The trilogy of "The Last War" or the "Thousand Year War" heralds the beginning of the end of the Onderian-Marked enmity - a blood feud that spans millennia and generations of war, suffering, and conflict. Book One: The Undying Flame chronicles the events that lead up to the spark that ignites this "Last War" - The Battle for Aurain.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
- Adeline, Queen of Onderon, Child of Fire and Daughter of the Allfather [Onderian]
- Ganner Rylandar, High Prince of Onderon, Child of Earth and Son of the Allfather [Human]
- Rayden, exiled heir (Shiqi Wangzi, Xiao Tinsha) of the Da'Lyan Empire of Mar'Kaa, Child of Water and Son of the Allfather [Marked]
- Ayden Rylandar, Prince Royal [Human-Onderian]
- Annira, Heir to the Throne [Human-Onderian]
- Old Lady (Madame) Tylena, My Lady the Queen's Grandmother [Onderian]
- Ceferyn, Chief Merchant of Kalinga Bay [Onderian]
- Lady Martia Nerus, House of Enyallus, Commander General of the Fifth Army and Governor-General of Occupied Mar'kaa [Onderian]
- Andares, House of Volsca, Junior Officer of the Royal Investigation Bureau [Onderian]
- Hectares, House of Volsca, Executive Officer of the Royal Investigation Bureau [Onderian]
- Talin Tykrana, House of Goral, Shadow Legion [Onderian]
- Lady Yuen, formerly Noble Consort Yuen of the Da'Lyan Empire of Mar'Kaa, independence leader [Marked]
- Kashmyra Alitsov, captured fighter, blood brother to Dragmir [Marked-Nagul]
- Dragmir, captured fighter, blood brother to Ali [Wild Tribe]
- Kai'leen, captured fighter [Ney'shi]
- General Cassander Roumell, House of Diakos, Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion [Onderian]
- Captain Tallus Tykrana, House of Goral, Praetorian Guard [Onderian]
- High Lord Arik Caelian, House of Tylena, Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armed Forces [Onderian]
PROLOGUE
Hectares of the House of Volsca is the Executive Officer of the Royal Investigation Bureau, more commonly known as the
Queen's Fist. He was sent by Adeline, Queen of Onderon, to Das'Vengar, the former capitol of the Da'Lyan Empire to investigate the Lady Martia Nerus for crimes against the Throne (apparently styling herself
Vicereine) and abusing her authority as the Governor-General of Occupied Mar'Kaa and using the Mar'Kaa people as her own personal enslaved workforce to illegally mine raw materials. Hectares has discovered evidence of her crimes and one rainy night, attempts to flee Das'Vengar to report back to the Queen. However, he is discovered by the Fighting 21st, the infamous cohort of the Fifth Army and Lady Martia's "fist".
As they make to assassinate him, they are stopped by the rain itself. A figure rises out of the lake behind the Onderian soldiers, revealing himself to be Rayden, the Seventeenth and Last Prince of Da'Lyan (
Shiqi Huangzi or Xiao Tinsha), the Child of Water. He is accompanied by other Mar'Kaa forces led by an elderly woman addressed only as Lady Yuen (
Yuen Fuh-ren or Yuen nyaung nyaung) who quickly dispatch the Fighting 21st and rescue Hectares.
END'S BEGINNING
Ayden Rylandar, the Prince Royal of the Onderian Kingdom, returns to the capital city of Aurain after a year's stay (tutelage year) in Kalinga Bay studying under Ceferyn, the Chief Merchant of Kalinga Bay. When he arrives in Aurain, he spots a pair of Onderians harassing a Mar'Kaa woman in a side street. Ayden intervenes and saves the Mar'Kaa woman, who calls herself Lili (lee-lee). The Onderian pair protest against Ayden's interference and are about to harm him to forcibly retrieve Lili when a winged Onderian man/legionnaire descends from the sky and scolds the Onderians,
"How dare you lay your hands on the Queen's son, the Prince Royal, blood of the Allfather?"
The winged legionnaire is none other than General Cassander Roumell, House of Diakos - the Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion that safe-guards the border city of Pylos, oft referred to as
the Gateway to Onderon. Ayden recognizes Cassander and addresses him as
Zio or "Uncle", asking him what he is doing here (Cassander is Adeline, Ayden's mother and Queen of Onderon's childhood friend). To Ayden's surprise, Cassander addresses the two Onderians by their names and scolds them for attempting to harm Ayden. The two Onderians identify themselves as Shadow Agents (spies belong to the
Shadow Legion, the intelligence unit of the famed Onderian Guard). They are trying to find a female Mar'Kaa spy planted in the Crater city of Aurain by the Reborn Da'Lyan Sect, an independence group trying to rid Southern Mar'Kaa of Onderian oppression and they thought Lili was the spy. Cassander forgives them for doing their job but does not forgive them for not recognizing Ayden. Ayden is very disturbed the incident and warns the Shadow Agents to stop harassing random Mar'Kaa people in the streets.
Where is their evidence that Lili is the spy they are looking for? The Onderian Shadow Agents are suitably embarrassed and reluctantly let Lili go. After they are dismissed, Ayden asks Cassander if there is any truth to the rumors of Rayden, the
Zuihou Huangzi of the Da'Lyan Empire of Mar'Kaa and Child of Water, having returned to the Continent after eight years of exile (by Adeline). Cassander grimaces and tells him it is suspected but not verified. The two enter the Royal Palace where they are greeted by the High Seneschal who informs them that the Queen is still in prayer and so they should wash and clean themselves up before seeing her.
A couple hours later, Ayden arrives at the Prime Temple (where his mother the Queen is praying at). Cassander is already there, chatting happily and very cosily with Tallus Tykrana, House of Goral, Captain of the four-member Praetorian Guard and another childhood friend of Adeline (Adeline, Cassander, Tallus, and Rayden as a hostage prince grew up together). Tallus is happy to see Ayden and tells him his mother is looking forward to his return after his one year apprenticeship in the Bay of Kaling. Cassander congratulates Tarik, another member of the Praetorian Guard for his soon-to-be "release" (aka retirement).
In the Prime Temple, we see a woman wearing a white veil who prays fervently to
the Great Allfather - she wishes for peace - she wishes that what she believes will come to pass will not.
Let not one of your Child strike another again (she is referring to herself as the Child of Fire and Rayden as the Child of Water). This is Adeline, Queen of Onderon, Child of Fire and the only spirit daughter of the Allfather. Once she is done praying, Adeline leaves the Temple to greet her son and her friend (Cassander) warmly. The party, composed of Adeline and Ayden as a pair, followed by Cassander and Tallus, followed by three of the other Praetorian Guards and two of Cassander's Chief Lieutenants, is led by the High Seneschal throughout the Royal Palace. It is a monthly tour that Adeline, as Queen of Onderon and thus Mistress of the Royal Palace of Kastus, takes to observe the daily ongoings of the Palace's many divisions and workers/employees. Thus, the rest of the conversation takes place through various areas of the Palace including but not limited to the Laundry Department, the Royal Kitchens, the Royal Stable, the many gardens, the libraries, the security offices... It is clear that Adeline knows well of who serves her and her family for she addresses and converses with the Head Laundress, the Head Chef, the Crown Equerry (Head of the Royal Stables)... by name and detail.
Adeline informs Ayden of the conflicting reports she has received about the escalating "situation" (protests) in the Marked Territories. On one hand, the Governor-General of the occupied Mar'kaa territories, Lady Martia, who is also the Commander General of the Fifth Army, is reporting the supposed return of Rayden, the heir to the fallen Marked Empire of Da'Lyan (the Marked empire was conquered by Elvira, Adeline's mother), to the Continent after seven years of exile and that he is "riling" up the Marks (hence the protests) and amassing an army to overthrow "Onderian chains". On the other hand, the last report Adeline received from Executive Officer Hectares of the Royal Investigation Bureau indicates the complete opposite - that Lady Martia has long been abusing her power and authority as Governor-General of the Occupied Territories and is using the Fifth Army as a personal force to not only extract raw materials (illegally) from Marked lands (and thus stealing from not only the Marked people but also from the Onderian Throne aka Adeline) but also forcing Marked people to work as indentured laborers to mine resources (hence the protests).
Meanwhile, as they follow the mother-son duo, Cassander and Tallus converse. Cassander asks Tallus if he has "considered" his proposal from a couple months ago. Tallus grimly tells him he has and his answer is a no. Cassander is angry and asks why Tallus continues to be this obtuse and stubborn - warning him that
he (aka Cassander) won't wait for Tallus forever. Tallus is annoyed and frustrated with Cassander - it is not a good time (referencing the recent unrests in Onderian-occupied Mar'Kaa and supposed return of Rayden). How can he leave Adeline at a time like this? Cassander sighs and says "it's never a good time for Tallus" and that he always has excuses. Adeline has been waiting for so many years to release Tallus from the Praetorian Guard so they can be together. Cassander warns Tallus that he's making Adeline out to being a bad person when she's not. Angry with Tallus, Cassander leaves him to join the High Seneschal up front. Tallus sighs. Tarik joins up and asks why he is continuously holding Cassander at length. Tarik himself is being released soon and he has served for about the same time as Tallus has. Tallus has no reply to this.
Adeline describes the difficulty of her position. Although she personally sent Hectares to investigate the Governor-General, Hectares had not been able to provide concrete evidence (yet), only promising in his last report that he was "getting close". Given that Lady Martia was personally appointed by Adeline's mother Elvira as GG and that the Archon of her parent House Enyallus is a Vice-Chancellor of the Grand Chamber, Adeline cannot remove Lady Martia unilaterally from her position without sufficient evidence or assent (majority vote) from the Grand Chamber. Lady Martia had also claimed that Executive Officer Hectares has developed a worrying case of "localitis", or identifying way too closely with the culture and the people of the Mar'kaa (#gone #native). Given that Hectares does have a history with this "syndrome" (Adeline: "If he wasn't so good at what he does when his head is straight, I wouldn't have kept him in the Bureau for this long."), Adeline cannot simply trust his words over Martia's. However, Adeline must act now, for Hectares has gone missing (he missed his last three check-ins).
Adeline wants Ayden to go to Das'Vengar (the "capital" city of what was formerly the Da'Lyan Empire) and 1) find Hectares and 2) sort the situation out - who is telling the truth? She believes that Ayden is the best candidate for the following reasons: 1) Lady Martia will not be able to push around a Prince Royal like she can with other agents, 2) having grown up with Rayden as godfather at least in his first ten years, Ayden will not be biased against the Marks like most Onderians are, 3) but having been kidnapped by Rayden and the Marked Independence Cabal seven years ago (which was what got Rayden exiled from the Continent in the first place), neither the State Council nor the Grand Chamber can claim that he is biased in favor of the Marks (like they can with Hectares). Besides, she adds - Ayden has spent the last year studying at Ceferyn's feet in the Merchant Cities of Kalinga Bay where he was exposed to the most species diversity - it will be a good chance for Ayden to apply what diplomacy and culture sensitivity he has picked up. Ayden thinks it's ironic that Ceferyn wanted him instead of Annira, despite her being the Heir to the Onderian Throne. Ceferyn thought that the kidnapping incident had made Ayden xenophobic towards the Marks. The opposite is true - it was actually Anny who took Rayden's betrayal to heart and initiated a conscious distrust of any Marked person.
When Ayden asks Adeline where his twin sister is, Adeline tells him that she's off investigating some slave ring operating around the Great Lake targeting the ethnic tribes of Herne. Because the native tribes of Herne do not pay taxes to the Kingdom of Onderon, the Grand Chamber is not keen on utilizing any InSec or Ministry of Justice resources to investigate the case. What about the Royal Investigation Bureau (which the Queen can use without any oversight) or the Shadow Legion of the Onderian Guard (the spies), Ayden asks? Having lost contact with the Bureau and Shadow agents Adeline had sent (which indicates that they were made and most likely killed or abducted by the slavers), she had no choice but to send Anny. And besides, any issue related to the tribes of Herne would be extremely sensitive by nature and it would only be appropriate for the future Queen to be involved. Adeline laments that she wasn't able to send Hectares to Herne instead but by the time they received reports of the slaving issue, he was already knee-deep in Mar'Kaa.
