The Archon's Apprentice (3 page)

Every day he left his room with no goal in mind, choosing hallways by chance. He remembered exploring as a child and being dumbfounded by its size. While it was not as large as his memory told him, he had not walked the same path twice yet. He took time to marvel at all the castle held. He pitied the Casparanians; they had been without magic for thousands of years. Here, every hallway Arceri walked down was filled with runed sconces pouring light out when someone was near and extinguishing themselves when no one was around. Arceri stopped in front of a sconce. He thought back to his early teaching, searching for how the sconces actually worked. He could not remember what type of magic had been infused within them. He pondered if they detected life or movement. He wondered how slowly he could move and not make a sconce light up. Spotting the next dark sconce down the hall, Arceri took on a statue-like pace. Hearing battle noises coming from a nearby corridor, he forgot about the sconces and darted away.

Arceri heard the sounds from the raven courtyard and raced to it. Beyond the doorway, Mikol and Bayle were sparring. Relieved to not find a true battle, Arceri sat down at the edge of the courtyard, acknowledging a few of the onlookers who noticed his presence. Arceri watched the match with rapt attention. Arceri could see improvement in Mikol since he last watched him. Mikol’s movements were quicker, cleaner, and more precise. Arceri chuckled to himself, remembering the first time Mikol had picked up a sword. Had it been a real sword Mikol swung around that day he would have been hopping around on one leg. As it was, he had only sustained a large bruise on his leg for several weeks.
 

Arceri knew Bayle had not been interested in sparring with Mikol or learning about tournaments. He envied Mikol having such a good friend as Bayle. Arceri admired how quickly Bayle had learned to spar such that he now gave Mikol quite a challenge. The fight seemed to be coming to a close as Mikol pushed forward. This caused Bayle to side step and leave an opening. Mikol took full advantage of it, and his blade disappeared into Bayle’s chest. Everyone in attendance cheered for Mikol. Withdrawing his sword, Mikol gave the crowd a bow. Bayle gasped for breath before shaking his head and clapping Mikol’s shoulder.

“You’ve gotten better since I saw you last,” said Arceri.

“I’ve grown up a bit too,” said Mikol. “It’s been awhile since you beat on your baby brother. I’ve learned a few things.” Mikol nodded to Bayle. “No thanks to him. Though he does make a good practice dummy.”
 

“Ha ha ha,” said Bayle. “You know I just let you win.”

“Really? You must really like getting beaten. I just hope you know how to really use a sword when we finally get to explore the Savage Kingdoms. Most people don’t use magic training blades.” Bayle snorted as Mikol offered his hand to his friend.
 

“Come on, brother,” said Mikol. “You look like you need something to do.”

Mikol grabbed the blade from Bayle and tossed one to Arceri, who snatched it out of the air and fell into a well-disciplined stance. He added several flourishes for the crowd. Cheers and applause erupted from the courtyard again.

“Showoff,” said Mikol. “Come on then.”

They both stepped into the ring and took up positions. Arceri noted Mikol’s new stance. Not recognizing it, he stepped into a different stance to allow for a defense. Before they could start they heard yelling from the hallway. A distressed man burst in to the courtyard, yelling for Arceri. The man, a servant of the king, nodded to Mikol and looked around the court for Arceri before realizing he was Mikol’s partner. Arceri waited for the man to come to him.
 

“Your Highness,” said the servant, “A messenger has arrived from Casparan.”

“What is the message?”

“He would not say. It is sealed and he would only give it to you. He is waiting for you in the main hall.”

“I will be right there,” Arceri said. “Mikol, it looks like we shall have to do this another time. Though, with my wedding the day after tomorrow, it might be a little longer before I get to show you up.”

Arceri winked at Mikol and flipped the blade back to him. Arceri followed the servant back to the main hall. When he arrived in the hall it was filled with people, though he knew many were there preparing for his wedding. Arceri noted the king
 
was seated in the throne, whether from the night before or because he had been summoned recently, Arceri could not tell. Little fanfare was made as he made his way through the bustle to the messenger. Arceri recognized the orange sun of Casparan on the man’s tunic. Seeing Arceri, the man bowed deeply and gave him the sealed missive. Arceri broke the seal and read through the letter.
 

