Essence of Chaos

by Marie Andreas

  The captain didn’t say anything, but his jaw was still tight.

  Crell nodded and dusted off her hands. “Can’t say I’ve ever had reason to go to that place, although I’ve heard plenty of rumors and whispers about it. None good, by the way. But if that’s where our mage lies, that’s where we go.” She flashed Jenna a smile. “And I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to get that wily old man out of your head, eh, Jenna?”

  Jenna laughed inside, but Ghortin was still in charge of the outside.

  “Why does everyone keep saying that?” He grumbled.

  Storm looked up from finishing his pack. “Probably because they know you.” He motioned around at the waiting group. “Shall we?”

  After consulting together, Edgar took point, Kern and his guards took the center, with Crell and her band bringing up the rear.

  Jenna and Storm stayed near the front, while Keanin kept drifting further behind until he hit Crell’s group. Unfortunately for him, the short warrior woman was in a jovial mood, and took great pleasure in poking fun at him and his discomfort. Jenna could hear her jibes all the way up at the front.

  They had to go around the temple lake and follow a path that looped around the north rim. There was a small trail that lay outside the forest, but far enough away from the lakeshore that they weren’t walking on soft sand. The day was sunny, if not warm, and the soothing pine-like scent lulled Jenna into a relaxed state.

  They made it three quarters of the way around the lake and were starting to cross southwest, when one of Kern’s men was struck by an arrow. There had been no sounds before it happened, and the archer wasn’t visible. Within seconds, all of the party had taken cover. Even Keanin found his reflexes coming back to life.

  After dragging the mortally injured man with him into the brush, Captain Kern gravely removed the arrow from his man’s chest. “Look at this shaft and fletching. Peasant bandits. Although I never would have thought any of the local gangs were big enough to try for an armed group our size.” He carefully closed the dead man’s eyes.

  “Why would bandits strike us? It’s pretty clear that we’re not merchants,” one of Crell’s people said from the base of a tree.

  “Only one way to find out.” Crell grabbed her sword and edged out into the open. “Show yourselves, you cowards. Or are you afraid of an honest fight?”

  Her words were met by silence as she slowly stepped toward the distant line of trees. As she moved, Jenna noticed that the archers in her group moved behind her, but stayed close to the tree line. Their bows were drawn and held ready. If anything was fired at their leader, a dozen arrows would be the response.

  Not that the response would stop Crell from becoming a pin cushion. Jenna thought the fierce derawri woman was taking a huge risk. She was now completely in the open, a good ten feet of open ground separated her from any cover. Jenna looked toward Storm, but he didn’t seem the least disturbed by Crell’s antics. She readied a few defensive spells and kept an eye on Crell.

  The silence grew tense as minutes passed. For all her calm facade, Crell’s grip on her sword was getting white knuckled.

  Suddenly Crell sprang into action. Her sword and body were no more than a blur as she swung her arm up and her body to the side. Jenna didn’t see the two arrows until they’d struck the ground almost exactly where Crell had been standing.

  Her people answered with their own arrows the instant that the enemy archers exposed themselves by firing. At least seven screams were their reward. With the general positions given away, Crell’s people, Kern and his group, and Storm and Edgar charged forward in a rush. Keanin held back; clearly he had no intention of chasing anyone. Jenna held back because she wasn’t sure what they were doing. The ambushers had the advantage, in her opinion, and she didn’t want her inexperience to get in the way.

  Jenna crept around to where Keanin was huddled. She may not be able to help with their defense, or whatever it was the rest of them were doing, but she could at least protect Keanin.

  “Are you okay?” At Keanin’s tense nod, she added. “What are they doing?”

  “Trying to get themselves killed,” Keanin whispered back. “That’s Crell’s strategy. She charges ambushes. It works for her people because they’ve trained for it. But to pull in outsiders like that is wrong.” He let his voice trail off in anger and distress.

  “They didn’t look like they’d been pulled in to me. I think they went vo—” She broke off as a blood-smeared bandit appeared directly behind Keanin.

