Paragon of Destruction

"What have you decided?" the priestess asked. Though she spoke in a polite voice, the look in her eyes strongly suggested that she wished Arran would hurry up and leave already.

"I have decided to postpone my choice," Arran said, answering the priestess' frustrated stare with an overly friendly smile. "Decisions like these require careful thought, wouldn't you agree?"

The priestess remained silent for a moment, and finally grimaced in a poor imitation of a smile. "Of course," she spoke between clenched teeth. "Then I take it you will return soon?"

"I will," Arran replied. "A day or two should be enough to properly weigh my options. So you will see us again before long."

Kaleesh kept a calm expression as they made their way back out of the Hall of Blessings, but the moment they exited the massive building, he turned to Arran with a dumbfounded look in his eyes.

"Any particular reason you decided to antagonize the church? Or did the Archon somehow take your wits during your meeting? To speak the gods' names is dangerous anywhere in the Imperium. And to do it here, at the center of the church's power…" He shook his head in disbelief. "How did you know those names, anyway?"

Arran cast a glance at their surroundings, and when he was certain there was no one near enough to hear him, he replied, "I believe those are the gods whose bloodlines I possess."

Kaleesh's eyes went wide with shock. "Those are your bloodlines? And you spoke their names in the Hall of Blessings?! Once word of this gets to that Archon—" He cut off mid-sentence, a frown appearing on his face. "You already told him?"

"I didn't tell him," Arran said. "But I might as well have, for all the difference it made. It took me longer to realize than it should have, but I'm confident that Archons can see bloodlines."

"See bloodlines?" Kaleesh stroked his chin, his brows furrowed in thought. "It's well-known that priests can recognize those who carry the Darian bloodline, but you're saying Archons can see all bloodlines? How do you know this?"

"The priests' ability has to be a bloodline," Arran replied. "The way they can recognize those who carry Darian blood — it must come from a bloodline. And if that's the case, it should be far stronger in Archons than in common priests."

Kaleesh nodded, his eyes briefly roaming the Sanctum's grounds around them. In the distance, many people could be seen wandering the paths between the temples — soldiers, commoners, and more than a few priests among them. The captain's gaze lingered on a small group of priests for a moment, an uneasy frown forming on his brow.

"It makes sense," he finally said, "but how do you know it's true?"

"When I first entered the Imperium," Arran replied, "the Archon who inspected the newcomers took me to his office and urged me to join the church. At the time, I thought it was Lady Merem's ring that drew his attention, but if that was all, he had no need to take me aside. A few simple words would have sufficed."

Kaleesh gave him a skeptical look. "That's what convinced you? An Archon having a chat with you?"

Arran shook his head. "It was the same with Roshan. He had no good reason to invite me personally. Any random priest could have told me the same, and he made no real demands of me, either. Instead, he merely kept me around long enough to get a good look at me."

"If priests can recognize a single bloodline, then Archons might see more than that," Kaleesh said, though his voice still held some doubt. "But if the church already knows what this bloodline of yours is, why would they not just take it?"

"Why indeed." Arran rubbed his chin in thought, then continued, "I don't think they can. All that talk of toil and labor — I think it's more than just piety. I think bloodlines somehow have to be mastered before they can be shared."

Kaleesh shrugged uneasily. "Perhaps you're right. But even if you are, why antagonize the church?"

"Two reasons," Arran replied. "First, I needed to know how interested the Archon really is." He cast a glance at the Hall of Blessings. "I think we have an answer to that. And second, I had to know which bloodline he's after." He paused as he cast a long look at the temples that littered the Sanctum's ample grounds. "Do you think the Sanctum has a temple for the Ruiner?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd almost believe you're developing a taste for intrigue," Kaleesh said flatly. "But yes, there should be a temple for the Ruiner somewhere around here. The church would not risk offending even the least of the gods."

"Then I suggest we go find it," Arran said. "Before I take any new bloodlines, I'd like to see what secrets this one might hold."

