Prologue: Memories of the Past

In a suburb of Lainur’s capital, one young man was glaring at three others. Outnumbered, he knelt on the ground, while the three stood composed above him.

The man’s name was Eido. His body was wrapped in a cloak, and he wore a black knitted hat on his head. His face was slender and his cheeks slightly hollow, and the eyes he glared with were long and narrow. The outfit he wore was designed to be inconspicuous; his presence was so insubstantial that he would simply disappear the moment he slipped into the shadow of a nearby building.

These three men had attacked the hideout of Eido’s group, starting an all-out fight. The battle was unexpected, and Eido’s men had been scattered, although his strenuous efforts had allowed them to retreat and recover. In the end, however, he was left outnumbered. Even if numbers weren’t a problem, these three men were absurdly powerful, both as magicians and as soldiers. One-on-one, Eido might have been able to hold his own, but it was impossible when one man fought while the other two were ready to provide support at any time.

The battle, so fierce it tore up the ground and sent thunderous roars through the air, was reaching its climactic final act. Eido’s breathing was ragged; his shoulders heaved as he looked up at the three victors. His face was creased with loathing and touches of bewilderment and desolation.

These men led the most influential vigilante crew in all the capital’s dark corners. The man on the right had silver hair, tanned skin, and a burly build. Despite his lavish appearance, there was an air of gloom around him. His eyes seemed to blaze, and it was obvious he was sulking. His most striking feature was the constant, intense heat rolling off his body. It was as if embers of rage burned within him, setting his aether ablaze. His name was Craib Raytheft—or it was, before he changed his surname to Abend.

The man on the left was Renault Einfast. His hair was the color of bronze with long bangs, and his build was slender. Even from where he stood a pace away, there was a powerful air of hot blood and unquenchable spirit around him; the atmosphere thickened around him, as if standing near him, you stood in the shadow of a great tree or an ancient, towering boulder.

Between them stood the third: a man with blond hair and blue eyes. His was a well-trimmed appearance which would put any nobleman to shame; he was by far the haughtiest of the three, and very much left the impression of a spoiled brat. That was why, despite the stronger presence of the other two, he didn’t disappear between them. In fact, the very sight of him was just as overwhelming as the glaring midday sun. His aether dwarfed that of his companions by an order of magnitude, and it was enough to make him glow.

They were a motley crew. Perhaps it was the generosity of that man in the middle that let them get on so well despite their differences. Eido already knew all about that kindheartedness. Even while he stood against the three, Eido fully admired the golden-haired man, named Lai, for his magnanimity.

Only a few years ago the capital was in a terrible state. Villains used to crowd in the shadows, and to take a single step into that darkness put your every possession, your body, and your soul at risk. Each passing night came with another body found in the street. The military police had neither the reach nor the will to weed out the problem root and branch, and people were forced to live out their days in fear. The crown dawdled, and the nobles were too caught up in their own petty disputes to pay the issue any attention.

Two groups, one led by Eido and another by Lai, emerged to stand up against the villainy. They monitored the wicked deeds playing out in the corners of the capital the military police would not touch. They worked together to flush out the ruffians and restore peace to the city. On occasion they would brawl over a difference in ideology; even then, they considered each other respectable rivals and understood that they shared a common goal. Thanks to their activities, the capital grew steadily safer by the day. Eido was starting to have hope for the city’s future—that it could return to the peaceful place it once was. The city could become a place everybody could be proud of, if only Lai’s group would join hands with his.

That hope was betrayed. Betrayed by the authorities as they finally got off their backsides to restore public safety. Once the state was involved, they had no choice but to get results. The state intended to solve the problem by creating an “obvious villain” and punishing him—and it was Eido’s group who would take the fall.

Eido’s group had no hand in the crime wave, of course—but nobody believed their claims. The whole maneuver had been conceived by nobles who resented his having outshone them and undermined their own less than scrupulous affairs. Eido’s crew’s hiding places dwindled by the day. His last resort was to turn to help from Lai’s group.

He believed they, at least, would lend him a hand. Instead, Eido was met with contempt, as if all their years of negotiation and cooperation counted for nothing. It was more than a rejection; Lai’s group capitalized on the moment of vulnerability to strike and corner Eido and his crew. It didn’t take long for Lai’s overwhelming power and merciless strategy to drive Eido and his men up against the wall.

“The magpie sings a simple tune. That song flows from the heavens and into the ears of all who stand in the way. A never-ending round. The rain-soaked eaves. Despair from the heavens. The falling rain tastes of iron.”

