It was midday in the capital city of Helion. The City of a Hundred Temples was bustling with great spires and seven wizard towers. There was an eighth, and a ninth in construction as well– courtesy of the emperor's investments. The Royal Alchemy Tower was always drawing curtains of smoke into the sky, burning the fires of industry to war. The Grey Tower was also quite active recently, training war mages and building connections with the military. But the churches had been oddly silent in recent months.
It was something of a concern for Caleb Archphantom, yet moreso it bothered his father, for Caleb had another task to better occupy his vexation.
"What do you mean the interrogation has not progressed in the past six months?"
Apologies young lord, we've tried all manner of methods to elicit information from the steward, but he is utterly mad. Nothing works."
For three and a half years the ex-steward of Duke Solomon was tortured by Caleb's father. Yet even after handing over the task to Caleb himself, the steward still had not elicited a coherent response.
His answers often included such replies as "choice is an illusion," or "god is a liar." Whenever it came to the book he only said "it came to him."
Investigating his relatives and family resolved little of the mystery.
His wife was indisposed after her husband's "disappearance." She grieved but otherwise exhibited no irregular behavior. Informants tell Caleb that she is a rather competent housekeeper, but has recently become slightly manic. The steward also had two children, a son and daughter– the son served a local regiment in the Duke's private army. Five years ago the steward had leveraged his connection with Duke Solomon to get his daughter in with the royal servants, where she now serves as one of the many handmaids for second prince Idan Titanus.
The children have recently become quite stressed what with the loss of their father and mental decline of their mother. But neither one of them is suspicious and exhibits no connection nor exposure to ancient lore. Ironically, the one mostly likely to have seen or interacted with ancient artifacts would've been the steward himself. But he was useless at present.
"Let's think about things from a different perspective. Assuming that the research was intentionally presented to the steward, what would be the purpose of getting it to him?"
It could've been a cover up, but if so, why the steward? As a cunning man himself, Caleb would've first considered using it to frame an inconvenient political rival. But the steward was so menial that it was politically useless to frame him.
Perhaps then it was an abundance of caution. But if so then why not tie up loose ends? Why let the steward be captured and interrogated and potentially threaten the release of sensitive information? Carelessness? Overconfidence? Possible, but not certain. And if there's one thing the Archphantom family hates, it is uncertainty.
"What if he was left alive to ensure he was found? A distraction then. But from what?"
Caleb considered these matters when another knock arrived at his office door.
"Enter."
"My lord," in walked Jeremiah, a lifelong servant of Caleb and mentor.
"You've something to report Jeremiah?"
"Yes sir, the second prince has sent you a letter," he pulled the envelope with the royal seal from his coat.
"He has accepted to meet you, my lord."
"Good. The second prince will be a necessary asset to reign in the emperor's wars. Our resources are already stretched out as is dealing with rebellions in the north, secession in the south, the third prince's ambitions in the capital, the search for the ingredients of Yaevnrauth's elixir of immortality, the building of the new wizard towers, and now the war planned against Bethel in the Heartlands. All of these things are straining our imperial order, but the wars are the most troublesome."
Caleb grabbed his coat and as he donned it added, "but of course, while we are bound by oath and creed to never defy the emperor, there's nothing that says his own family cannot act against him. If we can pit the second prince against the emperor, we may be able to stabilize the internal situation of the empire."
At the door he patted Jeremiah's shoulder and rubbed his eyes, "I swear, why must the emperor give us all this trouble after forty years of peaceful rule?"
"It is beyond this humble servant to know the emperor's grand plan."
"Aye, though now it seems to be beyond the both of us. Let's go."
The heir of Archphantom journeyed to the Gilded Palace– its golden spires glistening in the sunlight, and set down from his carriage at the entrance to the second prince's palace wing.
"Hail, lord Archphantom, your arrival was anticipated, you'll find the second prince in the imperial gardens."
"As you were…"
Caleb and his aid wandered into the palace and approached the garden overflowing with white poppies and vines of vanilla flowers. Upon a tiled path of polished black marble, Caleb perceived the prince himself, who turned to him gently from his wheelchair.
The second prince was uncannily beautiful; eloquent of speech and fair of face. His charms could ensnare even men at times. Yet one could tell how the burden of his affliction had marked him.
A curse of dark lines shrouded the lids of his eyes, and sapphire irises were made somber by a pair of hungry black pupils. Golden hair flowed down to his waist, but inspected closely would find a few white hairs that could call nor store no luminance in its bodies. His pale skin appeared like marble in the moonlight, but under the careful scrutiny of the brighter sun one might spy the darkened veins beneath.
His figure was slender; the thinness of his wrist surpassed the delicacy of maidens. Gentle in demeanor and flesh, but Idan Titanus was not so by choice. Even to walk was a task he suffered. No more the journey from one end of the imperial garden to another would he dare undertake by foot. Otherwise a close aid was required to move him where he pleased.
"So you've come," he said.
Those who heard him speak would feel as if to listen to the spring rain. A dour downpour rather than a shower. One could see how loved the second prince was, for always there were attendants around him, and the emperor spared no expense in his medicine or physicians. The smell of flowers in their autumn wilt pervaded him, and all the silk and gold could not conceal his sickness. That remained the only quality of nature that grounded his yet ethereal presence on the Terra.
Beside him, among his aids, was a darkly dressed man of ashened hair and black eyes. Caleb acknowledged the prince first.
"Hail to the second prince, Idan Ann Titanus, first of his name. It is by the blessings of Sòl that this meeting is graced, I thank you and him for making it so."
