Chapter V

Even though Ilirianna’s presence hadn’t been explicitly requested, the young woman still decided to follow King Markreas and Edwar Grunly as they departed the Chamber of the Masters and began making their way towards the nearest lift. She already had a feeling she knew what it was the King wished to discuss with the Master of Nature, and that was the primary reason she opted to join them, for she sought to support Markreas in this issue. As it stood, Ilirianna had already broached the subject with Grunly once or twice over the recent years and every time, the old man dug his heels in and insisted she didn’t need to worry about it. Yet, it was undeniable that he was just kidding himself and everybody, perhaps even Grunly himself, could see it. Since Markreas didn’t order her to leave, she assumed he knew what she was doing and wanted her help with the matter.

As they walked, Grunly kept his head low, refusing to make eye contact with either of them. His movements were even slower these days and he was far more reliant on his cane, something that made the trip up to the King’s office far slower than ever. Eventually, they reached the silver disk that was a Citadel lift, upon which Ilirianna cast Ortumo and brought them towards the higher levels of the great white tower. Once they reached their desired floor, Ilirianna and Markreas suffered through yet another painfully long walk before they rounded a corner and came to the corridor leading to the singular golden door of the King’s office. Two armored guards kept silent watch outside, a post that was mostly a formality given the powerful protective charms placed over the room to keep unwanted visitors away.

The soldiers silently bowed as the two Iijis and the Master passed through the door, only to first enter not the office itself, but an empty silver room that was so mana dense even Ilirianna couldn’t help shivering with discomfort despite knowing the defensive magic weaved throughout the walls and the floor would not harm her. These spells were quite old, dating back to the early days of the Age of Ascension, and were placed by the first Master of the Mind Ijiria ever had. They could sense one’s inner truth and would know if somebody was entering the office with the intent of doing harm to Markreas, among other illegal desires. If that ill will was identified, the person entering would be swiftly and cleanly executed, though since they had not been activated in Ilirianna’s lifetime, she wasn’t sure how the individual would be killed. On top of that, the means with which they were cast had been lost to time, and while their current Master of the Mind was researching how to replicate the spells, there had been no progress as of yet.

Nevertheless, despite not planning on harming the King, she was beyond grateful when they reached the doorway across from them and entered the much cozier space that was Markreas’s personal office intended mainly for important discussions and meetings that concerned the governing of the country. It was where he often met with Kloras Glaus and the other members of the Council of Elders, as well as diplomats from the neighboring countries, representatives of the Great Cities, the districts of Erika, merchants, and a plethora of other important individuals that had business with the Ijirian King.

The office was rather large, with windows spanning the right-hand wall and allowing a good amount of natural light to flow into the room. Four banners displaying the royal crest, that being the green sword upon the golden shield, were hung at various points around them, and just ahead sat a large desk behind which was a golden throne much like the one Markreas used in the Chamber of the Masters. However, despite telling herself not to raise her eyes, Ilirianna couldn’t help it, and soon found herself gazing at the magnificent painting hung on the wall behind the throne.

It was a portrait of the current royal family that Markreas had commissioned over nine years ago and it displayed the five of them standing together. Markreas and Toranei were in the back, the former standing tall and proud in his gold and green robes while the latter appeared as stern and serious as she always did, unable to crack even the tiniest of smiles for such an occasion. Ilirianna stood in front and between them, smiling pleasantly with her siblings, Anna-Piura and Reigious, on either side of her. They were eighteen, sixteen, and fourteen respectively—the portrait serving as a remnant of a happier, simpler time in their lives. Ever since it had been made, Ilirianna had looked upon it with joy, but the joy it once elicited was long gone, and now it brought her nothing but fury.

This portrait was a lie.

It represented the fabricated reality her vile mother had created, for it did not display the royal family like King Markreas believed it did. Toranei was a lying whore who had cheated on him with his Master of Fire, Ilirianna was not his daughter nor the Princess of Ijiria, and the siblings that stood beside her were half-siblings, not the pure-blooded brother and sister she had always believed they were. This painting was Toranei Iiji’s perfectly crafted world, and Ilirianna wished she could do nothing more than burn it to ash and unveil the truth to Markreas, to her siblings, and to the entire world.

