CHAPTER SEVEN
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Alaric Sampson
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15th of Decepter, 935 PC
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All they’d seen for miles was the blanket of dead grass and dry dirt that covered the middle third of Resk. The vast majority of the tall, swaying grass that made the Merusk Plains something to behold most of the year had died months before, leaving only a few beaten down survivors to endure the lower temperatures of winter. The round tops of distant hills looked like large turtles that had gotten a late start on their journey south. Alaric and the others had chosen a dense group of white fir to make camp under several hours before. Now, they sat as a group in the minimal light provided by Jameson’s fire, together but divided by clear lines of interest.
Elgar and Jameson sat on the rocks they’d found, passing a smoke stick and a bottle of wine back and forth as they chuckled at stories from their past. Most of which involved alcohol, whores, and mistakes. Neither truly deserved such a good friendship but Alaric was glad someone could stand being around his brother for more than a few minutes. Upon first glance it may seem as though it was the similarities the men shared that made them friends, but Alaric knew it was their differences that bound them tight. Jameson was a pitiful fool that could barely function without someone barking orders at him and Elgar loved bossing people around.
“How much farther to the inn? Therrin asked as he slipped his hand into Alaric’s tunic.
Alaric closed his eyes and let his head rest against the tree. “Should only be a day or two.”
The healer’s magic crept across his skin like sap trickling down a tree until it seeped into his body, aiding the tissue and muscle fibers around his scars. The mind-numbing thumping subsided slowly until he was able to sink into rare relaxation.
“I can’t wait to get there. I’m tired of cheese,” Therrin said.
There were a few moments when all Alaric could do was sit in silence and enjoy the relief he was being given, but eventually, he said, “There will be plenty to eat at The Hawk’s Nest.”
“I hope,” Therrin said as he removed his hand, as well as the warmth of his magical touch. He frowned like a boy with much fewer years to his name. “I haven’t adjusted to all this yet. Back home I could eat anything I wanted whenever I wanted to.”
Alaric opened his eyes and let his own magic return to tending to his wound, holding himself together like a virgin keeping her legs closed – wouldn’t want to waste the magic inside. It had taken him time to adjust to the harsh realities of falling from grace as well. In many ways, he was still struggling to live a lifestyle meant for the unextraordinary. Before his life had been turned upside down, he’d slept on the ground exactly once in his entire life and that was when he’d decided to give it a go in case he was missing something. He hadn’t even made it through the entire night; got on his horse and rode home because there’d been too many bugs. “Give it time. You’ll come to cherish anything you can put in your mouth,” Alaric said, watching Diedro tend to Mrs. Cowen.
Against his better judgment, Alaric had let the mercenary deliver the old woman to safety. Tripelthin would never let him hear the end of it if he ever found out, but Diedro had done a number on him with his words of wisdom. Sure, delivering Mrs. Cowen to safety hardly changed the world but after years of doing things he wasn’t proud of, it felt like a much larger good deed than it probably was.
Diedro covered his charity case with a blanket and handed her a warm cup of water. The Crimson Nine had done similar work on several occasions during that time of Alaric’s life. And for much worse people. Some he’d used his magic on to teach them how to appreciate generosity. Mrs. Cowen was smiling at her knight in shining armor like he was a grandson she hadn’t seen in years. No one can spend time with The Hounds of Haldar and come out a better man. It has to be a lie. An act to hide the terrible things he has done and will do again. Diedro said something too quiet to hear and the old woman smiled as if it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. If it is an act, it’s a damn good one.
Alaric had started this resistance group close to five years before and since that time all he’d done was spiral further down a path of corruption and decay. It’s not like he didn’t recognize it, there was simply no other way to go about doing what he wished to do. His new life was a far cry from when he’d been the voice that fought corruption and stood for better policies and proper conduct. What a task it had been to stowaway his morals. Tripelthin had helped with that immensely. That man viewed moral dilemmas as little more than something that hindered progress. He made his decisions quickly and didn’t change his mind.
Maddy sat on the ground beside Alaric, legs crossed, elbows on his thighs. His chin rested in his palms. No words, like always, only an intense curiosity. There was something in his eyes that made it clear he knew more about the world’s mysteries than the average child with eleven years to their name. As badly as Alaric wanted to see Maddy’s magic in action, he couldn’t bring himself to risk using any of it on a silly experiment. If the boy happened to empty himself out before he obtained the information Alaric needed, defeating Iris would be nearly impossible. Of course, Alaric wouldn’t have to live with that reality for long, death had been lurking over his shoulder like an impatient child for years, scratching at his chest with its greedy little fingernails. At that point, he’d have no choice but to wander off with the persistent cunt.
