The Last Day of the War - Part 1

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The Symphony of Light was easily the most beautiful building on the planet. Even the Outworlders with their near barbaric sense of culture agreed to that. The Symphony was a translucent crystal building that housed the greatest works of art our people, even the near barbarians, had produced. During daylight the walls of the Symphony shimmered in an opalescent rainbow that shifted and swirled as the day progressed and by night the building was a fountain of silver moonlight.

The walls were unlit as I fastened a portrait in its gilded frame to the mountings built into the crystal surface. Both moons had set and it was still hours before sunrise, but the Symphony did not rely on natural light alone. A soft blue light glowed deep within the crystal walls and the multi-tiered gallery in which I stood was a dreamscape of paintings and sculptures floating in blue-hued darkness. I turned my attention back to the portrait I had just hung and smiled. When the sun rose it would look beautiful in its place on the wall.

"A shame more people do not appreciate Tatye. I have always found his portraits to be almost stunning in their realism." A grandfatherly voice floated in from the darkness behind me. Frozen where I stood, I wondered how my heart could be pounding in my chest like it was without exploding. I slowly turned my head, trying to appear as casual as possible, and arched one eyebrow in mild surprise while smiling warmly at the man behind me.

"Inspector, I must say I am surprised to see you here at this hour." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded. It did waver a bit toward the end, but so slightly the Inspector surely would not have noticed.

"That was the point of course, Irisa dear." A slight tingling sensation rippled across my body as a cloaking field destabilized and Inspector Velvel stepped like a wraith from the shadows. He made a very impressive figure in his uniform kilt and tunic with both his baldric and pistol belt so covered with gold that the leather beneath could not be seen. On his head he wore a gold circlet engraved with a wolf’s head over either of his temples as was appropriate for the First Sword of the Noble House of the White Wolf. The dagger in the sheath suspended from his baldric was almost at odds with the rest of his attire. It was far too plain and utilitarian. I heard boots shuffling on the tier overlooking us and glanced up to see figures moving in the shadows.

"I must say I am shocked you would go through so much trouble for me and my trivial little pranks." I turned cautiously to face the nobleman who commanded the State Police. I had a narrow bladed dagger in a sheath on my left forearm and another heavier dagger tucked inside the top of my right boot, but would never dream of using them against the head of a house so closely allied to my own.