The Silver Sphinx

 

“The bond of love is stronger than the bond of blood.”

tenet of Orbona, Olympic goddess of orphans

 

 

Third Hive Day of Mortis, 126 HR

Sarin walked across the courtyard of the Barracks together with his adopted daughter Yaëlla. Legally speaking, she was still his slave, not his child, but in their hearts, he and his wife Faith had never seen her as anything else than their daughter. The beginning of this story lay almost nine years in the past, when he had been a prefect under Factol Delazar and Yaëlla, then eight years old, had been a slave to a cambion prince and favorite of Graz'zt. The cambion had been doing business in Sigil and had brought some of his slaves with him, including Yaëlla. The tiefling girl had used her stay in the city to escape. Unfortunately, she had been recaptured - by a decurion under Sarin's command. For slaves, escaping was usually punishable by death in the Abyss, and demons cared little whether they were children. Sarin, of course, could not reconcile with his conscience that a child should die because one of his officers was doing his duty. So he had done the only thing possible to save the girl: he had bought Yaëlla outside Sigil, as slaves brought into the City of Doors were not allowed to be resold there. Fortunately, the cambion had no longer been interested in the rebellious child, and since the sum offered by Sarin had significantly exceeded the girl's value in the Abyss, the demon had agreed.

Faith and Sarin had wanted to release Yaëlla, but the laws of Sigil did not allow this without further ado – so as not to encourage people to buy slaves on a large scale and bring them to Sigil. A period of ten years had to pass before a slave acquired outside the Cage could be released in Sigil. And so the bizarre situation arose in which he and his wife Faith owned a slave. Officially, she was the nanny for their younger children - and unofficially, she was their adopted daughter. They had let Yaëlla grow up with their own children, she had the same tutors and was involved in all family activities. In about a year, the deadline would expire and they would release and adopt her. But that was unofficial and not even within the faction did the common soldiers or lower-ranking officers know about it - even if many suspected it. In the Barracks, Yaëlla was sometimes called Sarin's tiefling daughter, which of course did not escape his notice. He didn't like to hear it because it carried the risk that it could become known that he and Faith were only formally complying with the law in this matter. On the other hand, he appreciated that the members of his faction suspected the real reason for this rather unusual constellation.

That late afternoon, Yaëlla had come down to the courtyard to talk to him, and luckily he had been able to spare the time. The Barracks' courtyard was as busy as ever, a jumble of soldiers doing combat drills, messengers arriving or hurrying away, blacksmiths repairing equipment and griffons flying back and forth across the courtyard to the Griffon Tower. But Sarin was able to block out all the ambient noise as he walked beside Yaëlla. She was a year younger than his eldest daughter Marinda and now almost as tall as Faith, a delicate yet resilient girl he had watched grow up over the years. She had fair skin, purple hair and violet eyes. The most distinctive feature of her tiefling heritage were her long ears, reminiscent of a goat's. She had just told him her plans for further education after completing her final year of school.

“The Apollonian Academy of Arts, then.” Sarin nodded, not particularly surprised. Yaëlla had always had a great love of painting and had made considerable progress in recent years. Some would say she had talent. Undeniably, but Sarin knew that a lot of practice had gone into it. He himself was not an artist, but a warrior, yet he knew that if one was really good at something, whether it was with a brush or a sword, it didn't just drop into one's lap. One had to work hard for it.

He realized that he hadn't answered her question, but only repeated it, when she looked at him with her violet eyes, a little worried. “I know that painting may not be what you had in mind for me,” she said. “But it's what I want to do.”

Sarin stopped and looked at her. “Yaëlla, it doesn't matter what I imagined for you. If you want to enroll at the Apollonian Academy and it makes you happy, then of course you can do that. I mean, if art is calling you, who am I to stop you?”

His smile as he said the last words made her beam with joy. Sarin felt a brief stab in his heart. She had experienced so much darkness, so much suffering in her young life. She had seen the horrors of the Abyss and the cruelty of demons. And yet she had managed to keep an unbreakable soul that yearned for beauty and creativity.