Ayden inquires again after the veracity of the rumors regarding Rayden's return to the continent. Adeline tells him it hasn't been confirmed but it will "soon be". She gives a nod to the High Seneschal who brings out the Shadow Master (head of the Shadow Legion), the two Shadow agents that Ayden ran across in the streets of Aurain, and to Ayden's surprise - the Mar'Kaa woman Lili. Ayden is furious that the Shadow agents did not heed his orders and recaptured Lili but Adeline asks him to forgive them for they are not meant to respond to the commands of the Royal Family. The Shadow Master has confirmed that Lili is the Mar'Kaa spy they have been looking for. He wants to interrogate her to find out the truth of Rayden's return. Ayden tries to protest but he is also shocked that his judgment about Lili was wrong. The Shadow agents take Lili away for interrogation. Ayden is very unsettled.
Adeline apologizes to her son that she's sending him away when he just returned (she hasn't seen him in a year) and reminds him to greet his father before he leaves. She adds that not only does she want Ayden to clearly investigate the situation/issue in Mar'Kaa, she wants him to replace Hectares with another Bureau agent she's sending with Ayden (Hectares was to retire after this case anyways). Ayden says knowing Hectares, he would not be willing to leave a job undone. Adeline replies - that's why she sending the agent Hectares trained himself, Anda (short for Andares), who also happens to be his favorite niece AND Ayden's childhood friend. Junior Officer Andares enters the room and greets both the Queen and Ayden, apologizing for her uncle's "wayward" antics. Ayden is excited to be working with his friend whom he hasn't seen in a while! Adeline only hopes that Anda can convince Hectares to come back, given that she's his favorite niece. Anda replies matter-of-factly that she is his
only niece.
The next day, Ayden and Anda make to leave for Mar'Kaa, accompanied by Shadow agents from the Onderian Guard. However, on his way out, he actually manages to spring Lili while she is being transported from the Ministry of Justice prisons to the Shadow Nest for interrogation by the Shadow Master. Lili is shocked that he did something like this and wonders if this is some kind of a trap. Ayden replies that it may or may not be but he is willing to take a chance on her. He hopes she returns to Das'Vengar or wherever she is based and informs Rayden that Ayden is arriving to the city soon and would like to speak to him directly. Lili can of course neither deny nor confirm that Rayden is back. As Lili flees, Anda wonders if Ayden is doing the right thing - there might be major repercussions to what he just did. Ayden gamely replies that it is why he chose now, right before he left, so that he cannot be punished by his mother the Queen.
Unknowingly to Ayden, the Shadow Master reports of his actions to Adeline, Cassander, and Tallus as Adeline makes to leave to visit her grandmother on Mount Palatine and Cassander makes to leave for Silva's Forest to serve as backup for Anny. Cassander is not at all surprised - he remarks that Ayden has a kind and forgiving heart, much unlike Adeline which earns him a death glare. The Shadow Master asks if the Shadow Legion should make to recapture Lili but Adeline says no - let her go. Ayden is in charge of this mission and they will do it his way - he too must learn to live with the consequences of his actions.
There is awkward tension between Cassander and Tallus, with the former giving the latter a cold shoulder. Tallus tries to bade Cassander well on his journey but Cassander practically ignores him. This very obviously saddens Tallus. Adeline and Cassander chat before he makes to leave. She asks him to understand where Tallus is coming from - he holds his heart tightly. Even though Tallus pretends to be oblivious and unaffected by Cassander, Cassander's coldness towards him terribly sad as they can see. They look to glance at Tallus who does look extremely sullen and gloomy. Adeline asks Cassander to take it easy on Tallus and promises him to try and continue convincing Tallus to let her release him from service. Cassander scoffs and pretends not to care - she can do whatever she wants. He assures her that no harm will come to Anny while he is there. "Don't protect her too much" is the reply he gets. Cassander offhandedly delivers a package of herbs from the Western Principality of the Rylandar Kingdom to Adeline and tells her that it's for Tallus - he has an old shoulder injury from saving Adeline's life some time ago which still bothers Tallus from time to time. Cassander heard that these specific herbs are good for soothing old wounds. Adeline smirks and assures him that she will deliver it to Tallus. Cassander and his Chief Lieutenants bow to Adeline and then they lift off.
NEW FRIENDS AND OLD ENEMIES
In the Forest of Silva, we see Annira, Heir to the Onderian Throne, being transported alongside captured slaves. She notices that while the other captives are of varying species, many are half-bloods (like herself) or natives from the Forest of Herne. None are full-blooded Onderians. Almost all of her captors are people of Mar'Kaa, specifically from the Northern mountain tribe of Khitar (Das'Khitar), and humans. They arrive at the site of embarkment, off the coast of the Great Lake, and are moved from their carriage to the boats. The ship's captain notices Annira and admonishes her captor for capturing an Onderian, saying that they are off-limits. Her captor defends himself, claiming that Anny is a half-blood. The captain remains unconvinced but allows Anny to board the ship. As Anny boards the ships, we see some figures in the forests watching her. They start to move but stand down when Anny shakes her head. Anny boards the boat and arrives at Island Mokoa, a former volcanic site situated in the middle of the Great Lake.
Anny is thrown into a cell and meets the other inhabitants. There is a young Ney'shi girl (ethnic tribe of Herne) by the name of Kai'leen, a half Marked-Nagul man with red-blood braids and purplish markings named Ali, and a Southern Wild Tribe man named Dragmir. Ali and Dragmir are "blood brothers" and have taken to watching over Kai'leen, who is a skilled and fierce fighter but still young and relatively inexperienced. Although her Marked captors are rough and rude to all the captives, Anny notices that they are kinder (and seem a lot more guilty and nervous when dealing with them) to the captives who are visibly Marked like Ali - they give them more food and such.
It soon becomes clear that this is some kind of gladiator fight club in which captives are forced to fight one another (often to the death) for the amusement and benefit of the audience, who are of varying species. Anny wonders why there are no full-blooded Onderian captive fighters, especially given than the captors are mostly Marked and many audience members are Onderian. Ali thinks it's because it's more likely that full-blooded Onderians will have gifts which would allow them to easily escape imprisonment easily, or the opposite, overwhelm the Marked captors, or make the competition less fair. Anny wins many of the fighting rounds and proves herself, choosing to conceal her abilities since telekinesis in and of itself is so rare it would probably out her. She also saves Kai'leen's life, which endears her to her fellow cellmates. From Kai'leen, Anny learns that the people of Herne do not have a positive view of the Onderians, the Onderian government or the Onderian Royal family - that they don't care about them. Anny defends her mother saying that the Queen wants to help the people of Herne - it's just that so much of the government's $$$ are going to the occupation in Mar'Kaa which is using up all the resources.
Anny rises in the ranks with her fighting prowess (she favors whips because they are non-lethal) and comes under the attention of Tal, another Onderian-human "mutt". Tal had been the big dog winning all the fights before Anny showed up and started beating everyone. They get into a fight during meal time when Anny steps forward to defend another captive that Tal was bullying. Anny and Tal develop a rivalry resulting in a ferocious gladiator fight in which Tal literally beats the crap out of her. The fight club planners stop Tal from killing Anny just in time because they want the two of them to be the headliners for their monthly Grand finale event, which is happening in a week's time. They decide to put Tal in the same cell as Anny to "foster" the pre-existing natural rivalry.
Tal is brought to Anny's cell. As usual, he's being a dick. However, as soon as the prison guards leave, to the shock of her cellmates, Tal immediately bows to Anny and introduces himself as "Talin Tykrana, House of Goral, Shadow Legion" (the Shadow Legion is a wing of the Onderian Guard). His face also changes to look more Onderian. Talin was the Shadow agent that Adeline had sent to investigate the slave ring fight club situation. When Anny asks about the Bureau officer who went with him, Talin tells her that she's dead. Because the Bureau officer was full-blooded Onderian, the captors didn't want to take the chance and killed her. At the time, Talin, a full-blooded Onderian shapeshifter/skin-wearer (Talin's grandmother is from the House of Bloodwolf who have Nagul blood - it is widely believed that the House of Bloodwolf introduced shapeshifting abilities into the mix of Onderian abilities), was able to quickly blur his features to present himself as a mixed-blood and therefore was only captured and not killed. Tal also thinks that the reason why full-blooded Onderians are not taken captive is because it would eventually attract the attention of the Grand Chamber (legislative arm of the Onderian government) and the State Council (the governance and executive arm), who aren't willing to do anything if it was "just" the Herne native or some mixed-bloods from Kalinga Bay being mysteriously kidnapped. Being careful not to out Anny as Heir to the Throne, he calls her instead by her Shadow codename (the Onderian Guard has codenames for all important royal and governmental figures),
Argenta. To try to explain the situation to her cellmates, Anny claims that she's an officer of the Royal Investigation Bureau sent by the Queen of Onderon to investigate the slave ring situation - especially since so many captives are the natives of Herne. Kai'leen is shocked that the Queen of Onderon cares about them. Ali doesn't seem to buy Anny's explanation.
When Tal asks Anny if she has a plan, Anny tells him that she disobeyed "the Queen's" orders and decided to purposefully get captured. However, the Commander General of the Northern Silva Army, Lady Ephedra, House of Ga'as, is not only aware of Anny's investigation but is tracking her - the army's trackers saw Anny board the boat to Island Mokoa (they were the ones she signaled to do nothing). She assumes they haven't yet extracted her because they're not sure which particular island Anny is on (Island Mokoa is one of many islands in a cluster in the middle of the Great Lake) and they are waiting for a sign from her. Tal thinks a good opportunity would be the upcoming monthly Grand Finale fight thing - many high-ranking government figures from all species attend - it's a good chance to catch them in the act and all at one go. Tal tells her that because Vice-Chancellor Enyallus of the Grand Chamber and some lower-ranking State Council ministers will be attending, he specifically decided to beat Anny up (targeting her face) so she can't be easily recognized. Anny rolls her eyes and dryly thanks him for his consideration. The plan is this: at the final battle, Anny will send a sign which will signal the Onderian Army (the Northern Silva) to come get them. Of course, for the plan to work, Anny will need the help of the other slaves/captors. Kai'leen, Drag, and Ali will help her spread the word so that the other captives will be ready. When Drag asks how she's gonna free them of their chains, Anny just tells him that she's got that under control. Tal points out the big flaw in her plan: even if she successfully signals the Silva Army - they are primarily land-based (infantry and calvary) - how can they arrive in time? Anny doubts that the Silva Army will come themselves. Knowing Lady Ephedra, a descendant of the House of Ga'as and blood of great generals, warriors, and military strategists, Anny has no doubt that as soon as she boarded the slave boat to travel the Great Lake, Lady Ephedra deduced that the cluster islands are where the illegal fighting ring is happening. Given the limitations of a land army (to attack Great Lake islands), she most likely contacted the Aerial Legion in Pylos to be on stand-by. Anny thinks that it won't actually be the Northern Silva Army who responds to her summons/signals - it will be the Aerial Legion who will be fly across the Lake to the clusters.
