Age of arrogance, p.19
Age of Arrogance, page 19
The room rumbled again. Maybe it wasn’t the alcohol? The bartender and some of the inhabitants started to flicker. No. The time for hope had ended. “You win. I’m ready, Ermias. Perhaps I’ve been ready for ages.”
“Oh?” she said with a snicker. “What happened to the man claiming to be a mountain? ‘I will not leave this realm, until I am worthy of the mountain she saw in me.’ If I may speak truthfully in a room of lies, you are a grave, not a mountain.”
“I was always a mountain, but one of sorrow and shame. Will you leap with me? Even… if you’re not her… I…give me this.”
“Of course, my sweet David. All you had to do was ask.” The smile on her face faded as the room rumbled again. Whatever it was, David had no time for such things. It would all be over soon. Even if there was no afterlife, just the idea of rest was more beautiful than he was willing to bear.
Time never made sense with the blur of intoxication. They arrived at the balcony, but it was…different than his time from Alanammus. No birds, no clouds, no unicorns frolicking on the plains. Just darkness. Layers and layers of darkness.
And that was okay.
“Before I leave you,” David said, leaning against the balcony. “Serenna and Zeen…let them be happy. Give them the ending I never had. Please.” He nearly fell over as the room rumbled again. Was it truly the wine?
A pity she couldn’t look him in the eyes. Illusion or not, Melissa’s face would have been the perfect send-off. For whatever reason, she appeared nervous. “Consider it done. Whatever you want. No more words, David. It's time to—”
Rumble was too soft a word. The entire half of the room shattered, with two glowing entities rushing towards them as David fell to the ground. Gods they were terrible. One was an angel-looking thing that soared towards Arrogance, and the other…the other…
David curled up on the ground and closed his eyes. He could take no more lies, no more nightmares. Any time he had agreed to accept the end, something interfered. A rough, rather large hand held him by the shoulder. Whatever it was, it held the power to crush him into pieces. “Leave me,” David yelled. “Please, leave me. I can’t… I just can’t.”
“You can, Child of Tradition. And you must.”
“No!” Another lie. Lies on top of lies. When would his punishment be enough? Was it because Noelami favored him? It had always been a relationship of understanding, never attraction. She understood. They had suffered together, two Guardians of different ages, navigating a realm tortured by lies and violence. “Liar, dreamer, whomever you are, leave me to my end.”
“I shall not. Death may be the end, Guardian, but Strength is the now.”
A terrible chill came over David as the hand left his shoulder. Even if it wasn’t real, to be comforted by anything was a blessing. He rolled over and opened his eyes to the most glorious sight he had ever seen. Sardonyx, fully armored, unicorn by his side, stood over him. The glow…the glow. It was him. No lie could ever dare be so beautiful. “Sardonyx? You came for me? Truly?”
“Forgive me, I could not break the barrier without her assistance. You are free. I swear on your mightiest human oaths, you are free, and I shall protect you.”
“Her? Does that mean…” It did. Fear clashed against Arrogance by the bar. His blurry vision had no ability to follow the bright flashes crashing against each other. Fortunately, screams never blur. Arrogance’s yells were filled with pain. Gods, let him die. All the realm’s problems could fade away if he just died.
All the flashes and loud noises were too much. David rolled over, looking at Sardonyx but refusing to meet his eyes. How pathetic he must have appeared to the honorable god above him—
“How dare you flee from me?” Noelami’s voice. “Let us finish it here! Our war has always been on a battleground of lies. Fine. We are coming for you, Ermias. All of us. We shall bury you and your illusions in an icy grave.”
David tried to laugh but nothing happened. Arrogance had vanished and, with him, Melissa. He didn’t want to weep. To weep in front of Noelami and Sardonyx would be mortifying. But…he was free. The nightmare was over. What started off as tears descended into wailing. All those months wasted, drinking in isolation through the taunts and torments of a monster.
