Alutar: The Great Demon

by Tuttle, Richard S.

  The water in the area of the tent was already waist deep, but it was receding quickly the water started flowing towards the harbor, following the natural slope of the land. The soaked priest stormed into the palace and made his way to the office of Grand General Kyrga. Kyrga looked up with annoyance as he sensed someone entering his office unbidden, but his annoyance immediately turned to curiosity as he viewed the drenched priest.

  “Did you step off the dock?” quipped the Grand General.

  “Your humor is not appreciated,” scowled the priest. “Our last portal has been compromised. It is buried underwater like the others. I need to see the Master.”

  Kyrga frowned deeply. Lord Kommoron had already left the palace, and Kyrga had instructions not to contact him in the Sanctum.

  “Tomorrow will be soon enough,” Kyrga replied. “There is little we can do about the loss of the portal now.”

  “It is more than the mere loss of a portal,” snarled the demonkin. “It means that the Alceans know about our latest attack force.”

  “I understand that,” retorted Kyrga, “but we can do nothing about that, either. Our spare portals do not seem to work. The spells on them were faulty. We have no way to reach the attack force in Alcea to warn them.”

  “There is one way left,” insisted K’san.

  “What way is that?” questioned Kyrga.

  “It is not something that you need to be made aware of,” replied the demonkin. “The Master will know what I mean. That is all that you need to know. Summon him now.”

  “It is not within my power to summon Lord Kommoron,” stated Grand General Kyrga.

  K’san growled and moved menacingly towards Kyrga, one arm outstretched towards the general’s throat. The Grand General knew that one touch from K’san could end his life. He also knew that his guards in the hallway would probably flee before getting in between K’san and him. He backed away as his mind whirled for a solution to the problem.

  “Emperor Jaar,” Kyrga said quickly. “He has the power to summon a lord to the palace. Ask Jaar to send a man.”

  The priest halted and let his arm drop to his side. K’san turned and left the office, heading for the office of Emperor Jaar.

  Chapter 20

  The 31st Corps

  K’san barged past the emperor’s guards and entered Jaar’s office. The emperor looked up with curiosity as the large demonkin entered with the guards on his heels. Both guards pulled their swords, and one of them even managed to swing his sword and strike K’san’s neck, but the demonkin was not injured. He turned and grabbed the offending guard by his tunic and raised him off the floor.

  “Stop!” shouted the emperor.

  The three figures froze.

  “K’san, put down my guard,” commanded the emperor. “Their job is to protect me, and they are following their orders faithfully. I will not have them manhandled.” Turning his gaze to the guards, the emperor lowered his voice and said, “The priest is welcome here. Go and maintain a vigil outside the door.”

  K’san lowered the guard to the floor, and both guards hurried to follow the emperor’s orders. They retreated from the room and closed the door. Emperor Jaar looked up at the demonkin and shook his head.

  “Such displays in the Imperial Palace are not helpful,” the emperor said disapprovingly. “You would have gotten to talk to me easier by merely knocking. I would not refuse you entry. What urgent crisis causes you to act so brashly?”

  “I need to speak to the Master,” K’san replied. “Grand General Kyrga would not send a messenger to summon him.”

  “With good reason,” frowned the emperor. “Our Master does not wish to be seen as anyone special in the Imperial Palace. Such a summoning would defy his wishes.” The emperor’s brow creased as he gazed at the demonkin. “You have already spoken to the Master this evening. Why did you not speak of what is troubling you then?”

  “I did not know the truth then,” replied K’san. “When I tried to return to Alcea, I discovered that the Alceans had flooded the portal, just like all the others. That means that the Alceans know about our new attack force.”

  “Perhaps,” mused the emperor. “It certainly shows that they have discovered the portal, but nothing more. Had they flooded the portal days ago when our army entered Alcea, I would draw the same conclusion that you are drawing now, but much time has passed. In any event, the Master can wait until morning to learn of this latest setback. There is no need to endanger him with such alarm. It is not as if he can do anything about the portals.”

  “He can,” declared the demonkin. “There is another way to warn our army. The Master knows of this.”

  Emperor Jaar raised an eyebrow at the demonkin’s words. He could not imagine a way to reach the army in Alcea, but he did not think that K’san would assert himself frivolously.

  “Go to the Temple of Balmak in this city,” instructed the emperor. “I will send a message to the Master to meet you there.”

  * * * *

  Lord Kommoron’s carriage halted a block away from the temple. The noble pulled his hood forward to conceal his face and then stepped out of the carriage. He made his way towards the temple, depending on his carriage guards to watch for anyone taking particular notice of their master. Lord Kommoron reached the rear door of the temple and let his wristband be seen by the sentries. One of the sentries knocked on the door, and it opened immediately. The noble stepped inside, ignoring the black-cloak who stood guard on the other side. He pushed past the mage and headed for K’san’s office. When he arrived, the demonkin was waiting for him.

  “You had better have a good reason for disturbing me at my home,” scowled Lord Kommoron.

