Chapter 4: The Young Queen.
Diane was in a quaint little establishment called "Ale Alley," a good-sized tavern
that survived the devastation of Guardiana in the Shining Wars. This was mostly thanks
to its now part-owner, Gort the Gladiator. Upon returning from Runefaust, Gort had
returned to the tavern he had defended when Runefaust invaded, with the idea of
investing in the tavern and becoming part owner. He had wanted to have something to
leave behind to his grand-children. (Who were now in the process of having children and
families of their own, Gort was now 155, a good age for dwarves, who usually live to be
around 200. His grandchildren had just entered early adulthood, the period just after the
teens, but before the experience and wisdom of age had a chance to set in.) The owner
was still very grateful to Gort, and let him become his business partner. Of course, the
fact that Gort now had a large amount of gold coins, his booty from the wars, didn't hurt
either. Right now, Diane, Lowe, Gort, Luke and Tao where enjoying a drink and a meal
as they caught up with each other. Diane had planned this to be a friendly get together of
old comrades in arms, but several people didn't or couldn't make it. Zylo was off hunting
his dinner, he preferred "fresh" food to any dish cooked in a tavern, Gong had mysterious
vanished, leaving only a note saying he was looking for answers, Light only knew where
Ken was, and Mae was overseeing the addition of new recruits into the army It wasn't the
grand reunion Diane had first envisioned, but she'd make do.
"Anyway, that's what happened when Arthur first tried casting the Blaze spell I
tried to teach him. Took both Anri AND Domingo a full hour to put out the ensuing
conflagration. You'd think anyone smart enough to cast spells would have the common
sense not to try a fire spell in a wooden house with a straw thatched roof…" Tao said as
she took a sip of her drink, an elven wine which she was particularly fond of.
"Heh. Where is that pompous old draft horse anyway, I couldn't find him
anywhere," Diane asked as she tried a bite of the appetizer she had ordered, a plate of
spiced mushrooms the tavern was rather famous for.
"He left with Pelle and a few troops on a routine patrol of the Ancient Gate
yesterday. He should be back late tonight or early tomorrow," Lowe said as he subtly
swiped a mushroom from Diane's plate and popped into his mouth, the succulent tasty
morsel putting a blissful smile on his face.
"Speaking of which how did your little tour of duty as regent go? Any crises
averted and or caused by our harried halfling healer? Mm?" Tao asked a mischievous grin
on her face.
"Actually now that you mention it, I had to deal with one of the Merchant Lords
the other day. The fat mess of flesh kept insisting that his miners should be allowed to
mine the mountains around Manarina even though everyone knows that the land
surrounding the Mage School is Manarina property. He kept insisting that since
Manarina's ownership of that land wasn't officially annotated in their town charter, he
should be allowed mining rights. He kept using all this legal jabber that I kept having to
get Nova to translate. I feel sorry for Anri, dealing with that day in and day out," Lowe
said as he absentmindedly sipped his beer.
"How is Anri doing, anyway? I don't remember her being this withdrawn since
Max's… since the last time I saw her. What's wrong?" Diane asked as she slapped
Lowe's hand away from her plate of mushrooms. Tao frowned.
"I honestly don't know. She's usually much more upbeat than this. Except when
she drags herself out for various queenly duties, she's been spending all her time locked
in the library studying and researching those ruins. It's like she's forgotten about
everything else…" Tao said, an uncommon look of concern on her face.
"She's probably just concerned about her kingdom. Finding the mysterious ruins
of an ancient civilization that predates the Ancients themselves doesn't happen too often,
you know, and she probably thinks it's another portent of things to come," Luke said as
he lifted his mug to down half his ale in one huge gulp. He burped and wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand in a satisfied manner.
"She might even be right," Gort said in a thoughtful manner. "Strange things have
been happening lately. My grandson moved to Bustoke a while back to set up a smithy
near where they mined iron ore from the mountain, and he's been telling me things. He
says that strange lights have been seen in the Dragon's Rest forest, strange men have been
coming through town, and he hears that raiders have been sighted gathering together way
out in the Manarinan Desert," Gort said as he picked at his roast boar.
"Well we didn't see anything when we were travelling through the desert," Diane
said as she ate the last mushroom and pushed the empty plate away. "Maybe it's just wild
rumors." Gort turned to Diane with a steel look in his eyes.
"I sincerely hope so. My grandson also sent word that his wife gave birth to a
lovely baby girl the other day. I'd rather not have to go to war again when I finally get to
see my great-grandchildren come into the world," Gort said, his face changing to that of a
reflective look that seemed to make all too apparent his age. Diane tried to lighten the
mood.
"So how is your family, anyway, Gort?" she said lightly.
"Well, why don't you ask Luke?" Gort said as he drained his mug of ale.
"Wh… What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked Gort, nervousness piercing
through his normally boisterous voice.
"I am old, Luke, not deaf or blind, nor am I stupid or slow-witted. You think I
haven't been aware of your moonlight attempts to woo my granddaughter? You think I
haven't noticed the various attempts at love poetry you leave scattered around for her?
You think I haven't noticed the way I've seen you look at her? I can put two and two
together, you know," Gort said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair. Luke was
sweating with nervousness. Lowe was chuckling. Tao and Diane both turned to Luke, but
before they could begin the barrage of teasing they had in mind, Luke spoke as he got up
from the table.
"I…ah… I think I had better go help Mae with the new recruits… Bye!" saying
that, he almost ran right out of the room.
"Heh… Young love…" Gort chuckled as he watched Luke retreat from the tavern.
"Well tonight was nice, but basically a bust. I was expecting more of our old
friends to show…" Diane said, a bit depressed as she tapped her fork on the table, with
boredom.
"Well, I hear some of the old gang is coming here to celebrate the anniversary of
our victory over Dark Dragon soon…" Tao started but was interrupted as Diane bolted
upright.
"Ah! I completely forgot that was coming up! It's been what, six years? I can't
believe I forgot that…" Diane said with disbelief as she slapped herself in the forehead.
Tao looked at her confused.
"Didn't you get your invitation?" Tao said, puzzled.
"Invitation?" Diane inquired.
