“You ran from combat though you were able to still fight?” Shordan shouted, drawing a short sword. “Cowards should be dead. If not honorably in battle, then slaughtered as the cravens they are.” He moved toward the man to strike him down.
“Stop,” the Gray Man said in a normal tone.
It was as if Shordan had hit a wall. He stopped, motionless, frozen in place.
Ix saw Shordan’s eyes widen, his whole body tense. Then, though his body did not move at all, she saw him relax. Instantly, whatever it was that held him was released. He slammed his sword back into the scabbard at his waist, glaring at Drewit.
The Gray Man spoke. “You did well, Drewit. I do not throw away resources for no reason. The information you bring me is valuable. Go, see the healers and have your injuries looked at. I can feel infection in at least one of them from your long journey back here. We will speak later of exact locations and of promoting you to lieutenant of the fourteenth Unit. We will have to select men to repopulate the unit.”
The man stood straighter, though it was apparent that his injuries were aching. “Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord.” With salutes to the Gray Man first, then Shordan, then Ix, he left the room.
For long moments, the Gray Man stared at nothing, fingers still steepled, tapping his upper lip. Ix and Shordan waited soundlessly. Finally, those red rimmed eyes latched onto Shordan, and then on Ix.
“This is the man I have been searching for, the one from my world. It has been too long that I have been trying to capture him. He has, it seems, been able to employ protectors. The woman is Sapsyr, no doubt, but the man? Perhaps he is one of the errant Zouyim, or maybe just a fighter of extraordinary skill. Either way, we must get them out of the way.
“This man, this scholar, will have information I need. If what I believe is correct, he has been collecting items and knowledge much as I have been, but probably more importantly, he himself is a storehouse of knowledge. How did he come to this world? I must talk to this man.
“You, my friends, now have a new priority. I want this man captured. I want him brought back here. As for any others, you can use your discretion. If you can capture his protectors, they may be useful. As skillful as they sound, though, it may be better just to kill them. Do you understand?”
Shordan Drees drew his massive body even taller: “I will talk with the Collector for the exact location and specifics on the protectors and set out immediately.” Clapping his fist to his heart, he left.
Ix stood for a moment. “I am assuming that you want me to scout ahead and take care of this matter before the oaf can even reach the compound?”
The Gray Man’s mouth twitched into the ghost of a smile. “Oh, Ix, you have such a good rapport with your fellow soldiers. Yes, you are correct. With your unique talents, you are able to reach the area much faster than anyone else can.
“Do not underestimate these foes, my dear. I know you are the best at what you do, but you have never pitted yourself against both a Sapsyr and a Zouy. They may very well be too much even for one such as you to handle.
“If you can snatch the scholar without engaging the protectors, do so. He is the one I want. The others can be dealt with later. Is all that clear?”
“Crystal,” she said. “I will question the Collector after Shordan does. The behemoth will miss all the important information, I have no doubt. I, on the other hand,” she looked up, brown eyes meeting blood red, “know how to ask nicely.”
“Yes, you do.” The Gray Man stood, went to a nearby table, and drank from a goblet of wine. “You are the best, Ix. Do not fail me in this.”
Bowing, Ix started out the door. “As you say, my lord.” And she was gone.
Chapter 17
“We have to do what?” Sam asked Dr. Walt again, unbelieving what he had just heard. “We have to go and catch what?”
Dr. Walt wrung his hands. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. It is rather a straightforward procedure. There is a bit of risk, but overall, nothing really to worry about.”
Sam shook his head. “You want me to capture and break a horse-sized wolf?”
“Now, now, Sam,” Dr. Walt consoled him, “Just calm down. The rakkeben are not monsters. They are very intelligent. They can be reasoned with. In fact, they must be reasoned with.”
Skitter forced his opinion into Sam’s mind. They are monsters. They love to eat hapaki. They will eat you, too.
