Guild Wars 2

THE TOWER

The man hung still in the center of the small chamber. Powerful arcane runes suspended him in place, restricting his body just enough to allow him the pleasure of breathing in the stale air that lingered within the room. He had long lost count of how many years he was imprisoned. A tessellated window was grafted into the wall before him. It was his only connection to the outside world. He watched as the hulking Jade armors outside forced another line of prisoners to kneel before the grand soul battery. He heard their screams and watched as the wind blew the dust that remained of them across the glassy surface of the veranda.

The door to his chamber opened. The man made no effort to turn his head. He knew who his visitors were and what they wanted. Two angelic beings wearing gold masks hovered into the room, their feet never touching the ground. Feathery black tendrils danced behind the first Mursaat that entered, drawing a web of shadows across the back of the room. The other Mursaat was a female, her long tendril-like wings were colored a dim white that faded into light blue. She simply hovered next to the door, observing the suspended prisoner.

The male Mursaat motioned hand towards a metallic hexagon-shaped box in the back of the room. The box floated into the air. It hovered before the two Mursaat then came to a stop before opening on all sides with a metallic ring.

“Have you discovered anything?” The female questioned.

“No Matron Coventina, the process takes time. The mortal soul of a chosen is a complex thing.”

A flurry of jagged crystalline tools swarmed out of the box and came to a stop just before touching the prisoner’s back.

“Shall we begin?” The male Mursaat’s pale lips curled into a twisted grin as he spoke. Matron Coventina only nodded.

The black-winged Mursaat arcanist pressed the first jagged tool into the prisoner’s back. The jagged crystal cut past the flesh and into the man’s very soul. The prisoner grit his teeth and seethed as the spectral energies of the tool tore through his very being. When the point of the second tool touched his skin, he screamed.

“Come now. Tell me your secret human. What makes you chosen.” The arcanist pressed the second tool in. The female turned away from the door and hovered out of the room.

“Not staying Matron?” The arcanist pushed a third tool into the man, who writhed against the constraining runes and let out a shrill cry.

“No, I have no need to watch you play with your sadistic toys.” The matron’s voice echoed from down the hall. “I will wait outside.” She turned her head slightly towards the arcanist and spoke over her shoulder. “Do not kill him.”

“Squeamish are we? Suit yourself.”

The process continued for hours. The man nearly felt the cold grasp of Grenth squeeze out what little life was left within him before the Matron returned to the room.

“Stop. I said not to kill him.” Coventina spoke with a stern tone.

“Why not? It is easy to find more specimens.” The arcanist protested and didn’t even bother to turn and face the matron. He was absorbed in pushing more jagged crystals into the jerking prisoner and scrying the spectral wounds with his magical lens.

Coventina waved her hand, the tools were ripped from the man’s back and swarmed back into the box in a flurry. “I said that is enough.” The arcanist simply glanced back at Coventina with a sour expression.

“This one is special. His soul is more powerful than the others.”

(CONT)

“Fine, as you wish Matron.” The arcanist sighed before leaning towards the man and whispering in his ear. “I’ll see you again in another twenty years. Until then, enjoy the view.”

As he left the room, arcanist waved his hand towards the panel in the back of the room. A metallic iris built within the prisoner’s window slammed shut, plunging the prisoner into darkness.

The man turned to his usual practice of meditation in order to preserve his sanity. He could not remember the last time his feet touched the cold floor beneath him, or when his lips last tasted food or water. The foul magic of the chamber somehow kept him alive, preserving him despite the horrendous damage inflicted upon his body each time the arcanist would return. During the times that they picked apart his soul with those cruel tools, there were moments that he wished it was he standing before the grand soul battery to be burned to ash like the others. But he was special. He knew that and prayed to the six that someday these cycles would end.

