{"id":103,"date":"2023-07-15T18:49:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-15T18:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/?p=103"},"modified":"2023-07-15T18:53:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-15T18:53:08","slug":"prologue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/2023\/07\/15\/prologue\/","title":{"rendered":"Prologue"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/h1>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not in here either!\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos scowled and planted his fists against his hips. He tapped his toes against the smooth metal flooring. \u201cFind him! He can\u2019t have gone far, not in his condition.\u201d His followers saluted, their hands forming the sign of the goddess, and scattered to carry out his instructions.<\/p>\n

He sighed and smoothed his pale features in an attempt to look unconcerned. He scanned the room, passing over each of his maesters until his eyes landed on Aenek. \u201cDid he say anything to you? Anything at all?\u201d<\/p>\n

The only way to tell the twins apart these days was their health. Both men sported shaggy reddish\u2013brown hair and blue eyes, but Aenek lacked the deep bruising and eczema brought on by Kenian\u2019s illness. Aenek\u2019s complexion appeared healthy and, in this case, looks weren\u2019t deceptive. Why the illness presented in only one twin was a mystery. The cause of Rescher\u2019s Syndrome was as yet unknown, so both the twins and their doctors remained in the dark.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me the date of one of his appointments changed at the last minute and he had to leave,\u201d Aenek said. \u201cIt happens sometimes with the specialists he sees. He should have been back by now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos\u2019s scowl deepened. \u201cWhat are the chances he stayed overnight in Aren\u2019march?\u201d<\/p>\n

Aenek shook his head. \u201cIf he had, he would have sent word to keep me from worrying.\u201d He paused. \u201cNow that I think about it, he should have sent word that he arrived safely at his appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re just now <\/em>realising this?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cForgive me, High Priest.\u201d Aenek cringed, taking an involuntary step back. \u201cShortly before he told me about the change, you\u2019d invited me to participate in the Ritual of Colours, which is why I didn\u2019t go with him.. I was so tired after that I forgot to check my messages.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the women snorted, pushing a strand of her long, dark hair away from her face. \u201cSome brother you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLeave off, Yakima,\u201d Aenek snapped. \u201cAsharos, I humbly request that you send a search party to look for Kenian. I\u2019m worried he didn\u2019t make it to Aren\u2019march.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos folded his arms, tilting his head to one side. It was rare for Aenek to address him by name rather than title. They\u2019d known each other long enough to give him the right to do so, a right he rarely exercised. The other maesters gave Aenek a sideways glance at his audacity. Their friendship was no secret, but both men avoided drawing attention to it, especially in front of lower ranking members. \u201cYour request is reasonable, but you know what the plains are like. There\u2019s a chance we may find nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aenek bowed his head. \u201cThat\u2019s a chance I\u2019m willing to accept.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see to the arrangements. I suggest you retire to your room and pray to our merciful goddess that he still lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all will,\u201d a woman with short brown hair said, elbowing Yakima in the ribs.<\/p>\n

Yakima scowled at her, but said nothing. Asharos waved his hand, dismissing his maesters. He wandered the sterile halls of the compound for a time, scowling at the unwavering artificial light. Even though he preached against the use of technology, he had to admit\u2014if only to himself\u2014that this compound wouldn\u2019t have been possible to build or maintain without it. Generators to power it, air recyclers and water purifiers to keep them breathing and the water fresh.<\/p>\n

He paused in front of the glass door of the hydroponics bay and watched while some of his followers harvested vegetables for the night\u2019s meal. He prided himself on the compound\u2019s near total self-reliance. From time to time, they required things they couldn\u2019t make for themselves and so they\u2014typically the lowest ranking members\u2014had to brave the inherent dangers of Atharia\u2019s cities.<\/p>\n

Asharos inspected the facilities on each level before making his way to the lowest level. Sometimes he hated that his rooms were so far removed from the rest of the compound, but it had its perks. He paused at the bottom of the stairs and turned to look at the black double doors at the other end of the long hallway from his room. The mere sight of the temple doors calmed him. He took a deep, calming breath and went into his room, cringing as his hands touched the cold metal door.<\/p>\n