  The bandit lifted a wickedly curved blade to swing at Keanin’s unprotected head. Jenna reacted instinctively. She mentally pulled in Power from the chaos, releasing it as she flung a ball of fire at the bandit’s face. He dropped his saber and frantically clawed at his burning skin. With a fluid movement she reached into her boot and threw one of her knives into the injured man’s chest. He clutched at it with one hand before collapsing. She let the fire burn out, then she slowly slid to the ground as her actions caught up to her. This was the first time she’d killed someone without being in her mysterious rage. She couldn’t look at the body, and kept her eyes down until Keanin came and took her shoulder.

  “My god, Jenna.” His voice was weak. “Are you all right?”

  Jenna forced her eyes up to his face. “I never killed anyone before,” she whispered, looking into the brush where the body lay. Keanin gave her an odd look. “The other times, it wasn’t me. I mean, it was, but not all me. The other times I’ve fought, something else took over.” She wrapped her arms around her knees.

  “I can imagine it’s not easy.” Keanin laid an arm around her shoulders.

  The two sat there in silence until the others returned. Most of them seemed to be all right. Two of Kern’s guards and one of Crell’s archers were injured, but only one needed help to walk.

  Jenna held her feelings in check. She was upset at the way they had all so mindlessly run after the ambush, but at the same time she didn’t know what the proper procedure for attacking an ambush was.

  “Is Ghortin there?” Storm asked as he came to where they were sitting. He hadn’t noticed the body yet and Jenna didn’t feel like pointing it out.

  “No, he seems to have left again,” she said before a familiar voice sounded in her head.

  “May I, lass?” Jenna gathered by his tone that he was aware of what happened.

  “Be my guest.” She let him take over.

  “I’m here, boy. That was a damn foolish thing all of you did, running into that ambush. I’m glad to see the damages weren’t worse.”

  Storm looked down briefly. Obviously he realized that it hadn’t been the best reaction, but he was too proud to say it. “We had to do something; besides, it’s over.”

  “And next time you damn fools will do the same thing. Ki’ Crell’s people are trained for such maneuvers, the rest of you are not. And I won’t have this campaign endangered because you young idiots keep thinking you’re invincible.” Jenna felt Ghortin’s indignation and was pleased that she hadn’t said anything. It came out with much more force when it was from him. Even when it was coming out of the same body. The tension in him eased a bit and she felt a light flutter as if he mentally hugged her. “And if you’d pay attention, you would see that these two companions of yours are ill at ease and that there is a dead bandit in the grass behind us. Jenna had to kill him unassisted. It was her first, and she’s taking it hard.”

  Storm jerked his head up and finally saw the body. Grimly, he pulled out the knife and wiped it on the grass before handing it back.

  “I’m sorry. But what do you mean ‘it was her first’? She’s killed others, I’ve seen her.”

  “Not really. I haven’t been able to pinpoint the source, but something seems to take her over at times. It appears to be in events of high stress. It might have something to do with the echo, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, it didn’t happen this time. She did it on her own. However, she will have to grieve later. What did you find out ab
out the bandits?”

  “That they weren’t good at their job and there were only twelve of them. They were all killed, so we couldn’t interrogate anyone. Edgar thinks they weren’t local bandits at all, but a trap set for us.”

  “I’d say he’s right; Edgar is rarely wrong on such things. I’d say whatever forces are behind these attacks are finding multiple ways to get to us. I think we should try to put as much distance between us and here as we can. I’m giving way to Jenna, she needs time to process things. However, I’ll be back when we set up camp; don’t think you young fools are getting away with that stunt you pulled.”

  Storm started to defend himself and the others, then realized it was Jenna before him and not Ghortin. Sighing, he helped her and Keanin up and the three of them went to join the others.

  27

  The wary group continued on for another two hours after the injured were sent back to the temple. Not a single bush was passed without close scrutiny, but no one else attacked them.

