I was in hell. I had decided this after the third dress they forced me into and the second pair of shoes. Shoes, which I determined had to be some form of arcane torture device.
This is not fair at all! I wear heels all the time when I’m adventuring, but these don’t feel anything like my boots! I grumbled to myself. They pinch my toes, and the heels are so skinny I’m walking on toothpicks!
Nevertheless, I had to keep smiling and keep up a façade to make my handlers happy. The Vicar was over the moon at his ‘discovery’ of me, and Deacon had a smug look on his face that made it even more punchable than normal, but there were constantly people around so I couldn’t actually act on my impulses.
Like burning everything to the ground with Tower!
Besides which, priestess Mia seemed genuinely sweet. A quality that was in short supply this close to the centers of power.
After a great deal of fussing over my appearance and clothing, I had finally been approved to board the cathedral ship, for presentation to the Imperial academy. I was honestly looking forward to it, I was extremely curious to see if Lakshmi would be there, or if my friends would come rescue me in the middle of the city! I doubted it though, there didn’t seem to be any way to avoid collateral damage…
Maybe if Soriya gets her way. She likes collateral damage. I scowled. Not a positive, Soriya. Less boom, more restraint! I thought, then had to laugh at myself. Asking my friends to be anyone other than who they are was never going to fly.
And so I found myself on the bridge of the giant sky barge, draped with elaborate heraldry slowly cruising through the skies of Spyre, approaching a grand glass hall on top of an absurdly tall skyscraper, as part of the process of showing me off to the Imperial city. I noted that Deacon seemed to be most excited to have the chance to speak with the emperor himself, and what was starting to worry me, I hadn’t seen any sign of ShadowSoriya, or ShadowEshaan.
“Saintess, if you look, you can see the Imperial skybarge just coming into view there.” Vicar Hnin said, gesturing to the right. I peered along the direction he was pointing, and spotted the enormous bulk of red, gold, and black that was a rival to the church’s barge for pompous grandiosity.
Well, I guess I’ll find out if… “Will I see the imperial princess?” I asked.
Vicar Hnin paused, then said “Saintess, you will meet the entire Imperial family. The emperor himself has come to welcome your ascension, and his children as well.”
I turned to look at him. “I thought the princess had gone missing?” I said curiously.
Vicar Hnin looked startled. “Where did you hear that?!”
I blinked. “It was… a friend mentioned it in passing.” I hate being so bad at lying! I grumbled mentally. It is downright unfair that ‘Deacon’ seems to be so good at it! My dark side indeed.
Vicar Hnin stroked his chin. “I see. Well you were misinformed. The princess has been secluded in her library, studying the proper rights and rituals for her own ascension.”
“Ascension? To what?”
Vicar Hnin looked at me strangely. “Her position as the heir, of course. When she manifests the flame of the Imperial family, she will take her position on the Dragon Throne.”
I glanced quickly at Deacon, and caught another glimpse of triumph in his face. So this is all part of his plan as well? But… but Lakshmi can’t cast! He has to know that! Deacon smirked at me, and I balled my hands into my skirts so I wouldn’t punch him.
“Thank you.” I said to Vicar Hnin. “I’m not familiar with the imperial rites, I was born a long way from Spyre, as you know.”
The vicar patted me on the arm gently. “Never fear Saintess, the church will teach you everything you need to know for your role. You are the equal of the Imperial family, your role ordained by divine command.”
I squeezed my fists in my skirts and looked down. “I do not think that is the proper role or place for me.” I said, gritting my teeth.
The vicar smiled kindly again. “We have been over this, Saintess. You are too pure of heart to see it, only more proof that you are the Saintess, chosen by the Crystal Dragon himself.” Vicar Hnin turned to the broad windows of the bridge and pointed. “Come see, we’re about to dock at the Hall of Invention, we must introduce you to the Empire!”
I looked out the windows at the grand hall of glass and steel, noting the broad gardens on the terrace outside, as well as an airship dock which clearly was intended for our reception. The banners in gold and white, black and red were clear indications. Below on the terrace, I spotted a small spot of blue moving among the crowds. My heart leapt into my throat.
