The Panids' Children_The Panids of Koa

by Lee M Eason

  “Durnin’s there surely he’ll keep an eye on them,” Bryn commented.

  “Durnin has enough to worry about and young people have minds of their own. With the two of you there we have more options. It may be that another place of safety will have to be sought and she will have a far better chance of getting there with you.”

  “You’re thinking Meg’s aren’t you?” Jac asked.

  “Indeed. Where could be safer? It’s only the journey there that may present a problem. Of course we may be worrying unnecessarily.” Kellim stood considering this point. “None the less we need to get more information to Durnin and you would be able to take that too him. I doubt we’ll be able to get it to him any other way.”

  “Then we’ll go,” Bryn agreed. “But what if we need to contact you?”

  “I’ll have to head north via Meg’s anyway if I’m to intercept Naicarn. I’ll alter my journey so that I’ll be in range to contact you if necessary,” Kellim turned back to Maga. “What of Amar?” Kellim asked.

  “As we speak the palace is being attacked by a Fury.”

  “What…that can’t be!” Kellim said in disbelief.

  “It’s not one of the original Fury. From what I am able to gather it is a lesser far weaker version and not self-sustaining as the original Children are. The Ildran Summoners, who created it, are having to actively maintain its form field and direct it. The Adepts facilitating its transport were aided by a member of The Amar Order.” Maga anticipated Kellim’s questions. “Attempts have been made by The Ildran Order to present manufactured thoughts in order to confuse my vision. But I am now aware of this ruse.” She paused briefly as if deciding what she could tell them. “It would seem that Segat is no longer screened by Naicarn. The fields he originally set up have run their course. Segat aims to weaken both Amaria and Hallorn’s abilities to defend themselves before striking. His particular animosity to Amaria’s ruling family will put the country high on his list. He has created yet more powder weapons and in its present state Amaria will be hard pushed to defend itself against them. Soon he will seek to expand his borders further and I believe his mind is set on Sancir.”

  Kellim was pacing the room again. He paused momentarily to look at Maga. She folded her hands in her lap, her unease at his thoughts evident.

  “Maga, I need something more conclusive,” Kellim pressed.

  With reluctance she nodded. Even after all of this time she still struggled with the built in need to serve a Panid, to obey. “I believe Sancir will fall no matter what. You can be of no assistance there.”

  Kellim resumed his pacing. “I need to speak with Carrick and Gwen and I must also speak with Durnin and then Meg. Are there others here who could help me accomplish this?”

  Maga considered his request. “Yes there are others,” she finally admitted. “Together we may be able to reach that far but only for the shortest of times. We will help you as much as we are able. I suggest you prioritise what should be said directly and what can be entrusted to Bryn and Jac.”

  Kellim sighed, “I appreciate the dilemma you face in helping us and apologise for my abruptness. Thank you.”

  ***

  “What will they do now?” Aaron asked.

  Ren kicked absently at the charred wood with his foot. “Re-build,” he answered simply, looking at the devastation before them.

  The fire was finally out but not before it had raised the north wing of the academy complex to the ground. Explosions had torn their way through its cellars and fire had spread quickly while The Second had attempted to complete its task at the nearby Adept’s Buildings. Timbers still smouldered even as snow covered them, the light flakes a stark contrast to the blackened ruins they settled on. The smell of burnt wood marred the air as individuals and groups searched the wreckage, looking for what could be salvaged.

  “My sister isn’t safe here. Is she?” Aaron reluctantly concluded, looking directly at Ren. His feeling of unease had grown to a level he couldn’t ignore.

  “You know then?”

  “I’ve pieced bits together, tail ends of conversations and stuff like that. Why are they after her, Ren?”

