Chapter 13: Antares

“Antares, the briefing is going to begin soon!”

“I heard you the first time. I’m coming,” he called back.

Antares examined himself in the mirror again, straightening his fitted coat. His curled hair was neatly combed back, completely revealing his freshly washed face. He bent down to tie the laces of his boots, wrapping each one in a tight knot. Satisfied with his look, he opened the door, only to be greeted with Rigel leaning against the wall. His blond hair was left untied, but slicked back, dressed in a training uniform identical to Antares’.

“Well it’s about time, princess,” said Rigel, twirling a gold chain around his fingers.

“And what are you supposed to be? My escort?” replied Antares, shutting his door behind him. Rigel stuffed the chain into his pocket as the pair started down the hall.

“I like to think of myself as royalty, wouldn’t you?”

“Well you’d make a lousy prince if I’m being honest.”

Strangely, their fathers had instructed them to attend this specific Guard meeting. As training cadets, they were usually never asked to come, since it was confidential talk of the Guard and the Terris Court safety in general. These meetings seemed to be popping up more than usual with recent events. An uneasy feeling had taken over Antares when he was told to take part, his words with Archer still replaying in his mind.

“What do you reckon they’ll talk about?” Rigel asked as they stepped down the stairs.

“The normal stuff, you know.”

“With rumors of a lethal element? I don’t think so.” Antares had told Rigel everything he had heard from his brother. His friend was trusted enough not to leak it to the public, and Antares desperately needed to relieve the stress.

Antares suddenly shot his arm out, stopping Rigel next to him when they were at the bottom of the stairs. They silently waited as a servant hurried past, his eyes holding a nervous shine as he glanced between them. He disappeared down the hall past the stairs, Antares stealing a look before lowering his arm.

“Could you be just a little bit quieter?” he hissed under his breath, pulling open the front door. “There are eyes and ears everywhere.”

“My bad,” Rigel replied sheepishly as he followed him out into the early morning. Dew dropped from the lush plants growing at the front of the house, paired with a chill wind. Even summer weather wasn’t enough to overpower the cold of the Terris Court mountains. A tall, sleek carriage waited for them, patiently parked at the side of the stone-carved road.

“Well, it's most likely about that raid that happened in the marketplace yesterday. An event like that couldn’t possibly go unnoticed,” Antares suggested. Rigel climbed in after Antares, and didn’t speak until the door was firmly shut behind them. They settled in the plush seats, the carriage jerking forward a moment later.

“You know, it’s probably about both. Maybe to clear up rumors and confusion about the element?”

“Well, whatever it’s about, why do we need to be there?”

I much rather would have slept in.

“You’re the son of the captain, for stars’ sake, Tare. Quit your complaining, it’s not like you’d be doing anything else.”

Antares stared outside, taking in the height of the mountains around him, and he felt himself shrink slightly in his seat. For someone who lived in the high alps, he had always felt slightly uneasy looking over the edges. It was just so far down, such a long way to fall.

He looked away from the window, turning back to Rigel.

“Well, no one ever said anything fun about a Guard meeting.”

The boys continued to take their guesses, hundreds of questions still lingering in the air as the carriage bumped along the road. The Terris Guard’s building wasn’t too far from where Antares lived, and the trip passed quickly. When the carriage stopped, they nervously stepped out and made their way inside.

An enormous fortress was carved out of the sleek stone of the mountain, with blocky towers and a square body, and the grand entrance stood dozens of feet over Antares’ head. He wondered how long it would have taken them to build such a thing. As they approached the massive door, they were flanked by two servants, who ushered them to one of the many great halls of the building. The servants politely pushed the doors open, the wood groaning as the boys were met with a roomful of people.

Antares’ attention was immediately drawn to the golden-laced green robes of the elder men and women. They sat elegantly at the front table, raised on a large wooden platform, their heads held high above those who lay before them. The other guests walked by with respect, bowing their heads in tradition. Antares recognized them instantly, like any other Terris Courter would. The councilmen of the Terris Court.

