“Demons…” Pitties repeated, in deep thought. “I faintly recognize the word, but I can’t say where from. It might’ve been from the writings of Juham Vil, though I can’t be certain. But how do you know this?”
“Is a name all you can tell us?” said Ames Landoros sharply. “A name won’t help us much.”
“If at all—” chief justice Verralger added.
“A name is better than nothing,” Pitties said. “Is there anything else you can tell us? What is a demon?”
“I don’t know everything,” I said, thinking back on what Goxhandar had said these past few days, especially as we traveled toward the capital. “But what I do know is that the Demon is a conscious entity, separate from our world. They can’t interact with us physically, but they can see us. But to us, they are invisible. Their only motive, as far as I understand, is to create death and suffering. They can speak to the mind of the weak-willed or those already corrupted. I’ve seen a demon take over someone’s mind and puppet their body, increasing their strength, but pushing back the consciousness of the host—”
“This explains so much,” chief justice Verralger exclaimed loudly. He was beside himself now, turning to Pitties and the crown prince, and folding his robes in excitement. “If that is true, that would explain so much. That is already a step forward.”
“But a dark step,” Pitties interjected.
I continued.
“The demon pushes the mind of the host back and takes over their body and then it does what it wants. I’ve seen its strength and magic enhanced, and it can project its dark thoughts onto others. In Scorro, the host attacked my mind, and made me want to retreat and abandon the fight. I suspect they might do more to the weak-minded. The creature in Scorro was merely a host, a lesser hybrid, as far as I know. The demon took over the Lord Mayor’s secretary’s body and mind, and he gave it up willingly—”
“How?” asked Pitties, and later mumbling, “Taking over the mind of someone.”
I began to narrate what had happened in Scorro, starting with how eerie the town had been the night prior. About the strange folks in the tavern, and the crude symbols that had been painted everywhere, the garlands with spiked chains. I described in as much detail as I could—Florencia interrupting me a few times—the sickly, hunched over men and women, who walked around cloaked and in shadow, and who later turned into those wild and savage mockeries of men.
Then, I went on and told them how the Lord Mayor had been bound to the odd, A-shaped wooden construction with crude symbols scribbled all over it. And finally, I told them how the secretary had taken a black knife, and shouted the words “Rufasmos, I demand my reward.” As I said this, Florencia suddenly went white in the face and she stiffened beside me.
I finished the story by describing without too much detail what happened in the square, but I deliberately left out the part where I summoned the Blood Maul. Florencia’s eyes remained fixed on mine, but she was silent, not uttering a word.
“A ritual…” Pitties and Verralger mumbled. “And a reward.”
“The truth is that it was a bloody ritual where an unknowing man was sacrificed to summon a demon into the body of a willing host,” I said plainly. “As far as I know, this is the only way to create one.”
A deep and uncomfortable silence followed.
“How do you know of this?” the crown prince said. “These powers are impossible? How can a monster walk invisible and take over one’s mind? I have never read or heard of anything like this before!”
This was the question I dreaded.
“When the creature in Scorro attacked my mind, I stole some of its knowledge. It gave me some understanding of their world.”
I lied and hoped it would be enough, and Florencia gave me an encouraging nod.
“Liar liar liar,” repeated Goxhandar. “Why do you hide your truth? You made the sky rain Black Fire upon your enemies! Who are they that you cower so?”
“There are many old secrets in the world, Ames,” Pitties said. “I wouldn’t dare to call something impossible, especially during these days.”
Sitting further back, beside Naeve Landoros, chief justice Verralger sat uncomfortably in the leather chair, and shifted his weight around. When a silence presented itself, he exploded.
“Lienor is against an enemy who poisons the mind of men and feeds on violence and suffering. To make matters worse, the Enemy is invisible and impossible to catch or imprison. How, then, can we fight them? I see no way!”
“I think it’s worse than what you say, Verralger. It is not only Lienor that is against this Enemy,” Rainier Pitties said. “I think that the entire world is facing this threat. Rielde and Limy in the north have fallen. Refugees in Lottie tell me that madness has consumed Stotor. The danger is even greater than I had dared to fear…”
And with the words of Rainier Pitties, a heavy silence descended into the room. It was like an impenetrable cloak of darkness suffocated the light out of the room.
“Then what can be done against this?” the crown prince asked, and for the first time, there was no smile on his face.
We stared quietly at each other, unable to come up with a single course of action. It wasn’t until high priestess Naeve spoke up that the silence was broken.
“It is in faith that we must put our trust,” she said, utterly sure of herself. “When the heart grows heavy with despair, it is in faith that the seeker finds the light. Everyone who walks in the path of the just is forever blessed in the protection of the One.”
