Shadows in the Smoke - 17 - The Ashen Vow

"Even after the founding of the People's Republic of Itria, the Central Committee had no desire to exact retribution on the People's former oppressors. King Tobin could have lived out the rest of his life in peace as Citizen Tobin. However, he was not willing to settle for anything less than absolute rulership of Itria. His nearly successful attempt at escaping to the Empire six months after his arrest caused consternation across the Republic. A year later, a spy was caught carrying correspondence from him to the Undying Queen, plotting an invasion of the Republic to restore him to the Throne. His trial for treason and subsequent execution was an inevitable consequence of his actions."

The Struggle for Freedom by Bjarne Midthun

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Sigrid Lindholm… Ester's eyes widened. This was the woman everyone talked about! The one Captain Gondahl had locked up in his cells who'd been released by a general! She barely knew anything about the woman, but that hardly mattered. She was a war hero! A Republican hero, admittedly, which was nowhere near as good, but that felt insignificant in the face of actually getting to see a woman who'd earnt so much respect.

Ester shook her head and focused back on the floor as the cheers rose to a crescendo.

A small woman strode out into the middle of the floor. She didn't look particularly impressive. In fact, she could have faded straight into a Nilrava crowd. She was short and pale, with straight, blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. Her clothes were nothing fancy, a well worn, long, brown coat that reached past her knees and high black cavalry boots. Her slight form seemed even smaller in the centre of the huge hall.

She might not have looked the way Ester imagined a war hero would, but appearances could be deceiving. She had a certain presence to her. Maybe it was the way she walked; utterly confident, as if it was inevitable that anything in her way would simply move.

Lindholm stopped in the middle of the room and raised a hand. Almost instantly, the cheers cut off, replaced with a tense, anticipatory silence. When Ester glanced to her sides, both Sonja and Professor Holen were watching as raptly as any of the apprentices.

"Citizens," Ester could feel the subtle magic woven into Lindholm's voice that made it carry through the whole hall. It didn't boom out, like the Archchancellor's, instead it sounded as if she was stood right in front of Ester. "It is an honour for me to be here among you. It fills my heart with joy to see so many young men and women taking on the mantle of Arcanists, ready to support the People and support the Republic." Her accent was even thicker than the way the Nilravans spoke. It had the same melodious rhythm to it though, but cut through with a harsh undertone, as if she had a sore throat.

"The Republic is surrounded on all sides by enemies. Ever since the early days of the revolution, regressive forces have sought to bring an end to the paradise that we are building for ourselves. But the Republic is strong. We are strong! It is our unity that allows us to survive, that allows us to thrive. Every Citizen bringing their skills, talents and efforts together for the good of the People. Now, standing here, I see such Talent that the Republic's enemies should tremble in their boots.

"I am here to congratulate you on your graduation and to celebrate you joining me as a Citizen Arcanist of the Republic. I expect every single one of you will make worthy contributions to the Republic. Even the most peaceful uses of magic are vital to support the Republic against its enemies and your achievements are all worthy of honour and praise. However, today I am particularly interested in those of you that will be joining me on the frontlines. You, the brave men and women who have volunteered to put your lives on the line to save us from the threat of the Liche Kings and their hordes."

Lindholm paused and looked around the hall, her eye flicking from person to person. "Some of you may know me already, for those that do not, my name is Arcanist-Colonel Sigrid Lindholm. It is my great honour to lead the Thirteenth Strike Regiment against the forces of the undead."

"She does rather more than that." Sonja murmured next to Ester.

"I understand the threat of the Liche Kings better than most and that is why I am so grateful to those of you that are willing to travel to our frontier and fight for the Republic. I am from Narkjer. You probably never heard of it, it was a small village in the far reaches of the Strömvall. I say was, because it was one of the first villages to be overrun by the undead when the Liche Kings thought they scented weakness in the Republic. I had not had the benefit of studying here at the College, the Republic's greatest magical institution. No. Instead I had learnt my craft as an Arcanist at the side of my own master, Citizen Rasmus Hofland. He was a good and peaceful man before the Liche Kings killed him. Remember his name."

Lindholm hesitated and ran her fingers through her hair. "Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity to emulate my teacher and be a good and peaceful woman. I have not had the chance to build a home, have a family and serve the people of my village. The Liche Kings have not allowed me that privilege. Before their invasion began, when we thought we were at peace, I was sent to purchase supplies from Tarnhavn. I could never have expected what I saw on my return." Anger laced its way through her voice. "Smoke, corpses and the undead. I barely escaped with my life. If not for my magic and my determination I would have died there too. The Liche Kings left nothing of my home other than burnt out buildings. Not even the corpses were allowed to rest. That day, I made a vow, over the ashes of my life, that I would not rest until the Republic was safe from their plague.

