Elvangar

by Richard S. Tuttle

  “Welcome,” smiled Emperor Marak. “Our group is now complete. Let me introduce everyone so that we can get to know one another. Our new arrivals are elves from Elvangar. Eltor is on the right; Caldal on the left.”

  Everyone stood and turned to face the elves.

  “Most of you have already met Mistake and MistyTrail,” the Emperor continued as he nodded towards the two women. “Ophia in the white robe is a mage. Gunta and Halman here are two of the soldiers of my Torak clan, and Captain Mynor is the finest sea captain that I know. He will not be traveling with us, but he needs to know what we discuss here today.”

  “If he is for our transport to Elvangar,” interrupted Caldal, “Eltor and I are quite capable of sailing on our own. We just need a ship.”

  “Elvangar is not his purpose,” promised the Emperor, “but Motanga might be. I am not yet sure what role he will play, but I think it prudent for him to be aware of what is going on.”

  Caldal nodded sheepishly and turned to see if Eltor was glaring at him.

  “The last member of our expedition is Axor,” the Emperor continued as he nodded to the hooded man. “He is a Chula shaman from the Pfledor tribe.”

  “With the exception of Captain Mynor,” asked Eltor, “are we all going to Angragar?”

  “Yes,” answered Emperor Marak. “We will also be joined by others as we get closer. We will meet up with some Fakarans after we cross the Fortung Mountains. A contingent of Sakovans will also join us in Fakara. They will be traveling there by ship.”

  “Who is coming from the Sakova?” asked MistyTrail.

  “Lyra and three others,” answered the Emperor. “I do not know the identity of the others. It will be whoever Lyra decides.”

  “And Rejji?” asked Mistake.

  “He and three others will meet us in Fakara,” nodded Emperor Marak. “Again, I do not know who he will choose.”

  “This seems like a lot of people just to read scrolls,” frowned Eltor. “Is all of this necessary?”

  “That is not the only reason for our trip to Angragar,” replied Emperor Marak. “I believe that the Torak, the Astor, and the Star must journey there together. I am not sure what will happen, but I could not ask Rejji or Lyra to travel without protection. The party is as small as I could make it.”

  The door to the office opened and an Imperial soldier entered. Instead of approaching the Emperor, he turned and walked the length of the room to the door leading to the living quarters of the Emperor. He opened the door and walked through it, closing it behind him.

  “Are we going to meet Rejji in Ghala?” asked Mistake.

  “Much has happened in Fakara since you left, Mistake,” smiled the Emperor. “Rejji has already built two more cities. The city of Meliban now sits at the mouth of the Meliban River, and the city of Taggot was built at the mouth of that river. It is not yet determined where we will meet Rejji. If you will excuse me for a moment, I must attend to something.”

  Emperor Marak walked across the floor and opened the door to the living quarters. He passed through the door and closed it.

  “I assume that this is important?” asked the Emperor.

  “I would not interrupt otherwise,” answered the Imperial soldier.

  “Very well, Fisher,” nodded the Emperor. “What is it?”

  “There have been random murders throughout Khadora,” answered the Torak spy.

  “I have heard reports about them,” nodded the Emperor.

  “Yes,” continued Fisher, “but you did not hear that the assassins were hellsouls.”

  “Hellsouls?” Emperor Marak echoed with surprise. “They should not be outside Angragar. How did they escape?”

  “They are not from Angragar,” replied Fisher. “They are from Motanga, and there are more coming, many more. I am sure you will understand their purpose.”

  “To create havoc throughout the country,” nodded the Emperor. “They will do exactly that, too.”

  “Vand has also discovered your use of air tunnels,” Fisher continued. “He will seek to use them for himself. He may also try to disrupt your use of them.”

  “How could he possibly know about our air tunnels?” asked the Emperor.

  “I do not know,” admitted Fisher, “but it gets worse. An air mage from Raven’s Point is missing. Where she normally takes her morning stroll, patches of ice were found in the sand. I suspect that she was abducted so that Vand can learn the workings of the air tunnel. Your communications may no longer be secure.”

