by D N Meinster
Kortermos reappeared amongst the trio and provided an answer. "Caribou. Harmless things. They don't have a temper like our antelope."
Aros didn't know what an antelope was, but he could immediately relate to it. If he had to stay around this general much longer, his temper would surely get the better of him.
Kortermos noted the setting sun and told them they would take refuge shortly after nightfall. "Unfortunately we do not have any spare tents. But it does not feel like rain. You should be fine sleeping in the grass then? Unless you can conjure up some shelter?" He reached for Rikki's staff.
She drew the staff nearer to her chest. "We'll be fine."
Kortermos closed his hand and frowned. "Tell me, do you not have Oblivion where you are from?"
"No Oblivion," Doren answered. "Only desert."
"Curious." Kortermos again headed for the front of the line. Then he stopped, and without looking back, said "Don't try to sneak away in the night. I will have men watching."
Aros growled as the general moved away. "I really don't like him."
"We couldn't tell," Doren said mockingly.
The soldiers stopped shortly after sunset, and within minutes there was a sea of tents on the flatlands. Men gathered around campfires and chatted in their undecipherable language. They stuck fish and unknown meats in the fires and piled the wild fruits high. Aros' stomach moaned as he watched them devour their meals. A full day of walking had brought back his appetite.
"Can you make us shelter? Or food?" he asked Rikki.
"A hut wouldn't be a problem," Rikki replied. "Though I'd like to sleep in the open. Food? Well, you'd have to ask the general for that."
Aros crossed his arms and squatted next to his companions. "I'd rather starve."
Chapter Two
Radite
There was no mistaking the capital of Faunli. The endless greenery finally gave way to gold. Man-made structures sprouted from the earth, reaching for the sun that made them sparkle in the afternoon light. Their radiance was not blocked out by the encircling walls, for even from a distance, Rikki found it impossible for her eyes to linger on the approaching city.
Radite.
Rikki had read about such a place, but its magnificence had always been constrained by her imagination. She longed for a better look that only dusk could provide. Or perhaps she could provide it herself.
Her grip tightened on her staff, and she considered summoning a few clouds with the Goddess' gift. She had never tried such a feat before and considered that the worst that could arise from such an attempt was rain. But she was not in the proper company to do so. Any magic could be taken by these soldiers as a threat, and that might start a battle she did not want.
The staff drooped a bit as she realized that capturing a mental image of the distant city would have to come later. There was no reason to stir something up now.
Rikki stole a glance at her companion. Aros' solemn expression was befitting of someone who had so recently lost the love of their life. Any depression or tears were a natural expression of his grief. But it was the swords on his back that concerned her.
Aros would probably delight in her creating conflict with the Faun warriors. His eagerness to fight them when they arrived was evident, and she considered whether it had been appropriate to drag him along on this undertaking. Maybe Aros wasn't ready for this. Maybe he needed a few more decks to mourn in isolation.
But they could not do this without him. The Goddess had a plan, and he was as important to it as any mage or prince. The first Key hung from his belt for a reason.
If Aros was so thirsty for violence, for lashing out, it was up to his friends to keep him in check. He would return to his old self at some point, wouldn't he? Or at the very least realize that their mission was greater than any personal lust?
Rikki couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Only Doren appeared to notice. "What's wrong?"
There was no way to discuss this with Doren now. Aros was in earshot. She hoped that Doren had picked up on their friend's attitude, but they'd have to talk about it at some other time. "Nothing."
Doren shrugged but stayed in lockstep with Rikki all the way to Radite.
The sky had turned pink and the sun had sunk beneath the horizon by the time they made it to the walls of the city. Rikki admired the dark red barriers that forbid entry to the Faun capital. She immediately desired a dress in the same color, even though it was a few shades darker than her magenta hair. This white and gray outfit just wouldn't do for much longer. She had already been in it for two days.
Atop the walls were shadows of men, the crossbows in their arms pointed in the party's direction. Behind the walls were even higher guard towers, equipped with gargantuan crossbows that were ready to launch massive arrows. This was evidently a city prepared for war.
Their company of soldiers stopped right outside the gate. Rikki could hear Kortermos' voice up ahead, explaining the presence of their guests in his native tongue. She had never regretted not learning the Faun language until yesterday. The soldiers could be preparing to execute them, and she would have no idea.
After a back-and-forth with a man on the other side of the gate, Kortermos gave an order to his men. They responded by doing an about-face and taking a step. The general beckoned Rikki and her friends to move forward.
None of the soldiers looked at them as they passed. Unlike so many of the guardians she had encountered in her life, these were professionals.
"This is where I leave you," Kortermos told them. "Once inside, you will be escorted to the imperial palace. Remember to show the Emperor respect."
An opening appeared in the wall, big enough for only one man to enter at a time.
"Where will you go?" Rikki asked, curious why this general wouldn't take them all the way to the Emperor himself.
Kortermos' golden eyes focused on her, and she figured he was not going to answer. But after a moment, he told her. "They are unhappy that I have left my post, though I had ample reason to. I go back to the river, with my men." The general merely pointed, and all his men knew to turn in that direction. "Farewell, young mage."
