The White Dragon: Tales from the North — Chapter 7: The Gate of Heaven

Der Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer (1818) | Caspar David Friedrich

ㅤㅤ“Reveal yourself!” Sivus commanded; it was dark, and little could be seen. He had been gazing at the stars, for half an hour or so, couldn’t recall for exactly how long. And although from the outside it might have looked like he was lost in a dream, the White Dragon had never forgotten the first rule he had learned as a legionary: ‘Always be aware!’ ㅤㅤA white fire sprang! Its heart was made of three different-colored feathers that did not burn but danced with the flames. They were attached to the staff of a hooded figure garmented in white; Sivus’ face was lit, but hers remained veiled in mystery. ㅤㅤ“You do raise no weapon against me?!” she sounded wary; few had not. ㅤㅤ“I am unarmed,” the seasoned warrior declared, showing his empty hands. ㅤㅤ“Your men are far away. Do you not fear me?” ㅤㅤ“Should I?” Sivus laughed. ㅤㅤ“I have rarely come across a man who doesn’t fear death,” she was in awe. ㅤㅤ“If you had wished me harm, I would already be dead, or fighting for my life; a spell of yours could obliterate me into less than ash. You are a mage, aren’t you? Thought your kind had perished long ago.” ㅤㅤ“A mage?” the remark amused her. “Maybe. I do have certain abilities, but I am not the mistress of my powers; merely the instrument of a higher force.” ㅤㅤ“Why are you here?” ㅤㅤ“To give you a message and grant you a gift.” ㅤㅤ“A gift?” he was suspicious, but also intrigued. ㅤㅤ“Not long ago, you did me a great kindness, and for that I am eternally grateful. In your belt, you will find a pebble. Whenever you need help, throw it in the air and utter these words: Davalerr En’lomo Ashkagarr.” ㅤㅤ“Ashkagarr?! And what of your message?” ㅤㅤ“Friend can emerge from shadow, and foe can be found in light. I have spoken… She has spoken! Farewell, Sivus Whitethunder, Beloved of the Gods,” the mysterious woman said, and the fire emanating from her staff went out. A moment later, her whole figure was ablaze and levitating; a fallen star, a sight to rival all sights in the Ek’atanian gallery of the mind. ㅤㅤ“What is your name?” ㅤㅤ“I used to have a human name… but now I am called, Netal.” ㅤㅤ“Netal, Netal… I’ll remember that name,” Sivus said nodding, full of amazement and adoration, at this… nourishing source, that quickly transformed into a hawk, and flew away, dissolving into the night sky. Had she stayed in her divine form for even just a few seconds more, he would have fallen on his knees, and those well-shut dams in his soul would have burst open! Unleashed hope of cataclysmic proportions. ㅤㅤ“God of my fathers!” ㅤㅤOnce she had fully disappeared from his sight, he felt a light weight in his belt, and as she had said, there it was, a pebble; white and shaped like a triangle. ‘Davalerr En’lomo Ashkagarr’, “Terus…”

ㅤㅤWhen half a dozen legionaries came to investigate the site from which apparently a star had shot off from, to their great perplexion, among the trees, surrounded by fireflies, they found their Supreme Commander. “My Lord Sivus, we saw this… Are you alright?” asked the man leading the party. ㅤㅤ“All is well. All is well… Do not worry for as long as you dwell.” Though he looked composed, what he had just witnessed… What he had just heard, it could not be… ㅤㅤ“We did not mean to disturb you, Supreme Commander, but we saw this… bird? A white phoenix that vanished into the sky,” commented a second legionary. ㅤㅤ“It was beautiful!” added a third. ㅤㅤ“You did the right thing to come and check… Now let’s head back to camp, there’s much to be discussed.” ㅤㅤ“Yes, my Lord, the legions have gathered, they’re waiting for you.” ㅤㅤThat was that, and not a word more about birds, or phoenixes, or stars was spoken on the way back. ‘Friend can emerge from shadow, and foe can be found in light.’ What did Netal mean by that?

