“At least you know your limitations,” Alazar sighed. “I have spent years going over every account of penetration into the Sakova and I think I have a fair idea where StarCity is. Your men would never survive, at least not yet.”
“What do you mean not yet?” the assassin inquired. “Do you have a plan?”
“Indeed I do,” snickered Alazar as he reached into his desk and pulled out a large envelope. “And I will need your help with it. Are you familiar with the young mage we arrested last month? The one who killed his girlfriend’s lover in a magical rage?”
“I do remember hearing about it,” frowned Klaarg, “but it does not concern me.”
“It does now,” smiled Alazar. “I want you to break him out of prison and offer him a chance of freedom.”
“A prison break in the Imperial Palace?” asked a shocked Klaarg. “You can’t be serious. Why?”
“Because he has been condemned to die,” explained the First Minister,” and we can use him. We captured another Sakovan spy last night, one posing as a merchant. He has a son, Mekin, who looks remarkably like this rogue mage and I wish to make a substitution. Our little prisoner will become Mekin and scamper home to StarCity to perform an act of heroism for us.”
“Does the son know where StarCity is?” questioned the assassin.
“He doesn’t, but it matters little,” stated Alazar. “The son is already dead. I am afraid we used a little too much persuasion on him to get the father to talk. What we do know now though is that the ring is the key to entering StarCity and we have one.”
“You mean all you have to do is wear a certain ring and they let you in?” inquired Klaarg. “That is pretty foolish.”
“Not exactly,” replied Alazar. “Unfortunately, the ring must be worn by a Sakovan, but I have a plan around that.”
The First Minister emptied the contents of the large envelope onto the desk. “These files will tell our little prisoner all he should need to know about Mekin and his father to play the role properly. He must study them until he can recite them from memory and then destroy them. The ring he must wear at all times.”
“How do you plan on getting him into the city if the ring only works for Sakovans?” Klaarg asked.
“He need only get close to the city,” Alazar responded. “There he will fake an accident and be discovered by the Sakovans. I am counting on the Sakovan nature to take care of their own to get him into the city. I am sure it will work.”
“And no great loss if it doesn’t,” smiled Klaarg. “What do you want him to do once he is inside?”
“Two things,” Alazar explained. “I want the leader of the Sakovans assassinated and I want the magic spell concealing the entrance to the city disabled.”
“So that is why you need a mage for this,” Klaarg realized.
“And a killer,” smiled Alazar.
“So all you need from me is to get him out of the Imperial Prison and send him on his way after he has learned his role?” Klaarg questioned.
“I will make the jailbreak easy for you,” the First Minister assured. “The boy is kept in the mage ward. There will be no guards on duty. You will also need to monitor him to make sure he enters the Sakova and doesn’t try to run away. That is why he is being broken out instead of released. If he decides to run, he will be returned and hanged. You may tell him that a Royal Pardon awaits his return, but do not mention my name at any time.”
“Is it safe to mention your name after he finished the task?” the head assassin asked.
“No,” sneered Alazar. “After he has completed the task, you are to kill him. His usefulness will be over. See that he makes it to the Sakova and kill him when he leaves, whether his task is done or not.”
The First Minister rose indicating an end to the audience and walked over to the open bookcase door. “I want Temiker and Lyra, Klaarg,” Alazar reminded the assassin. “It is time that I start seeing some results from my investment. I am sure that you will bring some pleasant news the next time we meet.”
Klaarg avoided eye contact with the First Minister as he slipped into the dark corridor behind the bookcase. Alazar slid the secret door closed and returned to his desk. He grabbed the pile of official forms and scanned through them. Putting three of them aside because they required closer attention, he penned his name to the rest and carried them with him as he left his office.
The First Minister, in his flowing crimson robe, strode to a staircase leading to the basement prison and walked to the mage containment ward. The guard at the door did not question the right of the First Minister to enter and opened the door for him. Alazar strode in without acknowledgement, feeling the chill of the anti-aura spell as he did so. He made his way through the long corridor of cells until he came to the maximum security section and was greeted by another guard. He indicated silently the cell he wished to visit and the guard unlocked the door. Alazar opened the door and stepped in closing the door behind him. He smiled as he acknowledged that the door was not locked behind him.
Alazar met the glare of the prisoner and ignored it. He sat down at the small table opposite the man and smiled. “I have good news for you, Malafar,” he grinned. “We have located your missing daughter and brother.”
“That is their misfortune, Alazar,” Master Malafar growled. “It will make little difference to me who you have found. Whatever it is you want, you shall have to make do without my help.”
“Why are you so obstinate?” Alazar quizzed. “You do not even know what it is I wish of you.”
“Why?” Master Malafar growled. “Why? You send men into my academy and kill everyone and you have the nerve to ask why I won’t aid you in whatever scheme it is you have? Are you daft? Do you really expect that I would ever aid you in anything after that? You might as well kill me now if you are waiting for my help because you will be long dead before you ever get it.”
