The Heroes of the Empire were an odd collection of people who were in disfavor when they first came together. Jevin is probably the best-known example – the last leader of the Crystal Guard who was cast out of society after he failed to stop the murder of the emperor and the kidnapping of the princess. I tend to favor Marteen the Scythe. One of the few who emerged from the Reclamation War with an honorable and feared reputation, who fell from those heights to being a lowly drunk, then disappeared for a decade, only to become a central figure in not only the band of Heroes, but the post-return Empire. This is why the story of the Heroes will endure. Not only its sheer drama, but also its theme of redemption. – Aleessa Torrik, in the foreword to her “Collections of Accounts of the Heroes of the Empire”

MARTEEN

Marteen twitched. Damn these clothes. They were tight and pinched in the oddest places. It didn’t help that his head was throbbing. Marteen didn’t even bother asking Kurt for some wine or ale to take the edge off. The dwarf absolutely refused to give him anything stronger than water. He briefly considered asking Rin, but quickly decided against it. Rin was just as bad as his father. Both were merciless when it came to Marteen’s pleas for mercy. It was like they enjoyed watching him suffer.

He staggered back to the small clearing where they set up camp for the night. Marteen’s eyes settled on Rin. He couldn’t believe how old Rin looked after only ten years. Marteen knew humans lived short lives, but he never thought of that happening to Rin. There was tension between Kurt and Rin. Marteen suspected it had something to do with why Rin left. Marteen understood why Rin needed to go. It was the same reason a much younger Marteen joined the Army of Reclamation. At least it looked like Rin’s adventures hadn’t ended in the same kind of horrific disaster. Marteen wasn’t sure if he was happy or angry about that.Rin tended a pot cooking over the fire. From the smell, it was a porridge of some kind. At least his friends were being conscientious of his guts if not his throbbing head. Rin handed Marteen a bowl before handing another to a frowning Kurt.

“Why didn’t you arrest Lord Valera?” Kurt asked, angrily. Oh, maybe the tension was from something else.

“For what? He wasn’t breaking any laws of the Republic,” Rin said, calmly. Marteen couldn’t believe his ears. His anger flared up as his head throbbing strengthened.

“He’s selling guns!” Marteen bellowed. “Everyone knows Valera is responsible for all the illegal guns coming into the Empire!”

“Do you have evidence we could take before a magistrate? Or perhaps a writ of attainder from this Lady Sonya for Valera’s removal?” Rin asked, with an infuriating calm. Marteen scowled at Rin, but the boy didn’t even flinch.

“I didn’t think so,” Rin said.

“Everyone knows Valera’s the source,” Marteen said. “Why are you being a sheep’s ass? We can go back and grab him. We’re Heroes of the Empire, for Light’s sake.” Rin fixed a cold gaze on Marteen before speaking.

“How well did that work for you, Marteen?” Rin asked.

“I was drunk last time. I’m not now.”

“No, you’re worse than drunk. You’re useless.” Marteen got to his feet and stormed towards the boy.

“Rin, you may be all grown up for a human, but I can still whip you,” Marteen said. Rin’s hand shot up and yanked Marteen off-balance. The elf hit the ground hard, but he rolled and sprang back up to his feet. Rin slapped Marteen across the face before Marteen could get into a fighting stance. Marteen fell back to the ground, his face stinging.

“Not right now, you can’t,” Rin said, “Right now, you’re that same drunk I found in that tavern when I was a boy.” Marteen’s head throbbed and his face still stung. Rin loomed over him. No, he really wasn’t in any shape to take on Rin.

“Fine, you win. This time.” Satisfied, Rin held his hand out for Marteen. The elf knocked the proffered hand away and stood up on his own. Maybe he wasn’t at his best, but that wasn’t any reason for Rin to rub it in.

“Even if we don’t have enough evidence or a writ, Valera’s activities need to be stopped,” Kurt said.

“Yes and no,” Rin said. Marteen and Kurt looked at him like he’d grown another head. “The Empire may want to curtail some of Valera’s more egregious activities, but if it were up to me, I’d keep him where he is.”

“Why, under the God of Iron’s gaze, would you suggest that?” Kurt asked.

“Because you’re thinking of him as a rebellious lord,” Rin answered, “He’s not betraying the Empire for some grand cause. Valera’s a black-market merchant who just happens to be a noble. He’s not about to endanger his profit by doing something stupid or allow someone else to endanger his profit by their stupidity. If you handle Valera properly, he can be a useful asset.”

“You know how to handle men like that?” Marteen asked, snidely. Rin was acting too much like Pallus with his lecturing. Marteen stopped thinking about that. The less he thought of Pallus, the less he thought of Sonya, and the less he felt the pain. That went doubly since Kurt wasn’t going to let him have anything stronger than water. Couldn’t he understand Marteen needed to do something about the pain?

“Not really my strong suit,” Rin answered.

“Oh, then what is your strong suit?” Marteen asked. Rin gave him a flat look. It was almost a mirror of Kurt’s when they thought Marteen was being an ass. Well, they were being asses. And his head hurt.

