To Be Victorious: The Maestro Chronicles Book 6

by John Buttrick

  Mount Filia loomed large in the early afternoon sky. Green forest covered the ground right up to a lake near the base of the mountain. Beyond was exposed rock with two broad streaks of white, a pair of crevices full of snow, even in summer. Filia had three rocky points with the center one being the peak. Daniel was pleased to see other black-feathered birds circling and winging in the vast area around their destination point. One more condor would not draw attention.

  The vast majority of the kingdom of Demfilia was about four thousand cubits above sea level with steep cliffs along the shoreline. Filia stood in the center of the realm and stretched another twelve thousand cubits higher. The smallest kingdom, located on the upper western edge of the continent, was also the richest. The mines of Demfilia contained large deposits of silver in the eastern part of the realm, gold to the west, and deep down were gems, the purity of which made them sought after worldwide.

  They were approaching from the south. We Circle? The thought came from Rifeq.

  An entry point for Slinky was what they needed to find. We circle, Daniel agreed.

  The condor flew higher above the treetops while banking to the right over the blue water of the lake. Soon they were over the evergreens and then, about half way around the eastern slope, a huge fenced-in area came into view at the base of the mountain.

  In their own sections, Daniel saw oxen, moose, deer, pigs, cows, and elk, thousands of them. Why all the livestock?

  Food, the thought came from Rifeq with the picture of bloated carcasses scattered across the ground, his idea of a good meal.

  Within the mountain was a major nest of the Serpent Guild and within that nest was Tarin Conn, if he was still alive. Finding the answer to that question was what the pair of scouts had been sent to determine. Daniel knew some of his Accomplisheds in the ISIG had animal scouts in the region, but could not identify which of the many birds and other furry little creatures he was seeing through the eyes of the condor belonged to them. It was entirely possible that Samuel and his department had gleaned the information Daniel sought and the Conductor would make the report in the upcoming meeting, the one to be scheduled by Simon after his Maestro slept after experiencing the eventful night. Daniel reckoned he had gotten about six marks of uninterrupted sleep before Rifeq ended the rest period.

  A circle of forty Accomplisheds, made up of half Two-bolts and half One-bolts, appeared, startling the herd at the noise that must have sounded to them like many whips cracking. The beasts had nowhere to go and the sound did not repeat, so they calmed quickly. In the center of the ring of Aakacarns were ten elephants, huge males with long tusks. The largest bull lifted his trunk and let out a trumpeting blast, perhaps protesting the method of travel or the fact that he was confined. Elephants were native to Ecoppia and Zune. Both kingdoms were known to include the massive creatures in their cavalry.

  Accomplisheds of the Serpent Guild could teleport food directly into the base and so Daniel doubted the herds were brought to Filia to be eaten. It was a puzzle to be sure, but not a high one on the list of things he wanted to solve. The presence of so many beasts, for whatever the reason, worked to his advantage. They all had to eat and poop and wherever such things accumulated in quantity, rodents were soon to follow. One more mouse would not be noticed.

  Rifeq’s eyes focused on a tiny crack in a ledge on a rocky cliff about a hundred paces above the base of the mountain. Better, it was not far from an opening into which a line of elk was being herded by people wearing black silks. None of the four Aakacarns guiding the procession into the mountain had a lightning bolt on his or her hooded-cloaks.

  Daniel was not surprised the one male and three females had been given the task. No-bolt Accomplisheds were considered to be second class citizens in the Serpent Guild and to a certain extent, in Aakadon. The No-bolts in the Atlantan Guild were presented class one level four crescendos, like every Aakacarn who joined, and he saw to it they were treated with respect. Even the non-Aakacarns in service to him were treated with respect and everyone from Leah on down followed his example.

  The condor touched down on the cliff and opened his talon, allowing Slinky to hop out. The mouse sniffed at the air and then began examining the crack, which was well within his ability to slip into. Thanks, Rifeq, Daniel sent the thought and received a sense of contentment along with the reply, “It was my desire.” This came with the image of the carrion-eater poking his head into a dead pig and closing his sharp beak on a good chunk of its liver. The message was clear, helping Daniel was as desirable as eating what Rifeq considered to be the favorite organ of his favorite dinner.

