Treachery in the Kingdom

by Dan Zangari

  “And what of Iltar?” the king asks. “Did you slay him?”

  “No,” Dorith shakes his head. “In an attempt to find another route out of Alath, Iltar launched several attacks upon each of the gates, killing many citizens, Kingdom Guard, Agents and Protectors as well as several members of the council. I was able to seal him with the Irum’mak’sha’s spell and bring him before the people of Alath to be tried for his crimes. As determined by the voice of the people, he is now locked away within the Mage-Block of Ahzeald.”

  “You should have killed him!” the king disgustedly takes a deep breath then paces away from Dorith and the Premier General. “That is the fate of all who wrongly seek the Au’misha’k!”

  “Dorith did what was just,” the Premier General rebukes the king and folds his arms. “Now Iltar will suffer for his crimes in the depths of Ahzeald for the remainder of his life.”

  “Your action defies the supreme mandate,” the king snarls. “Anyone who selfishly seeks it must die. No one is exempt!”

  Angered by the king’s outburst, Dorith rises to his feet. He slams one end of his staff onto the dais and boldly declares, “Do not dare attempt to execute him!”

  The king defiantly turns around and stares at Dorith. The grandmaster returns his gaze with an equally potent expression of seriousness.

  Amid the tenuous exchange, the Premier General looks to the king and sternly scolds, “You would do well to remember whose kingdom this is, Your Majesty.”

  “Do not defy my will,” Dorith slowly commands. He sits upon the throne once again then says in a calmer tone while shaking his head, “I have a plan to resolve this entire matter; but Iltar must be kept alive in order for it to succeed.”

  “As you wish,” the king humbly mutters and bows his head.

  With the tension eased, the Premier General turns to Dorith and asks, “Now, what happened to the Ka’nakar?”

  “We searched the area Iltar’s accomplice had identified and found evidence of transmogrification. There were also three others working with Iltar that were able to get over the wall and it is possible that they escaped with it to the rest of Iltar’s band by use of other devices which were in the vault.”

  The king sighs heavily at Dorith’s answer and the Premier General shakes his head then asks. “How many are there? And is the Sorothian Navy assisting him?”

  “Eighteen, and no. When Iltar was captured we found a rogulin crystal in his possession. We immediately dispatched an agent to discover where it led.

  “Not long after we sent him, the accomplice was captured and we learned from him that the others were hiding in a woodland retreat just outside of Klath.

  “Thranar and Mathal led a brigade of Agents, Protectors and Kingdom Guard to this retreat. Both of them returned the evening before we left to deliver Iltar to Duke Gareth. They informed me that Iltar’s companions were not at the retreat and our agent was found dead. But before they left, Mathal and Thranar ordered their forces to search Klath and the surrounding area.”

  “What about the housing?” the masked general asks with trepidation. “Where is it?”

  “Nath believed it was being held on the White Duchess, a vessel Iltar had chartered indefinitely from a trader named Joselin Kenard.”

  “How do you propose we retrieve it?” the king asks in a puzzled tone and paces back to the others.

  “Iltar was in possession of two Shan’aks. He and his companions were intending to travel back and forth between the mainland and the ship, mostly for supplies. They planned this because the Sorothian Navy was intending to blockade all major ports in the human realm to capture them–”

  “I suppose we should release them,” the Premier General interrupts with a sigh.

  “What do you mean?” Dorith quickly asks.

  “Sorothian vessels came into port three days ago,” the king answers. “A fleet of ten and nearly a week and a half before that, five ships have been waiting just beyond the docking routes.

  “When they came ashore they were detained, since your address claimed they were working with the necromancer. The admiral, five of the captains, and their lieutenants, as well as a discerner, are in the dungeon here in the castle.”

  “I apologize, Dorith,” the Premier General says, “You were saying?”

  “When we find Iltar’s companions they will have a rogulin crystal which is bound to a Shan’ak on Kenard’s ship. We simply need to use one of the crystals to get to the ship and take back the housing.”

