O'taomon | The Empire of Eraat: III

Logan perches himself atop the roof of the Vizier's palace. How could he not have realized Garrett couldn't speak the language? Captain Emir questioned him afterward and only confirmed his suspicion. The only reason Emir had allowed him to have a word with Garrett was because he thought Logan wouldn't understand him anyway.

The recent events building up to this moment were a nuisance. All this work, when he had been perfectly fine lounging about in supposed peace times. Although if he'd been anywhere else, these events would still be happening behind the scenes. The only solace he could see that moment was that it was better to be aware of what went on.

Garrett.

Ordered by a celestial? Logan recalls the stories and personal accounts. If they were to be believed, nothing good would come of conflict. He used to imagine meeting a celestial would be a fantastic encounter, and it still might, but with all that was going on, he might just find himself on the opposite end of a celestial's blade.

Dawn breaks over the horizon and he returns to the guard's courtyard for a debriefing. The captain officially relieves everyone of duty for the next shift. Logan hoped this would be another test and one that'd he'd fail, with his luck, he didn't count on it.

They were dismissed and he speeds off. The energy inside his body is surging, this time he lets himself be guided by the wind. Before, he would meet it face to face with resistance along a straight path. This new path led him to the same place only with a bit more meandering.

The streets were always busy, but this morning they were more animate. He halts atop the roof of a particular bathhouse, jumps down, pays the fare, and scrapes the grime from his flesh. He walks outside meeting the sweltering heat of the sun as if summer already arrived.

With the payment for the week's work and an added bonus on top of his new rank, he sits outside a small alleyway eatery. He orders a surplus of fried rice, tuna, beytil, and a copious serving of Shixu. The drink on top of delicious food settles in his stomach with waves of pleasantry. He pays the tab, thanks the staff, and strolls back to the apartment in no hurry.

"Is nice meeting again friend."

Logan whirls on his feet and locks forearms with the krishkalvarri. "Loraunt!"

Loraunt, draped in layers of white and black fabric embroidered at the placket with silver thread, returns the gesture. "Is been too long."

"That it has, what brings you back to O'taomon?" Logan leans against the alley wall. "How long will you be staying?"

Loraunt hesitates. "On business vith benefactor. Maybe few days or week. Is benefactor's decision."

Logan nods, he'd heard Loraunt had gotten himself decent work in the Alps. "If you're not too busy, you should join us for dinner, Olivia has gotten better at cooking."

"I vill be there," Loraunt chuckles. Gesturing to Logan's spear he asks, "is still guard light foot?"

Logan grabs the spear, twirls it, and leans it against the wall. "Yeah, though I don't use it much. It's only for show really." Hopefully it will stay that way.

"Ah, maybe we spar sometime?" Loraunt enters the shade of a flimsy awning.

"Like a taikhetudin? I haven't been to the arena in ages." Logan grabs his spear. "If you're not too busy right now," he jabs the air between them.

Loraunt leaps into the air, crouching on the wall above Logan's head. The two lock eyes. "I race you." The alvarrian jumps onto the rooftop and sprints off.

Not wanting to be outdone, Logan builds up momentum and joins him.

That morning, the pedestrians of O'taomon, amid their gossip of the events taking place at the palace, are briefly interrupted by a whirlwind of shadows kicking up dust and debris. The trees rustle loudly, rooftops thud from something heavy, and birds flock into the sky for no inherent reason.

In the lead now, Logan distances the gap from Loraunt. No one could outmatch his pace-

A leviahtran zooms nearby with Loraunt waving as an unconventional passenger from atop.

Logan points out the fast approaching tunnel.

The passersby from the walkway above were pointing out Loraunt with terrified expressions. Loraunt jumps and lands sideways against the tunnel walls. He dashes forward and leaps onto the rooftops.

Now a bit behind, Logan attempts to close the gap by catapulting himself. He catches up with the alvarrian and sends a smug wave.

Loraunt points in front of them and leaps into the air, He lands on the looming wall in front of them and proceeds upward.

