{"id":1774,"date":"2023-09-27T21:22:12","date_gmt":"2023-09-27T21:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/matrixwriting.net\/fanfiction\/?p=1774"},"modified":"2023-09-27T21:22:12","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T21:22:12","slug":"chapter-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/2023\/09\/27\/chapter-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter One"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Five years before the discovery of the Volcarren Wellspring<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAgain? Really? Why does Ahnvad keep bringing them back? What does he get out of it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does Ahnvad get out of anything he does?\u201d a tense voice replied. \u201cI never asked, and I don\u2019t care to find out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The voices came to Taelord slowly, their words distorted through the fog in his mind. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn\u2019t. He was barely aware of anything. Only the two voices, speaking at the edge of his mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did they try this time?\u201d the first voice asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCarts,\u201d came the reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe supply carts? They were trying to escape the Volcarren, not just Srung?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCan you blame them?\u201d Tense-voice asked. \u201cI\u2019ve thought about it myself a fair few times, and Ahnvad pays<\/em> me to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStill,\u201d the first voice said. \u201cThose carts were empty. That plan was never going to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you expect? They\u2019re desperate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the fog was beginning to recede. Taelord felt cold, and his arms and shoulders were stiff. He finally managed to heave his eyelids open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darkness met him, a void full of undefined shapes. There was light, in the form of a dancing gray shadow, only slightly lighter than the rest of the darkness. It flickered and moved, the afterimage of an obscured flame. Perhaps the light from behind a door, which was itself behind him, out of view. Where was he? What had happened?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat will Ahnvad do, you think?\u201d the first voice asked. It was much clearer now, and definitely came from behind Taelord, muffled by a door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf he wanted them dead,\u201d Tense-voice replied, \u201che would have killed them long ago, the first time they tried to escape. So he\u2019ll let them live.\u201d There was a pause for half a heartbeat. \u201cHonestly I don\u2019t know why he bothers. They\u2019ve defied him, tried to escape plenty of times\u2026 if it\u2019s a woman he wants, he could take his pick from Ter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s trying to prove something,\u201d the other speaker said. \u201cHe calls them his family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a snort. \u201cIf that\u2019s what he calls a family, then he\u2019s even more deranged than most of us think. He\u2019s not proving anything to anyone. The only thing I\u2019ve learned is that those two can\u2019t escape.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taelord\u2019s head was clearing. They were talking about them: him and his mother. That was obvious. They had tried to escape, using carts as they had said. And\u2026 And they had been found. Taelord couldn\u2019t remember much after that. The soldiers must have drugged them to keep them from fighting, and brought them back here, to Srung. To Ahnvad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The guards outside continued to speak, their voices hushed. Taelord blinked several times, trying to see where he was, but it was pointless. He was in Srung, of that he was sure. No other structure in the Volcarren had stone walls or floors like this. He could feel them through his bare feet, the stone chilling him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His arms were tied somewhere above him. He pulled experimentally, but whatever held him didn\u2019t give. He was tied to a wall somehow. Perhaps a metal bracket. He could feel the stone at his back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He could make out shapes in the darkness, black edges of sharp objects. The armory. It must be. Srung didn\u2019t have a proper dungeon \u2013 there had never been any need, with the Volcarren ready-made just outside \u2013 but the armory was close enough. There was only one door in or out, and plenty of handy sharp objects for\u2026 persuasion. None of those had ever been used against Taelord, but he had heard the screams on some dark nights, animal-like cries of pain leaking up from below the stone floor where he slept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The voices of the guards suddenly fell silent. Footsteps echoed in a hallway, and then light blinded Taelord, as the door behind him was thrust open. His eyes squeezed tight shut, he heard heavy booted feet approach, turn, and then stop before him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe door, Kel,\u201d a cold voice said. \u201cLeave it open a crack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The light dimmed, and Taelord blinked, his vision still blurred by the light. It flickered dimly \u2013 lanterns, in the hallway beyond. He blinked, and slowly the dark figure in front of him sharpened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Ahnvad. Taelord\u2019s father. Silent, arms folded, regarding him with a slight frown. He wasn\u2019t drunk \u2013 Taelord could see that. That was good. He got angry when he was drunk. He wore armor though. It was scratched, and sand had ground its way between the plates. His black hair was full of it as well, and his face was dusty. Had he gone after them himself?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He didn\u2019t say anything, and neither did Taelord. They simply stood there, staring at each other. Taelord wondered if Ahnvad could feel the heat of his anger. It built within him the longer he stood there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy, Taelord?