Soriya? Soriya is that you?! Did you get to make a presentation to the hall? Are they in awe of your brilliance? Have you concocted some brilliant plan? I licked my lips, but the figure vanished into the hall without anything exploding, and honestly… blue? Surely many people wear blue of that color.
Vicar Hnin looked at me with concern. “Saintess? Is anything wrong?”
I smiled a watery smile back to him. “I… am unused to all of this. I do not think that I deserve this much fuss.” I suppose that might count as lie. I am obviously this Saintess, but none of this is supposed to be happening now! I certainly feel queasy enough about it for it to be true!
The vicar only smiled blandly and nodded. “Of course. Once you have arrived at Albidion, the Church will be able to show you the truth of your position, and grant you the confidence your position deserves.”
The airbarge slowly turned, its massive bulk rendering every movement slow and ponderous. The pilots certainly seemed to know what they were doing though, and we descended with a grace and dignity that I supposed was in keeping with the grandiose pageantry that this whole occasion seemed to call for.
We nosed slowly into the dock, and there was a barely perceptible ‘bump’, which caused me to wobble briefly on my heels, grabbing at Vicar Hnin’s arm to steady myself. I gave him an embarrassed smile of apology, but he nodded graciously as though this was an everyday occurrence for him.
“If you’re ready, let us debark Saintess.” He said.
I nodded, swallowing nervously. “Yes, I’m ready.” The vicar led the way towards the gangway.
I sighed, lifting my skirts so I didn’t trip on them again, and trailed after him. Eshaan, you’d better come and rescue me soon, I don’t know how much longer I can stop myself from punching a whole bunch of people! I thought grimly.
The winds whipped around the airbarge and the dock, and the sounds of the wind and imperial barge’s approaching engines were almost painfully loud. My overlong skirts streamed wildly in the wind, and my hair turned into a wild banner of brilliant pink swirling in the crosscurrents.
I picked my way carefully across the gangway, grateful for the handrailing to keep my balance, briefly worried that my white gloves would get stained with grease or dirt, before deciding that it didn’t matter, they’d brought me here, they could cope if I got a tiny bit dirty. Not that it would dissuade them from proclaiming me a Saintess, of course, the plot seemed to have me firmly in its clutches.
I hope I’m not wrong about this. I thought grimly. But now I’m playing a game of chess against myself. Now we see if I really am a candyfloss arm ornament, or if there’s more to me after all.
***
Lakshmi had decided she was in hell. This was her punishment for trying to be anything more than a dutiful princess, for having been ‘born wrong’ and unable to use magic. She glanced to the side where Daniyel stood with stoic grace, wearing his ornate bodyguard armor shined to a chrome gloss. It sparkled in the light streaming in through the broad bridge windows of the imperial airbarge.
What made it all the worse was that she could just feel the smug confidence radiating from him as he stood there. He had been exactly right, her father had welcomed her with open arms, and only the slightest implication that he was relieved she had decided to return to her appointed duties. Her useless brother on the other hand, had made it clear that she was a disgrace to the family and that her ‘silly romantic notions’ had brought shame upon the entire royal line, before father had stepped in and put a stop to his apparently endless screed.
She glared over at said brother, resplendent in his black, red, and gold outfit, looking like a military officer without actually being military at all.
Right down to the medals for nothing on his chest. She thought dismissively. Not that I’d like to face him in any kind of sword duel… she added grudgingly, eyeing the razor sharp dueling sword at his hip.
The captain of the ship turned to her father, even more resplendent than her useless brother in his royal outfit, his red cape blazing brightly over his shoulders. “Majesty, we will soon be arriving at the Hall of Invention.” The captain offered with a gracious bow. “The Church’s barge has docked, and we are cleared to proceed. With your leave, I will begin the docking procedures?”
Her father nodded silently. Honestly, he could give Daniyel a run for his money. She thought sourly. She spared a quick glanced around at the silent bodyguards dotting the bridge of the airbarge, all of them wearing the same brightly polished ornate armor of the royal guard that Daniyel wore.
Or maybe it’s just how they’re trained. Her lips quirked upwards. Of course… Soriya got Daniyel to open up. I think I even caught him cracking a smile just for a second or two on our flight home. She mentally replayed the teasing she’d given him on the airtaxi to the palace, and his stoic responses to the light barbs she’d thrown his way.