Logan skids to a halt just a hair's breadth in time. It would take too long to circumnavigate the district, so he jumps and spirals into the air with his spear. The ensuing cyclone thrusts him skyward.

Loraunt gawks from below, shielding his eyes from the sun.

Logan lands with a cloud of dust.

"Vell done friend!" Loraunt meets him with a single applause. "Almost beat me."

Logan waits out the dizziness, leaning on his spear for support. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time."

They enter the arena, pay the fare for a single match and spectate in the stands.

"When did you learn to walk on walls?" Logan sips water.

Loraunt leans back to recall the event. "Happen as accident, vas vorking for benefactor, almost fell off cliff and stone pull me in. I practice after."

"That must be some work. The most I have to do is patrol the palace, when the vizier's not around I patrol the streets and maybe break up a fight every now and again." A thought occurs to Logan. "I've always wondered, where did you go off to, after O'taomon?"

"I vent back to homeland."

"Drahstrehl?!"

Loraunt waves him off. "No, no, closer but still far. Tyahng Chahn, Zastasia."

"That's where you're from?" This information baffles Logan. "How on Eldaeor did you know that?"

Loraunt reveals a crystaire medallion delicately inscribed with a pictogram of a serpentine dragon. He passes it over for Logan's inspection.

"This has to be ancient, I've seen a few on display in the palace." Logan runs his thumb over the artifact. "Are those fragments?"He studies the embedded gems in the serpent's eyes and scales.

"Yes, is quite useful, so I keep."

Logan hands back the medallion. "Did you meet your family there?"

Loraunt tucks the medallion back in his shirt. "Yes, big family, old family. But all family is big and old."

Logan whistles, cradling his head in his arms. "I can't imagine the places you've been, I've never left the city."

Loraunt grins. "Is big vorld, I only see fragment."

When the adjudicator in crimson and black calls them down, they leap from the stands and take their places on opposite ends of the arena.

The emek shards churn gently in their posts. The adjudicator releases the ribbon and the match starts.

Logan sends a series of gales with his spear, the shaft centered near his body.

Loraunt's eyes radiate a phosphorescent amber. Anticipating every gale, he weaves his figure in an intricate stable dance.

The spiritual energy hits the barrier and the emek shards diffuse it rapidly.

A series of dark misty glyphs appear middair, Loraunt quickly infuses them with aseurik energy, manifesting an invisible shield.

Logan stands in awe for a moment, the alvarrian's dance dodged and prepared a manifestation. He wouldn't be able to break this shield without a powerful impact.

Loraunt begins his counterattack. With the shield in place he brushes his middle and index finger across the invisible surface, dark energy pools onto the invisible surface like ink. When the symbol is complete he infuses it with energy with his palm.

An electrical shockwave of darkness slams Logan backward.

Penetrating his spear into the arena Logan barely manages to keep himself falling out of bounds.

Cursing, he steadies himself and whirls his spear in consecutive motions, condensing the air around himself. The fragment embedded on the blunted end of the spear's shaft illuminates a light azure. When it's luminosity flickers, he releases.

The condensed air slams into the shield, shattering it. Loraunt narrowly escapes the lethal explosion that follows by leaping skyward.

The emek shards are in overdrive, diffusing excess energy into the city.

Loraunt diverts a ton of dark energy into his right foot, spirales midair, and slams his foot into the arena sending a regressing series of shockwaves.

Logan dodges by catapulting himself into the air. He infuses the spear with azure vaedic energy, the fragment flickers rapidly, and with a final whorl of air down the shaft, he launches the spear with a kick.

The typhoon is immense. Loraunt's garbs billow violently as he struggles to maintain his ground. When at last he can move freely, Logan lands on top of his spear, eyes fierce.

The adjudicator calls the match to an end on grounds the barrier might not hold if they continue.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

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"Is everything alright?" Halil asks Olivia over lunch.

They were seated beneath the shade of a date palm in the same bustling park where they'd first shared a meal.

The weather today had been particularly sultry for the season so the lecture halls were closed for self study, for which Olivia had been grateful.

