Chapter 21: The Three Faces of Power

  “Hey Chakrit, I just realised that you are the only person on my staff,” Felix said.

  “That’s because you fired everyone else,” said Chakrit Rungroj in the manner of a man who was hardly bothered to exchange banter.

  To get to the Ortus where the Elders convened, Felix had to get to Null Island by boat. Flying in a suit was tedious. That was the only reason why the trip was broken into two parts. In the first half, he used the Beacon to reach Cape Three Points, a small peninsula located west of Ghana. In the second, he would take a boat to the island.

  Chakrit Rungroj was the Sanctum’s Weaponmaster and his skipper. He had a license to operate boats. He was also one of the people Felix could tolerate.

  “I don’t mind showing someone else how I open the gate, you know.” Felix stroked Chakrit’s smooth head, much to the older man’s chagrin. “Then I will have someone to keep me company during the meeting!”

  “I do not want to be near a bunch of know-it-alls,” griped Chakrit. “Including you.”

  “But what about Eulie? You don't seem to mind her presence.”

  The large man grunted. “Leonhart’s different. Besides, I could use someone to talk to while I work in the Ironkeep.”

  “Don’t steal her from me,” Felix warned in a joking tone. “What has she been up to lately?”

  “Asking me about weaponry and getting me to test her things out. I must say, they are getting better,” Chakrit chuckled. “You should keep an eye out for her before I take her to be my apprentice”

  “She’s no good at being an apprentice.”

  “Speaking of weaponry,” Chakrit said, changing the topic. “I heard about what you require from Dr. Lee.”

  “Which one? I require a lot of things from him.”

  “An armour for the Aberrant kid.”

  “He’s fast, isn’t he?” Felix remarked dryly. “Already gathering up a solid team.”

  “I may not know the new Aberrant, but I wish you the best of luck in whatever you are trying to do.” Chakrit gazed ahead..

  The boat fell silent. Felix leaned over the side of the boat, savouring the sea breeze in his hair. Was Chakrit truly wishing him luck, or was it mere lip service? Whatever, I’ll take it, he thought.

  The drone of the boat engine slowly gave way to a delightful hum as Felix let himself daydream for once. He hardly had the time to let himself stare into space. For a bit, his nerves uncoiled. Felix inhaled deeply, savouring the salty sea air. He turned his palms such that they faced up towards the heavens as if in a lone prayer.

  Life’s fuel flowed out from him in a steady stream, manifesting as little balls of flames. They became thin halos as Felix rotated his wrist, manipulating them delicately with hand movements. It soon became a spot dance with bigger arm movements and longer tendrils of fire.

  “Loosening up?” Felix heard Chakrit ask.

  “Yeah, I just need to stretch. Haven’t been to the dance studio lately,” Felix replied as he extinguished his flames. “We there yet?”

  “That was why I interrupted your little ritual, even though you seemed into it.” There was a hint of worry in Chakrit’s voice. Felix turned his eyes to the sea, which was churning beneath them. “The Ortus has detected your presence, but we still have a bit of distance to cover.”

  “You should have told me earlier,” admonished Felix. “I’ll take it from here.”

  “I thought it would serve everyone better if you were more zen,” Chakrit said

  Felix felt a twinge of guilt for being too cynical towards Chakrit’s earlier blessing. “Thanks for the thought, but I’m fine,” he said as he put one leg up, slamming the sole of his shoe on the railing. “I will try to slow things down.”

  “No,” Chakrit said. “I’ll make it quick. You take your time. Call me when you are done!”

  Felix launched himself upwards, his cloak flapping loudly behind him. Below him, Chakrit had put the boat in full throttle and sped away in the opposite direction. With a sigh, Felix fished a single binyeo from his suit pocket. This binyeo was different from the one he used for battle. Every Elder had a signature item that served as a key to the Ortus. Most of them wielded a Regalia, but those without had to choose their key. Felix’s was a gold binyeo with a dragon’s head, embellished with a ruby in only one of the dragon’s eyes. The right eye socket was empty and grey, no doubt missing its former occupant.

  Felix pointed the binyeo at the sea below him and started the incantation he needed to enter the palace. “You who guard the gates, I have come to seek counsel from the enlightened and enlighten the blighted.”

  The water around him started to churn. A circular wall of water formed around him. The binyeo started vibrating. Felix tightened his grip on it, channelling more of his Essence into it. When the gates demanded he complete the seal with his signature, he released the pent-up Essence, which shot out from the dragon’s mouth.

  “Chariot of the Five Dragons.” It was quite the signature move, but Felix hardly considered it his most elegant one. There was a bright flash of light as the gates opened. Felix quickly withdrew the dragons’ bodies, coiling them around himself protectively.

