Those that went across the waves,

Were lost to Oonya’s embrace.

Their memory now abandoned to the sea

But their souls never forgotten.

-The Book of the Abandonment 2;21-24

As Valleresa, Celeste, and Vallerian made their way over to the now low-burning docks, Celeste grabbed onto Vallerian’s arm and whispered to him.

“Thank you for your restraint and temperance, Lord Vallerian. It is easy to kill when the gods gift you power, but you showed mercy.” She looked up at him with those large, mismatched eyes and a warm smile. Vallerian’s gut churned at the sight. Merciful, is that what he had been? Vallerian felt a chill down his spine. Hadn’t he beamed when he shot the arrow through that ruffian’s skull? No, he couldn’t doubt himself now because of some silly girl. The thug had needed to die, or else Gardinal would have been hurt. Without Gardinal, he would never earn Celeste’s trust. Not truly at least.

Vallerian nearly missed a step as he remembered the bodies he had left. Looking to the docks, he searched for the corpses. The fire barely flickered now; did anything of those men remain? Anything that pointed to his part in their demise? How many arrows had he loosed into them? The bow on his back felt heavy as a tombstone in that moment. No one else had brought a bow tonight. If Celeste saw arrows in corpses, it could only mean him. Vallerian patted her hand.

“The First Mother guides us all, Radiance.” He smiled back at her. She beamed now. Valleresa eyed him dangerously from her other side. Damn sister, he thought, she was onto him. He had to keep her off his scent, or else she could ruin everything. Why did it seem siblings always had a near miraculous ability to cause you trouble?

They passed over mud and wood before reaching Gardinal. He stood like a statue covered in ash and blood, his foot pressing down onto the last of the robed madmen.

“Who was the Theremya?” Gardinal growled at his captive as they approached.

“The Summoner… cannot… be stopped…” The cultist sputtered. He was a Fereni man with greying hair.

“Answer the question!” Gardinal responded, digging his heel into the man’s chest.

“Brother Gardinal!” Celeste exclaimed, pulling away from Vallerian and his sister. “What are you doing?” She cried out. Vallerian rolled his eyes. Only Celeste would object to the interrogation of a cult intent on killing her.

“Your Radiance?!” Gardinal spun, staring wide eyed at Celeste. “How did… What are you doing here?!”

“Didn’t you know? She just appears every time trouble’s afoot. Evidently another of the First Mother’s gifts.” Vallerian said snidely. Gardinal’s shock melted away as he furrowed his brow.

“What were you thinking Prophetess? You could have been hurt.”

“She was.” Vallerian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t about to let her get away with that little mishap. Gardinal sputtered.

“Dear Gardinal, you were both in danger. I couldn’t possibly stand by while you two were hurt!” She pleaded. “If you had brought me along in the first place, none of this would have happened. I could have talked them out of it. I could have…” She stopped short as she took in the dark look on Gardinal’s face.

“And how would you have done that? How could you possibly have known what to do? You just…” Gardinal blustered before stopping himself. He took a deep breath, then began again. “No, there is no excuse for you to have come.”

With the two momentarily distracted, Vallerian looked past them. He needed to ensure he could not be incriminated. Vallerian didn’t want to imagine how she would react if she saw his archery talents firsthand.

The dock was now a smouldering skeleton of what it had once been. Thankfully for the entirety of Mudport, the muddy wharf had prevented the raging fire from spreading inland. Scanning his eyes over the charcoal bones of the pier he found himself blessing his luck. Not a single body remained in the ashen wreckage. It was nice when your targets cleaned up for you after dying.

“What are you smiling at?” Valleresa spoke from next to him. He eyed Gardinal and the girl for a moment. They were hugging now. A nice scene if not for the man still beneath Gardinal’s boot. Vallerian shone a too bright grin at his sister.

“Just glad everyone made it out safely.” He lied. She narrowed her eyes at him. She didn’t believe him, not that it mattered what she believed. Pushing past her, he returned to Gardinal and Celeste.