But I can’t do that… I’d be throwing away my right to the throne, and that’s not something I can afford to lose. My path to the crown is the one silver lining to Mother’s deceit, and I intend to take full advantage of it.

At first, when the Battle of Stellareid concluded, she had feared that the Kosah-Rei would expose her true heritage to the world, so when there wasn’t a whisper of Ilirianna’s bastard blood, she was confused. It was only once she truly pondered it that she realized Tali Firrik would never destroy the illusion the Empire had.

Firrik believes with all her heart that I’ll work alongside her someday, so why would she cut apart my claim to the throne? If she can get her supposed ally at the top of the Citadel, the Kosah-Rei’s dreams will come true. It’s too bad that I don’t intend to join her, but I’ll certainly accept her help if it means I retain control.

For the last few years, Ilirianna Iiji had been biding her time, knowing that so long as she was patient, she could get what she needed. She would ascend to the throne in Markreas’s place, and then she could start manipulating the succession of the Masters. She already had Nigreos and Album in the Noctalus positions, and she had been subtly urging Nyx to appoint Rennigan as her successor. Getting Ryokumo to replace Koroha was unlikely since she already had an apprentice, and she lost an ideal successor to Sinna when Fayela Rio died in Stellareid. The Masters of the Mind and of Fire were unattainable for her, so she had already opted to dismiss any chance of getting them under the control of people she trusted.

However, despite Abi leaving the country, the position of Master of Nature is still in my grasp. I know what Markreas has brought Grunly here to discuss, and it is a perfect opportunity to set up the board the way I want it.

King Markreas walked around the side of his desk and took a seat in the throne, then motioned to a chair placed across from him. “Please, take a seat. I promise I won’t keep you long, but this is a discussion I feel we need to have before moving towards Ankalla.”

“Y-yes, I know,” Grunly murmured, doing as asked and sitting down. “Listen, Your Majesty, I’m not a fool, so I know exactly what you’ve called me here to talk about. You wish to discuss my age…and my retirement.”

Markreas let out a gruff sigh then leaned forward to fold his hands atop the desk, his voice suddenly softening to a warmer tone. “Look, I don’t want you to take any offense by this, Ed. You have served this country better than almost anybody else I know, but you’ve been a Master since the day my own father inherited the crown. You’ve spent time teaching Academy students, you’ve traveled the country providing healing magic where you felt it was needed, and you’ve saved many lives over the course of your term. But you’re creeping up on a hundred and ten, and while I understand that your expertise in nature magic allows you to slow your body’s aging, there’s only so much magic can do. It’s time, Ed. It’s time for you to appoint a successor and retire so you can spend your last days with some more-than-deserved relaxation. I don’t want you dying in your damn chair.”

Ilirianna, who had moved to stand up against the wall beside the doorway, couldn’t help but reluctantly agree. It was true that if a mage became strong enough in nature magic then they could slow their aging, but as Markreas said, magic could not stop the march of time. Immortality was unachievable, eternal youth was impossible, and it was becoming clear that Edwar Grunly was approaching his natural end—something that no magic in the world could prevent. He was slower both in his movements and in his thoughts. He was having trouble remembering things. He spent more time in his quarters resting than he did attending any Master duties, most of which he had been alleviated of anyway. In the last few years, especially, it seemed like he had been aging faster.

And I don’t think it takes a genius to know why that is, Ilirianna internally remarked.

Grunly had selected his successor. He took Abigail Reiner under his wing, got her a place in the Academy of Erika, watched her thrive on the royal team, and had constantly expressed how proud of her he was. He never said it, but Ilirianna got the feeling that he planned to step down the second she graduated—that he would have made Abi the Master of Nature immediately. But then, in the eyes of the entire world save for Ilirianna and Ryokumo, Abigail Reiner disappeared and was never seen from again. Some said she died in Stellareid, others said she ran from her duties, and others claimed she defected to the Kosah-Rei. But regardless of the rumors, the truth was that she was long gone and could no longer be Grunly’s successor.

