Chapter XXV

When Nigreos walked through the door of the Chamber of the Masters, he found that he was the last one to arrive. The only two chairs that were currently vacant belonged to the Master of Fire, Nakoma Taurus, who was currently leading a group of Korrei-Tarr to track down Malt Territh, and the recently passed Seiras Ka. He still found it a bit odd for there to be any Masters missing, let alone two, as in his experience, meetings among them rarely took place if they weren’t all present. The fact that there had been numerous meetings without certain Masters in attendance only proved just how unusual of a time it was. In addition, it was almost unheard of for Masters to be assassinated, so the fact that Seiras had been murdered at all, let alone within the protective walls of the Citadel, only made them seem all the more vulnerable.

And his murderer escaped, succeeding in wounding Ryokumo in the process. Now that Hannah’s joined with the Children, they’ve become one of the biggest threats to this country since the damned Kosah-Rei. How far we’re beginning to fall…

“Good evening, Nigreos,” Reigious greeted from his golden chair at the head of the table. “Please, take a seat. We have a lot to discuss and I don’t want to keep you all here for longer than is necessary.”

The Master of Darkness bowed before the man then made his way to his own spot between Ryokumo and Album. “Of course, My Prince.”

Once he was seated, Reigious leaned forward and folded his hands on the table before eyeing each one of them in turn. Nigreos could sense the tension in the room, so he was certain Reigious could as well. The prince didn’t just call the Masters together for benign reasons. If he had gone through the trouble of summoning them then something important must have come up, and Nigreos knew it couldn’t possibly be anything good. While Album and Nyx were both talented at hiding their emotions, Sinna, Iris, and Ryokumo were clearly anxious when the prince’s eyes settled on them. Finally, as if seeming satisfied, Reigious cleared his throat and spoke.

“There has been a riot in Harunhein,” he said simply, and immediately, the strained air in the room became significantly worse.

Harunhein was the city on the border between Trovia and Ijiria and currently fell under Ijirian jurisdiction, though it was inhabited by almost as many Trovians as it was Ijirians. Because of that fact, whenever tension between the two countries began to rise, so did tension between the citizens of the city, and it became a powderkeg that could explode in violence at any moment. When this happened, Masters were often sent north to keep an eye on everything and deter rioting from getting out of hand. A few months back, Reigious had sent Nakoma up north to deal with the problem, but with his attention now turned to apprehending and killing Territh, Harunhein was left unchecked.

So if there’s been a riot in the city…then I’m almost certain I know where this conversation is going to go, he thought with a grimace.

Nigreos glanced sidelong at Album, whose lips were drawn tight, indicating that she had reached the same conclusion he had.

“A riot?” Sinna finally murmured, breaking the silence. “By whom?”

Reigious tapped his finger against the table for a moment and sighed. “According to the reports we received just last night, it was conducted by a group of radicals who still believe Harunhein is the rightful territory of Trovia. They used illegally-acquired inferno stones to attack and bomb the home of Mayor Callora, killing both her and her husband, as well as setting the entire building on fire.”

“Callora’s dead?” Ryokumo parroted with concern. “And was this uprising dealt with or are they still causing problems?”

“The city guard has done its best to put the uprising down, and most of them have already been killed or captured, but those who are still free have inspired other attacks. Now that Callora’s gone, they’ve been attacking indiscriminately, as if their only goal is to cause chaos.” The prince shook his head. “Though, it didn’t seem like they were terribly proficient in using magic without the aid of talismans, so most of them were dealt with rather swiftly.” Reigious then furrowed his brow and rubbed his temples in annoyance. “Their leader, however, has been reported to be quite strong with fire magic. Their identity has not yet been confirmed, but there have been a handful of reports claiming to have spotted Sarillia Martov within Harunhein in the days preceding the attack.”

“Forgive me, my Prince,” Ryokumo cut in. “I take it she is someone of significance but the name is unfamiliar to me.”

Reigious went to reply, but seemed to think better of it before turning and addressing the Master of Water. “Nyx, if you wouldn’t mind bringing Ryokumo up to speed?”

The woman nodded softly before turning her half-lidded eyes toward Ryokumo, speaking in the quiet and sleepy tone that was commonplace for her. “Sarillia Martov is the current Speaker of the Flame in Trovia. I expect you know who the Trovian Speakers are?”