Sam’s jaw dropped. He looked at Dr. Walt with incredulity. “Skitter just told me that they eat his people. And that they’ll eat me, too.”
“Yes, yes, the hapaki are a favored food, if the rakkeben are able to catch them. The hapaki only have two real enemies: the rakkeben, which are large wolves, and the pantor, which are ferocious predatory cats, much like the panthers and cheetahs on Telani. The point, though, is that our quest will take several months without the rakkeben. Even with them, it will take almost two months. Do you want to walk twelve hundred miles to the Gray Fortress?”
“No.” Sam hung his head.
“You must grasp the fruit when it appears on the tree,” Rindu added. Three sets of eyes went to him, paused, and then looked away.
“Ok, fine,” Sam finally said. “What is it that we need to do?”
Dr. Walt explained as Nalia and Rindu listened in. Soon, they were packed and ready to leave. The servants had been dismissed with any provisions they felt they needed, those who were leaving. A few decided to stay at the compound despite Dr. Walt’s insistence that the Gray Man’s minions would be back with more soldiers.
“Where are your rakkeben?” Sam asked, looking around, "the ones you bonded, I mean."
“They range far and wide when we have no need of them. When we get closer to their territory, we will call them. There is no use calling them now because you will be walking. We will do likewise. Better to let them do whatever they want for now.”
They started off South, each carrying their own pack with supplies. Sam’s three companions were well familiar with the forest and with finding food within it, so they carried little food with them. Sam still marveled at the dense forest that surrounded him. This was near his home. In his world, this entire area was desert.
As they walked, Dr. Walt gave Sam details on the rakkeben. “They are very large shaggy wolves–” he started.
“Why are there no horses here, though? Why are the animals so different?” Sam asked.
“It’s logical if you think about it,” the doctor answered. “Apparently, horses were used here as cows are used back in Telani, for food. They were rarely ridden. When the cataclysm came, horses were too fragile to survive the upheaval. For some reason, cows never developed as a species here. Goat milk is drunk and horse and deer are used for meat. Well, horses were used for meat, before they became extinct. Diets here consist more of fruits and vegetables than meat, but that is possibly because of the relative scarcity of animals.
“The indigenous animals adapted and survived despite the old world’s annihilation and the effects of mankind’s presence. There are still fewer animals than on Telani, but it has not been long since the end of the old world. At least, not long when you consider the lifespan of entire species. There is another animal that is used as a mount, the manu birds. They are somewhat like ostriches but bigger and stronger. Their training is difficult and expensive, however, so the trained birds are rare. We would not be able to acquire any. Besides, they are rather stupid. The rakkeben are a better choice.”
“Rindu said that he thought the survivor of the attack on the compound escaped on a manu bird. Does the Gray Man have mounted forces, all riding the large birds?”
“No,” Nalia said. “He allows some of the groups of Collectors to keep the birds, but at the Gray Fortress, and in general, he does not allow it. It is said that he does not agree with keeping things captive that cannot defend themselves. It is ridiculous because he has been known to detain and torture people he has caught. I believe the man is insane.”
“Yes,” Sam
answered. “That does seem pretty inconsistent.”
Dr. Walt explained about the wolves as he plodded through the jungle behind Rindu, walking stick swinging. The rakkeben were wolves, true, but not like the wolves back home. They were large. Very large. Their shoulders were approximately the height of a man’s head when he was standing erect. Proportionally, they were like wolves, however, so with their height also came greater mass all around than horses. A full-grown rakkeban weighed in the neighborhood of a thousand pounds. And, as with all wolves, they had sharp teeth and knew how to use them.
What really distinguished the creatures from the wolves on Telani, though, was their intelligence. They were wickedly smart and fiercely independent. They were not broken as horses were; they were negotiated with. The simple fact was that they could not be ridden unless they bonded with their rider. Once bonded, they were loyal to that person.
