Tales From Thac

by F P Spirit et al.

  Seishin silently berated himself. How could I have missed so many of them? Somehow, they had been able to mask their presence.

  “Any idea who they are?” Seishin whispered to Korti.

  “None,” she responded, sounding equally confused.

  After nearly a minute of silence, one of the figures spoke. “Draigo Kazari?”

  Seishin’s brow furrowed. The speaker was a man, though his voice was high-pitched with a crazed lilt. Whoever it was, they were obviously looking for his uncle.

  “Who is this Draigo?” Korti asked before Seishin could reply.

  The dark-robed man wagged a finger at her. “Tsk, tsk. Don’t play games with us, dearie. We know who Eyro really is. No mere gardener can wield a blade like a Shin Tauri master.”

  “What is he talking about?” Seishin whispered over his shoulder.

  Korti’s reply was strained. “Draigo played the part of the villa gardener up until my choosing as Lord Captain. He revealed himself as a swordmaster during that battle.”

  “Exactly.” The hooded man affirmed.

  Seishin squinted at the dark-robed man. “What do you want with him?”

  “Want? Want?” The crazed man’s voice rose in pitch. “Why, we want him to die, of course.”

  An eerie chant rose from all the figures at once. “The time is nigh and all who wield the cursed blade must die…”

  The strange chant sent chills up Seishin’s spine. It carried a dark energy with it that seemed to increase their captor’s power. He exchanged a brief glance with Korti, but she appeared as mystified as him.

  She addressed the original speaker, her voice laced with irritation. “The cursed blade? What in the devil are you all babbling about?”

  A high-pitched cackle erupted from beneath the dark hood. “Not devil, my dear. Demon,”—the man leaned forward, his voice dripping with malice—“and we will expunge any who might wield the cursed blade.”

  Something clicked in the back of Seishin’s mind. He breathed the words before he could stop himself. “The Shin Tauri blade…”

  “Yes, yes, the cursed blade,” the crazed man agreed fervently. “The legacy of the House Kazari. None of that line who could take up the blade must be allowed to live.”

  “Seishin!” Korti breathed his name in a hoarse whisper.

  Seishin glanced at her and saw the fear in her eyes. He realized in that moment that he would probably not walk away from this. Yet he couldn’t bear the thought of Korti dying because of him. Seishin gave her a brief smile, then turned his eyes back forward.

  With a deep breath, he stilled his mind in the way of the Shin Tauri. His breathing slowed as he reached inside and found his spirit. The energy surged out from his abdomen, into his arms, and across his blades. The air around them seemed to catch fire. Yellow flames danced up and down the shafts of both weapons.

  “I am Seishin Kazari, of the line of Tibarn,” he declared with conviction. He nodded his head toward Korti. “She has nothing to do with this. Let her go and we can settle this between us.”

  A hard elbow connected with Seishin’s side. “Seishin! I’m not going any…”

  The dark-robed man cackled again, cutting off Korti’s rebuttal. “The whelp! We’ve found the whelp!” He rubbed his hands together with obvious glee. “The whelp and the uncle in one fell swoop! Fortune has indeed smiled on us this day, my brethren.”

  The whelp? His show of power had not quite elicited the reaction he anticipated. Still, there were more important things at stake here. “Perhaps you didn’t you hear me? Let her go. This is between us.”

  “And perhaps you didn’t hear me,” Korti countered, her voice as hard as stone. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  The crazed man interrupted him before he could contradict her. “I’m afraid she’s right. I’m sorry, my dear, but you’re now a loose end we can’t afford.”

  Korti drew herself up and threw her shoulders back. “Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? I am Kortiama Ozden, Lord Captain of the Dasati. Strike us down, and you’ll have all the Clans of the Coast on your heels.”

  The man clucked his tongue again. “Tsk, tsk. It’s you, dearie, who don’t know who you’re dealing with. We will tear this world apart. Your clans would sooner side with us than be ground to dust like every other non-believer in Arinthar.”

  Korti curled her lips in disgust. “If you think I’d believe that, you’re crazier than I thought.”

