by J J Moriarty
“I like it”, Safia said.
“I’ve counted the days, ten of them. But it’s harder to remember that up here”, Hyzou said.
“It’s calm. I like it”, Safia said.
“Do you ever miss home?” Hyzou asked, the question surprising himself.
“Oh. Why do you ask?” Safia asked.
“I just want to know you”, Hyzou said.
“Uqing is my home”, Safia said.
“I love Uqing. But I still remember where I came from”, Hyzou said.
Safia looked away from him.
“Yeah. I remember where I came from too”, Safia said.
They walked together in silence for the rest of the way to the strange construction, a series of beehive huts. Safia fidgeted the whole way, and occasionally asked Hyzou something about Eanno. Hyzou answered as generically as possible. In honesty, he didn’t know what to expect from Eanno himself.
“Why are you so nervous about meeting her?” Hyzou asked finally, after Safia’s fifth question.
“She’s Eanno. A god”, Safia said.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you about it”, Hyzou said. “The first time I met her I thought she was just a normal woman. It probably made it even easier for me. If I’m honest, I didn’t even believe that the gods existed before I met them, at least not in physical form.”
“Is anyone with her?” Safia asked.
“I don’t know. I can’t sense anyone. Maybe they’re hidden”, Hyzou said. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
The structure came upon them by midday. It was a large beehive hut, outside of which four horses were tied up. They weren’t horses like any Hyzou had seen before. The beasts had blue eyes, with skin as dark as coal. They were small, but compact like a bull. All four watched Hyzou with their wise eyes as he passed.
The beehive hut didn’t have a doorway, only an arch, but Hyzou stayed outside anyway. He looked inside, at a dark room. There, sitting at a table, reading a heavy stone tablet, was a figure he remembered. Her brown hair shrouded her face, but Hyzou knew it was Eanno.
“I’ve arrived”, Hyzou said.
Eanno looked up from the table at Hyzou. She smiled.
“Hyzou”, she said. “I felt you coming.”
She got up and walked over to him. He smiled, but she opened her arms out and pulled him into a strong embrace. She was just as he had remembered, a very plain woman. An average height, and average weight, average eyes in an average face.
“Look how you’ve aged”, Eanno said.
“You look just the same”, Hyzou said.
“I’m glad you’ve come”, she said, letting go of him.
“This is my apprentice, Safia”, Hyzou said.
Eanno looked behind Hyzou, at Safia.
“Safia Min Daborah. You’ve aged a lot too, since I last heard from you”, Eanno said.
Safia’s face turned a deep red.
“You could hear me?” Safia asked.
“When you prayed? I heard every word”, Eanno said.
Safia looked embarrassed.
Why would Safia have been praying to the God of Prostitution? Hyzou wondered.
“Come in, come in”, Eanno said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Hyzou followed Eanno into the beehive hut.
“How long ago did you leave Uqing?” Eanno asked, once Hyzou had entered, Safia on his tail.
“Just over a week”, Hyzou said.
“And that means that Aliya is…” Eanno asked.
“Dead, yes”, Hyzou said.
Eanno sighed.
“I’ve seen many generations of humans, it still doesn’t make it easier when one passes”, Eanno said.
“You were talking to her recently, weren’t you?” Hyzou asked.
“Yes. Yes, I was. Anyway, you two sit, there’s some soup back there for you if you’d like it”, Eanno said.
Hyzou nodded.
“Sounds perfect”, he said.
He and Safia sat down by the table. Eanno went into the corner where a large pot was sitting.
“Last time I saw you, Hyzou of Nuyin, was when you were fighting that Colossus in Lamybla. I never got around to congratulating you for that win”, Eanno said.
“You watched that?” Hyzou said.
“Yes, I went with my brother, sat beside him as he threw you that chain”, Eanno said.
“How is he? The Whisperer”, Hyzou said.
“You don’t have to call him that”, Eanno said, laughing.
“It fits him so well. You’re Eanno, but he’s The Whisperer”, Hyzou said.
“Actually, I’ve no idea where he is these days, but when I saw him last he was well”, Eanno said.
