by Guy Antibes
“Beware of them, your highness,” Jack said. “They nearly took over the rule of Tesoria, but failed.”
“I heard of troubles in their capital city,” the emperor said. “I didn’t know the Black Fingers were particularly close to achieving their goal.”
Jack shook his head. King Larkin and his sister had distorted the historical record to minimize how perilously close their ascension to their exalted positions truly was.
“I was there,” Jack said. “The Black Fingers had killed King Larkin’s father, and they were about to replace him with a shape-changing Black Finger. There is more, but the plot was exposed and eliminated. I would imagine King Larkin has changed the story to describe a smoother transition to his reign.”
“I can understand why he would do that,” Rakota said. The emperor looked down at Jack’s sword, still in his palms. “These are treasures, you know. The Deep Mist leaders would not give you such a weapon if you were not worthy.”
Jack bowed. “My worthiness is something in their estimation, not my own.”
“You don’t deserve this?”
“If Ruki Sinda thinks I do, then I agree that I deserve it. Even though I have only had it for a short time, I have not done anything to mar the trust that has been given me.”
“He is right, cousin.”
The emperor extended the sword. “You are a bold one, but you hide your boldness well,” he said. “I am appreciative of your token and will keep it close, as you suggest.” He looked at Okiku. “What are you going to do next?”
Jack replaced his sword in its sheath and returned to stand next to Okiku while the emperor put the necklace back around his neck, Lord Kaseru and Okiku laid out the general plan that the Pearl Mist/Pine Bear leaders had developed the previous day.
“You want to cull my personal guard?”
Lord Kaseru nodded, “Only with imperial permission, your highness. The split is real, and you are in peril when the Red Heron and those who align with them show their teeth. It should be done at the soonest. The guard has not had a restriction on keeping secret what faction they support. It will not be difficult. When the crisis is over, they can return to their positions, should you choose, Your Highness.”
Rakota pursed his lips. “You ask for much, but I will agree with it. You know where to get the full list. Bring it to me tomorrow, and we will begin to make sure I am surrounded by loyal guards.”
At that point, Jack heard the grind of swords being drawn. “You are under attack!” Jack said. He touched the void and moved in front of the emperor’s throne, barely beating two of the guards attacking the emperor. Both were slower than Jack and were soon taken care of, but four others stood in front of him. Jack couldn’t risk the emperor’s life, so he invoked Akkora’s mist. The emperor was inside the mist, but Jack could see what no one else could as he cut down the attackers. He ended the mist, with six guards sprawled at his feet.
“What was that?” the emperor said, jumping to his feet, his voice nearly breathless.
“That was the sound and fury of rebellion,” Okiku said.
“No, the mist!”
Jack turned to him. “It is a spell that I call Akkora’s mist. All within the cloud cannot see except for me. I am sorry that I included you in the cloud. It was an emergency.”
Rakota put his hand to his throat as he looked down at the dead guards. “I was tempted not to believe you, cousin,” the emperor said to Okiku, “even without the spell of compelling. But my eyes can see the evidence of treachery. What else can I do?”
“Stay safe, my emperor,” Okiku said. “With the guards’ attack, others will come for you.”
The emperor stretched out his arm and pointed at Jack. “I appoint you my personal bodyguard. This day, you have earned more than the trust of Ruki Sinda.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
~
J ack thought he had other things to do to prepare the alliance for the attacks that were sure to start immediately, but Emperor Rakota kept him close as Keneto Kaseru quickly began the separating process. As the vetted guards increased, Jack felt less exposed to the guards surrounding the king, but he had to be ready for anything.
He smiled at the thought that he already had experience at being a royal bodyguard. He hoped he was appreciated more, this time.
The day ended, and the emperor decided on a quiet meal in his personal quarters on the fourth floor of his palace. The food was sumptuous for Masukaian standards, and the emperor had Jack sit down with him at a table with actual chairs.
