Path of the Stonebreaker

Chapter 79

Revelations of the Soul

Femira’s heart sank as Landryn spoke. How could they be so reckless? They were talking about tens of thousands of people that were going to die. Her hands were shaking and her chest fluttered. She glanced around at the zealous intent of the highborn, many were cheering their support. A few had the decency to look anxious or scared. Allyn beside her looked horrified, Vestyr with a matching expression.

“We must go Vestyr,” Allyn said, pulling the Aeth’s arm, “there is much to do.”

“This,” Femira breathed, “this is all wrong.”

“This is what the bloodshedders do,” Allyn turned to her and spat with vehemence, “your thirst for blood has thrown us into war with one of our longest-standing allies. This is not justice for Daegan,” Allyn choked, her eyes glistened. “This is greed and my father’s reckless ambition.”

Femira was taken aback by Allyn’s sudden outburst. The girl was already moving, Vestyr trailing after her. Allyn and Vestyr knew more about what was going on then she did. Femira needed to understand what was happening. She turned and decided to follow after them, back out onto the balcony. All of the nobles had gathered inside to listen to the King’s speech so the balcony was now mostly empty.

“Allyn,” Femira called out as she caught up to the pair, “you’re wrong! This isn’t what the bloodshedders were created for.” Femira shook her head as she spoke. She refused to believe that Landryn had willingly gone along with this. It was surely the will of the King and the War Council pushing him towards this. But then… why would Landryn agree? Would he not have stepped down rather than have issued that order? It doesn’t make any sense. Or did it? Landryn was still grieving for his brother. He wanted justice. He wants vengeance.

“This is exactly what you were created for,” Allyn looked pained as she spoke, “to kill.”

“No!” Femira retorted, “that’s not right, we’re supposed to protect people! I don’t know why Landryn is going along with this”

“Because he’s not the man I believed he was,” Allyn snapped, “I was wrong about him. How could I have been so blind…” Everything seemed like it was spiralling out of control. She needed to speak with Landryn. She needed to understand what was going on.

“This will mean more soulforgings,” Vestyr said to Allyn, his voice heavy with concern. “We cannot allow that to continue.”

“What is your problem with soulforging?” Femira whirled on Vestyr.

“It’s barbaric,” Allyn hissed, “offering people as lambs for sacrificial slaughter.” Femira recoiled at the anger in Allyn’s tone. Vestyr was nodding emphatically in agreement.

“You fucking hypocrite!” Femira spat at him, “you’re soulforged!”

“I tried to explain this to you earlier,” Vestyr said with reproach, “you and I are not the same. The power of my umbra is enhanced through a process called soulbonding. It is an ancient and non-destructive form of soulforging that my people have practised for centuries. What Garld and Landryn have been doing is sacrilege, it is a mockery of the gift of life.”

“You don’t know…” Allyn’s face dropped. The anguish on her face was enough to make Femira frown. “They didn’t tell you!” Allyn shook her head in disbelief.

“Tell me what?” Femira growled.

“The process that Garld uses,” Vestyr explained, “it is known to my people as soulrendering. It is where the Soulforger rips the souls of his victims apart. I told you earlier of the umbra. This is the part of the soul that gives us life. It is our quintessential life essence. It powers our runewielding and gives strength to the edir, it is the inherent nature of our very being.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“An umbra can grow itself over time. As one hones and strengthens their edir, the umbra grows with it. But the accelerated rate that soulforged like you demonstrate is impossible with a natural umbra. Your umbra has been infused.”

“Of course it has,” Femira countered, “it’s been infused with the earthstone—eradite!”

“Not just that… It’s been infused with the umbra of others. Your soul has absorbed the life essence of innocent people. Garld ripped apart their souls… tearing the umbra from their soul and suffusing theirs into yours.”

“And what does that do to them?” Femira asked.

“What do you think it does?” Allyn admonished, “death is the only way to break the soul apart.”

