RE: Monarch

Chapter 140: Pyrrhic X

My heart thundered like a war-drum in my ears from across the clearing to the portal, down to the Enclaves central reaches until I reached the Councils compound.

The implication was that Maya would be safe so long as I stayed within the time limit. While it wasnt directly said, it was implied. Problem was, while my father was capable of perceiving and employing subtext, he seemed to relish pretending they didnt exist.

Id watched him go back on countless verbal agreements and alliances whenever it suited him.

Maya wasnt safe. If she said the wrong thing? If my father tired of the shade of her skin or the horns on her head?

The drumbeat in my ears deepened as I tossed my helmet aside and ran down the Councils long corridor, descending the stairs three at a time. Someone clipped my elbow. From the blur in my vision, I saw them stumble. I called out an apology, but did not stop until I reached the massive double doors that let to the dimension gates sitting room.

There was a crowd of researchers and mages milling around the dimension gate. Several were working on the gate itselftwo fire mages wearing goggles stood atop a platform, bright red lines of concentrated late emitting from their fingers as they fused something together.

Ralakos was already there, having read between the lines when he saw us returning one rider short. Can we do this in a day? I tossed my helmet to the side, unable to banish the nauseating parallels that plagued my mind.

Maya surrendering herself into my fathers army.

Lillian carried away by his honor guard.

Its theoretically possible, yes. Ralakos confirmed, though he looked anything but certain. That is the time we have?

I shook my head. Deduct an hour to be safe. If Im only a minute lateeven if he sees me coming, it wont matter.

I stood before the massive gate. Surrounded by dark stone, it was a mix of dwarven technology and infernal craftsmanship. Large metal tines extended up from the base, forming a large oval severed on the top left diagonal corner. I saw a flash of complicated components before the two fire mages secured a panel.

A dwarf waddled in, with dark hair that looked more dyed than legitimate. Ye bastards better have a reason for waking me at this ungodly hour.

Ralakos intercepted him smoothly, guiding him to the gate. It is well past noon, Stonekin. The sun has been up for some time.

Sun dont matter when ye live underground. The dwarf groused, wresting his arm from Ralakoss grip. Whats this about, then?

We need to get the dimension gate working. Now.

The dwarf gave me a demeaning glance. And I need a hornless missus who isnt twice my height and doesnt appear to be in varying stages of asphyxiation, but ye dont see me makin that your problem, do ye?

What?

Unfortunately, Prince Cairn is correct, Titus. Our window of opportunity has narrowed significantly. Ralakos said.

Well, shit. The dwarf clapped his face with both hands, blinking the sleep away. Best get started, then.

***

We worked tirelessly, well into the night. There were more complex tasks for me to do later, but for now, my role was to use the third stage of the flame to recharge the inert batteries that drew from the dantalion.

When there was nothing left for me to do until the main event, I left Vogrin to assist the dwarf and went out the side entrance for air and a nip of vurseng.

The sound of dozens of overlapping conversations reached me. I found the source easily. From the looks of it, half the enclave had gathered at the front. It made sense that rumors had leaked. There were too many people involved with fixing the gate. And now that the threat of a impending attack had stalled, the riled up populace gathered here.

As Id lived here since long after the infernals had accepted the division as a way of life, it was easy to lose track of the reality that over half their population was sealed behind the gate. The cautious hope in the faces of the growing crowd was proof that, while they may have taken the tragedy in stride, they had never forgotten.

I didnt want to disappoint them. But a nagging in the back of my mind filled my thoughts with doubt. We were trying to do that normally required a wealth of experts and at least five demon-flame mages with only one. And while Id achieved the peak of what Veldani could teach me, there was a level of mastery that only came with time.

A heavy weight bore down on me, as I wondered if it might have been better to just to go with my father, instead of bringing all this attention to a potentially hopeless endeavor. I couldnt be as cavalier with my resets as Id been before. The black beastthe mystical being who divined where in the timeline I would resethad emphasized that the power that allowed me to travel through time was not infinite, and I would need as many recursions as possible for a chance of success, at the coronation confrontation and beyond.

It was a frustrating irony. I somehow had all the time in the world, yet none to speak of when I required it most.

The vurseng burned in my lungs, and I breathed it out in a slow plume, feeling the telltale tingle as my heart rate picked up and the heaviness of my eyelids lessened.

There was a sudden commotion among the crowd. At first, I thought theyd spotted me. But no one was looking in my direction. Rather, they were turning towards someone.

My stomach dropped as I spotted a familiar woman hobbling through the parted crowd.

Gods dammit.

My pipe clattered to the ground behind me as I jogged towards her, the feeling of dread growing as I approached my teacher. The infernals violet skin was far more wrinkled than the last time I saw her, and she somehow looked smaller than before. She was wearing a ceremonial robe in lieu of her usual smock, her white hair thin and dull.

