Dan\u2019s door was kept locked night and day. Food was brought three time a day by a rotating staff of nervous-looking kyrie. They would unlock the door, edge inside, and then exit quickly, as if they were afraid Dan might attack them. Apparently his scene in the hall outside had not gone unnoticed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Occasionally, Aviir, the kyrie whom Vydar had sent, would accompany the food, and stay to talk with Dan. After the first few days, Dan determined to ask her why his door was kept locked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When he asked her, Aviir ran both hands over her hair, sweeping it away from her face. \u201cIt\u2019s because you\u2019re new,\u201d she sighed. \u201cYou aren\u2019t ready for everything which is out there. It\u2019s far better if\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am ready,\u201d Dan interrupted. \u201cI\u2019ve been ready for awhile.\u201d He rested his gloves on the table and leaned forward. \u201cI don\u2019t like being locked up, Aviir.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aviir looked at him out of tired eyes. \u201cYou aren\u2019t ready,\u201d she repeated. \u201cOnce the shock of where you are dies off, then you\u2019ll be let out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShock?\u201d Dan repeated, almost laughing. He sat back. \u201cI\u2019ve seen it all. I told you of SR.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aviir smiled weakly. \u201cYour \u2018SR\u2019 is not like the real world, Dan.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dan crossed his metal gloves, feeling the plates flex and slide against each other. \u201cIt\u2019s based on it though. How different can it really be? I\u2019m over the \u2018shock\u2019, Aviir. Let me out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou will be let out,\u201d Aviir said, a slight edge to her voice. \u201cVydar has summoned thousands. We know when people are ready to be let out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a moment they looked at each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen can I see Vydar?\u201d Dan asked, changing the topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVydar is busy,\u201d Aviir said. Dan thought it sounded automatic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI need to go back, Aviir,\u201d Dan said, leaning back in his chair slightly. \u201cI can\u2019t stay here.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou will go back when the war is over,\u201d Aviir said. \u201cYou know this.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause Vydar<\/em> said so?\u201d Dan asked, leaning forwards. \u201cI don\u2019t trust Vydar, Aviir. I need to convince him to send me back. And I need you to tell me how to do that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aviir glared at him – something she rarely did. \u201cNeither you nor I is going to convince Vydar of anything. You\u2019ve been summoned. You\u2019re staying. At the end of the war, you will be sent back.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was silent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Avirr changed tack under his gaze. \u201cVydar needs you,\u201d she said. \u201cWe all do. We can\u2019t win this war without you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t care about Vydar\u2019s war,\u201d Dan said, the words harsher than he had expected. \u201cI don\u2019t care about Vydar, or this land, or it\u2019s problems. They aren\u2019t my problems.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aviir regarded him reproachfully. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m leaving, Aviir,\u201d Dan said. \u201cNeither you nor your Vydar can stop me. And if he won\u2019t help me, then maybe the other Valkyrie will.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It was Aviir\u2019s turn to laugh, in a wilted sort of way. \u201cWhy would they help you?\u201d she asked. \u201cVydar\u2019s the one who summoned you, and he\u2019s been gracious enough to offer to send you back at the end of the war. What makes you think the other Valkyrie would be more generous than Vydar?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t generosity,\u201d Dan said quietly. However, he didn\u2019t go further. The last few times he had spoken ill of Vydar, Aviir had left. He still wanted to get more out of her. \u201cWhat about other ways back?\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOther ways?\u201d Aviir echoed. \u201cThere are no other ways. The Valkyrie are the only ones who can send you back.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo,\u201d Dan said dismissively, ignoring Aviir\u2019s look. \u201cI was told there was no way out once before, and that was a lie. There\u2019s always a way out.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere isn\u2019t,\u201d Aviir said, a trace of annoyance in her voice now. \u201cTrust me, if there was, others would have found it by now.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan glared at her. \u201cWhy are you hiding this from me?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? I\u2019m hiding nothing. There\u2019s no other way back, Dan. Did you hear me? No other way.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was silent, but continued to gaze at her. He didn\u2019t believe her for a second. