With Footfalls of Shadow

by Donogan Sawyer

  “You’ve long lost the ability to surprise me, old friend.”

  “Well, I think that settles the issue,” stated Liam. “Please join us.”

  ~Æ~

  Gastious glanced at Theron’s figure twisting slowly on the cross, the agony plain on his face. He felt neither pity nor pleasure at the man’s suffering, but he felt sure the punishment for the man’s crimes was just. Theron had been a man of cruelty and lies. He had no honour. He deserved his fate.

  Gastious rode on with the King’s retinue towards the arena, and gave the general no further thought. He felt transported, in a sense. The wasp’s poison, and then the warlock’s remedies, had weakened him greatly. It was as if he had been living a nightmare for the past few weeks, and was only just awakening. All that was happening currently seemed so improbable. Tomorrow he would be leading his hated half-brethren, the Bok, into battle alongside the King’s army, against a man who only a few months ago had been a mere tavern keeper.

  Gastious twisted his sword-arm into place. He had become quite skilled with his new prosthesis, and was looking forward to trying it in battle. Unfortunately, he would have to wait one more day, as the King wanted to try something with those little men first. He rode beside Antok. Gastious thought it risky to bring him along, afraid that if Liam’s people saw Antok, they might figure out that more of them were back at the camp. But Antok wanted to assess the arena, and the King wanted to keep him happy. One more day, he thought to himself, and he could set to work properly.

  ~Æ~

  As had become custom, Rhemus held Kaila’s hand as he walked through the gates, Kienten and Rutain following closely behind. He loathed the part he was playing in this war. Men were dying as a direct result of his efforts. He felt ashamed to be involved in such destruction, and the action brought his confrontation with Bandalanu closer to him, reminding him of his own capacity to kill. Participating in the battles meant that he was representing the worst in humanity, the element of character that drives men to destroy one another. He also knew, however, that Arconus was ultimately responsible for the destruction, and that somehow Liam Foster must become king. Arconus would continue to corrupt the kingdom as long as he was in power, dragging the entire land into despair, polluting the æther. Rhemus had no choice but to fight against him. Even if their plight proved hopeless, he knew they must continue.

  Rhemus left Kaila standing by her accustomed pillar, and carried on to the one he had been using. Lyra walked on ahead to hers. Kienten and Rutain had already walked off in different directions to take their positions. He could sense the Mikraino in the enemy camp. They were agitated. There was a certain dark foreboding that seemed to cloud their minds, directed quite clearly towards him. He wished he could reach them and talk to them, make them understand that he wanted to help them, but he knew today was not the day.

  Liam’s army was in the arena first, and now the King’s army was taking position. Rhemus did not have a clear view of what they were doing, but he could see through the soldiers well enough to know that the King’s Mikraino were taking position in front of them.

  “Can you see what they are doing?” he called to Lyra.

  Lyra walked over to him, and stood on the stone foundation at the back of the arena to look over the top of the soldiers. “They are bringing out torches, six of them. They are spreading them across the arena. The Mikraino are spread out, too. Each one is standing between two torches. What are they doing?”

  “I don’t know,” he answered. “They don’t seem to be doing anything yet.”

  “Should we carry on as usual?” Kaila asked, walking over to them.

  “I think we should try to figure out what they are up to,” answered Rhemus. Kienten and Rutain looked over to them. Rhemus put a hand up, indicating they should stay where they were.

  The bell rang, and Liam’s army started marching forward tentatively. Then the torches started to glow more brightly. Rhemus could see the force they were using on the flames, somehow powering them. Liam and his men stopped their advance in the face of the ever-growing fire, and then started stepping back. The flames were quite big now, and should have engulfed the Mikraino, but they were protected against the fire.

  “They are going to thrust the flames at us,” Rhemus finally realised. “It will kill everyone in the first two rows of men.”

  “Liam!” screamed Lyra. “Get Liam back.”

  Rhemus could feel the heat now, as three great balls of flame now stood as tall as the arena itself.