ㅤㅤEfran, Tiberius, Gaius, Lucius, Arn and Gnaeus, they were all there, sitting around the main fire. As well as Darius, the Menace of Otogørr, Commander of the Black Bulls of the 28th, Leonard Lastwave, Commander of the Fools of the 32nd, Gaius Libo, Commander of the Blue Panthers of the 31st, and in a dark corner, barely visible, Korinth, Commander of the infamous Black Arrows. Surrounding their leaders, having a laugh and enjoying a drink, were countless legionaries. It was a good atmosphere; the appetite was there. ㅤㅤOne hour to midnight, the bellow of horns was heard, announcing that it was time for a most ancient of Stravian pre-battle traditions to be performed. The chatter quickly morphed into a few scattered murmurs, and all eyes and ears turned towards an empty space beside the fire. The Dance of Swords was about to begin. ㅤㅤAt first there was silence, and then the brief reign of nocturnal sounds was shattered like glass by the first spell of the drummer’s wand. A swordsman wearing a white and brimless felt skullcap followed the drummer into the “stage”, and as he beat his drum, the swordsman commenced his dance, jumping around the drummer and swinging his blade. When the warrior had completed three full circles, the master of spells kneeled and allowed him to climb on his large drum and to raise his sword victoriously. ㅤㅤAs he descended from the heights of triumph and success, on the ground that he had “conquered”, a challenger stepped in. The fire’s light revealed that this seemingly unknown warrior, was wearing the same cap and holding the same sword as the recently raised-one. They began to follow each other. Their weapons raised, their will spear-like. The drummer’s magic more powerful with each step that they took. Once they had completed three circles, they jumped towards each other and their swords met. Both breathed… ㅤㅤThe beat lowered, they stared at the image in front, cautiously withdrew, and the dance began again. The same set of movements was executed in the exact same way, with the same result. On the third attempt however, after they had completed nine circles in total, the first swordsman emerged as the winner of the contest. ㅤㅤThe dance however did not conclude here, it had one more part that had to be carried out, its most crucial, its finale. The victorious warrior looked at his “vanquished” brother and extended his hand to help him stand up. The two, now shoulder to shoulder, followed the drummer and left the stage dancing together, concluding the Dance of Swords. ㅤㅤMagnificent! An absolutely magnificent performance. The roar of applause, and the cheering, and the whistling went on for a bit, only settling when the First Sword of the Empire rose to address his men. ㅤㅤ“I see your faces, and I see old and new friends. I see brave men. I see the Mace of Nashnaran made eyes, made flesh, made breathing will! I see the holders of the most revered shields in Ek’atan. I see order and destruction, words for your bodies to spell. Glory to the Army!” ㅤㅤ“Glory to the Army! Glory to the Army! Glory to the Army!” ㅤㅤI see my brother, High Commander Greenflame. As wise and as shrewd as ever is this Champion of the West; what sons produce our lands. Efran, this force is a two-horse chariot, and I am glad we draw it together,” said the Supreme Commander, raising a toast. ㅤㅤ“I see Arn Halfmoon and I see Gnaeus Marcius, two great warriors of renown, and I am glad that they and their fine legionaries are part of this army. I know you guys in Stravus don’t see much blood,” the men laughed, “but I have no doubt, you know how to milk it well. To the men of the 2nd and the 3rd, may you add to the illustrious record of your legions.” ㅤㅤ“Sivus! Sivus! Sivus!” the first of these “idolatrous” cheers began to fill the air. ㅤㅤ“I see Lucius Pulcher and I see Gaius Cornelius. Born in the turmoil of Dezúm, forged in the boundary of life and death, thrice initiated in the faith, immersed from head to toe in glorious holy red, elevated to see, to serve and to collect. ㅤㅤ“Sivus! Sivus! Sivus!” the chanting progressed. ㅤㅤ“My fine legionaries, we should be thankful to the Gods, that today in our midst, we have three archmasters of war. Fight tomorrow, knowing you have a third arm, a second heart, one of the empire’s finest by your side.” ㅤㅤHe looked at each of them in turn. “Some of you were there. I’m sure you remember his valor, his fierceness, his retribution. The terror in the Deziáns’ eyes. I give you, the Menace of Otogørr!” ㅤㅤThe men erupted in glee. “Darius! Darius! Darius!” ㅤㅤ“We’ve fought together in the East, in the South, in the North, and now They bless me once more with the chance to fight side-by-side you in the West. To you my brother, and the journey we have shared,” Sivus raised another toast. ㅤㅤDarius sounded like one would expect him to sound. He was tall, taller than almost anyone in the entire Mactire Army, strongly built, with light brown unkempt hair and beard. “Nothing like the good old days when we used to slay fucking thickskins in Haves; taught them how to swim,” he boasted and guffawed. On his back, the Commander of the Black Bulls bore a great double-bladed axe, which he had named Maria; oh, how many lives sweet Maria had taken. ㅤㅤ“A shame we stopped you, for by now you would have already taken Årun by yourself.” ㅤㅤAs they were enjoying their wine, a pleasant voice commented, “Hmm, they have given us the good stuff this time; there might actually be some decent fighting tomorrow,” he had them all laughing. The voice belonged to a man in his early forties, handsome, clean-shaven, with short blonde hair and blue eyes. ㅤㅤ“Leonard Lastwave, thought to be dead at least six times if my count is