Chapter 4: With Leader’s Demise
‘I will be the hand by which Pax strikes at you, enemies of peace. I will be the monster you scare your children with to make them go to bed. I will be the nightmares that prevent you from sleeping. You will be purged for all these sins you have committed. This is the oath that I make by the sacred name of Pax.’ Philosophical Lessons from Utyirth (Volume I: Priestess).
1
When Ganis first met Hephaestion, it was the second day of her lunch gathering avoidance - an act she managed by skulking in the lower decks pretending to look for misplaced objects which were mysteriously never found, and on the rare occasion they appeared in her belongings and were lost again.
Hephaestion was laying on his hammock reading a scroll when Ganis approached him. He noticed her heading his way and turned his head to face her, curled brown hair bouncing. The light revealed his chestnut-colored eyes staring at her, expecting a series of questions, or at the very least an inconvenient conversation which interrupting his studies, as she heard him refer to his reading habit before.
Realizing Hephaestion’s attentiveness, Ganis slurred, “Hail! I am Ganis, your new companion.”
“And I Hephaestion.” He hesitated for a moment, holding his mouth wide open as he contemplated his next words, then decided to proceed and said, “Pertinax told me everything about you, but there is one thing that continues to intrigue me. We set sail a day ago and you have not eaten since. If you are seasick, please let us know. Ninazu is quite the alchemist and can quickly prepare a remedy for you to deal with that.” He pointed at her stomach.
Ganis released a deep breath she held in relief. “Thank you. I will head to Ninazu after lunch. There is one thing, though, I would like to ask of you.”
“Hmm?” Hephaestion gently put down the scroll he was reading in a crevice near his hammock specifically designed for that purpose. It was already the second day into their voyage and he had adjusted his living space accordingly.
“I was hoping that you would share with me your story. How did you get to be a member of Lyra’s Ona?”
“That is an excellent question.” He stood from the hammock, stretched, and sat down on the hammock again. It was a strange gesture to Ganis, but she refrained from commenting. “Normally I would ask you to start with your own story, but we have all been briefed about you by Pertinax.” He took a moment to structure his story in his mind before telling it to Ganis, and continued, “My story begins after traveling the known lands in search for knowledge.
“When I was seventeen, I decided that I learnt enough to start teaching myself without the aid of others. So I sought a way to expose myself to new experiences and volunteered to join the Peacekeeper Core, where I met Thane.
“Although Thane was my age back then, he was already a commander of a small scouting Peacekeeper group. Impressed by my tactical savvy, Thane immediately promoted me to be his second. At the time, the Peacekeeper Core was a small force which had just been established by the Gallecian authorities to maintain peace in the surrounding lands. It was a group of glorified law enforcers who were on the brink of becoming something entirely different.
“The escalating civil war expanded our duties beyond maintaining the peace. We became soldiers. When the war was over, and Partha was exiled, the Gallecian Council attempted to consolidate their power and be the official ruler of Gallecia and protectors of the peace. Although a seemingly fitting reward for the noble Council, Thane and I saw beyond their lies. We knew that the Council was planning something sinister, but we could not identify their intent or prove it.
“Eventually, Thane conspired with a group of Peacekeepers opposing the Council’s rule, and I willingly followed. One day, however, we were betrayed by one of our own and handed over to the Gallecian authorities as rebels and enemies to the peace. By official decree from the Council, we were exiled to Partha, a prison colony at the time.
“Within the exiled kingdom, Thane and I had to start a new life where our survival depended on careful planning and avoiding the attention of local gangs. These were hard days, Ganis, but they made us stronger.
“It started with Thane and I looking out for each other, and then grew to become a full grown gang of over a hundred members. We managed to gain status among the exiled and survived long enough to attend the arrival of Lady Lyra and the Demigod Servak.
“As a former rebel, Thane did not need to prove his loyalties to Servak and managed to convince him to allow me to join Lyra’s Ona. However, the true purpose of my task, as Thane assigned, was to spy on the Emperor and confirm the nature of his intentions.
“Once I learnt that the Emperor was indeed pure of heart, I confessed my role to Lyra who, to my surprise, admired my honesty and insisted that I serve in her Ona.” Hephaestion brushed his curled hair back. “That concludes my story so far.”
Ganis was entranced by the story teller, who spoke not only with words, but also with a mastery of tones and gestures. “You are indeed a man of detail, Hephaestion.”
“My past may be eventful, but I never served under the command of a hero such as Asclepius. I look forward to knowing more about your master.”
Before Ganis got a chance to reply to her comrade, he added, “Unfortunately, this story will have to wait, for I am starving and am in dire need of sustenance. They are serving fish today, again; I guess that I should have my fill before it turns stale as the days come to pass.”
Hephaestion held his right hand out for Ganis to hold and support him while he stood up. Before stepping away from his hammock towards the stairs leading to the upper decks, he looked back and made certain that his reading material was properly secured. With a serene motion, Hephaestion disappeared beyond the entrance.