It had broken him. The Master of Nature had been utterly distraught, and no matter what anybody said, he insisted that Abi was alive out there—that she would someday come home. He was holding out for that, there was no question, and that was why he refused to retire.

“Your Majesty, I appreciate your concern,” Grunly began, “but as I always, I must insist that I am perfectly capable. Yes, I’ve gotten a tad old, but I’m as sharp as ever! My magic hasn’t dwindled, and I can still be an asset to you. There’s no reason to step down now.”

Markreas shook his head. “Ed, just yesterday, Nigreos told me that you’d asked him how his father was doing these days. I—”

“It was a fleeting moment of confusion,” Grunly snapped, waving his hand dismissively. “You and Nigreos are just making a big stink about nothing. I know Viiro died in Stellareid. Besides, even if I was considering retirement, I cannot do so until I have found the perfect replacement—somebody as good or better than Abigail. That is not a person so easy to come by.”

“Master Grunly.” Ilirianna spoke his name gently, not wanting to sound frustrated with him as she drew his attention back to her. “Don’t get me wrong, I understand your desire, but if you don’t appoint someone before you die, then you’re not going to get a say in it at all. It’ll fall to my father to name your successor, so if it’s so important to you to do it yourself, then you should really be considering it.”

Grunly gazed at her with disappointment, as if he had hoped she would be taking his side. “Ilirianna…? Please, you two speak like I’ve already got a foot in the grave! I have plenty of time to name a replacement, and if Abigail happens to return, then—”

“Abigail is dead!” Markreas spat, his annoyance breaking his calm facade as he slammed a hand onto the table, startling Grunly. “She’s not coming back, Edwar. It’s a near certainty that the poor girl was killed in Stellareid. I know you deny it, but if you’re holding out for a dead woman to rise from the grave then your mind is truly lost.”

An uncharacteristically sharp and angry expression came over the Master of Nature, as if he were about to shout back at the King, so to prevent the conversation from deteriorating, Ilirianna frantically suggested, “What about Iris Mackia? She’s an exceptional mage, isn’t she? She was personally tutored by Abi and she lived through Stellareid! Would she not be a fitting successor?”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Liri,” Markreas growled, looking at her with irritation despite her desire to back him up. “We’re not going to appoint a beast to the Masters! We don’t need Mackia! There are plenty of talented alumni pouring out of the Academy every year. If we just reached out to Reddick and asked for a list of nature mages, I’m sure most of them would be better selections than a damn Kotonorish!”

Outwardly, Ilirianna kept her composure, but internally, she was hardly keeping her anger in check. You racist son of a bitch, Markreas! I’m trying to talk sense into Grunly here and you’re gonna get in the way just cause you don’t like what species she is?! God, you’re so fucking stupid!

Without Abi, Iris Mackia was the next best successor in Ilirianna’s eyes. She had a very similar upbringing as Abigail and she had the perspective Ilirianna desired. Her being Kotonorish meant she knew what it was like to be looked upon as inferior and sub-human. Abigail tutored her because her own team wouldn’t give her the time of day, yet despite that, Iris thrived at the Academy and graduated near the top of her year. These days, she was working in the southern territories providing healing magic to those in need, much like Grunly had in his earlier life and Abigail had before coming to Erika. Abi even took her under her wing for the sole reason of giving Grunly a replacement once she left for Omaruo. Iris Mackia was an ideal Master solely because she was not a member of the Ijirian elite, but that terrified Markreas.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

So it’s a good thing he doesn’t have a say in it so long as Grunly still breathes. The problem is if he refuses to appoint Iris and then dies. If that happens, Markreas picks the next Master, and it sure as hell isn’t going to be somebody I can work with.

“L-look,” Grunly murmured. “I have no qualms about Mackia’s heritage, and I admit she would be a good Master, but…I don’t know… Let me ponder it…”

Markreas shot Ilirianna an annoyed look before turning back to face Grunly. “You’ve been pondering it for over a decade now! Time is up! I need a younger, fresher Master if we’re to attack Ankalla and I need you to pick one.”