The iris of the window opened once more. The light of the violet sky momentarily blinded his vision. The man slowly turned his head, catching a glimpse of the blue feathertips of Coventina’s wings as she exited the room. The man sighed with relief. He knew he could only be left in the darkness for so long until the bitter memories of his past mistakes would return to challenge his sanity.

More time passed. In that time he would hear distant tremors rattle through the tower. The tremors were followed by the faint crackles of arcane lightning. He had heard these storms before. With each occurrence the tremors grew stronger and the lighting grew louder. He stared out through his window, watching as a distant bolt of lightning struck one of the far towers. The tower crumbled into the fold of the horizon, leaving a cloud of shimmering crystal-ash in its wake. The man’s lips curled into a grin. “The gods must be listening…” He whispered.

The man’s chamber door opened once again. This time Coventina arrived alone.

“Where is your friend?” The man asked.

“Gone. He was lost in the last storm.” She spoke monotonously. “It is none of your concern, mortal.”

The man laughed. “The gods must have answered my prayers then. Send my regards to his tormenters in the underworld.”

Coventina stood silent for a moment then waved her hand. The box of tools at the edge of the room hovered towards her.

“The work must continue.” She arranging the tools behind the man’s back.

“Be gentle. A man’s soul is a delicate thing.” The man spoke in an emotionless tone then braced himself.

“Do not test me, mortal.” Coventina touched his shoulder, sending a shock of spectral agony through his body. The man jolted and coughed. The burst caught him off guard.

Coventina took a deep breath and physically took hold of one of the jagged tools with her claws. Her hands shook.

“What are you waiting for? You are so desperate to find out what makes me this ‘chosen.’ Sorry to disappoint you but I’m just a normal man. You will find nothing.”

“You are special.” Coventina whispered. “The Eye of Janthir told us so.”

Coventina hesitated for a moment, trying to steady her shaky hand. She became suddenly jarred when a strong tremor rattled through the tower. The tools fell from their suspended place, clattering on the floor. A second tremor hit, throwing her to the floor.

“The storms grow fiercer.” The man mused. “The true gods are angry that you’ve stolen their place.”

(CONT)

Coventina pried herself off of the floor and came to a hover. The man turned his head to see her painfully pry one of the tools from the side of her arm. Arcane smoke seeped from her wound in silky strands. She covered it with her hand.

“Now you know how it feels. Unpleasant isn’t it?” The man spoke in a cold tone.

“We will continue again another time.”

Coventina returned the tools to the box with a wave of her hand then hovered out of the room. The door slammed shut and the man was once again left alone with his window. At least this time she let him keep it.

The man continued watching the world before him. The lines of prisoners before the grand soul battery grew shorter and sacrifices were brought in less frequently. The storms grew fiercer and he watched a second tower fall. Perhaps the gods wanted to wipe this place off the face of Tyria? Perhaps this imprisonment was punishment for his acceptance of these pretender gods over the true six? The man pushed the thoughts from his mind. It didn’t matter. Sooner or later this would all end. Their world was dying and he could feel it. He began to ponder on when the arcane lightning would strike his tower next and what was taking Grenth so long to claim him.

The doors to his chambers opened once more. It was Coventina again. He watched her through his peripheral vision. She did not call for the box. Instead she waved her hands towards the runes. The man’s wards were suddenly released and he fell, his body slamming against cold floor. He quickly jolted upwards, pausing to stare at her for brief moment before diving for the box in the corner of the room.

The man threw the box of tools at her as hard as he could. With a wave of her hand, she deflected the box harmlessly to the side. The man then charged at her with his fist raised. She pushed outward with her palm, driving him backwards into the far corner of the room with a telekinetic blast. The man gasped for air as he struggled to recover. Pain seared through his back and stomach.

“If you continue to resist me, I will kill you.” She spoke in an emotionless tone -something the man was used to hearing from the Mursaat.

“Why free me then?”

“I want to make a deal.”

“What could I possibly offer you?” The man stood with a look of perplexity painted over his features.

