Imperial City of Archades, 698 (o. V.)

Nava, Aries 5th, 698

Dear Vicky,

Happy New Year to you as well.

I am relieved to hear the Akademy let you pass the first year, and you decided to speak with the Dean to organize the nine remaining years in an optimal way.

My job as a Judge did not change since we met. Every day, I have to attend audiences in the Offaly Supreme Court, prepare the next ones, go back to the Military Akademy, and supervise trainings. All sorts of weapons need to be mastered by my troops, although Judge Drace's soldiers are encouraged to focus on one-handed swords, daggers and bows, in addition to magic support. The Order of Judges was designed as a military court; therefore, thankfully not every day, I must deal with army elements that are reluctant to apply our law, put them under arrest and ensure the procedure goes as planned. It is no easy task to arrest people – you know of my past. But I have learnt along the way.

Vicky… I had told you that you would do well in joining the Order – scratch that. You would be much happier using your strength elsewhere, and seem to have a lust for adventure. Treading your own path will be worth it, be it only because you will stay away from that family of yours. If you become a responsible woman and keep your current values, I have no doubt you will do well without them. Please take care of yourself, and tell me how your back feels.

I was about to sign when I remembered the salutation she chose.

"With love"? What kind of love did she mean? It would have been completely irrational to deduce a strong love could be targeted to me from someone who wasn't even an adult, after a single encounter, but then at 27 I had no idea what love was. Moreover, she had seemed so affectionate, so happy, so… willing to build a strong bond with me, that I didn't feel like rejecting her way of loving, whatever it was. So I simply signed:

With love,

Gabranth

I was peacefully on my way to the mailing service of my division, which processed mail for the Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, and… Ninth, and that was located in the latter's buildings.

As soon as the soldier on duty saw me entering the office, he raised one arm, exactly the way he would to arrest me, and quietly said:

'You will follow me.'

'What's the matter? I only have a letter to send.'

'Hand it over.'

He took it from my hands and read the recipient's address.

'Yes, that's what His Honor told me. He is waiting for you.'

Since when were Magisters directly dealing with basic office soldiers?

I had no choice but to obey. I nodded, and we made our way to another Ninth Division office, further away. He opened a door on the first floor and bowed as low as the brick-made ground.

'I brought him to you, my Lord!'

'Well done, Korq. You may leave us alone.'

'Shall I send this letter, my Lord?'

'Await my orders in the office. I shall come in a few minutes.'

'My Lord!'

The soldier's voice was saying "My Lord!" but his body language was rather saying: "Anything for you, my Lord! My heart and soul belong to you! Please order me anything, and your will shall be done, from now to eternity."

So much for buying their loyalty with money – and something else I could not define.

Judge Zargabaath, from a wink, made me understand that I had to close the door, sit in front of him, and be much less loud than his soldier.

'Judge Gabranth', he began.

I tried my best to hide my nervousness. Because I was nervous. That sort of immediate arraignment was no good omen. He took his time to join his hands, stretch his neck on all sides, and sigh several times. Just say it already, Your Honor.

'Judge Gabranth – you have chosen an unusual girl as conversation partner.'

'So you read the service letters…?' I hit the table with my palm.

'Please calm down. I usually do not – be it only for the time waste, and the trust I usually grant my soldiers. But I have given instructions to Vitu. There are three addresses in Archades for which he has to compulsorily raise an alert to me.'

So Vitu was behind this…? Vitu didn't have a minute to share a snack with me anymore, yet he gave my letter for his leader to read, without any shame? What sort of society was this?

'Do not blame Vitu', Zargabaath said, reading my mind. 'He only applied the orders. Safety measures take precedence over anything else. We do not want anything to happen to House Solidor.'

These Solidors could rot in hell. How on Ivalice was their so-called safety related to an unborn story of mutual support through innocent letters?

'I do not discuss of House Solidor with Vicky. I perfectly know what I am allowed to divulge and what is classified defense. Judge Drace can tell you of my knowledge of this regulation.'

'Judge Drace should, actually, be made aware of your lovely friend', he said, and I did not like his look at all. 'Just avoid mentioning how you two get along – she might react badly to this –, and, of course, what I am about to tell you about that girl.'

About… Vicky? How could he have made her acquaintance? What was all this about?

I gulped. My lower lip had begun to shiver.

And finally, Zargabaath took a deep breath and said:

'The three addresses I put under surveillance are the three known to us among the Mighty Four. The one you received a letter on New Year's Day from is one of them.'

There we went.

Everything in the small room was turning around me.

The dark old sword, the knight's garment, the mysterious and coercing family… It suddenly made sense. Sense I should have spotted before even talking to her, but that my mind had chosen to dismiss to focus on bringing back the smile.

'Your Vicky is no ordinary citizen', he coldly pursued. 'Her full name is Victoria Terramolina.'

