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Chapter 15 - Talinnius
I
II
Where am I? He wondered.
III
IV
Time finally found meaning in an unusual way; a way he had not thought to measure. His strength was ebbing, and he was growing tired. He thought about a large bucket, filled to the brim, with a small hole in its base. Overtime, the bucket would empty even though nothing touched or disrupted it. One small drop at a time the bucket would lose everything it held. There was no fighting it – it would just happen, as sure as gravity’s pull. He realized with a sudden certainty that the water’s current was the cause. It was sapping him. If it continued It would take him, and he would be forever gone.
V
Talinnius stood against the oppressive nothingness. He pushed back against the void and willed his vision to see. The water rippled and the current stilled; no longer suckling at his endurance. What strength had dripped away was gone, but he was far from empty. A grey light – little more than a hair thin line – formed atop the horizon as a reward for his new mindset. Digging deeper into his reserves, he focused on the light. It began to blossom, like the sun rising over the world’s edge.
A lesser man would have been aghast by what was revealed, but he was only mildly perturbed; for it was common enough in his life. The water was not water. The metallic odours now made sense. Blood stretched towards the horizon – in an unbroken shallow lake.
His cheek began to sting as if cut and a vision assailed his mind. The temple and Quintis swinging his sword, so that just the tip parted his flesh in mimicry to a scar that ran along his true mentor’s face.
“Achamus,” He breathed.
With the name said, a man was revealed within the rising light and stood equally defiant against the bloods pull.
“Hello Talinnius,” Achamus said.
VI
“You are alive!”
“No,” Achamus said coolly, while shaking his head. He removed his helm – revealed his mid thirty-year-old features, rather than the elderly cragged skin that covered his face when Talinnius had last seen him – and held it loosely at his side. His piercing blue eyes were as sharp as ever and his voice was like unbending steel; exactly how Talinnius remembered. He said, “I see you have been marked.”
Talinnius felt the sting on his face again at Achamus’s words but did not care about the hurt; he wanted to race to his mentor and hug him. All he had wanted since he saw Achamus in the crypt was one last conversation; he wanted to receive the parting wisdom to still his doubts and renew his confidence. This was a blessing, and he privately thanked the Gods. His voice was high with jubilation, “I can’t believe you are here, Master! It’s a miracle!”
Achamus’s expression grew stern, like that of a teacher about to impart revelations upon a student. He lifted a hand for silence and spoke in a low voice, “Discipline Talinnius. We did not come here to gossip. You know better.”
“Forgive me, Master,” Talinnius straightened as if scolded by a parent, “I-I am just glad to see you.”
Achamus’s face softened. He crossed the gulf between them – creating ripples in the blood with each churning step – and embraced Talinnius with a father’s tenderness. He said, “It is good to see you, one last time my pupil... my friend.”
Talinnius pulled away, “One last time?”
“This is not life Talinnius. This is the first of many gates.”
“You speak of the underworld...?”
“I do.”
“I don’t understand,” Talinnius took a step back as if stabbed.
Achamus placed a reassuring hand on Talinnius’s shoulder and smiled, “I have died, my friend.”
Talinnius gazed at the blood around his ankles and forced back the need to weep. He did not understand why his emotions flared to such an extreme; nor did he like it. This was something he should not experience. It was as if he were cracking and would shatter into a million shards. Tears began to roll from his eyes, and he wanted to cry his anguish into the strange air.
“Do not be ashamed,” Achamus said, reading Talinnius’s thoughts perfectly. “This place amplifies what is inside. Especially sorrow and hate. The dead must release their internal turmoil before they can pass beyond the first gate.”
“I don’t understand,” Talinnius sniffed.
“Nor will you,” Achamus replied, “And hopefully won’t for many years. When it is your time to pass beyond the gates... that is when you will understand... the only time you can...”
“Why am I here?” Talinnius asked.
“Because I asked for it... I knew you would perform the blood rites. By drinking my blood, it allowed me to find you to have this communion,” Achamus glanced at the light, which had moved well beyond the horizon. “I was owed a favour and this is that debt being repaid. However, time is short... I have need of you Talinnius.”
Talinnius swallowed hard. With a thought, he caged his emotions once more and sank into the Trance’s comforting embrace. His sorrow was still there, like a seed ready to sprout and root itself into his very soul – but he denied it by removing all that fed it. His voice was hard, “I will always serve you, Master. What need do you have of me?”
A warm smile lifted Achamus’s lips, “My presence here cannot be indefinite. Even in death, I serve... perhaps not Carthirose, but what I do will give the eternal city, her empire, and all others a chance to thrive.”
Talinnius listened intently, doing his best to find meaning in Achamus’s riddle. He had the feeling that his mentor could only give so much and whatever vagaries that were spoken, were done so on purpose. Even in death, he felt Achamus was protecting him.
