The Mirror Gates

Rowen found himself gripping the armrest of the ornate chair he was sitting in. It wasn’t as if he needed more reasons to hate bigotry and betrayal, now he had a tale of the worst versions of it revealed to him.

Xyarra told him a tale of a race of people who were fierce warriors who had an extreme sense of justice, only to be betrayed by a group of people who were said to be sworn allies.

Rowen thought about it and said, almost to himself, “Baseness is a part of humanity that I can gladly leave behind.”

He asked her, “So, are you certain they are in the city?”

“Yes Row. At first, I recognized their style of…hunting. But the rune on Jade’s hand was the clincher.”

Rowen thought about it and asked, “How do you suppose they were able to disable Jade so that they could mark her?”

“Their magic in combat was brutal and legendary. Now the remaining members are in hiding for the better part of a thousand years, I'm sure some of that magical focus is devoted to stealth and disguise. My initial guess is that they have an ability to disrupt the flow of mana around them. Jade, and all of your golem's major weakness is that they require a steady flow of mana to operate.”

Rowen nodded. He turned his head as he heard a knock at the door, then Kit’s voice ask, “Sweetie, is it safe to come in yet?”

Xyarra said to his mind, “Please keep their presence here in town a secret. Few races anymore have true knowledge of them. Everything else is just wild conjecture and would seriously disrupt the fragile stability you have started to restore here. Allow me to deal with the situation.”

Rowen thought back, “Very well, you can use Jade for this as much as you need. We’re going to have to come up with a mana reserve for her, so that she won’t be vulnerable again. Oh and X.”

“Yes Row?”

“I don’t care if they ARE the last of their kind. If you ascertain that they are a threat to any of us. Deal with it!”

“That could prove difficult but of course, Row dearest.”

Rowen said out loud, “Yes, it’s safe now.”

Rowen sat at the head of the long dining table looking down the table to his family and guests.

He looked up at the wine steward who was refilling his wine and he was reminded that the servants that were brought by the Legion had all been replaced by volunteers from his tribe.

“Thank you, Mardid.” He said to the steward.

He smiled and bowed saying, “My privilege and pleasure, your Majesty.”

Kit was sitting immediately to his right and Dana to his left. Xyarra was next to Kit on his right and Eliarra, after being ordered by Rowen to let the servants do their jobs was sitting to the next seat on the left.

He looked to the far end of the table where his Mother-in-Law was sitting and he remembered how, besides the sticking point of where he was to go next, there was another bone of contention to be chewed. Who would be his first queen?

Of course, he suspected that Duchess Marcia had an ulterior motive for her insistence that it be a subject of the Kingdom of Tier.

In truth, he had already decided who was to be his first queen a long time ago, even before he even knew he was to be king.

He suddenly realized that Marquese Quintessa was looking at him as if she was examining his soul. He was hoping, on one level, that she was realizing that she made a mistake, and he could go back to his original mission and be spared the hubbub of being king.

He smiled at her and asked, “Is there something that I may help you with, Aunt Quintessa?” Keeping to his commandment that this table was a family table, and all other formality could be dispensed with.

He wasn’t sure why he didn’t realize it before, but her eyes were ice blue like Dana’s. Unlike his mother in law’s which were a darker shade of blue.

Even though he knew that she was Dana’s aunt, he could swear she was Dana’s twin. Yet he knew that she was several hundred years older than her niece.

She was actually the younger twin of Duchess Marcia. She was also the Kingdom’s Seer.

She replied, “No nephew. I was just enjoying your presence and how it blends with my nieces’. I do have one question though. If I may, your Majesty?”

“Aunty don’t stick on protocol here. Remember, I said that this is a family table. Ask your questions as you wish.”

“Of course, nephew. Have you decided to announce what you already decided as to who will be your first Queen?”

“You cheat aunty, not everyone here at the table can see the future.”

“Oh, I do not need to look into the future to see what is plainly written in your eyes when you look upon my niece.”