Veldani looked around at the surroundings as if she couldnt quite work out what she was doing, or where she was.

I slid my arm into hers, ignoring the crowd as I guided her towards the building. Hello, master.

She looked at me blankly, and for a moment, I thought shed forgotten who I was. Then recognition lit in her eyes. Have you been practicing, Bacchus?

I winced. Its Cairn, Veldani.

Well, have you been practicing, then?

Yes, Elder. Every day.

Good. Veldanis voice warbled as she spoke. And dont half-ass it. Youll need to be ready when you leave the Sanctum. You and Bacchus both.

I tightened my lips, not wanting to be the one to remind Veldani that her student was gone. That after Persephone had mourned him, his body was returned to the Sanctum buried in the graveyard next to her hospice, a lost child amongst ancients.

Have I ever told you about my granddaughter? Veldani asked.

I grabbed a wide-eyed boy from the crowd and pulled him close enough to whisper instructions in his ear. Send for Casikas, the apothecary. Tell him an elder strayed from the sanctum and to bring everything he has. When the boy didnt react, I gave him a desperate shove. Go! Now!

The boy took off.

Who was that? Veldani asked, sounding uncharacteristically frightened.

A messenger. Nothing to be worried about. You were telling me about your granddaughter? I prompted her, though Id heard the story on multiple occasions.

Anglisses proper title would have been great-granddaughter, with enough greats preceding it to fill a page. Veldanis kin was a light mage, who spent most of her time practicing in Veldanis hospice until she aged out of the Sanctum and followed the path most infernals did back then after they graduated, the Sanctum: entering the demonic plains through the dimension gate.

Less than a half-year before my father destroyed it.

Such a good head on those tiny shoulders. Veldani said. When she sagged a little, I bent down and scooped her up. She was small, like me. And so kind to the Elders. Even the addled, ornery folk that had lost themselves. I miss her dearly.

Youll see her again soon. Just hold on. Even if we were able to repair the gate in time, I wasnt confident that was true. Morthus had been relatively young by Elder standards when he left the Sanctum and reentered it. When I saw him again after a few years had passed, it was as if hed aged a century. And he was a fraction of Veldanis age.

That was the reason Elder Veldani, perhaps the sole master of the dantalion-flame that remained on this plane, had never attempted to repair the gate. Because there was a high likelihood shed die as soon as she left the Sanctum. That she still drew breath even now was a miracle in and of itself.

Why did you leave? I asked, not quite managing to mask the pain in my voice. The Elders at the hospice needed you. That was the whole point of training me, wasnt it? To carry on your legacy?

Veldanis blurred expression had sharpened at the mention of the hospice. She looked away, embarrassed. It wasnt the same with Morthus gone. I found someone to take my place. A talented violet who retired from the council, though I tried not to hold that against him. Hell take things from here. And when I heard you were leaving, I wanted to see my teaching bear fruit for once. To see my little Anglisse again. It was about time to hang it up, anyway. Veldani laughed, her mirth dissolving in a fitful cough. Ive worked longer in the Sanctum than most infernals have in their lifetime. She clung to me through another coughing fit, one louder and more painful than before.

Theres an apothecary on the way. Just hang on. I pushed the door open with my back.

Im an apothecary. Youre an apothecary. Why do we need another why Veldanis eyes went dull. Why are you carrying me?

Training, master. I struggled to keep my fingers from tightening. Strong magic requires a strong vessel, does it not?

I suppose it does. Veldani said, as if the idea was new to her. As if she hadnt repeated it to me like a mantra, countless times before.

***

Oi! If youve finished faffing about The dwarf had moved to confront me and trailed off when he saw Veldani in my arms. Ralakos slid between us to take Veldani from me, his face mournful. I watched as he took her to the corner of the room, catching a few words between them.

What have you done, you old fool

Old! Have you seen your reflection recently, Rala?

There was a small burst of pained laughter.

Friend of yers? Titus said, his ire entirely forgotten.

I rolled up my sleeves and sized up the dimension gate. A teacher and a friend. Where do you need me?

Tituss mouth turned downward in distaste. Some salvageable components turned out to be not so salvageable.

I clenched a fist. How did we not know about this earlier?

He grunted. No way to know until the juice was flowing. And with the ancient design philosophy, theyre not exactly the sort of thing we can just pop out, so those two are burning them down. The dwarf pointed to the fire mages, both sweating heavily as molten components dripped into a waiting. Puttin ye in the mix will speed things up a bit, but not that much. And yer friend dont look so good. If ye need to attend to her, thats understandable.

I stared at Veldani, struggling to accept the truth.

The only thing I could do for her now was focus on making sure her efforts werent wasted.

Show me where you need me.