The Hero's Sidekick

It was the night before we agreed to commit the heist when the idea occurred to me. It hit me like a lightning bolt. Inwardly I berated myself for forgetting that it was even possible. We were gathered in the rundown shrine enjoying another one of the fox beastwoman's meals when I remembered that Kuro held the key to undermining Guunzel's plan to dupe the Imperial Heir. I nearly choked on soup, but as I sputtered and coughed I was already yelling in excitement.

"Kuro! Your bag! Where is it?"

Looking at me in alarm, he procured it without looking away. "It's here. What do you need? Are you okay?" Still coughing, I seized the bag from him and dug around in it. Finally, I found what I was looking for. I pulled out the sealed scroll Mingsheng had given us.

"Remember how we used Mingsheng's authority to enter Blossom City? This scroll is affixed with his seal and has instructions to take us to meet with the Emperor. Seeing as he's not well, we could easily settle for the Imperial Heir instead. If the Heir is having his coronation tonight, we could use this scroll to gain entry to the ceremony and confront him and Guunzel directly."

Alverd seemed intrigued. "Accusing him of wrongdoing in front of the Imperial Heir would be the easiest way to ensure that we keep the Hand out of his reach. Diplomatic immunity only holds up until it is proven that he's abusing it. We have a man back in Standing Stone who no doubt has already testified to the authorities that Kierhaian outposts have been attacked by the Black Scale Legionnaires."

Sure enough, the missive given to us by Mingsheng gave us clear authority to meet with the Emperor. The language was indisputable in that the Steadfast wished for us to act as his representative in order to discuss his personal security and discourage a potential alliance between Ishmar and Kierhai. Now that the Emperor was bedridden, it seemed only natural we direct our concerns to the Imperial Heir instead.

"Guunzel said he had a writ from Eliza that gave him authority to take the Hand. Maybe we could demand to see it. If anyone can vouch for whether she actually wrote it, it's me." Alicia spoke up after slurping down a mouthful of noodles from her bowl. "I don't think it'll be too hard to point out how absurd her demand is. She never was good at asking for anything she thought she could just take at swordpoint."

"Then that leaves the issue of what to do after we disprove Guunzel's claim. Do we continue with the heist?" Alverd asked.

"Of course. Stopping Guunzel diplomatically doesn't seem like it will deter him. If he's willing to use foul magic like the kind he used to create the Talionis, he might try to steal the Hand if need be." I said.

"Which might be easier than we think," Alicia chimed in. "Remember that not all of Guunzel's forces are in the city. He's got dragonriders with him, too. He may not have the numbers to launch a full attack on Blossom City, but if his intention is to distract away from a brute force assault on the Repository, he could pull it off. I hate to say it, but he's a general for a reason."

Kuro scratched his chin. "Alright. So we go to the Imperial Palace, accuse a foreign dignitary of fraud and murder, then steal a holy relic that could kill gods from perhaps the most sophisticated magical safehouse in the known world. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?"

His words hung heavy in the air. Nobody wanted to say anything at first. No one will say the quiet part out loud. We'll be walking into a pit of vipers. I cleared my throat. "We can't expect everything to go wrong at the first sign of trouble. Even if all we do is prevent an alliance, that's still a win."

Alicia finished drinking her soup and set down her bowl. "So what's in it for Kierhai, then? If you're going to plead your case on why they shouldn't ally with Ishmar, then you've got to sell them on it. So imagine I'm Guunzel. What's your reason why the nation of Kierhai shouldn't consider an alliance?"

"Political instability makes for a poor partner. You can't trust the new Queen of Dragontamers to keep her word when her country was just embroiled in a power struggle."

Alicia countered my point. "The same could be said for Algrustos. The Magisters just toppled a centuries old monarchy in some underhanded coup. So there is no alternative there."

Multiple heads turned to Alicia. Kuro looked genuinely shocked. Alverd seemed surprised, but was better at moderating his reaction than the mage. Hmph. I forgot she mentioned she'd had statecraft lessons. This will be interesting. "Trade between Ishmar and Kierhai would be nonexistent. The only way to exchange goods would be for traders to pass through unstable regions of Selarune." I countered.

