Chapter XV

  It was a strange sensation that overwhelmed Nigreos the second he stepped foot into the realm portal, for he felt as if he was underwater without the actual touch of a liquid. It made him briefly wonder what exactly he was experiencing, for if there was nothing between realms, then wouldn’t he have entered Omaruo immediately? Instead, for those few seconds, he was somewhere that was neither Ijiria nor Omaruo. Where was he? What was that place? They were questions he knew would never be answered in his lifetime, one that not even the scholars of the Ages of Expansion and Ascension had been able to decipher. Pondering the inner workings of the multiverse was not a job for a man like him, and in the end, he was crossing realms with one purpose and one purpose only.

  He would reunite with Abigail Reiner and bring her home.

  His foot landed in sand, and as the rest of his body emerged from the swirling mass of mana, he felt the wind on his skin, heard the sound of waves, smelt salt in the air, and when his eyes opened, he saw a sprawling night sky above, the full moon glowing silver among the stars. The portal sealed itself shut as he was taking in his surroundings, noting the mouth of a cave right behind him, the ocean reaching the horizon to his right, and some natural stone steps leading up to a path on the left. For the first time in his life, he was in another realm, and if not for his determination, he may have allowed himself time to experience that. But instead, he closed his eyes and sensed Abi’s mana signature instantly, a beacon amidst the silent magicless. She was far away, but since he was permitted to be here, he was allowed magic use so long as he wasn’t spotted by the locals.

  “Proto,” the Master of Darkness uttered, sending wind into his feet before propelling himself over the stone steps and onto the path above.

  He knew Abi would have sensed him just as he could sense her, so he kept a close focus on her signature just in case she tried to run. While still in the outskirts of the nearby town, Nigreos relied on repeated castings of Proto to close the distance between the port and his destination, noting the sign along the way that identified this place as “Wilham”. He needed to be fast, but at the same time, he couldn’t deny he was feeling painfully nervous to see Abigail again after so many years apart, as well as under the rather poor circumstances they were currently under. He wanted to believe she would understand, that she would be grateful he was protecting her the way he intended to. Markreas need not know about her family, Album need not erase them, and he would fight like hell to ensure she wasn’t executed. Truth be told, he was doing her a ton of favors, so that he hoped that would soften the blow of her departure.

  “You say that like it’s going to be a joyful reunion. She’s going to hate you, you know? When she lays eyes on you and realizes you’re there to steal her away from her son and husband, she’ll wish nothing but misfortune upon you.”

  Nigreos snorted, recalling Album’s words from back in the Portal Room. What does she know? After all of this, Album continues to treat me like garbage. Like I said, I wasn’t the one who’s been lying to her all these years. Princess Ilirianna and Ryokumo have been smiling and laughing with her while never respecting her, yet she spits on me? You know nothing, Album. Abi will understand. I know she will… He smirked. Besides, how could a magnificent mage like her waste her abilities in a subhuman shithole like this, among people so far below us that they can hardly be considered the same species? She was on the verge of becoming the Master of Nature, and a Master has no place among magicless.

  Soon enough, the border of Wilham came into view, so as Nigreos approached the magicless town, he shifted from wind magic to dark magic, merging with shadows and shifting into the sky as he glided across Wilham. He could see the lights of the civilization below, leaving him curious as to the state of this world’s technology. It wasn’t as effective as magic, of course, but he could at least appreciate the fact that they made vehicles move without it and that light was made without fire.

  As his trip continued, his thoughts shifted away from Album, towards Ilirianna and Ryokumo. Regarding the Princess, he wasn’t surprised at all. The two of them had never been friends, and even though Nigreos tried to be a royal team member worthy of her respect, he knew that he had never been enough to gain it. She had always favored Abi and Ryokumo, meanwhile she hardly gave himself and Album the time of day. He had no place in the royal team, for he was there because Ilirianna could not have Abi and Ryokumo without him. It was actually quite satisfying to unload all of his pent up anger on her the previous night when he confronted her in her bedroom. He was relieved to have finally drawn a line in the sand—to no longer have to pretend to respect her.

  She could now do the same.

  She’ll be a fine Queen, I’m sure, but she and I will forever need a distance between us.