  “The Alceans have discovered our last portal,” the priest announced. “I suspect that they might know about the latest attack force sent there. If so, we need to get word to them.”

  “And how would you suggest doing that?” frowned the noble.

  “The demons,” answered K’san. “They have the ability to make such a trip.”

  The crease in Lord Kommoron’s brow deepened as he stared at the demonkin. “The demons are not inclined to meddle in such affairs. That has been made clear to me more than once. Heavy involvement by the demons will drag the gods into this conflict. That is not what Alutar desires.”

  “Alutar fears that the Mage might discover his whereabouts before he is prepared to face him in battle,” retorted the demonkin. “That is not the same thing as awakening the gods.”

  “I have no need to parse words with you,” scowled the noble. “The demons have shown reluctance to get involved. That is enough to deter me from bothering them with this issue.”

  “They have been involved already,” retorted K’san. “D’Artim has been to Tagaret to aid his plaything, Artimor. Besides, Alutar requires the devastation of Tagaret. We must do everything we can to ensure the success of the latest attack force. We have no means to send another army to Alcea.”

  Lord Kommoron sighed as his eyes fell to the floor in contemplation. He realized that the demonkin spoke the truth, but he did not trust the demons. Indeed, he was fearful of their involvement. He sighed again and looked into K’san’s face.

  “Send a black-cloak,” ordered the noble.

  “But the plea should come from you, Master.”

  “The demons merely need to be made aware of the situation,” retorted Lord Kommoron. “If they deem it is to Alutar’s benefit to become involved, they will. Send a black-cloak.”

  * * * *

  The sun was climbing high into the sky when Colonel Pfaff called a halt to the portion of the 31st Corps that he commanded. Two thousand riders halted and dismounted. Seeing a signal from Colonel Pfaff, Major Stark rode forward to see what the colonel wanted.

  “Have the men tether their mounts,” Colonel Pfaff instructed the major. “I want the horses placed to the south of our rear guard and I want each of the groups separated. Place the white group in front, and the lavender group in the rear. The blue
and green groups can straddle both sides of the road. When that is done, take a squad northward on the Lombardi Road. Make sure that the squad shares our lavender persuasion. If they are on schedule, you should find the A Corps less than a league up the road. Let General Forshire know that we are ready for him.”

  The major saluted and started issuing orders to the soldiers. Colonel Pfaff remained mounted, watching his army prepare for a rest period. None of the men appeared to be overly concerned about rebels being in the area. As the camp began to settle down, the colonel rode to the rear guard and dismounted. One of the soldiers rose and took the reins to the colonel’s horse. The colonel let his eyes scan the upturned faces of the lavender group before speaking softly.

  “You are to appear relaxed,” the colonel said to his patriots, “but the time for battle is fast approaching. In a few moments, the A Corps will arrive here. They are our allies, and you will not attack them, nor will they attack you. When the fighting begins, choose your targets wisely. Let the A Corps handle those near them. We will attack those of the 31st Corps that are closest to us. The bow will be your primary weapon, but keep your swords handy. This could easily get messy. Also, if you have a choice of targets, take out the archers first. The one thing you must accomplish is to make sure that no one gets on a horse and rides out of here. There are to be no survivors to hurry back to Waxhaw and spoil our surprise for King Daramoor. Any questions?”

  “The A Corps is known to be a bunch of misfits,” one sergeant said. “If we only attack those near us, we will have no way of protecting the A Corps. I guess what I am saying is that by attacking our fellow soldiers, we will be placing ourselves against our own men. If they manage to finish off the A Corps, we will be badly outnumbered. We could easily lose this engagement. Wouldn’t it be better to attack during the night when they are sleeping?”

  “I think you will find that the rumors are false,” replied Colonel Pfaff. “I have been assured that the A Corps can handle itself quite well, and I have faith in my source. Besides, it is too late for changes. The A Corps is already on its way here. Follow my orders and leave the worrying to me.”

  The sergeant nodded anxiously, and Colonel Pfaff left the group. To cover his need to speak to the lavender group, he walked to the blue group and spoke softly to them. His words were informal and light, and he managed to put the men at ease. He repeated his performance for the green group and was on his way to speak to the white group when a column of Federation soldiers appeared on the road to the north. Major Stark and his squad preceded the A Corps, and they rode through the camp and dismounted near the lavender group, tethering their horses with the others. General Forshire rode past the white group and halted in front of Colonel Pfaff. His voice was loud when he spoke, and all of the groups listened to his words.

  “You are in charge of this detachment, Colonel Pfaff?” asked General Forshire.

  “I am, General,” the colonel responded. “We are searching for rebels. Have you come across any?”

  “In fact, we have,” General Forshire responded. “We just destroyed one thousand of them. There may be some smaller pockets of them left, but they will not pose a threat to us. I will have my men keep watch just in case.”

  General Forshire turned in his saddle and made motions with his hand. Two colonels from the A Corps saluted and started shouting orders. General Forshire then dismounted and stood facing Colonel Pfaff.

