Candles in wall sconces cast an orange glow over the sizeable empty hallway of the embassy building. The sun had yet to awaken, and Ben looked up toward the several stories high ceiling made of opaque glass to let natural light in and saw the dark blue promise of dawn. Two Guardsmen in polished steel armor, different from those worn by the Guardsmen he had encountered, were stationed in the entranceway. Upon seeing the Squad Leader, the men saluted her with their right fists to their left shoulders.
Ben felt an indescribable unease when he approached the building. Upon entering, he thought of it as a weight on his chest that subtly grew in intensity with each step.
The Keeper and the young man were led down a wide hallway decorated by decadent paintings, statues, and tapestries by the raven-haired woman. Their boots echoed on white marble tiles as they arrived at the end of the passageway. They stood in a relatively small antechamber with upholstered chairs, exquisitely crafted tables, and a large archway. Beyond the arch, another two Guardsmen in the same armor stood at the foot of a broad stairway.
“Please have a seat and wait here. I’ll be right back,” Jor said after turning to Ben and Ann.
Ben nodded, yet he remained standing with the plain spear in hand. The Archer dipped her head and left to climb the stairs in the adjacent room. Ben ensured she was out of sight and earshot before turning to the Keeper, who sat on an uncomfortably luxurious red velvet chair.
“Ann, I feel something. Do you feel it too?” he asked, voice hushed on account of the Guardsmen nearby.
“Yes, it’s him.” She glanced at the pair of guards and met Ben’s gaze. “There is another, you might not be able to feel her, but her presence here does not bode well.”
“Yeah, I can only feel the… weight of his presence. Who is the other one, and why can’t I feel her?”
“The fact that you can feel auras at all is quite rare for someone who lacks a useable mana reservoir. Most Casters or Priests have to develop the ability over time, and so did I. As for the one I mentioned…” she trailed off and stood facing the stairway. “She’s here.”
The clicking of heeled shoes on marbled stairs echoed in the quiet antechamber. Ben looked up from Ann to see a tall, ebony-skinned woman in a flowing crimson dress with slits down each side, exposing long slender legs. Thin black ribbons wrapped around her exposed thighs to her shapely calves before meeting Obsidian stiletto heels. A thick black leather belt hugged her waist and held several vials of incandescent liquids, a small pouch, and an elegant sheathed dagger. Her arms were bare, adorned with thick golden bracelets. A low, loose neckline covered modest breasts, and Ben’s eyes fixed on a polished golden pendant of a downwards-facing palm.
“Sister.” The beautiful slender woman spoke, almost seductively, through soft, full lips. Snow-white hair, meticulously braided, individually clasped with numerous golden rings, swayed with each step as she approached the pair.
Ann met her big, dark brown eyes. “Sister,” she replied, tone cold.
“And who might this be?” the woman approached Ben, slowly walking around him, eyes inspecting him from head to toe. “Is this your new pet? I hope you’ll share this time.” She faced Ann after walking a complete circuit around the young man.
This time? She had others before?
Ben frowned.
Of course. Deidre did say I was only a Candidate. How many Candidates did she have before, however?
The blonde-haired woman’s shoulders tensed, and her soft blue eyes grew hard. “Have some respect, Luciana. You’re in the presence of the Harbinger of-” Ann glanced at Ben, “of this age,” she said. The verbal stumble weakened the bite in her tone.
“You can call me Lucy, sweetheart,” Luciana said as she locked eyes with Ben for a heartbeat before letting out a feminine chuckle and turning back to face Ann. “That’s very peculiar, Annastacia, as I just so happen to have a Harbinger of my own.”
Ann’s already tense shoulders went rigid, and her eyes grew wide.
The ebony-skinned woman’s lips quirked into a slight smile at her reaction. Her gaze traveled up and down the form of the shorter woman. “How quaint, your new stray and new… attire suits you. You fit in so well out here in the provinces.”
Ben’s eyes twitched at the woman’s insults. Her tone was smooth and sultry, yet the words were barbed and venomous. He felt Ann’s distress through their bond.
Ben cleared his throat, and both women faced him. “Is Eric Vasylius your Harbinger?” he asked Luciana.
“What an interesting accent you have… what did you say your name was?” the tall woman said in a sweet voice.
He felt a subtle tingle at the back of his throat, and his arms prickled with goosebumps. He glanced at Ann with a tilt of his head, lips drawn. The young man felt the beast within him rouse, and his head snapped back to Luciana as a sudden realization struck him.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
“I didn’t. And whatever you’re doing, I’ll ask you to stop. Now.” He spoke with a firm voice as he tightened his grip around the haft of the simple spear.
The tall Keeper flinched almost imperceptibly at the reprimand, and Ben felt the tingling sensation dissipate.
“How interesting,” Luciana said, tone devoid of the warmth she had so easily employed before. “It seems my dear Eric was right. You have acquired an Avatar while being so pitifully weak yourself.”
The sounds of footsteps from beyond the archway halted any further retort from Ann. Ben looked to the marble stairs and saw Jor approach. Her long black braid swayed like the pendulum of a clock, counting the seconds to the inevitable confrontation. She glanced at the woman with a slight frown before addressing the young man.
“He’s ready to receive you now. Please follow me,” the Squad Leader said formally.
