The Will-Breaker

"No, this is unacceptable. We have to go to Collogia." Jakka was seated on the tree root with his fingers linked in front of his face, his head slightly bowed.

"The decision's already made, Jakka," Vern said.

"You don't have the authority for that."

"Authority? And who does? We have our own people trying to kill us. We're beyond authority now."

"At the moment, I'm the authority," Jakka said, "and I'm telling you, we're going to Collogia. We have to."

Quilla glared at him. Tell him he can agree or we'll gut him and go without him.

Annai gasped. "No, you can't!"

Quilla sighed. I wouldn't really. I'm just telling her to scare him a little.

"Oh." Annai looked away sheepishly.

Jakka eyed them all.

I think you'll find Jakka doesn't scare easily, Vern said.

"I'd say I'd stunned you with my words," Jakka said, "but somehow I doubt that."

"We're just conferring," Vern said.

"Yes, and it's very disconcerting when you do it that way."

"Good." With a chuckle, Vern knelt in front of him. "We're just debating whether to just leave you behind or kill you so you can't tell anyone where we're off to."

Jakka laughed, though it sounded forced. "You won't kill me."

"You think I'm incapable?"

"Oh, I think you're very capable, but.." He nodded in Quilla and Annai's direction. "They won't let you."

"They won't be able to stop me."

Jakka looked Vern in the eyes. "Then do it."

"Enough!" Annai yelled. "We're supposed to help each other, not kill each other. We might as well just hand ourselves over to the Volgs in that case!"

Vern stood up slowly and backed away.

Jakka grinned up at her. "See?" He looked to Annai. "Thank you, your Highness. As wise as always."

"Jakka, just tell us why we have to go to Collogia," Annai said. "Please."

He smiled at her, then stood up, approached her and bowed low. "Believe me, your Highness, if I could, I would. All I can tell you is it has to do with a passage in the Collogaän."

"The what?"

"Collogaän. It's a book. A very important book."

"I'm sorry, Jakka, but that's not very convincing. Unless you can tell us more…"

Jakka shook his head. "I'm sorry, your Highness. I took an oath. Very few people get the privilege of reading the Collogaän, and we are strictly forbidden from revealing what we've read."

"But you can still tell us we have to go to Collogia," Vern said. "How convenient."

Jakka did not look at Vern, but just put his hands on his chest and addressed Annai. "I wish I could tell you, your Highness. I truly do. Please, just believe me. It's for all our benefits that we go to Collogia as planned."

Vern grabbed his shoulder and spun him round to face her. "It's pretty easy to tell us. Just open your fucking mouth and speak. You do it all the time. Maybe make it worthwhile this time."

Jakka's eyes narrowed. "Threaten me all you want, Veronique. I won't tell you."

Vern shoved him and he fell back into Annai, who caught him and held him against her.

"Thank you, your Highness," he said.

Vern threw up her arms and started gathering up the packs lying on the forest floor. "Fine. Quorge it is then. One thing I haven't had a chance to tell you or Quilla is that on our way to free you, we learned a few things from the Servants in our way. They were pretty eager to tell me things, probably to stop me crushing their skulls. The embargo in Arnor City has been lifted, so we're heading back there, where we'll find a ship and sail to Beldrum." She slung a pack over her shoulder and walked up to Jakka. "And there is no way in hell we're telling Ulises we're there, got it?"

Jakka scowled at her. "You're making a big mistake, Veronique."

"I don't care." She turned away from him and approached Quilla, handing her one of the packs she was carrying. "You know, I only came for you. We should have left him back in that fucking cave."

Quilla looked at Jakka, whom Annai was still holding protectively. A part of her agreed with Vern, but the other part of her could never leave anyone in those conditions with the Volgs. Even a Darker, something she hated that she had to keep reminding herself both Vern and Jakka were. She slung the pack Vern had handed her over her shoulder. Let's just go. Annai, he comes with us or we leave him behind. She wanted to walk away, but she only had the vaguest idea which way to go, so she waited for Vern to lead.

They'd barely started moving when Jakka called out, "I'll tell Quilla."

Quilla stopped and looked back.

Jakka walked forward, patting down the fresh parka Vern had given him to wear. He looked Quilla in the eyes. "But only you."

Quilla stared at him. Surely he knows I'll just tell the two of you right after.

"She'll tell us afterwards," Annai said.

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"So you might as well just tells us as well," Vern added.

Jakka clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head. "There is a way I can justify telling her without breaking my oath, but not you two. If she decides to tell you afterwards, that's up to her. She's never taken the oath. I, however, have, and I will not break it. Take it or leave it."

Quilla rolled her eyes and nodded to Vern and Annai. We'll catch you up.

Vern groaned loudly. I don't like this. She waved a finger in front of Jakka's face. "Lay one finger on her and…"

Jakka grinned broadly. "I'm not stupid, Veronique. You would rip me apart, and there would be little I could do to stop you. Besides, I have no desire to harm the Catalyst. We may not agree on how best to help her, but I am truly doing what I believe is best for her."

"Fine. Annai, let's go."

Jakka bowed as Annai passed him. "I will see you again shortly, your Highness."

When Vern and Annai were out of sight, Jakka went back over to the tree root he'd been sitting on earlier. "You've been very quiet," he said as he sat. "In fact, you haven't said a word since we were rescued. Not out loud at any rate. I'm aware you've been communicating with the other two. I was surprised to learn Annai is part of the bond. I wasn't aware Veronique could bond more than one at a time."

Quilla just glared at him. Now that she'd had some water, her throat wasn't as hoarse, but the truth was, she just didn't feel like talking right now, especially not to Jakka. He had tried to help her in the cave—that was true—but as she had reminded herself a few moments ago, he was a Darker. She couldn't trust his motives for helping her.