"Yes, Anri sent them all out a month ago. Invitations to the party she was holding
in honor of our victory… and Max's sacrifice," Tao finished hesitantly.
"Yeah… I never really thought Max would ever turn into a casualty. He just
seemed… well, he seemed too determined to die!" Diane said, suddenly solemn. "Well,
that's the past now. Anyway, no I never got mine, and neither did Zylo."
"That's odd… There must be a problem with the messenger system… Anyway,
most if not all of the gang is coming back within the month, I hear," Tao said.
"But that's a while away! I was hoping to catch up a bit with everyone soon…"
Diane said.
"Well, we could try for a night when everyone here is free…" Tao suggested.
"Speaking of which, I hear Hans is coming back from his scouting trip into the
Border Forest tonight. Maybe you could catch up with him…" Gort mildly suggested as
he took a slow sip of his drink. Diane turned with a surprised look in her eyes.
"Hans is coming back tonight?" Diane paused again, deep in thought. "Yes… I'll
definitely need to see what he's been up to… It's been too long… Thanks Gort," Diane
said as she slapped down a few coins as payment and hurried out the door. Tao arched an
eyebrow at Gort, who chuckled and said,
"I already told you I'm not deaf or blind, Tao. I notice things. I was in love too,
once. How did you think I had children?" Gort smiled as Tao sheepishly shrugged.
Anri pored over her books looking for any reference to the piece of black chain
that had been at the forefront of her mind the last couple of days. Nothing. Not a single
thing about the ruins or the mysterious artifact could be found among even the castle's
myriad tomes of forgotten lore. It was late… Too late… Anri wanted deeply to put aside
her books and just go back to her chambers and sleep. Her head nodded down, long hair
cascading in front of her face, and she shook her head to wake herself up. She may want
to go to sleep, yes, but she wanted to solve this annoying riddle first. She needed to know
what this thing was, needed to know what it could do… She needed…
Anri's thought were interrupted by her head hitting the book she was reading. She
was asleep in seconds, dreaming shortly there after.
iAnri was once again running from the nameless fear. Once again it chased her
throughout the misty gray dead forest. Once again she tripped on something and just as
she turned to look on the horror of her nightmares, she once again awoke with a start./i
Anri jolted awake, bolting upright in the chair she had fallen asleep in. i"The same
dream again…"/i she though to herself. Well, she was awake now, and she had work to do.
With a resolute look, she reached for another ancient book and opened it.
It was midnight and the clouds were pouring a soft peaceful rain upon the city of
Guardiana. Diane stood outside Hans' house pacing back and forth, oblivious to the water
soaking her clothes and body.
i"What am I even doing out here?"/i Diane thought to herself as she hesitantly
knocked the door, half hoping nobody was home. i"It's been six years since the Force
broke up, and four years since we even kept in touch. I bet he's forgotten all about me…
He's probably found someone by now… Maybe I should just go…"/i
Diane turned to leave just as the door opened as Hans peeked his head out. He
blinked in disbelief as Diane turned to go, and asked quietly, "Diane? Is that you?"
Diane stopped, and quickly turned back to Hans with tears in her eyes, and ran to
him. As they locked into an embrace, Hans' expression went from surprise to joy to
blissful contentment in the span of a few seconds. The door closed and the rain continued
to pour gently down outside.
The next day, Anri woke from a black dreamless sleep to an insistent knocking at
her chamber door.
"Majesty? Majesty!! It's time for the petitions!! Wake up!!!"
Anri bolted upright form the desk she'd fallen asleep on. How long had she been
sleeping? The pounding on the door became more frantic.
"I'm coming! Just let me get ready!" Anri shouted to whichever of her numerous
royal assistants was at her door as she started to hastily put on a ceremonial robe and run
a comb quickly through her long hair in a vain effort to make it look like she hadn't just
woken up. The pounding subsided, but the urgings of the assistant to hurry did not. Anri
growled in irritation and she bit back a few choice words she'd learned back in her days
as a battle mage. How did nagging her help any? Did the herald's squeaky annoying
voice have the power to turn back time and wake her up sooner?? What a bothersome
insect! It'd be so easy just to turn him into that form, and to crush him under her heel…
Anri smacked herself on the forehead. Where in the Seventeen Circles of
Aggamar did those thoughts just come from? She didn't act… didn't think like that at
all! Anri finally completed her hasty preparation and chalked up the disturbing thoughts
to nerves.
"Alright, I'm coming!" she announced as she opened her chamber door and
speedily walked out, headed for the audience hall, the herald sent to fetch her just barely
keeping up. The petitions were her favorite part after all. They'd make her feel better…
Dawn broke over the travelers' camp as if a vase of sunlight had been shattered
upon the previous blanket of cool darkness, scattering the mist that had formed to the
winds. The dawn had a majestic quiet to it, a feeling of peaceful stillness. As the camp
gradually awoke, the stillness was eventually replaced by the hustle and bustle of a group
readying itself to leave in utmost haste. Tents were dismantled and repackaged.
Backpacks were reloaded and weapons placed at their owners' sides. Breakfast was a
simple dried powder and water gruel that Jace had brought in his survival pack. As the
group sat around the boiling pot of gruel, they discussed their plans.
"Well, we could take the Bustoke pass once we get out of this never-ending
forest…" Jace said while tracing his proposed path along the map of Rune he had spread
out on a nearby tree stump. Clain shook his head.
"The pass will take too long, and we risk identification by Lucifer's spy network if
we go through town. No, we'll go through the garrison base in the Manarinan Mountains.
That will allow us to restock and get an update on current events as well as go quicker."
Clain said, pointing to an area on the map. Amidst mountains, was marked symbol of a
sheild with a G on it, and crossed lightning bolts behind.
"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?" Max interjected. Clain looked up.
"We have our garrison base set up in an abandoned tunnel network underground
in the Manarinan mountains. If we can reach it, we stand to shave a few days off our trip
as well as being able to re-supply," Jace explained.
"Ah," Max said.
"It's decided then. We move for the base. Let's get going, we have precious little
time to waste." Clain said as he shrugged on his pack.