The captain brought the airbarge into the Hall’s dock with a smooth precision that Lakshmi found herself unreasonably jealous of. Or rather, the entire bridge crew did, as the captain simply gave the orders. I wonder if I can get lessons… she immediately cut off that thought. She could not. She’d tried for years. She’d tried sword play, she’d tried magic, she’d tried the library, and the only thing she’d ever found that responded to her hand was her machines. Her machines and the history texts that talked about the Ancients’ machinery.
She balled her hands into fists angrily. And when I present my findings to Father, what am I told? That I must speak to the imperial scholars or the inventors, that it is not seemly to study machinery, that a princess must not get her hands greasy!
The airbarge docked smoothly with barely a bump, and the imperial fanfare resounded outside the hull. She sighed, and saw Daniyel glance at her, giving her a slight disapproving shake of his head. She scowled and sighed even harder, crossing her arms.
“Lakshmi, don’t slouch, and don’t scowl.” Her father said quietly. “It’s important to make a grand impression, you’re here to meet this new Saintess that the Church is so eager to have us see.” Her father gave her a tired and extremely brief smile. “And then you can browse the hall, I’m sure the inventors will be more than happy to tell you all about their pet projects.”
Her brother scowled. “How you can listen to those fools pander on… they make tools for the empire to use, but their minds are as empty as yours, Lakshmi!”
Lakshmi smiled a saccharine bright smile at her brother and replied “Not nearly as empty as your bed chamber, dear brother.” She was rewarded with a bright flash of anger in his eyes before her father sighed heavily and said “Children, not now. At least let us pretend for a few hours.”
“Yes father.” The two emperor’s children chorused in unison.
The Emperor of Spyre and the Holy Empire strode towards the gangway, his children trailing behind him, shooting each other barbed glares.
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
***
Soriya was in hell. She’d determined this with extensive research, charting each step of the descent she had taken. I’ve been in the Wake, I should know how far down this is. I should consider creating a method of measuring the temperature here as well, I’m sure it will be of use in future experiments and to finally answer the question of if hell is cold or hot.
What she had determined was that hell was unpleasantly sticky and smelled like unwashed bodies. The grand inventor’s hall was packed so full it was almost impossible to move, and she kept finding ‘accidental’ hands brushing against her. If I feel one more of those, I am going to blow up this entire hall and myself with it! She ground her teeth together. The only benefit to this crowd is that it’s currently too tight to cop a feel!
I’m glad Lily’s not here. She would not be happy to find out what happens to pretty girls in a crowd like this.
The crowd was gathered in response to the grand announcements and musical flourish that announced the imminent arrival of the Saintess and the royal family.
Soriya grimaced. Of course, Lily is about to be here, isn’t she? Right, Lily’s usually the brains for this, but I’m not bad. Lets see. She’ll show up, be introduced, and then some terrible trouble will be revealed. I’m pretty sure I can’t rescue her on my own, we don’t have Eshaan with us anyway, but at least valuable information will be revealed.
The herald announced to the crowd “The Imperial family, His Imperial Majesty, Akhil Maung!”
A dignified late middle aged man with an aura of weary authority strode onto the stage, his outfit of black, red and gold making him a striking figure, the red cloak billowing behind him as he walked. The crowd cheered lustfully for him as he gave a tired but dignified wave.
Soriya eyed him carefully. Could be evil… could just be tired. If this was a game, I would be praising the graphics… I’m really not wild about the smell- Her train of thought was interrupted by a hand on her arm. Right, that’s it! She spun around her mouth opening in preparation to cast a spell, only to encounter the cold smile of her Shadowself.
“It’s almost here.” The shadowself said. “Can you feel it? I can see in your eyes, that you think you understand what’s going on.”
On stage, the prince and princess were introduced, and walked out to cheers from the crowd.
“Look. Come see. Your triumph turns to ash.” Her shadowself pointed to the stage, where the herald proclaimed “The Saintess of the Cathedral of the Crystal Dragon!” Lily walked out onto the stage, wearing a confection of pure white with gold accents. Soriya briefly felt a moment of jealousy that Lilyanna got to be the center of attention once again, only to freeze in shock. Behind Lilyanna, she spotted the living shadow of Lilyanna. Her mind froze only for a moment, and the start of the chant for {Inferno} was on her lips before she even realized what she was doing.
