The Order of Architects (Book 7): A Portal Progression Fantasy Series, page 19
“The Turks have secret knowledge of Necromancy,” Victor continued. “They used some forbidden magic arts that literally burned my flesh so badly that my arms had to be amputated.”
“Well,” I said once he’d calmed down a little, “I’m glad I could help.”
“Mr. Babylonian,” Victor added just as we were about to part ways. “Please allow me to repay your goodness with a good deed of my own. I’ve heard that you don’t currently have an air force, and I used to be a pilot. I was shot down, true… But I might be of use to you. I’m a multi-qualified pilot — I can fly planes and helicopters. Although, Liechtenstein’s a small place, of course, so it’s better to use choppers around here. They’re more maneuverable and can be used in mountainous territory.”
“That’s a good idea,” I replied, having pondered the matter for a moment. “But what will your father say?”
“I’ll have a word with him,” Victor replied. “We’ve forged an alliance, and I want to help our ally.”
I nodded. His idea of me forming an air force was genuinely a good one, even despite the fact that I’d seen Count Volynsky’s choppers go down in flames just earlier that day. But that raised another question: where would I get helicopters from? I could buy them, or maybe… steal them from an enemy? I needed to think about it.
On that note, Victor and I bade one another farewell. The young man headed home, happy and contented, and I, now alone, drifted into thought.
* * *
The Babylonian Dynasty estate
The Russian Empire
The heavy silence weighed down on Aristarchus the Babylonian like an ancient family chest full to the brim of the skeletons of his past failures. He looked over at Angelina, his wife, in desperation. She was sitting opposite him, nervously playing with her lace handkerchief. Her face, usually so immaculately powdered and rosy, was currently uncharacteristically pale.
“Curses!” bellowed Aristarchus, hurling his empty glass into the fireplace. The crystal shattered into small shards that scattered all over the rug with a resounding smash.
“Calm down, my dear,” said Angelina with feigned concern, all the while trying to avoid her husband’s gaze. “That was part of a set that was given to us by…”
“I don’t care about the damn glasses!” Aristarchus snapped, jumping up from his chair. “It’s all gone pear-shaped! Our whole ingenious plan!”
He began nervously pacing around the room, his face crimson with rage.
“That goddamn Theodore…” he hissed through clenched teeth. “He ruined everything!”
Aristarchus simply couldn’t handle the fact that his “ingenious” plan had failed. And it had failed spectacularly.
The debt collectors whom Aristarchus had sent after his son to seize his business were stuck in Vaduz like flies in a spiderweb. The military situation, the sealed borders, the lack of communications, and even the local authorities, who, dumbfounded by everything that was going on, weren’t exactly burning with desire to help people who arrived from the Russian Empire.
Aristarchus had been counting on seizing half of Theodore’s store and his entire estate, and then selling them off for a tidy sum. He’d been convinced that Theodore wouldn’t be able to pay the debt. But he’d been damn well mistaken!
“Blast him…” Aristarchus muttered, clutching his head in his hands. “How did he manage to get rich so fast? And in that goddamn backwater that is Vaduz… During a war…”
Angelina, struggling to hold back her irritation, nonetheless decided to interject once again.
“Calm down, dear!” she said. “Shouting isn’t going to help.”
“And what the hell do you think will help?!” he roared, turning to face her. “We’re in debt… Deep debt! And our debts are growing like weeds. Our creditors are already calling us every day and threatening to seize everything we own! And that… that…” He choked in rage, unable even to pronounce his son’s name.
Aristarchus looked despondently at the empty bottles of expensive bourbon that were left over after the previous night’s attempt to calm his nerves. He felt like the ground was disappearing beneath his feet. He was used to living the high life and not denying himself a thing, so the prospect of losing everything seemed unbearable.
“We’ll sell everything that’s left!” he exclaimed in exasperation. “The paintings, the furniture, and even that goddamn set of glasses…”
Angelina gazed at him in horror.
