by Paul Heisel
With deadly intent, Feln unsheathed the Dragonfly blade. Furies needed to be engaged up close and that was what he was going to do – hack these men and women apart.
“Now!” he hollered, leaping forward.
#
Miles away the remaining members of the family awaited Feln’s arrival at the designated spot. Their numbers were spread thin, as those capable of fighting were out in the darkness helping Feln trap the culprits who had killed Owori, Nar, and the Emperor’s other Fury. Within one of the traveling wagons, Suun stirred from her injury induced slumber. She was calling out in a calm voice, not screaming in terror as before. The caregivers rushed to the wagon with their lanterns thrust forward.
“Where am I?” she asked from underneath the layers of blankets.
“We’re in Amuyakin, departing for Safun. We’re going home.”
“Where’s Feln, what happened?”
“Rest easy,” said the caretaker. “He’ll be here soon. Much has happened since you were brought to us. Rest.”
“Where is Owori?”
“She’s dead,” the caretaker answered. “It’s complicated and I’m not the best one to explain what happened.”
“When? How?”
“You’ll have to talk to Feln.”
“She can’t be dead. I saw her. She came to me. I wasn’t dreaming.”
“You’ve been in and out of consciousness. The mind plays tricks.”
Suun pushed aside her blankets, wriggled and pulled the white cotton gown up, gathering it around the top of her breasts. Wrapped around her bruised rib cage was a belt. She began gingerly unwinding it.
“That’s your Favored One belt,” the caretaker said. "Isn't it?"
“No, this is the belt of the Most Favored of Safun.”
“You’re mistaken.”
Holding it forth for inspection, Suun presented the belt. “See the gold dragons. It’s Feln’s belt. I would know this belt anywhere.”
“You’re right, it does look like a Most Favored belt. I don’t know what this means. How did it get around you?”
#
The cry made the Furies hesitate, delaying their attacks by a fraction of a second as they looked for hidden attackers. Ryl let out another wave of force and headed for cover near a building. Feln went to the nearest opponent, charging headlong into the robed figure. The bow dropped to the ground and white hot lightning bolted out. Feln dodged the attack, rolled, regained his feet and kept moving. A figure appeared amongst the Furies, green and red blades flashing. At last, one of his family had come to assist!
Magic flew everywhere and Feln pressed to get in the middle of the Furies so he could force them into using weapons. There was fire exploding and ice showering down. He was fearful Ryl was taking the brunt of it because she retreated. The leader backed away behind his Furies, taking refuge. An invisible force picked Feln up and tossed him to the side, skittering him across mud, snow, and ice, then slamming him to the ground. Chunks of ice came down, few hitting their mark. Then without warning, the hail storm stopped. He rolled up, pain filling his arms, shoulder, and chest. The ice that connected hurt him. There was a person in front of him down on one knee, arms extended with a green blade in her left and a red blade in her right. The Furies were hammering ice, fire, lightning and who knows what else at them, but everything bounced harmlessly away from an invisible shield. Moments passed then the futile magic barrage stopped. A volley of arrows came and they skittered away harmlessly too.
His whole world spun as he realized it was Owori that was in front of him, using her magic to deflect the Fury magic and arrows. She was standing now, weapons ready, challenging the Furies. Feln wanted to fling his arms around her, but the logical part of his mind took over. He moved next to her with the Dragonfly blade at the ready. There were three dead; only six Furies and the leader remained. They were backing away, rethinking their strategy. Without the use of their magic, they were no match for him and Owori steel versus steel. Feln looked back over his shoulder. Ryl was on her knees, badly injured, crawling toward them to assist. He wanted to go help her, but didn’t have time. Ryl tried to stand, stumbled toward the edge of the street, and started coughing blood.
“No,” Ryl said as if sensing what he wanted to do. “Finish this.” She fell into the shadows.
They were standing side by side. Feln and Owori. Together. “Even though you won’t see me, I’ll be there,” Feln said.
