sonovelo Book 5 Epilogue
Book 5 Epilogue
Book 5 Epilogue
Brox pulled out the buzzing rock. Many years ago he'd had it carved with a remarkable likeness of Sarya’s scowl. It vibrated aggressively, and he watched it carefully to see how long it would buzz for. The Elothian Rangers he was with looked back at him with tight faces, each concerned by the noise but unwilling to tell him to his face to be quiet.
After all, they were hunting dangerous prey. Brox had asked for something exciting, and they’d taken him to hunt dragonwolves. The rangers wanted to surprise the fire-breathing predators, but Brox knew that wouldn’t work. Catching creatures like this by surprise was a fool’s game. Besides, he didn’t really felt like lying still for hours in the attempt.
That being said, he didn’t much feel like abandoning Elothia right now. He’d been looking forward to hunting the dangerous wildlife that abounded on this continent. He’d start small, with prey like the dragonwolves, then ramp up to bigger game. He’d been looking forward to going up against one of the hillboars. But the rock in his hand continued to vibrate, and after the fifth pulse he looked up at the rangers who’d accompanied him and swore.
“Quenfi’s flaming teats. You’ll have to finish this hunt without me. Stalk silently and all that.” He didn’t wait for a response before he turned and dashed away, the brush of the forest crackling with the speed of his movement. As soon as he was out of sight he activated his teleport and appeared in the conference hall Sarya preferred for important chats amongst her grid. The room was made of enchanted glass and lay far beneath her palace, protruding out into the waters of the ocean. Monsters swam around them, lured to the life of the port but unable to breach the enchantments that kept them below the surface. Similar enchantments protected this room, giving Brox a close-up view of several monsters he’d love to fight.
Then he breathed out and turned towards the table in the center of the room. Only Sarya was present, and she gestured him towards his place, where an enchanted goblet filled with opalescent liquid waited for him.
Brox’s eyebrows rose. “You opened a bottle of the Sungold?” He walked over and picked up the chalice, letting the vapors waft up and caress his skin like fingers of sunlight.
“I did,” Sarya replied. She took a careless gulp of the millennia-old and utterly irreplaceable liquor, then gave him an irritated look. “Because of your mistake.”
He took a gentle sip, letting the effervescent light move up into his sinuses before evaporating into his brain. “By Edes, what’s got you upset now? Was it what I did in Itonia? Those seers exist to be used, and look at where it took me! It can’t be Gemore. I know the prizes that bout earned.” He waggled his finger at her. “We’re winning this conflict now! Is that what this is about? How to capitalize on that victory? My victory?”
Sarya shook her head and sighed. “No - but we should wait for our companions before discussing it.”
Garna appeared next, and Brox saluted the androgynous woman with his glass, noting the sheaf of organized papers she carried.
She hurried over to the table and plopped them down, brandishing an enchanted quill at the other Questors like a weapon and speaking in a clipped tone. “We must be as fast as the dawn. Since the deal with Sussu I am overwhelmed in my attempt to consolidate Estefar and move it onto the correct path.” She noticed the chalice waiting beside her and blinked at it, then looked up at Sarya. “Is this a celebration of our victory? We have not led a continent through the Ending yet.”
Sarya glowered around at the gathering over her goblet. “No. There’s something more important than that.”
That comment made Garna shoot Sarya a suspicious look. "What could be more important? This is our chance to win a lasting victory."
A deep chuckle rolled through the room as their fourth member arrived, Ushia's massive frame striding into view. She pulled out her oversized and heavily padded chair and settled into it delicately, idly picking up the chalice of Sungold and sipping at it with relish. “I have been anticipating this taste gladly.”
“Tell us why I’ve stoked your anger, before Ushia spills it,” Brox demanded jokingly with a smile on his face.
I’d like to see you yell at me, after the victory I delivered.
“The man from Gemore, the one who killed Badud,” Sarya prompted him.
