Ganasis had been awake all night holding various meetings; he looked frustrated as he waited for the Lords to arrive for an emergency council meeting that he had called. When Lords Heikan, Tanaga, Krazmos and Talon’s Grandfather Lord Zalon arrived he wasted no time in addressing them.
“Gentleman, for six months now Zanlia has been a town of peace ……….now I must tell you that last night three warehouses full of grain were burned to the ground.”
“Who is responsible” answered Lord Heikan as all the Lords found themselves thinking the same thing.
Ganasis threw his hands up into the air and curled his top lip showing ignorance to the Lords question.
“Our defence is watertight here, no way could anyone slip through It.” added Lord Tanaga.
“Are you saying this sabotage has come from within.” asked Heikan.
“Exactly! We have traitors in our midst.” replied Ganasis.
Lord Zalon who had been silent up to now suddenly asked Heikan a question looking concerned.
“When you say from within, what do you mean?”
Ganasis raised his hand and then sat down to reply.
“Lord Zargar has been sending me reports for weeks from Tallasian saying that he has been experiencing similar events. Now with these events happening here in Zanlia, I fear that a belief I have, may be coming true.”
“What belief!” replied Heikan Sternly?
Ganasis looked around the room before he answered in a lower tone of voice.
“It is my belief that the Empire left men here in Zanlia and in Tallasian, men who have been integrated into the Zanlian’s and ordered to cause as much disruption as possible.”
“How many men Ganasis?” snapped Lord Zalon.
“Who knows Lord Zalon, they could be working as fishermen, farmers, merchants, they could be everywhere.”
“So what do we do, I for one do not feel comfortable not knowing whom I am speaking to.” added Lord Krazmos.
“Ganasis, we are on the verge of preparing our armies to attack Kallick
Town, what we do not need is a secret army at our backs burning our food, I say we take drastic measures now, we should put Zanlia under curfew.” snapped Lord Heikan.
Ganasis shook his head strongly in disagreement at what Heikan had just said.
“Heikan we cannot put these people under curfew, they have suffered enough under the Empire, they have opened their arms to us, we cannot reward their friendship with cruelty.”
“Ganasis, today they burn corn, tomorrow they might burn a ship, then they may start killing us, whatever needs to be done must be done to stop this before they grow in confidence, we should make the town aware, we know there are saboteurs in our midst, today we have a problem, tomorrow it might be a catastrophe.” added Lord Zalon.
“I agree with what you say Zalon, there must be action from us.”
“I say we send for Falkan, it’s his town, let him find these rats for us.” Heikan added.
“I am meeting him this afternoon.” replied Ganasis.
“Tell him what you told us Ganasis, see what he says, then we will talk again tonight” barked Heikan sternly.
As Ganasis walked amongst the townsfolk of Zanlia in the afternoon he found himself looking at the Zanlian’s in a new light, the sun was shining as it was yesterday but today he looked at everyone through suspicious eyes, as people greeted him he smiled but found himself asking himself if they could be Imperial soldiers, he knew how damaging this new way of thought was, strangers could now be his enemy, Ganasis tried to rid his mind of the thoughts but no matter how hard he tried he could not see any friendly faces anymore, frustrated he changed direction and headed towards the Pangkor temple
“I am her to see Lord Talon!” he announced as two Pangkor monks opened the large wooden gates.
“Is the Pangkorgower expecting you?” answered one of the monks which offended Ganasis straight away.
“No he is not and my business with Lord Talon is none of your concern!” snapped Ganasis clearly showing his anger.
“It is Ok.” replied the other monk recognising who Ganasis was and ushering him inside
“Please come in.” he added politely.
Ganasis was then escorted across the temple courtyard to a room where he was politely asked to wait while Talon would be informed of his visit, Ganasis was just about to ask where Talon was when he heard his voice,
“Ah my Lord Talon is in the gardens.” said the monk also hearing the voice.
Ganasis quickly made his way back out into the temple gardens where he found Talon sitting cross legged on a large red rug amongst the flower beds.
“Talon.” Ganasis said warmly seeing his friend.
“Ganasis, how are you my friend, it has been a while since I saw you.” said Talon rising to his feet to meet Ganasis.
Ganasis greeted Talon by shaking his hand and then sat down on the rug next to him
“You look troubled my friend” Talon asked noticing the look on Ganasis’s face.
“We have been attacked.”
“The fires!” replied Talon surprising Ganasis.
“How do you know about them?”
“Ganasis there is not much that happens in Zanlia that misses the Pangkor’s attention.”
“Do the Pangkor’s know who is responsible then Talon?” Ganasis snapped back with sarcasm in his voice.
“No Ganasis they do not.”
“Neither do we, it is a mystery, no one saw or heard anything, all we have is ash. Ashes that was once food which was to feed our soldiers.” replied Ganasis clearly showing his frustration in his voice.
“Then there is three possible conclusions, firstly it was an accident, secondly it was Zanlian’s who dislike us or thirdly and what I think most likely, the Empire have men hid in Zanlia and they are responsible.”
“I suspect the third theory.” replied Ganasis.
Talon then walked towards a table and picked up a large scroll then brought it back and gave it to Ganasis.
“What is this?” asked the wizard.
“It is a beginning my friend.”
“A beginning?”
“This is a list of names, hundreds of them, men who have made Zanlia their home over the past year.”
“Where did you get this Talon?”
“It is called a census, for years the Pangkor’s have been documenting the families and homes in Zanlia, in this scroll you will find every person who has moved to Zanlia to find work.”
“Excellent!” snapped Ganasis.
Ganasis and Talon then devised a plan to find the men responsible for the fires, it was decided that Graval head a group of men to keep watch on the more likely men on the list, hopefully they would find the saboteurs.
Ganasis then said his farewells, saying was going to find Graval and give him his new orders, Talon told Ganasis that he was talking at a Pangkor seminar tomorrow and asked if the wizard would like to attend.
“Of course I would, where is it?”
“At noon tomorrow at the south gate of the temple.”
“Then I shall see you tomorrow Talon.”
Coming Soon
About the Author
Joseph Henry Gaines author of
The Zachania Series
Other books available by Joseph Henry Gaines
Zachania The complete reference guide
Child of Aquarius (The Empreen)
Child of Aquarius (Bright lights and fangs)
www.zachania.com
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11 Zanlia
Chapter 12 Zachania
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18 For my King & Zachania
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25 THE SOUTH-WEST
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28 the Battle
Chapter 29
About the Author
Zachania Page 52