Transcendence, page 21
part #6 of The Beginning After The End Series
Clearing her throat to get our attention, the freckled artificer adjusted her glasses, then explained the mechanism for the bow she had customized for my sister. “The bow is still in the testing phase, and it requires a certain amount of finesse, but like Helen said, your sister catches on frighteningly fast.”
“I still have a long way to go,” Ellie demurred.
Looking carefully now, I noticed fresh blisters on her fingers and palms—proof of her effort.
“Thank you—both of you—for helping my sister like this.” I turned to my little sister, tousling her hair. “And I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.”
“Like I said, I don’t blame you. You’re just doing what you have to.” Ellie shrugged. “Besides, Helen told me Mom and Dad are far away from battles, so I’m not too worried about them, but I’m just thankful when you come back in one piece.”
My heart lurched once more with guilt, and I understood why she said she had blamed me for our parents participating in the war. That was why they’d left—they didn’t want to just sit safely, waiting and praying that they wouldn’t hear news of my death.
“I’m sorry for always worrying you,” I said softly, unable to do anything but apologize.
Ellie’s gaze settled on the scars around my throat, but she said nothing—and in some ways, that pained me even more.
My little sister had indeed grown up much more quickly than I had wanted her to. Her childlike innocence and selfishness were gone.
“What are you doing here back at the castle so soon anyway, Helen?” my sister said, changing the subject.
“Ah, right! The heads and above got called into the castle for a big celebration tonight,” she answered. “The reason for the event was supposed to be a secret, but it’s already been leaked—apparently a retainer has been defeated!”
“Really?” Emily’s eyes lit up. “Do you think it was a Lance?”
“Nothing’s confirmed, but that’s probably the most likely scenario. All I know is that Commander Virion himself took a small crew to retrieve the body,” Helen answered.
“Things are looking up then.” My sister perked up. “I’m glad.”
Glancing from Helen to Emily, then to my sister and back, I thought at first that they were teasing me. But after a few minutes of listening, I realized that they were seriously just gossiping. Do they really not know who killed the retainer?
But after giving it more thought, I wasn’t too surprised. I had arrived in the castle several days after the retainer’s body had been retrieved. There’d been a team of medics waiting for my arrival, but I doubted whether anyone had been told how I’d been injured.
“Wait, so this celebration is happening tonight?” I asked, steering the conversation back to its original path.
“Yes. Isn’t that why you’re back at the castle, too?” Helen replied with a raised brow.
My sister answered in my stead. “My brother came back because he got hurt.”
“What? How? Where? Are you okay?” Emily bombarded me with questions.
“I was just careless. It’s no big deal.” I was tempted to tell them the truth—especially my sister—but I assumed Virion had a reason for keeping it secret.
“It was a big deal!” My sister pinched my side. “You were out for more than a day, and you still have those scars.”
Wincing as she twisted my skin even further, I apologized to my sister once more, assuring her that I wouldn’t make the same ‘mistake’ again. The conversation shifted to other topics, but for the rest of our little gathering that afternoon, Helen regarded me with doubtful eyes.
Coming back into my room, I was greeted by my bond. ‘How was spending time with your sister?’
“Ellie’s all grown up now,” I said, letting a hint of bitterness seep into my words.
‘You make that sound like a bad thing,’ Sylvie replied.
“I just wish she didn’t have to be. Wisdom and maturity stemming from enduring hard circumstances is a painful thing to see, as a big brother. But I was able to at least catch up with her and learn a bit more about what’s happening in her life. Did you know she’s learning archery from Helen? She and Emily even came up with a new practice for Ellie, a combination of conjuring and archery!”
Sylvie let out tiny puffs of air from her nostrils, and it took me a moment to realize she was laughing. ‘I haven’t seen you this excited in a while.’
“That’s not true,” I rebutted.
‘Oh?’ Sylvie raised her head, looking up at me from the bed. ‘Tell that to your grinning lips.’
