Chapter XVII

Moving as quietly as a company of their size could, the Kosah-Rei extermination party crested the final rocky rise before the black and solitary fortress of Ankalla finally came into view a quarter of a mile away. It was heavily overcast that morning, with a chilling breeze in the air and the smell of a potential rain tickling their noses, casting a gloomy feeling over the already very grim landscape of rocks and sparse grass. There wasn’t a single tree in sight, meaning there was nothing standing between them and their destination. Ankalla had a set of outer walls surrounding the building itself in what may have been a perfect square, with watchtowers on each corner that appeared empty but almost certainly hid guards behind the powerful illusion magic that had been erected over this place. According to Koroha, there would be a big courtyard on the other side of the front gates between them and Ankalla itself, which Markreas sought to overrun as quickly as possible. If they could surround the fortress and block its inhabitants inside, then the only means they would have of escape was the tunnel system beneath it—a system that Seiras would be watching over.

Ilirianna Iiji sat atop her horse at the vanguard of the company between King Markreas and Alharo Bann as the three of them silently watched the empty castle for any sign of the life that was supposed to be within it. Markreas had his hand outstretched as he sensed for any mana signatures down below before a reluctantly impressed grin came over his bearded face.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he grunted. “The charm is so powerful that even I can barely sense it, but it’s undoubtedly there. This is it. This is the day these cultists are going to regret ever declaring their idiotic war against the Ijirian Empire.”

Alharo chuckled coldly and nodded his agreement. “Now here’s to hoping whatever trap they’ve set for us isn’t an instant checkmate. I still loathe the fact that our whistleblower remains anonymous, but at this point, we’re here and committed. All we can do is press forward with the operation and hope this force is stacked with enough power that they can’t win no matter what they throw at us.”

As Ilirianna listened to the two men talk, she couldn’t help narrowing her eyes with hesitation, for there was one thing she knew that the others never had, and that was the foresight of Tali Firrik. She’d always refrained from exposing such a detail for fear of having to explain just how she learned of it. After all, nobody ever told the Citadel about her failed meeting with Rickori Keskivaara, so if she attempted to inform them of Tali’s ability, then they would have to subsequently reveal the circumstances with which she found out. She was grateful that her team and Rennigan agreed to keep those details private, but it certainly made her even more antsy that morning than most others in the company.

How much of what’s coming do you know, Firrik? she asked herself for the millionth time. If you don't have even a slight clue we’re here, then that means you’ve never seen visions that lack your precious allies, indicating that we fail to kill them. If you have seen this battle, then what do you plan to do about it? You’re the true wildcard here…

It was for that reason that she intended to slightly deviate from her father’s plan. They had recently decided that Ilirianna would be the one to take on Rotana Vesh since she and Ryokumo were the only members of the force to have ever fought him. Meanwhile her mother would instead handle crowd control with the Teeth and other defenders. However, as time passed on and Ilirianna was allowed to fully consider everything they were facing, she had come to the conclusion that she needed to be elsewhere.

“Kumo, with Album’s help, do you think you could kill Vesh without me?” she asked her dear friend a few nights ago. “You handled yourself well in Stellareid, so now that you’re even more powerful—a full-fledged mage at that—then Album’s aid should be enough to tip the scales in your favor, right?”

As expected, Ryokumo had merely laughed with confidence and replied, “Absolutely. In fact, I welcome such a situation! Give me one last shot at Rotana Vesh, and I swear on my name that this time, he won’t be slithering away!”

Therefore, while Ryokumo Caeli and Album Luz took on the Kosah-Rei’s self-declared saint, Ilirianna intended to track down Tali Firrik amidst the chaos and either capture her, or if the seer refused to cooperate, eliminate her before she could use her final moments to expose Ilirianna’s true heritage.

That being said, as much as I’ve never taken her claim about our alliance as anything more than a desperate attempt to talk me into obedience, I can’t help fearing that killing Firrik is going to be impossible. Nevertheless, I must try, and that’s what I intend to do.