"We have a simple request, milady. Our Lord Karatis of the Merchant's Guild has
done nothing illegal, yet your Royal Judge Garris has ordered him to pay restitution and
halt his operations in the village of Thornsbury. All we ask is that justice be done and that
he has his money and merchant privileges restored."
The Merchant Lord's representative was a little fat man, beady eyed and cruel
looking, and he droned on and on about the various rights that Judge Garris had violated
in his orders to investigate the claims of Karatis' unethical works. Anri finally shrugged
and raised her hand, gesturing the man to stop speaking.
"I read Garris' report and the reports filed by the village. The Merchant Lord
cannot weasel his way out of this one. The village was on the brink of starvation thanks to
Karatis' underhanded tactics and financial strategies. I myself saw the villages' children
in rags. I could count their ribs they were so hungry. Being a Merchant Lord does not
make him sovereign over villages and towns bearing one of his trading posts." Anri said
tiredly. "Furthermore, I know Garris to be an honorable and just man, and have full faith
in his judgment.
"But your own laws clearly state on matters of trading that…" the man said, a
gleam coming into his eye.
i"Look at them. So petty. Over a fraction of his total wealth, so willing to push
others into the dirt to acquire more and more. They deserve to be crushed. To feel what
it's like to be ground into the dirt."/i
Anri shook her head, clearing away the intruding thoughts. She hadn't thought that…
Where did it come from? She was so tired… The representative was interrupted once
more by Anri.
"I care NOT for the letter of the law, but for the spirit! My word on this is final."
Anri finished by slamming a hand down on her throne's arm. The little man in robes
fumed.
"The Merchant Lords will not hear of this! If you think…" the little man was once
more cut off as Anri shot to her feet, a furious look in her normally icy calm eyes.
"If YOU think you can come into MY throne room and dictate to me what I will
and will not do on matters that concern MY kingdom, you're ever stupider than you are
fat! Guards! Escort this man out of my castle!" Anri shouted and sat back on her throne.
i"So there is a core of fire to this facade of ice you've set up for yourself, eh? Yes,
I see it all… Your inner fires burn fiercely in secret. Your father's death…Fury! Your
kingdom's devastation and long-term suffering…Anger! The loss of the one man you
actually began to care for…even love? RAGE!"/i
Anri shook her head again as the guards led the indignant merchant away, a slight
scared expression manifested itself on her face.
"I don't care what you are, voice. Leave my thoughts to me and leave." Anri
whispered under her breath. An advisor approached her.
"Sire, are you certain that was a good idea? The Merchant Lords' influence
stretches deep…" the advisor's voice trembled with nervousness.
"I am Queen. Not Karatis. He will NOT use his overflowing purse to oppress my
people!" Anri said with barely contained anger.
i"There it is again, Anri. The anger, the outrage at injustice…the fire. It's all
there…"/i
i"Stop it."/i Anri thought.
i"Poor young queen. Stop it already? It has only now begun!"/i
i"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"/i Anri thought, a veritable mental scream. For a
moment there was silence, and Anri sighed with relief.
i"Fire and ice, fire and ice…"/i the voice taunted.
i"OUT!!!"/i Anri almost shouted the last bit aloud.
i"Young mage. Truly you cannot comprehend what is happening. ME get out of
YOUR head?"/i the featureless voice laughed malevolently.
i"WHO ARE YOU???"/i Anri thought desperately.
i"Who am I? You mean you really don't know?"/i the voice chuckled again. The
shrill voice of the herald broke through the mental conversation.
"The next petitioner, Mayor Cal'gor Quid, from the city of Haljara," the herald
proclaimed as a stately man in robes approached the throne. The man bowed deeply and
spread his arms wide in a gesture of friendship as he stood back up.
"Greetings magnificent Queen, from the great city of Haljara. We bring a message
of thanks for your assistance in routing the vicious raider attacks that have long plagued
our prosperous citizens. In gratitude for your quick dispersal of justice, the citizens…" the
man's speech trailed off into the background as the whispering voice in Anri's mind
spoke up once more.
i"Justice? Hah! There is no such thing in the world."/i
i"That's not true."/i Anri mentally refuted. i"There is much justice in this world."/i
i"Really? How do you figure?"/i the voice whispered, amused.
i"Well we helped disband the raiders in Haljara for one…"/i Anri stated quickly.
i"You are so naïve. The 'raiders' that you so quickly dispatched at the city's
request was in reality a group of townsfolk who had taken up arms in an attempt to
reclaim the property stolen from them by the corrupt city officials who were taxing them
to death under your very nose. You gave the order to kill innocent people who just
wanted their lives back…"/i
i"That can't be true! One of my Royal Judges would've reported the situation to
me, or someone would've come forward…"/iAnri thought as the man in front of her throne
continued to say how grateful the city was to her.
i"You mean the Royal Judges that even now are in the pocket of the Merchant
Lords? You mean why didn't anyone come to your vaunted 'petitions' to plead for help?
Tell me, Anri, who screens these audiences for you?"/i
i"The Royal Judges…"/iAnri said hesistantly. i"But they're most good men! I know
them! Judge Garris alone…"/i
i"The Royal Judges wear masks, as most people do. And as most people do, they
look out for themselves alone. As for Garris, he's dead now. Slain by an assassin, the
reward for his many years of uncorrupted loyalty to his kingdom."/i Anri shut her eyes
tightly together and shook her head.
i"You're lying…"/ishe whispered.
i"You doubt my words, little mage? See for yourself."/i
Anri's mind was suddenly flooded with a vivid scene of soldiers bearing the
Guardiana seal slaughtering a group of fleeing peasants, cutting them down even as they
kneeled to surrender. She heard the pleas for mercy and the shrieks of the dying. She
heard the peasants curse her and her kingdom. Blood permeated the soil and screams, the
air. The scene changed abruptly. She was now in the study of Royal Judge Garris. The
kindly-looking old man was seated at his desk, tugging at his white beard with one hand
and flipping through a report with the other. Anri heard a door creak open and saw Garris
look up from his papers. A shadow darkened behind him and Anri saw a black-clad figure
hurl a dagger at the elder judge before sprinting away from the open doorway. The dagger
lodged in the old man's chest, and Garris looked down at it in disbelief as he fell to the
ground.
