Convergence

by Joe Jackson

  “All right, head toward the gate in groups,” Kris said, gesturing with his head. “Sonja, if they ask what we’re doing in the city, just tell them we’re friends of Lady Vanador and were told to come see the regent. There’s absolutely no reason for us to lie at this point.”

  “Of course,” the archmage said, and she set out toward the east-side gate with her brother and the half-brys and terra-rir paladins beside her.

  Each of the groups went in turn, and Kris was pleased to find they were admitted to the city with little scrutiny. The patrols they saw from a distance turned out to be pairs of erestram or harmauths. Valirasi perched on the walls every so often, though they remained grounded with the rain. The city was obviously well-protected, which Kris found somewhat odd in light of the fact that its king rarely stayed within its confines. That was a mystery to muse upon later, though; Kris was simply glad his group was not seen as a threat.

  Liria started toward the nearest inn to get them accommodations, but Kris held her back. “Let Sonja handle getting us rooms,” he said, and the syrinthian girl wasn’t the only one who stared at him, confused.

  “Thinking they might assume she’s with us under duress?” Aeligos piped up.

  The Warlord nodded. “It’ll be helpful to have her speak for us when she needs to, but I want it clear she’s with us by choice.”

  “Oh,” Liria blurted, then turned to look at Sonja.

  The archmage got their rooms with little trouble, and even had a message sent to the palace letting the regent know they needed to see her. The rooms were small, sufficient only for two, really, so they paired up and prepared to turn in for the night. Kris was pleased that he didn’t even have to say anything: Everyone knew what was expected. For a moment, he thought maybe Kari had drilled that into them, but then realization hit him, and he cracked a grim smile. No doubt that discipline was Erik’s work.

  We’re going to get you back, old friend, he thought. Just hang in there a little longer.

  “Sorry you’re stuck bunking with me,” he told Liria as they chose their beds and laid their things down where there was room. The domiciles were tight and efficient, clearly not designed to be occupied at all times.

  “Lady Vanador asked you to keep a close eye on me, did she?” the cadet prodded.

  Kris smirked. “Yeah, she did,” he answered, stripping off his paluric armor. It felt good to get out of the suit after a few days on the road. He shed the rest of his clothing as well, but stopped short of getting completely undressed. Liria was staring at him wide-eyed, and he let out a semi-uncomfortable chuckle. “You must see naked men on the campus now and then, yes?”

  “Not like you,” she whispered. “What… what are you? I understand you’re serilian-rir, but I’ve never seen one like you.”

  “A mutt.”

  “A mutt? What does that mean?”

  “I’m a mixture of a bunch of different races: Terra-rir, terra-bengal, serilis-rir, something of a deity or archangel, depending who you ask… so, yes, a mutt.”

  “I have seen the stripes of a terra-bengal before, but not in that color.”

  “As far as I know, my sister is the only other person you’ll ever see that looks anything like I do,” Kris said, sitting on the edge of his bed. “Do you want me to leave the room while you get changed out of your armor?”

  “No, that’s all right,” she answered. She started to get undressed, but very slowly and hesitantly. She gestured to his shoulder. “What does that tattooed inscription mean?”

  “It’s my battle mantra.”

  “PSA 144:1… sounds like a very strange battle cry.”

  Kris laughed. “It’s a reference to the book of my faith,” he said. “Blessed be the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.”

  “Your holy book says that?”

  The Warlord nodded. “Freedom is something you have to fight to protect, Liria. That’s something you’re going to become intimately familiar with as a demonhunter. And that’s not just to speak of freedom from the tyranny of the kings. Every freedom you hold dear, you have to be willing to fight to protect. Does Sakkrass – or Ashakku, rather – not have a holy book that your people follow?”

  “We followed his word at one point, but we have long been cut off from it,” she said with a grimace. “Still, it is passed down in secret through the generations by oral tradition as best as we can manage. Admittedly, I know little of him but that he is our true father, and that one day, we will return to his service as a people.”

  “That day may come sooner than you think,” Kris said, keeping his eye contact strong.