Ryokumo exhaled softly before glancing down at the table. “Ah, I see. So Martov is their equivalent of the Master of Fire. Then that is interesting that she was spotted in the city just before a fire based attack took place against the mayor.”

“But if she’s their Master of Fire, then was she sent to Harunhein by King Tyrus? Or is she acting on her own?” Nigreos inquired, addressing both Nyx and Reigious.

“On her own, I would imagine,” Nyx answered airily. “Martov is well known for having quite radical views when it comes to their relationship with us. It would not surprise me in the slightest if she went to Harunhein for the sole purpose of sparking a riot.”

“Though that’s not to say the King didn’t support this, whether openly or secretly,” Album growled. “It’s possible he wants chaos in Harunhein so why wouldn’t it be in his best interest to allow Martov to go ‘behind his back’ and take all of the credit?”

Ryokumo smirked wryly. “Well, if King Tyras did back this, then it’s a good thing we got the Assassination Stone back, yes?”

Nigreos glanced sidelong at him, knowing that he was joking but also understanding the implications. The Assassination Stone had been what ended the last war against Trovia, having been used against both their king and his eldest son. However, very few even knew that it was involved in their deaths, and each person who did know was a high ranking official within either the government, or among the Masters.

“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Album snapped irritably. “But regardless, you can’t deny that this works in Tyras’s favor. After all, Mayor Callora is dead, so the city lacks proper leadership—a spot that could easily be filled with someone far more sympathetic toward Trovia.”

Nigreos clenched his teeth at the thought of their relationship with the north deteriorating any further than it already had. “Who’s leading the city now? Did Callora have anybody that could step in for her or…?”

“The city guard has seized control,” Reigious answered. “And like I said, they are trying their best to put down this uprising, but the Trovians are slippery. Ijirian citizens are being killed, and more will die if something isn’t done soon.”

“So then…am I right to guess that you’ve called this meeting together because you intend to send one of us north?” Iris inquired with a curious expression. “Or have you sent Taurus back to Harunhein?”

“No, unfortunately it’s been a few weeks since we’ve received word from Nakoma,” the prince murmured. “So even if I wanted to send him back, we don’t have the means of contacting him, which is why your initial guess is the correct one, Iris. I want two of you to go north tomorrow morning and make for Harunhein. If two Masters show up, I like to believe it’ll be more than enough of a deterrent to shut this down…and if it isn’t, well, I trust it can be handled with a less peaceful method.” Reigious grimaced. “On top of that, if these reports are correct, you’ll be authorized to apprehend Sarillia Martov under any means deemed necessary.”

Nyx tilted her head as she regarded the prince. “And who are you planning to send? I’m not currently doing anything, so if you would like, I can depart at once. I’ve known Martov since my time at their capital, so I know I can beat her if she forces me to.”

But Reigious was already shaking his head, and Nigreos was unsurprised.

“I appreciate it, but I want you in Erika for the time being, Nyx. No, instead I was thinking that Nigreos and Album would be better suited to this particular job.”

Yup… So I was right, after all.

As important as quelling the uprising was, Nigreos wanted nothing less than to depart the Citadel while the situation with Eric was so uncertain. Despite the fact that his attempt to bridge the gap between them failed, he still wanted to be close by, especially after finding out that the boy went to Album to demand information from her. Eric was an unpredictable variable, and as much as he trusted Ryokumo to keep an eye on him, he just didn't feel comfortable leaving.

But if Reigious demands it, I can’t exactly refuse…

“With all due respect, My Prince,” Album began sharply. “Would it not be better to have Rana go north? She was an envoy to Trovia for years, and like she said, she knows Martov. Not to mention, her water magic would be the perfect counter to a master of fire.”

Reigious leaned back and suddenly, his calm expression turned tired, as if he could no longer hide the stress the situation was putting him under. “Everything you just said was correct, Album, however, I have faith in both you and Nigreos. You’re powerful enough to do it yourself. I have another assignment for Nyx.”

The Master of Water frowned as she sat up straighter in her chair, her white eyes becoming slightly more alert. “You do? And what is that?”

“Well, that was the other matter I wished to discuss,” he replied. “In the midst of this mess, the hunt for Kirisan and Lynn has remained static. We’re certain they’re still in the city, but unfortunately, they know the slums better than anybody. Sinna and Ryokumo can only do so much, so I’ve decided I want you to join them.”

