Startled and shaking from the close call, it took a long ti for my mind to correctly interpret what my eyes were seeing. The infernal before wasnt a younger version of Ralakos. Hed looked identical at first glance, but as I took him in more and more, the differences beca more stark. His mouth was sterner, and his eyebrows more defined. Still, the resemblance was significant to the point where I couldnt help but stare.
Youre looking at like you know , but Im rather certain Id rember eting a human who did not try to kill on sight. Gods, they even spoke the sa.
At first, I thought it might be another illusion, then several things occurred to at once. If this was ant to be so sort of trial, I doubted it would have pulled the sa trick twice. Secondly, if it was an illusion, it was a poor one. The infernal hadnt even pretended to know , and seed to have no knowledge of the individual he was impersonating.
No, this was sothing else.
I gathered my thoughts, turning to take in our surroundings. The room was circular and bare, with only a small circular basin in the middle. It was perfectly round, the water pristine and still. Finally, my breathing returned to normal.
I turned back to the infernal, who still watched warily, my mothers words in the back of my mind.
If you dont know how to move forward, decency and diplomacy costs you nothing.
Let start over. Thank you for the warning. Im Cairn.
The infernal looked amused. He muttered to himself in demonic. You dont fear for your soul?
That caught off-guard, until I realized he was referring to the human folk tales surrounding infernals. I laughed and replied in demonic. I fear for my soul plenty, but not from you, friend. He called friend before hed t , it only seed polite to respond in kind.
The infernals eyebrow rose. Sure. A polite, non-murderous human in the sanctum who speaks demonic. If this is an illusion, its a bad one. The infernal said, unknowingly echoing my earlier thought. He reached out to clasp my arm, returning the gesture. I am known as Xarmos.
A mory stirred from long ago, when Ralakos had told a cautionary tale besides an infernal monunt from the war. The story of his son.
The hair on the back of my neck stood up. Still, I gripped his arm for the requisite mont and released it.
Xarmos inclined his head toward the room. A nasty trial, that one.
It was. I agreed.
My wife called to . Her voice, the feel of her hand, everything was exactly the sa. If I hadnt known beyond all certainty that she was not in the sanctum, it would have been the end of . He shook his head, then glanced at . Who did you see?
My demon. I held up the amulet for Xarmos. He chuckled.
Sothing funny?
Nothing. You get harder to believe with every word you speak. Which, for so reason, is more convincing than anything else that you are real, Xarmos said. He rubbed at his eyes, then straightened, smiling apologetically.
No. It wasnt a trick of the mind or an illusion. The wise features, the way he held himself, the horns. Horns Id seen Ralakos gesture to on the monunt wall. This was that Xarmos. Soone I knew to be dead.
What the hells was happening?
Whats your fathers na, Xarmos? I asked him carefully. There were multiple possibilities and ways this could play out, but for the mont it was best not to overplay my hand.
He jerked back and stared at . Damn this place. His hand moved towards his sword. Another second and he would have pulled it.
I didnt give it to him. I threw myself forward, drawing the shattered dagger on my back and pressing it lightly against his neck. He raised his hands slowly, his throat bobbing, eyes wide. Quick.
Have to be, I said through gritted teeth. Now stay still. Im done with this ga, and to be honest with you, I dont rember the last ti I put poison on this thing. What is your fathers na?
My father is Ralakos.
Hearing confirmation didnt make feel any better. What exactly was I supposed to do with that information? Why did you suddenly change your mind?
Because I just had a vision about my father. Then, you, sohow who has no business being here, cos in asking about my father. What was I supposed to think? His eyes glanced down at the blade nervously. Is that sad thing actually poisoned?
It often is. I really dont rember.
Sohow thats more terrifying.
I know your father. Thats the only reason I asked. How long have you been down here?
Xarmos looked confused by the question. A few years. He looked at the blade again. Mind if we continue this without threat of a slow and painful death?
I breathed out, then relented. Fine.
Only after I lowered my blade did I see the point of a small, angled knife pressed against the weak spot in my chitin breastplate.
Fuck.
Xarmos smirked at . Mine was dipped in laudenshade. Definitively.
Didnt know you were an alchemist, I murmured.
I dabble, he replied. Then, with a smooth motion, he stepped away, flipping the knife in his hand and sliding it into a hidden sheathe beneath his wrist. I felt consummate relief. Strangely, I also found I imdiately wanted a sheath and knife of similar make.
