You will be taught your place dogs! When the time comes, you will kneel at our feet and beg for the collar, and the lash, and the cane! You will come crawling back to our empire and beg to serve again. What we will bring down on your heads is not war; it is righteous judgment, and no matter the cost, we will ensure the natural order is restored! - Unknown slave master of Aldcrest, notation taken during the uprising of Valkan.

The halls of the Starfort were brightly lit and alive with activity. Occupants and servants moved throughout the halls, rushing to complete last-minute tasks so that they might enjoy the founding day festival, a yearly celebration of the first settlement in the basin.

Talia stuck to the halls closest to the exterior of the cliff face. The natural light let in by the windows lining the hall was comforting.

It had been months since Arak had attempted to kill her, but the image of his twisted smile and the memory of his honeyed words were still fresh in her mind; she still struggled with being alone in the dark. Thankfully, the hustle and bustle of the Starfort surrounded her, and the day was bright and cheerful.

Fall will be coming soon. Talia had always liked summer, but the few short weeks of fall held a special place in her heart. It was a time when communities banded together to prepare for the yearly surge. People would lay their grudges aside, and even the bitterest of enemies would cooperate.

It didn't take long for Talia to navigate the fort; she'd long since gotten used to its endless flights of stairs and extensive corridors. She exited onto a small side garden placed at the base of the smooth cliff face. Sevrin, sitting on the fountain railing, waved to her as soon as he noticed, a broad smile on his face.

He wore simple clothes: a fine pair of brown pants and a white tunic with long sleeves. His belt was chased with silver. With his platinum white hair, he was striking. Talia blushed. Stop it, she thought to herself.

"Still waiting on Serena," Talia asked as she approached.

"There's a Valkan delegation in the city; Father is entertaining them and decided one of us needed to help. Serena drew the short straw." He stretched his arms out, "So you're stuck with me until we go to the games later."

"Serena, your sister, drew the short straw?" Talia didn't believe it for a second.

"Had to happen eventually. I can't remember the last time it happened," Sevrin said with a shrug.

Talia smiled. Thank you, Serena. She suspected her friend had lost intentionally. Then she wrinkled her brow, "What about Eris and Erran?" Ven and Elara had four children: the older twins, Serena and Sevrin, and a younger pair of twins, Eris and Erran.

"Thankfully, we aren't their babysitters today. They're with my mother."

Talia sighed in relief, "I love them, but they…" She trailed off.

"Like to be involved in everything," prompted Sevrin.

"Yes." It was the polite way of saying it. They are good kids but can just be nosey sometimes.

'We'll see them at the duels. Erran has been talking about them nonstop; he's very excited," said Sevrin. "Speaking of duels and games," he jumped to his feet and bowed before straightening and offering his arm to Talia, "The festival awaits."

"It is a bit of a walk." A small road carved into the face of the cliff connected Starfort to the city of Redlake. It was the most common means of movement from the fort to the city.

Sevrin smiled, "I got us a boat."

Talia felt an evil grin spreading across her face, "Oh, really? What happened to you never getting into a boat with me again after—"

"Can we please not talk about that? It was embarrassing enough to go through once." Talia could see a rosy hue touching his cheeks. She noticed that the light scar her brother had given him was gone, his skin smooth.

Talia laughed and took his offered arm. They began to walk towards a small dock on the west side of the fort. He's getting tall. It was a strange observation. Talia, Serena, and Sevrin had always been about the same size, but in the last year, Sevrin had grown like a weed. What's the height difference now, four inches?

Like glass, the lake was calm and smooth, the only ripples from other boats traversing its surface. Looking down into the clear waters Talia couldn't help but wonder just how deep it went.

The boat ride was quick, much quicker than walking, and in less than twenty minutes, they set foot on a dock and entered the city. The sounds of music and cheers, the noise of massive crowds, and the smell of dozens of different kinds of food had only grown stronger as they approached the city—large banners of a multitude of colors and crests waving in the sky. Many of the banners were enchanted to wave proudly despite there being very little wind. With smiles on their faces, the pair waded into the tumultuous crowds.

"Step right up, brave souls! Test your taste buds and face of inferno of dragon's breath!"

Talia had come to a halt alongside Sevrin. They both had a flakey pastry in one hand, while Sevrin was carrying a small bag containing all the small gifts and trinkets he'd been buying. He was now eyeing a stand with a rather rotund gentleman crowing about the heat of his various peppers.

The man looked half-mad, with a flower blooming in his hair, its roots woven into the black strands.

"You aren't," Talia said, amusement in her voice.

"I think I am…" Sevrin said, a wicked smile on his face as he began to walk towards the stall.

Talia just shook her head and trailed behind him.

"Ah, my brave young man," boomed the vendor. "Have you come to test your metal?"

"That I have; how do we go about this," asked Sevrin.

