Final War

[Orlan]

[Note: This story contains characters previously seen in other stories, check the Critic's Corner thread for other "light" reading]

 

Navien pushed off from the rock as he sped through the forest, his pursuit was going quickly but the criminal he was chasing was proving quite able. The forest itself whispered to him which way his prey went; Navien could feel his trail more than he could see it. Yet the forest would not do anything to hinder the man Navien followed, which the guard thought to be odd. Usually Navien would be able to bend the magic in the forest to his will, but not this time. Navien did not put too much thought into it right now, though; he had more important things to do.

 

He was roused in the middle of the night by the alarm. The Seeress was in trouble. He and his twin sister Arela were the first of the Prophet’s Guard to reach her chamber. The two guards posted to the Seeress’ chamber were dead, and for a moment he feared the worse for the Seeress. Thankfully she was unharmed, though the assailant had indeed been in her room. The Seeress was awoken by the sound of breaking glass as he fled from the room. Navien took off moments after he arrived, his sister stayed with the seeress while the rest of the Prophet’s Guard were alerted.

 

Have you caught to him yet, brother? Navien heard his sister ask, their magical link was there, though the further away they were the weaker it became. Navien paused for a moment on the branch of a tree he launched himself on to. He could hear the rustle of the forest before him and could make out the outline of someone.

 

Yes, sister, he is almost within my grasp, Navien replied. He launched himself down the to forest floor and stepped up his pursuit. His prey was moving quickly, but not fast enough for Navien.

 

The Seeress says he is to die. She does not want anyone to know about this attack on her, they might begin to doubt, Arela said. Navien nodded to himself. The seeress was correct, if others knew of a dissention against her holiness, things would go sour fast.

 

Consider it done. Navien willed the forest open to him. The trees and bushes in front of him parted, opening up a path to his target. The forest did not seem to want to work against his target but the forest did respond to a call of one of its masters. Navien reached behind him and pulled a couple daggers from his bandolier and took focus on the flapping cloak of the man now clearly running before him. His target turned and glanced back at Navien but the guard was unable to get a good look at his face but he could sense the anxiousness. Fortunately for Navien that was the target’s outdoing.

 

Navien launched the daggers at the man and watched with a smile as the man flinched his arms back and grabbed at where the daggers hit. The blow of the daggers and awkward motions caused the man to tumble, and then he vanished from view. Navien laughed to himself and launched himself to where the target last was. He stood on the Edge of Oblivion, looking down at a body falling down the edge of a cliff. He winced as he saw the body strike jagged rocks on the way down, his arms flailing and the sound of bones cracking. The Edge was a waterfall, several hundreds of feet in length that was deep in the heart of the forest. The body was falling down the side without the waterfall.

 

For good measure, Navien drew two more daggers from his bandolier and sent them sailing after the now helpless tumbling corpse. The daggers struck hard, causing the body to go into a spin, smashing his head against a jutting rock. Navien had to wince again.

 

“Ouch,” he said to himself. Navien watched the body finally drop the last distance into the deep pool far below the Edge with a large splash. He stood watching over the cliff as the ripples of the splash finally calmed down from the impact; the only churning of the water now was from the falling water. Navien did not see the body, but with what manner of beasts that lived in the churning water, he was not surprised. When enough time had passed to assure the guard that the man was truly dead, Navien smirked to himself and turned back, heading for his sister and the seeress.

 

He’s done, Navien sent to his sister.

 

Are you sure?

 

Yes, Navien replied with a little chuckle to his sister. He’s not breathing anymore.

 

* * *

 

Rysabella stood on the churning water of the pool, staring up and watching the guard who had led their pursuit. Though, when she thought about it, she did not really stand, as much as exist a hands breath above the top of the water. She had been dead for many years and as much as she would like to delude herself from time to time, she has not done anything physical since then. Being dead also meant that the guard never noticed her just over the pool, watching him with calculating eyes.

 

“He’s gone,” she said. There was a few moments of nothing until slowly, at the edge of the pool, a man rose out from the water, not breathing hard, despite the amount of time he was under the water. He was, in fact, not breathing at all. Breathing was something Taleth the Black gave up long ago. She glanced over at him as he pulled himself up to shore. His cloak was shredded as some unsuspecting water beast had attempted to make a lunch of him moments earlier but the assassin was not damaged in the least. He was, after all, immortal. Immortality did not hide the anxiety in his bearing as he looked up to the top of the cliff. It had been the fist time in a century that the assassin seemed anxious.

