That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons, even death may die.
- H.P. Lovecraft
Stay safe out there.
Friday, 6 December 2019
Saturday, 2 June 2018
Episode III - III Thrown from the Nest (Shard III)
On Authroc's Wing
III
Thrown from the Nest
(Shard III)
(Shard III)
“Unbecoming.” Celeste gave a snort of derision and looked to her gathered hounds for reenforcement. “This is our teacher? This is the impertinent fool that dares to teach us what we already know?” She lowered her snapping hand down and brought it up in a flourish towards Leiros. She rolled her putrid eyes once more and shook her head in tiny and controlled motions.
“Tell me — Lady Celeste — if you already know everything I have to teach you, then what is one of the primary conditions you agreed to when you took the Oath of Vhaltenesh?” Leiros leaned in close enough to the young woman’s face that she would be able to smell his breath. His demeanor was fading, revealing the fullness of his contempt. “You did take the Oath didn’t you?”
“That was some years ago.” Celeste pressed her immaculately plucked eyebrows together as she tried to understand where Leiros was trying to aim her. It was obvious that many gears were working behind her eyes, trying to defend herself and prepare her next attack.
“It’s a life-time Oath, my dear. I would certainly hope you remember what you agreed to.” Leiros smiled broadly and waited in a few moments of silence for Celeste to reply. She seemed dumbfounded by what he might be insinuating, so he continued. “Vhaltenesh, our primarch, realized that we as oracles could be corrupted by bias both within and without. Ties of honor, ties of blood, claims to wealth and claims to fealty all strip an oracle of their righteousness. Ties to your former life are like chains, holding you down and keeping you away from the truth that Nesharr gifts us with.”
“So, what?” Celeste shrugged openly and narrowed her eyes at Leiros. “I and everyone here made that same Oath. You have to in order to join the Authrakallin Order. They’re just old words and symbolic promises given to someone long dead.”
“You made a blood-bound Oath to renounce all claims to titles, to land, to family, and to any other trappings of your origin.” Leiros clenched his fists and took a belabored breath. He tried to calm his nerves, wishing it was only stupidity that this young woman held within her and not outright maliciousness. “This is the only way you may enter the Order. You joined this Order to follow in the footsteps of Vhaltenesh and learn from his teachings. This is the only way to become an oracle.”
“Those are old ideas, we don’t follow those things anymore. The Oath is just a formality. I was selected to join this Order by Master Illena, herself. She selected me precisely because of my title and the rather amenable trust my parents gave to this little group you’re so fond of.” Celeste fluttered her eyes with every statement she spoke and waved her hands at her sides in mockery of the very teachings she benefited from. She languished in her derision for a moment and then refocused her attention squarely on Leiros’ eyes. “What you care about is long gone, Leiros. The Order is changing around you and I’m glad to be a vehicle for that change. When I’m Grandmaster, I’m going to enjoy getting rid of that silly oath and all the rest of that old bastard’s writing. He died a thousand years ago, it’s time to let his ideas die, too.”
Leiros closed his eyes and lifted his head skyward while still straining his fists tightly. The corruption he had seen in Master Gwain, earlier this day, truly had seeped throughout the Order. Not only was Master Illena an agent of that growing malfeasance, she had deeply installed it in all of the initiates as well. She didn’t have the right to go over the Grandmaster’s head with selections for initiation. She didn’t have the right to take bribes from wealthy foreign nobles to use for her own ends. It was beginning to feel like Leiros had woken up into a separate world this morning, a world filled with evil creatures that wore human skin, not the world he had fought so hard to preserve while growing up.
“Can we get on with the lesson, or must we bicker some more?” A male voice cut through the silence between Leiros and Celeste. Leiros opened his eyes and saw a young man push by two of the hounds to stand in solidarity next to the pompous young woman. “I’ve already sent my servant to retrieve another Master should this one not be sufficient to do his duties for us.” The young man glared hotly at Leiros out of the corner of his eyes and then focused them calmly upon Celeste’s.
The young woman nodded to the young man and both turned to look derisively from equally rotten eyes at Leiros. The young man had a shade darker skin than the woman’s pale features. His brown hair was chopped, feathered, and bent stylishly around his head as if it were some kind of haphazard helmet. A gold chain necklace hung around his neck, and several of his fingers were bedecked with jeweled bands. It seemed like none of these new initiates understood the noble poverty and humility that Vhaltenesh’s teachings encouraged.
“Let me guess, along with a Lady, we also have a Lord in our midst.” Leiros lifted one of his strained arms up and pointed with his index and middle finger toward this new student. “Who might you be, and what sort of great house did you come from?”
“My name is Brault kolst Cyrallbhirt. I’m not a Lord of anything.” The young man stared deadpan at Leiros and crossed his arms over his chest. He also had immaculately cared for robes, as he should since he had a servant to tend to him. A servant who was not permitted according to the traditional laws of the Authrakallin. “I am the first son of Neimol kolst Cyrallbhirt, a prominent member of the Grand Circle and Filidath Primarch.”
Another child born with a silver spoon in their mouth, who again claimed importance from the family they were to have abandoned upon their oath-taking. Leiros took a sharp breath in, wanting to interrogate Brault as what Master Illena promised him and his family in order to have him here. He stopped in mid-breath and realized that it no longer mattered. The ancient traditions of the Order had been outright dismissed in these last years. Even without knowing just how far the corruption had become, he felt affirmed in his earlier desires to avoid having to do any teaching duties. Leiros longed for the years he spent among books written by long-dead persons, rather than the simpering and still-living parasites gathering around him.
“So, Brault, do you have ambitions to be the next Grandmaster of this Order, as well?” Leiros remained focused on the young man and gestured with his pointing hand back to Celeste. He kept his arm low, around waist-height, and didn’t move the rest of his body. He was displaying her as a subject and not a person with his body language. He lifted his upper lip into a slight snarl between his words. “You’ll have to fend off some competition.”
“No, I don’t plan on remaining here after my schooling is finished. I was promised a position of importance back in Morrthault City by several of the Grand Circle. Master Illena wants to set up a satellite Order there. It’s our hope to bring propriety and social order to the capital. Perhaps once those in power have been brought into a virtuous path of social welfare, the rest of Hoelatha culture will be brought to heel.” Brault relaxed while speaking and looked almost wistful as he recounted his motives plainly.
“You are aware that we already have a sub-sect of oracles in the capital.” Leiros leaned in slightly to the young man. He looked from the side of his vision, pressing his cheek forward as if he was revealing some secret conspiracy as he spoke. “The Order of Lanterns is quite prominent there, and although we don’t see eye-to-eye anymore, they never-the-less still follow the teachings of Vhaltenesh.”
“The Order of Lanterns have become unnecessary in the eyes of the Grand Circle. They served their purpose in the past, hunting down monsters that preyed upon us during the dark times.” Brault rolled his brown eyes and looked off to the horizon for a moment. “The darkness of the past is now over. We are moving into an age of illumination, shepherded by the wisdom of our Grand Circle. We have no use for exorcists and monster-hunters. Besides, for centuries now, such things have only existed in children’s stories.”
“I suppose it would be hard for you to see such things, being surrounded by almost a million souls, and hiding behind such great walls.” Leiros all but snorted his disdain upon Brault as he leaned back and began to tap on his cheek with his pointing hand. He sized up the young man from foot to face and took in a sharp breath of chilling afternoon air. “If the Grand Circle has decided that the Order of Lanterns isn’t necessary any more than what precisely would a bunch of oracles be worth? If you’re looking perform auguries for the rich and powerful back home, I’m afraid that Master Gwain and his ilk have that market cornered.”
“No, nothing as base as that.” Brault kept his eyes focused on the horizon as if he were looking across the entire world-plane to take in the decadent majesty of his old home. “As I said, we are entering a new age of illumination. The Grand Circle has realized that the common folk don’t have the fortitude and strength of spirit to keep away from their destructive desires. Tribes are warring with each other and society is crumbling. Enlightened leaders must show the ways of virtue and social reform to the masses. We will be creating a new order to help this grand vision.” Brault turned his eyes once more to Leiros while puffing his chest up with air. “With our powers of telepathy, we will be able to find the truly weak of heart and purge them from our society. We will be able to advise the Grand Circle to the betterment of all. We will be the arbiters of purity.”
“Somehow I have a feeling that you won’t be purging the weak of heart, but rather the poor, the desperate, and those that don’t agree with your new order.” Leiros took a backward step away from the overzealous young man. The visions Brault exalted in were like a glimpse into a nightmare vision of the world that made Leiros’ skin crawl. Another law of Vhaltenesh was being broken if this malignant future was to come to pass.
Leiros turned his head to take in Celeste and her hounds standing to his left. Celeste busied herself with whatever was beneath the nails of her right hand as several of her hounds whispered amongst themselves. A young woman wanting to be the next Grandmaster of the Authrakallin Order while also being the heir of a distant land. The absurdity of her ego was appalling.
With another turn of his head, he looked over to Brault on his right. A young man filled with a notion of a utopia that stripped the free will from all others in the lands of the Hoelatha. An idealistic fool who had never actually suffered or seen hardship in his life, wanting to purge away the lives of those he had never met. Willing to throw those lives upon the sacrificial pyre of a short-changed future where only the rich and powerful would have the freedom of thought or ability to follow their soul’s purpose in a dying world.
“Well, you’ve both made your objections to me as your teacher and the time I have forced you to spend before your Authvokan.” Leiros crossed his arms and turned to his side. “Still, you’ve had some time with me to state who you are and what your ambitions are for the future. If you won’t object further, I would like to offer the rest of the initiates here the same courtesy.”
Celeste’s eyes opened wide as she began to suck in air to protest. Several of her hounds began to bay and circle her, picking up on their master’s emotion. Brault reached out a hand to tap lightly on Celeste’s wrist. Without speaking he looked into her eyes and then shook his head. He turned back to Leiros and opened his mouth for a moment.
“I don’t see the problem in getting acquainted with the other students.” Brault was obviously feeling generous as he gave permission to a man seven years his senior. “Understand, that I have sent my servant to retrieve another Master to replace you. You getting to know the other students may be a waste of your and their time, but we are all stuck here until that Master arrives.” Brault lifted an arm limply to wave his wrist to dismiss Leiros.
Leiros couldn’t contain another snarl as he openly turned his back on the five students. He gave a quick glance over to brother Telomai who seemed preoccupied with scuffing his leather boot against the chalky ground beneath him. With a few steps, which felt like traversing the entire world-plane’s breadth to get away from the corruption he felt in those initiates presence, Leiros walked over to the others to begin his introductions.
Qathalla beat its wings against an updraft and pushed into a stream of air nearing a group of other authrocs milling and sweeping around in the clouds. Leiros let himself lean back to look over the great bird’s neck. A scant mist was developing high in the atmosphere which would soon turn to rain. Huge thunderheads built up above the gathered authrocs, sweeping across and drowning out most of the twin sun’s light.
Leiros looked to brother Hestras on his immense and aging mount. The old brother rode the back of his authroc like he would a horse, and his hands held leather reins slackly like his flying bird was nothing more than prancing pony. He looked up at Leiros and despite the distance and speed as he flew by, Leiros could almost swear that he saw the old man smile. To someone as dour as Hestras, a smile would be the lifting of his lips a hair’s width, but it was enough to signal to Leiros that everything was alright.
Hestras had taken half of the students to the eastern side of the mesas and watched over them carefully. Most of the initiates he watched over were female; mostly Celeste, her hounds, and one other. The only male student he watched over was the quietest of the group who wouldn’t be a bother at all. The older brother watched them closely, like a broden-mother surveying her children.
Leiros lifted his arm to give a wave to Hestras, he waved back and then let his arm fall to waiver at his flank. He was signaling to Leiros that all was okay, and he didn’t need him to watch over the group. Hestras looked once more from his periphery and then focused completely on the students flying around in front of him.
Leiros was surprised that Celeste was actually following the rules for the Authvokan. She was challenging the quiet male student, Hueshanth, a towering young man. Both seemed to be equally matched in their skill, relying on the power their authrocs provided them, without forcing their will to harshly on their mount. Hueshanth was too fond of defensive tactics and seemed to enjoy kiting Celeste. Celeste was very offensive and often had a hard time pulling out from dives with her great bird. Still, they were learning and only just in the beginnings of their test.
The three hounds weren’t as skilled, and one that was paired up with a young woman who wasn’t part of Celeste’s retinue was easily trouncing her partner. Seeing the hounds flailing brought a dark smile to Leiros’ face as he flew by. He noticed one of the young women pulling the reins too hard on her authroc, but as soon as he was going to call it out, brother Hestras swept by and dealt with it. No words were spoken, as Hestras used his telepathy rather forcefully.
Leiros wasn’t needed over here, so he leaned back into Qathalla’s back and gave a pat on the great bird’s neck. With a sweep of its immense wings, they dropped into a dive and bent westward to the other group. So far, the initiates had promise, even if some of them had less than savory origins. Just a few more hours of these challenges and Leiros could get back to his studies, hopefully before the storm hit.
“Tell me — Lady Celeste — if you already know everything I have to teach you, then what is one of the primary conditions you agreed to when you took the Oath of Vhaltenesh?” Leiros leaned in close enough to the young woman’s face that she would be able to smell his breath. His demeanor was fading, revealing the fullness of his contempt. “You did take the Oath didn’t you?”
“That was some years ago.” Celeste pressed her immaculately plucked eyebrows together as she tried to understand where Leiros was trying to aim her. It was obvious that many gears were working behind her eyes, trying to defend herself and prepare her next attack.
“It’s a life-time Oath, my dear. I would certainly hope you remember what you agreed to.” Leiros smiled broadly and waited in a few moments of silence for Celeste to reply. She seemed dumbfounded by what he might be insinuating, so he continued. “Vhaltenesh, our primarch, realized that we as oracles could be corrupted by bias both within and without. Ties of honor, ties of blood, claims to wealth and claims to fealty all strip an oracle of their righteousness. Ties to your former life are like chains, holding you down and keeping you away from the truth that Nesharr gifts us with.”
“So, what?” Celeste shrugged openly and narrowed her eyes at Leiros. “I and everyone here made that same Oath. You have to in order to join the Authrakallin Order. They’re just old words and symbolic promises given to someone long dead.”
“You made a blood-bound Oath to renounce all claims to titles, to land, to family, and to any other trappings of your origin.” Leiros clenched his fists and took a belabored breath. He tried to calm his nerves, wishing it was only stupidity that this young woman held within her and not outright maliciousness. “This is the only way you may enter the Order. You joined this Order to follow in the footsteps of Vhaltenesh and learn from his teachings. This is the only way to become an oracle.”
“Those are old ideas, we don’t follow those things anymore. The Oath is just a formality. I was selected to join this Order by Master Illena, herself. She selected me precisely because of my title and the rather amenable trust my parents gave to this little group you’re so fond of.” Celeste fluttered her eyes with every statement she spoke and waved her hands at her sides in mockery of the very teachings she benefited from. She languished in her derision for a moment and then refocused her attention squarely on Leiros’ eyes. “What you care about is long gone, Leiros. The Order is changing around you and I’m glad to be a vehicle for that change. When I’m Grandmaster, I’m going to enjoy getting rid of that silly oath and all the rest of that old bastard’s writing. He died a thousand years ago, it’s time to let his ideas die, too.”
Leiros closed his eyes and lifted his head skyward while still straining his fists tightly. The corruption he had seen in Master Gwain, earlier this day, truly had seeped throughout the Order. Not only was Master Illena an agent of that growing malfeasance, she had deeply installed it in all of the initiates as well. She didn’t have the right to go over the Grandmaster’s head with selections for initiation. She didn’t have the right to take bribes from wealthy foreign nobles to use for her own ends. It was beginning to feel like Leiros had woken up into a separate world this morning, a world filled with evil creatures that wore human skin, not the world he had fought so hard to preserve while growing up.
“Can we get on with the lesson, or must we bicker some more?” A male voice cut through the silence between Leiros and Celeste. Leiros opened his eyes and saw a young man push by two of the hounds to stand in solidarity next to the pompous young woman. “I’ve already sent my servant to retrieve another Master should this one not be sufficient to do his duties for us.” The young man glared hotly at Leiros out of the corner of his eyes and then focused them calmly upon Celeste’s.
