Millennial Mage

Tala was able to mostly pull herself back together by the time that they reached the main audience hall, where Sanguis sat in his chair, listening to reports and directing the after-battle clean up.

From the snatches Tala had heard and processed on the relatively short walk, the two attacking Houses had been driven back with massive casualties. The House of Blood had lost some soldiers, but far fewer than the Houses of the Rising Sun and Acidic Tide.

When the group loosely surrounding Tala entered the audience chamber, a hush fell over those present.

Sanguis stood, meeting his Eskau’s gaze. “Pillar Be-thric?”

“Dead, it looked like a Pillar of the House of the Acidic Tide managed to plant a working within his flesh before she was overcome.”

The Pillar of the House of Blood cursed. “Why is her mouth bound?”

Tala, for her part, sat in a chair that was off to one side, without being out of the way. She moved carefully, being sure not to make sudden movements as well as allowing the guards and others to keep a healthy distance as she took her seat.

She felt exhausted, and she just wanted to be alone in her grief.

Mostly, though, she just felt numb.

Sanguis’s eyes flicked to Tala. As he took in the large gap left around her, they widened.

Pallaun nodded. “Her collar was triggered, though the pieces have evidence of both void and acidic magics throughout their structure. My belief is that that shouldn’t have been enough to trigger the device.”

Sanguis growled. “But you said the Acidic Tide Pillar is dead?”

His Eskau nodded. “Her Eskau as well.”

“That’s something at least.” He huffed a laugh. “More than something. That makes six Eskau and Pillars of those two Houses lost, and we only lost one.”

Meallain growled.

Sanguis held up his hands. “Be-thric was a loss, and a frustrating one at that. His death hurts our House incredibly, but our two brazen adversaries have paid a phenomenally high price for their attack.”

That seemed to mollify the elf, if just barely.

“Clear the room, save Eskau, adjuncts, and myself.”

Everyone else departed, and the doors were closed after them.

Sanguis had four adjuncts with him at the moment. That was either the privilege or burden of being head Pillar for this city. He had more to manage, so he had more adjuncts to help with the management.

Gallof was there as well, and Thron stayed as befit his station.

All told, there were ten of them remaining in the room, including Tala.

Sanguis returned to his seat. “First, we address the unpleasantness in the room.”

Thron and Gallof stepped forward and knelt, speaking as one, in a clearly ceremonial fashion. “We swore our lives in service of a Pillar of the House of Blood, and he has passed to the next world. Our service is at an end.”

Tala’s eyes widened. What?

She felt an odd moment of disjointment as she waited for agreement that would never come.

Tears returned to her eyes. Oh, Alat. I’m so, so sorry. If I’d been faster…

Meallain glanced her way, eyes softening slightly before she refocused on the Pillar.

Sanguis grimaced. “By right, tradition, and law, you are each given a choice: Simple, quick death to bring honor to your family within the House of Blood and to elevate their position, or exile for yourself and your family.”

Gallof spoke first. “I choose death, that my kith and kin would be allowed to serve and rise through the House of Blood.”

Sanguis nodded. “Let it be so. Once the other matters are settled, it will be done. Your service was honorable; may you depart our House with honor.”

“Thank you, Pillar Sanguis.”

The Pillar turned to Thron. “And you?”

“I’ve no family in the House of Blood, Pillar. I am grateful to the House of Blood and would part ways without enmity.”

Tala blinked. He was a slave, and if he had never served Be-thric and me, he’d have remained a slave to Gallof. This is an absolute win for him.

She hesitated, considering, the slow gears of her unenhanced mind struggling to continue the thought. Though his position as adjunct was arguably better than whatever he’ll have after exile.

Yet again, she felt the odd sinking feeling of expecting a familiar voice to chime in, before remembering that that voice was gone. Alat is gone…

Tala had hope that she could get Alat back soon, but that didn’t fill the void that was present in the moment, nor quell the fear that she would die before Alat could be restored.

