Barricades and magistrates held back immense crowds that pushed and shouted for a closer view of the lordlings. Their cruiser, a modified version of a crystal cruiser with an open deck, hovered low as it crept along behind an escort to Lord Akiru’s palace.
The city was full of life and color, the sky burst with celebratory rockets and spells. Dominant had never seen anything like it. He didn’t understand what the fuss was about, but his mind was too busy agonizing over his task to care. He stood near the front of the deck with Talent, Sandra, and a large group of guards. None of them knew what he had to do, this mission was his alone and only the High Lord knew of it.
Talent had been healed, but his pride remained bruised; he was still in a foul mood and went out of his way to ignore Dominant. He put on a smile for the public, but he wouldn’t wave or even look at the people even as they climbed on rooftops and hung out of windows. He was probably thinking of the girl who beat him. Dominant could relate. His thoughts often drifted to her and the things she’d said.
There was so much he didn’t understand. How had Five ninety one ended up with the drakes? Why did Asterith want to meet him, and what the hell did Sandra mean when she called him chosen?
Talent’s gaze drifted to him and their eyes met, but neither spoke. Talent flashed a conceited grin and Dominant looked away.
Sandra stepped up beside him. “Don’t let him bother you,” she said, her voice low so that the others wouldn’t overhear. “He’s just trying to make himself feel important.”
Dominant nodded. “I know.”
“Hey,” Sandra said, resting a hand on his shoulder and turning him to face her. “I mean it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not as important, or as strong, or as capable as they are. You have limits now, but one day…”
Sandra looked past Dominant to something in the distance. The focused look in her eye told him she was watching something, but he saw nothing.
After a moment she smiled. “One day you’re going to be more powerful than you can imagine. Don’t forget that.”
She patted him on the shoulder and stepped back, whispering to one of the guards. The man nodded then activated his privilege vanishing from sight. Dominant had a limited understanding of privilege, but he knew enough to know that if it ws being used there was a threat the magistrate felt required skill beyond natural limits to address. Dominant wondered what Sandra saw in the distance and whether the threat would make his task more difficult.
He looked for something in the direction she’d been focused, but he still saw nothing. Deciding it would be better to stay focused than to allow himself to worry about phantoms, Dominant turned his attention back to the crowd.
The cruiser came to a slow stop at the edge of the palace grounds and the guard began unloading. As soon as the first of them had set foot on the ground a small group of men approached from within the palace grounds. Talent stepped forward to greet them and Dominant heard him say, “Lord Akiru, we are honored by your warm welcome.”
Dominant followed Talent and the men into the palace while the guards finished unloading. They passed a group of children who were being corralled back into the palace by a group of adults. They all wore fancy clothes that looked like they belonged in a palace, and Dominant wondered why the children were not part of the welcoming committee.
The lord led the group through the palace and Dominant noticed a number of the guards seemed to be in a hurry. It almost felt as if Lord Akiru was still preparing for their arrival. That didn’t seem right, but he supposed the situation was a bit strange. They had not intended to come to Stellanorte so soon until after the events at Krell and it had been a long time since Lord Asher had sent a peace delegation anywhere. Dominant couldn’t remember the last time there was a real peace delegation.
Lord Akiru led them to a room where he asked them to wait while he attended an urgent matter. Food was set out on tables and glass kegs, one filled with a bubbly pink liquid and the other with water, stood by a wall near a dozen mugs. Dominant grabbed a mug and filled it with the pink drink. It smelled of fruit and sugar and when he sipped it, it tasted even better than it smelled. It had a thick consistency, almost like syrup, but it wasn’t sticky in his mouth.
He took another sip then set it down and looked around the room, noticing for the first time that Lord Akiru’s magistrates all seemed anxious. They were easy to differentiate even though he did not know all of the magistrates traveling with the delegation. The magistrates of Stellanorte wore sky blue uniforms with the image of a fat beast printed on their backs. The creature had tusks, wiry fur and short stubby legs that didn’t look capable of supporting its weight.