  It was his disgust for Ilirianna that made him more forgiving of Ryokumo. He still remembered their trip to Noctalus when Ryokumo confessed to loving Ilirianna on the carriage ride out of Erika. That had surprised him at the time, but looking back on it, it made sense. Ryokumo was smitten with the Princess, so he rarely left her side if he didn’t have to. Of all the relationships in the royal team, theirs was the closest, so in regards to Abi, he believed that Ryokumo lied to him and Album because Ilirianna urged him to. She whispered into his ear, turned him against them, and so Nigreos would not blame him. He wanted Ryokumo to stay his friend, and he would still try to be there for him.

  So long as the Princess doesn’t drag him away from me, that is.

  His decision to vote against punishing Ryokumo was his way of extending an olive branch, which was why he was so shocked that Album chose to imprison him both times. For it to have been Sinna Cartus to shift sides left Nigreos sad. Album did not see this situation the same way Nigreos did, so she pushed Ryokumo even further away. He would be shocked if they ever made amends after what Album did at that meeting.

  But I would still like to try to mend that gap. The four of us were the royal team, so as I bring Abi back to Ijiria, I would like to rekindle their friendships. Abi, Ryokumo, Album, and I… Could we not spend more time on the Citadel’s entertainment levels? Could we not return to Morwhat’s Den and relive those blessed days? Maybe not… Maybe the bridges are all burned down, but even so… I would like to try.

  Nigreos emerged from the shadows on the porch of an unremarkable house, one that looked no different from those around it, but that contained the mana signature he was seeking. Abi would know he was there, as well, so he didn’t waste any time stalking towards the door and rapping his knuckles upon it. He took a deep breath, smoothing out his suit and mentally preparing to face his old friend with a smile, so he was thrown off when the door was answered not by Abigail, but by a man he had never met before—a man who was glaring at him like he was gazing upon the greatest scum of the earth. He was magicless, with dark brown hair and tired blue eyes—an appearance that was so boring. He couldn’t imagine this simple man was the one Abi abandoned Ijiria for, so Nigreos smirked at him.

  “Good evening, Sir,” he greeted. “Is Abigail here? I’m an old friend of hers, come to bring her home.”

  The man laughed darkly. “She is home. Now go away. You’re not welcome here.”

  “That so?” Nigreos leaned forward, his smirk fading as he returned this man’s glare with one of his own. “And who the hell are you, hmm? What are you going to do to me?”

  He shrugged, far too cocky for someone so powerless. “Whatever it takes. Don’t underestimate the lengths a husband would go to for his wife.”

  Wife, huh? As if a man like him is worthy of someone like her…

  “Nigreos, it’s been a long time.”

  At the sound of her voice, the Master of Darkness raised his head and gazed over the man’s shoulder. For a moment, he could only look into her eyes silently, nostalgia and love swelling inside of him at the sight of a dear old friend. She was a little older than him now due to the time discrepancies, giving her a more mature visage than he expected, but at the same time, she still looked so similar. She wore her crown of flowers around her head, her brown hair interwoven with them. Her eyes were bright, and her voice caused his heart to flutter. However, her expression was neutral, leaving him unable to figure out what she was thinking or feeling as she looked back at him.

  “Abi,” he uttered. “What is this? Why are you here…in this realm? With this…?”

  He stopped mid sentence as his gaze drifted past her and down the hall to where a small boy, perhaps around six or seven, was standing just behind her, peeking out at him with fright. He knew from what Ilirianna had said that this must be her son, but it was still jarring to see the boy with his own eyes.

  “This is my family,” she replied. “This is my husband, Scott, and my son, Eric.”

  Despite feeling so many conflicting emotions, he still did as etiquette demanded by standing up straighter and smoothing out his suit before regarding the man named Scott with a probing stare. “Nigreos Noctis. Nice to meet you, Mr. Reiner.”

  “Get off my porch, Mr. Noctis,” the man snapped back.

  Snorting, Nigreos ignored Scott and instead looked directly at Abi. “You know the laws, Abi. You can’t be here. The King has ordered you to return to the capital at once. And…I’m sure you are aware of what happens to magicless people who learn of magic?”

  Surprisingly, despite his intention to remind her of the risks she would take by refusing to come with him, Abi simply faced Nigreos with a smile. “I am. But I’m sure you can keep this to yourself…as a favor to your old friend. Isn’t that right, Nigreos? Are you alone? Or did Album accompany you? I don’t sense her, so…”

  He clenched his teeth and shook his head. “No. I thought it would be better for everybody if I dealt with this alone. I’m…sure you agree. But I suppose we can talk about it on the way. Come. We’re leaving.”