  “Raise the flag,” Rhemus told Kaila, and Kaila started running towards the bearer, screaming for him to raise the flag, but she was too far away for her tiny voice to carry.

  With a great roar, the three balls of flame hurtled directly at Liam.

  ~Æ~

  Argus was excited to see his apprentices execute their task so successfully. From their hillside viewpoint, the great balls of fire looked quite beautiful. Argus was particularly happy to see that the Mikraino on the other side seemed unprepared to deal with this new challenge.

  “Quite impressive,” remarked Arconus. “I can feel the heat from here.”

  “And now they strike,” whispered Argus.

  With a great roar, the balls hurtled directly at their target. Some men around Liam cowered on the ground, others dove in front of him, while Liam remained standing, sword raised, as if he had a mind to fight the fire with it.

  Then it was as if the fire hit an invisible wall, stopping a few feet from Liam and expanded again, then exploded in the opposite direction, obliterating all of the King’s soldiers in the arena, and burning several hundred more who were watching from outside.

  XLI

  Liam Foster beat back the very flames of hell thrust upon him by the evil Arconus. The next day he summoned giants to fight beside him, in the hope of ending the flow of blood.

  – Lazaro’s Flame

  Liam paced very slowly in front of the conference table. He could sense that everyone felt deeply for Rhemus, wondering at the pain he must be suffering, but no one knew what to say to comfort him. Liam also knew that many in the room had acquired a new respect for the little boy, and a new fear. He sat there in his accustomed chair, leaning on the table with his forehead resting on one hand. Kaila sat next to him, holding his other, while Lyra gently massaged his back. Liam started to say something, but choked at the thought of this person who had saved his life at great personal sacrifice.

  “Rhemus,” Liam finally managed to say. “I cannot express how grateful I am for your bravery and sacrifice today. This war would be over if it weren’t for you.”

  “Perhaps,” answered Rhemus, “but if it weren’t for me, those Mikraino never would have been a threat in the first place.”

  Rhemus sat up straight. He let go of Kaila’s hand and gently indicated to Lyra to remove hers. He spoke coldly and calmly, “I must leave this place. It is time for me to confront the others, and I must lead them away from here. Those Mikraino are very dangerous. I will be leaving tonight through the tunnels, if Mr Ban’hoen will consent to help us.”

  “Of course,” said Richard, nodding respectfully.

  “I’m coming with you,” said Kaila.

  “Very well, Rhemus,” answered Liam. “You must do as you see fit.”

  “I’m coming too,” said Lyra. Liam had noticed Lyra’s protective nature over the Mikraino growing over these past weeks. He was happy to have her away from the conflict for a time, but wondered if she would be any safer out there.

  “Kienten and Rutain will stay with you. They are very skilled. They can carry on with our work,” said Rhemus weakly.

  “This could be fun,” said Verkleet, but his jovial tone was not convincing. “I think I had better go, too.”

  “Very well, then,” said Liam.

  Liam noticed that Maurious was staring at his father, but Verkleet did not acknowledge him.

  A loud knock came at the door. Filos walked over to open it, and his brother squeezed through the d
oor.

  “We’ll be fighting tomorrow, sir,” said Stenos.

  “My men are anxious to fight, as well,” said Maclamar. “They’ve been walking with the King’s soldiers for weeks, and would dearly appreciate a chance to show them what they really think of them.”

  “The Talons are ready as always,” said Blade.

  “As are mine,” said Riley.

  “That settles that, then. I think we’ll be giving Arconus quite a test tomorrow. I doubt he has anyone who could take us.”

  ~Æ~

  The King sat at the head of the table, stewing over his options. He looked calm, but Argus knew he was upset. He repeatedly glanced towards the three Mikraino, who sat quietly on one of the couches. He was likely considering their execution, but Argus knew the King avoided taking actions for which he did not know the consequences.

  “What happened, Argus?” asked Arconus, finally.