Once the man was well out of sight, Ganis walked towards her own hammock hoping to get some undisturbed sleep. After all, she wanted to waste time convincingly.
2
Dawn had just unveiled the village of Hearthdale when the Parthans prepared for their journey to the beacon. The group awaited the priestess, who insisted to say her farewells to the orphans she had tended to during her stay. Pertinax accompanied her to rush the process; he knew the priestess had a habit of prolonging her farewells.
Distant horns were heard by the ready travelers, a warning they dismissed. Shortly after, screams and battle-cries rose from Hearthdale. Alarmed, the Parthans dropped their luggage and readied for an assault. The three unnamed cubs and the belongings of the outlanders were huddled in a pile surrounded by the veterans.
Ganis drew Eos and prepared to set forth towards her two companions at the orphanages.
Hephaestion ordered, “Hold your position!” His shout bore an aura of command and unwavering intent. It was the Parthan way and he would not abandon it even in such a time. These laws, he thought, were made just for situations such as this.
“I hear the clashing of steel and screaming of women. There is battle up ahead. We should go to Pertinax and Eirene at once,” Ganis warily responded. “And who are you to be commanding me?”
“I am the second-in-command. I lead in the absence of our captain. You will hold!” Hephaestion’s voice turned to a shout.
Disgusted by his Parthan Way, Ganis retorted, “I cannot obey such order. If you were in their stead, I would come for you regardless of any command. All of you shame me!” Ganis burst into a jog towards the noise. None followed her.
“If I was the one stranded, then I would prioritize the safety of the many over my own. My command is not selfish, but with reason!” Hephaestion’s voice repeated, “Not selfish, but with reason.”
A few paces towards the commotion, Ganis found her path blocked by black cloaked men holding primitive weapons. The few that approached her were followed by an endless stream of uniformed soldiers. She did not tally, but rushed towards the orphanages, slashing her way through with Eos, killing as many as she could without sacrificing her pace.
In no more than two minutes, she reached the orpha
nages. The wooden structure had caught fire, but the scorching heat did not stop her; not even for a second’s worth of doubt. Fires raged, yet the mysterious enemy swarmed the building.
Ganis was deterred by neither fire nor foe. Her conviction and resolve fueled her search. She summoned all the strength she could and butchered through the denizens of cloaked assailants. When her path into the building was clear, she rushed in only to find an empty, collapsing room.
Escaping the charred structure from a burning hole into the wall, Ganis proceeded to the next orphanage. They had to be in one of them. More enemies flocked from the north with torches, pitchforks and other crude tools. The more cloaks she saw, the stronger her drive grew - and bloodlust.
The second building had just caught fire, but the flames spread fast. Repeating the same carnage as with the first orphanage, Ganis made her way into the building. The sight of the two Parthans relieved her, but all was not well. Eirene held Pertinax tightly to her chest. He was bleeding profusely.
“What happened?”
“We were helping the children escape,” Eirene forced the words as she wept. “While he fended off the heretics, a wooden beam fell on him. He was then clubbed to death by those savages. I hate them!” The priestess’ tearing eyes raged with contempt.
“Are the children safe?”
The tormented Parthan nodded. She stood up and held the morningstar Thalia had crafted in her right hand, and Pertinax’s blade in her left. She had no intention to defend, just to kill as many as she could.
“It’s not your time yet. Clear the way up ahead towards the forest. I’ll carry Pertinax and rush after you.” Ganis hoped her words would appeal to Eirene’s logical self – not that she thought much of it.
For a short moment when Eirene was battling her desires for vengeance, Ganis saw a look on Eirene’s face that reminded her of the first time she met Asclepius. She had once seen herself in a mirror just after speaking to the necromancer and noticed the very same look on her own face. It was an ugly look; a sadistic look.
Having won the timeless battle within, Eirene’s good nature prevailed. She followed Ganis’ suggestion. “Stay behind me. We should try to avoid them.” Her eyes no longer watered, but her heart weighed heavy.
The two Parthans headed out of the burning building. Fueled by anger for what they have done to her beloved captain, the priestess slashed, bashed and cleaved her way to the woods. She killed her challengers too fast for Ganis to keep count.
From a distance, Ganis glimpsed at a road leading to the Heart of the Hearth where the local guard fought the assailants. Those damn twins actually taught them well, she thought as the outnumbered guards resisted. Although the twenty four guards would all inevitably fall during this battle, should it be prolonged, they bought enough time for the others to safely escape into the woods nearby. For Ganis, their willingness to sacrifice themselves was what impressed her the most.
“We have made it to the woods. Let us disappear in the cover of this dense forest!”
Soiled in blood from the many they slew, the two Parthans ran deeper into the forest. They ran far more than they needed to. While Ganis was running to preserve the body she carried, Eirene ran from something else - escape from reality. Finally the cruelty of Utyirth became clear to them.
