Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Krivax did his best to shake off the residual discomfort that came with being teleported.

After the meeting, Vizier Hadix had ominously told him that he had something important to tell him and ordered Krivax to follow him. The moment the two of them had reached a secure location without any witnesses, the Vizier had abruptly teleported them both to an unknown location and Krivax had no idea what was happening.

As soon as Krivax managed to find his bearings, he quickly took a look at his surroundings, hoping he would be able to figure out where he was.

He quickly realized that Vizier Hadix had taken him to an isolated cavern that was illuminated only by bioluminescent mushrooms that were growing on the cavern walls. No matter how hard he looked, Krivax couldnt see any exits or entrances to the cavern, nor could he see any other nerubians aside from the Vizier who was patiently waiting for him to finish taking in his new environment.

Krivax looked down at the teleportation locus that was under his feet and tried his best to read the various arcane glyphs that formed it. Despite Vizier Hadix making it seem otherwise, long-distance teleportation was not an easy magic that any mage could use without difficulty. The locus, as far as Krivax could tell, served to make it easier for authorized mages to teleport into the cavern while simultaneously denying the spatial magic of those who were unauthorized.

Unfortunately, Krivax was not knowledgeable enough about arcane glyphs to understand how the locus decided who was and was not authorized, so he decided to turn his attention back to the rest of his surroundings.

The two of them were standing on a platform that was suspended in the air by long strands of silk attached to the walls and ceiling, and in front of them was a silk bridge that led to a truly massive ziggurat that reached from the base of the cavern to its roof. Krivax was used to ziggurats being centers of activity as nerubians constantly entered and exited them as they went about their business, so to see one so devoid of life was ominous and unsettling.

Standing completely still on both sides of the bridge were a pair of obsidian destroyers, similar to the ones he had seen earlier in the day. While they might seem like mere statues, Krivax knew that they would have killed him in an instant if he had come here without permission.

The things gave him the creeps since Krivax was well aware that they were titan-forged tol'vir that the nerubians enslaved millennia ago when they first moved into the lands that would become Northrend, turning them into killing machines under their control.

I really hope Hadix didnt bring me here in order to get rid of me. This place gives me the creeps.

Vizier Hadix, what is this place? Krivax asked nervously, praying that his mentor was not about to break into some kind of villainous monologue.

This place, Initiate, is the headquarters for the Order of Kaltut, said Vizier Hadix, his voice more solemn than Krivax had ever heard before. A secret organization of Viziers to which I belong and one which I brought you here to learn about.

What is the Order of Kaltut, Vizier? Krivax asked curiously, hoping that he wasnt about to be forcibly inducted into some kind of cult.

Follow me, said Vizier Hadix as he turned and began making his way across the bridge and to the ziggurat. I will explain everything to you soon enough.

Krivax couldnt help but ask another question as he hurried to follow the Vizier.

If this ziggurat belongs to the Order of Kaltut, then where is everybody?

I informed the Order of our arrival ahead of time. You are not yet authorized to know the identities of the Orders members, Vizier Hadix said matter of factly. Many of them are still here, of course, but you will not see them until later.

That really doesnt ease my worries that Im about to be inducted into a cult, Krivax thought gloomily.

The distance between the platform with the teleportation locus and the ziggurat was not very far, so it didnt take very long before they were walking through the entrance.

A part of him was surprised to see that the ziggurat was not noticeably different from any of the other ziggurats he had entered before, aside from its emptiness. One would think that the headquarters of some kind of secret organization would be a bit more distinctive.

That impression quickly changed once they exited the hallway and entered the ziggurat's first chamber. Krivax could see that there were many hallways connected to the room that were each visibly indistinguishable from one another. The room itself was empty of any decorations or adornments aside from a few enchanted braziers placed in its corners, but in its center was an ornate plinth that supported a crucible that was filled with some kind of pitch-black liquid.

Krivax didnt understand why, but something about the liquid disquieted him even from across the room. That feeling only grew as he reluctantly followed Vizier Hadix when he walked straight to the center of the room.

