Into Storm

by Jason Hamilton

  Finding the queen’s tent was no problem at all. Hers was the biggest, and it stood in the center. Jak lifted the flap to enter, and nearly bumped into a man standing just inside. She quickly ducked to one side to avoid pushing him over. Whoever he was, he must have been talking to the queen, who sat on the other side of the room, dressed in garb similar to what her double wore at the meeting with Jak. Her face bore a calculated expression. She had been listening intently to what the man had been saying. A few guards surrounded the queen, but they wore ceremonial armor. The queen didn’t expect to be attacked here.

  Jak walked over to the guards and gave them each a soft push to the chest armor. She tried not to push too hard, but the metal armor did give way a little bit as she pressed inward. She stopped before it got bad enough to do any lasting damage to the guards. The other man was a different story. He didn’t wear any armor, so pushing him at her current speed would likely break some bones. Instead, she grabbed the tent flap and wrapped it around the man, careful not to jostle him too much.

  Then in a moment, she let the magic fall.

  The guards hurtled backward into the side of the tent, causing it to billow outward as they shot past. Their impact pulled at the trappings and might have brought the tent crashing down had it not been so large and fully secured. The other man’s confused and muffled cries came from behind the tent flap that Jak had wrapped around him.

  The queen thrust out her hands in the chaos but in a split-second, she laid eyes on the culprit. Jak stood facing her, the Pillar of Eternity gleaming in the light that filtered through the tent flaps, and a slight smile on her lips. The look on Queen Telma’s face was extremely satisfying.

  Jak raced forward and grabbed the queen firmly in one hand. Telma tried to draw her hand away, but Jak’s brand of Strength made it easy to hold her in place. But by now, the queen’s bodyguards were beginning to recover, scrambling out of the chaos of tent flaps and coming at Jak with all the speed they could muster. It would not be fast enough.

  With a tap of the Pillar of Eternity on the ground, Jak once again activated its magic. This time, as she was still connected to Telma, she brought the queen with her into that frozen slice of time. The guards remained still, dirt hanging in the air at their feet, kicked up as they had scrambled to apprehend Jak.

  Telma looked all around her, true fear evident on her face. That was the first time Jak had ever seen her afraid. Yes, quite satisfying indeed.

  5

  After a moment, Telma began pulling away from Jak, trying to loosen her grip on her arm.

  “I wouldn’t let go unless you want to be suspended in time like the others,” said Jak. The queen’s struggling lessened. “I just came to talk.”

  “What have you done to my men?” The queen said. All hint of fear was gone from her face, replaced by cool stillness. Yes, she was Royalty through and through, used to putting on a mask, hiding all emotion from those she considered beneath her.

  “They’re fine. I merely froze time to give you and I a second to talk.”

  The queen’s cool facade broke for a second. “How have you accomplished this? Is this some new sorcery that you’ve discovered.” She glanced down at her arm, where Jak held her in a tight grip. “And passed through physical touch, apparently.” She said the words almost as if to herself.

  Jak stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “Listen, I know you want the people to believe I’m a heretic, but you can drop the charade. We’re alone. I have you at my mercy, but I’m not doing anything to harm you. If I was as bad as you say, I would have killed you before you even knew I was here. I could do it too.”

  The queen’s face grew a bit paler. “Very well. Let’s talk then. Though I can’t promise we will get very far with my life being at your mercy like this. It will be a one-sided negotiation.”

  “That’s the idea, my ladyship.” Jak emphasized the title with a hint of distaste in her voice. “Look, we’ve done nothing to harm you. And we have no intention of doing so at any point in the future. All we want is to be left alone.”

  “Perhaps, but can you guarantee that for all that follow you? And what about when you’re dead and gone? What about hundreds of years from now? I have to think about the big picture here, girl, something that you seem to know nothing about.”

  Jak pursed her lips. It was true that she couldn’t guarantee the Fae wouldn’t one day rise up against the queen, or the queen’s successor at least.

  The queen, sensing Jak’s hesitation went on. “Think about it from my perspective. One to one, your Fae are more powerful than most humans, even those with advanced abilities. If any of them were to get it into their heads to rule the kingdom, chances are they could do so. Especially if and when their numbers grow. You can’t blame me for wanting to stamp out a threat like that before it begins.”

  “Of course I can,” Jak said. “And I think you would find that welcoming them into your society as people, because they were once humans like yourself, would be a much more effective way of keeping them on your side. We only fight when provoked.”

  “And what would happen if we did welcome them as one of our own. How long would that peace last, ten years, twenty, a hundred? Sooner or later, one of your Fae will get it into their heads that their power gives them the right to rule. Power corrupts, young one. Something you are yet learning.”

  Jak stopped herself from saying, ‘and something that you know all too well.’ Instead she tried pulling on another thread. “Let’s say you’re right, and somewhere down the line you or your successors are overthrown. Would it really be so bad to have a Fae leader? I mean, who’s to say that the government should be nothing but human. Perhaps with more representation in your council…”

  But the queen was already shaking her head. “It would become nothing more than a struggle for power. And as the Fae numbers grow, humans would likely diminish in our ability to fight them, to stand up for ourselves. You want equality? You would create a circumstance where humans would be the lessers, the oppressed ones. When one group’s power exceeds that of another, it’s only a matter of time before the weaker party is pushed out of existence. That is the law of survival.”