  Daniel switched his focus from the Condor to the mouse, leaving Rifeq to mingle with the others of his kind, and the senses of Slinky became Daniel’s own. He went along with the ride, as it were, rather than take full control of the little scout. Just like with Rifeq, Daniel would not intervene unless Slinky indicated he had a question. The creatures seem to work better when given a goal and then being allowed to carry it out without his suggestions. The birds knew how to fly and soar far better than he could, and all of the predators were experts at hunting prey. None of them needed him to tell them how to do what came naturally.

  Slinky jerked his head right, left, and then darted into the crack. His keen eyes could see well in the dark and his twitching nose caught the scent of people mixed with that of yetis, animals, other mice, rats, and sweet smelling incense, the last no doubt to help cover the smell. An equivalent to the spell, Freshen Air, could not have been in the repertoire of the Serpent Guild, otherwise they would use it rather than incense, and Daniel was sure of that.

  Slinky continued on without being prompted, scurrying through the increasingly narrow space. Daniel began to wonder if the crack would become smaller as the scout progressed, perhaps to the point he could not go farther, and would then have to go back. Slinky followed his nose and the concern began to seem all the more likely when the trail ahead cut to the right and down in a space narrower than the mouse was wide. The way forward was inaccessible.

  Slinky came to a stop, and just when Daniel expected the mouse to ask him what to do, the furry little scout went forward. The mouse squeezed through the passage with ease and his delicate eyes caught a faint glow ahead. The four-footed spy proceeded slowly until reaching a point where the crack widened again, and then he picked up speed, rushing downward in an angle that was progressively steeper. The crack ended at the floor of a tunnel, Daniel could see as the light grew brighter, and just when he thought the little scout was going to dash out and be exposed, Slinky came to a stop a tail-length from the opening.

  The voices of humans seemed much louder when heard through the ears of a mouse. Two females were speaking to each other and walking closer to the crack. He could hear the sound of their boots on the tunnel floor. Slinky peeked out and glanced to the right and then poked his head back in again. It was enough time for Daniel’s mind to memorize what he had seen, a pair of Accomplisheds, and as the swirling effect that surrounded the Chosen Vessel would have it, he knew them, or rather, had seen and heard them in the past through the eyes and ears of Screech, the osprey.

  Ursula Duggan, who had a pouty mouth, was dark of eye and hair, pale-skinned, and muscular, was dressed in black silks, cloak, pants, and shirt. The other was Ana Tigress. Her silks were tight and complimented her lithe figure. The hood was down, revealing long dark hair, and what most men would consider to be a pretty face. Some of the most dangerous creatures in the world were attractive to the eye and Daniel had no doubt Ana was one of them. Both women were of Ducaunan descent but the name Tigress meant the second Accomplished was from the Mount Geble region of Ducaun, where animal names were popular. Each Aakacarn possessed a golden lightning bolt on her cloak.

  “I just got back from Joppa, now it seems Serena is going to send me somewhere else,” Ursula complained as the two were about to pass the crack.

  Ana came to an abrupt stop and by the sound, so did her companion. “We owe our caree
rs to her. The wisest choice you or I ever made was to join Serena on the mission to recover the trumpet of Tarin Conn. If there is any doubt in your mind that she is the Supreme Maestro’s Most Favored, just consider her new title, and ask yourself if being part of her inner circle isn’t one of the best places to be within this guild.”

  Now! Daniel thought, making up his mind, and giving Slinky a mental picture of where he wanted him to go.

  The mouse shot out of the crack and under Ana’s cloak, behind her boots. The amount of light that leached in between floor and silk would not be enough for a person, but was more than enough illumination for a mouse to see clearly.

