Malithorn threw himself disconsolately onto the lounge near a delicate glass cabinet. Opening a small drawer he found the small, carved box that had his pills and withdrew two. Then pouring out half a glass of brandy, he tossed the pills in his mouth and washed them down. He could swear they didn't help with the exhaustion. If he could just get a full night's sleep, things might improve. Recent events had not helped the situation either.
With Nathan's death, it could be construed that the rebels were finally succeeding in their drive towards freedom. Malithorn refused to believe it. A few successes, yes, but they hardly controlled any of their lands let alone the required soldiers to call their pitiful rebellion a force worth concern.
That was why he needed was to rally his thanes. He would appoint a replacement for Ancoulan and implement a new, stricter, policy where the elvan mages were concerned with harsher penalties for disobedience. Such a policy was in line with his plans for a renewed campaign to subdue the rebels. Turns ago Keldon had broken up his large force into divisions and assigned them to each thanedom. His father had wanted to absorb the elvan as a subservient culture that would benefit humans, but with the latest uprisings it was becoming impractical to honour his father's wishes. He would reform the main army and work his way from one end of the country to the other until he eliminated the rebels entirely.
Such a move would require significant funding, but that was not an obstacle. He would need to convene the treasury and direct them to review current budgets and disposition of monies. He should also convene a meeting of his generals to work out the logistics.
There was a knock on the door.
Malithorn huffed irritably and then snapped, 'Enter.'
Colnba entered the room, glanced at the brandy in Malithorn's glass and then met Malithorn's gaze. 'Mixing alcohol with your medication is not going to improve things.'
'So you've mentioned. If the medication was more effective, perhaps I would not feel the need for alcohol,' Malithorn retorted.
Colnba sighed and then closed his eyes for a few minutes. When he opened them Malithorn asked sharply, 'What did you just do?'
'I sent to your physician. Do not worry, I also sent to Liacoren. I instructed your physician to review your current dosage and increase it if such an action will not cause any negative effects. Liacoren will attend at the same time, as usual, to ensure your safety.'
The Great Lord made a disgruntled noise and finished off his brandy. 'Aside from your questionable concern for my health, what is the reason for interrupting my evening?'
'You wanted me to report to you when the soldiers were close to catching up to Riqumorgia. They are. I have just directed them to move into position.'
Malithorn sat up. 'Now, that is an improvement. You might redeem yourself yet, Colnba.'
Colnba snorted softly.
Grinning, the Great Lord leaned back. 'Oh, I know. You are hardly interested in redemption. I do not mistake your obedience for loyalty. I am hardly that naïve. My father ensured I was well-educated in how to retain your compliance.' Malithorn repressed the urge to move his hand to the locket and whatever mysterious thing it held that caused Nisari and Colnba to obey him.
Colnba looked away. 'Regardless of the source of my dutifulness, and our current success, I must again warn you, this path carries many risks. I am confident the Saviour will come to Riqumorgia's aid, but this does not guarantee the Saviour's capture or that Akileena will be with them—'
'Yes, yes,' Malithorn drawled, 'with "so many future paths, there is greater unpredictably in the outcome",' he recited in an almost sing-song voice. 'I recall well your many cautious warnings on the way back to Sal-Cirus. Yet despite that, my soldiers are almost upon Riqumorgia, are they not?'
'Yes, Lord Abbarane,' Colnba replied, suppressing an urge to glower.
'Then proceed with the strategy as per our earlier discussion and report as necessary.'
The senior mage inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly and then bowed at the waist. 'As you wish, Lord Abbarane.'
Day 19 – Night
Serenvale Plains
'Brynn? Brynn!'
'Sariah? What hour is it? Careful, you are right in front of a rock. Step to your right twice and then forward.'
'Thank you.'
'Why are we whispering?' Brynn asked.
'Because it is just past mid-eve.'
'And what urgency causes such concern, surely the may-en-ghi keep us well protected?'
Sariah reached out to grasp Brynn's forearms. 'Riqu. I awoke with images of men in black cloaks and armour approaching Riqu's group while they slept.'
'A dream?' Brynn's tone said that he doubted this was the case.
'Kaydyr,' the warrior's voice was even quieter than before.
'Where are they?'
'That is the problem, Kaydyr does not know. He was returning here with another hawk. They flew over a camp and swooped low, just out of curiosity, that was when they spotted the group sneaking up on the camp. When Kaydyr went for a closer look, he recognised Riqu. I cannot send to him, to Riqu I mean. I have sent and sent again, but he gives no response, not even to leave him to his sleep. I know it is not because he has his full barriers up, that feels different to this.'
'Mages,' Brynn concluded. 'Malithorn's men are canny enough to notice the traffic in this area... That is probably a patrol. I will go to them.'
'As will I.'
'I meant on the planes.'
'I meant by horse. He will need help. After he met up with the group from Venshui they had twenty-five children as well as adult refugees. It is too large a group to manage if they need to out-run pursuers.'
'He mentioned nothing of the extra children to me, why?'
