The Chessexes possessed several carriages, and the one in which Raven and Van found themselves traveling was impressive. The Coprophim pulling the carriage were especially opulent. The two silver statues handled the load effortlessly as they floated along the thoroughfare in perfect formation.
The pilgrimage to Reyk Lamgard started small. But as the journey furthered, more and more travelers joined, forming a makeshift caravan that grew by the hour. After a day, several hundred trekkers made up the convoy. While it slowed the pace, this was nothing unexpected. The Grand Highway connected all the reyks and was the primary means of travel to each capital.
The caravan actually provided a great source of relief for the long journey. Reyk Lamgard was nestled against the Tessletop Mountains, deep into the Blazing Highlands. Being cooped up in a carriage with four other people for a whole week, regardless of its size, could have been intolerable. Ophelia had recovered from her unexpected bout of inebriation the night of the dinner party, embarrassed by the behavior Raven had somehow wrought out of her. And while she was good-natured about what transpired, and was even able to laugh about it, she resumed her ladyship. Had they been isolated, the rest of her party would have found no opportunity for similar vices.
But they weren’t alone. Raven, Van and Valentine exited the carriage often, mingling with the other travelers as they rode or walked. Many were students from Nine Star Academy, traveling home to drink from their pool just like Valentine. Others hailed from different places, making for different destinations. There was music and food and stories, shared amongst them all as they traversed, never once stopping. A caravan of the best variety. Raven had often traveled the Grand Highway with Arkh and Noelle, creating fond memories during each trip.
The long journey’s end was first marked by the heat. The Blazing Highlands harbored a dry, flat desert, spotted with orange bushes. When the road into the highlands presented itself, a very small fraction of the caravan split off onto the smaller path, including the Chessex carriage. During the trip, Raven had negotiated the trade of two fine Lamgard Camels from a merchant travelling to Provote and looking to unload. He and Van rode them effortlessly alongside the carriage.
“We should be seeing the mountains soon,” Valentine said from inside the carriage. She perched just beside the open window, letting her arm hang outside.
“Yes, I would imagine so,” Raven replied. “I can already see the rain.”
“Can you?” Van asked, shielding his eyes and looking ahead. “Where?”
Raven pointed south across the barren landscape.
“I don’t see it,” Van said after searching. “Are you sure?”
“You can tell by the coloring of the clouds and the refraction of the air currents. It’s coming. We should get our umbrellas.”
Van reached into a pack hanging off the camel and produced two long rods of wood, followed by two bundles of thin stone plates. He gave one each to Raven, and they quickly started assembling the parts. Nine square plates were pieced together to form a larger sheet. A hole in the middle tile was the perfect fit for the top of the rod. After screwing it in, the result was a primitive umbrella contraption wide enough to nearly blanket the camels in shadow.
The device was quite heavy, but Raven had used them many times before. Valentine watched in amusement as Van struggled to keep his steady for a while before getting the hang of it. And he did so just in time. The truth of Raven’s words was proven as the infamous rains of Lamgard came barreling toward them in a quiet but awesome volley. So quiet, in fact, it astounded Raven to this day.
Because the rain did not consist of water, but in fact, billions of tiny drops of fire.
Burst into the air by the guardian’s volcano, the raining fire upon the land was gentle in its descent, yet so much more dangerous than simple ash cleaving to its last spark. The umbrellas protected Raven and Van, but they had to be careful all the same. Just a single drop bore the potential to burn and destroy. The Lamgard Camels, however, thought little of it as they continued on, hide and fur thick with resistance.
As they traversed the fire-strewn plain, the tip of Reyk Lamgard Veil eventually peaked above the horizon. Rumail Mountain, that ancient volcano of fire and death, glistened with fierce red light. Flowing lava blanketed the entire north side. But out of the volcano, a mighty covering of stone emerged to split the lava flow and provide passage. The wide path drove into an immense cavern covering the whole of Reyk Lamgard in protection of the utmost eminence. The city of Valentine’s heritage established itself against the volcano’s base, safe from the lava under the peaked roof of the Veil. The temperature dropped considerably once under its shadow, and the cityscape luminesced in its place among the red and brown palette of its surroundings.
“Never gets old,” Raven said. “Truly a sight to behold.”
“Finally home,” Valentine said.