 

“We have a problem,” Taleth said, his voice soft but steel.

 

“What happened back there, Taleth?” Rysabella asked, turning her full attention to the assassin. She watched him look down in his hand. Taleth held the four daggers their pursuer had thrown at him. He felt their weight in his hand, hefting them and looking thoughtfully at the top of the cliff.

 

“I don’t know,” Taleth said. “I really, don’t know.” Rysabella frowned thoughtfully at him. This was not like Taleth. Something was no in his control, and from an immortal assassin, control was everything.

 

“What do we need to do now then?” Rysabella asked. She knew most likely what the answer was going to be, but sometimes it helped to talk things out loud.

 

“Mellara needs to know,” Taleth said. “And we might as well tell Dayane,” he added as an afterthought. Rysabella agreed, Mellara, royal sorceress of the lands, needed to know about this as soon as possible.

 

“We need a plan, Taleth,” Rysabella said. “This is big.” Taleth turned to Rysabella and she knew he was already working through a dozen possibilities in his head.

 

“I know,” he said. “I’ll see what I can come up with; we have to get moving now though.” With that he pocketed the daggers and took off to the east. Rysabella spared once last glance at the top of the cliff and then she too vanished.

 

* * *

 

 

Queen Dayane Chromia, bearer of the Crown of Life, Keeper of the Kingdoms, considered one of the most powerful women in the known world, was once again, as usual, bored witless. It happened a lot to her even since she became the queen. The romantic ideals of the former rebel of what a queen’s life was like were whole heartedly shattered by a nearly abysmal reality. Never, in her wildest of wildest dreams could she imagine the reign of a ruler as so tedious. Every little detail needed her attention in some shape or another. She was at least able to have some help with them all.

 

Her main help with the tedious matters now sat in his chair, a few steps down from the throne in the royal hall, the room Dayane spent most of her time in, listening to various people from various places talk about various things and then have her make various situations. Orthar, her grandfather and the man who raised her after her parents died in a blight, shook his head and continued arguing with the representative of the Duke of Joeant, a minor duchy from far south. She had appointed Orthar as her main advisor for more than the reason that he was her grandfather. Though his body may be aged, his mind was sharp as ever and back when they were trying to overthrow the old puppet king and his master the sorcerer Vestet, his advice was invaluable.

 

To the other side of Dayane sat the actual most powerful woman in the known world. The Royal Sorceress Mellara watched the two men argue about fishing rights with cold calculating eyes, and though the sorceress looked to be paying rapt attention, Dayane knew she never spared more then a few thoughts on these matters, even if she told Dayane to. Her marvelous staff, topped with a golden serpent, was perched against the chair, not rolling away like it should but remaining perfectly still. The sorceress wore a dress in her normal deep violet and her brown hair, which hung down to her ankles when she was standing, was draped over her lap to keep it off the floor. Mellara caught the queen glancing at her direction and gave her a stern look and Dayane turned her attention back to her grandfather.

 

“And there are many more fishermen out there that can claim those coasts,” Orthar was saying. “The edicts that have been put down have been placed there for the benefit of all the fishermen, the Duke knows this. Now I’ll not hear any more of this nonsense. If your Duke wishes to challenge the edicts he will come here himself and present his case, until then all complaints about the Duke monopoly of the coasts will be treated most seriously.” The representative tried to say something but Orthar held his hand up, halting him. “No more.” The representative looked flustered but, with a glance at the Queen’s disapproving look, seemed to think better of it. He bowed, stiffly, and then turned and left the royal hall.

 

“What’s next on the agenda?” Dayane asked. Severath, captain of the Royal Guard, glanced down at a piece of parchment which listed the day’s agenda. Severath was a weathered soul if Dayane had ever met one. Small scars covered his body everywhere along with a large one that ran down his cheek and neck to the collarbone. His broadsword hung at his side, his hand seemed to always be in contact with the pommel. Dayane had yet to see Severath crack a smile.

