The Final Lesson, page 24
part #1 of The Final Lesson Series
The man eyed the young girl from afar. “Such determination.” He sighed, holding up a hand behind him to gesture to the lowly figures in the bushes.
A pack of wolves cloaked in shadow sped past the man as he walked in the opposite direction, growling and snarling at the three. What was most peculiar about the situation was that the wolves didn’t bother with any of them—they seemed to be venturing down the trail, their noses turned up on the airflow circling around them.
Solus pulled Leilana close to him, glaring up at the man. “You won’t get away with this!”
“Oh, but Solus…” His name escaping the man’s lips was haunting. Daunting, even, when considering his tone. “I already have.”
He reached up his hands to clasp around his mask before tugging it away by the two loose strings holding it over his face. Beyond the faces of the unknown stood Lunious, his hair falling past his shoulders, his expression confident, yet cocky. Solus was appalled, but Leilana didn’t seem too amused or shocked by the reveal.
“I knew it,” she whispered, her fingers grazing Solus’s hand merely out of comfort. He interlaced his fingers with hers, the boiling touch of her skin evident.
“I should have known better than to go trusting some asshole that tries to buy me off with a sword!” Rem hissed upon recognizing the man’s voice, no longer muffled by the mask. He jumped to a stand, the Dirionus secure in his arms, his sword pointed in the man’s direction.
“Thank you, Leilana, for your patronage. It is because of the fruits that you brought into town that the wolves can destroy everything that they touch!” Leilana’s heart skipped a beat, and she stared at the ground. She hadn’t considered that she was guiding Linarus into further turmoil.
“Rem, go back to town!” Solus exclaimed. “Warn Lancett and Sien and as many others as you can to get as far away from Linarus as possible!” Rem took a step back, unsure how to deal with the sudden weight on his shoulders. Solus’s eyes darkened, and he slammed his fist on the dirt to jolt the young Prince’s attention back. “Remiel! There is no time to think! Go now!”
“R-Right, all right!”
Rem held the small beast in his arms as he ran past the two, briefly allowing his gaze to linger on them before matching his speed to approach the bands of wolves. They snarled and snapped their jaws at him, one tearing into his arm and tossing him aside like a scrap of meat. Rem rolled over onto his back, his muscles aching, his flesh ripping, dirt staining his clothes. He spat out some grass and wiped his mouth clean of the grotesque aftertaste, watching the wolves progress down the beaten path.
Rem was running out of breath, the winding jog several miles from Linarus. The Dirionus was losing blood, its body too battered to ensure survival. Its eyes had fallen shut, and it wasn’t whimpering in pain anymore, but he could still feel its heartbeat through his fingertips. He was used to pacing himself, but now his concern for Sien and Luna fueled that blazing determination to reach them. He knew that Sien could handle herself, and he assumed that Lancett was already assisting other villagers as best as he could. They were used to a few beasts, but a wild pack of corrupted, bloodthirsty wolves?
Time was of the essence.
The wolves’ paw prints guided him to Linarus, each step fresher than the last. The scent of rotten fruit was making him nauseous, but true to Lunious’s proclamation, it was drawing out the wolves. He hadn’t noticed it during the initial walk; it was safe to assume that Lunious had prepared in advance and timed their departure. He had led them here to begin with, and it was no coincidence that he was returning north. He had even passed the hint to Solus that there was going to be a showdown.
He hoped that Solus and Leilana could handle themselves.
“What are you planning to do, Lunious?” Leilana choked out. Solus was holding her arms, not wanting her in harm’s way. “You walk these plains in a mask. You deceived us, and for what?” She shook her head slowly. “Better yet, I don’t think I want to know why. You’re so adamant about harming Rem…”
“Actually, my goal was never Rem. I know all about that kid and what he is.”
“If you aren’t seeking Rem’s Bloodlinch powers, what is your end plan?” Solus asked.
“Why, it’s the two of you,” Lunious implied, extending his finger, moving down the line between them. “One of you has the power to cleanse this world of its turmoil. And one of you has the power to unravel all that we have ever known.” Solus bore his teeth, his eyes narrowed in contempt. This was twice now that someone wearing a mask mentioned untapped power. “I bet that you can’t tell which one of you holds which piece of the puzzle.”