  “It seems the Mikraino with Foster is far more powerful than we knew. I’ve been talking with Dantun. His memory is very sketchy. Something apparently happened to him and his people before they came to me. Many of them died, and the others were traumatised. He doesn’t seem to understand it fully, but he is certain this Mikraino, named Rhemus, was responsible.”

  “Why is he with Foster?” asked the King.

  “I do not know, Your Highness, but Dantun tells me Rhemus has recently left Sarhani. He is moving north-west with three others. Dantun feels he must go confront him.”

  “Well, we won’t be trying them in the arena again,” the King remarked.

  “It’s our turn, now,” said Gastious.

  “After what happened today, I must say I am tempted to bag this whole arena business and go straight to a siege,” said Arconus.

  “I believe the arena approach is having the desired effect, sire,” said Argus.

  “It won’t if we keep losing,” said the King. “We were supposed to appear generous in giving them a fair chance, but we look weak in the face of these defeats.”

  “There is precious little information getting back to the people of Jeandania at the moment. Once we win, our men will have little trouble believing in their own bravery. There will be no one left of Foster’s people to refute our version of events. Trust me. I have seen this many times before.”

  “All right, Argus. You and Gastious seem to be in agreement for a change. Gastious wants to fight, and you seem confident this dangerous Mikraino is heading away from the battle,” said Arconus, his voice rising a bit, the strains of the recent losses clearly evident. “But I assure you, were it not for the fact that we have a few more days before our real weapons arrive, I would not take any more chances.”

  ~Æ~

  Lyra took a deep breath of forest air. The foursome had traversed the tunnels with Richard Ban’hoen as their guide, leaving him behind with warm thanks. They then walked through part of the mountains and were now well into the lavish woodlands of Jeandania. This was the land where Lyra had always felt most comfortable. She was at ease in the vast beauty of the forest. Walking with Rhemus and Kaila was educational for her and for them, with Verkleet laughing and encouraging them all the way. She had cast a spell to ward off the troublesome mosquitoes, ticks and other pests, and the Mikraino watched in amazement. To her, the spell had always been a series of exercises that had led to a certain result, like the way Travis folded paper in a certain succession to make shapes. But the Mikraino acted as if they could witness the inner workings of her spell, and were captivated by it, similar to the way she had observed another musician creating a song. She demonstrated the spell over and over. They spent the better part of the day’s travel trying to learn it, and by the evening, they seemed to have the knack. The same spell had taken Lyra three years to master.

  Verkleet put his arm around Lyra’s shoulders. It made her feel warm and comfortable. As with most of the Sisterhood, she had been taken to the desert at a very young age and never knew her parents. She wondered if perhaps this was what it felt like to be comforted by a father.

  “What’s on your mind?” he asked.

  Lyra snuggled her head into his neck for a moment and gently took hold of his hand. Rhemus and Kaila were up ahead talking to each other. She felt certain they could not hear.

  “I’m just a bit perplexed by our little friends.”

  “Very curious and wonderful creatures.”

  “Yes, that they are,” said Lyra. “All of their powers to glimpse the future, or control their surroundings seem to be so easy for them. It’s like they can see the æther before them, and just put their hands on it and shape it to their will.”

  “I fear, in part, they can. I have met a Mikraino with eyes of black once before, Bandalanu himself. He was old, wise and truly kind. The Mikraino themselves are an extremely private and reclusive people, and very few. Bandalanu told me that the black-eyed Mikraino were even fewer, born only once in a generation. What happened between Bandalanu and Rhemus was tragic and destroyed the Mikraino’s way of life in Jeandania. Now there are many of these black-eyed Mikraino among us. It’s a wonderful talent they possess, but also very dangerous, especially in the hands of those who lack the wisdom and experience of someone like Bandalanu.”

  “I believe in Rhemus’s wisdom. He keeps talking about bringing his people back together,” said Lyra.

  “Yes, I believe that the fates have made that his mission in life. Quite a burden for one so young. I wish I had more time to spend with them. There is much I could learn from them.”

  “Maybe after this is all over,” she said.