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After a moment, Aviir stood. \u201cI\u2019ll be back,\u201d she said. \u201cMaybe tomorrow you\u2019ll listen to what I say.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan let her leave. She exited the room, closed the door – perhaps a bit harder than usual – and Dan heard the lock slide into place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI doubt it,\u201d he muttered to himself. The news of Dan\u2019s displeasure with Vydar must have spread, because nearly three weeks after he had been summoned, an unfamiliar kyrie entered his room. She introduced herself as Felda, and said she had heard of his feelings towards the Valkyrie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan smelled a trap. \u201cSo?\u201d he asked. \u201cWhy are you here?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was sitting at the table, and Felda stepped forward so that she was across from him. \u201cI\u2019m here,\u201d she said, \u201cto free you from Vydar. I\u2019m here to help you escape him.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was curious now. \u201cWhy?\u201d he asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Felda spoke in a rush, anger coloring her voice. \u201cBecause he\u2019s a possessive Valkyrie of extremes.\u201d She paused and composed herself. \u201cNot many see him for who he is, but if you do, we would like you to join us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hardly know him,\u201d Dan pointed out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know enough,\u201d Felda said. \u201cYou know he\u2019s summoned you here with no regard to your own life. But there\u2019s more you don\u2019t know.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was silent, inviting her to go on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVydar is possessive, incredibly possessive. He has to be in control over everything, and if he\u2019s not\u2026 well there\u2019s nothing he won\u2019t do. That\u2019s why we \u2013 me and my allies \u2013 are against him. He\u2019s too extreme. If someone is in his way, he will do anything to get rid of them. He\u2019s imprisoned people just because they stood up to him, and even executed those who wouldn\u2019t keep quiet. He\u2019s changed sides in this war twice, only because his allies wouldn\u2019t do what he wanted. He\u2019s even entertained the massacre of hundreds of prisoners of war, simply to make a point. He\u2019s not worthy to be a Valkyrie.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan knew enough to be cautious, but he agreed with what Felda was saying. He didn\u2019t know much about Vydar, but what he did know matched up with how she described him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur interests would be better served on our own,\u201d Felda continued, \u201cor under one who knows where to draw the line. I don\u2019t think you want to be his slave. I think you want to get out, and I can help you.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was about to agree, and ask what Felda had in mind, when the door opened, and Aviir came in. Felda whirled around, and for a moment the two kyrie stared at each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGuard!\u201d Aviir called behind her shoulder. Neither she nor Felda moved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrying to convert another?\u201d Aviir asked, stepping into the room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrying to show him the true colors of the reckless fool you serve,\u201d Felda spat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe is neither reckless nor a fool,\u201d Aviir said calmly. \u201cAnd,\u201d she added as a kyrie soldier appeared in the doorway, \u201cyou may now leave. I recall the captain of the guard banishing you from entering the Citadel quite clearly. Make sure she leaves,\u201d she added to the guard. The guard nodded, grasped Felda under the arm, and escorted her out of the room. Aviir closed the door behind them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat did she tell you?\u201d Aviir asked wearily, approaching the table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan saw no harm in telling her. He had no way to know if Felda had spoken the truth; the least he could do was hear Aviir\u2019s side of things. He told her everything Felda had told him, and then asked her if it was true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo,\u201d Aviir said. \u201cAt least not all of it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan was surprised she hadn\u2019t just denied it all. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d he asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, you first have to understand where she\u2019s coming from,\u201d Aviir said. \u201cBack when the war started, Felda\u2019s parents were followers of a kyrie called Kelad. Kelad, like nearly everyone else at the time, wanted Vydar\u2019s wellspring for himself. You remember how I told you Vydar started this war on the side of Utgar?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan nodded. Aviir had told him several days ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell,\u201d Aviir continued, \u201cKelad learned that both Einar and Vydar were intending to betray Utgar and join the alliance. I don\u2019t know how he found out, because it was a well-guarded secret, but timing was critical. Both Vydar and Einar had soldiers mixed in with Utgar\u2019s who needed to be extracted without raising suspicion. Kelad found out what they were planning, and realized he could blackmail Vydar into relinquishing the wellspring.