Once he got close enough that the crucible was within touching distance, Krivax noticed that both the plinth and the crucible were covered in a dense array of arcane glyphs. After opening up his magical senses, Krivax was astonished to discover the powerful wards that were connected to the objects. However, as powerful as these wards were, it was the pitch-black liquid that drew his full attention.

Directing his magical senses to the liquid made Krivax feel as if he was suddenly looking over a dark unending abyss while being utterly certain that something he could not see was looking back in turn. The longer he looked, the more he felt as if could hear the sound of whispering voices and see flickers of movement in the corner of his vision. Once he noticed feelings of doubt, despair, and panic growing inside of him, Krivax hurriedly turned his attention away from the dark liquid.

Vizier Hadix, what is this? asked Krivax, struggling to keep his internal panic out of his voice.

This is something that I asked the Order to arrange for us, Vizier Hadix said calmly. It is a sort of tradition for those who first learn of the Order to witness a demonstration of what this liquid is capable of.

Without further comment, Vizier Hadix reached into one of his spatial bags and pulled out a still living lobster, and then casually threw it into the crucible. Living creatures were much more difficult to spatially store than objects, but magically storing a non-sapient lobster with such a simple soul was well within the Viziers ability.

Krivax watched with trepidation as the liquid seemed to reach out to grab the lobster as it approached. The crucible was obviously not very deep given that the crustacean was not fully submerged, but that only made it easier for him to look on in horror as the shellfish slowly mutated.

At first, parts of its previously red shell became varying shades of purple while others morphed into some kind of strange fleshy substance. After a while, small wandering eyes and tiny mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth could be seen growing randomly across its body. By the time the mutated lobster began to grow small twisting tentacles, it was obvious to Krivax that he was looking at a crucible filled with some kind of liquid Void.

He was already aware that the Void was nothing good for the vast majority of living creatures, but this was significantly more disturbing than he had expected. Krivax tore his gaze from the grotesque display once the tiny mouths began to scream in incoherent anguish.

It is, said Vizier Hadix, turning his attention back to Krivax. Even after our success, the Order of Kaltut has continued to work from the shadows to prevent the Old Gods from ever again gaining control of our people. You asked me why our Order acts in secret and why we recruit only from the Vizier caste I will answer both now that you have an understanding of our history.

Krivax waited patiently as the Vizier took a moment to gather his thoughts before answering the questions.

Our decision to act in secret was, at first, a method through which the Order protected itself from the servants of the Old Gods, said Vizier Hadix. Once the vast majority of their influence was excised from Azjol-Nerub, we decided to keep our efforts secret due to the subtle and insidious nature of the Void, as well as the speed at which it can spread its corruption. The Order believes that if the Void was publicly known, then there would be many who intentionally seek it out, whether due to curiosity or a simple lust for power. This would allow for Void cults to more easily grow in our society without our knowledge.

That made some amount of sense to Krivax, he knew from his metaknowledge that the cults of Old Gods could quickly spread out of control given the success of the Twilights Hammer. He faintly remembered that there was a bishop or something of the Church of the Holy Light who had been able to hide his ties to the cult and secretly spread its influence throughout Stormwind.

Not only would any aspiring cultists in Azjol-Nerub have difficulty learning how to wield the Void, but they wouldnt even know that there was an organization dedicated to hunting them.

Krivax still had a few doubts about the necessity, but the Orders success spoke for itself.

As for why the Order does not recruit outside of the Vizier caste, Vizier Hadix continued. There are a few different reasons, and the first is one of tradition. The Order was formed by the students of Vizier Kaltut, and that tradition of Viziers recruiting either from their Divisions or from their personal students has continued ever since.

Krivax did not miss the pointed look that Hadix threw his way, but the Vizier continued without commenting on the obvious implication.

The second reason is one of practicality. Over its long history, the Order has managed to form its own methods of protecting its members from the Voids corruption that rely on the active use of arcane magic, something Viziers are best suited to using due to our makeup. Complete protection against the Void is impossible to the best of our knowledge, but as weak as these methods might be, any members of the Order who are not dedicated mages would be significantly more vulnerable to the Void.

Krivax was not sure that he completely agreed with those justifications. While he understood the power that tradition could hold over an organization as old as the Order, he still felt that the benefit of recruiting the other castes would outweigh the risks.

