The Third Brother

The Third Brother

Quest to Become Mortal

Copyright © 2022 Michael J Luning All Rights Reserved

Prologue

“There weren’t always dragons in the valley”, Noble thought as he forced his painfully swollen eyes to crack open. Where did that thought come from? ”A dragon?” Noble couldn’t get his sluggish brain to work. He felt like he had been run over by a truck. “A truck?” he questioned, foggily. Somehow he did know about the incongruent concepts of trucks and dragons but could not get past the pain. Every square inch of his body cried out in agony. As he tried to relieve the cramping in his shoulders, he realized he couldn’t move a muscle and a mudslide of dread and comprehension seeped into his mind.

The man standing in front of him grunted, “He’s comin’ round, Boss.”

Sitting in the shadows, a man whispered, “Remind him where he is, Joey.”

Joey smiled in anticipation and punched the side of his captive’s face with an armored leather glove. Noble’s head snapped to the side as pain exploded in his jaw.

Spitting out blood and part of a broken tooth the battered man peered slowly up at the fat, sweaty face of his tormentor. He could see this man liked delivering pain and was eagerly awaiting another order from the man in the shadows.

“Now, Mr. Dannon, please save us all some time and give me the name,” the man from behind said calmly. “This will go so much easier if you just tell me what I need to know.”

“Mr. Dannon?” Noble questioned silently, his mind working sluggishly. His head swam in pain and confusion. He saw a movement in the shadows; it was a nod to the fat man and he braced himself. The punch came from outside his peripheral vision and his head snapped to the side again with such force that the chair he was tied to rocked back and fell. Noble’s head cracked against the cold concrete floor and his eyes blurred.

“Sit him up,” the shadowed man said tersely.

“Yes, Mr. Pohl”, said the tormentor, and a fat hand reached down and yanked Noble upright.

The man in the shadows stood up, walked forward and paused beside Joey. He viciously backhanded Joey’s face and hissed, “What did I tell you about using my name?”

Joey’s eyes went wide in fear and he took a small quick step back rubbing his face while mumbling, “Sorry Boss”.

Pohl continued forward bringing his face down close to Noble. He seemed to be curious about Noble’s condition, studying him like a specimen under glass. “I grow weary of this John,” he whispered. “We are coming very near the end of my patience.”

Noble’s heart froze as he recognized the total indifference shown in the thin man before him. Pohl looked to be in his late 50’s and, if not for his cold, black-eyed gaze, he would appear frail, almost fragile.

Pohl continued dispassionately, “John, this is the last time I will ask you. Who is the FBI informant planted inside my organization?”

The words came with such calm finality that it sent a cold chill up Noble’s spine. The jolt could not quite pull him out of his murky, stupor and he unknowingly whispered aloud, “John? Who is John Dannon?”

Pohl hesitated, misunderstanding his captive’s confusion for defiance. His eyes narrowed slowly and he stood up.

Sitting in stunned silence as the thin man pulled a small semi-automatic pistol from a shoulder holster and pointed it towards his forehead, Noble could almost remember the name, “John Dannon.” Then…

Crack! And all went black…

Chapter One

Evermore Castle

Noble felt like he was being sucked through a straw. The pressure squeezed him from all sides forcing him forward with incalculable velocity. This felt familiar, something Noble understood. He relaxed, allowing the uncomfortable but temporary sensation. Seconds later, his feet hit the polished stone floor of the portal a hundred paces from the entrance to the main gate. The sister suns shown bright overhead and Noble relaxed. He was home. The guards, who had moved forward into a defensive stance, froze, nodded in recognition, and then saluted. Noble nodded back with a smile, trying not to show the turmoil he felt.

Noble had experienced this transition a couple dozen times but it still left him unnerved. He cautiously reached up to feel his unhurt face and ran his tongue along the space where the broken tooth had been only seconds earlier. Or, was it seconds? Time between jumps was tricky. He had much to think about but put it aside as he saw Tien walk through the main gate.

The guards at the outside entrance snapped to attention and saluted their captain. Tien nodded to them both without stopping and headed straight for Noble, who was still standing on the multi-colored stone platform in front of the palace portal.

