“There it is,” Slava said, head drooping. “The object of my ambitions. Destroyed. I cannot believe it. So many years of my life, wasted in a moment.”
“I’m sorry,” I said, standing. My entire body shook. I just saw a dragon. A real fucking dragon.
“Ah, yes. Well, there is nothing to be done here. It was a well-fought battle, all of your. But I must admit defeat. I fear the troll is dead.”
“What clued you in?” Garvis asked, wiping snotfing blood off his cheek.
“I sincerely apologize for wasting your time,” Slava said. “Now, I must return to the Academy of Learning and receive my penance.”
“Go back?” I said.
“Now wait a yigging minute, you shog-sniffer,” Garvis growled. Kind of a funny sound coming from someone so small. “You promised gold.”
“If we captured the troll,” Slava reminded. “But I fear the troll is no longer available to my needs. Now, we should leave here before the sun is swallowed up by night and things more dangerous than trolls or snotfings come out to have their fun.”
Slava started back through the woods.
“And what of the town?” Lilla asked.
Slava spun back, wearing a look like she’d just asked the most selfish question possible. “You speak of gold and peasants when I have just suffered such a tragic loss?”
It was Lilla’s turn to pull a face. “I ask you of two dozen people who have suffered a far greater tragedy!”
“I know it may be difficult for one such as you to understand, but what is a handful of homes compared to the remedy for life’s most dire pestilences? What is a village in the face of ridding the world of disease? That troll—which has taken me years to procure—could have changed the world.”
“One such as me?” Lilla demanded. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Again, I meant no disrespect. I simply—”
“I do not understand either,” Curr said, stepping forward with all his braugy bluster.
“Of course you don’t, you ignorant braug!”
Curr growled and rushed forward, grabbing Slava by the robes and raising him off the ground.
In response, a ball of fire blossomed in the wizard’s hand. Everyone grew still and quiet as the air gently sizzled. “Release me or roast.”
Curr grinned. “Gladly.” He took a step back and dropped Slava directly into a mound of snotfing intestines.
The wizard’s fire extinguished, and as he rose, wiping off his clothes, he spoke softly. “My apologies for insulting you.”
“It is not nice to insult people,” Curr said.
I stared at him, slack-jawed. “You’re kidding, right?”
Curr turned to me. “No, Danny. Ill-spoken words can do just as much damage as swords and axes. You should bear that in mind on occasion as well.”
I was speechless.
That’s a first.
Lilla, however, wasn’t. She fumed at Slava. “You sure have a habit of speaking without regard for others, and expect us to sweep your self-righteous egregiousness under the proverbial rug.”
Yeah! You get him, Lilla.
“Yes.” Slava nodded. “I know. It is the curse of my intellect. I must learn to tamper my emotions so my outward actions reflect the genius within.”
Is this guy for real?
As real as anything here in Aethonia.
What does that mean?
“So what now?” Garvis asked, annoyed. “We followed you into these woods. Crossed a veritable ocean…” I snickered. He glared at me. “… and we get nothin’ for our troubles?”
Slava sighed. “I will make you a bargain—”
“You already did that, boyo, and now you’re not good on your word.” Garvis point to Curr. “Teach him a lesson, big guy.”
“It is never wise to swim before digestion,” Curr said.
Garvis’ face turned red. “Are you always this stupid?”
Curr tilted his head, but I stepped between them. “Stop it, both of you.”
“I did not do anything,” Curr argued.
“Let the wizard speak,” I said.
“Yes, I agree,” Lilla said.
Geez. You two…
“What’s your bargain?” I asked.
Slava sighed. “You follow me back to the Academy. I am sure something can be arranged. Perhaps not the gold I have pledged, and I suspect the elders will have little interest in investing their limited resources in rehabilitating the town now that the troll is dead—”
Lilla raised an objection that Slava shot down by speaking louder.
