Chapter 6

  Leo

  The Theogonist Temple stood in the Lower Quarter of Tarona, which allowed easy entry for citizens of all social classes. Looking from any of Tarona’s towers high above, the Temple resembled three intersecting diamonds of white marble, signifying mind, body, and Essence. Pyramid glass ceilings crowned each diamond, with the middle being the largest.

  Leo’s footsteps echoed in the vast temple. Reinhard followed behind him. Massive braziers burned insight illuminating the statues of the Primordials, seven in all. Before the statues, incense and candles burned. Small strips of paper and inkwells sat on nearby tables before each statue for the devoted to write their offerings on.

  Reinhard shuffled toward the nearest golden statue--Maetos, god of metal and smiths. His domains were greed and generosity. His sacred site used to be at Hailstorm Castle within the Floating Mountains, but now it lay in ruin. Rumor was a dragon had destroyed the castle and turned it into his lair. Leo never intended to find out. The statue depicted a broad-chested man holding an anvil and a handful of gold coins. Reinhard took up a quill, staring blankly ahead--focused. This was the familiar expression of an Essemancer receiving a telepathic message from another. Leo tapped his foot restlessly until Reinhard finished writing. “Allie sends a message from your father,” Reinhard said. Leo made to snatch the offering paper, but Reinhard’s reflexes were too quick. Leo loved his great uncle but found Reinhard lacked any sense of urgency. No wonder he didn’t go into banking.

  “Uncle,” Leo said, “I could have ridden to Avictfell by now.”

  “Patience.”

  “Just tell me what it says.”

  Reinhard chuckled. “Your father wants you to send a message to the Grand Vicar.”

  “Why can’t he do it?” Leo whispered frustratingly. His voice carried within the temple, echoing his frustration. Somewhere within the temple, someone shushed him.

  Reinhard lowered his voice. “He also says that should you protest, to remind you he is placing his trust in you. House Medistein needs to take advantage of your relationship with Grand Vicar Rodrigo to ensure the best chance of success. Besides, if Otto had Allie send the telepathic message to Grand Vicar Rodrigo from Avictfell, then Rodrigo’s Essemancer would learn of Allie’s location, inferring Otto’s presence as well. This would draw suspicion why Otto is in Avictfell rather than Tarona.”

  Leo narrowed his eyes. Throughout his past, Leo had developed a formal relationship with Rodrigo’s Essemancer, a man named Salvatore. Whenever Rodrigo needed to be consulted, Leo found it easiest to reach out to Salvatore first. “It says all that?”

  Reinhard chuckled. “No, but the logic still stands.”

  “Father also said he wanted this done as quickly as possible, so please message Salvatore.”

  Reinhard took a new piece of paper, picked up the quill, dipped it in the ink well, and wrote.

  “Addressed to his Holiness the Grand Vicar, all the usual courtesies,” Leo said with a wave of his hand. He held up a finger to emphasize his next statement, waiting for Reinhard’s writing to catch up. “Offer Rodrigo payment in gold of ten percent of Lector Ricci’s account. We will deposit gold directly into his personal account with the Medistein bank, with the utmost discretion, of course. In exchange, the Tellisium Church will forgo its claim on Lector Ricci’s estate. Signed Leo Medistein with all the usual titles and courtesies.”

  “So, only your name,” Reinhard failed to hide the faintest of grins. Leo pressed his lips together. “If you desire a title, consider marriage to one of the eligible noble ladies within the Glade.”

  “Not you too.”

  “Theogony preaches--”

  “--I’m in no mood for a lecture--”

  “--families’ importance,” Reinhard finished.

  “Family. Theogony. Funny how they often leave out the part about how brother and sister fucked, giving birth to Maetos and Wylow.” Another loud shush echoed within the temple. This one was followed by some mumbling. Reinhard grumbled.

  “Don’t speak ill of the gods, much less in a temple. Make an offering to cleanse your Essence.”