"It has been a hard fight. The Liche Kings' determination to bring an end to the freedoms that we enjoy in the Republic is as implacable as you might expect of the undead. However, our will is stronger. I have seen the Republic grow more powerful year by year. People said their advance was inevitable and unstoppable. We have brought it to a halt. Soon, we shall start to drive them back. Every single one of you will play a role in that. Whether it is at the frontlines, hunting the undead monstrosities, or here in Nilrava, supporting our brave soldiers with your work for the people. Together we are strong and together we will triumph! We will crush the Liche Kings under our boots! We will grind their bones into ash! We will destroy every vestige of their perverse excuse for a kingdom! History is on our side, together we will triumph!"

Her voice dropped, almost to a whisper. "And then, maybe we can all live good and peaceful lives like my teacher."

The hall erupted into applause, apprentices chanting her name over and over again. "Sigrid! Sigrid! Sigrid!"

Ester had to make an effort to stop herself from joining in as she stared down at Lindholm. No wonder she was seen as a hero! If only she had been born in the Empire, maybe they would have met and then Ester could have…

Her fantasy was broken when Sonja leant over to her with a wry smile.

"They do get a little over-excited, but she is a true hero of the Republic. When I told you that the Republic values its women, I wasn't lying. Why, Citizen Lindholm is even being spoken about as the most likely next appointee to the Central Committee." She returned Ester's blank look with an amused grin. "You have your Queen and her ministers, we have our High Executor and the Central Committee. Although I suppose our High Executor is more of a first among equals among the members of the Central Committee."

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That was… impressive. More than impressive. Ester wasn't sure there any women among Her Eternal Majesty's ministers. She glanced back down at the floor, where Lindholm was still stood, seemingly unaffected by the raucous cheering. The Republicans were liars and propagandists, she knew that was the truth. But it was impossible to dismiss what was happening right in front of her eyes. The horde of Arcanists and apprentices screaming Lindholm's name spoke for itself.

It was nothing like her own time at the Academy. The way people reacted to her wanting to be a Battle Mage. She wasn't going to agree with Sonja, but she couldn't quite bring herself to argue with her either.

Fortunately she was saved from responding by the crash of the Archchancellor's staff on the stone floor. A hush gradually spread through the hall as people's attention was drawn to the elderly man.

"Despite her admirable modesty, we are more than honoured to have Arcanist Lindholm here with us today. Inevitably she has business in Nilrava that will cut short her time with us. However, she has asked me to pass on an offer to those of you that will be fighting the undead. An exciting offer for any young Arcanist."

He gestured out at the lines of young men and women. "This offer is open to the ten highest scoring graduates of the year." Scoring? What did he mean? Did they rank their graduates here at the College? Ester frowned at the thought. At the Academy you either graduated or you didn't. "Arcanist Lindholm has said that she will engage in a friendly contest with all ten simultaneously. If any one of them can land a blow on her, whether it is by magic or by touch, she will accept them directly into the Thirteenth Strike Regiment. An honour usually reserved for only the most successful veterans." As the hall descended into a clamour of voices, the Archchancellor started to call out names. "Sebastian Holte, Olav Andal, Ingunn Nystrom…" The list went on.

When each name was called, an apprentice, or a newly minted Arcanist Ester supposed, stepped forward, forming a wide circle around Lindholm. They all looked tough and determined. She didn't think she'd want to go up against one of them in a fight, purely based on their looks. All four Arcanists from the earlier demonstration were among those selected, along with a second woman. Ester could feel heat rising in her at the sight. Why couldn't the Empire have let her have that freedom?

Her angry musings were interrupted by Sonja leaning over. "I told you I had something good for you, didn't I?"

"Yes," Ester took a deep breath, she couldn't let her frustration show. She really was grateful to Sonja. "Thank you. This has been excellent and I am excited to see Sigrid Lindholm in action." It had the benefit of being true. It wasn't the Republic's fault that she hadn't been allowed to study combat magic. She took another breath, hopefully it would just seem like she was excited. "So these are the best Apprentices in their year?"

"Mmhmm," Sonja nodded, "the cream of the crop. Or at least the more martially inclined crop."

"I am excited to see how they do then."

Before Ester could say more, the Archchancellor's voice boomed out again. "The rules are simple. Our new Arcanists may use any technique they wish as long as it does not pose a danger to the audience. They do not need to hold back." He glanced at the assembled men and women. "Arcanist Lindholm has promised not to hurt any of you. Well, not much anyway, nothing permanent." Nervous laughter fluttered across the hall. None of the young Arcanists arrayed around the woman laughed though. They all looked utterly determined. "Anyone who Arcanist Lindholm takes off their feet is defeated and will be out of the contest."

