《The Uniter》


 Chapter One: The Basket

    Leela wondered if change had a smell.


    The strange scent had been in her nose the whole afternoon, ever since she started the hunt. The air was heavy, musky and wet, so much that her antlers itched dreadfully and she had to constantly stamp the ground to get the mud off her hooves. It was nothing she couldn¡¯t handle, however. Her bow was strong in her hands as she slowly shifted through the underbrush. But her thoughts kept being drawn back to that smell!


    It wasn¡¯t foul, but it wasn¡¯t pleasant, and it wasn¡¯t familiar either. Leela knew many smells. Those of the true deer, of the normal Benelim, of the Animite Benelim like her, the foul Maelim, countless animals and plants created by the Gods. This was none of them.


    Her Soulsight could detect it too, and that¡¯s where she¡¯s headed. It was strange. It felt like¡­ change. A mysterious omen of unknown providence. A distant soul ember that wasn¡¯t like anything she¡¯d encountered. With a majestic leap, she jumped over a fallen tree, and that¡¯s where she saw it. The source of all this mystery.


    It was a brown basket. There was something in this basket.


    She cautiously approached it. The air stilled and Leela straightened.


    Something else was here. She wasn¡¯t the only hunter out.


    It stank terribly, of rotting flesh and lingering ozone. She readied an arrow. In hunting, it was always about the first move. With a loud sickening screech, a harpy darted out of the trees. It was lithe and gaunt. Her feathers were stained crimson, her black eyes manic and her teeth sharp. Leela was ready and shot an arrow. The harpy underestimated her speed as the arrow struck her wing and she fell from the sky, landing in a distant bramble in an explosion of dirt.


    Leela loaded another arrow before the basket gave her pause.


    It was moving. Shuffling ever so slightly on the ground. Leela peered inside it and her heart stopped. She bleated in amazement. It was a human baby. It couldn¡¯t have been older than a couple days. It looked pink, soft and fragile. Its eyes were closed.


    That was the smell! It was human. It all made sense now. She¡¯d never seen a human before. Many her age hadn''t. The eldest among them had, of course, but that was long ago. The two races hadn¡¯t communicated in centuries! What devilry caused a human child to be left out here all alone?


    Abruptly something collided with Leela, knocking her onto her back. Red gashes trailed across her shoulder and she mewled in pain. She looked up in a daze to see the harpy. It was still alive, screaming at her in its own tongue, gesturing to its broken wing. It rushed her in a mad dash, screeching all the while. Leela drew her knife, but the harpy was faster. Pinning her down in an instant. Leela slashed at the harpy with her antlers, drawing fresh blood. But it wasn¡¯t enough, if anything it made her angrier. The harpy snarled as her teeth closed in on Leela¡¯s throat.


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    An arrow pierced the harpy¡¯s skull, inelegantly ending the fight. ¡°You should have waited for me,¡± said a mirthful voice.


    Leela groaned loudly in reply. The second hunter shoved the corpse away and helped Leela to her feet. Katherina always loved big entrances. Her long pointed ears shook as she gave Leela a confident grin. She examined the gashes on Leela¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Leela raised her arms and signed, ¡°It¡¯s a flesh wound, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Katherina nodded. ¡°Why are you here? There¡¯s no game. That harpy saw to that.¡±


    Leela gasped. She almost forgot about the baby! She darted past Katherina and picked up the basket. She sighed in relief upon seeing that the baby was okay. She handed the basket to her friend.


    Katherina¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°By the Gods.¡± She picked the baby up, cradling it in her arms. She turned to Leela, ¡°You smelled her?¡± Leela nodded. Katherina grinned. ¡°Gotta love the Animite sense of smell- wait a minute.¡± Katherina gazed down upon the child and tilted her head. ¡°Why is she still calm?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leela signed, her hands slow and cautious.


    Katherina caressed the baby gently. ¡°That harpy¡¯s wails would have gone out for miles. And yet here she is, still asleep!¡±


    The two Benelim shared a glance. ¡°She¡¯s deaf,¡± Leela signed. ¡°That¡¯s why she was left here.¡±


    ¡°Humans,¡± Katherina spat. ¡°Repugnant as ever!¡±


    Katherina handed the baby over to Leela. At long last the baby¡¯s eyes opened. Leela teared up. She was small, so innocent. So vulnerable. The baby cooed softly, and even gave a little grin. As much as she could without teeth anyway. Leela¡¯s deer-like face managed to smile back. The child giggled at the sight.


    Leela glanced at Katherina and they both realized the same thing. They couldn¡¯t just leave her here and it was obvious that the humans didn¡¯t want her.


    Katherina gave a deep sigh. ¡°She¡¯s coming with us.¡± She placed a hand on Leela¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You know it¡¯s the right thing to do. We¡¯ll raise her as a Benelim! She¡¯ll be one of us! We¡¯ll teach her Benelim Sign when she¡¯s older. She¡¯ll fit right in.¡±


    Leela was nervous. She had never been a mother. She was infertile. She didn¡¯t know how to raise a child. She hadn¡¯t even held one til now! But one glance at the child, cooing and staring at her with tender, curious and loving eyes, made the decision obvious. Leela nodded.


    ¡°What should we name her?¡± Katherina asked.


