Wordlessly, Albert stood and served himself from one of the bottles behind the counter. When he returned, he said, “Grandmaster Zoen put a mind charm around me, so when people saw me they would see someone else. It wasn’t always on, however, which is why it was important that I stay masked most of the time. Also, there was always the possibility that another mind wielder could detect the charm and figure out who I was. Which is why I stayed away as much as I could. When Zoen died, well, I suppose his charm wore off.” He caressed the deep blue emblem with shooting stars coursing through it. “As for this. I would have thought it was fairly obvious. I’m a dual wielder. It was something I didn’t discover until long after I had left.”
Falcon shook his head. He wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling, but of one thing he was sure. He didn’t want to be anywhere near his brother at the moment. He had gotten answers, which was all he’d wanted.
“Little brother,” said Albert, taking his hand. Falcon pulled away. “Don’t go through life thinking you were the only who suffered. Everyone in this world has their own tribulations to face.”
Falcon began to walk away.
“Do you think it was easy for me to desert you and live a life of solitude?”
There was no answer from Falcon.
“Something I learned from the Golden Wielder is that the bad times make the good times that much better,” said Albert. “And they open the doors to new opportunities. If I had stayed, what are the chances that you would have met your friends, Aya and Faith?”
“I had never thought about that,” muttered Falcon, feeling the air leave him. He couldn’t imagine a life without his friends.
“My departure allowed you to form bonds that would have otherwise eluded you.”
Falcon knew that Albert was right, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He had been lied to by the three men he admired the most. But then again, he now had his brother back. Should he simply overlook the bad and concentrate on the good? Could he? Especially when there was so much bad still left.
“How about we talk about something else?” asked Albert.
“I think I’d rather be alone. There is nothing more I want to talk about.” He headed to the door.
“Not even Dad and Mom?”
Falcon stopped cold, feeling his insides churn.
“Sit down,” Albert suggested.
Unable to resist, Falcon took a seat.
For the next few hours Albert shed light on those childhood years long past. A childhood that he knew very little about but that Albert obviously still had a sharp memory of. He recounted story after story, ranging from the day their parents met, their wedding day, and even Falcon’s birth.
Falcon absorbed every ounce of information, eager to drink from the pool of information that Albert provided.
He saw the scenes in his head, reliving them as if he were walking through them in real life.
He wasn’t sure when it happened, but sometime during the tales, he forgot all about his problems and found himself laughing alongside the man before him. He was no longer the freak of Rohad, and Albert was no longer the traitor of Ladria. Right now, at this time, they were just two simple brothers reminiscing on old times over drinks.
Chapter 25
The chirping crickets, the howling wind, and the sound of footsteps were the only sounds outside the old hut. From within, Faith made out the loud cackles of a group of men. One of them sounded strangely familiar.
“Another round of drinks!” yelled the voice.
“Was that Falcon?” asked Aya.
“I think it was.”
Faith couldn’t believe it. She and Aya had scoured Missea high and low, searching for Falcon. They had gotten a few scattered reports from people around the city who had claimed to have seen a young Rohad with a leather jacket headed this way. But of all places, she’d never thought they would find him inside a pub. Especially one that looked in such a miserable state. Why, there wasn’t a single flower in sight.
The surprises were far from over.
When she opened the door, she was met with the sight of Falcon banging a mug on the table and laughing harder than he had ever seen him. It was strange, seeing him so red-cheeked and happy all of a sudden.
He stood and spun, pretending to be holding someone in his arms. “Like this, Albert. This is how Mom would dance.”
Albert looked a lot more in control of his senses, though he looked a bit droopy as well. He grinned and offered his brother a smile, and Faith couldn’t help but admire just how alike they both looked.
“I think he’s drunk!” said Aya, her voice somewhere between shock and amusement. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
Their presence had not gone unnoticed. Albert, who had seen them come in, waved them over.
“I think he had a bit too much to drink,” he said. “Perhaps you ladies could take him back to his room.”
Faith and Aya both took hold of Falcon, each supporting him under an arm.
“Tell him I’ll meet him here tomorrow morning if he wishes to speak to me some more,” said Albert.
Faith nodded as she and Aya struggled to keep Falcon upright. As she had predicted, Falcon was proving uncooperative on the walk back to the inn. He stumbled over the girls’ feet and loosened his weight, making it impossible for them to move at a decent pace.
