Fate of an Empire (Talurian Empire Trilogy Book 1)

by Pasquariello, Jonathan

  “But I’m grieving!” He responded with a grin. “You should try it!”

  “My god man!” Rurik started, “You tarnish my brother’s memory with this crude display of drunken misconduct. You don’t grieve now; you are just dishonoring him and making a fool of yourself!”

  The crowd was silent, and Klaric’s smart grin fell from his face. Before anyone said another word, a soldier butted in through the crowd, to Rurik’s side.

  “Corporal—” The soldier lowered his voice, holding it just above a whisper.

  “Could this be Kaster?” Kaillum, edging closer, straining to hear the conversation.

  “—one of the soldiers patrolling the eastern wall spotted a small group of men, maybe thirty or more, headed toward the gates of the city. They looked to be leaving.”

  That sounds like Ceth’s group. What had happened since he infiltrated the Talurian Keep? Was Dageros leaving with them? I need to do something, quick.

  “So what is he saying?” Klaric finally spoke, belching out a foul, nauseous smelling odor.

  “Quiet,” Rurik said with a disgusted look on his face. “Guards, take these three men to the barracks and confine them to quarters. I don’t care if you have to hurt them to accomplish it.”

  Kaillum stepped back and moved away from the group.

  Change of plans. If they are leaving, I don’t have time to sneak back, kill the general, and find a way out. They must assume I failed. I need to signal them first then, in the commotion, find and kill the general…Hopefully, that man was Rurik.

  * * *

  Rurik motioned for Galro to follow. They walked away from the dispersing crowd.

  “The sun rises in two hours. We need to know what that group is up to,” He stated, more talking to himself than the soldier. “They haven’t tried anything all night. Something will give soon.”

  “Private, return to the command post and report any change, however small or insignificant.”

  “Yes, sir.” Galro saluted, and took off at a brisk jog.

  I need to talk to Saris.

  Rurik made his way across the courtyard to the ramp leading to his chambers. He reached Saris’ room and found only one of his guards standing outside the door.

  “Where are the others?” he asked.

  “They are with the General. He went to check on his son.”

  “Very well,” frustrated, Rurik left to search for his superior.

  After questioning a few different slaves inside the eastern wing, Rurik learned Saris was making his way to the marble garden—a large, densely planted garden arranged around antique, marble sculptures. It sat behind the artists’ pavilion, located off the eastern wing.

  Rurik made his way back to the other side of the building.

  A canopy-draped, open-air walkway took him down into the center of the garden. Even with smoke in the air and darkness keeping the blooms at bay, the smell of fragrant roses, lilies, and pungent freesia teased his nostrils. A smile forced its way onto his face.

  Rurik heard no voices and saw no sign of the General. He decided to check by the dolphin fountain, back through the ivy columns. The closer he got, a soft melody became louder.

  Then, he saw her.

  Taking slow, graceful steps, she spun about in the hazy moonlight. Her dark curls falling onto her shoulders, twirling about as she moved, landing on her porcelain skin. She hummed a soft lullaby and carried a small baby wrapped in a blanket.

  She is beautiful.

  He was mesmerized by the woman, he yearned for her. Such strong emotions gave way to conflict within him; how could he have such strong feelings for a woman with whom he had never spoken? He instinctively moved behind a pillar, inching his head around, as if afraid to spook a deer.

  What was her name? Is that her baby? Have I looked upon a woman whose heart belongs to another?

  A shadow moved against the wall behind her.

  Someone is coming.

  “There you are!” shouted a strong, authoritative voice.

  Who dares speak to a woman in that manner? Let alone…her.

  She bowed stiffly, “The baby needed to be away from the noise of the crowds. He has just fallen asleep.”

  Rurik edged forward, convinced that this was her arrogant, controlling husband, and she had played her part as the submissive wife, apologizing for taking care of their own child!

  “I am sorry,” responded the man, he sounded apologetic, but the sound of trickling water from the fountain masked much of the voice. “Amira, I thank you for watching over my son tonight—”

  So it’s not her son…

  “—something might happen soon, with the men outside the gates. They will surely try to take the Keep at first light. I would like you to go with my personal guards. There is a secret exit from the city. You can camp in the foothills to the south until this is over. They are prepared to leave.”

  A military man? Personal guards?

  Rurik walked out to find Saris standing close to the woman. He quickly hid his surprise and cleared his throat.

  The General turned his head, “Oh! Rurik, do you have news?”

  He spoke with softness in his voice. Was it the presence of this woman, Amira?

  Rurik nodded a courtly hello to the woman and then a quick salute to the General, “Sir, there is news of—”

  Is she smiling at me?

  “of…” edged Saris, rolling his hands in the air.

  “of… a small group of soldiers separating from the larger group. They are headed toward the outer gates of the city. And I thought you should know… you wanted to know of anything unusual.”

  Rurik waited for a response, stiff with nerves within her angelic presence.

  Saris seemed to be looking past him.

  “What is it?” Rurik asked. He turned to match Saris’ gaze and saw a man atop one of the buildings waving a torch above his head.

  “Get that man down from there!” Saris shouted to the guards along the walls while motioning for his personal guards to take Amira away.

