The first trails of sunlight had peeked over the horizon when Stryg arose from his bed. He hadn’t slept. He was nocturnal by nature and last night he couldn’t find it in him to fall asleep. His mind had bombarded him with constant thoughts of the future that he had laid before him.
Though he had already said goodbye to everyone last night at the party, he decided it was best to leave early before anyone noticed. With a silent kiss on the cheek, he bid a sleeping Feli goodbye. She shifted in bed, half-asleep, mumbled something indistinct, then cracked an eye open. “Stryg…?”
“I’ll come back soon. I promise,” he whispered.
“Mm…” She turned and went back to sleep.
Throwing on his clothes, he threw on Blossom over his shoulders, the white petal cloak fitting snugly around him. He grabbed a leather backpack with the few belongings he was taking with him, then slipped Krikolm into his belt, and grabbed Svartna like a walking cane.
Stryg glanced at the mirror on his way out and he was suddenly reminded of a painting of the Traveler hanging in the manor’s gallery. He had never thought himself as a traveler per se, but he supposed today he would become one.
Opening the door, he found Gale outside, leaning on the wall, waiting for him. She was dressed in a similar manner to his own, though she wore the Veres’ iconic black cloak with a scarlet underside.
“Ready to go?” Stryg asked.
“I’ve been ready for the past hour. Come on, Holo is waiting for us at the Ebon Tower.”
Stryg nodded and followed her quietly through the manor’s halls. Although he promised Feli he would be back soon, he didn’t know how long that would be. A few weeks? Months? Longer? He wondered when he would walk through these halls again.
A few servants were lined up to the side of the front doorway. They bowed as Stryg approached. “We’ll await your return, your majesty,” they said in unison.
“Thank you,” he said somewhat awkwardly before walking out.
The mists were thick this morning, the grass covered in dew, and the air filled with cool moisture. Summer was nearing its end. The sky was a pale and dim blue, a quiet morning all things considered.
As Stryg and Gale walked down the long cobblestone path towards the manor’s front gate, he couldn’t help but speak up. “I wanted my departure to be a small affair.”
Gale placed a hand on her chest. “You think I set that all up back there? Servants talk. Everyone in the manor already knew you were leaving when you didn’t come down to the kitchens for your usual midnight meal.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Believe it or not, they care about you, Stryg. A lot of people do. You’re more important to this city than you realize.”
She was right. He didn’t really believe it. None of this felt real. It had only been a few months since he had discovered his Veres lineage and come to live in the manor. He was still adjusting to the reality of it all and now he was leaving it behind.
As they neared the gate, Stryg made out a figure waiting in the mists. She loomed over them, like a monster out of myths. Lunae stood there, wrapped in a white silken dress not unlike the paintings of her in the gallery.
“Mom? You’re here,” Stryg said, somewhat surprised.
“You didn’t think I’d miss my chance to say goodbye one last time, did you?” Lunae smiled.
“I’ll give you two some space,” Gale bowed and walked through the gate.
“How are you feeling?” Lunae asked.
“Honestly? I’m not sure about all of this. I know I need to go, but I think people need me here, too,” Stryg admitted.
“Change can be difficult, especially when it’s going into the unknown,” Lunae said.
“Is this how you felt when you left your island with Uncle?” Stryg asked.
Lunae sighed and looked towards the horizon where the sun had yet to rise. “I’m not sure. It was so long ago. Solis and I were children. What was important was that we had each other.”
“I wish I had a twin.”
“You have Gale. She is a part of you now as you are a part of her. You will always be together. Look after each other. Do not fail her as I failed Solis.”
“I won’t. I swear it,” he said somberly.
“Good.”
Stryg looked back at the manor. “I hope everyone is going to be okay.”
“They will be fine, I’m sure. You have surrounded yourself with capable individuals.”