She spoke calmly and evenly, completely unlike what I was expecting from her. "Trade between Kierhai and Algrustos is just as unstable due to the presence of the Divernian Swords. Ishmar carries a reputation for strength. Just the mention of our soldiers would keep your caravans safe." I felt my mouth open, trying to fumble for a rebuttal, but nothing came out.

"You're trying too hard to look at this like you're still the queen of a country." Alicia said, her voice still even.

"I know. I'm still struggling with something similar. But our two approaches are different." She turned her body to face me, laying her hands in her lap. "I think too much about how my decisions will benefit our people. But you think too much about how your actions might hurt your enemy. There's not necessarily a right or wrong in that, but if the Heir thinks you're trying to find ways to hurt the Ishmarian people rather than do what's right for multiple parties, Guunzel will play you."

What? That's… actually quite insightful. Astonishingly well thought out. "And you're basing this on…?" Alicia looked me dead in my eyes.

"Guunzel might be a zealot and a killer, but at the end of the day he's a patriot too. In his twisted mind, he's the hero because he's doing whatever it takes to serve his country. I've been thinking about it ever since we saw the Talionis. Eliza didn't send him because his skills as a warrior would intimidate the Kierhaians into an alliance." She folded her arms. "She did it because he'll know exactly what to say and how to say it. He'll sell the Imperial Heir on the idea that he can help build a better future for Ishmar and Kierhai. The Heir will believe it, because he's young and impressionable. So how do you counter that?" She looked at me expectantly.

Well, well, well. I certainly underestimated you, princess. I don't know if it's because of bias or complacency, but I'll admit you outplayed me this time. Next time I'll remember that you're far more observant than you look.

"Let's see. If the solution isn't to tear down your enemy, then you build yourself up instead. The Heir is going to take over a country with a multitude of problems. The last thing he needs is to complicate things by putting the needs of others on his plate. So…"

Alicia tilted her head, the beginning of a grin forming on her face. "Every new ruler must accept one burden over all others when they govern. Something both Eliza and the Magisters haven't done. Seeing that, why would anyone ally with either Ishmar or Algrustos?"

It clicked in my head, gears turning as Alicia's logic came full circle. "The burden of rulership is to do what's best for one's country and people. Eliza and the Magisters immediately sent theirs to war against each other. But we can counsel the Heir to put his people first. Focus on quelling the unrest in his own land, uniting his people, proving his worth, so that when the time comes for him to choose Kierha's path forward, the people will stand with him."

The full smile blossomed on Alicia's face. "Now that sounds like something you can get behind. Because all Guunzel can say to that is call the Heir a coward. And the best way to disprove that is to stand up for yourself."

Kuro, his eyebrows raised, stammered for a second. "What just happened?"

Alverd smiled. "Camaraderie. Mixed with a little bit of putting oneself in another's shoes."

I sipped the soup delicately from my bowl before putting it back down. "Someday you and I should really sit down and talk about what it takes to be a good ruler. If you had been in charge of Ishmar while I was still Witch-Queen, I think we really could've finally found a way to end that war."

Alicia scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Pfft, no. I've only learned how to be better about thinking about that stuff because of what I went through. Honestly, I might've been just as bad as my siblings if I didn't have Alverd and Kuro to show me how wrong I was about a lot of things." She kicked out her legs and stretched. "I wouldn't mind trying to negotiate that peace now, if someone like you were leading Algrustos."

I'm not so sure I ever want to return, even if it were to finally create a peace between our nations. I haven't had as much time as I'd like to sort through my feelings about it. "Let's worry about angering an Ishmarian envoy and this heist first. Putting the cart before the horse in a situation like this won't do either of us any good."

Kuro looked out the window at the moon, which was steadily rising higher into the night sky. "If we're going to crash that coronation, we better go now. The less time Guunzel has to pour poison in the Imperial Heir's ear, the better."

Alverd sat up, dusted himself off, and bowed to Deotra. "Thank you again for offering your home and for feeding us. I'm sorry for the imposition."

The fox beastwoman's ears twitched sideways before standing back up, but her facial expression didn't change. "It's no trouble. If you're Kuro's friends, then it's alright with me." Something in her voice didn't sit right with me, though. I'm sure it's nothing, but the way that girl looks at Alverd, I'd say she doesn't like him.