  Moments later, a loud horn echoed from outside the walled Keep, originating in the city.

  Rurik ran out of the garden, grabbing every soldier he passed, “Ready for battle!”

  Chapter 16: Firestorm

  Dageros’ eyes burned through the smoke and darkness like a blazing sun. He blew on the horn till his eyes watered.

  Ceth… Come back. This is for something bigger than us!

  He was the sole remaining attacker, having failed to stop the Kitamite warriors from leaving.

  There were flammable barrels of oil placed around the Keep, enough to disorient the Talurian troops and give Kaillum a chance to escape. They needed to be set off at the same time, which meant he needed to make functioning copies of himself and get rid of the thousands of copies that were fooling the soldiers inside the walls.

  I have to do it!

  He shut his eyes and pulled the small shards of life from all around the city, back into his own body. The wind swirled around him; moving energies pulsed through the air. Once done, he felt more complete than he had in many, many hours. He was whole again, if only for a moment. He quickly made ten new copies of himself. They knew what to do, being born of his own body and mind, extensions of himself.

  Soon the city would again be aflame.

  * * *

  Rurik rushed up the stairs to the command post atop the northern gate. There stood Gleb and private Galro in the midst of a group, ordering soldiers out along the wall, preparing to defend the Keep.

  This slave is different. He doesn’t have a crushed spirit like the majority of his people. He is confident and smart. And Galro, I must remember him when I have some ability to reward his diligence throughout this ordeal.

  Rurik walked over to the two men, “How does it look?”

  “A minute ago, all of the enemy soldiers vanished. They didn’t walk away; they didn’t use any kind of smoke cover trick… They just disappeared,” answered Gleb, staring out at w
here the enemy had been.

  The people sealed outside were awake and noticing the absence of the enemy that had surrounded them for almost a full day.

  “Do you think this has something to do with the group that we spotted leaving?” questioned Galro.

  “I have no idea, but something isn’t right. The druid mentioned they might be using magic, and if magic is being used… anything is possible.” Rurik walked along the edge of the wall, looking down at the people outside. “They need to stay near the wall. Warn them not to move back to the city.”

  As the words came out of his mouth, hot flames leapt into the sky.

  Buildings exploded and flaming timbers hurled into the courtyard. Fire spread through the crowd, igniting tents and blankets. The ring of fire blazed all the way up to the walls of the Keep. The soldiers along the top jumped back from the edge. Screams echoed from the people below. The sudden inferno was burning them alive.

  * * *

  Captain Arteus and the army had been in view of the smoke trail for hours. And then, minutes from sunrise, they heard the explosions and shielded their eyes as a blinding light encompassed the city. As the soldier’s vision slowly cleared, they saw the city of Hillsford ignited in a blazing hellhole.

  “We must hurry!” Arteus roared.

  The caravan jolted forward, moving faster than the Captain thought possible. The wagons, pack mules, and siege engines slowly fell behind, but the foot infantry and mounted lancers surged forward, hoping to arrive in time to help their Empire’s city and save their trusted General.

  “Sir,” A mounted scout rode up alongside the Captain, “There is a group of men abandoning the city and traveling northeast. They don’t look to be of any regular tribe, and definitely not any of our soldiers, possibly part of the attacking forces.”

  Arteus was quiet in thought for a moment, “Lancers! Form up on me!”

  “Lieutenant Eliom! Continue on to the city with the rest of the soldiers.” Arteus rode off after the retreating forces while more than one of the remaining Honor Guard Captains complained about his decision in giving command to the Lieutenant.

  * * *

  “No!” Dag shouted into the air, falling to his knees. “There wasn’t supposed to be that big of an explosion! What have I done?”

  It was supposed to distract them, and give us a chance to escape… all those poor innocent people.

  Dageros sat, kneeling on the ground, fire burning around him. The blast had thrown him from his vantage point. He landed hard on a pile of splintered debris. Cuts and bruises riddled his body, and a handful of sharp woodchips protruded from his back.

  Please be alright, Kaillum…Come out to me.

  * * *

  Kaillum jumped from building to building, running along the rooftops. When he signaled his friends, he hadn’t expected such a destructive response. Now, he was being chased by numerous Talurian troops. The same Corporal that had been in the courtyard, whom Kaillum now believed to be Rurik, spotted him from a garden behind the eastern wing of the Keep.

  I can’t be captured. I need to find Saris.

  Reaching the end of the buildings, Kaillum nimbly leapt from the rooftop, grabbing hold of a nearby tree. He spun around and jumped back into the building’s top floor, through an open window.

  His rough landing turned into a run as he sprinted through numerous rooms, trying to find a way down to the lower floors. He needed to get into the main courtyard. Saris would be there or the command center at the northern gate. Either way, he had to get out of this building without being arrested or, worse, killed.

  Kaillum had heard rumors of the tortuous protocol the Talurians’ practiced toward hostages. Finally, he came to a spiraling staircase that led down to every floor. He was seven stories up.

  Practically jumping down the flights of stairs, he reached the bottom and burst through the front door, startling some Harmite slaves sneaking a break from their chores during the distraction in the city. Kaillum gave them a slight nod and a big sheepish grin as he ran off down the middle of the street.