"Still not going to say anything?"

She didn't even shake her head and just continued glaring. He'd get the point.

"Fine, you want me to get to the point. Very well. As you may have gathered, we—as in the Servants of Sunset—are preparing for a new Dusk Supreme. The current one's time is running out. He knows it and is trying to avoid his fate. He's been in hiding for some time, trying to run things from behind the scenes, but his death is inevitable. Too many sources point to it being the case."

She sighed. That was the most audible noise he was going to get out of her. Maybe he would actually get to the point.

He cleared his throat. "Right. To the point. There are several candidates for the next Dusk Supreme, including your sometime husband, Dyle Aderman. What none of them, including Mister Aderman, realise is that none of them will be the next Dusk Supreme. At least, not according to the Collogaän, and it has never been wrong in its predictions. I won't tell you who it says it will be. That's more than I can justify. But it does mention some others who will be there. Do you want to know who?"

He was really determined to get her to speak, wasn't he? She didn't give him the pleasure.

He smirked. "Obviously, one of them is you."

She shrugged. That was hardly surprising.

"More accurately, it says the Catalyst will be, but seeing as you are undeniably the Catalyst, it essentially says you will be. But I can see you're not impressed. Perhaps you'll be more interested in who else it says will be there."

She wanted to cross her arms in front of her chest dramatically, but they were already crossed there, so she settled for a scowl.

"It says your son will be."

She sighed.

"Once again, it technically mentions the Child of the Volgs, but seeing as—"

"Get to the fucking point!"

"So you can still speak."

That had been stupid, but he'd pulled just the right strings. Oh well. She couldn't go on never speaking anyway. "Please get to the point."

"Your son is about to be captured and taken to Collogia. Might even have happened already. If you go to Quorge, you won't be reunited with him."

Corvinian in Collogia? After everything they'd done to find him, he was going to be caught again? No, it couldn't be. "The Volgs had a prophecy that they were going to kill him in Ninifin last year."

"And they were wrong."

"And maybe your prophecy is wrong too."

"As I said, the Collogaän has never been wrong."

"There's a first time for everything. How do I know you're even telling the truth?"

Jakka slapped his thighs and stood up. "You don't, but can you afford to take that risk?"

"I take just as much risk going to Collogia and finding out you were lying the whole time."

He shrugged.

"So tell me, if this is true, how is it you can tell me and not break your vow?"

"Clever interpretation of the exact words of the oath. That's all I can say."

She forced a laugh. "Not very convincing, I'm afraid."

He grinned. "I didn't really expect it would be. But I had to find a way to tell you something. Let me try a different approach. If you don't go to Collogia, things will happen that will cause even more squabbling between the Servants. Your son will be in grave danger, especially if the Volgs get involved. Eventually, someone will get their hands on the Collogaän and they will learn what it says and they will be very incensed. They will come after you, and they'll use your son to get to you."

"Sounds like I should go to Quorge then. It's the safest option."

He shook his head sadly, and placed a hand on her shoulder, which she pushed away. With a nod, he stepped back. "That is, ultimately, your choice. But it's one you will regret."

"You're so full of shit." She turned from him and walked away. Nothing he said was going to make her turn back.

"I truly am trying to help you, Quilla."

She didn't reply.

"Well, at least I got you talking."

She still didn't reply and kept walking. He could follow if he wanted. She didn't care. She needed to catch up to Vern and Annai. They needed to know what he'd said.

* * * * *

Do you believe him? Vern asked.

I was about to ask you the same question, Quilla said.

She, Vern, and Annai were walking along the road towards Arnor City. To their left, the sound of the surf crashing on the shore almost drowned out the howling wind. It was bitterly cold, but Quilla was really starting to enjoy the cold.

Jakka trailed along a short distance behind them. They had given him the heaviest packs to carry while they conferred amongst themselves. Given he was small and not very strong, it was amusing to glance back every now and then and see him struggling to keep up.

I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him, Vern said. Which, admittedly would be pretty far if it was in defence of you, but… Annai, thoughts?

"You're actually asking me?" Annai said.

Vern shrugged. I figured you're the most likely to believe him.

Annai glanced back at Jakka. "Well, I don't."

Really? Vern said.

Annoyance flashed from Annai as she glared at Vern. "Yes, really. Sure, I like him. Sort of. He...he's nice to me."

Vern laughed. And you think he's sincere?

"I don't know. Maybe. Probably not, but I don't care. I like the attention, all right? I just…" A jumble of emotions flooded from her. Some, Quilla recognised now—embarrassment, annoyance, lust—but there were several others that were hard to identify. Was one of them nostalgia? Longing?

It's all right, Vern said. I don't mean to tease. Well, I guess I kind of do, but I'm sorry for that. I get it. You're used to being pampered and it must be hard being away from that.

"Yes. I think." Confusion was pouring from Annai now. It was clear she didn't know what to make of Vern's statements.

I think it's pretty clear none of us really trust Jakka, Vern said. I say we go to Quorge. We'll get a ship in Arnor City to Beldrum, then continue overland.

Wouldn't sailing to Porthaven be faster? Quilla asked.

It would, but that' s the route they'll expect us to take. It may take longer, but Beldrum will be the safer route. Agreed?

"Agreed," Annai said.

Going to Beldrum instead of Porthaven was going to drastically increase the travel time, but what Vern said made sense, so Quilla nodded and smiled. Agreed. She was glad there was no disagreement between the three of them. That left Jakka powerless. He could spew his bullshit all he wanted. She would be reunited with Corvinian in Quorge.