Divine Apostasy Book 8 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Ruwen felt the air sled slow, although he doubted a normal person would be able to tell. He kept his gaze on the rocky hills. The pilot’s heart rate had increased to the point Ruwen worried it might seize or burst.

Gunder’s men made him memorize your likeness, Rami said. They threatened his family if he didn’t notify them when he saw you.

Thank you, Rami. Ruwen’s rage disappeared. Snuffed out like a fire underwater. He had nearly killed this man, and it turned out he was a victim.

The pressure waves the pilot constantly generated revealed his trembling had become severe. Ruwen felt the air sled speed back up.

“What are you doing?” Ruwen asked.

The air sled veered sharply to the right as the pilot jumped at Ruwen’s voice.

The pilot’s voice wasn’t audible to normal hearing, but Ruwen could make it out. The pilot kept mumbling the same thing over and over. I can’t.

Lir, what’s the first name of the Air Mage piloting my sled?

Blinch, Lir said immediately.

“Peace, Blinch,” Ruwen said. “Don’t change the plan.”

Blinch’s eyes grew wide, and he shook his head.

“It’s okay. I know they threatened your family, and you just decided to take me to safety anyway. That was brave, but unnecessary. I want to meet these people. As soon as I step off this sled you speed home. Okay?”

After a moment, the air sled slowed again and Blinch nodded.

Ruwen focused on Lir. Can you kill anyone who tries to harm Blinch or his family?

Of course.

Rami mentally cleared her throat, and Ruwen sighed, before speaking to Lir again. I guess instead of killing them, you could paralyze them for an hour. No, make that twenty-four hours. That will give them time to think about their decisions.

Blinch’s heart rate slowed, and his shaking decreased.

“I have it on good authority that you and your family are safe,” Ruwen said. “Sleep easy, Brother.”

The air sled came to a stop and Blich opened his mouth to speak.

Ruwen stood and spoke first. “No need to say anything. I’m not the one in danger here.”

Blinch nodded, his face relieved.

As soon as Ruwen stepped off the air sled, it vaulted into the air, the wooden frame creaking in protest. He didn’t bother using Harmony against the twelve assassins, as his senses and perception were more than enough to keep him safe.

One of the men turned to follow the air sled. He pointed a hand at the flying vehicle and suddenly seized up, collapsing to the ground.

“Lir, one, assassins, zero,” Ruwen whispered.

Ruwen took a deep breath, while he took in the surroundings. The scent of leaves and grass made the air feel heavy, and a small breeze swirled the night air, pushing his brown worker shirt to his body. Bushes along the wide dirt road stood in rows as if guarding the lane, and after a moment of silence, crickets returned to their hopeful chirping. A grove of elm trees crossed the road seventy feet a head, their silhouettes casting the road in a deeper darkness. The assassins waited for him there.

I’ll see what memories I can grab, Rami said.

Thanks, Ruwen replied as he strolled forward.

Ten men and women moved quietly into place. The eleventh, some type of Healer Ruwen guessed, kneeled next to the twelfth member, a paralyzed Elemental Mage. Probably a Fire Mage. Most Mages tended to either want to go fast and fly, Air Mages, or blow things up, Fire.

The gaping wound that Savage Island had left on Ruwen’s mind and heart ignited again, and he tried to hold Big D’s and Rami’s observations up like a shield. He had already overreacted with the pilot of the air sled, and he might be making the same mistake here. But Blinch hadn’t tried to directly attack him.

Ruwen tried to force the thoughts of violence into the third meditation, but they resisted, calling him a coward and despicable for not taking this danger seriously.

Are you okay? Rami asked.

No.

After a moment he continued. I’m afraid I’ll never be okay.

Fifty feet from the grove a woman stepped out of the trees and into the center of the road. She raised her left hand in a wave, and Ruwen’s Diamond eyesight noticed the Void Band around her wrist.

Overlord? You have time for the Dark Portal?

Overlord appeared in Ruwen’s peripheral vision, wearing the red Overseer Armor he wore when he remained in Ruwen’s mind.

Ruwen placed his right wrist into his Void Band and when he withdrew it, the Dark Portal he’d taken from Valora, the Naktos Stone Sculptor, wrapped his wrist. He couldn’t control the Dark Portal at the same time as his Void Band, but Overlord could.

Ruwen returned the wave and kept walking slowly forward. “Greetings, Sister. It’s a nice night for a walk, don’t you think?”

“Yes, Brother, the night holds immense promise. My name is, Keena. How are you called?”

Ruwen laughed. “I usually respond to ‘idiot,’ although ‘stupid’ is a close second. Then there’s ‘foolish’ and ‘reckless.’” He stopped thirty feet from Keena, and his voice grew serious. “Lately, the names I’m called have grown darker.”

