"Actually," King Arik smiled thinly, "I was raised as a fisherman. I am sure that you will excuse my manners. In answer to your demands regarding Melbin, I will not yield even one city to you. Your army is starving and will soon die."
"Perhaps," shrugged the emperor as his eyes briefly locked with Alex's, "but not before Melbin is destroyed. Not even Alexander Tork can stop my army from crushing your city."
"I hadn't thought that we had ever met before," Alex replied. "Aren't you afraid to be in the same room with me? Your bodyguards sit idly by. Do you think they can stop me before I stride across this room and slay you?"
"You do not scare me," laughed Emperor Hanchi. "In fact, I may decide to have sport with you before I let your boy king depart. It is a pity that you did not bring your wife with you today. I would have enjoyed that visit immensely."
Suddenly, Za-hong was propelled into the room by his brother, Za-chan. Emperor Hanchi glared at the intrusion.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded Emperor Hanchi.
"This man is a traitor," declared the noble. "He not only deserted from your service, but he fights for the enemy. Worse, he spreads lies about you that endanger the loyalty of your men."
Chapter 4
To Kill the Witch
Emperor Hanchi's eyes were fixed on the two Lanoirians that had entered the room. It was clear from his expression that he did not care for the untimely interruption.
"Take the traitor out and kill him," commanded the emperor. "This is not a matter that requires my ruling. Be gone."
Tanya sensed the situation getting out of control with the entrance of Za-hong and his brother. She swiftly erected a magical shield over the Knights of Alcea. Emperor Hanchi's head immediately riveted towards the small group at the opposite end of the table. His mouth opened and showed clenched teeth as his eyes narrowed in rage. The eight bodyguards immediately rose from their chairs and faced King Arik. Tanya realized that they had been monitoring for the vibrations of a shield. Now they knew that a mage opposed them.
"Left," Tanya said calmly as both of her hands straightened and hurled Lanoirian stars at two of the Black Devils.
"Right," added Alex as he hurled two stars at the closest Black Devils on his right.
King Arik sent his stars into the two bodyguards closest to Emperor Hanchi. Dalgar and the two remaining Black Devils brought their hands up and pointed at the only person at the other end of the table that had not attacked.
"It must be Jenneva," spat Emperor Hanchi as a fireball flew from his fingertips. "Destroy her."
Za-chan's surprised voice shouted, "No," as the emperor's face disappeared and another appeared. His eyes grew wide as he realized that what was told to him was indeed true. Emperor Hanchi was not who he thought he was.
As the Black Devil's fireballs flared into nothing upon contact with Tanya's shield, Jenneva's own arms rose. Two icy blue orbs sped across the room and struck the two remaining Black Devils. Their bodies immediately froze, as Dalgar erected his own shield about him.
"I should have known you would be with your husband," scowled Dalgar.
"Leave the room," Jenneva shouted to Za-hong and his brother.
As if he had just remembered their presence, Dalgar turned and threw a fireball at the Lanoirian noble and his captive. His eyes widened in surprise when the fireball flared into nothing after having impacted on a shield.
"So you include them in your shield as well," Dalgar spat at Jenneva. "You think too highly of yourself. Covering them will only weaken you. I have only to wait for the outside guards to summon help. Then I shall enjoy watching each of you die."
"You have already enjoyed all that you will in this life," retorted Jenneva as her arms pointed towards Dalgar.
Fireballs flew from her fingertips. They flared and dissipated as they struck Dalgar's shield, but the Knight of Alcea did not stop. Streams of fireballs flew furiously from her hands as rage filled her face.
"How far can I go?" Alex asked softly as he saw the dead Black Devils begin to stir.
"Within a chair of Dalgar," Tanya replied. "Go no closer."
Alex moved to the right and drew his sword. King Arik understood what needed to be done. The king headed to the left around the table. The revenants began to rise and Alex and King Arik began decapitating them before they could strike out with their spells.
"Be quick about it," urged Tanya. "They are within the area covered by my shields. They could attack us."