All the items – cupboard, table, walls – that were turning around me abruptly stopped. It felt like they exploded, and a loud noise was filling my brain. My head hurt. The Judge Magister granted me the necessary time to regain my sanity.

Of course. It was alright. Vicky was related to one of those clans, but she was no core member – otherwise, she would not be allowed to go to the Akademy on her own, and would be set to homeschooling like Lord Larsa.

'I was ignoring it', I said.

'I do not put your word in doubt.'

'In this case, I will take all necessary precaution and avoid getting anywhere near her house's leader and heir, who are the ones who hold the Terramolinas' immense power.'

'That is where our problems begin, Gabranth', Zargabaath gently said. 'Victoria is the heir. And everybody among the Mighties was astounded that she managed to be allowed to study like a regular noblewoman. Your dear Victoria is currently the most precious teenager of the continent, and they will not hold back on anything to protect her.'

Responsibility. Increased musculature. Unusual pressure. A slight dizziness took me again.

'Please tell me, my Lord', I asked. 'Does House Terramolina's particularities involve fast aging?'

He closed his eyes and smiled at my intuition.

'Correct. I believe the body you saw did not match a fifteen-year-old. That is entirely due to their genetics; consider her to be close to your age.'

'She is still a minor to the law', I said, before immediately regretting mentioning this.

The Judge's grey eyes opened wide, and his smile became bigger.

'The law is not made for those set on ignoring it.'

Very well. But I was an upholder of the law. And I was dealing with… Suddenly, my thoughts settled on something I needed to ask:

'Does it mean they die sooner than the average Hume?'

"Please tell me they don't", I thought. "Please don't say 'correct' this time."

'Correct', Zargabaath said.

My gaze lowered.

'When… When will she die?'

'The Terramolina leaders generally die around age 50. Women – like any female Hume – last a tad longer. Belisaria – the current leader and Victoria's mother – is expected to enter agony phase at any moment.'

'If Vicky is set on the Akademy's final contest, it means she will be done with studying after having spent half of her lifespan.'

Maybe her brother wasn't that mean in pulling her away from studies, after all. What would I have done, had my existence duration been the same? I would probably have taken drastic decisions much sooner.

'What do you want of me?' I asked warily. 'Why did you bring me here? Are you expecting me to cut contact with her?'

My voice was dull, desperate, threatening – although I was far from being the one in that room that could threaten.

'I needed you to have all knowledge of your situation. There's a last piece of information you should be aware of before taking this decision. It has to deal with Landis.'

My back straightened up at lightning speed. Yes, Landis. She knew about Landis, despite being a toddler at the time.

'Her Late Imperial Highness, Empress Sentia, was responsible for the Landis invasion plan. Judge Magister Petra – who is still among us and whom you will probably join on a mission soon – was in charge of its execution. She had sent her troops on Landisite soldiers – and also had directives for civilians. Sentia's plan was war, but a quick one, relying on Landis's weak military leadership and army units.'

I immediately thought of my father. Had you not been weak, Ronsenburg soldier, you would have done your part in that tragic situation.

'However', Zargabaath continued, 'some people had other plans for Landis. Some people who plainly hate Landisites, and men in particular.'

'Why us?' I asked, ignoring any precaution since he knew.

'Because you had the reputation to be both good-looking and intelligent, and a certain community around Waldgott attracted their wrath in particular. Scholars, law students in particular, who indulged themselves in verbal jousts, and had excellent relationships with Archadia – Archadian women in particular.'

'How is that relevant to warfare?'

'The war itself had little to do with them – on the contrary, the Empire needed local allies to justify the invasion. However, as soon as it started, the group of warriors called Urban Units got unleashed in Waldgott, with the order to properly slaughter civilians of all genders and ages.'

Cirla. Margit. Naria.

'Who are these Urban Units?' I asked, still calm.

'They are the Mighty Four's tool. An overly trained parallel army in Archadia, if you will, who would only serve one of the Mighty houses. Many of them come from our official army, but the other path around is not allowed. They swear fealty to their masters and gladly pay the price of blood, shame and complete immorality. They can switch from Mighty to Mighty, but each Mighty house is so codified that this rarely happens. It…'

'Who gave that order?' I interrupted. My eyes were probably throwing lightning.

Zargabaath, as usual, took his time to reply, and was not impressed by my anger in the slightest.

'The Urban Units responsible for the Waldgott massacre are the ones belonging to Maximiliano Terramolina. His first sister made the huge mistake of attracting a Landisite male's attention while at the Law Akademy's monthly workshops, and I believe Maximiliano decided on the operation to suppress all chances of this situation lasting or happening again. The man is known for his thirst for carnage, and personally attends his favorite victims' torture sessions. His dear ways of affliction also involve harassing his two siblings: Dolores, who cut her ties to everything for peace, and your cherished Victoria.'

I stood up.

'Where are you going?' he friendly asked.

'I know where he lives. I shall put him to his death.'