  The dark-hooded man cackled again. “Perhaps, but I’d rather be mad and alive than the alternative.”

  He motioned toward Korti and Seishin. “Enough of this. Take care of them.”

  Seishin tensed as five dark figures rushed them from all sides. Korti was good with a blade, but he didn’t know how many she could handle at once.

  A dark form lunged at him with frightening speed, but Seishin had read its movements. He caught its blade with a flick of his wrist and deftly knocked it aside.

  His assailant off balance, Seishin could easily have run it through, but that would still leave him with two more close at hand. In a split-second decision, he kicked the figure and sent it flying into its comrades. All three went down in a heap on the courtyard stones.

  Throwing caution to the wind, Seishin spun around.

  Korti faced off against two opponents. She expertly parried one blade, then immediately countered the other.

  Her deft maneuver left an opening in her opponent’s guard. Without thinking, Seishin lunged and ran her assailant clean through.

  Korti screamed at him. “What are you doing? I’ve got this! Stay back to back.”

  Her words washed over him like a bucket of ice. She was right—his impulsive maneuver had left them both at risk.

  Seishin spun around just in time to parry a blade aimed at his torso. His eyes went wide as two more blades lunged straight for his beloved’s back.

  Seishin had only one chance. His breathing slowed, and with it the world around him. This time the energy surged into his legs.

  With seemingly impossible speed, Seishin placed himself between Korti and the two assailants. He swept the one blade out of the way, but the other skewered him straight through the abdomen.

  Seishin grunted as pain lanced through his body. It felt as if his midriff were on fire. His breath left him and his knees gave out. He fell to the ground, the world spinning around him.

  “Seishin!” He heard Korti scream.

  Dark forms hovered over him, only to be driven back by a flash of something silver. “Get away from him, you motherless curs! I’ll cut out your tongues and feed them to the sharks.”

  “Now, now, dearie, there’s no need for name calling,” the demented voice cackled. “Be a nice girl and die al…”

  The dark-robed man halted mid-word, then abruptly crumpled to the ground. A familiar squat silhouette stood behind him, the moonlight glinting off a sharp curved blade.

  “Uncle…” Seishin tried to speak, but then the world began to spin again and everything went black.

  Seishin slowly opened his eyes. It was daytime. He lay in bed, bright sunlight streaming into the room from the two tall, arched windows. A gentle hand touched his face. He turned to see Korti leaning over him. “Well, it’s about time, sleepy head. We thought you were going to be out all day.”

  Seishin smiled, then abruptly remembered they had been attacked. He bolted upright and glanced around the room, but everything appeared to be normal.

  He felt a hand on his chest. “Easy, lover.”

  Seishin shifted his gaze back to Korti. “The assassins?”

  “All dead. Draigo and I took care of the rest.”

  Seishin remembered his uncle had appeared out of nowhere and slew the crazed man.

  “It’s you we were worried about. You nearly died.” Korti stared at him accusingly. “You’re just lucky I had a potion of grand healing on me. Those things don’t come cheap, you know.”

  A potion of grand healing? Seishin arched an eyebrow at
her. “Do you always carry around such rare items on your person?”

  Her mouth curved into a half-smile. “A girl can never be too careful—especially in my line of work.”

  Seishin lifted the sheet and peered at his abdomen. The wound had completely healed. Only the slightest scar remained.

  He gazed back at Korti in wonder. She had just spent a small fortune saving his life. She really does care. Seishin reached over and took her hand. “Sorry to worry you.”

  Korti gave him a hard look. “You better be.”

  Her expression softened as she leaned in and kissed him. After a few moments, their lips parted. Korti laid down beside him and put her head on his shoulder.

  Seishin allowed himself to enjoy this moment. Deep inside, he knew it couldn’t last forever. She’d have to go back to her people and he would return to Isandor. All of sudden, he bolted upright. “Did you tell my uncle what that crazed man said?”

  Korti peered up at him and sighed. “Of course, I did.” She patted the bed next to her. “Now why don’t you lay back down and relax.”