The priestess ran until she collapsed - partly from physical exhaustion and partly from grief. Only then did Ganis place Pertinax on the cold fallen leaves, preserved by the harsh snow. With her thoughts running amok, she was too occupied to feel the blood-hunger that came with killing. She just wanted to be certain that no one else would fall that day.
3
The first meeting with Thalia was all but pleasant to Ganis, yet the memory took a different shape the more they got acquainted.
While skulking in the rear of the Siren’s main deck, escaping the serving of dinner once more, Ganis heard a tranquil voice singing. To Ganis, the singer seemed to be purposefully limiting the range of her vocal tones, a common practice among Parthan singers to save their best voice for a special occasion.
Hypnotized by the music, Gains suddenly felt an eye peering at her. The intensity of Thalia’s yellow colored hair made it difficult to miss the artist even with the absence of light. Thalia halted her singing and started another tune:
“Hiding in the shadow of the Siren’s main deck,
Ganis, a stranger amidst our ranks.
She looks like a fair maiden, but acts like a creep
For all of us wonder when she sleep”
“Do you like my new tune?” Thalia’s big blue eyes glowed as they fell on Ganis.
“It worries me that you spend your time thinking of ridiculous tunes instead of training. Perhaps it would be wise for me not to rely on you too much.”
Laughing merrily, Thalia responded, “What a funny thing to say from someone so keen on spending her time avoiding people. It seems, dear Ganis, that both of us share the same concern.”
It was not the first time the two met, but it was the first time they were alone, free to converse about whatever subject they chose.
“I guarantee that my fighting skills will prove quite the improvement to this Ona.”
“Care to put this to a test?” Thalia smiled, reaching to tuck her tunic into the leather pants she wore.
Smiling at her comrade’s challenge, Ganis held her fists up. Thalia struck first, but her blows were all averted by Ganis’ quicker hands. Kicks and punches were exchanged without hesitation from both fighters, and it only escalated in speed and severity the longer they fought.
As they punched, kicked and dodged, the two challengers slowly moved towards the middle of the deck, where lighting offered better sight. Stirred by the commotion, other crewmen started surfacing, watching the fight and cheering.
Spectators started placing bets. Pertinax and the others, watching with everyone else, did not interfere. Naturally, Ganis held back to hide her true nature, purposefully restricting her abilities for the sake of secrecy.
Although pushing her natural ability to the limit, Ganis was incapable of turning the tides of the brawl to her favor. Thalia, however, was not so restrained. She had the advantage.
Eventually, Thalia managed to pin her opponent to the ground. “You’re the second strongest person I ever fought.”
“Who was the first?” Ganis tried to maneuver herself to freedom with little success.
“Sigurd.” Thalia stood and helped Ganis up.
Barely swallowing her pride, Ganis confessed, “It appears that you’re a better fighter than I.”
Thalia snorted. “As if there was any doubt. I shall make a song about our brawl?”
Ganis’ eyes gleamed with frustration. “Perhaps we should test this with real weapons. It would certainly make for a better song.”
She raised her finger dismissively, saying, “No need to be a sore loser. You would not like to be remembered as such by the bards.”
“At least don’t use my name,” Ganis responded. “I have to say, your skill with your fists is only exceeded by that with your voice.” She dusted herself, not that there was any dust aboard the Siren’s Tear – a feat the Sennan sailors took great pride in.
“A lifetime of hardship and irony shapes people as such, I’m certain. Yet the origin of my skills remains a mystery even to me. If you ever come across anyone who knew me before Partha, please do inquire about my past.”
“Inquire about your past?”
“My first memory is of a play I acted in twenty seasons ago. Apparently, no one knew who I was or where I had come from. The only certain fact I know about myself is that I am not Parthan.” She took a deep breath. “I have to say I’m fairly bothered by my shrouded past?”
“Being bothered by a shrouded past is far better than being bothered by a mysterious future, I say.”
Thalia smiled. “I’m glad we finally got the chance to speak. Have you spoken to the others yet?”
“All save for one, the bird talking fellow.??
? Ganis had seen Monolos and exchanged a few pleasantries, but it never went any further than mere pleasantries.
Thalia burst in laughter. “Good luck. Now that’s a perfect example of a shrouded past and mysterious future. Even after you talk, his words will be shrouded in a cloud of misunderstanding and confusion.”
“Does he not speak the common tongue?”
“He does. But if you put the words he speaks together, they’ll start sounding foreign,” Thalia answered, barely controlling her laughter.
Ganis realized a crowd of spectators that had amassed for the brawl no longer found them interesting and started to return to their duties. When the sound of boots scraping on wood finally dissipated, Ganis noticed Commodore Habitus observing them from a distance at the helm, guiding the ship through the calm ocean waters while doing so.
