Secret of the Codex (M/M)

[Z-13]

( A/N: Hello, this is a little different from the stories I've posted here before. I wanted to do something in a fantasy setting, and while there will be plenty of TUGs, there will also be an overarching storyline and world building! I'll be updating whenever I can, hopefully you all enjoy it. )

PART ONE

Sai’s heart drummed against his ribs as he made it to the top of the stairs, his legs burning from the strain. He paused to catch his breath. Hot air swirled out of his mouth like a white fog.
In-between the snow-capped mountains beyond the temple, light shimmered, staining the sky blue, yellow, and pink. Not for the first time, Sai wondered why the Divine Spirits had sent him here, to Temple Viren. Isolated on the top of an icy mountain, it was two leagues from the nearest village, and cold nearly all year round. Sai was thankful to the Spirits, of course — if he hadn't been chosen by the monks, he’d have grown up in an orphanage alongside the other children whose parents had died in the war — but he couldn’t help but wish they’d sent him someplace warmer. Or at least someplace with less stairs.
Ahead, the sound of clear ringing of bells made Sai groan. He was late for morning prayer again. Brother Tane would punish him for sure. Still, his empty stomach convinced him to keep heading towards the meeting hall. No way Sai was going to miss breakfast on top of whatever cruel punishment Tane would dish out for him later.
He slid into the meeting hall as quietly as he could, relishing the feel of warmth against his skin. The hall was lit by golden lanterns, which heated the room, and there were wards against the walls to keep the cold out. It was a tall, immense building, filled with kneeling monks dressed in silk gray robes facing the shrine. Beside the shrine sat the elders, who were chanting prayers to the Spirits in low, monotone voices.
Beside them was Brother Tane, the elder-in-waiting, and the Codex-keeper, Brother Rennic. Sai caught Rennic’s eye. The old monk had gray-white hair and a short-clipped beard, and was dressed in the ceremonial blue robes that only the Codex-keeper wore. The man raised an eyebrow at Sai, who shrugged sheepishly and found a place to kneel at the back of the room alongside the other scribes.
Rennic was Sai's mentor, and thus Sai wore the same blue robes as a Codex-keeper. Secretly Sai swelled with pride, even though he was meant to keep his thoughts humble. Rennic had hand-picked him to become the next Codex-keeper one day; how could Sai not be proud of that?
Bowing low on the lush carpet of the hall, hoping not to be noticed by Tane, Sai focused on the elders’ prayers. He was nineteen now, nearly old enough to be considered a fully-fledged scribe. In a sea of gray, the blue robes made him stand out from the others. They were cut to be more practical than Rennic’s, as Sai was still expected to fulfill his duties as an apprentice, but the silk fabric flowed over his arms and body, hiding the fact that Sai was small and lean for his age. A little pale from a life spent in the mountains, Sai had shaggy medium-length black hair that he kept tied at the nape of his neck, and coal-black eyes that often caught the light and held it.
“The Divine Spirits will guide us through times of trials and through times of peace,” the elders chanted as one. Their voices sent chills down Sai’s spine. “They guide us through the dark and the light, always striving towards balance. Amen.”
Prayers were over quickly. Or perhaps Sai had come in so late that it just felt that way. When the elders finally dismissed the prayer hall, Sai followed the crowd, hoping to slip away to the cafeteria unnoticed.
A hand clapped down on his shoulder, stopping him. Sai winced. Sometimes being the only one wearing blue wasn’t a good thing.
“Sai,” Rennic said. “You were late.”
Sai watched as the others filtered out, leaving only a few stragglers behind, before he turned to face his mentor. It took considerable effort to meet the man’s stern blue eyes. “I’m sorry, sir. I suppose I stayed up too late again last night.”
Rennic’s eyes softened. He seemed about to say something when Brother Tane came up beside him, gaze fixed directly on Sai. Tane was a tall man, younger than Rennic, but well past his middle years. An ink-black braid was tossed over his shoulder, and he had a long black beard and sharp green eyes. A thin scar slid across the right side of his face, marring the corner of his lip. Sai had never gathered the courage to ask where the scar had come from.
“You were with the Codex last night,” Tane guessed.
Sai didn’t deny it, just pressed his lips together and nodded. Rennic glanced nervously back towards the remaining elders in the room, but the old men and women weren’t paying them any attention.
“The assignment you gave me is complete,” Sai said, keeping his voice low. Maybe good news would smooth over Tane’s temper. “I’m able to recite the entire Codex from memory. It’s kept me up late for weeks.”
“That is no excuse.” Tane said. “Your assignment is for the sake of Temple Vairen and your country. Sleeping late makes you look suspicious, Sai, and nobody must find out about this.”
Sai nodded, feeling chastised. Several months ago, Brother Tane and Brother Rennic had called Sai into a secluded corner of the Temple to give him the most important assignment he’d ever been given — to memorize the entirety of the sacred Codex. Sai wasn’t to speak of it to anyone, not even the elders. The less people that knew of this plan, the better.
The Codex, an ancient, leather-bound book kept sealed in the bowels of the Temple, supposedly held the secrets to magic, the manipulation of the soul, and harnessing the dark power of demons. If it fell into the wrong hands, it would spell disaster for the world. Which is why, if it came down to it, the Keeper had sworn to destroy the Codex before it could be stolen by unworthy eyes.
But the Codex was an important record, and its destruction would mean the loss of its knowledge forever. So Tane and Rennic had decided that they needed to keep a secret back-up, and there was no more secure place than in someone’s mind, where it could not be so easily stolen. Sai had been selected for this task. He wasn’t sure why; surely Rennic was better suited for the task. But Sai knew better than to question those older and wiser than him, and this wasn't something he could ask the elders for guidance on, either.
“Eat your breakfast,” Tane ordered Sai. “Then, come see me in the study room for your punishment.”
Sai’s heart sank. He bowed to Tane as the man stalked off, leaving Rennic and Sai alone.
Master and apprentice walked side by side to the cafeteria, quiet as they stepped out into the snow. Sai was still exhausted and feeling a little guilty, but more than that, he was worried about what Tane would do to him. Every young monk knew to avoid running afoul of Brother Tane, but Sai couldn’t seem to avoid the elder-in-waiting’s scrutiny. Tane seemed to obsess over Sai in particular, which meant Sai ended up punished more than any of the other apprentices. Perhaps it was because Sai was the Codex-keeper’s apprentice. More was expected of him, after all.
“Brother Tane wants what’s best for you, Sai,” Rennic said gently, right before they entered the cafeteria. “As do I. We are very thankful for all the work you’ve done with the Codex.”
“I know.” Sai managed a smile. “I’ll strive to do better.”