"I had a bit of an argument with my roommate last night." She chomps down on a stuffed flatbread, the vegetation inside must've come right from the garden. "It's also what he said, and a whole lot of other nonsense," she glances apologetically at Halil. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to toss my rubbish on you."

Halil laughs jovially, the kind of laugh that hints at some local proverb. "I don't mind listening, it's good to discuss things, it means you're willing to work it out." He pauses for a second before continuing. "Which is what you should do with your roommate, I'm sure they'll agree there's no point carrying it out when it makes everyone feel unpleasant."

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The library smells of books. That nullifying aroma of information is so intoxicating. There is a vast collection of tomes that occupy all the shelves, which makes Olivia wonder where they put the new ones. She and Halil are high up in a cozy alcove with a small porthole window opened wide.

Halil, with a stack of tomes, is responsibly at work with his studies. Flipping through papers and scribbling down information into a thick journal with multiple bookmarks.

Feeling a bit out of place watching the youth, Olivia directs her attention through the porthole. The date palms are swaying idly in the wind. A cool breeze wafts in invitingly and reminding her of Logan. she ponders Halil's words from earlier. He really was an insightful youth with an alacrity for academia.

Having enough, she excuses herself to the lavatory, though Halil seemed too preoccupied with his notes to notice. Along the way she unexpectedly bumps into professor Evrim.

"Eldaeon! My apologies, I'd been too preoccupied with my thoughts." Olivia bows.

The professor smiles beautifully. "It happens dear, may I ask what's been on your mind? Perhaps I can elucidate."

Olivia flushes. "Well, it's not particularly on the topic of academics."

"Nonsense!" She beams, "I'm always ears for lovely young ladies such as yourself. Come to my office for tea and we'll discuss it."

Olivia excitedly trails after the professor through a series of gardens and arcades, and into the professors' quarters. A quaint older building refurbished for the leisurely use of the professors. Blooming vegetation surrounds the perimeter.

They enter the threshold. The interiors of the halls, offices, and lounge, are all vaulted with a large ayshek lantern. The heavy wooden floors are carpeted with oriental designs, the furniture, while aged, appeared to be kept well.

The professor Evrim's office is furnished with floor vases containing large stalked grass and reeds. A variety of framed artifacts dangle along the wall. Opposite the end of the extraordinary collection of foreign and domestic books, is a small dresser with a large copper vessel and a kettle settled onto a small stone oven. Two elegant damasks with a coffee table are arranged before a sturdy desk with a matching damask. The three arched casement windows are opened wide to let in the cool breezes, they lead onto small balconies decorous in shrubbery and flowers.

"Your office is lovely," Olivia examines the collection of literature.

"It did take me considerable time to furnish it this way." The professor plops an unignited firestone into the small oven. She leans her head over the oven and blows, the stone catches alight in translucent flame. "Thank you dear. Feel free to explore, or have a seat." She fills the kettle from the copper vessel and lets it sit atop the oven.

"Mahtammel Aljhebrai?" Olivia runs her finger down the spine. "I have a copy myself."

"He was quite the scholar in his time, I owe quite a bit of my research to his discoveries." The professor comes up beside her, smelling beautifully like a vase of floral arrangements. "I've seen his study myself in Ankhe-Dür, kept just as he preferred. Though a university has taken much of his yard."

Olivia runs her hand across twenty six hefty volumes all authored by the man. She recognizes the copy in her measly collection, the twentieth volume. "This is the copy."

"'Natural Forces & The Daetik Anomalies," the professor reads aloud. "I've not familiarized myself as much as a few of his other works. From what I do recall, he seemed to have gone off and documented as many Daetik shards as he could, and compared it with his erudite understanding of natural forces. It was after this publication the term Daetik had been recoined 'Deifacted.' "

The professor appears to be in some trance of sorts. She blinks, returning to her senses and attends to the kettle. "What are you in the mood for, my dear? Siya, yaseh, or perhaps yesil?"

Olivia tears herself away from the bookcase. "Yaseh is fine, thank you."