Again, Achamus glanced at the light. Talinnius followed his master’s keen eyes and was just able to make out the wings that stretched from the feminine from. It was moving quickly across the grey fogged sky and was already above them. His eyes narrowed and his lips grew terse.
“We do not have much time. I will have to be brief,” Achamus continued.
Talinnius nodded his understanding.
“There is a war coming, Talinnius,” Achamus said, “One that will end all others. It is the last war and one that must be held at bay for as long as possible. There are forces on both sides of life and death. I cannot be at two places at once and therefore I need you to battle the forces that exist in life on my behalf, while I battle those in death.”
“What must I do?” Talinnius asked.
“I am not sure. I cannot see beyond the veil,” Achamus said, “I trust that you will see the signs. However, what is important, is that you assail it, whatever it may be. Attack it with your full might. The Order is the only barrier to this threat... well there is one other, but he... or it cannot be relied upon. It will use you to fight this threat and that is okay, for its goals will be aligned with ours for now.”
The light was already nearing the far horizon.
“I wish I could say more,” Achamus gave an apologetic sigh. “I wish my warning had some substance that you could use immediately. Something that you could ride out against as soon as we part.”
“I will be vigilant, Master,” Talinnius said, “Whatever this threat is, I will defeat it.”
“I know you will,” Achamus said. “Look for the unnatural, it is likely already showing its face. You have always made me proud. I wish I said it more... A Champion’s life is tough, and I had to be tougher on you to ensure you were ready... for when I finally departed... for the now.”
“You do not have to explain yourself, Master,” Talinnius said and allowed emotion in a small measure out from the cage he created – it warmed his heart. “You taught me well. I will not fail you.”
“I will do my best to continue to guide you,” Achamus said as the light touched the far horizon. “Stare into death’s smile...”
“... and smile back,” Talinnius grinned as he completed Achamus’s old expression. His master faded into nothingness with the departing light. Then, he stood alone in the dark, deep in thought, while ignoring the blood’s more insistent pull.
Achamus’s voice whisper on the still air as the last ray vanished beneath the horizon, “A shadow follows you, do not let it in...”
His eyes shot open. Disorientation made his head spin and vertigo settled in. He did not know how long he stood in that dark, after Achamus’s departure. Their conversation felt hazy, as if it were from a dream. But he clung to the message Achamus had delivered, desperately. Whatever was to come from his master’s warning, he would be ready.
“Good you are awake,” A fatherly voice spoke.
Talinnius from the simple bed - recognizing it as his own - and sought to turn to measure his room. Pain lined his muscles. It felt like the training he had undergone when he was a youth, where each day made him sorer and more immobile than the last. He gritted his teeth, rolled to a sitting position with his feet off the bed's edge, and glanced at the speaker.
“Quintis,” He grunted as the sting from the cut on his face relit his nerves. “How long was I asleep for?”
“Almost a day,” The old champion spoke with a less than serious tone. It was lined with compassion and was unusual. “I did not expect you to pass out.”
“I saw Achamus...” Talinnius comment took the colour from Quintis’ face, “...outside the underworld’s first gate, I think.”
“I did not expect you to go mad...” Quintis said.
“I am not insane,” Talinnius chuckled – not fully believing that sentiment himself, “His blood brought me to him. He gave me a warning, Quintis. Something is about to happened. We must be ready.”
Quintis stood, for once showing all the age of his years. He paced stiffly, slowly back and forth across the room, without speaking. The implications of what was said were clearly written on his face. Deliberately, he spoke with finality, “Did he... did Achamus say what we should be aware of?”
Talinnius shook his head, “No... I know how this must sound.”
“Unfortunately, I do. Towards the end, Achamus often spoke about seeing the other side... seeing the underworld. He said he would go there when he meditated. He spoke of a shadow chasing him.”
“What?”
“Exactly,” Quintis ceased his pacing and took a deep breath, “I gave council for him to keep his revelation between he and I. You see, he was at an age where the mind could go and if it were, I did not want cause panic. The Order always needs a strong leader. We have a part to play in this great game of Empire. I council you to do the same, Talinnius. Do not speak about this to any other. I thought it was him going mad... maybe not.”
Talinnius felt his stomach churn with mixed feelings. Quintis’s knowledge was a revelation he could not comprehend at this moment. His voice was low, “You and Achamus have both mentored me. I respect your council, but I will not hide this, Quintis. It will bring hope to the Order in this trying time. Achamus still guides us!”
“Damn you boy!” Quintis growled, “Do not let your feelings overrule your judgement! You must be smart! With your new title and your new position, you are balanced upon a knife’s edge. If the Order’s detractors find out about this, you will put us all in jeopardy. They will use this belief against you and shift the balance that holds Carthirose together!”
