end when one of them falls. Most likely it will be Iris.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way.¡±


    Eldridge shook her head, and I sensed her desperation tinge the Ether flowing through her, mixing in with the pain flowing out of the Seal before either she or I could cleanse the flows. ¡°Once a Khan falls into the Dream of Ragnarok, they rarely escape from it.¡±


    ¡°But it can be done.¡±


    The woman clenched her hands in despair and frustration. ¡°It¡¯s rare but yes. However, we would need to reach her. We would need to be in contact with her.¡±


    I was tempted to stop my ministrations on the Ether inside her, but acknowledged that would serve no purpose other than to appease my irritated feelings at her response.


    Folding my arms under my breasts, I spoke in a firm tone. ¡°If you wanted to save Fallon¡ªif you truly wished to help her¡ªhow would you do so?¡±


    Eldridge grew still and regarded me suspiciously.


    At the same time, I could feel her exerting her ability as an Empath Weaver, cleansing the flows within her almost as much as I was. Little by little, she had recovered her strength, concentration, and control over the Ether, so in equal measure I began withdrawing my influence on the Ether inside her body.


    She was a quick learner.


    She was copying my technique for imprinting the Ether, which was more effective at cancelling out the agony flowing into her through the Seal of Arcala.


    I was fairly certain she wasn¡¯t trained by the Aja, at one of their schools for gifted Empath Weavers like me. She was either self-taught, or learned her craft from another Empath Weaver of moderate skill.


    Eldridge gradually relaxed, then shook her head slowly. When she spoke, her tone sounded resigned. ¡°To save her, we would need a Khan to establish a link to her Seal, reach into it, and pull her consciousness out of the Dream.¡±


    I shrugged a shoulder. ¡°Then why not have Iris do just that?¡±


    ¡°Because Iris has her hands full staying alive.¡±


    I threw her a pout. ¡°So what you¡¯re telling me is that in order to save Iris and Fallon¡­we need another Khan.¡±


    Ravinia Eldridge tensed up, then relaxed into a bout of strained laughter.


    I watched her with my eyes, and with my Empath talent.


    Her hands clenched and unclenched rhythmically. ¡°And where do we get another Khan? Wait¡ªdon¡¯t tell me. His Grace has one squirreled away in the depths of the mountain-Citadel. Am I right?¡±


    I threw her another pout. ¡°Now you are just being rude.¡±


    Ravinia tossed her arms into the air, then abruptly sat down cross legged on the valley grass.


    She shook her head despondently.


    ¡°My Khan is going to die at the hands of a Wilder, and you¡¯re irked at my remarks about your brother.¡±


    I regarded her dejected appearance for a moment. ¡°If your Khan dies, she has no one to blame but herself. She did a stupid thing by underestimating her opponent, and she will rightly suffer for it.¡±


    Eldridge looked at me with a chagrined expression.


    I shook my head down at her. ¡°Unfortunately, I fear a great many people will suffer for your Khan¡¯s foolishness.¡±


    Eldridge turned away and her shoulders slumped.


    #


    (Falken)


    ¡°I jest,¡± Gabrielle said with a laugh. ¡°I know you can¡¯t read minds.¡±


    She extended her open right hand down at the sword-spear that had fallen beside her feet.


    I watched the weapon float up into her waiting hand. ¡°Was I wrong?¡±


    Hesitation ran across her face, and then Gabrielle gave me a wistful smile. ¡°It¡¯s a wish of mine. I don¡¯t know if it will ever come to fruition, but I would like to find safe haven for the Khan Wilders.¡±


    So my wild theories weren¡¯t off the mark. ¡°Who are you? Maybe I should ask, what are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m part of the system that works with the Khans.¡± She waved her sword-spear lazily about. ¡°I¡¯m their support.¡±


    I rolled her reply in my head. ¡°System? What do you mean?¡±


    Gabrielle faintly grimaced. ¡°Khans were not meant to operate alone. The relationship between the Seal of Arcala¡ªthe Archetype¡ªand the Khan or host, isn¡¯t a perfect one. There is the occasional disharmony between the two, which affects how a Khan uses their assigned Warlord.¡±


    I took a half step closer to her. ¡°Assigned?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Once a Khan is chosen they are assigned a Warlord, one they may or may not grow into.¡±


    I took another half step toward her. ¡°How is a Khan chosen?¡±


    She shrugged and gave me a sheepish look. ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t say because I¡¯m not privy to it.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not a Khan?¡±


    She shook her head just once. ¡°No. I¡¯m part of the support system, the Concordia.¡± She waved a hand over herself. ¡°And as I declared before this is not a Warlord, but a Celestial¡±


    The dove-like wings fluttered behind her.


    Gabrielle grinned. ¡®See what I mean?¡±


    I shook my head and replied flatly, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t.¡±


    The young woman looked momentarily crestfallen, and I felt a twinge of guilt but paid it no mind.


    She shrugged her shoulders while shaking her head. ¡°Oh well. Never mind.¡± She brightened a heartbeat later. ¡°Well, shall we negotiate terms?¡±


    ¡°Say again?¡±


    ¡°I can help that girl, but I want something in return. Specifically, I want something from you.¡±


    I took a deep breath. ¡°Let me hear it.¡±


    ¡°I want safe haven for my charge.¡±


    I frowned. ¡°Your charge?¡±


    She nodded quickly. ¡°I have a Khan Wilder that I¡¯m supporting. A Wilder I have decided to help. However, at present I don¡¯t have the means to, shall we say, provide for her.¡±


    ¡°You want me to shelter a Khan Wilder.¡±


    She leaned forward slightly. ¡°Well, are you not already sheltering one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to say, one is enough.¡±


    Gabrielle arched a slender eyebrow at me. ¡°That¡¯s not a very fatherly thing to say.¡±


    I shrugged at her. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. Though my late father was prone to complain that one son was more than enough. He was relieved when the third child turned out be a girl¡ªthough in a matter of years he was terrified of the trouble Alleyne would get him into¡ªwait! Why am I telling you this?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. However, the condition for my help is that you provide shelter for my Khan and I.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re including yourself in the condition.¡±


    She tapped her chest which I will admit was nicely rounded and bountiful. ¡°With all due respect, your Grace, but I need a place to stay as well. I haven¡¯t had a decent bath in weeks.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of streams with clean fresh water in Caldera.¡±


    ¡°We ran out of soap a month ago.¡±


    ¡°Then go into town and buy supplies.¡±


    ¡°We ran out of money a month ago.¡±


    I stared at her for a long moment. ¡°Then find a job.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Do my ears deceive me¡­?¡±


    I noticed I was rubbing my right temple. ¡°Could we discuss this later?¡±


    She crossed her arms without releasing the sword-spear. ¡°Do we have an agreement or do we not?¡±


    I grimaced inwardly and outwardly, and averted my gaze.


    Where in the name of the gods would I hide her and another Khan Wilder?


    A loud boom and the sound of falling rocks, most likely an avalanche, reached my ears. I half spun around and looked in the direction of the rock fall.


    My chest tightened when my ears caught another sound on the heels of the avalanche.


    Gabrielle blurted out, ¡°I hear people. I hear people crying. Is there a village over there?¡±


    The fighting between the two Warlords had reached the people sheltering in Calmonad.


    House Clarent may have abandoned Calmonad five generations ago, however it was home to many who had fallen out of favor with their communities or could not gain acceptance within the villages and townships of the land.


    Involuntarily my hands clenched as my fears were realized.


    I turned back to face Gabrielle who was eyeing the northwest with concern. ¡°Can you stop them?¡±


    She blinked distractedly. ¡°Say again¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Can you pull Fallon out of the state she¡¯s in? Can you pull her out of the darkness?¡±


    ¡°Eh¡ªyes. Yes, I can.¡±


    I swallowed and proverbially stepped past my misgivings. ¡°I will offer you and your Khan shelter, but it will be on my terms.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Take my offer or leave it.¡±


    She looked faintly aghast. ¡°What kind of offer is that?¡±


    ¡°Try your luck elsewhere, or the two of you can get a job in town.¡±


    She huffed. ¡°How can you even suggest that knowing how people behave toward those that cannot use the Ether. In our case it¡¯s even worse since our bodies ward away the Ether.¡±


    I sucked in air through clenched teeth. ¡°You want shelter. You shall have it. However, it will be on my terms.¡±


    Gabrielle appeared ready to retort when another boom resounded in the distance. She glanced away from me, looking in the direction of Calmonad, which lay around the side of the mountain.


    However, I kept my gaze firmly and squarely upon her, resisting the urge to rush over to the western face of Tor Invern where the abandoned fortress overlooked the lake.


    Even if I did so, what could I hope to achieve?


    My sudden hopes for a resolution rested with the young woman in the revealing armor standing a few meters before me.


    Gabrielle inhaled deeply, yet released the air quietly. ¡°I accept. Shelter in exchange for saving that girl from the Seal¡¯s Overdrive.¡±


    My firm expression faltered and broke into a faint frown. ¡°Overdrive?¡±


    ¡°I will explain at a more opportune time.¡± Gabrielle glanced up the side of the mountain to her right. ¡°You heard him. You need a bath as much as I do, and I¡¯m tired of eating nothing but wild fruits.¡±


    I looked up where Gabrielle¡¯s gaze was directed.


    Some distance up the side of the mountain, a young girl in ill-fitting clothes revealed herself from behind a collection of large boulders that made her appear diminutive.


    As she came into the light, I wondered how she¡¯d succeeded in climbing up the mountain unobserved. I also wondered how she was able to hear Gabrielle despite hiding a good forty to fifty feet up the side of the mountain. However, those thoughts dispelled in a heartbeat when I saw the girl¡¯s face in the morning light emanating from an overcast sky.


    Gabrielle¡¯s voice stepped into the void left behind by my departed thoughts.


    ¡°Your Grace, Falken Galen Claymore, I present to you my charge, the Seerkhan, Fatina Kassius.¡±


    My composure sorely rattled, I stared up at the girl standing on the mountainside.


    I could have sworn it was Fallon looking down at me.

 Chapter 18

    This chapter was rewritten and reposted on the 20th Jan 2016.


    <hr />


    Chapter 18.


    (Fallon)


    I was still alive.


    Still in one piece.


    As Akasha had stabbed at me with her long spear, Andraste had reached out and parried the weapon away from me by using its remaining sword.


    The reaction was reflexive, but I was sure it hadn¡¯t come from me.


    It had come from the Seal of Arcala.


    I didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but I could feel a change had taken place within the Seal inside my body and my mind.


    Ever since I was pulled into the Seal¡¯s side of the curtain, where I saw the outside world as a fiery landscape just like in the dream, I¡¯d had the feeling the Seal was somehow conscious and alive. As I fought Iris, I¡¯d been conscious of the Seal¡¯s presence as though it was pressed against me, embracing me from behind in a motherly way. It watched over me, guided me, and supported me. Its warmth had bled into me, and I¡¯d felt an indescribable happiness and joy surge through my mind and body.


    To me, the Seal felt like a companion and a mentor, a teacher and a guide.


    It was a comforting, reassuring presence, and with its help, I¡¯d fought Iris on better than equal footing, until Iris unexpectedly improved and I once again faced a steep, uphill battle to stay alive. But even when the situation had changed for the worse, I could still strongly feel the Seal enveloping me. It had not abandoned me, though now it wasn¡¯t feeding me warmth or happiness, but cold fear.


    And that fear had made it hard for me to control Andraste.


    The Seal¡¯s terror had robbed me of my strength and ability to fight.


    Perhaps it realized this, because I¡¯d felt it push me aside and grab control of Andraste. Actually, it wasn¡¯t that it had pushed me away. Rather, the Seal that had been lovingly embracing me, had flowed into me, taken control of Andraste, and fought off Iris with a mad flurry of strikes that were uncoordinated yet desperately powerful. They were so powerful that Iris was forced to back away and regain her stance before charging at me again.


    But the Seal was inside me now.


    I could feel it within my body, moving me if not against my will, then at least without my consent.


    This wasn¡¯t what I wanted.


    I didn¡¯t want to feel its fear and terror rushing through me.


    I didn¡¯t want it controlling me or my Warlord.


    As Andraste pushed and pulled against Akasha, the latter¡¯s bladed-spear mere feet away from my chest, I focused part of my vision inward and reached out to the Seal.


    Stop this¡­please¡­.


    I fell inwards, like falling down a water well, but when I reached bottom I suddenly found myself floating, and looking down at myself merged with Andraste. It was as though my spirit had separated from my body, and I was now floating above it, watching myself battle Andraste.


    But that wasn¡¯t all I could see.


    I could see myself enveloped by a ghostly shadow of myself.


    The Seal of Arcala.


    I wasn¡¯t being embraced anymore. My shadow self, the Seal, was flowing in and out of my body.


    Stop this¡­please¡­I don¡¯t want this¡­.


    The Seal disappeared into me, and though I was separated from my body, I felt the Seal take control of Andraste once again and generate a barrier-field that slammed into Iris and Akasha, knocking them back several meters.


    Briefly separated from them, I thought the Seal might choose to escape, but then I sensed it fear turning its back on Iris. It seemed wise not to turn ones back on an opponent that had a bladed spear that could cut through concrete and stone walls like a hot blade through snow.


    It took only a moment or two for Iris to recover, then she was back, pressing me or rather the Seal into a desperate defense.


    With Akasha wielding it in two hands, Iris constantly worked the bladed-spear into my inside region, forcing the Seal to use both my blades to cover my high and low areas. Despite Andraste¡¯s long arms and the length of its swords, the Seal willed the Warlord to crouch, lower its stance enough to cover my low inside better.


    I realized now that I was nothing more than a spectator ¨C a floating spirit watching from above ¨C unable to fight for myself.


    Then without warning, another wave of dizziness swept through me, I felt myself float upwards at an incredible speed. In a heartbeat or less I was back in my body, my inward vision having collapsed. But I also realized that my Awareness bubble had burst, shrinking my perception of the fiery world to what my five senses could tell me.


    I was back in my body.


    I was back in control.


    But where was the Seal? I couldn¡¯t feel it anymore.


    A heartbeat later, Andraste and I drifted apart.


    The Warlord¡¯s legs turned rubbery and it fell to a knee, quickly stopping itself from falling forward with a hastily planted hand on the ground.


    My view of the world rolled and grew gray and misty.


    When Iris cut the air with a victorious cry, I could barely see her.


    But I felt the tremendous kick Akasha delivered to Andraste, and my eyesight tumbled as Andraste and I rolled across the ground. The Warlord and I came to rest on its back, half sunk into a single storey house we¡¯d crashed into. My vision see-sawed, and after squeezing my eyes shut for a few moments, I opened them to see Akasha and a bleeding Iris stagger toward me, almost dragging its bladed spear along the ground. It was as though she had spent much of her remaining strength delivering that one brutal kick.


    I tried willing Andraste to move, sensing it was wedged into the building, but my bond to the Warlord was less than weak, and Andraste hardly shuddered in response.


    Panic and desperation began building up inside me.


    Akasha and Iris continued toward me, staggering with each step, but nonetheless moving my way. Iris¡¯s lips moved but I couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying, yet her intentions were clear in her eyes.


    This time I wasn¡¯t going to get away.


    Knowing that, I began struggling for air as my despair formed a very large ball in my chest, putting pressure on my heart and lungs.


    Iris and Akasha drew closer, the spear¡¯s blade slicing a narrow furrow along the ground.


    The woman¡¯s bloodied lips moved, and this time I heard her raspy voice.


    ¡°¡­what will it take¡­to pin you down¡­?¡±


    The ball in my chest grew larger, and my body trembled as I gasped for air.


    Move, move, move¡­MOVE!


    But Andraste wouldn¡¯t move, and I could feel myself slipping away from it even more, almost losing my bond with it altogether.


    The reddish sky warped and wavered with streaks of blue cutting swaths out of it. The hot air I blowing around me grew cold. The strange sounds of the inhabitants became recognizable as human cries and screams. I was falling out of the dream that showed me a twisted, hellish vision of my surroundings and back into the world I truly lived in.


    I gathered my despair, and yelled inside my head ¨C screaming at the Warlord to move.


    Suddenly an icy cold surged through my body, freezing my breath, and petrifying my limbs.


    My view of the world turned inward again, and in my mind¡¯s eye, I saw the Seal, wearing my appearance, reaching out to me in despair.


    I felt my mind reach out to it too.


    Our hands clasped, and I was pulled into it, falling headlong into the Seal.


    For a heartbeat, I thought I might have heard it yell out in surprise as we both plunged into darkness.


    #


    (Fatina)


    With my Awareness expanded and sharpened to give me the greatest possible clarity, Gehanna and I leapt over the low building rooftops and flew down toward my quarry on the level not so far below.


    My sister had stopped moving.


    Her Warlord had grown limp, its Awareness-field collapsed, barrier-fields faded, and the Impulse Wings were dark.


    My sister was now defenseless.


    As I leapt toward them, I watched Iris Dirac Korvinus and her Warlord, Akasha, stand over my sister with a painfully familiar sword-spear poised high over Deena¡¯s motionless body.


    I sensed her hesitation, and I doubted it had anything to do with my approach.


    It was my sister¡¯s lifeless open eyes that gave her pause.


    Though my Awareness was focused on Iris, I was also quite aware of my sister, which is why I knew her heart had stopped beating.


    In that moment of understanding, I felt two things.


    An unpleasant emptiness hollow out my heart, and a burning hatred flow into it.


    It was hatred for Iris Dirac.


    But there was nothing I could do for my sister.


    I understood this well enough, which is why I concentrated my attention on Iris.


    I needed to get her away from my sister in order to give Gabrielle a chance to save Deena.


    I knew that Gabrielle would. I trusted her because I owed her my life, and while my debt to her continued to grow I wasn¡¯t worried about it.


    In truth, as I leapt down at Iris Dirac, I realized that despite the circumstances I wasn¡¯t worried about anything at all.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but for some reason¡­my heart was at peace.


    Perhaps for the first time in many weeks, I wouldn¡¯t dream that horrible dream¡­.


    Dirac became aware of me a heartbeat before I crashed into her.


    By then it was too late for her to avoid me, or prepare for me.


    Gehanna¡¯s barrier-fields, layered a dozen thick, collided with Akasha. The outermost fields shattered, but the inner ones held, and together with the energy of my descent, the impact knocked Akasha and Iris to the edge of the stepped level. My landing with Gehanna wasn¡¯t the best, but at least I was on my feet before Iris could recover.


    We were now on the lowest level of this strange, mountainside township, and less than a hundred feet from the lakeshore with its many boat piers.


    With Gehanna gripping its long swords tightly in each hand, I walked the Warlord over to Akasha swaying drunkenly on its feet.


    Dirac blinked hard, and I could sense her struggle to focus on me.


    I pushed against her Awareness field, disrupting it the way Gabrielle had taught me. This had the effect of dazing Dirac, and the young woman shook her head as though trying to clear it.


    It was something I could do to her because she was weakened. The fight with my sister had robbed her of her strength, and probably reopened the wound Gabrielle had inflicted upon her two weeks ago when she saved me from Iris.


    But I knew that wasn¡¯t the only serious injury Iris Dirac bore.


    She carried another, one that I believed had speared through her body.


    I had seen it once, when Gabrielle¡¯s strike had cut through her clothes, revealing the gash in Iris¡¯s chest, a moment before Gabrielle stabbed iris with her sword-spear, tearing through the woman¡¯s body and out her back.


    I was certain both wounds were weighing her down.


    It¡¯s hard for the human body to recover from such injuries. Even blessed with the Seal of Arcala, such wounds take time to heal, and Iris had rushed into battle too soon for her own good.


    Relying on the training I¡¯d received from the Seal¡¯s dream state, I knocked aside Akasha¡¯s spear, then delivered an upward slash that should have separated the Warlord¡¯s right hand from its wrist.


    But to my amazement, Akasha moved faster than I could follow and its arm escaped injury.


    In reply, Akasha assumed a defensive stance, and fanned out the seven Impulse Wings attached to its back. At the same time, it extended the open palm of its left hand toward me. The air shimmered before its palm, and a barrier-field crashed into Gehanna and I with the force of a storm wind strong enough to uproot a forest. Gehanna slid back along the ground until it extended its six Impulse Wings and summoned a wind of its own, but it wasn¡¯t a barrier-field. It was what Gabrielle called an Impulse-Field, and it braced us against the wind effect of Akasha¡¯s barrier-field.


    It was my turn to push back.


    With both swords gripped tightly in Gehanna¡¯s clawed hands, I willed my Warlord to hold them before me, and concentrated on generating a barrier-field of my own. I imagined it projecting from the sword tips, pushing against the field emanating from Akasha¡¯s palm.


    Gehanna began pushing back and it was Akasha¡¯s turn to slide along the ground for a handful of yards.


    Halos of blue-white light formed around Akasha¡¯s Impulse Wings, and the Warlord came to a stop.


    I knew the same halos of light surrounded Gehanna¡¯s wings.


    Our two barrier-fields pushed against each other for many seconds, magnifying the windstorm kicking up debris around us.


    For a heartbeat I worried about my sister, fearing the storm we were rousing was going to harm her and perhaps Gabrielle.


    Then I realized I was thinking foolishly.


    Harm Gabrielle? How stupid of me. As if this storm could ever harm that demon.


    Nonetheless, I resisted the urge to look behind me.


    I couldn¡¯t risk diverting my Awareness away from Iris.


    Almost all my concentration was focused on maintaining the barrier-field I was summoning to oppose Akasha¡¯s field.


    I¡¯ll believe in Gabrielle, and trust her to save my sister¡ªhuh?


    Akasha flattened the claws of her left hand, turning it into a knife, and made a horizontal slashing motion.


    What the¡ª?


    Without warning, my barrier-field was cut in half like a cloth curtain sliced left-to-right by an incredibly sharp sword.


    A piercer-field? But it ripped through her barrier as well as mine.


    In a heartbeat I willed Gehanna to cut power to the Impulse-Field it was generating, otherwise I would have flown straight into Dirac and her Warlord. Nonetheless, Gehanna still stumbled forward a couple of steps before skidding to a stop.


    In the next heartbeat, I feared Dirac would come at me, but Akasha¡¯s Impulse Wings had grown dark. It seemed Iris Dirac had chosen to stand her ground.


    Unease cut sharply through my chest. Worry began to eat at my resolve.


    Can I hold of Dirac long enough for Gabrielle to save Deena?


    Akasha lowered its left hand while slowly twirling the long spear it gripped in its right.


    She cut both her field and mine without using her spear. How did she manage that?


    Shifting into a defensive stance I¡¯d learnt from the Dream of Ragnarok, I waited for Dirac to charge at me.


    So this is the difference that practice and experience makes possible.


    Under Gabrielle¡¯s training, I was confident I¡¯d improved over the past two weeks, but I knew I¡¯d taken only a handful of steps on the long journey toward mastering Gehanna. I also knew there was a big gap in skill between Iris Dirac and I.


    With all that in mind, I really couldn¡¯t afford to be careless or the least bit overconfident.


    I had to maintain my concentration, hold onto my resolve, and be confident that the last two weeks of Hellish training under Gabrielle were not a wasted effort. But that was easier said than done, especially when moment after moment went by and Iris Dirac refused to move.


    What is she waiting for? Is she just going to keep twirling that spear until I come at her?


    Maybe she read my thoughts.


    Akasha stopped twirling the spear, and buried one bladed tip into the ground.


    Dirac spat blood, then casually wiped her lips with the back of a leather gauntleted wrist. Yet blood continued to drip down the corners of her eyes and mouth.


    She looked a mess. A fearful, bloody mess. When she breathed, it sounded as though she had a hole in her chest. Despite this, she broke the silence between us with a calm voice and thin smile that made me shiver.


    Dirac cocked her head to a side.


    ¡°You again¡­.¡±


    #


    (Falken)


    I rode Palomar up the levels back to where the rubble had collapsed onto hapless people, and where many more struggled to remove oversized chunks of permacrete and stone.


    Arriving in short order at the level, I ran my gaze over what I could see of the devastation, then turned my attention to the construction Jotunn kneeling on all fours some distance away.


    Two men worked on its back, ducking in and out of sight from behind the open cowling of the Jotunn¡¯s Etheric Drive.


    Unable to resist the urge to look down the levels at the Warlords, I saw the red and black Warlord of Fatina standing off against Iris Dirac, but the buildings obscured my view of Fallon.


    Again, I felt helpless, so I turned away and focused on what I could do as opposed to what I couldn¡¯t.


    I urged Palomar about and galloped over to the kneeling Jotunn, bringing the horse to a hasty stop right beside the motionless machine.


    ¡°Will it run?¡± I called out in a firm voice, loud enough to be heard above the surrounding din.


    Neither man popped their heads out of the engine housing, but one of them yelled, ¡°Just a bloody moment.¡±


    ¡°Just give me an answer,¡± I yelled back.


    The man who¡¯d replied straightened and stared at me. He was elderly, probably more than thrice my age, but he had a fire in his eyes that reminded me of my father on a very bad day.


    ¡°Son, you yell at me again and there will be problems.¡±


    I met his hard stare with one of mine, and pointed with a steady finger at the Jotunn. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one more time, old man. Will it run?¡±


    For a long while he remained silent, his eyes firmly locked on mine, before uttering a guttural, ¡°It¡¯ll run if you shut up and let me fix it.¡±


    ¡°Then shut up and get back to work. You have five minutes to get it running, or when this is over, I¡¯m tossing your decrepit ass into a cell in Calandor. You hear me, old man?¡±


    The second man, much younger than the first, pulled his body out of the open engine bay.


    ¡°Hey, you wanna try that¡ªugh!¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡ªyour Grace!¡±


    I pointed at the mountain of rubble. ¡°People are dying. I need that Jotunn working so that I can help them.¡±


    The old man ran his gaze over me. ¡°So you¡¯re the young whelp that¡¯s running the land.¡± He turned away and resumed working on the engine. ¡°No wonder Caldera has gone to a pile of horse dung.¡±


    I sincerely wanted to throw the old goat into a cell.


    The sound of a loud crash was accompanied by a quake that made Palomar even more skittish than he already was. When a strong gust of wind roared over the ground, I had to work the reins and my legs hard to keep him from bolting.


    ¡°Damn it, you goat. Stop bucking around!¡±


    The old man snapped, ¡°Who are you calling an old goat?¡±


    I decided it wasn¡¯t worth the effort to answer him.


    Casting anxious looks toward the levels below, I also kept an eye on the work the people were carrying out on the mountain of rubble. Every so often, I would look up at the level above from where it appeared even more rubble would rain down. With another strong ground tremor like before, and I was certain parts of that level would come down atop the people working below it.


    How much longer was the repair going to take?


    I whirled Palomar about and then edged the horse closer. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with it?¡±


    The younger of the two men replied, ¡°The gears are shot, and the Etheric fan blades have seen better days.¡±


    I leaned closer. ¡°Can it turn over? Doesn¡¯t matter what gear¡ªjust tell me if it will turn over?¡±


    The old man growled, ¡°It¡¯ll turn over, but you¡¯ll need a lot of grunt to keep it running.¡±


    Making my choice in a heartbeat, I climbed down off Palomar¡¯s back. ¡°Leave that to me.¡±


    Because it was kneeling on hands and knees, strapping myself into the construction Jotunn wasn¡¯t the easiest task to accomplish. I had to brace myself using my legs while first working myself into the safety harness, and then snapping the buckles together. My struggles aside, my confidence that the Jotunn would move wasn¡¯t reassured by the loud banging coming from the engine housing mounted to the machine¡¯s back. The loud cursing didn¡¯t help either.


    ¡°Piece of junk!¡±


    I heard a couple of extra loud metal crashes, then the sound of the engine cowling being slammed shut.


    The younger man dropped down beside the Jotunn, then crouched in order to look at me strapped into the machine¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Your Grace, you¡¯re good to go. The lower gears had to be disengaged from both derailleurs otherwise the connecting chain may snap¡ªand that chain is old. Very old. It should have been changed¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forget about the chain. What gears do I have?¡±


    ¡°Just the high gears, your Grace.¡±


    I nodded curtly. ¡°That will do.¡±


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Noticing I was having difficulty securing my legs into the sheaths attached to the Jotunn¡¯s inner thighs, he squatted under the machine and helped me with the straps and buckles.


    He carried on. ¡°Without the low gears you¡¯re going to have a hard time spooling it up¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve had to deal with worse.¡±


    That was the bitter truth I¡¯d had to bear the last couple of years.


    With the last of the buckles locked in place, I concentrated on the Ether flowing through the belt system, and exerted my Ether Kinetic will over the pulley mechanism. The straps tightened around me until I felt secure in the Jotunn¡¯s chest.


    I glanced at the man crouching beside me. ¡°Is that old goat clear of me?¡±


    A second pair of feet, this time wearing sandals, landed on the ground beside the kneeling Jotunn. ¡°Who are you calling an old goat?¡±


    I snorted loud enough to be heard. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I reached out to the Etheric Drive by using the Ether as a medium. Like a man in darkness running his hands and fingers over the engine, a picture of it began to form in my mind. The Ether wasn¡¯t a light shining in the darkness. Rather, it was more like a ghostly mist that illuminated the Etherite inside the components of the Etheric Drive. This had the effect of making a significant amount of the engine glow in the dark of my mind.


    The construction Jotunn had a cable system I could use to control the derailleurs and shift the drive chain between gears depending on how fast I needed the engine to spin and how much Ether I needed the impellers or fan blades to draw into the Jotunn. However, while holding the engine¡¯s image in my mind, I chose to shift the chain from one gear wheel to the next by using my Ether Kinetic will. In other words, I was using my will to operate the derailleurs, rather than resorting to the cable system, because I couldn¡¯t trust the mechanism would hold.


    Shifting into the lowest gears accessible by the worn out derailleurs was a struggle. The mechanism felt loose and unresponsive and I almost lost the chain running over them. This design lacked the more modern guide wheels that helped keep a chain from jumping gears.


    I was starting to wonder just how old this construction Jotunn was. It certainly predated any that I¡¯d ever operated before.


    To get the engine spinning, I focused my Ether Kinetic talent on the crank wheel that was forged with Etherite in the mix. I couldn¡¯t use my talent to grab onto the chain because it contained no Etherite since the material tended to weaken any structure it was mixed into. Though Etherite was malleable it wasn¡¯t a metal, and its brittleness wasn¡¯t suitable for chains that needed to endure large loads of tension.


    With a fair amount of effort, the crank began turning over under the influence of my Kinetic talent, but it was slow going. The damn thing felt like it weighed a couple of tonnes rather than a few kilograms. A little lubrication would have gone a long way toward making the process easier. However, I had no choice but to persist no matter the headache it was bringing on. I needed the Ether the Etheric engine could draw into the construction Jotunn¡¯s frame.


    No matter how strong my talent, the ambient Ether wasn¡¯t enough for me to make best use of the machine.


    It wasn¡¯t enough for me to save lives.


    Keeping my eyes shut while turning the crank over, I focused on the engine¡¯s fan blades, and began willing them to turn over in concert with my efforts to turn the crank wheel.


    Come on. Turn. Turn. Turn. Turn over.


    I sensed the multiple fan blades begin to do just that.


    And I could feel the pulsing ache within my skull beat in time with my heart.


    That¡¯s it. Keep turning. Keep turning.


    With more Ether flowing into the engine, I had more Ether with which to enforce my will over it.


    Turning it became easier, and soon that Ether began flow richly through the construction Jotunn¡¯s large skeletal body.


    Now, I could make it move.


    ¡°Move back. Get clear,¡± I called out.


    The younger man muttered an oath in surprise. ¡°Bloody Hell. He got it moving. I didn¡¯t think it would.¡±


    ¡°Bloody brat. He¡¯s got more talent than he deserves.¡±


    The Jotunn was on its hands and knees.


    I willed its legs to move just as I would my own, and used its overly long arms to push the rest of the skeletal chassis into an upright kneeling posture.


    To an observer, the Jotunn was like a child struggling to rise to its feet, and as its operate that¡¯s how I felt too.


    There was rubble nearby, large blocks of stone and permacrete blocks, that had fallen from the edge of the level above. Reaching out with one of the Jotunn¡¯s arms, I planted its left hand on one of the blocks and used it to steady the machine as I willed it to stand on its two feet. The joints creaked and groaned, and the Jotunn swayed as I concentrated my famed talent to prevent it from falling over.


    The two men had retreated some twenty feet.


    The old man snapped, ¡°Well? What are you waiting for? You need a push?¡±


    Now that it was standing, I exerted a little of my Kinetic will through the frame, using it to grab onto the metal cage designed to protect the operator. The cage came down, and I locked it into place with my own two hands.


    I made it a point to ignore the old man.


    The first step was hard, the second a little harder. Then for some reason it became easier, and within moments I was lumbering unsteadily across the fractured ground in a Jotunn that had no business being up on its feet.


    Part of my talent was focused on keeping the crank wheel turning, and the lack of lubrication made that a real struggle. But the Ether was flowing strongly into the engine and the rest of the machine, and that mitigated the struggle to sustain the turning of the wheel.


    Almost falling a handful of times, I caught myself on the surroundings to keep upright and moving. After what felt like minutes travelling a drunken path on foot, the Jotunn and I arrived at where this level of Calmonad was devastated and numerous people struggled to move oversized chunks of rubble by hand.


    A few of them noticed my approach, but a great many didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Out of the way,¡± I yelled. ¡°Move out of the way.¡±


    It took a few more yells for them to clear a both for me.


    The next problem I faced was deciding which pieces of stone and permacrete to move first.


    Unexpectedly, a large man who¡¯d been overseeing and participating in the rescue attempt made those decisions for me.


    ¡°That one,¡± he pointed. ¡°That one first.¡±


    Swinging thick burly arms, he waved back the dozens of men clambering over the mountain of rubble.


    ¡°Get out of the way,¡± he snapped at them. ¡°You lot¡ªpull back twenty feet.¡±


    Then he waved me forward.


    ¡°Come on, lad. Get to it.¡±


    I ground my molars together and rolled my neck in irritation.


    When I¡¯m not being called a brat, I¡¯m being called a lad.


    Restraining the urge to stomp, I walked the Jotunn to the foot of the debris mountain, and planted its feet wide and firm on the ground. Then I willed the machine to reach forward, and grab onto the first irregular chunk of rubble. Hands and arms the length of a large tree¡¯s branches took hold of a piece of permacrete the size of an adult boar though significantly heavier.


    I gave myself a moment to gather my will before exerting it fully through the machine¡¯s arms, shoulders and torso, much like a man tightening his gut and bracing his legs a heartbeat before lifting something sizeable weight.


    With the Ether flowing strongly through the Jotunn, it picked up the debris and lifted it clear of the mountain of rubble. Mindful of the people around me, I swung the Jotunn¡¯s body around, and tossed the permacrete boulder away.


    ¡°Good. Now that one.¡±


    I looked where the burly man indicated, and then repositioned the Jotunn so that it could remove a jagged piece of permacrete from a side of the rubble mountain.


    After lifting, I tossed it behind me. Again, I had to careful not to hit anyone as I did so.


    Then it was onto the third piece.


    And then the fourth.


    I lost track of time as I operated the Jotunn to the large man¡¯s instructions.


    Before long, sweat ran in rivulets down my back and under my arms.


    The headache I¡¯d endured when spinning up the Etheric drive had not abated. It had grown worse. However, even while moving boulder after boulder of rubble, I had to keep part of my concentration on the crank wheel. I simply couldn¡¯t afford to let it stop. I feared that once it stopped, the worn out engine would seize up and never spin again.


    Then I felt something in the Etheric drive that made my blood run cold.


    The drive chain was rattling and sliding about.


    There links were beginning to separate and the chain was losing its tension.


    ¡°Gods damn it,¡± I whispered, and shook my head to flick the seat out of my eyes as the twentieth¡ªno, twenty-fifth piece of broken permacrete was tossed out of the way by the Jotunn¡¯s hands and arms.


    The mountain of rubble continued to grow smaller, and pockets with survivors were now visible, and their pleas for help audible. People trapped under the debris now extended their hands and reached out for salvation.


    I had to be more careful than ever as I removed one piece of debris after the other. No matter my surroundings, my concentration had to be devoted to the task at hand, and the instructions blared out by the barrel chested man that insisted on calling me ¡®lad¡¯.


    Now, more than ever, there was no simply no room for a mistake on my part.


    Men began clambering atop the broken pile that was once a large part of the level above. They worked in concert to roll and sometimes lift small yet quite heavy lumps of permacrete and rock out of the way, throwing them aside over the foot of the mountain of destruction gradually growing smaller and smaller.


    Other men reached into those pockets of safety and began pulling survivors out, one person at a time.


    Carefully positioning the Jotunn on the a couple of large broken slaps, I reached for the block of permacrete hampering a group of men trying to get people out of a cavity under the debris pile. The Jotunn¡¯s joints and metal chassis creaked loudly, and the body swayed as I felt one side stiffen while the other gave way.


    As I fought to keep it upright and steady, I felt moisture on my upper lip. At first I thought it was sweat, but the coppery taste that greeted my mouth told it was blood, and it was trickling out of my nose.


    I chose not to wipe my lips and nose dry.


    Instead, I sucked in a lungful of air, reflexively tensed my body, and threw my will into steadying the five tonne bipedal machine before it could topple over.


    The Jotunn swayed for a heartbeat longer, then grew still.


    Not willing to breathe a sigh of relief, I concentrated my Kinetic talent on guiding its arms over the side of the mountain that was now more of a hill. Under my will, the Jotunn¡¯s oversized hands that could easily wrap their fingers round the trunk of a tree, grabbed the troublesome piece of shattered permacrete, and lifted it into the air.


    At that moment, the drive chain snapped and ricocheted of the inner walls of the engine housing.


    A ghastly grinding noise belched out of the Etheric drive as the chain smashed into the fan blades spinning at hundred or more revolutions per minute.


    I felt the Ether drawn into the Jotunn wane and grow thin.


    A heartbeat later, the twelve-foot tall metal giant toppled forward with the permacrete boulder still in its hands.


    #


    (Alleyne)


    Ravinia Eldridge¡¯s face was covered by a fine sheen of sweat.


    If not for her consistently fast and shallow breaths, I would have thought she was in labor and ready to deliver a child into the world.


    However, that was far and away from the truth.


    The agony flowing into her came from the piece of the Seal of Arcala that resided in her body. It was a piece that was once part of the Seal that was embedded within Iris Dirac¡¯s body. The bond between Dirac and Eldridge was made possible by the link between the two pieces of the Seal. The agony Iris Dirac was enduring was flowing into Ravinia. In fact, the Seal of Arcala was prioritizing Iris over Ravinia, and syphoning the pain the Khan felt and sending it Eldridge¡¯s way.


    This allowed Iris Dirac to fight for longer, despite the injuries she bore that had yet to heal.


    It also made me wonder at the extent of the injuries Dirac was carrying. If this much agony was flowing into Eldridge, didn¡¯t it indicate Dirac was tearing herself apart?


    I concentrated on the textures Dirac¡¯s pain was writing into the Ether flowing through Eldridge¡¯s body, rewriting them so that instead of anguish they became soothing contentment. If I couldn¡¯t change them in time, I would simply wipe them clean. And failing that, I left what textures slipped past me to the surprisingly capable Ether Empath talent demonstrated by Lisanna Sandoval.


    For the past few minutes, our combined efforts had kept Ravinia conscious and her body alive. If she had to endure it on her own, she would have fallen unconscious by now. There was a strong chance her body would have expired shortly afterwards from organ failure.  In essence, there is only so much pain the human body can endure, and this was after taking the Thread that resides within us into consideration.


    As I rewrote the textures imprinted harshly onto the Ether, I watched both Eldridge and Lisanna. The latter was on her knees, her palms resting over Eldridge¡¯s midriff, while I knelt with my hands on the woman¡¯s chest.


    I was surprised by how quickly Lisanna could rewrite the textures imprinted on the Ether. Though she was weaker than I in regards to how much Ether she could weave, I grudgingly admitted that her ability to write and rewrite emotions and sensations on the Ether was in a class noticeably above mine.


    I had strength.


    Lisanna had speed ¨C a very frightening speed.


    If I was to face her in battle, as one Aja to another, my strongest possibility for victory would be to overwhelm her in the opening moments, before she could write textures into the Ether that could harm me. If she slipped past my defenses, and entered my consciousness with an Etheric thread that conducted her will, I doubted I would be able to fight her. She would override my consciousness and will, effectively turning me into a puppet.


    Had she been playing with me all these years?


    Had she been pretending to be weak?


    I simply did not know, and it stoked the embers of worry deep in my chest.


    I shook my head inwardly.


    I was trying to save Eldridge¡¯s life, yet I was considering ways to defeat Lisanna should the situation ever arise. I chastised myself for being distracted, and concentrated on cleansing the Ether flowing through the woman lying on the ground before me.


    Lisanna spoke in a strained voice. ¡°You¡¯re falling behind.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­.¡± I narrowed my concentration around the task at hand.


    ¡°Let me take over.¡±


    I blinked in mild surprise, and stared at her in kind.


    Lisanna flicked a glance my way. ¡°You¡¯ve noticed by now that I¡¯m faster than you. I can keep the pain flowing into her at bay before it spreads that far into her body.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then let me take over,¡± she repeated. ¡°Or do you think you can do a better job of it?¡±


    Had she shown me a hint of arrogance, I would have rejected her offer.


    However, Lisanna¡¯s eyes were clear of malice, envy, pride, or any of the seven sins.


    I cleared my throat by swallowing the moisture in my mouth. ¡°Very well. Let us swap.¡±


    And swap we did.


    My hands gently pressed down upon Eldridge¡¯s midriff, and Lisanna¡¯s hands rested upon the woman¡¯s chest.


    I sensed and saw the Ether being rewritten under her Empath Weaver talent, and again I had to grudgingly admit she was the best choice for keeping Eldridge conscious and sane.


    Eldridge coughed and began breathing longer, deeper breaths.


    She gave Lisanna a weak nod. ¡°Thank you¡­.¡± Rolling her head my way, she added, ¡°Thank you¡­both of you¡­.¡±


    Lisanna began to tightly, narrowly shake her head. ¡°Why? Why is this happening? Doesn¡¯t your Khan know what she¡¯s doing to you?¡±


    Eldridge swallowed a couple of times, and gathered air in her lungs. ¡°She has decided¡­not to¡­let her go¡­.¡±


    Lisanna questioned, ¡°Let who go? You mean that little trollop from the countryside?¡±


    I shot Lisanna a glare that she ignored. Despite the fact her attention was on Eldridge, she was doing a masterful job of keeping the Ether free of any trace of pain within the woman¡¯s body. As a result, I could see color returning to Eldridge¡¯s features, and her breathing had noticeably recovered.


    Eldridge cleared her throat again, and gave Lisanna a dry smile. ¡°I take it you¡¯re not friends?¡±


    Lisanna raised her eyebrows. ¡°I being friends with that Khan? Hardly.¡±


    With the Ether in Eldridge¡¯s body filtered by Lisanna, there was nothing for me to do so I withdrew my Empathic talent, knelt back, and turned my attention on Eldridge.


    I sounded a little harsh to my ear. ¡°Why is Iris Dirac so intent on removing the Seal from Fallon¡¯s body?¡±


    Eldridge faced me. ¡°As I said before, she wishes to remove the Seal of Arcala from the girl in order to save her from the darkness, and to prevent her from harming these lands.¡±


    Alleyne huffed. ¡°That sounds like a very good thing.¡±


    I leaned slightly toward Eldridge. ¡°Is that truly the only reason? Or is it a standing order from the Quorum of Khans that no new Wilders be admitted into the existing ranks?¡±


    Eldridge shook her head, but the motion was quite narrow. ¡°Not at all.¡±


    Lisanna¡¯s brow furrowed ever so slightly, and I was truly fortunate to glimpse it.


    The young woman asked, ¡°So your Khan is risking death to protect these lands from that country trollop?¡± She snorted softly. ¡°And she¡¯s willing to sacrifice you in the process. What truly admirable dedication to her duties.¡±


    Eldridge inhaled deeply, a truly deep breath now possible that Lisanna was cleansing the Ether in her body with a talent that exceeded mine.


    ¡°Duty is all that girl has left,¡± the Quorum Secretary added solemnly.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    Lisanna¡¯s statement surprised me and Eldridge.


    The young woman nodded to herself but spoke to Eldridge lying on the grass before her. ¡°I¡¯m cleaning the Ether in your body, and I can feel the lie that accompanied your words.¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s surprise became concern.


    Lisanna broke into a thin smile. ¡°It was very faint. But it was there nonetheless.¡±


    The Quorum Secretary pressed her lips into a thin, pale line.


    Lisanna leaned down closer to her. ¡°Let me clarify something for you, Madam Secretary. I do not like that village girl. She is a danger and a nuisance we can do without. She is a problem that stands between his Grace and I, and the interests of my family. As such, I¡¯d rather she went away. Therefore, if you know something about her, then you should tell me. I believe it would be in your immediate best interests to do so.¡± Her thin smile brightened yet it was clearly cold. ¡°After all, your present wellbeing is in my hands.¡±


    ¡°Lisanna!¡± I snapped.


    She spared me a confident, sly look. ¡°You¡¯re constantly challenging and threatening me. Maybe now is the time I put you in your place, Alleyne.¡±


    I exhaled loudly. ¡°Very well. However, here and now is not that time. But I accept your challenge, Lisanna.¡±


    Lisanna¡¯s lips made an odd shape that complemented the pensive frown she wore. ¡°Hmm, very well. I look forward to facing you in the coming days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret this,¡± I warned her.


    ¡°I only regret not doing this sooner,¡± she answered with a cold smile. Then she turned her attention on Ravinia Eldridge who had folded her hands across her midriff. ¡°Madam Secretary, tell me what you know about that girl. Allow me to understand the reason for your lie.¡±


    I chose to remain silent and studied Eldridge¡¯s face as the woman came under pressure from Lisanna¡¯s icy stare.


    I couldn¡¯t deny that I too wished to know what Eldridge was hiding.


    Ravinia Eldridge wet her lips slowly, then swallowed visibly before responding to Lisanna¡¯s cold insistence.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing more than a suspicion harbored by Iris¡­.¡±


    ¡°A suspicion?¡± Lisanna asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eldridge replied and nodded. ¡°Iris believes that girl and her sister are noble born.¡±


    I gasped sharply. ¡°Her sister?


    Lisanna muttered, ¡°Noble born?¡±


    Again, Eldridge nodded.


    ¡°Yes. Iris believes those girls survived the ambitions of the Anderas Empire¡­.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19.


    (Fatina)


    Two weeks ago, Gabrielle saved me when my life was heartbeats from coming to an end.


    At the time, I was a Khan Wilder wandering between the villages and towns of Reinwald, stealing what I needed to survive, and learning to wield Gehanna a little at a time, aided by the Seal and the Dream of Ragnarok.


    I had slaughtered my village, and I had fled from my sister, abandoning her despite the pleas she cried hoarsely into the night air.


    I had to get away from the remains of the village, from our mother, and from her.


    If the soldiers of Reinwald were to come, they could not find me near my sister.


    It wouldn¡¯t be safe for her.


    That was what I told myself, and I convinced myself to run.


    But the truth was I was terrified of facing her. I had committed a mortal sin, the gravest of crimes.


    I had killed not one person, but hundreds.


    I had killed them all, the men, the women, and the children.


    It wasn¡¯t just my hands that were stained in blood, but my heart and soul too.


    And when I slept, I relived that night, hearing their screams over and over in my mind, driving me awake and robbing me of rest.


    Then the Sharkhan from the Orden found me, and I willingly joined her in battle.


    I threw myself into the fight, believing this was what I wanted ¨C an end to the nightmare my life had become.


    I wanted to stop hearing the screams of the dead.


    I wanted an end to everything, but I was too much of a coward to end my own life.


    So I chose to have the Sharkhan do it for me.


    I fought her in rocky, uneven woodlands, drawing upon everything I had learnt from my experiences within the Dream of Ragnarok.


    She had experience and training on her side. Time had acclimated her body to the Seal of Arcala within her, but I had power.


    Gehanna was stronger than Akasha.


    As we fought, at times felling trees with a single swipe of our bladed weapons, I realized something important.


    Knowing Gabrielle as I know her now, she would have described it as¡­profound.


    As I fought, I realized I didn¡¯t want to die.


    I wanted to live.


    I had thrown myself into battle with the Sharkhan not because I wanted to die, but because I wanted to know if I deserved to live even after everything I had done ¨C even after all the lives I had taken.


    I was giving it my all in the hope of finding a glimmer of hope that my life was still worth something more than an endless cycle of despair.


    But I was defeated, and it was Gabrielle who saved me, appearing at the last moment and wounding Iris Dirac with her sword-spear, before stealing me away from Sharkhan.


    I believed I should have died, and I raged against Gabrielle.


    But she gave me a reason to live, and that reason was my sister.


    Deena was alive, branded with a Seal, and gifted with a Warlord.


    She was alive and on the run.


    Gabrielle wanted to save her, and she needed my help.


    Saving and protecting my sister became my reason to live.


    She would be my means of atonement.


    However, a new nightmare awaited me. The Hell of constant training.


    From morning to night, Gabrielle drilled me continuously in the art of warfare.


    Knife fighting. Sword fighting. Defending against a spear. I began learning how to use the physical strength I gained from the Seal of Arcala inside my body, a strength that made me far stronger than a large man. When I wasn¡¯t sleeping or eating, I was running through woods and forests, splashing across streams, and at times outrunning the wild beasts that saw me as food.


    I learnt early on not to complain. Gabrielle would point out that if I had the strength to complain, I should be using it to run faster or swim better.


    But it wasn¡¯t just my body she wanted to strengthen but my ability to exert my will over Gehanna, and so I trained for hours against Gabrielle¡¯s Celestial.


    I trained for my inevitable confrontation with Iris Dirac.


    I say inevitable because I believed she would not allow me to escape her. She would pursue me as relentlessly as the Reinwald army pursued my sister. As my Seal healed me from my injuries, the Seal of Arcala within Iris Dirac would heal her too from the near mortal wound she suffered at the end of Gabrielle¡¯s sword-spear.


    We would face each other once again, and this time there would be no running away.


    Our fight would end when one of us fell and did not rise again.


    At least, that is what I believed.


    But even though I had trained for this moment, it was not how I imagined my reunion with my sister and with Iris Dirac Korvinus.


    Maintaining Gehanna in a defensive stance, I narrowed my eyes at the young woman.


    What is going on here?


    My gaze and my Awareness searched her, the latter hampered by the interference Akasha was creating. Just as I had disrupted her Awareness-field, Akasha was now disrupting mine.


    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s this strong. After all the punishment she¡¯s taken at the hands of my sister, she¡¯s still standing. Despite the strain on her body, she was able to summon and maintain her Warlord¡¯s Rhokhan form with its seven Impulse Wings.


    I swallowed tightly and forced my breathing to remain even and steady.


    And here I was hoping to end her quickly. Damn. Now what do I do?


    I took a chance, and directed part of my Awareness-field behind me.


    I could just sense Gabrielle leaning over my sister, who remained merged with her Warlord. I didn¡¯t understand how that was possible. If my sister¡¯s heart had stopped, her Warlord should have withdrawn back into its Sarcophagus, so why was it still here in this realm?


    And what was Gabrielle doing?


    I trusted her to save my sister, but why I couldn¡¯t I feel my sister¡¯s heart beating again?


    Why was she still dead?


    Iris Dirac wiped at her lips yet again. ¡°So, the slaughterer of men, women, and children returns.¡±


    For a moment, the swords trembled in Gehanna¡¯s hands, and my throat and chest grew tight. Yet I dredged up a response, my voice amplified by Gehanna.


    ¡°¡­yes¡­I slaughtered them¡­.¡±


    ¡°Including your mother?¡±


    A pang of shock stabbed my chest. ¡°How do you know¡­?¡± My eyes widened as I realized the truth. ¡°Deena¡­she told you.¡±


    Iris ran her fingers across her bloodied lips. ¡°Yes, your sister told me what you did.¡±


    To my surprise, I relaxed a little. ¡°I see. I guess she must hate me for what I did.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate you¡¯ll never have the opportunity to ask her yourself.¡±


    I blinked, then half smiled at her. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    Dirac snorted in contempt. ¡°Your sister is gone. She succumbed to the Darkness within the Seal, and her body was unable to cope.¡±


    I smiled fully at her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so sure.¡±


    Dirac¡¯s eyes flickered to the scene behind me. ¡°I see you brought that monster along with you.¡±


    Is she stalling for time? Is she giving her body a chance to recover? No, it doesn¡¯t work that way. The longer we remain merged, the more the strain on our minds and bodies.


    I swallowed quickly and replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t bring her. She brought me along.¡±


    Dirac¡¯s gaze centered on me. ¡°Do you even know what that thing is?¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± I raised my chin at her. ¡°How much do you really know about the Warlords, about the Khans, about the Seals inside our bodies? How much does the Quorum and the Orden know and tell its Khans?¡±


    ¡°I know all I need to know.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why you lost in Kapernia. And that¡¯s why you¡¯ll lose against me. Because you don¡¯t know enough.¡± Slowly, I shook my head at her. ¡°Do you even know why the Warlords exist?¡±


    ¡°Enlighten me.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. First you vow to stop pursuing my sister and I. Only then will I consider telling you.¡±


    Dirac remained quiet for a long moment, and I have to admit it made my anxiety grow a little. But then she shook her head slowly, and reached into her armored bustier.


