The officers gasped with shock as their swords broke rather than sever the king's skin. The men dropped their broken swords and raced for the door, but the door suddenly slammed shut and it refused to yield to their attempts to open it. The king calmly stepped out of the tub and pulled a robe around his body. He glared at the assassins and singled one of them out. The officer's head suddenly exploded in a mist of red, and the other officers screamed in horror as they beat futilely on the closed door.
"Who sent you?" the king demanded as he focused his gaze on another officer.
The second officer's head exploded, and the king repeated his question. One of the officers raced towards the window as if he planned to throw his body through it. The king glanced at him briefly, and the man's body flew into the fireplace. The officer was knocked unconscious when his head hit the stones of the fireplace, but it proved to be a blessing to the assassin because he could not feel the flames devouring his body.
"I will keep killing you until I learn who sent you," snarled King Zinan as he focused on another officer.
"It was Ortega," blubbered one of the men. "Have mercy and spare us. It was not our idea. The general made us do it."
The officers cowered in the corner of the room as the king slipped his arms into the robe and tied a sash around his waist.
"Mercy?" sneered the king. "I have no mercy for those who try to kill me."
With a blink of the king's eye, the remaining officers were tossed across the room and away from the door. Their bodies hit the wall with great force and collapsed in a pile on the floor. Blue flames erupted to consume the pile of men, and the soldiers screamed in agony. The men fought to get to their feet, but they could not. Within a few moments the screams died and the flames blinked out. King Zinan picked up a pile of towels and tossed them on the floor by the door so that he could leave the room without getting blood on his clean feet. With a nod of his head, the door flew open and General Wikner stood outside it.
"We heard screams," the general said. "Are you all right?"
The general and the men behind him stared into the room and saw the carnage. None of them dared to enter.
"I am fine," smiled King Zinan. "I will need servants to clean this room."
"I will see to it immediately, your majesty," offered General Wikner.
"I have a more important task for you general," replied King Zinan. "The room can wait a bit. I want General Ortega arrested for treason."
"Treason?" echoed the general.
"Do not question me," scowled the king. "Is it not treason when one attempts to kill the king?"
"Assassins?" gulped General Wikner. "That is indeed treason. I will see that he is arrested immediately."
"I want him hung from the wall by his hands," instructed the king.
"By his hands?" questioned General Wikner. "Do you mean by his neck?"
"By his hands," repeated the king. "Let him take two weeks to die of thirst, and let the people of Borunda watch him slowly die. It will be a lesson that I do not accept traitors in my midst."
Chapter 57 - Storm Clouds
Storm Clouds
The male wisper nodded to the Odessian guards as they held the flap to the king's yurt open for him to go through. The wisper entered the yurt and bowed to the Odessian king.
"Were you able to erect a defense against her powers?" asked King Rihad.
"She has no powers," answered the wisper. "There is not a lick of the Talent within her."
"The woman is an imposter?" asked King Rihad.
"She is Naveena as she claims," answered the wisper.
"I do not understand," frowned the king. "The Naveena I knew was strong in the Talent. You are making no sense whatsoever."
"I was also confused at first," replied the wisper. "Let me explain. King Zinan crippled Naveena in a brutal attack and left her to die, and die she should have, but she used her powers to heal herself. Her body was in such a failing state that she totally exhausted her powers in the process of healing herself. She did not even have enough Talent left within her to complete the healing process. That is why she is still lame. She poses no threat to you."
"Thank you," King Rihad nodded distractedly.
The wisper bowed and retreated from the king's yurt. King Rihad sat silently for a few moments as he gathered his thoughts and then rose and walked to the yurt where the Borundan wisper was being held. The guards outside Naveena's yurt held the flap open as King Rihad entered. Naveena immediately rose to her feet and bowed before the Odessian king.
"Thank you for seeing me," Naveena said. "I was afraid that you would not."
"Your fears were justified," King Rihad said as he approached the woman and indicated that they would sit and talk. "Tell me why you felt the need to brave the winter wind storms to speak to me."
"Zinan in unstable," offered Naveena. "The Talent has consumed him. I came to warn you of the danger."
"I do not know much about the Talent," confessed King Rihad, "but knowing that King Zinan is a threat to my people comes as no surprise to me. You risked a terrible death of being buried in the sand by the winter winds for little reason. You could have sent a note from Oran."
"I cannot trust anyone with the news I bring." Naveena shook her head. "Zinan has spies everywhere, including Oran, and I would assume the royal palace there."
King Rihad frowned at the thought of his staff being infiltrated by spies, but he did not deny the possibility.
"I did not know who I could trust," Naveena continued. "Of all the foreign visitors to Tarent, you alone appeared to be above the petty political games. I believed that you would give me a fair hearing."
"Fair enough." The king nodded without conviction. "What is it that the world must know about King Zinan?"
"His plans of attack are kept fairly secret," Naveena declared, "but I hid among the palace staff and discovered what he has planned for the spring."
The king's eyes widened in interest and his posture became more rigid in anticipation.