The wide road drove straight into the city’s main thoroughfare, an urban center of white marble architecture and lush green parks. In the protection of the Veil, life in Lamgard thrived. And so did the citizens, the people of fire. By far the richest and most influential of Fallowreyk’s cities, Lamgard teemed with busy commerce. Raven and Van rented stalls for their camels before rejoining the Chessex family in their carriage. While the vibrant activity of the city called to each of them, the need for rest after such a long journey generated a louder protest from their weary bones.
But first, they needed to drink.
Lamgard’s well was situated in the northern city square, a wide park of limestone with a spiral finish. The circular well of about fifty spans sat at the epicenter of the spiral. The water boiled from the immense heat of Lamgard’s guardian, Rumail, pluming dense steam. A thick steel plate had been fixed over the well, with holes for the steam to permeate. Here, there was no line to drink. Instead, citizens needed only to climb up onto the well and let the power-filled vapor saturate them. The heated steam would have been too intense for anybody else, but for those with the first gift of Rumail, heat such as this amounted to a tickle. Hershel, Ophelia, and Valentine refilled their spirits after a walk through the steam and emerged refreshed.
Van flapped his shirt, drenched in sweat. “Wow is it hot here. How are you not sweating?”
Raven, dry as a bone, said, “Ice Token.”
“Do you need some Hydra?” Valentine asked Raven as she swayed a bit to dry her damp clothing. Her parents had spotted some friends when they descended from the well, and had requested Valentine and her friends wait so they could chat with them for a moment.
“I have conserved my supply,” Raven replied. “No need.”
“Are you sure? Ever since I watched you leech from Van, I’ve been curious what it feels like.”
“It’s not fun,” Van said.
She remained determined. “Please?”
Raven shrugged. “Very well.” He placed two fingers on her chest. A gentle trickling of visible Hydra seeped from her body, trailing up his arm before disappearing. His pale green eyes blossomed into vibrant emeralds.
“That wasn’t so bad,” she said when he finished. “I don’t know what you complain about, Van.”
“He’s a lot rougher with me!” he protested.
She stuck her tongue at him playfully before returning to the well to refill her spirit once more.
Once back inside the carriage, they were off again. The carriage wound quite easily through traffic to turn onto a quiet cobbled street. After the climb of a short slope, the road leveled into a spacious locality. Here, the cloistered houses gave way to mansions surrounded by verdant lawns and golden fences. And atop another knoll, Raven spotted the collection of marble chateaus he had seen from paintings in Valentine’s dormitory room: Hilltop Gables, the Chessex family estate.
The space was vast, an oasis within the city. From what Valentine told them, Hilltop Gables housed many of the Chessex ancestral line, not just her immediate family. Her house was just one of many owned by those with related blood. But like everything else, Valentine’s home was a place of particular splendor. Though not nearly as large as their manor in Roespeye, it contained an equal measure of grandeur. The stately marble seemed to glow in a beam of light, despite the cave-like nature of the Veil.
A man in a soldier’s uniform seemed to be waiting for them on the staircase of the manor. Valentine smiled when she spotted him and jumped out of the carriage before they came to a stop. She leapt into his arms.
“Barkley!”
He laughed as he caught her and swung her around before pulling her in for a tight hug. Van gulped as he and Raven observed the interaction. The man named Barkley was a handsome and rugged creature, seemingly chiseled from the limestone out of which Lamgard was built. His black hair was short-cut, but he possessed a full beard white as snow, belying his youth. He couldn’t have been more than twenty-five years old.
Valentine dragged him down the stairs to greet her family and friends.
“Van. Raven. I want you to meet my dear cousin, Barkley Chessex. Barkley, these are friends from school.”
Van looked relieved as he shook Barkley’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Soon to be ‘Captain’ Barkley Chessex,” Hershel said with a big smile as he picked up four suitcases with ease.
Valentine gasped. “You’re getting promoted?”
Barkley laughed. “In two days, in fact. I’m glad you could make it back in time for the ceremony. It’s a great honor. I’m not sure I deserve it.”
“That is exceptionally young, is it not?” Raven said. “You must be a great talent.”
“He’s the finest young soldier in Lamgard,” Hershel said. “You must tell us all about it after we get settled in. Why don’t you join us for dinner?”
“I was hoping for just such an invite.”
Hershel and Ofelia’s manor overflowed with elegance and splendor, with more personal touches than Raven observed in Roespeye. It felt more like a home, with rich wood and marble accents. Raven and Van were given their own rooms, and after a nap and a bath, they felt refreshed. They joined the family on the second-floor veranda in the early evening. Situated within a lush, gardened space were several lounge chairs, upon which Valentine and her family reclined. Barkley was also there, and when he saw Raven and Van arrive, his eyes lit up.
