Kade resisted asking the obvious how do you know my name question. It wasn’t a surprise to confirm that this man had sought him out, given their interactions thus far, and Kade didn’t feel like playing games. Instead he decided to gamble, and use the man’s own methods against him. “We both flirt with danger for a living, don’t we Master Bringer?” Kade tried to match the man’s casual tone, put on his best poker face, and took almost perverse pleasure in seeing the man’s purple eyes widen slightly.
“You’re better informed than I might have expected, obviously living with Alara deL’estat has its benefits.” Kade let a small smile touch his lips, but didn’t respond. In truth he was only aware of a limited number of factions in Karthas, and the Keepers and Priests didn’t seem the type for this kind of subterfuge. Unless he was with one of the mysterious Purists, the man was likely a Bringer by default.
“Are you going to introduce yourself? I can respect a little cloak and dagger, but I’d prefer to make a friend.” Kade noted the man didn’t glance at his bracer for translation, which raised some interesting questions. The bracers synched after spending enough time in close proximity, how long had this man been following him?
The man only hesitated a moment before surprising Kade with a wide grin. “My name is Cerano, and I have few friends these days, so perhaps I shouldn’t waste a chance at a new one.” His entire manner seemed to change as he relaxed back into his seat, somehow giving the impression that he had just returned from war, and was having difficulty with peace. “Recruitment is usually less exciting than this, but you’re an unusual candidate for any number of reasons.”
“Recruitment?” Kade blurted out. Suspecting the man of being a Bringer was one thing, finding himself in their crosshairs was altogether different. He’d heard many things about the Bringers since arriving in Karthas, and while many were good–Bringers being viewed as near mythological figures of hope–there was also a general sense of foreboding when then their Faction was mentioned. People spoke in whispers, eyes darting to shadows. Kade had come to accept this attitude as another cultural quirk that the natives couldn’t explain, but there were more alarming rumors as well. Cerano didn’t appear to be someone who would snatch Awakened in the night, never to be seen again, but there was that unmistakable air of danger that didn’t lessen even slightly when the man supposedly relaxed.
“You meet the very simple criteria by which we identify potential members, though you’ve yet to reach a level of power that would allow you true membership.” Cerano waited expectantly, but Kade had already decided not to play games; if the man insisted on prompting Kade to ask obvious questions, he’d have to get used to silence. At last the man relented, his jaw tensing slightly before he spoke. “Surely you’re curious what the criteria is…” Kade made himself look bored as he watched two new fighters enter the ring.
Cerano cleared his throat, “I thought this would be more fun.” He said, disappointed. “Very well, I’ll give the speech, you sit there and brood,” at last Kade couldn’t contain a small smile, grateful his small power play had worked, but he’d bet the man hadn’t put this much effort into meeting him if he were willing to simply walk away.
Cerano spoke, and the speech did indeed seem practiced, “Through chance or keen observation you’ve discovered a limit that exists in nearly every Child of Korthos. Some call it the Great Madness, the Uniformity, or a dozen other things, but we tend to just refer to it as the Flaw.” Kade finally looked at the man, as it would be pointless to pretend he wasn’t interested in the answer to the very question Cerano had hunted him for asking.
Seeing he had Kade’s attention, the man continued with more passion. “I can’t discuss the origin of the Flaw with an uninitiated, but you’ve already encountered the consequences. Our people are trapped, in a sense; trapped by linear thinking. It’s so pervasive they genuinely can’t understand the way someone like you fights, or even just acts day to day. You’ve no doubt seen the way a determined Keeper will simply continue to use the same tactic over and over without seeing results, and it was likely as difficult for you to understand why they don’t adapt, as it would be for them to even consider a change. It’s in our very nature.”
Kade couldn’t help but think back to the first time he saw Edwin fight, hacking away with his axes as if he were in a forest. Swing and advance, swing and advance, never looking away from his goal; Kade had originally thought it a quirk of the woodcutter, but the more people he met, the more he realized this odd behavior was somehow the norm. Gwen and Jothus had fallen into the same rhythms as well, though there were exceptions. “My friend, Salarus deL'estat fights with more versatility than anyone I know, surely he can’t suffer from this…’flaw’.”