"My…God…"Anri said, in shock and horror. Though she struggled to deny it,
something in her knew that this was what happened. Tears leaked from the corners of her
disbelieving eyes.
i"Far from it, my dear."/i The voice said in mock sweetness. i"All this happened
and nobody cares. Nobody cares about anything. There is no justice."/i
i"But there HAS to be justice! If not here, then other kingdoms…"/i Anri struggled
to bring counter-arguments to mind, tried to bring her considerable diplomatic abilities
into play, but her thoughts were muddled by a black fog that seemed to cloud her mind.
i"Other kingdoms? You mean your supposedly staunch allies? Like Runefaust
which tried to crush you and then fell to groveling when it failed, claiming they were 'just
following orders?' Or how about that new country you've allied yourself with, hm? The
one you thought was SUCH an example of holy Light in the world, I believe it's name is
Aris-Tir, correct?"/i the voice sarcastically said.
An image of downtrodden men, women and children chained together, being
whipped by overseers as they trudged along a dusty path towards a quarry formed itself in
Anri's mind.
i"I bet you didn't know they practice slavery as a form of punishment if you stand
against the realm's rather strict rules. I bet you didn't know the evils being committed
each day across the globe. I'm certain you had no knowledge of what goes on behind
your back as the intrigues of the Royal Court ensnare more and more victims and you sit
in your little throne room, insulated and pampered from reality. You thought you won
against evil when you sealed Dark Dragon away, but in reality, evil won when you put on
your crown, oh young naïve queen. There is no justice."/i
i"But…but…"/i
i"THERE. IS. NO. JUSTICE."/i the voice said commandingly. Anri felt the phrase
being pushed into her mind, felt it break through her well honed defenses of willpower,
felt years of mental training slip away.
i"There…is…no…justice…"/iAnri whispered slowly and in great pain. Then she
gave out a great cry and collapsed.
"Queen Anri!!"
"Someone get the healer, the Queen has fainted!"
As Anri spiraled down into blackness, she distantly heard voices around her, then
a faint mocking laughter.
"So you were going to tell me more about Lucifer?" Max said as they trudged
along the forest path.
"Yes. Lucifer's favorite tactic seems to be corrupting people to serve his needs
and goals," Jace said as he wiped a hand across his brow.
"So? So did Darksol. How's that different?" Max asked.
"Darksol corrupted people by telling them lies. That a certain kingdom would
invade, that someone was out to kill them, stuff like that," Jace explained.
"What's Lucifer do then?" Max asked. Clain turned to fix him with a very serious
stare.
"Darksol corrupted people by telling them lies, Lucifer corrupts people by telling
them the truth." Clain said cryptically.
Anri was shivering, beads of sweat forming on her delicate forehead as she laid in
her bed. Around her, one of the royal healers was talking to Lowe and Nova as they stood
over her. She was conscious of none of this, having been drawn deep into formless night
within her mind. Gradually, she become aware of another presence with her in the
blackness of unconsciousness.
i"There is no justice,"/i the voice said softly. Insinuating itself deeper into Anri's
half-conscious mind.
i"No justice,"/i Anri blankly agreed.
i"No one cares about anyone else. The world is full of nothing but scrabbling rats,
each scrambling to fill their bellies with all they can have and more."/i The voice was an
iron fist in a velvet glove, soft but unyielding. Memories of her time with the Shining
Force surfaced in the back of Anri's mind and part of her broke through the mental
lethargy being imposed upon her.
i"But my friends care…"/i she said mentally.
i"You think your friends care? Hah! They saw an opportunity to gain a monarch
as an ally and pounced on it. They used you, are using you. Like everyone else used you."/i
i"That's…not…right…"/iAnri said, her will to resist fading. She tried to remember
good times spent with her friends, but somehow all the smiles seemed to be mocking her,
all the laughter and jokes seemed to be snide. All her friends' faces seemed…different.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Max asked Clain as they continued walking.
"Darksol outright lied. Lucifer twists and bends the truth to suit his dark purposes.
He'll take certain events and present them in a certain way to make it seem like
something other than what it is. He'll suggest motivations and feelings that are really
false, but seem true if you look at the facts a certain way. He takes the truth, edits it,
colors it, and ultimately rewrites it," Clain said with a tone of disgust.
i"No one cares about you…"/ithe voice said. i"You stand alone."/i
i"No…"/i Anri whimpered. Darkness was all around her. She was slipping back
into the dream she kept having…
i"You can't run from the truth forever, Anri. I know your mind. There is no justice.
Nobody cares. Only the strong survive, Anri. Only the strong deserve to survive. Only the
strong deserve to rule,"/i the voice whispered. Anri was once again back in the bleak dead
forest of her nightmares, the skeletal trees throwing their branches upwards as if shrieking
in agony.
iAnri was running from something behind her, something that kept following her
no matter where she went. She was running through the forest, dark and misty, with trees
outstretching bare branches in an effort to trip her. She stumbled over a tree root, and
hastily got up, the thing behind her gaining ground with each pause…/i
i"I can help you Anri. The world cares not for you, why should you care for it?
Why protect it? Why serve it? Why not instead, serve yourself?"/i the voice said, driving
it's will into Anri's core being.
iA dark, impenetrable mist surrounded her, she felt a cold hand, no, hands, grasp
her legs and pull her to the ground. She saw the two eyes of blackness in the mist, and
knew pure terror. Meaningless words crawled through her head… A crunching branch
alerted her to her pursuer… It was right behind her… She turned and saw the face of the
thing that had chased her. It was…/i
i"You know who I truly am. You've known me for so long… You've only forgotten
about me. Join with me, and we will finally be free of all our burdens! Join with me, and
we can make those wretches who defy us pay! Join me, and we will rule unchallenged
over the worthless rabble!"/i the voice rose in volume until it reached a crescendo that
shook the fabric of Anri's nightmare realm.
iAnri could see the face of her pursuer. A young adult woman, with a cruel
predatory smile on her face, long silver hair spilling down past her hood and mage's
cape…/i
Anri faced herself.
The mirror-image Anri started to laugh evilly, and Anri moaned in horror and
despair.