Caught by how the waves made by the Siren’s Tear as she sailed captivated Ganis, Thalia said, “Ever since the Behemoths’ defeat, the waters have been unnaturally calm. I find this both inspiring and unsettling.” She left Ganis to her thoughts, retiring to her quarters as the others did.
Ganis nodded, meaning to signal a ‘good night’.
It was not long till Thalia disappeared into the lower decks, and Ganis was left alone to ponder. Reflecting on her speech with the artist, Ganis realized that her attempts to make herself scarce during feeding time raised much suspicion with her comrades. She knew that her identity could not be kept secret for long, and her quest would make her spend a long time with the others. What shall I do? she thought.
4
The next day Ganis caught the familiar scent of the Parthans brushed by a southern gust. Encumbered by Pertinax’s corpse, Ganis and Eirene moved slowly towards the others.
‘Learn from the mistakes of others because some mistakes you only get to do them once’ were master’s last words to me. I hate you so much, but with each passing day your wisdom makes my hate fade away. Ganis thought as she trailed the Parthans.
“They stopped moving,” Ganis said.
“We should rush regardless.” Eirene looked at Ganis, her eyes as void as death and smile withered. “I swear to you and to Pax that I will have my vengeance.”
“And I swear to lend you my strength,” Ganis responded. Pax, though, I ignore.
Although Ganis, on many occasions, had belittled the Parthans’ deity, the gesture was appreciated by Eirene. She smiled at Ganis - an empty smile.
The two groups found one another, each heading towards the other made the reunion quick.
“By Pax!” Hephaestion said. “You are unharmed.” He rushed towards them.
“Do not touch me!” Ganis pushed him away, still carrying the weight of Pertinax’s corpse. “I may be a fiend, but even I never abandon my allies. I’m not a member of this Ona. I’m not one with you, but I still leave no man behind. That's my code - a hard-learnt code. Pertinax could have been saved!”
“That is the Parthan way. We value the lives of the many over the few,” Hephaestion said.
“What if it was you? Would you not want others to come and save you?”
“Not if it would risk endangering your life. Would you want us to risk our lives for yours, even if we would all risk perishing in the attempt?”
“I would never want anyone to risk their lives for me, but I would never hold back if any one of you were in danger.”
“Tell me, Ganis, is it so selfish of us to abide by Pertinax’s desire to sacrifice himself for us? Is it so wrong that he died knowing that the bargain he struck bought us our lives? Pertinax died a hero, a death we all envy.”
“Your logic makes your living heart colder than my unbeating heart.” She looked at Eirene, still addressing Hephaestion’s comment, and said. “If this is the way of Pax, then to hell with Pax and his misled followers. If this is the way of the Empire, then to hell with this meaningless coalition.”
Eirene did not respond. Grief took its toll.
“I understand that you have sacrificed much as a Peacekeeper. Back then you knew what it meant to be responsible for others. You willingly sent your men to die as a meaningless diversion to a clearly lost cause. You abandoned them when they needed you most and avoided the risk of rescuing them. I know the sins of your past, fallen commander. It is a soldier’s role to be sacrificed for the good of the mission. We are all expendable pawns.”
Ganis’ voice softened, her eyes averted, “And that’s why I know it was wrong. I now have an eternity to dwell on my actions and grief for those whom I condemned.” She chuckled sarcastically. “The Dark Gift is my eternal curse.”
“Your efforts were noble,” Eirene said, returning to her serene self and soothing voice, a forced gesture that would never carry as much weight as the natural one.
Looking back at her, she smiled and gently rested Pertinax’s corpse on the ground. Ganis then reached into Pertinax’s leather armor and grabbed a necklace he wore. It bore two flat steel plates with ‘Pertinax the Second, Red Ona I: Captain’ engraved on them. Each member of the Ona had a similar necklace with their name and Ona etched on it.
While she plucked away the carved steel plates, Ganis said, “There is no need to leave one with the corpse as long as we are here. For this journey we return with both plates for every fallen member of this Ona.” Ganis then handed the amulet to Eirene, the designated carrier.
With poorly concealed wet eyes, Thalia started digging as she chanted, “You never got a chance to hear the song I wrote for you.” She started singing:
Pertinax the shrewd, the leader of our group
He woke up a day, with a single hair astray
And spent the rest depressed
Or rather much distressed
And ever since that day
He roamed a different way
To overly stress his looks
The song was never meant for his burial, but it was his song. Each of the Parthans had their own way of mourning, and they were all accepted.
Pertinax was buried with all his possessions, except for the maps and oboi he carried. He was gone, but he left one last command unfulfilled, to seek the beacon.
5
The long march towards the beacon was grimed with the events of Pertinax’s death. The Parthan tradition dictated that once Pertinax’s corpse was prepared for the journey to the afterlife, and the crossing of the Paxian River, they were to continue with their mission.
Ganis broke the weary silence by asking, “What about Hearthdale?”
“Their secrecy cost us the life of our best. They cannot be trusted,” Hephaestion responded bitterly.