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat happened?\u201d Dan asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKelad knew he couldn\u2019t just walk into Vydar\u2019s audience chamber and tell him what he knew; Vydar would imprison him without a second thought. He needed some sort of leverage. So he decided to tell one other person what he had found out, with instructions that if anything happened to him, that he would then tell everyone, and the secret would get out. That way, silencing him would not solve the problem, meaning Vydar would have to listen to him. It was a good plan, and might have changed a lot in the war. Unfortunately for Kelad, he put his faith in the wrong person. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe had entrusted the secret to a wounded samurai of Einar\u2019s, called Takuya Imai. Takuya held no rank, was discharged from service because of his wound, and was generally unhappy with his lot in life. Kelad thought he would be perfect, as he was virtually invisible to all those around him. Takuya had other ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe instant Kelad told him what he knew, Takuya went straight to Einar and told him the whole story. Einar apprehended Kelad before he ever reached Vydar, and for his loyalty, Takuya was made the commander of a forward outpost. Kelad was turned over to Vydar, who had him executed for conspiracy and treason. Most of his followers were rounded up, but a few, like Felda, remain, skulking in the shadows, trying to stir up trouble for Vydar.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan leaned back in his chair. \u201cSo you think I should ignore her then?\u201d he asked. He wanted to see what Aviir\u2019s reply would be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aviir took her time in answering. \u201cNo,\u201d she finally said. \u201cShe was right: Vydar can be extreme at times, but he\u2019s not as she paints him. There\u2019s only one thing you have to understand about Vydar, and that is that keeping his people safe is the only thing he cares about. The only<\/em> thing. Yes, he can be extreme, but you have to understand the reason why.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan looked at her dubiously. \u201cExtreme is still extreme,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aviir sighed. \u201cDo you know why he joined Utgar at the start of the war?\u201d she asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan shook his head. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEveryone expected him to join Jandar and Ullar. Ullar especially believed this. Ullar had been trying to claim Anund for years before the wellsprings were discovered, and now that he had a wellspring, the regional governors were bowing to his control one by one. Vydar saw Ullar\u2019s rule as oppressive; Ullar treated Anund like a conquered territory, not part of his own land. So when Vydar found his wellspring and Ullar tried to take it, Vydar stopped him. He had the people of Anund behind him, but Ullar was far more powerful. So, to protect his people, Vydar did the only thing he could do: he called on Utgar for aid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUtgar gladly flooded Anund with marro, probably thinking that when it was all over, he would claim Vydar\u2019s wellspring for himself. That never happened. The occupying marro began contaminating the rivers and lakes of Anund with their filth, and Vydar\u2019s people grew sick from the contamination. When Utgar refused to remove the marro, Vydar turned again, this time with Einar, joined the alliance, and drove the marro from Anund by force. Ullar still wanted Anund as his own, but since Vydar now had an army of his own, Ullar had to respect his wishes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aviir stood. \u201cThat\u2019s why he\u2019s extreme, Dan,\u201d she said. \u201cHis people are threatened from all sides, and he\u2019s vowed to do anything to keep them safe. He doesn\u2019t care about land or glory or riches. He cares only about his people. In this war very few things are certain, so the fact that Vydar\u2019s loyalty to Anund has never wavered, means something. It\u2019s something we can hold onto. And in a war like this, people need something to hold onto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBelieve Felda if you will. Some dislike the extremes Vydar goes to. But you can never say that he\u2019s selfish. He\u2019s probably the most selfless kyrie I\u2019ve ever met.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n And with that, Aviir left the room, leaving Dan to evaluate her words for himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Dan still didn\u2019t like Vydar, but if what Aviir had said was true, he at least understood where he was coming from. He knew he would do absolutely anything to get to Heleer, for example. That, at least, Dan could understand. Dan\u2019s door was kept locked night and day. Food was brought three time a day by a rotating staff of nervous-looking kyrie. They would unlock the door, edge inside, and then exit quickly, as if they were afraid Dan might attack them. Apparently his scene in the hall outside had not gone unnoticed. Occasionally, Aviir, … Continue reading Chapter Twenty-two – Kelad<\/span>
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