“Oh, thank you, papa!” she said. He could see that she would have liked to hug him, but didn't dare in the relative public of the Barracks' courtyard. He felt another twinge inside. But that would soon be over ... Instead, she just smiled at him. “I didn't really think you'd mind. Mama said it would be fine.”

“Oh, I see,” he replied, amused. “So you already arranged it with Faith beforehand?”

“Not really,” she assured him quickly. “We just talked about it. Of course, you both have to agree!”

“Yes, all right.” He waved it off with a laugh. “When is the matriculation?”

“Not for a few months,” Yaëlla explained cheerfully. “I just wanted to ask you now to make sure everything works out.”

He remembered the day he had rescued her from the clutches of the cambion, a frightened, intimidated child. Now she had grown into a strong and confident young woman. “Yes, you’ve always been well organized, unlike some of my other children,” he said with a smile. “Just let us know when the time comes. I’m sure you’ll be able to develop your skills there.”

“I definitely want to,” she replied. “And I want to use my art to ... help in some way, you know? To show the beauty that exists even in the darkest corners of the planes. To give hope.”

It was all the enthusiasm of a seventeen-year-old that spoke from her words, and Sarin had to smile. “I'm sure you will achieve that. But don't pressure yourself too much. Lady Erin would probably say that art can exist for its own sake. You don't necessarily have to save the world.”

“Well, I'll do my best to do both,” the tiefling girl replied resolutely.

Sarin put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her briefly, public or not. “I'm sure you will, Yaëlla.”

They continued their walk, and Sarin watched his foster daughter out of the corner of his eye. He thought about the challenges ahead, about the dark forces gathering in the shadows. These days, he sometimes wondered if he would be able to protect her and his other children, to give them the future they deserved. He would certainly do everything in his power to do so. Then he paused as someone approached them - a woman with golden blonde hair and white feathered wings that clearly showed her celestial heritage. Sarin recognized her immediately as Lady Morânia of Wolkenfels. As she drew nearer, her curved horns were also visible, reminding him of her succubus ancestry. Sarin didn't usually think about it, but in light of current events, the thought briefly crossed his mind. He wondered what kind of relationship Morânia's mother, an alu, had with her own mother. Whether Morânia even knew her tanar'ri grandmother, whether she had ever met her. He decided to ask the Cipher about it one day, when the situation arose and the topic didn't seem too intrusive. But that day was certainly not today. He waved Morânia over and could now see that she was wearing knee-high boots with light-colored pants, a simple tunic and a frock coat embroidered with suns and moons on the lapels - the suns symbolizing her god Lathander, the sun and moon together symbolizing her faction.

 

 

“Factol Sarin.” The bal'aasi bowed low before approaching. “It was very spontaneous that a reason arose to disturb you. Am I inconveniencing you?” Her gaze wandered briefly to Yaëlla, who nodded in a friendly manner.

“Of course not,” the paladin replied amiably. Since he had made his decision about the kiss, he felt a little fatalistic, but also more composed and calm.

Yaëlla, however, gave him a worried look. Faith and he had not yet spoken to the older children about what was going on behind the scenes, but of course they instinctively sensed that something was wrong. Children always sensed such things.

“Yaëlla, I must excuse myself,” Sarin said, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “I have a private conversation to attend to, it seems.”

“Of course, Factol,” the girl replied, curtsying.

For such a long time now they had been feigning that she was only his slave, and Yaëlla was so used to it that it came quite naturally. But Sarin was gradually growing tired of it, and it was only a few months until Faith and he could adopt her. So he gently held her back. “It's all right,” he said, stroking her violet hair briefly. “Lady Morânia will find out soon enough.”

She smiled. “Yes, father. See you later.”

Her words made him realize how important it was to him that she would soon be able to say that in front of strangers. Once more, she nodded to Morânia, who stood at a respectful distance, and then strolled away across the Barracks' courtyard.

