Transcendence, page 23
part #6 of The Beginning After The End Series
“You’re into those prim and proper ladies?” his friend replied. “I’ve heard the girls down at Blackbend are more ‘willing,’ if you know what I mean.”
His friend hid a snicker behind a gloved fist but immediately froze when he realized my eyes were on him. I repressed the urge to rebuke them; in the past, I probably would have done so—and at a volume that everyone could hear—but this wasn’t anything new, nor was it worth causing a scene over. Besides, my glare was enough to shut him up for now.
Needless to say, walking alongside General Varay with Curtis, Kathyln, and the mysterious Bladeheart child who had, until now, not been seen since the Xyrus incident, I turned heads left and right. Looking around, I could see men of noble households nudging their companions, trying to be discreet—the same way the girls tried to be discreet while they ogled Curtis.
He and Darvus wore very similar styles of clothing, but the two couldn’t have looked more different. While Darvus—with his hair slicked back and his attire ornamented with a bit too much gold—looked more like an overdressed thug than a noble, there was no doubt for anyone here that Curtis was royalty.
Walking through the hall filled with staring nobles, I was grateful to have General Varay by our side. Even the bolder nobles didn’t dare step in our direction with a Lance beside us.
Claire leaned toward me. “How do you guys get used to this much attention? It’s absolutely nerve-racking.”
I smiled and whispered back, “Just don’t trip over your own feet.”
“Great.” She looked down. “Now, I’m conscious of my walking.”
Arriving near the front of the stage, I caught sight of my parents, along with the rest of the Council, seated against the wall. Suddenly, the entire hall darkened.
Gasps of surprise and mutters of confusion erupted. While I wasn’t able to enhance my vision like augmenters could, assimilating with the elderwood guardian had greatly improved my senses—to the point that I could see the members of the Council trading puzzled glances with one another.
Most people seemed to assume that this was part of the event. The noise inside the hall slowly died down until only the soft rustling of clothes could be heard.
Footsteps echoed across the wooden stage, creating even more suspense amongst the guests. Then an illuminating artifact, floating above the stage, activated to reveal my grandfather, now standing in a pillar of light.
“Thank you all for waiting!” His sharp voice rang with authority, evoking applause from the nobles, but I could only groan in embarrassment.
Everyone seemed to love the theatrics, but I found them tacky. My grandfather, the highest authority in Dicathen during this war, had certainly dressed for the part, with a rich burgundy robe embellished with gold trim and gleaming black jewels. Even his hair seemed to shimmer like pearls—most likely with the help of the lighting—and he stood straight with his hands clasped behind him.
After the applause died down, my grandfather spoke. “First, let me apologize to everyone here. I know that little has been said about the purpose of this event. This was done intentionally—not for security, and certainly not for safety. No, this was done for the sake of surprising each and every person here today.”
Heads turned as nobles looked at one another in confusion, uncertain if they had heard right.
“Yes, you all heard correctly,” he chuckled. “Some positive news—in the form of a surprise—is something we could all use in these times of duress.”
Murmurs of agreement sounded from those around us.
“So, since I’ve kept you all waiting long enough, allow me to present to you our first step toward victory in this war! We have come together today to commend the one responsible for eradicating a central power of the enemy side—a retainer!” My grandfather stepped to the side as a whirring noise sounded from below. The stage split in half and a gruesome figure, locked in a tomb of ice, was raised into view.
The nobles closest to the stage all took several fearful steps back, some of the weaker ones even stumbling.
Falling into a stupor as I gazed at the Vritra, I felt someone tugging on my arm. Looking back, I saw Claire barely managing to stay standing, her face deathly white. “Claire?”
I hurriedly grabbed hold of my friend by the waist to keep her upright. “Do you want to go further back?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I need to be able to at least endure this much.”
It pained me to see her so helpless—especially because she was someone I had once looked up to—but I let her be and turned back toward the stage. Considering it was able to emanate such a noxious aura even after death, I could only imagine how strong it must’ve been in life.
