(Arc 3) 61: Regicide (Patreon)

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard properly. You want me to assassinate… a princess?” Vir asked as he clutched the chair’s armrests. His knuckles had turned white.

“I will not lie to you, Vir. This will not be a simple task. It will require everything you have learned, and then some.”

There was only one thought running through Vir’s mind: Is this a joke?

One look at the man told him that no, this was no joke. Riyan didn’t joke.

“If I ask why, I’m guessing you won’t tell me?”

“I,” Riyan said, pausing, “this is not a topic I have ever discussed. With anyone. Even after all this time. I once served in the Hiranyan army. ”

“What happened?”

Riyan leveled his stare at Vir, but his eyes were elsewhere, looking at memories of another time. “She slaughtered my wife and daughter to command my obedience. That is all I will say on this matter. Vir, do this for me, and you may consider your debt settled.”

“She killed your family? For disobeying her!?”

For the first time in the half year Vir had known the man, he saw fear and regret on Riyan’s face. For a moment, he looked like a frail, broken man. But then it was gone, his fierce predatory gaze regained in an instant.

“I would rather not speak of it,” Riyan whispered. Then he cleared his throat and continued as if nothing had happened. “For half a year, I have given you food, shelter, and training that you would never have otherwise had. I saved your life and the life of your friend in the Godshollow. I believe this is a fair request, is it not?”

“I…” Vir said, hesitating. “I don’t know, Riyan. This is a lot to ask.”

Vir’s debt was a heavy one. That fact had weighed on him for months. But to kill someone, and that too, royalty?

Riyan sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Vir, I am an old man. My glory days are long gone, and I would rather not resort to distasteful measures. Do you really want me to harm Maiya to ensure your cooperation?”

“You would do that?” Vir whispered, his face taut. “After all the time you’ve spent training her? You’re bluffing.”

Vir flushed with anger. Until now, he’d wallowed in indecision. But Riyan had erred. He should never have threatened Maiya.

“And if I am not? Can you afford to take that chance? I do not need to kill your friend for her to be useful to me. Her pretty face could be marred and she will still be able to perform her mission. Are you willing to do that to your friend, Vir?”

Vir jumped out of his seat. “You crossed a line, Riyan. If you lay a hand on her, I will kill you!”

“Oho? You? Kill me?” Riyan said, roaring with laughter.

There was no time to react. One moment, Riyan was relaxing in his chair, and in the next, Vir asphyxiated against the man’s monstrous grip, his throat slowly crushed as he dangled in midair, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

“You can’t kill me, boy. You can’t even injure me!” Riyan threw Vir back into his chair before leisurely returning to his seat. “If you try, I will first kill you, and then, once Maiya has completed her task, I will end her too.”

This is ridiculous, Vir thought, massaging this throat. Riyan was mercilessly exploiting his connection to Maiya. And now that she was gone, there was nothing Vir could do to counter him.

Does he know we were planning to escape tonight? Vir thought in alarm. But that seemed unlikely. And if he had known, the man would’ve brought it up to use as another bargaining card. Either way, his options were now extremely limited.

A realization dawned on him. “Those hunters in the forest. They were Princess Mina’s men, weren’t they?” Vir said, his gaze full of scorn for the man.

“They were. Mina has already made an attempt on your life. There is no escaping her now. I am not your enemy, Vir. You would do better to direct your hatred at her.”

No wonder he kept it a secret. If Vir had known, he might’ve guessed at Riyan’s intentions. If he knew a princess was trying to assassinate him, he absolutely would’ve fled with Maiya.

“I won’t sacrifice my life for your insane desires, Riyan. This is suicide.”

Riyan reclined in his chair and crossed his legs. “I ask nothing of the sort. If you are successful, then all is well. If you fail, then so be it, as long as Mina realizes she came within an inch of death. You might think me petty, but I am a realist. If she can’t be killed, I will settle for whatever I can get.”

“What’s stopping me from agreeing and bailing on you the moment I walk out that door?”

“I have eyes and ears in Daha. I will know if you have made an attempt on her life.”

Vir wondered if that was true, or if it was another bluff.

“Whether I succeed or fail, I’d be a criminal. I’d be running from the authorities for the rest of my life!”

“That depends on the skill with which you execute this mission. But,” Riyan said, stroking his beard, “I can help you disappear afterwards. Hiranya has no power in many other countries. Whether you decide to flee to Rani or the Altani, I can aid you.”

