Path of Dragons 14 - Chapter 19 - A Shattered Man

He looked so strong. 

And he was.

Sadie could feel that the second she laid eyes on him.  The destruction of Meridian Lux served to support that impression, and her every sense screamed confirmation of that inescapable reality.  But it only took a few moments for her to see beneath the surface and witness the broken man beneath that façade of strength.

That was why she hadn’t had it in her to tell him the whole truth.  Not yet.  He was so volatile that hearing it might send him over the edge.  And if that happened, he might never come back. 

So, she’d sat there, and she listened to his tale as well as his justification for killing thousands.  By the time he’d finished, she knew that her instincts were accurate.  After everything he’d been through, the simple fact that he remained functional was a minor miracle. 

And when she saw the relief so blatantly displayed in his expression, all for a simple word, her heart broke for him.  How lonely must he have been that such a small gesture would elicit such a reaction?

“Go home, Elijah,” she advised.  “I will take care of some things.  I’ll deal with the aftermath of…all of this.”

“I don’t need you to fight my battles for me,” he insisted, his guard back up.  He really was ready for violence. 

“With any luck, there won’t be a fight.  Just trust me.  I’ll come to Ironshore when I’m finished.  Then…then, we can really talk.”

Every part of her wished she could have done what Elijah had done, that she could have torn Meridian Lux to the ground herself.  Everything about the place was abhorrent.  But the political realities told her that if she took that step, war would follow.  And that was if she managed to succeed – not a guarantee against someone like Olaf Bruener, who’d spent years building power. 

Could Sadie have beaten him one-on-one?  Probably.  Could the Adjudicators have come in and liberated the slaves?  Maybe.  But it would have been messy.  Half of those slaves would have ended up dead, and even if Sadie and the Adjudicators had managed victory, Bruener’s allies would have made them pay for it. 

It was not out of the question that, had the Adjudicators acted, if Sadie had done what her heart told her was right, the entire world would have plunged headfirst into a war that would kill millions. 

A few thousand slaves for millions of lives.  The math was easy.  The moral implications were abhorrent.  And yet, those were the sorts of decisions Sadie had to make.  That was the weight she’d taken upon her shoulders.

She wasn’t a martyr.  She didn’t even think she was a good person.  Not anymore.  But she made the choices she thought had to be made.  The good of the many outweighed the suffering of the few. 

It made her sick.

But the necessity that came from knowing the alternative kept her moving forward.

Elijah stared at her for a long moment, his thoughts unreadable.  Even with her most recent advancement in mind cultivation, she couldn’t ignore the massive weight of sin surrounding him.  He’d always been a violent man.  Death followed him wherever he went.  But now, it was like he was surrounded by a black hole of aggression.

A slight shudder shot up her spine, but she didn’t let it show.

“Okay.  But about your…uh…your underling…the elf,” he said.  “I didn’t want to kill him.  He didn’t give me much choice.”

It took Sadie a moment to remember who Elijah was talking about.  Then, the memory came to her.  Elys Malin.  Half-elf.  One of the youngest Adjudicators, only recently given a permanent post.  And now he was dead.

Truthfully, she’d only spoken to him a couple of times, and then, only in passing.  However, she considered every Adjudicator her responsibility.  As such, she had every right to hold Elijah accountable. 

But even if she was willing to do that – which she was not, given the man’s obvious corruption – Sadie knew good and well that she didn’t have the power to do so.  Because as much as Elijah had changed as a person, the difference in his power was even more dramatic.  He’d once been considered the strongest man on Earth, and though many people had worked extremely hard to close that gap, it had only grown wider.

She didn’t know what level he’d reached.  Nor did it matter.  She trusted her senses more than a number on someone’s status.  And every instinct told her that if she picked a fight with Elijah, she would lose.  Badly.

And if she couldn’t take him, then no one on Earth could.  Not alone, and maybe not all together, either.

He was untouchable.

And volatile.

And broken.

Not a great combination.

Sadie was well aware just how delicate the situation was, and she knew she needed to handle it with utmost care.  For his sake as much as the world’s. 

“We’ll talk about it later,” she said.  “Go home, Elijah.  Take care of all those people you rescued.”

He always was better when he played that role than the part of a destroyer.  At one point, she’d hoped he would embrace that aspect of his personality, but it seemed that he would never leave destruction behind. That he would always be a killer first and foremost.

“Right,” Elijah said, giving her one of those half-smiles that teetered on the edge between innocence and pure chaos.  The sort of expression that promised she would never be bored, that he could stand toe-to-toe with her no matter how high she climbed.  That he could be a true partner.

It was all Sadie could do not to sigh at that thought.

“I don’t think I should use the Spires.  The flight home will give me some time to think, I guess.  See you in a few days.”

With that, Elijah transformed.

Despite the fact that she had seen him shift into various forms hundreds of times, she was still taken aback by the transformation.  In less than a second, his body had stretched into a two hundred foot long, rainbow scaled serpent.  The creature was clearly one of pure magic, as Sadie could feel its aura almost like a solid thing.

