by Joe Jackson
Kari moved to the center of the floor. “Masters,” she said with a salute, bringing the meeting to order.
All seven of the priests rose, and in a display Kari had never witnessed before, they bowed to her. “Welcome home, Avatar,” Master Bennet said, the men all remaining on their feet. “We received word from our lord that a great change has taken place, that you have accomplished a feat like no other.”
“You can say that again,” Eli blurted from the gallery, drawing a few chuckles from around the room.
Kari slipped the pack from her shoulder and placed it down on the floor. “I’m going to apologize in advance for the smell.”
There were snickers, but she knew those would be short-lived. She undid the top of her pack and pulled Arku’s head out by his long, ebon hair. In truth, it hadn’t rotted much yet, but the demon king hadn’t smelled very good when he was alive, if Kari was honest about it. There was a collective gasp from those gathered, and several of the priests leaned on their podium, as if bringing their eyes a couple of feet closer would clarify what they were looking at.
“Arku Chinchala is dead by my hand,” Kari said. “Now, the storm is coming. I’ve effectively been barred from going to Mehr’Durillia anymore, and the Overking promised that retribution is coming my way. It’s time to eliminate certain methods open to our enemies to come here, but I’ll be taking care of that as delicately as possible. I still think we have some allies among the kings, no matter how they behaved in the Overking’s presence.”
“You were barred from Mehr’Durillia for this?” Master Arinotte asked, gesturing to the severed head as the priests finally took their seats.
“No, she was barred from going to Mehr’Durillia because she jumped on the Overking’s table, just like Turik Jalar,” Kris answered. “And despite how calm and even amused he may have seemed, the gesture really struck home. They’re afraid. Kari’s killed one of their number – one of the weaker ones, yes, but one of their number nonetheless.”
“Well, there’s a steep gap in power between the lesser kings and the Ancient Ones,” Kari said. “I have to believe everyone below Abaddon is second guessing the protection of their lord and his defenses. There’s also something more to this. I don’t have all the details, but Sakkrass’ homeworld of Irrathmor is currently being invaded by the Overking’s army. This could mean that the Overking pulls back some or all of his forces, but even if they come here, we may find help coming from Irrathmor, if we can coordinate efforts between worlds. And that’s where Master Maelstrom’s familiarity with visiting our sister worlds is going to come in handy.”
“This is… astounding,” Master Perez said. “We have known war has been coming for some time, but for you to declare it so vehemently… you have already won the first great victory of this war, Lady Vanador.”
Kari put the head back in her pack and made a noncommittal gesture despite the praise. “It’s a minor victory, though, all things considered. The true meaning of this isn’t so much that I killed Arku, but that it’s going to serve as a major boost in confidence to our hunters and pretty much everyone on Citaria when they hear what’s happened.”
“I think more people are going to want to follow you than me,” Kris said, laying a hand on her shoulder. “And I’m not even joking.”
Master Bennet smiled. “Entirely possible. Well, with that settled for the moment, let us take the time to welcome home Erijinkor Tesconis. It is wonderful to see you alive and well, and barely worse for the wear, from the look of you.”
“Thank you, Master,” Erik said with a bow. “I owe my freedom to this woman foremost, and of course to my friends and family.”
Kari gestured Tarra forward and stood beside her. “Go ahead and introduce yourself.”
“Good day, sirs. I am Kuritarra Kivekt, formerly of the realm of Si’Dorra.”
“Kuritarra…?” Kari muttered. “Like a wreath of flowers?”
“You speak beshathan?”
“Epaxa chi’pri, sister. I speak it rather well for a Citarian, I think.”
“Epaxa chi’pri,” Tarra whispered. “That is a phrase I have not heard in some time. But… Lady Vanador, if you speak our language, then you must know that using the term kaeshmor is both horribly insulting and incredibly crass.”
“The first couple of times I heard it, it was used like a joke. What does it mean?”
The elestram woman frowned. “If you must know, it was a term developed to describe those kings who had relations with their own sons.”