“Is he…okay?” asked Fear. They met eyes for a split second and then she never looked away from Sardonyx. The gods spoke some words to each other, but it was impossible to follow. “Fine. Whenever you’re ready, bring him to Mylor. Serenna will provide him with the proper accommodations.”
“Mylor? No, not Mylor,” David said, his words slurring. “They can’t…she can’t…see me like this. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for freeing me. But I’m ready to leave this realm.”
“Perhaps, human, but the realm is not prepared for your departure.”
“The loss…it's too much. You wouldn’t understand.”
“I lost my son. Human traditions are still foreign to me, but loss is a catalyst that burdens every race. We do not need to leave immediately. I cannot give you forever, but I can promise now.” Sardonyx reached out his hand and, after some agonizing moments, David accepted and rose.
The weeping stopped, but tears still flowed down his cheeks. It was nearly comical that Sardonyx’s grip was so soft. “Thank you—”
“Shh. No words. Just walk with me towards the darkness.”
“But why?”
“Neither of us are leaving here until we agree the darkness cannot harm us. Come.”
He clutched Sardonyx’s hand, taking a deep breath to try to stop the spinning. It didn’t work—it never does—but Sardonyx guided him forward. “Serenna… Arrogance said she was a Vanguard and that Vaynex fell. Was it all lies?”
“Not all. Serenna is alive and well. My home…not so much. It all converges on Terrangus. Alanammus already marches forward; once Mylor breaks the siege and joins them, we can destroy the Arrogant One and liberate the realm. You deserve rest, Guardian. More rest than I could possibly give you. However, I must demand your service one last time. Not for me, not for the realm, but for Zeen. Tempest always favored the boy. I will not sit back and allow such evil to manifest.”
He nearly smirked. A year ago, David had tried to usher in a realm without gods. A fool’s task of course. The realm didn’t need to exist without all the gods. Just one.
And he would be happy to do it.
Chapter 34
We Have a God to Kill
Serenna’s head throbbed as she lay in her bed. A lack of sleep, a terrible diet, and really, life in general had been paying the price for months of neglect. Breaking the siege would be unlikely, if not impossible. It spoke volumes to the honor of Mylor and the sheer determination from war after war that her people were willing to try.
“Arise, Guardian. Bloom and the gold cloaks are enroute to Terrangus,” Fear said through her thoughts. The goddess had a surprisingly gentle voice, though it made Serenna yearn to hear Valor’s yelling, if only one last time. “The time has come. There is still a considerable force within the bastion, but many of them have portaled back home in anticipation of the upcoming assault. And, as I promised, the false Guardians have been stationed in Xavian.”
Another failed day of rest. Serenna yawned and forced herself up. “Understood.” While it was the desired outcome, that meant no reunion with Zeen. Perhaps for the best…
“I considered not telling you, but if this alliance is to function, a communication of truth must exist. Zeen was left in Terrangus—I presume as a tactic against you. Whatever your feelings for the boy, cast them aside. He, along with everything else corrupted by Ermias, must be burned to ashes and grown anew.”
“We have conflicting opinions on what it is to save, Goddess. In the spirit of our newfound honesty, understand that Zeen will be returned to me. No other result is acceptable.” One of the advantages of exhaustion was how it diminished the power of fear. Both the feeling, and the goddess—
The door to Serenna’s chambers slammed shut, a tactic apparently popular among angry goddesses. She grabbed her staff and stepped back towards the wall. “Do your worst, Goddess. If you can read my fears, you’ll find yourself very low on that list.”
“This is difficult for me to ask, so choose your next actions carefully. Tradition and I have rescued David. I am sending him to you and only you. He requires many things, all of which you will provide. The most important is discretion. His pride is wounded but his body is not yet slain. Ensure such an outcome does not come to pass. Defy me at your own risk.”
Before she could sort through any of that information, a portal erupted on the other side of her bed. An outline of a man appeared. By Valor’s grace, was it truly David? The only evidence David still lived was the labored breaths as he collapsed to the ground. His color had faded, his beard took up most of his face, and…he was weightless. All his bones were visible, with most of his clothing torn to shreds.