But why? The man is perfect. He's handsome, courteous, attentive and thoughtful! He's a perfect specimen of knightly valor and this girl looks at him like he's a piece of overpriced pottery in a china shop window! I put my hand on my chin, trying hard not to grind my teeth. But at least she's not trying to get on his good side. I don't need any more competition in that arena.

She moved over to Kuro's side and gave him a hug. "Don't do anything too reckless, okay?" She nuzzled her face against his cheek.

"I promise, I'll come back," he said. "No explosions, no lightning bolts, no dismemberments and absolutely no tornadoes."

She gave him a stern look. "Okay, no fireballs either." He hugged her back, and she relented, though not before squeezing him tight once more.

"Sheesh, get a room you two." Monaco said mockingly. "I'll be staying here, obviously. Last thing I need to do is sit in a room with someone who I might be robbing soon. Try not to be gone too long and steal me a souvenir, yeah?" She laid down on the floor, folding her hands behind her head and crossing her legs.

Alverd, Kuro, Alicia and I climbed out of the dilapidated shrine through its broken down front door, taking care not to completely break what was left of the ripped up screen. I don't think I'll ever get used to the idea of sliding doors with paper in them. An interesting design choice, but not one I agree with. As Alverd and Kuro ran ahead to hail a rickshaw, I motioned to Alicia to hang back.

"What's up?" Alicia came over and put her hands on her hips. "I was wondering if you'd tell me about what it's like to be a berserker." I said. "In return, I can try to teach you how to harness that magical talent you have. If you have a basic understanding, you might find it easier to use those nullification runes at the very least. If you have the talent, I should be able to take it further than that."

She thought it over, her lips pursed. "Given how useful those runes have been, that sounds like a good idea. I don't know what you hope to gain by learning how we harness our rage, though."

I gave her a smirk. "You'd be surprised. I have a theory that the way you call upon your battle rage isn't so different from the way a spirit contractor does magic without a staff."

Her eyebrow raised. "So, you're saying that if I do have magic potential, I could make ice and fire and throw it around with my brain?" I laughed in response.

"Well, let's not get too ahead of ourselves. As interesting as it would be to find out if you could indeed conjure magic, we shouldn't be reckless about it. I've detonated fireballs in small rooms with far too many occupants enough times to know that we should take baby steps in this regard."

That drew a laugh from her. "Oh that sounds terrible. I've been around Kuro long enough to know that if he did that to me I'd skin him alive." She paused, deep in thought. "Why not. You wanna talk about it on the way to the Imperial Palace? There's no way all four of us will fit in a single rickshaw."

I nodded. "You've got a deal."

Alverd and Kuro were waiting on the street with a rickshaw driver, who was busy emphatically telling them that he could not carry four people much less fit that many in his rickshaw. In the time it took for Kuro and the driver to carry on arguing, Alverd had flagged down another, who came running up. He looked at the two of us expectantly.

"Thank you, Alverd. We'll take this one." I stepped into the rickshaw with Alicia coming in after me. "Very well, then. Kuro! Stop giving this poor man grief and pay him already." He went back to where Kuro was.

"So. Where do I start?" I chuckled nervously. "Now I don't mean any disrespect. My people have had a lot of preconceived notions about berserkers, so if you need to set the record straight on anything feel free to do so. I guess my first question is, when you rage what does it feel like?"

She breathed in deep. "My teacher always described rage as a primal force, like a rushing river. To be a berserker is to stand in the middle of the river and remember that to allow your rage to overtake you is to let the river drown you. Rather than attempt to control the river, which is impossible, a berserker instead diverts the river's flow, allowing it to do as one wishes without opposing it."

"So you're like the sieve, not the dam. You allow the water to pass through, to accomplish an aim, not bar it or control it." Interesting. So many accounts we have, including the ones from captured berserkers, all emphasize the need to "control" their rage. Like it's an animal that has to be wrestled into a cage. Alicia sees it more as harnessing rather than control. Is it a difference in technique or perspective?

"Is that a standard practice, or did your instructor choose to use that metaphor specifically?" I asked.

