The Beginning After The End novel Chapter 449

TurtleMe

Chapter 447: Ripple in Timeline

10 minutes ago

Rolling onto my side, I pushed myself up gingerly, the small crowd moving back to give me space. As I held out my hand to Sylvie to help her up after me, a bolt of pain through my skull made me stumble, and an arm wrapped around me.

I looked down as Ellie leaned into me, trying to support some of my weight.

Sylvie seemed less affected by the vision and had no problem rising. She looked me over nervously. “I’m sorry, Arthur, I couldn’t hold it back from your mind.”

“Hold what back?” Ellie asked. “What happened?”

I blinked and shook my head, making an effort to dislodge the last of the aching cobwebs the vision had left in my head. “Nothing. Not here. We—” I cut myself off, acknowledging the crowd that had gathered and not wanting to say anything that would become a problem later.

Seris’s approaching aura was enough to pull most of the attention away from me. Her dark eyes met mine, and she seemed to read the situation in an instant. “There is much to do. Allow our companions a moment to catch their breaths. Remember, Lance Arthur Leywin has faced the Legacy herself on our behalf. Mind that you don’t inadvertently start unhelpful rumors, yes?”

The people who had been near enough to see my episode—which, unfortunately, was a lot—shrank back at Seris’s thinly veiled ire.

A cascade of flame-red hair was the first I saw of Lyra Dreide as she hurried through the crowd. “Go on, then, all of you. There is much work to be done, and no room for idle hands!”

The Alacryans broke up and began milling away, although there was no shortage of backwards glances.

“What’s going on?” Lyra asked, leaning in toward Seris, who was watching me from the corner of her eye, her lips pressed tight with obvious worry.

“Let’s have this conversation somewhere more private,” Seris said, her words quiet but firm.

I nodded my agreement, and Lyra led our group to a nearby empty building that turned out to be little more than a single open room with several roughly made wooden chairs filling the space. No one sat as we all shuffled in. Every pair of eyes turned to me, including, Highlords Frost and Denoir, who must have been speaking with either Seris or Lyra before my collapse.

Doing my best to keep the agitation from my inflection, I said, “My companions and I need to leave. Immediately.”

“Just like that? You’re not even going to tell me what happened, Arthur? This show of weakness could not have come at a worse time,” Seris replied. Her gaze turned away, focusing into the middle distance, and when she spoke again, it was to herself. “But seeking acceptance from the dragons is essential. If we tell the people that you have gone to ensure the peace, then most will accept it without question…”

Her attention jumped back to me. “Still, as your partner in this venture I would like to know the truth of what has happened.”

I thought back to the vision I’d shared with Sylvie.

A Wraith attack on Kezess’s general resulting in the deaths of the Glayders and who knows how many other important public figures in Etistin…

My concerns were many, but primary among them now was to verify that it hadn’t actually happened yet. If it hadn’t, I could figure out how to prevent it. But sharing the information could be dangerous. If Elder Rinia had taught me anything, it was that attempting to change the future was exceedingly risky. I had to proceed with utmost caution.

Additionally, I wasn’t sure who, if anyone, should know that Sylvie was having visions of the future. I wasn’t sure I could trust even Seris with that detail.

“I can’t explain now,” I said. “Not until I have a clearer idea of it myself.”

There was a pause as our gaze remained locked.

“Nevermind then, I can see that you’re set on this.” She broke our eye contact with a humorless laugh. “Vritra’s horns, life was easier when I was surrounded by people who jumped to do whatever I said…”

I gave her a wry smile. “You’re working very hard to deprive yourself of such a life.”

Shaking her head, she waved me away as if I were a particularly irritating fly. “Go on, do what you must. I’d have liked to offer you more preparation for your conversation with the dragons regarding our defection, but I suppose I trust you to handle it on your own. All I will ask is that you take one of mine with you. As my eyes, ears, and voice, as it were.”

“No,” I said, quicker and more forcefully than I’d intended. “I…don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Seris’s look hardened, what little good humor she’d maintained slipping away. “No? Arthur, this partnership works in both directions. You have asked for me not to question your reason for leaving at this critical moment and without prior discussion. I am requesting that you make this concession in return.”

I ran my tongue along the inside of my teeth as I considered. Being in between dragons and Wraiths was no place for an Alacryan deserter, but it would tear open a rift between Seris and me if I forced the issue. “I concede the point, then,” I said after a long pause.