  He could tell that Scott was ready to protest, but for some reason, he kept silent this time. Perhaps Abi had already spoken to him in the time it took to travel from the portal to this house, a theory that was supported by the fact that she already had a bag wrapped around her shoulder containing whatever she intended to bring back with her. It was relieving to know she planned to obey. She first made eye contact with Scott, who nodded to her silently, before turning back and gazing at her son, Eric. The boy stared up at her with tears in his eyes, watching as his mother turned and began to approach Nigreos. The Master of Darkness eyed Eric for a few seconds, feeling a number of conflicting feelings towards him.

  That was Abi’s son, her flesh and blood.

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  But he was also a person who legally should not exist, a hybrid between magicless and magical that made him scowl.

  What was he supposed to make of Eric Reiner?

  He wasn’t sure, but with any luck, he’d never see him again, and it would never matter what that boy meant to him. That was his conclusion as he turned his back with Abigail at his side, then closed the door to her house for good.

  ***

  What on earth am I doing? How did it ever come to this, where I’m standing here in this cell, reaching out my hand to help Rickori Keskivaara? Ryokumo Caeli smirked bitterly, hating the world for putting him in the position he was in. Naught but a month ago, I would have given anything to kill this man alongside his murderous allies, but now I need him for my own gain. Was my resolve really that hollow? Were my words meant to be nothing more than something to sound good? I declared to Vesh time and time again that I loathed him and his methods, that he was wrong in every sense of the word, yet now I plan to set Liri up where she can use the Teritus herself…

  His gut feeling was to hate himself, to urge Ilirianna that there had to be another way besides murder and assassination, but deep in his heart, he knew that there wasn’t. Markreas Iiji could not be reasoned with; that was the most prominent factor in Keskivaara’s initial betrayal. If he wanted Abi executed for deserting, then no matter what they did or said, she would be. Abigail Reiner would die because he and Ilirianna could not keep her secret from the government, and if forced to choose between letting Abi die and actively playing a role in the death of Markreas, Ryokumo would kill the King any day.

  I’m just angry… I’m tired and angry… I’m furious that Nigreos and Album would turn Abi in. I’m pissed that Rennigan was driven from this city by whatever bullshit was being conducted behind my back. I loathe the fact that I was nearly imprisoned after all I’ve done for this damned Empire, just because I tried to help my friend. Album’s turned against me in every sense of the word, Rennigan has left me behind, so I cannot leave Liri out to dry. She’s all I have left, and I love her with everything I have. So if she chooses to become a monster, then I shall do so at her side.

  “Y-you’re joking,” Keskivaara stuttered from his spot on the ground, his one remaining arm, as well as his legs, chained to the wall behind him with mana-suppressing cuffs. The People’s Mind looked hardly recognizable with all of his hair burnt away, his skin blackened and red in some places from the burns he had been experiencing, every last one of his nails ripped out, and an utterly defeated look in his eyes. “You’re breaking me free? Why the hell would you ever do that?”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Ryokumo growled, reaching down to his hip and drawing the sword Album once gifted him for the Shadow Solstice. Directing the point towards his throat, he added, “I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. You and I are striking a deal.”

  Keskivaara laughed hoarsely and shook his head. “If you’re trying to get information out of me, then you can just ask Taurus to know how ineffective it—”

  “I couldn’t give less of a shit about your lightning magic,” the wind mage snapped, cutting him off. “Keep your secrets, for all I care. No, I’m releasing you because I need you to take credit for what’s about to happen here in the Citadel.”

  “I’m sorry?” Keskivaara furrowed his brow, grimacing at the pain that action caused. “I’m not sure I follow?”

  Ryokumo shrugged. “I don’t need you to follow. I need you to cooperate. To put it simply, my friend, Liri and I are in a desperate position, and as such, we’re going to do something we can’t have being traced to us. So I’m going to let you out, then escort you from the tower. When shit hits the fan, it’ll be you the others blame, and that’s how it has to be. Rickori Keskivaara somehow escaped, took his revenge against the people who captured him, then fled into the night. Is that understood?”

  “Yes… I see…” Keskivaara smiled, an expression with a meaning Ryokumo couldn’t quite identify. “She’s going to use the Teritus, isn’t she? She’s eliminating Markreas to take the throne, and you want people to think I killed him.”