"He never used that analogy with anyone else, actually. He only ever referred to rage that way when we were sparring or training, and that was always in a one on one situation when we were alone," she said. She scowled. "Why? Is that relevant somehow?"

I considered my words carefully before proceeding. "When my uncle… Albrecht was teaching me how to use magic, he made a great distinction between the way normal wizards perform the art as opposed to the method a spirit contractor would. That wizards have to understand how their magic works in order to use it effectively."

"With a spirit contractor, the magic isn't drawn from an outside source and manipulated. It comes from within. Controlling it is like controlling one's temper. A spirit contractor's magic is wielded more through intuition and emotion rather than learned technique." I held up my palm, running the fingers of my other hand over it while picturing water flowing through an open sluice.

Slowly, ice formulated into a crackling diamond shape, an oversized snowflake hovering just above my palm. "What interested me most about what you said just now is that I was always told that the source of my magic is in my blood. The blood that flowed in my distant ancestor, who first made the pact, passed down from ancestor to ancestor, down to me, carries magic that empowers me with the ability to conjure ice, weave protective shields, heal injuries or even fly for short periods."

I looked straight into Alicia's eyes. "When you think of the blood that flows in your veins, what would you compare that to?"

Hers widened in recognition. "A river. A river that flows through your entire body."

I nodded. "That's right. There's a common ground in the way we utilize our strengths. That's why I feel like it might not be a difficult task to teach you to tap into any magic potential you may have. I doubt you're a spirit contractor like me, but seeing you invoke those nullification runes via instinct made me think that it's not impossible."

"If you think it'll help, then I don't see why not," she said as she gazed at the snowflake. "The next time we train, I'll try to focus on looking at you with my magical sight while you rage. If I can better understand how the magic in you behaves while you're raging, I can instruct you on how harnessing it could benefit you." I told her.

"So what do you get out of it, then? Doesn't seem fair that I'm the only one who benefits," she said.

"Well for now if it means you're better at keeping ruffians away from me, I'll settle for that." I flicked my wrist and the snowflake melted away.

We didn't say much for the rest of the ride. Alicia was clearly miles away, her mind focused on a myriad of other things. As much as I want to pursue this fascinating subject of how her rage might be the key to unlocking her magical potential, it would be best to let her focus on what she's going to have to say to refute Guunzel.

The rickshaws cut a path through the busiest part of Blossom City, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic through the most packed streets in the commercial and residential districts. As we neared the center of the city, the quality of the architecture scaled upward sharply, with no sign of decay or waste. Every building was clean, maintained, and calling out for attention. The people themselves were dressed in finery or at the very least were not covered in dirt and grime.

It was when we turned one last corner that I had to avert my eyes. A street paved with actual gold was laid out before us, flanked by statues of warriors and animal spirits standing at attention. The statues were also cast with gold, stainless and sparkling in the light of the ever burning magical lanterns illuminating the street. It was so overly gaudy that even I had to take a moment to process how excessive it all was.

"The Palace lies at the end of the Golden Approach. I'm afraid we are not allowed to take you any further, esteemed ones." The rickshaw driver skid to a halt at the edge of the golden street, where the sparkling road met the more mundane stone. He bowed and clapped his hands together nervously. "I wish you great prosperity. May fortune follow you this day and all after."

Alicia and I stepped out of the rickshaw, and the driver took off, a little too hastily for my liking. "I would not say I'm a betting woman, but I do wonder if the citizens around here know that there are Legionnaires attending the coronation."

Beside me, Alicia snorted. "Not taking that bet. Legionnaires draw attention everywhere they go. Guunzel was parading his Talionis all over the Silken River, so I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Blossom City knew about them by now."

Kuro and Alverd waved us over. The young mage was already looking down the Approach, perhaps guessing how long it would take to traverse it. The road looked to be at least fifty yards, with statues all along its length. I could make out two more statues at the very end, standing side by side at the bottom of a flight of stone stairs leading up to a set of double doors in a large wall.

"Last chance for us to walk away." He said sarcastically, as if there were any chance of that. Alicia glared silently at him causing him to put up his hands. "Hey, I was kidding. I can at least pretend to be the voice of reason here." He scratched his chin. "Seriously, though. We're putting a lot of stock in that missive from Mingsheng. If this doesn't work out, we're up the creek with no paddle."

