Calden and Ysdra finished recovering Carmella, and the trio came over to where the Barronette and I remained. I widened my grin and said. “Thanks again for the wonderful display. It was very informative and interesting. I especially liked the combo you two made to help people through a method that should otherwise hurt.”
The kids turned several shades of scarlett, and the back of Calden’s head suddenly got very itchy, while Ysdra found something to scuff on the ground with her heel.
“T–thank you, great one. I’m unworthy of your praise!”
“Y–yeah. We didn’t do anything special! B–but thank you all the same.”
Carmella and the Baronette’s stiff expressions hinted that they were a little less than impressed with their stammered attempt at humility, but my jovial chuckle placated the pair and I gently patted the children’s heads.
“So when were you going to tell me you were leaving?”
The four stared at me with a mix of varied emotion in their eyes and on their faces.
Calden was, as I expected, gazing at me with nothing less than reverence and adoration, totally on board with me knowing their plans as if it were only natural.
Ysdra on the other hand looked a little bashful, like she had intended to spill sooner or later but either had forgotten or not gotten the chance.
The Baronette’s face remained composed, but his eyes swapped from an inquisitive stare at me to a series of searching glances around the empty courtyard, indicating either a desire to find out who told me, or a faint hope to flee or change subjects.
Lastly, Carmella stood as placidly as she’d been all morning, however, she watched me like a researcher viewing an experiment in progress, all too hungry for some grand revelation.
I cleared my throat, and they managed to regain their composure, not that the Baronette or Carmella really lost theirs, but the air about them definitely changed and now the Baronette fumbled for excuses.
“Apologies. Your insight is as terrifying as ever. We had planned to inform you soon, but since there is no longer a need, may I know what you intend to do?”
Terrifying? Ouch.
His earnest eyes might’ve been able to fool most people, but the serious glint in them changed his question to almost ask ‘Are you going to stay here? Return to the woods perhaps? I’ve paid my debts as best as I can so what more are you asking of us?’
“Oh, I was just thinking that you’d all be much safer if I went along with you. Plus, since I’m totally unfamiliar with the empire, its culture, laws, and common sense, I dare say you’d be saving the whole country some serious trouble if you accept.”
Carmella’s eyes widened, and for the first time all day I got something akin to a reaction out of her as she blinked a few times and then silently turned to the Baronette, who was equally stunned. “Your lordship?”
“Y–you mean you really don’t know anything? Are you not from here? How far have you traveled? Where do you hail from?”
I hid my discomfort behind my best poker face. Well it’s not like any of you’d understand if I told you the truth, and I’m pretty sure mentioning I woke up in what’s now the Garden of Creation would only spark more unwanted assumptions on their part so… What do I even say? I don’t really want to lie if I don’t have to so I guess I’ll just be vague.
“I’m not from here or anywhere really, and I’ve traveled the span of worlds to reach this place. And the reason I know so little about this land is that I fell asleep right after I got here and only recently woke up.”
That’s just a fancy way of saying you can’t go back to the past, and that I wandered around a barren wasteland for longer than I can remember. And that might’ve only been one world, but if you count the gulf that created in my heart and mind, then it was definitely more.
Again I was met with blank, slack jawed stares, so maybe I was a little too vague, but it was better than the nonsense they’d be spewing if I’d told them everything.
Carmella recovered fastest and whispered. “How–? How long did that take? How long have you… ?”
She trailed off and I smiled maybe a little sadly. “A long time. A. Very. Long. Time.” I turned and stared off into the distance. “And honestly, I’m just glad I don’t have to be alone anymore.”
Ysdra sniffled loudly and let out an ugly sob, so I quickly scooped her up in a warm hug. Calden’s trembling hands wrapped around my waist after that, and a few minutes went by where I was able to forget about all the chaos and danger that plagued them and focus solely on the fuzzy feeling of innocent compassion being shared with me.
I patted the back of her head. “Are you alright, sweetheart?”
She sniffed a few times. “Y–you don’t feel lonely when you’re with us do you?”
I arched an eyebrow. What’s she saying? Oh! I get it, she’s afraid that I feel alienated or put out because the adults keep trying to use me and speak to me like I’m some sort of monster.
“Desperation makes people behave in ways they normally wouldn’t and all of you have been in near constant danger since the moment I met you, so no, I don’t feel lonely.”
She pulled away just enough to get a look at my face. Her big amber eyes were red and puffy and streaks of tears marred her lovely tan face which was framed by her long blonde hair, yet in spite of her disheveled appearance she focused solely on staring at me, so I held her gaze and smiled back at her.
Finally she let out a slow breath, and I let her down. She wiped up her tears like the big girl I knew she was, and Calden hesitated to let me go.
