Needs of the Empire

by Christopher Mitchell

He glanced around, scanning everywhere for her. He heard a noise from the other side of the wagon, and ran. As he reached the rear wheel, he saw Daphne up on the saddle of the stallion.

  ‘I’ll be back soon,’ she said. ‘I’ll listen to your apology then.’

  She spurred her heels, and the stallion took off, racing down the road past the clustered wagons and out of sight.

  Killop stood and stared.

  The rain started, then turned to sleet, and Killop remained alone on the muddy ground as the convoy continued on.

  What had just happened?

  He had known that Daphne would go. He knew he would have done the same.

  And now she was gone.

  He shook the sleet from his hair and began walking. The light was growing dim, and the black clouds overhead promised more rain. His wagon was at the rear of the convoy, and he approached the back and climbed up.

  Karalyn ran to him.

  ‘Dada,’ she said. ‘Where’s mama?’

  ‘She’ll be back soon.’

  He glanced up towards the front of the wagon. Laodoc was sitting on the driver’s bench, looking ahead as the wagons came to a halt. He had a tight smile on his lips.

  Killop thanked the old couple, picked up Karalyn, and jumped down from the rear of the wagon. He pulled his cloak over the child as the sleet continued to fall.

  ‘Let’s find Auntie Bridget.’

  Chapter 33

  Incarnation

  P lateau City, The Plateau – 19 th Day, Second Third Winter 506

  Time had no meaning for Shella. A blindfold covered her eyes, and a hood had been tied over her head. Her hands were locked into thick metal gauntlets, and she was chained by her wrists and ankles to a bed. Every muscle in her body was in agony. Unable to stretch or move about, she lay for hour after hour in the silence of the cell where the wardens of the One True Path had dragged her.

  Her mind had fallen into a trance, and she was no longer sure when she was awake or asleep, or if there was a difference. She dreamed, and memories flooded her mind. At times she was sure Obli was standing in the room next to her, or Jayki, or any of the other people she had known who had died. She began to suspect that she might be dead herself. The only thing keeping her from giving up was meal time.

  Every few hours hands grabbed her, and moved her into a sitting position. Her arms would be restrained, and the lower half of her hood opened. A wooden spoon would shove soup into her mouth, and she would eat, her body’s instincts taking over while her mind observed from afar.

  Afterwards she would be led to the toilet pit, where despite the blindfold, she would close her eyes and pretend she was alone, her face burning from the humiliation.

  Then she would be re-chained to the bed and left alone to the silence and the darkness.

  ‘Did you hear what I said?’

  She remembered the wave of toxic sludge that flooded the city of Akhanawarah, and her horror as it rushed towards them, sweeping away the riverbank docks and quays, and poisoning the water supplies. Then she remembered the people sicken and die after drinking the polluted liquid to satisfy their raging thirsts.

  ‘Mage Shella, respond if you can hear me.’

  And then came the firestorm, burning its way through the city with a ruthless precision, a wall of flames as high as a tenement block, incinerating everything in its path. She saw Kylon on his knees, weeping as he realised it was Keira.

  ‘Sit her up.’

  Hands pulled at her shackles. Was it time for soup?

  She opened her mouth, her stomach rumbling.

  ‘Mage Shella?’

  She waited for the soup to arrive.

  ‘Take her hood off.’

  The buckle beneath her chin was unfastened. The thick hood was lifted over her head, and Shella felt air on her cheeks for the first time since she had been arrested.

  She was slapped across the face, but didn’t react.

  ‘Restrain her arms, then remove the blindfold.’

  Rough hands took hold of her arms and her blindfold was pulled off. She blinked, then clenched her eyes shut.

  ‘Extinguish every lamp except for one,’ the voice said. ‘Shella, it’s me, Arnault. It’s time.’

  She opened her eyes a crack, but her vision was painful and blurry.

  ‘How long?’ she whispered.

  ‘You’ve been detained here for nineteen days,’ the Lord Vicar said.

  ‘Bastards. ’

  ‘That’s more like it. Warden, put her hood back on. She’s fine.’

  The hood was pulled back down over her head and re-fastened under her chin.

  ‘Stand her up. We’re going.’