The young woman nodded to the young man and both turned to look derisively from equally rotten eyes at Leiros. The young man had a shade darker skin than the woman’s pale features. His brown hair was chopped, feathered, and bent stylishly around his head as if it were some kind of haphazard helmet. A gold chain necklace hung around his neck, and several of his fingers were bedecked with jeweled bands. It seemed like none of these new initiates understood the noble poverty and humility that Vhaltenesh’s teachings encouraged.
“Let me guess, along with a Lady, we also have a Lord in our midst.” Leiros lifted one of his strained arms up and pointed with his index and middle finger toward this new student. “Who might you be, and what sort of great house did you come from?”
“My name is Brault kolst Cyrallbhirt. I’m not a Lord of anything.” The young man stared deadpan at Leiros and crossed his arms over his chest. He also had immaculately cared for robes, as he should since he had a servant to tend to him. A servant who was not permitted according to the traditional laws of the Authrakallin. “I am the first son of Neimol kolst Cyrallbhirt, a prominent member of the Grand Circle and Filidath Primarch.”
Another child born with a silver spoon in their mouth, who again claimed importance from the family they were to have abandoned upon their oath-taking. Leiros took a sharp breath in, wanting to interrogate Brault as what Master Illena promised him and his family in order to have him here. He stopped in mid-breath and realized that it no longer mattered. The ancient traditions of the Order had been outright dismissed in these last years. Even without knowing just how far the corruption had become, he felt affirmed in his earlier desires to avoid having to do any teaching duties. Leiros longed for the years he spent among books written by long-dead persons, rather than the simpering and still-living parasites gathering around him.
“So, Brault, do you have ambitions to be the next Grandmaster of this Order, as well?” Leiros remained focused on the young man and gestured with his pointing hand back to Celeste. He kept his arm low, around waist-height, and didn’t move the rest of his body. He was displaying her as a subject and not a person with his body language. He lifted his upper lip into a slight snarl between his words. “You’ll have to fend off some competition.”
“No, I don’t plan on remaining here after my schooling is finished. I was promised a position of importance back in Morrthault City by several of the Grand Circle. Master Illena wants to set up a satellite Order there. It’s our hope to bring propriety and social order to the capital. Perhaps once those in power have been brought into a virtuous path of social welfare, the rest of Hoelatha culture will be brought to heel.” Brault relaxed while speaking and looked almost wistful as he recounted his motives plainly.
“You are aware that we already have a sub-sect of oracles in the capital.” Leiros leaned in slightly to the young man. He looked from the side of his vision, pressing his cheek forward as if he was revealing some secret conspiracy as he spoke. “The Order of Lanterns is quite prominent there, and although we don’t see eye-to-eye anymore, they never-the-less still follow the teachings of Vhaltenesh.”
“The Order of Lanterns have become unnecessary in the eyes of the Grand Circle. They served their purpose in the past, hunting down monsters that preyed upon us during the dark times.” Brault rolled his brown eyes and looked off to the horizon for a moment. “The darkness of the past is now over. We are moving into an age of illumination, shepherded by the wisdom of our Grand Circle. We have no use for exorcists and monster-hunters. Besides, for centuries now, such things have only existed in children’s stories.”
“I suppose it would be hard for you to see such things, being surrounded by almost a million souls, and hiding behind such great walls.” Leiros all but snorted his disdain upon Brault as he leaned back and began to tap on his cheek with his pointing hand. He sized up the young man from foot to face and took in a sharp breath of chilling afternoon air. “If the Grand Circle has decided that the Order of Lanterns isn’t necessary any more than what precisely would a bunch of oracles be worth? If you’re looking perform auguries for the rich and powerful back home, I’m afraid that Master Gwain and his ilk have that market cornered.”
“No, nothing as base as that.” Brault kept his eyes focused on the horizon as if he were looking across the entire world-plane to take in the decadent majesty of his old home. “As I said, we are entering a new age of illumination. The Grand Circle has realized that the common folk don’t have the fortitude and strength of spirit to keep away from their destructive desires. Tribes are warring with each other and society is crumbling. Enlightened leaders must show the ways of virtue and social reform to the masses. We will be creating a new order to help this grand vision.” Brault turned his eyes once more to Leiros while puffing his chest up with air. “With our powers of telepathy, we will be able to find the truly weak of heart and purge them from our society. We will be able to advise the Grand Circle to the betterment of all. We will be the arbiters of purity.”
“Somehow I have a feeling that you won’t be purging the weak of heart, but rather the poor, the desperate, and those that don’t agree with your new order.” Leiros took a backward step away from the overzealous young man. The visions Brault exalted in were like a glimpse into a nightmare vision of the world that made Leiros’ skin crawl. Another law of Vhaltenesh was being broken if this malignant future was to come to pass.
Leiros turned his head to take in Celeste and her hounds standing to his left. Celeste busied herself with whatever was beneath the nails of her right hand as several of her hounds whispered amongst themselves. A young woman wanting to be the next Grandmaster of the Authrakallin Order while also being the heir of a distant land. The absurdity of her ego was appalling.
With another turn of his head, he looked over to Brault on his right. A young man filled with a notion of a utopia that stripped the free will from all others in the lands of the Hoelatha. An idealistic fool who had never actually suffered or seen hardship in his life, wanting to purge away the lives of those he had never met. Willing to throw those lives upon the sacrificial pyre of a short-changed future where only the rich and powerful would have the freedom of thought or ability to follow their soul’s purpose in a dying world.
“Well, you’ve both made your objections to me as your teacher and the time I have forced you to spend before your Authvokan.” Leiros crossed his arms and turned to his side. “Still, you’ve had some time with me to state who you are and what your ambitions are for the future. If you won’t object further, I would like to offer the rest of the initiates here the same courtesy.”
Celeste’s eyes opened wide as she began to suck in air to protest. Several of her hounds began to bay and circle her, picking up on their master’s emotion. Brault reached out a hand to tap lightly on Celeste’s wrist. Without speaking he looked into her eyes and then shook his head. He turned back to Leiros and opened his mouth for a moment.
“I don’t see the problem in getting acquainted with the other students.” Brault was obviously feeling generous as he gave permission to a man seven years his senior. “Understand, that I have sent my servant to retrieve another Master to replace you. You getting to know the other students may be a waste of your and their time, but we are all stuck here until that Master arrives.” Brault lifted an arm limply to wave his wrist to dismiss Leiros.
Leiros couldn’t contain another snarl as he openly turned his back on the five students. He gave a quick glance over to brother Telomai who seemed preoccupied with scuffing his leather boot against the chalky ground beneath him. With a few steps, which felt like traversing the entire world-plane’s breadth to get away from the corruption he felt in those initiates presence, Leiros walked over to the others to begin his introductions.
* * *
Qathalla beat its wings against an updraft and pushed into a stream of air nearing a group of other authrocs milling and sweeping around in the clouds. Leiros let himself lean back to look over the great bird’s neck. A scant mist was developing high in the atmosphere which would soon turn to rain. Huge thunderheads built up above the gathered authrocs, sweeping across and drowning out most of the twin sun’s light.
Leiros looked to brother Hestras on his immense and aging mount. The old brother rode the back of his authroc like he would a horse, and his hands held leather reins slackly like his flying bird was nothing more than prancing pony. He looked up at Leiros and despite the distance and speed as he flew by, Leiros could almost swear that he saw the old man smile. To someone as dour as Hestras, a smile would be the lifting of his lips a hair’s width, but it was enough to signal to Leiros that everything was alright.
Hestras had taken half of the students to the eastern side of the mesas and watched over them carefully. Most of the initiates he watched over were female; mostly Celeste, her hounds, and one other. The only male student he watched over was the quietest of the group who wouldn’t be a bother at all. The older brother watched them closely, like a broden-mother surveying her children.
Leiros lifted his arm to give a wave to Hestras, he waved back and then let his arm fall to waiver at his flank. He was signaling to Leiros that all was okay, and he didn’t need him to watch over the group. Hestras looked once more from his periphery and then focused completely on the students flying around in front of him.
Leiros was surprised that Celeste was actually following the rules for the Authvokan. She was challenging the quiet male student, Hueshanth, a towering young man. Both seemed to be equally matched in their skill, relying on the power their authrocs provided them, without forcing their will to harshly on their mount. Hueshanth was too fond of defensive tactics and seemed to enjoy kiting Celeste. Celeste was very offensive and often had a hard time pulling out from dives with her great bird. Still, they were learning and only just in the beginnings of their test.
The three hounds weren’t as skilled, and one that was paired up with a young woman who wasn’t part of Celeste’s retinue was easily trouncing her partner. Seeing the hounds flailing brought a dark smile to Leiros’ face as he flew by. He noticed one of the young women pulling the reins too hard on her authroc, but as soon as he was going to call it out, brother Hestras swept by and dealt with it. No words were spoken, as Hestras used his telepathy rather forcefully.
Leiros wasn’t needed over here, so he leaned back into Qathalla’s back and gave a pat on the great bird’s neck. With a sweep of its immense wings, they dropped into a dive and bent westward to the other group. So far, the initiates had promise, even if some of them had less than savory origins. Just a few more hours of these challenges and Leiros could get back to his studies, hopefully before the storm hit.
* * *
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Next Section
III: Thrown from the Nest (Shard IV)
Episode III - III Thrown from the Nest (Shard II)
On Authroc's Wing
III
Thrown from the Nest
(Shard II)
(Shard II)
I wished only to stretch my wings, and I find you slipping from me. Qathalla’s words rushed into Leiros’ mind with flashes of images and intense emotions. You have taken on the role of mother to these chicks. You have thrust them from the nest to earn their wings. Qathalla turned its great wings downward and then pushed back to attain more speed as it rushed mere feet above the crashing waters of the river.
Leiros looked from side to side and noticed that Qathalla was taking them into the heart of the City of Veils, built into the sides of the great canyon. He could see the first few riverfront buildings whipping by, and felt the tug on him as the great bird soared around a hard bend in the canyon. The clusters of buildings and houses grew more elaborate as they whipped by at a frenzied pace. Within a few moments, they would be nearing the great bridges near the core of the city, and the shadow cast by the overhanging great hall of the Elder Circle.
I don’t know what dark thoughts tore you away from me, but I refuse to allow it again. Qathalla’s emotions grew stronger and the authroc gave out an audible screech to let loose its demands. No more day-dreaming, my companion. You must remain awake!
Leiros didn’t need to see or react to what was about to happen, he already felt it through the keen emotional bond between him and the great bird. He moved quickly to throw his left rein far off to the side and coil the right rein around his right arm. He let his feet out of the harness and threw himself hard to the right and over the body of his soul-mount.
His legs dangled in the air a mere foot above the frothing waves of the river while he carried his momentum around to grab the flapping left rein in his hand. He struggled against gravity that pulled tightly on his arms and hands. With a groan, he steadied himself and threw his feet up to swing toward Qathalla’s chest.
As soon as he impacted the bird’s chest, he could feel the impact of Alsira Thaenat’s lowest bridge against Qathalla’s back. The bird thumped against the ancient rock once and then a second time much softer. Qathalla gave out another ear-piercing screech and beamed emotions of mirth to Leiros’ mind. If he had remained upon the saddle, the great bird would have ensured that his head would be caved in by the rushing bridge’s edge, or he would have every bone in his body crushed beneath the bridge during the first impact. Qathalla’s Ruffled or torn-out feathers from the impact began to burn in the air, looking like a rain of ash and flame. Distant sounds of shouts or curses echoed up from the many startled people using the bridge as they heard the screech and saw the great bird rise up from beneath it.
Are you awake now? Qathalla flapped its great wings to ascend a few feet higher and then lobbed over to allow Leiros to swing back into his saddle. Your chicks are waiting to be taught how to fly and to fight. You must guide them properly, so their companions don’t get hurt. You promised me.
“Yes, I know.” Leiros took hold of the saddle and nestled into the harness once more. “I can’t do my job if you kill me.” He spoke aloud, but he knew his words would be carried away on the wind. As he spoke he used his telepathic bond with Qathalla to send the words straight to the bird’s mind.
Qathalla gave a few more hard flaps of its wings and soared higher into the air. The half-orb roofed outcropping of the Elder Circle soon descended past them as they tore up and over the rim of the canyon. The brilliance of the afternoon suns caused him to blink a few times as he got used to the searing light.
When he had finished introducing himself to the students and giving them their last instructions, he had promised Qathalla that none of the other authrocs would be harmed during the final tests. Some teachers were fond of severe tests during the Authvokan challenges, but Leiros would not be like that this day. Qathalla seemed overly worried and furrowed its feathers several times when Leiros tried to mount him and give the last instructions to the students. Something had spooked it, just as the introductions had spooked Leiros in his own way.
“I must be alert, you’re right to scold me. Don’t worry, you’ve now woken me up, my friend.” Leiros leaned into Qathalla’s back as they made their way back to the air around the great mesas. “You wanted to stretch your wings, and I wanted to stretch my mind, that’s all. It won’t happen again.” Leiros nodded and let one of his gloved hands run along the immense black and ember feathers of the great bird. “I will watch after my students, and you must watch after the other authrocs.”
Qathalla gave another screech in affirmation and swooped upward to meet the other authrocs soaring through the skies.
“Well, Master Leiros, these are… Uhh…” Brother Telomai choked on his words as he stepped forward from Leiros’ side. “These are the students ready for their final tests with their Authrocs.” He turned to smile sheepishly and let his arm glide through the air as if placing all of the waiting faces on display. A small breeze lifted an errant shock of his brown hair to blow about his face. Once he dropped his arm, his green eyes darted to the ground while his mouth pursed as he chastised himself softly for tripping over his words.
“You’ve got twelve of ‘em to contend with.” Brother Hestras now stepped forward from Leiros’ other side and looked down to him with a stern look. The weather-worn wrinkles of age and sorrow furrowed as if devouring his features. “You think you can handle this lot?” The same breeze couldn’t tease any of the older brother’s hair as his head was cleanly shaven, but it did tug at the bristling and unruly gray hair of his brow.
“Assuredly.” Leiros gave a broad grin to Hestras and turned away from him sharply. He folded his hands behind him and stepped toward the gathered group. “I am Master Leiros. I’ll be taking over for Master Olkva in your teaching. Sadly, it seems I didn’t get to know any of you before this day, so I can’t speak to any of your strengths or weaknesses. We’ll be thrust into this test together, but I promise you that I am a quick learner—”
“You’ve wasted enough of our time.” Leiros was interrupted by a curt female voice from among the students gathered before him. Several of the students looked from Leiros to their number with arrayed states of shock on their faces. Slowly, a young woman pushed her way to the front. “I honestly don’t care who you are. Just do your job and let us get on with it.”
Leiros’ eyebrows shot up and one of his hands unfurled from his back to scratch at his face for a moment. His interest was piqued by this impertinent young woman. His eyes flowed judgmentally over her form as she stepped forward to challenge him. He let his eyes quickly fall to her feet and then slowly move back up to her face. He let his reactions linger, his face becoming more concerned as he went, showing that he was sizing her up and finding her wanting.
The young woman wore immaculately cared-for robes of stark white that seemed immune to the dust and sand whipped up by the Jolashi winds. She had obviously taken pains to enhance the limited wardrobe of the order with gaudy bracelets and a long necklace that draped over her low-cut top. The jewelry she wore seemed to be gold accented with the signature blue-tinted silver from the distant Star-shatter Peaks; a metal that cost as much in blood and lives as it did in Alsiran Talons. She had also taken the effort to embroider blue runes into the sleeves and neck-line trim of her robes. Leiros doubted that this embroidery was done by the long, clean, and softened hands draping limply beneath her crossed arms.
Her face would otherwise be considered pleasant to look at, but there was an added sourness to her features that bled through even the scowl and narrowed eyes she threatened Leiros with. There was something in her eyes that betrayed a rot within her that was bubbling up from the fetid depths of her soul; if she still had one. Those same eyes, hazel with more green than brown, were locked in a threatening challenge with Leiros’ own. Her lips were thin, and her jaw was as sharp as a razor’s edge. She still had a softness near her cheeks, showing some of the baby fat of her youth; a youth no doubt filled with temper tantrums and her always getting her way. Her dirty-blonde hair was tied tightly around her head in thick braids that went right down — almost painfully — to her scalp. Blue ribbons held the tails of her hair in place as they draped over her shoulders and the silken hood of her robes.
