by Callie Kanno
“Your military advisors are waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
L’iam nodded and walked into the tent.
When L’iam’s father had been alive, there were seven military advisors that he trusted in all things. Me’shan, as Chief Protector General, was in charge of the L’avan military as a whole, second only in rank to the king. Two of the other advisors had been the most experienced Protector Generals, and the remaining four were retired Protector Generals. They had served King L’unn well, and L’iam had grown up listening to their wisdom.
Of those seven advisors, only three remained alive. The two active Protector Generals had been killed during the attack on Pevothem six years earlier, and two of the retired Protector Generals had died of illness and old age.
Me’shan was near the battlefield, standing at the head of the reserve army and watching the flow of the battle as his daughter led the fight. Me’shan’s younger brother, Ri’sel, was waiting in the command tent, ready to replace his older brother on the battlefield when he grew weary. Two other advisors, Z’eki and Me’da, stood with Ri’sel at the table in the center of the command tent.
Z’eki was a man with silver hair and beard, and a face well-lined with age. His eyes belied his withered form, crackling with energy and enthusiasm. He had been the Chief Protector General before Me’shan had taken over that position.
Me’da was the only woman living to have achieved the rank of Protector General. She had dedicated her life to serving as a soldier, and when she retired she was immediately invited to be a royal advisor. She also had silver hair, as a descendant of Ed’mon, but her eyes were more calm and measured than Z’eki’s. She constantly had a calculating expression on her face, as if she were planning a strategy for everything that came her way.
They both bowed to L’iam when he entered the tent and murmured the customary, “Your Majesty.”
L’iam acknowledged them with respect and walked over to the table filled with maps. He suppressed a sigh as he looked at the piles of papers.
What he would give to be on the battlefield, fighting beside his beloved wife…
Such thoughts were useless. He was needed there, in the command tent, making the plans that would—hopefully—lead his wife and his soldiers to victory.
“Very well,” said L’iam, taking a deep breath. “I need updated maps on where we stand.”
Ruon moved forward to adjust the tokens that served to represent the different military groups.
L’iam glanced from Hestia to his advisors. “Let us get to work.”
***
Me’shan watched to flow of battle with a strange mixture of horror and pride. The soldiers of the L’avan and Seharan army were fighting well, especially considering that most of them had never seen battle before that day.
Even so, the sight of so much bloodshed was sickening.
Me’shan had been a soldier all of his adult life. He had studied everything there was to know about war and strategy. He had been the best swordsman in Pevothem in his youth. He had seen plenty of conflict on a small scale—fights between groups of Seharans and so forth. However, this was the first time he had seen war.
The last battle that the L’avan people had faced happened when Me’shan was far to the south. He had been kidnapped by the Shimat, and so the L’avan had been forced to confront their enemies without the leadership of their Chief Protector General.
It wasn’t that Me’shan thought he could have changed the course of that battle six years previous, but he couldn’t help but wonder if his knowledge and skills could have saved some of the lives that had been lost.
He shook away such thoughts. It did no good to dwell on the past. Besides, if he had not been kidnapped, his lost daughter never would have found her way home.
Me’shan looked down the hill and across the field where the two opposing forces clashed. Even at this distance Adesina was easy to see. The gleam of her armor made her stand out among the masses of leather and chain mail.
The breastplate served as a symbol for the L’avan. It brought to mind their forefathers and all that had been done to obtain peace after the Great Wars. It raised morale to see their queen wearing the armor. Me’shan just wished that it didn’t make her so much of a target for their enemies.
Me’shan watched Adesina fight, and she was constantly in the center of a large knot of conflict. Shimat assassins and mercenaries alike recognized her as an important leader and sought to take her life. L’avan and Seharan soldiers alike rallied to fight at her side.
Me’shan was so proud of his beautiful daughter. She had overcome so much hardship, and she had not grown bitter as so many would have in her place. She had grown into a woman of strength and compassion, and she was a true leader in every sense of the word.
E’rian would have been so happy to see what their daughter had become. She had always said that Ma’eve was meant for great things.
A frown creased Me’shan’s brow. Even the wildest dreaming of two hopeful parents could not have anticipated what the future had held in store. E’rian had said that their daughter was destined for greatness, but they could not have imagined that Adesina would become the queen of the L’avan and the Threshold Child.
It could not be easy to be at the center of such a prophecy. There were so many expectations, and yet so much ambiguity as to what was expected.
Adesina had told him about the full prophecy and about what had happened during her journey to Zonne. More importantly, she had told him what had happened to her once she reached the Threshold.
A Serraf.
Adesina had become a Serraf.
The very idea was baffling. Me’shan could hardly believe it, even now. He had always hoped to step into his role as her father—to give her guidance when she needed it. Now it felt like that would be impossible. What advice could he possibly give to a Serraf? She also had the benefit of guidance from those like Ravi, Lady Sitara, Lady Riel, and Lord Ruon. Me’shan knew he was not as wise nor as powerful as any of them.
