Path of Dragons 7 - Chapter 89 - Remembrance

“I don’t know what to say.”

Elijah stood next to Sadie, but he didn’t know how to respond to her statement.  She’d obviously lost people – everyone had – but from Elijah’s experience, it never got any easier.  Coping with the death of a loved one was one of the most difficult experiences one could endure, and what’s more, it was always a personal process.  Nobody could tell anyone else how to deal with it.  All they could do was offer support.

So, that’s what Elijah did.  He put his arm around Sadie’s waist and pulled her close as he said, “Dat was a good man.  He was a great friend, and the best companion anybody could ever hope for.  He gave without thinking of how it would benefit him, and he saved countless people.  He was a hero.”

As he spoke, Sadie sobbed, eventually burying her face in his chest.  As he tried to offer comfort, he stared at the display they’d had made for Dat.  As was his request, it had been placed next to Lisa’s in the Shrine of the Fallen – a process that had taken only a few short hours.  During that time, Elijah and Sadie had retreated to their respective quarters, where they’d taken the time to clean up and make themselves presentable.

For his part, Elijah had chosen to eschew his mostly ruined armor, donning the best from his limited wardrobe.  The clothes were simple – just a loose, white shirt and a pair of brown trousers that only reached his calf – but it was the best he had available.  It wasn’t like he had a formal suit in his satchel, after all. 

The choice to leave his feet bare likely seemed a curious one, but it was largely driven by the fact that Elijah didn’t trust that they were out of danger.  Something told him that Heaven’s Bastion was no longer a safe haven.  Not for him, and maybe not even for Sadie.  Doubtless, Nico was already spinning a web of lies – or half-truths, more probably – in an attempt to undermine his sister.  And by extension, Elijah. 

It was such a petty thing, and it left him feeling more than a little disgusted with humanity.  Was that all that was left of Earth’s native population?  Pettiness and distrust?  Oppression and segregation between the haves and the have-nots? 

But the evidence just didn’t support that notion.  Sure, there were people like the ones in charge of Heaven’s Bastion.  Or the now-dead Roman in Easton.  But there were also people like Isaiah in Seattle.  He wasn’t an easy man to like, but he seemed to have his people’s best interests at heart.  The same had been true in Norcastle before its fall to the dark elves.  Argos was another exception.  And Khotont. 

No - humanity wasn’t doomed to governance mired in the self-interest of the governors.  Rather, Elijah was just fixating on the exceptions.  There would always be those.  Even before the World Tree deigned to extend its branches toward Earth, leaders had ever been self-serving.  That was why there were laws.  Checks and balances.  Countless rebellions peppered history to ensure that those in power never forgot that they served at the behest of the people, rather than the other way around. 

“He deserves more than this,” Sadie said, finally pulling away.  Elijah immediately missed the warmth of her body.  After sitting on the bench in the center of the corridor, she leaned forward, her hands on her knees as she stared at the tile floor.  No expense had been spared in the construction of the Shrine of the Fallen, and the tiles represented that commitment very well.  They were ornate but tasteful, just like the rest of the shrine, which was characterized by row after row of memorials, each one bearing what looked like a holographic likeness of the deceased.  It would have been beautiful, if it weren’t for what all those memorials represented.

Thousands dead, and those were just the ones who merited inclusion in such an exclusive space.  How many more had been slain without anyone even knowing about it?  In Hong Kong alone, the death toll was in the millions.  Most of those had ended up as mindless zombies who roamed the streets, driven only by predatory instincts to feed.  It was deconstruction of humanity on its most basic level, and it horrified Elijah as much as anything else he’d experienced.

He also couldn’t miss the parallels between the people of Hong Kong and those who’d once populated the world of Ka’arath.  Most of the natives of that world had become wraiths, nearly as mindless in their gluttony as zombies. 

“It’s what all he wanted,” Elijah countered Sadie’s previous statement.  Dat had made that clear.  His only desire was to be laid to rest next to the woman he loved.  So, after his body had been cremated, they’d placed his urn next to Lisa’s.  “He really did love her.”

“I know,” she said, sitting up and leaning into him.  “But my grandfather should be here.  So should Nico.  He should have a parade…or something.  I don’t know.  But he deserves more than just you and me.  His life should be celebrated.”

“What did Tianwei say when you told him about it?”

