When Adir died, we dipped our hands in his blood, and through the most holy arts made it part of our robes, one with us.  We were born through his blood, through his sacrifice into a new life.

Kahlil Vamu Shaa, The Life of Adir Radd

“A’nath-ari?”  Valeryn laughed, “My dear boy, you have no idea what you are talking about.  I am a student of the Parcae.  I may wear the red robes, but I do not serve the Enmadra.”

“You are A’nath-ari and Bahn Se’leen?”  Daru said, “You are a traitor!”

Valeryn laughed again, “A traitor is someone who serves two masters.  I do not.  I am a student of the Parcae, I serve the camarilla of the Jade Moon, and I am a member of the Raewyn Empyrean.  It isn’t as rare as you might think.  I know you are new to the Chian’niu, but you shouldn’t be so naïve.”

“Who are the Parcae?”  Ianus asked.

“They are three of the Seven Eyes of Fate.  They read the future for the A’nath-ari.”

“Listen,” said Pryor.  “Why are we fighting?  There is nothing abnormal about any of this.  Ihy had many contacts within the A’nath-ari.  He helped many of them get documents saying they were in the Jade Moon.  His actions helped them travel more freely and helped him gather valuable intelligence.”

“My father wouldn’t do something like that!”  Ianus looked at Arun.

“Remember when I slipped up and told you that Ihy had once been in the Forbidden Lands?”  Pryor stepped closer to Valeryn, “He did so to establish communications with the A’nath-ari.  They asked him not to tell anyone.  He kept his promise.  They respect that.  You have to remember that nothing is exactly what it seems.”

“And don’t lay the attack on Ihy on my shoulders,” said Valeryn.  “That was unforeseen.  If we would have seen that coming, I would have stopped it.”

“Why do you trust him?”  Ianus asked Pryor, his muscles tensing for an attack, “You seem to be very friendly with him.”

“I have my reasons,” said Pryor.  “That should be good enough for you.  You either trust me or you don’t.”

Ianus closed his eyes.  Events were quickly spiraling out of his control, not that they were ever really in his control.

“I trust you, Pryor,” said Ianus as he opened his eyes, “So I guess I have no choice but to trust you, Valeryn, but there is one condition.  No more lies, no more half-truths.  I will be honest with you, you will be honest with me.”

“Deal,” said Valeryn, “As a sign of good faith I have to warn you.  The A’nath-ari will be coming soon to abduct you and take you to Usekht Maati.  It will be better for you if you do not struggle.  They will be coming in large numbers.”

“How is that a sign of good faith?  ‘You are about to be kidnapped, don’t resist,’” Ianus mocked him, flapping his arms about, “What do you take me for?”

Valeryn sighed, “Well, you can fight them if you want to.  That is your choice.  I didn’t have to tell you they were coming, but I trust that you will do the right thing.  You are too curious to let an opportunity to get to Usekht Maati pass you by.”

“If you think he’s lying,” said Pryor, “Call Tuun over, he will be able to tell you.”

“Tell the others,” said Ianus, “We will give up without a fight.  This has to end.  Besides, it is a good sign of trust on our part.”  He nodded toward Valeryn.

“I’m sorry for all of the double-speak,” said Valeryn, “It was necessary.  Maybe, after all this is over, I can come with you.  I’m tired of being in a different town every night, and not having a place to call home.  If I was with you, I would at least have a room on the ship.”

“I think that would make Pryor very happy,” but as the words escaped his mouth, Ianus knew that part of him wanted Valeryn to join them.  He could not figure out what the connection between them was, and he feared it was some sort of Raewyn magic.  He knew that he could trust Valeryn with his life.

“Is that a yes or a no?”  Valeryn asked.

“It’s a yes.  It’s been a very long time since I last saw him this happy.  That’s what’s important.”

“Family means a lot to you, doesn’t it.”

“It’s all I have.”

“I never had a family.  The Raewyn don’t have mothers and fathers like you do.”

“Why didn’t you stay with Lady Auset?”

“Duty.  The Empyrean ordered me to leave.  I had no other choice.  Now, I have to warn you.  The A’nath-ari will be expecting me to act a certain way.  I apologize in advance.”

Light flashed from behind the tree, striking Aashen, Tuun, and their Ceeri.

Valeryn raised his periapt, Daru fell asleep.  The sounds of the A’nath-ari forcing their way through the under brush filled the air.

“Blindfold them!”  Valeryn yelled, “And call a ship.  We have to hurry.  There is little time left.”

He stepped closer to Ianus, and whispered in his ear, “Remember, nothing is exactly what it seems.”