“Shush,” I said, dismissing her. Despite my sister’s heavy words, it had been enjoyable to spent time with her. “How are you feeling?”
‘Sluggish, heavy, sleepy, and weak,’ Sylvie sent, curling back up into a ball. ‘It’s like being a hatchling all over again.’
“Well, there’s supposedly a big event happening later tonight. Do you feel up for it?” I asked.
‘I’ll pass,’ she replied, her voice listless. ‘Save me some food though.’
Taking a seat on the couch, I closed my own heavy eyes. “I’ll have the maids bring some up.”
‘Make sure it’s meat.’
“Go to sleep.”
With Sylvie’s soft hum making the otherwise cold and silent room a bit more homey, I took some time to sort out my thoughts. Reaching into my dimension ring, I pulled out Dawn’s Ballad and placed it gently on the tea table in front of me.
An involuntary groan escaped me as I looked at the poor state of my weapon. This sword had been by my side for nearly five years. I hadn’t needed to polish, sharpen or even clean the blade, and it had been able to withstand just about anything. Dawn’s Ballad was truly a valuable asset.
Studying the sword, I decided that—even damaged—it was better than any other sword I’d be likely to come across.
The quirky asura, Wren, had implanted a weapon on me, but I had no idea if or when it would manifest. It would be reckless to count on having it during this upcoming battle.
My thoughts then shifted to my recent journey to Darv. I needed to be sure whether Rahdeas was the leader of this treason, and if he was, to decide what I should do. Even if Eljiah’s foster parent didn’t control the two dwarven Lances, according to Alduin and Merial, he still held a large amount of support from the dwarven citizens. The dwarves’ overall dissatisfaction with humans, especially the Glayder family, ran deep, so if we had to kill him, it would mean a mass uprising.
Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I noticed that the room had become dim. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but it clearly wouldn’t be long until the event.
“Arthur? Are you in there? We’re coming in!” With a loud bang, the door to my room burst open and a crowd of maids and guards filed in, with Virion at the back.
I had no time to prepare or even react. The guards were already pushing the furniture aside to make space in the center of the room, while a horde of maids began undressing me.
What disturbed me more, though, was how accustomed I was to being thrown into situations like this. Shall I call this the Virion Effect?
Virion stepped up, already elegantly dressed in a black robe. Its silver trimmings accentuated his silver hair, which was tied neatly behind him. “Now, you’re probably surprised by—”
“—Nope,” I cut in. “What is it you’re planning this time, old man?”
A few maids gasped at my crude response, but Virion just waved for them to continue. “I see that barging into your room and having a team of maids abruptly strip you naked doesn’t put you in the most amiable of moods. No offense taken. I’ve taken the liberty of arranging this event as a sort of trap—harmless—for our dear Rahdeas, and you, my soon-to-be-grandson, have the lead role.”
Chapter 26
Old Face
TESSIA ERALITH
The figure standing in front of me, her head tilted ever-so-slightly in scrutiny, wore a lavishly decorated dress of shimmering black. The silky fabric came up just above the base of her neck, with subtle frills adding a girlish touch. The sleeves covered the length of her arms with the same delicate frills at the ends, while the dress fell on the shorter side—coming up just short of her knees.
Locks of gunmetal hair flowed down on one side in perfectly arranged twirls that contrasted starkly against the dark color of her attire.
After wearing armor and being covered in grime for the past several months, I couldn’t believe the person in the mirror was me.
“You look beautiful.” My mother’s glance shifted from me to my reflection with a warm smile on her face. Looking at her as she sat properly in a chair beside me, however, I couldn’t help but lose confidence, even in my new dress.
Though I knew she was much younger than my father, my mother should still be past her prime. Yet her bright silver hair was still lush, her blue eyes still radiant, and her skin still youthfully supple. She and my father had already finished preparing for the event, and in contrast to my dark gown, my mother wore a beautiful dusty rose dress which flowed gently, emphasizing her slim waist and the swell of her hips, while still maintaining a reserved elegance.