  “Maybe,” he said. “You are troubled, my girl. Come now. My shoulders are old, but sturdy. Lay your problems here.” He patted one of his shoulders.

  Lyra smiled at the old man’s kindness. “It’s a long list, as I think it is for all involved in this conflict. I have no right to complain.”

  “My dear,” said Verkleet gently. “You are not conflicted about your relationship with Liam, nor your role in this war. Yet you are conflicted.”

  “You are too perceptive,” she said. “Was your mother a witch?”

  “Sister, dear, the term is Sister. Have some respect. She was indeed, but long before Æhlman was ever born.”

  “That’s just it,” she said. “Is the Sisterhood the same now as it was then?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It just seems that the sisters really believe they are something different, something special, better than the other people that dwell on this planet. They train and hone their powers and go through their meditations and rituals and are convinced that they alone know how the world must be.”

  Lyra stopped talking, a bit ashamed of her own thoughts. After a long moment, Verkleet spoke for her, “And these little Mikraino see so clearly that which is murky and indistinct to the Sisterhood.”

  “Yes. It has taken centuries of trial and error, serendipity and building one small accomplishment after another, just to gain a glimpse of what these people can master in moments. I find it ironic that Viebke and Bianka used so much class time deriding the race of men for their arrogance.”

  “Ah, my dear,” said Verkleet, pulling her in tight. “When I first saw you, I thought perhaps you might be the most beautiful woman in all the world. Now I have no doubt. Liam is indeed a lucky man. Never be ashamed to be sceptical. The Sisterhood is indeed the same now as it was when my mother was a part of it. Their arrogance has been their undoing on more than one occasion. They are right more often than not, but they are most certainly not infallible.”

  “You could be in big trouble if I tell the council what you just told me, you know?”

  Verkleet chuckled softly. “My dear, I have stated my views directly to the council on several occasions. But yes, I suppose it has always led to big trouble for me.” Then he laughed his cackling laugh. Lyra joined in, and then Rhemus and Kaila turned around and started laughing with them, even though they did not know what was so funny. The Mikraino waited for them to catch up
, in order to walk with them.

  Lyra put a hand on Rhemus’s shoulder and asked, “What do you think? Will we meet them soon?”

  “Yes,” answered Rhemus. “They are coming even now. I think tomorrow evening will be the time of our confrontation.”

  “Mission one accomplished, I think,” said Verkleet.

  “What mission was that?” asked Lyra.

  “To lead the other Mikraino away from Sarhani and Liam,” answered Kaila.

  “Are they that powerful?” Lyra asked. “You seem to be able to handle whatever they come up with.”

  “Maybe so,” said Rhemus. “But I do not wish to find out if that is true or not. The most important aspect of our mission was to lead them and the message box away from Sarhani. Otherwise they may have found out about the water and the prophecy.”

  “What water? What prophecy? What are you talking about?” asked Lyra.

  “The water that once flowed under the city, I think is the key to our victory,” offered Verkleet. “And the prophecy, or a part of it, is the key to the future of Jeandania. Both are at a fragile stage right now. Had they come too close to it, they might have begun to understand the relevance.”

  Lyra realised in that moment that the three of them had been hiding something from her. Normally her training would have enabled her to see such deception immediately. Either she had been weakened by her trust in her friends, and by the distraction of all that was happening; or the three of them were far more skilled at keeping secrets than anyone she had ever known.

  “All right,” Lyra said, scolding them good naturedly. “What are you three holding back?”

  Rhemus glanced at Verkleet, who responded, “I think now might be a good time to tell her.”

  “We are not sure if it’s true,” said Kaila.

  “You never can tell with prophecy,” agreed Verkleet, “but at this point I think it only fair to tell the poor girl.”

  “Is it in the message box?” she asked.

  “A part of it, I think,” he said, patting his chest pocket where he kept the box. “I read the thing over and over, and I’m still not sure what it means. You know it’s always written in these old runes. One symbol stands for one word, but the symbols can mean more than one thing. Sometimes I wonder if these things are any use at all.” He sounded miffed.