"No worries, dear." She produces from the dresser a Drahstrahelion ceramic teapot painted with black trees on a white background, a tin, and a strainer. "I think I'll be having Yaseh myself." She opens the tin, and scoops the contents with the strainer. Removing the lid she fastens the strainer inside and pours a gentle stream of steaming water from the kettle.

Olivia observes the professor elegantly preparing tea. Though as soon as the professor makes to grab the burning stone Olivia rushes to her side. "Oh, wait professor!"

Surprised by the outburst, the professor lilts a laugh. "My dear, it's alright." She picks up the translucent flaming stone and blows it out.

"I'm sorry, I… I didn't know."

"Young lady, you don't need to apologize. Have a seat and tell me what's been occupying your mind." The professor arranges the kettle and cups over woven palm stalks.

Olivia blushes, she'd forgotten the reason she was here. "I had an argument with my roommate last night over something important to me."

The professor soothes her by the hand. "Did your roommate compromise?"

"I suppose… yes." Logan did agree to try and get a word in with Garrett. "Though not until I agreed not to interfere."

"I see no argument. You came to an agreement did you not?" The professor pauses to serve the yaseh. "Let it cool a little. If an agreement is made, then the argument is settled. Could it not be the potential result of that agreement that befuddles your mind?"

A breeze sweeps in, reminding her of Logan. Everything clarifies, she and Logan were fine, it was the topic of the argument, Garrett, that distracts her. She smiles sweetly. "Thank you, professor."

"My pleasure, now." She picks up her cup. "Let's have some tea."

After a lengthy conversation with the professor, Halil appears in the doorway heaving his pack with Olivia's satchel and bookwork. "I thought I'd bring these up for Olivia, the day is about over for us, professor."

The professor glances at the clock rising from her seat. "Oh my! Look at the time. Thank you Halil." She kisses his cheeks.

Olivia relieves Halil of her burden and thanks the professor for tea.

The professor, putting away the set, calls back, "anytime dear, enjoy your time off."

Halil escorts her to the station using a shortcut through the back alleys of the university. "You were almost late there."

"I can't thank you enough Halil." Olivia skips over a protruding stone.

"It's no problem. I know what it's like, I nearly missed the time myself." Halil grabs her hand as they enter the street. His street smarts were something to envy, maneuvering through a chaotic crowd. Not long after, they were on the platform with Halil racing to catch his leviahtran.

Olivia only just made it in time herself. The doors seal shut and the leviahtran lifts. She scans the area and finds a seat near the front with a seaside view. Far across the strait, she can make out the palace with its turrets and domed architecture, reflecting the sun like a gem almost swallowed whole by the sands.

At the market she picks up a variety of ingredients that would take her some time to prepare. With the shopkeeper's input, she has everything she needs. Along the stroll back to the apartment, she keeps a lookout for that finely dressed stranger, hoping she hadn't imagined it, though all this passes with no event.

She unlocks the door, peaks inside and sees Logan fast asleep on the windowsill. Not wanting to disturb him, she focuses all her attention on shutting the door as silently as she can manage. It clicks. She places the paper bag on the counter, unloops her satchel when she notices him on the sofa snoozing away in a finely woven fabric.

"Loraunt!" She drops her books and satchel, startling him awake.

"I fell asleep, sorry bookvyrm." Loraunt stands up to greet her.

Olivia is across the room in a second squeezing the air out of him. "Eldaeon! I can't believe it," she buries her face in his chest. "I can't believe it." She peels away, thumping his chest to make sure she isn't hallucinating.

"Is me, don't vorry," he holds her hands reassuringly.

"Oh my god I can't," she turns on Logan. "When?"

Logan raises his hands, "I just met him this morning."

"When are you leaving?" Olivia grabs the items from the floor and tosses them onto the desk. "You have to stay for dinner at least."

"A few days, maybe veeks. Depends on benefactor." Loraunt smiles. "I vill stay for dinner."

