Chapter 32
The voice of Fire
Draconic Kingdom
"Come, ladies and gentlemen! The show is about to begin! We hope you have come prepared, because what you are going to witness today is not just entertainment like the ones you are used to, but an experience more unique than rare!"
The auctioneer's voice rang out like a clang of bells in the silence of the desert.
Gazef watched the crowd huddle in the middle of the square. The cackling cries of children begging their parents to hurry so as not to let the best seats slip away mingled with the sweet whispers of love from young couples trying to seclude themselves in that sea of onlookers.
The horse on which he was riding stopped, trying to make room for himself in that messy throng. The chaos did not bother the rider, who considered that explosion of life a refreshing respite from the depressing atmosphere to which he had been accustomed on his journey.
"Things here in Kami-Yth are going better than I expected," his voice was raised to be heard by the people in the carriage he was escorting. "It almost seems as if the war never touched these areas of the kingdom."
"It is comforting to see my people enjoying themselves after so long," Queen Draudillon Oriculus replied from inside the cabin. "Now that our conflict with the Beastmen is at a standstill, I hope that soon all the other cities will be able to follow this one's example."
"Captain, do you think we were right to come to this place?" Iovino, who was riding to his right, asked.
Gazef pulled on the animal's reins, signaling for it to stop. "It has been months now since the demi-humans have attacked and the territory of the Draconic Kingdom has almost returned to its original features," he said. A cold wind chilled his bones. "And now that winter has set in, hostilities will probably wait until spring to resume."
'Only, it's a pity we don't see snow around here,' reflected the former mercenary. For someone like him who had always been accustomed to the warm climates of the south, seeing cities piling up with whiteness was always a dazzling sight. 'But after all, this is mostly a port overlooking the sea. There will be other opportunities on this trip.'
The marine air penetrated his lungs. The smell of saltiness grew in intensity as the lapping of the waves on the nearby beach became more pronounced.
"I heard the Black Scriptures have retreated," his second murmured under his breath, so as not to be heard. "I would have liked to see them up close. But I suppose that's a privilege reserved for a select few. Too bad."
"I can see where your disappointment comes from. I, too, would have liked to meet great heroes. It would have been a great opportunity to hone my swordsmanship," what military strategies and martial arts did that unit shrouded in mystery use? Just thinking about it made the Theocracy captain's blood boil in excitement. "But once we arrive in the Empire, I'm sure there will be no shortage of champions to meet."
"Why do you think the Queen specifically asked us to accompany her?" It was the common practice that at events such as the ball organized by the emperor the nobility was accompanied by knights who were ready to defend their honor should the need arise. "Don't you think the Holy Knight was a more appropriate choice? He is the native of this nation, not us."
Gazef could only hazard a guess. "I think that's precisely why Queen Draudillon preferred to leave Cerebrate and his group to guard the border. If, Gods forbid, the battle were to begin again the citizens would feel safer with him protecting them," thinking back to the look filled with envy with which the Crystal Tear leader had looked at him when the Queen had externalized her decision made a small pang of guilt arise in the former mercenary.
Nevertheless, he still could not silence the satisfaction of his heart in having received the confidence of such an extraordinary person as the ruler of the Draconic Kingdom. "Our responsibility is to make sure that we don't embarrass the Queen and make her regret her choice."
Normally, Gazef would have felt his heart be prey to a strong sense of inferiority. The possibility that he was not living up to the imposed expectations, that he was just an impostor who had stolen the place from those who deserved it more than him. Yet, this time, he had decided to silence the voices he felt drowned him out, to make room for a new self.
Wasn't that what numerous legends held in common? Death and rebirth. If he had died in Gelone's fortress, it was time to be reborn as someone more worthy of the Gods.
The small convoy stopped at an elevated lay-by, where a small stage had been set up especially for them. The Queen's passage through town had been seen as an event to be celebrated. A sign that new, more prosperous times were coming.
After the heavy rain, the serene azure of the sky had never seemed more vivid.
"Please let me help you, Your Highness," Gazef held out his hand to the Queen to make it easier for her to get out of the carriage. The splendid, but complicated in its gingerly trimmed, black satin gown she wore, he reflected, must not have made her movements very agile. "I would not want your splendor to be marred by a bad fall."
Draudillon held back a laugh. "How gallant, Messer Stronoff," the woman had assumed her adult form, believing a child-like appearance would have been inappropriate to meet her peers. Much more suited to a personality as charming and compassionate as hers Gazef believed. "Allow me to accept your proposal, then."
The warrior's calloused hands brushed against the queen's soft, delicate ones. "Don't worry, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Knowing that there is a valiant knight by my side only makes me feel protected," as if she could read from his expression what he was thinking, Draudillon dispelled with simple words the concern Gazef felt. "I am not as weak as my appearance might suggest."