Noble grinned at him knowing Tien would never engage. Tien was an enigma. Always calm, always alert. From the moment his father had introduced him, he knew that Tien was the most deadly being in the universe with a sword and hand to hand martial arts. Tien had been his personal instructor almost from the moment he could walk. Noble had rarely seen him smile.

Tien frowned slightly, “Sire, your brothers are waiting in the great hall. Shall we proceed?”

Noble knew it was not a question so he fell into step beside Tien who had turned without waiting for a reply. Noticing the change in Tien’s uniform, Noble said nothing. The standard dark brown, charcoal gray, and burgundy colors that had surrounded the platinum image of the Royal Crest had changed since his last visit home. The polished leather was now a black and white checkered pattern surrounding the image of his father’s dragon. Noble thought the change was hardly an improvement. He looked at Tien and smiled as a chess quip flittered through his mind but, again, he said nothing. Noble knew he needed more information; this was nothing to mess with, the uniform implied serious changes were taking place in Evermore. His brothers were gaining recognition and exerting their separate powers. Noble knew he had to remain alert and tread lightly until he had the scope of things here back at home.

At a fast walk, it took roughly forty five minutes to reach the bridge gate at Triple Wall, though no one had referred to the ancient barrier as anything other than the Chapple since before Noble’s birth. The Chapple Gate stood at the center of a wide stone bridge spanning the river Tam. At both the inner and outer banks of the Tam, the ancient defensive walls followed the curvature of the river creating a strong stone and water defense of the exposed easterly sides of the palace. The purpose of the structure was long forgotten. Most of it, save the Chapple itself, had been overgrown with moss and ivy for several millennia.

Noble noticed that Tien kept a half step ahead of him. “Curious”, he thought. It was not in Tien’s nature to break palace protocol. Yet, as third brother under the twins, Noble knew that Tien should have been walking a half step behind him, and in a casual setting, at his side. Noble never gave a rumble about palace etiquette. He had always played along while growing up for his parents sake, but he never really felt confined by what he saw as arbitrary rules and regulation. Again, the thought of his Brothers cropped up and Noble walked silently on with growing apprehension.

The King’s Library

Raben’s gnarled fingers shook slightly as he shoved the book back in its place on the shelf, muttering under his breath, “No respect! This current crop of youth give little consideration for the written word! Megan,” he snapped. “You are supposed to make rounds after the study period has ended.”

“I did, Sir,” Megan said, hurt by Raben’s reproachful tone.

“Then why did I just have to put this book back in its place?” Raben queried.

“Sir, The Third was just reading it; he came in after the students had left.”

Raben froze and turned to stare at his young aid. She withered slightly under his gaze. “Noble has returned?” he questioned and looked back at the title of the book he had just shelved. Raben’s lips turned up in a delighted smile that he hid from his aid.

“That made sense,” Raben thought. Shifting Times, When Universal Power is Divided, by Nathanial Bands.

Raben turned back to his aid, “When did he leave the library?”

Magen hesitated, slightly flustered and confused. “He came in shortly after the class had ended.” When Raben started to speak, Megan hurried on, spluttering, “Sir, I think he may still be here. I saw him heading for the Evermore history sect…”

Raben turned without saying a word and left his aid stammering in mid-sentence. He knew where his favorite student would be and headed off quickly toward the far end of the vast Royal library.

High Crimes

Noble sat at one of the ornate wooden tables at the end of the periodical section glued to the latest Evermore Daily. “Andon has called the High Counsel to convene on the day of The Toss? What is he up to?” he thought.

Continuing to devour the article, a sudden creak in the floor caught his attention. He looked up and quickly grinned at the old man ambling toward him down the aisle. Raben looked cross but Noble knew the old man shared his delight in anticipation of their reunion.

Raben stopped at the end of the table frowning down at the youth, his eyes betraying his happiness. “So, just as discourteous as ever I see; no thought to stop at a friend’s office to let him know you’ve made it back. Royal brood, pampered from birth!”

Noble stood up in mock affront and faced the old man. They both hesitated, then broke into childish grins and came together clasping forearms.

“When did you get back, Noble?” Raben asked, his face turning quickly serious.