Only her grandson, Crown Prince Ames Landoros, dared to disagree.
“Faith means little when I hold a sword to your throat!”
To this, high priestess Naeve simply smiled and leaned back into the chair.
“No, dear Naeve,” the crown prince continued, and his face was wreathed in a red light from the fire. “Duty and honor. Those will carry us to victory. We make the armies strong, and we fight. I have not a single man under my command that has failed in their duties or had the stink of the Sickness that Jonas is talking about. Duty and honor. Those will be our saviors.”
I think he was more talking to himself than the rest of us.
And although I couldn’t deny the wisdom in the crown prince’s words, there was a mighty spark of inspiration over the words of high priestess Naeve. So firmly did she believe in her words that, for a moment, I had no doubt that she spoke the truth. And I thought of Jace, and how he had been in the aftermath of Scorro, glued to the book, and how his heart had been lightened.
“Well, Rainier,” Ames Landoros said after taking a glance at the tall clock beside the desk. “In this dark time, I must go, even though we have no answer for these troubles. I hope you may find a way forward with Verralger. It has already been a long day, and tomorrow promises to be an even longer one. We’ll talk about this in a few days.”
He stood and drew from his embroidered robes a letter sealed with sapphire-colored wax. “My father signed this an hour ago,” the crown prince said and handed it to Pitties.
He turned to me and I stood up, facing him.
“Rainier will explain what my father asks of you. And while I must leave, I think we will meet again, sooner rather than later. Best of luck, Jonas Espian, champion of Scorro,” Crown Prince Ames Landoros said and shook my hand again. And in his eyes, there was a seriousness and a fierce fire burning behind his will that took me by surprise.
He turned to Florencia, who sat silent, still blushing. “And I bid you farewell, Miss Regalla. I do hope we may meet again soon.”
And so it was with these words the young Crown Prince of Lienor took his leave and his footsteps echoed behind him into the darkness of Sanermo.
“We need time,” Rainier Pitties said then. “Time to understand and time to find a solution. Jonas, I said I need a knife in the dark. Someone to do the work in secret, alarming no one to the truth that you revealed to us. This is what I’m asking of you, and this is what is written in this letter. Our Majesty himself asks you.”
“What exactly are you offering?” I asked Rainier Pitties, turning to him in the dim light of the dancing flames. And as I spoke, I felt a growing excitement in my heart, along with a deep thirst for the hunt. And weighing upon my shoulder was Goxhandar, trembling with the same passion.
Rainier Pitties faced me and said: “To you, I offer this Royal Warrant. You may go freely and do the work of the King, in all the realm of Lienor, unencumbered by the orders of others, unrestrained by rules that would halt our advance.”
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“I ask you to go, Jonas Espian, as an agent of the crown!” Pitties said. “Root out the sickness that has spread in our great country. Go where your investigations lead you, and deal swift justice to the Enemy, unnoticed by curious eyes. And meanwhile, I will put all of my efforts and resources into looking at how we can fight this. You have your strength, while I have my mind and the ancient libraries of Estalarch and its Twin.”
When Rainier had calmed down a bit, he said: “I think Miss Regalla and Mr. Vialisios will make allies of your cause, as they’ve just got released from their duties.”
“Can I have some time to think about this?” I asked.
“You can take a moment and talk with Miss Regalla, but I need an answer now,” Pitties said and poured himself another glass of whisky.
I pulled Florencia aside, under the tall window, where a great bright cloud had covered the shimmering silver moon.
“Well?” I asked her. “What do you think?”
I hoped that she might have something insightful to say about Pitties’ offer, but the events of the previous week had struck her off balance. She must’ve still been reeling from what happened in Scorro, let alone worked through what happened in Sanermo.
“I don’t know, Jonas,” she breathed. “It’s your decision. I can’t make it for you.”
“Are you with me?” I asked. “If I accept this. Will you be there with me? You said yourself, that you feel a sense of mission. You’d be doing the same work but—”
“Jonas,” Florencia interrupted me and took my hand in hers. “Of course, I’m with you!”
Despite having the entire day to ponder the matter, I knew in my heart what my answer was. The pieces had been arranged exactly in such a way that there was only one move left to make.
It was on the day that followed the hearing of Sanermo that I made the decision to work as Rainier Pitties’ secret agent. To be a knife in the dark, serving the Crown and the King. And while serving was a word that stung me, I thought that better to serve the King and his advisor than a lowly captain in an unremarkable town, or be a rogue agent like Iskander and Jaxine, at the whim of anyone.