Anny's plan to signal the Aerial Legion is ruined (somehow) when she foolhardy but wholeheartedly does something stupid to stop Ali and Dragmir from having to fight each other to the death - despite Tal's attempts to stop her. She is thrown into solitary and deprived of food and water. However, she soon returns to her former cell. Before Kai'leen, Drag, and Tar are able to greet her properly, they're taken out to fight. It's just Ali and Anny left in the cells. Ali asks her why she took the risk to save the lives of two people she had barely known for a month, especially when this investigation hinges on her being at the final round of the Grand Finale Fight. Anny sighs and says it's her fatal flaw - when people are in danger, she loses sight of the greater good/greater plan, which happens so often that her mother always gets very angry with her. Ali: "The most important quality of a future Queen is to think of the greater good - to see the big picture..." Anny agrees and immediately realizes that she's outed herself. She asks Ali how he knew who she was. Ali explains. First, Tal calls her
Argenta - which is Elvintongue (old tongue) for "silver" - silver is only second to gold. Anny is shocked that he knows Elvin when she herself (even after years of studying) barely gets it. Ali shrugs and replies that he learned many languages living in Kalinga Bay. Second, the Aerial Legion, though technically under the Onderian Army, is semi-autonomous. It is the winged unit that responds directly to the Queen. Not just anyone can call upon them or expect them to come running because some Bureau agent "signaled" them. Anny sighs and asks him what he is going to do with the information. Ali jokingly says "well, don't expect me to bow to you like Tal did"... To Anny's shock, Ali reveals himself as a planted agent of none other than Ceferyn, the Chief Merchant of Kalinga Bay who is the elected leader of the Merchant Ruling Council of the Bay cities. Anny is not surprised that Ceferyn knows about the slave ring - where there is money, there will be Ceferyn. She wonders if Ceferyn wants to take the slave ring down like she and her mother intend to or if he wants to legalize it. Ali says that Ceferyn will not stand for a fight club that forcibly makes its slaves/captors participate (because he knows not only will the Onderian kingdom not allow this to happen, the Humans will get involved - given Old King Rylandar's "past" - Colin Rylandar, the King of the Humans, who is also Anny's grandfather, rebelled against the former Human Emperor because the former Emperor had executed his father, the Hereditary Prince of Nordya after he raised objections against reintroduction of slavery to the Human Empire), especially since there is already an all-volunteer version in Sundapor (one of the Three Merchant cities). Ali believes it is Ceferyn's intention to take the credit for disassembling the slave ring fight club (which has been drawing away Sundapor audiences) and get on the good side of Old King Colin - especially since the humans had just raised taxes on some produce from Kalinga Bay. Anny asks if Dragmir knows that Ali is working for Ceferyn. Ali replies that Dragmir doesn't and hopes Anny will not tell him. To save Dragmir's life in some event, Ali made a life debt deal with Ceferyn. Dragmir will be upset that Ali did that.
When Talin returns to the cell, he is clearly upset that Anny risked so much to protect individuals instead of thinking of the bigger picture. He asks her if the lives of every other slave is somehow less important than Drag's and Ali's and Kai'leen's. She says surely not but she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. Anny is preoccupied with staring at a small islet cluster out of the barred prison windows. She asks Talin if he thinks she can "lift" it. Talin scoffs and sarcastically asks if that's her plan to signal the Legion. Anny says it's the only thing she can think of given that the Grand Finale fight is literally in a couple hours. Talin replies that she's the blood of the Allfather and the child of Fire and Earth - if she can't lift it, who can? Anny sighs and says she's doubtful - she hasn't used/practice her abilities in a hot minute (Onderians will spend their entire lives working to expand the capacity of their powers). Anny apologizes to Tal for her rash decisions and they sit in silence. She also apologizes for not recognizing him sooner, even after he shifted temporarily into his real face when he introduced himself. "You're Uncle Tallus' nephew, right?" (Tallus Tykrana, House of Goral, is not only Adeline's childhood/best friend but a Praetorian Guard (personal Guard to Adeline, a smaller wing of the Onderian Guard that protects only the Queen) - there are only four Praetorian Guards to exist at any time). Talin proceeds to tell Anny about how he didn't want to be an Onderian Guard (which includes his current sect, the Shadow Legion) but given that generations of the Lesser House of Tykrana, of the Greater House of Goral, have served the Queen and the Royal Family directly and have been members of the elite Onderian Guard since the first founding of the Guard, he didn't really have a choice. Anny asks him what he would do if he had a choice. Talin replies that he would like to be a seafarer, a merchant or an officer in the Royal Navy. ("The sea calls to me, like it did our
Elvin ancestors.") When Talin asks Anny what she would want to be if she didn't have to be the future Queen, she replies: "I would like to be a daughter. Not an heir, not a replacement, not a constant reminder to my mother of her impending mortality. Just a daughter. Just her daughter." There is silence. Then Talin replies that the Queen will be really angry with Anny when she finds out that she disobeyed orders and got captured by the Great Lake Slavers. Anny only shrugs - at least her mother will be angry because she did something right, not because she screwed up. Talin is confused because Anny is not what he expected - he had the impression that she was brash and irresponsible. Anny cryptically replies: "It's better that way." Their conversation is interrupted by their captors come and take them to prepare for the fight.
We see the many ships and audience members arriving to Isle Mokoa for the fight. On the banks of the Great Lake, the Aerial Legion is waiting. General Cassander, the Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion, orders his troops to be ready. He thinks that the "Princess" has been waiting for this moment and will send them a signal soon.
The Grand Finale fight club is about to begin. Anny, Tal, and the other top fighters are "introduced" (literally shown as if they were livestock) to the big hitters in the audience. These big hitters include Vice-Chancellor Enyallus and some lesser state councilors and ministers. Enyallus sneeringly calls Anny and Tal "half-breeds" but almost recognizes Anny. However, Ceferyn, who is also there as an audience member and a "potential investor", saves the day. He clearly recognizes Anny because he gives her a short wink. Some high-ranking representatives of the human Rylandar kingdom are there - to Anny's shock and Ceferyn's not-so-muted surprise. In particular, there is an older noble man, Lord Lyell Trent of the Nordya Principality (Baron Hylar) and his personal bodyguard, Captain Kayra Astier, who introduce themselves as representative on some "interested" ranking human nobles who might want to invest in this slave right fight club. Ceferyn expresses his surprise (and skepticism) that Old King Colin's subordinates would be interested in anything mildly to do with slavery but Baron Hylar says "what His Majesty is unaware of will not hurt him". However, Baron Hylar does give a second glance towards Anny. He grabs her face rather brusquely and stares into her eyes, brows furrowed.
It is finally time for the finale, grand round between Anny and Tal. When they are fighting, Vice-Chancellor Enyallus remarks that there is something familiar about Anny. She wonders if she's met the fighter somewhere before. Anny manages to win the fight against Tal with her whips. The chief slave ring Marked person orders to kill Tal but she refuses to do so. Enyallus makes another very rude remark about "incorrigible half-breeds who don't know their place" (Ceferyn rolls his eyes) but then Anny not-so-cryptically addresses her directly, stating her birth name (Meira), House name and position (Ducha of the Greater House of Enyallus), her position (Vice-Chancellor of the Grand Chamber), her relations (Lady Martia Nerus, the Governor-General of Occupied Mar'Kaa)...she asks Enyallus why a high-ranking government official is involved in these illegal and immoral activities and openly consorting with the enemy, the Mar'Kaa, when there are substantial rumors of her cousin, General Nerus (Lady Martia) of House Enyallus, misusing and abusing her authority as the Governor-General of Occupied Mar'Kaa... The Marked captors give Enyallus a very specific glare. "I doubt your Queen would be very happy to hear of your involvement in this. Such crimes...worthy of
extincti domum...perhaps?" Enyallus gets really angry, asks Anny who she is and then orders Tal to kill Anny (with lots of rewards). It looks like Tal is about to when he stops and then throws his dagger right at Enyallus (who dodges just in time). The audience is super shocked (one of the Marked guards remarks to her friend, "I thought they were rivals"). The chief Marked person orders his guards to kill them (arrows). Talin takes an arrow meant for Anny. Though Anny wasn't able to stop that particular arrow, she finally uses her telekinesis to stop all the other arrows aimed at the arena.
Enyallus rises out of her seat and screams "Who are you? It cannot be. She can't be..." One of her subordinates replies, "maybe she's an illusionist"? But Enyallus shakes her head - "She's a mind-mover - a telekinetic. There are only a handful in a generation. She cannot be-" Anny then smirks and replies, "But I am. The Heir to your Throne. The future half-breed Queen of Onderon, that is." Chaos erupts. Obviously, Drag and Kai'leen are super shocked as are the other Herne captives. Baron Hylar gives a short nod to Captain Astier. Taking the chance, Anny uses telekinesis to break the chains of all the slave captives. Once their chains are broken, the slaves literally slaughter their captor guards. Kai'leen, Dragmir, and Ali join Anny and Tal in the arena. Protected temporarily by them, Anny focuses and successfully is able to lift the tiny islet of Isle Mokoa with her mind (she threw Tal against a wall so hard in the earlier fight that it blew out the wall - giving her a direct eye view to the islet). On the banks of the Great Lake, General Cassander orders his Aerial Legion to take flight and save the Princess. His subordinate asks him if he's sure that the lifted islet is a sign from the Princess. Cassander gives him an are-you-kidding-me look: "What other telekinetic or earth-wielder do you know can lift an entire islet? Only the blood of the Allfather has such power." The Aerial Legion takes flight toward the Mokoa Clusters.
Back in the arena, Ceferyn has taken the chaotic opportunity to slip out towards the Marked chief's secret offices, though not before he notices how fiercely Ali is fighting to protect Anny. The Aerial Legion arrives on the scene and prevents the audience people from being able to board their boats and leave the island clusters. Anny moves to "arrest" Enyallus and Talin helps her. As she is about to take Enyallus, Enyallus is killed by the Marked Chief with a pistol/shotgun/arrow machine gun thing (!). Then the Marked Chief points the pistol at Talin and threatens to kill him - he doesn't think Anny's telekinesis is fast enough to save Talin. Anny is frozen momentarily. However, to everyone's surprise (for like the fiftieth time), Captain Astier, the bodyguard of the human Baron Hylar, comes out of nowhere and disarms the Chief (stabbing him) while the Baron Hylar deftly takes down some other Marked guards. Baron Hylar then orders Captain Astier and his other human guards to "protect the blood of our King" aka Anny, implying that he is probably also here to investigate and take down the slave ring on orders of the Human Rylandar King (Anny's grandfather). Anny remarks to Talin, "my goodness, how many secret agents are here?"
The Aerial Legion is able to quickly deal with the situation. They round up the Marked captives. General Cassander arrives and bows first to Anny, congratulating her for a job well-done. Afterwards, he hugs her warmly and Anny addresses him as "Uncle Cassander" (another childhood friend who grew up with Adeline and Tallus). She directs him to treat the slaves/captives well, especially the natives of Herne, as well as the injured Talin. When Anny makes a comment about having some soldiers of the Silva Army to escort the ethnic people back to Herne, Cassander gives her the news that the Silva Army is no longer in the Forest of Silva, but at Pylos. Anny is confused. Why would the Silva army be at Pylos? Because the Samarah Army has gone to Occupied Mar'Kaa to help the Fifth Army with the burgeoning riots and guerrilla attacks - Cassander tells Anny that the Marks are rebelling and that Rayden has returned to the Continent. Anny is clearly shocked by the information.
Anny goes to see the humans - Baron Hylar and Captain Astier and thanks them for saving her life as well as Talin's. Baron Hylar confirms that he was asked by the Vipers (intelligence section of the Human kingdom) to assess the slave ring situation so they can take it down. He didn't realize that the Onderians had send their own agent - the next Queen of Onderon to handle the issue. Anny asks him how he recognized her even when Enyallus, who had actually met her before, didn't. Baron Hylar smiles sadly and says it's by the color and shape of her eyes - it is the Crown Prince's eyes (Ganner, Anny's father). It is our King's eyes." Anny doesn't know quite how to react to that information and awkwardly replies, "He hasn't been the Crown Prince in a while. Didn't Grandfather depose him?" (Ganner was deposed as Crown Prince by his father, Old King Colin for falling in love with the Queen of Onderon). Before Baron Hylar gets a chance to reply, Kayra or Captain Astier, interrupts him - "I was too young to remember a time when our Crown Prince was ours - and not the High Prince of Onderon. But my generation, like that of Lord Trent's (Baron Hylar), looks to a future in which he will return to us and take his rightful place as the next Rylandar king of the humans. He is
our Child of Earth after all, no matter what the Onderians might like to claim." Awkward silence. Then Anny says: "I will relay those words to my father."
