It was truly dark by the time Indenuel eased out of her bed. She was breathing heavily, he assumed asleep. He slipped his clothes back on, his mind still completely consumed by everything that had happened.
“Indenuel,” she whispered. He turned. She was sitting up, holding blankets to her. “Are you leaving?”
He said nothing, straightening his shirt. Inessa’s face dropped as she got out of bed, throwing on her bedclothes.
“Inessa, I have to,” he said.
“No, you don’t. Please, don’t.”
Despite everything they just did, he touched her elbows when she came to him out of habit. Though even this small touch was illegal. “I have to end the war.”
She ignored his elbows and touched his face, deeply concerned. “Please stay. Just a little longer.”
He would have done anything for her. But he also knew it wasn’t just her anymore. Nathaniel, the children, all of Santollia needed this war to end so they could root out the corruption in the High Elders.
She’s going to deceive you.
She’s trying to get you to stay so she can turn you in.
Martin is sleeping not that far from here.
Indenuel frowned, taking her hand. “Any ideas?”
Corrupted tree bark. Drug her and slip away.
“I can’t let her sleep for a hundred years. I might not come back from this.”
It’s diluted enough with time.
Dalius is strong enough to wake her up if you don’t survive.
Enough of it has been transferred to her anyway through your kisses.
Command us into her, and she will sleep.
Indenuel did not like that idea at all, but it seemed the safest. He reached forward, kissing her again, knowing this would be the final time, whether he survived the battle or not. She kissed him back, her lips so soft, tempting him into staying.
He broke away, placing his forehead against hers. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Be gentle, only enough of you in there to put her to sleep until tomorrow morning if you can.”
It will be done.
Inessa let out a sigh, then her body relaxed. Indenuel held onto her to keep her from falling. He lifted her up, carrying her to the side of the bed. He eased her back, placing the covers around her. She looked so peaceful. He gave her a final kiss on the forehead before he climbed out the window. When he climbed down the tree, he had to steady himself, closing his eyes as he thought of what exactly he was leaving.
“Holy shit,” was all he could mutter to himself before he straightened, trying to think of what he had to do next. He had to get out of Martin’s house before he was spotted. That was something he needed to do. Try not to get caught.
He turned around and looked at the window, hoping Inessa would be alright. He couldn’t trust demons completely, but he couldn’t have Inessa telling Martin what he was about to do.
He focused again on the gate, doing his best to not get caught. After he left the gate, he would have to get out of the city. The farther he walked away from Inessa, the more his brain began to focus. He had done what he meant to do here. A lot more than he intended to do here, but he wouldn’t complain. Now he needed to get out of the city, meet with the Kiam army. Kill them with his mark not nearly as dark as before. Kill who he needed, and survive, so he could wake up-
The second his foot stepped out of the gate, someone grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him against a tree. Indenuel barely had time to gasp before he realized his hands were being tied behind him around the tree. Again. Indenuel sputtered, trying to get his breath back.
“Tolomon?” Indenuel asked.
“You’re an idiot. A goddammed idiot,” Tolomon muttered behind the tree.
“How did you-”
“Corrupted tree root was the very first thing Graduates build our immunity to,” Tolomon said.
He’s lying. There were more demons than before, the panic at his situation flaring his corruptive powers. He must be lying.
“You’re lying,” Indenuel said. “Someone like you would have slept for a hundred years if I didn’t wake you.”
Tolomon snorted as he finished tying his hands. “Tell your little demon friends there’s a reason why the Graduate building always smells like lavender. They have very little idea what we do there.”
The demons hissed in anger. “So, spitting out the water? Was that all an act?”
“You honestly think I didn’t notice the corrupted tree branch in your mouth? Didn’t assume you’d pull something like this? Did you not realize no one would ever willingly share a drinking glass with someone who just vomited?”
“False sense of security,” Indenuel groaned, hitting the back of his head against the tree. “Dammit.”
“You sorely underestimate Graduates. That will always be your weakness,” Tolomon said.
All an act so we wouldn’t be called.
If you knew he was trying to follow you, you would have asked for us.
We would have kept an eye on him.
You should sell your soul. We will always keep an eye on you then.
Tolomon moved to the front, grabbing the bottom of his shirt before lifting it. The anger in his eyes changed to a flicker of surprise.
Indenuel snorted. “Turns out sleeping with another man’s concubine helps heal a corrupted mark. Who would have thought.” There was pain in the back of his head before he even realized Tolomon had whacked him. “Ow!”
“Stubborn ass!” Tolomon hissed.
Indenuel glared at him. “If you didn’t want me to, why didn’t you stop me?”
“I had the tiniest hope, when you came down this road, that you were going to talk to Martin. That maybe you had a sensible head on your shoulders, but it turned out you were thinking with a different body part,” Tolomon said.
“I didn’t expect to bed her. I went to apologize,” Indenuel said.
“Wonderful job on the apology,” Tolomon muttered.