And it was flying without wings.

It also looked a lot like a Chinese-style dragon, at least in the face.  When Elijah focused on her, she saw that his eyes were like self-contained galaxies. 

“I love you,” he said, his voice sending tremors through the air.

Then, without waiting for a reply, he disappeared as if he’d never been there.  That, more than anything, raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck.  Despite knowing that he was just going back to his grove, a part of her wondered if he would ever return. 

That, of course, led her to some very dark feelings she’d thought long buried.  Guilt that she’d let him go into the Labyrinth of Dead Gods without her, all because she couldn’t control herself around Benedict or his demonic minions.  Depression that she was all alone.  Misplaced anger that Elijah had seemingly sacrificed himself for a world that was incapable of properly appreciating him.

There were a hundred other subordinate emotions, but it all came back to her failure to support him.  She’d tried to forgive herself.  She’d dedicated her life to making Earth a better place for everyone, almost as a penance for that failure.  But in the end, those emotions weren’t gone.  They were just buried.

Seeing Elijah again brought them back into the light. 

Sadie closed her eyes, recentering herself before embarking on the short walk back to the Conclave Spires.  She took her time, favoring regaining control over her emotions over alacrity.  But still, the Spires were only a couple of miles away, so she reached them before she’d managed to completely corral her thoughts.

“Did you kill him?” asked Enoch, who’d been pacing back and forth in front of the compound’s gate. 

“No.”

Enoch had been her right hand for decades.  He deserved a more detailed answer.  He’d earned the right to a real explanation.  But what was she going to say?  That she was afraid of Elijah?  That she was even more afraid for him?  That holding him accountable would destroy her?  Was she supposed to tell Enoch that she still loved Elijah?  Could she adequately explain the geopolitical ramifications of attacking him?  Of failing to defeat him? 

There were so many reasons she hadn’t done more.  Some, like her feelings for Elijah or the moral judgement of Meridian Lux, were personal.  Others found themselves in the inescapable reality of Earth’s imperfect politics.

And Sadie wasn’t certain which reasons were more potent.

By comparison, she knew Enoch didn’t concern himself with nuance.  His loyalty was to the Order of Adjudicators first, Sadie second, and justice third.  For him, there was nothing else.  As far as she knew, he had no true friends.  No romantic partners.  He had colleagues and duty. 

His dedication was almost robotic.  It made him a good underling, but a terrible human being, because he simply didn’t understand connection.  He didn’t care for relationships.  He only concerned himself with verifiable facts.

That wasn’t to say he was incapable of emotion.  Sadie had seen him happy, sad, content, and furious.  The impetus for those emotions was where the disconnect between him and other people lay.

For now, he was obviously angry as he demanded, “Why not?  He killed one of ours.  You know the penalty for that.”

“It’s complicated, Enoch.”

“It’s the furthest thing from complicated.  The rules are –”

“Do you know who that was?” she asked.

“Elijah Hart.  Druid.  Level two-ninety-one.”

“Right,” she said, remembering he had an identification ability.  “But he’s far more than a system notification.  Did you feel it?  Did you sense his power?”

“He’s just another murderer.”

“He is the most powerful person on this planet,” she countered.  Before he could argue that point, she added, “And not by a small margin.  He’s also the man most responsible for Earth’s survival.  He conquered multiple Primal Realms before anyone else was even trying.  And he did it alone, for the most part.”

She went on, “The Hartwood Grove also belongs to him.  If we attack Elijah, they will respond.  Do you want to fight Miguel Rodriguez and the Hartwood Sentries?  Oh, and don’t forget that Atticus Ariti will support Elijah without even a hint of a question.  So will Ironshore.  Likely Seattle as well.  You touch him, and you die.  On the off chance that you manage to survive fighting him – which you won’t – you will turn half the world against the Order of Adjudicators.”

“We do not shy away from battle.”

“That kind of attitude will get us killed,” Sadie countered.  “Attacking that man will destroy this organization.”

“You fear him?” Enoch asked.

“Of course I do.  Everyone should.”

Enoch’s jaw flexed as fury coursed through his body.  But after only a few moments, he said, “Very well.  I trust your judgement.”

He bowed stiffly.

“What will we do with the refugees?” he asked, hopefully ready to move on.  That was one of Enoch’s characteristics that she admired.  He could focus on what was important when necessary.

“I believe it’s already taken care of.”

“By whom?” he asked.

“Likely the Hartwood Foundation, for many.  But for the nature-attuned among them, the grove itself will assuredly step in,” Sadie answered.

Of course, Enoch knew that the Hartwood Grove and the Foundation were part of the same organization.  Even if they often acted separately, they were two sides of the same coin.  Still, the brief widening of his eyes told Sadie that Enoch hadn’t truly made the connection between those two powerful arms of the same organization and their founder.  He covered it well, though.

“What are your orders?”

“Go to Ironshore,” she said.  “Liaise with the Hartwood Foundation to find places for the refugees.  Seattle or New York are probably best, but let the individuals decide for themselves.”

