The Final Lesson, page 16
part #1 of The Final Lesson Series
“It seems to be the same as what happened to you before, Leilana,” Solus concluded. Leilana stared down at the girl, silent. Solus cleared his throat, taken aback by her lack of emotion. “I didn’t consider it before, but I’ve read that when Maesters and Arcana overwork themselves, their magic is put into a stasis. I suppose that the effects are like a cold for you.”
“Just let me leave,” Amiria proclaimed, absent of strength to place behind her words. “I don’t know why you saved me. I’m not going to burden you.”
“Don’t act high and mighty now,” Solus warned while pressing his hand to hers, forcing her to lower it. “You may have done inexcusable things, but that doesn’t mean we will leave you to fend for yourself. Now be silent.” Amiria sighed in defeat.
Leilana put a bottle of water up to her lips, tuning in to the citizens of Kalonia talking amongst themselves, though she could barely make out their words, not wanting to involve herself with the people of this town. None of them acknowledged more than their own well-being, and none seemed to carry a dominant trait found in any of the totems. It was a good idea that she kept to herself.
“I’m worried about Rem,” Solus piped up.
Leilana decided to humor herself and people-watch. Maybe they could be of use somehow. They were crowding over one another to look out of the large window. They uttered about someone taking out the Dirionus. Not one of them had seen the assailant’s face, but they spoke of a boy with the power of the spirits embedded in his left hand. She couldn’t pinpoint the intensity of their emotions.
“Don’t be yet,” Leilana told Solus, “It sounds like everything stopped.”
“The chaos may have slowed down,” Solus continued, “But Rem is still out there.”
“If you’re going to search for Rem, then I’m going with you,” Amiria proclaimed. Solus was prepared to interject, unsure of how she knew him and why she was concerned about him, but by then, she was already out of the door. He and Leilana looked to one another before making haste.
“Amiria, don’t push yourself,” Leilana began.
“Your focus should be on Rem,” she responded. “He is your friend, after all. I just support him.”
Solus rolled his eyes. “Well, if you’re going to be ‘support,’ don’t get into more trouble.”
“No promises.”
Solus sighed; that was never a good sign.
Rem was appalled by how hastily he was subdued, unsure what this man’s intentions were. One glance told Rem enough; the man confirmed his own identity without hesitation. The man stood stalwart and tall, much like the trees in the forest. He wasn’t going to be easy to take down like the Dirionus. He kept a hand around his throat, still sore from the prior strangulation. He rose to a stand, gripping to his sword, extending his aura-driven claw outward to keep at bay.
“Who are you?” he almost snarled. “What do you want with me?”
“Isn’t it obvious, Highness? Everyone wants your blood on their blade. You are the crown of Adrylis. Your death would ensure that this country could usher in a more refined magical era.”
So, that was it. They wanted him dead out of desperation, not even considering how much was in jeopardy by taking manners into their own hands. But why? It didn’t make any sense. What did his life have to do with the magic budding in Adrylis? And even if his death was necessary for such trivial reasons, corrupted magic would dig Adrylis deeper into a pitfall.
“I’m not gonna go down easy, you know,” he proclaimed, clenching his left hand, the claws digging into his already torn flesh. “This is my kingdom. I will take it back with my own hands. And there’s nothing that will change that fact, nothing!”
Rem took a grasp on the hilt of his weapon and charged forward like a raging bull, prepared to strike the masked man, but right as he was about to connect the attack, the man slipped through his fingers. His body vanished before the sword could cut him, and a blade plunged into Rem’s back. He let out a gasp as he was kicked to the ground, blood seeping from his wound after the blade was removed. His power was siphoned away, his hand reverting to normal.
The world spun. His body walked through pins and needles, the miniscule pricks of his wound striving to mend themselves in full bloom. Rem could barely make out the ethereal voice spiraling around him, guiding him forward. The voice of his guardian angel, seizing his time to return to a place which bore no name for him, though many called it a paradise. No. It was far too soon to consider dying.
