The Dawnflower and the Rose: Chapter 1

“Hierophant Alexis Sharp,” Philippe stood from his desk to greet the friend he had not seen in over a decade. The priestess who had fought beside him in his youth had grown older. Her once-blonde hair was streaked with white, and her intense blue eyes were lined with age. In the image Philippe held in his memory, Alexis wore heavy chain armor and brandished a glowing magical glaive. Today, however, she wore a simple turquoise blouse, a blue frock, and a knapsack over one shoulder.

“It has been too long, Champion Ambrose… or is it General Ambrose now?” Alexis met Philippe with a strong handshake before pulling him in for a hug. She then took a step back to appraise him and grinned. “You got old.”

“I am younger than you!” Philippe protested with a smile. He was well aware that he too had aged. His black hair was flecked with gray. His boyish face had hardened with time. Gone was the gleaming silver armor of his reckless youth, and in its place was the uniform of a Mendev general.

Alexis’s gaze fell upon the map lying on Philippe’s desk. Metal coins represented the various military units he had marched from the Mendev capital, Nerosyan. Depicted prominently was the Grand Codex Library, and a singular gold coin was within representing Magus Izac.

“This is quite a force you’ve arrayed against my humble curators.” Alexis drank in the information. Her eyes darted about the notations, warrior allocations, and supply lines. Philippe knew that no detail would go unnoticed. “When do you attack?”

“Dawn,” Philippe stood across from Alexis and evaluated his own battle plans. “I had to bring extra soldiers to keep any demons he summons from rampaging all over the countryside. Any advice you can give would be welcome, or…”

“Or?” Alexis stood back and crossed her arms. A gentle smirk suggested she knew what Philippe would propose.

“I could use another caster by my side.” Philippe smiled. “Just like old times, except we’re more experienced. Less reckless.”

Alexis stood as if considering the proposal, but then she sighed. “Unfortunately, General Ambrose, I have some bad news for you on that subject.” She reached into her knapsack and retrieved a scroll. The wax seal had already been broken; she unraveled it and placed it on the desk before Philippe. “A missive from Magus Izac.”

Philippe could not mask his surprise that the magic user he had been hunting for the better part of a year would invest time in correspondence rather than preparing for battle. Confident that the Magus would not be wasteful with any effort to escape justice, he scanned the document, then read it a second time to better understand the contents. After a long moment of silence, he glanced back up at Alexis. “So he’s got glyphs of warding all over the library that trigger fireball. Why would he tell us that? I will see if Besslyn can cook up some protection before we go in. Thank you. Tell your curators to try to escape when the attack begins, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

“I’m sorry, Philippe. My curators are not there against their will.” Alexis replied in a sorrowful tone.

“What do you mean?”

“My curators are there to prevent harm to the collections within the Grand Codex Library. They will defend the library with their lives.” Alexis clarified.

“I’m glad we can count on their support. Magus Izac is exceptionally treacherous, and he will not be taken alive.” Philippe nodded confidently. “This is dangerous work, and any help is appreciated.”

“You are not hearing me, General.” Alexis’s tone remained even as she spoke. “We did not invite the Magus into the library, nor were we aware of his magical traps. However, now that we are—now that he has told us what he has done—we cannot allow you or your warriors to risk triggering the glyphs. My curators are committed to protecting the library… from you.”

A long silence passed between the two old friends. Philippe eventually arrived at a mystifying conclusion. “You are giving refuge to Magus Izac within the Grand Codex Library?”

“No.” Alexis shook her head.

Philippe could not hide the anger in his voice. “That is what it sounds like. You and your curators are protecting this scourge. Shelyn will cast you out the moment he summons another clutch of demons to ravage the countryside.”

“We are not protecting Izac; we are protecting the countless irreplaceable masterpieces within the library. It is anathema to Shelyn that we permit the destruction of these works, and we are bound by our devotion to defend them. However, if Izac does engage in malevolent activity such as summoning demons, our devotion to Shelyn requires us to slay him despite the grave risk to our collections.” Alexis explained. “Please call off your attack. This is our library, and we will handle this.”

“I cannot do that. You already know that Sarenrae requires me to strike down evil, and Izac is as evil as they come. She also requires that I protect this land, and allowing him to live is a failure of duty.” Philippe replied in as even a tone as he could muster, though he was unable to conceal his growing anger. “I summoned you to help me, and now you are telling me that you will be standing against me?”

“Regretfully, yes.” If Alexis harbored any anger, she did not show it.

Another long stretch of silence passed between the two old friends until Philippe shouted, “Courier!”

A young man wearing an ill-fitting metal helmet dashed inside the tent and saluted. “Yes, General?”

“Summon Besslyn to my tent. Tell her it is urgent.” Philippe commanded.

“Courier…” Alexis’s tone was far less commanding. “Please inform the man who traveled with me to join us in the general’s tent.”

The young courier’s eyes swelled with uncertainty. He looked to Alexis and then to Philippe for guidance.