Rikki turned to see that Aros and Doren had already gone through to the other side. There was no reason to think this would be a trap, yet she felt anxious. She held on to her staff with both hands and walked through the opening, into Radite.
She turned every which way on the other side, expecting to be greeted by an army. Instead, there was only Doren and Aros, tilting their heads at her, and one other man, dressed in a glittering red robe. This Faun didn't observe her as she neared; his eyes were glued to the Key hanging from Aros' waist. Aros, who uncharacteristically realized what was happening, tucked the Key beneath his pants. When it was out of sight, the Faun looked up and smiled at her, and then directed them forward with an open hand. He turned his back on them, expecting they'd follow.
"I guess they don't consider us a threat," Rikki noted, easing up on her staff.
"Nope," Aros said with a tinge of disappointment. "Though this one has apparently never seen a key before."
Rikki moved forward, with her friends mere steps behind her. She tried to avoid looking up as they proceeded, but every so often she couldn't help it. All around were towers unlike any she had seen; twisted golden spires and bejeweled facades that shone brightly even in the setting sun. The streets themselves seemed to be paved with gold as the white concrete reflected the opulent monuments that dominated the city. It was all at once decadent and breathtaking, and Rikki felt less like she was in a city and more like she had been shrunken down and was navigating the crevices of a tiara.
Even amidst all of the remarkable architecture, their destination stood out. The imperial palace was built upon a raised platform so that no nearby edifice loomed over it. An ample staircase led up to a massive red and gold dwelling, decked with banners showing sun-like symbols that were immovable despite the occasional breeze.
Rikki stopped at the bottom of the st
airs and studied the palace. It was not nearly as tall as Castle Tornis, nor as wide, but the color scheme was much more pleasant than the black stone of her home. It was clear from the entirety of their capital that the Fauns were eager to show off, and as she began climbing the stairs, she could easily picture the insides of the palace. While she had grown up among cold walls and dark hallways, this palace would be bright no matter the time of day, and warm, if not in temperature then in atmosphere.
When they reached the top of the staircase, the only one out of breath was their escort. He took a minute before leading them to the palace's entrance. This was a familiar sight. It was a massive door, constructed for the same nonexistent giants that must have been expected at Castle Tornis. But it was not carved from wood; instead, it was formed from a metal so clean that Rikki could have easily mistaken it for a mirror as she neared it.
With a few random taps followed by eight thuds, their escort signaled for the door to be opened. Rikki and her friends were led inside, and a soft smile formed on her face as she realized how right she had been.
They had stepped right into one giant chamber, covered in a fine white marble with a polished finish that easily reflected the plethora of flames inside. Several golden chandeliers hung from the ceiling, which had been painted with godlike figures that appeared to be looking down on them. Faun soldiers were everywhere, standing at attention, their focus particularly kept on an empty throne near the back of the room.
"Now this is fit for a king," Doren whispered.
Rikki silently agreed. It would have been much more enticing to stay in a place like this.
"Where's the Emperor?" Aros asked, pointing at the throne.
Rikki nudged Aros in the ribs in response
"What?" he whined, cupping his chest.
"Respect means not asking questions," she informed him.
Aros grunted and folded his arms.
Their escort started speaking to them in Faun, but cut himself off when he realized that they had no idea what he was saying. He spread his arms about, as if to welcome them, and then moved toward one of the halls that split off from the chamber.
Rikki took this as an invitation to look around. "Might as well make the most of this."
Doren nodded, while Aros' attention was fully occupied by the images on the ceiling that he had spotted.
Rikki drifted toward a lineup of crystalline statues that decorated one wall. She passed by one at a time, giving each a brief examination before continuing on. Most of their features were indistinguishable between one another, and the names at their bases were carved in their native language. The most obvious difference between all of them were their heights. She realized that these were old rulers, made immortal through these representations. As she stared into each of their hollow, vaguely transparent eyes, she was certain this was not how she would want to be remembered.
An object called to her from the back of the chamber, not too far from the throne. Once her eyes caught sight of it, they did not leave, and she promptly made her way towards it.
Displayed on the wall was a staff grander than any she had ever seen before. It was less a weapon and more like a piece of artwork. The solid gold shaft was only one piece of a tree of interwoven branches that swirled about from the trunk. Embedded amongst the limbs were a dozen channeling crystals, all swelling with untapped power. This staff had not been used in a long time.
Rikki was reminded of her jealousy when she wielded a plain bronze stick. She had been quite content since she received Amelia's staff. This silver weapon with open wings beside its channeling crystal had locked away the Beast and parted the lands. She had felt the need to live up to its potential since receiving it. And she felt she had.
Yet beside this Faun staff, it was underwhelming. Her great-grandmother's weapon could only house one crystal; the other was carried in a chain around her neck. Rikki had never considered that this design was simplistic, but it was compared to this foreign masterwork.
"Admiring our staff?" a voice asked from behind Rikki.
She looked back to find a mustached man with yellow eyes studying her. His layers of robes matched his eyes so that the dark gold that hung from his ears and sat atop his head stood out all the more from the lighter shades.