She brought over a bowl of soup to both he and Safia. It was a welcome change from the jerky and rice milk they’d been having so far in their journey.
“I’d love to exchange niceties some more, and with you too Safia, but we haven’t the time”, Eanno said.
“Aliya said it was urgent, when she sent me to see you”, Hyzou said.
“Did she tell you much else?” Eanno asked.
“No, she said Uqing wasn’t a safe space to talk about it”, Hyzou said.
Eanno sighed in relief.
“That’s right, it wasn’t safe to talk about it”, Eanno said.
“Is there someone that’s spying on Uqing? The Archai need to know about this”, Hyzou said.
“The Archai can’t know”, Eanno said.
“Who is it? Who’s spying on Uqing?” Hyzou asked.
Eanno leaned in close to Hyzou.
“Thanatis”, Eanno said.
“The God of Death?” Hyzou asked.
“The same”, Eanno said.
“What could he want with Uqing?” Hyzou asked.
“He worries that Uqing is too close to the other gods, which, to him, it is”, Eanno said.
“Does he? Why does he care?” Hyzou asked. “He’s in the underworld, and always has been.”
“It’s… Complicated”, Eanno said.
“What does it matter anyway if he’s watching us? What’s he got to do with the task you and Aliya planned?” Hyzou said.
“Everything. Look, I’m getting a bit ahead of myself, I should explain from the beginning”, Eanno said.
“Aliya told me you’d give me a name of someone I’d have to kill. That whoever this was I’d have to kill him. Who is it?” Hyzou said.
“Maybe I should explain a little”, Eanno said.
“Tell me the name”, Hyzou said.
Eanno looked at Hyzou, then shrugged.
“Kinzonzi Min Sfaza”, Eanno said.
Safia gasped. It was the first noise she’d made since entering the beehive hut. Hyzou turned to his pupil.
“Who?” Hyzou asked.
“The King of Kings”, Safia said.
“The King of what?” Hyzou asked.
Then he realised, and his eyes widened.
“The King of Kings, as in the King of CaSu?” Hyzou asked.
“The same”, Eanno said.
“CaSu, the largest city in the world, the wealthiest people and the largest army. And Kinzonzi is their uncontested leader?” Hyzou asked, incredulous.
“He’s just a man”, Eanno said.
Hyzou looked at her.
“Just a man? He’s more powerful even than Pharaoh Ganymedes. There isn’t a man in Sira Su who’s harder to kill”, Hyzou said.
“That’s why you must do it. No common assassin could handle this, you’re the only one who’s strong enough”, Eanno said.
“But an assassination isn’t the same as a fight. I’ve learned a little CaSuan, but I know almost nothing about the city, about its people”, Hyzou said.
“But I do”, Safia said.
Hyzou turned to her.
“You come from there, don’t you?” Hyzou said, remembering.
“I can help. Whatever you need”, Safia said. “I’ll do my duty.”
Eanno smiled.
“T
hat’s Hyzou’s phrase”, Eanno said.
“You’ll be with me, so that might help”, Hyzou said.
“You need her”, Eanno said.
“Do I?” Hyzou said.
“You need Shumur. He wants to make a move against Kinzonzi”, Safia said.
“I haven’t spoken to Shumur, but I hear that he’s been planning a coup d’état for some time now”, Eanno said.
“Who the fuck is Shumur?” Hyzou asked.
“My father”, Safia whispered.
“Your father?” Hyzou asked, incredulous. “What’s your father doing launching a coup d’état?”
Safia looked embarrassed, so Eanno spoke.
“CaSu isn’t like Piquea or Lamybla, like you’re used to. Family means a lot in CaSu”, Eanno said.
Hyzou frowned.
“Family meant a lot in Piquea”, Hyzou said.
“Not in the same way. In Piquea, family is a personal thing. Sure, tradesmen teach their children their craft; and the King attempts to pass his crown to his son - but these are still only personal. Even the Lamyblans and Yoboans, who name their Nobility Kyrios and pass these titles down the generations, cannot compare to the importance the CaSuans place on family”, Eanno said.
“A man is his family”, Safia said.
