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I didn't realize how much the events in the prison would eventually change things for me. I acted as though the next morning were identical to previous ones. After my tactical assignments were complete for the day I spent the evening as I would the next several - searching for the Serdian Moon object.
Flying would have been a pleasure, but apparating was faster. I appeared in a shallow valley thick with trees. Their foliage blotted the stars from my view. Every breath pulled moist forest air into my chest as I made my way down to Warine River. I could only hope that the king's blaisse mention of this body of water had been a ruse to hide its true importance.
The stony banks made me suspect that if any of the moon objects were here it would be the moon gem. I should never have expected to see it glimmering among the normal rocks. That would have been entirely too simple (and a supremely foolish hiding place), but I was growing desperate. I shrugged out of my cloak, rolled up my pants, and waded into the stream. I trailed my fingertips on the water's surface and drew sigils of revelation into the ripples.
Eventually I had to relent. The search was fruitless. The moon object could be anywhere in these woods or nowhere near them.
My attention returned to the castle and I searched its contents anew.
In doing so, I found the obliette, the old dungeon whose entrance the Basilites had buried as though they could tuck away the memories of their atrocities and pretend they had never existed. Experience and instruction have taught me that all nations have such places. Areas that they try to ignore; past events that are no longer welcome recollections. The Duchy once hosted a fleet of researchers who conducted peculiar experiments. The unwilling specimens were kept and bred in the obliette. Such a little known and rarely visited part of the royal complex would have been a good place to house the Moon object, but alas, none of the charred skulls held a magical mirror; the rotting clothes taken from long dead prisoners did not hide the eldritch dagger; and the bone saws were studded with nails, not the lunar gem. Searching the labyrinth of dungeon tunnels served no purpose save to twist my own mind into a maze.
My thoughts turned to doubts. Suspicions chased one another in my mind as I considered my situation. In Serdio I had earned my way into the king's council, treated with an emperor, and captured the Moon Child. If I couldn't even find this moon relic despite such favorable circumstances, what would the deserts of Tiberoa do to me? How would I fare in the frozen tundra of Mille Seseau? Would I spend centuries looking for these things?
Some days later when we were scheduled to assemble for a morning briefing I still had not thought of a solution, but my brooding was interrupted by an announcement.
Sir Lavitz, Basil's golden knight, lived. Indels rejoiced at the return of one of its favorite sons. His presence brought a radiant smile to the face of the king. The news that he delivered was less joyous.
"My king, Imperial Sandora has acquired a devastating weapon," said Lavitz, "They used a dragon to overcome us at the battle of Crater Run."
"A dragon?" The king sounded surprised but schooled his face into passivity. "Were they not driven to extinction during the Great War?"
Minister Noish took the opportunity to remind everyone present about the Dragon Campaign.
He finished by saying, "The remaining dragons disappeared from history, but it seems one has now returned."
"Sir Lavitz, what happened after the battle?" the king inquired.
"After my First Knighthood was defeated I was captured and taken to Hellena Prison."
I stood close enough to the throne to see the king's shoulders tense. Hellena was infamous throughout Serdio.
"But I was able to escape with the help of two people." Lavitz continued. "Your Majesty, it is my honor to present my companions Dart Feld and Shana, of Seles."
I waited for the announcement of the man's ancestry, but none was given. Perhaps I had overestimated his importance. I looked more carefully at them both. The Moon Child shifted from one foot to the other in obvious discomfort under public scrutiny. However, I saw no wounds on her legs or arms and she didn't appear to have lost weight since I last saw her.
It looked like Lavitz and the red armored fighter had taken good care of her as I expected they would.
The man named Dart possessed a beauty that was exotic in this part of the world. His wild hair shone like bronze in the soft morning light.
A foreigner who had gained acceptance as a Serdian and even Sir Lavitz's confidence must have an interesting story indeed, I thought.
"You have my condolences, Dart and Shana," said the king. "Know that the Duchy of Basil is sending aid to the survivors of Seles."
The two shot glances at each other, at the king, and finally looked at Lavitz. He spoke for them, "Thank you, Your Highness."
"I do not know how to express my gratitude for aiding our captain and helping my friend," replied the king.
"Sire, there is perhaps one favor that you might grant." said Lavitz.
King Albert nodded his permission to speak the request.
"Dart is on a mission to avenge his family and Shana has no home to return to. Dart begs Your Highness to allow his friend to remain behind the walls of Indels until his campaign is complete and a more suitable arrangement can be made."
The girl in question snapped her head toward the blond. Her mouth dropped into a surprised, "Oh. That's why-?!" She clapped both hands over her mouth as though she had surprised herself by speaking aloud.
The young man, Dart, carefully kept his eyes on the stone wall behind the throne.
I was not the only councillor who chuckled at the exchange, but the others likely did not find it amusing for the same reason. Clearly I was not the only person who had trouble finding a proper place for this woman.
"I cannot guarantee Shana's safety." said the king, "We are holding the battle lines at Hoax, but even the ramparts here may fall to the might of a dragon. There is no safe place in Serdio now. But, while the castle is still peaceful it would be best for the two of you to think about your future."