More than once he would stop to lean over a barrel. His face would turn a deep green, as if he was going to barf, but nothing came out.
“I love you both soooooo much,” he said. He extended his hands as wide as possible as he wobbled from side to side.
“Okay, lover boy,” said Aya. She grunted under his weight. “How about you just concentrate and keep walking. We’re almost there.”
“I’m serious. You two alwaaayyss…” he slurred as he almost fell to one side again. With supreme effort, Faith pulled him back upright. “Always there for me.” With his little speech complete, he buried his face in Aya’s hair. “You smell so good.” He leaned in and puckered his lips, causing Aya to jerk her head back.
“What?” Falcon giggled and hiccupped all at once. “No kiss? That’s fine.” He bopped his head toward Faith. “You smell really good, too. I love you so much. You’ll kiss me, right?”
Faith looked away, her cheeks turning red. How many times had she dreamed of Falcon saying those words to her? In her mind, however, he was sober, not dead drunk. He didn’t smell of bile and ale, and they were in a flower garden, instead of the middle of a strange city.
“No kiss from you either?” Falcon seemed thoroughly disappointed. It didn’t last. A few seconds later he was singing at the top of his lungs. “Oh wielder boy, wielder boy, wi…what were the words again?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “It doesn’t matter. The Golden Wielder sang this song so I’m going to sing it too.”
Faith caught a couple of late night walkers giving them disdainful looks.
“Nothing to see here,” said Aya, not appreciating the stares. “Keep it moving.”
“See why I’m glad we don’t have a Rohad academy in Missea?” said a passerby, loud enough for them to hear. “My sister back in Belwebb says they are always causing scenes like this.”
Another woman, who held her nose high in the air, had harsher words. “Back in
my
day you would have gotten a flogging for public intoxication. Oh, how I wish that law had not been banned.”
When they finally reached the inn and laid Falcon down on his bed, Faith was beyond worn out. Her calves and arms were killing her. She had a headache from all the alcohol fumes Falcon had blown in her face. Nonetheless, as she laid herself down in the bed beside Falcon and saw his chest rise and fall, she felt happy for him. Ever since they were kids, she had loved the tender sound of his laughter. Hearing it today had brought back so many of those fond memories.
“I love you, Falcon,” she said under her breath. “Sweet dreams.”
~~~
Aya could see that Faith was exhausted. Sure enough, a little after lying down, she fell in a deep sleep.
She leaned in and did something she’d been wanting to do for a long time: plant a soft kiss on Falcon’s cheek. He twitched at the touch of her lips, but as she had suspected, he didn’t wake up. Feeling a bit lighter on her feet, she quietly made her way out the room and down into the street, where Keira was waiting. She was accompanied by the white cub.
“I only brought Maru with me,” said Keira, patting her animal on the head. “People around here run away and scream when they see Draiven and Aykori.”
“Having two massive bears following you along isn’t exactly normal.”
Keira giggled. “No. I suppose not.” Her features focused. “So, what is it that you wanted to speak about?”
“First of all, thank you for coming. It means a lot to me.”
“Think nothing of it. We’re bond sisters, remember? I’ll always be here for you.”
Aya still couldn’t get used to hearing Keira say that. A few weeks ago the empress would have never thought of speaking to a Rohad, and coming to the aid of one would have been out of the question. But after Aya helped her and showed her kindness, Keira had become much friendlier toward Rohads.
“Do you know a man called Armeen?” asked Aya.
Keira drew a sharp breath. It was the answer Aya needed. In a quick, rapid voice she told her about the encounter she’d had with Captain Armeen, where he lived, his goal of finding his family, and the fact that he had not forgotten her.
“I've been dead to him for so long,” said Keira. “I don’t think it’s my place to simply come back into his life out of nowhere. He would never accept me.”
“Maybe you should let him make that choice.”
Keira met her gaze. “Thanks for telling me this. I will think about it.”
“I was hoping for a favor.”
“Name it.”
“You have messengers and scouts everywhere, right?”
“Almost everywhere. Why?”
“Have you heard anything about the Suteckh? Their generals might be dead, but I doubt they will simply run back to Tenma and declare peace.”
“Only tidbits of troublesome information.”
“
Troublesome
?”
Keira hesitated for a moment. “It’s the Blood Empress. She is marching out of Tenma with her army. Some of my scouts have even reported seeing the Northern barbarians, the Omega warriors, and the hollow clansmen of the lost sea marching alongside with her.”