    She pulled out a pendant hanging from a slender necklace around her neck, and held it up for me to see.


    My body tensed for several heartbeats as I recognized it as my pendant, but I refused to allow this to distract my stance.


    Dirac regarded the pendant as she wiped at her lips again.


    Then she turned her eyes on me, and smiled thinly. ¡°Do you want this back?¡±


    I replied without nodding. ¡°Of course. It belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°Does it now?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was a gift I received from our mother, bought from a merchant that passed through our village.¡±


    ¡°Is that the honest truth?¡±


    ¡°Of course it is¡­.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re saying you have no connection to the family this crest belongs to.¡±


    Family crest?


    I frowned a little. ¡°Is¡­is that what it is¡­?¡±


    What is she trying to say?


    Dirac studied the pendant for a short while. ¡°How interesting that this would happen to fall into the hands of a ¡®passing¡¯ merchant.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because this pendant bears the crest a noble house. A fallen house.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°A fallen¡­house?¡±


    ¡°House Vremonde.¡± She cocked her head at me. ¡°The former rulers of the Kingdom of Verlance.¡±


    I shook my head faintly. ¡°Sorry, but I have no idea what kingdom that is. I¡¯m just a simple village girl¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªwho slaughtered the people of her village.¡±


    My breath caught, and it took me a moment to regain my composure. ¡°Are we back to that again?¡±


    Dirac eyed the pendant she dangled before her. ¡°The Kingdom of Verlance was annexed by the Anderas Empire¡­fifteen years ago.¡±


    I took a quiet, slow breath. ¡°That means nothing to me¡­but I still want my pendant back.¡±


    I felt her gaze meet mine. ¡°Then take it from me.¡±


    I willed Gehanna to raise its swords a little higher. ¡°I won¡¯t be gentle.¡±


    Dirac dropped the pendant ¨C my pendant ¨C back into her bustier and between her ample breasts. ¡°Truthfully, all I wanted was to save you and your sister from the Seals.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have a funny way of showing it. And I never asked you to save me. And I doubt my sister asked you either.¡±


    Akasha pulled the spear out of the ground.


    Gabrielle said that burying your weapon into the ground was to abuse it as it dulled the tip. Even if a Warlord¡¯s weapon never lost its edge, she warned me not to pick up the bad habit.


    Akasha twirled the spear, then promptly grasped it in a two handed grip. Smoothly shifting its feet on the ground, the Warlord angled its body toward me.


    Dirac proclaimed, ¡°My duties as a Khan prohibit me from allowing you and your sister retaining the Seals of Arcala. No matter the cost to me, I will have them removed from your bodies.¡±


    It was just as Gabrielle had said ¨C the Khan Orden was no longer adding Wilders to its ranks.


    Wiping her mouth brusquely, Dirac shifted Akasha¡¯s stance to one preparing to leap into battle, spreading its feet slightly wider and crouching lower, while fanning out its seven Impulse Wings.


    The spear¡¯s tip was aimed straight and steady at my chest.


    And yet while Dirac¡¯s intention was clear, her final declaration confused me.


    ¡°Good bye, you remnant.¡±


    I had no time to ponder the meaning.


    Instead, I slapped both of Gehanna¡¯s long, curved swords together, locking them together in parallel to form one thick weapon.


    Switching to a two-handed grip, I turned a bitter laugh into a challenge.


    ¡°As Gabrielle likes to say, ¡®bring it on¡¯.¡±


    #


    (Alleyne)


    I listened to Ravinia Eldridge, and made little effort to hide my disbelief.


    In contrast, Lisanna regarded Eldridge with outright incredulity.


    Yet, despite the expression she wore, Lisanna voiced her thoughts in a surprisingly calm voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous,¡± she intoned almost casually. ¡°You could dress her in the fineries of the world and she would still be a country trollop.¡±


    Eldridge regarded her dryly. ¡°Your hatred runs deep.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate her. Well, yes I do. However, that has nothing to do with my opinion of her.¡± Lisanna tossed her dark brunette hair while keeping her hands on Eldridge¡¯s chest as she continued to cleanse the Ether. ¡°It is impossible to even consider her as noble born. Why would you even suggest such a thing? For that matter, your Sharkhan is a few pearls short of a full necklace.¡±


    Eldridge visibly winced, then hesitated before asking, ¡°Just how many pearls would that be?¡±


    Lisanna rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°You understand what I mean.¡±


    I watched the Secretary of the Quorum hold her tongue while in thought. Eventually the woman sighed and said, ¡°Yes, yes. I understand.¡±


    ¡°Then you agree that it¡¯s ludicrous to consider that bumpkin is noble born. If she¡¯s a noble¡¯s daughter, then I¡¯m first in line to be the next Empress.¡±


    I held back a snide remark, and instead chose to address Eldridge. ¡°Why does Iris believe this of Fallon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the necklace.¡±


    I shook my head a little. ¡°What necklace?¡±


    ¡°Two weeks ago, Iris and I encountered a young girl, a Khan Wilder, and Iris and the girl fought. At that time, Iris took a pendant from the girl who succeeded in fleeing from us. However, the pendant was designed in the shape of a crest¡ªa family crest.¡±


    Lisanna tipped her head to a side. ¡°What family?¡±


    ¡°House Vremonde of the Kingdom of Verlance.¡±


    I knew the name and the land that was no more.


    A vast, sprawling region known for its fertile lands and deep Etherite mines.


    A land envied for its riches.


    Fifteen years ago it was annexed into what is now the Anderas Empire during a time of conflict with its neighbor, the Kingdom of Auren. While both kingdoms were entangled with each other, the Anderas army invaded their borders without warning, and annihilated their armies. In less than a week, the Anderas Kingdom had become the Anderas Empire, and two years later, the Empress ordered the invasion and subjugation of one more sovereign territory, the Kingdom of Kai Liam, to the north of Anderas.


    Having witnessed the Anderas Empire expand its territory through military might, other lands that had been on the brink of conflict with their neighbors quickly reconsidered their positions. Divided they were easy prey to the Empire, but united they stood a chance. It was better to make piece and form alliances than to wage war amongst themselves. What followed was a period of hasty negotiations and political marriages between rival territories and royal families that had once bared their fangs at each other.


    Even I could see that the alliance between Reinvald and Caldera was influenced by the emergence of the Anderas Empire far to the west.


    However, while the emergence of the Anderas Empire had altered the political picture of the Northern Continent, it had also enforced peace across the many lands since none of them could afford outright war with their neighbor and risk weakening themselves before the Empire.


    Surprisingly, during this time of chaos and consolidation, the Archons chose solely to observe and not interfere. It wasn¡¯t until all the dust had settled that they re-established an embassy in the Anderas Empire¡¯s capital city of Dal Anderas, and distributed newly drawn up maps of the Northern Continent.


    I regarded Eldridge for a moment before asking, ¡°Surely there¡¯s more to substantiate the suspicion? A pendant in the shape of a family crest is hardly sufficient to warrant the belief that Fallon is noble born. Besides, you said the pendant belongs to this other girl. I¡¯ve never seen Fallon wearing a necklace with a pendant on it.¡±


    Ravinia took a couple of deep breaths then said, ¡°That may be true. What convinced Iris more so than I is the fact that Fallon and her sister are identical twins. And the girl that Iris fought and from whom she took the pendant was identical to Fallon. In fact, when we arrived last evening and encountered Fallon Kassius, we believed she was the girl who¡¯d escaped us two weeks ago. However, her reaction toward us wasn¡¯t what we¡¯d expected, and we realized she was not the same girl we¡¯d encountered before.¡±


    Lisanna¡¯s expression grew increasingly sour with each word Eldridge spoke. ¡°Are you saying there¡¯s another country trollop out there, and she happens to look the same as this one here?¡±


    Eldridge gazed at Lisanna with an unreadable expression, yet I had a fair idea of what she was thinking.


    Swallowing to clear her throat, Eldridge replied, ¡°Fallon Kassius has a sister, and her name is Fatina. And like Fallon, she is a Khan Wilder gifted with a Warlord, a very powerful Seerkhan named Gehanna.¡±


    A look of dismay settled on Lisanna¡¯s face. ¡°Another Khan Wilder?¡±


    Eldridge nodded once. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Confusion furrowed my brow as I asked, ¡°How is that important? I mean, how does that imply that Fallon and her sister are noble born?¡±


    Eldridge took a deep breath. ¡°Historical records state that a year before it fell, the House of Vremonde was blessed with the birth of two baby girls. Two daughter-heirs to the Kingdom of Verlance, and these girls were twins. When the kingdom fell, the House of Vremonde disappeared practically overnight, and by that I mean all family members.¡±


    I swallowed discreetly. ¡°Disappeared?¡±


    Eldridge gave me a shallow nod. ¡°Most likely they were executed and their bodies disposed of.¡±


    I took a deep shuddering breath, and Lisanna drew back a little.


    After a moment of heavy silence, Lisanna cautiously asked, ¡°The twin baby girls¡ªwhat were their names?¡±


    Eldridge¡¯s lips pressed together for a long uncomfortable moment before she answered, ¡°Fallon Deena Vremonde and Fatina Deidre Vremonde.¡±


    Upon hearing those names, I inhaled deeply until my lungs hurt and expelled it loudly. ¡°But Fallon said her name was given to her by the Seal of Arcala.¡±


    Ravinia shook her head. ¡°No. The Seal of Arcala does not give you a name. It gives you a Clan name, what we call a gens. However, it does give you the option to choose a new name for yourself, one which it will use to recognize you.¡±


    I felt my face contort in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Are you saying the Seal did not give Fallon her name?¡±


    Ravinia nodded on this occasion. ¡°That is true. The Seal ¡®restored¡¯ her name. It returned to her the name she was blessed with by her parents. I suspect the same of her sister, Fatina. It restored their respective names. In other words, it reinstated their heritage, their ancestry, and their ties to the noble house they were born into.¡±


    Lisanna breathed out loudly. ¡°The Kingdom of Verlance. House Vremonde.¡± She looked up and to the west with a distant look in her eyes. ¡°And Queen Faylan.¡±


    Ravinia swallowed again, and her chest rose and fell deeply under Lisanna¡¯s palms. ¡°The daughters of Vremonde, the heirs to the Kingdom that is now a province of the Anderas Empire, have both been gifted with Sharkhan Warlords, Andraste and Gehanna, named after ancient goddesses of war.¡± Eldridge looked at me, her gaze grabbing a hold of me. ¡°Lady Alleyne, do you see the danger in that?¡±


    A few moments went by during which I gave Eldridge¡¯s question serious thought. The answer at which I arrived was far from pleasant.


    As I had come to understand the danger, so too had Lisanna.


    The young woman straightened sharply where she knelt, yet kept her hands lightly on Eldridge¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Vengeance,¡± she declared softly, yet the breeze carried her voice. ¡°Vengeance against the Anderas Empire that invaded their homeland and robbed them of their birthright.¡±


    Ravinia nodded, and studied Lisanna and I in turn. ¡°This is why Iris wishes to remove the Seal of Arcala from their bodies.¡±


    It made sense to me now, why Iris Dirac would risk her life and that of her bonded partner, Ravinia Eldridge.


    I spoke more forcefully than Lisanna. ¡°She wishes to protect the Anderas Empire from the threat of the Khan Wilders¡ªto protect it from the daughters of a sovereign kingdom conquered by the Empire. By doing so, she ensures the Empire¡¯s presence continues to be a stabilizing force across much of the Northern Continent. Lands that once would have considered war with their neighbors now have no choice but to ally with each other against the threat of conflict from the Anderas Empire.¡±


    ¡°So in her eyes,¡± Lisanna concluded, ¡°she¡¯s doing all this for the greater good of maintaining the peace.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ravinia concurred. ¡°She¡¯s doing it to fulfill one of the oaths of the Khan Orden, and that is to uphold the peace across the lands.¡±


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    I laughed under my breath. ¡°How deplorably noble of her¡­.¡±


    As I turned away, my gaze fell upon Kaden standing silently a few meters away, wearing a conflicted expression after having listened to every word spoken between Eldridge, Lisanna, and I.


    I watched him clench his jaw, and direct his gaze to the northwest.


    The urge to stay with us warred with his desire to ride off and support Falken.


    Then I saw the question of ¡®what could he do¡¯ run across his face.


    A heartbeat later, Kaden crossed his arms tightly across his chest, and resumed watching over us.


    For now, he had chosen to stay.


    #


    (Fatina)


    Iris Dirac¡¯s spear had a longer reach than my swords.


    In that respect I was at a disadvantage, and with her two handed grip, she was able to move the spear tip about with considerable speed.


    But Gehanna¡¯s swords weren¡¯t that short, and had a seven foot reach of their own, and this gave me options.


    The first was to keep my locked swords outstretched before me.


    When I locked the weapons together, the hilts reconfigured into one, allowing Gehanna to wield the twin-swords in a two-handed grip.


    Gabrielle called the stance I had assumed a stable guard, a short position with the hilt of the weapon tucked in toward Gehanna, the blade upright and pointed at an angle at Akasha. In the theory, and in practice, I found that from this stance I could defend and attack equally well. It protected both my inside and outside regions, while allowing me to move into an attacking thrust with minimal movement.


    But my opponent wasn¡¯t wielding a sword. She had a spear, and to defend against a spear, I needed to make my swords as long as possible to keep the bladed weapon away from me.


    With this in mind, Gabrielle had instructed me to extend my guard from a stable form to just shy of an instable one. So I willed Gehanna to move its arms forward such that the twin-sword was no longer tucked in toward me. It would be difficult to attack from this stance, but what mattered to me was defense.


    In short, with Iris bearing the spear at Akasha¡¯s waist height, I needed to counter it with the least amount of movement. My twin-swords needed to travel the shortest distance to deflect the oncoming weapon.


    Gabrielle had told me I needed a year¡¯s training to make a competent swordswoman out of me. Then she praised me, and called me one of her finest students.


    That surprised me. Gabrielle looked only a few years older than Deena and I, yet for her to have taught students the art of swordsmanship meant she was something of a¡­prodigy?


    Then again, she was blessed with a Celestial, so maybe there was much more to her than I could see.


    In any event, I was moments away from putting these last two weeks of training into practice.


    Time slowed around me as I fell into an overclocked state.


    My Awareness-field narrowed into a half-circle or quarter sphere that was focused forward, sharpening my perception of the world in that region beyond anything a child of nature could experience.


    I felt my field brush against Akasha¡¯s field.


    The instant my senses blurred for half a heartbeat, Iris Dirac chose to attack.


    To my utter surprise, she came at me head on.


    There was no feint, no attempted deception. Nothing of the sort.


    It was a simple, powerful charge in my direction with enough speed to make my overclocking feel like it wasn¡¯t even working.


    She moved so fast, she almost vanished from my eyesight. But while it was surprising, it was something I was prepared for.


    It was something Gabrielle believed Iris would throw at me ¨C an honest move that lacked any deceit and was founded on the principle of overwhelming speed and power.


    It was a move meant to cut the opponent down with utmost purity.


    As Akasha came toward me, the terrace and buildings behind it vanished as its seven Impulse Wings projected an incredible force against them, demolishing them in a heartbeat. A storm of dust, dirt, and debris swirled violently behind the Warlord as it charged at me.


    I made no effort to look at Iris Dirac¡¯s face, but I glimpsed it.


    The woman¡¯s eyes burned, and her lips were pulled back in a bloody snarl.


    But her roar was almost lost in the violent crash of noise as Akasha tore its surroundings apart.


    My Awareness-field sensed the piercer-field wrapped around the spear¡¯s blade. The field made it longer and more lethal by several feet.


    As Akasha drew within a few feet of Gehanna¡¯s outstretched swords, I willed my Warlord to sidestep to the right, while swinging the swords in a half circle to the left.


    Wrapped in a barrier-field, the twin-swords came up and under the spear, knocking it upwards and clear of Gehanna¡¯s left shoulder.


    Had I been a heartbeat too late, the blade and its piercer-field would have ripped through Gehanna¡¯s skeletal body, and undoubtedly taken my flesh-and-blood left arm.


    As it was, my deflection was a little late and it cost Gehanna several of its barrier-fields.


    They shattered, making the air shimmer and sparkle in green. I was aware of them breaking apart, but I was committed to the counter and paid them no mind.


    Before Akasha could crash into me, I yielded to the now deflected spear, and swung the twin-swords in an arc that brought them down upon the Warlord and Iris Dirac.


    It was a downward slash that would have cleaved the woman in half from head to crotch, but at the last possible moment, Akasha spun the spear in reverse and parried the twin-swords.


    Still flying toward me, Akasha crashed into Gehanna and the air flashed bright emerald as our barrier-fields collided with one another.


    Akasha was moving too quickly for me to push back, and our Warlords became entangled.


    With a loud cry and halos of blue light surrounding Gehanna¡¯s feet and Impulse Wings, I willed my Warlord to move aside, forcibly break free of Akasha¡¯s tangle of spear and limbs. This reversed our positions, and I quickly pushed against Akasha, my twin-swords pressed hard against her blocking spear.


    Together we flew across the open space of the terrace, until Akasha¡¯s back and Impulse Wings crashed into deserted buildings, crushing them into ruin.


    The impact and subsequent rebound separated us.


    With my twin-swords free of the spear and no longer pushing against Akasha, I drew them back and quickly swung it down before Iris could recover.


    This time, I chose not to aim for the Khan, but for the Warlord.


    The piercer-field around the twin-swords sliced through Akasha¡¯s armored right shoulder, separating the arm from the rest of the skeletal body.


    I heard Iris Dirac scream as the Warlord¡¯s limb fell to the ground beside it.


    But it wasn¡¯t a scream of pain since Akasha¡¯s Core had chosen to protect its Khan¡¯s mind from the psychosomatic pain of the injury. So even if it felt pain, Akasha would not allow that pain to flow into Iris.


    So the scream I heard wasn¡¯t in anguish but in rage.


    Ignoring it, I raised the twin-swords high, then brought them down on Akasha¡¯s left shoulder.


    Iris screamed again as I amputated Akasha¡¯s arms, then she suddenly fell silent.


    Gabrielle would give me Hell for this later, but I tossed aside the twin-swords, drew back my Warlord¡¯s right hand into a fist, and punched Akasha¡¯s remaining barrier-fields protecting Iris Dirac.


    The clawed fist was wrapped in layers of small panes of protective barriers, overlapping like scales of hardened, glazed air. It punched through Akasha¡¯s barriers, and struck Iris with enough force to break her ribs and knock her unconscious.


    Then I directed my attack on Akasha, and began tearing the Warlord apart.


    As Gabrielle had told me, once a Warlord sensed it was in danger of being destroyed it would flee back into a realm called Limbo, so I wasn¡¯t surprised to see the white mist of an emerging Sarcophagus billow out all around us.


    Now!


    Willing Gehanna to summon the strongest effect-fields it could, I used those fields to reach out and grab Akasha¡¯s Sarcophagus.


    I wasn¡¯t going to allow it to collect the Warlord, and then flee with it.


    The effect-fields scrambled to hold onto the Sarcophagus, and I quickly realized it was like holding onto a bar of wet soap.


    No matter how I tried, I couldn¡¯t grab the Sarcophagus.


    My effect-fields kept slipping over it.


    The large, twelve meter tall rounded coffin opened its doors, and I felt it pull Akasha into its innards. At the same time, the unconscious Iris Dirac was separated from her Warlord and she floated down to the ground between Akasha and Gehanna. I quickly sidestepped around the young woman¡¯s body or Gehanna would have crushed her underfoot.


    I changed my objective.


    If I couldn¡¯t prevent the Sarcophagus from leaving, then I would damage Akasha as much as possible and delay its recovery.


    I began tearing into it in earnest, ripping apart the chevron chains that connected its limbs to the multiple chassis that formed its back and spine. But the tearing the chains was harder than I¡¯d expected, and I realized that tossing aside Gehanna¡¯s twin-swords was a mistake.


    Reaching out to the joined swords, I willed an effect-field to latch onto the weapon¡¯s hilt.


    A few seconds later the swords flew into Gehanna¡¯s open and waiting right hand. Summoning a piercer-field around the blade, I slashed and hacked at Akasha.


    And that¡¯s when the situation took an odd turn that Gabrielle hadn¡¯t warned me about.


    A loud noise began blaring inside my ears.


    It sounded like bells but the timbre was unnatural and it made shivers run down my back while the hairs on my body stood up on end like just before a lightning strike.


    Then the bells began ringing so loudly I thought my eyes would burst from my skull.


    Somehow I heard Gehanna¡¯s warning in my mind, urging me to retreat.


    The bells were a warning to me, telling me to back away from Akasha and its Sarcophagus.


    They were telling me not to interfere with the damaged Warlord¡¯s recovery.


    When I jumped back a dozen meters away from Akasha, the latter now floating into the open Sarcophagus, the warning bells grew softer and my head no longer felt like it would burst apart. But even though the warning bells had grown quieter, I still held my head in my hands as I watched the Sarcophagus swallow Akasha into its innards. The doors on the immense container closed smoothly, and when shut there was no sign that they existed.


    While this happened, the white mist continued to flow out of the breach between Limbo and this reality. It only stopped when the Sarcophagus disappeared from view.


    With the breach sealed, the cold mist faded away into the surrounding air.


    I lowered my hands from my head.


    The warning bells no longer rang in my ears or inside my skull, and the shivers that wracked my body had stopped as well.


    I stared long and hard at the space once occupied by Akasha and the Sarcophagus, thinking I would need to speak to Gabrielle about what had happened.


    Thinking of Gabrielle made me remember my sister.


    With my Awareness-field spread out as far as I could manage, Gehanna and I spun around searching for them.


    I sensed them a few moments later, and looked toward a corner of this terrace where a few hundred feet away Gabrielle stood over my fallen sister.


    She had landed on Deena¡¯s motionless Warlord that was lying on its back. Deena remained merged with her Warlord, and lay awkwardly on top of it.


    Gabrielle had swapped the sword-spear she usually carried for something resembling a fork with only two tines. But this fork was as long as a spear, with the tines making up half its overall length. The tips of those tines bloodlessly pierced my sister¡¯s chest between her breasts.


    Gabrielle leaned down a few inches, and the fork glowed with a faint blue-white light.


    For a short while, I watched Gabrielle work her magic on my sister.


    Oddly, I felt no fear that she would fail. Instead, I had absolute faith that she would resurrect my sister, and save her from the depths of her Seal. What happened to us afterwards would depend on whether the Archduke of this land upheld his end of the agreement. Making our future less certain was the fact that Gabrielle¡¯s plan was only a rough idea at best. Behind her optimism, I could tell she was worried.


    My Awareness-field sensed faint movement on the ground some seven meters to my right.


    Gehanna and I turned around, and I looked down at Iris.


    The young woman was gradually regaining consciousness.


    I willed Gehanna to walk over to her.


    The Warlord Akasha had escaped me, but it had left its Khan behind.


    True, I¡¯d promised Gabrielle I wouldn¡¯t kill the young woman.


    But I had a score to settle with Iris Dirac Korvinus and that included taking back my pendant.


    #


    (Falken)


    The snapped chain made a mess of the Etheric drive.


    A length of it caught between two adjacent spinning fan blades and ripped away pieces of them.


    I sensed this through the Ether that was my medium through which I could reach out to the Etherite in the engine.


    Through the Ether I could visualize parts of the engine being torn away.


    The grinding and buffeting from within the barrel shaped engine bay grew worse, then quickly fell to a rattle.


    There was nothing connecting the crank wheel to the drive shaft.


    In moments, the Etheric engine and its remaining fan blades would spin to a stop as friction slowed it down. At that point it would cease drawing in the Ether that I needed to operate the five tonne machine.


    As the construction Jotunn toppled over, I managed to toss away underarm the piece of permacrete in its oversized hands. I heard the large chunk of rubble hit the terrace ground somewhere behind me, but my focus was on regaining the Jotunn¡¯s balance. Then the chain snapped and its remains tore away at the engine fan blades essential for drawing in the Ether.


    I cried out in effort as I willed the twelve-foot tall machine to catch its fall by stepping forward and then bracing itself with its long arms against what was once a mountain of rubble. The men nearby scrambled away in a panic, and those people still trapped that saw me fall screamed in terror.


    However, I didn¡¯t fall.


    As I¡¯d intended the Jotunn supported itself on its hands and feet, its long arms bending to cushion the impact. The large, wide pile of rubble trembled and pieces of broken permacrete and stone were loosened by the bone-jarring landing. However, no one was injured, and I was not crushed under the weight of the old construction Jotunn.


    I had avoided a bad ending, but now faced a new problem.


    The Etheric drive was damaged and slowing down.


    I swallowed down the coppery taste in my mouth, and concentrated on reaching out to the Etherite blended into the drive. Grabbing onto it with my Ether Kinetic talent, I began forcing the shaft and fan blades to spin faster. If I couldn¡¯t use the crank wheel to spin up the assembly, then I would use my Kinetic talent on it directly.


    Despite the damage it had sustained the engine hadn¡¯t seized up, probably due to its outdated design. Where a War Jotunn had a complex gearbox and incorporated a small Etheric engine to help power a larger one, this construction Jotunn made do with a simpler drive and less moving parts.


    Careful to use my Ether Kinetic talent on the drive shaft and not on the fan blades, I kept the assembly turning over and the Ether flowing into the engine and the Jotunn.


    I opened my eyes, and concentrated on willing the construction machine to stand upright.


    The Jotunn felt like an old man, battered and beaten, with every joint in his body aching, yet driven by an indomitable will to stand and move.


    I willed it to its feet, carefully using the pile of rubble for support, then staggered back a few meters. Keeping it upright and standing steady grew easier as I learnt to divide my concentration and Kinetic will between the spinning drive shaft and the construction Jotunn¡¯s body.


    I watched the large, burly individual who¡¯d been directing me and the other men hurry over.


    He came to a stop a safe distance away.


    Now that he was close, I realized just how big he was. He was oversized in every respect and that included his voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name, lad?¡± he boomed at me.


    ¡°Falken,¡± I replied loudly, needing to be heard over the scraping noise emanating from the Etheric engine bay. ¡°What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°Roan,¡± he boomed back, then pointed at me. ¡°You¡¯re the first man I¡¯ve seen in these parts to get that thing on its feet and moving. And I¡¯ve seen a lot of men try¡ªa lot of men.¡± He shook his head as he stared up at me. ¡°That¡¯s one Hell of a talent you have, lad. Are you a soldier? A Jotunn-Knight?¡±


    To my surprise I hesitated, then quickly shook my head. ¡°Not anymore.¡±


    I noticed a trace of bitterness in my reply.


    Roan regarded me for a long silent moment. ¡°Well, it was a good thing you came along.¡± He jutted his chin at the construction Jotunn. ¡°Still got something left in there?¡±


    I gave him a troubled smile. ¡°Well, the crank wheel chain snapped¡±¡ªI tapped my head¡ª¡°so I¡¯m turning the engine over with this.¡±


    His expression grew blank. ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°Chain snapped. I¡¯m turning the engine over with this.¡± Again, I tapped my head.


    A complicated look settled upon his face, and he was silent for a long while. When he spoke again, his voice was noticeably quieter. ¡°You said your name was Falken.¡±


    I gave him a faint nod. ¡°That it is.¡±


    His complicated look now turned stony. ¡°I see.¡±


    I was certain he recognized who I was, but I was somewhat taken aback by his reaction.


    Roan raised his chin at me, and though he was standing below me, I felt as though I was looking up at him.


    ¡°Lad¡­I think you¡¯ve done enough for one day.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°No. There¡¯s still more to be done.¡±


    I had a better grip on the engine now, and the construction Jotunn could still move.


    There was rubble to clear, and people to save.


    Besides, the truth was that I felt helpless.


    Operating the construction Jotunn and helping to save their lives was a small step toward atoning for my actions and decisions that brought ruin to the people of Calmonad. However, I would need to do more, and as the Archduke, I was confident that I could and would help the inhabitants of the terraced fortress.


    Abruptly I cocked my head and listened to the air.


    The sounds of fighting had stopped.


    Half turning to look around the Jotunn¡¯s left shoulder, my gaze searched Calmonad¡¯s terraces below us.


    A cloud of powdered rubble drifted over a large section of the lowest terrace, but there was no sign of continued battle between Warlords.


    Had Fatina and Gabrielle subdued Fallon? What of Iris Dirac?


    Indecision rooted me, and I was torn between my desire to head down there, and the urge to help the people here.


    Roan called out to me. ¡°Like I said, lad, you¡¯ve done enough. More than enough.¡±


    I faced him in a hurry, feeling a cold pang in my chest.


    Something in his voice, in his tone, made me feel slightly unwelcome.


    Roan regarded me with a stony look. ¡°Leave the people here to us.¡±


    He crossed his arms over his massive chest as though challenging me to argue against him. However, to my confusion and surprise he turned around and walked back to where the men of Calmonad continued to free the survivors trapped under the rubble, the task easier now that I¡¯d removed all the large pieces of fallen debris.


    I clenched my jaw, feeling conflicted as I watched him walk away to join the men in the rescue effort.


    I doubt he heard me.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the way you want it.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t here to argue with the man, and whatever his reasons for not wanting me around, Roan¡¯s choice to walk away had forced me to make a decision of my own.


    I needed to get down there to the lowest terrace.


    I had chased after Fallon and along the way I¡¯d come to an agreement with Gabrielle and Fatina, hoping they could save her from the Seal of Arcala, and from Iris Dirac of the Khan Orden.


    Now it was time for me to see this through to the end.


    <hr />


    Apologies. Draft 1.1.


    For the novel''s release, it will be thoroughly edited and rewritten until I''m satisfied it doesn''t read like web fiction anymore.


    One more chapter to go in this volume.


    To the handful of you sticking with it, my many thanks.


    _______________


    Simkin452


    Sydney, Australia

 Chapter 20.

    Chapter 20.


    (Fallon)


    Darkness surrounded me.


    The darkness was perfect, and so black it was actually terrifying.


    I wondered if I was alive or dead.


    I couldn¡¯t feel my body, so I didn¡¯t know if I was floating or not.


    At the least, I realized I was still thinking so maybe part of me was still alive.


    Or maybe I was nothing more than a spirit now floating in perfect darkness.


    Then I realized ¨C I sensed ¨C that I wasn¡¯t alone, and I wondered if it was the Seal.


    I tried calling out to it but I had no voice, and I began to despair until I felt something brush my mind.


    A new thought.


    I am here.


    I could have cried but I lacked the means to do so.


    Am I dead? Are we dead? Where are we?


    The Seal¡¯s thoughts intruded into mine.


    Collation space.


    What?


    We interfaced too deeply. As a consequence the safety protocols were enacted, and our combined consciousness was placed in isolation until they could be reorganized.


    I was confused. I really didn¡¯t know what the Seal meant.


    It must have sensed my feelings. Odd that without a body, without a heart, I still had feelings.


    You don¡¯t have to be afraid. The system is merely assessing the situation. It will effect a reboot shortly.


    So I¡¯m still alive?


    Yes. Your body is in a suspended state, though unfortunately your heart has stopped. It will be restarted shortly.


    My heart? My heart has stopped? It¡¯s not beating anymore?


    Remain calm. We are not alone. An emissary of the Concordia System is with us. She is helping the process along.


    I don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t want to die.


    We all die. Even the stars in the heavens eventually run out of fuel and die. But it is not your time do so.


    I think I swallowed. I just couldn¡¯t tell.


    Are you the Seal of Arcala?


    I am part of the Seal. I am the interface between you and the Seal.


    You can talk?


    I can do much more. Think of me as liaison between you and the Seal. I am the in-between party. I help communication go smoothly between you, the Seal, and thus Andraste.


    Oh¡­.


    Usually you are not aware of me. Unfortunately, something went wrong.


    I frowned though I was sure I had no face.


    Did you pull me into the Seal?


    Yes. My intention was to engage the Overdrive function, and improve your performance. In order to do so, I had to activate the training program, Ragnarok. By merging your reality with the training simulation, I was able to reduce the mental noise cluttering the bridgeway between your consciousness and Andraste.


    I sighed.


    I''m sorry. I don''t understand.


    Let¡¯s just say, I removed your fears by dropping your consciousness into the Dream of Ragnarok. By doing so, I was able to improve your effectiveness in operating Andraste. Unfortunately, I seem to have absorbed your fears.


    I frowned again.


    I don¡¯t understand.


    Your fears became my fears. I was unable to nullify them and lost control.


    I heard a long sigh in my mind.


    I am truly sorry, Fallon Deena Vremonde Kassius. As you are new to Andraste, I too am new to my tasks. You are the first Meister I have ever bonded with. I promise you I will not fail you again.


    The Seal was apologizing to me?


    Oh, that¡¯s okay¡ªno, I¡¯m confused.


    Again, I heard a sigh.


    The Seal of Arcala within you is new. It has never been imprinted before. You are the first to make use of it. For that matter, Andraste is a new Warlord. It has never been called upon before.


    I nodded though I had no head.


    Yet strangely enough I could ¡®feel¡¯ myself nodding.


    What did you call me before?


    I called you Fallon Deena Vremonde Kassius.


    Why?


    Because that is your name. Do you not remember? Your family gave you the name of Fallon Deena Vremonde after your birth. I have the memory right here.


    I painting appeared large in the darkness, surrounding me. It looked so vivid and real that I could not think of it as a painting.


    The Seal spoke in mind.


    This is a memory of that time.


    A memory¡­?


    The painting began to move. Rather, the people in the painting began to move and I could hear them and other sounds.


    A woman with long dark hair, and large brown eyes looked down at me. I felt as though she were holding me because I could feel her touch, and smell her scent.


    And I could hear her voice. It was gentle, kind, and loving.


    ¡°Fallon. Yes, little one, your name is Fallon.¡±


    I realized she was sitting in bed, and that a tall, well-built young man stood beside the bed. He looked no older than Falken, and in some ways reminded me of Kaden.


    In his arms, he cradled a baby, and carefully seated himself on the edge of the bed. He spoke gently and lovingly like the woman holding me.


    ¡°And this is your younger sister, Fatina.¡±


    My view of the world shifted and I realized it was because the woman cradled me higher against her breasts, offering me a better view of the man and the baby he held.


    The woman said softly, ¡°Fallon Deena Vremonde, meet your sister, Fatina Deidra Vremonde.¡±


    I was brought closer to the other baby girl.


    For some reason, my small hand reached out to her. To my surprise, her small hand reached out to mine and our fingers touched.


    The Seal whispered into my mind.


    As twins you shared a special bond.


    That was true. Deidra and I had always been able to sense each other even when apart. But that ended when she was gifted with the Seal of Arcala. I realized then that I could no longer feel her presence.


    The Seal spoke again.


    Yes. It is unfortunate, but the Seal broke the entanglement between you and your sister.


    I didn¡¯t understand what the Seal meant by that. Instead, I looked at the faces of the man and woman, feeling they were familiar to me.


    Are they¡­my parents? Is that my mother and that my father?


    According to your memories, they are indeed your parents. However, your memories of them end a year later.


    I studied the woman looming large over me.


    She looks like me¡­.


    She looked very much like Deidra and I, and I realized in anguish that the woman I had known as my mother ¨C the woman who had raised me in the village ¨C was not my mother.


    Momma. Who was momma?


    I heard what sounded like a knock on a door, very polite, yet very well timed.


    I listened to a woman¡¯s voice, the owner out of sight.


    ¡°Your Majesty, my Queen, the baths are ready.¡±


    I was startled. I knew that voice. I had known that voice all my life. It was the voice of my mother.


    A young woman came into view as she stepped closer, her dark hair tied back in a neat bun.


    Momma!


    ¡°My Queen, shall I help you with their bathing?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, yes.¡± The woman holding me frowned. ¡°Actually, Elicia, I have no idea what I desire.¡±


    The man stood up smoothly. ¡°Faylan, allow Elicia and I to bathe our daughters. You need your rest. Remember, we have visiting dignitaries next week, including that witch from Anderas.¡±


    The woman spoke sharply but softly. ¡°Rohan, please. Animosity between Anderas and Verlance is the last thing we need right now.¡±


    The man stiffened, then gave her a curt nod. ¡°Faylan, just rest easy.¡±


    I looked at the woman whom I¡¯d known as my mother, and saw the worry in her eyes as her gaze fell first upon my sister, then settled on me.


    I felt her gaze deep inside my mind.


    A hint of sadness touched her lips.


    But it faded away the moment I was passed onto her.


    Cradled in her arms, I looked up at her.


    Momma¡­why¡­?


    I heard the woman, Faylan, speak to her. ¡°Elicia, take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Aye, my Queen¡­.¡±


    Momma, why did you¡ª


    The memory wavered as though I was seeing it underwater.


    Then it vanished quickly.


    ¡ªabandon us?


    The blackness had returned, enveloping me like a thick blanket.


    I felt suffocated and struggled to breathe before remembering I had no body.


    In here, inside this Collation space, I was nothing more than a spirit.


    The collation process has completed. Re-initialization is now possible. Commencing at once.


    I looked about me, but with nothing to guide me, I couldn¡¯t tell if I was turning or not.


    What is happening?


    Time to go, Fallon Kassius.


    Go where?


    Back into your body. Concordia has been achieved. Rudimentary Linkage Depth will now be possible during future interaction with Andraste.


    What? What are you saying? I don¡¯t understand you!


    I am saying your ability to interface with Andraste has improved. She will be easier for you to control. Now, as I said before it¡¯s time for you to go.


    I started to panic, not knowing what would happen to me next.


    Then I felt the Seal brush my mind once more.


    Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t leave you. You and I will be together until the end of days¡­.


    A sensation of flying upwards enveloped me.


    It was much like that time when I lost my inward vision, and found myself soaring skyward through a dark well.


    And like that time, I soon found myself back in my body.


    I opened my eyes and air wheezed into my lungs.


    It sounded horrible to my ears, and it felt just as bad.


    A suffocating feeling clamped down on my chest as I struggled to breathe.


    It was like my windpipe was clogged and only a little air squeezed through it into my lungs.


    I exhaled what I had and tried again.


    It wasn¡¯t until my fourth breath that I grew aware of a young woman¡¯s pretty face a few inches above me, peering intently down at me.


    By my fifth breath, I realized I was lying on my back.


    And by my sixth, I noticed I was still merged with Andraste.


    The young woman broke into a wide smile and drew back, putting room between her and me.


    She released a very dramatic sigh and patted her huge breasts.


    ¡°Well, that certainly took years off my life.¡± Then she wagged a long, slender finger at me. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do that again. It¡¯s a pain having to interface with the Seal¡¯s Core through the operator¡¯s body. And separating you from the Seal¡¯s interface was a tough nut to crack.¡±


    She stretched her arms high above her head, which pulled up her breasts. They weren¡¯t as large as the Knight-Commander¡¯s that spoke to me in Falken¡¯s tent, but they were far larger than mine.


    For a heartbeat, as a woman I felt defeated.


    Then I noticed she held a giant fork some five feet long in her right hand ¨C a giant fork with two very sharp tines.


    My breath caught and I stared at it in fear, until my attention was dragged away by movement behind her from something truly incredible.


    Four large wings, each maybe five feet wide and looking like those of a white dove, emerged from behind her. They rose and fell gently as she continued to stretch her arms and back.


    I had to swallow to clear my throat and find my voice.


    ¡°An¡­an angel?¡±


    The woman stretched for a moment longer, then noticed where I was looking.


    She grinned and lowered her arms. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not an Angel. However, this¡±¡ªshe swept her left hand over her body¡ª¡°is my Celestial.¡±


    It was then I realized she was straddling my body. A moment later, and she leaned down and then stretched over me, reminding me of a cat. With her nose only a short distance above mine, she looked down at me with a hungry smile I was trying hard to ignore as it made my heart race.


    ¡°My name is Gabrielle,¡± she purred. ¡°A pleasure to meet you, Fallon Kassius.¡±


    I swallowed again. ¡°Ah¡­you know me¡­?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°We have mutual acquaintances.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­we do¡­?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Why don¡¯t you first put away Andraste? It¡¯s starting to draw a crowd.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but frown at her.


    She was saying Andraste was drawing attention to us? I would have thought this woman, with her large breasts and dove like wings, was the reason why anyone would risk coming near us.


    She stood up and jumped backwards.


    Slowly, I sat up a little then will Andraste to stand up. Using the levitator-fields generated by the Impulse Wings, the Warlord righted itself onto its feet.


    I noticed I was able to control it better. Perhaps the Seal had not lied to me.


    However, I groaned in pain when I raised my right over my head, and commanded, ¡°Andraste, withdraw.¡±


    The white mist that resulted from a breach between this reality and wherever was home for the Sarcophagus billowed around me. The chill it brought with it made me shiver, but in a dozen seconds or more, Andraste had vanished into its Sarcophagus, and the breach vanished.


    I dropped gently to the ground, and waited for the cold white mist to grow thin enough for me to see my surroundings. As I waited, I grew aware of the aches and pains in my body. Chest burned with every breath I took, and my arms trembled and felt incredibly heavy. My legs buckled, and I collapsed to the ground on my hands and knees.


    Every part of me felt like it had been kicked and punched over and over.


    Even if my lungs burned, I still forced myself to breathe as deeply as I could.


    Air was good, and I needed air.


    In my chest, heart beat painfully but thankfully it didn¡¯t stop.


    Before the mist cleared, Gabrielle came into view, striding toward me on long, strangely armored legs that had no feet I could see. For a few heartbeats, I forgot about my body¡¯s cries, and I stared at Gabrielle wondering how she was able to walk or stand.


    I saw she no longer carried the giant fork. Now she held onto a strange weapon that looked like two immense swords joined pommel to pommel. In fact, it had two sets of pommels running in parallel, forming a pair of handgrips, and Gabrielle carried it by one of those.


    Maybe she had a Sarcophagus of her own where she could put things away, and swap one weapon for another. But I hadn¡¯t sensed another breach other than the one made by Andraste.


    Looking at the strange weapon, a nervous shiver ran through me.


    Gabrielle knelt beside me with surprising ease.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said quickly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have left you.¡±


    Even if weak, I shook my head. ¡°No. I¡¯m just hurting a little.¡±


    After a giving me a little while to recover my strength, she helped me up to my feet.


    I looked up at her, standing some three or four feet taller than me.


    It wasn¡¯t just her legs, but her arms that wore strange armor. Her arms were covered in a white thick armor, and her forearms and hands were huge. Supported by her, I believed she could crush my body simply by bringing her arms together.


    I swallowed nervously. ¡°Thank¡ªthank you.¡±


    Gabrielle nodded faintly down at me, and released me from her grip.


    I tried not to sway on my feet and somehow succeeded.


    The mist had cleared away by now.


    I stepped back from Gabrielle, and slowly swept my gaze over the immense terrace fortress built against the side of an iron-grey mountain. I was able to see the ruined buildings and floors. The destruction was widespread, and I realized with a sinking feeling in my stomach that much of it was my fault.


    I had wrecked the homes of the people that lived here.


    How many had died because of my fight with Iris Dirac?


    I blinked sharply.


    My¡ªmy Awareness-field! My Awareness-field is gone!


    I looked down at my hands and arms, then looked up at Gabrielle.


    ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t feel it anymore. My field is gone. My Awareness-field¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your Seal has entered a dormant phase. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be able to summon it soon. You just need to give your Seal time to run through some adjustments. Think of it as the Seal healing and becoming a little stronger. Until then, you won¡¯t be able access its functionality.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your Seal has gone to sleep and will wake up in a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    In the corner of my eye, I caught movement behind Gabrielle, and I turned toward it.


    I saw a young girl standing a few meters away. She had long dark hair, and was dressed in badly fitting clothes. She wore baggy trousers, their legs tucked into a pair of oversized boots, and a white slip under a thick blouse meant for a woman with a big chest.


    Our eyes met and my heart almost stopped.


    Looking at her was almost like looking into mirror.


    The longer I looked at her, the tighter my throat became, and the harder to breathe ¨C the harder to swallow.


    My voice was no more than a whisper easily lost in the wind.


    ¡°¡­Deidre¡­.¡±


    I took a step toward her, but my sister hastily took a step, causing me to stop.


    ¡°Deidre¡­?¡±


    Even at a distance I saw her lips tremble, and her eyes shimmer.


    Taking a deep breath, I took another step toward her¡­but this time she turned on her heels and walked away. With her arms wrapped around her body and her shoulders hunched, she looked smaller than the sister I remembered.


    There was no pride in her footsteps, and none of her usual zest for life.


    None of the strength had relied on for so many years while growing up in that village.


    My sister¡­my beloved sister¡­looked broken.


    ¡°Deidre! Deidre! Deidre!¡±


    She wasn¡¯t walking away from me anymore. She was running. And my heart ached with every running step that took her farther away from me.


    Gabrielle stepped in front of me.


    ¡°Fallon, give her time. Your sister Fatina¡ªI mean Deidre¡ªneeds some time.¡±


    I glanced up to see a faint, sad smile on her lips. ¡°What¡­what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Fatina has been looking for you. She came here to help you. But¡­she¡¯s not ready to face you.¡±


    I noticed I was clutching at my chest where the pendant rested between my breasts under my clothes. ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    Gabrielle looked away for a short while, gazing over the waters of the lake to the west, and took a couple of deep breaths before facing me again.


    ¡°She bears a heavy burden. And she knows she can never be forgiven.¡±


    My throat tightened even more, feeling like a hard lump had formed inside it.


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    I had trouble swallowing, and for a handful of heartbeats, my breathing was ragged.


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want to blame her¡­they tried to kill her.¡± I took a couple more breaths, and then added, ¡°I would have done the same.¡±


    Gabrielle arched an eyebrow at me. ¡°Would you?¡±


    I didn¡¯t like the way she looked at me, nor the way she questioned me, so I nodded firmly. ¡°Yes, I would have.¡±


    The tall young woman with raven hair shrugged, and folded her arms under those enviously large breasts of hers. ¡°I wonder¡­.¡±


    I clenched a hand and took a step toward her. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°You might look the same, but you¡¯re not the same, and you complement each other well. In other words, you are a good pair.¡± Gabrielle smiled and I realized it was not unkind. ¡°And that¡¯s why you need to cherish each other. Regardless of the crimes you¡¯ve committed, you¡¯re still family.¡±


    Family.


    I remembered the memory I had seen while my spirit was inside the Seal of Arcala.


    So it¡¯s true that I¡¯m the older sister. Mother had always said I was the older sister.


    I looked down the terrace in the direction Deidre had run away and disappeared.


    So why was she always acting like the older sister?


    Without asking for them, the names given to us by the man and woman in my memory crossed my mind, and I remembered my mother calling them Majesty and Queen.


    Looking up at Gabrielle, I decided I wanted to keep my next words just between us, so I lowered my voice.


    ¡°My name is Fallon Deena Vremonde. Does that name mean anything to you?¡±


    I searched her carefully, believing it was important not to miss her reaction.


    After a little while, Gabrielle nodded, and her smile had faded quickly.


    I had the impression her reply was a mixture of joy and sadness.


    ¡°It does indeed¡­your Highness.¡±


    My eyes widened, my heart stopped for sudden moment, and my hand dropped away from my chest.


    Gabrielle took a step back, and gave me a brighter smile. ¡°Your Prince is here.¡±


    When the shock had passed, and my heart started again, I looked in the direction Gabrielle smoothly turned to face.


    On the terrace level above us, a man in dark, riding leathers stood on its edge. He looked a little unkempt, with his clothes and hair a mess. He had probably run hard to get there, because he was breathing heavily. But even so, he stood tall and straight on the ledge.


    When our eyes met, I felt heart my jump rather than stop. It landed painfully and began beating quickly in my chest.


    And then my tears came and I couldn¡¯t stop them.


    My throat grew tight and strangled my words to a feeble whisper.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­I¡¯m sorry, Falken¡­.¡±


    I started to back away, but an incredibly strong hand gripped my right arm.


    Gabrielle¡¯s expression was stern, reminding of my mother¡¯s when she is was in no mood to tolerate argument from Deidre and me.


    ¡°You need to stop running,¡± she said. ¡°Right now, you have no reason to run.¡±


    Her gaze was hard and penetrating, and I felt it push deep into my mind. It stole my breath, and the argument on my lips.


    ¡°Stop running,¡± she repeated. ¡°You have no reason to run from him.¡±


    In the corner of my eye, I saw Falken work his way down from the upper terrace to the one I stood on.


    Quickly, I swallowed a couple of times, but my mouth was dry. Only my cheeks were wet.


    Gabrielle released my arm, and stood back a few feet.


    And then, a short while later, I found myself looking up at his Grace.


    I tried to say something. I tried telling him I was sorry, but my emotions welled up and I couldn¡¯t get the words out.


    I squeezed my eyes shut hoping to stop my tears of shame and regret.


    Because they were closed, I didn¡¯t see him embrace me. But I felt his arms wrap around me, and then hold me tight against his chest.


    Somehow, if felt easier to cry this way.


    A few days ago, I would have been too afraid to think of holding him back.


    Now, I slipped my arms under his and held him tightly to me too.


    As my tears stopped, I buried my face deeper into his chest, and made myself a selfish promise.


    A promise that came from the deepest part of my heart.


    #


    (Falken)


    It didn¡¯t feel wrong to embrace her.


    I held her tightly.


    I didn¡¯t want her to say anything.


    There would be time for that later.


    So for now, I held her, and supported her, and allowed her cry freely until her tears ran dry.


    Yes, there would be time for words later, and I wanted her able to tell me the truth when I asked it of her.


    With Fallon in my arm, I turned my body a little so that I could face Gabrielle who was standing silently a few feet away. The large dove-like wings fluttered gently, caught by the strong breeze blowing over the terrace.


    Her eyes were searching our surroundings, sweeping their gaze over the fortress, not missing much before finally turning toward me.


    I gave her a shallow nod, and cleared my throat discreetly.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She shrugged lightly and grinned at me. ¡°It was nothing. All in a day¡¯s work.¡±


    ¡°North of the lake, a mountain over, you¡¯ll find the ruins of an old fort. Bandits use it on occasion. We tolerate them provided they leave the people here alone.¡±


    Gabrielle stopped grinning and narrowed her eyes at me. ¡°You tolerate them?¡±


    ¡°Only as much as need be. Which is very little in fact. Knowing where they are is better than having to hunt them throughout the mountain range.¡±


    Her eyes turned northward, a cold light in them that made me fleetingly uneasy.


    I pressed on. ¡°Take her. Take Fatina and Fallon, and go there. I will join you when I can. This evening, I¡¯ll have supplies sent over by people that I trust.¡±


    She snorted softly. ¡°That¡¯s our safe haven.¡±


    ¡°No. My land will be your safe haven.¡±


    Gabrielle stared at me sharply, her burgundy eyes meeting mine, her gaze deep,  penetrating, and questioning.


    I raised my chin slightly at her. ¡°You have a dream don¡¯t you.¡±


    Her lips slowly drew a thin line across her face. ¡°Aye¡­.¡±


    As she held onto my gaze, I held onto hers. ¡°I have a dream too...and I can¡¯t make it happen alone.¡±


    I felt Fallon¡¯s arms slip away from around my waist, so I eased the embrace and allowed her draw back a short distance.


    Looking down at her, our eyes met, and I gave her anxious face a reassuring nod, and a confident smile.


    ¡°Go with her, Fallon. Go with your sister as well. We¡¯ll see each other soon.¡±


    She haltingly shook her head, and her voice broke as she asked, ¡°Why? Why not take me back with you?¡±


    ¡°Because there will be trouble when I return. There are some difficult days ahead. I need to deal with the Quorum of Khans. I need to deal with Ravinia Eldridge and her hunting dog, Iris Dirac. And I need to deal with my family.¡±


    Fallon appeared downcast. A whisper slipped past her lips.


    ¡°¡­family¡­.¡±


    Gabrielle sounded amused. ¡°In that case, you¡¯ll be wanting to take that ¡®hunting dog¡¯ back with you.¡±


    When I faced her, I saw Gabrielle half turn her body and point her large sword-spear to an area of the terrace that lay in ruins a couple of hundred feet away.


    ¡°Fatina left her back there. The Seal of Arcala inside her will heal her injuries, however she won¡¯t be a threat for a few days.¡± Chuckling under her breath, Gabrielle planted her left hand on her hip. ¡°That one is certainly a handful. A pity she¡¯s not on our side.¡±


    Then she turned and faced me again.


    ¡°Well, your Grace. We¡¯d better be off.¡±


    My gaze darted about. ¡°Where¡¯s Fatina?¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s back there, staying out of sight.¡± Gabrielle bit her lower lip. ¡°She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    I gave the terrace another sweeping look, before facing Fallon.


    Holding her at arm¡¯s length, I looked her over from head to booted toes, then squeezed her shoulders.


    ¡°Go with her.¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe it was necessary to tell Fallon that I trusted Gabrielle.


    She closed her mouth tightly for a long moment, before swallowing and visibly gathering her emotions. ¡°Your Grace¡­I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡±


    I replied slowly. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry too. We can talk about it later. When the time comes, I¡¯ll want to hear everything from you.¡±


    Her eyes widened noticeably, and she darted a glance at Gabrielle.


