Chapter Eight
“My lord!” Kade called as he strode into the throne room. It was a large space, with two long dining tables lining the aisle that led to the throne. The ceiling stretched over thirty feet, with banners of red and yellow hanging from their banisters. Kade’s boots made a sound that echoed through the room, but he didn’t care. He was too excited to care.
He approached the throne now, glancing at the pedestal that held the pulsing fiery orb only once. It was a conflagration of colors, reds, yellows, oranges and their ilk. All the colors that shot through the sky at sunrise. The Sun Reality would dim to purple and orange and sundown, which made it fairly unique. Kade knelt down at the foot of the throne and trained his gaze upwards, meeting the golden gaze of the Sun Keeper.
“Kaden Carvet,” the Keeper greeted. “Why are you here?”
“I wished to tell you of my progress,” Kade replied.
Cyrus was an intimidating beast. He had copper skin and his face looked as if it had been carved from the same metal. He usually wore a scowl, but now he grinned broadly, displaying a row of glimmering whites. He had a robe on, but Kade knew that underneath was a shirt that had been doused in the blood of the enemies of the first war between the kingdoms. Cyrus had lived through that, and he’d lived through the second as well. Kade knew that as a Keeper, Cyrus would live until he was killed with a blade.
Atop the Keeper’s shaved head was a crown of gold and rubies. It was nothing special, but that didn’t matter. No one in the Caanan Empire wore crowns anymore. No, status was determined by the amount of wenches and acres they owned.
“Ah!” Cyrus rumbled. “Does your brother detect something?”
“He’s my half-brother,” Kade corrected. He rose to his feet just as a pair of women emerged from the hallway leading to the Keeper’s quarters. “And no, I don’t believe he does.” Kade neglected to mention the scuffle that occurred when they’d first met.
“Bah, that doesn’t matter. Make sure that he doesn’t. We might be able to end my sister’s Guardian before he discovers how to control his abilities.” Cyrus’s eyes lit up as he spotted the women. They were beautiful indeed, dressed scantily to entertain a man’s imagination. Kade pointedly looked away. He was only thirteen, and his plan was to marry first. That was a secret he’d kept to himself. “Farewell, Carvet,” Cyrus said and he rose from his throne. Kade nodded and began to walk to the door when Cyrus called after him, “How was your last catch?”
Kade answered without turning or stopping. “Good.”
Then he pushed open the large double doors and welcomed the cold dawn air.
The Rising Castle was said to have been cursed by the gods to rest on air instead of land. It stood on a large craggy section of rocky land, and due to the height, the air was almost always cold. Kade approached the edge of the land, kicking away stray pebbles. Through the clouds he could see the city of Cano. The Rising Castle was over the housing district, so he saw torches as men and women alike left their homes to go to work.
“Kade!” a voice called his name and his hand went to his waist, where his blade should have been. That’s right, Kade thought. I left it in my room.
He whirled around to see Jael running up to him. The dark-skinned man’s eyes glittered brightly as he neared Kade. He stood a foot taller, though Kade didn’t let that cow him.
“What is it?” he asked curtly as he turned back to the scenes below. Kade had never liked Jael. Not completely. Being the Sun Prince, he’d gotten along with Leif―the Light Guardian―better. He naturally disliked any follower of Fallon or Archest.
Apparently though, the same could not be said for Jael hating followers of Lonus or Faer. Jael grinned brightly. “I was hoping that I could get a different mission,” the man said. “Anything but―”
Kade’s golden discs narrowed. “What’s that on your hand?” Kade had always been the observant type, and he’d noticed the red scratches on Jael’s hands rather quickly.
Jael winced, and Kade lost it. Suddenly his hand flashed out and fastened itself onto Jael’s neck. Kade squeezed and the crystal pendant around his neck pulsed like a heartbeat. He felt his vision blurring but ignored it―this needed to be done. He let go and quickly kicked Jael’s knees in, causing the man to buckle down. Jael cursed and smoke began to form around their feet, but Kade ignored it. He grabbed the back of Jael’s neck and pushed it down.