“What do you mean?” Talinnius demanded.
Quintis's hard eyes turned towards Talinnius, “Achamus kept much of this away from the Order and unfortunately, you must take on that mantle. We are not infallible, Talinnius. Carthirose is filled with politics and unfortunately the Order has a part in those politics, no matter how much we want to be without them.”
“I don’t understand?”
“Well... I am to stay and instruct you in these matters,” Quintis smiled warmly – all tension fell away as if it were never there, “The other Elder’s voted for this to happen. As you saw with your meeting with Emperor, we must tread carefully. All the people of power will try to conform us to their will and your duty will be to ensure we maintain the Order’s path. Maintain balance and ensure corruption does not take hold. We are the check to the politicians, Talinnius.”
Talinnius stood and hissed against his sore muscles, “I am thankful for your guidance, Quintis. I truly am. I am sorry for my outburst. I will learn this duty.”
“Do not be lad,” Quintis said, “For a while, until you are ready to take the this on your own, we will work together. Now come, I must show you something before your time is demanded by others. It is the only gift the First Champion truly has. The gift of silence.”
A locked steel door was tower’s only entrance. He realized it stood behind the Champion’s barracks like a monolith and its interior was as flawless as its exterior. It felt like the tower was always there – standing sentinel over the Champion’s compound next to the palace. Talinnius knew he had walked by the door a thousand times without giving it a second thought. He thought it odd that he had never registered the tower’s existence, even though he had seen it every day in his life; nor had he been curious about what it held. In a way, he had never noticed it, like something hidden in plain sight. It reminded him of the door he had used to enter the catacombs before his ascension to First Champion.
Quintis inserted a key and the locking mechanisms within the door clanked as they released. The passage beyond was bright. Every few feet, a torch blazed in a glass shielded alcove, amplified, and directed the light. Quintis led the way and now that Talinnius entered its stone confines, he could never unsee the door and the tower it was connected to.
The hall was narrow, but far from uncomfortable. He could not walk abreast with Quintis, but he did not have to change his posture as there was room for his shoulders and could keep his head raised. There was no dust, and this surprised him. He doubted very many – if any – had access to this space and expected it to be festered with age, but it was as if the tower had just been constructed and cleaned meticulously. After a few feet, the hall turned to an equally spacious staircase that curved with the tower’s circular outer wall. There was nothing noteworthy, just stair after stair. It gave the impression that there were more steps than height to climb. Just as he thought they would never end, they did just that. Another steel door barred their way. Quintis used the same key that unlocked the first and pushed his weight against the new barrier. It turned inwards without issue. Talinnius followed his mentor into the room beyond and was instantly astonished. The space was vast and was almost an assault on his senses; more so when compared to the plain stairwell.
Leather tomes lined the circular walls on rich red-brown shelves, which rose to the ceiling. There was very little space for additional entries, with only the odd empty space here and there. Each book section was aged differently as if they were all written years apart, but all were remarkably well kept. Periodically around the room’s periphery, trophy armours stood sentinel from civilizations that no longer exists, as if ready to come alive. Talinnius recognized some, but others were so foreign to his eyes that they defied conventional sense in their protective qualities and construction – as if they had been created by a different hand than man.
A spiral staircase, built around a central column, jutted from the room’s centre and walkways branched off periodically to the several different levels within the space – allowing any occupant to reach each book in the vast library. It was like a tree in structure, but to precise and geometric in its design. The case’s zenith disappeared into the roof above.
Quintis marched towards these new stairs without pause and began taking them two at a time. Before Talinnius reached the first step, the old warrior was already a flight ahead. He raced after Quintis, only managing to keep from losing more ground. The old man did not show his age with any movement; everything was precise – nothing waisted. Talinnius hoped he was half as strong, when as much time had passed over his body. He was just entering his prime and knew youth was no hinderance to his skill but a key component to it.
The final stairs passed quickly and, before long, he followed Quintis through a latch in the roof. Beyond was an empty room. The floor stones circled, growing progressively smaller as they reached the latch door that made the rooms centre. A symbol was carved into each stone and Talinnius remembered them from his meditation training in his youth. Each represented a gift from Gods, as well as lessons to the life they had created.
He paced the room studying each engraving and slowly fanned out to the far edge. He smiled as he retraced the first circles he had been taught as a young aspirant. The joy faded as Achamus came to his thoughts once more. He imagined his old master schooling every movement as he walked over similar stones in the training yard.
He looked across the room to Quintis, recalling the lessons his only living mentor had taught him. Where Achamus had taught him how to fight and do, Quintis had taught him how to act and think. Somehow, he felt a weight on his shoulders. He began to wonder why Quintis had brought him here for the first time since entering the tower.