In the offices of the Marked Chief, we see Ceferyn examining the coffers and the paperwork. Cassander arrives and takes the paperwork, telling Ceferyn that the Aerial Legion will handle it. Anny enters the room and Ceferyn tells her that most of the funds the Great Lake Slavers should have are missing - they probably used it for something unknown. Anny wonders what the point of this whole fight club was (Ceferyn: "What? Money is not point enough?"). They also find evidence that the Marked Das'Khitar people were using this slave ring to fund their independence movement. Ceferyn is sad that he can no longer claim credit for taking down the slave ring, given that Anny did all the hard work ("My agent was entirely useless. Not a very good spy. I hope he at least helped you.") and that the humans sent a delegation. Ceferyn hurries to go explain himself to Baron Hylar to make sure the Old King Colin doesn't think Ceferyn was complicit in the Great Lake Fight Club. However, before he does, Anny inquires about the life debt that Ali owes Ceferyn and if Ceferyn is willing to release him. To her surprise, Ceferyn reveals that he sort of tricked Ali into thinking Ceferyn saved Dragmir's life to get him to work for him. Anny admonishes Ceferyn for lying to them both but Ceferyn shrugs. She asks him if he would release them into her service, but Ceferyn says it depends on if they want to go with her or not.
Anny sends Kai'leen and the other Herne natives off to their boats to leave the Island Clusters of Mokoa. Kai'leen thanks Anny for risking her life to save the people of Herne and that they will not forget her actions - that Anny did what no one else in Onderon would do. It is a debt that the people of Herne will not forget. But Anny only replies that there is no debt - she was only attempting to fulfill her duty as the Heir to the Throne, the Protector of Herne as once the First Queens were (until the situation with Saagen Darkmyre, his Ney'shi father, and the people of Herne attempted to coup against Alyse). She promises Kai'leen that she will fight however she can on behalf of the Tribes of Herne, "in the Councils, Court and Grand Chamber". Drag and Ali say their goodbyes to Kai'leen.
They leave the islands and arrive on the shores/banks of the Great Lake where Anny finds the Supreme Commander of the Onderian Royal Armies, the High Lord Arik Caelian, House of Tylena, waiting for her and the Aerial Legion (Arik is disabled - he has little use of his legs so he often uses a wheelchair or a specially trained horse to get around). He briefs her of the situation in Occupied Mar'Kaa and tells her about what her brother, Ayden, has been up to. He and Anny will ride back to Aurain immediately while the Aerial Legion remains in the Forest of Silva. Anny asks Dragmir and Ali if "they are coming", implying that she wants them to serve as her personal guards. Ali looks to Ceferyn and Ceferyn wryly says: "Clearly your loyalties lie elsewhere. Go. You were a terrible spy anyways. As your debtor, I command you to protect the Heir to the Throne with your life." Ali nods in thanks and he and Dragmir accompany Anny back to Aurain.
A PAIR OF CONVERSATIONS
Adeline and Ganner have gone to the Sanctuary of Vesta, a temple located at the tip of Mt. Palatine in the Small Ranges, to visit the "Old Lady Tylena", or My Lady the Queen's Grandmother (the mother of Adeline's father, Kaelin Tylena, Duchon of House Tylena). The Old Lady is spending the last years of her life (as she deems it) praying to the Allfather and the Celestials and cultivating at the Sanctuary, to prepare for what she has deemed to be her "coming end". She is one of the oldest individuals alive in Onderon (recorded in the Langya Chronicles) at the moment and Adeline, worried for her grandmother's ailing health, wants Ganner to examine her. After Ganner examines her, he wryly tells the Old Lady, that despite what she may hope, she isn't traveling to the
Hall of Judgment (the so-called hall in which the Allfather and the six Celestials judge the soul of the departed to determine if they will be reincarnated or liberated) anytime soon - the Queen's Grandmother is in good health and will live for at least ten more years. This makes Adeline relieved but annoys the Old Lady, who wishes to be gone from this world and be liberated of her hurting bones. Adeline tries to convince her to move back to Aurain (to be near Ganner), but the Old Lady is adamant on remaining at the Sanctuary.
Adeline, Ganner, Tallus, and the Old Lady decide to have a chat in her quarters. The other guards (even Adeline's Praetorian Guards) leave the room to give them privacy. Once they leave and the four are left alone in the room, Tallus moves from his usual place (standing directly behind Adeline) to take a seat beside her. The Old Lady reminisces to the time when Adeline was just a young child and she, Tallus (the current Captain of the Praetorian Guards), Cassander (the current Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion), and Rayden had been inseparable, running around the kingdom (no - the Continent) creating havoc and mayhem wherever they went. Since Adeline was still on the younger side at the time, her father, the Old Lady's eldest child, served as Regent along with Tchalin Thana, the current High Seneschal (who was also Elvira's Seneschal for a short time before her death). Adeline brings up the rumors of Rayden having arrived back on the Continent, thereby breaking the exile she had imposed on him seven years ago. The Old Lady remarks upon the "so-called" kidnapping attempt by Rayden and how quickly it was "investigated" and thrown under the rug.
Is Adeline sure that Rayden was at fault? Why would he risk such a dumb maneuver when he knew that Adeline was considering ending the Onderian occupation of Southern Mar'Kaa? Adeline becomes really angry at the mention of the "incident", stating that Rayden's fault was undeniable - it was Cassander who tracked him to the castle where he was keeping Ayden.
Why would Cassander of all people, having grown up with Rayden, lie about his involvement? Ganner tries to calm Adeline down, saying that while Rayden may be at fault for the kidnapping, it's still not fair to punish the people of Mar'Kaa for his actions.
Why is Onderon still occupying Southern Mar'Kaa? Why does Mar'Kaa have that Onderon doesn't? The Old Lady agrees immediately and blames the occupation on "that woman who gave birth to you" (aka Elvira): "She was always insecure about the circumstances in which she became Queen. What threat of war from Da'Lyan? The Allfather knows what she and that House of Enyallus did, and the lies they fed the people of Onderon." The Old Lady is implying that because Elvira wanted to secure support from the Onderian people (given the iffy and bloody circumstances in which she ascended to the Throne - she was never supposed to be Queen, it is thought that she killed her cousin, the true Heir to the Throne), she and the House of Enyallus lied that Da'Lyan (the Marked Empire) was going to wage war against the Onderians and to save Onderon, they needed to take the initiative and attack Das'Vengar.
If Rayden had not been the prophesied Child of Water, Elvira would have killed him.
Adeline becomes upset that Ganner and the grandmother are ganging up on her again. From the glances between the two, it is clear that the two of them did coordinate this "maneuver". Adeline accuses her grandmother of bias - bias against Elvira and anything associated with her (The Old Lady hates Elvira because of how Elvira treated Kaelin, her son and Adeline's father) and bias towards Rayden and anything associated with the Mar'Kaa (The Old Lady, in her youth, was an ambassador of Onderon to Da'Lyan - she spent close to two decades in Das'Vengar). She excuses herself (before she says some things she doesn't mean to her grandmother) and leaves. However, as she leaves, Adeline notices a mountain bluebird in a cage in her grandmother's room.
After excusing themselves from the Old Lady, Ganner and Tallus hastily join an angry Adeline at the base of the temple. Adeline is annoyed that her grandmother is showing her favoritism
again - she always favored Rayden when they were young ("Rayden could do no wrong in her eyes, while I was the mirror image of the witch who seduced her son"). Ganner doesn't let up. He accuses Adeline of being suspicious of the incident from seven years ago but not wanting to admit to it because she doesn't want to be the one at fault - if Rayden was wrongly accused, what Adeline did to him (ex-friending him and exiling him to another continent) is absolutely wrong. Adeline tries to defend herself, saying that her grandmother is too partial to the Marks, not only because of the time she spent in Das'Vengar but because they represent everything anti-Elvira. And it was their son whom was harmed! Ganner reasserts that he doesn't believe Rayden would ever harm their children, but Adeline tells him the equivalent of "shut up or stop talking". He is upset. Adeline takes the opportunity to tell Tallus to send a couple guards ahead of them back to Aurain (to inform the Inner and State Councils, as well as High Lord Arik, House of Tylena, the Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armies): "Rayden is back on the Continent. I can confirm it." Adeline explains that she saw a mountain bluebird (only found in the Great Ranges) in her grandmother's room. She's sure that it's from Rayden - it's an inside joke between the two of them. Ganner's face slowly transforms into shocked awareness, as if he just realized something: "That's why you wanted to suddenly visit Lady Grandmother. Not because you were worried for her health, but because you thought Rayden would contact her if he had returned to the Continent!" Adeline practically confirms it. When Tallus makes to tell the guards to ride ahead, Ganner says he will go with them and relay the information appropriately: "Don't want the Grand Chamber overreacting and accidentally starting a war." He and the two guards ride ahead.
Watching Ganner leave, Adeline sighs to Tallus that her husband is upset with her, once again. Their party is riding back to Aurain but at a much slower pace. Tallus remarks that they've been arguing a lot, to which Adeline replies: "Yes, we have. For seven years now. Since-" She stops talking and there is silence. She then asks what Tallus thinks about the whole Rayden-freeing Mar'kaa situation because he has been quiet all along and hasn't said anything. Tallus refuses to give his opinions, saying that it's not his place: "There is no and there will never be a shortage of people telling you in this world that you're wrong about something, or that if you're not wrong about something, you're wrong about how to handle it. They will always criticize your actions, or inaction. I will never be one of them. I will never tell you that you're right or wrong. I just do what you tell me to, for better or worse, in life and in death." (
The Praetorian Guards are the only entity in Onderon who swear direct fealty and allegiance to the Queen of Onderon, but not to the country itself. Even the Royal Investigation Bureau, commonly known as the Queen's Fist, and the Shadow Legion, the Queen's arrow, will first swear fealty and allegiance in their investment oaths to "serve the country first and foremost" and "Queen and government second").
Adeline sighs (again) and wistfully expresses how she wished "her dear husband" could be like Tallus. Tallus then tells Adeline to take it easy on Ganner and to see it from his POV. Ganner Rylandar was never meant to play second fiddle to anyone - not even to the Queen of Onderon. He was the Crown Prince of the Rylandar Kingdom, the hope of his people. What he represents to the humans, his importance to them is not just that he's the Child of Earth and a son of the Allfather - "He and your children are the only people left in this world who carry the Old Blood of Sazorn". Ganner was meant to be a physical and symbolic representation of the unification of the old (the empire of Sazorn) and the new (the kingdom of Ryland). How tough it must be for him to be a Prince only in name now, away from all he has ever known, apart from his family and friends. Think about it, Tallus says, everything Ganner has in Onderon is entirely dependent on Adeline. He had to start all over again once he was deposed as Crown Prince. Adeline is properly admonished by Tallus: "All right, all right. I understand what you are saying. You've been taking his side a lot recently. Does he have something on you?" Tallus rolls his eyes in response: "No, I just know how difficult you can be." Adeline swats at him in annoyance, causing Tallus to almost fall off his horse. When Tallus asks Adeline if she would let Ganner go (if the Old King Colin changed his mind and made him Crown Prince), Adeline without hesitation replies that of course, she would let him go. She already feels so guilty for what happened - that Ganner literally was forced out of his country because of their relationship and Ayden's birthright (to the Human Kingdom) stolen. Adeline sighs again and says that her mother, Elvira, must have been such a terrible person that so many people, including her grandmother (Old Lady Tylena) and the Old King Colin would remain biased against
her, the daughter of such a woman.