  Shella was hauled to her feet. She staggered, but the wardens on either side kept her upright, and she was half-carried for several yards.

  ‘That’s them all,’ she heard Arnault say. ‘Follow me, everyone.’

  She was dragged along, her feet trying to keep up with the pace. Her mind raced. Something was happening. She shook her head. Nineteen fucking days.

  The wardens stopped, and Shella was lowered to the floor. She heard a door slam and a bar slide into position.

  ‘Is it soup time?’ said a voice to her left.

  ‘Benel?’ she cried through her hood. ‘Is that you?’

  ‘I think so,’ the voice said, ‘though I can’t tell if I’m dreaming or not.’

  ‘You’re not,’ she said. ‘We’ve just been moved.’

  ‘Shella?’

  ‘Who the fuck else do you think it is?’

  ‘Do you speak Rahain?’ said another voice in the room.

  ‘Yeah,’ Shella replied. ‘Who are you?’

  ‘Lilyann.’

  ‘Are you from Rahain?’

  ‘No,’ she said. ‘I’m Kellach Brigdomin. Learned Rahain from being a slave.’

  ‘Are you a mage?’

  ‘Are you?’

  ‘I think we all are,’ said Benel. ‘That’s why we’re here.’

  ‘I’m Rahain,’ said another voice, to Shella’s right, ‘and I’m a mage.’

  ‘Shit,’ Shella said. ‘That’s four of us. Is there a Sanang here too?’

  A different voice started to speak. Shella didn’t understand what the man was saying, though he kept repeating the word Sanang.

  ‘Does anyone speak his language?’ she asked.

  The other mages said nothing.

  ‘Sorry, buddy,’ she said to the Sanang man .

  ‘So there’s five of us,’ Benel said. ‘One from each nation.’

  ‘Okay, but why?’ Shella said. ‘What are they going to do to us?’

  ‘I’ve been here, trapped in this place for thirds,’ said the Rahain man. ‘There used to be dozens of us, captured after the alliance invasion. Now only a few remain. Every so often, one of our number is taken from our group, and led away. They never come back. Today, it was my turn.’

  ‘So they might still be alive,’ said the Kellach woman, who sounded young to Shella’s ears.

  ‘How did a fire mage get captured?’ she asked her.

  The room fell into silence. Shella shook her head in frustration. With her blindfold removed she was able to make out the dim light of a lamp through the thin fabric of the hood, but nothing else.

  ‘I surrendered to the church,’ the young woman said. ‘I gave myself up.’

  ‘What?’ Shella said. ‘Why?’

  ‘A Holdings deacon converted me to the creator-faith when I lived in Rahain. He told me that, because I was blessed as a mage, I should make my way to the imperial capital, and offer my services to the Emperor.’

  ‘And did you?’

  ‘Aye, I did. Priests were waiting for me when I arrived at the docks, but a whole load of Kellach were there as well. I guess someone must have spread the word that a fire mage was on board the ship. The Kellach carried me away to their quarter of the city. They said they were doing it for my own protection, but I tried to fight them. Then the Emperor or whoever sent in a whole fucking
army of wardens to get me out. It was a right mess. The One True Path chained me up, put a bag on my head and dragged me here. Wherever here is.’

  ‘The Imperial Institute of Research into the Mage Arts,’ Benel said.

  ‘But what happens here?’ she said. ‘The Kellach told me there was an earthquake or something.’

  ‘There was,’ said Shella, ‘and I’m going to guess it happened the last time they had all five types of mages gathered together. ’

  ‘That earthquake killed four of my people,’ the Rahain man said, ‘not including the one who was taken away by the wardens a few hours before it occurred.’

  ‘So you were captured after the earthquake, Lilyann?’ Shella said.

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘The riot in the Kellach quarter happened a couple of days before we were arrested,’ Benel said.

  ‘So,’ Shella said, ‘after twenty-odd days chained up and hooded, are you still a great believer in the church?’

  ‘I’m angry,’ said Lilyann. ‘Hungry. Pissed off. But I must have faith that all this is for the best. The Creator wouldn’t allow this to happen without a good reason.’

  ‘You’re a fucking idiot,’ Shella said.

