A foolish man fears the fates; a wise, the fortuneteller
Saor Proverb
The ground beneath Tez' Mu felt solid and familiar. The teleportation matrix had done its job—he had arrived in Mirin, on a windswept shoreline. Away from the beach, built to back some overhanging rocks, was a rundown shack. Frowning, Tez' Mu glanced down at the scroll in his hand, which was fast turning into dust. The knowledge that he was close, so very close to finding Keiran', settled in his bones like a fire waiting to be ignited.
His breathing became shallow, steadying himself as he heightened his absorption senses. He reached into the very fabric of the world, drawing the surrounding energy toward him, tuning into the faintest vibrations. There it was—strings of aura, delicate and tightly wound, emanating from the shack like a trail. He could feel the subtle pulse of life, pools of cultivation essence. Mages were nearby.
With no time to waste, he followed the trail, moving swiftly and silently. He neared the shack and crouched low, his presence blending with the shadows as he peered through a crack in the wood. His heart clenched in his chest when he saw her—Keiran' Ru, her hands bound by shackles, her gaze defiant despite the situation. She was being guarded, though not by any ordinary soldiers.
A group of damesh thugs surrounded her, their leader, a woman, with half her face burnt, standing at the forefront. Tez' Mu recognized her instantly. It was the same woman he had fought just months ago, part of the group that killed his horse. But here she was, surprisingly alive, blocking his way to Keiran'. He tightened his grip on his sword, ready to move.
But he stilled as conversation started within the shack. The woman, Esna, crouched low by Keiran', reaching out to pull a strand of the girl's hair.
"Aren't you your mother's only child?" she asked, her tone light, "I'm surprised by how cold she is to you."
Keiran' did not reply, her eyes boring hard into her captor. Tez' Mu glanced at her shackles. It was the same type with which the damesh had 'escorted' him to Darin. His heart clenched at the sight.
"Despite all our gentle reminders, she has still not withdrawn to Guho," Esna continued, twirling Keiran's hair around her finger, "Tell me; does she care more about that old gasbag than you?" with a sharp tug, she pulled Keiran's hair out. Keiran' Ru gasped, her eyes filling with tears.
"Aww," Esna cooed, "Poor child." She laughed, and rose, untwisting the hair from her finger and tossing it to the floor, "Don't worry, we'll keep our word," she said, her tone steeling, "We won't kill you until midnight."
"Boss, it's already dark," one of the damesh grumbled, "Let's not stall."
"Why not?" Esna responded, turning to her subordinate, cackling loudly.
Tez' Mu had finished assessing their weakness, and he rose from his crouch, pulling out Moonfire. The red light from the sword alerted the damesh at once, and they drew their weapons, surrounding their leader and Keiran' immediately.
"Who goes there!" one of them shouted.
Tez' Mu stepped into the shack slowly, his back to the light streaming in from outside, casting his face into shadow. Only Moonfire blazed red hot, shimmering as if ready to strike.
Esna's eyes locked onto his, a wicked grin spreading across her face as she drew a gleaming blade from her waist. "Is this all Niari' Ru can send for her daughter?" she sneered.
She lunged at him with speed like a wild animal, her blade cutting through the air with terrifying precision. Tez' Mu was already in motion, his feet shifting as he danced to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. With a quick twist of his wrist, he sent a wave of fire toward her, forcing her to jump back, her boots scraping against the earth.
The rest of the damesh also closed in, attacking with a flurry of strikes designed to overwhelm him. Tez' Mu's instincts kicked in, and he deflected the blows with a series of fast movements as he parried each attack. He was on the edge—he could feel his strength being drained with each blow he blocked, but there was no room for hesitation. He had to reach Keiran'.
His heart raced, but there was no fear in his chest—only a burning drive to free her. Tez' Mu focused on the shackles that held her, even as he deflected a series of attacks from the damesh. With a deep breath, he gathered the energy in his core and released a blast of fire at the shackles, the intense heat snapping them apart like brittle wood.
The chains shattered in a burst of flames, and for the briefest moment, time seemed to slow. Keiran' Ru stood, her eyes flashing with a mix of disbelief and determination. She didn't wait—she knew what was coming. As she drew a deep breath, she focused, her body shifting into a ready stance.