  Ren sighed. “I wish we knew for certain.” He thumbed through a blackened book he had picked up from the floor only to throw it back. “I do know one thing though,” he said earnestly. “This is still the safest place for her, for both of you. This…” he gestured about them. “This was done for another reason, to weaken us. To keep us off Segat’s back. It can’t happen again now, not here anyway. We’ll put things in place so that it can’t. As for The Second, it’s possible it knew about the powder attack but it’s more likely a coincidence.”

  “The Three are all dead now but there’s going to be others, isn’t there?”

  “That’s possible and that’s why you’re safer here and the longer you are here the more you will both learn so that you can protect yourselves.” Ren could see that Aaron was not fully convinced. “Think of what you’ve learnt already from Orla and the time you’ve spent with Kellim, Carrick and Gwen and especially here at Naddier. If you are to be safe you will both need to be taught to hide and if needed defend yourselves. You can’t learn that anywhere else.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Aaron agreed reluctantly. “If we do stay, I want us to learn as much as we can, as many lessons as possible.”

  “Fair enough. You’ve been pushed as it is but more lessons can be organised.” Ren folded his arms sympathising with what Aaron was struggling with. “So is it agreed?”

  “If Jenna’s willing to stay, yes.”

  “I think it’s also time that Jenna knew,” Ren said as he and Aaron started to head back to their own buildings. “This changes a lot of things and Jenna will have her suspicions anyway. The more she knows the less she can wonder about. Knowing, even something bad, is better than guessing.” Ren thought for a moment. “Would you like me to tell her?”

  Aaron shook his head. “No I’ll tell her. But I think she put two and two together a while ago. I know something’s playing on her mind. She’s probably keeping it to herself to protect me.”

  ***

  Commander Benning looked through his telescope, it took some time to sweep the forces amassed against them. The Imperial Ildran army had pushed through Sancir crushing all opposition. Now they had reached the capital. They’d had advanced warning from the front but nothing could have prepared them for the sheer size of the military might gathered against them. The city had been evacuated and hordes of refugees now headed, with whatever they could carry, for the west coast. The city was deserted and eerily silent. Home only to what remained of the beleaguered Sancir National Army and its Order of Talents; with grim determination those men and woman stood ready to buy the refugees time and prepare themselves for the inevitable.

  Division upon division of Ildran soldiers had marched into position, great drums thumping out time, hammering home to every Sanciran ear the numbers involved. Siege towers had been efficiently constructed before their eyes as another deliberate demonstration of intent.

  All of this beyond the range of the Mel Prin’s artillery, forcing it to wait, waiting that Commander Benning knew was taking its toll. His men and women couldn’t maintain this level of alert indefinitely. Suddenly the drums ended, fading into the wind. The Sancirans braced themselves ready at last to act, to fight. But the threat faded and tension returned.

  “What are they waiting for?” Benning muttered.

  “Sir?” his second in command asked, unable to take his eyes of the Ildran lines.

  Benning looked up from the telescope. “What new game are they playing now?”

  His second shook his head, Benning felt sorry for him, this was Captain Hain’s first posting. If he’d had the men to spare he’d have sent the lad off to escort the refugees. But he needed every able officer he had. And Hain was good. He would have had a promising career.

  “They can’t stand there all day Sir. The waiting will affect them just as much as
us.”

  “It’s not waiting for them,” Benning corrected. “They know the agenda, for them each minute that passes is progress…”

  He was interrupted as one of his aides pointed. “Sir, movement. Those huge wheeled boxes we caught site of earlier.”

  Commander Benning looked to his telescope, focusing on one of the carts now in position behind the lines of soldiers. The boxes were quickly dismantled in sections while others worked at the wheels.

  “Bracing the wheels?” Benning puzzled. “The grounds level, what’s that about?” he looked back to one of his aides. “Where’s Fenton? Get me Fenton.”

  The soldier rushed off to bring the newly appointed Head of the Sancir Order. The boxing was finally dismantled and other carts began bringing in equipment.

  “What are they sir?” Hain asked, puzzling uneasily over the purpose of the long metal cylinders.

