Initializing

by E. M. Hardy

  And they were doing all this while being carefully guarded by members of the General’s elite guard. Who, incidentally, were doing their best to ignore some of the dolls that were in turn doing their best to harass them into playing games with them. The soldiers were steadfast, but a casual patting of the head was often enough to send them on their way.

  This was something the reinforcements were going to learn as they were broken up and given their new assignments overseeing the progress of the dolls. They wouldn’t be able to get anything done if they didn’t pay the little things attention, as they were like needy puppies that would not stop climbing your leg until you picked them up.

  Yao Xiu, however, noticed none of this. She was too busy trying not to be noticed herself, with Martin and General Shen Feng still going over the details of Martin’s vassalization.

  “Five hundred walkers. Not. One. More.”

  “Oh, come on, Feng! I saw the invaders! They’ll be insanely powerful and numbering in the hundreds of thousands! And that’s from just one portal! What do you think five hundred walkers can do against that kind of force, especially if you won’t permit me to build more obelisks in Ren land?”

  “I simply don’t trust you enough to have more than five hundred of your stupid walkers right now, much less give you permission to go erecting those crass phallic symbols all over the Empire! And that’s with a hundred of my soldiers watching your every move, with the rest of my army ready to shove a spear down your throat if you step out of line!”

  Martin’s walker threw its hands up in disgust. “And for the hundredth, no, the thousandth time, Feng, I am not going to stab you in the back! You’ve had time to assess what I can do, and you know that a mob of… me… isn’t going to amount to much in a fight.”

  The general grunted, his lip curled in distaste. “You can say that again. Your walkers are absolutely useless in a fight, worse even than our little traitor over there,” he thumbed toward Yao Xiu. For the first time in this discussion, he seemed to remember that she existed—much to Yao Xiu’s chagrin. “And what do you think? Should I allow Her Majesty’s newest vassal to have enough men, err, walkers? Have Mar-Tin hang a sword above her neck, ready to drop at a moment’s notice?”

  Yao Xiu was still surprised that the imposing General of the White Tiger, the man responsible for all Her Majesty’s forces in the Western reaches of the Ren Empire, allowed Martin to address him in such a familiar manner. This was a man whose loyalty and skill had earned him a place protecting the Empire’s core interests, controlling the forces responsible for protecting the capital itself. And here he was, allowing Martin to call him by his given name instead of his full name.

  “No, esteemed general, though may I be so bold as to make a suggestion?”

  The general rolled his eyes. “Stop with the ass-kissing, girl. Even Mar-Tin over here stopped with all that the moment we got away from the troops.”

  “Then maybe you should stop calling me a traitor, you big bully!” thought Yao Xiu to herself, tired of being picked on.

  The walker’s eyes widened, while the general scowled. “An… interesting response.” Each word was drawn out and dripped with menace.

  It was then that Yao Xiu realized that she had said out loud what she thought was only in her head. She mentally berated herself, quietly willing her mind to get a grip. She often snapped when she was stressed out, and the past few days were as stressful as they could be—with the general suddenly taking an interest in her and forcing her to stay around whenever he was talking with Martin.

  “I meant to say, uh, esteemed general, that perhaps a compromise could be struck?” She barreled on, shifting the discussion toward a different direction—hopefully one that would save her hide. “I agree that it would be unwise to allow Mar-Tin’s forces to grow to the point where he could threaten the empire, but maybe we could offer something to help him prepare for the invaders? Something that would pose no threat to Her Majesty’s interest, like… like access to the historian archives? Then he can share what he learns with us, allowing us to better prepare for the arrival of these invaders. Or perhaps a treaty of some sort. Martin keeps most of his walkers far away from the Empire, past the mountains maybe, so we can request his aid when we need it.”

  Silence was the only answer that Shen Feng gave her, his narrowed eyes moving all over the features of her face.

  “Um… what do you think, esteemed general?””

  The general’s frown waivered, then disappeared completely and was replaced with a smirk. That’s when Yao Xiu knew the general was just harassing her… again.