“My knees aren’t what they used to be,” Rakota said. “I spend all day sitting on a cushion and—” he shook his head. “That is a secret between you and me.”
Jack knew that others had to know since servants scurried in and out. During their meal, a messenger, dressed in the white of the Imperial Guard, scurried in and delivered a small scroll.
“It has begun. The Red Herons have taken over the river docks in the past hour and have attacked Pearl Mist headquarters. The attack on your group was easily repulsed.”
“May I join the fight?” Jack asked.
“You may not!” Rakota said. “You, of all people, are uniquely qualified to protect me. I am sure you have other spells to save me.”
“I am not without magical capabilities as I have shown,” Jack said, not wanting to offend the ruler of all Masukai, “but I am not invulnerable, so neither are you.”
“Where did you acquire your knowledge for one so young?” the emperor asked.
Jack told him about becoming a helper and his experiences in Lajia, Tesoria, and Passoran. He finished up with a brief description of his nearly two years in Masukai.
“You should have left sooner. You will never find where the Battlebone is,” the emperor said.
“But I already have been told where it is,” Jack said. “It is here on the palace grounds.”
The emperor sat back in his chair. “Who told you? Okiku?”
Jack sighed. He had left out all his heavenly contacts, but he knew he needed to drop a very important name to the emperor. “I had a vision where Akkora told me where it is. She also imbued my sword with the mist spell, which proves that she really did communicate with me. It wasn’t a wild dream,” Jack said.
“Where is it?” Rakota demanded.
“In Zukori’s temple,” Jack said.
The emperor nodded. “And where in the temple?”
“Somewhere around his statue. Akkora couldn’t tell me any more since she has limited visibility with anything having to do with Zukori.”
“You are right,” the emperor said. “It is there because there hasn’t been an emperor in hundreds of years who could use the thing.”
“But I can,” Jack said. “Akkora said so. Why don’t we use it to finish off the insurrection?”
Jack was breathless at his own anxiety, waiting for Rakota’s response.
“It is a Masukaian relic,” Rakota said.
“You know that isn’t true. Akkora said it was undeserved plunder from the country of Bornan.”
“Few people remember that,” Rakota said. “Eat up. We will go to the temple.”
“But you’ll be exposed!”
“For a few moments. I would like to know where the enemies are in my city. Let us see if the legendary Battlebone will do what it is supposed to,” the emperor said.
If Jack could get close or inside, he could retrieve the bone later if the emperor wasn’t able to convince the Zukorian priests to let him remove the relic. He would have to eat to maintain his strength now.
“I feel very good,” the emperor said, “after a good meal and after your putting down the trouble in my audience room, I am looking forward to our success.”
The emperor’s timidness must have come from the compelling spell since the man didn’t seem reluctant to go with Jack. In fact, Jack wondered if Rakota Yomoko had been subject to several such spells through the years.
They waited a bit and then, surrounded by guards,
they made their way through a back way out the palace and onto another courtyard at the back of the emperor’s building. Six guards led them to a three-story building set off by itself with a large paved courtyard in front of it. The structure had two peaked roofs, one for each deity, Jack thought.
An urge filled Jack’s mind. “We should enter Akkora’s temple, first,” Jack said. “I am one of Akkora’s blessed, after all.”
The emperor shrugged. “If that is how you feel,” he said.
Two guards entered first and emerged, nodding their heads. Jack followed the emperor inside.
A statue stood in the cavernous space since there were no floors in the structure. Jack squinted in the darkness. No priests or priestesses were in the temple.
“She doesn’t look quite like that,” Jack said, but then he remembered if Akkora wanted to change her appearance, she could. She was a goddess.”
“Come closer,” a voice came from the direction of the statue. It filled the room.
Jack looked at the statue again, shocked to see that the face had changed. It matched Jack’s memory of the woman.
