his hands flat atop the table, Faxon chose his next words carefully.
“Simply put, in Old Eutracian, Crysenium means, ‘Place of Peace,’” he explained. “Crysenium is not a country, a province, or even a city. It is a stand-alone construct of the craft, lovingly built and maintained by the gifted people you see at this table. Crysenium serves but one purpose-to secretly welcome you into our midst. Until Crysenium existed, we could not guarantee your safety. We painstakingly built Crysenium just after the Orb of the Vigors sliced through the Tolenka Mountains, joining the world’s two sides.”
“Where are we?” Tristan asked.
“We are even deeper inside the territory where Borderlands sometimes rage,” Hoskiko said. “Even so, the Borderlands occupy but a small portion of our world’s total landmass. Xanthus has already explained your journey, and what you endured to reach us. We therefore know that you already understand the Borderlands’ changing nature. Had we known that an army of the Ones was advancing, we would have waited, then sent Xanthus to fetch you later, when it was safer. As a group, we humbly apologize for the hardships you endured.”
“You say that you created Crysenium deep inside the Borderlands,” Tristan said. “It seems that you must have used magic to do so. But Xanthus told me that magic was of no use in the Borderlands.”
“True enough,” a female voice said from the table’s other side. “But there is more than one way to skin a cat, as you on the world’s other side are so fond of saying.”
It had been Alma who had spoken. Alma was easily as old as Hoskiko, with short gray hair. Even from across the table her eyes bored into Tristan’s.
“I don’t understand,” Tristan said.
“Even though magic is useless when the Borderlands are activated, the vast majority of time the area is the way you see it now, through this room’s window,” Alma said. “Crysenium was constructed quickly during those conditions, under cover of a spell allowing us to cloak our work. With the construct finished, another spell ensured that Crysenium remains cloaked. It’s true that the Heretics watch for intruders like the army you and Xanthus saw annihilated. But because of the vast distances involved, smaller groups of people are far more difficult for the Heretics to notice. The Heretics use the Borderlands to search for and destroy great enemy hordes-not groups of ten or twelve. Even so, we took a huge risk in building this place. Luckily, our spells held and we were successful. As long as our cloak remains in place, Crysenium is invisible to the Heretics. The Heretics rarely venture here, so this region is perfect for our needs. Rest assured that we have deceived them. If not we would be dead, and Crysenium destroyed. The more fanatical Heretics are not ones to leave stones unturned.” She smiled again.
“Besides,” she added, “the deadly Borderlands are the last place they would search for a secret craft construct.”
Tristan was stunned. “Do you mean to say that you risked your lives to build this place just for me? Why would you do that?”
“So that we could finally meet with aJin’Sai in secrecy,” Faxon said. “Even though the Ones and the Heretics remain embroiled in a deadly war, what happens on your side of the world is equally important. Three momentous developments have recently intersected in time. That is why you have been brought here. We must act quickly, for such a wondrous set of occurrences might never merge again.”
“What are they?” Tristan asked.
“The first is the creation of the azure pass,” Suzu said. A member of the Ones, he sat on Tristan’s left side. A gray, bushy beard adorned his face.
“The cutting of the pass through the Tolenka Mountains by the Vigors orb was an event much heralded by the Heretics,” Suzu added. “Despite appearances it was a random, unexpected occurrence. We know of no other force in the world powerful enough to have done that. In any event, the unexpected result of Wulfgar’s failed plan was the Tolenkan pass. When they learned of it, the Heretics were overjoyed.”
“Why?” Tristan asked.
“Because for aeons the Tolenkas had been insurmountable, even to the Ones and the Heretics,” Hoskiko answered. “Unfortunately, the pass exited this side of the Tolenkas in Heretic-controlled territory. At long last they had found a way to enter your side of the world, while the Ones could not. Now they can much more easily influence Eutracian and Parthalonian history. As an additional assurance that only they might use it, they immediately flooded the pass with convoluted magic. A special Forestallment is needed to safely navigate its length. Should anyone enter the pass without the Forestallment’s protection, death is immediate.”
