Aralim 101

Exhaustion.  Pain.  Discontent.  Discouragement.  Aralim’s bedraggled travellers struggled to place each foot in front of the next.  The guards’ training and conditioning gave them an edge, but that advantage was negated during their shifts of carrying Lerela’s stretcher.  Devran complained about his shoulders of all things—it seemed his pack full of books was heavier than ever after half a month of double-paced marching.  Aralim, with all his years on the road, might have fared the best, save for his relentless place at Lerela’s stretcher and the dull ache in his healing hand. Continue reading Aralim 101

Therelin 6

The harbour of Saanazar was a broad, rambling labyrinth.  Kedar Port was half the size, and Keth even smaller.  In Kedar, Therelin had seen some semblance of order.  In Saanazar, he stood, dazed, at the stern of the New Comet.  Captain Innar steered them true, somehow; they wove between webs of wooden docks and maze-like formations of anchored ships.  Therelin saw sailors with skin darker than his own standing alongside men with skin like pale seafoam.  He saw people wearing bright silks or dark flax or nearly nothing at all.  When he could finally peer through the tangle of galleons and piers, Therelin caught his first glimpses of Saanazar. Continue reading Therelin 6

Aralim 100

Forests gave way to road again four days later.  Aralim and his weary group of followers emerged from the jungle covered with sweat, bloody scratches, and half-healed wounds.  For half the day they marched along a soldier’s gait without interruption.  Aralim’s burned hand ached and itched, though Nill and Grendar both assured him it was healing.  Even the Aura had taken a look on behalf of Tag’na.  Carrak’s head seemed to heal even quicker, somehow.  The soldier moved briskly, and training at nightfall with Grendar had proved to himself and to the others that he had moved past the dizziness.  Though their injuries had healed, trouble found them again on the Crimson Highway. Continue reading Aralim 100

Renado 55

Renado walked slowly along the Vagren street, weaving between market stalls and clusters of drably dressed townsfolk.  Cutting off an old man with a pronged grey beard, Ren was rewarded a disapproving glare and a verbal scoff.  He scowled himself and continued on his way.  Kazra and Virn cut a clear path up the avenue, but it closed behind them before Renado, Asar, and Woodro picked up the rear.  Sarno and his men trailed between them.  It was, finally, time to report to Irrith. Continue reading Renado 55

Therelin 5

To learn how to heal a deaf man, Therelin had sat in the Temple next to Master Myandin for weeks.  With a small, handheld cymbal, his teacher would deafen him—painfully so—and Therelin would spend all day focusing on repairing the damage done to the drums in his ears.  The first time had ben terrifying.  Therelin had been nearly deaf for days until learning the knack for it.  With his focus channeled through his Crux, he had learned how to rebind the fragmented walls of the fluid chambers and repair the structure of his cochlea.  The days he did not spend with damaged hearing were spent poring through books.  Under Myandin’s tutelage, he read copies of Master Haramas’ historic autopsy of the head, several documents on treated cases of severe hearing loss, and a sluggish volume describing the differences between born hearing-loss and acquired cochlear damage. Continue reading Therelin 5

Renado 54

Every other time that he had arrived at the city of Vagren, Renado had camped beyond the gate for at least one night.  The Vagren curfew kept them out during nighttime hours and the vouch-only gate policy often delayed him even further.  Halrum would stop by every few days to check if Irrith had any visitors, but Ren had waited several days once before gaining entry to the secure city.

On this trip to Vagren, they walked straight past the line of refugees and travellers.  Lotha led them right up to the gate, ignoring the slaver’s booth nearby, and waited near the front of the crowds.  A guard walked out under the fortified archway to speak with her and a moment later they were in. Continue reading Renado 54

Therelin 4

The New Comet rocked back and forth on the waves.  Therelin stood on the top deck, watching each tall wave lift them above the surface of the sea.  He tried to stay out of the way of the sailors, but there was little to do midway on their voyage across the Grey Sea.  Many sat around and sang whatever tune the captain started to lark.  Others played cards or dice—Therelin was amused that they only bet pebbles.  Likely, none wanted to part with their hard-earned copper. Continue reading Therelin 4

Renado 53

They were three days from Vagren when Asar spotted someone cresting the hill behind them.  They had passed other travellers by this point, but none who carefully followed where they went and kept the same distance.  After Asar noticed, Renado kept an eye out.  That evening, their tail could be seen watching from the second hill behind them.  Ren ordered his men to set up camp while he sent Woodro back to investigate. Continue reading Renado 53

Aralim 98

Aralim awoke that morning after a fitful night full of strange dreams.  Some were memories, but other, hazier experiences were the stuff of deep sleep.  What he remembered, as he sat at the campfire and picked apart a rabbit leg that Grendar had passed him, was a conversation with the Emperor.  Or two, rather.  He remembered the day that Tag’na had asked Aralim to destroy him—Aralim would never forget it, of course.  He had also recalled a question he had posed to the Emperor before his departure as Ambassador.  He had asked the Eternal Emperor who was more powerful between the two of them, if Aralim could make the Emperor more powerful. Continue reading Aralim 98