    Leela made a similar noise to the bleat she made when she first found her. Animite Benelim couldn¡¯t talk like their normal kin, their beastial mouths and throats couldn¡¯t make the shapes and sounds. They use Benelim Sign Language to communicate with others, but their names have always been based on the exclamation of joy their mothers said upon seeing their children.


    Katherina stared for a long moment. ¡°R-ruth? Ruth?¡± Leela nodded. ¡°Ruth. I like that.¡± She turned to the newly named Ruth and smiled.


    Leela grinned too. Change had a smell after all.

 Chapter Two: The Morning

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    Dominus

 Chapter Three: The Human

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 Chapter Four: The Shard

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 Chapter Five: The Journey

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    One month later.


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 Chapter Six: The Island

Beney


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 Chapter Seven: The History

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    Relax my child. Apologies for the darkness.


    This is called telepathy, it¡¯s an ability certain beings with Soulsight can use. You¡¯re hearing my voice in your head. That is what a voice is. It is a power that is a benefit from being a Godshard. I will teach you how to do it one day.


    You don¡¯t have to use it if you don¡¯t want to. But it would be wise to learn it, humans don¡¯t have sign language. This will give you a way to speak to people who don¡¯t know it.


    What if they speak too fast, what if their body is closed in or huddled? There¡¯s nothing wrong with more options.


    knew


    This is better than any tablet.


    Fear not child, what you see is a vision. None of what you¡¯re seeing is real.Does this look familiar to you?


    Well, Omnitus lost his Only Son in the climax of that war. Thus the greatest duel of all time took place. A battle between the two Brother-Gods, a fight so fierce


    Godfall. The gargantuan cataclysm of which we define our records, human and Benelim alike. All years after we call AGF, After God Fall. The Shards of Omnitus floated in the heavens for eight hundred years. We believe a Shard looked down on humanity and wanted to help us. So it came back to earth, and entered a baby three days after he was born.


    Adam traveled the world for a century before the daemons came back to his home. He met High King Ioannis and even Terra Herself! He told me that he wanted to mend the bonds between us and the Benelim, but he never had the chance. Perhaps you could finish what he started one day.


    You¡¯ll understand when you¡¯re older. You¡¯re special, Ruth, I can see it. You¡¯re going to be a woman of both worlds. Don¡¯t fight it. Embrace it!

 Chapter Eight: The Test

Six years later.


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 Chapter Nine: The Language

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 Chapter Ten: The High King

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 Chapter Eleven: The Golden Wood

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    human

 Chapter Twelve: The Spells

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 Chapter Thirteen: The Passing of the Torch

    I¡¯m sorry, Ruth, we have to go with this.


    It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve always been so accommodating to me. Ever since we first met. I¡¯m honored to return the favor.


    You¡¯ve grown so much since then. It¡¯s been an honor to guide you on this path.Continue your studies, finish your great work on uniting both your worlds. My only regret is the trouble that will come with my death. Darkness shall come from within and without, which you will inherit and must face. You must take my place as leader of the island. They¡¯ll need you for what¡¯s to come.


    What? I¡¯m not ready for that! I have obligations in the Golden Wood, I can¡¯t stay here all year. I still have much to learn.


    Have courage, you are ready. I can see it in your eyes. Don¡¯t be afraid, Ruth. Trust in yourself and in those around you. You will lay the foundation, where all your worlds shall flourish. Farewell, my friend.


    Elias! Wait! Don¡¯t leave me, I¡¯m not ready! Please!


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 Chapter Fourteen: The Growing Pains

    One month later


    Greetings.


    What devilry is this?


    What is your name?


    My name is Claudius. This is very disturbing. Must we talk like this?


    I¡¯m deaf, and you don¡¯t know Benelim Sign Language. onsider this neutral ground.


    I don¡¯t get you. You¡¯re a Godshard, yet you act like a Benelim with your hand motions.


    See, this is what I don¡¯t understand. Why do you hate the Benelim so much? What have they ever done to you?


    The Benelim betrayed us. They left us to die centuries ago.


    The Benelim had problems of their own. Their forces were similarly decimated by those twisted monsters.


    Why didn¡¯t they tell us? Why didn¡¯t they check up on us? Most importantly, when the daemons came later, what was their excuse then? Where were the Gods when we needed them? They all abandoned us! My family barely survived. I have only one traceable ancestor because the slaughter was so complete. The daemons killed most of my family, enslaving the few they didn¡¯t murder.


    Where were your Benelim then? My story echoes countless others. Ask around if you don¡¯t believe me. You can write it off as bigotry all you want, but the holier than thou attitude the Benelim have is sickening. They aren¡¯t any better, yet they lord their superiority over us. How is that fair? Why should they be forgiven when they clearly don¡¯t forgive us? They hate us, they look down on us. Time and time again it seems the Benelim abandon us exactly when we need them the most. We¡¯ve had to work things out on our own. The only salvation coming from the Godshards.Does that answer your question?


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    That is all fair, and I can¡¯t blame you for most of it.


    That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard anyone on the Benelim¡¯s side say that.


    , The only side I¡¯m on is the one of peace. I have a counterpoint though, how does any of what you said justify your hatred of my mother?


    The deer?


