Chapter IV
“But Markreas, I don’t understand! Keskivaara was by far the most dangerous target in that fortress, so of anybody to spare, why would you choose him? Should we not have just severed his head and been done with him?”
That was the question Nakoma Taurus had posed to his King the second the company departed Ankalla and they had a moment of privacy. The Master of Fire rode beside Markreas on his horse, his brow furrowed with anxiety as he considered the People’s Mind currently tied to the post of a looted wagon and guarded by Sinna and Nyx a ways behind them. On the entire trip north, the King had been foaming at the mouth to get his hands on Keskivaara, and from what he’d been told, when they first breached the walls of Ankalla, Markreas had gone after the People’s Mind full-throttle in a wild and uncontrollable rage. Most were certain that Rickori Keskivaara was a dead man, yet when Nakoma ran into Markreas on his way down to the courtyard and saw Keskivaara unconscious, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Their business kept him from inquiring about it, so the question nagged at him for hours until he could finally ask it.
“Don’t misunderstand me, Nakoma,” Markreas replied. “If I were to listen to my emotions, there would be nothing left but the ashes of that man’s body. Unfortunately, I’m not that lucky. In the midst of our battle, Keskivaara cast a spell that sent electricity surging from his hand and into the water at my feet, stunning me for a second and nearly giving him the opening to strike me down.”
The Master of Fire frowned, not fully comprehending what it was his old friend was trying to say. “Electricity? But, there’s no known spell that can control it. How is that—?”
“And there’s the crux of my decision,” Markreas interrupted. “You’re right, there isn’t. I’ve never heard of a single person who could control lightning, and since Keskivaara can use magic without incantations, I have no idea what spell it was. That’s why I took him alive. I intend to claw that information out of him, no matter what it takes.”
The King left the conversation at that, though he made sure to tell Toranei, Alharo, and the other Masters so that by the time they returned to the Citadel, everybody of importance understood why the People’s Mind was their captive and what they would have to do. Though there was a lot of business to attend to for the King upon their arrival in Erika, Markreas did not waste any time summoning the members of his royal team to the throne room so they could properly discuss the upcoming days. Therefore, Keskivaara’s imprisonment was entrusted to Ilirianna while Nakoma, Toranei, Alharo, and Koroha followed Markreas through the gardens, into the white tower itself, and then towards the nearest lift. The Master of Wind cast Ortumo, ascending them all the way up to the highest levels of the Citadel where the corridors shifted from silver and white to gold and green, indicating that they had reached the protected floors.
Markreas stalked forward silently, clearly not wanting to say anything until they were in the privacy of the throne room despite the illusion charms ensuring that only the Iijis and the highest elders of the Council could even be up there. Nevertheless, it was only once the double emerald doors were pushed open and the five of them had safely entered their destination that Markreas sat himself upon his large golden throne and let out a rumbling sigh.
“Thank you all for bearing with me,” he grunted. “I understand that we’re going to be very busy cleaning up any messes this operation may have caused, but Keskivaara is a painfully important issue to deal with, so while the five of us are still together, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity and discuss it with you.” Markreas suddenly appeared tired, as if the weight of the month-long trip was finally settling onto him, or perhaps he had always been this exhausted and only felt comfortable visibly showing it while in the presence of his old royal team. “What do you think? Both about the lightning magic, and about how to get that man to talk?”
Nakoma glanced first to Alharo and Koroha on his left then to Toranei on his right, noting that all three of them seemed a bit uncertain of how to answer. It was not an easy predicament, especially because a new type of magic had not been discovered for centuries, ever since the very first mind mage revealed their affinity to the Iijis during the early days of the Age of Expansion. This was primarily because the ability to use a certain type of mana would be passed down to one’s children so long as they had at least a single parent who could produce it. That was why the Noctalus and the Iijis rarely allowed multiple siblings to reproduce unless they were married. They didn’t want dark and light magic to spread outside of their own lineage, so any members of those Houses that were not in line for power were urged against having extramarital kids, and had been castrated in some instances. Of course, this could put the family lines in jeopardy, with Markreas’s late younger brother having never reproduced and leaving the Iiji line relatively small in the current era.