He was taken aback by this. He wondered how much jealousy he was inciting with his behavior towards Kit.

So, with that in mind he said, “I wish to discuss it with my wives in private before I announce my decision.”

“Of course, my Nephew.” She had a mischievous look in her eyes as she said that.

Duchess Marcia then chimed in, “Since you’ve made that decision already, Sire, I was wondering if you put any thought into our other, disagreement.”

“Now, now, Mother. I said that we’re going to can all this royalty sh…rigmarole while at the table.”

“My apologies…son. But you need to realize that what is happening here will make no difference if Duke Rex get’s the regency.”

“I thought that he needed a quorum in order to do that. A quorum and majority vote no less.”

“Yes and no. Even with the five votes he already has, he can put your ascension in abstention until a complete Quorum de Duchies can be convened. That will require Kit here to appoint her successor.

“Either way, YOU need to be there for the Quorum in order to be presented as King.”
“Forgive me mother, I’ve never been any good about delegating. I only will delegate to someone who I know I can trust implicitly.

“Since I gave my word, which is important to me that I keep, to the people of Stiarra Nor, that I’ll see to the judgement of the war criminals among the legionnaires. Also, I gave them my word that I’ll see to the initial phases of restoration of the city. So, unless you can find a way for me to be in both places at one time, I’m going to have to decline.”

Xyarra looked like she was thinking about something intensely, so he asked, “X my dear wife, what is it? Do you have an idea?”

“Well, all we need to do is find the mirror gates in this city.”

“Mirror Gates?”

“Your predecessor, the previous High Lord Magedi had created mirror gates to be placed in every city within the area, so that he could move about the areas within the churches easily.

“Since these mirror gates couldn’t be operated by anyone who couldn’t empower or operate angelic runes, their functions were forgotten after his death. Although he did pretty much keep it secret for the most part during his life.”

“And how do you know this?”

“That’s a discussion for another time and place.”

He nodded, “Ah, I see. So, where might we find these Mirror Gates? Which churches?”

“Well, I know for a fact that the ones in the church of the Creator, here in Stiarra Nor, were moved to the Grand Cathedral in Verdenka City, in the heart of the Five Kingdoms. They just thought that they were beautifully made mirrors that were prizes of the former High Lord Magedi, after his murder, 50 years ago.”

She had a shade of anger in her eyes that made Rowen suspect that there was more to this story than she was letting on. He decided to leave that alone for now.

She went on, “The Old Accolades Temple used to have an earlier version of them linked directly to the Accolades Temple just outside of Tier City. That set was the only one directly linked to each other. Again, their purpose was unknown to most after his murder.” The bitterness in her eyes was palpable at that moment.

She seemed to remember herself and said, “I only hope that when they ransacked the temple in their thirst for bigoted control that they didn’t destroy the mirror here.”

He thought to her, “Now, I really want to discuss this with you. I can see that you take this personally.”

She just nodded back.

Out in the streets, celebrations seemed to be going well into the night. A bunch of neighborhood parties were in full swing as everyone celebrated their freedom.

Even in the empty quarter where many were just now returning home from being ripped away from their homes. The tenements were in near ruin but there were adequate homes that were still livable.

Each empty home stood as testament of those who were slain in the blood thirsty lusts of the invaders.

However, near the Accolades Temple the area was still deserted.

A lone figure dressed in black made their way through the shadows. They were not trying to be stealthy. They definitely wanted their presence known.

They put down their hood and revealed their long black hair in the darkness. Jade looked around and said, “I’m here waiting for you. My mistress wishes to talk to you.”

Out of the temple’s ruins stepped an imposing figure of a man. Jade could make out the Beastkin ears and the occasional flash of a tail behind them.

The Beastkin growled and said, “No human is safe here. You best leave little girl.”

Jade looked at him and said, “You’re not the one who I am looking for. Go home before you get hurt.”

The two moons were just clearing from a set of clouds to reveal that the Beastkin was a wolfen.

Suddenly he charged at Jade swinging an axe of some kind.

