Bacorium Legacy (88 page)

“There's a lot of things she's kept to herself,” Luca said, his eyes never leaving Emila. “She represses her pain, and being Zinoro's sister was the greatest source of suffering in her life. She lost everything that mattered to her, and it was her own brother that took it from her. The pain was too much for her - she tried to bury and forget it.” Eva said something, and Emila laughed aloud. “Look at how happy she is now. I know what it feels like, to think you've lost your entire family, only to find that you still had a sibling left. After everything she's been through, she deserves this.”

Still, there was something that bothered him. Luca leaned over and faced Gordon. “Did you know anything about this?”

Gordon sat up, and his eyes were filled with the memories of before. “I was there, when Zinoro attacked Sulin to bring his mother back to Acaria. I didn't see how the confrontation went, but I know he ended up killing her and imprisoning the two daughters she'd had in the years since then. I - managed to free the older daughter when Zinoro wasn't around, but he kept the younger daughter close at hand and I never got the same chance.” He glanced again at the throne. “He always kept her away from us acolytes, and we never saw them together. I don't think Dreevius even knew she existed, actually. I always suspected he was training her as his successor.”

Eva made a loud giggling sound, and Luca found himself doubting that theory. “But still, you never said anything about her?”

“It was never relevant,” Gordon said. “If I had seen Emila, even for a moment, I would have recognised her at once. But I never did, so how could I have known that the girl you were travelling with, out of the millions of maidens in Bacoria, would just happen to be the very one I freed that day? And I had forgotten the name of the older sister, though I knew there was something familiar about that name when you first said it to me - but even so, names are not unique.”

Luca frowned, thinking about that. That day, when Gordon had been disguised as a Sonoian guard, and had escorted him to the Elder Hall - Emila had been right there, beside him, separated from Gordon by nothing more than the thin fabric of a tent wall. If she had stepped outside with him for a single moment, how different would things have turned out?

“It's a very small world, it seems,” he said.

“Or perhaps it's something else,” Brand suggested. “Perhaps there is some sort of hand, guiding our actions and putting the pieces in place for events to turn out a certain way. Perhaps that is how prophets make their uncertain predictions - by looking over those pieces and taking guesses at how things will turn out.”

“If that was true, I could have killed him,” Luca muttered in a bitter voice. “I would have the tools and the skills I needed to stop him. Instead, I could do almost nothing, even when I thought I had won, I was so far from victory. I survived through an unbelievable coincidence, and Zinoro just walked away.”

Luca glanced over at the pool of his blood on the floor.
Siora
rested on the floor nearby, still stained with his blood. He hadn't picked the blade back up. He felt ashamed, as though he didn't have the right. He felt like his father would have been ashamed of his failure.
 

“We saw Zinoro outside,” Wiosna said to him. “He was on his way to that army outside. He's taking them to T'Saw.”

Luca frowned, as her words set in. “That means...”

It meant they had little time. They needed to warn the Sonoians.

He suddenly drew himself up from the steps, drawing surprised looks from the others. But before he could take even two steps, as though in response to his actions, a great flash of light shone through the shattered windows. Everyone grew quiet, as an overbearing sound like thunder filled the air. A few seconds passed, and the light faded.

“What was that?” Brand asked Luca, who wore a pale expression.

“Zinoro has gone to T'Saw.”

“But I thought...”

“He needs the warp circles to travel, yes. But that's just to get there. The circle in the valley was used to bring them back after the battle was done. As long as he has access to one of those circles, he can send his army anywhere.”

Brand and Wiosna exchanged glances.

“So that means he's already there...” Wiosna said in a low voice.

“Indeed,” Luca replied. “Just like the surprise attack in the valley, and the attack against Allma Temple. They appear without warning. The revenants are already in the streets of T'Saw.”

Luca could imagine the terrified looks of the people of T'Saw, who had been only a moment ago going about their daily lives in peace. They would not understand what was happening, or why, only that these faceless shadow men had appeared from nowhere and were killing them without discrimination. He clenched his fists in frustration, because he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it.

“Luca...?”

