The Imperial System: Architect of an Empire

Bram refused to call it an excavation.

Excavations, according to him, were what scholars did when they wanted to ruin perfectly good soil.

What Blackwood was doing in the southern field was lifting dirt carefully and putting it back where it belonged.

Tavian Merrow disagreed.

Loudly.

It is an excavation.

Bram drove his shovel into the earth.

You’re digging through my field.

Yes.

Then it is field work.

Hugo Stone looked between them.

I don’t think either of you is going to win this.

Kael stood at the edge of the marked trench with Sir Darius beside him.

They had been arguing for eleven minutes.

Darius looked toward Kael.

You brought me here for this?

I brought you because Tavian insisted the underground line might be active.

You could have said that first.

I thought the argument would end.

Darius looked at Bram and Tavian.

Why?

Fair.

The southern experimental field had been closed since the discovery that the Earth-infused crops were drawing energy from one of the ancient channels beneath Blackwood.

Unlike the western cave or Redpine Ridge, however, no purple corruption had been detected here.

That made it more dangerous in a different way.

People became careless around things that appeared helpful.

Kael had no intention of discovering three months from now that Blackwood had been feeding its villagers glowing wheat that slowly turned their bones into stone.

Bram hated that example.

Tavian had admitted it was technically possible.

That had not improved Bram’s mood.

Six Black Dragon soldiers worked around the trench under Damien Ravenmoor’s command.

Not because Kael expected an attack.

Because Darius had insisted nobody touched an unknown ancient structure without a security detail.

Damien stood near the northern edge watching both the workers and the tree line.

Leon Ashford was with him.

Marcus Wintermere carried dirt.

He considered this beneath him.

Darius considered that educational.

Victor Ravenshade had volunteered to help until he learned helping included labor.

Now he was carrying stones.

Iris Hollow sat on a fence post with a strip of dried meat.

Victor looked at her.

You could assist.

I’m tracking.

What?

Productivity.

Victor dropped another stone into the pile.

And?

Low.

Marcus laughed.

Victor turned.

You are carrying dirt.

At least I knew I was coming here to work.

Kael watched them.

The Black Dragon was beginning to sound less like a military unit and more like a family forced to repair the same roof.

He wasn’t certain whether that was good.

Darius apparently was.

He made no effort to silence them.

Hugo reached stone first.

His shovel struck something with a different sound.

Not rock.

Too clean.

Everyone nearby stopped.

Hugo crouched.

Here.

Tavian nearly stepped into the trench.

Damien caught the back of his robe.

Wait.

Tavian looked over his shoulder.

I’m the one studying it.

You’re the one who tried to put your face six inches from corrupted glass.

That was once.

Hugo looked up.

Three times.

Tavian stared at him.

I regret giving you access to my notes.

Damien released him only when Hugo had cleared enough soil.

A smooth black surface appeared.

Not the purple-black crystal from the western chamber.

This was stone.

Dark gray with faint pale veins running through it.

Kael climbed down.

Darius immediately followed.

Of course.

Kael looked at him.

I’m not touching it.

You said that before touching the Sanctum disk.

I didn’t touch the Sanctum disk.

Because I stopped you.

Kael sighed.

Tavian lowered himself carefully into the trench.

Hugo brushed away the remaining dirt.

The buried object was not a pipe.

At least not in any shape Kael recognized.

It was a long rectangular channel, perhaps two feet wide, made of fitted stone sections so precise the seams were nearly invisible.

Thin symbols ran along its upper face.

Kael recognized none of them.

Tavian did.

Not the meaning.

The style.

Same script family.

As the western ruin?

Yes.

Redpine too.

Kael looked toward the field.

Then this definitely belongs to the same network.

Tavian nodded.

Hugo ran one gloved finger close to the stone without touching it.

No damage.

No cracking.

No purple growth.

Darius looked toward Kael.

Light.

Tavian immediately raised one hand.

Low output.

Kael stared at him.

I know.

Everyone keeps saying that.

Because you keep needing to hear it.

Kael summoned a small amount of Light.

White-gold illumination spread across his palm.

The buried channel reacted instantly.

Not violently.

The pale veins inside the stone brightened.

Bram, watching from above, leaned over.

That wasn’t doing that before.

No.

Tavian’s instrument began clicking.

Hugo looked at the crop roots still embedded in surrounding soil.

The roots moved.

Kael looked.

Not much.

Several thin roots slowly turned toward the channel.

Bram climbed down without permission.

Darius looked at him.

Bram.

I grow things here.

Sir Darius.

That apparently settled the matter in Bram’s mind.

He knelt beside the exposed roots.

They’re following it.