“Friends! Please sit here.” He gestured next to him.
They obliged and settled into the comfortable chairs. A large bowl sat on a table, filled with grapes, cheeses, and bread.
“Valentine was just telling us about your riveting first seasons in school,” Barkley said after they sat down. “I am utterly astounded by what I’ve heard. Raven, is it true you have discovered the method to cure the Splits? I see the result in Valentine as she lives and breathes, but still I can’t fathom it.”
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Raven frowned for a moment. But he knew he couldn’t expect the Chessexes to keep such information to themselves. “Yes, I have. It is a rather barbaric and dangerous method, but it is a cure all the same.”
“Tell me. What must one do?”
Raven frowned deeper and folded his arms. “It is quite difficult to say.”
“Ah, a political response.” He laughed.
Hershel joined him in laughter. “I warned you. I’ve already tried.”
“I apologize,” Raven said.
“You are wise in the ways of many things,” Barkley said, holding up his hand. “So, Valentine has told me. I pray to the Holy One that one day, the light of your knowledge may one day shine on my city. In the meantime, we leave it to you.”
“I am ever seeking the solution to your wish. I truly believe Lamgard will one day have my method. But the Titan’s eyes and ears are everywhere. He must never know what I have discovered.”
“Your wariness of the Titan proves your wisdom true. My captain often tells us that bravery in the face of danger is a soldier’s worth, but when your eyes behold the Titan, flee at once.”
“If only there was a place to hide,” Van said.
“The church of the Holy One is such a place, no?”
“I wish that were so,” Ofelia said with a sigh. “But he has set up his image in every sanctuary. The Titan has laid his claim, even in such places.”
“I do not fear him,” Valentine said. She glanced at Raven. “Now more than ever, I believe one day he will be toppled.”
“My daughter,” Hershel said with slight warning in his voice.
“I’m sorry. I know uttering such things tempts his wrath.”
“The Titan does not operate like a king,” Raven said. “He allows his people the freedoms of their whims. But that is what makes him so terrible. He hunts like a snake, snatching prey without word or warning. A sudden strike into the tranquility of the world to remind us of his power.”
“So, what can be done?”
Hershel cleared his throat. “I appreciate the honesty and courage of everyone here. But I must ask that we refrain from this subject. Trust me when I say, it does not do well to speak ill of the ruler. As young Raven said…” He glowered in a defeated way. “He has eyes and ears everywhere.”
Ofelia effortlessly guided the company to a new topic of conversation. Raven remained silent through it all, observing on the outskirts of his conscious while dwelling inward. And as she always does when he is in such a place, Rue met him there.
“Barkley is quite brave,” she said.
Raven nodded. “Remarkably so,” he said quietly. Only Van heard his voice, but he was used to Raven talking to Rue by now. “He is someone to keep in mind in the future. Our mission against the Titan will need all the help we can muster. Arkh likes to say we are enough, but even he knows we must do everything we can to tip the scales.”
“Will you try to recruit him?”
“There should be time tomorrow when we go into the city. At the very least, I would like to know more about him. But I’ve been too trusting lately.”
“You have to rely on some people, Raven. You can’t do this alone.”
“I bear the scar on my head as proof that sometimes, I have no other choice.”
Even so, Raven was definitely intrigued by the young captain-to-be. So much so, that he stuck close by him the next day. Along with Van and Valentine, the young party of four took a carriage into the city after breakfast. Valentine insisted they visit Pantestine Village.
Deeper under the Veil, the vast place called Pantestine featured a dome fortress of glass. The bubble-like arcade could be seen from any vantage in Reyk Lamgard, glowing red from the lava’s reflection. But inside, the bright gardens were lush and colorful, protected within the greenhouse.
Many of the upper-class elite appeared to have made the same decision to visit that day. The wide gravel path leading to the garden village teemed with well-dressed patrons, eager to peruse the delights of the conservatory. If Raven cared what people thought of him, he might have felt uncomfortable in his normal robes.
Pantestine featured a number of vastly contrasting parks. From a cool oasis to a tree-strewn meadow, and a woodland slope to a rocky hillside, numerous paths wound themselves in and throughout the gardens, engineered and manicured into beautiful perfection wherever a visitor might desire to wander. And in the center of the Pantestine sat the Pearl Lawn, a stone-walled village offering dining, vendors, and amusements. Performers, artists, and philosophers mingled among the more casual guests, presenting their offerings.
