2025-01-23 17:00:47Luthen woke up confused. He looked round and could see nothing but fires, bodies and rubble. His clothes were dusty and he smelt of smoke. However around him there was no sign of stone. He stood. He felt the pounding headache threatening to crush his skull.
What happened here?He remembered something. It was a blur of sounds, smells, voice, feelings. Nothing clear. The limited edition card. The restaurant. The explosions. The girl. Maron. He did not remember the strange force that came out of him though.
His eyes widened and he started to look amongst the rubble. All the while the headache did not let go. However, his focus was on finding his friend.He searched till he found a piece of Maron’s torn shirt held down by an enormous piece of rubble. His favourite shirt.
He could not lift the stone but there was a pool of blood around.
His hands were red, stained by the blood.
The emotional pain he felt was like a spear stabbing his heart. He let out a roar of anguish.
The headache increased in intensity. He fell to his knees and clenched his feet.
The smaller stones around him started rising up. But the tears in his eyes did not let him see.
He tried to shout again. He started but cut straight in the middle. The pain from the headache finally knocked him out cold.
The stones dropped.
*******
On a building top unaffected by the explosions some distance away, stood two cloaked figures.
One of them lifted his hands to his communicating device on his ear and spoke in a male voice.
“The Shard has Awoken. Mission successful.”
The reply came through “Good. No further action is needed. Leave him be”. Voyne removed his finger from the comms device. It was coming together. It was good to have reliable subordinates. His plan was in motion. He took a sip of wine and checked the time. It would be time for the final part of the trial soon.
But he wasn’t worried about the verdict. It was already in his favour.
*******
The cloaked figure communicating with Voyne and watching Luthen, turned to leave.
“We have some luggage, Johann.” said the other cloak referring to the body of a person they had pulled from the debris earlier during the explosion.
Johann, the cloak that was communicating earlier paused and let out a sigh. He didn’t know why she saved this one. Females.
“Deal with it.”
“I sense strong soul energy from this one.” She kicked the body lightly. “He has Awoken too. He could be useful.” She protested.
The male cloak sighed again. He did not want to go on a mission with her. Now she is telling him to carry a stranger to their base. Well, it was not like he could refuse.
“Fine.” He forced out
The male cloak turned back.
*******
Renée came to the house where Voyne was hosted in the late morning. She had skipped the hearing of the past two days by coming late and was planning to miss the trial again today. She did not want to be around when they passed the verdict on Voyne.
They may think I am part of them and punish me too.
Fortunately for her job, Voyne hadn’t said anything about the past two days.
She hoped he had already left. She wasn’t so lucky today.
She met him in the parlor, attended by his followers.
“Good morning, Renée.” Voyne said. “You could not have come at a much better time”
He looked prepared for the trial. She wished she had come a few minutes later.
“You are coming, Renée.” he said not leaving room for an argument.
“Yes Archbishop.” Just like earlier, she knew she had no choice.
“May I follow, First Priest?” Viven asked. Voyne refused.
They entered the car that would transport them to the trial
Voyne kept humming throughout the journey.
*******
At the Hause Noblesse, the seat of the Nobles.
They arrived at the building and were directed to the trial hall.
The hall seats formed a circle. Seven specially decorated seats were arranged at equal angles from each other, with the other seats filling the space between them. Each seat was equally spaced from the other.
The Great Circle of Nobles.
Men and women arrayed in official but expensive clothing, huddled in groups outside the Circle, discussing law or just gossiping.
Voyne took some time to introduce the Nobles, unsettling Renée
Why is he in a good mood?
“......Over here are the members of the Seven Great Nobles; Archdukes Huften of Frenen, Manning of Garth and Soran of Pilys. On that side are the rest; Juggen of Gralan, Orrbi of Kalern, Revner of Dabim. And I haven’t seen the Archduchess Klare yet. Oh there she is! She rules Osyna and leads the Circle.”
He definitely is talking too much. Renée thought
“ ….. That is the High Noble……” Voyne continued introducing.
“…..And that lovely lady over there is Duchess Sophia Augusten. I believe she is here instead of her father, the Grand Duke. He probably had some matters to attend to.” Voyne told Renée with a mischievous grin. Renée thought she heard some stress on the word ‘matters’.
Is he interested in her? She asked herself. Voyne had started to walk towards the Duchess. A conversation?
The Duchess had her back towards them, talking to other dignitaries.
“Fine afternoon, isn’t it, Duchess?”
The Duchess turned. Renée had to admit it. She was heavenly.
“Fine one to send you behind bars.” she spat.
“Ah, justice wouldn’t be served then.”
“You would have this court believe in a myth? What’s next? Children’s stories?”
“I assure you the Shards are real.”
