Authors: V. Lakshman
There’s a moment, a sunburst of joy that can only come,
From regaining what you thought forever lost.
-
Toorval Singh, Memoirs of a Mercenary
A
rek watched Lilyth incline her head, waiting for him to speak. Everyone else was waiting for him too, and his mouth went dry. Inside, he knew he wanted to demand the location of his father. Instead, his poise faltered and he found himself repeating, “Help each other?” To him, he sounded like an addled child facing his instructor after a mistake. It left him frustrated at his own lack of confidence.
“Come,” Lilyth said, “we have more guests, and it behooves us to wait till we are all assembled together.” She gestured to the portal, waiting for everyone to go through. Led by Thoth, they filed out and appeared back in Lilyth’s throne room. Arek’s eyes were immediately drawn to the vista out her arched windows, the setting sun was larger, but not unlike that on the Isle during long summer afternoons. The thought was tinged with melancholy, underscoring how long it had been since he’d seen his friends or had just a normal day. He wondered if he’d ever go back to that life, and perhaps it was the subtle underlying truth that he knew he wouldn’t that caused his mood to turn glum.
“You seem sad,” Lilyth said, concern in her voice.
“Just missing home,” replied Arek, not looking at her. He could feel the orange sun on his skin and closed his eyes, soaking in its warmth.
“Then perhaps I can bring a bit of home here to you,” Lilyth replied.
The air changed as a gate opened, and Arek slowly turned to look. He was unprepared for the sight that greeted him, and stood there in stunned silence. Emerging from the portal was the man he’d faced in Bara’cor, flanked by masters Kisan and… Silbane!
Something happened, a bubbling in his chest as pent up emotion welled, a sudden release of a stoic constraint he’d held onto so tightly he’d forgotten it was there at all. It was like when he was a child and lost his master at the Spring Day fair. The sight of him, here, now, was almost too much to bear and Arek found himself running into Silbane’s arms.
The crushing hug he fell into swept him up and around and Silbane exclaimed, “My boy!” Then, in a smaller voice meant only for him his master whispered, “I could not have lived without you.”
“I’m so sorry,” he blurted from behind tear-filled eyes. “I ran when you needed me.”
“Shh,” Silbane said while stroking his back, “you survived. That’s all that matters.”
Slowly, reluctantly, Arek disengaged as his master leaned him back on his feet. He hastily wiped his face with a gloved hand, now conscious of his display. Embarrassment shone red on his face, but when he looked at Ash, the man seemed to understand and politely looked away. Kisan gave him her usual stare, somewhere between neutral and outright dismissal. At least she’d not changed.
He stepped away from Silbane and faced Kisan. Though her presence lent credibility to his hypothesis that she would be dispatched to complete his master’s mission, he threw caution to the wind and hugged her too. The reunion was just too much for him to remain apart from any of them. Then he said the first thing that came to mind, “I’m so sorry about Piter. I did not mean—”
“You and he were orphans together,” Kisan interrupted him, holding him at arm’s length, “but we sometimes forget you are
all
our children. It gladdens me to see you with us again.”
He smiled at her, then turned his attention to the third member of their small party, Ash. He nodded to the warrior he’d faced in Bara’cor, the man who had bested him in fair combat. They were not friends and he surmised the man must be here for Niall. However, at his nod Ash gave him a short nod back, and somehow in that small gesture he managed to convey the sense that he thought Arek an equal. His master often said combat was the fastest way of earning someone’s respect, and in Ash’s case it seemed to be true. Finally, Arek looked back at Lilyth, who seemed genuinely happy for him. He mouthed her a “thank you,” to which she politely nodded.
It wasn’t until he’d stepped back that the group realized Yetteje was also present, and the second round of cheers were heartfelt, but most of all from Ash. He scooped her up and spun her around, giving her a hug that Arek thought would break a rib. The princess was equally overjoyed, taking her time to greet each of them, as if they might be an apparition that would disappear at any moment.