“However, I believe we might find something of worth to make your journey more pleasant.” With this, he smiled at Lilla, and I was glad to see that she returned only a scowl.
Still, I pressed a steadying hand toward her. Arguing with Slava wasn’t going to accomplish anything meaningful, and he was right about our time out here in the woods being limited. I’d fought orcs and goblins before. I had no desire to do so again tonight.
Then, an idea struck me.
This won’t be good.
Have a little faith, huh?
I cleared my throat. “Perhaps with your high standing at the Academy, you could get us an audience with the king?”
Slava eyed me with curiosity. “The king? King Shirtaloon?”
“Is there another king I don’t know about?” I asked.
Then in my head, I posed the same question to Screenie. There isn’t, right?
Not in Pyruun.
“That is a fine idea, Danny,” Curr said. “That will allow us to—”
I cut Curr off before he could spill our plan to this complete stranger. “Meet the king. Yes, Curr. That would be the plan, right?”
Curr shook his head. “No, the plan was to—”
Garvis interrupted this time. “That’s a fine idea. So, wizard, what do you think?”
Slava stroked his beard. “Right. An audience with the king.” He paced a bit as if mulling it over. “I think we could arrange that.”
And that is how we enter the castle.
***
We had only been a dozen or so miles south of the capital city when we were distracted by the troll attack, and since we encountered no other disturbances, we arrived after a couple of hours walking.
I, for one, was thrilled to see civilization. That said, it was civilization unlike anything I’d ever seen. And the worst part was I couldn’t even let my awe show. Surely, it would be expected of anyone who lived in this world to have seen or at least heard about Cantripoli.
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Nothing could have prepared me for this.
Before me, a giant city spanned in all directions for countless miles.
Seven miles. Not countless. Seven.
Still, that’s pretty big, right?
They don’t call it the capital for nothing.
The walls gleamed like silver, though I was sure it wasn’t. The buildings were nothing like Nahal or the other podunk towns we’d passed in our travels. It actually looked more like the elven ruins had they not been, well, ruined.
These buildings were tall, some of them dozens of stories. And above it all—literally floating on a rock island—the castle. Or maybe I’d have called it a palace.
It’s a castle. Would you like to hear its history?
Not now.
Harrumph.
Like the city walls, it shone like a prism in the sun. What looked like miniature airplanes or something rose from the ground. Hence my difficulty maintaining the composure of one who should have been familiar with these oddities in the middle of a medieval style world.
Screenie, what is going on over there?
Now you want my sage words?
If you’re gonna be a dick…
Fine.
One can only reach the castle on the King’s own pride.
What is that supposed to mean?
“And there she is!” Slava announced, interrupting my inner dialogue with Screenie. “The most beautiful building in all the capital. The Academy of Learning…”
He pointed afar off to what looked almost like a modern-day sky scraper. Though if I had to guess, what looked like gleaming glass was actually crystal.
Right you are.
The Academy of Learning is constructed from Sulhas Crystal, a rare and expensive mineral found in Assiri. It’s actually one reason Pyruun is at war.
Because they mined some stones?
Not just some stones. Nearly the entire deposit. It resulted in the caving in of one of Assiri’s most populated cities, killing tens of thousands.
Yikes.
Sure, Danny. Yikes sounds like the best response.
“The Assiri must not be happy about that,” I said, hoping to show my friends I knew a thing or two.
Instead, they looked at me like I was a moron. Worse, there was a bit of shock on their faces.
“Danny, that was very insensitive,” Curr said. “Even for you.”
I can never just have a win, can I?
You’re the one who insists on saying stupid things.
“You’re right,” I said. “I’m sorry.”
“As well you should be. I fought alongside brave men in that war. It is pointless. No one is happy about this war.”
“I wouldn’t say no one,” Lilla said, eyeing Slava who was barely paying attention now that the Academy of Learning was in sight.
It really was an incredible thing. I found it hard to believe people could build such an edifice without the use of heavy machinery.
Ever heard of a thing called magic?
