A Hollow Mountain (The Brightest Shadow Book 2), page 19
Having delivered her warning, Jeraeli walked away. As she went, Celivia finally understood the purpose of the absurdly-heeled shoes: their strange angles forced Jeraeli's legs, hips, and back into very specific arcs. She could understand the appeal, though she was primarily distracted by the impracticality.
As she finished her meal, Celivia decided that any judgment would be foolish. She still remembered clearly how some of her former sisters had criticized her for taking on such a conventional Seinan appearance. Though she admired their intentionally monstrous forms in principle, if she had changed her body in the same way, she would not have felt herself. Jeraeli had clearly chosen to play another game and Celivia did not begrudge her that choice.
She located the eastern armory before the next bell chimed and thought she was well on her way. Yet the day ended without her finding this man named Daekhan. If not for how many different people knew of him, she would almost have suspected that Jeraeli had sent her on a fool's errand, some sort of jest played on new officers, like hunting for winged bovals.
Refusing to be put off, she asked more careful questions the next day. Eventually she was directed to an old hallway that appeared unused. Yet when she walked to the end, she finally found him.
Daekhan proved to be a Feinan man with the reddish coloring she'd come to think of as Wahleenese. He wore a black uniform with a large fur collar that she thought was well-fitted. It was difficult to tell, because he sat in his chair with his legs propped up on his desk. A meat skewer poked from his lips, though it looked too clean to have been used to eat recently. Actually, when she looked closer she suspected that it might be reinforced enough to use as a weapon.
"Naen Daekhan, I presume?" Celivia stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. "You've made yourself difficult to find."
"Most of the people who try to find me want to give me work to do." The skewer twitched in his mouth as he spoke, yet he managed to speak clearly without letting it fall.
"Your work ethic is truly admirable."
"I had one, but I got rid of it. Find it just makes people give you even more work."
His attitude seemed clearly affected, yet Celivia found herself torn between mild amusement and impatience. "If you're that adamant about avoiding work, then perhaps I should leave you alone."
"Band leader Celivia, warrior of the second class, leader of a band stationed at Sotfaal, recent recipient of a rare invitation." Daekhan removed the skewer from his mouth and held it still, watching her with eyes that no longer held any affected laziness. "I asked a few questions while you were trying to find me yesterday. I hope that you went to all this effort for a good reason."
"That will be up to you, won't it?" She set down the chit on the desk before him. "I've been told that my band is due repaired equipment, yet the bureaucracy here seems more interested in testing me than supplying me."
He leaned over in his chair just enough to skewer the chit, then pulled it back to his face. After the briefest of glimpses, he flicked it aside onto the floor. "Though I'm not quite sure what to make of you, playing such games is too much work for me. I'll supply you with your equipment and get it on a transport to the Sotfaal outpost."
"Thank you, Dae-"
"But there's one problem: this chit isn't worth the value of a full resupply. You may not have noticed, but metal is taken very seriously in the Maenhu, and the humans still control the majority of the mines. So you can get your band some new equipment, but not everything. What do they need most?"
Celivia frowned and folded her arms as she considered the question. It had been years since she had worn armor and she wasn't quite sure what to make of the matter. "To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know. All their equipment except their weapons is in poor shape, and they're lacking most secondary armor. Is the chit worth eight new breastplates?"
"Not many here will admit they don't know something." Daekhan fixed her with an odd smile while flipping his skewer between his fingers. "In my opinion, the most important piece of equipment you could get for your band is solid helmets."
"Helmets? But if a warrior strikes them there, the metal will just crumple into their skulls."
"You're a warrior of the second class. Is a breastplate going to stop you from killing someone?"
"No, not really. But if the helmets would do no better, why recommend them?"