He paused inside the doorway to activate the chime on his console before going to the thick, black carpet in the middle of his room and sitting cross-legged, eyes closed.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The console pinged, dragging him away from his meditation. It took him a moment to reorient himself. The persistent chime annoyed him, but he\u2019d set it that way on purpose. He got up to check the time and frowned.<\/p>\n

The scouts have only been gone for a few hours. I doubt they\u2019ve found him.<\/em><\/p>\n

He stretched, and left his room, walked up the long flight of stairs to the hangar level, nodding absently as the people working in the hangar bowed. He waited for the roof to finish retracting before speaking with the scouts.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoddess bless you, High Priest,\u201d one of the scouts said, bowing at his approach.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer blessings to you as well,\u201d Asharos returned. \u201cWhat did you discover?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe regret to inform you that we could not locate Maester Kenian.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos nodded. \u201cDid you find his speeder?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no sign of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d He snapped his fingers in the general direction of one of the hangar workers. The nearest one approached and bowed. \u201cSee to the requisitioning of a replacement.\u201d<\/p>\n

The man bowed again and left.<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, would you like us to pass the news on to Maester Aenek?\u201d the scout continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019ll see to it myself. You\u2019re dismissed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scouts bowed again as he walked away. He stopped at a comm panel on the wall, sending a brief text message to his maesters, instructing them to meet him in the temple. He signed off and made his way to the bottom level of the complex. His followers bowed as he passed, but he paid them no mind. He had far more pressing concerns.<\/p>\n

The black doors leading into the temple were open when he arrived. He nodded, expecting this, and entered. Unlike the rest of the compound\u2014which had white plastered walls\u2014the temple walls were covered in multicoloured tiles that formed intricate patterns. At the far end was an altar made from rough cut black stone. On top of the altar was a silver platter holding a severed hand. The sight didn\u2019t faze him at all. He knew exactly whose hand it was and why it was still there. His maesters waited for him inside, seated on the wooden benches typically used by his other followers. They rose as he entered, bowing their heads as he strode past them. He nodded as he sat down in the throne\u2013like chair at the far end, behind the black stone altar. He arranged his robes around him and smoothed his dark hair back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

He gazed at each of his maeters to gauge their mood. Dark-haired Yakima looked as though she was trying to hide how bored she was. Mikia, equally as dark-haired as Yakima sat with her back stiff, leaning slightly forward, eager to hear whatever he had to say. He knew she wasn\u2019t as devout as she made herself look, but so far she was the most promising of his maesters so he let it be. The brunette\u2014Ophalia\u2014he knew to be the most fervent of the five\u2014<\/p>\n

Four<\/em>, he corrected himself. I have four maesters. Even when Kenian was here, he barely counted as one of them.<\/em><\/p>\n

He looked at Aenek, who had one hand over his tunic. Asharos knew he was fiddling with the necklace he wore. He had one half and Kenian had the other.<\/p>\n

He swallowed, composing himself before speaking.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe seated.\u201d As one, the maesters sat down. \u201cThe scouts have returned.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aenek leaned forward. \u201cWas there any sign of my brother?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, there you have it,\u201d Yakima said with a snort. \u201cHe\u2019s become food for some lucky scavenger.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s my brother you\u2019re talking about,\u201d Aenek snapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a sweet boy, but I never quite liked him. No offence, Aenek,\u201d Mikia said.<\/p>\n