And even smaller than Markreas knows… Nakoma reluctantly added.
Nevertheless, because of the ease with which mana production could be spread, it was next to impossible that lightning magic would have never appeared in all of Ijirian history. Keskivaara being able to control it meant that his ancestors could as well, but then it broached the question of how an elite family of Stellareid, who never used magic and instead dedicated themselves to research, could have acquired the ability to make an unknown type of mana.
“How much do we know about Keskivaara’s lineage?” Toranei asked, finally breaking a silence that had gone on a little too long and revealing that she had been following the same train of thought as Nakoma. “I know his parents were not mages, but did he have any grandparents or great-grandparents that were? Or…” The Queen then paused and glanced away, as if finding herself embarrassed to say what was on her mind. “Well, as strange as this sounds, how far back do the records of Keskivaara’s family tree go? Is it possible that they’re from another realm?”
Nakoma’s eyes went wide as he realized where Toranei was going with this. “You mean…?”
“Yes, I was wondering a similar thing,” Markreas growled. “I refuse to believe his magic could have been hidden from the Iijis all these many centuries, so I can’t quite brush aside the prospect that a foreign mage family slipped into Ijiria. From where, I could not say… There isn’t a magical realm that borders us, unless you believe the old conspiracies regarding Cansi, so if he is foreign, he may very well be from a realm we do not know of.”
“But then how could he have gotten in without us knowing?” Nakoma pointed out. “Every entry point on this continent is in a public space with the sole exception of the one within the Citadel! Somebody would have seen foreigners entering, right? Even if they went through a foreign point, there’s no way rumors of it wouldn’t have reached the Empire.”
Koroha shook her head, then muttered, “Miyon got in without us realizing and he was from Omaruo. If Keskivaara has foreign blood with a magic we don’t, then who's to say what else he can do? Who’s to say what his family may have done to slip past us.”
“The only thing I don’t like about that theory,” Alharo added, “is the way in which his parents died. I know they were only scientists, but to be killed by your average roadside brigands feels a little strange for people of another realm, does it not?”
Markreas shrugged. “It depends, I suppose. How far back did this family enter? If his parents were generations removed from the initial immigrants, then it’s not inconceivable that they refrained from ever learning magic.”
“Not a bad point,” Alharo conceded. “But it doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Nor does it with me.” Toranei scoffed, her blue eyes shifting to scan the golden throne room and the pillars framing the lavish seats. “However, Keskivaara was not a mage either until he left Stellareid, so there’s no question he learned how to fight during that time he was vanished. If that magic was awakened, it was then.” Her brow furrowed in thought, and as if suddenly considering something, the Queen turned back to gaze at Koroha. “Lightning often comes with a storm, so is it possible it’s not a different mana but a rare form of wind magic?”
Koroha shook her head almost instantly. “Not a chance. If it was part of my affinity, I think we would have found out during the Age of Ascension, right? Mages of that era researched everything, so I’d be shocked if there was some art we were unaware of.”
“Yes, I agree, but I felt it needed to be said just in case,” Toranei said with a sigh. “But to be perfectly honest, I don’t think there’s any explanation that doesn’t come with some caveat. It just doesn't make sense for a new affinity to appear like this.”
“And I should ask even though I feel I know the answer,” Nakoma began, “but did Liri ever make mention of it? She fought him in Stellareid, so if he had this magic at his disposal, why not use it then?”
Markreas smiled bitterly. “Yes, I thought a similar thing, but Ilirianna told me he never showed even a spark of lightning. However, she also said he was clearly in a conflicted state of mind, and that she even wondered if he wanted her to kill him. Perhaps he used it in Ankalla because he found a reason to live—a reason to tap into what was clearly a taboo power in the face of the King.”
“Brilliant,” Alharo grunted. “Well, I do wish we could have just executed him at the fortress, but I understand why you chose not to. Then the only way we learn what we need is through Keskivaara himself. What are the odds he talks, do you suppose?”