Diane was in a quaint little establishment called "Ale Alley," a good-sized tavern
that survived the devastation of Guardiana in the Shining Wars. This was mostly thanks
to its now part-owner, Gort the Gladiator. Upon returning from Runefaust, Gort had
returned to the tavern he had defended when Runefaust invaded, with the idea of
investing in the tavern and becoming part owner. He had wanted to have something to
leave behind to his grand-children. (Who were now in the process of having children and
families of their own, Gort was now 155, a good age for dwarves, who usually live to be
around 200. His grandchildren had just entered early adulthood, the period just after the
teens, but before the experience and wisdom of age had a chance to set in.) The owner
was still very grateful to Gort, and let him become his business partner. Of course, the
fact that Gort now had a large amount of gold coins, his booty from the wars, didn't hurt
either. Right now, Diane, Lowe, Gort, Luke and Tao where enjoying a drink and a meal
as they caught up with each other. Diane had planned this to be a friendly get together of
old comrades in arms, but several people didn't or couldn't make it. Zylo was off hunting
his dinner, he preferred "fresh" food to any dish cooked in a tavern, Gong had mysterious
vanished, leaving only a note saying he was looking for answers, Light only knew where
Ken was, and Mae was overseeing the addition of new recruits into the army It wasn't the
grand reunion Diane had first envisioned, but she'd make do.
"Anyway, that's what happened when Arthur first tried casting the Blaze spell I
tried to teach him. Took both Anri AND Domingo a full hour to put out the ensuing
conflagration. You'd think anyone smart enough to cast spells would have the common
sense not to try a fire spell in a wooden house with a straw thatched roof…" Tao said as
she took a sip of her drink, an elven wine which she was particularly fond of.
"Heh. Where is that pompous old draft horse anyway, I couldn't find him
anywhere," Diane asked as she tried a bite of the appetizer she had ordered, a plate of
spiced mushrooms the tavern was rather famous for.
"He left with Pelle and a few troops on a routine patrol of the Ancient Gate
yesterday. He should be back late tonight or early tomorrow," Lowe said as he subtly
swiped a mushroom from Diane's plate and popped into his mouth, the succulent tasty
morsel putting a blissful smile on his face.
"Speaking of which how did your little tour of duty as regent go? Any crises
averted and or caused by our harried halfling healer? Mm?" Tao asked a mischievous grin
on her face.
"Actually now that you mention it, I had to deal with one of the Merchant Lords
the other day. The fat mess of flesh kept insisting that his miners should be allowed to
mine the mountains around Manarina even though everyone knows that the land
surrounding the Mage School is Manarina property. He kept insisting that since
Manarina's ownership of that land wasn't officially annotated in their town charter, he
should be allowed mining rights. He kept using all this legal jabber that I kept having to
get Nova to translate. I feel sorry for Anri, dealing with that day in and day out," Lowe
said as he absentmindedly sipped his beer.
"How is Anri doing, anyway? I don't remember her being this withdrawn since
Max's… since the last time I saw her. What's wrong?" Diane asked as she slapped
Lowe's hand away from her plate of mushrooms. Tao frowned.
"I honestly don't know. She's usually much more upbeat than this. Except when
she drags herself out for various queenly duties, she's been spending all her time locked
in the library studying and researching those ruins. It's like she's forgotten about
everything else…" Tao said, an uncommon look of concern on her face.
"She's probably just concerned about her kingdom. Finding the mysterious ruins
of an ancient civilization that predates the Ancients themselves doesn't happen too often,
you know, and she probably thinks it's another portent of things to come," Luke said as
he lifted his mug to down half his ale in one huge gulp. He burped and wiped his mouth
with the back of his hand in a satisfied manner.
"She might even be right," Gort said in a thoughtful manner. "Strange things have
been happening lately. My grandson moved to Bustoke a while back to set up a smithy
near where they mined iron ore from the mountain, and he's been telling me things. He
says that strange lights have been seen in the Dragon's Rest forest, strange men have been
coming through town, and he hears that raiders have been sighted gathering together way
out in the Manarinan Desert," Gort said as he picked at his roast boar.
"Well we didn't see anything when we were travelling through the desert," Diane
said as she ate the last mushroom and pushed the empty plate away. "Maybe it's just wild
rumors." Gort turned to Diane with a steel look in his eyes.
"I sincerely hope so. My grandson also sent word that his wife gave birth to a
lovely baby girl the other day. I'd rather not have to go to war again when I finally get to
see my great-grandchildren come into the world," Gort said, his face changing to that of a
reflective look that seemed to make all too apparent his age. Diane tried to lighten the
mood.
"So how is your family, anyway, Gort?" she said lightly.
"Well, why don't you ask Luke?" Gort said as he drained his mug of ale.
"Wh… What's that supposed to mean?" Luke asked Gort, nervousness piercing
through his normally boisterous voice.
"I am old, Luke, not deaf or blind, nor am I stupid or slow-witted. You think I
haven't been aware of your moonlight attempts to woo my granddaughter? You think I
haven't noticed the various attempts at love poetry you leave scattered around for her?
You think I haven't noticed the way I've seen you look at her? I can put two and two
together, you know," Gort said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair. Luke was
sweating with nervousness. Lowe was chuckling. Tao and Diane both turned to Luke, but
before they could begin the barrage of teasing they had in mind, Luke spoke as he got up
from the table.
"I…ah… I think I had better go help Mae with the new recruits… Bye!" saying
that, he almost ran right out of the room.
"Heh… Young love…" Gort chuckled as he watched Luke retreat from the tavern.
"Well tonight was nice, but basically a bust. I was expecting more of our old
friends to show…" Diane said, a bit depressed as she tapped her fork on the table, with
boredom.
"Well, I hear some of the old gang is coming here to celebrate the anniversary of
our victory over Dark Dragon soon…" Tao started but was interrupted as Diane bolted
upright.
"Ah! I completely forgot that was coming up! It's been what, six years? I can't
believe I forgot that…" Diane said with disbelief as she slapped herself in the forehead.
Tao looked at her confused.
"Didn't you get your invitation?" Tao said, puzzled.
"Invitation?" Diane inquired.