“Do it.” Philippe finally released the soldier from his paralysis, and he vanished out of the tent.

“How do a handful of librarians intend to fight against my trained warriors?” Philippe wrestled his anger under control and managed to ask the question in a reasonable tone.

“Do not mistake peacefulness for weakness, General Ambrose. It is our duty to protect the Grand Codex Library, and it would be foolish to assume we are incapable of doing so.” Alexis responded.

Philippe did not need to consider Alexis’s claim for long. During their time adventuring together, she had commanded the divine power of Shelyn with impressive skill. The men and women who shared her conviction would be no different. Though the library was filled with humble scholars and academics, all were capable of chilling ferocity if provoked. It had been wishful thinking on his part that he might intimidate Alexis into backing down. If there were to be a violent conflict—and that possibility appeared more and more inevitable—neither side would be a pushover.

After some time, Besslyn entered the tent. Her red hair was cropped short, and her brow was furrowed above green eyes that focused on not spilling any of the four mugs of frothy ale that she carried, two in each hand. She wore a leather doublet and steel tassets that rattled as she walked. The moment the dwarf saw Alexis, her freckled cheeks framed a broad smile. “Alex!” She shouted as she set her mugs on Philippe’s desk and embraced Alexis. “How long has it been? What are you, high priestess by now?”

“Hierophant,” Alexis replied with her own smile as she returned Besslyn’s hug. “How have you been, Bess?”

“Good! Better now that you’re here.” Besslyn nodded at Philippe as she handed one mug to him and another to Alexis. “Sorry Phil, you have to give up one of your drinks to our old friend, but I brought them, so I get two. We miss you, but I suppose you humans’ adventuring careers are a wee bit shorter than us longer-lived folk. Hierophant of the Grand Codex Library…”

Besslyn quieted as a fourth figure entered the tent. The elf had dark hair, wore a deep blue robe, and had bandages wrapped around his knuckles. His gaze darted over Besslyn and Philippe before it came to rest on Alexis.

Clearly not expecting to have to share, Besslyn picked up the fourth mug of ale in her other hand and took a long drink in order to reserve it for herself.

“Arlen,” Alexis motioned to the robed elf before gesturing to her old friends. “This is Philippe and Besslyn. Phil, Bess: Arlen is a devout follower of Irori. He and his fellow monks came when they heard that the Magus had taken refuge within the Grand Codex Library. He is here to help.”

Arlen inclined his head before speaking in a quiet but stern voice. “Greetings.”

“Help who?” Philippe’s voice was sterner than he had intended.

“What’s up?” Besslyn looked first to Philippe and then to Alexis. “Don’t tell me we’re getting a party together to thump this Magus straight to the nine hells?”

“Unfortunately, we have a bit of a conflict.” Alexis shook her head. The next few moments were filled with a recounting of the discussion Alexis and Philippe had had preceding the additional company.

“You’re kidding.” Besslyn laughed when the explanation was complete. “You’re gonna pick a bunch of books over us? Come on Al, this… this is silly. We gotta take this guy out.”

“There is nothing silly about this.” Arlen spoke for the first time since he was introduced. “There are historical texts that cannot be replaced within that library. To say nothing of the sonnets and other works of art… parchment and ink whose creation techniques have been lost to the ages… magical knowledge from before Earthfall… paintings and tapestries from artisanal masters who eclipse nearly any living artist. Men like the Magus have always come and gone, and those like you follow and leave when their pursuit is over. The immortal contents within that library cannot end because of your fleeting lust for justice. You must look beyond this moment and take a longer view.”

Besslyn, who had begun draining one of her drinks well before Arlen had finished speaking, smirked as she wiped the froth from her lip. “That fancy speech may be inspired by Irori, but all my god hears is a pathetic excuse to give the Magus a free pass. Torag does not permit me to show mercy to that infernal scumbag, so if I have to crack your skull on my way to cracking his, that’s your choice.”

“Irori isn’t even a good god.” Philippe added before turning to Alexis. “Should we check with Asmodeus to see what he thinks of this situation?”

“Be careful with that line of reasoning, Phil,” Alexis stepped toward Philippe in the first gesture approaching hostility. Her voice was still even, but a hint of anger broke her controlled demeanor. “There is one above all who would relish in the destruction of the Grand Codex Library. What might Sarenrae think of that?”

“Do not stand in our way.” Philippe matched Alexis’s intensity.

“Do not force us to.” Alexis glared back at Philippe.

A tense stillness filled the tent before Philippe spoke in a quiet but unyielding voice. “Magus Izac will face justice at dawn.”

“None will be permitted to step foot inside the Grand Codex Library.” Alexis turned from Philippe and Besslyn and marched from the tent.

Arlen followed but paused at the entry. “Many of your soldiers will perish if you press this attack. Are their lives worth it?”

“Our warriors are devotees of Sarenrae and Torag. For the faithful, there is no greater honor than to perish in their service.” Besslyn stated angrily.

Arlen sighed and hung his head. “Then that is what they shall do,” he said before exiting the tent.