He spoke his mind, “Why are we here, Quintis?”
Quintis finally met his gaze and said, “We Champion’s do not have many luxuries. It goes against our creed and our oaths. But this is one luxury afforded to the First Champion of the Order.”
“What luxury is this?” Talinnius swept is hand across the empty room.
“A place to be alone,” Quintis said and tossed something. “A luxury none of us have but you.”
Talinnius caught it and found that it was the key Quintis had used earlier. It was simple – made from cheap but sturdy iron. He looked up, quizzically.
“It is the only one of its kind,” Quintis remarked, “It is the only key that unlocks this tower, and it is yours now. It is bonded to you in the same fashion as your armour and swords.”
Before Talinnius could speak further, Quintis marched to the latch and made his way down, disappearing back the way they came. And so, Talinnius stood alone and the weight he felt intensified tenfold as he was left alone with his thoughts.
Talinnius locked the door and took a step back. Many hours had passed. Quintis was right, being alone was a luxury after he got use to the quiet. There was finally a chance to contemplate all that had happened in such a short period. He studied the key again before closing his fingers around it and finally felt ready to take on whatever challenges would come. As he turned away from the door, a blurred figure raced towards him. She closed, and he recognized her instantly.
“Attia?” He questioned.
She stumbled her last few steps and coughed from exertion. Mud and dust covered her armour and her half kilt was in tatters. It was unsettling to see a Champion in such a state. Despite their training and the abilities, the Trance allowed a Champion to ignore fatigue as well as all but deadly injuries. However, a Champion was still human – though it rarely appeared that way to untrained eyes – and in the end human limits still applied even if they were greatly reduced. Still, to see one within the Order in such dire appearance and exhausted was a troubling sight.
Carelessly, she tossed aside her helmet and slumped to a knee. “I am sorry,” Attia said between panted breaths, “My horse died over three leagues outside Carthirose from exhaustion.” She paused to gulp air into her lungs. “I ran the rest of the way.”
“What happened?” Talinnius demanded and offered a hand.
Attia breathed and took it to stand, “Veturius - He has been taken.”
“What!? Taken?” Talinnius roared. His chest sunk. “What do you mean!? How!? Who took him?”
“I don’t know,” Attia began to speak evenly as her breathing became more controlled. The colour was returning to her face. “Whoever it was, he was in a Champion’s armour... but his eyes – they glowed red, Talinnius. They glowed like coals in a dying fire.”
Talinnius’s mind reeled and went into a frenzied storm. All the objectivity had just gained fled away and his normal calm exterior was destroyed. Possibilities and made-up scenarios played through his imagination all at once. Veturius was as dear to him as Cordia. They had been inducted into the Order together and grown up from boys in the Training yard. It was Veturius who fought away a bullying group of aspirants who ganged up on him the first time the instructing Champions were not present. He had been the runt within the ranks and if it were not for Veturius’s aid, he doubted he would have survived. That favour was returned teaching Veturius the sword techniques he had so easily mastered. Veturius initially struggled with the finesse the Champion’s swordplay required and they snuck out after curfew to practice long into the night.
“I followed for a while before I lost the trail,” Attia continued, “I am not sure how, but whoever took him did not leave a trail. But they were heading in the direction of Lavici.”
“Get something to eat and drink,” Talinnius ordered, “Gather whoever will come. We leave within the hour.”
He did not wait for her and marched out the barracks with a volcano’s menace. He had lost his mentor but refused to lose his friend.
Quintis barred the way out of the stables. Talinnius could see the draconian lines in his mentor’s expression. Somehow, he knew Quintis was here to stop him; similar to a parent trying to stop a child from going out to make a perceived mistake.
“Quintis,” Talinnius said with a tone that barred any argument, “I must go.”
“You are First Champion,” Quintis replied with calm authority, “You can send others. You do not know what you face. Your position is here. Your duty is here. You must learn what it means to be first Champion and not put your personal desires before your duty.”
“Whatever needs my attention can wait. No matter what, we must remain loyal to ourselves. This is my will Quintis, I am sorry. I do value your advice and I understand the ramifications, but I must do this.”
Quintis bowed his head and stepped back, “This is a mistake and you do not see. You must rise above your personal concerns, but I will say no more. Bring Veturius back, Talinnius – if that is your will as First Champion.”
Talinnius mounted his horse and signaled the twenty others he and Attia had gathered to do the same. Cordia met his gaze and nodded her assurance as she guided her mount beside his. She had grown up with Veturius as well and had also practiced with them in nights depths while the world slept. He was glad she was with him, which was a trend that he could not shake himself from. There was a need – which he could not explain – to have her nearby. Somehow, he was never whole without her. It was not something he could place. He only knew the piece was missing when she filled it with her presence. Especially, with all the stresses he had undergone, since Tettius’s execution.