“So the expression goes”, Eanno said. “See, the Sfaza family is currently the dominant one in CaSu, and King of Kings Kinzonzi is their Patriarch. But there are other families in CaSu too, very powerful families. Tsaka, Alina, and Daborah; for example.”
“Daborah. Wait, like you?” Hyzou asked of Safia.
Safia nodded.
“Safia Min Daborah is my name. My father Shumur Min Daborah is the Patriarch of the Daborah family”, Safia said.
Hyzou fell silent, not because of anything he had learned about CaSuan society. Hyzou had always assumed Aliya had given him care of Safia because he was supposed to teach her to find her Qi. Hyzou had been teaching her on the basis that she had a kind of grand potential beneath her difficulties, that with enough work he could solve.
But Aliya had only taken on Safia two years ago, and she could have known even then that someone would have to assassinate the King of Kings. Safia had been taken on by Aliya not because of her ability, but because of her surname. And she had been given to Hyzou for the exact same reason, because Aliya knew that Safia was a crucial part of the task she had set Hyzou.
The last few days Hyzou had been feeling a lot of warmth towards Safia. She was funny, and really seemed to listen to what he said. But now he felt that warmth temper; he felt a coldness towards her that hadn’t existed only minutes ago.
“So you’ll be able to help me get near the King of Kings?” Hyzou asked.
“I haven’t even written home since I left, but maybe. If father wants to assassinate the King of Kings, then he’d be delighted for the help. The King of Kings see, he surrounds himself with the Nukhba Guard. Some of the strongest warriors outside of Uqing. He will not be easy to kill”, Safia said.
Hyzou looked over at Eanno.
“There’s something missing here”, Hyzou said.
“What?” Eanno asked.
“Why? Why am I going to get involved with CaSuan politics at all? Why am I putting my life at risk, and risking war between Uqing and CaSu at the same time?” Hyzou said.
“You won’t be risking war with CaSu because you’ll be leaving your robes and anything else that might identify you in this hut. After you leave here, no one but you two will know where you go and what you do. You’ll be posing as common mercenaries, and if you’re caught you won’t give up any link to Uqing. This isn’t even me telling you this, it was the condition Aliya placed upon allowing you to hear from me”, Eanno said.
“That makes sense”, Hyzou said.
“As to why, well, that’s a complicated question. And it’s all about family, mine to be exact”, Eanno said.
“The Pantheon?” Safia asked.
“The same. I’m sure you remember all those myths you’ve heard about the creation of the world?” Eanno asked.
“Tym and Spich fell from space and made the world”, Hyzou said.
“They made it through their four children. The twins, Thanatis the God of Death and Vishi the God of Life. Bvontei, the God of the Weather rules the Pantheon today, and then the final brother, Blei. My great-grandfather”, Eanno said.
“We’re aware of the myths”, Hyzou said.
“And do you know where they are today?” Eanno asked.
“The gods?” Hyzou asked.
He didn’t.
“If you followed this road for another year you’d finally make it to the Mountaintop. There you’d meet Bvontei, sitting in his stone throne. And Blei, helping him rule. And Thanatis, do you know where Thanatis is?” Eanno asked.
“The underworld”, Hyzou said.
“Yes, he and his son Orgy, the God of Chaos. Sat behind the underworld’s walls with the souls of all who have died. Thanatis has always had a touchy relationship with his siblings”, Eanno said.
“He didn’t come during Lorikuy’s Madness, when everyone’s help was needed”, Hyzou said.
“Bvontei still blames Thanatis for Vishi’s death”, Eanno said. “But it’s more than that. Thanatis is paranoid, believes that his two brothers mean him ill. Bvontei is arrogant and won’t accept any challenges to his leadership, so maybe you can say that he does mean his brother ill. Who can tell?” Eanno said.
“It sounds a mess”, Hyzou said.
“It’s worse than that, much worse than that. For thousands of years now, Thanatis and Bvontei have been on the verge of war. Bvontei has the pantheon on his side, nearly fifty gods. So, in response, Thanatis has been building an army out of the souls that join him in the underworld. He claims it’s because he fears that Bvontei will attack him, but Bvontei fears that Thanatis means to attack and dethrone him”, Eanno said.