“I am Akkora, and I have a few words for you, emperor of my people. You are not to invade any countries. Keep my people safe in Masukai. It is permissible for me to trade with other countries. I say this because my friend, Jack Winder, who you know as Sakoru Sinda, is from Corand and he knows that trade will strengthen your relations with other countries. A country with strong relations is more solid than one that is too insular.
“You have allowed yourself to be influenced by those who would make Masukai weaker. Military expansions have never succeeded for us. You know that since you are privy to the ancient texts that verify what I say. I want you to know that Jack Winder has my permission to remove the Battlebone from Masukai if he can find it.”
“I will give it to him, Akkora of the Mist. I witnessed your spell today. I knew it was from you.”
“That is all I have to say,” Akkora said.
Her voice echoed in the temple for a moment, and her face changed back to the one the statue had worn before.
Rakota looked at the six guards. “You saw her face and heard her voice?”
“We did,” one of the guards said, the shock made his voice quiver. They all looked at Jack.
“He is Jack Winder,” Rakota Yomoko, Emperor of Masukai declared.
“I guess that was why I led you in here,” Jack said. He almost sighed, but that wouldn’t be polite after all seven of the Masukaians witnessed a visitation from one of their deities.
Jack didn’t think he needed Akkora’s help, but he guessed it wouldn’t hurt. “I guess we can leave now,” Jack said.
Two women and a man dressed in light gray robes entered the temple. “We heard voices,” they said before they dropped to their knees. “Emperor Rakota, Mighty Ruler of the True People!”
“You may rise,” the emperor said. “I wanted to show Akkora’s friend, Jack Winder, what Akkora’s temple looked like. We will be leaving now.” The emperor stepped forward and helped each one to their feet.
They bowed again, with astonished faces as the emperor, Jack, and the six bodyguards filed out.
“That was the easy one,” the emperor said as he took a deep breath. It appeared that he was more anxious than Jack about entering Zukori’s temple.
A few courtiers were on their way to enter the temple, but when they saw the emperor, they turned aside and walked in other directions. Two guards preceded the emperor into the temple.
When they walked in priests and other Imperial Guards, those who were obviously not vetted, attacked them. The two loyal guards in the front went down immediately. Jack tried to invoke Akkora’s mist, but it didn’t work in Zukori’s house of worship.
“Back!” the emperor said as they exited the temple.
As they retreated, a sword point from Jack’s blind side pierced him in the side. His sword clattered to the floor and the emperor, himself, dragged Jack out in the open, where he put his hand on his wound. It hurt, but Jack knew he needed a healer quickly.
The guards quickly took over, moving Jack. The fight moved outside the temple, and white-robed palace guards began to fight each other. Jack was dropped as more guards moved to protect the emperor.
He lay on the pavement like a piece of refuse, bleeding into the stones. Jack looked up and wondered if this were the last time he would see the sky. He had failed in his errand since he thought he would be successful. Jack struggled to see the emperor flee back into his palace.
As Jack began to feel even more sorry for himself, he slammed his free fist into the ground. Was he really that stupid? He teleported to the dining hall at Pearl Mist and fell a foot to the floor.
“I need a healer!” he said to the few Pearl Mist sitting to eat. He hoped he had enough energy, so his words were heard.
By the time two healers rushed into the dining room, Jack was barely aware of the two men working on him. He could feel his mind drift in and out until a burning feeling ran through his whole body. He shuddered and then relaxed.
“Well,” a voice spoke above his closed eyes. “I didn’t think you were anxious to join me quite so soon.”
Jack opened his eyes and looked up at Eldora, the goddess of the Tesorians.
“What?” He sat up. “Am I dead?”
Eldora giggled. “Do you want to be?”
“Where is Alderach? I thought I’d be lifted up into his bosom,” Jack said. As his mind began to clear a little.
“He is elsewhere, so I took you into my own,” the goddess said. “I think it is because I like you so much.”
Jack laughed. “You have no reason to like me.”
