There came a commotion from
outside. Oddriser paused in his motions and locked eyes with Counsel. The
Collaborator remained as cool, calm, collected as he had ever been, whilst
Oddriser harbored a carefully contained deadly seriousness. The guards moved
toward the doors, and both Collaborator and Selector moved with them, their
dispute forgotten.
Upon emerging from the First Library, they discovered a contingent of guards had encircled the Selectors, their weapons leveled at the outsiders. The Selectors matched them in kind, blades drawn, their backs to one another. Some distance from the spectacle, a guard knelt, clutching a wound in his side.
The hissing intake of Oddriser’s breath was lost under Counsel’s words.
“Guardsmen, stow your arms! What is the meaning of this?”
Both sets of men flinched, but not one among them lowered their weapons, nor took their eyes from their enemies. It was the wounded guard who spoke first.
“That Selector swine tried to run me through!” He shouted. “It was a mistake to ever allow their return!”
“Ewstob, do not speak of our guests so,” Counsel replied. “It appears—”
Upon emerging from the First Library, they discovered a contingent of guards had encircled the Selectors, their weapons leveled at the outsiders. The Selectors matched them in kind, blades drawn, their backs to one another. Some distance from the spectacle, a guard knelt, clutching a wound in his side.
The hissing intake of Oddriser’s breath was lost under Counsel’s words.
“Guardsmen, stow your arms! What is the meaning of this?”
Both sets of men flinched, but not one among them lowered their weapons, nor took their eyes from their enemies. It was the wounded guard who spoke first.
“That Selector swine tried to run me through!” He shouted. “It was a mistake to ever allow their return!”
“Ewstob, do not speak of our guests so,” Counsel replied. “It appears—”
“Which of my men?” Oddriser cut in,
though his eyes already scanned the blades of his Selectors, and found but one freshly
crimson— Apcin’s.
By now, a crowd had begun to
gather. Seeing one of their own fallen brought them to shouts immediately.
“Selectors!” Oddriser roared. All eyes fell upon him. “Stay your arms. Did you forget? We are guests here!”
“Likewise, Guardsmen,” Counsel added softly. “Lower your weapons. We will have explanations before we carry this madness any further.”
Now, both camps of men stowed their arms. Counsel He knelt by the wounded Ewstob. Rivulets of blood poured forth, from the guard, spurting in time with his panicked breath. “Oddriser. Can your power do anything for him?”
Oddriser knelt on the other side of Ewstob, though the answer was clear on his face. “Unfortunately not, cousin. My power would only end his suffering. I apologize. If my brother were here—”
“No matter, Oddriser. I can manage. Tend to the people.”
The two locked eyes for another moment; Oddriser, finding that he could not read Counsel’s face, rose to address those gathered.
“Collaborators,” he began.
“HEATHENS!”
A black bolt of lightning fell from Oddriser’s outstretched fingertips, tearing the precious stones out of the road near his feet and hurling them into the air. There, the smoldering gems slowly tumbled into a dizzy circle before his uplifted hand. The crowd now fell to silence, and though their expressions remained angry and untrusting, Oddriser saw the unmistakable fear they harbored as well.
“Think what you will of me,” Oddriser continued. “Think what you will of my men, if you must. I believe that you Collaborators sometimes forget that we are all one and the same in our love of knowledge. All that differs is our approach to the unknown. I know these things because I, too, sometimes forget that we were once the same tribe.” He gestured to the First Library. “It has been… too many years since I or my brethren have laid eyes upon the Library. Grand, is it not? Splendid. Magnificent. The First Library is certainly to be envied.”
“Jealous rotten cowards! You’ve come to rob us!”
“You had your chance to contribute, and you spurned it! You have no right to stand here now and preach to us of knowledge!”
Oddriser lifted his hands. The stones, forgotten, fell to the ground and ricocheted off those still set, bounding away with the slightest sparks of dark energy. “As I said, think what you will of us. Perhaps we are not your kin. Perhaps we are not your friends, nor comrades, but know this: we are not without honor.” Here, he looked to Apcin. “The truth, Apcin.”
“Self defense, Lord Oddriser.”