"The attack is planned to precede the spring thaw," explained Naveena, "that way the Caroomites cannot just destroy the bridge near Caxon and remain safe. The Borundan armies will be able to cross the frozen river and attack Caxon from all sides."
"Caroom is next on his list?" King Rihad asked with surprise. "That would leave Odessia almost surrounded. I must speak with my advisors about this immediately. What else can you tell me of his plans?"
"Not much," frowned Naveena. "I had trouble even getting this small amount, but it is at least warning enough for someone to halt Zinan's advance. You must stop him."
"Why are you risking your life to tell me this?" asked King Rihad with suspicion. "You are Borundan and certainly would have been part of King Zinan's plans if you had not had a falling out with him."
"I am responsible for putting him on this path of destruction," admitted Naveena. "When I was younger, I used the Talent in a very evil manner. I had been warned never to do such a thing, but my human emotions got the better of me. My desperate acts allowed the evil Talent to grow within me until it reached a point where reason was no longer within my grasp. In my foolishness, I groomed Zinan to extract revenge upon the Land of the Nine Kingdoms for the unjust death of my sister. That revenge became the focal point of my life, and Zinan's life as well."
"Yet the Talent no longer consumes you," King Rihad pointed out. "How can this be?"
"Zinan found out that I killed his mother," confessed Naveena. "He brutally attacked me and left me for dead. One thing the Talent could not take from me was my human desire for continued life. I used my powers to heal my own body. Because using the Talent draws on one's own strength, it is theoretically impossible to truly heal oneself, but I wanted very much to live. I continued to heal myself until the Talent was burned out of my body. I am no longer a wisper, King Rihad, and because the Talent no longer resides within me, it cannot control me. The evil is gone from my heart, and I can now see the errors of my ways. I have created a
monster in Zinan, and I need your help to contain him."
"Would not your time have been better spent staying in Tarent and destroying Zinan himself?" asked the king.
"No." Naveena shook her head. "I do not believe that Zinan can be killed. I did convince General Ortega to try an assassination, but I believe he will fail in the attempt. I think the Talent will protect Zinan."
"If Zinan cannot be killed…" mused the king.
"His armies can be destroyed," interrupted Naveena. "Remove him from the seat of power, and the amount of damage he can do will be diminished. There have been other cases of the Talent consuming individuals during the course of history, but those tortured souls usually ended up insane and isolated from society. What makes Zinan so dangerous is his position of power. Such a person cannot be ignored. Destroy his armies, King Rihad, and you will take the sting out of King Zinan."
King Rihad nodded with understanding. "You will be kept here for a few days while I discuss your information with my advisors. When we have agreed on a plan of action, I will have you escorted back to Oran and set free. Where will you go from there?"
"I do not know," Naveena replied. "I have not thought beyond speaking to you. Now that my information has been delivered to you, I have less fear of Zinan's spies. I am not even sure if Zinan knows that I am alive. Perhaps I will settle down in Oran and try to make something of my life. Would my presence in Odessia upset you?"
"Not at all," King Rihad smiled sympathetically. "While I abhor what you did with your power, you appear to be remorseful about it. Everyone deserves a chance to make amends for their mistakes. Contact the royal palace this summer, and I will see if I can help you adjust to your new life."
* * *
Winona sat on a low, stone wall at the edge of the city and stared at the steam rising off the bubbling pools of mud. She was so completely lost in thought that she was caught unawares when Balrec came up behind her and sat down next to her.
"How are the sessions with Orro going?" asked Balrec.
"Good," Winona replied distractedly. "His knowledge about every little thing in life truly amazes me. I feel so honored to be allowed to learn such wisdom."
"Yet you do not appear to be thrilled," noted Balrec. "What is bothering you?"
Winona did not immediately respond, but Balrec remained silent, refusing to move the conversation onto another topic until she answered.
"I am confused about the foreigners," Winona finally said softly.
"In what way?" prompted Balrec.
"Jared is being taught the skills necessary to destroy his brother," answered Winona, "yet I get the feeling that he is incapable of performing the necessary deed."
"Orro can only provide knowledge," shrugged Balrec. "He cannot force the will of an unwilling student."
"He could," corrected Winona, "but he would not. Orro has forsaken such methods since the founding of Harangar. The fate of the Land of the Nine Kingdoms will rest on the shoulders of Jared. If he cannot perform the necessary deed, then they are doomed to an existence of evil."
"Can you help Jared overcome his hesitancy?" asked Balrec. "Is that perhaps the reason why Orro has decided to include you in the sessions?"
"I am not sure why I have been chosen," frowned Winona, "but I will try to influence Jared however I can. I do suspect though that Prince Antion has some role to play in that area."
"And that is the purpose of his being in the group?" asked Balrec.
"Not really," Winona replied. "Prince Antion is here because he has unknowingly become a vessel for the Talent. Jared cannot hope to match the power of his brother on a personal level. Evil has a much more powerful manifestation than good. Jared will need the extra Talent carried by Prince Antion in order to have any chance of success, but the choice of using the Arin prince is such an unlikely one. I do not understand why he has been chosen by the Talent."
"How do you mean?" asked Balrec. "Why is he an unlikely choice?"