Dominant guessed it was a representation of their crystal beast, but he had no way of knowing if that was true. He didn’t know what the beast was and had no idea what sort of abilities it had.
He walked up to the nearest of Stellanorte’s magistrates, a woman who looked to be a few years older than himself. She forced a smile as he approached, but her expression betrayed her unease. “Can I help you with something?”
Dominant considered the question. “What are you afraid of?”
She frowned, “What?”
“Is something happening in the city? Is that why everyone is acting so strange?”
She laughed, but the sound was hollow and lacked any feeling. “We’ve never hosted a delegation from Krell, and for Lord Talent to be here is…well you can imagine how big this is. We are all just a bit tense, that’s all.”
Dominant wasn’t convinced but he didn’t push further. He didn’t want to make her more uncomfortable, and he didn’t think she’d tell him the truth if he did. He looked around the room again, and noticed the way people were standing, talking, eating, and drinking. He couldn’t help but think that it was all a bit forced. Like they were trying too hard.
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A moment later Lord Akiru returned and he had several of the children with him. One of the girls looked almost like a smaller, younger version of Talent’s mother. The girl looked about five, her skin was tanned, but her eyes were a piercing blue. She was the most adorable thing Dominant had ever seen.
“Lord Talent,” Lord Akiru said, “please let me introduce you to my granddaughters, your nieces.” He pointed to each child in turn, “This is Kia, Kimi, and Mako.”
Mako looked to her grandfather for approval and when he nodded, she strode forward with an air of confidence that Dominant had only ever seen in Talent. “Uncle Talent, it is an honor to meet you. Grandfather has told us all so much about you.”
Kimi was the next to step forward, she was younger than Mako, but older than Kia. “Uncle, can you really make moving beasts with your magic?”
Talent smiled and nodded. “Yes.”
Kia ran forward grabbing his leg and squealing, “Uncle, can you make a heart wing blue bill?” Her blue eyes shimmered with excitement and envy.
Talent’s face softened and he bent down, picking Kia up in one arm. “I don’t know about a real heart wing, but I can certainly make something that looks like one.” He turned to the two older girls. “Why don’t you all go play and I promise to make you all heart wings later, okay?”
“Okay,” they all said in unison before Kia threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, uncle.”
“I love you too, Kia. Now go play.” Talent put her down, and the girls ran off.
The display was so uncharacteristic that Dominant could hardly believe the man who just spoke to the children was Talent. He was always so arrogant, so cold, and yet…those children clearly loved him. He wondered if that was how Talent had once been, and whether he had changed because of his father or if it was something else.
Lord Akiru laughed as the girls left, then he turned to Talent. “They take after their father, my son. He has a special way with the young and they love him dearly. You are a great deal like him. Perhaps one day, you will have your own child to raise and you’ll understand why I have worked so tirelessly to ensure a free world, a world where one man doesn’t dictate life for the entire continent.”
Talent gave a slight bow of his head. “Of course, Lord Akiru. I understand completely. It is my hope that we can find a way to end this war and live in peace. I’m sure Lord Asher would appreciate any help and support you can give us, and I know that Lord Asterith will not be as forgiving as my father, nor will she be so willing to talk as he was.”
Lord Akiru frowned. “I see. And what of you? Have you come to offer us the false peace and empty promises of Lord Asher, or have you come as a man, willing to make the hard choices that will secure our future?”
Magistrate Sandra stepped forward, but before she or anyone else could speak, Dominant took the opportunity to step in. “You speak as if you are in control here, as if you have some means of resisting if you are ordered or perhaps you think yourself capable to make demands of the High Lord, our father.” Dominant stressed extra emphasis on the word our. “I would remind you, Lord Akiru, that you live and breathe at Lord Asher’s pleasure and you have already exhausted much of his patience.”
Talent shot Dominant a glare, but Dominant didn’t care. He was right, and he could see it in Lord Akiru’s eyes, he knew he was right. The man was afraid and confused. He had likely hear little of Dominant which would work to his advantage. He could strike the Lord down now and be done before anyone even realized what happened.