After breakfast, Sai walked the Temple halls down to the study hall, where Brother Tane would be waiting. The temptation to eat slowly and delay the inevitable had been strong, but Sai had managed to resist. It wouldn’t have done anything but perhaps make Tane even more upset with him, and that was the last thing Sai wanted.
The study hall was dark, with only slim slats near the ceiling for light and a few candles. Tane sat alone at one of the desks, writing something by candlelight.
Familiar with this routine by now, Sai knelt in front of Tane on the floor and waited. The scratching of Tane’s quill against the parchment sent shivers down Sai’s spine.
At last, after several agonizing minutes, Tane put his quill down and studied Sai. “You remember why I called you to me this morning?” He asked.
Sai knew — how could he forget? — and so did Tane, but it was all part of the ritual. So, Sai said, “I slept late, Brother Tane.”
“Indeed. Fetch the twine.”
Swallowing his discomfort, Sai pushed himself to his feet and went to the cupboard in the corner of the study hall. Inside he found several coils of woven twine, thinner than Sai's finger but strong, all which had more length than Sai was tall. He brought the coils back to Brother Tane, who stood waiting for him, and handed them over.
“Turn around and put your arms behind you,” Tane ordered.
Obediently, Sai held his arms behind his back. A moment later he felt Tane winding the twine around his arms just above his elbows, forcing Sai’s arms together uncomfortably close. Sai bit his lip and endured the discomfort. The bite of the twine was sharp but unyielding, and the burn at having his elbows forced together at such proximity made him wince. Still, it wasn’t painful enough to harm him, nor cause any lasting damage.
After cinching the knot, trapping Sai's elbows in place, Tane moved down to Sai’s wrists, binding them together as well. Once he was done with that, Sai’s arms were practically glued together behind him. All he could do was shift his bound hands and wriggle his fingers.
“Sit,” Tane directed, pointing at the floor. Sai struggled to sit without falling on his face. It was somewhat undignified, but he managed. Once he was situated, Tane grabbed one of Sai’s legs and tied a length of twine around his ankle. Then he forced it to bend, wrapping the length of twine around Sai’s thigh, before repeating the process on Sai’s other leg. Sai winced when he tightened the knots, but the older monk seemed satisfied as he stood to examine him.
Sai tested the bonds. The twine around his legs forced him to remain in a kneeling position, keeping his legs bent like a frog.
Nodding, Tane folded his arms. “You are to remain in that spot while I finish my work. You are not to move, talk, or attempt to remove the bindings. I predict I will be done before noon, but sometimes, it takes me a while longer.”
Sai knew better than to say anything, so he merely dipped his head and tried to settle in on the floor. After watching him a moment more, Tane sat back at his desk. Not long after the scratching of a quill against parchment resumed.
Already, Sai’s knees hurt where his weight pressed against the floor, and his arms were beginning to ache. He shifted his weight subtly, sucking in a breath. He was in for an uncomfortable morning.