Tez' Mu's heart skipped as she joined the fight, her aura surging around her in a blaze of energy. He had seen her fight before, but now… now she was on the verge of something greater. Breakthrough to Grandmaster was within her reach, and the power in her movements was like a second storm, pushing Esna back.
With Keiran' at his side, the balance shifted.
Three damesh dropped to the ground within seconds, dead.
Esna, snarling, swung her blade in a wild arc at both of them, but Tez' Mu was faster. With a blur of motion, he deflected the strike and sent a blast of flame in Esna's direction, forcing her to stagger back. Keiran' Ru was right behind him, her own strikes landing with incredible force on the remaining damesh, her speed like that of a predator. They fell with thuds, joining their comrades in the netherworld far too quickly.
Tez' Mu could see Esna's frustration building. She was faltering, the fierce confidence she had once carried beginning to crack. The tide of the fight had changed, and now Tez' Mu was ready to deliver the final blow.
With a well-timed step, he closed the distance, unleashing a strike of fire and willpower. Esna barely had time to react before the fire engulfed her, the blast powerful enough to send her crashing to the ground.
For a moment, there was silence.
Esna's body trembled, smoke rising from her charred form as she struggled to breathe, her eyes filled with shock and defiance. Her eyes suddenly glazed over with tears, as if decrying the injustice of her death.
And then her body went still, the light of life fading from her eyes. She was gone.
Keiran' Ru stood beside him, breathing heavily but steady. Her expression was grim, though there was a flicker of gratitude in her gaze.
"Are you alright?" Tez' Mu asked, his voice quieter now, yet still intense with the weight of everything they had just fought for.
Keiran' Ru gave him a look that was both exhausted and resolute. "I'm fine," she said simply, then nodded toward the horizon. "Let's get out of here."
With that, they walked out of the shack, the danger not yet fully past, but for now, they had survived. Together.
"What day is today?" Keiran' Ru asked, rubbing her palms together, as they walked through the empty streets of Mirin, keeping to the outskirts. The pale morning sun peeked over the hills in the east, bringing little warmth to the shivering girl.
"The twenty-sixth," Tez' Mu replied, wondering why she asked. He took off his cloak and draped it around her. Keiran' Ru, grateful for the gesture, pulled it closer.
"Twelve days," she growled.
"What?" Tez' Mu raised his eyebrows, turning slightly to catch her expression.
"They kept me for twelve days," she clarified, her jaw locked, "I'm glad you killed her, but I wished I did it instead."
Tez' Mu didn't know what to say to that.
"Where are we going?" Keiran' Ru paused suddenly, as the main road to Darin stretched out before them.
"The capital's not safe for you anymore—" Tez' Mu started to explained patiently, but she flared up.
"I'm not going to Darin! I'm sick of people using me to manipulate my mother!"
"I'm not doing that," Tez' Mu managed weakly.
"Take me to Gijir," Keiran' Ru crossed her arms over her chest, "I want to see my mother."
"We can't go all the way to Gijir as we are now," Tez' Mu repressed the annoyance bubbling up his throat, "We won't even make it halfway without supplies. Also, it's a war-zone—"
"Just say you won't take me," Keiran' Ru cut him off, marching forward angrily, "I'll go myself."
Irritation clouded Tez' Mu's senses. Rushing forward, he grabbed her hand as he pulled her back to face him.
"You don't know what losing imperial charter means, do you?!" he shouted, "No matter where you go, you'll be in danger!"
"So you're telling me to cast my lot with a traitor!" Keiran' Ru yelled back, snatching her hand from his grip. Tez' Mu froze. He had not anticipated that she had her own opinion on the matter.
"I—" Tez' Mu suddenly was lost for words. Seeing his hesitation, Keiran' Ru scoffed.
"He's probably gotten to you with his superior argument, I suppose," she sneered.
"He has in fact not," Tez' Mu shot back. "I don't agree with what he's doing either, but it's not like I have a choice. It's not like I can convince him to change his mind; or his methods."
Keiran' Ru did not reply, only continuing to walk down the road. Tez' Mu took a deep breath and ran after her.
"Look, judge me all you want, but if following Offal' Kest temporarily gave me chance to rescue you before the worst happened, then I'm glad I did."
Keiran' Ru shot him a scathing look.
"You are as bad as he is!" she spat, "Foxes with shifting loyalties!"