Vir didn’t like it. Though he didn’t hold any affection for Hiranya, the idea of him never being able to return irked him. There had to be a better option.

And there was one. Instead of assassinating the princess…

Though it angered Vir he’d threatened Maiya, if Mina was as evil as Riyan said, he’d be doing the world a favor by eliminating her. But if she was innocent? Or if she was at least honorable?

What if I joined forces with her instead? What if I expose Riyan’s plans instead?

The princess could easily eliminate the man with the forces at her command. And then she’d owe Vir a favor. Using her vast resources, he could locate Maiya. Not only would he not be a criminal, he’d be a person of honor to Hiranyan royalty. She might even reward him for his efforts!

The more he thought it over, the more it made sense. He’d test the waters and learn about the princess. There was no need to decide right now.

And regardless of which path he chose—whether to aid Riyan or work against him—it would be his decision, and not anyone else’s.

“How much time do I have for this?”

“I am in no rush. I have waited for this opportunity for years, after all. It will take time for you to build inroads in Daha. It will take time to come up with a plan,” he said, staring out the window into the sunset. “I think six months should be ample time.”

Six months? Vir’s stomach fell. He’d never been apart from Maiya for that long. It felt like an eternity.

“What about Maiya? How do I know she’s safe? How do I know you haven’t killed her already?”

“You don’t. I give you my word that no harm will befall her, but I don’t expect my word means much to you anymore. Tanya is with her. If anything, her task will have her growing even stronger. You need not fear for her safety.”

Easy for you to say…

No, he was thinking about this all wrong. If he contacted the princess sooner, he might be done with this task within weeks. Then he could search for Maiya himself.

Besides… time away from Maiya may not be the worst thing for his abilities. While Shardul had threatened not to help Vir again, there was a chance Vir could reason with him. If so, allowing himself to be possessed might lead to more power gains. And with Maiya out of the picture, he needn’t worry about Ekanai taking over and slitting her throat.

“Alright,” he said at last. “I’ll do it. But I will not risk my life for this. If the situation seems hopeless, or if I am in grave danger during the attempt, I won’t go through with it. The concession I’ll make is that if I fail, I promise to do as much damage in the castle as possible.”

“Acceptable,” Riyan replied, surprising Vir. Maybe the man was more reasonable than he’d thought?

“You will head out as soon as you pack your supplies. You may take one of my Ash’va, as well as any provisions you require. Take what you need.”

“T-thanks,” Vir said.

“Your expression says everything, Vir,” Riyan said tiredly. “Though you may not believe me, I am not an evil man. For years, I served as a general in the Hiranyan military. I have sent countless souls to their deaths. Trust me when I say that I do not enjoy seeing promising youths die. This task of yours is noble, whether you believe me or not.”

The revelation that Riyan had been a general came as a shock. Maiya had often stayed up late with him, gossiping about Riyan’s true identity, but they had always just assumed he was a fallen Sawai aristocrat. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine he’d led entire armies. The man’s vast wealth of combat experience made sense now.

“Why? I understand she killed your family, but what else has she done?” Vir asked.

“I could tell you stories about her, but I’m afraid they would fall on deaf ears. You have already labeled me as untrustworthy, and such, nothing I say about her will convince you. I urge you to learn about her once you arrive at Daha. Perhaps then you will understand.”

Vir suspected the real reason Riyan didn’t want to talk was on account of the painful memories they’d bring. On rare occasions, the man actually behaved surprisingly human.

“Uh, any tips you could tell me? Anything that would help?”

Though Vir wasn’t sure if he’d honor the agreement, he figured it wouldn’t hurt to learn as much as he could while the man was in a talkative mood.

“You have never killed a human before, have you?” Riyan asked, stroking his beard.

“I suppose you’ve killed your fair share?” Vir asked, not even wanting to guess how many lives had ended by his actions.

“More than I could count,” Riyan said calmly. “Your first kill is the worst, though you never truly get used to it. Not if you have a soul. But killing unarmed, unresisting civilians? Those haunt me the most, Vir. On occasion, I have been forced to slaughter innocents against my will.”

“Even as a general?”

“Especially as a general. As I said, this will not be easy for you. The one you are after has committed her fair share of atrocities—we will all sleep better at night knowing she is gone from this world. But killing is difficult for most. If you manage it, you will gain a… power, for lack of a better word.”

“You mean like a Talent?” Vir asked. This was the first he’d heard of such a thing.