“I’m more used to dealing with demons and bandits than people like Valera,” Rin said. Demons? Why was Rin dealing with demons? There was only one answer that made sense. Marteen took a second look at Rin. Yes, working in the Badlands would explain the new hardness in the boy. Dear Goddess, why would Rin go there? Didn’t he remember everything that Marteen told him over the years when they were on Kurt’s farm?

“Who would know how to do what you’re suggesting?” Kurt asked, breaking Marteen’s train of thought.

“Maybe the constables in Lisandra? If not, talk to the rangers at the Mareian Embassy.”

“Do you know any of them?”

“Kurt, I’m not going to Lisandra. I’ve got a sorcerer to hunt down, and I wasted too much time dealing with Valera,” Rin said. Rage overtook Marteen at the callousness in Rin’s voice.

“Wasted too much time? You didn’t do anything. You should have arrested him. He’s selling guns to the Purists!” Marteen screamed at Rin. The human shook his head.

“You’re wrong about that, Marteen,” Rin said. “Valera is not selling guns to these Purists. The way he talks about them? He despises them as much as you.”

“No one hates them as much as I do,” Marteen shouted. Rin stared at Marteen for several long moments before turning to Kurt.

“Who are the Purists?”

“Traitors and murderers,” Marteen seethed.

“Not all of the people have been happy with events in the Empire since the princess returned,” Kurt said.

“Not happy? After what they’ve done, and you say not happy?” Marteen snarled. Kurt shot a warning look at Marteen before explaining further.

“The Pursits came to the Crystal Palace’s attention about eight years ago,” Kurt said, “At that time they were just circulating pamphlets decrying the state of the Empire. To the Purists, the downturn in the Empire’s fortunes since the Daemon War is due to the poisoned state of the Crystal Blood. If the Empire wants to regain its glory, the Blood must be purified. Preferably by killing the current descendants.”

“What?” Rin asked. Marteen saw the flash of outrage on Rin’s face. From how cool and composed the boy acted since leaving Valera’s, Marteen didn’t expect that. Rin quickly managed to return to his impassive look.

“I’m assuming there’s more to these Purists than just circulating wild theories. Even before I left there were dozens of crackpot groups. None of them cause us as much concern as you two are showing,” Rin said. Kurt and Marteen traded resigned looks.

“They didn’t concern us – at first. The Purists would harass Imperial officials, spread their pamphlets, and maybe some petty theft from Imperial buildings. About six years ago, they started attacking imperial holdings and minor nobles. The Frontier Army went out and managed to round up some of the small bands. We thought they were done. Then, a couple of years ago, they came back with a vengeance. From what we’ve managed to learn, someone called the Edess Kul rebuilt the Purists into a real army.”

“Let me guess. The Frontier Army had as much trouble finding them as they’ve had hunting down the dwarven independence groups,” Rin observed.

“Worse. Purist militias ambush the Frontier Army’s patrols,” Kurt said, “They’re using guns, which many of the patrols don’t have. They’ve done more damage to the Frontier Army than the dwarves have for the past fifty years.”

“So, what’s being done?” Rin asked.

“Marteen was sent out,” Kurt answered.

“Why did they send you?” Rin asked Marteen.

“Because they attacked Lock Keep and slaughtered everyone!” Marteen snarled. Rin was clearly confused. Marteen’s rage threatened to consume him. How could Rin not understand?

“Ela was at Lock Keep,” Kurt explained. Rin’s eyes went wide as his mouth dropped open in shock.

“Ela?” Rin asked. Marteen felt a small evil satisfaction that this broke through the boy’s composure. Rin held up his hand. “Wait, I thought Selene arranged for Ela to go to a hospital in Lisandra. What is this Lock Keep?”

“Ela’s mind sickness kept getting worse. She escaped from the hospital multiple times. She killed three people during her last attempt. At that point, we were forced to send her to Lock Keep. It’s where many of the mind sick from the Reclamation War were sent. They could deal with her.”

“For some Goddess-only-knows reason, the Purists attacked the Keep,” Marteen snarled.

“They killed everyone?” Rin asked, grappling with the news.

“Killed and burnt,” Marteen answered. Rin’s face was slack with shock.

“Ela’s dead?”

“What do you care?” Marteen snapped, “After what you did to her.” Marteen never saw the punch. All he knew was there were suddenly stars in his eyes, a pain across his jaw, and the cold ground on his back. Rin stood over Marteen with a dark look in his eyes.

“Damn it all, she was my sister too!” Rin screamed at the elf. Marteen saw the tears streaming down Rin’s face. “Ral’s betrayal broke her. None of us saw that – including me. I never blamed her for what she did. I didn’t want to hurt her like that. I was just protecting…” Rin paused, his jaw working.

“She was the one person on this whole damned continent I knew didn’t betray me.” Rin grabbed the front of Marteen’s shirt and glared into the elf’s eyes. “If you ever say that sheep dung to me again-” Rin was cut off as Marteen embraced him. Both men stood there for long minutes and quietly wept for the woman that had been their sister. Soon Kurt joined his son and his best friend in their grief.