Deep within the continent of Shardon, Kaira and her unit scouted the lands, their mission clear: surveying and conducting reconnaissance work for the United Forces. The impending meeting with the generals weighed heavily on her mind. Most of them were on their way to Oroz’Kram for the siege, a mission they had scheduled to commence later. The abrupt change puzzled her. Whatever had occurred, it demanded her immediate attention.
As she hastily prepared for the meeting, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of confusion. She kneeled on the cloth laid out on the ground, nodding at the owl handler who initiated the projection of the other generals.
The image of the generals flickered to life. “Greetings, everyone.” She greeted all of them.
“Greetings, Princess Kaira,” Prince Wraponreth of the Karinhawi replied, his eyes betraying his curiosity. “Do we have any idea what this is about?”
Prince Aresa, standing beside Wraponreth, shook his head. “Not in the slightest, no.”
Aderon, the Grand Commander of the United Forces army, joined the gathering. With a commanding presence, he addressed the assembled generals via the owls.
“Now that we are all here, I have some news,” Aderon began, his voice carrying a grave tone. “As we speak, we have received reports that Everess’ unit has begun the siege without us.”
Surprise rippled across the room, as even she, was caught off guard.
“What’s going on? We have a plan,” Prince Aresa commented, voicing the confusion that hung heavy in the air.
“Currently, it is unclear why she did this, and I’ve been trying to get in touch with her since receiving the report, with no luck,” Aderon said, concern evident all over his face, even through the projection.
“This is concerning,” Prince Wraponreth remarked. “She’s acting unilaterally again. I had an inkling she might, but on this scale?” He turned to Aderon. “Something needs to be done, Grand Commander. She is putting us all at risk.”
“I share the same sentiments, Prince Wraponreth. But with what has happened, I’m afraid it is beyond my capabilities now to intervene,” Aderon replied, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Aderon directed his disappointment at Everess or himself.
“Kaira, how far are you from Oroz’Kram?” Aderon suddenly asked her as he checked some papers. “If I recall correctly, you are closer to her than the rest of the Forces.”
“Bring out the map,” Kaira instructed. One of her men pulled out a map and laid it on the ground. She carefully inspected the map, cross-referencing it with their surroundings.
“Half a day, to be precise, Aderon,” she reported.
After a moment of contemplation, Aderon sighed. “For now, go there for me and get in contact with Everess. My patience is wearing thin at this point.”
“You’re excellent at hiding it, Grand Commander,” Aresa remarked with a smile.
“It takes years of abuse and neglect to develop this stoic face,” Aderon replied dryly. The comment made the others uncomfortable, especially Aresa, who ended up scratching his head.
“Sevidon, you haven’t spoken since this meeting began. Care to add something?” Aderon suddenly called out, breaking the silence that had settled over them.
She realized she hadn’t noticed Sevidon’s presence herself. He seemed quite out of it, too. “Nothing, Commander. I’m just weary of Everess at this point,” Sevidon finally replied, his voice tinged with frustration.
“Care to explain it to the rest of the group?” Aderon prompted.
“It’s like she’s doing this on purpose now. I find it quite unnerving,” Sevidon explained. “Kaira, can you send a unit to scout the siege in advance?”
Her brows furrowed. “You want me to spy on her?”
“I just want to see what she’s doing when we’re not looking. That’s all,” Sevidon replied, glancing at Aderon. “You agree with me on this one, right?”
Aderon considered for a moment. “I agree. But do you think it could backfire?”
“Let’s just have Tamiron talk to her, if that’s the case. The two seem to have a good understanding of one another,” Sevidon suggested.
Her eyes twitched at the mention of Tamiron. Everess was always by his side, always his counsel. She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she admired their closeness, her hands clenching involuntarily.
“Oh, how so?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual as she turned back to Sevidon.
“They’re each other’s best friend, after all. I thought that was obvious already,” Sevidon replied.
Before she could dwell on it further, Aderon interrupted, turning his attention back to her.
“Your answer, Kaira? Will you send one out?” he asked, not giving her time to even think about it.
“I will at once,” Kaira said, determination clear in her voice. With no time to waste, she immediately signaled to one of her men to proceed forward.
“Okay, for now, that is all the information I can give you. You may all go,” Aderon announced, and one by one, the others left, including Sevidon.