  As the light faded, Felix found himself standing in the centre of the Ortus.

  The Ortus was an ornate, almond-shaped room, resembling an eye. Twelve thrones were lined up along the perimeter of the room, each exuding an air of authority. Each throne had unique and ornate carvings, lending strength to its significance and the old powers that once occupied it. Felix never cared enough to wonder about the stories they held.

  “You’re late.”

  The one who addressed him was Jia Langxian, the head of the Xijin Sect. There were four Sects: Dongbai, Nanhua, Xijin and Beifeng. Elemental Purists made up the bulk of the Chinese sorcerer population. The Dongbai Sect was aligned with water, Nanhua with wood, Xijin with metal, and Beifeng with air. Each Sect was based in a different part of China. Collectively, they were dubbed the Four Axial Sects, whose objective was to protect the God Hands, the source of all life and, by extension, their powers.

  Each Sect Head wielded a Regalia. As for Langxian, he possessed the Golden Conquest, a Zweih?nder. It was also known as the Warblade of Twisted Visions, a greatsword only the mighty could wield. Langxian loved to put it on display next to him. Either that or he would make a show of polishing it lovingly. Some might say that it was a show of power, but Felix thought otherwise.

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  “Ah, if it isn’t Jiajia, the Bald Swordsman,” Felix snarked as he released his technique with a wave of his arm. “Fancy a swordsman not showing some respect for someone greater than him.”

  Langxian bristled visibly. The veins at his temple swelled comically. Felix opened his mouth to deliver another insult, but he got interrupted.

  “I would expect a bit more respect from you,” a firm voice said. “My, have you grown more inhumane since the last time we met, Flame Purist?”

  This time, the head of the Nanhua Sect, Xie Daoyun, addressed him. She possessed the ability ‘Willow Catkin in the Lifted Breeze’. Felix remembered vaguely that her Regalia was a pair of bronze butterfly swords, but its name escaped him.

  “Flame Purists have always been nothing no matter the era. Why waste your breath on this one?” Bai Juyi, the head of the Dongbai Sect, remarked.

  Juyi possessed the ability ‘Night Snow’ and the White Fang, a trident. It was something Felix remembered solely on the account that he was just as obnoxious as Langxian about his Regalia. Juyi loved to thump the end of it against the floor randomly during meetings as though it would give more weight to his words.

  The head of the Beifeng Sect, Pi Rixiu, remained silent, preferring to shield his face with his metal fan, Laranja Dusk. He always did so when greeting anyone, which was no wonder that his ability came to Felix’s mind quickly. ‘Sigh of the Oak’ was a fitting name for a man of few words.

  “Nothing but trouble?” Felix threw his head back and laughed. “Weren’t you the ones who were against me being part of this circus?”

  “SUCH INSOLENCE!” Langxian slammed his fist on the arm of the throne.

  “So easily riled up? I wonder whose conscience has been eaten,” Felix mocked. “Such a simple-minded and shallow swordsman indeed.”

  Langxian burst from his seat and hurled Golden Conquest at him. Felix stood still and was about to counter with his weapons when there was a flash of jade-green light.

  Green and gold sparks spattered against Felix’s cloak, much to his annoyance. “Please stop giving First Lady Meng a difficult time by fighting.” The exhausted voice came from beside Felix. John Whittier nodded, acknowledging their presence and sheathed his sabre, Celadon Destiny. Golden Conquest returned to Langxian’s side like a sad puppy. John gave Felix a pat on his shoulder before heading for his throne, which lowered to his level and allowed him to sit atop it.

  In John’s stead was André Savoy, hailing from the Savoy family based in Italy. Like Felix, André did not possess a Regalia. The instrument he used to enter the Ortus was rather odd. He used his feet.

  Felix opened his palm where he had scribbled down the Elders’ respective abilities. John Whittier, ‘Mirage Lifted Isles of Peace’. André Savoy, ‘The Savoy King’. Nothing I can’t deal with, he mused.

  André cleared his throat once he took his seat. “Signore e signori, it has been a long time since our last gathering. I wish we had met under better circumstances.”

  “Now that everyone is here, we shall commence the meeting,” Daoyun announced. “First Lady Meng Haoran, you may begin scribing today’s meeting.”

  Daoyun gestured vaguely at the woman seated to Felix’s left. Felix waved to get her attention to pass along greetings, but she was already neck-deep in scribing duties.

  The Meng family was known as the Recordkeeping family as their Will was centred around remembrance and forgettance. Only the women in the family inherited powers. For First Lady Meng, stitches clamped her wrinkled lips shut, the edges of each hole raw and red. Felix heard that she had to do a new set after every meal.