Dalgar's eyes widened in fear as he realized that Tanya, and not Jenneva, was the one holding the shields protecting the Knights of Alcea. That meant that Jenneva was not wasting energy by protecting the group.
"Who are you?" he demanded of Tanya even as he knew that his life was about to end.
Tanya removed her cap and let her long blonde hair cascade over her shoulders. "You know me as Tanya," she said defiantly. "You had a chance to kill me many years ago, but you chose the Book of the Beginning instead."
"You also took Shanor that day," seethed Jenneva as her fireballs continued to batter Dalgar's shield. "She was as sweet and innocent as anyone has ever been. You will never kill another innocent person."
Dalgar's shield was visibly outlined from the constant stream of fireballs, and everyone could see that it was beginning to fade.
"You are Jenneva's daughter?" gasped Dalgar. "Sarac must be told."
"Not by you," Jenneva said forcefully as Dalgar's shield winked out of existence.
The next two fireballs to leave Jenneva's hands struck Dalgar. His screams filled the room as his body erupted in flames. Alex swiftly stepped forward, his sword slicing through the Black Devil's neck. The screams stopped, and the room fell into silence. As Tanya threw an icy blue orb at the burning body, Alex walked past the two Lanoirians and shut the door.
"What does this mean?" Za-chan asked with a shaking voice.
"It will be explained to you in a moment," Alex stated. "Until then, you will not leave this room."
Jenneva pulled a chair away from the table and slumped into it. Tanya rushed to her side and knelt beside her mother.
"Are you all right?" Tanya asked softly.
"I will be fine," Jenneva nodded.
"Is it the dark side?" Tanya persisted. "I remember hearing that the use of dark spells becomes more dangerous when your heart is filled with hatred. I do not want to lose you again."
"The rage and fury grabs hold of you," Jenneva exhaled slowly. "The dark side is not something to play with. I think I can understand now how powerful a grip it can place on a mage. It is dangerous."
"Fight it," Tanya pleaded as she reached out and clasped her mother's hand.
"I do not think it would have affected me so much if it was not the fact that it was Dalgar that we faced," explained Jenneva. "He is the one person for whom I have held hatred in my heart. He killed poor Shanor. He stole the Book of the Beginning. He caused me to lose you. He stole my whole life from me."
"Not your whole life," Alex said soothingly as he walked behind Jenneva and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. "You still had me, and now we have Tanya back. Little else matters."
Jenneva smiled weakly. "Your love over the years has sustained me," she said softly, "and finding Tanya has brought back the joy of motherhood. I could not withstand the loss of either of you."
"We need to get her back to Melbin so she can rest," Tanya declared as she rose.
"No," Jenneva objected. "We have accomplished much in this room today, but we cannot throw away such an advantage."
"What do you mean?" questioned Tanya.
"You know what I mean," Jenneva replied as she rose. "We still have two armies facing one another. There is only one person who can stop this fighting."
"I will do it," Tanya stated quickly. "There is no need for you to go through that again."
"No," Jenneva shook her head. "I cannot leave here as Jenneva in any event. That means that I must use the Reflecting Pool one more time. It makes no sense
for both of us to tempt the dark side."
"It is too dangerous," Tanya objected stubbornly. "We can cover your departure another way."
"There is no hatred left in my soul," Jenneva smiled thinly. "I will be all right."
"What is everyone talking about?" asked Za-chan. "What is going to happen?"
"Za-chan," asked King Arik, "do you now understand how the Lanoirian people have been used by the Dark One? Can you see that Emperor Hanchi has been dead for a long time?"
"I do not understand such things," the noble replied, "but I can see that Emperor Hanchi was not who he was supposed to be. I understand now why he no longer held my counsel. There was a young soldier that tried to warn me of this a while ago. Perhaps I should have listened."
"You should have," nodded the king. "Dalgar has used the people of Lanoir for his own nefarious ends. Thousands have died because of him. My goal is to make sure that no more die needlessly."
"What can we do?" shrugged Za-chan. "When the people find out that you killed their emperor, they will tear you apart. Melbin will be ruthlessly sacked."