Ianus could not keep his eyes open.  Everything went black.

Valeryn disembarked from the ship, and watched Ianus and the others being led away blindfolded.  He huffed at the guards, but they didn’t pay him any attention.  This was wrong.  They shouldn’t be treated like criminals.  Valeryn wondered why the Enmadra were allowing this.  Something wasn’t right here.  There was a strange sense of fear and urgency in the air.

The sunlight glittered on the blond sandstone buildings of Usekht Maati.  Brilliantly painted statues and bas-reliefs adorned the buildings and streets.  The numerous life-like statues celebrated the many just leaders of the Enmadra.

The Enmadra prized justice and liberty above all other virtues.  They would never condone such actions.

Valeryn looked up and down the streets, but he didn’t see one Enmadra.  Where were they?  This was their capitol city.  They should be visible.  Maybe they had gone away.

Over the centuries, Valeryn had heard many rumors that the Enmadra had departed Adrakaya.  The Empyrean had always told him that the stories were propaganda, but they never substantiated their claims.

He needed to talk to Marnin Akeru, the Prelate of the A’nath-ari.

Walking toward the golden dome of the Basilica, he rehearsed what he would say.  Through the door, he bowed toward Adir Radd’s tomb.  The carved wooden sculpture of Adir Radd stood proud with his hands folded over his chest.

“What would you think if you were here?”  He whispered.  “They hardly remember you these days.  Don’t worry, my beloved, I will do whatever I can to set things right.”

Valeryn lit a candle in front of the shrine.  Bowing his head, he sighed.  What was going on?  Where were the Enmadra?

He looked around for Marnin.  He was up by the altar instructing one of the acolytes.  

The man had thin graying hair, and an aquiline nose.  Valeryn would recognize him anywhere.

Valeryn approached quietly and bowed at the alter, “Master Akeru, we need to talk.”

“Yes, Master Kamau,” Marnin said, “It is good to see you again.  Is everything taken care of?”

“Your goons have taken them into custody, but I don’t understand why.  He passed the Vaticinars test.  This is his time.”

“Is it really?  I know the prophecy as well as you do— but unlike you, I realize that the future is malleable.  If he is the red dragon, and I cage him, there is no way for the cataclysm to come.”

“You’re mad!  If you take him out of the picture the storm will be worse.  I demand to see the Enmadra!”

“No one sees the Enmadra unless they ask... they have not called you.”

“They have left, haven’t they!”

“No, they are still here.”

“Then why haven’t I seen any of them in the streets?  Where are they?”

“That is not for you to know!”

“I wear the crimson robe of the A’nath-ari.  I remember the day Master Radd was murdered!  I helped turn the order of blood from the path of revenge, and helped negotiate your covenant with the Enmadra.  I am a member of the Raewyn Empyrean!  By the rights granted through our covenant with them, I have a right to speak with them whenever I wish!”

“We will consult with the Enmadra.  Should they accept your request, we will call you.  Is that all?  I have a lot of work to do.”

“No, that is not all!  You sited the prophecy.  The prophecy states that the red dragon will be a Shedu without the name of the arts.  It turns out that he is a maker.  He has been initiated and received by the Jade Moon.”

“So, he is a maker.  What does that matter?”

“It means that the future has changed!  The prophecy is no longer reliable.  If this has changed, who knows what else has?”

“The Parcae would have notified us if the future was in jeopardy.”

“Don’t be naïve, the Parcae can not interpret their own prophecies.  If they did they would loose their gifts.  You know that.  They record their visions and pass them along.  I would bet that you have not read any of their recent books!”

Marnin looked away, “Is that all?”

“You really don’t care do you?”

“I do what I am told.  I have not been told to care.”

“Don’t you have a free will?  I’m sure you make a great servant, but the A’nath-ari need a leader.  What good are you if you cannot do that?”

“That is enough, get out!”

“O before I forget.  The Red Dragon is an Akeru.  Ianus Akeru, the son of Hannah and Elkan.  I thought you should know.”

“Why?”

“Because he is your family!  I hoped that you might have the common decency not to do this to someone you share blood with.”

Faroh was less than thrilled by the sight of the small tree and grass-covered tomb.

“Is this it?”  He said, “It’s not exactly what I expected.”

“What did you want, a large marble mausoleum, with a gilded sign proclaiming Dov Lavan?  The only reason it’s still here is because no one knows it’s here.  After we succeed, we can build him an appropriate tomb.”

Cythraul waved his hand, and the stone rolled away from the entrance.  Cythraul walked through the small stone archway.