“Are you enjoying our adventure?” Alaric asked. Maddy shrugged. “You’re a lucky boy, you know that.” Maddy didn’t respond in any way this time. “You get to see the western half of the empire soon.” That brought a smile to the boy’s face. Everyone knew of the beautiful beaches and breath-taking mountains of western Thandlecor. “Ah. You like that idea, do you?” Maddy foolish youth nodded. Tevron was home to incredible sights but also the Lotus Queen’s floating castle. Needless to say, Purists didn’t travel to Tevron often, only fled from there as soon as they could. “Well, I’m sure you’ll have quite the story to tell your own children someday.”
Suddenly, the first tremors of flapping wings in the distance rolled across the plains. Maddy’s eyes widened first but he wasn’t the only one to react. They all knew what the sound meant, what came with it. It would take a hefty group of Lotus to pose any real threat against five skilled Purists but that’s exactly what the false mages were capable of these days. Iris and her alchemists had turned fleets of brigantines meant for the high seas into winged masterpieces with the firepower of a dragon. Luckily, they were just as loud and noticeable as the mythical beasts as well, diminishing the value of the flying ships to nothing more than fancy transportation in most cases. But transport, they did, moving whole companies of Lotus across the empire at a fraction of the time it would take to march as far.
Diedro poured water on the fire and stamped out any leftover embers.
“Just stay quiet,” Alaric told everyone. “They’re probably not even heading toward us.” Still, they all made sure to find cover beneath branches as they listened to the worrisome swish of the canvas wings.
They stayed like that for several minutes, watching the shadowy outline of the ship crawl across the face of the moon, until it was clear the cloudcruiser was heading away from them.
“I don’t understand why she wants us dead,” Therrin said. His voice was steady but his eyes showed his painful hope. He had once claimed he wasn’t sure if his parents had escaped the Lotus ambush on their house but the way he’d said it expressed his doubt. He sat down, pulling his bag close and taking out his wheel of cheese. Comfort food. Maddy crawled close to him, expecting to be fed.
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Alaric gingerly made his way to the ground again, leaning against the same tree as the healer. “It’s simple. Iris is evil,” Alaric said. “Refined to the absolute purest form.” His chest always ached a bit more when he talked about the woman.
“How does someone like that become a leader of so many people?” Therrin asked.
Alaric had given this exact question plenty of thought over the years. And not just with Iris. He’d seen terrible men and women come to power all across the empire, each finding a way to commit even more horrific atrocities than the ones before them. He gave the boy the only answer he’d ever come up with. “A lot of people are just waiting for someone to say what they’re thinking. And, perhaps you’re too young to realize this, but what people are thinking is often quite horrible.” He shrugged. “Once those gates are open, people rush through.”
“Don’t others see it coming? Mum always saw right through every lie Corbin and I told.”
“Of course, but hatred and jealousy can be a much stronger motivator than morals when given a chance,” Alaric said. Therrin’s silence expressed his confusion. “If Purists had the upper hand in this war, the commoners would be siding with us. Most of them would claim it was the morally correct thing to do but in reality, they’d simply be hiding their hatred for us until there was a better chance to betray us. Iris offered them that opportunity and whether we like it or not, she’s done a damn good job of holding up her end of the bargain.”
Therrin nodded his head as if giving Alaric’s words careful consideration. “Did you think of that on your own?”
“I did. But I wouldn’t call it an achievement. Anyone who stares at bad art long enough will eventually uncover its meaning.”
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These were no Cloudcruisers. These ships were quick and nimble, crossing the sky in deadly silence. They were on them before Alaric could warn the others. Purple streaks of lotus magic rained down on them from holes in the bottom of the ships, making the forest a spectacle of lights.
“Up! Get Up! Quickly!” Alaric screamed as the world around him exploded in bright fury. Branches snapped and tore. Dirt erupted like water from a geyser. An electric crackle filled his ears.
Diedro was first to his feet, ready to cut down anything in his path. Only there was nothing any of them could do. The ships hovered over them, two of them, perfectly still, defying everything Alaric knew about gravity. Diedro rolled away as two blasts pulverized the earth on either side of him. Elgar and Jameson each had their bows out, kneeling next to trees, releasing only a few arrows before conceding the Lotus were too high to hit.
A few horses were squealing in fear, stomping desperately to escape the frightening ambush; Hans most of all. The others were already dead. Lotus deserved little credit for their military might but that which they did was given to their tactics. They would strand as many of their prey as they could before coming after them on the ground.
A bright flash illuminated Maddy’s terrified face. His arms were wrapped around Therrin’s waist so tight the healer could barely move.