“Good, this saves me from having to continue my introduction.” Leiros maintained his composure in the face of this interloper and continued to stare into the young woman’s eyes; not willing to back down from her challenge. He stepped forward and into her personal space. “Could you please tell me specifically whose time I’ve wasted?” Leiros lifted the hand that he had scratched his face with to point at the young woman, then flipped his hand over with his palm up. He did this more to press into her personal space and get a reaction than for any other reason. “Let’s begin with you.”
Those same glassy and rotten orbs began to roll in their sockets as she gave a protracted sigh. She turned her body to the side slightly, giving just enough ground to Leiros to let him know she had a hint of insecurity in the negative attention she was getting from him. She looked over her shoulder as one of her long-fingered hands fell to her side. She snapped her fingers and waited for three shorter young women to crowd in behind her, each younger and less refined than she. Once they arrived, beckoned forth like the hounds they were, they provided security to their master. It was only then that she began to slowly speak.
“I honestly shouldn’t have to introduce myself, but you might as well know the name of the next Grandmaster of this bumpkin little order of yours.” The young woman paused for effect and lifted her chin into the air. “I am Celeste Bhourstark, heir to the county of Haellstrad in the Sapphire Kingdoms. You have heard of that place, haven’t you?” She lowered her chin just enough to hold Leiros’ eyes with her continuing stare of condescension. She looked back to the young women surrounding her and gave a derisive giggle.
“Oh yes, I am quite acquainted with it. I traveled there with Grandmaster Toulam a few years ago—”
“An irrelevant detail.” Celeste interrupted Leiros once more, but she didn’t bother to keep her eyes on him. She darted her gaze to the side as if taking in the distant rocky horizon from atop the highest mesa in the region. She was showing some loss of confidence now that she knew Leiros had been to her homeland but did her best to make up for it with a sense of disgust. “I merely wish to emphasize that among all of the other students here whose time has been wasted, you’re also wasting a lady’s time as well.”
“Oh, so you’re a lady?” Leiros’ tone, as the words came up from him quickly, was more rhetorical than inquisitive. He flared his eyes and lowered his forehead to simulate a sense of incredulity aimed not so much at the young woman’s title as the fact that she was deserving of such. Before she could react with a sneer or words in her defense he pressed on. “I didn’t know we were all in the presence of a lady, let alone the self-proclaimed next Grandmaster of our order. Oh, my.”
Leiros turned to look to Hestras at his side with false awe upon his face. He waited half a moment, seeing the brother’s face still in a scowl. He turned to the other side to see Telomai staring at him with a look of bewilderment and fear. He held his eyes on the younger brother a few moments longer, emphasizing his reluctance to look back that the young woman snarling in front of him. He did so, and bowed into an overdrawn curtsy, letting his eyes trail from the ground back up to Celeste’s face.
Leiros looked from side to side and noticed that Qathalla was taking them into the heart of the City of Veils, built into the sides of the great canyon. He could see the first few riverfront buildings whipping by, and felt the tug on him as the great bird soared around a hard bend in the canyon. The clusters of buildings and houses grew more elaborate as they whipped by at a frenzied pace. Within a few moments, they would be nearing the great bridges near the core of the city, and the shadow cast by the overhanging great hall of the Elder Circle.
I don’t know what dark thoughts tore you away from me, but I refuse to allow it again. Qathalla’s emotions grew stronger and the authroc gave out an audible screech to let loose its demands. No more day-dreaming, my companion. You must remain awake!
Leiros didn’t need to see or react to what was about to happen, he already felt it through the keen emotional bond between him and the great bird. He moved quickly to throw his left rein far off to the side and coil the right rein around his right arm. He let his feet out of the harness and threw himself hard to the right and over the body of his soul-mount.
His legs dangled in the air a mere foot above the frothing waves of the river while he carried his momentum around to grab the flapping left rein in his hand. He struggled against gravity that pulled tightly on his arms and hands. With a groan, he steadied himself and threw his feet up to swing toward Qathalla’s chest.
As soon as he impacted the bird’s chest, he could feel the impact of Alsira Thaenat’s lowest bridge against Qathalla’s back. The bird thumped against the ancient rock once and then a second time much softer. Qathalla gave out another ear-piercing screech and beamed emotions of mirth to Leiros’ mind. If he had remained upon the saddle, the great bird would have ensured that his head would be caved in by the rushing bridge’s edge, or he would have every bone in his body crushed beneath the bridge during the first impact. Qathalla’s Ruffled or torn-out feathers from the impact began to burn in the air, looking like a rain of ash and flame. Distant sounds of shouts or curses echoed up from the many startled people using the bridge as they heard the screech and saw the great bird rise up from beneath it.
Are you awake now? Qathalla flapped its great wings to ascend a few feet higher and then lobbed over to allow Leiros to swing back into his saddle. Your chicks are waiting to be taught how to fly and to fight. You must guide them properly, so their companions don’t get hurt. You promised me.
“Yes, I know.” Leiros took hold of the saddle and nestled into the harness once more. “I can’t do my job if you kill me.” He spoke aloud, but he knew his words would be carried away on the wind. As he spoke he used his telepathic bond with Qathalla to send the words straight to the bird’s mind.
Qathalla gave a few more hard flaps of its wings and soared higher into the air. The half-orb roofed outcropping of the Elder Circle soon descended past them as they tore up and over the rim of the canyon. The brilliance of the afternoon suns caused him to blink a few times as he got used to the searing light.
When he had finished introducing himself to the students and giving them their last instructions, he had promised Qathalla that none of the other authrocs would be harmed during the final tests. Some teachers were fond of severe tests during the Authvokan challenges, but Leiros would not be like that this day. Qathalla seemed overly worried and furrowed its feathers several times when Leiros tried to mount him and give the last instructions to the students. Something had spooked it, just as the introductions had spooked Leiros in his own way.
“I must be alert, you’re right to scold me. Don’t worry, you’ve now woken me up, my friend.” Leiros leaned into Qathalla’s back as they made their way back to the air around the great mesas. “You wanted to stretch your wings, and I wanted to stretch my mind, that’s all. It won’t happen again.” Leiros nodded and let one of his gloved hands run along the immense black and ember feathers of the great bird. “I will watch after my students, and you must watch after the other authrocs.”
Qathalla gave another screech in affirmation and swooped upward to meet the other authrocs soaring through the skies.
* * *
“Well, Master Leiros, these are… Uhh…” Brother Telomai choked on his words as he stepped forward from Leiros’ side. “These are the students ready for their final tests with their Authrocs.” He turned to smile sheepishly and let his arm glide through the air as if placing all of the waiting faces on display. A small breeze lifted an errant shock of his brown hair to blow about his face. Once he dropped his arm, his green eyes darted to the ground while his mouth pursed as he chastised himself softly for tripping over his words.
“You’ve got twelve of ‘em to contend with.” Brother Hestras now stepped forward from Leiros’ other side and looked down to him with a stern look. The weather-worn wrinkles of age and sorrow furrowed as if devouring his features. “You think you can handle this lot?” The same breeze couldn’t tease any of the older brother’s hair as his head was cleanly shaven, but it did tug at the bristling and unruly gray hair of his brow.
“Assuredly.” Leiros gave a broad grin to Hestras and turned away from him sharply. He folded his hands behind him and stepped toward the gathered group. “I am Master Leiros. I’ll be taking over for Master Olkva in your teaching. Sadly, it seems I didn’t get to know any of you before this day, so I can’t speak to any of your strengths or weaknesses. We’ll be thrust into this test together, but I promise you that I am a quick learner—”
“You’ve wasted enough of our time.” Leiros was interrupted by a curt female voice from among the students gathered before him. Several of the students looked from Leiros to their number with arrayed states of shock on their faces. Slowly, a young woman pushed her way to the front. “I honestly don’t care who you are. Just do your job and let us get on with it.”
Leiros’ eyebrows shot up and one of his hands unfurled from his back to scratch at his face for a moment. His interest was piqued by this impertinent young woman. His eyes flowed judgmentally over her form as she stepped forward to challenge him. He let his eyes quickly fall to her feet and then slowly move back up to her face. He let his reactions linger, his face becoming more concerned as he went, showing that he was sizing her up and finding her wanting.
The young woman wore immaculately cared-for robes of stark white that seemed immune to the dust and sand whipped up by the Jolashi winds. She had obviously taken pains to enhance the limited wardrobe of the order with gaudy bracelets and a long necklace that draped over her low-cut top. The jewelry she wore seemed to be gold accented with the signature blue-tinted silver from the distant Star-shatter Peaks; a metal that cost as much in blood and lives as it did in Alsiran Talons. She had also taken the effort to embroider blue runes into the sleeves and neck-line trim of her robes. Leiros doubted that this embroidery was done by the long, clean, and softened hands draping limply beneath her crossed arms.
Her face would otherwise be considered pleasant to look at, but there was an added sourness to her features that bled through even the scowl and narrowed eyes she threatened Leiros with. There was something in her eyes that betrayed a rot within her that was bubbling up from the fetid depths of her soul; if she still had one. Those same eyes, hazel with more green than brown, were locked in a threatening challenge with Leiros’ own. Her lips were thin, and her jaw was as sharp as a razor’s edge. She still had a softness near her cheeks, showing some of the baby fat of her youth; a youth no doubt filled with temper tantrums and her always getting her way. Her dirty-blonde hair was tied tightly around her head in thick braids that went right down — almost painfully — to her scalp. Blue ribbons held the tails of her hair in place as they draped over her shoulders and the silken hood of her robes.
“Good, this saves me from having to continue my introduction.” Leiros maintained his composure in the face of this interloper and continued to stare into the young woman’s eyes; not willing to back down from her challenge. He stepped forward and into her personal space. “Could you please tell me specifically whose time I’ve wasted?” Leiros lifted the hand that he had scratched his face with to point at the young woman, then flipped his hand over with his palm up. He did this more to press into her personal space and get a reaction than for any other reason. “Let’s begin with you.”
Those same glassy and rotten orbs began to roll in their sockets as she gave a protracted sigh. She turned her body to the side slightly, giving just enough ground to Leiros to let him know she had a hint of insecurity in the negative attention she was getting from him. She looked over her shoulder as one of her long-fingered hands fell to her side. She snapped her fingers and waited for three shorter young women to crowd in behind her, each younger and less refined than she. Once they arrived, beckoned forth like the hounds they were, they provided security to their master. It was only then that she began to slowly speak.
“I honestly shouldn’t have to introduce myself, but you might as well know the name of the next Grandmaster of this bumpkin little order of yours.” The young woman paused for effect and lifted her chin into the air. “I am Celeste Bhourstark, heir to the county of Haellstrad in the Sapphire Kingdoms. You have heard of that place, haven’t you?” She lowered her chin just enough to hold Leiros’ eyes with her continuing stare of condescension. She looked back to the young women surrounding her and gave a derisive giggle.
“Oh yes, I am quite acquainted with it. I traveled there with Grandmaster Toulam a few years ago—”
“An irrelevant detail.” Celeste interrupted Leiros once more, but she didn’t bother to keep her eyes on him. She darted her gaze to the side as if taking in the distant rocky horizon from atop the highest mesa in the region. She was showing some loss of confidence now that she knew Leiros had been to her homeland but did her best to make up for it with a sense of disgust. “I merely wish to emphasize that among all of the other students here whose time has been wasted, you’re also wasting a lady’s time as well.”
“Oh, so you’re a lady?” Leiros’ tone, as the words came up from him quickly, was more rhetorical than inquisitive. He flared his eyes and lowered his forehead to simulate a sense of incredulity aimed not so much at the young woman’s title as the fact that she was deserving of such. Before she could react with a sneer or words in her defense he pressed on. “I didn’t know we were all in the presence of a lady, let alone the self-proclaimed next Grandmaster of our order. Oh, my.”
Leiros turned to look to Hestras at his side with false awe upon his face. He waited half a moment, seeing the brother’s face still in a scowl. He turned to the other side to see Telomai staring at him with a look of bewilderment and fear. He held his eyes on the younger brother a few moments longer, emphasizing his reluctance to look back that the young woman snarling in front of him. He did so, and bowed into an overdrawn curtsy, letting his eyes trail from the ground back up to Celeste’s face.
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Episode III - III Thrown from the Nest (Shard I)
On Authroc's Wing
III
Thrown from the Nest
(Shard I)
(Shard I)
The cooling afternoon winds pulled at the robes and scarves covering Leiros’ body as he plummeted through the sky. The air rushed at him with a soft howl that lulled him into a sense of serene comfort despite the bouts of vertigo assaulting him from the constant dives and rises Qathalla sent the both of them into. A feeling of growing moisture and tingling energy was beginning to build up from the growing storm-clouds far above, making Leiros’ every heartbeat pitch a little faster with reverent anticipation.
With a push from the leather guards along Qathalla’s immense back, Leiros let his body float a few inches above the black feathers of his spirit-mount. The pull of the world-plane’s gravity sent him flying as the great authroc plummeted into a hard dive. The sensation of the world inverted for a few moments as Leiros fell upward with his companion. He looked up to see the seas of sand and great plateaus of rock eat up the sky above him, while below his feet was a sea of clouds and heavens.
The wind rushing against him impacted the hardened scarves he had wrapped against his face, allowing only his stinging eyes any exposure. His gray robes billowed against his body causing drag as he began to fall toward the terrestrial realm above. The distance between Qathalla and his body grew from inches to feet as he closed his eyes to embrace the fall.
A strange feeling began to gnaw at the back of his mind; a feeling that soon grew into a presence that began to whisper in his ears with the voice of the wind. A voice that wanted him to let go of the feelings of trepidation and fear that were building up in his mind. He imagined that the voice was a feminine presence pressing into his back as he arched up and away from the world rushing toward him. Within the rushing air that tore into his robes, he could feel a caress of hair against his neck and face.
“Embrace the fall and be with me.” The feminine voice’s words took form and resounded deeply in Leiros’ mind. “The world you once knew is crumbling away into darkness. Soon there will be nothing worth clinging to. You know this.”
Leiros could feel the presence of Qathalla growing further away from him as he kept his eyes closed in this blackened world of eternal descent. He could hear his own heartbeat over the rushing wind and within a single moment, everything went completely silent. He could no longer feel the rush of wind against him, and the feeling of falling began to feel like a perpetual flight. He was free of the limitations of the world at this moment, free of his mortal coil, free of his fear, and his only companion was the voice that crooned softly into his mind.
“Let go of what pains you, my love.” As the voice whispered once more, he could feel the sickly tangy smell of old blood overpowering his nostrils and creeping along the back of his throat. “If you continue to struggle against this faltering world you will only find suffering. If you let go in this moment, then soon we will be together forever. We will be free of this damned world once and for all.”
With each word the voice spoke, sudden and jarring flashes of Leiros’ buried memories began to surface up from the deepest recesses of his soul. He could feel anger coursing through his veins and the ephemeral echo of his body clenched its fists in sympathy. All of the injustices he had witnessed growing up, and the certainty inside of him that he would witness even worse as his life continued on should he not embrace this voice from the depths of the abyss. He did not enjoy having the cold and metallic stillness of his mind being broken with revealing fractures, but as hard as he fought against this alien will, further cracks broke open all the more viciously.
“Save us both the pain that the future will bring. Embrace the void with me.”
The last piece of his personal control was sundered and began to crumble into dust, he could feel the unrestrained chaos of his emotions burning up from their depths. As these emotions and thoughts began to lick around him like hungry bale-fire flames Leiros forced himself further into his mind, to the one place he could find refuge from this madness; the last island at the core of his soul. As he continued to plummet through the darkness within and without, he awoke to the sensation of calmly floating above an ocean of quicksilver, with nothing but a dark abyss above him.