As I looked in wonder and horror at the display, I was struck by a thought. The Vritra had been encased in ice, and to such a degree that I felt its chill from back here. I looked instinctively at General Varay, but she looked as stunned as everyone else in the room.
And her gaze wasn’t fixed on the disfigured monster.
I peered at the stage and saw another person coming from the back, hidden in the shadows behind the column of light shining down on the ice-encased retainer.
I should have been expecting something like this, after all these years, but I wasn’t. I was as stunned as General Varay, and everyone else in this hall, when Arthur stepped into view for everyone to see.
Chapter 28
Meaning
Everyone in the hall held their breath as Arthur came into view, and silently waited for him to speak.
He stood wordlessly and surveyed the outdoor gallery from atop the stage. Every person present seemed entranced by the image as their hero stood before them, bathed in light, posing dramatically next to the block of ice.
I had seen Arthur just hours before, and was stunned by how different he looked now. His long auburn hair was tied loosely in a knot. Rather than the usual formal human attire, he wore a silky decorative robe like us elves. However, unlike our traditional garb, the loose sleeves of his robe hung barely past his elbows, and the visible portions of his arms were covered by thin, tight-fitting gloves. Completing his refined ensemble was a rich fur pelt, as white as snow, slung over one shoulder.
It hadn’t been too long since he had appeared in front of the world, adorned in extravagant armor that had dazzled everyone who’d come to watch. Now, seeing him up there standing in the column of light in his elegant attire, he didn’t seem just dazzling. He radiated an otherworldliness that I had only felt in the presence of Master Aldir.
I was distracted by his transformation, and it was only when Arthur turned his head, peering deeply at the Vritra retainer encased in ice, that I realized the red burns that had scarred his neck were no longer visible.
He turned back to face us before speaking, his voice low and steady. “Displaying a corpse as some sort of trophy or keepsake for the masses to gawk at is something I deeply disapprove of, but those of you attending this event tonight aren’t part of the masses. Each noble here knows that the workers, civilians, and inhabitants of your lands are waiting impatiently for news regarding this war—until now, vague assumptions and baseless theories were the only things you could give them.”
Arthur paused, but the crowd remained quiet, patiently waiting for him to speak again. “Born to a humble background, I have been able to climb to where I am now thanks to my family—as well as the friends I met along the way. I am now a Lance, and the youngest one at that, but I’m not the strongest. The Lances out there, some whom are fighting battles as we speak, are far above me in power—yet even I was able to defeat a retainer, one of the so-called ‘highest powers’ of the Alacryan army.”
Arthur paused once more, and excited murmurs began sounding from the crowd. I realized that his speech patterns were intentional. He was a year younger than me, and with his background, he had neither been taught nor prepared for things like speeches or the intricacies of public appearances, yet he utilized every breath, word, pause, and gesture to perfectly take control of the crowd.
“As you can see, I’ve sustained no injuries from my battle with this supposedly powerful force, and am healthy enough to chatter on like this amongst a crowd of nobles,” he said with a smile, eliciting laughter from everyone around me.
Placing one of his gloved hands on the tomb of ice, he shifted his gaze to where the Council was seated. “This is not only my offering to the Council, who has granted me this role, but is also a gift that I hope you can all take home and share with your people—figuratively, of course.”
Cheers and laughs erupted after Arthur bowed, signaling the end of his speech. The illuminating artifacts turned back on as Arthur left the stage and my grandfather took his place.
“Please feel free to get a closer look at the Vritra, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening.” With that, a few guards replaced my grandfather on stage, and the crowd burst into chatter and shuffling movement.
The Council came up first. Though they tried to hide their astonishment, it was obvious by their expressions that this was the first time any of them had seen the corpse. I watched as my parents, along with the elder Glayders, studied the frozen tomb. Only the dwarven elder, Rahdeas, kept his distance, his expression subtly strained.