The Ghost of Godshollow shook his head. “Nothing so tangible. Killing a human—and living with it afterward—requires a type of mental toughness that simply cannot be taught. It is the type of toughness that will serve you well in life. Such a thing is necessary in this world, Vir, no matter what anyone tells you. Especially for an Ashborn like you.”

“I… can’t say I understand, but I suppose I’ll know when the time comes,” Vir replied. “Do you know anything about the princess that might give me an edge? I’d hate to walk in with no information at all.”

“It is best that you do not underestimate that girl. She is far more clever than someone of your age. She is a Greater Mejai Sorcar for a reason.”

“What’s her Balar Rank?” Vir asked.

“About the same as you, as you currently stand. Around forty, last I heard. Though I would not be surprised if she is concealing her true might.”

Vir felt like this was all good for him. If she really was that smart, she’d be a fool not to cooperate with him.

“Vir, listen to me. You may bear no love for this kingdom, but I very much do. If left alive, that princess will assassinate her brothers and see herself crowned queen. But I fear that the day that she rules Hiranya is the day this country falls.

“If you thought life in Brij was difficult, life under her rule would be apocalyptic. Ashborn would be slaughtered on sight. Prana scorned, or those with weak affinities would be rounded up and sold into slavery. Thousands will die for no crime other than existing. You must eliminate her before that happens.”

Riyan took a breath to calm down. Vir had never seen the man this agitated before.

“I have a contact in Daha. He will approach you when the time is right. Leverage him to establish inroads within the city. You might think of joining up with the Brotherhood of Mercenaries. Their information network is not to be underestimated—I imagine they will be of use to you.”

“You’re telling me to infiltrate the royal castle?” Vir asked incredulously. “That seems impossible, even with my disguises.”

“That is certainly one option. A difficult one. You would have to develop relations with the more suggestive members of the castle staff. Such things take time—even the most vigilant cannot be wary over weeks and months, after all. Time lowers people's guard.”

“Sorry, but that still sounds near impossible,” Vir replied, “Even if I fake being Sawai, they’ll find out immediately once they cross check their records. I’d have to gain a legitimate reason to enter the castle, and I doubt I’d have much of a chance after, even if I could somehow get in.”

“As I said, it would be a difficult option. Lucky for you, Princess Mina is an odd girl, known to sneak out of the castle to wander about the city. Often alone. If you can find her, you could lay a trap. But I will not lie to you. No simple solution exists. If it did, I would have ended her long ago. She keeps tabs of every person of strength in Daha. She’ll need to be hit from a blind spot. By someone she’d never expect to be dangerous.”

“Like a prana scorned newcomer like me,” Vir said.

Riyan nodded slowly. “I will give you one word of warning, however. Choose the path that involves the least amount of combat. You are strong, yes, but against the Hiranyan Royal Guard, you will be mincemeat before you even notice them. Do not engage in a confrontation with the castle guards. Do you understand?”

Vir nodded.

“The princess has a personal bodyguard. Watch out for her. She used to be a soldier under my command; I can attest to her skills. Her Balar Rank should be around one hundred.”

Every detail Riyan revealed made this task harder and harder. It was a suicide mission, and Riyan must have known that.

“And you said my Balar Rank would be around forty?”

“Closer to thirty, I think. I would put your friend at around forty. Her magic is already potent, and she will only grow stronger.”

Of course, Riyan didn’t know about Prana Vision or Dance of the Shadow Demon. Vir suspected his rank was a fair bit higher than 30.

“Understood,” Vir said after a moment. “I… I guess I have no choice. I’ll go pack my things.”

He stole one last glance at the picture frame on Riyan’s bedside before leaving the man alone in his bedroom.

— —

Riyan waited for Vir to shut the door behind him before retrieving an oversized orb from under his robe. To say it was his most precious possession would be an understatement. This single orb could easily buy him a dozen homes.

“I take it there were no issues on your end?” he said, speaking to the orb.

Tanya’s voice came back a moment later. “None, General. Maiya did not resist. Luring her with the promise of power was a stroke of genius sir.”

“Good. See that her infiltration goes smoothly. She will be a valuable asset for us in the future.”

“Of course, sir. It will be done. Did all go well on your end?”

“As well as it could have. The boy is hesitant, though this is understandable.”

“Will he betray us?”

“I give it even odds,” Riyan said. “He may very well think he can reach out to the princess and lead her to me.”

“Isn’t that a problem?” Tanya asked.

“Were that girl anyone else? Yes. But this is her we’re talking about. If he manages it, so be it. My loss. Though I suspect fate will not bend to his will. Not at all.”