Chapter XII
Abigail anxiously watched alongside Nigreos as Ryokumo merged back into the crowd, wanting to do something to try and stop him but knowing that it would be a futile effort. Ever since they arrived in the castle, Ryokumo Caeli had been doing everything in his power to uncover the mysteries behind the combustions and the plots of Mallicent and Vesh, and Abi knew that his encounter with the knight had only made him more determined. Preventing his impulsive trailing of Mallicent was impossible, so the other option would have been to go with him, but even that had been logically shot down. They still needed to watch Vesh, and so with all of that in mind, neither she nor Nigreos moved from their position for a few moments, and it was only when they realized that they were in the way of the other dancers that they turned and began heading toward the table where Ilirianna was.
“I don’t like this,” Nigreos growled under his breath. “I don’t like this at all. Why does he have to be so damn stubborn?”
Abi shook her head. “I don’t know, but there’s nothing we can do now. Let’s just inform the princess and make sure she knows what’s going on. Though, I can’t help but be worried she’ll be mad at us for failing to stop him.”
“She probably will,” her teammate grunted bitterly.
Approaching the table of honor, Abi realized that it was more empty than it had been when the celebration began. With Mallicent departing the ballroom and Aeyir talking with Vesh, both brothers had vacated their seats, and even more strangely was that there wasn't any sign of Yoral Malloway either. The only ones present were Lord Malloway and his brothers off on the far left and Ilirianna sitting alone on the far right.
Once she had seen them, Ilirianna cocked an eyebrow and waited for them to reach her before speaking. “What is it? Has something happened? The two of you look upset.”
Grimacing at the fact that they were so obvious, Abi glanced sidelong in the hopes that Nigreos would explain the situation. The dark mage noticed this, so he leaned forward to whisper in Ilirianna’s ear,
“Princess, would you mind coming with us up to the loft? We need to tell you something.”
Her features remaining unchanged, Ilirianna nodded and got to her feet. “Very well.”
Together, Abi, Ilirianna, and Nigreos once again worked their way to the crowd so they could reach the stairs on the opposite side of the room. However, unlike when they had to maneuver their way to the table, Ilirianna’s presence alone made it so that the partygoers quickly moved aside, making the process of reaching the loft far easier than it would have been otherwise. Upon reaching the top, they led Ilirianna over to the far corner where they could have a small modicum of privacy, and once they did, the princess folded her arms and eyed them with exasperation.
“What happened?” she asked softly.
“Well, you see…” Scratching the back of his head with obvious apprehension, Nigreos could only sigh and rip the bandage clean off. “Ryokumo and Album are pursuing Mallicent.”
At first, Ilirianna didn’t react, as if she didn’t hear what he said, but once it had properly processed, the princess put her face in her hands and sighed. “Of course they did. I had a bad feeling when the kid left, but I was hoping Caeli would reign it in a bit. Damn it all. At least Album’s with him, though. Hopefully she’ll keep him out of too much trouble.”
“But what do we do?” Abi pressed nervously. “If they’re caught…”
Ilirianna shook her head. “We just have to hope they won't be. That being said, he almost got caught last time, so I can’t help but fear. At least we have the excuse that Caeli was nearly killed though, so if Lord Malloway tries to accuse the Citadel of any foul play, we’ve got that card in our hand. Silver lining and all that…”
Abi wasn’t sure what to say, but found herself mildly surprised that, as annoyed as Ilirianna clearly was, there was also a small flicker of satisfaction in her blue eyes, as if a piece of her was actually happy that Ryokumo had acted on his gut.
Well, I guess I shouldn’t really be surprised. Princess Ilirianna’s willingness to let Ryokumo and I break into Mallicent’s room proves that she was just as frustrated with the limitations set on us as we were. So of course a part of her is glad Ryokumo’s trying to get information.
“Where did Master Taurus go, by the way?” Nigreos inquired, to which Ilirianna merely shrugged.
“Lady Yoral had been acting a little strange before abruptly leaving the ballroom, so I asked him to see if he could check on her,” she told them. “I think I’m being a little paranoid given all that’s gone on, but I figured it’s better to be safe. He’ll be back soon, so for the moment, the three of us can hold the fort here.”
Ilirianna walked forward to approach the railing, Abi and Nigreos right behind her, and the three of them subtly glanced down and eyed Vesh, who had now moved to speak with Lord Malloway at the table. Thus far, the captain hadn’t done anything that would imply something was going to happen, but there was always the constant threat of the changeling. In addition, the identities of the red knight and the doctor were still unknown, so they could be attending the ball and they’d never even know it. With that in mind, it almost felt pointless to observe Rotana Vesh, for he was probably the least likely to do anything suspicious with his identity so out in the open.