“I know…”
Lunae gave him a thoughtful look. “There are some abilities so deeply interpersonal to a titan that they do not reach through the Sigte bond. But there are some things the bond does make possible, if only for a moment. Stand still.” She leaned down and placed her forehead against his. “Now close your eyes and relax.”
He did as she asked and tried to relax. Lunae’s silver eyes flared with inner light and Stryg suddenly found himself looking through her divine farsight.
~~~
Stryg found himself staring into Freya’s study. She was nursing a headache from last night while moaning in discomfort.
“I told you, you shouldn’t have drunk so much,” Kegrog admonished her while serving a warm cup of tea. “Here, this will help with the hangover.”
“Thanks. What would I ever do without you?” Freya sipped the tea and sighed in satisfaction.
“Freya, here are the meetings you have for today.” Aric handed her a stack of papers. His wheelchair was seated next to her desk and he had made a place for himself there, leafing through all the important documents Freya had lined up for the week.
“Can’t this wait?” Freya groaned.
“You were already gone for too long. If you want to be a respectable leader, you’re going to have to be diligent,” Aric said.
“And drink less,” Kegrog added.
“I’m going to need more tea,” Freya muttered.
~~~
Despite the early hour, Aurelia was sitting under a yew tree in the gardens with Uncle Gian. It seemed Stryg wasn’t the only one who hadn’t slept that night.
At first, Stryg didn’t recognize the tree for it was much larger than the one in the book of memories, but it was one and the same. It was the tree where Stryga had promised her little brother to meet when she returned home.
Gian was telling Aurelia a story about his childhood and his big sister. Aurelia listened with rapt attention, eyes bright.
~~~
Jahn was in the training courtyard of Lunis’ castle. He led a training session with a spear in the Gale Style, each move made with precision and speed. His fellow Blood Fang tribe members followed his instruction and imitated his stance, albeit with less gracefulness.
~~~
Blueberry was asleep, curled up in his massive enclosure. Plum had brought a sleeping cot and a book to read to the giant frost wolf. She had fallen asleep at some point and was now haphazardly strewn across her cot, though not too close to Blueberry, lest she get sick from the cold.
Elise walked in and found Plum snoring softly. She scoffed quietly and made a wry expression, then threw a blanket over Plum.
~~~
Karen and Witt were already busy preparing breakfast for the children at the temple. Melfyn was helping chop up the vegetables for the stew, while Sandra sat at the table, reading her textbook for her upcoming classes in a few weeks.
“Can you pass me that jar up there?” Karen pointed to a tall shelf.
Witt reached up, grabbed the jar, and handed it to her. “Here you are.”
“Thanks.” She pulled him down by his sleeve and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Witt stood there, stunned, cheeks growing warm. He smiled like a fool but quickly frowned when he noticed Melfyn and Sandra both smirking at him.
~~~
“Are you sure you don’t want to join the order? My mother gave you a direct invitation,” Belle said.
“I know and I’m grateful for that,” Lysaila said. “But first I need to help my kin in this realm as best I can. Rhian and Maximus are counting on me.”
“I understand.” Belle hopped off the ground in what appeared to be a training room of sorts and picked up a sword from a weapon rack. “In the meantime, let’s spar a bit, yeah? I’ve always wanted to test my skill against a grand swordmaster like you.”
“Like me?”
“Someone who won’t hold back,” Belle grinned viciously, revealing her long canines.
Lysaila drew her sword and mirrored Belle’s look. “Gladly.”
~~~
Nora was in bed, sleeping soundly with Kamilo next to her, his little hand clutched around her finger. Stryg stayed there for a moment, watching Kamilo sleep peacefully. This was why he was leaving. This was what he was fighting for.
Stryg opened his eyes and took a step back. “Thank you, Mom.”
“Feel better?” she asked.
“I feel like I know what I have to do.” Stryg hugged her. “Goodbye, Mom.”
“Goodbye, Little One.” Lunae stroked his head.
~~~
The Central District’s plaza was strangely empty. Even at this early hour, there were usually scribes, pages, and other servants walking in and out of the city’s High Chamber and other official buildings that lined the plaza. Stryg had a suspicion his sister had something to do with the emptiness this morning.