“He lies!” Ewstob tried to rise, but fell back to the street with a pained gasp.
“Don’t move,” Counsel murmured. His hands gleamed with a subtle prismatic light, one that brought a strange sparkle to the wounded man’s blood. “I am doing what I can for your injuries, but if you move about too much, I will not be able to stabilize you.
“He… Lies…” Ewstob repeated, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. “Not one of us turnt a blade on him!” At these words, the crowd roared to life again.
“ Apcin,” Oddriser asked. “What exactly happened whilst I was within the First Library?”
“The truth of it is, Lord Oddriser,” Apcin mumbled. “They strove to take us as soon as you departed!”
Oddriser spied some guilty looks among his men, as well as outrage from the Collaborators around them.
“Uryf, Taserct. What did you see as you exited from the First Library?”
“It was not clear, my Lord,” Uryf replied.
“We came out to find the Collaborators with their backs to us,” Taserct explained. “From our vantage, we could not see who provoked who.”
“It’s obvious!” One of the guards insisted. “Only our man lies upon the ground!”
“You there,” Oddriser called. “What is your name?”
The soldier offered Oddriser a hard stare. Then finally: “I am known as Vegri.”
Oddriser dipped his head some. “Guard Vegri, please recount the events as you saw them unfold.”
Another hard stare followed as the soldier sized him up.
“I am quite serious when I ask you,” Oddriser assured him. “My men have given me some account of this travesty, but I would hear the words of the Collaboration, if the Collaboration will cooperate with me.” He smiled then, an ugly, sour, and sincere smile.
“After you and Lord Counsel entered, your men quickly became restless,” Vegri told him. “Foremost in their discussion was the talk of how the Collaboration would double-cross them.”
“Surely my Lord Oddriser,” Apcin pleaded, “you do not believe the words of this crooked soldier?”
“I will hear his words and decide for myself,” Oddriser replied. “You dishonor me before our hosts when you speak out of turn.”
Hearing this, Apcin fell silent.
“Now then, sir Vegri.”
“Your people were convinced that mine would slay them, or perhaps that we would refuse to return that which was agreed upon,” Vegri explained. He pointed a finger at Apcin. “That one especially became frightened and angry at the thought.”
Oddriser nodded. “Do not presume I excuse any violence on the part of my men when I suggest that their concern is not misplaced….” Here, Oddriser glanced to Counsel, who looked up from Ewstob’s wound only to meet his eyes for a moment.
Now a deathly silence fell; no words passed, and onlookers, Collaborator and Selector alike, followed Oddriser’s gaze to Counsel.
“Be that as it may, Lord Oddriser,” Counsel replied. “The mere thought that we would perhaps withhold something from you is no cause to leap to violence, is it?”
“We are in agreement, cousin.”
“Then it remains that we discover what provoked this attack.” Counsel turned his soft eyes upon Vegri. “How did our fair Collaborators respond?”
“We lent them space, of course,” Vegri insisted. “However, they grew more mad by the second. When it seemed their bitterness would move beyond words, Ewstob moved to reason with them. His trust—your trust, Lord Counsel— cost him dearly, for that knave cast a blade for his heart.”
There came gasps from the crowd, followed by a crescendo of angry utterances. Oddriser, watching this, offered a wry smirk.
“You certainly choose your words well, sir Vegri,” Oddriser commended. “Well enough that I might believe you.”
“My Lord!” Apcin pleaded.
Oddriser lifted a finger. “Might,” he reminded, “Were your man Ewstob so gravely wounded.” Hearing the ensuing protest, he lifted both hands. “Now, I do not make light of the injury suffered,” he said, now speaking directly to Ewstob. “But forgive me if I discard the notion that Apcin aimed a fatal blow.”
“How can you tell?” Counsel asked.“ Furthermore, what difference does it make?”
“It makes all the difference, cousin,” Oddriser assured him. He turned to Vegri. “You are lying about Apcin’s attack. Though he is an oaf, and his actions here are in poor taste, that you would lie of his motions suggests that you are hiding something.”
“Lord Oddriser—” Counsel began.