  Jak shook her head. “I really don’t think that will be the case.”

  “Don’t you? It’s happening already. Look at us, now. You have all the cards, and I am at your mercy. You want peace for your people but have already threatened my life if I don’t give you what you want. You’ve given me no choice but to comply with your demands.”

  For the first time, Jak hesitated. Was the queen right? Could all of this be the beginning of the end for human civilization? But no, Jak didn’t believe that. There had to be a way for humans and Fae to peacefully coexist. Sure, there would be some that sought for dominion over others, but if everyone worked together as a single unit, a single people, they could all work together to stamp out such perceived superiority.

  “Look,” she said. “I’m not here to discuss philosophy.”

  “Clearly,” the queen said, flatly.

  Jak ignored her. “Ultimately the future is still uncertain, and it will take time to come up with sustainable plans for what we would do in the situations you describe. But we do have control over what we do now. The Fae follow me. I can reasonably say that they will honor any agreement between us. Can you say the same?”

  The queen took a deep breath, measuring Jak with her eyes. “My troops will follow me, for now. I can’t speak for every citizen under my rule. Some may be a bit...disgruntled by your Fae. Particularly those who have lost loved ones to them, or to demons.”

  “Tell them that holding a grudge will get them killed.” Jak said, but something else caught her attention about what the queen had said. “So you admit that they’re different from demons?”

  “I will admit whatever gets my people to do what I want. Perhaps they’re demons, perhaps they’re not. What matters is what people do with that information, either way.”

  Jak’s lip curled. “
I stand for truth.”

  “Well of course you do girl, because you are naive. Truth will not always lead you to the ideal solution. It will not govern a kingdom. It does not motivate. You will find that out soon enough.”

  Jak shook her head. This was going nowhere. “Let’s discuss my terms then. I want you to withdraw your armies and leave us in peace. I also want you to release any other Fae you may have in captivity. They and anyone else who wishes to join us may do so.”

  The queen pursed her lips. “Hefty terms. And what would I get in return? Or do you plan to threaten my life again if I don’t live up to your demands?”

  “In return, I will promise that we will not try to overthrow your rule or harm anyone within your borders.”

  “And you truly believe you are capable of enforcing that rule?”

  Jak closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Was she biting off more than she could chew? She opened her eyes again to face the queen. “I do.”

  The queen considered her for a moment, but then to Jak’s immense relief, nodded. “Very well. If you can guarantee the safety of my troops and citizens from your Fae and those who follow you, then we have an accord. I will release all Fae in my possession and leave you be.”

  “Thank you,” Jak said, surprised that the queen was agreeing so easily. Had she missed something?

  “But be warned, when you break that promise, our agreement will be null and void. And there will not be a second chance. Next time I will eradicate you or we will all die in the attempt.”

  “If we break that promise,” Jak corrected. She did not like how certain the queen was that they would eventually attack her or the people unprovoked. She knew the Fae. All of them. And even though most had suffered at the hands of the queen or her servants, most just wanted to be left alone. They had enough problems to deal with. A war against humans wasn’t one.

  “We shall see,” said the queen, unconvinced. “Are we done here?” She raised her arm, the one Jak still held in her grip, silently indicating that she should let go.

  “I want to see your agreement in writing.”

  The queen nodded. “I’ll have a scribe draft several copies of a treaty and then we’ll both sign. Will that satisfy you?”

  Jak hesitated before nodding. “I’ll meet you tomorrow at the same place we were supposed to speak today. No tricks this time.”

  With an acknowledging tilt of her head, the queen said, “no tricks.”

  Jak let go of the queen’s arm.

  With the magic of the Pillar of Eternity still active, the queen froze the moment Jak’s hand left her skin. Jak stared at the woman for a while, considering. She still didn’t trust the queen, especially not when Jak had cornered her like this. Telma was right that Jak hadn’t given her much of a choice. But it was a start. Perhaps if they could keep to themselves, she could convince everyone else to leave them alone. It wasn’t a perfect peace, but it was something.

  Turning, she passed the man still entangled in the tent flap and stepped outside. She had to get back to Seph, Gabriel, Skellig, and the Shadow Fae before she let the magic drop. Already she was starting to feel fatigued, much as she had after giving out all those brands the day before. Could the Pillar’s magic also take a similar physical toll on her?

  She made her way back the way she had come. It wasn’t long before she saw Skellig and the others ahead of her. A few Shadow Fae had materialized as well. The assassins clothed in gray were back on their feet, but hadn’t had enough time to resume their attack on her comrades.

  She looked from one to another. She could try pushing them again, but these were Blood-burners so touching them again was a bad idea. She supposed she could try and talk with them, and convince them that the queen had allowed them to live. But first she should get her friends out of the way first.

  She started with Seph, lightly grabbing his hand. He jumped as the touch seemingly froze time around him, and at seeing Jak suddenly materialize before him. But his eyes quickly grew in understanding as he observed the staff in her hand.