The insult hurt, but Tez' Mu took it in stride.
"I can never be loyal to someone who actively hurts those precious to me," he responded, his voice low.
"And how has her majesty offended you, if I may ask, my thorka?" Keiran' Ru asked with a sickly sweet patronizing smile, but her eyes were as cold as ice.
Tez' Mu clenched his teeth. "She sent my father to war so he wouldn't have chance to interfere in the rebellion. She abducted you because your mother aided Darin when she attempted to crush them in one fell swoop. I was there, Keiran'," he spoke with urgency now, "I nearly died!"
Keiran' Ru stilled, and Tez' Mu gasped with relief. Finally, he thought, she's starting to understand.
"What did you say earlier?" Keiran' Ru stopped as she turned to gaze at him, "The Dowager abducted me? How ridiculous!" and she started to laugh, throwing Tez' Mu into confusion.
"Offal' Kest did!" she spat.
"He didn't," Tez' Mu countered, suddenly realizing why she was so angry. She thought she understood what was happening, but she'd missed the point completely.
"You didn't understand what she was saying, do you?" Tez' Mu shook his head ruefully, kicking at a pebble.
Keiran' Ru frowned, "Who?"
"Your captor," Tez' Mu sighed, "I fought her before in Mirin when I was delivering the first treaty letter to Darin; she spoke to you, but I guess you don't understand."
"Shut up and talk straight," Keiran' Ru snapped, her patience thinning.
"The terms for your release; or rather, your survival; was that your mother retreat to Guho." Tez' Mu said, his voice level, "The imperial army has taken Guho. Retreating there means either she's surrendering as a traitor or accepting to join the imperial army to fight against Darin."
Keiran' Ru stopped in her tracks as the weight of the meaning hit her. "So it wasn't Offal' Kest that was behind them?"
Tez' Mu shook his head.
"But he is not entirely without fault," he suddenly spoke, "We live in dangerous times, Keiran', and only by comprehending everyone can we survive. Offal' Kest has his reasons for 'rebelling', if you would call it that. They might be right, but, his methods aren't."
Reentering Darin proved harder than Tez' Mu expected. Although the Kest army with the help of the Rus had repelled the imperial army from the gates of the city by seven leagues, the city was still under siege. The only way to enter Darin now was through the dreaded Ksada forest, which bordered the city on the east side.
"Isn't there any other way in?" Keiran' groaned, as yet another torn bush caught the edge of the robe Tez' Mu had draped on her. There had been a short drizzle earlier, and even now droplets of water were still falling from the higher branches of the trees they passed under.
"If the imperial soldiers catch you now—" Tez' Mu shook his head as he brushed a canopy of leaves aside, "I don't even want to think about it."
"Hmph," Keiran' grunted as she lifted her foot over a fallen log, "You're not any better off."
"At least I still have a post at the palace," Tez' Mu countered, then thought better of it, remembering fighting for his life against the same imperial soldiers, "Well, I guess," he relented, "It's bad news if they see me too; so let's make it inside in one piece."
Huffing, Keiran' struggled to keep up with him, taking each step with a wince. The journey was longer than expected, and even though their cultivation boosted their stamina, walking the distance from Mirin to Darin was not easy.
"My feet have blisters," Keiran' whimpered. They had reached a wall of rock. Tez' Mu stopped and turned, reaching out a hand to her. Grabbing it, he helped her over the boulders.
"We're almost there," Tez' Mu comforted, wiping cold sweat from her brow. She flinched at the contact. "Once we're in the city, we can get horses to take us to the army base," Tez' Mu said quickly.
"Why didn't you bring a horse when you were coming in the first place?" Keiran' brushed his hand away and pouted. Her shoulders were heaving with the effort of climbing.
Tez' Mu chuckled humorlessly. "I had no idea where you were held. And time was ticking, too. I could only teleport."
"Then you should have brought two scrolls," she pressed with a frown.
Tez' Mu opened his mouth to retort but found nothing to say. She's right, he thought. Why didn't Offal' Kest give him two teleportation scrolls?
A whistle sounded just then, startling them both. Before Keiran' could blink, Tez' Mu had pulled her under a dense bramble bush. Hurried footsteps echoed in their ears, and faint human shouts. Keiran' tensed, her back pressed against Tez' Mu's chest as they crouched silently.
