Given the accuracy and detail, Lawrence could tell they were not bluffing, but he had to wonder how Parson and Overra knew so much. It didn’t sound like they were members themselves, but even if they were, it wouldn’t explain how they knew that Lawrence and Dergoz were. All members of Lamont’s faction kept their identities hidden, even from one another. Only Lamont himself should’ve known who everyone was. Lawrence wanted to ask as much, but he didn’t know if he should say anything at all. Fortunately, he didn’t have to.
“Your shadow faction was not founded by Lamont,” said Parson. “It was founded via proxy. By us.”
That earned a blink from Lawrence.
“So you see, telling us that you are not members is a bit like trying to sell ice cream to the ice cream man. I am that ice cream man. Incidentally, I really was an ice cream man for a time when I was younger. My favorite flavor was--ah, wait, no. Forget we said that. Um... where were we? Lamont’s faction. That’s right. We founded it in order to give Lamont the support he needs in order to take Sermung’s place. It was important that our involvement be an especially well-kept secret, because at the time of the faction’s inception, we had to take on the even more pivotal role of growing close to Sermung and earning his trust. Which we’ve since accomplished. Soon, Lamont will make his move, and the Vanguard will experience a regime change for the first time in five hundred years. Exciting, no?”
Lawrence had no idea what to say now.
‘If all of that is true,’ said Dergoz, ‘then why in the world did you free Zeff? You did free him, didn’t you? I assume that is where this explanation is going.’
“Yes, I ordered Adam to free him because I was bored--wait, no. We ordered Adam to free him because the siege has been proceeding too slowly. We have a timetable to keep, and we cannot justify crushing the Rainlords until they press their assault much harder than they have thus far. And obviously, leaving the Keep to fight them would be tactically unwise. With any luck, Zeff will be able to motivate them for us.”
‘What timetable are you talking about?’
“All you need to know is that Lamont will be needing our full attention shortly, so we cannot spend much more time in Rheinhal. But if we leave before this siege concludes, then many of our precious subordinates here will be killed or captured. Present company included, of course. It is quite the dilemma.”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Page 875
‘I’m sure you have any number of collaborators in this game of yours,’ Dergoz was saying. ‘I don’t think we’ll be trusting anyone’s word concerning your whereabouts. Why don’t you just admit it?’
Parson exchanged lingering looks with Overra, perhaps indicative of a silent conversation between the two.
‘Easy, Dergoz,’ said Lawrence. ‘He may be ridiculous, but we do not want to pick a fight with Parson, especially not here.’
‘They need us as much as we need them,’ Dergoz said privately. ‘Sanko is coming, so they can’t afford to fight with us now, either. This is the perfect time to press them with hard questions. In fact, it’s probably the ONLY time.’
Lawrence wondered how much truth there was in that, but he knew there was no point in arguing.
Parson finished off his ice cream sandwich. He smacked his lips a couple times and took a long breath. “I’m just going to tell them. If they’re this suspicious of us, then there’s really no point in pretending anymore. We’re all on the same side after all.”
Overra gave a public sigh. ‘I suppose you’re right. Go on, then.’
“Oh, but soundproofing first.”
‘Right.’ Overra flew into Parson’s body, and a moment later, Parson’s forearms disappeared, leaving his sleeves to flap wildly in the sudden whirlwind that consumed the room.
Lawrence had seen similar techniques before. The airy hum of Parson’s oxygen would prevent physical eavesdroppers, and the tightly controlled movement allowed the man to also press his soul into the air and thereby prevent reapers from hearing them through the walls.
And Lawrence felt abruptly unsettled. Such a precautionary measure was disturbingly unlike Parson and Overra. Whatever they were about to say was not going to be pleasant, he felt.
Parson stepped closer. “Time is short, so allow us to make this quick. First, we know your secret. You and Lawrence belong to a shadow faction within the Vanguard--a shadow faction which believes Sermung is no longer fit to lead all of us. Which is true. He isn’t.”
Dumbstruck, Dergoz needed a second to respond. ‘That’s not... We’re not--’
“Please. Let’s not waste time. We also know that Lamont is the head of your shadow faction, and that no one is able to speak with him about it directly due to the immense secrecy required. Because he is constantly surrounded by Sermung supporters, Lamont is restricted to passing along coded instructions until the time comes when he can reveal himself.”
Parson exchanged lingering looks with Overra, perhaps indicative of a silent conversation between the two.
‘Easy, Dergoz,’ said Lawrence. ‘He may be ridiculous, but we do not want to pick a fight with Parson, especially not here.’
‘They need us as much as we need them,’ Dergoz said privately. ‘Sanko is coming, so they can’t afford to fight with us now, either. This is the perfect time to press them with hard questions. In fact, it’s probably the ONLY time.’
Lawrence wondered how much truth there was in that, but he knew there was no point in arguing.
Parson finished off his ice cream sandwich. He smacked his lips a couple times and took a long breath. “I’m just going to tell them. If they’re this suspicious of us, then there’s really no point in pretending anymore. We’re all on the same side after all.”
Overra gave a public sigh. ‘I suppose you’re right. Go on, then.’
“Oh, but soundproofing first.”
‘Right.’ Overra flew into Parson’s body, and a moment later, Parson’s forearms disappeared, leaving his sleeves to flap wildly in the sudden whirlwind that consumed the room.