  True to his word, Ghortin stayed out of contact with Jenna, leaving her to dwell on the dead bandit. No matter how many times she told herself that he would have killed Keanin and herself if she hadn’t done it, or that she had killed before, it didn’t matter. She kept seeing the horrified look on his face when she threw the fireball at him.

  They’d found a suitable camp and she was almost finished getting her tent up when Crell paid a visit.

  “Heard you got a nasty surprise earlier. I wanted to see how you are holding up.” Her open face was lit with a compassionate smile.

  Jenna forced a tight smile of her own. “I think I’ll be all right. I feel foolish going to pieces because I had to kill a single bandit. No one else has lost it, and they’ve had to kill many times.” She didn’t want to try to explain her strange situation to Crell, especially since she didn’t know how much she was supposed to tell anyone.

  Crell laid a small weather-beaten hand on her arm. “I know, lass. I’m not sure I understand how or why, but Storm made it clear that this was the first time you’d been aware when you killed someone. I’d like to tell you it gets easier, but I don’t believe in lying.” She paused, searching Jenna’s face. “My people have a custom. After a young warrior has had their first kill in battle, a seasoned warrior befriends them, and they talk. Not so much about the killing, but about life. It strengthens our ties and helps us get through a difficult time. I would like to help you, if you’ll let me.”

  The offer was sincere. Jenna knew that if she said no, the derawri warrior would leave without ill will. But Jenna realized she wanted someone to talk to. Someone other than her two brooding kelar companions. She covered Crell’s small hand with her own. “I’d like that.”

  As Crell nodded and sat down, Jenna thought of one question that had been on her mind which had nothing at all to do with killing or battles.

  “Why do you call Corin, Storm? I thought only Ghortin and I did.”

  Crell leaned forward with an appreciative smile. “Very observant. And a good way to start an eve of talk.” She pulled out a small silver flask and offered a sip to Jenna before continuing. Jenna took the offered sip, and managed to hide her grimace as the fiery liquid burned down her throat. Crell nodded and took a much larger sip.

  “I’ve known Storm since he was a wee lad. He’s always been a terror, never fitting in and whatnot. My family is tied to his; my line is sworn to protect the royal family. Since I was the youngest in our line, I was given the children to watch. That young Corin was a hellion. He knew that if he got into trouble he wouldn’t have to go to the boring court events, so he got into as much trouble as possible. He’d whip through the chambers like a boar in rut, knocking things all around. I never caught him, but I had a pretty good idea who was doing it. I also had a good idea why. So, whenever they’d ask if I knew who did it, I’d say some storm must have been through here.” She laughed and took another long draw from the bottle. “That boy would get so mad at me since I wouldn’t say it was him. The first few times he tried to tell people it was him. I said I’d been watching him, and he’d done no such thing. I wasn’t going to make it easy for him to shirk his courtly duties, even at that age. He finally gave up trying to claim credit, but took to just answering to the name Storm.” She shook her head with a wry grin at the memory. “That lad was a handful, but I respected him for it in a way; so I’ve called him Storm ever since. And now there are two of us. I’d say that’s a fine place to start a friendship.”

  Jenna nodded in agreement as she watched the rest of the group settle in for the night. She felt a little bad about not helping set things up, but she reasoned she would volunteer to set up magical protection around the camp once they’d settled. She wasn’t yet skilled enough to hide a group this large and spread out, but she could at least set wards a distance from the camp that would tell them if something dangerous was coming. The other mage in the group, Frankon, a thin, dreary man of Kern’s guard, said such a thing was a waste and below his abilities. Jenna surreptitiously probed him magically and could tell he wasn’t much above apprentice level himself. He also lacked her innate Power, and more than likely would never get much higher in his life. She left him alone after that, doing the things that she knew he couldn’t.

  “Thinking of me again are you?” Ghortin’s voice echoed cheerfully in her mind. He sounded much better than he had when he’d left.