  “So this is what the magic is like. Spectacular. I suppose that explains why they all went flying for no apparent reason.”

  “I’ve just spoken with the queen.”

  “Of course you have,” he flashed his smile at her. “I mean, what else would you be doing when we’re attacked by Blood-burners.”

  “I can explain later at the council, but we’ve made a tentative arrangement. She’s promised not to attack us.”

  Seph frowned. “And you believe her?”

  “No, but what choice do we have? It’s the only chance we have for peace, at least for now.”

  Seph nodded. “We can discuss it later. What do we do about these guys?” He indicated the assassins around them.

  “I’ll convince them that attacking would be foolish. But I wanted to get you and the others a safe distance away before I tried.”

  Seph grinned. “Your concern for our safety is touching. What would we do without you?” Was he serious or teasing her? Sometimes it was hard to tell with Seph.

  She chuckled, however, and led Seph by the hand back towards their camp. Seph’s hand felt warm in her own. They had never held hands before, and this obviously wasn’t that kind of hand holding. Of course not, they were just friends. It was a bit awkward though, and she resisted the urge to let go. She didn’t have to resist very hard.

  Once they were about a hundred yards away, she reluctantly left and returned to get Skellig, Gabriel, and the Shadow Fae that she could see. Finally, she turned one last time to face the assassins. With a sharp tap of the staff on the ground, she let the magic fall, feeling a wave of relief as she did so. Holding onto that magic had been getting harder.

  The assassins burst into motion, but most soon stopped in confusion, looking around to see where their prey had fled. It didn’t take long for their eyes to find her.

  “Stop!” Jak yelled. She had to look intimidating. She could do that, right? She took a powerful stance and waved the Pillar of Eternity over her head. “I hold power you cannot dream about.”

  One of the men in gray ran at her, his fingers outstretched. Jak sighed and activated her magic again. Time stood still and she walked around the oncoming assassin before letting time resume. Then she kicked the man in the back, sending him tumbling forward. Activating her magic once more, she walked to a spot on the other side of the men in gray before extinguishing the magic of the staff. To the eyes of the assassins, she would have just disappeared, reappeared behind the attacker, kicked him, then disappeared once more.

  From behind them, she spoke again, “ You have failed, and if you try to hurt me, you will fail again.” They spun, only just realizing that she stood behind them. “I am giving you a chance to return to your queen with your lives.”

  They still hesitated. Perhaps one more display of power would convince them. She froze time once again, returning to where she originally stood. “You don’t know what you’re dealing with,” she bellowed once time resumed. “Leave now, and…”

  But something was happening. One of the assassins was struggling, trying to move, but something held him in place. Jak squinted to see if she was seeing correctly in the dim morning light.

  The ground around the assassin was actually rising, clumps of dirt and grass enveloped the man’s feet, pinning him in place and continuing up to his thighs.

  “Wha…” the man spoke in a panicked tone. “What is happening?”

  He struggled and tried to move, but couldn’t as the ground around him rose to his waist. Before Jak or any of the others could react, it had swallowed him whole, leaving a lump of dirt in its wake.

  Jak stood, paralyzed by confusion. What had just happened?

  One of the assassins leaped forward to help his companion, but just as he did so, another of them cried out. Heads turned to see another one being consumed from the feet up by earth. It rose and eventually his cries ceased as the earth surrounded his head. For a moment, there was no sound. Th
e clearing stood almost as silent as when Jak made use of the Pillar of Eternity. A few of the men gazed at Jak through the slits in their gray clothing. Jak had nothing to say. What could she say? She had no more idea of what was happening then they did.

  Then the assassins turned and ran.

  “Wait!” Jak called after them. “That wasn’t me, I don’t know what is happening.”

  But the assassins did not pause. They did not stop to attempt a rescue of their companions. They must have thought she did this, that if they stayed she would do the same to them.

  Had she caused this? Was it somehow related to the power of the staff? She had been using it a lot lately. What was she going to do?

  She took a few steps to the nearest mound of earth that marked where the first assassin had disappeared. Thrusting her hands forward she dug her fingers into the earth and attempted to pull it free. But it would not budge.

  She tried again, and again, eventually thrusting the point of her staff into the dirt to try and wrench a chunk free.

  But nothing she did made any difference.

  The assassins were somehow gone, swallowed up by the earth itself.

  6

  She brought Gabriel back to the clearing to take a look at the small mounds, but he couldn’t make any more sense of them than she.

  Eventually, they were forced to retreat back to their camp before Queen Telma sent someone to investigate.

  Once they arrived, she related everything that had happened. She talked about their first meeting with the decoy queen, how Jak had run to meet the real queen in the center of their own camp, and what had happened to the assassins afterward.

  “Noralim, the dwarves have an understanding of earth,” she said, speaking to the stout council member. “Do you know what might have happened?”

  “I can’t say I do, young Jak,” said Noralim. “Perhaps if I could go see the place where it happened I could tell you something, but we’ve never heard of the Earth swallowing someone whole like that. Not how you describe.”