Sanguis nodded once again. “Your service was honorable; may you depart our House with honor.”

Gallof looked to Thron and smiled consolingly. “Thank you for your service, my friend.”

Thron smiled sadly in return. “Thank you for pulling me from the mines.”

There was a moment of silence before Sanguis sighed and looked to Pallaun. “Now, my Eskau, what is to be done with Eskau Tali?”

The obsidian man frowned. “That depends on the circumstances of Be-thric’s demise, my Pillar.”

Thron cleared his throat. “Begging your pardon, Eskau, Pillar.”

Sanguis raised an imperious eyebrow. “Yes?”

“As I am still an adjunct to an Eskau of the House of Blood until this matter is settled, I wish to speak.”

“I will listen.”

“I see no advantage to the House of Blood in determining Eskau Tali’s accountability or innocence in the death of her Pillar.”

Meallain nodded. “I agree, but I would hear his reasoning.”

Sanguis looked between them. “As you say, go on.”

Thron cleared his throat. “If she were to be found guilty, the House of Blood would be forced to execute her. That would require a fine be paid to the City Lord, and doing so would show weakness to the other Houses.”

The Pillar nodded slowly. “Yes, being forced to execute Eskau Tali would be…less than ideal.”

“And if she were to be found innocent, then we would be forced into two, far worse options. One, the collar failed in some manner, and we would need to pursue action against the City Lord that we can ill afford at this time. Two, we decide that our own Pillar Be-thric made an error in his last moments, and killed the very woman who had brought so much honor to our House and to him in particular.”

Sanguis was frowning. “That is…true.”

The Pillar looked troubled.

“What say you, Eskau Meallain.”

Meallain cleared her throat, tears still in her eyes. “I mourn Be’s death. But if Eskau Tali is responsible, I have no hope of revenge. She was created by Be-thric, against the will of the council, and her actions are, therefore, on him.”

Tala’s eyes snapped wide, and she looked to Meallain with confusion. She’s just going to say it? Just like that?

Thron had stiffened, and his head jerked as he tried to look at everyone at once.

Ahh, so he didn’t know.

But the elf wasn’t done, “I choose, instead, to lay his death at the feet of the Houses Rising Sun and Acidic Tide. I will be taking my solace in their fall or at least in their decimation locally. Too long have the other Houses looked down upon us, and too long has our founding family been whittled away. Now? Now, the last drop of that family’s blood has fallen. Be it my last act in Zeme, I will avenge them upon our enemies.”

Sanguis leaned back. “And how does my Eskau view these matters?”

Pallaun looked to Tala, grimacing. “The dasgannach infects her. Her survival is some quirk or oddity, and cannot continue for long. No one survives. That is the guarantee of the City Lord.” He gave a rueful smile at that. “If she were to survive, we would, once again, be in the position of having to bring action against him whom we cannot afford to oppose at this time. Treat her as dead. Consider the matter closed.”

The Pillar looked to Meallain. “You’ve trained her most recently. Does she have knowledge of the Doman-Imithe?”

The elf shook her head. “I have given her basic lessons in its nature, but she has never learned how to enter or leave. Her inscriptions are lost, and without them her magic is insufficient to do naught but die in the broken world.”

“Then, it is settled. She will be placed in the Doman-Imithe, like all gated human dead, per common law.”

Gallof spoke. “If that matter is settled, I request Eskau Pallaun perform my execution.”

Sanguis glanced to his Eskau before nodding. “Granted.”

Tala didn’t see Pallaun move, nor did she see Gallof die.

I hate being without my enhancements. The world seemed lifeless, and it felt like a cloth sack had been pulled over her head. It was comparatively hard to see and hear, and processing what she did perceive was difficult in the extreme.

Honestly, she’d barely followed what had been said.

Though, I would remain uninscripted and lesser, forever, if I could have Alat back… More tears built in her eyes. She knew she wasn’t being rational at the moment, but she was experiencing heavy emotional whiplash.