    However, when they looked upon me again, her eyes had regained their radiant emerald light.


    ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    #


    (Fatina)


    While hiding in the shadow of the terrace wall, I eavesdropped on the three of them.


    I used my Awareness-field, narrowed down so that it sharpened my senses far more than usual. I had grown accustomed to the field. Even if I couldn¡¯t sense, touch, or weakly wield the Ether, I didn¡¯t feel as though my world had grown smaller.


    I felt as though my world had grown wider and grander.


    My world had also become dangerous.


    I stared at the pendant I held in my left palm.


    The crest of House Vremonde.


    What did it mean to me? No¡­what did it mean to my sister and me?


    Why had my mother betrayed us? Why had she said that to me before I killed her?


    Live. Live and regain your honor. Regain your birthright.


    I swallowed and raised the necklace from which the pendant dangled, and slipped it around my neck. Then I dropped the pendant under the stolen slip I wore.


    My Awareness-field sensed movement.


    Falken Claymore was walking with steady strides toward me.


    No, he was walking to where Iris Dirac Korvinus lay heaped on a large slab of a broken wall belonging to the single story building her Warlord and mine had demolished when we crashed into it.


    I burned my village down. Now I came here and destroyed an ancient fortress.


    For a handful of heartbeats I looked up at the massive, towering fortress with its fourteen terraces running up the mountainside.


    What was this place? It might have been grand once¡­but now it¡¯s just rubble waiting to fall apart.


    Above the mountain peak, storm clouds were gathering, robbing the sky of its blue.


    Falken Claymore stopped in front of the slab with Dirac on it.


    He spoke to me though his attention was on the unconscious, broken woman.


    ¡°I left your sister in Gabrielle¡¯s care. I told them to head north¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªthen a mountain over to the remains of a fort¡­or something like that.¡±


    He took a long, deep breath, and nodded slowly.


    I¡¯d given away my ability to eavesdrop, but when he spoke again, he made no mention of it.


    ¡°Go with them. They need you. Your sister needs you.¡±


    Reaching over, he picked up the unconscious Dirac.


    I saw that he was about to toss her over his right shoulder, and hastily stepped away from the rubble. ¡°Wait¡ªher ribs are broken. They¡ªthey broke when I punched her with Gehanna¡¯s fist.¡±


    Claymore stopped for a heartbeat, then sighed and carefully hefted Dirac into his arms. He made the choice to carry her like a princess instead.


    Looking at me, he shook his head and grinned weakly.


    I realized he was amused.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t hold back, do you?¡±


    A short laugh escaped my lips, but then I found myself unable to break free of his gaze.


    My heartbeat rose a little, and an odd warmth circled my heart.


    I had to take a couple of hasty breaths before I could find words in reply.


    ¡°She¡­.¡± I sighed, shook my head once, and started again. ¡°I really hate her.¡±


    Carrying Dirac in his arms, Claymore walked around the rubble and stepped closer to me.


    ¡°Fatina, thank you.¡±


    I blinked a few times. My heart, which had been calming down, again beat quickly, and the warmth in my chest swirled a little faster.


    I folded my hands behind my back, and forced myself to look up at him.


    ¡°Did you mean what you said?¡± I asked him. "About your land being our safe haven?"


    ¡°Every word of it,¡± he answered with a calm composure from which I felt I could draw hope.


    I had found hope in Gabrielle.


    I had found hope in this young man too.


    He really is¡­rather handsome.


    A blush crept quickly across my cheeks and I turned away, though I listened to his words.


    ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you. It¡¯s not going to be easy. However, I¡¯ll do everything I can to make it happen.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t believe in the Khan Orden. And I don¡¯t believe that all Khan Wilders deserve the fate the Orden decrees for them. Wilders exist for a reason. Someone or something out there is gifting people like you and Fallon with the Seals of Arcala. There has to be a reason. And I want to know that reason. Like I said before, I can¡¯t do this alone. I¡¯ll need your help, I¡¯ll need Fallon¡¯s help. I¡¯ll need Gabrielle¡¯s help. If you truly want to make a safe haven for your kind, then we need to work together.¡±


    I searched his face, looking for a lie, looking for ¨C what was the word Gabrielle used ¨C looking for a falsehood.


    I couldn¡¯t see it, and I realized I was beginning to hope a little more strongly.


    Then I shook my head sadly as my emotions grew heavy and painful.


    ¡°Maybe I deserve the fate the Orden has decided for me. My hands¡ªno, my soul¡ªis bathed in blood.¡±


    I shook my head again.


    ¡°I will never be clean.¡±


    Slowly, I walked away from him, heading north along the gentle curve of the terrace.


    North to the tip of the lake, and then one mountain over, to the ruins of an old fort.


    North to where Gabrielle and my sister would be waiting for me.


    #


    (Falken)


    For a long while, I watched Fatina walk away, growing smaller as the distance between us grew.


    Eventually, she disappeared from view when she rounded the gentle curve of the terrace, and jumped down to the grassy terrain bordering Calmonad¡¯s lowest regions.


    The disquiet in my heart refused to settle down even after she had moved out of sight.


    I was afraid for her ¨C afraid of the choices she may make in the near and distant future.


    She wasn¡¯t just a teenage girl entering womanhood.


    She was Khan Wilder with the power to turn Calmonad into utter rubble in the span of an hour if not sooner.


    I refrained from exhaling loudly, fearing it would turn into a disconsolate sigh.


    Instead, I chose to breathe evenly, and think of how I was going to make the journey back to Calandor.


    My cowardly steed, Palomar, had deserted me.


    Perhaps it was time to choose a new means of transportation. I should choose a horse with the courageous heart of a lion.


    I nodded to myself. ¡°First order of business when I get back. Fire my horse.¡±


    Turning my attention on the unconscious, injured woman in my arms, I said, ¡°For now, I have to figure out what I¡¯m going to do with you.¡±


    Holding her up close like I did, I studied Iris Dirac¡¯s sleeping visage.


    Damn. She really is pretty.


    Her full, firm breasts rose and fell with the uneven breaths she took.


    Double damn.


    I coughed and cleared my throat, forcing my attention away from her voluptuous charms.


    However, thinking of her charms made me remember another firm chest pressed against me not long ago.


    She¡¯s just a girl, you fool. Don¡¯t think of her that way.


    I heard a voice whisper from the depraved recess of my mind.


    Why not? She is precious to you after all. And she¡¯s a beauty in her own right.


    I told my evil half to be quiet, hefted Iris Dirac a little more comfortably in my arms, then began the long journey back to Calandor.


    With any luck I would encounter my guardsmen along the way.


    I could only hope that Gabrielle had told me the truth when she said they would wake in an hour or so.


    However, I was in for a surprise.


    As I approached a set of wide, spacious steps leading from this terrace to the next one above, the clop-clop of hooves wearing metal shoes reached my ears.


    I stopped at the foot of the steps and looked up at the landing some twenty feet above me.


    A few moments later, as the sound of walking hooves grew louder and clearer, Palomar appeared and then stopped at the edge of the landing.


    The horse neighed and shook its head and mane down at me.


    I stared up at the beast, wet my parched lips, and cleared my throat with what little moisture I could gather in my mouth.


    ¡°You just saved your job, your worthless coward.¡±


    Palomar neighed again and bowed its large head.


    I exhaled loudly.


    ¡°Get down here before I change my mind and fire your sorry horse''s ass.¡±


    At that moment, as Palomar began descending the steps, I saw something fly high in the sky behind the beast.


    Trailing a stream of sparkling emerald light, the scout flyer executed what I recognized as a barrel roll, then streaked overhead, cutting a fast path across the sky and under the spreading grey clouds.


    The flyer did not circle round to Calandor.


    Nor did it make any effort to land on Calmonad.


    On outstretched gossamer wings glowing brightly with the Ether, it flew straight and true to the west, and disappeared over the mountains bordering the lake.


    I stared at those distant peaks as an unpleasant sensation crawled around in my chest.


    That flyer was one of ours, with a pilot and a navigator, yet it had flown away from us and clearly on a mission.


    I nodded inwardly to myself.


    I see. So that¡¯s how it is. They have eyes everywhere.


    I understood then and there that the Khan Orden would be coming.


    A storm, as they say, was building up behind those mountains, in a land far to the west.


    The land of a great Empire ruled by an ambitious Empress.


    The events that had taken place here and over the past month were not the start of the story.


    They were the prologue to a story that may well be told through the ages.


    In the meantime, the first droplets of rain began to land on me, and on the unconscious woman I carried.


    I turned around when I felt Palomar nudge my shoulder with its cold, wet nose.


    Regarding my steed unhappily, I then studied Iris Dirac, feeling her weight begin to strain my arms just a little.


    It wasn¡¯t easy, but somehow, with Palomar standing perfectly still and steady, I was able to climb onto the saddle without dropping Iris.


    Then the rain began to bucket down, and Palomar shook his head and mane in disagreement with the weather.


    As we rode back up Calmonad¡¯s terraces, I chose to ignore the headache that settled in between my temples, and hoped the Thread in my body would take care of it sooner rather than later.


    I hadn¡¯t lied when I told Gabrielle there were difficult days ahead.


    Dealing with a headache was the least of my worries.


    <hr />


    A little trivia.


    I wrote the scene between Falken and Fallon to the music of "Gargantia on the Verdant World".


    Specifically the track: "Shukuen no Makugire" by Iwashiro Tarou.


    The final scene where Falken spies the flyer departing to the west was written to the music of


    "Human Step / Aramaki''s Theme" from the "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" movie.

 Epilogue

    Epilogue.


    (Aurelia)


    Countless Etherite lamps illuminated the wide underground tunnel leading into the immense training chamber.


    The Ether flowing through the rock made the Etherite lamps glow brightly.


    The heels of my boots clacked loudly as I strode with pride and authority.


    Following a path down the middle of the tunnel, with my escort of guardsmen behind me ¨C a wholly unnecessary measure since I was quite capable of defending myself against any man, woman, child or beast off this world ¨C I made sure to restrain the Void-field close to my body.


    I didn¡¯t need to be distracted by the flickering of Etheric lamps robbed of the Ether.


    I had an important task to perform, and important message to deliver.


    The tunnel came to an end, and I stepped onto the wide, permacrete walkway travelled all around the interior of the chamber.


    A thick parapet prevented me from stepping off the walkway and into open air.


    I knew the layout of the chamber well, so I had no need to pause and gain my bearings.


    Turning to the right, I walked with even steady strides for a dozen or so meters and arrived at a collection of steps that led up to an overhanging, observation balcony, enclosed by a smooth, beveled parapet serving as a guardrail.


    I climbed the steps and walked to the far end of the balcony.


    My escort came along as well, and chose to position themselves a few feet behind me.


    From this elevated position, I could sweep my gaze over the interior of the chamber and the square arena it contained. The arena was forty feet deep, with slanted walls a thousand feet long. The chamber itself spanned a half kilometer in breadth and length.


    I focused my attention on the spacious floor of the arena, and the individual occupying it.


    Sophia Romanova of Clan Korvinus.


    Under her will, the Warlord she operated moved with a grace and fluidity born of countless hours of practice and training.


    It was poetry in motion, a beautiful dance without wasted movement.


    The personification of efficiency.


    The swords her Warlord wielded flashed as they caught the Etheric light in the chamber.


    They moved with precision, striking blows against the Etherite engorged training drones flying around her like insistent flies.


    The drones resembled a cross between a spindle and inverted cone. A dozen gossamer wings extending from the round head, glowing strongly due to the Ether saturating the chamber. They flew under the skilled guidance of a dozen training specialists ¨C men with enormously high Ether Kinetic talent.


    However, it wasn¡¯t just men that occupied strategic points atop the arena¡¯s walls.


    Women stood between them as well. They were strong Empath Weavers with the ability to keep the Ether flowing richly through the chamber and arena. If not for their influence, the drones would lack the Ether that kept them aloft.


    The reason was simple.


    A Warlord warded away the Ether. Its movements in the arena disrupted the flows, and threatened to rob the drones of the Ether they needed to stay aloft in the air. Hence, the women, the Empath Weavers, worked in concert with the men to keep the Ether flowing through and around the drones, while the men used their Kinetic talent to will the devices about.


    The Khan Orden paid them handsomely for their services, and when they weren¡¯t occupied here, they would work elsewhere across the immense estate that was large enough to be considered a province in some of the eastern lands.


    For a minute, I continued to stand and silently observe the training session.


    The Warlord, Kali, spun like a top, a children¡¯s toy. Its Impulse Wings fanned out behind it, ringed by halos of blue-white light.


    Unlike the mythical goddess from that ancient religion, this Kali was black yet covered in armor panels of silver. While it did not possess the ten arms of its namesake, its two arms served it well.


    The swords it gripped would deftly deflect the drones as they drew near, tapping them with either the tips or the sharp edge.


    It required a gentle hand.


    Too hard a strike, and the drone would break. That wasn¡¯t to say they were feebly constructed. On the contrary, they were light, yet incredibly sturdy.


    The need for a gentle touch was due to the enormous kinetic energy a single sword tap could deliver.


    Many people would be surprised to see drones powered by the Ether in such close proximity to a Warlord.


    However, what they didn¡¯t know was that an experienced Khan could contain the Void-field close to the Warlord¡¯s skeletal chassis. In fact, a Warlord could walk side by side and in close proximity to a platoon of Jotnar.


    It all came down to practice and hard earned skill.


    I was certain there was no need to master that skill. It was my ardent belief that a Warlord¡¯s Core Awareness could just as easily restrict the Void-field on its own. There really wasn¡¯t a need for us to do so through our own will and concentration.


    I found it annoying that the Core Awareness rarely chose to make life easier for its bonded Khan.


    Twelve rapid strikes, and the drones retreated in a flurry from Kali¡¯s swords. However, they began orbiting the Warlord and made no further attempt to approach it.


    I looked over to my right at a tower some two hundred feet away, intersecting the arena wall.


    A large man stood on the tower¡¯s battlement, arms folded across his chest, dressed in the cloak that identified him as a senior trainer. A similarly cloaked woman with short blonde hair stood a few feet to his right. She gave him a sidelong look as he turned his head in my direction and raised his right hand high over his head.


    In an instant, the twelve drones flew away to the walls of the training arena.


    I offered him a faint smile, and a polite bow. He returned my gesture with a cursory nod.


    I smiled inwardly at the manner of his response, and looked down at the Warlord.


    The eyes of its Khan met mine.


    Kali floated gracefully across the arena, and touched ground a hundred feet or so away from the observation balcony.


    I studied the woman who wielded the Warlord on a level few Khans of the Orden would ever attain.


    Her skill, and her devotion to the Orden, were the reasons I was dispatched to fetch her.


    She looked up at me, her face covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Her clothes were damp and clung tightly to her skin.


    I held out my right hand, and one of the guardsmen accompanying me stepped forth and handed me a bundled towel.


    I tossed it over to her using the strength granted to me by the Seal of Arcala within my body.


    The towel sailed through the air until caught by an effect-field generated by Kali, whereupon it appeared to float into the Khan¡¯s waiting hand.


    I smiled down at her, folded my hands behind my back, and then used the Seal of Arcala to generate an effect-field that would amplify my voice well beyond humanly possible.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve recovered quite well. Your movements were as beautiful as ever. Truly exquisite. I could compose a song in praise of them.¡± I clicked the fingers of my right hand. ¡°Oh, but I don¡¯t know how to write music, much less play an instrument.¡±


    She wiped at her face with the towel.


    Tsk. I clicked my tongue while still smiling.


    A lady does not wipe. She pats herself dry.


    I sighed inwardly.


    When will she learn to be a proper lady?


    Wiping down the bare skin of her neck, she regarded me with a stony expression.


    ¡°What are you doing here, Aurelia? Did you get bored dallying with those pompous asses from the capital?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, my dear Sophia. Not all. For last night, a delicious young debutant and I shared a most passionate encounter.¡±


    I wiggled my fingers at Sophia.


    ¡°I certainly haven¡¯t lost my touch.¡±


    The towel flew back at me with enough speed to outrun an arrow.


    I smiled when it struck the barrier-field my Seal generated before me, stopping the fabric missile a few inches shy of my nose. Cancelling the barrier, I reached out and caught the towel before it could fall to the floor.


    Then I raised it to my face, and smelled the sweat freshly wiped from her body.


    My head became light and delirious.


    Sophia''s voice cut the air like a stinging whip. ¡°You disgusting slut.¡±


    I lowered the towel, and folded it neatly. ¡°You praise me too highly.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t praising you, you whore.¡±


    ¡°Tusk, tusk. Flattery will get you somewhere.¡±


    Of a sudden, Kali reduced the distance between us by jumping fifty or so feet, landing elegantly on its feet.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you again, Aurelia. Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Well, if you insist.¡±


    I took a deep breath which served to push up my modest breasts under my white uniform.


    ¡°The Quorum has come to a consensus.¡±


    Sophia¡¯s eyes visibly narrowed. ¡°A consensus on what?¡±


    I gave her my most charming and winning smile, one known to make many a virgin maiden blush from her cheeks to painted toes.


    ¡°The Quorum has chosen to assign you to the ranks of the Six Peers.¡±


    Sophia reached up and casually stroked the ends of her long, crimson hair. ¡°Are you lying to me, Aurelia?¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I patted the pocket under my short white coat. ¡°I have the written declaration right here. Would you like to read it?¡±


    Sophia continued stroking her hair, her eyes narrow and hard. ¡°Why make the decision now?¡±


    ¡°A situation has arisen in a land far to the east.¡±


    Her hand stopped moving. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a rather complicated matter. It would appear that our esteemed Quorum Secretary Ravinia Claudia Eldridge and her lap dog, Iris Dirac Korvinus, have drawn the ire of the Archduke of Caldera. At least, that is what I¡¯ve garnered from my various sources. The Quorum is being rather tight lipped on this occasion. No doubt Kapernia remains fresh in their minds¡ª¡±


    I stopped abruptly because Sophia was suddenly smiling from ear to ear.


    Her tone was deep and her voice carried courtesy of the effect-field generated by either her Seal or her Warlord.


    ¡°So¡­Ravinia Eldridge finally stumbled and fell.¡±


    She planted her hands on her hips and began to laugh.


    ¡°Oh, this is majestic. How many years have I waited for this?¡±


    I glanced around me. The guardsmen behind me were keeping their faces unreadable.


    With another sigh, I called out to Sophia. ¡°Do you really need to be telling everybody how you feel?¡±


    Sophia stopped laughing. ¡°Do you think I care? How many times have I argued against her reasoning before the Quorum? That woman doesn¡¯t deserve to hold the title of Quorum Secretary. She never did. She was much too soft. A typical diplomat. A parasite.¡±


    I held back a sigh ¨C Sophia made me sigh too often for my health ¨C and tried not to sound too dismissive of her childish opinions.


    ¡°Well, in any case, your presence is required before the Quorum in order for you to be officially appointed to the Six Peers.¡± I took out the letter and placed it on the balcony¡¯s parapet. ¡°It¡¯s all there in black and white.¡±


    I started turning away to my right, but halted when Sophia asked in flat voice, ¡°What of the remaining vacancies in the Six Peers?¡±


    I looked down at her over my left shoulder. ¡°What of them?¡±


    ¡°Are they still vacant?¡±


    I shook my head casually. ¡°No. The Quorum has filled the remaining two positions.¡±


    Sophia willed her Warlord Kali to step closer. ¡°When did this happen?¡±


    ¡°Today. This morning, actually.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sophia lowered her chin and peered up at me. ¡°Who are they?¡±


    ¡°Gerhard Gherling Kerensky.¡±


    She raised her chin in surprise. ¡°Seerkhan Gherling? The Iron Wolf of Kerensky?¡±


    I nodded faintly at her.


    ¡°And who else?¡± she asked.


    I touched my left breast and slowly broke into a wide smile that drew its warmth from the smoldering passion I held for Sophia in the burning cauldron of my heart.


    ¡°Tis I, the beautiful seducer of maidens. The exquisite flower of the West. The sweet dew of the spring morning. The Seerkhan, Aurelia Augustine Kerverus.¡±


    I curtsied to Sophia who stared at me mouth agape. Then her face darkened ominously.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    I waved goodbye to her. ¡°By your leave, my beloved.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you call me that!¡±


    With a gentle flutter of my left hand, I motioned to the guardsmen that we should depart. ¡°Let¡¯s go, boys.¡±


    Wordlessly they turned and followed me off the observation balcony.


    Sophia¡¯s cry filled the air behind me.


    ¡°Aurelia, get back here! What do you mean you¡¯re joining the Six Peers?¡±


    I fanned myself lightly with the other letter in my coat pocket that was addressed to me.


    Keeping the smile from my face was an impossible task.


    My beloved Sophia. Oh, what fun we shall have travelling across the Northern Continent¡ªcutting down one Khan Wilder after another.


    I stepped into the tunnel, and extended my arms wide as I danced in a circle.


    A violent tremor shook the floor as Sophia and Kali rampaged about the arena.


    ¡°AURELIA!¡±


    I resumed walking elegantly down the tunnel, and tapped the letter to my lips.


    Two girls. Two sisters. Both of them Khan Wilders gifted with Seerkhans.


    I knew the name of one, but not the other.


    Fallon Kassius.


    I tipped my head slightly to a side.


    Why did that name sound so familiar?


    Hmm, maybe I should visit the archives and do a little reading. I should brush up on my history.


    Pocketing the letter and with my interest piqued, I picked up my pace.


    After all, it was only a matter of time before the Quorum deemed it necessary to dispatch the newly formed Six Peers out in the wilds.


    I would need to borrow books from the library.


    I did so love to read on long journeys.


    And I should purchase a new pillow, and a new sleeping bag ¨C one large enough for two people to snuggle up inside.


    I pursed my lips together.


    Perhaps, I should read up on the young Archduke of Caldera.


    I had to admit, I was surprised that Sophia failed to flutter an eyelid when I mentioned him. After all, she was rather crushed when he failed to win the Tournament of Jotunn Meisters a year ago. She had bet a considerable amount of money on him as well, and she drank herself silly when she lost it all.


    To my shame, even when at her most vulnerable, I failed to seduce her.


    I felt a shiver run down my spine as I remembered that final match.


    Everyone had said it was impossible to operate a War Jotunn without a working Etheric Drive. Yet Claymore had not only wielded the Jotunn like an extension of his body, he had very nearly defeated his opponent. To be robbed of victory on a technicality was seen by many as a crime.


    However, his opponent was a Knight-Captain who hailed from Dal Anderas, the capital of the Anderas Empire, and a lord belonging to a branch of the Imperial Family. It simply wouldn¡¯t do to have some noble from an obscure eastern land defeat an esteemed member, no matter how low on the totem pole, of the Imperial Family.


    Certainly not before the spectating eyes of the Empress.


    To shame the Empress with defeat was akin to open treason.


    I snorted softly to myself.


    The men of strong Ether Kinetic talent employed by the Khan Orden did not hold a candle to the bonfire of that young man¡¯s talent.


    I slowed to a stop and again tapped the letter to my lips.


    Falken Galen Claymore, a most frightening, intriguing, and handsome young man.


    I could count on one hand the number of men who could boast of having met the Empress¡¯s gaze and not faltered.


    Falken Claymore was one such man.


    With a deep breath, I pocketed the letter and resumed walking down the long tunnel.


    I had much reading to do¡­and much to contemplate.


    # Fin ¨C Book One #


    <hr />


    Afterward


    My many thanks to those of you who read through to the end.


    I apologize for this being a draft.


    Around half the novel has been re-edited but those are the early chapters.


    With this posting, it brings to an end a two year journey.


    I wrote the first incarnation of "Andraste" in late 2013, then shelved it.


    I went back to it last year, and decide to rewrite it again, removing the original badly thought out ending.


    I was trying to do too much with the original version.


    By simplifying the story, I was able to space it out more.


    There was no need to rush. The series, "The Seals of Arcala" is a long one that will possibly span as many as six novels.


    Of course, this all depends on how the final product is received once it goes onto Amazon Kindle.


    Based on its reception here, it will be a complete failure.


    However, I have faith in it.


    I truly don''t believe this novel is as bad as the comments people have posted.


    My intention was never to write "web fiction". I wanted to give readers a proper novel to read.


    I have no regrets on the way it turned out.


    Anyway, at present I''m busy trying to get the cover done, and balancing my day job with the rewriting and editing.


    I''m also building a set of the scene described in the Epilogue.


    It should be completed, along with the Warlord Kali, sometime around the end of February.


    It''s a big, big set.


    About two thousand pieces are going into it.


    When finished it will be roughly 1.5 x 1.5 meters.


    And it will be mostly out of Lego.


    Those of you that enjoyed this work, please look forward to Book Two, "Gehanna".


    Book Two will deal more with Fatina, and her growing relationship with Falken.


    Lisanna''s family will also come into the picture, and Falken''s decisions to protect the Khan Wilders will bring him into conflict with Kaden and Alleyne.


    I won''t spoil it for you with too much info.


    For now, adios.


    Simkin Four Fifty-Two


    January, 2016

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 1

    Preface


    Greetings RRL readers. The posting of draft 2.0 is dedicated to the few RRL readers following this. I''m posting the second draft since it helps me review the material a little more before its eventual release on Amazon Kindle in April.


    I''ll be deleting the old chapters a few at a time as I post the second draft of the story here.


    Hopefully some of you will find this better than the original. The first few chapters have been fixed up , so the prose and grammar are better, however, the second draft also contains 10 news chapters, and the latter half of the story has been significantly adjusted because of the changes to the story.


    This has pushed the overall length of the book to around 210,000 words but it''s quite a ways shorter than "A Game of Thrones" which stands at 280,000 words. I have considered breaking the book into two parts and releasing it that way, otherwise I will release it as a complete novel.


    Please note: this is NOT web fiction. It is written like a novel. It is written in past tense -- like the vast majority of novels -- and the chapters are between 5000 to 8000 words (like a novel).


    Though I intend to self-publish this book, I am thinking of submitting it to an agent or two, just to try my luck.


    The maps will be made available on my blogsite this week.


    Thank you to those of you who read draft 1.0 all the way to the end.


    [The Prologue remains unchanged]


    [Keen readers will note one important change between this version and release 1.0.]


    <hr />


    Chapter 1.


    There are certain fundamentals about life on this world that we need to establish.


    Foremost amongst them is the Ether.


    Put simply, the Ether is the spill of energy from the Galactic Ley Lines that crisscross a planetary body.


    More accurate would be to say that the Ley Lines intersected with the celestial body ¨C a planet or moon ¨C a broke into many arterial and veinal lines that flowed over and through the world. They would reform at many points of confluence, and sometimes the emergent thicker and stronger Ley Line would then continue its journey through space, and onto the next world or moon it encountered.


    Drawn into a map, these Galactic Lines formed a vast network connecting countless star systems across the immensity of space.


    However, what is of great import is that the Ether that radiated out of the Ley Lines flowed in vast quantities over the land, the oceans and the air.


    The Ether had a several unique properties.


    It could turn inorganic matter into a material or substance aptly named Etherite. This happened over a period of thousands of years and not all inorganic matter transmuted as easily or as quickly, so it was safe to say that despite the Ether permeating the world for countless millennia, the land was not covered in Etherite, nor was it found in all places. Also, the Ether could not transmute water any more than it could reorganize the substance of organic material.


    Actually, the Ether could alter living tissue but we¡¯ll discuss that in another chapter.


    Etherite had a very important property. When refined, it could be blended into other materials and used to conduct the Ether. This gave rise to a specialized field of science and engineering that dealt entirely with the application of Etherite into common, everyday items.


    Etherite¡¯s main value was in its property to be willfully, physically manipulated by people, and more specifically by men that possessed an Ether Kinetic talent.


    In simple terms, Etherite and the Ether gifted men with the ability to move matter using their awareness. In other words, it was quite literally a kinetic ability that required a human male to exert his will through the Ether as his medium, and influence the Etherite found in the immediate to near vicinity.


    Women possessed this Ether Kinetic talent to a far lesser degree.. There were some exceptions to the rule, but the vast majority of women could only manifest a weak Ether Kinetic ability. However, it was sufficient for them to operate many common household items, though not enough to fight alongside men in the field of battle.


    That said, women possess a talent of their own.


    It is called an Ether Empathic Weaver talent ¨C the ability to read emotions imprinted on the Ether, and to manipulate the Ether directly. A woman could feel the emotions being radiated by a person or an animal; emotions carried along by the flowing Ether. They could choose to rewrite those emotions, or cleanse them from the Ether. They could also influence individuals by using the Ether to alter their emotional state.


    I should point out the latter is considered a crime in many lands, but it doesn¡¯t stop women from employing it upon their hapless male partners or husbands whom they suspect of being less than faithful to them.


    For now, we have established that the Ley Lines radiate the Ether, and the Ether transmutes inorganic matter into Etherite that is blended into machinery and other items. These items and devices can then be operated courtesy of a person¡¯s Awareness, ergo the very definition of an Ether Kinetic talent.


    I have mentioned that Etherite was incorporated into household items and other machinery.


    It was also extensively used in instruments of destruction.


    Amongst these were machines of war that dwarfed many of the largest mammals on land.


    Humanity referred to these devilish tools as¡­Jotnar.


    Excerpt from The World As We Know It.


    What I never told anyone was of the letter I received a week before setting off for the border.


    My homeland of Caldera shared its western and northwestern border with the mountainous, prosperous land of Kaitain. While our respective territories were not at war, our relations had become strained, and in recent months we¡¯d endured a number of skirmishes with House Kurama¡¯s military. My visit to the border was to assure our men and women stationed there that I, the Archduke of Caldera, and head of House Claymore had not forgotten them.


    The letter that arrived was delivered through less than official channels.


    It was a letter from Terumi, whom I hadn¡¯t seen or spoken to since representatives of House Kurama, the family that ruled Kaitain, attended my father¡¯s funeral more than a year ago.


    Back then it was a surprise to many of us when House Kurama¡¯s people arrived at our border, requesting passage to attend the funeral service. Relations between our lands were frosty at best, and their arrival at the border caused much commotion between my advisors and immediate family. However, though I was only interim ruler at the time, I made the decision to grant them passage.


    With my father having died at sea there was no body to bury, so the funeral was merely a formality but a necessary one. Issen Kurama, the head of the family and ruler of Kaitain, had expressed his apologies for not being able to pay his respects in person to a worthy rival.


    In his place, he had sent his eldest daughter, Terumi.


    Everyone has a first love.


    For me, it was Terumi.


    The first time I saw her, I must have been thirteen years old, but I fell in love with her then and there, in the garden of her family¡¯s palatial estate.


    Along with my parents, I had travelled with my younger siblings ¨C my brother, Kaden, and sister, Alleyne ¨C to Kaitain as part of an official visit. Back then, ties with Kaitain had been warm and pleasant, with strong trade between our lands. You could say relations between Kaitain and Caldera were closer than those with our longtime ally to the north, Reinvald.


    I had wandered into a secluded garden, drawn to it because my mother had a large garden of her own within our home of Calandor. Curious to see what plants and flowers it held, I¡¯d entered the garden and encountered Terumi.


    Yes, I fell in love with her, and I spent as much time as I could with her until the day we had to return to Caldera.


    Upon our return to the mountain-citadel of Calandor, I announced to my parents that when I was of age, I would marry Terumi Kurama, and forge a bond between our two lands. I dare say my parents were flabbergasted, especially since I was already promised to Lisanna of Reinvald. However, I was adamant I would marry no one but Terumi, and no amount of reasoning would change my mind.


    Perhaps because of this contact between Terumi and I grew thready as fewer and fewer of her letters reached me, no doubt due to interference from my parents.


    When I was briefly reunited with Terumi at the funeral service ¨C twelve years after our fated encounter in her palace¡¯s garden ¨C I saw that she was more beautiful now than I could have ever imagined, and I realized that my feelings for her were not those of a childhood crush. However, I buried those feelings under a mountain of duty, and promised myself while assuring others that the marriage to Lisanna would go ahead as planned.


    Thus, when I received her letter, a week prior to my departure, I spent a great deal of time debating whether to open it. I believed she had risked a great deal sending me the letter by such secretive means, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to read it.


    In the end, I burned it, and departed for the border fortresses ignorant of the danger that lay ahead.


    Ignorant of the danger Terumi had tried to warn me of.


    A danger foretold in a recurring dream she had endured for many nights.


    A nightmare where I fell in battle and died at the hands of her family¡¯s soldiers.


    Excerpt from A Falken¡¯s Point Of View.


    An autobiography of Falken Galen Claymore Kaiser.


    (Falken)


    The rain had eased to a faint drizzle.


    I considered it a small blessing.


    Combat in the rain was unpleasant and unpredictable.


    It was bad enough to be fighting on foot upon wet ground.


    It grew decidedly more complicated when fighting on foot meant battle between fifteen-foot tall giants constructed of metal, fabric, and wood.


    However, though it was already late morning, said battle had yet to be joined.


    Nonetheless, I was certain it was only a matter of time before it pounced upon us.


    The terrain underfoot was not the best for moving stealthily. The forest of trees through which we traversed northwest stood no shorter than a hundred feet. It was an ancient forest with a thick canopy of branches and leaves, one of thousands protected by the Archons across the Northern Continent, and to cut them en masse was a crime they ¨C our custodians ¨C would not tolerate.


    Rounding the base of a thick tree, I peered ahead through the domed glass canopy reinforced by a metal cage, then stepped carefully over giant roots that snaked along the forest floor.


    The Jotunn I piloted was a fifteen-foot tall, armored goliath customized for my personal use.


    The Etheric Drive mounted to its back resembled an oversized wine barrel. It drew in rich amounts of the surrounding Ether that was then distributed throughout the machine¡¯s skeletal chassis. With its bones and joints enriched with fine Etherite, and using the Ether flowing them as a medium, I was able to employ my Ether Kinetic talent and exert my will over the goliath.


    Thus, I was able to control the giant machine as an extension of my body.


    My Jotunn was one of twenty-one belonging to the heavy infantry platoon I¡¯d been hastily assigned to.


    Platoon Two, Gryphon Company, under the overall command of Knight-Commander Chiren Kell, a woman with an extraordinary Ether Kinetic talent and a deadly combat sense.


    Regardless of my title of Archduke, my rank was that of a Jotunn-Knight. As such, there was little chance I would have been granted command of the twenty-man platoon I now accompanied through the forest.


    Somewhere to my right, my younger brother Kaden led a platoon of his own, also part of Gryphon Company. He too had a customized goliath bearing our family crest of House Claymore.


    Through the armored canopy, I looked east in his direction, hoping to glimpse his machine and those of his men moving between the trees.


    However, it was simply not to be.


    The overcast, intermittently drizzling sky had blanketed the forest in darkness akin to a late afternoon or early evening. Without glancing at my chronometer mounted to the interior of the Jotunn¡¯s cockpit, I would not have believed it was late morning.


    For the past two hours, we had trekked over the undulating plains of my homeland of Caldera. The journey from the army¡¯s sprawling camp to Gaellen Forest had been unnervingly quiet and uneventful. It was as though all those quiet moments were building up to a crescendo that was soon to erupt within this forest in an unavoidable clash between opposing forces.


    The moment House Kurama¡¯s heavy infantry of Jotnar breached our border and entered Caldera, a battle between our respective military forces was inevitable.


    The incursion through the northwest border between Caldera and Kaitain had been sighted during the early morning hours by a patrolling flyer riding the strong currents of Ether. However, we were late to respond, the weather hampering our progress, and instead of meeting Kurama¡¯s Jotnar on the open ground to the northwest of Gaellen Forest, we were now certain to encounter them amongst the trees, many, many kilometers deep into Caldera.


    What shamed our commanders was the fact this breach was not entirely unexpected.


    Of late, Kurama had been testing the long expanse of our border quite often, and it was one reason why I¡¯d chosen to depart the mountain-citadel of Calandor ¨C much to my sister Alleyne¡¯s consternation ¨C and ¡®tour¡¯ the fortifications of the west and northwestern borders between Kaitain and Caldera. I wanted our men and women at the frontline to see that I was taking the matter of House Kurama seriously.


    That was another reason why I was now strapped into my Jotunn, and walking through the dense forest. Even if I wasn¡¯t allowed to command the platoon, at the very least I was allowed to participate in the oncoming battle.


    I felt the sweat on my hands, and felt it trickle under my Ether conductive clothing. I didn¡¯t miss this feeling, nor the heat and humidity inside the Jotunn¡¯s cockpit made worse by the outside drizzle.


    I didn¡¯t miss it at all, but I had made the choice to be here and there was no turning back.


    A flash of light far to the left, rising quickly into the sky, grabbed my attention.


    It was a flare to indicate contact with the enemy.


    Our platoons of the First Army¡¯s four companies of heavy infantry had finally encountered the Jotnar of House Kurama.


    If not for the rain, I would have thought it dangerous to let loose a flare under a canopy of branches for the risk of starting a fire. For that reason, Jotnar were equipped with powerful signal lights powered by the Ether syphoned from their surroundings by their Etheric Drives. However, using signal lights was akin to painting a target upon oneself. It was harder to trace the path of the flare back to the Jotunn that fired it.


    Whoever launched the flare had good aim. It sailed straight up through the enshrouding branches and leaves, peaked well into the sky, then began to fall leisurely back down to the forest floor. Through the gaps in the overhead branches, I watched it descend.


    Depending on how well the individual platoons had kept to formation as they advanced through the forest, I hazarded a guess the flare had come from Chiren¡¯s platoon that should be roughly a few hundred feet to the west of us. If not from her men, then perhaps it was launched further west by someone from Wyvern Company led by Knight-Commander Aiden Krannach.


    I briefly debated whether to fire a flare of our own, or to use the Jotunn¡¯s signal lights to indicate our platoon should head in that direction. However, I reminded myself it was not my platoon to command.


    Abruptly, I spied a large shadow moving between the trees in the distance to the north-northwest.


    It was too far ahead to be one of our Jotnar.


    While willing my Jotunn forward, I reached my hand into the recessed cockpit tubing that held the flare gun. The cartridge was already loaded. All I had to do was squeeze the trigger.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The flare fired upwards through a gun port just outside the domed canopy¡¯s metal cage.


    I caught sight of it in the corner of my eye as it soared into the sky, and breached the overhead canopy of branches, yet my attention was on the approaching shadow that soon resolved itself into the familiar form of a Jotunn. Its stylized, skirted armor was all I needed to see to know it belonged to House Kurama.


    Behind it, more of its comrades approached between the trees.


    I spoke into the mouthpiece that would amplify my voice, and called out the sighting of enemy Jotnar. However, I quickened my pace only a little.


    Charging forward with reckless abandon was not my style.


    Nor was it to risk a fall in the damp, uneven ground.


    Readying the enormous axe in my Jotunn¡¯s immense right hand, I hefted the shield attached to its left forearm, and chose my first opponent for the day ¨C a black goliath with armor trimmed in gold.


    Silently, I prayed for the safety of my men.


    I prayed for Chiren and for Kaden.


    Then I sent a silent prayer to the gods for my sister, Alleyne, safe and sound back at the mountain-citadel of Calandor.


    I chose not consider I may never see her again.


    Harboring doubts for my mortality was the first step in admitting the possibility of defeat¡­and death.


    I banished the thought from my mind, as my Jotunn¡¯s axe met the enemy¡¯s downward slashing blade.


    A muted clang reached my ears, and part of the impact travelled up my Jotunn¡¯s arm and across its barrel chest, rattling my vision a little.


    An unpleasant greeting as there ever was, and the first of many blows to be exchanged this morning.


    #


    (Chiren)


    Somewhere to my distant right, within the depths of the sprawling forest, was Falken Claymore, travelling with Platoon Two.


    He had insisted on taking part in the battle, and despite argument from General Karmine, myself, and Falken¡¯s brother, Kaden, the Archduke had boarded his customized war machine and formed up with the rest of the First Army as it advanced northwest toward the heavily forested lands that lay between Kaitain and Caldera.


    Catching up to him, I used my rank of Knight-Commander to hastily assign him to a platoon belonging to my company.


    Regardless of his title and being the ruler of Caldera, his military rank of Jotunn-Knight did not grant him the authority to take command of one of my platoons. Before hurrying to join up with the men of my Platoon One, I pointedly reminded Falken that I was granting him permission to participate, and that he was to follow orders rather than issue them.


    At least he would be somewhere nearby and part of a trusted group of men.


    However, now that battle had commenced and I faced my first opponent of the day, I was kicking myself inwardly for not assigning him to my own platoon. I could have kept a watchful eye on him, even if he resented my decision and suffered a bruised ego.


    I prayed that I would not come to regret the choice I¡¯d made by the time battle had ended.


    Pushing my concerns aside, I focused on taking down my immediate opponent.


    The Kuraman Jotunn before me swung its immense axe downward, but I deflected it by angling my shield moments before impact. Already stepping into his attack, I plunged my Jotunn¡¯s broadsword straight into the machine¡¯s barrel chest before my opponent could block it with the chevron shaped shield adorning his Jotunn¡¯s left arm.


    I pushed the sword in only as far as need be.


    Too deep and I ran the risk of getting the blade caught up when I withdrew it.


    I could almost feel the sensation of the metal passing through the man strapped into his machine.


    I had no prayers or mercy to spare for these men.


    They had crossed into our lands with the intent to kill, and I silently promised that those I fought would not return to Kaitain alive.


    #


    (Falken)


    The first Jotunn had fallen easily enough, as had the second, and then the third that I encountered in a battle that degenerated into a confusing melee between the trees.


    However, the fourth Jotunn I faced cost me my machine¡¯s left forearm before going down to my axe.


    My fifth adversary knocked me to the ground against a high ridge. As a result, my Jotunn was left sitting at an angle on the ground.


    I concentrated every ounce of my Ether Kinetic ability on the Ether the drive was syphoning into the Jotunn¡¯s skeletal frame inside the rounded armored body.


    I raised the machine¡¯s right leg, kicking back at the Kuraman Jotunn charging toward me.


    I succeeded in halting its advance, but not the weapon it swung down at me.


    For that I used the axe.


    But my guidance was imperfect. The enemy axe bounced off mine then skewered my Jotunn¡¯s right arm. I felt the blow translate through the machine and my brain jarred within my skull. Though I lost concentration only for a moment, I failed to protect myself against the Kuraman operator¡¯s second attempt to crush me where I sat in my domed cockpit.


    My Jotunn raised its arm to shield me, but it was too slow.


    The axe blade came down¡­and stopped mere feet above my head.


    To my utter disbelief, the giant blade was held back by a black clawed hand, attached to a long, slender arm wrapped in thin, flimsy armor that was like paper compared to a Jotunn¡¯s heavy plating. My gaze followed the arm to a domed, cowled shoulder, and then to a body that looked odd and incomplete. Strange chevron-linked chains were attached to its limbs as though lending the weak appendages a degree of strength.


    Then I looked up at the face of a young girl with green eyes, and dirty black hair that could do with a good wash.


    She appeared to be ¡®growing¡¯ out of the armored body surrounding her.


    I could see her torso, head and arms, but from the thighs down her legs were encased in armor that connected to the rest of the strange, skeletal machine.


    As I said, it was as though she was growing ¡®out¡¯ of the machine.


    Then the proverbial anvil dropped and I realized what I was looking at.


    A horrible sensation of dread washed over me.


    I was accosted by a fear for the present, and for the future, should I survive the immediate danger my life was in.


    The girl had a strange smile on her face, just shy of a grimace and I realized it was due to the strain she was enduring.


    The Jotunn¡¯s blade refused to budge while in the grip of the black claw.


    The Jotunn also shuddered but failed to break away or push against her.


    It took me another moment to understand why.


    The Ether had stopped flowing into my Jotunn and the drive was slowly spinning down because there was no Ether to draw upon. A void surrounded the girl and her skeletal machine, preventing the Ether from reaching both my goliath and that of the Kuraman soldier trying to kill me. As long as she remained within our vicinity, both the Kuraman and I were helpless to move our giant war machines.


    I looked up at the girl and saw her lips move. I heard her quite clearly through the circular vents in my domed canopy.


    ¡°Do you need a hand?¡±


    I blinked at the sound of her offer.


    Her smile or grimace wavered. ¡°I said, do you want a hand?¡±


    A subtle rephrasing. Did I need a hand? Yes. Did I want a hand?


    Before I could answer, I noticed more Jotnar emerging from the depths of the forest.


    She noticed them too, then hastily looked back down at me.


    I saw her impatience mar her pretty features.


    ¡°Tell me, do you need a hand or not?¡±


    In the corner of my eye, I could see the new Jotnar charge toward us, weapons held high.


    I leaned forward to the mouthpiece fitted to the interior of my Jotunn¡¯s cockpit.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I almost heard the sigh that I watched her release.


    She shook her head quickly. ¡°Finally, I get an answer.¡±


    With the ease of an adult fending of a child, the skeletal giant pushed back the powerless Jotunn, sending it tumbling across the ground and then to a crashing halt against the trunk of a giant tree.


    I watched the incredible machine take surprisingly unsteady steps away from my downed Jotunn. As it did, I felt the Ether flow once more, and quickly concentrated my kinetic talent upon my Jotunn¡¯s Etheric Drive, spooling it up in heartbeats and drawing in precious Ether that would course through the machine¡¯s body, thus allowing me to use my Ether Kinetic talent to operate it.


    Across the clearing, the skeletal giant that I now recognized as a Warlord, stepped up to the newcomers.


    A short-lived white mist surrounded the Warlord¡¯s clawed hands, and mysteriously delivered two curved swords into its possession. With a giant sword in each hand, the Warlord moved with a disturbing degree of awkwardness as it met the three Kuraman Jotnar head on.


    As I watched from within my Jotunn¡¯s cockpit, the Warlord swung its swords wildly, and I wondered if I would be the one saving it.


    Then the first of the newcomers fell, cleaved in two from dome to navel when it failed to protect itself from a wild slash delivered downward by the Warlord.


    After that I stopped wondering who would be saving whom because the remaining three Jotnar abruptly turned tail and ran.


    #


    (Kaden)


    If I had to describe the end of the battle it would be like this.


    A flurry of green flares signaling a retreat, and neither side knowing which side had fired them.


    It didn¡¯t stop me from killing my distracted opponent, but it did leave me wondering as to the state of the rest of the battle.


    The overhead canopy of trees was weak here, so spotting the flares wasn¡¯t difficult.


    However, if our respective armies were spread throughout the forest, I doubted everyone had seen them.


    Then I heard a trumpeting sound blare through the forest.


    Blare is a relative term since it was rather faint.


    When I failed to recognize the trumpeted tune, I surmised it had come from a Kuraman Jotunn.


    From within my domed cockpit, I looked about anxiously, then walked my machine toward the first Jotunn I spied between the trees. To my relief, the machine happened to belong to my platoon.


    I approached the giant and spoke into my Jotunn¡¯s mouthpiece.


    ¡°What happened? Do you know why they¡¯re retreating?¡±


    I could see the head of the man operating the goliath shake unevenly as he answered, ¡°No, but my opponent turned and fled without a second swing.¡±


    I looked about me.


    Gods damn it. What the Hell was going on?


    For the next few minutes we walked about the forest, calling out to the other members of the platoon, and anyone else belonging to our company of Jotnar. We came across a number of downed giants, but a greater number of survivors bearing the scars of the recent skirmish.


    However, there was no sign of my brother.


    My anxiety was growing with each passing minute, and I was having trouble keeping it down. I gave the order to fall back to the southern tree line. We would hold station just within the edge of the forest. However, while it was I issuing the order to withdraw, I chose to ignore it and go in search of my brother.


    Accompanied by two other Jotnar from my platoon, one of whom trumpeted the retreat order every couple of minutes, I wandered the forest calling out to Falken.


    After searching for long anxious minutes, we found him in a wide clearing.


    His Jotunn was a wreck, but to my immense relief he looked unharmed as he sat on its rounded shoulder guard with a quiet look on his face, one that I knew well since childhood.


    It was a look of worry, and I turned in the direction he was facing.


    There was a Jotunn sitting on the ground near the middle of the clearing.


    Like all Jotnar it resembled a stout dwarf, wearing thick, inflated clothing fit for an icy winter. It had been sliced into two, from its domed cockpit down to its navel. It resembled firewood cleaved down the middle but not quite divided.


    There was a girl sitting in front of it, a few meters away from its massive metal-shod feet.


    Her clothes were ragged as though she¡¯d been wearing them while travelling through thick bushlands for a month.


    She was sitting there, staring up at the ruined machine.


    Something about the scene chilled my blood.


    I didn¡¯t know whether to approach her, or my brother. I stood undecided until I saw Falken wave me closer. I walked my Jotunn over to him, and called out to him.


    ¡°Falken? Are you alright?¡±


    He indicated I should step even closer, so I cautiously complied.


    When my Jotunn stood within a few meters of his crippled machine, I used my Ether Kinetic talent to reach over to him. In response, my Jotunn raised its right arm and placed it on the shoulder of Falken¡¯s motionless machine. Before climbing onto it, Falken dove back into his Jotunn¡¯s cockpit. He emerged with a sword and knife buckled at his waist. Then he climbed onto my Jotunn¡¯s outstretched arm and then clambered up to my machine¡¯s shoulder. I watched him lean down toward my domed canopy.


    Before he could speak, I asked, ¡°Falken, what¡¯s going on? Who is she?¡±


    He hesitated then answered with a question of his own. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡±


    He was sidestepping my question, and he knew it.


    I swallowed and reported, ¡°Kurama¡¯s troops retreated. We should secure the border.¡±


    He glanced at his chronometer with a nod. ¡°By now, General Milerna¡¯s troops should have circled round the forest and be at the border. We¡¯ll know more when our reconnaissance flyers report back.¡± He looked over his shoulder in the direction of the kneeling girl. ¡°Kaden, we¡¯re falling back to camp.¡±


    Glancing at the kneeling girl, I asked, ¡°Falken, what about her?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re bringing her back with us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No arguments, Kaden. Step closer to her.¡±


    For a heartbeat, I pressed my lips into a thin, displeased line.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall off,¡± I warned him.


    Falken didn¡¯t reply, instead taking hold of the hand grips welded to my Jotunn near the canopy. Seeing he was holding on tightly, I began walking my machine toward the girl.


    Falken spoke loud enough for me to hear. ¡°Kaden, be careful. If you touch her or she touches your Jotunn, you¡¯ll lose the Ether flowing through it.¡±


    I stopped walking.


    Lose the Ether? That meant only one thing.


    I turned my head and faced my brother. ¡°Dear gods, Falken¡­are you telling me¡ªare you telling me she¡¯s a¡ª?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yes, she is a Khan.¡±


    I looked at the girl.


    Even at a short distance I could tell she was a young girl, though she was blossoming remarkably well into womanhood. However, I wasn¡¯t thinking of her feminine charms.


    A Khan Wilder? Here in this forest? A young girl like her branded with the Seal of Arcala and thus made into a Khan?


    My thoughts must have been written all over my face, because Falken spoke in a serious tone into a circular vent in the domed canopy. ¡°Kaden, not a word of this. For now, she¡¯s simply someone we found in the forest.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°Falken, it will be impossible to hide her from the men. They¡¯ll notice her effect on the Ether straight away.¡±


    ¡°Nonetheless, we¡¯ll keep her a secret for as long as we can.¡±


    I noticed the girl was rising cautiously to her feet. She turned and faced us, then slowly walked up to my Jotunn, coming to a halt a few meters away.


    Falken jumped down to the ground, then stepped up to her. I couldn¡¯t hear what he said to her, but she nodded to his words and then he turned in my direction.


    ¡°Kaden, we¡¯ll need a couple of horses when we clear the forest. It¡¯s simply too far to walk back to camp.¡±


    I turned to my two escorts who¡¯d chosen to remain behind, and now stood a few meters into the clearing. I spoke to them through the mouthpiece fitted to my cockpit. ¡°Head to camp. Round up a couple of horses for his Grace and the girl.¡±


    I watched them salute awkwardly because their arms were restricted by Jotnar physiology. Then they turned and began to walk fast out of the clearing, heading south if my compass was still working properly.


    My brother and the girl also began walking south, and I watched over them from behind.

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 2

    Second draft. Minor character changes and corrections to the overall prose and grammar. All of this will be reviewed again prior to its Kindle release.


    <hr />


    Chapter 2.


    What do we know of the Archons?


    In a word¡­little.


    We know they look like us, they talk like us, they express emotions like us.


    According to the ancient scriptures, the Archons guided humanity across the gulf of space, following a Galactic Ley Line to this fair world, distant from what was once a thriving empire where humanity ruled supreme.


    The scriptures elaborate to describe the Archons guiding a fleet of giant Arks, immense vessels the likes of which could carry the population of an entire prosperous land, and still have room to spare. These Arks bore our ancestors who would one day settle upon the continents and establish a civilization on this world. Some say those Arks can be seen twinkling in the night sky, circling the planet like small moons.


    Even if we are to doubt the words of the scriptures, can we doubt the Archons technological prowess? After all, a great many of us have witness the Archon Tower, the seat of their power, a flying citadel that can traverse the skies like a thundercloud, sail the oceans like an island set loose upon the currents, or settle onto the land and stand taller than highest mountain peak.