It was thus decided, and my heart lept and Goxhandar felt out a humming warmth of excitement as well.
“We hunt… we hunt…” it kept repeating.
I turned to Rainier and said: “I accept your offer.”
“I’m relieved,” said Pitties, a faint smile spreading across his thin lips, and a weight seemed to have been taken off his shoulders. “Then I can give you this!”
He gave me the letter the crown prince had given him. “Open it. And keep it with you. Though I will give you something more manageable to carry. Something my agents have, and something that carries less weight than a warrant from the king.”
I took the yellowish-white paper and was surprised that it was much heavier than I expected. With great care, I opened the sapphire-blue wax seal bearing the royal coat-of-arms of the double-headed lion.
There it read:
All to whom this warrant is presented,
I, King Gussario Marquize Landoros II, Duke of Fondesia, and protector of the Kingdom of Lienor, by the grace of the Highest One and the Five Gods, do hereby issue this Royal Warrant to Jonas Espian, Champion of Scorro. I do so in recognition of his exceptional service to the Crown and the realm.
By this Royal Warrant, I command that all subjects of the realm, both high and low, must obey the commands of Jonas Espian without questioning or arguing against them in any shape or form. I further declare that any disobedience or opposition to his commands shall be considered an act of treason against the Crown and punished accordingly.
We have full confidence in Jonas Espian’s abilities and his loyalty to the Crown, and we trust that he will use his newfound authority to protect against the Enemy, for the betterment of our realm and the protection of its people.
Given under my hand and seal at Sanermo, the Royal Courts, under the ever-present vigilance of the Highest and the Five, in the year of eleven-hundred and eighty-eight.
And the letter was signed by the King himself, and stamped with his Seal.
“By the Gods!” Florencia breathed out as she read it, and it mirrored what I felt.
“Take this warrant not with a light heart,” Naeve Landoros said, her face again wreathed in shadow. “For it bestows upon you a heavy responsibility. Do not use it for your own gain, for the Five are always judging, and only the righteous walk in their grace.”
“How can you trust me with this?” I asked Pitties. “You don’t even know me or Florencia. This is—”
“These are not the days for caution,” Pitties replied with regained confidence. “I trust you because I must, as you trusted me during the trial when you had no reason to. What you did in Veneiea and Scorro may have saved Lienor from a horrifying fate, even if it was unintentional. You have already played a significant role, and we ask you to play it again!”
“Where do we start?”
Pitties replied: “You can start by going back to Veneiea, see whether you find a hint or a lead amidst the ruins. Then go to Caffria and speak with the survivors. Many are too traumatized to talk, but perhaps you discover something. We don’t know how deep the corruption is. We can’t have another Scorro or Veneiea!”
Suddenly, the high priestess leaned forward and looked directly into my eyes.
“I have in Caffria one of my most faithful sisters—Catia Zyla. She is taking care of the survivors in the church of Iscia. Many there have been broken by what happened, and will never speak again. Seek her out, Jonas, holder of the Royal Warrant! I believe she will illuminate a path that you would not otherwise see.”
It was then that Florencia gathered her courage and spoke.
“We already have a lead from Scorro—Grasd Vranik. We learned that this man corrupted the secretary of Scorro, and then he went south sometime after midsummer’s eve.”
“South? Veneiea is south!” Verralger said under his breath. “That’s only weeks before the massacre.”
“A lead!” Pitties said, his excitement growing. “That’s at least something to go off of. Now we have a name and a lead. You go to Veneiea, look for Vranik, and I will put my agents to work on finding out everything about him.”
After a moment, high priestess Naeve stood up wearily and said: “The night is wearing on me, and I will retire. Florencia Regalla and Jonas Espian, may you go with the light of the Five and under the protection of the One.”
She nodded at us and left with light steps that did not echo.
There were only four of us left in the chief justice’s office.
“Now some technicalities. Jonas, your Warrant will have more of an effect if you look the part,” Pitties said with newly found strength. “Even though your appearance as a dock laborer will make you blend into a crowd, it will work against you if you need a Lord or captain to obey you. Tomorrow, I’ve arranged that you, along with Miss Regalla, acquire yourself some decent clothes and equipment from Old Town. I’ve given him instructions and the funds. At ten, he will come for you.”
Pitties stretched in his seat and set the glass of half-drunk whisky aside.
“I’ve also bought horses for you to use. My aide will explain further tomorrow—” he looked at the clock, “or today, as it’s past one in the morning.”
He got up and grabbed something from his pocket.