“So, Brother Gardinal, I see you have caught us a fish in the port.” Vallerian jested. Gardinal looked to him with a raised brow, before remembering what lay under his foot.

“Aye, I’ll get something out of him yet.” Gardinal responded. Celeste pulled back from Gardinal, then leaned down to speak to the man.

“You poor soul.” She whimpered. “What can I do to turn you from this path? To bring you back to the Mother’s light?”

The man spat in her face. Gardinal stomped on his back at that and the man let out a sharp yelp.

“You dare…” Gardinal began, digging his heel into the man’s back. Vallerian stepped forward, pushing Celeste aside and laying a hand on Gardinal’s shoulder.

“Brother Gardinal, perhaps I might be of some use here. I have been wedded to the experts of this kind of… communication for quite some time.” Vallerian said. Gardinal turned to look at him with a dark expression, before looking down at the wiry, squirming man beneath him once more.

Gardinal nodded his consent, stepping off the man. Vallerian grinned as he leaned down to grab the man by the collar of his robe.

“Vallerian don’t do this.” Valleresa hissed from behind him. There was a tension in her voice. “You know this is wrong.”

Vallerian shot her a look over his shoulder. This was an opportunity to get in Gardinal’s good graces, he wouldn’t let his sister get in the way.

“Wasn’t there another one of you? That Jöln girl? Arabella, wasn’t it?” Vallerian attempted to distract her. Valleresa cut a curse short as she clenched her fist.

“Blasted stubborn… You’re just another Fyri-Harrisdal down to the core, aren’t you? Didn’t you learn your lesson in the alley?” She warned him before striding off. Vallerian gritted his teeth at that. He would deal with her later, for now he returned to the man in his hand.

“So.” Vallerian clicked his tongue, trying his best to emulate his mother-in-law. “you’re going to tell me what, precisely, you had in mind here tonight.”

The man snarled at him. “Master X will get his vengeance. He is mighty beyond reckoning and you…”

Vallerian cracked the man’s jaw with an elbow to the face. The man yelped in pain as Celeste gasped from behind.

“Vallerian! No!” Celeste screamed. Vallerian ignored her. She would understand. The cultist’s head wobbled now; his eyes seemingly dazed. Vallerian grabbed him by the chin and forced the man’s eyes to meet his.

“I asked you a question, peasant.” He growled at the man. “What did you want here?”

“The…The Summoner will see your heads…” The man continued. Vallerian groaned before striking him in his gut.

“STOP IT!” Celeste shouted from behind him. “GARDINAL STOP HIM!”

Vallerian looked back once more to see Celeste being restrained by the Khazimi priest. Good man, Vallerian thought, he understands that sometimes a little force was necessary. Vallerian repeated his question, and this time he got answers.

“The… The Silver Skulls threaten our goals. They had weapons that we needed. The Summoner… he bade us so… that… that’s all I know.” The man spat out with only a bit of prodding from Vallerian. Not good enough. Vallerian brought his hand back down across his face. In the dim light he couldn’t even make out the spatter of blood painted across the mud.

“VALLERIAN STOP IT!” Celeste continued her shouting from behind. He could hear her struggling against Gardinal’s grasp. “PLEASE. YOU’RE HURTING HIM!” She was sobbing. Stupid child, he thought, this was why it was bad to bring girls to battlegrounds. Vallerian tried his best to tune her out.

“This Summoner of yours, what does he want with the Prophetess?” Vallerian asked.

The man spat blood at Vallerian’s face. Bad idea. Vallerian smashed the man’s face into the muddy earth with a crack. Celeste screeched from behind.

“Please… no more…” She croaked.

“VALLERIAN WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!” Valleresa shouted. She had been faster than he had expected. Her surprisingly strong hands pulled Vallerian off of the man, spinning him to face her. “What are you doing? Do you think the True Father will ignore this?” She demanded of him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her this angry. Maybe when he had tossed her doll on the roof when they were seven? No, not even then.

“He had information we needed.” He responded. She looked at him with utter disgust. That actually hurt him. She had never looked at him like that before.