"Because you're thinking like a warrior, not a soldier." Daekhan stuck his skewer back in his mouth and sent it twitching from side to side as he spoke. "I suspect you could fall off a cliff and your head would be just fine, but that's not true for your band. You'd be surprised how many soldiers seriously hurt themselves by hitting their heads on something. Or fights between warriors... you might not realize it, but they can send a lot of small rocks flying in all directions. A helmet might deflect some of those."
Convinced by his argument, Celivia arranged for him to send a set of helmets. Since she apparently had some credit left, she also requested a new pair of boots for each man in her band. She'd seen how difficult the mountains were on their boots, and Daekhan seemed to approve of her choice.
After she'd thanked him and went to leave, however, he called after her. "Just who told you to track me down?"
"It was a lieutenant named Jeraeli. I assume you know her?"
The only response was the switching of the skewer from one side of his mouth to the other. Daekhan's face wasn't just blank, it might as well have been a mask. When he finally spoke, his voice was lower. "Funny. Wouldn't have expected that."
"She met me in a restaurant to offer advice. Why do you ask?"
"I don't like to be bothered with work." Ignoring her question, Daekhan put his feet back up on his desk and leaned back further in his chair. "But you didn't waste my time, and I like that. Depending on how things go, maybe I can arrange some assistance for you."
Celivia nodded politely to him and got no response. Deciding that shouldn't surprise her, she turned to go. For one day, at least, she had been productive and accomplished something for her band. Now she could only return to training and waiting for the summons.
A scroll with a black seal arrived three days later.
~ ~ ~
As Celivia passed through the layers of security, from armed guards to nearly invisible threads of sein, she realized that she was only a guest. The people who actually lived in Castle Wahles were the true powers in the nation, whereas she only borrowed their importance for a brief moment. Everyone she had met wanted to enter those halls.
The halls themselves were relatively spare, which surprised her. She thought that Castle Wahles had been stolen from the humans within a generation and had been a seat of government, though not a great palace like Throne Wahles. As she walked, she saw more absences than presences: pale spaces on walls that might once have been portraits or alcoves that must once have showcased statues. They had removed everything but the floor, covered in tiles with beautiful etchings that she wished she could slow to enjoy.
All of it swept by her quickly before she found herself nearing the presence of Zeitai Kreue.
"One moment, Naena." A man in a functionary's uniform stood outside a large pair of doors, politely raising one hand in her way. She wanted to correct him, but he worked directly under the Zeitai. It was difficult to tell while he merely stood there, but she suspected he might be more powerful than her despite his role.
"Do I need to do something, Naen?"
"No, the Zeitai is merely concluding another meeting that has gone overlong." The functionary gave her a flat smile. "My name is Yelaan, and you would do well to listen. Zeitai Kreue will set the tone for your conversation. If he speaks, you will only listen. If he asks questions, you are never to speak unless spoken to. If he invites you to speak, you may do so freely. If he chooses to strike you down, the staff will hear nothing and then remove the body."
Charming. Celivia simply waited in silence until Yelaan abruptly cocked his head to the side, as if only he could hear a specific sound. Then he turned, gestured for her to enter, and pushed the great doors open with the strike of a single hand.
As Celivia stepped inside, she needed all her control not to flinch or stare. The vast room had been artfully crafted to draw the eye toward the throne on the raised dais at the end. It was where the lush carpet led and where the inclined ceiling pointed. Yet despite the immense sein at the end of the room, striking as less a stream and more a waterfall, her gaze refused to fix there.
Instead she found her eyes furtively glancing over the many figures who lounged on cushions along the walls and around the base of the throne. She saw the women first, wrapped in white silks like objects at a market. Yet there were men as well, reclining to present themselves. It was the first time she had ever seen men that way and it turned her stomach, because she struggled to believe that all of the figures in white had chosen this life.
With that sight nauseating her, the pull of the throne became inexorable. Celivia turned away to gaze upon Zeitai Kreue.