He looked up at me, eyes glistening, and I brushed his dark hair with the same gentle smile I’d given her. He held on for a moment longer and then stood back, so I turned my attention over to the Baronette.
His eyes were trained on his feet, all too aware that their tears and fears had been, at least in part, because of him. “Thank you, again, great one. You are far more merciful and understanding than we deserve.”
I suppressed a chuckle, as it’d be rude to laugh at his remorse, and spoke softly. “So as we were originally discussing, how and when do you plan to leave? I know you’ve got all the people and items you’ll need to go already, but given all that’s happened, I think a little more consideration is needed. Don’t you?”
He looked up at me, stroked his beard, and pondered for a time. “You mean to say that leaving on foot would be unwise?”
I glanced over at the tower. “Think about it, they knew when Calden arrived and wasted no time trying to get to him, and even though the dangerous ones have been removed, don’t you think there’s going to be more people out and about watching his every move?”
The large lord’s expression darkened and he crossed his arms as he lowered his head again. “You’re right as always, but we lack the facilities here to teleport such a large group over an even larger distance. I might be an archmage, but that amounts to little when we’re so far from any major civilization center.”
I placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “But you know the method?”
“I– I, yes?”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Then I’m sure we can make it work.” I turned to the kids. “Why don’t you guys go and get everyone and everything to be taken along and we’ll set up our route outta here?”
“Okay!”
“At once!”
They scampered off and the Baronette and I spent the time they were gone drawing a massive magic triangle into the sandy pit. I initially didn’t know the spell, but after he’d drawn about ten percent of it, Uriel was able to figure out the rest so that I could help.
Turns out that this is just a big and complex bit of Order Essence magic that borrows the power of the rarer Space Essence magic to link two points together so that anyone with enough mana and the Order Essence discipline can cross the distance in an instant.
By the time Calden and Ysdra returned with a cart full of supplies, the hunter, and two knights that originally escorted them, the Baronette and I were putting the finishing touches on the Circle.
And if you were wondering, Carmella was just standing there observing me the whole time like a hawk about to swoop down and catch a rabbit.
And we’re done! I’m glad the Baronette picked up on the changes I was making to the spell structure and followed along. After all, we’re not trying to construct a permanent portal so as to avoid being followed, and we’re not going to any already existing exit either, as this’ll only drop us off about half-way to our destination; somewhere in the wilderness near a road.
I clapped my hands in excitement to try out this new thing. “Okay! Everybody ready?”
Carmella glanced at the rest of the group who all, either hesitantly or enthusiastically, nodded, before bowing her head in turn. “We are in your care, Anon.”
Wow! She actually used my name for once! Will wonders never cease!
I motioned for everyone to gather into the confines of the triangle, waited for goodbyes to be said, and then gestured for the Baronette, who remained outside, to begin the spell.
He gulped. “With all due respect, I lack the mana to send you all that distance. Even with the shortened distance of this modified formation I’m afraid I can’t accomplish it.”
I grinned. “Don’t worry so much. Trust me, and have a little faith.”
I noticed Calden twitch at those words, as if he’d just heard something profound, but since the Baronette also did as I’d asked and began the chant, I let my momentary worries slip.
It took several minutes to get going, and the marks we’d drawn started to glow with blue mana as the local lord channeled his everything into the effort.
And he was right.
Not even a quarter of the way in he started to sweat profusely, and Uriel dutifully informed me that his mana was about to run out any second.
Which means it’s my turn.
With a wave of my hand I used my mana control ability to direct the ambient energy to steadily flow into the exhausted man.
He barely managed to contain his surprise at the sudden surge of strength, and I heard a few stifled gasps from the group behind me, but in the end, my little trick worked, and the Baronette shouted. “Guided Gate!”
A rush of air blasted upwards from the ground along with a curtain of all consuming azure light. It felt like the ground beneath us had fallen away and transitioned into a sensation like being forcefully yanked through a rip current at unfathomable speeds.
My expanded senses allowed me to somehow remain aware of myself and everyone else through all this, though it appeared that the others were in a state of momentary unconsciousness or perhaps suspended animation.
Which is honestly for the best, because this is horrible!
In the next instant, the light and air blasted downwards and we were placed upon a small grassy field not too unlike the one we’d initially met in, only the trees weren’t as big and the space between them was far too wide for a forest. Not to mention it was a near perfect circle, so this whole area had to be man made.
One of the knights whistled, and muttered. “All the way to the Emperor's Rest in one go. Not bad.”
I half panicked at the thought that we’d arrived on top of a royal tomb, but Uriel buzzed and I calmed down.
The Emperor's rests are verdant locations placed along major highways for travelers to stop and relax in. Basic magical defenses are placed to protect guests, and the heightened mana makes it an ideal target for teleporting in the manner just used. This particular rest is the southern one and connects the outskirts to the empire proper.
