The Final Lesson, page 17
part #1 of The Final Lesson Series
The hotel was unnervingly silent. Rem kept his sword planted at his side in case someone tried to barge in, but he knew that his concerns on the matter had quelled.
“Never let your guard down,” he mumbled to himself, drumming his fingers along the sheath of his blade. “At any cost. There is always danger around.”
“Is that your mantra, Remiel?” He flinched at Amiria’s call. She was sitting up in bed, her hair flowing down her back and caressing the sheets.
“Remiel,” he scoffed. “I told you before, weren’t you listening? My name is Rem.”
“You don’t have to hide it anymore. I know that you are the Prince of Adrylis. Leilana does too.” Rem sighed, folding his legs, setting his sword down on his lap. It seemed like the more that people wormed their way through his secret, the calmer he became. How foreboding.
“Are you doing anything with the information?”
“Do you ask this to everyone that finds out your secret?”
“Not many people to tell.”
Amiria gave a small shake of the head before stating firmly, “No, I’m not going to rat you out to the authorities or have you captured by the terrorists that overseer your kingdom.”
“Okay, now that we’ve gotten past that, Solus and Leilana are asleep, and Solus and I have decided that we’re leaving Kalonia. We don’t want to take any more chances after what happened on the streets. Would you like to come with us?”
Amiria considered his words. Was it right to travel alongside them, knowing that she had still been a rival to Leilana? Fighting at her side once more did little to change her perspective, and neither of them felt comfortable around one another. Solus didn’t seem to have any trust towards her, even when she desired to help Rem, which was his duty. There was no winning with her. Rem was the only one that seemed to acknowledge her as more than a murderer.
“No,” she began, “I wouldn’t feel right being here. Leilana and Solus are good allies to you, but I would do nothing but slow you all down. Leilana is skilled, and you can use her skills far better than you could utilize my voice. She can guide you back to Linmus.”
“That wasn’t what I was-”
“I think that you should be with people that trust you and earn that respect in return. I burned down a village. Do you really feel that I can be called a member of your team, knowing that?”
“Everyone makes mistakes, Amiria. That’s part of maturity. You shouldn’t burden yourself with the what ifs.” As he approached her bedside, Amiria couldn’t tear away from her gaze, taken by the warmth of his smile illuminating the room. “You seek knowledge.” He took her hand, grasping her petite fingers in his own. Her heart was daring to jump from her chest, the gesture unexpected, yet it granted her a sense of comfort. “I can help you find what you crave not only as a Prince but as a Maester.”
Amiria pried her hand free and rose from the bed. They remained in silence for some time before she spoke up. “I don’t feel like it will work out. I can’t travel with you.” Rem bore his eyes into hers but found no traces of hesitation. He inhaled deeply, shutting his eyes.
“All right.” He held up a hand and gestured towards the door. She tied her hair back into a ponytail with a thin ribbon that was wrapped around her wrist, gathering her tote from the floor. “You, um… I hope that you find what you’re looking for and that you’re safe.”
“Don’t worry, I can handle myself.” She reached up a hand and tapped his nose with her index finger before slowly pulling back. “I trust that you’ll secure your throne, Prince Remiel.” Rem opened his mouth to reply, but by then, she had stepped out onto the balcony.
She cradled the tote at her side as she climbed up the railing, planting her feet on the metal bars to steady herself. She glanced back at Rem in the corner of her eye; he stood in the doorway as an observer, not daring to stop her. Many sought her head or some aspect of truth, and yet he would allow her to freely move about Adrylis and let her discover more for herself.
Somehow, she felt grateful for him.
She folded her arms behind her back and basked in the guise of the moon intertwined with the midnight sky. He cleared his throat as a means of acknowledgment, the gesture making her heart soar. Amiria wasn’t sure what to feel about his presence anymore. It seemed too surreal. “Thank you for believing in me.”