As Markreas and Alharo continued to chat with one another while keeping watch on Ankalla, they felt a very soft burst of mana just at the bottom of the hill, and a few seconds later, a solo distortion dropped to reveal one of the independent mages that had been recruited for this operation, a woman named Lilia whose affinity was wind. Roughly thirty minutes ago, Masters Koroha Rhitta and Nakoma Taurus had used the Master of Wind’s nearly undetectable distortion to sneak into Ankalla and do some reconnaissance. Lilia had joined them so that she could bring their findings back to the company while Koroha and Nakoma remained in the fortress to get themselves in place for the plan.

Which means if Lilia’s returned, then we’re moving in within the hour…

The wind mage dropped to a knee and bowed her head before the three of them. “My King, My Princess, Vice-Captain Bann… I have returned with word from the Masters of Fire and Wind.”

“Good. You’re free to speak,” Markreas said, motioning with his head for her to tell them what they needed to know.

“We were able to confirm without a doubt the presence of Tali Firrik, Uma Miyon, Rotana Vesh, Leiolai Sartella, and Rickori Keskivaara. Unfortunately, Quill Tyrus and Barron Kristoff could not be located before it was time for me to return, and since the Masters did not want to split up to cover more ground, they had yet to survey the entire fortress. That being said, Master Koroha strongly believes the likelihood of the other two being present is very high.”

“Hmm…” Markreas gave a soft utterance of uncertainty. “Well, I suppose we don’t have an option at this point. At the very least, Firrik, Vesh, and Keskivaara are here, which means we will have a clean shot at our biggest targets. If Kristoff and Tyrus are truly not present in the castle, then we can at least cut off the head of the Kosah-Rei and force them onto the run. Thank you for your help.”

Lilia bowed her head even lower. “Of course, My King!”

Markreas then spared one last look at Ankalla before turning his horse around and making his way back down the rocky hill and towards where the rest of the company awaited them. Ilirianna and Alharo followed behind him while Lilia began her trek on foot down the hundred yard distance. The Princess briefly scanned the soldiers below, seeing the red and black armor of the Korrei-Tarr, the black and white of Noctalus, and a smattering of individuals wearing simple robes, identifying them as the independent mages fighting alongside them. Aside from Nakoma, Koroha, and Seiras, who had also departed that morning for the back entrance to the fortress, she could also spot every other significant figure from the Citadel standing at the ready. Rennigan Glaus was watching them from beside Masters Sinna and Nyx, Nigreos and Album were with Miklan Noctis among the soldiers of their home city, Edwar Grunly waited with the members of the Healers Guild who would be providing medical support, and finally, Ryokumo Caeli stood alone, watching her with a confident and anticipatory smile that she returned.

There was an excitement in the air, for whether this battle went their way or not, it would almost certainly go down as a major turning point in Ijirian history. Either they were regarded as the heroes who smited the Kosah-Rei once and for all, or they’d become infamous for being the last bastion of Ijiria’s resistance being defeated by the cult and marking the beginning of the end for their rule. It was daunting, even to Ilirianna, but the time had come to fight, and even if she had the option, she would have never turned back.

Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, Ilirianna rode towards Ryokumo and came up beside him before immediately rattling off the details that Lilia had relayed to them. The wind mage chuckled wryly as he took it in before muttering,

“Well, let’s hope Tyrus is in that damned castle or Glaus is going to lose his shit,” Ryokumo quipped. “Though, as baseless as it is, I have a strong feeling that they’re all in there. This is the end… I’m sure of it.”

Ilirianna smiled warmly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as she did. “There’s that stupid confidence I love. Are you ready then? Are you prepared to make up for our failures in Stellareid?”

