Initializing

by E. M. Hardy

  “But they didn’t catch me, father, and more importantly, my mission was a success. We may have found a potential ally to help us deal with the threat of the cartels.”

  That perked up the emir, who sat straighter on his throne.

  “I have met with something in the desert, an entity called Martin that spoke to us through a floating sphere. It was something very similar to the jinn, like Uhi, in the way that it has some connection to the Invisible World.” At the mention of her name, the lithe jinni spun into existence and knelt in front of the emir to show her respect. The emir ignored her, focused as he was on his son’s report.

  “This entity found us and led us to a hidden spring, where we were able to rest and refill our skins with some of the sweetest, coolest waters I have ever drunk from.” Suhaib glossed over the fact that they were hiding in the sandstone formations, had lost all their supplies, and were desperately trying to shake off their pursuers. He was sure the armsmasters would provide those details in their report to his father anyway. “The spring also contained an intact ruin—a pyramid. The sphere we met merged with the pyramid, bringing it back to life. This Martin said that the pyramid allowed him to extend his reach, and that he would be building roads connecting our emirate with his land.

  “It is not just roads, though. This Martin wants to build an alliance with us to fight against an ancient enemy that it expects will arrive sometime in the future—one that will attack us all, harvest us for our souls.”

  Prince Suhaib knew his father would blow out an incredulous huff, which is why he huffed out as well, airing his own disbelief at Martin’s claims.

  “This Martin may claim anything that he wants, but the main point is that he is willing not just to build roads but also to send troops to safeguard those roads. If we were to ally ourselves with Martin, then we would have a safe route to send our caravans to. All he asked in exchange was the location of any pyramids we come across, intact or otherwise. Not a bad deal, considering that other emirates—even the cartels—can provide the information he seeks. If we give him that information, then we gain the chance to have a potential ally for practically nothing.

  “Martin also mentioned his lands were located within the Puruzlu Mountains themselves, and I’m betting those mountains are just full of gold, silver, and other precious metals. More importantly though, he noted there were other lands beyond the mountains—possibly populated—and that he is also building roads to these lands. This means that we could not only revitalize our economy by trading with Martin and his relics, but also with the people across the mountains.”

  His grin grew wider at the thought of all the opportunities such an idea presented. “If we manage to get this Martin to commit enough troops to secure a new trade route, then we would be free from the stranglehold of the cartels. We could find ourselves growing again instead of being penned in by the cartels and their lapdog emirs.”

  “There’s just one problem there, my youngest brother.” He winced as he recognized the speaker’s voice without looking. It was Mufeed, the crown prince, who had strolled inside the court while Suhaib was talking. “This alliance you are proposing, it is not within your power to commit our entire emirate to it. Only father as the emir can approve of such an alliance, yet you speak as if this alliance is already a done deal. Sands, what if this foreigner is building roads to make it easier to invade us, and is setting up a ruse to just let him build these roads to our doom?”

  Suhaib resisted the temptation to grind his teeth at how Mufeed was spoiling his moment. “His constructs have not yet reached our borders, elder brother. They are building on the sands of the Bashri, where no emirate can lay claim to because of how bone-dry it is. This is also why I am going over the details of a possible alliance with father instead of outright making promises I cannot keep.” He managed to keep most of his anger in check, but enough seeped out that his voice flattened while enunciating each vowel with as much control as he could muster. He could feel Uhi’s ethereal skin prickling as she picked up on his own anger, which indicated to him that he was slipping.

  The emir’s first wife, Leyla, shushed the two brothers who had begun to glare at one another. “You two, enough of that. Mufeed, your brother’s expedition has succeeded in its goals: finding people beyond the Puruzlu Mountains. He is currently sharing what he has encountered to my husband, so you either shut up unless you know something about these people that he does not. Suhaib, your brother has a point. You are making too many assumptions on the intentions of this Martin. We barely know his people, and it would be reckless to formally accept any proposals until we do. Also, I would like to learn more about how this Martin has enemies, and how our already-struggling emirate might be dragged into a war we can ill-afford.”

