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Chapter 2 – A Whisper of Rage

Chapter 2 - A Whisper of Rage

Walking over the broad cobbled roads of Gotterburg, Adam glanced over his shoulder for any sign of his attackers. The flickering orange light of the street lanterns showed wealthy old men, dressed in fine furs and feathered hats, who conversed tersely in the sign language of the elite. Children squeaked in laughter as they hid from their parents in the destroyed carcasses of buildings, trying to evade bedtime.

It seemed like Adam was safe, for now. He released a tense breath and continued walking towards his meeting spot with Oliver. Although their investigation would start tomorrow, Oliver definitely needed to know about the attackers and all Adam had learned at the Hall of Scents. The sooner they could take action the better.

Although Adam enjoyed being in his trusted childhood city again, it was painful to see signs of the war everywhere. Streets that should’ve smelled like meat pies, sourdough bread, and wine carried the scent of ash. Many of the colourful murals on the cosy, timber-framed houses were ruined. In red paint the word ‘Traitors!’ had been splashed all over the merry depictions of closets and furniture on an abandoned carpenter’s shop.

Where the old shoemaker’s shop used to be, there was a wide gulley in the ground that cut right through the street and buildings alike. When Adam got closer to the trench filled with mud and debris, he could see the huge body of a gale bat at the end. Its armour, decorated with the bronze scale insignia of the Penduli, apparently hadn’t been able to stop the ballista bolt that stuck through its chest.

After the ambush, Adam had deliberately chosen a busy route to his meeting spot with Oliver. His attackers would have needed some guts to make a second attempt here, out in the open. And even though something inside Adam wouldn’t have minded giving them another well-deserved knuckle sandwich, it was better to draw as little attention as possible.

However, walking in the open presented another problem: he might be recognised.

When Adam neared a group of people rebuilding a butcher’s shop, he moved to the other side of the road. Gerald, a bearded veteran, sat in his wheelchair as he sawed timber. Adam groaned internally; he would’ve loved to greet him and share stories as they had done during the War of the Prophet. However, even though Adam was innocent, he knew all too well Gerald may see him the same way as most of Dorenland did: as a traitor who caused the great disaster of Ziecherhein.

Adam subtly lowered the broad-rimmed and feathered hat he’d reluctantly bought, in an attempt to blend in with Dorenland’s strange fashion trends. Although he had put effort into his disguise, he couldn’t be sure if it was enough.

He had his previously long dark hair cut short and had grown a neat beard. Although his brown skin tone was darker than the pale complexion most of the Dorenish population had, he didn’t stand out in a multicultural city like Gotterburg. The last thing Adam wanted was to draw attention to his jagged scars, so he kept his neck covered and wore bracers over his wrists. He was even mimicking the stiff, dignified walk that lots of men around here employed in their attempt to appear older and thus wiser.

However, two recognisable aspects of his looks were difficult to hide: his tall, broad-shouldered build and the colour of his eyes. The deep shade of green, which almost seemed to glow, was unnatural and often caused people to stare. Luckily, the last time most of his acquaintances here had seen him, his eyes had still been brown.

Gerald didn’t seem to notice Adam, at least, he just kept sawing timber as he whistled a merry tune. With a soft sigh, Adam walked away from his old friend.

Although Adam knew he shouldn’t, he looked up at the sky. Between the broad columns of smoke from the scarred city, something unnatural was visible from miles and miles away. Something that most people found as normal as the forested mountains by now. Ever since the disaster, a sinister green shimmering, like a tree-shaped aurora, rose from Ziecherhein’s ruins to the dark clouds. Adam scrunched up his face and shook his head, suppressing the old memories of screaming men, collapsing buildings, and bright green light the best he could. Lingering on what had happened back then wouldn’t help him at all.

After a while, Adam entered Brewery Square and looked around for Oliver. Many priests and other officials of the Starwing Order had gathered there to support the citizens with food and spiritual guidance after the siege. Tired-looking civilians bowed and prayed towards long columns with woodcarvings showing Aves’ blessings to the world. The villagers kissed their rings and piled bits of food as offerings, mumbling requests of protection against the Taint.