Sir Lavitz saw that his new friends were settled before he joined us in the council chambers. Our morning briefing became a great deal more interesting than anyone had expected. Lavitz enthralled us with his account of the battle and his subsequent imprisonment. It was then that we learned he was the last of the First Knights.
Throughout the discussions King Albert constantly turned his eyes to Lavitz. I had no love for the knight, but I could not resist a feeling of gladness as I saw how much his survival pleased the king.
It was decided that Lavitz would journey to the fortress of Hoax to lend his expertise to the commander there. Hoax was a vitally important border town. It could not be allowed to fall into the Empire's clutches.
A scribe penned Lavitz's account of the battle of Crater Run. It was considered a historically significant event in need of immediate documentation due to the dragon's appearance. Minister Noish had proofed the manuscript and declared it acceptable, but I suggested that the king might like to read it himself before it was stored in the archives since it concerned his friend. I volunteered to deliver the document to the Royal Tower.
Sir Lavitz was leaving as I arrived. We regarded one another on the courtyard path. I nodded an acknowledgment of his presence. He nodded civilly to me in return. As we passed each other I noticed a gingerness in his step as though he had sustained a minor leg wound or perhaps pulled a muscle during his journey home. It is probably needless to state that I did not ask after his health.
The king sat at his desk in the royal study. His body slumped over a pile of books and charts, asleep.
He had seldom rested since the demise of the First Knighthood, so I crept soundlessly to the desk and placed the document without waking him. A map fell from his lax hand and landed among a spread of handwritten papers.
Upside down it was hard to read his notes, but it looked like he was trying to calculate flight speeds and marching progress.
While he slept the lines of stress and worry disappeared. He was young even for humans. I wondered if he might live to see the day of harmony when my plan would be completed and all of this warfare would cease. Of course, for that to occur I had to find the gem, dagger, and mirror. On an impulse I pulled out the lunar orb and pushed the detector towards King Albert. It quaked in my palm. For an instant, my hand trembled around it. What could it mean? I refused to let fear settle in me. It could not have made a mistake. Emperor Diaz had assured me that the orb was infallible.
And yet… what if-
I returned to my room, sat upon the bed, and lost myself in thought.
No lunar-blessed human could survive the attention and scrutiny that rulership demanded. King Albert was not secretly the Moon Child. He would have been identified and culled by the demon that some called the "Black Monster."
I ripped my glove off and clenched it in my fist.
But if the orb made a mistake with him, could I trust its identification of the girl?
I brought my closed hand to my lips and gnawed one finger as I had not done since my youngest years.
I had no Moon object and possibly no Moon Child.
My fingers pressed against my eyelids until starbursts filled my vision.
My bedroom had no windows with which to tell how much time passed before the patter of strange footsteps approached the door.
"Oh, I'm sorry, we didn't realize this was a bedchamber," The young man backed out of the doorway. The girl at his side slid away too.
"Lavitz told us to explore the castle for a while, but now we're trying to find him," he explained.
I stood up and said, "Dart, is it? And… Shana?"
They nodded.
"I am sorry about what happened to your village." My sincerity was feigned, but I honestly suspected that the attack on Seles might have been for nothing.
"In the throne room Sir Lavitz said that you plan to find the men responsible. I would caution against that."
"Seles is Shana's home. I seek vengeance for my hometown of Neet, in Mille Seseau," said Dart, "Have you heard of the Black Monster? That's the man I'm looking for."
"I think all Endinessians have heard of the Black Monster."
"You're from Endiness?" Dart's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "I've lived all over, but I've never heard an accent quite like yours."
Ignoring the implied question, I asked, "You really believe that the Black Monster can be found?"
"Yes!" said Dart. "And I'm going to find him."
"What will you do when you catch up to him?"
"I'll avenge my parents and my friends and my home." He paused before softly adding, "He destroyed everything."
"So where are you going to search next?"
"Finding the Black Monster has consumed my whole life." Dart said, "I left everyone behind to pursue him." His eyes grew distant as he looked at Shana. "It nearly cost me everything again. For now I'm going to put aside my vendetta and help end this war. Lavitz says that Sandora is marching on Hoax."
I nodded in agreement. Lavitz must have taken a strong liking to this young man if he had given him the details of our briefing.
"I'm going to help him fight," said Dart.
"So am I." Shana spoke to me for the first time. The determined set of her jaw suggested that this was her own decision.
I should not have let her go. Anything might have happened on the battlefront. It was a foolish risk. But at that time I was so discouraged by the moon orb's misidentification. Some tiny part of me gave up; I suspected that Shana was not even the Moon Child. Everything I had done in Serdio had only twisted me in circles.
I should have held on to her just in case, but we all make mistakes.
I wish that I could say the time passed in a blur, but that would suggest that I actually accomplished something. Instead the days melted into one fruitless melange of unhelpful research, false leads, and wearying pursuits.