“I wanted to believe that this realm would last until the cycle of the dragons ended. You’ve seen the Aether Storms and the destruction they bring to unwarded parts of the city. There are too few worthy souls to power the barriers. Soon the city will be unprotected.” She spoke.

“What does that have to do with a prisoner like me?”

“One of the elder dragons has been defeated. It is no longer the dragons I fear.”

“Dragons? I don’t know of or care about anything dealing with dragons. Get to the point.” The man scowled.

“The dragon was defeated by you… the humans.”

The man broke into laughter. “Ahaha! The mighty unseen gods now fear us!? Lyssa be praised!”

Coventina stood stern, growing impatient with the man’s jesting. She hovered to him and jolted him with a one finger touch, sending spectral agony wracking through his body.

“Lazarus has lost his mind. He believes that we will be able to leave this place before the Aether Storms claim us and subjugate your people with ease as we have done in the past.”

(CONT)

She continued. “But I have watched the outside world. The kingdoms of your people are vast and your alliances are strong. To go to war with the human empire would spell the end of the Mursaat. We have already lost a war with your kind once and we cannot afford to face another crushing defeat.” She paused for a moment. “especially now when your people are at the peak of their power.”

“What kind of deal do you want, snake?” The man spoke with an edge.

“I want you to become an emissary for my people. We will cooperate with the humans. It is the only way to ensure the survival of the Mursaat race. You were once a respected man among your kind who had the power to sway minds. This is why we chose you as our prophet in the past. You will advocate a treaty between my followers and the humans.”

The man broke into laughter again and gave Coventina a smug look. “So you’re telling me that you want me to help you worm your way into the good graces of my people so that you can just drive a dagger into their backs when it is most convenient for you?”

The man spat on the floor. “How about you and your people crawl into a hole and die.”

Coventina waved her hand across the room, sending the man sailing backwards into the wall behind him.

“I offer you the choice of freedom. You can accept it or die here.”

“The death of one man means nothing when it saves many. A concept your kind will never grasp. You false gods only think of yourselves.”

Coventina lashed out with her arm, causing a swarm of crystal fragments to fly from a hidden container within her robes and form into a sword. She stood before him with her Mursaat blade branished and gleaming with what little light passed through the room’s single window. The tower shook mildly with a distant tremor.

The man smiled as he traced the blade with his eyes. “What will you do? Kill me? Go ahead and end it. It seems that your kind will not be far behind me anyway.” The man chuckled and turned his back on the angered Mursaat. He no longer felt threatened by her.

Coventina stood still for a moment, her sword hand shaking with anger. After pushing the thoughts of beheading the man where he stood, she fought the mental urges and lowered blade with an uneasy effort.

“What are your terms, mortal.” She snapped.

“There are no terms.” The man gazed out through the window and into the dancing flashes of the oncoming storm. His eyes settled upon the Grand Soul Battery the stood glowing dimly at the center of the veranda.

“Perhaps if you do something for me, I will consider listening to your proposal.”

“Go on.” Coventina seethed, hating the idea that she was being bargained with by a mere mortal.

The man tapped his finger against the window, singling out the location of the Grand Soul Battery. “Destroy that, and maybe I might take your offer seriously.”

Coventina gnashed her teeth. “You are mad! Destroying the battery would weaken the barrier! The amount of destruction that would be caused by the storms would be unfathomable!”

The man turned to look at her, his eyes narrowed. “But countless souls would be freed. You said you wanted peace with humanity. Prove your sincerity and end the suffering of those trapped within your twisted device.”

(CONT)

The man paused for a moment then continued. “And don’t take me for a fool. I’ve watched your device from this very window for many years. The screaming of those poor souls trapped within that thing is the only music your people have graced me with since my imprisonment. Silence it.”

The man’s lips curled into a sly grin. “Do that and maybe I will reconsider your offer.”