“There’s still a lot that I want to learn,” he admitted, “So, you better not die on me.” Amiria gave a nod before she held out both hands, a large vine spawning from the ground. Once it had grown to a considerable size, she climbed down. Rem watched her from above until the plant shrunk into a simple lily. Her powers seemed to carry more range than any other Arcana that he had come across. There was more to Amiria than she shared—more than he could ever understand. But at least he still had the time to uproot it all. What was left of her stepped further out of his sight over the course of a few minutes, and then she disappeared into the night.
“You know,” the sudden call behind Rem started him. He nearly jumped off the railing, gripping the bars binding him. He couldn’t even face Solus, unsure if he was ready to explain so soon that Amiria had left them behind. “You could have just talked to me if you were bothered by something.” Rem swallowed as he turned. Solus was leaning against the door, hands in his pockets, a confident grin overtaking his features. “What ails you, Highness?”
“I wouldn’t say something’s bothering me,” he admitted, pressing his hands to the bars. “It’s more like what’s bothering everybody around me.”
“Do tell,” Solus gestured on.
“People are out for my blood, something that I can’t control. And yet, there are people that believe my magic is the key to shaping Adrylis anew. I think about how the people of Kalonia are looking for us solely for information on why I killed the Dirionus that was destroying their town. You killed their apparent Savior, and all that you were trying to do was protect me.” He rested his forehead against the icy bars, continuing, “I feel like a pawn pushing people forward, or away, or even around.”
Solus tapped the back of his head with his closed fist, and Rem didn’t flinch. “And who, per se, are you pushing around or away? Because the last that I checked, we were supporting one another. And not just me, Leilana and Amiria are here to help, and there are people like Olen that want to see you prevail and take back what is yours. You have allies in many fields. Not to mention Phiran.”
Rem sighed, the handkerchief in his back pocket growing heavy at the mention of the man’s name. “Amiria left, Sol. She didn’t feel comfortable around you and Leilana.”
“Then that is her decision. You can’t put the blame on yourself for something that she wanted.” Solus rested a hand on his shoulder. “Focus on the task at hand. Your connections will reach your heart again, all in good time.”
“I’m not worried about her. She’s skilled. She can handle herself.” Rem cleared his throat, watching people file out of the hotel. Dawn was steadily approaching. If there was the time to act, it was now. “So, what’s the plan from here? Are we going to just sneak out?”
“We may have to settle with blending in. I have an idea.”
“Oh no,” Rem whined, “Not a Solace versus Soulless idea…”
Leilana woke thinking about Amiria’s departure early in the morning after Rem explained his decision to allow her to leave. It wasn’t unheard of for someone to run from their discomfort, but she seemed to bask in his light, even before learning his identity. Maybe knowing him would be enough to guide her wayward. It was dangerous to work alone, especially with new threats rising, but Leilana was left to hope she would manage until they met again.
“Okay, so this is what we’re going for,” Solus began, “Morning will be soon, and that means that people will want to have breakfast. It won’t be as crowded in the halls, because the staff will either be serving or people will be heading down to the buffet area. We can use that opportunity to sneak away from the hotel and dodge the citizens of Kalonia.”
“But what about the ones out on the streets?” Leilana asked, “What if they suspect us?”
“I have an arrangement,” Solus continued, winking at her. “One of the merchants caught wind of Rem’s arrival and shut his mouth after I bought a sword. Says he wants to help. He can get us out of Kalonia on his caravan and lead us to the east.”
“I guess it pays to have allies in close places,” Leilana replied.
“And how do you know that he won’t bail on us?” Rem’s voice wavered.
“There are supporters to Linmus—I happened to get lucky with the right one. And you know that even if we were caught up, we can get ourselves out of the situation.” He held up his thumb to his neck and ran it from the left side over to the right. “Easy pickings.”
“All right. I guess I’ll trust you.”
“Excellent. Now we just have to lay low and make sure that everyone starts filing out.”
Chatter filled the halls, and the three listened carefully to the stampeding footsteps. They seemed to step right past their room. Maybe they had mellowed out more from the previous evening. It was a good sign.