Arceri,

I did not expect to call for the help of Ternia so soon, but I have no other choice. Casparan has never been a strong military power but we have been able to survive. I fear if what my patrols are telling me is true, we cannot not survive. The newest warlord has been seen leading an army the likes of which has not been seen in centuries. By the time you get this letter, Eocara will have finished preparing the travel stones that link our kingdoms. I ask that you and your elite Paragon unit come and lead my armies to victory. This Sibilovan army is still a month away from all reports received. I am sending this messenger with the utmost haste to allow you time to prepare.
 

King Nico Salveram

P.S. Please keep Juna safe.
 

He had to read the letter several times to understand the depth of the words. Each time he read the words, his face grew into a deeper scowl.

“Send for my Paragons,” said Arceri to no one in particular. “Tell them to meet me by the Eagle’s Gate.” Arceri looked to his father and saw he was still asleep from the night before. His wine glass lay empty at his feet. Arceri shook his head and hurried down a hallway leading away from the Eagle’s Gate. Several servants jumped away to avoid being trampled; Arceri only noticed they were not in his way anymore. He arrived at Omoni’s study and burst in. Omoni sat behind his desk poring over a tome. He quickly looked up at the intrusion and smiled at Arceri.

“Why didn’t you know where this warlord was?” asked Arceri as he threw down the letter on the desktop. Omoni picked up the letter and read through it. Arceri started to tap his foot.

“I don’t know,” said Omoni. “I can only guess they have been using magic to cover their movements. We have not been able to track their army since it left Greymount last year. At least not through magic. We have gotten word of an army moving through Sibilova but the reports were very ... contradictory.”

“I want you to take your wardens east in to Sibilova and quickly travel north until you have found this army,” said Arceri. “I will take my Paragons to Highbarrow now and help prepare their defenses. If this letter is correct we have a week before the army arrives in full.”

“I shall see it done, Your Highness,” said Omoni.

***

Arceri paused outside of the guest suite where Juna resided until after their wedding. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door. He walked in when he heard her answer. Juna stood near the window. The sunlight streamed through, presenting a breathtaking silhouette. Arceri paused and admired her from afar. He was grateful that King Nico’s daughter was beautiful, as he had never seen her before he agreed to marry her.

“Sorry to bother you.”

“My lord, there is nothing to offend.”

Arceri strode forward again.

“You don’t need to call me lord. I told you that. This has started as an arranged political marriage, but we will both live far longer than normal couples to be so formal.”

“Yes, my ... Arceri.”

Arceri smiled at Juna. Her cheeks flushed slightly at his gaze. He forgot the world and its troubles for a moment and stood staring at her, thinking of their life together.

“Was there something you needed?”

It was Arceri’s turn to blush. He turned his head and coughed to try and cover it up. Turning back, he saw Juna’s lips turn up ever so slightly at the ends.
 

“Yes. Sorry, I received a message from your father.”

“My father? Is he ok?”

“I assume so. He didn’t say anything otherwise. He sends for help against the Sibilovan Army. Apparently, this new warlord as decided to prove his worth by uniting all of the Savage Kingdoms. Even if they do not want be united.”

“Does he want me to return?”

“No. He wants you to stay in Valefort. He does not want you to come to harm. But when I see him I will be asking him how he came to propose this marriage just in time to see you away from Casparan.

“You don’t think my father would risk his country to save his daughter, do you?”

Arceri stared into Juna’s green eyes, looking for some sign of emotion. He new she was against the marriage at the beginning but finally acquiesced to her father’s wishes. Arceri had not been ready to choose his wife so soon. He had planned on slowly looking for one over the next fifty or hundred years. Nico’s proposal had come as a surprise, but Arceri did see the advantages of uniting the kingdoms after hundreds of years. Arceri wanted to unite all of the lands that had once been Ternia thousands of years ago. Being able to take a step in that direction peacefully was worth an early marriage. He could not be certain of King Nico and Casparan as a whole, but having a princess outlive the next five or six kings of a nation did tend to secure the relationship.