[DeeperThanRed]

What a unique setting! I'm interested in seeing where Sai's punishment will lead him.

[Z-13]

What a unique setting! I'm interested in seeing where Sai's punishment will lead him.

Thank you so much!

[Z-13]

A/N: here is part 2! Part 3 is about halfway written, so hopefully I’ll get that out within the next few days ^^ if you are enjoying the story please let me know!

PART TWO

Sai could do nothing but wait as noon came and went. At least, judging by the light through the slim windows, and the wax dripping from Brother Tane’s candles. By that point, Sai was sitting in agonizing silence, shifting constantly around on his knees to try and relieve the pressure, and biting down on his tongue to force himself to keep quiet.
The urge to clear his throat, or say something to remind Brother Tane of the time, was almost unbearable. But Sai forced himself to remain kneeling in silence. He was well acquainted with how Tane’s punishments worked, so if Sai complained, he’d likely only stay there for even longer. When Tane was in an especially bad mood, he might even add something to make it worse, like a blindfold or more twine. So Sai suffered valiantly, trying to drift into his mind to distract himself.
At last, Tane looked up at him. “Have you truly memorized the entire Codex?” He asked quietly.
“Yes, sir.” Sai kept his voice low. Memorizing an entire tome had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, and it had taken every moment of Sai’s free time for months. Often, phrases from the Codex drifted around in his dreams and into his waking thoughts. He recited it to himself often, always trying to keep the words sharp in his head. Sai was mortified of the potential consequences if he forgot or misremembered anything.
The scar split Tane’s face in the firelight. “Recite the first part of chapter seven.”
Sai took a shaky breath, wincing as he shifted his weight again. The Codex was for the eyes of its keepers only — even the Elders were not permitted to lay eyes on it. Sai wasn’t sure if he was permitted to recite it, even to Tane.
“It is good that you are cautious.” Tane said, guessing the reason for Sai’s hesitation. “Don’t worry. Brother Rennic showed me only that one passage, to test you. With how important this is, I... I need to be sure.”
“I understand.” Sai said. He chastised himself. This was Brother Tane, the elder-in-waiting. If Tane could not be trusted, then no one could. He recited the passage.
“The soul is a lantern, and it breathes. Its glass is mortal flesh, and its flame is ever seeking the freedom of the air. To command the flame is to mistake one’s divinity. A wise man beckons to the light. The foolish man seizes it in his hands and is burned.
“And so it is written. One must carve the signal upon his very soul, not with ink nor blood, but in the silence between the breaths of life. Beware, O children of dust. For when the flame learns the name of its keeper, the binding is undone.”
“That’s enough.” Tane’s voice cut through the study hall, and Sai went quiet. Tane seemed to be pondering something, tapping his quill against the paper. “You may go.”
“Erm, sir?” Sai twisted his arms as best he could in their bindings. Tane really was distracted.
The monk stood abruptly, kneeling behind Sai to untie him. “Sorry,” he laughed almost to himself as he loosened his knots. “My mind is elsewhere today.”
“That’s all right.” Sai brought his arms forward at last, rubbing his wrists to restore circulation. There were red impressions drawn on his skin where the twine had dug into his flesh. “Do you need anything else from me?”
“Not today, Sai.”
Sai didn’t need to be told twice. He left the study hall the moment his legs had been freed and he’d neatly put the coils of twine away in their cupboard, then stepped outside, relishing in the cold but fresh air and the sensation of free limbs. He had a lot of duties to complete in a lot less time than usual, thanks to Brother Tane’s punishment, so he didn’t linger long.

