Paragon of Destruction

Arran did not struggle or resist as the Rangers led them into the dungeons below the keep.

His Sense told him that there were two shards of Living Shadow higher up in the keep — Knights, he knew. If he tried to make an escape, the further away he was from them, the better his chances would be.

But more importantly, he would need a plan.

He could not simply rush out and hope for the best — not if he valued his life. He was no longer the foolish boy he’d been when he escaped the Academy prison, and he would not rush into danger blindly — not unless there was no other choice.

And for now, there might be better choices yet. The captain had not looked the least bit surprised by the steward’s judgment, which could only mean that he’d planned for this all along.

Still, Arran made sure to study his surroundings as they were led into the dungeons. If the captain’s plans failed and he had to break free himself, knowing the layout of their prison would certainly be useful.

He was relieved to see that the dungeons would be easy to escape. The steel-barred cells were made to hold Body Refiners, but not ones with Arran’s strength.

A bigger problem were the guards. There were hundreds of them in the dungeons, constantly patrolling the narrow hallways, with more than a few Rangers among them. And while none of them could match Arran, they could slow him enough for others to arrive.

Although he had no immediate answer to this problem, he did not worry too much about it. First, he would see what the captain had to say.

After some minutes within the dungeons’ corridors, the Rangers came to a halt before one of the few empty cells in the dungeons, and one of them opened the door and motioned for Arran and the captain to move inside.

While Arran had expected a few final insults, or at least some gloating, it seemed the two Rangers didn’t think them worthy of even that small effort. Instead, the Rangers closed and barred the door behind them at once, then departed without any further words.

For a moment, Arran remained silent, inspecting the cell’s interior as he considered the situation. There wasn’t much to see — there was no furniture or bedding, just bare stone walls and a single bucket.

Finally, he turned to the captain.

"You expected this."

It was a statement rather than a question. He’d seen the captain’s expression when the steward announced his verdict, and there had been no trace of surprise in the man’s dark eyes.

"So I did," the captain replied calmly.

"Then you have a plan," Arran said, this time with some uncertainty in his voice. While he already knew the answer, he still needed the captain to confirm it — to confirm that their present situation wasn’t the result of some disastrous miscalculation.

"So I do," the captain said. "Several, in fact."

At this, Arran let out a small sigh. Then, he sat down on the stone floor, and for several minutes, he remained silent.

"You’re Darian, aren’t you?" he finally asked. He’d long suspected it — it was the only explanation for the captain’s knowledge of the Imperium. And when they entered the city, Arran’s last doubts had disappeared.

"Not exactly," Captain Kaleesh said. "While I was born in the Imperium, I’ve never been a Darian citizen."

Arran frowned. "How is that possible?"

"Darian justice is a peculiar thing," the captain replied, a wry smile on his face. "A crime as small as stealing a loaf of bread might see an outsider hanged. And if the steward dispensing justice is in a particularly foul mood, he might see it fit to impose a lifetime of servitude on the thief’s children and grandchildren — even those who haven’t been born yet."

Arran understood that the captain was talking about himself, and he looked at the man with wide eyes. The punishment he described was beyond excessive — insane, even.

"Escaping the Imperium is no simple matter," the captain continued, "but with no hope of freedom, a young man might take the risk and chance his life to escape. Even the near-certainty of death is better than the certainty of a lifetime in slavery."

For some moments, Arran looked at the captain in wonder. The man’s lips still held a practiced smile, but his dark eyes carried no small amount of grief — grief, and hatred.

"But why did you return?" Arran finally asked. "If you risked your life to win your freedom, why return to the Imperium?"

The captain let out a mirthless laugh. "There are debts that must be repaid," he said. "And to repay them requires strength — the kind of strength only the Darians’ own secrets can provide." A vicious glint in his eyes, he continued, "Besides, what better way to slay an enemy than to drive his own dagger into his heart?"

Brow furrowed in thought, Arran gazed at the man before him. Finally, he got a glance at what lay beneath the captain’s cheerful exterior, and the sight of it was enough to cause him some shock.

"So you’re here for revenge," he said, at last understanding what Captain Kaleesh was after.

"I’m here to settle debts," the captain said. "And the time to collect my first payment is fast approaching."

Arran nodded in understanding. "So what’s the plan?"

"Before I answer that question," the captain said, "let me ask you one, first. Consider it an exercise in strategy."

"What’s your question?" Arran asked.

"Imagine having to kill an enemy," Captain Kaleesh said. "One whose might exceeds yours in every way. One whose skin your blade cannot even scratch, with a vast army at his command, and an impenetrable fortress to defend him." He paused for a moment, then asked, "What weapon would you choose to defeat such an enemy?"

At this, Arran’s eyes went wide with astonishment. "You intend to kill Lord Kadun?" he asked in a low voice, hesitant to even say the words out loud.

"Perhaps," the captain replied. "But consider my question. What weapon would you use against an enemy like that?"

Several answers came to Arran’s mind, but before he could speak, the captain cut him off with a gesture.

"No need to answer right away," he said. "Our execution is scheduled for the new moon, when the Imperium believes the gods’ eyes are closed. That’s three weeks from now, and by then, we’ll be long gone."

Although Arran already had a good idea of what the captain had in mind, he reluctantly held his tongue. Even in their current situation, he could not deny that pondering the matter would be a good exercise.

That, and it would give him something to pass the time. Because if he was right, they would spend at least several days in the cell, and likely longer than that.

This guess, at least, turned out to be correct.

They spent over a week in the cell, the captain lecturing Arran on strategy and tactics even if he refused to reveal his plan just yet. And as they waited, Arran became increasingly certain that the captain plans were far bigger than he could have foreseen.

Then, finally, Arran Sensed it — dozens of starmetal weapons within the keep setting into motion in a matter of minutes. And just moments later, he could hear a commotion in the dungeons, with guards hurriedly moving through the narrow corridors.

As the sounds reached their small cell, a smile appeared on the captain’s face.

"The wheels have been set in motion," he said. "Tell me, have you figured out my plan?"

"I think so," Arran replied. "The weapon you mentioned — the weapon to defeat a Lord." He frowned, then continued, "It’s another Lord, isn’t it? Rannoc, I think? You sent Sassun to him with the starmetal, to tempt him into conquering the mines."

The captain nodded in approval. "Very good," he said. "And how do you think I intend to strike down my target?"

Arran hesitated, but only briefly. "You expect him to meet Rannoc’s army, and be defeated."

At this, the captain shook his head. "Kadun is a fool," he said, "but not so great a fool that he does not recognize Rannoc’s strength. He’ll send out an army, but for all his talk of honor, he’ll remain in the city, with its impenetrable walls to protect him."

"Then what’s your plan?" Arran asked.

"Over the next few hours," the captain replied, "most soldiers will leave the city, leaving its defenses weakened. Once they’re gone, we will break out of here." A dark look appeared on his face. "And then, we will open a gate — and expose Kadun’s heart for Rannoc’s blade to pierce."

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