“Where is Bathen?” Nitiri asked, her voice livid.
“I do not know, Your Highness. Bathen has vanished from Incari. Either he has gone back through the void, or he has perished,” Tiberius responded with clear agitation.
Nitiri didn’t react for a moment, then she turned her back and stiffly paced the room. She stopped in front of a vase on a pedestal. For a few seconds she stared at it, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly. Without warning, she picked it up and threw it across the room. It shattered; glass shards rained down, and fragments littered the floor, glimmering in the dim morning light. The infuriated queen clenched her fists a few times, then the anger seeped out of her, and she regained control. When she turned back to the Demon, her face was still a deep crimson.
“How has he vanished?”
“Bathen has either fled for unknown reasons or has been slain. The former is unlikely, but so is the latter. I do not know how either of these events could have occurred,” Tiberius growled in a flat tone. Nitiri was seething, so it hastily added, “At their current rate of travel, they will be no threat to us.”
Nitiri sat heavily on her throne and pondered the situation. Finally, she rose from the chair. “You’d better be correct.”
The monster melted into the shadows just as a knock tapped on the door.
“Enter!” she called.
One of her captains opened the door and bowed. “The tax collector returned, Your Majesty. He says many of the people cannot afford the new taxes you recently posted.”
“Tell him to throw anyone who cannot pay in prison. Unless they are able-bodied men. If that’s the case, make them join the army and put them on the front lines to pay off their debts. There is a war coming, and our kingdom needs to defend itself. Those who refuse to pay the taxes are traitors against the crown. It is time to start filling those cells again anyway. My brother was too lenient with his subjects. Are there any more reports of uprisings against my rule?”
The man smiled, exposing his rotting teeth. “Only one, Your Majesty. We enjoyed snuffing it out.”
She nodded with approval. “If there are any living members of the rebellion, have them publicly executed. Spread the word that anyone who brings information about those who speak against me will be handsomely rewarded.”
The man bowed. “Yes, Your Excellency.”
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After leaving the small town, Elurra and her seven dwarfs made fast progress. Small hills rolled across the landscape, each one slowly increasing their elevation. She tried to stay awake, but her vision called to her. As soon as her eyes closed, she was whisked off to the land from her dream.
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Lira and Zavier were easy to spot in the blinding afternoon light. They appeared to be training. Flashes of silver danced through the air accompanied by loud clangs as metal met metal. Lira looked fierce and determined, whereas Zavier was calm and collected. It was obvious who was winning. Even though her attacks were forceful and strong, Zavier easily countered without breaking a sweat.
“No, Lira. You can’t leave yourself open like that,” he scolded as he sliced in and stopped centimeters from her exposed side. Lira threw her weapon on the ground in exasperation and crossed her arms over her chest.
“I give up. I will never learn all this by the next no moon!” she exclaimed, a sullen expression etched into her features.
Zavier set down his weapon and rested his hand on her shoulder. “You will get the hang of this eventually. It takes time.”
“Too much time,” Lira said bitterly. “It takes years to become an expert swordsman, and I only have a week.”
Zavier gave her a sympathetic glance before looking away. Elurra could tell he agreed but didn’t want to tell her as much.
“I am in your service. I can always fight for you.”
She shook her head violently. “I am not going to stand back and watch you save my kingdom for me. What if you get hurt? Then what will I do? This is my responsibility. If only I had your skills, then I would not have any problems.”
Zavier stayed eerily silent and examined the far wall of the room, which was bare save a single painting. Lira sensed something was amiss.
“What?”
He looked down and sighed heavily. “I can give you my skills.”
“Excuse me?”
“Guardians can transfer information from one to another. It is a simple process, but it requires you to have a connection to Magic.”
“Why have you not brought this up before?” she prompted coolly.
He realized she must have thought he was selfish and quickly tried to redeem himself. “It’s dangerous. Giving you a connection to magic requires a transfer.”
“What kind of transfer?”
“I have to inject you with some of my blood,” he said, his voice filling with distaste.
She crinkled her nose, clearly bothered by the notion. “Is that the only way?”
Zavier nodded gloomily. “If your body rejects my blood or the nanites, you could die. However, if you think this is the only way you can protect your people, then I am willing to try.”
Lira gave her protector a tight hug, which startled him. For an instant, the halo of light surrounding him brightened, then she let go.
“I will be fine. I promise.” Despite the reassurance, Elurra couldn’t help but think the Guardian looked uneasy.
°◌°○●○°♣°○●○°◌°
The Amorian army was traveling much slower than the eight companions in Lur Alava. The soldiers weren’t accustomed to hiking the gentle slopes on the northern side of the Kerali Mountains. The Amorian terrain and all the land on the southern side of the mountains were almost completely flat until the border. As they traversed the mountain hills, the terrain swiftly changed to a steep, rocky incline with a narrow, uneven road passing through it. The only route less treacherous was the Vel’rom pass, a few days’ trip west. Unfortunately, Vel’rom was smaller, and the king wasn’t willing to waste time funneling his men through the mountains. He wanted to reach the border as soon as possible, and the Zebulon Pass before them would be the easiest to get the army through.
The air became brittle and uninviting as they drew closer to the north, and the horses struggled to pull their loads. Men rolled their ankles on sharp rocks that jutted out of the ground, waiting to trip weary travelers. Morale plunged as conditions worsened and the weather grew colder. The commanding officers tried their best to encourage their men. Despite the obstacles, the army forged on. The Land of Snow was very close.