“Cascading Arrows.”

“Turn the wrath within me to flame. Scorch the skies with your cry and incinerate all in your path as you become a burning arrow.”

“Flamlarune.”

Eido and Craib each recited an incantation. Craib’s spell was similar to the old standby Flamrune in both incantation and effect, but the power behind it was on another level. His fiery lance crashed against the black arrows raining down from above. Eido barely had time to register the arrows burning to nothing as the intense heat from Craib’s spell forced him backwards.

Eido was out of options. His body and aether were exhausted. He could do nothing but raise his voice against those he’d trusted.

“Why?! Why turn on us?!”

“Because you’re in the way. Obviously.”

“In the way?”

“Yep.”

Eido gritted his teeth; his voice was strained as he spoke again. “I know we’ve fought against each other in the past. But I thought we understood each other. I thought our goals were aligned!”

His outburst received no answer.

“Why are you casting us aside now?!”

We needed you!

“The friendship we shared! Does that mean nothing anymore?!”

We believed in you!

“We celebrated our victories together! Or was that all a lie too?!”

We were together!

“Did you ever believe in the dreams we shared with each other?!”

He needed to know whether they were lying to him or this was all just some huge, cruel joke.

“Answer me!” he demanded.

Eido did not receive the response he was hoping for.

Lai averted his gaze. “Everything was a lie.”

Eido’s body froze. This was a man he had always believed he could trust with his life.

Renault stepped forward then.

“Wait, Renault,” Lai warned.

“Let me deal with him, please.”

“No. This is something I have to do.”

“But—”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll step back, Renault...” This time, it was Craib who spoke. He sounded bored.

Renault scowled, but said “very well,” and withdrew as he was told.

“You stay back too, Craib.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Lai came to stand in front of Eido. “Get out of my sight, Eido. Leave the capital.”

“Why should I?”

“You will. Whether you want to or not. Tear. Shatter. The firmament forewarns of a crashing torrent. Give form to the principles of Heaven and Earth, then take those exquisite principles and come down with a crash!”

Artglyphs gathered in Lai’s hand, radiating a golden-yellow light which spilled out as far as the eye could see. The light split the heavy clouds in the sky clean in two, forcing them to give way to a giant magic circle.

“I’m warning you, Eido. Leave.”

Eido said nothing.

“Eido!” Lai roared, leveling his spell at the man in front of him.

A deafening roar cracked through the air, the vibrations striking everything around them. A blinding flash seared Eido’s vision, and the next second everything was thrown into the air. The magic had called forth a bolt of lightning that crowded out the air above and shattered the ground with an oppressive blast of heat, leaving nothing but persistent plumes of smoke.

When they did, Eido was nowhere to be seen.

“Y’don’t think you went a bit overboard there?” Craib asked, panic sharpening his voice.

“A strike like that might have been a little too much, even for Eido,” Renault agreed.

“Eido’s strong. Too strong to treat him with kid gloves. I’m sure he’s fine.”

The spell hadn’t killed Eido. His comrades hidden in the shadows had helped him escape. Lai was sure he would have had a split second to escape, not least because he’d purposely delayed his attack.

Eido had lost. They would see neither hide nor hair of him again, and he would eventually leave the capital altogether. All without knowing the truth lurking behind their battle here tonight.

“Y’sure this was for the best?” Craib asked.

“Yeah. We’re nobles whether we’re fit for it or not, and there’s still so much we can’t do anythin’ about. This was the only way to spare their lives.”

“We couldn’t have helped ’em hide or somethin’?”

“Where, exactly? Every seedy little borough of the capital is gonna be plowed down and rebuilt. The underground’s been handed off to the Langula House. There’s no space for them in the capital now.”

“Perhaps we ought to have told them the truth,” Renault suggested.

“If we did, they would’ve insisted on staying and fighting, and I don’t think we’d have been able to talk them out of it. Even if our side won, we’d end up taking the heat for it. For the nobles, a low status marks you as an ideal scapegoat.”

“Will Eido really be able to make his escape?”

“He’ll be fine. He’s got rabbit holes and hidden passages all over the capital. No way the nobles’ll notice them with how half-assed their perimeter is.” Lai looked at the spot where Eido had stood mere minutes earlier. “I’m sorry, Eido. I wasn’t strong enough. But I will be. I’m gonna get all the power I need to make this city the bright, peaceful place we always wanted. I know I’m not giving you a choice here, but I’m gonna make this promise to you anyway.”