  She prayed to her ancestors that the general was not taking that kind of interest in her. After she had turned into his shadow, the other aspiring historians had started to distance themselves from her. They didn’t want to be caught in the eventual backlash when the general was done with whatever he had in mind for her. Even Cai Ping was no longer following her around. Apparently, he was happy enough with Song Lan’s attention. Good, because the girl was no longer picking on her. Good, because Cai Ping wasn’t stalking her anymore. Bad, because she had no one to help her out when she needed it the most. Not that it would have done any good; she doubted many men would go against someone in General Shen Feng’s position for the daughter of a baker.

  “Oh, come on, Feng. Stop picking on her. Miss Yao has been decent to you and me, and she never really intended anything malicious in our conversations. It was just an exchange of ideas between one academic to another. Nothing insidious or the like.”

  Thank you! Thank you! A dozen times, thank you! thought Yao Xiu. This time, she managed to keep it to herself without blurting it out.

  The general chuckled to himself. “Actually, I’ve only been harassing this one because it’s my job to be paranoid. And after talking with you for a while, I can see why she seems to trust you so much. You seem like the earnest type, albeit a bit clueless, and you’ve been pretty consistent with your accounts about these invaders of yours.”

  “Thanks! Wait, what?”

  “I rest my case.” The general turned his attention back to Yao Xiu, his eyebrows waggling with mischief. “Besides, it’s not often I can talk to someone who has just as much passion for the Heavenly Warriors of Legend as I do.”

  That left Yao Xiu gaping in undisguised wonder. “Wait. Wait just one ancestor-raising moment. After all the pain you’ve given me, after humiliating me in front of my peers and threatening me with treason, you mean to tell me that you knew from the start where I was coming from? That the threat contained in the legends of old is the reason why I shared what I did with Mar-Tin?”

  Yao Xiu wanted to claw the grin off the general’s face but settled for glaring back at him. “Yes, indeed.”

  “Why!?”

  “Because I needed to teach my new ambassador a few lessons in keeping her mouth shut while keeping her eyes open.”

  “I… wait. Your new what?”

  “Ambassador?” Martin was just as surprised as Yao Xiu.

  “Of course. I am sure some well-connected courtesan in Her Majesty’s court would love to have the honor of schmoozing you, a relic from the past. However, I myself have spent a considerable amount of time going over the legends of old, especially when it comes to stories of mysterious invaders wiping out our forebears. Not just the people, but the histories too. Only through the efforts of brave historians does the Ren Empire even have an inkling of what may befall them in the future. What we need is another historian who is dedicated to uncovering the truth of this matter, not a blood-sucking parasite who will use Mar-Tin for political games.”

  The general took a different tone as he spoke. No longer was he the gruff, boisterous military leader that Yao Xiu had first encountered. His face morphed into a man who has layers of thought hidden beneath his rough exterior. He quickly covered it up though, assuming an idiotic grin once more to mask his thoughts.

  “And you, my little traitor, are perfect fo
r that role.”

  He turned back to Martin’s walker before continuing. “Look, Mar-Tin. You need to remember that all lordlings in the Empire have their ambitions. Some plot with their neighbors to set up marriage alliances. Some want to build their criminal empires so they can get around paying their taxes to the throne. Some want to expand logging rights and learn the secrets of making silk. Some want to ‘free’ themselves from the Ren with dreams of reclaiming their ‘glorious’ pasts. Some just want to get fat, drink until they go blind, and collect enough concubines to leave their hips a shattered mess when they get old.

  “Every single one of them is beholden to Her Majesty’s will, otherwise they face a visit from me, my troops, and the troops of all the other vassals who have sworn service to her. In exchange, all these lordlings will have the guarantee that Her Majesty’s forces will be there to protect them— so long as they keep their people in line, pay their taxes, and answer a call to arms when needed.