Markreas gave an apathetic shrug. “I’d say it’s fifty-fifty. It depends on how deep a secret he considers it. However, we will do everything we can to get the answers we need. Can I leave the…interrogation to you, Nakoma?”
“Of course!” the Master of Fire answered immediately, straightening his back as he was given his orders. “I’ll burn it right out of him… You have my word.”
“Perfect. Then I leave Keskivaara in your care. As for you two…” He then turned his eyes towards Koroha and Alharo, who followed Nakoma’s lead of standing taller and more at the ready. “Koro, I would like you to research this magic. I don’t expect you’ll find anything, but the libraries here in the Citadel, at the Academy, and in the city are all filled to the brim with old texts. Find any mention of lightning magic, no matter how minor, and report back to me. Can you do that?”
“At once,” she stated.
Satisfied, Markreas then addressed Alharo. “And you, my friend, should do something similar. Check old Korrei-Tarr records for any warriors that may have used such magic. It’s a much smaller undertaking than I’m giving Koro, but that’s also because I need you on your toes.”
“On my toes?” the Vice-Captain parroted with a cocked eyebrow. “Forgive me, Markreas, but what for?”
The King clicked his tongue. “Sparing Keskivaara is risky because it means he has a chance to escape. Tali Firrik and Leiolai Sartella are still out there, and while they aren’t the most dangerous on their own, should they break Keskivaara free, then combined with Sartella’s biomagic, they could become a threat once more. We must remain alert for the changeling, especially now that she can become a damned dragon. Do not allow her into Erika…”
“Well, of course, but you honestly think they’ll try to free Keskivaara?” Alharo asked, to which Markreas gave a firm nod.
“We slaughtered their allies. They’re left with nothing, but even setting Keskivaara’s strength aside, he has a reputation with the people that could rival Vesh. Firrik may try to use the People’s Mind the same way she used him, and the last thing we need is the Kosah-Rei rising from the ashes after all the work it took to eradicate them. Keeping Sartella out of the city will be hard since we can’t very well check every damn bird that flies down, so we must be vigilant.”
“Very well then,” Alharo stated. “It shall be done.”
“Thank you… In that case—”
It was then that the King was interrupted by the sudden opening of the throne room doors behind Nakoma, followed by a shrill shouting of, “King Markreas, what is the meaning of this?!”
Markreas’s eyes narrowed with disgust, and even before he spoke the newcomer’s name, Nakoma knew exactly who it was that had just stormed into the throne room. “Kloras. Can I help you?”
“Can you help me?” the council member spat, his footsteps echoing off the ground as he stalked into Nakoma’s view, passing by the four of them without so much as a glance as he fixed Markreas a glare. “You’re damn right you can help me! I thought it went without saying that your first priority upon arrival would be to report to the Council of Elders, so may I ask just what the hell you’re doing here?”
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Markreas’s features didn’t shift whatsoever at Kloras’s bold and confrontational demeanor, but having known the King as long as he had, Nakoma could tell that had Kloras Glaus not been such a significant figure in the Ijirian government, he would already have lobbed his head off for his utter disrespect.
“My apologies,” Markreas said stiffly. “But unfortunately for you, there was something I needed to discuss with my old friends, and it does take priority over my report to the Council. Be grateful we’ve already wrapped up, so if you’d like, I can come to the Chambers now.”
Kloras’s golden eyes narrowed as he finally glanced back at Nakoma, Koroha, Alharo, and Toranei, all of whom were staring back with unbridled irritation. “And what was it you needed to talk about? Hmm? What’s so important that you would leave us waiting after all we did for you—after we so graciously permitted this ghastly assault?”
“Well, I guess I’ll tell you when I tell the Council.” Markreas lifted himself from his throne, his large form looming over Kloras in a manner that was threatening despite the importance of not angering this man. “Shall we head there now?”
Kloras smiled coldly, undeterred by Markreas’s silent hatred despite the fact that he would never have stood a second’s chance of survival if the King finally decided to be rid of him. “Yes. We shall, Your Majesty.”
“Then by all means, lead the way.”