Alverd nudged him. "We can't worry about that now. We know what we have to do. All we can do is hope the Imperial Heir will listen to reason." Kuro rolled his eyes. "Yes, because that worked out so well for us in the past. We're really on a roll when it comes to meeting reasonable people, Alverd."

Without joining in any further discussion, Alicia set off down the Approach. Turning her head, she called out to us. "Hurry up. No sense stalling." There was determination in her steps, but I wondered if she was merely putting on a brave face. There are only two ways to face the inevitable. You can rush toward it knowing there's no way to escape it, or resist it kicking and screaming. Alicia, to her credit, would choose the former, even if she won't admit it frightens her.

I stepped out onto the Approach, following. The men fell in behind me. We marched the entire way in silence, regarding the statues. For the first thirty yards, the statues were of animals standing upright on two legs, dressed in robes and holding scrolls, lanterns, staves, or tools of the merchant trade. The last twenty yards had statues of humans, elves and beastmen in armor, each in the same pose, awaiting orders like they expected a general at any moment.

The two statues at the very end of the Approach were unique. On the left was a tall wolf beastman, his humanoid face giving way to a pair of tall wolf ears protruding upward. A long cape hung down from his shoulders, and he was adorned in a gleaming silver plate that made him look like a depiction of a fairy tale knight. In his right hand he held a glaive with a hooked, curved blade resembling a crescent moon. The plaque on the statue declared him to be Sir Sirius, Noble Wolf, left hand of the Goddess Eternity. Below the title was a quote: "With temperance and wisdom will you always find the righteous path."

The statue on the right was a slender woman with purely human features. She had a bob of short hair that masked the right side of her face and less bulky golden plate armor, and carried a sword in her right hand and spherical shield in her left. As opposed to Sir Sirius' more neutral stance, the woman had her knees apart and her sword pointed forward, almost in a dueling gesture, as if anticipating an oncoming enemy. A billowing long skirt flowed down from her waist around her legs, completing her noble visage as a gallant warrior. Her plaque stated that she was Lady Brunswick, Righteous Lioness, right hand of the Goddess Eternity. Beneath was the quote: "In pursuit of justice one's resolve must never be allowed to falter."

Kuro's mouth gaped as he walked around the statues. "The warrior angels that helped Selarune in the War of the Five Kings. Even if you don't follow the scriptures, pretty much everyone knows who they are." He fumbled for a second. "I mean, unless you were born in Ishmar. Sorry, Alicia."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. I don't mind."

The young princess seemed especially taken with the statue of Lady Brunswick. "I don't know why, but I really like this one." She tentatively reached out her hand, touching the base. "Maybe it's just the warrior in me, but something about it just speaks to me."

"I rather like the statue of Sir Sirius. He reminds me of Alverd." I blurted the words out before I realized what I was saying.

If Alverd felt anything about what I had said, he didn't show it. Standing in front of the statue, he looked at the plaque. "I can certainly say I agree with this sentiment. The right path rarely ever turns out to be the easy one, but that's usually how you know it is the right path."

How very like Alverd to say that. No matter how dark things get I can always rely on him to keep things in perspective. Taking a deep breath, I walked past the statues and started up the stairs. They went for another thirty feet, and a pair of guards in black armor similar to the kind wore by Yuzuruha's guildmates waited by the sides of the double door gates.

One held up his hand when we approached. He was a grizzled beastman, his features mostly hidden under his helmet, but noticeable enough for me to tell he had vertical slits in his eyes reminiscent of a cat's. "What business do you have in the Imperial Palace? We have orders not to allow any further visitors at this time."

Kuro took out the scroll and gave it to the guard. "By order of the Steadfast, custodian of Standing Stone, we must meet with the Emperor on a matter of great importance." There was a bit of smugness in his voice, as if he got a kick out of being able to go over the guard's head. The guard unfurled the scroll, examining its contents and Mingsheng's seal.

"Hmm. This is irregular. But it is the Steadfast's seal, and his authority allows him to send a representative in his place if he is otherwise unable to appear in person." The guard looked up to appraise us. "Very well. You'll be permitted entry. Show the proper deference to the Imperial Heir. And do not cause trouble with the Ishmarian envoy. You do not have immunity like he does."