“Remiel!”
The sudden cry of his name snapped his mind back into place for only a few seconds before he closed his eyes, collapsing into the masked man’s arms.
Solus was panting, his throat scorching from calling out to his friend after seeing his current state but didn’t hesitate to take up his sword in retaliation. How? How had his friend been defeated so quickly? True, his power manifested into this form recently, but Rem was still capable of more. Amiria and Leilana stood in the background, wanting to find a way around the situation and help Rem without having to expend too much energy. Amiria was still in a fragile state and sickly swaying to the point where she had even taken a grip to Leilana to steady herself.
“Who are you?” Solus exclaimed, “What do you want?”
“You both certainly like to repeat yourselves,” the man specified, glancing down at Rem, who remained unconscious as he lifted him over his shoulder.
“Release him!” Solus shouted.
“You lack the knowledge on the Prince’s true importance in this little game.”
“‘Prince?’” Leilana repeated, the words hitching in her throat. Was Rem Adrylis’s Prince? The same Prince caught in the crossfire of Linmus’s fall?
“You carry such a basic understanding of magic.” He extended a hand towards Solus and clasped it into a closed fist. “But I can feel your soul stirring, wracked with agony over your burdens, cleansed by an incomprehensible acceptance.”
“You don’t know me,” Solus said coldly. “Don’t pretend to.”
“Are you a Maester yourself?” Leilana asked, taking a step forward. If anything, all that they could serve is buying time. “There are few that can read auras as proficiently as you seem to be able to.” Amiria was drawing in measured breaths, snagging wind of Leilana’s plans. Solus took the method of work in stride, his fingers still lingering on his sword, unsure if he should strike. “There has to be some reason why you need Rem alive.”
“You have no place to speak, girl.”
“I am unworthy,” Leilana replied, lightly bowing as a gesture of submission. “But I am an Arcana nonetheless. I only seek the truth.” The man watched her eyes slant in a confident haze. “And this is one opportunity where the truth will prevail. Amiria.”
Before the man could retort, Amiria unleashed a shrill note, which gradually became a sonic wave. Solus was quick to shield his ears, sword at his feet, gritting his teeth at the sharp pitch. Leilana had covered her own as well but could still make out traces of the sonic wave. The mask covering the man’s face shattered to pieces, and his ears nearly split open. They studied his branded, scarred face, watching him writhe. His tanned complexion was splintering over time, corrupted by the resonance of Amiria’s voice. His piercing crimson eyes were blinded by hatred, and though he fought to regain himself, he couldn’t drop Rem or allow this chance of rebellion to slip from his fingers.
Leilana snarled. He wasn’t giving up without a fight, it seemed. Amiria was growing tired, her muscles failing to keep her standing. Still, she kept up relinquishing her vocals until she felt her lungs caving in. Solus waited for Amiria to cease fire for even a second before he grabbed his blade from the ground and thrust it into the man’s chest, avoiding hitting Rem. The man inhaled shakily, blood pouring from his ears and between his cracked lips. His eyes went void as he dropped to the pavement, Rem’s body landing next to him. Solus rushed to his friend, lifting him slightly.
“Remiel!” he called, “Remiel, wake up!” He rested a hand on the young Prince’s back but felt no open wound. No blood was seeping out onto his hand. Good. It was already mending shut.
“Is he going to be all right?” Amiria croaked, resting a hand on her throat.
Solus was taken aback by her genuine concerns. “I think so.”
“Good. I’m glad...” With a smile plastered on her face, Amiria slipped into unconsciousness. Leilana interlocked her arms around the girl’s waist as she fell, Amiria’s long hair tickling her fingers.
“You did good, kid,” she whispered, resting a hand on her head.
Rem’s eyes snapped open, and he shot to a sit. “Where’s the bastard?!” He clutched his head seconds later, collapsing back into Solus’s arms.
