“So?” Thaman asked. “Can you stabilize it?”
Vir took in the great Tear once again. “I honestly don’t know. I’ve never tried it with something this large. The prana required would be immense.”
“Will you try?”
Vir turned and stared up at the giant. “Why?”
“Why do I want you to? Or why should you?”
“Cirayus has spoken well of you,” Vir replied, avoiding the giant’s clarifying question for the moment.
“Unusual of him,” Thaman said. “That old fossil only ever dishes out compliments behind people’s backs.”
“He also said you wouldn’t help me. Not until I’ve proven myself,” Vir continued. This was his golden opportunity to forge a bond with Thaman. To have the Raja owe him a favor. He couldn’t afford to let it slip by.
“I’m not giving you Balancer of Scales, boy,” Thaman said. “Not unless I wanted a death wish.”
“What do you mean?” Vir said with a frown. “You’re the Raja. You decide who gets the tattoo, right?”
“Indeed. Because my people trust me. If I gave it to you, of all people, well, I’d have a rebellion on my hands. My clan wouldn’t accept it. The realm wouldn’t accept it.”
“So I have to earn it,” Vir stated. “In full view of all.”
“Do that, and you’ll have your tattoo.” Thaman sighed. “I can’t aid you. Not now. But remember this—I am one who honors my debts. Cirayus will attest to that. And besides, this ought to benefit you as well, yes? You are strong in the Ash. Stronger than the others. It ought to give you an advantage.”
Vir chuckled. Thaman was right, but he’d misunderstood. If Vir needed an advantage to pass the qualifiers, he stood little chance of defeating the stronger opponents without such aid. To say nothing of Cirayus.
“What is it?” Thaman asked.
“When I asked you why, that wasn’t what I meant.”
“Oh?”
“I wanted to know why you’re changing the Tournament. Nobody is expecting this. What good will it bring? And what harm?”
Thaman folded his arms and regarded Vir for a long moment.
“I see,” he said. “The Ravager spoke the truth, then. You’d think that after two centuries of knowing the demon, I’d know better than to question his judgement on matters like this. You’ve a good head on your shoulders, boy.”
“Thank you,” Vir said. “And?”
Thaman sighed. “We have far too many contestants this time around. When the realm heard the Ravager was back… Well, to say it piqued our best Warriors’ interest would be an understatement.”
“I see,” Vir said, glancing at the Ash Tear. “Meaning, you need an especially brutal preliminary. Something to cull more than usual. But that’s not it, is it?”
“Oho?” Thaman said. “What do you mean?”
“I mean—what are the chances an Ash Gate suddenly appears near Camar Gadin? And just in time for the Tournament at that?”
“Coincidental, I admit, though such things have occurred in the past.”
“Uh, huh,” Vir said, unconvinced. “The realm may see it that way. They may have their suspicions, but I doubt they’d think anything of it. What of the Rajas, though?”
Thaman’s smile crept back on his face, but this was a different smile. He was amused.
“Go on,” he said.
“They’ll wonder. What if it wasn’t a coincidence? I mean, they have to. It’s what any good ruler would do, I imagine—they’ll look at the worst-case scenario.”
“And? What then?” Thaman’s tone was almost playful. He was enjoying this dialogue.
“Then, they may fantasize. They may believe Raja Thaman has gained a new superweapon—the ability to create Ash Gates.”
“What an interesting presumption,” Thaman said, showing a toothy grin.
Vir felt a grin creep up on his own face. “Earlier, I wondered how your clan has thrived under you. I’d written you off as a battle junkie. I apologize—I have to take that back. You’re wily, Raja Thaman.”
“And you are far too wise for your years, Akh Nara,” Thaman replied. “Well, you’re mostly right. I also wanted to see the look of surprise on that old fossil’s face for once. Figured it’d be a nice homecoming present, don’t you think?”
Vir chuckled. “I suppose he’d like that. Anything to challenge him, however slight.”
“So?” Thaman asked. “What will you do, now that you’ve uncovered my scheme? Will you ask me for Balancer of Scales once again? Will you refuse outright?”
Vir shook his head. “Nothing of the sort. I’m happy to stabilize the Tear.”
“Oho? And may I ask why?”
Vir looked the Raja directly in the eyes. “Because I do not believe this realm can be saved if we look out only for our own interests. If I did, I would be no better than the Chitran who slaughtered my Clan. What I seek is not a transactional relationship between us, Raja Thaman. I wish for something stronger. Something akin to what my father had with you.”
“Is that so?” Thaman said, barely suppressing his glee.
“It is,” Vir said. “I seek friendship. And what are friends for, if not to help each other in their time of need?”
Vir turned toward the Ash Tear. Prana Current cycled, and a vortex of prana surged. Vir closed his eyes and poured every morsel of concentration into the daunting task at hand.
It was why he never saw the look of pride—of melancholy—on Raja Thaman’s face.
85TRIAL BY ASH
Vir stood in front of the enormous Ash Gate, pretending to be as shocked as everyone else. Murmurs could be heard throughout the crowd of nearly four hundred, and it didn’t end there. Grandstands had been erected nearby, forming a ring around the Gate, and thousands of spectators watched, cheering and hooting for their favorite competitors.
It was, in every way, a spectacle.
Even the unflinching Cirayus was staring wide-eyed at it, albeit for very different reasons than the crowd.
“So that’s what that brat asked you to do,” Cirayus muttered, stroking his beard. “A Qualification in the Ash! How brazen. How… exciting.”
Vir shook his head. “He said you’d react that way.”
By now, news had spread that Cirayus the Ravager was sponsoring some newcomer. Vir had worried that some may put two and two together, but since nobody knew of Vir’s fate after the fall of Samar Patag, no one knew Cirayus had stolen into the Ash with him.
As far as the Demon Realm was concerned, Vir had perished in the many battles that left only scorched earth and unidentifiable corpses behind, and Cirayus, having grown jaded at his loss, had left for the Ash to train.
Thus, it hardly mattered that Vir spoke with Cirayus regularly. In fact, it’d be more suspicious if he avoided the demon.
“Has this ever happened before?” Vir asked.
“Never in my time. I’ve only heard of such a thing happening once,” Cirayus said. “A stable Ash Gate large enough to admit so many, and close enough to Camar Gadin? It’s very unlikely, lad. That boy’s a smart one.”
By now, Vir had gotten used to Cirayus calling centuries-old demons ‘boys,’ ‘girls,’ and ‘brats.’ From his perspective, everyone must have looked like a child.
I wonder if that’s how all old people think… Vir mused, but his thoughts were interrupted by a frowning Tara, who paced toward them.
Vir braced himself for whatever the fiery Naga might say.
“You! Do you know what’s going on?” she asked, pointing at the massive Gate.
“Uh, isn’t it obvious?” Vir said. “Our qualification is probably going to happen in the Ash.”
“Impossible. Ravager, this is impossible, right?”
“Afraid not, lass. As I was telling young Vaak here, this seems like exactly the sort of thing Thaman would do.”