"That cannot be allowed to happen," declared King Arik. "Are you aware that my army has already conquered Lanoir? That your country already swears allegiance to Alcea?"
"Is this true?" questioned the noble.
"It is true," promised King Arik. "More importantly, I am a just ruler. The people of Lanoir are treated better than they were under the emperor. What I truly want though is a native Lanoirian to watch over the people of Lanoir. I want someone who is compassionate and caring of the people. Are you that man, Za-chan?"
"Me?" frowned the noble. "I am not an emperor."
"There are to be no more emperors," declared King Arik. "You would be a governor, ruling the people of Lanoir according to my edicts. I do not want someone who makes demands of the people, but rather one that cares for the people. Can you do that?"
"Za-chan can do that," interjected Za-hong. "He does not see himself as a ruler because he was born to serve. He needs only to realize that he was born to serve the people and not some emperor."
Za-hong looked deeply into his brother's eyes and slowly nodded. "I will try my best to take care of the people," he promised. "What if they will not follow me, though?"
"Emperor Hanchi's last edict will be for them to follow King Arik," Jenneva stated. "He will announce you as the governor."
"But he is dead," protested Za-chan. "Not once, but twice now."
"Za-chan," smiled Jenneva, "I am a mage. I shall make myself appear as Emperor Hanchi one last time. Let this day end on a peaceful note. There has already been too much suffering for your people."
Za-chan looked at his brother who nodding and smiling. "I will do my best," the noble agreed.
"Excellent," smiled Jenneva. "Arik work with Za-chan to draft a proclamation. Emperor Hanchi will read it to the army when you are done. I need to find a room for privacy for a few moments."
"Za-hong," Alex said as Jenneva left the room, "spread the word that the emperor will address the men with King Arik. Arrange for them to gather where all can hear the words."
Za-hong nodded and slipped out of the room. King Arik dictated a proclamation and Za-chan recorded it. As they finished, Emperor Hanchi entered the room. Za-chan's eyes grew wide and his hands shook.
"It is only an illusion," soothed Emperor Hanchi. "After today, he will never be seen again."
An hour later, Emperor Hanchi and King Arik walked out of the farmhouse and walked up a small knoll. Tanya followed at a distance and then cast a spell that would magnify the words spoken on the knoll. The assembled men waited quietly and expectantly for their emperor to speak.
"Lanoirians," began the emperor, "today is a turning point in all of our lives. The battle for Melbin has been decided in negotiations instead of on the battlefield. This means that that fighting is over. I have brought you far since we left Ongchi. Many of you yearn to see your families again. Soon you shall be able to."
The Lanoirians cheered loudly. Many shouted words of victory over the Sordoans. The emperor frowned and soon the crowd fell silent.
"I was wrong to bring you so far from our land," the emperor continued. "I was wrong to impose an empire on people who should be free to live as they wish. Lanoirians are historically a peaceful people, and so we shall once again become peaceful."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Emperor Hanchi chose that moment to turn to King Arik. He knelt before him and kissed his hand. He rose again and held up his hands to stop the shouts from the army.
"This proclamation," Emperor Hanchi said as he held the paper up for all to see, "declares that Lanoir shall henceforth be governed not by an emperor, but by a governor selected by King Arik of Alcea."
Shouts of protest ran through the assembled men, but the emperor raised his hands again to quiet the crowd.
"Do not protest this proclamation," the emperor said sternly. "Your families already live under King Arik's rule. While I dragged you northward on the road of conquest, King Arik has occupied Lanoir. His rule of your families has been fair and just. The Alceans are now our brothers. Melbin will open its stores of food to you before this day ends. On the morrow, you will begin the long road home to your loved ones. Wagons of food will accompany you. The fighting is over."
"What of you?" shouted one of the soldiers.
"I will not be going with you," declared the emperor. "Most of you have heard of Za-chan, a nobleman of Ongchi. He has been selected to be the governor for King Arik. As for me, I will spend the rest of my life in isolation. I have erred by marching you to war. This end to the Empire of Lanoir is a fitting demise to a system of ruling that is long past its time. Long live King Arik."