Noble took the rapid change in Raben as further evidence of something seriously off at the palace and his anxiety grew. “Only about an hour ago”, he said gravely. “I came straight here after reaching the palace and tearing myself away from Tien. It was no small task; Tien had orders to bring me directly to Andon and strongly objected to my leaving. I could feel him struggle with conflicting duties, and I left him standing at the fountain in the palace entrance hall.” Noble had great respect for Tien and felt considerable guilt at abandoning his long-time martial instructor in what he knew looked like callous disregard. “I left him saying I needed some time in my chambers to prepare and that I’d send Mang to inquire as to Andon and Ender’s schedule.”

“That is not going to go over well with your brothers, particularly Andon!”

Noble hesitated, “Raben, what is happening here?”

“It was only a matter of time, Noble. Your brothers, though much older than you, are still relatively young and inexperienced in their royal appointments. They understand only a small portion of the vast powers and knowledge they hold. If history repeats itself, it will be many thousands of years before they come to fully understand their place in the heavens. Hopefully, we will all survive their development.”

“Before I left on my first journey to earth, my father told me that once Ender and Andon held the scepters of light and darkness, they would experience a radical change. Though they are twins and have always been close companions, my father said that the inherent qualities of the scepters would cause them to immediately sever ties. He said they would never again be able to fully understand each other.”

“Noble, to comprehend what your brothers are going through, you need to go back in time and study your parent’s history. There was a time when your father and mother acted very similar to your brothers. After their union, they held the power of light and darkness together in harmony for so long those ancient days almost seem like a myth. However Noble, as hard as it is to fathom, there was a time when your parents were also at each other’s throats.”

Noble had heard many stories about his parents over the years and considered his brothers through that lens.

“Father never talked about those times and acted like they were a benign part of history.”

“Your father and mother were here at the beginning of everything. They’ve seen and suffered things we cannot fathom. I was William’s oldest friend, and yet, he would never discuss the details of the war between him and Anna with me. I came into existence near the end of their long struggle and I can tell you, it was far from benign. Those were dangerous days of bloodshed and uncertainty, Noble. No one could predict whether the universe would even survive.”

Noble stayed silent considering his old friend, a mix of interest, curiosity, and skepticism written across his face.

Knowing the expression, Raben leaned in and whispered urgently, “I know it is impossible for you to comprehend this, Noble, but at one time, your mother and father were the most terrifying and unpredictable beings in existence. I’m afraid we are now at the beginning of a similar struggle between your brothers. I see you are reading the current E.D. Good! Did you read the article about Andon calling a High Counsel?”

“Yes but strangely, it only spoke of who will be missing and who will be in attendance at the meeting. I was turning the page to read on when you showed up.”

“Noble”, Raben whispered, “Andon has been making moves against you and the validity of The Toss. He is claiming the process is unfounded in Evermore doctrine and not a legitimate action in determining Royal powers. Of course, he remained silent on these ideas during Ender’s Reign.”

“What can he really do about it, Raben? The law is literally written in stone at the Chapple where the coin is still fixed in its place. I know it’s still there, Raben, I just crossed the bridge with Tien.”

“Noble, your brother has a brilliant mind; he is not denying the legitimately of the law put in place by your parents on the day of their departure. He is smart enough to know he does not yet have the political clout to convince enough of the old guard sitting on the High Counsel to win the larger argument. No, Andon has been working to undermine your part in the process. He has been attacking you, your character, and your validity in the process. Literally, the day after you tossed the coin favoring his rule and again left for Earth, Andon has been moving against you.”

“But Raben, my name is there for all to see, no one would deny it; it is part of the law and was written in the Heart Stone at the Chapel by my father. There were many witnesses present, including Ender and Andon.”

“Noble, Andon is clever. He knows he cannot deny your initial status as the sole master of the coin and the toss when the law was written and installed by your father. On that day, you were still a natural part of all that exists here at Evermore. You held a solid, indisputable position as the Third Brother. Andon is not denying it. He has been arguing that you have eliminated your own legitimacy by the act of choosing to live on Earth as a mortal. Andon is claiming no mortal can legitimately act in the process of choosing Evermore rule and, as far as I know Noble, no one in the palace understands why you have chosen this path, not even me.”

Raben looked in anticipation at Noble’s face, eager for information, but his young friend slowly turned away and stood. Raben’s face fell.