Mana attraction?

Tavian asked.

Bram shook his head.

Plants don’t think about mana the way mages do.

Tavian looked offended.

I didn’t say they thought.

Bram ignored him.

They grow toward water.

Light.

Good soil.

Whatever is coming from this stone, they want it.

Kael reduced his Light.

The channel dimmed.

The roots stopped moving.

Tavian’s expression changed.

Again.

Kael increased the Light slightly.

The channel brightened.

The roots moved.

Hugo looked toward Tavian.

It’s not just active.

It responds.

Tavian nodded slowly.

To Kael.

Darius’s eyes narrowed.

Or to Light.

Tavian looked toward him.

Important distinction.

Kael extinguished his magic.

The channel remained faintly illuminated for several seconds.

Then gradually returned to darkness.

Bram touched the soil beside it.

Not the stone.

The soil.

His fingers closed around a clump.

Earth mana is stronger now.

Tavian immediately tested it.

The instrument clicked faster.

He stared.

It increased.

By how much?

Kael asked.

Tavian recalibrated.

Approximately eleven percent compared with this morning’s reading.

Bram grinned.

Kael did not.

Tavian saw it.

You’re not pleased.

I am.

You don’t look pleased.

Because useful ancient machinery beneath my farms is still ancient machinery beneath my farms.

Darius nodded.

Correct attitude.

Bram frowned at both of them.

The crops are healthy.

So far.

There it was again.

Bram looked toward the exposed stone.

Then toward his field.

You people could find gold under a chicken and worry about whether the chicken was cursed.

Tavian answered.

If the gold was glowing, yes.

They did not open the channel.

That surprised Tavian.

It pleased Darius.

Hugo proposed exposing ten more feet of it instead.

Kael agreed.

The workers expanded the trench along the buried line.

What emerged changed the shape of the problem.

Every twelve feet, the channel widened into a circular stone plate beneath the soil.

Each plate contained a different carved pattern.

Tavian sketched all of them.

The third plate caused him to stop.

Hugo looked over his shoulder.

What?

Tavian did not answer.

Kael noticed.

What did you find?

Tavian pointed.

This symbol.

Kael saw a simple branching design.

Three lines spreading outward from one center.

You’ve seen it?

Not exactly.

Tavian pulled a folded copy of the pale metal diagram recovered from the western cave.

He placed it beside the carving.

The same branching shape appeared on the ancient network map.

Darius stepped closer.

Distribution junction.

That’s what I thought before.

Tavian tapped the symbol.

But now we have a functioning example.

Kael looked down the buried channel.

Meaning this line is distributing something into the soil.

Yes.

Earth mana?

Maybe more than that.

Bram frowned.

What else?

Tavian looked toward the crops.

Growth.

Kael waited.

Tavian hated being rushed.

Kael rushed him anyway.

Explain.

The ancient network may not have been designed to move one kind of energy.

The western structure had Light-compatible conduits.

The corrupted central crystal stores or channels foreign purple energy.

This line is increasing Earth saturation.

Tavian looked at the map.

What if the network was adaptive?

Hugo understood first.

It carried what the region needed.

Tavian nodded.

Water-aligned energy near wells.

Earth through farmland.

Light through defensive or purification structures.

Perhaps heat in colder regions.

Kael looked at Darius.

That would make this much larger than a weapon.

Darius’s expression remained guarded.

If Tavian is right.

Tavian looked irritated.

I am aware that words need evidence.

Good.

You have trained him well.

Kael looked at Darius.

Darius gave no response.

Bram stared at the channel with an entirely different expression now.

Not fear.

Recognition.

Like a farmer seeing an ancient irrigation ditch.

People built this to help land.

Tavian answered carefully.

Possibly.

Bram pointed at him.

Don’t ruin the moment.

Sir Corren Valehart arrived while Marcus was ankle-deep in mud.

The Imperial knight stopped at the edge of the field.

Tomas Pell stood behind him carrying his writing case.

Corren looked at Marcus.

Wintermere.

Sir.

What are you doing?

Marcus lifted a basket of soil.

Learning humility.

Corren looked toward Darius.

Darius nodded once.

Excellent training.

Marcus muttered something.

Darius looked over.

Nothing, Sir.

Sir Corren descended toward the trench.

Tomas remained above until Corren looked back.

Well?

Tomas blinked.

Sir?

Are you planning to become a knight from there?

The squire immediately climbed down.

Kael smiled.

Corren noticed.

You asked yesterday what squires do.

Apparently they fall into holes after their knights.

Tomas landed beside them.

Preferably with dignity, my lord.

Good recovery.

Corren looked at the exposed channel.

