When the Blind Lead the Blind
Kei walked into the dark chamber, confident that this meeting would blow over like the other ones usually did. He could only see the outline of the boy that walked beside him, but he knew that his companion had the same determined look that he always had. It was the same expression that he wore when he gave his first address to the people of Northimar as their Oracle: calm, collected, and wise. It was going to take more than a group of skeptical old men to break that determination.
The dim light shed by the luminescent crystals overhead barely lit the smooth cave walls that surrounded the circular chamber. On the other end, a group of blurry figures huddled by the wall: the Elders of the Brethren. Kei could hear the malcontent in their murmuring much clearer than he could see their disapproving faces. The room quieted down immediately after they entered; the Elders knew better than to whisper in Kei’s presence.
One of the figures stepped forward and addressed them. From the first word that he uttered, Kei could identify the man as Calrion: the slyest and most troublesome among the Elders. “You are late, Noctilon.”
Kei’s young companion did not flinch or hesitate. When he spoke, there was not a hint of insincerity to be found. “My apologies, Elders. You must understand that there are many matters which require my attention. I know that you have not requested my audience for trivial reasons. Please, share your concerns with me.”
“Did you think that we would not receive word of the Consortium’s invitation?” Calrion asked. “Were you planning on undermining us and sending out our own people into the open? If you intend on brashly ignoring this council’s will, the Brethren may find need for a new Oracle.”
Not a word rose from the other figures in an attempt to soften Calrion’s blunt assault; the other Elders were clearly following his lead. If they joined forces against him, Noctilon’s difficult goals would be near impossible. The Oracle acted as the Brethren’s spiritual leader, but the Elders held a much more tangible power.
“That is certainly not the case,” Noctilon answered. “I was planning on consulting the Elders once I had adequate time to contemplate the matter and its possible consequences. As you well know, all previous attempts to scry the slightest amount of information about the Unseen Consortium have been completely unsuccessful. But since you have taken the time to meet with me, I will give you the information I have and suggest a solution.
“It would seem that the Sorian Empire is not behind this invitation as I have scryed our representatives returning unharmed. The Unseen Consortium has always been a strictly neutral party. If anything, they would be more inclined to support us after the fall of the Artificers’ Tower.
“Furthermore, we cannot afford to simply wait while our numbers diminish. It is difficult enough to prevent the Sorians from expanding. We will not be able to keep the pressure on the frontier settlements if our men continue to vanish. If we withdraw, they will simply tear down these forests until they find us. I am sure you all are well aware of what would happen if the Bronze Legion was to directly assault Northimar. It is necessary that we combat this new threat quickly so that we can focus on keeping the Empire subdued. I recommend accepting Agent Four’s offer and forming a group of representatives immediately.”
The Elders huddled in the corner and debated over their response. It seemed to Kei that Calrion’s hold over the other Elders was beginning to wane after they were presented with reason. Many of them were still skeptical about the letter’s authenticity, but they all agreed that action was needed to prevent further disappearances. Noctilon’s logic was beginning to trump over the doubts that the Elders had of their young Oracle. Once he could tell that he was outnumbered, Calrion stepped forward again.
“Then it would appear that the council has decided to accept your suggestion,” Calrion said. “Any who oppose sending three representatives to meet with the Sorian Empire, speak now.” The room was quiet for a few seconds until Calrion accepted defeat. When he spoke again, Kei knew that he was doing his best not to sound bitter. “Very well, Oracle. Do you have anyone in mind to be our representatives?”
Noctilon responded, “I was hoping that you would be willing to head the group.”
Obviously caught off-guard by the suggestion, Calrion stumbled to formulate a response. “That is absolutely out of the question,” he insisted. “We cannot afford to have an Elder expose himself to those barbarians. We are needed here to keep order.”
Kei’s grin widened further; he knew that Noctilon had planned for this. Throwing the final blow, Noctilon asked, “Who would be better suited to represent the Brethren’s interests than one of you? If this council exists to protect us, then there would be nobody more qualified to stand up in our hour of need. As you are the youngest of the Elders, I reasoned that you would be the best choice for the long journey. Is there someone who you believe would do better?”
The room fell silent once again as Calrion thought deeply to find an answer. In a matter of seconds, the other Elders began talking amongst themselves, isolating Calrion in the center of the room. Kei desperately wished for the nocturnal vision that the natives of Northimar enjoyed; watching Calrion squirm would have been priceless.