There is silence. Then seemingly out of nowhere, Adeline asks Tallus if she should "release" him from the Praetorian Guards and allow him to live his own life. Tallus is clearly thrown by this random suggestion and asks why she mentioned it. He also asks if Cassander had said anything. Adeline replies that no, Cassander hasn't mentioned anything to her (clearly knowing that such a suggestion would upset Tallus), but she feels guilty towards Tallus. The Praetorian Guards are unable to have normal lives (they are forbidden from having romantic relations and attachments) and she wants a normal life for Tallus - she wants him to be with Cassander. Tallus is clearly uncomfortable with this conversation. Adeline tells him that of course she knows that he and Cassander have had something since they were young but because she appointed Tallus the Captain of her Praetorian Guards (and Cassander as the Commandant of the Aerial Legion), they were unable to openly have a relationship. Tallus absolutely refuses to leave Adeline's service as a Praetorian Guard. She asks him what he is afraid of. "Keira is ready, isn't she?" Keira, Tallus' lieutenant, immediately says yes but Tallus yells back at her: "You don't even know what she's talking about!" Adeline presses on, stating that if Tallus is worried about the lack of representation for the Tykranas (given that Tarik, Tallus' cousin and another Praetorian Guard, is being released soon), that won't be a problem (implying that Talin Tykrana, House of Goral, the Shadow agent working with Anny on Isle Mokoa, is meant to be Tarik's replacement). When Tallus doesn't say anything, Adeline brings up an event from their past, when they were in their early teens. She talks about how she will never forget about the time she got in (real bad trouble) and made her father, the then-Regent, extremely angry - so angry that he ordered Adeline to be whipped as punishment. However, Tallus intervened and yelled at her father saying that even as Regent, he doesn't have the authority or the right to physically hurt/punish the Queen of Onderon (Adeline)! Tallus took the punishment in Adeline's stead, even though he was the one who cautioned Adeline from doing what she did that got her in trouble with her father. Adeline holds this memory to her heart because it was Tallus who offered without reservation to take the punishment for her - Cassander didn't offer, and neither did Rayden. Given his almost twenty-year service, Adeline really wants to release Tallus and allow him to be with the one he wants to be with. Besides, he might no longer be a Praetorian Guard - but that doesn't mean he won't be by her side - she'll just make him Chief of Special Security or the Lord Commander of the Onderian Guard. "I just want you to be happy." "I am happy", insists Tallus. "Well then, I want Cassander to be happy." Tallus is unable to give a reply to that. He then hesitantly asks if the Grand Chamber and the State Council will even allow it, given the rising decline in birth rate (the Onderians aren't opposed to same-sex marriage to relations but given the rising decline in birth rate AND manifestation of
Elvin abilities, they are starting to frown upon any relation that is unable to produce children), but Adeline just says: "I am the Queen of Onderon. What good am I if I can't even decree a court-sanctioned marriage?" Tallus takes the opportunity to warn Adeline not to underestimate the Chancellor of the Grand Chamber (The Duchon of House of Balasich) and the Chief State Councilor (head of the Inner Court
and the Grand Secretariat). "They may not be able to do anything to you because you're the Child of Fire, but what about Anny? She will be the first half-blood Queen of Onderon-" Adeline interrupts, "-that we know of". Tallus continues, "What if she is not able to choose the person she wants to be with? Do you think those two old-guards will accept anyone less than an full-blooded Onderian for her?" Adeline takes his points but warns him not to take a tangent from the conversation they are having. She then asks him gently to at least think about her offer. Tallus gruffly accepts (that he will think about it), with the only condition being that if a war does break out, he can't be released. Adeline: "Peace it is!"
IN DAS'VENGAR
In Das'Vengar, Rayden, the Child of Water and the (
Zuihou Wangzi) of the Da'Lyan Empire, cares for a mountain bluebird when he is interrupted by the elderly woman, Lady Yuen, who was accompanying him in the prologue. Lady Yuen is revealed to be a Noble Consort (
Yuen Gui Fei) of his father (
Qian-di), the Yunle Emperor, the last ruler of the Da'Lyan Empire (who was killed by Elvira, Queen of Onderon, Adeline's mother and Rayden's captor). Lady Yuen and Rayden's birth mother, Consort Xian (
Xian Fei), were very close (they both harkened from the mountain city of Das'Yulan) and when Consort Xian died giving birth to Rayden, she made Noble Consort Yuen promise to take care of Rayden. Unfortunately, only hours later, Das'Vengar (the capital city which is located in Southern Mar'Kaa) was sacked by the Onderians, the Emperor killed, and Rayden was taken as hostage by the Demon Queen Elvira. Lady Yuen escaped Das'Vengar and fled to her city of Das'Yulan, one of the few mountain Cities in the North able to remain free of the Onderian Occupation (the Onderians occupied only Southern Mar'Kaa since the mountainous terrains on which the northern cities were built were too well-protected). Since then, Lady Yuen, the only consort and member of the Imperial Family aside from Rayden to survive the Fall of Das'Vengar, has been searching for Rayden. It was she who saved his life from Onderian assassins sent to murder him after he was exiled seven years ago to another Continent. Now, as one of the ranking leaders of the Independence Movement, she has finally persuaded Rayden to break the terms of his exile secretly and return to Da'Lyan. There has always been increasingly disproportionate taxation but in the last year or so, Governor-General Martia ("The Snake") of the House of Enyallus and the Commander General of the Fifth Army, has started to force the Marked people into indentured slavery and mine the mountain fields which has led to the riots and increased guerrilla warfare from the Northern Free Cities (such as Das'Khitan and Das'Yulan). Lady Yuen wonders why The Snake has changed her tactics in the last year or so and Rayden hypothesizes that it's probably because Adeline finally found the "right time" to investigate the Governor-General: Martia knows her days as Governor-General are coming to an end soon and is feeling the heat - she wants a reason to stay and continue making money off Mar'Kaa.
Lady Yuen and the Independence Movement (led by the Northern Cities) are trying to convince Rayden to raise arms and free Southern Mar'Kaa from Onderian rule. However, Rayden doesn't want to do something so aggressive - he is not convinced that they can win. Additionally, Rayden believes that if Hectares can safely leave Das'Vengar and report back to Adeline in Aurain, she will resolve the situation and remove Martia as Governor-General. Lady Yuen remains unconvinced. Even if Martia is removed as Governor-General, it doesn't solve the root of the problem - which is the Onderian Occupation. She and the other leaders of the Independence Movement believes armed struggle/war is the only war forward. As Rayden is about to reply, they are interrupted by a scout who reports that the Prince Royal is riding towards Das'Vengar and will arrive at the city gates in moments. Rayden is heartened - he sees Ayden, his namesake and godson, as the solution to the problem. Adeline is clearly worried about Lady Martia - so much so that she sent her eldest son to Das'Vengar (a very dangerous place for an Onderian prince to be in). Additionally, the report from Lili the spy indicated that Ayden is open to discussion. Rayden wants to see Ayden but Lady Yuen asks him how he can be sure that Ayden wouldn't immediately take him as a sign of Mar'Kaa's intent to revolve and arrest him. His dealings with Lili might also be a ploy.
Ayden, Andares, and the Shadow agents arrive at the gates of Das'Vengar. However, they are immediately ambushed by Marked assassins but are saved by the arrival of the 21st Cohort of the Fifth Field Army. Anda remarks that the assassins are so bold to attack a Prince Royal and that the rumor of a Marked uprising might be true after all but Ayden is still very suspicious - he thinks they were so obviously Marked (they didn't even try to hide their faces) and then so easily subdued by the Fighting 21st (nickname of the 21st cohort). The group is taken to meet Governor-General Martia who is all grace and courtesy. Ayden wants to meet Hectares immediately but Martia tells him that they "lost" him and don't know where he is. Anda gets very annoyed but Ayden stops her and makes to leave, telling Martia peacefully that she should alert him when they have "found" Hectares. Once Ayden and his gang leaves, the leader of the Marked assassins who ambushed Ayden at the city gates, Chief Hua (the leader of the Hua tribe), reports to Martia. It is clear from their conversation that Martia made the Hua assassins "attempt" to kill Ayden - she has promised the Hua Chief to let his clan leave Occupied Mar'Kaa to Kalinga Bay once she's done with them. Martia clearly wants Ayden to think that the Marked uprising is going to happen any minute now and report back to his mother of his attempted assassination, knowing that Ayden is Adeline's favorite child. She tells the Hua Chief to hurry up and kill Hectares, who really has gone missing, before Ayden finds him and learns the "truth".
Ayden and Anda are soon kidnapped on the streets of Das'Vengar by some Marked people led by Lili and brought to the underground city. They are surprised to find that it was Hectares who had them kidnapped and brought to him. Hectares was afraid that Martia would have him killed/assassinated so he fled and has now taken shelter with the Marked Underground Movement. He actually has really good relations with the Marked People and that is why they were able to help him. Hectares tells Ayden everything he has found in his investigation, of Martia' corruption and cruelty. The whole Great Lake slave ring fight club thing that Anny is currently investigating is actually the brainchild of Lady Martia and her cousin, the Ducha of House Enyallus (who is also the Vice-Chancellor of the Grand Chamber). Martia probably cut a deal with some of the Northern Mar'Kaa tribes (such as the Das'Khitar people who were in charge of the fight club) to use them as a front. Hectares has many of the Marked underground refugees speak directly to Ayden and Ayden listens to them (with Andares using her photographic memory to record all they said). Ayden is convinced that Martia must be removed. Anda thinks the best plan would be for Ayden to depose and imprison Martia and take control of the Fifth Army. However, Ayden does not trust the Fifth Army given that they are very loyal to Martia and are probably in cahoots with her (given how quickly they arrived at the gates to save him from the "ambush"). He thinks it is best that they return with Hectares to Aurain to tell Adeline what is happening so she can authorize the Southern Samarah Army to take control of Mar'Kaa instead, or better yet, come herself. They make plans to leave. However, Hectares nervously tells Ayden that there is something else he found in his investigations. Hectares believes that Rayden was wrongly accused of kidnapping Ayden seven years ago (to force Adeline's hand to free Mar'Kaa - something she had been contemplating seriously then) and that it was a plot by Onderian hard-liners, which include Governor-General Martia and her entire House of Enyallus, and some other Houses and high-ranking Onderian officials (whom Hectares has not yet been able to identify) coordinating with some of the Marked tribes (Das'Khitar) to put the blame on Rayden. Adeline's and Rayden's close relationship had always been a sticking point to some old Elvira supporters/hardliners (The Greater House of Enyallus helped Elvira ascend to the throne - at the time, Elvira was only a Princess of the Second Rank and she only got the throne after killing the true Heir to the Throne) and Marked people, who felt that Rayden would never truly help them if he wasn't free of his relationship with Adeline. With this plot, the Onderian and Marked hardliners managed to not only destroy the friendship between Adeline and Rayden and make them suspect and hate each other, but also stop Adeline from freeing Mar'Kaa. Ayden is shocked but also really happy/relieved to confirm his long-held suspicion that it was
not Uncle Rayden who had kidnapped him.
The safe house is ambushed by the Hua assassins who had been tracking Hectares. They are quickly followed by the Fifth Army who reports to Martia that the Prince Royal is at the Mar'Kaa underground safe house with the lost Executive Officer. They want permission to rescue the Prince Royal but Martia's focus is on killing Hectares so he can't report back information. However, now that Hectares has met up with the Prince Royal, the situation has become tricky - Martia feels they cannot take the risk and should also kill off Ayden. Ayden, Anda, Hectares, and others fight fiercely against the Hua assassins. Given their positions, Ayden makes one of the Shadow agents leave the group and return to Aurain by herself. The shadow agent is able to break free of the ambush and rides south. As Ayden, Anda, Hectares, and the two remaining agents are this close to be killed by the Hua assassins, they are saved by none other than Rayden, Lady Yuen, and the freedom fighters/guerrilla warfare from the Independence Movement. The Hua tribe, clearly outnumbered, flees the scene.
At Rayden's hideout, Ayden has a reunion with his namesake and godfather. When Rayden tells him that he was not the one behind the plot to kidnap Ayden seven years ago, Ayden immediately tells him that he knows and that he has always known it wasn't Rayden. Overwhelmed with emotions from seeing the boy he raised and loved as his own, Rayden and Ayden have an emotional reunion. Rayden asks him when he become so tall (the last time Rayden had seen Ayden, he was only ten years old). Ayden apologizes to his godfather for not fighting hard enough for him seven years ago but Rayden doesn't blame him - after all who is going to believe the words of a ten-year-old when there was so much "overwhelming" evidence? "If I'm going to blame anyone, it will be your mother. You, a ten year old child, believed in me - believed that I couldn't do what they claimed I did. So how could she, of all people, believe their lies so easily?" Ayden tries to defend his mother, saying that she does regret her hasty actions back then, and that both his father (Ganner) and Great-Grandmother Tylena (Old Lady Tylena) have been trying to convince Adeline to investigate the incident more clearly. Rayden smiles and replies that he's not surprise the Old Lady is in his corder - she has always been in his corner. Rayden also acknowledges the role that the Khitar tribes played in the plot against him (it wasn't only the Onderians after all) - he is surprised when Ayden tells them of their involvement in the Great Lake Slave trade fight club thing. Rayden introduces Ayden to Lady Yuen. Ayden tells them that the shadow agent broke free from the ambush and is riding to Aurain to tell the Queen what happened. He strongly believes that Adeline will come and save them all. Lady Yuen is still very doubtful. Anda agrees with Lady Yuen - she doesn't think that Adeline will take the word of the Shadow wholeheartedly. She might send the Samara Army to Mar'Kaa to topple Martia and neutralize the Fifth Army, but she wouldn't necessarily believe the Shadow's words regarding Rayden's innocence, the true suffering of the Marked people, and that other Onderian officials besides the House of Enyallus may be involved/implicated in the incident from seven years ago. Rayden remarks that Anda makes a good point. He tells Ayden that he's willing to go to Aurain with him to explain the situation to Adeline. Lady Yuen is clearly very unhappy of this new development.