"Yes, Anri sent them all out a month ago. Invitations to the party she was holding
in honor of our victory… and Max's sacrifice," Tao finished hesitantly.
"Yeah… I never really thought Max would ever turn into a casualty. He just
seemed… well, he seemed too determined to die!" Diane said, suddenly solemn. "Well,
that's the past now. Anyway, no I never got mine, and neither did Zylo."
"That's odd… There must be a problem with the messenger system… Anyway,
most if not all of the gang is coming back within the month, I hear," Tao said.
"But that's a while away! I was hoping to catch up a bit with everyone soon…"
Diane said.
"Well, we could try for a night when everyone here is free…" Tao suggested.
"Speaking of which, I hear Hans is coming back from his scouting trip into the
Border Forest tonight. Maybe you could catch up with him…" Gort mildly suggested as
he took a slow sip of his drink. Diane turned with a surprised look in her eyes.
"Hans is coming back tonight?" Diane paused again, deep in thought. "Yes… I'll
definitely need to see what he's been up to… It's been too long… Thanks Gort," Diane
said as she slapped down a few coins as payment and hurried out the door. Tao arched an
eyebrow at Gort, who chuckled and said,
"I already told you I'm not deaf or blind, Tao. I notice things. I was in love too,
once. How did you think I had children?" Gort smiled as Tao sheepishly shrugged.
Anri pored over her books looking for any reference to the piece of black chain
that had been at the forefront of her mind the last couple of days. Nothing. Not a single
thing about the ruins or the mysterious artifact could be found among even the castle's
myriad tomes of forgotten lore. It was late… Too late… Anri wanted deeply to put aside
her books and just go back to her chambers and sleep. Her head nodded down, long hair
cascading in front of her face, and she shook her head to wake herself up. She may want
to go to sleep, yes, but she wanted to solve this annoying riddle first. She needed to know
what this thing was, needed to know what it could do… She needed…
Anri's thought were interrupted by her head hitting the book she was reading. She
was asleep in seconds, dreaming shortly there after.
iAnri was once again running from the nameless fear. Once again it chased her
throughout the misty gray dead forest. Once again she tripped on something and just as
she turned to look on the horror of her nightmares, she once again awoke with a start./i
Anri jolted awake, bolting upright in the chair she had fallen asleep in. i"The same
dream again…"/i she though to herself. Well, she was awake now, and she had work to do.
With a resolute look, she reached for another ancient book and opened it.
It was midnight and the clouds were pouring a soft peaceful rain upon the city of
Guardiana. Diane stood outside Hans' house pacing back and forth, oblivious to the water
soaking her clothes and body.
i"What am I even doing out here?"/i Diane thought to herself as she hesitantly
knocked the door, half hoping nobody was home. i"It's been six years since the Force
broke up, and four years since we even kept in touch. I bet he's forgotten all about me…
He's probably found someone by now… Maybe I should just go…"/i
Diane turned to leave just as the door opened as Hans peeked his head out. He
blinked in disbelief as Diane turned to go, and asked quietly, "Diane? Is that you?"
Diane stopped, and quickly turned back to Hans with tears in her eyes, and ran to
him. As they locked into an embrace, Hans' expression went from surprise to joy to
blissful contentment in the span of a few seconds. The door closed and the rain continued
to pour gently down outside.
The next day, Anri woke from a black dreamless sleep to an insistent knocking at
her chamber door.
"Majesty? Majesty!! It's time for the petitions!! Wake up!!!"
Anri bolted upright form the desk she'd fallen asleep on. How long had she been
sleeping? The pounding on the door became more frantic.
"I'm coming! Just let me get ready!" Anri shouted to whichever of her numerous
royal assistants was at her door as she started to hastily put on a ceremonial robe and run
a comb quickly through her long hair in a vain effort to make it look like she hadn't just
woken up. The pounding subsided, but the urgings of the assistant to hurry did not. Anri
growled in irritation and she bit back a few choice words she'd learned back in her days
as a battle mage. How did nagging her help any? Did the herald's squeaky annoying
voice have the power to turn back time and wake her up sooner?? What a bothersome
insect! It'd be so easy just to turn him into that form, and to crush him under her heel…
Anri smacked herself on the forehead. Where in the Seventeen Circles of
Aggamar did those thoughts just come from? She didn't act… didn't think like that at
all! Anri finally completed her hasty preparation and chalked up the disturbing thoughts
to nerves.
"Alright, I'm coming!" she announced as she opened her chamber door and
speedily walked out, headed for the audience hall, the herald sent to fetch her just barely
keeping up. The petitions were her favorite part after all. They'd make her feel better…
Dawn broke over the travelers' camp as if a vase of sunlight had been shattered
upon the previous blanket of cool darkness, scattering the mist that had formed to the
winds. The dawn had a majestic quiet to it, a feeling of peaceful stillness. As the camp
gradually awoke, the stillness was eventually replaced by the hustle and bustle of a group
readying itself to leave in utmost haste. Tents were dismantled and repackaged.
Backpacks were reloaded and weapons placed at their owners' sides. Breakfast was a
simple dried powder and water gruel that Jace had brought in his survival pack. As the
group sat around the boiling pot of gruel, they discussed their plans.
"Well, we could take the Bustoke pass once we get out of this never-ending
forest…" Jace said while tracing his proposed path along the map of Rune he had spread
out on a nearby tree stump. Clain shook his head.
"The pass will take too long, and we risk identification by Lucifer's spy network if
we go through town. No, we'll go through the garrison base in the Manarinan Mountains.
That will allow us to restock and get an update on current events as well as go quicker."
Clain said, pointing to an area on the map. Amidst mountains, was marked symbol of a
sheild with a G on it, and crossed lightning bolts behind.
"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?" Max interjected. Clain looked up.
"We have our garrison base set up in an abandoned tunnel network underground
in the Manarinan mountains. If we can reach it, we stand to shave a few days off our trip
as well as being able to re-supply," Jace explained.
"Ah," Max said.
"It's decided then. We move for the base. Let's get going, we have precious little
time to waste." Clain said as he shrugged on his pack.
