For a few weeks, Aralim stopped following Miresh to train on the Palace grounds. She was watching the rat still, willing its death upon it, and Aralim was growing weary of praying over his slowly budding flower. If he couldn’t help Miresh by learning the supernatural abilities she was, he could at least provide information to support her. For one week, he slowly progressed through the most tedious tome he had ever read: On the Lives of Rabbits, Squirrels, Mice, and Other Rodents by Master Curidae of Keb’kres. Hayan spoke in love of the city of Keb’kres, when he examined the authorial imprint in the first page of the book. Naeen said very little about it, as usual. Her continued presence in their estate might have been an exploitation of their hospitality, but Aralim none of them minded. She was their friend too.
On the 2nd of the 2nd Moon, a man in a long orange robe arrived at the door of the mansion and handed Aralim a small, folded letter. It was written in a dark brown ink, and read, “Please accompany Miresh tomorrow. Tag’na.” The Emperor had signed the document himself, and with none of his titles. Aralim tried not to let that affect his impression of the powerful man, but the recent attack on the capital and the words spoken by that strange invader remained on the forefront of his mind.
That certainly didn’t stop him from following the instructions of someone further along the Path than himself, so he walked with Miresh and the estate guard that escorted her to the Palace grounds. He brought his book, and read about the various qualities of squirrel fur as Miresh focused on the dark rodent in its cage. Rattar had his own reading, and had also brought a thoroughly dented sword in an old leather sheath. While Aralim read, and looked on, he focused on the blade and, one-by-one, each niche and chip in the edge filled in with metal.
Rattar was stretching metal back into place with his mind.
Aralim shrugged and kept reading. He’d resigned to the power these people around him had. He had heard tales of magicians in his homeland, but had never sat in the presence of gods and kings. He turned the page and read about mouse fur, with an irritated scowl. A drop of water from the canopy of the small grassy grove dropped onto the parchment and he wiped it away with his thumb.
Rattar stood up, abruptly. “Oh, your Ascendance,” he said. “Miresh, Aralim, bow.”
Three of the Aura walked in front of the Emperor, apparently unarmed. Aralim tried to pay them no mind, but his mind was filled of memories. He had seen spears in their hands. Behind the escort strode Tag’na, the Eternal Emperor, himself. Once again, the Emperor wore his black hair bound back. He walked calmly, with his hands at his sides and smiled when he saw them. “Rise, rise,” Tag’na said, beckoning them with his hands. “Miresh, how are your studies going? Is that a rat?”
Miresh nodded emphatically. “I’m killing it,” she said. “Er, somewhat slowly.”
“You could stop feeding it, you know,” the Emperor replied. His Aura had withdrawn, giving him space to speak with them.
Rattar chuckled. “Despite appearances, she is learning quite quickly,” he said.
“Good, I knew she would,” the Emperor said, with a confident white smile. “I hope to hear many reports of her progress over the next few years. I’ve been telling Rattar to get a new apprentice for ages.”
With a nervous laugh, Miresh looked at Rattar who bobbed his head sheepishly.
“I don’t often apologize, but I do wish I had come to see you two sooner,” Tag’na told them. “I get caught up in the affairs of state and the plotting of my Court… but I’ve endured them for far too long to use them as an excuse. I trust your living accommodations have been satisfactory? I did my best to ensure your staff at the Corid estate are not eyes and ears for any of my devious advisors.”
Aralim shrugged. “Even if they were, they wouldn’t overhear anything interesting. We’re rather open about the Path. And you certainly shouldn’t apologize for not visiting us; time must get away when you have an unlimited amount of it.”
Tag’na smiled again. “Have any others of the First Court visited you?”
“Only Ovoe, of course,” Rattar told the Emperor.
“Of course.” The Emperor shook his head and gave a quiet sigh.
Miresh laughed. “Don’t worry, we sent him away quickly enough.” She smiled and leaned on her orange lantern staff.
Tag’na chuckled. “I’m glad not to have received the same treatment, then. You two are quite hospitable so far.” It was ironic coming from this man—he had shown them nothing but kindness and unwarranted acceptance since they arrived. Of course, for a man of his wealth and power, that was not an action involving much gravity or difficulty. “Aralim, would you step aside with me?”
Aralim nodded, and followed the Emperor away from Rattar and Miresh. He walked with his lantern staff in stride; he once again considered the strange man’s words: This is all a lie. What was? The Emperor’s intents? Or just his power? Or nothing to do with him?
“I’m sorry you witnessed that horrendous attack a few weeks past,” Tag’na said, keeping his voice quiet.
“Oddly enough, I think I’ve seen worse,” Aralim said.
Tag’na blinked. “Truly? I witnessed this man’s strength and brutality as he fought against my Aura. Have you ever seen such a thing in your travels?” The Emperor’s dark tunic stretched ever so slightly as he turned to regard the Walker.
“Not at the hands of one man,” Aralim explained, “though I have seen such… mercilessness in the wake of a bandit attack.”
“Well, I assure you that this attack is under further investigation. I do not know who sent this man, or if he acted on his own, but I will find out. One of the reasons I tolerate Ovoe, actually,” the Eternal Emperor explained. “Did you see anything else? Or interact with this man in any way?”
“He died quite quickly,” Aralim said. “I saw him the fight the guards and then the Aura killed him.”
The Emperor raised an eyebrow and the corners of his mouth lifted in an emotionless smile. “He said ‘all of this was a lie,’ right?”
“Apparently.” Aralim kept an air of detachment. It seemed as though the Emperor were trying to get a hint of what he might do with this new information. Despite their previously straightforward conversations, Tag’na was going about it in a roundabout way.
“Do you believe him?” the Emperor asked, cutting to the chase. “Did he give you any doubts? I would like to restore your trust, if that is the case.”
“Lies are irrelevant to the Path,” Aralim said. “I am curious about this man and what he could do—that power, if you will—and I am curious about the conflict between you and him. But curiosity is not concern.”
Tag’na nodded. “What does concern you?”
“The Path, of course,” Aralim said, tapping his fingers against his lantern staff.
The Eternal Emperor smiled again, hiding his laughter. “Of course,” he said. “Is that how you got rid of Ovoe so quickly, talking about the Path?”
“No, Miresh and I learned quickly that the best way to beat Ovoe at his games is to not play them,” he explained, chuckling. Then he realized the fun the Emperor had been having at his expense. “Should I… not talk about the Path?” he asked.
“No, it’s not an issue,” Tag’na said. “I don’t know anything about your religion. The same cannot be said of many other things, things which now bore me.” The Emperor’s entire demeanor seemed to have changed quicker than the weather, just in his delivery of that comment.
Aralim smiled. “I could tell you more about the Path, if you’d like. But then it would probably bore you too.”
The Eternal Emperor sighed. “With the exception of Rattar, it has been so long since I’ve had a friend. If only you knew the extents men might go to fight boredom. Nay, not boredom. Torment.” Then, abruptly, he caught himself, and raised his head once more. “Thank you for your time, Aralim. I certainly hope that the recent chaos here has not shaken your feelings of comfort at the Iron Palace. Miresh’s continued safety is, as always, my guarantee.”
“Your visits are always welcome,” Aralim said. Then, with a smile, he added, “I’m having some trouble matching Miresh’s progress.”
The Emperor laughed. “I could give you some pointers, but I doubt they’ll do much. I would also like to speak with Miresh more, next time. She is quite a special young girl.” He nodded to Aralim, and stepped away. The Aura wordlessly followed him, cued by no visible sign or audible word, and Aralim went back to his rat book.