The Pillar of Enera

[Chapter 34 part 1] Dawn - Kain's Curse

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“So you’re fine?” Light asked.

“Yes, look.” Silver showed off his hands. “It was nothing really.”

Last night they’d rushed Silver to John Lavinda, leaving the aftermath to Lily. On the way, Wise had calmed their fears by explaining the affliction. Burn injuries would begin burst aflame, spreading rapidly. Half the body was the point of no return where the transformation sped up and soul corruption began. Before then, recovery was possible.

“I can’t believe you snuck off without me.” Hope brooded.

“We couldn’t take you.” Soul reasoned. “We don’t know how the assassins are tracking you. What if it’s proximity based?”

“Then you shouldn’t have gone at all.” Hope snapped. This is why we kept quiet.

“Fayla, where’s Lily?” Free asked.

The fire sprite had gathered them east wing at day break. It was generous to let us sleep that long.

“With the press.” Fayla responded. “She wanted you here when she got back.”

“While we wait, Wise, tell us more about Kain’s curse.” Rose requested.

She wants the extra details. When they’d returned yesterday, Wise had immediately retired. This left them relying on their wrystals for the basics.

Kain was Kongal’s avatar during the dark age, the one trapped in Tartarus. What they’d fought was his plague on humanity. It’s a scary thing. While most ailments were reversible to some degree, Kain’s Curse was one of the ‘abominable scourges’ for which there was no cure. Once a carrier, you’re lost.

Besides physical contact, Kain propagated his curse through his link to Kongal. Outside the wards protecting civilization, burn wounds on those despairing would catch fire, leading to outbreaks. This meant the blight could never be completely eradicated. On the plus side, fire-based torture techniques have fallen out of favor.

Kain created partial doppelgangers of himself by grafting his appearance, pyrotechnic skill, and battle expertise onto his victims. Their souls became irreversibly tainted, compelling them to burn others.

Their weakness is their homogeneousness. Since every werewolf received the same combat knowhow, detailed information had been compiled about their abilities and tactics. Even their propensity to self-destruct was well-known. That would’ve been nice to know yesterday.

Wise smiled, “Fortunately I don’t have to tell you Kain’s story because Emelia here already knows.”

Emelia was back in new yellow gear, lying face down on the table, half-asleep. She’d been up late reporting to the Barsal Empire. I hope she isn’t recalled. Sparring with her had been extremely satisfying.

“Did someone call?” Emelia yawned.

“Yes, could you please explain about the Sirk and Kain?” Wise asked politely.

“Why would I do that?”

“Because you recently took a quest to hunt down werewolves in Angrim Dungeon. At the time, you read all about their history.”

This comment snapped Emelia awake, and she eyed Wise suspiciously. He takes getting used to.

“Using my ability for long tales is draining.” Wise pleaded. “I’m worn out too.”

This won Emelia over, and she nodded, “Fine, I suppose it’s fresh enough in my mind.”

“Back when Sola was reviving the deceased, a certain king visited Earth’s End. His kingdom, Jabor, was a feudal society which had just quelled a bloody uprising. Unnerved by the violence, he desired a solution to prevent a repeat. To everyone’s surprise, Sola answered the request and crafted the Sirks.”

“They were a race of half-dog and half-human designed for servitude. Lacking the confidence to challenge authority, their natural complacency lead them to not question their lot in life. They suffered an instinctive need to follow orders and were docile to the point of harmlessness. If this wasn’t enough, they were given a fear of blood so strong it sent them into paralytic shock.”

“The Sirks were a huge hit, and soon their use spread far beyond Jabor. Part of their appeal was that they could be efficiently segregated from society. Unlike half-breeds engineered by the HEAVENLY DAO, the Sirks did not have human faces and could only have offspring with their own kind.”

“How was this allowed to happen?” Soul interjected. “It’s so wrong…”

“You’re right.” Emelia agreed. “The Sirks were a travesty which should’ve been condemned. Unfortunately, Sola controlled resurrection. Although there was much outrage privately, few dared speak out. Rather, they took steps to silence opposition.”

