The War of the Roil: The Knight and the Warlock

Chapter 14: The Warlock

The words echoed across the sky as Bronduk, God of Justice stopped speaking.

"Edmund..." Lara whispered, "You're alive."

"Isley." Gammond muttered as he approached her outside the Hross residence, "He was on that ship with us, wasn't he?"

Lara nodded, "To think he was the Knight...I thought he was dead."

Gammond chuckled, "That must really irk the Atrellians. Their savior's a Snake?"

Lara shrugged, "The Priests will find a way to justify it. They usually do."

Gammond raised an eyebrow, "Never heard you speak of priests like that. Don't you still believe?"

"I've lived in Emreth for a month, Gammond. It'd be odd of me not to apostatize." Lara grinned, "I've gotten perspective on just how restrictive Atrell is."

"We have an audience with the King Regent and the Princess later today." Gammond said, "You ready?"

"How many Tialemancers did you get?"

Gammond sighed, "Not many. Most think the Whip alone won't win the siege for us. They want to launch a counter attack before we start to starve."

"And you think the Whip will defeat the Atrellians?" Lara asked.

"That's assuming anyone in the city is actually the user." Gammond muttered, "but if the legends are even quasi-factual, we'll be able to drive the Empire back to the Ash Rim, if not out of Maladeth as well."

"I've only heard stories about the Knight and Shadowbane. What are the stories people tell about the Warlock?"

Gammond furrowed his brow in recollection, "They called the first Warlock Zinon. Nothing much was known about him as a person. All we've been able to recover was from inscription on the Necropolis in Dorizal. They say he was among the first to contact the Night Princes, a race of Abyssal demons we make deals with today in exchange for military cooperation."

"We sure could've used one during the attack." Lara muttered.

"It'd be hard to get one to agree." Gammond said, "They'll jump at the chance to go out of their way to slaughter Atrellians, but they don't do defense. Anyways, Zinon is said to have used the Night Princes' powers to become a warlord. He took Imryt from the Ansami while it was weakening and established a kingdom that is modern day Emreth.

"After his campaign, the God of Discord, Tialeis contacted him, asking to donate a champion to fight against the Titans. Zinon took the opportunity himself and forged a weapon from the spine of Dreketh, the most loyal of his Night Prince allies." Gammond explained, "Many stories from many Warlocks claim a great number of things the weapon can do. Some say it can channel the power of the Ash Rim's volcanoes. Others say it allows the user to control fear itself."

"What do you believe?" Lara asked.

"I believe whatever power the whip has, it will bring our armies a victory." Gammond said.

A long silence stood between them as they each looked to the white beam of light in the sky. When it vanished, Lara spoke up, "Gammond, what if I'm the Warlock?"

"I'm pretty sure you'd be a better leader than the King and princess." Gammond said.

"No, I mean what'll happen to...us. And Lucia. And everyone else I've met here? Will I still be...a person?"

"What do you mean?" Gammond looked to her, concerned.

"Will we still be friends? I know it sounds arro- No. No, it's not arrogant." Lara corrected herself, "I'm afraid that if I become the Warlock, I'll lose you."