\u201d Ahnvad eventually said. \u201cWhy do you keep trying to leave? And why do you insist on poisoning your mother against me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taelord glared at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t win,\u201d Ahnvad said. His voice wasn\u2019t raised, or sorrowful, or even curious. It was simply there. Cold. Unmovable. Unchangeable. As if every word it spoke were an absolute truth. \u201cWhy do you keep doing this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause we can<\/em> win,\u201d Taelord spat, unable to stop himself. \u201cWe can escape, we can leave this\u2026 all of this behind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahnvad regarded him. \u201cAnd do what?\u201d he said. \u201cLive in some secluded corner of Valhalla? Just you and your mother? You really think that would happen? You really think you would be happy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taelord wouldn\u2019t let him do that. His mother had begun to listen to Ahnvad\u2019s poison, but he wouldn\u2019t. \u201cWe can be free,\u201d he said stubbornly, glaring at Ahnvad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFree?\u201d Ahnvad repeated. \u201cFree from what, Taelord? You are Volcarren. You can never be free.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes we can,\u201d Taelord said. The words sounded hollow, standing here before Ahnvad, tied to the wall. But they were true. They had to be. \u201cWe can all be free of you. Every Volcarren. You\u2019ll see. Someday, the Volcarrens will unite, and rise against you. Then you\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm,\u201d Ahnvad said, nodding. \u201cIs that so? And what then? When these Volcarrens have slain me and claimed their freedom from this wasteland, what will they do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBe free of you,\u201d Taelord spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFree to do what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taelord looked at him for a moment, confused. \u201cFree to\u2026 do whatever they want. They\u2019ll have peace. Food. Safety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahnvad shook his head. \u201cThat\u2019s where you\u2019re wrong,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve sheltered you, Taelord, kept you safe within these walls. You don\u2019t know the wasteland as I do, nor the Volcarrens who live within it. Perhaps if you did, you would understand. Perhaps\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He studied Taelord for a long time. Too long. \u201cYes,\u201d he finally said, drawing out the word. \u201cIf you knew, if you understood, then you might agree with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ll never agree with you,\u201d Taelord said automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course you won\u2019t,\u201d Ahnvad said. \u201cAt first, anyway. You\u2019ll insist you are right, and search for a way to escape. Then, when you are foiled, you\u2019ll curse my name. You\u2019ll begin to realize the truth. And then, when you meet reality and stare into the cold heart of truth, you\u2019ll understand. You\u2019ll know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKnow what?\u201d Taelord growled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat you can\u2019t be free,\u201d Ahnvad said, his voice quiet. \u201cYou can never be free. None of you can. You are Volcarrens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat makes no difference,\u201d Taelord said. \u201cVolcarrens can be free just like anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahnvad raised an eyebrow. \u201cIf I were to set all the Volcarrens free today, what do you think would happen?\u201d He paused, watching Taelord. \u201cDo you think they would find a piece of land, settle down, become farmers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taelord was silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are fighters, Taelord,\u201d Ahnvad said. \u201cSurvivors. Barbarians. They know nothing of peace. They know only war and conflict. They must have it in their life, the same way you and I need to eat to stay alive. If they were free, they would bring that conflict to all of Valhalla. By keeping them here, I am preventing a war, a slaughter.\u201d He shook his head. \u201cYou speak of a future which cannot be, Taelord. Until you accept that, you will know only misery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He watched Taelord for a moment, and then turned to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re wrong,\u201d Taelord said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahnvad paused. \u201cAm I?\u201d he said, glancing at Taelord. \u201cYour mother doesn\u2019t seem to think so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019ll never believe you,\u201d Taelord spat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ahnvad glanced at him, a look almost like\u2026 pity? \u201cShe already does,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then he left, walking beyond Taelord\u2019s range of view. The door opened, Taelord squeezed his eyes shut, and then there was darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re wrong,\u201d he said into the blackness. \u201cYou\u2019re wrong, Ahnvad, wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWrong,\u201d he whispered, slumping against the wall, his arms held tight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWrong.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside, the Volcarren wind beat against the stone walls, sand grinding against them in a fruitless battle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Five years before the discovery of the Volcarren Wellspring \u201cAgain? Really? Why does Ahnvad keep bringing them back? What does he get out of it?\u201d \u201cWhat does Ahnvad get out of anything he does?\u201d a tense voice replied. \u201cI never asked, and I don\u2019t care to find out.\u201d The voices came to Taelord slowly, their … Continue reading Chapter One<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1774","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dawn-of-darkness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1774\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fiction.armyoffour.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}