Hartmar rode beside Kelvanya as they approached a tower on top of a mountain. Its roads snaked around it to the top. Smaller wooden towers were placed along the road, where some of the grey-cloaked lord’s believers stood watching. They welcomed them and applauded them for bringing the child with them.

  ’Home sweet home. Isn’t it.’ Hartmar said. Somehow there was no joy to be found in his voice, even though he said it as if it were something good. They approached a palisades with wooden anti-cavalry stakes at the front as some sort of extra defense, even though it was still under construction. More of the grey-cloaked men were guarding it or building it.

  Some had spears; these went forward. ’The other judgement executioners have already arrived.’ one said. ‘Good to have them all together again.’ Hartmar said forcefully, as if it would change anything except for the hope that Heiron would be smart enough to handle everything according to his plans.

  Kian and Kelvanya could hear the difference in his voice Maybe because of traveling together.’We can start our lord’s plan.’Kelvanya and the grey-cloaked members formed a sideways T with their arms, making their symbol of rising to the heavens. Sliding between worlds where hell resides.

  They entered the makeshift fort. Upon entering, the tower could be clearly seen in detail. Wooden beams were set against it for stronger support. Some stones were somehow melted together so they couldn’t be loosened again and destabilize the structure. The undying tower that should have fallen long ago. It stood strong still; to the outside world, it looked like the will of the tower itself. For the ones living here, it was their lord who created the power that let the tower live.

  The rest were simple wooden buildings. With the stories surrounding the tower, they were almost nothing, just a speck of dust upon a diamond.While outside the walls was mostly empty, with only a few small gardens to farm food, inside there was nothing except some extra sheds next to the buildings. Some for horses, others for firewood. Inside stood Tyrilda, one arm bandaged while she grabbed logs with the other and split them in two with one hand. High up on part of the wooden wall platform, a grey-cloaked man overlooked the inner terrain. As he noticed the group entering, he waved to them to come to him. He jumped off the building. Creating a bit of fire beneath his hands to soften his fall as he landed gracefully on his feet. ’You have brought the boy I see.’ The man smiled, revealing teeth that were too white on his pale face. Kian looked at him. ’Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?’

  The man looked at the boy, his smile still as wide as before.His eyes were so wide it felt like they might fall out.He answered as if it were an obvious thing, just a joke to him.’I don’t think so. Ever met a man named Sventerlo?’

  Kian could have sworn such a face was not something you could forget. That name, however, didn’t mean anything to him. Kian let it be It would be better to say nothing, take information, don’t give it to them.Hartmar decided to intervene in what could be called a conversation. ’How has it been here? How is our glorious lord doing? Is everything already prepared?’

  Sventerlo turned strangely toward the new speaker. Giving Kian the creeps. Hartmar could feel his heart pounding just slightly faster. Kelvanya had her eyes locked on him.’Why don’t you just go in and ask yourself? He’s in a good mood today. Surprisingly.’ Sventerlo walked back toward the rampart to oversee the work of the others.’Well, kiddo, let’s meet up with Heiron then.’ Kelvanya gave Hartmar a side-eye. ’Don’t you mean our lord.’

  ’Come on, Kelvanya. He wants to take out the gods. ’Lord’ isn’t proper for him. It’s just his name that needs to inspire men into action.’ Hartmar’s voice always sounded like silk, but even in that there were patterns in what he meant and what he didn’t.A soft fury lay beneath those words.There was no true loyalty in him toward Heiron, but what he said was somehow the truth.Kelvanya believed it.They put their horses beside the tower, and in that moment Tyrilda came over, looking down at the boy. ‘All this trouble for a little brat.’

  ’Is that really something you say?’ Hartmar said smugly. Tyrilda picked up a rock from the ground. ’All who have wronged me will perish quite soon.’ Tyrilda said while looking Hartmar directly in his one good eye, her hands gripping the rock tighter and tighter until it crumbled into tiny pieces like sand falling between her fingers to the ground.Even Hartmar knew not to provoke her further.’Why don’t we go inside, Kian.’ Hartmar said with a protective smile. There was no telling whether it was for his own belief or for Kian.Kelvanya took a stance beside the door. ’Tyrilda, why don’t we have a talk?There’s a lot to catch up on, like why you didn’t follow orders.’ Those dead eyes made even Tyrilda look away. ’It was Hartmar’s idea. I was following his orders.’ That was the last thing heard before the door closed, and Hartmar and Kian were now separated from Tyrilda and Kelvanya.

  The inside looked bigger than the tower appeared from the outside There were two chairs, a rug, and the walls were decorated with tapestries depicting angels fusing with devils. A It was a mystery whether it was against their will or happened willingly.Then there was a statue in the corner, just as tall as Tyrilda, if not taller and far wider, almost cube-like. It didn’t fit the room; it looked unnatural. An axe rested in both hands, and the thing itself was so large that the axe head looked almost like a mace. Hartmar put himself between Kian and the thing. ’Nice weather we’re having. Don’t you agree, Frugin?’ He said to the statue in the shadows. Without moving a muscle or making a sound, his eyes flared up a deep green. ’A Ah. Asleep, were you? Sorry to interrupt.’ Hartmar stopped moving, smiling as if it were his only weapon while placing his cane at his side like a scabbard.Frugin took a step into the light. Dressed in black robes, it looked as though he pulled the shadows with him.Only his green eyes were visible. The rest was swallowed by darkness within his cloak.He placed his axe on the ground and raised his other arm to point toward the stairs. ’Up.’ It was the only sound to come from him, deep and heavy, as if the dead still lived.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Hartmar walked toward the stairs. He nodded to Kian to move up the stairs.Hartmar followed more slowly, keeping his eye on Frugin, who shifted his body to keep Kian in view.

