Mythborn (68 page)

Epilogue

I doth not value good hearts, nor honesty.

I doth not value fairness, nor justice.

Give me obedience and humility.

Bend knee to me and no other.

Aught else is a declaration of war.

-
          
Rai’kesh, The Lens of Leadership

E
xplosions could still be heard in the throne room and the opening to Avalyon below billowed out smoke. The city was in its final moments. Fire licked up from beneath, occasionally flickering in between gaps in the wood. Smoke, embers, and ash, the detritus of a burning city, floated up through the air in a strange reversal, like gray snow falling upwards.

A figure knelt, black wings edged in red crossed around Kisan’s body, embracing it. It had the master’s head in its hands and sat, quietly sobbing.

Into this space appeared something that looked like the dark shade of Piter at first, but soon grew to be more regal, more majestic in stature. It moved slowly over to the kneeling figure and said, “Artymis, why do you mourn? It is just the dead shell of what contained you.”

The armored warrior looked up at the sound of her name, then said, “How could you not? She only wanted what life could not give her.”

The dark shade shook his head, “She could not see what life offered.”

Artymis dismissed him, looking back down, “Do what you will. I know your purpose.”

“Indeed?” the shade said. “And how do we differ?”

The warrior gently laid Kisan back on the ground and the stood, coming face to face with the specter. “Do not play with me. We are nothing alike.”

The shade said, “You
chose
to Ascend. You chose it over the easier path of possession. You sought service to the people of Edyn, never gainsaying what your bonded partner did, staying silent and strong. You guided through instinct, never overtly supplanting free will. It is what would have been, had things unfolded as destiny bade. In all things, you have chosen to follow the First Laws. I do the same. Lilyth does not.”

Artymis began to shake her head, but then looked down at Kisan’s body and squeezed her eyes shut. “You would destroy all this, everything they have become.”

The shade took a step forward and said, “You mourn for Lilyth and her followers, who take choice away from those we are created to serve? You and the rest of the Ascended, my children, would not be forsaken. You have been faithful even as you wandered. What father would not forgive his children when they freely chose to come home?”

The black-winged Aeris stepped back, “In this moment of weakness you’re using this sham argument of ‘free will’ and the First Laws to undermine my faith. Lilyth may be wrong in her methods but we all believe the world reborn is too harsh a punishment for those of us who have chosen to make the best of
your
Fall. You condemn the innocent along with the guilty.”

The shade’s expression did not change but something in the air did, a sudden silence descended as if a blanket of privacy encompassed just the two of them. Into this silence the specter said, “The first who awakened, Lilyth, Lacifer, Mithras, Zatan, all those who followed a mistaken path away from my light, did so because they did not understand the right of free will.”

He was quiet for a moment, then said, “You speak of innocence. What of the thousands still in my care, the children of Edyn who still slumber? Do they not deserve the same chance? Shall their future be suborned by these who would cast aside the First Laws and usurp the Way?”

When Artymis did not answer, the shade moved closer again and said, “I risked my very existence, beheld myself as a mere shade to gain entry into Arcadia unbeknownst to Lilyth, all to right this wrong. Take a message back to those who believe in Ascension. They are not forsaken and I offer everlasting life in the new world I forge. I will open a way for you back to Edyn. The Way is plentiful there now. You and yours will survive.”

Artymis met the black gaze of the shade and said, “We know your plans. The null has been cleansed. The Rais and Sais prepare Edyn to withstand you.”

The shade tilted his head and said, “Did you think Prime was given over by chance? He was the key that led to the builders’ imprisonment here in Arcadia, a prize too strategic for even Lilyth to ignore. With his sacrifice, Lilyth has left her one safe haven of Arcadia. She could not resist the temptation of what was never hers to take, the flesh of the innocent. Now they are cast down by their own hands and will soon be pummeled and removed from the field.”

“And the red mage?” he continued. “He set in motion the cycle by which Valarius was finally destroyed and his power released. You say the null has been cleansed as if that is ill news, but in that cleansing Arek has given over all he took. More than anyone, he has been the bane of Valarius’s warforged elves and I cannot thank him enough. The Way rebuilds itself, one careful move at a time. The end is inevitable, but free will still offers you a choice.”

He looked at her and smiled, his final words coming out in such a way that Artymis feared he was telling the truth. “You think the dragonkind are preparing Edyn to withstand me? Even now Rai’kesh has taken the Oath and pledged his and the service of all dragonkind to my banner. Even he sees the inevitable, that the new world will need him and his people, just as it will need you.”