  Leo rolled his eyes and head with them before walking toward the center of the temple. Twenty-foot-tall marble statues of the four first gods Aryss, Messeas, Systos, and Pylorys stood around an oblong weeping stone matching the statue’s height. Billows blew beneath the Aryss statue--god of wind and heavens--creating a draft from vents beneath the temple. Before building Medistein Tower, Leo had examined the intricate system of gears and counterweights to replicate the engineering. Messeas--goddess of the sea and void--stood within a fountain of water. Systos--god of earth and agriculture--stood atop a mound of rich black dirt, and Pylorys--god of fire and war--held a flaming torch that burned forever.

  Blue luminescent water seeped out of the sacred weeping stone. A waist-high wall surrounded the stone that held the gleaming water in place. All throughout the empire, weeping stones leaked their glowing Essence into the material world. The sacred stones were revered holy sites, the next closest one stood on Mount Aryss. A small one rested on the Medistein villa grounds too.

  Leo took a ladle resting atop the wall, scooped a small bit of the radiant water, and drank it. “Forgive me, gods, I shall not speak ill of your family, for whom am I to judge one by their parents?”

  “You see nephew, you can be noble when you want.”

  “Do me a favor and don’t tell anyone. Speaking of parents, I never quite understood why Aryss alone forged Psyrus from the Essence. Where is the fun in that?” Leo winked and set the ladle down.

  Reinhard’s brow narrowed. “Pray to Aryss and perhaps he will gift you with such an ability.”

  “It defies logic.”

  “The gods do not require your logic, merely your faith. Praise Messeas with an offering as well.” Leo tried to ignore him.

  Whether Reinhard noticed seemed irrelevant because he continued to press the matter. “Bianca, being heir to a Duchy of Aldberg would bring the greatest prestige.” Reinhard smiled. “But your affections for Countess Contessa at the party didn’t escape my notice.”

  “I want to earn my accomplishments, not marry them, uncle.”

  “Marriage is an accomplishment, Leo.” Fondness filled Reinhard’s face. “I hope one day you are lucky enough to realize it.”

  I’m not letting you turn this into another lecture about me getting married. “Do you miss her?”

  “Every second of every day,” Reinhard said, combing his beard with his fingers. “Suna bettered me in every way. We have her to thank for House Medistein’s rise. Without her, no one in the empire would practice Essemancy.”

  “I always thought your brother introduced Essemancy to the empire.” Leo suppressed satisfaction at his successful deflection of the topic of marriage.

  “After returning from the First Great Expedition, Markus bought the Tarona salt mines and sold the salt to Acolytes, but without Suna and her knowledge of the runes, the salt would have been useless. She taught me, several Acolytes, and a few Magi as well. House Medistein owes its fortune to her knowledge. The knowledge that was believed lost with the fall of the Traessyean Empire.”

  “I don’t understand why Suna would give away such knowledge, especially after how violently we treated the Julk.”

  The prevalent belief was Markus the Magnificent had created the Essemancy Enlightenment with his salt mines and stolen scrolls. Reinhard had partnered with Markus, teaching the skills at the Arites Academy, earning him the title of Magus. Suna’s integral involvement was a surprising secret development. Leo contemplated for a moment. Logically, they must have kept such a secret because of Suna’s Julk heritage. How receptive would citizens and lords of the empire be, knowing a Julk had imparted that knowledge? The Julk were sadistic barbarian heathens after all.

  “Factions alone shouldn’t define people,” Reinhard said. “Everyone at their core is an individual, even a Julk. I saw that in her, and she in me. Suna taught me more than Essemancy. She taught me intangible things. Kindness. Patience. Acceptance. Despite what the empire would have you believe, the Julk are not barbarians, simply different. Wisdom often comes from those we least expect. You just have to open your heart and mind to listen.”

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  Leo raised his brows in astonishment. “Unlike Markus, I was able and willing to look past her heritage. By doing so, I gained power exceeding Essemancy.”

  “Please don’t save love.”

  Reinhard smirked. “Very well, I won’t say it.”