What are councilmen doing at a Guard meeting? They rarely ever come to these.

Antares exchanged a worried glance with Rigel, before following him to the seats in the back of the room. Scanning the crowd as he walked, Antares spotted his father with his fellow officials, standing near the front in a heated discussion. He was in his full captain’s uniform, his famed onyx sword handle glinting from the sunlight as it shined through the windows. His normally stoic face was in a flush of frustration, a deep frown creasing his lips. As he looked slightly to the right, Antares spotted Janus and Archer near the front as well, murmuring anxiously with the guards around them. People always eagerly listened to the words of the captain’s sons.

Antares sat down near the back, his eyebrows bunched in confusion. He quietly observed the room for several minutes, taking note of the enormous amount of attendees. It seemed the entirety of the Guard was shoved in this room, even those who were just training. The slam of the doors seemed to signal the start, and Antares watched his father step onto the platform, his face still scowling with anger. Councilwoman Shidaz cleared her throat loudly.

The room immediately quieted, and those who could not find a seat quickly gravitated near the walls. The woman looked back to the captain, who nodded and stepped forward, his hands behind his back.

“This Terris Court Guard meeting now begins. Nothing said in this room shall be revealed unless authorized by Guard officials or the Council. You have all been asked to attend for an important reason.”

A deep breath. “We have gathered you here to announce a new law, quickly approved and passed by all four of the Elemental Courts. A new element has been discovered last night on the raiders who attacked the market in Aldebaran. Many of you may have heard rumors of its existence and powers as they have been spreading around the kingdom for weeks. We are here to address these rumors now. While the element has been confirmed to drain one of their Gift, we still have no knowledge of it being in possession of the Ash Court.”

Murmurs rippled through the room. Antares glanced at Rigel, who was just as surprised as he was. How had the raiders come in possession of such a thing? And drain their Gifts? What did that mean?

The captain put his hands up. “I know, you all have questions, but our first priority is the safety of the public. This element, given the name Silmorite, is highly dangerous and now declared illegal. Anyone found in possession of it will immediately be arrested. To identify it, you must know that it is a silver substance with a bright sheen in its pure form. Our scholars are working vigorously to test the capabilities of this new weapon, but it is our job as the Terris Court Guard to assist in containing it.

“We all know of the devastating effects it had in the recent massacre. Therefore, our first priority is to halt the spread of it. The Court Councils have decreed that any trading, selling, or usage of Silmorite cannot take place and has been made completely illegal. As guards, your job is now to enforce these new laws. Your regiments should not veer from this.”

Antares was shaken at the severity of his father’s orders, and how much he stressed on them. He glanced at the Council, their faces impassive to his father’s speech. They sat with authority, and everyone in the room seemed to turn to them in fear.

“I will say this again. As your standing captain, your orders are now the containment of this lethal element. We will be collecting information on the doings of the Ash Court as well, only to confirm if the rumors are true or not. You are all to speak to no one of this particular rumor—we do not need more fear spread across Ophelia.”

“Does this have anything to do with the sickening king?” a brave soul called out.

The captain’s eyes narrowed, but a councilman leaned forward on his elbows behind him and answered instead.

“We have not found any connection between His Majesty’s illness and Silmorite. However, the possibility has not been ruled out. That scenario is still being tested by our scholars and researchers.”

“What about the other Courts?” another asked.

“We discussed the laws with the other Courts, who also plan to put it into action. The Aquae Court, both their Council and Guard, are especially willing to work with us and our scholars. This element is serious, and we cannot risk being overpowered with it. We need to know of its full capabilities as soon as possible.”

Rigel cupped his hands around his mouth. “How had the raiders gotten the element?”

Antares glanced at him with his eyebrows raised. Rigel only returned it with a shrug.