"I never thought, even for a moment, that you were weak, Your Highness," the Slaine captain told sincerely, escorting her to the seat that had been set up for their group. "He who makes others' suffering his own is the one who is most endowed with a valiant soul. And, I apologize if mine may seem the crude utterances of an ignorant villager, there are very few rulers who love the people as you do. At least, according to my limited experience."
Draudillon's eyes widened in surprise. "You have nothing to apologize for, Sir. Stronoff," azure gems in which the heavenly sky could be seen glittered with candid thankfulness. "I only follow the teachings that my predecessors left me. I am only a mere student who just opened school books for the first time compared to those who made this nation great. Compared to him."
"If placed on the shoulders of a giant, even the dwarf can see the horizon unfold to his gaze," Gazef recalled an analogy he had been told long ago, when he was still serving as a mercenary in the southern kingdoms. "We must not compare ourselves to our predecessors, for we run the risk of letting their shadows cloud our vision. Instead, we must preserve what they left us as a precious gift. Just as a loving father wants his son to reach heights that were precluded to him, those who came before us desire more than anything that their names be tarnished by their successors."
"I did not know you were so philosophical, Sir Stronoff," the Queen's scent deepened now that they were so close. It was reminiscent of a field of newly blooming violets. Not bad at all. "But I have to admit that this part of you doesn't displease me."
"I merely shared a small piece of wisdom that was in turn shared with this fool in the past," he said, as he assisted her to sit on the small throne that had been set up especially for her. Gazef remained standing, ever snappy, keeping watch. "Someone dear to me gave me the gift of telling me these words long ago, when I was still unsure of my path. The only way to compensate him for his kindness is to use them in my turn, in the hope that one day they will succeed in helping someone else."
Even if that debt was never repaid, the man would never stop from trying.
"You really need to tell me more about your past, Sir. Stronoff," the Queen's expression lit up with curiosity. "There will be no shortage of time on our journey. Besides, we know so little about the human kingdoms in the south, I wonder how much they have to teach us."
Gazef believed that very few things would be as dull as his personal history. Before coming to the Theocracy, and finding a new meaning in serving the weak, his life had been just a spear sold to the highest bidder. Certainly nothing that could have stimulated the interest of someone as sophisticated as Queen Oriculus.
"Chief, everything is ready," Iovino distracted him from his thoughts, whispering in his ear. "Our men are in position. The show can begin."
Obviously, they had not taken the Queen's visit lightly, even though they were still within the borders of the Draconic Kingdom.
In addition to the Queen's Jade Guard and the men of his company, Gazef had managed to convince, not without little difficulty, Captain Nigun to provide him with some of his men as personal magic guards of the Queen. The Sunlight Scriptures were now mixed in the crowd, ready to intervene at any time.
"Your Highness, it is an honor to have you in our city," a mature-looking man approached them with fast steps. One could in no way have called him old, his dark hair still glistening with color and his skin devoid of blemishes, but it had certainly been many moons since he was still a young boy. "Today Kami-Yth shines, thanks to the arrival of two outstanding women."
"It must be Duke Hisham," Iovino speculated. The expensive robes the lord wore were proof enough of his position. "I hear he is one of the most powerful men in the whole kingdom," the second added. "In terms of wealth, he is perhaps in first place."
Gazef did not know what idea to form about the noble, but the Queen's relaxed expression suggested that relations between them were at least cordial. He remained alert, however, just in case.
"The honor is all mine, dear cousin. I see that your work with this city has been impeccable. I have not seen my subjects so happy in a long time," Draudillon offered a hand that was promptly kissed by the duke. "For that, you have my heartfelt gratitude."
"Oh, it was only possible because this city is so grand that it is as if it governed itself," the duke's humility was all too ostentatious, Gazef noted. But it was also true that thanks to its location on the sea and proximity to the Theocracy, Kami-Yth was one of the Draconic Kingdom's central hubs of trade. Now that hostilities with the Beastmen seemed to be over it must have seen a resurgence of former prosperity. "I have certainly been fortunate, unlike many other nobles."
From the tone used Duke Hisham's words gave the impression that something else lurked beneath them, but the captain played dumb. Instead, he placed his attention on the woman who had come to the center of the stage.
"Is she the famous Lady of Tales?" Draudillon asked, attempting to observe her as best she could from her position. "I expected someone less...ordinary."
'Indeed, maybe it's the distance, but she looks just like hundreds of villagers we met on the trip.' Gazef reflected, trying not to let his disappointment show.
"That's what makes it so special," the city lord smoothed the thick handlebar mustache he wore on his face like a badge of honor. "The main course is her art. There are no eccentricities or other unnecessary frills to distract from what she offers. An out-of-the-ordinary experience. Very fortunate that she decided to delight us with her presence. Usually, weeks pass between her performances. And no one can ever know for sure where she actually is. As if she is teleporting all over the kingdom and who knows where else. Your Majesty, I'm sure you will be left speechless!"