At this, Sinna, who had remained relatively quiet throughout the meeting, also sat forward as the conversation turned to her current assignment. “You think that’ll help? I mean, it’s not like Nyx knows much more about the slums than we do.”

“No, she doesn’t,” the prince conceded. “But as of tonight, I’ve made my decision on how to proceed with that matter.”

“How to proceed?” Ryokumo muttered, a flicker of nervousness crossing his otherwise calm features. “Meaning?”

Reigious glanced between Ryokumo, Sinna, and Nyx before his jaw tightened, as if whatever decision he’d reached wasn’t one even he was happy with. “We’ve let this go on for far too long. I’ve wanted to avoid causing any unnecessary damage, but clearly the Children of Reiner are more cautious and clever than I expected them to be. Something needs to be done. We can’t let the guides, and especially Seiras’s killer, escape this city. So after Nigreos and Album have departed for the north, I intend to rally our forces here in Erika to surround the slums and do whatever it takes to smoke them out. Sinna, Ryokumo, and Nyx will be there as well, prepared to kill any of them should they show themselves.”

“You want to smoke them out?” Ryokumo parroted, his brow furrowing. “You don’t mean, like, hurting any of the people in the slums?”

Reigious flinched, as if the question caused him physical pain. “If Arisa Kirisan is anything like her adoptive mother, then she won’t stand by while innocent people are getting hurt. I don’t intend to kill anybody, but I want her to believe we will. If she thinks it’s them or her, she’ll show herself.”

Nigreos could see Ryokumo gazing at the prince in shock, and for a moment, the Master of Darkness could see some of Abigail in him. They were always more similar than Ryokumo would admit, and it was unlikely that his friend was even close to being okay with Reigious’s plan. Nigreos, however, knew Reigious was right. Should the guides escape Erika then the defenses on the vault and the throne room would become pointless, and the Citadel would be vulnerable. Especially with Trovia was getting more aggressive, should Kirisan, Territh, or anyone else with guideship reach somebody like Martov, Nigreos feared the results could be disastrous. How could one compare the safety of a few slum-dwellers with the safety of Ijiria as a whole? Reigious might not like the idea, but he knew it was their only option.

“But that doesn’t answer my initial inquiry,” Album growled. “In fact, I feel that Nigreos and I would be better suited to this job than Rana. So why not leave us here to deal with the Children and send her to Harunhein?”

Reigious’s features tightened, but before he could speak, there was a soft giggle from the only Master who was still quietly observing the conversation. When they all turned to regard Iris, the Master of Nature was smiling slyly.

“Oh come on, Luz. Does he really need to spell it out for you?” she asked. “Prince Reigious wants to separate you and Noctis from Eric Reiner for a little while. It’s no secret that he hates you and you hate him, so if we want the boy’s trust, would it not be best to send away the very people he despises?”

While Reigious had seemed to prefer beating around the bush, Iris was as blunt as ever, and she seemed to enjoy the irritated glare she received from Album. The Master of Light scoffed, then immediately turned away from Iris to stare down Reigious.

“Is that your real reason?” she demanded.

“Look, Album,” he began hesitantly. “I want Reiner to trust us. I want to make up for what we did to him in Omaruo, but we can’t do that while your relationship remains as tense as it is. Ryokumo has told me about the boy’s dinner with you, Nigreos, and Iris suggested that it might be best to send you away from Citadel, if only for a little while.”

Album’s furious gaze shifted back to Iris, who just smiled back at her, then to Ryokumo, who refused to look back, instead choosing to remain gazing at the table. As for Nigreos, he wasn’t sure what to make of what he had just heard. He didn’t like that Iris was the one behind putting the idea in the prince’s head, but what bothered him the most was that Ryokumo told Reigious about his dinner with Eric. He had preferred to keep that secret and he thought his old friend knew that.

So…does he also believe that sending us away would be a good idea? But no… Just the other day, he agreed with us that it was a foolish move. What the hell was Ryokumo thinking?

“So, my final decision is that tomorrow morning, Nigreos and Album will travel north to Harunhein and handle the uprisings,” Reigious declared. “And a week from tomorrow, Ryokumo, Nyx, and Sinna will lead an assault on the slums to deal with the Children of Reiner once and for all.”