“Oh…,” Kari blurted, folding her arms across her chest and scratching at her snout. “Yeah, I think I’m going to lose that word from my vocabulary.”
There were some embarrassed chuckles and grins, but Master Bennet waved off that bit of conversation. “What is it you do, madam? Are you a member of the Ashen Fangs?”
“I am,” Tarra answered. She patted the inside of her thigh. “I keep my marking hidden, though I can show you if you request it.”
“No need. However, we are concerned at having a Mehr’Durillian assassin here on our world, under the protection of this Order.”
“Assassin? I am no assassin,” the elestram woman returned.
Kari thought she should jump in and explain things, but left it to Tarra to say as much or as little as she pleased. If her explanation didn’t satisfy the council, Kari could clarify things for them. For the moment, she stayed quiet and let things unfold naturally.
Master Perez cocked his head. “You are a member of the Ashen Fangs; you just said so.”
“I am, but I am no assassin. I am… how do you say? An architect.”
“You’re a tactician for the Ashen Fangs? Is that what you mean?”
“No, Masters,” Kari broke in with a sigh. “She’s an architect. She designs buildings and homes. The Ashen Fangs… are not an assassin’s guild. They’re rebels. Not everyone who’s a part of their society is an assassin or even a fighter, but that’s the false front they present to keep the kings from discovering what they’re really all about. As far as the kings are aware, they’re a mercenary guild.”
“Is this true?” Master Bennet asked the elestram woman.
Tarra regarded Kari, but there wasn’t any judgment in that impassive gaze. “Yes, sir. I am merely a class seven architect. My sister was trained to fight and pursue bounties for our society, but that was never my calling.”
“Class seven?”
“A master of my craft,” Tarra clarified. “I am rated highly enough to design or renovate the homes of the very kings, if they sought out my services.”
“And if you saw some of the things her people craft on Mehr’Durillia, I think she will have little trouble finding work here,” Corbanis said. He smiled when Tarra looked his way.
“I’ll be granting her asylum, and make sure the incoming duke is aware and supportive of that,” Kari said.
“Very well, then. Welcome to Citaria, young lady.”
“Thank you, sir,” Tarra said, and she retreated to the gallery at the direction of one of the headmasters. Eli indicated the seat beside him, and she settled in.
“Si’Dorra is going to be in chaos,” Kari said, turning back to the council. “As much as they’re going to want to come after me in some way, I think the kings will be busy with power struggles of their own. As it turns out, Masters, Emma was only ever playing the part of a slave. In truth, she was Emanitar’s daughter, and it seems he was being kept alive by her power. I know this is a lot to take in, but to keep it short and to the point, Emma is now the king of Tess’Vorg.”
She started to pace while she worked through the thoughts and the story. “I’m not sure how much Emma actually likes any of us that have gotten sort of close to her over the years, but if she truly did, this could be another major boon. If we can count her as an ally, that raises our tally of sympathetic kings to three.”
“Five,” Kris corrected. “Assuming you mean Emma, Morduri, and Celigus, you can also add Arlerase and Lestanaek to the list. Arlerase is Cel
igus’ son, and even though he’s the low man on the totem pole, we can count on him to help when the time comes. And we spoke with King Lestanaek on the road to Anthraxis; he asked to speak with you at some point, though that will be difficult if you can’t even go to Mehr’Durillia.”
“What do we know about Lestanaek?”
“He is Trigonh’s cousin,” Corbanis answered.
“I like him already,” Kari said with a smile. She shrugged then. “And despite how angry her reaction was to my presence on the table, I still think Koursturaux would favor us over the Overking if she thought she could depose him and take control. I wouldn’t call her an ally, but we do seem to be less of a threat to her than the Overking is.”
“We’re going to need you to go over all of this with Master Goldberg specifically when he returns from his assignment,” Master Arinotte said. “This is all so very complicated, and we need to make sure all of our hunters know what we’re dealing with.”
“Were there any other developments during your respective stays on Mehr’Durillia?” Master Bennet asked.