  “That changes much,” frowned Emperor Marak. “We have become very dependent upon those air tunnels. If he can intercept our messages, we will suffer great losses. It will even be worse if he can disrupt our ability to send messages. We must discover an alternative method of communications.”

  “I will travel to the mage school when I leave here,” offered Fisher. “Perhaps they can figure something out.”

  “Good,” nodded the Emperor. “Any ideas on how we can combat the hellsouls? Rejji’s staff and the Sword of Torak appear to be the only weapons that can kill them.”

  “I am working on it,” answered the spy.

  “Alright,” replied Emperor Marak. “The group in my office is going with me to Angragar. I want to be kept current on what you discover. We can use Fardale to channel messages. Check in with them once a day.”

  “Do you trust the elves?” asked Fisher. “That Caldal is one that I would watch.”

  “He is headstrong,” shrugged the Emperor, “but I think his heart is in the right place. He is just trying to protect his people. I do not hold that against him.”

  “You would be wise to be cautious with him,” warned Fisher. “If he thinks you mean harm to the elven people, he will strike without a second thought.”

  “I suspect that Eltor would as well if they truly thought I was their enemy,” nodded the Emperor. “I hope to prove to them that I am not.”

  “Keep Gunta and Halman close at all times,” advised Fisher. “I do not want to lose the Torak over some petty misunderstanding.”

  “And I thought your concern was for me personally,” Emperor Marak chided sarcastically.

  “It always is,” grinned the Torak spy, “but this is more important than even you now. The whole known world is riding on your shoulders, Marak. Always remember that your death means the death of thousands. Do not tempt fate.”

  “I will try not to,” promised the Emperor. “I offer the same caution to you, my friend. I would not have been able to do what I have done without your help. Keep yourself healthy.”

  Fisher nodded and opened the door for the Emperor. He would wait a respectable time before leaving the living quarters himself.

  Emperor Marak reentered his office and walked to his desk. The chatter that had existed in the room died as he entered and everyone looked expectantly at him.

  “Are there any questions about this journey?” asked the Emperor.

  “When do we leave?” asked Eltor.

  “We leave at first light,” answered Emperor Marak. “Anyone that needs to requisition weapons should do so today. We travel with only what we can carry on our horses. We will not have a pack train, so keep it light.”

  There were no further questions and everyone left the room. Mistake and MistyTrail joined up with the elves as they walked down the stairs.

  “Are you two alright with this plan?” asked Mistake. “You have been out of sorts lately.”

  “We are,” smiled Eltor. “Please understand that this is hard on us. Our laws prohibit what we are doing now. We will be punished when we return to Elvangar.”

  “No punishment can be as bad as what we saved you from in Motanga,” MistyTrail said as she locked eyes with Caldal.

  Caldal frowned stubbornly for a moment and then nodded his head in agreement.

  “I owe you my life,” he declared. “I know that I have acted rudely since arriving here. Eltor has already rebuked me for doing so, but I cannot wash away the years of training that I grew u
p with. I will try to behave. Correct me gently when you see me straying from your good graces.”

  “I will try gently at first,” grinned MistyTrail. “I hope you are quick at adjusting. I would hate to have to beat some sense into you.”

  “Your attempts at it could be fun,” chuckled Caldal in his first display of merriment since entering Khadora. “Perhaps we should practice this afternoon before we pack for the trip?”

  Chapter 4

  Attack of the Hellsouls

  The army encampment outside of the Sakovan city of Alamar spread for miles in every direction. Thousands of tents dotted the landscape, and wagons loaded with food spread through the camp like the veins of a leaf. Lyra halted her horse and sat silently for several moments absorbing the image.

  “I am glad that we didn’t have to face this army during the war,” commented StarWind. “It is one thing to talk about twenty thousand men, but it is quite another to see them all gathered in one place.”

  “How long will Alamar’s food last feeding so many?” asked HawkShadow.