“But… but that’s all we have!” she protested.
“So what am I going to tell our creditors?!” Aristarchus barked in a fit of rage. “I have no money! If we don’t sell all this junk, we’ll just get chucked out onto the street!”
He paused, trying to calm himself down.
“Alright,” he said in a slightly calmer tone. “You’re right. Let’s not panic. I’ll find some way out of this.”
At that moment, there was a knock at the door, and a servant poked his head into the living room.
“Forgive me, My Lord and Lady,” he said, “but a messenger from St. Petersburg is here to see you.”
“From St. Petersburg?” Aristarchus remarked with a frown, narrowing his eyes. “What does he want?”
“He didn’t introduce himself,” the servant replied, “but he said that he was here at the personal behest of Mr. Kerensky.”
Upon hearing the name of the Empire’s security chief, Aristarchus and Angelina glanced at one another. Their faces turned pale.
“What does this mean?” Angelina whispered, grabbing onto her husband's arm. “Surely they haven’t come for us already?”
Aristarchus’s heart began beating faster. He suddenly remembered all the little schemes he’d pulled, the forged documents, and the money that he’d… er… “borrowed” from a few wealthy aristocrats.
“Don’t panic, my dear,” he said, trying to speak calmly, but his trembling voice gave away his fear — after all, he’d heard plenty about the methods Kerensky’s men used to “persuade” their “victims.” “I’m sure this is just a misunderstanding.”
A clammy feeling of terror gripped Aristarchus. Were their little games finally over? Would they now have to pay for their misdemeanors?
“Very well,” he said confidently, turning to the servant. “Send him in. And bring us some wine. The best of whatever we have left.”
The servant bowed and left the room. Aristarchus began pacing nervously around the room. He couldn’t shake a feeling of anxious foreboding.
“What do they want from us?!” he thought, his mind racing.
A minute later, a young officer wearing an immaculate security service uniform entered the room. He bowed slightly and handed a sealed envelope to Aristarchus.
“Mr. Babylonian!” the officer said. “Mr. Kerensky requested that I deliver this to you personally. He has also requested that you and your wife come to St. Petersburg immediately.”
“St. Petersburg?” repeated Aristarchus perplexedly. “But why?”
“Apologies, sir,” the officer replied, “but I am not privy to that information.”
Aristarchus took the envelope off him uneasily and slowly opened it with unsteady fingers. Inside, there was a sheet of paper bearing the crest of the Russian Empire. Aristarchus began reading, his eyes scanning the lines of text. An expression of concern lingered in his eyes — though it gradually gave way to bewilderment.
“What does it say?” asked Angelina impatiently, nervously playing with the lace on the sleeves of her dress.
Without replying, Aristarchus handed her the letter, then, slumping down into a chair, he began anxiously rubbing his temples.
Angelina quickly read the note. She burst out laughing.
“Would you look at that, Aristarchus!” she exclaimed without a hint of embarrassment in front of the messenger. “Turns out we’re national heroes!”
Aristarchus, who still couldn’t fully believe what he had read, took the message back and began carefully studying each line of text.
“Dear Aristarchus and Angelina of the Babylonian Dynasty,” read the letter, which was written in neat script, “I have the honor of informing you that your son, Theodore the Babylonian, in his noble quest to defend the Principality of Liechtenstein, has earned His Imperial Majesty’s profound respect and admiration. Accordingly, you are afforded the opportunity to personally transfer a substantial amount of money to your son for the continued development of Liechtenstein’s defensive installations.
“Yours faithfully, Nikolay Alekseyevich Kerensky, Security Chief of the Russian Empire.
“PS — Please come to St. Petersburg immediately to discuss the details.”
Aristarchus, still unable to believe his eyes, read the letter a third time. What the hell?! Was this really true? Or was it just some kind of cunning trick?
“But… but how…” he muttered, unable to believe his luck.
