Vidder stood behind Father, wearing his drone mask. He was not trying to attract attention, which was ironic considering the Sharderin council was in session and no one else wore their masks. Even the guards wore no masks. The council was a place of transparency, no deception, and no treachery. No one questioned him, however, as he accompanied Father.
Three main sets of bleachers sat facing each other, each occupied by the heads of each political platform. In the head platform, Grandmaster Skar presided over the zealots.
“Why are we here?” Grandmaster Skar demanded with no small degree of outrage. “Council sessions out of season are reserved for emergencies only!”
High Priest Hagen stood from his seat of presidency in the priest’s bleachers. “Grandmaster Skar, it is now common consensus that we must discuss your removal from the head platform.”
“Is that so?” Grandmaster Skar asked more cautiously. “So you have been having private conferences without us? What does the law say about that?”
“Tell us what the law says about your abuse of authority, and then we'll discuss the legality of our private gatherings,” Chief Elder Jorgensen said.
“Our activities have been well within our right,” Grandmaster Skar said. “But bring forth your complaints; we will settle them now.”
The High Priest and Chief Elder glanced at each other, and Vidder wondered which one would speak out openly against the zealots first.
Neither one broke the silence, each waiting for the other, and Grandmaster Skar took advantage of the hesitation. “No spokesman for you? And what say you, Arbiter?” He turned to address Father, who had a unique spot on the council – not a whole bleacher, as he represented no party but a private box.
Father rose to his feet to address the council. Vidder felt a rush of admiration for the figure. He had single-handedly changed the course of Sharderin life and had granted him a second chance, a rebirth.
“My friends,” Father said, his powerful voice carrying across the room. “Let me remind you, I have held a spot on this council for many years and have never sought the head platform. My interests are strictly for the benefit of our people. I hold no other ambitions.”
Zealots, priests, and elders alike nodded in affirmation of his words.
“Historically, I have sided with the zealots in such disputes.” He looked at Grandmaster Skar, who gave him a slight smile.
“But this time, I’m afraid I must say I have had enough from your people! You have stepped beyond your authority time and time again. You have stepped on our toes and tripped us in our progress!”
“What?” Skar cried. “What are you talking about?”
“You have made laws in other platforms’ operating procedures. You have executed judgment without trial on the underlings of platforms other than your own, and your ungodly obsession with purity has severely limited our ability to collect intelligence on the enemy. We are all done tolerating these practices, and it must change!”
“Never! Our purity is what makes us strong!” Skar snarled.
The council room broke into an uproar. Priests and elders cried protests at the zealots, but the zealots stood stoic by their word.
Father held up his hand, silencing the council room. “It doesn’t matter what you think anymore, my old friend. You may hold two votes because you hold the head platform, but with the voice of the priests, the elders, and my voice sided with them, it’s three against two.”
“You want to unseat us?” Skar spat at the Arbiter. Then he turned to the other platforms. “And which of you will fill the vacancy?”
Father interjected before the other platforms could respond. “No, I will not impeach you, Grandmaster.”
The cries of protest now turned against Father, and Vidder impulsively stepped forward protectively. How dare they criticize such a perfect figure?
Father stood his ground and waited for the cries to die down. “I won’t impeach you yet, so long as you agree to some of our terms. We are old friends, and I respect you enough to give you a chance.”
Skar tensed. “What are your terms?”
“For the Priests, you will withdraw completely from regulating their operating procedures and policy.”
“Fine.”
“You will stop breaking the face of underlings without trials with a representative of each party present.”
“Agreed,” Skar growled.
“You will allow the priests to adopt and start training the abandoned sons of the Relrin’s for infiltration purposes.”
“Out of the question!” Skar spat. “We will not take their Mother-killing blood among us willingly.”
“Then, so help me, I will pull you off that platform with my own two hands, Skar!” Father roared back at him.
Vidder felt a tingle of awe at his Father's power; Father didn’t need Vidder to protect him. He was entirely in control. Vidder stepped back again; he was only worthy to stand in Father’s shadow.
Skar slumped back into his seat, pale and beaten.
“And finally, you will give me the authority to restore the faces of those I deem worthy,” Father said.