“Yaëlla grew up with my own children,” Sarin explained. “She is like a daughter to my wife and me. In a few months, we will be able to release and adopt her. But until then, not everyone should know.”

Morânia smiled warmly. “Of course, Factol. I won't tell anyone.”

Sarin nodded gratefully and led the visitor across the courtyard to a small group of trees with some wooden benches underneath. When he asked the bal'aasi to sit down, he got the impression that she looked a little exhausted.

She took a seat, and when he eyed her expectantly, she cleared her throat. “I'm here because of ... well, because of that matter. We've learned some news that might be important.“

Sarin immediately guessed what she was referring to. ”From one of Jana's visions or from the Envoy?“ he asked.

”The second,“ the Cipher replied. ”As for Jana's gift, she's currently experimenting with the blood of bullfrogs from Cathrys because of its hallucinogenic properties. She hopes to trigger her visions intentionally. But I think her formula still lacks something. She wants to extract the active ingredient and either enrich it or bind it to a carrier substance, if I understand correctly.”

The factol frowned. “I'm not sure whether that kind of experiment is advisable. But that's for Jana herself and perhaps Terrance to decide. At least for that I'm not responsible – and glad about it.”

“That's understandable, my lord,” Morânia replied. “And because it didn't work, I woke the Envoy again. We were in the House of Visions, and she answered seven questions.”

“Seven?” Sarin raised his eyebrows in amazement. That was two more than the usual five, which might explain why the bal'aasi looked so exhausted. “Are you all right, Lady Morânia? To tell the truth, you look as if you’ve overexerted yourself.”

“I have,” she admitted. “But we thought it made sense, and I wanted to do what I could to help Lereia, Yelmalis and Garush on the one hand, and you on the other.”

He nodded seriously. “I thank you, Lady Morânia, I really appreciate it. And what did the Envoy reveal?”

“We first asked whether the kiss and its possible effects could be undone by means of time travel. The answer was: Unlikely.” She looked at him apologetically, as if she herself were responsible for the answers given and the facts associated with them.

However, this information did not surprise him. “I was afraid of that,” he said with a sigh.

“And I should probably stay away from messing with time again. I don't even know what the consequences of the last intervention will be.”

Morânia nodded sorrily. “Even though I don't like it, I agree with you, Factol. Based on that answer, we then asked whether the kiss is necessary for the Prophecy to be fulfilled. And the answer was: No.”

This answer was more surprising. Until now, Sarin had assumed that the kiss demanded by Red Shroud and the Prophecy were connected, especially since Hope had been found in Broken Reach. On the other hand, there was the question what the Prophecy to be fulfilled actually meant. Basically, they didn't know. And it didn't change the fact that the lives of the three prisoners depended on this kiss. But before he speculated, he wanted to hear what Morânia had to say, so he signaled her to continue.

“We then asked if the prisoners will be poisoned,” reported the bal'aasi. “And whether an antidote will be Red Shroud's reassurance. The answer was: No. The Envoy confirmed that the prisoners will be unharmed when handed over. However, and this is the worrying part, the Envoy also explained that Red Shroud will only partially abide by the agreement.”

Sarin snorted indignantly. “Well, what a surprise. Were you able to find out more about what partially means?”

“Unfortunately, only rudimentarily,” Morânia explained with regret. “The Envoy said that Red Shroud will not hand over the prisoners within an hour after the kiss and that it is uncertain whether she will do so voluntarily. We couldn't ask any more questions after that. But these answers naturally led to a lengthy discussion. And the result, my lord, is that we now consider this kiss even more risky than we did before.“

Sarin had an idea how this debate had unfolded, but he didn't want to forestall Morânia. ”And what led you to that conclusion?” he asked calmly instead.