Iris frowned with a clearly faked pouty face. “Aw, now I’m feeling a bit left out.”

“You, Iris, just need to keep training Eric,” the prince said. “And for that matter, keep an eye on him the night we go after the Children. Regardless of what they’ve done, they are Abi’s children, so I don’t imagine it will be easy for him to know they’re getting killed. Just…keep him company, okay?”

The Master of Nature grimaced but bowed her head regardless. “Yes, My Prince.”

“Perfect,” he said with a clap of his hands. “Then let’s discuss the finer details and you may all be excused.”

***

When the meeting ended, Album was livid. The thought that Iris Mackia was the one who convinced Reigious to send them away infuriated her more than she liked to admit, and it only made her wonder just what the conniving woman was plotting. From the very beginning, Album didn’t trust Ryokumo and Iris with the responsibility of caring for and watching Eric and that still hadn’t changed. In fact, her discomfort only increased with that meeting, and now there was nothing she could do about it. The following morning, she and Nigreos would be going to Harunhein to deal with the rogue Speaker and, under Reigious’s orders, would remain in Harunhein until the uprising was properly dealt with and another leader placed in charge of the city. That process could take months, and she didn’t even want to imagine what might happen in Erika while they were gone.

And there’s nothing I can do! Whether I like it or not, I can’t just defy Reigious! God, this would be so much simpler if it wasn’t for…

She paused mid-thought, not even wanting to go down that train of thought as she once again shut those memories away. Now that she had to plan a trip to Harunhein, she wanted to keep her mind as calm as possible to prevent herself from losing her cool. Yet, that immediately became nearly impossible when she rounded the corner of the hallway and spotted Ryokumo Caeli waiting just outside the door to her quarters, his dark brown eyes directed her way and an infuriatingly pleased smile twisting his lips. She came to a stop and just glared at him, her fists clenched in unrestrained frustration.

“Leave,” she demanded. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Unfortunate,” he replied, “as I have plenty to say to you, Album. But I shall only be a minute. I know you have preparations to deal with now that you’ve got a fun little vacation ahead of you.”

Swallowing back her fury, Album stalked forward until she was right beside him before grabbing him by the collar of his flowery gown and yanking him forward so that their faces were only inches away from each other. And even so, his smile never faltered.

“Read my lips, Caeli,” she hissed. “I have nothing more to say to you. I’ve put up with you for long enough, but I’m done. Go continue your embarrassing friendship with Nigreos, but never speak to me again.”

“I don’t intend to,” he muttered. “In fact, if all goes well in this conversation, you and I can go our separate ways for good. I simply wish to know the answer to one question, one you are quite familiar with at this point…” At that, his smile instantly vanished, replaced by a firm and piercing stare. “Who did you erase from my memories?”

Ah, so that’s what he wants? But why now? I figured he wouldn’t bother me again until he had something more concrete to accuse me with, so unless this has to do with what I said to Eric the other day, is it possible he’s trying to confront me before I leave?

“Are you a halfwit?” she snapped. “How many times must I tell you that I have erased nothing from you. I do not know why you believe you have gaps in your memories but it has nothing to do with me!”

The man shook his head firmly. “You’re lying. I know you are and the way I know is that Seiras Ka confirmed it for me.”

The mention of Seiras’s name caused her chest to tighten with anxiety, and for a moment, she wondered if the Master of the Mind’s new spell had somehow managed to break past the erasure charm on his memories, before quickly shoving the paranoid thought aside.

Instead, she simply smiled sarcastically and sneered.

“And you trusted that little monstrosity? From what I heard, he got himself killed while lording his damned power over you, but you’re going to take his word over mine?”

“It’s not Seiras’s word I’m taking. It’s what I saw in my visions that tell me what I want to know,” he said.

“Visions?”

She had been informed as to what went down with Seiras Ka during her mission in Omaruo. She knew he had invented a spell that forced the victim to face their greatest regrets and fears, and that he not only used it to force information out of Kirisan, but had also weaponized it against his fellow Masters on the night he was killed. Ryokumo would have faced visions as well, but until that moment, she had never humored the possibility that he may have seen something she didn’t want him to see.