Attia took position to his other side and looked at him expectantly. Talinnius nodded his assent, and she pushed her stirrups forward, causing her new mount to start and race past Quintis. The others followed in her wake. He remained and met his mentor’s gaze one last time.
“I will keep things calm here,” The old man said. “I understand your feelings.”
“You could come with us, Quintis,” Talinnius offered.
“My place is here,” Quintis forced a smile.
“You are better at politics than I, old man,” Talinnius said.
“Bah!” Quintis waved his hand dismissively, “I would not listen to your words of fake honey. Go, before I change my mind and put you on your ass.”
Talinnius donned his helm and said, “Thank you.”
Quintis merely nodded before turning away and beginning his trek up the rocky hill back to the Order’s compound. Talinnius watched him go and he grew cold with focus. Veturius was in danger, and he would not lose his friend. Like he lost Achamus, a voice in his mind spat venom.
“Achamus lives,” He whispered through gritted teeth to the shadows.
Somehow, the shadows seemed to contort with smile with sinister intent, like a predator hidden by the woods. He shook his head, pushing away the tricks his mind played on him, and as if waking from a daydream he pushed his mount forward at a full gallop to catch up with the others with Cordia still firmly beside him.
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“Forgive me, Master,” Talinnius straightened as if scolded by a parent, “I-I am just glad to see you.”
Achamus’s face softened. He crossed the gulf between them – creating ripples in the blood with each churning step – and embraced Talinnius with a father’s tenderness. He said, “It is good to see you, one last time my pupil... my friend.”
Talinnius pulled away, “One last time?”
“This is not life Talinnius. This is the first of many gates.”
“You speak of the underworld...?”
“I do.”
“I don’t understand,” Talinnius took a step back as if stabbed.
Achamus placed a reassuring hand on Talinnius’s shoulder and smiled, “I have died, my friend.”
Talinnius gazed at the blood around his ankles and forced back the need to weep. He did not understand why his emotions flared to such an extreme; nor did he like it. This was something he should not experience. It was as if he were cracking and would shatter into a million shards. Tears began to roll from his eyes, and he wanted to cry his anguish into the strange air.
“Do not be ashamed,” Achamus said, reading Talinnius’s thoughts perfectly. “This place amplifies what is inside. Especially sorrow and hate. The dead must release their internal turmoil before they can pass beyond the first gate.”
“I don’t understand,” Talinnius sniffed.
“Nor will you,” Achamus replied, “And hopefully won’t for many years. When it is your time to pass beyond the gates... that is when you will understand... the only time you can...”
“Why am I here?” Talinnius asked.
“Because I asked for it... I knew you would perform the blood rites. By drinking my blood, it allowed me to find you to have this communion,” Achamus glanced at the light, which had moved well beyond the horizon. “I was owed a favour and this is that debt being repaid. However, time is short... I have need of you Talinnius.”
Talinnius swallowed hard. With a thought, he caged his emotions once more and sank into the Trance’s comforting embrace. His sorrow was still there, like a seed ready to sprout and root itself into his very soul – but he denied it by removing all that fed it. His voice was hard, “I will always serve you, Master. What need do you have of me?”
A warm smile lifted Achamus’s lips, “My presence here cannot be indefinite. Even in death, I serve... perhaps not Carthirose, but what I do will give the eternal city, her empire, and all others a chance to thrive.”
Talinnius listened intently, doing his best to find meaning in Achamus’s riddle. He had the feeling that his mentor could only give so much and whatever vagaries that were spoken, were done so on purpose. Even in death, he felt Achamus was protecting him.
Again, Achamus glanced at the light. Talinnius followed his master’s keen eyes and was just able to make out the wings that stretched from the feminine from. It was moving quickly across the grey fogged sky and was already above them. His eyes narrowed and his lips grew terse.
“We do not have much time. I will have to be brief,” Achamus continued.
Talinnius nodded his understanding.
“There is a war coming, Talinnius,” Achamus said, “One that will end all others. It is the last war and one that must be held at bay for as long as possible. There are forces on both sides of life and death. I cannot be at two places at once and therefore I need you to battle the forces that exist in life on my behalf, while I battle those in death.”
“What must I do?” Talinnius asked.
“I am not sure. I cannot see beyond the veil,” Achamus said, “I trust that you will see the signs. However, what is important, is that you assail it, whatever it may be. Attack it with your full might. The Order is the only barrier to this threat... well there is one other, but he... or it cannot be relied upon. It will use you to fight this threat and that is okay, for its goals will be aligned with ours for now.”
The light was already nearing the far horizon.
“I wish I could say more,” Achamus gave an apologetic sigh. “I wish my warning had some substance that you could use immediately. Something that you could ride out against as soon as we part.”