“Impossible! You ask me to betray my own people!” Coventina hovered towards the man, thrusting forward with her blade. The sword bit at the man’s neck with its sharp crystal point. The man did not flinch.

“You are a fool.” Coventina spat the words at him with an acidic tone.

She then waved her hand across the room, reactivating the wards to pull the man back into his imprisonment. She pounded the panel near the doorway with a clawed fist as she stormed out of the room. The iris of the window once again slammed closed and the man plunged into darkness with a smile across his face.

Time passed and the rumblings grew worse. The ground quaked with every passing storm. The man remained suspended by the powerful wards, waiting for the day that lightning would strike his tower and entomb him in a crystal grave.

The door to his chamber opened once more. Coventina stood at the doorway, barely hovering. The man glanced towards her from the corner of his view. Her was body covered in lacerations that seeped wispy strands of arcane power. She only stared at him before slamming the panel near the door with a weakened claw. The window’s iris expanded with the sound of grating metal.

The room became bathed in a deep blue light as the window opened. At the base of the light, the man saw that the grand soul battery was split down the center by a large fissure. The howl of a thousand souls filled the man’s ears as they escaped into the night sky. Droves of Mursaat flocked towards the hemorrhaging battery, trying desperately to capture the escaping souls.

“I’ve kept my end of the bargain.” Coventina huffed and wave her hand across the room. The man was released from the constricting runes and fell on all fours. “Now what will you do, human?” An object skittered across the floor and came to a stop at the man’s feet.

The man reached down and picked up the object. He found that his trusted Krytan blade was once again in his grasp. He drew the sword partially from its scabbard and ran his thumb across the blade. After all these years, it was still sharp.

“Come. We have little time before they stabilize what is left of the grand soul battery and begin seeking out the saboteurs. We must make it to the gate’s eye before then.” Coventina hovered out into the hallway.

The man followed Coventina, trailing her blue tipped feathers down the maze of downward spirals and staircases that led up to his crystal prison. The passing jade armors and bows paid no heed to them and instead rushed towards the geyser of souls that continued to fill the sky with soft blue light.

A ring of Mursaat awaited them at the base of the tower. The man’s hand immediately leap to his sword, his muscled coiling as he prepared to strike. Coventina raised a hand to stop him.

“No, they are with us.”

One of the Mursaat eyed the man then scoffed. “Is he the one? He looks weak.”

“You had be better be certain about this, Matron.” Another Mursaat muttered in wispy tone.

“We have already gone too far.” Coventina retorted. “Either you follow us until the end or betray us now. Make your choice.” She gave the group a hard stare. After a moment of hesitation, the surrounding Mursaat nodded in unison. “We are with you, Matron. We shall lead.”

(CONT)

The allied Mursaat led Coventina and the man through a maze of back-alleys and tight corridors. They were careful to avoid the spanning rings of Jade Armor and Jade Bow patrols that were looking for the culprits behind the Grand Soul Battery’s fissure. The group stopped at an alleyway that opened into a large central chamber. Two large claw-like structures loomed over them and pulsed with arcane power. The man recognized the structures as the gate he was brought through when the Mursaat first captured him.

“We are almost to the gate’s eye.” One of the Mursaat whispered.

The man could barely contain his excitement of finally escaping the oppressing violet sky of the Mursaat city and once again being able to see the green jungles of Kryta. As they made the final push towards the gate, a crystal arrow flashed past the man by mere inches. The arrow struck Coventina in the shoulder, knocking her out of her hover and sending her tumbling out into the open chamber.

“Matron!” One of the allied Mursaat shouted.

A ring of Jade Bows and accompanying Mursaat soldiers emerged from the shadows around the gate. A single Mursaat in gold plated armor hovered at the head of them. Coventina struggled to stand. “Sarlic.” She hissed.

“Matron Coventina. To believe that you would betray the Unseen.” Sarlic spoke with a deep and hollow voice.