The touch of her shadowself on her arm was like the outermost cold of the void, a draining frozen flame that sucked away her magic before it could even finish. Her capstone spell fizzled and flickered like a candle in a hurricane, and then was extinguished just as rapidly.
“We can’t have that. Deacon was clear. Now do you see? Do you understand?” Her shadowshelf pressed on her, her hand on Soriya’s arm burning with cold. “Your plans were already forfeit, Deacon has led us to this moment, to your ruin.” Shadowsoriya’s eyes burned into Soriya’s. “This was always the end result. We could never be more than we are. Deacon shows us what we should be. You came here because of your “prophecy”, and look how foolish you are revealed to be. We don’t belong in the limelight, we’re a follower. We will always be a follower.”
Shadowsoriya’s voice was like the tendrils of pure void, a welling hopelessness that burned in Soriya’s heart, dragging her down, back into a pit she’d escaped from, back to when she was simply Enu-u. She wanted to scream, but the void black eyes of Shadowsoriya held her frozen in place, all her spells drained from her.
Hell is cold. She thought. Hell is so very cold.
***
I scanned the crowd hoping to catch a glimpse of Eshaan or any of the others. The sea of eager faces all staring, all hungry for something. A sight, a spectacle. The cold eyes of Deacon and his ever present smile behind me made chills run up my spine.
There! There was Soriya, looking up at me from the sea of faces, a bright spot of blue and black, with her floppy brimmed witch’s hat. I smiled at her, only to feel my smile freeze on my face. Her expression was filled with murderous glee and rage, and her hands were glowing with elemental power! What was she doing?! She can’t possibly-
And then the small slender figure next to her dressed in the priestess robes reached up and grabbed Soriya’s forearm. Soriya’s spell fizzled out without a trace, vanishing into a cold blackness that I could feel from here.
Shadowsoriya?! Here?! I darted a glance back to Deacon, to catch the sight of his cold satisfied smile, as he turned from the confrontation down in the crowd to me. His eyes were filled with triumph. I suddenly understood, like a bolt of lightning. The three figures from the cave. They were each a darkness, an anti-light. A hard counter to the protagonists. Each designed to show us our weaknesses, and more, to provide a fight. He had planned this. He had planned on Soriya and me. Was… My eyes darted over the crowd, and spotted what I was looking for.
A mild, almost inoffensively bland figure in scholar’s robes. A boy with neatly combed brown hair and eyes, the dark mirror of Eshaan. A hard counter to my savior. My heart fell into my stomach. He’s out thought me. I wailed mentally. A black despair filled my mind, as I was lead mechanically towards the artifact in the center of the stage, were I was to be paraded and shown off once more.
***
Lakshmi wasn’t sure what had just happened, but the fact that something had just happened was as blindingly obvious as an engine failure. Lily’s entire figure went from tense hope to a black despair in a second, and one of the two priests behind her wore a smile that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a shark that had just eaten a lifeboat.
She looked around, clenching her fists, trying to figure out a proper course of action. She looked over at Daniyel helplessly. He gazed back calmly, giving her a slight lift of his shoulders as though to say ‘what can be done?’ She glanced back to Lily, where she was being led towards the artifact.
She needed to get a closer look at it, but from what she could tell it was all of a piece with the Ancients’ work from the Tol Jaegren site where the group had fought the giant construct, and Lily had opened that impossible door. She couldn’t be sure, but that artifact… What on earth are they doing with Lily here? This grand ceremony, some kind of consecration of a Saintess. Father’s never been one to be so wrapped up in religion, but ever since mother died he’s been… strange.
Lilyanna didn’t seem to be injured or hurt in anyway, but her normal determined good spirits were pressed flat like a display case.
Lilyanna was lead towards the artifact, and the herald boomed out his proclamation.
“Behold, the proof of the Crystal Dragon’s love and attention! Behold the power of the Saintess, gifted to us to save the world!”