  “How do you wish to go about this?” the king asks the grandmaster of the Estate.

  “As we speak, Almar and the rest of the Brethren have most likely organized search parties of Agents and Protectors, but I want a brigade of your best members in the Kingdom Guard to assist us. We will send these parties out to scourge the Kingdom until we find them. Perhaps they will show themselves as they try to free Iltar, which I believe they will attempt; they had the gall to storm Merda and vanquish its masters. They will certainly try to penetrate Ahzeald. However, I believe we should also send our naval vessels in search of the White Duchess.”

  “As you wish,” the king says and bows his head.

  “I will send word to assemble my men,” the Premier General states and hastily steps off the dais.

  “I have brought a rogulin sphere with me,” Dorith calls out and slowly rises out of the throne, bracing himself against his staff. “It is bound outside of Alath. When your men are ready I will take them back with me.”

  “Excellent,” the Premier General calls out and says the next with a humored tone, “But I hope you didn’t break any of those Edicts.”

  Dorith chuckles and closes his eyes with a smile.

  “You look weary,” the king observes as he examines Dorith. “Her Majesty is away in Arbath. You are welcome to stay the night in the royal chambers, surely it will take some time to gather the forces you desire.”

  Dorith opens his eyes and grins slyly as he looks to the king. He replies while shaking his head, “No, but thank you for the offer. I want to go release the Sorothians; they will undoubtedly prove useful in apprehending Iltar’s accomplices. We will all stay in the dignitary wing tonight.”

  “As you wish,” the king respectfully responds. “Let me write and seal orders for their release.”

  * * * * *

  A half hour later, Dorith descends a dimly lit stairwell and out into a small anteroom with a metal door and a sleeping armor clad jailer resting upon a chair to the right of the stairs.

  “Wake up, jailer,” Dorith beckons, stepping across the anteroom to the metal door.

  “Uh,” the jailer stirs and slowly opens his eyes, “Oh, may I help you?”

  “I am Grandmaster Dorith of Alath, I am here to release the Sorothians by order of His Majesty,” Dorith says and removes a small roll of parchment from his robe and hands it to the rousing jailer.

  The jailer hastily breaks the seal and glances over the writing on the parchment then quickly moves to the door.

  Dorith tiredly waits as the jailer moves the heavy metal slab upon its hinges and once the door is opened the grandmaster of the Estate walks through the threshold.

  Beyond the doorway is a long rectangular dungeon. It rises two stories in height, with small round window openings along the top to the left. Immediately to the right of the doorway are several large cells, nearly thirty phineals across and fifteen phineals deep. Along the cells side adjacent to the rest of the dungeon are walls made of metal rods.

  Within the first cell are thirty men all fast asleep, some partially dressed in the formal garbs of sailors from Soroth.

  Dorith steps up to the cell and stretches out his staff, quickly swinging it across the rods of the cell wall and making a loud ringing as he does so.

  Each of the men are startled by the abrupt sound and they all groggily rise to their feet.

  “Good evening,” Dorith says with a smile and the jailer walks around him and to the cell door, fumbling for a key as he r
eaches the door.

  “What is this all about?” a tall muscular man calls out from the rear, dressed in simple beige undergarments. His wavy brown and grey hair bobs as he moves toward the edge of the cell. “You people made it quite clear that we’re not leaving.”

  “His Majesty was misinformed,” Dorith chuckles as he leans on his staff. “I am here to release you. On His Majesty’s behalf, I apologize for your imprisonment.”

  “That is it?” an aged man dressed in a formal naval garb asks from the left of the cell. His hair is completely grey and his wrinkled face is covered by short grey stubbles. “You’re simply going to let us go because your king was misinformed?”

  “Yes,” Dorith nods his head and the jailer opens the cell door.

  “Pardon me,” the initial prisoner says in a mistrusting tone and glances to the opened doorway, “But I have a hard time trusting anyone who dresses like a mage.”