“No. No, I don’t. But I will certainly ask him about it when I see him.”

“Of course. How long do you think you will be gone?”

“I don’t know. It all depends on how serious this Warlord is about taking Casparan, or if he is just posturing.”

Arceri reached out and grabbed Juna’s hand.

“I am sorry I have to leave before our wedding. I have grown up in Valefort, but I know it is still foreign to you. I promise I will come back as soon as I can so we can build a relationship that lasts hundreds of years.”

“That is ... unnatural.”

“It is hard to grasp at first. Since you will have some time, talk with Archon Voletain or Mikol. They can help you understand. I don’t think Mikol has grasped how long he is going to live when he becomes Archon yet. Maybe you can talk it through together.” He smiled at her. “Now. I must leave. I need to get to Highbarrow as quickly as I can.”

He kissed Juna on the forehead and left.

Arceri arrived at the Eagle’s Gate moments later. His Paragons saluted him as he entered. They were already dressed for war. Foen had retrieved Arceri’s war gear. With the assistance of Foen, Arceri donned his brigandine armor. The defensive runes flashed as he slid on each piece. In the center of the courtyard was a short pillar covered in runes. Arceri moved to the travel stone, touched several of the runes, and drew another one above the stone. Soundlessly, a gateway appeared out of nothing, surrounded by a small shimmering band of light. The other side of the gateway revealed another courtyard of similar size, though with distinctly different architecture lightly covered in snow. The Paragons marched through and spread out as Arceri scanned the courtyard beyond. Arceri heard panting and turned to see Mikol entering the courtyard.
 

“Sorry brother, it looks like it may be a little longer before we get to spar again,” said Arceri, “Make sure to keep everything running smoothly. I will be back for my wedding soon enough.” They embraced briefly before Arceri entered the gateway.

Stepping through the gateway always gave Arceri vertigo. It was like stepping through a doorway, except the other side could be hundreds of miles away, and, like this one, the weather could be extremely different. As the biting wind cut into Arceri, he signed a small rune that gave him a shiver as warmth infused his body. He moved to Eocara standing at the edge of the courtyard. Next to him looked to be an honor guard of Highbarrow soldiers.
 

“Glad to see you got the travel stone set up,” said Arceri.

“Yes, Your Highness. I finished only yesterday. With the rumors spreading since you left I thought it would be wise to step up my progress.”

“Excellent. I assume there is more to this message? How far away is the army?”

“We are besieged.”

“Surely not! The message stated they were still over a month out! How long did the messenger tarry?”

“None, Your Highness,” said Eocara. “The scouts fell for the feint that had been laid. The army had masked their true strength and position until they were upon us. They were only a week away. The castle has been besieged for two weeks now. But there have been no attacks or communication.”

“Show me what is out there,” said Arceri. He ordered his Paragons to spread out, find the guard, and bolster their defenses. Foen and three other Paragons went with Arceri. They moved to the parapet and looked out over the land below. Arceri gasped at the encamped army. It stretched to the horizon and encircled Higbarrow on all sides. They were far enough back to avoid any Highbarrow archers but well in range of any trebuchet, though Arceri could not see any siege equipment. From this distance they could make out some soldiers standing guard and others patrolling, but the majority of the army seemed to be in their tents. Arceri could not count the number of soldiers but guessed it was in the tens of thousands.
 

“Do we know how many soldiers are down there?” asked Arceri.

“We have estimated two hundred thousand.”

“Two hundred! That’s bigger than any reports we have had. How did they move so quickly?”

“We don’t know,” said Eocara, “but we suspect they have several powerful blood mages in their ranks. I have not been able to tell how many, but I suspect they are encamped in those tents there.” Eocara pointed to several tents that were separated from the rest. They watched for several moments and saw patrols walk out of their way to avoid the tents.

“I agree,” said Foen. “That is definitely where the blood mages are. I wouldn’t want to go near one either. It is also where we should strike first.”