  Seishin was sorely tempted. “I’m sorry, I can’t—not until my parents have been warned.”

  “No need for concern, young Kazari,” a familiar voice sounded from the doorway. “They have been warned.” Aldurin stood there with his uncle.

  Seishin breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Aldurin.”

  Draigo came into the room and looked over Seishin’s wound. “Nice to see you recovered so quickly. Maybe next time you won’t be so foolish as to let your guard down.”

  Ouch. Seishin felt the sting of those words. Still, he had been stupid. He should have trusted Korti to handle herself. He cast a sidelong glance at her. She stared back at him with an I told you so expression.

  The blood rushed to Seishin’s cheeks. “Sorry.” His short-lived embarrassment faded as his mind returned to their attackers. “Uncle, do you have any idea who those people were?”

  “He doesn’t, but I might,” Aldurin answered for Draigo. “Get dressed first, then meet us downstairs. We have much to discuss.”

  Seishin opened his mouth to speak, but Aldurin held up a hand. “What I have to tell you will answer many of your questions, but I’m afraid it will also raise many more.”

  The two of them left so that Seishin could get dressed. As he pulled on his clothes, he wondered what Aldurin had to tell them. “Just once, I’d like a straight answer from that wizard.”

  Korti responded with a light, lyrical laugh. “Oh, my dear Seishin. You’ve got a lot to learn about magic users.”

  Seishin narrowed an eye at her. “And I suppose you know better?”

  The corner of Korti’s mouth lifted upward. “Trust me, my mother’s a witch and she’s the same. Asking her for a straight answer is like asking the waves not to crash against the shore.”

  Seishin responded with a close-mouthed laugh. “I think it’s an older generation thing. Has my uncle ever imparted words of wisdom to you?”

  Korti snorted. “All the time. Did you ever notice everything is like a river?”

  Seishin grinned at the imitation of his uncle. The two of them continued to discuss the idiosyncrasies of their elders as they headed downstairs.

  5

  Love and Honor

  When they arrived downstairs, they found Aldurin and Draigo seated at the long table. An appetizing lunch lay spread out before them. Strangely, Seishin found himself not all that hungry. He picked at his plate as Aldurin spoke.

  “The group that attacked you were members of a demonic cult. Apparently, their goal was to stop anyone who might wield the Shin Tauri blade.”

  Korti cocked her head to one side and eyed the elven wizard curiously. “They told us that last part. What exactly is this Shin Tauri blade?”

  A look of exasperation crossed Aldurin’s face. “We don’t have the time for a history lesson…” He abruptly halted, and glanced over his shoulder. “I am not being pig-headed!” he declared vehemently.

  Korti cast a confused glance at Seishin. He merely shrugged, not quite sure how to explain the elven wizard’s “invisible” companion.

  After a short one-sided conversation, Aldurin let out a deep sigh. “Yes, yes, you’re quite right. She deserves an explanation.”

  An obviously bemused Korti sat back and folded her arms across her chest.

  Aldurin paused as if to collect his thoughts before speaking, then took a deep breath. “The Shin Tauri blade is a great bane to all demons. Seishin’s and Draigo’s ancestor, Tibarn, used it to banish the mightiest of demons in the Thrall Lord’s army.”

  Korti pointed from Draigo to Seishin. “You mean, you two are descended from the legendary hero, Tibarn?”

  Seishin wore a wan smile while Draigo merely nodded. Korti seemed quite impressed. She gave them both an appreciative nod before shifting her gaze back to Aldurin. “So where is this great blade now?”

  Aldurin briefly explained what happened to the blade after the Thrall Wars. He ended with, “…and as far as the rest of the world knows, the blade still resides at the Kazari family shrine.”

  Korti cast a glance at Seishin, the corner of her mouth rising ever so slightly. “And I thought my family had secrets.”

  Seishin’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment. The subterfuge around the blade had been his greatest source of shame up until his father had been put in prison.