“Princess Tessia, would you like me to escort you to the corpse?” General Varay asked, a rare hint of anticipation in her sharp eyes.
I didn’t want to disappoint the Lance, so Curtis, Kathyln, Claire, and I followed her toward the stage where nobles were already beginning to surround the frozen Vritra.
Reaching the front, I looked past the soldiers standing guard and examined the corpse inside the ice. It was hard for me to look at the Vritra for too long, though. In terms of its physical attributes, it—she—looked human, but staring at the two hollowed-out cavities where her eyes should have been filled me with a fear that couldn’t be blocked by mana.
I watched as Varay stared intently at all angles of the Vritra, her hands moving along the ice tomb as Claire studied the corpse wearily. Suddenly I remembered.
“Claire.” I gently tugged on her sleeve. “Wait right here! Let me go get Arthur!”
“What? Tessia, no—”
Ignoring Claire, I quickly made my way to the back of the stage, behind the curtains.
“This area is off—” The female guard stationed behind the stage retreated a few steps when she recognized me. “Princess Tessia?”
I smiled, quickly making up an excuse. “My grandfather is expecting me to meet him.”
The guard’s gaze shifted toward the narrow staircase beside her. “General Arthur and Commander Virion have ordered me to allow no one down these stairs, not even the rest of the Council,” she replied hesitantly.
“I know. They told me not to tell the Council that I’m here, either,” I lied. “Now please—they are expecting me.”
She hesitated for a moment longer, then stepped aside with a nod, motioning for me to go down.
I didn’t thank her—that would’ve been suspicious. I just nodded back and headed down the staircase.
It was wide enough for only one person at a time, and seemed to spiral down endlessly. So long and repetitive was the staircase, it would have seemed like an illusion if not for the slight nuances in the design of each of the illuminating artifacts.
I quieted my steps with wind magic as I went further down the stairs. I knew what I was doing was wrong—even if it was just Arthur and my grandfather—but I was too curious about what these important matters were and why they needed to keep them secret, even from the Council.
Once I got close enough to hear faint voices muttering behind closed doors, I withdrew my magic. Both Grandpa and Arthur were freakishly sensitive to mana fluctuations, so if I wanted to eavesdrop, I would have to rely on just my hearing. Thanks to my enhanced senses after my beast will’s assimilation, I was able to make out what they were saying. From the sound of it, the artificer Gideon was there as well.
“Don’t push yourself, brat,” my grandfather grunted.
“I’m fine. I didn’t need to use magic, so it’s just physical fatigue more than anything else,” Arthur replied. His voice was weak, compared to how he had sounded up on stage. “This paste is rather stifling though.”
“Best not touch your neck, or it will wear off more quickly,” Gideon muttered. “You wouldn’t want your scars showing during the party.”
“Right,” Arthur responded, his voice taut as a bowstring. “I still have to go back out there.”
“Of course you do. You’re the star of the event,” Grandpa replied. “Your speech was convincing enough, though, so it might not be necessary for you to stay until the end.”
“Good. Gideon, how did the recording go?” Arthur asked.
“It was a hassle trying to capture the images at the exact moments you specified. There’s still a bit of a delay between the moment I press the trigger and when the image is—hold on, let me take note of that so I can fix it.”
“Focus, Gideon,” Arthur snapped, his voice impatient.
“I know you just had your legs forcefully torn into a mess and put back together, but that’s no excuse for being grumpy with me,” Gideon grumbled. “Anyway, I was able to capture the images of Rahdeas’s face when Virion first announced the Vritra, then when Arthur first came into view, and when Arthur said he had sustained no injuries,” Gideon noted.
“Here, let me see that,” my grandfather said. “What’s Rahdeas looking at in this picture?”
“Not what, who,” Arthur answered. “He’s looking at General Varay, who was in the crowd. I suggested to Tessia’s father that we have the Lance look after the royal children.”