  “Your unconditional surrender without raising a hand against Her Majesty, coupled with your capabilities and professed intention to help us fight against the enemies of our ancestors, has impressed me enough to put you in the position of one such lordling. It will ultimately be up to Her Majesty to accept or reject you as a vassal, though I will be recommending that you be given free rein to discover what you can about this enemy we might face. This is why I am assigning historian Yao Xiu to your side as my liaison.”

  Yao Xiu must not have been hearing right. The general called her a historian. Not aspiring historian, not student historian. Just plain historian. He even emphasized the word, slowing down mid-sentence to make sure that she heard it. No, she must definitely not have heard it right, but she didn’t have a chance to get it checked out since he continued his speech about what Martin was expected to do as a vassal to the Empress.

  “She is an exceptionally voracious learner when it comes to the old legends. She has shown both passion and drive when it comes to these topics, and she has demonstrated that she can work quite well with you. Where her peers shied away out of fear, she instead let her curiosity lead her on her way. When I squeeze her to test her limits, she continues to use her brain… at least most of the time. This one tends to pop when you squeeze too hard.” He smirked again, reminding Yao Xiu of her outbursts. “She is good enough for the job, though. Use her to gather what you need, to learn what you need to, and she will serve you well. She’ll also be able to fulfill her oath of gratitude, which I should remind the good ambassador to never, ever, hand out so flippantly in the future.”

  Yao Xiu found that she was developing a habit of wincing a lot when the general opened his mouth; he kept sneaking in far too many barbs for her liking, even when flattering her.

  “Now go,” said the General, waving Martin’s walker off. “I need to finish my report bearing news of what happened to Her Majesty, along with my suggestions on your vassalization.”

  ***

  Yao Xiu was still in a daze with the way things were going. She could just imagine the face her father would make when he learned what his daughter was up to. Working with an artifact of the ancestors, learning first-hand how it functioned, helping prepare against a foe straight from the legends—even she couldn’t believe it. Not just that, but she would be considered a full historian as well!

  And that was when she ran into Lead Historian Cui Dai. “Well, well, well. The woman of the hour. Congratulations on your new promotion, historian Yao Xiu. Or should I call you ambassador Yao Xiu now?”

  Ambassador Yao Xiu! The sound of it sent a thrill through her body, and she felt like she was floating in the clouds with delight. “Thank you, Lead Historian Cui Dai, but I will always remain a historian in my heart. I will strive to do my best not to let you down.” After all, humility won more friends than arrogance.

  The lead historian’s smile was warm, though it quickly morphed into a wry smirk. She held the smile for a few short moments before flattening it and following it up with a more serious question. “I’ve also heard about your role as General Shen Feng’s liaison with Mar-Tin and his forces. I know what you said to the general, but do you think we can trust this Mar-Tin? Enough to put your life in his hands this way?”

  The question gave Yao Xiu pause, making her really think about the implications of her position as ambassador. She felt apprehension twist in her gut, but then the promise of learning more about her people’s past quickly squashed that apprehension.

  “From what I have seen of Mar-Tin, from what I have gained from my discussions with him, I believe he can be trusted. He is curious about Renese culture, honorable historian, but his passion is most apparent when we are talking about the ancient legends. He seems obsessed with how the heroes of legend destroyed the enemy, about the powers they harnessed and the weaknesses they exploited. I believe that we can trust him to a certain extent.”

  “Then let me pose this question to you, ambassador Yao Xiu: what if he is aligned with the invaders of legend? What if he is a spy, and it is his job to win our trust? What if all the questions he asks of you is a test to see just how much we know, how strong our defenses are, before he contacts his masters and has them erase us from history just like the ancestors who came before us?” Her frown was tight, her eyes crinkled in worry. “What would you, what can you do, to prevent such a treachery?”

  Yao Xiu was about to formulate a rebuttal about Martin’s earnestness when the lead historian turned the question back to her. Yao Xiu had always viewed her relationship with Martin in a detached manner, with her only intent being to satisfy her curiosity and to learn as much as she could. The knowledge she gained would then be passed on to her betters, who would be able to use it to make the decisions she could not. Not her problem, she always thought.