“Understood,” Owori replied.
Feln sprinted toward a building, getting to where the shadows were deep. Not delaying further, he blinked. It was darkest near the buildings and Feln moved faster than he wanted to. They would hear him running, but he hoped they wouldn’t discover the ruse until it was too late. If only Owori could hold them off with her magic. Feln flanked the approaching Furies, getting behind them. The air was getting colder and one Fury was spraying frost into the air in front of them.
“We’ll find you!” the leader hollered.
Feln came behind the leader and he could have easily run him through, but they needed him alive. He took the handle of his sword and whacked him on the back of the head, a near lethal blow. A figure appeared to his side. He jumped away as he was grabbing the leader, dragging him. It was Owori. She had blinked as well. She was moving quickly, felling the frost Fury with her blades. Behind was another Fury, she killed him as he was turning, then blinked. She was gone again.
The attackers stopped when they saw him with their leader. Feln dropped him to the ground, Dragonfly blade at the ready. Feln was sure the Furies would rather die than be captured, so he would have to protect the downed leader. He stood there, defensive, waiting for the onslaught. Magic came at him, a stream of fire intent on incinerating him and the leader. It deflected to the side, an invisible shield blocking it. The fire subsided. The ground rumbled in the distance, a vibration so familiar to him – thousands of feet marching. He could hear now what he felt, the Emperor’s troops pounding in unison toward their position. It caused the Furies to pause once more.
“It’s over,” Feln said to them. “You can’t best us, let alone survive the thousands of soldiers who will be here any moment. Put down your weapons and lay on the ground face first.”
The four Furies looked at each other, then they charged screaming and weapons flailing.
#
Feln was sitting on the ground, cradling Ryl’s broken body in his arms. She was dead, not surviving her injuries. Had she not acted many times in the past, he’s sure he wouldn’t be here today. From the fight in Sabrin, to the attack at the Emperor’s funeral, to now – she had served him and had paid with her life. It was a stark realization that this was how it was going to be. Others would sacrifice their lives for him, for his family, and he didn’t know how to repay them. He was sure Suun would tell him the best way to reward loyalty was to do his job, to bring their family back to greatness by punishing the wrongdoers in Pyndira, to cultivate both fear and respect.
When the four Furies attacked, they tried to kill their leader, not save him. These were fanatics who didn’t want anyone taken alive. The army came in time to see him standing over nine dead bodies, himself with just bruises and a few cuts, and his personal Fury dead. Owori disappeared, without a word or leaving a message, and he knew it was because she wanted to remain dead in the Emperor’s eyes. She broke the binding and wanted to remain that way, free of her forced service to the Emperor. The soldiers, upon arrival, took the leader prisoner. They knew him, a man named Ginwata, a ruling noble in the Shisaru family. Feln recognized him as the man at the pavilions who stared at him and Pearl. He wasn’t marked as a Fury, but Feln was sure he was. Just as he was, he thought, a trait he would have to hide behind the Most Favored belt when he got it back from Owori. He wasn’t sure what he would do when the Emperor’s men came to Safun, the question was, would they test him? Would they even think of it?
As the troops were taking the prisoner and the dead Furies away, Feln asked the general for an es
cort and men to help carry Ryl’s body. Like the others his family was transporting, they would cremate her when they arrived in Safun. Still there was no sign of Owori, and he didn’t expect to see her until they were far away from Amuyakin. She would be behind them, or in front of them, hidden away. He hoped he would see her soon. The reunion would be joyous, yet overshadowed by the events of late. He was so worried about Owori that he didn’t tell Pearl she had survived, and he decided he would leave that piece of good news for later when they were far away from this cursed place.
#
There was heavy cloud cover this day, the cold threatening more snow. They pressed hard, trying to keep ahead of what looked to be a brewing storm. The traveling group was smaller than he hoped, losing good people was becoming more difficult for him to handle. He thought about it constantly, so many had died because of him – either by his hand or from protecting him. The good news was Suun was awake and returning to normal. Her immediate recovery was beyond what they expected, although Feln figured the belt of the Most Favored, his belt, played a part in it. Owori had wrapped it around the injured girl to return it, and the magical effects of it must have helped the healing. It’s the only thing that made sense to him given the extent of her injuries.