“Yet they had no hand in it.”
“Sometimes secrets kill. If we knew about the attack, Pertinax would most likely still be with us.”
“Eirene!” Ganis looked at the priestess. “Do you support this?”
“My thoughts are irrelevant,” responded Eirene. “We live and die.” She paused for a moment, swallowing, and continued, “We live and die by the way of the Ona.”
“I agree with Ganis. We should seek amends with Hearthdale. I still remember the words of Eos and his offer,” Sigurd said. The Turian, Ganis noticed, would only share his thought if he doubted anyone else would reach the same conclusion. He was a man of few yet impactful words.
Our wills are becoming one. It would make little difference if you sought the Highborn now or later, but perhaps the People of the Hearth would not be there later. I lend you my powers in hopes that you will lend me yours, Eos projected to Ganis.
“I think we should return to Hearthdale and aid them. With the events of loss still fresh in their minds, now would be a good time to convince them of our worth as allies. We might never have another opportunity as such,” Ganis said. Eos’ advice did indeed ring true.
“Hearthdale is in our past, and I intend it to stay as such. The people of Hearthdale are no longer of consequence to us,” Hephaestion said. Pertinax’s death had changed him.
Ganis had nothing else to add and remained
silent as she followed Hephaestion towards the mysterious ancient beacon. She could not convince the Parthans of the value Hearthdale had in their fight.
Hephaestion’s drive was not only cause by Pertinax’s last order, but also by his conviction that the beacon held answers - yet he did not know answers to what.
A few hours after the silent crew journeyed towards their objective, Eos decided that it was time for him to shed some light about Hearthdale’s assailants. These were no random attackers. I was not able to identify them completely because we have not yet learnt to fight as one. As my weight still feels strange to your grasping hands, your touch feels foreign to me.
After a moment of silence, Eos continued, From what I could sense, the ones we encountered earlier – the ones who claimed Pertinax’s life – were zealots.
Damn it, Eos, Ganis thought. I cannot help you with all the secrets you keep.
Eos answered, Those were the flock of the clerics from Initium Keep to the north. They are not warriors, nor are they soldiers. They are fanatics that follow their religious leaders regardless of the reasoning behind their actions. Although they are not your enemy, their leaders are. Be careful when facing them. Faith is a formidable weapon to wield.
And how can we show them the truth? Ganis waited for an answer, but received none. Some questions even the ageless blade could not answer.
Eos, it appeared, was not all-knowing. Ganis started questioning how good of an ally he would be, thoughts she could not hide from Eos.
Silence seemed fitting as the Parthans marched towards the beacon.
The loss of Pertinax was a tragedy, both to the Parthans and to Ganis.
6
All creatures require sustenance to survive, and Ganis chose to act on this knowledge. As the others rested, she disappeared in the night with the intention of felling a helpless prey.
Her careless sneaking allowed the three pups to follow her discretely. Their once-clumsy movements had improved a great deal from when they were first rescued, and they grew to be large and quite strong. Ganis ignored them and continued her hunt.
Hunting was pleasant. It made her forget the grim matters looming upon her. Slowly trotting in silent footsteps, she scanned her surroundings in search for game. Round red fruits ready for plucking decorated some trees around her. She grabbed as many as she could for the others to indulge in - if Ninazu deemed the fruits edible.
As she set her eyes away from a short tree, Ganis’ nose picked up a familiar scent. A clear and strong fragrance of a deer made its way through the impeccable nostrils of the huntress.
A quick jump forward marked the start of her supernatural sprint towards the helpless prey. Growing strong and more mouth-watering, the scent approached. In a flash, Ganis had her target in sight, but what she saw stopped her from further pursuit. The female deer noticed her predator and sheltered a figure behind her. It was a newborn calf still soiled with the remains of its mother’s womb. Ganis would not harm a beast in such condition, no matter how fierce her hunger. The sentiment was a relic of her past.
She paused for a moment, amazed by the insistence of the animal to survive and bring forth yet another generation of its species in this harsh climate. How admirable.
Her posture changed, signaling to the deer, and its progeny, that she was not a threat to them. The search for food continued, with Ganis’ eventual finding and catching of a large boar. She fed on the beast’s warm blood before bringing the carcass to the camp.
On her way back, she noticed the hounds doing a little hunting of their own. Mimicking her own movements and combining them with Parthan ambush tactics – both which they had witnessed - Monolos’ pets circled a small snow rabbit - hiding themselves behind the bushes as they did so.
Ganis observed in silence as the three lunged at their prey mercilessly. The critter was strangled by the sharp fangs, and then offered to Ganis. She then looked at them, saying, “I am impressed.”
At the camp, the others sat around the campfire in complete silence. The returning guest hurled the boar next to Thalia and said to Monolos, while pointing at their four-legged friends, “You taught your new pets quite well.”
He produced a confused hum.
