Percepliquis

by Michael J. Sullivan

  The sound of screaming came from somewhere above. D’zan raced back up the steps and ran toward the throne room, the Stone pounding at his heels. Courtesans, servants, and soldiers fled the great hall, mouths agape, eyes wide with terror. A cacophony of shrieking filled the arched corridors, and the odor of ancient decay was everywhere. The stench from D’zan’s dreams… the acrid reek of the tomb.

  D’zan raced into the throne room to see his father the King surrounded by a trio of grasping mummies. The smell of long-rotten flesh filled the chamber like a fog, and two of the mummies grasped the King by his arms, holding him immobile while the third decomposing corpse raked its claws across his flesh, spilling royal blood across the dais. D’zan heard his father scream, and his legs were frozen; he could not move forward or backward, but only stood staring at the tableau of impossible slaughter.

  On the King’s throne sat black-robed Elhathym, a grim smile on his lips, his skull nearly visible through the tight, pallid flesh of his face. He bore no marks of torture on his person; not even his black robes were disturbed, and his necklace of blood-drop rubies hung gracefully upon his emaciated chest.

  A legion of the dead swarmed the hall. Already several guards lay bleeding on the flagstones, their throats ripped out by fleshless fingers and the teeth of withered skulls. Swords and spears clove into dry breastbones with little effect. The mummies of previous dynasties were now ravening ghouls, splashing gouts of blood across fine tapestries as they tore the palace guards to bits. D’zan recognized the tattered raiment of the ghouls, and saw on the head of more than one a royal diadem or crown out of Yaskathan history. These were the inhabitants of the royal necropolis crawled up from the underworld beneath the palace.

  The shadows of your own past will tear you from your throne.

  More lurching corpses poured into the hall; the screams of women and children rang from the walls in every wing of the palace. A grinning mummy rounded the corner and reached for D’zan’s throat, but the Stone’s blade took off its moldy head. Olthacus’ booted foot crushed the corpse against the floor; as he tamped its ribcage into dust, its fleshless arms kept grasping at his legs, tearing through his leathern leggings and drawing blood. D’zan backed away, inspired by the Stone’s bravery to draw his own weapon; a reeking cadaver grabbed him from behind, pressing its rotted skull against his ear. Its jaws snapped like those of a turtle, and he dropped his sword clattering to the floor as horror suffocated him.

  The Stone tore the mummy from D’zan’s back and pulverized it with blade and boot. His big hand slapped D’zan across the face, ending his paralysis. “Come, Prince!” growled the Stone. “I know a secret way.”

  “No!” shouted D’zan. “We can’t abandon my father!”

  “Your father is dead, boy!” said the Stone, pointing his blade at the cluster of ghouls who tore at a mess of scattered flesh upon the royal dais. Above the horrid feast sat Elhathym, the bloodstained crown on his head now, smiling at the devouring of Trimesqua. Still the ranks of blood-hungry dead things continued filling the chamber, the last of the guards falling before their voiceless assault.

  The Stone grabbed D’zan’s arm and they ran through milling clouds of grave dust. They never stopped running, all through the winding corridors of the servants’ wing, the Stone’s great blade demolishing one desiccated corpse after another. Everywhere the dead feasted upon the living. None in the palace were spared the bottomless hunger of the corpses; royal and servant alike died under the raking of bony claws. So Elhathym had promised, and he had delivered on his ultimate threat.

  D’zan wondered if his mother’s corpse was among the hungry dead. Would I recognize her? Would she tear out my throat with the same hands that gave me life? Stifling a bottomless scream, he drove such thoughts from his mind, closing his eyes and mumbling a prayer to the Sky God.

  The Stone brushed aside a wall hanging and opened a hidden passage, leading the Prince along the dark and narrow way. D’zan, fearful of dark places now that his nightmares had come to life, closed his eyes while Olthacus dragged him along that winding route, up and down seldom-used stairwells, through crawl spaces, and finally out into the night air. Once again the screams of the dying filled D’zan’s ears. He dared to open his eyes and found that the Stone had brought him to an outer palace garden. They ran for the orchards beyond. Behind them flames danced among the towers and courtyards. The dead were heedlessly knocking over braziers and torches, spreading flame and death throughout the royal domain.

  Where can we go to escape this damnation? His unconquerable father was dead and there was no safe place left in the world. The Stone grabbed his arm and pulled him onward.