We see Lady Yuen meeting with the other leaders of the Independence Movement. From their conversations, it is apparent that the Das'Khitar tribes people responsible for the Great Lake Slave Trade are part of the Independence Movement. They were pretending to work with Lady Martia and the House of Enyallus but were actually double agents for the Independence Movement. Lady Yuen expresses her worry that Rayden doesn't seem to want to go the furthest distance (rebellion and revenge) and wonders what they should do to get him to where he needs to be. From her observations, Rayden still keeps in touch with the "Old Tylena woman" and may still have strong positive feelings towards the Onderians.
The hideout is ambushed by the Fifth Army and Lady Martia. They successfully captures Rayden, Lady Yuen, and the other leaders of the Independence Council. Ayden tries his best to speak up for them and stop Martia but the Fifth Army is loyal only to her. Lady Martia accuses Ayden of conspiring with the Marked people, which honestly is quite a stretch. Ayden lays out the accusations against Martia (which makes a lot of Fifth Army commander nervous) and orders the Fifth Army to remove her. However, their loyalty to her is too strong. Martia threatens Ayden not to do anything and remain in her custody peacefully - she threatens him with Rayden's life, as well as that of Hectares and Anda. She then threatens Rayden (as the Child of Water, he can obviously annihilate the Fifth Army anytime) with Lady Yuen's life as well as that of Ayden's. She also tells him that if he tries to do anything while in her custody, she will blow up the mines (through Onderian mind-speakers who can communicate with each other across the distance). The other Fifth Army commanders want to kill Ayden but Lady Martia is hesitant - that is a line she fears crossing for Adeline will rain down fire if her precious son was ever harmed.
Back in Pylos, the Shadow agent who fled the ambush is successfully able to communicate the situation to Adeline through a mind-speaker. Adeline orders the Samarah Army to go to Occupied Mar'Kaa, remove Martia and subdue the Fifth Army, and bring back both Ayden and Rayden. The Silva Army is to replace the Samarah Army at the Hanging City of Pylos. Adeline also learns that Anny got herself kidnapped purposefully and is now stuck on Isle Mokoa in the middle of the Great Lake. Of course, she is furious, and orders the Aerial Legion to be on standby in the Forest of Silva (in place of the Silva Army which is moving south).
In prison, Lady Yuen and Rayden have a chance to talk because they think it will be the last time they can do so. Rayden asks why Lady Yuen is so hell-bent on hating Adeline but Lady Yuen says only how far can the apple fall from the tree? Rayden rebuts that Adeline wasn't raised by Elvira who died during childbirth in Ryland - she was raised by her paternal House the Tylenas who have long favored peace with Da'Lyan. And yet, Lady Yuen points out, Adeline so readily believed that Rayden kidnapped her son - his own namesake. Rayden has no response for this point hurts him too. Rayden presses on and asks why Lady Yuen goes by
Lady Yuen now and not by her official Imperial title -
Yuen GuiFei (Noble Consort Yuen). Lady Yuen explains that the title of Noble Consort Yuen is no longer appropriate because the Emperor she was Noble Consort to is no longer alive. Consorts of deceased Mar'Kaa Emperors must be addressed as "dowager". Instead of
Yuen GuiFei, her title should be
Yuen Gui Tai Fei (Dowager Noble Consort Yuen). Unfortunately, the dowager title is a title that can only be given by a reigning Emperor - she cannot take it for herself. Had Elvira and the Onderians never successfully conquered the Da'Lyan Empire, the Crown Prince, Rayden's eldest brother, would have granted her the dowager title once he ascended. Rayden asks if he, as the
Last Prince, cannot grant her the dowager title. She smiles sadly and replies that only a crowned Emperor can, and that does not seem very likely now. (Lady Yuen is implying that for Rayden to take the throne and become Emperor, he must go to war with the Onderians which he is very unwilling to do).
A public execution is scheduled by Lady Martia. She wants to publicly execute both Rayden, Lady Yuen, and other ranking Independence leaders. The Fifth commanders try to secretly murder Ayden but Ayden uses the opportunity to break them out of prison. When they learn about Martia and her threats to blow up the mines (people at the mines), Ayden and Hectares go to the mines instead to save them. Ayden wants to publicly stop Martia but Anda doesn't want to risk his life, given how desperate and unhinged Martia is. She also believes that he needs to leave immediately to Aurain to explain to the Queen the real situation - if the Prince Royal is killed (accidentally or not), Lady Martia will be able to spin the situation in the favor - what will the Queen do then? Anda will be the one to confront Martia (someone has to so that the Marked people don't think every Onderian is like Martia) - she is after all a Royal Investigation Bureau agent, personally invested by the Queen. At the public execution, Lady Martia orders her Hua Chief assassin to kill Lady Yuen. Rayden's hands are tied. It's either save his foster mother or save the people from the mines/underground. Anda arrives in time and tries to stop Martia from killing the prisoners, as a Bureau Agent of the Queen. She threatens Martia with a charge of treason. Martia kills her outright and then tells the Hua Chief to proceed. Lady Yuen tries to console a screaming Rayden, telling him she is but one of the
Fallen's children (the Mar'Kaa people sometimes refer to themselves as the
Fallen's blood or children because they believe they are the descendants of the
Fallen Celestial) - he must prioritize the people at the mines.As the Hua Chief assassin moves to kill Lady Yuen, it seems for a fleeting second that he's about to stop when Lady Yuen gives him a very covert nod. He kills Lady Yuen and Rayden literally loses control. He is so angry! Through his command of water, he kills all the Fifth Army people + the Marked People (and the remaining guerrilla fighters from the north) start to actively rebel against the Fifth Army (war in the streets). There is chaos.
Ayden and Hectares are able to stop the mines from exploding. Given that they are Onderians, they are almost killed by the rebelling Marked people who are everywhere on the street. However, Lili dies saving Ayden's life (in payment for how he saved her life once). One of the Marked people recognizes Hectares and tells him that they have just come from the public execution - both Anda and Lady Yuen are dead. Hectares is horrified and Ayden is incredibly saddened/guilty. Ayden (remembering Anda's words) realizes that they cannot stay in Das'Vengar any longer - otherwise they will be killed by the angry Marked mobs. They leave Das'Vengar.
The Fifth Army is decimated by Rayden and the guerrilla fighters (freedom fighters, Independence cabal). The Marks have regained control of Das'Vengar. Rayden is incredibly saddened and heartbroken by the death of Lady Yuen. He is resolved to take the fight to the Onderians - to give them a taste of their own medicine. Lady Yuen's wish has finally come true - Rayden is now emotionally ready to not only break the Onderian chains but deliver vengeance on behalf of the reborn Da'Lyan Empire.
Miraculously, Lady Martia is somehow survived and though injured, crawled back to her quarters/officers. There, she finds the Hua Chief waiting for her. She orders the Hua Chief to get her safety out of Das'Vengar and to Kalinga Bay, but the Hua Chief just stabs her. As she lays dying, he reveals that the Hua Tribe was just pretending to work for her. Like the Khitar Tribe, the Hua Tribe is also a founding member of the Mar'Kaa Independence Sect and they were tasked with gaining her trust. "We are the descendants of the
Fallen. We would never betray our own people for personal or tribal gain." But...but...Martia asks why then he killed Lady Yuen, a ranking leader of the independence movement. The Hua Chief is saddened momentarily and reveals that Lady Yuen had always been worried about Rayden's hesitancy and lack of resolve to seek revenge against the Onderians - she knew he needed an emotional push and decided to sacrifice herself. The Hua Chief leaves and Martia dies.
THE WAIT
Ayden passes the Samarah Army on his way back to Aurain (and on their way to Occupied Mar'Kaa). He explains the situation to them but knowing that he doesn't have the authority to stop them, he makes haste to Aurain. He and Anny arrive in Aurain at the same time and report to the Queen and the Court (State Council) regarding what each of them found. Adeline is very upset by the fact that the House of Enyallus was involved in framing Rayden for Ayden's kidnapping incident seven years ago. She orders Hectares and Rayden to keep investigating until they have found out all the Onderian instigators behind this conspiracy. Ganner takes this opportunity to press for renewed talks with the people of Mar'Kaa. However, he is stopped by his own daughter. Because the Great Lake Slavers Fight club situation had been occurring for some amount of time, Anny believes that the Marks are planning an attack on Onderon - even before Rayden's return to the Continent. She doesn't think they will be willing to let go of Lady Martia's abuse to their people. She disparages the State Council and the Grand Chamber for not attempting to protect the people of Herne and instead spending their time trying to make money off Mar'Kaa but Adeline points that without taxation, what the Onderian central government can do for Herne is limited. When Adeline yells at Anny for being so brash as to get herself purposefully captured, the Chief State Council defends the Heir to the Throne - she was tasked to investigate and investigate she did. Ayden and Hectares reveal the truth behind the Great Lake Slaver fight club - that it was probably created by Lady Martia and the House of Enyallus and they used the Das'Khitan tribe to front it. The true loyalties of the Das'Khitan tribe are unclear. High Lord Arik, the Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armies expresses his worry that neither Anny nor Ceferyn have been able to figure out where the funds for the Great Lake Slaver fight club are. Anny tells him that Ceferyn is still investigating and is quite certain those funds were used in the Merchant Cities of Kalinga Bay - he just isn't sure yet what they were used for. Adeline adjourns the court meeting for now since they are unable to come up with an appropriate way to handle the Mar'Kaa situation. All they can do for now is wait for the Samara Army to arrive in Das'Vengar and assess the situation (is Lady Martia dead?). However, Adeline does pass judgment on the House of Enyallus - they are to be thoroughly investigated by the Royal Investigation Bureau to weed out any more traitors or law breaks. She doesn't rule out the possibility of
extincti domum as a potential punishment. She also reprimands Arik, the Supreme Commander, for his lax management and oversight of the Fifth Army - it is not right or appropriate that their first loyalty is to Lady Martia - and not the
Queen of Onderon. Lastly, to Anny's surprise (and slight disappointment), Adeline suddenly announces that Tarik, one of her four Praetorian Guards is being released, and that Talin will take his place. She commends the Greater House of Goral for producing such talented and capable individuals for the Onderian Guard.
In private, Adeline expresses her sorrow over the loss of Anda to her immediate family. At this point, everyone believes that Anda was killed by the Marked people (because that is why Ayden and Hectares believed - they were only told that Anda was killed, not that Lady Martia herself killed them). She wants Ayden to relay her apologies to the House of Volsca (and the Lesser House, tbd, that Anda belonged to). Adeline is especially worried about how "Emilyn is going to take the news".
The character of Emilyn will be introduced in Book Two. Anny also tells her father regarding the humans' involvement and what they said to her. Ganner is troubled.