“Oh, I’ve been ready for years,” Ryokumo answered immediately. “Liri, I still remember it all so vividly. I remember how powerless I felt against Vesh, how every attack skidded off his damn armor, and how I allowed him to mess with my emotions and bait me into making stupid, amateurish mistakes. I remember how humiliating it was to leave you behind and give Vesh the victory over me he so clearly wanted—only for me to rush to Glaus’s aid and still fail to kill Tyrus despite all that had been done to him. And then…oh and then…Sartella and Miyon got the jump on me and flew off into the night while I lay bloodied on the ground… I will never forget any of it, and because I’ve not allowed myself to forget my mistakes, I’m going to win this time. I will make them pay…for everything...”

Ilirianna frowned, sensing an odd underlying meaning to his last statement that she couldn’t quite identify. It was like there was another reason within him that she was not privy to, but she decided that if it was so personal even she did not know it, then it truly was something Ryokumo wanted to stay hidden. She would respect that, so she pretended not to notice as she turned her head forward and saw Album riding their way.

“Good morning, Album!” Ryokumo chirped. “Are we ready?”

The Master of Light gave a firm nod. “Absolutely. Vesh is ours.”

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Yes, Vesh is ours,” Ryokumo repeated with a dark tone.

It was then, as Ilirianna, Ryokumo, and Album sat on horseback side-by-side that King Markreas reached down to his hip and unsheathed the great emerald broadsword that was his weapon. He didn’t speak at first as he raised the two-handed blade high into the sky above him, and since they didn’t want to make any noise, the Ijirian King could not yet give the rousing speech she knew he would have liked to. Instead, everybody in that company knew that this silent motion was the order to march, so as Markreas lowered the blade back to his sheath and turned around, everybody kicked their steeds and began to follow the large frame of their leader back up the hill Ilirianna had been upon moments before.

With her two team members on either side of her, the Princess reached out and first gripped Ryokumo’s hand in her right before using her left to take Album’s, squeezing both with a reassurance that this would not be the day any of them died. Album and Ryokumo didn’t hesitate to grip hers back as they reached the top of the hill and got their own first look at the Kosah-Rei’s base of operations. The breeze returned to blow her emerald hair back, but its touch was soothing against her skin as she took a long, deep breath of the sweet mountain air.

Here we go… For the sake of this Empire, let it all come to an end…

***

Whistling cheerfully to himself, Uma Miyon walked two steps at a time as he ascended the spiral staircase through the northern tower where he was told Quill had been seen heading towards. For quite a while now, he’d been wanting to talk to the man about their conversation with Tali regarding the Voice’s little sister and her declaration about her visions. It had been gnawing at him ever since the discussion took place, leaving him confused and conflicted about what it was he wanted. After all, his opinion on the subject had not changed, for he was still absolutely certain that if Tali ever saw a vision of his death then he would want to know—to do everything in his power to fight it no matter how pointless it may be. At least that way, should he wind up dead anyway, he could at least enter Rei’s embrace knowing he did everything he could—that he didn’t just lie down and take it. Yet, he also couldn’t say he didn’t empathize with Tali’s logic.

“The reason I’m telling you this is so that you know why I don’t want to ever try and fight fate again. I was going to lose her anyway, and my attempts to fight it only ruined my life more than her death would have. So I’m sorry, but if I ever see anything like that, I will not reveal it.”

Uma sighed, scratching at the back of his head in annoyance. Damn it all. She’s done so much for me over the course of our time together. The debt I’ve accrued is something I can never truly pay her back for. She saved my life. She came to me when I’d entered a foreign and strange world and she extended a hand, offering me a place to belong. Never in my life has anybody shown compassion towards me the way Tali Firrik did that day. From the cusp of suicide, I managed to crawl myself to a state of joy I never thought I’d experience again… I’ve defeated fate once before, seen how the impossible was made possible, so I know I could defeat her visions if it was required of me. But how the hell am I supposed to convince her to give me that chance if she’s been so terribly traumatized by it? To do that to her would be utterly vile on my part—ungrateful as can be.

Uma had no clue what he was supposed to do, and that was why he’d been seeking out Quill. He was, after all, the only person Uma was aware had ever heard Tali’s story, so he was the singular member of the Kosah-Rei that he could turn to for advice. The problem was that Quill had been avoiding him ever since, which was most likely due to a desire to not discuss what Tali had confided in them.