“And all for the sake of this pathetic mortal?” Sarlic’s staff floated beside him. He slowly turned his armored helm to face the man. “Tell me Coventina. What is the meaning of this?”

Coventina stood upright and came to a low hover. She grasped her shoulder and tore the crystal arrow from it. Long strands of pink arcane energy poured from her open wound.

“I’m saving us. Lazarus plans on leading us into the abyss. We will not follow him there.” Her words were bold and carried an edge.

“You are a disgrace to the Unseen, Matron Coventina.” He pointed towards her and extended a long armored claw. “I, Sarlic the Judge, sentence you to death. Upon your death, your soul will be ripped from your body and slaved to the armors of Jade as punishment for your betrayal.”

Sarlic raised his hand, causing the surrounding Jades Armors to ready their bows. The man stepped forward, brandishing his Krytan blade.

“You call yourself a god and believe us mortals to be weak. If you have so much power, then show me. Show me how easy it is for a god such as yourself to strike down a mere mortal who stands before you as I do now.” The man took a defiant step towards the Judge, his blade gleaming with the light of the dancing souls that swarmed through the skies above them.

“You! A mere mortal! A sheep among shepherds! You dare to challenge Sarlic the Judge?”

The man’s expression broke into a masochistic grin. “Will you lecture me? Or will you kill me?”

“So be it. I will humor you, mortal.” Sarlic threw his staff aside with a telekinetic push. He extended a fist towards the sword wielding human. A crackle of spectral energy surrounded the Judge’s fist.

“Die.”

Sarlic drove his fist forward. A leaping storm of crackling spectral agony illuminated the open chamber and poured over the man in a river of flashing arcs and black lightning. Coventina’s expression shifted into shock and she extended a hand out to the distant man. She knew that there was little she could do to save him.

“No!” She gasped.

The man did not fall. He stood steadfast against the deluge of spectral energy. The years of torture committed against him within the tower reinforced his ability to endure the pain. Step after step, he closed upon Sarlic. The Judge’s smug grin faded into a gasp of worry. Sarlic shifted to using both fists to channel his attack, but it was too late. The man was already upon him.

(CONT)

Sarlic’s features twisted into horror. It was an expression the man sealed eternally by driving his sword through the Judge’s chest. Sarlic the Judge fell, his arcane heart pierced through the center by human steel. The crackling spectral energy faded from the swordman’s body, leaving bleeding lacerations and wispy strands of smoke behind. Despite his wounds, the swordsman stood dominant and unfazed by the attack. Coventina and the allied Mursaat watched in awe.

The man pulled his sword from Sarlic’s body, causing a gout of arcane energy trail from the blade’s edge and then fade into the wind. Numerous Mursaat stood behind the jade bows. They gasped and whispered among each other. The man raised his blade to the crowd.

“Listen to me, all of you pretenders who would claim you are gods! My name is Saul D’ Alessio, a proud son of Kryta! Look upon the fallen corpse of your champion and see my resolve! I am a mere mortal, a flawed man, but one who would lay down his life for his country."

Saul paused for a moment, allowing the surrounding Mursaat to soak in his words. He then continued.

“To you false gods, who cower within this dying world… know that there are ten thousand brave souls just like me waiting for you beyond that gate. If you believe that the mortal kingdoms will simply bow before you, look upon what you see here and tell me again how powerless us lowly mortals are!”

A silence came over the surrounding Mursaat. None dared to speak or even signal the jade bows to attack. Saul stared out into the crowd of Mursaat and held his sword out, singling those standing at the front rows with the point of his blade.

“To any of you who believe you are still a god, step forward and let me test your mortality!”

Many of the Mursaat stepped back. Coventina stood silent for a moment, then weakly hovered forward. She stood before Saul and gave a weak nod before turning towards the other Mursaat.