  “Let us hope so. So you fight for freedom? That is what your father controls as a deity of Citaria, no?”

  He turned his gaze away as Liria got the bulk of her armor off. “Yeah. I’m a prince where I come from, Liria. But I’m a bit like Kari: I’ve spent most of my life in the front lines, fighting for freedom and trying to make sure as many people as possible get the opportunity to live something of a good, peaceful life. The tattoo is a bit of a reminder that I don’t fight for my own glory, that I have to bear in mind what those less fortunate go through, and why I’ve got to fight for them especially and not rest on the comforts of my position as a prince.”

  When he looked at her again, Liria had her back to him. She was nude now, but her lithe rump was modestly covered by the serpent-like tail, and soon she had on a long nightshirt that went to her knees. She turned to him and had a smile on her face, and he wondered if she found his appraising stare amusing.

  “No wonder Lady Vanador finds you so attractive.”

  Kris snorted. “I thought it was the stripes…”

  “I hope it is not improper of me to say so, but you two will make beautiful children.”

  The Warlord was caught a bit off-guard by that, but he smiled to cover his thoughts. He had to wonder if that was what the rest of the family was thinking, and how it might make them feel in the deeper parts of their hearts. It was such a delicate thing to think and especially jest about with how recently Grakin had passed, and Kris had to be mindful of that, no matter how much Kari might be ready to move on. He delicately changed the subject a bit, “I didn’t see any tattoos on you; do your people ever get them?”

  “Oh yes,” Liria said, “though mostly within the priesthood. They used to tattoo images and sigils representing Ashakku, but those have been corrupted by servitude to King Sekassus.”

  Kris nodded. “Again, not for much longer.”

  Liria’s expression spoke of her determination. “Gods willing.”

  The Warlord smiled again in response. “Sleep well. I’m a light sleeper, and usually only need a few hours at night. Not that I really expect trouble here in the city, but you seem hypervigilant, to put it bluntly. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep while you can.”

  “Eternal vigilance or eternal peace; that’s what Mr. Red Eagle always tells us,” the girl responded, but she waved away her own words and got comfortable in the bed. “If it’s not too forward of me to ask, you and Lady Vanador are going to begin courtship rites, yes?”

  “I think we already did,” he answered, but shrugged when Liria turned over to look at him. “She’s going through a lot right now with everything that’s happened, Grakin’s death not the least of it. I have to tread a fine line between being there for her and not taking advantage of her. And like Sharyn said, I need to not screw it up this time.”

  “This time?”

  Kris fought not to get lost in thought. “A tale for another night. For now, I have to ask you something that might make you uncomfortable.”

  She sat up, anxiety clear in her golden gaze. “What is it?”

  “Have you ever killed anyone?”

  “Sir?”

  “The Order can teach you everything about being a hunter except how to feel when you take someone’s life. So, have you?”

  “No, I… I was assigned to guard the campus after the attack. I didn’t h
ave to fight any of the attackers. But I would have…”

  “Liria, I’m not going to beat around the bush on this: We’re here to kill people. Is that something you’re ready to deal with?”

  She was quiet for a few moments, but resolve was building behind those eyes. “I’m here to protect my friends and rescue my brother in arms. If that means I have to kill someone, then yes, I’m ready to do that.”

  Kris held her under a silent gaze for a short time, but simply acknowledged her words with a nod. “Get some sleep, soldier. We need to get up early tomorrow, wash up, and make sure we’re presentable for the regent.”

  “Yes, sir,” Liria said, turning down the lantern beside the bed without argument.

  He managed to not snort at her formal address. He glanced around the room and his low-light vision took over, but he decided he’d best take his own advice. He got comfortable and turned in himself, drifting off to sleep thinking about Kari.

  *****

  Ruceria was a fascinating city under the sunlight. It had, to Kris’ eye, a mixture of what he’d describe as Indian and ancient Egyptian architecture from Earth. They were styles one could still see in places in the modern cities of the Strekan province, but here, they had so much more charm. Here, they appeared to set the standard for being pleasing to the eye as well as masterful works of craftsmanship on the part of both architects and laborers.