Jade stood still until the last moment then in a fluid motion she used his inertia to disarm and flip him, making him get his wind knocked out of him on the hard road.

“Like I said, I’m not here for you. But you do have the scent of who I am looking to contact on you.”

The wolfen man gasped and tried to move but he couldn’t breathe.

Jade kneeled down by him and said, “This is going to hurt some. “ and she jabbed her right index finger into his diaphragm area.

He let out another gasp and started to breathe a labored breath.

“Now, if you’ll please show me the way to…”

She dodged the incoming throwing knife, did a back flip and stood ready with both swords drawn.

A cloaked figure came at her from the shadows and a feminine voice said, “You dare attack my brother?!”

Jade sighed and said, “You’re not the one I’m after either. If you’ll calm down, we can talk this over like grownups.” While dodging a flurry of knife attacks.

From the direction of the temple ruins came a familiar sounding feminine voice. She heard the same pitch and sharpness that night she came upon the ambushed patrol.

She had already steeled herself for a mind-numbing scream, but it never came.

"Leave us. We will deal with her." The voice was almost a breathy whisper, but it carried much farther than it should.

Jade turned to the shadow, or silhouette now standing in the ruins of the temple and said, “You really should get better guard dogs.”

This earned her a growl from the female wolfen while she helped her brother back towards the temple ruins.

It was disconcerting to Jade how she knew the woman was standing there, but she still couldn't sense her. She almost missed her question.

“You said that you come on behalf of your mistress?” ignoring Jade’s slight towards the wolfen.

“Yes, Queen Xyarra Swarden wishes to speak to you. She says she knows what you are, and she guarantees your safety. You let me know when and where you want to meet with her.”

“You hear that? A queen wants to meet with some of us.”

From behind Jade another voice sung out, “Yes, and here we are just a humble group of warriors.”

Jade didn’t show any reaction to the second voice save for slightly turning her head to better have her senses try to track the two of them.

Jade calmly said, “I’m thinking that you two were already here, before your watchdogs came out to play, yes?”

Suddenly standing next to her was a cloaked figure wearing a mask. Her thin, gloved hand reached out and touched the rune on Jade’s hand and said, “Yes. You were interesting enough we felt we should keep an eye on you.”

Jade nodded and said, “So I see. Well, my mistress would very much like to talk to you. She says that she was once an honored friend of your clan.”

The one standing in the doorway of the temple said, “Tell her that we’ll meet her at the fountain of tears at the witching hour.”

Jade nodded and said, “Very well, I’ll let her know immediately.”

As she finished her statement, she realized she was talking to empty air.

Meanwhile:

Rowen stood in the middle of the bedroom of his apartments looking at his four wives who were sitting on the foot of the king-sized bed.

“We haven’t had much alone time lately, my wives. For that I’m sorry.”
Kit said, “That is to be expected dearest.”

Dana and Eliarra both nodded in agreement.

Xyarra just languidly said, “So, are you going to announce me as your first wife?” smiling a wicked smile.

Dana said sharply, “No way are you still claiming to be the first wife! We already discussed this!”

Rowen looked down at his feet and said, “Yeah, about that…”

Xyarra chuckled and said, “We all know who you have really chosen for your first wife.” And she put her arm around Kit’s shoulders, “In truth, Kit here is the heart of us all.”

Dana and Eliarra nodded their agreement.

Rowen said, “I suspected that you all knew. I want you to know that I treasure all of you. I need all of you. But Kit is my first love. I am very happy that you all understand.”

Xyarra said, “Now for the second wife…”

Dana gave her a look that could have soured sweet milk.

Xyarra said, “What?”

Kit then growled.

Xyarra and Dana said, “Sorry.” Together.

Rowen chuckled and said, “Well I’m happy that we’re all getting along like normal. I have another couple of things to discuss with you, my wives. First, what do you, all of you, think about me becoming king?”

Eliarra said, “I think and feel that there can be no other better to be king than you my lord husband.”