"You may rise, Caleb Archphantom, son of Nathanial Archphantom."
Caleb gave a lighter bow to the man behind prince Idan.
"Sir Exallion, it's an honor to see the greatest knight of the empire."
Exallion– or the Living Legend as he was also known. An undefeated duelist that even the men called Dragons of the West and East confessed inferior skill in battle. He was a man whose essence emanated a feeling of excellence. There was no harm in getting into his good graces, all the greater harm for those who would offend him though.
The knight nodded in acknowledgement of Caleb's bow.
"You have exceptional manners, Mr. Caleb. I received your letter from general Radovid. He said– with some reservation, that you might desire an accord. Is this the case?"
"Yes, we both agree that the emperor's wars are causing too much strain. I wish for your Dove faction to restrain the Hawks for a while– at least until the inner realm of the empire is stable again."
"I see, but I am not presently strong enough to compete with my father in politics. The eastern and central dukes are all eager to show their worth in war. But many of these regions are torn. Unlike the southern dukes, who have a clear objective and alignment, many of the central dukes are split between internal factions. Some members of the duchy wish to seize war contributions and merits in order to make fast power grabs. Other duchy factions wish to preserve the status quo and prevent a new surge of greedy and powerful rivals."
The prince coughed and sputtered. A wet and terrible noise escaped his esophagus only for a handmaid to provide him a handkerchief with which to expel his ill phlegm.
"Apologies…"
"No need for apologies, your majesty. Please, continue."
"In any case, the conflict is deeper than just war or anti-war. There's also the conservative nobles who wish to check the emperor's power and prevent new factions from gaining prominence. This war is a delicate matter for them. They don't want to support the Doves, but also don't want the Hawks to grow in power. At present, I have a tenuous alliance with them."
Caleb identified the heart of the matter at once, "they support you because you're sick and weak. But they don't like that the first prince is friendly with your faction too."
"Precisely. I am already dead as far as the conservatives are concerned. But they worry that my faction may later become a power base for the first prince."
"Still, they don't have any choices. Every duke has internal politics within their realm, just the same as the emperor does. There are doubtless an innumerable number of petty groups conspiring within the realms to seize power."
The second prince went to cover his mouth and muttered softly, "pardon my rudeness, but the dukes are only interested in themselves. They will move only to preserve their own power, there's no loyalty among these men."
"Then we must use more persuasive means. That happens to be my specialty."
"No. Your methods are dangerous, and you've already stretched your resources thin. I'm aware of the black riders in the south, the Night of the Bitter Chalice, and the assassinations in the north. You've been working hard to repress Inbali uprisings and stop southern secession. I don't approve of your methods though."
"Your majesty, I merely worked for the good of the empire— much like yourself."
"So you claim, but I suspect that you've yet to reveal your true intentions here."
There was a strange beauty to the second prince, Idan Titanus. His wise gaze delicately accused Caleb without a single further word or action. It was disarming to the young Archphantom.
"I am sorry that my tendencies offend you. Be assured though, as is my creed, I serve only the empire and his majesty. Your health matters to me as much as it matters to him. But in any case, time is of the essence. The Grand Marshal is already preparing to leave for Heathcliff to join the eastern army. I suspect the emperor will bring forth a proposal for war at the next royal court gathering in a week's time."
Caleb let an eye drift to the man beside the prince.
"Let me borrow that knight of yours. I will work subversively though not lethally to assist you in building the Dove faction naturally. This will, of course, take more time than my usual methods. But it should be done by the end of the emperor's wars with the Heartlands."
A weak grasp squeezed on the prince's armchair. Idan pursed his lips softly.
"I hoped for a better method. Many people in the Heartlands will die as it stands."
"This is inevitable. Consider it the lesser evil, my prince. At times such compromises are necessary."
"What use have you for my knight, sir Exallion?"
"Tell me, Prince Idan, are you familiar with the rumors wandering around the royal court these days?"
"You mean those of the Bitter Chalice?"
Caleb contained his amusement.
"No, this is beyond my humble work. I'm referring to the rumors of the elixir of immortality."
Caleb keenly observed the tiniest flinch in prince Idan's resting hands in his lap.
"Oh," he said, "I heard it was all nonsense."
"It is most likely the reason that your father is waging all of these wars," said Caleb ruthlessly.
A maid interjected "watch your words, Archphantom. You stand before the prince!"
Idan raised an emaciated arm with difficulty. The maid paused and stepped back. She did not raise her voice again.
"Well, that is disheartening to hear," he said.
"I am investigating these rumors personally, our intelligence reports that the rumors began in the royal court, but who exactly was the first to spread this rumor is unknown."
"And you wish for my help in finding the source."
"Not at all, I wish to borrow your knight's arm, not his wit. Why use finesse where a simple hammer will work?"
"Once more, I disapprove of your methods."
"All the same, these are my terms."
"Then, if you are willing, sir Exallion."
The stoic knight placed a hand over his heart and answered in a surprisingly gentle and whisper-like voice.
"As you wish, prince Idan."
"Do not be overly belligerent, Mr. Caleb."
"Why, your majesty, how could I ever dare to displease you."
As the Archphantom's shadow loomed over the poppies in the garden, a sense of illness passed over the second prince.
"Is he gone," asked the prince.
"Yes my liege."
"Those imperial shades are so serpentine. It's hard to know what he is planning."
"I will keep my eyes open."
"I trust you, sir Exallion. No one understands me better than you after all."
"Then, I will take my leave now."
The empire's greatest knight followed after Caleb. And war was soon to begin.