BOOM.
Sai jolted upright on his pallet with a sharp inhale, suddenly alert. The two apprentices he shared his room with sat up, too, looking around in the darkness. The cold air seeped into his bones, causing gooseflesh to crawl up his arms. The window showed a dark sky with an ominous yellow moon staring down at them like a bulbous, unblinking eye. It must have been well into the night.
For a moment, they all sat staring at each other with wild eyes, all groggy and unsettled. Then, a scream from somewhere outside cut through the air.
“What was that?” One apprentice, a boy no older than sixteen with straw-blonde hair, jumped to his feet to throw open the window. Cold air flooded the room. Sai and the other apprentice, a boy Sai’s age with a braid of mousy brown hair, hastily pulled on their robes and followed the younger boy to look out.
Flames had engulfed one of the adjacent dorms, flickering in the cold air like serpent tongues. Icy dread filled Sai’s mouth.
Before he could say anything, the door to their room burst open so forcefully, it sent splinters clattering to the ground. The youngest boy yelped as a soldier barged through, armored in heavy silver marked with the symbol of a dragon eye, holding a torch over his head. Behind him, Sai could make out a group of more men behind him, all armed to the teeth. His breath hitched, and Sai stumbled backwards.
“Draevan soldiers,” the older of the apprentices realized, fear in his voice.
Sai knew all too well. Draevan was the enemy of Eshara. Theirs was the same kingdom who’d dragged them into twenty-eight long years of war, these the same men who’d slaughtered Sai’s parents and left him an orphan.
But they’d signed a truce. Sai had heard it from the older monks coming back from the village and had thanked the Spirits for peace in every prayer ever since. Had Draevan dishonored it?
The soldier moved forward, peering at each ‌of them in the torchlight. He paused when the light fell on Sai’s blue robes, and suddenly, Sai had a horrible suspicion he knew what these soldiers were here for.
“Back against the wall!” The soldier barked.
The apprentices hesitated, frozen in fear, and both looked towards Sai. He met their eyes. Sai was the Codex keeper’s apprentice, and he knew the way into the vault.
The three of them came to some silent agreement. The Codex could not be put at risk.
“Did you hear me?!” The soldier drew his sword from its scabbard. The sound of hissing steel rang across the room.
Sai lunged for the window. He landed chest-first on the roof tiles, dragging himself across as he pulled his legs out after him. Behind, Sai could hear the shouts of the soldiers surging after him, and a sound of a struggle as the two apprentices fought to keep them back.
He didn’t have time to feel guilty, but he felt it anyway as he climbed across the roof towards the drain pipe as fast as he could manage. They had sacrificed themselves so that Sai could go to the Codex and protect it.