They used magic to build it?
The Academy of Learning isn’t some Ivy League university. Those who choose to attend—or rather those who are chosen to attend—spend the bulk of their lives studying the ways of Pruthkrama.
Are you gonna make me ask?
It’s nice to be needed. But no. Pruthkrama is a term used by Pyruunians to describe the relationship between spirit and elements. In other words, witchcraft.
I’ve always thought of witchcraft as a bad thing.
Who said it isn’t?
That statement—which felt a lot like a warning—caused me to turn to Slava with nearly the same expression of suspicion that was etched on Lilla’s face.
“The city gates will be closed until sunrise,” Slava said.
“They close the gates at night?” I asked, immediately realizing that should have been something I knew.
“A fairly new thing,” Slava said.
I almost let out a sigh of relief.
“With the Assiri getting closer to our borders, Captain Valerios believed it would be prudent to take precautions against any sort of surprise attack.”
Getting closer to our borders?
It’s smart you didn’t say that one out loud. Everyone in Pyruun knows that war on the royal soil is imminent.
That sounds bad.
War is always bad, Danny.
“We should make camp here,” Slava offered. “On the periphery of town.”
“What about… orcs and stuff?” I asked.
Curr laughed. Slava laughed. They both looked at each other, and stopped, as if embarrassed that they both shared the same emotion.
“Danny, my sweet, innocent, unworldy, Danny,” Curr said in a tone on would use to speak to an invalid. “This close to town, no orc or any other creature that would pose a threat would dare travel.”
“I knew that,” I said.
“Then why would you—”
“I don’t know Curr. I’m tired, okay? Let’s just make camp.”
Curr shook his head. “I will never understand you. I will get a fire going.”
“Can’t fire hands over there just, you know, poof one?” Garvis asked.
“I will not allow such a simple task to be delegated to magic,” Curr said, already starting to gather sticks.
I sighed. I was really beginning to think I belonged here in Aethonia, but it seemed like there was just so much I didn’t know. But one thing I did know was music, and I’d been lugging around this enchanted, magical lute for so long, and rarely had an opportunity alone to just… fiddle.
It’s a hard thing to explain to someone who isn’t a musician, but if I went too long without playing, it felt like a part of my soul was missing. And all these months, traveling with companions through dangerous lands—when one of which had already broken one of my instruments because he hated my playing—I never felt comfortable just learning what Roxanne and I could do together.
“Do you mind if I venture off a little bit on my own?” I asked.
Without looking up from his work, Curr said, “Please, just bury it when you are done.”
“Not for—you know what, never mind. I’ll be back after awhile. Just need some time alone.”
“Oh… that!” Curr said.
My face went red, and I avoided eye contact with Lilla, but did my best to ignore the comment. I strolled off through the trees until I felt I was far enough away from everybody that they wouldn’t hear my playing.
There was a small creek in the woods in Willistown, just a mile or so from my house growing up. The town was super small, a couple of hours outside of Chicago, Illinois, and smack-dab in the middle of nowhere. I don’t have a ton of fond memories of my childhood, but that creek… Willistown had a light-ordinance. That meant that after 9pm, businesses were lawfully required to dim their parking lot lamps, and all streetlights went off. I remember my dad complaining about it constantly—him shouting out the window at someone for having their high beams on had become a family joke. Not that mom and I ever dared let him know that.
However, that light-ordinance meant that Willistown was darker at night than nearly any other town in America, and out by the creek, you could actually see stars. Granted, not the hundreds or even thousands I could see now, but it was something.
For the first time since arriving in Aethonia, I found myself alone in the woods. And between the assurance that nothing dangerous would stray this close to town, and the fact that I had some real fights under my belt, I was feeling pretty good.
Finding a fallen tree trunk—wet and mossy as it was—I took a seat and pulled Roxanne around to rest on my thigh.