  “Perhaps that is because you have dealt with necromancers,” Dorith quips, “I am a Mage of Alath, we are strikingly different.”

  “At attention men,” the older prisoner states and all of the prisoners come to attention with the exception of the man who is conversing with Dorith. “Do not leave until we detect this trickery.”

  “You must be the admiral,” Dorith states.

  “I am Admiral Tiden Kilian, Commander of the Sorothian Naval Forces. Whatever you have to say you may say it to Discerner Brandir and myself,” Kilian points to the initial prisoner. “Do not question my men.”

  “You’re not in a position to make any demands,” Dorith smiles and chuckles, “But I do admire your spirit.

  “As I said, I have simply come to release you. I know you were chasing after Iltar. We have apprehended him.”

  Both Admiral Kilian and Discerner Brandir look at each other in surprise but do not utter any words.

  “Iltar committed several great crimes in Alath, for which he has been punished and sent to live the remainder of his days in the prison castle of Los.”

  “I request an extradition,” Admiral Kilian states, “You will deliver Iltar to us at once.”

  “I am afraid I cannot allow that. Iltar is too dangerous; many mages died attempting to imprison him.”

  “We have elven cords,” Brandir speaks up. “We can subdue him.”

  “Elven cords will not work on Iltar,” Dorith responds with a slightly amused chuckle, “He can muster magic without incantation. The place we have him locked away in voids all magic, incantation or not.

  “But tell me, why are you so determined to take him back with you?”

  “He has committed treason,” Admiral Kilian states in a firm tone, “He must be punished for his crimes.

  “I believe our imprisonment of Iltar satisfies Sorothian Law. Treason on your island results in life-time imprisonment or execution. Iltar will never leave, the Mage-Block of Ahzeald.”

  “We are under orders to bring him before Governor Riner,” Admiral Kilian responds in a stern commanding tone.

  “For what?” Dorith innocently asks, “Surely he will strike down your governor. Handing Iltar over to you will only cause more chaos and havoc. That is something I cannot allow.”

  Discerner Brandir leans toward Admiral Kilian and whispers, “Do you think they know?”

  “About what you theorized?” the admiral scoffs at the discerner and sighs.

  “And what is that?” Dorith asks calmly.

  “I believe Iltar is attempting to find an ancient device,” Brandir answers, “After the many events which have happened the last eight months, it is the only answer I can deduce. And I believe our Governor is also seeking that power.”

  “There is no such thing in the orders,” Kilian responds and looks away from Dorith and Brandir. “Iltar is guilty of assassinating Baron Cilgan; we are to apprehend him and execute his accomplices. That is all!”

  “I was present during the Soroth City Watch’s investigation of the good baron’s death as well as with the incident at the Necrotic Order. I am sure of it. It is also strange to me that Governor Riner would want Iltar’s companions executed.”

  “So you are saying your governor is corrupt?” Dorith asks and aloofly nods his head, “What else can you tell me about your theory and this device?”

  “I do not have any proof,” Brandir answers, “But yes, I believe he is; and if so he must be removed from his office–”

  “Hold your tongue, Brandir!” Admiral Kilian spits out.

  “As for the device, it has the power to control dragons, dragons Iltar claimed to have met on an island north of Soroth. I’ve seen the scrolls and handled them, as well as two books. If this object is truly real, no one should have it; including our governor.”

  “Perhaps we can come to an agreement,” Dorith says and paces back and forth in front of the cell, lightly dropping his staff as he walks. “Your governor wants to question Iltar, he can do that while Iltar resides in his cell. You are also under orders to capture Iltar’s accomplices, accomplices we too are after. If we work together we can fulfill both of our mandates and,” Dorith looks to Brandir, “If your governor is truly corrupt, you will have the proof you need.

  “Either way, you are free to go.”

  Discerner Brandir turns to the Admiral and looks down into his eyes. After a moment he speaks up, “We should work together. Besides, justice has been satisfied by Iltar’s imprisonment.

