Chapter 33

“What exactly is this dire news you have for us?” Kraevos asked Moren. “Where is Emeria now?”

With a heavy sigh, Moren began recounting what had gone on, “You are woefully out of the loop I am afraid great mage. Emeria has marched on not only Chirock, but she has taken Presidia and with it all of Draeton. The people of the mountain put up scarce little resistance and even Dracyr in that fortified castle of a city gave up without much fight.”

“I don’t know what in the world you got told, but there’s no way she’d give up Presidia without a fight!” Aren interjected. “The walls of Presidia aren’t so easily assaulted, not to mention it’s impossible to approach without bein’ noticed. Dracyr would have seen it.” Aren was clearly upset by Moren’s words, the simple idea that his home had fallen without a fight shook him to his core.

“Unfortunately that isn’t how it went,” Moren continued. She did not fight at all. As far as I know, she did not even take up arms, she just waved the white flag and let Emeria have the throne.”

“There’s no way!” Aren said as he slammed his fist on the ground, tears of rage filling his eyes. “They could have held out more than long enough for us to help, for anyone to help. Grayston never would have given up, he never would have surrendered! He would fight them all on his own if he had to!”

Moren took a step toward Aren and placed his hand on his shoulder, not sure how to console him, but his words continued. “I am told he did fight to the last.” Aren’s breath caught and his head sank low as he lost the ability to hold back his tears. “General Grayston led all who were willing to fight in the name of Draeton and tried to repel the Sacrotians. He met Emeria and Graclose on the battlefield and was overwhelmed. He died a warrior’s death fitting of his will.”

Aren pushed Moren’s hand off his shoulder and stood up, stomping toward the edge of the forest. Vella reached out to try and console her friend, but her hand was met with Sani’s, “We need to let him grieve on his own for a moment. I’ll go calm him down once he’s started to cool off.”

“But he shouldn’t be alone after hearing all of that,” Vella replied.

“Vella, none of us can understand what he’s going through right now, we’d just get in his way. He just got told the woman he loved surrendered his home and that his friend died while he was out here with us,” Sani was clearly holding back tears, but Vella knew enough not to point that out.

“I thought Grayston and Aren hated each other,” Vella stated.

“Call it a friend or a rival, whatever you want, it was a complicated relationship, but it mattered to him,” Sani replied. A tense silence passed for a few moments only to be broken by a grunt and the crack of metal hitting a tree. Vella looked toward the forest to see a tall tree falling like it’d just been cut. “That means I should go talk to him before he gets us noticed out here.” Sani walked off to her friend, letting her own tears fall once no one could see.

Vella turned back to Moren and Kraevos, who were standing in the uncomfortableness of the moment. “So why would Dracyr just let Emeria take over the kingdom?” Vella asked finally.

Kraevos looked to Moren, interested to hear the answer as well. Moren cleared his throat and spoke, “It was to minimize the lives that would be lost in the battle. Much as Aren said, Dracyr saw the battle on the horizon and she tried to save as many as she could. It would have been bloody enough just fighting Emeria, but she came prepared, with a weapon far more powerful than anything Dracyr had at her disposal.”

Kraevos’ eyes narrowed and his tone dropped coldly, “Graclose,” he said. “That absolute fool. I’m not sure why he would be helping Emeria, but with him under her control that would be enough force to wipe out any kingdom save for Lazzure.” Kraevos looked over to the forest where another tree came down with an angry crash. “I’m sorry to say this, but I understand her decision. By surrendering she at least preserves the lives of her subjects. Fighting Emeria and Graclose would only lead to the bloodiest affair in Surren’s history. This was likely the right call.”

“You can’t say that to Aren,” Vella interjected.

“I never would miss Vella,” Kraevos replied. “But he already knows this. He’s not angry at her right now, he’s angry at himself for not having been there to protect the city he loves. He’s lost his home and he couldn’t fight for it.”

“Though I don’t want to pile on the bad news,” Moren interrupted,” I’m not done.” Kraevos turned back to the Huntsmaster, ready to hear whatever was left. “Dracyr surrendered, but leading into the conflict she paid the full price for her magic.” The look of concern on Kraevo's face grew, though Vella didn’t understand what Moren meant. “I fear this means her connection to her people is completely lost. More importantly, it means I’m the only one of the five rulers who hasn’t accepted that trade, and Emeria currently has four out of the five under her control in some way.”

“What do you guys mean by that?” Vella asked.

“I suppose it’s time you knew, though that book could probably tell you better,” Kraevos replied. “Each ruler with a stone has a special connection to magic, one of the major strands of it. Most keep it at a safe distance, but if they want, they kind bind themselves more tightly to the power. This can give fantastic abilities, but it has a price, as all things do.”

“Is that why Emeria is a monster?” Vella asked, trying to piece together the puzzle.

“In a way, yes,” Moren replied. “The Sacrotian rulers have almost always paid the price and bonded to their magic, Graclose, the ruler of Chirock paid the price a long time ago. The current High arbiter paid the price, but you could guess that from your encounter. Only Draeton’s rulers have forbidden it for ages.”

