Chapter 12 Return and Revelation #2
“Do we know why it would want to do that?” Cheyanne’s voice slipped, losing its edge, now tinged with genuine concern.
“To open our world up to the gates of damnation,” Ezra growled.
“It’s possible,” Lark said. “Perhaps the Void Drinker is the reason why the gods send Hyalites and Yogos through the veil. They need dragonriders and mages to keep these things contained.”
“Many Elven philosophers suggest Sataran is a world designed to trap the evils of the realms. Some suggest the gods send their powers for angelic figures to rise and act as wardens of this world,” Yarla said.
“This entity could be a fallen god, its power intentionally diminished and trapped here by the others. Now that it’s free of its prison, it wants to escape this world,” Ezra said.
“Whatever the Entity is, the original twelve dragons clearly believed it was going to create chaos,” Venrick said simply.
“With every Flashover, armies from other realms try to take more resources from us. With the veil left open completely, forces from other worlds could pour through. We know little to nothing about what powers exist in other realms. The one we know the best, through Lark, is the fae realm.”
“Every five hundred years the veils between worlds thin enough for us to be reminded that more dangerous and power-hungry monsters exist beyond Sataran’s influence.
With all that’s been going on here, Kings manipulating each other for control over the Everburning Forest, mages and members of the North partnering with rimeshade to harvest magic, and now this…
why Lark? Why did you need to try to fix those wards now? ” Cheyanne said.
“The rimeshade we faced in Haven’s Edge, Lady Sanj, was working with a Magus,” Venrick said in her defense.
“This Magus would’ve had to have been powerful to help the rimeshade weaken the wards containing the Void Drinker,” Lark said.
“Do we know which Magus?” Cheyanne said.
“Hierro De Vonte, the Archmagus of Lamar’s Magi Order,” Venrick said.
“Do you have proof we can bring the Commanders of the Keeps?” Cheyanne asked.
“We don’t have proof yet, but I know it in my heart,” Venrick said.
“They’ve clearly been trying to set the Entity free for much longer than we thought. Eventually, they would’ve succeeded whether or not we intervened. White Eye and I did our best with what we had at the time,” Lark said.
They stared at one another, the tension between them palpable. Cheyanne softened slightly, and said, “You mentioned that the Entity created rimeshade and is connected with the shade at Haven’s Edge. What else had they been doing with the magic they were harvesting from living beings?”
“It seems that Lady Sanj’s mission was primarily to harvest magical essence in order to free the Entity we now know as the Void Drinker, but that’s not all. We think they had plans to prepare a conduit for the Void Drinker to use in conjunction with the Realmstone to open the veil permanently.”
Silence fell over the tent as Cheyanne processed this information. Outside, the camp continued its hurried preparations, unaware of the true scope of the threat their leaders were discussing.
“I owe you an apology,” Cheyanne finally said, the words clearly difficult for her. “When you left, I thought you were abandoning us for personal reasons. I see now that you were following something vital. And thanks to your efforts in Red Lodge, we now have the Morsythians on our side.”
Lark nodded, accepting the closest thing to reconciliation she was likely to receive. “The Entity, the Void Drinker, is real, Cheyanne. And it’s growing stronger.”
“A few days ago, we were focused on revealing to the world how powerful monarchs are positioning themselves to take full control of what creates magical energy in our world. Now we’re talking about external threats the rimeshade and their leader are trying to summon into Sataran. What do we do?” Ezra asked.
“We’ve weathered Flashovers for millennia. Some bring new eras, others set progress back,” Yarla said.
“But this is different. How do we fight something like this?” Ezra repeated.
“With that,” Venrick pointed at the book. “The dragonriders of old and the fae courts set aside their differences to create a binding ritual to imprison the Void Drinker. The instructions for that ritual were in this book, but key pages are missing. We believe they’re in the Vermillion Keep.”
“There are key pages missing. How do you know these instructions will even be described on the pages if you’ve never seen them before?” Cheyanne winced.
“Everything leading up to the ending suggests the instructions were there,” Yarla said, backing Lark and Venrick’s position.
“And you’re telling me that you believe they’re at the Vermillion Keep?” Cheyanne’s eyes widened. “In Astral City? The dragonrider stronghold of Northern Lamar?”