“These three little devils caught this.” She held up the white rabbit. “They were using Parthan ambush tactics.”
“I’ve taught them no such thing. I intended to teach them tracking skills and possibly scouting ones as well, but I never imagined that they would be capable of such coordination.” Monolos got up and headed towards the pups to pet them. The three then wagged their tails merrily, forcing the Parthan to smile, and produced weak yelps of contentment.
“Some animals learn from a distance by watching others of their species,” Hephaestion said. “Mice are particularly well at doing so. Yet to learn something as complex as Parthan Ona tactics with such little exposure takes more than natural tendencies. It takes intelligence.”
“Then, perhaps, they should be tested,” Monolos said, still petting the pups.
“I suppose I can give them a rune-reading, but it will serve no purpose to non-sentients.” Holding his right hand out towards one of the pups, Hephaestion approached it. The pup raised its head in hopes of being petted.
Hephaestion held the hound from its chin and placed his other hand on its head. The curious yellow-eyed beast eyed him with a confused look, tilting its head slightly as its eyes wandered. As soon as Hephaestion started humming a chant, the hound’s tail started moving from right to left, eyes fixated on its holder’s shut ones.
The chant was brought to a sudden stop and accompanied by an overly enthusiastic stare from the philosopher. “Impossible!” he said. The Parthan’s voice trembled with excitement and disbelief at what he had discovered. He revealed, “He is a bearer, a Watcher.”
Surprised by the discovery, the other Parthans cocked their heads towards the hounds. To Ganis, the look on their faces resembled that of newborns witnessing an object for the first time.
“Thank you Pax for your gift of life.” Eirene prayed, looking at the stars decorating the clear skies above them. The priestess’ gesture was repeated by the other servants of Pax. Once a brief moment of silence followed their sacred words, she continued, “Perhaps we can teach them how to speak. I know of chants that could grant poorborns with senses stripped from them.”
“Medical runes?” Hephaestion asked.
“Indeed. Perhaps you can grant them speech.”
He contemplated the thought for a moment. “That might be worth an attempt. Tell me the chant and I will study it, but first I need to check the others.” Hephaestion continued to test the two remaining hounds.
Remembering the fruits she had plucked earlier, Ganis said to Ninazu, “I found these while hunting. Are they edible?” She produced the fruit from a leather pouch she carried.
He stood up from his cross-legged seating position and approached Ganis. Grabbing one of the soft fruits, he carefully observed it while gently squeezing it. Ninazu then bit into the fruit and chewed it. Shocked by the brevity of his examination, Ganis said, “Are you insane! You have no idea if it’s poisonous or not.”
Ninazu continued to casually chew the juicy fruit while he looked at Ganis with a faint smile. Once he had finished chewing, soiling his thick black beard, he said, “Your body is not the only one resistant to such things.” He then turned around and raised the bitten fruit while announcing, “They’re safe to eat.”
As Thalia skinned the boar and prepared to roast it, the others indulged in the sweet fruits Ganis brought. Hephaestion finished reading the other two hounds and reported that they too were Watchers. The new discovery raised the Parthans’ mood. The occasional mention of Pertinax was followed by a few moments of silence, but they would quickly recover and continue engaging in random idle conversation.
7
After spending a few days contemplating the carving for the three Watcher hounds, Hephaestion managed to devise a rune that was, at least, con
ceptually sound. It was unusual for carvers to attempt new runes with so little studying, but their entire situation was fittingly unusual.
Well-read scholars, Hephaestion knew, were capable of identifying, to some degree of accuracy, the effects of etchings based on the chants hummed during the process. Rune-carving, after all, was an invention of the Elder and it was only rediscovered by the inhabitants of Nosgard ten generations ago.
Hephaestion slowed his pace to match Eirene’s. Once he marched beside her, he said, “Do you think this carving would work?” the captain knelt down on one knee and, using his dagger, drew his hypothesized rune on a bare patch of ground amidst the snow.
Observing the geometrical shape with all its rounded edges, Eirene asked, “Where will you carve it?”
“Extending from the right ear to the throat.” He motioned his figure to where it will be using his own body to demonstrate.
“A good place for a vocal augmentation,” she noted. “Yet it doesn’t address the issue of intelligence. Perhaps their minds are not fitted for speech.”
“I trust that Ganis’ discovery answered this question, but there is no way we could be certain unless we try.”
“You only get to try it once. Is it worth it?”
“Dear Eirene, all discoveries are done with the risk of failure considered, and often deemed worth taking.”
Overhearing the conversation, Monolos approached the two. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
“We burn the slot and forever lose it.”
“And the hound remains unhindered?”
“Unhindered and unimproved,” Hephaestion said. At his words Monolos relaxed.
“Then you have three attempts.” Monolos eyed the pups and pointed at one. “Start with Yellow-Eyes first. He’s the lucky one.”