“At what cost brother?” She turned from him with a clenched jaw. Stepping away from him, Valleresa returned to Celeste who sat kneeling on the ground in tears having finally been released. Valleresa joined Arabella in holding her, the three sitting there in a tight huddle.

Vallerian moved his eyes to Gardinal, and they shared a look. Almost in unison they stepped away from the girls to talk privately for a moment.

“It had to be done.” Vallerian assured him as he reached the shorter man.

“Aye, I know. I’d do anything to keep her safe. Just hate that she had to see it.” Gardinal responded, and Vallerian found himself agreeing.

“Does it really matter though? As long as she is safe?” Vallerian asked. Gardinal chewed on the thought for a moment before responding.

“No. I guess not.” Gardinal answered. Good, now to the real matter at hand.

“He mentioned someone, a Summoner. You know anything?” Vallerian asked.

Gardinal chewed on it for a moment before answering. “I don’t know if you’ll be wanting to hear this, seeing as who you’re married to lad.” Gardinal’s eyes watched him, seemingly waiting for some response. He had mentioned a Theremya earlier, though Vallerian hadn’t seen one.

“Speak friend. Just because I’m married to a Theremya doesn’t mean I’m particularly enthused about their predilections.” Vallerian tried to make light, but Gardinal had obviously fought in the war. Veterans of the Shaded Lands war never jested of the Theremya. Still, Gardinal nodded.

“The leader of those heretics. The one that channelled that… Chaos.” Gardinal spoke the final part with a sneer. “He’s a man I’d heard of before. They call him the Summoner, he answers directly to this X figure.”

Vallerian nodded. So that’s what that fire had been, the Chaos made manifest. How disturbing. “Sounds like a pleasant man.” Vallerian responded.

Gardinal grunted at Vallerian’s jest before saying: “You should try facing his flaming balls.” Vallerian snorted and Gardinal rolled his eyes. “If you could look into him. See if your family knows anything. It might get us closer to stopping these heretics once and for all.”

Vallerian nodded. He could reach out to his wife for this one, better her than her mother. This was becoming too messy. He didn’t like it one bit. And it was only made worse by the involvement of his sister. Looking back to the trio, they seemed to have moved over to the unconscious cultist, and Celeste was pressing a glowing hand on him.

“We should get them back home.” Vallerian said, moving towards the girls. Gardinal grabbed his arm.

“I’ll need you to do that.” Gardinal said. “I have some matters that need attending. Sooner rather than later I would say.”

Vallerian looked at the charred husk of a dock behind them. “Will these matters require a an Ethinian healer when you’re finished?”

“Well, when I’m done with him, my brother will wish he was those docks.” Gardinal almost seemed serious. Vallerian grinned.

“I’ll get them home. But don’t be long, I’ll need to see my wife soon if we’re going to get anywhere with this.”

Gardinal nodded at that, then they both returned to the group.

“Your Radiance.” Gardinal said, approaching Celeste with a deep bow. “There’s things I have to look into. Lord Vallerian will escort you home.”

Gardinal reached for her, and she flinched at it. Vallerian watched Gardinal’s face darken suddenly.

“Brother Gardinal… I…” She searched for the words a moment, not meeting his eyes as she did. “The Chaos lingers in the darkest parts of our souls. It is written that it seeks to consume all that is good. And that, save for man’s will, given by the gods, it would.” Celeste reached out now, and gently cupped his face with a shaking hand. “Do not falter in your vigil, my dear Gardinal.” The man seemed frozen in place. She leaned in and whispered something to him. Gardinal nodded sternly, then suddenly his face relaxed. She was healing him again, Vallerian realized. Gardinal’s face shifted to one of bliss, and he seemed a different man for a moment. Vallerian knew that look, but never from healing. It was the look of a drunkard or kiyra leaf abusers, getting their fix.

“I will do better…” Gardinal whispered just barely loud enough for Vallerian to hear.

“Come on Your Radiance. I think it’s long past time we get you home.” Vallerian pulled the two apart, and Celeste jerked at his touch. He rolled his eyes; she was going to be difficult again, wasn’t she? Regardless, they said their goodbyes with Gardinal quickly. As they moved apart, Gardinal stepped over to the cultist and pulled him to his feet.