“It was after the Black Banquet, that Sola released their true nature.”

“In the weeks following that massacre, the dogs morphed into wolves. They developed a fierce pride, and orders of any type would send them into rage. The smell of blood triggered a berserker state. Their physical appearance changed to reflect this new disposition. While they’d been mostly human except the head, their canine features enveloped their bodies, skin morphing into thick hides and sharp claws replacing nails.

“This did not end well.” Free predicted sadly. “Sola was awful…”

Soul should probably talk to her again. Dawn wasn’t talented in this department. She remembered trying to cheer Hope up. Why is it wrong to tell someone to accept that they aren’t good?

“So what happened next?” Rose pressed.

“After deadly uprisings, the surviving Sirks gathered in what used to be Jabor and founded their own nation in its ruins. They enthroned a king, Kain, who proclaimed their freedom.”

“For a brief moment, they enjoyed the illusion of free will. Then Sola reemerged and visited their new home. Unbeknownst to them, they’d been programed with an undying loyalty and love towards their creator. She needed only show her face.”

“Instead of ushering in an era of prosperity, Kain was forced to lead his people to extinction in a fight that held no meaning for them. The Sirks became a foundation of Sola’s genocidal army. As their numbers dwindled to nothing, Kain’s mind broke, and he became the strongest avatar of despair the world has known.”

The dashed hopes of an entire people and the king who utterly failed them… There’s no escaping something like that.

“This is why Kain stubbornly clings to existence. As the last of his kind, he refuses to fade away. His pride won’t allow it. Instead, he lurks in Tartarus cursing humanity for eternity.”

“Nicely told.” Lily said. Dawn hadn’t sensed her arrive. The legion of phoenixes mask her presence.

The immortal took her seat, “Astra is back. She’s swinging by the Guild and will be here momentarily.”

“Have you found how the outbreak occurred?” Rose asked.

That’s right. This was the big mystery. How did the Laughing Man spread the curse? Dawn doubted he’d snuck a werewolf onto the Isle. That left contagion via despair. Had impaling his victims been enough?

Lily frowned, “We’re still working that out. The Isle has wards against malevolent magic. If the civilized world wasn’t protected this way, there’d be outbreaks all the time. This should’ve been impossible.” Now it makes even less sense.

“Doesn’t this look bad for you?” Kate asked nervously.

“It definitively doesn’t help.” Lily admitted.

“Why’s that?” Silver was confused. Thanks for always asking the obvious.

Elbow on table and head in hand, Lily spoke in an off-hand, child-like way, “Domestic outbreaks of Kain’s curse are usually considered an embarrassment. They’re a sign of failing infrastructure and a despairing population. Neither are true in this case, but that won’t stop speculation. Since you all can’t come forwards as witnesses, it’s a rather difficult.”

“Fortunately, the casualties were low. It may sound callous, but five deaths in the Undercity won’t send anyone into a panic. The terrorist incidents, which took the lives of tourists, were far more problematic.”

“I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t contained them, hundreds would’ve died. My position would be infinitively worst.”

“So you’re not mad?” Hope exclaimed in relief and outrage.

“Not in the least.” Lily admitted. “Their actions were extremely foolish, but that foolishness was useful. Why would I be upset?” I wonder if that’s an appropriate attitude.

Lily perked up and turned to the terrace. Astra walked in with a grim man dressed in black.

“Why is Gareth here?” Lily asked.

“I found him waiting at the Guild. He says he has important intelligence concerning last night, so I brought him along. He already knows about the children.” Astra seemed irritated about the last part. Was it our fault?

Astra formally introduced the newcomer, “This is Gareth Black. He’s the former Mask of Xarst who hunted the Laughing Man for a hundred years. It’s safe to consider him an ally. It’d like to begin by hearing what he has to say.”