  Mother Leyla had always been the sharpest of Prince Suhaib’s mothers. Where mother Latifa glowed with love and joy, mother Leyla cut with sharp guile and wit. It was no small wonder that she was his father’s right-hand woman in state affairs.

  “Yes, Suhaib. Your mother does have a point. I too would like to learn more about these enemies connected to Martin.” And there he went, echoing what mother Leyla had proclaimed. Prince Suhaib sometimes wondered who the real emir of the land was. He even found himself doubting who his own birth mother was. He had a lot more in common with mother Leyla than mother Latifa, who sighed with relief after seeing her co-wife diffuse the mounting tension between their sons.

  “First, let me address your concerns about allying with Martin. I have learned that his forces are limited in their reach. They are bound to certain structures that he needs to build—obelisks, he calls them. This is why he plans to build roads connecting our lands, since his constructs cannot function when they are too far away from these obelisks. They are unlike us, where we can go wherever we want as long as we have water for our throats, food for our bellies, and air for our lungs. No, he is more like the jinn, except he is not bound to the bodies of man but bound to these things he needs to build at the edge of his control.

  “I have also made no binding agreements, nor have I committed any of our resources for his endeavors. It will take him a long time—perhaps even years—before he can build enough of his obelisks to reach our borders. In the meantime, I have agreed to bring his proposals before you, father, and to bring your response to him at the pyramid I found in the valley. Perhaps closer, if he has already begun constructing roads toward our emirate.

  “As for Martin’s enemies, that is something a little more complicated.” Suhaib shifted uncomfortably, which did not escape the notice of his father and mother Leyla. “His enemies don’t actually exist. At least not yet.”

  Emir Rifaah’s eyebrows shot up. “And what does that mean?”

  “He had a vision after unlocking the secrets of the pyramid in the hidden valley, the one where we took refuge in. In that vision, he saw the memories of a dead man who lived in these lands long, long ago. Martin said those people failed to defend their world against a host of enemies who arrived through giant rifts in the sky, killing everyone they met and harvesting their souls for some nefarious purpose. He claims that these enemies would return sometime in the future, that he needs to prepare not just himself but all of us to defend against these invaders.”

  The emir snorted in disgust, waving him off. “An imaginary enemy, like the ones that the cults invent to frighten the feeble-minded into joining their ranks. That bodes well for a possible alliance then. We will not get dragged into a war with real enemies that pose a real threat to us.”

  “I would not dismiss Martin’s claims so lightly, Emir Rifaah.” Uhi, Prince Suhaib’s jinni, had done something she had never done before: she spoke out of turn. She was usually content to be Suhaib’s shadow, staying out of the court games that her bond-mate played. Now though, her red eyes were ablaze with a passion that Suhaib had never witnessed before, nor felt through their bond.

  The emir’s jinni, Shakhum, unsheathed his arms from their crosse
d positions and shifted his angry glare toward Uhi. “You stand before the Emir, and he has not addressed you directly. Know your place.”

  “You were not there, Shakhum.” Uhi turned her glare towards Shakhum as she spoke. “Nor were any of the other jinn, as they were recovering in the Invisible World. I was the only jinni in the Visible World when Martin saw his vision, when he unsealed the memories of the pyramid. Suhaib and the others, they could not sense what I glimpsed, what I felt, what I experienced. No, this Martin’s vision is not the product of a mind addled by hashish or poppy tea. Neither is it the vision of a mind that has been touched by the malicious fingers of madness. It is a memory passed down from people who did all they could to preserve an ancient relic hidden deep in the sandstone labyrinths near the Puruzlu Mountains.

  “I speak out of turn because I believe that these memories passed down by the ancient builders were preserved for a reason…” Uhi bowed her head low, taking on a softer tone of concern—one that was slightly tinged by fear. “…and I hope that both man and jinn treat it with the seriousness it deserves.”