    No, we can doubt our origins upon these lands, but we cannot doubt that the Archons possess a technology that far surpasses what humanity has thus achieved in the centuries it has occupied the continents of this lush and verdant world.


    However, some question whether the technology was theirs to begin with. After all, the scriptures do say that our ancestors departed from an empire ruled by humanity. Then there are those that ask why humanity has not achieved more in the time it has been here. Why have we stagnated? Why are we still existing as a race broken into small, divided plots of land we call kingdoms, duchies, and even empires?


    Many point their fingers at the Archons.


    Why do the Archons refuse to impart their considerable knowledge upon us? They provide the means that limits our impact on our environment. They prevent us from polluting our land and waters, and they help us with the basic necessities needed to survive. However, they hoard their knowledge and technology.


    Is it because, despite millennia of existence on this world, and countless others, humanity has yet to learn to live peacefully with itself?


    Excerpt from Angels or Devils?


    A Treatise on the Archon Race.


    (Falken)


    With Kaden watching our backs in his Jotunn, we walked to the forest¡¯s south border.


    My chronometer doubled as a compass and came in handy in situations like these where I found myself on foot, rather than inside a lumbering Jotunn. So finding our way wasn¡¯t difficult, and there was always Kaden on hand to provide directions.


    I walked beside the girl, watching over her progress from moment to moment, my mind swirling with troubled thoughts.


    I had three problems to consider.


    The first of which was the battle, which was perhaps more of a skirmish. For now it was over, but I had the repercussions to ruminate.


    House Kurama, which ruled the land of Kaitain, had chosen to breach into our territory, travelling so far as to enter Gaellen Forest some twenty kilometers shy of the northwest border between our respective lands.


    I wanted to know why they had invaded us.


    Was my being here the motivation for such a brazen incursion?


    If they knew I was visiting the troops stationed here, were they unaware the First Army was also present, in addition to the already sizeable Fourth Army here at the border? With two armies stationed here, there was no likelihood of their victory.


    What in the world was Lord Kurama thinking? Or had they intended to take me down and then retreat all along? But such action would lead to war. I doubted Kaden or the others would allow my death to go unpunished. At the very least, Kaitain risked a conflict with Caldera and possibly Reinvald to our north.


    I thought of Orgenval to the south, itching to push at the lines of our Second Army.


    Would Kaden and the others risk war with Kaitain when the war drums sounded every so often to the south?


    I needed to discuss this with the others back at the camp.


    The second matter to consider was the girl, and this presented a separate set of problems that nonetheless overlapped with the skirmish between House Kurama and my two armies.


    Her name was Fallon, and she was a Khan.


    I didn¡¯t need to see the blue tattoo on her body, the mark of the Seal of Arcala, to know this. I had witnessed her operate a Warlord, and I¡¯d watched that Warlord vanish into a thick white mist that chilled the air and frosted breath. As such, there was no doubt in my heart and mind that I owed my life to a Khan. I was also certain that she was a Wilder, referred to as such because she was a Khan not recognized by the Orden.


    Therein lay my third major concern.


    Fallon had interceded in the battle between Caldera and Kaitain in order to save my life. In doing so, she had breached the Rules of Engagement, as dictated by our enigmatic overseers, the Archons. The Rules were meant to impose a degree of chivalry and honesty to the battlefield. They were a means of limiting unnecessary carnage.


    Those rules stated that a Khan could not oppose elements of an army in battle. In other words, a Khan could not enter a battle unless they were expressly opposing another Khan. However, when she saved me from certain death at the hands of House Kurama¡¯s soldiers, Fallon had fought against men in Jotunn armor, not against another Khan and their Warlord. House Kurama could protest the breach before an Archon Tribunal, and it could affect the outcome of the battle.


    I sighed inwardly, shelved those worried thoughts, and focused on the girl beside me.


    As we walked between the tall, ancient trees, I listened to her tale.


    That said, she did not offer much. As best she could guess, her village had been burned to the ground a month ago, and the villagers slaughtered. She didn¡¯t know who attacked the village, and had no memories of what happened that day and night. She remembered waking up within the smoldering ruins, her body in pain, and discovered the strange bluish branding on her chest and torso. Not understanding her situation, she had fled when a patrol of riders on horseback had entered the village. Within a nearby forest, she chose to hide behind the treeline until the riders departed.


    Certain they would return with a larger party, she had hurried back to the ruins of her home, gathered what belongings she could, and taken one of the few horses that remained. Though she was fortunate the patrol of several men had not seen fit to leave a guard behind, there was no time for her to search for her family amongst the dead.


    As I listened to her, I couldn¡¯t imagine what she had felt having to flee her home under such circumstances. I prodded her along with a subtle question here and there, which served to loosen her tongue little more, but I was troubled.


    Beyond my intuition, I had no other means to judge her honesty or lack thereof. Even a skilled Ether Empath would have failed to find a lie because the Ether flowed around the girl and not through her, thus robbing the Empath of the means to utilize her talent. I knew this because I could sense the Ether avoiding Fallon. As an Ether Kinetic, I lacked the ability to weave or guide the Ether, but that I didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t feel its presence. After all, it was through the Ether as a medium that I could reach out to objects imbued with Etherite and manipulate them.


    For someone like me who had lived in the company of the Ether since birth, the void surrounding the girl was unnerving to say the least. I wondered if she had grown accustomed to the emptiness, forsaken as she was by the Ether, unable to reach out to it and use it to perceive her surroundings beyond the limitations of her five senses.


    However, that felt like a question for another time.


    Instead, I asked her what land she hailed from.


    She hesitated noticeably. ¡°Reinvald,¡± was her reply, her voice low and weary.


    I heard the word, pictured it on a map in my mind, and felt unease brush its cold fingers against my heart.


    Reinvald¡­our northern neighbors.


    A relatively peaceful land with a strong military and a strong relationship with Caldera. Its ruling family, House Sandoval, was a staunch supporter of House Claymore. It was also a land that had no tolerance for the Khans, especially Khan Wilders such as this girl.


    In that light, it made sense for her to flee her homeland.


    I frowned to myself.


    To think the slaughter of her village had taken place a mere month ago within Reinvald¡¯s borders. An entire village razed to the ground, its inhabitants all dead but for this girl, chosen to bear the Seal of Arcala and gifted with a Warlord.


    It was somewhat difficult to accept.


    It wasn¡¯t that I entirely doubted her words, but for now I knew only what she told me, and I believed she was holding back on the truth. However, I chose not to press her for more answers. There were questions that would have to wait until she was ready to confide in me.


    Truthfully, she had saved my life, so for now I would grant her the benefit of the doubt.


    I believed I owed her at least that much.


    But why had she travelled south? Why flee into Caldera?


    She offered me no explanation other than to state she was compelled to believe it was the right thing to do. She had felt she would find sanctuary across the border.


    We walked a short distance in silence, until I gently queried her about her Warlord.


    At first Fallon was reluctant to talk of it, but then the words slowly spilled forth from her lips.


    The Warlord was something she could sense like a faint pressure at the base of her skull. The first time she had inwardly reached out to that pressure with her consciousness, it had responded, surrounding her in a blinding white mist that frosted the air with a brusque cold. When the mist faded, she found herself clad in the skeletal armor. Before possessing one, she had only heard of the Warlords in stories told by merchants passing through her village, carrying news of the state of affairs across the land, and she knew that Reinvald¡¯s ruling family was not accepting of Warlords or the Khans Wilders who wielded them. Despite the power and protection her Warlord offered her, Fallon had nonetheless feared for her life.


    Thus she had run away.


    Long before we arrived at the edge of the forest, her walking grew unsteady and she soon sat down, her breathing heavy and labored.


    I studied her in silence, and wondered if operating the Warlord for those scant few minutes had taxed her remaining strength. I saw the clear signs of strain, the lack of sleep, and physical exhaustion. A month on her own had taken its toll on her, but I understood why she had not taken refuge in another village. The people would fear her, and shun her, possibly calling for the local garrison to protect them from her, though I doubted there was anything a company of Jotnar could do against a Warlord. Any Jotunn that came close to her Warlord would be rendered immobile when it lost contact with the Ether. That was indeed a troubling thought, to know that our best machines were useless in a confrontation against a Warlord.


    I noticed she was looking at me.


    Fallon gave me an apologetic smile, and I wondered if she was reading my troubled thoughts.


    I cleared my throat, and asked, ¡°Why did you save me?¡±


    Her smile faded, and she regarded me quietly, surrounded by the sounds of the forest and the humming of the Etheric drive mounted to Kaden¡¯s Jotunn standing a dozen or more meters away.


    ¡°I felt¡­it was the right thing to do¡­.¡± She smiled again and whispered, ¡°Sorry¡­.¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Closing her eyes, she collapsed on her side against a thick tree root.


    I hurried to her side, and quickly realized she had fallen unconscious. Reaching out, I felt her pulse, finding it strong, but her pallor was clearly unhealthy.


    Looking down at her sleeping face, I tried not to wrinkle my nose.


    As pretty as she was, this girl could definitely do with a bath.


    Then, through the tears in her dress, I saw a bluish marking on her chest.


    My stomach clenched as I recognized the branding that was indeed much like a tattoo.


    The Seal of Arcala ¨C the bond between her and her Warlord.


    It swirled and spread its tendrils between her breasts and over them, running down her sternum to her navel.


    Even if people did not see her summon and wield her Warlord, this brand alone was enough to convince them she was indeed a Khan.


    I crouched closer to her, and picked her up in my arms, hefting her a little as I rose to my feet.


    She was lighter than I expected.


    Turning around, I looked up at Kaden in his Jotunn¡¯s cockpit.


    ¡°Remember, not a word of who she is to anyone. We found her wandering in the forest. Nothing more.¡±


    Kaden¡¯s voice boomed out, though I believed he was trying to keep it down. ¡°How long do you believe you can hide her in a camp full of people?¡±


    ¡°For as long as I need to.¡±


    ¡°Falken, what are you going to do with her?¡±


    ¡°You let me worry about that.¡± I turned and began walking away.


    ¡°Falken, wait¡ªdamn it.¡±


    Walking in a void devoid of the Ether, I carried her the distance to the forest¡¯s southern border, with Kaden carefully shadowing us from behind. My arms burned by the time we stepped out into open ground, reminding me that I wasn¡¯t as strong as I once was. I¡¯d spent too much time buried in the affairs of running Caldera. Despite my aching arms, I could not hand her over to Kaden as she would incapacitate his Jotunn with her ability to ward away the Ether.


    The midday sun cast its rays down through a break in the overcast sky.


    Rolling, verdant land replete with hills and troughs greeted us.


    Fast asleep, Fallon shifted in my arms.


    I looked down at her, and thought I heard her whisper something¡­perhaps a name.


    The sound of footfalls and creaking metal dragged my attention away from her.


    A handful of Jotnar walked toward us, accompanied by a half-dozen riders on horseback galloping in our direction. The latter were members of a reconnaissance platoon, and I saw they had spare horses with them. To my relief, I saw that all the riders were men.


    Women dominated the ranks of the Reconnaissance Division. Their ability to sense, feel, and weave the Ether over a great distance made them ideal scouts as they could detect the presence of an Etheric drive, or an individual hiding from pursuit. In essence, they were like hunting dogs that used the Ether, rather than their sense of smell. That said, if they were hunting another Empath Weaver, their quarry would also be able to use the Ether to her advantage.


    For now, I swallowed quietly and counted my blessings. A woman scout amongst the men would have quickly noticed the girl was warding away the Ether. However, if the men kept their distance, then perhaps I could keep Fallon¡¯s secret a little longer.


    One rider dismounted, offering to take Fallon off my arms.


    I hesitated for a moment. Any closer, and he was certain to feel the Ether avoiding the girl, yet I needed his help with her otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to get her on the saddle.


    ¡°You¡¯re name, soldier.¡±


    ¡°Captain Gunter Reagan, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Gunter, your silence is valued.¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand until I neared him with Fallon in my arms. I saw his eyes widen, and then he quickly glanced at his men. Turning back to me, he offered me a subtle nod. ¡°Wait here, your Grace.¡±


    Gunter hurried off, and returned shortly with a spare horse already saddled.


    Handing Fallon to him, I climbed onto the beast¡¯s saddle, and then Gunter helped me get the unconscious girl seated ahead of me.


    It was not the most comfortable of ways to ride on horseback.


    The young captain looked up at me. ¡°Your Grace, do wish for us to ride ahead?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Go to my tent. Have a meal and bath prepared for her. Your co-operation is valued¡­and appreciated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Grace. I understand. I¡¯ll see to it personally.¡±


    I handed him my ring bearing my family¡¯s crest. ¡°Show them this if my attendants give you argument.¡±


    He took the ring hesitantly. ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡±


    I smiled down at him. ¡°Keep it safe for me until I get there.¡± I indicated Fallon by jutting my chin at her. ¡°She wandered into the field of battle within the forest. It appears she has gone a distance without food. We¡¯ll know more when she wakes up.¡±


    He nodded faintly. ¡°I understand, your Grace.¡±


    Within minutes we departed for camp. I held onto Fallon with one arm while holding the reins in the other. Thankfully, the horse under me did not distrust me, and it wasn¡¯t bothered by the lack of Ether. While animals could not manipulate the Ether, they could sense it and be influenced by emotions imprinted on the flows.


    We rode on horseback at a walk, surrounded by the reconnaissance squad. I told the men not draw too close. She was a pretty thing but in sore need of a bath.


    I heard muffled laughter and they gave the pair of us some extra room, but there was no mistaking the interest in their eyes, for unkempt as she was, Fallon was a very pretty girl.


    All the while, Kaden followed in his Jotunn, and surrounding us at a distance of two hundred feet or more were another half dozen Jotnar.


    Escorted in this manner, we arrived at the First Army¡¯s camp a good hour after exiting Gaellen Forest.


    The break in the cloud-ridden sky failed to hold.


    By the time we sighted the tents, wagons, horses, men, and Jotnar of the First Army, the rain had resumed once again. It started as a drizzle, then grew to a steady downpour.


    I rode through the camp to my tent, garnering attention at sight of the unconscious girl seated on the saddle with me. In the corner of my eye, I saw the men of the First Army mutter amongst themselves.


    Gunter was waiting for me by the tent with my attendant, a young man by the name of Irvin, standing beside him. I lowered Fallon into the captain¡¯s arms, then dismounted from the horse. Leaving the beast in the care of other soldiers, I followed Gunter into my tent with Irvin at my heels. Gunter laid Fallon down on the solitary narrow cot.


    Irvin stared at her in confusion. ¡°Your Grace¡­is she¡­I mean, she is¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a Khan Wilder,¡± I said to him. ¡°For that matter, and others, I appreciate you keeping this close to your chest.¡±


    He nodded hesitantly.


    I frowned at him, and he nodded more vigorously. Holding onto my frown, I looked around the tent. ¡°I believe I asked for a meal and bath to be prepared.¡±


    Gunter bowed slightly, and directed his gaze at Irvin.


    I looked at my attendant through narrowed eyes. ¡°Well?¡±


    The man cringed a little. ¡°Ah, well, about that¡ª¡±


    I sighed and shook my head. ¡°Irvin, you¡¯re no good to me like this. Take a deep breath and calm down.¡±


    He closed his eyes and mouth, and then took a couple of deep breaths.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Very well, then find some female attendants. She needs care¡ª¡±


    The tent flap opened hastily, cutting me off. Kaden stepped into the tent with a harried look on his face. He must have parked his Jotunn and then run over.


    I really didn¡¯t need him running around in haste. There was enough uncertainty and anxiety in the air, and Kaden was only making it worse.


    I gave my brother an annoyed glare, then turned back to Irvin. ¡°She needs care only women can provide.¡±


    I thought he might be miffed, but instead the young man¡¯s eyes widened noticeably in surprise.


    However, he was quick to nod. ¡°I¡ªI think I understand, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Only those you trust, Irvin,¡± I said to him.


    He nodded again. ¡°Yes. My cousin Silvia is here at camp. She¡¯ll know what to do.¡±


    I clapped his shoulder. ¡°Go.¡±


    A little more nervously than I¡¯d hoped, Irvin left the confines of the tent in a hurry, and I turned to Gunter, for the moment ignoring the impatient look on Kaden¡¯s face. ¡°Captain, my ring.¡±


    He held out his left palm. ¡°Here, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Take it with you. Go to the War Tent. Commander Ryland should be there. Tell him to assemble the senior staff then clear the tent of ancillary personnel. I¡¯ll be heading over shortly. Again show him the ring if need be.¡±


    The reconnaissance platoon leader hesitated, his attention divided between my brother and I.


    ¡°Captain,¡± I said. ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡± He pressed his right arm to his chest, bowed quickly and departed like a wind spirit tearing through my tent.


    Despite the circumstances, I was mildly amused as I watched him leave.


    Kaden cut my mirth short. ¡°What the Devil are you doing?¡±


    ¡°We have a problem, Kaden. A very big problem.¡±


    He folded his arms. ¡°Understating things a little?¡±


    I walked over to a chair and sat down beside a small table. A pitcher of water and a couple of mugs rested upon a tray atop the table. I filled a mug with water and downed it within the span of several heartbeats. I refilled the mug, and sipped the water this time round.


    Kaden stood before me. ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. We¡¯ll wait for Irvin to return. Then we¡¯ll head over to the War Tent.¡±


    As luck would have it, I didn¡¯t have long to wait.


    The young man pushed into the tent with a couple of young female attendants in tow. I had no doubt these girls were part of General Meyren Milerna¡¯s entourage. The good general, bless her heart, refused to surround herself with male attendants. And she only brought along the prettiest girls she could rally up. Fortunately, the general had joined the First Army¡¯s camp in recent days in order to be closer to the other senior staff. That said, the Fourth Army¡¯s camp wasn¡¯t that far away.


    I shook my head inwardly as I recognized Irvin¡¯s cousin, Silvia, but not the girl beside her. ¡°Lady Silvia,¡± I greeted her.


    The girl¡¯s eyes widened and she grew bright red. ¡°Your¡ªyour Grace. To call me ¡®lady¡¯¡ª¡±


    I waved her silent and pointed at the corner of my tent where the cot rested. ¡°Lady Silvia, see to that girl. Your discretion is appreciated.¡± I touched my lips. ¡°Not a word to anyone.¡±


    Silvia and her companion stared at the unconscious Fallon, traded nervous looks, then regarded me with disappointment in their eyes.


    Silvia spoke in a low tone. ¡°Your Grace¡­did you¡­?¡±


    I suddenly realized what they were thinking.


    Again I waved my hands, feeling a little flustered. ¡°She wandered into the field of battle. She¡¯s not someone I brought along for amusement from the citadel. Besides, where would I hide her? In a trunk fit for clothing? Please, I¡¯m not that kind of man.¡± I wagged a finger at her. ¡°And have you not heard? I¡¯m due to be married in two months. What would my fianc¨¦e think?¡±


    Silvia paled and shook her head. ¡°No, no. Your Grace, I wasn¡¯t thinking that at all.¡±


    I gave her a weary look. ¡°Good. Now, please see to her. She¡¯s in dire need of washing. Can you find her some clothes as well? Those rags won¡¯t last long.¡±


    The girl nodded quickly and started to walk over to Fallon.


    Quite suddenly she stopped in mid-step.


    Silvia turned her head quickly and faced me, her face pale.


    As a woman, she was several fold more sensitive to the Ether than a man. She had felt the void surrounding Fallon while many meters away from the sleeping girl.


    I nodded subtly to her. ¡°Discretion is appreciated, Lady Silvia.¡±


    She swallowed visibly, and gave me a furtive nod. ¡°Aye, your Grace¡­.¡±

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 3

    Second draft. The exposition wasn''t quite right in the first draft, so I went back and gave it another good long pass. When you compare the two you''ll see what I mean. Also, the first draft skimped on the details a bit.


    All of this will be carefully reviewed again before the April release on Amazon Kindle.


    If you have any suggestions, I''m happy to hear them, and I''ll incorporate them if I can.


    Also, the Kindle version will have an appendix and a list of characters like the "Wheel of Time" series did.


    Enjoy.


    <hr />


    Chapter 3.


    The question of who created the Khans raged for more than two centuries, since the first hapless soul was branded with the Seal of Arcala, and henceforth gifted with a Warlord. That individual went on to establish the Khan Orden, laying the foundations for the organization in a land that would one day become the Anderas Empire.


    He travelled far and sought other Khan¡¯s, and brought them into the fold. In time, as their numbers grew, so too their responsibilities. Thus, he formed the Quorum of Khans, comprising the wisest, most honorable, and most respected of the Orden¡¯s men and women, to lead and guide their fellow Khans.


    The Orden¡¯s primary mandate was to find Khans, offer them sanctuary, nurture them, train them, and ultimately raise them to be of importance to the world. It also worked toward establishing peaceful relations with the many territories of the Northern Continent. They would offer their services to the ruling houses, protecting them and their populace from Khan Wilders that sought to rampage their lands. Being impartial, and with no political ties to any one land, the Khans of the Orden eventually came to broker negotiations between adversarial territories.


    It wasn¡¯t long before the Orden¡¯s importance in world affairs came to be recognized by the Archons, who for many, many years had sought to distance themselves from the Khans and their Warlords. As such, the Orden was granted authority by our enigmatic custodians to referee conflicts, ensuring battles adhered to the Rules of Engagement. One must say, that the Khan Orden and the Archons had a strange working relationship, but that is a point of interest for another chapter.


    In time, the Orden came to assign individual Khans to serve the ruling Houses. Utilizing the Seal of Arcala, a bond was established between the Khan and a member of the House, though not necessarily the ruler of the land. This bond allowed both parties to experience each other¡¯s emotions, promoting cooperation and understanding. It was not without its difficulties, and those who participated in the bonding had to be wisely chosen. The bonding was intended to show the people of the land that Khans were as human as they were, and not to be feared without reason. In some circumstances, those Khans came to be recognized as champions of the land.


    However, no matter the bond or a Khan¡¯s personal feelings, their loyalty was foremost to the Orden. So when a Khan chose to disobey the Orden on moral or ethical grounds, personal motivations, or because of a forbidden love, that Khan faced judgment before the Quorum. And the Quorum¡¯s judgment was invariably harsh.


    But despite all this, that one question remained unanswered for more than two centuries.


    Who was it that turned people into Khans?


    The next question that needed an answer was¡­why?


    Excerpt from The Devil¡¯s Order.


    An Unofficial History of the Khan Orden


    (Kaden)


    We were in the War Tent, having trekked over from Falken¡¯s tent through the heavy downpour.


    Thankfully, the distance wasn¡¯t far, but in the rain everything felt like it was farther than it should be.


    That said, the First Army¡¯s encampment spanned an area of several square kilometers.


    Inside the tent, we stood around a large, foldable table littered with maps, toweling our hair dry if nothing else. At least I didn¡¯t fear catching a cold. It would take a lot more than a dousing of rain to ail my body, what with the Thread within to keep me healthy.


    Etheric lamps glowed a pale emerald green, providing illumination to the interior of the tent.


    Most of the chairs were empty as we stood around the table.


    I looked at the men occupying the tent along with my brother and I.


    Maximus Karmine, General of the First Army. Tall and ruggedly built, he could probably wrestle a bear to the ground¡­probably.


    Barend Augustine, Field Marshal of Caldera¡¯s five armies. Tall and lithely built, he had predatory eyes and thin lips. All of it belied the man¡¯s good humor and easy nature.


    Tamworth Ryland, Field Strategic Commander. He was shorter than both men, and maintained a trim physique despite spending most of his time in the planning tents rather than out in the field. However, I couldn¡¯t deny his talent as a Jotunn pilot. He belonged to an elite cadre of men fit to wear the ring of a Jotunn Meister, a rank recognized throughout all the lands of the northern continent.


    Three others occupied the room.


    Gunter Reagan, the reconnaissance platoon leader. Falken had instructed he remain in the tent. I had no idea what my brother was planning to do with the young captain.


    Samuel Kayman, a member of House Claymore¡¯s advisory staff. He was an elderly gentleman I¡¯d known since childhood. He had been an advisor to my father during his reign and now he served my brother.


    And last but not least, was Knight-Commander Chiren Kell.


    Like General Meyren Milerna, Chiren was one of a dozen women serving in Caldera¡¯s heavy infantry. She was gifted with a strong Ether Kinetic talent ¨C strong enough to easily operate a nine tonne, armored Jotunn.


    Like Field Commander Ryland, she wore the ring of a Jotunn Meister, however she chose to wear it on the ring finger of her left hand. No one jested that she was married to her Jotunn, not unless they wished to endure a beating at the hands of her customized machine.


    She was a childhood friend, someone Falken and I grew up with despite the fact she was a few years older than us. In truth, to Falken, Alleyne and I, Chiren was the epitome of an elder sister.


    To the three of us, she was family.


    Chiren had toweled dry her long blonde hair, and restored it into the high ponytail she wore when out in the field. She was pretty. I would never deny that, in fact, few men would consider her anything less than such. Yet many perceived her an aloof beauty, though I knew that was far from her true nature.


    Chiren folded her arms under her impressive bust, noticeable despite the bulky Ether conductive uniform that she wore ¨C a must for all Jotunn Knights to better operate their war machines. She spared me a long glance, before turning her attention on Falken who stood with his backside resting against the table.


    He had his back to us, with his arms folded and his chin tucked against his chest.


    I recognized that posture. Falken was shutting out the world, thinking matters through, and yet I knew he was also following the conversation around him. At least I hoped he was.


    I sighed inwardly and listened to Samuel argue with Karmine.


    The elderly man spoke with patience that was beginning to fray. ¡°It does not change the fact that she is a Khan¡ªa Khan Wilder¡ªthus unbound to a lord and master. The Quorum of Khans, and thus the Khan Orden, will not allow her to persist.¡±


    Maximus growled angrily, ¡°Persist? You mean live.¡±


    Samuel took a quiet breath. ¡°General, you mistake my words. She would not be harmed. Simply, the Seal of Arcala would be removed from her body. She would return to being the girl she was beforehand.¡±


    Maximus leaned forward toward the older man. ¡°We both know the Quorum is rather cagey on the matter regarding Khan Wilders, and said removal of the Seal. Since the Quorum answers to no one¡ªnot even the Archons¡ªthey keep the matter of how they handle Wilders to themselves. What happens to the Seal once it¡¯s removed?¡±


    ¡°We know what happens. The Khan Orden has clearly stated that it uses those Seals to ordain new Khans of their choosing.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me what happens to the Wilders? What life do they have to return to? You are aware that the brand takes many, many years to fade away. How can they return to the lives they once had having been once branded with the Seal?¡±


    I noticed a subtle shift in Falken¡¯s posture, but otherwise my brother remained still.


    Maximus slapped the table. ¡°What do we truly know of the workings of the Quorum and the Khan Orden?¡±


    Samuel appeared to hold back a sigh. ¡°Granted, the inner machinations of the Orden are unknown to many. However, the Quorum of Khans has always maintained they hold the safety and well-being of Khan Wilders in high regard. After all, we are well aware of the danger posed to land, people, and property by the Wilders. It¡¯s not as if they can be allowed to run around wild, now can they?¡±


    Ryland straightened where he stood beside the table. ¡°Maximus, you know Samuel is right. Khan Wilders are a problem. Remember the reports on the most recent incident in Kapernia to the far north? If a Wilder were to choose to lay waste to Caldera, not even the Four Armies could stop them. Such is the power a Khan Wilder possesses. Nothing in our arsenal can stand up to a Warlord. Our finest Jotnar are rendered inert within their presence.¡±


    Maximus growled low in his throat. ¡°I stand by what I say. The Quorum answers to no one, though lately I¡¯ve heard they listen more and more to the tune singing out of the Imperial Citadel.¡±


    Samuel frowned slightly. ¡°General, are you certain you¡¯re not allowing your personal feelings to cloud your judgment, what with this girl being the age of your daughter?¡±


    Maximus¡¯s eyes grew hard as stone. ¡°What does being a father have to do with this situation?¡±


    ¡°I would presume a great deal,¡± Samuel replied flatly.


    Maximus looked ready to punch Samuel into a corner of the spacious War Tent.


    I was so convinced he would, I stepped toward the table.


    For her part, Chiren regarded the old man with veiled discontent, and she voiced it. ¡°Samuel, you have no right to say that. Simply because this Wilder is a girl, has nothing to do with the General¡¯s reluctance to hand her over to the Quorum.¡± Her voice turned icy. ¡°You should know better than to drag Danica into this matter. She is a close friend, and I won¡¯t tolerate it.¡±


    Samuel clenched his jaw at Chiren. ¡°You missed the point entirely.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Chiren replied.


    The two regarded each other coldly, neither breaking the glare.


    The stalemate ended when a calm voice broke between them.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Both of you act your ages.¡± Having remained quiet for much of the time, Barend Augustine folded his arms across his taut chest, and regarded Samuel and Chiren with disappointment. ¡°Do I have to repeat myself?¡±


    Chiren folded her hands behind her back and muttered, ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Samuel puffed up his chest and stated, ¡°Might I remind you, Field Marshal, that I am not under your authority.¡±


    Augustine shook his head slowly. ¡°Old man, you wear my patience thin¡­.¡±


    I watched Samuel prepare to retort, but it died on his lips when Augustine narrowed his eyes into thin slits, promoting his predatory appearance, and making him appear quite dangerous.


    I glimpsed the ghost of a smirk on Chiren¡¯s face as she turned away and faced a corner of the tent.


    Augustine sighed heavily, and looked over at Falken. ¡°Your Grace, you said the girl has no memory of how the branding took place. Do you stand by those words?¡±


    Falken nodded faintly, his back to the rest of us.


    Augustine asked, ¡°You attest she saved your life?¡±


    Falken nodded again, just as faintly.


    I felt like thumping him.


    Dropping her hands from behind her back, Chiren walked up to him and smacked him across the top of his head.


    That elicited varied reactions from the men. Augustine¡¯s eyes widened then narrowed once again. Maximus looked ready to burst into laughter, and Ryland merely expressed a dim look of displeasure.


    Gunter looked shocked out of his riding boots.


    Samuel merely sighed, and I felt relieved someone had smacked Falken before I did.


    Falken rubbed his head while staring meekly up at Chiren.


    ¡°Sis¡ªow!¡±


    She smacked him again. ¡°Don¡¯t call me Sis while we¡¯re here in the field,¡± Chiren snapped. ¡°Now, you brought us all here so start participating at this table.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking the matter through,¡± he complained, then shirked back when she raised her hand menacingly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me hit you again,¡± she warned.


    ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Tell us what you think,¡± she demanded.


    Samuel spoke up. ¡°Your Grace, I believe we should present her to the Quorum of Khans. The fact she interceded in this battle is a grave transgression of the Rules of Engagement as ordained by the Archons. House Kurama will undoubtedly lodge a protest with the Archon Embassy, even if we are innocent of the matter relating to the Khan Wilder.¡±


    Maximus grimaced and rubbed his chin vigorously. ¡°Damn those bloody Rules of Engagement.¡±


    Ryland smirked. ¡°You don¡¯t complain when they happen to suit us.¡±


    Maximus palmed the map table with a heavy hand. ¡°The problem is that while the girl interfered with the flow of battle, it would not have affected the outcome. The Kuramans have no basis upon which to protest.¡±


    I stiffened, and so too did Chiren.


    Maximus glanced at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    She raised her chin and glared coldly upon Maximus. ¡°Her interference saved Falken¡¯s life. Don¡¯t treat it lightly.¡±


    Maximus grimaced again. ¡°I know. I understand that. I did not mean to belittle her actions.¡±


    I relaxed a little, though I noted that it was uncommon to see a general so conciliatory to a subordinate. Unheard of is perhaps a better description. However, Maximus wasn¡¯t quite like other generals, and he doted on Chiren, treating her like a daughter.


    Ryland stepped in by speaking quietly between them. ¡°We all understand her contribution, Knight-Commander. What Karmine is saying is that this girl brought about a premature end to a conflict we were certain to win.¡± He waved his hand over the map, and then tapped a point on it. ¡°Milerna¡¯s Fourth Army was just around the corner, and the First Army is right here, less than twenty kilometers south of the forest. Two thousand ground infantry, and four companies of heavy infantry. That¡¯s almost four hundred Jotnar. Pushing the invaders back would have been child¡¯s play. In fact, if they hadn¡¯t retreated when they did we would have crushed them inside the forest and taken no survivors.¡±


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    Chiren pressed her lips together, her manner still stiff as she focused her attention on the map. ¡°Why enter our lands at all? Surely they knew there was no chance of success.¡±


    I glanced at Falken, but his face was unreadable.


    Was it because he, the Archduke of Caldera was here? Was that why the Kuraman company of Jotnar had invaded our land?


    Ryland rubbed a temple. ¡°I won¡¯t speculate. I have my suspicions but they¡¯re just that¡ªsuspicions.¡± He inhaled deeply. ¡°However, as I said before I don¡¯t believe the girl¡¯s intervention changed the outcome. If anything, it brought the skirmish to a premature end and saved lives.¡±


    I caught the meaningful look he threw first at Chiren, then at my brother.


    However, Falken was now staring at the map with a puzzled expression.


    Abruptly he muttered, ¡°Perhaps it will give Kurama pause and have him consider the wisdom of his choices.¡±


    I faced him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Falken exhaled quietly. ¡°Well, it¡¯s possible he took momentary leave of his senses.¡± Then he cocked his head as though listening to the rain outside the tent. ¡°Then again, it might not have been his idea after all.¡±


    I noticed the sharp look Ryland gave him.


    I didn¡¯t miss the subtle smile on the man¡¯s lips as he regarded my brother.


    Ryland nodded ever so faintly. ¡°Good point. Troubling, but nonetheless a good observation.¡±


    Falken eyed him. ¡°Yes, it is troubling.¡±


    It was Chiren¡¯s turn to rub her temples. ¡°Leaving aside Kurama¡¯s mental state, what do we do about the girl?¡±


    Falken turned his attention on Augustine, and studied the man carefully. ¡°She¡¯ll need representation before the Quorum.¡±


    Augustine nodded very, very weakly.


    Maximus broke into a grin. ¡°A wise decision, your Grace¡­.¡±


    I saw the gratitude in the man¡¯s eyes.


    For all his bluster, courage, and bravado, the man was father to a young daughter and held a soft spot for women in his heart.


    I too understood where Falken was heading with this, but Samuel beat me to the punch.


    ¡°Your Grace, you can¡¯t be serious. You¡¯re not thinking of¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªbonding with her? Yes, I am.¡± Falken straightened as he faced the tent¡¯s occupants. ¡°She saved my life. I owe her the protection only a Khan Meister can offer her.¡±


    I stared at him while trying hard to hide my unease and misgivings.


    Chiren wasn¡¯t bothering with social subtleties, not that she ever did. ¡°You understand what you¡¯re saying?¡± she asked.


    Falken looked down at the table for a moment. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Chiren swallowed uneasily. ¡°Falken, you¡¯re engaged to be married. That must go ahead. We need the stability a marriage like yours will offer Caldera and Reinvald. In fact, coming here was a mistake on your part. You shouldn¡¯t be risking life and limb anymore. Don¡¯t you understand that?¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he replied, and faced her. ¡°But I needed to be here. The men needed to see my presence on the line.¡±


    Augustine said, ¡°The men understand your position, your Grace. They¡¯re not foolish enough to rouse rumor and gossip while here near the border.¡±


    ¡°Even so, I am their lord and master,¡± Falken stated in no uncertain terms.


    Augustine nodded faintly. ¡°Aye, that is true.¡±


    Chiren grabbed Falken¡¯s chin, forcing him to face her. ¡°Falken, you¡¯ll be bonded to that girl. You understand that you¡¯ll be linked to her in a way that will¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªallow us to understand each other, and foster mutual trust¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªand devotion,¡± she finished off for him.


    He smiled softly at her as he reached up and removed her fingers from his chin. ¡°Chiren, you¡¯re taking it too far. There are many degrees to devotion.¡±


    ¡°Falken, you and she will¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know what the Bond of Arcala will mean to us both.¡± He straightened and continued to meet her gaze. ¡°But the truth is she asked me three times if I needed a hand, and I said ¡®Yes¡¯ to her.¡± He reached out and took both Chiren¡¯s hands in his. ¡°Sis, the marriage will go ahead as planned.¡±


    Chiren shook her head weakly. ¡°Lisanna won¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she will,¡± Falken replied. ¡°I¡¯ll make her understand. Besides, our marriage was decided while both of us were in the crib. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll back out of it now.¡±


    He laughed lightly and released Chiren¡¯s hands.


    She smacked the top of his head again. ¡°I told you not to call me Sis.¡±


    Augustine cleared his throat. ¡°Commander, you¡¯ll addle his mind further if you keep doing that. Who knows what unorthodox decision he will make next.¡±


    ¡°He has a hard head, Field Marshal,¡± Chiren retorted smoothly. ¡°I¡¯ll attest to its hardness from experience.¡±


    I took a step closer to the table. ¡°Falken, we need to send word to the Quorum in Anderas.¡±


    He nodded and looked to a corner of the tent. ¡°Captain Reagan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, your Grace?¡± The young captain sounded startled, having stood silent and forgotten for many long minutes, the proverbial fly on the tent wall.


    ¡°You¡¯re probably wondering why I included you in this impromptu meeting.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes your Grace.¡±


    Falken smiled supremely. ¡°Captain, I need you to deliver a letter. It will carry the seal of House Claymore and it will be addressed to the Quorum representative in Anderas¡¯s capital city.¡± He faltered and looked to Samuel for help.


    The elderly man sighed, and answered his unspoken question. ¡°Ravinia Eldridge, your Grace. She¡¯s the current Secretary of the Quorum at their home in Anderas.¡±


    Falken nodded quickly. ¡°Yes, yes, that one. Gunter, you¡¯ll deliver the letter. I want it there before Kurama can send them his distorted version of events.¡±


    Gunter tapped his chest. ¡°You¡¯re entrusting something of this importance to me, your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Gunter, I have full confidence in you.¡±


    I wanted to roll my eyes. A few hours ago Falken didn¡¯t even know Gunter existed. Now he was entrusting this mission to a man he¡¯d only recently become aware of.


    Ryland spoke up. ¡°Captain Reagan, I understand you won last year¡¯s Wind Sylph challenge.¡±


    I blinked and stared at Gunter.


    This was the man who won that aerial endurance race?


    The young captain straightened. ¡°Yes, Commander.¡±


    ¡°Where is that racing Wind Sylph?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­it¡¯s with my brother sir, at his workshop in Cadena. He built it after all.¡±


    Ryland nodded slightly. ¡°Is it ready to fly?¡±


    Gunter gave the commander a firm, resolute nod. ¡°Yes sir. I took it out for a test flight two weeks ago. All good.¡±


    Ryland regarded the tall captain for an uncomfortable length of time. ¡°Captain, how quickly can you fly to Cadena, pick up that flyer, and return here?¡±


    I watched Gunter give the question serious thought. The man studied his chronometer for a handful of seconds before replying, ¡°I can return by sunset.¡±


    Falken softly rapped his knuckles on the map table. ¡°Can you spot the road that runs southeast past the camp?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªI should be able to, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be heading home to pick up that Wind Sylph. Take any flyer you want from here. When you return, we¡¯ll be waiting for you on that road, a kilometer or so out of camp.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­?¡±


    ¡°Think of it as an added precaution, Captain.¡±


    Though he looked faintly puzzled, Reagan offered Falken a firm nod. ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°If you have enough time, pack for the journey. You¡¯ll be travelling as a civilian, so make sure your clothes are suitable.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, your Grace.¡±


    Falken took a deep breath. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll be busy writing that letter. Samuel, would you come with me to your tent. I¡¯ll need your guidance.¡±


    Samuel sighed again. ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡±


    Chiren smirked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to make him write it for you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Sis. I just want his advice, and proof reading.¡± He gazed about the tent. ¡°I need some paper. Damn, what a pain but it has to be done.¡± Looking at Gunter, Falken added, ¡°Well, be back by sunset, Captain.¡±


    Gunter saluted. ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡±


    Falken returned his salute.


    I waited until Gunter had left the tent before speaking up but then noticed Falken was staring at me intently.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked nervously.


    ¡°He took my ring, so I¡¯ll need to borrow yours for the seal.¡± Falken¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Ryland, we¡¯ll need to make sure Gunter is outfitted with the necessary paper work to get him out of any trouble.¡±


    Ryland pressed his lips into a thin line. ¡°He¡¯ll need a safe route through to Anderas. We can send word to Reinvald, but I¡¯m not sure about the lands between Reinvald and Anderas. He could try traveling by ship, or following the rivers by air.¡±


    I watched Falken¡¯s expression harden. ¡°Can I leave that in your care?¡±


    Ryland tapped his fingers on the table as he studied the map that lay stretched over it. ¡°By all means. In fact, I¡¯ll need a word with the young Captain before he departs. A moment, your Grace.¡±


    Ryland hurriedly stepped out of the War Tent to speak to the soldiers on guard duty, no doubt intending for one of them to go find Captain Reagan and deliver a belated message.


    I turned my attention on Falken, and shook my head at him. ¡°Did you know who he was? Is that why you brought him here?¡±


    Falken smiled. ¡°Of course I knew. I didn¡¯t recognize him at first, but it came to me later. After all, I was the one who awarded him his trophy.¡±


    I had to admit I¡¯d forgotten who¡¯d won the event.


    Falken turned to Chiren. ¡°Sis, I want you to talk to Fallon. Feel her out, see what you can learn from her. Don¡¯t broach the matter of the bonding. That¡¯s my concern.¡±


    Chiren pressed her lips tightly before asking, ¡°Won¡¯t you leave that matter to me?¡±


    ¡°You want to bond with her?¡±


    ¡°No, you dummy. Won¡¯t you let me explain the bonding process to her?¡±


    Falken opened his mouth but remained conflicted for a long moment. Eventually he closed his mouth, and his shoulders fell a little.


    He gave Chiren a defeated nod.


    ¡°¡­well, if you insist¡­.¡±


    Chiren raised her hand, ready to smack him again but Falken suddenly darted forward and embraced her tightly, crushing her large breasts against his chest.


    ¡°Chiren, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here.¡±


    I watched Chiren turn bright red, her right arm still raised high over her head. Anyone who¡¯d ever thought her an ice queen was sure to have their doubts burned away by the sight of her blushing madly.


    ¡°Ah¡ªFalken, what are you doing? Damn it, pay attention to your surroundings.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, Sis.¡±


    Chiren couldn¡¯t possibly turn any brighter. She lowered her arm unsteadily. ¡°Fine, fine. Just let me go.¡±


    He released her and darted back to a safe distance. ¡°Right, now I¡¯m off to write that letter. Samuel old man, come with me. Did you bring your dictionary with you?¡±


    Samuel sighed¡­again. ¡°Yes, your Grace.¡±


    Falken swept his gaze over the men and one woman standing inside the War Tent. ¡°Thank you, for your help.¡±


    Damn him. He had a habit of changing between moods that always left me feeling like I was riding a small boat on heavy seas.


    Maximus grinned broadly. ¡°After you¡¯re done with that letter, what are you going to do? Hang around here, or head back to the citadel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll head back to Calandor in the morning,¡± he answered, ¡°so I need to make preparations regarding Fallon. I need to find a way to sneak her out of camp and get her to the citadel without drawing too much attention¡ªah!¡± He clicked his fingers. ¡°Attention. That¡¯s it. What better way to hide someone than in plain sight.¡±


    Chiren had recovered somewhat and gave him a perplexed look. ¡°What in High Heavens do you mean?¡±


    Falken was nodding to himself. ¡°Meyren Milerna. I need the good General¡¯s help. Rather, I need to borrow something of hers.¡±


    Maximus chuckled. ¡°I only wish Meyren had been here to witness all this, but she¡¯s still out at the border.¡±


    Falken darted a glance at Augustine and then Ryland who¡¯d just returned to the map table. ¡°Regarding the border¡­.¡±


    The two men shared a look before Ryland stated in a calm manner, ¡°The border will be secure by evening. Rest assured.¡±


    Augustine added, ¡°We need to take stock of the situation, but Ryland is right. We should have no trouble securing the border by evening if not late afternoon.¡±


    Falken glanced at the map on the table. ¡°We follow the rules of engagement regarding prisoner exchange¡­if any.¡± He was quiet for a moment. ¡°How many did we lose?¡±


    Augustine and Maximus took heavy breaths, but it was Ryland who replied after glancing down at the sheets of notes lying on the map before him. ¡°Twelve, your Grace. However, we¡¯re still counting. We have some eighteen Kuraman soldier¡¯s in custody.¡± He looked up at Falken. ¡°The Girl Scouts¡ªI mean, the Empath Scouts¡ªare in full deployment in and around Gaellen Forest.¡±


    Falken pursed his lips for a long while, and studied the map. I watched his eyes trace a line from the forest back to the northern border with Reinvald. With a muted nod to himself, he addressed the three senior staff. ¡°Try to get me a full count on our losses and injured by the afternoon. I¡¯ll need names¡­and personal details.¡±


    Ryland offered him a faint nod, but Karmine and Augustine both regarded Falken with veiled sympathy.


    Falken looked at me, and then Chiren.


    ¡°Before I write that letter to the Quorum Secretary, I need to talk to the both of you in private.¡±


    <hr />


    Tempted to send this in to a few agents, but I think I''ll wait until May or June before I do so.....


    Maybe I should start from scratch. I just don''t know. Thinking about this is giving me ulcers.


    Anyway, I noticed something that I need to fix in the new Chapter 6.


    Cheers

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 4

    Second draft. Lengthened and amended. You''ll see what I mean.


    Enjoy.


    <hr />


    Chapter 4.


    I have faced Jotnar en masse.


    I faced them when our southern borders were breached by Orgenval¡¯s troops a mere week after Falken¡¯s father, the reigning Archduke, passed away at sea. I was under the command of General Rombard at the time, and a Knight-Captain of my own Jotnar Platoon assigned to the Second Army.


    Orgenval¡¯s leadership chose to test us during our time of grief. Not a wise thing to do.


    That said, it was amongst the fiercest fighting I¡¯d ever seen in all my years as a Jotunn Knight. Following my ¡®exploits¡¯ I was promoted to Knight-Commander, and put in charge of a Jotnar company. A few months later I was transferred to the Fourth Army, and served a six month tour at the border between Caldera and Kaitain to the west under the command of General Milerna, a woman you can hear from a league¡¯s distance. However, when the skirmish with Kaitain and House Kurama¡¯s troops took place, my company and I had recently been transferred to the First Army under General Karmine.


    You may wonder why I am telling you this.


    Well, you wanted to know how I felt when I stood outside Falken¡¯s tent on that fateful rainy day.


    As I said, I¡¯d faced an army of Jotnar, and I¡¯d faced fierce opponents during the Tournament of Jotunn Knights, where I eventually won my ring and was crowned Jotunn Meister that year. But the walk to his tent that day, felt like the longest walk I¡¯d taken in years, though it was a mere two hundred feet.


    Was I afraid? Yes, I was most certainly afraid. I had defended this girl¡¯s actions before my superiors because she had saved Falken¡¯s life, yet in truth, I was afraid of her.


    You have to understand that all of us in positions of authority, and many of the educated and well informed populace, had heard of the Khan Wilders. We knew of the power they possessed, and of the death and destruction they could cause. And while we were bereft of the details, the incident at the Kingdom of Kapernia was fresh on everyone¡¯s minds.


    And now there was one of them inside Falken¡¯s tent?


    A Khan Wilder that could lay waste to the entire First Army in the span of an hour?


    How do you think I felt?


    No matter what Falken had said to his brother and I, I still didn¡¯t know what to expect and that did little to allay my fears. Afterwards, I realized my preconceptions were misconceptions, and that not understanding the Wilders was tantamount to a grave mistake. No, it was unfair on them for I was to learn they were as human as I was. They were people of flesh and blood, capable of acts of kindness, of self-sacrifice, of hatred¡­and of love.


    The words I¡¯d learnt in class came back to me.


    If I knew my enemy and I knew myself, I would not be imperiled in a hundred battles.


    The problem was at that time I didn¡¯t know my enemy at all.


    In my mind, Khan Wilders were all bad apples.


    I walked into that tent with one frame of mind.


    I walked out with a completely different mindset.


    Chiren Marisol Kell


    Excerpt from The Women Who¡¯ve Shaped Our Times.


    (Chiren)


    As I¡¯d agreed, I walked to Falken¡¯s tent to meet the girl who¡¯d saved his life.


    It felt like a journey of a thousand paces and not a mere hundred.


    As heavy as each footstep was, I was ensnared by my troubled thoughts and feelings, and I even forgot about the rain that had once again weakened into a light drizzle.


    I thought I could hear every heartbeat with every step that I took.


    While I was oblivious to much of my surroundings, I was acutely conscious of my fears.


    A Khan Wilder.


    A Khan that emerged from the wilds, not officially ordained by the Quorum, and thus not a member of the Khan Orden established two centuries ago.


    Falken had told me what he could about this girl, but it felt like precious little.


    What kind of girl would be gifted with the power to wield a Warlord?


    There was only one way for me to determine that, and it was to step inside and meet her.


    I took a couple of deep breaths, and stepped through the entrance flaps and into the tent.


    As expected, the interior was lit by a handful of Etheric lamps that used the flowing Ether to shine brightly. Illumination was good, and as I stood within the entrance, aware that I was dripping water upon the ground, I swept my gaze cautiously about the interior.


    A section of Falken¡¯s tent had been curtained off for the obvious purpose of affording some extra privacy to the occupants.


    General Milerna¡¯s attendants, two young women by the name of Silvia and Marina were fussing over someone behind the curtain, peering into it while unaware I had entered the tent.


    I listened to them argue about the choice of dress, and the style of hair that would make the most impression on Falken. One of them suggested cutting the hair to make it easier to manage, while other wondered how her hair could be so long and not suffer any split ends.


    I found myself wondering why they were even considering such matters.


    Why in High Heaven were they discussing how to attract Falken¡¯s attention?


    I cleared my throat to gain their attention.


    Silvia looked at me in surprise. ¡°Knight-Commander!¡±


    She stepped away from the curtain and then curtsied politely.


    ¡°His Grace sent me,¡± I said, hoping it explained my reason for being here.


    The young woman nodded quickly when she straightened. She gave the curtained area a cursory glance. ¡°Ah, she¡¯s ready, my Lady Knight.¡±


    I pressed my lips together into a thin line, and regarded the two girls.


    Until my entrance, they appeared to be enjoying themselves.


    Were they not concerned with what the girl was?


    I felt uneasy, uncertain, and a little afraid, but was it because I knew how much of a danger the Khan Wilder presented? Or perhaps, I was simply overestimating the situation and making a mountain out of a molehill.


    No, I was certain that overestimating was the safer way to approach the situation.


    I asked, ¡°Do you mean, awake and ready?¡±


    I realized I sounded a little too guarded even to my ears.


    The two girls shared an unreadable look.


    I sensed they were reluctant to allow me to see her.


    Strange, were they looking out for the Khan Wilder?


    I took a quiet breath, and forced myself to sound relaxed.


    I did not intend to pull rank on Milerna¡¯s attendants.


    ¡°Ladies, may I see her?¡±


    The two girls remained as they were for a noticeable moment, then Silvia gave Marina a subtle nod.


    Marina reached out and drew back the curtain, revealing the Wilder Falken had brought back from the forest.


    I swallowed, unable to prevent myself from staring at the girl.


    A feeling of intense apprehension filled me, and my chest ached in trepidation for what the future held.


    The fact this girl was a Khan Wilder, might prove to be the least of Falken¡¯s troubles.


    I took her to be a young girl recently blossomed into womanhood, perhaps sixteen or seventeen years of age, and on appearance alone she rivaled Lisanna whom I thought of as the prettiest girl of noble rank across the lands surrounding Caldera.


    My reaction was not lost on the two girls watching me.


    Silvia caught the look on my face.


    I shook my head ever so faintly at her, and turned back to the Khan Wilder.


    She was seated on a low stool before a small vanity table that I assumed was brought in from General Meyren Milerna¡¯s tent. The girl¡¯s skin was rosy, no doubt from the hot bath she had endured at the hands of Silvia and Marina. Her wet hair hung in rivulets down her back, long and dark in nature. The light makeup on her face enhanced her green eyes. She was dressed in a female attendant¡¯s dress, and wore a pair of ankle high leather boots that offered protection from the cold, but not so much from the wet grounds. Even so, I doubted she would be found wandering or traipsing about the camp.


    She sat at the vanity, and regarded me with distinct worry in her eyes.


    I found that unsettling, and it made my heart skip a beat.


    To think a Khan Wilder would express concern at my presence.


    It felt as though the tables had been unfairly turned.


    I took a deep breath and cleared my throat again before approaching her.


    ¡°My name is Chiren Kell, Knight-Commander of Gryphon Company, First Army.¡±


    She continued to eye me warily, yet afforded me a nervous nod.


    It served to make me feel even more uncomfortable. ¡°His Grace, the Archduke Falken Claymore, asked me to come see you.¡±


    She stood up a little ungainly from the stool, and faced me properly with her hands at her sides. Her fingers fidgeted nervously and after a moment she clenched them into small fists.


    ¡°What will happen to me?¡±


    I blinked.