He could feel the feminine presence in the distance, at the edge of his astral senses, like a hungry beast stalking the darkness while being warded off by a bonfire’s light. He could see with his astral eyes the far-off ripples of the woman’s feet as she strode at the periphery of his metallic ocean. Bale-fire flames licked up in her wake as if her merest touch upon the ocean of his mind caused rot and madness. With each eruption of flame, she managed to move quickly into the darkness, always remaining hidden. Time and distance didn’t matter in this place, but the woman’s shadow invited such entropic concepts to manifest in jarring and distorted ways. Leiros was half aware of the sensations affecting his material body as well as the stillness he yearned for with his astral senses.
“You can’t escape from me and you’ve kept me restrained for far too long.” The woman’s voice was less seductive and more forceful as she continued to walk along the periphery of his stillness and test the very last of his mental defenses. Her voice had a predatory sort of cruelty behind it now. “I’ve been with you since you were a child. I’ve always been here — just out of your reach — yet always calling out to you. I have been your guide in your dreams, even though you did not remember me when you woke. I am the part of you that you refuse to embrace.”
“I refuse to remember you.” Leiros found his voice in this astral realm in the depths of his soul. His words began as a vibration from within but soon broke out into ripples of force that caused the surface of his metal ocean to ripple outward, eventually crashing into waves. “You are the serpent of chaos. You are my lesser self — my shadow — and I have no need for you.”
The woman laughed at his words and with each breath, her voice resounded like thunder. Torrents of indigo lightning raced across the infinite abyss above as the woman clawed towards him but was held at bay by the last of his will. She struggled for a moment and then continued her corruptive walk along the surface of his mind.
“There’s nothing wrong with a little chaos, my love.” The woman’s voice immediately lost its savagery and began to croon once more. The words felt like they reached across the distance of Leiros’ mind and caressed his astral essence directly. “You can’t hide behind suffocating order your entire life. Soon, you’ll find yourself embracing me whether you like it or not. If you refuse to embrace me now in death, saving you and I continued suffering; I’ll find you shortly and we can embrace as the world is drowned in blood and fire.”
“Then blood and fire it will be.” Leiros felt a cold fire rise up from inside of him. This threat from within himself caused a higher degree of personal defense to be birthed. Blue crackles of light began to build up from his astral fingers and roar within his astral body like arteries of power. “I’m not ready for you. I’m not ready to embrace the chaos within me. I am not strong enough, and this is not the right time.”
The woman threw a shadowed claw across the distance of his ocean and struck the void near his soul. Indigo flames rushed over him and instinctively he fired back with the cold fire he had begun to build up. The woman gave out a howl and stepped back into the furthest darkness.
“So be it, my love. Blood and fire, you have sworn this oath to me. I await you, and when the time is right, we will embrace the void together.”
With those last words, Leiros felt the feminine presence pull away from him. He could feel the corruptive bale-fires being quenched by the cool quicksilver of his internal ocean of order. Explosions of his intent caused waves of metal to stretch out and reform the defenses he had constructed for so long. Cracks and fissures were sealed as if they had never existed, and the newly found power within him imbued those cold edifices with greater strength.
As calm and rationality returned to his soul, Leiros stared down at his astral hands as they continued to crackle with blue flames of energy. Trickles of energy roared up and back into his astral self, creeping along his arms and through his torso. The energy suffused him until it began to build up behind his eyes. With a brilliant flash of blue, he found his eyes opening up once more into the corporeal world.
Leiros could see Qathalla’s immense and dark form rushing to meet the ground above him. They were separated by several yards of distance and he knew that the great authroc would be ending its dive soon. Reaching out his hands, Leiros felt the last vestiges of his crackling astral energy rush to his fingers once more. He aimed his will through his hands toward Qathalla and pulled hard on several of the leather reins flapping in the air around the bird’s back.
With a subtle pull of telekinetic force, he unfurled a distance of the reins and managed to seize onto one of them with his right hand once it snapped on the air near him. He spun the reins around his hand and leaned forward to press the reins into his left elbow. He began to push forward, drawing on the rein’s slack with each elbow as he neared his soaring spirit-mount yard by yard.
The last few inches toward the leather grip on Qathalla’s saddle were soon within reach. Leiros let all of the reins fall to his left hand so he could reach out with his right and take hold. As soon as the tips of his fingers stumbled over the rim of the grip, he became aware of how close Qathalla and he were to the ground. With a piercing rush of wind and a momentary sense of overwhelming panic, it seemed like Leiros and Qathalla fell through the very surface of the rocky Jolash Plateau.
Leiros stretched out his fingers once more and grabbed hold of Qathalla’s saddle and with every bit of strength he could muster, he pulled himself against the leather while slinging his feet into the harness. Darkness washed over him for a moment and then his eyes adjusted to the dim light trickling in below his feet from the mouth of the great Alsiran Canyon.
With his body secured against the hulking body of his spirit-mount, he could feel Qathalla change its pitch and bend even further upward. The authroc’s immense wings caught the quickly whirling canyon winds rushing up from the chilled waters of the Alsira river that crashed up from jagged rocks as it made its way from the Heart of Alsira in the north to the emerald-hued Jol River in the south.
As Qathalla pulled from its dive and turned its ground-ward momentum into a hard forward thrust, nausea and disorientation began to pull at Leiros’ body. His chest hit the great bird’s back hard and he began to gulp for air. Despite the disorientation and lack of air, he clenched every muscle in his body in hopes of keeping his blood flowing to his head properly, lest he black-out and fall from the saddle. Within a moment, he could draw breath again and feel his sight and senses returning from dim darkness to the full brightness that the afternoon’s light provided to the shadowed canyon reaches.
Leiros lifted himself slowly up from Qathalla’s back while holding tightly to the great bird’s reins and despite the shaking of his tired arms. The cool and refreshing mist of crashing glacial waters sprinkled across his face letting him know he was still alive for the moment. The whipping wind from the canyon tugged all the harder upon his robes and his ears were filled with a deafening howl.
With a push from the leather guards along Qathalla’s immense back, Leiros let his body float a few inches above the black feathers of his spirit-mount. The pull of the world-plane’s gravity sent him flying as the great authroc plummeted into a hard dive. The sensation of the world inverted for a few moments as Leiros fell upward with his companion. He looked up to see the seas of sand and great plateaus of rock eat up the sky above him, while below his feet was a sea of clouds and heavens.
The wind rushing against him impacted the hardened scarves he had wrapped against his face, allowing only his stinging eyes any exposure. His gray robes billowed against his body causing drag as he began to fall toward the terrestrial realm above. The distance between Qathalla and his body grew from inches to feet as he closed his eyes to embrace the fall.
A strange feeling began to gnaw at the back of his mind; a feeling that soon grew into a presence that began to whisper in his ears with the voice of the wind. A voice that wanted him to let go of the feelings of trepidation and fear that were building up in his mind. He imagined that the voice was a feminine presence pressing into his back as he arched up and away from the world rushing toward him. Within the rushing air that tore into his robes, he could feel a caress of hair against his neck and face.
“Embrace the fall and be with me.” The feminine voice’s words took form and resounded deeply in Leiros’ mind. “The world you once knew is crumbling away into darkness. Soon there will be nothing worth clinging to. You know this.”
Leiros could feel the presence of Qathalla growing further away from him as he kept his eyes closed in this blackened world of eternal descent. He could hear his own heartbeat over the rushing wind and within a single moment, everything went completely silent. He could no longer feel the rush of wind against him, and the feeling of falling began to feel like a perpetual flight. He was free of the limitations of the world at this moment, free of his mortal coil, free of his fear, and his only companion was the voice that crooned softly into his mind.
“Let go of what pains you, my love.” As the voice whispered once more, he could feel the sickly tangy smell of old blood overpowering his nostrils and creeping along the back of his throat. “If you continue to struggle against this faltering world you will only find suffering. If you let go in this moment, then soon we will be together forever. We will be free of this damned world once and for all.”
With each word the voice spoke, sudden and jarring flashes of Leiros’ buried memories began to surface up from the deepest recesses of his soul. He could feel anger coursing through his veins and the ephemeral echo of his body clenched its fists in sympathy. All of the injustices he had witnessed growing up, and the certainty inside of him that he would witness even worse as his life continued on should he not embrace this voice from the depths of the abyss. He did not enjoy having the cold and metallic stillness of his mind being broken with revealing fractures, but as hard as he fought against this alien will, further cracks broke open all the more viciously.
“Save us both the pain that the future will bring. Embrace the void with me.”
The last piece of his personal control was sundered and began to crumble into dust, he could feel the unrestrained chaos of his emotions burning up from their depths. As these emotions and thoughts began to lick around him like hungry bale-fire flames Leiros forced himself further into his mind, to the one place he could find refuge from this madness; the last island at the core of his soul. As he continued to plummet through the darkness within and without, he awoke to the sensation of calmly floating above an ocean of quicksilver, with nothing but a dark abyss above him.
He could feel the feminine presence in the distance, at the edge of his astral senses, like a hungry beast stalking the darkness while being warded off by a bonfire’s light. He could see with his astral eyes the far-off ripples of the woman’s feet as she strode at the periphery of his metallic ocean. Bale-fire flames licked up in her wake as if her merest touch upon the ocean of his mind caused rot and madness. With each eruption of flame, she managed to move quickly into the darkness, always remaining hidden. Time and distance didn’t matter in this place, but the woman’s shadow invited such entropic concepts to manifest in jarring and distorted ways. Leiros was half aware of the sensations affecting his material body as well as the stillness he yearned for with his astral senses.
“You can’t escape from me and you’ve kept me restrained for far too long.” The woman’s voice was less seductive and more forceful as she continued to walk along the periphery of his stillness and test the very last of his mental defenses. Her voice had a predatory sort of cruelty behind it now. “I’ve been with you since you were a child. I’ve always been here — just out of your reach — yet always calling out to you. I have been your guide in your dreams, even though you did not remember me when you woke. I am the part of you that you refuse to embrace.”
“I refuse to remember you.” Leiros found his voice in this astral realm in the depths of his soul. His words began as a vibration from within but soon broke out into ripples of force that caused the surface of his metal ocean to ripple outward, eventually crashing into waves. “You are the serpent of chaos. You are my lesser self — my shadow — and I have no need for you.”
The woman laughed at his words and with each breath, her voice resounded like thunder. Torrents of indigo lightning raced across the infinite abyss above as the woman clawed towards him but was held at bay by the last of his will. She struggled for a moment and then continued her corruptive walk along the surface of his mind.
“There’s nothing wrong with a little chaos, my love.” The woman’s voice immediately lost its savagery and began to croon once more. The words felt like they reached across the distance of Leiros’ mind and caressed his astral essence directly. “You can’t hide behind suffocating order your entire life. Soon, you’ll find yourself embracing me whether you like it or not. If you refuse to embrace me now in death, saving you and I continued suffering; I’ll find you shortly and we can embrace as the world is drowned in blood and fire.”
“Then blood and fire it will be.” Leiros felt a cold fire rise up from inside of him. This threat from within himself caused a higher degree of personal defense to be birthed. Blue crackles of light began to build up from his astral fingers and roar within his astral body like arteries of power. “I’m not ready for you. I’m not ready to embrace the chaos within me. I am not strong enough, and this is not the right time.”
The woman threw a shadowed claw across the distance of his ocean and struck the void near his soul. Indigo flames rushed over him and instinctively he fired back with the cold fire he had begun to build up. The woman gave out a howl and stepped back into the furthest darkness.
“So be it, my love. Blood and fire, you have sworn this oath to me. I await you, and when the time is right, we will embrace the void together.”
With those last words, Leiros felt the feminine presence pull away from him. He could feel the corruptive bale-fires being quenched by the cool quicksilver of his internal ocean of order. Explosions of his intent caused waves of metal to stretch out and reform the defenses he had constructed for so long. Cracks and fissures were sealed as if they had never existed, and the newly found power within him imbued those cold edifices with greater strength.
As calm and rationality returned to his soul, Leiros stared down at his astral hands as they continued to crackle with blue flames of energy. Trickles of energy roared up and back into his astral self, creeping along his arms and through his torso. The energy suffused him until it began to build up behind his eyes. With a brilliant flash of blue, he found his eyes opening up once more into the corporeal world.
Leiros could see Qathalla’s immense and dark form rushing to meet the ground above him. They were separated by several yards of distance and he knew that the great authroc would be ending its dive soon. Reaching out his hands, Leiros felt the last vestiges of his crackling astral energy rush to his fingers once more. He aimed his will through his hands toward Qathalla and pulled hard on several of the leather reins flapping in the air around the bird’s back.
With a subtle pull of telekinetic force, he unfurled a distance of the reins and managed to seize onto one of them with his right hand once it snapped on the air near him. He spun the reins around his hand and leaned forward to press the reins into his left elbow. He began to push forward, drawing on the rein’s slack with each elbow as he neared his soaring spirit-mount yard by yard.
The last few inches toward the leather grip on Qathalla’s saddle were soon within reach. Leiros let all of the reins fall to his left hand so he could reach out with his right and take hold. As soon as the tips of his fingers stumbled over the rim of the grip, he became aware of how close Qathalla and he were to the ground. With a piercing rush of wind and a momentary sense of overwhelming panic, it seemed like Leiros and Qathalla fell through the very surface of the rocky Jolash Plateau.
Leiros stretched out his fingers once more and grabbed hold of Qathalla’s saddle and with every bit of strength he could muster, he pulled himself against the leather while slinging his feet into the harness. Darkness washed over him for a moment and then his eyes adjusted to the dim light trickling in below his feet from the mouth of the great Alsiran Canyon.
With his body secured against the hulking body of his spirit-mount, he could feel Qathalla change its pitch and bend even further upward. The authroc’s immense wings caught the quickly whirling canyon winds rushing up from the chilled waters of the Alsira river that crashed up from jagged rocks as it made its way from the Heart of Alsira in the north to the emerald-hued Jol River in the south.
As Qathalla pulled from its dive and turned its ground-ward momentum into a hard forward thrust, nausea and disorientation began to pull at Leiros’ body. His chest hit the great bird’s back hard and he began to gulp for air. Despite the disorientation and lack of air, he clenched every muscle in his body in hopes of keeping his blood flowing to his head properly, lest he black-out and fall from the saddle. Within a moment, he could draw breath again and feel his sight and senses returning from dim darkness to the full brightness that the afternoon’s light provided to the shadowed canyon reaches.
Leiros lifted himself slowly up from Qathalla’s back while holding tightly to the great bird’s reins and despite the shaking of his tired arms. The cool and refreshing mist of crashing glacial waters sprinkled across his face letting him know he was still alive for the moment. The whipping wind from the canyon tugged all the harder upon his robes and his ears were filled with a deafening howl.
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Episode III - II Radical Acceptance (Shard III)
On Authroc's Wing
II
Radical Acceptance
(Shard III)
(Shard III)
Qathalla was beginning its descent toward the summit of the taller mesa, which jarred Leiros back to reality once more. He looked down to the gathering of students as they all looked up at him in unison. The two initiates stood with contempt upon their faces and one had his arms crossed over his chest. His mind began to reel at the guilt he felt for leaving them waiting so long. He knew from his own studies when he was younger how important the first impression of a teacher was. These next moments meant everything when it came to earning their respect.
Leiros closed his eyes as Qathalla began to beat its wings against the updrafts surrounding the Stohll mesa. He began to construct a new personality out of the same sea of mercury that made up his thoughts. He brought up his mental defenses and wove them into the fabric of this new self. He decided to construct a rakish and devil-may-care sort of personality to keep any of the more telepathically inclined students at bay.
He reached into his own memories to pull up what he remembered of a friend of his father. He had long forgotten the man’s name, but the memories of his behavior when he came over for dinners, or those handfuls of time had given him advice on the steps of the Morrthault Anathaem of Law while he waited for his father to finish his daily duties, were etched into his psyche. He was a man who didn’t care what others thought of him. He was a man who seemed to intentionally show up late for his duties. He was as unphased by social mores as he was by the violence he had to dole out to criminals. Leiros remembered well the words he spoke to him when he was just a small boy waiting for his father on the Anathaem steps.
“I can see that look in your eye, boy.” The man unfurled his heavy leather coat from around his legs and took up a sitting perch two steps higher than Leiros on the cold stone steps. “You have that same devotion to duty and propriety that your father has. I’m sure you’ll follow his steps and become one of the Filidath as well.”