The captain’s voice echoed again as he spoke. “We are still not sure how. We managed to capture one of the raiders in possession of Silmorite, and we are currently trying to find out who they were sent by, what their motives were, and how they managed to get a hold of the element. This was no gang attack. The armor and weapons found were those of high warriors, people who serve a powerful master. We intend to expose them and their plans, in cooperation with the other Courts and their Guards.”

The whispers in the room grew as people nodded their heads. Others stared at the Council with concern in their eyes. Even in populated cities like Aldebaran, where people of every Court roamed, Elemental Guard patrols usually stuck with their own Courts and territories. Working alongside each other was especially rare. Antares glanced at his father again, who was assessing the room with sharp eyes. He leaned over to one of his commanders, and uttered something into his ear. His brothers stood together with stern faces, Archer’s arms crossed over his uniform. Antares caught his eye, and Archer gave him a slight nod.

The lethal element was real, and very, very dangerous.

✦✦✦

The marketplace was silent as a tomb, the flapping banners of the summer solstice festival temporarily taken down and replaced with the traditional white of mourning. Antares gazed at the somber crowd in front of him, wondering how many of the townsfolk had lost someone they loved in the raid. The sun was already behind the horizon, the darkness of the night kept at bay by the lanterns set up all around.

He stood behind the elevated platform set up in the middle of the square, still clothed in his Guard uniform from the morning. Standing in line with other guards, he looked past the crowd to the soldiers set up in the back and the sides. The only difference this time was the colored uniforms patterning the big space. The deep green of the Terris Court Guards, the striking red of the Ash, the royal blue of the Aquae, and the light grey of the Zephyr, all standing out in the mass of villagers in the middle. Security had increased tenfold: the Courts sent out guards all throughout Aldebaran and surrounding towns. Antares spotted small children gripping the hands of their parents, the heavy atmosphere keeping them quiet as they glanced at the soldiers around them.

The four captains stood in a sharp row on the stage, their heads bowed in respect. Next to them stood representatives from each Court Council, clad in their traditional, heavy robes. In the center sat Prince Damian, his small, golden crown resting on his head, warm against his darker brown skin. He had come in place of the sick king, and if Antares recalled correctly, he was hardly older than himself. He was dressed elegantly in white attire, his royal clasps and pins glinting with his small sword, his chin raised as he looked over the crowd with narrowed eyes. A group of his Royal Guard, dressed in purple, stood nearby.

At the front of the stage were three priests, one man and two women, with pure white and silver bands resting on their foreheads. They stood with their hands stretched out, a calm expression on each of their faces. In the dim light and bright lamps, their shadows danced across the floor in a silent game.

After a few moments, the prince stood up from his seat, his face regal and refined. He took a small step forward, drawing the attention of the crowd.

“Citizens of Ophelia,” he called out. “We are gathered here today to address a grave tragedy that has struck our beloved kingdom. As you all know, this very marketplace was attacked only yesterday, and the ones held responsible are still up for debate. On behalf of His Majesty, King Altair, I, Prince Damian, pledge to help in any way I can, to be able to keep this kingdom safe from such tragedies. If anyone has any doubts or concerns about the integrity of this nation, you may bring them straight to the palace, for I will be there to help. We must protect this great kingdom from these menacing threats, and seek revenge on those who have wronged us!”

The citizens began to cheer, applauding their prince as he returned to his seat. Prince Damian sat down with a knowing smirk, satisfied at the crowd’s reaction. Antares saw the determined looks of many people, all facing their prince and future ruler. He silently admired the boy, so young yet so well spoken and confident. The logical part of his brain told Antares that he was probably fed the lines, but nonetheless, Antares knew that they boosted the morale of the citizens greatly.

“However,” one of the priests called out, her voice magnified as the crowd returned to its quiet demeanor. “This is not a night for revenge. Tonight, we gather here together, under the blanket of our stars, to honor those we have lost. We gather here together to grow stronger from this tragedy. We gather here together in our glowing white to shine brightly along with our ancestors.”