  He had to do his best not to let any reaction show on his face, but he supposed he underestimated Keskivaara’s intellect to even hope he wouldn’t deduce what was happening based on what he was told.

  “I’m not confirming or denying anything,” he said, knowing that it was as much a confirmation for the other man as outright telling him.

  “Very well, Caeli. Very well…” Keskivaara nodded, though more to himself than to Ryokumo. “I won’t pry into what caused her change of heart, but seeing as I’ve got very little left to lose, I may as well trust you. You have my word. Set me free, and I’ll make sure the entire world knows that I killed King Markreas. If you betray me and kill me in the process, so be it.”

  He didn’t sense any deceit in those words. Perhaps Keskivaara really had come to terms with his death, believing he would never again leave the Citadel dungeons, so Ryokumo didn’t feel the need to fear him going rogue once they were out.

  “Good,” Ryokumo grunted. “In that case, I need you in as good a shape as I can get you. Here, drink this…”

  Placing his sword back in his sheath, Ryokumo reached into the inner pocket of his overcoat and produced a small vial of green liquid. It was a medicinal elixir, one that wasn't quite as effective as Benedio but that was far better than nothing. However, Ryokumo knew some healing magic, so if the spell and elixir were used in tandem, Keskivaara should be recovered enough to fight, should things go awry.

  The wind mage knelt beside the People’s Mind, uncorking the vial and carefully pouring the liquid into Keskivaara’s open mouth. Once it was empty, he slipped it back into his coat, then placed his hands against Keskivaara’s bare chest, casting Benedio to heal him. Naturally, he could not regrow the lost limb, but the burns and cuts began to close and mend, while his hair started to grow back both on his head, as well as on his face. Since he wasn’t the most proficient at this, it took a few minutes before Keskivaara was as normal as he was going to get, so once he was satisfied, he reached out to the chains, recalling the charm Ilirianna gave him, then sent magic surging into the metal to unlock them.

  As the shackles clattered to the ground, Keskivaara gazed at them like he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. Ryokumo stepped back while the People’s Mind rose to his feet, his eyes wide as he reached full height. He opened and closed his hand, seemingly reveling in the lack of pain and agony that would have been commonplace for him these last few days. Since he was still naked, Ryokumo moved to the corner of the cell where he’d tossed a spare cloak upon entering, then turned back and held it out for Keskivaara.

  “Here, throw this on,” he ordered. “I’ve seen enough of your birthday suit to last a lifetime.”

  Keskivaara gently took the brown clothing, then swung it over his shoulders and latched it together at his neck. The cloak covered everything well enough, and as he took a deep breath, he gazed at Ryokumo with an oddly warm smile.

  “Thank you. I know you have your motives, and that you don’t care for me in the slightest. But even so, I’ll forever be in debt to you.”

  Keskivaara bowed in a show of respect that felt genuine, leaving Ryokumo wholly unsure of how to feel. Yet again, the person who was legally supposed to be his enemy showed more compassion, gratitude, and humanity than the creatures helming the country. Perhaps, as he dwelled on it more, he may even come to the conclusion that trading Markreas for Keskivaara would have been a valid enough decision even if Abi hadn’t been a variable.

  “Don’t bow to me, Keskivaara,” he mumbled, before chanting “Disto” to erect a distortion charm around them. “Now keep close so your cloak doesn’t leave the field. Come.”

  ***

  The pain was gone, he could feel his body again, he was on his feet, and he was elated. Keskivaara truly was ready to succumb to his fate, but out of nowhere came Ryokumo Caeli to take his hand and lead him to salvation. Naturally, he didn’t want to celebrate prematurely, for they weren’t in the clear until they escaped the Citadel, but just the fact that he had the opportunity to try was good enough for him. On top of that, it seemed like Tali’s visions were beginning to come true, a thought he wasn’t even sure what to make of. For reasons Ryokumo wouldn’t give him, Ilirianna was going to use the Teritus against Markreas, meaning that if all went well, by the end of the night, Ilirianna Iiji would be well on her way to becoming the Queen of Ijiria. What that would mean for the future was uncertain, but what Keskivaara did know was that she may finally start to usher in a better world for the average person.

  I regret it’s going to take murder to reach that point, but I suppose in a world like this, what other option is there? We’ve all tried to negotiate with Markreas and the Great Lords, but to no avail. They wouldn’t listen, they were selfish, and therefore, the only way for change to come about is to rip the weeds out by their roots. I wish I could have been the one to kill Markreas, but if Ilirianna is using the curse I placed on him, then I suppose that’s good enough for me.