“David?” she said, rushing over to hold him. “Oh David, what have they done to you?” The stench was unholy. It took all of her restraint not to gag, but she would not dare show her old leader such disrespect. Her first thought was to summon guards and get him some help, but Fear had demanded discretion. Unfortunately, it was easy to see why.
David stared at her with his glassy eyes, but instead of smiling at the sight of a friend, he began weeping. “No… I said no. Not here. You were never meant to see me this way. Don’t… don’t look at me.”
“Before we faced Harbinger Tempest, you said I was a daughter to you. It was the proudest moment of my life. If those words meant as much to you as they meant to me, then respectfully, be silent and let me heal my second father.”
Forgive me, Dad, she thought, but certainly, he would’ve understood. She rushed over to the barrels of water and, one-by-one, emptied them into her bath. The water was damned cold, but David wasn’t in a position to complain. It was harrowing to help him stand and let him lean on her as they walked to the bath. He weighed nothing. Nothing. The barrels of water had been heavier.
“No…” he said, as she removed the remainder of his clothing. He groaned as his pants came off but he was helpless to resist. Life returned to his eyes after being placed in the water. He shivered, groaned, but thankfully, didn’t speak.
She made no mention of how the water lost its clarity mere moments after his submerging. She grabbed her jug of lemon-scented oils and poured it over his body. “Can you move?”
“Y-yes.”
“Get comfortable and rub the oils all over. Give me a moment and I will return with water, food, and some new clothing. Can I trust you to be alone?”
His silence didn’t inspire confidence, but he eventually said, “No need to worry. Every time I approach the end, some god or goddess stands in the way.” If that was supposed to be a joke, she didn’t laugh. “Apologies. Water and bread would be divine. As for clothing…leather please. My days of wearing anything heavy have long faded.”
“You shall have it.” She kissed his forehead and left the room, towards the grand hall. Several quick salutes made the trip more awkward than necessary. Her soldiers were probably anxiously awaiting words of inspiration for the upcoming battle, but even with her home on the line, David came first.
“Senator Morgan?” asked Martin, rushing up from his table as she entered the room. “I thought we had until nightfall before the assault. Is all well? You appear frazzled.”
“Indeed…to both questions. I require water, bread, and a fresh leather armor for a man of a slim, tall build. And find Lady Sophia and have her sent to my chambers at once.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What aren’t you telling me?”
It was a fair question, but she glared at him anyway. “Captain, must I remind you of the power dynamic here? Your purpose is to be an extension of my will. We will not reclaim the bastion if you question the most simple of my commands.”
“Yes, Senator,” he said, keeping his head down.
She took a deep breath. It was meant to release some of the stress but none of it left. “Martin, forgive me. When your task is complete, I shall join you outside the bastion. To the best of your abilities, ensure that everyone is prepared.”
“There is nothing to forgive. The severity of our situation is hitting all of us. Today is the day we liberate our home! Serenna, if this is the end, I…”
“It is indeed the end, but for them. I will not entertain the idea of defeat. Whatever words you wish to tell me, speak them within our reclaimed bastion.” Some admissions are better to never be spoken out loud. Hints are often free, and it would be in Martin’s best interest to take this one.
A pang of terror swirled in her gut as she opened the door to her chambers. To her enormous relief, David was still in the bath, alive and well, seemingly relaxed as she entered. He glanced at her and said, “Forget the bread?”
“All accommodations are enroute. Do you recall Lady Sophia? She will attend to your every need in my absence.”
He sighed. “I suppose I have no choice in the matter? Sardonyx had mentioned a war against Terrangus. Must you leave so soon?”
“Consider this the war before the war. Many aspects of our plan depend on tonight’s victory. David, if I never see you again, swear on your life you will find a way to prevail. I cannot leave our realm in the hands of Arrogance. He took my father, my goddess, and my Zeen away from me. For that, and countless other crimes, he must die.”