Watch over them, Divine Spirits, Sai prayed. He hoped tonight they would still be able to hear him.
By the time Sai had climbed down to the snowy ground, shouts rose of soldiers already in pursuit of him. Clenching his teeth, Sai raced between the dorm buildings, not daring to look back.
He passed the flaming dorm, and beyond it, saw a mass of people kneeling in the snow before it. Monks, surrounded by armored soldiers, some on horseback. The soldiers were moving to each captured monk in turn, binding their hands behind them and gagging them with strips of cloth cleaved between their teeth. At least, it seemed, the Draevan men weren’t here to slaughter them; not yet.
Sai made it to the edge of the steps that led toward the Temple before someone spotted him again.
“There!” Sai glanced back to see three soldiers chasing him on foot through the snow. The glaring firelight was crimson against their armor, making them look like demonic creatures storming towards him. Sai didn’t look back again.
He focused instead on scaling the stone stairs. There were hundreds of them, some of the stone weathered and worn, and Sai was used to scaling them every day. The soldiers were not, and with their weapons and heavy armor, he knew they would struggle.
Sai’s lungs burned by the time he made it to the top. Even when he’d been late for prayer, he didn’t think he’d ever climbed them so fast. But he didn’t have time to slow down; when the Temple came into view, his gut clenched.
Another group of Draevan soldiers ahead stood clumped outside the Temple doors. There must have been twenty of them, using a log to try and force them open. Sai knew that the guardians must have barricaded the doors to keep them out, but he was sure it wouldn’t last long. Temple Vairen was old, and there wouldn’t be many guardians on duty tonight. Nobody had seen this coming.
The soldiers climbing the steps yelled something, stirring Sai into action. The men ahead hadn’t seen him yet, so he ducked sideways, into a thick grove of pine trees.
Years ago, after Brother Rennic had selected Sai as his apprentice and the future Keeper of the Codex, he’d taken Sai into this very grove. Hidden between the trees was a small stone shrine, and beneath one of the heavy stones was a secret passage to the Codex vault. Only the elders and the keeper were permitted to know of it; and it was only to be used in the most dire of circumstances. Sai definitely thought this situation qualified.
He slid to a stop at the shrine, collapsing to his knees to catch his breath. His trousers were slick with mud and melted snow, and his heart echoed in his ears.
Shouts cut through the forest. Forcing himself to breathe, Sai jammed his fingers beneath the stone tile and slid it aside. Just as he remembered, beneath was a pitch-black tunnel carved from dark stone.
Trembling, Sai dropped into the darkness. The tunnel air engulfed him like icewater, and he struggled to slide the stone above him back into place. The last glimpse of moonlight burned Sai’s vision as he was cut off from the world and swallowed.
Blind, Sai froze as he heard the pursuing soldiers reach the shrine.
“He was just here,” one of them said.
“He’s around somewhere. Find him.”
A heavy boot landed on the stone tile and Sai flinched, but it was only a soldier moving on. It took Sai a few moments to gather his courage enough to move again, as if even the slightest twitch might bring the soldiers back on top of him. But eventually he groped in the dark until he found the rough surface of the tunnel wall and used it to guide him forward, sure to place his feet carefully so that he didn’t trip.
The tunnel was longer than Sai remembered, though he supposed his flight from the soldiers made it feel that way. Before, too, Brother Rennic had been here to guide him. Spirits, Sai hoped Rennic had made it to the vault. The old monk was the closest thing Sai had to family.
Thankfully, the old keeper had always insisted on sleeping in the Temple, not the dorms. It was for precisely this reason; if they were ever attacked, the keeper belonged with the Codex, to protect it, and if necessary, destroy it. Sai had thought Rennic overcautious at the time, and would have laughed at himself for that, if he wasn’t still so shaky with fear.
He wondered if the Codex would end up destroyed tonight. He prayed it wouldn’t come to that, even if he knew it was a selfish thought. Sai could hear the Codex’s words in his head as if they were whispering to him; somehow, he knew they would weigh heavier if he alone carried them.
Abruptly the tunnel came to an end. Sai followed the wall with his fingers until he found the latch, lifting it up and pushing it forward. The heavy door swung forward, and Sai blinked in the dim lantern-light that washed across his face.