Gareth spoke in deep, soft voice, “For the past week, I’ve been investigating into the Tartarus break in.”

“Why?” Astra asked.

“Are you familiar with Simon’s history with the Laughing Man?”

“Yes.” Astra answered.

“I share that history. I’m one of the five survivors. That’s all the motive I needed.”

What’s this about? Dawn looked to Wise, but he shook his head. Must be a sensitive topic.

Gareth leaned back, “The Laughing Man never takes action without purpose. I traveled to Tartarus to uncover this larger goal.”

“And?” Astra inquired.

“He retrieved Kain’s right arm during the raid. The Empire is covering this up.”

Bang. Lily slammed the table, panicked, “You don’t mean to tell me the arm——”

“Is on the Isle?” Gareth finished. “Yes, that’s exactly what I suspect. Part of it must’ve been used last night.”

A tenseness enveloped the room. I don’t fully grasp the implications, but I’m guessing it’s bad.

Rose broke the silence, “How exactly were those people transformed?

“Few know this,” Astra explained grimly. “But there are three ways the curse can spread. The third method is proximity to Kain’s mummified remains.”

“It was a nightmare at first.” Lily added. “Dozens of guards and inmates were lost. We had to bury the bastard half a mile deep with multiple seals. How was the Laughing Man able to get to it?”

“That’s brings up the another matter.” Gareth said. “The Laughing Man had inside help. Tartarus’s security was compromised, and requests for backup went unanswered for fifteen minutes. The seals leading to Kain were also weakened ahead of time. Someone high in the Empire enabled this.”

“The Emperor?” Astra asked.

“Yes.” Gareth nodded. “Kain’s body is a biological weapon of terrifying proportions. Guarding it is one of the Empire’s most critical priorities. There’s no way a piece could be stolen. At least, not without the Emperor’s blessing.”

Wait, the Northern Emperor is targeting Hope? The assassins showed up the day of the Tartarus break-in, and both events happened after their Laughing Man encounter. So our enemy is the man who controls a fifth of Enera?

Gareth’s continued, “What puzzles me is I can’t comprehend Samuel Lithorn’s motive. The Laughing Man has harmed the Empires interest on several occasions. With all the resources under his control, the emperor should’ve had other means of undermining Lily.”

“That’s not all that’s strange. The Northern Emperor usually acts via means which can’t be traced. The terrorism and Arther’s death hold true to this. However, in this case, the arm’s disappearance would eventually leak, and the astute would put two and two together. Lithorn is acting openly.”

“Why’s he doing this?” Astra inquired.

“Desperation, I imagine. Something changed in the last week. The Northern Emperor’s very rule is somehow in jeopardy. Only a threat of that magnitude would justify Kain’s arm. What’s more, Lithorn fears revealing this peril to those close to him. Otherwise he wouldn’t be relying on a third parties.” What changed is us.

“Thank out for alerting us.” Astra spoke formally. “Could you stop by my office later to review the details?”

“Certainly.” Gareth got up. “Call me when ready.”

Dawn watched him walk onto the terrace and disappear. What the hell? One moment he was there, the next he wasn’t.

“Did he just vanish?” She asked.

“He moves extremely fast.” Lily said. “I barely saw it myself.” His speed must be near Astra’s if not higher. He’s strong.

“How did Gareth discover the children?” Lily asked.

“Kara told him.” Astra stated. “He was the one who convinced her to leave the Green Hell. According to Arther’s crystals, Gareth feels some responsibly for her wanton murders. He keeps in regular contact in hopes of reining her in, as he’s one of the few people she listens to. The Beast of Sanrune would be even wilder if he wasn’t around.”

“Now,” Astra said. “Tell me of last night.”

Once they’d finished, she spoke again somberly, “If Gareth is right, an event capable of toppling the Northern Emperor is in the cards. Furthermore, we have a weapon of mass destruction on the Isle. If the worst occurs, a Dark Age could begin.”

(continued in part 2)