by Paul Heisel
“To bring a horse demon from the Nether innocent blood must be spilled,” Suun said. “What I’ve read speaks of special children being used. Their sacrificial blood opens the doorway and brings the horse demon to Pyndira. It’s like a trade – the child’s life for the demon’s service.”
That sent a cold shiver up his spine. He looked to Owori and could see that she was getting angry. She was extrapolating the number of horse demons sent to kill the Emperor and the cost in innocent lives.
“You suspect Hiru sent more than one horse demon to Hou?” Suun asked.
“Perhaps, I don’t know,” Feln responded. “I don’t know for sure how many. The question is, what magic does Hiru possess to do this? How did he find out how to do it? Though I want to place the blame on Hiru, I can’t find the reasons he would do this.” Based on the silence that followed, no one else had an answer either. It still didn’t make sense to him why Hiru would send the horse demons to Hou. There was the Emperor’s assassination attempt and that didn’t make sense either being directed by Hiru. The whole Nutahi family would have to die in a fell swoop to let the other families have a chance at becoming the Emperor, as he understood it, and only Yuki and the Emperor had been threatened.
The course in front of them had cooled down finally, so with the break in conversation they all sipped the soup and ate the delectable lumps of dough that had absorbed the chicken broth. He washed it down with wine, it went well with the soup, and he reached for water to quench his thirst. He was about to ask another question about horse demons when he saw a Xialao guard running toward them. He went straight to Emato, spoke quickly, then went tearing back toward the manor house. Feln stood up. The others were looking at him. Caleth was on his feet as well.
Emato strode to Feln and leaned close to his ear. “There’s a disturbance,” he said. “It looks like the gardens have been set on fire.”
“How could that happen?”
“Maybe a lantern fell over. There is the possibility that a person set it deliberately. The guards have gone to investigate. All it may require is a few buckets of water. You may want to go inside the safety of the manor.”
“We’ll be fine here. Let me know what happens,” Feln said. “Get an accounting of all of the personnel.”
Emato bowed and hurried away.
“Something wrong?” Caleth asked.
“A fire has started in the gardens. Nothing we need to be concerned about. It can’t spread to the manor house, as there is too much distance.”
“Are you sure?” Caleth asked. “See the glow above the manor house? It extends high into the air. Whatever is on fire isn’t small.”
#
The Xialao guard felt a rumble at his feet. It was a tremor but not an earthquake which he was familiar with from his boyhood home in Safun. He stopped patrolling and took out his sword. Though he didn’t see anything, he felt a presence. With the lantern light he should be able to see everything in the garden, but nothing looked out of the ordinary. The soil in front of him parted as if water and became a black swirl six feet in diameter rimmed in an orange glow, and from it emerged a dark creature covered in flames. It was large and had features of a horse. But this was no horse. Before he could raise the alarm it was upon him, flames and wicked claws slashing.
#
“Perhaps I should go take a look,” Caleth said.
“I’ll go with you,” Pearl said.
Suun’s attention was on Feln.
“Let’s stay here,” Feln said. “The guards can take care of it. We have, what, fifty of them here now?”
“You stay here,” said Caleth. “Fires are often used as diversions. I’m going.”
“I agree it could be a diversion,” said Pearl. “I’m going too.”
“We’ll all go and investigate,” Feln spoke, “from a distance.” He went to the rack and took the Dragonfly katana from its perch. When he did that, Pearl unsheathed her katana, a new weapon she brought with her from Salt Island. Owori had her wicked curved blades out. Caleth had his katana ready as well. Suun caught Feln’s attention and motioned toward the rack. All Feln did was nod and Suun discarded her cloak, took the Dragonfly ninjato in her right and the Dragonfly knife in her left, right hand up, left had down. A breeze swept through, fanning their campfire and sending embers on the grass. The party of five advanced forward, moving at a normal walk. Suun came next to Feln.