Faroh followed, the torches suddenly ignited.  Inside was a small antechamber with a couple of dusty stone benches.  Through another door he could see the bones of Dov Lavan. The air was musty and thick with the scent of death.

He couldn’t take his eyes off of the dusty skeleton.  Raising his periapt, he held his breath.  He could feel the presence of the Ara’lu’s periapt.  It really was him.  The Ara’lu had died; he had not been translated.  

Pain filled Faroh’s heart.  What did this mean?  Had his faith been in vain?  Watching a spider crawl across the skull, he sighed and bowed his head.  This Raewyn was Hlachar Cythraul.

“Here we are,” said Cythraul, “I thought you would be more excited.”

“This is a time for reverence.  I am trying to show my respect for the Ara’lu.  I hope you can understand that.  When I was a boy, I used to dream I would come face to face with Master Lavan.  This is the closest I will ever come to making that dream come true.”

“O no, soon, you will come closer than you ever thought possible.”

Cythraul walked into the sepulcher.  Faroh heard a latch click, and he turned around.  In his hand was a dusty black periapt.

“I believe this is what you’ve been waiting for,” he said, as he handed it to Faroh.

Faroh sat down on one of the benches, and rested the periapt on his knee.  Carefully, he took off the replica and replaced it with the original.

He gasped, his mind reeled with information as the periapt shared it’s wisdom with him.  His muscles twitched as he learned new and better ways to fight, block, and move.  A searing pain tore through his hand as the periapt perfected its connection.

Lunging forward, he shot lightning from his fingers striking Cythraul to the ground, “You betrayed me!”  Faroh roared, “I served you flawlessly, and when I needed you most you left me to die.”

“The time was not right,” Cythraul said, as he pushed himself to his knees.  “You have no idea what would have happened if I would have saved Lavan.”

“You left me there to die, begging for my life from that heretic predicant!”

“I left Lavan to die, not you!  Separate the memories.  Do not become lost in them!  You are Faroh Raanan!”

“I am...  I am...”  Faroh spun around and looked at his hand.  He closed his eyes and struggled to remember.  “It is so real. Like it happened to me.  I can remember everything.  I can remember the first time I met you.  Both times.”

“Breathe, just breathe.  It may take a while, but you will remember.”

“Don’t try to weasel your way out of this!  You have to pay for what you’ve done.”  Faroh’s face distorted with rage.

“I will pay for my sins, but now is not the time.  Wake up, Faroh, come back to me.”

Lightning cracked from the periapt again throwing Cythraul up against the wall.

“I’m not afraid of you anymore, but you might still be useful to me.  Serve me and I will spare your life.”

“I wouldn’t serve the Empyrean, what makes you think I’ll serve you?”

“Because I don’t have an ethical problem with killing you right now.”

Cythraul’s naturally luminescent skin dimmed.

“I can suck the life right out of you,” said Faroh, determination in his eyes.

“You wouldn’t dare kill me!  I am the source and inspiration of all your power, you are nothing without me!”

“Then stop me.  Raise your hand and stop me.  If I am so powerless without you, why can’t you stop me!”

“You are nothing!  Not even a ghost.  You are a memory.  Smoke in the mind, now let him go.”

“Isn’t this what you promised?  The Ara’lu has returned.  I will finish what I started, and you are going to die.”

“Faroh!”  Cythraul screamed, “I know you can hear me.  You have to stop this or he will destroy you too.  Wake up, my boy!  End this madness now.”

“I want to,” said Faroh with a weak voice, “But I won’t allow that.   He will die before I release him.  Bow to me!”

“Faroh!  You are stronger than he is, that’s why I chose you.  Sort through all this.  I know it’s confusing, but you have to win or a worse terror than you can imagine will be unleashed on the galaxy.  This creature has no thought of anything except for vengeance.  It cannot think on it’s own.  You have to stop it.”

“Is that fear in your voice?  You are afraid of me.  You’re right.  It isn’t enough for me just to show people the truth.  They have offended all that is sacred.  I will bring judgment upon them.  They will pay for their sin!”

Faroh staggered, “Master, help me!  Please help me!  It is tearing me apart!”

Two guards woke Ianus up in the middle of the night.  They told him that Marnin wanted to see him.  They wouldn’t answer any questions.  Down the hall from the cell was a small room in which Marnin was waiting for him.

“Have a seat,” he said in an almost cordial tone.  “You two can go.”

The guards bowed and left the room.

“So you are Ianus Akeru.  I have heard a great deal about you, that’s why you’re here.  I have to decide what to do with you.”