  “First Lady of the Serpent Guild,” Ursula replied. “Everyone laughed when news of Daniel Benhannon marrying that former Two-bolt of the Aloe Guild, Sherree Jenna, reached us, but no one dared laugh when the Supreme Maestro married Serena. No, I am not sorry about joining her circle, and you are correct about we two being in the best possible position for advancement. If not for her we would be fresh graduates with a long climb ahead of us. I was not complaining about my position, I was only hoping for a few days off.”

  If Daniel had not heard with his own ears, or rather, Slinky’s ears, he would not have believed Tarin Conn would marry anyone. For Serena to be First Lady of the Serpent Guild, means the Dark Maestro is still alive. The thought had merit, yet Daniel wanted to learn more.

  “Maybe you will or maybe you won’t, I cannot say, my friend” Ana replied.

  “I would not dare complain now, not after hearing how badly things went last night,” Ursula said.

  “Yes, last night. The main reason I met you at the teleportation chamber was to caution you about bringing the losses we incurred last night up in front of Serena. It is a touchy subject just now and you would be wise not to say anything unless she brings the matter up,” Ana spoke in a soft voice that could not have been heard by any human ears beyond several paces.

  “Word is, we lost in the confrontation with the Aakadon flotilla on the Mighty Hirus, in the raid on Benhannon’s holding in northern Ducaun, and the loss in Lobenia was even worse.” Ursula’s tone was equally quiet.

  “It was the first time since the war began that we actually lost more than we gained. Our skyship base on the east coast was destroyed, at least the part where the skyships were moored, along with a storehouse full of trinitrotoluene. The Accomplisheds of Aakadon have taken control of our port at the mouth of the Kopec River and we suspect they had a hand in what happened at the skyship base. Lobenia, now that did not go as planned. Daniel Benhannon took to the battlefield and from that point on our losses grew,” Ana informed her friend. “The only good thing is that vice-Maestro Badger all but destroyed the Royal Navy base at the port of New Oben. The raid cost us one of the four semi-Grand Circles involved, but the objective was achieved, even if the raid did not draw enough Atlantan Guild forces away from General Kall and his legions. It seems Daniel Benhannon was intent on finishing off our allies in that kingdom.”

  The idea Serpents could befriend one another was a bit surprising, although it probably should not have been, they were still human. As for the rest of what she said, Jerimiah would be giving a report on what happened in the Lobenian capital at the meeting, but at least Daniel had an idea of what he would be hearing, and have a few answers ahead of time. How many Atlantans and Lobenians died in the defense? He would have to wait for that answer.

  “I heard,” Ursula began and then lowered her volume further, almost to a whisper. “I heard Tri-Conductor Chen is dead and over a thousand Accomplisheds.”

  “You heard correctly,” Ana replied, and then said, “We better move on.”

  Her right boot flew up and forward, then hit the floor just as her left boot was rising, and Slinky kept his eyes on both, trying hard not to be stomped on, and stay under the cloak.

  Daniel could not see much beyond her steps, but it became apparent they were about to go in another direction when her left foot lifted up and swung to the left. The mouse scurried in the same direction and barely missed being clipped by the right foot. His paws padded onto floor tiles, so they were no longer in a tunnel, they were in a hall. Going by the shiny gleam, the area was well maintained.

  After what seemed like a long trek straight down a corridor, Ana came to a stop, Daniel heard a door open, the Accomplished stepped forward, Slinky moved with her, and then came the sound of the door closing. A few steps farther brought them to a chair, upon which his and Slinky’s moving-cover came to a stop and sat down. The mouse shot forward and under a table that appeared to have been formed out of granite with a long center support upon which lay a slightly longer but much wider slab. Two pairs of legs belonged to Ana and Ursula.

  “Agent Duggan, it is good you were able to settle that little problem in Taracopa,” the familiar voice was that of Serena Lowell, or possibly, Lowell-Conn. “It seems Agent SuTamkin has not been as resourceful as you and is experiencing some difficulty accomplishing his mission. Although, I must admit, the illegitimate son of Lord Tamkin has managed to weasel his way back into his father’s good graces. Geb is still an asset and a supplier of valuable information.”