In Das'Yulan, Rayden has just been briefed by the Independence Movement leaders, which now include the Hua and Khitan tribes, of the truth. He learns that the Hua tribe was working for Lady Martia on the surface but was really feeding all the information back to the Mar'Kaa Independent Movement and that the Chief only killed Lady Yuen on her orders. It was also Lady Yuen's idea to have the Khitan tribe run the slave ring network as a way to fundraise for the movement. Rayden is very angry and does have a short outburst. He asks the leaders why they decided to tell him the truth about Lady Yuen's schemes when there is a risk in him knowing - he might not want to make a move against the Onderians after all and simply sue for peace. They relay to him that it was Lady Yuen's wish - that one day Rayden learns the truth if she herself is no longer alive to tell him. Despite everything and what she herself believe (in not only independence but also vengeance for fallen Da'Lyan), she doesn't want him to act with false or incomplete information - she wants this to be a choice. Rayden tells the independence leaders that he will have to think about it - he doesn't want to fight a war if it can be avoided. As for the Das'Khitan tribe, he tells them that though he understands their actions and their sacrifice in doing what they did, he still cannot condone slavery (it's the moral and practical equivalent to him of Lady Martia's treatment of the Mar'Kaa) and cannot excuse their role in the kidnapping incident seven years ago. He wants them to tell him everything that happened then (and who on the Onderian side besides the House of Enyallus was involved). But due to their dual roles in the slaving thing and the kidnapping incident, Rayden does not feel as if he can trust them completely. The Das'Khitan chief expresses her sadness but also her understanding of the matter - their tribe knew the price they would pay for their actions/sacrifices and they were willing to pay it for the greater good of the Mar'Kaa. Rayden will not "punish" them because the Das'Khitan are his father's maternal tribe (his father's mother's tribe). He just exiles them to Kalinga Bay for now - they are to keep an eye on Ceferyn and the Merchant Council and ensure the their neutrality in the coming war - if there is to be a war.
Rayden goes to clean Lady Yuen's personal room. He finds memorial tablets dedicated to his father, the last Da'Lyan Emperor, as well as to his mother, Consort Xian.
Flashback. Rayden remembers the time he was ambushed by Onderian assassins (the audience doesn't know yet who sent the Onderian assassins - will find out in Book Two). It was Lady Yuen who came to save him. The first thing she did was sob in relief when she finally laid eyes upon him after all these years. She thanked him for being alive, stating that she can finally dare to look into the face of her sister (not by blood but by bond and spirit) Xian when they meet again in the Hall of Judgment. Rayden resolves to seek vengeance for his fallen empire, his parents and Lady Yuen, his slaughtered siblings, and the people of Mar'Kaa who were oppressed for four decades. But in his heart, he also knows that he holds a grudge against Adeline for betraying him seven years ago. He tells the Independence Leaders to make their preparations.
Anny has taken Ayden to see the Onderian Guards training. They are still in discordance regarding how to handle the Marked situation. Anny still doesn't completely believe that Rayden has nothing to do with Ayden's kidnapping incident. She also still holds a grudge regarding the Great Lake slaver situation - how many natives of Herne died because Onderon would do nothing? Even if the House of Enyallus was behind the slave ring fight club, it was Das'Khitan who hunted the captives and took them by force - making them fight to their deaths. Anny cannot forgive and forget that. She asks why Ayden doesn't seem to care that Anda was killed by "them" and how heartbroken "Cousin Emilyn" will be at the news of the loss of her beloved. Ayden mourns the loss of Anda but he is adamant that she knew the risks - she wanted to do the right thing and speak on behalf of the Marked people against Lady Martia. For Ayden, he views the entire situation as completely the fault of the House of Enyallus and the Fifth Army. He tells Anny that she didn't see what he saw, how the people of occupied Mar'Kaa were suffering and suffered. If only Mother had paid more attention to occupied Mar'Kaa and had not waited for so long before making a move on Lady Martia. Anny asks her brother if he blames their mother to which he makes no reply. Talin is practicing with the other Praetorian Guards while Tallus supervises them. Ayden asks his sister why she's made him come all the way to watch the guards training. He realizes that she might have some affection towards Talin and quickly warns her to be careful -
Praetorian Guards are sworn to the Queen, they cannot have romantic relations and attachments - they are absolutely off-limits to Anny. Anny just shrugs and points out Tallus' "relation" with Cassander.
An emergency court session is called. The reports from the Samara Army have arrived. They arrived in Das'Vengar and found the Fifth Army almost entirely decimated (with perhaps 1/5 of its pre-existing strength left) and in hiding from the Marked guerrilla fighters from the North. Das'Vengar and the other Southern cities (once occupied by Onderians and policed by the Fifth Army) are completely empty. It looks like the Marks gave up their Southern cities and retreated into the heavily fortified, guerrilla-controlled Northern mountain cities. And that is not the worse thing. The worse thing is that the Marked army (guerrilla groups united under the banner of the fallen Da'Lyan Empire) has somehow landed in the Forest of Silva. The soldiers/troops were moved through the underground mountain tunnels of the Great Ranges. These tunnels used to be underground rivers and therefore inaccessible but due to Rayden’s ability to control and create water, he emptied the underground rivers so they can move the Marked Army through these river tunnels. The Marked Army entered the Forest of Silva through the mountains, where they are aided by the pre-existing infrastructure of the Great Lake Slavers. Normally, the Northern Silva Onderian Army would be stationed at Silva but now they’re at Pylos. Which means the Marked Army have a direct line of path to Trykan, the most populous and arguably the most important Onderian city.
The Supreme Commander (Arik) theorizes that the smart thing for the Marks to do at this point would be to take Trykan, the political and economic beating heart of the Onderian kingdom. Adeline moves up the Southern Meikha Army from their base at Herlan to intercept the incoming Marked Force at Trykan. Why? Normally, it would be the Northern Silva army best placed to handle such an attack. However, the Silva Army (now at Pylos) has been ambushed by a second Marked force (from the Great Lake) at Pylos. They are now in full-scale fighting. Adeline orders the Samara Army to immediately return to Pylos and act as reinforcements for the Silva Army. The remainder of the Fifth are to remain in whatever is the equivalent of a military jail (held captive by Samara).
Arik points out that there is still a risk, though highly unlikely, that the Marks would bypass Trykan and go straight for Aurain. Why is it unlikely? Because even if the Marks succeeded in taking Aurain, they would be stuck there with nowhere to flee. Eventually, the Meikha army would attempt to retake Aurain with the help of the Western Elva army (stationed at Elvinport). By then, the Samara Army would have returned to Pylos and they, along with the Silva Army, would easily defend Pylos from the second Marked force. Without taking Trykan or Pylos, Aurain is dead-end for the Marks. Surely, the Marks wouldn't come for Aurain? However, Arik is still very worried. Rayden was not seen with the first Marked army in the Silva forest or with the second force attacking Pylos. Adeline wonders where he is.
We cut to Rayden. He is at the Sanctuary of Vesta on Mt. Palatine in the Small Ranges, where the Old Lady Tylena is! Why and how is he here? We are not told yet. His generals commend him for thinking to take the Queen's Grandmother as a hostage, but Rayden says nothing to them. He then goes to see the Old Lady, who greets him warmly. He kneels in front of her as a greeting and she fondly kisses his forehead. Then the Old Lady asks him to stop what he is doing before it is too late. Rayden asks her if she has truly cared about him. The Old Lady tells him the truth. She was only interested him when he was young as a petty way to spite the dead spirit of Elvira, whom she hated with a passion. However, her interest in Rayden soon grew to a true fondness. After all, she cut all contact with Adeline for some time when Adeline exiled Rayden seven years ago. Rayden expresses his gratitude towards her for all her care. The Old Lady asks him why he's doing what he is doing (attacking Aurain or re-starting a war). Rayden says he can't let go of what Adeline did to him - how she completely betrayed his trust. Not to mention the sacrifice that Lady Yuen made for him - to get him to this point. He cannot let such a sacrifice go in vain. Not only that, he feels great guilt. He knew his people submitted to Onderian occupation and did nothing for so long because he was kept hostage by the Onderians - they didn't want to risk him being harmed as the result of their actions. They only started rebelling/revolting after he was exiled seven years ago. The Old Lady pleads with him to let go of the past and to move forward. The Marks have shown their true force/colors/abilites - surely, Adeline has no choice but to negotiate now - she will not keep Southern Mar'Kaa from them. They can have their country again. Rayden tells her that it is not enough - his people are too angry. They seek blood from the Onderians. The Old Lady laments the millenia blood feud between their two people and wonders when it will end, and how it will end. They were so close to achieving peace until Elvira attacked Das'Vengar. For the last time, she asks Rayden "when enough will be enough". Rayden just shakes his head sadly. He tells her that she will be treated well in his care. As he makes to leave her room, he notices that the mountain bluebird he had sent to her lies dead on the bottom of its cage. Rayden comes to a quick realization. He immediately runs over to the Old Lady, grabs her by the shoulders, and tears streaming down his face, asks her what she did. The Old Lady, with all the grace and dignity she can manage, takes his hands in hers and then pats them. She tells him that although she loves him like he is her own blood and she was always been partial and sympathetic towards the people of Mar'Kaa, at the end of the day, she is still an Onderian, born and bred. She cannot and will not betray her own people, her country, or her family. She cannot remain a hostage in his care, a pawn for the Mar'Kaa to use against her granddaughter the Queen.
"You, of all people, should understand." The Old Lady tells him not to be sad and wishes that he will understand her actions. With that, she dies. Rayden cries his eyes out. Afterwards, he tells his Marked generals what happened and orders them to leave the Sanctuary for Aurain. A random priest (presumably a Shadow agent of the Onderian Guard tasked to watch over the Queen's Grandmother) hears Rayden relay the news of the Old Lady's death to his generals and steals a horse to flee (for Aurain). Rayden orders his people not to stop the shadow agent.
The shadow agent (almost near death due to exhaustion) arrives in Aurain. Ganner heals him long enough for the agent to relay the news of My Lady the Queen's Grandmother's death - presumably at the hands of Rayden. Everyone is shocked to hear of these news, most particularly Anny. She believes Rayden is seeking vengeance and will not stop until the Onderian kingdom has fallen! Ayden doesn't want to believe that his beloved
baba (term used to address uncles) killed his great-grandmother. Surely, it cannot be! Adeline is heartily saddened by the news. Regardless of whether or not Rayden killed her grandmother with his own hands, his fault in this matter is clear - the Queen's Grandmother would still be alive if he had not moved on the Sanctuary. Arik (the Supreme Commander) says the news of Rayden being physically at the Small Ranges is worrying! Why and how is he there? At the moment, a message arrives from Ceferyn who has been investigation the funds from the Great Lake Slavers fight club in Kalinga Bay. He has determined that the funds were used to purchase ships!
The truth of the Marks' movement dawns on everyone, though of course Arik spells it out. The primary Marked force which had appeared in the Forest of Silva will not attack Trykan or Newtown. They are heading directly for Aurain, which is no longer a dead end- given that the Marks have bought ships (with Rayden leading them). They have chosen a symbolic target instead of a tactical one. These ships bought at Kalinga Bay are meant to serve as an escape for the land army, once they have sacked Aurain, of course. Now, normally, it is quite a distance from Kalinga Bay to Aurain without stopping at Maidenport, a Southern Onderian port city (to restock supplies). However, Maidenport has not indicated any arrival of a large Marked naval force from Kalinga. Why? Because with Rayden's ability to control the seas, as the Child of Water, he can get the ships to Aurain at full speed without having to stop at Maidenport. That's why he was at the Small Ranges (Sanctuary of Vesta)! Soon, Aurain will be under siege on two fronts – the Marked Navy by sea and the Marked army by land. The closest army to Aurain is the Western Elva Army. Because the Silva Army was ambushed at Pylos and have not been able to close the mountain paths in the Silva Forest, Adeline is afraid that a third Marked force might come out from the mountains and take Trykan. Therefore, she wants the Southern Meikha army (already approaching Trykan) to stay at Trykan (which would also block the main roads to Herlan and Heran – the basket bowls of Onderon, another target the Onderians cannot lose), while the Western Elva Army do their best to reach Aurain in time. Technically speaking, Aurain is not strategically important (there is nothing at Aurain that other Onderian cities cannot provide). Adeline makes the calculation that it’s better to lose Aurain than lose Trykan or the Southern Cities. Aurain citizens evacuate by ship (with the Aurain Fleet) to Elvinport and by land into the small ranges to the Twin Cities. The one piece of good news is that the Aerial Legion, flying all the way from Pylos, may reach Aurain in time to help hold the city long enough for the Western Elva Army to arrive. However, it’s a long shot. Adeline is advised to evacuate herself and the Royal Family from Aurain, but she refuses. She will stay and defend Aurain. She wants Anny to leave but Anny refuses to as well. The Royal Family will stay and defend Aurain as long as it is possible (as long as it takes for the Aurain citizens to be evacuated). Adeline orders the Reserve forces in Aurain and the nearby towns/smaller cities to be "activated" and report for duty. The Capitol Patrols (InSec), the Palace Guard, the Onderian Guard (the Shadow Legions), and the small military force (Silva in origin) that Arik brought prepare for the incoming battle.