Leiros remembered looking up at the man whose face was still covered in a long, black hood. The man forced him to look over his shoulder, backward, and up to him on purpose. Even with his empathic abilities budding at such a young age, he recalled how hard it was for him to pick up any emotions from the man. Feeling his mind was like running his hands over cold metal; something he learned to adopt to protect himself later in life.
“Here you wait like a dutiful son. Always here an hour before your father finishes his last bits of paperwork.” The man looked off to the ancient and decrepit spires of Morrthault city for a moment. He looked like he was surveying all the world and finding it wanting. “I don’t know if you’ll end up a bureaucrat like your father, or you’ll choose the more active role that I do in the Law-giver caste.” He patted a gloved hand on the star-metal sword hanging from his belt. “I can see in the way you look at me that you have more spine than your old man. You have the look of a judge who yearns to bring justice to this dying world. You have the look of someone who wants to make others pay for their injustices.”
Leiros remembered looking down at the steps below his feet, turning away from the man as if that could stop him from seeing into his heart. He could still recollect the burning anger he had in him for how his father was treated a few months previous when he was stripped of status and pushed behind a wooden desk. He could once again feel the uncertainty gnawing at his soul when he realized that justice and responsibility weren’t known by all people and that most thought of such as entirely alien concepts.
“You might find this uncouth, but I care for you, boy. Not as much as your father does, nor as much as your mother did before she was taken from this world, but I have concern for your wellbeing. I’ve worked for decades with your father, and although I will never have a family of my own, you and your father are the closest I could ever have to one.” The man shifted in his position and leaned back on the steps while unfurling his legs forward. “I don’t know if you’re old enough to understand what happened to your father. Maybe when you’re older you’ll know what happened and that you shouldn’t hold anything against him. Your father has a kind spirit and has always been dutiful. It is in his sense of uncompromising duty that his weakness was birthed.”
Leiros felt like he wanted to punch the man for saying anything against his father, but despite his youth, he understood that something was wrong. The fact that other members of the Filidath could strip him of his station so easily revealed some sort of weakness that they had exploited. His mind began to race at questions to ask the tall and imposing man slouched behind him. He sucked in air to reply but held his tongue.
“You can learn to bulwark yourself from the cracks of weakness by turning them back on themselves, you know.” The man shifted once more and leaned forward. He seemed like he was looking down at Leiros, but all he could see when he looked up and backward was the side of the man’s hood. “You don’t always have to be the dutiful son and arrive an hour early. You could very well show up late if you wanted to.” The man reached his gloved hands out and began to crack his knuckles loudly.
Leiros didn’t understand how showing up late might guard himself against weakness, the whole thing seemed extremely rude to do to his father. What would happen if his father came to the steps of the Anathaem and couldn’t find him. He could see the look of panic on his father’s face in his mind and the frantic searches he would conduct. Such a situation would cause disharmony, unpredictability, and invited disaster.
“I can taste your skepticism, boy. I can hear the little gears of your mind whirling into a frenzy at all the things that could go wrong.” The man gave a chuckle and shook his head, causing the overdrawn tip of his hood to sway in the air. “You and your father are so obsessed by order and have such a fear of chaos that you can only see the latter as a hungry serpent at your door. You need to be able to understand both elements fully in order to truly be strong.” The man reached out his right hand and began to squeeze his fingers into a fist. “You have to let that serpent into your house, boy. You have to wrestle with it. You have to choke the life from it, master it, and then use it. Order and chaos are like light and darkness; one cannot exist without the other.”
Leiros could feel the tiny muscles of his skull furrowing up in confusion as he looked back at the hooded enforcer of the laws. He still couldn’t see any details on the man’s face from beneath the shadows, but something told him that the man was smiling down at him. It was a strange memory to think of a man as a symbol of uncompromising law, who was as much a protector as an executioner, sitting there and smiling at him.
“Learn to embrace chaos and make it a tool, lest that serpent take hold and poison your future.” The man reached out his left hand to place it upon Leiros’ shoulder. The grip felt cold like metal but offered a deep feeling of protection and ownership. It was a feeling like being cloaked in darkness but not being afraid of it, instead embracing it to become one with it, then extending his senses through it to see all things not just the illusions of light and shadow. “There will be a time in your life that you will be late for your duty. Much as your father was when you were younger. I do hope it won’t cost the lives of the people you care about, but there is a way to master it.” The man leaned forward a few inches so that the cool fabric of his hood grazed Leiros’ cheek like a kiss from the goddess of death. “Act like you don’t care. Be as late as you want to be and make a grand entrance when you get there. People will only make you guilty of the things you feel guilt towards. Know what is important in your heart, but tell the rest of the world to wait for you. Own your fate and never let others unjustly rob you of it.”
Leiros didn’t understand the man’s words when he spoke them so long ago, but in the current context, he could see some of the warning that was meant. Serpents had indeed found themselves inside of Leiros’ house and the cracks of chaos were everywhere. He had focused so long on maintaining order and living his life with honor so that he might constantly prove himself to others, that he had forgotten that chaos is also a source of power. It was precisely through chaos that Master Illena and Master Gwain were gaining influence in the Order while eroding the Grandmaster’s desire for justice.
The words that the hooded man had spoken about taking control over one’s dereliction of duties, seemed flippant all those years ago. Specifically alluding to his father’s lateness that had caused the death not only of his mother but of several thousand innocent people in Morrthault City was hard for him to swallow at such a tender age. For most of his life, he had neglected that memory and found that man’s words worthless. It was only now that he found himself upon a precipice where his duties were being used against him, much like what had happened to his father, that the words held power.
He could feel the terrestrial pull once more upon his body as Qathalla’s talons sunk deep into the rock of the summit below. With a reflexive action, he slid from his saddle while dragging a hand through the great bird’s black feathers. Qathalla crooned and swooped its great head and pushed him forward with one of its tucked wings.
Leiros landed upon the ground several feet ahead and proceeded to dust the Jolashi sands from his robes with one hand and pulled the scarves around his face free with his other. His eyes darted from the young students gathered before him to each of the initiated brothers taking steps towards him with snarls of rage upon their faces.
“Well, no wonder Master Olkva had to abandon his duties for a relaxing vacation in the Athim Glaciers.” Leiros tucked his errant scarves in his robes and narrowed his eyes contemptuously at the two brothers ahead of him. He waited just long enough for one of them to take in a sharp breath to reply and then cut him off to speak once more. “It would seem you two enjoy wasting my student’s time. I had told Master Gwain that the Authvokan tests would begin at two hours past Noon. Here I see a bunch of bored students looking like they’ve been waiting here for hours.”
“Master Leiros, you’re mistaken-” The youngest of the brothers managed to seize upon his voice and step forward with his hands outstretched.
“I’m mistaken? The one who scheduled these tests with Master Gwain and Master Illena over a day ago?” Leiros cocked one of his eyebrows up and began to walk over to the youngest brother with command in his stride. “Are you sure it’s not you who is mistaken?”
“It was Master Gwain who told us to assemble the students before Noon. We only did what we were told to do.” The second brother, much older than the other stood his ground with his arms crossed. The look on his aged and dusky face was nothing more than a set knotted scowls.
“So, it would seem that neither of you can accept your own blame and would instead try to pin all of this on a Master of station like Gwain.” Leiros crossed his own arms over his chest as if mimicking the scowling brother to his right. He gave a short half-snort and chuckle before continuing. “As one of the Masters, I’ll let this slight go for now.” Leiros seemed to look both brothers from toe to face and then back again, sizing them up. “Well, let’s just say there was a miscommunication. I would remind you not to speak ill of those above your station, but I will hold Master Gwain responsible for this. I assure you, I will find out if it was him that caused this mishap and he will be corrected for his behavior.”
The younger brother stopped in his tracks and seemed to bow with deference toward Leiros for a moment. He went quiet as he pursed his lips and lifted both hands up as if in supplication. Leiros shot his eyes over to the other brother and saw the scowl upon his face break for a moment. The older brother closed his eyes slowly, opened them again and gave the slightest of nods. His arms remained crossed in front of his chest, but his shoulders slumped.
“Good. Now I have been told that I will be taking over for Master Olkva and today will be these student’s Authvokan.” Leiros stepped forward and struck a pose that was far more casual than his station should have allowed. He reached out two arms towards the brothers standing before him. He carefully raised his right arm higher toward the scowling man than his left arm towards the younger. This action got the angry brother’s attention immediately and softened his features a bit more. “I would like to be properly introduced to the both of you. We will be working closely together this day and several others into the future.” Leiros allowed a wide grin to spread across his lips and he flashed his teeth at both brothers.
“I am Brother Telomai.” The younger brother took one more step to stand right before Leiros on his left side. “I have served as a celestial cartographer under Master Peloyn. It is good to meet you, Master Leiros.” The younger brother tossed his head to the side to fight against an errant shock of brown hair that had draped over his face. He offered out a bare hand and Leiros eagerly shook it with a hard grasp. “I heard that you are a specialist in the lore and history of Vhaltenesh. Maybe one day we could share a meal and talk about the ancient Morthavi.”
“I assure you it will happen. Any oracle of this Order that understands the wisdom of the ancients is a friend to me.” Leiros gave two downward shakes of Telomai’s hand and then let his hand drop to change his attention over the old man on his right.
“I am Brother Hethras.” The older brother seized upon Leiros’ outstretched hand greedily and took charge. “I used to perform auguries for Master Chaelra until Gwain took up her position when she passed away. I didn't want to keep working under him, so I switched over help Master Olkva.” Hethras seemed to stare deeply into Leiros’ eyes as if trying to analyze his deeper character. Leiros prepared his mental defenses even tighter to prepare for any telepathic onslaught, but within a moment he could see the brother’s face soften. “I may not believe that Gwain made the mistake, but I am quite certain he is guilty of us being here for this long.” Hethras leaned in with his words and let Leiros’ hand drop.
“Well met to the both of you. Now, if you would be as kind as to introduce me to my students so we can get started right away. I know these poor souls have been waiting here for some time. I’m sure their nerves are all a mess because today is the day of their final test.” Both brothers turned on their heels and stepped toward the huddled group of young students before them. Leiros stepped between Telomai and Hethras in as certain a fashion as he could. He flashed his smile at the students who all looked up at him in unison. Leiros gave both brothers a playful slap across their backs and held onto their robes for a moment as they walked towards the students.
Leiros closed his eyes as Qathalla began to beat its wings against the updrafts surrounding the Stohll mesa. He began to construct a new personality out of the same sea of mercury that made up his thoughts. He brought up his mental defenses and wove them into the fabric of this new self. He decided to construct a rakish and devil-may-care sort of personality to keep any of the more telepathically inclined students at bay.
He reached into his own memories to pull up what he remembered of a friend of his father. He had long forgotten the man’s name, but the memories of his behavior when he came over for dinners, or those handfuls of time had given him advice on the steps of the Morrthault Anathaem of Law while he waited for his father to finish his daily duties, were etched into his psyche. He was a man who didn’t care what others thought of him. He was a man who seemed to intentionally show up late for his duties. He was as unphased by social mores as he was by the violence he had to dole out to criminals. Leiros remembered well the words he spoke to him when he was just a small boy waiting for his father on the Anathaem steps.
“I can see that look in your eye, boy.” The man unfurled his heavy leather coat from around his legs and took up a sitting perch two steps higher than Leiros on the cold stone steps. “You have that same devotion to duty and propriety that your father has. I’m sure you’ll follow his steps and become one of the Filidath as well.”
Leiros remembered looking up at the man whose face was still covered in a long, black hood. The man forced him to look over his shoulder, backward, and up to him on purpose. Even with his empathic abilities budding at such a young age, he recalled how hard it was for him to pick up any emotions from the man. Feeling his mind was like running his hands over cold metal; something he learned to adopt to protect himself later in life.
“Here you wait like a dutiful son. Always here an hour before your father finishes his last bits of paperwork.” The man looked off to the ancient and decrepit spires of Morrthault city for a moment. He looked like he was surveying all the world and finding it wanting. “I don’t know if you’ll end up a bureaucrat like your father, or you’ll choose the more active role that I do in the Law-giver caste.” He patted a gloved hand on the star-metal sword hanging from his belt. “I can see in the way you look at me that you have more spine than your old man. You have the look of a judge who yearns to bring justice to this dying world. You have the look of someone who wants to make others pay for their injustices.”
Leiros remembered looking down at the steps below his feet, turning away from the man as if that could stop him from seeing into his heart. He could still recollect the burning anger he had in him for how his father was treated a few months previous when he was stripped of status and pushed behind a wooden desk. He could once again feel the uncertainty gnawing at his soul when he realized that justice and responsibility weren’t known by all people and that most thought of such as entirely alien concepts.
“You might find this uncouth, but I care for you, boy. Not as much as your father does, nor as much as your mother did before she was taken from this world, but I have concern for your wellbeing. I’ve worked for decades with your father, and although I will never have a family of my own, you and your father are the closest I could ever have to one.” The man shifted in his position and leaned back on the steps while unfurling his legs forward. “I don’t know if you’re old enough to understand what happened to your father. Maybe when you’re older you’ll know what happened and that you shouldn’t hold anything against him. Your father has a kind spirit and has always been dutiful. It is in his sense of uncompromising duty that his weakness was birthed.”
Leiros felt like he wanted to punch the man for saying anything against his father, but despite his youth, he understood that something was wrong. The fact that other members of the Filidath could strip him of his station so easily revealed some sort of weakness that they had exploited. His mind began to race at questions to ask the tall and imposing man slouched behind him. He sucked in air to reply but held his tongue.
“You can learn to bulwark yourself from the cracks of weakness by turning them back on themselves, you know.” The man shifted once more and leaned forward. He seemed like he was looking down at Leiros, but all he could see when he looked up and backward was the side of the man’s hood. “You don’t always have to be the dutiful son and arrive an hour early. You could very well show up late if you wanted to.” The man reached his gloved hands out and began to crack his knuckles loudly.
Leiros didn’t understand how showing up late might guard himself against weakness, the whole thing seemed extremely rude to do to his father. What would happen if his father came to the steps of the Anathaem and couldn’t find him. He could see the look of panic on his father’s face in his mind and the frantic searches he would conduct. Such a situation would cause disharmony, unpredictability, and invited disaster.
“I can taste your skepticism, boy. I can hear the little gears of your mind whirling into a frenzy at all the things that could go wrong.” The man gave a chuckle and shook his head, causing the overdrawn tip of his hood to sway in the air. “You and your father are so obsessed by order and have such a fear of chaos that you can only see the latter as a hungry serpent at your door. You need to be able to understand both elements fully in order to truly be strong.” The man reached out his right hand and began to squeeze his fingers into a fist. “You have to let that serpent into your house, boy. You have to wrestle with it. You have to choke the life from it, master it, and then use it. Order and chaos are like light and darkness; one cannot exist without the other.”
Leiros could feel the tiny muscles of his skull furrowing up in confusion as he looked back at the hooded enforcer of the laws. He still couldn’t see any details on the man’s face from beneath the shadows, but something told him that the man was smiling down at him. It was a strange memory to think of a man as a symbol of uncompromising law, who was as much a protector as an executioner, sitting there and smiling at him.
“Learn to embrace chaos and make it a tool, lest that serpent take hold and poison your future.” The man reached out his left hand to place it upon Leiros’ shoulder. The grip felt cold like metal but offered a deep feeling of protection and ownership. It was a feeling like being cloaked in darkness but not being afraid of it, instead embracing it to become one with it, then extending his senses through it to see all things not just the illusions of light and shadow. “There will be a time in your life that you will be late for your duty. Much as your father was when you were younger. I do hope it won’t cost the lives of the people you care about, but there is a way to master it.” The man leaned forward a few inches so that the cool fabric of his hood grazed Leiros’ cheek like a kiss from the goddess of death. “Act like you don’t care. Be as late as you want to be and make a grand entrance when you get there. People will only make you guilty of the things you feel guilt towards. Know what is important in your heart, but tell the rest of the world to wait for you. Own your fate and never let others unjustly rob you of it.”