Angelina looked over at him with a contented smile on her face.
“You shouldn’t be asking ‘how.’ You should just be saying ‘this is fantastic,’ my dear!” she exclaimed. “Just imagine the opportunities that this is going to open up for us!”
Aristarchus, still not entirely sure how they’d managed to weasel their way out of the situation, merely shook his head
“Yes, indeed,” he agreed. “Seems like we really got lucky.”
He smiled as he felt the stress of the last few days melt away.
“Well, my dear,” he said, “pack your bags! Seems like we’re off to St. Petersburg.”
Angelina rushed over to him, embraced him, and kissed him.
“Oh, Aristarchus, I told you everything would work out!”
They both laughed, not even noticing the young messenger who was still standing by the door, watching this whole strange scene unfold with marked bewilderment.
Chapter 14
An abandoned theater
The outskirts of Vaduz, the Principality of Liechtenstein
THE MUSTY STENCH OF DAMP AND DECAY hung in the air as Leos paced around the stage of the abandoned theater. His aura swirled around him like a menacing cloud, occasionally spewing out bolts of Shadow energy.
Nearby, his faithful followers were sitting in the dim light of the theater stalls and trying to avoid meeting his gaze.
“Incompetent fools!” Leos roared, his voice echoing across the empty hall and breaking the deathly silence. “I gave you clear instructions! The city was to be plunged into chaos!”
He clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms. The plan he’d been nurturing for months had collapsed like a house of cards. The news that the Shadow Fighters had not only repelled the attack by the Shadows, but that they’d even increased their defenses thanks to Theodore the Babylonian, had made him incredibly angry.
“That Babylonian…” he hissed through clenched teeth. “He sticks his nose into everything! He’s a splinter that needs pulling out!”
Leos stopped abruptly and turned to his followers.
“I need information!” he commanded. “I want to know everything about him! His daily schedule, his connections, his weaknesses! Every last detail!”
At that moment, Khariton emerged from backstage. He was one of the most powerful Gifted Ones among the rebels, and his hunger for vengeance knew no bounds. Khariton held Colonel Grimrock responsible for the death of his parents, and he’d been concocting his plan for revenge for many years.
“I have news, Leos,” Khariton said, coming closer. “The Shadow Fighters have improved their defenses at all their facilities. It’s going to be virtually impossible to get in there now.”
“I don’t give a damn about the Shadow Fighters!” Leos bellowed. “I’m only interested in the Babylonian! Find his weak points!”
“He has only one weak spot,” remarked Khariton coldly. “Countess Wisemoor. He’s crazy about her, and it seems like he’s willing to go to any lengths to protect her.”
“Hmmm… You’re right,” Leos said pensively. “Wisemoor… I need to get my hands on that bitch!”
Khariton frowned.
“But you promised she wouldn’t get hurt…”
“She will be our bait,” replied Leos with a malevolent chuckle. “As soon as the Babylonian bites, we’ll kill him. And then the girl will be yours to do what you want with,” he added with telling emphasis.
“Very well,” Khariton said. “When are we getting started?”
“Immediately,” Leos replied. “Klaus, get everything ready. And remember: no mistakes this time! The Babylonian must die.”
Once his followers had left, Leos went outside and surveyed the nocturnal vista over distant Vaduz. To Leos, the city looked like a sleeping giant that had no inkling of the danger that hung over it.
Leos took his phone out of his pocket and began dialing.
“Hello, Boschild?” he said upon hearing the prince of Liechtenstein’s voice on the other end of the line. “Do you still think we’re scum? I’ve heard we have a common enemy. The Babylonian is getting too big for his boots. Either we eliminate him, or he will eliminate us. It appears the time has come for us to join forces.”