Raven’s party explored several of the gardens in the morning before making for the Pearl Lawn to rest and have lunch. Raven found himself waiting in line with Barkley at a popular sandwich cart while Van and Valentine went to search for an open picnic table. Barkley watched them go with interest until they were no longer within sight.
“Are they… an item?” he asked Raven.
Raven sighed. “I wish.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Let’s just say I’m vested in their relationship.”
“Well, I’ve been watching them all morning. My cousin most definitely has her eyes on your curious friend.”
“Curious,” Raven repeated with a chuckle. “A kinder way to describe Van has never been uttered.”
“I find that hard to believe. He seems an honorable young man.”
“He is… well known in the city.”
“How is Roespeye? I have not been since my own school days.”
“Still frozen.”
Barkley laughed. “Indeed. Master Cooley used to assign topics for his students to give presentations, and then he would joke about how we all had cold feet.”
Raven’s ears perked at the mention of Cooley. The enigmatic professor was still a source of mystery, and his challenge to Raven was hidden well from his eyes.
“I just finished taking his Epo class,” he said. “But I wasn’t really able to get to know him. Are you acquainted with him well?”
“One moment.” Barkley turned to face the vendor as they had just reached the front of the line. He ordered four sandwiches and lemonades. Then, they turned off to the side as it was being prepared.
“Now what was it you were asking?”
“Master Cooley, the economics master at Nine Star. You mentioned you were a student of his?”
“Oh yes. A student and a friend. We still keep in touch. He is a great mentor. I would not be gaining my rank tomorrow if not for him.”
“So, he is a good man.”
“A great man. You would not know it without the pleasure of his company, but he is a deeply compassionate educator and mentor. His understanding of people is second to none, and he constantly seeks to help those in need.”
“He is soft-spoken, yet strict, from what I have gathered.”
“Strict may be a strong word,” Barkley replied as he took the parchment-wrapped sandwiches from the vendor. Raven took into his arms the four large drinks poured into wooden cups, and they began walking in the direction Van and Valentine had gone. Barkley continued, “He’s careful. Always wary of the Titan.”
“Does he fear him?”
“Not at all. He simply loathes drawing attention to himself, knowing as my uncle does what that can mean. But he’s secretive in general. People just don’t get to know him.”
Van and Valentine were sitting closely together at a stone table near a long hedge of rose bushes. They sat opposite them. Raven produced some brownies to add to their lunch.
“How did you come to obtain Master Cooley as a mentor?” Raven asked, determined not to let the conversation steer away.
“Well, I was a bit mischievous during my school days. And within the dormitories, there were rumors Master Cooley was something of a… product of superstition.”
“A what?” Valentine asked, scrunching her nose.
“A Devilank,” Van said through bites of his sandwich. “What your cousin is cautiously saying is the students of his day thought he might be a monster or demon or something due to his peculiar nature. The same rumors about him persist to this day in the dorms.”
Barkley chuckled. “I was quite curious about the rumors. So I would follow him through the city. I did this several times, but he always seemed to elude me. I wasn’t sure if he knew I was there.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Raven said. “I have been observing him closely during his class. He’s extremely calculating. It’s like he’s looking right through you. I avoided drawing attention to myself during his Epo class.”
“Observing him? Why?”
“To ensure I get the best grade, of course.”
Valentine had a look of marvel. It’s amazing how quickly and easily you can lie to people, her face said.
“Yes, I also would love to get the very best grade,” Van said with flair.
Barkley laughed and clapped him on the back. “Don’t worry, my friend. If you are sincere, Master Cooley will know it and reward you accordingly.”
Van’s smile faded. Valentine laughed.
“So then how did you become his mentee?” Raven asked, pulling the conversation back.
Barkley cleared his throat. “Well as I said, Master Cooley always seemed to elude me when I followed him into the city. But there was one particular night I found success, and it would change my life forever. You see, for a long time, Master Cooley wore this strange signet ring. Gold with four hexagon-shaped rubies. I never thought anything of it, but one day, I happened to come across a store front very close to the Morborium, and it bore the same design on its doorpost. I thought it odd, but I realized it might be connected to him. So rather than continuing to try and shadow him, I stationed myself near to the door of that mysterious place, hidden in some bushes. I did this for several nights, finding no success. Just wasted nights and tired mornings. But I persisted, having no other options. I waited vigilantly to see if that place was his eventual destination. The mysterious nature of it sustained my intrigue.”