* * *
The dwarf magician halted mid-step in the dark tunnel under the Boulder Mountains. He could not shake the feeling of someone or something stalking him. He slowly lowered his raised foot to the ground and placed his hand on the shaft of a throwing axe. For moments he stood silently listening to the sounds of the tunnel. His large nose sniffed the air for foreign scents, but he detected nothing out of place. After a while he shook his head and continued on his way.
A few hundred paces along the tunnel, he halted again. Once more he sniffed the air and listened intently. Again he detected nothing abnormal. It must be because the tunnels were empty of dwarves, he thought. That must be what was making him nervous. Again he shook his head at his nervousness and continued on his way.
Doryelgar pushed his paranoid thoughts out of his mind and focused on his current project, which was to enchant a throwing axe with the ability to return to its master's hand. It was a project that excited the dwarf mage. His mind was soon focused on the information that he had gained from the library earlier in the evening. As he walked back to his sleeping quarters, he mentally planned the experiment he would perform in the morning. He smiled subconsciously with excitement.
The dwarf reached his quarters and opened the door. He marched into the small room and lit a candle. The flickering light splashed on all four walls of the room as well as the ceiling. He placed the book he had borrowed from the library on a small table and pulled back the covers from his bed.
Doryelgar came instantly alert when he heard the door to his room creaking. He twirled around, a throwing axe naturally gliding into his hand. He stared at the door that was slightly ajar. He stepped closer to the door. His eyes narrowed as he tried to remember whether he had closed the door when he had entered the room. Finally realizing that he had not closed the door, his eyes glanced at the candle on the small table. Its flame stood perfectly erect. There was no chance that an errant breeze had moved the door.
"Show yourself," Doryelgar demanded. "Show yourself or prepare to die where you stand."
"Put that toy away," a voice said with a hint of humor in it.
"Egam?" queried the dwarf. "I know the voice, but I smell you not. Where are you?"
"Your bed still lacks a certain softness that humans demand,
" Egam chuckled. "How ever do you sleep on it?"
Doryelgar whirled and saw Egam sitting on his bed. "What game are you playing?" he demanded. "Never have you entered Talman without notifying the king."
"These are special times," sighed the Mage. "Close the door. I would have, but you do not seem to see the need for oiling it."
The dwarf mage slid his axe back into the loop on his belt and closed the door to his small room. It creaked noisily.
"Thank you," nodded the Mage. "I have come because I need your help."
"I have always welcomed you," Doryelgar said cautiously. "And I have always helped you when you needed it. Your request does not explain your method of arrival."
"Where are all the dwarves of Talman?" asked the Mage. "Your tunnels are empty. I heard not a song since I arrived."
"Most are off working on a new tunnel," answered the dwarf. "I will sing for you, but first I must know what you ask of me."
"It is not your singing that I come for," smiled the Mage. "It is your life that I want."
The dwarf's eyes narrowed and his nose sniffed the air. His large hand stroked his beard as he recognized Egam's scent.
"You were always secretive in your deeds," Doryelgar said, "but never this evasive. What do you mean that you want my life?"
"Your skills in the arts are impressive," replied the Mage. "I need those skills. There is a breaking of this world of yours, and I need your help to attend to it."
"This world of mine?" Doryelgar said with puzzlement. "I have known you for so long as Egam, that I easily forget that you are the Mage."
"I use the name of Boris Khatama these days," shrugged the Mage.
"Whatever the name," responded the dwarf, "my mind still associates you with Egam. Tell me what you want me to do."
"I want you to leave Talman and join my group," replied Boris.
"Your group?" queried Doryelgar. "And who is in this group of yours?"
"I am sure that you have heard of Mustar," stated the Mage. "The others I doubt you will know. What does it matter?"
"I am not sure that it does matter," admitted the dwarf. "Still, I must tell the king something about where I am going. How long will I be gone?"
Amethyst of the Gods Page 5