“Nothing,” she revealed, sniffing loudly, then wiping tears from her eyes.  She let out a long sigh, then leaned back.  “He just nodded like it was an expected turn of events.  I’m not sure my grandfather anticipated our return.  He knew people would die.  Maybe he was counting on it.  I don’t know.  I barely recognize this place anymore.  When we started it, it was supposed to be a safe haven for anyone who could get here.  We even sent out rescue parties, bringing people back.  But now…now, it’s like they’re treating it as something exclusive.  Like a gated community meant to keep out the rabble.  Meanwhile, people out there are suffering.  Not all of them are necromancers, either.  Most aren’t.  And even if they were, so what?  They’re still people, and they deserve a chance to live as much as anyone else.”

It was one of the longest speeches Elijah had ever heard come from Sadie’s mouth, and it was one with which he wholeheartedly agreed.  Clearly, she’d kept her feelings on the subject bottled up, and when she’d finally decided to let them loose, they’d spilled out in a torrent. 

Elijah could relate.

“You could change it,” he suggested.  “Your grandfather –”

“He doesn’t listen to me anymore,” she interrupted.  “I’m no longer the favored child.  Nico was busy while I was gone.  I’m not certain if it was at my grandfather’s request, but he spent most of that time setting himself up as a man of the people.  He was very visible.  Meanwhile, my reputation was subjected to a barrage of attacks in the form of rumors.  Some claimed that I fled in cowardice.  Others say that I was allied with the necromancers, people those same rumors make out to be a bunch of monsters instead of people just trying to survive.  Most of the population here look at me like I’m an outsider.”

“What will you do?”

“I…I don’t know.”

Elijah offered to help, saying that whatever she needed from him, that she only had to ask.  That elicited a small, sad smile, but no verbal response.  After that, the pair just sat next to one another on the bench before Dat’s memorial.  Sadie continued to lean close, and both took comfort in the other’s presence.

It would have been a beautiful moment, but for the context that they were both still dealing with the death of their close friend.  So, of course, it had to be interrupted. 

Elijah felt them coming before they arrived, but he dared to hope that their mission was one of respect.  Or at the very least, benign.  But the quartet of guards, each one more powerful than those Elijah had met before, had something else in mind. 

And they were led by Nico.

Elijah didn’t move as they fanned out to surround them.  In fact, he didn’t acknowledge their presence at all, which clearly infuriated Nico. 

“I have come to escort you to be judged by a tribunal of elders,” the Healer announced in his most imperious voice.  His eyes never left Elijah, making it clear who was the subject of his address.

“Judged?” asked Sadie, rising to her feet.  “For what?”

“Stay out of this,” he said.  “I’m here for him.”

Sadie wasn’t going to take that lying down, so she once again demanded what grounds they had to judge Elijah.  “Answer my question,” she commanded, a dangerous glint in her eye. 

“Fine.  It’s no secret.  Elijah Hart is to be tried for the urder of Sir Gideon St. Claire,” Nico stated.  He made the simple answer sound as if it was the most reasonable thing in the world.  “Rest assured, sister, if he is innocent, he has nothing to fear.  However, there are enough inconsistencies to his story that we have no choice but to suspect foul play.  In that case, he must pay for his crimes.”

“Crimes?  Plural?”

“He also stole equipment vital to the well-being of Heaven’s Bastion, and we have it on good authority that he consorts with necromancers,” Nico explained haughtily.  “In addition, I had no choice but to reveal his cowardly retreat from the last battle.  As I said, if he is innocent, then he has nothing to fear.  If he is guilty – as I strongly suspect – then he will feel the full wrath of Heaven’s Bastion.”

Sadie began to speak, but by that point, Elijah had had more than enough.  He took a deep breath, then pushed himself to his feet.  As he did so, he cleared his throat and said, “I think you’re forgetting one thing, Nico.”

“You will have an opportunity to present evidence of your innocence when –”

“I won’t be participating in your little trial.”

“What?”

“You heard me.  I’m getting sick and tired of your attitude, man.  I came here to help, and that’s what I did.  I helped deal with your little Primal Realm problem, and I didn’t ask you for much in return.  Do you know why?”

“Clearly, you mean to take advantage –”

“Because of her,” he said, nodding toward Sadie.  “And Dat.  But that only goes so far.  I’m only willing to take so much shit before I decide enough is enough.  That’s not the thing you’re forgetting, though.”

“And what am I forgetting?”

