Fireblade: An Epic Fantasy Adventure Romance (A Dance of Fire and Shadow Book 3)
Fireblade: Chapter 16

MARATIC.

The familiar intertwined shapes of gnarled trees and sculpted rock formations bring a wave of longing for simpler times when all I had to do was focus on training and hope that the Eldrin would eventually trust and accept me into their Order. Before I was dragged irrevocably deeper into the very fabric of everything they are sworn to oppose.

Shadow alights on the wide sweep of the outer courtyard and looks around, a strange mix of eagerness and apprehension etched on his pale features. I don’t think this timing was part of his original plan, but his chances of retaking his ancient home are sure to diminish to nothing once a great horde of General Dragar’s newly-made warrior-adepts are in possession of it. After listening to the Emperor’s taunt about capturing Maratic, Shadow has been forced to act quickly before Dragar gets here with his troops.

But… if taking control of Maratic has the potential to give Shadow the power to destroy an invading army before it gets here, the future of Samaran will likely be worse under his dominion than if the Emperor himself prevails.

His hasty last-chance take-over attempt may just succeed––unless I can stop it.

But how?

There will be no more than a handful of Eldrin guards here, protecting their base from enemy incursions. For all their skill and training, their Order has failed to kill Shadow for several centuries. With Marin away protecting the King and building an army, and Jantian also at Blackthorn preparing the detachment of Eldrin for the coming battle, it looks like I’m on my own with this.

Maybe not.

Jantian walks out of the tunnel that leads to the far side of the pinnacle, a crysteel blade in each hand and his dark grey cloak thrown back to reveal chainmail and breastplate. The dust on his boots speaks of a hard ride and recent arrival while the leather harness bristling with weapons tells its own story.

He has come here prepared for a fight to the death.

I know he can’t be entirely sure where my allegiance now lies, especially as I have just arrived in the company of Maratic’s ancient threat.

He looks at me steadily, his lined and weatherbeaten face creasing in a frown.

“As soon as our scouts reported enemy troops starting to march in this direction, I guessed that our treacherous Lord Farang had finally discovered the location of this place. It was only a matter of time.”

I take a cautious step forward. “And you knew that in turn would provoke the Blade into getting here first for a pre-emptive strike?”

He dips his head in acknowledgement. “Assuming you had both survived your attempt on the Emperor’s life, yes. What I do not know is your part in this. Your allegiance.”

Before I can answer, Shadow pushes me aside and issues a final threat to his old enemy.

“Leave, Jantian. Now, while you are still alive to do so. This place is mine. Stolen from me by Valara and held by your worthless Order ever since.”

Jantian gives a slow shake of his head. “No.”

Spoken quietly but with an air of finality that chills me to the bone. I don’t want to admit it, but my loyalty is divided. I’m unsure if it is the effect of the binding, but I can’t help feeling that Shadow’s claim to this place is justified. He was driven out by force and left with nothing. Even Jantian has expressed doubts that the ancient Elementals were truly vindictive. More likely they have always been simply the powerful essence of the savage forest fires and winter storms that manifest in wild nature.

I remind myself to focus on the balance of power playing out right now. Whether or not Shadow’s hunger for vengeance is due to the corruption caused by his interaction with humans, there is no doubt that he is now too strong to be defeated by Jantian and the small number of Eldrin guards stationed here.

And it bodes ill for Samaran if a powerful Elemental focused on revenge gets control of Maratic.

And yet… Shadow seems to be trying to give Jantian a way out. Holding back from an instant deadly strike.

“Jantian. You know you cannot defeat me. Why throw your life away for nothing?”

Nem and the seven Eldrin from the garrison file out of the tunnel entrance to stand behind their commander, blocking the way to the training cave that holds the source of Maratic’s power. They must surely know as well as I do that it would take several dozen like them to have any chance of victory here, even with the Blade’s strength curtailed somewhat by the binding with me. Even if I stand with them to fight against him, we are unlikely to be strong enough…

And then the memory of why the Blade needed me with him to defeat Nagal comes back in a flash of insight and for the first time since taking his deadly gift, I feel certain that I don’t need to fight. I walk across the paved courtyard to the Eldrin and turn to face him.

“If you try to kill the guardians of Maratic, you will have to kill me first. And you know what will happen to you if you succeed.”