  “The armies will not be staying here for long,” answered the Star of Sakova. “The purpose of the meeting today is to send General Romero and General Didyk back to Okata. By the time they reach the city, the mages will have restored the fields there.”

  “Can the generals be trusted?” asked HawkShadow. “They were our enemies not long ago.”

  “I don’t know,” Lyra conceded, “but we have little choice in the matter. I asked General Manitow to keep them here until I spoke to them. I want a chance to impress upon them the need for solidarity. We must get ready to face Vand’s armies. We need the loyalty of these generals and their men.”

  “I do not trust them,” interjected Goral.

  Lyra smiled at the Sakovan giant. “I do not trust them either, Goral, but we still need them, and I will trust StarWind’s people to keep a close eye on them.”

  “I will infiltrate spies into their camps,” promised the Sakovan spymaster. “If the generals become treasonous, I will know about it.”

  “I have faith in you, StarWind,” smiled the Star of Sakova. “I also have confidence that HawkShadow will eliminate those who seek to destroy this union of ours.”

  “Is that why you are not taking us to Angragar?” asked the Sakovan assassin.

  “Yes,” Lyra admitted. “It is necessary for me to join the Torak and the Astor in Angragar, but the trip comes at a critical time for the Sakova. I need skilled Sakovans to protect me on this trip, but I need the best to remain here. LunarSigh and DarkBlade are already waiting for me within the city. They will keep me safe until I return home.”

  “Both are well skilled,” StarWind responded, “but you are to take three people with you. Who is the third?”

  “My Uncle Temiker,” smiled Lyra. “I want his help when we start studying the ancient tomes of the Qubari. He often sees things that others miss. I want to be sure that we learn everything that we can about this coming invasion.”

  “Your choice of Temiker pleases me,” smiled StarWind. “He will watch over you.”

  “Kaltara always watches over me,” Lyra replied with a smile. “Let’s go talk to our generals.”

  The four Sakovans rode down the hill and through the encampment. Imperial Guards scurried to and fro throughout the camp, but those along the path of the Star of Sakova stopped and stared as the Sakovans rode by. Some soldiers wondered who the strangers were, but word quickly spread that the Star of Sakova was coming. Before they were half way to the generals’ tents, soldiers began bowing as Lyra passed. Soon crowds grew and created a corridor through the camp. Lyra smiled benevolently at the soldiers as she passed.

  By the time the Sakovans reached the tents of the two generals, Romero and Didyk were standing outside. They both bowed humbly when the Sakovans halted and dismounted.

  The only Imperial Guard, who was not bowed down, moved swiftly from alongside the tent. He stabbed a knife into the side of General Didyk. HawkShadow leaped forward, drawing his two-handed sword as he ran. As the Imperial Guard turned to run away, HawkShadow’s blade sliced into the man’s back. The assassin fell to the ground and died.

  Lyra raced to the fallen general and knelt next to him while HawkShadow knelt next to the dead assassin and searched his body. HawkShadow found nothing but a small pouch of gold on the body. He reached for the assassin’s left arm to inspect the wrist area. Some assassins in Omunga were branded with a tattoo resembling a coiled serpent with wings. It was their way of identifying each other. HawkShadow dropped the left arm and examined the right one. He frowned when he saw the mark. It was not the tattoo that he had been expecting to see. Instead of the coiled serpent, there was a thumbprint seared into the man’s flesh. He shook his head and dropped the arm.

  Lyra checked the wound in General Didyk’s side. She frowned at the oozing crevice.

  “It was a poisoned blade,” Lyra announced. “StarWind, race to the city and fetch LifeTender. Her healing skills are much greater than mine.”

  Instead of mounting her horse, StarWind wove an air tunnel to Temiker’s school. HawkShadow ran to help Lyra support the general’s body as he used his knife to cut away the man’s uniform. Imperial Guard’s started to drift closer to the commotion, and two of them knelt on the opposite side of the fallen general and helped HawkShadow disrobe Didyk. Lyra started casting healing spells. During the commotion, almost everyone missed seeing the dead assassin rising to his feet.