Lai deeply regretted betraying Eido as he did. “You’re one of us, Eido. Don’t die on us. As long as you stay alive, we can join forces again in the future, just like we used to.”

Lai could only pray that Eido would keep himself safe, as one might pray for the eternal happiness of a departing friend.

So ended the day Lai—later King Shinlu Crosellode—and Eido parted ways.

Eido woke from a nostalgic dream of his flight from the capital with his surviving companions, still reeling from Lai’s rejection and their total defeat. Eido was badly hurt, but he had managed to escape with his life—at the cost of his beloved city. It was already teeming with nobles setting about their work; had he stayed, it would only be a matter of time before they found him. Eido’s group didn’t have the strength, numbers, or even a plan for fighting back.

And so, Eido made use of a passage he’d built in secret to leave the capital through the undercity, headed west. There, he would begin his long, long stint as a recluse. It was only later that he learned who Lai really was, and that his companions were state magicians who would earn the names Crucible and Stronghold.

One of Eido’s men appeared silently within the tent.

“Boss.”

“What is it? Are we out of food?”

“No. There are Imperial soldiers outside. All armed.”

“So they really did plan to get rid of me once I served my purpose, I see.”

“What should we do?”

“Just what we planned, of course. Use all the traps if you need to; just make sure everyone gets out.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll worry about myself, so you all worry about yourselves, okay?”

The man smiled at Eido with a hint of irony in the curve of his lips. “This is just like when we escaped from the capital, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but now we’ve had practice. This time we’re fully prepared if someone decides to betray us.” Eido got to his feet and threw his cloak around his shoulders.

“You’re going?”

“Of course. This is the only chance left to lure out Shinlu Crosellode.”

This had been Eido’s plan all along: to get the Empire and Porque Nadar on his side and use their capture of Prince Ceylan as bait for Shinlu. He was never going to hand Ceylan over to either of his “employers.” This was all so that he could pay Shinlu back for betraying him twenty years ago. Certain unexpected developments had thrown off the early stages of the plan, but he hadn’t lost his chance completely.

“We’ve heard the prince is with the magician called Waterwheel at the moment.”

“We know him very well, don’t we?” Eido said.

“He always got in our way back in the capital.”

“He could’ve gone further if he wanted to. I remember that used to get on my nerves.” Eido smiled as he reminisced before addressing his years-long subordinate again. “Survive. We still have our goal to achieve. Don’t let anybody die needlessly till we do.”

Hours passed. The Empire’s soldiers stationed in Nadar received the news that the ambush on Eido’s group had started. When communication suddenly stopped entirely, they sent out a party to investigate. The first party consisted of the strongest soldiers, almost guaranteed to be able to wipe out Eido and his men. They would have finished by now; the only explanation was that they were wasting their time doing something else.

What the investigative party found was a mountain of bodies. The casualties came from both the Empire and Nadar, but not a single one belonged to Eido’s men. Some had fallen into traps. Others fell victim to magic. Most of them bore wounds in their backs and sides. It could mean only one thing: these soldiers, planning to launch a surprise attack, were themselves ambushed.

Needless to say, the tent in which Eido and his men had slept was empty.

The officer in charge of the investigation called to one of his men. “How are things looking over there?”

“I’m sorry, sir. There are no survivors.”

“To think the Black Panther Cavalry was wiped out by so few men...”

“I can barely believe it. These were men who allied themselves with thieves, and yet the Empire’s best wasn’t enough to defeat them.”

“That only goes to show how powerful that man really is. It would take an incredible soldier or magician to take him and his troop out. One whose name is known across the land.”

“Just who is this man, sir?”

“Eido, the Lacuna. I’ve heard he’s a fearsome magician who used to throw his weight around in the kingdom’s underbelly. When it all came to a head, he fled the capital after a chaotic battle,” the officer murmured. Suddenly, he spotted a black shadow at the tip of a broken spear: a torn fragment of Eido’s cloak. “But it seems even he did not escape unharmed.”

There was a dark red stain on that scrap of cloth. From the size of the stain, the wound would have needed a very powerful healing spell to fix it up—and spells like that cost a lot of aether. Eido had two choices. Either he would sacrifice the aether required to heal the damage, or he would suffer the anxieties of letting it heal naturally.

“I find it hard to believe that even the general made the mistake of underestimating Eido’s true power.”

“Your orders, sir?”

“Send a message to General Leon. What we do next is up to him.”

The soldier mounted his horse and hurried to inform the general.