“It is unclear whether the kiss will lead Red Shroud to voluntarily hand over the prisoners,” Morânia explained. “Moreover, it apparently has nothing to do with the Prophecy. You will probably not be able to undo the kiss with Yelmalis' help. In conclusion, we may have to resort to other means anyway. We therefore ask you to reconsider your decision in this matter.”

“But there's a problem,” Sarin replied seriously. “I promised Red Shroud this kiss. And if I suddenly change my mind, she won't bring the prisoners to the neutral meeting place. Then they'll remain in Broken Reach - and most likely die.”

Morânia nodded. “It seems undisputed that we must meet with her as agreed. But we still need some kind of trump card to play against Red Shroud. And we might even have one. Do you know a plant called skull orchid?“

”No,“ the paladin replied skeptically. ”But it doesn't sound like something you'd find on the Upper Planes.“

”Unfortunately, that's true,” the bal'aasi admitted. “This plant can be used to make one of the most deadly poisons in the multiverse. It cannot be cured, not even by powerful clerics.”

“That's just what I'd expect of this ... woman,” Sarin growled, ill-humored.

Morânia couldn't help but smile briefly. “Unless ... you have the antidote, which is almost impossible to find outside Red Shroud's chambers.“

”Now I'm impressed,“ admitted the factol. ”I'd better not ask where you got it.“

”We would be very grateful,“ Morânia explained. ”But I promise, everything was above board.”

At this hastily added assurance, Sarin couldn't help but smile a little. “That's not what I was aiming for. But it's good to know we have it.”

Morânia nodded. “We have to consider the possibility that she will use this poison. Do you want to take the antidote?”

Sarin shook his head. “Keep it. If anyone is going to be the center of attention in two days, it's me - unfortunately.”

“Thank you for your trust, my lord,” the bal'aasi replied. Then she hesitated, and it was clear that there was another unpleasant point to address. For a few moments, she let her gaze wander over the courtyard of the Barracks, then she pulled herself together. “There is one more thing, Factol. It has to do with the poison of the skull orchid I just mentioned. Or rather, obtaining the antidote gave my husband Naghûl an idea. He is convinced that Red Shroud does not want to corrupt your status as a paladin or gain influence over you, but rather to kill you.” She visibly struggled to maintain a matter-of-fact tone, but was not entirely successful.

However, Sarin sensed that he was more annoyed than shocked. “This is getting better and better,” he growled. “And how did your husband come up with that?”

“His theory is based on the following points: For one thing, you are a powerful paladin and she knows that you have powerful allies. So she won't rule out the possibility that you could protect yourself against her influence. For another thing, your deed is pure and good. You don't want to kiss her because you crave her, but because you must in order to save the lives of others. You are a paladin, so you do what your goddess would consider right.“

”At least, I hope so,” Sarin muttered.

This was precisely where he had felt an uncomfortable sting of doubt ever since his decision in the Great Gymnasium. Would Iomedae approve of his actions? He hadn't asked her for a sign in prayer - perhaps because he feared the answer ... So he said nothing more, but signaled to Morânia to continue. Judging by her expression, the bal'aasi had noticed his feelings and interpreted them correctly. But she was too discreet and too much of a Cipher to touch on a subject he clearly did not want to discuss.

She continued in a matter-of-fact tone. “Then there is what the Envoy said: It is possible that Red Shroud will betray you. At first, we thought she just wanted to extort you or us further. But perhaps it is not the kiss she wants so badly, but something else entirely: your death. At least, that is my husband's theory, and he asked me to set it out to you.“

Thoughtfully, Sarin shook his head. ”But what would she gain from that? Another factol would succeed me - one over whom she would certainly have no influence.”

“That's true, on the one hand. But who can claim to have brought the factol of the Harmonium to his knees, successfully extorted him and then killed him?” Morânia raised and lowered her white-feathered wings, which seemed to be an apologetic gesture. “I am quoting my husband, Factol.”