“These are dark times,” Keena responded.

A pair on each side of the road manned colossal siege bows. The bolts released at this distance would be nearly impossible to dodge. A person died, usually ripped in half, before they heard the crack of the bolt breaking the air with its passage. A little further back and closer to the road, three attackers stood on each side of the road, just inside the trees.

Ruwen focused on Keena’s hand. “I like your ring.”

Keena didn’t take her eyes off Ruwen. This obviously wasn’t her first assassination.

“Does yours say ‘the tide comes for us all’ on the inside?” Ruwen asked.

Keena’s eyes narrowed. In a voice far less friendly, she asked her question again. “What is your name?”

Ruwen smiled sadly. “Does it matter? You plan on killing me regardless. Can’t have people talking about ambushes on the way to New Eiru, now can we.”

“Are you always this irritating?” Keena asked.

Ruwen tilted his head. “You know, I think I am. I’m beginning to think it’s a character flaw.”

“I’ll ask one more time, friend. What’s your name?”

“That is an interesting question. Do you know many cultures don’t give out their names. Not their real ones anyway. They take a name of something they do or are good at. I just learned that.” Ruwen tapped his chin for a few seconds. “I think I’ll go by Gunder.”

Multiple gasps came from the trees and Keena glared at the offenders.

“We were warned not to underestimate you. I see you don’t disappoint.”

The rage Ruwen’s self-loathing generated bubbled over and his voice took on a harsh tone. “Oh, Sister, you have no idea. If you had an inkling of foresight, you would be on your knees begging for my mercy.”

“You don’t know us.”

Ruwen shrugged. “Believe me when I tell you, it doesn’t matter. I’m attempting to deal with some issues that recently arose. In that spirit, I will warn you this once.” Ruwen raised his voice. “You, the pair manning the siege equipment on each side, and the six in the bushes behind you, this is your moment to choose life. Turn now and survive. Uru must favor your paralyzed Mage as I fear he will be the only one to listen.”

Keena swallowed hard.

Anything useful? Ruwen asked Rami.

The location of Gunder’s headquarters. Oh, and most of them suffer from the trauma of the past while still missing it terribly. They feel out of place here and are severely depressed.

Are you trying to make me feel sorry for them?

Rami didn’t answer.

Ruwen sighed out loud. “I revived you, Keena. Do I deserve death for that?”

Keena frowned and Ruwen’s enhanced Perception studied the war of emotions crossing her face: gratitude, anger, relief, and sorrow. Once again, his guilt fueled rage subsided.

“I hate you sometimes,” Ruwen said under his breath.

Rami bit the top of Ruwen’s ear, her teeth useless against his Diamond body.

In a rush, Keena spoke, raising a hand and stepping forward. “Swear allegiance and kneel to the Bard. Avoid your fate. Support his effort to unite this cursed land.”

“I kneel to no one, man or god,” Ruwen replied. He tilted his head. “Although there is one woman and a couple wyrms that could probably make me.”

Rami bit Ruwen’s ear again.

Keena’s brow furrowed at Ruwen’s statement.

She called him the Bard, Ruwen said to Rami.

Gunder is a Merchant, with a sub-class of Bard and a specialization in Octave Manipulation. His voice is weapon.

I never sensed that.

Your Mental Resistance makes you immune to most of these effects. It’s why you didn’t notice Big D’s Charisma this time. In fact, she had to fight against yours. Your Charisma makes you a walking beacon for attention.

“Please, Overlord,” Keena tried one more time. “There is no need to die in this place. All of us are over level seventy. Spare yourself.”

Being called Overlord surprised Ruwen, but he realized most of the people who had seen him eighteen months ago defending New Eiru would remember him in his red Overseer armor and everyone had called him Overlord.

“Overlord’s busy, and I’m more fun anyway,” Ruwen replied.

But I’m better looking, Overlord told Rami.

Rami laughed.

“Duine mire,” Keena whispered, using the old language of Eiru.

“A crazy person is the nicest thing I’ve been called this week,” Ruwen responded.

Keena’s shoulders slumped. “This brings me no joy.”

“Ditto,” Ruwen responded.

Ruwen raised a finger for her to wait and Keena’s eyes looked hopeful. Bending, he took both his boots off and dropped them into his Void Band. He stood up straight. “Okay, I’m good. It’s just the first time I’ve worn them, and I don’t want them ruined.”

Keena shook her head again at Ruwen’s strange behavior, and with a sad face she flicked her wrist.

Ruwen entered Last Breath as the colossal siege bows unleashed their massive bolts, only a fifth of a second separating the launches. He appreciated the reflexes it took to respond with such precise timing.

Thousands of choices flickered through Ruwen’s thoughts, and he decided on the message he wanted to send Gunder: futility.