“Yes and this means you’re the only one with access to such power that isn’t a pawn of Emeria,” Kraevos said, “This is most troublesome. If Graclose is with her, it means she has something over him that has forced him to bend the knee. Has Dracyr begun to help her or is she at least fighting on that?”

“As far as I know, Dracyr has not helped Emeria with her power.” Moren stood up, starting to stretch. Vella looked at him and could see that the wounds from their fight had already mostly healed. “From what Emeria was saying, Dracyr sits lifelessly at the throne steps without saying a word.”

“By comparison to the rest you’ve told us, that is good news,” Kraevos replied. “She’s the only one who could see my plan, so that keeps the element of surprise with us.” Kraevos gave Moren a pat on the back, “Besides, I doubt she was expecting to lose you, so that’s one mighty warrior back on our side. Numbers may not be in our favor, but the balance of power can still shift.”

“Yes it can,” Moren said, while looking at Vella. She felt like a piece of livestock being sized up for an uncomfortable moment. “Besides, Emeria has no idea that you have a dragonspeaker with you. I even thought the last of your kind had passed long ago.”

“As had I,” Kraevos replied. “Then low and behold, this one shows up at my doorstep with quite old blood running through her veins.” Vella was growing more uncomfortable by the moment as the two men talked about her.

As though he could read her emotions, Moren spoke, “I’m sorry miss, I meant no offense at what I’m saying. If anything, I owe you a truly immense debt. What is your name again?”

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“My name’s Vella,” she replied. She tried to stand up straighter as she took a good look at Moren. There was an air about the man that Vella thought only real leaders had a type of natural confidence that seemed to resonate with him.

Moren kneeled down and took Vella’s hand in his. “Then Vella, I Moren, the Huntsmaster of Morenseo swear a life debt to you. You have freed my body and soul, so they are indebted to protect you for as long as I live.”

Embarrassment rushed across Vella, “Umm…. thanks,” was what she managed to reply. “You can stand up… Also, what exactly does that mean?”

Moren stood up and chuckled, “Not much for formalities I see,” he was grinning, “I like that. What it means is I owe you quite a lot. In my culture, if your life is saved by another, then you owe them a life debt. It is now my honor and duty to protect you when you need it. It doesn’t mean I’m your pet, I’ve had about enough of that.

Vella smiled, “Yeah, you didn’t seem like you made a good pet anyways, I think you’ll make a much better shield.”

Vella saw Kraevos, holding back laughter as a wide smile crossed his lips. “I suppose we can go over the customs of the forest later on, a life debt from a Moren is a rather serious thing,” he said, making a face at Vella.

Vella stuck her tongue out at the old mage as Moren looked at the both of them and chuckled. “Gods above it’s not to be able to laugh again.” He took a few moments and just smiled and laughed, reveling in the freedom he hadn’t had for quite some time. “In all seriousness though, what was that magic that you used on me and Ursanias? I didn’t think there was anything that could break Emeria’s bond,” he said, looking to Kraevos for answers.

“Honestly, it’s all Vella,” Kraevos replied. “I don’t have much of a clue about how she did it. It’s a form of magic I have never had much understanding of. Vella here has been a bit of an ongoing enigma to me. Her blood resonates strongly with magic, but it’s not like she gave any sign until I met her. It’s like generations of magic built up like water behind a floodgate. As for the bond, yes, it is quite powerful. It cannot be broken by other magic, but I think that’s the trick. Vella didn’t break it with other magic. She broke it with the same kind of magic, almost like a tailor-made key.”

Moren’s eyes grew wide and serious, “So you’re saying Vella has the same kind of magic as Emeria?” Kraevos nodded in reply. “Thinking about it, the magic did feel familiar in a way, but it’s like the flow was different, as though it was the same pulse, but one going forward and the other going backward.”

With a shrug and a smile, Kraevos looked to Vella, “There you go Miss Vella, that's a better way to explain it than I had when I first tried to tell you. I would say that is correct, Moren.”

“That’s fantastic, if Vella can do that then we can use her to counteract Emeria completely. I’m sure she’s well trained in her magic if she’s traveling with you, that must be how she was so well hidden. We should head for Presidia and end all of this!” Moren said excitedly.

“Not quite,” Vella replied sadly.

“I’ve only known Miss Vella for a few weeks,” Kraevos added. “She has enough innate ability to counteract things like bonds and charms, but not near enough to shut off Emeria’s power in a fight. The whole reason we are in Horath is because there is an item here that will allow us to do that. We simply have to reacquire it.”

“Well then, what are we waiting for, let’s go to the academy! I’ll grab my things and we can go,” Moren said, already moving toward the forest.

Vella couldn’t help but chuckle as she watched this man go back and forth between a calm and calculating leader and what seemed to her like an excited child. “He’s a little odd, isn’t he?” she asked aloud.

“Miss Vella you are asking that to a man who is countless years old, who can change his face, and comes from a time when mountains moved. I do believe I am the wrong person to ask such a thing to,” he turned and smiled at Vella.