How practical.
See? Xarmos said casually. You did not stab when you thought you had the upper hand, and I did not stab you when I did. We have established rapport.
Hell of way to build trust. I grumbled, feeling at the spot beneath my breastplate, checking for any section the poison could have gotten through.
You do not know what this place is.
I shook my head. No, only that it obstructed my way, and the only way forward was through.
Xarmos scoffed. The sanctum dealt you a cruel hand, my friend. You find yourself in the midst of a trial. And not just any trial. The Trial of Infaris.
My mouth dropped open. The first infernal?
Yes. You know our history as well. Curiouser and curiouser.
Again, I wasnt sure how much information to reveal. There was an awkward mont where just sort of stared at each other. So this trial. How does it work?
He shrugged. I dont know. I ca here chasing ghosts. The gate is rumored to randomly show up at various locations, though no one has reported taking a trial in more than fifty years. The reward is rumored to be significant. I needed sothing substantial than so lukewarm artifact from the upper strata to bring back, and the gate appeared. So he shrugged. I jumped in.
I snorted.
Perhaps, not the wisest choice, given the circumstances.
Are they all ant to be like that? I inclined my head towards the door.
Xarmos shook his head. We compared notes then. He had gone through a trial before the last room, which was interestingwe apparently had a different starting point. There was a room with swinging blades and a series of moving platforms that sounded straight out of a pulpy adventure story. Our experience in the false-companion room was more or less the sa. Then, the current room.
Xarmoss brow furrowed. Do you have any water?
Yes.
Check.
Montarily confused by the abrupt turn in the conversation, I pulled my water-skin from my satchel. And stared. I was sure it was full. Id filled it at a mountain stream and asked Jorra to purify it. But it was completely deflated, slack, and empty. Not trusting my eyes, I undid the tight knot around the mouth, feeling inside for moisture. Nothing. Bone dry.
It was the sa for , Xarmos said grimly. I have a feeling we will be seeing this trial again. The only source of water is from that fountain. You drink it, and a vision takes you. Even if you have a water magician with you, that door, he pointed to the heavy wooden door across from the one we had entered, Only opened once I drank from the fountain. Once you entered, it closed again.
What sort of vision was it?
His mouth turned downward. A deeply unpleasant one.
I couldnt suppress the groan. I had enough unpleasantness lurking in the depths of my mind without external sources ddling further. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt at peace. Taking recent history into account, what could the vision possibly show that would be worse than all of that?
How do you know of Ralakos? Xarmos asked, his expression serious.
There was no way I was telling him the truth. Whatever he was, an apparition, a construct, or otherwise. An idea struck. You know what? Ill tell you when Im back. I pushed myself up and strode towards the fountain.
Hey! He called after , affronted. I just gave you all sorts of information.
Yes. I shrugged. Consider this a trust-building exercise.
What if you fail? If your mind breaks?
Not likely.
I dipped my cup into the fountain and drew it to my lips. Xarmos scowled from across the room and flipped the raven, but there was no malice in the gesture, I tipped the cup over my chapped lips and swallowed.
/////
My love.
I blinked.
Where was I? The sun was setting, frad by a resplendent window. The scent of cotton and chemicals lurked beneath a flowery fragrance of lavender and jasmine.
I look ridiculous. Lillian said, giving a dubious look. A feeling of warmth and pride enveloped , the sa feeling that always followed in her presence. Her honeyed her cascaded around her shoulders. She looked beautiful, and only slightly ridiculous. She was standing upon a stool, a corset tight around her waist, highlighting her full figure. The tailor was in the process of sizing her and had left before the process had finished.
The very picture of elegance. I closed the distance between us, rising to catch her lips with mine.
Liar, She scoffed.
How you wound , my love. I smiled. Her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight, mouth downturned ever so slightly. We have co a long way from hauling ingredients in the forest.
I liked the forest!
As did I. The view was delightful, what with , always following behind you.
Lillian rolled her eyes and pushed . I scooped her up from her perch, and her giggles rose in pitch as I spun her around. Put back! Put back!
Gently, I returned her to her perch, trying not to linger on the warmth of her, the way shed felt pressed against . There was a polite cough from the side of the room. I imdiately stepped away, and pretended not to notice as Lillian flushed.
Pardon the interruption, the tailor said, stepping between us.