    She is still a Benelim, a type known as an Animite. She is just as intelligent and capable as anyone else. You say the Benelim hate you and look down on you, yet here you are acting hateful to my mother. Call her an animal, looking down on her. She has nothing to do with any of the problems you brought up.


    , Why do you care so much about the Benelim anyway? To the point where you would defend them over your own species?


    I was abandoned by the humans for my deafness. It was the Benelim who were more accepting when humans were not. I would have died if it wasn¡¯t for the ¡®deer¡¯, as you put it.  Does that answer your question?


    Why do you care what I think? You¡¯re a mighty Godshard, you do your own thing anyways. I¡¯m just some plebeian, a ¡°hateful¡± one, as you¡¯d probably put it.


    I¡¯ve lived in both worlds, here and in the Golden Wood. Do you know what I¡¯ve seen?  We aren¡¯t so different. I¡¯ve seen nobility and virtue and a down to earth spirit in both realms. But I¡¯ve also seen hatred, bigotry, people hating and fearing what they don¡¯t understand. The slights that both races have are from things that happened centuries ago. There was a time when both human and Benelim lived together in harmony, like two siblings. I believe such days can return, if we could just let go of the past, both sides!


    Please, your Benelim would never do that.


    Never say never. I am a Godshard, there is much I can see that normal eyes cannot. Even if I wasn¡¯t, I can read a lot from a person from their body language and their lips, which comes with the territory of being deaf. I can¡¯t and won¡¯t tell people what to do. But if humanity truly respects the Godshards.Perhaps you can think about it?Thank you for your time and for opening up about it. It¡¯s respectable.

 Chapter Fifteen: The Butcher

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 Chapter Sixteen: The Burial

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 Chapter Seventeen: The Debate

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 Chapter Eighteen: The Duel

    It took the Maelim several days to arrive. That was fine with Ruth. It gave them valuable time. Megan gathered the children, Godshards and normal humans alike, and took them far from the island. While some of the parents went with her, most of the townsfolk opted to stay and fight. They numbered several hundred at least. They wanted to pay back the Godshards for everything they¡¯ve done, and Ruth was in awe of their courage. While Jana and Shawn were ordered to stay with Megan, most of the other Godshards remained at the island. Ember was eager to avenge Mikel¡¯s death, and the rest would rather die at Ruth¡¯s side.


    The Maelim army would arrive early on the third day. A tide of blackened souls and red eyes. Remarkably, they didn¡¯t destroy any of the shore side structures. It made grim sense to Ruth, they wanted to live here, not burn it down. The sea was restless, clearly the sea God Aquarius did not approve of the Maelim¡¯s trespass. The horde kept pouring in until there wasn¡¯t a visible piece of shoreline that wasn¡¯t covered in twisting shapes and red eyes.


    Yet the Maelim had no boats, nor any other means to cross. It was an impasse. The Maelim couldn¡¯t wait the Godshards out, since all parties knew that Primus would no doubt be sending reinforcements to avenge Submersio. Yet Ruth couldn¡¯t wait either, better death than weakness. It would just validate the nefarious senators Clodius kept writing to her about.


    The matter would be decided when a contingent of Maelim broke ranks and dared the surf. Ruth¡¯s eyes widened. These Maelim had some audacity, she¡¯ll give them that. It was hard to see how many were attempting to cross, but it must have been a thousand at least. Ruth scanned the oncoming group, hoping to spot the one that Ember warned her about.


    It startled them all when The Butcher appeared behind them, his armor drenched from the salty water. The townsfolk scattered, even as he raised his hands disarmingly. Yet he wasn¡¯t looking at the citizens fleeing in all directions.


    He was scanning the Godshards before his eyes landed on Ruth.


    Ruth returned the glare. Sheba was at her side as ever as they strode forward. Ember wanted to attack, but Ruth held a hand up. She would deal with this brute herself. Sheba knew what to do and she translated Ruth¡¯s signs. The gestures were angry and bold, sharp and firm. ¡°How dare you trespass on our island!¡±


    The Butcher tilted his head before an understanding entered his eyes. Then to the shock of everyone, he signed back. ¡°Worry not, Godshard. I can speak on your level.¡± His sign language was strange to Ruth. It was close enough that she could read it, but some of the gestures were off. A finger missing here, a lack of an arm movement there. It was uncanny, not to mention surprising.


    Ruth tilted her head and signed, ¡°I¡¯m amazed that a Maelim would know Benelim Sign,¡±


    ¡°No less strange than a human knowing it.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough.¡±


    The Butcher shrugged. ¡°We have our own Sign Language. It is a lost art among the Maelim. They call me The Butcher, and you must be Ruth? I do not wish to fight. I merely want a home for my people.¡±


    Ruth frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to fight either. Find a home somewhere else. This island is ours. The Godshards conjured it from the sea, and it forever belongs to us by right.¡±


    The Butcher rolled his eyes before signing. ¡°I don¡¯t care where it came from. There is only one law in the world. Survival of the fittest, the strong take what they want and the weak must deal with it or die. My people are strong and I am the greatest among them. By right of conquest and strength, I claim this island as my own.¡± The Butcher¡¯s body language was harder to read, but Ruth could still tell his convictions were sincere, which made his actions all the more disturbing.