It was a small, golden medallion with a long pin that was about the size of a plum. It bore the royal coat-of-arms but with a tiny addition: two sleek, crossed daggers underneath the lion’s left paw. Pitties handed it to me, and I examined its craftsmanship in the faint light.
“It is my seal,” he explained. “Show this to anyone you would show the Warrant. It doesn’t draw as much attention, and doesn’t wear out or tear.”
“And if his Seal doesn’t help, they can send me a letter,” Verralger Fontegno said, his voice tired and his eyes already drooping. “The Lords and Nobles know of Pitties’ Seal, but a lowly sergeant or captain in a small town probably will not. I suggest a delicate diplomacy when dealing with the more common folk. Both of you have magical powers, and a gentle nudge will come in handy.”
Florencia grinned, and I could tell she was well aware of those situations.
“What about Jace, Iskander, and Jaxine?” asked Florencia.
“I’ve raised no allegations against them,” chief justice Verralger said. “They’re free to go after three days.”
“You wish to ask for their help?” asked Pitties. “You’re free to do so, but I advise caution.”
Florencia and I glanced at each other and continued on.
“One last thing,” Florencia continued. “During the trial, Philemon and Ardovar brought the Russo twins as witnesses—”
“They did,” said Verralger.
“They’ve been mind-wiped, and their memories have been changed! Can you do something to help them?”
Pitties frowned his brow, but said: “They’re still under the protection of Cappesand, but if you insist, I’ll take care of them.”
Florencia looked at me and said: “I always liked them. Arne and Lorena were always very nice to me. It’s a crime what Ardovar did to them.”
“Then I’ll make sure they’re taken care of. Aarnost has very skilled healers.”
“Rainier, maybe it’s better if I demand the Russos for myself?” asked Verralger. “You’re already damaged your reputation enough with them.”
“Then one more strike won’t harm me. You focus on staying in their good graces, Verralger.”
We spent several more hours talking, delving into greater detail about what had happened in Veneiea and Scorro. Pitties and Fontegno also shared about the ever-worsening situation in Lienor and its neighbor Stotor.
“It’s just not how it used to be,” Verralger said. “I’ve never seen such malice and lunacy as these past fifteen years. I thought I was losing my mind. At least now, I have a reason for it. Before, I couldn’t understand the madness.”
Florencia nodded, and the three of them spent the next few hours eagerly trading stories about the increasingly dark turn of events in Lienor and its neighbors. And despite the depressing topic, Pitties and Fontegno proved to be very pleasant conversation partners.
At last, when there was a faint light rising from outside, Pitties rose from his chair.
“I think now is the time we leave each other’s company. It is late, and the sun will rise soon. I wish to have a few hours of rest,” said Pitties. “One last thing. Before you depart Caffria, I’ll send the Knights of Coeccedus there to keep us updated on any progress.”
“The… what?” Florencia asked, as I also had no idea what Pitties was talking about.
“No matter,” he replied and dismissed the question with a hand wave. “When the Knights arrive, everything will be explained. But now, we will rest.”
“Equip yourself in Old Estalarch, and make things right with your companions,” Pitties said. “After three days, travel to Veneiea. See if you can find this Vranik, while I work to uncover any lore or old knowledge about demons. My heart tells me I must find the old texts of Juham Vil. Does the name tell you anything, Miss Regalla?”
But she shook her head.
“Very well. In any case, I’m afraid we will not see each other for some time. Until then, Verralger and I have much work to do.”
“Many laws must be drawn,” said Verralger Fontegno. “Stricter rules on the use of magic, and Cappesand must be brought to heel.”
“Why must we wait for three days?” I asked.
“I must finish dealing with the Cappesand High Council, and the Lodge. Baron Esmail proved to be most resilient to our efforts in limiting their work,” Pitties said. “Take three days for rest, or more, if you feel you need it. Then go to Veneiea and investigate. Then go to Caffria. There my Knights will come and we will draw a plan from there.”
We got up, all of us exhausted, and shook hands again like newly made allies.
“Good fortunes, Jonas Espian and Florencia Regalla, agents of the Crown!”
And we returned to our room, utterly exhausted.
We both collapsed onto the bed that had been cleaned while we were away, and fresh food had been set upon the silver platter.
“So, you’ve made some new friends,” Florencia said, her expression darkening. “And not just anyone, but the four most powerful people in Lienor—save for the king himself. That’s quite an accomplishment for one day.”
I felt she left one thing unsaid.
“Oh? Are we jealous?” I asked, making light fun of her seriousness.
“Only a little bit. Jonas… What the secretary of Scorro said. Those were the exact same words Keon Zek said back when he killed Lilly Weare!”