* * *
I heaved a deep sigh as I glanced over the list of materials I’d been sent detailing the materials we’d need in order to build the fortifications on the border. Things weren’t going well. Despite the fact that my construction firm, Konstruktor, was flourishing, the blockade of Liechtenstein by Austria-Hungary had slowed the whole process down significantly. Granted, my mines and the scrap metal I’d found at the junkyard had solved some problems, but they weren’t sufficient to protect the entire border.
I opened a map of Liechtenstein and studied it carefully. Supply routes, available resources, manufacturing facilities… When it came to stone, everything was fine, but we were really struggling for metal. I needed steel! A lot of it. And unfortunately, I couldn’t just take the stuff we’d acquired from the scrapyard and “transmute” it. My magic allowed me to perform miracles, but… I evidently couldn’t perform enough miracles to go around. I had too much on my plate, so I looked for other options.
“Ana, pack your things. We need to head somewhere,” I said, walking into the room where she was working on her blueprints.
“Where?” she asked, looking up at me curiously.
“To the mines.”
“The mines?” she repeated in surprise. “You know I don’t do so well down mines…”
“It’ll be fine,” I reassured her. “In any case, I’m going to need your help.”
Delighted that I was treating her like an assistant rather than just a regular girl, Ana immediately laid her papers aside and hurried after me.
A couple of hours later, we reached our destination. We entered the main tunnel, and I switched on my torch. The bright beam of light illuminated the long corridor that led deep into the mountain. The air was damp and cold, and it smelled of earth and stone.
“It’s dark and wet down here,” Ana remarked, looking around warily. “It’s making me feel uneasy.”
“Don’t worry,” I reassured her. “It’s safe here.”
We continued down the tunnel, which had been reinforced with stone supports, and I walked over to a pile of rocks that was lying in the corner of one of the caverns.
“Look! This is ore. It contains valuable metals that I need to make building materials.”
Ana inspected the rocks with curiosity.
“They’re beautiful…” she remarked, gently running her fingers over one of the rocks. “I like their color and texture.”
I smiled.
“I realize you have a penchant for aesthetics and something of an artistic disposition,” I said jestingly, “but surely you see what I’m getting at. I need your help. Transforming ore into metal — and then into construction materials — is painstaking work.”
Ana’s face fell.
“I understand,” she replied with a nod. “Of course I’ll help you. Except I don’t know how.”
“We’re going to need some workers to help us. We need golems. Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to create them. I’m sure you’ll do great. And actually… it might be fun!”
I began explaining how to use Earth magic to create golems. Ana listened carefully and pondered what I was saying.
“You remember I told you about the Spirits of Stone that live in these mountains?”
Ana nodded.
“Well,” I continued, “those Spirits aren’t just blobs of energy. They’re sentient beings that can help us. I’m going to teach you how to commune with them.
She looked at me in astonishment.
“You mean…” she began, unable to believe what she was hearing, “I’ll be able to control the golems using these… Spirits?”
“Yes,” I replied. “You’ll be able to create golems, train them, and give them commands. But to begin with, you need to learn how to feel the energy of the Earth.”
I stretched out my hand toward the wall and activated my Gift. The rocks began to stir as if they were alive.
“Try and do the same thing,” I said to her. “Imagine that you’re part of the mountain. Feel its power and energy.”
Ana looked at me doubtfully but nonetheless stretched out her hand toward the wall. At first, nothing happened. A light breeze blowing through the tunnel just lightly tousled her hair.
Then, Ana closed her eyes and focused. She pressed her palm more firmly onto the rough stone… and I felt her aura begin to resonate with the mountain’s energy.
I realized she was feeling it. It was as if her consciousness had expanded beyond the limits of her body. She was sensing the vibrations of the earth, the pulsing of its deepest energy currents, and the movement of the rock. Images began to form in her head — glistening crystals hidden in the bowels of the mountain, ancient fossils that were frozen in solid rock, and the mighty roots of trees that penetrated the stone in search of moisture.
“It’s… it’s incredible!” she whispered, unable to believe what was happening. Her mouth opened slightly in amazement.