  “Set up a perimeter for this camp,” Colonel Magee ordered loudly. “First Regiment, take the south side of the road. I want a protective ring around this camp and fifty paces out. Nock your arrows and keep an eye out for anyone trying to approach this meeting.”

  “Second Regiment,” shouted Colonel Hardi. “You heard the orders. Take the north side of the road and be quick about it. No one comes near this road without authorization from General Forshire or the leader of the 31st Corps.”

  “We may talk now without looking over our shoulders,” General Forshire said to the colonel. “Did you see any stragglers heading south before us?”

  “None,” answered Colonel Pfaff. “The road has been quiet all the way from Waxhaw. Did you say you killed a thousand rebels? Our reports put their number at only five hundred.”

  “One thousand,” General Forshire responded. “We took the head of their leader, a man called General Blackmoor. One of my officers is carrying it. I wonder if I could get you to verify the identity for me.”

  “I will try to,” replied the colonel. “Let me see it.”

  The general led the colonel away from the center of the camp and past the white group to where several dozen men of the A Crops held the northernmost portion of the Lombardi Road. Both officers walked casually as if they were conversing in the streets of Waxhaw. They appeared quite relaxed and informal. The men of the 31st Corps looked curiously at the A Corps soldiers manning the perimeter, but all of them were looking away from the road. No longer able to hear the words of the two officers, most of the men of the 31st Corps lost interest in the meeting. They began to talk among themselves, the talks revolving around women, taverns, and desired pursuits during their upcoming time off when they returned to the city.

  General Forshire and Colonel Pfaff halted at the tether lines for the A Corps. The general made a show of opening up a pack on one of the horses, but there was nothing inside for the colonel to see. Instead, they spoke softly to each other.

  “Is this going to work?” asked Colonel Pfaff. “Some of my men have expressed concerns.”

  General Forshire smiled thinly. “It will be over in an eye blink,” the general said. “Your men are far more relaxed than I had expected. You have prepared them well.”

  “I hope so,” the colonel said anxiously. “I mean no disrespect, General, but the A Corps has a certain reputation. That is the source of the concerns from my men. They worry that if your men are struck down quickly enough, the lavender group will be wiped out because they showed their hand when the attack began.”

  “I wish I had known about that in advance,” replied the general. “I would have told you to have your lavender group stand down.”

  “Do you mean not use them?” frowned the colonel. “I don’t understand.”

  “Turn around and view your camp, Colonel,” instructed the general. “Tell me what you see.”

  The colonel complied, but he shook his head in confusion. “I see the 31st Corps taking a break, and I see the A Corps holding a perimeter. What am I supposed to see?”

  “Visualize the men of the A Corps facing the opposite direction than they are right now,” continued the general. “Now what do you see?”

  “Two thousand arrows pointed at the 31st Corps,” answered the colonel.

  “And only fifteen hundred targets,” stated General Forshire. “Every one of my men is a decent shot, Colonel. There will be no battle here today. Watch.”

  General Forshire whistled loudly. Three fourths of the members of the perimeter guard immediately pivoted and let fly their arrows. The other fourth also pivoted, but they fired their arrows a couple of seconds later. There were screams of pain and surprise, but they all ended abruptly. Before the lavender group could get to its feet, the fighting was over. The colonel stood staring in disbelief.

  “I can’t believe it,” he gasped. “Not one of the men had a chance to fight back. Even with a superior number, it is incomprehensible that not a single man withstood the first barrage. I mean surely some archers must have targeted the same man.”

  “My men have been trained to choose the correct target in such a situation,” replied the general. “Each man knew his placement in the perimeter line, and each of them chose a matching target among your men. The only confusion would come from some of your men moving about after my men chose their targets, That is why every fourth man was selected for a delayed strike. Anyone missed on the first barrage was immediately targeted by the second. It works very well as you can see.”

  “I am impressed,” the colonel said sincerely
, “and I suspect my men will be as well. No longer will the A Corps be known as misfits.”

  “I happen to enjoy the reputation of the A Corps,” chuckled General Forshire. “It causes the enemy to underestimate my army.”

  “What do we do now?” asked the colonel. “There is no head of General Blackmoor to deliver to King Daramoor.”

  “There is no need for one,” answered the general. “I will accompany you back to Waxhaw and praise the performance of your men. I will let the king know how you managed to wipe out three thousand rebels.”

  “Three thousand?” questioned the colonel. “I don’t think the king will believe so many died.”

  “He will,” replied General Forshire. “You have to have a good reason for losing fifteen hundred men and yet still be praised for your performance. Besides, I have a few things to say to your king that will distract him from this mission. I will explain it all as we travel to Waxhaw. Have Major Stark take command of your men. You and I will ride on ahead while they bury the dead.”

  “Is that necessary?” asked the colonel.

  “Perhaps not necessary,” answered the general, “but it is the decent thing to do and your men have the time to do it. I need to have your army delayed in its arrival in Waxhaw. King Daramoor is going to be expecting the A Corps to arrive with your men, but the A Corps is heading the other way. By the time your men return to the city, the situation in Waxhaw should be resolved.”