A Soldier's Life - 456 - Epilogue

Chapter 456: Epilogue

It took Kyrenic and the last of the Brausis city guards four days to escort the remaining civilians to Sestos. With not enough wagons or horses, moving the elderly and children the sixty miles had been slow. It was a relief they only lost six on the journey: one to heart failure and five to creatures from the dungeon breaks. He wished Blaze and Eryk had been with them, but he understood their need to protect their own in these turbulent times.

The port city of Sestos was crowded, but there were ships with brave captains willing to take the poor refugees to Laopos and Delpsa further south for free. It was all he could do for them. He needed to return to his Queen Mother and ensure her kingdom was safe in these uncertain times, and then report to his Knight Commander.

He found a ship in Bydros and crossed Morwen’s Mouth to the Heptarchy lands. Before he could report to his mother, he had to fulfill one obligation on the way home. Traveling through the Heptarchy lands was different from other kingdoms he had visited. Elves and humans, worked alongside each other, and even a few dwarves walked the streets. There was only one dwarven kingdom in the Heptarchy, and King Roderin Brightmantle’s people resided in the northwest. It was their lands that bordered the Telhian Empire, and the dwarves had been forever indebted to the other kingdoms coming to their aid. The alliance had endured for two thousand years.

Kyrenic quickly went through customs and stopped at two inns he knew to leave messages and speak with the innkeepers. The dungeon breaks hadn't reached this far west, but word about them had spread, and Kyrenic did his best to correct any false rumors. The second innkeeper happily loaned him a fine riding mare so he could make his way home.

His journey was marked by frequent short stops as he briefly connected with acquaintances and friends. Days later, he turned north at Ampiaserac to head to a small town. The town had fewer than two hundred people, maybe double that if you include the farmers and ranchers. It was not even within his mother’s land, instead ruled by King Eryndor Sunward. The King was old and frail and holding onto his crown by a thread, but Kyrenic knew his successor and the kingdom would be passed to capable hands.

Kyrenic dismounted outside the town’s forge. The blacksmith was pumping the bellows to smelt iron ore in his small furnace. The stocky man paused on seeing Kyrenic alone. Kyrenic slowly shook his head no, and tears formed in the man’s eyes. “How?” the blacksmith asked with a tight throat.

An adventuring group had convinced the blacksmith’s daughter to join them two years ago. She had worked the forge with him for years, but sought more. She was built as powerfully as her father, and Lucan, the charismatic leader of the adventurers, only needed a little flattery to convince her to come with them. She sent him letters that became increasingly dark. She had decided to come home, but she stopped writing her father after a year. He became worried, but he couldn’t afford to send someone to find her. Kyrenic happened to be passing through and took his request, not expecting any reward.

“Astrid fell in a dungeon, according to Lucan,” Kyrenic said consolingly.

It looked like the smith was going to break down sobbing. Kyrenic approached him and placed his gloved hand on the man’s powerful shoulders. “Lucan and the others will not be doing the same to anyone else.”

In fact, when Kyrenic had caught up to them, Lucan had recruited a new fire mage. The fire mage was young and had a black eye that didn’t come from a human monster. Kyrenic waited for the group outside of the city, and slew them all except the fire mage. He let her go even if there was a chance she would report him to the Adventurers Guild.

“Thank you,” he said, holding back his emotions. The smith turned and entered the forge. Kyrenic wasn’t sure if he should wait to make sure the man was okay. He had lost his wife and only child. The pressing need to leave weighed on him, but he waited half a day until the man emerged. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair was a mess, and his face was streaked. He nodded to Kyrenic and moved back to relight or stir the coals in his smelter. “Thank you, knight. I will be fine. My sister lives nearby, and her boy will be my apprentice in a year or two. I will manage.” Kyrenic saddled his mount and rode away, but the next time he passed this way, he would check on the smith.

The following week, he rotated and pushed his mounts as he hurried back to his mother’s court. Riding through the walls of Skyliton, it was strange how little the city had changed while the wider world seemed to be moving constantly. The seat of his mother’s kingdom remained stable, and the people thrived. As he rode through the streets at a canter, the people recognized him, greeting him with waves or cheers. At the castle, the guard captain only stopped him long enough to confirm his blood.

It was clear that some of the same stablehands had added a few gray hairs to their beards during the three years he had been gone. He talked only briefly with them, learning about the gossip and any issues he might face. He was not happy to learn his mother was in Petos, capital of the Heptarchy, and his sister was presiding on the throne in her absence. It was only a two-day ride to Petos, but he couldn’t leave before paying his respects to Elenara.

He took the stairs two at a time and headed straight for the reception room. He was sure that word of his return had already reached the castle halls. Two guards opened the doors as he approached, and he found his sister at her long desk buried in paperwork. His bright white smile flashed, and she returned it. “Kyrenic! Your last message is two weeks old! Mother and I were starting to get worried.” She gestured to a spread of fresh food placed on a side table.

“You are going to eat and bathe before you come near me!” she warned jokingly. She stood, and her pale green dress had slits on either side of her hips. Kyrenic raised an eyebrow as his muscled thighs were briefly exposed. “Mother isn’t here, and I can wear what I want!” She said in mock indignation. Elena was as skilled a swordsman as he, but their mother wanted her more focused on ruling the kingdom.