The bonding was a simple process. The rakkeben had some sense or ability to decide immediately if a person was suitable. If not, things could get dangerous very quickly. Though the rakkeben were carnivores and hunters, they were not generally violent. If not attacked or offended overmuch, a man could step away from the wolf with his life after being found unsuitable. But sometimes it was a near thing.
What the small party had to do was to enter the rakkeben territory. Then, Sam would have to find one that judged him as suitable for bonding. There was no ritual, no way Sam could manipulate the process. It was as simple placing of oneself in front of a rakkeban and hoping for the best.
Sam gulped nervously. “Will you three be with me or do I have to do this alone?” he asked.
Dr. Walt put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “We will be in sight, but not too near. The rakkeben will not show themselves to a group, unless they feel a threat. If they feel a threat, they will attack a group, no matter how large. We don’t want that.”
The four walked through the forest silently for a time, choosing animal paths that made it easier to traverse the foliage. What seemed like a long time later, Dr. Walt brought the party to a halt. “Ok, Sam. This is the place. We are at the edge of the rakkeben’s territory.”
Sam was trembling. “What do I do?” he asked.
Dr. Walt, sympathy in his eyes, pointed toward a small clearing two hundred yards away. “Go to that clearing. They already know you are here. Wait for them.”
“Ok.” Sam drew himself up and took a deep breath, then started toward the clearing.
“Oh, and Sam…” Dr. Walt called out. “Don’t make any quick movements or anything that could be interpreted as aggressive.”
Sam walked through the high grass, dodging fallen logs and a large insect burrow. He was not too proud to admit that he was scared witless. With the way these creatures were described, they were frightening.
Maybe he was letting his imagination get carried away. He would try to think of something else and just see what the lupine creatures looked like when one appeared.
His thoughts drifted while he waited. He still could hardly believe all this was real. How was his mother holding up with him missing? How was his cat? Luckily the feline was not in the house when Sam transported to this world or his furry companion might have been food for some other creature by now. And what about Nalia and that mask of hers…
He heard a rustling a few feet away, in some of the denser vegetation. He froze, listening.
Nothing.
Suddenly, a large gray shape slunk out of the trees off to his right. He looked toward the others, still just visible where he had left them. It was reassuring to know they were there, but there was nothing any of them could do if this creature decided to eat him.
The rakkeban came into full view in the clearing. It was magnificent. Standing as tall as a horse, but much bulkier, and shaggier, it padded almost soundlessly toward Sam.
Though the creature looked like a monstrous wolf, with the same dimensions and mannerisms Sam had seen watching nature documentaries on wolves, it was also different. Those golden lupine eyes gleamed in the dim forest light, seeming to stare through Sam. To weigh him. To judge him.
More, though, those eyes showed intelligence. High intelligence. Perhaps that was the scariest thing of all. It wasn’t so much that this massive shaggy beast in front of him could snap his neck with one bite. It was that it could reason as well as Sam could and it could make decisions. Sam felt exposed, naked in the sight of this creature. He realized that Dr. Walt had not told him if he should be making eye contact with the animal. Some animals took that as a sign of aggression.
The rakkeban stopped a few feet from Sam, staring.
“Hello,” Sam was able to whisper. Barely.
The rakkeban didn’t move, didn’t make a sound. It just stared. Sam’s knees started shaking and he clenched his leg muscles, locking them up, to prevent it. There was no further movement by the wolf in front of him.
Then, the rakkeban shifted its gaze to behind Sam’s left shoulder. Turning his head slowly, Sam saw another of the creatures padding up to him. It also stopped a few feet away, staring with its golden eyes.
Soon, three more rakkeben had come up toward him. The five had him ringed in completely. He could feel the air warm each time one of the beasts exhaled. He could smell their breath, not unlike dog’s breath. It wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t foul either.
