The Unsound Prince

by Warwick Gibson

  The group of four lifted into the air. The Keeper Stone unfurled under them as the great prehistoric eagle it had been before. They rose smoothly toward the Empress, a little group that sat unwavering on the great bird’s back.

  As they closed on the archdemon they made an unworldly picture that few would have believed. Still figures, on a great prehistoric bird, surrounded by diamond light. Mudge felt his senses heighten, and he noticed how eerily still and clear everything was.

  The Empress projected a blood-red spirit bolt at the eagle, but it was overcome by the diamond light. She clawed at them with one huge, wolverine arm, but the arm slowed as it entered the adamantine light around them. The brilliance of the light spread down her arm, turning it grey and insubstantial.

  The Empress howled in fury. Her giant body sloughed away, and her essence escaped to take a spirit form. She rose toward them as a dark red ball of twisting energy.

  Mudge sensed what his companions were doing. The ancient spirit walker was holding them steady in the sky. The Keeper Stone was using the Mesoan energy to shield them against the raging energies of the Empress. Jago and Luce drifted toward the spirit ball and taunted the archdemon, distracting it. Already dead, they had nothing to fear from the Empress.

  Mudge knew this was the League’s one chance to finish this battle, finally and forever. He mentally prepared himself for the challenge. Then Ultrich was on his left, and the ancient spirit walker was on his right. Together, they left the eagle and plunged into the heart of the dark, red ball of energy.

  A small bat-like shape fluttered toward them in the darkness. The shape was blacker than anything had a right to be. It was like looking through a hole into a darker, deeper world beyond.

  The fluttering shape must be the Empress’ soul, decided Mudge, if demons had souls. Whatever it was, he and his companions had come all this way, across all the different times and places of the land they loved, to destroy it.

  Mudge balled up his hopes for the Karnatic League, and all his anger at what the Empress had done to his world. He added his dreams for his own future, and the future of everyone and everything in the League, and coalesced it into a concentrated star of spirit energy.

  He could feel Ultrich and the ancient spirit walker supporting him, adding to what he was doing, while the Keeper stone gave the star shape and direction. When it seemed the star could grow no brighter, Mudge pushed it into position with his mind. It surrounded the fluttering shape at the heart of the Empress.

  He motioned with his hand. It was a gesture intended, like his father’s, to concentrate his mind. Then he let the star collapse onto the Empress’ soul.

  The star imploded in a cataclysm of fire, boiling off energies that seared the space around them. It took all the effort of the Keeper Stone to shield Mudge and his companions from the gigantic explosion of fire and light. Then the brightness ceased, and the last of the star turned red, and faded. Mudge saw that the black shape still fluttered at the heart of the twisting red energy that was the Empress.

  They had failed.

  Mudge risked a quick glance over the city. He saw the other archdemons pressing their attackers back along the broad streets. He realised there was only so much time left.

  On one side of him the ancient spirit walker was trying to tell him something. Then the Keeper Stone was nudging him. Mudge tried to concentrate, but his mind was distracted by fears that they would lose. At last he understood what they were saying, and he used their words to rebuild his energies in a new way.

  He shut out all anger from his heart, and made himself understand the destruction of the Empress was the only possible future for his world. Then he built another kind of star.

  This time, he felt a new energy add itself to the mix. It was something subtle. Something without preference, and without judgement. It was something that understood the world had a purpose. He realised it would help him fight for that purpose.

  Endata, whispered Mudge to himself. First cause. He wondered if the others felt it too.

  The star descended toward the archdemon again. The starburst that followed was different to the first. In some respects it was less than before, yet it took the Empress' energies into itself and contained them, teasing them apart.

  And this time the brightness of the star prevailed. The blackness at the heart of the Empress’ spirit energies gave way. It became a cloud of scattering grains, each one flaming to nothing in the diamond light of the star. The last of the Empress’ spirit evaporated, and then the brightness of the star was all that remained. Slowly, it began to fade.

  Cheering broke out below them, and Mudge could see the remaining archdemons retreating along the streets of the city. They were being pursued by the League forces, and he felt for a moment the desire to see them all destroyed. He wanted to chase them down and make sure their evil was expunged from the netherworld, but something stopped him.

  He suddenly realised what the purpose of his world was. It was a training ground. A place to overcome difficulties, and develop as a people. The world needed evil, so it could face pain with courage and purpose. It was a hard lesson for him to learn. It was not for Mudge to remove the evil by which the world experienced growth and change.

  He sent a spirit call to bring the League battalions back from their pursuit. When he was sure they were retracing their steps, he lowered himself and his companions onto the top step of one of the giant buildings.

  When the great throng was gathered before him, he stepped forward to address them. They filled the spacious street and pressed up against the steps.

  "Impossible as we may have thought it to be," he roared out over them, "we have tracked the Empress back to her lair, and destroyed her.”

  A great cheer went up from the multitude. Mudge waited until it died away.