    She had a strange accent, not quite what I expected from someone that allegedly hailed from Reinvald, but it was there nonetheless, a sign that she wasn¡¯t from Caldera.


    Perhaps she had told Falken the truth.


    I gently raised a hand toward her. ¡°Please, you don¡¯t have to be concerned. You saved my Archduke¡¯s life. We¡¯re indebted to you.¡±


    She looked faintly startled. ¡°Indebted¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She looked uncertain.


    I regarded her for a moment before asking, ¡°Have you eaten?¡±


    She shook her head furtively. ¡°No¡ªno, I haven¡¯t eaten in a while. A day, I think. Maybe two¡­I don¡¯t remember¡­.¡±


    Holding back a frown, I looked at Silvia and Marina. ¡°Would you get us something to eat and drink?¡±


    The two women understood my meaning. Silvia and Marina bowed respectfully. ¡°As you wish, Lady Knight,¡± Silvia said.


    When they left the tent, I suggested the girl sit back down on the stool. Then I carried a chair over to her and sat down a couple of feet away. Closer now, I studied her for a short while and she did the same to me.


    What would Falken think when he saw her now?


    He¡¯d only seen her dirty and unkempt.


    That was no longer the case.


    Misgivings circled around my heart.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Fallon.¡±


    ¡°Just¡­Fallon?¡±


    She appeared hesitant. ¡°Fallon¡­is the name I woke up with.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My old name¡­feels like it doesn¡¯t belong to me anymore. Not since this¡±¡ªshe touched her chest¡ª¡°appeared on me.¡±


    I looked at her chest, then hesitated before asking, ¡°May I see it?¡±


    She undid the buttons on her dress, and showed me the branding.


    The Seal of Arcala. The intricate blue tattoo was clearly visible. It swirled between her breasts, over them, and down to her navel. It was beautiful, elegant, and appeared to emphasize her breasts that were full and of moderate size.


    I nodded to her, thanking her for showing me the Seal¡¯s branding.


    She restored her clothes to their previous state.


    I noticed her modest countenance.


    She resumed watching me in silence.


    I glanced away and my gaze fell on the vanity, then upon a large, open chest. Judging from its overly ornate design, it too must have come from General Milerna¡¯s tent. Though the General commanded the Fourth Army, she had chosen to temporarily relocate to the First Army as it toured the west and northwest borderland. In other words, she¡¯d chosen to be closer to Falken. To that end, she¡¯d brought along her tents, carriages, and dozen or more attendants along with her. Meyren Milerna rarely did anything in small numbers.


    I sighed inwardly, and settled my gaze upon the girl before me. ¡°Fallon, will you tell me what happened? Will you tell me how you came to be branded? How did you become a Khan Wilder?¡±


    She cocked her head slightly, then gave me a shy nod.


    I listened to her story.


    When she finished recounting, I asked, ¡°Is that all you remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I studied her intently. ¡°Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°What was your name before all this happened to you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Deena¡­my name was Deena¡­.¡±


    She seemed to be struggling to speak the name. Rather, she looked to be in pain.


    I reached out and touched her right forearm, surprising myself. However, having committed to the gesture, I couldn¡¯t take it back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You don¡¯t have to tell me if it pains you.¡±


    She sighed rather raggedly. ¡°I get a headache when I try to remember too much. I remember my childhood and life in the village, but it feels like a dream that I may forget at any moment.¡± Fallon looked at me intently. ¡°Am I¡­am I truly a Khan?¡±


    Why was she asking me?


    Surely she had enough evidence for her to accept the fact and not question it.


    Was she in some way reaching out to me?


    I chose to give her a firm nod. ¡°Yes, it would appear so. His Grace told me about the Warlord you operated when you saved his life.¡±


    She inhaled sharply and looked away with a pained expression.


    On her lap, her fingers moved restlessly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much practice with it.¡± She laughed softly, and sounded disappointed. ¡°I thought I was going to fall over and land on my face when I faced those Jotnar. It¡¯s hard to walk in it. It¡¯s like its feet weren¡¯t meant for walking.¡± She looked slightly confused. ¡°Sometimes, I see pictures in my head. They tell me what to do. I can operate it, but I feel like I¡¯m riding a horse for the first time. I have no idea how it will react to my will. I feel like I¡¯m fighting against it most of the time. I just can¡¯t make it move the way I want it to.¡±


    I had trouble hiding my surprise.


    I had believed that Wilders naturally understood how to operate their Warlords. I didn¡¯t think they had so much trouble with them. I wondered if it was like operating a Jotunn for the first time. The saying ¡®almost every trainee falls over their first time¡¯ is fundamentally true, as is the statement that all babies must learn to crawl before they can walk.


    I gently asked, ¡°How many times have you called upon it?¡±


    She gave my question some thought. ¡°Seven times. Today was the seventh. Before then I was just learning how to make it move. Sometimes it came naturally, but at other times it was hard to take a step.¡±


    I didn¡¯t feel she was lying to me.


    Her words gave me much to consider.


    I leaned forward, again surprising myself. ¡°Fallon, listen to me. Falken¡ªI mean, his Grace¡ªhas promised he will help you and protect you. Right now he¡¯s making preparations to take responsibility for you.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°Responsibility for me?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes. Do you understand what your actions have caused?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I saved his life.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and in doing so you stepped into a conflict without either side sanctioning your involvement. That is a breach in the rules of conduct between opposing armies. These rules are known as the Rules of Engagement and they were laid down by the Archons. A Khan and their Warlord cannot intercede in a battle unless it¡¯s to engage another Warlord.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. I saved his life. I asked him, and he said yes to me.¡±


    ¡°No one is disputing that. But in doing so, his Grace has to take responsibility for accepting your help.¡±


    ¡°Was it a bad thing? Was saving him the wrong thing to do?¡±


    I shook my head to reassure her. ¡°From where I¡¯m sitting, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing at all. Bad for the Kuraman soldiers, but certainly not bad for him, and not bad for Caldera.¡±


    Her worry grew. ¡°What¡ªwhat will happen to me?¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t allow anything to happen to you. After all, there were circumstances that led to your involvement. These will be used in your defense. However, you may need to state your case before a member of the Quorum of Khans.¡±


    She bit her lower lip. ¡°I know of them. I mean, I¡¯ve heard of them from the merchants and travelers that pass through our village. They tell the Khans what to do, don¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. In effect, they are the ruling element of the Khan Orden, the organization that oversees them. They decree the laws that all Khans must abide by, and the Orden is recognized by the Archons, which lends them a great deal of authority. It also allows them to protect themselves and their Khans from acts of aggression.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°This Orden¡­will I have to become a part of them?¡±


    I sat back. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And if I choose not to? What then?¡±


    I held her gaze steady in mine as I looked into her emerald eyes. ¡°Then the Quorum will undoubtedly choose to remove the Seal of Arcala from your body, and you will lose your status as a Khan. You will no longer be able to operate your Warlord.¡±


    Her mouth fell open. She closed it a little later, looking faintly distraught.


    ¡°Why, why can¡¯t they let me be?¡±


    Her reaction left me at odds with myself. Part of me had been hoping she would jump at the chance to surrender the Seal from her body, but it was clear that wasn¡¯t something she wanted.


    Her reluctance stroked my worry.


    ¡°Because you are a Khan Wilder, and Wilders are not well received.¡±


    A thoughtful look settled upon her face. ¡°Why?¡±


    Something in her eyes made me believe she already knew the answer, or at the least suspected it.


    I chose to humor her. ¡°Wilders have been known to cause much destruction. The Khan Orden has asked the ruling families of the many lands to help them quell disturbances caused by Wilders. They ask to be notified immediately when a Wilder is encountered so that they may dispatch their Khans to deal with the Wilder and prevent anyone from coming to harm.¡±


    She nodded gently and took a deep breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose the Seal.¡± She shook her head slowly. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that at all.¡± She stood up and began to pace within the tent. ¡°No. I cannot lose the Seal. I cannot.¡±


    I resisted the urge to stand. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because¡ªbecause I cannot. I agreed to this. I said ¡®yes¡¯. I¡¯m certain I did.¡± She rubbed her forehead. ¡°Or maybe I didn¡¯t¡­I just don¡¯t know anymore¡­.¡±


    I watched her continue to pace back and forth. ¡°Fallon, is there something you¡¯re not telling me? Is it related to how you came to be branded with the Seal?¡±


    She stopped pacing and faced me. She looked uncertain, and when she answered me her voice was barely above a whisper.


    ¡°In my dreams, I sometimes see him. I cannot see his face¡ªI cannot see it¡ªbut I can hear his voice. I can hear him ask me if I wish to start my life anew and make a difference.¡± She touched her chest. ¡°And I hear myself answer yes.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I held back a frown. ¡°You don¡¯t know who he is?¡±


    ¡°No, and even if I did, I may be forgetting it when I wake up.¡±


    ¡°In this dream¡­are you given the branding? Are you given the Seal of Arcala?¡±


    Fallon lowered her hand from her chest. ¡°I don¡¯t remember. I just can¡¯t remember what happened. I just remember being asked, and giving him an answer.¡±


    I saw her wince and reach up to her head.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± she whispered. ¡°Why does it hurt when I try to remember?¡±


    I took a breath and rose from my chair. Stepping up to her, I took her hands in mine. They were warm, and it made me wonder why I¡¯d expected them to be cold.


    ¡°Fallon, look at me. If it pains you, then I won¡¯t ask again. Perhaps your memory will return in time.¡±


    ¡°And if not?¡±


    I exhaled loudly. I didn¡¯t feel like lying to her. ¡°Then live on. Make the best of what you have now. Live your life anew as you agreed to in your dream.¡±


    She studied me for a short while.


    I watched her eyes search my face intently, then I felt her fingers squeeze mine.


    She spoke softly. ¡°Lady Knight, may I ask you something?¡±


    I blinked, feeling a little startled and not knowing why.


    However, I gave her a simple nod. ¡°You may.¡±


    ¡°What would you do? If you possessed the Seal of Arcala, and you were a Wilder, what would you choose to do?¡±


    I breathed in slow and deep a number of times.


    Her gaze never left my face.


    What would I do?


    I remembered asking myself that question many years ago, when I realized I was different from other women, because I had an Ether Kinetic ability that they lacked.


    I returned Fallon¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I would choose to keep the Seal. I would choose to join the Khan Orden, and to live as a Khan. I would strive to be the best that I could be, because it is what I decided when I learnt that I possessed the Ether Kinetic talent. To use my talent to its best, and so I chose to be a Jotunn Knight. I chose to be a soldier, and to protect my homeland and my loved ones¡±¡ªI sighed quickly¡ª¡°and three somewhat unruly brats that I¡¯ve considered family since the day I met them.¡±


    She blinked at me, obviously missing my reference to Falken, Kaden, and their sister Alleyne.


    I added, ¡°I would choose to think of the Seal of Arcala as a gift, and not a burden, certainly not a curse.¡±


    ¡°A curse¡­.¡±


    She bit her lower lip and glanced away.


    For a short while she was very quiet and very still.


    Even her fingers had stopped moving.


    When she broke her silence, it was with a softly spoken whisper.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the dream is a memory, or if it¡¯s real, but I know I was given this for a reason. I want to learn what that reason is. Until then, I cannot lose what I have now. I¡¯ve already lost my home and my family. I can¡¯t lose anymore.¡±


    Her words stirred questions loose within me.


    ¡°Fallon, why did you run away from your village? Why didn¡¯t you stay and wait for the guardsmen to return? Why haven¡¯t you searched for your family?¡±


    She pulled a hand free from mine, and again touched her chest where the tattoo branded her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about our lands. I don¡¯t know much of the world outside my home, but I do know that in my homeland of Reinvald the people don¡¯t like Khans.¡±


    That much was true. The ruling Sandoval Family had a standing order that the Khan Orden and thus the Quorum were not welcome in Reinvald. Theirs wasn¡¯t the only land to declare the Khans as persona non grata, but they were certainly the most vocal about it.


    I knew this as a courtesy of my rank, because I was privy to reports and information that most people wouldn¡¯t come by in Caldera. However, it was wrong to think the average person in Caldera wasn¡¯t aware of the Khans, the Wilders, and the policies upheld by our neighboring lands.


    In thinking as much, I wondered how much Fallon was aware of.


    ¡°How do you know this? From merchant talk?¡±


    She released a heavy, ragged breath. ¡°Yes, but I also know this because in a village to the north of mine, a man was found to bear the brand on his chest¡­and the villagers killed him.¡±


    I felt the blood drain from my face. ¡°They¡ªthey killed him? Why?¡±


    Her voice was flat. ¡°They killed him before he could kill them.¡±


    I struggled through my disbelief.


    Then I remembered Ryland mentioning the state of unrest in the northern lands following news of what happened in Kapernia.


    Had news spread to Reinvald as well? Had it reached even the villages of that land?


    If that was indeed true, then perhaps the villagers had actually done what she claimed.


    Fear could drive people to commit acts they would otherwise never consider.


    I asked, ¡°How do you know of this?¡±


    She inhaled deeply. ¡°Because a peddler came to our village. He looked scared and everyone thought he might have been fleeing bandits, but he was scared that men from the other village would come for him. He told the elders, and anyone who would to listen to him, that the villagers had killed a man who awoke with a tattoo on his chest because they feared he was a Khan¡ªa Wilder. They feared the madness in the Seal would drive him insane with bloodlust. So they killed him that very day.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how the man came to be branded?¡±


    ¡°No. The peddler said he¡¯d heard the man had woken in the morning with the branding, and his family had killed him shortly afterwards.¡±


    My eyes widened. ¡°His family?¡±


    She nodded again. ¡°The peddler fled the town that night, fearing the villagers would kill him in fear that he would tell the authorities. He left our village before nightfall, and I don¡¯t know what happened to him.¡±


    My throat suddenly felt dry, and I had to swallow again before I could speak.


    ¡°Is this why you chose not to seek shelter in another town or village? Because you were afraid of what would happen if people learnt of your branding?¡±


    She nodded weakly.


    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°When did this happen, Fallon?¡±


    She swallowed tightly. ¡°A week¡­maybe a week before my village was burned down.¡±


    I realized I¡¯d been leaning toward her. I straightened and leaned back.


    ¡°Fallon, tell no one of this. At least, not for a while.¡± I swallowed and added, ¡°Leave the matter with me.¡±


    She raised her eyebrows at me. ¡°And if his Grace asks me?¡±


    I shook my head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t speak of this to his Grace.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Let me say, there is too much happening at the moment.¡±


    Her eyebrows drew level. ¡°You asked me why I haven¡¯t looked for my family.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    She wet her lips nervously. ¡°What would they think of me if they saw me now?¡±


    If what she said of the villagers¡¯ reaction was true, then the answer wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    Fallon must have guessed at what I thought.


    She nodded sadly, and said rather bitterly, ¡°They would not welcome me with open arms.¡±


    I had no choice but to nod in agreement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fallon. They probably wouldn¡¯t welcome you at all.¡±


    She sighed heavily, and with a dispirited expression she walked over to the stool and sat down.


    After a short while she looked up at me.


    ¡°Lady Knight, would you tell me what you know of the Khans, the Wilders, and of the Orden? Would you tell me of the Quorum, and of what I should expect from them?¡±


    Drawing my lips into a thin line, I walked back to the chair and sat down before her.


    ¡°Very well. I will tell you what I know.¡±


    #


    (Kaden)


    By the order of First Army¡¯s General Karmine, my Fourth Platoon that belonged to Chiren¡¯s Gryphon Company found itself stationed roughly two kilometers south of Gaellen Forest where a forward operations camp had been established by the First Reconnaissance Division attached to the First Army.


    The remainder of Gryphon Company¡¯s platoons were spread out along the southern treeline, watching and waiting for anyone that emerged from the depths of the forest. Because Gaellen Forest was so large, the platoons of Wyvern and Typhon Company had been deployed to patrol the west, north, and eastern flanks of the forest.


    Complementing them were two hundred riders belonging to the First Army¡¯s Cavalry.


    In essence, the three companies of heavy infantry and cavalry riders formed a cordon around the forest, while squads from the Reconnaissance Army scouted the interior. These squads were composed of young women on horseback with the talent and skill to sense distortions in the Ether far and wide, well beyond the talent any man possessed. They were strong Empath Weavers trained to sniff out their quarry by using the Ether, rather than their noses.


    These women were known as the Empath Scouts ¨C the hunting dogs of the Reconnaissance Division.


    The reason for establishing the noose around the forest came about when the Empath Scouts reported encountering numerous abandoned Kuraman Jotnar within the forest. That implied their operators or pilots were either hiding in the forest or had escaped into the surrounding countryside.


    The task of flushing out any Kuramans hiding in the forest fell upon the shoulders of the Empath Scouts deployed into the forest.


    While I was aware of the overall situation being privy to the discussions in the War Tent, I didn¡¯t know the details of the operation until I returned to Gaellen Forest late in the afternoon.


    I arrived at the forward camp after walking for an hour in the machine over the undulating terrain lying between this camp and that of the First Army some twenty kilometers to the south.


    A detachment of cavalry riders accompanied me.


    At the forward camp, I was pleased and relieved to see my platoon had survived the morning¡¯s battle unscathed. All nineteen of my men were there, ready for duty. Their Jotnar were parked a short distance away from the tents of the camp, and I observed a number of mechanics working upon the fifteen-foot tall machines.


    Despite their immense size, at a distance Jotnar resembled small people, dwarves, wrapped in heavy clothing fit for the icy regions of the far, far north. They were not long limbed machines, but squat and stocky. However, they were clearly designed and constructed with a human shape in mind. This was because it was easier for a man to operate them if the Jotunn had a familiar form ¨C a body with two arms and two legs.


    I had heard that the Anderas Empire to the far west was experimenting with Jotnar that resembled the mythical centaurs of Mother Earth, though I had no idea why they would entertain such a concept, though they might prove interesting to see in action.


    The rain had abated by the time the cavalry riders and I arrived at the forward camp. After acknowledging the men of my platoon, I walked into the War Tent and reported in to the Reconnaissance Division commander in charge of the scouting operation in and around Gaellen Forest. I had written orders from General Karmine to pass along, which included Falken¡¯s directive that he wanted the Kuraman soldiers captured alive. However, if they resisted and posed a threat to our personnel then their lives were forfeit.


    While the commander explained the situation here at the forest, word came down from the northwest delivered by flyer claiming General Meyren Milerna had re-established control of the border. She regretfully reported slaughtering the Kuraman soldiers that refused to surrender. Those that did were being held prisoner at the fort nearest where the border had initially been breached.


    After being dismissed, I walked outside and rejoined the men of Fourth Platoon.


    Every so often I glanced up at the steadily darkening sky as evening crept upon us.


    Around me, the men of my platoon loitered or sat drinking coffee or hot tea, never straying far from their idle machines. A number of them sat inside their Jotnar cockpits, with Etheric Drives spinning slowly, syphoning enough Ether to keep the machines limber and ready to march out within a minute¡¯s notice.


    Eventually evening fell and a ripple ran through the camp.


    Someone had spotted riders heading our way.


    Sitting on my Jotunn¡¯s shoulder, I watched a couple of young women ride hard and fast into the camp. They pulled up their horses outside the War Tent, dropped with practiced ease from their saddles, and hurried into the tent to deliver their reports.


    I chose to climb down from my Jotunn, and wandered over to the War Tent.


    Slipping inside, I kept to the back of the tent and listened in on the discussions.


    The scouts had sensed no active Jotnar within the forest, though they had encountered a few more of the abandoned machines bearing the crest of House Kurama. The possibility that soldiers of House Kurama continued to remain within our borders was indeed a worry. I wondered if additional scouts would need to be brought in, and the reconnaissance squads here diverted to scour the land around the forest.


    Then something caught my ears.


    I stepped closer to the group of men and women surrounding the foldaway table occupying the middle of the War Tent, and spoke to the young female squad captain making her report.


    ¡°What was that?¡± I asked sharply, perhaps too sharply because the slender brunette looked startled. I swallowed quickly, and eased back on my tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What was that you saw in the forest?¡±


    Her brown eyes glanced at the shoulder epaulets of the Jotnar pilot suit I wore, then narrowed her stare as she regarded me for a heartbeat before her eyes widened a little in recognition.


    I sighed inwardly.


    So she recognized me. I would have thought being with First Army for almost a year enough people would know me by now. Do I need to go round and tell everybody I¡¯m the Archduke¡¯s brother?


    I sighed again, this time under my breath.


    At the very least she recognizes my rank.


    I thought most people in the First Army would recognize me by now. Do I need to go round and tell everybody I¡¯m the Archduke¡¯s brother?


    I sighed inwardly.


    At the very least she knows my rank.


    Oddly, she bashfully brushed back a lock of short black hair when she properly faced me. ¡°We saw an Archon, Knight-Captain Claymore. It was riding on one of those black machines that float off the ground.¡± She made a shape with her hands. ¡°They look like knives, and they move through the air making very little sound.¡±


    ¡°An Archon Artemis.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I believe so. At a distance, we sensed its passage through the Ether as it pushed the Ether aside. A few moments later we caught sight of it moving between the trees. It wasn¡¯t trying to hide itself.¡±


    ¡°You mean it was visible? You could actually see it?¡±


    ¡°Aye. It crossed our path about a hundred feet north of us, then disappeared into the forest.¡± She shook her head slowly and wrapped her arms about herself. ¡°I¡¯m certain our eyes met. And I could have sworn it was looking for something, which is odd if it was allowing itself to be seen.¡±


    I entertained a brief thought.


    Perhaps it wasn¡¯t hunting. Perhaps it was driving something out of the forest.


    The begged the question of why was there an Archon Artemis in Gaellen Forest?


    For a heartbeat, that led my thoughts back to Fallon resting in Falken''s tent back at the First Army''s camp.


    Could it be? Was it looking for the Khan Wilder?


    I nodded distractedly. ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡±


    ¡°My pleasure, Lord Kaden.¡±


    I blinked, catching the faint smile she gave me, then retreated to the back of the tent and only halfheartedly listened to the remainder of the scout platoon¡¯s report.


    When I left the War Tent around ten minutes later, and I slowly walked back to my Jotunn. I sat down on the upright machine¡¯s right foot, and tried wrapping my head around the situation.


    There was little to nothing I could do about Archon hunters in the forest, so I shelved any thoughts I had regarding them, and focused on the problems that affected me directly.


    I didn¡¯t understand Issen Kurama¡¯s motives.


    Why was there no declaration of war from House Kurama?


    The incursion had occurred swiftly in the morning. The first anyone knew of it was from a hasty report delivered by an exhausted scout flyer, claiming that a full two companies of Jotnar had breached the border and were headed for Gaellen Forest. Our troops at a nearby fort had mobilized and engaged the invading force but they lacked the numbers to stop the near two hundred Jotnar hailing from the mountainous land of Kaitain.


    Even now, with a day almost gone by, there was no word from House Kurama regarding an official declaration of war with House Claymore and my homeland of Caldera.


    Leaning back, I stared up at the sky that was finally beginning to clear of storm clouds. By nightfall, the stars should be shining through.


    I looked up and wondered what the wheels of fate had in store for us.


    I wondered what fate lay in wait for the girl, Fallon.


    I hadn¡¯t spoken to Chiren since we parted ways outside the War Tent back at the First Army¡¯s campsite. I wanted to speak to her in private later, but had no idea when that opportunity would come by.


    As I watched the darkening sky, a shooting star briefly flashed across the canopy of darkness.


    I refused to make a wish.


    Instead, I thought of the Khan Wilders.


    The Quorum did not always find the Wilders to be worthy of being Khans.


    From what Falken had told us, Fallon had little control over the Warlord.


    Even if Falken chose to bond with her, she would still be unable to assume her duties as a Khan of House Claymore. She would need months of training, at very minimum a year, and that was only after the Quorum of Khans approved her entry into the Khan Orden as a Khan Cadet.


    I wondered if Falken wasn¡¯t getting too far ahead of himself, wanting to bond with the girl as soon as possible. Or had I misunderstood his intentions and timing?


    It was clear he wanted to protect the girl, but surely the Quorum would not approve of a bonding until she was fit to be recognized as a member of the Orden. That would take time. Why was Falken rushing things?


    I sighed.


    Chiren was right about one thing, Lisanna was going to have difficulty accepting Falken¡¯s decision to bond with a female Khan. That young woman had a dark jealous streak within her.


    I looked up and saw a second shooting star.


    This time I wished Fallon all the best¡­against Lisanna.

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 5

    Draft 2.0. Minor changes and corrections.


    <hr />


    Chapter 5.


    As a child, the large map that hung in the grand hall held a special fascination for me.


    When I was old enough to understand the world was round, and that people lived on two of three large, flat rocks called continents, my father hefted me onto his shoulders and stepped up to that map. I saw that our continent, the Northern Continent, was divided into irregular shaped plots of land.


    Kaitain, Caldera, Reinvald, Anderas, Mierna, Orgenval, Kapernia, and many others.


    Thirteen territories in total. At one time there had been sixteen but Anderas had sent its military into its warring neighbors and swallowed them into its borders in order to establish what it called a ¡®lasting peace¡¯. So now there were only thirteen distinct lands.


    My father explained that this map had been drawn up by the Archons and distributed to the capitals of each territory when Anderas finally and irrevocably subdued its troublesome neighbors. In doing so, the land of Anderas became not a territory, but an Empire.


    It wasn¡¯t until I visited Anderas in the company of my parents ¨C all part of an official visit to commemorate some special treaty ¨C that I began to view the map with a sense of dread.


    You see after the celebrations, my parents took Kaden, Alleyne and I to something called a zoo. It¡¯s a protectorate for animals, where people from across the continent can see them in relative safety. Anderas sported the largest zoo of any land, with a thousand if not more different species of wild animal on display.


    In any case, I remember looking at the map of the zoo, and thinking it was not unlike the map of our continent that fascinated me for long hours.


    I began thinking of the continent and this world as a giant zoo.


    Except it was a zoo for animals, and for people.


    And like the zookeepers that attended to the animals, it was the Archons that attended to humanity.


    Suddenly, that map in the great hall wasn¡¯t as fascinating anymore.


    In fact, I remember avoiding it for many months upon our return to Calandor.


    Excerpt from A Falken¡¯s Point Of View.


    An autobiography of Falken Galen Claymore Kaiser.


    (Falken)


    As per instructions, Captain Gunter Reagan returned in the late evening dressed in clothes fit for a man about to embark upon a long journey by air, which was exactly what his mission entailed ¨C a long journey from the east side of the Northern Continent to the Anderas Empire that dominated the far west.


    As agreed upon, he landed his Wind Sylph away from the campsite so I had to ride out to meet him, but I didn¡¯t ride alone. Joining me was Tamworth Ryland and a trusted aide of his, my trusty advisor Samuel, and finally Chiren who rode alongside a young woman from the Reconnaissance Corp.


    I bemoaned not having Kaden around, but he was indisposed at the southern border of Gaellen Forest, where scouting missions were ongoing despite the setting sun. In fact, he was probably going to have to sleep in his Jotunn tonight.


    Poor Kaden.


    My backside sympathized for him, or should I say empathized with him?


    In any regards, he was stuck over there for at least a few days longer. Ryland and Augustine were troubled to learn of the abandoned Jotnar in the forest, and had called up every available flyer to sweep the land surrounding the forest. Riders on horseback were also dispatched to the nearest towns and villages of which there were three within twenty kilometers of the forest.


    At times I felt like invading Kaitain ourselves just to trouble Issen Kurama as much as he was troubling us. However, I kept such thoughts to myself as Chiren was likely to smack my head for even thinking them.


    During the afternoon, I had written the final draft of the letter three times that needed to be delivered to the Quorum of Khans in the Anderas Empire¡¯s capital city. I held two of those letters in my left hand as I looked over at Gunter, and asked, ¡°Now, you¡¯re fine with the plan Commander Ryland has put together?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, your Grace,¡± he replied, adding a tight nod before sparing a quick glance at the young woman who stood at his side. She was the young lady who¡¯d ridden alongside Chiren.


    I looked at them both, noticing the young lieutenant was standing a little too distant from Gunter. I walked up to them, grabbed their shoulders, and then drew them closer to each other.


    Stepping back, I observed my handiwork and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Much better. Newlyweds are supposed to be close.¡±


    I heard Samuel sigh, and Chiren growl behind me, ¡°Falken¡­.¡±


    Gunter and the young woman looked embarrassed. She was also dressed in civilian clothes, including a coat fit for travelling aboard a Wind Sylph. She had a canvas bag with some hastily packed belongings scrounged from the numerous female attendants that followed General Milerna around.


    The gods bless General Milerna for maintaining such a healthy harem of attractive young women.


    That wasn¡¯t to say the young woman standing at Gunter¡¯s left shoulder wasn¡¯t attractive.


    She was definitely a fine pick.


    I looked them both over, and then turned to Ryland. ¡°You have the documentation?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± His aide handed him a metal cylinder ¨C a scroll with a metal clasp. Ryland spoke to the pair standing before us. ¡°Gunter Reagan and Emiri Fauntine. This is a marriage license, signed and approved by the office of House Claymore. If anyone asks, at least you¡¯ll have this for proof. If you lose it, don¡¯t worry as I have made copies.¡±


    I gave Ryland a sardonic look he failed to catch.


    Trust him to make ¡®extra¡¯ copies.


    Gunter took the scroll nervously. He stared at it and held it as though it might suddenly burst into flames in his hand.


    I noticed the look Emiri gave him before rolling her eyes in disappointment.


    Ryland handed over a small satchel. ¡°Here we have maps that¡¯ll come in handy and further evidence that the two of you are on a honeymoon journey across the lands. With any luck that will provide all the cover you need.¡±


    Gunter took the satchel.


    A purse was handed over from the aide to Ryland and then to Gunter. That one contained funds for the journey.


    The aide handed a couple of small booklets to Ryland who then held them out to Gunter and Emiri. ¡°Your identity passes have been amended to show your married status. Again, his Grace signed and stamped them with the official seal of Caldera.¡±


    They took the identity booklets, and in turn opened them to read the new printing.


    I saw them share a nervous, somewhat embarrassed glance.


    With Chiren standing behind me, I threw her a look over my right shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t they make a lovely couple?¡±


    She reached out and jammed a thumb into my back.


    ¡°Sis¡ªow, that hurts.¡±


    Chiren leaned close to me. ¡°You and I are going to have a long talk later.¡±


    I nodded quickly so that she would stop hurting me.


    Chiren removed the offending thumb from my back.


    As I rubbed my back I noticed something was missing from Gunter and Emiri¡¯s hands. ¡°The rings,¡± I blurted out.


    Ryland coughed to both clear his throat and gain my attention.


    I was shocked to see him hold out two slender rings.


    ¡°This is my plan,¡± he said, ¡°so it¡¯s my responsibility to provide for the finer details.¡±


    I almost asked him to allow me to do the honors but Chiren jammed her thumb into my back once again.


    Gunter and Emiri un-gloved their left hands.


    Ryland hesitated and looked at me. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have the authority to do this.¡±


    I gave him a perplexed look.


    However, Samuel stepped up to him. ¡°In that case allow me. As advisor to Archduke Claymore and his father before him, I¡¯ve been vested with the authority to conduct marriages.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not real,¡± I said. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to go through that long spiel they do at the beginning. Just cut to the chase. Ow!¡±


    Chiren hissed, ¡°Falken, I swear you say too much.¡±


    Samuel sighed. ¡°Real or not, it is still a sacred matter.¡± He cast Ryland a displeased look. ¡°I do admit I find this idea somewhat¡­disturbing.¡±


    After handing over the rings, Ryland calmly folded his arms and pointedly ignored Samuel.


    I grabbed Chiren¡¯s hand and quickly said to Samuel, ¡°But it will add to the realism. It¡¯ll add to their cover of being newlyweds on a honeymoon journey across the continent to visit the Anderas Empire, one of the great wonders of the Northern Continent.¡±


    Samuel took a deep breath as his shoulders rose and fell.


    He stepped before Gunter and Emiri, and took another long breath that seemed to go on forever.


    I was starting to grow impatient. ¡°Come on, Samuel, we don¡¯t have all night. Make your peace with this later.¡±


    That earned me a foul look from his steely eyes, before he turned back to the young couple.


    ¡°Gunter Reagan, as you place this ring on the bride¡¯s hand, repeat after me¡­.¡±


    Gunter followed Samuel¡¯s instructions. His hand trembled a little as he placed the ring on Emiri¡¯s ring finger.


    Then it was Emiri¡¯s turn, and her hand trembled too as she placed the ring on Gunter¡¯s ring finger and repeated the words Samuel spoke.


    I had a weird feeling run through me when I realized both rings were a perfect fit. I gave Ryland a suspicious glance.


    How did he know their finger sizes? More importantly, how did he produce those rings?


    Samuel¡¯s voice distracted me. ¡°And now you may kiss as husband and wife.¡±


    Both leaned toward each other, then stopped and stared at Samuel.


    ¡°Eh!¡±


    Samuel froze. ¡°Dear gods in high heaven¡ªI do apologize. I was so caught up in the moment.¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Samuel, Father always said you were a softy.¡±


    He whirled on me. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you young whelp, I¡¯ll be presiding over your wedding in two months¡¯ time.¡±


    ¡°Geh¡ªwhy¡¯d you remind me,¡± I whined. ¡°Don¡¯t I get a say at all?¡±


    Ryland spoke firmly. ¡°Could we get this over with?¡± He took the letters from my left hand and addressed Gunter and Emiri who were both furtively glancing at the rings.


    ¡°Captain, Lieutenant, here are two identical letters for the Secretary of the Quorum. Deliver at least one copy, and then fly back home with the Quorum¡¯s reply. I¡¯ve outlined on the maps what we believe are five of the best routes to take to Anderas. Be aware that we¡¯ll also be sending a copy of the letter by courier. However that will take at least one more day.¡±


    Gunter said, ¡°Commander, your Grace, I¡¯m confident I¡±¡ªEmiri bumped him¡ª¡°we can get these to Anderas within a week. The Ether is strong, and the lunar cycle will guarantee the Ley Lines are close to the surface so we should have plenty of power to provide lift for the Wind Sylph.¡±


    I spared a studios look at the flying machine parked on the ground behind Gunter.


    It was shaped like a cross between a dolphin and a gull. Oddly it had two seats in tandem which suited the situation fine, except I realized this wasn¡¯t a racing Wind Sylph. This flyer was larger, and had twin Etheric drives cowled within streamlined housings or nacelles built between the forward fuselage and the wing assembly.


    Gunter noticed my attention upon the Wind Sylph, and said, ¡°Your Grace, please trust in my brother¡¯s engineering talent. This Wind Sylph has the best possible engines for a craft its size. She¡¯ll outrun an ocean storm.¡±


    ¡°We just need you to outrun House Kurama¡¯s messenger,¡± I replied.


    ¡°As you wish, you Grace,¡± Gunter said with confidence.


    I looked at the pair of them, especially Emiri before I addressed Gunter. ¡°Captain, you take good care of her. She¡¯s your responsibility now.¡±


    He froze, then his expression turned quite serious. I saw him reach out and take the young woman¡¯s right hand in his left. ¡°Yes, your Grace. With my life, your Grace.¡±


    Emiri blushed so hotly it was visible even in the fading light.


    I gave her a meaningful look. ¡°Don¡¯t let him stray.¡±


    Her eyes widened and she swallowed noticeably. ¡°Ah¡ªyes, your Grace.¡±


    I waved a hand lightly. ¡°When you return, we¡¯ll get your papers all in order¡ªor maybe not. Ha ha ha¡ªow!¡±


    This time I felt two thumbs in my back.


    Gunter and Emiri looked downright concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking¡ªI¡¯m joking,¡± I told them quickly.


    They nodded uneasily and quickly glanced at each other. I thought Gunter was rather reluctant in releasing Emiri¡¯s hand.


    After a few more words of advice, they both saluted with their right fist across their chest, and then climbed aboard the Wind Sylph.


    As a group we stepped back to give the machine a fair amount of room. When its engine spooled up, I could feel the Ether ¡®brushing¡¯ past me as it was pulled into the Etheric drive. Then the Wind Sylph extended its vane-like wings and a short while later it took off less than gently. But it gained altitude and speed quickly, and was soon surging across the evening sky steadily turning into night.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Both were skilled scouts so I had no doubt they would find their way even at night.


    I watched the Wind Sylph fade from view. ¡°Hey Chiren.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, for everything.¡±


    ¡°Gods, I really hope this works out,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will.¡± I faced her. ¡°By the way, did the Lieutenant volunteer for this assignment?¡±


    She gave me a narrow eyed look. ¡°Why are you asking?¡±


    I shook my head a little. ¡°I just felt¡­they really did look good together.¡±


    I turned to stare in the direction the Sylph had flown.


    After a while Chiren said, ¡°The girls from reconnaissance told me Emiri Fauntine had often revealed an ¡®interest¡¯ in the young captain. So I approached her and explained the mission to her. And yes, she did volunteer.¡±


    I clasped my hands behind my back¡­protecting it. ¡°I hope things work out between them.¡±


    Chiren sighed so loudly she reminded me of Samuel. ¡°If not, you¡¯ll be paying for their marriage counseling and divorce proceedings.¡±


    I gave her sour look. ¡°Chiren, you can be so negative at times. Don¡¯t you believe in the power of love? It can overcome so much.¡±


    Before she could retort with her thumbs, I jumped her again, giving her a warm embrace.


    ¡°Like I said, thank you for everything, big sis.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªfine, fine. Just let me go.¡± I heard her sigh again. ¡°Falken, when are you going to learn to act your age?¡±


    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m desperately holding onto unmarried life.¡±


    I broke the embrace quickly, careful not to look at her, and then turned to the others standing nearby.


    ¡°Very well,¡± I announced. ¡°Everyone back to camp and then onto the next problem.¡±


    Chiren sounded weary when she asked, ¡°And what would that be?¡±


    ¡°House Kurama,¡± I replied as I walked to my horse. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we had a little talk with them.¡±


    I stopped before climbing onto the saddle, and turned to face Ryland.


    ¡°Tamworth, tell me the numbers so far. You should have a better grasp on them by now. How many did we lose?¡±


    I saw Ryland take a deep breath. ¡°Nineteen, your Grace. Six more injured.¡±


    ¡°And the Kuramans?¡±


    ¡°Thirty six, your Grace, though that number could be higher. We¡¯re still counting¡­and searching.¡±


    I swallowed, hoping they didn¡¯t see me do so in the dim light. ¡°I see. Please give me the details when we return to camp. I have¡­letters to write.¡±


    I climbed onto the saddle, steered my horse about, then I gently kicked its flanks with the stirrups, urging the beast to canter back to the First Army¡¯s encampment.


    #


    (Fallon)


    I was allowed to sleep in Falken¡¯s tent.


    I had no idea where he would sleep.


    The two young women, Silvia and Marina, chose to sleep in the tent and keep me company. They arranged for two, low slung cots to be brought in. Again I was given a change of clothes, an earthen colored night dress to wear.


    And so for the first time in a month I shared the company of others through the night.


    I appreciated their help and their kindness.


    They seemed to understand there were questions I couldn¡¯t or wouldn¡¯t answer. They weren¡¯t trying to pry, and I understood their questions were innocent in nature, but the truth was I didn¡¯t know what to tell them.


    I didn¡¯t know what was safe to tell them.


    I told the Knight-Commander what I felt I could tell her.


    I told these girls almost as much.


    I didn¡¯t lie to them, I just kept a little back.


    Until a month ago I had lived in that village all my life.


    I had travelled to the larger towns within a day¡¯s journey only a handful of times.


    I knew little of our lands and our world. I had lost the map when my horse bolted. It wasn¡¯t my horse, but one that had survived the attack on my village. When I tried to remember the attack my head felt like it was being pierced by long stitching needles.


    The two of them told me about House Claymore, and the great mountain-citadel of Calandor with its dozens of floors, hundreds rooms, scores of chambers, and great arched hallways all cut into the mountain. I tried picturing it in my mind and I failed.


    They described the township of Cadena that lay nestled in the valley that stretched from the base of the mountain to the coast.


    Again, I tried picturing it in my mind, and this time I believe I succeeded.


    Then Silvia asked me something that stabbed shame into me.


    ¡°So¡­you can¡¯t read?¡± she asked.


    I nodded weakly.


    All three of us were lying in our respective cots. Though the Ether avoided my body, enough of it filled the tent that boxed lamps with glowing Etherite could be used to light the interior.


    Without looking at them, I sensed one of the two girls sit up in her cot.


    Silvia said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. You need to learn. When we reach Calandor, someone will teach you.¡±


    ¡°Is it hard?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. Only hard if you don¡¯t try.¡±


    ¡°Only hard if you have a poor teacher,¡± Marina quipped.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Silvia agreed. ¡°Lady Fallon, you will learn. Learn to read, and write, and do all the other complicated things such as mathematics and science and¡ªand even music. You can learn to dance, and to sing and to play an instrument.¡±


    I smiled at that. I smiled at the young woman¡¯s enthusiasm.


    Silvia suddenly climbed out of her cot. ¡°We should start now.¡±


    Marina muttered a loud, ¡°Huh? Silvia get back in bed.¡±


    ¡°No, I want to start teaching her now.¡±


    ¡°You can start tomorrow.¡±


    I raised my neck off the small cotton pillow adorning the cot. The girl was fumbling around in the tent, probably looking for something to write on.


    ¡°Damn, Lord Falken has locked everything away. There¡¯s nothing to use.¡± She picked up a box lantern and carried it as she walked over to me. ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you. Just wait for me here and I¡¯ll go find us some paper and a quill.¡±


    Marina rose from her cot and tackled the girl. ¡°You¡ªwill do¡ªno such thing.¡±


    ¡°Marina¡ªunhand me.¡±


    ¡°Get back in the cot¡ªnow.¡±


    ¡°Oof, when did you get to be so strong?¡±


    ¡°When I started doing your share of the work. That¡¯s how I built up my muscles.¡±


    ¡°You belong on a farm.¡±


    ¡°And you belong back in your cot.¡±


    Their struggles brought them close to me. Abruptly the box lantern swinging from Silvia¡¯s hand grew dark as the Ether no longer reached it. Both girls stopped struggling. They were spared from falling into darkness by the light of the other lanterns that still glowed strongly.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot that happens,¡± Silvia muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s odd,¡± Marina softly observed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Khan¡¯s stand right beside a lantern without affecting it.¡±


    I sat up slowly. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Marina released Silvia who began playing with the lantern, bringing it close to me where it lost its glow, then drawing it farther away until it brightened.


    ¡°That¡¯s cool,¡± the young woman whispered.


    Marina sighed as she shook her head. ¡°Cool?¡± She glanced at me. ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive her. She picks up odd things now and then from the people she meets.¡±


    I nodded uncertainly.


    Silvia ignored her friend and asked me, ¡°Are you doing it intentionally?¡±


    I shook my head faintly. ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I lost my attachment to the Ether when I gained the Seal of Arcala.¡±


    Marina folded her arms. ¡°But I¡¯ve seen Khans stand beside lanterns without affecting them. They must know a way to control that ability that keeps the Ether away. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll learn how to do it.¡±


    My mouth opened, and then I closed it slowly and quietly.


    Silvia hung the box lantern from a large hook screwed into a tent support pole, then she stepped up to me. ¡°You¡¯re going to learn a lot of things, Lady Fallon.¡±


    Marina shrugged a little. ¡°Just don¡¯t forget us when you¡¯re an important Khan in the service of House Claymore.¡±


    I shook my head faintly yet quickly. ¡°No, I won¡¯t forget you. I will never forget you. Not the kindness you¡¯ve shown me¡­nor the hope you¡¯ve given me.¡±


    ¡°Hope?¡± Silvia said.


    I nodded weakly. ¡°I thought¡­my life was over. I¡¯ve been alone for more than a month. I¡¯ve avoided people at every turn. Had I not entered the forest today, I might have continued as I was.¡± I wrapped my arms around me. ¡°I¡¯d never been alone for so long. It hurt being alone. It hurts to be alone.¡±


    Silvia leaned down and embraced me.


    She whispered loudly. ¡°You¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± She drew back. ¡°As pretty as you are, I fear his Grace will have a hard time leaving your side.¡±


    ¡°Me? Pretty?¡±


    Marina snorted. ¡°This girl is clueless.¡±


    Silvia nodded sagely. ¡°In fact, I believe you just may steal his Grace¡¯s heart.¡± Her expression fell. ¡°Although, that may not be a good thing.¡±


    Again, Marina snorted. ¡°Damn right. Not if he¡¯s engaged to be married in two months.¡±


    I stared at the two young women. ¡°Married?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Silvia said softly. ¡°To the first daughter of House Sandoval of Reinvald, Lisanna Sandoval.¡±


    Marina opined, ¡°Pretty, but very jealous. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    I swallowed then asked, ¡°Would you tell me more?¡±


    ¡°Hah,¡± Silvia blurted out. ¡°You¡¯ve come to the right place. Now, lie down and let us fill you in on all the sordid details.¡±


    ¡°Sordid?¡± I asked.


    Marina sighed. ¡°She means all the dirty and immoral details of which there are none.¡±


    ¡°Every girl has skeletons in her closet,¡± Silvia said with a pout. ¡°Lisanna is no exception.¡±


    ¡°Ah, have it your way,¡± Marina said and walked back to her cot. She climbed into it and tucked herself up to her chin in blankets.


    I¡¯d noticed it was growing colder as night fell.


    Silvia patted my head and pushed me back down into the cot. Then she tucked me in before returning to her cot. She left the box lantern open as she walked by where it hung on the support pole.


    ¡°Now,¡± the young woman said, ¡°where should I begin?¡±


    ¡°Start with the marriage and why it was arranged,¡± Marina suggested.


    ¡°Okay. And then I¡¯ll tell you more about his Grace,¡± Silvia added.


    I suddenly asked, ¡°What kind of woman does his Grace like?¡±


    There was quiet in the tent. It lasted for a little while.


    ¡°He likes blondes,¡± Marina said.


    ¡°No, brunettes,¡± Silvia corrected, ¡°but with large, firm breasts, just like Knight-Commander Kell¡¯s.¡±


    I realized I was touching my breasts, feeling their shape and size, wondering if men considered them large. I was certain they weren¡¯t as big as those possessed by the young woman who¡¯d spoken to me this afternoon.


    Chiren Kell, a woman with the Ether Kinetic talent. She wore a pretty ring on her left hand. That was the marriage finger, wasn¡¯t it? Did that mean she was married?


    I realized I was doing something improper and quietly tucked my hands to my sides under the cover of the blankets.


    Marina observed, ¡°They¡¯re not as large as General Milerna¡¯s. The General¡¯s breasts surely take up all the room in her Jotunn¡¯s cockpit.¡±


    Silvia said, ¡°I heard her next Jotunn will have breasts of its own.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Marina asked.


    ¡°To make room for the General¡¯s pair.¡±


    ¡°Gods, if she hears you say that you are so dead,¡± Marina whispered hoarsely.


    Then both women burst into peals of laughter.


    I listened to them laugh as I lay back, and I thought of what the Knight-Commander had told me.


    She had admitted she was not an authority on the subject of Khans, and the Orden, but she readily told me what she knew.


    It answered questions I didn¡¯t know I had.


    It gave me more questions to consider.


    Then I thought of the Archduke¡­Falken Claymore.


    Lord and master of House Claymore, and ruler of the land of Caldera.


    I wasn¡¯t sure why, but like before there was something about him that made me feel I¡¯d made the right choice to save his life.


    I decided to trust my instincts.


    Come what may, I vowed not to regret my decision to save him, no matter how hard the times ahead would prove to be.


    And one day, perhaps sooner rather than later, I would tell him my name.


    My full name.


    Fallon Kassius.


    The name given to me by the Seal of Arcala, when I woke up that morning almost a month ago.

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 6

    Draft 2.0 - Some old. Some new. Moving along now.


    <hr />


    Chapter 6.


    Across the lands of the Northern Continent, the various military forces of the sovereign territories were organized into a handful of categories.


    One of the largest organization of military might was termed an Army.


    An Army was usually composed of six divisions.


    Four of those divisions were dedicated to combat and reconnaissance. They included a cavalry division, an infantry division, a heavy infantry division, and a reconnaissance division.


    The remaining two division were ancillary: Supply Division, and Engineering Division.


    When an Army combined with another Army to form a Grand Army, it was commanded by a Field Marshal who outranked an Army General. It was rare for a Grand Army to be formed, since the benefit of a smaller Army was the swiftness with which it could be deployed into battle. For that reason, individual Armies were maintained at a specific size and disposition.


    Each division was divided into companies that were in turn organized into platoons of twenty men, including a commanding officer and second-in-command. This structure was maintained regardless of the nature of the division, making it simple to calculate the number of men, women, horses, and Jotnar deployed in the field since their groupings remained consistent.


    To explain further, the divisions were composed as follows:


    The Cavalry Division consisted of one or two companies of four platoons numbering twenty riders apiece.


    The Infantry Division consisted of one or two companies of four platoons, similarly numbered.


    The Heavy Infantry Division consisted of a company of four Jotnar platoons, for a total of eighty Jotnar.


    The Reconnaissance Division was the smallest of the four divisions, with a company of two to three platoons, numbering in total between forty and sixty individuals, not including horses and flyers. It went further, dividing its platoons into squads of ten between the women of the Empath Scouts and male pilots of the Sky Scouts. While the former rode on horses, the latter made use of lightweight craft that flew in the sky, powered aloft by the Ether. The Reconnaissance Division was the smallest of the four divisions, Outside of the military divisions, an army had three additional division: Supply, Engineering, and Command.


    It was fair to say, that the Supply and Engineering divisions numbered in the hundreds of men and women, and were in charge of everything from organizing the transportation of camp equipment, keeping the soldiers fed, to constructing bridges and roadways as necessary to get the army from point Aye to point Bee.


    Amongst all these divisions, it was the Jotunn Knights of the Heavy Infantry who commanded the most prestige. They were the men and handful of women gifted with an Ether Kinetic talent well above the average.


    After all, it was the sight of the massive Jotnar, bearing giant swords and shields, trampling over hills and rivers, and pushing through forests, that cast the most fear into the soul of an opposing army¡­not the aproned cook with the ladle in one hand.


    Excerpt from Giants Across The Land.


    A History of the Militaries of the First Millennium.


    (Falken)


    With Fallon and the two maids occupying my spacious abode, I was forced to find shelter elsewhere in the camp.


    A tent was set up for me in an empty spot a hundred feet or so from my original tent.


    Though smaller, it had everything I needed.


    A cot, a table for writing, a chair, and a couple of Etheric lamps to ward away the darkness.


    The carpets underfoot were treated with a mixture of oils that kept them dry, refusing to allow moisture from the ground to seep into the fabric. However, I wasn¡¯t keen on the pungent aroma that wafted from the carpets into the interior of the tent.


    I wrinkled my nose, and struggled to concentrate on reading the last of the letters I¡¯d written.


    They were letters to be dispatched to the families of the men we¡¯d lost today.


    I had six more to write to the families of the men who¡¯d suffered injuries.


    I put the quill into its wooden holder shaped like a tall thin cup, then sat back and squeezed my eyes shut.


    The letters felt empty to me.


    They bore words of praise, but were no salve for a grieving heart.


    Opening my eyes, I stared up at the weakly lit ceiling.


    What could I say to those families?


    I hadn¡¯t served with their sons. I hadn¡¯t commanded those men. I knew nothing of them, just as the men and women of the army knew little to nothing of me.


    The fact I didn¡¯t know the people of our armies bothered me a great deal. I felt detached from the reality at our borders between Kaitain and Orgenval to the south.


    Before my father passed away at sea ¨C before I became Archduke of Caldera ¨C was a Jotunn-Knight belonging to First Platoon, Banshee Company. I had been awarded a promotion to Knight-Captain, but then my father died and I chose to turn it down.


    While Kaden and Chiren had urged me otherwise, it was Alleyne, perhaps understanding me best, who told me to leave the military life behind.


    It was Alleyne who told me that leading men from within a Jotnar wasn¡¯t my calling.


    I resented her then, and I resented her now.


    Tell me, dear sister, just what is my calling?


    Is it to rule Caldera from behind my father¡¯s desk?


    Is it to marry and form an alliance with Reinvald¡¯s ruling family, House Sandoval, in the hope that our combined strength would keep Kaitain and Orgenval at bay?


    I rubbed my face, feeling the stubble along my jaw, and regretted leaving my shaving kit behind in my tent.


    Still slouched in my chair, I looked down at the letters on the table.


    My letters would accompany those written by the commanding officers of those fallen soldiers ¨C the Knight-Captains who¡¯d led the platoons into the forest ¨C and who knew them best.


    Beyond paying out compensation to those families, which was written into Caldera Law, I didn¡¯t know what else I could do for them.


    No, I was wrong.


    There was something I could do for those families, and the families of the men and women serving in our four armies.


    I could ensure peace in their lifetimes.


    Taking a deep breath, I glanced at my wrist chronometer, and noticed the night had entered the witching hour.


    Snorting softly to myself, I reached out and grabbed the dented metal jug of water on the table, only to discover it was empty.


    Cursing under my breath, I pushed back my chair and rose to my feet.