"It's alright," Tez' Mu muttered, "Don't be scared."
He heard her scoff, "Oh please," and he was sure she rolled her eyes. In spite of himself, in spite of the hammering of his heart in his chest at the thought of imperial soldiers, Tez' Mu allowed himself a smile. Of course. Keiran' Ru, a Martial Master on the brink of breakthrough, could not be afraid.
***
Troops were moving out when Tez' Mu and Keiran' staggered into the camp. A soldier immediately led them to Offal' Kest's tent, where the western lords were converged, dressed in full armor, surrounding the map of the west mounted on the table. Tez' Mu immediately sensed the tension in the room as he caught sight of Lord Rui glaring daggers at Jin' Hei and Lord Kel.
"We swore an oath!" Jin' Hei was saying, "There is no way you can turn your back on us!" He asserted.
Lord Rui's nostrils flared. "I am not turning my back; I will simply not allow my men to die in a pointless battle! Let's re-strategize!"
"There is no re-strategizing to be done!" Lord Kel shouted, slamming his hand on the table, "We have deliberated on this for three days! It's the only way!"
"And I said my troops will not follow!" Lord Rui yelled back, chest heaving. "We are cornered; morale is low. If we send them out, they will die by the droves!"
Offal" Kest continued sipping his tea serenely, his eyes locked on Tez' Mu and Keiran', who were standing in the doorway.
"Enough," he spoke, and the lords stilled. Lord Rui huffed and stormed out of the tent, while Jin' Hei and Lord Kel cleared their throats and took their seats.
"My grandson has thrown us drowning men a lifesaving rope." Offal' Kest said with a smile, rising. He walked around the table and came to stand in front of Keiran' Ru. Placing his hand over his chest, he lowered his head to her. Keiran' Ru flinched, but stood her ground.
"I have sent a letter to your mother," Offal' Kest said as he straightened, "With a plea for help. You can see we are in dire straits. If her answer is no, then we are already dead men."
Tez' Mu scoffed. "As if anyone can kill a Martial Sage."
Offal' Kest glanced at him, his expression hard. "What is the purpose of a man if he remains alive but those he is responsible for are dead?"
Tez' Mu sneered. "You should have thought of that before you decided to rebel."
Offal' Kest ignored him and turned back to Keiran'. "I will not hold you here against your wish. If your mother refuses to aid us, I will send you to her with an escort. Rest assured."
Keiran's face remained impassive. She nodded at him and turned around to leave the tent. Seeing Tez' Mu did not follow, she turned her face in his direction with raised eyebrows.
Tez' Mu looked Offal' Kest straight in the face. "I'm returning to the capital. I have to take your answer back to the Dowager. What is it?"
"You're not going to the capital yet," Offal' Kest said with a smirk. "Someone is here for you," he tilted his head in the direction of tent's entrance.
Tez' Mu frowned, then froze as he felt the air around him cool down by two degrees. Keiran' curtsied just as a hand touched his shoulder, and he spun around.
Essa-kest' Mu was dressed in a simple traveling cloak thrown over a tunic dress with a belt at the waist, on which hung a sword. Tez' Mu stared, shocked at the weapon.
"You look well," she spoke first, with a sigh of relief, looking him over.
"What are you doing here?" Tez' Mu asked, grabbing her hands.
"Our house is being watched," Essa-kest' Mu replied, throwing off her hood, "Eima was arrested on made-up charges of passing information to my father." Her eyes took on a tired expression, "You have to be careful when you return to the capital."
"What?" Tez' Mu was shocked, "Did you leave because you thought she would order your arrest too?"
Essa-kest' Mu shrugged, shaking her head. "Surveillance, I'm sure. She would want me held hostage to persuade my father and yours."
Tez' Mu felt his blood boil. Hu' Ran was going too far.
"Oh, Sari asked me to pass a message along to you," Essa-kest' Mu said, "I wanted to bring him with me, but he said he and Annir would stay with your deputy."
Tez' Mu exhaled deeply through his nose. His mother squeezed his hand.
"I know. We have to tread carefully during these times. I don't want to be a burden to you. If I'm not in the capital, you will be able to serve the Dowager without worrying about the consequences."
"Serve the Dowager?" Tez' Mu echoed incredulously, his temper rising, "after all that has happened, you still think I want to serve the Dowager?"