The guard motioned to his fellow, who nodded and pulled a small object off his belt. Holding it to his mouth, he blew into it, producing a shrill sound. Moments later, the doors ground open, revealing the inner garden.

If the Golden Approach had been lavish, then the palace gardens put it to shame. The entire courtyard was awash in healthy, beautiful flowers, trees with pink blossoms, and stone paths over crisscrossing waterways. Red bridges made of brightly painted red wood created a maze of walkways over the water, making navigation to the Palace steps a journey in and of itself.

We walked in single file, passing through the gate. Twin groups of soldiers pushed the doors closed behind us. Milling about the garden were beautiful women in fine silk robes, tending to the plants and guiding others across the various walkways. There were more than a few Legionnaires in the garden, many of whom were staring lecherously at the women. They were smart enough not to start trouble, however, and their focus on the women meant they paid us no attention.

As for the Palace itself, the main building was an extravagant multi-tiered rectangle with open air windows on the second floor. Long terraced hallways with no walls connected the ground floor of the building with several tall towers, which reached high into the sky. The sloped shingle roofing common to Kierhaian design was prevalent, as were statues of various animals. Pheasants, tigers, badgers and swans adorned the corners of every roof.

A row of sagelike fox statues stood to one side of the path in front of the Palace's main doors. The first fox was dressed as a soldier and carried a curved, single bladed sword. The second statue had a robe and box-shaped hat, and their scroll and quill marked them as some kind of bureaucrat. The third fox was dressed as the women were in the garden, holding a folding fan seductively in front of its face. The final statue wore the finest clothes of all and stood with hands folded in front of them.

The doors themselves were far smaller than the ones at the garden entrance, resembling those of a normal house. We slid them open and entered. Inside, more women scurried about, holding trays of food and liquor and serving them to a congregation of people sitting on futons around a square in the center of the room.

There were a total of sixteen Legionnaires sitting around the square, and to their credit they were behaving themselves for the most part. None of them were being boisterous or rowdy, nor were they groping the serving girls or leering at them. They sat and ate their food, showing table manners I didn't think possible in Ishmarians. At the center of the far end of the square, a young human was seated next to Guunzel. He had to be the Imperial Heir.

He had to be no older than fifteen. He had a baby face with soft features, and it didn't seem likely he was hiding any muscles under his luxurious yellow and black robe. He did have inquisitive eyes, though. He was hanging on Guunzel's every word. The general was telling him some story that had the Heir's total attention.

There were Imperial soldiers in the room, although they didn't look like they would be a match for so many Legionnaires in tight quarters. Upon closer examination, however, I saw that all the Legionnaires' swords had been tied into their scabbards with thick white cords. An interesting method of deterrence. I would still argue against allowing armed soldiers so close to one's ruler, but the Kierhaians must know something I don't.

Nobody made any move to harass us until we entered the square, although the Legionnaires stopped talking, eating and laughing long enough to gawk at us. Guunzel's eyes widened slightly, then a smug grin appeared on his face.

"Well, isn't this an honor? An unexpected one, too. I'm curious as to how you gained entry to this diplomatic meeting."

Kuro tossed the scroll across the room, landing it in front of the Imperial Heir. "We've come on behalf of the Steadfast. He has… concerns about the measure of your security." He cast his eyes around the room at the Legionnaires who were now acutely aware of the mage in their midst. "He believes that your decision to welcome Ishmarian butchers into the country during a period of political unrest might put your life in peril."

When the Imperial Heir spoke, his voice quavered. "Nonsense. The general has been quite courteous. And his men have followed all of our laws. There is no reason to believe that the envoy's intentions are hostile." He set his jaw in what he thought was a confident act of defiance, but just sort of made him look like a child trying to look older than he actually was.

Alverd spoke up. "Not so. Guunzel's men caused an incident in Standing Stone. Fifteen of his men brazenly started an open brawl in a tavern, targeting members of a local mercenary guild. There was a death involved. The Legion is pushing the limits of what diplomatic immunity should allow and the Steadfast implores you to expel them immediately."

