The Boiling sea is forbidden to any ship of class A, B and C. Despite that ultimately the security of a vessel falls on the shoulders of its captain, the following prerequisites for ships of class D and E have been imposed through the implementation of the Imperatrix’s maritime law:
* A captain desiring to fish or use the naval trade routes between Mov, Moriana and Shall, has to assemble a thermoresistant underbelly and helm on his ship.
* A captain has to prove his capacity to repel Trechuite pirate attacks in front of the maritime forces of the coastal city of his choice. Recruitment of specialized God-Touched is highly recommended.
In this year 98 after the war of the Firantes, we feel obliged to remind the reader of the number of piracy attacks orchestrated by the fractured islands of the Trechuites, at a current average of one hundred and forty-six per year. To take extra security steps is usually corroborated with improved profit and success, despite the higher costs those steps bring.
Hymerian maritime laws: Rules for the Boiling sea captains, p.2
The sole heir to the throne, adopted son of the Imperatrix, prince of the Empire for at least fifty years, seemed barely over twenty. It was the first thing Nay noticed about the man entering the third church of Ja. He was walking straight towards the young ladies, but his gaze was fixed on just Nay.
The next emperor was very tall, even taller than Ra’fa, and his green eyes betrayed his Jarulavien origins. The rest of his face, clear skin, baby-face and brown-red hair showed his Hessenior origins. His features were striking, of androgyne beauty, while the rest of his body was undeniably masculine, without being excessively muscled. He was wearing a long dark cape, a tunic, and short trousers showing his ankles. Weirdly, he was bare-footed. Rreico was escaping from the sole of his feet and left strange black dust at the wake of each of his steps. Despite this strange quirk, his clothes were sumptuous, the cape was magnificent, the colour of its inside matching perfectly with the rest of what he was wearing, creating a painting representing the setting sun. Hundreds of runes were discreetly inscribed on his clothes in a spectrum of reds and oranges. But the magic emanating from the undecipherable words seemed like a paltry nothing compared to his own power.
Because even though his appearance and voice could make him seem like an almost normal and dashing young noble, his Rreico was telling a different story altogether, in a genre closer to horror than romance.
Now that she was face to face with him, Nay could feel the true range of the God-Touched’s might.
This man could turn the city to rubble if he so wished. His rhythm of life was old, and even though she could still feel the specks of love and tenderness she had perceived before, when hidden in the train’s wagon, she was currently seeing the violence and strength more than anything.
“I was a gullible idiot.” Trinne said out loud, annoyed.
Her friend with eyes colour of the sky seemed to have understood something, but Nay was too focused on the situation at hand to ask her exactly what it was.
Leïn’s guards stood to attention.
“Heir.” Derico Dolio kneeled when Jarl passed next to him.
“Dolio.” The prince stopped to talk to him. “I admit I didn’t expect you to find her…you used our dear Commandare, smart. Except he wasn’t supposed to be here anymore.” The flawless features of the strongest God-Touched in the Empire showed the obvious sign of anger. His eyes were not leaving Nay.
She felt cold sweat run down her back. Trinne and she weren’t moving. And maybe it was because of their current powerlessness, but Nay could feel Trinne getting quite mad. Her friend seemed honestly upset at the God-Touched.
“Heir.” Quar began. “This thing has to be destroyed. She is too dangerous; you do not understand…” He stopped mid-sentence.
Jarl the Bohemian had turned his attention towards him. His Rreico had become frost. He was seriously considering ending Redrick Darkstar’s right hand man here and now.
Killing intent wasn’t something Quar Birrebus was inexperienced about, and even without the Legio’s sixth sense, he had understood that maybe he had done one misstep too many.
He turned his head to give one last furious look at the two young women, then put a knee on the ground.
“All my actions were for the greater good of the Empire.” He explained himself.
Jarl the Bohemian scoffed. “You are being led by vengeance and nothing else. Look at me, Quar.”
Begrudgingly, he raised his head. Nay had to admit that this man that had hunted her for over half the continent was impressive. Even in his precarious position, there wasn’t any fear in his Rreico. She would have liked to say as much for herself.
“You are hereby ordered to go back to Gite, effective immediately. Unfortunately, you have been elected as the new Commandare, despite having been absent during the decisional phase. If this had not been the case, you would be cinder on the marble floor of this church already.”
Quar Birrebus blinked but didn’t let anything else betray his thoughts.
Jarl the Bohemian started to shine, violet flames escaping the sole of his feet. He took Quar Birrebus’s chin between his fingers and came closer.
“But listen to me well. If you show even the smallest of desire to kill the monster of Gite, any sliver of suspicion it may be… I will come end you personally. Amongst your men, when you sleep, in the middle of a battle against the Carradins... I will be merciless. We’ll never find your remains and your name will be banished from all lips and books. HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR!?”
Redrick Darkstar’s right hand man trembled for the first time. His Rreico showed stupor.