With a glance at her father, Essa-kest' Mu pulled Tez' Mu out of the tent. She drew him along, past the tents and the patrolling soldiers with ease. When they reached the archery range, she stopped.
"Don't be carried away by your emotions, Tez'," Essa-kest' Mu said, facing her son. "You swore an oath. And your father is also loyal to her."
"Father told me to serve her until her actions started to endanger our family," Tez' Mu shot back, "Look at what she's done! She abducted Keiran', put you in danger! I know how much Eima means to you; what if she's killed?! What am I supposed to do then?"
Essa-kest' Mu shook her head. "Keiran', Eima and I are not of the House of Mu." She said in a low voice, "The Dowager has done nothing to the House of Mu yet. She still requires your loyalty."
"Hasn't done anything?" Tez' Mu repeated with a scoff, "How are you sure of that? Father sent me a runner from Najan with urgent information. Before he could say a word, the Dowager sent people to summon him to the palace. And what next? She killed him! Why would she kill her trusted servant's messenger? What does she have to hide?!"
Essa-kest' Mu's face had turned pale. "What did you say?"
Tez' Mu did not repeat, only turning towards the targets with a bitter expression. "She's done enough. I'm following my own path now."
Essa-kest' Mu closed her eyes as she exhaled.
"What you're about to begin is the most dangerous thing to ever attempt. Your life will be in danger if she ever finds out you've defected."
Tez' Mu chuckled humorlessly.
"I've not defected. I am neither following the Dowager nor Offal' Kest."
Essa-kest' Mu looked up at him. "Then who are you following? Your father?"
Tez' Mu locked eyes with her and slowly shook his head. "Myself."
Essa-kest' Mu looked nonplussed. "And what will you do?"
Tez' Mu narrowed his eyes as he stared at the sun cresting the mountains in the distance. "I'll end this war."
He returned to Offal' Kest's war tent with a determined expression. As he lifted the flap and stepped in, the conversation stilled and all eyes turned to him.
"How many armies are against you?" Tez' Mu asked, eyes locked on no one but his grandfather.
Offal' Kest narrowed his eyes.
"Two. Why?"
Tez' Mu suddenly burst into laughter, his shoulders heaving with mirth. "Just two? You have half a dozen lords here with armies. Why then are you hard pressed?"
Offal' Kest sniggered.
"The imperial army caught us by surprise, using you, a peace envoy, as decoy. Darin was hit unexpectedly, with ravaging force. Many of our soldiers died then."
He picked up his fresh cup of tea and took a sip, "Darin was very nearly wiped out, if not for the timely intervention of the Ru Army. They attacked the imperial army from the back, and were able to drive them south to Guho. But then the Ren army appeared," he set his cup down. "I'm certain you know the rest."
"The Ren army isn't just Lord Ren's, too," Lord Kel quipped. "They're just flying his banner. No way do three hundred thousand soldiers belong to him alone."
"We're hard pressed," Jin' Hei cut in, "because, all together with the Kest army, our forces are just two hundred thousand. If the Rus support us, then we have a better chance of fighting on equal ground. But if not..." he sighed, his voice trailing off.
Tez' Mu sneered. "Good news for the Dowager, then."
"Tez'," Offal' Kest rose, "You know the way out of this mess."
"I'm not sure I do," Tez' Mu crossed his hands over his chest.
"Your mother told me you're an acquaintance of Jizu' He's nephew," Offal' Kest chose his words carefully. "I want you to secure their support for us. The Dowager won't expect you to go there," Offal' continued. "Also—" a thin smile formed on his face, "—you're good at making people listen."
"And if I say no?" Tez' Mu frowned.
Offal' Kest shrugged. "Then we lose. And we die. You're too young to know what the Dowager does to traitors. Familial extermination."
Tez' Mu ground his teeth together. Offal' Kest had a detached way of speaking that got on his nerves.
"What is your plan if you get the Hes' support?" He asked instead, ignoring the anger coursing through him.
"Three great-generals will shift public opinion, no matter how the Dowager tries to paint our actions otherwise. The people will petition by themselves for her to abdicate."
"What if she kills the king before that happens?" Tez' Mu asked. Offal' Kest's eyes narrowed.
"That's why we have to find him. Quickly."