The Last Knights of Belhae

To Rebel

    "She plans to seize control of the Kingdom, regardless of Ebodan's heir, Narifayne." Marae said to me just after we exited the hall.

    "I know, Marae, I think we must begin planning a mission against King Seida without the aid we expected. This is certainly treason, and so we must be cautious."

    She stood, looking from the mighty steps of the castle out across the city, over the winding buildings and out to the encircling mountains that surrounded the capital. "I did not get brought back to life to be stifled by a harlot making a coup attempt while the rightful ruler is ill. I will attempt to persuade the other knights to join us, see if you may obtain other help, and analyze the documents to see if we may find the staging point to mount an ambush."

    I nodded, and went to the tavern. I told Seirye of our plans, and of the danger it could put us in, and she immediately said, "I should join you. It seems you may need bodies to aid you in this, and you have precious few to spare."

    "No, Seirye, I will not willingly place you into this danger. I do not doubt your abilities in combat, but I will not place you in the danger that is to come."

    "Pray tell, what is your worry? We have faced many dangers together and you know the asset I will prove to be. Why, now, are you nervous for my safety?"

    One of the things I did not tell was of the mind corrupting power King Seida possessed. "During my battle with King Seida," I said, "He could see into my mind, he knew my real name, and he could witness memories of mine, much like what I am able to do with the creatures I have fought. Something, though, was different with his power, it was corrupt, and he could access all this knowledge through his piercing gaze. He said I would be the instrument he used to destroy Belhae once he broke my will, and he mentioned you by name. Marae has said that those you love may become the very tool the enemy will use to break you, and I can not take that chance with you. I am sure there is a way for you to help us, but you can not join us on the front lines."

    Seirye was very upset by this, I had not seen her cry, but tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes. "If you truly do not want me to fight by your side, Faran, so be it. I will stay, but if you are not to return, I will tear apart the country rock by rock until I find you." She drank the rest of her wine, and for a long while, we sat in silence once more, until she said, "You said that there was a magic the King used against you, this is the magic we have spoken of?"

    "I think so." I removed one of the scrolls I had taken from Seida, illustrating the mind currents and how to alter them for your own gain. "Much of what is said here reminds me of how I feel when I am able to read and influence the emotions of creatures, though on a much darker, much larger scale."

    "I pray to our lord Uana that you never have to use this, but is there anyone skilled in magic you know that could assist you in learning this skill? If you are to fight Seida again, you should at least know what he may try."

    I thought to the only people I could trust that may be able to assist without reporting me to Queen Alewis, and I bid Seirye farewell, and that I shall return in several days. Though I had just returned, she seemed to understand the urgency I had to leave with, and I left the tavern.

    I walked to the Mage's Pass that leads to the rest of the kingdom. I had built rapport with many of the gate wizards and knew that they would be either too drunk or too apathetic to report any suspicion. I entered their hall I had been to once prior, and met with Narim, a well versed elven man from the small village of Frumen. He was rather eccentric for a high elf, shaving his head and sporting an abundance of tattoos he received from his travels with some of the sea elves from the northeast. He has looked into many obscure magics and would be my best option for assistance in this matter. I greeted him, and explained that I had come across some strange scrolls while on our mission to Gealdor. I took the scrolls out and he looked at them for a moment and pondered.