Having received the blessing of the caretaker and the priestess’ opinion, Hephaestion proceeded with the ritual. Before he could tattoo the designated area, Hephaestion had to shave it clean. The pup did not struggle, but the gesture was not appreciated.
The Parthan then clutched his right hand and extended two fingers towards Yellow-Eyes. Hephaestion’s breath grew steady and deep as he focused on the chant. Not being accustomed to the ritual, it took him an alarmingly long period of time to complete it; long enough for Ganis to worry.
Monolos held his breath while warily observing Yellow-Eyes getting his marking. A yellow light carefully crawled its way from the scholar’s finger tips and into the beast’s skin, pulsing from beneath. The light made its way towards Yellow-Eyes’ left ear as it fashioned the illustration which Hephaestion had made on the ground earlier. An artist working.
Once the carving was complete, the marking glowed with a steady resonating pulse.
Exhausted from the massive focus and mental stress required, Hephaestion collapsed. The Parthan exaggerated the effects the ritual had on his body. More than to rest, he wanted to lie down and stare at the cloudy sky for a moment. The others let him be.
Monolos looked at the Watcher hound’s eyes while gently holding its head upward. “Can you speak, friend?”
The pup attempted speech, but a distorted version of the word ‘friend’ was all it could say. It was a sign of a small measure of success, or perhaps coincidence. The carving had worked, to some extent, yet it remained to see just how well it did.
“It takes a few hours to be able to use one’s carving. I expect it to take just as much, if not longer, with the hounds. We will camp here for the day and observe Yellow-Eyes carefully. If it…he shows more improvement, then we repeat the ritual with the others.” Hephaestion continued to lie on the soft ground, chest expanding with slow, deep breaths.
The order was given and the day’s march was concluded early. The Parthans went on with their duties to set the camp, each knowing precisely what to do, and periodically returned to check on Yellow-Eyes.
As time passed, and the pup practiced his new skill, the Parthans’ spirits rose. Yellow-Eyes’ many attempts did eventually succeed, but at the cost of gaining much ridicule as he mispronounced words he had never spoken.
The veil of Pertinax’s death was lifted.
8
As night crawled deeper into the sky, the Parthans eased into their sleep, with Ganis on duty to ensure the night would pass without incident; and to wake them up should something occur.
Ganis was resting on a lone leafless tree struggling to survive amidst the snow when she heard a feint sound emanating from a distance. Alarmed, she stood in a rush and went to investigate. The sounds guided her into the bushes, where small things crawled.
Casually walking, sensing no imminent threat, towards the snow-covered shrubs, Ganis picked up a feint steady sound - two small racing hearts. A late night snack, she thought. With unnatural speed, she ran towards the source and leaped above it, declaring herself to the intruders.
She never expected to find two orphans from Hearthdale in this part of the continent. She eased her stance and stood straight. “You could have gotten yourselves killed.” She eyed them wearily, making certain they were uninjured. When she was satisfied by their wellness, she asked, “Why have you followed us?”
Shaking from cold and fear, the two children could produce no response, no matter how hard they tried. Realizing their susceptibility to the elements, a feeling she herself had forgotten, Ganis quickly engulfed them in her cold arms and carried them towards the camp, leaving them by the weakening fire too far ignored. She removed her warm black cloak and covered the children with it, making them snuggle together even more tightly. Keeping her distance from the two guests, Ganis fed the fire back to life.
Amidst the commotion of a strengthening fire and the scurrying of feet, the Parthans awoke. In a few short moments they were completely alert and ready. Battling fatigue and exhaustion, they forced themselves into an early day.
“What are you doing here, children?” Eirene asked, softly yet firmly.
The children offered no response. They simply looked at Eirene, too scared to talk, and huddled even closer to one another.
“Explain yourselves,” Eirene repeated. “Why have you ventured so far from home?”
“We wanted to be close to you, Eirene,” the young and fragile boy responded. His yellow hair reflected the gentle rays of moonlight. Ganis clearly saw the sky-blue color of the boy’s eyes and admired them for a moment - an innocence lost to most adults. How hungry she grew at the sight of these children.
“Stupid children!” Sigurd blurted.
He cares, Ganis thought.
Eirene directed a judgmental gaze upon him and held it for a moment, as if intending to say that it was not proper of him. She then turned towards the children and knelt down, releasing a gentle smile matching her face, and said, “You must be exhausted. Rest. We will continue our little conversation when you wake up.” She leaned down and kissed them on the forehead, girl first.
Eirene’s declaration relieved the Parthans. They would rest a little more before carrying forth. Hephaestion did not approve, but he acknowledged that they would need all the strength they could muster and held his tongue, as Sigurd did once realizing the decision was final. Now that they traveled with children, for Eirene would make certain they are well taken care of, the Parthans would not be able to manage the pace they previously held.
Given the opportunity, the Parthans quickly returned to a light sleep, salvaging whatever they could from their abrupt and early awakening.
