Legon Ascension (26 page)

Arkin stopped and collected himself. “We were in a co-op. There was a Dragon. We ran, but we were found.” The silence in the room was palpable, and Emma felt fear take control of her as she listened on. “We were found, and it turned into a fight. Legon and I used magic, but there was an Iumenta…” Her heart seemed to stop working. Everyone knew that Iumenta were powerful. She knew how good a fighter both Kovos and Legon were, but she still knew that none of them could hold a candle to an Iumenta.

“Arkin, what happened to my children?” Laura asked, terrified.

“Legon was trying to save us. He used a spell and put all his energy into it. When the Iumenta came in, Kovos moved to it and Legon was trying to save him. The spell was too strong and it reverberated back on him. I’ve never seen anything like it before…” Arkin looked Edis in the eyes. “The Human in him died and he turned into a full-blooded Elf.” Everyone was dumbfounded, but Arkin wasn’t done. He turned a pain-filled gaze to Emma and spoke in a whisper, tears in his eyes. “When it happened, Legon’s spells stopped working, and before he could get them up again to help Kovos…”

Emma’s blood ran cold. “No Arkin, no, please no, no no no no , please no…”

He looked down. “I am so sorry Emma. I know it doesn’t help, but we did everything we could.“ He stopped and added almost as an afterthought, “If it is any comfort, you were the last thing he thought about.”

“NO!” she wailed, turning into Edis as he pulled her in. Laura’s arms were around her too. She heard them ask if Sasha and Legon were ok and Arkin said that Kovos’ sacrifice saved them all, but it didn’t sink in with her. It didn’t matter. He was dead, her love was dead, there was no hope after all, there never had been. She had nothing but the two people holding her now, and she clung to them with everything.

“Legon and Sasha are the head of House Evindass, a great Elvin house. We need to get you out of here tonight,” Arkin was explaining.

Emma heard this. “No, please don’t leave me,” she begged, looking into Laura and Edis’ faces. “Please, I’ll do anything, just don’t leave me alone,” she sobbed.

They squeezed her. “We won't sweetie, don’t you worry, we aren’t going anywhere without you. You’re ours now,” Edis said.

“Emma, Legon and Sasha both see it as their duty to take care of you. If you wish to live in the human lands outside of the Cona Empire, a house will be provided for you. But they would like to offer you a home in Seeon, if you will take it,” Arkin said.

“Seeon?” Emma asked, feeling relieved that she could stay with Laura and Edis.

“Yes, that’s the Pawdin Empire’s capital. House Evindass is in charge of it. You would be living in the palace with Legon, Sasha, Laura and Edis if you like.”

She clung to a new idea. Kovos protected Sasha and died trying to protect her and Legon. She owed Laura and Edis everything, and she needed to make amends with Sasha. She clung to the new reason to live. “I would love to live with Sasha and Legon.” She would serve them, would be the best sister there had ever been. She would assist them in anyway they needed, would help them take out the filth that had killed her Kovos.

“Are you sure? You can think about it if you like,” Arkin said.

“My husband gave up his life with them to give us a better future. I will give my life for the same.” No one questioned her calling Kovos her husband, and while she felt a part of herself die with his loss, she felt resolution about what she would do. Arkin explained what Legon was called, and what people thought him to be, that he was to cleanse the land. He explained Sasha’s role as a compass for him as well. This too made her feel the rightness of her choice. She dabbed the tears from her eyes. She would cry later, would mourn later. Right now she needed to focus on the matter at hand.

Arkin told them to take only what they would needed, and he told Emma that he had a horse for her. She took some clothes and a diary. She paused and went to a box that held a necklace that Kovos had given her. It was the only thing she had to remember him. She took it to Arkin.

“Arkin, this is all I have left of him,” she said, trying not to lose control.

He took the necklace and muttered, making it glow green, and handed it back to her. “There you go. It will be hard to break now. Once we get back to the Elves they will make it nearly impossible to break. Also, I placed a spell on it that will make it so you will always know where it is.”
 

“Thank you, Arkin.” She took a moment. “And thank you for doing what you did. I know this wasn’t easy for you.”
 