I see the shock and incomprehension on his face.

“You would die just to defeat me?”

“Better than to survive long enough to see my country ruined, whether by you or by the Rapathians.” I watch him carefully, still unsure if my death would kill him outright or simply weaken him enough for Jantian and Nem to have a chance of finishing him.

He gives little away. At least it has undermined his confidence and put an end to his threats. I seize my chance, knowing that Jantian will doubtless have stern words to say about making offers without first consulting him.

“Shadow, listen. For centuries, Zandar has shared space with the Nishan in Rahimar. There may be a bargain to be made here. Think about it. And remember, the instant you try to steal power from this place before the deal is done, I will know about it.”

“And you will tell them to kill you?”

“Yes.”

I watch him trying to conceal his fury. The very thought that someone would make that sacrifice had not occurred to him. Which is odd, considering that it was the sacrifice of the Five Warriors all those centuries ago that caused the first defeat of the Elementals of Maratic. Maybe he still doesn’t comprehend such a strange mix of duplicity and selflessness.

“You should have considered this outcome before you tricked and manipulated your way into ensuring the binding between us was complete.” I step aside, waving Jantian and the others to return through the tunnel before turning back with one final offer. “As a token of goodwill, two of the guards will accompany you to the outer cave while you wait for us to return.”

Jantian glares at me but maybe my impertinence has shocked him into silence because he doesn’t comment. I follow him back to the training cave on the far side of the pinnacle.

It is as beautiful and inspiring as I remember. The morning sun streams in through the myriad openings in the cave wall, reflecting gold and green on the crystals embedded in the walls and roof. The place is silent, but I can still feel the undercurrent of its power like a faint echo running through my body.

Jantian turns to me, his face once more set in the stern expression I replace so intimidating.

“Explain.”

I search frantically for the best place to start but my mind goes blank. Nem gives me a sharp prod in the ribs.

“Marin filled in a few gaps from what you told him at Blackthorn. Try starting with what happened in Corinium.”

I open my mouth to speak but the flood of information still refuses to arrange itself in any kind of order. Jantian speaks again. He almost sounds as if he is trying to reassure me.

“Nem told me she is convinced you can be trusted. I am trying to keep an open mind.”

I glance at Nem in surprise. She has always been so suspicious of me. I guess that gave more weight to her sudden support than if it came from anyone else. She prods me again.

“Jantian wants to check if your version helps clarify what he has learned from the archives so far.”

That helps with focus. I think back to what I discovered in the palace.

“The close binding between the Emperor and Nagal gave them both far more power than they had individually. But only if they worked together. That’s why the Blade manipulated events, steering my path until I had no choice but to accept a similar binding with him. He told me he did it because it was the only way he could kill his old enemy. But it means that when one is wounded, it also weakens the other.”

“Did he succeed in killing Nagal?” Jantian looks apprehensive as well as hopeful and I don’t understand why.

“Yes. He did. But he almost died in the attempt because I held back from killing the Emperor. Marin warned me that the ongoing feud between Purmut and General Dragar is to our advantage.”

“Go on. I still don’t see the connection.”

“Without my help, the Blade was wounded in his fight with Nagal and it affected me. Badly. I could barely get across the room to save him. When he threatened you, I made a wild guess that the same would happen to him if I was killed or wounded. The fact that he backed down proves I was right. I don’t know if my death would actually kill him outright but it might weaken him enough for you and the others to get close enough to finish him. Seeing as this is the first time he has been in this kind of pairing since Valara, I suspect that he doesn’t know for sure either.”

Jantian stands in silence for a few moments while he takes this in, then strides across the smooth rock floor to a long bench set against the far wall.

“I prepared this before I left for Blackthorn two weeks ago. I chose our best scholars to leave behind as security garrison so they could continue my research into the history of Eldaran.” He steps back to let me get closer.

I lean over to peer at the dusty scrolls spread out across the bench. One in particular catches my eye. Yellow with age and pressed flat with smooth stones laid around the edges, it holds a central place among the others. The text is in an archaic form of Samarian, but to my surprise it is similar enough to the style I learned from my mother to be readable.

.

This is the secret history according to me, Jaren, Scribe to Valara who is the Commander and First Knight of Eldaran.