Blessedly, if she got Alat back, she’d have everything back, but she had a hard time focusing on that.

Even as she began to spiral once again, she felt an odd…pressure, reaching towards the magically worked steel band that sealed her mouth.

She shuddered, her attention violently drawn to the dasgannach within her. As before, her mind interpreted the instincts and intentions of the thing.

MINE?

It clearly didn’t have an intellect.

It could sense the iron within the steel, but there was no clean path to the metal.

As good as the seal was and as tightly as the metal was pulled against her flesh, there was still a layer of magic around the device that prevented direct contact with her skin, thus preventing the dasgannach from claiming it.

It clearly wanted to, but it would have to abandon her to do so, and it was unwilling to do that while some of her iron remained unclaimed.

That…that is a bit terrifying, actually.

Tala finally realized that people were speaking again, partway through the new conversation.

Sanguis was nodding again. “That is an excellent point. It would be the height of dishonor to strip an Eskau of our House of that which was bestowed upon her, when she has not been convicted of a crime.”

So, they don’t want to rob me?

One of his adjuncts looked incredibly pleased, but another opened their mouth in clear frustration.

Before they could speak, however, Sanguis raised a hand. “That said, we would be fools to waste those resources. The solution is obvious.”

Pallaun nodded. “Someone will watch over her in the Doman-Imithe, and bring back her equipment after she dies. An Eskau is the best choice for this role.”

She sighed internally. Ah, they won’t rob me, but they’re happy to take things from my corpse.

She honestly couldn’t blame them. In truth, she was a bit surprised. She’d have expected them to demand the disgorgement of all of Kit’s contents then and there, but she’d apparently misjudged them.

Meallain tsked. “I will not spend my time thus. As soon as this matter is settled, I intend to purge Platoiri of two Houses. If I am not sated, I will purge Tralnor and Yendith of those Houses as well. We will see how I feel at that time.”

The obsidian Eskau frowned. “Meallain, the other Houses are not children. Do not kill yourself on their blades in the name of revenge.”

She growled. “Fine.” She took a great breath. “Once this city is purged, I will bend Eskau De-arg to aid me. Half a century of promised solitude should be sufficient to secure his assistance.”

Pallaun didn’t look happy, but he nodded nonetheless. “He would suffice, or you could call upon the Reserve.”

Meallain hesitated. “They…they might be the better choice. Thank you for your wisdom, Blessed Pallaun.”

Sanguis cleared his throat. “While I am glad to know that we will not be losing another Eskau in the near future, the problem remains. I will not be without Pallaun in times such as these.”

The Pillar frowned, clearly thinking.

Tala had no idea what to do. I can’t go to the Doman-Imithe. Certainly not under guard. I need to find a way to get this thing out of me!

Still, she wasn’t fool enough to interrupt. If she were them, she’d execute her and be done with it. That wasn’t confusing at all.

In any case, she didn’t want to tip them towards that seemingly sensible course of action.

Sanguis looked up, considering Thron. “Thorn. Would you do us one last service?”

“Pillar Sanguis?”

“If you escort Eskau Tali into the Doman-Imithe, and watch over her until her final breath, securing her gear after the dasgannach has left her and perished, then we will grant you resources with which to start your new life, outside the House of Blood.”

Thron paled. “Revered Pillar. I do not have the ability to enter or leave the Doman-Imithe.”

“Of course you do not. We will place the two of you there, and all you must do is survive and be recovered. Items not near a sapient in the Doman-Imithe do not endure long, else we would simply recover them later.”

“How long would I need to endure in that place?”

“Three…no, four days to be safe?”

“I could die in that time.”

“You could, it is a risk, but we are willing to pay you for that risk.”

“If I succeed.” His tone was flat, clearly not pleased with the proposal.

“Of course, no job pays before the work is done.”