“If you came to meet me to lobby for you to get a lesser punishment, I am afraid I do not need anything you can offer.”
“Not even evidence?”
“If you had evidence, you would have presented it yesterday or the day before. No, you do not have any evidence. All I see is a man trying to achieve influence and power by corrupting society.”
Voyne laughed heartily.
Then with a mischievous twinkle in his eye and looking round the hall, he asked
“Where is the Archduke? He was here for the previous proceedings.”
“Some important business happened at home. He had to leave to take care of it”
“Yes, of course. I heard about that. Horrible, that was. Extend my condolences. Really terrible incident.”
“Huh? What happened?” Sophia was confused. Voyne had gone.
He went towards the defendant’s box
“Goodbye, Mother.”
Only Renée heard it. She did not know who he was speaking to or about.
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Four: Trial.
The trial had begun.“Your claim is the existence of beings called Shards. Do you have any evidence to support your claim?” Revner asked. His stress on the word ‘beings’ was sarcastic. Revner would rather believe a liar than this nonsense.“Exalted Nobles, I have to admit that I did not have any proof of my claim.”“So, you admit that you’ve spread lies to cause chaos?” Juggen said.“Like I said, I did not have any proof of my claim. Until this morning.”Voyne directed to a holographic screen. On it showed Luthen kneeling on the rubble amidst fires and bodies and roaring with red, dripping hands. Many Nobles averted their heads. Others clenched their fist in anger.“What is this? When did this happen?! Who did this?!!”Revner was enraged.I have your attention now. Voyne smirked. His plan was coming together.“One of them has come
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Five: A Wanted Shard.
Luthen woke up in a hospital. His headache had cleared and he remembered what happened.Maron.The tears came uncontrollably and lasted for minutes. They blocked his vision.He tried to sit up and found he could not. He tried again with same result realizing he had been strapped to the bed. He tried wriggling. That created some noise.A female nurse soon came in.There was a pause. Her eyes widened and she screamed and fell.Luthen was offended.Do I look that ugly?“The demon……” she said to the officials rushing in. They all stopped at the door for a moment, reluctant to come in. Then they finally did.The demon had awoken.One of them stepped forward towards Luthen.“Luthen Vasen?” the official asked rhetorically. Of course he knew who Luthen was.“I am Inspector Henri Pove from Rhyne City Guard. …Uhmm…. You are under arrest.”There was a slight pause where Luthen processed
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Six: Training by the Strongest.
Kane started training Luthen to control his power the next day at the safe house.“Soul energy is like fuel with a fuse. If you use too much of it at once, you are no different from a bomb with one-time use. Burning too much of it at once may also damage your body.”“That’s why I kept blacking out. And the headaches.”“Exactly. The trick is to keep it flowing in a controlled manner like a stream. To master this, you must first master your soul. Your emotions. Be in control.”“Form your energy into a ball. Focus it.” He continued.Luthen tried focusing his energy into a ball. It started forming and swirling calmly and then violently till–“Null.” Kane said, easily dispersing the energy.“It is not so easy. How do you focus yours?” said Luthen after trying for the 41st time“I focus my energy through my sword–”
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Seven: Family Time.
Luthen went to see his family at the detention center while sticking to the shadows. He saw his wanted posters all over his home town. Dead or alive with a very attractive bounty. Sophia was not lying.He came to the location of his house and faced what used to be the door. All that remained of a fine estate was the charred remains of wood, mortar and metal left behind by those angry cultists or the mob they had stirred up. He said silent thanks to Sophia for protecting his family.This location too had not been spared the onslaught of his wanted posters, some of them defaced with the word “murderer” written in red. One could not turn without spotting them somewhere. On a street pole with his poster by his left side, were two drunken men talking. One with a bottle and the other, equally drunken but not holding his. He listened, hoping to get a piece of information or two.“Oi, what–hic–would you do if you catch–hic–guy?&
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Eight: The Archive.
Sophia went back to her family’s manor to see her father. If anyone knew any info on Voyne or any of his shady dealings, it would be him.“How are the rehabilitation efforts proceeding?” She said as she poured him tea.“Which one? For the mall explosion or the hospital?” Her father joked dryly.“They are going fine. We are nearly through with rebuilding, though we’ve yet to catch the perpertrator.” Her father said and sipped his tea.The perpertrator. Luthen.She poured hers.“I am sorry for hiding the truth from you. However, I needed you to focus on the Circle session. If I had told you, you would be distracted.”“It is okay, Dad.” She sipped.“I think it is shady though. That Voyne knew about the explosion” The clink sound of the ceramic hitting itself could be heard as she put her cup on the small plate.“Oh that. He has his fol
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Nine: Born Fighter.
