The Fall of Kyrace Read Free Page A

that the Empire will never possess Kyrace. I swear to you that the Imperial eagle shall never fly over the Tower of Storm. And I swear to you that the Empire will pay a bitter price for having ever set foot in Kyrace.”
    “How?” said Rykon.
    “There is a secret,” said Tyndaros, “passed down from Archon to Archon from the beginning of Kyrace. These statues are not just symbols. They are…anchors, the linchpins of the mighty spells binding the great elemental spirits within the Broken Mountain. Without those elementals, this island would be uninhabitable.” He placed one hand upon the nearest statue and looked at Rykon. “And I shall break those spells.”
    Rykon blinked. “What will happen?”
    “I do not know,” said Tyndaros, and Rykon had the impression that the old man lied. “But it will not be good for the Imperial army. Or for anyone left upon the island, for that matter. You must go, Rykon.”
    “My place is here,” said Rykon.
    “I release you from your service,” said Tyndaros.
    “Then my place is to die here,” said Rykon.
    “Agia is here, Rykon,” said Tyndaros. 
    Rykon felt his heart skip a beat. “What?”
    “She is in the Tower of Catechon,” said Tyndaros. “I sent her here after the fall of Marsis, to keep her safe from Mathanius, since he would almost certainly come for her. Go to her, now, and make for the hidden harbor. If you hurry, you should just be able to make it.” 
    “You arranged this, didn’t you?” said Rykon. “My duty is to die here. But you knew I would leave for Agia.”
    Tyndaros’s smile looked like a rictus, a death-mask. “Yes. I have made many mistakes, Rykon. But you are a worthy man, and too many worthy men have died for my errors. Now, go. Before it is too late.”
    Rykon hesitated, but nodded at last. “Farewell, my Lord Archon.”
    “Farewell, stormdancer,” said Tyndaros, turning towards the first statue. “When you reach the fleet, tell the captains to keep to the south side of the island at all costs.”
    “Why?” said Rykon. “You…know what releasing the elementals will do, don’t you?”
    “It has been an honor, Rykon of House Kardamnos, stormdancer of Kyrace,” said Tyndaros, and he turned away.
    He drew a dagger, slashed it across his palm, and let his blood fall upon the first of the massive statues. Then he began to sing in a quiet voice. The statue shuddered, and Rykon felt the stirrings of arcane power deep within the earth.
    Massive amounts of arcane power, like a sleeping beast waking beneath his feet.
    He left the courtyard, moving with sorcery-enhanced speed across the city's upper circle. The Tower of Catechon rose against the darker bulk of the Broken Mountain, looking like a smaller version of the Tower of Storm. Graceful statues rose from the Tower’s gardens, statues of stormdancers with their blades, or stormsingers with their hands raised to the heavens. 
    No doubt the gardens and the statues would soon burn with the rest of the city. 
    He hurried to the Tower’s top level and found Agia standing by a reflecting pool, watching the burning docks. She wore a long gown of green, black hair bound back from her slender neck by a silver circlet. The glare from the flames painted her face with hellish light, and he saw tears trickling down her cheeks. 
    “Agia,” he said.
    She turned to face him, one hand flying to her mouth.
    “Rykon,” she said, and collapsed into his arms. 
    For a moment he forgot the Imperial armies, the burning city, the ruin of Kyrace. But only for a moment. 
    “How did this happen?” she murmured. “How could they have gotten into the city?”
    “We were betrayed,” said Rykon.
    Agia looked up at him, eyes full of pain. “Mathanius?”
    Rykon nodded. “The Archon thinks he led the Imperials through the coral maze. That’s how they got into the harbor without ruining their ships. And with the fleet away, and most of our forces scattered among the colonies…”
    “He knew.” Her