“You’re correct, I’m very much aware of the young Sorcerer, and he’s been targeted for the Bringers for over a decade. But he’s a rarity for numerous reasons. We suspect we know how he overcame the Flaw, but again, that information is restricted by membership. For now I’m only here to confirm that your suspicions are correct, and to give you enough information to stop you from questioning the citizens further.” Kade grew suspicious at that.
“This is some kind of conspiracy then? Am I in danger for spreading someone’s secrets?” Once more Kade readied his chains, not sure what this man might be willing to do if Kade didn’t agree. But instead of danger, the man’s reaction was pained.
“No, Kade. No one will harm you for this, but you might harm others.” He seemed to struggle to find the words, this part clearly less rehearsed. “Surely you’ve seen the looks of confusion and frustration on the faces of those you’ve spoken to? It’s always like that for those with the Flaw. It’s as if some part of them knows that they’re broken, but can’t understand why or how. As I said, they’re trapped by this phenomenon, and you standing outside the locked cage asking why they won’t leave is cruel.”
Kade didn’t know how to react to that startling perspective, and his mind rapidly shuffled through memories with this new context. All his previous frustrations were replaced with a lingering guilt, as the reactions he’d received made far more sense with this new understanding. At last he turned back to Cerano, who was studying him quietly. “So what are you doing about the Flaw, then? And what does this have to do with recruitment?” The man appeared relieved to be back on script, and nodded to himself before continuing.
“To the former, I hope to be able to share everything with you someday, should you manage to join our ranks. To the latter, it has almost everything to do with recruitment. I mentioned there was a single criteria, and you’ve likely intuited what it is: you have to have overcome the Flaw. That’s the fundamental separation between the Bringers and the Keepers, though few outside our organization actually know that.
“Let me be clear, I’m not disparaging the Keepers at all, and you should never look down upon them. Despite the Flaw, they neither lack power nor bravery, and it is their efforts which largely keep the scattered population safe. However, they are unsuited for the wider world, as survival in the deep Chaos is about continuous adaptation as much as it’s about strength. That means it’s up to us to handle everything they can’t, and sadly that’s a growing list.”
Cerano ran a hand over his face before continuing, and Kade realized he looked exhausted. “Our candidate pool is small, which is why we’d have considered you even if you weren’t causing a stir with your questions. There are only a handful of methods of overcoming the Flaw, none of which can be scaled to any degree. So I was sent to offer you what guidance I can; very soon, we will need every possible Bringer to stand with us.”
Kade cocked an eyebrow at that, “Does this have to do with the Keeper excursion everyone keeps talking about?”
“Yes, but that’s the puddle when I speak of the storm. Surely you’ve heard the rumors of Elder awakenings happening more frequently?” Kade nodded that he had, though the information hadn’t meant much to him, other than knowing it was the reason the Keepers planned to march. “Well for once the rumors are actually underselling the problem. I know you’ve encountered an Elder yourself, it was like an enormous, horrifying beast, yes?” Kade thought back to the many-eyed monster he’d fought, and nodded again.
“Those are the Elders that most Keepers are familiar with, and if they’re lucky, the only type they’ll ever encounter. But they are effectively the lost children of their generations–little more than cunning animals, who gave up their own Paths to Power before achieving true intellect.” He leaned forward in his chair, and his tone grew even more serious, “But you’ve also seen Altera, and Karthas. Most believe these to be the exceptions, but that’s only because we sit in the heart of one of the great Fallen Kingdoms. There are countless Elders out there who fought as much with their minds as with their bodies, and they too are awakening.”
Kade considered, and couldn’t stop himself from looking up at the incomprehensibly vast form of Karthas, towering over them. “I have to admit that I don’t truly understand the difference. How do the Elders the Keepers fight differ from these more intelligent ones? I keep trying to figure out how everyone keeps them straight. I hear that smaller is better, but old Karthas here is practically blocking out the sun.”
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Cerano waved a hand dismissively, “You’re only lost because you haven’t reached Primus yet. The same talent that will allow you to quantify your own power will give you the insight you’re lacking. You’ll be able to feel the relative power level of any creature containing the energy of Iros; by the time you reach Tertius, you’ll be able to put a number to it as easily as counting your own fingers.