  The Silver Blades drew many a curious stare as they made their way to the palace, but Sonja assured Kris that it was curiosity over the size and makeup of the group more than anything. What a wonder it was to have someone empathic and telepathic in his retinue. Kris had developed some of his own psionic powers over the years, no doubt the result of his “divine” heritage, but they were nothing like Sonja’s. His revolved mostly around body control and manipulation, which allowed for faster healing and suppressing the need for things like food, water, and sleep for longer periods of time than being serilian-rir would normally account for.

  Equally as helpful were the vigilant gazes of Aeligos and Eli. The two walked side by side, and from their frequent exchanged looks, Kris could tell they were evaluating the city and its people. Aeligos was a brilliant tactician, but also an infiltrator, and Kris knew the rogue would quickly get a feel for the pulse of the city. Eli, too, having once been part of an assassin’s guild, had a similar skillset and no less appraising a mind. Fortunately, neither of them seemed at all concerned by the people and places they passed among.

  The population here was mostly elestram, with a fair number of mallasti and valirasi that added a bit of flavor to things. Harmauths and erestram could be seen here and there, usually involved in some type of guard duty from the looks of them. Succubi and incubi were virtually nonexistent, thankfully, and syrinthians and sylinths were completely absent. That made Kris wonder about Liria, and he silently gestured toward the girl when he caught Sonja’s attention.

  The archmage made a subtle gesture that indicated nothing was amiss. They arrived at the palace shortly, thanks to its location in the center of the city. Kris had wondered if it might be against the river for defensive purposes, but then he wondered if the river might be the very border of Tess’Vorg. That, of course, made Kris wonder why the capital would be right on the border of a neighboring realm, and that threatened to give him a quick headache. It made no sense to him, whether Morduri and Emanitar got along or not. As was often the best practice in a new place, though, he resolved to learn and avoid making assumptions.

  They were admitted to the palace with only the barest of inquiries. The structure was a pyramid for roughly the height of two stories, and then it became something else entirely. It was a wonder of architecture, and even from what little Kris knew of Mehr’Durillia and its people, he could see its design was a blending of cultures. It rose higher than all other buildings in the city, but its upper floors were comprised of open archways and breezeways, suggesting its height was more about the open air than dominance.

  That was something Kris could respect.

  The Silver Blades had only to wait fifteen minutes before they were summoned into the audience hall. It wasn’t a throne room, more like an expansive study arranged around a hearth on one wall. The fireplace was currently cold, and with the warmth of the realm during the day, Kris surmised it might only see use at night. The rest of the room was filled by bookshelves, cabinets, and near the east wall, a massive table whose surface was a map of Mehr’Durillia.

  On the other side of that table stood an elestram woman of regal bearing. Her clothing was decorative but somewhat modest, marked by golden embroidery that formed a crest-like pattern. The woman’s eyes were golden, but there was something in her stare that made what was a common eye color among the elestram somehow more forceful. She had filigree either painted or branded around and below her eyes, and between them, strung from brow to brow, was a golden chain. Her long, pointed ears were bejeweled with no less than a dozen rings each. With one of her slender, clawed hands, she gestured her guests forward.

  Kris was pleased that he didn’t have to remind anyone to bow respectfully to the regent. Once he’d done so himself, he hesitated, waiting to see if he was supposed to greet her first, or if she would take the initiative with introductions.

  “I have seen a great many things in my lifetime, but never did I expect to play host to the Warlord of Citaria,” she said. She had the accent of one who spoke beshathan normally, but her fluency in the Citarian trade tongue was admirable. “I am Lady Irrasitus, Giamalla, Regent of the realm of Pataria in service to my son, King Irrasitus, Morduri. I understand one of your friends was taken by King Arku; how may we be of assistance, Warlord?”