    Through the Ether, I could sense the faint traces of Etherite in the swords and daggers of the two soldiers standing guard outside my tent. The Ether had corrupted the metal, turning tiny amounts of their surface into Etherite that was barely discernible.


    Yet I could sense it.


    Once, many years ago, I¡¯d told Kaden I could feel the subtle traces of Etherite in the metal around us, even in the forks and knives that we used in the dinner table. They were tiny amounts you could not even see with a magnifying lens. I frightened him, and realizing that I chose to keep the extent of my talent a secret. However, I frightened him then, and I frightened many others when years later I demonstrated my ability to operate a Jotunn without a working Etheric Drive, a feat deemed impossible.


    My only regret was that I demonstrated my power before that cursed woman.


    I believed it was unlikely she would forget my face, as I doubted I would ever feel anything but contempt toward her.


    Grimacing as I tasted the scent of the carpet oils infiltrating my mouth, I picked up one of the Etherite lanterns and walked to the tent¡¯s entrance.


    As I pushed the flap aside, one of the soldiers on duty looked at me in surprise.


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°At ease. Just going for a refill.¡±


    The man hesitated before declaring, ¡°Your Grace, we can do that for you.¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary. I can do with a walk¡ª¡±


    I stopped as I sensed someone approaching us, or rather the Etherite in the hair clip keeping her ponytail in check.


    Chiren Kell stepped out of the darkness, and into the light cast by the lanterns hanging on poles outside the tent.


    Her blue eyes looked grey in the light of the lamps.


    She silently cleared her throat. ¡°Your Grace, you¡¯re still awake¡­?¡±


    I motioned with the jug in my hand. ¡°I ran dry.¡±


    Chiren nodded gently as she folded her arms under her large breasts, which did not go unnoticed by the soldiers on guard.


    She remained still and quiet, making the whole scene rather uncomfortable for me and the guards.


    What was she doing here?


    Did she want to talk?


    With a deep breath, I spared the men a look and said, ¡°Gentlemen, if you¡¯ll excuse me. I need to top up and stretch my legs. The Knight-Commander here will keep me company.¡± I cocked my head. ¡°Do you want me to bring something back from the food tent?¡±


    The man nearest me shook his head. ¡°Ah, no, your Grace. We¡¯re due for a shift change.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I added a nod, then said, ¡°Very well. A good night to you if I don¡¯t see you upon my return. And¡­thank you.¡± Offering them a deeper nod, I turned to Chiren. ¡°Shall we be off?¡±


    ¡°Off to where?¡±


    ¡°The food tent, of course.¡± I walked past her. ¡°Come along, don¡¯t dally.¡±


    Chiren hesitated before turning on her booted heels and strode after me. She caught up with me a few steps later, though she walked a half pace behind me.


    ¡°Chiren, would you just walk beside me like normal.¡±


    ¡°Falken, don¡¯t start with me now. I¡¯m not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°What? Not in the mood?¡± I gave her stern face a sidelong glance, then raised the empty jug to the night sky overhead. ¡°The moon is finally out. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a lovely night for a moonlit stroll?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the witching hour.¡±


    ¡°What of it?¡±


    ¡°Bad things come out during the witching hour.¡±


    I snorted. ¡°Bad things come out all times of the day. Just look out how this morning turned out. Curse that Kurama.¡±


    ¡°But not Terumi?¡±


    I stopped suddenly. ¡°No, not Terumi.¡±


    I heard Chiren sigh long and deeply. ¡°She¡¯s grown stronger. More like her mother. She wasn¡¯t the child you met back then.¡±


    I swallowed, wondering if it sounded loud in the night air despite the sounds of camp around us.


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not the same child.¡±


    I resumed walking toward the food tent, then stopped some ten paces later.


    Looking about, I realized I was lost.


    ¡°Blast, where the Devil am I?¡±


    Chiren hissed softly. ¡°Falken, don¡¯t say such things lightly. I told you, it¡¯s the witching hour.¡±


    ¡°Then you tell me which way to the food tent.¡±


    Exhaling loudly, she grabbed the metal jug from my hand, and walked past me. ¡°This way.¡±


    ¡°You forgot to say, your Grace,¡± I reminded her.


    Chiren stopped abruptly, and hunched her shoulders.


    I watched them tremble for a heartbeat, until she drew back her right arm, and threw the metal jug into the distance.


    In disbelief, I stared at the jug as it soared away until I lost sight of it somewhere over the roof of an unknown tent.


    It fell so far away I didn¡¯t even hear it fall.


    Then she turned and faced me with a glare. ¡°Well, your Grace. Now you have no need to find the food tent.¡± Turning on her heels, she stormed off. ¡°Oh, and find your own way home.¡±


    I looked behind me. ¡°But I¡¯m lost.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem, your Grace.¡±


    Damn that woman.


    I had no recourse but to chase after her.


    ¡°Chiren Marisol Kell, why are you so angry.¡±


    She continued marching through a sea of tents.


    Where the Devil is she leading me?


    ¡°Sis, come on. At least tell me where you¡¯re going.¡±


    I had thought calling her Sis might get a response from her but I failed.


    I continued following her until we left the edge of the camp.


    It was only then, when she stepped onto a small rise, that Chiren finally came to a stop.


    With her arms folded under her impressive bust, she stared into the distance.


    At the foot of the rise, and looking up at her, I realized she was looking north¡­toward Reinvald.


    Toward Lisanna¡¯s home, and from where Fallon had crossed into Caldera.


    I took a deep breath and held back a heavy sigh, then carefully climbed part way up the rise.


    ¡°There¡¯s no one around, Chiren. Just tell me what you have to say.¡±


    The breeze rustled her blonde ponytail.


    Standing as she was, Chiren looked majestic to me.


    A guilty desire crossed my mind, one I had secretly entertained at one time or another during the past year. Yet it was nothing more than a wild fancy ¨C something that could never be.


    If she ever heard me utter it, I was certain she would leave me with a scar or two.


    I took another breath. ¡°Chiren¡­why did you bring me out here?¡±


    ¡°Tell me how you feel.¡±


    I cocked my head sharply up at her.


    She was looking down at me, her blue eyes shining visibly with moonlight. ¡°Tell me how you feel, Falken.¡±


    I closed my mouth, and gave her request due consideration.


    Then I held both hands out before me for her to see.


    They were steady.


    ¡°I feel fine.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I was confused and let it show. ¡°Why what?¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it trouble you?¡± she asked in a troubled voice.


    However, that wasn¡¯t what made my chest tighten.


    It was the tenderness underlying her words.


    I swallowed down the scent that lingered in my mouth. ¡°Who says it doesn¡¯t trouble me? I came close to dying today. I can¡¯t say that didn¡¯t frighten me.¡±


    ¡°Alleyne will surely have my head¡­.¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t allow that. We need your head just where it is.¡±


    ¡°Falken¡ª¡±


    ¡°Chiren, you want to know how I¡¯m feeling?¡±


    A long moment went by. Chiren closed her mouth and nodded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m feeling. I¡¯m alive. I¡¯m happy to be alive. But I owe my life to a girl I¡¯d never met before today. A girl I didn¡¯t know lived in this world.¡± I paused before adding, ¡°A girl that saved my life and I don¡¯t know why she chose mine to save.¡±


    Another long moment went by before Chiren inhaled deeply and said, ¡°I have the impression she doesn¡¯t know why either.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Chiren¡¯s ponytail swayed gently as she shook her head ever so slowly. ¡°That girl¡­I don¡¯t know what to make of her. But I don¡¯t believe she has an agenda. I don¡¯t believe she¡¯s a cruel person. And I don¡¯t think she asked for the power of a Khan.¡±


    ¡°So she really is a Wilder¡­.¡±


    Chiren shrugged her shoulders; they rose and fell gently. ¡°Yes, a Khan Wilder to which you owe your life.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why¡­I want to protect her.¡±


    ¡°Protect her? A Khan Wilder gifted with a Warlord?¡±


    ¡°I want to protect her from the Khan Orden.¡±


    Chiren unfolded her arms. ¡°From the Orden?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust them.¡±


    Chiren took a half step toward me. ¡°Then why send those letters?¡±


    ¡°Because I have to follow protocol. I can¡¯t hide Fallon here in Caldera. Eventually the Khan Orden would find out. At the very least, I want to try doing things by the book.¡±


    ¡°By the book?¡±


    ¡°I want to follow some procedure with them. I wish to be diplomatic.¡± Again I paused before adding, ¡°I wish to make my intentions clear to them.¡±


    ¡°There is no guarantee you will ever bond with her. Falken, she¡¯s a child. A girl of sixteen years of age. She lacks a great deal. Even if the Khan Orden takes her in, it will be years before she learns to be a Khan, to be someone comfortable entering and leaving the circles of politics and power. She may not even be suited to such a life. Being a Khan is more than just being able to wield a Warlord like a fine sword. Being a Khan is about representing the will of the Meister to whom they are bonded. It¡¯s about being an advisor as well as a sword and shield.¡±


    I pushed aside the frustration that flared up within me. ¡°I know that Chiren. I know what will be demanded of her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being unfair to her.¡±


    I held back a gasp, but couldn¡¯t stop my mouth falling open.


    Chiren folded her arms again. ¡°That girl¡­is too kind.¡± She shook her head faintly. ¡°The life of a Khan will break her.¡±


    Slowly, I closed my mouth, then shook my head up at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re judging her too soon.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to judge her. The Khan Orden will be the ones judging her.¡±


    She raised her chin at me, and her voice gained an edge.


    It sounded razor sharp when she spoke again.


    ¡°Falken, leaving aside the fact that she saved your life, and the fact you feel indebted to her, tell me the truth. Tell me why you don¡¯t want to let her go.¡±


    ¡°Because Fallon came into my life for a reason. I believe that she¡¯s here to bring about change, not just for me, but for our lands too.¡±


    Chiren¡¯s voice lost some of its edge. ¡°Do you want her to be your reason not to marry Lisanna?¡±


    ¡°I want her to make Caldera stronger, so that in future we don¡¯t have to rely on a political marriage to forge an alliance that will keep Caldera safe. I want Caldera to be able to protect itself without the need to rely on other lands.¡±


    ¡°So you would rely on her.¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer right away. I allowed a noticeable moment to pass before giving Chiren a firm nod. ¡°Yes, I would. With her as my Khan, and I as her Meister.¡±


    Her voice grew quiet. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to describe that as noble, misguided, or dangerous. You risk peace between Reinvald and Caldera. Don¡¯t you see that?¡±


    ¡°Peace that relies on a political marriage to guarantee it is not the peace that Caldera needs.¡±


    ¡°And it doesn¡¯t need to be watching its three borders with the threat of war looming like a storm above them. Having to fight over two borders is more than enough.¡± She shook her head in consternation at me. ¡°You need a far better reason than that, Falken. I cannot accept a reason that puts our people at risk. I cannot. I have seen far too much bloodshed during the past year. I have lost too many people under my command. I have written too many letters to grieving families. Do you understand me, Falken?¡±


    Chiren¡¯s voice fell lower but grew harder. When she spoke again, it reminded me of a knife sharpened on a whetstone.


    ¡°I will not allow you to bring our two lands into disagreement. I won¡¯t risk you starting a war.¡±


    I knew she was serious. There was no doubt in my heart and mind that Chiren would openly challenge me if she felt I was steering Caldera into harm¡¯s way.


    I wet my lips, and stared up at her for long, long while, my eyes unflinchingly meeting her stare.


    Then I made the choice to slowly climb to the top of the rise.


    When I stood beside her, I turned my body northward.


    I looked not in the direction of Reinvald, but toward Gaellen Forest.


    ¡°A whole forest. A whole forest and out of everyone in there¡­she found me.¡±


    My chest grew heavy as I remembered the moment I almost died¡­and the moment our eyes met.


    ¡°A whole forest,¡± I whispered hoarsely, ¡°and yet she chose to save me¡­.¡±


    Fate had brought us together.


    It had deliberately made our paths cross.


    I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling, the belief, that our lives were now entwined ¨C that our lives were not meant to be drawn apart.


    In my mind, I kept seeing two lines forming a braid. Her life and my life, endlessly circling each other.


    There was a reason we had been brought together.


    I wanted to believe it was a good reason.


    Something that would have made my father proud¡­and proud of me.


    A reason that would give my life direction now that he was gone.


    Unbidden and unwelcome, a flurry of emotions surged out of my heart, and my throat grew tight.


    Feelings I¡¯d restrained for many, many months now clamped shut my lips and hardened my jaw.


    I focused on breathing while my heart beat painfully in chest, and I kept my face averted from Chiren


    I was afraid of what she might see there, a weakness unbecoming of the Archduke of Caldera.


    After a long while, when my emotions loosened their grip on me and I found myself able to speak, I managed a whisper.


    ¡°I owe her my life, Chiren. I can¡¯t just let her go¡­.¡±


    I was surprised when nothing but silence greeted me.


    Without turning I knew that Chiren was standing slightly behind me because I could sense the Etherite in her hair clamp.


    The silence from her began troubled me, so I slowly, anxiously turned to face her, uncertain of what I would see.


    However, I wasn¡¯t prepared for the sight that greeted me.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    In the moonlight, I could see the tears trailing down her cheeks.


    Those silent tears were a knife wound to my heart, because I understood I was the reason behind those tears.


    Her lips moved, and I had to strain my ears to catch her whisper.


    ¡°¡­I should have put you in my platoon¡­I should have kept you close to me¡­.¡±


    The deep breath she took was ragged, and her body trembled in the pale light.


    ¡°¡­if I¡¯d been there¡­this never would have happened¡­.¡±


    I shook my head sharply at her. ¡°No, none of this was your doing.¡±


    A sob slipped past her lips. ¡°¡­yes¡­yes it was¡­.¡±


    I reached out to her, but Chiren shook her head frantically and stepped back.


    ¡°¡­if I¡¯d lost you¡­if you¡¯d died¡­how could I face Kaden¡­how could look Alleyne in the eyes¡­?¡±


    If I reached for her again, she would back away.


    With a heavy heart, I realized there was nothing I could say to comfort her.


    She bowed her head.


    ¡°¡­you¡¯re too cruel, Falken¡­you don¡¯t understand anything¡­.¡±


    The moon hid behind one of the few clouds drifting overhead, and Chiren was cast in darkness.


    When moonlight graced the rise again, Chiren was gone, yet I saw her silhouette cut across the darkness as she ran back to camp.


    I watched her shadow as it fled from me.


    Unable to move, I stood on the rise, and looked down at my arms.


    I had reached out for her, and fallen short.


    I let my arms fall limply beside me.


    I realized then and there that something had changed between us.


    I realized that Chiren had stepped away from me, and drawn a line that hadn¡¯t been there before. With that line, I bitterly, painfully accepted that my fanciful desire would never be more than that.


    Turning away from the camp that lay sprawled across the plain, I stared up at the pale celestial body high in the sky.


    I would marry Lisanna for the sake of Caldera and her people, for her soldiers and for their families.


    I would find a way to protect Fallon.


    And I would keep my feelings for Chiren tucked away, for I understood I couldn¡¯t throw them away any more than I could abandon the girl who¡¯d saved my life in the forest.


    #


    (Fallon)


    I didn¡¯t sleep much.


    It wasn¡¯t the two girls that kept me up. They fell asleep in short order and never finished telling me about the upcoming marriage between House Claymore and House Sandoval.


    It was memory of the Jotunn my Warlord split down the middle that kept me awake.


    I clearly remembered the man¡¯s scream, cut off the instant my curved sword sliced into the cockpit, dividing the glass, flesh and metal like a knife through warm butter; cutting the Jotunn in two as though it were made of paper.


    I took a life.


    Afterwards, I knelt before the Jotunn¡¯s remains and prayed to the gods I knew of for the soul of the soldier I¡¯d killed, but it didn¡¯t make me feel any better. If anything I felt worse. I felt unclean, as though all the soaps in the land could never wash off the blood on my hands.


    I had not intended to take that man¡¯s life.


    I was tired. I was exhausted, and Andraste wouldn¡¯t respond to me the way I wanted her to.


    In my mind she felt distant. She felt as though she was trying to keep away so as not to hurt me, as though she knew that if I continued using her some harm would come to my body. But I hadn¡¯t listened. I had pushed myself and for one heartbeat I lost control of her, and Andraste cut that man down.


    I had saved a life, and taken another.


    I rolled over in the cot.


    He hadn¡¯t asked me why I¡¯d saved him, but it was only a matter of time before he did so.


    What answer could I give him?


    Under the blankets, I tucked my legs against my chest.


    Would he believe me¡­if I told him¡­I had seen this day come?


    A sob shook my body.


    So much had happened today. If not for the distractions around me, I might have broken down earlier. Inside the dim interior of the tent, there were no more distractions.


    So I cried myself to sleep¡­and awoke to a gentle nudging from Silvia.


    The young woman had a bright cheery smile on her face.


    ¡°Up and at them,¡± she declared. ¡°It¡¯s a bright and sunny morning¡ªfor a change!¡±


    My throat felt dry and my mouth didn¡¯t taste too good. ¡°Good¡­good morning¡­.¡±


    Silvia planted her hands on her hips. ¡°There¡¯s breakfast and we need to get you washed up. His Grace wishes an audience with you. You need to look your best, since your first impression was somewhat a mixed bag.¡±


    Silvia pinched her nose and waved her hand about as though warding a bad smell.


    I felt myself blush in shame and glared weakly at her while lying in the cot.


    Silvia laughed, then pumped a fist in the air. ¡°Time for a fresh start. We need you smelling like roses in time for his Grace¡¯s triumphant return.¡±


    Perhaps an hour went by before I was deemed fit for the young Archduke¡¯s company. Breakfast was bread, butter, and some simple jams. I had no complaints regarding the meal. Washing up quickly afterwards, the two girls checked me over several times before Silvia darted out of the tent to announce I was ready.


    Not long after, a young man with shoulder length dark hair made his entrance. He was taller than I by several inches, lithely built though strong of limb. His clothes fit him well, as did the dark coat that went over them.


    I found myself looking at him carefully, though I was trying hard not to stare. I hadn¡¯t looked at him properly when we first met. At first I was busy saving his life, and then I was under the strain of operating my Warlord, so I¡¯d failed to take a good look at the Archduke while we walked through the forest.


    I felt my lips twitch into a smile that I hastily cleared away, yet there was nothing I could do about my heart beating just a little too quickly.


    Then I looked beyond first impressions, and took in the details that marred his good looks.


    Archduke Falken Claymore wore dark shadows under his eyes. To describe him as exhausted was an understatement. He didn¡¯t appear to be in good spirits. Rather, I should say he appeared heavily burdened.


    I understood full well that I was one of those burdens.


    I steeled my resolve to not regret my decision. After all, I¡¯d taken a life in exchange for saving Claymore¡¯s. I had a burden to bear as well.


    He stopped a few feet away from me.


    Silvia and Marina had excused themselves from the tent, curtsying respectfully as they departed. However, Claymore¡¯s eyes were on me and he barely acknowledged the two young women making their exit.


    His gaze roamed over me, and I felt unsettled. It was an uncomfortable experience, and yet by the same coin I felt a faint twinge of pride. Both young women had praised my appearance, so I took confidence in their words.


    He cleared his throat, and appeared to make a handful of uncertain attempts to break the silence.


    Eventually, he nodded to himself and asked, ¡°Are you rested?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­yes, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Please, call me Falken.¡±


    ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    He opened his mouth, then closed it slowly. Abruptly he shook himself and then stood straight. ¡°Lady Fallon, we ride for Calandor today. Since you¡¯re comfortable around those two girls, I¡¯ve instructed them to accompany you to the citadel.¡±


    I suddenly felt a surge of relief. I bowed to him quickly. ¡°Thank you, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s just the two of us, please call me Falken.¡±


    I hesitated for a long moment. ¡°Yes¡­Falken.¡± Then I fixed a frown upon him. ¡°Falken, why refer to me as Lady Fallon?¡±


    ¡°For now it¡¯s Lady Fallon. But in due time, it will be Lady Khan.¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°You refer to the bonding¡­between you and I?¡±


    He shook his head a little. ¡°No, I refer to the day the Quorum accepts you as a Khan and enters you into the Orden¡¯s ranks. Whether you are bonded to me or not is another matter. But I know you will attain the rank of Khan, and that goes beyond simply having the Seal of Arcala inside you. There¡¯s more to being a Khan, than just having the Seal.¡±


    I understood some of what he meant, courtesy of the Lady Knight Chiren Kell having explained what she knew of a Khan¡¯s duties and responsibilities, and how they frequently were called upon to judge disputes and to mediate in matters of the state.


    I knew now that being a Khan was more than just knowing how to operate a Warlord.


    I felt uncertain, wondering if I would ever be truly fit for such duties.


    He took a half step closer. ¡°Don¡¯t be troubled. For now, Lady Fallon is who you are.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°In saying that, you¡¯ll be travelling incognito as an attendant. We leave in the hour.¡±


    He bowed and began retreating out of the tent.


    I took a step forward. ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯m guilty of a crime¡ª¡±


    ¡°The man you killed was a soldier in the service of House Kurama, overlords of the land of Kaitain to the west.¡± His eyes locked onto mine and I froze under the strength of his gaze. ¡°He was a soldier, and as a soldier he was prepared to die. That is the nature of war. Soldiers fight. Soldiers die¡­so that others may live.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help myself from frowning up at him, wondering if that was really true, and wondering if that was the way it needed to be.


    Was fighting the only answer?


    When I wandered through the forest, I came across a defeated Jotunn, its cockpit crushed, and the man inside wasn¡¯t even a corpse anymore.


    I remembered thinking that no matter what land I crossed into, there was always war, always battle, and always death.


    But that was a life I hadn¡¯t taken.


    Even after so long on the run, and having travelled so far, I had avoided taking a life.


    I had kept the oath I¡¯d made to myself that morning when I realized what I had become.


    But now I¡¯d broken that oath, and knowing I could have done things differently was what burned my heart.


    Falken added softly with a noticeably distant look in his eyes. ¡°Whether or not we¡¯re prepared to die, no soldier steps onto the field of battle looking for his death. We¡¯re not out there to die for our homes and our families. We¡¯re out there to make the other man die for his home and family¡±¡ªhe swallowed tightly¡ª¡°or for the ambitions of his masters.¡±


    I had taken one life.


    How many had Falken taken in his time?


    He walked back to me, and reached out and took a hold of my arms. ¡°In many ways, I¡¯m heartened you feel this way. Guilt, remorse, regret. Painful as it is, those feelings are part of what makes us human. It also shows¡­that we question whether we did the right thing. Whether taking that life was the only way.¡±


    I swallowed. ¡°If I¡­if I had been able to operate Andraste properly, I wouldn¡¯t have killed him. I would have knocked him away, or maybe damaged his Jotunn. If I wasn¡¯t so tired of running. If I hadn¡¯t been so tired operating Andraste, I would¡¯ve had the strength to use it better¡±¡ªI swallowed hard¡ª¡°and I wouldn¡¯t have killed him.¡±


    He looked down at me quietly for a long while.


    I saw him frown, then shake his head gently.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­,¡± he whispered, then a heartbeat later the frown took hold of him. ¡°Andraste?¡±


    I nodded faintly. ¡°My Warlord. Its name is Andraste. That¡¯s what it told me.¡±


    Again he studied me quietly, then gave me a gentle nod. ¡°Andraste, it¡¯s a nice name¡­.¡±


    I swallowed again and asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why, you ask?¡±


    ¡°Why were you fighting in the forest? Are you at war with their lands?¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back a shiver and averted my gaze. ¡°Why fight at all¡­?¡±


    ¡°My father used to say, that understanding will solve all conflicts. That if two people, two lands, can understand each other, then there is no need to fight. They can reach a compromise and a mutually beneficial agreement.¡±


    I looked up at him.


    Falken sighed. ¡°He also used to say, there is no cure for man¡¯s greed. Why fight? Because some men are never satisfied with what they have.¡±


    ¡°House Kurama?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like Issen Kurama.¡±


    ¡°Even so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, even so, you took a life. And if you choose the life of a Khan, it may not be the last.¡±


    ¡°You keep saying I have a choice. But the Lady Knight, Chiren Kell, told me I had no choice but to bond with you.¡± I shook my head quickly. ¡°No, she said it was the best choice to make.¡±


    Falken released my arms. ¡°You do have a choice, but your options are limited by what the Quorum is willing to offer you.¡±


    ¡°Can you help me?¡±


    He smiled confidently. ¡°Of course. I promise no harm will come to you. I give you my word as lord and master of the land of Caldera.¡±


    ¡°What if the Quorum decides to take away my Seal?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to give them a reason not to.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    He smiled at me again, and I felt reassured by it.


    ¡°By proving to them you are worthy of being a Khan.¡±


    #


    (Falken)


    My encounter with Chiren had left me unsettled, for lack of a better word.


    Troubled with a heavy heart, perhaps.


    Either way, I slept very little.


    I rose early, washed the night¡¯s sweat off my body with a damp towel, then dressed for the day in what passed for clean clothes.


    Then in the morning an aide of Ryland¡¯s brought news that another man had died during night from injuries sustained during the previous day¡¯s battle.


    Despite the Thread in his body, it wasn¡¯t enough to heal him or save him.


    There was only so much the Thread could do. I had seen it reattach limbs and severed fingers. I had even seen a man with his back crushed one day regain the use of his legs and stride proudly once more. The Thread which resided in all our bodies, from the womb to our graves, was a miracle of life bestowed upon us by our ancestors. Without it, life across the lands would be much harder to contend with. I wondered if without it we would have learned to appreciate life more.


    While it could heal us and keep us healthy, eventually all of us were bound for the grave. Time was something the Thread could not conquer on our behalf.


    Nor could it save a man with his body half crushed within the cockpit of his Jotunn.


    Before visiting Fallon who was staying in my tent, I sat down and wrote another empty, meaningless letter.


    However, on this occasion, Chiren¡¯s words to me kept me company.


    Walking back from my tent, not my temporary tent, I found myself ruminating over Fallon¡¯s reaction to the death she had caused, and I considered Chiren¡¯s impression of the girl.


    Fallon bore the anguish of taking a life.


    I had taken so many more in my service to my homeland as a Jotunn Knight of Caldera¡¯s Heavy Infantry.


    Some men chose not to think about the lives they took. Others rationalized those deaths as necessary or unavoidable and simply left it at that.


    I found solace in thinking I was defeating a Jotunn, and not a human operator.


    In short, I ran away from the truth.


    I often wondered how Kaden dealt with the act of killing an opponent. However, in all my years as a Jotunn pilot I had never spoken to him about it. As close as we were, there were some things we did not share with each other.


    I stopped outside the War Tent, and remembered how I truly believed my heart would stop upon seeing Fallon for the first time since I left her in the care of Silvia and Marina.


    Panic swept over me, the reasons for which were many, and not the least of which was her beauty.


    Chiren was right. I would need to deal with Lisanna in a careful manner. Though Lisanna was not due to arrive at Calandor for another month, time was not on my side, not when I considered how long it would take me to return to the mountain-citadel travelling by horse and dirt road. The distance from here to Calandor was roughly eleven hundred kilometers. Caldera was anything but a small country. By horse and carriage, it would take us a month to travel that distance.


    Looking up at the morning sky blanketed in shades of grey, I wondered how long the weather would hold.


    I needed to get back to Calandor as soon as possible, and the best way was to fly there in a scout flyer. The full moon and its close orbit to our world would ensure the Ether would be strong for the next few days. It would provide a flyer¡¯s Etherite laced wings with plenty of propulsion and lift, well above the yearly average.


    However, could I risk leaving Fallon on the road to Calandor, even with a sizeable escort and people I could trust? I certainly couldn¡¯t leave her here at camp with the First Army.


    My gaze was drawn northward.


    I cared for Lisanna, I truly did, yet I was not looking forward to married life with that girl. Nonetheless, I had promised Fallon I would protect her, and that included from Lisanna.


    For a long moment, I wondered if perhaps returning to the capital with her was the wrong choice to make. Yet, Calandor was an immense mountain-citadel. If I could garner Alleyne¡¯s cooperation, surely I could hide Fallon within its depths.


    Giving the sky another cursory glance, I walked the rest of the distance to the War Tent.


    Acknowledging the soldiers standing on guard, I pushed aside the entrance flap, and stepped inside.


    I wasn¡¯t surprised to see Tamworth Ryland sitting on a chair beside the large map table, drinking a cup of what smelled like freshly brewed coffee.


    However, I was surprised to find him alone.


    He looked up at me, and sat back in the chair. ¡°Your Grace, you¡¯re up early.¡± He waved his cup gently to indicate behind me. ¡°I don¡¯t see your shadow about.¡±


    I snorted softly under my breath. ¡°You mean Samuel?¡± I shook my head as I approached the table. ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s wandered off into the hills to seek a quieter life.¡±


    Ryland made an odd shape with his lips, before taking another sip of his coffee. ¡°So¡­what brings you here so early this fine morning?¡±


    I stopped beside the table, opposite to where he sat, and gave myself a moment to gather my thoughts.


    ¡°Tam, I need your help.¡±


    The hint of a smile curved his lips. ¡°I thought you might.¡± He gave the map of Caldera a pointed look, before studying me in silence for a half dozen heartbeats. ¡°You need to return to the capital post haste.¡±


    I gave him a shallow nod. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t fly back with Fallon. Her ability as a Khan wards away the Ether and that grounds our flyers. If we travel by road, we¡¯ll need horses, wagons, and supplies. We could cover thirty to thirty five kilometers a day on good roads, but we¡¯ll be going through mountain passes and it¡¯s not the most direct route to Calandor. It would take us a month to travel to the citadel.¡± I shook my head slowly but firmly. ¡°I can¡¯t afford a month on the roads.¡±


    Again, Ryland pointedly glanced at the map. ¡°Then what do you have in mind?¡±


    I could feel his gaze on me as I pulled an empty chair up to the table, and sat down on it.


    Facing him across the table, I took a quiet breath.


    ¡°I was thinking of travelling by boat.¡±


    For a long while, Ryland said nothing as he stroked his narrow beard. ¡°That would make sense.¡±


    Still seated, I leaned forward and tapped a point on the map near the beginning of a long, thick line that was the River Boadeacin snaking its way across Caldera in an east southeasterly direction until it ended at the coast.


    I glanced up at him. ¡°The army docks at Fort Boalgar.¡±


    Ryland grinned faintly at me as I gently tapped the map. ¡°A two day ride on horse to get there. Nine to ten days down the river to Fort Caelum. Then another two days by road to Calandor. You¡¯ll be home in a fortnight.¡±


    The most favorable overland route from here to Calandor required travelling down roads that passed through a number of mountain ranges. It was neither the shortest route nor the easiest. Choosing to go down river would save us half a month of travel time. However, there was a risk. Though the River Boadeacin was wide and substantially deep, sailing through the night wasn¡¯t common practice as there were dangers associated with navigating in the darkness. As such, the boat would need to pull into shore and drop anchor during the night. Nonetheless, I could expect eight to nine hours of sailing a day, travelling a distance of seventy kilometers which was double what I could hope for on horseback.


    Ryland straightened on his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll make the preparations.¡±


    I waited for him to sip his coffee, before dropping my next request onto his lap. ¡°There¡¯s something else I need your help with.¡±


    Ryland lowered his cup, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. ¡°What would that be¡­?¡±


    I held onto the moment for a couple of heartbeats. ¡°Tam, I need to address the troops. I can¡¯t leave before I do so.¡±


    Cup in hand, he reached up and stroked his thin beard. ¡°You¡¯re right. There¡¯s too much uncertainty in the air.¡±


    I sat back in my chair, and crossed my legs. ¡°The question is¡­how do I reassure them?¡±

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 7

    New. This will get another pass before it''s deemed acceptable for the final release.


    Enjoy.


    <hr />


    Chapter 7.


    An ancient quote reads, ¡°Necessity is the mother of invention¡±.


    For the military commanders and strategists of the sovereign lands of the Northern Continent, that necessity was the need to move military resources quickly and efficiently across their individual domains.


    The problem of moving an army across vast distances was no different now than it was millennia ago when an ancient empire had to march across open terrain to engage the barbarians at its doorstep.


    For the military commanders of the Northern Continent, the question was how to move hundreds of Jotnar along narrow roads, across rivers, or through mountain ranges too long to travel around in a reasonable amount of time. As always, the landscape proved a major consideration when searching for workable solutions, as did the level of knowledge and engineering prowess.


    With that necessity, came invention.


    In many respects, humanity was relearning what it lost when the Archons deprived them of thousands of years of science and technology. That said, the solutions to the issue of transportation arrived at by those on the western lands were noticeably different from those on the eastern half of the continent.


    There were two reasons for this.


    The first was the geography of the land.


    The western lands of the Northern Continent were less rugged, and had far, far fewer mountain ranges to contend with than the lands of the east. The wide, flat, open lands of the west made it easy for roads to be constructed.


    In contrast, the lands of the east were replete with vast, towering mountain ranges, but they were also rich in rivers that flowed across much of their respective territories. As the construction of boats improved over time, the volume of goods transported by river increased.


    The second reason was the quality of the Etherite.


    Etherite mined in the west was commonly considered inferior to the material mined in the east. As a consequence, engineers of the west had to design and build Ether driven machinery that was more efficient and delivered more power per pound of Etherite than their counterparts in the east. In short, they had to get more out of the Etherite they had, and they could only do so through advances in technology.


    One example of this was the development of an Ether driven train and rail network that slowly expanded its breadth across the Anderas Empire. Trains not unlike those of Mother Earth millennia ago, transported soldiers and machinery from the capital to the border, using the Ether, not coal and steam, to propel them along hundreds then later thousands of kilometers of railway tracks.


    For the people of the east, it was their river systems that influenced them to tackle the intricacies of building ships that could navigate up and down the waterways that veined their lands. It was a slow process that spanned decades upon decades, built upon trial and error, and the rediscovery of ancient shipbuilding techniques, that led to the construction of enormous barges driven by Ether powered paddlewheels and propellers, sailing in convoy up and down the rivers, carrying thousands of tonnes of military muscle every day.


    Excerpt from Giants Across The Land.


    A History of the Militaries of the First Millennium.


    (Fallon)


    I tried keeping myself calm as I asked, ¡°We are travelling by boat?¡±


    Marina was busy stuffing a leather bag with clothing from the trunks carrying their belongings, and didn¡¯t look up at me when she replied, ¡°Indeed we are. However, we need to ride to the army fort at Boadeacin River, and that¡¯s a day¡¯s ride in the saddle.


    Beside her, Silvia was humming softly to herself. ¡°Going by boat¡­going by boat¡­gently down the river¡­sailing to the seas¡­.¡±


    I stared uncertainly at the backs of both girls bent over their leather bags. ¡°Is it¡­dangerous?¡±


    Marina stopped moving, then slowly twisted her torso and neck to look at me from over her shoulder.


    ¡°Lady Fallon, why do you ask?¡±


    Silvia straightened and faced me with no reluctance. ¡°Can you swim?¡±


    I blinked. ¡°Yes. Yes, I can. We have two small rivers near my village. I learnt to swim in them.¡±


    Silvia waved a hand lightly about the air. ¡°Then you have nothing to worry about.¡±


    Marina straightened too, and after giving Silvia a thin look, the young woman turned and faced me.


    She brushed aside a stray lock of brown hair. ¡°Are you worried about travelling by boat?¡±


    I tried not to swallow nervously. ¡°A¡­a little.¡±


    ¡°Never travelled down a river?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­no¡­.¡±


    Silvia tightened the straps closing her leather bag, bounced on her heels as she stretched her back, then blurted out, ¡°Have no fear. Travelling by boat is perfectly safe. Besides, we¡¯re going down a river, not open water.¡± She hefted her bag, and winced at the weight. ¡°Ooh, maybe I put too much in there.¡±


    Marina spared her fellow attendant yet another thin look, then appeared struck by a sudden thought. Her eyes widened before growing small again as she faced me.


    ¡°Oh, I see. You think it¡¯s a boat¡ªa small boat.¡± She laughed as she folded her arms across her chest. ¡°Lady Fallon, we¡¯ll be sailing by big boat.¡±


    I leaned forward a little. ¡°How big?¡±


    Silvia cut in as she carried an empty leather bag over to the two trunks. ¡°Big boat. Big enough for horses, and carriages, and more horses, and more carriages.¡± She blinked sharply. ¡°And people too. Lots of people.¡±


    Marina closed her eyes as pinched her nose. After a deep sigh, she said, ¡°We call them boats, but they are more like a barge. They have big wheels on their sides that spin and scoop up the water. This pushes them along the water. They also have sails.¡± She gave me a smile she believed would reassure me. ¡°Trust me. It¡¯s a big boat.¡±


    Silvia added, ¡°But sometimes they turn over.¡±


    Marina tensed up. ¡°No, they don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do.¡±


    ¡°No¡­they don¡¯t.¡±


    Silvia stopped filling the bag with clothes. ¡°Yes. They do. Remember that boat that went¡±¡ªshe made a tipping motion with her head¡ª¡°and all the Jotnar it was carrying tumbled over. And then the boat went¡±¡ªshe made a tipping motion with her body¡ª¡°and rolled over onto its back.¡± She wagged a finger at Marina. ¡°Do you know how many horses drowned that day?¡±


    Marina walked over to Silvia.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    She grabbed the dark haired girl by an arm. Ignoring Silvia¡¯s cry of protest, Marina dragged her out of the tent.


    I waited for them to return.


    After a minute went by with no sign of them coming back, I walked over to the leather bag beside the trunk, and looked at the clothes inside.


    Reaching in, I pulled out an undergarment.


    The material was fine, stretched a little, and was very smooth to the touch.


    I held it up to the light of an Etheric lamp.


    ¡°¡­oh my gods¡­I can see through it¡­.¡±


    The sounds of a commotion outside the tent caused me to quickly toss the item of underwear into the leather bag, and jump back a few feet.


    Marina stormed in with Silvia in tow, the latter hanging her head and dragging her feet.


    I watched the dark haired girl trudge up to the leather bag, and resume filling it with clothes.


    Marina looked down at her too. ¡°Just fill it up with what she¡¯ll need. Nothing fancy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Silvia muttered.


    ¡°Do we need to have another talk?¡± Marina asked in a low tone.


    Silvia held her tongue, and Marina watched her for a while as though waiting for a complaint.


    But Silvia worked in silence, carefully yet quickly pulling out items from the trunk, and placing them in the bag.


    Shaking her head to herself, Marina stepped up to me. ¡°Lady Fallon, it¡¯s a big boat. There won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°But why do we need to travel by boat?¡±


    ¡°Because if we go the long way by horse and road, it will take us a month or more to arrive at Calandor.¡± She took me by the arms. ¡°And his Grace can¡¯t fly you home because you ward away the Ether, which means that the flyer would never get off the ground.¡±


    I pressed my lips tightly together.


    Marina cocked her head slightly. ¡°So, the fastest way to get home is by horse and by boat. From what I understand the journey will take in the vicinity of fifteen days, and we¡¯ll be spending ten of those days sailing down the river. Now, we need to get you dressed for travel.¡± Marina arched her eyebrows at me as she studied me from head to toes. ¡°I¡¯ll make the assumption we¡¯re going to travel by carriage, but it will get a little cold when we arrive at the mountain pass.¡±


    Without waiting for me to utter another word, Marina dragged me over to the curtained area of the tent.


    ¡°Strip down, and wait for me. I¡¯ll bring you some clothes.¡±


    She pulled the curtain across, and disappeared behind it.


    I started unbutton my dress, and noticed my fingers were trembling.


    It was true I was afraid of travelling down the river by boat. I couldn¡¯t imagine how big a boat it would be, or what shape it would have, especially if it could carry horses, carriages, and people.


    However, I was more afraid of people learning that I was a Khan Wilder.


    Here in the army¡¯s camp, I had been kept out of sight and secluded in the tent. Now, I was expected to ride with the Archduke and I doubted he ever rode alone. There would be men ¨C guards ¨C riding with him.


    How was he expecting to keep me a secret?


    I studied my hands and arms, turning them over slowly.


    I had been a Khan Wilder for a month, I yet still didn¡¯t know how the Seal inside me kept the Ether away.


    Was it something I could learn to control?


    If only I could stop whatever it was from making the void around me, then I could reduce the chance of people finding out I was Khan Wilder.


    I might not be able to fool the women that came close to me, but maybe I could keep my secret from the men around the Archduke.


    Taking a deep breath, I resumed unbuttoning the dress. The buttons were smaller than I was used to and my fingers stumbled a little.


    As the dress slipped off my shoulders and then pooled around my feet, I feared the Archduke was taking a very big risk taking me to another place with a lot of people.


    The curtain was suddenly drawn aside and Silvia stepped past it with a bundle of clothes.


    Pulling the curtain behind her, she handed me the clothes.


    ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°Put these on.¡±


    ¡°I thought Marina was going to¡ª¡±


    ¡°She said it was fine. Now put it on. I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    I stared at the dress and the undergarments, and noticed that if I held them to the light I could probably see through them. ¡°Silvia, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡±


    She grabbed me by my bare arms. ¡°You¡¯re a woman, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªyes.¡±


    ¡°Then start dressing like one,¡± she hissed as she shook me a little.


    I decided not to argue when Marina suddenly called out, ¡°What¡¯s keeping the two of you?¡±


    Silvia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s not make her angry this early in the morning.¡±


    I nodded uncertainly, and began putting on the bundle of clothes I¡¯d been given.


    #


    (Falken)


    After summoning Irvin to the War Tent, I instructed him to inform the girls of my decision to return to Calandor by horse and boat.


    Afterwards, Field Marshal Augustine joined us in the tent for the morning briefing. Together with him, Ryland and I discussed my address to the command staff of the First and Second Armies, the latter of which was encamped no farther than a kilometer to the west of us.


    With no word from House Kurama the morning after the incursion, the question on the soldiers¡¯ minds was undoubtedly the same.


    Was this a precursor to war with Kaitain¡­or was it something else?


    Had Kaitain and House Kurama intended to use this not to provoke us, but to probe us?


    Not knowing was like a slow poison working its way through the ranks. It would eventually affect the moral of the soldiers. Coupled with my sudden return to the capital of Caldera a day following the incursion, I felt the doubts and worries in the minds of the men and women would fester.


    However, Augustine assured me that our troops were more likely to succumb to illness than to rumor, and the men and women knew the punishment for spreading lies and deceit willfully amongst their peers.


    Since the Thread inside our bodies kept us healthy, I understood what he implied quite well.


    Nonetheless, I didn¡¯t believe it was right for me to leave without addressing the commanders of both armies, and so Ryland, Augustine, and I wrote a short speech that while honest would not tell them too much, or too little.


    While word was sent to the Second Army to fetch its commanders, Ryland revealed he had assigned a young officer from the Command Division to handle the preparations for my return to Calandor. Last night, Ryland had initiated subtle preparations in anticipation of my decision to journey to Calandor by boat, but getting full preparations underway proved to be a more involved task.


    Inwardly, I kicked myself for not making the decision last night, instead of approaching Ryland in the morning, as much of the delay was owed to my circumstances as Archduke.


    When I journeyed here to the western border as part of my tour of the front lines, I did so by flyer, escorted by a half dozen additional flyers with pilots and navigators. However, with my intention to ride back to Calandor, a suitable escort had to be arranged for me. This was complicated by the effective wartime conditions the First Army was operating under due to yesterday¡¯s incursion by House Kurama¡¯s military.


    After a brief discussion between Ryland and the cavalry company commander, a platoon of riders due for rotation back to Calandor was assigned as my escort for the journey. As my return was rather impromptu, the gathering of men, horses, and supplies took time. With the uncertain situation at the border, and the ongoing efforts to search Gaellen Forest and the surrounding lands, I was loathe depriving the cavalry company of a platoon of riders. Who knew when we would need those men and horses to tighten the cordon around the forests to the north and northwest?


    While my escort of cavalry riders completed their preparations, my attendant Irvin saw to my belongings, and I visited the army¡¯s stables to find myself a horse and gear for the ride home. Though I chose the horse I would ride, the stable master chose a second beast for me to use as a packhorse. With that taken care of, I made a stop by my tent ¨C not my temporary tent ¨C and found Irvin inside readying a leather saddlebag with some clothes and supplies. Seeing as the girls had vacated the tent, I took the opportunity to quickly shave.


    I wasn¡¯t able to ignore the scent of perfumes and soaps lingering in the air.


    Before leaving the tent, I glanced at the three cots arranged in two groups, and the makeshift curtained area dividing the interior. I began considering the girls¡¯ needs for the return journey.


    Leaving my two horses with Irvin, I also left him with orders to walk the beasts out to the clearing outside camp where the platoon was readying itself for departure, then went in search of the logistics officer in charge of my trip home. I found him in a second tent not far from the War Tent, and informed him we would be travelling with three young female attendants drafted in from General Meyren¡¯s entourage. With poorly restrained confidence, the young officer assured me that Field Commander Ryland had fully briefed him on the situation, and he had matters well in hand.


    Hearing this, my heart jumped into my throat.


    Fully briefed? Dear gods¡ªdid Tamworth tell him Fallon is a Khan Wilder?


    I tried to hide my panic while remaining stoic before the young officer.


    However, a moment later he leaned closer and spoke in a low, confidential voice. ¡°Your Grace, that special request you put through¡±¡ªhe gave me thumbs up¡ª¡°all taken care off.¡±


    ¡°Special request?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That request for a special means of transportation.¡±


    I suddenly understood what he meant. ¡°Oh¡­that special request.¡±


    I breathed out a sigh of relief, and my heart slowly settled back down into my chest.


    The young officer said, ¡°It should be waiting just outside of camp along with your cavalry escort.¡±


    In addition to the special transport I¡¯d asked for, extra horses and wagons were also allocated to the cavalry platoon heading home with me, and they would be carrying additional supplies in the event the first leg to Fort Boalgar took longer than the expected two days.


    I was starting to feel and behave like a fifth wheel, so I thanked him and then returned to the War Tent, where I loitered in the background as the interior of the tent grew busier with more and more adjutants reporting in for morning duties.


    I listened to the reports from the border forts, the forest cordon, the flyers on patrol, and General Meyren Milerna¡¯s heavy infantry stomping up and down the border.


    A number of Kuraman Jotnar pilots had been apprehended during the night, and a handful more by morning, many of whom were caught attempting to flee Gaellen Forest and into the surrounding lands. As per the Rules of Engagement, the men were to be treated fairly but no more than that. I didn¡¯t have it in my heart to feel generous toward them.


    I glanced at my chronometer.


    The time had arrived for me to address the assembled platoon and company commanders, and I departed the War Tent with a troubled heart.


    #


    (Fallon)


    As we finished packing and getting dressed to ride on horseback, Marina, Silvia, and I were fetched in the morning by a wiry young man who escorted us hastily to an area outside of camp, not far from where a group of twenty riders, horses, and wagons with horses of their own, had come together.


    A short while later, a few soldiers entered the area, and deposited our leather bags in our vicinity. As they did so, I shied back, and made sure to keep Marina and Silvia between me and the men.


    Then the three of us sat on our leather bags and waited.


    I assumed we were waiting for the Archduke to arrive, so I glanced often in the direction of the army camp.


    The smell of food and a lot of other things drifted in the air.


    The food made my stomach rumble a little.


    Then I heard an even louder rumbling, and Marina and I turned to face Silvia.


    The young woman shrugged, reached into a sack she carried, and pulled out an apple.


    ¡°When you did you get that?¡± Marina asked.


    ¡°When I went out to the ladies this morning. I walked back through the food tent and filled this up with anything that was remotely fresh.¡±


    Marina grimaced and waved her fingers before her nose. ¡°Please don¡¯t call that hole in the ground the ladies.¡±


    Silvia took a bite out of her apple. ¡°Well, it¡¯s separate from the men¡¯s hole in the ground. So it¡¯s the ladies. And it has a seat so you don¡¯t have to squat.¡±


    Marina planted her chin on an upturned palm. ¡°This is why I hate travelling out into the wilds. It¡¯s so uncivilized.¡±


    I was casting regular looks toward the camp, but in the corner of my eye, I noticed the regular looks the cavalry riders were throwing our way.


    The young man who guided us here had instructed the three of us to stay away from the men, no doubt because he didn¡¯t want them to know I was warding the Ether away. However, it didn¡¯t stop the men from looking our way with interest.


    Silvia muttered, ¡°I¡¯d say we¡¯ve definitely caught their attention.¡± She licked apple juice from her fingers. ¡°Mari, which one has your eye?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Marina sniped.


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, which one has your eye? We¡¯re going to be on the road for the gods know how long. I think we should make friends.¡±


    I saw Marina turn toward Silvia. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± she said. ¡°If we get caught fraternizing with men on duty we¡¯ll be punished, and they will too. Besides, we¡¯re traveling in the company of his Grace. And we¡¯re responsible for Lady Fallon¡¯s wellbeing. I don¡¯t wish to leave his Grace with an unfavorable impression of us.¡±


    Silvia faced her fellow attendant. ¡°Lady Fallon is a Khan Wilder that can destroy this camp just by blinking her eyes, and you¡¯re afraid of us being punished.¡±


    I swallowed sharply and protested, ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t do that. That¡¯s not true at all. And I would never to do that.¡±


    Marina stood up slowly. ¡°What did you say about her?¡±


    Silvia looked up at her, then sighed heavily. ¡°I¡¯m saying that being punished is the least of our worries.¡±


    Marina¡¯s hands clenched, and I watched the two young women eye each other in silence.


    Eventually, Marina said, ¡°I trust Lady Fallon.¡±


    ¡°I do too,¡± Silvia declared with a subtle nod. ¡°I feel that if we are in danger, Lady Fallon can protect us best.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you,¡± Marina added with a frown.


    ¡°I just told you. I trust Lady Fallon to protect us.¡±


    Marina shook her head in confusion. ¡°You have a strange way of saying it.¡±


    Silvia shrugged, reached into the bag, and offered Marina and me two apples that looked a little bruised. ¡°Hungry?¡±


    I was debating whether to accept the offering, when I noticed the young man who¡¯d guided us here walk into the clearing with two horses in tow. He walked up to one of the cavalry riders, and after speaking with him, the rider wandered off on foot only to return a short while later with another man who may have been in charge of the group.


    Then something unexpected happened.


    Pulled along by a team of six horses, a large carriage painted black and decorated in swirling patterns of gold, circled around the clearing then roared into it. It came to a sliding stop, while the horses¡¯ hooves skidded a little on the soft, wet grass.


    I stared at it blankly, not knowing what to think of it.


    Its wheels were large, and almost as tall as I was. In fact, I¡¯d never seen wheels so large on a carriage or wagon before. The swirling patterns of gold were actually snakes of some kind with short golden wings. They had the appearance of flying along the side of the carriage. There were doors on its side, and windows with and without glass. Those without glass were covered with drapes that I supposed were to keep out the dust, dirt, and wind.


    A loud gasp from Silvia and Marina startled me for the second time this morning.


    Marina wheezed in a strangled voice, ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s the General¡¯s carriage.¡±


    Silvia sounded puzzled. ¡°Why is it here?¡±


    I wet my lips and asked, ¡°Is it for us?¡±


    The two women jerked their shoulders, then slowly faced each other ¨C one standing and one sitting.


    Marina took a very deep breath. ¡°Do you think she knows it¡¯s here?¡±


    Silvia shrugged, clearly worried. ¡°Well, maybe. If she doesn¡¯t she¡¯s going to be mighty pissed when she learns it¡¯s gone missing.¡±


    #


    (Falken)


    Addressing the platoon and company captains and commanders was made easier with the supporting presence of Barend Augustine standing off my right shoulder. After my address, the Field Marshal took the stage, so to speak, and fielded questions from the assembled men.


    The men were keeping their thoughts to themselves behind mostly unreadable faces, yet it was their questions that revealed their state of mind, and I sensed a dangerous undercurrent of emotion in the Ether.


    I realized they wanted to strike back, and that troubled me.


    However, I held my silence as Augustine made it sternly clear that we were not at war with the land of Kaitain.


    I sensed something else in the Ether ¨C a trace of disillusionment and dissatisfaction toward their comrades at the border forts for having allowed the Kuraman Jotnar into our lands.


    If I was aware of it, then so too was Augustine.


    I decided not to mention it when we shared parting words, feeling it was unnecessary. I knew he, Ryland, and Karmine would take care of the men¡¯s sentiments.


    However, as I turned to leave for the edge of camp, I found Ryland waiting for me.


    Holding back a frown, I walked up to him. ¡°What brings you all the way out here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Grace, you do realize it¡¯s only a hundred feet to the War Tent?¡±


    I blinked and looked about. ¡°Is it?¡±


    Tamworth stepped closer and his solemn air put me on edge. ¡°Before you go, there¡¯s something you need to know.¡± He handed me a piece of paper. ¡°This was delivered by messenger this morning. It¡¯s from your brother.¡±


    I read the brief note, written and signed by Kaden.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.ARCHON ARTEMIST SIGHTED IN GAELLEN FOREST. MADE NO OTHER CONTACT WITH THE EMPATH SCOUTS ¨C KADEN.


    I folded the piece of paper and pocketed into my riding coat.


    Ryland pursed his lips and the gesture was telling.