  First Lady Meng finally met his gaze after Felix waved a bit more. She proceeded to zip up her top, concealing her stitches behind a tall collar. Meng Meng really lucked out, Felix thought.

  But what fascinated Felix was her silver hair that was so long that it touched the floor. He had always wondered about how dirty it would get by the end of the day.

  “Borisov, Kusakabe, Sharma, Nguyen have confirmed their attendance,” Daoyun stated simply. “Or lack thereof.”

  Though the absent Elders served from the shadows, they still exerted their power in the chambers nonetheless. After all, they had nothing to lose from skipping one or all of the meetings.

  John got the ball rolling. “I understand that there is a very serious matter to be addressed today,” he said. “The floor is yours, Felix. Please, proceed.”

  Felix cleared his throat. “Good! You have seen my present. Then I can just skip the introduction!”

  Langxian’s temper had already been blown off its rails. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. “Are you asking us to accept the proposition to allow someone, let alone an Aberrant, to engage in demonic cultivation?”

  “Uh, the answer’s pretty obvious,” Felix replied flatly. “Would you like me to read it to you like a bedtime story? I’m very good at telling bedtime stories.”

  “Enough,” Rixiu spoke up. “Harmony among the Elders is sacrosanct. The world relies on us for stability. Let us put aside our differences to pursue a common goal of maintaining peace. If we are not able to behave in a civilised manner, then what role models are we for the rest?”

  The chambers quietened down.

  “Mr Lee, you do realise that we have never made an exception. Not once, not ever. That’s the law.” A solid thunk echoed throughout the chambers as Juyi thumped his Regalia against the floor.

  “I concur,” John chimed in, pushing up his glasses. “There is absolutely no argument that we could ever hear out, even though it comes from you.”

  “One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” Felix recited the Pledge of Allegiance. “Mr Whittier, denying me a chance to speak is the same as being a two-faced bastard.”

  A look of disdain settled upon John’s face. “Go on ahead and explain your stance.”

  “What’s there to explain?” Langxian butted in. “Those who pursue the Dark Arts are dishonourable fools who deserve nothing but death.”

  “Aberrants are catalysts of chaos,” Daoyun added. “Have you forgotten the bloodshed wrought upon this world ten years ago? The fate that befell the Western sorcerers?”

  “Correlation does not imply causation,” Felix replied. “Ace is only a vessel for Cursed Essence. The reason why he is one has been analysed by Dr. Lee Guangyao. To prosecute someone for something beyond their control, is this fair? He doesn’t have access to any knowledge about cultivating this Essence. And besides, we are not infallible. That’s why we have the Edgerunners and lock them away in the happy, merry land of Bhutan!”

  Felix jabbed the air with his finger and gnashed his teeth together when he finished his monologue.

  “It seems that what Guangyao claimed is true. I do not believe that they would lie to us,” Rixiu added. “He is very respected in his field. Moreover…”

  Rixiu produced a copy of the report and started to read it aloud. “Second Lady Meng Mo Wang has also testified that the Aberrant is kind-hearted and managed to save the life of another sorcerer. This event has led to him becoming a vessel for Cursed Essence.”

  “But we would just be letting a reincarnation of Mercifer roam the lands freely!” Langxian protested.

  “We should call a spade a spade here,” Juyi sighed. “A vessel would mean that he would have the potential-”

  Felix cut Juyi off. “Did you not hear a word I just said?!”

  “Signor, may I say something?” André interrupted. “This conversation is going around in circles.”

  “Go ahead.”

  André turned towards Felix. “I think what all of us want is reassurance that the Aberrant child will not go down the wrong path. Even though you think you know him well, you never know what is going to happen…”

  “If it’s reassurance you want, I am prepared to give it,” Felix said and loosened his tie.

  The cloak was the first to go. The weight on his shoulders vaporised as it fell on the floor around his feet. Felix undid the buttons of his shirt, aggressively yanking at his shirt to untuck it. He crumpled up the starched fabric with his tie and discarded it carelessly.

  “If Ace strays, feel free to execute him,” he declared. “And I give you my life as well.”

  “Good!” Langxian arose from his chair. “I take it that you are initiating the Sacrificial Vow?”

  “Yes,” Felix replied with open arms. “Because you can only proceed with the execution if you claim my life as your fee.”

  “And what if we don’t go with your plan?” Langxian said with a snarl.

  “Need I remind you? 2008 wasn’t that long ago, y’know.” Felix glared at Langxian, the back of his eyes gradually warming up. “If you don’t, your heads wouldn’t even have the chance to hit the floor.”