  “And that is enough," he continued.

  "The future of our world does not depend on destroying all of the evil in the netherworld. Even though that evil will continue to try and make us slaves, or worse. The truth is, the more of them we destroy, the more will come forth to replace them.

  There was silence as they digested his words.

  “Our strength lies in building strong communities and forging alliances. If we stand firm against those who profit from disaster and war, we can keep away the evil the archdemons feed on."

  Another great roar went up from the throng in the street. Mudge let it die away.

  "I don’t know how we got to this world, and I’m not sure how we're getting home,” he said, turning his mind to the one remaining problem, “but that is something we will work on together. Put your minds to the task. The sooner we understand how to return to our own world, the sooner we can go home."

  “Legatus! Legatus! Legatus!” chanted the throng below him.

  Mudge wasn’t sure who the chant was for. It seemed everybody wanted to give him the top job these days, but he wanted his father to remain head of the League for a long while yet.

  “Perhaps it’s for all three of us,” said Ultrich with a smile. “The Legatus that was, the Legatus that is, and the one to come.”

  “The Legatus that was?” enquired Mudge.

  “Prias the First, if I’m not mistaken,” said his father, turning to the spirit walker in the ancient style of clothes. The spirit walker nodded once, and turned back to look at the crowd below them. It had started to disperse as each group set up a headquarters nearby.

  “The sea port of Prias was named after him,” said Ultrich, turning back to Mudge, “and he started the Priatic School of Mysteries. That was over 400 years ago.

  “He was also the first Legatus. In the beginning the League was only a federation of the three Marches, and that was almost lost a hundred years ago, when the Tengue Dynasty set up trading colonies along our coasts. We were a small-minded and anxious people then.”

  He looked out over the giant city, reminiscing.

  “Uniting the Marches and throwing the Tengue back into the sea was the first thin
g I had to do as Legatus. I wanted to reinstate Prias’ idea of a Karnatic League.”

  Mudge nodded, it made sense. He looked up, and was pleased to see the sickly yellow hue of the sky had turned into something like the grey and white of his own world.

  Ultrich nudged him. Prias was pointing to something down in the street. Mudge couldn’t see anything at first, and engaged his farsight. Then he could see a softly pulsing point of light in the middle of the street.

  “The other end of the passageway between the worlds!” exclaimed Mudge. He clambered down the outsize steps and strode across the flagstones. Then he bent to examine it more closely.

  TWENTY

  It wasn't long before a small group had clustered round the softly pulsing light in the middle of the wide street. These were the most experienced spirit workers, but even to them there was no obvious way to unravel the spirit passageway. The remainder of the great throng waited quietly along the flagstones.

  There was a great deal of experience working to unravel this puzzle, but Mudge didn't think it would be enough. He was beginning to understand the rules that Endata, the first cause, worked by. It wasn’t for creatures like themselves to travel between worlds on a whim. For a higher purpose, maybe.

  The thrum of spirit power reached a new peak, as the spirit passageway was twisted this way and that by those trying to understand it. Mudge knew it was time to add his own understandings to the mix, but it was his state of mind that would count the most.

  He cleared his thoughts of all self-interest. He saw instead the rightness of all these beings returning to their own world. He saw the needs of their kin, and the fulfilment of their destinies. He held in his mind the benefits of a positive future for the Karnatic League. He saw the growth and understanding humanity might attain if things were put back the way they were.

  Mudge felt a lightness enter the mix of energies. The same kind of feeling he’d had when he fought the Empress. Without preference and without judgement. Endata.

  A bright light burst outward from the middle of the street, overwhelming everything. There was a moment of confusion, and Mudge found himself in the main hall of the Royal Palace. Shades and shapes stretched in every direction, and he saw Butha and Andrian running toward him. He was relieved to see Onjed with them.

  “You’re all unharmed?” he said anxiously. Butha assured him they were fine.

  “I’m sorry we were gone so long,” said Mudge.

  Butha looked puzzled.

  “You were only gone a few minutes,” she said uncertainly. “Barely time for us to make ourselves a base over there,” she added, pointing to a corner.

  “But we were gone half a day,” said Mudge. He couldn’t understand why there was such a difference.

  “Powerful spirit work takes place outside of time,” said Ultrich quietly. He had drifted over to stand beside Mudge. Butha and Andrian drew back at the pale, insubstantial nature of the Legatus’ double.

  “Ask Prias, he was one of the best,” added Ultrich, but he couldn’t find the first Legatus. Then he noticed the others were fading away too.

  “I’ll see you soon, my son,” he said, as he began to disappear. “It will be good to get back to Rotor Valley Pass, and to be just one person!” Then he was gone.

  The great throng slowly disappeared. Only those who had accompanied Mudge from Shaker’s Hope remained, and the hall seemed very mundane once more. Just the Rangers and Senovila, Arnima and Colma. Plus their Xaanian friends.