“Diedro!” Alaric yelled, flagging the elusive soldier to him.
A combination of blasts hit the middle of their campsite all at once, sending dirt and flames in every direction. Pain shot through Alaric’s tailbone and back as he hit the ground hard and rolled several feet. Then Diedro was there, hand extended. He didn’t bother with it, he simply shouted, “Protect the boy!” Another flash of light forced Alaric to shield his eyes. When he looked again, Diedro was lifting Maddy into his arms and rushing toward the trees.
A portion of the massive fir fell straight toward Elgar as a purple streak tore the tree apart at its base. He sidestepped the thick of it with ease but was buried by a wall of branches.
Alaric was climbing to his hands and knees as more trees were blown to pieces. Splinters shot toward him like aimless arrows. He dropped to the ground in agony as one lodged itself in his calf, another in his thigh. “Therrin! Therrin, help!” He looked around in a panic, thanking The Creator when he spotted the healer rushing toward him, footsteps drowned out by the chaos around them.
Therrin rolled Alaric onto his back and was just about to pull the pieces of tree out of his leg, when Jameson screamed. “Alaric! There!”
Ropes were falling through the air as the ships dropped closer to the trees. At the ends were wooden circles, kept on the ropes by large knots beneath them. Lotus were piling over the sides of the ships now, sliding down to the platforms, coming to capture them – a dangerous task, no doubt, but every Purist was worth more to Iris alive than dead. These men may have been able to take a lesser enemy, but it was a fatal mistake in Alaric’s presence. All he needed was eyes on his targets to overwhelm a battlefield. You should have stayed on your ships, you fools.
He let out an angry growl, determined to ignore the pain all throughout his body. He pushed Therrin’s hands away and reached into the air, palm open, magic pouring from his soul. A clenched fist seized half a dozen Lotus within his magical grip. He could sense every fiber of their beings as they stood frozen on their platforms. A terror pulsed through that would have paralyzed them if his magic had not. Slowly, he pried their fingers from the ropes. Those Lotus still with control of their bodies threw everything they could at the ground, bringing the explosions closer to him but he held his ground. One by one his victims plummeted toward the cold, hard ground, flailing wildly as they fell.
It was the Lotus that were screaming now as they realized what was lurking in the trees below them.
One begged for help as he tried to climb the rope.
Before their desperate pleading could reach their comrades, Alaric ripped from their platforms and dropped them to their death.
There were a few fleeting moments when the Lotus ships remained still, considering whether to continue the assault. Then, they took off, abandoning their mission, fleeing north toward safer skies.
Alaric fell to his back in pain and exhaustion. The only sounds now were a strong wind and the scratching of branches as Jameson tried to remove Elgar from his branchy coffin. All kinds of dread filled Alaric while laid there staring at the blanket of black in the sky. Is Elgar alive? How much did I use? He hadn’t used that much of his precious magic in years. Not all at once anyway. How much closer am I to death? Then, the worst thought of all. The boy? Where is the boy? He tried to sit up but a hand caught his shoulder.
“Stay still, you’re hurt,” Therrin said.
“The boy, where’s the bloody boy?” No response, Therrin’s hands were already coaxing the huge splinters out of Alaric’s leg. “The boy Therrin, is he alright?”
Therrin looked at him, eyes on the verge of tears. “I don’t know, sir.” Now, he realized the healer hadn’t answered to preserve the kind of dignity that lives in those unwilling to shed a tear in front of others.
Therrin pressed down on Alaric’s knee as he gripped the smaller piece of wood in his calf. It slurped like a tactless fool as it slid out of his burning muscles. Therrin’s tan hands turned crimson.
Alaric gritted his teeth and groaned.
The wood tumbled toward the fire Jameson was supposed to put out if anything approached. Alaric had been on his way to extinguish it and scold the idiot when the Lotus attacked.
Therrin’s head shot up quickly at sounds coming out of the trees. Alaric’s hand extended toward the intruder but relaxed and fell to the ground as he looked at Diedro standing behind a still petrified Maddy. Mrs. Cowen’s hands were wrapped around Diedro's arm.
Alaric let his head rest in the dirt as he stared at his prized possession.
Suddenly, magical warmth wrapped Alaric’s calf up like a baby. Before he knew it, Therrin was onto his thigh. “It’s all the way through, sir.”
“On with it,” Alaric said. “Quickly.”
“Therrin, Elgar needs ya!” Jameson yelled from the fallen tree.
The obedient youth looked at Alaric, questioning what he should do. Alaric was in pain, that was undeniable, but he was used to pain, he could deal with an influx of it for a few minutes if it meant saving his brother. A flick of his finger sent the healer rushing toward Elgar.