“How about a song?” I said to her. Though she didn’t respond, I could feel her power humming in my grasp. “Alright.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what to play. Had this been a guitar, I’d have likely warmed up with some easy scales, but the thirteen-stringed instrument was still a bit new to me, and I hadn’t the slightest clue what scales might exist on it. I remembered that night at the Sea Mantis Inn and Drink—a place I was no longer welcome after sleeping with the owner’s daughter, Shalimar—when I’d tuned Mr. Shicklemor’s lute to E-standard. I’d tried that a few times with Roxanne, but she always managed to correct herself back to whatever tuning she was traditionally supposed to be.
Needless to say, I’d given up. And at this point, I was getting sort of used to it, even if I didn’t fully understand it yet.
I placed my hands on the fretboard, and let my fingers slide a bit, listening to the gentle scrape against the nylon strings. Closing my eyes, I willed myself to become one with The Lute of Seven Stars.
Suddenly, a soft melody began, and when I looked down, I noticed that my hands were following along. It sounded oddly familiar, as if I’d played it before, but I had no recollection of it’s name.
You are playing Promise of the Son (29 inst. 0 sin.)
Huh.
I was a few bars in when a beautiful voice began singing. At first, I thought it was in my head. Intuitively, I knew the words were sung in elvish, but I heard them in my own language.
> In twilight’s embrace, where shadows dance soft,
> Whispers of grace echo aloft.
> Seven Stars shimmer, a celestial bloom,
> The moon casts her light, all darkness consumed.
>
>
>
> O Promise of the Son, in Ayar’a’s glow we find,
> A hope in our dreams, forever intertwined.
> With the dawn of your beauty, our dour hearts soar,
> In the melody of life, and the end of all war.
>
>
>
> Through M’li Ka’s deep valley, And Alyndis’ height
> In each leaf, a whisper, The Stars’ gleaming light
> As seasons doth turn, each cycle anew,
> We hold fast to the promise, steadfast and true.
> Each sisters’ heart beating, awaiting the signs
> The bond of our journey, woven in the vines.
>
>
>
> O Promise of the Son, and the Seven to guide,
> A hope in our dreams, forever intertwined.
> With the dawn of your beauty, our dour hearts shall soar,
> In the melody of life, the end of all war.
>
>
>
> So let the Seven Stars lead us free from the dark,
> With hope as our lantern, igniting the spark.
> In unity we flourish, and victory won
> In the light of our ancestors, the soon Promised Son.
I stopped playing and opened my eyes. A peace I couldn’t explain had settled upon my shoulders, and filled me from the inside.
Lilla sat beside me. It was her voice, her song, and her cheeks were streaked with tears.
We sat in silence for a long time, listening to the gentle breeze, the leaves rustling, and crickets chirping. I could have stayed in that place forever, with Lilla by my side, and never complained.
“That was the song given to us by the first Sisters,” she finally said, her voice barely a whisper.
“I thought that song had no lyrics,” I said.
“Most don’t know them. But I have long had them in my heart. It has guided us for centuries to this very moment.”
“What’s special about this moment?” I asked, my mouth dry. “Other than the obvious,” I added, not wanting her to think I didn’t enjoy her company.
“The Sisters of Alyndis have searched far and wide, for longer than I’ve been alive. We thought we were seeking the lute, but I don’t believe that’s true.”
I looked down at Roxanne. “Tevagah seemed pretty confident.”
“She and I did not agree on many things, not completely. But she was our Mother, and it was her word we followed. However, now, with her gone, it is I who carries the burden.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Lilla shook her head. “Do not be sorry. The Seven Stars guide us all, and they have brought us to now.”
I turned toward her. “And I’m grateful for it.”
“You do not understand.”
“I’m trying,” I said, attempting to keep the frustration out of my tone.
I was tired of being so far removed from the history of the world I now inhabited that everything felt so far outside the grasp of my understanding.
“The truth is…” She paused, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “I believe you, Danny the Bard, are the son the song promises.”