"It is quite straightforward, my young friend," The portly man gestured towards an array of dried peppers. All the while, the yellow flower on his head bobbed about, "These are arranged from mildest," he pointed at a green pepper on the left, "to the hottest," his finger fell on a white pepper on the far right. "You eat a pepper, and if you can go one minute without needing to drink a soothing tonic, you win a prize. The hotter the pepper, the better the prize."

"What's the prize for eating the hottest," asked Sevrin.

Talia struggled to contain a groan as she put a hand over her face. He's going to hurt himself.

The man looked between them, and his grin widened. "If you endure the dragon's breath, you get two prizes: a small variety of seeds, some for each kind of pepper here, and a copy of my notes so they might be properly cared for."

"Done," Sevrin agreed, fishing a few silver coins from his coin purse.

"Sev—"

"I'll be fine; there are just plants; how bad can it be?"

The gamesman coughed, bringing their attention back to him. "I will need you to sign a waiver. It's quite unlikely that anything bad will happen, but…"

"Still think this is a good idea," hissed Talia. She was tempted to grab him and drag him away. If I even can. Again, she realized Sevrin already had several inches and likely a couple dozen pounds on her.

"Are you kidding me? I am definitely doing this," a cheer came from the small crowd that had gathered in curiosity.

Sevrin stepped forward, signed the necessary document, and gave the man his silver. Then he raised the white pepper high before promptly shoving it into his mouth, chewing for about half a second, and swallowing.

His eyes shot up. "Wow, that was good," he turned to the vendor, who smirked slyly. "I really expect—" Sevrin coughed, interrupting himself as his eyebrows turned down in hesitation. "I expected that to—" Sevrin's face rapidly turned red, and sweat started to bead his forehead.

"You alright," Talia asked cautiously.

"Yep. never better." He snapped around to the gamesman, "How much time left?"

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"Fifty-three seconds."

Sevrin was starting to breathe heavily, and tears were gathering at the corners of his eyes.

"Oh… shit."

"For me, it usually peaks at about twenty seconds," shrugged the man.

The man has to be insane. The audience cheered and laughed as Sevrin's face grew even redder. He began to hop from foot to foot, his mouth hanging slightly open.

Talia didn't know how to react. On one hand, it was horrifying; on the other, Sevrin's desperate dancing from foot to foot was hilarious. I tried to stop him.

The vendor unstopped a bottle and began to wave it in front of Sevrin, "This will take all that pain away right quick. Thirty more seconds…"

Talia couldn't help but chuckle as Sevrin started to hiss a stream of profanities. Some of his collection surprised her with its breadth. He's been spending too much time around soldiers. He frantically waved his hands, fanning his mouth, trying to speak, but no words came out.

The vendor moved the bottle closer to Sevrin, a mischievous smile on his face, "Only a few more seconds!" Talia held her breath as Sevrin snatched the bottle from the man's hand, but he didn't drink. Instead, he waited, spilling the occasional drop of liquid on the ground as he danced in place."

"Three… Two… One!"

As soon as the gamesman finished counting, it looked like Sevrin inhaled the tonic. It disappeared so fast. He spat and coughed, tears leaking from bloodshot eyes as he dropped the bottle and continued to fan his mouth. The crowd cheered.

"Well done, lad," boomed the gamesman. "Congratulations."

Talia laughed at the slow relief overtaking Sevrin's features. He was coated in sweat and tears, and snot leaked from his eyes and nose. The man offered him a handkerchief, which Sevrin took with some relief, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose.

"Lad, you've got some determination." The man offered him a small pouch tied to a palm-sized book. "Take good care of them, you hear? It's taken me ages to cultivate these. Make sure you read the book before you plant them. These seeds need specific conditions to grow properly, but some of their alchemical and ritualistic properties are quite interesting."

Sevrin took the book and bag with a hand that trembled slightly. "That is the last time I ever eat something given to me by a mad herbologist."

"Hah, you really should have listened to your friend; that tonic works for the moment, but you're going to have a hells of a bad time in well…" He waved his hand.

"What does that mean," Sevrin said, horror alighting in his eyes.

Talia started to laugh uncontrollably.

"What does that mean?" demanded Sevrin, a note of desperation in his voice.

"Well… you know. When you… purge it."

"What does that mean?" There was a distinctly high-pitched squeak in Sevrin's voice now.

Talia nearly fell over. "I tried—" She couldn't finish the sentence, her laughter preventing her from speaking.

"Caretaker, preserve me," prayed Sevrin.

"When the time comes, you'll need help from all three of the Triune," the gamesman said solemnly.

Talia howled.

"I can't believe you didn't try harder to stop me," Sevrin said, feigning betrayal.

Talia rolled her eyes. The pair had spent most of the day wandering from venue to venue, listening to music, trying different foods, watching games, and dancing. Talia had enjoyed the dancing, but as a result, she was exhausted, and her feet were sore. She eyed the location of the sun. Mid-afternoon. The mage duels were scheduled to start an hour before the sunset. They still had time before they needed to get to the arena.