"I certainly hope so," a faint sigh escaped the Queen's lips, fatigue that was expelled like nasty germs. "I can't even remember the last time I could turn off my brain to enjoy a show in peace anymore."
An expectation the Theocracy captain wholeheartedly agreed with. Taking part in something out of the ordinary would surely ease the burden on his soldiers' hearts.
The Lady of Tales took her place in the center of the stage.
"Thank you for coming," her soothingly powerful voice echoed like a bolt of lightning in the surrounding area. It was ancient and deep, a reminder of a time now lost. "I know there is a very special guest among us today," irises shining like enchanted rainbows rested on Queen Draudillon. "For that very reason, today I will tell you a story unlike any other. A story that goes back to the time when deities of all kinds still walked among us. I hope you will appreciate it."
The crowd's ode was a sign that it was ready to listen.
She began to speak.
A long time ago, the Golden Palace stood in the center of the Continent, in the land of Kalian. It rose up to the heights of the heavens, almost as if to challenge the gods themselves with its power. Such was its splendor that all who gazed upon it remained even hours standing still admiring it, captivated by its perfect forms and the mazes of its symmetries.
Gazef began to feel strange. It was as if the palace itself now appeared before his eyes, and he was one of those passersby who stopped to look at it in complete wonder. The Lady of Tales' mellifluous words, sweeter than the best of honeys, were his only anchor that allowed him to distinguish reality from the dream.
Yet, he did not feel uncomfortable by the situation. It was... beautiful.
Like hearing your soul singing only for you.
The story continued.
Lord of the Palace was Morning. Few were as wise and far-sighted as he. Under his leadership, the kingdom prospered as never before. His appearance a masterpiece symbolizing the artistry of nature itself. The Gods themselves came to him, seeking counsel. Friends adored him, enemies feared him. His subjects paid him as many honors as they could.
Gazef's perspective shifted.
He was now in a body that was not his own, in a throne room whose light was dazzling.
"We give our greetings to the lord of all things!" The echoes of worship rose upward, hoping to be heard. "Such is his glory, that we mortals can only prostrate ourselves before him!"
His heart remained unmoved by those words. It was not because he did not recognize how sincere they were, but simply could not appease that emptiness in his chest.
He had everything, but felt nothing.
Despite the fact that Morning had his every possible desire fulfilled, nothing could satisfy him. The most charming women, riches beyond imagination, exquisite foods, were only pastimes that made him momentarily forget how he actually felt.
To no one he ever confided what he was experiencing, for fear that without him those who followed his guidance would end up lost. And so, the days passed, until Morning decided to take a walk in the beautiful garden of his mansion.
Alone.
He was alone.
There was no one else with him. But this caused him no displeasure.
He kept wandering, aimlessly. Every now and then he stopped to taste one of the delicious fruits growing on the trees.
The peace of that enchanted valley seemed to soothe the sighs of his heart.
A melodious song caught his attention. Thinking it was a nightingale displaying its art in search of spectators, Gazef headed in the direction from which that sound came.
And such was his surprise when he saw the author of that melody.
A woman with long black hair stopped her music as she looked at him with beautiful dark eyes.
Gazef returned the gaze with even more intensity.
They both remained like that, motionless, staring at each other in total silence. Hours passed, then days and eventually weeks went by. Forgetting everything. Of eating, sleeping, and even living.
"Who are you?" The woman finally asked.
"My name is Morning," Gazef replied, still spellbound. "May I know yours?"
"I am Night," and the king's void was filled. "But now I must go. Too long I avoided my duties."
"Will I be able to see you again?" The thought of not being able to lay eyes on her one more time drove him mad.
"Impossible," his hopes were shattered like glass. "I am not of this world."
"Where are you from?" No matter how far away, Gazef would have done anything to reunite with her.
"From up there," she said, pointing to the sky. "I have been absent far too long; I must return to my sisters Stars."
"We will meet again," Gazef promised the woman. In all those years, never had he offered a more sacred oath. "Will you wait for me?"
She hesitated. But finally, she uttered only one word. "Yes."
Then Night vanished, to return to the place from whence she had come.
When Morning realized what had happened, he returned as quickly as he could to his palace. Ignoring questions from officials who wanted to know where he had been all that time, a large expedition was prepared to find the object of his new love.
From east to west, north to south, every corner of this world was explored. That was the first time that maps began to be drawn in order to be able to find the way in the most inaccessible places. Nevertheless, it was all in vain. Only one option remained for the king.
"I will ask for help from the Gods, who so many times have sought it from me!"
Gazef then went to the palace of the Gods, the way to access it having been revealed to him many years before in secret.
When he arrived there, he realized how arrogant he had been. The Golden Palace by comparison with the abode of the Masters of the world was just an infant trying to imitate its parent.
When he entered, the servants recognized the dear friend of their masters and invited him in, waiting for one of the lords of that place to receive him.