  Once in the deep shadows of the orchards, they seemed free of the undead plague a while, steeped in the tangy aroma of hanging citrus. But when they crossed the outer wall into the seaside quarter, they saw again the terror and panic that had claimed Trimesqua’s house. Here, too, corpses walked the streets and tore at living flesh. It seemed every graveyard and mausoleum in the capital had vomited forth its dead at the command of Elhathym. Citizens fled for the hills or locked themselves inside their houses. The Stone smashed another mummy to powder as he drew D’zan on toward the wharves, where towers of flames writhed and flickered. All across the city, walls of orange-white fire leaped toward the sky. They must be fighting the dead with fire, D’zan thought. But they will burn their own city to ash…

  Many ships in the harbor had already launched, heading out to sea to escape the apocalypse of Elhathym’s making. Citizens jostled and fought one another for passage on one late-embarking galleon which flew the Feathered Serpent of Mumbaza among its white sails. The Stone hacked his way through the crowd, leaving a bloody trail in his wake, dragging D’zan by his elbow. The panicked Yaskathans gave way before the big warrior. Without a word the Stone gained passage from the ship’s captain at the point of his dripping blade.

  The deck of the galleon was crowded, and the sailors had to beat back the mob with oars and clubs before they could cast off. D’zan collapsed on the deck, near the prow. The pitiful cries of women, children, and men – all doomed – filled his ears even when he clasped his hands over them. When he dared to look out over the railing, the capital was a flaming, screaming mass of chaos separated from him now by an expanse of dark water. The horned moon hung pale and implacable above the dying city. Towers gleamed brighter than rubies in the glow of the roaring fires.

  Those who had escaped by securing passage on the galleon were weeping, or cursing, or both. A few had brought entire families with them. D’zan stood in the prow watching his inheritance burn, thinking of his father’s bloody crown sitting upon the sorcerer’s head. Hot tears burned his cheeks. Behind him, as always, stood the Stone, silent and still as the moon.

  In the blood-spattered throne room, Elhathym drank wine from Trimesqua’s goblet as his army of undead Yaskathans preyed on their descendants. He smiled at the irony of using the past to remold the present in such a way. Among the entrails and filth littering the hall, a great white panther glided toward him. The beast licked at Trimesqua’s blood, and the snapping ghouls ignored it as they wandered off to find fresh victims.

  The white panther came close to Elhathym’s knees and rubbed its silky fur against him. His thin hand caressed its head between the ears, and it growled.

  “You see, my dear?” the sorcerer told the panther. “I told you my birthright would be easily reclaimed.”

  “So you did,” said the panther. “But what of my desires?” Now the cat was a pale-skinned lady sitting at his feet, her voluptuous body draped in strings of chromatic jewels. A thick mane of hair, gleaming white as silk, fell across her shoulders. Her eyes were as dark as his own.

  Elhathym, the new King of Yaskatha, smiled at his lover.

  “Patience,” he whispered. And he kissed her ruby lips, which tasted of royal blood.

  Books by Michael J. Sullivan

  The Riyria Revelations

  Theft of Swords


  Rise of Empire

  Heir of Novron

  Glossary of Terms and Names

  Abner Gallsworth: Aquesta City Administrator

  Adam: Wheeler from Ratibor

  Adeline: Queen of Alburn, married to Armand, sons: Rudolf and Hector, daughter: Beatrice

  Adwhite, Sir: Knight and poet, wrote The Song of Beringer

  Addie Wood: Mother of Thrace/Modina, wife of Theron, killed in Dahlgren

  Albert Winslow: Landless viscount used by Riyria to arrange assignments from the gentry

  Alburn: Kingdom of Avryn ruled by King Armand and Queen Adeline, member of the New Empire

  Alenda Lanaklin: Daughter of the marquis Victor Lanaklin and sister of Myron the monk

  Algar: Woodworker in Hintindar

  Allie: Daughter of Wyatt Deminthal, half-elf, once held hostage by Merrick Marius

  Alric Essendon, King: Ruler of Melengar, brother of Arista, son of Amrath

  Alverstone: al-ver-stone Dagger used by Royce

  Alysin: Elven afterlife

  Amberton Lee: Hill with old ruins not far from Hintindar, site where Arista killed two seret