"Serena!" Sevrin's shout made Talia jump. Looking in the same direction, he noticed Serena's snow-platinum hair approaching them. Talia was surprised to see her accompanied by another person. At first, she thought it was a boy, but upon second glance, she realized it was another girl about the same age as Serena, maybe slightly older.

She had short blonde hair and striking blue eyes; her sharp cheekbones and stiff manner made her posture look dour. She also wore a fur color attached to her blue tunic, marking her as Valkanian.

They met each other halfway, Serena hugging Talia, "Sorry I missed out this morning."

"Sevrin said you drew the short straw," Talia said with a raised eyebrow.

Serena scoffed before leaning in and whispering loud enough for them all to hear, "Let him think that."

"Hey—"

"Anyway, I need to introduce my new friend," she said, running right over Sevrin. She turned to the young woman whose face bore an air of uncertainty. "Talia, Sevrin, this is Bryna Valtor. Bryna, the beautiful woman, is Talia Vandrel, and the…" she paused as if searching for the right word, "person… next to her is my brother, Sevrin."

Sevrin just threw up his hands in silent exasperation.

"Vandrel, as in the royal family of Lucendia," asked Bryna hesitantly.

"Yep," said a beaming Serena before leaning in close to Bryna and again whispering loud enough for them all to hear, "But if I have it my way, her last name will be Lovell in a few years."

"Serena," exclaimed Talia. She could feel her face heating, and as she looked to Sevrin for support, she also noticed his face going red. That only made her blush harder.

Serena hid a wicked grin. "Anyway, Bryna and I heard about a mage bard putting on a show, so we were just headed there. Would the two of you like to come, or are we intruding?"

“Yes,” blurted Sevrin, “We’ll go.”

Talia nodded. Anything to change the subject, Talia thought to herself. Judging from Sevrin's response, he felt the same.

"Excellent; hopefully, there are still seats."

The group began to walk, Serena and Bryna chatting as they led the way while Talia and Sevrin shot each other awkward looks and stayed quiet.

It didn't take long to reach one of the many green spaces dotted throughout the city. On this one, a small stage had been erected with seating arrayed in front of it.

"One of the troupes has been putting on shows all day," Explained Serena as she led them towards some elevated seats that gave a good view of the stage. It's mostly kids' stuff, but when I heard that Cailen Thaloris would be performing, I knew we had to come watch."

"Who's Cailen Thaloris," Talia and Sevrin both asked simultaneously.

To Talia's surprise, Bryna answered.

"He's a well-known researcher of humanities pre-Fall history. He turns the history into ballads and songs and travels all over the continent performing them." Her excitement was evident despite her dour attitude.

"I've never heard of him before," Talia said.

"He got much more famous after his branding," explained Bryna.

"Branding," asked Sevrin.

"Some of the things he sings about are considered heretical by the church of the Triune, and seeing as he's originally from Aurelis…" Serena's voice trailed off.

"He was branded as a heretic," Talia asked in surprise.

"Yep," The happy tone of Bryna's voice puzzled Talia.

Of course, they don't worship the Triune in Valkan. It was the major difference between Aldcrest and Valkan, at least culturally. Aldcrest still worshipped the Triune, while only some of the Valkans did. Talia remembered one of her tutors mentioning how they venerated their ancestors.

The group took their seats, and Talia turned to Serena. "Your father allowed a branded heretic to perform. Couldn't that cause issues?"

"I doubt the church would be willing to make an issue of it with father."

Talia had doubts about the performance. She had been a lifelong devotee of the Triune. The old priest who managed the palace chapel had always treated her with a great deal of kindness whenever she was at the capital. She'd enjoyed his teachings and readings when she was younger.

Still, she wouldn't deny her friends. Talia would also be lying if she tried to claim she wasn't interested. What kind of stories does a heretic mage bard tell?

She didn't have to wait long.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the voice said clearly and sharply, "It is a pleasure and honor to be here today." Light began to fade around the sitting crowd, slowly darkening as if shutters were being drawn over open windows. "Today I have a most gripping tale—a tale of love and betrayal—the desperate fight of a man against those who should have been his staunchest allies."

A flash of light temporarily blinded Talia. As she blinked away bright spots in her vision, she realized a man had appeared on the stage. A tall man with dark black hair and brown eyes stood on the stage. Talia gasped as her eyes fell upon the brand of a heretic. Spread horizontally across his face was a straight burn scar. It stretched from the bottoms of both ears, crossing over his nose, and centered between his eyes was a circular brand.

The large scars couldn't conceal his handsome features.

"I see we have the scions of house Lovell among us," he said with a bow, "I thank you and your family for hosting such merry festivities. I do hope you enjoy tonight's story and song. If my suspicions and research are correct, then one of your ancestors played a key role."

He cleared his throat and began," Our story begins long ago, in the land we now call Aurelis, and it begins with a man with turquoise eyes." Talia was drawn in by the gravity of the man's voice, and as he began to weave words together, she was carried away on the winds of time.