Ok, now that really is too much. Lily’s nice, but she’s not all that! Lakshmi mentally grimaced. A lifetime of training kept her perfectly calm and regal mask in place, but inside she was fuming. Not to mention my stupid brother seems… ugh, boys! She growled
Lilyanna reached out to touch the artifact, and Lakshmi watched as a glow sprang up from the artifact, and spread over Lilyanna’s body.
That’s strange. There’s no answering echo. That’s not a balanced power spike. The Ancients’ tech is much better designed than that.
The brilliant pillar of light erupted from Lilyanna and the artifact, a roaring column of magical power. Lakshmi felt a familiar spike of envy and jealousy. She couldn’t feel anything of the almost certainly immense roar of mana around her. Her hands itched for her multitool, or her ether scanner, or any of her tools she’d left behind in the Sparrowhawk.
The crowd was certainly awed by the fantastic light show, but all that Lakshmi could think was Where is the ground? Was it left behind in the dig? Or is it just missing? Why would the Ancients have designed it that way?! Of course there’s a light show like that, who designs an artifact to do nothing but flare off power?! An artifact just to show off how powerful Lilyanna’s white magic is, is about as useless as… She grimaced, a sour taste in her mouth. As I am in a mages conference. I have got to get a closer look.
The herald’s words suddenly caught her attention.
“…and so, the the Saintess will be transported to the holy ground of the first Catehdral, the seat of the church, the holy see of Albidion on the island of Narses. May she guide us all with her beneficent grace and the knowledge of the Crystal Dragon to protect us all!”
A lifetime of keeping her emotions in check kept Lakshmi from rolling her eyes, but she caught the look on her father’s face. He was entranced. Enthralled. Not like her brother, whose eyes hadn’t left Lilyanna’s chest the whole time, but like a man who was seeing the hope he’d been denied for years. Lakshmi felt herself frown. What on earth did the church promise him!? She thought in confusion.
Lilyanna turned, and Lakshmi met her eyes. Desperation, despair, and a complete loss of faith. Lakshmi felt like she’d been punched in the gut. She glanced between Daniyel and Lilyanna, but neither offered any choice. In the crowd, she spotted Soriya’s hat, and a priestess who was speaking with her. Soriya’s eyes looked dead and empty.
Lakshmi gritted her teeth. Fine. I’m not a mage. I’m a {Tinker}. Let’s blow something up.
She stepped up next to her father. “Father, may I examine the artifact please?”
Her father looked at her in surprise, as though realizing she was there for the first time.
“Lakshmi, we’re still in the middle of the ceremony.” He said in a soft reproving voice.
Lakshmi flashed him the smile that used to wrap him around her little finger. “It won’t take long; I think it’s important!” She said. And then before he could stop her, she advanced on the artifact and bent down to examine the strange bronze gold surface.
“Lakshmi!” Her father and brother spoke reprovingly.
How strange, there really is no grounding here. It doesn’t even look like it’s intended to be grounded at all, there’s channels as though the ground was an external linkage. Ok, ok, focus Lakshmi. Boom now. If it’s really not grounded, this is a simple matter…
She reached out and poked one of the runes that interlinked between the mana conduits, still fluctuating wildly from the overflow of Lilyanna’s energy. There.
The artifact started to emit a rumbling hum, growing steadily louder and louder. Lakshmi spun and announced “The artifact is growing unstable! It’s going to explode!”
The hall immediately erupted into roaring chaos, people jockeying and surging and pushing this way and that. Lakshmi smiled as the bodyguards immediately closed ranks around the royal family. Now, I can get Daniyel and get lost in the crowd-
Shouts of “Protect the Saintess!” and “Protect the royal family!” filled the air, and to her dismay, she saw Lilyanna hustled away, her forearm gripped tightly by the strange deacon she’d never seen before. Behind her, a young scholar with brown hair leaped up onto the stage, and started to tinker with the artifact.
How strange, he almost looks like Eshaan. She thought idly, then shook her head. She had to act fast. She spun towards the exit, only to collide with the solid shiny metal chestplate of Daniyel.
“Daniyel?” She asked in confusion. Daniyel didn’t respond, only grabbed her about the waist and lifted her bodily, running towards the exit where the imperial airbarge lay docked.