He was in the Temple hall, just before the vault. Sai stepped out of the tunnel and shut it again, noticing how the seams of the door seemed to melt into the wall, invisible to those who didn’t know it was there. It was a small hall, dark except for the flickering lanterns, without windows. To Sai’s right it led towards the library and study rooms. To his left, there was a small, circular stone door, sealed shut by a heavy latch protected by a glyph wheel. The Codex vault.
Sai had spent many nights here over the last several months, pouring over the old, worn book. The familiar sight of the door made his legs numb with relief. Somehow he managed to reach it.
Sai spun the dials of the glyph wheel, aligning the symbols into the correct sequence known only to Sai and Brother Rennic. They glowed with a faint blue light as he spun them; the magic that kept the door sealed. At the fifth dial, the latch clicked, and the door swung forward to admit him.
The vault was a small, circular room, made completely from reinforced stone and with only small vents in the door for air. Other than that, it seemed like a normal study room; a small hearth laid on the opposite end, currently alive with flame, and a small study-desk sat adjacent to it. In the center of the room, though, was a stone pedestal, and atop the pedestal laid the Codex. At least, that’s where it normally laid.
Instead, the worn, leather-bound book sat in the hands of Brother Rennic, who had been standing with his back to the vault door. When Sai opened it, the monk turned.
Brother Rennic’s gray-streaked hair was disheveled, as if he’d just rolled out of bed, and there were deep lines of worry on his face. Some of those lines seemed to fade when the monk caught sight of Sai, likely in a similar state of disarray, what with his clothes wet and streaked with mud and his black hair pressed against his forehead.
Sai scrambled the glyph wheel and locked the door behind him, and then Brother Rennic embraced him. Sai leaned into his mentor, choking back a sob. Now was not the time to fall into a panic. He was safe for now, but the others were not — and Sai was sure his relative safety now would not be for long.
“Sai,” Brother Rennic let him go. He was clutching the Codex so tightly his fingers were pale white. “I’m so relieved. Did they target you?”
“I think so.” Sai said. “The soldiers seemed to recognize my robes, at least. Thanks to my roommates I was able to get out.”
“May the Divine Spirits bless them.” Brother Rennic shook his head. “They may have kept the Codex from the Draevan Kingdom’s hands tonight.”
Sai glanced towards the Codex in Rennic’s hands, then towards the hearth. “You’re destroying it, then?”
“Soon.” Rennic’s lips pressed into a thin line. “If they reach the vault door. You’ve told no one of... your assignment, right?”
“Only you and Brother Tane.”
“Good. Do not speak of it to anyone, even to save your life. Do you understand? The Codex is to be destroyed before we allow it to fall to our enemy.”
“I understand.” Sai’s voice shook, but he knew how important this was. If he was to die to protect the Codex, then so be it.
Rennic’s grip relaxed a little on the Codex, then he turned back towards the fire. “Now we just need to hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Sai glanced back towards the vault door. “They can’t reach us here, at least.”
Rennic didn’t respond.
Sai moved forward. “You and I are the only ones who know the code to the door... right?”
Rennic’s hands trembled around the book he held.
“Brother Tane knows,” he whispered.
The world seemed to tilt. Sai put a hand against the wall to steady himself. “You told him?”
Rennic nodded. “Yesterday. He is the Elder-in-waiting... and... my closest friend. He’ll get here if he can. If I had known this would happen, Sai, I... ”
“He’ll make it,” Sai said. He tried not to think too hard about it. If the Draevan soldiers were indeed after the Codex, they’d be interrogating everyone they could for information on how to open the vault. It couldn’t be forced open easily, not with magic protecting it. If Tane were captured and tortured...
Well, Sai couldn’t see Tane giving up information on the Codex, not even under threat of death or torture. The old man was stubborn, and he cared more about protecting the Codex than anyone.
There was a loud bang from outside the vault as someone entered the hall, and Rennic and Sai both jumped. A chorus of footsteps drummed in Sai’s ears.
“The soldiers,” Rennic whispered. “They’ve come.”
With that, the old man tossed the Codex into the flames.

[DeeperThanRed]

Man, this is tense! Rennec is playing a dangerous gamble-with Codex gone, Sai will be under great pressure,