Chapter 25
Cyrus Lang made his way towards the Confessor's Palace with determination in every step he took as he sought out his friend, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. There were several soldiers standing guard at the main entrance of the Palace, hands on their swords and obviously more than prepared for a fight.
If they only knew the terrifying nightmare that was about to descend on them, they would flee for their lives instead of trying to protect that which was about to be destroyed.
Approaching, he nodded his head to the guards as he entered the Palace, an intended destination set firmly in his mind. He didn't have to look for long before he was met by Edmund marching straight for him followed closely by a handful of soldiers.
"Edmund, I need to talk to you in private right away," Cyrus stated.
"How dare you come here after what you've done!" Edmund sneered as he drew a dagger hidden in his boot. "Guards! Take him!"
"Wait, Edmund! Please let me explain!" Cyrus held up his hands, stunned by the hostile greeting he'd just received. "Don't do this! I came to help!"
"I trusted you, Cyrus, and you betrayed all of us…betrayed Aydindril," Edmund fumed, his eyes burning with anger as the guards moved to surround him, their swords pointed directly at him. "How could you do something like this? We all trusted you!"
"If you would please call off your men, I'd be more than happy to explain everything," Cyrus insisted, his hands still held up in defense. "Listen to me, Edmund. I'm here to help you stop this."
"I think you've done more than enough," Edmund spat out.
"We don't have time for this," Cyrus yelled, his hands falling into clenched fists at his side. "Kao C'Id could be planning to take over Aydindril at any moment now. You won't be able to stop him."
Edmund finally raised his hand, waving off the guards. "Follow me," he finally stated, turning and leading him into a private room where they could talk.
"Thank you, Edmund," Cyrus released a sigh of relief.
"Wait out here," Edmund ordered the guards before closing the door behind him. "Ok, you better start explaining yourself, Cyrus, because you a heartbeat away from being thrown into the dungeon and sentenced for treason. You know that carries a death sentence."
"I know I deserve that," Cyrus replied, his shoulders sagging in obvious defeat. "I am partly to blame for the trouble that's about to hit Aydindril. There are several of us who want things to go back to the way that it used to be before Richard Rahl formed the D'Haran Empire, those of us who want Aydindril to be the crown jewel of the Midlands once more.
"Together, we sought out a way to do that, meeting secretly and forming plans in order to do just that. Trevor Bail told us about Kao C'Id and his Alliance from the Old World. We thought that he could help us stop Richard and Kahlan, allow us to have Aydindril and the Midlands again."
"Cyrus, I…I can't believe that you could do something like this," Edmund shook his head in bewilderment, utterly stunned by what he was hearing, ashamed that he had called this man his friend for so long. "I know things were very difficult for you after your daughter died and then the loss of your wife, but…but this…"
"You just don't understand, Edmund," Cyrus ground out, turning his back to his friend to stare out a nearby window. "My whole world collapsed when I lost Elyria and then her husband. I was angry and I blamed Darken Rahl for it. It was his men who had defiled and murdered my precious daughter, taking her away from me. The House of Rahl had to pay for it one way or another.
"And then, Richard Rahl began changing everything, taking our Mother Confessor away to the People's Palace, forming this…this damn Empire of his. I…I just couldn't stand by and let it all happen. They had to be stopped."
"And you thought that Kao C'Id was the answer?" Edmund nearly shouted in disbelief.
"I'm afraid so," Cyrus softly answered, clasping his hands behind his back. "I was wrong, Edmund. I see that now. Kao C'Id is nothing but a cold sadistic monster who wants to destroy Aydindril and take over the Empire. He was never coming to help us take back control of Aydindril for ourselves. He's coming to rain down unholy terror on us all."
Edmund studied his lifelong friend, noticing the pure fear that haunted his eyes. "What happened, Cyrus?" he asked, his voice suddenly a little gentler than before. "What did you witness?"
Tears suddenly welled in the broken man's eyes as he relived that horrifying moment all over again in his mind. He opened his mouth to speak before abruptly closing it in an effort to regain some measure of self control before proceeding once more.