With that, the council member spun on his heel and marched back towards the throne room doors, Markreas hot on his heels, before both disappeared into the hallway beyond. The four who remained watched their departure for a few seconds, and when it was just them left in that magnificent golden room, Alharo let out a wry chuckle and grunted,
“So that’s the famous Kloras Glaus, is it? He’s as awful as I’ve heard…”
Toranei smiled bitterly, having never bothered to restrain her dislike for the Council Member. “Yes, he’s a wretched little thing, isn’t he? How he was ever granted power in our government is beyond me, and I’m grateful that Markreas is often the one who has to handle him. I don’t consider myself terribly emotional, but I’m not sure I could have dealt with him for as long as my husband has.”
“Yes, Markreas has patience beyond my comprehension,” Alharo agreed. “Guess that’s just another godly gift special to the Iijis. On the bright side, though, the apple fell pretty far from the tree in that family. Young Rennigan was magnificent back in Ankalla. I mean, to kill Quill Tyrus nearly on his own is a hell of an impressive feat. He’ll make a great apprentice to Master Rana, and a respectable Master of Water when the time comes.”
The Queen nodded her agreement. “He wasn’t always like that. There was a time when Rennigan was no different from his father. I think Stellareid opened his eyes to reality.”
“But you don’t think he’ll still be a puppet for Kloras to use to swipe even more power from the Masters?” Koroha inquired with a skeptical expression, to which Toranei gave a firm shake of her head.
“I actually don’t. Rennigan has been key in making Kloras more flexible these past few years. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Rennigan’s ascension to the Masters makes the Council easier to deal with. Time will have to tell though.”
As his friends spoke, Nakoma did his best to shove his concerns deep inside of him, for if any of the three present noticed the nauseous feeling that had suddenly come over him, then he would have a hard time hiding the fact that he knew something they did not. Nakoma’s heart was pounding in his chest as he recalled the day after they left the fortress when Sinna Cartus had pulled him aside and informed him of a terrible occurrence that took place during the battle against Quill Tyrus.
“The Wraith was unleashed once again, Taurus… Tyrus managed to kill Nyx, forcing me to flee the fight and leave Glaus on his own. I expected him to kill the little shit, but somehow, Glaus managed to come out on top and walk away alive… In fact, he killed Tyrus too quickly, for when he returned to where we split up, he saw the Wraith. He knows her secret, and I couldn’t kill him before Vice Captain Bann reached us… Nyx doesn’t think he’s going to do anything, but… If we want to protect Nyx, we need to be ready to kill Rennigan Glaus at the drop of a hat… After all, if Markreas finds out you’ve known all this time, then you won’t be escaping the consequences either…”
Nakoma swallowed down his sick feeling as he found himself once again pondering this sudden turn of events. If Rennigan exposes the Wraith’s existence, it could destroy everything. Nyx would be executed, then Cartus and I would follow after her… Of course, it’s not likely he’s aware that I know, but I fear Cartus would drag me down with her. She’s right, we need to be very careful around that young man…
At the very least, Sinna managed to subdue the Wraith swiftly and eliminate anybody other than Rennigan who did see it, so it was almost completely covered up. The only issue was that Sinna’s explanation of how she was split up from Rennigan was rather vague. She told Markreas that Rennigan was alone when Alharo found him because Quill managed to create enough chaos to split them up and suck Rennigan into his pocket realm alone. The King didn’t seem to dwell on it, but there were smart people around them that might get suspicious and begin to stick their noses where it didn’t belong.
Especially with how traumatised Glaus seemed on the ride home… If somebody connects his current state with Cartus and Rana and is bold enough to confront them… Nakoma’s lips tightened with annoyance, a particular person’s face appearing in his mind’s eye as the individual most likely to be a problem. Yeah, with that said, I suppose we’ll need to watch Caeli, as well…
***
Prince Reigious Iiji sat patiently on the couch of the royal suite as he excitedly awaited the return of his parents and older sister. He had already received word that the attack force had arrived back in Erika after a successful operation to exterminate the Kosah-Rei, finally ending the six-year long war that had taken so much from their country and the people he loved. For all that time, he wished there was more he could do to help, and before the attack force left, he had gone to his father and requested that he be permitted to join them as well so that he may play his own role in Ijirian victory. Unfortunately, Markreas had brushed his request aside, stating that not only was he not trained enough to be a part of such a dangerous operation, but that they needed him and Piura to remain in Erika on the unlikely chance that the King and Ilirianna did not make it back. Reigious felt that was a silly thing to be worried about and had full faith that both of them would come back alive, but nevertheless, he was not about to question the word of his father.