  “A good woman, love, and marriage. I’ve heard the lesson. Can we focus on the task at hand?”

  “Heard and listening are quite different.”

  “Enough talk of marriage. Please send the message so we can be on our way.”

  Reinhard frowned. “You know my reluctance, Leo. Don’t tempt me. Instead, you try.” Reinhard placed a small leather pouch on the offering table. Leo sighed. “Practice and diligence are key to success after all.” Reinhard held a finger up emphasizing the point.

  Leo took a clean piece of parchment and drew a rune on it. The only rune he knew from memory. An ancient runic symbol used for telepathic communication across vast distances--its true meaning was lost long ago. Some people believed the runes were the language of the All-Father. Older legends gave credence to the Primordial gods. But Leo doubted that as well. Logic reasoned the runes were some ancient, forgotten language of the Traessyean Empire.

  Leo took a pinch of the violet salt and swallowed it. He placed his hands on the rune-inscribed parchment. Closing his eyes, he focused on the potential flowing through his body. The Essence swam through his blood like a fish upriver. It made him uncomfortable. Telepathic communication required both sender and recipient to be connected to a rune. Most Essemancers kept a slip of parchment or embroidered clothes with the rune on their persons. Leo found it jarring to have messages come to him at random times of the day. Whenever he didn’t wish to be bothered, he detached himself from the rune. He imagined others did the same. Leo gathered his thoughts and searched for other Essemancers’ runic presence. Reinhard’s runic proximity overwhelmed him. The Essence’s warmth faded and he exhausted the salts imbued power. Leo shivered in failure.

  “I can’t,” Leo said. “The only presence I feel is yours.”

  “You must learn to focus,”

  “Uncle, just send the--”

  “And you never will if you refuse to practice.”

  “When less important matters are at hand, I will devote more time to practice.”

  “You should take failure as an opportunity to learn and grow wiser.”

  “Uncle please.” Leo insisted.

  “Very well.” Reinhard licked the tip of his index finger and dipped it into the pouch. A minuscule amount of violet crystals stuck upon his fingertip. He licked his finger and closed his eyes for only a second, evidently having located the Grand Vicar’s Essemancer, Salvatore. Once he reopened them, he transfixed his gaze on the letter before him. Reinhard’s lips muttered softly as he read the message. Leo assumed Reinhard relayed what he’d written down earlier. With such magic, they condensed communication delays. A normal rider might take days or even weeks to make the journey, whereas Essemancy messages took minutes. Of course, it had its limits. Range, availability of salts and runes, and the Essemancer’s own ability. A wide communication network spread across Avict Bay. Medistein heralds who worked the printing press, Theogonist acolytes, and trained Essemancers all carried runes for quick communication. Leo estimated the network comprised perhaps a hundred people. Lords and institutions still sent official contracts, invitations, and declarations with formal documents by rider or messenger pigeon, however.

  “Salvatore has been informed,” Reinhard said. “I also messaged Allie and your parents. Now we wait.” This was the worst part. Waiting--wasting time--Leo hated. Time was the most precious commodity anyone had. Finite, unalterable, and unforgiving.

  “Have the lawyers discovered anything?” Leo asked, growing tired of waiting in silence. “Not yet,” Reinhard said, “but I trust they will make a favorable decision.” “If there is any profession in existence, the gods should smite its fucking lawyers,” Leo said. He sighed and ran his hand through his curly hair, “No answer isn’t a refusal per se, perhaps they cannot find any legalities to grant a favorable ruling. They have to decipher the complexities of secular and ecclesiastical law. Patience Leo, these things take time.” Leo shook his head trusting his gut feeling. “Concerning deals, I know when I am being fucked.” The last word resounded within the temple louder than intended. Someone shushed again. Reinhard scowled. “Have you already forgotten your prayer for forgiveness?” Leo crossed his arms across his chest. “Nevermind that. And to the void with the lawyers.” Despite being separate religions, both Telliusians and Theogonists believed in the same afterlife--the Heavens and the Void. His grandfather had brilliantly taken advantage of that. Given Markus practiced Theogony, he first favored his own religion. Markus demonstrated Essemancy’s abilities to the acolytes. Seeing its potential, the Theogonist’s acolytes communicated among the temples. Through selective training and a monopoly on salt, Markus maintained controlled the power of Essemancy, sparking an Enlightenment. Markus created and controlled the market for magical salt. Essemancers wielded such power at will, but without the salt, their power ceased.