  “Time to find a way out of here,” said Mudge. He led the others toward one of the interwoven doors at the end of the hall.

  “What about the bodyguards and the Gorlen?” said Ochren, looking a little doubtful.

  “Won’t be a problem,” said Mudge. “The Gorlen will have returned to the elements they came from when the Empress created them. The bodyguards will be taking stock of the situation now their rulers are gone. I don’t think they'll try to stop us.

  “We just have to get Butha and her people back to their home. Then we can get ourselves back to the Marches, so we can see our friends and families.”

  The others cheered up noticeably at the prospect.

  ***

  “How was Prince Rossi when you saw him?” said Cinnabar. She was enjoying her stroll in the gardens of the Golden Palace with Ultrich.

  The Legatus chuckled. “I don’t think he’ll ever be a ‘royal prince’, that one. He’s too much his own man, and too close to the people.

  “Which is why,” he continued firmly, “he’ll make a fine Legatus.”

  “I hope he doesn’t think I’m trying to replace his mother,” said Cinnabar earnestly. She looked worried.

  “What makes you think I’m that interested?” said Ultrich, with a smile.

  “Mmmph!” she snorted, and moved away from him. He moved smoothly with her, and slid his hand down from her waist and onto her hips. She took his hand firmly in hers and swung it at her side.

  “I’ll tell him you have a kind heart . . . and long legs,” said Ultrich mischievously.

  “You haven’t seen my legs,” she retorted imperiously.

  “I know. That’s something we’ll have to do something about, and soon,” he said firmly. He put his arm around her waist again, and pulled her closer. This time she didn’t resist.

  In the office of state at the Golden Palace, Mudge was hearing about the last moments at Rotor Valley Pass from Porteous.

  “The Empress’ commanders in the field, these Sarkosay as you call them, just disappeared, turning themselves invisible perhaps. It left the Xaanian troops leaderless,” said Porteous.

  “I think those creatures knew she was gone immediately. They knew the Empress had returned to the netherworld. Perhaps they knew she had been destroyed shortly after. They must have figured the Xaanian forces would turn on them soon, even if they didn’t know Ottar Bey was dead. I would have made a run for it too, if I was one of those creatures.”

  Porteous stopped for a moment, as if he was reliving an experience.

  “We could tell the difference, you know, sitting up on the palisade across the pass, though we didn’t know what was going on at first. It was bedlam below, with the Xaanian troops coming and going, and a lot of shouting.

  “Then we noticed all their commanders were gone. I figured the best thing to do was let them work it out among themselves. At least they’d stopped attacking us!

  “When the Legatus returned, well, when the other half of the Legatus returned – I don’t really know how that works – he told us what had been going on. Then the Xaanian forces just packed up and left.”

  Porteous shook his impressive, grey-streaked head of hair. There was so much about this he hadn’t figured out yet. Mudge suppressed a smile. The sudden collapse of the Xaanian forces must have looked preposterous if you weren’t at the heart of it, watching it happen.

  “The Legatus is in the gardens with Lady Cinnabar, if you want to find him,” continued Porteous. “He said to tell you that.”

  Mudge nodded. He had heard the rumours about his father and the Lady himself. At first he hadn’t been sure what he thought about the new couple, but something had made it easy for him to understand.

  He had woken early in the royal apartments in the Golden Palace. Something didn't feel right about the pillows and the mattress, and he was uncomfortable. He realised that he wasn't used to soft living any more.

  After a while he had thrown a couple of blankets on the floor, and settled down on that. In the morning he’d woken to find another scarf from Luce draped across his neck.

  At least that answered one question. He had wondered where Jago and Luce had gone after the Empress had been defeated, and they were still somewhere nearby. He hoped he wasn’t keeping them in this world beyond a natural time, but something told him their purpose here wasn’t over yet.

  He still missed Luce terribly. It made him realise any chance of happiness between two people was rare, and should be grasped firmly with both hands
. He and Luce had not been given a chance to see where their feelings might take them, but Ultrich and Cinnabar had survived the Empress Wars, as they were already being called. They deserved the chance he had been denied.

  He decided he wanted to go back to Shaker’s Hope as soon as he could. His father had already agreed to postpone his Regency investiture for a while. Mudge would take a very long holiday in his adopted town before that happened.

  At some stage, when he’d been Regent of the Eastern Marches for a while, he would be made Legatus. He fervently hoped that day was also a long way off.

  As he descended the stairs to the gardens, he wondered what he would say to his father and the Lady Cinnabar. Then he decided he would just hug them both, which would astonish his father. Then he would wish them every happiness in their future together.

  THE END.

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  The first book (of six) should arrive around Christmas, and then every two months after that. These will be stand-alone tales mined from a huge science-fiction trilogy written three years ago. Together, they tell the story of the hybrid Invardii as they boil out of the galactic core, and claim Human space.

  The first book starts when Celia’s research team on Ba’H’Roth learns the human race was transplanted to Earth 200 thousand years ago . . .