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!"
The others just stared at Arryk.
"No," said Arryk. "He's already won, as far as I'm concerned. I'm going to find him. We don't know what his actual state is. If he can't be cured, then ... I guess I will abandon hope for him—but first, I want to at least try to help him. I'm not going to leave him to his doom in the Nethermost Realm."
Without a word, Azure pushed past him and walked down the stairs—leaving, for all Arryk could tell. Arryk felt a little disappointed. He thought that, at least, she would say goodbye. Or wish him luck.
But, Azure was Azure. He never could understand her.
Arryk went down the stairs but stopped on the next level. He'd packed a few things earlier that he thought he might need, but there were a few more things to do before he went. The others followed him down the stairs.
"I'll come with you," said Braejeunné.
"Certainly not," said Arryk, giving her a forbidding glance. "Someone has to stay here. You should be well protected, with the paravescea. You'll have unlimited power. The others will support you."
"But ... when will you be back?" she asked, concerned.
"I don't know," said Arryk. Maybe never, if it went badly.
The others just stared at him, stunned into silence. He went about packing up, while they stood around, bereft of argument.
* * * * * * * * *
The others followed Arryk as he teleported back to the Arena in Arlunn. Here, he could do the teleport spell to follow Rian and Kyran to the Nethermost Realm. But he had better do it quickly, because other students were coming into the Arena. Shaz and Saemund entered through one door and Sennae and Toby through another. Both saw Arryk and headed his way.
Braejeunné, Rhana, and Quince took up a defensive position. But Shaz held up his hands, in a gesture of peace. He nodded to Saemund, who stayed back. Shaz continued towards Arryk. "I just want to talk," said Shaz.
"About what?" demanded Arryk.
Sennae also approached from the other corner, leaving Toby behind.
"I hear you're going to the Nethermost Realm," said Shaz.
"What do you want, Shaz?" asked Arryk, impatient.
"I want to come with you." He stood there, already wearing a warm traveling coat and carrying a backpack with a bedroll. He noted Sennae also looked ready for a camping trip.
"You ... what?" asked Arryk, flustered. "No, out of the question! Why would you want to come with me?"
Shaz hesitated. "When Anya heard what happened to Rian, she stole one of my ancient artifacts. She's already teleported to the Nethermost Realm."
"And you love Anya so much that you'll risk everything to save her?" asked Sennae sarcastically, double-checking her pack.
"She's carrying my child," said Shaz. "I'm not going to have my child born in the Nethermost Realm. I need to find her. I figure that she'll look for Rian, so perhaps our quests are connected."
"Except that when I find Rian, I'll try to save him and you'll try to kill him—as well as myself. So, again. No. I don't trust you," said Arryk.
"I don't care," said Shaz. "I'll do a trace on your teleport and follow you. But it might be better if we work together. The Nethermost Realm isn't a place to travel alone."
"Oh, and suddenly you're an expert on the Nethermost Realm?" asked Sennae.
"I have studied it. It interests me," said Shaz.
"I'm sure it does," said Arryk.
"And why should we trust you?" asked Sennae, skeptically, speaking to Shaz.
"We?" demanded Arryk. "There's no 'we.' What makes you think you're coming?" he said to Sennae. They weren't allies.
"What? Let you have all the fun and miss out on this? Not a chance," she smiled. "I'm coming along. So, how about a truce? We all agree, on our regal word of honor, not to kill each other while we look for Rian."
The point Arryk was going to make flew out of his head when he saw Azure arrive with a full pack on and her bow and arrow. "What are you doing?" he demanded.
She glared at him. "What do you think I'm doing?"
"No," said Arryk. "You're not coming either."
"First of all, you don't have the right to tell me what to do. I'm not your property—I'm a princess of the Realm. Second of all, there's no way I'm going to let you go to the Nethermost Realm alone—and certainly not with these two." She nodded at Shaz and Sennae.
Arryk shook his head, trying to think of an argument.
"Do we have a deal?" asked Sennae.
"I don't want either of you killing me the moment we find Rian," said Arryk.
"All right," said Sennae. "We will agree on a truce for three days after we find Rian, then the pact ends."
"What? No," said Arryk. "Eight days."
"That's ridiculous," said Shaz. "Two hours."
"Unacceptable," said Arryk. "I need at least three days. I need time to determine his state of mind."
Shaz nodded. "All right, three days. I give you my regal word of honor."
"Three day; I give you all my regal word of honor," said Sennae.
They all looked at Azure, who stood there silently. "I may not wait three days to kill you," she said, looking at Arryk. "I'm tempted to kill you right now."
Arryk gave her an annoyed look.
"All right, I give my regal word of honor," Azure said at last. "But this is going to be an unmitigated disaster—no matter what happens. And just remember, it was all your idea."
"Fine," said Arryk. "I'll take the blame. Let's just go—before the Arlunni find out and stop us."
Arryk glanced at Quince who came forward and set the teleport portal. It was more complex than a simple teleport spell. It created a shimmering doorway through which all of them could pass.
Shaz and Sennae stepped through. Azure gave one last scathing glance at Arryk.
"No one is forcing you to come," said Arryk in frustration.
She said nothing and stepped through the portal.
Arryk glanced at Braejeunné one last time. He didn't know when he'd see his sister again. No one ever travelled to the Nethermost Realm, at least, not many that ever came back to tell about it.
He took and deep breath and stepped through the portal ... into the Nethermost Realm and darkness.
THE END.
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Thanks for reading the Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn.
If you've enjoyed these stories, let me know. I'd like to hear about your favorite characters, what you liked and why!
Email me at: meredith.ellen.skye@gmail.com
I have a rough draft of a sequel, which will be titled: "Exiled to Darkness."
Please watch for it! I hope to put up an introductory chapter for it soon!