“As for appearance? The only real lesson is that it’s very rare for appearance to have any bearing on power level. It’s true that size generally trended downward in more recent generations, but Iros has been around for untold billions of years, and if anyone got much taller than our friend here–” he indicated Karthas, “--then their heads would be brushing the atmosphere.”
Noticing that Kade was captivated by the subject, Cerano put on an indulgent smile and continued. “I’m not the foremost expert on the subject, but being a Bringer allows you to travel more than most, and I’ve heard some stories. There was a dig once into a Forgotten Kingdom just south of Dalton, and they found Elders smaller than your fist, if you could believe it.” His face fell, slightly. “That story actually ended tragically. Someone picked up one of the Elders and took it as a souvenir. It Awakened in the middle of a city and was a nightmare to stop.”
He looked sheepish, “Sorry, there aren’t many stories involving Elders that don’t end in death and destruction. I can at least say that the tiny Kingdom they discovered was ancient and rare, as the majority of generations did tend to grow to outrageous sizes. The greater threat, however, has always been intellect. As Elders accumulate power, they slowly shift from raw instinct into careful calculation, and it’s then that they become a true threat.
“Keepers can handle the beast-like Elders as it’s rarely more than what we’re seeing here,” he gestured at the latest match-up of fighters, this time a very skinny young woman was rapidly pummeling a round, burly man. “Just two forces throwing their power around. Don’t get me wrong, it’s necessary, and the Keepers are dedicated warriors who perform their roles admirably. But someone like your friend Altera could turn their attacks against them, or ignore them entirely.”
“What do you mean ignore them? Would the Keepers really not be a threat?” Kade asked, trying to imagine what an intelligent Elder would even desire.
“Not at all; a thinking Elder isn’t necessarily more powerful than their more beast-like kin, but do you remember what it was like when you fought alongside Edwin?” Kade thought back, as so much of that battle was blurred by guilt and pain. Then it occurred to him.
“The Elder just attacked the strongest target. Later on it seemed to flail out in every direction, but for the longest time it just kept doing the same thing over and ov–” Kade cut off suddenly, and Cerano smiled in approval. “The Elder had the Flaw?”
“As near as we can figure, yes. They’re single-minded even to the point that it leads to their deaths. But once they reach a certain level of intelligence, they overcome that limitation and become something else entirely. Imagine an Elder that simply ran past the Keepers and tore Karthas apart. Imagine a hundred doing so at once. This is what the Bringers fear, and the reason for our desperation.”
Kade suddenly whipped his head back and forth in suspicion, only now considering that they were in public and speaking of something that must be highly restricted information. “Why are you telling me this? Isn’t it dangerous to know something of this magnitude?” Cerano sighed.
“I wish that it wasn’t, but you’re right. I strongly suggest you keep what I’ve told you to yourself.” He paused, considering. “You can tell Salarus as well, if you feel you can trust him with it, but do not tell Alara. She’s as flawed as anyone, and her singular focus is politics: she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from using this information as leverage. It would only hurt her in the end.”
“But you trust me with it? Even I’m suspicious of my shady origins.” Kade said in disbelief, but Cerano just laughed.
“Trust is perhaps too great a word, but you are being brought into our confidence. It’s a test, and not a subtle one. We want you in the Bringers if your power can grow to match your potential, and seeing what you do with these insights will show us what value you can bring to our organization. Besides, I deal in shady origins,” he finished with a smirk, then abruptly stood up.
“It’s time for me to leave, but we’ll see each other again. For now I’ll give you a piece of advice: don’t lean too far into your own unusual tactics; they’ll be far more effective if you have a proper bedrock of understanding to depart from, rather than relying on nothing but surprise and momentum. Seek out a proper weapons master, and some kind of martial arts as well; I promise you’ll appreciate the results.”
Kade stood up, teeming with more questions as the man began to walk away. But Cerano stopped suddenly, looking up as if lost in thought, then turned back to Kade once more. “I’ll tell you one last thing, though in truth it might harm more than help.” He stepped closer to Kade and spoke softly. “Many of the rules about our powers are intractable–such as your affinities–but others…” he drifted off, seeming to second guess himself, then sighed and continued. “Others are the Flaw made manifest, and are more like self-imposed limitations. Your abilities are not so set in stone as many believe. Look inward, and consider my words.” With that he turned and disappeared down a nearby alley, leaving Kade heavy with revelation and worry.