“That’s the end of it,” she breathed out. “No more…” Leilana thrust her hand forward, the pages of the Lasette spiraling out of control. Her arm was shaking, her breaths rough. “No more…!” Solus grabbed her wrist, and before she could retort, her vision began spotting. She collapsed into his strong arms, and Solus cradled her, stroking her sweat-drenched hair. The Lasette closed shut, the lock clicking into place. She tiredly groaned, and he sighed, laying her gently on the ground.
Solus rose, broadsword in hand. “You’re a Maester, correct?” He grasped the hilt with both hands, lifting the blade inches from his face, his fiery emerald eyes the only visible essence of him remaining in Lunious’s sight. “Allow me to show you the power of humanity.” Lunious shrugged his shoulders, flexing his fingers, miniscule gusts of wind sweeping through his hand.
He held up a hand, wind splitting through Solus’s core. His rubber band snapped in half, the crimson ribbon holding it together getting caught on a branch. His long hair was freely streaming through the squalls, smacking his face. The young attendant didn’t falter, his eyes trained on the man even as the wind shoved him. He pushed forward, tightening the grip on his sword before swinging, the energy of the wind connecting with the blade, propelling back at Lunious. The man gasped, shielding his face with his arms, grunting at the sudden change of pace.
Solus didn’t step out of turn or change his stance in the slightest, prepared for any more changes in the atmosphere. He was certain that the wind was gliding down his back. Lunious eyed him closely. A clever mind trick, Lunious thought, but an ineffective execution. Lunious smirked, signing some words before him. Solus narrowed his eyes to conjure up the symbols in his mind. The letters were in Sentience, which made his study easier to comprehend. He mouthed the pronunciation of each symbol under his breath, just out of reach to Lunious’s hearing. “Firen-sain-to.” He swallowed his words.
Strike fear into one’s heart. Lunious wasn’t the first to cling to a mask, hiding behind his motivation. Like others, he was looking to shape the world anew by breaking down the royal family and seizing its sole heir, making him fear for his life. And now they were attempting to do the same to him, and to Leilana. Any ounce of fear would throw them into danger. As Lunious started up another windstorm, Solus lowered his weapon and carried it at his side, rushing through the gales. The chill was little more than pins and needles on his skin. Still, he ran. Lunious was caught off guard by his increased speed, allowing Solus the opportunity to slice the man’s hand.
Solus held his broadsword centimeters from the man’s neck, the tip of the blade piercing his throat, droplets seeping onto the weapon. Lunious was holding his breath, standing completely still. Any wrong move and the end would come.
“Leave,” Solus snarled. “Never come here again. Never do harm to innocent people.” He fell back and Lunious took a few seconds to comprehend what was occurring. It was as if time had stopped. And surely, for him, it would have.
“I will have your head, Solus Brenner,” Lunious assured. “And I will have that girl’s book. I’ll stake my life on it.” The man cloaked himself in the wind that he harnessed, vanishing without a trace.
Solus sighed, falling to the ground, stretching out his arms across the mounds of dirt. Holding focus for an extended period was strenuous. Pretending to be calm in a situation that required focus above all was painful. Somehow, he’d managed both without sullying his hands. Alongside his ribbon fell a sheet of paper, both landing on his chest. He rested a hand on the note before holding it up to his face. The words were beyond him, but after mentally comparing them to the symbols on Leilana’s grimoire, he was certain that the text was in Minsuran. After pocketing his ribbon, he made his way over to Leilana, the young girl pushing herself to a sit.
“Don’t even think about it,” he told her softly. He grabbed her bag and set the Lasette and slip of paper inside, placing the tote around his shoulder. Once it was secure, he scooped the girl up in his arms. She gripped to his sleeve, gazing up at him, her eyes falling shut every few seconds before jolting open to keep her attention even. “It’s all right. You’re allowed to rest.”