Jael’s resistance was commendable, but Kade had superior rank, and eventually Jael was forced to relent. Kade pushed the Dark Soldier’s head down until it was in open air and held it there. “Archer and Kate mentioned something about you, Jael,” Kade hissed. He did his best to hide the quiver of pain that threatened to take over. “What did you do? Why did Archer use his GuardSkill so quickly?”
“I-I tried to overpower him,” Jael growled back. “I was foolish. He was stronger than I’d assumed. I might have beaten him though, if his bitch hadn’t arrived. She distracted me long enough and he got enough energy to send me out of a window.”
She’s not a bitch! A voice yelled in Kade’s head. The lion was breaking through. He had to Jump. That’d still the transformation long enough for what he had planned.
“Jael, your pass is being revoked. We don’t need people straying from their duties. You’re to go south and investigate the Rebels in the Sade forests. Got it?”
“You can’t do that!” Jael shouted. “I don’t give a damn about rank, you can’t take my pass. I can find another one.”
Kade quickly pulled Jael’s neck back and sent the man on his back. He looked down at him, and then up, to the two guards that were stationed at the Castle doors. “Frisk him for the usual passes,” Kade ordered. “Then give him an aerial beast, something small so it doesn’t raise any flags.” The guards nodded. “Also, if I hear of anyone―gah!―giving…him an…artifact, they will be repri…manded. I have to go. Do as your general has told you. Rise higher.”
The guards banged their pikes on the ground as they approached Jael, who was glaring at Kade. “As high as the Sun!”
Kade fished through his pocket, finding a quarter. That was good. He held it up high and whispered, “Take me to the sister plane of existence.”
In a loud flash of light, he vanished.
☽
Kade appeared in front of double doors, a foot or two above the ground.
He landed on his feet and looked at the guards. “Are they here?” he asked as he leaned against the wall. He was dizzy from suppressing the change.
“Yes,” the tallest one said. His accent was thick, and Kade had to look through the Veil to see that he was of Mehta Nair.
“Good―” Kade was cut off by a cool voice.
“Solarmancer! How are you?” He turned to see a boy and girl approaching him and the guards. Their hair was white, snow white. The girl was fourteen, yet her face was almost angelic, with sharp features and captivating blue eyes. She wore a dark blue tunic with tight hide-pants, showing that she was of Jahal Nair. Her companion had similar features and the same attire, though while she was mostly curves, he was all muscle. The boy had his white hair in a neat undercut, while the girl held hers in a shaggy style. It was cut short.
“Milorn and Wren,” Kade greeted, pocketing his quarter as he smiled sincerely. “I haven’t seen you in a long time.”
Wren waved a dismissive hand as she sized up the two guards, who stood at six-and-a-half-feet tall. “It’s only been a couple of weeks, Kaden. Is Lumen in there?”
Kade nodded before looking to Milorn. “Punch me. Not too―”
Milorn wasted no time in delivering a swift punch to Kade’s nose. Kade doubled over, cradling his nose. Suddenly there was a burst of pain in his jaw as Milorn snapped his foot up into Kade’s face. Damn him! Kade thought.
He stumbled back in one of the guards, who steadied him as he glared at the ice Elemental. “I never liked Elementals from Jahal,” the guard holding him remarked. “Especially the ice ones. They’re as cold as their element.”
“I said punch me, not break my jaw with your foot!” Kade growled.
Milorn shrugged, his icy blue eyes dancing with excitement. “It got the job done, didn’t it? Besides, I wanted to test out my new boots. Their steel-toed. It’s a good thing that you’re a Guardian, eh?”
Wren placed a chilled hand on Kade’s shoulder. “Our father sent us to monitor things before he sends soldiers for your cause. Let’s go, shall we?”
He shrugged her hand off, glaring at Milorn as he replied, “Yes, let’s go.” He felt his crystal and closed his eyes. Soon his appearance changed. He grew an inch or two, his face became more youthful, and his eyes became green. Grass green. Kade had learned how to control light waves after catching an ex-Candidate in the south parts of the Sade forests. He was an okay pyro, but not as good as the fire Elementals behind him.
“Alright,” Wren said as she hooked her arm with his. “Let’s go, Lucas.”