“No.” Grunly outright reused, and even as Markreas’s face began to turn red with anger, the Master of Nature held his ground, staring firmly back at his King. “With all due respect, Markreas, you cannot force a Master’s retirement. I will consider stepping down, but not before Ankalla. It would be foolish to invite a fresh face moments before a top secret operation. I will join the assault on that castle, then we can speak afterwards. Now, may I be excused?”

The King’s jaw clenched so tightly that Ilirianna could see his muscles twitching, and for a few seconds, she thought the man was going to start screaming at Grunly, but he kept enough control over his rage to simply grunt,

“Very well, Ed.”

Grunly bowed, hobbled to his feet, and departed the room. Ilirianna absently watched him go before turning back to regard the King, but Markreas had his head in his hands as he muttered, “What am I going to do about that man, Liri?”

“I’ll keep talking to him, don’t worry. He knows we’re right. He just needs a bit of a push.”

“Yes, I suppose so.” He scoffed. “Well, thank you for trying to help. If you don’t need anything from me, then by all means, you may leave.”

“Thank you.”

Bowing to the King, Ilirianna then departed the office, powered through the charmed room, and soon found herself stalking down the silver corridor beyond, her mind racing with an idea that had come to her mind multiple times over the last few months. It was imperative she convinced Grunly to appoint Iris, but she truly did think that without the right push, he would die waiting for Abigail to make a return that would never happen. He needed to be convinced that Abi wasn’t coming back, and while there was a way to prove that to him, it wasn’t something she could just decide on her own.

Yeah… Perhaps it’s time I break the law yet again…

Just as that devient thought flickered through her mind, she heard her name called and looked up to find one of the Citadel messengers rushing towards her. It was a young woman she instantly recognized, for she had given her a very important order a few weeks back. Therefore, there was only one message this woman could be carrying.

Ryokumo Caeli had returned to Erika.

***

It was always a massive relief to pass beneath the gates of Erika after months on the road, and given both how far away Yisana had been and how successful their trip was, Ryokumo was especially thrilled to finally be back in the city he called home. That was longest he’d been away since Stellareid, but it was well worth it, and he was ridiculously excited to tell Ilirianna the news regarding Quill Tyrus’s weakness. For the last two weeks, he’d been anticipating the look on her face and the happiness in her voice when she finally learned, for the first time in years, that there truly was a chance they could kill the most unkillable member of the Kosah-Rei. So many months of work done by himself and Rennigan had finally borne fruit—fruit that would be sweeter than anything he’d ever tasted in his life. Perhaps Ryokumo didn't have anything near the same hatred for Quill that Rennigan had, but the wind mage had still confronted him and seen with his own eyes just how frustratingly durable he was. The fact that he was as mortal as the rest of them brought him more hope than he’d experienced in a long time.

Ryokumo smiled, watching the streets of Erika pass by the window of their carriage. Upon entering the city, they returned their horses to the stable they’d rented them from, then hailed down a public carriage to take them back to their home in the upper residential district north of the market. They had purchased the place a few weeks after graduating the Academy, when they decided they’d be working together, and had been living there ever since. It was a smaller house for the neighborhood, but it was big enough for them both to each have a personal bedroom and bathroom, so neither of them complained about sharing a space as much as one would have assumed.

Liri’s joked more than once that she’s shocked neither of us has killed the other yet…not like Glaus could ever hope to best me!

Chuckling softly to himself, Ryokumo turned his eyes away from the windows and towards Rennigan, who was sitting in the seat across from him, absently staring at the passing surroundings. To this day, Ryokumo sometimes had trouble associating this man with the pretentious, arrogant ass that he had met on the Academy grounds so many years ago. He still had a sharp tongue and a nasty attitude, but there was a certain maturity to him these days that garnered the respect for him that Ryokumo held. In addition, his body had filled out, and while he was still on the thinner side, he looked far less scrawny than before. His features were also more mature, reminding Ryokumo once again that they were truly adults now.

Ryokumo himself had, for better or for worse, hardly changed at all. He felt like his face remained just as youthful as ever, and unlike Rennigan, he still had somewhat of a smaller build. It was the primary reason he’d opted to grow the thin black mustache and beard he now sported, for he felt it made him appear more handsome, though Rennigan had vehemently disagreed.