“Only that I saw the third Tilcimer while I was in Anthraxis,” Erik said. “It does seem odd that it was living in the city, but at least now we know where the last one is.”
“One less mystery,” Master Perez agreed.
“So that leaves one issue to speak of before the council,” Kari said, drawing all attention back to herself. She turned and looked at Kris. “Care to give us an assessment of Liria?”
The syrinthian looked embarrassed to be the center of the conversation all of a sudden, but Kris gestured her over to stand beside him. “I’ll keep this short and simple. This girl is bright, she takes orders well, she fights with heart and conviction, and she truly cares for those she’s assigned to work with. I’ve never attended your academy or been a member of the Order, but when I work with her, I think this girl embodies everything your Order stands for. She’s the kind of soldier I’d make an officer out of in a heartbeat, and I think she’s more than earned her commission from you.”
Liria made no effort to stop the tears, and Kari smiled. “Then by my authority as the Avatar of Vengeance, I hereby promote Se’lucia Liria Aliristis to the rank of Enforcer. You’ll be assigned to me until further notice, to serve as my assistant and my right hand.”
“Yes, ma’am,” the syrinthian said breathlessly, and she put her hand over her mouth as the council rose and applauded, as did all the others in the chamber.
Kari stepped forward and took the girl in an embrace. “Thank you,” she told Liria, who seemed surprised to be the one getting thanked. “I took such a risk on you, and you solidified my faith in your people, even more so than your priestess has. I’m glad I listened to my heart and showed you and your companions mercy.”
Liria stood straight before Kari when they split apart. “It’s been such a change getting used to serving your deity and working for your Order, but I feel as though this was meant to be. I can’t say how this will all turn out, but one day, I hope to return home to Ahrue-Silillue. Not to return to the life of a seamstress, but to establish an arm of this Order there, that we may teach future generations to either fight the kings or resist any other tyranny rising to power.”
Kari nodded in full agreement. “Let’s adjourn here,” she said. “Our headmasters have heard all they need to. Gentlemen, spread this information as quickly as you can to the recruits and our hunters. The only thing you are to keep quiet about is the truth behind the Ashen Fangs. I’m not sure how much trouble that knowledge can cause now, but it’s best to let the Ashen Fangs ruin their cover on their own term. Now, it’s time to tell everyone what’s happened.”
Everyone followed Kari outside, even the council. She stood at the top of the steps of the temple, overlooking the entirety of her Order present in DarkWind standing on the central square. The rest of her family and friends were there, even Tor, who stood off to the side with Danilynn. There was no sign of Karinda, but Gareth Maelstrom had come as well, and the heads of the temples had arrived with their assistants. The large gathering watched Kari, obviously wondering why they were all summoned.
Kari pulled forth Arku’s head and held it up for all to see. “Arku Chinchala is dead, the first of many of the kings of Mehr’Durillia to fall!” she called over the crowd. “I want you all to understand something: This is not some feat of strength you can only dream about. The power to do this lies in every one of you. This isn’t the work of Karian Vanador; this is the work of Zalkar the Unyielding through Karian Vanador! Every one of you has access to the same power and strength, if you have faith in our lord and his power.”
“You all have faith in me to lead you. Well, I have the same faith in all of you to do the work of this Order and its lord. Have faith in yourselves. You’re not just here learning some abstract methods of hunting people we once thought were demons; you’re here to learn how to be a team, an army, an extension of Zalkar’s justice and his mercy. The people of Mehr’Durillia are not our enemies; they’re people who need our help to depose the tyrants who call themselves kings. And therein lies our mission from here on out, my friends.”
“War is coming, but I’ve declared it on our terms, and we will fight it on our terms. The kings are strong, yes, but we are many, we are stronger than they are, and we have the backing of gods. Just this afternoon I delivered a message to them: That if they attack my people, my city, my home, or my protectorates, we will come and we will kill them. And if they fail to heed that message, then you’ll see me standing up here holding some other idiot’s head in short order.”