“Yeah, good point I guess, though we’re all a little weird I suppose,” she said happily.

“You have to understand though, I have known this man since he was a newborn. You see the people of the forest are the only ones in all of Surren that I have always maintained contact with. They have always tread the delicate balance between magic and chaos, so I have always been a friend and ally to them.” Kraevos looked off, lost in his thoughts as he continued. “You see I have been there for the changing of every Moren. In Morenseo a leader, a Moren, is not chosen by blood, it is a special title that you earn from the people. Leadership is truly earned there by those who strive for it to make for the better of the people. It is a sadly rare thing in this world and we would all be better off if all of our leaders were chosen in such a way.”

“When people believe that leadership is a divine right or a birthright we end up with monsters like Emeria, places like Sacrotia. They believe blood is all that matters and they are willing to kill and betray their own family for it. The skills needed to lead, and the heart needed to lead have no weight there. It is the same in Lazzure where coin and title matter above all. On the other side of things we have those who have leadership thrust onto them without support, people who have the heart, but that alone is not enough. Unfortunately, that is what Graclose is. He always had such a kind heart and now it’s been twisted with sadness into what he is now. Dracyr and Draeton lie somewhere in the middle, focused so much on society as a whole that they ignore those at the bottom. Moren, and Morenseo, they are simply different from the rest.”

‘Yeah, he doesn’t seem like any of the other rulers that I’ve met,” Vella paused for a moment, “And I’ve met most of them I guess.”

“True, you have,” Kraevos replied, “But yes, he is different. He earned that title. He gained the trust and respect of his people and became the Huntmaster through merit and might, the way a real leader should. His people would follow him to the end and back and for that matter so would I. What he says to them is the truth and his people know that.”

Kraevos paused for a moment and turned back to face Vella, staring deeply, intently into her eyes. It was odd for Vella to stare so directly into what seemed to be the night sky in the old mage’s eyes, but she knew where their focus went. “People like Moren will be the key to rebuilding after all of this. Honestly, Moren, Aren, Sani and you are all the type of people that will need to step forward to regain the trust of the people. You will be looked on to lead us out of this chaos and into a new era. It is your voice, your honesty, and your heart that will lead the people to you and help you brave the storms ahead of us.”

“I’m no leader Kraevos,” Vella said, feeling his eyes focus even more on her. “I’m not wise or charismatic, no one would listen to me.”

“You could not be more wrong Miss Vella,” Kraevos replied as he sat down on a small rock next to Vella, still keeping his gaze on hers. “It is my horrid leadership that has led to all this. I let myself be more important than the people. I may seem wise, but that is only because I have had lifetimes to see how my own mistakes ripple outward. Someday soon I will meet with the gods above and be judged for my actions. I can only hope that in the end the good outweighs the bad. Though you do not think yourself to be, you are a leader. You are wise far beyond your years and you have stirred up and brought out the best in those you have met. You took Sani and Aren, a broken family, and have helped them heal. You took an arrogant old man and brought him out to the light again, you quite literally freed Moren from a fate worse than death because you would not kill him for what he couldn’t control. You choose your words with care and when you speak you are listened to, even if sometimes those around you are as dense as I am and don’t listen. I for one would follow you to the very ends of this world and back Miss Vella. Maybe the farm girl you started as wasn’t a leader, but the woman who stands before me now is.”

Vella wasn’t the least bit sure how to respond to Kraevos as she’d never thought of herself as a leader of any kind. That said, Kraevos did have one point even Vella had to concede, the person she had been only a few months ago was not the same person that she was now. “I may not agree with you Kraevos, but thank you at least for believing in me,” she replied.

“As I said Miss Vella, I trust you a great deal. Your actions and your strength in the coming days will help shape the fate of all of Surren. I know that you will bear the burden of leadership far better than I ever did,” Kraevos replied as he looked to the sky.

Sani and Aren trudged back over to Vella and Kraevos, breaking the seriousness of the conversation. “So what exactly is our next move?” Sani asked.

“And whose skull do I get to crack before I get to Emeria,” Aren said angrily. Moren bounded up after them, carrying a large satchel over his shoulder, creating an odd contrast compared to Aren’s mood at the moment.

“The next step,” Kraevos began ”Is to get into the academy. Once we are there I will need to perform a ritual in one of the many secret chambers. After that, we will have what we need to go to Presidia and end this conflict.”

Even mentioning an end in sight seemed to brighten the mood for the whole party as Sani gave Aren a slap on the back and told him, “Take it down a notch big guy, calm heads are what we need.”

“This will however go smoothest if we attract as little attention as possible. Though honestly with how things have gone for us, I doubt we can manage that. Either way, the longer we go unnoticed the better. Now is the time to actually finish changing into our decoy clothes. Hopefully this time without being attacked,” Kraevos said, tossing the clothes to the others.

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Moren interjected.

Vella walked off toward the edge of the forest with her clothes in hand, ready to try and for once go someplace without a fight. Her thoughts were focused on her conversation with Kraevos as she changed. His words about the future rang in her head. She steeled herself for the trip to the academy and then hopefully an end to all of this.