Finding the Ruiner's temple proved a simple matter. The first priest they approached was happy to give them directions — even if the man seemed surprised that they wished to visit the Ruiner's temple — and barely a quarter-hour later, they found themselves standing in front of one of the many temples the Sanctum held.

Like all the temples in the Sanctum, it was built from white marble, with elaborate carvings covering its outer walls. Yet where most of the temples were large and busy with people, this one was modest in size, and it stood in a secluded corner of the Sanctum with barely anyone around.

"I guess he's not the most popular of the gods," Kaleesh observed.

Arran raised an eyebrow. "You grew up in the Imperium. Shouldn't you know already?"

"The Imperium has hundreds of gods," Kaleesh replied with a shrug. "And nobody's ever accused me of being pious. As far as I'm concerned, you've seen one temple, you've seen them all."

Arran cast a glance at the temple before them. "For once, I hope you're wrong."

When they entered the temple a moment later, Arran saw that it was all but empty. The only person inside was a lone priest, who was carefully cleaning one of the elaborate murals that covered the walls. Absorbed in the task, he barely appeared to have noticed the newcomers at all.

Yet if the priest paid them little mind, Arran did not have any attention to spare for the man, either. Instead, his focus was entirely on the murals and what they depicted.

Covering the walls were several large paintings, showing various scenes of battle. The scenes were all different, but the main character in each was the same — a giant dragon, slaughtering Blightspawn by the thousands. And while the artwork was masterfully done, it was obvious that the artists had never seen a dragon with their own eyes.

But if the details of the dragon weren't quite accurate, the artists clearly hadn't worked entirely from mere myth and legend, either. At the very least, they'd been instructed by someone who had actually seen dragons.

"The Ruiner is a dragon?" Kaleesh shot Arran a sideways glance, both surprise and a hint of envy in his eyes.

"Indeed he is." The one who had spoken was the priest, who had silently appeared beside them as they were studying the murals. He was a man just past his middle years, with several streaks of gray in his otherwise dark hair. And as he stood next to them, he gazed at the murals with a reverent expression.

"And not just any dragon, mind you," the priest continued. "The Ruiner is the god of dragons, the ancestor of all dragons that ever roamed this world." He paused briefly, then added in a softer tone, "And despite what you may have heard, the Ruiner is no less than any of the gods."

Arran raised an eyebrow. "What is it you think we heard?"

"The usual lies," the priest replied morosely. "That the Ruiner is a mindless monster, possessing only viciousness rather than true power. That he is weak, robbing only the strength of others."

"Weak?" Arran looked at the man in astonishment. "The Ruiner is weak?" The very idea of it was preposterous. He had witnessed the strength of Crassus, and if the Ruiner was even half as strong, then nobody in his right mind would call him weak.

"Of course not!" the priest snapped, apparently mistaking Arran's confusion for doubt. "If he was weak, do you think he could have—" He caught himself mid-sentence, and angrily shook his head. "He isn't weak. Not even the Titan could match his strength."

"That's not what the other priests told us," Arran lied. "They said his strength pales compared to the Titan's."

The man's eyes went wide with outrage, as if he'd just been personally insulted. "They did, did they?" Face twisted in a grim smile, he continued, "The Titan stronger than the Ruiner? Ridiculous! When the two fought, it wasn't the Ruiner who was eaten!"

"Eaten?" Kaleesh looked at the priest in wonder. "You mean to say the Ruiner ate the Titan?"

"That's right," the man replied, a satisfied grin now replacing his earlier anger. "I bet the others didn't tell you about that, did they? About the fate of their precious Titan."

Arran gave the man a questioning look. Not because the Ruiner supposedly ate the Titan — if he was a dragon, such a thing only made sense — but because he couldn't understand why the church would consider him weak.

"If the Ruiner is so strong, why do the other priests not respect him?" he asked, eager to goad the priest into revealing more. "How could they dare offend so powerful a god?"