Gale and Stryg made their way across the large plaza towards the Ebon Tower that stood tall at its center, at the very heart of the city. Though called a tower, it was more of two massive obelisks separated by a round dais at the base. Atlas and Unalla sat at the base of the dais’ steps. They stood as Stryg and Gale approached.
“Morning,” Stryg said.
“Uncle,” Atlas bowed respectfully.
“Uncle,” Unalla followed her father’s lead.
“I take it the lack of people was your doing?” Gale asked.
“My mother didn’t wish to draw attention. Realm traveling can be—eye-catching,” Atlas said.
“Any advice on traveling through the realms?” Stryg asked.
“Follow my mother’s lead,” Atlas said.
Unalla shrugged, “The Amber Realm has the best food. The Ashen Realm’s food sucks. Don’t try to cause trouble in the Scarlet Realm, there is a reason it is called the Realm of War. If you go to the Ivory Realm, make sure to bring a gift when you meet an elven lord. Oh, and don’t drink the seawater in the Azure Realm, no matter how thirsty you get. Some of it may taste sweet, but it’s still seawater.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Stryg said. “Thanks.”
Gale was busy writing down Unalla’s words in a journal she had brought. “Bring gifts…”
“You’ll be fine. You’re like Grandmother, after all,” Unalla patted Stryg’s shoulder.
“She’s waiting for you,” Atlas gestured his head towards the top of the stairs.
Stryg took a deep breath and started his way up. The stairs were made of smooth black stone like the dais and the Ebon Tower.
Holo was sitting cross-legged in meditation at the center of the dais. She opened her eyes at their approach.
“Wow, this place looks good as new,” Stryg said.
“It took me a while to fix all the sigils and enchantments Ananta destroyed when she broke Solis out, but it’s finally ready,” Holo said.
“That’s good,” Stryg said quietly.
“Are you ready?” Holo cocked an eyebrow.
“Yeah. I think so,” Stryg said.
“How about you?” Holo asked Gale.
“Actually, I’m waiting on one more,” Gale said.
Stryg frowned. “What?”
“Wait…!” A voice called out in the distance.
Stryg turned and saw Tauri running across the plaza, a traveling pack strapped over her shoulder. She rushed towards them, a bit of orange magic fueling her steps. When she reached them, she leaned over, and rested her hands on her knees as she huffed for breath. “Sorry, I’m late… Had a lot… of last minute… packing to do…”
“Tauri. You’re here,” Stryg said, stunned.
She looked up at him with a smirk, “Of course, I am. You didn’t think I’d actually stay behind, did you?”
He smiled softly. “I’d never dream of it.”
“You can thank me later,” Gale mouthed silently.
“Are we all ready to go?” Holo asked.
“Yeah,” Gale said.
“I need a minute,” Tauri said.
“Excellent,” Holo clapped her hands together. “Time to set off.” She channeled chaos into her feet and the dais beneath them. The sigils around her flared to life and the light began to spread outwards in rings of sigils until the entire dais lit up. The silver light traveled up the obelisks all the way to the top before suddenly plummeting back down like a crash of water. The light collapsed at the center of the dais in a reverberating eruption of mana that cut the air itself, leaving behind a jagged crack, pitch black.
Holo thrust her hands into the sliver of darkness and pulled it apart, as if pulling back a set of curtains. The crack expanded, revealing a black rift where no light could enter or escape. What lay beyond, Stryg did not know. Even Gale was perturbed at the sight.
“Are we sure about this?” Tauri whispered.
Holo was already one foot into the rift. She glanced at Stryg. “You ready?”
Stryg took one last look back at the city of Hollow Shade and at the only realm he had ever known. If he could survive in the Realm of Monsters, then he could survive anywhere. “Yeah. I am.”
He turned back to the rift and walked into it.
The Ebon Prince
End