The crowd murmured and shifted. Antares wasn’t particularly religious, but he still followed the star-centered traditions of his kingdom. He lazily looked over the front line of the crowd, where the higher Court families stood. He caught the eye of one particular girl, wearing a respectfully plain white dress, her dark hair loosely bundled at the top of her head. She stood ramrod straight in between what he assumed to be her parents, just as impassive as her. Her sharp eyes looked over Antares once before drifting away.

Just another rich heir of a high family.

“Let us remember,” cried out the woman. Antares looked up as people extinguished the tall lanterns, plunging the gathering into complete darkness.

The stars above them came in full brightness, the dark sky webbed with brilliant pinpricks of light. The crowd went silent, everyone gazing upwards in quiet wonder.

Then the humming began. It started out soft. One small voice in the crowd led the others, beginning with a low thrum. Then another, and another. More and more until the whole gathering was swelling with voices, rising and falling with the somber tune. Antares softly joined in, recognizing the Mourning Song. He became lost in the flows of the crowd, staring up into the night. It went on for what felt like an eternity, Antares’ eyes never leaving the sky.

He heard a small tear of fabric, and faintly saw someone take a ripped piece of cloth and lift it to the sky. The tips were ignited, and the cloth began to burn brightly, slowly disappearing in the person’s hand. They were followed by more quiet rips, pieces of glowing ash seeming to float over the crowd. The priests held the biggest pieces, straight from their robes, their humming the strongest.

Antares watched in fascination, the embers drifting up to join their counterparts in the sky.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the humming began to die out, slowly ending with the collective sounds of the priests. They soon became silent, and straining to see in the dark, Antares saw them nod to the people standing by the unlit lanterns, their guiding light the sparks of candles among the crowd. The Prince rose from his seat, his Guard quickly moving to follow him as he stepped off the platform.

Antares prepared to move from his position as well, and the people began to return to their homes, trickling between the wide and narrow streets of Aldebaran. As he watched his people walk away, he couldn’t help but notice the priests left behind, along with their own small group of worshippers, their hands outstretched to the starry sky.

✦✦✦

“Hey, check this out,” said Rigel.

Antares glanced up from watching the group going through rubble, his eyes following Rigel’s tilted head. A regiment of Ash Guards—around five soldiers—walked calmly through the street, their swords hanging off their hips.

“What about it?”

“Why do they look so…smug?”

“I don’t know.”

Rigel quickly looked away, careful not to let them notice his gawking, and continued to brush the mane of his horse. “They have pretty punchable faces, wouldn’t you say?”

Antares glanced at the group again as they walked past them and further down the street. “I think that one in the middle is eyeing you.”

“You didn’t deny their punchable faces, my friend.”

Antares shook his head, suppressing a small smile. “Come on, let’s keep moving. Leave your horse tied here with mine. The others’ are nearby.”

“For the last time, her name is the Unbreakable Sword.”

“For the last time, I am not calling her that. No horse deserves your blasphemy, Rigel.”

They were out on patrol in the broken parts of Aldebaran. To the public, they were there to ensure the safety of the citizens and reassure the already fearful population. In reality, the Terris Guard was there to try and catch any Silmorite that may be floating around, or someone who possibly knew more than what they were letting on.

The pair had already met with their training regiment, along with Aquae guards from their own Court city. As they walked, his eyes were slowly drawn to a small group of them standing together at the side of the road. Antares curiously studied their sun-kissed skin and sandy hair, noticing how nicely it complemented their blue uniforms. He had rarely visited the warm beaches, as he spent most of his life in the snowy mountains. He vaguely remembered the air tasting like salt as the burning sunlight rubbed against his skin.

The Aquae Court’s powers were interesting to him as well. The Fish’s Breathers were well known for their incredible Gift of breathing underwater, the Crab’s Healing Gift made scientific methods look weak, and it would be extraordinary to have the Scorpion's blessing of passing through solid material.