'He may not have realised it a detail you should know.'
'Wake the camp. I will scout out your father.'
Kaydyr silently glided to the ground again and picked out a path to the Riqu. How to wake the Riqu without making too much noise and without harming him — his beak and talons were sharp.
'Wings. Flap your wings on his face,' his companion suggested.
Awkwardly, he raised his wings and brushed them against the Riqu's face.
The elder elvan sleepily shifted, but did not rouse.
Kaydyr tried again.
'They are closer, they are closer. You cannot tarry,' his companion sent, a note of panic in her warning.
Kaydyr scanned the area. He could not see them, not from this position. The Sariah cared much for the Riqu, what to do?
In a fit of frustration, Kaydyr raised his head and let out a high-pitched scream.
Riqu came to with a start, his face full of feathers, his stomach feeling like it had been filled with rocks. Mages! A mage had put them under their will.
'Riqu!' Brynn sent. 'You are being ambushed! Head towards the stream and denser brush. I will fight their mages. Hurry!'
'Brynn?'
'They are barely fifty meters from you! Move for your life, Riqu. Move!'
General Samuel Armitage motioned a second unit of men to work their way south while the first one moved north. The main body of the group would remain here for when his lord's mage won against the rebel's mage and removed the invisible wall.
The first time he had fought elvan mages it had seemed like a nightmare. The ground reformed itself, trees tore themselves from the ground to bear down on their attackers, fire sparked from nothing in mid-air. His first invisible wall had been beyond his comprehension. With time, experience, and knowledge understanding came. It was just molecules. The mages moved them, reformed them, and it was not endless. Somewhere this mage would have stopped, at some point he would weaken, and they would be clear to run down the fleeing elvan before them.
Sariah paced anxiously, she paused and looked to Brynn, who was sitting amongst his blankets, breathing steadily, head down, eyes closed. Akileena was quietly moving about the camp with the others, packing up their gear.
Sariah caught his attention. 'What is happening?'
>
He gave the warrior a sympathetic look, leaving her feeling distinctly uneasy. 'Brynn has put a talented wall between the ambushers and Riqu to give your father time to gather his group and escape.'
Brynn jumped up, sweeping up his blanket with him. 'We have to go or we will become victims of the same fate.'
'How?' Sariah asked,
'They homed in on our talent,' Akileena answered as he packed her gear on Treya. 'They know where to find us now.'
Sershja whinnied. 'So close to Caradon—'
'It is all right, Sershja, Belon and Keysjhon know. Caradon is on the move,' Brynn sent as he helped the others. Then he sent to Baschia. 'Take the may-en-ghi, head to the forests above Caradon; we need to institute Caradon Fall-back. Gather the rest of your kin and stand by.'
'I remember. Are you sure you want all of us to go?'
Brynn sent his affirmation; a feeling of complete certainty. 'It is too early in the war to reveal our advantage in your presence and loyalty or to confirm your existence to those less knowledgeable. You are to act as a secondary defence; only if the lives Caradon protects are in danger, should you go to them. Worry not for us, my Baschia, there are still paths that will keep us out of Malithorn's grasp.'
Day 19 – Night
Sal-Cirus
'We have them trapped, not just Riqumorgia, but his daughter, Akileena, and the Saviour,' Colnba announced striding into Malithorn's private quarters.
'Are you sure?'
'Oh, yes. As I said, he was heading towards the desert. Nathan's slaves were caught in the south. Riqumorgia was moving south, and when I shifted my search southwards, I found him, the Saviour.'
The mage moved over to a wide table with a white marble top. At a command of will, the table was filled with a miniature three-dimensional map of the plains to the south.
'See here?' Colnba pointed to a clump of forest west of the plains.
Malithorn nodded, but Colnba was not looking at him.
'That is where Riqumorgia hid with twenty-five children and eighteen adults. I am not human, so I cannot speak for them, but elvan are as protective of their children as dragon-folk.'
Malithorn rolled his eyes at the mythical reference.
Colnba ignored him. 'An elvan female has a sixteen-turn cycle and may not conceive for several cycles and parents invest around a century raising them.'
'Spare me the details,' Malithorn cut in. 'I get your point.'
Colnba levelled his gaze at the Great Lord and reminded himself of the prisoner who had to crawl back to his cell. 'The point is, I was right. Once we threatened the children...' Colnba pointed to another spot on the map. 'There he is,' his tone was filled with a deep satisfaction. 'He put up shields to protect them and showed himself. He cannot help himself, he will risk his own safety to ensure theirs.'
'So you used the female's hawk as you intended?'
'Yes, I used it to 'warn' them as we discussed,' Colnba said off-handedly.
'And how is the progress of the soldiers?'
'The two groups hounding Riqumorgia are close enough to keep them running, but they know to not quite catch up. This keeps them running towards the Saviour. At the same time, the rest of your soldiers are being deployed behind the Saviour now that they know his position. We will have them surrounded by dawn.'
Malithorn gave the mage one of his rare genuine smiles. 'Take all the mages we have, and do not bother capturing him Colnba, put an end to this saviour.'