Leiros didn’t understand the man’s words when he spoke them so long ago, but in the current context, he could see some of the warning that was meant. Serpents had indeed found themselves inside of Leiros’ house and the cracks of chaos were everywhere. He had focused so long on maintaining order and living his life with honor so that he might constantly prove himself to others, that he had forgotten that chaos is also a source of power. It was precisely through chaos that Master Illena and Master Gwain were gaining influence in the Order while eroding the Grandmaster’s desire for justice.
The words that the hooded man had spoken about taking control over one’s dereliction of duties, seemed flippant all those years ago. Specifically alluding to his father’s lateness that had caused the death not only of his mother but of several thousand innocent people in Morrthault City was hard for him to swallow at such a tender age. For most of his life, he had neglected that memory and found that man’s words worthless. It was only now that he found himself upon a precipice where his duties were being used against him, much like what had happened to his father, that the words held power.
He could feel the terrestrial pull once more upon his body as Qathalla’s talons sunk deep into the rock of the summit below. With a reflexive action, he slid from his saddle while dragging a hand through the great bird’s black feathers. Qathalla crooned and swooped its great head and pushed him forward with one of its tucked wings.
Leiros landed upon the ground several feet ahead and proceeded to dust the Jolashi sands from his robes with one hand and pulled the scarves around his face free with his other. His eyes darted from the young students gathered before him to each of the initiated brothers taking steps towards him with snarls of rage upon their faces.
“Well, no wonder Master Olkva had to abandon his duties for a relaxing vacation in the Athim Glaciers.” Leiros tucked his errant scarves in his robes and narrowed his eyes contemptuously at the two brothers ahead of him. He waited just long enough for one of them to take in a sharp breath to reply and then cut him off to speak once more. “It would seem you two enjoy wasting my student’s time. I had told Master Gwain that the Authvokan tests would begin at two hours past Noon. Here I see a bunch of bored students looking like they’ve been waiting here for hours.”
“Master Leiros, you’re mistaken-” The youngest of the brothers managed to seize upon his voice and step forward with his hands outstretched.
“I’m mistaken? The one who scheduled these tests with Master Gwain and Master Illena over a day ago?” Leiros cocked one of his eyebrows up and began to walk over to the youngest brother with command in his stride. “Are you sure it’s not you who is mistaken?”
“It was Master Gwain who told us to assemble the students before Noon. We only did what we were told to do.” The second brother, much older than the other stood his ground with his arms crossed. The look on his aged and dusky face was nothing more than a set knotted scowls.
“So, it would seem that neither of you can accept your own blame and would instead try to pin all of this on a Master of station like Gwain.” Leiros crossed his own arms over his chest as if mimicking the scowling brother to his right. He gave a short half-snort and chuckle before continuing. “As one of the Masters, I’ll let this slight go for now.” Leiros seemed to look both brothers from toe to face and then back again, sizing them up. “Well, let’s just say there was a miscommunication. I would remind you not to speak ill of those above your station, but I will hold Master Gwain responsible for this. I assure you, I will find out if it was him that caused this mishap and he will be corrected for his behavior.”
The younger brother stopped in his tracks and seemed to bow with deference toward Leiros for a moment. He went quiet as he pursed his lips and lifted both hands up as if in supplication. Leiros shot his eyes over to the other brother and saw the scowl upon his face break for a moment. The older brother closed his eyes slowly, opened them again and gave the slightest of nods. His arms remained crossed in front of his chest, but his shoulders slumped.
“Good. Now I have been told that I will be taking over for Master Olkva and today will be these student’s Authvokan.” Leiros stepped forward and struck a pose that was far more casual than his station should have allowed. He reached out two arms towards the brothers standing before him. He carefully raised his right arm higher toward the scowling man than his left arm towards the younger. This action got the angry brother’s attention immediately and softened his features a bit more. “I would like to be properly introduced to the both of you. We will be working closely together this day and several others into the future.” Leiros allowed a wide grin to spread across his lips and he flashed his teeth at both brothers.
“I am Brother Telomai.” The younger brother took one more step to stand right before Leiros on his left side. “I have served as a celestial cartographer under Master Peloyn. It is good to meet you, Master Leiros.” The younger brother tossed his head to the side to fight against an errant shock of brown hair that had draped over his face. He offered out a bare hand and Leiros eagerly shook it with a hard grasp. “I heard that you are a specialist in the lore and history of Vhaltenesh. Maybe one day we could share a meal and talk about the ancient Morthavi.”
“I assure you it will happen. Any oracle of this Order that understands the wisdom of the ancients is a friend to me.” Leiros gave two downward shakes of Telomai’s hand and then let his hand drop to change his attention over the old man on his right.
“I am Brother Hethras.” The older brother seized upon Leiros’ outstretched hand greedily and took charge. “I used to perform auguries for Master Chaelra until Gwain took up her position when she passed away. I didn't want to keep working under him, so I switched over help Master Olkva.” Hethras seemed to stare deeply into Leiros’ eyes as if trying to analyze his deeper character. Leiros prepared his mental defenses even tighter to prepare for any telepathic onslaught, but within a moment he could see the brother’s face soften. “I may not believe that Gwain made the mistake, but I am quite certain he is guilty of us being here for this long.” Hethras leaned in with his words and let Leiros’ hand drop.
“Well met to the both of you. Now, if you would be as kind as to introduce me to my students so we can get started right away. I know these poor souls have been waiting here for some time. I’m sure their nerves are all a mess because today is the day of their final test.” Both brothers turned on their heels and stepped toward the huddled group of young students before them. Leiros stepped between Telomai and Hethras in as certain a fashion as he could. He flashed his smile at the students who all looked up at him in unison. Leiros gave both brothers a playful slap across their backs and held onto their robes for a moment as they walked towards the students.
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Episode III - II Radical Acceptance (Shard II)
On Authroc's Wing
II
Radical Acceptance
(Shard II)
(Shard II)
“So, when do you take over Master Olkva’s duties?” Kalyna jumped in to change the subject when she noticed that Leiros wasn’t taking the bait of sympathy. She took a step back and watched Leiros’ features intently. She cocked her head to the side, trying to show off her desire to know more about him.
“Today, at Noon.” Leiros lifted his head up and furrowed the space between his eyebrows. “Not a lot of notice, I have to admit.” He forgot to make another strained smile and let his features remain cold and stone-like.
“Oh?” Kalyna paused and pulled back her head slightly with a look of confusion and incredulousness. “Surely you must be mistaken, or more likely Gwain was mistaken.” She waited for Leiros to focus on her and show is interest in what she was about to say. “It’s almost a full hour past Noonday. If you were to start your lesson then, you’re already late.”
Leiros clenched both fists openly in response to her words this time. Anger tore through his mind and he didn’t restrain it. That conniving worm, Gwain, had left him waiting for two hours in his office before he finally arrived to interrogate him. He wanted Leiros to be late for his first and most important lesson to the young Initiates. This would give Gwain and Illena ammunition to say that he indeed had neglected his duties.
“I guess I best let you go so you can get back to Auhl Keignfel Stohll.” Kalyna sheepishly bowed once more to Leiros. “That’s all the more strange that Master Gwain would be the one to tell you this. The last time I saw Master Illena, she was back at Stohll.” Kalyna pointed off into the darkness of the hallway as if she could point out the far other Mesa almost a mile away. “I know your quarters and offices are over there with Toulam’s. Why you would be sent all the way here to be late for your first lesson…” Her words trailed off.
Leiros knew exactly why he was sent all this way and why Illena had been dodging him all morning. Since Toulam had been gone for the last three days, dealing with very personal business, Illena had been orchestrating events to make him look like a fool. She had been undermining Toulam’s wishes, making Leiros’ life a living hell, and no doubt collaborating with those other Masters sympathetic to her usurpation of the Order.
“I guess I best take my leave. Thank you, again, for your companionship and conversation.” Leiros tilted his head slightly to Kalyna who beamed at him.
She nodded deeper and ran off down the hallway to whatever destination she sought. She gave one more large burst of positive emotions which began to dissipate slightly as she left. Sadly, her fondness for Leiros had only grown due to their talking. Her seeing how Gwain had treated him, and his apparent recklessness toward his duties only seemed to make her more enthralled, which puzzled Leiros greatly. Perhaps it was the exposure of his viewed weakness that made her respect him more, or she was drawn to men that let her down in some way.
Leiros shook her emotions and presence from his mind vigorously until he could try once more to forget she existed. He wasn’t interested in her to be perfectly honest. He wasn’t really interested in anyone as all of the women he had come across were too plain with their emotions. It was hard to make a proper connection with someone or be surprised about their interest in you when you could feel their emotions so keenly.
He was of a far too rational of mind to get swept up in romances and crushes. Although he could appreciate the individual beauty and complexity that many of the women of the Order had, none of them seemed able to knock him from his mind as well pull on his heartstrings. When one came into contact with so many people with the same emotions and viewpoints in their heads, most people became nothing more than predictable background noise and it was precisely this omnipresent noise that bothered Leiros so much.
Leiros turned away from Kalyna as she continued to run down the hall. He began to walk in the opposite direction while trying to figure out the best course of action to get back to the Stohll Mesa. He was already near the top of the Little Buetha Mesa and it would involve climbing down numerous levels to get to the underground passages that led back to Stohll. Such a method of travel — being the most commonly used by the oracles of the Order — would take hours. It would not be right to make the students wait that long.
Leiros made his way to a fork in the hallway carved from the very rock of the Buetha Mesa and looked from side to side. He resolved the best way to get back to Stohll and ran headlong to the right. He would avoid the passages back, and instead reach the summit of the Mesa. He was only two floors away as it was.
As he tore down the hallway in a full sprint, he narrowly pushed to the side to avoid an older Initiate carrying a stack of books and grimoires. As he passed, the older man had to catch himself and steady the stack of books he carried against his chest, up to his chin. The older man barked out a few obscenities and was lost as Leiros turned another corner.
A dozen feet ahead the hallway broke into a flight of stairs upward. Leiros leaped at the bottom step and pulled himself up by grabbing the iron railings anchored into the stone. He took the steps three at a time, pulling himself up faster and faster until he got to the next floor. The stairs opened to another set of hallways, but he turned hard to his left and jumped over the next flight of stairs.
Despite being in decent shape from his many exercises and physical challenges that he put himself through, Leiros still managed to get winded as he made his way to a heavy iron doorway at the top of the stairs. He strained as he pulled on the rope handle that was wound through the door. He struggled to catch his breath for a moment and then was overwhelmed by the torrent of air that blew through the opened doorway.
The warm, dry, and sand-strewn air of the Jolash Plateau greeted him as he stepped through the threshold and secured the door behind himself. He turned around and began to climb up a wooden ladder up to the summit of the Little Buetha Mesa. The heat of the twin suns above was harsh on his skin as he took his first step on the exposed rock.
Leiros quickly lifted the hood of his robes and secured them by pulling taut some of his cloth belts around to his frame. The harsh light and whipping winds of the Jolash Plateau were far more than his fair skin could handle. He took a few steps forward and focused his narrowed gaze upon the skies above.
He began to pull loose some cloth scarves around the neck of his robes and upon spying a tiny dot playing among a group of clouds far to the east, he focused his mental energies into a blast. He gave an ear-piercing whistle between his tongue, teeth, and lips. Along with this auditory call, he let loose his mental energies to summon that far-away dot to him. The telepathic blast was profound and caused him a moment of dizziness.
Once more taking control of his senses, he began to wrap the scarves around his face. He kept one loop around his forehead, and another around his nose and mouth. He fidgeted with the fabric to keep it taut and tie it near the back of his neck. He kept only a small slit revealed for his eyes and then pulled some leather belts from his sleeves to tie around his neck and to secure around his hands like makeshift gloves.
Once he was bundled up, he took a few more steps onto the higher rock of the summit. He looked to his left and could see immense size of Auhl Keignfel Stohll. That great mesa, his home and the primary headquarters of his order stood like a giant, silent sentinel against the whipping sands that scoured the Jolash Plateau far below. Stohll rose almost a thousand feet higher than the mesa he currently stood upon. Several other mesas rose up from the rocky plateau, but most were farther away than this edifice of rock no more than a mile from where he stood.
Leiros turned his head to notice a shadow that was cast over the summit. He looked up to see a great black and gold bird flap its wings several times as it lowered itself onto a large outcropping of rock nearby. From head to talon, the bird was twice the size of Leiros and the wingspan it held was slightly more than thirty feet to a wing. Once the bird’s talons took hold of the rock, it folded its immense wings in and lowered its head down to Leiros’ level.
Gathering spoiled? The bird beamed the words straight into Leiros’ mind. The feeling was less like a conversation and more like a wave of images, emotions, and a calming sense of oneness between his mind and the bird’s.
“The meeting went well enough.” Leiros talked openly to the bird and lifted a hand to scratch some feathers near the back of its head. “I think we are to be betrayed soon enough, though.” Leiros took a step up on the rock to get closer.
I was playing with the clouds. The bird turned its head to look up to the nearby building clouds further across the plateau. Much power is building. It will storm soon. The clouds may weep. The bird turned its head back to Leiros and looked him in the eye. Immense orbs of orange jade seemed to be on fire from within.
“I’ll take note of that, Qathalla.” Leiros turned to look over to the nearby towering mesa and pointed to it with his left hand. “I need you to fly me over there. When we get there, I need you to stay with me, is that alright?” He continued to scratch at the bird’s head with his right hand.
Of course. The bird nuzzled into Leiros’ arm and pressed its large beak against his chest. Qathalla closed its eyes for a moment and then continued to speak with thoughts. I saw other Authrocs over there. A gathering. Many young oracles are standing around looking lost.
“I have to go over there and teach them how to handle their Authrocs. I need you to stay with me, I will need to fly with you later on.” Leiros gave two pats with his leathered hand on the authroc’s neck. Qathalla lowered one of its wings and allowed Leiros to climb up easily.
Once Leiros was secured to the back of the great bird, laying into a leather harness that was strapped across the bird’s chest, he gave one more pat. He whistled softly and the authroc’s wings unfurled and began to pound air against the ground in a flurry. Within moments Qathalla had risen into the air and then darted downward into a dive with outstretched wings. A few feet from the surface of the ground, the bird pulled up and soared with great speed toward the summit of the other mesa.
The currents of cooling air flowed across the linen shell that Leiros wore and sent the trailing ends of his scarves into a whipping frenzy around him. The winds had quickly switched to come from the north, drawing in the billowing clouds that Qathalla had earlier flew among. As Leiros felt the temperatures change from his soaring height he knew that the great bird was correct in its earlier forewarnings that the storms would descent upon the mesas of Alsira.
The largest of the twin suns, the burning Lord Dhaulm, was at its zenith in the sky. The smaller of the suns, the ambitious lover Trallt, was nearing the western horizon and casting mismatched golden shadows over the terrain below. This day would be a short one, with the evening filled with storms, and the night would be almost double the length of the day.
Leiros pulled himself away from his observations of the sky and focused on the nearing plateau of Auhl Keignfel Stohll as he rushed toward it on the back of his soul-bonded authroc. Through the slit of his shielding scarves, he could see a gathered mass of white-robed students milling about on the plateau. Moving among the students were two brown-robed initiates that took turns trying to talk with the students or throwing their arms into the air with exasperation. Several of the student’s authrocs were either perched on rocks of the plateau or playing with each other on the air around the mesa.
A momentary flare of rage shot through Leiros’ mind as he tried to place blame for his lateness on Master Gwain. Despite knowing that the older Master had intentionally set this situation upon him and the confused students below, there was still a gnawing feeling of guilt in his mind. As certain as he wanted to be about the injustice he must now attempt to correct, there was still that youthful voice in his mind that made him feel like an impostor among the other Masters of the Authrakallin. If he could be manipulated so easily, maybe he wasn't cut out for his station after all.
No doubts. The flood of certainty and flash of several images from the past flowed into Leiros’ mind from Qathalla’s own. The human you think of is sour. They do not smell healthy, but like they rutted with filth. Qathalla sent a roar of tingling energy through its feathers and into Leiros’ body. That one is a cuckoo in the nest. I know not why you tolerate him to live. If I found him in my nest I would tear his throat out with my claws and devour his screaming face.