It was the Fire God who welcomed him.
What Gazef saw was only a vivid flame, burning with more intensity than a million suns, but from which came a friendly voice full of respect.
"My dear friend Morning, we know why you are here," the deity told him. "And it pains us to have to tell you that it is not possible for you to be reunited with your beloved."
Being pierced by a million swords would have been less agonizing.
"Why do you say that?"
"We have already once glossed over Night's absence because of our deep friendship with you," the Fire God began to explain in a tone as calm as possible. "But we cannot allow it to happen again. Without her, it is impossible to determine the passage of time. She inspires poets, conciliates sleep and shows the way to the stars. Countless are the tasks entrusted to her."
Despair gripped Gazef's heart.
"Is there really nothing I can do?" Without Night, life was not worth living. Gazef had known happiness and now the mere idea of returning to that empty emotionless past seemed more horrible than everything he could imagine. "No matter what! Just say it and I'll do it!"
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The flame continued to burn, but his silence was evidence that he was weighing the whole issue.
"A chance would be there," he finally uttered. Despair was chased away from hope. "'Be careful! What is asked of you is a great sacrifice, such as has never been seen before. Everything you have, everything you are will have to be forsaken. Are you prepared in any case?"
The answer was one.
"Without her, I am nothing. If you ask me to give up everything, I would never hesitate at any time, under any conditions. Riches are worthless if they cannot be shared with her. Food loses flavor if I cannot enjoy it with her. Why go on living, if I cannot grow old with her?"
"Then are you ready?"
"As I never have been before now!"
"Your wish is granted!"
The Fire God took Morning and placed him in the heavenly vault. If Night marked the end of the day, he would instead announce the beginning of a new one. They continued to being separate except at the moment when Night would retire after fulfilling her duty and Morning would prepare to begin his.
Every day, until the end of all life, they would meet in that small span of time, to love each other as few have ever loved another before them. The moment when the two could crown their dream of happiness took the name of dawn. No matter how far along Night might be, Morning would always return to her.
"Truly amazing!" Duke Hashim's astonishment-filled words brought Gazef back to his senses. "I had never experienced anything like this before!"
The Slaine captain looked around, praying that while his mind was clouded nothing too serious had happened.
He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that, except for the startling silence, nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened.
No, something unusual was there.
"Your Highness, why are you crying?" From the Queen's eyes small tears began to fall, resembling precious crystals. "Has something happened?"
"No, nothing to worry about," she reassured him, as one of the ladies-in-waiting handed her a handkerchief to dry herself. "It's just that every time I heard the Lady of Tales' voice I began to be filled with a strange nostalgia. There was something vaguely familiar about it, as if I had heard it before and my mind associated it with sweet memories. A lullaby. Yeah, a lullaby that I have already heard somewhere. But no matter how hard I try, I can't remember."
Gazef could not help but think that despite her flushed face she still maintained the dignity of a strong and proud woman. "You must think me a fool, Sir. Stronoff," she drank a glass of water to calm herself. "It's just that it was so ... intense."
"I could never think of such a thing. Even I, in all honesty, was caught in emotion more than once during this ... unusual adventure," and, to tell the truth, he still was shaken. How had that great collective illusion been possible? No, it had been more than an illusion. He had really become, for that brief period, the protagonist of the story.
What Morning experienced, Gazef experienced. What Morning felt, Gazef felt. At the end of the tale Morning's happiness had been his happiness. "My opinion of you has not changed one iota."
"Thank you, Sir Stronoff," she replied sincerely. "You really know how to talk to a woman."
"No, on the contrary," his cheeks turned red with embarrassment. Still, doubt was lingering in the back of his mind. "More than once I was reprimanded for my outspokenness," Draudillon chuckled softly, as to imply 'I can't believe this at all!'.
"Though I wonder what kind of magic was used. I can't call myself an expert, but no spell that would accomplish this result can be found in my memories."
"I think I have an idea," she thought aloud, intent on collecting her assumptions. "But it's just a guess at the moment."
"Dear cousin, is there anything I can do for you?" The duke interjected himself into their conversation, visually concerned for his sovereign. "Seeing you in this state was a blow to the heart."
"You have nothing to reproach yourself for. I am the one who should apologize for the inconvenience caused," Draudillon lowered her head in apology, provoking the quick reaction of the family member who tried hard to dissuade the Queen from making that inappropriate gesture. "Only, if it is possible, I would like to meet with our fantastic artist personally."
"Oh, I'm sorry," it was now the man's turn to try to apologize with various sallies that were nipped in the bud by the Queen. Funny how much time nobles wasted on silly labels. "When her manager," he said, pointing to the man who had assembled the crowd, "informed us that the Lady of Tales wanted to perform for the visiting Queen he also specified that her mistress would leave immediately after the performance. This clause could not be negotiated."