But unfortunately for you, a little birdie saw you heading up here, so there’s no escaping me this time.

Reaching his desired floor, Uma found himself at the door of a small lounge in the tower, not far from the common room they normally frequented for Kosah-Rei meetings. He pushed the door open, having expected to find Quill sitting on the couch with a book in hand, but to his surprise, the sitting area was empty and the sound of voices could be heard off to the left where the glass balcony door was slightly ajar. Stepping into the room, Uma found Quill to be just outside, leaning against the black stone railing beside Barron as they gazed off at the rocky plains beyond Ankalla’s walls. The magicless doctor headed towards them, and as he stepped out onto the balcony to join them, the two men went quiet and glanced back curiously.

Quill’s shoulders slumped, but before Uma could even begin to greet him, the man grumbled, “We really shouldn’t discuss such things with Barron here. If Lady Firrik hasn’t told them, then—”

“Yes, yes, shut up,” Uma snapped as he approached the railing and leaned his back against it. “What brings the two of you all the way up here, hmm? Just admiring the view?”

“Well, I often come up here to clear my head,” Barron told him, “and I just happened to already be here when Tyrus stopped by. I was in the mood for some company and asked him to stick around. You, however, are only welcome if you’re going to behave yourself and not stir the pot like the last time.”

Uma snorted, crossing his arms as he did and fixing Barron with an irritable glare. “Sir Kristoff, you have so little faith in me. Why, I was merely seeking my dear friend out to give him some comfort after he so vulnerably confessed his anxieties to us the other day. For you to accuse me of stirring the pot is a bit offensive.”

“It’s fine, Barron,” Quill assured the bigger man when it became clear he was about to start arguing with Uma. “Miyon’s not done anything wrong, and I appreciate that he backed me up, but…well, I don’t think there’s any point in dwelling on it any longer. Whether Lady Firrik has seen my death or not, she isn’t going to tell me, so all I can do is lay my trust in her hands and pray to the Goddess.”

So you really are just going to give in, Quill? A man as powerful as you won’t try and fight fate, but a magicless sucker like me is more than willing? Should it not be the other way around, hmm?

Yet, with Barron present, Uma chose to bite his tongue and not press either of their buttons as he turned around, mimicking their positions by resting his arms against the railing and gazing through his spectacles at the view before him. The breeze was comforting, and though he knew these mountains were awful during the winter, the summers were so pleasant that he wished they could last forever. He supposed this was because he came from a rather hot environment back in Omaruo, resulting in a welcome relief to not be baked alive during summer afternoons like he used to be.

“So, you were saying, Sir Kristoff?” Quill muttered, breaking their silence and restarting whatever conversation he and Barron had been having before Uma interrupted.

The large man just brushed his hand dismissively. “Oh, I was pretty much finished. I was just going to say that Lady Firrik has been through a lot, and while she’s always insisted upon keeping it quiet, her visions bring her more pain than she lets on. I would advise against bringing this up again.”

Uma frowned as he listened to Barron’s words before standing up a bit straighter. “Hey, how much do you know about what Lady Firrik confided in us?”

“All of it,” Barron said bluntly, as if that wasn’t some shocking revelation. “I’ve known about the fate of her sister for a very long time, Miyon, and I know how she feels about opposing her visions. I told you when you first proposed it not to bother her, so I hope you now understand why you pissed me off as much as you did.”

The magicless doctor had always been under the impression that Tali never revealed any of her past to the leaders of the Kosah-Rei. Of course, he knew that Barron considered Tali as a vassal to protect, but the Voice herself had never given any indication that she saw the red knight as any more important to her than the others.

“Why?” he demanded. “Why would she ever trust you with such a thing?”

Barron smirked smugly, as if pleased by Uma’s frustration and envy. “My history with her is as much my business as yours is, and you don’t see me demanding to know all about where you came from.”