“Yes, heir to the throne.”
Jarl the bohemian pointed his finger towards Nay. “For the good of this kingdom, this woman needs to stay alive. Imperatrix Hyn herself has announced it this morning. Your actions went against Her word, and even if you weren’t aware of it, I could still imprison you for high treason. Now, go away. We’ll see each other soon. Don’t forget the relative autonomy of your city will be compromised considering the current fluctuating situation, and I shall see you, regularly.”
Quar Birrebus bowed. He looked at Nay, His Rreico cold and his expression neutral. “I shall follow the orders of the Imperatrix, heir. With my apologies.”
And he left.
The policemen and Dolio Dorico looked at him leave in silence.
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Jarl the Bohemian seemed to have forgotten him already. He watched, in turn, Nay, then Trinne.
“Leave us alone and take Kurtzess with you.” He gave out orders to the police chief.
“Heir? I cannot leave you alone with two criminals…” The high ranking official began.
“Their judgment was retracted by the Imperatrix herself, these two women are innocent, used to calm the spirit of panic in Gite. Our sovereign hates the sacrifice of the little men for the benefit of the great ones. I have nothing to fear.”
Nay had perceived no deception in his words, except in his last sentence.
Her eyes widened.
He knew what she was. He knew she was the End. Despite her contained power, the Archbishop had to have understood who she was and had relayed the information to the Imperatrix. This was the logical explanation, but even then, the young Legio felt something was wrong with it.
“Eh, Hi? What?” The old priest, who somehow had been sleeping in front of the statue all this time, unbelievably, had finally woken up. It had taken two police officers grabbing him by the shoulders and leading him outside the church.
“Kurtzess, sorry to bother you in your meditation, but I need a moment in private.” Jarl told him.
“Who are…oh by Ja, prince? You know my…well yes, of course! Thank you very much!” The old man now looked ecstatic about being forcefully pulled out of his church.
Neither Jarl nor the two women were talking. Still in front of Ja’s statue, they were looking at the most powerful of the God-Touched in the Empire apprehensively.
In the end, it was Trinne who broke the silence first.
“You used me. You knew I would lead you to Nay and everything else you told me was stardust to blind me.”
Jarl the Bohemian met her gaze a short instant, then fixed Nay once again. “More or less correct. My mother does want to meet you, but as soon as possible? No, we are not in a hurry about this. I didn’t believe our police chief capable of finding the girl with cloud-like eyes so quickly, and on this point, every second was essential.”
“He’s the one that brought you to Leïn?” Nay questioned her friend.
Trinne nodded then spoke at the God-Touched again. “How could you possibly know I would find her?”
The heir raised his shoulder. “I didn’t know, it was far from certain, but my mother was convinced you were our best bet. Despite credibility issues, Viviane, previously known as Amethyst, gave us interesting reports about your relationship with the young girl at your side. Love and hate, having gotten much closer after the death of their mutual friend and the assassination of the Duke, to make it short.”
Trinne pinched the bridge of her nose. “Of course.”
“We only needed a God-Touched following your movements and reporting any suspicious activity to me. I am surprised by your link, though. I didn’t see you as so emotional you would let yourself be controlled so deeply.
“I’m sorry?” Trinne’s voice grew louder.
“Trinne…calm down.” Nay tried. She was failing to see the point in upsetting Jarl the Bohemian.
“Don’t be defensive, it is not as much your abilities that I’m questioning, as it is the impressive manipulative mastermind of your ‘friend’.”
Nay looked at him, not following. She was the manipulative one in their relationship?
Trinne sighed. “You know where she’s from, is that it? She only understood what it meant after I did. It would have been hard to manipulate me in those circumstances.
“What are you talking about?” Jarl responded.
“What I’m talking about? Are you serious? Why would…” Trinne didn’t finish her sentence, her brain trying to make sense of what was going on.
Apparently, Nay wasn’t the only one lost by the turn of events anymore.
“Have we really been pardoned? By the Imperatrix?” She asked.
“Not like we could punish you in any feasible way.” Jarl the Bohemian had a mocking laugh.
“Nay? You know what he is talking about?” Trinne looked at her.
“I think he talks about the fact that I have so much ma…miracle power at my disposal, that my death would bring the end of the world.”
Trinne shook her head left and right. “What’s this now?”
Nay grimaced, but she would not lie to her friend. She turned to face her and grasped her hands. “I went to see Marke’s master, in Makaka. He told me I wasn’t a Firante, but a sacrifice chosen to absorb the energy of everyone killed during the war of the Firantes. Because of this, when I die, I would avenge their defeat by killing everyone.”
Trinne opened her mouth, but no sound escaped. Nay closed her eyes and lowered her head. She was waiting for her condemnation, clenching her hands in those of her friend’s.