With Loraunt and Logan's help, Olivia concocts a feast unlike any other. The evening is reminiscent of those times they were together, struggling to get by. They set the platters on the floor and bring out the pomegranate wine.

Dalkarian lokum filled with a variety of nuts and dried berries. A large spiced tuna laid out on a muz leaf, melted ghee alongside an assortment of herb beytil, stuffed flat bread, and an assortment of pan fried vegetables with steamed rice. Olivia decorates them with glowing ayshek fragments.

Logan pats his grumbling stomach. "Are we going through the list again? Because, well… I haven't eaten since this morning."

"No, but you have to admit this looks rather delicious. Okay, what's the saying?" Olivia closes her eyes trying to recall the words. "We humble ourselves before this meal, divinity in all beings, simple and complex, for the sacrifices before us we appreciate?"

"That's the one, let's eat." Logan plucks a warm beytil from the basket, dips it in melted ghee, and savors it.

Olivia and Loraunt laugh, and proceed on que. They banter at old times, laughing at their own blunders and mishaps. With her friends and the presence of excellent food, Olivia couldn't ask for anything more.

The meal ends when no one can stuff themselves anymore and they sip on pomegranate wine to soothe their stomachs.

"I've been meaning to ask," Olivia says to Loraunt. "Did you find out anything?"

"After I left, I sailed that vay." Loraunt motions toward the east. "To Zastasia Tyahng Chahn, vhere I meet family."

Olivia's heart stops. "Your family?"

Loraunt nods. "Old big family, they studied me vith medicine, ancient and new. They say I can't get memories back if I vanted." He pats Olivia's hand. "I'm sorry. It vas done by powerful instrument."

So then it was settled. Olivia always expected herself to feel sad, angry, frustrated, or anything. Yet she took this news without emotion. Now she didn't have to decide, she couldn't get her memories back anyway. She looks up to Loraunt, "thank you. Now I know I don't have to worry, there's nothing that can be done."

Logan squeezes her shoulders comfortingly. "I have some news to share."

Olivia's eyes widen. "Eldaeon, I almost forgot. Garrett!"

Loraunt sits motionless with his cup to his lips

"Oh right, you don't know do you?" Olivia sets her cup down. "Well, Logan ran into him the other night and now he's in prison. When he told me, I remembered that name too. He's like us."

Loraunt keeps his face expressionless. "Vhat happen?"

Logan recounts the details with the thieves, Garret's near death, and the imprisonment, including the conversation with him. "So they're having a difficult time prosecuting him because he can't outright admit or deny his guilt."

"I never considered," Olivia murmurs. "So it was the fault of this organization? Then you can just tell them that."

Logan sighs. "Olivia, it's not that simple. He willingly got involved."

"Yes but for survival," she protests. "Surely the empire isn't that cruel, they could employ him or have him do community service. Something."

Loraunt remains silent throughout this exchange. When at last they ask for his input, he sets his empty cup down. "I don't know," he responds in amateur shirhashhat. "If you vant to save him, then you need plan. Good plan."

"You see?" Logan begins. "There's only so much I can do right now, especially now that they've ranked me as soldier."

This sets Olivia aback. "A what?!"

"Sorry, it slipped my mind, but yeah… I'm a soldier now."

"When did this happen? Why am I hearing of it now?" She demands.

"When you asked me to go see him!" Frustrated at his own outburst he follows this in a lowered voice, "it was a test, the captain said I was relieved of that shift, but I showed up. That was the test, he told everyone the same thing. All of those who showed up were immediately recruited."

"Oh Logan, I'm so sorry." She leans her head against his shoulder. "I shouldn't have asked you to go see him."

It was a rather peculiar night for Loraunt. These old friends. Living together for years, not realizing how strong their relationship had grown. To give them their intimacy, he fills their cups with water and hands it to them. "Go," he commands. "For stroll. Is nice out vith Seli and Tsu. I clean here."

Olivia scrambles onto her feet. "Oh no, Loraunt. I can't ask you to do that."

"Is fine, go."

Logan grabs his leather breastplate and Olivia's hand encouragingly. When was the last time they went out together?