right, yet here he sits among us, feasting and jesting,” said Sivus. ㅤㅤ“The food and drink of this world are far better, and… keep this between us lads, I’ve got a few friends waiting for me in the Street of Delights,” added Leonard with his typical beaming smile. The soldiers loved him. They had never seen him troubled or upset, no matter how precarious or desperate the situation had been. ㅤㅤ“May I always have you on my table and in my left wing. A toast to Commander Leonard!” ㅤㅤ“Well, someone needs to fill my cup… It’s already empty.” They laughed and laughed, and Sivus laughed, knowing well that behind that perfect face, well… the Ahnatis would soon find out. ㅤㅤNext, Sivus searched for Gaius Libo across the blazing fire, sitting between his men. “We’re lucky to enjoy nights like this, to be among friends and have a drink with them. Let us remember the many who once feasted with us, whose sacrifice has given us at least one more day, to experience the beauties and joys of existence. To the glorious dead!” ㅤㅤ“To the glorious dead!” ㅤㅤ“To Rufus Libo, whose deeds will echo in eternity!” the legionaries erupted in a long hurray. The Commander of the Red Knights of the 26th had fallen during the taking of Atorvíl; a major loss for the empire. ㅤㅤ“Gaius Libo is here with us, and he and his panthers won’t stop until all the Empire’s enemies are bones and dust!” Gaius rose and bowed his head in respect to Sivus. Libo the Quiet, Rufus’ younger brother was without a shadow of a doubt, one of the empire’s most competent and terrifyingly efficient commanders. First to enter Frozenhál, the city’s streets still whisper the name. ㅤㅤThe White Dragon then put his hand on the prince’s shoulder, who was sitting next to him, and said, “In the past two weeks that it has taken us to march here, I’ve gotten to know a rather remarkable man. A clever and goodhearted lad. Skilled too, I mustn’t forget that; almost bested me the other day in practice. With great pleasure I tell you this, the future of the Empire is in safe hands. To Tiberius Mactire!” ㅤㅤ“Tiberius! Tiberius! Tiberius!” cheered the men for their prince, whose character had left a series of positive impressions among them. ㅤㅤThe young Mactire then led a chant, one that fed the beast called the Imperial Army a meal that it didn’t know it would relish so much. A chant that if it had come from a different throat, if lucky, if extremely lucky, it would in no time be at the very least, tongueless. “Long live the Empire! Long live the Emperor! Long live Sivus!” ㅤㅤSure, Sivus’ name had already been extolled hundreds and hundreds of times, but never before in the same breath as with that of the Emperor, let alone the empire’s… Blasphemy! The Mactire world was based on a diarchy, not a triarchy. That most ancient unwritten law, being last reinforced by Tiberius’ great-uncle’s blood. Luckily for the prince, he was his father’s sole heir and hence would keep his oscillating organ. Yet one thing was for certain, that night, those camping on the western side of the Sav, all of them, including Artus’okan, fell asleep hearing a foreign name, a hated name, a name that they all knew well. ㅤㅤWhen the cheering had slowed down, a miracle in its own right that night, and a peculiar quietness had settled, Sivus had one last thing to say, “How can a Supreme Commander not be great, when he has such great men under his command? Throughout the years, I have many a time demanded much from you; a supernatural effort. Some of you have followed from the very start, we were there together when we stormed shores of Vattius. And… again and again, you have gone above and beyond, and proven your worth a thousand times; how envious Fumus must be of such legionaries.” He breathed deeply and asked, “One more, I am afraid, I have to ask much from a few of you.” ㅤㅤSivus took a twig and drew three straight lines on the ground. “As you all are aware of our position, and that of the Ahnatis, you know well that they have quite an advantageous defensive one. As you saw in the morning, from where we stand, there are only three ways to enter North Vitus, and all three of them are blocked. I will not lie to you, life on the front line will be brutal. They will accept death, rather than surrender.” ㅤㅤ“What about the cub?” asked someone. ㅤㅤ“Aye, but that still doesn’t solve two of our problems. So I ask, who from you, is willing to forfeit their life and lead the charge?” ㅤㅤDarius gave a roar and then said, “Death, O Benevolent Liberator, I come to embrace you, or offer you seventy-two hearts!” ㅤㅤ“No Commander will be allowed to lead the front line, my word is final on that,” said Sivus. ㅤㅤThe Menace of Otogørr took the battle-axe of one of his men, raised it with both hands in anger, and then plunged it into the ground with considerable force. After that, there was a brief moment of silence, until from the ranks, a man of the 3rd emerged. As he approached, Sivus noticed some of the legionaries of his unit talk in a low voice. ㅤㅤ“What is your name?” ㅤㅤ“Publius Demus, Supreme Commander.” Publius seemed to be in his mid-twenties, tall, had a short beard and a receding hairline, but among his features, his eyes… they spoke to Sivus. ㅤㅤ“Publius… be proud of the heart you have shaped. May your deeds echo not just in this world of ours, but in the remotest of spaces in the Realm of the Gods. May Arus be with you. Katon ek’sulus nirrvadan.” ㅤㅤ“Eksaliorr! Eksaliorr!” replied the young legionary. After him, others stepped forward, and the White Dragon gave each of them his blessing. ㅤㅤTo conclude the gathering, Sivus said, “Rest well tonight. Forget all and may you have a dreamless sleep. At sunset, none of us will be the same.”