“So be it, your majesty,” Kyrenic said as he attacked the food table.

“What happened after the dungeon release?” Elena said as she moved to his side and filled a plate for herself. Kyrenic was forty-two summers old, and his sister was forty-five but looked half her age. As Queen Adelin’s successor, she wore a precious artifact that slowed her aging. Queen Adelin herself had a similar dungeon artifact and appeared younger than Kyrenic. Their family had a third such artifact that should have been Kyrenic’s, but their father had been wearing it when he was lost at sea. The dungeon that rewarded the artifact was in the dwarven lands and was rarely found in the final reward chest. Kyrenic was at peace with his own mortality.

“I had to divert to a dungeon town in Gorgiphia. Too many old people and children had nowhere to go. The Adventurers Guild couldn’t send anyone with the other dungeon breaks,” Kyrenic explained as he shoved a sandwich into his mouth.

“And Kyrenic the Unbreakable had to save them all,” she said in their mother’s voice.

He chewed more slowly. “No. No, I didn’t save them all. In fact, I was almost killed. If it wasn’t for an adventurer, I would have likely met my end.” His sister’s jaw hung open in disbelief. Kyrenic pointed his hand with the half-eaten sandwich at his sister. “In fact, I think that adventurer could conquer my unconquerable sister.”

“If he could subdue me with his sword,” she spat in disgust. Elena had turned away many suitors who couldn’t match her swordsmanship. The few that could were found lacking in character by their mother or Kyrenic. She didn’t need to put on airs, as their younger siblings had produced many nieces and nephews to carry on the line. Queen Adelin had her eye on a few of them.

Kyrenic gestured with the sandwich. “He could beat me easily enough, and his bladework is complemented by a number of spell forms. I think he could subdue you easily with both his swords.”

Elena didn’t flush and seemed to consider. Her brother had never recommended a suitor to her before. That was always their mother. “And where is this suitor you would force on me?”

“Taking an otherworlder child to the Death Hunters,” he said dismissively. “If I run into him again, I will be sure to let him know you are interested.”

Elena only hesitated for a moment. “Perhaps…”

“What news and why is mother in Petros?” Kyrenic asked before shoving the last of the sandwich in his mouth and chewing. He was realizing how hungry he actually was.

“The Seven have called up soldiers to be sent to help with the dungeon breaks. Gorgiphia initially refused aid but now is begging for it,” Elena said.

“King Brenwynn is a fool. He places his wealth and pride ahead of his people’s well-being,” Kyrenic growled.

“I agree. The Mage Lords are just arrogant, but they did confirm the disruption of the ley lines came from Brotherhood lands,” Elena said more seriously. “They don’t think it is over either. They are sensing that although the dungeon has closed, there is still something resonating in the ley lines.”

“Dragon piss!” Kyrenic hissed.

“It gets worse, brother. The new Telhian Empress said the Brotherhood stole artifacts from an excavation of an ancient Titan city called Atlantium, the capital of the forgotten Titan Empire,” Elena continued. “Enclaves of the Nashasari have since been discovered in multiple cities across the continent, including Petos. The few that have been captured know nothing of what is happening.”

Kyrenic’s jaw went slack as his mind wrapped around the facts. “What of the creatures being forced out of the Endless Dark?”

“The goblinoids? Those are a problem for the Telhian Empire,” Elena said. “Maybe they will finally tear that Empire apart.”

“An ancient dragon appeared when a deep wyrm came out of the dungeon,” Kyrenic said.

“We got your message about the incident.” Kyrenic frowned. He was there, and calling an incident didn’t do it justice. “The wyrm was likely being opportunistic in using the dungeon break to reach the surface. It was not the only ancient dragon sighting in the last two weeks. There were at least two more sightings, and one city was razed on the other continent.”

“And dragons stirring doesn’t concern people?” Kyrenic said, exasperated.

“It is out of season, but not unusual considering the disruption to the ley lines,” Elena said dismissively.

“I need to speak with mother and my Knight Commander,” Kyrenic said, shoving a slab of meat inside a loaf.

“Not until you bathe and sleep,” Elena said, defiantly. She moved to block his exit, her long sword appearing in her hand from her item storage ring. If there was one thing Kyrenic envied, it was Elena’s blade, Voidpiercer. The blade was made from dark mithril and could cut through anything. The threat to use the blade on him was hollow, and they both knew it.

Kyrenic looked down at the bade, smiling. He didn’t resist and went to the royal suites where a bath was already prepared. He bathed quickly and didn’t head to his room, instead putting on his clothes cleaned by the mage attendant, using the secret passages of the castle, and heading toward the stables. He changed his mind on his destination, figuring Elena would be waiting for him there. He took a guard gate through the walls and found a horse trader he was friendly with. He would send the bill to Elena.

He knew Elena would be furious, but he had too many things to do. His split loyalty to his mother and the Knight Commander of his order was creating a sense of urgency. Too many things were happening in the world, and he sensed it was just the beginning.

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