  “Down,” shouted Goral. “Everyone get down.”

  Thousands of soldiers immediately dropped to the ground in confusion. The Sakovan giant thundered across the ground in pursuit of the assassin. Still a couple of paces behind the fleeing man, Goral swung his massive maul as he surged forward. The maul slammed into the man’s head, spraying blood and tissue across the ground. Instantly, all parts of the assassin turned to smoke. The white uniform of the Imperial Guard fell to the ground in a heap. Soldiers who had been sprayed with portions of the exploded head stared as the blood on their uniforms smoked, leaving no stain at all.

  “What was that?” asked one of the Imperial Guards as others began quietly moving away from Goral.

  Goral turned and strode over to HawkShadow. “I thought you killed him.”

  “I did,” frowned HawkShadow as he looked up at the giant. “Trust me. That man was dead. I know dead when I see it.”

  “He was a hellsoul,” Lyra announced as she continued to cast healing spells on General Didyk. “There will be more of them soon. Where is LifeTender?”

  “She will be here shortly,” promised StarWind.

  “Let’s hope that shortly is soon enough to save the general’s life,” frowned the Star of Sakova.

  * * *

  Rejji and his brother, Bakhai, stood in the square in the center of the city of Taggot. Thousands of tradesmen moved around the city as the sound of hammering echoed from every corner. Horse drawn carts moved logs and loads of stones in every direction.

  “Your people can build a city overnight,” commented Bakhai. “It is hard to imagine the small village that existed here not long ago.”

  “Overnight is quite an exaggeration,” replied the Astor as he turned to observe the work, “but everyone is working hard to make our dreams come true. Much of the credit must go to Lakado. He drew up the plans for the city. I think he has done a fine job.”

  “Are we off to Meliban next?” asked the animal talker. “Is that where we will meet up with Lord Marak?”

  “He is Emperor Marak now,” chuckled Rejji. “You must get used to his new title, or you will offend him when he arrives.”

  “The Torak is not easily offended,” countered Bakhai. “I do not think he would even notice if I called him Lord Marak.”

  “You are probably right,” shrugged Rejji. “You could probably even drop the title of lord, and he would not care. Still, try to be politely proper. There will be others traveling with him, and I do not want the Fakarans to be embarrassed.”

/>   “I will try,” agreed Bakhai.

  “I do not think we need to go to Meliban at this time,” Rejji said. “In fact, Marak may not even stop there. We have built inns every half-day’s ride between Ghala and the Fortung Mountains. Depending on when he enters the country, he might bypass the city.”

  “I think he will stop even if it is just a half-day’s journey for that day,” Bakhai insisted. “He has a great curiosity, and he will want to see what you have accomplished. He will stop at Meliban.”

  Rejji frowned as he saw a man dressed in a dark cloak following Adger, the leader of the Mutang tribe. What caught Rejji’s attention was that the man was walking with his hood concealing his face. Rejji knew of no Mutang tribesman who would dress in such a fashion. He tapped Bakhai on the arm and nodded in the direction of the man. Bakhai turned and stared at the stranger as the hooded man started to close the distance between himself and Adger. Bakhai unsnapped his bow and nocked an arrow.

  “Adger,” shouted Rejji. “Come here please.”

  The leader of the Mutang tribe turned and smiled at Rejji. He changed direction and started walking towards the square. The hooded man suddenly pulled a knife from beneath his cloak and darted towards Adger. Bakhai aimed and released his arrow without a second thought. The arrow struck the assailant in the chest, and his body tumbled to the ground. Adger turned and stared at the body as Rejji and Bakhai ran towards him.

  “Do you know him?” Rejji asked Adger as he used his staff to push back the hood of the assailant.

  “I have never seen him before,” Adger shook his head. “What is this all about?”

  “He was following you,” answered Bakhai. “When Rejji called to you, this man pulled a knife and ran towards you. He was going to kill you.”

  “Why me?” asked Adger. “Do you think he is Jiadin?”