RE: Monarch

This was what misplaced loyalty wrought.

I watched silently, forcing myself to take it in, committing it to memory. This was what would happen to my friends, my allies, if I was too weak to face Thoth when the time came. They would be on the wrong side of history, and she would make them suffer for it.

Nethtari was tucked away near the back of the room, watching from behind a pillar. I felt her eyes on me.

What must she think of me now?

I told myself it didn’t matter. Ephira had rushed towards the stone staircase only to be struck down. Her throat was cut. This time, the that blood seeped from between was bright red. She choked and gurgled. The front of her face was nestled in the stairway, features hidden in shadow except for one milky-white eye tinged pink that pierced straight through me.

The betrayal itself hadn’t hurt me. I barely knew Ephira. What haunted me was the idea that someone seemingly intelligent and rational was willing to sell her soul to oppose me. Was the idea of a united Uskar really so foreign, so unlikely?

There was a final moan from somewhere in the corner of the room which was quickly stamped out.

You gave up.

The idea nagged at me. Had there been a better solution? Was there, still? I didn’t think so. At least not one available to me as I was. If I was stronger, then maybe, none of this would have happened.

I shook my head to clear it, vehemently. Even within the loop there would always be people stronger than me. Ozra spoke to that. Hell, even Ralakos spoke to that. If the enclave had taught me anything, it was that brute strength and dedication could only get me so far. No matter how hard I pushed myself there were beings that had been at this for hundreds, even thousands of years longer than I had.

I needed to be smarter.

The demons cleared out the bodies. I found myself wondering what, exactly, they intended to do with them, then decided I was better off not knowing. Nethtari stood beside me, though I noted her distance was slightly greater than before.

Before we left the cavern, Ozra brought up the topic of a demon to bind. They were strangely reverent towards me, Ozra included. I wondered how common it was for someone in my position to do what I had done—judging from the reaction, it seemed as if it was particularly rare.

He offered several beasts. One had legs as thick around as oak trees, and massive claws that could easily cut a person in half. I considered it. I was lacking in brute strength.

I moved on to the next. It was a shadowy greater demon with black claws and a feminine form. I recognized her as the same variety that had struck down that girl in the alley. A hit-and-run fighter not unlike myself. But she wasn’t what I was looking for.

The final greater demon Ozra had arranged was a simple floating wisp, with a globule of black oil in the center that could have served for an eye. It was an exceptional caster. Ozra stated with the flare of a horse salesman that it had access to water, fire, and electric elements, all nearing the third stage.

“That seems incredibly valuable.” I said, considering the choice.

“Indeed. The sort of demon an infernal at the menagerie would never be offered. Only the best for you, your grace.” When Ozra said “your grace,” the inflection made it sound like he was telling a little joke.

Something about it still didn’t feel quite right. Considering the cost, a bit of pickiness was to be expected. I surveyed the room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the blindfolded, lipless demon who had been negotiating with Nethtari earlier skulking in the back, as if he was hiding.

Ozra followed my gaze, and his brow lowered in displeasure. “Ah. Vogrin. Come forth.” The demon skulked forwards. The tightly fitted coat and dark formal wear looked like they would have been more at home in a Panthanian court.

“Yes, master.” Vogrin’s voice was ear-thrummingly deep with a slight a nasal tinge.

Ozra stared at his servant, clearly displeased. “Vogrin is my Shlackfei.”

I tried to parse the word. “Uh. Academic?”

“We will need to work on your demonic. Close, but no. The suffix means master, the prefix could be interpreted as ‘knowledge.’” A sense of looming danger emitted from Ozra. “Though he has hardly lived up to that title as of late.”

“My apologies. Though it was clearly stated that contracts were not my specialty, arch-fiend.” There was just enough vestigial attitude in the statement for me to smile.

“If your failures were limited to the contract, I would only curse your line and be done with it.” Ozra rubbed his face.

“The enclave is specifically warded against greater demons, arch-fiend. Were it any other city-“

“Yes, we’ve had this conversation before. It does not change the fact that you failed me.”

Ozra held out a hand and I watched with muted interest as Vogrin fell to his knees and began to squirm, clearly in pain, but completely silent.

“What exactly did he do for you?” I asked.

“Gathered intelligence. He’s served well over the last five-hundred years or so, but I believe his time is over. I can only hope his successor learns from his mistakes.” Ozra’s hand closed and Vogrin began to foam at the mouth.

“And if I chose him? To bind?”

Ozra looked at me incredulously. But the more I thought about it, it made sense. If my father was the hammer, Thaddeus was the chisel. My father never had to stop to ponder an enemy’s weakness because Thaddeus was there to aim the blow.

There was a long sigh. Ozra released Vogrin from his grasp, and bent down in front of the greater demon. “Your call, Vo’. Contract with the boy, or go back to hades?”

“Back… to hades…” Vogrin said.

“Excellent. You’ll be contracting with the boy then.” Ozra said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Vogrin groaned. Ozra glanced at me. “That is, if you’re sure. There are benefits to you, especially long term, but the short-term gain will be small. Vogrin is older than any of the greater demons I presented to you.”

When it was clear I didn’t understand what that meant, Ozra rolled his eyes and continued.

“Meaning, he’s been pulling mana directly from me for centuries. My stores are massive. Yours are not. Your usage of him will be limited.”

That was becoming a trend. My mana stores were becoming a more glaring issue, as my technical ability with the magic rose.

“Can you help me rectify that problem?” I bent down and spoke to Vogrin directly. Even blindfolded and twisted as his face was, he looked miserable.

“The sanctum holds many opportunities for growth,” Vogrin said, “It is possible, though it will take time.