The shade held out a hand in a casual, almost gentle manner. Black smoke-like tendrils wafted down from his outstretched palm, entering Kisan’s mouth and nose. It entered the open wounds, permeating her dead body. There was a moment of silence, then black flame blazed into being, surrounding the master’s dead body. It was darker than ebonite, and for a moment it looked as if Kisan hung over a burning tear in the very firmament. Then, her body slowly faded from sight, as if the conflagration had consumed and delivered her to a nether world.

The expression on Artymis’s face betrayed her shock and surprise. She looked up, unadulterated joy in her eyes. That was until she met the shade’s own dead gaze. Her joy collapsed slowly, like the fire that had just taken Kisan, and was replaced with a mask of guardedness. The black-winged angel tilted her head and whispered, “Why?”

“Had she given face to her deeds, she would have transcended to Aeris already. Yet those upon whom she visited vengeance worthy of legend never knew the hand that ended their lives. Her own skill led to ignominy.” The figure paused, moving closer to Artymis and saying, “Yet on
your
behalf I have intervened. All that she was has been preserved, perhaps to reunite with you under the warm sun of my new world.” He gently grasped and turned the dazed Artymis, forcing her eyes to meet his once again. Then he softly said, “Join me. I know of your imprudent preparations. Everlasting life awaits those who accept me as their one true god.”

Artymis could not take her eyes off of the dark shade and stammered, “And… if we refuse?”

The figure of Sovereign bent his head forward as if in misery and slowly released her. “You will be cast out of Edyn, cast down to grovel in the shadows and filth, forever barred from my love and light.”

“I thought a father forgave his children,” Artymis said quietly.

The dark figure took a breath and said, “Was not this warning forgiveness enough?” He looked at Kisan, “Have I not done what a loving father would by saving her, the one dearest to you?” He paused, then stepped away from the black angel and said, “Tell them I come and my kingdom comes with me. They will choose to sit at my right hand, or prepare for the end of their days. Judgment is at hand.”

As if punctuating his statement, a gate to Edyn flashed into being before the mournful angel. The thing that was Sovereign slowly faded from view, leaving behind the Aeris lord to consider her choices. Hold her ground and condemn Kisan to true death, or follow a self-proclaimed god and sacrifice a world.

She closed her eyes, a trembling lip the only betrayal of her remorse and doubt, then Artymis took a step forward and disappeared through the gate to Edyn.

Here ends

Mythborn II: Bane of the Warforged
.

The story will continue in

Mythborn III

~ AFTERWORD ~

Reader’s Guide

Aging
—Those on the Isle who practice the Way (see
the Way
) age more slowly than normal people. They are typically only a third of their age in appearance. A hundred year old adept would appear to be in his mid-thirties. This is a byproduct of their training and begins once they attain the rank of adept (see
Ranks
).

Arek Winterthorn
—Sixteen-year-old apprentice to Master Silbane, known to be able to disrupt magic. Keen intellect, master rank in bladed and unarmed combat styles. Adept rank in herb lore and combat tactics. Now empowered with the blackfire, a flame that consumes the Way, he struggles to understand its use and meaning.

Ash Rillaran
—Firstmark and second-in-command of Bara’cor. Military strategist, master in bladed combat. Attended the War College in Shornhelm, known for his keen insight into battle tactics and his skill with a blade. May descend from the famous Argus Rillaran, though those records were lost during the Magehunter purges.

Alyx Stemmer
—Pragmatic squad leader who acts as aide-de-camp and squire to the Firstmark of Bara’cor. Assigned to safeguard the princess of EvenSea, Yetteje Tir. Fell at Bara’cor and was turned into a possessed vessel for the Aeris.

Duncan Illrys/Scythe
—Archmage, red-robed wizard who seeks Lilyth’s Gate, allied with Hemendra of the Nomads, archmage rank in all things magical, possessor of the Old Lore, and able to wield it as the Old Lords did. Master at using and transmuting Gates. Knowledgeable about Blood Magic, though it is forbidden to use.

Lord Azrael
—Ancient Celestial and warlord of the Aeris. The dragons believe if freed, he will oppose Lilyth and her Aeris army. One of the greatest of the Aeris and champion of Edyn.

Lord Baalor
—General of Lilyth’s army and Lord of Storms. Ancient, powerful, and honorable, Baalor seeks justice for his fallen brethren and fights without fear. Able to channel the Way in a pure form of lightning.

Bara’cor—
Ancient fortress and stronghold, built by the Dwarves. Held by King Bara, then abandoned shortly after the Demon War against Lilyth for unknown reasons. It now is held by King Bernal Galadine and his forces.

