Tales of the Vangen: The Black Ministry's Betrayal (Book 1)

Chapter 50: A Plan to Kill the Unkillable

In one of the long stretches of hallways within the Palace, Libro received his orders to appear in the war room. A Greenhorn looked around the corner, eyes boggling the moment he saw him.

"Chronicler!" The Greenhorn practically bolted to reach Libro, stopping just short of crashing into him. The young lad opened his mouth to speak, gulped in a lungful of air, and fought back the ensuing cough. "Thank...Thank the Gods...I found you." he said between breaths. "The whole band's been looking for you."

"What's going on?" Libro asked with some uncertainty. It had only been an hour since his disappearance in the Emperor's study. Had something happened between then and now? Something terrible, perhaps?

The Greenhorn leaned over and hacked out another fit of coughs before straightening back up. "Captain Dux has ordered an emergency meeting. Something's come up."

That raised a curious eyebrow from Libro. Had the Ministers changed their minds about the duel? "I'm assuming the Captain kept out the details?"

"That is correct, sir," The Greenhorn agreed. "I'm starting to think he does that on purpose."

"You've hit the nail on that one." Libro nodded his head. He stepped forward past the man before stopping in his tracks. Truth be told, he had no idea where he was at the moment. The secret corridor that had manifested from the wall in the Emperor's study had spat him out to Gods know where. It was only by chance that the Greenhorn had found him.

"By the way, could you direct me to the war room?" Libro asked, trying to hide the fact that he was impeccably lost.

"Er...well, of course, sir." The Greenhorn responded. With a salute, the man took off with Libro following closely at his heels. Down the hallway, through a set of stairs, past a set of temporary bunk rooms, and Libro found himself standing before the doors to the war room. He thanked the Greenhorn, who saluted smartly before setting off.

What a funny lad thought Libro. Most likely fresh from the Milita Orphanarium, given his stiff gait and need to salute every five minutes. The instructors there used to beat it into you until it was second nature. It took Libro three years to break the habit and only after the Captain had given him a convincing statement on why he should stop.

The war room was a cacophony of noise despite the early hour. Dawn was approaching quickly, and so was the duel. Clerks and Petty Officers from Hallan, Kent, and Vangen alike were moving about at incredible speeds, more so than the last time Libro was there. Preparations were made. Orders were given. Measures were weighed, and countermeasures were tallied. Everything was riding on Regis winning the duel, and so plans had to be made if he didn't.

Libro stepped past a group of sweaty templed clerks and stopped short of crashing into one of Kent's men. They stepped aside each other only for Libro to press against the wall just as a fleeting group of red and gold surcoats pushed past. Hallan's men were looking especially agitated today. No doubt, the noble was still fuming on Dux's trial by combat. Libro could already see the bad blood forming between them. Something the Vangen didn't need right now.

However, those thoughts were fleeting once Libro reached the door of the war room. Stepping inside, he stopped short at a familiar sight standing beside the Captain.

"Magus!" Libro bound through the door towards the old Magician. Magus looked worse for wear then he had in years, but the man's eyes lit up when he heard his name called. A gnarled smile curled up his wispy cheeks.

"My boy," Magus beamed. "It's good to see you alive and well."

"I could say the same thing." Libro curved around the table, not knowing whether to shake Magus' hands or hug the man. Given the Captain's presence, he decided on the former. "Does this mean everything's been cleared up with you and the Empress?" Libro held out his hand.