Indeed, the Lady of Tales had disappeared before someone could even approach her. As if she never had been in that place.
"Oh, what a pity," a pity indeed. It would have been interesting to have had a more in-depth conversation with that woman. "I didn't think I would be so impressed by all this."
People began to retreat to their homes, talking softly among themselves, as if they were aware that the noise would break the magic that had been created. In the warmth of their hearth, perhaps they would continue to dream as they were now.
"I feel strange, captain," Iovino scratched his beard in thought. "My body is in perfect condition, indeed invigorated as it has ever been," his second felt his muscles, being amazed at their vigor. "Yet, I can't best explain it, it's as if part of me is now gone. Like losing something important that I didn't even know I had."
Gazef understood what his friend was feeling. A strong sense of bewilderment had taken hold of him ever since everything had returned to normal.
Incomplete. That word fit his situation like a glove.
But at the same time never had he been aware of himself like he was in that moment.
"It must just be suggestions," he speculated. In any case, it would have been best to remain sharply alert. The reasoning that saw men like him only as unwilling tools did not belong to the hardened warrior. On the contrary, it was desirable for people in his position to be equipped with the initiative to carry out their tasks to the best of their ability. "Now let's help the Queen. We still have a lot of work to do today."
Slaine's captain helped Queen Draudillon get up, receiving a smile as a token of gratitude.
"Our next destination is the duke's mansion," Draudillon strove to maintain perfect calm, but Gazef glimpsed the crackles in her mask. Out of respect for her, however, he pretended nothing out of the ordinary was happening. "I am sorry that you are struggling so hard for me today."
"None of this is hard work for me and my men," he said, helping her into the carriage. "You order, we execute."
"I was lucky to meet an honest knight like you, Sir Stronoff."
"And I have been fortunate to serve someone as outstanding as you, Queen Draudillon."
Gazef waved to the woman as the doors of the cabin closed.
Silksuntecks
When returning to a familiar place, there is always a fear that dwells within you.
That everything has changed, that your memories are now just mere fantasies that are no longer matched by reality.
Antilene and her retinue traveled along a small secret road that connected the heart of the capital of the Slaine Theocracy with the sacred citadel within it, where the Cathedrals dedicated to the Gods were located, in the dead of night. They left with the Cardinals just a few moments ago.
How many times had she walked those dirt roads? Could someone remember a number so high?
There were no differences from what her mind recalled, yet everything looked so alien. As if she had been away from those places for centuries, not weeks, and it was no longer possible to recognize them except through faded impressions.
Because, in the end, she was the only one who had changed.
Everything else had remained the same.
"So these are the famous Cathedrals of the Theocracy," Etienne said, analyzing every smallest detail of the buildings before him. "Truly marvelous! Now I understand why the splendor of this city has become synonymous with magnificence!" The butler was enraptured by the beauty of the architectural works, and reluctantly admitted the difference with what he had been used to seeing in Crescent Lake.
"Growing up in a fine place like this, no wonder Lady Antilene has become such an exceptional person!" Melody exclaimed aloud. The maid had tried to follow her mistress's instructions during the trip and avoid overly exaggerated displays of adoration. She could not always follow orders, to Antilene's chagrin. "I wonder what magnificent royal suite she grew up in!"
'Prepare to be disappointed," thought Antilene. Her apartament was certainly more furnished than average, but it remained modest when compared with the extravagance of the classic lodgings of the nobility. Hell, her father's private rooms were far more luxurious than anywhere she had ever been.
"Is something bothering you?" Agravaine asked her, as they walked through the door. The two servants followed the two women at a moderate distance, carrying their luggage. "You've been quiet the whole trip."
"I was just thinking that when I was at Crescent Lake for the first time, I admired its beauty in amazement. And now those two," she pointed to Etienne and Melody behind her who couldn't stop commenting on every little detail of the corridors they walked, "are doing the same with the Theocracy. I found it funny, that's all."
"I see. I guess it must be amusing to see our reactions," Agravaine moved her gaze from one point to another, moving from the large ornate stained-glass windows, the chandeliers casting a suffused light down to the concrete floor, scrutinizing every shadow, every crevice; fear that something might strike her from the darkness any moment evident on her face. "This place is quieter than usual. When I think that the same men I once hid from might lurk within these walls, I don't know what to think. I certainly never thought I would come to this place. Not as a free woman."
"There will only be a few followers left in the common rooms by now," Antilene explained listlessly, absentmindedly noticing the unease on her sister's face. "You have nothing to worry about. Except for a few initiates in the common rooms, usually not many people pass through here. Why?" She lifted her thumb in a display of pride. "Because the place is under my watch!"Etienne and Melody began to applaud, but her sister remained impassive. Two out of three was not a bad result. "And I am sure the Cardinals will have arranged everything so that no one disturbs us."
Indeed, in all the years she had been there, Antilene had never even seen someone who looked like an intruder.