“No, wait, stop!” she shouted, pounding on his arms. “We have to go back!”
Daniyel spoke with an effort as he ran. “This plan of yours was poorly conceived. Observe.” He pointed ahead, where she could see Lilyanna shouting and pounding her fists against the deacon and several church paladins. They were carrying her towards the air docks, and Lakshmi realized that docked next to the church’s massive air barge was a sleek air cutter. Even as she watched Lilyanna was loaded aboard the cutter, still protesting and even screaming in frustration.
Daniyel stopped near the gangway to the imperial barge. “I am at your service, princess, but I do not think we will be able to perform a daring rescue of our companion with the imperial airbarge.”
Lakshmi looked up at him with outrage and irritation. “They’re stealing my crew! We have to go get her!”
Daniyel raised a single eyebrow. “Do you have a vessel that is capable of speed and midair rendezvous with a Shrike class aircutter?”
“You know very well I… I…” She stumbled to a halt. “That’s what you’re telling me, isn’t it. Go get the others, and chase in the Sparrowhawk.”
Daniyel raised his other eyebrow. “I? I said nothing to the royal princess of such an underhanded plan. That would be something that Darshanna, scourge of the inner sea and deadly airpirate might contemplate.”
Lakshmi gave him a look that would melt steel. “You know, I really hate it when you make stupid pretend cryptic statements like that. I bet Soriya hates it too!” She sprinted for one of the two person airscooters that had accompanied the airbarge.
Daniyel jogged easily alongside her. “I do not believe your assessment is correct.” He smiled placidly. “Miss Soriya quite likes my delivery.”
***
Soriya gritted her teeth as she watched Daniyel hustle out the side exit with Lakshmi and the rest of the royal family. “Gods damn that man to the spirits of the Wake!” She spat.
Her shadowself released her, and smiled a calm smile. “Receive your destined role. Even now, the chosen one is being taken to her fate. Deacon has foreseen even this. Your pitiful attempt to weave fate was always doomed to failure, just as it was in our previous life. Even with your advanced knowledge of fate.” She stepped backwards and gave what should have been a polite bow, but was instead a mocking triumph. “Goodbye, my lesser self. My advice to you, cease this struggle against the weave we are caught in. It was always our place to obey, and not lead.” Soriya’s shadowself vanished into the surging jostling crowd.
Soriya spat angrily, holding a sob back with the force of her anger. Lilyanna was gone. Lakshmi had vanished after some insane plan to blow up the entire hall! That was my job, damn it! She spluttered. Right. The fallback plan was always to meet at the Sparrowhawk. She checked her belt pouch. Enough to get an air taxi, and maybe another burger. She pushed her way out of the surging crowd. Behind her the teeth jittering hum of the artifact slowly faded away, as the figure of shadoweshaan adjusted components with a methodical and unhurried pace.
***
Eshaan paced near the gangway of the Sparrowhawk. Everyone is late but me! They were supposed to be here a full glass ago! Holly looked up from a worn paperback book she was reading.
“Pacing won’t make them show up any sooner, dear. Trust me, I’ve done this a few times in my life.”
“But what if-”
“Hey! Sorry I’m late!” Lakshmi ran into to the hangar dock, her hand waving in energetic greeting.
Behind her, Daniyel strode with an unhurried pace. “I had to change and pick up a few things!” Lakshmi looked around. “Where’s Soriya?”
“That’s what I want to know! But more importantly, where’s Lily!?” Eshaan burst out.
Holly put away her book, and nodded. “I also would like to know where my daughter is.” She said, with quiet intensity.
Lakshmi grimaced. “Things… didn’t move quite as smoothly as anticipated.”
“What does that mean?!” Eshaan waved his arms animatedly.
Soriya’s voice echoed from the entrance to the hangar dock. “It means Lily’s on her way to the Church’s Island fortress on Narses.” Soriya called as she strode into the hangar.
Holly’s eyes sharpened. “I see.”
“What?!” Eshaan’s eyes widened.
Lakshmi smiled tightly. “So. Slight change of plans. We’re going to go steal a Saintess.” She said, her grin slightly manic. “Finally. We get to be real air pirates!”