Chapter 40 – The Southern Lord

  “You have accepted my conditions then?” Reynard asked. “And you have brought more Candidates of the Order, this is good.”

  “Yes,” Jack confirmed. “But a few things have changed.”

  “Changed?” Reynard asked but stopped Jack before he could answer. “It is not safe here. Come let us walk and talk.”

  Reynard started walking deeper into the jungle not waiting for them to follow. They said goodbye to Zephyr, promising to return once every other night for updates before following Reynard.

  “We are working on dealing with Clayton,” Jack continued. “But first we have to save his prisoners.”

  “They’re our people,” Sylvian spoke up. “We need to get them from Clayton and bring them somewhere safe. With their help, we will have a better chance against Clayton.”

  “And you wish for me to provide this shelter?” Reynard asked. “That will be difficult.”

  “Are you unable?” Jack asked. “We thought you would be able to for a little while.”

  “The terms of my contract don’t allow for this,” Reynard explained. “I cannot interfere with the affairs of the mortal of this realm. At least not in this way. I can kill if provoked, or in the effort of keeping Kharzast secret, but Clayton made the same contract as you three. That makes this situation an issue between members of the Order. All I can do here is grant them my hospitality, but not my protection. Not from Clayton. Had I known before he made that contract… Well, it doesn’t matter now. It doesn’t do to dwell on what could have been. What matters is, he has not broken his contract with the Order and as such I cannot act against him directly. Sheltering those not of the Order from another member, even if only a Candidate, is pushing the limits of my involvement.”

  “He released the bound paths of corruption,” Rayne said. “Is that not enough to break his contract?”

  “It was never the goal to keep the paths sealed indefinitely,” Reynard said. “Look back on the contract each of you agree to.”

  Jack thought back, trying to remember the exact wording Arbour had used when he made his contract with it, but it was Sylvian who spoke first.

  “The first part of the contract asked us to uphold the core tenants of the Order and contribute to the Order in the form of knowledge and understanding of the world,” Sylvian said.

  “But we were never told what the core tenants of the Order were,” Rayne said.

  “Ah, yes,” Reynard sighed. “That is a problem with the child being the last technical member of the Order in this realm. I do not believe it was ever indoctrinated as the other members were.”

  “Knowledge and truth above all?” Jack asked.

  Reynard raised an eye at that. “Where did you hear that?”

  “I asked Arbour what it was,” Jack answered. “That was all Arbour was able to tell me. But there wasn’t any explanation on what that meant. Oh, Arbour is the name the tree in the Trial chose.”

  “I need to talk to you about that,” Sylvian said. “How could you let it pick that name. It should have been something more regal.”

  “It chose it itself,” Jack argued back. He turned back to Reynard. “What did the phrase mean?”

  “That is not the true tenant of the Order,” Reynard said. “The child probably heard it incorrectly. I can try to explain as I know it, but not right now. We have other concerns, and I don’t think it will be of much help. Suffice it to say, keeping the paths of corruption sealed was not why the Order was created, and releasing them doesn’t violate the contract. But we, that is the four of us Beast Lords, are not true members of the Order.”

  “You’re not?” Jack asked. “But you have the sight.”

  “A gift, nothing more,” Reynard said. “I believe it would be best to think of us four as… I believe the word in your language would be, contractors? We were brought here by the Order and came to an agreement with them to provide our service. In exchange we were allowed to stay on the First Realm for the duration of our contract.”

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  “Why would you want to come down here?” Sylvian asked. “Forgive me, but I always wondered why beings from one of the higher realms would want to come back down here. It is the hope of many to ascend to the next realm, but I never hear about anyone wishing to come back.”

  “There are reasons,” Reynard said. “We each have our own. But it is hardly uncommon for Beast Lords to come back to a lower realm. The tyrian races are proof of that. The Serpent Lord and Spider Lord to the east and north agreed to the contract for the most common of reasons.”

  “What is that?” Jack asked.

  “Is it children?” Rayne asked. “Those are the only two of you four that have children. That we know about at least.”

  “It is,” Reynard nodded. “They wanted to propagate their line, and the Order was an opportunity to do so.”

  “Beast Lords can’t have children on the higher realms?” Jack asked.