“You have no authority over me.  You have no means of controlling me.  You can’t kill me.  You can’t restrain me.  If I want to, I could go on a rampage and kill every single person in this settlement, and there’s not a damned thing you can do to stop me.  The only person here who might have a chance is Sadie, and I’m smart enough not to piss her off,” he stated.  Though, in the back of his mind, he questioned whether or not Sadie could even stand in his way.  If he did end up going on a rampage, she would try to stop him.  That was who she was.  But he suspected that she would fail. 

After all, he had a lot of levels on her. 

“You overestimate yourself,” Nico hissed.  “You have no idea what defenses we can bring to bear.”

Elijah shrugged.  “That’s true.  But again – you’re not thinking this thing through.  You come after me with four guys, right?” he asked, glancing from one to the other.  Via Soul of the Wild, he felt two flickers of movement.  “Oh, wait – there are six.  They’re what?  Late sixties?  Maybe as high as eighty?  Impressive levels, for sure.  But do you truly believe they’re enough to bring me down?  If so, let’s get to it, but I’ll tell you right now – it won’t go well.  You’ve seen some of what I can do – enough to know that you really don’t want to push me.  It’s been a little while since I slaughtered a city.”

Most of Elijah’s instincts screamed at him to just attack and be done with it.  Swatting them like flies would definitely satisfy some of his more insistent urges.  Yet, for Sadie’s sake – and maybe that of his mental state – he restrained himself, hoping for a peaceful resolution.  But no matter what else happened, he had no intention of letting Nico or Song Tianwei judge him.  Even if he wasn’t innocent of whatever accusations they’d conjured, he was so far above them that the idea of letting them pass judgement on him was laughable. 

The fact that he thought he was above the law should have scared him, but he barely gave it a second’s thought.

“Elijah…”

He turned to Sadie and saw the question in her eyes.  “I didn’t do anything wrong.  Gideon died because he failed the test.  Just like Zhang Yue.  That’s the truth,” he said. “As far as equipment?  I have no idea what they’re talking about.”

He also didn’t feel the need to justify his actions in the final battle against Avara.  He’d done what was necessary, and that was that.

“The shield.  The loot.  You took them,” Nico spat. 

“That’s what you’re worried about?  For god’s sake, man.  It’s just a shield.  I’ll get it back to you in a few weeks if that’s what you’re so worried about.”

“You’ll give it back now!  Along with everything else you stole in the Primal Realm!”

“Not liking your tone, man.  In the interest of keeping the peace, here’s what I’ll do.  The second I’m done mourning my friend, I intend to leave this settlement.  You never have to see me again,” Elijah offered.  “If you choose to stand in my way, you should be prepared to get trampled.  Don’t push me, Nico.  I haven’t killed you yet because you’re Sadie’s family.  That only stretches so far.”

Even saying that much was more difficult than Elijah had expected.  With every instinct screaming at him to make an example of Nico and his companions, he struggled not to give in.  But if he did that, he probably wouldn’t stop with a few people.  So, he shunted those feelings to the side, hoping to remain impartial and uninfluenced by the emotions raging through him.

After that, he turned away from the furious Healer and faced Sadie.  She had remained mostly silent so far, but she knew good and well what he was capable of.  Not only had she seen it first-hand, but she knew the number of bodies he’d left in his wake.  There was more to it than simple murder, but his history was clear.  If someone pushed him too far, it would be a massacre.

“The invitation still stands, you know.  My island.  All-expenses-paid.  I’ll even provide transportation.”

“Elijah…”

“I don’t need an answer right now.  I’m going to be in the area for a few weeks, but in little while – let’s call it a month – I’ll be back.  If you want to come with me, great.  But if not, that’s fine too,” he said.  “Just give it some thought.  No pressure.”  Then, he turned to Dat’s memorial and said, “I’m going to miss you, man.  Thank you for being my friend.”

With that, he took a deep breath and strode toward the door.  Nico clearly considered standing in his way, but thought better of it at the last second.  After that, Elijah’s path out of Heaven’s Bastion was unimpeded.  Only when he’d left the building behind, taken on the shape of the blight dragon, and donned Guise of the Unseen, did he let himself relax.

He'd been only a hair’s breadth from a bloodbath.    

His every instinct had been screaming at him to put Nico down.  And if he let himself start down that road, he wouldn’t have stopped until everyone knew the cost of offending a dragon.  Even now, his mind whirled with indignation and pride. 

He once again suppressed those emotions and focused on his next steps.  Hopefully, they would turn out better than his experiences in the Primal Realm.

And that's the end of the seventh book in this series. Onto book eight!