Sam looked back to Dr. Walt and the others, eyes imploring. He raised his hands slightly and shrugged, as if to ask: “What is going on?” One of the rakkeben growled, low in its throat, and Sam lowered his arms slowly. He just caught a glimpse of Dr. Walt, expression showing concern, shrug back. He didn’t know what was going on either. Great.
When he saw all the rakkeben turn their heads in the direction behind his right shoulder, Sam slowly turned his own head. There, just parting the vegetation and coming out of the trees, was the largest rakkeban of the group. Not only was it larger, but though all the others around him were different shades of gray or brown, this huge rakkeban was completely white.
The White padded softly through the clearing and stopped just a few feet from Sam. Sam turned to face the newcomer. Its shaggy head, topped by furry ears, with the large glowing yellow eyes and sharp muzzle, shook once, causing its ears to bounce, reminding Sam of pet dogs he had when he was young.
Awestruck, Sam muttered: “You are magnificent.” The sound of his voice startled even himself. He added, mentally, This has got to be the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, if not the most frightening.
Frightening, yes, Skitter’s sending echoed in Sam’s mind, but not the most beautiful. That would be me. It was sent with a nervous humor meant to help with Sam’s fear. Skitter was scared for his friend.
As the rakkeban stood staring at Sam, judging him, Sam’s mind raced. Should he make eye contact? Would that be a sign of aggression? What should he do? Why were they surrounding him like this?
Not being able to help himself, Sam’s eyes finally raised to meet the luminous orbs of the white rakkeban. In those eyes, Sam saw not only the intelligence he had seen in the others’ eyes, he saw compassion, sincerity, and a strict adherence to justice. He had no doubt that this rakkeban was the leader of the pack. And as its eyes drilled into Sam, he suddenly felt comfort, his fear melting away.
The White lifted its left paw, much like a dog wanting to shake hands. Sam understood. He lifted his right hand slowly toward the rakkeban leader. The wolf put its paw down and stepped forward. One step. Two steps. Then it was sniffing his hand, gently licking it. Shocked, Sam looked up again into the creature’s eyes and saw a question there.
Head dipping slightly, the white rakkeban allowed Sam to run his fingers through the thick fur on the top of its head. With that motion, the other rakkeben slowly melted into the forest without a sound. Soon, only he and the white rakkeban were in the clearing.
With a look from the White and a slight motion of the head toward the where Dr. Walt and the others waited, it let Sam know it was all right for his friends to jo
in him now. Sam, it seemed, had found another friend in this foreign land.
Chapter 18
Ix gathered her favorite weapons, strapping them into place in their respective positions. She also packed her backpack. It was specially designed to fit perfectly on her back. It could be secured firmly, but did not interfere with any motion she may have to make. Running, sliding under objects, rolling, all of these were possible with her backpack full of her tools and provisions.
She had designed it herself, having the best tailor and leatherworker she could find work on parts of it individually and then finishing it herself. She was no artist, but with patience, persistence, and perfectionism, outstanding things could be achieved.
She brought what she would need for an extended absence because she knew she would not find her prey right away. If they were smart, they would have fled as soon after the battle in their compound as possible. And, she thought, they were smart. At least, one of them was. The Gray Man had been looking for the scholar for years, but was never able to track down and capture him. She never underestimated her foe. That was one reason she always succeeded in her missions, one reason she was still alive.
Completing her mental checklist, the assassin blew out the lantern, left the room, and closed the door behind her. She didn’t even look back. Ix did not get home sick. She didn’t particularly care where she slept or spent her time. Being on the move for most of her life, she had no home, and no real possessions but her weapons and the four small figurines.
It wasn’t always like this, of course. She had a relatively normal childhood. Until she was eight years old. Then the entire world she knew was plunged to the lowest level of hell.
The woman now called Ix was born in a unique area far to the East of the ocean’s coast she was currently near. It was a large, fertile plateau surrounded by mountains and at a much higher altitude than where she was now.
Harmonic Magic Series Boxed Set Page 13