“I will be vigilant, Master,” Talinnius said, “Whatever this threat is, I will defeat it.”
“I know you will,” Achamus said. “Look for the unnatural, it is likely already showing its face. You have always made me proud. I wish I said it more... A Champion’s life is tough, and I had to be tougher on you to ensure you were ready... for when I finally departed... for the now.”
“You do not have to explain yourself, Master,” Talinnius said and allowed emotion in a small measure out from the cage he created – it warmed his heart. “You taught me well. I will not fail you.”
“I will do my best to continue to guide you,” Achamus said as the light touched the far horizon. “Stare into death’s smile...”
“... and smile back,” Talinnius grinned as he completed Achamus’s old expression. His master faded into nothingness with the departing light. Then, he stood alone in the dark, deep in thought, while ignoring the blood’s more insistent pull.
Achamus’s voice whisper on the still air as the last ray vanished beneath the horizon, “A shadow follows you, do not let it in...”
VII
His eyes shot open. Disorientation made his head spin and vertigo settled in. He did not know how long he stood in that dark, after Achamus’s departure. Their conversation felt hazy, as if it were from a dream. But he clung to the message Achamus had delivered, desperately. Whatever was to come from his master’s warning, he would be ready.
“Good you are awake,” A fatherly voice spoke.
Talinnius from the simple bed - recognizing it as his own - and sought to turn to measure his room. Pain lined his muscles. It felt like the training he had undergone when he was a youth, where each day made him sorer and more immobile than the last. He gritted his teeth, rolled to a sitting position with his feet off the bed's edge, and glanced at the speaker.
“Quintis,” He grunted as the sting from the cut on his face relit his nerves. “How long was I asleep for?”
“Almost a day,” The old champion spoke with a less than serious tone. It was lined with compassion and was unusual. “I did not expect you to pass out.”
“I saw Achamus...” Talinnius comment took the colour from Quintis’ face, “...outside the underworld’s first gate, I think.”
“I did not expect you to go mad...” Quintis said.
“I am not insane,” Talinnius chuckled – not fully believing that sentiment himself, “His blood brought me to him. He gave me a warning, Quintis. Something is about to happened. We must be ready.”
Quintis stood, for once showing all the age of his years. He paced stiffly, slowly back and forth across the room, without speaking. The implications of what was said were clearly written on his face. Deliberately, he spoke with finality, “Did he... did Achamus say what we should be aware of?”
Talinnius shook his head, “No... I know how this must sound.”
“Unfortunately, I do. Towards the end, Achamus often spoke about seeing the other side... seeing the underworld. He said he would go there when he meditated. He spoke of a shadow chasing him.”
“What?”
“Exactly,” Quintis ceased his pacing and took a deep breath, “I gave council for him to keep his revelation between he and I. You see, he was at an age where the mind could go and if it were, I did not want cause panic. The Order always needs a strong leader. We have a part to play in this great game of Empire. I council you to do the same, Talinnius. Do not speak about this to any other. I thought it was him going mad... maybe not.”
Talinnius felt his stomach churn with mixed feelings. Quintis’s knowledge was a revelation he could not comprehend at this moment. His voice was low, “You and Achamus have both mentored me. I respect your council, but I will not hide this, Quintis. It will bring hope to the Order in this trying time. Achamus still guides us!”
“Damn you boy!” Quintis growled, “Do not let your feelings overrule your judgement! You must be smart! With your new title and your new position, you are balanced upon a knife’s edge. If the Order’s detractors find out about this, you will put us all in jeopardy. They will use this belief against you and shift the balance that holds Carthirose together!”
“What do you mean?” Talinnius demanded.
Quintis's hard eyes turned towards Talinnius, “Achamus kept much of this away from the Order and unfortunately, you must take on that mantle. We are not infallible, Talinnius. Carthirose is filled with politics and unfortunately the Order has a part in those politics, no matter how much we want to be without them.”
“I don’t understand?”
“Well... I am to stay and instruct you in these matters,” Quintis smiled warmly – all tension fell away as if it were never there, “The other Elder’s voted for this to happen. As you saw with your meeting with Emperor, we must tread carefully. All the people of power will try to conform us to their will and your duty will be to ensure we maintain the Order’s path. Maintain balance and ensure corruption does not take hold. We are the check to the politicians, Talinnius.”
Talinnius stood and hissed against his sore muscles, “I am thankful for your guidance, Quintis. I truly am. I am sorry for my outburst. I will learn this duty.”
“Do not be lad,” Quintis said, “For a while, until you are ready to take the this on your own, we will work together. Now come, I must show you something before your time is demanded by others. It is the only gift the First Champion truly has. The gift of silence.”