“Easy there,” Solus told him, “You’re moving too fast.” Rem groaned his response, rubbing his temples. Solus supported Rem on his shoulders as he stood, glancing at the corpse resting on the ground. “We’ll go back to the hotel and gather ourselves. We will be safer if we blend in.”
Leilana nodded in agreement. “You’re right.”
Rem stared at his open hand while Solus carried him away, unsure of what to make of what had occurred in his absence. It was all such a blur now, and he couldn’t fathom what had come over him. All that he knew now was that he had the overwhelming urge to attack, maybe even beat the corpse, but his mind fought back and forced him to a standstill.
Maybe that was the drawback of being born as a Bloodlinch.
The voices circulating around the hotel lobby were overbearing. The incessant chatter continued to grow as the bodies littered the open area.
“Mitholus has fallen.”
“There is no hope for peace in Kalonia anymore.
“Our only protection is gone.”
“Can we even stay here?”
Solus folded his hands and sat in silence to process what the gossip pertained to, and it hadn’t taken him long to grow agitated. Of the four, he wanted to take the initiative after the crowds began forming outside of the hotel. They didn’t know their faces, their names, or why they were here, but they knew the Dirionus slayers were hiding. The people of Kalonia were out for blood in an open pit, and all that the four teenagers could do was wait.
It was unbelievable how fickle people could be. But through the blurred lines, he supposed that he wasn’t much better. He didn’t know how to accept their words. How could a man seeking the death of a single person be a thing that’s considered justifiable?
“Mitholus was the only one keeping our town safe,” a woman whispered to another. “He was keeping the Dirionus at bay, and now they have both gone away.”
“I heard some idiot kid interfered and killed them both.”
“If I could see his face, I’d give him what for.”
Solus shook his head. If only they could have known. If only he could tell them that they were talking down the crown of Adrylis. Rem’s name was being tarnished and for the first time, there was nothing he could say to end it. All that he could do was sit back and think.
The man that had attacked his Prince had a face and a name, just like him. Mitholus cared for this city enough to guide the Dirionus wayward without resorting to killing it. Contrary to its legion, the Dirionus’s mind was plagued by dark magic. There was no saving a lost soul. Mitholus may have known that and continued to work against it. Or maybe he was the one controlling it, acting as a deceitful shield to those that admired him. There were too many pieces of the puzzle to fit together.
Still, this man defeated his best friend swiftly. The way that he spoke, he sought the power of the Royal Bloodlinch. He knew who Rem was and didn’t hesitate to seize him after seeing the execution with his own eyes. This man was deceptive and lusted for magical energy. And if one person knew, how many more would retaliate in the same fashion?
Rem was in danger, and that in turn put Amiria and Leilana in the line of fire. Rem wouldn’t allow innocent people to be thrust into their turmoil, at least not without a way to resolve things. They were still sleeping upstairs to regain their strength, Leilana keeping the mantle of protection over them. She was in no better condition, but she insisted after his thirst for more knowledge beseeched him. One false move and everything would disentangle. He didn’t need to wait anymore. He had what he needed. It was nearly time to leave Kalonia and make due in another direction. More like Mitholus would be arriving sooner than later.
Leilana clutched the Lasette to her chest with all of her being as the clamoring of muffled speech drew closer. She kept her legs crossed and leaned against the wall behind the door to make sure that any intruders wouldn’t see her, but she could barely keep control over her rising anxiety, rocking back and forth and bumping the wall in the process, drawing in a sharp inhale every couple of minutes to ease herself. She observed Rem and Amiria from afar; Rem was tossing in his sleep due to fervent dreams stunting a genuine rest, but he seemed to be recovering well on his own. Amiria was sound asleep and didn’t so much as sniffle for the last hour.
She hoped that Solus would be able to return to the room without getting ripped apart for information by the people of Kalonia. He was still a stranger to this colony, and soon enough they were bound to catch on that he was connected to the fall of the Dirionus.