  ‘Steady,’ said Benel. ‘We need to stick together.’

  ‘How can we trust her?’ Shella said. ‘She sounds like she wants to help them.’

  ‘Whatever they’re going to do to us,’ Benel said, ‘there’s a high probability that it will kill us. Maybe the earthquake was a genuine mistake, but if it was, then it proves that even the Lord Vicar and the best vision mages in the land are capable of making mistakes. They could make another. After all, there’s a Sanang army heading this way. I’d imagine the church are under a considerable amount of pressure.’

  ‘There’s an army approaching?’ the Rahain man said.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Shella, ‘and a fucking big one too, lead by Keira the fire mage. She’s already overthrown the King of Sanang, and destroyed two imperial armies on her rampage through the Plateau. Things are about to get interesting for the empire.’

  The Rahain stifled a laugh.

  ‘I thought that was why they’d chained me,’ Lilyann said. ‘They were worried I was a mad cow like Keira, and that maybe I was in league with her. I denied it, but of course any spy would. Tell me, are the rest of you chained and hooded as well as me?’

  The others muttered their agreement, except for the Sanang man, who remained silent .

  ‘They think we’re all dangerous,’ Shella said, ‘and they’re fucking right. Give me one chance and I’ll show them exactly how dangerous I can be.’

  ‘And I,’ said the Rahain man.

  ‘Yeah, well, me too obviously,’ Benel said.

  ‘I don’t know,’ said Lilyann. ‘What they’re doing seems cruel, but maybe it’s what’s needed.’

  ‘No,’ said Shella, ‘I’m not having that. A creator who orders torture and murder is not benevolent. I’ll not be worshipping the fucker that had me chained up like an animal.’

  She paused.

  ‘And, if you or your priests are listening,’ she went on, raising her head and her voice, ‘you can get to fuck the lot of you.’

  The room fell silent.

  ‘Lilyann,’ Benel said after a while, ‘I heard that new converts have to read lots of scripture.’

  ‘Aye.’

  ‘Then you probably know more about what’s going to happen than the rest of us.’

  ‘Nothing I’ve read talks about this. There’s nothing about gathering mages.’

  ‘But what could the Creator do with five different mages?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  Shella frowned behind her hood. ‘We’ll find out when it starts.’

  They passed hours together in the cell, with no food or water, or any attention from the wardens. Shella leaned back against a wall, trying to get comfortable, but the chains were digging into her wrists, and the buckle under her chin had rubbed the skin raw.

  There was a high pitched noise, followed by a low rumble. The walls shook.

  ‘What the fuck?’ she said. ‘Did anyone else… ?

  It happened again, the rumble louder, coming from far above.

  ‘Keira?’ Benel said.

  ‘I fucking hope so,’ Shella said. ‘She might be a mad bitch, but if she’s fighting the Emperor and his priests then good on her.’

  She heard the bar slide across their door, and the sound of it swinging open.

  ‘Bring them,’ a voice said.

  Shella’s shoulders were grabbed and she was hauled to her feet. Around her, she could hear wardens surround the other mages. They were led off, walking through the institute for a few minutes until they were halted again. From behind the thin hood she could sense that they were in a large, well-lit chamber.

  ‘Put each one by their positions and secure them,’ a voice said. ‘The Emperor will be here soon.’

  Shella was dragged for several yards, then her wrists were raised and shackled to a point above her head. She felt the wardens step away, and she swayed on her feet.

  ‘Take off their hoods,’ the voice said, ‘except for Mage Benel.’

  The buckle under her chin was released, and the hood removed. She blinked, the lamps lighting the room too bright for her eyes.

  Another deep rumble reverberated, and she heard worried gasps from those present.

  She managed to open her eyes a little. She was attached to a pillar, one of five in the circular chamber where they had been taken. On the floor in the centre of the room, a large imperial star had been engraved. Each of the five points terminated at the base of one of the pillars, and priests stood at the tip of each point, facing the chained mages.

  She glanced to her left and saw the old Rahain mage, his shackled wrists raised above his head. To his left was the young Kellach woman, with tears running down her cheeks. Along from her was the Sanang man, and to Shella’s right was a figure still wearing a hood.