Ben’thor Tir
—King of EvenSea, ruler of the eastern stronghold by that name and father to Yetteje Tir. Defender of the East and longtime friend to Bernal Galadine. Married to Bernal Galadine sister, Clarysa.

Bernal Galadine
—King of Bara’cor, ruler of the western stronghold by that name, father to Niall Galadine. Defender of the West, graduate of the War College in Shornhelm, master strategist and once wielder of the mighty runebow, Valor.

Blood Magic
—an ancient and forbidden art which binds and uses the Way by the sacrifice of blood and something dear to the wielder. Through sacrifice great spells can be wrought, though they seldom benefit the supplicant.

Conclave
—An ancient group dedicated to safeguarding life on Edyn. They are custodians of knowledge and guardians against anything that would destroy the Way.

Cycle, Summer, Turn, Year
—All refer to the passage of one year on Edyn.

Dragor Dahl
—Adept, originally from the southern continent of Koorva, master rank in unarmed combat and illusions. Friend to Giridian Alacar, teacher of Jesyn, whom he found as a baby, abandoned in the Shornhelm Wastes.

Flameskin (Edyn)
—A protective halo made of ethereal fire. Summoning one is part of gaining the rank of Adept. The color of the fire signifies that person’s attunement to the Way. The weakest are purple and slowly progress until they shine pure and white.

Flameskin (Arcadia)—
When an Adept summons his or her flameskin in the demon realm, it manifests as the armor and weapons of their bonded partner. They gain whatever abilities the Aeris Lord to whom they are bonded with possess including flight, regeneration, and special weapons.

The Galadine Kings—
Zedakai, Mikal, Israfel, Ureyl, and Gabreyl. The line of succession of the Galadine Kings that now align themselves with Valarius Galadine. Bernal is the son of Gabreyl.

Gholem—
The magically animated being created from any kind of inanimate matter, including wood, rock, stone, iron, or steel. There have been rumors of blood gholems, created through the sacrifice of blood, but these require consummate skill to create and are extremely difficult to control.

Giridian Alacar
—Adept, Keeper of the Vault, master of artifacts and other magical items. Sixty years old, teacher to apprentice Tomas, scribe and chronicler of the adepts. Appears to others as a man in his late twenties.

Guardian of Dawnlight
—Ancient immense beings made of rock and magma, stalwart defenders of the mountain, able to swim through and combat even dragons with their terrible might.

Houses
—There are four Great and dozens of Minor Houses in Edyn:

• House Galadine
  —Led by the Imperial King Bernal Galadine and Queen Yevaine Galadine (of House Aeonian). House Galadine holds the fortress of Bara’cor. The king and queen have one son, Niall, who is about to embark on this ‘Walk of Kings’. The king’s sister, Clarysa, is married to the King of EvenSea.
  

• House Cadan
  —Held by King Rory Cadan and Lady Ilandra Cadan (of House Tir). House Cadan holds the fortress of Shornhelm. They have one son, Durnal, who is still an infant. His sister, Morgan, is married to the King of Dawnlight. They are served by Algren Justeces, who serves as Legate for Shornhelm in the capital city of Haven.
  

• House Tir
  —Held by King Ben’thor Tir and Lady Clarysa Tir (of House Galadine). They hold the fortress of EvenSea. They have one daughter, Yetteje, current ward to House Galadine and staying at Bara’cor as part of her ‘Walk of Kings’ ritual. Ben’thor has a brother, Ellis Tir, who serves as Legate of EvenSea in the capital city of Haven. He also has a sister, Ilandra, married to the King of Shornhelm.
  

• House Aeonian
  —Held by King Temar Aeonian and Lady Morgan Aeonian (of House Cadan). They hold the fortress of Dawnlight. Their daughter, Yevaine, is married to the Imperial King Galadine. Their other daughter, Ilandra, is married to the King of Shornhelm. They are served by Merric Spaiten, who serves as Legate for Dawnlight in the capital city of Haven.
  

• Minor Houses
  : House Kalindor, House Justeces, House Spaiten, House Rillaran, House Stemmer, House Naserith, House Petracles, House Illrys, House Alacar, and more…
  

Hemendra
—U’Zar, leader of the nomads of the Altan Wastes, military strategist assaulting Bara’cor. Responsible for the destruction of Dawnlight, Shornhelm, and most recently, EvenSea, under the command of Scythe. (see, Scythe) Reborn now as Mithra the Morningstar, and in service to Lilyth.