    Ruth strode forward, her glowing eyes narrowed, ¡°You talk of strength? In the name of the Gods and the Godshards that came before me, you must disperse.¡±


    ¡°My destiny is my own, no God can change that. Why do you care about these humans? You¡¯re more like a Benelim in spirit.¡±


    ¡°Humans have more potential than you think.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t the same be said about the Maelim?¡±


    Ruth¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Perhaps. If you truly wish to help your people, then you will leave us alone! Neither of us want this. Let¡¯s go our separate ways. Leave now, and you will not be harmed.¡±


    The Butcher snapped at those words. His arms trembled in anger, and he barely gestured the signs properly. ¡°You presume to threaten me? I¡¯ve tried to be reasonable, cordial, accommodating, the human way. Now we shall do this the Maelim way. Read my lips!¡± Ruth could make the words out clear enough. ¡°Get off my island!¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± shouted Ruth. She blinked. Did she just say that orally? She didn¡¯t hear it, but her lips and throat moved, and even The Butcher was taken aback for a moment. With a snarl, the warlord whipped out his chain blades, swinging them around and around. He slowly closed the distance. It didn¡¯t hit Ruth till now just how big this Maelim was. She was a tall woman, and yet this brute towered over her.


    She¡¯d never done this before. She¡¯d never attacked anyone, hurt anyone, much less killed anyone. For a moment, she faltered, she was out of her depth! Maybe she could still negotiate? A curt glance behind her strengthened her resolve. The people were counting on her. The vision she saw of Adam standing up to the daemon flashed in her mind. She wondered if Adam felt the same doubt and fear.


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    Now it was her turn to stand up to evil. This was her moment. She looked down on her feet, this land was theirs. Godshards created it, the Godshards must keep it. Ruth prayed that the Gods would give her strength, and that her signs would be swift and sure.


    The Butcher lashed out with a chain blade, and Ruth was shocked by his speed. Her dress had a large tear that wasn¡¯t there before. The Butcher wasn¡¯t letting up either, with a crack that even she could faintly hear, the other blade slammed down. Ruth got out of the way just in time, a dent in the cracked earth lingering where the blade hit.


    Ruth made her first signs quickly, shooting a white hot fireball. The Butcher deflected it easily. Ruth repeated the signs again, and again. The signs only took one hand, so she started signing with her other as well. The barrage was way faster than anything the warlord had seen. The unforeseen benefit of casting nonverbally. One blast got through his blades and snagged him in the shoulder. His cape and shoulder armor was soon little better than tattered plaid cloth and scrap metal.


    Ruth stopped to take a breath. Her Shard was pulsing from her efforts. The Butcher was similarly gathering his bearings. He turned to Ruth, a mix of anger and respect in his eyes. He said something orally but Ruth couldn¡¯t read his lips, it was the only warning she had as The Butcher rushed to close the distance.


    Ruth backed away, desperate to sign her next spell. But the Butcher swung his chains again and again, aiming for her arms and chest. A glancing strike hit her arm, and she grit her teeth as a fresh red line now marked her skin. Ruth¡¯s eyes narrowed as she rushed to sign her next spell.


    A coiling whip of fire roared to life in her hand. She smiled and even The Butcher was impressed. The two clashed their whips together, the competing coils tangled and smashed like fighting serpents. The Butcher lashed out with his other chain blade, bringing it down swiftly. Ruth could feel the air split and see the flash of light from the blade as she barely dodged the attack.


    The Butcher was more adapted with his blades than Ruth was with her whip, and he yanked her forward. He swung her around, sending her careening to the ground. Ruth felt his shadow looming over her, and she rushed to sign her next spell. Not a moment too soon, a blue barrier surrounded Ruth like a dome of protection. In the next moment, The Butcher brought down his chain blades. The blows made the barrier crack.


    Before Ruth could sign anything, the barrier shattered, a blade slashed Ruth across the torso, and she yelped in pain as she was shot back. Fighting through grit teeth, she signed another spell curtly. The Butcher¡¯s feet sank into the mud. He struggled to climb out. Ruth wouldn¡¯t give him the chance.


    She signed another spell quickly, a coiling mass of water shot out from the distant waves. With a final gesture, the water took the form of a fist. The Butcher lashed out with his chain blades, but it wasn¡¯t enough. The fist hit him hard, and he hit the dirt, sinking beneath the quicksand.


    Before Ruth could even cheer, his chain blades whipped out of the sand, grasping onto some nearby rocks. It was all the leverage he needed to launch out of the mud, bringing down his chain blades right after. He was too quick, and the blades bit deep into Ruth¡¯s arms and hands. She screamed in agony, and crimson lines now dotted her arms. The pain was throbbing and hot, and she didn¡¯t even notice the blade coming at her again, slicing through her dress and snagging her legs, drawing fresh blood. With a grunt, she hit the ground.


    Ruth¡¯s eyes were clenched shut. She was wet with blood and in so much pain, everywhere hurt! Never had she known such agony. Her arms felt the worst, could she even sign now? She was as good as dead if she couldn''t. She could feel The Butcher¡¯s heavy footsteps vibrating on the ground. He was right on top of her now. Something cold and coiling wrapped up around her neck, yanking her off the ground.


    Five signs. Could she fight through the pain to do five more signs? She shakily opened her eyes. Despite The Butcher¡¯s insistence of caring for his people, for merely wanting a home, in that moment, she saw merely a bloodthirsty killer. The chains were constricting her throat, and her arms ached from her wounds. Ruth turned to the others, their faces aghast in shock. Was this the end?