Tristan looked across the table at the Darkling. “And Xanthus’ blood carries that Forestallment,” he mused.
“That’s right,” Hoskiko answered. “It also protected you.”
“You mentioned three important events,” Tristan said. “What are the other two?”
“One is your world’s discovery of how to alter the lean of a blood signature,” Faxon answered. “That is a major leap forward in your primitive understanding of the craft.”
“And what is the third development?” Tristan asked.
Leaning forward, Faxon stared intently into Tristan’s eyes. “With the coming of the pass, the Heretics saw it as a way to capture you, and keep you from fulfilling your destiny,” he said. “Among all theJin’Sai s ever born, you have come closest to honoring the Tome’s prophecies. The Heretics knew that your wizards would never allow you and your sister to enter the pass at the same time. But if they could first tempt you, they would then try to seduce Shailiha. And so they hatched a plan-one that involved Xanthus, and that they believed you couldn’t resist. In the end, it nearly worked. Had it not been for us twelve Envoys, you would be in the Heretics’ grasp this moment.”
Tristan looked across the table at the Darkling. “So the Heretics sent you to Eutracia to steal the Paragon and commit atrocities until I agreed to accompany you through the pass,” he said. He looked at Hoskiko. “But you said that Xanthus serves you all,” he protested. “What did you mean by that?”
“You have been told only part of Xanthus’ story,” she answered. “Rather than take you to the Heretics, he followed our orders and brought you here. No matter what you think of him, he is the only reason you’re still alive.”
“That might be,” Tristan said. “But not one of you has answered my first question. Why do the Ones and the Heretics sit peacefully together at the same table? Don’t tell me that all this has been done simply to save my life. You want something, and for some reason you need my help to get it.”
Hoskiko reached out to touch Tristan’s hand. “You must hear us out,” she said gently. “The three concurrent events we mentioned have granted us an unparalleled opportunity to finally secure peace between the two orders. That is why we built Crysenium. That is also why we brought you here.”
“That still does not explain why Ones and Heretics sit together at this table,” Tristan pressed.
Leaning closer, Faxon searched the prince’s face. “The simple truth is that not all the Heretics think alike anymore,” he answered. “We six represent a larger splinter group, hungry for peace. Unknown to our other Heretic brothers and sisters, our secret group is growing. But the fanatics who so vastly outnumber us wish to see the Vigors wiped out forever. That is why they have been meddling in your world’s affairs, Jin’Sai. They want to stamp out the Vigors wherever they find it. You and your sister have done amazingly well in your efforts to stop the Heretics’ destructive plans. But your struggles against them have been mere skirmishes in the overall battle between light and dark. For hundreds of generations, untold numbers of Ones and Heretics have been fighting and killing one another. And for what reason? we Envoys ask ourselves. The Ones know why they fight-the Heretics are so unrelenting in their attacks that the Ones must battle back simply to survive. The War of Attrition has been going on for so long that either side can scarcely remember why it started.” Pausing for a moment, Faxon sat back in his chair.
“Despite my wish for peace, I am still a high-ranking member of the Imperial Order,” he added. “That is our military wing. During my career I have ordered the deaths of countless Ones. Perhaps that is why I want a resolution so badly. Once I started discreetly making my feelings known, I was amazed to learn how many other Heretics shared my concerns. Soon a secret splinter group was born. The other Heretics here with me can all be trusted, Jin’Sai. They each want peace as badly as I do. That is why we call ourselves Envoys. We need help-help that only you or Shailiha can grant us.”
“But how can I, a person of untrained blood, ever hope to helpyou ?” Tristan asked. “Your powers and skills dwarf even those of my wizards!” Turning to look at the table as a whole, Tristan’s eyes searched every Envoy’s face. “It’s time you told me why you have brought me to this place,” he said. “It’s a story I’ve been destined my entire life to hear.”