Lawrence had seen similar techniques before. The airy hum of Parson’s oxygen would prevent physical eavesdroppers, and the tightly controlled movement allowed the man to also press his soul into the air and thereby prevent reapers from hearing them through the walls.
And Lawrence felt abruptly unsettled. Such a precautionary measure was disturbingly unlike Parson and Overra. Whatever they were about to say was not going to be pleasant, he felt.
Parson stepped closer. “Time is short, so allow us to make this quick. First, we know your secret. You and Lawrence belong to a shadow faction within the Vanguard--a shadow faction which believes Sermung is no longer fit to lead all of us. Which is true. He isn’t.”
Dumbstruck, Dergoz needed a second to respond. ‘That’s not... We’re not--’
“Please. Let’s not waste time. We also know that Lamont is the head of your shadow faction, and that no one is able to speak with him about it directly due to the immense secrecy required. Because he is constantly surrounded by Sermung supporters, Lamont is restricted to passing along coded instructions until the time comes when he can reveal himself.”
Page 874 -- C.
Chapter One Hundred: ‘How the Wind doth rise...’
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Lawrence’s small office had begun to feel a bit cramped. Physically, only he and Parson were present, but the two reapers appeared to occupy plenty of additional space with their silent tornado bodies. There was also the matter of Dergoz’ yelling.
‘I know it was your doing! You’re behind this somehow!’
Rather than responding, Parson seemed more interested in savoring the taste of his ice cream sandwich.
Overra answered for them. ‘“Somehow,” huh? Well, in spite of that very compelling, evidence-laden accusation, I’m afraid I’ll have to go ahead and deny it.’
‘It’s painfully obvious!’ said Dergoz. ‘How stupid do you think we are, exactly?! It’s no secret that you and Parson held this position before Lawrence and I did! Your affection for the Rainlords has clouded your judgment!’
Parson decided to interject now. “We don’t really have time for this now, do we? The Rainlords--”
‘Shut up!’
Parson frowned and went back to his treat.
‘Parson and I were busy defending the western perimeter. You can confirm with Corporal Rofal, if you like.’
Lawrence wasn’t sure what to make of the circumstances. He was mainly just glad to not be the target of Dergoz’s ire for a change. Freeing Zeff had actually crossed his mind before, but pulling it off with Dergoz constantly attached to him would have been nigh impossible. If Parson and Overra really were responsible, then Lawrence would be impressed.
What Dergoz had yet to tell them, however, was that they’d already caught the supposed culprit. Lieutenant Colonel Adam Leroy was the one who actually destroyed Zeff’s head, and the guards had only just managed to prevent him from destroying that of Zeff’s son as well--not that it would have made much difference, since they had the boy’s reaper in custody, too.
Regardless, that didn’t seem to be good enough for Dergoz. As far as subordinates went, Adam and his reaper had never proven themselves as anything more than blunt instruments. Good at following orders and not much else. The only reason they’d achieved a higher rank than Zeff and Axiolis was because the Elroys decided to raise so many children.
Which was another thing. Where was Mariana in all this? According to the watchmen, she’d somehow killed six highly trained servants by herself and escaped, which was almost as surprising to Lawrence as the fact that she had apparently conceded the responsibility of reclaiming the rest of her family to the other Rainlords.
Click to display entire chapter at once -- (mobile link)
Lawrence’s small office had begun to feel a bit cramped. Physically, only he and Parson were present, but the two reapers appeared to occupy plenty of additional space with their silent tornado bodies. There was also the matter of Dergoz’ yelling.
‘I know it was your doing! You’re behind this somehow!’
Rather than responding, Parson seemed more interested in savoring the taste of his ice cream sandwich.
Overra answered for them. ‘“Somehow,” huh? Well, in spite of that very compelling, evidence-laden accusation, I’m afraid I’ll have to go ahead and deny it.’
‘It’s painfully obvious!’ said Dergoz. ‘How stupid do you think we are, exactly?! It’s no secret that you and Parson held this position before Lawrence and I did! Your affection for the Rainlords has clouded your judgment!’
Parson decided to interject now. “We don’t really have time for this now, do we? The Rainlords--”
‘Shut up!’
Parson frowned and went back to his treat.
‘Parson and I were busy defending the western perimeter. You can confirm with Corporal Rofal, if you like.’
Lawrence wasn’t sure what to make of the circumstances. He was mainly just glad to not be the target of Dergoz’s ire for a change. Freeing Zeff had actually crossed his mind before, but pulling it off with Dergoz constantly attached to him would have been nigh impossible. If Parson and Overra really were responsible, then Lawrence would be impressed.
What Dergoz had yet to tell them, however, was that they’d already caught the supposed culprit. Lieutenant Colonel Adam Leroy was the one who actually destroyed Zeff’s head, and the guards had only just managed to prevent him from destroying that of Zeff’s son as well--not that it would have made much difference, since they had the boy’s reaper in custody, too.
Regardless, that didn’t seem to be good enough for Dergoz. As far as subordinates went, Adam and his reaper had never proven themselves as anything more than blunt instruments. Good at following orders and not much else. The only reason they’d achieved a higher rank than Zeff and Axiolis was because the Elroys decided to raise so many children.
Which was another thing. Where was Mariana in all this? According to the watchmen, she’d somehow killed six highly trained servants by herself and escaped, which was almost as surprising to Lawrence as the fact that she had apparently conceded the responsibility of reclaiming the rest of her family to the other Rainlords.
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