Arkin placed a hand on her shoulder. “Emma, I will tell you anything you want to know once we make it to the ship, but for now just know that it was the greatest honor to have fought with your husband.” She saw the loss in his eyes, saw that he too had paid a terrible price. Hadn’t he lost a friend? He had lost Legon’s birth mother. Emma had seen the house with her own eyes, seen the horror that Arkin walked into all those years ago. She couldn’t look at him the same way again. She knew that he would be an inspiration to her. He had given his whole life to avenging the death of his friend. He’d spent years hiding, sacrificing. She could do that. She would do that.

Emma walked out of the house and got on her new horse. She knew they would be heading to the coast, and she also knew that she would never see this town again. As they rode she turned, looking back at her place of birth. “Goodbye mother and father,” she said, and turned back around and rode into the dark woods.

Chapter Fifteen

Journey

“It can be hard to see, but once you do you find that everything is the same, just different.”

-Diary of the Perfectos Compatioa

Emma shifted in her saddle, trying not to hit a tree. They were almost out of the mountains and she was looking forward to being on roads again. Arkin was different now from how she remembered him as a child. There were some similarities but she now saw that his whole life had been an act. He moved ahead of the group, scanning the land with all his senses. The first night Arkin had demonstrated to everyone the ability to speak with thought. She, like everyone else, couldn’t reach out and contact anyone yet, but she was starting to become more comfortable with Arkin in her mind. At first it felt like a terrifying violation to her, since her only experience using her mind in this way was when she was confronted by a dragon. But Arkin’s mind wasn’t cruel or alien to her. It felt like talking in a normal fashion.
 

Once one becomes aware of their mind being touched, the mind is able to sense and block another’s. This didn’t happen often, but she was surprised that it happened at all. Arkin told them about how the Iumenta controlled the hearts and minds of the people with fiery little thoughts. She didn’t buy it for one second, but sometimes she heard a whisper. It was low and subtle, just a little notion. It only lasted for a moment and then it was gone. Sometimes it was just an emotion, fear or anger, sometimes happiness. Many times the emotions came with a thought. If Arkin had said anything to her she probably wouldn’t have even noticed them, but now…

She felt that now and decided to ask. “Arkin?” She called.

He turned around and rode over to her. “What is it, what’s wrong?” he asked, reading the look on her face.

“I hear stuff sometimes, like now. I think of the queen and then feel happy, but sometimes I think of displeasing the queen and feel scared. What is that?” she asked.

Arkin’s brow furrowed. “Clear your head and do what I taught you to block thoughts.”

She complied and the feeling left her. “It’s gone?”

Edis and Laura were alongside them now and Arkin stopped everyone. “Let’s take a break and I can explain to you.” They dismounted and retrieved their water skins. “You all can hear now because I have touched your mind. Emma, I’m a little surprised that after your encounter with the Iumenta dragon you didn’t start hearing and feeling things. You have always been subject to these thoughts, but they have been too soft for your conscious mind to pick up on. What you are hearing is an Iumenta dragon.” He forestalled a panic. “Don’t worry, it is far away. We have nothing to worry about. The blocks on your minds will always stop them if you want. It’s a matter of what your mind is willing to accept in it. You will have to raise your defenses from time to time, but it’s really not that much of an inconvenience. Once in Seeon you won’t need any defense at all, but every time you enter the Cona Empire you will feel most unwelcome, so be prepared.”

“How does this control us?” Laura asked.

“It doesn’t. All it does is put ideas into your head and gives them a place to grow. Like that feeling you felt of Regent Hoelaria being upset and then feeling fear. After years of thoughts being planted into your subconscious, you will begin to believe that way on your own.” He read the fear on all of their faces. “It takes people months, sometimes years when they leave the Empire for these thoughts to dissipate. Don’t worry, areas like Salmont are not as affected as large cities where the Iumenta are close.” No one looked convinced and Edis said, “So how do I know that my beliefs aren’t what the queen wants me to believe?” Arkin held up a hand. “The Regent,” he corrected. “Like I said, they are small and now you can feel it. Before, you may have noticed yourself thinking something that seemed wrong and wondered how the thought got in your head. Remember that you chose what your mind accepts. Even if the thought wasn’t put there by you, you have the choice of whether to keep it or not.” With that Arkin closed the topic, saying that the break was over.
 