Brox nodded. “Nathan. A good fighter, and a good counter to mages. He seemed hesitant to me, but I cannot call him a fool. He did kill Badud. You planned to recruit him into your stable of agents, yeah. Did you fail?”
Sarya rolled her eyes in his direction. “What you failed to report for us is that he’s not from Davrar at all, but a world from the universe beyond. They sound like they’re on the cusp of being contacted.”
He thought about it a moment, then nodded decisively. “I’d back that. But how do we get him there? Even after our victory we don’t have the influence to speak at a conclave, much less call one. And to bring a non-questor into the conclave...” He trailed off, frowning as he considered the obstacles to what Sarya was proposing.
“We reach out to our political allies.” Ushia nearly spat the word. “The Ashen Accord to start. They may have replaced their spines and skulls with neutronium, but they’re well-connected. If we can convince Kaelis then he could make it happen.”
Garna’s brow furrowed as she turned her considerable intellect to this new problem. “This plan is a promising proposal. But Kaelis wouldn’t move without agreement from the rest of the Ashen Accord. They’ll need demonstration, and he’ll need proof to convince others to spend their influence on this. It is the rarest of our resources.”
“His deeds must be undeniable,” Ushia said slowly. “Killing Badud was a beginning, but each victory must be greater than the last, for this to be a valid path. We may not aid him overmuch either.” Her expression remained troubled. “What is his build? It must counter foresight in some way, since I have never been able to see him.”
Brox chuckled. “Antimagic, combined with a potent healing Talent and flight.” He held his hands up defensively as the other two gave him confused looks. “He’s taken the Insight further than any I’ve heard of. He retained memories through Badud’s [Reverse Time], so it can combat wizardry. And that was before slaying Badud and conquering the Ascendent Academy. A Grand Dungeon. So his class quality must be astronomical.”
“My agent said he never truly committed to the fights she saw,” Sarya said next. “Even against the Maelstrom he supplied the kills to his allies so they would level.”
Ushia waved a hand as if to brush that away. “We shall assume he can win against any foe.” Then she snorted at the ridiculousness of his own words. “What deeds would serve for this purpose?”
“Conquer Esebus,” Brox said grumpily, taking another sip of his drink.
Garna shook her head shortly. “That would be repeating a deed already done. If he - and his allies - were to defeat Badud’s entire grid, then that would be a victory.”
“Or clear a corrupted seal.” Sarya said slowly. “That would be a deed that would raise his status in many Questor's eyes.”
Garna rolled her eyes. “Opportunities for formidable deeds abound, for this is Davrar and that is what it was built for. But he will still die, either in attempting these deeds or in the duels. Will you trick him to his death? Will he break from this purpose once he understands the risks?”
Sarya snorted and replied evenly. “If I tell Nathan that this will kill him, I expect he’ll smile and thank me for the opportunity. My skills tell me he will never stop attempting to reach his goal. His purpose is to fix Davrar into a way that he likes better, and if we show him the path he will walk it regardless of the danger.”
Ushia pursed her lips and nodded. “Then we shall do this. I wish to meet him, and speak to his allies. If they are to truly do this, then they must become masters of their Paths.”
“I agree,” Garna said. “This is an idiotic idea. But if it’s a chance to improve Davrar, to make our will known, then it is worth seizing the slightest chance of success.”
Brox snorted once more, waggling his finger at her. “But it’s not our will that would be implemented. It’s his.”
The gathered Questors considered that for a moment. Then Sarya shrugged. “That’s probably better. Do you want to be known as the one who curtailed the freedom of the Questors? Better that it be Nathan and the Heirs.”
“It would be a tale as potent as the deicide.” Ushia’s voice was quiet and deep, nearly shaking the table. “Figments of Davrar itself rising up to ask us to refine our natures. Fitting, for that is its purpose, is it not?”
None of them had a good response to that, and they sat and finished their Sungold in silence, watching the beasts of the deep swim through the waters around them and considering their mad plan.