"I did not mean to interrupt," he said, placing a hand over his heart.
Rikki's eyes bulged. "Are you...?"
"Oh, they'll say it in a moment, though you might not understand them." His exotic eyes caught sight of her staff. "You're a mage? Did Hatswick send you?"
Rikki's stomach turned just hearing the name of her former teacher. "Why would he send me?"
"The last time he was here, he mentioned someone else might be visiting."
Rikki tried to prevent herself from puking. Hatswick was here; recently, it sounded like. He had come to Faunli. Did he take the Key already? "When was he here?" she asked anxiously.
"Before the war. Seasons ago. Some here charge him with starting it, actually. They believe he conjured it up. I don't blame them for thinking such things. It had been a long time since a mage set foot in our kingdom."
Rikki took a few controlled breaths as her mind raced. Hatswick was coming here when he was still Grand Mage. He controlled the flow of the river. Of course he could come here whenever he liked. But a guardian might have noticed. Did he shift here? Could he? And did he take the Key then? Was he that many paces ahead of them?
"Come," he said before Rikki could spit out another question.
Horns echoed in the chamber as the musicians noticed their emperor had arrived. There was a jolly melody followed by a booming announcement given in their native tongue.
"I give you Lord Luewen, son of the House of Korona and Emperor of Faunli," the Emperor privately translated for Rikki. "There used to be more pageantry," he said before climbing onto his throne.
A gong ended the pronouncements and was followed by a slight whirring in the air. Rikki searched for the instrument making such a noise and realized too late that its source was not musical.
Flying right past the Emperor's ear and embedding itself into the throne was a shuriken shaped like the sun.
A stunned Luewen looked outward as a man dropped from the chandelier onto the floor of the chamber. His fall was followed not by a thud, but by a chorus of gasps.
The assassin was garbed completely in black, except for his face, which was painted blood red. Another throwing star emerged from his hand, and with a light flick, it went soaring at Faunli's ruler.
Rikki prepared to stop it, but before she could even align her staff with the shuriken, it was deflected from its trajectory by another woman.
Each of her hands was encompassed by barbed wires formed into a sphere. Her fingers were still visible within these rounded gloves, but the gaps were too narrow for the throwing star to penetrate.
The assassin remained expressionless as three more shurikens targeted the Emperor. But the female warrior prevented each one from passing her.
Rikki looked to Doren and Aros, whose befuddled faces indicated their uncertainty of what to do. That was for the best. She still felt like it was too presumptuous of them to get involved in Faun affairs. They might not appreciate outsiders meddling, even in a situation such as this. Rikki would not stand by if the Emperor was truly in danger, but it seemed this warrior was going to take care of the intruder.
The assassin dropped his remaining throwing stars onto the floor. When the last one clinked against the ground, the female warrior charged. She let out a few strikes which the assassin deftly avoided.
He launched a palm into her stomach as retaliation, and she bent over after the hit landed. The assassin launched into the air, and, with a spinning kick, sent the warrior to join the discarded shurikens on the ground.
Reaching into his attire, he pulled out a gray cylinder. There were a couple screams at the appearance of this item, and the rest of the men in the room charged at the assassin. He knocked out these armed men without the
aid of a weapon, but the distraction gave the warrior enough time to recover.
Back on her feet, she slammed her two spherical gloves together and took another go at the assassin. The cylinder slowed him down, and he tossed it in the air a few times to parry the incoming attacks.
Tear after tear appeared in the assassin's outfit as the warrior's hits landed. As the wounds slowed him down a bit, he looked desperately at a flaming beacon in the corner of the chamber.
He fled from the battle and lit the cylinder on fire. For the first time, he smiled, and he took a run right for the Emperor.
Rikki stepped into his path, but the warrior got between them.
"I can handle this," she said.
The assassin hugged the burning cylinder and dove at the warrior. With a well-timed uppercut, she sent him into the air. He landed on his back with a thud.
She hastily ditched her gloves and grabbed the stunned assassin by the leg. As she rushed toward the entrance, their escort from earlier pulled open the door.
The warrior tossed the assassin out onto the steps and helped push the door closed. Moments later, there was a loud boom from outside which shook the foundation of the palace.
Luewen clapped as he descended from his throne, joined by the few conscious men left in the room. He said a few words in Faun before turning to Rikki. "I give you Lady Simma, daughter of the House of Korona, and sister to the Emperor."
Chapter Three
A State of Civil War
She was older than Doren, but only by a few years at most. Her hair was shorter than his and much neater, and it stayed in place as she chased the assassin across the room. She had eyes similar to every Faun, but with a nose flatter than her kin's. If not for her glowing cheeks and wholesome red lips, it may not have been so easy to distinguish her gender.
Simma wore fine garments of silver and gray that could have been mistaken for armor if they did not sway with every step she took. She checked up on her brother, who carelessly dismissed her worry. The Emperor had harder features than his sibling, which were more pointed and yet more friendly. Even without his mustache, there would be little physical resemblance between them.