As they walked, Antares studied the other people around him. They were in the most damaged part of the city, buildings badly burned or destroyed entirely. People were running around, shouting when they found a body or asking for help. The street was being cleared, plans for reconstruction already underway. Antares could see the fear in the people’s eyes, even as they tried to keep a brave mask. As the boys passed by, the villagers bowed their heads in gratitude. Neither of them had their graduate swords, yet no one seemed to notice at the moment.

“Has King Altair come out to say anything yet?” asked Rigel, who was observing a small conversation between two men.

“Not that I know of. His Majesty obviously knows about it though, that’s why Prince Damian was there,” he responded.

“He must be incredibly ill then.”

“I mean, how much of a difference would it be if he did come out? His son did nothing but sit there, look pretty, and give some half-baked speech. The king’s influence has been fading for years. No one cares about what he says anymore.”

Rigel glanced at him with a slightly surprised look.

“I do pay attention to those awful political talks my father likes to have, you know,” Antares muttered.

“Well, you’re not wrong. The old man hasn’t done anything significant besides inflate the egos of the Court Councils.”

Antares chuckled. “I’d like to see you say that to either of their faces.”

“No thank you. I value my head.”

A small cry broke the conversation, and the pair stopped in their path, turning their heads towards the sound of the noise. A woman sat on a part of the scorched earth, some parts of it noticeably darker. She was surrounded by piles of wood, from a stand of some sort, small chips of lumber littering the ground. Antares caught the bright color of one of the trinkets, but he couldn't make out the design. Tears streamed down the woman’s face as she held the head of a man in her lap. His eyes were closed, and Antares looked down to his dried, dark clothes. Rigel took in a sharp breath as the woman cried out.

“Injustice! Injustice against my husband! May the stars curse whoever did this! Curse everyone who has planned this death against him!”

A few others came to console the woman, murmuring and covering the man with a sheet. She continued to cry out, creating clean streaks through the dirt on her face with her tears. Antares solemnly stared at the cluster of villagers until Rigel finally put his hand on his shoulder, guiding him away. They slowly resumed their walk, silent and thoughtful.

He didn’t deserve that death.

“Do you know who that was?” asked Antares.

“I’m not sure. I remember hearing he was an important member of the Terris Court, but I don’t know who he was or what position he had. It definitely wasn’t in the Guard or the Council.”

“Obviously not. He owned something here. Maybe a merchant?”

Before Rigel could respond, a cadet came running to Antares, stopping before him with a heavy puff of air.

Antares cocked his head, recognizing the boy. “Leonardo?”

“Antares, you need to come with me.”

“What?”

“A whole bunch of us were sent out to find you. You need to come with me.”

“Sent by whom?” Rigel cut in.

Leonardo glanced back and forth between Antares and Rigel.

“The captain.”

Antares looked at him in confusion. “My father? What is he doing here? What does he want?”

“You need to come with me, Antares. The captain and the Council are waiting.”

The Council?

“I’m coming with you,” said Rigel.

“I don’t think—”

Rigel stared Leonardo down until his voice died out. “Where are they?”

“Follow me.”

Antares followed his friend and the cadet, quietly exchanging glances with Rigel. They weaved between sobbing crowds and piles of wood and broken stone, the stream of people thinning as they got farther away from the clustered area.

Ahead, Antares could see a large group of horses. As he got closer, he could make out the captain atop one, surrounded by guards, their hands on their hilts. Next to him were three obvious councilmen—Culed, Runecreek, and Shidaz—changed into easier clothing for horse riding, but still as regal as ever. Antares slowed down, stopping in front of the group, Rigel next to him.

“You may leave, Leonardo.” The boy quickly left at the captain’s command.

“This is your son?” asked Councilwoman Shidaz.

His father’s jaw clenched. “Yes.”

Anatres scanned the group, his stance tense. “Why have I been called?”

“Mr. Euphorion,” said a guard. “You are under arrest for the illegal possession of Silmorite. With the tip of an anonymous source, we discovered the substance in your chambers.”

“What?”

“Come quietly. It will make this all much easier.”