“It is worse than that,” Vestyr added sadly, “the umbra is the part of the soul that returns to the great sea of souls. It is the fragment of eternity in our soul that can live once again. This is why it is referred to as the Life Essence. Not even Ashamei—the Hollow of Death—can lay claim upon it, it is bound to our world and can be given life once more in rebirth. Garld has utterly destroyed their umbra and augmented yours with theirs. He has stripped them of their natural right of rebirth, all so that you could be a more powerful soldier. So that you can reap more death and destruction upon this world.”

“How many?” Femira breathed, “how many people were killed for my soulforging?”

“I don’t know,” Vestyr replied, “I’ve been trying to figure out Garld’s exact method so that we can expose what he’s doing. Judging by the jump in your abilities and that of other bloodshedders I have been observing, the umbra of three people, perhaps more… I can’t be sure.”

Femira’s mind raced. She thought back to her own soulforging. Her brain had blocked out much of the memory because of the physical pain. The dungeon-like room beneath the barracks where it had taken place was distinct in her memory… along with the five unconscious soldiers.

“Five people,” she whispered.

Garld had killed five people so that she could become stronger.

Five innocent people had died because of her. Because she had craved more power. She felt sick. The image of blood running in the gutters came unbidden into her memory. Of an Honorsword in golden armour shoving a sword into elderly man’s chest. Femira knew the man. His name had been Faiza and he’d taught Femira how to read and count.

Five people with lives and families had been killed for no other reason than she had asked for it. She had demanded it of Garld. Demanded their sacrifice. She felt Nyth murmuring inside of her in worry. It was confused. Confused why she was hurting. He sent her the mental image of the coiling armour wrapped around her. It was sent as a question. Like an offering. No, Nyth. I don’t need armour. She could feel her shoulders shaking. Her breaths came in short. She felt a coldness growing in her stomach and realised she was about to be sick.

Then Nyth sent her another image. It was an Honorsword only the face was wrong. The man was not Keiran, the face shifted and blurred and settled on Garld’s image. Short kept blond hair and clean shaven, standing with a bloodied sword. You’re right Nyth. And then another image. This one taken directly from Femira’s own subconscious. Garld in the dungeon, grasping a shining stone in one hand. His other hand placed on her forehead. And in the corner of her vision, the bodies of five people withering. Their skin shrivelling and flaking away like ash.

Nyth sent her more images. Scenes she didn’t recognise; a man in fine robes covered in glowing runes. A shining soulstone held overhead and a field of bodies. A male human-like creature with jet-black skin and bright blue eyes, soulstone in hand, a human woman at his feet, her body decaying in moments. These were images of Nyth’s memories? These were the Sorcerer Kings of Old. Wielding soulstone and shaping people into monsters.

“You’re right, Nyth,” Femira muttered. Vestyr and Allyn watched her with confused expressions. Femira met eyes with both of them.

“Garld… h-he has to be stopped,” Femira said with quiet intensity.

“That is what we’re trying to do,” Vestyr expressed.

“It’s not so easy,” Allyn added. “My father and Lukane see the soulforged as a means to fulfil their bloodthirsty goals. They will throw the continent into years of destruction if it means they will come out on top. And they’ll sacrifice as many as they need to do it. I had thought that maybe Landryn could convince them otherwise… but I was wrong.”

“Because he trusts Garld too much,” Femira realised, “but that’s because Garld has been manipulating him. For years, Garld’s been grooming him for this.”

Suddenly everything began locking into place in her mind. All the spying that Garld had her doing. All the secrecy and hiding. It was all to hide the truth of what soulforging was. But it was more than that… Ferath Vitares. The piece of this that still didn’t make any sense. He was soulforged. He was one of them and he turned against them. He’d killed Daegan Tredain and…

He was a bloodshedder. It was suddenly so painfully obvious. Garld had done this. Garld had ordered Daegan’s death. But then what were Misandrei, Jaz and the others doing up in Rubane if not looking for Ferath…

“I have to go,” Femira said with determination, making for the stairs.

“Where are you going?” Vestyr asked.

“To find proof.” Femira wasn’t so naive to think that Landryn would believe her outright. She’d lied to him so much already and Garld was his mentor. Garld had decades of carefully laid manipulation. But if she could uncover evidence that Garld had ordered Daegan’s death then she had a chance to stop this. This war could still be prevented.