Ashborn Primordial

Chapter Ashborn 396: Retribution of Fate

Vir and Ashani made short work of the other Gate, built in a similarly sized chamber as the other, though this one sat on the border of the Chitran neighborhood, making it strategically more important. As usual, Ekat’Ma followed from the shadows, unseen by all. All except Vir, that was.

“Will you build tunnels between the chambers your forces construct, my lord?” Janani asked, flanked by Ekta and Hiya, who’d remained silent this whole time, glaring at him with suspicious eyes.

Vir sighed. “Janani, do you have to call me that?”

“Yes,” she said stiffly, and Vir knew he would never win this argument.

He sighed again. “Between a few,” he said, suddenly feeling tired and weary. “As much as I’d like to network all the chambers we end up constructing, doing so would be no small undertaking, to say nothing of the noise generated. It would run a high risk of alerting the authorities, thereby undoing our plan.”

“I see,” Janani said with a frown. “How may we be of service?”

“My Warriors will soon come through the Gate. Show them the most ideal locations for building new chambers. Buildings occupied by trusted Gargans make the best spots. Greesha, are there any Chitran sympathizers we can trust?”

Greesha thought for a moment. “A half-dozen I know. Perhaps one or two we could trust with something of this magnitude.”

“Good,” Vir said. “Whatever it takes, get them to agree. Having forward positions within the Chitrans’ own neighborhoods will allow us to sow chaos within their ranks.”

Vir nodded. “That is correct. As much as I wish for innocents to flee the terrors of war, it is far too dangerous to let the Chits know of our plans. While the Gargan evacuations will start days in advance, the bulk will occur only hours before the battle. Too late for the Chits to do much to react, even if they do grow suspicious. The army at their gates will do the rest.”

“Smart,” Greesha said. “While your army has the Chits manning the walls, fully occupied, you slip in through your Gates and storm the streets. By the time they notice, they’ll have enemies on both sides. I assume Cirayus came up with this plan?”

Vir smiled. “It was my idea, actually, but Cirayus helped iron out the specifics.”

“Indeed?” Greesha said, raising an eyebrow, and looking distinctly impressed. It was no simple feat to impress the old demon, and so Vir took pride in the feat.

“Where will you be during all this?” Janani asked. “Will you lead your troops?”

Vir chuckled. “No. I have Cirayus, Balagra, and Raoul for that. I’ll be here, of course, just that I’ll be infiltrating the castle. Hopefully, with my Iksana friends,” Vir said, more for Ekat’Ma’s benefit, who he knew was intently listening.

“Infiltrate the castle… With your Dance of the Shadow Demon!” Janani said, understanding dawning.

“Yes, I will bring Ashani through the Shadow Realm and slip into the castle,” Vir said. “Having already done so on several occasions, that should be quite the simple task. Once inside, Ashani will create a Gate through which more of our troops will arrive. If we can take the castle and shore up defensive positions throughout the city before the Chits realize, it will be them assaulting Samar Patag, not us. We gain the defensive advantage, and they will find themselves surrounded.”

“Truly a brilliant plan,” Greesha said, staring intently at Vir, though Vir assumed that was partly to avoid having to look at Ashani. She’d reverted to her demoness form, though now that Vir had told them about her powers, the disguise was mostly unnecessary. “Yet, I wonder if it will go so smoothly?”

Vir snorted. “Most certainly not. I may not have centuries of experience under my belt, but I know enough to anticipate chaos. We will adapt as needed. Luckily, most of our people should be out of harm’s way. I intend to collapse the Gates to the Bairan camp once our people are through, eliminating any possibility of Chitrans following them through and wreaking havoc on that side. Not that they would. Raja Thaman will personally oversee the evacuation on his end, and will be on hand should any Chits make it through.”

“I admit, you seem to have taken every precaution,” Greesha said. “I suppose the rest is up to Fate.”

Vir smiled bitterly. “Fate, huh? I disagree. There is much we can and need to do before the rebellion. As for those assembled, you must strive your utmost to ensure no news leaks to the Chits. As much as I would like to believe our people would never betray us, I know better. Once the Chits get wind of our little project, a little gold will go a long way to loosen tongues. And we all know how much our brothers and sisters could use that gold.”

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“Indeed,” Greesha said. “You understand I can make no promises, yes? No one has the sort of power to control crowds like this. Least of all me.”

“I know,” Vir said. “Just do all you can. Luckily, time is on our side. We will train for many months in the depths of the Ash, but to you, it may only be weeks. We will send word as the time nears.”

“You’ll be leaving now, I assume?” Greesha asked.

Vir was about to reply when he caught Janani’s expression fall, and though they said nothing, Ekta and Hiya clutched her robe tighter, prompting the orphanage mother to stroke their heads.

“In a bit,” Vir said with a gentle smile. “I believe I have some old friends to catch up with, first.”

The change in the girls’ faces was as dramatic as the sunrise. Janani, though not quite as overt, had a similar reaction, stiffening visibly.

“What, did you think I would forget about you three?”

“You’re—you’re the Akh Nara!” Hiya said the words almost as an accusation.

“Yes. So?” Vir said, crouching in front of them. “So what?”