“So Rahdeas thought General Varay was the one who killed the Vritra?” Gideon asked.
“Wait. Is that why you froze the retainer’s corpse? To make him think it was Varay?” My grandfather sounded surprised.
“I wanted him to think that it had taken the strongest Lance to kill one of the strongest forces in the Alacryan army before it was revealed that I killed her,” Arthur explained.
“You always have a few tricks up your sleeves, don’t you?” my grandfather said, a touch of pride in his voice.
“Look at Rahdeas’s face when he first saw the Vritra come up encased in ice. He’s surprised and looks immediately over toward Varay,” the artificer pointed out. “Then look at this image, after Arthur comes into view, and then when Arthur announced that he, the weakest of the Lances, had kicked the retainer’s ass without even sustaining an injury.”
“Shock and anger,” my grandfather noted. “Most would be surprised and grow progressively happier to learn that the weakest Lance is stronger than one of the supposed Alacryan powerhouses.”
“This still doesn’t prove that Rahdeas is actively helping the Alacryans, but this does give us a good idea of what his stance is on all of this,” Arthur added. “We’ll know for sure in the next battle when…”
Arthur’s voice trailed off. I couldn’t hear any of them anymore.
Lord Rahdeas is helping the Alacryans?
I needed to hear more. Just what was Arthur planning in this next battle?
I inched down a few more steps to get closer, but I still couldn’t hear them.
Damn it. I knew it was risky, but I decided to take the chance, hoping that Arthur’s weakened state would allow me to use just a tiny bit of magic. Before I could do so, however, a surge of mana erupted in front of me, and I covered my face with my arms on instinct.
“So, we had a little mouse sneaking around outside our door.” My stomach sank as I realized Arthur’s voice was now just inches away from me.
“Surprise,” I said weakly.
ARTHUR LEYWIN
I very much enjoyed the surprised look on Tessia’s face when she realized she had been caught. Virion, close behind me, grumbled a curse under his breath as he realized it was his own granddaughter who had been eavesdropping.
“You know, boys don’t like girls who snoop around like this,” Gideon quipped.
Tess’s gaze flickered to me before looking away. “I wasn’t snooping. I came back here to look for Arthur and the guard let me in rather easily.”
“Yes, I’m sure the guard did,” Virion replied, then cast a barrier around all four of us. “Now—how much did you hear?”
“Enough,” she answered, her expression turning serious. “Is Lord Rahdeas really—”
“We’re not sure yet,” I cut in. “It’s too soon to assume anything or act on any of the information we’ve gathered so far.”
Her gaze fell, downcast. “I see.”
“Is there anything else we need to go over, Virion?” I looked over my shoulder at the old elf.
“I think we’ve shaken Rahdeas up enough for today. Good work, brat,” Virion answered with a nod.
I turned back to Tess. “Then would you like to accompany me for the rest of the event?”
She was taken aback at first, but then her face lit up in a bright smile. “Sure!”
We headed back up the stairs, where we were greeted by lively music and laughter, along with the frequent clinking of glasses.
“The mood sure turned festive,” I noted.
Tessia casually linked her arm through mine. “If I don’t do this, every nobleman within eyeshot will try to either ask me for a dance or to have a drink with him,” she explained, looking the other way.
“Every nobleman, huh?” I teased. “My meek childhood friend has sure turned confident.”
She tightened her grip on my arm, pinching it as she waved to the nearby nobles who greeted her.
Unable to express my pain with so many eyes watching, I casually leaned toward her, prying her fingers from my arm as I whispered, “Same old Tessia, resorting to violence, I see.”
“It’s because only violence seems to work on someone as slow as you, General,” she replied with a feigned smile.
As we walked through the large open venue of the party, I was greeted left and right by nobles from cities all over Dicathen. Despite her childish antics, Tess was a big help throughout the evening. She pointed out notable guests whom I should greet and share a drink with, and others who would be plenty satisfied with just a sincere greeting.