  Ambrose Moor: Administrator of the Manzant Prison and Salt Works

  Amilia: Secretary to the Empress, carriage maker’s daughter, bron in Tarin Vale

  Amiter, Queen: Second wife of King Urith, sister of Androus, killed by Imperialists

  Amrath Essendon, King: am-wrath Former ruler of Melengar, father of Alric and Arista, killed by Nyphron Church

  Amril: am-rill Countess that Arista cursed with boils

  Androus Billet: Viceroy of Ratibor, murdered King Urith, Queen Amiter, and their children

  Ankor: Tribe of Ghazel

  Anna: Chamber maid of Empress Modina

  Antun Bulard: Historian and author of The History of Apeladorn, passenger on the Emerald Storm, hired to find the Horn of Gylindora

  Apelanese: Language spoken by the four kingdoms of men

  Apeladorn: ah-pell-ah-dorn The four nations of man, consisting of Trent, Avryn, Delgos, and Calis

  Aquesta: ah-quest-ah Capital city of the kingdom of Warric, seat of power for the New Empire

  Arbor: Baker in Hintindar, married to Dunstan, shoemaker’s daughter, first love of Hadrian

  Arcadius Vintarus Latimer: Professor of Lore at Sheridan University, caretaker of Allie

  Archibald Ballentyne: Earl of Chadwick, commander of Sir Breckton, promised providence of Melengar for service to the New Empire, infatuated with Empress Modina, nickname: Archie

  Arista Essendon, Princess: Sister of Alric, daughter of Amrath, Princess of Melengar, leader of rebel victory in Ratibor, former mayor pro tem of Ratibor, former Regent of Rhenydd, Witch of Melengar, imprisoned in Aquesta after trying to free Degan Gaunt

  Armand, King: Ruler of Alburn, married to Adeline, sons: Rudolf and Hector, daughter: Beatrice

  Armigil: Brew mistress of Hintindar, family friend of the Blackwaters

  Art, the: magic, generally feared due to superstition

  Arvid McDern: Son of Dillon McDern of Dahlgren

  Asendwayr: Tribe of elves, hunters

  Avempartha: Ancient elven tower, home of Gilarabrywn that attacked Dahlgren

  Avryn: ave-rin The central and most powerful of the four nations of Apeladorn, located between Trent and Delgos

  Ayers: Proprietor of the Laughing Gnome in Ratibor

  Ba Ran Archipelago: Island of the goblins

  Ba Ran Ghazel: Goblins of the sea

  Backing: Rigging a sail such that it catches the wind from its forward side, having both backed and regular rigged sails can render a ship motionless

  Bailiff: Officer who is employed to make arrests and administer punishments

  Bailey Inn: Boardinghouse routinely used by Riyria when in Aquesta

  Baldwin: Lord whose landholdings include Hintindar

  Ballentyne: bal-in-tine The ruling family of the earldom of Chadwick

  Banner: Crewmember of the Emerald Storm, one of the few survivors

  Barak: Ghetto in Trent inhabited by dwarves

  Barkers: Refugee family living in Brisbane Alley of Aquesta, father Brice, mother Lynnette, sons Finis, Hingus, and Wery

  Bartholomew: Carriage maker of Tarin Vale, father of Amilia

  Bartholomew: Priest in Ratibor

  Basil: Officer’s cook on the Emerald Storm, died at sea

  Bastion: Servant in the imperial palace

  Battle of Medford: Skirmish that occurred during Arista’s witch trial

  Battle of RaMar: Bloody fight that Hadrian once fought in

  Battle of Ratibor: Rebellion against Imperialists led by Emery Dorn and Arista

  Beatrice, Princess: Daughter of King Armand, Princesses of Alburn, Sister to Rudolf and Hector

  Belinda Pickering: Extremely attractive wife of Count Pickering, mother of Lenare, Mauvin, Fanen, and Denek

  Bella: Cook at the Laughing Gnome in Ratibor

  Belstrads: bell-straads Noble family from Chadwick, including Sir Breckton and Wesley

  Bernard Green: Candle maker from Dunmore, living in Aquesta

  Bendlton, Brother: Cook at the rebuilt Winds Abbey

  Bennington: Guard in Aquesta

  Bently: Sergeant in the Nationalist army, promoted by Hadrian to adjunct general

  Bernard: Lord Chamberlain of the imperial palace

  Bernice: Former handmaid of Arista, killed in Dahlgren

  Bernie Defoe: Topsail crewmember of the Emerald Storm, former member of the Black Diamond thieves’ guild, hired to find the Horn of Gylindora