 

“Merchant Yaolin,” the guard announced. There was some stirring from the other side of the room and Dayane watched another guard come out from a small crowd of people waiting to see the Queen. Foewen, another of the Royal Guard, walked forward. Her hands rested on the pommels of her daggers, crossed on the back of her hips. Dayane noticed that all the Royal Guard seemed to stand at the ready at all times.

 

“Merchant Yaolin had forgotten a piece of information,” she said. “He has gone to retrieve it and then will return shortly.” Severath’s eyes narrowed momentarily but Dayane reacted quicker.

 

“Then we shall take a break,” Dayane spoke. “A few moments rest for some of us to stretch our legs and take a drink to keep our health up.” Dayane purposely looked over to her grandfather when she spoke. “We will continue when the merchant returns.” Orthar gave her a look, one he usually gave her when she worried too much for him, but he knew better than to speak up.

 

“As you wish, your majesty,” Severath said. “We will reconvene once the merchant returns.” Orthar took a moment then stood, bowing to Dayane, and then turning to walk away. Dayane turned from him to glance at Foewen. The guard nodded and went off after Dayane’s grandfather. The queen had asked her guards to make sure Orthar was looked after, no matter how much he did not want it. Foewen was one of the few he would talk to without being belligerent. Dayane was just worried about her grandfather, and his health.

 

“My Lady?” Dayane heard a voice from her side. She turned to see Rilav, once a rebel sorcerer, now once of the palace sorcerers, facing Mellara. The Royal Sorceress turned to Rilav. “The apothecary you asked for has arrived.” He turned to Dayane and bowed. “Your Majesty,” he said and offered her a quick wink. Dayane smiled back at him.

 

“Excellent,” Mellara said. She turned to Dayane. “I will return shortly then. Nice timing on that break, Dayane.” Mellara was not one to use titles unless she wanted to make a point. The Royal Sorceress stood and took up her staff. With a swish of her dress she was walking besides Rilav and out one of the side doors of the room. The Queen realized she was by herself right now, and she did not mind.

 

Dayane took the opportunity to look around the room. The royal hall was filled with a quiet buzz as those who loitered in it talked amongst them. Dayane let her eyes trail over the various officials and guards who lined the edge of the first floor. Anywhere that Dayane made eye contact the individual would give her a bow and the queen would acknowledge them with a nod of her head. Tedious but necessary as Mellara would always say.

 

Dayane’s gaze then swept up to the balcony that ran along three sides of the room. The royal hall was open to all who wished to attend, yet it was significantly boring that all did not wish to attend. There were a few workers and merchants up in the balcony, quietly talking to one another. Dayane’s gaze went by a pair of women who were speaking to a small girl who was looking down on the queen now. She clung to one of the women’s dresses, watching Dayane with large eyes. Their eyes met for a moment and the child’s eyes shot open even bigger and she looked very nervous. Somehow the girl managed a nod to the queen. Dayane smiled back at her and gave her a wink. Thankfully Mellara was not around to see it.

 

Dayane’s attention was caught by a shimmer of light from the corner of the balcony, though when she looked it seemed empty. She looked a little closer but did not worry too much since the Crown of Life, the magical artifact that gave her power and protection to rule the kingdoms, stayed silent, not warning her of any dangers. There were many windows in the top of the royal hall so she passed that off as just a stray beam of light. Her survey of the room complete, Dayane sighed and sat back in her throne, once again bored.

 

It was a few moments later when her boredom was interrupted. A din of noise erupted from the entrance into the hall and, pushing through two merchants marched a young woman. The woman wore a simple dress, nothing flashy, just practical. It was the same brown as her hair, which was tied back at the nape of her neck. Her dark eyes where hard right now and she spared no glance for the two indignant looks from the merchants she just barged through. Dayane wondered why Alexstraza would want to be in the royal hall. The girl, left in Mellara’s care by a friend, mostly kept to herself. The only time Alexstraza would make a big fuss was when she had a vision. She was, after all, able to see the future from time to time. Alexstraza stopped and suddenly pointed a finger at the queen.

 

“Protect the Queen!” she shouted. The people around her all froze in shock, but one person moved instantly. Two steps brought Severath to the front of the throne in less time then a gasping breath and the guard started to draw his sword. It was not a moment later when Dayane heard a loud thunk and suddenly Severath was knocked back a few feet with a shout but the guard remained standing and protected his queen. The room erupted in chaos.