“It’s almost time,” Solus concluded. “Are you both ready?”
“Always up for a good run.” Rem’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Or maybe I should say… climb.” Solus turned his stern gaze on the young Prince. Rem let out a snarl, and the two became embroidered in a staring contest, coming to a silent standstill.
“I don’t like where this is going,” Leilana mumbled.
Leilana and Solus decided to remain together and maneuver the crowds, keeping on their toes. They both tried to be firm with their opinions, but Rem made it clear that he wasn’t putting up with whatever social anxiety he developed. Leilana couldn’t blame him. Crowds were, well, crowded. But a rooftop escapade was more dangerous.
“Do you think that he’s okay? You both seemed pretty heated.”
“I don’t think it matters,” Solus told her. “Rem’s going to do whatever he wants no matter what. That’s just how he is. He may be my best friend, but every now and again, we come to spats like this because of his arrogance. It’s just how he was raised.”
“I think it’s fine to argue. It shows how close that the two of you are to one another, and it shows your concerns. You can find your faults and resolve them. I envy that about you. I can’t say that I’ve had a close-knit relationship like the two of you do.”
Solus sighed in response, grinning. “Well, if it helps, Rem is the only friend I’ve ever known. At least until now.”
“So, we’re friends now,” Leilana joked. “Is that what you’re going on?”
“Only if that’s what you want to call it. Friends, associates, allies, partners, spin it a thousand times, give it a thousand names.” She couldn’t help giggling. “I don’t know what Rem is thinking when it comes to not trusting you, but you’ve yet to give me any off feelings, even as an Arcana. I think that you can be an asset to our group.”
“I will stand at your side, and I will assist you as best as I can. No walls that Rem builds will ever tear me from that anymore. Especially now that you’ve read the Lasette.”
Solus grew silent, and he could swear that he was sweating down the back of his neck. Finally, he spat out the words, “You knew?”
“Oh yes. I knew. I don’t know how you managed to breach its pages, but now that you’ve seen something that was not meant for your eyes, I won’t let you make any hapless mistakes. You’re going to need someone to act as your personal guide into the unknown, and I doubt that Rem will be suitable enough.” She tapped the tote at her side once. “This pilgrimage is valuable to my time, but I’m sure that I can balance if you’ll let me join you.” She rested her hands on her hips, smiling up at him. “I will see your journey’s end with my own eyes. That is a promise.”
Solus broke into laughter, which took her by surprise. “You are incredible. And here I thought that I was the only one capable of such speech.” She rolled her eyes and shoved him in a playful manner.
Splitting off and sneaking down to the lobby to meet up with their secret informant seemed like a wholesome idea, but Rem was already cursing Solus’s name for considering it. It was far from useful in a situation that involved three teenagers cheating death. Some strategist he was primed to be.
Rem settled with venturing to the top floor, where few would be able to notice him scaling the rooftops and keeping his balance with his aura-ranged claws, not wanting to run the risk of jumping through crowds on the interior and having someone look him directly in the face. Sure, this wasn’t much of an alternative, but he’d have rather fallen and suffered a broken limb than be forced to run from one person evolving into thirty ratting him out as Prince of Adrylis.
“I don’t understand the rumors.” Rem’s feet nearly skid across the splintered wood when the unfamiliar voice reached his ears. Crap, that’s right; the guards were always on high alert to keep people from harming themselves or others. He planted his hands on the nearby window, taking care that no one was inside to try and expose him, relieved to find the room empty.
“What, about Mitholus’s death? The circumstances are rather unique—they say that a boy from the outside eliminated the Dirionus, and Mitholus tried to retaliate but was brought down by another.” People were catching on fast. Maybe that was why Solus was so hell-bent on getting out of Kalonia.
Rem kept his steps paced, one toe up at a time while he trekked along the rooftops, peering out towards the balcony where the two men stood. They were a little further back, out of range for him to pursue them. Even if he could, he ran the risk of someone stepping out and finding him. He lowered himself onto one of the pedestals, stumbling over his feet. To regain himself, he broke into a run, grabbing hold of the nearby balcony where the men stood. Both let out near-simultaneous yells.