“No, what are you talking about? I’ve never seen Silmorite in my life! I’ve only learned about it a few days ago!” Antares stared at each face in disbelief, his thoughts spinning.

Silmorite? How the hell would I get Silmorite?

“Do not resist,” said the captain. “Force will be used if necessary.”

“I swear to the stars, I don’t have a drop of that stuff!”

The ring of swords unsheathing knelled as his father raised his hand. Antares looked to him with wide eyes, shock reverberating through his body. His father’s eyes only looked back impassively, wearing the same face of steel Antares had always known.

He will use force against you. He is going to arrest you.

Antares was suddenly knocked from his place, the world blurring before him. The air left his lungs in one sweep as he felt his feet somehow leave the ground.

And then it stopped a moment later.

Antares’ mind resharpened with a jolt, suddenly gaining a sense of his surroundings. He looked around with confusion, somehow standing in an empty, narrow street.

“You need to run,” breathed Rigel, panting heavily next to him.

“Rigel, what did you do?” His father, the guards, were nowhere to be found. The shock from his father’s cold words still lingered on his mind, creating a gaping hole.

“I grabbed you, and got you out of there, but they don’t know that. I’ll tell them you ran and snatched me in the process before knocking me out. You need to run.” Rigel’s eyes were wild, disturbingly different from their normal, joking indifference.

“No, no, I have to tell them—”

“Antares!” Rigel yelled as he grabbed his shoulders, before cringing and lowering his voice again. “You saw how serious they were about this thing, they weren’t even listening to you. There’s no way they’ll go easy on you just because you’re the captain’s son. You have to run, find some way to clear your name. I’ll pretend to know nothing. I’ll work from the inside to figure out what happened.”

Antares stared at Rigel, his mind scattering. The distant sounds of hooves and the shouts of raging men began to enter his perception. “But, how…how do I come back? What do I do?”

“Stay low until we figure this out, okay? Try to find a way to clear your name, I know you didn’t have any of that shit. Now go!”

Antares took one last look at his friend, his hands falling from his shoulders. Without a coherent thought, he turned and broke into a run, Speed filling his limbs on command. Adrenaline pumped through his body as he ran past the streets in a blur. The world slowed as it usually did, and Antares took a number of twists and turns, no clear destination in mind.

He could feel himself beginning to wane, all of his energy slowly draining. He didn’t care and pushed harder, his feet pounding the ground. He had to get out of there. Gone was that free feeling of running with his Gift, replaced with the desperate escape of fear and confusion.

With a final push, he dashed into an alleyway, skidding to a stop and immediately collapsing onto his knees. Sweat covered his body and he gasped, trying to fill his lungs with air. He was usually smart with his Gift usage, and hadn’t suffered a burnout in a while, but now that horrible feeling was coming back to him.

He held his head in his hands, trying to calm himself down.

What have I done? Why did I run? How did they find Silmorite?And in my own room? What have I done, what have I done…

“Are you all right?”

A concerned voice jerked Antares out from the storm in his head. He weakly lifted his head to see a shadow in the alleyway, his lightheadedness growing. He squinted, his breaths still rapid, as a masked girl in a heavy cloak approached him. She stepped into the light, her piercing, dark blue eyes observing Antares curiously. They widened as she took in his sight, Antares too spent to react. He wanted to tell her he had nothing to steal, nothing at all, but his mouth wouldn’t form the words.

“By the stars,” she whispered.

Before he could make sense of the girl, she stooped down and grabbed Antares’ arm, wrapping it around her neck. She slowly helped him up, barely grunting at his weight. He stared at her incredulously.

“Save your breath. We need to get you out of here.”

Unconsciously, Antares leaned into the girl, his limbs heavy. All he wanted to do was drop, let the dark pull of unconsciousness take him. Instead, he took a step forward with the girl, gritting his teeth. The far back of his mind questioned if he should really trust this person, but he quieted it.

The pair began to walk deeper into the dark channel, leaving the fury of the Terris Court behind them.