"So it was you." Guunzel's eyes flashed dangerously. "I was informed of this. My lieutenants told me a mage had provoked them. That must have been you." His gaze settled on Kuro.

"How did you…?" Kuro grit his teeth. "Magic. You have to be using magic to communicate across such distances so quickly. Bubbles? I can't imagine you would be averse to using them if you're playing with things like the Talionis."

He leaned forward, addressing the Heir. "Guunzel is playing with forces he doesn't understand, nor control. Surely your court mages must have told you already."

The Heir's eyes were flicking back and forth between Kuro and Guunzel, his resolve weakening. "Um. Uh. Err…"

"According to that report, it was a mercenary from that exact guild who started that fight by attacking my men without provocation. It was within my Legionnaires' right to fight back. Not to mention certain instigators should be locked up in Standing Stone for their role in the tavern brawl." He returned Kuro's stare with plenty of venom in his eyes and tone.

This chicken and egg scenario isn't going to end well for us. We may have Mingsheng's missive but Guunzel is still a diplomatic envoy. If it boils down to our word against his, we might lose that fight. If we were held for questioning, Guunzel would be unobstructed in his attempt to steal the Hand, and we'd be powerless to stop him.

"Your Eminence, if I may?" I approached and knelt down on the matted floor before the Heir. "Perhaps things are becoming too heated. We should let cooler heads prevail. Don't you agree?" Alicia was right. We have to remind the Heir that he has the power here, and rely on him to keep things civil.

The Heir coughed nervously. "Yes, that sounds good. I agree. General, please." He shifted so he could look at Guunzel. "I am not fully aware of all the circumstances. If someone could fill me in exactly on what has happened, I'd like to know the full story."

Before Guunzel could say anything, Alicia stepped forward. "I'd be happy to catch you up to speed, my lord." She shot Guunzel a withering glare. The old man made an irritated sound that rumbled in his throat, but sat back down on his futon.

Alicia laid out everything that had happened since our arrival in Standing Stone, even detailing our harrowing battle against the ghosts in the Valley of the Last Sunrise. She wisely elected to leave out any of our collaboration with Monaco the Swift, but pointed out that Kuro had been accosted by Divernian Swords within the city walls.

The Heir listened carefully to Alicia's words. He seemed lost in thought for most of it, as if he were thinking about the implications of each event. Maybe we had the wrong idea about the Heir? I certainly hope he'll treat this as a serious matter. Mingsheng had little respect for the Heir, but he seemed like a bitter old man who would shake his fist at the young if they didn't think the same way as him.

When Alicia was done, the Heir pondered for a moment. Silence hung in the room. Even the serving girls had stopped, listening to Alicia's story to the very end. Finally, the Heir stood up from his futon. "In light of this, and bearing full support from the Steadfast, I must admit that I feel somewhat out of my depth."

He extended his hand, his palm open, in Alicia's direction. "Here I have a princess of Ishmar, but a princess no more. She speaks ill of our guest. But these words come with a seal and mandate from the Steadfast. However, her way of verifying her story is to admit to the General's accusation that her associate started a conflict without merit."

The hand swung around towards Guunzel. "On the other hand, I have an officer of Ishmar, his hands stained with blood, who came here spilling our blood, if the former princess is to be believed. He cannot accuse without admitting his own culpability. So now, I am at a loss as to what to do."

He let his hand fall to his front, where his other hand wrung the wrist. "My father thinks me foolish, immature. That I am not ready to assume the burden of the throne. This would be my first act as the new Emperor, and already I do not know what to do."

Guunzel's face twisted into a snarl. "And that is why you should act decisively. You have enemies within and without. Ishmar could be a strong ally, a wave of fire and scale that will scour your land free of the Swords. Make a pact with the new Queen of Dragontamers and you will know prosperity and security."

Before he could continue, I stepped forward. "Your people need you now, Your Lordship. They need leadership and clarity now, not months from now. If you want to be the leader your people need, you must stand on your own two feet and show your people the same strength that brought them together."

The Heir looked at me pleadingly. "I am not strong, though. I am timid, and the idea of ruling fills me with dread. The path seems too much for me. I do not know…" His voice trailed off, his eyes falling to the floor.