"Thank you," smoothing her hair to calm herself, Agravaine eased back. "That means a lot."
Unlike the elf, both Etienne and Melody had found no time to get preoccupied, too busy recording as many small details as they could. The half-elf did not understand what was so special about that place. Had she perhaps lost her sense of wonder? Or had it never been there in the first place?
"We have arrived," she walked slowly through the door to her room, finding the squeak the door made at her touch annoying. "I will sleep here. For the three of you there are some adjoining chambers. Please choose whichever one you prefer." The corridor where the half-elf's small flat was located was part of a complex of modest dwellings, but more than enough to provide adequate accommodation. Although in all those years no one other than her had used it for more than a few hours.
"May we then see the place where the Kingslayer grew up?" Melody's eyes began to glow with intense, almost yearning, desire. Like an adorable fawn enchanting anyone with her cuteness. "Everyone in Crescent Lake will envy me knowing that I have set foot in this shrine of our savior!"
Unfortunately, Antilene was an experienced huntress.
"Yes, but we'll talk in the morning," she nipped in the bud any claims they might make. "And, please make sure, I don't want to be served in any way. That means no cooked breakfasts, help getting dressed, or any other idea you may think makes my existence easier," she had already had to make a superhuman effort during her brief stay in the Elf Capital to have a modicum of privacy. "I am perfectly capable of providing these things myself."
When she thought back to the insistence with which the servants had tried to intrude into every part of her private life, the half-elf felt a shiver go up her spine. Exaggerating, facing her father had not been as terrible as that experience. "No compromises are accepted regarding my private life. Regarding this, I hope we understand each other!"
"You have nothing to fear, Your Highness," Etienne replied on behalf of both of them. Knowing that the moment they had to perceive as sacred would only be postponed must have been reward enough for them. "We will abide by your orders as if our very lives depended on it."
No need to be so extreme.
"Perfect, then I bid you goodnight." Seeing the two servants walk away, Antilene thought that they were not so bad after all. Just a tad... eccentric. But eccentricity was very much at home in that place and her life.
"Then I'll be going," Agravaine also began to part from her, already on the threshold of the room she had chosen. "Are you sure you don't need anything?"
"Quite sure," she replied with conviction. "I just need to put a few things in order and then meet up with someone later. I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Okay, but don't hesitate to call me if you need anything," the elf started to close the port and then stopped in the middle. "Half-sister we are in blood, but whole sister I wish to be in your heart. I do not want divisions to arise between us. Do you promise?"
Antilene was left astonished by those words. Astonished. And moved. "I promise," the smile she showed her indicated that this was a promise she would never break. An oath forged in newfound trust. "Goodnight!"
"Goodnight!"
After they had parted, the half-elf was finally able to enter her apartament.
'Not even the slightest trace of dirt. Despite my absence, everything has been kept to perfection.'
Quickly she glanced around the house, as if searching for something she could not explain. Her attention fell on the little wooden soldier Nazaire had given her when she was a child.
'Has this toy always been so similar to my mother? Mother... I did it. Are you proud of me? Or has your hatred not subsided?'
Heaven. Faine had managed to reach it and find peace? Or, on the contrary, had she sunk into the depths of hell?
'Will we see each other again one day?'
Antilene put the toy back on the shelf from where she had taken it.
She was no longer a child.
The idealized figure she glimpsed in that carved wood was no more. Now the only thing that was left was ordinariness.
That... and regret.
'Mother, I'm leaving. Don't blame me; don't miss me.'
Until now she had been busy trying to recreate the past.
But the time had come to build the future.
In what direction was she actually going?
After unpacking, she left the room with the Wind God's armor, heading for the treasure room. Charon's Guidance, her inseparable companion.
She had almost reached the set destination, when a young man with long black hair stopped her.
"Aeneas!" She exclaimed in surprise, not expecting that encounter. "What are you doing in this place? I thought you were stationed in the Draconic Kingdom."
The young Black Scripture captain was not dressed in his usual armor, but in an elegant and well refined suit. He gave the impression of a businessman rather than a warrior.
"The Black Scriptures returned a couple of days ago. The major cities have been conquered and the demi-humans exterminated. For now, the situation is stable and our intervention is required elsewhere," he explained, trying not to miss a single detail. His face was obviously fatigued, drops of sweat wetting his forehead like dew wets the grass. "Windstride has remained on the border with some of Surshana's adepts and the Sunlight Scriptures. If there are any problems, we will be informed as soon as possible."
Strange that Clementine had decided to stay in that place herself. One could tell that the Beastmen were adequate entertainment for her... cravings.
Better these filthy beasts than humans, Antilene considered.
"And why are you here? More importantly," the half-elf couldn't help but notice the finery of the garments he was wearing. "Why are you dressed like that?" An unusual view for her, but probably the same didn't apply to him.