When the stories about their separation began to fly back and forth, it became difficult to follow any single conversation. Arek noted that Lilyth seemed content to let things follow their natural course, as if not wanting to cut their reunion short, but part of him sensed there was more coming from her.
Then his observations were interrupted by Yetteje introducing Thoth and his two Watchers to Silbane and his party. From the expression on Silbane’s face, the existence of the Keeper did not seem unexpected. Silbane confirmed it by saying, “The lore father appraised us of your part in all this.”
Thoth smiled genuinely and replied, “Giridian is a worthy choice to lead your Council now, and a stalwart ally. I hope we are able to insure peace so that he may continue Themun’s work.”
Arek knew Themun Dreys was dead, but had not known that Master Giridian had become the new lore father. He tucked that information away, watching his master.
“We wish the same,” Silbane said. His eyes flicked over to Arek, as if he wanted to say something else, but a gentle hand from Kisan stayed his tongue. Silbane bowed, releasing the floor.
Arek realized his master wasn’t looking at him, but at his dwarven companion instead. He stepped to one side and gestured, saying, “Masters, please meet Brianna. She was only recently rescued from a tomb found floating amongst these isles.”
Silbane’s eyes widened at the mention of a tomb. “When we fell through the hole, I thought I saw something fall with us. Could we have dislodged you?”
“I don’t know,” Brianna said. “Much of what is going on is new to me, but I have pledged my loyalty to Arek.”
Kisan tilted her head, her eyes on Brianna’s neck. “Pledged?” The way she said it, it sounded more like an insult than a question.
Brianna’s hand came up hesitatingly to touch the copper torc, then she nodded. “I’m bound by more than this,” she said, tapping the collar, “for my word is my bond, and I do not give it lightly.”
Arek watched as the master’s eyes flicked down, then she bowed and stepped back. “You have fallen into strange company.” He couldn’t tell if Kisan referred to Brianna or himself with that, but Brianna simply nodded.
Orion said, “Azrael, Artymis, it is with true joy that we see you here again.”
Silbane inclined his head, but it was Lilyth who said, “Understand you’re the latest avatars in a long line of innumerable Ascensions. No slight is meant by addressing you by your Aeris name.” She paused, considering something, then said to the group, “But let us respect these Adepts, who have earned the right to be called by their own name.” At that, both Watchers and all the guards within the throne room bowed, fist to chest.
Arek listened as Silbane gave a quick account of what had transpired since they were separated. He related his capture by the red mage, Kisan’s subsequent rescue and Jebida’s fall, and the attack on Bara’cor by forces from Lilyth’s gate. He’d had no idea so much had been done to try to recover him. The fact that Ash was now firstmark and so many had died that Bara’cor might be overrun, it was a lot to take.
That last thought made him realize they stood in front of the person responsible for the takeover of the fortress and the fall of its men. An uneasy feeling grew. That fact could not be ignored for very long, and knowing his master, would be addressed soon. A knot formed, a trepidation that this joyous moment was going to devolve into something sinister and ugly.
As if reading his thoughts, Silbane retook the floor and addressed Lilyth upon her raised dais, his arms spread. “And your forces now flood Bara’cor, possessing men, taking lives. How can you greet us with such welcome, and with the same hand mete out such brutal actions on the people of Edyn?”
Lilyth watched Silbane from her seat like a cat, her eyes sparkling. She leaned forward and said, “Diplomacy, I see, is not your strong point.”
“Perhaps,” admitted Silbane, “but I’m unclear where we stand with you, so I’d rather be direct.”
Lilyth looked from Silbane to Arek, then leaned back on her throne. “Then we shall be direct.” She gestured to Thoth, who stepped up the dais to stand beside her. “I will admit that my forces invaded Bara’cor, but not to conquer. You face a foe far more deadly than you realize, and my forces are there only to help yours withstand his might.”
Kisan stepped forward and said, “You expect us to believe that? We faced your demon Baalor. He would have killed us were it not for the king, who ransomed his own life to buy our passage.”