  The crowded courtyard came into view. It had taken a lot of damage from fire jumping over the walls, but outside was a firestorm. If the winds didn’t die down soon, floating embers would soon catch the rest of the buildings on fire.

  People were running in all directions, dousing their burning clothes and belongings with water from the well. Then, he spotted the General, leading a woman holding a baby into a building adjacent to the barracks, closely followed by six guards.

  Where are you going...?

  Two of the guards stopped at the door, blocking anyone else from entering. Kaillum decided it was time to use his powers. The Corporal would be allowed to enter, he carried a higher rank.

  Did Saris’ guards even care about rank? I have to try.

  He ducked behind a pile of crates. Being out of sight, he placed his hands, palms open, on either side of his head. He closed his eyes, and after a moment they shot open, showing the bright glowing eyes of his race. His body shook and contorted, falling to the ground.

  Almost over.

  After an extremely long moment, he lay still on the hard packed dirt, his body finishing the transformation. He slowly got to his feet and looked at his new body, even the uniform had shifted to that of a Corporal in the Talurian army. Satisfied with his new disguise, he slipped back into the crowd.

  Chapter 17: The Changeling

  Thandril flew through the rest of the night and reached the city shortly after Arteus’ caravan. He circled the city in bird form, peering through rising vapors, in search of any sign of the magic user that he had been warned of.

  The advantage of surprise would play handily in spotting the imposter.

  He watched Saris enter the barracks, accompanied by the nurse from his late wife’s labor and delivery. His Master seemed to be taking a liking to the young woman, putting on his best manners around her, well; the best manners a man like Saris could show. Thandril noted the barracks had been evacuated before the General took up shelter inside, and now two of his guards watched the main door.

  Who would even be allowed to enter?

  He seemed well protected where he was, unless the intruder was in disguise as one of his personal guards, or better yet, the very nurse he was trying to woo, neither of which he would be able to determine from the air. He needed to land.

  The courtyard was in complete disarray. Once spotting a lull in foot traffic, he darted toward the ground, shifting his body seconds before impact. He landed on his feet, perfectly falling in step with the mob.

  As Thandril made his way toward the barracks, he noticed Rurik heading in the same direction.

  He should be warned of the intruder as well.

  “Rurik!” Thandril shouted over the heads of the crowd.

  Rurik didn’t respond to the call.

  Maybe he didn’t hear him.

  “Rurik!” He yelled out again—and again, no response.

  Rurik reached the barracks ahead of him, but the guards looked like they were not allowing him to enter either. Saris most likely gave them strict orders.

  “It’s okay, men.” Thandril approached the entranceway and put his heavy arm around Rurik, “He is with me.”

  “Lord Thandril, Saris gave us strict orders to not let anyone inside,” stated one of the guards.

  “You know I’m not just any person,” Thandril responded, “I’ll take care of anything if he is angry.”

  Without waiting for the young soldier to object a second time, Thandril pushed past him, pulling Rurik in after him.

  Rurik gave Thandril a grateful look, “Thanks for that. I didn’t know if I was ever going to be able to get in here.”

  “No thanks are needed. Some of those soldiers let the prestige of being in service to the General fill their minds with grandeur. They think they can boss everyone around. You outrank all of them.”

  The two walked in tandem through the open halls of the garrison. Rurik remaining silent. />
  “Corporal, I need to warn you. There is the possibility of an intruder and they have the ability to take the shape of another man—or woman. He is under orders to kill the General and his son. We must be on high alert.” Thandril observed Rurik’s demeanor stiffen at the news and, a barely noticeable, flash of golden light blink across his eyes.

  “Oh really? We haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary. But, when I get back to the command center, I will pass the word around,” Sweat started to bead across Rurik’s brow, “It sure is warm in here with all of the heat pushing in from outside.”

  “Indeed.”

  They rounded a corner and entered a long, narrow hallway with many doors leading into different rooms.

  “So how is your brother doing? Is he healing up nicely after that nasty stomach wound?” Thandril asked.

  “Yes, the doctors say he should make a full recovery in a couple of weeks,” Rurik replied, holding a paper-thin confidence in his voice.

  “That’s interesting since you buried him in the camp up north.”

  A widening of eyes. A twitch of the hand.

  It's him.

  The imposter reached for his sword, but the Thandril was faster, shoving him against the wall, pushing the air from his lungs. The imposter doubled over. Thandril followed with a heavy strike to the temple of the man’s skull, dropping him to the ground.

  Thandril reached down to pick him up.

  The fake Rurik slipped a concealed dagger from his boot, jabbing it into Thandril’s thigh.

  Thandril didn’t even flinch from the unexpected strike and grabbed the man’s hand which clutched the dagger, crushing the bones like a clump if dirt. He lifted the screaming man into the air, his cries shortening as Thandril’s fingers tightened around his throat. Pinning him against the wall, Thandril began his hasty interrogation.

  “Who sent you?” Thandril yelled.

  The changeling twisted his lower body, trying to break free, repeatedly kicking at Thandril’s legs.