"One of the reasons I'm back is because a marriage meeting has been arranged with one of the Pontifex's granddaughters. I tried to present my persona as better as possible but..." the defeat on his face was answer enough. Aeneas was a very good fighter, but as far as the fairer sex was concerned, he was still an inexperienced kid. "I like her, but I'm not sure I made a good impression. The conversation was rather dry and both of us were too embarrassed to speak a word." What was that situation of teens in love worthy of a cheap romance novel? "Another meeting has been arranged upon my return."
Antilene drew a cross in the air, as an auspicious sign. Aeneas reciprocated with the same gesture.
"Why do you have to travel again?" The life of heroes was one of constant sacrifice. Could be long in number of years, and many times not even that, but too short in time. "You have just returned."
"It seems General Bulgari has been having trouble lately with some manticore and other such beasts used by the dune-riders," Antilene had only a vague idea of what was going on in the south of the Theocracy, the details covered by a cloud of fog. "I must leave as soon as possible or there is a risk of losing the advantage against the Diarchy. Ever since we had captured one of their kings, victory seemed to be assured. Astrologer, One Man Army and Shining Blade will come with me."
Antilene did not envy Cassandra. Barely back and already ready to part again. In a certain way, in all these years the half-elf had received privileged treatment.
"Then, I wish you good luck," she wished him wholeheartedly.
"Thank you," he merely replied, troubled by something.
"Now go, you can't be too late. Tomorrow you have to wake up early."
Aeneas remained silent.
"What's the matter with you?" She asked worriedly.
He hugged her. Awkwardly.
"The Cardinals have told me everything," he murmured through his teeth. "Who knows we'll see each other again. I wanted to make sure I gave you proper greetings."
"Stupid," she caressed his head as if she were a mother trying to calm her toddler. "You must be strong. Now it is you who must take my place. And I will return here many times. You will beg me on your knees to leave this place."
Sometimes it was hard to remember, but the child from that time was still there. Hidden in the body of a proud young man, sure. But he never left.
They slowly pulled away.
"I expect to see this place swarming with brats the next time I'm here." Aeneas blushed in embarrassment. "Why that reaction? It's an order by your direct superior! And try not to raise them as arrogant as you were as a child."
"I will try to do my best. And just in case, you'd always be there to straighten them out," he joked. Antilene didn't see what was funny but at least the atmosphere had returned jovial. "The Guardian Deity is waiting for you. I have stolen far too much of your time."
"It was not stolen time. In fact, on rare occasions has it been so well spent."
They greeted each other with a second, shorter but no less intense, embrace.
Antilene entered the treasury room.
Darkness engulfed her. Her eyes saw clearly.
Silence courted her. But the ears were used to that invitation.
'There is no one there.'
She placed the sacred armaments in their places. The legacy of the Gods the only present interlocutors.
'How do I stand, before you? Worthy of your praise or pale imitation of your tales?
She had always thought of them as something unfathomable. A beacon that guided in the night, but whose light always appeared distant.
Now would have she reached their location?
"You have returned!" A familiar voice chased away the loneliness. The gloom took shape in a ghostly form. Red eyes looked at her. At first sight devoid of emotions, but hiding in reality profound sentiments. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
"Rufus!" Antilene clamped her mouth shut the very moment she realized how much her voice had risen at seeing her master again. Lowering the pitch, she continued. "I, too, am glad to see you. But where have you been? I did not sense your presence anywhere."
"Let's just say I had gone to visit some old friends," as if that grumpy old geezer could have acquaintances outside that place. He, for sure, was talking about his books "But let's not think about that, you have a lot to tell me."
"Sure, but first let me return you this," the diary that had been lent to her returned to the hands of its rightful holder.
"I hope you enjoyed it," he said, tucking it back into one of the folds of his dark tunic.
"It was very interesting. But now make yourself comfortable, for I have much to talk to you about."
Antilene began to chronicle her adventures, taking care not to leave out even the smallest detail.
Of how she had faced the elf army.
The encounter with her siblings.
The battle against Decem.
And her out-of-the-ordinary 'coronation'.
Now that she was speaking about it aloud, it was strange to think that all these things had happened so quickly. Events had followed one after the other, barely giving her time to reflect on them.
"So Decem Hougan is dead after all," Rufus repeated at the end of that exhaustive explanation. "Faine will have finally got what she wanted. And so have you. How was the battle against your father?"
"Difficult, but less than I had anticipated," Antilene unsheathed her trusty scythe. "I didn't even have to use my trump card. For the first time I understood for real how valuable your teachings were. The king was not used to fighting," his shouting of rage still fresh in her mind. "The moment he was faced with an opponent on his level, he was totally out of his depth."
Yet, even otherwise, the half-elf was confident enough that the outcome would not change. But she avoided airing her convictions so as not to appear too cocky.