Still, now that she was in solitude again, there was so much that she couldn’t comprehend. The first thought to come rushing was learning that Rem was born as Prince Remiel Vesarus, heir to the throne of Linmus. For years, she had listened to the stories that uttered his name beyond the skies, and never once did she consider the mere coincidences that Rem dragged through the mud. At least he wasn’t completely obvious about his true identity.
Rem was the boy that unknowingly drew her to the idea of visiting Adrylis and learning magic several years ago. And only now did she remember that fact. Minsura, her own home, was resilient but resented the idea of spells forging their colony.
She heard tapping, which made her jump and nearly fling the Lasette. Solus stood on the balcony on the opposite side of the glass, waving to her and pointing down to the latch on the door. She stood up, setting aside her grimoire, the white skirt she wore over her bloomers falling to her knees again. She adjusted the collar of her blouse as she approached the window to make sure that the oversized shirt wouldn’t slip down. It wasn’t much, but it was all that she could find to replace her tattered clothes in the launders. She undid the latch and allowed him inside.
“Thank you. It was getting a bit chilly.” He closed the door behind him, allowing his fingers to linger over the cold metal for a few seconds before turning to her. “How are they?”
“Still asleep. And nobody has come by.”
“I couldn’t tell,” he admitted. “The area was so condensed that I couldn’t walk straight. I had to climb around from the outside just to get back here. That was why I took so long.”
“Did you find out anything?”
“The man that attacked Rem was named Mitholus.” He clenched his fist, holding it behind his back to keep the girl from seeing his frustrations. “Everyone here knew him. He was guarding this city against the Dirionus, but the way that he came off seemed quite the opposite.”
“That may be true,” Leilana began, “but we have to consider the possibility of a hidden agenda. There had to be a reason why he could pick Rem out of the crowd. He was able to read his aura, but he couldn’t do the same for us.”
Solus loosened the grip on his hand and flexed his fingers. “We should leave Kalonia as soon as we’re able. He may be part of a clan.”
“A clan? And here I thought that students were the only ones working in that fashion.”
“You truly believe he was a Maester?”
Leilana folded her hands behind her back. “Each denizen carrying the will of a Warlord holds a talent unique to them. Ennis could speak to the Warlords of old and provide premonitions of the future. Paluna’s Warlord, Kosmin, used tarot cards to accurately spin the ordeals in one’s life and determine their set path, even if it should change down the road. This man Mitholus can read auras and use them to scout out his prey.”
“That’s quite observant,” Solus pointed out. “But why would Mitholus seek Rem? Why guide the Dirionus down a corruptible path as well, when they are meant to be gentle giants?”
“It is easy for a Warlord’s powers to become corrupt if they lose their bond to humanity. That is why we have been sent on this pilgrimage—to understand the people that we encounter. That way, when we become Warlords, we remain true to ourselves and others.”
“You two sure are noisy,” Rem called as he sat upright with the blanket he was provided covering his knees. Though he spoke in an aggravated tone, the hint of a smile was undeniable. “You know, if we’re planning on leaving, we all need to be well-rested. You’ve been working your asses off, drop a load off your shoulders.”
“And what are you planning to do in the meantime?” Solus asked. “Shouldn’t you be resting?”
“Nope. I’m fine.” Solus didn’t look amused. “Okay, okay, look. I’ll show you! Watch this!” Rem rubbed his palms together.
“N-No, Rem, you don’t need to-” Before Solus could let out another word of protest, Rem was upright in a handstand, his hands supporting his weight. Solus closed his slack jaw at the sight of Rem’s bright smile. “…And he’s off…” Leilana was covering her mouth with both hands to hide her laughter, failing miserably. Solus couldn’t help feeling amused and comforted by the gesture, and Rem bounded himself onto his feet, brushing some hair out of his face.
“See? Fine enough to do that and rip nothing out of place. That said, you guys rest. Let me hold down the fort for a little while.” Solus and Leilana met one another’s gaze before Solus gave a shrug. Leilana decided to agree. It had been a while since she’d gotten proper sleep.