The chatter died down as Calrion responded in a deceptively pleasant tone. “Ah, you make an excellent point, Oracle. I am honored that you would find me the most suitable candidate for such an important role. I will ask around for some capable guards and leave as soon as possible.” Ushering the pair to leave, Calrion hurriedly added, “Your wisdom is appreciated as always.”
“I would not send you out unprepared and vulnerable,” Noctilon said. “Kei and Psyriya will be accompanying you to ensure that you return safely. I am sure that you will not find a more capable escort. The Shadows have already been informed of your departure and supplies have been prepared.”
This announcement shocked Kei as much as it angered Calrion. Noctilon had not mentioned this decision when he originally discussed his plan. Kei struggled to keep a straight face in front of the council, a task that Calrion must have found difficult as well. The flustered Elder only managed to spit out, “How…gracious of you. If you would kindly take your leave, the council has much to discuss.”
Without a word, Noctilon and Kei exited the room and closed the door. Before them was a thin corridor stretching far in both directions. There was even less light available here, barely enough to illuminate the carved walls on either side. Most members of the Brethren were not aware of these halls and fewer still had ever been permitted to access them. All sorts of meeting chambers and store rooms lined the walls of this section, though Kei could not say what was being held in most of them. The Elders were always very secretive regarding their private rooms. To give them a little credit, Kei thought, every member of their clan was rather secretive. When you lived in a hidden city, it was simply a way of life.
Before Kei could even open his mouth, Noctilon responded to the question that was forming on his tongue. “Stay quiet until we cannot be overheard.”
Anxious to get away from prying eyes and ears, the two of them walked through the secluded corridor at a fast pace. Kei could not see the many forks that they encountered while traversing the winding pathways, but he was able to make every turn by memory. This was not the first time that the Elders had personally called for their new Oracle to answer their complaints. In all likelihood, it was not the last either.
After several minutes of walking through a long series of corridors, the pair reached the main atrium of the city. Even though Kei had lived here for five years, the beauty of this place still amazed him. Before he had first walked through one of the concealed entrance tunnels, he could not have imagined that a place like the Halls of Twilight existed. The atrium itself was an enormous spherical cavern where most of Northimar’s denizens spent their time. Several tiers of walkways lined the walls, each supporting several structures and tunnels that branched off into other sections of the city. Hanging off the cavern ceiling was a massive cluster of pale blue crystals that doused the atrium in a soft glow and gave the city its namesake. It was strangely similar to moonlight and dim enough for the sensitive eyes that the Brethren inherited.
Kei strained his sight to make out figures moving along the disc-shaped walkways. The tiers continued decreasing in diameter until they reached the bottom of the atrium where only a single thin bridge stretched from one end to the other. A wide river flowed under the bridge slowly enough to remain silent. There were no bustling markets in the Halls of Twilight; the Brethren only traded in hushed whispers. Loud sounds echoed through the entire atrium and secrets were a prized commodity.
Unlike the levels above, this walkway was nearly unoccupied; the lower levels were strictly reserved for the Elders, the Oracle, and his Lunar Covenant. The only other person on their tier stood in front of the entrance to the Oracle’s Chamber. When they reached the other side, Kei confirmed that the guard was another member of the Covenant. Tyrog was a brute of a man; he towered over Kei by at least a foot and had an impressive girth to match. Battle scars crossed along his tanned skin, marking him as even more of an outsider than Kei. When they approached the tunnel, Tyrog lifted his massive blade and stepped aside to let them enter. As they passed by, Kei glanced up to be met with the same disapproving frown that Tyrog reserved especially for him. Kei shrugged it off as always; there was not a shortage of people in Northimar who distrusted him.
After a short walk down the tunnel, Kei and Noctilon entered the brightest room in the city: the Oracle’s Chamber. Like most of Northimar’s chambers, this one was circular with a single entrance. However, it was much wider and taller than almost every other one Kei had seen. On the high ceiling, several of the lighting crystals were arranged to resemble the Brethren’s sigil: an eye with a crescent drawn inside the iris. The light shed by the formation reflected off of the four pools of water that circled around the center of the room. Noctilon walked towards the simple stone chair that stood in between the pools and sat down.
In this light, it was much easier for Kei to make out his surroundings. Seeing Noctilon on the unadorned chair that so many Oracles had sat in before, he could not help but feel humbled by the boy’s presence. Noctilon was not physically intimidating, but he looked more determined than any warrior Kei had met. Long, platinum white hair flowed down his shoulders and covered most of his face. Through the thin strands of hair, Kei could see the plain cloth of the blindfold that the former Oracle had given to him at birth. Even though the boy lacked sight, he turned to face Kei before addressing him.