"Kao had Trevor send out men to stop Lord Rahl from reaching Aydindril," he finally replied, his gaze growing distant as if he was being sucked back in time to that very moment. "Trevor was on his knees begging Kao's forgiveness for not being able to stop Lord Rahl's arrival. Kao accepted his apology by drawing his sword and removing Trevor's head right before my very eyes."
Edmund visibly blanched when he heard what had happened to Trevor. "I wondered where Trevor had been these last couple of days," he absentmindedly muttered. "I thought the snake had slithered under a rock to hide or fled Aydindril to save his own hide."
"It would've been better for him if he had," Cyrus ruefully admitted. "I think that even Trevor didn't fully comprehend the death sentence that we'd helped condemn Aydindril to."
"What changed your mind, Cyrus?" Edmund demanded to know as he folded his arms against his chest. "Is your head on the chopping block now as well with Kao?"
"It might be, but that's not the reason I'm here, Edmund," Cyrus sighed heavily, his anger and frustration with the dire situation returning with a vengeance. "Richard and Kahlan need to get out of here right away. I was going to escape in the middle of the night with Lysria, but I…I just couldn't do it. I helped to condemn Aydindril to this impossibly bleak future and I'm going to be the one to help stop it."
Edmund's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What are you thinking about doing, Cyrus?"
The man squared his shoulders, his chin raised in defiance. "There's another secret meeting that is supposed to take place tonight, one to make final preparations," he informed him. "I'm going to kill Kao and hopefully stop this."
"Cyrus, that's completely insane!" Edmund cried, a scowl gracing his weathered face. "You'll never succeed."
"I have to try," the man shook his head in rigid determination. "I helped created this mess. I have to do something to try to stop it before we lose everything."
"You yourself said that Kao C'Id was a sadistic mountain of a man," he shot back. "How in the name of the Creator do you plan to up against an experienced warrior like that? From the way Kahlan described him and from what you've said about him, there's no way you're going to be able to get close to him let alone try to kill him."
"Edmund, I have to do this," Cyrus maintained. "I have to atone for what I've done. I thought I was doing what was right, what was best for Aydindril, but I was so very wrong. Now, all I can do is try to set things right again before it's too late."
Edmund folded his arms against his chest, a deep sneer on his lips. "I'm glad that you've seen the error of your ways, but this…this is suicide."
"We're all going to die anyway if we don't do something to stop Kao C'Id so there's not much of a difference except for the fact that at least I'll die trying to do the right thing," Cyrus insisted.
"Richard and Kahlan are trying to find him now, trying to capture him before his army can arrive tomorrow afternoon."
"His army is coming here?" Cyrus exclaimed.
"They were spotted coming from the north. They'll be here by tomorrow afternoon."
Cyrus grew very pale with the new information; his shoulders slumping as his resolve suddenly disappeared. "I'm too late then," he softly said, swallowing hard.
"We can still do something," Edmund reassured him. "We will find a way to stop this and…"
The sudden unexpected sound of chaos outside interrupted them, both looking at each other in dreadful apprehension. Both ran for the door, exiting the room to find people screaming and running frantically in every direction, the sound of the doors literally being torn off their hinges echoing through the Palace.
"He's here," gasped Cyrus.
"Creator help us all," Edmund murmured under his breath, his eyes wide with horror.
XXX
Richard's heart thundered in his chest, his throat constricting painfully with no sign of Kahlan anywhere, his mind racing with more questions than he had answers for. He turned in tight circles trying to find someone, anyone who could tell him what had happened to his wife. Unfortunately, everyone was dead.
Finally spotting the tavern keeper huddled in a corner, he marched straight for him, hauling the stout man to his feet by the front of his shirt with just one hand, the other still clutching his sword in a death grip.
"Where did they take her?" he snarled with lethal venom as he slammed the man hard against the wall, his rage giving him incredible strength.
