A Throne Built On Lies

The First Step Back.

It was not an easy transition. The next moment Caelion was in the throne hall of the underworld. The air changed next--and he was in a different place.

Colder. Lighter. Controlled. He didn’t move immediately. His body was different once more not like the underworld form, not like his own, either. Something in between. Stable, but fragile.

The voice of Nysera was faintly echoed in his mind. Temporary.

His eyes were opened by Caelion. He was in the entrance of a broad passage. The celestial realm. He knew it at a glance. White same stone walls. Same radiant lines cut in the floor. Same silent buzz of God-like vitality in all.

Something seemed amiss. Not the place. Him. Caelion looked down on his hands. Smaller. Lighter. No fractures. No dark veins.

Lioren Thale.

The disguise held. For now. He exhaled slowly. “Stay focused.”

Two inferior messengers of the gods hurried past him. One of them looked at him a moment. “You’re late.”

Caelion didn’t react immediately.

The second messenger followed, and said, “council meets today. Stand not about. Get to work.”

Caelion nodded once. “Understood.”

They past him. No suspicion. No recognition.

He waited another second, and began to walk.

Each step was a familiar one. Each turn brought him to mind.He knew this place.

But it didn’t feel like it belonged to him anymore.

Caelion was expressionless as he passed through the corridor.

“Lioren,” someone called.

He stopped. Turned. Some little official came up to him hastily, with a bunch of scrolls.

The official told him that he was to relay messages to the upper chamber. “Take these to the council hall.”

Caelion grabbed the scrolls. “Yes.”

The official did not ask him any more questions. Just shook his head and went away. Caelion glanced down at the scrolls. Then back ahead. The council hall. That meant…Them.

He didn’t stop. He kept walking. The nearer he came the more the air seemed to weigh down. More guards. More activity. More attention.

Caelion changed his stance a little, keeping pace with the other messengers coming in and out of the neighborhood.

Nobody paid any attention to him. That was good. That was to say the masquerade was working. He came to the entrance of the main hall. There were two guards on both sides.

One of them came forward. “Identify.”

Caelion didn’t hesitate. “Lioren Thale. Relay of messages.”

The guard examined the scrolls, and then looked back at him. A brief pause. Then a nod. “Proceed.”

Caelion stepped inside. The room was just as he remembered. Gods were already gathered. Some seated. Some standing. Everyone was silently talking. And then… He saw them. Seris Alune was close to one of the inner columns. No armor this time. No weapon. Calm. Composed. Conversation with another council member as though nothing had occurred.

As she hadn’t plunged a knife in his heart. Caelion hesitated half a moment. His hands clenched on the scrolls a little.Not shattered.Not even far.

She looked… normal. Not shaken. Not broken…Not even distant.

Just..Normal.

Caelion had to make another movement.

Concentrate, he said to himself.

He turned his head. And saw Eryndor. At the top of the hierarchy. Precisely where he ever stood. Expression calm. Eyes sharp. Watching everything. Not speaking. Just observing. Caelion knew it. That presence. That control. There was nothing that had changed about Eryndor. That was the issue.

Caelion looked down and went on. Step by step. No reaction. No recognition. Another messenger, just doing his job. He came to the main platform and laid the scrolls to rest with the rest.

The aide of a council looked at him. “Leave them there.”

Caelion nodded. “Yes.”

He turned. Walked away.

He came to the outer of the hall.Then..the Light changed. Almost out. Then ….the Light shifted. Caelion stopped. Not fully.

Just a little to be aware of. Moonlight. It ran through the high windows, slicing across the floor in a fine line.

He hadn’t noticed it before. It was all there now. In his path. Caelion changed his course a little. Too late. The edge of the light touched his hand. Pain hit instantly.

His breath caught. He looked down. His skin… It shifted. The illusion flickered. A momentarily dark veins began to show below the surface. Cracks. Faint But real. Caelion instantly withdrew his hand.

“No, no, “he said to himself.

He turned his back upon the light. The delusion became steady once more. But the harm was done. That was too close. He drew a long breath, and his breath was under control again.

“Careful, careless, careful, careful, “he thought to himself.

He round turned to see that he was alone.And stood still.A second.--Nothing.

Eryndor was there. Not too close. But enough. His head turned. Slowly. Directly toward him. Their eyes met. For a second… Nothing moved.

Caelion didn’t breathe.

Didn’t blink.Didn’t react. There was a sharpness of look in the eye of Eryndor.

Not recognition. Not yet.

But attention.

Too much attention. Caelion experienced it instantly. Danger. Then… Everything snapped. The world pulled.

Hard. Something seized him, and pulled him backwards through space itself. The light vanished. The room disappeared. The air changed furiously. And then… Silence. Darkness. The underworld. Caelion tripped over his body returning immediately.

The mask had disappeared.

The weight returned. The shadows swamped him. Now he stabilized himself, and breathed more harshly.

What was that? he said harshly.

No answer.

Then… A voice. Close. Too close.

“Careful, “said it.

Caelion turned immediately. No one was there. Nevertheless, the presence was. The voice continued. “There are two of us now.”

Caelion’s expression hardened. “Show yourself.”

The shadows didn’t move. The voice didn’t obey. It had one more thing to say.

“”Be careful and don’t get us killed.”