The sky was a rich bluer blue, the grass my selected greener green, a pleasant breeze carried off any lingering worries that I held onto, and I smiled. Alright. We’re well on our way, and well outside the range of any observers left on Ariadholme. We should have about three days worth of walking to do before we reach Ysdra’s home territory, so what should I do? Test out and maybe train my traveling companions? Play with magic to figure out all the things I’ve just learned? Or should I play it more cautious and stick to keeping an eye out for danger?
#
From the top of a distant tree a solitary figure sat nestled in the branches gazing out at Ariadholme through a long scope. She wore nature colored clothes and had even looped in leaves and branches into her cloak and hair to better hide herself amidst the foliage.
After having spent several days here, using the brand on the back of her neck to make regular reports, she was more than fed up with the assignment of monitoring the disposal squad, and now that they had failed, she wondered if the target would depart before her dwindling supplies ran out.
She muttered through clenched teeth. “Come on. Come on. Come on! Where are they? You’d think they’d try to change locations as soon as possible after a sudden attack like that, so what's taking so long!”
Though she couldn’t see every gate out of town from her vantage, there's no way they’d return the way they’d come in from and try to leave the empire, which meant they’d be leaving through one of the other gates that she could see.
“Because archmage or not, there’s no way they have enough mana or a big enough facility to teleport out of Ariadholme. It’s just not possible!”
And so she continued to wait the day away.
And wait.
And wait.
Until the sky grew dark, and her everything ached beyond reason from having stayed crouched at the top of a tree for yet another day.
Resigned, she made her evening report to her handler.
Once the connection broke she snarled. “This is ridiculous! The Marquis is ridiculous! I can’t stay here! I’m almost out of food and water and it’s too far to get to the next settlement.” She withered internally. “I hate it, but I’ve got no choice but to go in myself to resupply. And with any luck I’ll be able to find out whatever the heck it is they’re doing too.
With that, and nary a sound, she carefully slunk out of the tree and left her disguise and post behind.
#
Rainbow light scattered through the massive stained glass windows that lined the hall of the Ascendant church’s main branch. The beautiful hymns played upon the grand organ at the back reverberated through the room and filled the heads and hearts of the countless attendee’s with hope for a brighter future built through hard work under the Creator God’s watchful eye.
Benedict Andrun sat in a middle pew, amidst a few other clergy members, hands clasped in prayer as he listened intently. His unremarkable face was as blank as ever, and his neat white uniform was pressed and kept to an impeccable standard.
Everything was for his master, and he waited diligently.
The Ascendant, Gregorious Durdanhal, himself presided over this mass and followed the psalm with a long winded yet graceful sermon delivered in the elegant tongue of the ancients that only the clergy understood.
And they understood it well.
For even though the lay people thought it was about praising the Creator God through their efforts, and it would sound that way to most, it also acted as a coded message to deliver orders to his subordinates.
“Sectors one through seven shall continue their regular patrols within the empire with an increased focus on the border regions. The tiger cub is still holding on and should be located swiftly, but not interfered with.”
Scattered among the masses, seven heads belonging to the seven sector chiefs mentioned bowed in acknowledgment. Most people mistook this for deep devotion, but to Benedict and the other sector chiefs it only instilled anticipation for their own orders.
“Sectors eight and nine shall continue with their research. Though we successfully tamed the tiger queen, our leash is lacking so a stronger one should be developed.”
Two more heads dropped, and the white clad clergy around them grinned at one another, excited to return to such an interesting topic of research.
“To that end, Sectors ten and eleven are to go and gather the fuel needed for the task at hand. Ensure that no one notices your movements but do this as quickly as you can. Timing is imperative here. The sooner we strike, the sooner this troublesome matter can be taken care of.”
Another two heads bowed, and now only Benedict’s shiny bald one remained.
A shudder coursed through him as he felt the gaze of his master, the Ascendant, fall directly upon him.
He was not brave, nor stupid, enough to return the look of such a mighty and venerable man, and swallowed his pride to better serve one so close to the Creator God.
“Lastly, Sector twelve is to make ready to execute the mission. The Marquis is counting on us to remove the intruding deity from play, and now it is your turn to do as I did and subjugate it.”
Benedict almost slammed his head into the back of the pew in front of him as he received his orders. His subordinates around him likewise bowed with fervor, and together they muttered. “For God and Glory!”
For the remainder of the service Benedict couldn’t get the image of his master crushing, capturing, and dominating a terrestrial deity out of his mind, and started to picture himself doing the same.
It’s my turn at last! My first steps upon the road that leads to ascension! All my long years of service are coming to fruition at last! And as the head of the strongest sector I shall accomplish this deed to perfection and prove myself once again as indisputably worthy!