  The young prince was madly plumbing his mind for words that would soothe the rudeness that Uhi had displayed. He radiated tension and anxiety, but Uhi felt none of it for she had shut down the bond. He was alone in his thoughts, and it disturbed him more than he wanted to admit. His mothers Leyla and Latifa shared the same worried expressions, giving each other meaningful looks as their gazes switched between Uhi and the emir.

  Emir Rifaah, however, did not appear as offended as Prince Suhaib thought he would be. His hands were set calmly on his lap, and his shoulders were loose rather than rigid. He was carefully and thoughtfully scrutinizing Uhi as he digested those words.

  “Hmm. Your concerns are noted, Uhi, and I will overlook your transgression… this time. See that it does not happen again.”

  “I will, your grace, and I am thankful for you mercy.”

  “Suhaib,” the young prince jerked up as his father called his name, “You have my blessing to mount another expedition. Take more armsmasters with you and throw in a platoon of soldiers. The cartels will know you’ve been snooping around the Puruzlu Mountains, and will no doubt send more brigands your way.

  “This time, you will be tasked with forming an alliance with this entity, this Martin. Start with what you have already agreed upon. Get this Martin to build and maintain his roads, to send troops to aid us against the cartels. Give him detailed directions to the haunted ruins, get started on sending men and women to find other ruins. I will give you full authority to negotiate other agreements on my behalf. Your only obligation will be to work in the best interests of the emirate. Do this in my name, son.”

  This got Suhaib’s heart pumping, and he savagely bit his tongue to prevent a smile from splitting his face in two. He was finally being given an important task, one that rivaled—no, even exceeded—the tasks assigned to his other siblings. These negotiations could be the ticket for Suhaib to secure a more significant, more permanent role in his father’s court.

  Mufeed frowned in the corner, but he could not challenge a direct order from his father. Mother Leyla gave a satisfied nod, no doubt pleased at this turn of events. She may not be Suhaib’s birth mother, but she viewed him with as much affection—and calculation—as she did her birth sons and daughters. Mother Latifa, bless her soul, was worried once more for Suhaib’s sake. Her precious and only birth son had just returned from one near-death experience, and now he was being sent back? She was sneaking glances at her husband, her round eyes pleading with him, but he studiously ignored her as he kept his eyes locked on Suhaib.

  Yes, things were looking good for Suhaib indeed. He turned around to leave, finally allowing a long-suppressed smile to manifest on his face as he began mentally calculating what he would need for another expedition.

  But first, a long, hot bath and a much longer discussion to calm his now-worried birth mother down…

  Chapter 13

  Yao Xiu withered under the glare of the man before her. He stood tall in his armor, the small interlocked plates of metal clinking against each other as he took one step forward. Another step, and his eyes seemed to press upon her from the visors of his tiger-like helmet. Yet then another step, this time leaking Chi from his barely-suppressed indignation at the audacity of the girl before him.

  “You mean to tell me that these… these things mean no harm? Just because you let yourself be deceived after playing with a few of them? Is THAT what you are telling me, aspiring historian Yao Xiu?”

  He nearly spat her title at her, and the growling rebuke made her feel like a small child being berated by her elders. She immediately regretted her decision to speak up.

  But someone had to say it, considering what was at stake.

  “I-I mean no disrespect, honorable General of the White Tiger Shen Feng—”

  “And yet you take me for some sort of fool,” he snapped, interrupting her mid-speech, “if you expect me to believe that a force of hundreds of unknowns is not a danger to this empire that I and every Renese soldier has sworn to protect!”

  Yao Xiu gulped, looking around her for help. Everyone in the general’s tent, from her fellow historians to the guards standing straight with their swords buckled on their belts, did everything they could to avoid her eyes. Even Cai Ping, the traitor, looked like he was trying to derive the meaning of life and existence from a bug scurrying on the ground. No, this ordeal was hers alone to bear thanks to her big mouth, and she had to see it through to the end.