    Five signs.


    She had to try! First one went fine. The Butcher couldn¡¯t quite see what she was doing. She had to be quick before he realized. Second sign done. It hurt more, almost as much as the tightening of the chains around her neck. She was running out of time. Three and four done. Blackness was encroaching on her vision and her neck was bleeding.


    Five.


    The air sizzled, and the Butcher had no time to react as the inferno engulfed him. Ruth gasped loudly as she hit the ground. She panted heavily as her face pressed against the dirt. She had to get up! Was the Butcher still alive? Was he dead? With great exertion, she sat up. She was covered in blood, her neck felt sore and stiff, and every movement of her arms hurt profusely.


    Her heart sank when she saw The Butcher still standing.


    His armor was shattered, and most of his skin was burned. His tusks had broken off, and one of his chain blades had snapped free, taking away an arm in the process, the metal and flesh laying on the ground next to him. Blood leaked out of his mouth. All pretense of civilization and sanity had left his eyes. They were manic, malicious and bloodshot. He strained to get his remaining arm and legs to move forward.


    Ruth saw the discarded chain blade and she had an idea. She didn¡¯t want to do this, but she had no choice. Besides, given what he did to Mikel and tried to do to her, this would be . . . ironic. With great effort, she signed the spell, it was only three gestures, and she would need to maintain concentration, but it would be worth it.


    With the final sign, the chain blade came to life, striking The Butcher like a snake, wrapping around his neck. The Butcher¡¯s eyes widened, and he staggered back, desperate to uncoil his own weapon. Ruth growled, she wouldn¡¯t let him. She just had to tighten the coil a little more.


    It all came down to this, the battle of wills. The Butcher¡¯s arm, even burned, was muscular and strong. While Ruth¡¯s arms throbbed with every heartbeat, she hung on. With a final thought, the chains tightened, and rewarded Ruth with his neck snapping, and black blood squirting out of his neck like water wrung out of a sponge. The Butcher¡¯s struggles ceased, and life exited his red eyes as he fell onto the dirt.


    Ruth had no time to savor her victory, she collapsed in the next moment, and her world went black.

 Chapter Nineteen: The Consul

    Clodius Decimus was grim.


    He was as confident as he could be. He had three legions at his command. A sea of iron segmented armor, white and red tower shields, and tall pilums. It took them two weeks to march to the island. The legionnaires were tough and battle hardened, and they carried their supplies, forgoing pack animals for speed. The whining and slightly lower morale were acceptable prices to pay. The longer the Maelim were ravaging the Cradlelands, the harder it would be to dislodge them. Especially if they had taken that island.


    He prayed that Ruth and the Godshards survived, that they fled, that they got out in time. There was no way they could have driven off the Maelim by themselves. He wanted to believe she could handle things, truly. He could see something in Ruth¡¯s eyes that reminded him of stories his grandfather told him of Adam.


    Theodosius Decimus Adamite rightly held great regard in the Decimi family, and Clodius loved hearing stories of him. Supposedly he was an honest man, and didn¡¯t shy away from his mistakes. Before the daemons attacked Primus, refugees from the other cities arrived desperate for shelter from the encroaching monsters. He wanted to leave them to their fate. Adam was there, and he convinced Theodosius to let them in. Theodosius famously apologized to Adam and the people of the Cradlelands, and Adam was compassionate in reply.


    If Theodosius didn¡¯t listen, Primus wouldn¡¯t have had the manpower to see victory. At the time, Clodius was more absorbed in the feats of bravery and the clash of arms. But as a man, it was that moment, a decision that determined life or death, that hung in his mind. That was the heaviest chain of command. The responsibility for the lives of others. One wrong move, and soldiers die. Clodius was determined to not make such errors in his life.


    He adjusted his helmet and drew his sword. Here it was now, the moment of truth. He gestured to his officers down the column. The ranks formed up. Weirdly enough, there was no fire, no noise. Maelim were usually quite barbarous and loud. Yet there was nothing but silence. Clodius¡¯ heart sank as he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. Death, and blood.


    Once they were in a more battle ready formation, they marched once more, at last entering the clearing. What they saw made Clodius speechless.


    There was a big pile of Maelim bodies, there must have been at least a few hundred of them. They were burnt, and the smoke was still smoldering off their charred flesh. Crowning the grizzly sight was a head on a pike. Clodius¡¯ eyes narrowed, he recognized this face, it was a Maelim warlord known as The Butcher.


    Clodius nodded but he kept his relief hidden. One less infamous Maelim in the world was fine by him. He looked around. There were no humans or Godshards. The little shore town they were building was largely untouched. Clodius ordered his men to fan out and to stay alert, lest they came across any lingering Maelim. One of his centurions came across a substantial graveyard that wasn¡¯t there before. There must have been hundreds of new headstones.


    Clodius scratched his head. This was making less and less sense. Who won here? If it was the Maelim, why did they make a pile of their dead. If it was the humans, where were they? He scanned the headstones, he didn¡¯t see anything for Ruth, so that was comforting. With little else to go on, he whipped his horse forward, the only way he¡¯ll know anything for sure is to see what was going on that island.