"The Ruiner never shared his bloodline with the church," the priest replied. "See that?" He pointed at one of the murals, where a small figure could be seen fighting beside the giant dragon. "Supposedly, that's the first Imperator. Rumor has it that the Ruiner favored him over the church."

"Did he share his bloodline with the Imperator, then?"

Arran asked the question in a casual tone, but although his expression remained calm, his thoughts were racing. Because if his suspicions were correct, then his position in the Imperium was even more precarious than he had realized.

If, as he suspected, the Ruiner's bloodline was something the Imperial Knights had and the church wanted, then he had unwittingly stumbled into a conflict between two of the Imperium's most powerful forces. And for all the attention Kadun's death had brought them, he could not help but feel that this matter was a far more dangerous one.

The priest, however, neither confirmed nor denied his misgivings. "I wouldn't know," the man said with a shrug. "Though it wouldn't surprise me. But matters like these…" He shook his head. "The Archons tell us priests little, and my choice of temples doesn't help my position within the church."

There was a hint of defiance in his voice as he spoke those last words, and Arran had little doubt that the man's devotion to the Ruiner easily outweighed his loyalty to the church.

"Then I thank you for your time." Arran gave the priest a friendly nod. "I have no doubt that we will meet each other again soon. I still have many questions about the Ruiner."

Disappointment flashed across the priest's eyes when he heard his guests would be leaving, but Arran's final words brought a broad smile to his face. "If you wish to learn more about the Ruiner, you will always be welcome in this place."

Arran and Kaleesh left the temple some moments later, and as they stepped outside, the captain shot Arran an envious look.

"Dragon's blood," he said in a wistful tone. "You lucky bastard."

"Lucky?" Arran frowned. "Whether I'm lucky remains to be seen. You heard what that priest said about the Ruiner and the Imperator."

"You think the Imperator has the Ruiner's bloodline?"

"I do," Arran confirmed. "And if I had to guess, I'd say the Imperial Knights have it, as well."

Kaleesh muttered a curse. "If that's true, we have a problem. If the church wants—" He stopped talking mid-sentence, and looked at Arran suspiciously. "You mean to visit her, don't you?"

Arran shrugged. "I don't see another way. If I'm right, then only the Imperial Knights can tell me more about the Ruiner's bloodline. And besides… Lady Merem wants to recruit us, while the church just wants my blood. Between those two, I'd say her offer is the better one."

"If she finds out which bloodline you carry, she might change her mind," Kaleesh replied. "Unless you think she already knows?"

Arran considered it for a moment, then shook his head. "If she knew, I doubt she would've let me leave so easily."

"Yet you still want to visit her."

"If you have a better option, I'd be happy to hear it." Arran shrugged. "It's either the church or the Imperial Knights, and I prefer my chances with the latter."

Kaleesh remained silent for a moment, his eyes wandering across the white-clad priests who could be seen walking the Sanctum's grounds. Finally, he sighed. "I suppose you're right. Though you risk making an enemy out of the church, and that's a dangerous thing."

"I know," Arran replied. "But I fear that to have them as allies would be even more dangerous."

"Probably." Kaleesh rubbed his chin, then continued, "But enough of that. Let's find an inn in the city. If we're going to the Citadel, I want a solid meal and a good night's sleep, first."

Arran had no objections to this. The prospect of meeting Lady Merem was daunting even if he'd made the decision himself, and although a meal and a night's sleep would do little to change that, he was all too happy to postpone the meeting by a day.

As they made their way out of the Sanctum and back to the city, Kaleesh gave Arran a curious look. "Have you decided yet? Which bloodline to choose?"

"Of course," Arran replied. "All of them are tempting, but my first choice has to be the Sage's bloodline."

In truth, he'd made his decision instantly, before the priestess even told them of the other bloodlines. If the Sage's bloodline increased his comprehension, it was invaluable not just to his swordsmanship, but also to his magic.

Moreover, it should help him advance along the path of Enlightenment the Governor of Knight's Watch had spoken of — the path he believed led to the power of Lords and Imperial Knights.