The gathered hunters and cadets cheered, but Kari hushed them for a last pronouncement. “I’m not normally one to display severed heads or the like. I leave that to cowards like Taesenus – who, by the way, I thoroughly trounced in combat just a few days past; I doubt we’ll be seeing him ever again.” There was another cheer at that, and Kari let it play out for a minute. “That being said, I’m going to have Arku’s head preserved to sit in a place of honor. Does anyone know where?”
“In Lord Allerius’ old office, ma’am?” called one of the hunters.
Kari had to bite down a sob, but made no move to wipe the tears from her eyes. “That’s right. This is for him, and for all of our brothers and sisters who fell the night of Arku’s attack. Let us honor them now with a moment of silence.”
Once they’d honored their fallen companions, Kari said, “That will be all for now. Your headmasters and trainers will have many things to go over with you, so be prepared. We’re in for interesting times ahead. To our allies: Thank you for coming. Should you have questions or concerns, I’ll make time to meet with you as soon as possible.”
“Where’d you learn to speak like that?” Kris asked, half-hugging Kari as the crowd began to disperse back to their duties.
“From you, of course,” Kari said, returning the embrace. She gestured Tor and Gareth Maelstrom over. “The rest of you can head back to the house. I have a few things to take care of and then I’ll be home. It’s about time I held my kids again. Even a few days is starting to feel like too long to be away from them.”
Her friends and family exchanged hugs with her, and Kari straightened up when Tarra stepped before her. The woman was nearly seven feet tall, and part of Kari was tickled that Erik had found someone as tall as himself, even if she wasn’t a rir. Kari took a moment to glance at Aeligos, and wondered how interesting adding an elestram to the mix would make their poker games, where the rogue usually ruled the table.
“Thank you for your trust,” Tarra said. “And for granting me asylum.”
“Thank you for rescuing my brother-in-law,” Kari returned. “I look forward to getting to know you. Go on home with my family, and we’ll talk soon.”
Tor and Master Maelstrom waited on Kari’s instructions next, and she told them, “Tor, you wait here a minute. I’ll need you to come with me after I talk to Master Maelstrom.”
The half-mallasti agreed with a nod a
nd sat down on the steps of the temple to wait.
Kari led Gareth toward the prison. “Can you build another portal to Mehr’Durillia?”
“Why in the world would you want me to?”
“I’ve been banned from going back there, but that hardly means I plan to obey,” Kari explained. “I know the portal in the syrinthian valley that we destroyed was two-way, and that you used to use your portal to visit other worlds. I’m interested in whether you can build a new one, one that we can more easily control, but whose destination might be in a friendly realm such as Pataria or Tess’Vorg.”
“It would require several visits to those realms, at least, to demarcate an arrival point. You must also understand that my old portal deposited me in Anthraxis, just as a transportation spell would. That is why I never advertised that I had the portal; its use would have made it too obvious to the kings that they had a means of invading here in return.”
Kari nodded. “Could you bypass the Overking’s defense mechanism, so the portal can lead somewhere else?”
“Given enough time…”
“Do it, then, please,” Kari said. “We don’t need it immediately, but we’re going to in the future. The sooner we get it done, the better, and if it goes to the realm of a king we can trust, then we shouldn’t have to worry about it being turned against us.”
“I will begin preparations immediately. How else may I be of service?”
Kari turned and put a hand to his shoulder. “Do you miss your children?”
“Of course.”
“Well, Duke Bosimar is gone. Bring them back home whenever you like,” Kari told him. “You have my full faith and permission as the head of the Order and the protector of this city.”
“Thank you, Lady Vanador. With their help, my research and work will progress much faster. I will begin at once!”
Kari watched him run off, which was surprising for a man as old as he. She continued on toward the prison, and strode down the hallway until she reached her three beshathan prisoners. She held up Arku’s head before she put it on the floor in the center of the hallway. There was no mistaking their reactions: They knew whose head it was, and what it meant for them…