“Ah such temper,” sighed the First Minister. “I have told you many times that it was not the government who attacked your precious academy. We caught most of the rogue villains who plundered your home and executed them. We only hold you here for your protection until we catch the rest of them. Still there are some things that a Master Mage of your caliber can help us with while you are here. Why do you resist helping your country when it needs you?”
“I have always been a loyal Omungan,” Master Malafar declared. “Did I not give my only son into the service of the Katana? How dare you question my patriotism. When will my request to speak with the Katana be honored?”
“I am First Minister of Omunga,” Alazar stated stiffly. “Anything you wish to discuss with the Katana can be discussed with me. The Holy Katana cannot be bothered by every request for an audience and you have shown a great reluctance to help your nation when it needs your services. Besides, I have told you before that the Katana still believes that your son was a Sakovan assassin. He is afraid that you may be as well, despite my many assurances that you are a patriot.”
“Bah,” scowled Master Malafar. “Why do you waste my time with such dribble? Alfred was a fine patriot and an excellent judge of character and it was you who he did not trust. Those were not a band of rogue thieves who invaded my academy. They were well trained assassins and sent there to obtain me and now you have need of my services. Amazing coincidence I suppose. Why would you need the services of a fool? For that is what you think I am if you expect me to believe your tales. Go away and leave me. I tire of your game and do not wish to play any longer.”
“You are indeed a fool, Master Malafar,” smiled Alazar as he studied Malafar’s face for telltale signs of emotion. “A stubborn fool indeed. I am trying to save your life and the life of your brother Temiker and you spurn me. Your daughter Lyra needs your help and you spurn her as well. It is not only death that they face you know. These rogue villains have a history of torture. I shudder to think of hearing about the torture of such a fine young thing as Lyra. She probably has not even learned about the joys of life yet and now she
has to face the endless pain of torture.”
Alazar smiled as he caught Malafar’s eye twitch at the mention of torture for Lyra. The First Minister knew he found the angle he was looking for. It was obvious that the mage would allow his brother to die, but his daughter was another thing entirely. A quick death for her he might be able to withstand, but torture of his sweet daughter would get Malafar’s attention. Satisfied that he had found the key to ensuring Master Malafar’s cooperation, Alazar rose to leave.
“Very well, Master Malafar,” sighed the First Minister, “I will mention your request to the Katana once again, but I assure you that he will not acquiesce to your demand. I will come to see you the day after tomorrow.”
Alazar did not wait for a response but exited the cell. The guard was waiting outside and immediately locked the door. Alazar pointed to another cell, which held the young mage who Klaarg was going to free, and the guard unlocked that one as well.
The First Minister turned to the guard and handed him the stack of forms from his desk. “I am going to be in there for some time. Deliver these for me and then return.”
“I cannot leave my post, First Minister,” the guard stated. “There must be a guard in here at all times.”
“So send in the outside guard,” snarled Alazar. “These paper are important and must be delivered immediately. Do you not think that the First Minister knows which is more important, you handholding me while I see a prisoner or seeing that these important papers are delivered on time?”
“Of course I meant no such slight,” trembled the guard. “I will send in the outside guard immediately.”
Alazar snickered as the guard disappeared out the door and he moved several cells closer to the outside door while he waited the replacement guard. The outside guard appeared quickly and Alazar picked a cell at random and pointed to it. The guard dutifully unlocked the cell door and Alazar stepped inside. He stood for several long moments staring at the sleeping prisoner and then exited the cell.
“That is all I need,” announced the First Minister. “Lock it and escort me out.”
The guard dutifully locked the cell, unaware that there was one other cell unlocked, and escorted the First Minister to the exit for the cell block. As the guard stepped outside, clear of the anti-aura spell, Alazar cast a spell on the guard, putting him to sleep. He propped the sleeping guard against the wall and left the door unlocked. Alazar headed up the stairs and waited in an alcove between floors. Within moments, Klaarg descended.
“Both doors are unlocked,” Alazar whispered. “Drag the guard inside. Kill him and leave him in the boy’s cell. Wait for the other to return and kill him as well. You can use the keys to lock doors. Lock everything up so you will have time to get the boy out of the city. Go.”
Alazar waited until Klaarg disappeared down the stairs before continuing upward to the main floor. He hurried his pace slightly so he would not be late for the Council meeting. The Katana’s Council meeting was usually a rather dry and boring affair, but Alazar was looking forward to this one. Much would be discussed today and he didn’t want to miss any of it. He reached the doors to the Council Chamber and the Monitors guarding the door opened them upon seeing the First Minister.
Alazar scanned the room as he entered, noting the disposition of each of the Ministers, and quietly slid into his seat at the Katana’s right hand. There were several moments of silence as the last of the Ministers arrived and took their places and Alazar used that time to gauge the mood of the government heads. As First Minister, it was Alazar’s duty to conduct the session and he rose when everyone was assembled.
“Ministers,” he greeted solemnly, “the Katana’s Council is in session. Please offer your reports in the prescribed order.”
Alazar had arranged the order of reports so that the mundane affairs of state were discussed first. He loathed hearing about the state of the agricultural economy or the tiresome details about cultural calendars. These items were all discussed and disposed of by the time the Minister of Defense, Doharte, spoke. The Minister of Defense was an obstacle to be overcome by Alazar. The man was fat and lazy and thought the country was always in fine shape and that he was doing an excellent job. He let the Minister give his rosy report and waited to see if anyone had comments or questions. As usual, nobody did.