“If they did fight, it would be here, wouldn’t it? In Sira Su, in the realms of men”, Hyzou said.
“It would”, Eanno said.
“What would happen to the world?” Hyzou asked.
Eanno sighed.
“It would be changed, changed utterly”, she said.
“Would people survive?” Hyzou said.
“Very few, the armies would destroy everything in their path”, Eanno said.
Hyzou sat back onto his chair.
“I can’t believe it. All this time, humanity has been tied to a crucifix, just waiting for the executioner to hammer some nails”, Hyzou said.
“Even most of the Archai don’t know. It’s kept secret, for obvious reasons”, Eanno said.
A thought then came to Hyzou, and he sat forward in a panic.
“Eanno, Aliya told me that this assassination was a matter of urgency. Is the world in danger?” Hyzou asked.
Eanno grimaced.
“The peace between Bvontei and Thanatis, it’s lasted because Thanatis has been an isolationist. He stays in the underworld, and leaves Bvontei to rule on the Mountaintop and throughout the natural realms. That changes, and soon”, Eanno said.
“Why?” Hyzou said.
“King of Kings Kinzonzi, he’s a monotheist”, Eanno said.
“He’s a what?” Hyzou said.
Safia spoke.
“He only believes in one god”, Safia said.
“One god. So… Wait, he only believes in Thanatis?” Hyzou asked.
“The Priests of Thanatis have always had a strong following in CaSu”, Safia said.
“But in a few days, maybe a few weeks at the least, he will issue a royal decree that Thanatis is the one true god, and all the others are impostors. He will empty all their temples and smash the icons. He’ll melt the gold down and make a giant statue of Thanatis. Any who profess to worship any other god will be exiled or killed”, Eanno said.
“That’s unusual”, Hyzou said.
“As well as family, religion plays a bigger role in CaSuan life than it does in the River Cities yo
u’re used to”, Safia said.
“Bvontei will not take it well. In fact, he is likely to consider it an act of aggression from Thanatis”, Eanno said.
“Is Thanatis behind it?” Hyzou asked.
“Maybe not, but I find it hard to believe that Thanatis’ priests would act without their god’s approval, and the priesthood are the body that are behind it”, Eanno said.
“What’ll happen if it comes to pass? If Kinzonzi names Thanatis the one true god?” Hyzou asked.
“Well, then, Bvontei will likely see it as Thanatis attempting to lay a claim to the human realm. Bvontei will respond by invading the underworld and trying to depose his brother”, Eanno said.
“And the realms of man?” Hyzou asked.
“They will be utterly destroyed. All that will be left here is dust. The living shall envy the dead”, Eanno said.
Hyzou looked at his hands, then looked back up at Eanno.
“And killing the King of Kings will stop this?” Hyzou said.
“The devotion to Thanatis is a pet project of Kinzonzi’s, if he is removed from power, there will be peace”, Eanno said.
“This is too important to leave to me. Eanno you must do this, I know you can”, Hyzou said.
But Eanno was shaking her head.
“I cannot”, she said.
“Why not? You’re stronger than me. You’re a god!” Hyzou said.
“If the King of Kings is assassinated by someone Thanatis believes to be loyal to Bvontei, he will see that as an act of war and invade the human realm”, Eanno said.
“How will he know?” Hyzou asked.
“Gods are detectable to one another”, Eanno said. “He’ll know.”
“Why me?” Hyzou asked.
“Because apart from the gods, you’re the most powerful person I could find. No one can know that I rolled the dice that began this assassination. Thanatis must believe that this was part of CaSuan internal politics. He must think you’ve been hired by the Daborah family, and that you’re just a common assassin with a particularly powerful Qi”, Eanno said.
“I can’t do this”, Hyzou said.
“You must. You’re the only one who can”, Eanno said.
“It breaks my vows”, Hyzou said.
“This is the end of the world we’re talking about Hyzou!” Eanno exclaimed.
Hyzou sighed.
“This… Shumur… He doesn’t know we’re coming?” Hyzou asked.