***
Later that night, Kade found himself in what had become his usual spot atop the Karthas wall, staring outward. He’d finally found a local brewer that served more than wine and unusual spirits, and he had the local equivalent of a few ‘thinking beers’ next to him. It had become a bit of a ritual to spend an hour or so on the wall each night, watching the sunset and sharing a drink with Salarus when the man had the time to join him. Tonight he was alone, however, and appreciated the solitude.
He was still digesting everything Cerano had told him, and wondering about everything the man had left out. He wasn’t sure what he’d expected when he’d begun exploring the odd linear thinking that seemed so prevalent among these people, but some kind of physical block had never occurred to him. The fact that it was shared with the Elders raised a number of other interesting questions that Kade couldn’t begin to answer. There was something about the vision he’d seen during the Trial of Karthas that made him believe the Flaw might be connected to the Cycle. The blind desperation that both the Elders and newly born creatures displayed spoke of some kind of compulsion, and he still wondered at the rest of that scene.
He looked upward at the moons, having grown used to the odd way that the sky could sometimes be entirely filled with them, or completely empty. He remembered the light they had emitted, and was sure it was somehow connected to the eerie way that the new Elders had been birthed from the ground, and wondered if he’d ever truly understand what he’d witnessed in that hellscape. He’d asked around since then, but ‘the Cycle’ was looked upon as near-myth by this point, and scholarly studies didn’t vary much from children’s tales on the subject.
Competing for his attention was the news that the Bringers were not only aware of him, but had effectively invited him to join their ranks already. He knew he needed to increase his personal power, and becoming Primus had become a clear goal for him, but he had a growing certainty that he’d one day be able to return to the Chaos. “I must get back to the Chaos,” he whispered.
Several minutes passed in silence and he finally had to shake his head to clear it. This day must be weighing on me even more heavily than I realized, he thought. At last he stood up, stretching and feeling the energy currents against his skin. Tonight was an important night, and it felt almost fated that he’d also had a revelatory day. He was finally going to push all the way to the first village by sunup, and more than that, it was time to learn how to truly wield Chaos.
He wondered what his absent mentor would think if he knew what Kade was not only capable of, but about to embrace. He knew that he needed to master the fullness of his powers, and whether he liked it or not Chaos was a part of him: his Path as a Chaos Energist wouldn’t let him forget that fact. But Edwin had been so kind, and patient. A stalwart champion against Chaos, and the fundamental embodiment of the Keepers of the Calm. What would that gentle man think if he knew what Kade was about to do?
***
Edwin’s ax came down with deadly finality, and the small body joined the rest. Nera’s lifeless eyes stared up at him in confusion and horror, but the woodcutter just kept putting one foot in front of the other. The forest was dark, and perfectly, impossibly silent, offering none of the comfort or peace that it once had. He couldn’t stop himself from looking backward–as he did each time–at the trail of blood and destruction he’d left disappearing into the distance.
Another voice called out in front of him, and this time it was his uncle. He hated that he felt joy when it was his uncle; he’d never been close to the man and killing him was so much easier than the rest. Even after doing this countless times, he still hesitated, though. Partly it was his increasingly broken mind still resisting the inevitable, but he was also unsure of whether faster or slower was best. If he killed them all as quickly as possible, would this horror end sooner? Or should he delay as long as possible, with more time being the right answer? The only thing he knew with certainty was that it was worse when he didn’t kill them. What they did to themselves made this a mercy.
His ax fell once more, and he realized he could no longer feel the blood anymore–there was simply too much on him already. The voice rang out again, as it did every time; as it had for weeks, or years, Edwin didn’t know anymore.
DO YOU SEE? DO YOU AT LAST UNDERSTAND?
Edwin didn’t bother to answer, as he knew the voice wasn’t waiting for words. Instead he just took another step forward, and surprised himself when he felt tears running down his face. He thought he’d run out of tears so long ago…
YOU STILL DO NOT SEE. YOU STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I WILL HELP YOU. I WILL FIX YOU.
Another voice called out from the dark forest ahead, and this time it was his wife Tana. Edwin could only lift his ax and take another step.