“You can’t talk to us like that!” Ekta said, before her eyes bulged and she covered her mouth. Vir couldn’t resist tousling her hair.

“Can’t I?” he said, a wry smile spreading across his lips.

Ekta’s cheeks turned pink, and she looked away.

Vir looked at Hiya, who immediately glanced away. “I am no different from before,” he said. “Does a title or a status change who I am? Hmm? Does me being the Akh Nara change all the memories we have shared in the past? Does it corrupt our bond?”

“N-no…” Hiya said, staring at her feet.

“No. It does not,” Vir said. “Soon, I will rule Samar Patag. I will be a Raja. And yet, I will still be the friend you have always known. I hope you would not deprive me of that.”

“No! It’s not like that!” Hiya blurted. “Just… we’re urchins. It’s beneath your station to talk to us. Or even to be seen with us! What will people say?”

“Let them say what they wish,” Vir said. “And once Samar Patag is freed, you will be urchins no longer. No longer homeless. This, I assure you. You will never again want for food or clothing. You will never have to fear being beaten by anyone. In fact…” Vir rose to find tears streaking down Janani’s face. “I will see that you are made a Ruler Calling. Should you wish it, of course. You’ll have a manor on the castle grounds. You will be my trusted advisor, and no one will ever lord over you again.”

Janani shook her head. “My council, whatever it is worth, is yours, my lord. I do not desire a manor or money. Just promise me that the children will prosper. That is enough for me.”

Vir chuckled. “Of course. In fact, I will ensure everyone here receives the very best education in the realm. They will become the next generation of Samar Patag’s leaders, after all. But I refuse to leave you in poverty. For the rest of your life, your every need will be taken care of.”

Janani opened her mouth to disagree, but Vir brought up a hand to silence her. “We can argue about this once Samar Patag has been saved. For now, let us all strive to see the light of this new, brighter dawn.”

Janani fell to her knee, pulling the children down with her. Except this time, a beautiful, radiant smile adorned her face. “Yes, Raja.”

Vir gave them a sad smile. For so long, he’d sought to belong. All those years growing up in Brij as an outcast, and then again with Tia… Through the Ash, he’d convinced himself he would find his place in the Demon Realm.

And now that he finally had, it was about to be cruelly snatched away again. Even now, Gargans who knew his true identity didn’t see him as an equal. But after he became a Raja? After he reunited the clans, and became a Maharaj? Where would his place be, then?

It was Greesha’s bony hand on his shoulder that pulled him out of his dark thoughts. “If you have a moment, I wish to speak with you. In private.”

Vir nodded. “Then let us depart.”@@novelbin@@

After instructing Ekat’Ma to lurk elsewhere, and Ashani to wait outside in Greesha’s antechamber, Vir entered the old woman’s office.

“Feels like just yesterday I was here, meeting you for the first time,” Vir said, looking around the cozy room. He sat in the same chair as he once had, with Greesha seated across him behind her large desk.

“Yes, back when you always looked at me with hatred in your eyes,” she said sadly.

“Was it so obvious?” Vir said, cringing slightly.

“Oh, yes,” Greesha said, chuckling. “Though you hid it well. Whoever taught you knew what they were doing.”

“That he did,” Vir thought bitterly, recalling his grueling training under Riyan. How ironic that Riyan was now fighting as Maiya’s ally in their grand rebellion. Some time ago, Vir would have felt that Fate worked in mysterious ways. Now that he knew the truth, he had to question how much of these events they were behind.

“Well?” Vir asked. “What did you wish to chat about?”

Greesha frowned, the warmth leaving her face entirely as she regarded Vir pensively.

“What’s the matter?” Vir asked, suddenly serious.

“Do you know why the Chitran saw fit to let me keep my Ruler Calling? Do you know why I survived the Chitran invasion unscathed, while others of our clan were cast to the streets?”

Vir felt a chill run down his back. “Because you’re a Seer.”

The motherly woman had grown so familiar that he’d nearly forgotten who she truly was. He gulped. “Then…”

“I agonized a long time whether to tell you, after the sorrow and devastation my prior vision wrought. And yet, despite it all, I feel I was justified telling your parents. Just as I feel I am justified telling you of the vision I've received now,” she said. “For I believe that, as terrible as it may be, it will be worse if I kept my mouth shut.”

Vir didn't like the sound of that. Not one bit.

“You’ve had no visions since… since the matter of my birth, yes?” he asked.

“Indeed. Which is why this is most troubling.”

“Why?” Vir asked, feeling his throat go dry. His knees trembled, and he gripped the armrest so hard that it started to crack. “What did you see?”

“Death,” Greesha whispered. “So much death. And tragedy. A city, ablaze. And… Failure.”

“What else?” Vir asked. “Tell me everything.”

“Details are always elusive,” Greesha said. “But the emotions carry through. There can be no mistake in this.”

Vir leaned forward, placing his quivering hands on her desk. Not in years had he felt such fear. Such powerlessness. Not even when he’d fallen to the Automaton Guardian.

“You’re telling me my rebellion will fail…”

Greesha reached across her desk and took Vir’s hands in hers. “I am sorry, my Akh Nara. It will fail, and many will die.”

Vir sat back, his expression blank.

Not the Chitran. Not Annas. For Fate itself had doomed him.