Apologies, Lillian said quietly. I watched as the tailor busied himself with a gilded string, bustling around her, clucking his tongue from ti to ti. The hardest part of all of this was helping her break the insidious habit of defernt. She was always so polite, so kind. My mother could manage that sort of thing because she held her power intrinsically. The way she had carried herself, her manner. Only a fool would have taken her power as weakness. Lillian was different, though. She was unsure of herself, and her politeness stemd from fear of misstep. If she took that attitude to court, the noble ladies would consu her whole and spit her out. No one can sense weakness quite like a noble.
Not sure if Ill have anything in her size, The tailor mumbled.
Problem? I asked.
Hips are a bit too full, bosom a bit sparse.
Lillian looked down. I bit back a sharp retort before it could rise. This caliber of tailor would never make that sort of comnt in the presence of a nobleman and his wife. No. Hed cast judgent on us at the doora nobleman, entering with a pretty commonerand drawn his own conclusions.
Well I drew out the word, letting acid into my tone, it is a good thing we ca to a tailor, whounless I am mistakenare known to make adjustnts for such things.
He glanced up, looking over his spectacles in surprise. Of course. To his minuscule credit, he seed to realize he had read the situation very wrong. I was mistaken, my lord. I did not realize you were in the market for sothing custom.
You did not realize much, Tailor.
A bead of sweat ford on his forehead. Let look again. I can do the custom work, for certain, but I must have sothing that will serve in the short term.
Do as you please.
He scurried away.
The nerve, I said, just loud enough for him to hear .
I dont like it when you do this, Lillian said.
What? I turned to her, confused. She was still studying the floor, hair shielding her face from . He was completely unprofessional.
Im not daft. I understand that. But it is not his fault he can see for what I am.
He looks. He does not see.
But that is the point, my love. Lillian finally t my gaze. I can never be what you want to be if you are always ready to jump to my defense, always ready to take the brunt out of every conflict.
I could ruin him, I said, darkly.
You will not. Lillian commanded. Her eyes burned. I saw it then, just for a mont. The side of her I glimpsed from ti to ti. The ruler. Unbidden, a smile ca to my lips.
I suppose I wont, then.
The tailor ca huffing back to us. I found just the thing. It was made special for a client with a very similar sizenothing wrong with it, but it clashed with her skin tone.
And it would suite ? Lillian asked. So of the earlier fire remained in her voice.
The tailor stiffened, as if seeing her for the first ti, then nodded. I dare say it might.
Lillian glanced at and I nodded. She smiled coyly.
Turn around.
I placed my hand against my heart as if she had broken it. Must I?
You must.
It took longer than Id expected. I heard Lillian ask several questions in a low voice. A hand tapped my shoulder. When I turned around, words left .
It was as if shed been draped in gold. The dress clung in all the right places. Her tanned shoulders and collarbone showed just enough to tease the slightest hint of impropriety. As the sun set it caught my eye, and as I blinked the brightness away, I could almost see the circlet crown upon her head.
Do I look ridiculous? Lillian asked.
I shook my head, my mouth dry. No.
No?
You look like a Queen.
/////
I sat upright, my heart racing. Sweat that crested my brow dripped into my eyes, stinging fiercely.
Welco back, Xarmos said. I waved him off, my mind still sprinting in circles.
Why? What was the point of that? It wasnt a bad mory. It was almost a pleasant dream. The only ache that ca was from the realization that it would likely never happen again. I pressed my hand against my heart, trying to banish the old, familiar ache. Why? I had thought that Id moved on, that I was over this. Why force to relive it?
Why?
I must have spoken the question aloud because Xarmos answered.
Infaris has a rather famous obsession with truth. As far as I can tell, the visions are ant to reveal sothing.
Reveal what? That I had loved and lost? That my world and life had shifted in a manner that ensured Lillian would never fit? I heaved for breath, and struck my fist against the wall. There was no reveal. No hidden truth. It was just a painful mory.
Xarmos offered a hand and helped to my feet. Im sure youll figure it out. Now, I still want an answer to my question, but first, we have bigger problems.
I looked out through the door where he pointed. There was a series of stairs downward into a dark chasm. Across the chasm was another set of stairs, and another door. The chasm itself was filled with long, burning orange lights that were constantly moving in erratic patterns, almost like they were
Serpents. Massive, spectral serpents.
We could always go back to the other room, Xarmos said.
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