He pressed his lips together as a resolution came to his mind.
He may not be able to provide his daughter with guidance, but he could certainly give her his support—for that was a father’s duty as well.
Me’shan’s thoughts focused more sharply on the battle before him.
The flow was shifting, leaving the eastern soldiers more exposed. Mercenary archers were moving into place to try another volley on the distracted L’avan.
Me’shan called his aide to his side to issue some orders.
“Enemy archers are moving into place. Our Orange soldiers need to be at the ready to deflect those arrows.”
The aide rushed off to deliver the message.
It was difficult for Me’shan to sit back and watch others fight, but at moments like this he was glad. He could see the greater picture of the battle and help those who were giving their best on the field.
He could protect his daughter from unseen enemy attacks.
In the distance, arrows were loosed.
Me’shan shouted the command for counter-attack.
Chapter Twenty-Four: Dark Dreams
Adesina was exhausted.
She stumbled into her tent, unbuckling her breastplate as she went. She was tempted to let the armor simply fall to the ground, but she resisted the urge and put it away in its proper place.
L’iam was not in the tent. He was walking among the soldiers, speaking with encouragement and boosting morale. Adesina knew that he would probably be gone for quite a while yet.
The Shimat army had battered them for more than twenty-four hours before pulling back for a reprieve. Adesina knew that there would only be a short break before the fighting began again—this time with her husband at the lead.
She washed her face and hands, removing the grime and blood of the day. Adesina wished she could wash her spirit of the effects of the battle as easily. She was weary, and not just in body. Her mind was numb and her heart felt as though it was d
rooping in her chest.
Sitara had said that Immortals had no need for sleep—that they could meditate instead and be just as refreshed. However, Adesina was certain that meditation would not be enough to help her regain her energy.
She unpinned her knot of hair and flopped forward onto the bedding, not bothering to undress. She kicked off her boots and closed her eyes with a sigh.
The Dream grabbed hold of her mind immediately and yanked her away from the waking world.
Adesina looked around, feeling almost breathless.
She was surrounded by a black nothingness that pushed in around her oppressively. It almost felt like she was floating, and yet she knew that she was standing. Her eyes were unable to detect anything beyond her own body, which she could see surprisingly well.
“Hello, Adesina.”
Adesina turned around in surprise, hearing the familiar voice. A short distance away stood her mother, E’rian.
Like Adesina, E’rian’s form was vivid against the black of their surroundings. The deceased woman was clothed in a simple red dress rather than the white one she had always worn in Adesina’s previous Dreams. Other than that, she looked very much as she always did. Her features were very similar to Adesina’s, only more delicate and with different coloring. Adesina had silver hair with black tresses surrounding her face, and her eyes were metallic purple with flecks of gold. E’rian had black hair with chestnut locks around her face, and her eyes were pale metallic yellow with flecks of purple.
E’rian appeared to be the same age that she had been when she died, which meant that she and Adesina looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. Adesina was only a year younger than E’rian had been at her death.
“Mother,” Adesina greeted her warmly. She tried to move to embrace her, but found that she couldn’t. “What is happening? Where are we?”
E’rian’s smile was strangely cold and her eyes glittered with an unusual light. “Do not worry yourself, Adesina. Such things happen in Dreams.”
Adesina frowned. “I have never had a Dream like this before.”
A startled expression flitted across E’rian’s face. “You are familiar with Dreaming?”
“Of course I am,” responded Adesina slowly. “You know of my Dreams.”
E’rian gave a trilling little laugh. “I meant to ask if you were familiar with all Dreams. Even you cannot know all that there is to learn.”
“I suppose that is true,” acknowledged Adesina.
“I see so much potential in you,” E’rian went on with a fond smile. “I always have, you know.”
Adesina thought that a strange thing for her mother to say, especially since E’rian already knew of the prophecy concerning the Threshold Child.
“Mothers often believe that of their own children,” Adesina ventured casually.
“Yes, but you are meant for something more,” insisted E’rian.
The L’avan queen laughed. “More than leading our people in a war against evil?”
The cold glint returned to her mother’s eye. “You are thinking too small, Adesina. This battle may seem important now, but that is only because you are not considering the greater picture.”
Adesina put a puzzled expression on her face, hiding any trace of the calculations that were racing through her mind.
Something was wrong.
Adesina’s instincts screamed at her, telling her that this was not right. She could not quite pinpoint what it was, but her mother’s words seemed very out of place.
“What is the greater picture?” asked Adesina innocently.
“The world,” answered E’rian simply. “This world is in chaos. It is full of pain and oppression, and humankind needs someone who can unite the world and give them a sense of hope.”
Adesina’s brow furrowed. “Are you suggesting that person is me?”
“Look how you have brought the people of Sehar together,” urged E’rian. “They were without a leader and you have made them whole once more.”