“Will you join me?” I asked. Despite the fact that Vogrin was a demon, and Ozra’s encouragement to the contrary, I simply wasn’t comfortable forcing any being into servitude.

Vogrin looked uncertain.

“It can’t be worse than dying. Going to hades.” I chucked a thumb towards Ozra. “Even if it is, I’m pretty certain this guy intends to make your life miserable. I have nothing against you.”

“The deprivation of mana would be… unpleasant.” Vogrin hissed the last word. “But I fear you are correct.”

Ozra tossed me a small medallion. It looked like platinum had melted over the outside of an emerald, then been flash frozen in place. It was too crude to be beautiful. Still, I knew its purpose from experience.

I held it in the air. “Bind yourself to me.”

----

An hour later, Nethtari and I rode the boat out of the twilight chamber. Theros had already returned, so lit a torch instead and rowed the boat physically. Perhaps it was a trick of the light but all of a sudden, the gray in Nethtari’s hair looked much more pronounced, the wrinkles around her eyes more defined. The silence between us weighed heavy.

“I’ve disappointed you,” I said. Speaking the words hurt.

The water sloshed with each stroke of the oars.

“It’s only natural. You’re a solicitor. The law is important to you.”

Nethtari reached over the side towards and trailed an idle finger in its depths. “It’s not you I’m disappointed in.”

I cocked my head. “What do you mean?”

“I should have done more for you. I saw you struggling with the decision. Watched how it wounded you.” Nethtari clutched her chest. “But there were so many of them… and I was afraid. Afraid the asmodials would break one more tradition, and I would never see my sons and daughter again.”

“Even if you had, it probably wouldn’t have changed anything.” I said. I didn’t enjoy killing Ephira, but there was no doubt in my mind that it was the correct course of action. She was too smart, too well-connected. If I entered the sanctum while she still resided within the enclave, I had no doubts it would have led to my ruin.

And yet.

“‘Probably.’” Nethtari repeated back sadly. “It is the gray plane between what is probable and what is possible that we live, Cairn. Every uncertainty is filled with endless possibilities. I should have said something.”

I changed the subject. “Thank you, for accompanying me Nethtari. I know it wasn’t easy.”

“It was the least I could do.”

“It really wasn’t.”

The silence expanded outwards into the surrounding cave. I looked up at the elven ruins that first foray into the Twilight Chambers had been ambushed from, so very long ago.

It was finally over.

----

The enclave came back into focus. It was like the filter of doom and suffering had lifted, and I could once again see how beautiful it was. A gaggle of children raced through the crowded streets, dodging under carts and around perturbed folk who scoffed at them and went on their way. A merchant called out, advertising a recent shipment of fine silks. And the flow of people curved around a particularly strange mixing of people that waited at the docks. Some nodded and bowed to councilor Ralakos, who smiled magnanimously and waved them on their way. Several called out to Kilvius, who held a babbling toddler in his arms. No one, however, seemed to recognize the woman dressed in a cloak for the lynchpin of the underworld that she was.

Nethtari departed the boat first, and ran to Kilvius, pulling him into a hug, Agarin between them. The grime and despondency of everything that had happened within the twilight chambers, the stain upon my soul, seemed to evaporate.

“I take it things did not end amicably.” Ralakos asked.

“Unfortunately” I winced. “Erdos?”

“He tried to escape, and when he could not, he fought to his last breath.”

I winced, immediately thinking of Bell. “His daughter?”

“I’ll see to her. It is the least I can do.” Ralakos held out an arm. When I took it, he pulled me into an embrace. “Dimension gate or not, I will remember this, Prince Cairn.”

Persephone chuckled. “For someone I just met, you certainly know how to make an impression. Gods it’s good to be free of her.”

I didn’t have to ask who Persephone meant. “You and Ralakos didn’t have any problems manipulating the double once the scepter was out of range?” I asked. We’d tested it, but it was still a worry in my mind.

“Yes.” Persephone said. “‘Ephira’ announced that she would be stepping down from the council to focus on her duties.” Her eyes slid over to Ralakos slyly. I knew why, though I declined to comment. There would be a hell of a vacuum in the enclave markets with Ephira gone—and I had no doubt Persephone would be there to capitalize on the opening.

“I need to get going,” Ralakos said, and pointed at me. “You will be joining me for dinner later? Tomorrow? We’ll drink wine. I’ll have the chefs prepare sceo—“

“I’ll join you, but please, no more slugs.” I winced.

Persephone extended her hand to me. The sultry air she’d played up all those months ago was still there, but significantly dialed down. “Come to me before you enter the Sanctum. I don’t like owing people, and I have access to wares that will help, which you won’t be getting in the Enclave.” She leaned in and whispered in my ear. “Thank you, for the other thing.”

She took her leave.

Jorra flicked a small projectile of water at me to get my attention. I instinctively summoned an aegis and blocked it, though it was smaller than an egg.

“Tell me what the hells’ going on later?” Jorra asked in a low tone, looking up at both his parents in irritation.

“Sure,” I lied

Kilvius ruffled my hair. “I know I’ve said it before, but I really am proud of you, Cairn.”

The weight in my chest lifted, if only for a moment.

“Ready to go home?”

I’d decided some time ago that when this was over, I was going to take Ralakos up on his offer of a spare room, at least for a while. Nethtari would need some space, after what she’d seen, and I had no doubt that when she shared what had happened with Kilvius, it would affect his perception of me. Still. I could worry about that tomorrow.

I closed the door of Maya’s room behind me. The very muscles in my back seemed tense, begging me to lay down and relax. But I couldn’t. Not yet. I sat back up and summoned Vogrin. He appeared before me on one knee.

“What is your command, master?”

There was one last thing I needed to do.

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