Day 19 – Night
Serenvale Plains
She wanted to damn and bless the mage that put them on the back of this stalwart horse. Riding was not quite as easy as the rebels made it look, Ana reflected as she concentrated on not bouncing uncontrollably. The boy sharing the saddle in front of her was doing a better job. Just then, Kiril turned so he could look up at her, his silver-gold eyes full of fear. She automatically pushed a reassuring smile on her face, receiving a hesitant smile in return.
Even as a slave, one learned to revere the title of 'Mage'. It was easy to do considering that those who earned the mantle took dozens of turns to train and possessed knowledge both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Knowledge of death, of the incredible fragility of the world, and most of all, that one's personal desires were not always reason enough to change Fate itself.
Until recently, her life had held very little hope or excitement. Then, one night, her whole group was rescued from slavers by a warrior and a mage. Then another mage, a kind elvan named Riqu, coordinated their dispersal to safe locations. He had given two of her fellow slaves directions to a safe-haven the rebels called Caradon and they had all had hope then as their little group headed off. Unfortunately they were recaptured by Thane Kennelm before they reached it. She had been so frightened when she learned it was Thane Kennelm who had directed their capture. When the patrol that caught them had separated her and two other slaves from the group, she had been terrified. But then they simply sent them on to Denas, as insurance they'd said. Then, against all hope, Riqu had materialised and extracted all the slaves on her corridor. It had been heartbreaking to realise that their female elvan companion, Reya, had drifted from sleep into death not long before the rebels arrived. She had been so kind, and naturally talented, it turned out. She'd said she wanted to join the rebels so she could learn to become a mage. When they'd first met, they'd laughed over how similar their names were and had become instant friends. Kiril had said that Reya looked a lot like his mother and they'd decided to go with her to Caradon, but that was not to be... To discover Reya had slipped away in her sleep had been very distressing, but they'd hardly had time to process their loss. Grieving would have to wait.
Perhaps Reya had the better bargain, her freedom could not be taken away again. She did not have to cling to a horse's mane, the wind and trees whipping her face, as she ran from Abbarane soldiers. Although, in the pre-dawn darkness it was hard to believe that there was anything to worry about — she could barely see a few meters ahead, let alone the soldiers pursuing them. But the unnaturally low rumbling of the horses' hooves that was gaining on their group, gave clear warning; they were definitely coming...
Chapter 9
Day 20 – Before Dawn
Serenvale Plains
Sixty tired horses galloped down into the bowl of the wide valley. A scan of the area showed that it was absent of Riqu's group. None of the clusters of trees provided enough cover to conceal them. A creek wound its way from the southern gully almost to the northern end of the valley before making its way back up and then disappearing down a gully to the east. No trees bordered the small water source and the grass was very short. It indicated that farmers had likely cut down the trees and used the area for grazing.
'We have not the time,' Brynn muttered.
'What was that?' Akileena queried, walking his horse up beside him.
Brynn shook his head, indicating that it did not matter, and said, 'Please use your talent to refresh the horses, Akileena. Riqu cannot be far.'
'And where to once he arrives?'
Brynn turned Sershja about. 'See those two gullies to the south and the east?' he asked pointing.
Akileena nodded.
'We take the eastern-most one.'
'Will not the southern one lead us to Caradon more quickly?'
'At this stage we should not risk going to Caradon. We are being tracked and could well lead Abbarane to it — if they have not discovered it already. Kaydyr reported that soldiers were heading in their direction. I advised them to evacuate,' Brynn replied darkly. 'The eastern gully becomes deep with high sides and thick tree cover. Our smaller groups will be able to manoeuvre through it better. It leads to a ravine, which will in turn lead us to a tunnel system that will take us to the Jagrery.
'So we might be able to lose them.'
'That is my hope.'
'Colnba is out there, Brynn. I can feel him,' Akileena said. His tone sounded calm enough, but his eyes revealed the true depth of his anxiousness.
Brynn
looked towards the ridge where he hoped, at any moment, Riqu would appear. 'I know. He is not the only elvan mage against us, either. So far I have identified his rahn, Nisari, and another mage whose name is not familiar to me, Ko-rayen.'
'House of Ko-renti. There will be others before long, Colnba and Nisari are well organised. Some mages will be assigned to shields, others to terrain and so on.'
'They are a formidable foe...' Brynn murmured distractedly as he scanned for Riqu. 'And it may come to a fight, yet. Abbarane's mages have been hampering Riqu's group, from mage-formed pit traps to torrential rain. That is in addition to the soldiers harrying their every step.'
'Colnba may be trying to provoke you into a fight by endangering Riqu's group.'
Brynn sighed in acknowledgement. Akileena's theory was likely true. If only Riqu could make it in the next few minutes. Else the contingent of Abbarane's forces that were advancing directly to the valley would close them in. They had to leave very, very soon.
'They have their own prophecy, Brynn. That is why Colnba and Nisari believe you are a threat.'
Prophecy's Quest Page 28