“—act of divine justice!” a priestess cried out to a circle of praying people. Clad in the complex feathered and jewelled regalia of her station, she raised a woven standard of Aves, the divine owl. “So, those filthy Penduli rebels thought they could claim lands that rightfully belong to us! They thought it wise to submit themselves to the Crimson Urges of the left heart! And what did that bring them?”

“Damnation!” voices in the crowd replied, although some civilians seemed to agree more out of fear.

“Indeed!” the priestess continued. “Why do you think tendrils of the Mist grow to cover whole continents, while holy Dorenland is safe? Because He destroys the lands of the unfaithful! So, every single Pendulum forms a risk to all of us! Even if it’s your ‘sweet’ daughter or your old grandpa, it is our duty to report—”

Really now, can you back those claims with even a shred of evidence? No? What a surprise. Adam walked away, trying not to look too bitter. Of course, he detested the Penduli. However, the way the war had steadily evaporated the tolerance for people who didn’t follow the ways of the Starwing Order was more than worrisome.

Upon seeing a blonde, stocky man orating to a group of civilians, Adam sighed in relief and smiled. At least Oliver hadn’t changed much. His curly hair was a little too neatly done and the brightly polished silver badge of his rank was hard to miss. His uniform of the Talons of Aves consisted of heavy, night-blue robes adorned with a silver constellation that identified the individual’s regiment, and a black feathered cloak around the shoulders.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“—until we, a group of three Talons of Aves, used our Invocations to tear the Penduli’s monsters and barricades apart!” Oliver exclaimed with a dignified, dramatic undertone. “The filthy rebels quivered in fear, for every Pendulum knows they can’t answer the might of proper Novaseering!”

Adam raised an eyebrow, wondering why the city hadn’t been retaken earlier if that were the case, but he let Oliver have his moment. Some in the crowd around him listened with awe and wide eyes. Others clearly wondered when it would be socially acceptable to leave.

“—and drove them OUT!” Oliver boomed. Polite applause followed from the audience.

It’s been a while… could I still joke around with him, or have endless conversations about nonsense the way we used to?

Adam exhaled, shook his head, and walked towards his old friend. “Oliver! Oh, I mean, my apologies, good sir…” Adam picked up his hat, held it before his chest and bowed with exaggeration. “May this humble traveller have the honour, the privilege, to address this extraordinarily fine specimen of manliness and chivalry?”

Oliver’s eyes twinkled happily, and he clearly tried to repress a smile. “Ahem. The proper title is Avurion second class,” he said in the fakest posh accent imaginable, waving towards his intricate badge. “However, I’m in a good mood today. Henceforth, you are allowed to remove your undignified nose from the dirt and address me.”

Adam and Oliver looked at each other for a moment, trying to keep a straight face, before both of them burst out laughing. Oh, how I missed this.

"You’re alive! You really are!” Oliver said with his boyish grin as he walked up to Adam for an embrace. “Come here, you old dog!”

Adam hugged him like a long-lost brother.

Suddenly, scorching heat rose in Adam’s left heart and rushed straight towards his head. Along with it came an overpowering primal need, a vital necessity, for Adam to defend himself and tear any threat apart. Adam widened his eyes and gasped slowly, his mind racing for what was going on.

“Gur Asaar,” his left heart whispered with a voice of pure rage.

What?! No! Not again! Keep quiet you damned piece of—

Oliver quickly let go of him. “Huh, are you okay?” He studied Adam’s face with a worried expression. “Wow, you look flushed all of a sudden!”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Adam laughed and made calming motions with his hand, although his mind felt strangely slow and blurry somehow. He could feel the deep pounding of his left heart all the way up his throat. “Just a nasty headache from the long trip that comes up sometimes.” He hoped that sounded at least vaguely convincing. Of course, he’d tell Oliver the truth one day. However, explaining a pious Talon of Aves that your left heart had started whispering? To say that wasn’t easy would be an understatement.

Oliver nodded slowly. “Ah, nothing.” His gaze flicked from Adam’s unnatural eyes to the bracers with a hint of pity; he knew about the scars, after all. “Of course, I understand.”