Highlord Frost stepped forward, giving the two of us a small bow. “Lady Seris, I’d like to offer my granddaughter, Enola, for this task. She is highly capable, and familiar with Regent Arthur from their time at the academy.”

“Thank you, Uriel, but I want someone slightly more seasoned for this task.”

She nodded to him in appreciation, and he bit back anything else he wanted to say, retreating to his previous spot against one wall.

She continued, her words directed toward Corbett. “Caera would be a stronger candidate for the role I have in mind, not least of all because she has already worked alongside Arthur at length and has direct experience with the dragons. I trust her in this and am certain she will be willing. Can you fetch her?”

I kept my thoughts to myself, not wanting to prolong this any further now that I’d already given in to Seris’s demand.

While we waited for Corbett to return, Seris spent a few minutes providing me with the basis of her plans in the Elenoir Wastes so that I might pass them along to the dragons if I thought necessary. When Caera arrived, I bid Seris farewell and led my companions out of the village and into the Beast Glades.

“There is a town near the western edge of the Beast Glades, not too far to the south. It’s the closest teleportation gate that will get us to Etistin,” I explained as we marched.

“Don’t think that I’m unhappy to be coming along,” Caera said, glancing around furtively as we moved into the dense treeline, “but what exactly are we rushing off in such a hurry for?”

Hopping over a downed tree, I turned and gave Ellie my hand to help her over, then Caera behind her. As I took Caera’s hand, I said, “I’ve discovered some…evidence…that leads me to believe Wraiths will be attacking Etistin in the near future.”

Chul slammed a bricklike fist into his open palm, heat rising from his shoulders in visible waves of orange light. “A chance for vengeance.”

“Wraiths…” Caera said breathily, her brows knitting into a frown. “But how could you know? Do you have a djinn relic in your pocket that shows you the future?” She attempted a playful smile, but it came across as pained.

“No, I…can’t explain yet. I’m sorry. Perhaps when we reach Etistin and have had time to scope out the situation there,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck.

Ellie had gone pale as I spoke, and I was certain she was remembering the aftermath of my last fight against Agrona’s secret asura-killers.

‘So are we just going to, like, not talk about the whole visions of the future thing then?’ Regis asked as he loped along at my side. ‘Sylvie is amassing quite the collection of mysterious subplots, isn’t she?’

She needs time to probe her own understanding and insight of this vision, I thought back. Until we have a better idea of why and what happened, no one else should know. Out loud, I said, “Here is good enough,” coming to a stop in a small clearing and looking at my bond.

Sylvie, whose mind was a muddle of surging and conflicting thoughts and ideas, forced herself to focus. The transformation was nearly instant as she grew into the form of a black-scaled dragon.

Caera gasped, her mouth moving silently as she stared up in awe.

“It’s not that impressive. Wings are overrated, anyway,” Regis said as he stepped into me and drifted to my core. I hopped up on Sylvie’s back at the base of her neck, and Chul helped Caera and Ellie mount between Sylvie’s wings.

Caera tentatively reached out and brushed her fingers along the back of one wing, a shiver running through her.

From the ground, Boo growled low in his throat, his small eyes peering up at Ellie questioningly.

I pressed my hand reassuringly against Sylvie’s long neck as she stared down at Boo with one huge eye like a pool of liquid gold. “It won’t be too much?” I asked.

“Just as long as I don’t have to carry Chul, too, I’ll be fine,” she said, her voice rich and rumbling in her draconic form.

Chul flew into the air and waited. Sylvie grabbed Boo in her large front claws, gathered herself, and sprang up, her wings beating at the air with graceful ease. Chul moved into position beside her, and we took off to the southwest. We stayed just above the treetops, not worrying about an attack from any mana beasts; the combined auras of Sylvie, Chul, and myself would keep all but the most powerful and aggressive mana beasts from attacking, and we were a long way from the depths of the Beast Glades where such creatures dwelled.

On dragonback, the journey only took us a couple of hours, saving an entire day or more of slogging through the dense forest below. Sylvie transformed back well outside of town, and we completed the journey on foot. We had no need of the Adventurers Guild or any vendors, and so we didn’t stop anywhere in town but instead went straight to the teleportation gate.

Before approaching the gate attendant, who would program the gate to Etistin for us, I stopped my companions and looked at them all seriously. I had been mulling over how to proceed for the entire journey and had made a few decisions that I knew not everyone would approve of.