“I thought I passed your test.”

“You may have survived the Vaticinars, but you haven’t satisfied me.  Before I trouble the Enmadra with your presence, I have to make sure you are important enough.”

“What more do you need?  I have nothing to prove.  To be honest, I’m not even sure why I’m here.  I got tired of being pushed around.  Everyone told me to come here, so I’m here.  I don’t know what you want.”

“Don’t play coy with me.  No one faces down the Vaticinars for thrills.”

“I promise you, that was the last thing I planned to do.”

“What do you take me for!  Valeryn tells me you are a maker.  If that’s true, you might have enough training to get past them.  I don’t believe all this.”

“Why are you doing this to me?”

“Why?  You want to know why?  Because I don’t believe you.”

“Look, I’m really getting tired of all this.  You’re sitting up here in your pretty little castle, playing king of the hill.  Well, this is my life!  I don’t want to be a part of your games.  Tell me you don’t believe me.  Kill me, do whatever the hell you want, because I don’t care anymore.”

Marnin smirked, “You are not quite what I expected.  Your type usually eats up all this melodrama.  You’re different.”

“Well, thank you.  I appreciate the star treatment, but I just want to go home.”

“Home?”

“Back to the Valkyrie, back to Shiloh, just back with my friends.”

“Really, maybe I misjudged you.  Valeryn thinks I am being too heavy handed with you...  Are you the son of Hannah and Elkan Akeru?”

“Yes.”

“That would make you my cousin.  Valeryn thinks I should be nicer to you because you’re family.”

“Why won’t you just let me go?”

Marnin grabbed Ianus by the wrist, “Why did they leave you with your periapt?”

“It wouldn’t come off.  Besides, after a while, I think they realized that I don’t have the will to escape.  My entire life has been turned upside down.  One nightmare after another.  I like the cell.  It’s quiet.”

“Where did you get this periapt?”

“Why?”

“This is an A’nath-ari model.”

“Look, I’m very tired I would like to go to bed.”

Marnin backhanded Ianus across the face, “I can’t believe you’re talking to me like that.  Don’t you realize I hold your life in my hand?”

“I’ve already died once this week,” Ianus chuckled. “What can you really do to me?”

“O, I haven’t started with you, boy.”

Ianus closed his eyes.  Warmth filled his chest.  He opened his eyes and saw Nahimanna flying around the room.

She swooped down and landed on Ianus’ shoulder.

“My lady,” Marnin dropped to his knees, “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question.  You know what is suppose to be done.  You have treated Ianus and Valeryn poorly.”

“But I didn’t have any instructions.  I have never had any instructions.  How am I suppose to tell them that I don’t know where the Enmadra are?  I’m the Prelate of the A’nath-ari!”

“You didn’t seem to have any trouble telling me.  There is nothing shameful in not knowing.  Honesty is what matters.”

“You’re right, I’m sorry.”

“You should be.  You have to undo the damage that has already been done.”

“I will let them go free,” Marnin bowed slightly.

“That is a good start, but you also need to be careful to repair the relations with the Raewyn.”

“I did make Valeryn very angry.  What are we going to do with Ianus?”

“Take him to the Sanctum Sanctorum,” Nahimanna said grimly.

“What?  You can’t mean that.  No one returns from the Sanctum.  Do you want me to kill him?”

“Just do what I tell you.  He may not even be able to get inside.  No one has in a very long time.”

“Very well, I will do as you say,” Marnin bowed and left the room.

“What are you doing to me?”  Ianus asked.

“I am giving you what you want— an end.  In the morning, you will go to the temple and surrender to your fate.  I’m sorry, but that is all I can offer you.  This is the end.”

A guard entered the room, 

“He will take you to Valeryn, you will spend the night with him,” said Nahimanna.

The guard bowed.  He led Ianus out of the jail, and down the street to a beautiful house.  He knocked on the door.  

Valeryn answered the door.  “Ianus?”  He said, “Marnin let you out?  Come in, come in.”

Ianus walked in and sat down on the couch, “I’ll be sleeping here tonight, if that’s all right with you?”

“That’s fine with me.  Why did he let you go?”

“Nahimanna showed up and told him to let me go.  She told him to take me to the Sanctum Sanctorum tomorrow morning.”

“What?  You didn’t agree to that, did you?”

“Yes, why?  Nahimanna promised it would put an end to all of this.”

“That’s not necessarily a good thing.  I saw someone try to enter the Sanctum once, it wasn’t a pretty sight.  He burst into flames and died screaming.”