"I…I don't…I don't…know," the man stammered, his eyes wide with terror.
"Where is my wife?" Richard shouted with a deadly rage that resounded through the tavern.
His lips were curled back in a sneer as his raptor gaze flashed and blazed like pure fire, his fury practically making the air crackle around him. He truly was the bringer of death in every way and he would make the ones who had taken Kahlan pay dearly.
"Theon…he…he has her," the man managed to utter, his whole body trembling with fear. "He snuck up on her from behind…hit her over the head with the hilt of his sword…and…and took her out the back."
"Who is Theon?" Chase asked as he came to stand beside his friend.
The boundary warden's towering size only seemed to intensify the tavern keeper's fear, nearly rendering him speechless until Richard suddenly pulled him back enough only to slam him back into the wall again.
"Who is Theon?" Richard hissed, his patience worn to a very fragile thread that was on the verge of snapping now with Kahlan missing.
"He…he's Kao's second in command…the bald guy you encountered," the man choked out as great beads of sweat poured down his face and neck. "He…he's just as ruthless as Kao is."
"Where are they hiding out?" Richard demanded to know.
"B…ba…back of the tavern," the man stuttered as he breathed heavily, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. "There's a secret corridor that leads to some rooms…they're hidden behind the storage room."
"Come on, Richard," Chase told his friend, grabbing him by the upper arm. "Hopefully, he hasn't gotten too far with her yet."
Releasing the tavern keeper, Richard tossed him aside as if he weighed nothing before quickly turning to follow Chase, both racing through the back storage room only to find a secret door that had been left open. With swords drawn, they cautiously entered, hoping to find some sign of Kahlan and Theon.
Richard held his breath in anxious desperation to get to her before they did something to her. He had to get to her before Theon took her to Kao C'Id. The thought of that monster anywhere near his wife caused his blood to turn to ice water in his veins and yet fueled the flames of his fury nearly blazing out of control in his soul.
He silently cursed himself for not staying closer to her, for not keeping a better eye on her. He knew they were up against warriors the likes of which they'd never seen before and yet he had allowed them to be overwhelmed by their numbers.
These men were brutal, almost born with a wickedness deep inside of them that surpassed anything that they'd never encountered before. He thought that Darken Rahl had been epitome of evil, but he had been very wrong.
From what he'd seen so far and from what Kahlan had told him, evil had come to Aydindril in the form of Kao C'Id.
Richard frantically searched the rooms, finding nothing that would give them any clues as to what had happened to Kahlan. They tore through the largest of the three rooms, finding plates of food that were only half eaten, but nothing that pointed them to where Theon and Kao were right then or what their plans were.
"It looks like they were here not long ago," Chase muttered to himself as he poked at the food with this tip of his sword.
"But where are they now?" Richard nearly roared as he slammed his fist against the wall before placing the palm of his hand against it. He leaned against the wall as if he needed the support, his head hung in defeat. "I can't lose her, Chase."
"Richard, I promise you…we will find her," Chase reassured him.
The bounty warden didn't think that he'd ever seen his friend this worked up before, this distraught. He quickly sheathed his sword before making his way to him, placing a reassuring hand on Richard's shoulder and squeezing it firmly.
He could feel the tension that simmered inside of the Seeker and was more than evident in his body, his muscles taut with pent up fury. He knew how deeply in love Richard and Kahlan were, how much they meant to each other, but this went beyond even that.
This was something else altogether different, some deeper meaning behind all of the emotions storming through his friend.
"Richard, what's going on?" Chase asked. "I know you're worried about Kahlan…so am I…but there's something more going on between the two of you, isn't there?"
"We don't have time to go into it right now, but yes…there have been some problems between us recently," Richard ground out as his hand finally slid down the wall to hand limply at his side in defeat. "I have to find her right away or I'll never be able to make it right between her and me."
Chase felt a churning in his gut, never expecting there to be trouble in Richard and Kahlan's marriage. If there was ever a solid, more passionate marriage, it was Richard and Kahlan's. He knew though that, despite the titles they carried and the powerful magic they possessed, they were both still human at heart, still vulnerable to the obstacles that every married couple faced.