Ester leant forward without thinking as the Archchancellor raised his staff. With a crash he brought it down and called out, "Begin!"

For a moment nothing happened and then magic flared.

Several of the Arcanists shouted spells, their words garbled together to Ester's ears. Fire and air flashed towards Lindholm. Others were already running after the spells. It was a chaotic display of intense power between the ten of them. But Ester's forehead still knit into a slight frown.

Lindholm didn't move at first, a moment of stillness that stretched as her opponents' magic flew towards her. Ester could already see why. The new Arcanists were slow, sloppy. Even at that distance she could see that the spells weren't well put together.

Before she could even finish thinking about that, Lindholm moved to the side, too fast for Ester to follow. One moment she was standing still, the next she'd shifted a couple of feet. Most of the spells thrown at her simply missed. As Ester watched, another dissipated into nothing.

Lindholm didn't say a word, but Ester saw magic fly out from her. It wasn't impressively powerful, but it was fast, and razor-sharp in its precision.

"Dachaid!" An Arcanist slammed his magic against hers with as much effect as an egg under a boot. Lindholm's spell didn't even waver, catching his and another Arcanist's feet and sweeping them out from under them.

Ester winced at the young Republicans' impact with the stone floor, maybe there'd been more power behind that than she'd thought. They might not be friends to the Empire, but that had to have hurt.

An Arcanist reached Lindholm and threw a punch. He moved faster than any unenhanced human, and the snarl on his face told Ester he wasn't holding back. But it was still slow. Mohsen had been far quicker.

Lindholm didn't move any faster than he did, but she somehow seemed to not be where his fist was. It was like she could see what he was doing before he even moved. In one smooth movement, she grabbed the young man and threw him across the floor to slam into one of his compatriots, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

Another two newly graduated Arcanists were upon her almost before the first's feet had left the ground.

Lindholm's expression didn't change. She moved like a snake, twisting fluidly under one's strike. The other ran straight into her outstretched arm, bending around it before bouncing off and onto the floor. Lindholm kept moving, neatly turning to plant a palm into the remaining Arcanist's back, sending him skidding across the floor.

The brief flurry of activity ended, to be replaced by a stunned silence. Lindholm brushed some imaginary speck of dust off her coat as she calmly surveyed the five remaining Arcanists.

For their part, they exchanged nervous glances and then started to fan out, quickly reforming the wide circle around her. She didn't react at all, just watching them with a faintly bored expression.

At an unspoken signal, all five Arcanists attacked. Their shouted spells mingled together into a cacophony of noise, only for Lindholm's voice to ring out above theirs.

"Alkolon." Ester felt the powerful surge of magic in her bones as every spell spattered harmlessly against the translucent sphere that sprang up around Lindholm.

This time, the woman didn't give the young Arcanists time to react. Before the last of their spells had hit, she was moving.

A single, terrifyingly fast leap took her towards the first of them. As she was in midair, a gesture sent another flying. Her target braced himself, lashing out to strike, only for Lindholm, to twist as she fell, sliding past his punch and straight into him.

The last three of her opponents tried to take the opportunity to strike while Lindholm was distracted, shouting spells simultaneously.

"Saig." "Diwaien." "Tambrgh."

Any of their spells could have killed someone with weaker magic. Lindholm didn't even flinch.

"Do'aelt." She barked the word and her magic twisted around theirs, simultaneously tearing apart all three spells. "Paralls." Before they could react, Lindholm cast again.

Runes swirled above the young Arcanists' heads as solid air bore down on them from above. Their magic flailed briefly against it. to no effect, before they were shoved down onto the ground under the inexorable pressure of the spell.

And with that it was over.

Ester let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. It had only lasted a few seconds, but that only added to the excitement. Seeing Lindholm move like that… So utterly in control of herself and her surroundings. The newly graduated Arcanists had never had a chance. They were all slow, sloppy even. Some of their spellwork would have seen them punished at the Academy.

That hardly mattered though. Even if they would have been unimpressive Mages, Lindholm had beaten ten of them. At once. Without even breaking a sweat. She was just stood there, looking as relaxed and in control as when she'd first walked out in front of the crowd.

Lindholm hadn't used anything overly complicated in the fight and power simply didn't flow through her the way it did in some of the more powerful Masters Ester had seen. She'd bet her life that Master Tabasi could beat the woman, despite his lack of interest in combat. But then, people said Master Tabasi was one small step off being an Archmage, so that hardly counted. Lindholm was very clearly a Master in her own right, the efficiency, skill and precision of her magic was beautiful to watch. If Ester could look like that in a duel, just once, she'd die happy.

"So," Sonja's cheerful voice jolted Ester out of her thoughts, "would you like to meet Arcanist-Colonel Lindholm?"

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