“That is the decision of the entire council. The zealots don’t have the authority to grant those privileges alone.”
“Who opposes the notion?” Father asked as he looked around.
“Within reason?” High priest Hagen glanced at Chief Elder Jorgensen, who shrugged. “Very well.”
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“I’ll have this right added to my statutes. What further demands do you have?” Father asked the priests and elders.
The priests and elders looked at each other. Some were smiling in satisfaction, others scowling in discontent, but their leaders spoke up. “We are content.”
“As are we.”
The blow was dealt. There was no way Father would see such a drastic change in government so quickly, so he took subtle steps. The combined council had confronted and humiliated the zealot.
“Very well,” Father said, “but let this serve as a warning. If you violate any of these conditions again or step out of line as little as an inch, we will remove you without hesitation.”
Skar didn’t respond. He simply glared at Father from across the room.
“Draw up records for these new conditions, and if there is no objection, I declare this emergency council adjourned,” Father said.
The council broke up, and Vidder followed Father out of the council chambers onto the fourth-level deck of Pit One. They headed for the nearest lift when a call from behind stopped them.
“Arbiter,” Grandmaster Skar called as he ran after them.
Vidder growled in annoyance. Who was Skar to summon Father like a dog?
Skar ran up to them with his zealot’s robe billowing behind him. “Arbiter.”
Vidder stepped between them protectively as Skar approached them.
“Why?” Skar demanded betrayal in his eyes. “After so many years of support, why are you siding with them now?”
Father turned to face the aged grandmaster. “Because Skar, your people have stolen not one but several of my sons. What kind of Father would I be if I didn’t look after my children?” Father lovingly placed his hand on Vidder’s shoulder.
Vidder felt his valor flair at Father’s touch, like tongues of fire twisting inside him.
“I didn’t know. If you would mark your sons, I would ensure you that my people wouldn’t touch them.”
“I do mark my sons, Grandmaster, but they will remain hidden behind the mask of the common drone.”
“Why? Why not factionalize yourself like the others?”
“Factions are a thing of men. I am doing the work of old gods,” Father said. “You wouldn’t understand, and I don’t ask you to. I ask you to be more tolerant of your brothers and their needs.”
“I know you have done so much for us. You have given us strength unparallel with our rivals. But we could have settled this between us privately. Why are you working with them?”
In response, Father simply turned and started to walk away.
“Arbiter!” Skar snapped, “Do not ignore me!” He started after him, but Vidder put a warning hand against Skar’s chest. He could feel the old man’s heartbeat just behind the frail ribcage. It would be so easy to dig in and pull it out. “Arbiter!”
Father whirled to face him. “Because you are my friend, and we would soon have a civil war if I didn't. We must keep the clan united.”
“We would prevail.”
“Do you honestly think the zealots would win a war against the elders and the priests?”
“We are the elite.”
Father snorted. “The priests alone could overthrow the zealots. They have been preparing for it for fifteen years. They created the Architects as a check on your power.”
“Why do you think we were regulating their training – and we can’t do that any longer thanks to you.”
“You’re welcome,” Father replied. “I don’t want you to pass away in the night by the hand of some Reaper. You will find room to forgive me. In the meantime, tread carefully, my old friend.”
They left the baffled grandmaster as they started to head back to the lift. No lift went all the way to the fourth tier, so they would need to catch a different lift down on the third level.
Vidder sniffed the air and was instantly assaulted by frustration as the familiar scent closed in. Edgar was crafty. Vidder wouldn’t have known if his nose wasn’t so effective. With a sigh, he turned to the Arbiter “Father.”
“Yes, my son?”
“That reaper is following us, the brother of Niklas Loga.”
“Then he is good,” Father nodded affirmingly. “I would have never known.”
“My eyes deceive me, but my nose is true.”
“Yes, it is. Talk to him, get him off of our tail, Vidder.”
“You have a tail?”
“That’s not what I mean,” Father chuckled. “Divert his attention.”
“What should I tell him?”
“Tell him the truth. Tell him that you are going to find Niklas.”
“I am?” Vidder asked in surprise.