But this was a new spell. Only Seiras knew anything about it, so could it be possible that the spell did manage to break past the erasure charm on Ryokumo? Could he actually know more than he’s letting on? The Master of Light grit her teeth. Curse it all! That means I can’t just blow this off!

Album scoffed, then released Ryokumo’s collar and unlocked the door to the quarters, motioning for the Master of Wind to enter. He grinned smugly, as if already believing himself to have won, and she followed him inside. Once they were alone, she watched as he turned and leaned up against her couch, then regarded her with a chuckle.

“Intrigued, are we?” he inquired wryly.

She nodded. “I am. After all, I know I have nothing to hide so I’m curious to know what nonsense Seiras fed you with that ridiculous magic of his.”

“Well, most of it wouldn’t be surprising if you know anything about my past,” he began, pushing off the couch and beginning to pace around the room, his hands folded behind his back. “But one vision in particular stuck out to me. I was in a bedroom—a rather fancy one at that—and there was a woman. Well, more specifically, there was the voice of a woman. It felt familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it, and she kept demanding to know why I’d forgotten her—why I’d abandoned her.”

A chill went down Album’s spine and she did everything in her power to keep her features from showing any of her internal reaction. So the visions got that far, did they? Then perhaps it's a good thing that Seiras is dead. If that spell had been used again, could Ryokumo have gotten even further into his lost memories?

“Well, that’s certainly fascinating, but once again, can you really trust the creation of a man like Seiras?” she demanded. “He was the only one who knew anything about that spell, so for all you know, it was fabricated.”

“Fair point,” Ryokumo conceded. “But the other visions I had were all accurate, and I’ve already suspected that I was missing something, so to me, it just seems too coincidental. After all, not only do I feel as if I’ve lost a person close to me, but we still never learned what became of The Angel, did we? Or at least I didn’t. I suppose I can’t speak for you.”

She kept her features calm, refusing to give him anything to work off of. As a matter of fact, she didn’t ever learn what became of The Angel, and she always suspected it was either stolen behind her back either by Abi or by her, so she couldn’t be sure if returning Ryokumo’s memories would solve that particular mystery.

Though, if she did take it, then Ryokumo almost certainly knew. Out of everybody, she would not have hidden that from him.

“Must I repeat myself?” she hissed with frustration. “I. Do. Not. Know. I have not erased anything from you, so—”

“And what of what you said to Eric just a few days ago?” he interrupted swiftly. “That thing about how if he knew the truth regarding his mother’s rebellion, then he would suffer? Seeing as I was under the impression that nobody knew the truth but Abi, I am curious to know why you would say such a thing.”

Yeah I should have been ready for this. I brought this one on myself.

“Use your damn head, Caeli,” she snarled. “I said that to try and shut his stupid investigation down. There’s nothing for him to learn, so I thought it best to make him believe that the truth was cruel so he wouldn’t waste his damn time!”

Ryokumo chuckled and finally ceased his pacing. “So you were being considerate of him? That doesn’t sound like you at all, old friend. Or at least, it doesn’t sound like the woman you’ve become.” His laughter subsided and all of a sudden, his eyes turned sorrowful. “I miss her, you know? The old you. The one who loved us and the one we loved. I honestly wonder why you must be this way, Album…”

His words triggered a wave of anger deep within her—emotions that she didn’t think existed anymore, and she stared at him with a twisted smile. “You miss her, do you? You rejected her, Caeli, and now you’re saying you want her back? My younger self was weak and pathetic and idealistic! I changed for the better! I changed because I learned that the world was never going to love me—that being weak like that would only ever bring me pain! This world is a cruel hellhole, so I adapted to it—something you should consider doing someday!”

“Is that what you tell yourself?” he asked calmly. “That this you is better? I disagree. Abi would as well. And something tells me…that Nigreos would, too.”

She sneered at him. “And you think I should care? You think I should give a damn what you all want? You rejected me. Abigail left me. And Nigreos…” She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing in disgust. “...is nothing more than a fool. So if this is all you have to say then leave. I have not erased anybody and no amount of grilling me is going to change that. I have to prepare for tomorrow so be off, Caeli.”

“Then…” Ryokumo twisted his lips in thought then shook his head. “I’m so sorry it came to this Album.”

“Is that s—?”

“Aniextiam.”