Most mansthein would have been dwarfed by the steel throne, yet the Zeitai was an enormous man. A head taller than most Catai, his body was rendered a series of rocky edges by a Greav rebirth. Unlike most Greav mansthein, his face appeared Seinan, only surrounded by armor-like plates around his neck. Within reach stood a surprising array of different weapons, yet her attention was pulled away to a different accessory.
A pale girl sat upon one of his legs, clad only in a short dress. Celivia knew she was staring and couldn't help herself. She had never seen a mansthein with such pale skin or hair and tried to tell herself that she might be underestimating an adult's age, yet she couldn't escape her first impression that it was a stomach-churningly young woman. One of Kreue's clawed hands curled around her waist in a manner that made her doubt she might be a daughter.
"Nin Celivia." The grating voice broke her from her horrified staring, though she knew it must only have been a moment. Celivia immediately dropped to one knee.
The functionary had told her not to speak unless asked a question, so she only lowered her head respectfully. As power descended around her, the very air of the chamber grew thick.
"I am Zeitai Kreue, the Searing Fire. I do not usually invite such young officers to meet with me. You should be honored."
"Thank you, Zeitainan." She struggled to keep her body motionless even as a shiver passed through her. When she met his eyes again, she saw boredom instead of undue interest, which was a relief. Though she would do a great many things to advance, if he had invited her to join this harem of lifeless bodies...
"The conflicts with the human raiders are more important than you might know. You see, we largely have control of the north of Wahleen, leaving the humans in the south. Though I have allowed full trade from Portant, the western trading routes have been choked off by recent tensions. So the southern trading routes are now critical, since if the humans begin to starve, they will break our alliance and march north."
This time she knew that she was not meant to speak, so she merely stayed on one knee with her eyes lowered. While she listened, she struggled to resist the thick fog constricting her with every breath. The Zeitai's power was overwhelming... yet not as unfathomable as what she had felt from Xetsu and Sepultus. Since her own development was not enough to make a difference, she could only conclude that Kreue was less powerful as a new Zeitai, or she had yet to feel his true might in combat.
"Some of our diplomats have promised the humans that we would do something about these raiders," Kreue continued. "Yet between Wahleenese to the south and Portantese to the west, we cannot afford to send large numbers of soldiers. I could take on the tedious task of dispatching them myself, but I must remain here in case the humans send their Steelmasters or Fools onto the field."
The titles meant nothing to her, but if they represented the few humans who could challenge a Zeitai, then she understood the fundamental politics. Both sides would hold their most powerful warriors in reserve, waiting for the moment when they could exploit their strength without risking such an asset. Much of the actual fighting would be done by lesser warriors, though usually it would fall to higher ranked Catai who stood between her and the true masters.
"Tell me, Nin, what did you do to eliminate an entire clan with such a small force? So many of our agents merely hold them back. Eradicating one is an admirable accomplishment."
"Thank you, Zeitainan." Celivia swallowed, considering how few words she should speak. "I observed that their tactics were simple, so I baited them into an ambush with a target they could not ignore."
"The reports suggest it was well done, and Zeriin spoke highly of you." Kreue leaned to one side, setting his head on a hand propped up on one armrest. "You are not the only officer to eliminate a lesser clan, of course. We have noted several who performed such a feat, and we intend to send all of you back in something of a contest. This time, you will eliminate a clan with a smaller force, a company or perhaps a band."
Despite all her control, Celivia's head twitched up to stare at him. It had taken an entire cohort to safely eliminate the Redbranches. Sending her against a clan with only a company, much less her tiny band, was a death sentence. Yet she could not contradict the Zeitai, so she could only hope that she misunderstood the true meaning of her assignment.
"Kreue..." The voice came from the girl, high and young. She squirmed on his knee and dropped her head against his chest. "I'm bored. This is boring."
Kreue chuckled and patted her on the head, leaving Celivia with more unpleasant bafflement. The girl did act like a bored child, not like someone who had been abused. Yet the way Kreue's hand returned to caress her hip made Celivia's skin crawl. Before she could come to any conclusion, the Zeitai sat forward and spoke directly to her.