“What do you think Mallicent’s up to, Princess?” Abi whispered, to which Ilirianna shrugged a second time.
“Honestly I don’t know. Maybe he just hates celebrations like these, or maybe he is plotting something. It’s hard to tell at this point.” She placed her hand against her chin and narrowed her eyes. “It’s a bit frustrating, isn’t it? Part of me just wants to approach Lord Malloway or Captain Vesh and demand information about Gaya and Willow’s deaths, but all these damn regulations are getting in the way. Though at this point, I’m prone to believe Malloway doesn’t know anything about the combustions and that Vesh hid it even from him.”
Abi nodded her agreement, having come to the same conclusion as well. More likely than not, the reason Lord Malloway never informed the Citadel of what happened was because to him, it had been a simple murder and suicide. With Vesh in his ear, he wouldn’t have thought anything of it, and with the means of the combustions still unknown, the threat was always hanging over their heads.
“Damn that council of ours,” the princess muttered. “Always getting in the way. But regardless…” Seeming to immediately regret complaining in front of them, Ilirianna straightened back up and smoothed out her clothes. “I’m going to head back down to the table. You two stay up here and—”
“Esteemed guests of Hiriech, can I have your attention please?”
Ilirianna was abruptly cut off by a deep voice that boomed throughout the ballroom, clearly enhanced by magic and silencing everybody present. The three on the loft frowned and glanced back down below to see that Vesh had been the one to call out to the guests. All eyes in the room turned to where he was standing just in front of the table of honor, a goblet of wine in his hand and Aeyir Malloway at his side. Both of them were smiling pleasantly, and on the surface there wasn’t anything wrong with the image, but a feeling of dread quickly washed over Abigail. At her side, Ilirianna’s features tensed and Nigreos was now standing a bit taller as well.
What’s going on?
“I’m sorry to interrupt you and I promise that you can get back to the festivities in just a moment,” Vesh said. “I’ve asked Lord Malloway if I could say a few words about our young lord here and he was gracious enough to allow me to do so. For all of your sake, I will make it brief, but please lend me your ears for a few seconds.”
Abi spared yet another glance at the princess and whispered, “Should we be worried?”
But the woman just shook her head. “I don’t know. Be on your guard though.”
“Understood.”
Abi glanced over her shoulder to check on the three guards positioned up on the loft, and with the few guests gathered up there all now standing beside the railing as well, the armored men were more visible than before. Abi’s body went cold when she realized that all three were gazing in their direction, and upon noticing her, they turned away.
No, no, no, I don’t like this. Something’s wrong, but it’s not like we can just jump down there and shut Captain Vesh up. We’re stuck, but…
“As many of you are aware,” Vesh was saying, “I have known Aeyir and Mallicent Malloway ever since they were born, and in a lot of ways, I see the two of them as if they were my nephews. By the time they were old enough to use magic, I have been their mentor, training them in the arts of magecraft, and I can say with certainty that they are talented young men that Hiriech can be proud of. They’re wonderful, courageous, powerful, and this city could not ask for better leaders.”
Cheers and shouts of agreement came from a handful of the observers as Aeyir’s face turned a bit red from embarrassment. Behind them, Lord Malloway and his brothers raised their goblets to the air, the lord beaming like the proud father he was.
“You flatter me, Captain,” Aeyir said with a chuckle, but Vesh shook his head.
“But I do not exaggerate,” he replied, looking first at the boy before turning and glancing around the room. “And it’s a good thing that I’m not exaggerating as this city has never needed a competent and compassionate lord more than it does now.”
Abi furrowed her brow at the comment and could see a look of confusion cross Lord Malloway’s features as he processed what his captain had said. Even Aeyir seemed slightly thrown off, but Vesh didn’t give anybody a chance to cut in as he continued in his speech.
“I’m sure it’s not unknown to anybody here just how wide the gap has become between the lower classes of Hiriech and the upper class that I now see before me.” Vesh then laughed as if he’d said something funny. “Or perhaps it is unknown to you all. Perhaps your heads are shoved so far up your own asses that you’re blind to what really happens down in the cities you claim to lead. After all, if you stay here in Aquesen, up in these safe hills, it’s so easy to avert your eyes. Even I sometimes find myself forgetting that the people in Hiriech are actually suffering the way I know they are.”