Thron glanced towards Tala seeming to consider something. Finally, he turned back towards Sanguis, grimacing. “I…I will do this, but I want the right to claim any one item from her Sanctum in addition to all other rewards, and I want assurances that my claim will be uncontested.”

He wants the concept sword. Clever.

Sanguis hesitated for only a moment before smiling. “Granted.”

He’d clearly decided that whatever trinket or treasure Thron wanted, it was a worthy price to pay.

More the fool, him. She felt like giving Thron a congratulatory pat on the back, if his fortune wouldn’t come about only after her death.

The dwarf and the Pillar discussed the actual amount and contents of the reward for a short time before they came to an agreement.

One of Sanguis’s adjuncts drew up the contract, and the Pillar and Thron each bound their power to the document. Pallaun and Meallain did likewise, acting as witnesses and additional weight behind the agreement.

“And so, it is done.”

Meallain clapped her hands, blood still splattered across her face and armor. “Am I needed?”

“Only for one last thing.” Sanguis gestured and another adjunct came forward. “We must all sign and attest to this. I will see that it is delivered to the City Lord.”

The Pillar, Eskau, and adjuncts all wove their magic into the simple document.

Then, one of the adjuncts received orders from Sanguis and departed with the paper in hand.

Tala barely caught a glimpse of it as it passed, and only its incredibly simple, large print made her able to see what it said, ‘Eskau Tali’s collar was triggered, and her body is to be deposited into the Doman-Imithe within the hour.’

Simple, to the point, and utterly true.

Clever.

Alat was not there to comment.

Meallain stopped near where Tala sat. “I am sorry things are ending this way, Tali. I’d have liked to have met you before…”

Tala frowned in confusion. What?

The elf shook her head. “But that was not meant to be. May your soul find peace.”

Without another word, the elf departed. Only then did Tala’s seemingly glacially slow mind provide answers. She was saying that she wished she could have met me before Be-thric mind-wiped me.

Tala had no idea how to process that, not really.

Sanguis was talking again. “Pallaun, Thorn, please see it done. Thorn, we will see you again in a few days.”

Thron bowed. “As you say, Pillar Sanguis. It was an honor to serve.”

Pallaun approached Tala. “Will you need to be led, or can you follow?”

Tala sighed, exhaling a puff through her nose, then she tiredly pointed at the band.

“Ahh, yes. That should no longer be needed, but I advise you to only speak when spoken to. Do you understand?”

She nodded.

He snapped, and the magics deactivated around the band.

At that moment, a fascinating, and horrifying, thing happened.

Tala felt the authority of the dasgannach reach out through her now direct skin-contact with the steel and seize all the iron with the device in an instant.

That action had no outward consequences, but as the band expanded, opening to fall away, Tala once again heard the screech of intent and instinct translated through her mind.

NO! MINE!

The collar puffed to dust, the carbon, and other elements falling free. The iron being jerked backward to pull hard against her skin, where it melded with the iron paint already covering her.

Everyone in the room froze.

“What was that?” Sanguis had only seen what happened out of the corner of his eyes.

Pallaun frowned, taking a step back. “The dasgannach claimed and retained the iron from within the band of restriction.”

The Pillar stood, walking to stand by his Eskau. “That should not be possible.”

“I concur, but these creatures were designed to exceed their own existence and then to die.” The obsidian man scratched his chin. “We need to get her into the Doman-Imithe, now. If it has mutated somehow, we do not want it loose within our hold.”

“Wait, wait!” Thron caught their attention. “I don’t want to be near it, if it’s acting unexpectedly.”

Sanguis glared for a brief moment, then sighed. “I can understand that, Elder dwarf. If you wish to simply depart, we will not stop you.”

Thron hesitated at that, seeming almost to shift from foot to foot, clearly weighing the danger with the suddenly increased potential risk. Finally, he shook his head. “No. I will do as you have asked.”

It seems that a chance at a concept sword lessens the fear from many potential dangers.

Palluan grunted. “Then, we must hurry, before things deviate beyond our understanding once again.”