“Caeli, shave off that ridiculous excuse for facial hair! You look like you plastered shedded cat fur all over your lips! It’s humiliating to even be in the same room as you!”

“Come now, Glaus, no need to hide your true feelings! It makes me look suave, and it makes you feel like the lesser man because you still have a baby face! I know the truth!”

“Bullshit!”

His smile grew warmer at the memory of that interaction. As much as he’d never say it aloud, he was grateful that their banter hadn’t changed. It was one of the only remnants of his life before Stellareid that remained, and it brought him indescribable comfort. He recalled how he’d often jest about growing his mustache out further and curling it into a handlebar—a suggestion that made Rennigan feign vomiting.

Ah, well, luckily for him, I’d never do such a ridiculous thing. When I’d mentioned as much to Liri, she wasn’t terribly keen on it either—said it’d make me look like a court jester. So, as my princess commands, my mustache shall remain basic.

As Ryokumo got lost in his thoughts, the carriage entered their neighborhood and brought them to a stop right in front of their gated home. Thanking the driver with a rather large tip of coin, the two mages hopped out, retrieved their things from the back compartment, and pushed open their front gate to enter a rather lush green lawn. A cobblestone path led up to their porch and the front door, and upon arriving, Rennigan pressed his hand to it and uttered the proper security charms to unlock it. With that handled, they stepped inside the front sitting room, only to come to an immediate stop, Rennigan cocking a disapproving eyebrow while a broad, joy-filled smile spread across Ryokumo’s face.

Sitting on their couch, nursing a cup of tea, was Ilirianna Iiji, a wry grin on her own face as she glanced between them. Naturally, her beautiful blue eyes settled on Ryokumo the longest, an unspoken love passing between them.

“Liri…” Ryokumo muttered, but before he could say anything further, Rennigan kicked the door closed behind him and grumbled,

“Let yourself in, did you? And I see you’re helping yourself to my tea. How the hell did you even get in here?”

Ilirianna laughed, turning her eyes back to Rennigan with amusement. “What do you mean? Did Kumo never tell you that he shared the security charm with me?”

“He what?! Caeli?!”

“What’s the big deal, Glaus?” Ryokumo retorted. “You should be grateful that the Princess of Ijiria is gracing your house with her magnificent presence! And if she approves of your precious tea, then that means you have good taste, does it not? You should be thanking Ilirianna for partaking in your drinks.”

“Exactly,” Ilirianna agreed. “Where’s my thanks, Rennigan?”

The water mage let out a huff. “I always knew Caeli was a menace, but I never would have thought you’d be of a similar nonsensical mindset, Ilirianna. Truly, the two of you are a duo that brings nothing but chaos down upon my life.”

“Thank you,” they replied in unison, earning themselves a low growl of annoyance from Rennigan as he muttered something about taking their luggage up to their rooms before disappearing down the hall and towards the stairs.

Ryokumo watched him depart with satisfaction before turning back to Ilirianna, yet by the time he had done so, she was already on her feet, her arms thrown around him as she pulled him into a tight, loving hug. He was thrown off by how quickly she crossed the room, but he recovered almost instantly, wrapping his own arms around her and pulling her body close to him. To Ryokumo Caeli, there wasn’t anything better in the world than Ilirianna’s touch and her warmth and her love. It was often that he wished she could have been somebody else, for had she not been the Princess of Ijiria then he would have asked her to be his girlfriend a long time ago. These days, they no longer strayed away from affection, but they kept their boundaries up and had never done more than hug, though Ryokumo had come close to kissing her one night before they quickly thought better of it.

And I think the greatest gut punch of it all is that she isn’t an Iiji. She’s not a princess, but she has to pretend to be, so I still have to keep that agonizing distance between us. I hate it…but I understand it, and I will support her in her political endeavors no matter what.

At one point, they had discussed having a relationship anyway and keeping it a secret, but Ilirianna had decided against it, and her reasoning had been so sound that Ryokumo refused to try and refute it.