  Korti leaned back in her chair and tapped her chin lightly with two fingers. “So, one has to be from the line of Kazari to wield this blade?”

  Aldurin shook his head. “That is a fiction spun by the bard who chronicled our adventures during the Thrall Wars. The truth is, there is no magic tying the blade to any one specific bloodline.”

  Korti sat forward and narrowed her eyes at the elven wizard. “Alright, let’s assume this cult believes the tales, like everyone else. Why come after Draigo now? They said they discovered his identity when I was chosen Lord Captain, but that was nearly three years ago.”

  Aldurin’s expression turned grim. He leaned over the table, his voice dropping to just above a whisper. “There have been signs of late that the demons are staging another invasion into our world.”

  A deathly silence fell over the table. Seishin exchanged a worried glance with Korti and Draigo. There had been three previous full-scale demon invasions of Arinthar throughout history. Each one was extremely bloody, almost completely decimating the once-great races of dragons, giants, and fae in turn.

  The human race had risen to power after the last war. They had been lucky to avoid another confrontation with the demons—that is, up until now.

  A sudden chill had fallen over the room. Draigo suggested they adjourn to the fireplace while he got them more tea.

  Seishin sat on the couch next to Korti, while Aldurin took a comfortable chair. The three of them watched the fire in silence. Aldurin steepled his hands together as he stared into the dancing flames; Korti slipped her hand into Seishin’s and moved closer for warmth.

  Draigo returned shortly with a steaming teapot and four empty cups. He filled them all, passed them out, then sat down himself. The ex-general took a long sip, then fixed Aldurin with a hard stare. “What kind of signs?”

  Aldurin sat forward in his chair and met Draigo’s gaze evenly. “These cults have suddenly grown bolder.” He peered at Seishin and Korti. “Your encounter was but a single incident. There’s been an increase in demonic-related killings and ritual sacrifice across the entire globe.”

  Korti and Seishin exchanged a glance. Her eyes mirrored the growing sense of dread he felt inside.

  “There’s also been unrest in the magical community,” Aldurin continued. “Aside from the usual portents, mages have been disappearing all over Arinthar. My colleagues and I believe it’s related to disturbances we’ve discovered on the astral plane.”

  Seishin’s inner sense of foreboding intensified. If an invasion was imminent, as Aldurin suggested, no one would be safe—not Korti, his family,
Isandor, not even the pirate clans. He suddenly felt very small in an increasingly dangerous world.

  “If only we still had the Shin Tauri blade,” he murmured to himself.

  “The blade may not be completely lost to us,” Aldurin responded unexpectedly.

  Seishin nearly jumped out of his seat. “You have news of it?”

  Aldurin gave him a curt nod. “That is why I left the other day.” The elven wizard took a brief sip of tea before continuing. “I met with an old friend who carried a clandestine message from the Queen of Lanfor. It appears she has something that might help us find the blade.”

  Korti sat forward next to Seishin. “Do you have any idea what this ‘something’ is?”

  Aldurin merely shrugged. “No, I do not. The Queen did not impart that information in her message, and I don’t feel it prudent to contact her via magical means.”

  “Hmm,” Draigo mused aloud. “I suppose this means we’ll need go to Lanfor before heading to Isandor.”

  Aldurin shook his head. “I’m afraid not, my old friend. You must get to Isandor as quickly as possible. We will need her legions if we are to stand against entire hordes of demons.” He waved a hand at Seishin. “The boy can follow up on the blade.”

  Aldurin’s comment caught Seishin by surprise. He had carried the weight of Isandor on his shoulders, but now the fate of the world might be riding on them.

  Korti must have sensed his trepidation. She stared at him now, her eyes filled with fear. “No,” she said flatly. She stood up and cast a dark stare at Aldurin. “It’s too much to ask. He’s just a boy. Surely you can send someone else.”

  Aldurin returned her stare evenly. “There is no one else. We are short on time, and the boy is our best bet.”

  Korti sneered at the elven wizard, then turned her heated gaze upon Seishin. “Surely you’re not going to go through with this fool’s errand?”