Vizier Hadix nodded in reluctant agreement when he said as much.

In truth, I suspect that many of the Orders leadership are simply reluctant to share the political power they have gathered over the years, said Vizier Hadix grudgingly. There exists significant competition between the castes, and while what the Order does for our people is essential, no large organization is infallible.

Krivax allowed himself to think over that for a moment before he decided to ask the question that had been on his mind since he understood that the Vizier intended to recruit him.

Why me? Why now? asked Krivax uncertainly. Am I not too young and inexperienced to be recruited to an organization like this? Even if Im going to become a Vizier soon, Im still not exactly a powerful mage.

Why would the Order only seek to recruit powerful mages? asked Vizier Hadix, his expression visibly confused. Many of our most important members are administrators. We choose to recruit after making an evaluation of the Order's needs and the risk that the new member poses to its secrecy. If we only chose to recruit powerful mages, then our options would be vastly more limited.

Krivax was glad that nerubians could not blush as he pushed down his embarrassment. He had unconsciously associated the Order with the Council of Tirisfal, and assumed that like them they were also composed exclusively of powerful mages. In retrospect, it made sense that they would need members from many different backgrounds if they wanted to accomplish their goals.

Where do I fall on this evaluation? asked Krivax.

At first, I had intended to wait a few decades as there was no particular need to induct you into the Order, said Vizier Hadix. However, circumstances have changed with the discovery of the Eastern Kingdoms. The Order needs to search these new lands for the prisons of the other Old Gods, as well as evaluate whatever influence the Void might have over its inhabitants. Given that none of the other members of the expedition are members of the Order your active assistance will significantly ease my efforts.

How could I help? asked Krivax. He couldnt see how he could do anything that the Vizier wasnt able to do himself.

If I wish to properly evaluate the Eastern Kingdoms, then much of my time will need to be spent away from the expedition. Simply assisting me in keeping my movements secret as well as remaining vigilant for the Void will make it much easier for me to accomplish my goals. Connect with the locals as you have done with the tuskarr to see if you cannot gather information from them that I can use while also working towards the betterment of our people. Anything that you can do to help the Orders overall mission while we are on foreign shores is why it is important that you do not remain ignorant. It is this need which has convinced me to bring you here today.

And what about the risk that I pose to the Order's secrecy? asked Krivax, curious as to how the Vizier had evaluated him on the other metric that the organization used to decide on recruitment.

By that measurement, you rank poorly, said Vizier Hadix bluntly. You lack subtlety and you failed to properly withhold information during your negotiations with the tuskarr. Still, the Order has many methods of keeping its secrets, and the risk you pose is manageable.

With that said, Vizier Hadix said nothing more and simply waited patiently.

After a few moments, Krivax understood that the Vizier was implicitly asking for his decision on whether or not he would join the Order. The answer seemed like a fairly obvious one, but he still took the time to think over the costs and benefits.

The moment he had been teleported by his mentor to an isolated cavern that belonged to a secret organization, Krivax had been fully prepared to say whatever he needed to say to make it out in one piece. The fact that the secret organization was one that worked to fight against the Void simply made things easier for him. Vizier Hadix had done his best to paint the Order in as benevolent a light as possible, but Krivax was not naive enough to believe that he would like the results if he declined to join the organization

The only reasonable thing to do was to agree to join and hope for the best. After all, if the Order turned out to be an organization he didnt want to be a part of, he could always figure out a way to leave once it was safer to do so.

With that decided, Krivax told the Vizier his answer.

You've made an excellent decision, Initiate Krivax, said Vizier Hadix, sounding immensely pleased with himself. Normally I would introduce you to some of the Orders members, but you have an important day tomorrow. I will teleport you back to Kilahkuk so that you may inform your friend about your imminent elevation in caste. I am told that the process is a long one. We will have plenty of time to speak later about the Order and your duties as a member.

Without wasting any time, Vizier Hadix began casting the spell that would take them back to the city. As Krivax disappeared from the ziggurat in a flash of violet light, he couldnt help but feel nervous for his future.

Im really starting to feel like Ive gotten in over my head.