“Well, I’ll gladly tell you if you tell me,” Uma retorted, only to be met with the same response as he was recently given by Keskivaara.

“No, I don’t care what your history is. All that matters to me is that we unite behind her and change this world for the greater good.” Barron took a long breath, his eyes growing a bit distant as he spoke. “If I know anything as an absolute fact, it’s that Tali Firrik wants nothing more than to see this country become better than the one that stole her sister from her, and she’ll do anything to stop it. I told you once that I was more than willing to lay down my life should Rei demand it of me, and I mean that with all my heart. Whether or not I live to see her utopia here on Earth is unimportant because I would gladly give my life so that future generations may thrive in my stead. I believe the same should be said by the two of you.”

Quill gave a soft nod of agreement. “I suppose so. If dying is what Rei needs from me, then… Well, what can I do about that? It’s all for the greater good. It’s all so that people in the future don’t have to lose what we did… You’re right, Sir Kristoff, I don’t need to see utopia so long as it does exist someday and for someone.”

It was as Quill spoke that Uma noticed him clutching something in his hand—something he realized was a locket necklace of sorts. Whatever he held was important to whoever he lost, so despite Uma’s irritability at their willingness to just lay down and die, he knew it would be inappropriate to debate that subject now. Even so, he still made his retort in the privacy of his mind.

I will die for utopia if it’s what I must do, but only if I must do it. Like I’ve always said, I’ll only give my damn life after exhausting every possible option to keep it. Rei, if you’re real and you can hear me, do not ask such a thing of me. I’ve only just been given a reason to live, so don’t kill me now! If you were going to do it, you should have done it back when I wanted death more than anything. For you to take this world from me after everything I’ve gained…

Uma’s glasses sat low on the bridge of his nose, and normally, he didn’t pay much attention to them if he wasn't interested in seeing the future. However, they were still well within his line of sight, so he noticed movement in his peripheral vision and lowered his eyes towards Tali’s enchanted glass out of curiosity. It was then that it felt like his heart had been punctured, for the future he was witnessing caused him to jolt upwards as if he’d been electrocuted, his hand frantically removing them from his head so he could stare out at the still empty landscape below. His eyes were wide, his breathing was heavy, and his heart was pounding so ferociously hard that he was scared it was about to burst from his chest.

“Miyon?!”

“Doctor, what’s wrong?!”

The exclamations from Quill and Barron hardly processed in his mind as he slowly extended a finger straight outwards. His fellow cultists turned their heads towards the emptiness, their brows furrowed in confusion as they almost certainly debated whether he’d lost his mind. But as all three of them gazed out at the still silent morning, they bore witness to the terrifying present that Uma had already seen.

One after another, three massive distortions suddenly dropped, revealing over a hundred armored soldiers spread out in battalions that stood just a few hundred yards beyond the doorstep of Ankalla. Banners were raised in the air, displaying not only the green sword and gold shield of the Iijis, but even black ones with the horned helm of Noctis. Most of the mass glittered red and black even in the overcast environment, and a quick scan of his memory told him that those were the colors of Erika’s elite Korrei-Tarr. Uma frantically placed his hands against the railing, leaning so far forward that he might have fallen over the side if he went any further, but his eyes were locked on the one sitting atop a massive horse ahead of the three battalions, his broad-shouldered body and just barely visible emerald green hair beneath a glittering crown not only confirming who he was, but also causing the most horrible spasms of terror to course through him.

“That’s King Markreas,” Uma breathed. “It has to be…”

Quill slowly shook his head, his voice trembling as he muttered, “N-no, that’s not possible. How could King Markreas have found us? How could they possibly know to come to Ankalla? How could they have reached us without any of our lookouts reporting back?! And…?”

The man’s voice caught in his throat, and as Uma glanced over his shoulder at the stunned Quill and Barron, neither of whom wanted to finish that thought, the magicless doctor decided that it would have to be him that put to words what they were almost certainly thinking.

“How did Lady Firrik not see this coming?”