Therefore, he did as ordered and stayed home with Piura as the two of them managed the Citadel in their family’s absence. Piura, who was always a better warrior than him, moved down into the city to take her mother’s place as the Captain of the remaining Korrei-Tarr. They needed somebody heading the organization just in case the Kosah-Rei’s trap involved luring Ijirian forces out of Erika so the Capital City would be weaker to a subsequent assault. Piura’s role was to lead the elite battalions should that be the case, but as Reigious expected, the month spent in Erika was uneventful and boring. On his end, he merely had to manage relations with the Council of Elders and help Kloras and Orland cover up the Masters’ departure for as long as was feasible. Eventually, it became impossible to keep the secret, but by the time he and the High Elders had to fess up, it would be too late for any Kosah-Rei spies to warn Ankalla.
Reigious let out a sigh of relief at the knowledge that he was finally free of his duties and could return control over to Markreas, Toranei, and Ilirianna.
And hopefully, things can be quieter around here for a little while. With the Kosah-Rei gone, maybe we can finally relax and return to the previous years of peace.
The young man knew that was wishful thinking, for there was always something going on in the Ijirian Empire that required their attention. In addition to that, he knew that the death of the Kosah-Rei leadership wouldn’t mean that their followers and supporters would just fall into line and shut up. There would still be uprisings, albeit much smaller and less dangerous, throughout the northern countryside that would force them to send soldiers and Masters, but those would merely be the dying breaths of that terrible movement.
The Prince glanced to his left at Anna-Piura, who was sitting beside him with her eyes closed and her breathing very steady, as if she were trying to meditate. She was a very quiet woman who almost never spoke even to her brother, so he was often left wondering what she felt and thought. Of course, that wasn’t to say she was mean, for she would talk to him if he initiated the conversation, but otherwise, the two siblings would end up as they were in that moment—silent.
What might she be thinking about the end of the Kosah-Rei?
Was she relieved like he was, or was she more practical? Was she internally preparing for the next steps in the eradication of the cult?
He wondered if he should ask, but like always, Reigious decided not to bother her if she preferred the company of her thoughts, so he returned his attention to waiting for his family to walk through that door. It was perhaps around twenty more minutes before his wait finally ended and his oldest sister, Ilirianna, stalked into the royal suite with her head low and her eyes directed at the carpet.
“Sister!” Reigious exclaimed, jumping to his feet with a broad smile. “Welcome home!”
Ilirianna didn’t react to him, as if she hadn’t even processed his presence. Instead, she kept walking past the couch and headed towards the staircase behind them. Reigious frowned, then repeated,
“Sister? Liri!”
It was halfway up the curved steps that Ilirianna paused, her blue eyes becoming more alert as she turned her head to gaze down at him. “Oh, sorry, Reigious. I was just…thinking… What did you say?”
Trying to keep his disappointment from showing, the Prince forced his smile back to his face. “Welcome home. We missed you around here, and, um… Well, congratulations on finally defeating the Kosah-Rei! I knew you guys could do it!”
“Ah, yeah, thanks, Brother,” she replied without the triumphant tone he would have expected. “I don’t know what you’ve been told, but they aren’t all gone. Tali Firrik and Leiolai Sartella got away, and we brought Rickori Keskivaara back to the Citadel in custody. Father will fill you in on the details, though.”
Reigious gave a weak nod, sparing a quick glance down at Piura, who was still sitting on the couch as she watched their interaction. “That’s still an incredible feat even if you didn’t take out all of them, right? So I’m proud nonetheless!”
“R-right… Anyway, I’m exhausted, so I’m gonna go lay down for a bit.”