The snow became intense and they stopped at a small village at the base of a mountain pass to seek shelter from the storm. It was a farming and trading community battened down for the winter, and the local inn was happy to have extra business this time of year. Usually travelers avoided the mountain pass in the winter altogether or if forced to, they hustled up and down in one day to the other side. In the winter, the community would get bands of hunters seeking winter prey, but rarely would they get a collection of people this large staying at one time.
Feln was sitting in the middle of the inn, warming himself by the fire. Suun was well enough to be up with assistance and she insisted on being near Feln. Pearl was with them, quiet, reserved, the effects of the past week a toll on her. They caught up on everything that Suun could remember; Shisaru was the source of the Furies, but the family was not the root of the problem. Though the leader, Ginwata, had been captured, Suun assured Pearl and Feln this wasn’t over. Others would take his place and the Fury rebellion would intensify. Their unknown plans would continue and Feln guessed this would strengthen the Emperor’s resolve to put down the rebellion. It wouldn’t stop until all the Furies were dead or until they found their own lands and negotiated a peace. Still he wondered why the Furies were so interested in southern Emesia.
Feln picked up his book and opened it to a blank page. There he took the magic writing instrument and instructed his team in Emesia to go south, all the way until they reached the end of Emesia. They were to search the area for a month, reporting back anything they found of interest. If they were in danger, they were to retreat, observe, and report what saw. He closed the book, slipped it into his robe, and sat back in a slump. The ale in front of him was untouched.
“You look tired,” Suun said.
“I am tired. I’m also wondering where Owori is, if she’s going to follow us, or if she’s staying behind for some reason. I didn’t get to talk to her at all.”
“I’m sure she wanted to get out of Daiwer-dar as quickly as possible,” Pearl said. “I don’t blame her.”
“Plus you were a bit busy at the time, so don’t kill yourself over it. She’ll be here, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. She’ll find us. If not, I’m sure she’ll go straight to Safun.”
“As slow as we’re moving, I wouldn’t be surprised if she beats us there,” Pearl said.
With all his heart, he hoped Owori would come here and not go to Safun without him. The door at the front of the inn came open, the swirling wind bringing snow inside. Feln’s heart jumped. It was a traveler, but not his Owori. He settled down after a moment, sought out his ale, and drank it in one satisfying gulp. It tasted good.
“She’ll find us,” Suun told him.
“I hope so.”
Pearl just raised her eyebrows.
#
He rested better that night. The weather worsened, snow came down and it wasn’t going to let up. The common room was full of travelers, all having breakfast, few were brave enough to head up the mountain pass in the terrible weather. Feln was at a table, relaxed, sipping morning tea. He ate dried fruit and one honey cake, but found he didn’t have the appetite he should. Most of his family had eaten and had returned to their rooms – there was nothing they could do but wait until the storm subsided. Two of the Furies in his employ were protecting him at Pearl’s insistence. He told them there was nothing to fear here, that if an enemy wanted to assassinate him, they would have tried by now. Like good protectors, they didn’t listen and were still watching over him. Suun, who should have been in bed resting, was slowly eating her breakfast. Feln could see it was difficult for her as Suun was still healing and didn’t have full coordinated use of her limbs.
The front door opened, bringing with it the cold. Patrons nearby had coats to ward off the freezing air when travelers came in, an unfortunate circumstance of where they had to sit. The traveler had on a heavy robe lined with fur, but unlike others coming in from the storm, the robe was pristine and not covered with snow. The cowl opened. Owori came forward and let her pack drop from her shoulder, it clunked on the floor as if it was full of rocks. She spied Feln, hefted the pack, and strode to him.