I studied myself, turning left and right so I could see every angle while a team of maids nodded in quiet contentment. “I’m not so sure about this. The dress is a bit bleak, isn’t it? Maybe I should wear something a little brighter?”
“I think the black makes you look mature,” she answered. “What do you girls think?”
“I agree,” the head maid quickly replied. “This was made by a famous silk weaver in Kalberk City, who designed it specifically for you, Lady Tessia. The lacing and frills add a playful touch while the overall shape and color of the dress gives a very—excuse my language—sensual appearance.”
“Sensual?” I pondered, twisting left and right once more.
“Laylack, the designer, believes that the clothing itself shouldn’t be beautiful. Rather, he feels the clothing should bring out and accentuate the beauty of the wearer,” a younger maid added. “I think this dress does a fine job of that. If I didn’t know better, I’d think your hair and eyes were actually glowing in contrast to the dress.”
“Oh please. You girls said the same things when I first tried on my armor! I can’t trust any of you,” I argued, but I was unable to keep the smile from creeping across my pouting face. A wave of laughter filled the room as the maids hurriedly added the finishing touches.
Stepping out of my room, I spotted Stannard, Darvus, and Caria chatting with one another.
“Your Majesty.” The three of them stiffened at the sight of my mother before greeting her in unison.
“Mr. Berwick, Mr. Clarell, and Ms. Rede,” my mother responded with a soft smile then looked at me before turning toward the stairs leading to the uppermost floor of the castle, where the event was being held. “Tessia, I’ll see you up there. I have matters to attend to with your father and the other Council members.”
My mother was escorted toward the stairwell, through the gathering crowd, and out of sight. I remained in the hallway with a couple of castle guards, and my three friends and team members, who had silently waited as my mother and her maids departed. Then they turned back to me with cheeky grins.
“Lookin’ good there, Princess.” Darvus, dressed in a sleek black suit, nudged me with his elbow as we made our unhurried way to the stairs. His usually unruly mane was slicked back with oil, and the structured cut of the suit did a nice job of toning down his burly frame.
“You’re being gross, Darvus,” Caria said, rolling her eyes as she turned to me. “But he’s not lying. You look gorgeous.”
It was obvious my petite friend had put in a lot of effort for the occasion, and it had paid off. Complementing her youthful appearance and curly, bobbed hair, her fluttery green dress came down to mid-thigh—a length that’d be frowned upon by the older generation if not for the tights she wore underneath.
“Thanks, but I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I’d be in this getup.”
“At least you look good in your getup,” Stannard complained from behind us. “I look like some ornamental bird.”
The rest of us laughed as Standard fluttered his bright blue robes like they were wings. Rather than a fitted suit like Darvus, Stannard had chosen to wear a more luxurious conjurer’s robe, which looked to be more decorative than functional.
“Anyway,” I said, turning back to Caria, who was walking beside me. “You look rather charming yourself. Are you trying to snag one of the noble boys at the event?”
Caria’s face immediately reddened, but she tried to look calm as she answered. “Please! Most of the younger nobles attending are probably their family heirs, which means one thing: They’re super pretentious! Seriously, hiding safely here in the castle to protect their lineage while sipping on wine.”
“My oldest brother happens to be one those heirs you speak of,” Darvus said. “And you are absolutely spot on about him.”
“Then maybe help Stannard find a nice lady to settle down with after the war is over,” I said.
“Yes, please.” He nodded fervently. “I’d like that very much.”
“Hey! Why don’t you help me?” Darvus complained.
“Shush!” Caria reached over and smacked her childhood friend’s arm. “Why would the princess of Elenoir introduce anyone to such a crass lump of muscle?”
“Excuse me?” Darvus clutched his heart as if he’d been stabbed. “After I so kindly invited the two of you, this is the thanks I get?”