Sarin could understand Naghûl's line of thinking. It wasn't entirely unreasonable. But he wasn't sure if the Sensate had correctly interpreted the motives of the Mistress of Broken Reach. “Or maybe Red Shroud would rather damage me than kill me. Hoping that I lose my status as a paladin. Or that the story becomes known and my reputation suffers so much that I am no longer acceptable as factol. And that this would cause even more chaos than my death. We should also remember the verse that Elyria and Lorias revealed to me. Begin to dare means: fall and yield. And falling can mean many things for a paladin.”

Morânia nodded seriously. “Yes, Factol, that is true. And that verse ... it occurred to us as well, of course.”

Sarin smiled, albeit with a hint of exhaustion. “Thank you, Lady Morânia, I appreciate your concern and all your efforts. But whatever happens, it will most likely be impossible to prevent. Perhaps because of my actions in Excelsior.“

”I wish I had an answer to that,“ the bal'aasi said regretfully. ”But my gut feeling tells me that not even the Envoy could give us a definitive answer. I hope our theories haven't upset you too much?”

Sarin sighed. “I'm also considering the possibility that Red Shroud is trying to kill all of us. I'm considering pretty much every hopeless situation and misfortune in this matter. Insofar, no, not really. But the antidote gave me some reassurance. Since you're here, I will give you the details of the meeting. It will take place in an abandoned palace at the border of the Court of Light.“

”The realm of the goddess Shekinester.“ Morânia nodded in understanding. ”On neutral ground.“

”Yes, the nagas who inhabit the realm rarely interfere in the affairs of others. The meeting will take place in two days, so we don't have much time. On the other hand, I prefer sooner rather than later. Terrance, Ambar, Mallin and my wife Faith will accompany me. I also want Kiyoshi, you, your husband Naghûl, Jana and Sgillin to attend. Yes, Sgillin too. I think the Chosen have a role to play here, despite the Envoy's answer that the kiss and the Prophecy are not dependent on each other. That would make a total of nine people. But we should also take one of the other group's Chosen with us. After all, two of the hostages are theirs.“

”That's true,“ Morânia agreed. ”Perhaps Tarik? His abilities as a psion could be helpful.“

”Certainly.“ Sarin nodded. ”But the gifts of the others also play a role. However, we don't know in detail what Dilae and Sekhemkare are capable of. I'll find out, but ultimately the decision on who to send with us is up to the other group. I will meet with Mallin later, and that will be one of the topics we discuss.“

”Oh, I wouldn't want to interrupt that conversation under any circumstances,” Morânia assured, a little too emphatically.

Sarin had to laugh at her reaction, and even the bal'aasi herself smiled when she realized that she had unconsciously stood up from the bench when Mallin's name had been mentioned. “Then I will go to see Rhys and tell her everything,” she said. “It's a breach of protocol that I came to you first. But I felt that in this particular case, you should be the first to know.“

Sarin also rose. ”And I thank you for that. Please ask your factol to forgive me. You can explain that it was my manner in general and my current tense situation in particular that made you think it appropriate to come to me first.”

Morânia smiled. “Then this is exactly what I will do, Factol. The Lady's Grace be with you.” She bowed in farewell and then walked away across the courtyard.

Sarin remained standing under the trees for a while. The Last Light had now given way to the night, and many windows in the Barracks were lit. He looked up at the Griffon Tower, at the row of windows directly below the battlements. The rooms of his family's quarters were lit, too. The table was probably set for dinner by now, the younger children running up and down the hallway, while some of the older ones had to be called out of their rooms several times. He would go upstairs, Faith would jokingly admonish him for coming home so late again - everything would be as it always was. Tonight, tomorrow night ... but the day after tomorrow? After the kiss? Would everything still be the same? Or would something change? For him? For him and Faith? For his entire family? What would this fateful decision bring? He sighed deeply, pushed the thoughts aside and then headed towards the Griffon Tower. There was no point in worrying about it. Today, everything was still all right - and in case it wouldn't stay that way, he should enjoy it all the more.