They crashed together. Feln squeezed her tight and closed his eyes, never wanting to let go. He could feel her trembling, either that or she was freezing cold. She squeezed him back with the same intensity. They said nothing, embracing each other for a long time. Feln directed her toward the table, grabbing the pack from the floor as he did. They sat down close to each other at the corners, shoulder to shoulder.
Suun stood and gave Owori a pat on the head and a motherly kiss on the brow. “I’ll see you two later. I’ll tell Pearl you’re here.” She departed, moving slowly, her body not responding to her will. One of the guard Furies helped her up the stairs despite her objections.
“I’m relieved you’ve arrived,” Feln said. “I was beginning to worry.”
“I was delayed.”
“We thought you were dead – Qio told me you were trapped in the Crypt. I was devastated. So many have died…Ryl, she died saving us. Pearl almost died.”
“I tried to help Ryl but I was too late. I was able to help Pearl survive the attack at the funeral.”
“What happened? I lost sight of you right after Caleth and Djaa began their match. Then the next thing I know Caleth wins and later Qio tells me that you’re dead, trapped inside the Crypt. They sealed the Crypt so I wouldn’t go after you. They wouldn’t let me see Caleth because they thought I might try to kill him to re-open the Crypt.”
There was a clamor from the stairs. Pearl, shorter hair and all, came flying down in a whirlwind of elegant limbs. She gave Owori and hug and kiss, then sat down at the table with them. It was the brightest smile Feln had seen in the last week from Pearl. He was pleased, and he thought, maybe she would get back to her normal self, though he enjoyed not having to hear her vast opinions on everything.
“I was just telling Feln what happened,” Owori said.
“Continue,” Pearl said. “This I have to hear.”
“Two Furies tried to poison me near the Shisaru pavilion, and when that didn’t work, they were going to stab me through the heart. Your belt forced me to resist the poison, then suddenly I was filled with this power, feeling as if nothing could stop me from doing anything I wanted. I crushed them with my magic, squeezed the life out of them. I…I…can still do that if I’m angry enough. Your belt broke the binding and its magic became a part of me.” She lowered her voice. “A Fury with a belt is a dangerous thing. I realize that now. I understand Suun’s fears.”
“Self-preservation,” Pearl muttered. “That’s what triggered the magic.”
Feln nodded in agreement, then wondered if Owori knew he was a Fury, that he had ma
gical blood flowing in him in addition to him using the Most Favored belt. He was sure she suspected it. “What happened in the Crypt?”
Owori went on to tell him the story, relating to him the details up until Caleth had bested Djaa. “I think the twins were planning to wound Caleth until they could get clear of the Crypt, then Djaa was going to kill him. They couldn’t have witnesses. Qio and I thwarted that. We were running to escape, but my leg was hurt and I was lagging behind. I sent Qio forward with my magic. The spirits were screaming at me to get out – it was all in my mind, like a nightmare. I made it to the portal and it was only open a fraction of an inch and there was no way I could slip through. Then one of the spirits kept it open, pushed me through, forced me out, I don’t know how, but I know why. The Crypt sealed and I blinked. I thought it would be better to be dead in everyone’s eyes, then I could get word to you later when it was safe. It is a decision I don’t regret. There is freedom being dead.”
Like Nar, Feln thought. “Why did the spirit let you out?”
“It said I tore a barrier, and I was the only one who could repair it. Had I stayed inside the Crypt, I would have died of hunger or thirst eventually, if those two Furies didn’t kill me first.”
Pearl spoke up. “The Emperor thought Feln would kill Caleth to reopen the Crypt, because if Caleth died, they would need a new Warlord.”
“He told me that. You didn’t consider that, did you?”
He knew Owori. The question was genuine, not a loaded question to make him feel guilty if he gave the wrong answer, whatever the wrong answer would be. “I considered it but couldn’t go through with it. Murdering my friend with the hope of unsealing the Crypt in time to save you wasn’t an act I could commit. I’m sorry if that’s what you didn’t want to hear.”