Martyshbod Lirael pauses, and her gaze on me is measuring. It only takes a few moments of contemplation before she seems to make up her mind to continue, “She confided to them that she had discovered a fragment of the Star, the piece that could bend the element of life. And she could wield a portion of its power. This explained her enhanced abilities in one-on-one combat, healing, and any sorcery involving the life element. With any otherelement, fire, earth, light, her ability was as ordinary as any other sorcerer.”
It almost seems too surreal to believe. But there’s no trace of speculation or deception on Lirael’s face.
“The first Martyshyars were entrusted with three crucial missions. First, they were tasked with purging any records across the continent that mentioned the Star and ensuring that Jiva’s extraordinary sorcery and contributions to the war were not overly documented. Second, the Martyshyars were to locate the remaining fragments of the Star and prevent anyone from discovering and wielding that power for harmful purposes. If a single piece could grant one person such power to turn the tide of the war, the combined power of all fragments was a force they could not trust with the world. The third mission was to uncover how to harness the power of each piece.”
I don’t know how, but I manage to blurt out, “But couldn’t she already wield the power of the life fragment?”
Martyshbod Lirael’s gaze sharpens. “Yes, but only she could. None of the other Martyshyars, including the sorcerers, could wield its power. Martyshbod Jiva possessed something unique, something no other seemed to have. For centuries, hundreds of sorcerers became Martyshyars, but none could access the power of the fragment in Martysh’s possession until a few years ago.”
My eyes widen. “Did someone finally wield that power after such a long time?”
“Indeed,” she replies, her eyes locked on mine. “Me.”
My heart skips a beat, and I can only stare at her with wide eyes and an open mouth.
“It took me twenty years to climb the ranks of Martysh and finally become a Martyshyar. As per tradition, all Martysh folks who manage to gain seven stars and swear the Martysh oath, sorcerers or not, have to attempt to touch the Star’s fragment. And I could yield its powers on my first try.”
All I can manage are uncomprehending blinks, my gaze fixed on her in utter disbelief. How can she appear so calm while uttering such extraordinary claims of power? How can such a force even exist inthis world? And the sheer scope of its potential, for both salvation and destruction… Then, a sudden realization strikes me with the force of a physical blow.
This power, this unimaginable force… it had been here, untapped, for years. Despite the initial shock, a bitter and sharp disappointment floods me.
“Faelas was right,” I murmur, the words escaping me before I can stop them. Then, louder, I address Lirael directly. “You claim you possess this enormous power. Then why? Why aren’t you using it to help Izadeon? Their villages are under constant attack, their people suffering. They’ve been begging for aid for centuries.”
“We are helping, Arien,” Lirael replies, her voice still infuriatingly calm. “Many Martysh bases are strategically positioned along the border of Izadeon and the Doozak Mountains. Countless Martysh soldiers are stationed there, risking their lives, apart from their families, to hold back the tide of monsters, to protect Izadeon and the continent.”
“But it’s not enough,” I say, my voice rising. “The suffering will never end unless someone defeats the source behind those mountains. Izadeon doesn’t need a shield at the border. They need a sword. A force strong enough to break through the heart of the problem. And you claim to possess that power.”
I force myself to ignore the tremor of fear I feel at challenging the most powerful woman on the continent.
“Even with the power of the fragment, I am not invincible, Arien. I cannot single-handedly defeat tens of thousands of Daevas and who knows how many sorcerous ones among them,” Lirael replies, her voice still calm and measured but with a hint of steel beneath the surface. “Even Jiva understood the limitations. She wisely decided not to venture behind the mountains. Her family was refugees from Izadeon, but she didn’t allow sentiment or personal ties to cloud her judgment. She focused on the long game, on finding the remaining fragments of the Star. She believed, and I believe, that only with the combined power of all the elements can we hope to achieve a lasting victory and finally eradicate the Daeva’s threat.”
“But Jiva failed,” I say sharply. “She died without finding the fragments. And for three hundred years, Izadeon has suffered and bled while Martysh searched and searched, while the power of that one fragment lay dormant and unused! And now that you can wield it again, you’re choosing the same path? Another three hundred years of pointless sacrifice while chasing a tale?”
I stop, breathless, my chest heaving, the outburst leaving me shaken. I didn’t know that I cared this much about this. But, I feel deeply disappointed that my faith in Martysh and my belief in their commitment to helping the weak were misplaced.
Have Darian and Faelas been right all along? Am I sacrificing my life for a quest that may never end, just as Zanyar said? Instead of actually helping people in need?
Even though I had questioned my trust in Martysh before, it’s now, for the first time, that I truly and seriously doubt if joining their order is the right path.
Martyshbod Lirael regards me seriously, her expression a blend of faint displeasure but also understanding. “The entire continent suffers from the scourge of Daevas and the monsters they breed, not just Izadeon. Izadeon bears the brunt of it, yes, but it hasn’t always been this dire. The last decade has seen an unusual surge in danger.”
“So, you’ve had access to this life-bending power for the past decade, precisely when Izadeon’s situation has become increasingly dire?” I challenge, my voice sharp with accusation.
Lirael doesn’t flinch. She simply smiles, a small, knowing curve of her lips that makes me uneasy. “It seems that the Izadeonians have truly captured your heart.”
Her dismissive tone ignites a spark of anger in me. “Their suffering is impossible to ignore.”
“Oh, I’m sure their story is quite compelling,” she replies with a hint of sarcasm. “But I suspect they’ve been rather selective in what they’ve shared with you. A curated tale, designed to elicit sympathy.”
I frown. “What are you implying?”
“Simply that there are many aspects of their true intentions that you may have failed to uncover.”
“What intentions?”
Lirael takes a sharp breath in. She’s been weighing every word so far, but now, there’s a decisiveness in her eyes. “They neglected to mention, I presume, that they never had any intention of joining Martysh.”
“They’re reconsidering… because they were worried Martysh would not use the power of the Star to help them. And after what you’ve told me, I… I’m not so sure Martysh is the right path either.” My words are a half-truth spoken more to provoke a reaction than out of genuine conviction.