“I cannot take credit for all of that,” answered Adesina wryly. “Fear of the Scepter of Cha-sak has forced the Seharans to take actions that they would not normally consider.”
“Yes, and look how powerful you have become,” exulted the deceased woman. “You can use the Scepter of Cha-sak to unite humankind under your rule.”
E’rian’s words rankled in Adesina’s heart. The sense of wrongness in her mind grew by the moment.
Adesina’s kind, sweet mother never would have made such suggestions before. It was true that Adesina’s knowledge of Dreams was limited, but it did not seem possible for E’rian’s personality to change so dramatically.
That could only mean that the person standing before Adesina was not her mother.
Adesina gave a single shake of her head. “I do not want to rule them.”
“I am not suggesting that you wish for that power,” E’rian amended hastily, “but you have to admit that much good has come from it.”
Adesina decided to prod the conversation along to discover what this person was trying to achieve by invading her Dream.
“I suppose that the Seharans would not have united under less dire circumstances,” Adesina admitted thoughtfully. She watched the false E’rian out of the corner of her eye and saw an expression of triumph flash across the face.
“Exactly,” said the false E’rian. “Without unity, this nation has fallen apart. It has almost ceased to exist. Other nations have a strong central government, and because of that they thrive. It is easy to see the difference between a strong nation and a weak one because you have both examples before you. But it is more difficult to see that on a global scale. You have never seen a fully united world, so you do not know the power and security that comes from such a thing.
“If you were to bring this world together under a single ruler, there would be a massive change in humankind. Conflicts could be solved without war. The world economy would thrive. The very sense of division between groups of humans would disappear. They would not be separated from each other by national loyalty, but rather they would be joined by a feeling of global loyalty. Peace and prosperity would abound in this world.”
Adesina could not deny that the argument was appealing. She was tired of fighting, and she was tired of being an outsider. However, Adesina knew deep down that the false E’rian was only telling partial truths. Global unity might bring about the benefits spoken of, but conquest was not the way to achieve them.
“And you say that I can do this by using the Scepter of Cha-sak?” prodded Adesina.
“Yes,” responded the false E’rian with confidence. “If the Scepter continues to spread, leaving fear and destruction in its wake, what do you think will happen to other nations?”
Adesina made a guess at the answer that the false E’rian was seeking. “They will desire to unite against the threat.”
“Exactly,” said E’rian with satisfaction. “The reaction of the world will be the same as that of Sehar. Since you are the one leading the resistance in this land, you would be in a perfect position to do the same in other nations. Not all would want to join the alliance at first. But as the Scepter grew more powerful, the independent nations would become convinced it is the only way to save themselves.”
“What if we defeat the Scepter of Cha-sak before it becomes a global problem?” posed Adesina.
The false E’rian gave a harsh laugh. “That seems unlikely. You do not have the necessary strength to defeat Cha-sak.”
“Do you mean to say that the only way to defeat him is to unite the armies of the world?”
A crafty expression crossed E’rian’s face. “Perhaps. It is difficult to know for certain. As your forces would grow, so would his. How could we possibly determine the outcome without seeing it happen?”
Adesina gestured with both hands. “Then why not strike now, while he is still gathering his forces? Why wait for a united world, all the while letting our enemies grow stronger? That seems a recklessl
y dangerous plan.”
The false E’rian raised a finger. “It would be, if you had no control over the Scepter of Cha-sak.”
A frown creased Adesina’s brow. “What do you mean?”
“A team of horses can be a powerful force, but sometimes it takes a whip to drive them to reach their full potential,” said E’rian with a tone full of meaning.
“Are you suggesting that I use the Scepter of Cha-sak as the whip to drive humankind to unification?”
The false E’rian smiled and spread her hands, as if to leave Adesina to her own conclusions.
So, this was what the imposter was leading Adesina toward.
The young L’avan queen kept her expressions carefully controlled, but her heart hardened against the attempted manipulation. In Adesina’s youth, such lies would have worked in swaying her. She would have believed that she could achieve great things with only the small cost of her own morality.
Now—having discovered the truth of the Shimat organization, and learning from the L’avan about the true worth of herself—Adesina knew that no result was worth such a high price.
A building could not stand if its foundation was rotten.
A united world order would not last if it was born of violence and deceit.
Adesina needed one last piece of the puzzle before she knew the full purpose behind this Dream. She cleared her throat and spoke with a hint of uncertainty.
“One must control a whip to use it. I have no control over the Scepter of Cha-sak.”
The false E’rian’s voice was low as she spoke. “There is a way…”
“Is there?” questioned Adesina.
E’rian’s piercing gaze was fixed on the face of the young queen. “A blood contract with Cha-sak himself would give you control over the entire organization.”
“A blood contract?”
“Yes. The demon could be your servant, Adesina. All that is his—his powers, his servants, his wisdom—could be yours as well.”
Adesina shook her head. “He has already made a blood contract with Basha. That is how he escaped the Threshold in the first place.”