“Wait just a minute, Captain Vesh!” Lord Malloway interrupted fiercely. “That is enough! What has gotten into—?!”
Without hesitation, the two guards standing behind the lord suddenly and swiftly stepped forward and drew their swords, the blades instantly pressed up against Malloway’s neck. Murmurs of shock and horror spread throughout the ballroom, and Abi felt Ilirianna tense up beside her.
No! I knew it! I knew something was wrong! Abi’s heart began pounding violently in her chest as she debated what to do, sensing the guards behind them gradually drawing closer, but Vesh quickly prevented anyone from acting.
“I would remain where you are!” he commanded, his hand jolting out to grasp Aeyir’s neck, his large fingers closing tightly enough to silence the startled boy. “For if you do not, you will bear witness to the sight of Malloway heads rolling along this beautifully polished floor. Any sudden movements, any incantations or flashes of lights, and these two die! Do you all hear me?”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
“Captain Vesh, what are you doing?!” Aeyir managed to sputter, but Vesh ignored him.
“This is something I think the people gathered here should be aware of!” he roared furiously. “The Great Cities of this Empire are rotten! The lords and the nobility waste away their days on pointlessly lavish and expensive endeavors while the people below them are abandoned and forgotten! And do not get me started on those who live outside of the cities! Those countryside villages suffering from poverty, plague, and bandits, all but ignored by those who are supposed to aid them! Just months ago, the Nolaria epidemic ravaged the northern villages, killing people who could have been saved by your average healers, but the Citadel did nothing until an unnecessary amount of innocents had already lost their lives to the disease!”
Abigail’s mind was spinning with panic, but she couldn't help freezing up as Rotana Vesh’s words gave her a sense of deja vu, for they heavily resembled her own thoughts from her time in the north. She had always cursed the Citadel for its failure to provide aid to those villages, always believing that she shouldn’t have had to do what she did. The face of young Tian, the girl she had been healing when Grunly found her, came to her thoughts—a young girl who would have died without Abi’s presence and whose father did die a needless and preventable death before she could arrive.
His words… I…
Abi’s lips tightened in disgust, though at the Citadel, Vesh, or herself, she was unsure.
“Truly, the nobility of Ijiria disgusts me!” Vesh snarled. “This Empire needs to be cleansed. I truly believe Aeyir Malloway here would be a perfect lord as he is, but the powers of a lord corrupt, and one cannot be certain that even the innocent mind of this boy would not be tainted by the temptations of this cursed castle!”
Aeyir’s eyes were wide with terror, and Abi could tell that he was frantically debating whether to attack Vesh or not, but she was certain that the blades against his father’s neck were the single variable preventing him from doing so.
“Captain Vesh, enough of this!” Malloway snarled. “What are you doing?!”
“Be silent, My Lord!” the captain spat back at him with a sneer. “For this world to reach the peace and prosperity it deserves, the elites of Ijiria need to be removed like the cancerous tumor they are! All of you couldn't care less about who gets forgotten and stepped upon so long as you have your money, your influence, and your power! Which is why—Perkari.”
Suddenly cutting himself off, Rotana Vesh cast a spell mid-sentence. It was so sudden, in fact, that Abi hadn’t even fully processed what he had done until Aeyir Malloway’s severed head hit the floor.
***
“Which is why I have now shown you I am not bluffing.”
Finishing his sentence with a growl, Rotana Vesh stepped away from the collapsed body of the young lord, grinning with satisfaction at the stunned screams coming from all across the room. Ilirianna could feel the drawing of mana from the powerful individuals gathered there, but the Hiriech castle guard immediately rushed forward, blades being drawn as metal scraped leather, and swords were pressed against the necks of dozens of the nobility. The princess could feel the movements of the armored men behind her as the still captured Lord Malloway screamed out in rage and hatred, his face bright red with fury. Ilirianna’s immediate instinct was to jump down and unleash every spell in her arsenal on Vesh and the guard, but the captain certainly knew she was his biggest threat, and his eyes quickly shifted to where she stood on the loft.
“Remain where you are, My Princess,” he called up to her with a smile. “Or you’ll get to see even more of these fools cut down before your eyes. I know how powerful you are, but not even you could save them all.”
Ilirianna clenched her teeth with raw frustration, quickly debating what to do. I still don’t know what his goal is! I could intervene, but more people would die if I did! At the same time, who knows how many are going to die anyway! Is he going to wipe them all out? There’s no way! The guards are still outnumbered! The only reason nobody has yet acted is because a handful of them are already in danger, but if Vesh kills his captives, he’ll be overwhelmed immediately! They’re his only deterrent at the moment, so maybe it is best to hold back and see what he does, then play my cards as I need to.