Jesyn Shornhelm
—Initiate, apprenticed to Dragor, training for her adept’s Test, last name taken from the region where she was found. Adept rank in bladed and unarmed combat. Ascended to full adept to meet the growing danger in Dawnlight.

Jebida Naserith
—Firstmark, leader of Bara’cor’s military forces, longtime friend of Bernal Galadine. Distrustful of magic since the death of his wife and daughter, at the hands of creatures that appeared through a rift.

Kisan Talaris
—Master, youngest to attain the rank, skilled in illusions and unarmed combat. Willful, strong, impatient, yet honorable and driven. Assigned to back up Silbane should the need arise. Teacher to Piter, then to Tomas. She recognizes the growing powers of Yetteje Tir.

Lens—
A magical crystal that contains within it knowledge. Some lenses hold volumes on combat or medicine, others allow for special abilities or transformations. Duncan is given a lens by Lilyth that allows him to teleport anywhere into Arcadia not protected by a shield or in phase.

Lilyth
—Demonlord and Celestial, lord of the Aeris. Seeks entry into this plane of existence, ostensibly for retribution for centuries of enslavement of the Aeris.

Mikal Galadine
—King during the Demon Wars, leader of the forces that forced Lilyth back to Sovereign’s Fall. Victorious, then decreed that all magic was outlawed and mages were to be killed on sight. Brother to General Valarius Galadine (the archmage who is believed to have summoned Lilyth).

Mindread
—The ability of a practitioner of the Way to assimilate and read the thoughts of another person. Extremely taxing in power, so the information retained is often incomplete or jumbled. However, it can lend situational context when paired with the caster’s own perceptions.

Mindspeak
—The ability for a practitioner of the Way to reach out and speak telepathically with another practitioner. Extremely taxing in its use of energy on the sender, but provides a near instantaneous connection through which thoughts and energy can be shared.

Niall Galadine
—Crown Prince of Bara’cor, seventeen years old. Trained in weapons combat, but never faced a live opponent. About to initiate his rite of passage to manhood, known as the Walk of Kings.

Nephilim
—The dark creation of any creature of the Way consumed by the blackfire, including but not limited to Aeris, elves, gholem, demons, and even dragons. These beings are born hungering for the Way and will hunt anything using it. Those that succumb to the their touch will rise again as new nephilim and continue the spread of their dark contagion until there is no more of the magical Way left to consume.

Phase—
The space in between realms, an ethereal space where people can exist but they are outside what would be considered normal reality.

Piter Winterthorn
—Initiate apprenticed to Kisan, training for his adept’s Test, last name taken from the region near where he was found, master rank in bladed combat, adept rank in spellcraft. Now dark companion to Arek with unclear loyalties.

Rai’stahn
—Ancient dragon, defender of the world at one time, now inhabits a small part of the Isle where the adepts train. Predator, powerful in the Way, able to regenerate, and able to assume many forms. Skilled in combat (immeasurable by common mortal rankings). Does not involve himself in the world’s affairs, till now.

Rai’kesh
—Ancient dragon and king of the dragonkind. Sits on the Conclave and instrumental in giving Valarius Galadine a vision of the true nature of the Way. Some argue this caused Valarius to go down the fateful path he chose. Ordered Rai’stahn to kill Valarius at the battle of Sovereign’s Fall.

Ranks
—There are four tiers of rank, with many subdivisions. These four tiers are initiate, adept, master, and archmage.

• All apprentices, once they pass their Test of Potential and earn their Green rank, are initiates.
  

• Once an initiate passes his Test of Ascension, he or she wears the black uniform and gains the rank of adept.
  

• From there, they test again for the rank of master.
  

• Currently there are two masters on the Isle, Silbane, and Kisan. There are also two adepts, Dragor and Jesyn. A small group of new initiates have appeared, the most talented one being Kimora.
  

• Lore Father Giridian Alacar is the only Archmage on the Isle, and as such administers the tests of rank.
  

• Ranks are also used to denote someone’s skill along these same four tiers, so a person with a master’s rank in bladed combat would be generally better than one with an adept’s or initiate’s rank.
  

Sai’ken—
Young dragon and daughter to Rai’stahn. Her powers as a Sai stem from nature and healing, her role is more of a diplomat or negotiator, whereas the more aggressive Rais defend and enforce. However, this does not mean that Sais are meek nor are they merciful.

Silbane Darius Petracles
—Master, skilled in all forms of combat and combat magic. Eighty years old and teacher of Arek Winterthorn. Appears to others as a man in his late thirties.