    He was relieved when the island looked normal. He couldn¡¯t see anyone there, but there weren''t any fires, no distant hollering from Maelim, just the sound of restless seas. Clodius dismounted and squinted his eyes. He wished he could see what was going on.


    Mercifully, his answer came in the form of an eagle.


    The bird squawked loudly to get their attention as it flew to them from the island. The bird glowed brightly as it morphed into a woman. She had the glowing eyes of the Godshard, but it wasn¡¯t Ruth. With grace, she landed in front of the legion.


    ¡°Greetings visitors, my name is Ember,¡± said the Godshard. She looked annoyed by their presence but was nonetheless cordial.


    Clodius stared dumbfounded for a moment before mustering the words to speak. ¡°My name is Clodius Decimus. We heard of what happened in Submersio, and that the Maelim were heading here. We have come to secure the area.¡±


    Ember rolled her eyes. ¡°We¡¯re fine. The Maelim have fled. Once their vanguard failed to get a foothold on the island, they retreated.¡±


    Clodius nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to hear. What happened to Ruth? Is she alright?¡±


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    Ember¡¯s glowing eyes flickered. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Clodius felt a sensation envelop him before the two of them lifted up into the air. Clodius screamed and flailed his arms in a panic. He saw the faint wisp of a smile on Ember¡¯s lips as they fluttered to the island. The salty, crisp air was overbearing, and his eyes watered from its chill. He nearly dropped his sword in his fright. There were other Godshards, their glowing eyes staring at them as they approached. Their flight was thankfully over quickly, and Clodius glared daggers as they landed.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡±


    ¡°Did you want to swim?¡± said Ember with a smirk.


    ¡°I am the Consul of War! Show me some respect.¡±


    Ember waved him off, before pointing at the building. ¡°She¡¯s in there.¡±


    Clodius nodded and proceeded inside. He sighed in relief when he saw that Ruth was alive. She had seen better days, her body was covered in bandages, particularly her arms. But she was otherwise alright. Another Godshard was with her, a dark-skinned woman draped in a long silver dress, a nightly reflection of Ruth¡¯s. The two of them turned in unison as he entered.


    Ruth gestured to the other Godshard, who took the reins of the conversation with a nod. ¡°Greetings Consul,¡± she said with a polite grin.


    Clodius fought hard to get distracted by Ruth¡¯s judging stare. The way she peered into him with such intensity and focus filled him with a mix of fear and intrigue. He wondered if this was what Theodosius felt when working with Adam. It took him a moment to remember that the other Godshard had just spoken to him. He bowed,¡°Greetings, er-¡±


    ¡°Sheba. Call me Sheba.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Clodius cleared his throat. ¡°We heard what happened and were sent to secure the area. I¡¯m pleased to see you¡¯re alright.¡±


    Sheba rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course we are. Ruth is made of stern stuff.¡± She gestured to Ruth with loving eyes as she sat up on her bed. ¡°She¡¯s set to make a complete recovery, although she insisted on keeping her scars even though healing magic could help her.¡±


    Clodius grumbled, he was growing weary of the condescending glares from these Godshards. ¡°I mean not to disrespect, but when a crisis suddenly arrives on a person¡¯s doorstep, I would expect some more civility when a concerned friend shows up.¡±


    Ruth¡¯s eyes narrowed and she started signing. Sheba translated them for Clodius. ¡°You¡¯re not a friend. You¡¯re just looking for a pretense to take over this island.¡±


    Clodius frowned. ¡°That is far from true. I¡¯ve been advocating for your independence for the past month! A Maelim invasion force is not some minor threat. I¡¯m here to help you, to make sure you¡¯re okay!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Why do we need you at all? Why doesn¡¯t Primus take us seriously like they did when Elias was around?¡± Clodius grew silent, she had a point. ¡°They¡¯re making this an issue because they¡¯re judging me for my deafness. They think I¡¯m dumb, they think I can¡¯t handle myself. They¡¯re fools, and by proxy, you¡¯re no better. I was the one who killed The Butcher.¡±


    Clodius'' jaw dropped. ¡°Single handedly?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It took a lot out of me, but I did. Don¡¯t you see? The republicans repeatedly underestimate us, and we¡¯re sick of it.¡±


    Deep down, Clodius knew she was right. He thought that arguing on her behalf meant something. But he¡¯d be lying to himself if he said his view of Ruth was a large part of why he was doing that. Not to mention it was what drove him to come to the island so fast.


    Clodius sighed, perhaps he made the same mistakes as his ancestor after all.