“What are you playing at? Why tell her that? You don’t need to continue your little charade, you know, you succeeded! My mother wants to see you so you can give out your demands.” Jarl the Bohemian wasn’t surprised by the young Legio’s explanation, but fury was shaking his voice. As she had guessed, he was aware of what she was.
“Wait, are you serious?” Trinne picked up Nay’s chin so she would look at her in the eyes.
“Mhh…” She nodded. “My name was End, I’m just a monster.”
“Ha!” Trinne exclaimed. “So, when I made you flee Gite, I didn’t exchange other people’s lives so you would survive. I actually saved the world. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old young woman."
“Trinne, I…”
“Stop playing the victim. It makes me want to put nails in your clothes. I know you, you’re not a monster, you’re not evil nor are you manipulative. Whatever this idiot here says.” Jarl the Bohemian tensed up. “You are unbearably righteous and follow your conscience so much it’s just moralizing to everyone else. You’re the most impressive woman I know and even then, you’ve got one of the lowest self-confidence I have ever witnessed. More importantly, you’re cute, your boobs are bigger and you’re better than me in a fight, which definitely makes you my worst enemy.”
“I don’t know you well, Trinne daughter of Yarnt, but I didn’t know someone could be brainwashed to this extent. Amethyst’s reports…”
“Heir to the throne.” Trinne interrupted him. “If I understand well, you mistook my friend for a weapon sent by the Firantes to do I don’t know what to the Empire? This is ridiculous. She has lived in Gite for at least ten years, has been educated by Ra’fa Jarket and Marke, the ex-Sergeant-General of the imperial armies, both being individuals respected by the Imperatrix herself and having shown their loyalty to the Empire too many times to be counted. What’s more, a theory saying that a seven-year-old child would have been sent to an enemy country as an infiltrated spy is absurd, to say the least.”
“I’m technically more than a century old, even if I only woke up twenty years ago or so.”
Trinne looked at her. “You really need to learn to shut up sometimes. Take me as an example!” Her voice showed heavy sarcasm. “And seriously, it’s the last time I let you leave on your own to go I don’t know where, really, the mess you create when I’m not there…”
The typical arrogance of Trinne was being overtaken by something else. For once, her Rreico didn’t smell of metal, but just flowers. Nay lowered her head.
“Thank you.”
Jarl the Bohemian sighed. “The Firantes are the undisputed masters of deception. Your story may have been corroborated by numerous sources, by an ex-Jewel even, it doesn’t matter. It has obviously been entirely fabricated. It is not a coincidence that the Sergeant-General has been killed recently and that Ra’fa Jarket is not to be found. That you have been so thoroughly duped isn’t so surprising, Trinne, but I would have hoped more perspicacity. Now, get away from the End, I shall forgive your transgressions against me as you couldn’t know…”
“I haven’t been duped by anything, Heir. This is my life. I have lived with Nay most of my teenage years, and everything your reports are telling you is the truth. Are Firantes capable of modifying the memory of someone to that extent?”
There was a long silence.
“This is impossible.” Jarl the Bohemian noted. He looked at Trinne, then Nay. “You are the end.”
“I…” The young Legio began. “No. My name is Nay. Marke and Ra’fa are my parents. My mother is hiding because my sister is a God-Touched, and I have very little memories of my time with the Firantes because they were killed by Angels.”
The heir to the throne looked at her for a long moment. “I don’t know.” He admitted. “Would you be willing to accompany me to the palace? My mother will quickly see through your schemes.”
“If she doesn’t try to kill me. I have no desire to destroy the world.”
“Ha! Ridiculous. My mother does not wish for the Empire she built to be ruined. We will not harm you.”
“Don’t hurt Trinne either.” Nay clenched her friend’s hand in her own. She didn’t understand why, but her friend’s Rreico was suddenly terrified.
“We need the late Duke’s daughter's intellect, don’t worry. Her insolence is refreshing, I’m not one to get angry at such things. Do not call me an idiot anymore, though… I shall wait for you outside. I cannot pick you both up, as such we shall use the streets.” And the God-Touched left the church. He didn’t seem worried about a potential escape on their part. After all, the entrances were still guarded by dozens of policemen.
The tension fell back, and the two women were alone inside the church. Bells rang five times.
“Nay?”
The young Legio turned around to face the woman with fiery hair.
Her friend was trembling. Nay hugged her close. “What is it?” She asked.
“Angels? There are more than one?”
Nay closed her eyes. She saw the events again, those that had happened more than ten years ago. The screaming. The shadows. Inside Trinne’s Rreico, she saw the same shadows, the same screams. Whatever had happened on the plateau, Trinne had lived through a similar atrocity.
“Three, I think.”
“By Lebe…I…I’m sorry I can’t calm…
“There, it’s nothing Trinne. I understand. Really, I understand. I’m here, you have to stay with me, or I’ll make another mess, so I’m here.”
Trinne laughed quietly, but her traumatized shivers did not stop.