“You’re bleeding,” she began, reaching up a hand to caress his cheek. Solus glanced at the reddish substance between her fingers, and he grinned. He wasn’t concerned with the pain at all, not when there were others that were worse off. In fact, it was impressive that Leilana carried the same trait. “What happened, Solus…?”
He rested a hand on hers. “It’s nothing, I promise. We’re going back to help Rem. I want you to rest until then. No excuses.” She sighed in defeat, resting her head against his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. The sound of his racing heartbeat sent her mind aflutter, and she couldn’t comprehend why. Maybe it was the swirling heat dulling her senses. Or maybe it was her concern for him, unable to protect him when she needed him.
Solus’s palms were sweating as he walked, his nerves jumping through more rings than he could pick up, but his determination to return to Linarus and find Rem was winning out.
Rem came to a halt atop the hills overlooking Linarus. Screams besieged his ears, the sight of the wolves mowing down people in the peaceful farming village one by one unnerving. Blood was splattered on the ground, broken limbs and organs littering the once fermented and luxurious soil. Each passing second fractured his crumbling mind further.
“Sien,” he breathed, sliding down the mound before rushing into the village. He dodged several marauding wolves lining the streets, cutting through them with the saber in his dominant right hand, stumbling over loose branches. The Dirionus started up whimpering again, noticing the distress in his eyes. Rem ducked behind one of the buildings, cradling the Familiar.
Every glance forward thrust more ruin upon his soul. Each cry of pain sent shockwaves down his back, and it brought him to his knees. He buried his face in the Dirionus’s fur to hide his tears.
“What am I supposed to do…?”
This was no different from the state that Linmus was in. He could still vividly picture the flames, the smoke rising into the air, ashen rain covering the sky and engulfing the clouds to emit a hazy grey. But now, there was no lack of opportunity, and people could fight back. He could fight back.
He covered the Dirionus with his hands, a teal shade surrounding the creature. Over the next few seconds, the torn flesh mended itself, the bleeding slowing to a stop. The Dirionus regained its energy in seconds, looking up at Rem when he set it on the ground, whimpering and pawing at his feet. It was preparing to evolve when Rem placed his hand atop its head and turned to walk off. It was quick to rush after him, grabbing his pants leg with its miniscule fangs.
“Don’t come,” Rem said sharply, brandishing his weapon, startling the Dirionus. “You need to recover. I only stopped the bleeding. I can’t afford to waste energy, and I can’t have any distractions.”
The Dirionus didn’t heed his warning, leaping onto his shoulder. Rem slumped slightly at the weight gain, feeling its silken fur nuzzle against the side of his face, chatting him up in its own language. Rem couldn’t understand it fully, only some choice words here and there due to his lack of knowledge of the art of a Maester’s ‘chant,’ but it was in protest. Clearly, it wasn’t taking no for an answer, as expected from a Familiar that was hand-chosen and bound to a Warlord.
“Oh, fine,” he scoffed. “We can be partners for a little while. Just don’t go making a scene.”
The Dirionus leaped from his shoulder, wrapped its puffy tail around its body and ascended into a larger size, though not nearly as formidable as the height it appeared in. Its tail grew in length, its fur brushing outward, shaping itself into an almost regal stature when it stood on all fours. Rem was covering his racing heart with his left hand.
“Try not to go too crazy, yeah? Meet me back around here, I’m gonna try and find my friends.” It looked to Rem, snorting a reply, watching as the boy ran off.
It sped off into the village, growling upon reaching a group of wolves hovering over three corpses, chowing down on their entrails. They were a lost cause, but they were far from its intended target; hidden in the fields behind rose bushes were a woman and her two young children, masked under the scent of the flowers and bloodshed. The youngest, an infant, was crying and being bounced as a means of calming, to no avail.
One of the wolves exhaled, looking to the bushes, causing its allies to follow suit. The Dirionus pounced on the wolves, knocking them away with its claws, biting down on one of their backs to sway it from the family. It threw one to the ground with its teeth, the blood seeping between the sharp fangs, its hazel eyes flaring. Its muscles shook, determination fueling its strength. This was the purpose of a Dirionus—to serve under the will of its master. And when without support, to protect at any cost.
