Finn, Rosa, and Tobias had returned to the lodge to find a lull in the fighting. The undead had been turned back at the doors, thanks to the brave Defenders, but the entire citadel appeared to be danger now.
“There are places—shrines, libraries, presumably the other lodges—which still held their protection even with the Beast in the skies, but now it looks as though all those protections are gone,” Torg said grimly.
“I wonder why that is,” Rosa said tightly, shooting a look at Finn.
Yeah, okay, I get it. I did this. Finn was wracked with guilt. He should have known that this was all just another power play between the Asai, and he had fallen for it. It’s not like I had a choice, though.
The Asai of Shadow wanted the Celestial Order destroyed, or at least disempowered, but why?
“We can still hold this place. Most of us have had training. We could retake the citadel!” one of the Defenders at the back said. There was a mutter of agreement from some, but there was also instant argument.
“What about food? We’re surviving on rations we’ve scavenged. Where did the servants get the food? Did they trade with the other realms? Did they farm out in the mountains?”
“We can make this work!”
“But for how long?!”
Just then, there was a shout as one of the Defenders on the upper floor ran down the stairs.
“We’ve got company outside! People coming!”
“Is it the dead?!” Torg asked as Finn and Rosa grabbed their weapons and turned to the door.
“No, no, I don’t think so. They’ve got all their limbs in the right place, for a start… They look like other mortals. The other lodges, maybe.”
Finn saw the look of panic cross Torg’s face and understood why. Vheti had spent his brief tenure as leader of the Fire Lodge threatening and dismissing the other elemental lodges, demanding that they bow to him. Now that he was gone, that the Beast was gone, perhaps they had come for payback.
“Open up!”
There was banging on the main doors. Torg, Finn, and a dozen of the Fire Lodge’s finest fighters ran to secure them.
All eyes looked at Finn and Torg, uncertain.
“If I let them in…” Torg started to shake his head.
A wave of weariness ran through Finn. He had seen Vheti die right in front of him. He had caused this disaster himself.
“Let me speak to them. There is no need for more violence,” Finn said, nodding to the door. “Open it.”
“But what if they attack? What if they try to steal our supplies?!”
People were starting to panic. Finn had to stop this before it turned into an outright war.
Just then, a woman’s voice rose clear on the other side of the door.
“Finn! Finn Callahan! Your friend Daros is here, and he tells me that if you are in there, we can talk!”
Finn blinked and looked at Rosa, who echoed a ghost of his smile. It was Daros and his gang of refugees. Daros was a friend.
“Open it! Let them in!” Finn shouted, rushing forward to grab the heavy furniture placed in the way and start heaving it aside. A few moments later, the door was thrown open. Finn saw Daros grinning at him, while at his side stood three others—a woman with dark skin dressed in green, a thin young man dressed in white, and another woman in a blue flowing dress that looked to be made from multiple pieces of fabric.
The woman in green, with her hair braided and wound atop her head, lifted her chin as she looked at Finn. A cat-like like of appraisal crossed her features.
“I take it you are Finn Callahan, Founder of Blackwood, slayer of the Beast?” she asked formally.
Finn winced. “It sounds like my fame precedes me.”
At least she didn’t added ‘destroyer of the citadel’ after it, he thought.
“Oumare Sangare, Premier of the Earth Lodge. Acting Premier, I suppose. This is Teyvor Land, Acting Premier of Air, and Mico Sud, Acting Premier of Water,” she introduced the other leaders of the would-be lodges. Finn welcomed them in.
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Oumare wasn’t a lady to beat around the bushes. Clearly, she was used to getting things done.
“All of our protective wards are gone, and supplies are running out. We’re here to offer a deal. An alliance. Either that, or we have to flee this place, as we all know what happens next.” Oumare's eyes flickered to the Fire Lodge initiates and appeared to find them wanting. “This realm was restricted, meaning that only those of Level Ten could enter it, and no one else could even find it. However, my powers tell me that is no longer the case. It won’t be long before an Elder Realm decides to try and take it for their own advancement,” she said grimly.
“Perhaps that is already what has been happening. Why the Beast could have attacked us here at all!” said the Acting Premier of Air, a thin young man with wide eyes and an almost bald head. His slightly elongated limbs suggested he wasn’t born on Old Earth.
“Probably,” Finn said, feeling another pang of guilt. In fact, that was exactly what had happened. The Asai of Time had abandoned this place in their war with the other Asai—if anything the Asai of Shadow said could be believed—and that had allowed the Beast to infiltrate this place.
Maybe I was just an agent of change. The final nail in a process that was happening anyway? Finn thought briefly, taking solace in the idea. He pushed that thought aside, shaking his head and turning to the others.