“I’m sorry Raben, there are things my father told me that I cannot share,” Noble said apologetically. Inwardly he thought, “So that is Andon’s game,” and his mind drifted back in time…

Two of Father’s Royal Guards stood at either side of the large polished wood doors to his private study. Most palace inhabitants called them the RG but Noble had grown up with them and knew them all by name. Noble had few friends and his older brothers never seemed to be around when he was young, prowling alone throughout the palace.

“Recom, please let my father know I’m here”, Noble said gravely.

Recom gave the youth an appraising look and a faint, knowing smile. Everyone in the palace knew what Noble had done in the armory and everyone, save Inak, was impressed with the young prince. Recom knocked lightly on the door and opened it slightly, “Sire, he is here.” Recom hesitated a moment listening, then turned and nodded his head towards Noble who entered and closed the door.

William sat behind his large desk bent over a parchment and motioned for Noble to come forward. Pulling his gaze from his studies, he looked up to see his youngest son staring back, bravely resolved, holding his ground. William smiled and thought, not for the first time, “I wish Ender and Andon had a little more of Noble’s sense of duty and responsibility.”

“Noble, contrary to your expectations of this meeting, it is not the time for a formal reprimand, though I agree your actions at the armory yesterday deserve consideration. I don’t know if I’ll ever hear the end of it from Tien’s first man.”

Noble shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Inak but continued to listen intently wondering why his father summoned him?

“We have a different more sensitive matter to attend to this day, Noble. Please follow me.” William turned and walked to a row of books on the shelf behind his desk. Selecting one, he tilted the book forward and a hidden door revealed itself, opening slowly.

All thoughts of Inak and the armory were pushed aside by curiosity. Noble did not know about the secret door but followed his father into a private chamber inside the Royal Library. Noble instantly realized where he was and his excitement grew palpable. His father’s study was secretly connected to the Royal Library’s private reserve! Noble had never been allowed in here before and he gazed around in fascination.

“Noble, there are major elements in motion throughout the universe that will affect everything and everyone in just a few short years. I want you to come here to study every day at third bell. You’ll come through my study and you will not tell a soul what you are doing. Is that understood?” William stated calmly.

“Yes Father!” Noble responded, not able to keep the excitement out of his voice. “Father, did Andon & Ender also start this study at my age?”

William turned and reached for a specific book on the shelf behind him. “No, Noble. Your brothers have never been in the private reserve and you will not discuss this with them. This arrangement is between you, your mother, and me. No one else is to know.”

Noble nodded agreement and looked around the room in awe. The collection surpassed his wildest imagination. The shelves seemed to go on forever supporting a never-ending supply of ancient looking scrolls and dust covered books. He felt an immediate, intense hunger for what secrets they held.

“Father, why am I the only one allowed in…” Noble stopped at his father’s raised hand.

“Noble, all your questions will be answered in time. To fully understand why you were chosen to be here, you first need to study.”

William raised the book he selected and handed it to his youngest son. “This is where you will begin.”

Noble took the dust covered volume. It looked old and tattered and he read the title, ‘The Scepters of Light & Darkness’, by William Bartholomew Nanet.

Noble looked up suddenly and peered into his father’s eyes. “You wrote this, Father?” Noble said in reverence, placing the book gently on the study desk next to him.

“It was a long time ago, Noble. I don’t think much of the author’s thoughts will be recognizable to you, though there are a few hints of the person I will become in those pages.”

For a moment, his father looked sad and older than Noble had ever seen. He looked down at the book and said nothing.

Breaking the momentary silence, William said, “I’ll leave you now to begin. At the fourth bell, place the book back on the shelf and come out through my study. I will not be there and Recom will be expecting you at that time.” William placed a gentle hand on his son’s shoulder, smiled, and left the room.

Noble shook himself from his reverie and scrutinized his old friend’s face, “Raben, who is using my father’s old study?”

Startled by what appeared to be an abstract query, Raben responded slowly, “That is a real mystery, Noble” he said, studying his young friend. “For reasons only known to your brothers, that part of the palace was sectioned off and apparently abandoned. I’ve never been able to figure out why.”

“Raben, my father started me on a quest of sorts several years ago. The quest was cut short by my parent’s sudden departure and the subsequent rise to power of my two older brothers. There are huge gaps in my knowledge and understanding of what is going on. I need to get inside my father’s study; is it possible?”

“There are palace guards at the entrance to the east wing, but yes, I know of a way.”