“It’s true, alright? And when she forgave me, the mark got lighter. It was almost like a confession of sorts. I don’t know how it worked, but it did,” Indenuel said. Tolomon rubbed the bridge of his nose. Indenuel turned away, frowning. “Wait… wait, were you just… were you watching us?”
Tolomon groaned. “No, I wasn’t watching you. What kind of person do you think I am.”
“Well, you clearly weren’t stopping us either, even though you clearly never wanted this to happen,” Indenuel said.
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“I was hoping I could wake literally anyone else in the house from outside to get them to notice, but even the servants must be sleeping. You two were so noisy it was like a horse was set lose in there.”
“We were not!” Indenuel said.
“You kept the window open, idiot.” Tolomon rubbed the back of his neck. “No matter. Despite not getting anyone awake, this is exactly what I need.”
“What are you talking about?” Indenuel asked.
“Navir may look the other way when you murder, but he is not going to when you’ve slept with a High Elder’s concubine. He’ll have you locked in the dungeon until that mark comes off,” Tolomon said.
Indenuel felt his heart drop. “Wait, what?”
“I’m keeping you tied up here, and I will talk to Martin myself,” Tolomon said.
He doesn’t believe in voluntary confession either.
He’s lying.
He said he would never confess but wear you down.
Call him out on it.
“What was all that about how you’d never reveal what I did with Inessa, that you would instead wear me down? Make it so I’d want to confess to Martin instead?” Indenuel asked.
“I am willing to do this to save your soul.” Tolomon turned around and headed toward the gate.
“I’ll tell him you lied,” Indenuel said, desperate to keep Tolomon there.
With surprising speed, Tolomon turned around, tearing Indenuel’s shirt completely off him, revealing the mark that was admittedly still quite dark, even if it looked better than before.
“I’ll take the ten lashings. Martin just needs to see that. And he will now,” Tolomon said, dropping the shirt.
“Don’t, Tolomon. Don’t do this. I need to save the city. I need to end the war. I need to protect everyone,” Indenuel said, starting to panic.
We know how to save you.
Give us time.
Use your tree power. Get the bark to saw the ropes.
He’s not a tree talker. He won’t notice.
Get him arrogant so he doesn’t realize what’s going on.
Memories flashed through his mind. Memories of him saying he always survived because he assumed he was the weakest in the room. He shuffled through his memories, trying to find any moment at all where Tolomon had been arrogant. The demons showed him.
“My personal best is a single meal. Let’s see how long you last.”
“I swear you to secrecy,” Indenuel blurted out.
Tolomon froze. He turned around, frowning, anger trickling back into his eyes. “What?”
Indenuel adjusted his arms, tapping into his tree power, breaking the will of a single bark as it began to saw back and forth across the ropes of his hand. Indenuel willed it to be darker, sharper, as it started to cut into the rope. “I swear you to secrecy.”
“You can’t anymore. The High Elders revoked that right,” Tolomon said.
“I’m in a class higher than the High Elders. I don’t follow their laws anymore, and therefore I can swear you to secrecy.”
Tolomon smirked. “Really stretching there, aren’t you? Besides, didn’t you learn your lesson from last time?”
“Oh, I learned the lesson. I learned it took you weeks to wear me down,” Indenuel said. “I don’t need a week. I just need you to stay silent for one night.”
“Oh really?” Tolomon asked. “One night? You honestly think I’m going to untie you? Someone’s got to wake up eventually and see you. I’ll just go get Martin now for a different reason.”
The demons hissed quietly. Don’t make him think of ropes.
Change the subject quick.
Indenuel glared at him. “Swear it, Tolomon.”
Tolomon shrugged. “Should my lips betray the secret, may my title as Graduate be revoked and my life end.”
“Good. Now,” Indenuel practiced, trying to make it look like he was trying to get his hands loose. Trying to give Tolomon the false sense of security. The more Tolomon smirked, the more Indenuel knew he was fooling him. “Now I just need to…” He struggled again, and Tolomon folded his arms, waiting.
“I’m going to get Martin now,” Tolomon said.
“Fine. You do that,” Indenuel said.
Tolomon frowned, his eyes narrowing.
You’re too confident. He suspects something.
The bark broke through, and Tolomon’s eyes widened.
He heard the rope break.
GO!
Indenuel broke the trees will. He lifted his hand as the branch wrapped his arm and pulled him up.
“Go, go, go,” Indenuel urged the tree.
The branch flung him into the air. Indenuel reached forward, breaking another tree’s will as it threw its branches to catch his fall before he swung as fast as he could toward the wall. The branches cut into his skin, they were bruised, but he didn’t care. He had a city to save. Or he was going to die trying. The lonely son was starting its decent. Dawn was still a long while off, but he needed the night. The time when they weren’t ready.
“Where is he?” Indenuel asked the demons in his mind.
Following you.
Close.
Get to the wall. The wall will slow him down.
“No, it won’t,” Indenuel thought.
Of course it will.
He is human. He will need to climb it.
It is a tall wall.
“Tolomon taught me to always assume you are the weakest one. He will cross over the wall like it is nothing.”
There was a pause as Indenuel crossed over the wall, moving as fast as he possibly could.