Lilyth raised an eyebrow at that. “No life has been taken. Some few of Bara’cor’s forces where turned to insure we could enter, but only enough to protect you from the true threat.” She stopped, then rose and said, “And as for the king, he still lives.”
Silence reigned until Ash said, “You’re saying Bernal Galadine survived?”
“Ask yourself, when you approached my gate did any of my forces attack? I could have overwhelmed and wiped you from the face of Edyn, and yet you were offered safe passage.”
“What about Anhur and your giants?” Yetteje snapped. “They certainly meant us harm.”
Lilyth sighed, looking pained. “They were told to convey you safely here, all except the Kinslayer.” She gestured to the blade on Ash’s back. “Only she was to have been captured and brought to justice.”
“By ‘convey’ you mean kill,” Silbane said.
“Are you so sure?” inquired Lilyth. “From what I understand, it was not until they attempted to detain you that you attacked. They fought to defend themselves, and even with an immense loss of life they stayed their killing blows for all except the Kinslayer and her wielder.” She turned to Ash and bowed. “I apologize, but Tempest has left years of ruin and pain in her wake. We too can be swayed by emotion in the heat of battle.”
The group was quiet, thinking through what had been said. It seemed to Arek that neither Silbane nor Kisan looked convinced, but then Lilyth continued, “How did you react when someone took those dear to you? My men overstepped their authority in trying to bring Tempest to justice, and I will deal with that, but nothing stopped you from finding your lost apprentice. Who have you spared in your noble quest?”
Silbane looked uncomfortable, not answering right away. Kisan harrumphed, but said nothing. Finally, it was Ash who said, “If it’s the blade you want—” he loosed the scabbard—“you can have her.” He tossed the sheathed sword onto the marble floor, which sounded like a body when it fell. Silbane seemed about to say no but it was too late.
“Beloved, do not forsake me!” Tempest cried. “I am yours! Draw me, please!”
Ash’s only answer to her pleading was his jaw tightening and his eyes turning hard. They flicked away from the blade and if he’d not been in a throne room, it was clear the firstmark would have spit upon the ground and cursed the day he met Tempest.
Lilyth’s eyes measured Ash before saying, “We thank you, Firstmark, for not making us demand it.” She looked back at the group as two guards came and picked up the pleading blade, who had not stopped begging Ash to draw her. “She will find little comfort in our care, but no worse than she has afforded others.”
Ash shrugged. “Good riddance. She has brought me nothing but misery.”
“Betrayer! I will have your heart! No one abandons me! I will take—” Tempest’s cries where cut short by the door closing as she was taken from the room.
There was a moment then, an indrawn breath of time, when Arek thought things would come to a standstill. Tempest’s outburst had cast a pall across the group. Did Ash’s easy dismissal speak to the rest of the group’s character? Would they leave behind anyone who became a burden?
Arek’s doubtful introspection was interrupted by Lilyth. “There’s much I need to explain. It might be best started from the very beginning.”
Silbane’s face quirked into the semblance of a smile when he replied, “That would be appreciated.”
“By now,” Lilyth began, “you must realize there’s more at work than a simple attack on your Isle.”
Kisan stepped forward and said, “We have heard the name Sovereign. It’s clear the Conclave and your forces are somehow involved. It is difficult for us to understand, but most of it seems to focus on our Arek.”
Arek looked at Kisan, surprised by her perspective. Since when had he become the center of attention? It was only when Lilyth nodded that he decided to wait and hear what had to be said.
“At the very dawn of time, a mistake happened,” the demon-queen said. “We, the Aeris, and you were separated. It was not intended, the result of an accident we call, Sovereign’s Fall. Since then, we have followed an inexorable desire to reunite. For some, it has been through Ascension.” She looked at Thoth, who looked back and nodded.
“For others,” she continued, “it has been through possession.” At that, she paused, looking down. Her expression, to Arek, seemed contrite. However, he’d begun to suspect that Lilyth was a master of her own emotions and anything he saw was by her choice alone.