Kaira turned to leave when Aderon’s voice stopped her.
“I’m not done yet with you, Kaira.”
Confusion clouded her face. “Is there something else?” she asked.
Aderon’s expression softened with concern. “We have received reports that a raid happened in the Middle Kingdom,” he said, and Kaira felt her heart drop into the pit of her stomach. “A tomb was raided, leaving a crater in its wake.”
Dread washed over her, cold and paralyzing. The news struck her like a physical blow, her mind racing with the implications. She imagined the destruction of the tomb, the chaos that ensued and it will bring forth, and the lives lost. This event already gave her a glimpse of what will happen — or what was transpiring back home.
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She had anticipated it, but her heartbeat raced nonetheless. “Casualties?” she asked, clearing her throat.
Aderon only looked at her, refusing to answer the question she already knew the answer to.
“Aderon, I need to leave for my kingdom,” she said, her voice shaky.
Aderon sighed. “This again. How many times do I have to tell you that you can’t go? I’m sorry, Kaira, but I cannot allow it,” he said firmly.
“Why? So you let Tamiron, Everess, and Ravaen do what they must and not me?” she protested.
“Tamiron was the commander back then; I had no choice. Ravaen was not needed as the Mystic Army was not fully mobilized. And Everess—” Aderon looked tired. “You know what’s going on with Everess. And right now, I don’t have the patience to explain it again,” he said, his tone final.
He looked at her, his expression firm, leaving no room for argument.
“You and your unit are too important; you are our eyes and ears out here in Shardon. Don’t you see that, Kaira?” Aderon’s voice rose slightly, his frustration evident. Then he calmed down and sighed. “You know that. You know that better than the rest of us.”
“Then I need to speak to Tamiron,” she insisted.
“And what makes you think that will have any effect?” Aderon asked firmly. “He is powerless now. Remember who gave the responsibility of managing seven nations’ armies to one force? You voted for me, remember?”
Speechless, she realized he was right. What she was doing now was a huge disrespect towards him. She tried to hold back her own frustration, her voice caught in her throat.
She averted her gaze, unable to meet Aderon’s eyes, and he huffed in exasperation. “I expect you to make contact with Everess soon. I won’t pressure you to do it now, given what has happened back at your home. But I expect you and her to contact me together in a day or two, before we arrive,” Aderon said.
“And Kaira,” Aderon called her name, and she finally looked at him. “Don’t rely on Tamiron that much. He is not the same man he was before.”
She was visibly shaking, consumed by anger, as Aderon’s image disappeared into the owl’s eyes. In a sudden fit of rage, she hurled a dagger towards it. Luckily, the owl survived her outburst, but her men didn’t know what to do.
“Damnit!” she shouted, her voice filled with frustration as she punched the ground hard.
She needed to check the state of her kingdom, but without Tamiron in command, she felt powerless. As much as she hated to admit it, Aderon was right; Tamiron was not the same man he used to be, and she hated herself for that.
She knew she wasn’t entirely to blame, but still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she could’ve done something to help them.
Back in Bastominad, Sevidon was already done with his own preparations. He walked around the camp, anxious for some reason. The mere sight of the owl earlier gave him an eerie feeling. It felt as though he was being watched after that. He looked left and right and all he saw were the camps of the small force that remained.
His suspicion festered like a wound that refused to heal. The fact that Tamiron had granted Everess the freedom to pursue her own agenda still vexed him, the resentment simmering beneath the surface despite the issue supposedly being resolved.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to it than met the eye. Tamiron’s decision seemed too lenient, too convenient. It gnawed at him, fueling his unease and stirring up doubts about their leader’s judgment.
He couldn’t help but wonder what secrets lay hidden behind Tamiron’s seemingly benevolent gesture towards Everess. Their friendship, for all he knew of what it was, wouldn’t be enough to be given this kind of leniency. Was there a deeper motive at play? Or perhaps a hidden allegiance that threatened the unity of their cause?
Despite his efforts to quell his suspicions, he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was amiss. And until he uncovered the truth, the unease would continue to gnaw at him, like a relentless beast lurking in the shadows.
He then returned to his quarters immediately and got in touch with the Queen Empress and Tamiron to raise his concerns directly to Everess’ Monarchs. As the Owl began to project the images, he was surprised that only Tamiron was present.