This is the ancient structure?

One of them.

Corren’s expression became more serious.

Safe?

Kael answered.

Unknown.

Then why are we standing beside it?

Tavian looked pleased.

Finally, someone sensible.

Kael stared at him.

You are standing closest.

Research requires sacrifice.

Darius spoke.

Not yours, apparently.

Hugo coughed.

Again suspiciously close to laughter.

Sir Corren crouched without touching the stone.

What does it do?

Kael explained.

Corren listened.

No interruption.

When Kael finished, the knight looked toward the field.

And this is inside Blackwood territory.

Yes.

How far from the manor?

Approximately four miles south.

Corren stood.

General Hector will want this included in my report.

Kael’s expression cooled.

Must it be?

Yes.

That was immediate.

Kael looked at Darius.

Darius gave him no rescue.

Sir Corren continued.

I am not an agent sent to steal your discoveries.

But an unknown ancient magical network beneath Imperial territory is relevant to Imperial security.

Kael crossed his arms.

Blackwood is Imperial territory under my administration.

Correct.

Then shouldn’t I investigate it first before Aurelia sends half the College here?

Corren’s mouth tightened.

That is a reasonable concern.

Tavian spoke from the trench.

The Imperial College is not touching this.

Corren looked at him.

You are an expelled lecturer.

Correct.

Your authority to forbid the College is therefore—

Superior in spirit.

Corren stared.

Kael interrupted before Tavian began a diplomatic incident.

I don’t object to Hector knowing there is a network.

I object to details leaving Blackwood before we understand what they mean.

Corren considered.

Which details?

The exact locations.

The Light response.

The corrupted crystal’s stability.

The Sanctum connection.

Corren’s eyes sharpened at the last one.

Kael continued.

You can report that ancient structures exist and some appear functional.

No maps.

No exact measurements.

No mention that my Light activates portions of it.

Corren looked toward Darius.

Your opinion?

Kael frowned.

Why are you asking him?

Because Sir Darius is both an Imperial Shield and your First Commander.

Darius answered after several seconds.

Kael is correct.

Corren nodded slowly.

Then that is what I will report.

Kael had expected more resistance.

Corren saw it.

Neutral does not mean stupid, my lord.

If half of Aurelia learns that your magic interacts with an unknown ancient network, you will have scholars, spies, relic hunters, noble agents and probably three of your siblings sending people here before the week ends.

Kael looked toward Tavian.

He would hate that.

Tavian’s face had gone pale at the thought.

I would start setting traps.

Corren nodded.

Exactly.

Tomas looked between them.

Sir...

Corren glanced at him.

Yes?

Are knight examiners normally involved in ancient magical conspiracies?

No.

Good.

This one was becoming unusually complicated.

By afternoon, the trench had revealed thirty-six feet of intact channel.

Then it ended.

Not broken.

Not collapsed.

Ended.

Hugo brushed dirt away from a circular stone cap.

Tavian inspected it.

Terminal junction.

Bram looked confused.

Meaning?

This branch stops here.

Kael looked toward the crops.

Then where does the Earth mana go?

Tavian pointed outward.

Into the soil.

The final plate contained dozens of narrow grooves radiating in every direction.

Hugo followed one.

Stone becomes porous here.

Not physically porous.

Magically.

Tavian nodded.

Like a diffuser.

Bram stared at him.

Speak farmer.

It spreads energy through the ground.

Better.

Kael looked across the field.

How large an area?

Tavian measured.

Too early to know.

Bram answered anyway.

At least this whole field.

Tavian frowned.

Evidence?

Bram pointed.

Look at the crops.

Tavian looked.

Every Earth-infused row occupied roughly the same area around the buried terminal.

Kael smiled faintly.

Bram might not own an arcane instrument.

He understood fields.

Darius looked toward the southern boundary.

If there are more terminals like this, Blackwood’s agricultural value could increase significantly.

Kael nodded.

Eventually.

Tavian looked at him.

Eventually?

Testing first.

Tavian looked mildly proud.

I am creating a monster.

Kael ignored him.

Bram crossed his arms.

How long?

One harvest.

Bram stared.

Too long.

One harvest.

Half.

That is not how harvests work.

Exactly.

Bram looked betrayed.

Kael had learned negotiation from the best.

The first problem came before sunset.

A runner arrived from Blackwood Central carrying a sealed note.

Not military.

Guild.

Galahad Charney’s mark was pressed into the wax.

Kael opened it.

Darius watched his expression.

What?

Kael read it again.

An adventurer was caught trying to enter Redpine Ridge.

Tavian’s head snapped up.

One of ours?