“Remember I’m your bodyguard,” she said to him in a low voice. “You do what I say no matter what.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Let’s not talk about it now. Just do as I say. It’s for your own good.”
They rounded the corner of the manor house and came to the front. The gardens had flames licking high into the sky. Strangely, the flames were moving toward them, crashing through shrubs and trees. Soldiers were rushing out to form a line of defense in front of the manor while the maddened horse demon attacked. Servants and the like were retreating to the safety of the stout walls. Owori jumped into the lead and turned, stopping all of them before they went into the chaos.
“Stay behind me,” Owori ordered.
“Do as she says,” Pearl added.
With Owori in the lead, they trotted toward the gardens with cautious steps. The swordsmen engaged the horse demon and were hacking at it while the pikemen kept it from moving forward. The demon wouldn’t last as their numbers were too great. Owori put up her hand and stopped them.
“This is wrong,” she said. “Caleth was right. This was a diversion to get everyone inside the safety of the manor. I’ve experienced these tactics before.” She turned toward the manor house. “They want everyone to go to the manor to feel safe! We must get everyone out of the manor house! Now!”
A ball of fire streaked from one of the out buildings, across the open grass, and slammed into the manor house’s upper levels. The force of the explosion rocked the wall and separated the roof at the peak. Another ball of fire followed in the same spot, shearing off the roof and leaving what remained in flames. Feln pictured the layout in his mind – it was the dining area and kitchens! Screams came from within. Seconds later, people began pouring out of the manor, panicked and unsure of what to do. More chaos. Owori and Pearl sprinted toward the source of the fireballs, Caleth a step behind. Suun grabbed Feln and wrestled him to a stop.
“They can handle the Fury,” she said. “I’ll keep you here with me. Let’s find cover.”
“Let’s get people out of the manor before it’s consumed by flames. Obviously, they thought I was inside eating dinner.”
Suun was running before she could answer. Feln followed, directing people away from the fire and away from the gardens where the horse demon was battling the soldiers. Both rushed close to the manor house, the heat that radiated was shocking. They moved people away from the conflagration, dragging those who were hysterical and guiding those who were in shock. Amongst the crackling fire were screams of those who couldn’t get out. The building was now fully involved and the enormous roars and cracks filled the air as it burned. Feln and Suun attended to the wounded, laying them out on the grass. Those who could help did so. Most were crying or in shock, poor Emato was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands. Thankfully the garden fire was dwindling and now that the horse demon was dead. Guards came to Feln for protection, but he dismissed them so it wouldn’t be obvious where he was. The guards and workers picked up buckets and tried to save the manor. Feln knew it was futile, everything inside would be lost and only the outer stone walls would survive. He had the book to communicate with the teams around Pyndira tucked away in his robe, now he understood why he needed to keep it with him always. The other books, the painting of his mother, the furnishings – everything inside the manor house would burn. Across the way he saw Owori, Pearl, Caleth and Nar striding toward them. Caleth and Nar were dragging a captive – the Fury. With a hesitant wave, Feln motioned them over. He looked at Suun, who moved an inch closer to him.
There was no
hiding Nar now. Feln doubted that Suun would recognize her father, or he hoped that would be the case. He had been dead for so many years and he was depending on she wouldn’t remember what he looked like. There was, though, a resemblance in their facial features. Whatever the case, he thought, there would be no way for Nar to sidestep Suun now even if he wanted to remain dead. It was only a matter of time, maybe not tonight, but in the coming days that Suun would discover her father again. Feln was sure of it. This wasn’t the way he wanted Suun to find out that her father was alive, an attack on the Xialao manor house, and he figured no matter when it happened he would be in trouble for not doing it sooner.