"We have a simple request, milady. Our Lord Karatis of the Merchant's Guild has
done nothing illegal, yet your Royal Judge Garris has ordered him to pay restitution and
halt his operations in the village of Thornsbury. All we ask is that justice be done and that
he has his money and merchant privileges restored."
The Merchant Lord's representative was a little fat man, beady eyed and cruel
looking, and he droned on and on about the various rights that Judge Garris had violated
in his orders to investigate the claims of Karatis' unethical works. Anri finally shrugged
and raised her hand, gesturing the man to stop speaking.
"I read Garris' report and the reports filed by the village. The Merchant Lord
cannot weasel his way out of this one. The village was on the brink of starvation thanks to
Karatis' underhanded tactics and financial strategies. I myself saw the villages' children
in rags. I could count their ribs they were so hungry. Being a Merchant Lord does not
make him sovereign over villages and towns bearing one of his trading posts." Anri said
tiredly. "Furthermore, I know Garris to be an honorable and just man, and have full faith
in his judgment.
"But your own laws clearly state on matters of trading that…" the man said, a
gleam coming into his eye.
i"Look at them. So petty. Over a fraction of his total wealth, so willing to push
others into the dirt to acquire more and more. They deserve to be crushed. To feel what
it's like to be ground into the dirt."/i
Anri shook her head, clearing away the intruding thoughts. She hadn't thought that…
Where did it come from? She was so tired… The representative was interrupted once
more by Anri.
"I care NOT for the letter of the law, but for the spirit! My word on this is final."
Anri finished by slamming a hand down on her throne's arm. The little man in robes
fumed.
"The Merchant Lords will not hear of this! If you think…" the little man was once
more cut off as Anri shot to her feet, a furious look in her normally icy calm eyes.
"If YOU think you can come into MY throne room and dictate to me what I will
and will not do on matters that concern MY kingdom, you're ever stupider than you are
fat! Guards! Escort this man out of my castle!" Anri shouted and sat back on her throne.
i"So there is a core of fire to this facade of ice you've set up for yourself, eh? Yes,
I see it all… Your inner fires burn fiercely in secret. Your father's death…Fury! Your
kingdom's devastation and long-term suffering…Anger! The loss of the one man you
actually began to care for…even love? RAGE!"/i
Anri shook her head again as the guards led the indignant merchant away, a slight
scared expression manifested itself on her face.
"I don't care what you are, voice. Leave my thoughts to me and leave." Anri
whispered under her breath. An advisor approached her.
"Sire, are you certain that was a good idea? The Merchant Lords' influence
stretches deep…" the advisor's voice trembled with nervousness.
"I am Queen. Not Karatis. He will NOT use his overflowing purse to oppress my
people!" Anri said with barely contained anger.
i"There it is again, Anri. The anger, the outrage at injustice…the fire. It's all
there…"/i
i"Stop it."/i Anri thought.
i"Poor young queen. Stop it already? It has only now begun!"/i
i"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"/i Anri thought, a veritable mental scream. For a
moment there was silence, and Anri sighed with relief.
i"Fire and ice, fire and ice…"/i the voice taunted.
i"OUT!!!"/i Anri almost shouted the last bit aloud.
i"Young mage. Truly you cannot comprehend what is happening. ME get out of
YOUR head?"/i the featureless voice laughed malevolently.
i"WHO ARE YOU???"/i Anri thought desperately.
i"Who am I? You mean you really don't know?"/i the voice chuckled again. The
shrill voice of the herald broke through the mental conversation.
"The next petitioner, Mayor Cal'gor Quid, from the city of Haljara," the herald
proclaimed as a stately man in robes approached the throne. The man bowed deeply and
spread his arms wide in a gesture of friendship as he stood back up.
"Greetings magnificent Queen, from the great city of Haljara. We bring a message
of thanks for your assistance in routing the vicious raider attacks that have long plagued
our prosperous citizens. In gratitude for your quick dispersal of justice, the citizens…" the
man's speech trailed off into the background as the whispering voice in Anri's mind
spoke up once more.
i"Justice? Hah! There is no such thing in the world."/i
i"That's not true."/i Anri mentally refuted. i"There is much justice in this world."/i
i"Really? How do you figure?"/i the voice whispered, amused.
i"Well we helped disband the raiders in Haljara for one…"/i Anri stated quickly.
i"You are so naïve. The 'raiders' that you so quickly dispatched at the city's
request was in reality a group of townsfolk who had taken up arms in an attempt to
reclaim the property stolen from them by the corrupt city officials who were taxing them
to death under your very nose. You gave the order to kill innocent people who just
wanted their lives back…"/i
i"That can't be true! One of my Royal Judges would've reported the situation to
me, or someone would've come forward…"/iAnri thought as the man in front of her throne
continued to say how grateful the city was to her.
i"You mean the Royal Judges that even now are in the pocket of the Merchant
Lords? You mean why didn't anyone come to your vaunted 'petitions' to plead for help?
Tell me, Anri, who screens these audiences for you?"/i
i"The Royal Judges…"/iAnri said hesistantly. i"But they're most good men! I know
them! Judge Garris alone…"/i
i"The Royal Judges wear masks, as most people do. And as most people do, they
look out for themselves alone. As for Garris, he's dead now. Slain by an assassin, the
reward for his many years of uncorrupted loyalty to his kingdom."/i Anri shut her eyes
tightly together and shook her head.
i"You're lying…"/ishe whispered.
i"You doubt my words, little mage? See for yourself."/i
Anri's mind was suddenly flooded with a vivid scene of soldiers bearing the
Guardiana seal slaughtering a group of fleeing peasants, cutting them down even as they
kneeled to surrender. She heard the pleas for mercy and the shrieks of the dying. She
heard the peasants curse her and her kingdom. Blood permeated the soil and screams, the
air. The scene changed abruptly. She was now in the study of Royal Judge Garris. The
kindly-looking old man was seated at his desk, tugging at his white beard with one hand
and flipping through a report with the other. Anri heard a door creak open and saw Garris
look up from his papers. A shadow darkened behind him and Anri saw a black-clad figure
hurl a dagger at the elder judge before sprinting away from the open doorway. The dagger
lodged in the old man's chest, and Garris looked down at it in disbelief as he fell to the
ground.