  “Only indirectly. We’ve settled camp, do you want to chastise them now?” She’d noticed Edgar and Storm shooting questioning glances her way for the past hour or so. They both knew that Ghortin would be giving them hell for their role in the morning’s attack on the bandits, and they didn’t want to be caught unaware.

  “Yes, if you don’t mind. It won’t take too long.” As he spoke, Jenna mentally stepped aside to let him do his worst.

  “Fair Ki’ Crell, could I trouble you for a few minutes? I have some foolish idiots to talk to, and I think you should be part of it.”

  “So that’s why Jenna’s face went slack all of a sudden. I’d thought she’d taken too much drink. I assume you’re going to be yelling at Storm, Edgar, and the rest?”

  “My dear, I do not yell, I discuss.”

  Jenna gave a snort at that, one that was echoed by Crell.

  “You forget, old man. I’ve heard your discussions. Been on the receiving end a few times. Don’t go too hard on them, they fought well, and it was my fault as much as theirs. I should have told them to stay clear.”

  “I haven’t forgotten anything.” Jenna gave Ghortin a mental poke, then he amended, “Well, not much anyway. Or so we hope. Actually, what I want you to do is get those lumps working together. We have too many separate things going on here. We’ll all be together until Lithunane, perhaps longer. We need to be a cohesive unit.”

  Ghortin still hadn’t let anyone in on what his plans were once he returned to Lithunane.

  “So you’ve decided to do something?” Crell said.

  “Why does everyone always feel they have to know everything that’s going on? I’m not able to know for certain how long this will go on; not until we’ve reached Lithunane at any rate. But, who knows? We have just begun our journey, and no one is able to say where they will end up. Now, if you would be so kind as to bring our friends over here, I can get this over with and give my poor apprentice back her body.”

  Crell nodded with a smile and dusted herself off. “Your wish is my command.”

  She returned a few minutes later with Storm, Edgar, and Captain Kern. Lagging behind, and trying to look like he wasn’t following, was Kern’s thin mage, Frankon. He seemed fascinated whenever Ghortin made an appearance and usually endeavored to be somewhere close by.

  Crell bowed. “Your victims, my most powerful mage.”

  “I’ll keep this brief, but don’t think that I’m not serious. If any of you pull something like that again, I’ll send you back.” He grimly forced each one of them to meet his eyes—or rather, Jenna’s eyes. “We’re not
yet sure what we’re up against, but it all points to something big. Something that we can’t afford to lose against because of juvenile heroics. Those bandits were untrained, and I think someone put them together quickly for our benefit. The next time they may get better help. And we can be assured there will be a next time. I think that someone doesn’t want us going to Lithunane, which is all the more reason to get down there as quickly and safely as possible. I want all of you to work with Ki’ Crell and her people. They are trained for this type of fighting. If she says hold back, you hold.” He studied all three faces to make sure he’d gotten through. Jenna was surprised that none of them protested in the slightest. Then she looked at them through Ghortin’s perception.

  All three were experienced fighters; they realized how close that ambush had been to doing serious damage to them. Ghortin wanted to drive the point home and get them working under a single command. None of them would question any command Crell gave them, at least not during this trip.

  “I’ll leave you to Ki’ Crell, but don’t think I’m not watching you all. And soon, goddess willing, I’ll be back in my own, much larger, body, if you take my meaning.”

  Jenna felt him slip away, and found four sets of eyes, five if you counted Frankon, trained on her. She raised a hand and shrugged. “Don’t blame me; I’m just a body in this.”

  Everyone relaxed when they realized that the mastermage was gone. A minute later Jenna was completely alone, although Crell had only left to get food for the two of them.

  Jenna was straightening out her sleep sack when she felt eyes upon her. Turning, she caught Frankon giving her a strangely hungry glance. He dropped it immediately, but didn’t move away.

  “Good eve, apprentice Jenna,” he said stiffly. “I was wondering if Ghortin was around.”

  Jenna held her snide comment in check. She’d been trying to hide this moron’s lack of skills, and here he was, treating her like she was nothing more than a servant.