Registered with the Blackwood Guild.

Rank?

F.

Kael’s expression hardened.

The restricted notice is in the hall.

Galahad knows.

What happened?

Kael continued reading.

Mara Fen spotted him leaving the northern trail with climbing rope and three empty relic sacks.

Victor laughed from the dirt pile.

An F-rank relic hunter ignored a black restriction board?

Apparently.

Iris shook her head.

Amateur.

Darius looked toward Kael.

What is the penalty?

Kael thought.

Galahad had written one.

A significant fine.

Temporary suspension.

Darius waited.

Kael knew what he was asking.

Not what was written.

What did Kael intend to enforce?

Send him back to the Guild.

Fine according to posted rule.

Thirty-day suspension from accepting quests above the central settlement patrol zone.

Sir Corren raised an eyebrow.

Why geographic restriction?

Because if he ignores danger warnings for relics, I don’t want him anywhere near ruins.

Good.

Kael looked at the letter again.

He had been operating an Adventure Guild long enough to discover something predictable.

People were idiots.

No System notification was necessary.

When they returned to the central settlement, the offender was waiting inside the Guild hall.

His name was Pellan Dorr.

Twenty-two.

Thin.

Leather armor too clean for anyone with much road experience.

His new Guild badge hung from his belt.

Kael noticed it immediately.

The badge was one of the temporary versions Galahad had issued before the permanent headquarters was finished.

Simple bronze plate.

Name.

Registration.

Provisional rank.

PELLAN DORR — F

The Guild would eventually need better ones.

Kael filed that away for later.

Not now.

Galahad stood behind the counter.

Mara Fen sat nearby.

Pellan looked miserable.

When Kael entered with Darius, he became worse.

My lord.

Kael stopped before him.

You read the Redpine notice?

Pellan hesitated.

Yes, my lord.

What did it say?

Restricted.

Anything else?

Entry prohibited without authorization.

And?

Pellan swallowed.

Danger.

Galahad folded his arms.

Remarkable memory.

Kael looked toward the empty relic sacks.

Why did you go?

Pellan looked toward the floor.

I heard there were ancient stones.

From whom?

A merchant.

Name?

Didn’t give one.

Darius’s attention changed.

Kael noticed.

What did he look like?

Pellan frowned.

Older man.

Gray beard.

Brown coat.

That’s half the merchants in the Empire.

Galahad said it.

Pellan continued.

He said relics from the site would sell for enough to skip ranks.

Kael’s expression hardened.

Guild ranks aren’t bought.

I know, my lord.

Do you?

Pellan’s face reddened.

Kael looked toward Galahad.

Your punishment.

Galahad nodded.

Fine.

Thirty-day suspension.

Restricted to settlement-zone work after reinstatement until personally reviewed.

Pellan looked up.

Thirty days?

Kael answered.

You are lucky Mara found you before whatever is beneath Redpine did.

Pellan looked ashamed.

My lord...

Kael waited.

I’m sorry.

Kael believed him.

That did not erase stupidity.

Good.

Remember being sorry before the next bad decision.

Pellan bowed.

Yes, my lord.

Galahad pointed toward a side room.

Turn in your badge.

Pellan froze.

My badge?

Suspended means suspended.

The young adventurer removed it slowly.

That hurt him more than the fine.

Kael noticed.

Good.

Guild identity was already beginning to mean something.

Galahad took the badge.

You get it back when your suspension ends.

If I decide you’ve learned.

Pellan nodded.

Then left.

Kael watched him go.

Darius spoke quietly.

Merchant.

Yes.

Galahad looked over.

You think someone intentionally sent him?

Maybe.

Kael hated himself for saying it.

Tavian was infecting him.

Mara rose.

Want me to find the merchant?

Kael looked at her.

Can you?

She shrugged.

Tracker.

Victor, entering behind them, groaned.

Please stop.

Kael almost smiled.

Do it.

Quietly.

Mara nodded.

Galahad looked toward the restricted board.

I’ll add another warning.

No.

Galahad looked at Kael.

No?

The warning is clear.

Don’t turn the board into a wall of words nobody reads.

Galahad considered.

Fair.

Kael looked toward the bronze badge still in Galahad’s hand.

When the headquarters is finished, we need better badges.

Galahad raised an eyebrow.

Now?

Later.

Kael corrected himself quickly.

Much later.

Darius looked almost proud.

Kael hated that too.

Sir Corren spent the evening interviewing Elias Thorn.

Not about combat.

About surrender.

Kael found them beneath the training awning while rain began again.

Corren sat on a bench.

Elias stood opposite.

Tomas recorded every answer.

Sir Corren asked.