“I know that you may not agree with my decision, but allow me to explain. I believe that the Unseen Consortium’s proposal will allow us to defeat two enemies with a single strike. What I said about the situation with our newfound enemy is absolutely true. We cannot allow these disappearances to continue. Morale is low enough already; if fear continues to spread within Northimar, the Elders will gain more power. At that point, I will not be able to stop them from ordering some desperate last attempt to overthrow the Empire. I do not need to tell you that such a plan is doomed to fail.
“Fortunately for us, this has resulted in a valuable opportunity. By asking Calrion to represent the Brethren, I have put him in a very difficult spot. If he were to refuse, his reputation among the Elders would decline. Because he accepted, I will have some time to repair the damage that he has done. Hopefully I can persuade the other Elders that I am qualified to help lead our people before he returns. If I am successful, then he will either have to submit to my judgment or fight against the rest of the council. Either way, this trip will serve to loosen his grip over the Elders and, ultimately, over all of Northimar.”
“But what does any of that have to do with me?” Kei asked. “You could pick almost anyone to go with him; the Shadows are more than capable of keeping them safe as long as they stay in the forest. It seems like overkill to send your own guardians with that scheming pig.”
“Do not assume that the Shadows will be on our side,” Noctilon warned him. “They exist to keep the people of Northimar in check, not to do my bidding. I can only ask them to stay their blades, and even then they are not obligated to obey me. It took quite a bit of convincing before they agreed to let you visit Psyriya once a month. You have never been unfortunate enough to face one, have you?”
Kei clenched his teeth and replied, “Once, actually. It was a year ago. After I said goodbye to her, I decided to take the scenic route back. An hour later, a dagger was at my throat and a voice was telling me not to linger in the forests. I never did get to see his face.”
“They are disturbingly good at what they do,” Noctilon admitted. “The Shadows live to serve Northimar, and you must remember that you swore to do so as well.”
“I have not forgotten,” Kei said, “and I did not intend to question your judgment. I just cannot understand why I must be the one to accompany him.”
“Despite the troubles he has caused me, I need to provide Calrion with the best protection possible,” Noctilon explained. “Anything can happen once you step foot out of here, and it is imperative that he returns unharmed. When I said that I had foreseen his safe return, I was lying. There would be no way to convince him to leave here if he knew that he would be in danger. The events surrounding this meeting are very hazy; there is some other force at work here, so we need to be prepared for anything.
“He is an Elder, a well-respected one at that, and any harm that comes to him will be considered my fault. The council distrusts me enough as it is. The ‘convenient’ disappearance of my most vocal opponent will only worsen the situation. You are perhaps the strongest warrior among the Brethren and Psyriya is by far the most skilled hunter we have. I cannot leave this mission in the hands of anyone but my most trusted allies. Tyrog and the twins will be able to keep me safe while you are gone. I know that you dislike Calrion as much as I do, but I need you to see this through. Politics aside, we will not be able to survive for much longer while fighting two battles at once.”
“I understand,” Kei grumbled. “You are right, you always are, but you should send me alone. I see no reason for you to subject your own sister to that sorry excuse for an Elder.”
Noctilon frowned, one of the rare instances the boy let himself show emotion. “You should know by now that Psyriya was not brought into my Covenant simply because we share blood; it would do you well to not question our values. She has her own battles to fight, as do you, but both of you are first and foremost bound to me. Now go, see to it that the Brethren’s will is done.”
Just as Kei turned to leave, Noctilon added, “I do not need eyes to see the scowl on your face when I mention the Empire. You were not dragged into this war through myth and tradition; it is far more personal than far-fetched stories about the First Eclipse for you. I promise that you will one day see justice, but you must restrain yourself until then. If you harm the Sorians at all, we’ll be on our own. Remember your promise to me, Kei. ‘My life to serve the keeper of night.’”
Kei’s fingers briefly traced across the sheath of his sword; Rhapsody Edge served him not only as a weapon, but more importantly as a reminder of his purpose. Through gritted teeth, he recited the rest of the Lunar Covenant’s oath. “‘My body and blade for soul and sight.’ I will let them live for now. You have my word.”
He did not want to admit it, but someone else stood between him and his revenge. His vendetta against the Sorians would have to wait.
Reflections – Deceit
“Families, villages, tribes, empires: we look to these things for comfort and protection. We claim to build each other up, but if you look closely enough you see a different story. Our true nature always bubbles up through the cracks in subtle and insidious ways. We sneak around in these chains we have shackled ourselves with, pretending to wear them while hiding the broken lock. I would choose a different path: my ambitions unfettered, my desires laid bare for the world to see.”