Aenek clenched his fists, biting back a retort. He took a deep breath before speaking again. \u201cNone taken. He didn\u2019t exactly try to fit in around here. He was always a little odd, even before his diagnosis. I know none of you like him much. It\u2019s ok. I don\u2019t take it personally.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mikia frowned, looking as though she didn\u2019t quite believe him. She held her tongue, twisting a strand of her dark hair around one finger.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a possibility you\u2019re not considering,\u201d Asharos said. Their eyes focused back on him. \u201cHis only logical destination was Aren\u2019march. These speeders don\u2019t have the range to get anywhere else before running out of fuel. Maintenance reports that no fuel canisters are missing, so wherever he went, he only had one tank. While the possibility exists that he perished out on the plain, it\u2019s equally possible that he arrived safely at his destination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ophalia frowned. \u201cIf that\u2019s the case, why hasn\u2019t he contacted Aenek?\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos laced his fingers together. \u201cI\u2019ve been wondering about that myself since learning about this situation. I am of two minds. It\u2019s possible that he arrived safely at his appointment, but succumbed to his illness shortly after.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aenek swallowed a lump in his throat. \u201cThe doctor doesn\u2019t have accurate contact information for me, given who we are. Kenian uses a false name to keep us from being caught.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the only smart thing he\u2019s done,\u201d Yakima commented.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s usually not a problem as I go with him to his appointments,\u201d Aenek continued, shooting a glare at Yakima. \u201cIncluding this one, he\u2019s only gone alone a handful of times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn\u2019t safe for the two of you to go together,\u201d Ophalia pointed out. \u201cThere can\u2019t be that many twins in your situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere aren\u2019t. In every case of twins and Rescher\u2019s Syndrome, both are sick. I don\u2019t go into the clinic with him to avoid certain uncomfortable questions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course not. Why would you? No one here cares about him except me.\u201d Aenek balled his hands into fists. \u201cNow he\u2019s missing or dead and…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou said you had another thought, High Priest?\u201d Mikia asked when Aenek didn\u2019t continue.<\/p>\n

\u201cI dislike thinking this, but after hearing it, you may wish your brother were dead,\u201d Asharos said, watching Aenek. \u201cThe Agency knows our names and faces. It\u2019s possible that they apprehended him on his way to his appointment.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo…\u201d Aenek stared at Asharos<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not something I wish to consider, but as I said, the possibility exists. In that case, I fear for his continued health and safety.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s sick! They wouldn\u2019t hurt him. Would they?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019d cause him harm, but they\u2019ve been after us for so long now that I fear they\u2019ve become… desperate. If they have him, they\u2019ll do what they can to extract any useful information from him. What happens to him after that\u2026 well, who knows?\u201d<\/p>\n

Yakima turned her cold, dark eyes to Aenek. \u201cBetter that he\u2019d died out on the plain.\u201d<\/p>\n

He shook his head. \u201cFor the first time, I agree with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t take any chances,\u201d Asharos continued. \u201cI want the compound running on minimal power for the next senday. No one goes in or out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have people out on missions right now,\u201d Mikia reminded him.<\/p>\n

Asharos shrugged. \u201cThey\u2019ll have to seek shelter elsewhere or take their chances in the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ll die out there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the goddess wills them to live, they\u2019ll find a way,\u201d he reminded her.<\/p>\n

She bowed her head. \u201cYes, High Priest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about the mission?\u201d Ophalia asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cContinue preparing, but until we can confirm Kenian\u2019s fate, no one is to leave the sanctuary without my permission.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yakima balled her hands into fists, gritting her teeth. \u201cAll the work we\u2019ve put into it could be for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can\u2019t be helped,\u201d Mikia said, shrugging. \u201cI, for one, would rather miss this opportunity than take the risk and wind up in a holding cell.\u201d The others mumbled their agreement.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay calm. Remember your studies and prayers. The goddess will keep us safe.\u201d He stood and raised his arms above his head. The others stood and mimicked the gesture.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbeatsu harinn tenyulann. Ya\u2019tu jakrann hecterebaysu. Antaoru qurana tulann gentar Keverynn. Miisu bebadye yatsufurya. Da\u2019enn koll vo\u2019vure Atraxia<\/em>,\u201d they said, speaking as a group. One by one, they left the temple.<\/p>\n

Chapter 1: The interrogation<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not in here either!\u201d<\/p>\n

Asharos scowled and planted his fists against his hips. He tapped his toes against the smooth metal flooring. \u201cFind him! He can\u2019t have gone far, not…… <\/p>\n

Read More<\/i><\/a><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,17],"tags":[26,19],"class_list":["post-103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-path-of-the-warrior","category-sample-chapters","tag-potw","tag-sample"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103\/revisions\/114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/azuredragonpress.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}