The others nodded agreement.

Rowen blushed and nodded, “Thank you. You know that I will be leaning on all of you then to do the best job that I can.”

Kit smiled and said, “You can count on us dear.”

The rest nodded.

“My final question for you…what do you think about my going to Tier City?’

Eliarra said, “You know that you can count on the three of us,” she motioned to Xyarra, Dana and herself, “To stay behind here and to represent your wishes for caring for the city. That way you and Kit can go to Tier City to claim the crown.”

Xyarra said, “That is provided that we don’t find the Mirror Gates.”

Rowen said, “That reminds me. What is the story behind those gates and the former High Lord Magedi?”

Xyarra got a distant look in her eyes and said, “He was someone dear to me. I helped him with the creation of those gates to better facilitate his ability to move among the churches. In the last couple years of his life, he was suspecting that there was a movement afoot to take over the church from the shadows by some unknown entity.”

She looked at Rowen in his eyes, “He was a lot like you.” She looked away again and said, “He asked me to help him with the endeavor, but I refused him. I thought that getting involved with the human church was beneath me. But I did help him with the mirror gates because I did care about him and I also enjoyed the challenge of it.”

“Was he a lover?” Rowen asked.

She looked at him shaking her head, “No, he was my nephew. He was half dragon, but it didn’t show when you looked at him. But because of his dragon heritage, he was able to use angelic runes.”

Rowen nodded and said, “Now I understand. The reason why you are sharing my mission with me is because of him.”

She nodded.

He then went and sat down between her and Kit and put his arms around them both because he wanted to comfort them both.

He said to Kit, “Sorry that I haven’t been able to comfort you about your aunt’s death also.”

Kit leaned into him and said, “I really didn’t get to know her very well. And her daughter, my cousin and I fought every time we met. She was always so self-centered and yet easily manipulated by pretty words. I had use for neither. But still, she was my aunt, flesh and blood.” And she buried her face into Rowen’s shoulder.

Xyarra looked up and said, “Row dear, I just got a message from Jade. On that matter we discussed earlier. I’m going to need to go out in a while to take care of things.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

She said to Rowen’s mind, “No, that might scare them off.”

He just nodded and thought back to her, “Keep Jade with you then to watch your back.”

The witching hour:

The Fountain of Tears on the north western side of the city was a war memorial to those who had fallen in service to the kingdom

It had four statues that represented the four Guardians, with water flowing from their eyes.

Two black cloaked figures walked up to the fountain and stood waiting in the two moon’s light.

After looking around, the taller of the two figures put her hood down and said, “Jade, sweetie, make sure our meeting isn’t interrupted.”

Jade bowed and disappeared in the shadows.

Xyarra said, “Alright, I know you are here. Please grace me with your presence.”

A lone cloaked figure wearing a mask stepped out of the shadows and said, “I’m here your majesty.”

Xyarra heard once again the soft breathy whisper of voice. As much as she believed Jade, she was still skeptical. There were so few of them and they had been gone for so long. She had avoided looking for them, afraid to have their extinction confirmed.

Xyarra said, a touch of eagerness in her voice for those familiar enough with her to hear it, “Do I know you? Have we met?”

The cloaked woman removed her mask and lowered her hood, revealing her face and wild, windblown mane of gray hair and said, “I’ve never had the privilege to meet you personally. But I know of you and your reputation. If I may be so bold, why have you summoned us here?”

Xyarra chuckled and said, “I’d hardly call it a summon. More like a request to meet.”

“When a Queen requests a meeting, that is a summons. When Ebon requests a meeting, it is a duty. We know our history. We learn it as younglings. We know the names of those who sheltered and protected the survivors, just as we also learn the names and never forget those who betrayed us and hunted us.”

Xyarra shrugged and said, “I’m happy that there are still some of your kind still living. I did what I could and was angry I could do no more. But that was many, many lifetimes ago. With some of you here now, because my group is mixed and I have a duty to them as well, I have to ask. Are you a threat to me or my family?"