“That can’t be.” Aya looked at Keira, her eyebrow rising with doubt. “Those clans all hate each other. They would never reunite under the same banner.”
“That’s not all.”
“
There’s more
?”
“It looks like the Neikan Demons of old and Scaiths might be with them as well. You know what that means. No wielding.”
Indeed, Aya recalled the Scaiths ability to nullify wielding in the area surrounding them. She, herself, had managed to find a way around it, but she doubted most wielders at Missea could do the same.
“Things are going to get very bad,” said Keira.
Aya stared at the star-filled sky. Somewhere out there, under the same moon, her sister was moving toward her.
Selene. Where are you?
she thought desperately.
~~~
Melousa knew she shouldn’t have trusted a filthy earth wielder. He had promised her so much, and now the idiot had gotten himself killed. Which meant that pompous Empress Latiha would get to live another day.
She screamed into the air, her shout piercing everything around her.
“You brought us here for nothing!” cried Scyleia. “We won’t even get to see wielder blood run free.”
Some of the Orian warriors nodded in agreement.
Melousa rose from the rock she’d been sitting on. Her long strides covered the ground as she walked clear across the roaring fire. Sparks of red and yellow sprayed into the air. “Yer challenge my authority!”
Scyleia’s eyes gleamed with rebellion for a split second. She hunched back, bowing her head. Through gritted teeth, she spoke. “No. Of course not, my queen.”
At the moment, Melousa realized that she was close to losing control of her warriors. They had come here expecting to kill wielders, not sit idly by in the middle of this prairie. She needed to do something to satisfy their bloodlust. Perhaps attack a farming village on the way home would be the answer.
“I would have killed any subordinate of mine who spoke to me in such a manner,” hissed a low voice.
Melousa eyes narrowed at the dark figure that now stood in the middle of the warriors. It was clad in dark garments and wore a white mask that had streaks of dried blood coming out of its hollow eyes.
“Who are you to come into our clan, uninvited?” roared Scyleia.
The strange newcomer’s head jerked unnaturally toward Scyleia. “I’m the Blood Empress. I have a better question for you. Who are you to speak on behalf of your leader? Last I checked, the queen of the Orian warriors was Melousa.”
Recklessly, Scyleia leapt from where she stood. “Die, wielder!”
Suddenly, she stopped moving. She aimed her wild punches at creatures that existed only on her mind.
“Get away! Get away!” She fell to the floor. She slammed her head into a nearby rock. Blood spurt from the deep cuts she was inflicting on herself. “My head. They’re here. Get out.”
None of the warriors moved. They all watched in horror as one of their best fighters finished herself off.
Melousa took a step back, fearful that the insanity Scyleia was experiencing would pass on to her.
Moments later it was all over. The blue-skinned warrior lay on the ground, her face was ripped apart beyond recognition. One of her eyes had been torn out of its socket; the other one halfway crushed.
“Do yer think yer can simply come into my camp and be killing my warriors?” demanded Melousa, getting over her initial shock. “I be ending yer for this.”
“Then you shall never get your revenge,” said the Blood Empress gently. “And your warriors will not get to kill capital city wielders.”
“That be not mattering anymore. Latiha be knowing of yer attack. The entire surprise plan be ruined!”
“I don’t need surprise. I have more than enough power to take down Missea, and after that, every other capital city in Va’siel shall fall to the Suteckh.”
Out of the shadows they emerged. A dozen large, humped black creatures that stood on two stubby, arched legs. Tusks dangled out of the corners of their mouths.
Neikan Demons,
thought Melousa. She had heard of the creatures, of course, but had never actually seen one.
The surprises were far from over, though. Beings that stood like men but were completely translucent blue emerged from behind the Neikan Demons.
Hollow Clansmen.
At their side emerged steel-helmeted men. Melousa knew them as the Northern Barbarians. Large fur coats hung from their shoulders.
Countless other figures emerged, but Melousa was no longer paying attention to their appearance.
“Yer think this be frightening me? My warriors be fighting to the end.”
“Frightening you? My dear queen, why would I do that? These are your allies.”
Melousa felt the words like typhoons of elation. Now she understood what the empress meant when she said she had power on her side. “What role will I be playing in this?”
There was a slight pause as the empress nodded her head. “You have one of the most important roles of all. It will be up to you to rid us of Missea’s leader. Empress Latiha.”
The savage queen grinned in silent approval.