“The only thing I swear, is that when all is said and done, I will stand over the shattered mask of Arrogance.”
“David, you—”
“It will be me!” he yelled, splashing water out of his bath. “Arrogance appeared to me as Melissa. The fucking audacity of it. You will have your Zeen, and I will have my vengeance. Am I clear, Senator?”
“It's Guardian, not Senator. Rest up and regain your strength. We have a god to kill.”
*
Serenna stood outside the bastion in the moonlight, fully armored and wielding the Wings of Mylor. Of course it would rain before a battle against the forces of Terrangus. It felt odd to call them that, for this was not the Terrangus of years past with a melee-heavy front and weaker magic support. Vanguards were superior to her own forces in ranged combat, but less than ideal up close. It had taken an unfortunate amount of time and lives to alter the strategy enough to account for that.
Her army stepped aside as she made her way to the front. The wind blew her hair and cape to the side. Like most Mylor evenings, there was a temperate chill. It calmed her nerves to some extent, but even if it was snowing, she would still sweat before a battle. Each step up the stairs brought a conflicting clash of memories. Before she had become a Guardian, or even a soldier, life was a simple and carefree existence. Father hadn’t even become senator yet. For Serenna, those days had long ended but, for her people, their days had yet to be written. Let the children of tomorrow forge their own happy memories within this bastion.
“Soldiers of Mylor,” she yelled from the bastion entrance. It was near impossible that her entire army would be able to hear her voice, but the words themselves didn’t matter—it was the confidence in how the message was delivered. “For most of you, damned near all of you, this is not the first time you are tasked with protecting Mylor. Allow me to be brief, for every moment the enemy lingers within our home is time stolen from our families and brethren. We are not here to regain ground, not here to fortify a position for future assaults. We are here for complete and utter annihilation. No mercy. No prisoners. Let them beg Arrogance for answers before the darkness claims them. The only truth they will learn from us is the one I hold dear: Mylor has never fallen. Her mountains are stained red from the blood of those who tried.”
Serenna clutched her staff and erupted into her empowered form. It wasn’t the most efficient use of energy, but her people cheered. “The time for words has ended. Take hold of your staff or blade, and relish the opportunity to tell future generations you slayed the army of a divine tyrant. Now come.” She refreshed her shield, then walked through the open doors to the only room in the bastion still under their hold. “Follow your captains through your respected corridors. Push them out. Let their only taste of Serenity be of their own blood.”
She raised her staff in the air, then her army charged through. The boom of fire blasts immediately followed and, unfortunately, screams and shattered crystals. There are none more brave or driven than those at the head of a charge. Her melee heavy team rushed forward, not wavering in the face of heavy casualties.
Serenna secured a position behind one of the largest pillars in the grand hall and set up a platinum barrier, with four other crystal mages around her. A few more would have been ideal, but spreading out had been the most efficient strategy against fire. Screams made it difficult to concentrate. Unlike most battles, they only came from her own people, so instead of the mercy of never knowing voices, each scream was one more friend she would never see again.
It was harrowing to see zephum Vanguards. Thankfully, none had ever used magic, but it made reaching the casters more costly. Defense was not the strategy. Serenna forged several tiny crystal spikes and launched them forward, prioritizing the zephum. Aside from being the largest targets, their existence was a mockery. Poor Sardonyx, to see his people used in such a disgraceful manner…
She flinched as her barrier shattered. Even though the axe-wielding zephum had a clear path to kill the other mages, he charged straight towards Serenna. Spike or shield? she thought, then forged a new crystal spike.
The zephum made no effort to dodge as the spike impaled him through the chest. Even as he collapsed, his face was filled with utter boredom. More screams. More crashes. A cacophony of violence smothered her from every direction. She refreshed her shield and raised a new barrier. It was impossible to pinpoint an attack coming from everywhere.
Two zephum warriors were slamming their sword against her barrier, not bothering to acknowledge the Mylor soldiers rushing over to stop them. They were so numb and mindless, it was like facing demons.