  ‘Hey, Benel.’

  ‘Silence,’ said the priest closest to her, his feet on the tip of a star-point. It was Rijon .

  ‘Fuck you,’ she said. ‘Forever and always.’

  There was another low rumble, and Rijon glanced upwards. He swallowed.

  ‘She’s coming, isn’t she?’ Shella said. ‘Coming to finish you bastards off.’

  ‘She cannot win,’ he said. ‘She’s too late. We’re ready.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘You’ll see.’

  Arnault, who stood alone in the middle of the room, the centre of the star beneath his feet, clapped his hands.

  ‘The Holy Emperor will be with us in a few moments, to oversee what history will recall as the most glorious day the world has ever seen. We are truly honoured to be here, serving the One True Creator with all of our strength and faith.’ He gazed at the wardens, who had gathered at the rear of the pillars, and were lining the circular wall of the chamber, and then he glanced at each of the five priests standing on the points of the star. ‘May the Creator’s will be done.’

  The doors to the circular chamber swung open and Guilliam walked in, flanked by a pair of imperial courtiers. The priests and wardens bowed their heads.

  The Emperor walked up to Arnault, and looked him up and down.

  ‘So you’ve finally decided you’re ready?’

  The Lord Vicar bowed, his robes sweeping across the floor. ‘We are, your Majesty.’

  ‘And it took that mad bitch to actually start fire-bombing the city?’

  ‘Your Imperial Majesty,’ the Lord Vicar said, ‘it was imperative that we learned the lessons of our previous attempts. We cannot afford to make another error.’

  The Emperor narrowed his eyes. ‘And you’re quite sure that this attempt will be a success?’

  ‘Quite, your Majesty,’ he said. ‘I have been in communion with the Creator several times over the course of the day, and am confident that there will be no more mistakes.’

  ‘You’d better b
e right,’ the Emperor said, ‘otherwise we all burn. ’

  He turned, and gazed at the pillars where the five mages were chained. He saw Shella, and smirked.

  ‘We heard you were here, princess,’ he said. ‘Nice to see you performing some useful service at last.’

  ‘I hope Keira burns you to ashes you pathetic little tyrant.’

  Guilliam chuckled. ‘You might find it interesting to know that we had you declared dead to the Rakanese government, so there won’t be anyone looking for you. And in the unfortunate absence of your nephew, we decided to proclaim your brother the royal representative of your people. His Highness Prince Sami. He’s proved a lot easier to control than you were.’

  ‘Eat shit.’

  ‘It’s been a pleasure,’ he said. ‘We shall enjoy watching you suffer.’

  He turned to face the hooded mage.

  ‘And who’s this?’

  ‘Mage Benel, your Majesty,’ said the priest standing at the tip of the star nearest him.

  The Emperor frowned. ‘The one who could have captured or killed the fire mage last year, and saved us all much trouble?’

  ‘Indeed, your Majesty.’

  ‘His death will be a small loss to the empire.’

  He ignored the Sanang man and walked to the pillar where Lilyann was chained. ‘Is this the one who came willingly?’

  ‘She is, your Majesty,’ said the priest closest to the Kellach mage.

  ‘Yet that fool Duncan tried to keep her from us.’

  Lilyann glanced down at the Emperor, her eyes red. ‘Your Majesty?’

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘Tell me, please,’ she said, ‘is this what the Creator wants?’

  ‘Indeed it is,’ he said, ‘and no doubt he will be looking down upon you with favour.’ He glanced at the priest. ‘Isn’t that right?’

  The priest nodded. ‘The Lord and One True Creator honours her sacrifice.’

  ‘Your Majesty,’ called Arnault from the centre of the star, as another low rumble shook the chamber. ‘We’re ready. ’

  The Emperor nodded, and strode to a raised platform where a throne had been placed, between the pillars holding Lilyann and the Sanang mage, directly opposite Shella.

  A warden approached Benel and whipped the hood from his head. He struck the mage in the face with his fist, cracking his skull off the pillar. Benel’s head drooped, and the warden held out his hands and gripped Benel’s hair, facing his bleary eyes towards the priest.