Chapter 33

“It is from the events of the 2nd Appearance that we see the Guardian indeed favoured the Sect of the Ascended Guardian. He defended Salveria, an Ascendist country, and he fought against Barkley and Forence, countries who believed in the Reborn Guardian. However, I know how my fellow Reborns would respond to my argument. They would say that in the 3rd Appearance, it was the greedy Ascendists who earned his wrath. And I admit they have a point.”

Faith in the Guardian by Grand Arboler Norman Thicket, year 4021

Home

The weeklong journey back to Magen City was grueling and solemn, but they finally made it. As the sun rose over the distant mountains, Oliver could make out the Guardian’s Palace, the Justice Hall, and the massive stone walls of Magen City. It was a beautiful city, but so ancient. Not home. Not yet.

Silas paused the march for a brief break to issue commands. He stood atop a rock, looking far calmer and more confident than a man should look after losing his son. “This is our last stand,” he said, gesturing to Magen City. “Lennox intends to push through to our capital and burn it to the ground. We did our best at Cambium… but it wasn’t enough. We had to retreat.” He paused for a moment, losing his composure for a fraction of a second, and then quickly reclaimed it.

“We must not let him have Magen City. There is nowhere to retreat from here. Lennox and his army marches just a day behind us. I’m sure he intends to seize the city immediately—before we get our defenses into place. That is why we have much work to do. Make sure to get a good night’s rest tonight. At dawn, I will need the help of everyone here: solider, mage, and refugee.”

He began issuing orders to his captains. Some were to round up troops—anyone old enough to wield a sword or staff. And others, to prepare weapons and reinforce the walls. As everyone received their assignments and responsibilities, they seemed to gain a sliver of vigor in their expression. A hope that they would survive the impending battle. After all, Magen City had never been seized before.

And it never will, Oliver thought, remembering his history. At least it shouldn’t. Then again… maybe I ruined history.

Whatever hope they had faded as they walked by Oliver, giving him nothing but scowls.

After Silas finished issuing commands and jumped off the rock, he approached Oliver, who stood with his hands bound and tied to an ox-pulled wagon. “And what’s my responsibility?” Oliver asked wearily. “Jump off the nearest cliff?”

Silas didn’t respond. He grabbed a leather pouch from the wagon and tightened its strings. He then untied Oliver from the wagon—not the cords over his hands—and pulled him away from the army and toward the corner of the city walls. Maybe he does want me to jump off a cliff.

“This is my fault,” the general said softly. “I chose the wrong man.”

They were silent as they walked. Thoughts of Ilan flooded their minds. Oliver tried to think of something he could say to comfort the man or even disagree with his self-accusation. But nothing escaped his lips.

“And the worst part is…” Silas continued, still looking down. “I actually started to believe in you, along with everyone else.”

A moment later, Oliver said, “Me too.”

It was true. Just before the battle at Cambium, Oliver began to believe that, somehow, he was the legendary Guardian of Magic. Not the real Guardian, but a fake who convinced everyone he was. How wrong he was.

“We were both right from the beginning.” Silas picked up his pace. “You and I both knew you weren’t the Guardian. We shouldn’t have let the overzealousness of the Grand Arboler and the Justices dissuade us. We couldn’t get you home, but that doesn’t mean we should’ve paraded you around as the Guardian. That mistake may cost us this war. It cost us Ilan.”

They walked for several minutes in silence. Silas led Oliver around the walls and toward a forest to the south of the city.

“If you were the Guardian,” the general said. “You would have saved him.”

A bitter sorrow, followed by a remorseful anger, drenched Oliver’s heart. Those were the exact words that Oliver told himself when he was first introduced to the idea that he was the Guardian. If I am the Guardian, then why didn’t I save him?

First Ben.

Now Ilan.

“So, what are you going to do with me?” Oliver asked.

Silas sighed. “You don’t deserve to die. You don’t deserve prison. You’ve done nothing wrong. This is our folly. We recruited a false guardian. I don’t even know if the Guardian will Appear.” He twisted his lips like he had a bitter taste in his mouth. “But you can’t stay here either. Now the people know the truth, they will kill you. For your own safety, I banish you from Salveria.”

With his bladed staff, he cut the cords around Oliver’s wrists. He carefully rubbed his blistered skin.

“Where will I go?”

“I don’t know. For now, I’d suggest getting far away from Magen City.” He handed Oliver the leather pouch he’d grabbed earlier. “This has bread in it. And here is a yew wand. Cast it if you need water.” He handed over a spare wand from within his robes.

Oliver looked around.

Silas had led him to the southwestern corner of Magen City. An open field lay to the west of the city—likely where Lennox’s army would be by tomorrow. North was the lake. East was the mountain range. And south was the forest—the forest that would eventually be reduced to only one square mile and eventually called the Capital Grove. Was this wilderness where he was to live out the rest of his days as a hermit… completely alone?

He looked back at Silas. “This is deplorable, you know? Ruining my life like this?”

“I know….” Silas shook his head. “It’s wrong to force a man into a new world, make him believe he’s someone he’s not, and then banish him for not really being that someone. I know. Believe me. I wish it’d never happened.”

Oliver lowered his gaze. “Will I ever be able to go home?

“Well…” the general sighed. “We said we’d continue trying to help with that if you helped us win the war.” He didn’t have to say the next sentence for Oliver to understand his implication. Oliver had not helped. He’d made things worse. Much worse. Makes sense to banish me.

They stood there in silence for a few seconds.

Silas patted Oliver’s shoulder and said, “My deepest apologies, Oliver Kapur. I wish things were different, but no point in wishing now. Now, I need to protect Salveria.” The general turned his back to Oliver and strode toward Magen City.

Oliver stood there for a long moment, watching the general go.

✽✽✽

Magen City was bustling with preparation, even in the dark. Word had spread that Lennox had broken through Cambium and was on his way to the capital. It seemed like Silas had reached that point where he’d issued enough orders to obsolete himself—everyone was delegated to help prepare for the siege. His work as a general was through for the day.

Now he needed to go home. He’d been delaying this as long as he could.

His steps were heavy. His posture and confident composure were beginning to droop. He’d kept up appearances for longer than he could handle. He was approaching his limits, his mind numb with restraint.

Men, women, and children strode past him in a frightened rush, as if a distant volcano had erupted. It seemed like everyone around him were moving twice his speed as he walked to his home. His pace dramatically slowed once he reached the stone steps leading up to the front door of his home.

As he climbed the steps, he replayed that moment—that terrible, awful moment—over and over in his head. The image of Ilan, far in the distance, falling to the ground, struck by an arrow. I could have been faster, he thought. I could have healed him sooner. Why wasn’t I faster?

Each step up the stairs seemed to get harder and harder, like an additional weight was linked to his ankle after every step. Will I ever reach the top? he thought. He didn’t want to. But he had to.

The front door opened before he reached it—he still had about ten steps to go. He groaned when he saw his daughter, Lily, open the door, her face beaming in excitement to see her father. Acaysha appeared behind her.

Her smile faded, recognizing immediately that something was wrong. Her eyes darted around Silas, looking for someone else. He knew whom she searched for.

“Where’s Ilan?” she asked.

That was the breaking point. Silas didn’t make it up the stairs.