  “I do not, most honorable General of the White Tiger, Shen Feng, take you. I mean, take you for one. A fool, I mean. Most honorable White Tiger—”

  “PAH!” the general spat in disgust. “Do away with formalities! Even the honorifics! I do not have time for flattery right now, and your stuttering is not helping. Now explain me, Yao Xiu, why I should follow your advice instead of crushing these toys and hunting down their master for daring to set foot on Her Majesty’s soil without her permission.”

  Yao Xiu swallowed a thick gob of saliva that built up in her mouth. Besides her career and family ties, maybe even her life if she was that far gone, what else would she have to lose? One steadying breath later, and she was ready to push ahead.

  “This Mar-Tin, the person controlling these constructs, claims that he is preparing to defend us against an enemy that will invade us sometime in the future. Not just us, the people of Ren, but the other people all over this world of ours. Based on what I’ve learned about the fallen empires, the ones that came before the Ren, I believe at the very least that his claims of impending disaster are credible.

  “I’ve compared what I’ve learned in the archives with what he knows about this mysterious invader. In particular, he has accurately described the enemies that the Heavenly Warriors of Legend faced in their trials. Winged witches that flew in the air and rained down spears of light, heavily-armored riders that could resist the strikes of all but the most powerful of Heavenly Warriors, demonic bowmen whose arrows could strike beyond the horizon with destructive power, Chi practitioners of the highest caliber who could call down disasters that would level entire cities…”

  Yao Xiu paused to take a breath, confidence growing in her as the general’s sharp eyes stayed resolutely locked on hers.

  “He also accurately conveyed the way by which these demons would pass into this world: through ‘portals’ that would appear in the middle of the sky.”

  One of the guards huffed either in amusement or derision, but a glare from General Shen Feng shut him up. It had the effect of causing Yao Xiu to waver, but she gathered up her courage and barreled on.

  “In the course of our discussions, Mar-Tin was less concerned with learning more about the Ren and more about the enemies that the Heavenly Warriors of Legend faced. He also wanted to learn how the Heavenly Warriors defeated their enemies, from the weapons they used to the Chi techniques they applied.”

  That was when the
general interrupted her, holding up a finger with a grim frown on his face. “And let me guess: you told him all about Chi. You told this strange entity that was telling you tall tales about how we cultivate the Chi found all around us, how we shape that Chi into a usable form, and either force it out to influence our surroundings or absorb it to reinforce our bodies?”

  Yao Xiu opened her mouth to shoot off a retort but froze when she understood what he meant. Color drained from her face as she realized that she could be accused of giving information away—an act of betraying her Empress, and one that only had one punishment.

  Before she could reply, Lead Historian Cui Dai chimed in with an almost-innocent tone. “By the way, honorable General of the White Tiger, she has also pledged an honor-bound oath of gratitude to this Mar-Tin.”

  The general shook his head, the fluff on his white tiger helmet swaying with the action. “You just helped a potential enemy learn more about one of the most potent weapons of the Ren Empire, all because you heard a nicely-spun tale that jibed with what you already know. Not only that, but you managed to willingly honor-bind yourself to this potential enemy. If this Mar-Tin has ill intentions toward Her Majesty, you will now find yourself grappling between your loyalty to the Red Throne and your personal honor—the latter of which you gave away so cheaply to one you do not know.” She could not bear to look at him in the face in shame, but she could almost hear him sneering, with his words thick with scorn.

  “So young, so stupid, so impressionable, and oh so easily manipulated.”

  “No!” blurted Yao Xiu, “No, that was not how things went!”

  “Oh? And how did things go, my naïve little traitor?”

  Yao Xiu was panicking now. If she was branded a traitor, she wouldn’t be the only one to face the axe. Her family, her mother and father, would be hauled into the courts as well. At the very least, they would share her fate and meet a quick end. At the very worst, they would be forced to renounce all their ties, titles, and possessions before being exiled from the Ren Empire—a death sentence in all but name.