“Perhaps your man Ewstob was less a force of calm and placation. Perhaps he goaded and received a memento on that accord.”
“So much for your honor,” Vegri muttered. “You would doubt the words of a Collaborator?”
“The best lies are hidden in truth,” Oddriser mused. “Apcin never lies, but he never tells the truth, either. However, when it comes to blades...” here, he glanced to the fallen Ewstob once more. “He never fails to hit his mark.”
“I see.” Counsel finished with his task and rose. “Then what shall we do in regards to this?”
Oddriser nudged Ewstob with his foot. “Will he live?”
Counsel nodded. “He will recover in time.”
“Good,” Oddriser replied. “Then we do nothing. Come Selectors! It is clear we have worn weary our welcome. We depart!” Oddriser moved to retrieve his men, but Vegri blocked his path, sword drawn.
“How can you leave when your man has committed so grave an injustice?!”
“Injustice on both sides,” Oddriser replied. “Anything further does not make the past just, so it is best to depart before further incident.”
“Though dismayed at this turn of events,” Counsel added, “I am in agreement with Lord Oddriser.There is no need for further violence.”
“I won’t accept that!” Vegri roared. He leveled his sword at Oddriser’s chest. “Apcin will answer for his crimes!”
Oddriser smiled, that slow, sinister smile with the warm and forgiving eyes. He glanced to Counsel as if sharing a joke, then returned his attention to the man before him. “I speak for Apcin, good Vegri. What is it you propose?”
Vegri looked between Oddriser and the much smaller, far less composed Apcin. “You will not let him stand for himself?”
“Apcin’s crime is against your fellow Ewstob. Would you have it that we remain here, dependent upon your generosity, until Ewstob is prepared to challenge Apcin in righteous combat?” Oddriser waited, and after some silence, he added: “As I have said, I am not without my honor. I take responsibility for the actions of my men. If it cannot be avoided that you strike one among our number down, I implore that you raise your hand to me, and me alone.”
At this, the gathered Collaborators roared all manner of indecencies, and so Counsel intervened.
“As I have said, Lord Oddriser, I am with you on the matter that justice cannot be found by another incident,” Counsel assured him. “However, in light of these circumstances, I fear things will escalate if we do nothing. Therefore, I believe some compensation is in order. For the sake of both parties, I challenge you to single combat.”
Oddriser lifted his brows in surprise at the challenge. He glanced to his men, the guards, the crowd. “How unlike you, cousin.”
“The needs of my people are the needs of my own soul,” Counsel replied. “I do not wish conflict, but if we agree that this be the end of it, decided by our bout, then perhaps further bloodshed may be avoided.” He turned to his people. “What say you, Collaborators? Will you set aside any resentment, win or lose, should Oddriser and I engage in combat?”
The crowd came to a roar of approval, though not without some jeers that Oddriser was too cowardly to accept, and that if he did, he would lose.
Listening to the crowd with a smirk upon his face, Oddriser thought for a moment, and finally, he nodded. “I accept your challenge, Lord Counsel. That said, there are three conditions that must be met.”
“Name them.”
“Selectors!” Oddriser roared. All eyes fell upon him. “Stay your arms. Did you forget? We are guests here!”
“Likewise, Guardsmen,” Counsel added softly. “Lower your weapons. We will have explanations before we carry this madness any further.”
Now, both camps of men stowed their arms. Counsel He knelt by the wounded Ewstob. Rivulets of blood poured forth, from the guard, spurting in time with his panicked breath. “Oddriser. Can your power do anything for him?”
Oddriser knelt on the other side of Ewstob, though the answer was clear on his face. “Unfortunately not, cousin. My power would only end his suffering. I apologize. If my brother were here—”
“No matter, Oddriser. I can manage. Tend to the people.”
The two locked eyes for another moment; Oddriser, finding that he could not read Counsel’s face, rose to address those gathered.
“Collaborators,” he began.
“HEATHENS!”
A black bolt of lightning fell from Oddriser’s outstretched fingertips, tearing the precious stones out of the road near his feet and hurling them into the air. There, the smoldering gems slowly tumbled into a dizzy circle before his uplifted hand. The crowd now fell to silence, and though their expressions remained angry and untrusting, Oddriser saw the unmistakable fear they harbored as well.