Finally I stopped in Lohan. The notice I had seen in Seles tempted me. No one in Lohan's Hero Competition would be likely to present a true challenge, but I longed for a distraction. The combat would allow me to focus on something other than my failure even if only for a few hours
The brightly-colored tents of the event grounds brimmed with people. While I waited to be matched with an opponent I surveyed the crowd. My eyes were drawn to the flowing robes of the desert dwelling Tiberoans and the sleeveless, short clothes of the Seseauttes, for whom the Serdian weather must have seemed quite warm. Feathered headdresses of the Western Tribes stretched above most people's heads save those of the tall, dark-skinned East Islanders.
Of course, a great number of Sandorans and Basilites came to watch the event as well. I slipped out of my cloak, realizing that, in this case, my silver and black vest was more suited to the task of shrouding me from recognition.
An usher led me to my bracket group and told me whom I would face first.
Eight of us crowded in a covered pavilion. Dart stood among the competitors. With his blood-red armor and steel Bastard Sword, he had a hero's look. If I wasn't competing, I probably would have rooted for him.
As it was, seeing him made me remember Shana and my other embarrassments. Anger flared in my chest and I looked away from him and studied my first opponent. The muscular adolescent noticed my gaze and lifted his war-hammer in salute.
He was supported by a small group of people that cheered far louder than their numbers would have suggested possible. Homespun banners proclaimed that the boy was the hometown hero of Seles village. I recognized a few of the hopeful spectators. These survivors had probably pooled their resources to outfit their champion in hopes of using the winnings to rebuild their homes. They should have made a wiser investment.
He was quite strong for a human, but my flurry of blitz attacks ended his chance to glorify his hometown.
The second match pitted me against a shepherdess. I knew better than to underestimate an opponent, but this one surprised me. Her precision with the slingshot was incredible. The crowd roared its approval for this underdog, but she was no match for my quickness.
I felt the Dragon Buster's presence throughout the battles like a small weight tugging at my mind, wanting to be used.
The penultimate competitor was an elderly martial artist. His fists parted the air near my midsection. The next blows would have shattered my knees. The man paused and strangely closed both eyes. The short moment was enough for my mind to race to an eager conclusion. He knew my skill was superior and now calmed himself to accept inevitable defeat. The reasonable warrior knew that most paths did not end in victory.
But I knew not to relax my guard. In my youth I had made such a mistake and it nearly cost me far more than a prize purse. His muscles tensed in preparation for a sly maneuver. I struck first.
Then it was time for the final match to determine who would be the so-called greatest fighter in all of Endiness.
It seemed almost providential that Dart and I should meet in this bout, so I dedicated the match to what fate has in store for us. At that time I had barely an inkling of what that might be.
Dart slashed at my guard; his movements were an explosion of power and speed. Most warriors rely more on one than the other, but he had a rare combination of both. Dart attacked with the discipline of a trained student and the desperation of a street fighter. He was very good and I enjoyed playing with him.
When he repeatedly failed to land a blow on me, frustration began to show and his sword-work suffered for it. If my life had followed a different path I might have loved to instruct a student that had been blessed with such raw potential. Dart pressed on despite his failure. I wondered if I would have been a teacher worthy of a student of this caliber.
When his thrusts finally slowed and his legs began to tremble, I threw a series of swift slashes at him to end the match and the tournament.
After I collected the winner's purse I sought to speak with Dart. An usher thumbed through her ledger, found his name, and told me that he was in the infirmary tent being treated for the minor wounds his cheating opponents had inflicted in the early rounds.
Dart did not notice when I brushed past the flap of the tent. He sat on a cot with his eyes tightly closed as a nurse tended him. A long piece of barbed metal was slowly drawn from the flesh of his biceps. After the wound was wrapped the other person reached out to squeeze his shoulder and murmured words of comfort. The man I had taken for a nurse had a familiar voice. Sir Lavitz noticed me before Dart did.
"Your swordplay was like nothing I have ever seen," said the knight. His manner lacked the brusqueness that I was accustomed to receiving from him.
"Thank you."
I turned my attention to Dart and encouraged him saying, "You haven't reached your limits. You will become even stronger." You will have to be, I thought. If he truly managed to confront the legendary black monster, he would need inhuman abilities to emerge victorious against a foe that was rumored to be immortal.
Lavitz tried to engage me in conversation again. He expressed his disappointment at his ineligibility to take part in the Hero Competition due to his knighthood. I told him that it was just as well since he would not survive an encounter with me.
When I exited the infirmary a large portion of the crowds had already dispersed. The city of Lohan offered many amusements to occupy travellers. Those who remained were eager to meet the contestants and I had trouble extracting myself from them. The Seles villagers did not join the excitement. They huddled together like a herd of lost sheep. I gave them the prize money before I left.
The sun was near setting when I stopped at an inn for supper. The fights had sated my anger and soothed my frustration. I rested, temporarily pleased with the world, when a clamor reached my ears. Pockets of townspeople tripped over one another in their eagerness to spread the word. A knight of Basil had used his last breath to bring the news, or a Sandoran soldier had just arrived to herald the new order. How the message arrived was something I never found out, but it was irrelevant. What mattered was this: Bale had fallen to the Empire. King Albert had been captured and taken to Hellena Prison.
As always, I can't wait to read what you think about this chapter.