A glance to the right showed Abi’s eyes wide as her hands covered her mouth, and to the left, Nigreos was glaring down furiously, shadows swirling around his arms, though he had yet to release them, indicating that he may have come to the same conclusion Ilirianna did.
Gritting her teeth once more, she gazed down at Aeyir’s severed head and body. She had just been talking with him a mere half hour ago—a boy who was excited for what his future was going to hold now that he had come of age. He was concerned for her safety and for the safety of his guests, and now he was dead, murdered by a man he had wholeheartedly trusted. The anger that boiled up in the princess was strong, but while most of it was directed at the traitor, Rotana Vesh, a good portion of it was also for herself.
Damn it… I’m sorry, Aeyir. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.
“Good choice, Ilirianna,” Vesh said with a laugh when she didn’t make any moves, then turned and faced the crowd once more. “Now let me ask if any of you are familiar with the teachings of Kosahanity and the goddess, Rei? Hmm? Any of you?”
Ilirianna furrowed her brow. Kosahanity? The goddess, Rei? What the hell is this all of the sudden?
Silence filled the room, and even Lord Malloway had ceased his screaming as the blades of the guards pressed tightly against his neck, now having drawn a thin line of blood. His eyes, however, bore the same rage as before, and Ilirianna knew that if he was released, Lord Malloway would rush Vesh without care for his own life or the life of the nobles. He was a father who had just witnessed the murder of his son, so he would be far from in a logical mindset, and would almost certainly do everything in his power to strike the captain down.
“Well, I guess I’m not surprised,” Vesh went on with a shrug. “It’s an old religion that was suppressed and eliminated by the vile king, Irik Iiji, centuries ago, so it’s only natural that many of you would know little about it. So why don’t we take this opportunity to educate you incompetent bastards, shall we?”
Setting his goblet of wine down on the table, Vesh then stepped over Aeyir’s bloody corpse with a pleasant smile and spread his arms wide, his eyes suddenly taking on a glimmer of excitement that resembled a child who was thrilled to tell his parents about something he achieved. It sent a shiver down Ilirianna’s back even from her position above.
“Millennia upon millennia ago, this realm of ours was selected by the celestial goddess Rei, who, according to the ancient texts of the Ko-Hahn, gifted us of Kalkorai the blessing of mana, allowing us to perform supernatural and beautiful feats that the denizens of many other realms could not. Rei believed that our realm was the ideal candidate for the multiverse’s utopia, a place where people could live in harmony, loving one another and embracing peace! She wrote the Ko-Hahn to provide us with the instructions necessary to attain that peace, but we as flawed beings did not fully embrace her and take her words to heart, and because of that, our utopia has yet to be found! We are still flawed, but Rei has not given up on us yet! Salvation can be attained even by those of you standing here before me.”
The princess glared at Vesh as his eyes wandered up to gaze into hers, and she couldn’t help but smirk bitterly, wanting him to know that if she gave him even the slightest opening, she would launch herself down there and cut off his head down without hesitation.
Salvation, huh? Peace? Says the bastard who just murdered Aeyir without a second thought! What did he ever do to you, huh?! Who the hell do you think you are?!
And yet, as furious as she was, she still snapped her hand out and grabbed Nigreos’s wrist to keep him from doing anything rash. She felt the young man look at her with confusion, but she subtly shook her head, knowing that if Nigreos acted on his emotions, more innocent people would die. Vesh had the ballroom at his mercy, but only for the moment. Like a fool, he was taking his time to monologue and preach, so Ilirianna knew that eventually, she would get the opening she so desired.
“Yes, our goddess will accept even you rotten and selfish beings,” Vesh went on with a chuckle. “She will forgive anybody who seeks forgiveness, for she knows that those of us in this realm are the multiverse’s perfect beings. Our magic is a gift, but we have been squandering it! Those in the higher levels of the Great Cities keep their magic to themselves, preventing those who are below them from learning to harness it. Why? Why do you fear the poor? Why do you fear those who don’t have what you do? Do you think they would steal from you, if they could?”
The captain’s smile then vanished, his features turning firm and bitter yet again as he glanced down at Aeyir’s body. “Don’t misunderstand, I truly did respect this boy and it pains me greatly to have done what I just did. He could have been a fantastic lord, but unfortunately, no matter how much I speak to you all, you will never truly accept my words. If I tried to work with you, the fate of Kosahanity would be the same as it was back in the days of Iirk Iiji. The pastors of his era tried reasoning with him, too, but he just wouldn’t have it. He looked at the goddess’s gifts and refused to show gratitude to her. He claimed that magic was a natural phenomenon, like something so beautiful could have come about by accident. THE ARROGANCE!”