Meanwhile, Kane took a walk. He had decided to gather information on his own since being alone in the safe house for too long was tiring on its own, even for the patience of a martial artist. They made a pretty good team, he thought; Sophia focused on the high-and-mighty, Luthen on the normal people and he on the underworld.The safe house was hidden in plain sight; in a residential area. So he took the common road and found himself at a commercial area after walking a bit. All the while, people would stop to observe the oddity he was; unusually tall – about six-and-a-half feet and loose Hrunnan swordsman clothes.He walked into an alley. This one was no different from the others. Damp and dirty with the smell of alcohol everywhere. Kane could not be more thankful for his hard sole shoes. The broken bottles around there did bite. He had to do this however, because the path to the criminal underworld always began with the right dark alley.The persons there
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Ten: Spatial World.
The Space Aspect. Powerful.With it, Luthen could determine the spatial position of each and every object around him within a radius in all directions. Up, down, left and right. He could also determine that three figures had consistently followed him from the detention center.“Come out. It is no use. I know where you are”Three cloaks came out of their hiding places and positioned themselves around him. Two in front and one at his back. He kept his eyes closed. He could see them in the spatial plane.There was a pause. The wind rustled the leaves.“Come.” Luthen said. The cloaks looked at each other, confused as to why Luthen closed his eyes. Then they attacked.Luthen dodged here and there and wasn’t attacking. However, he wasn’t used to fighting with closed eyes so some attacks hit. But with each hit he got better and better. Soon their hits did not connect anymore. Luthen still kept his eyes closed.The Spatial World he was seeing
Broken: Shard's Tales Chapter Eleven: The Slayer.
# Welcome to the match you’ve all been waiting for…## At my right, here he comes, the Undefeated Swordsman, The Slayer himself!!## From the left comes crowd favorite, Death!## Place your bets…..#The sound blared from microphones in the arena. Today was the semifinal of a no-restraint the mixed style tournament ran by the boss.It is been 3 days already.Honestly, Kane hadn’t expected to stay this long. He had been able to gather some information but as he was about to go slayer mode, he felt it.The presence of a Shard.Another one here? He thought. Are we being drawn to each other?He had to stay and discover who it was.He knew that Sophia and Luthen would be thinking something happened to him. But he also knew that they wouldn’t look for him, partly because they were all still s
Latest Chapter
Chapter Forty-Seven: Shipping Indeed.
“You don’t deserve to call me that!” She said.Voyne chuckled.“Don’t tell me you are still having second thoughts about today. You saved your friend.” He said.She turned to face him.“You just used me! What have you done to Sophie?!”“It’s late. Keep your voice down. The last thing your subject’s need is their Noble landing in an asylum.” He said and turned to leave.“Are you threatening me?! In my own house?!” She said.The night wind blew softly.“Just do as we tell you. Goodnight, Klare.”*******This Noble is a bit much.He was just about to retire to his room when he saw the Archduchess in the garden. He just wanted to prod her a bit and she went full steam on him.Not too mention the reason he was finally going to his room this late at night was because he had to get chewed on by Mot
Chapter Forty-Six: Plans in Motion.
“You’re our guests.” A guard said in scorn as she shoved Jonelle and Reese into a small room. “Diplomats.” She added laughing, still in scorn before she resumed her post just outside of the room. The guard still remembered what was told to her a few minutes ago by the General.Don’t let them escape.That command carried an inherent threat in it.Reese, as well as Jonelle remembered also because they were there, bound. The room they were kept was the only thing to be thankful for in this mess. It was small, of course, but it had far more pleasures than your average prison, including a proper toilet, a bed and some aesthetic.“These mainland Shards couldn’t even identify the traitor in their ranks.” Reese said. He wasn’t angry, he was amused instead at how everything played out.“You should have gone with them.” Jonelle said.Reese turned to face her, sighing as he did so. He looked into her scowling face and replied “And leave you here by yourself?”“I would be fine. There was no point
Chapter Forty-Five: To Find Allies.
Klare sat in her room, her physical wounds already healing. She had been given treatment by her doctors and was already discharged. while her emotional wounds burned fiercely with pain.She didn’t know whether she had done the right thing or not. She just picked one of the two evils offered to her. It felt good looking at the Grand Duke hug his daughter and lead her away by the hand but the guilt on her soul was just as massive. The consequences of her choice would approach her soon.In fact, they were just around the corner.*******Too late.That was the only thought Renée had in mind. She had finally escaped from the hands of her oppressors and tracked down the Shards after months only to arrive just when two of them were being arrested by the army.She silently kicked herself for not being quick enough.Where do I go from here? She questioned herself.Just to track the elusive Shards had occupied her since she fled her master months ago. Running from the Soul Church was surprising
Chapter Forty-Four: Caught.