He looked up, and saw Emila standing before him. Her teenage sister stood behind her, looking confused.

“It's Zinoro, isn't it?”

Reluctantly, he told her, “He's gone to T'Saw.”

As those implications hung in the air, Luca expected Emila to react the same as the others - with fear of what was happening in T'Saw, and the frustration of their powerlessness to stop it. Instead, a great rage filled her eyes, and she turned away from him and stared intently at the throne room door like she was about to run for it.

“That bastard - he's really going to kill all those people...!”

Little Eva stared at her sister, her confusion only growing.

Emila turned back to Luca. “We have to go! We have to stop him!”

“How?!” Luca demanded, his frustration birthing anger. “How could we possibly get back there in time? It would take us months to travel all the way back to T'Saw!”

“What about your teleportation magick?” Brand suggested. “Can it travel long distances?”

“I don't know,” Luca said. “I know Zinoro can do it, but our techniques differ. My version seems to be focused on short range, while his is for long distances... But even if we could somehow get there, what could we do? I can't fight him, even when he was holding back!”

If Zinoro used the manaflame - nothing could stop him.

“We still have to try!” Emila shouted. “Selphie, Jared and Ash should be back in T'Saw by now. I know they'll fight Zinoro! Zaow - a man in his seventies - will don armour and go out to a battlefield to stop that monster! We can't just abandon them.”

“Em, no!” Eva exclaimed. “Big brother is going to avenge our people! I told you this already! The Sonoians wiped out our people, and Zinoro has been preparing for years for this. Why would you want to save them?”

“Eva...” Emila said, her anger fading and being replaced with a conflicted look. “I know he's taken care of you, but-”

“He didn't just take care of me!” Eva protested. “He saved me that day! He's treated me so well! He's shown me poetry and sang for me! He's a good person, and he's doing what's best for our kingdom! The kingdom of Acaria!”

“You speak highly of the man who murdered your mother,” Luca said.

“What...?” Eva looked at him incredulously and Emila gave him a half-shocked, half-angry look.

“What do you think happened to your mother and father?” he continued. “Zinoro killed them in the attack that destroyed your home.”

“No, that's wrong,” Eva insisted. “Zinoro saved me from that attack...”

“Luca, I wasn't going to tell her that yet,” Emila said. “She's not ready...”

“You're a liar,” Eva said, glaring at him. “I should have just let you die.”

“We don't have time for this,” Luca said. “Emila's right. Even if it's pointless, we have to try. I might be able to get us back to T'Saw using the circle outside.”

Emila's words had swayed his apathy. Luca strode over to the pillar where he had been stabbed, and he bent down and picked up
Siora
. Like a handshake from an old friend, the blade felt right in his hand. He sheathed it, and turned back to the others. He'd sworn he would never lose the sword again, after the dragon had returned it to him. And he intended to keep that promise, whether he felt he deserved the sword or not.
 

“So it's really true, then?” Emila asked him as he returned. “You really can travel instantly with magick? I heard talk of it at the camp, just before I left, but I thought it was just a crazy rumour at the time.”

“No, it's true,” he told her. “But so far, I've only been able to warp to places I can see. Zinoro has a similar technique, but as I said, his is limited to the use of those large circles. We're going to go outside and see if I can do it too.”

“Let's hope you can't,” Eva muttered bitterly, sulking like a reprimanded child.

Though Eva continued to glare at him, she didn't argue further. Luca lead the way outside, with the other five following behind him. It took them nearly a half an hour to cross the empty city - far too long. Each minute that passed, Luca knew that more people were dying in T'Saw. Finally, they reached the city gates, and emerged to the giant warp circle carved into the plains outside.

“I don't know if this is going to work,” Luca said. “I know that the spell will take me to any place I can see in my mind's eye, but I don't know if I can warp such a long distance. Perhaps the circle is meant to ease that burden. I don't know. We'll see.” After a brief moment, he said, “Everyone clasp hands.”

Everyone gathered in a small circle, taking each other's hands. Eva hesitated, glaring suspiciously at Luca, but she conceded, and moved between Emila and Brand.

