Lorian watched the door close behind the Commander. In his hand, he held a small, turquoise crystal shaped like a fallen tear. It was a Void Mirror, the relic of legend, but this specific model was smaller than the ones used for two-way communication across the continent. This was a storage vessel- a 'Memory Mirror'- meant to hold a single, preserved message until it was called forth.
Lorian looked at the stone. He could feel that his mind had become a whirlwind of confusion by that time. Lucien's parting words were still ringing in his ears. The Commander had forced a smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, as he said, "This is your father's last message to you. Listen to it. Maybe you will find the answers you seek, or perhaps it is simply a parting gift. Whatever it is, it was meant for your ears alone."
As Lucien had turned to leave, he paused at the threshold. "I know I am being selfish," the old soldier had whispered, his voice cracking with suppressed emotion, "I am asking too much of you, so soon after the tragedy. But we need you, Young Master. Your mother, your friends, the very stones of this city- they all need a leader. I beg you, for our sake, gather your strength. Transition from the Young Master into our Master as quickly as you can. Forgive an old man's desperation. Good night."
Lorian hadn't replied; he simply gave a short, numb nod. Now, alone in the flickering candlelight, he clasped the crystal in both palms. He closed his eyes and tried to focus, searching for that spark of internal energy required to awaken such an artifact.
But there was a glaring problem. A Void Mirror required mana to activate. It was the fuel that turned the glass into a window. And Lorian was a void- one of those rare, cursed individuals in this world who was born without a single drop of mana in his veins.
Why? Lorian thought, a surge of frustration bubbling up through his grief. Why would father give me this? Was this a final, cruel joke? A parting gift I can never open?
He looked at the turquoise tear, his heart was heavy. But then, he corrected himself. His father was many things- cold, demanding,- but he was not a man of pranks. Elmsworth would not waste his final breath on a trick. There had to be a reason. To lose faith in his father's intent now would be a grave insult to the man who had just been murdered before his eyes.
Lorian took a deep breath, clutching the crystal until the edges dug into his skin. He tried to visualize a spark, a flame, anything. But the stone remained cold and dark.
"Just imagine there is energy flowing through your body, identical to the blood in your veins," a familiar, gravelly voice whispered from the shadows, "Do not look for a spark. Look for the flow. Visualize that current rushing toward the tips of your fingers and pouring itself into the glass."
Lorian jumped. Azal'Gul. The damned demon had finally returned. But the usual rhythmic rapping of his was absent. The demon sounded different- serious, almost solemn.
"Easier said than done!" Lorian snapped at the empty air, "I have nothing to channel!"
"I know," Azal'Gul replied, in his deep and echoing voice, "Which is why I shall provide the current. Hold fast."
Suddenly, Lorian felt a violent influx of strange, freezing energy. It felt like a vibration that started in his marrow and radiated outward. His entire body shook, his teeth chattering as the energy propagated through his arms and into the crystal.
The turquoise glass didn't just glow; it ignited. A vibrant, turquoise light filled the room, casting long, dancing shadows across the walls. From the heart of the light, a holographic projection of Lord Elmsworth Throne began to materialize, standing tall in the center of the chamber.
"The perimeter is secure," Azal'Gul's voice drifted through the room like a ghost, "Listen well, boy. I will maintain the bridge."
The image of Elmsworth looked remarkably life-like. However, his tone was not filled with the usual terrifying gravitas of the Great Lord of Veridia. He sounded fatherly, his voice carrying a warmth that Lorian had rarely heard in person.
"My son," the projection began, "If you are watching this, then my final speculation was correct. You have changed. I suspected as much after you woke from your sleep- that you had been touched by a magnificent, perhaps even dangerous, power. Knowing that, my soul can rest in peace. I know now that Veridia is in better hands than mine, and that you will be the one to fulfill the dreams I could not."
The image of Elmsworth paced slightly, his eyes seeming to look directly into Lorian's. "But before we speak of the future, I must confess something to you. This is a burden that only you can bear. Not even your mother must know the truth of this. I know you are capable of such secrecy; I have watched you building your own shadows recently, haven't I?"
Elmsworth took a breath, his expression hardened, "As I was saying... the assassination was my doing. Yes, Lorian. You heard me correctly. I orchestrated my own death."
Lorian felt the world tilt. He nearly dropped the crystal as his knees buckled.