 

The Crown of Life flared up, surrounding Dayane in a warm magic bubble; she could feel Severath’s presence at the edge of that bubble. Something was not right with him. Dayane could feel the pain the captain was in. It was excruciating. Dayane caught movement on the balcony and watched a figure rush out one of the doors of the balcony. Her attention was brought back as Severath fell to a knee after fully unsheathing his sword. He brought his hand to his mouth and spoke softly. Dayane watched the ring begin to glow red. An instant later Foewen was in the room.

 

“Captain!” she shouted immediately going to him.

 

“No!” Severath shouted, pointing to where Dayane had seen the figure moving. “Assassin!” Foewen looked torn for just an instant and in an amazing bit of agility, ran to one of the columns that held up the balcony and scaled it without pause, flipping herself up and over to the balcony. She moved swiftly through the door the figure had gone through. Dayane noticed two more royal guards burst into the room and immediately went to their captain. Dayane watched in horror as Severath fell onto his back, a crossbow bolt sticking out of his chest.

 

“Severath!” Dayane shouted, quickly kneeling beside him. Another royal guard, Vaunad, was at her side immediately, standing over her with his saber drawn. Dayane looked down into Severath’s eyes and there were slowly going out of focus. “No! Someone! Help us!” Dayane looked at the crossbow bolt. She needed to get that out of him. She reached for it and her hand was promptly swatted away like one would do to a child reaching for something hot.

 

“The bolt is poisoned magically to you,” Alexstraza said, as she knelt down next to the captain. “Don’t touch it.”

 

“Alexstraza.” Dayane began looking up at the young woman.

 

“Just Al,” she said. Al reached out and took Dayane’s hand and placed it on Severath’s head. The bubble the Crown of Life had placed protectively around her did not seem to affect the girl; either that or it was allowing her to touch the queen. “Just keep his body alive until a healer shows up.”

 

“A healer? But it will take too long to get someone from the hospital to the palace,” Dayane said, filling Severath with the magic from the Crown of Life. She had some experience with the Crown of Life but she was never good at any of the magic the crown had offered her. Magic was not a skill she possessed in abundance, but Mellara had taught her enough to use the Crown of Life as more than just a defense mechanism.

 

“He’s here,” Al said, glancing up. Dayane followed the girl’s glance and saw a large bearded man in a white robe enter the room.

 

“Your messenger told me a while ago that someone was gravely injured, Miss Alexstraza,” said Probsta, the head of the hospital and one of the most powerful healers in the city. The man had a glowing necklace of Faowind around his neck as he walked over to Severath. “I assume since it is you that I am not late.”

 

“You’re timing is perfect,” Al said, nodding to the healer.

 

“I’m sure it is because of your timing.” The healer knelt next to Severath and gave the captain a look over, coming to rest on the crossbow bolt. “There’s poison on the bolt.”

 

“It’s magic,” Al said, standing up and turning to a door at the back of the hall. “It’s triggered to Dayane…though most likely the Crown of Life.”

 

“Very well,” the healer said, closing his eyes and wrapping his arm around the pendant that was now glowing strongly. In a flash of light the bolt was destroyed and the wound that the bolt created was slowly closing up. The healer opened his eyes and took his hand from the pendant, its glow now exhausted. He placed his hand over Dayane’s and the queen felt the healer’s presence more accurately. “He is out of the gravest of danger, your majesty, but he still needs magic to supplement for the lost blood. Please follow my guide, Your Majesty.”

 

Dayane then felt the healer’s touch against her magic, like one hand leading another hand, instructing her where to apply the Crown of Life’s magic. Dayane did as she was asked, too afraid of losing Severath to do anything else. She was not aware of Mellara’s presence until the sorceress spoke.

 

“Who did this?” she spoke. Dayane twisted her head around to look at Mellara but the sorceress’ gaze was squarely on Al.

 

“I don’t really know,” Al answered. “But Coania should have her trapped right now and we’ll have a few moments to ask her before the poison she took destroys her body.” Mellara’s eyebrow arched at Al.

 

“This one seems stronger than other visions you’ve had,” Mellara noted. Al nodded.

 

“It was. The last one that was this strong was…the fire.” Al’s voice softened down significantly when she spoke the last thought. Dayane could see sadness flash in Mellara’s eyes for a moment before the Royal Sorceress was there again.