  That’s when she realized that her new position as an ambassador entailed responsibilities far beyond what any historian faced. The job was not just about learning new things, but finding out whether that knowledge can help or hinder the Empire. It would be upon her to make decisions with consequences far graver than merely settling a theoretical debate.

  She tried to formulate an answer, but both her mind and her mouth rebelled. She wanted to shout that the lead historian was wrong, that there was no way that Martin was lying, that she would never have to face the possibility of her actions endangering anyone. Then she considered that Martin was an existence that neither she nor anyone else had ever encountered in their lives. He was something entirely different, no matter how human he sounded to her, and it was up to her to find out what she could.

  In the end, she could not formulate a satisfying answer. Everything that came to mind was just an excuse, blurred by the weight of responsibility that she suddenly found herself carrying. The lead historian simply shook her head and walked away, leaving Yao Xiu to her thoughts. She could only numbly return to her tent, trying but failing to contain that sliver of doubt that had managed to worm its way into her being. Where General Shen Feng frightened her with his bellicose attitude, Lead Historian Cui Dai absolutely terrified her with the implications of her new position.

  These thoughts haunted Yao Xiu when she went to sleep that night, even as the lead historian scribbled her ciphered report. Cui Dai rolled and sealed the parchment before giving it to a Balancer agent disguised as one of Shen Feng’s messengers. He would join the general’s other messengers as they flew through the skies on their chang gun staves, and the Empress would be receiving two sealed reports the next day.

  One would be from General Shen Feng. It would detail what his troops had encountered in the Leizhu Swamp: the bloodless surrender of Martin’s forces, an explanation of Martin’s professed intentions to help the Empire, and information about an ancient enemy that periodically arrives to wipe out all civilization. It would add that the General of the White Tiger had personally assessed this Mar-Tin, noting that Martin’s forces could be useful to the Ren Empire—especially when it came to aiding the Azure Dragon Gene
ral Bai Yu keep the restive eastern regions of Taiyo in check. The report would conclude with extolling the benefits of vassalizing Martin and his forces while keeping them contained in the Yanshi Mountains, calling upon them only when needed.

  The other would be from Agent Si-Shi-Er—Agent 42. The latter report would contain information on how the forces that had awakened in the Leizhu Swamp were controlled by a central consciousness, that they had an undetermined force hidden in the Yanshi Mountains, that they were seeking information related to the Heavenly Warriors of Legend as well as information on the monsters of Diyu, the realm of the dead. The second report would also include a note that the consciousness’ occupying forces were weak and vulnerable at the moment, but that it had the capability to produce enough troops of its own to become a significant threat to the Red City. The imperial seat of power was just a hundred and fifty miles away from the Leizhu Swamp, and was previously thought to be in a geographically safe position no enemy army could easily access.

  Because of this threat to Her Majesty, Agent 42 would finish her report with the recommendation that this unknown force be destroyed as soon as possible—before it grew large enough to become a real danger.

  Chapter 16

  “Well, would you look at that.”

  Standing at the edge of the Bashri desert, near the sandstone labyrinth, Prince Suhaib remained slack-jawed at the sight before him. He had taken his friends Faadi and Munjid on this expedition with him, and they were just as amazed by what they saw as he was.

  There were hundreds of things scurrying about the place. They were waist-high and looked like little children, but only if the children were faceless, featureless, and made entirely out of what appeared to be clay. No, they weren’t completely featureless; their hands were morphing into various tools as they worked on the roads. They were blasting sand out of the way, levelling it out, and then pouring chunks of mud that they would smooth out into a road. The mud, however, did not crack like ordinary mud when it dried out. No, the mud that the dolls were applying hardened like brick, except it did not need to be cured nor fired. It began hardening as soon as it left the ‘hands’ of the dolls, who continuously blew the sand away until the mud hardened enough. A team of dolls, however, were focused around a small structure. They were shaping a tower of some sorts, gradually adding mud and waiting for it to harden before climbing up and adding even more mud. The young prince assumed these were the obelisks that Martin had mentioned, the things that allowed him to extend his reach with his constructs.