  “Does he even have a lightning bolt yet?” a familiar male voice from the other side of the table asked while Slinky crept closer to the head of the table. The mouse stopped at the edge of the support slab and peeked around to where Serena’s boots came into view.

  “Ah, Ferren, my trusted aid, your feelings are showing. Do you still dislike SuTamkin so much?” There was amusement in the First Lady’s voice. “To answer your question, yes, he has a bolt.”

  “I like him about as much as anyone can like an arrogant swine,” Ferren Duzolta replied, and then chuckled. “I will say he is much better than Jak Taltin.”

  “Daniel Benhannon took care of that traitor for us,” Ana interjected in a voice carrying the lofty tones of great satisfaction.

  “Yes, but let us talk of other matters rather than spend valuable time speaking of old incidents,” Serena said, firmly. “Ferret, the great Tarin Conn and I want you to stay where you have been assigned and glean as much information as you can. We will need it soon.”

  Knowing where the Ferret was gathering critical information would have been useful.

  “It will be as you say, First Lady,” replied Ferren. “I have positioned myself well and expect to have precise details very soon.”

  Neither person provided the answer, sun blight it all.

  “Excellent,” Serena said and smacked her hands together and by the sound, began rubbing them in anticipation of something. “Tigress, Duggan, you will be working together on Project Sky-cruiser. The groundwork has been laid and you two will bring the project to fruition. A teleportation circle will take you to Pentrosa.”

  “It will be as you say, First Lady,” the agents replied in unison.

  “May I know the reason for all of the animals grazing near the east entrance?” Ursula asked.

  “Since you have been down south and temporarily out of communication when I married Tarin, I will tell you. The Supreme Maestro has overcome the Da Capo and is completely free of the cursed shield Benhannon placed on his potential during the Battle of Shantear. Our great leader has triumphed and now requires animal sacrifices and that is all you need to know.”

  Daniel heard what he came to hear, Tarin Conn was still alive and no longer inhibited in any way. The news was grim, but also what he suspected all along. Short of seeing the ancient Aakasear, Serena’s words were confirmation enough. The meeting continued, becoming more specific about the tasks, and yet did not add much to what he had learned.

  Sun blight it all. I don’t have time to spare!

  He likely would not have considered the possibility of a Lord of the Land of Ducaun having a son or daughter being an enemy Aakacarn. A word to Samuel on the matter might solve the problem. And it was a problem. Lord Tamkin had been assigned a squad of the Benhannon Guard and four Accomplisheds of the Atlantan Guild for prot
ection, communications, and sometimes transportation whenever the Queen required his presence in Ducanton. The man knew a lot about the defense of the realm and Daniel had to assume, given what he overheard, the Serpent Guild had the same knowledge. No wonder their raids have been so effective.

  He knew what SuTamkin looked like, having seen him through the eyes of Screech, but had not heard the name spoken, and so never made the connection. Daniel wondered, what other details have I missed?

  We should leave? Slinky’s thought, Daniel supposed, came as a result of the shift in the mood of his mental companion. The mouse was sensitive to such things.

  When it is safe to do so, Daniel responded, while sending a feeling of calm and assurance. When you leave this room, enter the nearest air vent and explore.

  Curiosity was a major impulse in the mouse, but his desire for safety was a built in survival instinct, and so complying with the response suited Slinky well. He would do his exploring from the relative safety of the ventilation system.

  The spell interpreted Daniel’s thoughts in a way that could be clearly understood by his non-human host, which meant he did not need to spend time explaining words and concepts beyond the creature’s ability to discern, and the spell interpreted the responses back in terms he could understand. The relationship was far deeper than that of the Serpents who use Tarin Conn’s spell to control yetis and sasquatches, a Melody which was most often used to issue commands that could not be disobeyed. The followers of the Dark Maestro did not care what the creatures thought or felt.

  Energy, warm and tingling, swept over Daniel’s body, causing him to lose concentration, and the mental contact with his scout. Adding to the sensual pleasure was the presence of a warm body atop his. He opened his eyes and was staring into the emerald green orbs of his wife. She smiled and kissed him right on the mouth at the moment he was about to wish her a good awakening.