VIII
A locked steel door was tower’s only entrance. He realized it stood behind the Champion’s barracks like a monolith and its interior was as flawless as its exterior. It felt like the tower was always there – standing sentinel over the Champion’s compound next to the palace. Talinnius knew he had walked by the door a thousand times without giving it a second thought. He thought it odd that he had never registered the tower’s existence, even though he had seen it every day in his life; nor had he been curious about what it held. In a way, he had never noticed it, like something hidden in plain sight. It reminded him of the door he had used to enter the catacombs before his ascension to First Champion.
Quintis inserted a key and the locking mechanisms within the door clanked as they released. The passage beyond was bright. Every few feet, a torch blazed in a glass shielded alcove, amplified, and directed the light. Quintis led the way and now that Talinnius entered its stone confines, he could never unsee the door and the tower it was connected to.
The hall was narrow, but far from uncomfortable. He could not walk abreast with Quintis, but he did not have to change his posture as there was room for his shoulders and could keep his head raised. There was no dust, and this surprised him. He doubted very many – if any – had access to this space and expected it to be festered with age, but it was as if the tower had just been constructed and cleaned meticulously. After a few feet, the hall turned to an equally spacious staircase that curved with the tower’s circular outer wall. There was nothing noteworthy, just stair after stair. It gave the impression that there were more steps than height to climb. Just as he thought they would never end, they did just that. Another steel door barred their way. Quintis used the same key that unlocked the first and pushed his weight against the new barrier. It turned inwards without issue. Talinnius followed his mentor into the room beyond and was instantly astonished. The space was vast and was almost an assault on his senses; more so when compared to the plain stairwell.
Leather tomes lined the circular walls on rich red-brown shelves, which rose to the ceiling. There was very little space for additional entries, with only the odd empty space here and there. Each book section was aged differently as if they were all written years apart, but all were remarkably well kept. Periodically around the room’s periphery, trophy armours stood sentinel from civilizations that no longer exists, as if ready to come alive. Talinnius recognized some, but others were so foreign to his eyes that they defied conventional sense in their protective qualities and construction – as if they had been created by a different hand than man.
A spiral staircase, built around a central column, jutted from the room’s centre and walkways branched off periodically to the several different levels within the space – allowing any occupant to reach each book in the vast library. It was like a tree in structure, but to precise and geometric in its design. The case’s zenith disappeared into the roof above.
Quintis marched towards these new stairs without pause and began taking them two at a time. Before Talinnius reached the first step, the old warrior was already a flight ahead. He raced after Quintis, only managing to keep from losing more ground. The old man did not show his age with any movement; everything was precise – nothing waisted. Talinnius hoped he was half as strong, when as much time had passed over his body. He was just entering his prime and knew youth was no hinderance to his skill but a key component to it.
The final stairs passed quickly and, before long, he followed Quintis through a latch in the roof. Beyond was an empty room. The floor stones circled, growing progressively smaller as they reached the latch door that made the rooms centre. A symbol was carved into each stone and Talinnius remembered them from his meditation training in his youth. Each represented a gift from Gods, as well as lessons to the life they had created.
He paced the room studying each engraving and slowly fanned out to the far edge. He smiled as he retraced the first circles he had been taught as a young aspirant. The joy faded as Achamus came to his thoughts once more. He imagined his old master schooling every movement as he walked over similar stones in the training yard.
He looked across the room to Quintis, recalling the lessons his only living mentor had taught him. Where Achamus had taught him how to fight and do, Quintis had taught him how to act and think. Somehow, he felt a weight on his shoulders. He began to wonder why Quintis had brought him here for the first time since entering the tower.
He spoke his mind, “Why are we here, Quintis?”
Quintis finally met his gaze and said, “We Champion’s do not have many luxuries. It goes against our creed and our oaths. But this is one luxury afforded to the First Champion of the Order.”
“What luxury is this?” Talinnius swept is hand across the empty room.
“A place to be alone,” Quintis said and tossed something. “A luxury none of us have but you.”
Talinnius caught it and found that it was the key Quintis had used earlier. It was simple – made from cheap but sturdy iron. He looked up, quizzically.
“It is the only one of its kind,” Quintis remarked, “It is the only key that unlocks this tower, and it is yours now. It is bonded to you in the same fashion as your armour and swords.”
Before Talinnius could speak further, Quintis marched to the latch and made his way down, disappearing back the way they came. And so, Talinnius stood alone and the weight he felt intensified tenfold as he was left alone with his thoughts.
IX
Talinnius locked the door and took a step back. Many hours had passed. Quintis was right, being alone was a luxury after he got use to the quiet. There was finally a chance to contemplate all that had happened in such a short period. He studied the key again before closing his fingers around it and finally felt ready to take on whatever challenges would come. As he turned away from the door, a blurred figure raced towards him. She closed, and he recognized her instantly.