Raising his voice to a shout, Vesh’s words boomed throughout the ballroom. “Magic was divine intervention, and magic was only given to us to create Rei’s paradise, but because of what the Iijis did, those lessons were lost! Millions of copies of the Ko-Hahn were burnt and destroyed, churches and cathedrals were torn down, relics were ruined, and the realm of Ijiria forgot just what allowed us to be special in the first place! True believers were forced into hiding, executed for trying to show the natural gratitude that the goddess deserved! And now, centuries later, our realm has destroyed itself! The Age of Prosperity? Give me a break! The only ones who prosper are those of you who were born into it, while those of us who weren’t are kicked to the ground and spat upon! Is that not correct…Abigail?”
To Ilirianna’s surprise, Vesh’s wild eyes now turned to gaze up at Abi standing just beside the princess, who stiffened up with fear now that attention had been sent her way.
“I’ve noticed how Lord Malloway looked at you!” Vesh shouted. “I recall that you and Mr. Caeli were not invited to the lord’s dinner a few days ago simply because of who you are! Royal team or not, he turned his eyes away from your talents and your status because you lacked a name—because you were a woman from outside The Cities! Am I incorrect, girl?”
“I…uh, I…” Abigail was shaking, and while Ilirianna could see the hatred within her eyes at what Vesh had done, there was also an undeniable recognition, for Vesh’s words were not incorrect. As much as it disgusted Ilirianna, he hit it right on the head.
“My apologies,” he quickly added with a soft bow. “I didn't mean to put you on the spot, but I know you understand me. This realm had allowed Rei’s gift to go unappreciated, used for the betterment of greed rather than the creation of utopia! That is why she has sent a messenger to us from the celestial realm, why I was selected by her to cleanse the world—a world that cannot be cleansed without a blank slate!”
As Vesh was ranting, Ilirianna subtly glanced at Lord Malloway still tightly gripped in the clutches of his guards, wondering why he was still so silent, but when she turned his way, she couldn’t help but frown, blinking a few times to make sure she was not mistaken.
The lord was glowing a dull red.
But it was not only the lord.
Ilirianna’s eyes went wide as her head snapped in all different directions to survey the crowd with horror as a handful of people in the sea of nobles began to glow, and the report of Dreek Willow’s death shoved itself to the forefront of the princess’s mind.
Wait… Shit!
“So let this be the first message of many to the nobility of Ijiria!” Vesh snarled with a wild smile. “Your comfortable days are numbered! The Kosah-Rei will cleanse the world and create the utopia the goddess desired! LET THE SIN OF GREED BURN WITH YOU!”
“Proto!”
Desperate to find some way to prevent the tragedy that was unfolding before her eyes, Ilirianna swiftly sent mana into her feet, fully intending to launch down there are fast as she could and kill Rotana Vesh, but before she was even a few feet in the air, Nigreos and Abi grabbed her and yanked her back down, pulling her far away from the railing where the other nobles were gathered. The redness of the ballroom was glowing brighter and brighter as the nobility began to let out groans of pain and agony.
“What are you—?!”
“NEX!”
Throwing himself in front of Ilirianna and Abi, Nigreos cast the wind spell that would form a shield of air between them, sticking both arms out to completely protect them. However, since the shields were simply air, Ilirianna could see right through them, and bore witness to a tragedy she couldn’t stop. The Aquesen guards all cast a variety of shield spells ranging from wind to rock to water, and within a second of Nigreos casting his spell, the ballroom erupted into utter hell as explosions sounded both from below them, as well as from the people standing up on the loft with them. Just as Nakoma had described, it was as if the front half of their bodies were ripped apart from within, flames tearing through their skin and killing them instantly.
Realizing that Nigreos wouldn’t be proficient enough in wind magic to completely protect them, Ilirianna cast Nex just in time, adding an extra layer of magic as the violent infernos blasted the loft apart from both atop it and below it, sending the three of them falling through the ground as the ballroom’s ceiling cracked open. Intense heat nearly overwhelmed her, but as she fell, Ilirianna managed to catch a brief glimpse of Rotana Vesh, his skin turned to rock, stalking through the flames and towards the door without once looking back, and though she had no means of pursuit, she internally swore that she would track him down as soon as she could and make him pay for what he had done.