Theurgy: The Citadel of Light (Book Three)

Chapter 10 Reasons to Fight

      Ryan approached Lyse, sat atop an outcropping of rock on the mountain. From here, one could get a full view of Castle Grimwald and the city that surrounded it. Ryan had spent the last week here familiarizing himself with this place. Rarely is he allowed outside the castle grounds of course, he is but a phantom to this place. Silondras was not a home to him, at least not yet, more so a base of operations, the heart of their efforts to put an end to Torlak. Lyse said as much to him days before. Ryan was practically buried, every waking hour spent familiarizing him with the gods, their abilities, their strengths and weaknesses, greatest feats of power and greatest shames, the vast collection of knowledge from previous generations of godslayers and where some succeeded and failed to do what they now attempt to do. Most of these studies were conducted under the direct eye of the queen herself. That woman watched him like a hawk, rarely sanctioning him rest from his training, making sure to make the most of every fiber of his strength. Ryan was no stranger to punishing regiments, but her presence surely made it nigh unbearable to crawl out of bed to receive more of her lectures. Fresh air of any sort was a blessing he will not pass up. Though he did prefer it not be up on a mountain. The howling winds and thin cold air not at all he would desire for his break.

"You've come," Lyse, still sitting looking over Silondras, turned to greet him with a nod. Ryan joined him, sitting with his legs over the edge of the outcropping.

"You are the damned prince of this place, not like I got the choice to disobey now do I?" Ryan asked with a slight smirk. "Besides, any excuse to stretch my wings is an opportunity I simply can not pass up. So what is it, Lyse. Why bring me up here?"

Lyse returned the smile, gesturing out to the valley below. "To enjoy the view with me, of course. See the sun rise over this land. You never know when it will be your last."

"I tend not to savor such scenes," Ryan grunted. "Not when there are things I must do. When it's over, perhaps I will have time for such leisure."

Lyse chuckled. "So my mom has gotten to your head?"

"Her words bleed through my lips," he sighed. "Every minute of these past few days has been study study study. While my powers do strengthen somewhat with every passing day, how can I know my limits if I'm unable to explore them? I can know fifty different ways to destroy my enemies, but I do not wield this pendant, these powers for no reason."

"Aye, I share your sentiment," Lyse nodded. "For about three months I have been obsessed with learning the bounds of my pendant here. Still there are things that I do not understand about it, things I wish to know. It's rare for godslayers to ever touch the very edges of the power these gods grant us. For the longest I lacked perspective from how far I've come, until I've met you. Perhaps a change of pace will do us both well."

Ryan's grin grew wide. "A duel then, really? Is that wise, I'm sure your mother wishes for the mountains to remain as is."

"I know of a safe place," he said. "In a month we shall split away once more to find more godslayers. And we both know that Talin will not be far behind. Aphrodite, even in her Areia form, is far from the most formidable of the gods. We must be as ready as possible to face them when more resurface, as they are bound to do."

"Are you ready to do whatever it takes?" Ryan asked the prince. "Even if it means sacrificing your ideals, your knighthood. To safeguard our future, your empire's future. What are you willing to do?"

Lyse seemed to consider the soft challenge, his blue eyes gleaming in the early sun's light. "I have yet to find an adequate answer to that. A true answer. But I must also ask you, Ryan. What aren't you willing to do to see Talin fall."

Ryan's smile faded somewhat. "In Talin, we were taught that nothing was forbidden from us. That things like morality and ethics do not apply to us, they are the instruments of slaves. We were taught that all things must be permitted to mold the future as we see fit. If it is this heinous doctrine that I must live by to see them fall, then so be it."