Ben, Ann, and Luciana silently followed Jor up three long flights of marble stairs. The sun had begun to yawn into the sky, and the glass ceiling bathed the embassy in an ethereal, pale blue light. After exiting the stairway on the third floor, they walked down a similarly long hallway to an unassuming door at a junction in the passageways. Jor knocked lightly, and a smooth, muffled voice was heard inside the room.
“Please remember what I asked of you earlier. Just listen before you act,” Jor said as she opened the door.
The dimly lit room was spacious, spartan, and surprisingly devoid of candles or lanterns. The wall opposing the entrance was made entirely of glass that allowed the pale light of the rising sun to illuminate a simple desk and several chairs. Eric stood and gazed out the window, back turned to the group who entered the room. His tall, broad-shouldered silhouette was striking against the ethereal glow. Ben felt the breath of the beast on the back of his neck. The weight of the Councilor’s presence became almost tangible as he drew nearer.
“Luciana. Light,” Eric said in a familiar pleasant baritone without turning to face his guests.
“Certainly, my love,” the tall Keeper said as she walked to stand by the Councilor’s side. “Illuminate,” she said in a whisper. Gold bangles clinked as Luciana lifted an arm and pointed to the center of the wooden ceiling. A bright white orb of light bloomed from the tip of her long index finger and slowly drifted to rest above, illuminating the room.
Eric turned to face Ben, meeting his gaze with cold blue eyes. The blonde-haired man wore a plain white shirt and black trousers. After a cursory glance around the primarily bare room, the young man couldn’t spot the ivory great sword. He did, however, notice a plain door to his left which he assumed to be the sleeping quarters.
“The stray lives,” said Eric, tone even, “and it seems you’ve become worth the trouble after all.”
Ben’s brows furrowed, yet he held his tongue, curious as to why the monster had ordered him brought here.
“Tell me, what do you hope to accomplish with your flame that burns so brightly,” he said, expression impassive.
Ben pursed his lips as the growling intent from the beast warred against his logical mind. Although he had sparred with Dee for two days and two nights in preparation for this meeting, he couldn’t help but feel severely outmatched. The entity inside him yearned for blood or submission, yet Ben doubted he could best the monster in human skin.
He didn’t want to reveal his amnesia or his goal to pursue answers by delving into the tombs of the Old Worlders. That, despite his prior reluctance, he wanted to follow the thread of fate, as described by his companion —his Keeper— and discover whether or not his candidacy was legitimate.
Eric stroked his clean-shaven chin and stared intently at the young man. “Indecisive,” he said and paused for two heartbeats. “Ambitionless, yet wilful.”
Fuck this guy.
“What do you want?” Ben said in a clipped manner.
Luciana gasped, and Ben snapped his head to her. “You DARE-” she started before being interrupted by the Councilor’s raised palm.
Eric’s cold eyes met hers for a heartbeat, and the woman lowered her head, cowed by what Ben thought to be a promise of punishment.
“I want many things, Old Worlder. The greatest of which is the continued prosperity of the Empire. Aetheria faces a major pivot. A Convergence.” he turned to gaze out the window before continuing. “Power needs to be placed in the hands of the capable and worthy if the land is to meet the blighted tide without being swept away.” He faced Ben once more and met his eyes. “I would claim the name of Herald and later that of Emperor.”
The young man’s shoulders stiffened at the intensity of Eric’s words. The claws of his Avatar dug into his shoulders, and his body grew hot as he felt the lust to Dominate threaten to overwhelm him.
“Your traveling companion has convinced me to offer you a choice,” he paused. The intent behind his words made the silence in the room feel tangible.
“I want your servant and the Avatar you wield like a blind child,” the Councilor said, tone even.
“What?” Ben said incredulously.
“My Avatar allows me to consume other entities to strengthen itself, as I have done before. Offer it willingly, knowing it will be used for a greater purpose.”
The young man faced the Keeper, who stared at the blonde-haired man with hatred burning in her blue eyes.
He wants her too.
Ben met Eric’s gaze and took a deep breath. “Yeah. I don’t think that’s gonna work out. Anything else?”
“Ben, think this through!” Jor said from behind him, her tone exasperated. “I lost my Avatar, yet I’m still alive. Don’t needlessly throw your life away. Take the offer and live.”
“I’d never follow you! The Usurper that you are!” Ann cried defiantly at the Councilor.
The tall, young man felt the world hold its breath, and his heart thrummed a rhythm that threatened to burst from his chest.
“I thought so,” said Eric as he lifted his left arm towards the door at the side of the room. “A pity, honestly. Knowing that you lived, your Keeper would’ve been happier to serve me. I suppose I’ll have to find another to experiment with live extraction.”
Ben fell into the familiar stance. Spear gripped tightly with white knuckles. Nerves on fire. He stared at the tall, handsome man with a chiseled jaw and cold blue eyes. Time slowed, and he felt a rumble pervade his being.
His gaze was torn from the man as the side door shattered into furious shards and splinters of wood. An object blasted through the space, displacing air and making the young man’s ears pop. A thud against flesh drew his eyes back to Eric, who held the jagged ivory great sword in an extended hand.
“Die for me,” the man said, tone devoid of emotion.