Luthen teleported Kane and Somen out of there.At the same time, Klare had opened her eyes.As the number of Shards surrounded reduced, there was a visible commotion. The soliders looked around, thinking the Shards who were missing had gone to their rear. However, the missing Shards were nowhere to be found.Mother turned to see the two Shards from the Sacred Island remaining. She smirked.“Guess they’ve gone ahead then.”Klare still regarded her with fear. “Are you really Sophie?”“No.” The answer struck Klare.“Then, how do you-”“I am in her body and can control her however I want.”“Leave her alone.” Klare said firmly.“I can’t do that now. But I’ll do it if you’ll cooperate with us.” Mother knew her son’s plan was to force this conversation all along, to subject the Archduchess to their will.“You killed all those soliders!” Klare clenched her fists.“They are dead. But your friend isn’t. Do you want her to die too?”“I-” Klare hesitated. Even if she did not want to do it for her
Chapter Forty-Three: Surround.
It was too late.The soldiers had fired their bullets at the Shards. Klare’s warning did nothing to slow their onslaught. The soldiers felt pride at being chosen to defend their Archduchess, their loyalty unwavering.Mother smirked. The bullets paused in midair. “I don’t think you all were invited to the conversation.” The bullets went in the opposite direction they had come and with twice the force with which they had been sent, putting holes in the bodies of the soldiers and sending them to their afterlives.Klare could only stare in terror as the blood of the soldiers stained her military uniform. Why had she even survived.A massive aura enveloped the air making Klare, who was finding it had to breathe from her choking sobs, collapse from suffocation.“Force Technique: Gravity Seal.” Mother found she could not move after Jonelle spoke in anger.The rest prepared for war, their hesitancy in attack
Chapter Forty-Two: A Different Duchess
A presence exploded from Sophie. It felt like her, but with a bit of difference. It was rougher and edgy unlike Sophie’s calmer nature.Just what happened to Sophie while we were gone?! Luthen thought.“Sophie!” He said.The twins were quite confused. One minute, everyone is eating at the table (mostly them) and the next they felt a barrier enclosing them and saw Kane draw his sword.The next minute, their hostess suddenly transformed to another person.“Who said I had to explain anything?” She smiled eerily reminiscent of her adopted son. Luthen didn’t not fail to notice this.This smile is just like–!!He thought.The mental image of Voyne was conjured in his head.“What have you done to Sophie?!!” He raged.“You’re about to find out.” She still sat, confidently and carelessly. The rest of the Shards had formed a semicircle i
Chapter Forty-One: Reveal.
“I don’t think so. I think he meant they were similar due to them both being living Relics.”“What are living Relics though?” Somen asked.Luthen was about to answer when Sophie answered instead.“They are beings of abnormal power. The result of trying to contain a Shard’s power in the body of an unworthy vessel.”The rest looked at her.“A Shard’s constitution is especially suited to contain the massive amounts of soul energy they produce. If any Shard, intentionally or otherwise, tries to forcibly transfer a substantial amount of the soul energy they produce to anyone else who is not a Shard, a living Relic will result.”“So a living Relic is like a Relic except the vessel is human?” Reese asked.“Yes. These individuals are characterized by unstable mental conditions or other mental issues and a short lifespan.” She turned to Luthen. “You
Chapter Forty: Drinking Tea With The Enemy.
On the day of the Shardsarrival back to the safehouse.Sophie is missingIt had been three days since the Grand Duke had come to visit. Klare had her finest investigators on the case trying to trace her currents whereabouts from any clues she may have left behind, with little success. However, they discovered that Sophie had quite a suspiciously secretive life.There were little to no records of her moving about, except that she would be present at a location and later another. There were no records of her moving between those locations, almost like she disappeared and appeared at another. No plane records or tickets or anything like that.What could she have been hiding?The Archduchess thought of that in her private quarters.It was quite early in the morning. Well, not too early for the Archduchess. She took her bath and dressed, having a light breakfast.“My Lady, the Lord Archbishop Voyne i
Chapter Thirty-Nine: Dealing with a Failure.
Evening on the ferry.A figure stood on the deck, resting on the edge of the ferry, watching the ocean toss its waves.“There you are.” Another figure said as it suddenly appeared by the first figure’s side and rested its back on the edge, folding its arms. ”Your cabin is too cramped?”“I need to think. Jonelle.” The first figure said.“I am assuming you have a plan and reason for dragging us both unto this ship, Reese?”“The Grand Abott was not aware of the tunnels underneath the temple. I asked him personally.” Reese said.“Ho! How did Voyne know of it then?”“I don’t know. I intend to find out.”“You let Luthen into your head. Are you okay about that?”“I didn’t let him. The fool barged in, like I did his. But it’s fine.”“I know I have asked you this before, but why? Why pro