“Yes, I need you to find the Nightbeast, the White Spider, and the Troll. All those who the zealots have foolishly stolen from me.”
“It will be done, Father.”
Sniffing the air, Vidder broke away from the Arbiter and followed his nose to an elder’s hut. “Come out, Edgar,” he said.
A figure rose from the shadows on the roof.
“I know that you have been following me. What do you want?”
Edgar dropped from the roof in front of Vidder, his Reaper's mask donned on his face and his Reaper’s blade on his back. “How did you know?”
“I’m vigilant,” Vidder shrugged.
“No one is that vigilant.”
“Maybe you’re not as good as you think?”
Edgar snorted. “Few are as good as I. Why are you interested in Niklas? You never told me, and I came to figure it out.”
Vidder sighed. “I was hoping to spare you a long sob story. But if you must know, I used to serve as a drone in Niklas’ unit. He was good to me, and I didn’t have any friends. We have been close since then.”
“Hmm,” Edgar pondered. “You were a drone in his unit; you are now an officer, and yet, at this moment, you wear a drone mask and stand on the fourth level.”
Vidder cursed, caught in his lie. He had so many masks he frequently forgot which one he was wearing.
“If I recall correctly, having two faces is quite forbidden,” Edgar said, stepping forward. “Punishable by death.”
“I have special authorization and my own reasons,” Vidder said
Edgar stepped in and placed two fingers on Vidder’s throat.
Pulse detection. Vidder realized too late he was digging himself deeper.
“Are you who you say you are?” Edgar asked.
Vidder’s confidence wavered, and surely Edgar had already felt it. Seizing Edgar’s wrist, Vidder forced Edgar’s hand away from his neck. Vidder tried to not use too much strength, as it would be unnatural, but Edgar cried out in surprise.
“Listen, Edgar Loga,” Vidder hissed, letting all facade slip. “You can let me help find your brother, or you can cross me again, and I will kill you.”
“Don’t cross you?” Edgar gasped. “Who are you? You’re not in any records, elder’s priests or zealot.”
“That’s not for you to know,” Vidder warned. “You’ve plowed into a field that was to remain unturned. Back out now, or you will die.”
Edgar narrowed his eyes regarding Vidder in all consideration. “I’m a reaper. I represent the Architects.”
“We both know that’s not true. You’re here alone because you’re looking for your brother, even if you were...” Vidder grabbed Edgar’s hand and pulled the Reaper's fingers back to his neck. “...I’ve killed reapers before.”
“No,” Edgar gasped in disbelief at Vidder’s pulse, allowing his hand to drop. “It’s true.”
“I am going after Niklas. I think he is with the Relrins.”
“What?” Edgar cried in surprise. “Why...how…that doesn’t make any sense.”
“Feel free to search the under level for him. But I’m searching Relgar.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would Niklas go to Relgar?”
“Are you sure you know your brother at all? Or were you gone in the moments when he needed you most?”
“You don’t know what I’ve done to be able to protect him!” Edgar snapped at Vidder.
Vidder broke out into a fit of laughter. “And a fine job you have done.”
Clearly enraged, Edgar reached back and grabbed the pommel of his sword.
Vidder looked around gleefully to see that there was no one around, no witnesses. “Please do, Edgar.”
Edgar froze. “What’s wrong with you? You’re unarmed, and you want to fight me?”
Vidder shrugged. “Weapons are for the work of men. I am about the work of the old gods.”
Edgar released his weapon and backed away. “If you hurt my brother, I will rip you apart, and I will do it with my hands.” He turned to leave.
“No fight?” Vidder asked disappointedly.
“Not today,” Edgar spun and disappeared around the corner.
Vidder frowned in disappointment. He was getting restless. He needed valor to claim. But he had been unable to find a fight in a while. Something was different about this Edgar. He felt dangerous. He could hinder Father's plans, not stop, but delay them.
Should he just kill Edgar? It could be the easier option. A Reaper was an asset, but Edgar was by no means under Vidder’s control. He was crafty, sly, cunning even.
Niklas was probably getting further and further. Vidder couldn’t afford to get distracted. With a growl of discontent, he turned to his task on hand – finding Niklas.