“Daros here has told me of your proposal, Finn of Blackwood, and the other lodges have been discussing it. There are some of our initiates who are willing to go with you to liberate this city of yours…” Oumare said.
“Malvas.” Finn nodded.
“This Malvas. Others wish to try and find their own peoples, scattered through the realms. What we know for certain is this: the Order of Celestial Grace is gone. Our part in it is, anyway,” Oumare said with finality.
Finn nodded as silence fell over the group. He looked around at all those gathered there, seeing both fear and determination.
“Alright then,” he whispered. His eyes fell on Rosa and Tobias before he continued in a louder voice. “Here is my offer to all of you. As you know, I am a Realm Founder, holder of the Hearthstone of Blackwood. They have called me Troll-slayer, now Beast-slayer. I cannot offer you a guarantee of safety, but I can offer you my strength.
“If any of you choose to come with me, I will offer you as much home and lodging as I can, where we can build again. You will be free to come and go from Malvas or Blackwood as much as you like. All I ask is that you help us fight, at first. That you will be our allies,” Finn said, realizing just how scant an offer that was.
He was asking people, who had already been fighting for months, to go to war, and all he could offer them was freedom. Who would accept that offer?
As it turned out, many of them would.
“I will come,” Oumare Sangare, the Acting Premier of the Earth Lodge, said with a nod.
“As will I,” said Mico Sud, the Acting Premier of the Water Lodge.
“I will not,” said Teyvor Land. “I, and many of my lodge, will be taking to the New Zone to go about our own business. I have heard tell of an Elder Realm devoted to Air, which I mean to take many of my people to. I believe that we will have a safer time allying with an Elder Realm!”
Teyvor was as sharp with his words as he was with his wits, it seemed.
For the rest, there were many nods to go with Finn. If the other lodges had the same number as Fire did, then it could mean another two or three hundred experienced fighters with advanced powers to add to the battle.
He could only hope that Malvas still stood so that the help mattered.
“Then we leave as soon as we can. Bring only what you absolutely need. There will still be food, clothing, and essentials where we are going, so we can travel light,” Finn announced.
There was a cheer from the Fire Lodge crowd, and many of them appeared to be relieved at being able to leave their near imprisonment in the citadel.
Voices rose as people started to disperse, but before they did, Torg shouted, “I propose Finn Callahan for Premier of the Fire Lodge!”
“No, wait, really, I don’t know that much about—” Finn tried to say, but he was drowned out by cheering voices.
“I second!”
“Third!”
The broad Torg thrust himself through the crowd to clasp Finn about the shoulders. “Then, Finn of Blackwood, Beast-slayer, will you accept it? Will you help establish our lodge in this Malvas of yours?” He grinned.
For a moment, Finn didn’t know what to say… but there was only one thing to say, wasn’t there?
“Yes.”
You have been named Premier Martial of the Fire Lodge. Experience awarded.
New Fire Ability added.
Renown increased (Wide).
Finn was stunned as he felt the celestial power surge through him. Was that all it really took? Was that how the Celestial Engines worked? Cheers rose and fell around him, and Torg clapped him on the shoulder as he left to get his stuff together.
“My friend?”
There was a firm touch on his wrist, and Finn turned to see Daros. “Daros, my friend, this should be you. You should be the premier of Fire. You’ve been at the citadel longer than any of us!” Finn was mortified as he stared into his friend’s wide, dark eyes.
“No. You deserve it, after slaying the Beast. I think Torg was being rather wise, actually, making sure he tied the lodge’s fate to a powerful champion such as yourself.”
Finn nodded reluctantly. Maybe Daros was right and Torg knew exactly what he was doing.
“But, my friend, I will be staying behind, as will many of my community. Most of them were the servants of this place, and we want to try and create a realm where we serve each other, not any lodge or instructor. Or Asai.”
“No, Daros! We need you!” Finn said instinctively, even though his heart knew just why Daros had done what he had. He had suffered much at the hands of the previous instructor, and he had found some respect and peace in being the leader of his wild community.
“I have to do this, but we will not be strangers—Blackwood, Malvas, and the citadel. We will see each other again,” Daros said. They embraced, and Finn knew that this was the right decision for his friend. “Farewell, Finn of Blackwood. I think you will make a good leader. If you don’t get yourself killed first!” Daros managed a silent chuckle before disappearing into the crowd and leaving Finn to his new lodge.
The other lodge masters had brought their initiates with them, and there was a general air of chaos as everyone mingled and prepared.
“Finn? You ready for this? It looks as though you got your army,” Tobias said as he sidled up beside Finn. Someone was passing around healing potions to those that needed it, and others were cleaning weapons.
“I guess I have,” Finn murmured. He hoped it would be enough to save Malvas.
He hoped that he wasn’t about to lead them all to their deaths.