“Tessia would’ve invited us even if you hadn’t,” Stannard retorted.
“Regardless! I’m just going so I can hear the big announcement and eat some good food,” Caria said.
“I’m also curious as to what the announcement is going to be,” I said.
“Your grandfather didn’t even tell you? Must be big,” Darvus said, his brows raised.
By the time we reached the stairwell, traffic was at a standstill due to the sheer volume of people trying to get up, but with our pointless banter and talk of recent missions, the time seemed to go quickly.
Unlike some of the past events held by the Council, this one was open to people from outside the castle as well, so the large spiraling stairway was packed with nobles. Unaccustomed to being crammed in such tight quarters, many were loudly voicing their complaints. Some used the opportunity to casually brag to their peers—at a not-so-casual volume—about their families’ large expanses of land and wealth, hoping to impress potential suitors nearby. While I noticed some glances come my way, few nobles had the audacity to try and approach me. Those who did were easily scared away by my guards.
It was clear how uncomfortable Caria and Stannard were, in the middle of so many nobles. While Caria had had some exposure, since her family had served Darvus’s family for generations, Stannard came from a humbler background.
“I’m tired already,” he mumbled as he was pushed and pulled by the crowd.
“You think it’s bad here, imagine how packed it is on the lower floors, closer to the teleportation gate,” Darvus consoled him.
Caria agreed. “Yeah, I heard there are a lot of people coming from outside, since this is the first time since the war started that the castle’s been open to anyone other than the residents.”
As we inched slowly toward the top floor, I glanced around every now and then, hoping to maybe spot Arthur. Chances were that he was either still resting or would come later on, but my eyes seemed to subconsciously search for a head of long auburn hair.
As if reading my mind, Caria asked, “By the way, where’s your handsome lover?”
“He’s not my lover!” I said a bit too loudly, causing heads to turn around us. “And he got injured recently so I think he’s resting… probably.”
“Mister Lance got hurt?” Darvus gasped mockingly. “I guess he’s not as strong as they say.”
“Yet you still got your ass handed to you,” Stannard chimed in innocently.
“Shut up!” my burly friend retorted, then, glaring at Caria, said, “And he’s not that handsome. With that long hair, I bet a lot of people mistake him for a girl.”
“Aww, is someone jealous?” Caria grinned. “I’ve heard that after Arthur’s appearance at the dungeon, quite a few girls were smitten by him.”
“Looks like our princess now has to fend off competition as well as Alacryans and mutant mana beasts,” Stannard teased.
“You guys know I can demote you all now, right?” I threatened in return.
After half an hour of inching up the stairwell, we finally reached the top floor of the castle. The view was met with a collective gasp of amazement. Like the terrace on the residential floor, the top of the castle was enveloped in a transparent dome-shaped barrier so that the entire venue appeared to be taking place outdoors.
The sun was just beginning to set, and the entire castle was surrounded by an endless expanse of serene magenta and burning orange. Orbs of light floated above us inside the dome, casting a gentle glow. Hundreds of nobles were there—elves and humans and dwarves, all dressed meticulously—and an orchestra played a variety of flutes and stringed instruments to fill the gaps in conversation. Stepping up to the top floor, I felt as if I’d been transported into a mesmerizing fairyland.
Darvus let out a long whistle of appreciation, while Stannard’s gaze darted from one place to another in wonder.
“It’s beautiful,” Caria breathed.
“Ugh, I spotted my family,” Darvus groaned. “Caria, come on. Let’s greet them now and get it over with.”
As Caria was being unwillingly pulled away by her friend, I spotted Emily. Wearing a bright yellow dress that appeared to have some smudges and stains on it, she was pouring herself a drink near the empty stage. The apprentice artificer seemed unbothered by the looks of disdain and disgust from the nobles nearby as she casually finished her drink in a single gulp.