You defeat a bandit in combat.

He drops his weapon and surrenders.

What do you do?

Bind him.

He killed your friend one minute earlier.

Bind him.

He laughs while you do it.

Elias’s expression did not change.

Bind him tighter.

Tomas’s pen paused.

Sir Corren almost smiled.

What if Lord Kael orders execution immediately?

Elias looked toward Kael, who had not intended to become part of the examination.

Kael remained silent.

Elias answered.

Ask whether the order is lawful.

Corren nodded.

And if Lord Kael says yes?

Elias thought.

Then I obey if the prisoner has been judged.

If not?

I refuse immediate execution.

Kael’s attention sharpened.

Corren leaned forward.

You would refuse your lord?

Yes, Sir.

Why?

The oath says judgment before vengeance.

Sir Corren looked toward Kael.

Kael nodded once.

Elias continued.

If Lord Kael gives an order that makes the oath meaningless, then swearing it meant nothing.

Sir Corren sat back.

Interesting.

Darius stood several yards away.

He had heard everything.

No expression.

But Kael remembered Darius’s own story.

His first failed Knight Examination.

The question about whether he would surrender his sword if his lord became dishonorable.

Young Darius had answered no.

Now he was preparing men who might answer differently.

Corren looked toward Elias.

One final question.

Suppose refusing Lord Kael costs you knighthood.

Elias answered immediately.

Then I wasn’t meant to be his knight.

Kael felt that one.

Not because Elias challenged him.

Because he understood.

An oath had to be stronger than ambition.

Sir Corren closed his notebook.

Good.

Elias blinked.

Sir?

That is all.

Did I pass?

Corren smiled.

You are not taking the examination today.

Elias sighed.

Victor’s voice came from nearby.

He does that.

Everyone turned.

Victor was leaning beneath the awning.

Corren looked at him.

Since you’re volunteering—

Victor immediately straightened.

I wasn’t.

Sit.

Victor closed his eyes.

I should learn silence from Elias.

Elias walked past him.

Yes.

That night, Kael returned to his study with dirt still beneath his fingernails.

He did not mind.

The map had changed again.

Not dramatically.

One new mark in the southern field.

But this mark was different.

Not purple.

Kael used green ink.

FUNCTIONAL CHANNEL — EARTH DISTRIBUTION SUSPECTED

Below it:

DO NOT DAMAGE

Tavian had added that.

Twice.

Kael looked at the larger map.

Western corrupted chamber.

Eastern ruin.

Redpine structure.

Central contaminated well line.

Southern clean terminal.

The network was not one thing anymore.

That mattered.

Destroying it blindly could poison Blackwood.

Or cripple something that had once made the land better.

Repairing it blindly could be worse.

They needed knowledge.

Which meant Tavian.

Hugo.

Bram.

The Sanctum.

Perhaps Imperial records eventually.

Too many pieces.

But for once, Kael felt the problem becoming clearer rather than larger.

Behind him, someone knocked.

Come in.

Lily entered with a sealed envelope.

Another report?

Not from Blackwood.

Kael looked up.

A courier arrived from Aurelia.

He took it.

The seal was Imperial military.

Not the Emperor’s personal seal.

Not the Registry.

A sword crossed over a crowned shield.

Darius recognized it when he entered behind Lily.

His face changed.

Kael looked at him.

You know it.

Yes.

Whose?

Darius stepped closer.

General Hector Valen.

His brother.

Kael broke the seal.

The letter was short.

Very short.

He read it once.

Then again.

Darius waited.

Kael looked up.

He’s coming to Blackwood.

Darius’s expression did not move.

When?

Nine days.

Lily looked between them.

For the Knight Examination?

Kael glanced at the final line.

No.

Sir Corren had sent his first preliminary report.

And General Hector Valen apparently had questions.

Kael handed Darius the letter.

Darius read it.

The silence lasted longer than Kael expected.

Then Kael remembered.

This was not merely a famous general coming to inspect his territory.

This was Sir Darius Valen’s older brother.

A man who had remained inside the Imperial military establishment while Darius had chosen Kael.

Kael leaned against the desk.

You don’t look happy.

Darius folded the letter.

I am thinking.

Kael waited.

About?

Hector rarely travels personally to satisfy curiosity.

That was not comforting.

Kael looked toward the map.

Ancient structures.

Sanctum agents.

Household knights.

A growing Guild.

A new oath.

And now one of Aurelia’s highest generals was riding toward Blackwood.

Kael sighed.

I miss when my biggest problem was fifty soldiers and bad roads.

Darius handed back the letter.

No, you don’t.

Kael thought about it.

Unfortunately, he was right.