Leiros couldn't restrain a twisted grin as it spread across his lips, the brutal honesty of Qathalla was jarring and oddly welcome. He leaned into the muscular neck of the bird and began to smooth the rippling feathers that crackled with unrestrained energy. As isolated and vulnerable as he felt in this moment he could feel the protection that Qathalla offered him. Slowly he opened his mind from fear and worry to the certainty of his good company. He had Qathalla with him, the guidance of Grandmaster Toulam, and even the slinking weirdness of Vhoggli to depend upon. There were other initiates that he had grown close with during his time with the oracles, as well. He wasn’t alone, but he would now have to tread carefully as there were coiling vipers in his home.
“Today, at Noon.” Leiros lifted his head up and furrowed the space between his eyebrows. “Not a lot of notice, I have to admit.” He forgot to make another strained smile and let his features remain cold and stone-like.
“Oh?” Kalyna paused and pulled back her head slightly with a look of confusion and incredulousness. “Surely you must be mistaken, or more likely Gwain was mistaken.” She waited for Leiros to focus on her and show is interest in what she was about to say. “It’s almost a full hour past Noonday. If you were to start your lesson then, you’re already late.”
Leiros clenched both fists openly in response to her words this time. Anger tore through his mind and he didn’t restrain it. That conniving worm, Gwain, had left him waiting for two hours in his office before he finally arrived to interrogate him. He wanted Leiros to be late for his first and most important lesson to the young Initiates. This would give Gwain and Illena ammunition to say that he indeed had neglected his duties.
“I guess I best let you go so you can get back to Auhl Keignfel Stohll.” Kalyna sheepishly bowed once more to Leiros. “That’s all the more strange that Master Gwain would be the one to tell you this. The last time I saw Master Illena, she was back at Stohll.” Kalyna pointed off into the darkness of the hallway as if she could point out the far other Mesa almost a mile away. “I know your quarters and offices are over there with Toulam’s. Why you would be sent all the way here to be late for your first lesson…” Her words trailed off.
Leiros knew exactly why he was sent all this way and why Illena had been dodging him all morning. Since Toulam had been gone for the last three days, dealing with very personal business, Illena had been orchestrating events to make him look like a fool. She had been undermining Toulam’s wishes, making Leiros’ life a living hell, and no doubt collaborating with those other Masters sympathetic to her usurpation of the Order.
“I guess I best take my leave. Thank you, again, for your companionship and conversation.” Leiros tilted his head slightly to Kalyna who beamed at him.
She nodded deeper and ran off down the hallway to whatever destination she sought. She gave one more large burst of positive emotions which began to dissipate slightly as she left. Sadly, her fondness for Leiros had only grown due to their talking. Her seeing how Gwain had treated him, and his apparent recklessness toward his duties only seemed to make her more enthralled, which puzzled Leiros greatly. Perhaps it was the exposure of his viewed weakness that made her respect him more, or she was drawn to men that let her down in some way.
Leiros shook her emotions and presence from his mind vigorously until he could try once more to forget she existed. He wasn’t interested in her to be perfectly honest. He wasn’t really interested in anyone as all of the women he had come across were too plain with their emotions. It was hard to make a proper connection with someone or be surprised about their interest in you when you could feel their emotions so keenly.
He was of a far too rational of mind to get swept up in romances and crushes. Although he could appreciate the individual beauty and complexity that many of the women of the Order had, none of them seemed able to knock him from his mind as well pull on his heartstrings. When one came into contact with so many people with the same emotions and viewpoints in their heads, most people became nothing more than predictable background noise and it was precisely this omnipresent noise that bothered Leiros so much.
Leiros turned away from Kalyna as she continued to run down the hall. He began to walk in the opposite direction while trying to figure out the best course of action to get back to the Stohll Mesa. He was already near the top of the Little Buetha Mesa and it would involve climbing down numerous levels to get to the underground passages that led back to Stohll. Such a method of travel — being the most commonly used by the oracles of the Order — would take hours. It would not be right to make the students wait that long.
Leiros made his way to a fork in the hallway carved from the very rock of the Buetha Mesa and looked from side to side. He resolved the best way to get back to Stohll and ran headlong to the right. He would avoid the passages back, and instead reach the summit of the Mesa. He was only two floors away as it was.
As he tore down the hallway in a full sprint, he narrowly pushed to the side to avoid an older Initiate carrying a stack of books and grimoires. As he passed, the older man had to catch himself and steady the stack of books he carried against his chest, up to his chin. The older man barked out a few obscenities and was lost as Leiros turned another corner.
A dozen feet ahead the hallway broke into a flight of stairs upward. Leiros leaped at the bottom step and pulled himself up by grabbing the iron railings anchored into the stone. He took the steps three at a time, pulling himself up faster and faster until he got to the next floor. The stairs opened to another set of hallways, but he turned hard to his left and jumped over the next flight of stairs.
Despite being in decent shape from his many exercises and physical challenges that he put himself through, Leiros still managed to get winded as he made his way to a heavy iron doorway at the top of the stairs. He strained as he pulled on the rope handle that was wound through the door. He struggled to catch his breath for a moment and then was overwhelmed by the torrent of air that blew through the opened doorway.
The warm, dry, and sand-strewn air of the Jolash Plateau greeted him as he stepped through the threshold and secured the door behind himself. He turned around and began to climb up a wooden ladder up to the summit of the Little Buetha Mesa. The heat of the twin suns above was harsh on his skin as he took his first step on the exposed rock.
Leiros quickly lifted the hood of his robes and secured them by pulling taut some of his cloth belts around to his frame. The harsh light and whipping winds of the Jolash Plateau were far more than his fair skin could handle. He took a few steps forward and focused his narrowed gaze upon the skies above.
He began to pull loose some cloth scarves around the neck of his robes and upon spying a tiny dot playing among a group of clouds far to the east, he focused his mental energies into a blast. He gave an ear-piercing whistle between his tongue, teeth, and lips. Along with this auditory call, he let loose his mental energies to summon that far-away dot to him. The telepathic blast was profound and caused him a moment of dizziness.
Once more taking control of his senses, he began to wrap the scarves around his face. He kept one loop around his forehead, and another around his nose and mouth. He fidgeted with the fabric to keep it taut and tie it near the back of his neck. He kept only a small slit revealed for his eyes and then pulled some leather belts from his sleeves to tie around his neck and to secure around his hands like makeshift gloves.
Once he was bundled up, he took a few more steps onto the higher rock of the summit. He looked to his left and could see immense size of Auhl Keignfel Stohll. That great mesa, his home and the primary headquarters of his order stood like a giant, silent sentinel against the whipping sands that scoured the Jolash Plateau far below. Stohll rose almost a thousand feet higher than the mesa he currently stood upon. Several other mesas rose up from the rocky plateau, but most were farther away than this edifice of rock no more than a mile from where he stood.
Leiros turned his head to notice a shadow that was cast over the summit. He looked up to see a great black and gold bird flap its wings several times as it lowered itself onto a large outcropping of rock nearby. From head to talon, the bird was twice the size of Leiros and the wingspan it held was slightly more than thirty feet to a wing. Once the bird’s talons took hold of the rock, it folded its immense wings in and lowered its head down to Leiros’ level.
Gathering spoiled? The bird beamed the words straight into Leiros’ mind. The feeling was less like a conversation and more like a wave of images, emotions, and a calming sense of oneness between his mind and the bird’s.
“The meeting went well enough.” Leiros talked openly to the bird and lifted a hand to scratch some feathers near the back of its head. “I think we are to be betrayed soon enough, though.” Leiros took a step up on the rock to get closer.
I was playing with the clouds. The bird turned its head to look up to the nearby building clouds further across the plateau. Much power is building. It will storm soon. The clouds may weep. The bird turned its head back to Leiros and looked him in the eye. Immense orbs of orange jade seemed to be on fire from within.
“I’ll take note of that, Qathalla.” Leiros turned to look over to the nearby towering mesa and pointed to it with his left hand. “I need you to fly me over there. When we get there, I need you to stay with me, is that alright?” He continued to scratch at the bird’s head with his right hand.
Of course. The bird nuzzled into Leiros’ arm and pressed its large beak against his chest. Qathalla closed its eyes for a moment and then continued to speak with thoughts. I saw other Authrocs over there. A gathering. Many young oracles are standing around looking lost.
“I have to go over there and teach them how to handle their Authrocs. I need you to stay with me, I will need to fly with you later on.” Leiros gave two pats with his leathered hand on the authroc’s neck. Qathalla lowered one of its wings and allowed Leiros to climb up easily.
Once Leiros was secured to the back of the great bird, laying into a leather harness that was strapped across the bird’s chest, he gave one more pat. He whistled softly and the authroc’s wings unfurled and began to pound air against the ground in a flurry. Within moments Qathalla had risen into the air and then darted downward into a dive with outstretched wings. A few feet from the surface of the ground, the bird pulled up and soared with great speed toward the summit of the other mesa.
* * *
The currents of cooling air flowed across the linen shell that Leiros wore and sent the trailing ends of his scarves into a whipping frenzy around him. The winds had quickly switched to come from the north, drawing in the billowing clouds that Qathalla had earlier flew among. As Leiros felt the temperatures change from his soaring height he knew that the great bird was correct in its earlier forewarnings that the storms would descent upon the mesas of Alsira.
The largest of the twin suns, the burning Lord Dhaulm, was at its zenith in the sky. The smaller of the suns, the ambitious lover Trallt, was nearing the western horizon and casting mismatched golden shadows over the terrain below. This day would be a short one, with the evening filled with storms, and the night would be almost double the length of the day.
Leiros pulled himself away from his observations of the sky and focused on the nearing plateau of Auhl Keignfel Stohll as he rushed toward it on the back of his soul-bonded authroc. Through the slit of his shielding scarves, he could see a gathered mass of white-robed students milling about on the plateau. Moving among the students were two brown-robed initiates that took turns trying to talk with the students or throwing their arms into the air with exasperation. Several of the student’s authrocs were either perched on rocks of the plateau or playing with each other on the air around the mesa.
A momentary flare of rage shot through Leiros’ mind as he tried to place blame for his lateness on Master Gwain. Despite knowing that the older Master had intentionally set this situation upon him and the confused students below, there was still a gnawing feeling of guilt in his mind. As certain as he wanted to be about the injustice he must now attempt to correct, there was still that youthful voice in his mind that made him feel like an impostor among the other Masters of the Authrakallin. If he could be manipulated so easily, maybe he wasn't cut out for his station after all.
No doubts. The flood of certainty and flash of several images from the past flowed into Leiros’ mind from Qathalla’s own. The human you think of is sour. They do not smell healthy, but like they rutted with filth. Qathalla sent a roar of tingling energy through its feathers and into Leiros’ body. That one is a cuckoo in the nest. I know not why you tolerate him to live. If I found him in my nest I would tear his throat out with my claws and devour his screaming face.
Leiros couldn't restrain a twisted grin as it spread across his lips, the brutal honesty of Qathalla was jarring and oddly welcome. He leaned into the muscular neck of the bird and began to smooth the rippling feathers that crackled with unrestrained energy. As isolated and vulnerable as he felt in this moment he could feel the protection that Qathalla offered him. Slowly he opened his mind from fear and worry to the certainty of his good company. He had Qathalla with him, the guidance of Grandmaster Toulam, and even the slinking weirdness of Vhoggli to depend upon. There were other initiates that he had grown close with during his time with the oracles, as well. He wasn’t alone, but he would now have to tread carefully as there were coiling vipers in his home.
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Episode III - II Radical Acceptance (Shard I)
On Authroc's Wing
II
Radical Acceptance
(Shard I)
(Shard I)
The cool and roughly hewn stone of the wall felt soothing against Leiros’ back as pressed up against it. He began to pinch at the bridge of his nose in a desperate attempt to stave off the pain pounding away within his skull. The stresses of keeping his mental defenses up and orchestrated during his meeting with Master Gwain were taking their toll on him.
If there was one form of the Haeth arts that he excelled in, it was that of complicated and defensive uses of telepathy. He absolutely refused to use such abilities offensively to peer into other people’s minds as it went against his own morality and the dictates he knew the founder of his Order had set down almost a millennia ago. Despite his focus and skill, the amount of energy he had to expend for the slightest interplay with others who didn’t restrain themselves in such a way was very high.
He knew full well when he had been informed by one of the brothers studying under Gwain, that he wanted a meeting in his office, he would be under mental interrogation from the first moment. He knew as well, from having to deal with other members of the Order that he would have to create fake layers of emotions and thoughts to feed to Gwain. He would have to protect the vast majority of his mind while leaving some little grottoes of half-hidden thoughts to serve as red herrings. Having to split his mind in such a way was taking its toll on his sanity.
The teaching that Toulam had given him over the years of being his student were pivotal in Leiros being able to protect himself so well. He didn’t just need to defend himself blindly, but he had such a heightened sense of empathy that he could drink up ambient emotions of people around him. This let him use skills of understanding people’s intentions to cater those defenses to each person that might peer into his mind. The nature of his empathic observations were not as intrusive or as piercing as most applications of telepathy. He only picked up what people willingly or inadvertently broadcast about themselves. He then used his own intuition and understanding to piece together who they were and how they operated.
More than the moral dilemma of possessing the abilities to look into others minds and the ethical rules set down by Vhaltenesh in his wisdom, it ultimately fell to Leiros’ fear of using his abilities. Where most of those individuals who would later become oracles uncovered their abilities during their adolescence or during an event of severe stress later in their lives, Leiros had been born with most of his abilities intact. His life had been fraught with alienation and abuse for his strange ability to drink people’s emotions, experience their memories, and his outbursts of telekinetic energy while growing up. As such, he did all he could to restrain his abilities for purely defensive arts while focusing entirely on his more mundane skills of observation, intuition, and academia.
Naturally, he took solace in books more than he did in people around him. People were complicated and often overwhelmed him with the emotional information they broadcast all the time. People were messy with their emotions, they were contrived with the complexes they created in themselves to avoid memories they buried, and they were needlessly fixated on only their own existences. Books, however, were clear and plain, focusing almost entirely on the subject at hand. The authors only wrote down what was absolutely relevant and those few particularities of character that bled through the writing were subdued. The stories and epics set down by the skaldts were pure with subtle intention and a focus on deeds over thoughts. The words and recollections of the dead were hallowed with meaning far more than those of the living.
Leiros took in a long breath of chilled air while letting the fingers he had upon the bridge of his nose flow over his face to rub at the side of his skull. He let the false psyche he had created for Gwain’s satisfaction fall away. He imagined the floating metallic construction he had created slowly crumbling and melting away as it fell back into a sea of liquid mercury inside of his soul. Once the last pieces had finally returned to the sea of his soul, he created a glowing halo of light that lit him from within. He focused on that light and increased its brilliance until he could cover himself with a protective shield against any further telepathic contact.
“Master Leiros.” The words were in a soft and feminine voice that echoed slightly in the long and darkened hallways of the mesa sanctum.
Leiros lifted his head to see who called him by name and saw a young woman of dusky features walking toward him. From what he could see by the flickering light of oil lamps hanging from the ceiling, the young woman wore over-sized gray robes like most of the other oracles. He couldn’t see anything on her that denoted station in the low light. He could see that she had long dark hair, warm brown eyes, and held a sheepish smile on her face.
“We don’t usually see you on this floor. It’s good to see you.” The woman closed to a distance of a few feet away and gave a slight bow with her head. “I see you probably talked with Master Gwain. I hope he didn’t make you feel too uncomfortable.” The young woman smiled more broadly and crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her arms beneath long and heavy sleeves.
Leiros looked from the young woman’s eyes and then to the doorway he had just slammed a moment earlier a few feet away from him. He gave a stifled sigh and adjusted his eyes beneath a long blink. He turned his gaze back to the woman and adjusted his features with a fake sense amusement.
“Not too uncomfortable.” Despite the fake emotion on his face, the words he spoke fell out flatly. His mental defenses roared to life all the more as he noticed the young woman watching his face intently. He prepared himself for another mental onslaught. “Hopefully he doesn’t give you any grief.”