  Benning studied the objects and what the teams were unpacking. “Battering rams perhaps, though their configuration would be inefficient. Can you see what they’re putting inside? The damn Ildrans keep getting in my line of sight.”

  “Commander,”

  The voice made him turn quickly. “Good, Fenton. Come and have a look at this. Tell me what you make of it.”

  Fenton leaned on her stick and made her way over to the telescope. Concerned by what had the commander puzzled, she’d made no fuss over being rushed onto the battlements. Using her good eye, she focused on what she was directed to look at.

  The Commander waited, maintaining his patience. He knew the old Adept wouldn’t be hurried and doing so would usually be followed by an explanation on why the commander shouldn’t rush her. He motioned for his second to remain quiet.

  Fenton’s stance stiffened in recognition. “Commander,” she straightened quickly in alarm, “get your men off the walls.”

  Almost as if on cue one of the cylinders issued a ring of smoke, rocking back violently on its wheels. A latent boom was followed by a startling scream, which cut through the air overhead. All turned as a tower just inside the walls ruptured into dust and rubble. The crack echoed through the empty city. The men and officers faltered, not sure of what had just happened. Benning began bellowing orders as two more booms reached them and a second later the walls beneath their feet shuddered.

  ***

  Gwen woke with a start. Her subconscious had made the voice a part of her dream until her mind made sense of what was happening. “Kellim!” she sat up abruptly. The voice faded into the early morning light.

  “What’s wrong,” Kara asked groggily from across the room.

  “Shh,” Gwen hissed closing her eyes and concentrating. The voice came back faint but familiar.

  “I have little time. Bryn, Jac and I are safe in Lont.” Gwen knew better than to interrupt she could sense how difficult it was for Kellim to reach this far, instead she focused her will and stretched her mind to meet him far to the north of the city. From here she could clearly sense the minds that aided him. “I have much to tell you and questions to ask but little time to do it.”

  They maintained the link for as long as they could but eventually the strain became too much and Gwen gladly pulled herself in, exhausted by the effort. She opened her eyes and was not surprised to see Carrick sat on the bed with Kara.

  “How much of that did you get?” she asked him.

  “Some.”

  “Nothing here,” Kara added impatiently. “So start talking.”

  “Kellim and the boys are safe and well. They found The Beholder and will partly wait the winter out there before heading on.”

  “Lewen, Aaron and Jenna?” Carrick asked.

  “Safe and well for now. We were right. Naddier was also attacked but with less fatalities. Most of our people were away serving as support to the platoons guarding the borders. The last of The Three tried and failed to get to Jenna again.”

  “Safe for now? What did he mean by that?” Carrick pressed.

  “The Beholder thinks there may be more attempts to reach her but they don’t know why this particular group of ‘wandering’ Children are interested in her. The Beholder is unable to see into their thoughts.”

  “They don’t know!” Kara said in exasperation. “We get answers and then more questions. Didn’t Kellim give you any idea why she can’t read them?”

  “They believe another mind is at work but beyond that had nothing more to offer. Anyway he’s sending Bryn and Jac to Naddier with news and information for Durnin. He’s going to transport the boys as far as he can, to shorten their journey, at the first signs of a thaw.”

  “I feel better knowing those two will be there,” Carrick said. “It’ll give Aaron and Jenna more options if things get any worse.”

  Gwen nodded. “That’s what Kellim thought.” She lost the smile. “The next bit’s for us. The Beholder is aware that Segat has reached the Sancir capital. He intends to consolidate his position and then strike at Amaria. He’s developed other powder weapons and The Ildran Order is at least double the numbers we thought.”

  “They’re going to need help here then,” Kara said soberly. “There’s not much left of The Amar Order. Even at full strength…” she didn’t want to finish the thought. The war had seemed like such an empty threat, and then at worst a distant one. Now it was coming for them.