#
Maintaining her impenetrable shield as she ran, Owori expected there to be at least two Furies if not more. This was what they did to the Emperor, used the horse demons as decoys to drive everyone inside. Once confined, they attacked the Emperor in the cottage and nearly succeeded. She looked over her shoulder and saw the manor house was in flames, soon it would be in ruins. The attackers assumed they were at dinner inside the house, not the impromptu outdoor meal Feln set up. The wind rushed by as she ran and the outbuildings came into view. There was a gardener’s shed, the outside lantern swinging violently back and forth as if it had been hit. Toward the dark expanse of ground behind the gardener’s shed were three people running. The gardener caught one of the fleeing Furies and tackled him to the ground. The other Fury stopped and turned, his hands turning to balls of flame, and he pounced on the gardener with fiery fists hammering. The flames incinerated Nar’s outer clothes. Owori raised her hand and used her magic to yank the Fury toward her. He tumbled off balance and scrambled to keep upright, but the unexpected momentum guided him face first into the grass and he came to a jarring halt. Before he could get up, Pearl cracked him across the temple with precise kick. He struggled to stay conscious. Pearl jumped on him and looked like she was going to finish him.
“Alive!” Owori screamed.
The Fury went limp in Pearl’s arms.
“Just unconscious,” Pearl said as she let him go.
“Watch him.” Owori advanced to where the gardener was rolling on the ground, trying to put out the flames on his clothes. The downed Fury was unmoving, either dead or unconscious. She and Caleth helped the gardener extinguish the flames, then they hauled Nar to his feet.
“Well done,” Caleth said as he pointed to the gardener’s katana. “That’s an interesting farming implement you have.”
“It comes in handy,” Nar said as he sheathed the blade. He winced from the burns on his back.
“He’s dead,” Owori said as she examined the downed Fury. “Fell on his own blade when he was tackled. Fortunately the other one’s alive.”
“Feln will want to question him,” Caleth said. “And you – gardener – come with us.”
“My name is Nar,” he responded. “Yes, you are correct, I’m the gardener.”
“Sure, whatever you say.”
#
They dropped the Fury in front of Feln. What guards could be spared came to keep everyone safe, moving the crowd two hundred feet away from the flames. The manor house was burning out of control, soon to be a total loss. Feln gritted his teeth and he bent down to the unmoving Fury. Grasping the sleeve, Feln ripped off the fabric – he wanted to see this Fury’s tattoo. To his surprise, there was none.
“An unmarked Fury,” Nar said. “This doesn’t bode well.”
Suun moved forward. “Who are you?”
“The gardener,” he answered without giving his name.
“With a katana?”
He looked to Caleth, who smiled.
“Let’s say I’m the gardener, but have additional talents to assist the Xialao family. I was a soldier once and I still have my sword.” He winced from the burns.
“Go take care of those wounds,” Feln ordered, sparing Nar any additional exposure to his daughter. “Thanks for your help. You’re dismissed.”
Nar slipped through the ring of guards and disappeared. To Feln, Suun looked stunned, as if she recognized Nar. She’d figure it out soon enough and start asking questions.
“I’ll question him,” Suun said, pointing to the captive.
“No,” Pearl said. “You may need a Fury to protect you. Fire can be unpredictable.”
“Both of you question him,” Feln commanded. “Find out who he is and what he’s doing here. But first…” Feln stood and slipped through the ring of guards. “Emato! Get over here.”
The shocked man stood from where he was being attended to. His feet were wobbly and he hobbled over to Feln.
“I’ve hurt my leg,” Emato said.
“That will heal,” Feln told him. “I need your help. Come with me.”
Feln took Emato to the captive, who was being bound by Suun and Pearl. The rogue Fury was a young man with long blond hair, and his face had a boyish quality to it. He wasn’t much older than Feln.
“Who is he?”
“He works cleaning the stables. His father should be around here. They are newer workers. We’ve hired many since the soldiers arrived. There are a lot more horses and people to take care of.”
“His father works here too?”
“Works in the stables with him. I apologize…”
“Don’t apologize. You couldn’t have known he would attack us. I’m sure everyone you hire is questioned.”
“Yes, there is a thorough process. They had good references from the last place they worked.”