“Yes,” Lark said. “The Keep was built on one of the oldest dragonrider sanctuaries known to riders. The text says it was the seat of the Concordat, which was an alliance between the original twelve dragons and the Nobles of the fae courts. If there’s anywhere the missing pages might be, it’s there. ”
“And you’re proposing what, exactly?” Cheyanne asked, though her tone suggested she already knew the answer.
Lark met her gaze steadily. “We need to infiltrate the Vermillion Keep. We must find the missing pages of the ritual so we can learn how to bind the Void Drinker before the Flashover begins.”
Cheyanne chuckled a humorless laugh. “And that’s it? You’ll simply walk into the most heavily guarded fortress in Lamar, find ancient texts that may or may not exist, and leave without being executed as traitors?”
“Actually,” Lark said, a memory from her past coming into focus, “we already have a plan for getting into the Vermillion Keep. One that you and I created together, before I was struck with amnesia.”
Cheyanne’s expression froze, then shifted to one of reluctant recognition. “The plan to steal a Hyalite? The harebrained idea you had before you and Sasja took Barrik’s astral lathe in an effort to gain a more powerful Hyalite for the Morsythians. You mean that trash-fire of a plan?”
“Yes,” Lark said. “We never executed it, but the plan wasn’t a trash-fire. It was solid and the one I preferred before Sasja took the astral lathe.”
“It wasn’t half bad, I guess,” Cheyanne admitted.
“I have been working on something for some time in Astral City. We have laid the groundwork for setting up a more permanent organization there,” she hummed.
Her gaze shifted from Lark to Venrick, then to Yarla, measuring them anew.
“And with what you’ve just told me, I suppose we have little choice but to try. ”
She moved to a chest in the corner of the tent, unlocking it with a key she pulled out of her robes. From inside, she withdrew a rolled parchment, yellowed with age but carefully preserved.
“You all know that I was once an instructor there,” Cheyanne said, spreading the parchment on the table next to the metal book to reveal detailed floor plans of Vermillion Keep.
“Yes, and not just because Ezra mentioned it several times. I remember now,” Lark said, memories continuing to surface. “You taught the history of elven magic to Squires and Pages.”
“For seven years,” Cheyanne confirmed. “Before I discovered the corruption at the heart of Lamar’s leadership. Before I realized they were working with Wintermire and Skol to predetermine where Hyalites would be allocated.”
Ezra leaned over the plans. “As a fellow instructor at Astral Paragon Academy, I can attest that these are remarkably detailed drawings of the Vermillion Keep.”
“I had them made in preparation for a different purpose. For years I’ve had people planted throughout Astral City laying the groundwork to flip the popular opinion of its leaders,” Cheyanne said.
“Several of them recognized me when I was there last,” Lark said, finally realizing why the dwarf and the orc had confronted her.
“Exactly. Ever since Ezra and I left the Academy our members have been spreading propaganda to sow the seeds of doubt in the Keep’s leadership,” Cheyanne said.
“But as it seems time is not on our side, they may contribute to our only chance for success.” She looked at Lark, a new determination in her eyes.
“If what you’ve told me is true, and this Entity threatens all of Sataran, then personal grudges must be set aside. ”
Lark nodded, feeling a weight lift from her shoulders. “Then let’s revise our plan. We don’t have much time.”
White Eye’s presence warmed in her mind, sending his approval.
They moved in more closely around the table as Cheyanne began to outline the layout of Vermillion Keep, its guard rotations, and the secret passages she had discovered during her years there.
Lark felt Venrick’s hand find hers beneath the table.
She met his eyes, thankful for his support.
She wondered briefly when she would get the opportunity to fucus on him, on what they meant to each other.
But for now, his touch and presence were more than enough.
After rigorously outlining the details, Cheyanne said, “Does everyone know their assignment?”
Lark nodded, “The dragons will remain outside the wards at the ready while the rest of us go into Astral City under the cover of Ezra’s caravan.
Cheyanne will take members of her alliance and escalate tensions throughout the Keep, causing a disturbance.
The timing is good. The Coronation Festival will be underway in Astral City. ”
“I completely forgot,” Venrick said with a chuckle. “The Coronation Festival was always the primary reason for Tel to take us far from the city. I’ve never properly seen what the city is like during the festivities.”
“It’s the perfect time to bring the dragons in close to the wards. The City Watch will be busy with the increased activity in the streets and less likely to venture out past the wall to investigate,” Ezra said.