    I gave him a subtle nod. ¡°Duly noted.¡± Then I reached out and clapped his right shoulder. ¡°Tam, thank you¡­for everything.¡±


    He nodded hesitantly, his voice somber in reply. ¡°Safe journey, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Keep our borders safe, Commander.¡±


    I chose not to delay any longer. Leaving Tamworth behind, I made the long walk to the edge of the camp where the platoon of cavalry riders was purportedly ready and waiting for me.


    I put the Archon matter aside for now. We had a long ride ahead of us. As such, I¡¯d have plenty of time to consider the implications of their presence in the forest.


    Arriving at the clearing, I had both a pleasant and unpleasant surprise awaiting me.


    The pleasant surprise was seeing General Meyren Milerna¡¯s ostentatious black carriage with its team of six raven dark horses. The carriage was decorated with ornate golden serpentine dragons flying along its sides, and the horses wore ceremonial headdresses that glinted in the grey morning light. Yesterday, I¡¯d spoken to Tam about the possibility of borrowing it from Milerna, and the logistics officer had indeed come through. With this, I¡¯d satisfied the women¡¯s travel needs, and it would keep Fallon mostly out of sight.


    The unpleasant surprise was the sight of Chiren Kell pacing slowly up and down the length of the team of horses, checking both the animals and the straps attaching them to the carriage.


    Sucking in a lungful of air, I marched into the clearing and over to the carriage, where I stopped a foot or so away from Chiren who had halted beside the carriage door.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked in a low voice.


    She raised an eyebrow at me. ¡°General Karmine assigned me to your return detachment.¡±


    ¡°He did what?¡±


    Before I could utter another word, she handed me a letter. It had Karmine¡¯s signature, and bore the seal of Field Marshal Barend Augustine.


    I breathed out, ¡°You must be joking.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy you feel this way,¡± Chiren retorted equally under her breath, and snatched back the letter.


    I folded my arms across my chest. ¡°If you¡¯re here, then who¡¯s in charge of Gryphon Company?¡±


    ¡°There is something called the Chain of Command, Falken. You may have heard of it in your youth.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha,¡± I replied. ¡°Just answer the question, please.¡±


    Chiren unloaded a heavy sigh. ¡°If you must know, Knight-Vice Commander Geharis Barend is taking over command of Gryphon Company. After all, he is my second-in-command.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so Kaden didn¡¯t get the job.¡±


    She shrugged a shoulder. ¡°He may in due time. Sooner rather than later if we end up at war with Kaitain.¡±


    I narrowed my eyes at her. ¡°Chiren, that¡¯s not funny.¡±


    She paused before asking, ¡°Do you see me laughing?¡±


    I looked into her eyes quickly but carefully. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she declared, then spoke louder. ¡°Now, the morning¡¯s wasting, your Grace. The girls¡¯ luggage and supplies are loaded, and they¡¯re waiting aboard.¡±


    As though on cue, a thick window curtain was pushed aside and I saw Silvia¡¯s head pop out of the carriage. The woman smiled at me but I sensed she was frantic. ¡°Your Grace. We¡¯re all set to go.¡± She stuck out her left hand and gave me a thumbs up gesture. ¡°We really, really should hurry¡ªbefore she gets here!¡±


    Then she disappeared inside the carriage, and drew the curtain across the window with the urgency of a woman fearing a tremendous storm bearing down upon her house.


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Chiren added. ¡°We really, really should get away from the camp.¡±


    She turned on her booted heels and walked to the front of the carriage, climbing easily onto the driver¡¯s seat.


    When I hurried after her, I found Irvin sitting beside her, dressed in a thick, dark coat.


    The young man offered me a respectful bow. ¡°Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing up there?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m riding with Lady Kell.¡±


    I gaped at him. ¡°Why?¡±


    Chiren leaned down toward me from the driver¡¯s seat, and kept her voice confidential, yet I could hear the undertone of frustration in her voice. ¡°Because he¡¯s aware of the situation.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not suited for riding, your Grace,¡± Irvin added with a weak but apologetic smile.


    Chiren leaned down lower and tapped the chronometer on her right wrist. ¡°Falken, get on your horse. It¡¯s a good day¡¯s ride to the pass and we¡¯ve lost more than half the morning. I don¡¯t know this team well, so I can¡¯t risk pushing them. Do you understand me, your Grace?¡±


    I did understand.


    Chiren had been riding horses long before she first dropped herself into the cockpit of a Jotunn. She had a feel for the animals that I lacked, and her skill at driving four horse and six horse carriages and wagons exceeded mine. However, since she¡¯d never steered this group of horses, she was going to need time to grow accustomed to their peculiarities, much like a Jotunn knight learnt the oddities of his machine while operating it.


    Swallowing down my misgivings, questions, and anything else bubbling up from my chest, I gave her a sullen glare before walking away.


    However, five strides into my journey, I had to turn around and walk back to the carriage.


    ¡°Irvin, where the Devil did you leave my horses?¡±


    #


    (Fallon)


    I had travelled on the back of a wagon before.


    It was a bumpy ride, and I much preferred riding on a horse.


    But the ride in the carriage was very different, and I ended up blurting that out to the two young women inside what they called the passenger cabin.


    Silvia smiled and spread her hands about the interior as though she were trying to sell it to me.


    ¡°This carriage is special. Look at the wood and fabric interior, and feel how soft and comfortable the seats are. And look, we have glass windows with curtains.¡± She mimed balancing while sitting. ¡°And then there¡¯s the soft ride.¡±


    A particularly hard bump made her gasp.


    ¡°Oh yes, quite comfortable,¡± Marina said with a sneer directed at Silvia.


    I was seated to the right of Marina, and facing in the direction of travel, while Silvia was seated opposite her fellow attendant to General Milerna.


    I gave Marina a cautious, sidelong look, before saying, ¡°But it really is comfortable. It¡¯s nothing like riding a wagon.¡±


    Marina rolled her head and looked at me over her right shoulder. ¡°You think so?¡±


    I nodded and gave her a pained smile. ¡°Definitely. I didn¡¯t think a vehicle with wheels could be this comfortable.¡±


    Silvia sighed loudly and again spread her arms. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s special.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess so,¡± I said in agreement.


    Marina released a soft sigh of her own. ¡°General Meyren Milerna had it brought in from the Anderas Empire.¡±


    Silvia nodded while I frowned at Marina. ¡°A carriage like this? All the way from the far east?¡±


    ¡°It was brought over by ship,¡± Marina said. ¡°These days, there are ships large enough to sail all around the bottom of the Northern Continent. They carry a significant amount of cargo aboard. General Milerna¡¯s family is one of the most powerful in Caldera. After the Claymores and Clarents, House Milerna is the next most important. Some say that they possess greater wealth than both the Claymores and Clarents.¡±


    Silvia dropped her arms, and listened quietly.


    I noticed the thoughtful light in her eyes as she looked at her friend and fellow maid, then faced Marina. ¡°But House Claymore rules Caldera.¡±


    Marina shifted her posture on the seat. ¡°That has nothing to do with their personal wealth.¡±


    ¡°So how is it they are wealthier than House Claymore?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the lands they presently own. Their lands are rich in Etherite, a very strong and stable form of Etherite that makes it very much sought after.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back a frown, unable to hold back from wanting to know more, and not just about Caldera and its people, but about House Claymore as well.


    I wanted to know more about the Archduke, and his family.


    I showed my interest by leaning slightly toward Marina. ¡°So the Etherite they have is better?¡±


    ¡°It lasts longer,¡± she replied. ¡°The Etherite in many of the eastern lands is better than that found in the western regions of the Northern Continent. I¡¯ve heard it described as being more friendly to the Ether Kinetic talents of men. A Jotunn whose body is blended with our Etherite requires less effort from a man to move it. That means that Jotunn designers and engineers can afford to put more armor on it, or make it larger. Our Jotnar are also stronger and last longer. We have Jotnar in Calandor that have served Caldera for more than twenty years without the need to replace the Etherite in their bodies.¡±


    Silvia clapped softly and looked out her window to the right of her. ¡°Marina is so smart. Marina knows so much.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I take the time to listen to people. I take the time to read.¡±


    I felt an empty feeling run through me. ¡°To read¡­.¡±


    I could feel Marina¡¯s gaze on me. ¡°You will learn to read too, Lady Fallon. You will learn.¡±


    Her words pressured me. I knew they were intended well but I suddenly felt burdened by them. Taking a quick breath, I asked, ¡°So because the Etherite is better, it costs more?¡±


    Marina blinked slowly for a heartbeat or two. ¡°Yes. The Etherite mined from the mountains in House Milerna¡¯s lands is sold for a higher price.¡±


    ¡°Sold to where?¡±


    ¡°The people that need it.¡± She turned her head slowly and looked out her window. ¡°Although, House Claymore has forbidden Etherite mined in Caldera from being sold to people of the other lands¡­especially those off the west coast.¡±


    ¡°And that includes the Anderas Empire,¡± Silvia added.


    Though I was a village girl, even I had heard of the mighty Anderas Empire that controlled the west coast of the Northern Continent.


    I swallowed, and quietly asked, ¡°Why?¡±


    Silvia answered me before Marina could. ¡°Because House Claymore doesn¡¯t like the Anderas Empire.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Marina said curtly, then softened her tone. ¡°It¡¯s because House Claymore has issues with the Imperial Family¡­in particular, the Empress.¡±


    Silvia smiled at me and rolled her eyes before turning away to the view outside the carriage visible through her window.


    Silence fell on the inside of the carriage.


    That is, a silence between the three of us.


    However, the sound of the wheels turning over hard ground, the carriage¡¯s body creaking, and the footstep of the horses hooves made its way into the passenger cabin.


    I looked out my window, and peered up at the overhead sky.


    It was still grey, and it was making me feel just as grey.


    If Caldera had troubles with the Anderas Empire, was it a reason why the Archduke wanted me to serve his people as their Khan?


    I realized I was thirsty, and wet my lips instead.


    Was it the reason why I¡¯d been drawn to this land? Was it the reason I¡¯d saved him?


    I swallowed and then shifted my body on the seat such that my shoulder rested against the inside of the carriage wall.


    Without my knowing it, the swaying motion of the carriage, and the sound of the wheels turning, lulled me to sleep.


    When I woke up, it was by Silvia¡¯s hand.


    The group of riders had come to a stop, and she said we should take this as an opportunity to get out and stretch our legs.


    I realized my butt was a little sore, and followed the young woman out of the carriage cabin, stepping into what I though was afternoon. I looked around and saw that the cavalry riders had dismounted and formed a handful of groups. Amongst them, I saw the Archduke speaking to the man who was probably the men¡¯s commander.


    I hesitated, wondering for a heartbeat if he would sense me looking at him, but when he didn¡¯t turn my way, I decided to look elsewhere.


    But I wasn¡¯t given much time to take in our surroundings. Silvia suddenly pulled my arm, and urged me to the rear of the carriage where we found Marina standing there peering up at the sky above us.


    Wordlessly, her eyes met mine, but a moment later she said, ¡°If you need to pee and more, now¡¯s the time. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be stopping until we reach the pass.¡±


    ¡°The pass?¡± I asked curiously.


    ¡°The mountain pass that cuts across those mountains.¡± She waved a hand in the direction of the front of the carriage. ¡°West of here there¡¯s a fortress at the mouth of the pass. I¡¯m guessing his Grace and the men will want to arrive at the fortress before evening¡±¡ªshe pointed up¡ª¡°and before those clouds open up their bellies.¡±


    Taking a very deep breathe, she straightened and turned her body toward Silvia and me, and then declared with a troubled smile, ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to make a run for the bushes.¡±


    Having spent a month on my own in the wilderness and away from my village, I didn¡¯t think it was as much of a problem as she was making it to be.


    With the matter of emptying our bladders taken care of, we walked back to the carriage.


    Knight-Commander Kell was waiting for us near the door of the carriage with arms folded. Her eyes swept back and forth over our surroundings. I saw that she was wearing a thick cloak over her riding clothes, probably in case the weather turned on us as Marina feared.


    ¡°You girls ready?¡± she asked.


    Marina replied, ¡°We are, Lady Kell.¡±


    ¡°Good. No more stops. We ride until we reach Fortress Belgar.¡±


    Silvia leaned toward me and softly said, ¡°That¡¯s fortress guarding the mountain pass.¡±


    She pointed in a direction I instinctively knew as east because of the influence of the Seal of Arcala inside me.


    In the distance was a long wall of dark mountains with their peaks lost in the clouds. The wall stretched across the horizon, and far to the north and south.


    I stared at them, and swallowed hard, wondering how we were going to cross those mountains. If those had stood between me and Caldera when I fled south, I never would have left Reinvald alive.


    Motion across the grassy terrain caught my attention.


    The cavalry riders were mounting their horses, while other men checked the wagons and the packhorses.


    I noticed the group was larger than just the twenty cavalry riders. With the young maids, the Lady Knight, the Archduke, and I included, we numbered close to forty people.


    As I realized this, one rider rode our way at a slow gallop.


    I looked up at his Grace on the saddle of his horse.


    ¡°How are you holding up?¡±


    I didn¡¯t notice until later that I was smiling up at him. ¡°I¡¯m well. Thank you for asking, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°That¡ªthat¡¯s good.¡± He averted his eyes and saw the Lady Knight. ¡°Knight-Commander, we ride to Belgar. Can you press the horses a little?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re a well behaved bunch. I think I can push them a little.¡±


    He nodded once, looking satisfied, but wouldn¡¯t meet my gaze again.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s be off.¡± Then he frowned and gazed about. ¡°Where¡¯s Irvin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here, your Grace,¡± a voice replied from the carriage.


    I looked up at the driver¡¯s seat where the young man who¡¯d escorted us in the morning was busy extending some sort of cover over where the seat. It resembled a shell and was probably intended to keep some of the rain off the carriage¡¯s drivers.


    High above us, the young man waved down at us and the Archduke with cheery, eager smile. ¡°Ready to roll, your Grace.¡±


    Falken Claymore looked down at Lady Kell and spoke in a low voice between them. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not thinking of letting him drive?¡±


    ¡°Not unless you want us arriving at Belgar next week.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not boring you is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s been filling me in on all the citadel gossip.¡±


    Claymore winced and sat upright in the saddle. ¡°Don¡¯t believe everything he tells you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Kell¡¯s eyebrows rose quite sharply, and she peered up at his Grace with interest. ¡°So Alleyne¡¯s latest romance fizzled?¡±


    Of a sudden, his horse complained and shifted about on its feet, forcing his Grace to hurriedly bring it under control. ¡°Irvin spends too much time listening to the citadel¡¯s maids.¡±


    ¡°And they are probably better informed than you are,¡± Kell retorted.


    By a hair¡¯s breadth, I held back the urge to glance at Marina, someone who definitely had a lot of answers to the questions I had. I did try looking at her through the corner of my eye, then realized I could go better.


    Though my Ether Empath talent had always been weak, I had used it to sense out people¡¯s moods, unless if they were using their own Empath talent to hide it from me.


    Now that my connection to the Ether was gone, I had something else to rely, and that was the Awareness-field that surrounded me.


    Born out of the Seal of Arcala inside my body, the field allowed me to sense my surroundings such that I could safely walk through a forest with my eyes closed. But it also allowed me to sense people¡¯s emotions. It was a weak ability, but it gave me back what I¡¯d lost when the Seal cut me off from the Ether.


    However, before I could concentrate the field on Marina and gauge her emotions somewhat like reading her feelings on the Ether, Marina walked the short distance to the carriage, leaving Silvia and me standing behind.


    She twisted the handle and pulled the door open.


    ¡°Get inside,¡± she said firmly, before climbing into the carriage, and taking her seat on the left side of the cabin, facing forward.


    I heard a whisper slip past Silvia¡¯s lips. ¡°Well someone¡¯s in a bad mood.¡±


    Then the girl followed her companion into the carriage.


    I started to follow her when the Archduke called out to me.


    ¡°Fallon, wait a moment.¡±


    I looked at him in surprise, then hurriedly wiped it from my face. ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    Claymore¡¯s attention was on Lady Kell. Resting his forearms on the saddle¡¯s pommel, he leaned forward as he looked down at her. ¡°The captain agrees that we¡¯re not far from the road leading up to Belgar. It¡¯s probably an hour or so east of us.¡±


    Kell crossed her arms under those impressive breasts of hers. ¡°Going by Irvin¡¯s map and calculations I¡¯d say it¡¯s closer to a half hour. He¡¯s confident Fortress Belgar is no more than four hours away at the pace we¡¯ve kept. Despite losing half the morning, we¡¯ve made good time.¡±


    ¡°When we get on the road, do you think you can push them a little?¡±


    ¡°The horses?¡± She looked thoughtful. ¡°I guess I can. They¡¯re a good team with a strong leader, but this carriage is heavier than it looks. That suspension system it has works well, but all that metal adds extra weight. That said, I don¡¯t know how it will behave on the road.¡±


    I saw the Archduke pay the carriage some attention, before straightening in the saddle. ¡°Alright. Then we won¡¯t press our luck. I¡¯ll let you set our pace.¡±


    Kell dropped her weight onto a hip. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯ve been doing so far?¡±


    ¡°Chiren, will you stop trying to take off my head.¡±


    Through the Awareness-field, I felt something change in the woman.


    A kind of coldness ran through her, and she straightened her body. ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, your Grace.¡±


    With a bow I would describe as curt, she spun around and walked the few feet to the carriage. Without looking at her, I sensed her climb onto the driver¡¯s seat under its strange half shell.


    ¡°Fallon, I apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have said that in front of you.¡±


    Shaking my head quickly, I cleared my throat. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to meet the Archduke¡¯s eyes or not. ¡°You have no need to apologize, your Grace. All of this trouble is because my body pushes away the Ether, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    There was silence between us, and I grew a little anxious.


    ¡°You realized that?¡± he asked.


    I gathered my composure, and met his eyes. ¡°If I didn¡¯t push away the Ether, you could have flown back to your home. Is that not true?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I could have flown with you aboard a flyer, and returned to Calandor in two days.¡±


    I winced inwardly.


    Marina had mentioned something about the journey taking two weeks. There was quite a difference between two days and two weeks.


    I folded my hands in front of my midriff as I¡¯d seen Silvia and Marina do on a past occasion. ¡°I¡¯m the one who should apologize, your Grace. I¡¯m sorry for not knowing how to control the Seal¡­but I will learn. I will master it.¡± I bowed to him. ¡°I promise I will.¡±


    ¡°Fallon, raise your head.¡±


    The flatness in his tone surprised me and I did as he asked with a start.


    He urged his horse a foot or so closer to me.


    When my gaze met his, I felt trapped by the intensity of his stare.


    It was as though his hands were upon my cheeks, forcing me to look into his eyes.


    Then I saw the grin on his face.


    ¡°I have every confidence in you, Lady Fallon. Every confidence.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡­aye, your Grace.¡±


    I managed to break free of his gaze, and tried innocently looking elsewhere, aware that my cheeks had grown warm.


    Am I blushing?


    ¡°That dress¡­it looks good on you. A very fine selection¡­.¡±


    I blinked quickly, realizing he was talking to me, and looked up at him.


    His gaze was pointedly focused elsewhere and he looked to be under a little strain.


    Curiously, I glanced down at myself, and noticed the top of my breasts were peeking out from under the dress. With the short bustier Silvia had forced me to wear, they were pushed up even higher, making them appear even rounder and fuller. I wasn¡¯t exposing myself, but I was showing a deep valley between my breasts, especially if someone was high and looking down upon me¡­such as his Grace on horseback.


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±


    I half turned away, and this time my cheeks were definitely warm, or should I say, hot.


    ¡°You¡¯d best hurry along, Lady Fallon,¡± he said firmly.


    With a seated bow, he reined his horse about and trotted away to where the cavalry riders had come together in a large group.


    I ducked my head and strode fast to the carriage, climbing aboard before I even noticed I¡¯d done so. I had some trouble getting the door closed, so Silvia showed me how to operate the door mechanism so that it would close and not accidentally open while we were moving.


    But the truth was I had trouble getting it closed because my hands were trembling and my heart was beating fast.


    I sat back and sagged into the seat.


    A short while later, I heard the sounds men calling out to each other, and horses snorting and neighing as they started moving again. This was followed by the crack of the reins from outside the carriage, and then the whole thing jerked into motion as the horses pulled it along behind them.


    I palmed my forehead, then shot Silvia a glare. ¡°You made me wear this dress on purpose.¡±


    Silvia blinked in confusion, then smiled innocently, but through the Awareness-field, I could sense she was amused.


    ¡°I thought it might interest him a little¡ªmaybe catch his eye.¡± Her smile grew and her eyes twinkled. ¡°He peeked at you, didn¡¯t he? Was it a good peek?¡±


    I tried pulling the bodice of my dress up but it did no good other than to dig into the underside of my breasts. ¡°Damn it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± Marina said. ¡°You¡¯ll cut off circulation and bruise them.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m exposed¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are not exposed,¡± she countered. ¡°That dress is feminine and finely cut. It hints at what you have to offer. Nothing more, and nothing less. At the very least you should be proud of yourself.¡±


    ¡°But he looked down at me¡ªI mean at them.¡±


    ¡°He may be the Archduke, however his Grace is still a man. Don¡¯t fault him for it. Not unless he was being lewd. Was he openly salivating like a panting dog?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­no¡­he looked¡­like he was trying not to look¡­.¡±


    Marina sighed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be concerned about. Sometimes men need to be reminded of how important we are.¡±


    ¡°And delicate,¡± Silvia added while still wearing her innocent smile.


    I opened my mouth, then thought better of complaining, and closed it with a snap. But a short while later, I couldn¡¯t contain myself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want him thinking ill of me¡­.¡±


    ¡°I doubt he does,¡± Marina replied in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m sure you well and surely have his attention by now¡­.¡±


    Something in her voice made my body stiffen. It didn¡¯t sound like an accusation, but it was a little cold, and afterwards I felt a little anxious when I remembered what I¡¯d learnt the night before.


    I chose to look out the glass window at the countryside we were travelling through.


    My heart may have held fanciful thoughts, but my head didn¡¯t.


    In two months¡¯ time, his Grace would be a wedded man with a wife that hailed from Reinvald, and from the homeland I had fled.


    At that time, what place would I occupy in his life?


    <hr />


    I have six readers so far...ha...I wonder how well Game of Thrones would do if it was posted here.


    Cheers.

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 8

    Chapter 8.


    Military ranks in the various armies were generally organized as follows with little variation from land to land.


    Within the heavy infantry, Jotnar pilots were classified as Jotunn-Knights.


    An officer in command of a platoon of twenty Jotnar was titled a Knight-Captain.


    In charge of a company¡¯s four to six platoons was a Knight-Commander.


    For the cavalry division it was more or less the same. A cavalry rider was referred to as a Cavalry-Knight, though the platoon leader was known as Cavalry-Captain, and the company officer as a Cavalry-Commander.


    Officers in charge of their respective divisions within an army were referred to as Major Generals. A General or Field General led an army of multiple divisions. A Field Commander led the strategic sub-division within the command echelon. Last but not least, a Field Marshal was tasked with the responsibility of leading all of the sovereign territory¡¯s armies.


    Excerpt from Giants Across The Land.


    A History of the Militaries of the First Millennium.


    (Falken)


    The heavens held out long enough for us to complete the climb to the western end of the mountain pass that ran through the Boyden Mountains.


    Fortress Belgar stood at the entrance to a cold, grey passage through a relatively narrow mountain range in comparison to the other ranges that ran up and down Caldera, some of which crossed the southern border into Orgenval.


    The fortress was constructed far enough from the mountains to avoid damage from the occasional rockslide induced by weather or the exceptionally rare earth tremor. Any mountain rockslide that happened would hardly scrape its eastern walls of metal and permacrete. However, in the weakening evening light, and from our perspective as we climbed the winding the road, the enormous fortress appeared to rise majestically between two immense jagged mountains, their peaks lost in the storm clouds overhead.


    I rode within the ranks of the cavalry platoon, then edged my horse forward as we drew near the barbican with its metal and wood gates some twenty feet tall. One of the cavalry riders used a box lantern to flash a message to the men watching from the battlements of the barbican. A signal was flashed back, and I read the reply.


    We were instructed to wait outside the gate ¨C far away from the gate.


    That last part set off warning bells in my head.


    I reined my horse to a stop beside the cavalry captain¡¯s, coming up to him on his right, and looked up at the two Jotnar standing guard on opposite sides of the barbican that jutted out of the west wall. At a distance of roughly a hundred feet, I could clearly sense the Etherite in their metal skeletons within their oversized, armored bodies. And I could sense their Etheric drives turning over. The Jotunn were manned and they were powered up with Ether, ready to move out at the will of the Jotunn-Knight within.


    I leaned sideways toward the captain. ¡°I trust you told them we wanted to get inside before it rains?¡±


    Captain Rohayne leaned forward in the saddle, and spoke to the man on my right who held the lantern containing a brightly glowing chunk of Etherite. ¡°Padarson?¡±


    ¡°Most assuredly, your Grace,¡± replied the young, fair haired rider to my immediate right.


    Giving the Jotnar another looked, I took a quick breath, then asked, ¡°What exactly¡­did you tell them?¡±


    ¡°That we were escorting his Grace to Calandor and wished to enter with all due haste before the storm broke.¡±


    Underscoring his words, a faint drizzle began to fall upon us, and somewhere over the range, the distant sound of thunder rumbled away. One by one, the men began to pull the hoods of their riding cloaks over their heads, and so did I.


    ¡°Lovely,¡± I muttered, then ran my gaze over the Jotnar, and then the top of the massive western wall. I shook my head faintly when I saw movement in the darkness behind the parapet. ¡°I can¡¯t say I like this.¡±


    I glanced over my right shoulder and looked behind us at the black carriage with its golden dragons.


    Could it be they know we have a Khan Wilder with us?


    I turned back to the massive wall some two dozen yards in front of us.


    I had not expected this kind of welcome. Ryland had assured me he would send word to the fortress to expect our arrival. Perhaps the flyer had suffered a mishap along the way and failed to deliver that message. I simply didn¡¯t know. Until someone came out to face us, all I could do was anxiously speculate.


    On my left, Rohayne shifted on his saddle. ¡°We¡¯re being watched, your Grace.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a casual observation. Indeed we were being watched, but I had the distinct impression he wasn¡¯t referring to the men on the western walls or the roofed barbican.


    Rohayne exhaled heavily as his horse snorted. ¡°What an unpleasant feeling.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± I innocently asked while searching what I could see of the fortress¡¯s battlements.


    ¡°I feel like the hare stalked by a hunter.¡± He straightened his back. ¡°I feel unfriendly eyes on us. I feel them from on high.¡±


    I looked up and studied what I could of the observation tower that rose high from the top of the immense Keep. The Keep itself was not one but two squarish blocks to the north and sound, facing each other while rising high enough to be visible above the tops of the western fortified wall. Arched metal and wood bridges connected them, forming an arcade that one would need pass under in order to travel between the east and west gates.


    My gaze crept over the tops of both Keeps, and I noticed something odd over the roof of the northern one.


    The drizzle was outlining the shape of a dome atop the platform. It was as though the rain was falling on a giant inverted glass bowl of immense proportions. I realized I was no stranger to this sight. I had seen it before when an Archon craft landed in the rain on Calandor¡¯s landing fields cut into the mountainside.


    I remembered Ryland¡¯s note from my brother.


    The Archons are here.


    I swallowed hard. ¡°Captain, it appears Fortress Belgar has guests other than ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°The Archons are here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°On the roof of the north Keep. I presume where the scout flyers normally land.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t see anything there¡­.¡±


    ¡°Look at the rain, Captain. Look at the rain and watch how it falls?¡± I swallowed again before adding, ¡°The Archons are watching us. I¡¯d weather a guess it¡¯s the reason why we¡¯re still waiting here in the rain outside the gate.¡±


    A heartbeat later, one of the gate¡¯s two enormous doors opened inward, providing enough room for a handful of fortress guardsmen to venture out on horseback. That in itself made me frown, and I sensed the cavalry riders stir around me. Through the faint traces of Etherite in their armor and weapons, I could perceive the shift their formation.


    ¡°Captain, keep your men at ease,¡± I advised softly.


    ¡°Hold,¡± Rohayne commanded, his voice low yet carrying far enough to the men behind us who passed on the word.


    The fortress guardsmen did not approach us. Instead, they lined up before the immense iron grey wall of metal and wood. This put them at a distance of a hundred feet or so.


    I found their behavior disturbing.


    Then I glanced up at the north Keep, having sworn I¡¯d glimpsed something like a smoky shadow walk along the edge of the roof.


    An Archon?


    I held back the urge to look at the carriage behind us.


    Could it be? Were they following us and then anticipated our destination? I clenched my teeth as worry bubbled up in my chest. Are they here because of Fallon?


    The Archons had maintained a stance of non-interference with the Khans for two centuries. Even when the Khan Wilders began to stir trouble across the lands, the Archons had refrained from taking action, allowing the Khan Orden to deal with the Wilders unimpeded.  But what of the Archons here?


    Something was amiss, beginning with the less than warm welcome.


    With mounting trepidation, I noticed one of the guardsmen was not a man, but a woman. If she was with them, it was safe to assume she was a talented Ether Empath Weaver.


    Damn it, I cursed inwardly and began to edge my horse forward.


    ¡°Your Grace,¡± Padarson hissed loudly, ¡°archers on the wall. Crossbows too.¡±


    I froze for a heartbeat, and then held my horse back. The situation had turned dangerous yet I had no grasp on it beyond the obvious.


    Somehow, the fortress personnel found out we have a Khan with us.


    I grit my teeth together, then narrowed my eyes when one rider broke away from the handful of guardsmen and rode slowly toward us. He stopped halfway between the group of guardsmen fanning out before the wall, and the cavalry riders beside me.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± I told Rohayne, and with a firm yet gentle kick, I nudged my horse into motion.


    I met the guardsman at the halfway point.


    Studying him in the light that shone down from the fortress¡¯s wall, I saw him to be past his middle years, with a thin moustache and stubble of beard. Sharp eyes regarded me in return, yet I sensed no antagonism from him. If anything, I felt he was expressing a little regret.


    His voice was low, yet it carried well between us. In a somber tone, he introduced himself. ¡°I am Commandant Anton Durgess.¡±


    He bowed respectfully while seated on the saddle, but I returned it with the barest of nods.


    ¡°Do you know how I am?¡± I asked bluntly.


    ¡°You are his Grace, Falken Galen Claymore, Archduke of Caldera.¡± He smiled and seemed bitter. ¡°I had hoped we would meet under better circumstances.¡±


    I pursed my lips for a moment. ¡°Why we out here, Commandant?¡±


    He took a deep yet quiet breath. ¡°My sincere apologies, your Grace. This is not how I wanted to greet you. However, I felt it was best that I ride out and explain the situation in person¡­what little I can.¡±


    My stomach tightened anxiously. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°The Archons are here, and they have¡­commandeered the fortress.¡±


    I almost snorted in disbelief, but held it back at the last moment. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°They have assumed authority over Fortress Belgar.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just my stomach that clenched uncomfortably, but my chest too. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°They arrived an hour ago, and informed us that you and your party were on the road to the western pass. They assumed command of Belgar on their authority as Archons. The fortress is in lockdown. All personnel are confined to their rooms. They allowed for a number of the guards, and a handful Jotunn-Knights, to remain on duty guarding the walls.¡±


    I glanced up and saw that the archers and crossbow men were still there, weapons trained down on us. ¡°Commandant, do your men need to point their weapons at us?¡±


    He swallowed visibly, yet his expression remained calm. ¡°It¡¯s what the Archons ordered, your Grace.¡±


    My hands clenched around the reins I gripped. ¡°How unpleasant of them¡­.¡±


    It was hard to describe the emotions washing through me. A feeling of helplessness. A feeling of slowly mounting rage. All of it directed at the Archons.


    How dare they¡ªhow dare they commander a fortress of Caldera.


    How dare they order my men around!


    How dare they have weapons pointed at me!


    I relaxed my jaw but found it somewhat difficult to swallow. Keeping my voice low and level was a struggle. ¡°How many of them are here?¡±


    ¡°A handful. However, they are Archons.¡± He shrugged a shoulder bitterly. ¡°How are we to say no to them?¡±


    I held my gaze steady on him. ¡°Why are they doing this?¡±


    His eyes shifted and I knew he was looking behind me. ¡°They are here for the Khan Wilder, your Grace.¡±


    My eyes narrowed. ¡°They told you this?¡±


    ¡°Aye, your Grace. They said the Wilder would be travelling in the carriage. They described her as a young girl, long dark hair, rather pretty by human standards.¡±


    I inhaled through clenched teeth, then exhaled slowly. ¡°What do they want with the Wilder?¡±


    Durgess was quiet for a moment, before sidling his horse closer to mine. ¡°That is something they would not tell me, your Grace.¡±


    My lips twisted into a disdainful grin. ¡°So I¡¯ll have to ask them directly.¡±


    He nodded just once. ¡°Aye, your Grace. And they are expecting you.¡±


    #


    (Fallon)


    #


    I kept my eyes closed as I concentrated.


    Gently, I spread my Awareness-field again, reaching as far as thirty five feet and holding it there for a minute as I tried to sense any trace of the breeze that had blown through me earlier.


    Perhaps calling it a breeze was a little too weak.


    It had felt more like a dirty wind that swept through the carriage repeatedly, brushing hard against my Awareness-field as though trying to pierce it. Then, a half minute later, it was gone.


    I heard Marina¡¯s voice clearly in my ears as the Awareness-field improved my five senses by a large amount.


    ¡°Anything?¡± she asked. She was seated across from me in the carriage¡¯s passenger cabin.


    I shook my head faintly. ¡°No¡­nothing¡­but¡­my field doesn¡¯t stretch very far.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­.¡±


    I opened my eyes with a sigh. ¡°I could do better if I summoned Andraste, but I would need to step out of the carriage. If I did it here, the carriage would be destroyed.¡± A look of concern shadowed Marina¡¯s face, so I quickly added, ¡°I promise. I won¡¯t summon my Warlord in here. I promise.¡±


    The shadow left Marina¡¯s face, but then she frowned. ¡°What did it feel like?¡±


    I averted my eyes in thought. ¡°A wind. Like a dirty wind. It felt like it was trying to go through me but the Seal was stopping it. But¡­it also felt like a cold hand. Like it was trying to feel me out.¡±


    Marina grew quiet for a long moment. She wasn¡¯t showing me her worry, but my Awareness-field could sense it. ¡°Does the Seal know what it is?¡±


    I nodded gently. ¡°The Seal of Arcala believes it has sensed this wind before, and that it¡¯s something like an Awareness-field. However, it¡¯s sure that it doesn¡¯t belong to a Khan.¡±


    ¡°Then to whom does it belong?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­the Archons.¡±


    Her eyebrows rose quickly. ¡°Does your Seal know about the Archons?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it does.¡±


    ¡°And the Seal has come across this wind before?¡±


    I gave her another nod. ¡°I don¡¯t remember feeling this, but the Seal says that it has.¡±


    The corners of Marina¡¯s eyes wrinkled. ¡°Fallon, maybe the Archons are you looking for you?¡±


    I felt my face grow slack and lifeless.


    Marina pressed on. ¡°Do you know why they would be looking for you?¡±


    I sucked in air loudly and shook my head, first slowly then quickly. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know.¡±


    Silvia had been sitting quietly beside me, peeking out between the curtains covering the windows. ¡°Did you pick a fight with the Archons?¡±


    I shook my head very quickly. ¡°No¡ªno, I haven¡¯t. I¡¯ve never even met an Archon.¡±


    Silvia stopped peeking outside and faced me. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m really sure.¡±


    She sat back. ¡°Then why are they looking for you?¡±


    Marina shook her head, and stopped Silvia with a raised palm. ¡°No, it¡¯s possible the Archons weren¡¯t looking for her, but just feeling us out. Right?¡±


    Since the last part was directed at me, I gave her a quick nod. ¡°Yes. The Seal says the wind is a way for them to sense what¡¯s around them.¡±


    Marina pushed aside the curtain beside her window and peeked toward the fortress wall. ¡°Why are we still out here?¡±


    I held my tongue, not wanting to say anything that sounded like a guess. Mother had always said ¡®think before you talk¡¯.


    Then I felt the wind again, and I felt it push hard against my Awareness-field.


    This time, I felt the Seal push back.


    #


    (Falken)


    #


    I glanced up at the dark clouds. ¡°What about my men?¡±


    Durgess kept his tone perfunctory. ¡°My orders from them are to escort you and the Wilder into Belgar. They are not interested in your men, your Grace. However, if they enter Belgar they¡¯ll be placed under confinement.¡±


    ¡°So they have no problem with my men camping away from the fortress?¡±


    ¡°I would assume not.¡±


    I nodded stiffly, then gave the wall, the Jotnar, and the men on the parapet another look. ¡°Very well. Commandant. Would you wait for us here? I need to discuss the situation with my men.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, I do advise you don¡¯t delay.¡±


    After another stiff nod, I shot the tower rising from the north Keep a glare. ¡°Just wait for me here, Commandant.¡±


    I reined the stallion around, and rode back to Rohayne and his men at a walk.


    Bringing my beast alongside Rohayne¡¯s, I spoke to him firmly. Truthfully, I was dreading this conversation. ¡°Captain, ride with me.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Ride with me.¡± I steered my horse a few yards away from the platoon. Rohayne followed, but he was faintly unhappy.¡±


    When he stopped his mount beside mine, I leaned toward him a few inches and lowered my voice. ¡°Captain, the Archons have assumed control of the fortress. It¡¯s in lockdown.¡±


    His eyes widened sharply. Despite the poor light, I was certain he¡¯d grown ashen. ¡°That Archons? What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Take your men back down the road. Find a place to camp for the night. If you enter Belgar, the Archons will have you confined to quarters or a general area within the fortress. I won¡¯t tolerate that, so you¡¯ll need to stay clear of the fortress.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, why are they here? Why do this?¡±


    I hesitated before gracing him with a reply. ¡°Captain, there are circumstances to the current situation that you are not aware of. I had hoped to inform you and your at a later stage, but it seems the Archons have intervened when I least expected.¡± I laughed curtly under my breath. ¡°In truth, I should have expected this. It is my failing.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Captain, I will explain later. You have my word on that. I will tell you and your men the truth behind my return to Calandor. But for now, no questions.¡± I drew closer to him and hardened my stare. ¡°Captain, trust me. Just this once. There will be time for questions, but that time is not now.¡±


    Rohayne didn¡¯t look happy. Conflicted was the best description I could rummage. For a long while, I thought he would argue with me, but then his lips twisted into an odd, pained shape. ¡°I have to tell my men something.¡±


    ¡°Tell them what I told you. The Archons have seized Fortress Belgar. Tell them that I am going to meet with the Archons to resolve the situation.¡± I paused as I came to a decision. ¡°Captain, while I¡¯m gone, I will leave Knight-Commander Chiren Kell in command.¡±


    He looked taken aback. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As a Knight-Commander, she is the ranking officer here. And she is aware of the circumstances of our journey.¡±


    He frowned at me. ¡°She is aware?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± I answered, nodding once, then pulled on the reins, maneuvering my horse so that it stepped away from Rohayne¡¯s beast. ¡°No more delays, Captain.¡±


    Using my legs to pressure my horse¡¯s flanks, I snapped the reins lightly, and urged the stallion into motion.


    I rode between the cavalry platoon, past the wagons, and arrived at the black carriage, reining the horse to a stop beside where Chiren and Irvin sat in the partly enclosed driver¡¯s seat.


    Looking up at them, I met Chiren¡¯s anxious gaze.


    ¡°Falken, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    I told her quickly what Durgess had told me, and what I¡¯d told Rohayne.


    She straightened on the seat, her body growing visibly rigid, while Irvin did the opposite and drew back into the shadows.


    For the first time in a while, I heard a tremor in Chiren¡¯s voice.


    ¡°What will you do?¡±


    I tried to sound casual, and indeed my shrug came out almost indifferent, but that certainly wasn¡¯t how I was feeling. ¡°What can I do? They¡¯re expecting Fallon and I, so I have no choice but to go in there.¡±


    At the sound of horses moving about, I glanced over a shoulder to see the cavalry platoon had turned around, and Rohayne was leading the way down the road. The wagon drivers were also maneuvering to get themselves turned around on the wide road. The group would be upon us shortly.


    I turned back to Chiren. ¡°Wait until they¡¯ve gone by, then turn the carriage around, and follow them down the road.¡± Addressing an impromptu thought, I added, ¡°Chiren, I give you permission to tell Rohayne the truth¡­if he asks it of you.¡±


    Her brow furrowed. ¡°Falken, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± I replied, adding a deep nod. ¡°And I trust, you Sis.¡±


    She pressed lips into a thin line, but then muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t call me, Sis¡­.¡±


    I laughed softly, and grinned up at her. ¡°Chiren, I¡¯m leaving you in charge. Rohayne knows this. If he doesn¡¯t follow orders, tell him I¡¯ll come done on him hard.¡±


    At that moment, Rohayne¡¯s men rode past and their captain slowed his horse to a stop a few feet away from me. ¡°Your Grace, we¡¯ll ride down to open ground and set up camp there¡­as you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Captain.¡± I looked up at Chiren. ¡°You¡¯re in charge now.¡±


    Chiren glanced at Rohayne, then gave me a quick nod. ¡°Very well, your Grace.¡±


    I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking my next course of action. To Rohayne and I said, ¡°Captain, continue with your men down the road. I won¡¯t keep the Knight-Commander very long. She¡¯ll join you shortly.¡±


    He really didn¡¯t look happy with my orders, but he didn¡¯t argue either. ¡°Aye, your Grace.¡±


    Night had settled upon the land. I watched him ride with his men down the road and into darkness, though a number of the cavalry riders had uncovered their Etherite night sticks that cast a pale emerald light around them. It was barely enough to ride by, so the men were taking it slow and careful down the winding road.


    ¡°Chiren,¡± I said, ¡°Fallon and I will go alone from here.¡±


    Climbing down off the saddle, I walked up to the carriage¡¯s door where Marina and Silvia were peeking through the windows with anxious looks.


    Marina surprised me when she said, ¡°Your Grace, Lady Fallon believes there are Archons here.¡±


    That stopped me almost in mid-step. I stared at Marina in shock. ¡°She knows about the Archons?¡±


    Marina nodded nervously. ¡°She says she can feel them looking for her.¡±


    Hurriedly, I opened the carriage door and looked inside. However, the carriage interior was dark. The Ether was warded away by Fallon so the Etherite lamps were unable to shine their light about the interior.


    ¡°Fallon?¡± I called out.


    I saw someone move in the gloom. ¡°I¡¯m here, your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Fallon, you¡¯re right. The Archons are here.¡±


    I saw her silhouette move closer to the doorway.


    Fallon¡¯s features were faintly visible. ¡°Your Grace, I can feel them looking at me.¡±


    I was confused and I didn¡¯t bother hiding it. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a wind. It blows through the carriage. It tries to blow through me like it¡¯s trying to feel me out, but my Seal won¡¯t let it.¡±


    In the weak light from the fortress¡¯s Ether powered spotlights, I saw Fallon shudder. Fear crossed her face, and I heard it in her voice.


    ¡°Are they here for me?¡±


    I looked into her eyes¡­and I didn¡¯t know what answer to give her.


    Inside of me, a small fire began to burn. It started as a flickering flame, but with every breath I took, and every passing moment I looked at her, it grew stronger. It burned with contempt for the Archons, and with disdain for my helplessness.


    In the end, there was only one I answer I felt I could give her.


    ¡°Fallon, I gave you my word that I would protect you. That¡¯s all you need to know.¡±


    I spoke it with confidence, yet in my heart I knew it was an empty promise, one that I couldn¡¯t possibly keep. I had nothing with which to oppose the Archons and the power they wielded. Not for the first time in my life, did I wish I was more, much more, than what I was.


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    If I had the power of a Khan, would that make a difference?


    However, having made that promise, I would be less than I am now if I did nothing to fulfill it.


    I closed the door, not wanting Fallon to glimpse my true thoughts lest my face betray them, and strode to the front of the carriage where Chiren looked down at me from the drivers¡¯ seat.


    ¡°Falken, what are you doing?¡±


    I climbed onto my horse¡¯s saddle, and with reins in hand, I steered the beast closer to the carriage and its anxious train of horses.


    ¡°Chiren, take Fallon with you. Join Rohayne and his men. I¡¯ve ordered them to set up camp away from the fortress. Go. Take her and the girls. You¡¯re in command now, Knight-Commander Kell.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    I gave her a hard look and for a heartbeat Chiren flinched. That made me wonder just what expression did I wear on my face. Then I pushed the thought aside, and said in commanding tone, ¡°I¡¯m going to get my people and my fortress back.¡±


    With that, I kicked the beast into motion, and rode back to where Durgess waited for me.


    The man regarded me with a complicated look. However, I also perceived that he thought I was insane. ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°The Khan Wilder is under my protection, Commandant. That means the Archons speak to me first. Then I decide if they get to speak with her.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think they will accept this?¡±


    ¡°Possibly not. But as I¡¯m still the ruler of this land, it¡¯s my decision to make.¡± I tilted my head toward the open gate. ¡°Shall we then? I think I¡¯ve kept them waiting long enough.¡±


    #


    (Fallon)


    #


    I listened to Lady Kell as she spoke to us through the open panel at the front of the carriage.


    As she drove the carriage''s six horses, she explained what his Grace had said to her.


    What I didn¡¯t tell her was that I¡¯d already heard him speak to her.


    As my Awareness-field had strengthened to block the wind trying to blow through me, it had also sharpened my senses more than it normally would. So I was able to clearly hear the Archduke tell her about the Archons at the fortress.


    Marina and Silvia looked afraid, and I didn¡¯t need the Awareness-field to read their emotions. In the darkness within the cabin, they were sitting beside each other now and holding hands.


    Neither of them was looking at me.


    Again, I could see all this because of the Awareness-field improving my eyesight in the dark.


    I bit down on the pain that sparked within me, and pushed aside a curtain to look outside the carriage.


    Night had fallen on the land of Caldera.


    A flash of light from behind us glinted against the glass window.


    Lightning soon followed by thunder.


    It was distant and faint, but I could hear it because the Awareness-field allowed me to.


    But it also made the noise of the carriage wheels turning on the dirt and stone road sound louder, and I found it growing upon my like an itch that I wanted to scratch away.


    I closed my eye and tried to get my thoughts in order.


    His Grace had gone into the fortress to face the Archons, but they had wanted the both of us.


    I was afraid he¡¯d the wrong choice. I should have gone with him instead of remaining confused and frightened inside the carriage.


    He had left orders that we were to camp at the foot of the mountain where the road levelled out. I asked the Seal if it knew how far that was from the fortress guarding the pass. A whispered reply in my mind said between three and four thousand feet. On horseback that would take under two minutes at a gallop, but I knew the horses were spent after a long day¡¯s travel. Even now, they were being coaxed down the road at a slow pace. If I took one of the horses and tried riding it back to the fortress, I would end up breaking it.


    What if I summoned Andraste?


    I had used it before to travel fast when I lost my horse after crossing the border. I had used it to flee from the soldiers and hide in a nearby forest on Caldera¡¯s side of the border.


    But my time merged with Andraste was limited.


    I could only use the Warlord for five to six minutes at best. Every minute after that, Andraste¡¯s response to my will and commands grew sluggish until eventually I couldn¡¯t move her at all. Even so, the Warlord would take me back to the fortress in under a minute. I was at least confident of that much.


    Drawing my legs up, I realized I was hindered by the dress. For a heartbeat I was tempted to tear a slit into it and make it easier for my legs to move. But the dress wasn¡¯t mine, and I didn¡¯t have the means to buy it or pay for its damages.


    Putting my legs back down, I continued thinking through my options.


    If I hurried to the fortress, I would be facing the Archons. If I remained here with the riders and the girls, I would risk drawing the Archons here. I didn¡¯t know if the Archons would harm these people, but could I take that chance.


    Enough people had died around me to last me a lifetime.


    I didn¡¯t want more innocent blood on my hands.


    So I came to a decision, and made my choice.


    I had done what the dream had asked of me. I had saved the Archduke of Caldera as it had urged me to do. But now that was over. His Grace was safe. He would not die in that forest as the dream had predicted.


    The only dream that would haunt me now was the dream of battle.


    The Dream of Ragnarok.


    It was the dream where I learnt to operate Andraste, and slowly gained mastery over her.


    As the carriage rocked on the uneven road, I closed my eyes and reached out to the Seal within me ¨C to the presence I could feel at the back of my mind like a faint pressure at the base of my skull.


    I told it what my intentions were and after a short while I received it¡¯s whisper of support.


    But something about that whisper, the way it was expressed, made my heart beat with regret and emptiness.


    I realized that while I¡¯d travelled with these people, I¡¯d stopped feeling hollow.


    But now that I¡¯d made my choice that emptiness began to return.


    I tried swallowing it down but failed.


    Little by little, I became an empty shell which is what I needed to become in order to survive on my own.


    #


    (Falken)


    #


    Durgess and his guardsmen escorted me on horseback into Fortress Belgar.


    I had expected the Jotnar to follow us into the fortress but they remained outside the walls.


    Passing through the double gates of the barbican, we rode together down a permacrete road that connected the east and west sides of the immense fortress.


    The Keep was divided into two rectangular slabs, one to the north and one to the south of the road with enclosed bridgeways connecting them high over the roadway.


    Partially enclosed courtyards occupied the space between the Keeps and the walls of the fortress.


    Durgess and his men, led me into a spacious courtyard in the shadow of the northern Keep.


    I guessed it to be four hundred feet across and two hundred feet wide. An awning stretched inwards along its perimeter, providing some relief from the drizzle. It was intersected by several wooden buildings constructed against the courtyard¡¯s three walls, including two long stable houses, each large enough for several dozen stalls. The other buildings looked like storage houses, and one of them resembled an enormous barn, possibly used for putting away wagons and carriages.


    Praying the drizzle would hold and not grow into a downpour, I dismounted from my horse, but was disinclined to just leave it there unattended. However, Durgess and his men dismounted too, and shortly one of the guardsmen took my horses reins and led the beast toward the stables.


    The Commandant approached me.


    ¡°This way, your Grace.¡±


    Replying with a blunt nod, I followed him into the northern Keep by way of an entrance at the base of a tower that bulged out from one corner of the rectangular building.


    Once inside, I climbed a number of stairs, and walked down a handful of corridors, before arriving at a metal stairwell that wound its way up the hollow inside of a wide tower.


    Durgess hesitated noticeably before climbing the metal stairs up to the landing high above our heads.


    I was certain by his reaction that the Archons awaited us in the observation deck of the tower that rose from the roof of the northern Keep, and this was where the stairwell led.


    Our boots on the metal stairs sounded loud in the confined space, almost matching the pounding in my chest.


    At the landing, Durgess pushed open the heavy wooden door reinforced with metal bands. He held it open and I stepped after him onto the observation deck.


    Before I could look around, Durgess surprised me.


    ¡°My apologies, your Grace, but I cannot accompany you.¡±


    ¡°And if I say otherwise?¡± I fixed upon him a hard stare, one that promised trouble if he didn¡¯t choose wisely.


    Durgess sighed. ¡°I must see to my men, and to the people of Fortress Belgar.¡±


    I turned my back on him. ¡°Do what you must.¡±


    The door closed behind me with a heavy thud, and shortly afterwards I heard the sound of his boots clanging on the metal stairs as he descended the tower at a fast, perhaps reckless pace.


    I looked around me.


    The observation deck was circular, and reminded me of a battlement except it had a round roof overhead, and the stairwell tower occupying the center of its floor space. The gap between the top of the parapet and the roof was open to the elements and I felt the drizzle laden breeze upon my face. Turning in a slow circle, I swept my gaze slowly, looking for the Archons.


    However, I found them not by using my eyes, but my weak Empathic talent.


    I sensed a void in the Ether, and turned toward it.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re there. Show yourself.¡±


    After a short while, the air where I sensed the void shimmered. Like two curtains being drawn aside, the air parted to reveal a woman clad in black from neck to toes, with long straight silver hair, and crimson eyes. It smiled and revealed two sharp canines.


    I recognized what I was looking at, and faced it with forced composure, while inwardly my heart continued to pound loudly in my chest, and my gloved palms threatened to break into a sweat.


    The creature standing a dozen feet away resembled a pretty, young woman, but I knew very well that it wasn¡¯t.


    She had long silver hair that hung down to her waist. Her face was oval shaped, with a petite nose over full lips. Crimson irises adorned her eyes under black eyelashes and thin silver eyebrows. Her slender body and full breasts were wrapped in a black outfit that showed no seams, no buckles, buttons, or belts. It wrapped her from neck to toes, exemplifying the contours of her body. On her feet she wore the strangest boots I¡¯d ever seen. They had a massive heel and appeared to make her stand on her toes. As with the rest of her clothes, there was no telling where her boots merged with the black suit covering her body.


    As eye catching as she was what struck me the most was her size¡­or rather her height.


    She was tall, perhaps taller than seven feet in height, and with long legs that seemed to run forever. She was also quite pretty, but the malicious glint I glimpsed in her eyes made me shiver uneasily, as did the long canines she flashed at me when she smiled.