Whoa, all the demons said.
Indenuel nodded. “That’s what I thought. How much farther till the camps.”
You’re almost there. Keep going.
He won’t follow you once you’re there. He is under orders not to.
Tolomon is obedient.
That is his weakness.
Indenuel tried to focus. He needed to save the city. This was the only way. Kiam wanted to stop his way of life. Kiam didn’t need to change the High Elders. That was going to be his job.
Powerful tree blockers! Careful!
Indenuel went from on top of the tree to down below, hardly slowing down his momentum. The instant the tree’s corruption righted itself, Indenuel went plowing into three guards who had their hands up, blocking the trees. He landed on top of them and filled them with pain to the gut, forcing it to their brains. A dark chill covered his body. He still had no shirt, but he knew it wasn’t because of that. The mark was growing darker. He could see it. But he didn’t focus on that.
One thousand, one hundred and sixty.
“I only need to kill five hundred,” Indenuel said.
We’ll keep count all the same.
Indenuel sensed the memories, forced the pain, getting angry. Tolomon couldn’t reach him anymore. He was here, right in the middle of the battle, fighting as hard as he could. The men were there, prepared for him. But he was prepared for them, too. He sensed their memories, sensed why they needed to die. More importantly, he thought of Inessa. Thought of how much he needed her to be alright. He needed her to survive.
One thousand, one hundred and forty-seven.
One thousand, one hundred and forty-three.
One thousand, one hundred and forty.
It took the demons forever to say the numbers. He broke through the blockers, breaking the tree’s will, dropping them to the ground.
Arrow, dodge left.
Indenuel did. It began to rain. Indenuel shivered, but he tried not to get distracted by it. He needed to kill all these people. If he was to go to hell in order to make sure the people he loved lived a better life, then so be it.
“Fill them with fear,” Indenuel said in his mind. “Keep the blockers from using their powers.”
It is too early in the battle.
There are over a thousand soldiers here.
They aren’t going to get scared that easily.
Indenuel gritted his teeth, working his way through the crowd, the anger turning into fear. There were a lot of soldiers here.
An arrow stuck him right in the shoulder, breaking through the other side. Indenuel stumbled. The soldiers shouted in excitement. Indenuel dropped them, two hands, filling them full of pain, but it wasn’t enough. Dropping two at a time didn’t mean a whole lot of soldiers weren’t surrounding him at that moment. Over a thousand soldiers, all knowing he was there.
Indenuel reached for the trees, but they weren’t responding. He had been here before, but this time he could not count on Tolomon. If Tolomon entered the fight, they would both be dead.
Drop, now!
Indenuel did. A dozen arrows shot into the other people. One grazed his forehead that he was almost certain it hit his brain. He had felt this before. This fear in a crowd. They were coming to him, clamoring towards him, ready to grab him, ready to hurt him.
Indenuel screamed and threw his arms out. A strong wind appeared, stronger than anything he had experienced, knocking the men over. Indenuel opened his eyes and saw Garen.
Sell your soul.
It’s the only way you’ll survive.
There are one thousand, one hundred and sixteen soldiers in this army.
They are all bent on killing you.
Indenuel shut his eyes, remembering his loved ones, remembering everyone he would never see for the rest of eternity.
Air. Air came out of my hands. The elements.
His mind shuffled through the brief conversation with Martin. He said they were God’s powers, but if that were true, how come air came out of his hands?
Indenuel used the confusion of being knocked down to break the tree’s will. He used all his power to kill the soldiers, trees skewering soldiers, pain wracking through their bodies, demons terrifying them with thoughts of hell, rain turning everything muddy. Garen continued to watch, waiting. The fear began to trickle into the campsite.
The weather controllers are confused.
Indenuel fell to his knees, forcing himself into the meditation state. He circled his hands together, a thick fog coming together. He forced himself to breathe easily. Forced himself to focus on weather only. Fog. He needed more fog. He put his other powers on hold as he focused all his energy into this one power. Fog swirled, chilling his torso, growing. He let it spread throughout the entire camp. He surrounded them, creating a wall of fog over every Kiamese soldier in the entire camp. He continued to thicken it, his energy swiftly running out.
His mind eye shifted. He felt it, an untapped power, untapped potential. Pure, raw. This could be his. This is how he would save the city without selling his soul. He would use the powers of the Gods.
His mind broke. Again. The fog shifted particles, changing to water. He was water. His essence, his consciousness, he was every piece of flowing water there was. He sensed the struggling men, trying to swim to the top for air. He grabbed every single one of them and forced them to the ground. He somehow sensed all one thousand and twenty-three souls, holding them down, keeping them there. There would be no survivors.
As he sensed their souls leave their bodies, his water essence let them go, first a few at a time, then a dozen at a time. He kept himself focused, but he was covering so much land. He dropped columns of water once he knew the souls in that area were gone. He became smaller and smaller, letting the dead men float to the top before dropping the water to the ground.
They’re gone. You’ve killed them all.
You killed over a thousand men in a shorter time than it took you to kill the others.