“Think what you will of me,” Oddriser continued. “Think what you will of my men, if you must. I believe that you Collaborators sometimes forget that we are all one and the same in our love of knowledge. All that differs is our approach to the unknown. I know these things because I, too, sometimes forget that we were once the same tribe.” He gestured to the First Library. “It has been… too many years since I or my brethren have laid eyes upon the Library. Grand, is it not? Splendid. Magnificent. The First Library is certainly to be envied.”
“Jealous rotten cowards! You’ve come to rob us!”
“You had your chance to contribute, and you spurned it! You have no right to stand here now and preach to us of knowledge!”
Oddriser lifted his hands. The stones, forgotten, fell to the ground and ricocheted off those still set, bounding away with the slightest sparks of dark energy. “As I said, think what you will of us. Perhaps we are not your kin. Perhaps we are not your friends, nor comrades, but know this: we are not without honor.” Here, he looked to Apcin. “The truth, Apcin.”
“Self defense, Lord Oddriser.”
“He lies!” Ewstob tried to rise, but fell back to the street with a pained gasp.
“Don’t move,” Counsel murmured. His hands gleamed with a subtle prismatic light, one that brought a strange sparkle to the wounded man’s blood. “I am doing what I can for your injuries, but if you move about too much, I will not be able to stabilize you.
“He… Lies…” Ewstob repeated, his skin pale, his breathing shallow. “Not one of us turnt a blade on him!” At these words, the crowd roared to life again.
“ Apcin,” Oddriser asked. “What exactly happened whilst I was within the First Library?”
“The truth of it is, Lord Oddriser,” Apcin mumbled. “They strove to take us as soon as you departed!”
Oddriser spied some guilty looks among his men, as well as outrage from the Collaborators around them.
“Uryf, Taserct. What did you see as you exited from the First Library?”
“It was not clear, my Lord,” Uryf replied.
“We came out to find the Collaborators with their backs to us,” Taserct explained. “From our vantage, we could not see who provoked who.”
“It’s obvious!” One of the guards insisted. “Only our man lies upon the ground!”
“You there,” Oddriser called. “What is your name?”
The soldier offered Oddriser a hard stare. Then finally: “I am known as Vegri.”
Oddriser dipped his head some. “Guard Vegri, please recount the events as you saw them unfold.”
Another hard stare followed as the soldier sized him up.
“I am quite serious when I ask you,” Oddriser assured him. “My men have given me some account of this travesty, but I would hear the words of the Collaboration, if the Collaboration will cooperate with me.” He smiled then, an ugly, sour, and sincere smile.
“After you and Lord Counsel entered, your men quickly became restless,” Vegri told him. “Foremost in their discussion was the talk of how the Collaboration would double-cross them.”
“Surely my Lord Oddriser,” Apcin pleaded, “you do not believe the words of this crooked soldier?”
“I will hear his words and decide for myself,” Oddriser replied. “You dishonor me before our hosts when you speak out of turn.”
Hearing this, Apcin fell silent.
“Now then, sir Vegri.”
“Your people were convinced that mine would slay them, or perhaps that we would refuse to return that which was agreed upon,” Vegri explained. He pointed a finger at Apcin. “That one especially became frightened and angry at the thought.”
Oddriser nodded. “Do not presume I excuse any violence on the part of my men when I suggest that their concern is not misplaced….” Here, Oddriser glanced to Counsel, who looked up from Ewstob’s wound only to meet his eyes for a moment.
Now a deathly silence fell; no words passed, and onlookers, Collaborator and Selector alike, followed Oddriser’s gaze to Counsel.
“Be that as it may, Lord Oddriser,” Counsel replied. “The mere thought that we would perhaps withhold something from you is no cause to leap to violence, is it?”
“We are in agreement, cousin.”
“Then it remains that we discover what provoked this attack.” Counsel turned his soft eyes upon Vegri. “How did our fair Collaborators respond?”
“We lent them space, of course,” Vegri insisted. “However, they grew more mad by the second. When it seemed their bitterness would move beyond words, Ewstob moved to reason with them. His trust—your trust, Lord Counsel— cost him dearly, for that knave cast a blade for his heart.”