Feln had the area searched for the boy’s father, but no one could find him. Not until Owori and Caleth dragged the dead body of the other Fury into the open did they realize who had attacked the manor house were father and son. The father had remnants of a tattoo on his arm, a serpent, and it looked as if he had purposely scarred himself to hide the marks. At a distance, it would look as if he had been in a bad accident or fire. The dead man and the boy resembled each other somewhat. Suun and Pearl took the boy by his bound hands and looked at Feln for further instructions.
“Find a safe place,” he told them. “Take soldiers with you and put them on the perimeter so no one disturbs you. Or hears you.” The situation made Feln cringe, as he didn’t know what was going to happen next. There was a boy, perhaps unwittingly following his father’s orders, who was going to be subjected to torture – he knew what was going to happen. Suun and Pearl were capable, loyal to the family, and they wouldn’t stop until they found the truth. Had this been the Accord of the Hand, he wouldn’t have thought much about it, because desperate methods were used during wartime when they captured prisoners. He didn’t think that justified what was going to happen to the boy, and he reasoned it was for the greater good. They weren’t at war, though, so his actions now would dictate how circumstances like this were handled in the future. He had to find out who was behind this. This was an ominous start to his rule as the Most Favored of Safun.
“Suun, Pearl,” he called out as they were dragging the boy away. They stopped and turned to look at him. Both were stone serious.
“Yes Feln,” Suun said.
“I don’t want to know.”
Both understood but neither responded, and they dragged to boy away toward the smaller out buildings unaffected by the fire. Soldiers followed as ordered. Feln stood there, wondering what horrors he had authorized. Neither Pearl nor Suun were squeamish. In fact, both were terrifying in different ways.
“Decisions weigh heavily upon those in command,” Caleth said. “These are judgment calls.”
“You had to do it,” Owori spoke. “We need to find out who’s responsible for this.”
“Maybe it is Hiru,” Feln said, trying to suppress his anger. “First he sends the horse demons against his own people to keep them from splitting Emesia in two, punishing them for the notion. Then he tries to make me responsible for Chang’s death and execute me before the truth can be ascertained. More insulting is he tried to kill me at Chang’s funeral. Next he sends his horse demons and Furies to kill th
e Emperor. Now he sends them against me, destroys my manor and murders those loyal to my family. One way or another, he’s going to pay for this.” Feln fished through his robe and brought out the magic book. He found the marker for Daiwer-dar and opened the pages. The team would find a way to take Hiru into custody. He felt a hand on his shoulder, caressing him, stopping him before he could write on the blank page.
“Don’t do something rash,” Owori told him. “Let Pearl and Suun question the boy. He may have information. Until then ask yourself the simplest question, ‘what does Hiru have to gain?’ How does all of this benefit Hiru?”
“I don’t know,” Feln answered. “He’s attained what he wanted, Chang’s position, through deceit and treachery.”
“I assure you he doesn’t want to be Emperor. The entire Nutahi family would have to be destroyed before another family would be considered to take the throne or an all-out war would have to be declared, family against family. We don’t know what Hiru has to gain by all of this, so that should make you question why you believe it is him. You see him as the threat because you want to, not because he is.” She reached around his broad shoulders and hugged him. “I know my timing is bad, but I must go. Let me know what you find out and how I can help.”
“Where are you going?”
“Back to the palace. With all of this happening, I must make sure Yuki’s safe, and enquire if the other families have experienced anything like this tonight. If other families have been attacked, that may give us additional clues.”
“I doubt they have,” Feln said. “You may take one of our horses if you want.”
“There is a carriage waiting for me. I told him to come back at sunset. If he isn’t there, I will come back and use one of your horses.”
Feln pulled her close and embraced her, closing his eyes and wishing all of this would go away. Things kept getting worse. Now he had to figure out what they were going to do. He released her and he saw the Emperor’s soldiers coming toward them. Owori stepped to the side out of their view into nearby shrubs and blinked when no one was looking.