With that abrupt statement, Ilirianna stalked the rest of the way up the stairs and towards the loft overlooking the main room before disappearing into her bedroom, leaving Reigious gazing after her with a melancholic expression. The Prince slumped his shoulders then slowly lowered himself back onto the couch.
“You know, Anna, I was really hoping their victory would start to make things better…” he muttered under his breath despite addressing his sister. “Was that too optimistic?”
Piura shrugged. “Perhaps… Something’s bothering her, and while I always figured it must have just been trauma from living through Stellareid, maybe there’s more to it than that. It’s hard to say…”
Reigious clenched his teeth with frustration. Ilirianna had been painfully distant from the two of them ever since she returned from the Battle of Stellareid three and half years ago. She stopped spending time with them, no longer spoke to them as often as she used to, and was visibly quicker to anger with their mother. In fact, Reigious got the nasty feeling that Ilirianna had grown to hate Toranei. At the time, he insisted that it was as Piura just stated—that she was emotionally hurt because of what happened in the City of Starlight, but as the years passed, nothing changed. In fact, that very moment was the first time he’d properly spoken to her in quite a while. It was like she had stepped out of his life, leaving him wondering what it was they had done wrong.
Did I do something to offend her? Did I say something I shouldn’t have? Or did I fail to say something when I should have…? I truly don’t know…
“Should I be more proactive?” he asked. “Should I try reaching out to her myself? I don’t want to bother her, but I also miss my sister…”
“I can’t tell you what you should do,” Piura said softly. “Personally, if Liri doesn’t want to talk to me like an adult, then I won’t show her that respect either. I can’t apologize for something if I don’t know what I did, so unless she reaches out, I’m not going to worry. That’s my decision, and you should make yours.”
Reigious sighed, cursing Piura’s lack of help despite understanding her mindset. “Fair enough… I suppose I’ll give it some more thought then…”
***
“I marked the King with the Teritus.”
Keskivaara’s parting words rattled through Ilirianna’s brain for the entire duration of her trip from the dungeons up to the royal suite. They were mocking her, reminding her of what Tali suggested she do, leaving her wondering if the Voice of Rei told Keskivaara to say that. Naturally, Ilirianna was firm in her decision to not play into Tali’s hands—to never stain her soul with blood again. She was willing to take a life in the heat of battle, but to assassinate somebody the way she did to Cartigan, or the way Tali suggested she do to Markreas, Toranei, and Koroha, was unacceptable. If she used the Teritus to claim the throne, then she wouldn’t be any different from the cultists she had been cursing all these years. How could she then condemn the tragedy in Stellareid? How could she rule as a respectable Queen of the people if she butchered her predecessor to get there? She would be nothing more than an irredeemable hypocrite.
And yet…
Pushing her bedroom door closed behind her, Ilirianna pressed her back against it and slipped two fingers into the small pocket on the side of her pants before pulling out the little red ring that Tali had given her in that Ankalla common room.
I’m not going to use this, yet I still can’t bring myself to turn it over to Markreas…
The small golden ring with a red jewel in the center rested in her palm, not emanating even a molecule of mana despite the power she knew it contained. It was a weapon of mass destruction if used in the proper way, and from what she knew, it might have been the last of its kind.
Firrik said she destroyed them all except for this one and the one she gave to Keskivaara. His arm was blown off though and Markreas never reported retrieving a Tertius, so I can only imagine the King accidentally destroyed it in their battle. Ilirianna narrowed her eyes. And if Keskivaara isn’t lying, he doesn’t know he’s been marked… How could that be? Markreas’s strength with fire magic is almost unrivaled, so maybe the sudden jolt from the lightning magic screwed with his senses…
Ilirianna knew that she should give the Tertius to the King and have it placed in the Vault of the Relics where it belonged, but she feared giving such a powerful weapon to the man who just added days to their trip home so he could torment his people. It was too strong a relic to be in his hands, so her other option was to destroy it. If she smashed this ring, then Markreas being marked meant nothing. The curse would never be triggered.
That’s what I should do… I should destroy it…
But…