We see a shot of General Cassander Roumell, the Lord Commandant of the Aerial Legion and the rest of the Aerial Legion flying from Pylos. His lieutenant tells him they need to rest but he is adamant on forging ahead. The Queen is counting on them! So is Aurain! In Aurain, we see random citizens of varying ages saying goodbye to their fleeing families. Instead of going with their families, they report to the Capitol Patrols. Most of them are "amplifiers".
Ganner tries to get Adeline to negotiate with the Marks but to no avail. She says that Rayden is too far gone - he has killed or at least caused the death of her grandmother, and now his Marked force is heading for Aurain. She will defend her city to the death if she must. She asks him if he is ready to do "what he must". Ganner doesn't think it's a good idea or even possible - he hasn't ever "done it successfully". Adeline just tells him that it's imperative that "he succeeds", because they need to stall until the citizens have been evacuated from Aurain. Ganner asks her if she truly has given up on Aurain (
does she realize that although its inhabitants can be saved, there is almost no chance the city of Aurain will survive from the fallout?). Adeline resolutely tells her husband that Rayden cannot have Aurain - she cannot go down in history as the Queen who lost Aurain. She will burn the city down before she loses it to the Mar'Kaa.
The Mar'Kaa navy arrives at the port of Aurain, led by Rayden. The Mar'Kaa land army finally arrives as well.
The battle for Aurain has begun.
THE SACK OF AURAIN
High Lord Arik Caelian, House of Tylena, Supreme Commander of the Onderian Armies (will be referred to as Supreme Commander from now on) leads the tactical defense of Aurain. The good news is that a cohort of the Western Elva Army (now heading to Aurain from Elvinport) has arrived ahead of the main Elva Army, mostly due to the teleporters. They, along with Adeline, will lead the land defense at the entry gates while Anny and Ayden will slow down Rayden and the naval forces at the Aurain docks (to allow the Aurain fleet to load as many Onderian civilians as possible and flee for Elvinport). What about Ganner? Adeline just vaguely tells everyone that he has his own task - he cannot lead the defense. Ganner, two Amplifiers, and a squad of Shadow Legionnaires leave for an undetermined location. When the amplifiers ask him what they are doing, he just gamely replies, "We're raising the dead!"
The naval Marked force makes to land. Rayden orders his forces not to harm the civilians and focus on taking Aurain. One of his generals wonders how this battle will go down, given that there are Children of the Allfather on both sides of the conflict.
"I bet that this is not what the Allfather was intending when he created the Children and set them forth on our Continent." Rayden gives him a side-eye.
The battle begins. Many things happen. Hectares is almost killed by a Mar'Kaa soldier but the soldier recognizes him as Hectares, the Onderian Bureau executive officer who tried to help them in Das'Vengar. He lets Hectares go out of mercy. Anny spots Rayden and gets sidetracked and goes after him. Ayden tries to stop her but can't leave his place. Knowing that Anny, even combining forces with Ayden, cannot fight toe-to-toe with Rayden, he gets a messenger to inform his mother the Queen. After that, he leaves to go after Anny. Anny attacks Rayden but Rayden refuses to harm her. He tries to explain himself but to no avail. At the front gates of Aurain where Adeline is stationed, the messenger from Ayden arrives to tell her that the "Heir to the Throne has engaged the Marked Prince". Talin, hearing this news, immediately abandons his station (Tallus, his uncle, tries to stop him but to no avail) and without a second to waste runs to the docks to "save Anny". Tallus is very miffed (the Praetorian Guards' first and only responsibility is to the Queen of Onderon - failure to do their duty may result in execution) but Adeline tells him to let it go - saying that he has the right idea. She also races to get to the docks, accompanied by the rest of her Praetorian Guards.
Ganner and his crew have arrived to the Tomb of Queens, the vault in which all (or mostly all) of previous Queens of Onderon are buried. An amplifier asks him if he's going to perform necromancy to which Ganner says, "probably not". He has never successfully does what he is going to attempt before. A Shadow agent asks him how a Child of the Allfather (Ganner) could possibly perform such a sacrilegious act - attempting to raise and command the spirits of the dead.
Is he not afraid of backlash from the Allfather? Ganner shrugs. He's not very religious (Adeline is the religious one) and doesn't really believe that he himself is the Child of Water/Son of Allfather. All he knows is that he is able to wield the Earth and its components beyond what normal Onderians who have gifts related to earth and plants can do, heal people, and potentially - as they are about to find out - hold the Gates to the
Hall of Judgment (which separate the living from the dead awaiting Judgment) - call to the souls of former Queens (and their friends) still awaiting Judgment (they haven't been reincarnated/reborn yet). Can Ganner, the so-called guardian of the gate, the bridge between life and death, hold open
THE GATE long enough to call on the souls of those departed but have not been judged yet (by the Allfather and the Celestials) to defend Aurain? The Amplifiers will help him. Ganner sarcastically tells his companions that if he can do this, he will believe that he is the Child of Earth and the son of the Allfather.
Back at the docks. Anny is still attacking Rayden. She is angry with him for killing great-grandmother. Rayden tries to defend himself but she is still very angry with him. Ayden arrives in time to save his sister. However, by that time, Adeline arrives as well. To her, the scene is of Rayden towering over her children, looking very threatening. She tells Ayden to take his injured sister (Anny) and go. Ayden doesn't want to go, fearing from Rayden but Rayden shakes his head at him and tells him to leave: "It will be okay". The twins leave, accompanied by Drag and Ali.
Adeline and Rayden finally confront each other. They yell their grievances at one another! Rayden tries to tell her that he didn't kill the Old Lady but she refuses to believe him.
Why attack Aurain? Why not sue for peace? Rayden retorts back.
Why keep Mar'Kaa? Why not let his people go free? Why did you allow Martia to keep her hold on Mar'Kaa for as long as Adeline did? Adeline doesn't understand what Rayden wants. Will he be satisfied with taking Aurain? Is that what he wants? Rayden replies that there is no way the Onderians will allow an attack on their capital and not continue the war. Adeline tells him that he's right - war is inevitable, she sees that now. The two of them fight.
Back in the Vaults where the dead Queens lay. Ganner, with the help of the amplifiers, is able to hold open the metaphysical Gate to the Hall of Judgment. He calls upon the spirits of the dead Queens and other souls from Aurain to defend their city. Many of the Queens are able to attain corporeal form and they leave to defend the city. How will they do so? They will inhabit the spirits of the dead and living and amplify their powers. We see this happen. The last to leave the gate is Araina, the First Queen of Onderon, and the last of the House of Kastus. She tells Ganner that
there will be a price to pay for what he has done, and that in the end, he will not be able to save "her" (it is clear that the "her" Araina's spirit is talking about is Adeline).
Ayden, an injured Anny, Drag, and Ali are retreating. The last Onderian ships are setting sail from the docks and they must leave on the last ship. However, the Mar'Kaa ships are attacking the retreating/fleeing Onderian ships. Anny doesn't want to leave their parents behind but Ayden tells her that they can take care of themselves. It is Anny, the Heir to the Throne, the future Queen of Onderon, who absolutely cannot be lost in this battle. She must live to fight another day. Otherwise, it will all be for naught. They are ambushed by Marked soldiers. However, Talin arrives and saves them. Anny asks him what he's doing here - he should be with her mother the Queen! Unfortunately, there are more Marked soldiers. And there's only five of them. They take defensive position around Anny. On the last Onderian ship, the captain sees what's happening and wants to go help the Heir to the Throne. However, when they try to turn around back to the docks, there are other Marked ships intercepting them.
Adeline and Rayden fight. Adeline is overpowered. However, Tallus appears out of nowhere and the two of them team up with Rayden. The sadness of the scene is palpable. Three friends in childhood trying to kill each other. Rayden tries to appeal to Tallus but Tallus refuses to talk to him. Adeline and Tallus and the other two Praetorian Guards are clearly outnumbered. Adeline tells Tallus that she cannot be taken hostage/captive by Rayden. Tallus replies that he understands.
It is a promise to fight to the death.
Back at the docks, Anny, Ayden, Talin, Drag, and Ali are fighting off the Marked soldiers as best as they can. All of a sudden, the corporeal spirit of Araina the First Queen arrives on the scene and inhabits Anny, amplifying her telekinetic powers. She is able to use her telekinesis to defeat not only the land soldiers, but cause the Marked ships (attacking the last remaining Onderian ship that was trying to return to the docks to help Anny) to sink. The people on this Onderian ship saw what happened and they are in awe of Anny. This is the moment that the belief that Anny is the reincarnation of Araina the First Queen (given their abilities - both telekinetic) is started and spread. The last Onderian ship is able to return to the docks and help evacuate the five. However, Talin refuses to leave with them. He goes back to the Queen.
Talin arrives in time to give Rayden a good knocking. However, they are still outnumbered. After holding the Gate open for so long, Ganner also passes out, along with the amplifiers. It's up to the shadow agents to get them out. Thankfully, General Cassander swoops in to save Adeline. The Aerial Legion has arrived! With the Aerial Legion's return, the Marked troops are ordered to withdraw and retreat. Rayden loses the desire to take Adeline when faced with his three childhood friends. He orders a retreat and Cassander and his soldiers whisk Adeline (and her Praetorian Guards) away.
In the morning, we see an Aurain burned to the husk, with only smoke and fire remaining. The Marks have no desire to keep Aurain and having done what they came to do, leave (by sea).
EPILOGUE
Adeline awakens in what seems to be an infirmary. Ganner is on the bed next to her. He is reading reports and once she wakes up, casually says only: "You are awake, finally". They are in Trykan. Ganner updates Adeline on what has happened since the battle of Aurain. Both he and Adeline were in a coma for near three months. He just woke up a couple days ahead of her. Adeline is immediately worried about the state of the kingdom, but Ganner reassures her. Anny, the Heir to the Throne and Regent during her coma, and Ayden have been handling the war just fine. Of course, the High Seneschal (who also successfully escaped from Aurain) has been helping her.
The two debrief each other and discuss the situation. Adeline wonders what price Ganner will have to pay for opening the Gate as he did. She tells him to pray more and becomes annoyed when he just laughs at her recommendation. She asks him when he will ever believe that they are the Children of the Allfather and he replies: "I will believe it when I see
Him." Adeline discusses how she, Ganner, and Rayden are cursed. Every other worshipper or believer of the Faith can see the Celestials in their dreams except for them. Neither Ganner nor Rayden count themselves as worshippers. But Adeline, having prayed faithfully as much as she can, is sad that she will never be able to receive the guidance of the Celestials. Ganner tells her not to start doubting her faith. It's not the right time.
Adeline tells her husband that she understands that he wishes peace with the Marks and that he was right in pressing her to free Souther Mar'Kaa. If she had done so, this might have been prevented. But while she understand this fact and accepts that she was wrong, there is no changing the past (unless Ganner knows of a time-walker powerful enough to go back that far in time). This war has begun and there is no going back. She will have to fight it now and she needs Ganner to fight it as well. Ganner reaches out to take her hand. He tells her what she said he knows too - he will support her and the people of Onderon as best as he can. If they fail, then they fail. But Adeline is adamant that they will not and cannot fail.
But what if they win this war, Ganner asks?
Will she subjugate the people of Mar'Kaa as her mother once did? Adeline is unable to give a response to that.
We see the council of war, held in the halls of the Queen's Residence in Trykan. Anny is leading the council. Ayden is not present because he is at the front lines in Pylos. Adeline and Ganner arrive. She thanks her generals and Anny for holding the fort until now. The War between the Onderians and the Mar'Kaa has begun.
Little do they know that it will be the last war between their two species.
---THE END---
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