"My…God…"Anri said, in shock and horror. Though she struggled to deny it,
something in her knew that this was what happened. Tears leaked from the corners of her
disbelieving eyes.
i"Far from it, my dear."/i The voice said in mock sweetness. i"All this happened
and nobody cares. Nobody cares about anything. There is no justice."/i
i"But there HAS to be justice! If not here, then other kingdoms…"/i Anri struggled
to bring counter-arguments to mind, tried to bring her considerable diplomatic abilities
into play, but her thoughts were muddled by a black fog that seemed to cloud her mind.
i"Other kingdoms? You mean your supposedly staunch allies? Like Runefaust
which tried to crush you and then fell to groveling when it failed, claiming they were 'just
following orders?' Or how about that new country you've allied yourself with, hm? The
one you thought was SUCH an example of holy Light in the world, I believe it's name is
Aris-Tir, correct?"/i the voice sarcastically said.
An image of downtrodden men, women and children chained together, being
whipped by overseers as they trudged along a dusty path towards a quarry formed itself in
Anri's mind.
i"I bet you didn't know they practice slavery as a form of punishment if you stand
against the realm's rather strict rules. I bet you didn't know the evils being committed
each day across the globe. I'm certain you had no knowledge of what goes on behind
your back as the intrigues of the Royal Court ensnare more and more victims and you sit
in your little throne room, insulated and pampered from reality. You thought you won
against evil when you sealed Dark Dragon away, but in reality, evil won when you put on
your crown, oh young naïve queen. There is no justice."/i
i"But…but…"/i
i"THERE. IS. NO. JUSTICE."/i the voice said commandingly. Anri felt the phrase
being pushed into her mind, felt it break through her well honed defenses of willpower,
felt years of mental training slip away.
i"There…is…no…justice…"/iAnri whispered slowly and in great pain. Then she
gave out a great cry and collapsed.
"Queen Anri!!"
"Someone get the healer, the Queen has fainted!"
As Anri spiraled down into blackness, she distantly heard voices around her, then
a faint mocking laughter.
"So you were going to tell me more about Lucifer?" Max said as they trudged
along the forest path.
"Yes. Lucifer's favorite tactic seems to be corrupting people to serve his needs
and goals," Jace said as he wiped a hand across his brow.
"So? So did Darksol. How's that different?" Max asked.
"Darksol corrupted people by telling them lies. That a certain kingdom would
invade, that someone was out to kill them, stuff like that," Jace explained.
"What's Lucifer do then?" Max asked. Clain turned to fix him with a very serious
stare.
"Darksol corrupted people by telling them lies, Lucifer corrupts people by telling
them the truth." Clain said cryptically.
Anri was shivering, beads of sweat forming on her delicate forehead as she laid in
her bed. Around her, one of the royal healers was talking to Lowe and Nova as they stood
over her. She was conscious of none of this, having been drawn deep into formless night
within her mind. Gradually, she become aware of another presence with her in the
blackness of unconsciousness.
i"There is no justice,"/i the voice said softly. Insinuating itself deeper into Anri's
half-conscious mind.
i"No justice,"/i Anri blankly agreed.
i"No one cares about anyone else. The world is full of nothing but scrabbling rats,
each scrambling to fill their bellies with all they can have and more."/i The voice was an
iron fist in a velvet glove, soft but unyielding. Memories of her time with the Shining
Force surfaced in the back of Anri's mind and part of her broke through the mental
lethargy being imposed upon her.
i"But my friends care…"/i she said mentally.
i"You think your friends care? Hah! They saw an opportunity to gain a monarch
as an ally and pounced on it. They used you, are using you. Like everyone else used you."/i
i"That's…not…right…"/iAnri said, her will to resist fading. She tried to remember
good times spent with her friends, but somehow all the smiles seemed to be mocking her,
all the laughter and jokes seemed to be snide. All her friends' faces seemed…different.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Max asked Clain as they continued walking.
"Darksol outright lied. Lucifer twists and bends the truth to suit his dark purposes.
He'll take certain events and present them in a certain way to make it seem like
something other than what it is. He'll suggest motivations and feelings that are really
false, but seem true if you look at the facts a certain way. He takes the truth, edits it,
colors it, and ultimately rewrites it," Clain said with a tone of disgust.
i"No one cares about you…"/ithe voice said. i"You stand alone."/i
i"No…"/i Anri whimpered. Darkness was all around her. She was slipping back
into the dream she kept having…
i"You can't run from the truth forever, Anri. I know your mind. There is no justice.
Nobody cares. Only the strong survive, Anri. Only the strong deserve to survive. Only the
strong deserve to rule,"/i the voice whispered. Anri was once again back in the bleak dead
forest of her nightmares, the skeletal trees throwing their branches upwards as if shrieking
in agony.
iAnri was running from something behind her, something that kept following her
no matter where she went. She was running through the forest, dark and misty, with trees
outstretching bare branches in an effort to trip her. She stumbled over a tree root, and
hastily got up, the thing behind her gaining ground with each pause…/i
i"I can help you Anri. The world cares not for you, why should you care for it?
Why protect it? Why serve it? Why not instead, serve yourself?"/i the voice said, driving
it's will into Anri's core being.
iA dark, impenetrable mist surrounded her, she felt a cold hand, no, hands, grasp
her legs and pull her to the ground. She saw the two eyes of blackness in the mist, and
knew pure terror. Meaningless words crawled through her head… A crunching branch
alerted her to her pursuer… It was right behind her… She turned and saw the face of the
thing that had chased her. It was…/i
i"You know who I truly am. You've known me for so long… You've only forgotten
about me. Join with me, and we will finally be free of all our burdens! Join with me, and
we can make those wretches who defy us pay! Join me, and we will rule unchallenged
over the worthless rabble!"/i the voice rose in volume until it reached a crescendo that
shook the fabric of Anri's nightmare realm.
iAnri could see the face of her pursuer. A young adult woman, with a cruel
predatory smile on her face, long silver hair spilling down past her hood and mage's
cape…/i
Anri faced herself.
The mirror-image Anri started to laugh evilly, and Anri moaned in horror and
despair.