Azia-Nocti. This was
Rafael’s first contact with the man behind the project he had
commissioned, an attempt to revive technology scavenged from the
extinct empire.
Several months ago, Rafael had
discovered stone tablets beneath the city that detailed an immense
construct, a weapon that he believed could aid the city—or his own
agenda. He had waited much too long for this opportunity. He
dispatched a messenger to the arena nearly every day to receive
word of the construct’s status. He understood that a project this
immense required time, but his patience was wearing
thin.
Only yesterday he had received news of
the project’s progress. An orphan handed the ambassador a letter,
which he quickly pried open with shaking fingers. His heart
quivered with each word he read, especially when he received
instructions to rendezvous with the battlemaster the following
night. Rafael couldn’t deny his dread as he approached the
figure.
“Have you assembled the construct?”
Rafael asked.
“So swift to part with etiquette... Am
I not worthy of a proper greeting?” The tone of his voice struck
Rafael as strange, but he dismissed it.
“Of course. I am Rafael, ambassador for
Azia-Nocti. You have my endless thanks for agreeing to this
exchange.” The battlemaster didn’t respond. Uncomfortable with any
elongated period of silence, Rafael cleared his throat and said,
“Forgive me, but I never learned your name. Who are
you?”
“Venexa,” spoke the figure. The entity
pulled back the hood to reveal a woman with light hair. Rafael
jerked in surprise, hardly expecting to see a woman. Her striking
eyes portended her determination, a will unparalleled in intensity
and a robust confidence that mocked his own. She smirked defiantly
at his blatant surprise.
“To answer your first question, yes,
the contraption is assembled. Soon, your dreams of conquest will be
realized.”
“You misunderstand me,” Rafael replied
hastily. “I do not seek to conquer Azia-Nocti. I merely require a
weapon to wield against the inept leadership that threatens to
destroy my city.” Venexa acknowledged his claim with a rise of her
thin eyebrows.
“You mean the treaty with
Gaelithea?”
“Yes, the horrendous alliance that
Oligarch Ichari is considering. I must not allow it. I escaped the
hells of Gaelithea to live out my existence in peace here. By
agreeing to their terms, we are surrendering to them. Can you
imagine what this will do to our city?”
If he removed the opposition, King
Nizaz would reject the treaty. Nizaz was not aware of the steps
Rafael had taken to secure this weapon. Rafael justified his covert
operation no matter the potential consequences and political
fallout. He couldn’t risk the king objecting to his radical
methods.
“If I recall, you sought asylum here
from the wrath of Gaelithea,” the battlemaster said. Rafael jerked
in surprise. Venexa profoundly savored the expression on his face.
“The terms of the treaty state that all convicts who fled Gaelithea
and found asylum in Azia-Nocti are to be extradited. You will be
stripped of status...”
Rafael ogled her with shock, even
hatred. How could she possibly learn of the assassination he had
commissioned against a noble family in Gaelithea?
“I am aware of your less than reputable
past, Rafael... even if the authorities are not.” She circled him
like a seductive predator amused by the fear of her prey. “You are
a dangerous man, Rafael...” Her face was much closer to his now,
her intense eyes prying into his. “But you are nothing compared to
the wrath of Gaelithea.”
The ambassador wanted to dispose of her
in an instant. She was a liability, someone who knew his identity
and misdeeds. Yet, Rafael knew she would slay him and his
bodyguards. He almost preferred that she killed him now.
“I will not die in Gaelithea,” Rafael
breathed. “And if I die here as a result of my actions, so be
it.”
“Would you like to observe the
construct?” Venexa
Rafael’s first contact with the man behind the project he had
commissioned, an attempt to revive technology scavenged from the
extinct empire.
Several months ago, Rafael had
discovered stone tablets beneath the city that detailed an immense
construct, a weapon that he believed could aid the city—or his own
agenda. He had waited much too long for this opportunity. He
dispatched a messenger to the arena nearly every day to receive
word of the construct’s status. He understood that a project this
immense required time, but his patience was wearing
thin.
Only yesterday he had received news of
the project’s progress. An orphan handed the ambassador a letter,
which he quickly pried open with shaking fingers. His heart
quivered with each word he read, especially when he received
instructions to rendezvous with the battlemaster the following
night. Rafael couldn’t deny his dread as he approached the
figure.
“Have you assembled the construct?”
Rafael asked.
“So swift to part with etiquette... Am
I not worthy of a proper greeting?” The tone of his voice struck
Rafael as strange, but he dismissed it.
“Of course. I am Rafael, ambassador for
Azia-Nocti. You have my endless thanks for agreeing to this
exchange.” The battlemaster didn’t respond. Uncomfortable with any
elongated period of silence, Rafael cleared his throat and said,
“Forgive me, but I never learned your name. Who are
you?”
“Venexa,” spoke the figure. The entity
pulled back the hood to reveal a woman with light hair. Rafael
jerked in surprise, hardly expecting to see a woman. Her striking
eyes portended her determination, a will unparalleled in intensity
and a robust confidence that mocked his own. She smirked defiantly
at his blatant surprise.
“To answer your first question, yes,
the contraption is assembled. Soon, your dreams of conquest will be
realized.”
“You misunderstand me,” Rafael replied
hastily. “I do not seek to conquer Azia-Nocti. I merely require a
weapon to wield against the inept leadership that threatens to
destroy my city.” Venexa acknowledged his claim with a rise of her
thin eyebrows.
“You mean the treaty with
Gaelithea?”
“Yes, the horrendous alliance that
Oligarch Ichari is considering. I must not allow it. I escaped the
hells of Gaelithea to live out my existence in peace here. By
agreeing to their terms, we are surrendering to them. Can you
imagine what this will do to our city?”
If he removed the opposition, King
Nizaz would reject the treaty. Nizaz was not aware of the steps
Rafael had taken to secure this weapon. Rafael justified his covert
operation no matter the potential consequences and political
fallout. He couldn’t risk the king objecting to his radical
methods.
“If I recall, you sought asylum here
from the wrath of Gaelithea,” the battlemaster said. Rafael jerked
in surprise. Venexa profoundly savored the expression on his face.
“The terms of the treaty state that all convicts who fled Gaelithea
and found asylum in Azia-Nocti are to be extradited. You will be
stripped of status...”
Rafael ogled her with shock, even
hatred. How could she possibly learn of the assassination he had
commissioned against a noble family in Gaelithea?
“I am aware of your less than reputable
past, Rafael... even if the authorities are not.” She circled him
like a seductive predator amused by the fear of her prey. “You are
a dangerous man, Rafael...” Her face was much closer to his now,
her intense eyes prying into his. “But you are nothing compared to
the wrath of Gaelithea.”
The ambassador wanted to dispose of her
in an instant. She was a liability, someone who knew his identity
and misdeeds. Yet, Rafael knew she would slay him and his
bodyguards. He almost preferred that she killed him now.
“I will not die in Gaelithea,” Rafael
breathed. “And if I die here as a result of my actions, so be
it.”
“Would you like to observe the
construct?” Venexa
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