  “I know deep down you suspect the same as I, although you would never admit it aloud; especially in front of your men. Governor Riner’s orders are slightly unusual.”

  “What would happen if we do not agree?” the admiral queries in a commanding tone.

  “Iltar will remain in the depths of the prison castle. If we encounter your soldiers we would be reluctant to share any information we have concerning Cornar and his companions, nor would we feel obligated to inform you of their capture. Surely tensions would rise between Soroth and the Kingdom, which I doubt is something you would want to be responsible for.”

  “Sir!” one of the imprisoned men calls out from behind Kilian and Brandir, “If I may speak.”

  Admiral Kilian turns around and nods his head then the prisoner continues, “Turning down the mage’s offer could be construed as a violation of our orders from the Governor. I suggest we comply with him.”

  A moment of silence passes before the admiral voices his verdict.

  “Fine,” Kilian sighs, “We will work together.”

  “I am glad to hear that,” Dorith tiredly smiles. “I will be returning to Alath in the morning. I invite you, the discerner here and any of your captains who wish to join you to come with me and discuss the matter further. My brethren will be finalizing the particulars of the search once I return.

  “But let’s take this conversation elsewhere. I have sent word for rooms to be prepared in the dignitary wing of the castle, as well as a warm meal for each of you.”

  Dorith tiredly turns away from the cell and as he walks back toward the metal door, he can hear the admiral giving his captains and other officers orders concerning their ships.

  You surely cannot avoid us much longer Cornar, Dorith thinks while exiting the jail. Your capture is inevitable.

  * * * * *

  In the midmorning hours of the next day, a large body of three thousand members of the Kingdom Guard are gathered in the eastern courtyard of the castle. They are all standing at attention with their fanisars held perfectly straight in their left hands.

  Pacing in front of the rows of guardsmen, the Premier General of Los is addressing his troops in regard to their reassignment.

  “…Once you arrive in Alath you will be given your assignments. Lieutenants will travel with Grandmaster Dorith to the Main Hall of the Estate where a council will be held.”

  As the Premier General continues to address his men concerning Dorith’s plan, the grandmaster of the Estate steps out from one of the buildings with his staff strapped upon his back. He walks straightway for the Premie
r General, all the while searching the skies.

  Dorith stops a couple of phineals behind the Premier General when a shadow swoops over the guardsmen. With a wave of his hand, Dorith motions to an empty spot next to him within the courtyard and not long after Eradas lands on the stony ground.

  “Come Eradas,” Dorith motions with his fingers and the mystical mount looses cohesion. The magic holding it together wisps back toward the grandmaster of the Estate and the earthen materials fall into several small piles on the courtyard’s floor. Exposed at the top of the centermost mound is the strap of Dorith’s satchel.

  “Now that is impressive,” Discerner Brandir states from behind the grandmaster. “But I sure wouldn’t want to ride that thing.”

  “Good day,” Dorith briefly turns and notices the discerner walking towards him with Admiral Kilian and the other five captains at his side. The grandmaster quickly strides up to the centermost mound and pulls his tan satchel from it. He swats the bag several times and knocks loose dirt and grassy debris then opens it up.

  “And why are you playing with dirt?” one of the Sorothian captains asks in jest as he and the others near the grandmaster.

  Dorith chuckles as he rummages through the satchel and pull the rogulin sphere from it then asks, “Have any of you traveled through a portal before?”

  The seven Sorothians shake their heads and Dorith grins, turning around to face the Premier General as he finishes his address to the soldiers in the courtyard.

  “… You will be transported from this spot to Alath by use of a conjurer’s sphere. You will feel disoriented and many of you will become ill, so I advise you remove your helmets.

  “Remember, you will be tracking down and capturing dangerous criminals that will resort to any tactic to evade capture,” the Premier General declares. “Each of you were chosen because you represent the best this Kingdom has to offer. Do not fail His Majesty!”