“Only the grief that I deserve.” The young woman giggled to herself to try and cover up the waves of fear that she began to broadcast. “It is good to see you, Master Leiros.” She emphasized her last statement and then began to send out waves of positive energy towards him. Little bubbles of thoughts and feelings began to break over Leiros of past positive memories between the both of them.
Leiros took a moment to run through the memories in his face and try to piece together where he had run into the young woman before. Flashes tore through his mind as he quickly ran through the palace of his mind, searching through the many alcoves and recesses he might have stored her face. As quickly as he began to search, he was able to recall when he had seen her before, which is one of the many thankful gifts he had been born with, having a near eidetic memory.
“It is good to see you again, Sister Kalyna.” Leiros called up a fake smile that strained at the unused muscles of his face. “Thank you for your company over a meal a year ago. Were you able to answer that quandary you mentioned to me?” Leiros paused, looking up for a second, making it look like he was recalling information. “I believe you were wondering if an augury you gave to young Guardian Knight might have influenced his actions to give up his own free will. Was it not a situation of the Ullthosian Paradox?”
“I completely forgot that.” Kalyna’s eyebrows shot up with incredulity at Leiros’ memory as she had obviously forgotten the minutiae of their interaction. A smile still spread across her lips and she gave another laugh. “What I remember, you gave me a lot of insight into that augury. I don’t know what happened after that, though.” She lifted one of her hands up and let her sleeves fall away to reveal an exposed hand. She lightly pressed her right index finger to her lips and then recoiled the finger back to her hand quickly. “I do remember how generous you were with your time and spending those hours with me.”
Leiros fought against the emotions that began to well up in him. He could feel the attraction towards him that Kalyna had. She was clinging to a built-up illusion of a memory that did not entirely correspond to Leiros’ own memory. In the time since their interaction, she had thought often on that brief time shared fondly. She thought that there was some rapport between them and she wanted to follow that into a relationship. He focused the frustration and anger he had towards her into a single clenched fist hidden beneath the sleeve of his robe at his side.
“I’m glad the ideas and companionship I could give to you was worthwhile to you.” Leiros felt his fingernails digging into the flesh of his palm as his face curled and twitched to give the slightest hint of a smile. He tried to emphasize the last elements of his statement, hoping that Kalyna would take the insinuation that it might not be worthwhile to him. He didn’t see her features change, and the feelings emanating from her were still reaching a fevered pitch, so obviously she was blind to his insinuations.
“I apologize for the impertinence, but what brings you to Master Gwain’s office?” The look on Kalyna’s face turned to a twinge of concern and then back to her smile. She thought she was being sneaky by distracting Leiros with a question while taking a few shuffling steps closer to him.
“Gwain informed me that I would be taking over the duties of Master Olkva while he’s away.” Leiros could feel the pain burning up from his clenched fist and let the pressure on his tendons fall away, relaxing his fingers for a moment. He kept his eyes trained on Kalyna’s reaction to his words to see if a flash of recognition would overtake her features. He wanted to see through her emotions if she was involved in Gwain’s large plots. Perhaps the emotions she was sending to him were part of some elaborate plot by Gwain and Illena.
“Oh, that’s odd.” Kalyna scrunched up her face and a blush of red shone from her heavily tanned cheeks. “I thought you were the Master of Lore and were Grandmaster Toulam’s personal assistant.” She ruminated for a moment as her eyes flickered upward and to the right; recalling memories. “You also report directly to Master Illena for duties, right? Surely, she would be the one to inform you of that. Why in the world would my Master have to tell you anything.” She gave another giggle and clutched her right hand to her face as if trying to hold it in. “Technically, Master Gwain is below your station.”
Leiros openly rolled his eyes at Kalyna’s statement, letting his guard down for a moment. He could feel the honesty coming from her when she spoke those words. Technically, she was correct, however, due to his age, the recent appointment to his station, and the responses from the other Masters of the Order it wasn’t nearly that simple.
Although Leiros had managed to earn the respect of the initiates beneath him through his honest actions, and he had a flawless reputation for diligence within the Order, none of that meant a thing. He was not a part of some secretive clique who held the real power and he didn’t have any skeletons hidden in his closet that those with power could use to keep him under control. He was learning quickly that all of the work he had done to earn his place was worthless because the real source of power in the Order was based on the entire opposite of merit.
A wave of concern hit Leiros square in the chest and knocked him out of his internal ruminations. Kalyna was beginning to wonder if she offended him and was recoiling into herself. Worry and embarrassment soon followed her concern as she began to beat herself up emotionally for her statement. Leiros didn’t want her to fret in insecurity, and the waves of unrestrained emotions were getting too much for him.
“I guess I still have to earn my place. After all, if Gwain has information, it’s my job to know it, right?” Leiros tried to carefully pick his words to be self-effacing and present a question to Kalyna to knock her out of her insecurity. “I guess, Master Illena rather talk to Gwain than myself.” He gave a half-hearted chuckle that was more a lame serious of breaths than a laugh.
“I don’t know why Master Illena has it out for you so much.” Kalyna extended her left hand toward Leiros to put it on his shoulder but pulled her hand away quickly. She didn’t know if she was able to touch him due to their social distance and his title. She wanted to make physical contact with him but the trepidation whirling in her emotions won out. “The other Initiates have noticed how she treats you. It must be exhausting to constantly jump through the hoops she and the Grandmaster give to you. I know you do a lot to keep the Order running.”
The words were sickly sympathetic and not entirely true, which made Leiros want to cringe as he heard them. He didn’t think that his duties were too much, and despite the resentment between Illena and himself, he enjoyed the challenges she gave him. He wasn’t one to hide from a challenge or new way to prove himself. If the feelings that Kalyna was now expressing were indeed representative of the other Initiates of the Order, they were given too much slack in their duties. If they had time to gossip about the newest appointed Master and feel bad for him for having to do his job, their priorities might need to be refocused back to how they could benefit each other instead.
If there was one form of the Haeth arts that he excelled in, it was that of complicated and defensive uses of telepathy. He absolutely refused to use such abilities offensively to peer into other people’s minds as it went against his own morality and the dictates he knew the founder of his Order had set down almost a millennia ago. Despite his focus and skill, the amount of energy he had to expend for the slightest interplay with others who didn’t restrain themselves in such a way was very high.
He knew full well when he had been informed by one of the brothers studying under Gwain, that he wanted a meeting in his office, he would be under mental interrogation from the first moment. He knew as well, from having to deal with other members of the Order that he would have to create fake layers of emotions and thoughts to feed to Gwain. He would have to protect the vast majority of his mind while leaving some little grottoes of half-hidden thoughts to serve as red herrings. Having to split his mind in such a way was taking its toll on his sanity.
The teaching that Toulam had given him over the years of being his student were pivotal in Leiros being able to protect himself so well. He didn’t just need to defend himself blindly, but he had such a heightened sense of empathy that he could drink up ambient emotions of people around him. This let him use skills of understanding people’s intentions to cater those defenses to each person that might peer into his mind. The nature of his empathic observations were not as intrusive or as piercing as most applications of telepathy. He only picked up what people willingly or inadvertently broadcast about themselves. He then used his own intuition and understanding to piece together who they were and how they operated.
More than the moral dilemma of possessing the abilities to look into others minds and the ethical rules set down by Vhaltenesh in his wisdom, it ultimately fell to Leiros’ fear of using his abilities. Where most of those individuals who would later become oracles uncovered their abilities during their adolescence or during an event of severe stress later in their lives, Leiros had been born with most of his abilities intact. His life had been fraught with alienation and abuse for his strange ability to drink people’s emotions, experience their memories, and his outbursts of telekinetic energy while growing up. As such, he did all he could to restrain his abilities for purely defensive arts while focusing entirely on his more mundane skills of observation, intuition, and academia.
Naturally, he took solace in books more than he did in people around him. People were complicated and often overwhelmed him with the emotional information they broadcast all the time. People were messy with their emotions, they were contrived with the complexes they created in themselves to avoid memories they buried, and they were needlessly fixated on only their own existences. Books, however, were clear and plain, focusing almost entirely on the subject at hand. The authors only wrote down what was absolutely relevant and those few particularities of character that bled through the writing were subdued. The stories and epics set down by the skaldts were pure with subtle intention and a focus on deeds over thoughts. The words and recollections of the dead were hallowed with meaning far more than those of the living.
Leiros took in a long breath of chilled air while letting the fingers he had upon the bridge of his nose flow over his face to rub at the side of his skull. He let the false psyche he had created for Gwain’s satisfaction fall away. He imagined the floating metallic construction he had created slowly crumbling and melting away as it fell back into a sea of liquid mercury inside of his soul. Once the last pieces had finally returned to the sea of his soul, he created a glowing halo of light that lit him from within. He focused on that light and increased its brilliance until he could cover himself with a protective shield against any further telepathic contact.
“Master Leiros.” The words were in a soft and feminine voice that echoed slightly in the long and darkened hallways of the mesa sanctum.
Leiros lifted his head to see who called him by name and saw a young woman of dusky features walking toward him. From what he could see by the flickering light of oil lamps hanging from the ceiling, the young woman wore over-sized gray robes like most of the other oracles. He couldn’t see anything on her that denoted station in the low light. He could see that she had long dark hair, warm brown eyes, and held a sheepish smile on her face.
“We don’t usually see you on this floor. It’s good to see you.” The woman closed to a distance of a few feet away and gave a slight bow with her head. “I see you probably talked with Master Gwain. I hope he didn’t make you feel too uncomfortable.” The young woman smiled more broadly and crossed her arms over her chest, hiding her arms beneath long and heavy sleeves.
Leiros looked from the young woman’s eyes and then to the doorway he had just slammed a moment earlier a few feet away from him. He gave a stifled sigh and adjusted his eyes beneath a long blink. He turned his gaze back to the woman and adjusted his features with a fake sense amusement.
“Not too uncomfortable.” Despite the fake emotion on his face, the words he spoke fell out flatly. His mental defenses roared to life all the more as he noticed the young woman watching his face intently. He prepared himself for another mental onslaught. “Hopefully he doesn’t give you any grief.”
“Only the grief that I deserve.” The young woman giggled to herself to try and cover up the waves of fear that she began to broadcast. “It is good to see you, Master Leiros.” She emphasized her last statement and then began to send out waves of positive energy towards him. Little bubbles of thoughts and feelings began to break over Leiros of past positive memories between the both of them.
Leiros took a moment to run through the memories in his face and try to piece together where he had run into the young woman before. Flashes tore through his mind as he quickly ran through the palace of his mind, searching through the many alcoves and recesses he might have stored her face. As quickly as he began to search, he was able to recall when he had seen her before, which is one of the many thankful gifts he had been born with, having a near eidetic memory.
“It is good to see you again, Sister Kalyna.” Leiros called up a fake smile that strained at the unused muscles of his face. “Thank you for your company over a meal a year ago. Were you able to answer that quandary you mentioned to me?” Leiros paused, looking up for a second, making it look like he was recalling information. “I believe you were wondering if an augury you gave to young Guardian Knight might have influenced his actions to give up his own free will. Was it not a situation of the Ullthosian Paradox?”
“I completely forgot that.” Kalyna’s eyebrows shot up with incredulity at Leiros’ memory as she had obviously forgotten the minutiae of their interaction. A smile still spread across her lips and she gave another laugh. “What I remember, you gave me a lot of insight into that augury. I don’t know what happened after that, though.” She lifted one of her hands up and let her sleeves fall away to reveal an exposed hand. She lightly pressed her right index finger to her lips and then recoiled the finger back to her hand quickly. “I do remember how generous you were with your time and spending those hours with me.”
Leiros fought against the emotions that began to well up in him. He could feel the attraction towards him that Kalyna had. She was clinging to a built-up illusion of a memory that did not entirely correspond to Leiros’ own memory. In the time since their interaction, she had thought often on that brief time shared fondly. She thought that there was some rapport between them and she wanted to follow that into a relationship. He focused the frustration and anger he had towards her into a single clenched fist hidden beneath the sleeve of his robe at his side.
“I’m glad the ideas and companionship I could give to you was worthwhile to you.” Leiros felt his fingernails digging into the flesh of his palm as his face curled and twitched to give the slightest hint of a smile. He tried to emphasize the last elements of his statement, hoping that Kalyna would take the insinuation that it might not be worthwhile to him. He didn’t see her features change, and the feelings emanating from her were still reaching a fevered pitch, so obviously she was blind to his insinuations.
“I apologize for the impertinence, but what brings you to Master Gwain’s office?” The look on Kalyna’s face turned to a twinge of concern and then back to her smile. She thought she was being sneaky by distracting Leiros with a question while taking a few shuffling steps closer to him.
“Gwain informed me that I would be taking over the duties of Master Olkva while he’s away.” Leiros could feel the pain burning up from his clenched fist and let the pressure on his tendons fall away, relaxing his fingers for a moment. He kept his eyes trained on Kalyna’s reaction to his words to see if a flash of recognition would overtake her features. He wanted to see through her emotions if she was involved in Gwain’s large plots. Perhaps the emotions she was sending to him were part of some elaborate plot by Gwain and Illena.
“Oh, that’s odd.” Kalyna scrunched up her face and a blush of red shone from her heavily tanned cheeks. “I thought you were the Master of Lore and were Grandmaster Toulam’s personal assistant.” She ruminated for a moment as her eyes flickered upward and to the right; recalling memories. “You also report directly to Master Illena for duties, right? Surely, she would be the one to inform you of that. Why in the world would my Master have to tell you anything.” She gave another giggle and clutched her right hand to her face as if trying to hold it in. “Technically, Master Gwain is below your station.”
Leiros openly rolled his eyes at Kalyna’s statement, letting his guard down for a moment. He could feel the honesty coming from her when she spoke those words. Technically, she was correct, however, due to his age, the recent appointment to his station, and the responses from the other Masters of the Order it wasn’t nearly that simple.
Although Leiros had managed to earn the respect of the initiates beneath him through his honest actions, and he had a flawless reputation for diligence within the Order, none of that meant a thing. He was not a part of some secretive clique who held the real power and he didn’t have any skeletons hidden in his closet that those with power could use to keep him under control. He was learning quickly that all of the work he had done to earn his place was worthless because the real source of power in the Order was based on the entire opposite of merit.
A wave of concern hit Leiros square in the chest and knocked him out of his internal ruminations. Kalyna was beginning to wonder if she offended him and was recoiling into herself. Worry and embarrassment soon followed her concern as she began to beat herself up emotionally for her statement. Leiros didn’t want her to fret in insecurity, and the waves of unrestrained emotions were getting too much for him.
“I guess I still have to earn my place. After all, if Gwain has information, it’s my job to know it, right?” Leiros tried to carefully pick his words to be self-effacing and present a question to Kalyna to knock her out of her insecurity. “I guess, Master Illena rather talk to Gwain than myself.” He gave a half-hearted chuckle that was more a lame serious of breaths than a laugh.
“I don’t know why Master Illena has it out for you so much.” Kalyna extended her left hand toward Leiros to put it on his shoulder but pulled her hand away quickly. She didn’t know if she was able to touch him due to their social distance and his title. She wanted to make physical contact with him but the trepidation whirling in her emotions won out. “The other Initiates have noticed how she treats you. It must be exhausting to constantly jump through the hoops she and the Grandmaster give to you. I know you do a lot to keep the Order running.”
The words were sickly sympathetic and not entirely true, which made Leiros want to cringe as he heard them. He didn’t think that his duties were too much, and despite the resentment between Illena and himself, he enjoyed the challenges she gave him. He wasn’t one to hide from a challenge or new way to prove himself. If the feelings that Kalyna was now expressing were indeed representative of the other Initiates of the Order, they were given too much slack in their duties. If they had time to gossip about the newest appointed Master and feel bad for him for having to do his job, their priorities might need to be refocused back to how they could benefit each other instead.
Please donate a portion of your essential energies to sustain this fiction.
The ritual involved only takes a moment over at Top Web Fiction and does not require any sign-in or log-in.
The ritual involved only takes a moment over at Top Web Fiction and does not require any sign-in or log-in.
These energies are wiped away every week, so sustained energies on this ritual would be most appreciated.
Thank you for your sacrifices to allow us to take over your worl-... Erm, to keep this story going.
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