“Ellie, you’re not coming to Etistin with us,” I said, ripping the bandage off what I knew was going to be a difficult conversation.

“I understand,” she said, catching me off guard. She looked embarrassed at my surprise. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. In spite of my…outburst, I know I can’t be in Etistin with you if things turn out like you expect. But I’m serious about getting stronger. I want to make a difference in”—she gesticulated randomly with her hand—“all this, in the best way that I can. If that means staying out of the way and being safe for a bit, then that’s what I’ll do.”

She reached out her fist, and I bumped my own against it with a grateful smile.

Regis, who had resumed walking with us in his physical form, reached up and placed a huge paw on our hands, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. Ellie laughed, and I rolled my eyes.

“What, isn’t this a team huddle?” he joked.

Chul, who had watched our exchange with a deepening look of concern, huffed. “Sister Eleanor can not be sent off on her own.” He ground his teeth, clearly considering his next words carefully. “Though I wish to test myself against these Wraiths, I also hope to do my duty to you, Arthur, and make a difference,” he said, his tone conveying a not-quite-entirely suppressed somberness. “If you wish it, I will escort her back to the dwarfhome, Vildorial, and watch over her in your absence.”

I let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Chul had offered before I had to ask. With no long-distance teleportation gates remaining in Vildorial—or anywhere else in Darv—the safest way for Ellie to return would be to fly. “Thank you, Chul. I understand why you left the Hearth, and what this means to you. My hope is that there is no battle in Etistin, and that you don’t miss out on any of the fun.”

He grunted and gave me a serious nod. “Yes, but if you do meet a Wraith, do give them a thorough butt-kicking for me.”

“Besides, Bairon and Mica will be in Vildorial. Maybe even Lance Varay! They’re really awesome to train with,” my sister said brightly, her own fear and frustration barely evident. Boo rumbled, and Ellie grinned. “Boo says he’d be happy to bat you around a bit, too, if you need it.”

Chuckling, I turned to Sylvie, Regis, and Caera. “Let’s go then.”

The mage quickly calibrated the portal and ushered us through. The last thing I saw as I glanced over my shoulder was Ellie flanked by Chul and Boo. She waved. I lifted my hand and was whisked away.

It had been a long time since I’d traveled by the ancient mages’ portals in Dicathen. I’d gotten used to the Alacryan’s tempus warp technology, which made teleportation much faster and smoother. The portals of Dicathen—relics left behind after the djinn genocide—dragged the user across space, which distorted as it sped by, and had been known to make people sick the first time they used it.

I realized halfway there that I should have warned Caera.

As we appeared one by one in front of the receiving portal, Caera bent over and clutched her stomach, trying not to be sick. A soldier, who had likely seen this happen more than once, hopped back, his mouth snapping shut as he cut off whatever memorized message of welcome he’d been about to deliver.

Caera took several deep breaths and held up her hand as if to ward off her nausea. “‘m fine,” she said hoarsely. “But…what in the Vritra’s name was that?” Finally, she stood and glared at me. “Absolutely barbaric.”

The moment of amusement I felt melted away as I remembered why we were there, which coincided with the soldier snapping to attention as he realized who I was.

“Regent Leywin!” He stepped around Caera and reached for my hand with both of his. “It’s great to meet you, really, a true honor. You saved my father at the battle of Slore, sir, and I’ve always hoped for the chance to thank you in person.”

“I should be the one to thank your father for his service,” I said with a practiced smile, allowing him to shake my hand.

Suddenly remembering himself, the guard snapped back into a more professional stance. “Sorry, Regent. I got a little excited. I’m sure you’re here to see Guardian Charon.”

Looking at another guard, who was poking his head in through the door of the small building that housed the portal, he started to give an order, but I interjected. “Actually, I need my arrival to stay quiet.”

The guard hesitated, glancing from me to the palace in the distance, visible through one of the narrow windows.

“I understand you have your orders,” I continued, trying to sound both confident and consoling. “I don’t want to insult Charon by not going to see him right away, but lives are at stake. I really need you to just pretend like I never stepped out of this portal.”

The guard hesitated as he inspected my companions, frowning at Sylvie’s and Caera’s horns. “But the Glayders were very insistent…” Trailing off, he shook his head and snapped into a solute. “You have my word, Regent.”