  Bernum Heights: Wealthiest residential district in Colnora

  Bernum River: Waterway that bisects the city of Colnora

  Beryl: Senior midshipman on the Emerald Storm, died at sea

  Bethamy, King: Ruler reputed to have had his horse buried with him

  Betrayal in Medford: Imperialist version of the play The Crown Conspiracy

  Biddings: Chancellor of the imperial palace

  Bishop: Lieutenant aboard the Emerald Storm, died at sea

  Black Diamond: International thieves’ guild centered in Colnora

  Blackwater: Last name of Hadrian and his father, Danbury

  Blinden: Quartermaster’s mate on the Emerald Storm, died at sea

  Blood Week: Time of the year when stock, that won’t be able to be fed, during the winter is butchered

  Blythin Castle: Castle in Alburn

  Boatswain: Petty officer on a ship who controls the work of other seamen

  Bocant: Family who built a lucrative industry from pork, second wealthiest merchants in Colnora

  Bothwicks: Family of peasant farmers of Dahlgren, father: Russell, mother: Lena

  Braga, Percy: Former Archduke and Lord Chancellor of Melengar, expert swordsman, uncle-in-law to Alric and Arista, killed by Count Pickering, commissioned the murder of Amrath

  Brand: Street Urchin, reputed to have killed a kid in a fight to win a tunic, nickname: Brand the Bold

  Breckton: Sir Breckton Belstrad, son of Lord Belstrad, brother of Wesley, commander of the Northern Imperial Army, knight of Chadwick, considered by many to be the best knight of Avryn

  Brideeth: Elven swear curse word, highest insult

  Bright Star: Ship sunk by Dacca

  Bristol Bennet: Boatswain on the Emerald Storm, died at sea

  Brodric Essendon: Founder of the Essendon dynasty

  Bucket men: Term for assassin in the Black Diamond thieves’ guild

  Bulard, Antun: See Antun Bulard

  Burandu: Bur-and-dew Lord of the Tenkin village of Oudorro

  Byrnie: Long (usually sleeveless) tunic of chain mail formerly worn as defensive armor

  Calian: cal-lay-in Pertaining to the nation of Calis

  Calians: Residents of the nation of Calis with dark skin tone and almond-shaped eyes.

  Calide Portmore: Folksong often sung while drinking

  Calis: cal-lay Southern- and easternmost of the four nat
ions of Apeladorn, considered exotic, in constant conflict with the Ba Ran Ghazel

  Capstan: Spoked wheel on a ship that turns to raise the anchor

  Carat: Young member of Black Diamond thieves’ guild

  Carrel: Small individual study area in a library

  Caswell: Family of peasant farmers from Dahlgren

  Cenzar: sen-zhar Wizards of the Old Novronian Empire

  Cenzarium: Home of Cenzar Council in Percepliquis

  Chamberlain: Someone who manages the household of a king or nobleman

  Chanfron: Piece of plate armor used to protect a horse’s head

  Code of Chivalry: Seven virtues each knight should aspire to

  Colnora: call-nor-ah Largest, wealthiest city in Avryn, merchant-based city, grew from a rest stop at a central crossroads of various major trade routes.

  Constance, Lady: Noblewoman, fifth imperial secretary to Empress Modina

  Cora: Dairymaid at the imperial palace

  Cornelius DeLur: Rich businessman, rumored to finance Nationalists and involved in black market, father of Cosmos

  Cosmos Sebastian DeLur: Son of Cornelius, also known as the Jewel, head of Black Diamond thieves’ guild

  Coxswain: Helmsman of a racing ship

  Cranston: Professor at Sheridan University, tried and burned for heresy

  Crimson Hand: Thieves’ guild operating out of Melengar

  Crown Conspiracy: Play reputed to be based on the murder of King Amrath, follows the exploits of two thieves and the Prince of Melengar

  Crown Tower: Home of the Patriarch and center of the Nyphron Church

  Cutter: Moniker used by Merrick Marius when a member of the Black Diamond thieves’ guild

  Dacca: A fierce seafaring people who live on the island of Dacca south of Delgos

  Dagastan: Major and easternmost trade port of Calis

  Dahlgren: dall-grin Remote village on the bank of the Nidwalden River, sit of Gilarabrywn attack