 

“I can feel Coania’s magic,” Mellara said, turning and looking in the direction that Coania, a palace sorceress in training, must have been. “We should hurry.”

 

“Wait!” Dayane shouted. Mellara and Al had taken a couple steps and then turned back. “I’m coming with.” She turned to Probsta. “Will he be alright?” she asked him.

 

“He should be, Your Majesty, though I would suggest you return quickly once it is done in case the Crown’s power is needed again.” The healer gave the queen a reproached look, but she knew he would not go against her wishes. Dayane stood herself up, not bothering to brush herself off and nodded to Mellara.

 

“Lets go meet my would be murderer then,” Dayane said.

 

* * *

 

Dayane was a little shocked to find out that person sent to assassinate her was a woman. They had found Coania further down through the palace. The sorceress in training was staring at the assassin with a hard look of concentration. The assassin was propped against a wall, blood running down from her lip. Dayane looked over the woman. Her facial features were flawless aside from the trail of blood from her lip. Her eyes were a stunning green and dark brown hair flowed down from a black bandana that covered her head. She glared a look of hatred at Dayane the moment the queen showed up. Mellara calmly walked up to just short of the assassin and looked down on her.

 

“Who sent you?” she asked simply. The assassin broke her glare from Dayane and looked up at Mellara, a look of defiance across her face. She did not respond to the sorceress’ question. Mellara took a step closer. “I’ll ask only once more, who sent you?” This time each word of her question was punctuated by a pulse of magic. The woman flinched with each word but again she stayed silent. Mellara, after a moments pause, sighed. She leveled her staff at the woman and the serpent on the end started glowing blue. The woman’s eyes widened for a moment but then she started laughing, a throaty laugh that, were it from anyone else, Dayane would have found it beautiful.

 

The woman then spoke, her voice was musical and quite lovely, though Dayane did not know the language she spoke in. Dayane looked up at Mellara and watched her eyes go wide and she heard Coania gasp. The woman continued on talking and Dayane could hear the soft thrum of magic in the background. She watched as the assassin’s outline began to glow in a soft white. The assassin slowly lifted a shaking hand to her head and pulled the bandana from her head. With a shake of her head she shook out her hair, and Dayane gasped. The woman’s ears where flawless in appearance, however those things were not what Dayane focused on for the assassin’s ears came up at the tops to form a tip.

 

Mellara’s breath was sucked in for a moment and then, in a louder voice, she too started speaking in the strange musical language, though Mellara spoke quickly and there was a little more harshness in her voice. The assassin’s eyes widened as she heard Mellara speak but then they slowly narrowed and a smile started to play on her lips. Dayane almost missed the fact that the woman’s body was beginning to glow.

 

“Lady Mellara, I can’t hold it,” Coania said, her hand that was outstretched and holding the assassin down with strands of high magic was shaking a lot now. Dayane watched the glow around the assassin brighten. Mellara leveled her staff at the assassin and Dayane felt the sorceress’ magic lash over and around the assassin, covering her in a bubble. The assassin’s laugh was suddenly interrupted by her coughing up blood as the glow around her brightened to a point where Dayane had to advert her eyes. The assassin howled something in a loud voice and then Dayane felt a rush power. The Crown of Life flared into life, protecting the queen. Suddenly the power rush vanished and Dayane turned and looked down on where the assassin used to be. There was nothing there anymore.

 

“Mellara, what was that?” Dayane asked. The Sorceress was glaring hard down at where her staff pointed. The place the assassin used to be.

 

“An elf,” Mellara replied.

 

“Elves are not real,” Dayane said.

 

“She looked pretty real to me.” Mellara’s face swung around and looked at Al. “What else have you seen?”

 

“Trouble,” the young girl said, meeting the sorceress’s gaze.

 

“What’s going on? What did she say?” Dayane asked, pointing to where the assassin once lay. “What did you see?” she asked Al. Mellara did not immediately answer but instead turned and started walking away.

 

“Get together your advisors, Dayane, and reinforce the Royal Guard. There will probably be more attempts on your life.” Mellara stopped and turned her head, glancing at Dayane. “Her speech was mostly threats, Dayane, but it boils down to one thing. War.” Mellara turned and continued walking. “War is coming for us, and it is coming fast.”