“Come on you, I’ll be taking you to someplace you can’t be causing anymore trouble.” Gardinal began marching the man off. Vallerian glanced at Celeste, who nodded approvingly at Gardinal.

They walked in silence for a while before Valleresa fell in step with Vallerian.

“How long has he been that… reliant on her?” Vallerian asked. It was a dangerous connection, but an obvious one now that he noticed.

Valleresa seemed uncomfortable at the question. Eventually though she did answer. “Always, or at least as long as I’ve been around the two of them.”

Vallerian nodded. “You know that’s a liability.” He responded. “It makes him unstable.” He spoke low, quiet enough so that Celeste couldn’t hear him.

“It makes him a good protector.” Valleresa said. “and it helps him, I think.” She shook her head. “it’s certainly better than all the veterans who drown their troubles in drink.”

“Is it though?” He whispered, likely too low for her to hear.

They strode in silence for a moment longer before Valleresa spoke again. “What you did was wrong Vallerian. We can’t go around acting like our father…”

“Don’t you dare.” Vallerian snapped. “Never compare me to that man. You had it easy.” He hated when she tried to act like she understood those times. Valleresa looked to him with those knowing eyes of hers but kept quiet.

After that, an uncomfortable silence settled over them. Valleresa soon fell out of step, moving back to Arabella and Celeste. Walking with only Charlotte on his shoulder, he scanned over the dark streets they passed. Southshore was such a sad place, the crumbling homes of people trying their best surrounded him. What a place to live, he thought. He had grown up in towering keeps and grand manors, but this place? They fit as many people in one shack as his father did in a full manor. No wonder they were turning to violence and heresy. Vallerian could almost see himself doing the same if he was in their situation. You do what you must to survive. In this place, it seemed survival was only growing harder.

“How could you do something like that to a helpless soul?” Celeste spoke, and Vallerian nearly jumped. How had she snuck up on him?

“They are dangerous people Celeste. We needed to ensure your safety. His information helps with that.” He responded. A simple enough reason, he thought.

“I pray for their souls my Lord.” She said near a whisper. “But I pray more for those who know better, who were born to better circumstance, yet still sin.” She looked at him and their eyes met. For a split second it seemed she stared into his very soul, measuring his entire existence with those gold and silver eyes. Vallerian just kept silent under that measuring gaze. “I thought you were a good man.” She whispered, then fell back towards Valleresa and Arabella.

Vallerian sighed. It seemed worse than he had thought. This was only getting more difficult by the day. How was he supposed to protect her, help her, get her confidence, without hurting anyone? With all these men trying to kill one another. All the while with this girl at the center of it. Vallerian trudged along, what an awful day.

They were still too far from the home for Vallerian’s liking, but thankfully the streets were empty. Vallerian suddenly noticed it. The street was completely vacant. No drunkards in ditches, no street rats sneaking through cracks in crumbling buildings, no seedy merchants hawking shady wares. Southshore was never empty.

Vallerian stopped and turned. Pulling out his dagger in an instant, he stepped to get closer to the girls. But as he spun, he saw them. Dozens of figures, all ages, shapes, and sizes were behind them. He cursed himself, how in the Chaos had he missed that?

“Vallerian?” Celeste asked nervously, pointing behind him. Vallerian looked all around, and from every roof, every alley, from every damnable upturned rock more of the street thugs crawled out. There had to have been at least a hundred, too many for him to count.

“Get behind me.” He commanded, and he noticed Valleresa position herself on the opposite side of him, also facing outward. “I won’t let a single one touch any of you.”

“Please Vallerian let me…” Celeste began before being cut off.

“You are wanted.” A large Korek woman strode out of the circle. She was large even for a Korek, with thick muscles that would have made Gardinal envious. She wore a sleeveless tunic, old but well cared for, and on it she had a pin. A silver skull. “Mistress Tabitha wishes to speak with her.” She pointed to Celeste.