“Attia?” He questioned.
She stumbled her last few steps and coughed from exertion. Mud and dust covered her armour and her half kilt was in tatters. It was unsettling to see a Champion in such a state. Despite their training and the abilities, the Trance allowed a Champion to ignore fatigue as well as all but deadly injuries. However, a Champion was still human – though it rarely appeared that way to untrained eyes – and in the end human limits still applied even if they were greatly reduced. Still, to see one within the Order in such dire appearance and exhausted was a troubling sight.
Carelessly, she tossed aside her helmet and slumped to a knee. “I am sorry,” Attia said between panted breaths, “My horse died over three leagues outside Carthirose from exhaustion.” She paused to gulp air into her lungs. “I ran the rest of the way.”
“What happened?” Talinnius demanded and offered a hand.
Attia breathed and took it to stand, “Veturius - He has been taken.”
“What!? Taken?” Talinnius roared. His chest sunk. “What do you mean!? How!? Who took him?”
“I don’t know,” Attia began to speak evenly as her breathing became more controlled. The colour was returning to her face. “Whoever it was, he was in a Champion’s armour... but his eyes – they glowed red, Talinnius. They glowed like coals in a dying fire.”
Talinnius’s mind reeled and went into a frenzied storm. All the objectivity had just gained fled away and his normal calm exterior was destroyed. Possibilities and made-up scenarios played through his imagination all at once. Veturius was as dear to him as Cordia. They had been inducted into the Order together and grown up from boys in the Training yard. It was Veturius who fought away a bullying group of aspirants who ganged up on him the first time the instructing Champions were not present. He had been the runt within the ranks and if it were not for Veturius’s aid, he doubted he would have survived. That favour was returned teaching Veturius the sword techniques he had so easily mastered. Veturius initially struggled with the finesse the Champion’s swordplay required and they snuck out after curfew to practice long into the night.
“I followed for a while before I lost the trail,” Attia continued, “I am not sure how, but whoever took him did not leave a trail. But they were heading in the direction of Lavici.”
“Get something to eat and drink,” Talinnius ordered, “Gather whoever will come. We leave within the hour.”
He did not wait for her and marched out the barracks with a volcano’s menace. He had lost his mentor but refused to lose his friend.
X
“Quintis,” Talinnius said with a tone that barred any argument, “I must go.”
“You are First Champion,” Quintis replied with calm authority, “You can send others. You do not know what you face. Your position is here. Your duty is here. You must learn what it means to be first Champion and not put your personal desires before your duty.”
“Whatever needs my attention can wait. No matter what, we must remain loyal to ourselves. This is my will Quintis, I am sorry. I do value your advice and I understand the ramifications, but I must do this.”
Quintis bowed his head and stepped back, “This is a mistake and you do not see. You must rise above your personal concerns, but I will say no more. Bring Veturius back, Talinnius – if that is your will as First Champion.”
Talinnius mounted his horse and signaled the twenty others he and Attia had gathered to do the same. Cordia met his gaze and nodded her assurance as she guided her mount beside his. She had grown up with Veturius as well and had also practiced with them in nights depths while the world slept. He was glad she was with him, which was a trend that he could not shake himself from. There was a need – which he could not explain – to have her nearby. Somehow, he was never whole without her. It was not something he could place. He only knew the piece was missing when she filled it with her presence. Especially, with all the stresses he had undergone, since Tettius’s execution.
Attia took position to his other side and looked at him expectantly. Talinnius nodded his assent, and she pushed her stirrups forward, causing her new mount to start and race past Quintis. The others followed in her wake. He remained and met his mentor’s gaze one last time.
“I will keep things calm here,” The old man said. “I understand your feelings.”
“You could come with us, Quintis,” Talinnius offered.
“My place is here,” Quintis forced a smile.
“You are better at politics than I, old man,” Talinnius said.
“Bah!” Quintis waved his hand dismissively, “I would not listen to your words of fake honey. Go, before I change my mind and put you on your ass.”
Talinnius donned his helm and said, “Thank you.”
Quintis merely nodded before turning away and beginning his trek up the rocky hill back to the Order’s compound. Talinnius watched him go and he grew cold with focus. Veturius was in danger, and he would not lose his friend. Like he lost Achamus, a voice in his mind spat venom.
“Achamus lives,” He whispered through gritted teeth to the shadows.
Somehow, the shadows seemed to contort with smile with sinister intent, like a predator hidden by the woods. He shook his head, pushing away the tricks his mind played on him, and as if waking from a daydream he pushed his mount forward at a full gallop to catch up with the others with Cordia still firmly beside him.
Let me know what you think so far and share to those who would enjoy this kind of thing, as always thank you for reading.
Brett
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