Alazar rose before giving the nod for the next Minister to begin. “Minister of Defense, thank you for your report. I have a few questions stemming from some intelligence reports that I have received and I would like to verify the information. As you know, there was a very nasty massacre at the Academy of Magic recently. Some very influential families had children in residence at the Academy and they are rightfully screaming for information regarding the incident. My sources have indicated that there is a major split in the Sakovan forces occurring right now and that the massacre was a direct result of this Sakovan struggle. Do you have any information on this massacre and what happened there?”
The Minister Doharte rose with a puzzled look on his face. “Well, we have investigated the massacre of course, but we did not find anything to indicate Sakovan activity there. The local villagers had already been to the facility and were in the process of burying the dead when my men arrived. It was hard, as you can imagine, to conduct any kind of a proper investigation, but I seriously doubt that the Sakovans are involved in this. Frankly, we have had no news of any Sakovan activity in years.”
“No news?” puzzled Alazar. “Very strange indeed. I have been getting reports from all quarters. Were you aware that the Academy of Magic was a training facility for the Sakovans?”
“Preposterous,” the Minister of Defense declared. “Master Malafar’s own son served in the Katana’s own Monitors a few years back. I could not imagine the Academy of Magic being involved in Sakovan activities.”
“Yes,” Alazar drawled. “He even lost his life protecting the Katana. I said nothing at the time because the chapter was closed, but we have been watching that family ever since. Do you know who it was that killed young Alfred?”
“It was nobody important,” answered the Minister Doharte, obviously feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight with questions he was unprepared for.
“Ah, I beg to differ,” smiled Alazar. “In fact, I do not believe the Katana was the target of the attack. Alfred was the target.”
Murmurs rose from the assembled ministers and they laid their paperwork aside to pay attention to a confrontation that none of them had expected.
“The killer was a student of a mage running a school in Alamar,” Alazar continued. “You call him nobody important, but I disagree. A man called Temiker, the brother of Malafar and the uncle of Alfred, runs the school in Alamar. The Sakovan feud actually started then and has escalated now. Are you aware that the school in Alamar was also destroyed recently? That school also trained Sakovans and Temiker is now mysteriously missing as is Master Malafar.”
“Coincidence,” sputtered the now sweating Minister of Defense. “You make a conspiracy where none exists. The Sakovans are not a threat to our security. Never have been. There is absolutely no connection between the two magic schools and the Sakovans.”
“No?” pressed Alazar. “Yet your forces are on the alert for Malafar’s daughter Lyra. Do you know where she is right now?”
“My men are searching for her because we received information that she might have had something to do with the massacre, perhaps some magic gone astray or something like that,” the Minister Doharte replied. “I cannot be expected to know the whereabouts of all citizens at all times. If your information is so great, why don’t you tell us all where she is.”
“If you wish,” grinned Alazar. “I am sure that your men will report this to you sooner or later. She is in the Sakova. She left the road just south of Gatong where your men missed picking her up. She was in the company of over forty dark-clad Sakovans, returning home after their job at the Academy was complete. If you check the reports from Alamar, you will find that Temiker is also in
the Sakova with another forty Sakovans.”
The First Minister paused to take in the surprised gasps and murmurs from the assembled members of the Katana’s Council. “This civil war of the Sakovans spells great danger for Omunga,” Alazar declared. “Great danger and great opportunity. Their uncontrolled bloodshed has already affected some of the most prominent families in the country and the Katana will soon be pressed to wage war upon the Sakovans. I think it prudent for you to gather your generals and start planning the attack, Minister. One of the Sakovan factions plans to bring wholesale slaughter to Omunga and we cannot be sure of which faction will win. We should strike while they are bickering amongst themselves.”
“Until I receive reports confirming this nonsense, I will not prepare to attack a sleeping hornets nest,” scoffed the Minister of Defense. “Suppose your information is wrong? We could throw this country into war with an enemy we cannot find. Right now they inhabit the central area of the country, which is a wasteland anyway. We would gain nothing and suffer the populace to attacks from the Sakovans.”
“You do not consider the attacks we have suffered already to be considerable?” taunted Alazar. “I should make a point to let the prominent families, who have suffered the loss of their young ones, know that the army considers their loss insignificant. I am sure they will wait in line to praise the Katana and bring him gifts. Just last night we captured another Sakovan spy, right here in the capital. He was posing as a merchant. He offered much information before he died. Unfortunately, his son escaped and is on his way home to the Sakova as we speak. His name is Mekin if you think your army can actually catch this one.”
The Minister of Defense was speechless. Alazar sat down and was going to continue with the next Minister when the Katana rose and ended the meeting. “We should adjourn for a while,” he announced. “First Minister has brought forth some serious allegations with potentially disastrous repercussions for Omunga. All Ministers are requested to obtain any information they can on Sakovan activities. We will reconvene this meeting tomorrow morning.”
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