    Clodius took off his helmet and got down on one knee. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was being judgemental, perhaps I didn¡¯t mean to, but I was all the same. I¡¯m truly sorry for doubting you.¡±


    Ruth and Sheba glanced at each other, and for the first time, their demeanor softened. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Sheba, ¡°Just be better next time.¡±


    ¡°Theodosius Decimus is one of my ancestors. He knew Adam and fought beside him. He said there was a passion, a power in Adam¡¯s eyes.¡± He pointed at Ruth. ¡°I see the same thing in yours.¡±


    Ruth smirked, before she signed once more. ¡°Thanks for the compliment, and that indeed explains a lot,¡± Sheba said. ¡°Was there anything else?¡±


    Clodius sighed. ¡°Well, like it or not, the debate is on the senate floor, and it must be resolved there.¡±


    Sheba scratched her head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a Consul? Why can¡¯t you dismiss the matter?¡±


    ¡°It is beyond my power. Primus is a republic, no one person holds so much authority. I cannot overstep. There are other senators, blackhearted individuals whose prejudice runs deep. They are the truly bigoted and ignorant ones. They have too much influence for me to dismiss the issue outright.¡± Clodius lit up. ¡°But I have an idea! Come with me to Primus.¡±


    Ruth tilted her head, and Sheba echoed her confusion,¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°So Ruth can make an appeal to the Senate of Primus herself. It¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll be taken seriously. I know it¡¯s not fair to do this at all, but it is your only chance. I¡¯ve seen your conviction, Ruth, and the senators have a deep respect for the Godshards. Once they see that, I¡¯ll have the leverage to dismiss the matter!¡±


    There was a long moment of silence as Ruth and Sheba paused, lost in contemplation. Sheba turned to Clodius. ¡°Can you leave us for a minute? We need to talk in private.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..


    ¡°You know it¡¯s the right thing to do, Ruth,¡± signed Sheba. ¡°Clodius has given us a golden opportunity. We can¡¯t squander it.¡±


    ¡°But the senators don¡¯t know Benelim Sign Language, love,¡± Ruth signed back. ¡°What¡¯s the point? They won¡¯t understand me.¡±


    ¡°We have to try!¡± signed Sheba, her gestures frantic, sloppy and passionate.


    Ruth¡¯s hands trembled as she signed back. ¡°I¡¯ve never signed in front of an audience before. What if I mess up, or break? It would do nothing but validate their ignorance.¡±


    Sheba sat next to Ruth on the bed. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t be going alone. I¡¯ll be right by your side, translating your words. My passive charisma has always served us well, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Ruth gave a shaky grin. ¡°That it¡¯s true.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: The Senate

    Ruth held Sheba¡¯s hand tightly as they walked through the streets of Primus. Clodius led the way to the senate building. He spoke of much as they navigated the streets. Clodius had started learning Benelim Sign, yet Sheba still had to translate most of it. Ruth had a hard time paying attention, for she was too stuck in awe of this new world.


    Never had she seen a human city so big! It was so profoundly different from anything she had seen before. Unlike the Benelim cities, the buildings in Primus had been erected wherever they wanted. They didn¡¯t conform to the environment, there were no trees, the only plants were the array of gardens, mostly barren for the winter now. Only on the outskirts did she see more plants and wildlife.


    ¡°The ingenuity of humans is quite something, isn''t it?¡± signed Sheba, ¡°It¡¯s remarkably Adamite.¡±


    Everywhere Ruth looked, she saw ancient stone. Stone pillars, stone buildings, statues dedicated not to the Gods but to the heroes of Primus. At least there was color, reds and blues. The terracotta rooftops were sunbleached crimson and orange. The temples were lined in gold and green. Linen clothes were hung out of windows to dry, gracing the streets with vibrance and life.


    On the one hand, it saddened Ruth to see the environment altered so. Mother always warned her about the fundamental disrespect humans had for the environment and for the world around them. The labyrinth of buildings were quite cramped and unwieldy too, to say nothing of the filth. Many districts looked worse than others of course, but it was still clearly an issue!


    And yet she saw humans living their lives happily. Children were playing in the streets, mothers and fathers talked with friends. There was a sense of community, of closeness. They didn¡¯t have to walk too far to the markets or wells.


    Not to mention humanity proved to be quite adept to their self-imposed world. Large, long arches as wide as a row of buildings snaked their way between the urban abodes. Clodius called them aqueducts, they brought water from the nearby streams and rivers, directly to the people. Many of the buildings had arches, which brought useful structural integrity to the places that had them. Some of these constructs had been there for a thousand years, their durability was as strong as any golden wooded tree.


    At the end of the day, none of the issues Ruth noticed couldn¡¯t also be found in the Golden Wood. To Ruth, that showed potential, the common ground both her peoples had. Ruth couldn¡¯t help but agree with Sheba.


    After an hour of walking, they approached the senate building, a solid white edifice that sat atop a mountain of stairs. It was certainly one of the most clean parts of the entire city. The people were older and more wizened, and Ruth was able to gleam much.


    She could see the politicians driven by integrity, not unlike Clodius. Earnesty in their eyes and a noble vibe in their soulfire. They bowed and treated the plebeians around them with respect and decency.


    There were the ones who were pragmatic. It irked Ruth that so many of them had this mindset, but she could work with it. Their eyes belied feelings of guilt and joy alike. They weren¡¯t really good or evil, but perhaps in the middle. Their demeanor was stoic and reserved. Not a micro expression or action was done for anything but for the needs of the moment. These people could at least be reasoned with.


    They were still better than the third type she saw; the ones who were truly rotten. Ruth understood what Clodius meant now. Clodius had been well meaning but ignorant. Some of these people were truly malicious, beacons of blackness. Every flick of their eyes, the movement of their hands, the way their backs were straightened reminded her more like a predator. No, a scavenger, a creature of opportunity that preys on those they deemed lesser. Always looking for more, never satisfied. One of these stood out to her, he had balding black hair that looked so greasy it could catch fire if she signed a spell over it.