“I will not become my mother, Kumo. I will not have affairs behind the backs of my people. I will not lie to them like she and Nakoma did. No… When you and I join together, it will be official and public. For now, King Markreas and my mother’s wishes get in the way, but when I ascend to the throne, nobody’s opinion but mine will matter. So, if you’re willing to wait for me, then someday, I promise, we can be more than just friends. That being said, I will not blame you for not wanting to wait, and I would rather be just friends than grow apart.”

He would wait. He loved her, with all his heart, so he would wait for her, and until then, he would enjoy moments such as these for all they were worth.

The sound of Rennigan coming back downstairs was the signal for them to silently split as they moved and took their seats on the couch seconds before the silver-haired young man strutted back through the doorway.

“Alright then,” Rennigan began as he plopped himself down in his favorite recliner across the coffee table from the other two. “Are you here for any reason other than tonguing Caeli while I was gone?”

Ilirianna tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at him. “What kind of harlot do you take me for, Rennigan? I was not tonguing him. I was simply…kissing him vigorously?”

“Gross.”

“It certainly was not.”

Ryokumo could feel his cheeks turning red in a rare moment of embarrassment, for obviously she was just saying that to mock Rennigan, something the water mage clearly knew, but he still found himself wishing that what she said wasn’t a lie.

“Okay, should I go out for a drink and leave you the house then?” Rennigan said, to which the Princess laughed and shook her head.

“As lovely as that would be, I actually did come here with some news for you. I recall it came in right around the time you two left, but did you remember what I told you about that tip regarding the Kosah-Rei and the fortress of Ankalla?”

As it happened, Ryokumo had completely forgotten about that, for at the time, it had just seemed like another dead-end lead that wouldn’t amount to much, but if Ilirianna was bringing it back up, then perhaps there was actually some merit to it. Both he and Rennigan sat up straighter, their interest more than peaked, as Ryokumo replied,

“Yes, I do. What of it?”

Ilirianna grinned. “Master Koroha Rhitta infiltrated it, and was able to identify the presence of all six leaders of the cult, plus Rickori Keksivaara and Velanor Kinrono. From what we can tell, Ankalla is where they’re operating from.”

“They…?” Ryokumo’s voice caught in his throat, his brown eyes going wide as he did his best to process what that meant. “We found them? We actually…?”

Rennigan furrowed his brow. “That seems too easy. Did we ever identify who tipped us off, because if not, then this is undoubtedly a trap.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Ilirianna agreed. “But King Markreas believes that, trap or not, it’s too juicy of an opportunity to miss. His conclusion was that, in order to outweigh any possible danger of a trap being set, he’s going to attack Ankalla with so much force that it won’t matter what they’re plotting…” She paused, as if expecting them to interrupt, but the two mages simply gazed at her with anticipation, promoting her to finish with, “He’s ordered all eight Masters, a large number of Korrei-Tarr, himself, my mother, and me, to lead an assault on Ankalla in an attempt to eradicate the entire cult at its source—to wipe out the Kosah-Rei in one fell swoop. We’re departing in two weeks.”

“Two weeks?!” Ryokumo exclaimed, having barely processed the fact that they were attacking them at all. “You mean…we’re actually going to do this? We’re going for the throat?”

“We are.”

“Has my father agreed to this?” Rennigan snapped himself out of own bafflement as he asked the natural question in their minds. “I know he’s been more lenient these last few years, but it's one thing for him to permit individual Masters for an assignment or two and a completely separate thing to authorize a full-scale assault! There’s just no way he lets this happen!”

Ilirianna nodded. “You’re right, which is why King Markreas is going to extend an offer to you, Rennigan. Join Masters Cartus and Rana in convincing your father, and if you’re successful, the both of you will be allowed to join the battle.”

“W-we…can join?” Rennigan stammered, exchanging shocked looks with Ryokumo. “And…if all six were there, then Quill Tyrus…?”

“Should be at the battle, yes,” Ilirianna finished for him. “So tell me, did you learn anything in Yisana? Do we know anything about his durability?”

As Ilirianna posed this question, Rennigan’s smile turned gleeful as he raised his head to first look at Ryokumo before staring the Princess dead in the eyes and answering,

“Oh yes, it was far more successful than anything we’ve ever tried. It seems the stars are aligning, for we know of a way to kill him.”