ㅤㅤThe Supreme Commander retreated to his tent, where he was joined by Efran and Publius Demus for a drink; the man’s act had left quite the impact on him. After pouring the two some honey wine, Sivus said to Demus, “Your courage and selflessness are to be admired, if I was in your position, I would have maybe done the same, but maybe not on that level of conviction. My intuition tells me there’s… I don’t know how to put it exactly, I feel there’s something, an additional force, or pressure in you that drove the decision. Am I right in my assumption? You may speak freely. Whatever you say, tomorrow you’ll still be in the front line, I will honor your decision.” ㅤㅤ“They have thrown mud over my name!” Publius stated. “Made claims that aren’t true. Rained distress on me. My being aches for rest, I wish to repair my soul!” The man was about to cry. “Forgive me Supreme Commander, forgive me if I’ve spoken a word too much. May the Gods be my final judge!” ㅤㅤSivus stood up and put his hand on Publius’ right shoulder to comfort the legionary; much was on his mind. He looked him in his eyes and said, “You’re a good man, remember that. Now have a drink with me and High Commander Efran,” and so they did. ㅤㅤ“Do you have family?” asked Efran. ㅤㅤ“Yes, my parents live in Nervium, or as they call it, poor man’s Kanvia.” It was good to see him laugh. ㅤㅤ“Never heard that one before. We’re both from Ekzaltum’larrum,” said Sivus. ㅤㅤ“Close to the mountains?” ㅤㅤ“Yes, grey waves that never come… Not a bad town to grow up in.” ㅤㅤ“I will write to them personally.” ㅤㅤ“Thank you, High Commander.” ㅤㅤ“Enjoy your drink first, and you may go back to your tent.”