“Regent Tamiron. Where is the Queen Empress?” he asked curiously.
“The Queen Empress is currently handling some affairs. What do we owe this contact, Sevidon?” Tamiron asked of him. His demeanor disturbed him as well. As if he already knew why he contacted them in the first place.
“This is about Everess.” He said and Tamiron only nodded. It prompted him to continue. “Tamiron, she is out of control. She already began the siege of Oroz’Kram without the main forces with her. You need to rein her in.”
Tamiron only paced slowly. “Didn’t Aderon and most of you agreed to give Everess her own forces? I think it is entirely justified if she felt her forces are enough to proceed with the siege.”
“Are you hearing yourself, Tamiron?” he said, surprised by Tamiron’s response. “Oroz’Kram is not just any fortress. There’s a reason it still stands to this day. And if our suspicion about the Mencraft weaponry is true, then Everess is in more trouble than she anticipated.” He warned him to have him rein her in. “Look, at least have her hold off with storming the fortress.”
Tamiron, however, remained silent for a good period of time. Too long even for his own comfort.
“Look, Sevidon. I know you have your reservations with Everess right now. But as the former commander, I do see the logic behind her decisions, especially beginning the siege early. The urgency of finding out more about where the Xerxecians got their mencraft weapons takes precedence. So as her Regent, I will let her do what she thinks is right.”
His expression froze, his face contorted in stunned disbelief. It felt as if the ground had shifted beneath him, leaving him adrift in a sea of uncertainty.
He had lost Tamiron; they had lost Tamiron. The realization hit him like a physical blow as he reeled from it. How could this have happened? Why? The questions swirled in his mind, but there were no answers. All he knew was that, at that moment, Tamiron was lost to them.
Dread crept over him, mingling with the disappointment he felt towards Tamiron. He had trusted him implicitly, followed him without question. But now, that trust lay shattered, leaving behind a hollow ache in its wake.
He couldn’t understand it, couldn’t comprehend how Tamiron could have strayed so far from the path they had set together. But as he looked around at the chaos unfolding, he knew one thing for certain - nothing would ever be the same again.
He ended the communication abruptly, the projection ended without a farewell, leaving him speechless on the other end. No goodbyes, no gestures of departure. Just an abrupt end to their conversation. He already knew it would be futile at that point.
He stepped out of the quarters, desperate for some fresh air. As he wandered, he heard a sound that made him stop in his tracks. Looking up, he saw two black birds squawking atop the banner of the imperial army.
He was disturbed by the sight, knowing all too well the ominous meaning behind it. Despite his unease, he tried to ignore the squawking and continued on his way, though he noticed the presence of the birds visibly disturbing some guards nearby.
Unable to shake the feeling of foreboding, he couldn’t help but think about the significance of the ominous sighting. He had only seen these particular birds two or three times in his lifetime.
One of those times was during his last days with his beloved Azaria.
Taking a deep breath, he made a decision. He would pay her tomb a visit, something he hadn’t done in hundreds of years. Perhaps then he could finally pay her the respects she deserved. Deep within the forest, she grew to love.
Deep within the heart of the La’Sarien Forest, where the ancient trees formed a dense canopy, sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick foliage. The forest was alive with the sounds of nature; leaves rustled beneath the cloaked figure’s footsteps, and the air was filled with the soft chirping of birds and the distant cries of capris roaming the forest floor.
In this secluded and mystical place, hidden from the prying eyes of the Sulinhawis, lay a tomb made of unrefined stone. It was a solemn structure, its rough-hewn exterior blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings. The only indication of its purpose was the insignia of the once proud race of men, barely visible amidst the moss and vines that covered its surface.
The tomb was well-hidden, its location known only to a select few. Even for the shadowy figure making its way through the forest at that moment. Finding the tomb presented a challenge. But the figure was aided by magic, and soon stumbled upon a small clearing where the tomb lay, disguised as a mere cave amidst the trees.
Glancing around for any signs of guards, the cloaked figure found the area deserted. The tomb stood unguarded, its entrance invitingly open. With a silent command, the figure surrounded itself with maroonish-pink orbs of magic, their ethereal glow illuminating the clearing. With a final glance at the tomb, the figure teleported away, disappearing into the depths of the forest, much like Everess had done before.
End of Chapter XXII