    The darkness reminded her of The Butcher. One didn¡¯t need to be a bloodthirsty warlord to be evil, Ruth decided.


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    At Clodius¡¯ gesture, the three of them entered the building. The other senators followed behind them. Just outside the chamber, Clodius motioned them to wait. ¡°I will let you know when it is time to enter,¡± he signed, the gestures were slightly off but Ruth could figure it out. She nodded.


    Soon enough, the only people left outside the room were Ruth and Sheba. The wait was agonizing. Ruth laid her forehead against the cold stone, struggling to control her trembling. She repeated her speech in her head, replaying the signs over and over. No mistakes, no screw ups. She strained to concentrate, for even she could faintly hear noise coming from the senate chamber, who knows how many people were in there.


    Sheba laid a hand on Ruth¡¯s shoulder. Ruth turned to see Sheba¡¯s warm smile. A comforting face that made Ruth¡¯s problems fade away. ¡°Just focus on your signs,¡± signed Sheba. ¡°I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±


    It took another agonizing half hour before Sheba motioned that Clodius was calling them in. It made sense, the room had gotten quieter. Ruth took a deep breath, and then with Sheba at her side, they entered the chamber.


    It was exactly as Clodius said. The room was spacious and open. There were three main groups of senators seated in their respective areas. Row upon row of wizened leaders and other politicians scattered about. Ruth straightened up and put on a bold face. The senators turned to face her as she took the floor. She could see how in awe of her they were. She realized they¡¯d never seen a Godshard dressed like her before and she played into it. She raised her arms theatrically, emphasizing her golden dress and grey cloak. She plastered a serene grin, walking slowly in an attempt to convey confidence and power.


    The two of them reached the center of the room. They bowed politely in unison. Ruth saw Clodius among the group, and he nodded approvingly.


    Ruth turned back to the crowd of senators. It was remarkable to her how they were all unified with intrigue by her. Their faces were genuinely curious. The more malicious among them betrayed their fear in their micro expressions. They knew that they were in trouble and could only watch as the defeat moved to speak. The more earnest and pragmatic of them were nearly enthralled and it was amusing to see such stoic facades broken for the moment.


    Ruth had them right where she wanted them. She had to make it count.


    With a curt glance to Sheba, Ruth began her speech. She raised her arms, her signs had to be confident, sharp and grandiose. She lamented how much slower her signing was after her battle, but it could have been so much worse. ¡°Greetings, Senators. I am Ruth, leader of the Godshards of the Island City. I have come to ask that this whole business over our island be dissolved. The island is ours and it must remain outside your authority. If you truly wish to honor Adam¡¯s legacy, our independence must be recognized!¡±


    Ruth could see one of the senators moving his lips, spouting some kind of counterpoint, no doubt. Ruth¡¯s eyes narrowed, his soul was one of the darkest in the room. Josephus was his name. If bigotry and ignorance had a physical form, it was him. Ruth gestured to Sheba, and she knew what to do. She walked closer to the man. Despite his maliciousness, even he was in awe and trembled under her gaze.


    Ruth pointed at him before resuming her signs. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you and the bile you spit. You think I¡¯m stupid? You judge me for my deafness? You think that I¡¯m some little girl that can¡¯t handle herself? That I can¡¯t protect my people?¡± Ruth pulled back the sleeves of her dress, and let her muscled and scarred arms do the talking for a moment. ¡°We are capable of holding our own, as the scars upon my arms can show. I killed The Butcher single handedly. I¡¯m a Godshard of great power and a competent shepherd to my flock.¡± Josephus backed away from her gaze. His humbled demeanor made Ruth¡¯s day.


    Ruth turned to the other senators. ¡°I am flattered and honored by your willingness to help us build a settlement on our island. However, we will not sacrifice who we are for that. If that means you won¡¯t help us, that is fine. We will make it like we have for a century already.¡± Ruth could see how their hearts and minds were moved, not just by Ruth, but by Sheba. She was dutiful in her translation and passionate in her body language. Together, they really were a team! Ruth herself was nearly distracted before she steeled her mind back to the task at hand.


    ¡°The nature of our bond with the mortal realms is one of mutual friendship. A bond greater than the sum of its parts. Adam and Elias believed in this, and I carry on their legacy. Much like how we would never impose our will on your people, we don¡¯t want your will imposed on us. We hereby endorse Clodius in dismissing this issue, and humbly request any senator who truly respected Adam to side with him. Thank you for your time, and may the Gods be with you.¡±


    Ruth bowed, and the senators applauded. The clapping was so loud, even she could faintly hear it. It was a weird and uncomfortable sensation, and she barely maintained her polite facade and smile as she exited the room. She spared a final glance at Clodius that told her everything. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about this issue anymore. He¡¯d take it from here.

 Chapter Twenty-One: The Growth

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 Chapter Twenty-Two: The Call for Help

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    It¡¯s okay, my love. You can fall apart, I have you.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: The Prince

Abandoning friends when they need you the most, are you sure you¡¯re not a Benelim?


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 Chapter Twenty-Four: The Nightmare

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    Relax, my love, let me comfort you.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: The Bridge

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 Chapter Twenty-Six: The Siege

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    you

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Scythe

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 Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Delegation

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 Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Uniter

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 Chapter Thirty: The Future

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