  Leo read his grandfather’s journals and studied his rise. Markus trained more Essemancers thereby expanding the salt market and increasing House Medistein’s prosperity. A trusted few learned selected secrets and abilities and then trained new Essemancers at the Arites Academy in Avictfell. There Markus next demonstrated Essemancys power to the lords, guilds, and institutions within the empire. The late Grand Vicar Arturo had initially outlawed salt as heretical, but eventually, realized its uses and reversed the ecclesiastical law. Even giving support for an Expedition hoping to acquire salts or runes for the church. Grand Vicar Arturo had died on that Expedition. Otto backed Rodrigo Malgais, who supported the church’s use of Essemancy. His successful election brought further prosperity to House Medistein as demand for salts increased. Emperor Viktor and Grand Vicar Rodrigo were among the first to hire Essemancers. Their business brought with it unfortunate ramifications including entanglements with despicable lawyers.

  “They served your father for years.”

  “That’s just it. They serve Otto and all his past dealings. They hardly know me.”

  “Understandable. They hesitate to trust a stranger.” Leo folded his arms across his chest. “Hesitancy is one thing, but they have no relationship with me. Business is all about relationships. They’re going to rule in favor of the Karvyeans, I know it.”

  “It’s unlike you to back away from a deal,” Reinhard said. “Meet with them, build that relationship.”

  Leo burned another paper offering to Aryss, unsure if he sought a blessing of wealth or forgiveness for his swears--both--he decided. “I’m not backing away. I just think it would be easier to settle with the Grand Vicar.”

  “For you, yes, but trust your father to settle things with the Karvyeans. Let’s wait and see.” Reinhard’s blank stare indicated he was relaying another message. Leo waited a while until his uncle spoke again. “The Grand Vicar agrees to the terms. He will arrange for the withdrawal from the branch in Ryvium.” Each Essemancer held the right to use their services however they best saw fit. Most Essemancers took annual contracts in service to a lord or guild. Some had taken it further. Aside from his family, and Magus Sabine, Leo knew two Essemancers by reputation--Salvator and Svetlana. Svetlana had sworn allegiance to the Imperial House Karvyean, faithfully serving them like a vassal might a lord. Leo was unaware of the specifics of the arrangement, other than it was highly unorthodox. Likewise, Salvatore served the Tellisium Church, and by extension Grand Vicar Rodrigo exclusively. Leo’s stomach knotted. “Damnit,” Leo cursed. He rushed to his desk, retrieved an accounting notebook, and opened it. He thumbed past a few pages and found the figure he was looking for, confirming his suspicions. “Ryvium branch doesn’t have enough coin on deposit. Message Salvatore back and tell him of our quandary. Ensure him we will arrange for the gold to be shipped from Avictfell’s branch promptly.”

  Reinhard repeated his ritual as before, and they waited. A minute later, Reinhard spoke. “Salvatore says the Grand Vicar accepts. However, given the sum’s value and distance of transportation, he insists that an Inquisitor and Knights of the Order of Tellius supervise the payment and transfer. The agent will deliver notarized documents forsaking any claim to the Ricci estate upon pickup at the Avictfell branch.”

  Leo clapped once, congratulating himself. “Inform father.”

  “Since the urgency is no longer necessary,” Reinhard said, standing from the desk, “I want you to message Alessdandra.”