Raven produced Moon’s Ark and pressed the pandora against his left eye. The card shone, and a bursting vision came to his eyes. He observed himself standing in the cold. Next to him was Valentine. They began walking into the Morborium in Roespeye. Moon’s Ark perfectly replayed his and Valentine’s school trip earlier in the year.
He rubbed one finger against the card in a circular motion. The images of their venture into the city flashed before his eyes, but going backwards. He stopped. They were now on the riverbank. He reversed his circular finger motion, and they were back in the city. He sped up the images until they reached the Morborium again, and then he paused the vision. Soon, Raven spotted what Barkley had described. Across the street from the Morborium, a small antique shop nestled itself between two larger stores. It was dark, and heavy curtains were drawn over the windows. It looked abandoned. A mark of four hexagons had been burned onto the doorpost. And the moment he laid eyes on it, Raven recognized the symbol.
He lowered the pandora. The image disappeared. He looked at Barkley. “So, did Master Cooley show up?”
“Uhhh…” Barkley recovered from his confusion at Raven’s sudden actions. “Yes. He knocked on the door, and a woman answered.”
“A woman holding a green mask over her face.”
Barkley’s eyebrows lifted sky high. “That’s right! How did you know that?”
Raven again placed Moon’s Ark over his eye. But this time, he called up a vision of his visit to the Gold Lecher. He zoomed through the encounter until he could home in on the woman nearby. He paused the scene. The mysterious figure wore several rings on her fingers. And one of them had the hexagon symbol.
“It’s some sort of… secret society,” he said. He put Moon’s Ark away and folded his arms, thinking hard about this new information. “That ring bearing the mark. She wears it, too. Did you hear what her name was?”
“No. In fact, I didn’t hear anything, because the moment she answered the door, she somehow spotted me in the bushes. And that was the last I saw of her. She rushed back inside and shut the door, and Master Cooley commanded I come out. You can imagine how sheepish I felt.”
“Master Cooley can reprimand with the best of them,” Valentine said.
“Well, he didn’t reprimand me. Matter of fact, he seemed concerned. When I confessed what I had been doing, he was silent for what seemed like an eternity. I specifically remember that he took off the ring and put it in his pocket. From that day forward, he never wore it again. But after that, well… he took an interest in me. He sent me home that night, but the next morning in his class, he came and talked to me again. Shortly thereafter, I became something of an apprentice to him. He had been a soldier as well. I learned many things during our time working together.”
“Does Master Cooley take on apprentices regularly?” Raven asked.
“I think I was the only one. Whatever the reason was, I am grateful. He gave me great recommendations when I applied for the city’s guard.”
The quartet finished their meal and spent the rest of the afternoon perusing the gardens. When they returned back to Hilltop Gables, they were greeted by an evening party in celebration of Barkley’s achievement, with many of the Chessex extended family in attendance. They would all accompany him in the morning to observe his advancement. Rarely had Raven been privy to such lavishness. There was more wealth in the dining hall that night than in his entire hometown of Surlance. But more than that, there existed a warmth, almost tangible. Genuine gladness over Barkley’s achievement, perhaps borne from the loss Lamgardians experience when their loved ones succumb to the Splits. A love kindled from the plight of their blood.
That night, Raven couldn’t sleep. He laid flat on his back for several hours, staring up at the ceiling. Something itched at him, and he became frustrated. He finally got out of bed and opened the wide balcony doors of his bedroom, stepping out into the pleasant night. The lava flowing far in the distance glowed with a soothing dimness. He beheld the entire city from the vantage, a haven deep in the volcano that seemed impermeable. And all was quiet.
Raven… was at peace.
He frowned, placing both hands on the marble balustrades. He could feel time running out on his mission, day by day creeping along and inching toward failure. There were so many things to do, so many things to uncover. He needed to get inside that room in the Rail.
Yet knowing all this, he was lulled. The unexpected comradery and friendship he attained here was drowning the urgency he possessed when he first arrived in Roespeye.
Arkh would have been disappointed in him.
“Raven, are you okay?” Rue asked.
“I’m alright,” he replied. “Rest.”
He shook his head and glowered. He had to gain that urgency back, no matter the cost. So many lives depended on it.