Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 58

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

58

Up on top of the paravescea tower, Arryk looked out on the dark, vast dull land of the Interstitium. He had refused to go see Rian and Kyran banished. He didn't have the heart for it.

He felt guilty.

Anyway, he was thinking—furiously thinking.

What to do?

He felt such a conflict within himself—the terrible kind of decision that you have to make that you know you'll regret.

Down below, he heard the others enter the fortress, though he couldn't make out what they were saying. He didn't answer their calls; they'd find him eventually. He was in no hurry. Finally he heard footsteps and Braejeunné, Rhana, Quince, and Azure emerged into the paravescea room.

"Arryk, there you are," said Braejeunné. "We were calling you—didn't you hear us?"

"I heard you," he said, without turning to look at them.

"It's done," said Braejeunné. "I thought you'd like to know."

He nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"I did what you requested," he heard Quince say. Good.

There was silence for a moment.

"Look," said Braejeunné. "Don't feel bad. We all thought he was the one. He had a gift—there's no doubt about it."

"Yes," said Arryk vaguely, but he was troubled. He turned around and looked at them, knowing then what he had to do. "I'm going after him. Braejeunné, you're in charge." He tried to move past them, but Azure put out a hand to stop him.

"What do you mean—going after him?"

"I promised to protect him until the end of the game. I'm going to keep my promise."

"He's in the Nethermost Realm, Arryk—and possessed! He's out of the game. Don't be a fool!" snapped Azure.

"The Arlunni don't decide who's in the game," said Arryk. "They had no right to mind-scan Rian, or to threaten to mind-wipe his brother, Kyran."

"You can't leave Arlunn during the Challenge," argued Braejeunné.

"The Challenge is only on Arlunn because we of the Seven Worlds approve of it," said Arryk. "The Arlunni don't control the Challenge."

"Arryk is right," said Quince. "The games used to be held from Chuness. They only picked Arlunn because it was neutral."

"How do you even know where Rian is? He could be anywhere!" asked Braejeunné.

Then Azure looked at Quince, accusingly. "You bastard! You did a teleport trace on him?" Quince looked guilty but didn't deny it. "Idiot!" said Azure. "But, what is the point? You saw Rian—he's possessed by Molan. He's not going to be the King of Cathal!"

"And can you imagine, if I don't go after him, the power he could gain in the Nethermost Realm? With his knowledge of both realms, how dangerous he would be? You saw what he did with the paravescea, it was unparalleled!" said Arryk. "It's more than just a random talent that he has. I could never match him, no matter how much training I get in the paravescea. On the other hand, he nearly killed me the other day. He's been training for a matter of weeks. Think what he'd be capable of in a year. He could beat us all. He might become a more dangerous threat than Molan ever was!"