“How’s it hanging, fellas?!” Rem called nervously. “Enjoying the morning?”
“What do you think you’re doing?!” one of the guards exclaimed, still holding a hand over his chest to try and quell his nerves. Rem could feel his fingers slipping from the bars. He nearly smirked. Opportunity knocked far more than he let on.
“Dropping.” He released the bars and fell the several feet below. The wind rushed past his ears and the morning glory above seemed to carry him further from any doubts. As the seconds elapsed, he recalled the power embedded in his left hand. He could use it to fend off the strike of a Dirionus, a solitary and stalwart beast that carried the will of a Warlord. Such a feat was accomplishable, why was securing his life so different?
He channeled his remaining energy and thrust his left hand upward, his claw’s aura spiraling around his body before clinging to the balcony where he fell. His barriers had evolved in full bloom when his true power came into play. Solus and Leilana were stepping out of the hotel when Leilana’s essence gripped to the sensation engulfing Rem’s body. Rem dispelled his magic once his feet touched solid ground, his hand remaining in the air a moment longer before he closed his fist. His fingers were pulsating, his heart pounding like a drum.
“Took you two long enough,” he proclaimed when he caught sight of Solus and Leilana looking on. “I had a little spill and had to change my methods.”
“We don’t have time for your explanation-”
Before the three could make any sudden movements, a swarm of guards for the hotel was dashing out with rifles and swords in tow. Leilana almost shook upon seeing the guns—she had heard of them in passing and learned that the bullets were meant to kill, but this was the first time that she had seen them. Solus reached for his sword but faltered at the cocking of several of the weapons, his fingers lingering over the hilt before he ultimately lowered his hand.
“Were you the ones present last night before the Dirionus?” One of the guards hissed.
“Why, what gave you that idea?” Rem asked, extending his arms outwards. Solus shot him a glare, not wanting the situation to be turned on its rear because of any reckless temptations. As he spoke, the guards took to staring at Rem’s exposed left hand, lined with scars and traces of the rooftop’s debris on his nails, not a single glance out of place. Rem’s confidence slipped away over the seconds of silence, but he didn’t drop his arms.
“We came to Kalonia in peace,” Leilana began, the Lasette snug against her chest. “And we intend to leave the same way at any cost.” A shot rang out, and sooner than Leilana could process, her body was shielded from the attack, her face resting on someone’s chest. It hadn’t taken her long to realize that her savior at that moment was Rem. His shirt was slightly torn from the impact that grazed his shoulder, and his expression fierce, unnerved by the wound.
“I don’t think that’s how we’ll be leaving,” Rem mumbled, his voice reverberating through her.
Rem took the opportunity to swing forward his left hand, coated in darkness, his energy swelling about the guards. Every flick of his fingers ushered forth a new opportunity for guard-breaking. All that the guards managed to do in retaliation was keep firing, blindsided by the mystical power of the boy they were to seize, bullets piercing through Rem’s skin. Still, he kept standing and willing himself to force them all away. He stood in the way of any bullets that could reach his two friends and took them in for himself. Leilana watched as the guards fell to the ground one by one, unsure of how to react to the situation. They didn’t seem lifeless, their chests rising and falling every few seconds—Rem had merely subdued them.
For all the powers that he possessed between healing the innocent and outlandishly murdering his opposers, he still knew his place. He knew his limitations in where he morally stood. Remiel Vesarus was dangerous in that sense alone.
The guards littered the entrance, no longer of use in this fight. They didn’t have a chance, and Solus knew it well after seeing his Prince’s actions towards the Dirionus. Few could stand against one, but it was too much for Rem, easily overcome by Mitholus soon afterward. Still, even this was beyond the limits that he would seize for his own fortitude. Even in his moment of weakness, Rem never laid a hand on Mitholus. Mere humans differed greatly from the brutes that terrorized Adrylis, no matter their intentions.