He nodded as he acknowledged the order.  “What will you do?” he asked.

“I’m going to run damage control.  New York, first.  Then a handful of other cities,” she said.  “There are probably going to be some very nervous people out there right now. Our job is to ensure that anxiety doesn’t turn into conflict.”

It could, too.  Sadie had seen people make a host of bad choices just because they were afraid.  That never turned out well.  And given the sorts of people who’d frequented Meridian Lux, the situation could quickly spiral out of control.  She hadn’t been lying when she’d told Elijah that his actions could spark a war.

After issuing a few more orders to her subordinates, Sadie used the Spires to head to New York.  The city was much as she remembered from her last visit, and she took the train from the Spires into the city.  As she went, she couldn’t help but appreciate the convenience of technological development – mostly because it allowed her an opportunity to frame her thoughts and prepare for the consequences of Elijah’s actions.

By the time she’d crossed the channel separating the island from the mainland, she knew her approach.  So, when she found herself entering the Hall of Four Corners, she did so armed with a plan that she used to bludgeon the guild leaders into submission. 

They all respected her enough to hear her out, and most of the leaders remembered Elijah well enough to know that he was not a man they wanted as an enemy.

“Is he truly back?” asked Ram Khandu.  Somehow, that idiot had managed to remain in control of Indra’s Edge.  How, Sadie didn’t know.  But the man had fought off more coups than she could count. 

Not that it mattered.

“Yes.  I saw him myself.”

“What is his state of mind?” Davu Adebowale asked.

“Volatile,” Sadie answered.  “Do not push him.  He is capable of destroying this entire city and killing everyone in it.  I don’t even think it would be difficult for him.”

“That’s preposterous,” Ram declared.

“He is a dragon,” came a soft but commanding voice of Shanala, the elf.  “Nothing is beyond them.”

“You and your dragon worship,” mumbled the goblin, Gix.

“It is not worship.  It is justifiable fear,” Shanala countered, glaring at the goblin.  “My people once made the mistake of angering a dragon.  The planet barely survived.”

“He’s only a demi-god,” Ram Khandu stated.

“With advanced cultivation,” Sadie pointed out.  “Even if his cultivation stagnated while he was stranded in the Abyss, he would still be more advanced than anyone on Earth.  And he was not idle, I can assure you.  Far from it.  If you push him – even an inch – he will destroy you.  There is nothing any of us can do about it.”

“What do you suggest?” asked Davu.

“Leave him be.  Meridian Lux was a stain upon this world.  As far as I’m concerned, Elijah Hart did us all a favor,” Sadie stated evenly as she looked from one person to the next.  “Accept it as the gift it was.”

“That is ridiculous.  He attacked a sovereign city!” shouted Ram Khandu.  “With no provocation.  No international consensus.  He laid waste to a city just because –”

“Because they enslaved an entire grove of Druids.  Not to mention their other crimes,” Sadie interrupted. 

“Your vendetta against Olaf Bruener is well-established, High Judge,” the Indian man hissed.

“And your history as one of his customers is noted,” Sadie pointed out.  “Tell me, Ram – where the Courtesans whose company you enjoyed willing participants in debauchery?  Or were they slaves as well?  The rumors suggest the latter.”

“I will not stand for this slander!”

“Enough, Ram,” Davu stated.  “This is not about your personal feelings.  This is about our response to a threat that could very well end us all.”

Someone cleared their throat, and it took Sadie a moment to notice a man standing in the corner.  He was cloaked by shadow, though even if she couldn’t see him, she knew his identity.

“If the High Judge advises against confronting Hart, then I know how I will vote,” said Desmond Farina, the leader of the League of Ancients.  They’d recently climbed to the second spot in the guild hierarchy, and it was widely believed it wouldn’t be long before they took the position of primacy.  “And I suggest that everyone else trust her judgement as well.”

That was the push it took to get everyone onboard, though Ram Khandu still voted against leaving Elijah alone.  He was the only one, but that simple act marked him as someone to watch. 

Not that Sadie wasn’t already keeping an eye on the slimy man.  She was, and she would continue to do so.

As she left the Hall of Four Corners, Sadie considered the situation.  Elijah’s actions were unexpected, and they threatened to tip the balance of power.  But what he’d done in Meridian Lux might be exactly what she needed to instill a higher degree of order in the world.  She never could have acted against Meridian Lux.  Not without risking war.  But Elijah?  He represented a resetting of the board.  He was an uncontrollable force that could do the things she wished she could do, and no one in the world was strong enough to hold him accountable. 

The next couple of days saw her repeating that meeting across the world.  She left no stone unturned, no trumped-up village elder unsatisfied.  And in the end, she managed to avert disaster and avoid a war.

Without her efforts, that would not have been the case.

So, it was with some frustration and a marked sense of relief that she finally took the Conclave Spires to Ironshore.  She’d fought one diplomatic battle after another, but it was nothing compared to what awaited her when she reunited with Elijah.