  “Kellim said that some of The Children in Lont will help,” Gwen tried to find some good news in what she had been told. “Several are willing to come to Amaria. He seemed adamant that Amaria must not fall.”

  Carrick frowned. “It is bad. I didn’t think anything would convince The Children to come out of hiding.”

  “Guilt,” Kara offered. “They must feel some responsibility for the actions of the others.”

  “Well,” Carrick said trying to sound positive. “We at least know nothing’s happening until the spring and possibly for some time after that.”

  “Time to prepare,” Gwen agreed uneasily.

  ***

  “You alright?” Gwen asked her brother sometime later as Kara stalked off to find Gattick and tell him what they knew.

  His face was troubled. “How was Kellim able to reach this far, even with help? Estian’s our most powerful Conveyer and he couldn’t reach anywhere near that distance, even with several of us supporting.”

  “We’ve always thought Kellim, Meg and the others have more access to the field than us and Meg once hinted at Kellim’s abilities being exceptional even for a Panid. We’ve both suspected he can do more than he cracks on.” She came and sat next to him with a deep sigh. “He’s lived a long life, much of it through some of the most turbulent time in our history. There’s stuff even I don’t like talking about, some of the things he’s experienced must have been terrifying. It must be bad enough living with the memories let alone having to breathe new life into them to satisfy the curiosity of others.”

  Carrick nodded. “Yeh I suppose you’re right,” he agreed reluctantly. “But every time things get worse we find out it’s because of something that happened in the past. If we knew more we might be able to act rather than react. What else hasn’t he told us about The Panids? What else is lurking out there in the shadows?”

  Chapter 13

  If he listened, he could actually hear each feathered snowflake come to rest on the thick blanket of snow at his feet. About him the narrow street was deserted. Weak yellow light filtered its way through the layers of falling flakes. Dothica was the most northerly city in Coth, a city that huddled on the shore of a frozen sea, earning its money from hunting the huge double finned mammals that fed in its cold waters and harvesting the thick hair of its endless mosstundra herds. It had the feel of a place once visited but now long ignored, a place at the edge of the world.

  Thick walls, heavy doors and small widows kept the cold out and the hard won heat in during six months of winter and so Naicarn trudged through the streets unnoticed, his coat and boots white with the cold. He struggled up the steps of the large dour building and
exhausted thumped on its great doors. The echoes rang through the emptiness beyond and faded. He weakly thumped them again, hearing some movement inside. Finally, one was tugged open and a robed figure carrying a lantern peered out.

  “I seek refuge,” Naicarn managed, struggling with the language through cracked lips.

  The cleric didn’t speak but inclined his head and stepped back allowing the stranger to enter, the philosophy of the chapter had always been to offer shelter and food to any who asked. He watched the hooded figure closely in order to get a better look at the face but saw little. The stranger kept his head turned to the floor and did not make eye contact. Puzzled, the cleric looked out into the blizzard and only when the snow gathered at his feet did he shut and bolt the great door before finally leading the stranger into the gloom of the abbey.

  Outside the wind tugged at any opening as if trying to gain entrance. Inside its howling was distant, futile, muffled by dust and as they walked the ancient building closed in around them until everywhere was still. Silent. The stranger’s steps faltered as they walked and the cleric turned in time to see him stumble and collapse.

  Time passed and for the first time in days Naicarn gradually became aware of himself. He had no idea how long he’d been unconscious or where he was. Voices leaked into his consciousness and weak light filtered in as he opened his eyes. The two vague figures stopped talking, the taller was quickly dismissed and the remaining one shuffled out of the deeper shadows to stand at Naicarn’s bedside.

  An indistinct face hovered over him, old and peering through thick-lensed spectacles that reflected the candlelight.

  “Don’t try to get up,” the voice was light and reedy but in Koan. “You are still very weak and must rest.” The man said more but Naicarn drifted away. He experienced the next few days as a series of disjointed images and sounds.