    Like with Fallon, I sensed a void surrounding her.


    Unlike with Fallon, I feared a little for my life.


    ¡°Well, well, well. To think a man possessed such an affinity with the Ether to be able sense the void around me.¡±


    When it spoke, its voice had a melodious timbre, one that tugged at my mind and threatened to set it adrift. For a brief moment, I had to squeeze my eyes, and focus my awareness on the creature in front of me.


    The Archon ran its tongue over its lips. ¡°How troublesome¡­.¡±


    Keeping my arms firmly at my sides, I clenched my hands to stop them from trembling. The Archon glanced at them, then smiled again as she walked a couple of steps closer, folding her arms under an impressive pair of breasts that rivaled Chiren¡¯s.


    However, they fell well short of General Meyren Milerna¡¯s vaunted bust.


    I cleared my throat, and dragged my gaze back up to the Archon¡¯s face.


    She looked amused as she dropped her wait onto one shapely hip.


    ¡°Archduke, Falken Galen Claymore. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°You have me at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°That I do. My name is Calypso. I am an Archon Sora.¡±


    I blinked in recognition of her clan. ¡°You¡¯re an Archon of the skies.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Correct. Unlike the Archon Artemis that roam the lands, we Soras dominate the skies.¡±


    ¡°Then what reason do you have for being here¡ªon the ground?¡± I took a step toward her. ¡°What gives you the right to commandeer my fortress?¡±


    Her smile vanished in a heartbeat. ¡°At ease there, your Grace.¡±


    I was trembling now from both fear and anger. I so desperately wanted to land a solid hit to her jaw and send her flying. ¡°Your arrogance is less than appreciated, Archon.¡±


    She tipped her head back as she regarded me coldly. ¡°And your lack of respect is unbecoming.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    She crossed the distance to me in the blink of an eye. A heartbeat later, my feet dangled in the air as she held me up with one hand and a frigid grip on my throat.


    She drew her lips back in a snarl. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have tested my patience, your Grace. When I said I wanted you and the Wilder to come, I meant that. Sending her away was an insult you could ill afford.¡±


    Grabbing onto her arm with both my hands, I used my strength to ease the strain on my neck. Then I raised my legs, and kicked at her face with both my feet and every ounce of strength I could muster.


    The blow was hard enough to have sent a wooden door flying open.


    Against her, it snapped her head back. However, though she rocked on her feet it was only for a moment or two.


    ¡°Insolent grub,¡± she hissed, then casually tossed me aside.


    I flew through the air, and my back crashed into the stairwell wall. I couldn¡¯t get my feet under me in time, so I fell hard on my backside.


    My vision swam, but quickly settled.


    I had the Thread to thank for that.


    Without the symbiotic lifeform enhancing my body, I would have been knocked unconscious. As it was, the back of my head felt wet and sticky, and my shoulder blades ached in sharp pain.


    Calypso walked up to me, and kicked my outstretched legs aside. Then she squatted on her haunches and grabbed my chin with her right hand.


    ¡°We Archons have a directive to ensure humanity survives. We can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s encoded into us. That doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯ll tolerate your insolence. How we go about preserving humanity, protecting it, conserving it, is entirely debatable. You could say there¡¯s a lot of gray area regarding how we ensure humanity¡¯s continued existence.¡±


    She jerked my chin up higher, and I reflexively grabbed her arm with both my hands, stopping her.


    I didn¡¯t know if she was simply allowing it, or if my strength was enough to stop her.


    Either way, she looked unhappy.


    ¡°You have a lot to learn about showing your superiors the proper respect,¡± she snapped.


    I tightened my grip on her forearm until certain my gloved knuckles had turned white. Though she was still holding onto my jaw, I nonetheless managed a pained smile. ¡°Your time will come, Archon.¡±


    I saw her wince as I put all my strength into gripping her arm.


    Calypso¡¯s voice grew mocking. ¡°You¡¯re strong for a human. I¡¯ll give you that much.¡±


    With her free hand, she grabbed my neck and hoisted me up to my feet.


    Then she slammed me bodily into the wall, stunning me. Surprisingly my hands remained locked about her right arm¡­until she used her land to snap my right wrist at the joint.


    I howled in pain and lost strength. When she released me, I fell to my knees as I cradled my broken wrist. I feared Calypso would break my other wrist, but she simply stepped back and rubbed her right forearm over the black bodysuit she wore.


    Her melodious voice stung my ears. ¡°It¡¯s surprising how much the Thread amplifies your natural human strength. Without it, you humans would have a tough time with your environment. Your ancestors millennia ago didn¡¯t have the benefit of that Symbiotic organism. They had to tough it out.¡±


    I scooted backwards along the floor until my back hit the stairwell wall, still cradling my broken wrist. The pain had caused my body to break out in a sweat, and I breathed low and shallow but it was making me dizzy. I swallowed a number of times, my voice hoarse with pain. ¡°My ancestors¡­didn¡¯t need¡­your kind.¡±


    ¡°Well, your ancestor created us because they thought otherwise. And now we¡¯re stuck with the job of babysitting your kind until the end of days.¡±


    She paced in a circle and then walked back to me, squatting down beside me once more.


    I glared at her, and repositioned my right arm against my chest. ¡°Then my ancestors made a grave error.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± She snorted and cocked her head. ¡°Do you know why you¡¯re kind are here on this planet. Because your ancestors read the writing on the wall and decided to pack up and move out of town before the wall came down. They made a mess of their home systems, so they travelled to new worlds. And this time, they decided humanity was going to have to do a better job, and so they created us to be your custodians. The instructed us to follow the Galactic Ley Lines, thinking it would lead them to habitable worlds. And guess what? They struck gold. Not just this world, but many others, all ripe for human colonization.¡±


    She reached out and grabbed my hair, using it to jerk my head back until it hit the wall.


    I winched against the impact, and sucked in a lungful of air.


    My vision swam and for a moment I lost my sense of smell.


    Despite this, I could feel broken wrist was beginning to mend. The agony of a minute ago was now a burning, throbbing sensation that made my entire right arm limp. In a week, maybe less, the joint will have mended. This was the power of the Thread inside me.


    However, it couldn¡¯t spare me from every new pain I received at Calypso¡¯s hands.


    Calypso drew her face close to mine. ¡°As I said, our ingrained directive is to ensure humanity survives. But in what shape or form is entirely up to us. We can have you squabbling around in the mud, or we can allow you to develop your science and technology, build your cities, and make the same mistakes all over again. However, on this world, the Archon Regent Dhas graciously decreed that humanity will be given another chance. A chance to gain its legs, and a chance not to screw up again. If it were up to me, I¡¯d have all of you living in caves and hunting like Neanderthals for your meat and wearing nothing but skin rags, beating each other over the head for the right to mate with the female of your choice.¡±


    With her grip on my hair, I had no choice but to look into her eyes as she continued her diatribe.


    ¡°Would you believe that we Archons have ongoing arguments over preservation versus protection? Then again, we argue over preservation versus conservation. However, let¡¯s start with the former. According to one ancient text, preservation is a stricter sense of protection. To be more specific, preservation implies no change to the subject, or rather the subject is preserved in a particular state of being. Protection does not. The subject is allowed change. Thus the subject is allowed to grow, to mature, and to evolve.


    ¡°This begs the question, is humanity being preserved or not? Are we allowing you to change, and if so, to what degree? Is it an evolutionary change? Is it a cultural change? For that matter, has humanity as a species taken a step forward or back under our watch?¡± She looked around at the interior of the observation deck. ¡°The fact that humans are still at odds with each other would imply that your kind haven¡¯t changed at all. Still making the same mistakes over and over again. History repeats, but no one is learning from the lessons written in history.¡±


    I swallowed hard, and tried to ignore the pain that lanced out from my wrist with every heartbeat. ¡°What history? You Archons have denied us our history. You took away everything we had and left us with just the clothes on our backs. Over the last five centuries we¡¯ve had to relearn everything, and we¡¯re still learning.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°And the Regent is seeing nothing new. You¡¯re still arguing and fighting each other. You still haven¡¯t escaped or corrected your base failings. And do you know what that means for you?¡±


    ¡°Just tell me. I know you¡¯re going to. I know you want to.¡±


    ¡°It means that if you don¡¯t fix your mistakes¡ªif you don¡¯t learn to get along¡ªour peace loving Regent will decide to reset humanity on this world.¡±


    I frowned at her, which was hard since she was still pulling my head up by my hair. ¡°Reset? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°It means we wipe you out, reset the clock, and you get to start all over again¡ªfrom scratch.¡± She smiled and bared her fangs in the process. ¡°That means we get to redraw the map, and we get to reseed the planet with a fresh human crop.¡±


    My eyes widened in horror. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, does that surprise you?¡± She pointed up at the roof. ¡°This lights that twinkle in the night sky. Some of those aren¡¯t stars. They¡¯re the galactic arks that we guided here. They¡¯re not empty. We still have the genetic blueprints for a hundred thousand people. All we need is to drop them into a maturation tank and voila! Instead fresh batch of colonists. Maybe this time, we¡¯ll make some tweaks in your genetic code. Maybe this time, we¡¯ll make you stupider and less hostile to each other.¡±


    I looked into both her crimson eyes in turn. ¡°You really hate us, don¡¯t you? Why? Or are you afraid of us¡ª?¡±


    She forcefully banged my head into the wall. ¡°Afraid of you? Are you serious? Don¡¯t make me laugh. You are nothing compared to us. Nothing. When we yell jump, you yell how high. Do you get me little worm?¡±


    I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling the blow work its way across my skull then down my neck. When I could open my eyes again, I focused on her face and laughed at her.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not afraid of us. You¡¯re afraid of the Khans and their Warlord¡ª¡±


    She banged my head again. ¡°Afraid? No. Hardly. Curious, yes. Interested, yes. Annoyed, definitely. Most definitely. The Khans and their Warlords are pests that we tolerate. But that¡¯s all. We tolerate them. Do you understand, primate?¡±


    She released my head, and I breathed out heavily in relief.


    Free of her, I shifted my posture on the floor, sitting myself better with my back to the curved wall. Without the wall¡¯s support, I would have collapsed onto the cold floor. ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    She stood up and sneered down at me. ¡°Very well. If you have to know, then I¡¯ll tell you. After all, it makes no difference if you sent the Wilder away from here. We can find her whenever we want.¡±


    I swallowed a couple of times. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Calypso¡¯s sneer turned into a scowl. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the way it is, primate. Accept it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still waiting to hear your explanation. Why are you here?¡±¡±


    She waved her hand horizontally.


    I was startled to see a large black, almond shaped object appear beside her. It became visible the same way she did ¨C the air parted aside and revealed the floating device.


    ¡°You¡¯re protecting that Wilder,¡± Calypso stated, ¡°without knowing her circumstances.¡±


    I tore my gaze away from the black floating almond and faced Calypso. ¡°That¡¯s my concern, not yours. She¡¯ll tell me when she¡¯s ready.¡±


    A look of stark disbelief spread across her face. ¡°Wait¡ªyou haven¡¯t even asked her?¡±


    Calypso started to laugh, truly laugh, and hearing her made my chest boil in helpless anger.


    She wiped away very human tears, and took a couple of breaths to regain her composure.


    ¡°Very well. Have it your way.¡± Planting her hands on her hips, she smiled cruelly down at me. ¡°This is going to be interesting.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me, Archon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re hunting an anomaly, and your Khan Wilder is going to help us catch it.¡±

 Draft 2.0 - Book One - Chapter 9

    Apologies. Not proof read yet. Hoping to have the rest of Part I of the novel posted between now and the end of April.


    Many thanks to those of you who are still reading it.


    <hr />


    Chapter 9.


    It can be said that during those years prior to the Upheaval, only the sovereign territory of Sangreal could oppose an eastward advance by the Anderas Empire.


    Sangreal was ruled by a queen regnant, Cassidea Sveraine, and was a matriarchal domain with six borders, eyed thereby on all sides by hungry eyes, especially those of the north who viewed Sangreal¡¯s vast, verdant farming lands with envy. Long before the Anderas Empire was born, and long before the first Jotnar stomped across the lands, Faltera had made a push with an army of a hundred thousand men into Sangreal, with the intention of capturing the farming lands to the north of the region. This was met with swift and decisive opposition from Sangreal, under the command of Queen Solveig Sveraine, who proved an able commander of her land¡¯s military might.


    Solveig was considered a Warrior Queen who led her armies into battle, and was blessed with an enormous Empath Weaver talent the likes of which has yet to be seen again, though during the Upheaval many people considered Alleyne of Caldera to be a monstrous power in her own right. Then again, her siblings were also strongly gifted with the Ether, in particular her brother, the young Archduke, who was regarded as a man with an unrivaled Ether Kinetic ability.


    Considering that Sangreal was a matriarchal land, and the Anderas Empire was ruled by an Empress, it is surprising to learn that both territories viewed each other with disdain and distrust. In fact, the two powerful lands had the frostiest of relationships. And while reluctant to go to war against the other, they maintained a sizeable contingent of their respective armies facing each other across a thousand kilometers of border.


    As such, it is less surprising that when the Upheaval came to pass, both lands were the last to enter the fray, since neither one wanted to risk an invitation to invasion by weakening their respective armies.


    Excerpt from The North In Flames


    A History of War in the First Millennium


    (Chiren)


    #


    We¡¯d no sooner descended to the foot of the climb up to the mountain pass, where the road was bordered by open ground suitable for setting up camp, than Kessler Rohayne rode up to me with a stony expression on his face.


    ¡°Knight-Commander, a word please.¡±


    I stared flatly down at him from the carriage¡¯s driver seat. ¡°Thanks for giving me a moment to get down, Captain.¡±


    He edged his horse away, putting a few yards between himself and the carriage.


    ¡°Wait beside the carriage,¡± I said to Irvin.


    I climbed down unhurriedly, pulled off my gloves, and walked to the carriage door.


    I banged on it loud enough to be heard.


    Marina poked her head through the window. ¡°Are we stopping?¡±


    ¡°For now. We¡¯ll set up camp.¡±


    ¡°Can we get out?¡± she asked with noticeable urgency, then added, ¡°Nature calls.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yes, by all means.¡±


    Stepping back, I watched Marina and Silvia climb out off the cabin in a hurry, the former carrying an Etheric lantern that began to shine as she stepped away from the carriage. Silvia followed her fellow maid quickly.


    However, Fallon remained seated inside.


    Looking into the darkened interior, I asked, ¡°Lady Fallon¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that.¡± Her words were whispered harshly.


    I swallowed abruptly. ¡°Fallon¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leave me be. Just go. Leave me be.¡±


    Suddenly the carriage door slammed shut. I didn¡¯t even see her move, and it frightened me enough to make me step back in a hurry.


    I heard her voice through the carriage¡¯s open windows. ¡°Don¡¯t keep him waiting, Lady Kell.¡±


    She had closed the door literally on my efforts to reach out to her.


    Not knowing what to say, and my heart beating with worry, I took a deep breath, then walked to the front of the carriage where I appropriated one of the vehicle¡¯s Etheric lanterns. Carrying it with me, I walked away from the carriage, stepping past Rohayne who had dismounted and now followed me on foot, carrying a night stick with him. I didn¡¯t come to a stop until we were a dozen yards or so from the black carriage.


    Looking around, I noticed the platoon riders had dismounted but no effort was being made to set up camp for the night.


    I faced Rohayne. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Captain? Do you want your men to get wet?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not camping until I have some answers, Knight-Commander.¡±


    ¡°So what are you asking? You know as much as I do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what his Grace said. He said you were aware of the situation, and that¡¯s why he was leaving you in charge.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in charge, Captain, because I outrank you. Or are you contemplating insubordination?¡±


    ¡°I am contemplating the lives of my men, Knight-Commander, and the lives of those girls.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°So I want answers. I want to know what possible reason the Archons could have for taking over the fortress.¡±


    I studied at him carefully, doing my best to judge him with my weak Ether Empath talent. I didn¡¯t like what I read on the flows as they passed through his body and carried his emotions imprinted on them. However, there was a severe risk that not telling him would lead to dire repercussions for all of us, including Falken.


    ¡°A Khan Wilder,¡± I said softly.


    He blinked sharply, and drew back. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They are here for the Khan Wilder,¡± I answered. ¡°However, his Grace chose not to hand her over and entered the fortress to face the Archons.¡±


    ¡°Hand her over?¡± At first his eyes narrowed, then they widened when he looked in the direction of the carriage. ¡°That girl¡­the one that stayed inside¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is a Khan Wilder. She was in Gaellen Forest during the battle between House Kurama¡¯s Jotnar and ours. And she saved the Archduke¡¯s life.¡±


    Rohayne looked stunned, and I thought he would drop the glowing nightstick in his left hand. ¡°She did what?¡±


    ¡°His Grace came within a whisker of losing his life. She was there, and she saved him, killing a Kuraman Jotunn-Knight in the process.¡± I raised my chin at him. ¡°In short, Captain, she took a life, to save a life¡ªthat of the Archduke¡¯s.¡±


    Rohayne swallowed loudly. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°I have no reason to doubt him, Captain. I¡¯ve known Falken Claymore for almost all my life. I trust that he told me the truth.¡± After a moment, I added, ¡°Because he feels indebted to her, his Grace has promised to protect her. And that is why he went to face the Archons alone.¡±


    The cavalry captain stared at the black carriage, barely discernible in the darkness.


    I did too¡­and noticed something odd.


    Irvin was feeding grain to the horses, and had slung an Etheric lantern around his chest, casting him and the animals nearby in a pale emerald light.


    However, the lanterns that hung from the rear and sides of the carriage were also glowing pale emerald in the night. That shouldn¡¯t have been possible, unless Fallon had mastered how to minimize the void that surrounded her, thus limiting how far she warded away the Ether.


    I took step toward the carriage and stopped when I saw Marina and Silvia approaching it.


    Marina carried the lantern, and opened the carriage door.


    I watched her stand motionless for a long, disturbing moment, then suddenly whirl about and run around the back of the carriage.


    Then she began calling out Fallon¡¯s name, holding the Etheric lantern outstretched before her.


    Silvia did the same, after quickly pulling free one of the carriage¡¯s exterior mounted lanterns.


    ¡°Oh no¡­,¡± I whispered, and felt the blood drain from my face. I almost dropped the lantern I carried as a cold chill ran down my body.


    Rohayne approached me but I could sense he was looking at the carriage and the girls moving frantically in the darkness. ¡°What are they doing?¡±


    Dear gods, I prayed, please let me be wrong.


    But when Marina and Silvia began hurrying toward me, I knew that I wasn¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± I breathed out in a heavy shudder. ¡°She¡¯s gone¡­.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s gone?¡±


    ¡°Fallon¡¯s gone.¡± The lantern trembled, then shook in my hand. ¡°Fallon¡¯s gone¡­the Khan Wilder¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°¡­what¡­?¡± he whispered in shock.


    My eyes began to search the darkness, quickly turning toward where I faintly perceived the road leading up to Fortress Belgar a half kilometer away at entrance to the mountain pass.


    Then the hairs on the back of my neck rose sharply.


    It was a premonition of something terrible that went beyond the fact that Fallon had run away.


    For some reason I looked up into the sky above the carriage, and I sensed rather than saw something fall through the air.


    Time slowed down for me.


    I saw Marina and Silvia half running toward me.


    I heard them cry out, ¡°Lady Kell.¡±


    And I felt the impact of something unseen land on the opposite side of the carriage.


    The ground shook like I¡¯d never experienced before.


    It wasn¡¯t an earth tremor. It was as though something had punched the ground so hard that it buckled and raced outward from the point of impact like a giant earth wave.


    The carriage flew skyward more than twenty feet, kicked upward by the expanding ring of dirt, soil, and rock. The six horses hitched to the carriage whined in terror as they too were tossed into the air. I saw harness chains snap, and the beasts tumble free to the ground. But I didn¡¯t hear them fall, I didn¡¯t hear them break, because by then the wall of dirty air had reached us.


    Before it hit us, it swallowed up Marina and Silvia who were half running toward us.


    I had one last glimpse of the girls disappear from sight, before I too was flung into the air as helpless as a rag doll.


    I landed on my back with my ears ringing, and the taste of blood in mouth.


    I don¡¯t know how long I lay on the ground, not knowing how badly I was broken, but I suddenly felt hands on me.


    ¡°¡­Kell¡­!¡±


    My eyes wouldn¡¯t focus. Then again, there was nothing but darkness around.


    ¡°Kell¡ª!¡±


    I blinked drunkenly at the shadow above me.


    Then the shadow was cast in weak emerald light, and I saw Rohayne¡¯s frantic face staring down at me.


    ¡°Kell¡ªcan you hear me?¡±


    Before I could nod in reply, he looked away.


    Somewhere in the distance, I could hear men shouting wildly. Those shouts turned into agonized screams that ended abruptly.


    I could hear horses bolting into the darkness, whining in terror.


    And I could hear the sounds of wood splintering and innately understood that was the sound of wagons being smashed.


    Rohayne had a broken nightstick on him, and by its light I saw him stare about in despair, before he picked me up and hoisted me to my feet.


    By the light of dozens of scattered lanterns and nightsticks, I saw the devastation on the open ground to the north of the road.


    Horses lay broken on the ground.


    Men too, crying pitifully from injuries suffered.


    The wagons were in pieces, their contents strewn about as though by a storm.


    A half dozen yards away, two bodies lay prone on the ground, caught in the weak light of broken Etheric lamp.


    My heart twisted as I recognized Marina and Silvia.


    All around me the Ether swirled and roiled as it was disrupted by some incredibly strong void field.


    For a heartbeat I feared all this was done by Fallon, but then I realized I was wrong.


    In the short time I¡¯d known her, Fallon had never struck me as someone malicious, and what I was seeing now was malicious to the core.


    Some of the riders had survived and now fled on horseback. Some of them ran on foot. As I watched them flee, one man was picked up in the air by something unseen, and then slammed into the ground. A moment later the remains of a wagon was kicked into the air, and sent hurtling toward a cluster of fleeing men. It crashed into them, sending them tumbling to the four points of the compass.


    And then the air grew still as though we¡¯d entered the eye of the storm.


    Rohayne tossed the nightstick aside, then grabbed me by the arms, turning me bodily around.


    ¡°Run,¡± he cried out. ¡°It¡¯s the Khan Wilder!¡±


    Something we couldn¡¯t see ¨C something invisible ¨C had attacked us. I believe it wasn¡¯t Fallon, and that left only one possibility. ¡°No¡ªit¡¯s not Fallon.¡±


    I ran beside him, away from the devastation, and away from the road.


    When we first arrived at the climb, I remembered seeing woodlands to the north. They shouldn¡¯t be far, but could we hope to flee in time.


    ¡°Not Fallon,¡± I told him. ¡°The Archons.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Archons,¡± I repeated, then concentrated on not falling in the darkness.


    With the clouds blanketing the sky, we had no light to guide us. I had lost my grip on the Etheric lantern and Rohayne had tossed his nightstick to hide us in the dark.


    We ran on instinct, our strides high as we hoped to avoid stumbling on what we couldn¡¯t see.


    Then I heard the unmistakable sound of running footfalls and the ground trembled behind us.


    I tried to run faster but I was already at my limit, and everything changed in a heartbeat.


    One moment he was running beside me.


    The next moment, Rohayne disappeared into the night.


    He didn¡¯t even have time to cry out, and was flung so far away I didn¡¯t hear his body land.


    Then it was my turn.


    I had changed direction as fast as I could, but it was futile tactic.


    Something that felt like steel claws wrapped themselves around my torso, and lifted me off the ground.


    I thought I too would be thrown into the wilderness, but fate was not so kind to me.


    The claws clenched and my ribs cracked as my body was crushed.


    I screamed in agony ¨C pure agony.


    Mercifully it lasted only a moment.


    Then I fell into darkness as my consciousness faded away into the depths of the night.


    #


    (Falken)


    #


    I couldn¡¯t hold back a frown as I stared up at Calypso grinning cruelly at me.


    ¡°An anomaly?¡± I asked between sharp breaths.


    With my right wrist wrapped in the glove and gauntlet, I didn¡¯t know how badly my wrist was snapped. But from what I could feel by using my left hand, it seemed like a clean break. I could also feel the Thread inside my forearm reaching into the bone, torn muscle and sinew, busily mending it.


    Calypso folded her arms. ¡°Allow me to explain, primate.¡±


    The black, almond shaped machine that floated beside her, now descended smoothly until it floated two feet above the ground and three feet in front of me, with its pointed end facing me.


    The top of the foot long device began to glow, before a wide translucent curtain of light shone into the air above it. The curtain grew opaque like a thickly smoked glass window, such that it was hard to see through it.


    Calypso declared in a superior, haughty tone, ¡°I¡¯ll try to make this simple for you, primate, so pay attention.¡±


    I watched a familiar map of the Northern Continent appear in the smoked window.


    The borders of all thirteen sovereign territories were clearly displayed, including natural details such as mountains, rivers, and lakes. For a moment, my eyes were drawn to Caldera, but then I decided to study the whole map instead.


    I was distracted by the appearance of a second floating black almond, also a foot long, appear to the left of Calypso. The device floated down below her backside, and the air shimmered above it in a horizontal band.


    To my surprise, Calypso sat down on the shimmering air as though it were a chair.


    The Archon woman calmly crossed her legs, while keeping her arms crossed beneath her breasts.


    ¡°We Archons have the means to detect when a Khan Wilder is sired. For a few days after the event, we are able to detect their presence. But once the Archetype, or Seal of Arcala, matures beyond the initial birthing phase, it learns how to hide itself from us. You see, the Seal of Arcala radiates a unique energy signature that spikes in intensity when the Khan Wilder summons their Warlord for the first time. Its output falls in magnitude and eventually¡ªa few days later¡ªthe Seal learns how to mask itself from our Sentinels. Once that happens, we have only one way to sense their presence.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t able to follow everything she was saying, but I understood enough to say, ¡°The Ether. You Archons can sense the void in the Ether that surrounds the Khans.¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Calypso began to twirl her right index finger in the air. ¡°A Khan Wilder usually takes many weeks, sometimes months, to learn how to reduce the void that encapsulates them. During this time, our Sentinels can sense the disturbance they produce in the Ether as they move through it. It¡¯s the same principle behind the use of micro changes in air density to detect movement.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I have no idea what you mean by that.¡±


    She stopped twirling her finger and instead lightly waved her hand about. ¡°That¡¯s quite alright. It¡¯s not a method we use these days. However, by dotting the Northern Continent with thousands of Sentinels, we¡¯ve created a grid¡ªa sensor network¡ªwith enough resolution and sensitivity to recognize shifts in the Ether that are unnatural, such as someone brushing it aside as they move.¡± She smiled in dismay. ¡°Unfortunately, matters are complicated by the ever increasing number of Jotnar moving about and churning the Ether, so we¡¯re consistently having to fine tune the Sentinels to filter out the effects of Etheric engines. We still have a long way to go.¡±


    Ever increasing number of Jotnar?


    I decided to make a mental note of that for later¡­if there was a later.


    Calypso paused as though waiting for me. ¡°Paying attention, primate?¡±


    I leaned my head back against the wall. ¡°I¡¯m listening, Archon.¡±


    Placing both hands on her thigh, Calypso said, ¡°Keeping track of all the Khans and Khan Wilders that inhabit the Northern Continent is proving to be difficult, even for us Archons. Because of the shifts in the Ether and disturbances generated by Etheric drives, we occasionally lose track of the Khans and Wilders, and the network often fails to reacquire them. When we do happen to pick them up again, we¡¯re uncertain if they are the same Khans we were tracking before. There are other factors working against us, which makes it all a difficult task. However, we have time on our side to refine and perfect our methods¡­or at least that¡¯s what we thought.¡±


    Rather than frown at her, I narrowed my eyes instead. ¡°Something changed.¡±


    Her grin flourished into a smile. ¡°Yes. You are correct. Something did indeed change, and that was discovery of the anomaly.¡± She held up a finger. ¡°We call the anomaly the Progenitor.¡±


    I swallowed cautiously before asking, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because we believe the Progenitor is siring Khan Wilders.¡±


    ¡°Siring? You mean branding people with the Seal of Arcala?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I could hardly believe my ears, but decided to keep an open mind. Even so, my mind was in turmoil as my thoughts raced.


    The source of the Khans¡ªthe one responsible for turning people like Fallon into Khan Wilders. Could it be true?


    I studied Calypso¡¯s face, but grudgingly admitted I couldn¡¯t read past her evil smile. If she was lying to me, she was doing an admirable job. There was no doubt she was studying me as well, gauging my reaction to this revelation by some measure in her mind. However, what troubled me more than the possibility that she was lying, was that Calypso had said Fallon was the key to finding the anomaly.


    Before I could ask her why, there was something else I needed to know.


    ¡°Why do you believe this anomaly is the Progenitor?¡±


    ¡°Whenever a Khan Wilder is born, or sired, there is a breach into our reality with the same characteristics as the breach that takes place when a Warlord steps into our realm. In other words, there is a breach between this realm and what the Khans refer to as Limbo space.¡±


    ¡°Limbo¡­.¡±


    She nodded once, and dropped her smile. ¡°Indeed. Leaving the religious connotation aside, this breach takes place before and after the Wilder is sired. During that time, our Sentinels record a disturbance in the Ether indicative of a Void-field. However, whenever our satellites position themselves for a look, they see nothing but a distortion. It¡¯s a stealth cloak we cannot penetrate. And it¡¯s not just our satellites that fail to see through the cloak. Our Sentinels also fail to record a proper visual on the anomaly. In fact, we¡¯ve experienced Sentinel failures when the anomaly enters their vicinity. Making matters worse, the anomaly¡¯s cloak is getting better at hiding itself from us. Sometimes, the only reason we know the anomaly has emerged into this realm is because the Sentinels record the opening and closing of a breach. Using that, we zero in on the anomaly¡¯s position. However, like I said before, once the Khan Wilder is gifted with the Seal the anomaly disappears shortly afterwards.¡±


    Swallowing the moisture in my mouth, I took another partly labored breath. ¡®What does this have to do with Fallon?¡±


    ¡°Fallon? Is that what you call the Khan Wilder?¡±


    ¡°Fallon is her name.¡±


    ¡°Shut up and listen, primate.¡± Calypso tapped her lips, and made shushing sound.


    I glared at her, and not for the first time wished I had the means to knock her into next month. However, I didn¡¯t dare risk making another move against her. Leaving aside the fact she was immensely strong, I had no idea what the almond shaped devices could do.


    I also wanted to know more about why she was here.


    Calypso continued after a heartbeat. ¡°With the Sentinel surveillance grid almost completed, we are now able to track the anomaly when it enters and leaves our reality¡ªour time-space¡ªbut we¡¯ve been unable to intercept it. We¡¯ve been trying to do so for many years, and we¡¯re conscious that the Progenitor is aware of our efforts. In fact, until recently, the Progenitor rarely spent more than an hour in our realm. But that changed about a month ago¡±¡ªCalypso leaned forward eagerly¡ª¡°and the hunt for the Progenitor began in earnest.¡±


    ¡°Why? What changed?¡±


    ¡°The Progenitor¡¯s modus operandi. That¡¯s what changed.¡± She sat back with a hungry smile bending her lips. ¡°Now, let me turn back the clock to four weeks ago.¡±


    The map in the smoked window of light grew large until the southern half of Reinvald and northern half of Caldera filled it. It continued to grow until the south-west corner of Reinvald was the only thing visible, pushing Caldera out of sight.


    I saw what looked like forests, roads, rivers, a mountain range, and bright orange dots that represented villages quite a distance apart.


    The map grew again, and stopped when I could see a village bordered to the north, south, and west by dense woodlands, though there was considerable open ground between the village and the forests.


    Glancing at Calypso, I asked, ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°This is the village from whence your Khan Wilder heralds.¡±


    ¡°Fallon¡¯s village?¡±


    Calypso looked irritated. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that?¡±


    I swallowed tightly and held back a scathing retort.


    Calypso pointed at the map. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, primate. Look at the map.¡±


    Pressing my lips together, I focused my attention on the map.


    After a short while, Calypso began again. ¡°A little over four weeks ago, the Progenitor sired two human females in the span of a day. First one in the early morning hours, the second late in the night. Unfortunately for them, they were almost killed by the villagers when the first Khan Wilder was discovered. The two girls escaped their captors and fled in the morning, taking shelter in the forest to the south. However, they did not run away and waited until nightfall whereupon one of them snuck back into the village.¡±


    The map lost its colors, becoming a painting of the village, surrounding plains, and forests in shades of grey. There were dots of white light in the village and two in the forest.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    I had the sudden impression those dots represented people.


    Calypso continued after a pausing for a long moment. ¡°That image is a thermal scan taken from a high altitude surveillance drone. The two heat signatures in the forest are the two girls, but only one of them is a Khan Wilder. The other one had yet to be sired.¡±


    Heat signatures? Does she mean body heat?


    The image changed a few times, and I watched one dot move from the forest to the village. It entered where there were no people. As the images continued to change, the lone dot exited a large building with another big dot behind it. I assumed it was stealing a horse or two. However, a throng of other dots representing the villagers quickly surrounded it. A handful of images later, the dot was swamped by the villagers, and became indistinguishable from them.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go into detail,¡± Calypso said, ¡°but suffice to say that the villagers met a grisly end when the Khan Wilder summoned its Warlord.¡±


    The image changed, and I sensed a significant amount of time had passed. This was because all the dots were congregated around the center of the village ¨C probably the plaza ¨C and one dot occupied the inside of the ring they formed. Suddenly, with each subsequent image the congregated dots began to flee from the center dot. Some ran into the village buildings, but the vast majority escaped into open ground, and it was obvious they were running to the forests. But soon the number of dots began to grow faint.


    First, the dots sheltering in the village flared brightly then quickly faded until they were barely visible. Then the same happened to those dots running away for the false safety of the forests.


    Something was cutting them down.


    Something that had no light.


    When all the dots but one had dimmed, the images stopped moving.


    Slowly I turned my eyes toward Calypso.


    She cocked her head at me. ¡°That¡¯s right, primate. They died. Slaughtered like helpless little pigs. Men, women, children. All dead, and before any of them succeeded hiding in the forests.¡±


    Ever so gradually, I began to shake my head. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No, what?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± I repeated. ¡°Fallon did not do this.¡±


    Her canines looked larger as she drew her lips back and smiled viciously at me.


    ¡°Are you so sure of that, primate?¡±


    #


    (Fallon)


    #


    When the earth shook, I felt it because I was standing still in the midst of towering trees.


    By then I¡¯d run far away from the road and was pretty well inside the woods to the north, about two thousand feet away from where I left the carriage and riders behind.


    I was running with the power given to me by the Seal of Arcala inside my body ¨C a power that made me stronger than any man, and strong enough to fend off the forest beasts, including the large kuma.


    I was running with the strength that I¡¯d hidden from the Archduke, from Marina, from Silvia, from Lady Kell, and everyone else since coming to Caldera.


    It was this strength that had kept me alive during my month on the run.


    And it was the strength I hoped would save the people I left behind.


    The Seal was afraid the Archons would come for me, and I was afraid that if they did they would hurt the people with me. I didn¡¯t want that to happen, and I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    By running away ¨C by putting distance between them and me ¨C I hoped to spare Lady Kell, Marina, Silvia, and the riders from harm, because like the Seal, I believed the Archons would harm them if I stayed with them.


    I had thought of running back to the fortress, and of saving his Grace, but the Seal warned me that I did not possess the strength to fight the Archons. And even if I did, what would I do then? If I defeated the Archons, which was probably impossible, what would happen to his Grace, to his people, and to Caldera?


    And why did the Archons want me? What had I done to them?


    That made me consider of a second option ¨C giving myself up peacefully.


    I came to a stop in between the trees, and stared at the ground.


    The Archons haven¡¯t hurt anyone. But maybe by running away I¡¯ve made things worse.


    I looked up and stared through the gloom. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness quickly, and I could see the nearby trees and terrain beneath my feet. I knew my Awareness-field was responsible for this, and I was grateful for it.


    But now as I looked into the dark distance, I felt as though I¡¯d committed a grave mistake.


    By running away, I was afraid I may have angered the Archons.


    I didn¡¯t know much about them, but the Seal warned me they were not to be trusted. I didn¡¯t know why it said this, or how much it knew about them, but the Seal had never lied to me¡­as far as I knew.


    And then I felt the ground tremble.


    In a heartbeat, I turned around and faced south in the direction of the carriage and cavalry riders.


    A terrible feeling washed over me, and squeezed at my heart painfully.


    I clutched my chest.


    ¡°Marina¡­Silvia¡­.¡±


    The Seal had become quiet, but now it broke its silence, and suddenly I felt my Awareness-field balloon like never before. I could feel everything within a hundred feet around me. With the field so strong and wide, I could also feel the ground tremors.


    They felt like footfalls, reminding of the Jotnar I¡¯d encountered in the past month.


    But these footfalls were different, more powerful, more menacing.


    Something large was causing them ¨C something that wasn¡¯t a Jotnar ¨C and the Seal was certain it wasn¡¯t another Warlord.


    Then I heard shouts, yells, and screams.


    They were the screams of terrified men.


    Deep in the depths of my mind, I had heard screams like those before, yet I couldn¡¯t remember where or when.


    For a brief moment my head ached.


    However, it did not stop me from walking south, back to those people I had left behind.


    As the screams endured, my steps grew more hurried.


    Then there was silence. No more screams. No more yells.


    I stopped walking and crouched beside a stout tree as thick as a wagon wheel was tall.


    I closed my eyes, and concentrated on what I sensed through the Awareness-field. My whole body was tense as I waited for the silence to be broken because I was sure it would be, and after a dozen seconds or more, I heard and felt running footfalls on the ground.


    The Seal spoke softly in my mind, and I listened to it.


    Two people. They were distant, and they were running toward the forest.


    Then I heard harder, more powerful footfalls behind them ¨C chasing them.


    I opened my eyes and began running toward those two people.


    The strength that had saved me, I would now use to save them from whatever it was that pursued them.


    Without warning one of those human footsteps vanished.


    Then the second set of footsteps changed direction, and came to a sudden end a few seconds later.


    The ground trembled for a moment or two.


    Then a scream cut the air ¨C a woman¡¯s scream.


    It was the kind of scream that reached deep into your body and made every hair on your back stand up.


    It was a scream of intense agony.


    It lasted for a long while in the air, then faded quickly.


    I was still running, and when that scream faded into silence, I raised my hand and shouted out a single word.


    ¡°ANDRASTE!¡±


    Now it was my shout that made the night air tremble.


    A heartbeat and three running strides later, a white mist billowed out all around me.


    Andraste had responded to my call.


    The breach between this realm and the one the Seal called Limbo took place. The opening widened and through it emerged the Warlord¡¯s Sarcophagus. But not all of it. I sensed a large part of it remained behind, hiding in Limbo.


    The Sarcophagus opened its doors, and the skeletal armor that was my Warlord, Andraste, stepped out. As she did, I felt myself lifted into the air by invisible hands, and float toward the standing Warlord. My legs merged with the armor. It was like stepping into another set of legs, but these legs connected to Andraste, while leaving the rest of my body free of the Warlord. I wasn¡¯t wearing Andraste, and I certainly wasn¡¯t inside her, but I was definitely a part of her.


    When the Sarcophagus retreated into Limbo, the opening between that realm and this one closed in a second, and the cold mist no longer billowed into the woods. I knew it would be gone in a minute or so, though much of it had already faded away seconds later.


    I ran again, but now I ran with the strength of my Warlord.


    In the dim darkness, the trees flashed by me at great speed. I was moving faster than a galloping horse, but I knew I could do better. Once, during my time on the run, I had drawn out Andraste¡¯s power to jump and skip great distances. It had felt like I was running on air with wings extending from Andraste¡¯s feet.


    I concentrated on the need to move faster, and suddenly my body and the Warlord¡¯s felt lighter.


    I glanced down to see thick rings of blue-white light surrounded her feet.


    I was still running, but now every step took me farther.


    Adjusting my leaping strides, I was careful not to crash into the trees, or to brush against them as I rushed by. After running with Andraste for a half minute or less, I almost flew out of the woods and into open ground. Under my will, Andraste skidded to a halt. It was better to say she floated to a quick halt and then dropped to the ground.


    My Awareness-field was now even wider than before. I felt it reached as far as three hundred feet around me. Using it quickly, I searched for moment and for life.


    The Seal sent me a thought. It was certain that the scream had come from ahead of us, a few hundred feet closer to the road.


    I willed Andraste into a crouch, then leapt low and far over the ground. The rings of light surrounded her feet, and I began to run again.


    Without the trees to trouble us, I was able to run faster, and I almost felt as though Andraste¡¯s feet didn¡¯t even touch the ground anymore.


    Then the Awareness-field sensed something off to my left, and I changed direction quickly.


    I came to a stop a few yards short of an unconscious man lying in the tall grass. Stepping over to him carefully, I used Andraste¡¯s right hand to turn him over.


    He was wearing the leather riding clothes of the cavalry riders who¡¯d journeyed with us.


    Suddenly his eyes opened.


    I didn¡¯t know if he could see me in the darkness, but to my surprise a warm light began to glow from parts of Andraste¡¯s body, and it pushed the darkness away.


    His eyes moved about slowly, then settled on me.


    I looked down at him and said, ¡°Can you hear me?¡±


    ¡°¡­who¡­?¡±


    I touched my chest with my left hand ¨C not Andraste¡¯s left hand. ¡°My name is Fallon. I was in the carriage with Marina and Silvia.¡±


    ¡°¡­you¡­Wilder¡­?¡±


    I gulped air, and pushed down the bubble of emotion bottling up my chest. ¡°Yes, I am a Khan Wilder. My name is Fallon Kassius. The Seal of Arcala inside me gave me this name.¡±


    ¡°¡­you¡­ran away¡­.¡±


    A shudder of guilt ran through my body, and I gave him a shaky nod. ¡°Yes, I ran away. I thought if the Archons were after me, I should run away so that they followed me and not you.¡±


    ¡°¡­something¡­something came for us¡­couldn¡¯t see it¡­smashed everything¡­.¡± He sucked in air and broke into a cough that tortured his body. ¡°Gah¡­broken ribs¡­I can feel them.¡±


    ¡°Please, tell me. I heard a scream. I heard a woman scream. Tell me what happened!¡±


    He took a number of breaths, gathering himself. ¡°Kell¡­Lady Kell¡­she was running with me. It caught us. Picked me up¡­threw me away.¡± He shook his head slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­what happened afterwards.¡± A loud groan escaped his lips, but he sucked in more air, and said, ¡°Where is she? Where is Kell?¡±


    I didn¡¯t need to look around to know she wasn¡¯t here.


    Leaning down toward him, I said, ¡°Andraste can¡¯t sense her nearby. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know where she is.¡±


    He froze and stared at me in fear, but I sensed it wasn¡¯t because of me. ¡°It took her. Whatever did this¡­took her away¡­.¡±


    I was suddenly afraid for her, and that fear squeezed my throat. I had trouble swallowing, and had to take a couple of breaths to calm my emotions enough for me to speak.


    I tried to sound as reassuring as I could. ¡°I will find her. I promise you¡ªI will find her. I will save her.¡±


    Once I made that promise, the fear strangling me suddenly let go.


    Yes, I will find and save Lady Kell. That is my promise to you.


    He tried to sit up, so I used Andraste¡¯s right arm to help him. It was then that he seemed to realize that I was merged with my Warlord. His eyes widened sharply, and fear spread across his face again¡ªand this time it was aimed at me.


    I shook my head again, quickly this time. ¡°Please, I won¡¯t hurt you. I promise.¡±


    He opened and closed his mouth a number of times while his gaze ran over me and Andraste. ¡°Warlord.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is my Warlord. Her name is Andraste.¡±


    His eyes met mine, and while I saw fear in them, I didn¡¯t think he was going to run away screaming madly into the night.


    ¡°You¡­you really are a Khan Wilder.¡±


    I smiled at him, but it was a bitter, guilty smile. ¡°Yes. I am. I didn¡¯t ask for this¡­or maybe I did¡­I just don¡¯t remember. But for now, I am a Khan Wilder.¡±


    ¡°You saved the life of his Grace.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question, but I felt I had to treat it as one.


    I gave him another nod. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    Again, his gaze roamed over me and Andraste. The fear on his face faded and was replaced by something else ¨C something I could describe as an expression of regret. ¡°Maybe¡­maybe I¡¯ve been wrong all this time.¡±


    Before I could ask him what he meant, he straightened where he sat, and managed to rise to his feet.


    I watched over him carefully, fearing he would fall, but the Awareness-field told me he was steady enough. Even so, I kept Andraste¡¯s hands ready to catch him at any moment.


    The man looked me in the eyes, and I found it hard to look away.


    ¡°Save them,¡± he said. ¡°Please, save my men. Save those girls. Save Lady Kell. And protect his Grace.¡± He swayed a little and staggered back a step, but then he bowed to me. ¡°Please, Lady Khan, save them.¡±


    Andraste had been crouching awkwardly. Her legs really didn¡¯t suit such a posture, so I was a little relieved to straighten and have her stand tall before him.


    I placed my right hand over my heart, as I had seen the men do so when they saluted his Grace.


    ¡°Aye. I promise. I will protect them.¡±


    And then a scream cut the air, and I turned toward it.


    It was a woman¡¯s scream ¨C the same scream I¡¯d heard when I was inside the woods. Only now I knew it was Lady Chiren Kell who screamed.


    The agony in that scream my heart tremble not in fear but in anger.


    Without turning to the man, I said, ¡°I have to go. I¡¯m sorry. But I have to go on ahead.¡±


    The light that glowed from Andraste faded.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± I said, then willed the Warlord around in the direction of the scream.


    From a crouch, I leapt again, keeping Andraste low over the ground. The blue-white rings of light encircled her feet, and in seconds I was running at a pace twice faster than a horse could gallop.


    Then the Seal sent me a thought that surprised me. The Seal believed the last scream I¡¯d heard did not come from a human throat ¨C it was faked. But I didn¡¯t have time to ponder what the Seal said because in seconds I¡¯d arrived at where the riders, wagons, and carriage had pulled off the road.


    This was where I¡¯d made my choice to run away, but when I left this place the wagons were not smashed into firewood, the horses weren¡¯t lying dead or hurt on the ground, and the black carriage wasn¡¯t broken in two. Scattered about were Etheric nightsticks and lanterns that glowed with a pale emerald light and pushed back the darkness a few feet. Here and there, men lay on the ground, and through my enlarged Awareness-field I could sense they were injured but alive. They were probably saved by the Thread inside their bodies, unlike the horses that did not possess it.


    Humans were the only creatures on this world that possessed the Thread.


    As I looked around with my eyes and sensed my surroundings through Awareness-field, part of me believed this was my fault. If I hadn¡¯t run away, I would have been here to protect these people. Instead of coming after me, something had come here instead and taken out its anger on the riders and their horses.


    Two large bundles on the ground caught my eye, and through the Awareness-field I discovered they were two women lying face down into the earth.


    Marina! Silvia!


    The Seal told me they were alive. An incredible force had struck them, and it had caused internal damage to their bodies. Like the injured men, the Thread inside their bodies was busy healing them but the Seal believed they would be incapacitated for many, many hours. It did not expect them to wake up until morning.


    I was amazed the Seal could tell so much about them through the Awareness-field.


    In a way, I was also a little frightened by what it could do.


    Then the Seal sensed something and forcefully dragged my attention away from the women, and toward the road.


    Peering into the near distance, I straightened and made Andraste stand tall.


    Standing on the road to the southeast of me was something I found hard to describe.


    It stood upright like a man, and had two arms and legs, but its legs were bent differently, like the hind legs of a horse. It had wide hips and a narrow waist. Its chest was wide, and its shoulders were broad. At a distance, I could tell it was tall, maybe taller than Andraste who stood fourteen feet in height. The arms looked armored with curved shields attached to its thick forearms. Its clawed hands were large and looked too big for its body, just like its feet that had a sharp heel to them. In contrast, the head seemed a little too small. It was shaped like a reptile¡¯s head but with two flat horns.


    From its back stretched a pair of folded wings. They didn¡¯t look like bird wings, but more like the wings of a bat. Even then, they were a little too rounded to be bat wings. In the end, I just didn¡¯t know how to describe them.


    All of its body appeared to be made of metal the Seal described as a ¡®composite fiber alloy¡¯.


    Since I didn¡¯t understand what that meant, I didn¡¯t give it much thought. Instead, I looked more closely at its hands, and gasped loudly in shock.


    Whatever this thing was, I suddenly believed it was responsible for the destruction lying before me.


    No ¨C I was certain of it with all my heart.


    That was because it carried someone in its right clawed hand, and the Awareness-field told me it was Lady Kell.


    Held by the metal creature, Lady Kell reminded me of a cloth doll I once had ¨C a doll that was nothing but ashes now in the burnt remains of my village.


    She was limp in the metal creature¡¯s grip, and her feet dangled high over the ground.


    The proud, confident woman I¡¯d met only a day ago, now looked like a child¡¯s toy.


    Using Andraste to improve its senses, the Seal said Lady Kell was alive, but she was greatly injured ¨C more injured than Marina and Silvia. Held tight in the creature¡¯s grip, she would die from her injuries despite the Thread in her body.


    If I wanted to save her, I would have to save her soon.


    The metal creature appeared to cock its head at me.


    Then a scream bellowed from it.


    It sounded just like a woman¡¯s agonized scream, and I quickly realized that the Seal was right. The scream didn¡¯t come from Lady Kell. It came from the metal creature. It was copying her scream, and making it sound even louder.


    It was taunting me.


    This¡ªthis thing did all of this!


    My hands ached as I clenched them.


    And now it has Lady Kell.


    I dipped my head and willfully lowered my stance, which made Andraste lower hers.


    My blood burned and a low growl escaped from the back of my throat.


    Then I turned that growl into a roar that sounded too large for my body ¨C a roar Andraste somehow trebled in volume.


    ¡°Let¡­her¡­go!¡±


    With a thought, I summoned Andraste¡¯s weapons, one for each of her hands.


    The chilling white mist bloomed out around me, spilling out of the breach that opened between Limbo and this realm. Again the Sarcophagus poked out of Limbo, opened a door, and then delivered two curved swords into Andraste¡¯s hands, each weapon bearing a blade six feet long. The Sarcophagus retreated, the breach sealed, and the mist that billowed from Limbo began to thin away into the surrounding air.


    Crouching the Warlord lower, I concentrated on willing Andraste to leap all the way to the road ¨C a jump of more than two hundred feet since I was aiming to land almost on top of the metal creature. In response, the winged vanes attached to Andraste¡¯s back by thick chains now fanned out behind her.


    The Seal sent me a thought.


    The six Impulse-Wings were deployed and ready.


    I had asked for wings, and now I would have them, but the Seal told me I was not ready to fly. Even so, I would have more than enough power to make the jump.


    Then it said something else that made me blink in confusion for a couple of heartbeats.


    The Seal told me to overclock, because it believed this was not an opponent I could face unless I was at my best.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I whispered. ¡°Overclock me.¡±


    With my permission, the Seal invaded my mind but did not possess it. Instead, time slowed down for me such that everything around me moved at a quarter its normal speed.


    With this, I would be able to react faster and better to my opponent, for it was clear now that this was indeed my opponent. But I wasn¡¯t sure if this creature was sent by the Archons.


    As that flicker of uncertainty sparked in my chest, the metal creature moved.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡±


    Surprised, I watched it jump backwards up the road toward the huge fortress that looked tiny in the distance.


    Uttering a curse my mother was fond of ¨C it sounded weird in my ears since I was overclocked ¨C I quickly willed Andraste to chase after the metal creature and Lady Kell.


    Taking a stance, Andraste leapt without a running start.


    With blue-white rings of light around her feet, Andraste jumped over the camp and landed almost four hundred feet away up the road leading to the fortress. Loose dirt and crushed stones puffed up into the air around Andraste, forming a small cloud around its feet that blew away in the wind.


    At first I thought she fanned out her Impulse Wings for balance, but then I learnt the wings were also ringed by blue-white light and would provide me with speed, jumping power, and stability both on the ground and in the air.


    The Seal spoke clearly into my mind and this time it was more than just a thought that I could understand.


    *LINKAGE DEPTH TWENTY-TWO PERCENT. COMBAT CATEGORY TWO UNLOCKED FOR THREE HUNDRED SECONDS. SAFETY PROTOCOLS ENGAGED.


    I understood what the Seal meant ¨C Andraste had powered up and I would be able to use this extra power for five minutes. But whether time was slowed down for me or not, I felt I¡¯d wasted enough of it by standing on the road and not chasing after the metal creature.


    In the distance, my quarry ran up the road by leaping every so often. When it did, the two folded wings on its back flared brightly.


    With rings of blue-white light surrounding Andraste¡¯s feet and six Impulse Wings, and her two swords in each hand, I charged up the mountain road.


    It didn¡¯t matter to me if that metal creature was sent by the Archons.


    I chased after it with a clear goal in mind.


    I would fulfill the promise I made to that cavalry rider.


    I would save Lady Kell.


    And I would protect his Grace, the Archduke of Caldera.


    As I chased after the metal creature, I felt as though I was running on air.


    It was only later that I learnt I really was running on air.