Grateful that Oliver didn’t push the question, Adam smiled and placed a hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “Such a relief to see you’re all right after the siege. You’re not wounded, I hope?” There were lines of fatigue beneath Oliver’s smiling eyes. The last time Adam had seen him, Oliver’s boyish face didn’t have wrinkles of worry.

“Just some bruises, I got lucky.” Oliver quickly glanced around them and whispered. “That damn siege was a nightmare. The Penduli were well entrenched and made us bleed for every street we had to conquer. A lot less ‘glorious’ than the higher-ups within the Starwing Order want the people to know.” He peeked around again and continued even softer. “I didn’t want to believe it at first, but Zachalynn really changed after she came to power.”

Adam nodded sadly. “Well, you always said how strict she was, as a teacher, I guess that part didn’t change.”

Oliver groaned, closed his eyes and shook his head. “You have no idea. The amount of control she has…” He sighed. “She forces us to spread propaganda nonsense like this ‘flawless victory of righteousness,’ bah! Can’t wait until we can turn the Starwing Order back to normal again. I swear, if I was the Archpriest—”

Adam suppressed a snicker. The number of times I’ve heard that sentence…

“So, times have been… err… rough,” Oliver said, staring blankly into the distance. “But how have you been?”

“Well.” Adam scratched the back of his head and quickly double-checked whether they were within hearing distance of anyone. “I kind of got ambushed by some black-clad Novaseers.”

Oliver’s eyes widened and he cursed softly. “Damn those Penduli! How did the fell-handed bastards find out so fast?!”

Adam blinked. “About…?” He pointed subtly at himself.

Oliver shook his head. “No, you actually look sophisticated for once, so as long as you keep that stupid hat on you should be all right. That little weight you’ve gained works for your disguise as well, smart. No, the problem is…” Oliver leaned a bit closer. “Many people who investigate the Taint, from both the Royal Army and the Starwing Order, end up missing. You may be the first who escaped such a kidnapping or assassination attempt.”

Adam nodded, ignoring the temptation to return Oliver’s jokes. “Someone doesn’t want us finding out.”

“Right, but if this is the case, then how did the Penduli find out you’re involved? We might have a mole on our side.”

“About that, I gathered some interesting intel…”

After Adam’s update on what he’d heard, he and Oliver sat down on the base of a statue group at the side of the square.

“You’re a bloody idiot.” Oliver groaned, clenching his eyes shut and rubbing his temples. They had sat down on the base of a statue group at the side of the square.

“Maybe, but this is Jeremiah we’re talking about. Do you imagine him being so open if we invite him for tea?”

“True,” Oliver grunted begrudgingly.

“So, we have several leads for our investigation.” Adam counted on his fingers. “Firstly, this strange location the Tainted talk about, which sounds like the Penduli have some bizarre hidden facility nearby. Osterhild knows more about this, so, could you, Caine, and Emily use your contacts within the Starwing Order to arrange an audience with her?”

Oliver thought for a moment. “She’s way up in the hierarchy, but maybe Caine can pull some strings. We should be damn careful though. If she finds out what you already know and how you’ve learned it, we’re done for. And secondly, we have the Penduli who attacked you.”

“We should find out who they are and who sent them. Maybe we can lure them into a trap somehow if they try and attack me again… And thirdly, we have Jeremiah.”

“Yes,” Oliver looked Adam in the eyes. “Look, I understand you detest the man. How he framed you for the disaster of Ziecherhein is unforgivable... But if what you say is true and he is going to be chieftain, we have to be really careful.”

The corner of Adam’s mouth twitched as he repressed the pitch-black memories. He raised an eyebrow. “Do you think I’m wrong about him?”

Oliver looked away with a tightened jaw. “No, but I sure hope you are. If he’s involved with the Penduli he’ll be a damn powerful enemy. And if he’s going to lead all the Royal Army’s forces in Gotterburg, this investigation will be… dangerous, to say the least.”

Adam grinned. “Nothing wrong with a couple of risks, right? Lighten up, we’ll finally be teaming up with Caine and Emily again! We can just sneak inside—”

Oliver subtly raised a hand; behind them, a couple of priests walked by. “Shh… I get that you want to start but we’ll have to discuss plans of action with Caine and Emily first on the morrow.”