  Departing the cell, Ryokumo led Keskivaara past the slumped forms of the guards, who he quickly noticed were still breathing and were merely unconscious. Happy to know that Ryokumo hadn’t started ruthlessly killing innocents, he followed the wind mage towards the nearest lift, which they rode for only a second before arriving on the ground floor of the Citadel. It was then that Keskivaara got his first glimpse of the outside world in over a week as he gazed through the window and saw that it was past sundown, with rain pattering against the glass. Recalling when Ilirianna first escorted him to the dungeons, he knew the front doors weren’t far off, so freedom might be his within mere minutes.

  Keeping close to Ryokumo as he was ordered, they stepped quietly and kept to the more shadowed parts of the corridor. There were people wandering around, staff of the tower among others, and while it was unlikely anybody would hear them or notice the potential shimmer that was sometimes visible for a distortion, they were better safe than sorry. Their footsteps were nearly silent, and eventually, they came to the currently closed double doors of the building.

  “I assume you can distort?” Ryokumo breathed, to which Keskivaara gave a firm nod.

  “Absolutely.”

  “Good. Then take control of the spell, and this is where we part.” The wind mage released his mana from the distortion just as Keskivaara sent his into it, seamlessly keeping the spell active without so much as a flicker. “The front gates should be open, so just slip by the guards and go into the city. I also recommend getting out of Erika as soon as possible, for once they realize you’ve escaped, this place will go on lockdown.”

  “I will,” Keskivaara assured him. “Again, I thank you, Caeli.”

  He held his hand out for Ryokumo to shake, and to his surprise, the other man took it, though it did appear a bit begrudging. “Sure, whatever. Just get out of here.”

  With that, after checking once more to make sure nobody was nearby, Ryokumo slipped out of the distortion, making himself visible before he pushed open one of the doors. After poking his head out and confirming there wasn’t anybody in sight, he gave a subtle thumbs-up as Keskivaara slid through the small gap and stepped into the rain, the door closing right behind him.

  Alright, let’s hope there’s nobody around. If anybody sees the rain entering my distortion, that’ll be a dead giveaway that I’m here. That being said, it’s dark as all hell and the gardens aren’t very big.

  The impatient part of him wanted to use magic to speed things up, but he feared taking any risks while so close to escape. Therefore, he magiclessly stalked through the muddy garden, taking long strides as he passed by the different-colored flowers that made up his surroundings. As he moved, he quickly debated where he would go once he got out of Erika.

  Obviously I need to seek out Velanor, but there’s no telling where he is or if he’s even alive. His head wasn’t being paraded around with the others, but he also wasn’t anybody of particular note to Markreas, so that’s not a guarantee of anything. Sartella and Firrik are also unaccounted for, so I just have to pray they’re with him.

  Keskivaara sighed. Without anything to go off of, my best bet might be to make for Harunhein. I really do think Trovia is where Firrik will go, not only to inform Martov and King Amund that the Kosah-Rei has fallen, but also to both find sanctuary and potentially aid the north in any future endeavors against Ijiria. Even if they aren’t up there, I could still reach Martov myself. That’s my best bet, so I should head for the northern gates. If I can—

  He froze the second the front gates came into view and he spotted two individuals marching through them. It was a man and woman, and since the latter was using magic to erect a shield of wind above their heads, both had their cowls down to reveal their features. He recognized them from his time traveling south with Markreas’s company.

  Koroha Rhitta and Alharo Bann…

  He didn’t move, opting to play it safe and allow them to pass by without risking them noticing anything. It was dark, so any evidence of the distortion shouldn’t be visible, especially if he was still. Keskivaara held his breath as the duo approached, and to his confusion, Koroha’s head shifted his way and stared right at him with a frown. Her feet drew to a stop, as did Alharo’s, though he seemed more confused.

  “What is it, Koro?” he inquired, stopping to scan their surroundings without lingering on Keskivaara for even a second. “Do you see something?”

  Does she see me? That’s not possible… There shouldn’t be anything here to give me away, so… His heart stopped as he recalled something Tali had once told him when debriefing him on the Masters of Ijiria. Koroha Rhitta…can see through distortion!

  Her features hardened, her hand jutted outwards, and she snarled, “Corsikei!”

  Thundus!