  It took Kris the better part of a minute to even find his voice. “I’m honored that you know of me by reputation, Lady Irrasitus,” he said. He took a moment to introduce each of the Silver Blades. “It’s fortuitous that we decided to come see you personally. Admittedly, we don’t know much about how Erik was taken. We know little more than where to and by whom. May we impose on you to tell us what you know, and even what rumors you and your people have heard since the abduction?”

  She gave a sharp nod of her jackal-like head. “You may. Esitru, bring our guests some refreshments at once.”

  Kris did a double-take as another elestram he hadn’t even noticed seemed to step out from the wall itself and bow to the regent before making his way to the cabinets on the room’s far side. By the looks on his companions’ faces, he wasn’t the only one to have missed it.

  “Make yourselves comfortable,” Lady Irrasitus offered, gesturing to the many furnishings around the area. She glanced at each of the Silver Blades, and those golden eyes finally came back up to meet Kris’ gaze evenly. “My, you are not going for subtlety at all, are you?”

  Kris had to smile at that. “They know we’re coming. It’ll be tough to get this many of us there without drawing attention, but we’re not here to be subtle, no. We’re here to send a clear message to Arku and anyone else dumb enough to attack us directly.”

  “I would expect no less bravery from one trained by Lord Chinchala,” she agreed with a decisive nod. “However, entering Si’Dorra will not be as straightforward as you may suspect. With the unrest in Sorelizar, and my son’s involvement – not to mention the fact that the Black Reaver has abducted one of your companions – Si’Dorra will be on high alert, well-defended, and virtually impenetrable for those who know not its layout.”

  “Yes, we suspected the border was going to be guarded against us, but I have some very capable scouts with me, not to mention an accomplished archmage.”

  The elestram woman blinked slowly. “You would be met by the same. However, there are things that can be done to open our mutual enemy’s lines to you and your friends… things my son would be agreeable to, were he here to make the decisions himself. You said you know where your companion is being held; if you but tell me that, we may arrange to aid you.”

  “Dauchin-Rache,” Kris answered, a
nd he marveled as the elestram regent moved and closely focused the map with hand gestures. He approached the table, and was joined around its outer edge by the rest of his companions.

  He realized the map on the table was no roughshod image, but a detailed, topographical map of Si’Dorra now, showing elevations, vegetation, duchies, and dozens of other distinctions Kris didn’t recognize at first glance. Its labels were in beshathan, so he couldn’t read them, but Lady Irrasitus pointed to one of the larger cities in the central north. Kris grimaced immediately. Most of the travel would be uphill, and even just from this map, he could tell that Dauchin-Rache would not be an easy target to siege or infiltrate.

  “Dauchin-Rache,” the elestram woman repeated, tapping the city on the map. “This is the home of Duke Curlamanx.” She paused as many of the Tesconis siblings made sounds deep in their throat. “They must know you are coming, otherwise he would be held in Agivak, the capital city of Si’Dorra.”

  Kris nodded. “Council is coming into session soon; Arku knows he can’t leave Erik at his own keep while he’s away at the meeting.”

  “Indeed.”

  “What if Erik’s not in Dauchin-Rache?” Aeligos asked. “What if Curlamanx takes him to Agivak and holds him there, even while King Arku is gone?”

  Krycyd furrowed his brow. “Why would he do that?”

  Kris put his hand to his chin but waited to hear Aeligos out. The rogue continued, “You have to figure, if they know we’re coming, that their best option would be to solidify their power. King Arku may be gone for the council session for a week or two, but the bulk of his army – the best bulk of it, mind you – should be concentrated in Agivak. If I was Curlamanx – and thank the gods I’m not – I’d hole up in Agivak, behind the thickest walls, the strongest army, and right where my king was going to return when he was finished in Anthraxis.”

  “You’re right, of course,” the Warlord said. “But they didn’t expect anyone to give Kari the information she got from her prisoners. They don’t know that we know Erik is being held at Dauchin-Rache; they think we’re going to Agivak to try to rescue him. My guess is Curlamanx is going to hole up in Agivak like you said, but Erik is going to be left at Dauchin-Rache. They want all of their power at Agivak to crush or capture us.”