"Let us be direct: we would not have summoned you to meet us for a minor accomplishment. Though we hope you prove yourself in the Sotunn mountains, you are here for one reason alone: why did Zeitai Teirsan show direct interest in you?"
"I..." Celivia had to lower her gaze from Kreue and the girl. "Zeitainan Teirsan trained me in his uplift program and then chose me for an assignment in the Chorhan Expanse. I had several objectives there, and upon completion, he spoke to me. Beyond that, we have no connection."
"The only objective that matters to me is this 'hero'. You saw him? You fought him?" Kreue leaned forward to stare at her, eyes burning crimson. He was a monstrous figure of stony spikes, marred only by the girl on his knee kicking her legs absentmindedly.
"I saw him but did not fight him, Zeitainan."
"Was he as powerful as me?"
"Much weaker, Zeitainan." She intended to leave it at that, yet the air pressed upon her ever more tightly. Perhaps honesty was a better path than flattery. "Yet I feel as though the Hero's threat does not lie in strength alone. In his presence, I felt his madness enter my mind. He also should not have been able to defeat the Korei commander of the region, yet he killed him, I believe without assistance."
"And this unnatural madness, could it be resisted with strength alone?"
Strangely, Celivia found herself thinking of the humans. She forced the thought aside and instead said what he wanted to hear. "My weak discipline was able to resist him. A master of your power, Zeitainan, should not be threatened."
"Good." Kreue sat back with a look of satisfaction. "There are reports that this 'hero' is moving north, toward my domain. If you encounter him and have critical intelligence - intelligence that Zeitai Teirsan would want to know - then you are to return. Otherwise, we do not wish to hear from you until you have destroyed a clan of human raiders."
"Zeitainan Kreue... forgive my blindness, but how am I to return across the Sotunn Desert and Wahleen?"
Kreue waved the question aside. "You will be given a voidlink among other supplies. Such concerns are not worth my time. But since you have wasted little of ours, you will be given one more token of my esteem. Tell me, how do you find all my toys?" His hand swept over the bodies arrayed around them.
"They are very beautiful, Zeitainan." Celivia clenched her jaw and tasted a trickle of her own blood.
"Our assistant will give you an invitation to a banquet to be held here in the castle. There, many will be made available to you, and you will have your pick of them. If you succeed in the south, that will be only a taste of the rewards of serving me."
Unable to thank him again, Celivia only lowered her head as if the honor was too much for her.
"Now go, Nin." With those words, the air around her constricted so tightly that she flinched as if struck. Celivia struggled to her feet, bowed one more time, and then quickly fled the chamber. She found that the massive doors had opened for her, though only just enough for her to slip through.
As soon as the doors closed behind her, Celivia dropped to her knees and retched. She had expected to empty the contents of her stomach, yet the oppressive fog of the chamber still filled her lungs and throat.
Worse than the overwhelming sein was what she had seen within. That callous debauchery was everything that she had always feared. Teirsan had set her expectations for the Zeitai, with his generous programs to give opportunity to those who suffered most. She had known others were worse, yet she had been encouraged when she heard that Sepultus worked alone and never exploited his power, or that Xetsu cared only for those who possessed strength.
But this...
She realized that some naive part of herself had expected Zeitai Kreue to listen to her. Her words would somehow reach him with pure logic and reason, lead him to turn away from war and toward the society she wanted. But that would never happen, not even if she spoke ten times as eloquently.
All that mattered was power. Just as she'd always known, she needed to become a Zeitai.
Then she would carry her own overwhelming aura, though she would never turn it against those beneath her. Instead she would forge a place for herself where Feinan would work along Seinan, women could pursue any talent, and no group of mansthein would be cast out. She would find those humans who would listen and unite their strength with hers, writing a statement in words that could not be denied.