Once everyone was in a circle, Luca closed his eyes and did his best to picture T'Saw. After a few moments, he began to grow frustrated that he couldn't form a distinctive enough image in his head.

“What's wrong?” Brand asked.

“I'm trying,” Luca said. “I can't picture it clearly enough.”

“Try something more specific,” Wiosna suggested. “What do you remember the most clearly from when you were there?”

He thought about that. The Ivory Palace, without a doubt - specifically, the grand entrance hall.

“I think I got it,” he said. “Things might be chaotic, so be ready.”

“Got it,” Brand said.

“I believe in you,” Emila said encouragingly.

Closing his eyes again, he pictured the entrance hall of the Ivory Palace, and focused on warping there the same way he would do when travelling a short distance. After a moment of doubt, his mana surged, and he felt himself moving.

<> <> <>

“Whoa! What the-?!”

Vision returned to Luca, and the first thing his eyes could make out was the shiny, marble floor of the Ivory Palace. He let out a sigh of relief that his magick had worked. The momentary dizziness was already fading, and he could see the others trying to keep their footing. The next thing Luca saw was a group of Sonoian soldiers panicking and pointing spears at them.

“Relax!” Brand said, throwing his hands up in the air. “We're with you guys!”

“I remember you,” said a familiar voice. Luca looked over to see the captain of the guard, Gareth. “The princess' companions, who brought her from Allma Temple. And you are the one with that unique power that his majesty spoke of - which is how you have appeared here, from out of nowhere.”

“That's right,” Luca said. “We've come to help.”

With a nod from Gareth, the group of Sonoian guards lowered their spears and took a few steps away. The captain looked over the others, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion as they passed over Gordon. “Tell me, then, why are you in the company of an Acarian?” Luca's eyes were drawn to the braided strand of hair over Gordon's ear.

“He's-”

“My name is Gordon, and I am one of Zinoro's five acolytes,” Gordon interrupted. “I betrayed my king and helped Luca and his companions. Even now, I am working to stop that monster. You can imprison me, if you wish. If you choose not to, I promise I will aid you in any way that I can.”

Gareth stared at Gordon for a moment, seemingly processing this information. Before he could say anything, there was the sound of a very loud explosion, and a brief flash. Everyone jumped. Luca looked to the palace windows for the first time, and he saw smoke.

Gareth grimaced. He turned to one of his men and said, “Get out there to the barricade. I need to know what's happening.”

“Yes, sir.” The young soldier ran to the palace doors and outside.

“While I have to say that a saboteur would not so carelessly reveal his identity,” Gareth said to Gordon, “the fact remains that we are currently under attack by Acarians, and I cannot allow one access to the palace, no matter who vouches for him. I will have to have you arrested.”

Luca nearly protested as the Sonoian guards went to Gordon and handcuffed him. But Gordon gave him a look that reminded him that there were more important things at the moment. Following his gaze, he saw Emila looking out the windows. Her eyes were filled with fear. He knew why. He knew what she was remembering.

He went to her side, and said, “Emila. I have to go out there. I have to fight.”

She turned to him, with a worried look, “I knew you would say that. But please, Luca - reconsider this. What could you do out there? You can't stop him.”

“I know,” he told her. He pulled her close, and kissed her. “But I have to try nonetheless. I can't hide in here. I have to face him, even if there's nothing I can do to stop him.”

Her lips trembled, but she held back tears.

“Before, I would ask you to stay where it was safe,” he said to her. “Before, it was because I wanted to protect myself. And then, it was because I wanted to protect you. Now, I ask you to stay to protect someone else.” They both looked over to Eva, who stood in the hall, eyes wide. “You got something back that will make you happy. Don't lose her again. Keep her safe.”

He almost left, but she held his arm. “Luca - she's not the only thing that makes me happy. I - I...” The words caught in her throat, as tears ran down her cheeks.

He smiled. “I'll be okay. I'll come back when it's over. You can tell me then.” It was a hollow promise, and they both knew it. But it was all he could say. He kissed her once more, and then he turned away from her, for what was likely the last time.