Given the relationship between Talent and the fat Lord, Dominant thought it best to first establish that Lord Akiru was firmly set against accepting peace. He continued, “Lord Akiru, we came to you in good faith, with intent to broker a lasting peace and perhaps even cooperation between our two nations, but it sounds as if you are asking my half brother to disobey the instructions of our father and betray his homeland. Such an act would be tantamount to treason. Have I understood you correctly, Lord Akiru? Do you ask that my brother act against the interests of Krell? Do you expect that Lord Asher would allow such an act to go unpunished?”
Akiru’s face twitched violently as if he were fighting back an expression of rage. “You will find that I am not easily cowed, child. I will not be threatened and bullied by some deranged dog.” Looking from Dominant to Talent he asked, “What the hell is this? You have no brothers. Why is this fool in my house?”
Talent’s jaw clenched, but his voice was steady as he replied, “He is the son of Lord Asher, just as I am.”
Lord Akiru shook his head. “You’re lying. Your mother is the only—”
“The circumstances are irrelevant,” Talent snapped. “What my mother did, what you ordered her to do to me, it set Lord Asher down a tireless path to create a new heir. How he managed is none of your concern, but if you wish to proceed, you should keep in mind that my brother has no loyalty to you, and even less understanding of politics. His words are blunt. It is best you speak plainly, Lord Akiru, and remember that he does speak with the full authority of Lord Asher.”
The Lord snorted and chuckled to himself, “If you expect me to pander to this child, then you’re as insane as he is and you can both get out.”
Talent glared at Akiru. “I… I want to help you, I want peace, but I need your cooperation grandfather or peace is impossible and the alternative is terrible.”
The old man frowned. “You want peace but you come to me with threats and insults?”
“As I said, Dominant thinks like a beast. He knows nothing but violence; I however, am capable of respectful negotiation. Perhaps we should—”
Whether in anger or annoyance, Dominant couldn’t say, but Lord Akiru let his aura flare into a bright blue flame around his body. The air went stale and his eyes glowed with a burning power, ready to explode like a keg of black powder. He had been holding back his true strength, Dominant realized.
He was still far weaker than Lord Asher, but Dominant feared he might have missed his chance to kill the fat bastard. He pulled the blades of the dominator from his suit and activated them. The mana blades appeared in the space of an instant and Dominant took a step forward.
The guards in the room all stepped up, magistrates of both Stellanorte and Krell drawing their weapons, but Talent and Akiru simply stared at each other. Their wills clashed in the space between them, the very air vibrating from the power that was flooding the room.
Lord Akiru laughed. “You are strong, but you still lack diato. You are as a babe before me. If you wish to help, then listen to my words, otherwise get out.”
Before talent could answer, the Lord held up a hand in Dominant’s direction. The floor opened beneath him and he fell from the sky somewhere outside the palace.
Seafoam green terracotta tiles rose up to meet him. He had barely a second to react, but he managed to turn himself and push the dominator down into the roof, slowing his fall enough to land safely.
He deactivated the dominator as he climbed to his feet and looked up at the palace. He was several blocks away from the white marble walls and expected security in the city was still quite high. Getting back inside might prove a challenge, but he wasn’t prepared to fail his mission, not after the warning Lord Asher had given him, not after seeing first hand what became of those who did not meet the high Lord’s expectations.
He had to finish this.
A group of children in dirty clothes looked up at him, a boy and two girls, all of them looked to be about ten.
“Are you okay, mister?” the boy asked.
Dominant looked at the boy, then to his friends. They were covered in fresh grime with the smell of smoke and black powder clinging to them like shadows. They weren’t numbers, and their appearance told Dominant that they weren’t used to heavy work so they couldn’t have been miners either. Their appearance here seemed odd, but Dominant didn’t know what sort of place stellanorte was.
Dominant looked in the boy’s eyes, feeling that perhaps he should ask them the same thing. Instead he turned his gaze tothe palace in the distance. “Yes. I’m fine. Can you tell me the fastest way to the palace?”