A week before word of Emperor Ramza’s abdication reached the United City-States of Sutherland, Senior Hundred-Wing Zephyr delivered the same news to Seraph Sofitia Hell Mekia, seventh of her line. In terms of both quantity and quality, however, the difference in the information they received was like night and day.
The Cloudy Chamber in La Chaim Palace, Elsphere
As she reclined in her magnificently ornamented throne, Sofitia’s first thought after hearing Zephyr’s report was that Darmés must be a mage. She already knew from the information Amelia had brought her that there was a mage in the empire. However, the description Felix had given of that mage did not fit Darmés at all. Which led one to the theory—
“Could there have been two mages?”
“I’m entirely at a loss when it comes to mages, My Seraph, but I will say one thing, if I may. There’s no way that was the doing of an ordinary man. Not that...that...” Words failed Zephyr, and Sofitia saw the thinly veiled terror in his face. She had not seen him like this since he had described Olivia in battle to her.
Those who had left this life had dragged themselves from the ground to attack those still living. Sofitia considered herself well-versed on the subject of magecraft, but she had never so much as heard of magecraft that so desecrated the dead.
Perhaps I might find answers there... she mused, thinking of a certain person as she continued to question Zephyr.
“You are sure that Lord Sieger set himself against Darmés when he claimed himself the new emperor?”
“Completely certain, My Seraph,” Zephyr said with conviction. It was not that Sofitia doubted what he said. The situation had simply deviated so dramatically from her plans that she was, in truth, left befuddled. Everything that had occurred up until Olivia and Felix crossed swords had ended up in line with her predictions. But thanks to Darmés’s intervention, along with the rising dead, their battle had ended undecided. Olivia and Felix had formed a temporary truce and marched off to the imperial capital together.
After their conversation, there can be no doubt that Lord Sieger returned to the capital for no reason other than Ramza. But what about my dear Olivia? I cannot work out what reason she had for accompanying Lord Sieger to Olsted. To get a look at the state of the city in anticipation of a battle to come? Sofitia immediately discarded this idea. To her knowledge, Olivia did not have a scrap of ambition, nor any interest in war. War simply happened to follow in the course of her search for Z; the idea that she would be so calculating was unbelievable.
Ah well. I’m sure Olivia’s situation will reveal itself in time. Sofitia looked at the kneeling Zephyr.
“You have proof of the new emperor’s accession, yes?”
“We have, My Seraph. I had word from the owl we sent to infiltrate the capital confirming it. Blessed Wing Lara, Senior Thousand-Wing Johann, and Thousand-Wing Amelia have also received this report. It was my determination that the older the information, the greater the risk. My Seraph, you have my full apology for taking this decision upon myself without seeking your counsel.”
“No apology is necessary. Indeed, I don’t recall appointing a master of the owls who would not rely on his own judgment in a crisis.”
“Thank you, My Seraph.”
Sofitia acknowledged him with a small nod, turning the matter over in her mind. Twin Lions at Dawn has fallen apart. True, the defection of the Azure Knights has drastically weakened the imperial army, but even accounting for that, I don’t see the future bringing any chances for Fernest to turn the tables. The greatest problem is Darmés and the dead he seems to control. His horde of several thousand was apparently quashed, but if it really was his magecraft, the same thing will almost certainly happen again. And we must not fail to consider that the Azure Knights and the Eighth Legion were only able to deal with the dead because they are the elite. What concerns me more than anything else is the number of dead. It was possible to put down a few thousand of them, but what about an attack by tens or hundreds of thousands...?
Perhaps several thousand was the upper limit for the number of corpses Darmés could press into his service, but only a fool would base future strategy on such a convenient assumption. So long as Darmés’s powers remained an entirely unknown quantity, Sofitia decided it was best to act assuming the worst. Thus, a single choice remained to her.
“What did the other three say?”
“All were in favor of withdrawing.”
“I see. They do not disappoint.” Sofitia was pleased that they too had kept cool heads in making their decision. “I concur. You will therefore summon them back to Mekia.”
“I shall see to it at once, My Seraph.”
“Oh, and please tell Angelica to come to me.”
“Very well,” Zephyr said, then departed the Cloudy Chamber. Not long after, Angelica appeared.
“I have come at your summons, My Seraph!” she proclaimed.
“In high spirits as ever, I see.”
“My spirits are always high, My Seraph!” Angelica said with a friendly grin. Sofitia returned a quiet smile as she got straight to the point.
“I will be making a journey to the Artemiana Cathedral. I wish for you to prepare me a carriage and to act as my bodyguard.”
Angelica cocked her head dubiously. “You want me, My Seraph? Not the Seraphic Guard?”
“It will be a sudden visit. Appearing with a throng of attendants in tow would cause undue inconvenience for our hosts.”
“In that case, I’m your woman. There’s something serious going down, isn’t there?”
“Whatever makes you think that?”
Sofitia had not meant to show any outward nervousness. For one thing, anyone whose inner thoughts were easy to read was ill-suited to rule a nation. She stared at Angelica, wondering.
“Just a gut feeling!” Angelica replied cheerfully.
Sofitia kept back a smile. Now that she thought about it, the girl had always had good instincts.
“I thought we might leave in an hour. Will that work?”
“No problem at all, My Seraph! I shall await you at the palace gates!” Angelica saluted, raising two fingers to her temple, then trotted out of the Cloudy Chamber. Sofitia watched her go, her eyes on the enormous sword that entirely obscured Angelica’s narrow back as she idly wondered, Will such a large sword even fit in a carriage?
A large carriage with a large sword strapped to its roof clattered gaily along through the mountains. Sofitia and Angelica sat within as, for around two hours, the carriage climbed the gentle slope. Looming above them, in the midst of the northern mountains, was the heart of the Illuminus Church—they had arrived at the Artemiana Cathedral.