The Broken Halo

Rowan stood outside Lorne’s northern gate with Celeste, Sir Luke, and Adrian. Beyond them, the road led toward Hale, the next city on the journey to the Northern Wall.

A dark-grey vehicle waited at the roadside, blue lines glowed along its wheel housings as the Aether engine warmed. It had four seats, thick armoured panels, and windows that darkened when the sunlight struck them.

Celeste looked at it with undisguised frustration.

”We should have been saying goodbye at a transfer station.”

”Saintess,” Luke said gently.

”He wouldn’t even let Rowan use the kingdom’s teleportation devices. Sending him away wasn’t enough.”

Rowan adjusted the strap of his bag.

”It’s not that bad. I haven’t seen much outside Miresti. Now I’ll get to.”

Celeste tried to smile.

Adrian opened the rear compartment and placed some items in it.

”We’ll stop in Hale first. I’ll send word whenever we reach another city.”

”Thank you again, Adrian,” Celeste said. ”I know what I’m asking of you.”

”I’ve grown fond of him,” the guard replied. ”I can at least get him to the Northern Wall safely. Besides, someone needs to stop him from practising until he falls over.”

”That hasn’t happened for a while,” Rowan protested.

”It hasn’t been a while since anything happened to you.”

Luke gave a short laugh. Celeste reached into her pocket and brought out a silver ring.

”This is yours.”

Rowan accepted it carefully.

”A spatial ring?” he asked, turning the plain band between his fingers.

She nodded and showed him how to reach its contents with a little Aether. His attention passed over packed crates, folded clothing, and neatly arranged equipment.

”Food, water, money, spare clothes. There are thick furs for the north. Don’t wait until you’re shivering to put them on.”

Rowan kept looking through the contents.

”There are heatstones you can carry inside your coat,” she continued. ”And a warming lamp for wherever you sleep. I know you have fire affinity, but there could come in handy. There are also aether crystals, healing potions, bandages, maps, a communicator...”

His attention stopped at a row of sheathed weapons.

”Those are C-grade. A spear, an axe, daggers, and a bow. Adrian can help you decide which ones you’re ready to practise with on your way to the Wall.”

”And the sword?” Rowan asked as he perceived that the sword was different compared to the others.

”That one’s B-grade.”

He looked up so quickly that she laughed.

”B?”

Human weapons and artifacts used the same grades as their ranks: F, E, D, C, B, A, and S. A B-grade sword was equipment for warriors who could flatten his little training yard.

”Saintess, how much did this cost?”

”The sword was mine. I want you to have it.”

”But-”

”You can thank me by keeping it,” Celeste said. ”There are weaker weapons for everyday practice. Don’t try forcing power through the B-grade blade’s formations before you can handle them.”

Rowan closed his hand around the ring. A few days ago, he had hesitated before asking Adrian for a cheap practice sword.

Celeste took out a narrow bracelet and fastened it around his wrist.

”This carries a barrier charge. There are spare charms in the ring, grenades for attacking, and a recovery charm to keep a serious wound from killing you before help arrives. They’re already charged, so you won’t have to supply all that power yourself.”

Adrian leaned closer as she told him all these.

”I’ll go over everything with him before we leave Hale.”

”Please do.” Celeste checked the fastening. ”I wanted better protective artifacts. Father has blocked access to the royal stores, and I couldn’t afford the higher-grade ones.”

Rowan stared at her with a wry smile.

”You’ve packed more than I could carry with both arms, and you’re apologising?”

Her fingers stopped on the bracelet.

”Thank you,” he said, more quietly. ”For all of it.”

His Master stepped forward with a thick, leather-bound book, its cover was worn at the corners and narrow markers protruding from the pages.

”And this is from me.”

”My swordsmanship and martial arts. Everything I’ve learned about them over the years. There’s material on Aether, what I know of demonic energy, and notes on beasts, territories, and the places I’ve served.”

”Your own book?” Rowan looked at the familiar handwriting on the first page.

”I added some instructions for you last night. Read those first.”

”Thank you, Master.” Rowan held it more carefully than he had the ring.

”Don’t decide that because you can copy something, you’re ready to use it. I’ve marked the requirements.”

”I’ll check them.”

”And don’t ignore your wounds even the minor ones.”

”I won’t.”

Luke studied him, then put a hand behind his neck and drew him into a brief embrace.

”Make sure you come back in one piece.”

Rowan nodded against his shoulder.

After Luke released him, Rowan turned toward Celeste.

”Could I speak to you alone for a moment?”

”Of course.”

They walked a few paces toward the gate’s outer wall, remaining within Luke’s sight. He joined Adrian by the vehicle to give them some privacy.

”I did what you told me,” Rowan began.

Celeste tilted her head.

”About what?”

He wanted to tell her about The Honoured One, the violet panel and its offer from someone who called himself the Almighty.