  His own abilities hadn’t progressed as quickly as he hoped. During his time at the Arites Academy, his studies focused on other areas rather than Essemancy. His sister Alessandra became the dominant Essemancer of House Medistein. His house had sponsored training for more Essemancers. This resulted in more lords hiring their services, driving up the demand and percentage of revenue from Essemancer contracts. Seeking representation, the Essemancers joined the Scribes Guild. Thereby, the Enthos League became tied to ancient magic. Similar to how Markus had developed a network for the Theogonist religions. Markus had Essemancers stationed under house Medistein services at various printing presses. This kept the empire informed of events across the land. With the stolen Expedition gold, secret Essemancy scrolls, acquiring the Taronan salt mine, and expanding the printing presses, Markus amassed more wealth than a pirate could ever bury. Naturally, he did what any rich burgher would do. He formed the Medistein Bank and thrust the obscure Medistein house into greatness.

  “I already tried. Perhaps there is a more powerful rune I can use.” Leo suggested.

  Reinhard shook his head. “The telepathic rune is sufficient. You saw so yourself.”

  “More salts?” Using more salts would expand his power, allowing for easier use of the ability at greater distances.

  “Did you not see I used less salt than you did? The rune and salts are sufficient. It’s the mind you need to enhance.” Had his uncle just insulted his intelligence?

  Leo took a larger pinch of violet salts and ate them. The warm power spread through his body. He felt Reinhard’s proximity flare as he searched for Alessandra’s Essence. Leo forced himself to ignore Reinhard’s presence. Navigating through the darkness, Leo’s mind encountered plumes and dots of light that symbolized other Essemancers’ runic presence. The Essence of each individual possessed a distinctness in its structure that differed from others. The trick was finding the correct one.

  He focused hard. His mind navigated across the Avict Bay, searching for Allie. Experiencing the Essence drastically differed from any explanation he had heard. Reinhard had described it best--as a sensation of flight. Leo imagined he became a bird and soared at impossible speeds across a blurred world while sensing an invisible presence of thousands of peoples Essence surrounding him--thousands of runeless people. Traces of white shifted like mist within an intimate world of blackness. Because of the rune, Reinhard’s Essence emitted a cyan mist, mixing with the white, and swirling around him. The experienced reminded him of a description he had read about the void in some ancient tome. He felt as though he traveled the black vastness of the void while specters hunted him. Leo’s head ached, but he fought to push onward. The competing Essence sources swirled around, dizzying him. As Leo searched the occasional colored mist--an Essemancer--radiated a mirage of glittered dust traced behind them like the blur of shooting stars against the colored nebulas of the night sky. Finding Alessandra was like trying to pick out a single star among the millions of a clear night sky. Only every star moved. It was impossible. Leo squeezed his head, failing to press the pain away. He opened his eyes and gasped, not realizing he had been holding his breath. Leo pounded the table with his fist letting out a frustrating grunt. His mouth parched, he took the ladle and drank the holy water again.

  Reinhard rolled his shoulder back. “When men who accomplish greatness with ease struggle on the task before them, they must accept the humility and endeavor once more.”

  “Which great man said that? Tellius or Avictus?” Leo asked.

  Reinhard smiled with smug satisfaction.

  “I take it back,” Leo said.

  “Words whispered without willingness, welcome wrath, and woe.”

  “You again?”

  “No, that one is Tellius.” A sparkle danced in his eyes like a squirrel in spring.

  “Why not quote your own gods?”

  “One can find wisdom in many places if you’re willing to look. Did you learn nothing from your time with the Grand Vicar?”

  The question prompted pleasant memories of women and wine. Leo opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Reinhard answered his own question. “Nevermind.” Their chuckles echoed among the gods. “Would you two shut up!” someone yelled. Reinhard’s head shrunk down into his shoulders, eyes bulging bright. Leo’s hand covered his mouth failing to suppress his laughter. Reinhard leaned in and whispered. “I’ll send one last message to Allie.” His eyes closed in concentration for a moment. “Done. Now we should go.”

  “We can’t leave these secrets lying about.” Leo retrieved the paper slips they had written on and burned them all as offerings to the gods.