Eldora giggled again. “I’ll be the judge of that. So, let’s quickly get down to business. Do you want to join me, or do you want to continue to live? Immortality of a sort or mortality.”
“Seriously?” Jack asked. “Mortality. I’m not done living yet. How can I get out of here? I am humbled by your concern, Eldora, but I have to help stop a revolution.”
“You just need to ask.” She leaned over and kissed him on both cheeks. Eldora looked at him playfully. “You do know what the kisses mean?”
Jack’s heart sunk, but so did he into unconsciousness. He woke to a clamor of voices and gasped before he sat up in the Pearl Mist dining room. His first thought was relief and then alarm. He rubbed his hands on his cheeks and looked at his palms. They were smudged. Eldora had just pranked him, and that brought a smile to Jack’s face. Namori rushed into the dining room.
“We thought we lost him after we gave him a jolt of healing power, but he came back,” one of the healers said. The man peered into Jack’s eyes. “How do you feel?”
Jack took inventory and didn’t feel his wound. “Not so bad. Help me up.”
Namori put her arms around him. “I thought you were dead!”
“Aren’t you glad you were wrong?” Jack said. He gently removed her arms. “The wound still hurts a bit.” It really didn’t, but people had noticed their embrace. Luckily there weren’t a lot of observers in the dining room until Torii and Takatai rushed in.
“What about the emperor!” Torii said.
“I saw him go into his palace. We were attacked inside Zukori’s temple. Someone poked me from the side,” Jack said. “I have to get my other sword and return.”
He hurried to his quarters and grabbed his Lajian sword since Akkora’s magic didn’t work inside Zukori’s temple, this would be a better weapon. Jack didn’t understand why, but that was something for discussion with Grigar. The bag with the rest of his objects was still at the palace. Jack took a deep breath and transported to doors leading to the emperor’s audience room.
The guards at each side of the doors drew their swords.
“Where is the emperor? I am his bodyguard.”
“His bodyguard died,” one of them said.
“I nearly did, but healers are wonderful people,” Jack said.
The guards relaxed.
“Emperor Rakota is in his personal quarters.”
Jack had left his bag of objects there, so he nodded to the men and teleported, only to face a repeat performance.
“I didn’t die. Tell the emperor that Sakoru Sinda has returned,” Jack said.
After a moment of confusion, Jack was rushed inside.
“I thought you were dying, but then you disappeared.”
“I was dying, but the healers arrived on time to heal me,” Jack said. “My side is still sore, but I don’t have to use a sword to be of use to you. Whenever I feel invincible, I get injured.” Jack smiled.
“What are those smudges on your cheeks?” the emperor asked.
“Oh, I received those while nearly dying, if I could borrow a damp imperial cloth, I can properly clean my face.”
Rakota called for a servant, and in a moment, Jack wiped his face clean, as declared by the emperor himself. He didn’t tell the emperor about his conversation with Eldora. He didn’t know if he would ever share it, and Jack didn’t think anyone would believe him anyway.
“That is a Corandian sword?” the emperor asked.
Jack put his hand on the hilt. “It is. I dropped my Deep Mist blade inside Zukori’s temple. I intend on retrieving it, but not right now,” Jack said. “Perhaps tomorrow when I’ve recovered a bit.”
“You still didn’t tell me how you disappeared,” Rakota said.
“I can teleport far distances,” Jack said. “Once I was injured, I realized I could teleport to the Pearl Mist headquarters. There would be healers there, so I did. I came back the same way.”
“My cousin said you were a young man with unique talents.”
“That is one of them, your highness. Do you intend to stay here for a while?” Jack asked.
“Would you recommend that?”
Jack nodded. “I would. It is obviously too dangerous for you to step outside this building. The vetting should continue, however. Who is in charge of your army?”
Rakota paused for a moment. That meant bad news to Jack. “The army has been splintering,” the emperor said.
“Does Okiku know?” Jack asked.
Rakota nodded. “It appears a civil war has started today.”