”The promise. When I looked through the list of Blessings, there was an offer from-”

A rope snapped on a passing delivery cart.

A crate tipped over the side. Celeste caught it with a movement of her hand before it struck the pavement. The driver shouted an apology and hurried down to secure it.

She turned back to Rowan.

”Sorry. What were you saying?”

”The offer. Its owner called himself-”

Their vehicle’s horn sounded sharply.

A porter had stepped backward into the lane behind it. Adrian caught his sleeve and pulled him clear as another car passed.

Rowan waited until everyone had settled.

The driver of the cart thanked Celeste again. Traffic resumed. Nothing else seemed wrong.

She gave Rowan her attention.

”Go on.”

He drew in another breath.

A gust caught the corner of his master’s book, wrenching it from beneath his arm. Rowan grabbed it before it hit the ground.

The air became calm.

He straightened with the book clutched in both hands.

But he noticed that something was odd.

Everytime he tried to tell Celeste about the strange Blessing, he was always interrupted.

Three times, each just as he was about to say it. Rowan tried to dismiss the thought. There were carts, vehicles, people passing. Accidents happened.

But when he looked at Celeste and prepared to try again, coldness spread through his chest.

He knew, without knowing how, that finishing the sentence would put his life in danger.

Celeste touched his elbow.

”Rowan? You’re shaking.”

He swallowed.

”I kept my promise.”

”About the warning?” Celeste asked.

He nodded, and she came closer.

”What happened? Did someone offer you-”

”Please don’t ask,” Rowan said hurriedly.

Celeste fell quiet. He looked toward the road. Everything was peaceful again.

”I can’t explain. But I listened to you, and I’m not going to change my mind. Please believe me.”

Celeste searched his face. He hated how frightened he must look, but the words he wanted to say would not feel safe no matter how long he waited.

”All right,” she said at last. ”I believe you.”

His shoulders loosened.

”Thank you.”

He hesitated, then put his arms around her.

Celeste held him tightly. For a little while, neither spoke.

”Don’t stop looking after yourself because I’m not there,” she said near his ear.

”I won’t.”

He drew back enough to look at her.

”You should sleep and eat more, too.”

Celeste laughed softly, although her eyes had grown wet.

”I’ll try.”

Unknown to Rowan, the interruptions had protected him.

Earth itself had turned those small accidents toward his conversation, stopping him before he drew attention neither he nor Celeste could withstand.

The world had begun investing in Rowan Grey. It needed a hero capable of defending it against the beings that wanted to destroy it, and those that had kept it enslaved.

It would not let a careless and ignorant confession cost it that possibility.

When Celeste had spoken the warning in Rowan’s room, her protection had come from elsewhere. Her Lord had sheltered her through the faint golden light of her cross.

Neither of them knew how close a few ordinary words could bring them to death.

They returned to the vehicle.

Adrian was waiting by the driver’s door.

”Ready?” the guard asked.

Rowan looked at Celeste and his master. He wasn’t, but he doubted waiting would help.

”Yes.”

Luke checked the bracelet once more before letting him climb in. Celeste stood beside the open door until Rowan had fastened his belt.

”Tell me when you reach Hale,” she said.

”I will.”

”And when you reach the Wall.”

”That too.”

She nodded but didn’t move. Rowan smiled at her.

”I’ll write before you have to come looking for me.”

”You’d better.”

Celeste stepped back. Adrian bowed his head to her and Luke, then took his seat.

The Aether engine gave a low hum. Rowan kept his master’s book on his lap as the vehicle pulled onto the northern road.

He watched through the rear window until Celeste and Luke disappeared behind the gate traffic.

Then he opened the book.

The first page carried a line in Luke’s handwriting.

Read the warnings before the techniques.

Rowan laughed under his breath and turned the page.

For now, the soldiers of the Northern Wall knew nothing about the boy being sent to join them. Before long, they would be carrying the name Rowan Grey into taverns, barracks, and military reports in the north.

———

Later that morning, Edmund Montclair stood at a palace window overlooking the approach from the northern road.

His butler waited behind him.

A car stopped below. Celeste emerged first, followed by Sir Luke.

The king watched them cross the courtyard.

Celeste looked up.

She found him behind the glass, and for several seconds neither looked away. Luke followed her attention. His expression hardened when he saw who was watching.

They stared at one another for until Celeste broke the eye contact.

She continued toward the entrance, with Luke beside her, and both disappeared into the palace.

”Your Majesty?” the butler asked.

Edmund kept his eyes on the empty courtyard.

”Hire assassins. I want that gutter rat dead.”

”The Saintess sent an escort with him.”

”Then hire people who can handle an escort.”

The butler inclined his head.

”Beyond our borders?”

”Yes. And I want proof when it’s done.”

Edmund turned from the window.

”Let his blood appease the God of Light. I will not let a useless daughter and some village brat bring ruin on my kingdom.”