"Because he is a prince," replied Winona. "Royalty cares for no one but themselves, yet the vessel will likely die in the confrontation between Jared and Zinan. Either Prince Antion does not yet understand this, or the Talent has made a terrible miscalculation, which will doom the entire mission to failure. Someone who is as selfish as the Arin prince is not going to lay down his life so that Jared can prevail over his brother."
"Perhaps you have misjudged the Arin prince?" posed Balrec.
"I don't think so." Winona shook her head. "Prince Antion is the perfect royal child. The others dote on him, as royalty is used to. Even the other princes await his commands. No, Balrec, Prince Antion is the epitome of a royal swine. He will not place himself in harm's way for Jared or anyone else."
"Perhaps that is why Orro is sending you with them," mused Balrec.
"Sending me with them?" Winona echoed with alarm. "What are you talking about?"
"Hasn't Orro informed you yet?" Balrec chewed on his lower lip as he realized he had revealed a confidence.
"No, he hasn't," Winona replied as her eyes narrowed to suspicious slits. "When is this supposed to happen?"
"I should not have spoken of this," frowned Balrec. "Your orders originate from Orro."
"As they always have," prodded Winona, "but they come through you. Tell me what is expected of me."
"You are to accompany Jared to the final confrontation," revealed Balrec. "The reason for your journey has not been revealed to me, but I have been instructed to replace you in our ranks with another scout."
"Replace me?" asked Winona. "You do mean temporarily I hope?"
"No." Balrec shook his head. "I was told that you would no longer be a scout for our people. You will be leaving with the foreigners. There was no talk of your return."
"No talk of my return?" Winona repeated as tears began to form in her eyes. "There can only be one reason for that. Orro has foreseen my death."
"You don't know that," comforted Balrec. "There could be many reasons for Orro's orders. Do not jump to conclusions."
"Only death would keep me from returning." Winona shook her head as she rose. "I must go spend some time with my family."
The scout started to walk away from the wall and stopped abruptly. She turned and saw Balrec watching her leave.
"How much time do I have before we leave?" she asked. "Until spring at least?"
"No." Balrec shook his head. "The foreigners must return to the Land of the Nine Kingdoms before the spring melt. You will be leaving in a couple of weeks."
"We are leaving Harangar in the dead of winter?" gasped Winona. "The foreigners will be lucky to survive the journey. Even I cannot guide them through the snows of Hyrem. My knowledge extends only to the edge of the mountains. There must be some mistake."
"Orro does not make mistakes," asserted Balrec. "Spend some time with your family each evening."
Winona turned to leave again, but Balrec hurried after her and gently grabbed her arm.
"Know that I will look after your family, Winona," Balrec said comfortingly. "Whatever sacrifice you are being called on to make, your family will always be cared for and looked after. I want you to know that."
"I know," Winona smiled tautly. "Take especially good care of my brother, Balrec. He will make an excellent scout. He has the makings of a truly special one, one of whom they sing ballads."
"I think his sister will be the one that inspires ballads," smiled Balrec. "Make Orro's will come true, Winona. That is why you were chosen."
* * *
General Wikner entered the king's office in Tarent. He bowed dutifully to King Zinan and took a seat before the king's desk when given permission.
"What is the state of our armies?" King Zinan asked without preamble.
"They are in excellent shape," replied the general. "General Vanatay reports that the men are eager to begin the attack on Caroom. He awaits the orders to proceed. General Bassner's army is currently waiting in Koar for the orders to move northward."
"And General Ortega's
army?" asked the king.
"The men are in fine shape," reported the general, "but there is still a leadership void. They lost more than their commanding general. They also lost eight of their top officers. I have replaced the officers, but it takes time for the men to adjust to that."
"Time is running out," the king responded. "I am giving you a new title. From now on, you will be the Supreme General of Borunda. You will assume personal command of General Ortega's army as well as directing both General Vanatay and General Bassner. You will have two weeks to get your new army into shape."
"Two weeks?" blinked the general. "That is much sooner than I expected."
"I have received some distressing news," frowned King Zinan. "King Gharkin has sent a message of complaint. It appears that he has taken offense at the discovery of thirty-one bodies in his kingdom."
"Thirty-one bodies?" echoed the general. "I don't understand. Why is he complaining to us?"
"The bodies are Captain Xero's men," answered the king. "King Gharkin is angry that our soldiers were operating inside his borders."
"Captain Xero's men are dead?" gasped the general. "How is that possible? Did the Hyremites kill them?"
"I hardly think so," replied the king. "Had the Hyremites killed them, they would not complain about the bodies. They would be more likely to say nothing about it. We must assume that Prince Antion has more help than we imagined. Perhaps a contingent of Arin soldiers has joined up with him."
"Why does the Arin prince matter so much to our endeavors?" asked the general. "I have never fully understood that. Surely, he will no longer matter after we have conquered his homeland?"
"He matters in ways that you cannot understand," replied King Zinan. "He must be found and destroyed. I want another group sent north to Hyrem. They are to find Prince Antion and destroy him and anyone who travels with him."
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