He just hoped that they could find Kahlan in time, giving them the chance they needed to save their marriage. He could see the guilt and desperation in Richard, the fear that he'd never see his wife again. He knew he'd do everything in his power to help him find her.
"Let's go see what we can do about finding her," Chase told him. "I'm assuming you're still the best tracker this side of Westland?"
The comment put a small faint smile on the Seeker's lips as he adjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword. "You know it, Chase."
"Good," the warden grinned. "I was afraid that cushy palace life had softened you up too much."
Richard shook his head as a smile tugged slightly at the corner of his mouth. "I have not gotten soft."
"Glad to hear it," Chase replied. "I'd hate to have to put your in place again, teach you how to act like a wood's guide again."
Richard snorted as he made his way to the door. "Like you could," he shot back.
"Hey, I taught you almost everything you know," the boundary warden reminded him.
Richard cast a look at him that said he didn't agree, but kept his mouth shut. While he appreciated his friend's attempt to help ease his panic, he was far too upset about Kahlan to fall into the usual pattern of their friendly banter.
His heart was in his throat, his insides twisting painfully with an overwhelming sense of failure. He had failed her so many times over the last several weeks and he had failed her again now. If anything happened to her, he'd never be able to forgive himself.
As they exited the back of the tavern, they found that rain was already falling, cool droplets hitting Richard's face as he kneeled down to study the tracks in the dirt. None of them were Kahlan's which meant she was being carried.
Was she hurt? Was she even alive?
His mind raced in circles as his heart nearly stopped beating altogether with the thought, the countless "what ifs" swarming in his head and nearly making him lightheaded. No, Theon had specifically said that Kao C'Id had wanted them alive so Kahlan was not dead. If she was dead, he would know it…feel it in his heart.
"Any luck?" Chase asked as he kneeled down beside him.
"No…no sign of Kahlan," Richard shook his head, a grim expression veiling his face while his brown eyes danced with fear. He pointed to the large set of tracks heading to the south before speaking again. "That has to be Theon's. The heels of his boots dig deeper into the soft dirt meaning that he was carrying someone."
"Well hopefully he'll lead us to Kahlan then," Chase nodded, standing to his feet.
They quickly began to follow the tracks in silence for a while before Richard asked the question that had been bombarding him since Chase had first revealed his presence. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you again, but what are you doing here, Chase?"
"There have been rumors drifting through Westland for the last several weeks about trouble brewing in the D'Haran Empire," Chase informed him, his face grim. "These people arrived stating that Lord Richard Rahl is not fit to rule, that he is just like his ancestors. They were spreading rumors of a rebellion against you and Kahlan so I came to see what was going on and there was anything I could do help you."
"Have you ever heard of Kao C'Id?" Richard asked.
"No, but I can tell by your expression and the things that have happened since I found you that he's someone I don't want to meet," Chase frowned.
"He's the one who's trying to eliminate Kahlan and me," Richard spat out. "He's trying to take over the D'Haran Empire. There's a large army heading this way at this very moment from the north. They'll be in Aydindril by tomorrow afternoon."
Chase released a ragged breath as he processed everything he was being told. "We'll do whatever we have to in order to stop him, Richard," he informed him. "We won't let him win."
"It feels like he already has," Richard scowled, knowing that he probably had Kahlan by now.
"You won't do Kahlan any good if you lose your head over this," Chase warned him. "You need to keep your focus on finding this Kao C'Id before he takes over Aydindril and the Empire."
"I'm worried that he may have already taken over," Richard growled as he pointed ahead of them.
Following the direction that Richard was indicating, Chase stopped short when he spotted an army of large men all dressed in black as they began to descend upon the Confessor's Palace like an enormous pack of wolves.
It looked as if the Underworld had just split open right in the heart of Aydindril. The apocalypse that Chase had heard rumored about in Westland finally coming to fruition.