“If that’s what it takes, I just want this all to be over.”

“I understand, the Chian’niu can be hard on those new to it, but that’s no reason to run off to your death.”

“What do you care?”

Valeryn took in a deep breath, “To be honest,” he looked away, “I think it would be a waist for you to die for no reason, but it would really upset Pryor.  I don’t want to see that.”

“I’m glad you are being honest with me,”  Ianus said skeptically.

“Are you sure you want it to end this way?”

“I just want it to end,” said Ianus, laying down on the couch.

“As long as you are sure,” Valeryn said, as he stood up, “See you in the morning.”

Valeryn left the room.  Ianus got comfortable on the couch and went to sleep.  The next morning, Ianus woke up and got ready.

He and Valeryn made their way to the temple.  The streets were narrow; only four or five people could fit through at a time.  Ianus searched himself for strength.  He had no idea what would be waiting for him.  Marnin would not allow this to be easy.

Around the corner, he saw the mammoth temple.  Two high towers stood on each side of the building.  Statues and gargoyles lined the roof.  Brilliantly painted mandalas were over the doors.

“You don’t have to go in there.  Marnin has no right to challenge you, you have passed the Vaticinars test.”  Valeryn pleaded with Ianus before they entered.

Ianus smiled and nodded.  “This was Nahimanna’s idea.  She would not lead me wrong.”

“How can you be so sure of that?  She is an Eidolon, you have no way of knowing what she’s planning.”

Ianus nodded, and pushed the large wooden doors open.  The floors were finely polished marble.  At first, he thought they were wet, they held the reflection of everything above them.  Candles and lanterns illuminated the dais.  Ianus bowed to the altar, and saw his friends in the front row.

Daru jumped up.  “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

“Yes.  I dreamed about this last night.  This is where the path leads me.  I told you I’m going to see this through.  I have to know why all this has happened.”

“Good luck, I will be praying for you.”

“Thank you,” he looked at Valeryn, “Do you have any idea what I’m suppose to do?  Am I just suppose to go up there or are we waiting for the usual pomp and circumstance.”

“I would put my money on the pomp and circumstance.  I know the A’nath-ari, they like all of the ceremony and ritual.  I think it’s on the application for membership.”

Ianus heard a noise by the altar.  The Vaticinars stood there in front of the veil.

“We are pleased to see you again,” said Haven, “We didn’t think it would be so soon.”

“You have come here to enter the Sanctum Sanctorum,” said Quinn.

“Before we continue,” said Greer, “We have to know that you are doing this of your own free will.”

Cathal said, “You may not pass us until we know for sure.”

“I do this of my own free will,” said Ianus.

“You are seeking an end to the journey,” said Haven, “I have to wonder if you know what you are asking for.  Every end is a beginning.  Everything moves in circles.”

“Even death is the beginning of the afterlife,” said Quinn, “Energy cannot be created or destroyed.  It merely changes from one form to another.  There is no end, there is only change.”

“As long as you understand this, you will not be disappointed.  There is no blackness before you this time,” said Greer.  “This is the end you have been seeking.  The rest that awaits your weary soul.” 

“No mere animal can pass through the Sanctum Sanctorum,” said Cathal, “You must aspire to be something better than what you are.  Within these walls, you will stand naked before the truth.  You cannot hide anything.  Beware the chest, within lies the wrath of the A’nath-ari.”

“I understand,” said Ianus.

Marnin opened the gate to the Sanctum Sanctorum, “Do not do this out of a false sense of duty.  This is your choice.  If you want to do this then do it.  If there is any doubt in you then turn back now.  I have much penance to do, without your death on my conscience.”

Ianus walked up the steps onto the dais.  “My life is not mine to give, or yours to waste.”

Taking a deep breath, he approached the veil.  He parted the curtain with his hand and walked inside.  He could feel his skin beginning to burn.  A blinding light engulfed him.

“It is the light that kills,” a voice whispered in his ear.

He raised his hand to cover his eyes.  Pain ripped through his muscles.  He couldn’t breathe.  Heat rushed over his skin; ice filled his bones.  He pulled his arms in tighter.

“You will not tear me apart!”  Ianus gritted his teeth.  Something constricted around his chest.

He felt a jolt go through the periapt.  The golden chest opened.  A scream knocked Ianus to the ground

“It can’t be,” he heard Marnin gasp.

He felt a tremendous weight pressing down on him.  Sorrow, anger, and hatred swirled within him.

“No!”  Ianus yelled, “I will not kill them!  I am no murderer!”

The Adventure continues in Nemesis.