  “They can,” Reynard said. “But it is much more difficult. Especially for first generation Beast Lords. Even in the Second Realm, out of a hundred newborns, ten may survive. On the third realm, the one we are from, this is even more difficult. As few as one in a thousand newborns may survive.”

  “That is terrible,” Sylvian said. “Why would that be the case?”

  “As you ascend the realms, the ambient Mana density and quality increases,” Reynard explained. “This is great for progressing, necessary even, but if someone not ready to handle that increase was to find themselves on one of the higher realms, say a newborn, that same Mana density that helps you progress can become suffocating. Descending offers the best chance for the newborns’ survival. If this is done a few times across a few generations, then eventually our descendants can be born on the higher realms without the need of descending again.”

  “Why would it affect beast lords like that,” Jack asked.

  Reynard looked at Jack. “It is not only beast lords. All creatures, beast or Enlightened, face the same issue. At least until our descendants have attained the innate power needed to survive naturally on the higher realms.”

  “Children of the people and animals that ascend retain a fragment of their parent’s power,” Jasper said. “It is why the Chualtala and the Utti, the spiders you were talking about, are more powerful than the other beasts in the jungle. If they are able to ascend and reach the Third Realm and have their own children. Those children will be even more powerful.”

  “Of course, descending is not the only way around this issue though,” Reynard said. “It also poses its own risks. As you know, there are limits put on us in this place, and without a contract in place, it can be difficult to stay on a lower realm for long. This often means that they will have to leave their children to fend for themselves as well. Not necessarily an issue for those like snakes and spiders, but it can be difficult for the Enlightened species.”

  “That explains why those two would want to come here,” Jack said. “But why would you and the Western Lord agree?”

  “Byakko has his own reasons not for me to share,” Reynard said. “For my part, I was severely injured and needed a place to recover in safety for a while. That is all I will say on the subject. The Akashic Order’s offer was timely. Perhaps on purpose. But on a different subject, I think this will do.”

  They eventually came to a stop near the edge of a large river. The river flowed past them towards and over the edge of a nearby cliff, forming a large waterfall. Jack glanced around the area, peering out into the vast jungle. From his vantage point, he could see for miles around, and every inch of land was covered in a sea of trees. It was a view that really put into perspective just how huge the jungle was. He was at a loss for words as they took in the sight.

  “It’s beautiful,” Sylvian muttered.

  “Is that?” Rayne started looking at something in the distance Jack couldn’t see.

  “It is,” Reynard confirmed. “The Wenduags’ camp. Outside the range of their scouts. Too far away for even the eyes of the Wenduags to see, but apparently not for yours.”

  “We can watch the camp from here?” Rayne asked.

  “It is a long way away,” Sylvian said. “I am not sure how much it will help.”

  “Perhaps little,” Reynard said. “But this is what I can offer you.”

  “What do you mean?” Jack asked.

  “I cannot protect you from Clayton should he find you,” Reynard said. “My hands are tied there. But as part of my end of the bargain we have struck, I can offer you this place. A hidden nook within my territory. The beast of this land will not find you here. That includes the Wenduags and Utti, but should Clayton come in person, his True Sight will not be fooled by my illusions. So long as you are careful, it may take Clayton a long time to find you here. This is all I can offer for your city.”

  Jack and the elves looked around the area. It was a wide-open area along the cliffside that looked unnaturally flat, but with plenty of room and a solid rocky ground that kept the tree line from creeping too close.

  “Thank you,” was all Jack could think to say.

  “It will be on you and the others to make the most of this gift,” Reynard said. “I have already overstretched what is proper.”

  “How will the others find us?” Rayne asked. “If the illusions you are using to hide us is enough to fool others, will our own people be able to find this place?”

  “Anyone with the True Sight ability should be able to pierce the veil of this level of illusion,” Reynard said. “For those that have not undergone the Trial, then one who has, will need to lead them.”

  “So, this invitation extends to those not of the Order as well?” Jack asked.

  “I will leave that to your discretion,” Reynard said. “So long as Kharzast remains protected, you are free to do as you like. I must go now. Stay safe and remember our deal when all this is over.”

  As Reynard spoke the last part, he slowly started to fade away until Jack and the elves were once again alone.

  “Well,” Jasper said. “What now?”

  “Now we prepare,” Jack said.