"Preparations are also a fundamental part of a confrontation. I'm satisfied that I managed to get it into your head after all these years,' if it could have been possible for an undead, he would have puffed out his chest like a balloon. "And tell me, did you find anything interesting among the king's spoils?"
"No," she had to retort disappointedly. "His treasury was full of useful and valuable items, but they pale in comparison to what is in this room. Only my father's personal equipment was valued equal to the relics in the treasury. The Cardinals will probably bring them here in the next few days."
"Something troubles you," Rufus read the emotions of all the living with such clarity? Or was it only her own that was blatant? "I imagined I would see you jolt with excitement after having accomplished your dream."
"It was never my wish, though I only recently realized it. From the beginning it had only been a debt to pay," people used to believe that birth was an event over which they had no control and so a right that couldn't be compromised. And, although true, many times circumstances did not make it so easy. "To put it another way, the moment I came into the world my mother made me sign a contract to guarantee my survival,figuratively speaking, and now I have fulfilled the conditions. I am relieved to have lifted this burden, nothing more."
Fortunately, no one would make her pay the accumulated interest.
Rufus merely nodded his head. Antilene had the feeling he wanted to say something, but nothing was added.
"You know, as I was preparing to kill the king, I had a kind of vision. Well, it was more a memory than anything else," she continued, when no reaction followed.
"Oh, what did you see?" He asked curiously.
"It was the two of us together, and you promised you would play for me forever."
"Yes, I remember something like that," he lied. The undead was not the only one who had mastered the art of reading between the lines. However, the fact that he did not want to disappoint her made the half-elf quite happy. "Do you think it had any special meaning?"
"Yes, I suppose part of me was still hesitant about killing my father. But it was at that moment that I came to understand how things truly were. That elf had never been my family. The closest thing to a father... it has always been you."
She did not need to look at his face to predict his flustered reaction. The Guardian Deity had an unexpectedly cute side.
"The same goes for me too," with a single rogue level Antilene had accomplished the impossible feat of stealing an undead's heart. "What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to stay here for a while and finish the preparations," the mere thought already fatigued her, but what had to be done could not be put off. "Then I will head to the Baharuth Empire for the ball that has been arranged. I will use my new position to travel far and wide and look for clues of Decem's past. There is so much about this world to discover!"
"I don't think I need to tell you, but you'll always find a place to return to here," he paused to gather his thoughts, unsure whether to add that last part. "Just be very careful. The enemies are certainly not gone. Especially if a true dragon lord were to learn of your existence the situation could get... complicated."
"I know," she said, thanking him for showing apprehension. Was that what it felt like to be appreciated? "I'll try to keep a low profile. For now, my goal is to find out as much as I can about this region's history. And to find a new goal in life. Something that is truly mine."
"I wish you good luck," scarlet red as the sunrise emerged like fiery flames from his eyes. "Dear daughter."
"I will miss this place," Antilene laid Charon's Guidance in its place. "It will be hard to find another weapon to match you, my old friend."
Rufus stopped her. "There will be no need," he laid his skeletal hands on hers. Against all-natural law, they were as warm to her as few things in the world. "Charon's Guidance is yours. It could not be otherwise."
"Are you really sure?"
"Most definitely," he replied, the cracking sound of his bones more melodious than any other song. "It is now rightfully yours. The legacy of the Six Gods is represented by you, having proved yourself to be the perfect herald of their greatness. Lord Surshana lives once again in you, more than he did in all the other Godkin that walked this planet. I am sure he would agree with my views as well."
Being compared to a God of Death was not the most gallant compliment a girl could have received.
Antilene, however, knew Rufus like no other. She had seen him over the years, his back bent, taking care of every object there with the devotion of a saint and the love of a parent. His soul, if there was one, had all been reserved in that crystallized mausoleum in the past.
To let Charon's Guidance be taken away was a pledge of trust, and of affection.
That way, even if apart, they would always be with each other.
"Thank you, Rufus," the scythe shone with the starlight that gently seeped through the tiny windows, as if to reassure the half-elf that everything would be all right. "I will not forget all you have done for me. I will find a way to return my debt, I can assure you."
"Live," words spoken long ago now gained meaning for the lone Deity. "That is the only thing I ask of you. Live to the fullest, with no regrets."
"I will do my best."
Antilene and Rufus crossed their little pinkies. That night a new pact was sealed.
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Gazef Stronoff
Fighter (9)
Mercenary (3)
Champion (4)
Technical Master (6)
Swordsman of will (5)
Lagusa's Blade Singer (2)
Tot. 29
The tricks of fate can change the existence of individuals with a simple throw of the dice. In another life, Gazef Stronoff distinguished himself as one of the greatest sword masters in the neighboring nations, finding service to a powerless king as his path. Here, however, things turned out differently. The class Lagusa's Blade Singer acquired is proof of his oaths to the Fire Goddess. Will this valiant warrior be able to find what he seeks on his journey?