  They both went up, Kian in front. ‘What was that?’ Hartmar turned as they took the first spiral up the stairs. ’One of Heiron’s pets. Best to stay away from him. Even the Red Smile doesn’t like standing beside him, only Sventerlo does. And you’ve seen how he is.’

  What would happen?The two Kian first met seemed normal. Now slowly meeting them all, learning what they truly were.What would their leader be like? ’Is lord Heiron... also?’

  Hartmar gave a smile, a real one. ’Nah. He isn’t like them. If he were, he couldn’t have recruited me for this cause.’

  For a moment on the spiraling staircase, it seemed time stood still as they passed the same-looking door multiple times before reaching one where the stairs ended.Before Hartmar could knock, or Kian could say anything, a voice already came from within the room. ’The door is open, friends. Come in, no need to wait.’

  They entered the room. The entire room, like every other part of the tower, was lit by candles or splayed openings, narrow slits in the wall. On one side was a ladder leading further up the tower. At the center of the room he sat, a wooden table before him and a few chairs on the opposite side.He was reading papers through a strange mask. It looked like a crying angel.

  The man set some papers beside him.’How good to finally meet you, Asier. Was the journey here to your satisfaction?’

  Kian looked at him. Was this fear? He could feel his eyes through the mask. How did he know? How could anyone know his true name? It should have been forgotten by his family. How could someone remember it, unless they themselves were part of it? ’My name is kian, Heiron.’

  Heiron put his hand in front of his mask as if to hide a laugh. ’Sorry for getting your name wrong. Normally I’m quite good at guessing them. Now, please sit.’

  Kian remained standing. Refusing to follow his orders. ’What do you want from me? Did you kidnap me just to ask how the kidnapping was?’ Kian felt his fear turn into rage at how calmly Heiron was talking to him.As if nothing were a problem. What his men had done to innocents.

  ’Calm down, Kian. I’m sorry it happened that way. That wasn’t my order. I asked them to bring you here safely and unharmed. I truly wanted what was best for you.’

  Kian stepped closer to him. ’Then why send a bunch of murderers to get me?’ Kian wanted to strike Heiron, but before he could even pull his arm back for a full-force blow, it was immobilized. Feeling something holding him back, Kian looked behind him and saw Hartmar had grabbed his arm with his cane, locking it so it wouldn’t move. His face looked dead. As if possessed by a warrior instead of the kind beggar he had been.It looked as though one wrong movement would make him break the arm without hesitation.

  Heiron stood up. ′ Well, Kian. I am quite merciful. That’s why my Judgment Executioners are not They need to make decisions I cannot make.Such as killing a child, if needed. I don’t want that to happen. But some of them have no trouble making that decision if they believe it will keep me safe.’

  How could he say that? That relaxed tone.He believed in his own words.He didn’t want to kill a child. Why, then, was he so comfortable letting his men do it?What made the difference?

  ’To show you my good faith, I will act. Hartmar, could you kindly leave the room.’ Without any kind of sound left Hartmar the room.What was that? Would he leave me behind just like that?Was all that help just an act to get him here? All those words of a promise.Empty meant only to lead him to his lord. Just lies. Kian fell to his knees.Heiron immediately hurried to him. ‘Let me help you.’ Heiron gently took Kian’s arms and guided him into the chair opposite his desk.’What’s wrong? Dizzy from the road? Do you need something to drink or eat, perhaps?’

  His voice, why did it sound so wrong? There was no evil in it.He really did want to help. ’I am fine, thank you.It would be nice, however, to get some more information on why you need me?’ It was the only thing Kian could muster as he forced his breathing back into balance.He could only hope to fool Heiron by trying to look composed.

  ’Yes of course. The reason you are needed is because you’re the same as me. I know that you don’t know. That doesn’t matter. I only need to borrow your potential. Not you, not your body, not your mind. Just something you don’t even know you had. I hope that would be fine with you.’

  Kian breathed a little heavier than before. There was no hiding it. Not with this revelation. ’My what? You took my family to borrow something?’ For now, it was still speculation.Hopefully, he would bite.Heiron put his hands together, yet as the conversation went on, he began to move more dramatically. ’I need to confess, I was watching you even back then.But I had nothing to do with your family.I only needed to wait until you were of the right age, and then come to ask. But what happened that night— What the other villagers discovered was not my doing. Now I have you here too early. But this was the only time it could happen. This year, it needs to happen. Otherwise, you would slowly disappear, and other plans would no longer fall into place.’ He quieted down. He put a hand to his mask as if in shame. It should have been easy to disbelieve the stories he told. Yet there were no lies. Not again. Why was he so hard to read? Was it the mask, or his voice?Now he genuinely sounded like he was telling the truth.‘How can I trust your words?’ It was the only thing that made sense to say. The only thing that came to mind.

  There was only one action he took. One line he spoke. ’Why not be face to face?’ He removed his mask. Then he pointed to kian. Kian removed his hood. Both looked at each other with smiles.For the first time, there was someone who looked like me.