Kaleesh, however, seemed unconvinced. "Comprehension is well and good," he said, "but all the understanding in the world won't save you from a dagger to the back."

"Which bloodline will you choose, then?" Arran asked. "I have two amulets, and I only need one."

At this, the captain's eyes went wide with surprise. "You're giving me one?!"

"Of course," Arran replied. "The first bloodline I buy requires only a single amulet, but the next one will take much more than that. No point in having a single amulet sit around unused."

"I don't—" Kaleesh began, but he fell silent mid-sentence. "Thank you," he finally said.

"Don't mention it," Arran said somewhat uneasily. "So which bloodline will you choose?"

"The Guardian's," Kaleesh replied instantly.

"Really? Why?" Arran furrowed his brow. While all the greater bloodlines were valuable, the Guardian's seemed almost lackluster compared to some of the others. While it might offer some protection, in his experience the best protection was to simply kill one's enemies. And with that, the Guardian's bloodline would offer little help.

Kaleesh shrugged. "As much as I dislike admitting it, I'm not as strong as you — which is something a bloodline or two won't change. But as long as I avoid dying, the army can be my sword."

After giving it a moment's thought, Arran realized Kaleesh's choice made sense. As skilled a swordsman as he might be, he would hard-pressed to defeat a group of Rangers by himself. But with an army at his command, he didn't need to — all he needed was to enough time for his allies to arrive.

It was a path very different from the one Arran followed. While Arran had spent years trying to improve his own strength, Kaleesh relied on the power of others as much as he did on his own. And where Arran spent most of his time honing his skills, Kaleesh spent at least as much time managing his troops and studying strategy.

"I suppose you're right," Arran said finally. "It wouldn't be my first choice, but for you…" He paused, then gave a small nod. "It's a good choice."

He left another thought unspoken, however — that the two different paths would ultimately lead to different destinations. But he did not have the chance to linger on that thought, as the captain's reply came an instant later.

"Of course it is," Kaleesh said. "But more importantly, you should know that someone is following us. Ever since we left the Sanctum. Look to your right — the man in gray, about a hundred paces away."

They had exited the Sanctum a quarter-hour earlier, and amid the crowds that filled the streets of the city proper, Arran had not noticed the man. But as he cast a furtive glance in the direction Kaleesh had indicated, he knew at once that the captain was right — the man was following them.

That they were being followed was no big surprise — not with them thoroughly mixed up in the Imperium's intrigue — but when Arran focused his Sense on the man, his expression immediately hardened.

"It's a Knight," he said in a low voice. "One with the Shade's bloodline, I think."

He should've Sensed the man's Living Shadow weapon — his Shadowblade, as the Darians called it — far sooner, but much like the Knight Nisra had sent to fetch him in Knight's Watch, this man's presence was somehow masked, as if he was much farther away than he actually was.

"A Knight?" Though Kaleesh kept a calm expression, concern flashed across his eyes. "Who would send a Knight to follow us?"

"The church, maybe?" Arran suggested.

Kaleesh shook his head. "The church has no need for such clumsy tactics. In the city, little escapes their notice. Besides…" He cast a casual glance at the area where the man still followed, making it look as if he was looking at the market stalls there. In a softer tone, he continued, "I don't think anyone would use Knight just to observe us."

"Then…" A deep frown formed on Arran's brow as he realized what Kaleesh was thinking. "An assassin?"

The captain did not answer immediately, remaining silent as they passed a crowd of people outside one of the city's taverns. Only when they moved out of earshot of the group did he reply, "Not an assassin. If he had any skill at it, I doubt I would have noticed him. Rather, I think he's a Knight sent to do an assassin's job."

Arran had no time to wonder just where Kaleesh got his knowledge of assassins. Instead, resisting the urge to look at the grey-clad man again, he asked, "Any suggestions?"

"Of course," Kaleesh replied. "For a start, I'd suggest we make sure he doesn't succeed in his mission."