There came gasps from the crowd, followed by a crescendo of angry utterances. Oddriser, watching this, offered a wry smirk.
“You certainly choose your words well, sir Vegri,” Oddriser commended. “Well enough that I might believe you.”
“My Lord!” Apcin pleaded.
Oddriser lifted a finger. “Might,” he reminded, “Were your man Ewstob so gravely wounded.” Hearing the ensuing protest, he lifted both hands. “Now, I do not make light of the injury suffered,” he said, now speaking directly to Ewstob. “But forgive me if I discard the notion that Apcin aimed a fatal blow.”
“How can you tell?” Counsel asked.“ Furthermore, what difference does it make?”
“It makes all the difference, cousin,” Oddriser assured him. He turned to Vegri. “You are lying about Apcin’s attack. Though he is an oaf, and his actions here are in poor taste, that you would lie of his motions suggests that you are hiding something.”
“Lord Oddriser—” Counsel began.
“Perhaps your man Ewstob was less a force of calm and placation. Perhaps he goaded and received a memento on that accord.”
“So much for your honor,” Vegri muttered. “You would doubt the words of a Collaborator?”
“The best lies are hidden in truth,” Oddriser mused. “Apcin never lies, but he never tells the truth, either. However, when it comes to blades...” here, he glanced to the fallen Ewstob once more. “He never fails to hit his mark.”
“I see.” Counsel finished with his task and rose. “Then what shall we do in regards to this?”
Oddriser nudged Ewstob with his foot. “Will he live?”
Counsel nodded. “He will recover in time.”
“Good,” Oddriser replied. “Then we do nothing. Come Selectors! It is clear we have worn weary our welcome. We depart!” Oddriser moved to retrieve his men, but Vegri blocked his path, sword drawn.
“How can you leave when your man has committed so grave an injustice?!”
“Injustice on both sides,” Oddriser replied. “Anything further does not make the past just, so it is best to depart before further incident.”
“Though dismayed at this turn of events,” Counsel added, “I am in agreement with Lord Oddriser.There is no need for further violence.”
“I won’t accept that!” Vegri roared. He leveled his sword at Oddriser’s chest. “Apcin will answer for his crimes!”
Oddriser smiled, that slow, sinister smile with the warm and forgiving eyes. He glanced to Counsel as if sharing a joke, then returned his attention to the man before him. “I speak for Apcin, good Vegri. What is it you propose?”
Vegri looked between Oddriser and the much smaller, far less composed Apcin. “You will not let him stand for himself?”
“Apcin’s crime is against your fellow Ewstob. Would you have it that we remain here, dependent upon your generosity, until Ewstob is prepared to challenge Apcin in righteous combat?” Oddriser waited, and after some silence, he added: “As I have said, I am not without my honor. I take responsibility for the actions of my men. If it cannot be avoided that you strike one among our number down, I implore that you raise your hand to me, and me alone.”
At this, the gathered Collaborators roared all manner of indecencies, and so Counsel intervened.
“As I have said, Lord Oddriser, I am with you on the matter that justice cannot be found by another incident,” Counsel assured him. “However, in light of these circumstances, I fear things will escalate if we do nothing. Therefore, I believe some compensation is in order. For the sake of both parties, I challenge you to single combat.”
Oddriser lifted his brows in surprise at the challenge. He glanced to his men, the guards, the crowd. “How unlike you, cousin.”
“The needs of my people are the needs of my own soul,” Counsel replied. “I do not wish conflict, but if we agree that this be the end of it, decided by our bout, then perhaps further bloodshed may be avoided.” He turned to his people. “What say you, Collaborators? Will you set aside any resentment, win or lose, should Oddriser and I engage in combat?”
The crowd came to a roar of approval, though not without some jeers that Oddriser was too cowardly to accept, and that if he did, he would lose.
Listening to the crowd with a smirk upon his face, Oddriser thought for a moment, and finally, he nodded. “I accept your challenge, Lord Counsel. That said, there are three conditions that must be met.”
“Name them.”
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