Arkin took the lead again and before too long they were on some type of road dabbled in mid day sun. Emma’s eyes swept the dense trees on either side of the narrow road, breathing in the scent of dust. She sneezed from it and figured horses or a chart must have been by recently kicking up the dry dirt. In front of her, Arkin stopped, holding up his hand.

Edis was about to speak when Arkin’s voice came across the mental network. “Don’t say anything, we aren’t alone.”

* * * * *

Arkin felt the others’ apprehension. They weren’t concerned about any danger, and why would they be? Most people traveled around the country in relative safety. It had only been in the last few months that traveling became even remotely hazardous. Arkin’s nostrils filled with dust, and his eyes raked the ground, seeing tracks that looked recent. This area was still out of the way. The road not a high priority for guards, and moreover, the light traffic made it perfect for an ambush. His mind flicked out to a hawk. It circled above them high looking where Arkin directed it. Just around the next turn he saw them, seven men lounging around. An eighth entered the bird’s field of view, heading away from where Arkin’s party was stopped. The man seemed to be talking and pointing down the road toward their party. The men took places on each side of the road setting up an ambush.
 

Arkin spoke over the network. “There is a band of robbers up the way. You lot stay here while I take care of it.”
 

“How many?” Edis thought.

“Eight,” was Arkin’s reply.

Edis spoke out loud, but softly. “I’ll go with you, you need help.”

Arkin shook his head. “No I don’t, you stay here.” Edis looked like he was going to go anyway, so Arkin connected with Edis’ horse, giving it an overwhelming desire to stay put. He heard Edis grumble at the horse, but Arkin was on his way.

His plan was straightforward. He was going to just spring the trap the robbers had set. He rode, picking up speed, and rounded the corner. There was nothing waiting for him. His connection with the hawk showed him that the men were there hiding, presumably waiting for the rest of Arkin’s party. He was unfazed. Really, it didn’t matter to him. He took his time pulling out his bow and stringing it. Still, the hiding men did nothing. He saw that they had weapons drawn and were signaling to each other, telling the others to hold and pointing down the road.
Amateurs,
he thought.
 

After a moment of thought, he decided that avoiding violence would be the best plan. He didn’t care for Legon’s family to see a bunch of people hacked to death. “I know there are eight of you. I know you think you have a pretty good little trap set here, and I know that you are waiting for the rest of my group,” he said loudly. Nothing happened.
Honestly,
he thought. He turned to look into the brush where one man crouched, barely out of easy sight. “You there, I can see you,” Arkin said coldly. He continued on, “Look, I don’t want to have to kill you, it’s not good for anyone. So just come out so we can pass and you can setup for the next group.”
 

Finally, a response. “Or, we could just kill you and be done for the day,” a jeering voice rang out. There was small chuckle from the bushes around him and Arkin knew where this was going. “Very well,” he said.

In a flash, Arkin knocked an arrow and drew his bow, sending the projectile hurtling in the direction of the man he could see. There was a gasp and thud as the man fell dead. The trees exploded with the other men shouting and firing arrows at him. All but one missed him by a long shot. One of his wards glowed green around him as it deflected the arrow with true aim. Arkin felled two more men with the bow. A longhaired man bowled toward him with a wild battle cry. Arkin moved his mount and dodged the blow with ease, drawing his own sword and taking off the man’s head.
 

* * * * *

Edis finally got his horse to move. He charged around the corner as he heard yells and screams.
What is Arkin thinking
? As he rounded the corner a fight came into view. Bodies were lying in pieces on the ground, muddying the dirt. He jerked on the reins and watched in detached horror. Arkin was off his horse, his broad sword lashing out like the strike of a snake. Each move brought death to one of his foes. The last two men Edis could see alive rushed Arkin once with an axe and the other with nothing more than his bare hands. Arkin turned to the unarmed man and barked, “Flamma.” Emerald fire erupted from his right palm in a ball of bright fire and death. It struck the man’s chest, engulfing his upper body, then the fire died, leaving only a charred ribcage in its wake. The rest of the dead man’s body fell to earth, his incinerated chest merely smoking. Edis couldn’t take his eyes off the site. He didn’t even watch Arkin kill the other man.