Guunzel scoffed. "I have no time for this. If Kierhai is so weak that they will not agree to a pact, then we will withdraw from this theater. We shall stand alone, as we always have." He pushed the Heir aside, knocking the small teenager down. Every Imperial guard in the room drew their weapon, but the Legionnaires stood as well, forming a wall around the Heir and Guunzel.

Pulling something from his pocket, Guunzel lifted it up for all to see. "This edict comes from my Queen. Procured from the oldest vault in our palace, where our greatest relics are stored, this writ demands that we, the original holders of the Hand of the Usurper, be given back the weapon for safekeeping. I declare that the weak-willed Heir cannot protect the Hand, and thus invoke this edict to have the Hand returned to us."

Kuro practically spat venom. "And how do we know that isn't some ridiculous forgery? Someone should examine it! As if anyone should believe the word of a mass murderer like you!" He was practically frothing at the mouth as he pointed at Guunzel.

"I agree! See this edict for yourself, mage! For it is not the will of my Queen that demands, but the will of the first king of Ishmar! In the ancient language that predates Ishmar, he surrendered the Hand to the angels for the power to forge his new kingdom!" He held out his hand and Kuro snatched the edict away.

Looking over Kuro's shoulder, I tried to read the words. It proved to be difficult, as all of the writing was illegible at first. Before my eyes, the script on the page rearranged itself into the modern common tongue. Wait, then this edict is written in Ishratan? The lost language of a fallen empire? Kuro told me about it, but I never thought I'd see it like this.

When the words became clear enough to read, the message was clear. I read it aloud. "In the name of Deyovar, first king of Ishmar, the Hand of the Usurper shall be turned over to the servants of Eternity. Should the need arise, the descendants of Deyovar might call upon the custodians of the Hand to return the relic, but only under the direst of circumstances. The Hand slays gods and demons, and must be locked away to prevent its horrific existence from abuse. I sign this in good faith that the servants of Eternity will keep their word when this day comes." I paused to bite my lip, then read the last few lines.

"Signed, Deyovar, First King of Ishmar. Sir Sirius, Noble Wolf. Lady Brunswick, Righteous Lioness."

Silence fell over the room again. Then it was broken by the sound of Guunzel's arrogant laughter. "I'm afraid it is time for me and mine to leave, Your Lordship. I expect the Hand to be delivered to me by tomorrow morning. Then I shall return to Ishmar and inform my Queen of your decision to reject her offer of an alliance."

Slowly, he shuffled out of the room, his Legionnaires following close behind. His raspy laughter went with him, fading into the distance until the Imperial guards shut the door. Outside, a flash of light cast long shadows through the windows, before being followed by the low rumble of thunder.

The Heir stared blankly, in a state of complete shock. Guards and servants went to his side, fussing over him and trying to lift him to his feet. Alverd motioned to me silently that it was time to leave. We moved towards the door and exited before anyone could stop us.

Out in the garden, the servants were already running for the safety of the buildings as rain had begun to fall. Another flash of lightning and crack of thunder echoed across the now emptying gardens, and we made it to the front gate before the rain became heavy enough for actual droplets to fall, making pitter-pattering sounds on the stone.

Past the front gate, down the stairs, we regrouped by the statues of the angels. "That was a complete nightmare," Kuro said. "That document wasn't supposed to be real. It was written in Ishratan. Nobody knows how-" His voice caught in his throat, then he continued. "I mean, it was supposed to be a dead language. Even if Deyovar knew how to write in Ishratan, how could he convince the angels it would be a good idea to agree to such a thing?"

Alicia scowled. "Deyovar. After what he did with Evros and his wife, it wouldn't surprise me he knew enough about Ishrati to know the language. But is the writ a forgery or not?"

Kuro shook his head. "I don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. I have no way to know, but even the fact that it exists and is written in Ishratan speaks more to its validity than against. What do we do, Alverd?"

All eyes turned to our leader. He paused, thinking. "We don't have time to try to expose Guunzel now. Tomorrow morning he'll be back, demanding the Hand of the Usurper. Which means we have only tonight to try and steal it."

He unfolded his arms. "We need to get back to Monaco. We're stealing the Hand tonight."