ㅤㅤAfter Publius had left, from a pitch-black and unlit world, Korinth, a breathing moving shadow materialized. Like his men, he too dressed in all black; only the glint of their eyes could be seen. “Supreme Commander, I thank you for not mentioning my name earlier,” his voice was extremely pleasant to hear. “As I believe my old Commander might have told you, secrecy and mystery, can be two of our most lethal weapons.” ㅤㅤ“Efran has talked to me about your… impressive efficiency. I expect a lot from you and your men. You know your positions?” ㅤㅤ“Yes, my Lord Sivus, seven hundred and fifty on each side, and five hundred in the middle.” ㅤㅤ“Good. I want you to constantly harass their forces; fire at will after my initial command.” Korinth nodded. ㅤㅤ“I do not know what it rains in Herrkâllâ, but I do assure you, our performance will be a most worthy rendition of it.” He bowed gently and disappeared into the darkness from which he had emerged.

ㅤㅤRelaxing now in their chairs, the two old friends, the fangs and eyes of the Golden Wolf in this campaign, leaders of some of Ek’atan’s finest legions, had a moment for what could very well be their last conversation. ㅤㅤ“I am truly amazed at how you do it,” said Efran. “How you are capable of commanding such a force, time and time again. You could say, well Efran, you do the same. No my dear Sivus, Stravus and Kanvia were long conquered before I took command of their legions. And here we stand, in the shadow of that legend.” They had made their camp close to the feet of the Gate of Heaven; the ancient border between the two realms. The so-called gate was made of two equally impressive and equally colossal halves. On the right stood the statue of Afius the Conqueror, and on the left, that of Artelon’okan; the tips of their swords on each other’s left shoulder. ㅤㅤ“There was a centurion, good man, bit harsh, but only when he needed to be. He stripped the boy away from me and many others, and let something higher begin to rise. Amilius was his name, taught me a very important lesson. ‘To learn to lead, one must first learn to follow’. That and much more, I learned from the best of the best in Haves and the Hattian Islands.” ㅤㅤ“I think there’s something else as well.” ㅤㅤ“What do you mean?” ㅤㅤ“Well, do you remember, when we were kids and used to stage mock battles with the kids of the other neighborhoods?” ㅤㅤSivus smiled, “Sure I do, we defeated them all, and more than once.” ㅤㅤ“Exactly my point. You see, I believe all of us are born with certain talents. We may deny them, we may suppress them, we may not recognize them, we may even abandon them, but here’s the thing, they never abandon us. And when we truly summon them, we become who we were meant to be. You, Sivus Whitethunder, you were born to lead. To lead men into infinite fields of glory, or into the darkest depths of Herrkâllâ.” ㅤㅤ“Hmm… Why I?” ㅤㅤEfran had a light laugh. “Many of us wish we were something else. Many of us would rather choose to live a hundred different lives than the life that is waiting for us, but that only leads to a sadness that never goes away; a slow suicide. The man who sweeps the streets of Ekzaltum’larrum, the woman who collects the cow’s milk, the orator who is praised in the forum, the mother who takes care of her children, the soldier who has seen all forms of horror and chooses to live on, we must all play our part, and once we realize what it is, we must play it at the best our ability.” ㅤㅤSivus looked pensive. “I often gaze at the stars and hear the voices of the dead… and I ask why is it that I am here and they are there. I have killed thousands! Infants that didn’t know where to go, and old folks who could not run; I see some of their faces still. On the rare occasion, a few of them would smile before they kissed death’s cold blade. You don’t have to say anything Efran, this is life. I have heard all the versions, rather us than them, those who are meant to die are already dead… but I often ask myself, was I really born to take life? Was I born to kill? To destroy that most precious thing in an instant?!” ㅤㅤSivus expected silence, but as he well knew, one should never underestimate Efran Greenflame. “We are born to kill only one thing, we are born to kill ourselves.” And he didn’t need to say another word, he had spoken directly to Sivus’ soul and it felt at ease, made it feel… happy for a brief moment. Had his friend played a lost chord and revealed one of life’s divine truths?! Maybe…

Chapter 7 of my work, The White Dragon: Tales from the North

*Prologue & Chapter 1*

Next week, another chapter!

For the full work, click here, or just reach out to me, and I can email you the file.

— written in 2023 AD