“Listen carefully to the mortal’s words. Lazarus the Dire intends to lead us through that gate into war against the human kingdoms. Many of you still remember the war in Kryta. Many of you have watched the world as I have and seen these kingdoms defeat the elder dragon Zhaitan. What do you believe will happen if we step through that portal and wage war upon them? How many of us will survive? What legacy will the proud Mursaat leave behind? Lazarus will only lead us into the abyss of extinction!”

Coventina reached up to to her mask with a clawed hand and ripped it away. The mask fell and struck the pavement with a metallic chime. She stared into the crowd with her piercing azure eyes. Shape-shifting runes danced across her skin and luminous white hair that floated as if it were suspended in water curled around her shoulders. She continued her proclaimation.

“On this day! I, Coventina the Matron hearby cast aside the mantle of an Unseen God! Today I walk the world as a mortal. How many more of you will pretend to be gods? How many of us falling into the abyss will it take before we see that cooperation with the mortals is the only way for our people to survive? Make your choice! Follow me into the mortal world or join Lazarus in his plunge into the abyss!”

Coventina then stopped hovering, allowing her feet to touch the ground. The other Mursaat gasped as only mortal should walk the earth by foot. For her feet to touch the ground, such was a great dishonor among the unseen.

Coventina approached the twin arches of the portal and waved her clawed hand. The portal whirred to life with arcane power. A giant magical eye suddenly opened between the two arches in a blast of dancing lights. The iris of the eye extended backwards into itself, transofrming into a long tunnel. The forests of Tyria could be seen on the other side.

“The path to home… I never thought I would see it again in this lifetime.” Saul murmured as he walked towards the tunnel. He felt as if he were stepping into a dream.

The sound of another mask clanging upon the ground was heard.

“Miron the Indomitable. On this day, I am a mortal.” Miron approached Coventina without a mask and stood with her, runes dancing across his pale scalp.

“Salos the Benevolent! On this day, I become mortal!” Another Mursaat stepped out of the crowd and relinquished his mask.

“Velos the Insightful! Mortal!”

“Ardrus the Ponderer! Mortal!”

The sounds of more masks clanging across the ground could be heard and the chants continued. Dozens of Mursaat spoke their names and relinquished their masks. Each of them stopped hovering and walked towards the center of the eye to join Coventina.

(CONT)

Many of the Mursaat turned in disgust, fading back into the shadows of the city’s sprawling towers and passages. From the crystal dome that loomed in the far corner of the city, Lazarus the Dire clenched a clawed fist in rage. The pillar of freed souls danced in the sky before him, drawing reflections upon his crystal window pane.

Days passed since Saul, Coventina, and the small army of Mursaat that followed them emerged on the other side of the Eye. Saul cut a path through the deep jungle with his blade. Through the clearing, his eyes came to rest upon the age old ruins of several Janthir fortresses that lined the mountains. Saul reached down into the ground, pulling up a handful of dirt. He let the soil of his homeland pass through his palm then looked outwards to the abandoned forts.

He turned back to face Coventina and the other Mursaat.

“All great things begin small.” He raised he sword outwards towards the mountains of Janthir. “Here is where we will begin.”

Within the Queen’s Chamber, Queen Jennah burned the midnight oil. Her desk was flooded with ministry requests and paperwork attributed to the newly established treaty with the Charr. She let out a deep sigh as she reached for the mechanical pen at the far edge of her desk.

The chamber doors opened and one of the Queen’s Guard entered wearing the traditional royal purple sash. The Guard knelt before the Queen and presented a small roll of parchment. Another ministry request no doubt…

Jennah reached for the scroll with a motion devoid of energy. She thanked the knight and excused him from the chamber. The scroll had a strange seal that she did not recognize; she peeled it away then opened the message. He eyes scanned over the message for several moments before she gasped. The inkpen fell from her hand and she quickly called for a royal escort so she could leave her chamber safetly. The message was left fluttering at the edge of her desk. At the bottom of the letter, it was signed:

Signed Saul D. Alessio
Exarch of the Arbiters

(END)