Ganis returned to her duty and slowly distanced herself from the children. She had grown hungry during the night. She returned to her tree and pondered at the stars while they slowly dimmed against the shine of an invading sun.
Somehow, she thought, the Ona keeps growing. It started with Eos, then the Watchers, and now the children. I wonder what we’ll face next.
9
They reached the beacon, a lighthouse at the southern edge of the continent. At first, the travelers were excited to finally see their target, but the thrill
quickly subsided once realization struck. It was an ancient and abandoned structure – not even fit to safely house anyone. Hephaestion’s questions would not be answered, at least not all of them.
Refusing to believe that the crumbling tower standing ahead was what he had sought - the key to so many mysteries - Hephaestion dropped his luggage and rushed into the structure in spite of Thalia’s attempts to stop him. “This cannot be it!” he cried, running towards the tower as fast as he could.
The beacon was larger and taller than any structure the Parthans had seen in Utyirth. It was also the oldest one. Vines crawled to the top of the tower as they caressed the corroded grey stone marked by time.
Worried, Ganis followed Hephaestion into the beacon, rushing as he did. Confident in her abilities, the others did not object.
She casually walked into the tower, scanning it as best as she could while keeping her pace matching Hephaestion’s. The arched entrance had been built for beings far larger than humans, yet it was not old enough to be meant for the Elder, the first sentients who roamed the lands far before any other notable sentient creature ever existed. The size of the gateway left Ganis puzzled. She followed Hephaestion, making her way to the top of the tall structure, plants and dangling vines brushing against her.
Overwhelming dense vegetation claimed the walls and most of what remained from the stone floor. A clear path of stairs covered with greenery led Ganis to the top. Broken branches and footprints marked Hephaestion’s way. He would have to stop at some point.
As Ganis stepped on the stairs, she noticed that while some stone tiles were missing, they had been reinforced and occasionally replaced by wooden supports. For a time, at least, the building was tended to. After testing the ground, she judged it sturdy enough to carry her weight without incident.
Although the beacon was the tallest structure they had seen in these uncharted lands, its height extended for no more than five tiers, making it unimpressive by Nosgardian standards. Following the spiraling green steps to the top, Ganis discovered that the purpose of the structure was simply to lead to a higher vantage point enabling a wishing man to see some distance into the sea.
The structure had survived as long as it did because it was meant to withstand the test of time. It was build to last. No unnecessary aesthetic gaps between the stones made it strong, and the avoidance of supporting wood made it sturdy. It had nothing more than what was needed to give it height.
By the end of the dark stairway, Ganis saw a ray of light escaping from an opened hatch above her. Sunrays struck her face as she approached her destination, which felt to her far further than it actually was. Stepping through the doorway and into the light of day revealed Hephaestion staring at the ocean ahead, his spirits drained from hope. He rested his hands on a vine-covered stone pillar supporting a shabby roof atop the terrace.
“I had such high hopes for this beacon. I was certain it would give me answers; answers that would guide us on this quest. Perhaps even a clue about our past.”
“It does give answers, as does everything. Maybe you didn’t ask the right questions.”
“The right questions?” He released a brief chirp - it was a fake one poorly masking his disappointment.
“Eos was right. We are now close to the Highborns’ lands. It is time to start making the allies that we need to fight whatever army Naa’tas has raised.”
Hephaestion turned to face Ganis. “What makes you so certain that Naa’tas has an army? What makes you so certain that he has survived the journey? Is it not possible that the reason we can find no trace of him is because there is none?”
“Men like Naa’tas, captain, do not simply die. When they perish the world knows it. We also know that his goal is to bring the Empire to its knees. The only way that Naa’tas can achieve his goal is to build an army and invade Nosgard, and the only way his threat can be brought to an end is by making certain that his head and shoulders are well apart. Naa’tas will not die unless we kill him. The Emperor hopes that we capture him alive, but I tell you it won’t be an option.”
Hephaestion stood in silence for a moment, thinking about what Ganis had just said. “Your words ring true.” He looked at the calm ocean then back at Ganis. “They always rang as such. I kept making wrong decisions ever since I assumed command. We should have tried to save Pertinax. It was a mistake to respect his last wishes.”
Ganis nodded, and then reached out to indicate it was time to return.
They descended, returning to their Ona and leaving the tower, Hephaestion’s supposed salvation, behind. The beacon did offer them answers, but to questions they had not asked. Ganis was right.
Two orphans and three hounds stronger, the Parthans made way north to Scandur, homeland of Eos and the Highborn.
Ganis and Eos discussed ways to convince the Highborn that the Midland villages were their worthy of their respect and aid - and that without them they would be doomed to the encroaching forces of the northerners.
It would not be easy task to accomplish, yet it was a necessary one, which grew in necessity as time passed. Alone, neither the Highborn nor the Midland villages would survive the inevitable onslaught. The Highborn were too few and the villages were too weak.