"When Lucien reported to me that a group of ten foreigners had slipped into the city; and that he suspected one among them to be Duke Azgar Zorat;- the entire board became clear to me," Elmsworth continued, "I understood immediately why Bianca Bistro had procured a Void Mirror. She intended to sell herself and her house to the Empire, specifically to Prince Ahiran. The Prince's hunger for beautiful women is a weakness known across the continent, and the Bistros were playing that card to save their necks."
Elmsworth's projection looked grim, "I predicted exactly what would happen in that courtroom. If I had lived, Veridia would have been caught in an impossible vice. We are not currently in a position to fight the Empire alone, especially while we are being haunted by an unknown internal conspirator. I knew the other city-states would not come to our rescue. At best, they would demand a heavy price for their help; at worst, after that they would take a bribe from the Empire in midst of war and watch us fall."
He shook his head, "And if we had simply given in to the Empire's demands and released the Baron? The popularity of House Throne would have plummeted. Our rivals would have used our 'weakness' to remove us from power. The City-State Alliance would have excommunicated us for bringing shame to the union. We would have been divided up like carrion."
"There was no other way out, my son. My death was the only move that saved our honor. A dead Lord is a martyr; a living Lord who bows is a coward. By dying at the hands of a 'Bistro loyalist,' I have robbed the Empire of their leverage and given our people a cause to unite behind. Do not mourn me. Do not waste your energy on grief. Instead... avenge me."
Elmsworth leaned forward, his voice dropping to a low, intense tone, "Let this be your wake-up call. You have potential, Lorian, more than I ever had. But you are shallow. You have spent your awakened life skating on the surface of problems, never digging deep enough to see the roots. You have never fully tapped into what you are. I hope this event stirs your soul and forces you to become the man you were meant to be. The city needs that man more than it needs me. I am passing the baton to you now."
"Before the light fades, I will leave you with three truths. Remember them always. They are the laws by which you must rule."
"First: Politics is indeed a game of chess. But you, like most men, concentrate too much on the pieces. You are smart, so you might win a few matches. But if you truly wish to rule, you must stop looking at the board and start looking at the hands moving the pieces. Find the player, and the board becomes irrelevant."
"Second: A man can love his brother when there is a forest between them, but he kills him when they share a fence. This is the statecraft of neighbors. In the shifting tides of empires, you will rarely find a 'brother' among those with whom you share a border. Distance creates peace; proximity creates hunger."
"Third: No matter how much you trust a person, never reveal your entire hand. Everyone in this world has a price, Lorian. Some are bought with gold, some with praise, some with love, and some with the cold hand of fear. You can never be certain when that price will be met. But listen- you will never sleep if you become a prisoner of suspicion. Trust everyone... but trust them with a pinch of salt. Never blindly. Keep secrets. They are the only things that truly belong to you."
The image of Elmsworth began to flicker as the energy waned, "Now, listen to your first order as Master. You will go to Lucien. You will tell him that the crystal remained dark, that you could not activate it. I love Lucien, and I know he is loyal, but he must not know you have this power yet. When you tell him you failed, he will give you a sealed letter. In that letter, you will find the location of the wife and children of Timothy Selmus- the 'assassin' I planted. He was a true loyalist who gave his life for the Throne. It is your duty to ensure their safety and their wealth. His wife knows the truth; do not let her grow to resent her husband's noble sacrifice."
Elmsworth smiled then, a genuine, tired smile, "That is all. Do not weep for me. I have lived my life to its fullest, and there is no more honorable death than dying for one's family and nation. I am satisfied. Make my sacrifice worthwhile. Fulfill my dream of making House Throne the most powerful name on this continent. Teach the Empire a lesson for what happened today."
"Live well, my son. Take care of your mother, your people, and finally... take care of yourself. My blessings are with you. Always."
"You are my pride, Lorian. I was always proud of you. I must stop now... I have to go finish the preparations for my own departure..."
The message ended with a soft, haunting chuckle from Elmsworth, and the turquoise light vanished, plunging the room back into a heavy, oppressive darkness.
Lorian stood there, the cold crystal pressed against his chest. His heart was no longer racing; it was cold and steady.
"A magnificent person," Azal'Gul whispered from the dark, "You humans are truly incredible creatures. To stage your own end just to win a turn... remarkable."