The wolves didn’t back down, circling the Dirionus, who remained vigilant, its claws kneading the soil, focused on the footsteps around it. They pounced, and the Dirionus roared, an array of squalls bursting from its body at a rapid acceleration, cutting the shadowy beasts in half, their corpses landing on the ground. The Dirionus whimpered, covering its eyes with its paws.
“You…” The Dirionus shot up, snarling before its eyes landed on a young man carrying a girl in his arms, his hair resting on his shoulders. This boy, he was one of his protectors from the mountains. The Dirionus ran uphill to meet him, kneeling. “I’m relieved that you’re safe.” Solus reached up a hand to lay on the creature’s nose. “My friend that helped you. Do you know where he went?”
The Dirionus glanced back at the town. Solus’s stomach dropped. Hours had passed since their departure; laughter and merriment were replaced with damning silence. The crops that filled the prosperous town were ripped from the ground. The buildings were crumbling, and the spectral wolves were scattered about the area, salvaging the corpses littering the town. Every inhabitant that spoke to him on his way to the tavern would no longer be there to greet him.
It was like they had stepped into another world.
“Linarus,” Leilana choked out, gripping to Solus’s sleeve. He couldn’t even acknowledge her, trying to find the words to express the grief he felt. “Linarus is falling…”
“I don’t understand,” he admitted. “Rem was supposed to be here. He was-” He cut himself off, noticing a small figure at the bottom of the hill.
He set Leilana down. She stumbled, surprised by the sudden return to the ground. He placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her, and once she was stable enough, he pursued the person, his shoes slipping along the morning dew. At the foot of the hill was Luna, clutching her bleeding right arm, the left side of her face caked in blood. Her braid was loose, several strands out of place. He grunted as he lost his footing, catching himself before he came close to impacting. “Luna!”
“S-Sol… Solus,” she began, her bottom lip quivering, her voice hoarse. “M-My sister, she…” Solus didn’t hesitate to take her hand, leading her up the hill. Her hands were shaky, her mind shattering, but the gesture of protection was undeniable. “S-Sien stayed behind with Lancett. They’re still in the tavern, I-I don’t know what’s happening to her…!”
“Don’t worry, Rem is looking for them. I know that he is. He’ll make sure that they’re safe.” He removed Leilana’s tote from around his shoulder to place around the young Arcana’s. “Listen to me. You, Luna, and the Dirionus, you get out of here, you go as far away as you can.”
Leilana shook her head, her eyes laced with anger. Was he just expecting her to run away when Rem, Sien, and Lancett were in danger? “Don’t ask me to do that.”
“There’s a time to be noble and another to weigh your options, Leilana,” he pressed. “You are the only chance we have at finding help.” He glanced over at Luna, who had taken to observing the Familiar, reaching up to a hand to stroke its fur, stopping short to clutch her wounded arm. The Dirionus whimpered, resting its head on her hand to save her the trouble. “Sien would want you to keep Luna safe. I want you to keep her safe. She needs someone that can relate to her, especially if we are left to anticipate the worst.” He placed his hands on her cheeks, his eyes saddening. “Please… just trust me.”
She pulled away slightly. “Solus, I don’t know where I’m supposed to go. I don’t know this land, where would I even begin to find help? How would I get back here, how… how would I be able to find you again? I have nothing to guide me. Please don’t make me go by myself.”
“You won’t be by yourself,” he said quickly. “The Dirionus knows this land, it was assigned to rule here. It can bring you back here.” He was growing anxious, the low growls of the wolves looming from behind. They had spotted them. “But right now, you need to go.”
He grabbed her by the arm and led her to the Dirionus, helping Luna onto its back afterward. Leilana was baffled. He was so adamant about saving them, was he even considering what would happen to himself and how he could escape to the eastern border? Linarus was already a lost cause. She knew it, as much as she hadn’t wanted to believe it. Like Paluna and Linmus, this piece of the world was crumbling under the reign of terrorists.
